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June 30, 2006

Okonjo-Iweala: Visa Policy Must Change

The new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday assured Nigerians that she would press for a review of the processes for obtaining the visa of other countries to check the growing cases of Nigerian applicants being treated with contempt by some embassies and high commissions.

By Constance Ikokwu, 06.30.2006

This move, according to her, will however follow from a review of the process towards obtaining Nigerian visa in other countries to reflect the economic programmes of the current administration.

In her first public speech since the cabinet reshuffle that saw her reassigned to foreign affairs from the ministry of finance, Okonjo-Iweala said we must send the message out to the world that Nigeria is open for business so our visa and other policies must change to reflect this focus. We must help our private sector to get access to markets elsewhere. We must penetrate other markets, it is not enough to be a market for others.

The Foreign Affairs Minister who addressed senior, middle and junior level staff at the ministry's headquarters in Zone 3, Abuja, emphasised that other countries must also reciprocate by ensuring that Nigerians who have genuine business and personal reasons for seeking visas are not treated with contempt, that they are treated with the seriousness and respect they deserve.・BR>Okonjo-Iweala disclosed that it cost the nation N6 billion when she was finance minister to offset the salaries of our missions abroad.

"There are about 95 overseas missions whose work has been hampered by poor funding resulting in non-payment of salaries and rents" she stated while reiterating that the conditions of those missions and its officers would be one of her top priorities.

Describing President Olusegun Obasanjo as the nation's number one foreign policy architect and ambassador, who is truly engaged in all aspects of our foreign policy・ she said the President is interested in the welfare of the overseas missions. Obasanjo, she stated, also believes that the ministry could be restructured to contribute meaningfully to the government's economic reform programme. The restructuring, she said, would also involve the staff in Nigeria and that those affected will be paid their full entitlements.

This President believes that this very important ministry is capable of contributing much more to the efforts of the present administration to create a prosperous, stable and respected nation. And that is why the President wants the ministry reshaped and restructured so that they can better contribute to the realisation of the Nigeria of our dreams, as set out in the economic reform programme.

"Nigeria must make the appropriate changes in terms of foreign policy, that would enable her achieve the objective of becoming the 20th largest economy in the world by 2020", the minister noted. It is also important that these changes reflect economic realities, she added.

Our priority is to change foreign policy in line with the nation's economic realities and to achieve this the ministry has been given the mandate to executive this foreign policy must also change,・adding that 努e need more economics in our economic diplomacy."

Posted by Publisher at 12:58 PM | Comments (0)

2007: EFCC probes aspirants— Confirms probe of Ngige

ABUJA — THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) plans to conduct thorough investigations on aspirants for various elective offices next year with a view to advising the electorate on their suitability for the nation’s good.

By Rotimi Ajayi
Posted to the Web: Friday, June 30, 2006

Chairman of the Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu told newsmen at an interactive session in Abuja that the country could not afford a set of leaders who would mess up the good foundation being laid by the present administration. He spoke against the backdrop of the recent removal of Nigeria’s name from the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

He said although it is the responsibility of the political parties to field candidates for the election, the EFCC would investigate, identify and name the bad ones that should not be allowed in government.

He said, “we have worked for years and the FATC de-listing is a testimony of what has been done over the years. It is more or less like an endorsement. It is like saying yes, we endorse what you are doing. It is also a justification for the establishment of EFCC. We worked hard and we got de-listed from the blacklist.
“This de-listing means so much to the country. We cannot even quantify the gains from it because daily we suffered when we were on the list. One of the biggest handicaps of these international banks coming in directly into our economy was because we were on the black list of FATF.

“One of the biggest issues that FATF insisted we must address is the issue of corruption. They believe that this is the biggest thing undermining everything in our system. This is the reason why our entire financial system is in a mess. You are going today to keep money in the bank and tomorrow you go, it is a failed bank. This is the reason why public fund goes into private pockets and end up at international financial centers.

“After delisting us, they (FATF) have insisted they are going to follow us, monitor what is going to be done. If there is going to be change they said they would not hesitate to take us back.

“They specifically said that if this war against corruption is going to be stopped they will revisit this program. They want to see that the changes that took place would be sustained.

“So we still have a lot of work ahead of us. We must sustain what we started. We must have to ensure that it continues.
“We have succeeded in turning Nigeria into a theatre of war against corruption in the world and we are showing other countries in the world how to sanitize ourselves.
“We have worked hard on the international image. There is still a lot of work to be done. It is our own country. We must fix it. We just have to hand the country back to the right track. Some people messed up. Some people turned Nigeria into “tokunboh” country, taking the remnants of the world. It is a pitiful thing. We cannot just do so much harm to ourselves and allow it to continue and say it is right.

“We thank the present leadership of this country. For the first time in the history of this country, you can see that some programmes or modalities of progress are being introduced. Let’s be serious. Let’s ensure that we carry these things forward. Let’s change our country. Let’s not allow bad people to mess us up again. It is not right. Those who mess it up please for God’s sake go. Give others chance to come and fix it.

“Nigerians must stand up and say no, enough is enough. We have to just take our country back. For the future of our country, whatever the work is we just have to do it and make sure we clean our country.

He added that his men were already studying the electoral act with a view to confirm how it applies to the workings of the Commission and other law enforcement agencies. "The law enforcement agencies do not have power to screen but law enforcement agencies have power to bring people to justice and we can charge people to court and this we intend to do.

“The law enforcement agencies will investigate and tell Nigerians. What I am talking about is how do we stop these bad people from coming back again. If the political parties will be conscious of this and also will want to rely on the findings of the law enforcement agencies on who will be their candidates or not, then we tend to weed out the bad ones.

“If the political parties want to put somebody for an election and they choose a person who will be going to court and at the same time facing elections, it is its business. EFCC does not have any right to stop anyone from becoming a candidate. EFCC is a law enforcement agency and we will go by the rules but we are also alive to our responsibility of ensuring that we expose bad people.

“I think this is fair because we are just answering the call of our people and then going by what the law says. The work we will do will be transparent and open.”
The EFCC Chairman pointed out that since the operation of the Commission, it had recovered well over five billion dollars which it returned to government, international victims and other victims of fraud and advance fee fraud.
He added that the Commission had also achieved over 76 convictions of those offenders.

Petition against Ngige real, says EFCC

Hesaid that the Commission had received a petition from the Anambra State Governor Chris Obi against the deposed Governor Chris Ngige for alleged mismanagement of the state funds.

The EFCC Chairman also challenged members of the National Assembly who raised the allegation of bribery during the consideration of the constitution review bill at the National Assembly to come out and provide evidence against those allegedly involved.

“The legislators also have a role to give us any evidence they have. I don’t know what is the difficulty in coming out to tell us.”
He also spoke on the controversy surrounding the newness or otherwise of the Presidential jet which he said the Commission would investigate.

Posted by Publisher at 12:55 PM | Comments (0)

Nigeria wins seat in UNESCO culture panel

IT was a first-rate victory for Nigeria yesterday as it secured one of Africa's three slots in the 18-member intergovernmental committee for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

From Kabir Alabi Garba, Paris, France

With 43 votes, Nigeria topped the list of 14 countries from across the world whose membership of the committee had to be decided through the ballot. China scored 40; Japan, 37; India and Senegal, 36 each; Mexico, 35; Gabon and Brazil 34; Peru, 33; Hungary, 32; Estonia, 31; Romania and Vietnam, 29 each and Bulgaria, 24. Four countries - Belgium, Turkey, Algeria, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were elected unopposed. The first two belonged to Group 1 that has only two seats on the committee. Originally, Group 5b had five countries jostling for the two seats allotted to it. But the trio of Egypt, Jordan, and Syrian Arab Republic withdrew from the election paving the way for Algeria and UAE as automatic members.

A total of 44 countries of the 45 official state parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage participated in the election, meaning that only one country did not vote for Nigeria. Bhutan was absent.

The Group 5a, which is the electoral group of Nigeria eventually presented four countries for the election as Mali and Mauritius shortly before the election yesterday afternoon withdrew their candidatures. Ethiopia had earlier withdrawn owing to its appointment as the vice chairman of the executive council that presided over the General Assembly. And Seychelles, during one of the caucus meetings of the African Group withdrew too.

On Tuesday, when the meeting started, the African Group had attempted to reach a consensus of presenting just three candidates. That effort did not yield much result as Central African Republic (CAR) refused to step down. The argument then was that since Nigeria was the only Anglophone among the contestants, the other Francophone countries should be able to present two candidates from their fold to join Nigeria on the committee.

"But it was good that election was eventually used to resolve the matter,'' remarked an observer while reasoning that "Nigeria, with this result, has established itself as a force to be reckoned with in UNESCO."

A similar comment was made by the acting Chairman of the General Assembly, Luiz Filipe de Macedo Soares, who is also Ambassador of Brazil to UNESCO.

At the post-election session yesterday when the debate on the composition of the remaining six seats for the committee was on, India, Luxemburg, and Hungry proposed that each region should have a minimum of three seats to ensure equitable participation of all the electoral groups of UNESCO.

Nigeria supported this proposal, explaining that the intangible cultural heritage must always unite all peoples of the world. And that all members must carefully work towards building a consensus.

Responding, Ambassador Soares observed that delegates "must carefully listen to Nigeria which has just emerged as the champion at today's election, and respect the country's opinion."

The election, which was initially scheduled for 10 a.m yesterday could not commence until later in the afternoon as a hot debate ensued concerning the distribution of the remaining six seats when the figure of the members of the committee is increased to 24. Article 5.2 of the Convention stipulates that the number of the state members of the committee shall be increased to 24 once the number of the state parties to the convention reaches 50.

Fifty-two countries have already ratified the convention. But only 45 beat the deadline of April 20, 2006 when the convention came into force. They were the official state parties to the convention as participants at the General Assembly. The remaining seven countries will become official members three months after the General Assembly. Three African countries - Madagascar, Zambia and Zimbabwe are among those on the waiting list. By the time they become official members, it is hoped that Africa can gain an additional seat.

The election of the committee yesterday drew the curtain on the three-day meeting and participants dispersed with the hope that the new body would uphold the crucial task of preparing the first set of operational directives that would guide the implementation of the convention.

Posted by Publisher at 12:54 PM | Comments (0)

Sedition: Journalists get bail, FG gets knocks

Reprieve came the way of the two journalists, Messrs Rotimi Durojaiye of the Daily Independent Newspapers and Gbenga Aruleba of the Africa Independent Television (AIT) on Thursday, when a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, where they are standing trial over alleged seditious publications, released them on bail.

By GODWIN TSA, Abuja, JAMIE DOMINICS, Washington and MOSHODD ADEBAYO, Abeokuta
Friday, June 30, 2006

The court had on their first appearance on Tuesday rejected the oral application for bail by their counsel and ordered that they be remanded in the custody of the State Security Services (SSS) until their bail application is presented formally.

But after listening to their written application for bail which was moved by their lawyers, Justice Babs Kuewunmi granted them bail to the sum of N500,000.00 and one surety each in the like sum.

Reading out the conditions attached to the bail, Justice Kuewunmi said the sureties must be residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) while the journalists were asked to deposit two passport photographs with the clerk of the court.
The court held that the offences upon which the accused persons are standing trial were bailable just as it agreed with the submissions of the defence counsel that they can be available to face their trial if granted bail.

Justice Kuewunmi noted that the issue of bail is the discretion of the court, which should be exercised judicially and judiciously.
He also relied on the principle of law, which holds that an accused person is deemed to be innocent until proven otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction, in granting bail to the suspects.
Earlier, counsel to the 1st accused (Durojaiye), Femi Falana had while moving the bail application told the court that the charge of sedition upon which the suspects were standing trial was pronounced dead and exterminated from the statute book as far back as 1983.

According to him, since 1983 till date, "no Nigerian whether dead or alive has been prosecuted for seditious offence," adding that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) who brought the charge against the journalists ought to have been disciplined for taking the nation’s judicial system backward.

Challenging the constitutionality of the charges, Falana said it was unconstitutional and that the accused persons have no business being arraigned before the court. In addition, he submitted that the offence against the journalists was of less gravity and ordinarily bailable.

He further told the court that it was a dangerous precedent to arrest any Nigerian and detain him for a law that does not exist and urged the court to admit the suspects to bail.
On his part, Counsel to Aruleba, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) who described the trial as a challenge to press freedom guaranteed under section 22 of the 1999 constitution questioned the substance of the offence.

Rather than prosecute the accused persons, Chief Uche contended that they should be commended for their spirit of patriotism for drawing the attention of President Olusegun Obasanjo to the dangerous state of his (presidential) aircraft.

While adopting the principles of law earlier cited by Falana, Uche contended that the accused persons are ready to produce responsible and reasonable sureties to take them on bail and urged the court to adopt a liberal approach in considering the bail application.
He posited that the Federal Government has not controverted the facts of the publication upon which the suspects are standing trial.

The fulcrum of the case is the publication in the Daily Independent Newspaper of June 12, 2006 with the title "The controversy over age cost of presidential jet" a story written by the senior Aviation Correspondent of the Newspaper, Durojaiye.

Aruleba is being charged for reviewing the newspaper on the AIT morning programme, Focus Nigeria.
At Thursday’s proceedings, the two journalists were in high spirits as they entered the courtroom. While Aruleba was clad in a black suit with a brown inner shirt, Durojaiye was in an ash coloured t- shirt and a faded blue jeans. The matter has been adjourned till July 25 for hearing.
Speaking after the trial, Lagos lawyer Festus Keyamo described the action of President Obasanjo as condemnable.

"What the President is doing is a reaction and anger to the foiling of the third term plot. There is nothing beyond that, the president is just angry at journalists, the president is so angry at society, so what we have seen today is a reaction of nothing less than a rattle-snake. It is nothing but a reaction by a Tokunbo president, by a Tokunbo law to a Tokunbo issue."

In his reaction, Femi Falana commended Nigerian journalists for patriotic and professional performance of their duties while condemning the action of the Federal government.
"I think the Government ought to have appreciated the fact that the media has a constitutional duty which was performed creditably and professionally this time around. Federal Government should be warned that the media in Nigeria have grown beyond the level of being intimidated."

Former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, in his reaction alerted media professionals in the country to be ready for challenges of facing what he described as war from the Federal Government.
Osoba who spoke with journalists in Abeokuta on his brief stop-over at the Ogun State Secretariat of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) also said journalists were being persecuted for their roles in aborting the third term elongation.

His words: "The government has declared total hostility and war on the press. I want to alert my colleagues in the media that they must be ready to take up the challenge because of the noble and leading role played by the press in aborting the monster of third term and term elongation."

Osoba urged NPAN, the Guild of Editors and the Nigeria Union of Journalists to be a rallying point for the detained journalists saying : " I expect all of us to be in court the next time the case is called. We must let the world know that we are under siege and I am appealing to the judiciary not to allow themselves to be used to deal with the media."

Reaction to the trial of the two journalists is by no means limited to Nigeria as the US administration says it is watching the development with keen interest.
White House Press Secretary, Tony Snow, said the administration is closely watching the case and reminded Nigerian officials that a free and independent press is the hallmark of democracy. "The Nigerian government should ensure that the right of the press to freely do its duty is not restricted in any way and that journalists are not intimidated in the discharge of their duties," he stated.

New York based Committee to Protect Journalists is also criticizing Abuja for arresting the journalists. The organisation reminds Nigeria that it is a signatory to a United Nations charter protecting the rights of citizens to freely criticize their government and the freedom of the press.

Posted by Publisher at 12:53 PM | Comments (0)

PDP won't recover - Mohammed

Soon after receiving a distinguished alumini award from the Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife, on June 12, the Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the Advanced Congress of Democrats, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told newsmen that the Peoples Democratic Party would not recover from the crisis rocking it. Geoffrey Ekenna was there.

Excerpts:

The Advanced Congress of Democrats seem to enjoy a status of kill joy on the crises rocking the Peoples Democratic Party. Why?

If you look at the origin of the ACD, it didn稚 start last year. It started about two years ago. We saw then that there is this attempt by the PDP government to introduce factionalism in all other parties. The Alliance for Democracy for instance has been factionalised since 2003. The (Senator Mojisoluwa) Akinfenwa group and the (Governor Bisi) Akande faction. It was actually the realisation, particularly after our experiences in Ogun State during the local government elections in 2004, where they did not allow AD candidates to contest elections because they did not know which faction they belonged to. It was that experience that led us to look for an alternative political party that will be unencumbered. When we started this stage in 2004, we were very certain that there was going to be an implosion within the PDP, that gradually when we were incorporating the ACD, things were falling apart in the PDP. First, there was the open disagreement in the leadership of the party, which led to the ousting of Audu Ogbeh, followed by the open disagreement between the President and the Vice-President, followed by the de-registration exercise, which left many of them disenfranchised. This was what led to the formation of the Movement for the Defence of Democracy in December 2005, from where we became the Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy and then the ACD. So, rather than see the ACD as a kill joy for the PDP, you see it as an attempt by some patriotic Nigerians to create a democratic space. We were being squeezed and we wanted a new platform, where everybody could participate. Thank God again that the same virus, which they had sent to other political parties - AD, ANPP and APGA - the same virus has returned home to the PDP. But we are trying to provide a platform where all politicians can participate and contest election.

Considering the situation in the PDP now, do you see this as a chance for the ACD to grab power in 2007?

You see, what happened to the PDP having factions would simply improve our chances in the next election. We have no doubt in our mind given the calibre of people in the party and the spread. Obviously, what is happening to the PDP, no party has a faction and recovers from it. PDP is gone because that is the way the ANPP went, the way the AD went and the way APGA is going. For APGA today, though they now have a governor, they will not be the same again. You are asking who is going to be the presidential candidate of the ACD in 2007. We said it from the beginning that we are going to have a party that is unencumbered. The Option A4 will be used in the choice of all our candidates. We are also going to adopt Option A4 even in the choice of the party leadership. You cannot zone or anoint any candidate under Option A4. You will choose from the ward level. So, it is the person that has the widest support that will be selected.

What is the relationship between the ACD and the Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar? .

As of today, the vice-president is still a member of the PDP. He may be uncomfortable in the PDP but he is still a member of the party. But if he joins us, he will still have to go through the ward level and if he succeeds, he will be our candidate. As at today, there is no relationship between the ACD and the vice-president.

One thing that worries me about the ACD is the composition. Many of the people in the party are people who were members of the PDP, ran the system with it and when the system was no longer favourable, they left and joined the ACD. Don稚 you see them replicating that PDP style in the ACD?

I was not in the PDP myself. That needs to be cleared. But in fairness to Audu Ogbeh, he spoke out against the undemocratic practices in the PDP long before he was relieved of his position. It is to the credit of Ogbeh that he spoke out against the President in his letter. You see, if a man is in a system and he is not happy with it, does he continue to be there just because he is part of it? If you build a house and that house is about to fall, will you continue to live in that house because you built it? PDP was no longer providing them with the right atmosphere. Look at what happened in the PDP. Where in any part of the world do you see a party de-registering its members?

What does it mean to you being honoured by the university you left about 30 years ago?

I feel humbled by the award because there are thousands of alumni. So, for them to remember me and honour me, I feel very honoured and I thank God for it.

The Punch, Friday, June 30, 2006

Posted by Publisher at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)

Disparity in income distribution: Nigeria sitting on time-bomb, says Shonekan

Former Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan has said “the country is apparently sitting on a time-bomb’’ with the prevailing widening disparity in income distribution.

Shonekan gave the warning in a paper titled ‘The Role of the Anglican Communion in Economic Development’ which he delivered yesterday at a conference on Welfare of the Nigerian nation and the Role of the Anglican Communion in nation-building.

The former Head of Nigeria’s Interim National Government (ING) said that, in the absence of reliable official data on poverty level in Nigeria, “what we can see suggests that poverty remains pervasive’’.
He expressed concern that the unemployment rate, particularly of young school leavers and graduates, remains intolerably high, while infrastructure and capacity utilisation in the real sector remain weak.

Shonekan described as “horrendous” government’s domestic debt of about N2 trillion with its crippling impact on local economic activities.

He also described as “unhealthy” the economy’s continued dependence on the oil sector, and called for urgent and decisive steps to “pursue economic diversification initiatives.

“In terms of the economy, the vast majority of Nigerians have yet to feel the impact of the economy in a significant way,’’ he said further.

On how the country arrived at such dire straits, the former head of the ING identified faulty economic management strategies of previous governments, “the frightening ascendancy of counter norms that we have witnessed over the years’’, as well as a largely unstable political environment.

He said the church could help in remedying the situation by promoting an ethical and caring society which believes in, and adheres to, acceptable norms and values.

According to Shonekan, by investing in education and healthcare delivery, and by implementing economic empowerment programmes that it is well positioned to manage, the Anglican Church could help promote economic development.

“The Church can invest its surplus funds directly in the economy and this can target various sectors of the economy,’’ he said, adding, “the Anglican Communion can actively participate in policy advocacy in support of appropriate policies that can help promote economic development’’.

“It is common knowledge that part of Nigeria’s problems is lack of will to effectively enforce laws, rules and regulation. When we begin to do this, we can expect a better society for all Nigerians,’’ he said.

Posted by Publisher at 12:44 PM | Comments (0)

PDP threatens Lar’s arrest - Suspends Omilani, National Vice Chairman

THE leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday warned that it would have no other option but to order the arrest of the chieftains of a group led by Chief Solomon Lar and Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun should they continue to parade themselves as officers and members of the party.

From JACOB SEGUN OLATUNJI and JACKSON UDOM - 30.06.2006

The National Chairman of the party, Senator Ahmadu Ali, handed down the warning in Abuja while receiving a delegation of the Sokoto State chapter of the party who was at the National Secretariat of the party on a solidarity visit.

Senator Ali declared that since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had already released the names of registered political parties and their national officers, the issue of national officers of all the political parties, including the PDP, had been laid to rest.

He made it clear that the party would not fold its arms and watch while it was being disorganised. Senator Ali said that should those involved continue to parade themselves as officers and members of the PDP, the party would make a formal request to the appropriate security agencies for their arrest.

On the 2007 elections, Senator Ali said that only credible candidates would be fielded at all levels while all aspirants would have to face the primaries.

In another development, the South-West zonal leadership on Thursday suspended with immediate effect, zonal vice chairman of the party, Senator Yinka Omilani. The suspension, which was part of the six-point communique issued at the end of the zonal executive meeting of the party, held in the conference room of the Premier Hotel, was signed by 15 zonal officers of the party.

The communique, which was read by the zonal youth leader, Mr. Dare Adeleke, accused the suspended vice chairman of disregarding an order from the zonal exco to the senator, noting that “the meeting evaluated the leadership of Senator Omilani and considered the issues raised on the call to order and notice of vote of no confidence served him and the meeting noted with regrets Senator Omilani’s utter disregard to the order.

“Due to the refusal of Senator Omilani to the issue raised and the need to move the party forward in view of the forthcoming general election, the zonal executive committee unanimously decided to suspend with immediate effect, Senator Yinka Omilani as the vice chairman South-West of the party,” the communique added.

According to the communique, “the zonal executive committee hereby appoints Chief Okanlawon Soboyede, the incumbent Zonal Secretary as Acting Vice Chairman South-West of the PDP, pending the extraordinary meeting of the governors of the South-West and our proposed meeting with the leader of the party, President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“Similarly, the Osun State chapter of the party would be contacted to submit their nominee for the position,” the release added. Reacting to the rumour that the suspension of the vice chairman might not be unconnected with the cold war between Omilani and the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Bode George, Mr. Adeleke stated that, “the development has nothing to do with the relationship of the duo, “in fact the two of them are best of friends and it is entirely a zonal matter.”

Speaking further, Adeleke stated that “the inactiveness of the party chieftain and his inability to inject life into the party in the zone was the major reason behind this action. When Chief Bode George was here, we saw how he was able to inject action into the party, which saw the South-West zone falling like a pack of cards to the party in 2003.

“In less than a year to an election, the party is not heard and seen in the zone, hence the need to suspend him from office so that the party can move forward.” Calls made to the various mobile sets of Senator Omilani for his reaction on his suspension did not go through as the phones were switched off.

Posted by Publisher at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)

INEC dismisses CNPP’s threat

INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday dismissed as non-issue threat by Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) to boycott next year’s general elections if certain conditions are not met by the Federal Government.

THOMAS IMONIKHE and BISIRIYU OLAOYE

Special Assistant, Media, to the INEC chairman, Mr Andy Ezeani who flayed the threat said members of CNPP were probably afraid of the challenges posed by the 2007 elections.

But in his reaction, former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (rtd) urged the government to address the issues raised by the CNPP in the interest of democracy in the country.

Daily Champion recalls that CNPP chairman and second republic governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa Wednesday called for the removal of INEC chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu and his replacement by a retired Supreme Court justice among five conditions under which 27 political parties in CNPP would participate in the elections.

He further demanded that registered political parties be allowed to nominate members into a reconstituted INEC.

Reacting however, Mr Ezeani told Daily Champion that those calling for the commission’s disbandment were the same people who could not proffer suggestions on how to ensure future hitch-free elections when they were challenged during a recent meeting with INEC in Abuja.

Said he: "When they were challenged to proffer the way forward, they said they had nothing to offer... They are probably afraid that they cannot meet the challenges of 2007 elections".

However, on his part, Commodore Ukiwe, urged the Federal Government to address the issues raised by CNPP on Wednesday, adding that the parties’ threat to boycott 2007 polls "is an act of compromise to improve governance."

Speaking with newsmen yesterday in Lagos, Commodore Ukiwe who said INEC should not be scrapped, however, stated that it should be restructured if necessary, describing INEC commissioners as people of proven integrity.

INEC is an umpire, scrapping it will mean sacking the umpire when the game is on. Scrapping INEC at this time will bring chaos. The people there are men of integrity. If there is any need for government to restructure it, it should do so.

I’m not totally convinced that members of the parties clamouring for representation in INEC are themselves paragon of beauty. INEC should be looked at properly to give us free and fair elections.

"The threat by the registered political parties under the aegis of Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) to boycott the April 2007 elections, should be regarded as an act of comprise to improve governance.

"What government needs to do now is to look into the threat and address the issues raised by these parties. They should chart a way forward for good governance," Ukiwe further said.

Posted by Publisher at 12:41 PM | Comments (0)

South-South in Titanic Battle; Aso Rock not our turn, says Igbinedion

The roles played by leading presidential aspirants from the South-south zone in the abortive extra tenure project of President Olusegun Obasanjo may have undermined the geo-political block's aspiration for the nation's presidency in 2007.

From Bolaji Adebiyi in Lagos, Josephine Lohor and Oke Epia in Abuja, 06.30.2006

As the permutations for the nation's topmost job become more complicated with all, safe the South-west zone, bidding for it, the South-south appears increasingly unable to throw up fresh aspirants who will not face uphill task in the bid to secure the number one job.
At the starting block so far are Governors Donald Duke (Cross River), Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom) and Peter Odili (Rivers). Also being mentioned is serving Senator Udoma Udo Udoma from Akwa Ibom. Of the four, only the Ibibio-born senator stood against the presidential quest for tenure extension.

But since the defeat of the project in the Senate early last month there has been growing consensus that its sponsors and supporters should not be allowed to contest for any public office again having attempted to foist a pseudo-civilian dictatorship on the nation.
Notwithstanding the misgivings over third term, however, analysts believe that of all the possible contenders from the zone, two stand out as credible and possessing the attributes needed in a president: Udoma and Duke.

But when compared with contenders from the North they are considered lightweight in terms of resources to prosecute a presidential campaign and the network of contacts across the nation.

The case for the zone was, however, further weakened by a moral argument raised by Governor Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State yesterday in Abuja. Referring to a gentleman agreement・reached by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in 1998 that the presidency would rotate between the North and the South, he said the South-south had no claim to the job.

Let us wait for our turn,・he told State House correspondents at Aso Rock Villa after a meeting with the President.

During the debate on third term only one of the zone's 18 senators opposed the project just as all the governors supported it.
The backlash was immediate as Governor Abdullahi Kure of Niger State told THISDAY that the zone had no outstanding personality with the national reach to bid for the presidency.

Specifically, he picked on Odili whom he derisively told not to hope to be president simply because he had a large purse, saying despite the huge resources at his disposal, he had failed to lift his oil-rich state.

What seems to have compounded Odili's case is the growing feeling in the zone, especially outside River state, that he cannot represent them. THISDAY checks reveal that other governors within the zone except Jonathan Goodluck of Bayelsa have made it clear that they will not back his aspiration. But even Goodluck has declared that he would go wherever his Ijaw kinsmen go on the issue, a tacit way of denying Odili his support.

Already, Ijaw leaders who met in Port Harcourt last week, have decided that as the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, except the South-south candidate is an Ijaw man, then such cannot claim to represent the zone.

But supporters of the governors have continued to push ahead their cases for the job, extracting votes of confidence from their Houses of Assembly to back their chief executives・presidential aspiration.
Interestingly Igbinedion insisted yesterday that the zone should forget for now, its presidential aspiration, saying it was the turn of the North to claim the job.

He stated that he believed that "the South-south is not in contention for the Presidency of this country for now."

He said that he was hinging his belief on antecedents.
But when reminded by newsmen that there were still very strong voices in favour of the zone to produce the next President in 2007, the governor answered: "Some, meaning that the voices were few.・BR>In response to a question on whether he was indeed suggesting that the South-south zone should forget about the presidency, Igbinedion said that he believed that "we should just exercise patience and wait for our turn"

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, has said the party will not substitute the name of any candidate validly nominated at all levels of the primaries for the 2007 general elections.

He advised members seeking the nomination of the party to work very hard at the grassroots level to secure the votes of the electorate as nobody no matter how important・would be imposed on the people.
Receiving in audience a delegation of PDP members from Sokoto State, Ali said both himself and the national secretary were empowered to sign the nomination forms that will be forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and in that regard, they would not substitute any name not forwarded to them from the states.
He said: the president will not bog you with any gubernatorial candidate except the one you choose yourselves."

The national chairman also took a swipe at members of the other faction of the party, describing them as disgruntled PDP members that have refused to leave the party even though they are associating with opposition parties.

He said they have registered a complaint with the police to the effect that the faction is a usurpation of the NWC recognized by INEC, adding however, that the traffic into the party was greater than those exiting.

But in a chat with THISDAY yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the Chief Solomon Lar- led faction, Mr. Bode Ojomu, said they would not be intimidated into swallowing our convictions as this is a matter of no retreat, no surrender.

Ojomu challenged Ali to tell the world if he was truly elected in a democratic election saying 妬t is a travesty of democracy for unelected officials of the PDP to pursue anti-democratic agenda.

Resort to intimidation is evidence of their weakness and that is merely begging the question.・BR>He said all attempts to salvage the PDP would not be abandoned in the face of intimidation and that if Ali and his executive were popularly elected in a national convention there would not be need for them to be jittery over the rise of the faction.

Posted by Publisher at 12:35 PM | Comments (0)

2007: It’s North’s turn, says Gov Igbinedion

Governor Lucky Igbinedion of Edo state, yesterday in Abuja, advised the South-South to jettison its desire for the presidency and support a northern candidate in next year’s elections.

Friday, June 30, 2006
By Joe Oroye

He said there was “a gentleman’s agreement” dating back to 2003 that power should shift to the north in 2007.

Governor Igbinedion was speaking at the presidential villa while answering reporters questions after having audience with President Obasanjo. He did not disclose his mission.
He noted that at present, the prospect for the South-South to produce the next president looks “very shaky”.

It was his belief, he said, that the people in the zone and their aspirants should exercise patience and “wait for our turn.”
“Well, if you remember the last time I spoke to you and if you have been following my anticident, I belief the South-South is not in contention for the presidency of the country as of now,” he added.

On the strident voices still in favour of power shift to the South-South come 2007, he said as far as he is concerned, the South-South should forget it for now.

The South-South People Assembly (SSPA), pointed out in a meeting recently that it is committed to the actualisation of a president from the geo-political region and vowed not to backtract from the stand.

Increased television and radio jingles supporting the position of the SSPA has been sponsored of late, with chieftains of the South-South reaching out to the South-East and Middle-Belt leaders for consultations.

There has been strident calls by Northern leaders for powershift to the North in 2007 on the grounds of a “gentleman” agreement reached in 1999 when the PDP accepted to zone power to the South.

Former Minister in the Second Republic, Dr. Umaru Dikko, told Daily Trust there was no negotiating the shift of power to North, noting that it was only fair that the South, after “holding on to power for eight years, the North should also have it back.”

Posted by Publisher at 12:23 PM | Comments (0)

Nigeria police 'fight corruption'

The Nigerian police force has rejected the conclusions of a new report that it is regarded as one of the country's most corrupt institutions.

A police spokesman said the force had the highest quality control system.

He said the Centre for Law Enforcement Education (Cleen) survey did not reflect changes implemented since the arrival of the new inspector general.

Last year, Nigeria's former police chief was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to six months in prison.

The other institution named in the survey as corrupt is the country's national electricity provider, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

PHCN officials are alleged to have demanded money for maintaining power supplies.

Nigeria is routinely ranked as being seen as one of the world's most corrupt countries by watchdog Transparency International.

Manipulation

According to Cleen director Innocent Chukwuma, their survey was conducted across Nigeria between October and December last year.

He said that those surveyed were asked about their "perception of corruption - whether it had decreased or increased in the last seven years of President Obasanjo's government when a lot has been put into the fight against corruption".

This included a question on how they regarded government agencies.

"Seventy-eight percent of the respondents say that corruption has indeed increased," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

Uproot corruption

But police spokesman Haz Iwendi said surveys were easily manipulated.

"This survey does not reflect the present reality on the ground, there are lots of changes going on," he told the BBC.

He said the police were actively exposing those who were corrupt within the service, unlike other government agencies.

"Nigeria's police has the best quality mechanism in this country - there's no organisation that cleanses itself like the Nigerian police force."

Meanwhile, the most senior Anglican cleric in Nigeria, Archbishop Peter Akinola, called on the government to do more to uproot corruption.

Archbishop Akinola complained that few people accused of corruption were being put behind bars.

Speaking ahead of a national conference of the Church of Nigeria, he called on Nigerians to vote against any corrupt politician standing in the general elections scheduled for next year.

Posted by Publisher at 12:09 PM | Comments (0)

June 28, 2006

Ali pleads for peace with PDP members

A VISIT by his kinsmen and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State yesterday offered the party's National Chairman, Col. Ahmadu Ali (rtd), the opportunity to speak on the crisis rocking the ruling party.

From John-Abba Ogbodo, Abuja

Besides taking up some former key members of the PDP, who are contesting his leadership of the party in court, Ali warned that even governors that exhibit any form of disloyalty to the PDP leadership would be shown the way out of the PDP fold.

Ali read the riot act when Governor Idris Ibrahim led the Kogi State chapter of the party to pay him a solidarity visit at the national secretariat in Abuja yesterday. He described some former members of the PDP who recently claimed to be taking over the party as political adventurers who are stranded and wanted to cause confusion within its ranks.

He said the visit was a tonic to him that would ginger him to perform more in office. The PDP boss noted that the reform, which the party had embarked upon, like every other reform, inflicted pains, explaining that since the party had begun reform in the area of governance, it was only proper to reflect it in the activities of the party. "I feel elated and I am charged and poised for more action. I appreciate it . The party on its own decided to carry out our reform package, and like every other reform, it must be painful and the unexpected is expected to happen. The party has carried out reforms in governance and needs internal reform. We carried out review of the membership register so as to know the number of our members and that has led to problems here and there," he said.

Ali called on the members who felt aggrieved over the exercise to embrace peace and go back for registration because the exercise was still on. "Let peace reign. Bury your pride, your arrogance, go and register. If you are refused, let me know. Let us give peace a chance. I am begging you, bury the hatchet and smoke the pipe of peace. It should be me for all and all for me. What makes the party are people. Our party is growing from strength to strength," he sued.

Expressing concern over the activities of some former members of the party who recently announced their intention to quit, Ali described them as jokers and adventurers whose aim was to bring the party to its knees. He also debunked the claim of the faction led by Chief Solomon Lar that the present National Working Committee (NWC) members were not elected, saying they left the party because they lost out. "Don't be deceived by those jokers. They are not only confused but derailed. They are saying that we were not elected. If we did not , how did they lose their seats? They were not re-elected. Some took part in fraud and we showed them the way out. Their ambition was to split PDP and form "acid." If you embrace acid, you will know what will happen to you. ACD cannot fly. It is like a snake with a broken cord. It cannot act or bite," he said.

He continued: "They held a phony press conference and alleged that PDP has factions. PDP has no faction. What we have is a few disgruntled members. I have opened the gate and what they need to do is to abandon this adventure. We will not penalise them if they come back. In this particular case, I am giving them a waiver."

Ali, however, said that for former members such as one time governor of old Kano State, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na'Abba and former PDP national chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh and those who tendered their resignation letters, if they wanted to return to the party, they would lose their former status, adding that "these adventurers have their legs here and there."

"People like Shuaib Oyedokun denounced PDP and went to ACD. These are just adventurers. He has denounced us publicly. If they want to join, they will take their queue from behind," Ali said.

Further insinuating that such members would no longer have a place in the PDP, Ali went philosophical as he said that even himself had contested the chairmanship of the party and lost and he had to wait till the time was ripe for him to become chairman. "When God says it will be, it shall be. Whatever you are doing, you have to wait for your time to dance your oyigiyigi (victory dance). Everybody has got music beats. Wait until your music reaches your ears. So, listen to your oyigiyigi and don't be disenchanted by adventurers,' he said, adding: "The rug and the carpet have been removed off the feet of Na'Abba and Rimi."

"I stood for chairmanship in 2001 and was roundly defeated and I had to wait for my time and when the time came, I was sought after. I did not go for them. Our olive branch to the recalcitrant members is not a sign of weakness," he stated.

Reading the riot act to members, including the governors, the Ali said: "Whatever you are, be you governor, if you don't obey the rules, we will show you the way out. Discipline is the first order in heaven. If a troop is not disciplined, they cannot win a war."

The PDP chief used the occasion to give an inkling into what the congresses and national convention of the party would look like. He said for local council and state congresses, the PDP decided to open the political space by allowing 25 delegates from the ward alongside 15 members of the executive to participate in the primaries to elect state Houses of Assembly candidates, and candidates for the House of Representatives, Senate and governorship.

He said the national convention would not accommodate the 40 delegates from the ward level because of logistic problems.

Stressing that the party is growing in membership daily, the chairman said the leadership of the PDP would be in Jigawa , Kano and Borno states soon to receive new members, including Saminu Turaki, the Jigawa State governor into the party.

He commended the delegation, which included the former Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Isaac Alfa and asked them to go back and close ranks for the next election which the party hoped to win convincingly.

Governor Idris said the delegation came to show Ali that the entire state was solidly behind him and that Kogi was proud of his achievements so far as chairman of the PDP.

In a chat with journalists, Ibrahim said cracks existed in the state among political leaders based on interests but such was not enough to tear them apart.

He appealed to all the indigenes of the state who are interested in political offices to come home and take part in the forthcoming elections, stressing that the more the merrier.

The chairman of the state chapter of PDP, John Odanwu, urged Ali not to be distracted by the activities of the people he called enemies of progress.

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

They want to kill me — RIBADU

Abuja — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said last night that some people were threatening the lives of its Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and those of other officials of the Commission.

By Rotimi Ajayi
Posted to the Web: Wednesday, June 28, 2006

The EFCC allegation was contained in a statement issued in Abuja last night by the spokesman of the Commission, Mr. Osita Nwajah.
The statement reads, “Information has reached EFCC that members of a certain faceless group calling themselves the Niger Delta Liberation Army, (NDLA) have concluded plans to attack Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Executive Chairman of EFCC.

“As a prelude to the planned attack, the group which prides itself as a band of “Blood suckers” has launched a campaign of calumny via SMS to many Nigerians’ GSM phones.

“The group also threatens ‘To turn the nossle (sic) of blood suckers’ against EFCC agents in Port Harcourt and other parts of the Niger Delta if their “son” former Governor of Bayelsa State, DSP Alameyeseigha who is standing trial for alleged corrupt enrichment and money laundering is not released by EFCC.

“EFCC notes that the threats of the faceless “Blood suckers” are coming so soon after the dumping of fetish objects at the residence of Mallam Ribadu.

“However, the accusation by the group that the Executive Chairman of EFCC has acquired several properties, including a house allegedly bought recently in Abuja for a mind boggling N80m, is ridiculous and entirely false.

“The EFCC Chairman has NOT bought any house not to talk of one worth N80 million."

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

Ehindero: I'm Police IG Without Powers

Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, yesterday said he lacked the powers needed to discipline erring policemen and officers in the Nigeria Police Force.

From Funmi Peter-Omale and Oke Epia in Abuja, 06.28.2006

Ehindero stated this at a national workshop on Strengthening Police Internal Complaints Systems in Nigeria, held in Abuja.
Represented by Assistant Inspector General of Police, Sir Kieran Dudari, at the workshop jointly organised by the Police Performance Monitoring Unit (PPMU), Ministry of Police Affairs, CLEEN Foundation and MacArthur Foundation, the IG acknowledged that there was unbearable indiscipline in the rank and file, stressing that he needed to be empowered constitutionally to deal effectively with the problem.

He said: I need more powers to discipline erring and indiscipline constables and DSPs (Deputy Superintendent of Police) in the Nigeria Police because the rank and file appears to be the most indiscipline in the Police.・BR>In the last few months, the IG had lamented the presence of those he called 田riminals and armed robbers・in the Nigeria Police Force.

He had consistently maintained that those recruited into the Force between 2000 and 2005 were not properly screened, suggesting that some of them were involved in the spate of armed robberies across the country.

Ehindero, since the beginning of the year, had personally paraded no fewer than 15 policemen suspected to be involved in armed robberies and pipeline vandalism. In addition, the IGP's directive that indiscriminate roadblocks across the nation be dismantled and replaced with approved Highway roadblocks had been met with stiff resistance.

The reasons for this, he said, were not far fetched. Alluding to the gross indiscipline that has pervaded the Nigeria Police in the last two decades, the IG regretted that poor working conditions and lack of necessary equipments for modern day policing had contributed largely to the rot in the Force.

He, however, said with the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Police Reform (PCPR) to the President, revolutionary changes were expected.

According to him, the government had already recognised the need for the police to be reformed hence the sweeping changes aimed at better service delivery, efficient, effective and accountable response to security needs as well as improved conditions of service for men and officers.

Ehindero stated: very soon, policemen would have cause to smile and not to complain anymore about their conditions of service and lack of working materials.

With the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Police Reform, a lot of changes would take place as government begins to implement these recommendations.・Executive Director. CLEEN Foundation, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, in a welcome address said: Without an effective and transparent internal complaints and disciplinary process, pubic trust and confidence in the Police will be low.

Over the past two decades, the effectiveness of Police complaints process in Nigeria has been a central feature of debates of accountability and integrity of the Police service.・BR>The police boss added: 泥iscipline is accorded less priority in the Nigeria Police Force because of prebendal politics. Leadership by example is key to addressing it.

Complaints and Disciplinary mechanisms like other departments in the Police have no budgets or allocation for carrying out their important functions and disciplinary mechanisms are reactive instead of proactive in tracking officer misconducts.・BR>Country Director, MacArthur Foundation, Mr. Godwin Odo noted that public confidence in the police is one of the greatest assets of any police force. Tne way of building this confidence is by putting in place a Police Internal Complaints system that is accessible, functional and results-oriented.

Meanwhile, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has disowned purported on-going recruitment into the cadet Assistant Superinte-ndent of Police (ASP) cadre of the Nigeria Police Force, saying a circular to that effect did not emanate from it. A statement from the commission signed by Mr. Anietie Etiebet, its chief information officer, said Nigerians seeking to join the police should discountenance the circular because it is fraudulent.

The Commission at its 41st ordinary meeting in Abuja Tuesday said the on-going recruitment was without its authority and knowledge,・said the release, adding: The circular purported to have been issued by it and already in circulation was fictitious and fraudulent.

The circular, titled police service commission: application for appointment into the Nigeria police force (cadet assistant superintendent of police) has invited prospective applicants for cadet ASP, to complete in duplicate, forms for employment and return same to the Chairman of the commission.

The commission at its meeting said the circular did not originate from its office adding that it was yet to commence the appointment exercise in the cadre of cadet ASPs. For the avoidance of doubt, the commission reiterated that it is the only body constitutionally empowered to appoint persons into the Nigerian police force. Any other person, body or authority engaging in this exercise will be doing so illegally and unconstitutionally.

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

Onitsha: 2 MASSOB Members Killed , 69 Arrested

Two members of the Movement for the Actualisationof the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) were said to have been kiled yesterday by a combined team of Police and the Military Personel currently patroling the troubled commercial city of Anambra state,Onitsha.

06.28.2006

Sixty-Nine others were arrested at their alleged hide out in Silas works road in Fegge, Onitsha South Local Government Area yesterday.
However the Police have confirmed that four of their men including an Inspector have been abducted by MASSOB members at Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area, while a 75 mm rocket propelled bomb which was laid on the ground has been discovered, at Akpaka forest.

The Acting Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Haruna John who disclosed this yesterday during a Press Conference said they would leave no stone unturned until their men were recovered dead or alive.

Haruna said that 努e are also embarking on a joint operation with the military to rid the motor parks of all manner of touts, adding that he had summoned the leaders of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to a meeting tomorrow at the state police command in Amawbia, which would be held at 10 am and 2pm respectively.

This, according to him, a marching order would be given to them to quit the motor parks, immediately, noting that police and army intend to effect that order rigorously and effectively before the week runs out.

He said we believe that these are some of the hoodlums who are operating under the cover of MASSOB to continue unleashing mayhem on the police and innocent citizens of the state.

The acting Plice Commissioner confirmed that two days ago, an Inspector of police who served at Ogidi who had returned to see his family in the evening, but as at 8 pm when the wife phoned him to come home, he said the miscreants answered and told the wife that they had seized the husband.

Haruna explained that in the cause of the operation carried out yesterday by the police command and the army, two suspected MASSOB hench men were gunned down when according to him, they were trying to engage the operatives in a gun battle with a view to escaping, adding that their bodies had been deposited to the mortuary.

He also stated that some fighting equipment were recovered from them which include five assorted firearms, two pump action guns with ammunition, two double barreled guns with assorted cartridges and most interestingly, an A-K 47 riffle which according to him was taken from one of the missing police officers, a Sergeant with the mopol squadron 29 in Awka who was kidnapped about three months ago.

Haruna, further narrated that one of the bombs which had exploded wounded about five of their men who according to him were recuperating in hospital which he failed to mention.

On what would be the action of the combined team if the miscreants failed to adhere to the order given to them on the motor parks, he quickly replied.

where necessary, minimum force will be used to evict any person that chooses to remain where he not ought to, our mandate is very clear, we will take over these motor parks immediately, the state government ultimatum lasts till 3rd of July, 2006, that ultimatum is between them and the state government・

we are going to take effective control of motor parks with immediate effect and the exercise is on going, I want to assure you that it will be completed before the week runs out・ he declared.

we are going to continue this operation especially in the face of unwarranted abductions and attacks on policemen and innocent people in the state which we must put a stop to in this state・ Haruna said.
IT was also confirmed yesterday that the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), have taken over the park belonging to the Transport Corporation of Anambra State (TRACAS) and Aguata mass transit company at Ekwulobia respectively.

The managing director of (TRACAS) Mr. Tony Ileka confirmed that his members were robbed of their handsets including money when the group stormed the place over the weekend.

According to him we are now leaving in fears, my members did not only lose their GSM sets but also a reasonable amount of money was equally lost・ Ileka lamented.

It would be recalled that Anambra state Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, had given NARTO, NURTW, Bakassi otherwise known as (AVS) and MASSOB up to 3rd July, 2006 to vacate the state owned parks, otherwise heaven would be let loose.

And since then, NARTO members have vowed to retaliate if any action is taken by the state government to that order with the combined team of the police and Army, insisting that motor parks belonged to them.

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

Nigeria government begins Bakassi pullout, Police take over security

The Nigerian Government today began a phased pullout from the Bakassi Peninsula with the takeover of security in the area by the civil police.

By Horatius Egua,Special Correspondent, Online

Our correspondent was informed by top police and defence sources, however, that there would be no immediate physical withdrawal of the military from the disputed area; instead, only the handover of routine security duties in the territory to the Nigerian police will take place, for a start.

President Olusegun Obasanjo had, on June 12, signed an accord with his Camerounian counterpart, Paul Biya, in New York, formally ceding the long-disputed, oil-rich peninsula to Cameroun.

UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, hosted the talks at the UN headquarters, which followed a 2002 International Court of Justice ruling assigning the territory to Nigeria痴 eastern neighbour.

"Our agreement today is a great achievement in conflict prevention,・President Obasanjo had said on that occasion, adding, 的t should represent a model for the resolution of similar conflicts in Africa and in the world at large."

Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Mr. Haz Iwendi, told our correspondent on Wednesday that the takeover of security in the area by the police was historic. He said the development was

田onsequent upon the directive of the Federal Government,・but that the police takeover would 澱e a gradual one from the Army.・

Two units of the paramilitary Mobile Police have been deployed in Bakassi, Iwendi revealed, 鍍o provide adequate security for the area and ensure that nobody comes in there to molest them [the residents] unduly.・

The Nigerian Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, had on Wednesday visited the Bakassi traditional ruler, and the Chairman of the Bakassi Local Government Council, to 殿ssure them of the readiness of the police to provide security for the citizens of the area,・Iwendi told our correspondent.

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters・spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Felix Chukwuma, also confirmed to our correspondent on Wednesday that the police takeover of security in Bakassi was in compliance with the Federal Government痴 directive.

的t [the police takeover] is what is in the agreement [between Biya and Obasanjo]. If the military [eventually] move out completely, the police will [remain] there for a period of two years with our civil administrators,・Chukwuma said.

He added, 典he preparation for the [military] pullout is in progress, but you should understand that they [Nigerian troops] cannot pull out in one day. By the time they do so [completely], you will know. It is not a hidden thing.・

President Obasanjo had explained to Nigerians in a nationwide broadcast two weeks ago that in compliance with the October 10, 2002 ruling of the World Court, he had agreed with Mr. Biya that Nigerian soldiers stationed in Bakassi were to be withdrawn within the next 60 days, but that the two islands of Atabong and Abana, in the Western part of Bakassi Peninsula, would continue to be administered by Nigeria for two years after the troop withdrawal.

Some legal experts have argued, however, that Nigeria's decision to cede Bakassi to Cameroun will still need to be formally ratified under a complicated procedure stipulated by the Nigerian Constitution.

The PUNCH, Wednesday, June 28, 2006

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

Rampaging robbers kill 5 Naval men, snatch N101m

Daredevil armed robbers stormed a naval gunboat bearing money in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and carted away N101 million. They also killed five naval men in the raid.

By DIPO KEHINDE and PHILLIP NWOSU
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

The robbers, who pulled the big heist, also destroyed three naval boats, including one that was given to the Navy by the United States government in 2004.

Sources at the Navy Headquarters in Abuja are pointing finger at a security agency, whose personnel, they allege, could have tipped off the robbers about the movement of the money which belonged to an oil company.

According to the sources, the company officials had earlier contacted the agency for escort before they opted for the Navy.

When the money was to be moved at the weekend, the task was given to the Base Gunnery Officer (BGO) at NNS Pathfinder in Port Harcourt, Sub-Lieutenant Ojotu, who loaded the money on the gunboat, before he left to arrange for fuel at the Base Technical Department.

Shortly after he left, armed robbers were said to have stormed the gunboat, killing two ratings outside, before they went in to kill three more, and carted away the money.

To cripple those who might attempt to pursue them, the robbers blew up three other boats with dynamites.

Two of the Naval personnel killed during the raid were identified as Petty Officer Falade and Ordinary Seaman Nurudeen. One Lieutenant Commander Onyemaobi, who was identified as the Base Technical Officer was said to have survived the attack.

The Navy Headquarters confirmed the incident, but added that the casualty figure was not up to five.

The Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Obiorah Medani, told Daily Sun on phone that the Nigerian Navy Personnel routed the rampaging robbers, who fired sporadically and unprofessionally.
He declined to give details of the incident nor confirm the amount stolen, but he told Daily Sun that the Nigerian Navy has opened investigation into the matter.

Two weeks ago, the Nigerian Navy also suffered some casualties, when gunmen shot dead Commander F.N. Kolawole along with five ratings.
Those who were killed in the latest raid were said to have been detailed to escort the oil company’s money from one destination in Port Harcourt to another.

Posted by Publisher at 02:38 PM | Comments (0)

Sharia responsible for moral change in Kano-- D-G ascon

FULL implementation of Sharia system in Kano has been responsible for change in the moral and intellectual rectitude as well as the boost of the commercial image of the state.

By ADAMU ABDULLAHI

This observation was made by the Director-General of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) who was represented by Dr. Jimmy Chijoke during the opening ceremony of the batch 11 of ASCON workshop for senior officers aspiring for managerial position held at Murtala Muhammad Library Complex, Kano.

Dr. Chijoke said the persistent support the Shekarau administration gives to the Sharia institution and the transparent disposition of the government have tremendously changed the outlook of the state.
He maintained that Kano under the present administration has been rated high for the strict adherence to the principles of good governance, adding that United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other international bodies in Nigeria have attested to this deserving credit.

Commenting on the workshop, the director said it is practical in nature and will combine various management teaching tools and techniques as well as expose the participants to the general body of management and provide avenue for mutual diffusion of experience.

Dr. Chijoke further noted that the workshop will equip the participant with requisite skills to identify clearly the objectives and development priorities of Kano civil service.

In his address, the Kano state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, said the vision of his administration is to have well equipped, adequately staffed and well trained civil service, manned by skilled and morally-oriented civil servants.

Governor Shekarau explained that government has noted with satisfaction the increasing zeal among civil servants to acquire more knowledge and professional skills as confirmed by the increasing number of staff sponsored for local and overseas courses.

Malam Shekarau also expressed appreciation on how the public and the service have embraced the doctrines of Societal Reorientation, A Daidaita Sahu by imbibing its tenets, particularly the ethics of morality.

The governor noted that motivations by his administration such as prompt and regular payment of salaries and allowances as well as incentives such as vehicle loans, upward review of duty tour allowance and overheads made the state civil service a shining example in the country and is being emulated by many states.
He urged the participants to pay serious attention to acquire more knowledge and skills that will make them able to effectively and efficiently face managerial problems and challenges in their respective organisations.

Earlier in his welcome speech, Kano state Head of Civil Service, Malam Rabi’u Zakariya’u had said since the inception of the present administration a total of 9,481 civil servants have benefited immensely from keen manpower development drive through acquisition of additional skills and techniques.

The head of service said the workshop is designed to expose and acquaint the participants with the basic skills of decision making and other aspects of modern management.

He said that since the inception of the present administration, special attention has been accorded to training and re-training of civil servants of different cadres in the service.

Posted by Publisher at 02:33 PM | Comments (0)

We are back to Decree 4 days - Buhari

FORMER presidential candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP), Major-General Mohammed Buhari (rtd), who is also former of Head of State, on Tuesday in Abuja accused President Olusegun Obasanjo of introducing the much -dreaded Decree 4 to victimise and harass media professionals in the country.

BOLA BADMUS and AYODELE ADESANMI, Abuja - 28.06.2006

Buhari made the accusation at a one-day forum of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Women Leaders and stakeholders across the country which took place at the party secretariat, even as he condemned the arrest and arraignment of the African Independent Television (AIT) correspondent, Mr. Gbenga Aruleba and his counterpart at Daily Independent, Mr. Rotimi Durojaiye.

According to Buhari, who was the initiator of the decree which made his regime unpopular before it was toppled through a military coup, Obasanjo was engaging in victimising the media with the actions so far taken against the two journalists because of the alleged role played by the media in scuttling the third term agenda.

The general, who was represented at the occasion by Alhaji Buba Galadima, said the action was nothing short of introducing the much dreaded Decree 4 through the back-door, saying the government ought to have approached the issue in a civilised manner.

He counseled that it was better for anybody who felt unhappy with the criticism of the government of President Obasanjo to go to court, pointing out that the criticism of the president could and must not be equated with sedition.

Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday refused an oral bail application by Mr. Aruleba and Mr. Durojaiye.

The two men who have been in the custody of the States Security Service (SSS) were arraigned on a six-count charge of conspiracy and sedition by the Federal Government.

Aruleba, who dressed in a black suit without a tie, said he did not understand the charges against him.

“My lord, I did not understand the charges, maybe my lawyer will do. I understand the particulars of the charge but not the offence. But all the same, I am not guilty my lord”, he said.

Durojaiye, who looked unruffled in court, said “I understand the charges against me, but I’m not guilty of any of the charges”.

Counsel to the journalists, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) and Godswill Marakpor, urged the court to grant them bail.

But Justice Babs Kuewumi declined the application, insisting that the application be brought formally before him. The case has been adjourned till tomorrow.

Chief Raymond Dokpesi the chairman of AIT, described the trial as democracy in action.

He, therefore, expressed the need for the Federal Government to allow journalists do their work.

Posted by Publisher at 02:32 PM | Comments (0)

Mbu: Odili fit for presidency

FORMER Nigeria’s High Commissioner to United Kingdom, Ambassador Matthew Mbu, Monday described as unfortunate statement credited to erstwhile Minister of Petroleum Resources, Prof. Tam David-West, that Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State was not fit to be president.

IHEANACHO NWOSU, Abiodun Adelaja, Abuja and DENNIS NAKU, Yenagoa

He said the statement was not just an attack on Gov Odili but a derision of the people of South South geo-political zone who he said are happy with the achievements of the governor and other leaders of the zone.

Prof. David-West had in an interview with a newspaper (not Daily Champion) declared that Gov. Odili has some disabilities which disqualify him from being considered as a good presidential material.

The position of the professor of Virology, however, sharply contradicts the submissions of many indigenes of South South who mention the governor’s name as the zone’s candidate.

It is based on the views that Gov Odili is the most popular politician in the zone that he is being touted as the likely candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if the party zones the ticket to South South.

Reacting to Prof. David-West’s comment, Amb. Mbu told Daily Champion that it was unfortunate that the former minister could be holding a contrary opinion on Odili, different from how other Nigerians perceive him.

"I am disappointed that such words came from David-West", he said. Even if there are differences existing between him and the governor, he ought to apply maturity and etiquette in his utterances," he added.

Amb Mbu who is the chairman, Board of Trustees of South South Peoples Assembly (SSPA) and head of the zone’s presidential search team, said Odili, like other governors in the zone have done well in the last seven years.

"You and I know that Gov. Odili has done very well. He has qualities which we are all looking for," he said.

He stressed that South South would not be distracted by unguarded comments from any quarter, saying that the statement credited to David-West was merely his own opinion.

Mbu called on the people of the zone to unite and speak with one voice, insisting that speaking individualistically would scuttle the zone’s ambition as was the case in the past.

Meanwhile, a group of traders in the northern states under the aegis of Arewa Amalgamated Traders Association (AATA) Monday endorsed the presidential ambition of Rivers State governor Dr. Odili insisting that only South South presidency would bring enduring peace to the lingering Niger Delta crisis.

In a 10-point resolution reached at the end of its meeting in Abuja, AATA said there was need to elect a president who would bring enduring peace to the crisis-ridden Niger Delta region.

"Our endorsement was borne out of the fact that it is only a South South presidency as represented by Dr. Peter Odili that can put to an end to the lingering Niger Delta crisis.

"Besides this is a Nigerian who is a bridge builder considering his acquaintances which cut across all nooks and crannies of Nigeria", AATA noted in a statement jointly signed by Alhaji Mohammed Ali, Alhaji Abdullahi Sarki Jos and Alhaji Mohammed Wambai.

The group advised Nigerians to ensure election of "a pan-Nigerian like Odili who has all it takes to lead this country while issues like ethnicity and religion should be discountenanced.

According to the group, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) can only ensure victory at the 2007 polls if it fields a detribalised Nigerian from the South South zone to run for the presidency.

Meanwhile, leadership of the South South Peoples Forum (SSPF) has urged politicians from the south not to accept to be running mate to any individual from other geo-political zones, saying " our position to retain the presidency in the South in 2007 obliges us to be second to none."

Rising from an executive committee meeting in Yenagoa, the forum issued a six point communique calling on southern political leaders to brace up to the challenge by not allowing themselves to be in a subordinate position to politicians from other parts of the country.

Briefing journalists, chairman of the forum, Ambassador Matthew Mbu appealed to the presidency and the security services to as a matter of urgency to provide adequate security to presidential aspirants of the South irrespective of their political platform; just as he prayed that nothing should happen to them during their campaigns.

He recalled that the North presided over this country for 35 years out of nearly 46 years of nationhood, " it is therefore not justifiable and conceivable for the same North to ask for a return of the rulership when the South has barely held the reign of power for 11 years.

The chairman however, pointed out that only through dialogue rather than sentiments, can the people of the South actualise the president of their dream.

Mbu noted that for justice, fairness and equity and to give a sence of belonging to all Nigerians all registered political parties in the country should borrow a leaf from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alliance for Democracy (AD) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) who in 1999 zoned their presidential tickets to the South West.

Said he, " we therefore call on all the registered political parties to search for their presidential candidates from the South- South or South- East geo-political zone in 2007," even as the forum lauds the reform programmes of President Obasanjo and hoped that he would bequeath a lasting legacy to Nigeria by ensuring that the 2007 elections are free and fair so as to usher in a credible successor who would continue with the implementation of the reforms.

The communique re-affirmed the forum’s resolve as conveyed at the Enugu conference of Southern leaders on December 19 last year, that the presidency of the country must remain in the South in 2007, adding that the position was non-negotiable.

It appealed to youths in the Niger Delta to sheath their swords, while the authorities and patriotic Nigerians engage in the search for lasting and permanent solution to the problems of the region in the interest of peace.

Igbo political leaders at the recent Political Summit entitled Ahanefula held in Owerri, Imo State stated emphatically that the South East will not accept Vice President slot in 2007.

The conference which was attended by the zone’s prominent leaders including Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Gov Achuke Udenwa, Commodore Ebitu Ukuwe, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, threated to sanction any Igbo politician that postures for the number two position.

The position of the leaders which who captured in a nine point communiqué stated that there was no compromise on producing the 2007 presidency.

Posted by Publisher at 02:30 PM | Comments (0)

PRESIDENTIAL JET: Court Orders Remand Of Journalists

Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Abuja Federal High Court on Tuesday declined oral application for the bail of Rotimi Durojaiye, Senior Aviation Correspondent of Independent Newspapers and Gbenga Aruleba of Africa Independent Television (AIT).

28th June
By Chuks Ehirim,Rotimi Fadeyi (Abuja) and Victor Efeizomor (Lagos)

They are charged with alleged seditious publication.

The judge ordered them to be remanded in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS) in Abuja until Thursday when the trial would continue.

He advised the lawyers representing the journalists to file formal applications for bail.

About 30 lawyers from different parts of the country as well as several local and international journalists were in court in solidarity with the accused persons.

Ted Iwere, Executive Editor of Independent Newspapers and Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of Daar Communications, owners of AIT, also witnessed the proceedings.

Durojaiye and Aruleba are arraigned on a six-count charge of alleged conspiracy to commit a seditious act against President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The allegation arose from the story published in Daily Independent on June 12, titled "Controversy Over Age, Cost Of Presidential Jet".

The plaintiff is the federal attorney general, who filed the case on behalf of the government.

The defendants are Durojaiye, Aruleba, Independent Newspapers Limited (INL) and AIT.

Godswill Mrakpor, from the law firm of Demola Bakre, represented Durojaiye.

Funmi, wife of human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, appeared for INL. Okey Uzoho, from the chambers of Chris Uche, appeared for Aruleba and AIT.

Anthony Nwapa, from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), represented the human rights community.

Durojaiye dressed in a yellow shirt on jeans trousers and Aruleba wore a dark blue suit over a white shirt as they were brought to court.

Both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

After Federal Director of Public Prosecution (FDPP), Salihu Aliyu, prayed the court to allow the charges to be read in order to take the plea of the journalists, their lawyers insisted that under various provisions of the law, bail application must be entertained.

Mrakpor argued that the offence of sedition, with which Durojaiye is charged, is a simple one which attracts a two-year imprisonment or an option of N200 fine, if found guilty.

According to him, the offence is classified in law as demeanour and not felony, which is a grave one.

But the judge said he would not entertain oral application for bail, that it should be presented formally.

Uzoho insisted that under the law, the court must not shut out the application for the bail since the right of the accused persons to liberty, guaranteed in the Constitution, is being threatened.

His words: "Under Section 340 (1) of the CPA, an accused person is entitled to be granted bail when arraigned before a court when the offence is bailable. Offences of sedition are bailable.

"Offences of sedition are purely defamation. What is contained in the proof of evidence and the charge sheet is that the accused persons revealed information about the Presidential jet. The jet has had three air mishaps. The last one was on May 16, the day the third term crashed in the Senate".

Mrakpor reminded the judge that with the arraignment of the journalists, democracy is on trial and history will tell whatever step anyone takes on the matter.

He said the court should not be intimidated by the word "sedition" in the charge sheet.

According to him, the Supreme Court has long declared that charging anyone with the offence of sedition is illegal and unconstitutional and should be flushed down the drain of history with the end of colonialism.

He explained that the offence of sedition infringes on the constitutional right of freedom of expression and that the action of the government is to muzzle the press.

But Aliyu, the government counsel, argued that the court should consider the likelihood of the accused persons committing the offence and the gravity of the offence before deciding on bail.

He spoke of the possibility of the government filing more charges against the journalists as investigation is still in progress.

The judge adjourned further hearing till Thursday to entertain formal applications for bail.

Mrakpor, Durojaiye's counsel, filed the motion for bail on Tuesday afternoon, supported by a 25-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Rotimi Fadeyi, a Senior Correspondent in the Abuja Bureau of INL.

After the ruling, Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, condemned the action of the government.

He challenged it to produce the receipt of the purchase of the aircraft to show that it is a new one.

Also, Iwere recounted that the story was published to protect the life of Obasanjo.

Said he: "We thank God that the government has decided to bring this matter to the open court so that both sides have the opportunity to proof their point. All we are trying to do is to protect the life of the President.

"Between September and December 2005, there were three air accidents in this country and we lost lives, well over 210 people - foreigners and Nigerians.

"When this Presidential aircraft started having problems within three weeks of its inauguration, we suspected something was amiss and what we are trying to do is to ascertain the true age and the airworthiness of the aircraft - to assist the President to maintain his safety, to preserve him and his cabinet".

Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Wale Olanipekun, condemned the arrest and detention of the two journalists as unconstitutional.

In a democratic system of government, he stressed, there is freedom of speech and expression; besides, there is nothing like sedition in the Nigerian Constitution.

Another former NBA President, OCJ Okocha, criticised the high handedness of the security operatives and urged the authorities to follow the due process of law in handling the matter.

Former Head of State and Presidential candidate of the All Nigeria People Party (ANPP) in 2003, Mohammadu Buhari, alerted that Obasanjo and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have re-introduced the repressive and anti-media Decree Number 4 into the penal code through the back door.

He said the President is waging a war against the media because of their dogged fight against the third term plot.

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

2007: IBB must account for oil windfall - Anglican Primate

Insisting that the past of aspirants to political office in next year's general elections be closely scrutinised, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Peter Akinola, yesterday threw the gauntlet for former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida ,demanding that he account for the $12 billion oil windfall which accrued to the country in 1991.

Akinola spoke in Abuja while briefing newsmen on the forthcoming 2-day conference planned by the Church and scheduled for nex Thursday. Said he: 努e are tired of recycled politicians who have over the years, run our industries down making Nigeria remain a baby even after 47 years of Independence.''

He said such politicians must be rejected because they had plundered before and were planning a return to do the same. ``Where is the $12 billion we realised from the Gulf War? Who has ever accounted for it? 的t is the same people who are coming back to ask Nigerians to vote them into power again,'' he said.

He said that while the present administration had made some positive achievements these were however `like a drop in a mighty ocean.' The primate noted that the nation's problems were legion and needed a comprehensive approach.

``Yes we are fighting corruption, thank God; but how many Nigerians have been put behind bars as a result of the fight?'' he asked. He also wanted to know what happened to those alleged to have received or gave out large sums during the third term controversy. ``That is why I said in Lagos recently that the ICPC and the EFCC have failed, as far as I am concerned,'' he said. On the forthcoming conference, with the theme ``Welfare of the Nigerian nation,'' Akinola said it would address the role of the Anglican Communion in Nation building.

``It is our intention to use the occasion of the conference to rediscover and celebrate the contributions of Anglican forebears in the development of the nation. ``Our re-discovery will lead us to challenge the leadership of our generation, what contribution and legacy it seeks to leave for future generations,'' he said.

According to him, our re-discovery tells us that after 47 years of independence, the great vision of our founding fathers is lost in the wilderness of greed, corruption and self-seeking centredness.

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

Transcorp favoured for NITEL, says BPE

The Transnational Corporation will have first refusal on the sale of the giant loss-making Nigerian telecoms parastatal NITEL, the government has confirmed.

Wednesday, June 28, 2006
By Anas A. Galadima

Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mrs. Irene Chigbue made this known yesterday when she visited the Daily Trust Corporate office in Abuja.

Mrs. Chigbue refused to disclose how much exactly Transcorp had offered to pay for NITEL, but said the bid could not be lower than the estimated N32.3 billion ($256 million) offered in a failed bid for the telephone company last year.

She denied Transcorp was selected because of its close links to the presidency. She said the firm was selected as the “preferred bidder” because it has the most financial and technical capability to buy and turn around the ailing telecommunications firm. The company currently has a financial liability of N167 billion. This is growing every day, Mrs. Chigbue said.

She said: “We are trying to reach an agreed amount that falls above the reserved price.”

She asked: “How can a new bidder offer less than the previous one?”
Transcorp, the multibillion naira corporation which was incorporated by some of Nigeria’s foremost business tycoons, got a higher rating than all other companies currently bidding to buy the firm, she said.
She said: “We have looked at them all. But the Transnational Corporation was the most vibrant in terms of consistent interest, in terms of appetite, in terms of preliminary evidence of resources to fund and revamp it.”

The BPE were impressed with Transcorp’s technical partners – British Telecoms, the former British Telecoms parastatal privatised in 1984.
They were also attracted by the concept of Transcorp. Mrs Chigbue said: “The idea is to have a company owned by Nigerians, given that Nigerians have shown and demonstrated some level of emotional attachment to NITEL. We knew what was happening, we knew how Nigerians were reacting. There was this emotional attachment to NITEL as our collective asset. So, let a company with a fairly broad representation acquire NITEL,” she said.

A $256 million bid by Egyptian company, Orascom, fell through last year after it was condemned in the press and by politicians for being too low compared to a previous bid of $1.13billion made by Investors International London Limited, in 2001.

She denied that the BPE was selling it to Transcorp because the key owners of the firm are perceived to be friends of the presidency. She said, “we have no way of determining whether the people in Transcorp are cronies of anybody. It is not our business. They had to put evidence of financial capability. It had to be put in the bid they submitted to us. They are the preferred bidders.”

She said the other seven companies that are also bidding for the telecommunications firm would remain as “reserve bidders”. In the event that Transcorp fails to offer an acceptable price, negotiations would begin with the reserved bidders.

The reserved bidders are Globacom, Afro Telecommunications Limited/Korean Telecomm, MTC/Celtel International, Investcom, Telkom SA and Etisalat

Mrs. Chigbue said the BPE decided to opt for “negotiated sale” of the company because all other previous attempts to sell it through the regular bidding process had failed. She said: “it was clear that given what we saw at the end of the year (2005), it required that we proceed rapidly to sell NITEL. It became clear that to do a full blown process which will terminate before 12 months will not work. We had to do a shortened version of a transparent process.”

The total liabilities of the company currently stands at about N167 billion, Mrs Chigbue said: “NITEL needs to be sold soon as it does not have any valuable assets. Their head office is rented from their own pension scheme and the infrastructure is in need of updating.”

Also during the interview, the Director General spoke on other issues related to the on-going privatization progra-mme. She said the bureau participated actively in the process of restructuring the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), in preparation for the eventual sale of the company next year.

“Our destination is privatization. We are going to privatize the Mint next year by the Grace of God. That is the agreement we had with the Central Bank that we should be able to turn around the Mint before we can privatize.

Speaking on the government’s involvement in dredging the Imo River to facilitate the movement of raw materials and finished goods from the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), Mrs. Chigbue said the dredging was an act of providing infrastructure which ought to be the responsibility of the government.

She said before the company was sold, the government agreed to dredge the river and facilitate the supply of gas to the plant which is located in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom state.

Explaining why Russal Group, the core investors, have not started work on the plant, she said, “The core investors are saying that let there be evidence that work has started on some of the projects before they can move in so that they can have comfort. You know when foreign investors are investing, they have some reservations. They want to see real evidence that the process has commenced before they can move in.”

The BPE boss also revealed that Folio Communications, the investors in Daily Times, have paid up the outstanding amount of the purchase price of the media firm, to the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), bringing to an end the controversy that followed the sale of the outfit.

Folio Communications collected a loan from Hallmark bank to acquire federal government’s equity in the company. The bank was, however, liquidated at the end of the banking consolidation
“Last week, we got a note from the NDIC that they (Folio Communications) have paid. The buyer of Daily Times has paid NDIC the loan they borrowed.

She said the BPE has so far generated a total of $3.2 billion (about N416 billion) from the sale of public enterprises since it was established in 1989.

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

Nigeria journalists deny sedition

Two Nigerian journalists have denied charges of sedition, linked to a story about a new presidential aircraft.

The Daily Independent's Rotimi Durojaiye was charged after one of his articles questioned the cost and age of President Olusegun Obasanjo's plane.

The other journalist, Gbenga Aruleba, was arrested after discussing the article on his talk show on private television station, AIT.

The two men face up to two years in prison if convicted.

They are accused of seeking to "bring into hatred or contempt or excite disaffection against the person of the president."

Their bail application was denied.

Mr Durojaiye's article "Controversy over age, cost of presidential jet" suggested that the Mr Obasanjo's official plane may have experienced technical problems.

"All we are saying is that we are trying to protect the life of the president of this country," the managing director of the Daily Independent newspaper Ted Iwere told reporters outside the courtroom.

"I strongly believe that it is democracy that is on trial. Reporters must be granted and guaranteed the opportunity to discharge their duty," said AIT (African Independent Television) owner Raymond Dokpesi.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CJP) has condemned the arrest of Mr Aruleba.

The government's opponents have accused it of cracking down on criticism ahead of next year's elections.

Posted by Publisher at 02:13 PM | Comments (0)

Brazil 3-0 Ghana

Ronaldo became the highest scorer in World Cup finals history as Brazil beat Ghana to book a quarter-final place against France.

The 29-year-old took just five minutes to go past Gerd Muller's tally of 14, latching on to Kaka's through ball and rounding Richard Kingson to slot home.

Adriano tapped in Cafu's cross and Ze Roberto ran through to wrap it up while Ghana's Asamoah Gyan was sent off.

John Mensah had the Africans' best chance, but Dida saved his header.

Brazil will now meet France in the last eight on Saturday in Frankfurt at 2000 BST.

The scoreline was perhaps a touch harsh on Ghana, who recovered from a horror start to match their more illustrious opponents.

It was a start made more remarkable by the African side's defensive naivety than Brazil's attacking prowess, as twice in five minutes they got caught out at the back.

The first time they were saved by a flag incorrectly ruling Ronaldo offside, the second time they pushed up and allowed Kaka to feed in Ronaldo, who shimmied past Kingson and slotted in.

After all the criticism, it was yet another record-breaking goal for the peerless Real Madrid man.

Still Ghana failed to learn. Ze Roberto found Adriano in acres of space only for the striker to fluff his lines, trying to round Kingson but falling to the floor and being booked for a dive.

Brazil began strolling - if they needed a reminder they were in a game Matthew Amoah's 20-yard drive that flew just wide should have done the trick.

But it did not seem to, as Amoah shot straight at Dida and then Gyan turned Lucio superbly before rifling over on the stretch from 12 yards.

Two minutes before half-time, they had a golden chance to level. Mensah rose unchallenged from a corner, but to Ghana's dismay his bullet header struck Dida's leg and bounced away from danger.

Just before the break they were punished when Brazil launched a quick counter-attack and Cafu crossed for a seemingly offside Adriano to bundle home.

Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic was so incensed that he was sent to the stands for the second half after remonstrating with the referee.

The second goal was hard on Ghana after a spirited response to their early errors and to their credit they continued to plough forward after the break.

John Pantsil flashed a header wide from another set-piece and Gyan and Haminu Draman both wildly lashed over from good positions.

As Brazil sat back Stephen Appiah fed in Gyan, but the hero of the win over Czech Republic was foiled again by an impressive diving stop from Dida.

Until Gyan was sent off - his second yellow card was for diving - Brazil did not look like adding to their tally, a Pantsil header at his own goal a rare venture into the Ghana penalty area.

But with 11 against 10 they stepped up the pace and Ghana's misery was compounded when substitute Ricardinho floated a ball over the top and Ze Roberto flicked it past Kingson, ran round him and rolled into an empty net.

The defending champions are slowly but surely clicking into gear at this World Cup finals.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brazil: Dida, Cafu, Lucio, Juan, Carlos, Emerson (Silva 45), Ze Roberto, Kaka (Ricardinho 83), Ronaldinho, Adriano (Juninho 61), Ronaldo.
Subs Not Used: Cicinho, Cris, Fred, Gilberto, Julio Cesar, Luisao, Mineiro, Rogerio, Robinho.

Booked: Adriano, Juan.

Goals: Ronaldo 5, Adriano 45, Ze Roberto 84.

Ghana: Kingson, Pantsil, Shilla, Mensah, Pappoe, Draman, Eric Addo (Boateng 60), Appiah, Muntari, Amoah (Tachie-Mensah 69), Gyan.
Subs Not Used: Otto Addo, Adjei, Ahmed, Kuffour, Mohamed, Owu, Pimpong, Quaye, Sarpei.

Sent Off: Gyan (81).

Booked: Appiah, Muntari, Pantsil, Eric Addo, Gyan.

Att: 65,000.

Ref: Lubos Michel (Slovakia).

Fifa man-of-the-match: Ze Roberto

TRIVIA
Ronaldo became the World Cup's all-time top scorer by netting his 15th goal in the finals. He thereby surpassed Gerd Muller's tally of 14, in his 18th successive World Cup match, the longest streak by a current player. Cafu set a Brazilian record by playing in his 19th game. The competition record is 25 World Cup matches by Lothar Matthaus.

Adriano's goal was Brazil's 200th in the World Cup. They are the first nation to reach this milestone. Ze Roberto became the seventh Brazilian goalscorer at the 2006 World Cup. No other nation has more than six different goalscorers.

Brazil won their 11th straight World Cup match, extending their all-time record. They're also on an 11-match unbeaten run, which is two shy of their own competition record set between 1958-1966.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

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

Spain 1-3 France

France struck twice in the last 10 minutes to see off Spain and set up a quarter-final meeting with Brazil.

Spain went ahead through David Villa's superbly struck penalty after Lilian Thuram rashly fouled Ibanez Pablo.

France soon equalised when Frank Ribery rounded Iker Casillas after he was found by Patrick Vieira's clever pass.

With seven minutes to go Vieira powered in a header and with Spain pushing forward Zinedine Zidane broke clear for a solo effort in stoppage time.

Zidane, who struggled in France's first two group games, looks to have finally found his rhythm, prompting and cajoling his teammates to victory just as he did during their successful 1998 campaign.

France's victory also means Brazil will again face their nemesis Zidane, the player who scored twice against them in the 1998 World Cup final.

An absorbing game offered two contrasting styles, with Spain pursuing a patient passing game while France adopted a more direct approach to try to utilise Thierry Henry's pace.

Mariano Pernia went close with a dipping free-kick, though the Spain defender was soon on defensive watch as he courageously blocked a Zidane shot.

While Pernia showed bravery, his defensive colleague Carles Puyol relied on athleticism to head back to Casillas to stop Zidane's pass reaching Henry.

The Arsenal striker finally escaped the attentions of the Spain defence when he broke down the right and sent over an inviting cross that neither Vieira or Ribery could reach.

Villa's penalty briefly stopped France in their tracks.

Thuram was too eager to challenge Ibanez and Italian referee Roberto Rosetti had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Barthez guessed correctly, but Villa's shot - low and powerful - was unstoppable.

Five minutes before the interval France equalised with an elegant goal as Vieira's quick pass released Ribery.

Finishing has not been the Marseille's winger strongest point in France's group games, but Ribery's speed got him round Iker Casillas and his sidefooted finish eluded Pernia and Puyol as they tried to cover back.

France's equaliser saw the game shift up a notch in intensity in the second half.

Just as Vieira had released Ribery, Zidane did the same for Florent Malouda, whose lobbed effort drew a one-handed save from Casillas.

Just past the hour Ribery skipped his way past Pernia, but he was unable to find a French player with his powerful cross.

France's invigorating start to the second half prompted Spain coach Luis Aragones to make a double substitution as he brought on Luis Garcia and Sanchez Joaquin.

With 12 minutes left Joaquin ghosted past Eri Abidal before firing a shot into the side netting.

But it was France who found an extra gear in the last 10 minutes as first Vieira and then Zidane punished Spain.

It was a deflected Zidane free-kick that Vieira headed in and France's captain applied the coup de grace with a run and powerful shot that gave Casillas no chance.

The defeat was the first Spain had suffered under Aragones in 25 games since he took charge after Euro 2004.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spain: Casillas, Pablo, Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Pernia, Fabregas, Xavi (Senna 72), Alonso, Villa (Joaquin 54), Torres, Raul (Luis Garcia 54).
Subs Not Used: Salgado, Marchena, Albelda, Reyes, Antonio Lopez, Iniesta, Canizares, Juanito, Reina.

Booked: Puyol.

Goals: Villa 28 pen.

France: Barthez, Sagnol, Thuram, Gallas, Abidal, Ribery, Zidane, Makelele, Vieira, Malouda (Govou 74), Henry (Wiltord 88).
Subs Not Used: Landreau, Boumsong, Dhorasoo, Silvestre, Saha, Givet, Diarra, Trezeguet, Chimbonda, Coupet.

Booked: Vieira, Ribery, Zidane.

Goals: Ribery 41, Vieira 83, Zidane 90.

Att: 43,000.

Ref: Roberto Rosetti (Italy).

Fifa man of the match: Patrick Vieira.

TRIVIA
This was the 700th match in the history of the World Cup. The French were one of the combatants in the very first game and they featured in the previous centennial match four years ago.

The last time France qualified for the quarter-finals was at the 1998 World Cup, which they went on to win. Since losing to Slovakia in their first match of 2006, the French have now won five and drawn two matches, keeping four clean sheets and not conceding more than two goals in any of the seven games.

France have ended Spain's 10 match unbeaten run at the World Cup. It was also the first defeat in 26 international matches for the Spaniards, in a sequence stretching back to a 1-0 loss to Portugal at Euro 2004.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 02:11 PM | Comments (0)

Italy 1-0 Australia

An injury-time penalty from substitute Francesco Totti took ten-man Italy past Australia and into the last eight of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Kaiserslautern on Monday, 26 June 2006.

26 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

Totti, a 75th-minute replacement for Alessandro Del Piero, drove the spot-kick high into the net after Fabio Grosso had gone down under a Lucas Neill challenge just seconds before the final whistle.

Italy had been reduced to ten men following Marco Materazzi's red card five minutes into the second half and at that stage their followers might have feared a repeat of their loss to Guus Hiddink's Korea Republic at this stage four years ago. Instead, Totti's strike leaves the Azzurri looking forward to a quarter-final tie against either Switzerland or Ukraine in Hamburg on Friday.

As for Hiddink's Australia team, they can head for home proud of their performance in Germany, having reached the Round of 16 on their first outing on the world stage in 32 years.

The match:
4': Mark Schwarzer, playing on his old club ground, returned to the Australia goal after being left out against Croatia and his goal came under threat early on. Luca Toni met a cross from the left but his header from the edge of the six-yard box went inches past the goalkeeper's left-hand post.

7': In a lively start, Alberto Gilardino attacked down the left and was poised to shoot when Craig Moore produced an excellent challenge.

18': Both sides settled after the early flurry of activity. Italy looking impenetrable, Australia firm in the challenge any time the ball was anywhere near a danger area.

22': Both sides settled after the early flurry of activity but the next opening was again at the Australian end. A fine ball from Andrea Pirlo picked out Toni but the striker's low shot after a sharp turn was saved by the legs of Schwarzer.

24': Gianluigi Buffon had his first touch of note soon after as Viduka rose high to meet a free-kick but it was a simple save for the Italy goalkeeper.
29': Australia came within a whisker of taking the lead when Neill flicked on a free-kick and Scott Chipperfield brought an instinctive save from Buffon with a low drive from 13 yards.

34': Following a good spell for the southern hemisphere side, two chances fell to Toni: first he had a shot blocked, then he headed over from close range.

41': The Azzurri threatened again as Toni stretched to reach a right-wing cross in front of goal, but failed to make contact.

Marching orders for Materazzi
48':There was an early chance for Italy when play resumed, but Toni shot well over.

50': As play switched quickly to the other end, Materazzi lunged in with a challenge on Marco Bresciano some five yards outside the penalty area and the Internazionale defender was immediately shown the red card. From the resultant free-kick Chipperfield shot wide.

55': Marcello Lippi decided he could not afford the luxury of leaving two strikers on and restored his defence to full strength by replacing Toni with Palermo defender Andrea Barzagli.
58': The Australians kept pushing forward and Chipperfield, latching onto a short ball from Neill, forced another save from Buffon.

63': Italy wasted a good chance on the break when Gennaro Gattuso overhit a ball intended for the unmarked Del Piero after a quick break caught Australia short in numbers in defence.

80': The hold-up play of Viduka and the trickery of Tim Cahill had caused problems throughout the game and the Australia midfielder only just cleared the crossbar with a header from a corner.

85': From substitute John Aloisi's cross, Viduka almost carved out a chance on the edge of the six-yard box but Buffon intervened. Hesitancy in the Australia defence moments later let in Vincenzo Iaquinta but he mishit his shot from some eight yards out.

89': From a right-wing cross, Aloisi went for a spectacular winner but an attempted overhead kick failed as he missed the ball.
90+4': Eight seconds from the end of the game Grosso broke into the Australia box and went to ground under Neill's tackle, and referee Luis Medina Cantalejo pointed to the penalty spot. Schwarzer went the right way, but Totti beat him with a powerful drive. (0-1)

In conclusion:
Heartbreak for an Australia side who produced one of their best performances on the international stage. But credit to Italy who for standing firm when down to ten men for the majority of the second half.

Posted by Publisher at 02:09 PM | Comments (0)

Switzerland 0-0 Ukraine

Ukraine won through to a FIFA World Cup™ quarter-final against Italy after beating Switzerland on penalties after a goalless draw in Cologne on Monday, 26 June 2006.

26 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

None of Switzerland's three penalty-takers - Marco Streller, Tranquillo Barnetta and Ricardo Cabanas - were able to convert their kicks meaning that despite Andriy Shevchenko's miss for Ukraine, Oleg Blokhin's side won the shoot-out 3-0. Artem Milevskiy, Serhiy Rebrov and Oleg Gusev all put the ball past Pascal Zuberbuehler to leave the Ukrainians looking forward to a tie with Italy in Hamburg on Friday.

Chances were at a premium during the opening 90 minutes of this Round of 16 match, but both teams at least managed to hit the woodwork. Shevchenko headed against the crossbar at one end while Alexander Frei's free-kick curled on to the crossbar at the other.

In extra time both Johann Vogel and Philipp Degen went close for the Swiss, but as the 120 minutes ended scoreless, penalties were required for the first time in this edition of the FIFA World Cup.

The match:
4': Switzerland made the more positive start and took the game to Ukraine in the early stages. Cabanas, playing at the home of his club side in Cologne, had the first shot, which was blocked and fell to Hakan Yakin, but he sliced the ball well wide.

7': Yakin tried again from long range but his low effort was comfortably gathered by Ukraine goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskyi.

13': Shovkovskyi was called into action again, though this time he needed to be at his best, diving athletically to his right to palm away a powerful goalbound effort by Raphael Wicky.

20': Ukraine made their first truly threatening move and caused an almighty scare for the Swiss. Maksym Kalinichenko curled a free-kick from the left flank into the box and Shevchenko beat his marker Johan Djourou to it, diving to head the ball down into the turf and it bounced up and back off the crossbar with Zuberbuehler well beaten.
23': This time Switzerland rattled Ukraine's crossbar as Alexander Frei smashed a free-kick against the woodwork from 25 metres.

26': Ukraine worked the ball well across field from right to left as Oleg Gusev fed Shevchenko, who in turn passed to Andriy Voronin, but his curling shot was disappointing and went harmlessly wide.

29': Ukraine’s Oleg Shelayev had a shot charged down and the rebound which came his way was even more inviting, yet he blazed over the top.

43': Yakin curled a free-kick into the area and Shovkovskyi came off his line to punch the ball clear with both fists.
Narrow miss
47': Ukraine made the early running in the second half and Voronin went extremely close when he headed a cross from Gusev a whisker past Zuberbuehler’s right-hand post.

52': Voronin had another attempt but his low drive lacked pace and Zuberbuehler had no difficulty in gathering it.

67': As the distracted crowd in Cologne provided their own entertainment with a notably enthusiastic Mexican wave, Shevchenko brought their attention back to the pitch after a scrappy passage of play. Ukraine’s captain mesmerised Ludovic Magnin with a twisting run and as the defender backed off, Shevchenko unleashed a screaming left-footed shot which just missed the target. Zuberbuehler would have got nowhere near it if it had been a touch more accurate.

69': Cabanas tried his luck with a right-footed drive, but the Swiss midfielder was none too threatening.

74': Ukraine could not have gone much closer when Gusin beat Zuberbuehler to a corner and flicked it centimetres wide of the post with the back of his head.
Extra time:
100': A match that had seemed to promise penalties for some time entered the extra period in much the same vein, though Switzerland captain Vogel tested Shovkovskyi with a low shot and the Ukraine keeper saved well.

109': Switzerland caused momentary panic in the Ukraine defence with a corner that moved around the penalty area like a pinball but the end result was substitute Stephane Grichting hooking in over his head and onto the roof of the net.

Penalties:
Switzerland had a disastrous shoot-out, missing all three kicks after gaining an early advantage when Shevchenko went first and Zuberbuehler saved. Shovkovskyi kept out Swiss attempts by Streller and Cabanas, while Barnetta smashed against the bar and it was left to Gusev to win it for Ukraine.

In conclusion:
After a game where penalties provided the only real drama of the night, Ukraine moved through to the quarter-finals on their first visit to the FIFA World Cup. Switzerland were left to contemplate whether a more adventurous approach would have kept them in the competition.

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

June 26, 2006

Why North must succeed Obasanjo

Presidential aspirants from the South-South or South-East geo-political zone seeking to succeed President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007 have been asked to drop their ambition if they desire the continued unity of the country.

By Femi Babafemi
Monday, June 26, 2006

Former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi who gave the advice while speaking with Daily Sun stated that it is curious that anyone from the south can still come out and lay claim to the presidency in 2007 after power has remained in the region for eight uninterrupted years.

"Anybody in the south who is aspiring to be president in 2007 is just wasting his time and money because no northerner will allow that to happen. That will no longer be fair to our people after the north has cooperated with the south for eight years to have the presidency", he stated.

Rimi who is one of the founding fathers of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before embracing the new Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) over irreconcilable differences with the new PDP leadership said the on-going agitation to keep the presidency in the south in 2007 is suspicious and portends danger for the country.

"I am surprised that people from the south are talking about presidency at this time, it is curious and the timing is suspicious, and this portends danger for the peace and unity of the country because the north has demonstrated so much sense of understanding, fairness, justice and equity in the last seven years," he said.
The outspoken politician, however, warned that "the north would not fold its hands on the day of election and allow the imposition of a candidate from the South. They should forget the idea. Those behind the thought should forget it."

According to him, "those in the south who are aspiring to be president in 2007 should forget about it for now because voters in the north won’t vote for any candidate from the south.
"That means that the south doesn’t want the north to have power again. They want to keep it for centuries at the expense of the north. That is unimaginable. We should be fair to ourselves, stop greed and selfishness, we will have a united and strong country, if we respect ourselves, our constitution, and simple understanding."

To him, there is no basis for any argument over which region should produce the next president, stressing that the nation’s constitution has settled such controversy.
His words, "no basis for arguments between the north and south. South has had its own term being used by Obasanjo and which expires on May 29, 2007. It has to shift back to the north and after eight years, it can then go back to the south and it will then be between south-south and south-east to slug it out between themselves.

"It is a simple fact, nobody should pretend about that. Anything short of that will not augur well for the country."
Rimi urged those spitting fire from the south-south and south-east to understand that the nation’s constitution does not recognise geo-political zones.

"Power is not being shared according to regions, they should look at the constitution before, during and after independence, there is nowhere regions are recognised, we only have north and south divide. So, those talking about geo-political zones now should go and look at the constitution and wait for another chance when the south will have power again," he added.

The former governor dismissed the argument that the north had kept power for too long, contending that during "military era, those in power were not representing the north. They represented their military constituency and they shared power among all the different sections of the country."
He said the north should not be taken for granted over the 1998 agreement, which allowed power to go to the south.

"There was some understanding in 1998 that north should allow south-west to have power because of the Abiola incident and that shows that northerners have a sense of fairness, equity and justice. As such, power should shift back to the north because that is the reasonable and ideal thing in a just and fair society we are all building."

Rimi said he had nothing to do with the emergence of factions in the PDP, adding that rather than engage in that, he would prefer not to have anything to do with the party in any form.
He regretted that the party he founded with five others had been hijacked to be a one-man party instead of a national party of their dream.

Posted by Publisher at 04:58 PM | Comments (0)

Soyinka may resign as PRONACO deputy leader

THE crisis rocking the Pro-National Conference Organisations (PRONACO) took a new twist at the weekend as Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, signified his intention to resign as its deputy national leader.

By Idowu Ajanaku

Although Soyinka cited his sojourn in the United States of America (USA) as reason for his latest action, The Guardian learnt that his decision might not be unconnected with the protracted crisis in the group.

But Prof. Soyinka may not turn his back fully against PRONACO as he has decided to nominate Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu and Ambassador Olu Otunla as his replacement. The Chief Anthony Enahoro-led organisation has been locked in a battle with young elements led by Ayo Rosiji on the modalities for the conference. The crisis boiled over last week with the Rosiji group electing a new executive, retaining Enahoro but replacing Soyinka with Ndubuisi Kanu.

Sources told The Guardian that Soyinka decided to ease himself out of the group to avoid embarrassment by forces bent on destroying the body and its reputation. In fact, the literary icon has done everything possible to resolve the crisis in the PRONACO, especially the attempt to use some members to blackmail its leadership.

Although saddened by the latest action by the so-called young elements in the association, Soyinka is happy that PRONACO has succeeded in producing an acceptable constitution that will stand the test of time if eventually adopted by the delegates and the people of Nigeria.

PRONACO crisis started following a sharp disagreement between Enahoro and his late deputy, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti over the running of the organisation. Despite Ransome-Kuti's death, the crisis continued, culminating in the inability of the leaders to get the conference under way as planned.

The crisis resurfaced at the last session when the delegates could not adopt the report of the conference, insisting on seeing its content before it is adopted. Some of the members accused Enahoro of harbouring a hidden agenda.

Also, PRONACO broke into two over the decision to meet with former heads of state. While Enahoro favoured meeting with the former rulers, including President Olusegun Obasanjo, the others disagreed, saying that Obasanjo is part of the problems that PRONACO is out to solve.

The Head of Media and Information of PRONACO, Mr. Wale Okunniyi, however declined comment on the decision of Soyinka to dump the organisation. But he expressed worries over the activities of some members whom he alleged are allowing themselves to be used to derail the organisation. He said Soyinka is yet to inform Enahoro about his decision even as he expressed confidence that the literary icon would not abandon the organisation.

Posted by Publisher at 04:34 PM | Comments (0)

2007: Marwa not cleared yet, says Ribadu

Barely 24 hours after Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd), made a formal declaration to contest the 2007 Presidential election, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, says the former military administrator of Lagos state remains uncleared by the commission.

Monday, June 26, 2006
By Emmanuel Bello

He told Daily Trust yesterday that Marwa is yet to clarify his involvement in an alleged financial malpractice. Ribadu said, “it is really unfortunate that people with a corrupt background could parade themselves as presidential aspirants. Take Marwa. He has not yet cleared his name”.

The EFCC boss further said that the war against corruption is getting more challenging. “I tell you, there are so many bad people, many of them. Someone like Marwa would have reasoned that if others can get away with their acts of corruption and even make declaration to run for office, then he can do so as well. After all, compared to them, he is probably a saint.”

Reiterating his earlier stand, Ribadu vowed that only candidates with a clean record will be allowed to vie for leadership positions in the country. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), recently announced that it will work with the EFCC to screen aspirants in the coming elections.

Marwa declared last Saturday in Abuja, was recently arrested by the EFCC. He was detained and released. The businessman and owner of the now grounded Albarka Airlines, is from Adamawa state where the Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, also wants to contest the presidential election.

Posted by Publisher at 04:31 PM | Comments (0)

US firm bids for NITEL

Lucent Technologies, one of the world's leading telecommunications companies, has entered the race for the purchase of 51 per cent of the Federal Government's shares in the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited.

Chijama Ogbu

The US firm is bidding for NITEL under the FT Networks consortium, which is not on the original list of firms shortlisted in May by the Bureau of Public Enterprises.

Lucent Technologies is a multinational company composed of what was formerly AT&T, which included Western Electric and Bell Labs. It was split from the AT&T on September 30, 1996.

On April 2, 2006, Lucent Technologies merged with its French competitor, Alcatel. The combined company will have revenues of approximately $25billion based on 2005 calendar results.

The bid by Lucent Technologies is the first by any major US firm in the fast-growing Nigeria痴 telecommunications sector.

The BPE had in a statement said it had shortlisted seven prospective investors from the 27 expressions of interest it received.

Those shortlisted were Transnational Corporation/BT Globacom; Afro Telecommunications Limited/Korean Telecomm; MTC/Celtel International; Investcom; Telkom SA; and Etisal.

But a source told our correspondent in Lagos on Saturday that the FT Networks Consortium, driven by Lucent Technologies, was allowed to join the bid process midstream.

The waiver followed a protest to the Presidency over its exclusion from the shortlist.

It was learnt that President Olusegun Obasanjo was surprised that a group with a company of the pedigree of Lucent Technologies was initially shut out.

He, therefore, directed the BPE that the FT Networks/ Lucent Technologies consortium should be allowed to participate in the negotiated sale process, which is expected to throw up a winner before the end of the month, the source familiar with the process said.

The Head, Public Communications of the BPE, Mr. Joe Chigbo Anichebe, confirmed to our correspondent on the phone that the US consortium participated in the due diligence, which ended last week.

He was silent on the presidential directive, but said the FT Networks was admitted to the shortlist when Celtel declined further participation after it had acquired controlling interest in Vmobile Nigeria in a $1.005billion deal.

Celtel, which had earlier showed strong interest in NITEL, announced after the acquisition of the 65 per cent stake in Vmobile that it was no longer interested in the bid.

About a forthnight ago, Telkom South Africa Ltd, Africa痴 biggest fixed-line phone provider, which is one of the shortlisted firms, claimed it had emerged 殿 preferred bidder for NITEL.・

展e致e been told we池e a preferred bidder,・Bloomberg News quoted Telkom痴 Chief Executive Officer, Papi Molotsane, to have told analysts in Midrand, south of the company痴 Pretoria, South Africa headquarters on June 17, 2006.

But Anichebe had told our correspondent on the phone then that the 努inner has not emerged and the process is still ongoing.・

Molotsane had said that the company was concerned over conditions attached to the purchase of NITEL, with pension fund liabilities being 鍍he biggest deal breaker.・

Industry analysts fear that a win by Telkom could lead to a monopoly of the country痴 telecommunications sector by South African firms. Already MTN Nigeria Communications, a subsidiary of a South African firm, is already a leader in the GSM sub-sector of the industry.

The Federal Government said that it would negotiate the sale of the ailing firm, rather than opening up a third round of auctioning because this could take too long.

Two earlier attempts at open bidding failed to secure a core investor.

The BPE was worried that this could take too long, which could result in NITEL deteriorating to such an extent that investors would no longer be interested.

The BPE said that under the new process, if the preferred bidder痴 offer was unacceptable, all bidders would be given the same transaction documents to make counter offers.

Earlier in the year, an offer of $256.5million by Egypt痴 Orascom for a 51 per cent stake was rejected because it fell below the reserve price.

A deal with London-registered firm for $1.3billion in 2002 collapsed after the company failed to come up with the cash.

The Punch, Monday, June 26, 2006

Posted by Publisher at 04:30 PM | Comments (0)

N/Delta:FG, Militants in Oil Block-for-Peace Deal

In order to ensure the continued pumping of oil from the Niger Delta, the Federal Government has cut a deal with militants operating in the swamps by giving then an oil block as condition to stop destruction of oil producing activities, THISDAY can authoritatively reveal.

From Segun James in Yenagoa, 06.26.2006

The new deal was signed at the Aso Rock villa between the Federal Government and militants led by the National President of the Federated Niger Delta Ijaw communities (FNDIC) two weeks ago.

THISDAY gathered that the new block which is located around Escravos in Delta State will give the militants unhindered access to explore and exploit oil on t heir block without molestation as long as they remain peaceful.

The deal, according to THISDAY sources in Delta State will ensure that oil companies operating in the area have unhindered access to their operations.

THISDAY sources said the deal was cut following pressures from the American and British Governments and the oil companies on the Federal Government that they will not venture into the creeks unless they have a guarantee against further attack and destruction of equipment and installations.

The Federal Government was forced to sign the deal because the nation was losing over a quarter of its total oil production daily.
However, the new deal has pitched the Ijaws against each others as a new group, the Niger Delta Salvation Front (NDSF) has made it clear that the deal is not binding on them.

According to its President, Jonnie Fiwei, the Niger Delta struggle cannot, and will not be sold for a pound of porridge.

Posted by Publisher at 04:29 PM | Comments (0)

Filipino oilmen freed in Nigeria

Two Filipino oil workers have been released after being held for five days in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta.

Six gunmen in a speedboat seized the two near the south-eastern city of Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

It is the latest in a string of abductions and assaults on foreign oil workers in the region by militants, who want more local control of oil wealth.

It has led to a 25% cut in Nigeria's oil production - a key factor in the high world price of crude oil.

A local official said the contract workers for Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) were released on Sunday in good health and taken to Port Harcourt.

The Niger Delta is home to Nigeria's oil industry, but there is widespread poverty and numerous armed militia groups which operate in the area.

One group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), says it is fighting for greater local control of the oil revenues and compensation from oil companies for pollution in the Delta.

The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says in most previous cases armed groups have taken hostages to extort money from oil companies and the government. Details of payments are never released.

Posted by Publisher at 04:28 PM | Comments (0)

Obasanjo May Dump Govs; IBB, Gusau plot strategies

As more aspirants declare their intention to contest the nation's presidency in 2007, there were indications at the weekend that President Olusegun Obasanjo might dump state governors in his search for a successor.

By Bolaji Adebiyi in Lagos and George Oji in Kaduna, 06.26.2006

Presidency

Presidency sources told THISDAY that the President was embarrassed by the startling revelation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that only two of the governors have a clean bill of health that can make them suitable for the nation's topmost job.
Although the EFCC clearance is not required under the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act 2006 for eligibility for election in the country, the President is said to find it morally indefensible to present as candidate, a person who has been indictment for fraud.
The President in the aftermath of the crushing defeat of his bid for an extra term of office had proposed to the governors to search for his successor from among them.
The governors moved to actualise the proposal by setting up a search team headed by Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, which was still doing its work until the presidential reservation emerged at the weekend.
The EFCC Chairman, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, had in several media interviews pledged to stop corrupt politicians from mounting the saddle of leadership. Specifically, he said at least 24 governors were awaiting prosecution, saying that their day of judgement was delayed by the constitutional immunity they enjoyed.
Meanwhile the presidential race promises more excitements in the weeks ahead as former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.), and Vice President Atiku Abubakar put finishing touches to their declaration of intention expected in three weeks.
The Babangida declaration, which close watchers of his camp, say may have complicated the presidential ambition of former security chief Aliyu Gusau, is gathering pace despite the foggy succession plan of President Olusegun Obasanjo, particularly as it affects IBB痴 ambition.
The disengagement of Gusau as Obasanjo痴 security adviser for seven years had fueled speculations that he was being excused to go and begin preparations for the presidential race in line with a strategic plan of military power elite to hold the presidency for about 30 years.
Under that plan, say THISDAY sources, next in line to the President who retired in 1979 as a General, is either Babangida or Gusau both of who are said to have been instrumental to the recruitment of Obasanjo as a presidential aspirant in 1998.
Although there has been growing speculations about the President痴 reservations about a Babangida presidency, sources say it is doubtful if Gusau who owe much of his military career to the former military president will stand against the toothy general that has not hidden his ambition to succeed Obasanjo in 2007.
This, add sources, is responsible for Gusau痴 caution in declaring his ambition. 徹nce IBB signifies his intention and takes steps to realise it, Gusau will not oppose him,・a reliable source close to two aspirants says, adding, 的n the military power equation, there is a strategic order of doing things. Gusau will not oppose Babangida.・BR>The only way Gusau will step forward, explains another source, is if the President makes his objection to Babangida痴 ambition clear. This, he says, will leave the long-standing security chief with no further hindrance to the realisation of his aspiration.
But Babangida is said to be working hard at gaining Obasanjo痴 support with the help of mutual friends, particularly a close presidential aide who is known to have the ears of the President.
Sources say at one meeting between the former military president and the President held a few weeks ago, the later is said to have been persuaded to consider a slate that will have Babangida as president and one of his very close aide as his running mate.
However, Aso Rock Villa insiders say this slate can only be presented if it becomes clear that it is the only electoral asset that can block Vice President Atiku痴 bid for the top job.
Already, Atiku痴 deft moves across the political landscape is said to be giving the President some headache, particularly with the crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) widely believed to have been engineered by his deputy.
The Vice President痴 strategy is to weaken the PDP by dividing it so that by the time he is denied the party痴 presidential ticket, what will be left of it will be a rump that will be of no electoral value to its inheritors.
The Atiku strategy appears to be working as party chiefs expressed concern last week that the crisis has left the PDP in a fluid state so much so that no one can identify with certainty its members.
鄭s at today we cannot say that so, so and so are members of the party as the Atiku people now have dual membership. They are in Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), and have refused to leave the PDP for now,・complained a PDP chieftain in Abuja last week.
With this kind of situation, say a Presidency source, the President may seek the best option that will help him to stop Atiku, and Babangida痴 camp is said to be position their man as the only person that commands the political clout to push the Vice President aside.
Meanwhile, Kaduna State students under the umbrella of National Association of Kaduna State Students (NAKASS) have expressed support for the presidential aspiration of the state Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi, just as a coalition of Christian Youths Organisations known as Yerima Christian Network (YCN) has urged Nigerians to back Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima痴 quest for the 2007 presidency.
The NAKASS in a statement at the weekend called for the adoption of their governor as a consensus candidate for the North, noting that, 典here has never been a governor in Nigeria, whose contributions to the development, growth and progress manifested itself in contemporary Nigeria than Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi.・BR>On their part the YCN said in a statement in Kaduna that its support for the Zamfara State governor stemmed not only from the fact that he had the requisite qualification and experience but because he was generally accepted by all Nigerians.
The statement noted that Yerima had demonstrably shown his commitment to the promotion of peace, security, social justice and national unity.
It describes the governor as, 殿 leader that has done much to promote discipline, democracy, good governance and regional integration through his political diplomacy.・BR>The group said it decided to back Yerima because, 展e have audited the other presidential aspirants and found some wanting and others trailing behind Alhaji Ahmed Sani in their suitability for the job and this realization prompted our emphasis on the imperative of Alhaji Ahmed Sani presidency come 2007.・BR>It appealed to presidential aspirants from other geo-political zones to cede the presidency to Sani for the sake of the unity and stability of the country.

Posted by Publisher at 04:22 PM | Comments (0)

Obasanjo says disloyalty is now a virtue

President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that loyalty is now a scarce commodity in the country.

Speaking at the weekend on politics at a reception given in his honour by the Ondo state government, Obasanjo said stupidity and disloyalty had been upgraded to a virtue.
He said because of the widespread scarcity of loyalty, it is important to cherish it whenever it is exhibited.
Obasanjo said the PDP chairman, Dr Ahmadu Alli, who was also on his entourage had remained loyal at all times.
“When he was coming in, we were told he would be in Obasanjo’s pocket,” he said, pointing out that he (Obasanjo) did not have a pocket big enough to carry Ali-must-go’’.
Obasanjo said the PDP chairman has remained ‘’consistent, sturdy, reliable and unwavering,’’ stressing that Alli has proved he is not one that could be easily pocketed.
He reiterated that God is not a God of abandoned project, saying it should not be interpreted to mean ‘’I did not want to leave this job.
“Project Nigeria is God’s project, and God will never abandon it,’’ he said.
Obasanjo stated that Nigerians at all levels have a role to play to actualise the popular dream of the great country that they all want it to be.
On non-payment of pensions by the federal government to retired military and civilians, Obasanjo said arrangements are being finalised with some banks to settle the backlog.
Obasanjo said before the end of the year, the federal government arrears of pensions would be paid, adding that ‘’bonds will be given to some banks, and they will raise money to pay off all pension arrears.
“When we serve the country and retire, we must not be denied the benefits of our retirement,’’ he said.
Obasanjo said soldiers who fought to unite the country during the civil war deserve their pensions.
He also said his administration would continue to work towards lifting women, adding: “A little bit of affirmative action is needed to lift up women, and I am not ashamed of anybody that says this president likes women.”
Obasanjo said the federal government would assist the state to complete the Owena dam, and to construct a water treating plant to provide potable water to the people.

Posted by Publisher at 04:21 PM | Comments (0)

ANPP holds national convention August 24...Membership registration begins July 7

ALL Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has fixed August 24, 2006 for its National Convention to elect party officials.

From ABDULRAUF IBRAHIM, Abuja

Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Party/Governor of Borno state, Senator Ali Modu Sherif who announced this at the party’s NEC meeting in Abuja at the weekend, said that the party will commence its membership registration between now and July 7, this year.
Ward congress, Governor Sharif said, will begin from July 7-27, 2006, local government congress July 28, state congress, August 10 while the national convention will take place on August 24, 2006 respectively.
The chairman explained that the proposed new time-table will guide them and the party to set up new machineries aimed at dethroning PDP come 2007 general elections.
At the meeting, the former minister of water resources, Isah Muhammad formally decamped to ANPP.
In attendance were Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano state, Ali Modu Sherif of Borno, Adamu Aliero of Kebbi, Ahmad Sani of Zamfara and two ANPP former governors, Abubakar Audu of Kogi and Abu Hashidu of Gombe states as well as General Muhammadu Buhari.

Posted by Publisher at 04:18 PM | Comments (0)

IBB, Buhari reconcile - Get chieftaincy titles

TWO former heads of state, Generals Muhammadu Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida, who have not been on good terms for some years, were at the weekend reconciled. Two duo were even given chieftaincy titles after the reconciliation by the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro, at a lavish ceremony.

DIPO LALEYE, Minna - 26.06.2006

Buhari has been angry with Babangida following the coup which ousted him and led to the emergence of Babangida as head of state, an act Buhari saw as a betrayal by his Chief of Army Staff. However, the turbaning of the duo by Dantoro provided another meeting point for the two men who decided to bury the hatchet after the emir had a meeting with them before the installation ceremony.

General Buhari was the first to be invited to the podium for the turbaning as the protocol demanded but immediately the master of ceremony invited the former military leader to the stand, General Babangida stood up and followed him. The crowd cheered as both generals walked holding hands as they headed for the podium.

They also sat side-by-side on the seats provided on top of the podium for the turbaning ceremony. However, Generals Buhari and Babangida were not turbaned, but given spears to serve as their instruments of office. General Buhari was appointed Maje of Borgu Kingdom (Strong Pillar of Borgu Kingdom) while General Babangida was made Mayaki of Borgu kingdom (Invisible War Commander of Borgu Kingdom).

Two other prominent Nigerians — Chief Sunday Awoniyi, Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum and Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Abia State governor and PDP presidential hopeful, were also honoured by Dantoro.

Chief Sunday Awoniyi was turbaned the Ba’a Zhukun of Borgu Kingdom (Most Respected Elder Statesman) while Dr. Kalu got the title of Ba’a Danide (The Epitome of Integration). Alhaji Dantoro, after performing the ceremony, said the dignitaries were turbaned as a way of building “bridges of political friendship among Nigerians”.

The Emir extolled the virtues of those turbaned and expressed the hope that they would continue to struggle for the unity, peace and progress of the country. Responding on behalf of the recipients, Chief Awoniyi said they would live up to the expectations of those that considered them fit for the honour, especially when these “titles are not bought”.

Governors Abdulkhadir Kure of Niger State, Adamu Aliero of Kebbi State, Senators Uche Chukwumerije and Idris Kuta were among the dignitaries at the ceremony

Posted by Publisher at 04:16 PM | Comments (0)

N92bn subsidy splits NNPC, PPPRA

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) weekend disagreed over controversial withdrawal of about N92 billion from the federation account.

Sopuruchi onwuka

Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr. Funso Kupolokun, who was in Ore, Ondo State to recommission the corporation’s revamped fuel depot told journalists that the money was withheld with the knowledge of PPPRA as internal subsidy on pump prices of petrol and kerosene.

But Executive Secretary of PPPRA, Dr. Oluseye Oluleye, told reporters at the same event that NNPC had not put any subsidy claim before it for approval.

NNPC was alleged to have withdrawn about N31 billion from the federation account initially and another N61 billion in May, totalling N92 billion without approval from the Ministry of Finance.

Erstwhile Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had described the action of NNPC as illegal and mandated it to present its products supply invoice on subsidized fuel products to the ministry for verification.

She had said the withdrawal was not necessary considering the N150 billion held by PPPRA for internal subsidy on fuel products with price caps.

Reacting to the issue on Saturday, Mr. Kupolokun, said, NNPC had to withdraw the money from the nation’s crude oil export revenue since there was no guarantee that government would refund the money.

He said that instead of remitting the money to government as directed, NNPC was expecting another rN7.0 billion as additional refund on fuel subsidy.

"We do not owe anybody any money, instead, somebody owes us about N7.0 billion," he declared.

"If you owe somebody who owes you, there are two ways to get your money.

"One is to pay the person and expect him to pay you, but if you suspect that he is not going to settle you, then you can deduct your money from what he owes you and pay him the balance," he explained.

Mr. Kupolokun maintained that the money was deducted after the differential between the cost of supply and approved pump prices had been worked out with PPRA.

But Dr. Oluleye said the agency which regulates prices and manages fuel subsidy funds did not receive any request for subsidy refund from NNPC.

He said no drive from the N150 billion Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) has been released by the agency until all claims for imports had been satisfactorily substantiated.

He stated that, the agency was expecting claims from some markets including Total, Oando and Texaco which imported 54 metric tons of petrol and kerosene recently.

All products import claims by marketers in the domestic market were being audited by PPPRA to compensate those with genuine invoice and sanction those with fictitious claims.

He made it clear that import by marketers had not increased as expected, adding that most of them were cautions with the PSF incentive.

Posted by Publisher at 04:14 PM | Comments (0)

ILLEGAL WITHDRAWALS: FG Owes NNPC N7B - Kupolokun

The Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation [NNPC], Engr. Funsho Kupolokun, weekend countered the allegation by the Federation Accounts and Allocations Committee [FAAC] to the effect that the NNPC was owing it several billions of naira in revenue.

By AJEFU EWACHE, Abuja

He said that FAAC was owing the corporation about seven billion naira (N7bn) as part of expenses incurred by the corporation but which have not been settled.

Kupolokun said this at Ore, Ondo State, at the commissioning ceremony of the rejuvenated Ore-Mosimi Depot of the NNPC by President Olusegun Obasanjo. The Cross Rivers State Finance Commissioner and member of FAAC, Mr. Chris Adibe last month reported that the NNPC was yet to reconcile accounts of the sum of N310 billion which FAAC claimed was revenue due it but which the corporation knowingly withheld.

At this month's FAAC meeting which held last week, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Esther Nenadi Usman who presided told finance journalists that between January and end of May this year alone, the NNPC had withheld an accumulated sum of N97 billion, declaring that the FAAC had instructed the Corporation to come forward with the amount as well as put a break on unilateral deductions from FAAC revenue without first reporting to it for approval and disbursement. This was more so she said as already an allocation for the modulation of petroleum products prices which was being released by the Finance Ministry.

But Kupolokun who spoke at a press conference dismissed insinuations that he was owing FAAC, stressing that the amount referred to as been withheld by him represented the cost of revenue collection and other joint venture commitments which may be difficult to meet if he has to resort to FAAC in all cases.

・I have heard people comment that NNPC was owing the Federation Accounts certain sum of money. I want to state here that NNPC is not owing FAAC any kobo. Instead, it is the Federation Accounts Commission that is owing us the sum of N7 billion. What they refer to as credit is really the amount for commitments for cost of revenue generation and recovery which if reported to them may be difficult to recover|", he said. ・I知 sure that if someone is owing you money and suddenly you are in possession of his money and you are sure that he is not likely to pay up his debt if you hand him over his money, I believe the wise thing to do is to deduct your money and hand him the balance. That is the situation here. You can see FAAC has been unable to pay up its debt of N7 billion indebted to us for a long time, ・he said

He further explained that deductions are done from the oil revenue monthly by it only after the NNPC ascertains from the Petroleum Products Pricing Agency [PPRA] the level of products prices mechanism for that month vis a vis their landing cost to cover subsidy provision by the government.

FAAC consists of states finance commissioners and their accountants- general; the Minister of State, Finance, who chairs the body; the Accountant ・General of the Federation [AGF]; the Auditor ・General of the Federation; the representatives of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission ; and the Chief Executives of revenue generating establishments such as : the NNPC; the Nigeria Customs Service; and the Federal Inland Revenue Service. It meets every month to collate and distribute revenue to the Federal ,States and local councils as well as to other statutory beneficiaries in accordance with the existing laws and statues and relevant revenue allocation formulae.

Posted by Publisher at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)

FG earns more revenue from N-Delta crises—Accountant-General

LAGOS—THE Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. I. H. Dankwambo, faulted, weekend, the widely held belief that the activities of Niger Delta militants forced a sharp drop in the revenue which accrued into the federation account in May.

By Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor

Posted to the Web: Monday, June 26, 2006

He said on the contrary, government's income improved tremendously through higher oil earnings.

In a communique issued by the Technical Sub-Committee of the Federation Account
Committee and signed by the Accountant-General, the month of May recorded a total of N273.152 billion, about N39.544 billion more than the figure that accrued to the federation account in April at the height of the hostage crisis.

The committee said: “The total fund declared and recommended for distribution for the month of May is N273.152 billion as against N233.608 billion for the prior month, thus showing an increase of N39.544 billion or 16.93 per cent. The increase in revenue generated by the NNPC was attributed to increase in unit price of crude oil in the international market, though there was drop in volume of crude oil exported due to the restive situation in the Niger Delta area. While the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) attributed the increase in revenue generated to the upward revision of estimate by Mobil Producing Company as well as the payment of the 13th month instalment by ELF, however, the Nigerian Customs Service collection was lower than the monthly budgeted figure.”

Figures available in the office of the Account-General of the Federation showed that while in May 2006, a total of N402.454 billion accrued to the federation account administered by the Federation Account Allocation Committee from sundry minerals and non-mineral revenue sources, N233.608 billion was the amount available to the federation account in the month of April after all deductions were made.

A breakdown of the May income showed that sundry mineral revenue amounted to N359.245 billion while non-oil revenue stood at N43.2009 billion.
The communique added that of the N402.454 billion, N143.126 billion was transferred to excess crude and petroleum profit tax and royalty account, N1.108 billion was charged on the account by the Federal Inland Revenue Service as four per cent cost of collection, another charge of N1.085 billion was made on the federation account for the month of May being seven per cent cost of collection by the Customs Service. This brought the amount available for the three tiers of government in the country to N257.134 billion for the month of May.

Also, FAAC said of the amount available for distribution for the month, the Federal Government took the lion share of N120.657 billion or 52.68 per cent, state governments got N61.199 billion or 26.72 per cent while local government councils received a total of N47.181 billion representing 20.6 per cent of the total.

“For the month of May, 2006, total available revenue from Value Added Tax, VAT was N16.686 billion as against N11.783 billion distributed in the previous month, thus showing an increase of N4.903 billion,” the committee said.

The federation account committee said that after the sum of N667.434 million was charged on the VAT revenue, a total of N16.018 billion was available for further distribution to the three tiers of government. The Federal Government got N2.402 billion from VAT, 15 per cent of the total and N705.961 million higher than what it got from the same source in April. State governments on their part got 50 per cent share amounting N8.009 billion and N2.353 billion higher than what they got in April.

On the other hand, the committee said that local governments got 35 per cent of VAT revenue, amounting to N5.606 billion which was N1.647 billion higher than the N3.959 billion they got in the month of April.

Posted by Publisher at 04:07 PM | Comments (0)

England 1-0 Ecuador

David Beckham became the first England player to score at three World Cups as his free-kick earned a quarter-final tie against Portugal on Saturday.

Beckham defied illness to curl home from 30 yards on the hour mark, but England made hard work of Ecuador.

The South Americans could have gone in front early on, Carlos Tenorio's shot deflecting off Ashley Cole and on to the bar after John Terry's mistake.

Frank Lampard missed two fine chances but England had done enough to win.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's side will now play Portugal - after their stormy 1-0 win against Holland - on Saturday 1 July at 1600 BST in Gelsenkirchen.

Again Eriksson will point to a job done, but again it was an England display which will produce more questions than answers.

They had to rely on a trademark free-kick from Beckham, who was later sick on the pitch after suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Playing a 4-1-4-1 formation with Wayne Rooney up front alone, England looked comfortable and clumsy in equal measure on a strange afternoon in Stuttgart.

Yet they started off by doing the sensible thing in the stifling heat, with Michael Carrick at the hub as they passed the ball around and made Ecuador do the running.

However, the first genuine chance fell to the South Americans and after an error by John Terry they came agonisingly close to taking the lead.

Terry completely mis-timed a headed clearance and the ball fell to Carlos Tenorio to run clean through, the striker's fierce shot crashing off the bar thanks to a fine sliding block from Ashley Cole.

It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance from England - one minute keeping the ball with ease, the next giving it away and inviting pressure on to them.

Rooney cut an isolated figure as England put more effort into not conceding than scoring but they still looked shaky at the back, as Rio Ferdinand nearly put through his own net and Terry was booked for a neck-high tackle on Carlos Tenorio.

The decision to play Carrick in the holding role gave England a better base to build from, but Lampard and Gerrard were not getting forward enough to give the increasingly frustrated Rooney some much-needed support.

The 20-year-old could only look on with envy at the other end as Carlos Tenorio and Agustin Delgado hunted as a pair, causing Terry and Ferdinand to lose their usual composure.

Gerrard took it upon himself to improve things after the break as he bombed forward from the left, only to see his centre run across the six-yard line with no England player in sight.

When the breakthrough came, it was like travelling back in time to 2001 when Beckham was at the very peak of his powers.

He sized up the opportunity from 30 yards, wonderfully whipped the ball over the wall and towards the bottom corner and saw it creep past Cristian Mora at his near post.

Lampard twice had chances straight after to double the lead, first dragging a left-foot shot wide then failing to find Rooney in the box when he should have shot himself.

He missed a sitter with 17 minutes left too, blazing over from 14 yards after some sensational skill from Rooney by the left touchline.

Fortunately, it made no difference. England, for the second time under Eriksson, have reached the last eight of the World Cup finals.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

England: Robinson, Hargreaves, Terry, Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Beckham (Lennon 87), Carrick, Gerrard (Downing 90), Lampard, Joe Cole (Carragher 77), Rooney.
Subs Not Used: James, Campbell, Bridge, Carson, Crouch, Jenas, Neville, Walcott.

Booked: Terry, Robinson, Carragher.

Goals: Beckham 60.

Ecuador: Mora, De la Cruz, Hurtado, Espinoza, Reasco, Valencia, Edwin Tenorio (Lara 69), Castillo, Mendez, Delgado, Carlos Tenorio (Kaviedes 71).
Subs Not Used: Villafuerte, Ambrossi, Ayovi, Benitez, Borja, Guagua, Lanza, Perlaza, Saritama, Urrutia.

Booked: Valencia, Carlos Tenorio, De la Cruz.

Att: 52,000.

Ref: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium).

Fifa man-of-the-match: John Terry

TRIVIA
David Beckham's goal was his second from a free kick at the World Cup. Only four other players have achieved that feat before: Pele and Roberto Rivelino (both Brazil), Teofilo Cubillas (Peru and Bernard Genghini (France). Beckham is the first ever English player to have scored at three different World Cups, in 1998, 2002 and 2006 (one goal at each). Beckham's free kick was the 63rd in the history of the World Cup and the sixth in 2006. Only three World Cups have seen more goals from free kicks than in 2006. The record is nine set four years ago.

Ashley Cole earned won his 50th cap. All his international matches have come under Eriksson's reign.

Argentina are the only team ever to have scored against England at this stage. In other second round matches, England beat Paraguay 3-0 in 1986, Belgium 1-0 in 1990, Denmark 3-0 in 2002 and now Ecuador 1-0.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 04:00 PM | Comments (0)

Portugal 1-0 Holland

Portugal booked their place in the last eight of the World Cup and a meeting with England on Saturday after beating Holland in a stormy encounter.

Both teams finished the game with nine men after a game which equalled the World Cup record for bookings - 16 - and broke the record for red cards.

Deco and Costinha were dismissed for Portugal, while Khalid Boulahrouz and Gio van Bronkhorst saw red for Holland.

Maniche scored the only goal, firing into the top corner after 23 minutes.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's side will now play England on Saturday 1 July at 1600 BST in Gelsenkirchen, live on BBC One, Radio Five Live and on the BBC Sport website.

Russian referee Valentin Ivanov set the tone for his performance by booking players from the start for late tackles that he could have given free-kicks for.

Costinha was the first to go, his first offence a sliding foul on Philip Cocu and his second a blatant handball, leaving Ivanov with little choice.

Portugal should have been reduced to nine when Figo was only booked for headbutting Van Bommel, who took his time before falling to the floor.

Soon after Figo was at it again. This time it was his turn to fake serious injury as he tangled with Boulahrouz, who was handed a second booking and dismissed.

There was more action in the referee's notebook than on the pitch.

Deco was booked for a flying foul on Johnny Heitinga and he was off soon after, shown a second yellow for refusing to hand the ball back to Holland as Ivanov continued to throw cards around like confetti.

The bookings prevented a young and inexperienced Holland side from gaining any sort of momentum as they chased the game.

Their miserable evening was compounded in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Van Bronckhorst was shown a second yellow for a minor foul.

Yet they had started so brightly, keen to test Ricardo from range as Mark van Bommel and Robin van Persie went close in the early stages.

From being in control the Dutch seemed to switch off - and their lapse in concentration invited pressure that cost them a goal.

Deco found space down the right and his cross was laid off by Pauleta to Maniche, who shimmied to create room and hammered the ball into the top corner from 16 yards.

Maniche blasted over as Portugal poured forward but their plans took a turn for the worse when Cristiano Ronaldo limped off with an injured thigh after half an hour.

The Dutch seemed to gain encouragement from this and Van Persie twisted and turned sublimely in the Portugal box before toe-poking wide from an acute angle.

Costinha's dismissal forced Scolari into a change at the break but it was a surprising decision to take off Pauleta and play Luis Figo as the lone striker in a 4-4-1 formation.

They were nearly pegged back immediately but Cocu fluffed his lines, slamming against the underside of the bar from eight yards after Nuno Valente's poor control.

Ricardo tipped a Van Bommel drive round the post before the keeper did well to parry a Wesley Sneijder shot from distance, but Holland never seriously looked like forcing extra-time.

It was Marco van Basten's first competitive defeat as Dutch coach and leaves Holland still waiting for their first win against Portugal since 1991.

As for Scolari, the Brazilian can look forward to yet another finals meeting with Sven-Goran Eriksson - his teams put England out of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Portugal: Ricardo, Nuno Valente, Ricardo Carvalho, Meira, Miguel, Maniche, Deco, Costinha, Figo (Tiago 84), Pauleta (Petit 45), Ronaldo (Simao 34).
Subs Not Used: Boa Morte, Caneira, Nuno Gomes, Paulo Ferreira, Paulo Santos, Postiga, Quim, Ricardo Costa, Viana.

Sent Off: Costinha (45), Deco (78).

Booked: Maniche, Costinha, Petit, Figo, Deco, Ricardo, Nuno Valente.

Goals: Maniche 23.

Holland: Van der Sar, Van Bronckhorst, Mathijsen (Van der Vaart 56), Ooijer, Boulahrouz, Cocu (Vennegoor of Hesselink 84), Sneijder, Van Bommel (Heitinga 67), Robben, Kuyt, Van Persie.
Subs Not Used: Babel, De Cler, Jaliens, Kromkamp, Landzaat, Maduro, Stekelenburg, Timmer, van Nistelrooy.

Sent Off: Boulahrouz (63), Van Bronckhorst (90).

Booked: Van Bommel, Boulahrouz, Van Bronckhorst, Sneijder, Van der Vaart.

Att: 41,000.

Ref: Valentin Ivanov (Russia).

Fifa man-of-the-match: Maniche

TRIVIA
This was the first World Cup match ever with four red cards. It was the third game at this tournament with at least three. The 16 cards shown are a record for a World Cup encounter equalling the Cameroon - Germany fixture at the 2002 tournament.

Costinha's dismissal was the third for a Portuguese player at a World Cup. Deco's was the fourth. Both Joao Pinto and Beto were sent off in 2002 against South Korea. The red cards for Khalid Boulahrouz and Giovanni van Bronckhorst were the fifth and sixth for Dutch players at the World Cup. The four dismissals took the 2006 total of red cards to a record 23, breaking the record set in 1998.

Luiz Felipe Scolari has taken his perfect record at the World Cup to 11 matches. He won seven matches as coach of Brazil in 2002 and has now added four wins with Portugal. The Portuguese have reached the quarter-finals for the second time in their history and the first since 1966, and this victory means they now hold the best current unbeaten run in competitive matches by a European nation with 16. They ended the Dutch streak of 15.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 03:59 PM | Comments (0)

Argentina 2-1 Mexico a.e.t.

Argentina needed extra time and a wonder strike from Maxi Rodriguez to give them a 2-1 victory over Mexico and a place in the quarter-finals of Germany 2006 in Leipzig on Saturday, 24 June 2006.

24 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

After a fast and furious start, Mexico took the lead with just five minutes on the clock. Pavel Pardo's free-kick from the right was flicked on by Jared Borgetti and Rafael Marquez swept the ball home at the far post.

It took just four minutes for the Albiceleste to draw level. Juan Riquelme’s corner from the right was touched in by Hernan Crespo and despite a series of chances for both sides, 1-1 was how it stayed for the remaining 80 minutes of normal time.

In the 98th minute, Juan Sorin’s fine cross-field pass was chested down by Rodriguez and the Atletico Madrid man fired home a left-footed volley to book his side a date with Germany in Berlin’s Olympiastadion on 30 June.

The match:
1': With less than 30 seconds played Mexico won a corner when Lionel Scaloni sliced over his own bar. From the set piece Jared Borgetti saw a goalbound header deflected over for another corner – this one was comfortably cleared.

6': But Mexico had certainly started the better of the two sides and emphasised that with the game’s opening goal. Pardo swung over a fine free-kick, Borgetti back-headed across the six-yard box and captain Marquez drove it home at the back post. (0-1)

10': The lead lasted just four minutes. Riquelme, celebrating his 28th birthday, saw a 22-yard free-kick deflected for a corner which he himself took and Crespo flicked the ball into the net under pressure from Borgetti. (1-1)

18': They almost had more reason to cheer when Crespo stole into the Mexico penalty area, but Marquez was swift to get across and block further progress.

22': A delightfully-weighted ball from Esteban Cambiasso midway inside the Mexico half picked out Crespo who lobbed advancing goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez, but his effort rolled just wide.

24': Sanchez’s opposite number was soon back in action, tipping over a fine drive from the edge of the box from Borgetti.

37': There was much fluid play in between both penalty areas, with the game stretched at times. Possession was evenly split, but chances were beginning to become a premium. However, Mexico were forced into a change when Pardo limped off with a thigh injury.

45 +1': Gabriel Heinze's miscontrol conceded a free-kick on the edge of Argentina’s penalty area, but Ramon Morales hit the wall with a low delivery.

A tactical battle
50': Following the flurry of activity towards the end of the first half, there was a much slower start to the second. The pace had dropped and petty fouls were interrupting the flow of the game.
54': Suddenly it sprang to life and Borgetti timed a run behind the Argentina defence to perfection and brought a one-handed save from Roberto Abbondanzieri with a shot from the edge of the six-yard box.

56': Slack marking inside their penalty area from Mexico allowed a Riquelme free-kick to reach the unmarked Rodriguez. His shot bounced down, but still Sanchez elected to punch clear.

59': Argentina were now stepping up their game and a clever ball from Riquelme set up Javier Saviola, but he missed a great chance by shooting straight at Sanchez from ten yards.

75': Gradually Mexico worked their way back into the game and once more chances became limited. Argentina coach Jose Pekerman decided it was time for a change and withdrew Crespo in favour of Carlos Tevez.
84':Another substitution, another attempt to create the spark which could win the game saw the introduction of Lionel Messi, wearing 19 on his 19th birthday.

90+3':Games between these two are traditionally tight. When they met in the FIFA Confederations Cup in Hanover last year it took a penalty shoot-out to separate them. Indeed Mexico had not lost to Argentina in 90 minutes in their last three meetings – a run which in this match extended to four as the game moved into extra time.

A wonder strike:
98':Argentina put together a move which ended with a goal worthy of winning any game. Messi, from a central position midway inside Mexico’s half, played the ball out wide to Sorin. A left-footed delivery picked out Rodriguez on the left-hand edge of the penalty area, he took the ball under control on his chest and on the volley thundered a shot into the top right-hand corner of Sanchez’s net. (2-1)

105':Now able to dictate the pace of the game, Argentina attempted to snatch a second, but a darting run from Roberto Ayala ran out of steam just at the wrong time for him.

107':With time running out Mexico had to push forward and a low shot from Zinha from 20 yards missed the left-hand post of Abbondanzieri's goal by a matter of inches.
113':After a slow build-up, Argentina launched a quick passing movement which unlocked the Mexican defence. But the final ball designed for Tevez was overhit.

In conclusion:
It took a world-class goal to separate these two in an otherwise evenly balanced game. The win sets up a mouth-watering clash between the South Americans and Germany in Berlin on Friday.

Posted by Publisher at 03:58 PM | Comments (0)

England 1-0 Ecuador

England advanced to the last eight of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ as a second-half free-kick from captain David Beckham proved enough to secure a 1-0 victory over Ecuador on Sunday, 25 June 2006.

25 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

Beckham had not scored a goal for England for more than three years but his superb strike on the hour in Stuttgart took his team through to a quarter-final date with either Portugal or the Netherlands in Gelsenkirchen on 1 July. It also made him the first England player to score in three separate FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Ecuador, playing in the second round for the first time, missed a golden opportunity to take the lead early in the game when Carlos Tenorio broke through on goal only to see his deflected shot strike the woodwork.

The match:
1': Sven-Goran Eriksson elected to start with Owen Hargreaves on the right of a four-man defence, with Michael Carrick operating in central midfield. Wayne Rooney, operating as a lone striker, made his presence felt in the early exchanges which were encouraging for England.

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11': They were afforded a huge let-off, however, when John Terry, attempting to head clear ten yards up from the edge of the England box, inadvertently played in Carlos Tenorio who was left with just Paul Robinson to beat. The goalkeeper went the wrong way, but a low shot from the Ecuadorian deflected off Ashley Cole's knee and thumped against the crossbar.
17': Steven Gerrard played a one-two with Frank Lampard just up from the edge of the penalty area but he hit his shot well over the bar and soon England were back under pressure.

19': A foul from Terry brought a free-kick ten yards up from the edge of the England penalty area. Edison Mendez curled in a low delivery and Rio Ferdinand sliced just past Robinson's right-hand post when clearing.

28': Lampard could not get a clean strike when driving from the edge of the area, while a short ball from Ashley Cole intended to set Rooney free hit the striker on the back as Eriksson's side struggled to get into any kind of rhythm.

41':A mistake from captain Ivan Hurtado on the edge of his own penalty area allowed Rooney a half-chance approaching half-time, but defenders converged to snuff out the danger.

Beckham the difference
49': England were applying pressure at the start of the second half and a low ball from the left from Gerrard brought concern for the Ecuador back line but not the finishing touch the deliverer was looking for.
55': Ecuador began to see more of the ball, if not the final pass which was the key to gaining the edge in this tight game.

60': It was a match which needed something special – and it came in the shape of a Beckham special. A free-kick was awarded some ten yards up from the right-hand edge of the Ecuador penalty area and Beckham produced a superb delivery which had Cristian Mora scrambling across his goal just to get a fingertip to the ball on its way into the net. (1-0)

65': Ecuador threatened a reply when Segundo Castillo shot for goal from the edge of the penalty area forcing Robinson into a smart save at his right-hand post.

72': Clever footwork from Rooney saw him cut in from the left and set up Lampard. But the antithesis of the approach came with the finish as a shot from the edge of the penalty area cleared the bar by some distance.

75': As players tired in the heat chances became more numerous and Mora fell full-length to his right to gather a low drive from Rooney.
84': There was concern on two fronts in the closing stages for England as Robinson appeared to have a problem with his right leg, while Beckham, who was physically sick on the pitch, was replaced by Aaron Lennon.

In conclusion:
It was a controlled performance from England which took them to the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup. Beckham's strike proved enough to settle a game of few chances against an Ecuador team who seemed to lack the belief to seriously threaten the opposition goal.

Posted by Publisher at 03:42 PM | Comments (0)

June 24, 2006

Questions Over Okonjo-Iweala's Stay In Govt

SPECULATIONS were rife last night on the resignation from government of the new Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

She was re-assigned last Wednesday in a surprise cabinet shake-up, which removed her from the Finance Ministry where the Minister of State was elevated as Minister of Finance.

She was unavailable for comment last night. Her telephones were not ringing when The Guardian tried to reach her. There was no one from members of her family and her aides contacted who could confirm the strong claim. All of them denied that she had resigned.

Even one of her close associates in the cabinet, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, FCT Minister, said last night that the lead was not true.

He said on telephone: "Not true. She went to Abia today for a reception planned for her. She is finalising her hand-over notes. She will be at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs next week"

Earlier, her Special Assistant (Media) Mr Paul Nwabiukwu had declared it a wicked rumour. "It is not true", he simply said.

Nwabiukwu also assured that her boss would be at her desk on Monday.

But an unconfirmed lead said last night that she had indeed submitted her resignation letter to the Chief of Staff to the President.

But there was no action on or response to it as the President was in Ondo State on a three-day working visit. There was no response from the office of the President last night even to confirm anything about the speculated letter of resignation.

The development last night was a recall of a similar speculation in 2003 shortly after she was appointed as Finance Minister. She was said to have resigned midway through a Retreat when she was told at the then NICON Hilton Hotel that the Budget Office would be run independently from the Finance Ministry.

Then Mr Bode Agusto, a chartered accountant and rating expert had just been recruited as Director-General Budget Office. She was said to have resigned immediately because the Ministry of Finance without the budget Office would be desolate with only Multilateral and one other Department.

It was gathered then as reported by The Guardian that she was prevailed upon by the combined efforts of Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Malam el-Rufai. But she was quoted in another medium that she did not resign. Though it was confirmed later that she did.

It was also gathered last night that some powerful Nigerians had indeed appealed to her to withdraw the said resgnation letter. Again, there was no confirmation that she has or she will.

Suspicion began on Wednesday when reports indicated that she did not wait for any courtesies or pleasantries after the Federal Executive Council meeting where she was moved to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Posted by Publisher at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)

Jerry Gana, others quit Obasanjo's cabinet

President Olusegun Obasanjo's Political Adviser, Prof Jerry Gana and two others have quit the cabinet for undisclosed reasons.

Festus Owete, Oluyinka Akintunde, Abuja, Francis Falola, Minna and Olayinka Oyebode

The other two are Obasanjo's Special Assistant, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr Venatius Ikem and the Special Assistant (Youths), Mallam Bibi Faruk.

The statement, which was signed by the SGF, Chief Ufot Ekaette, said though the disengagement of Gana was already effective, that of Ikem and Farouk would take effect from June 30.

The statement said President Obasanjo had accepted the notice of disengagement.

Sources said the three presidential aides resigned in order to pursue their political ambitions. Gana, who is the Secretary of the PDP痴 Board of Trustees, has already declared his intention to contest the 2007 presidential race. Ikem, who is the immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the PDP and Farouk, who was the party痴 National Youth Leader, are believed to be interested in the gubernatorial race in their respective states.

Gana had sometime last year indicated that he would serve the President in an honorary capacity and was nominated as a Federal government delegate to the National Political Reform Conference.

Reminiscing on his days in Obasanjo痴 cabinet in an interview with newsmen on Friday, Gana said it afforded him the opportunity to appreciate the enormity of the nation痴 problems.

Speaking after a reception in his honour at his hometown, Busu in Doko Local Government Area of Niger State, the former minister of information said, 鄭s you are aware, as a special adviser to the President, my duty was to advise and I made sure I did that to the best of my ability. You should know that it is not mandatory that the President had to take this advice. My opportunity of being in government for this number of years gave me the privilege to know why things are not working and what needs to be done for things to work.・

Gana said he made his position on the failed third term agenda known to the President but declined to tell newsmen what it was.

He said the presidency must return to the North in 2007 because it was conceded to the South in seven years ago as part of political negotiations.

He said the arrangement at the time was for the presidency to be given to the South-West in order to pacify the people over the annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections, adding that it was time for the position to shift to the North.

Gana, however, declined to speak about the crisis of confidence between himself and the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Ahmadu Ali.

The former political adviser said his agenda would soon be unveiled in Abuja, explaining that one major area was the reduction of the pervasive poverty in the country.

Meanwhile, there was confusion on Friday over reports that the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had resigned her appointment with the government.

Okonjo-Iweala, who was until Wednesday the Minister of Finance and the Chairperson of the Economic Management Team, was said to have resigned in protest against her redeployment to the Foreign Affairs Ministry by President Olusegun Obasanjo.

But the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr. denied that Okonjo-Iweala had resigned.

Also, Okonjo-Iweala痴 Special Assistant on Information, Mr Paul Nwabuikwu, in a telephone interview with our correspondents, said his boss had not resigned her appointment.

Also denying the report, President Obasanjo痴 Senior Special Assistant on Communcation, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, said on the telephone that he traveled with Okonjo-Iweala from Abuja to Umuahia on Friday, ahead of a scheduled reception for the minister on Saturday (today).

Sources said Okonjo-Iweala wrote a letter of resignation, which she addressed to President Obasanjo, indicating her intention to quit the government.

According to a source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Okonjo-Iweala was prevailed upon to withdraw the letter by friends and associates, who reportedly advised her that it would give the impression that she could not fit into other areas of service.

Saturday PUNCH, June 24, 2006

Posted by Publisher at 11:23 AM | Comments (0)

Obi: My Life in Danger; Outlaws MASSOB, others

Anambra state Gove-rnor, Mr. Peter Obi yesterday told a stunned audience at the conference hall of the Government House, Awka, that hoodlums with tentacles in the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the National Union of Road Transport Owners (NA-RTO) who had been pitched in bloody clashes in Onitsha are threatening to kill him.

From Charles Onyekamuo in Awka., 06.24.2006

Also, the Governor announced the outlawing of the activities of MASSOB, NARTO, Anambra Vigilante Service (AVS) and Bakassi.

The Governor in a press conference he jointly addressed with the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Abdulhafiz Adewuji, the DIG in Charge of Operations, Police Force Headquarters, Mr. Mike Okiro, the AIG Zone 9, Umuahia, Mr. Ade Adekaiye, and other senior military and police officers, said he had been receiving anonymous phone calls from persons he didn稚 specifically say urging him to 斗eave them alone・or else he and members of his family would be killed and burnt.

And determined to stem the incessant clashes between rival militia groups in the state, Obi yesterday announced the ban of the four groups that had been fingered in the Onitsha mayhem.

The Governor in outlawing the groups invoked section 98 (2) of the criminal code (cap 36) laws of Anambra state off Nigeria, 1991.

In an order paper personally signed by the Governor he declared: 典he following societies and their activities are dangerous for the peace, order an good government of Nigeria and are hereby declared unlawful societies in Anambra state,・the order paper signed by the Governor read.

Although the order was made in Awka yesterday, it will take effect from the 3rd July 3, 2006 and would be known as Anambra state (unlawful societies) (Declaration, 2006).

As part of the security measures put in place to contain the crisis, the Governor said his administration has banned commercial motor-cycle operators otherwise known as Okada above 100cc from operating in the state.

Furthermore, the state government has restricted the operations of commercial motor-cyclist from 6am to 7pm, even as it extended the curfew imposed on Onitsha and six other towns, which would have expired tomorrow to July 2, 2006. The affected communities remain Okpoko, Obosi, Ogbaru, Nsugbe and Nkpor while the duration remains 7pm to 6am.

Obi attributed the poor internally generated revenue profile of the state to perennial civil disturbances and control of some government revenue windows by gangs.

He said his administration would only recognise and work with only the police and urged all other security outfits to subject themselves to the police.

He announced the take over of markets and motor parks in the state by the state government. According to him, even market unions operating in the state are illegal, as they had been banned since 1984 through an Act.

的f the parks have to be managed, it will be for the Government. Even all the market unions have been banned, all these ones are illegal, they were banned since 1984 through an Act.

的f you (MASSOB) want a state, you go to New York, United Nations to apply. Anambra state is not going to have any dealings with any gang again,・Obi said.

He denied allegations that he was sponsoring MASSOB against NARTO, saying, 的 never met any MASSOB member and I don稚 intend to meet them. We are not supporting them.・BR>The Governor who said he was undeterred by the threat to his life said that as leader one should be prepared to die in the service of society if the need arises.
However, DIG Okiro could not give definite statistics of those arrested during the mayhem, but said that five officers and men of the Anambra state police command were wounded in the crisis and are recuperating in undisclosed hospitals.

The GOC, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army Enugu, Major General Adewuji enjoined everyone to ensure that peace is maintained. The security operatives, he said, would only shoot in self defence as they are in Anambra as peace makers and not combatants and urged the people to cooperate with them.

Obi had since the outbreak of the crisis involving the hoodlums and the police in Onitsha refused to have any negotiations with them or harbour them in the state insisting that they are illegal organisations.

Consequently, the Governor had imposed a one week dusk to dawn curfew on Onitsha and other six adjoining towns to avoid the escalation and spread of the crisis.

The recent Ontisha mayhem had while it lasted led to loss of no fewer than 12 lives, burning of a police Armoured Personnel carrier (APC) and a military jeep, two police stations and public and private properties.

Posted by Publisher at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)

O N I T S H A : Bloody clashes leave Nigeria’s market city bleeding

ONITSHA, the commercial hub east of the Niger, is a city on its knees today. The recent bloody clashes in the town have left it completely comatose and gasping for breadth.

By Anayo Okoli
Posted to the Web: Saturday, June 24, 2006

It does not need the crystal ball of a soothsayer to see the depression and hopelessness which reign everywhere. Without doubt, the present crisis has impacted negatively on the economic and social life of the residents of Onitsha and its environs.

Though no casualty figure has been confirmed by the police or other local authroities, it is feared that no less than ten people might have died in the mayhem and property worth billions of naira destroyed. In addition, vehicles including police armoured personnel carrier, traders’ wares, houses and the Onitsha prison were either completely destroyed or torched.

Though stern-looking military men and mobile policemen now dot every nook and cranny of the city with their fingers hanging loosely on the trigger, the fear which pervades the entire state is thick. As things are now, business activities have drastically dwindled as customers of Onitsha traders especially from outside the state are now afraid to come into the state to transact businesses. Particularly worrisome to the residents was the attack on the Onitsha prison and the release of no less than 240 inmates among whom were hardened criminals, murderers among others.

“We’re in trouble in this state,” Chief Nnaemeka Nwanze, a public servant said. “It’s amazing that each time there’s any crisis, one of the first few places to be attacked would be the prisons. As things are, some of the inmates released by the protesters would be armed robbers and ritualists. Is that not enough danger? We’re in danger; let’s not pretend about it.”
From the petty traders to commercial motorcyclists (Okada operators) and others who do menial jobs, the pains of the devastation have been enormous because for days, they could not leave their homes.

Condemnations all the way

Following these widespread protests that wrecked Onitsha, there have been condemnations from the high and low. Senator Joy Emodi under whose constituency Onitsha falls, urges the Federal Government to go to any extent to unmask those behind the crisis and bring them to book. Also, Mr. Emeka Asoanya, a former president of the Association of Market Traders in the state (ASMATA) insists that the people must reveal the identities of the perpetrators because they live in the midst of the troubled residents.

“All these hoodlums are not spirits. They are human beings who live with us. Therefore, our people should report their presence in their localities to the nearest security agency or the nearest police stations. They should offer useful information to the police to help them control the situation.”

Also, the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) has called on President Olusegun Obasanjo to flush out the hoodlums. “Onitsha and environs had in recent times, become the theatre of homicidal activities and other forms of criminality. For a couple of months now, major parts of the state, especially Onitsha, Ogbaru, Obosi, Nkpor, Nnewi and Awka had been under siege as a result of different bloody clashes among militant and other violence-prone groups.

“Of all the bloody clashes, the ones that had threatened the foundation of peace and security of Anambra state and her people have turned out to be the on-going bloody clashes (though the city is now calm). The clashes have led to the untimely death of (some) people and destruction of both public and private properties, and turned Anambra state, especially the major cities into an enclave of lawlessness...”

Presently, Onitsha is like a police station. Virtually, the headquarters of the police has been moved to Anambra State. Two Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, Mike Okiro and Ogbonna Onovo, as well as an Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) in charge of Zone 9, Ade Ajakaiye, have been supervising a large team of policemen numbering over 2,000 together with the presence of soldiers.

As the worries deepen, questions are asked as to how only nine hoodlums invaded the Onitsha prison and chased away 20 security guards comprising of 16 well-armed mobile policemen and four prison officials, a development which prompted the Acting Comptroller of Prisons, Mr. Okwara Uche-Kalu to suspect collusion between the hoodlums and the security agents on guard. He simply could not understand how only nine persons could over-power 20 armed security guards.

Tongues continue to wag

In less than six months, Onitsha was experiencing its second bloody crisis. The first engulfed the city in January over reprisal attack following the riots sparked off by the crisis in the North over a cartoon on Prophet Mohammed in far-away Denmark. The latest which began last Thursday was blamed on a supremacy tussle between rival groups. It has been buck-passing ever since. While some people had fingered a battle for control between the Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and certain elements suspected to be members of Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), the latter emphatically denied any involvement and asked its accusers to look elsewhere.

But is it to be believed as alleged that the rank and file of MASSOB had since been infiltrated by criminals who now masquerade as MASSOB to cause trouble? Or is it a statement being made by the outlawed Anambra Vigilante Services as a way to express anger over the state government’s rejection to empower and recognize it?

NARTO which controls all the motor parks in Anambra state and collects both legal and illegal levies on the commercial vehicles that leave and come into the state, has its headquarters in Onitsha. Millions of naira are said to be made on daily basis by this group through sundry toll collections. The burden of the high illegal levies is usually passed on to commuters in form of high transport fares. This has gone unchallenged for years now.

MASSOB leaders washed their hands off the recent protests in the state, but others insist that they must look inwards to flush out real or fake members who give the body a bad image. Thus, some alleged MASSOB members are said to have been challenging NARTO to stop the illegal collections in the motor parks and on the streets as well as other illegal tolls collected from even truck pushers. Indeed, it was this challenge that was the cause of the enmity between the two groups.

NARTO, therefore, was alleged to have solicited the support of the police to flush MASSOB out of Anambra, particularly Onitsha. Since MASSOB threw this challenge, there have been crises intermittently in Onitsha, which at times snowballed into bloody clashes that would spread to other cities like Awka, Nnewi and Ekwulobia.

The current face-off cannot be discussed without mentioning the activities of members of the banned Anambra Vigilante Service (AVS) who worked with the immediate past governor of Anambra state, Dr. Chris Ngige. The group was recruited by the former government to help protect the state when police and other security agencies were withdrawn from the then governor. It must be admitted that there was, indeed, reduction in crime rate.

Governor Peter Obi came in, and as part of the changes he introduced, he disbanded the AVS and opted to work with constitutionally-established security group working under the supervision of the police. The group, it must be said, was not happy with Obi’s action after having visited the Government House, Awka, to seek their retention. The governor emphatically turned down the requests.

When will Onitsha and other cities in Anambra have long-lasting peace as opposed to curfew imposed on the troubled spots even if to temporarily stop the crisis from escalating?

Posted by Publisher at 11:20 AM | Comments (0)

Obasanjo Sacks 1 More Aide, Disengages 3

President Olusegun Obasanjo has sacked an additional aide in the Presidency barely twenty four hours after the first exercise in which no less than 10 aides were relieved of their appointments.

From Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja, 06.24.2006

Also, the President has accepted the formal disengagement from government of Prof. Jerry Gana (Special Adviser on Political Matters), Mr. Ven-atius Ikem (Special Ass-istant, Bureau for Public Enterprises) and Mallam Bibi Farouk, Special Assistant on Youths.
A statement issued yesterday by the office of the Secretary to the Gove-rnment of the Federation named the new victim of the sack exercise as Bose Ogunmuyiwa (Special Assistant on National Orientation).

According to the statement signed by Ufot Ekaette, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the trio of Gana, Ikem and Farouk left the government on their own volition and effective June 30, 2006.
The statement confirmed that Chief Kanu Agabi, Special Adviser on Good Governance and Ethics, Engineer Mohammed Abba Gana, Special Adviser on Rel-ations with Civil Society, Dr. Stanley Macebuh, Senior Special Assistant on Programme and Policy Monitoring, and Mrs. Jose-phine Anenih, Special Assistant on Women Af-fairs.

The statement also confirmed the sack of eight aides to the Vice President including Prof-essor Mike Kwanashie, Special Adviser on Social and Economic Affairs, Dr. A.C Okolie, Senior Special Assistant on Policy and Programme Monitoring, Dr. A. Ajuji, Special Assistant, Develo-pment Coope-ration, Mrs. Tokunbo Adeola, Senior Assistant, Nati-onal Economic Council and Private Sector Liaison.

Others sacked in the Vice President痴 office include Dr. U Ardo Special Assistant on Research and Analysis, Phil Agbasi Special Assistant, Political, Yima Sen, Special Assistant, Policy and Programme Monitoring and Nath Yaduma, Special Ass-istant, Special Interest /Information.

Meanwhile, a group, The All Nigerian Amer-ican Congress (ANAC) has commended Pres-ident Olusegun Oba-sanjo on the appointment of Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the new Foreign Affairs Minister.
The group said in a statement made available to THISDAY that Okonjo-Iweala, who was also a member of the Nigerian

Diaspora community 塗as been an example of the kind of Nigerian blazing the trails in North America and elsewhere who may consider sacrificing their comfortable life in the West to help uplift Nigeria to higher grounds under the right circumstances.・BR>The statement signed by the association痴 president, Mr. Okey Mbonu hoped 鍍hat (Obasanjo痴) successor will match (his) instincts for competence and financial prudence.

President Obasanjo Wednesday relieved Mrs. Chinwe Obaji of her appointment as Education Minister and redeployed three others Okonjo-Iweala (from Finance to Foreign Affairs), Ambassador Olu Adeniji (from Fore-ign Affairs to Internal Affairs) and Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili (from Solid Minerals Development to Education).

Also, Obasanjo sacked 12 aides, eight of them in the office of Vice President Atiku Abu-bakar, who is currently on annual vacation in the United States.

Posted by Publisher at 11:18 AM | Comments (0)

Lawmaker slams 1999 constitution

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Jeff Ojinika has expressed regret over the jettisoning of the constitution review exercise in the National Assembly, describing the 1999 constitution as "injustice meted to Nigerians by Nigerians."

Ojinika, representing Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency at a forum organised by correspondents in Imo State accused some people who he said, benefitted from apparent injustice in the 1999 constitution of working against its amendment.

According to the lawmaker it was most unfortunate that the constitution review was derailed because there were a lot of things in the constitution that have impeded good governance in the country that need to be removed.

Pointing out some of the injustice in the constitution, Hon. Ojinika stated that out of the 360 members of the House provided for in the 1999 constitution the entire five states, in the South east have only forty-nine members while Kano and Jigawa states which used to be one state have the same number of seats.

Some people, he said did not want the 1999 constitution touched because the amount of money some part of the country receive in excess of number of local governments areas makes nonsense of the 13 per cent oil derivation.

The people, he said, are also afraid of equality of states because of the profit from the imbalance.

According to him, one of the things that have impeded good governance as contained in the 1999 constitution is the absence of budget laws, explaining that unless the constitution is amended there will be no budgetary discipline which will usher in good governance.

Posted by Publisher at 11:16 AM | Comments (0)

South South May Boycott Election

PROMINENT leaders and political opinion moulders in the South-South geo-political zone have sent a passionate appeal to foreign powers with influence on Nigerian leaders to prevail on the Federal Government to concede the presidency to the zone in 2007.

Jacob Segun Olatunji & Bankole Makinde, Abuja - 24.06.2006

They also want the foreign powers to impress it on the leadership of the 37 registered political parties the imperativeness of fielding only South-South candidates as their presidential flagbearers for the 2007 presidential elections.

Failure to do their bidding, the South-South leaders have vowed to boycott the 2007 election. Saturday Tribune gathered authoritatively that high level consultations are already in top gear in the zone to see to the full realisation of the project.

The leaders reportedly argued that the North, which is currently jostling for the position should not hold the illusion that the presidency is their exclusive preserve and should not erroneously think that they could rule the country for ever.

One of the leaders of the South-South think-tank who pleaded strict anonymity declared that since the North had ruled for 34 years and other geo-political zones had produced Nigeria’s leaders at one time or the other, equity dictates that the South-South should naturally be allowed to produce the president in 2007.

Describing the South-South as the neglected proverbial goose that lays the golden egg, the South-South leaders challenged the North to produce any of their candidates who has better candidates than those already shortlisted by the South-South.

ST also gathered exclusively that after marathon meetings by the South-South leaders, the names of Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State; Peter Odili of Rivers State and Victor Attah of Akwa-Ibom State were agreed on as presidential materials to be presented by the zone for the presidency in 2007.

Governor Donald Duke was however said to be the leading candidate due to his non-controversial disposition since his coming to office in 1999. Governor Attah and Odili, though, also tipped were seen as being proponents of the alleged tenure elongation project of president Olusegun Obasanjo, which was, however, aborted by the National Assembly.

These shortcomings, the Sough-South leaders reportedly reasoned would make Attah and Odili a hard sell in the North who already hold the feeling that the president would be imposing his surrogates on the country following the failure of the third term project.

The South-South leaders affirmed that if peace must prevail in the country in 2007, the international powers should prevail on other sections of the country to give them a chance to produce the president in 2007.

Leading contenders for the plum job from the North include General Ibrahim Babangida, Muhammed Buhari, Buba Marwa alongside Professor Jerry Gana, governor Sam Yerima of Zamfara State, governor Adams Mu’Azu of Bauchi State and Musa Shehu Yar’Adua of Katsina State.

Incidentally, all the leading candidates being proposed by the South-South leaders are all members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Posted by Publisher at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)

World Cup 2006 - Schedule (June 24 - June 27)

Brought to you by BNW Sports.

SATURDAY 24 JUNE

SECOND ROUND MATCH ONE
Germany v Sweden

SECOND ROUND MATCH TWO
Argentina v Mexico

SUNDAY 25 JUNE

SECOND ROUND MATCH THREE
England v Ecuador

SECOND ROUND MATCH FOUR
Portugal v Holland

MONDAY 26 JUNE

SECOND ROUND MATCH FIVE
Italy v Australia

SECOND ROUND MATCH SIX
Switzerland v Ukraine

TUESDAY 27 JUNE

SECOND ROUND MATCH SEVEN
Brazil v Ghana

SECOND ROUND MATCH EIGHT
Spain v France

Posted by Publisher at 10:33 AM | Comments (0)

Ukraine 1-0 Tunisia

Ukraine reached the knockout stages on their World Cup debut with a narrow victory against 10-man Tunisia.

Andriy Shevchenko's 71st-minute penalty sealed victory after Chelsea's new recruit had tumbled over in the area.

Striker Ziad Jaziri's dismissal just before half-time for a second bookable offence stunned Tunisia, who needed a win to stand any chance of qualifying.

Ukraine's victory sealed second spot in Group H and a second round match against Switzerland in Cologne.

The Swiss topped Group G ahead of France, and the game will take place on Monday (2000 BST).

But Ukraine will enter the match with problems in defence, as both Vyacheslav Svidersky and Andriy Rusol are suspended after picking up bookings.

In a dismal encounter, Ukraine failed to dominate their final group match despite their one-man advantage.

Tunisia can feel a degree of injustice, after conceding a questionable penalty, and having their own claims for a spot-kick denied.

Both sides had named unchanged line-ups, but offered little to excite a big crowd in Berlin.

A slip by Bolton centre-back Radhi Jaidi in the third minute nearly cost Tunisia.

He tried a backheel only for Andriy Voronin to intercept - but the Bayer Leverkusen forward failed to take advantage.

Jaziri picked up his first booking from Paraguayan referee Carlos Amarilla for a blatant dive when challenged by Andriy Rusol.

The first real chance fell Ukraine's way in the 20th minute when the ball broke to Anatoliy Tymoschuk and he tried to beat Ali Boumnijel with power instead of passing to Shevchenko, and the Tunisian keeper saved.

In the dying seconds of the half, Jaziri was dismissed after bringing Tymoschuk down from behind.

Despite being reduced to 10 men, Tunisia showed some spark in the second half.

Ania Yari's free-kick appeared to be deflected over the bar by the hand of striker Voronin, but a corner was awarded.

Shevchenko broke the deadlock when he earned a dubious penalty after going down under a challenge from Karim Hagui.

The £30m striker calmly converted from the spot for his second goal of the tournament and kissed his shirt in celebration.

Voronin twice went close to extending Ukraine's lead, with a late shot which forced Boumnijel to parry, and then firing wide from close-range.

But Tunisia nearly snatched an equaliser with a dangerous header from substitute Francileudo dos Santos.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ukraine: Shovkovskiy, Nesmachniy, Rusol, Sviderskiy, Tymoschuk, Shelayev, Gusev, Rebrov (Vorobey 54), Kalinichenko (Gusin 75), Shevchenko (Milevskiy 88), Voronin. Subs Not Used: Yatsenko, Yezerskiy, Pyatov, Chigrynskiy, Vashchuk, Nazarenko, Byelik, Rotan, Shust.

Booked: Sviderskiy, Shelayev, Tymoschuk, Rusol.

Goal: Shevchenko 71 pen.

Tunisia: Boumnijel, Haggui, Jaidi, Ayari, Trabelsi, Mnari, Bouazizi (Ben Saada 79), Chedli (Santos 79), Namouchi, Nafti (Ghodhbane 90), Jaziri.
Subs not used: Essediri, Yahia, Gmamdia, Chikhaoui, Nefzi, Jemmali, Saidi, Kasraoui, Melliti.

Sent Off: Jaziri (45).

Booked: Jaziri, Bouazizi, Jaidi.

Att: 72,000

Ref: Carlos Amarilla (Paraguay).

Fifa man of the match: Anatoly Tymoshchyuk

TRIVIA
Ukraine have become the second debutant to survive the group phase, following Ghana. They have now kept a clean sheet in seven of their eight matches in 2006.

Vyacheslav Sviderski and Andri Rusol received their second yellow card and will be suspended for Ukraine's next match.

Tunisia have never survived the group phase in four attempts. They amassed 14 yellow cards in their three matches, more than any other team. Zaid Jaziri became the first ever Tunisian player to be sent off in a World Cup match. His red card was the 18th shown at this tournament, one more than during the entire last World Cup. The record for most dismissals in one World Cup tournament is 22 and was set in 1998.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 10:31 AM | Comments (0)

Saudi Arabia 0-1 Spain

Spain strolled their way to three wins from three and top spot in Group H as their second string beat a poor Saudi Arabia outfit in Kaiserslauten.

Having enjoyed a wealth of possession, the only surprise was that Juanito's header was the only goal at half-time.

Mabrouk Zaid produced a string of saves in the Saudi goal, with Joaquin, Jose Antonio Reyes and David Albelda denied.

However, a late Saudi surge did cause Spain some discomfort, with Saad Al Harthi firing a fine chance over.

The result means Spain will face France, who finished runners up in Group G behind Switzerland, in the second round on 27 June in Hanover (2000 BST).

Saudi Arabia knew before kick off they had to score at least four goals to stand a chance of qualifying, but survival was clearly priority number one as they allowed Spain, who had changed their entire first XI, to feel their way into the match.

With Cesc Fabregas pulling the strings in midfield and Joaquin particularly dangerous on the right flank, Luis Aragones' side created a host of chances in the first half.

Joaquin (twice), Reyes and Albelda all forced Zaid into full-length saves from range, while Raul was a constant nuisance with his movement and touch on his first start in these finals.

With the Saudis clearly reluctant to commit players forward, it was only a matter of time before Spain took the lead and so it was when defender Juanito rose unmarked to power home the opener with his head.

Even that failed to ignite Saudi Arabia's forward play, though Sami Al Jaber did enjoy a rare foray forward on 40 minutes that ended with a tame shot.

With Fabregas and Reyes also stinging Zaid's palms before half-time, the only surprise was that Marcos Paqueta's outfit conceded just one goal in the first 45.

In truth, Saudi Arabia started in better form in the second, with Spain having to defend their lines on more than one occasion.

Hussein Sulimani twice brought decent saves from Santiago Canizares from range, while Nawaf Al Temyat thought he had earned the Saudis a penalty - until he was shown a yellow card for diving over Carlos Marchena's tackle.

With Spain showing a tendency to over-complicate their forward play, they were unable to enjoy a more comfortable end to the game.

And after Fernando Torres, David Villa and Antonio Lopez had wasted decent chances, Al Harthi could have snatched the most unlikely of draws at the death when he collected Mohamed Noor's pull-back.

However, he spooned harmlessly over from six yards to make it 10 matches without a win in World Cup finals for Saudi Arabia.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saudi Arabia: Zaid, Dokhi, Tukar, Al Montashari, Khathran, Sulimani (Massad 81), Noor, Khariri, Aziz (Al Temyat 13), Al Jaber (Mouath 68), Al Harthi.
Subs Not Used: Al Anbar, Al Bahri, Al Daeyea, Al Qadi, Ameen, Khojah.

Booked: Al Jaber, Al Temyat.

Spain: Canizares, Salgado, Marchena, Antonio Lopez, Juanito, Albelda, Reyes (Torres 69), Iniesta, Joaquin, Fabregas (Xavi 66), Raul (Villa 45).
Subs Not Used: Casillas, Pernia, Puyol, Luis Garcia, Alonso, Sergio Ramos, Senna, Pablo, Reina.

Booked: Albelda, Reyes, Marchena.

Goals: Juanito 36.

Att: 46,000

Ref: Coffi Codjia (Benin).

Fifa man of the match: Juanito

TRIVIA
Spain have now won seven consecutive group matches at the World Cup. This is the third time they have started the finals with three straight victories, following 1950 and 2002. Spain are now unbeaten in 25 matches, and have not lost since 22 June 2004, when Portugal beat them 1-0 at Euro 2004.

Spain's longest unbeaten streak is 31 between September 1994 and January 1998 under coach Javier Clemente. They're unbeaten in 10 World Cup matches, winning seven and drawing three. Together with Brazil, who have won 10 straight, they hold the longest running unbeaten sequence. The all-time record is 13 unbeaten matches by Brazil (1958-1966).

Saudi Arabia's winless streak at the World Cup was extended to 10 matches. The last time they won a match at the World Cup was on 29 June 1994 when they defeated Belgium 1-0.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 10:30 AM | Comments (0)

Togo 0-2 France

Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry scored as France secured their place in the knockout stages of the World Cup.

France needed victory to ensure their progress from Group G, but they were frustrated by a spirited Togo defence during a goalless first half.

But Vieira, celebrating his 30th birthday, eased the nerves as he fired home from inside the box on 55 minutes.

And Henry turned before sending in a low shot six minutes later to set up a second round tie against Spain.

The win seemed comfortable in the end, but it was anything but for much of the opening hour as France looked in real danger of making an early exit from the competition.

Raymond Domenech's men were held out by a Togo back line which proved far more resilient than it did against South Korea and Switzerland.

The pattern of the game was set early on when David Trezeguet's seventh-minute header was acrobatically tipped over by Kossi Agassa.

Henry then put Franck Ribery through, but the Marseille midfielder chose to pass to Trezeguet, who was judged offside as he put the ball into the net.

Ribery then shot wildly over when put through by Henry on 29 minutes.

Such missed opportunities just added to France's nerves as they saw many promising attacking positions come to nothing.

Togo keeper Agassa was in inspired form, repelling France attacks, most notably in the first half when he stopped Florent Malouda's stinging drive.

After the interval, France were straight back on the attack and Trezeguet's shot from Ribery's low pass was deflected wide more by luck than judgement.

Ribery was, in fact, to prove the most profligate of the France attackers, as he repeated his first-half howler when he hammered high and handsome after Malouda's low cross picked him out.

It was beginning to look like one of those nights for France - until the birthday boy intervened.

Ribery - atoning for his earlier misses - passed to Vieira who turned and slammed home past Agassa from inside the box.

Still Togo threatened to stun their feted opponents, and France were pleased to see Willy Sagnol block a goalbound shot from Emmanuel Adebayor.

But five minutes later, Arsenal striker Henry made the game safe as he latched on to Vieira's flick-on and turned before firing a typically clinical shot into the net.

The second goal killed the match as a contest and France held out for the win - but they know they will need to improve if they want to overcome Luis Aragones' in-form Spain.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Togo: Agassa, Nibombe, Abalo, Tchangai, Aziawonou, Cherif-Toure (Olufade 59), Senaya, Salifou, Forson, Mohamed, Adebayor (Dossevi 75).
Subs Not Used: Agboh, Akoto, Atsou, Erassa, Malm, Obilale, Tchagnirou, Toure, Assemoassa.

Booked: Aziawonou, Cherif-Toure, Salifou.

France: Barthez, Gallas, Silvestre, Thuram, Sagnol, Malouda (Wiltord 73), Makelele, Vieira (Diarra 81), Ribery (Govou 77), Trezeguet, Henry.
Subs Not Used: Boumsong, Chimbonda, Coupet, Dhorasoo, Givet, Landreau, Saha.

Booked: Makelele.

Goals: Vieira 55, Henry 61.

Att: 45,000

Ref: Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay).

Fifa man of the match: Patrick Vieira

TRIVIA
France gained their first maximum at the World Cup since the 3-0 victory over Brazil in the 1998 final, ending a five-match winless sequence in the competition, which had equalled their all-time record.

Lilian Thuram won his 117th cap, surpassing Marcel Desailly's record mark of 116 appearances for France. Thierry Henry scored his fifth World Cup goal and is now ranked joint second with Michel Platini on the all-time scorers list for France. Just Fontaine leads this list with 13 World Cup goals.

Patrick Vieira became the sixth player in World Cup history to score on his birthday. In 1982, Michel Platini was the first French player to do so and he repeated this feat four years later.

Trivia Stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 10:29 AM | Comments (0)

Switzerland 2-0 South Korea

Switzerland booked their place in the second round with a gutsy victory in their final Group G game in Hanover.

Hakan Yakin's pin-point cross was met by the brave Philippe Senderos who powerfully headed Switzerland in front.

Jin-Chul Choi and Chun-Soo Lee went close for South Korea before Alexander Frei scored a controversial second.

Frei rounded the keeper after the referee overruled his assistant's offside flag, ensuring the Swiss will now meet Ukraine in the second round.

The clean sheet ensured Switzerland preserved their record of not having conceded a goal in any of their group games.

And heading into the game they only needed a point to qualify.

But their high-tempo start suggested they were keen to finish the group as winners.

Frei was the first to try his luck from distance, while at the other end Ji-Sung Park tested Pascal Zuberbuhler with a low drive from 30 yards.

And Switzerland's purposeful start was rewarded on 23 minutes when the superb Yakin bent in a pin-point free-kick that Senderos comprehensively dispatched.

The Arsenal centre-half's courage came at the expense of a nasty cut to his face after head-butting Jin-Cheul Choi in the process of scoring, leaving both players needing treatment.

Yakin's sweet left foot from set-pieces was a constant threat for the South Koreans and shortly before the break he stung the hands of Woon-Jae Lee with a free-kick.

South Korea produced their best chance of the half when Chun-Soo Lee broke through the Swiss defence and fired in a fierce drive that was well palmed away by Zuberbuhler.

And as the lively half came to a close, Switzerland were in pole position to win the group.

The South Koreans began the second half with more zest and pegged the Swiss back in their own half, who themselves looked happy to sit back and preserve their lead.

But despite Senderos' substitution following an awkward fall on his arm, the Switzerland defence looked comfortable in repelling the South Korean attacks.

At the other end, the solitary Swiss striker Frei had two chances to kill the game, the best of which crashed against the post.

Jin-Chul Choi should have done better with a free header while Jung-Hwan Ahn shot low.

But with 15 minutes left, referee Horacio Elizondo ignored his assistant's flag to allow Frei in to slot home Switzerland's second and seal the 2002's semi-finalists' fate.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Switzerland: Zuberbuhler, Spycher, Senderos (Djourou 53), Philipp Degen, Muller, Wicky (Behrami 88), Vogel, Yakin (Margairaz 70), Cabanas, Barnetta, Frei.
Subs Not Used: Benaglio, Coltorti, David Degen, Dzemaili, Grichting, Gygax, Lustrinelli, Magnin, Streller.

Booked: Senderos, Yakin, Wicky, Spycher, Djourou.

Goals: Senderos 23, Frei 77.

South Korea: Woon-Jae Lee, Young-Pyo Lee (Ahn 62), Choi, Jin-Kyu Kim, Dong-Jin Kim, Ho Lee, Nam-Il Kim, Ji-Sung Park, Chu-Young Park (Seol 65), Chun-Soo Lee, Jae-Jin Cho.
Subs Not Used: Baek, Won-hee Cho, Chung, Do-Heon Kim, Sang-Sik Kim, Yong-Dae Kim, Young-Kwang Kim, Eul-Yong Lee, Song.

Booked: Chu-Young Park, Jin-Kyu Kim, Choi, Chun-Soo Lee.

Att: 43,000

Ref: Horacio Marcelo Elizondo (Argentina).

Fifa man of the match: Alexander Frei

TRIVIA
This is the first time Switzerland have finished as first round group winners at the World Cup. At their last appearance in 1994, the Swiss were ousted in the second round by Spain.

Switzerland have now kept a clean sheet in three consecutive World Cup matches. They are the only team yet to concede a goal at the 2006 World Cup. The last side to negotiate the first round group phase without conceding was Argentina in 1998. The Swiss managed a first ever World Cup block-out against France in their opening fixture of this tournament, bringing to an end their unwanted all-time competition record of 22 matches without a clean sheet.

South Korea go out, having progressed beyond the group phase in only one previous World Cup - four years ago, when they were joint hosts. South Korea have now played European teams 18 times at the World Cup, winning only three times. All three victories came in 2002 on home soil.

Trivia Stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 10:16 AM | Comments (0)

June 23, 2006

Obasanjo Sacks Atiku's Aides; Agabi, Anenih, Macebuh also lose jobs

A major purge occurred yesterday at The Presidency as President Olusegun Obasanjo approved the disengagement of 12 aides, eight of who were working with Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

From Josephine Lohor in Abuja, 06.23.2006

The latest gale of sacks depleted the staff of the Vice President to two, having fallen steadily from 22 in 2003 to 10 before yesterday痴 purge.

Those who lost their jobs in the Vice President's office are Professor Mike Kwanashie (Special Adviser on Economic and Social Matters), Dr. Andrew Okolie (Senior Special Assistant on Policy and Programme Monitoring), Mr. Phil Agbasi (Special Assistant, Public Liason) and Mr. Nath Yaduma (Special Assistant Special Interest Groups).

Others are Dr. Yima Sen, Dr. Ardo, Dr. Ajuji and Mrs. Tokunbo Adeola.
The two lucky aides left to carry on with their embattled boss are Prof. A.D. Yahaya (Special Adviser, Political Affairs) and Dr. Maxwell Gidado (Senior Special Assi-stant, Legal and Constitutional Matters).

Also affected by the purge are four aides of the President: Mr. Kanu Agabi (SAN) (Special Adviser on Ethics and Good Governance), Dr. Stanley Macebuh (Senior Special Assistant on Policy and Programme Monitoring), Mrs. Josephine Anenih (Special Adviser on Women Affairs) and Alhaji Mohammed Abba Gana (Special Adviser on Civil Society).
Presidency sources said yesterday that the Chief of Staff to the President, Major General Mohammed Abdullahi, had informed the former aides of the President's determination of their appointments.

News of the latest development sent watchers of the power play in Aso Rock, the seat of government, wandering about the strategic objective of the purge, particularly when it occurred during the absence of the Vice President who was away in the United States on a 10-day annual leave.

But a personal aide of the Vice President told THISDAY yesterday that his boss would not lose sleep over the development, saying it was expected.

Presidency sources said yesterday that the President actually informed his deputy shortly before he proceeded on his annual leave that he (the President) was going to make some adjustments in the cabinet as well as reduce the aides in the Presidency.

But the extent of the changes, a source said, was not mentioned to the Vice President, who in any case, had tuned off the administration since the hostility between his boss and him became open.

The hostility, which had endangered the Vice President's ambition to succeed his boss, manifested in the sacking of his staff since 2003.
Some of the victims of the crisis of confidence in the Presidency include such Vice President's staff as Prof. Sam Oyovbare, Malam Shehu Garba, Dr. Adeolu Akande, Dr. Onukaba Adinnoyi Ojo, Mr. Chris Mamman and Col. Jar断ar Isa.

Since the loss of the bid to extend his tenure beyond 2007, the President has moved to reposition his administration by effecting some changes at the Presidency.

The first casualty of the failed bid was the National Security Adviser, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau, who, last month, was relieved of his lucrative and influential post along with the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Alexander Ogomudia, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Jonah Wuyep.

The security changes were followed by a cabinet shake-up earlier in June as the Minister of State for Water Resources, Chief Awoterebo, was sacked while five other ministers were excused from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to enable them pursue their political ambition.・BR>The presidential restructuring continued on Wednesday when another minister, Mrs. Nora Obaji who superintending Education ministry, was shown the red card.

In the shuffle that followed five new hands were taken on board, while three ministers were redeployed.

Posted by Publisher at 02:14 PM | Comments (0)

Onitsha Mayhem: Stop Buck-passing, Ngige Tells Obi; NARTO Returns To Parks; Robbers On Rampage

Former Anambra State Governor, Chris Ngige, has faulted the security measures adopted by Governor Peter Obi to control the Onitsha crisis, warning that imposing curfew and shooting rioters would lead nowhere.

23rd June
By Tunde Abatan (Lagos),Chukwujekwu Ilozue (Onitsha),Okey Maduforo (Awka) and Chinedu Offor (Washington)

"The clashes demand some kind of diplomacy to solve, not a show of force", he argued on Thursday in far away United States.

"The current measures will only harden the position of the groups involved in the latest fighting".

Ngige took issues with Obi, wondering if he has the capacity to deal with the lingering conflict.

"I was in control of Anambra for 34 months without a breakdown of law and order, except when imported thugs and hoodlums invaded the state; so Obi should face his responsibilities rather than ascribe any problem he faces to Ngige".

Ngige was reacting to reports that Obi is holding him responsible for the mayhem because he failed to rein in members of the Anambra Vigilante Services (AVS) and other militias when he was in charge.

"The law establishing the AVS was in place when I took over from Chinwoke Mbadinuju, I only decentralised it and ensured it operated from the local governments. Besides, the problem of Onitsha is not caused by militias but the NARTO, working with the police to control the motor parks".

He argued that the AVS has helped to control crime and other vices, and "all these accusations against the AVS is just giving a dog a bad name just to hang it".

He accused Obi of picking quarrel with him instead of concentrating on his duties.

"Only a bad workman quarrels with his tools. I did the best that I could to improve on what I found when I took over. For good or bad, I never complained but went to work to improve the state. Obi should just do that, instead of dissipating energy blaming me".

Ngige did not disclose his immediate plans but said he would return soon to contribute to the growth of the state and would be available, if approached, to assist in bringing peace to Onitsha.

Ngige has continued to receive offers from several political parties, including a faction of the PDP, to contest for any position of his choice.

Meanwhile, Onitsha has been taken over by armed robbers who visit stores and offices in day light.

Awka Road, Limca Road, Upper Iweka and Okpoko are no go areas.

Hoodlums suspected to be members of the National Association Of Road transport Owners (NARTO) extort money from members of the public under the protection of policemen who guard the headquarters of the proscribed organisation.

Members of the NARTO were back on the streets on Thursday, four days after it was banned along with other groups.

The Onitsha main market vigilante group was on the same day disarmed by hoodlums who carted away arms meant for the protection of the largest market in West Africa.

A trader, Steve Okeye, said traders seek arms to protect their wares.

A motion passed in the state Assembly on Thursday urged the police to enforce the Assembly Park Management Law which banned NARTO.

Obi proscribed the NARTO on Sunday as well as the AVS, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

However, he explained in a telephone interview on Thursday that the ban is yet to be communicated to the groups in writing.

NARTO members are on the streets and in the parks in Onitsha, intimidating commercial bus drivers and collecting levies.

Those who resist them are dragged to their big bosses who mete out punishment.

Assistant Inspector General of Police, Ade Ajakaiye, claimed that the police have no official report that NARTO is part of the crisis in the city.

MASSOB Onitsha Area 1 Administrator, Eddison Samuel, had predicted that the ban on the NARTO "would never work because it is seriously backed by the Federal Government. Obi has no power to stop the NARTO because it is an instrument the PDP is using to win the 2007 elections. So, it is an election strategy".

Anambra State Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Nze Emeka Umeagbalasi, added that only President Olusegun Obasanjo can ban the group.

"It is obvious, going by the provisions for them in the Constitution, that governors are not in control of the security apparatus in their states. The resolution of the matter resides in the hands of the President", he stressed.

A member of the Pro National Conference Organisations (PRONACO), Bisi Adegbuyi, insisted that only a fundamental restructuring of the country that would allow for state police can resolve incessant conflicts, like the one in Onitsha.

His words: "As far as I am concerned, if we don’t restructure the country the problems would continue. The case for the creation of state police is urgent. The fear that state police may be used by governors to settle differences could be handled with a good judicial system in place".

He argued that while the new Electoral Law can help guarantee successful elections, the exercise rests more squarely on the shoulders of those with the task of conducting the elections rather than the law.

Adegbuyi, a senatorial aspirant in Ogun State on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), said the violence in Onitsha is a sign of the inability of Nigeria to conduct free and fair elections as the police may not guarantee security.

To him, members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should include representatives of all political parties for equity and fairness.

Posted by Publisher at 02:10 PM | Comments (0)

Recall: Mantu`s judgment day July 26

A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday fixed July 26 for judgment in a suit seeking to compel INEC to conduct referendum for the recall of Deputy Senate President, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu.

The court adjourned till the date after conclusion of argument by counsel representing contending parties to the suit.

The suit was filed by a retired Captain, Chief Joseph Mangtup-Din, in the representative capacity of “teeming voters of Plateau Senatorial Zone’’ which Mantu is representing in the National Assembly.
In the suit, Mangtup-Din is asking the court to issue an order of mandamus to compel INEC to perform its constitutional duty of conducting referendum for the recall of Mantu.

In an affidavit in support of the suit, the applicant said that the voters met several times and considered “the poor and dastardly performance’’ of Mantu and took a decision to recall him.
He said that he was mandated by the voters to write and present to INEC, a letter for the recall of Mantu which he did by a letter dated December 12, 2005.

INEC was said to have replied the letter requesting the applicant and Mantu to submit names of agents for the recall exercise.
Mantu, on March 3, secured an interim order of injunction issued by a Federal High Court sitting in Plateau, restraining INEC from carrying out the exercise.

The interim order was however, vacated on March 15 and the applicant said he wrote to INEC to resume the recall exercise.
INEC was alleged to have ignored the letter and several personal follow-up measures taken by the applicant.

A newspaper report was attached to the suit as an exhibit in which the National Commissioner of INEC in charge of political parties, Dr. Ismael Igbani, was quoted as saying that the commission had dropped the recall exercise.

In the course of hearing, counsel representing the applicant, Mr. Garba Pwul, had argued that his client had satisfied all the conditions for the court to grant the order.

He alleged that INEC introduced extraneous conditions to forestall conduct of referendum for the recall.

Pwul contended that the expiration of 90 days stipulated by the 1999 Constitution for INEC to conduct the referendum could not stop the court from granting a mandamus order.

He submitted that the provision of the 90 days was not a mandatory period but a mere directory to guide INEC in performing its duty.
Pwul also posited that the failure to act within the stipulated 90 days was not the fault of his client but a negligence and dereliction of constitutional duty of INEC

“Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution only requires INEC to conduct referendum the moment a petition is presented in accordance with subsection 69 (a) of the Constitution. “It is not disputed by INEC that the applicant submitted petition in accordance with the provision of this section.

“INEC on its own introduced a new factor of verification which is neither stipulated in Section 69 nor within the contemplation of the Section and the 1999 Constitution in general,’’ Pwul had told the court.

Counsel representing INEC, Mr. Osaze Uzzi, filed an objection asking the court to dismiss the suit.

Uzzi, in his argument, contended that the applicant had no “locus standi” to institute the suit in representative capacity of the electorate in the constituency.

He also argued that the applicant failed to join Mantu as co-defendant to the suit when he knew that the outcome of it would affect him.

He contended that INEC was desirous of conducting the referendum and in deed, had commenced the process before it was aborted by the court order secured by Mantu.

“By the time the court order was vacated, the 90 days stipulated for conduct of the referendum had expired,’’ he said

“If the applicants are desirous of the recall, my Lord, the only option left for them which they are at liberty to do is to file another petition,’’ he added.

Uzzi urged the judge, Justice Babs Kewumi, to dismiss the suit in its entirety.

Posted by Publisher at 02:08 PM | Comments (0)

Ghana keep Africa’s flag flying...Zoom into 2nd round with Italy

There was no glory for the United States only frustration and failure at this year's World Cup, . The Americans were eliminated in the first round, losing to Ghana 2–1, yesterday, in a game they had to win to advance to the tournament's knockout phase.

By Ben Memuletiwon from Germany
Friday, June 23, 2006

With thousands of red, white and blue-clad fans cheering them on in Franken-Stadion, the Americans fell flat against a Black Stars team that was stronger and faster. Surprising Ghana advanced along with Italy from Group E.

It was a bitter ending for the United States, which carried high hopes -- and a No. 5 world ranking from FIFA -- onto soccer's biggest stage. Four years ago, the Americans made the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Haminu Draman put the Africans ahead in the 22nd minute, breaking in alone on goalkeeper Kasey Keller after colliding with Claudio Reyna, who crumpled to the ground in pain.
The United States, which has never won a World Cup game in which it trailed, tied it when Clint Dempsey scored in the 43rd minute with a smashing 10-yard shot off a perfect feed from DaMarcus Beasley. But Ghana captain, Stephen Appiah converted a penalty kick in the second minute of first-half injury time after American defender, Oguchi Onyewu was called for a foul in the penalty area.
Eddie Johnson entered in the 61st minute as the United States pressed, and Brian McBride nearly tied it again in the 66th, but his diving header inside the 6-yard box clanked off the near post.

A minute later, Onyewu sent a header off Landon Donovan's corner kick just over the crossbar.
In order to advance, the Americans needed a victory and some help. They got the needed assistance when Italy defeated the Czech Republic 2–0 in a game played simultaneous in Hamburg. But the United States (0-2-1) didn't come through and finished the tournament with one point -- its first in a World Cup played in Europe, but not enough to escape the basement in Group E.
Italy (2-0-1) won the group with seven points and Ghana (2-1), making its first World Cup appearance, advanced with six points.

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

Okonjo-Iweala absent from ministers' inauguration

The absence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr.Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, at the inauguration of two ministers by President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday, fuelled speculations in Abuja that she was unhappy with her new portfolio.

Chijama Ogbu, Chiawo Nwankwo, Onyedi Ojiabor,Ayo Olesin and Aster Godwin

While a source in the Presidency claimed that Okonjo-Iweala stayed away from the ceremony as a subtle way of registering her displeasure with her redeployment from the Ministry of Finance, one of her aides said the minister had an important assignment to attend to.

鉄he (Okonjo-Iweala) had a scheduled assignment to handle. Besides, it is not compulsory that all serving ministers must be present when new ones are taking their oath of office. So there is nothing unusual about her not being present,・the aide said.

But the Presidency source, who admitted that it was not mandatory for all ministers to attend the inauguration of new ones, said that it was 砥nusual for those usually considered as members of the kitchen cabinet not to be present at such functions.

添ou know that the minister (Okonjo-Iweala) was, as at Wednesday, one of the key kitchen cabinet members. It is likely that she stayed away from the ceremony as a way of showing her displeasure over her redeployment・

Inaugurating Prof. Leslie Obiorah and Dr. Aliyu Modibbo, as the ministers, Obasanjo said they should not see the 11 months left for his administration to complete its tenure as an excuse for non-performance.

He said, "I have always stated that out of over 150million people in this country, you were selected to serve at this level.You should count yourselves lucky and must see it as a challenge.

泥espite the short time left for this administration to be in office, you can still achieve much.・

Obasanjo therefore enjoined them to see their appointment as not only a privilege but a call to service.

According to the President, Modibbo, the Minister of Commerce, would also chair the board of Peugeot Automobile Nigeria until further notice.

Obasanjo directed Obiora, the new Minister of Solid Minerals Development, to form a partnership with her predecessor, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili.

Turning to her, he said, "Your friend and sister, the Minister of Education, was until yesterday (Wednesday) the Minister of Solid Minerals Development.

的f you work together, I don't think there is nothing you will not accomplish. I was told of how you went to the Senate yesterday. I think that with your charm, you can do much in the ministry."

Obiora replaced Mrs. Chinwe Obaji, who was dropped as the Minister of Education.

Ezekwesili assumed duty on Thursday as the Minister of Education, with a warning that the staff must be prepared to work extra hard.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Tony Ohaeri, said that Ezekwesili also promised to turn the education sector around within six months.

Ohaeri said the minister told the senior staff of the ministry who received her that the ministry needed to achieve the set goals for which she was redeployed.

She was quoted as telling the staff that the only language she understood was efficiency, "because efficiency begets competence, progress and transparency just as it ensures that things are done according to the rules of the game."

The CPS said the Minister of State for Education, Alhaji Sayyadi Abba Ruma, also assumed duty.

Meanwhile, operators in the private sector of the economy on Thursday said the redeployment of Okonjo-Iweala would not have any adverse effects on the Federal Government's economic programme.

Although they said they were surprised by the development, they expressed the belief that Okonjo-Iweala would reform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and make it more relevant to the nation's quest for foreign investment inflow.

The Vice-Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, said that the cabinet changes by the President reflected profoundly, the recommendations of the group痴 summit in Abuja early in June.

He added that as chairperson of the Economic Team, Okonjo-Iweala would still steer the direction of the reforms.

Ohuabunwa said that it might be that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was part of the ministries that the President mentioned that they were yet to embrace reforms.

He added that Obasanjo might have chosen Okonjo-Iweala to bring her experience and international advantage to bear on it.

The NESG vice-chairman also hailed the redeployment of Ezekwesili who he described as 殿 change agent・to the Ministry of Education.

He said that the ministry was one of those that needed serious reforms.

He allayed the fears that the new Minister of Finance, Mrs. Nenadi Usman, might not effectively fit into the shoes of Okonjo-Iweala.

The President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Dr. Kate Ginikanwa Oparaeke, said that she first received the redeployment of Okonjo-Iweala with shock.

She added that she was confident that Okonjo-Iweala would deliver value to her new posting.

Okparaeke said, "Given her proven track record in the Ministry of Finance, I believe that she will bring the same quality and focus to the business of the foreign ministry and she will make a success of it.

"When they announced the redeployment, one wondered who would be her successor?

釘ut when they moved up Nenadi, who was her minister of state and who was an integral part of that reform process and government's economic team, one now comes to see quite clearly that the continuity and consistency will be there as a matter of necessity."

The President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Bashur Borodo, also said that the redeployment of Okonjo-Iweala was a reflection of Obasanjo's confidence in her.

Borodo said the redeployment was a promotion rather than a demotion.

"I don't agree with that. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is more powerful than the Ministry of Finance and Obasanjo will only put someone who he has confidence in and who will defend the interest of the nation in that position."

He expressed optimism that the reforms pioneered by Okonjo-Iweala and the fiscal policy of the administration would not be jettisoned.

"The appointment of the former Minister of State for Finance, Mrs. Nenadi Usman, to the position gives us the confidence that the reforms will be sustained," he added.

Speaking in the same vein, the President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Chief John Odeyemi, described Okonjo-Iweala as a performer, who had served the country well as a minister of finance.

"She has done a good job and we don't expect any of the reforms she had put in place to be in jeopardy," he added.

A Director of Lagos Business School, Prof. Pat. Utomi, simply said, "They know what they are doing. They must have their reason. It may be for her career broadening."

An Economist and member of faculty Lagos Business School, Dr. Doyin Salami, also agreed that the reposting of Okonjo-Iweala was not likely to substantially affect the thrust of the economic reforms.

He pointed out that the minister performed creditably in her former assignment as she brought her international clout in facilitating the $12billion Paris Club debt relief deal.

The PUNCH, Friday, June 23, 2006

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

North in dilemma over 2007 presidency

On a daily basis, the nation wakes up to one form of threat or the other from various parts of the country regarding the 2007 presidential elections.

By TONY AKOWE

The north is insisting that the supposed agreement reached in 1999 between the leaders of the north and the south that power would return to the north after eight years of the Obasanjo Presidency must be respected. The agreement, from all indication was between and among the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Ironically, all the political parties that are heavily rooted in the north have held on to this agreement. But the South-south is insisting that with or without any agreement, they must also be given the chance to rule the country.

The argument has always been that they produce the nation's wealth and must be given the opportunity to decide how it is utilised at least for once. This is the dilemma the country, especially the ruling PDP has found itself. However, there is a general belief in some quarters that the future of the country depends on the outcome of the 2007 presidential elections.

With the Vice President, Atiku Abubakar believed to be leading some groups within the party; many are at a loss as to what will become of the future of the party. But that has not reduced the insistence on who should produce the next president. The north, at every meeting has always made it clear that it will not accept any other thing outside the presidency in 2007. This explained why the Northern Governors Forum, at one of its meeting decided to revive the Northern House of Chief under the name Northern Traditional Rulers Conference. The conference, at its inaugural meeting in Kaduna decided, in its own wisdom to set up a 10- man committee to help them work towards presenting a consensus candidate for the 2007 elections. But the question being asked is whether the north, with its diverse interest can come together again for a common cause. The agenda of the committee included talking with all the presidential aspirants in the north with a view to getting then to accept to present one candidate for the elections, party alliance not withstanding.

In a recent interview with the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), General Mohammadu Buhari, the All Nigeria Peoples Party presidential candidate for the 2003 elections who is believed to be interested in the 2007 contest made it clear that he will not support both Atiku Abubakar or General Ibrahim Babangida for the presidency. Both. Babangida and Atiku, like Buhari are believed to be interested in the presidency. Political analysts believe that despite claims in many quarters that Buhari and Atiku were working to form a mega party to challenge the PDP; the two men cannot work together. It is also believed that neither Babangida nor Atiku would want to support Buhari for the presidency in 2007.

There are others in the race. They include Kaduna state governor, Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, Zamfara state governor, Ahmed Sani, Bauchi state governor, Adamu Mua'zu and former Lagos state Administrator, Brig. General Mohammed Buba Marwa. Will any of these candidates accept to step down for the other? That is the question. For example, at the last Northern Governors Meeting, Ahmad Sani of Zamfara state was said to have accused Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi of Kaduna state of betraying them by serving as a spy for President Olusegun Obasanjo. This did not go down well with Makarfi who staged a walk out of the meeting. Will Makarfi accept to step down for such a man or will the Sharia exponent agree to step down for Makarfi especially when both men are not from the same party?

There is also great mistrust among northern leaders over the choice of presidential candidates. There is the belief by those from the North central who goes by the name the Middle Belters that the dichotomy that has crept into the north will not help them achieve their set target in 2007. There is also the religious factor, which, many of them are fighting hard to eliminate. Of late, there have been Christian leaders who have started working for the actualisation of the aspirations of the Governor of Zamfara state. These were the same people that called him names when he started the sharia law in his state in 1999. The argument then is what is likely going to happen? Ahmed Sani who holds the traditional title of Yerima Bakura (crown prince of Bakura) has already given indication that only God can stop his aspirations in 2007. He was quoted in an interview in Gusau that though the Northern traditional rulers have set up a committee to hold talks with all the aspirants, he will not step down for anybody because no single person make one president of a country like Nigeria. In the same vein, an army of youths from the north have continued to insist that the mandate the region held in trust for them for several years was wasted with nothing to show for it. Many of the youths are of the opinion that having wasted 35 years without achieving anything, another section of the country should be given the presidency why the north stays back and learn governance.

There is also the mistrust from the south-south that the north has consistently stabbed them. There is the argument that the south- south has always aligned with the north right from the first Republic. But when they needed the north during the agitation for resource control and increased derivation, it was the same north that fought against their aspiration.

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

'Third Force' emerges in PDP, old NPN members regroup

A GROUP of non-aligned leaders has emerged in the strife-ridden Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with the objective of "pulling the party back from the precipice".

By Bayo Ohu, Asst. News Editor

The Third Force, the name the new group may choose to adopt, comprises mainly chieftains of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN). It is expected to be formally announced at the weekend.

The group parades Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim, former Transport Minister in the Second Republic, Alhaji Umaru Dikko, and Chief Sunday Awoniyi, among others, as members.

It also claims to have as its mission the quest for a new generation of Nigerians who will play politics by the rules.

The group regards the current national leadership of the PDP, under the chairmanship of Col. Ahmadu Ali, as illegitimate. But it is also unsure of the motives of the Solomon Daushep Lar faction, which is challenging the Ali executive in court.

"Ours is therefore, a neutral faction seeking to bridge the divides", one of the prime movers said yesterday.

The Lar faction on Wednesday secured the nod of an Abuja High Court for an application to enforce its rights against the Ali executive and the Police, which on June 10 invaded the group's secretariat.

The faction's main grouse against the Ali leadership is the non-elective mode through which it emerged against a court order.

But the Ali executive appears unperturbed by the development in the party, noting that it has continued to receive recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Its National Publicity Secretary, John Odey, told The Guardian yesterday that in a democracy, people were free to associate so long as doing so is within the ambit of the law. He added, however, that such people should also be mindful of the rights of others because the PDP would "not tolerate a situation where people go about using its cherished name anyhow."

Odey declared: "We are not against people forming associations. In fact, we feel that the more, the merrier. But such must be done within the law of the land. PDP is only one and INEC (has) confirmed that. So, we are not worried because the party is intact, and waxing stronger with heavy traffic coming inside."

Sources told The Guardian that the new faction is poised to ensure due process and respect for the constitution in the party.

A member of the new group yesterday explained the reasons that led the party to its present state. He said: "The PDP was founded by 13 groups, after the initial formation of the G-34 that played a prominent role in opposing the transmutation plan of the then military ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha, into civilian President. In the bid for the headship of the then emerging party were the old NPN members and the Shehu Musa/Abubakar Atiku-led Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM)."

The source added: " The then leader of the group, Chief Alex Ekwueme, who was the Second Republic Vice President on the platform of the NPN, was the preferred presidential candidate of his old comrades, while the Atiku camp, principally through the late Chief S.M. Afolabi, brought in the then Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo."

He continued: "On the final emergence of Obasanjo as the party's presidential flag-bearer and Nigeria's President, the NPN group backed Chief Sunday Awoniyi as national chairman, having lost out in picking the President. But President Obasanjo backed Chief Barnabas Gemade and has since been seen to be playing the prime role in the removal and emergence of all chairmen of the party."

On their plans for the party, Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim, who confirmed his involvement in the initiative, said: "Consultation has started, especially with the younger generation. Our mission is to make sure the younger generation gets into politics and practise it as it should be. The rule of law, due process and respect for the institutions of democracy must be entrenched."

The mission of the new body, according to a source, is to try to reclaim the PDP from the vice grip of a clique and relaunch it on the path of due process and democracy.

He said: "We are concerned politicians and genuine leaders of our people who believe in and are determined to ensure due process for the emergence of party executives and candidates for the various elective offices, including the presidential candidate."

Second Republic Civilian governor of Old Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, confirmed that he had heard of the plans by the new group.

Kaita said that although he was a member of the defunct NPN, the initiators of the new plan had not got in touch him and might not reach him since he had left the PDP for the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD).

However, Alhaji Iro Abubakar Dan Musa, former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister in the Second Republic said he was not aware of any such plans. But politicians who spoke from Katsina and Kaduna said they would support it if its initiators would demonstrate good intention to rescue the PDP, which they regarded as "sinking."

Alhaji Shehu Karoufi, a member of old Kaduna State House of Assembly said the emergence of a neutral leadership for the PDP was acutely necessary. He stressed that if concerned and tested politicians within the party could come together to broker peace and anchor a genuine reconciliation, there could be hope for members and the entire democratic process.

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

Militants, naval men in gun battle; As explosion rocks commissioner's home

PORT HARCOURT—IT was another day of terror in different parts of the Niger Delta, yesterday, after militants engaged Naval men in a shootout in Port Harcourt while an explosive device went off at the Port Harcourt residence of the Rivers State Finance Commissioner, Mr. Kenneth Kobani.

By Jimitota Onoyume & Evelyn Usman
Posted to the Web: Friday, June 23, 2006

Besides, some youths abducted the Head of Council of Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Aniefiong with a demand for an undisclosed ransom for his release.

Some militants were said to have invaded the base of the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder (NNS Pathfinder) in the afternoon for a yet to be disclosed mission.

However, a shootout soon ensued. Details of the encounter were sketchy at press time with no official statement coming from the Naval Base.
It was gathered yesterday that those behind Tuesday’s abduction of two Filipino oil workers in Port Harcourt had contacted the abductees’ employers for ransom.

Explosion in Rivers

Explosion, early yesterday, rocked the Port Harcourt residence of the Rivers State Commissioner of Finance, Mr Kenneth Kobani. Details of the explosion were not immediately available, but the Police Anti Bomb Unit was in the house at GRA Phase Two in the morning for thorough investigation.

The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Samuel Adetuyi, could not be reached for comments. A source told the Vanguard that the incident occurred around 2 a.m. Sources said the attackers threw explosives into the compound from outside the premises.
Another source said the incident might not be unconnected with the battle over who controls politics in his home town, Bodo.

When Vanguard called the commissioner for comments, one of his aides who refused to identify himself picked the phone and said he was not in. Vanguard was also not allowed into the compound. But it appeared work was going on. It could not be confirmed if it was on any damaged portion of the building.
This explosion came a few weeks after a similar incident occurred at the Port Harcourt residence of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austin Opara.

Youths abduct HOC

Some youths, yesterday, kidnaped the Head of Council (HOC) of Ikot-Abasi in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Aniefiong, and demanded an undisclosed ransom for his release.

Vanguard gathered that the HOC was kidnapped on his way to the office in Ikot-Abasi, Akwa Ibom State at about 10a.m.

His abductors were said to be unhappy at his inability to fulfil his promise to purchase motorcycles for some of the youths. Mr Aniefiong was said to have bought motorcycles for over 25 youths under the Ikot-Abasi council last year under his empowerment programme. However, those who did not benefit from the gesture reportedly protested and Mr Aniefiong promised to extend the gesture to this year.

Efforts by policemen at the state command to rescue the HOC met a brick wall as the youths, as gathered, threatened to kill the HOC if the Police got involved in the matter. Sources also said the Police were later able to reach him on his mobile line at about 1.30p.m. But the HOC, said to be visibly shaken, begged the Police on phone to steer clear to save his life. He was also said to have promised the youths to meet their demands if he was released.

Sources also said the Police authorities in the state were making efforts to locate his whereabouts and possibly rescue him from the hands of the aggrieved youths. Efforts to get the reaction of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Azuboko Udoh, failed as he was said to be out of town on official duty.

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

Hostage Taking, Reaction To Injustice – Ijaw Leaders

Leaders of oil communities on Thursday pledged not to stop hostage taking because it is the reaction of the Niger Delta to the "fraudulent methods" of oil companies.

23rd June
By Paul Mumeh and,Folashade Adetutu-Koyi, Abuja

They took turns to speak at a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) in Abuja.

The hearing is to shed light on a bill that would ensure the ratification of agreement for extraction and drilling of petroleum and other matters.

Chairman of the host communities, Alfred Makaraba Bubor, alleged that most of the oil companies acquired land fraudulently, "and this is the major cause of the trouble in the area.

"The Act that gave Shell the right of operation expired 27 years ago and the company has refused to re-acquire the land. Same with Chevron – they have all refused to listen to the communities".

Bubor, 72, insisted that "since the companies have refused to listen to the people, we have decided to work together to fight the oil companies and there is no going back on this".

He said peace will only return if the Senate expedites action on the bill.

"Our grouse is that the oil companies have not met the right people in acquiring the land. The oil companies are operating where they don’t know the people".

Another leader, Mike Okelegburo, said "a desperate situation demands a desperate solution. The major problem in the area is neglect and it is not only in the Delta but the entire South".

If the bill is passed in time "there will be a breathing space and hostage taking will stop but as long as the Federal Government continues to pay lip service to the problems, the problems will persist".

A member of the committee, Senator Victor Oyofo – who had spent over 35 years in the oil sector and had worked in the Delta before becoming a Senator – pleaded with the leaders to shun violence.

He said violence and hostage taking would drive away foreign investment and that the whole area would be lost.

Section two of the bill says "All agreements contained in any contract or instrument or at law or in equity which creates or affects the rights, interests, obligations and liabilities of the Federal Government of Nigeria in respect of any operations or transactions carried out in or connected with the extraction and drilling of petroleum in Nigeria shall be submitted by the corporation or other competent authority of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the National Assembly within two weeks of the making of such agreements".

Clause three states that "the National Assembly shall review and assesses all subsisting and subsequent agreements in respect of all operations or transactions carried out in or connected with the extraction and drilling of petroleum in Nigeria and ratify each agreement if satisfied that the terms of such agreement are not prejudicial to the interest of the Federal Republic of Nigeria".

Posted by Publisher at 02:00 PM | Comments (0)

Taylor’s trial may start January

The trial of Liberian ex-president, Charles Taylor, could start in The Hague in January 2007, an official said. Harpinder Athwal, from the prosecution team at a UN-backed war crimes court, told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that is the date they are currently working towards.

By Our Reporter - 23.06.2006

However, she said the date might change, depending on how quickly the defence prepares its case and whether new judges are needed. Mr. Taylor denies 11 war crimes charges, related to Sierra Leone’s civil war. He was transferred to the Netherlands on Tuesday, due to fears that putting him on trial in Sierra Leone could lead to renewed conflict.

Both Sierra Leone and Liberia are trying to rebuild after a decade of interlinked wars, in which Mr. Taylor played a central role. Meanwhile, the chairman of Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has told the BBC that he would like Mr Taylor to give “his side of the story” in their hearing.

Jerome Verdier said he did not expect Mr Taylor to appear in person but said that “creative” ways could be found. He was speaking ahead of the formal launch of the TRC in the Liberian capital, Monrovia.

Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf set up the TRC, rather than trying to bring alleged war criminals to justice — the path chosen by Sierra Leone.

The seven-member commission does not have the power to try cases but will investigate crimes committed between 1979 and 2003, when civil war ended. After a decade of instability, Mr Taylor launched a rebellion in 1989, before winning elections in 1997.

In February, Mrs. Johnson-Sirleaf said it was important that the “truth is told”. Ms Athwal, special assistant for the prosecution at the Special Court for Sierra Leone, said they had handed over 32,000 pages of evidence to Mr Taylor’s defence team.

She said that more judges may have to be appointed, if one of the trials currently underway did not finish this year. If Mr Taylor is convicted, the UK has agreed to host any jail term he may serve. The Dutch government agreed Mr Taylor’s trial could take place in The Hague, as long as he is imprisoned in another country if he was convicted.

The tribunal’s chief prosecutor once described Mr Taylor as the third most wanted war crimes suspect in the world. The trial is due to take place in the facilities of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, but legal officials from the Special Court for Sierra Leone will conduct proceedings.

Mr Taylor is accused of funding Sierra Leone’s former rebels, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) by selling diamonds on their behalf and buying weapons for them.

Posted by Publisher at 01:57 PM | Comments (0)

Adebayo revisits NITEL workers’ strike

FEDERAL government yesterday said that the recent strike by the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) revealed that the national carrier is still very relevant in the scheme of things and therefore asks for its actual worth.

Erasmus Alaneme. Abuja

Minister of Communications, Chief Cornelius Adebayo who stated this at this year’s Ministerial briefing of Ministry of Communications, said the industrial action also revealed that people were making illegal money from NITEL.

Chief Adebayo also accused the carrier’s customers of frustrating its progress by the huge debt owed it.

The minister insisted that NITEL still has potentials of services to the sector and urged Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to determine the actual worth of the company.

He also spoke of the burgeoning improvement in telecom industry and reported that "At the beginning of this text, we were celebrating what can be regarded as the big leaps of Nigeria’s Tele density rise. We acknowledged that the country today has over 22million lines, and there is still competition in the industry. Unfortunately, NITEL has not been able to rise up to expectation in this contest. For over a decade before the arrival of the Technical Board of which I am chairman, the company did not have any meaningful investment in network development. The result is dwindling revenue, as NITEL network cries for modernization and expansion. Then, the privatisation of NITEL has not been as smooth as hoped" he stated

On the stage of growing Tele Density of Nigeria, the Minister said the number of people getting access to telecommunication in the country has continued to grow, with the figure hitting N22,91 as at March 2006 and would have increased.

Giving a breakdown of the Tele density growth of Nigeria, Adebayo said that the Fixed lines users are 1.4 million while the Mobile lines are now 21.5 million promising that the country will surely hit the target of having one out of every four mobile lines in Africa by 2010 in line with its status of being the fastest growing market for mobile lines in the world.

Chief Adebayo also lauded President Olusegun Obasanjo for his administration’s resolve to pen up the economy and provide conducive environment for international investment, adding that the investment into telecomm sector as at the moment stood at $9Billion from the $50 Million figure of 1999.

The Minister explained that the country as the natural telecom hub of Africa with the largest and most promising market strategically located for the entire continent, has attractive incentive to support local operations and manufacturing.

The above, he noted generates a huge demand for transmission backbone by operators and other related services, leading to a steady progression in the investment portfolio from $50Million in 1999 to the $9Billion US dollars he was talking about as at today..

"We have continued to create the appropriate atmosphere for investors, who are on a daily basis making enquiries about the Nigerian market. No investor has come out to express any regret about entering the Nigerian market, and we intend to keep it so" Adebayo stated.

According to him, the investment portfolio of the sector is a major function of the environment in which the service providers operate, and the service providers are getting involved in the provision of backbone infrastructure in different parts of the country.

He also stated that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has paid in about N1.83Billion into the coffers of the Federal Government as Unified Licence Fees, which was introduced in May with the aim of opening up the market for players who are in a position to offer multiple services without any restriction.

Lauding the efforts of the parastatals under the Communications ministry, he noted particularly that the Nigeria Postal service (NIPOST) has continued to develop and improve on its services to the citizens as well as increase its internally generated revenue from N3.79 billion last year.

Adebayo said that in terms of NIPOST services, country has achieved a three-day transmission time to final destination of mails of about 84.8 per cent, and has increased post offices presence in the country to about 3,807, while its gradual computerization has led to improvements in areas such as collection, storage, processing and data information retrievals.

However, the Minister pointed out that the level at which the NIPOST is operating is not the limit or something to be fully happy about, as the management of the service has started works to ensure an improvement on the delivery period to further avail Nigerians of the best postal services comparable with those in the leading countries of the world.

Posted by Publisher at 01:55 PM | Comments (0)

Chinese firms to acquire Intercellular, Cellcom

Two Chinese firms- Huawei Technologies and ZTE have indicated interest to acquire major stakes in Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Cellcom Limited, Minister of Communications, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, has said.

Friday, June 23, 2006
By Hamisu Muhammad

Intercellular and Cellcom are among the key operators in the country’s private telecoms sector otherwise known as PTOs using CDMA technology.

Although the minister didn’t provide details of the deals, but he confirmed yesterday during the Annual Ministerial Press Briefing by the ministry saying “Huawei Technologies is making moves to acquire interest in Intercellular, while ZTE is making similar moves to acquire interest in Cellcom”. Both Intercellular and Cellcom are CDMA2000 1X Service providers also offers voice calls, local and international, Free voice mail, Internet access, Free value added services.

Huawei Technologies and ZTE have made efforts to acquire stakes in the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), in the previous privatisation efforts by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE). Meanwhile, Nigeria now has a total of 22,912,917 telephone lines as at March 2006, after a total investment of $9billion (N1.26 trillion), has been ploughed into the Nigerian telecoms sector, the Minister added. “I am today pleased to inform you that the total number of telephone lines in Nigeria is 22,912,917”, said Adebayo He said that the figure is made up of 1,395,786 fixed phone lines and the rest 21,517,131 lines belong to mobile phones.

“Nigerian mobile market is one of the fastest growing in the world”, he said, “the pyramid research findings indicate that Nigeria is home to four of every ten mobile phones in Africa today”, he said, adding that, “and this will grow to one out of every four in the year 2010”, he enthused. Adebayo said that the feat was achieved after N1.26 trillion naira ($9 billion) had been injected into the sector between 2002 and 2006.

“The $100 million loan to MTN from the International Finance Corp (IFC) in 2003 for example”, he noted, “is the largest investment of the World Bank affiliate in Sub-Saharan Africa,” he said. According to the figures he provided, in the year 2002, $2.2 billion was brought into the telecom sector which swelled to $4 billion by 2003. In 2004, telephone companies in Nigeria raised their investment to $6.08 and climbed to $8 billion in 2005. The total investment today, according to him, stands at $9 billion.

“We have continued to create appropriate atmosphere for investors who are on a daily basis making enquiries about the Nigerian market”, he said adding that “the Ministry has noted that no investor has come out to regret entering the Nigerian market and we intend to keep it so”, he promised. “Indeed the ink is still fresh from signatures to $1.5 billion buy of CELTEC Company by V-Mobille and also Reltel- a private telephone operator”, he noted. The minister then took time to praise the achievements of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), saying that 85% of mails posted from state to state were delivered within three days.

“”In the Quality of Mail Service Test (QMST), conducted between August 2005 and April 2006", said Adebayo, “it was discovered that 84.8% of all intra-states letters posted achieved three days transmission time to their final destination”, he added. He then told the gathering that Nigeria is pursuing the Universal Postal Union (UPU), directive stipulating that there should be at least one post office for every 600 inhabitants.

“In other to achieve this target”, he said, “NIPOST introduced the Containerised Post Office (CPO) numbering 16 to Abia, Kwara, Lagos and Osun States”, he said. On Nigerian Mobile Telecommunication Limited (M-TEL), the Minister had this to say: “In the face of dwindling revenue, management developed a prudent and disciplined mode of running the organisation. “In this regards, operating cost came down from N10.5 billion naira to N2.9 billion. M-TEL recorded a significant growth strength reflected by the increase in revenue of N4.6 billion from 2005 and or about 55% increase over the 2004 figure of N0.71 billion. “The company was also able to increase its fixed asset base from N38 billion to N49 billion, an increase of N11 billion”

Posted by Publisher at 01:51 PM | Comments (0)

Czech Republic 0-2 Italy

Italy won convincingly to finish top of Group E and eliminate the Czech Republic from the World Cup.

Substitute Marco Materazzi scored the opening goal with a powerful header from Francesco Totti's corner.

The Czech's hopes of progress effectively ended when Jan Polak was sent off for a second bookable offence in first-half stoppage time.

And Filippo Inzaghi killed the game off near the end when he broke from almost halfway to round Petr Cech and score.

The Czech Republic had started the tournament in superb form by beating the USA 3-0, but their fortunes changed when Jan Koller went off with a hamstring injury near the end of that game.

Devoid of a focal point in attack, they were convincingly beaten in their next game by Ghana and failed to produce their best form against Italy.

The Italians were not hugely impressive, but did enough to win and set up a seemingly straightforward passage to the semi-finals.

They will face Australia in the second round and, if they win that, probably the Ukraine or Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

Skipper Pavel Nedved was inevitably prominent for the Czech Republic in the opening stages.

Milan Baros was put through by a delicious curling pass from Nedved after nine minutes, but the Aston Villa striker's touch was heavy and Gianluigi Buffon smothered.

Minutes later, Nedved tested his Juventus team-mate Buffon with two searing drives from the edge of the area.

Francesco Totti was at the heart of many of Italy's attacks, but his side lacked fluidity in the early stages.

Their first goal came from the unlikely source of Materazzi, who had come on in place of the injured Alessandro Nesta after 26 minutes.

Totti delivered an inswinging corner from the right and the Inter Milan defender rose above Jan Polak to power in a header from nine yards out.

The goal knocked the Czech Republic's confidence. Their early exuberance petered out and Baros began to look isolated in attack.

And their predicament became even worse when Polak was shown a red card after two minutes of first-half stoppage time.

The defender, who had earlier been booked for a crude challenge on Mauro Camoranesi, brought down Totti from behind and was given a second yellow.

Totti made the most of the tackle by rolling around theatrically, but the referee had little option but to send Polak off.

Czech coach Karel Bruckner brought on skilful winger Jiri Stajner in place of veteran Karel Poborsky at the interval and his side pushed forward in search of goals.

The talismanic Nedved surged forward from midfield to find himself one-on-one with Buffon after only a few minutes.

His shot was blistering, but too close to the keeper, who parried.

The increasing adventurousness - and numerical disadvantage - of the Czech Republic inevitably left space for Italy.

Inzaghi, who came on for Alberto Gilardino after 61 minutes, wastefully put a header wide after a jinking run from Andrea Pirlo.

But he made no mistake three minutes from the end when he evaded the offside trap to advance unhindered from the halfway line and round Cech to score.

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Czech Republic: Cech, Grygera, Kovac (Heinz 78), Rozehnal, Jankulovski, Plasil, Polak, Nedved, Poborsky (Stajner 46), Rosicky, Baros (Jarolim 64).
Subs Not Used: Blazek, Galasek, Jiranek, Kinsky, Koller, Mares, Sionko.

Sent Off: Polak (45).

Booked: Polak.

Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Nesta (Materazzi 17), Grosso, Camoranesi (Barone 73), Pirlo, Perrotta, Gattuso, Totti, Gilardino (Inzaghi 60).
Subs Not Used: Amelia, Barzagli, Del Piero, Iaquinta, Oddo, Peruzzi, Toni, Zaccardo.

Booked: Gattuso.

Goals: Materazzi 26, Inzaghi 87.

Att: 50,000

Ref: Benito Archundia Tellez (Mexico).

Fifa man of the match: Marco Materazzi

TRIVIA
Italy have extended their unbeaten run in all international matches to 21. This marks the longest streak for the Italians since 1935-39 when they remained unbeaten for 30 matches. This victory ensured Italy have progressed from the group phase for the eighth consecutive time and the 11th time in total.

Substitutes Filippo Inzaghi and Marco Materazzi became the second and third oldest scorers ever for Italy at the World Cup. Daniele Massaro is the oldest Italian to score in the finals. In 1994 he was 33 years and 36 days old when he netted against Mexico. Materazzi had never scored before in 28 previous international matches. Inzaghi notched his 22nd goal for Italy in his 50th international match. It was the 13th Italian World Cup goal scored by a substitute, more than any other nation.

Jan Polak's red card was the sixth for a player from the Czech Republic / Czechoslovakia at the World Cup and the second at this tournament following Tomas Ujfalusi's dismissal against Ghana. The Czech Republic have failed to survive the group phase of a World Cup for the fifth time in nine tries.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

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

Ghana 2-1 USA

Ghana clinched a place in the last 16 of the World Cup against Brazil by ending the hopes of the United States with victory in Nuremberg.

Haminu Dramani gave Ghana, who lost their group opener to Italy, the lead after he robbed Claudio Reyna but Clint Dempsey's first-time shot made it 1-1.

Stephen Appiah restored Ghana's lead from a controversial penalty - awarded against USA defender Oguchi Onyewu.

Brian McBride sent a diving header against the post for the USA.

Referee Markus Merk stamped his early mark on the game, booking Eddie Lewis and Michael Essien inside the first six minutes.

With plenty at stake both sides were prepared for a physical battle and Lewis needed treatment for an eyebrow cut, which was caused by John Mensah's stray elbow.

Dramani then raised Ghana's hopes of a place in the knockout stages by firing them ahead.

Dramani's shuddering challenge caught Reyna in possession and the Ghana star made ground before curling his shot around keeper Kasey Keller's dive.

Essien's role in the battle for midfield supremacy was pivotal to Ghana's hopes and he won the ball to release the pacy Razak Pimpong, who pulled his shot wide.

The USA's ponderous build-up play allowed Ghana time to get bodies behind the ball but when they took a more direct route it proved to be effective, with McBride rising to flick the ball on for Landon Donovan, who sliced his shot wide.

The Americans suffered a blow when playmaker Reyna limped off but they made light of it when they levelled just before half-time.

DaMarcus Beasley intercepted Derek Boateng's pass and curled a delicious cross into the path of Dempsey, who crashed home a first-time shot.

But referee Merk added one more twist to the first half, with a controversial penalty award.

He penalised Onyewu, who appeared to win a clean header as Pimpong collapsed dramatically, and then allowed Appiah to dispatch the spot-kick.

Donovan swung in a dangerous free-kick as the USA piled on the pressure at the start of the second half but Ghana showed their threat on the break and Keller had to claw away a powerful shot from Matthew Amoah.

For all their possession, the Americans showed little guile and wit to break down Ghana in a game that continued to be dominated by referee Merk's whistle.

The USA's luck was out as McBride dived full-length to head Lewis' cross against the post before Onyewu headed inches over the bar from a corner.

The American fans may well believe that they were victims of some debatable refereeing decisions and they were angry when Mensah was only shown a yellow card for a dreadful, cynical foul on substitute Bobby Convey.

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Ghana: Kingston, Mensah, Pantsil, Shilla, Mohamed, Appiah, Essien, Dramani (Tachie-Mensah 80), Boateng (Otto Addo 45), Amoah (Eric Addo 59), Pimpong.
Subs Not Used: Adjei, Ahmed, Kuffour, Owu, Pappoe, Quaye, Sarpei.

Booked: Essien, Shilla, Mensah, Appiah.

Goals: Dramani 22, Appiah 45 pen.

USA: Keller, Onyewu, Conrad, Cherundolo (Johnson 60), Bocanegra, Dempsey, Reyna (Olsen 40), Lewis (Convey 74), Beasley, Donovan, McBride.
Subs Not Used: Albright, Berhalter, Ching, Hahnemann, Howard, O'Brien, Wolff.

Booked: Lewis.

Goals: Dempsey 43.

Att: 41,000

Referee: Markus Merk (Germany).

Fifa man of the match: Stephen Appiah

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

Japan 1-4 Brazil

Brazil striker Ronaldo became the joint highest scorer in World Cup history as he scored twice against Japan.

The 29-year-old headed in an equaliser before half-time to go past Pele and then curled in his 14th finals goal at the end to go level with Gerd Muller.

Japan went ahead through Keiji Tamada's left-foot drive but Brazil took control through Ronaldo, Juninho Pernambucano's 30-yarder and Gilberto's sweet strike.

Ronaldo wrapped it up and the Group F winners now play Ghana in the last 16.

In the process, Brazil made it 10 consecutive wins at World Cup finals and they finally produced the sort of free-flowing football their fans have been waiting for.

They went into the game under a different sort of pressure - they had already qualified but had come under heavy criticism for a lack of flair in their performances.

No-one had suffered more than Ronaldo. Branded overweight and unfit, the top scorer at the 2002 World Cup was perhaps only one game away from being dropped.

He needed a goal and nearly got it straight away, producing a trademark shimmy to create space - only to see Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi make a fine save.

Kawaguchi was in for a busy night. Twice Robinho tested him, once with a left-foot snap-shot, then with a curler after a majestically mazy run.

He pulled off a blinder to deny Ronaldo and then made the save of the tournament to almost unbelievably tip over a thunderous Juninho drive from 20 yards.

Just when it seemed a matter of time until Brazil scored, they were hit by a brilliant Japan counter-attack.

Alex found some space on the left and slipped in a lovely ball to Tamada, who took a touch and hammered a stunning left-footer into the top corner of Dida's net.

But, with almost the last touch of the half, Ronaldo buried his demons, heading in from close-range after Cicinho nodded Ronaldinho's centre back across goal.

He should have scored again just after the break following an exquisite one-two with Ronaldinho on the edge of the area but could only guide a right-foot shot inches wide from 16 yards.

It did not take Brazil much longer to go ahead and it was a horror moment for the previously outstanding Kawaguchi.

Juninho hit a hopeful shot from 30 yards that swung and dipped and deceived Kawaguchi as it went through the stopper's attempted save.

It was party time for the Brazilians and they wrapped up the points when Ronaldinho fed Gilberto and the 30-year-old skilfully drilled home a left-foot shot from a tight angle.

Ronaldo was not finished yet though - and he saved the best until last in Dortmund.

Taking a pass from Robinho, he superbly manoeuvred some space before side-footing brilliantly into the far corner from outside the area.

Brazil, and their star striker, have finally arrived at the 2006 World Cup.

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Japan: Kawaguchi, Santos, Tsuboi, Kaji, Nakazawa, Hidetoshi Nakata, Ogasawara (Koji Nakata 56), Nakamura, Inamoto, Maki (Takahara 60), Tamada, Takahara (Oguro 66).
Subs Not Used: Doi, Endo, Fukunishi, Komano, Moniwa, Narazaki, Ono, Yanagisawa.

Booked: Kaji.

Goals: Tamada 33.

Brazil: Dida (Rogerio 82), Lucio, Juan, Cicinho, Gilberto, Kaka (Ze Roberto 71), Ronaldinho (Ricardinho 71), Silva, Juninho, Ronaldo, Robinho.
Subs Not Used: Adriano, Cafu, Carlos, Cris, Emerson, Fred, Julio Cesar, Luisao, Mineiro.

Booked: Gilberto.

Goals: Ronaldo 45, Juninho 53, Gilberto 59, Ronaldo 81.

Att: 65,000.

Ref: Eric Poulat (France).

Fifa man of match: Ronaldo

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

Croatia 2-2 Australia

Harry Kewell's late strike sent Australia through to the second round after a thrilling Group F decider.

Darijo Srna's precise free-kick gave Croatia an early lead.

Australia were level through Craig Moore's penalty after Stjepan Tomas handled a cross, but Croatia hit back through Nico Kovac's bobbling drive.

Kewell was on hand to fire home from close range to send the Socceroos through, while Dario Simic, Brett Emerton and Josip Simunic all saw red.

Australia's draw sets up a second-round clash with Group E winners Italy as Japan failed to overhaul group winners Brazil.

The Socceroos surprisingly opted to leave out first-choice goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer in favour of the taller Zeljko Kalac.

And the replacement keeper's first touch was to pick the ball out of the net after Srna's bending set piece caught him out.

Mark Viduka's mistimed lunge on Nico Kovac on the edge of the area brought about the free-kick and Srna sweetly dispatched Croatia's first goal of the tournament.

But far from being rocked by the early setback, the Australians pressed forward and took control of possession.

And Viduka almost made up for his error when he burst through on goal, but he was left fuming when Josip Simunic appeared to have wrestled the Middlesbrough striker to the ground.

Kewell and Tim Cahill both went close with long-range efforts as the Socceroos camped inside the Croatian half.

And they were rewarded for their endeavour on 38 minutes when Tomas' moment of madness handed Australia a penalty.

Tomas rose to deal with an in-swinging cross and his outstretched arm just clipped the ball which was cleverly spotted by English referee Graham Poll.

Newcastle defender Moore stepped up to coolly slot home the resulting spot-kick.

Dado Prso wasted a decent chance to put Croatia back ahead but blasted over a close-range effort, and it was the Aussies who would have been the most satisfied going in level at the break.

Ten minutes after the interval Australia returned the favour for Tomas' earlier kindness when the unimpressive Kalac misread Kovac's tame drive, allowing the ball to hop over him into his net.

With Australia streaming forward for the vital equaliser the game became stretched and Kewell took advantage of some space, forcing an instinctive reflex save from Stipe Pletikosa.

And moments later the keeper bravely threw himself underneath two Australian challenges to heroically keep Aloisi out.

But he was helpless to prevent the Australia equaliser as Kewell, who looked to be in an offside position, turned home John Aloisi's flick from Marco Bresciano's in-swinging cross.

Simic and Emerton were both dismissed for two bookable offences in the final 10 minutes, while Simunic, who received a second caution, was mistakenly not shown a red by referee Poll.

To add to the drama, Cahill had a goal disallowed as Poll had already blown for full time and as Simunic complained, the referee handed him his third yellow of the match and an overdue red card.

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Croatia: Pletikosa, Simic, Tudor, Tomas (Klasnic 84), Simunic, Srna, Nico Kovac, Babic, Kranjcar (Jerko Leko 65), Prso, Olic (Modric 73).
Subs Not Used: Balaban, Bosnjak, Butina, Didulica, Ivan Leko, Seric, Tokic, Vranjes.

Sent Off: Simic (85), Simunic (90).

Booked: Simic, Tudor, Simunic, Pletikosa.

Goals: Srna 3, Nico Kovac 56.

Australia: Kalac, Neill, Moore, Chipperfield (Kennedy 75), Emerton, Grella (Aloisi 63), Culina, Cahill, Sterjovski (Bresciano 71), Kewell, Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Beauchamp, Covic, Lazaridis, Milligan, Popovic, Schwarzer, Skoko, Thompson, Wilkshire.

Sent Off: Emerton (87).

Booked: Emerton.

Goals: Moore 39 pen, Kewell 79.

Att: 52,000

Ref: Graham Poll (England).

Fifa man of the match: Harry Kewell

Posted by Publisher at 01:41 PM | Comments (0)

Holland 0-0 Argentina

Argentina secured first place in Group C and a Round of 16 meeting with Mexico after a 0-0 draw with the Netherlands in Frankfurt on Wednesday, 21 June 2006.

21 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

The stalemate between two sides already assured of qualification left them tied on seven points at the top of the group, with Argentina finishing first virtue of their better goal difference. While Jose Pekerman's team move on to face Mexico in Leipzig on Saturday, the Dutch will play Portugal in Nuremberg 24 hours later.

The match:
7': The Dutch controlled the opening exchanges but Argentina showed the threat they carry on the counter as a perfectly-weighted ball from Lionel Messi looked to have found Esteban Cambiasso until an excellent challenge from Khalid Boulahrouz cleared the ball for a corner.

16': Gradually Argentina got into their stride and with Javier Mascherano pulling the strings and Maxi Rodriguez and Messi adding the flair, they began to look increasingly dangerous. Carlos Tevez curled a shot a yard wide from the edge of the area, but from the resulting goal-kick the South Americans played themselves into trouble.

17': Nicolas Burdisso was caught in possession by Dirk Kuyt who cut into the penalty area and shot for goal, but Boca Juniors Roberto Abbondanzieri turned the ball round for a corner at his near post.

24': Just a few minutes later Burdisso was forced to limp off and was replaced by Deportivo La Coruna defender Fabricio Coloccini.

27': The opening goal almost came direct from a corner, but Edwin van der Sar repositioned himself quickly enough to tip over a vicious inswinger from Juan Riquelme.

28': Again Riquelme caused problems and from his low free-kick, Rafael van der Vaart, stretching to clear, turned the ball onto Van der Sar's right-hand post. Less than a minute later Rodriguez flashed a powerful drive inches wide – Argentina were now moving through the gears.

40': Despite the attacking flair on show, neither goalkeeper was overstretched during the first half.
No breakthrough:
49': Strong and determined play from midway inside his own half from Tevez put the Dutch defence under pressure and Riquelme shot just wide from the edge of the penalty area.

54': Tevez was again the danger a few minutes later when setting up Rodriguez, but after cutting in from the right the Atletico Madrid midfielder shot over.

61': There were swathes of orange around the stadium in Frankfurt but it was the Argentinian fans who were making more noise as their side continued to control the tempo of the second half.

65': For all their possession, direct chances were few and far between for the Albiceleste. Tevez might have made more of a difficult chance when sent through, but he could not get the bouncing ball under his control.

69': Direct efforts from the Dutch were at this stage something of a rarity, so when Phillip Cocu shot narrowly wide from 20 yards it served as a wake-up call to everyone that they were not here just to defend. Cocu's effort precended the departure of Lionel Messi, making way for Julio Cruz following his first start at the FIFA World Cup.

73': Tevez however continued to provide a direct threat and brought a one-handed save from Van Der Sar with a well-struck drive from 20 yards.
84': For all that Argentina had forced the pace, the Netherlands were playing a well-controlled game and tried to snatch the points in the closing stages. However, a free-kick from just short of 30 yards by Van der Vaart was always edging wide.

90+3 Tevez nearly stole a last-gasp winner when, receiving the ball with his back to goal, he turned and fired a shot a whisker wide of Van der Sar's right-hand post.

In conclusion:
The Netherlands have not lost in normal time to Argentina in four meetings in the FIFA World Cup™, but it is the South Americans who finish the group stage marginally happier having secured first place. The unbeaten records of both should ensure they look ahead to the Round of 16 with confidence.

Posted by Publisher at 01:39 PM | Comments (0)

Iran 1-1 Angola

Iran ended Angola's slim hopes of qualifying from Group D, as they held the African side to a 1-1 draw in Leipzig on Wednesday, 21 June 2006.

21 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

Angola scored their first-ever goal at a FIFA World Cup™ finals when Flavio headed home Ze Kalanga's cross on the hour mark. However, their hopes of catching Mexico on goal difference were ended when Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh rose unmarked to convert Mehdi Mahdavikia's corner 15 minutes from time.

The result left Angola in third place behind Portugal and Mexico with two points, while Iran propped up the table with this, their solitary point of the tournament.

The match:
5': After a slow start to the game news filtered through to Leipzig that Portugal had taken the lead against Mexico. This made the Angolan fans inside the stadium dance with delight, as they hoped to help inspire their team to victory.

13': Vahid Hashemian nodded the ball to Ferydoon Zandi on the edge of the area. The Kaiserslautern midfielder skipped inside the box and hit a low shot, which Joao Ricardo did well to parry.

15': Figueiredo's drive from the edge of the box forced Ebrahim Mirzapour into a low save as the Africans pushed forward.

20': There was bad news for Angola as they had two players stretchered off inside 60 seconds. First Mateus left the field after sustaining what looked like a serious leg injury, and then Loco needed medical attention after being involved in a challenge with Hashemian. While Mateus was replaced by Love, Loco was able to continue, having been booked for his foul on the Iranian striker.

24': Iran had a great opportunity to take the lead, but veteran striker Ali Daei missed the target, heading over from just four yards when completely unmarked. The man with 109 international goals to his name was visibly frustrated by his profligacy.

27': For the second time in three minutes, Iran went close. Hashemian rose above the Angolan defence and directed a header towards goal, but Mendonca cleared off the line. Rahman Rezaei sliced the rebound wide.

31': Both coaches were left frustrated by the finishing of their strikers. First Akwa blazed a volley over the crossbar and when play switched to the other end, Zandi was guilty of the same crime.
34': Angola had four corners in a row, but they were unable to create a clear-cut chance and Miloy ended the spell of pressure for the Palancas Negras when he dragged his 20-yard effort wide of the target.

40': Andranik Taymoorian sent in a strong, right-footed effort from 20 yards that forced Joao Ricardo into a fine low save. The keeper also had to be alert to pounce on the rebound as Daei closed in.

45+2: Akwa touched the ball to Love on the edge of the box and his drive was superbly tipped over the bar by Mirzapour. Adventurous Angola
47': Angola started the second half brightly. Less than 100 seconds after the restart, the ball fell kindly for Mendonca in a promising position outside the box, but the midfielder saw his right-foot shot drift just wide.

52': Mendonca went a little closer with a 25-yard effort, the ball flying narrowly off target.
60': Angola took the lead with a superbly taken goal. After showing good skills in the centre of the pitch, Figueiredo played the ball to Ze Kalanga who sprinted down the right-hand side. His ball into the box was perfect and a grateful Flavio headed the ball home for his 14th international goal. (0-1)

69': In almost a carbon copy of the goal, a Ze Kalanga cross from the right was headed towards goal by Love, but this time Mirzapour was well-placed to save the striker’s effort.

75': Against the run of play, Iran drew level. After winning a corner on the right-hand side, which was taken by Mahdavikia, the unmarked Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh headed the ball into the net, to the fury of Angola No.1 Joao Ricardo. (1-1)

84': Iran's goal appeared to dent Angola's sense of belief and the Africans risked conceding a second as Rasoul Khatibi's shot on the turn was palmed over by Joao Ricardo.

In conclusion:
The odds were always stacked against Angola reaching the Round of 16 going into this match, but when they took the lead through Flavio their hopes were suddenly raised. However, Bakhtiarizadeh’s equaliser effectively ended their dreams. In a spirited display from both sides, a draw was probably the fair result, although Angola will be frustrated that they could not convert more of their opportunities.

Posted by Publisher at 01:37 PM | Comments (0)

Ivory Coast 3-2 Serbia and Montenegro

Côte d'Ivoire produced a stirring finale to their first-ever FIFA World Cup™ adventure, coming from two goals down to clinch a stunning 3-2 win over Serbia and Montenegro.

21 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

The FIFA World Cup Stadium Munich witnessed a terrific match, one of Germany 2006's best to date, and the Ivorian Elephants thoroughly deserved the victory secured by goals from Aruna Dindane (2) and Bonaventure Kalou, after earlier strikes from Nikola Zigic and Sasa Ilic had put the Serbo-Montenegrins 2-0 in front.

As if that drama was not enough, there were also a couple of red cards in this match, with Albert Nadj's 46th-minute dismissal a key factor in tipping the balance in favour of a Côte d'Ivoire side who lost captain Cyrille Domoraud in added time.

Despite their first FIFA World Cup victory, Côte d'Ivoire finish third in Group C with three points while Serbia and Montenegro go home without a point, having conceded ten goals.

The match:
6': The match started briskly, with the ball zipping across turf which had been soaked by a huge storm which broke 90 minutes before kick-off. It was still pouring with rain when Arthur Boka had the first shot of the night, but the Côte d’Ivoire defender was well wide of the mark.

10': Serbia and Montenegro scored their first ever FIFA World Cup finals goal when captain Dejan Stankovic played a cross-field pass from just inside the Côte d’Ivoire half and Zigic nipped in between Blaise Kouassi and his hesitant goalkeeper Boubacar Barry to control the ball and slide it into an unguarded net. (0-1)

16': Serbia and Montenegro's Mladen Krstajic was forced to go off injured after an innocuous-looking accidental challenge led to what looked like a broken arm. He was replaced by Nadj, who was booked almost immediately.

18': Côte d'Ivoire came close to an equaliser when Kader Keita broke free down the right and reached the by-line before pulling the ball back to Dindane, but his shot was saved by the trailing leg of Dragoslav Jevric and Kanga Akale could not turn home the rebound from close range.

20': Serbia and Montenegro profited from another defensive error as Predrag Djordjevic curled a hopeful cross into the box and when Domoraud failed to control it, Ilic gratefully pounced to turn in the second goal. (0-2)
37': Serbia and Montenegro conceded a penalty when Milan Dudic handled Boka's cross from the left. Dindane did well to hold his nerve with a twice-taken penalty, scoring both times with identical kicks amid a cacophony of whistles and a frightening clap of thunder after his first attempt was ruled out for player encroachment. (1-2)

39': Predrag Djordevic forced Barry into a smart save with a well-driven free-kick from 20 metres out.

46+': Serbia and Montenegro substitute Nadj was sent off for his second yellow card.

Tricky conditions:
57': The incessant rain made it difficult for players to control the ball but after an untidy passage of play, Côte d'Ivoire forced Jevric into another unconventional save. Boka had a free-kick charged down by Ilic and Akale blasted the rebound at goal but Jevric once again saved with his leg.

61' Arouna Kone had two attempts for Côte d'voire, the first charged down by Goran Gavrancic, while the second was dragged wide.

62': A fantastic shot from 25 metres by Kouassi had a helpless Jevric beaten all ends up but it smacked against the crossbar. Sixty seconds later and with Côte d’Ivoire piling on the pressure, Dindane's header went centimetres wide.

67': The equaliser Côte d’Ivoire had been threatening to score came when Dindane steered in Keita’s cross with his head to claim his second goal of the game. (2-2)

71': Yaya Toure clipped a firm shot at Jevric but this time the keeper clutched it by taking the ball straight into his chest.
77': Stankovic ghosted into the Côte d’Ivoire penalty area unmarked but could only guide Predrag Djordevic's inviting free-kick a metre the wrong side of Barry's left-hand post.

86': Côte d'Ivoire's remarkable comeback was complete after their second penalty award when Kalou's shot was handled by Dudic. Kalou himself stepped up and made no mistake from the spot. (3-2)

92+': In stoppage time, Côte d’Ivoire’s Domoraud was sent off for his second yellow card.

In conclusion:
With both teams already eliminated and little but pride at stake, they threw caution to the wind – and rain – to produce a fabulous contest. Côte d'Ivoire emerged victorious despite conceding two early goals for a well-deserved win.

Posted by Publisher at 01:36 PM | Comments (0)

PORTUGAL 2-1 MEXICO

Portugal made it three wins out of three in Group D as they defeated Mexico 2-1 in Gelsenkirchen through goals from Maniche and Simao Sabrosa on Wednesday, 21 June 2006.

21 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

While Portugal advanced as group winners to face the second-placed team in Group C - either Argentina or the Netherlands - in a Round of 16 tie in Nuremberg on Sunday, Mexico joined them in the knockout stage after finishing second with four points. El Tri will take on the Group C winners on Saturday in Leipzig.

The Mexicans trailed 2-0 inside 24 minutes in Gelsenkirchen after Maniche shot Portugal into a sixth-minute lead and Simao Sabrosa doubled the advantage from the penalty spot. Jose Fonseca made it 2-1 in the 29th minute but Omar Bravo's missed spot-kick in the second half ensured a defeat for Ricardo La Volpe's team. Mexico also suffered the loss of Luis Perez to a red card, which means he will miss the Round of 16 match through suspension.

The match:
2': Mexico made a fast start as Jose Fonseca, picking up possession on the edge of the box, turned inside his man and forced Ricardo into a good low save with a powerful strike.

6': Having already assured qualification, Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari had left on the bench five players on yellow cards – Cristiano Ronaldo, Costinha, Deco, Nuno Valente and Pauleta. Yet their absences were not felt as the Portuguese took an early lead: Simao Sabrosa raced towards goal and squared for the onrushing Maniche to power a shot into the top corner from around the penalty spot. (1-0)

8': Mexico, two points behind Portugal going into the game, were almost level immediately. Pavel Pardo crossed for Bravo whose acrobatic effort fell inches wide of the post.

24': Scolari's side were looking comfortable and were presented with a golden opportunity to extend their lead when captain Rafael Marquez handled Luis Figo's corner. With Oswaldo Sanchez dancing on his line, Simao crashed the penalty home. (2-0)

27': Mexico were stunned and they almost conceded a third soon afterwards. Helder Postiga's effort from the corner of the area was saved by Sanchez before Tiago fired the follow-up over.

29': Bravo almost pulled a goal back for Mexico. Alone at the back post he volleyed low and hard but Ricardo got down well to block the effort with the ball spinning onto the bar and over. From the resulting corner, however, Fonseca did score, flicking a fine header into the unguarded far post to reduce the arrears. (2-1)

43': Fonseca saw another headed effort float wide before Maniche forced Sanchez into a save from 25 yards at the other end.

44': Mexico pushed for the equaliser. Pardo saw his long-range strike saved and from the resulting corner, Portugal finally cleared the danger after an almighty scramble in their penalty box.

57': La Volpe's men poured forward and and earned a penalty as Miguel handled the ball. However, the chance went begging as Bravo smashed the penalty high into the netting above the crossbar.
61': Miguel was involved in another incident, tussling with Luis Perez in the Portugal box. The Mexican went down but this time the referee gave a free-kick the other way before handing a second yellow and then a red card to Perez.

63': Bravo had another great chance to hand the ten men an equaliser. Clean through on goal, the Guadalajara forward lifted his shot high over the bar.

72': With the news that Angola had gone a goal up, the Mexican bench became more agitated. More good work down the left from Simao presented substitute Nuno Gomes with a chance to add a third but he fired over.

83': Now on the right side, Simao beat his man and sent in a vicious cross that Nuno Gomes was a whisker away from reaching.

87': The Europeans were again close to a third. Sanchez threw the ball against the back of a defender and had to back-track fast as an effort flew inches over the bar.

90+2': Maniche found time again to shoot but the icing on the cake just would not arrive as Sanchez parried.
In conclusion:
Portugal advance to the second round for the first time since 1966 in some style, having claimed maximum points. Mexico - with a win, a draw and a loss - will hope to find some consistency as they head into the knockout stage yet again.

Posted by Publisher at 01:19 PM | Comments (0)

June 21, 2006

Why I Quit ANPP - Don Etiebet

Former National Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Chief Don Etiebet, yesterday gave an insight into the circumstances surrounding his resignation from the party and insisted that internal wrangling between opposing forces within the part was largely responsible for the failure of the party to win the presidential elections in 2003.

From Donald Andoor and Onwuka Nzeshi in Abuja, 06.21.2006

Etiebet resigned on Monday through a letter he sent to the National Secretariat of the party through his aide. He later confirmed his action on phone. His exit from the party followed the decamping of a number of the party chieftains, including the Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa and his Jigawa State counterpart, Alhaji Saminu Turaki. But the National Secretary of the party, Dr. Nya Asuquo has described the developments as positive for the party, saying it would make the party more focused instead of having opposing forces within the party working at cross purposes to the detriment of the party.

At an informal interaction with newsmen in Abuja, Etiebet went down memory lane and exposed the many intrigues; turbulence and backstabbing that characterized his three-year tenure on the saddle of leadership of the opposition political party. Etiebet, a one time presidential flag bearer of defunct National Convention Party of Nigeria (NCPN) and former Minister of Petroleum under the Gen Sanni Abacha regime, said it was sheer determination and zeal to succeed that kept him on the hot seat all these while but lamented that while he was doing his best to see the party through the murky terrain of Nigerian politics, those who should have encouraged him were only bent on castigating him at the slightest opportunity.

According to him, his trouble in the party began at the party痴 convention held at the Eagle Square, Abuja, early 2003 during which former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari emerged as the party痴 Presidential flag bearer and he (Etiebet) became the party痴 National Chairman. At that convention, he said, the power play amongst the contending forces showed that for some inexplicable reasons, the Buhari group did not want him to become the National Chairman of the party while another group led by Governor Attahiru Bafarawa which supported his candidature as Chairman were not favourably disposed to Buhari emerging as the presidential candidate of the party.

THISDAY learn that even before the convention, there were already cracks in the party over the earlier claim of contending forces for the creation of the ANPP from the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) to the extent that some factions in the party had to seek
legal redress over the re-naming of the party. The party was also divide between those who wanted to secure the party machinery for Buhari and the other group that was preparing the party as a political launch pad for another former ex-military ruler, President Ibrahim Babangida.

的f I had any problem in ANPP, it started from my election as the National Chairman of the party. I was caught in the cross fire between these two opposing forces. I found myself in between two powerful groups who wanted to control the party for their own selfish ends and none of them was ready to work with me. So they stopped funding the party.

The main reason why I resigned from the party is that since I handed over the reigns of the party since March 30, 2006, not one ANPP governor has called me or consulted me on any matter concerning the party. I

believe they don稚 like me in the party even after I have consistently done my best to advance the cause of the party. They deliberately starved the party funds perhaps to frustrate my administration,・Etiebet said. On the vexed issue of the 2003 elections, which the ANPP claims to have won, Etiebet said that he fought hard to claim the victory of the party but blamed the party chieftains, especially the Governors of ANPP controlled states for the dismal performance of the party at the polls. He attributed most of his problems to this infighting and the underlying suspicion that some external political forces to frustrate the agenda of the All Nigeria Peoples Party planted him.

He recalled that on the eve of the April 19, 2003 presidential and gubernatorial elections, the party had nothing in its coffers to mobilize its supporters to carry out the logistics of election monitoring which he said could have made the widespread rigging
that characterized the elections impossible.

的f there were proper planning and coordination of activities by the party, their was no way the ANPP would not have mobilized more votes from the three geopolitical zones of the South where INEC said we scored only 880,000 votes as opposed to the 12 million votes the ANPP polled in the three geopolitical zones in the North. Rigging took place in the South because the states did not have the necessary funds and there was nobody to monitor the votes. Even where we would have won, there was no body to coordinate and protect the votes,・Etiebet stated.

The former National Chairman said that while he could not remember having any problem with General Muhamadu Buhari, the ex-military ruler turned politician was most of the cold to him and never took his counsel even on sensitive matters that had great impact on the party. On his future plans and political programme, Etiebet was not categorical on what he plans to do. He said he would sit back and consult with his family and immediate political constituency (Akwa Ibom State) before deciding on what to do next. He did not rule out politics at any level but said that his businesses had suffered greatly over the last thirteen years during which he engaged in active politics. Meanwhile the National Secretary of the party, Dr Nya

Asuquo has said that the exit of Etiebet and some other chieftains of the party might well be a blessing to the party in the long run. Asuquo in a separate chat with newsmen in Abuja said the current movement of supposedly eminent persons out of
ANPP couldn稚 be treated in isolation because there has been similar movement of people into the ANPP as well. He described the cross movement as normal in a political environment where the party culture was just beginning to take root after many years of military dictatorship and suspension of democracy.

He said that the main political parties in the country, including the ANPP were formed in a hurry resulting in birds of unidentical plumage flocking together.・nbsp; These movements and exodus of persons from one party to the other must not be seen only from the negative perspective. We are now moving towards a period where we have parties with ideological bent.

The effect is that after this phase we will now have more stronger more focused and more ideologically based parties which is better for our politics and and our polity,尿suquo said.

Posted by Publisher at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)

Onitsha crisis: MASSOB dares Obi; 1 killed, curfew extended to 6 towns

The one-week dusk to dawn curfew imposed on Onitsha by Governor Peter Obi on Sunday following the escalation of the disturbances in the commercial city has been extended to six other towns as a suspected member of Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) fell to the bullets of soldiers securing the troubled commercial city Tuesday evening.

By NWABUEZE OKONKWO, Onitsha, GEOFFREY ANYANWU, Awka, GREAT OSIBEROHA, Aguata and MOLLY KILETE, Abuja
Wednesday, June 21, 2006

The unidentified victim was said to have been among a group of people who defied the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on the metropolis around 3-3 area. At the approach of a team of soldiers and policemen on patrol, who had been issued a shoot-on-sight order, others fled, while he allegedly stood his ground. He was shot dead.

The six affected towns which cut across three local governments areas are: Ogbaru, Okpoko, Nsugbe, Oba, Nkpor and Obosi.

Also an all enlarged stakeholders meeting on security would be held Wednesday at the Tourist Garden Hotels, Awka, to discuss the issue of incessant clashes in Onitsha and fashion out ways of stopping it.
The development is coming as MASSOB spat fire, demanding apology from Governor Obi for daring to outlaw the separatist group and ordering that its members be shot on sight.

Talking tough, MASSOB’s Eastern regional deputy director of information, David Mac-David declared that previous attempts by South Eastern governors to crush the group failed, saying Obi’s effort would not be different.

However, an atmosphere of uneasy calm pervaded the commercial city of Onitsha Tuesday after hoodlums suspected to be members of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) allegedly backed by the Police and MASSOB held the city hostage, destroying lives and property including police stations and prisons.

Though it appears normalcy has returned, business activities which were paralysed following the three days of rampage and carnage in the commercial city were yet to pick up fully.

In a statement signed by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr. Chuks Iloegbunam said the extension of the curfew to the six communities was to arrest possible spread of the crisis in Onitsha to them, adding that the curfew would last till Sunday, June 25, 2006.

In another statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Chidi Ezeoke, which convened the stakeholders meeting, those invited include political parties, Civil Liberties Organisation, police chiefs, military personnel and other security agencies in the state.

The state government also appealed to those invited to the meeting to be punctual and come with ideas and proposals on how to find lasting solutions to the unwarranted disturbances.
Meanwhile, the 177 communities in the state would soon begin an operation that would witness the cleansing of criminal elements.

Disclosing this to Daily Sun on Tuesday, the President General of Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU), Chief Dr. Ben Eze-Agbogu, said those causing the problems in the state lived in the communities and must be flushed out.

He said though the hoodlums were not Anambrarians, their sponsors were from the state, and must be brought to book, adding that ASATU would give the state government every support needed to ensure that the state was cleansed of criminals.

Also speaking, the Vice President of Anambra State Market Traders Union (ASMATU), Chief Vin Obi, absolved traders of any complicity in the violent disturbances in Onitsha, stressing that the only problems the traders had was leadership.

He was of the view that if the state government should look into the issue of leadership of the union and correct it, “traders know how to guard their property and ensure that no intruder misbehaves in the area.”
In a press statement issued in Onitsha, a copy of which was made available to Daily Sun, Mac-David, declared: "In the past, most of the Eastern States governors like Achike Udenwa of Imo, Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu and Sam Egwu of Ebonyi states had tried to crush MASSOB but failed, then Ngige of Anambra State took time to study our activities and noticed that we are really non-violent and he allowed us to exist.”

He called on well-meaning people of Anambra who understood what MASSOB stood for to call Obi to order and advise him before he faced “the music,” saying the governor should “not be a radio/television governor or gossip listener.”

The MASSOB chieftain insisted that the group “can never be stopped from actualising Biafra.”
But Governor Obi said he opted for a military intervention in the crisis to stem the rampaging hoodlums in the state from further cashing in on the situation to perpetrate their heinous activities.

The governor, who spoke to journalists when he visited the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in Abuja, stressed that it was only the military that could conveniently handle the crisis in Onitsha and bring the various “thuggery” groups incorporated by his predecessors under control.

Meanwhile, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Prisons, Okwara Uche Kalu and the Deputy Inspector-General of the Nigerian Police Force, Ogbonna Onovo arrived Onitsha prisons Tuesday to inspect damages done on Monday morning after hoodlums set the prisoners free, with harsh words for the prison guards and the police men attached to the prison at the time of the incident.

The duo who addressed the press at the prison after the inspection said that there was obvious dereliction of duty on the part of the policemen and the prison guards who were large enough to overpower the nine hoodlums that broke into the prison.

In his own speech, Onovo wondered how nine hoodlums would invade a prison with 16 policemen on guard and other prison security officials without their firing a gun shot.

However, about nine prison inmates who were released by the hoodlums have come back to the prison.

Posted by Publisher at 11:49 AM | Comments (0)

Filipino oilmen seized in Nigeria

Two Filipino oil workers have been kidnapped in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta, police have confirmed.

Six gunmen in a speedboat seized the two near the south-eastern city of Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Police say it not yet clear which group is responsible for the abductions, as no-one has made contact.

It is the latest in a string of assaults on foreign oil workers in the region by militants, who want more local control of oil wealth.

The upsurge of attacks has cut Nigeria's oil production by 25% - a key factor in the high world price of crude oil.

The abductees are contract workers for Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS).

"Six armed men came in a boat and abducted the two Filipinos. They were not harmed or injured. We have no contact with them since the sad incident took place," a PGS spokesman told AFP news agency.

The Niger Delta is home to Nigeria's oil industry, but there is widespread poverty and numerous armed militia groups which operate in the area.

One group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), says it is fighting for greater local control of the oil revenues and compensation from oil companies for pollution in the Delta.

The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says in most previous cases armed groups have taken hostages to extort money from oil companies and the government.

Posted by Publisher at 11:46 AM | Comments (0)

Nigerians warned of UK fraudsters

Nigeria has warned its citizens to be wary of fraudsters when they travel to the United Kingdom.

The information ministry said there had been an increase in robberies and other crimes suffered by Nigerians in the UK.

The ministry said the tricks included "pouring tomato juice or other substances upon their victim's dress, and then offer to help remove it".

Nigeria is known for its "419 scams" in which gullible businessmen are tricked out of large amounts of money.

Nigeria's information ministry said it was making a statement based on warnings received from Nigeria's High Commission in London.

"There is no evidence that Nigerians are being specifically targeted but ostentatious dressing [and] spending... may identify a target," it said.

"They may also feign to pick an object which had fallen under their victim's seat" in order to distract attention, the statement said.

It warned Nigerians that "major flashpoints" for these crimes included airports, hotels and restaurants, high streets, shopping centres, markets, tube stations, bus stops and even inside buses.

"The occurrences have been particularly high at Heathrow Airport, Oxford Street, Piccadilly and Charing Cross," the ministry warned.

The British Tourist Authority declined to comment.

The 419 scams, named after an article in Nigeria's penal code, usually involve e-mails making promises of a share in millions of dollars, which is to follow an up-front payment.

Posted by Publisher at 11:44 AM | Comments (0)

Curfew clamped on 6 more Anambra towns * Gov Obi summons stakeholders' security meeting

AWKA– GOVERNOR Peter Obi of Anambra State yesterday extended the dusk to dawn curfew he imposed on Onitsha to six neighbouring communities: Ogidi, Nsugbe, Ogboko, Ogbaru, Nkpor and Obosi, even as he has summoned a stakeholders' meeting for today to find a lasting solution to the violence that engulfed the commercial city in the last few days.

By Anayo Okoli & Tony Edike
Posted to the Web: Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Besides, senior army and police officers yesterday met in Enugu to review the security situation in Onitsha, and resolved to sustain the tempo of their operations with a view to restoring peace. At the meeting were the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, and the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Army represented by Colonel John Ochoga.

Col. Ochoga told the police team that the military was participating fully in the Onitsha operation and the result was positive.
In his remarks, DIG Okiro said the violence in Onitsha was unfortunate in view of its negative impact on the nation’s economy and image. He commended the conduct of the joint operation so far, saying it was a classic example of an effective action to guarantee security. Okiro said the Army would always be joint stakeholders in peace and security.

Condemning the activities of the hoodlums and their collaborators, the DIG said: “The problem does not augur well for the well-being of the people of the state and the nation in general.” Okiro said he would continue consultations with stakeholders to enhance security in the area.

The DIG who was accompanied by the Assistant Inspector General of Police for Zone 2, Mr. Ademola Ajakaiye, Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Charles Dawodu, and his Anambra State counterpart, also praised the existing cordial relationship between the Army and Police in the states within the 82 Division’s jurisdiction.

The violence in the town took a dangerous turn on Sunday when the hoodlums attacked the Onitsha Prisons and set over 240 inmates free.
Meanwhile, Acting Comptroller General of Nigeria Prisons, Mr. Okwara Uche Kalu, yesterday expressed disappointment over the attitude of the security guards at the Onitsha Prisons when it was invaded on Sunday morning and over run by hoodlums. He said he did not rule out collusion between the security guards and the hoodlums. Fourteen of the 240 freed prison inmates have returned.

Mr Kalu’s position was prompted by information offered by returnee inmates that 20 armed security guards made up of 16 Mobile Policemen and four prisons securities personnel were on duty when only nine hoodlums came and over-ran the prison and released the inmates. The security officers allegedly took to their heels.

Mr. Okwara wondered why they (guards) could not confront only nine hoodlums. According to the acting comptroller, with the attitude exhibited by the officers, it should not surprise anyone, if after investigation, it was discovered that the officers colluded with the hoodlums to set the criminals free.

He, however, warned that if any case of collusion was established, the officer involved would be punished. He wondered why the security guards could not muster courage to face only nine hoodlums.

Though Uche-Kalu noted that the Prison lacked personnel, he said the Federal Government had done a lot to improve the welfare of the prisons workers to make their work easier.

Uche-Kalu who was accompanied to Onitsha Prisons by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force CID, Mr. Ogbonnna Onovo, was bitter over what he met at the prison and promised to commence investigation immediately.

Posted by Publisher at 11:44 AM | Comments (0)

Ngige, others caused Onitsha crisis - Obi

ANAMBRA State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has blamed the security policies of his predecessors for the ongoing crisis in the state, as he asked the Federal Government for more troops.

FOLUSO AKINWUMI, Abuja and SYLVANUS EZE, Awka - 21.06.2006

Obi, who spoke on the security situation in the state during his visit to the national headquarters of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Abuja, said both former governors Chinwoke Mbadinuju and Chris Ngige encouraged and supported local security.

He said the genesis of the problem could be traced to the invitation of Bakassi boys to Anambra by Mbadinuju while Ngige supported the vigilance groups.

The groups, he said, had become entrenched in the state and regarded themselves as alternatives to the police and other security outfits, a situation, Obi said, he refused to embrace.

“On assumption of office, I was advised to set up a private security outfit in the shade of these groups, but I declined. I prefer to stick with the official security outfits in the land like the police, SSS and the Army. This did not go down well with some people who resorted to violence.

“I want to restate that my administration will not be cowed by anybody. The ban on these illegal outfits including MASSOB and NARTO stays,” he stressed.

He noted that the situation in the state was getting better as he took a swipe at MASSOB for fomenting trouble in Onitsha, adding that the law enforcement agencies were there to put a check to their activities.

The Anambra State governor also, in Abuja, pleaded with the Federal Government to intervene in the Onitsha mayhem and bring the situation to normal.

As he was leaving Awka for Abuja, he ordered the combined team of police and soldiers in the city to shoot on sight any miscreant seen fomenting trouble or perpetrating a crime in the name of the crisis.

The call for Federal Government’s assistance, he said, was necessary because of the ban on MASSOB, NARTO, AVS and NURTW.

Posted by Publisher at 11:43 AM | Comments (0)

Again, NNPC withholds N31bn from Federation Account

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in June 2006 withheld about N31billion from the Federation Account, the Minister of State for Finance, Mrs Nenadi Usman, has said.

Oluyinka Akintunde, Abuja

The sum brings the total amount withheld by the NNPC since the beginning of 2006 to N92billion.

Usman also told journalists at the end of the Federation Account Allocation Committee meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, that the Excess Crude Oil Proceed Account rose from $8.33billion in May 2006 to over $10billion in June.

The minister, who also confirmed that N257billion was shared by the Federal, states and Local Government Areas from the Federation Account in June, explained that the NNPC attributed the non-remittance of the funds to the subsidy on petroleum products.

She said, 展e have collectively decided here (FAAC meeting) that starting from July 2006, we are going to ask the NNPC to always give us an invoice and charge us for how much they feel the subsidy is and then we pay them.

鉄o, there shouldn稚 be any withholding of funds anymore by the NNPC. I am sure that you are aware that all the three tiers of government collectively have set up the Petroleum Support Fund, which will be managed by the Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency.

鉄o, we hope that from next month it will come into operation and the NNPC will stop further deduction.・

On why the NNPC has continued to withhold a part of the oil revenue when the Federal Government and states had set aside N150billion for PSF in the 2006 Appropriation, she said that the budgeted funds were yet to be released by the FG to the NNPC.

The minister said, 展e have not released anything to the NNPC because they have never come up to ask us (FAAC) that we should pay them. Instead, the NNPC nets-off right from source and pays what is due to us after deducting what the subsidy is.

展e have not been asked by the NNPC to pay anything. But now we want to make sure that when the NNPC comes asking us, we would be able to pay. The corporation must however bring all the money into the Federation Account.・

Asked if the FAAC would penalise the corporation, Nenadi said the committee could not.

She added,展e have collectively agreed that there should be subsidy and we think collectively as three tiers of government that we don稚 want Nigerians to pay more for petroleum products than they are already paying.

鄭nd you must agree that the higher the price of crude oil in the oil international market, the more the level of subsidy that is expected of the three tiers of government. So, basically that is the problem.

展e do appreciate the problem of the NNPC that there is indeed subsidy and we have all agreed that there is subsidy. But what we don稚 agree on is the process or procedure of settling this subsidy.・

On why the Federal Government was making withdrawals from the Excess Crude Oil Proceed Account, she explained that it was to finance the independent power project, the payment of the Paris Club debt, the debt owed the NLNG and the Brass NLNG.

On the claims by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission that the crude oil account was illegal, she said that the 1999 Constitution backed the establishment of the account.

的t is not illegal. The Constitution says that there should be cost of collection. I can稚 remember the exact section of the Constitution. We also went to the National Assembly to seek approval, didn稚 we?・she said.

But when told that the National Assembly was yet to approve the government痴 request on withdrawals from the crude oil account, she responded, 迭eally!・

Also reacting to media reports that the government paid $121million to the consultant that negotiated the $18billion debt repayment, Usman said that the sum was only $600,000.

She said, 的t is not true that the government summoned and queried the Debt Management Office over the payment made to the consultant. There was nothing of such nature.・

The FAAC meeting was attended by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mallam Ibrahim Dankwambo; state commissioners for finance and accountants-general, and representatives of the RMAFC, the NNPC, the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigerian Customs Service.

Meanwhile, the three tiers of government have shared N257billion being allocation for June 2006 from the Federation Account.

THE PUNCH, Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Posted by Publisher at 11:41 AM | Comments (0)

Crew members, others feared dead in Lagos ship explosion

IT was a tragic afternoon for maritime business yesterday when an oil vessel exploded at the Berger Depot in Apapa, Lagos.

By Alex Olise, Seye Olumide and Ozoriuwa Aliu

Last night, casualty from the incident was a yet-to-be-known number of deaths and wounded victims.

The fire outbreak was said to have occurred at about 2.00 p.m. from the engine room of the ship, M.T. Tuma, and spread rapidly to the cabin and other parts.

One of the crew members who escaped the explosion told The Guardian that the ship came from Cotonou, Benin Republic, about four days ago and there was a serious problem in the engine room.

He said: "Since then, the chief engineer on board instructed that the engine must not be on because there was a mixture of petrol and diesel oil inside the engine room such that it was difficult for anybody to stay inside.

"But unfortunately, while the chief engineer and the captain left the ship, somebody unknowingly switched on the engine and it exploded," he said.

The crew member added: "The condition of those in the engine room could not be ascertained but I believe they must have died. Some of the crew members in the cabin were badly injured by the explosion and had since been rushed to hospital."

Julius Berger and ASCON Fire Service were the first to arrive at the scene to put out the fire before the men of the Federal Fire Service and Lagos State Fire Service joined them.

In a bid to avoid further disaster, the ship was later pulled away into the sea from the oil tanks of the ports.

Persons believed to be relatives of those in the ship, who could not hear from them since the explosion occurred were crying, calling their cell phone numbers intermittently.

Another crew member, who escaped the explosion, told The Guardian that three of his friends were inside the engine room when the explosion occurred and that he had not heard from them after.

A lady, Olivia Uzoh, was also wailing at the scene asking after his brother, who she identified as Friday.

Following the mysterious explosion, the authorities of the Western Naval Command promptly deployed their men to the scene.

The spokesperson of the command, Lieutenant Commander Ayo Vaughan, said officers were on ground to curtail the situation.

According to him, it is too early to ascertain the cause and number of victims involved in the explosion.

Also, the Lagos State Police Command has deployed a team of policemen to beef-up security at the port.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emmanuel Adebayo, yesterday directed the Apapa Police Division to tighten security at the scene with a view to checking hoodlums who might use the opportunity to siphon oil or cause other havoc within the port.

The Navy, policemen and Red Cross officials from the Lagos State government were at the scene attempting to rescue the victims.

The incident occurred barely a month after 200 persons lost their lives in a pipeline explosion at Ilado Village, in Apapa.

Posted by Publisher at 11:41 AM | Comments (0)

Presidency staff dies in suspicious fire

The family of a member of staff of the Presidency found dead in his car have called for a thorough investigation into the death after witnesses claimed they were stopped from putting out the fire.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006
By Moh’d Lawal Shuaibu

Adindu Umesi, a computer operator in the Presidential Research and Communications Unit (PRCU), was burnt to death in his car in the early hours of the morning yesterday.

A man who saw the fire break out in the car said he was prevented from putting it out by “tall strong men”. Umesi, 36, originally from Umuahia, Abia State, was returning from a petrol station in Asokoro when the fire broke out, burning his car completely, his brother, Ndukaku Umesi, said. He said: “there was no sign of an accident or anything.

My brother’s car was parked well beside the road. How did my brother get burnt in his car without struggling to get out of it? He left the house this morning hale and hearty; the thing to me is a mystery oh.” Another witness, Emmanuel Ishaku, said: “it was at about 5:30am when I was going to Asokoro from One Man village in Nasarawa state to buy fuel when I saw the car bringing out smoke about to catch fire.
I alighted from my car with an extinguisher to help put off the fire. I saw three strange men who were standing around the car and they said I should go; it is their car that it would not get burnt.

The windows of the car were wound up and it was a bit dark and I had to be on my way. “It was on my way from the petrol station that I met the car in this situation with everything burnt beyond recognition. It is unfortunate that when this was happening, there were no passers-by. That is why those evil men succeeded,” When contacted on the issue, Detective Sunday Danlami of the Asokoro police station said the police are investigating, but the incineration could be caused by “electrical faults” He said: “what I cannot say is how he got burnt inside the car without running out.

Because the car is well parked and there was no sign of a car crash anywhere on the road.” Jones William, his colleague at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), before he was seconded to the presidency, said Umesi was a very good man and I do not know why he had to die in his own car in this horrible circumstances. He added that, “the police must unravel the mystery behind this death because I do not want to believe there is no evil hand behind it.

The police must prove their efficiency. This is a challenge”. Ndukaku however said the remains of his elder brother have been deposited at the State House clinic, Asokoro.

Posted by Publisher at 11:34 AM | Comments (0)

Panel Seeks Public Support To Equip Police; Less Than 20% Of Policemen Live In Barracks

Slow police responase to crisis is caused by the few number of personnel who reside in barracks, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Adebayo Adeoye, has argued.

21st June
By Lanre Olaleye and Wisdom Patrick, Lagos

Adeoye made the point on Tuesday when the Presidential Committee On Police Equipment visited the corporate headquarters of Independent Newspapers Limited (INL) in Ogba, Lagos.

He represented the Inspector General, Sunday Ehindero, on the team.

The problem, he stressed, is due to insufficient accommodation in the barracks, where only about 20 per cent of some 80,000 police personnel live.

"This development", Adeoyo explained, "makes it difficult to call out our men whenever there is an emergency situation, like riot".

The police authorities have therefore submitted an estimate of N300 billion to the committee as the amount needed to equip the police for full protection of lives and property.

The committee, inaugurated in February, is to raise fund from the private sector to provide equipment and upgrade welfare.

During the visit, the National Co-ordinator of the project, Kenny Martins, solicited the support of the press in sensitising the public on the activities of the committee.

The fund raising, according to him, would be private sector-driven.

It is time the private sector came to the aid of the police if the collective effort of making Nigeria safe and secure is to yield result, he insisted.

The committee will appeal to corporate bodies, international donor organisations and individuals to donate to the cause, and "donations could be in either cash, kind or services", Martins stated.

The committee has put in place a plan "to raise fund from corporate organisations, especially the financial sector, from which we hope to raise about 50 per cent of the sum. We also hope to bill state governments, local governments and shall also contact international bodies for support".

The committee, which recently met with President Olusegun Obasanjo in Otta, will soon begin a tour of all police formations and commands to assess problems.

Posted by Publisher at 11:33 AM | Comments (0)

I’m under pressure from govs –British envoy

State governors made nocturnal visits and secret telephone enquiries from the British High Commission in Nigeria on their (governors’) standing with London Metropolitan Police.

FUNKE ODUWOLE

The enquiries came rapidly on the heels of the arrests of Governors Joshua Dariye (Plateau State) in 2004 and Dieprieye Alamieyeseigha (Bayelsa State) in 2005 by the London police for alleged money laundering.

British High Commissioner to Nigeria Mr. Richard Gozney who disclosed during a recent visit to the corporate headquarters of Champion Newspapers Limited (CNL), Lagos, said he received telephone calls from many governors seeking to know if they were on the wanted list of the British Police.

He said the governors have been wary of travelling to the United Kingdom (UK) since the arrest of Plateau State governor, Chief Dariye and the impeached governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Alamieyeseigha.

Fielding questions from senior editors of Champion Newspapers, Mr. Gozney said: "I have had some calls, e3ven in the middle of the night and some quite late in the evening, saying High Commissioner could you please tell me if I am on the list or not."

He said his usual response to them was that "there is no list or if there is I am not to tell you about it. But I will tell you what you need to do to be confident when you travel to London and what you should not do."

Daily Champion recalls that Chief Dariye had escaped from London in 2004 after he was arrested by the Metropolitant Police over alleged money laundering.

Similarly, Chief Alamieyeseigha who was being held in a Brisith jail over corruption charges jumped bail in London before returning to Nigeria last year.

But speaking on his country’s new offensive against graft, Mr. Gozney said, "We have now made it an offence under British Law to move money into British banks through corruption."

According to him, "it does not matter if the corrupt act was perpetrated thousands of miles away from Britain, Africa, Asia, wherever.

"The mere fact that you are putting that money into the British banking system makes you a criminal.

"It is a criminal act under our law. It’s just three or four years old and it is beginning to work."

He said Britain has strengthened its banking system adding that whenever a bank sees a movement of money, substandard figures, 5,000 to 10,000 pounds, even might be enough to trigger it. They are obliged to send a report to the police.

"We now have consolidated serious crime agency which has the police, customs authority working with it and there must be hundreds of thousands of banks they visit every day and once they say ‘who is this fellow? Why is he moving that money? That can trigger a police investigation and arrest," he said.

Gozney said the system has worked in the case of Nigerians adding that the system proved effective in detecting alleged money laundering activities of former Bayelsa State governor.

He noted however that his country does not usually have problems with some people. "If people have got asset in Britain which they gained, houses they bought, bank accounts they have opened before they became governors that is fine, nobody would complain.

"But houses they bought or bank accounts they opened while they have been public servants in charge of your money here in Nigeria, then they’ve got a lot of explanations to do."

Alamieyeseigha’s case in Britain, the British envoy said, "I know the case is not closed. I talked a lot with the attorney general, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of EFCC and others and we are happy to say to the Nigerian law and other agencies yes, if you want to try him here, that’s fine but we are not going to close that case until we know what happens to his trial here."

Gozney reiterated that if something happens to the trial here, "he will be a deeply most unwise man to get on the plane to London again. In fact, I shouldn’t say that but I think he knows that."

Posted by Publisher at 11:32 AM | Comments (0)

I`ll make Gwarzo an investors’ hub if...-- Special Adviser

A HOUSE of Representatives aspirant on the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), from Gwarzo/Kabo federal constituency in Kano state has rolled out, as his manifesto, a strategic development plan aimed at making his constituency an investment hub for investors from within and outside the country.

By OUR REPORTER

The aspirant , who is also Special Adviser to Governor Ibrahim Shekarau on Solid Minerals, Alhaji Musa Umar Gwarzo outlined how to go about what he called ``Strategic Development Project`` in an interview with Daily Triumph.

He noted that in order to achieve this initiative if elected in 2007, he would first of all embark on massive industrialisation and mineralization through aggressive agricultural development, cottage industries and small miner projects within the constituency and the state at large.

According to Gwarzo, with abundant kaolin deposits, fertile soil, flat land with good drainage system and four earth dams, the constituency would no doubt be a safe haven for investors.
On agriculture, he said, the land can be used to grow large quantities of cotton, groundnut, sugar cane, maize, beans, soya beans, cassava, wheat, rice in addition to growing fruits and vegetables such as mango, guava, oranges, tomatoes, pepper, lettuce among others.

He said with the vast fertile land and huge able-bodied human resources, highly disease–resistant and intelligent population, according to a recent medical survey all the needed qualities abound for accelerated development in the area.

Alhaji Umar Gwarzo who solicited for the mandate of his people, further observed that he would, if elected, push for the enactment of a law towards the realisation of mass production of these items in order to attract international markets that would bring about capital development to improve the living standard of the people of the area.
He said that he would also develop the tourism potentials of the area with the use of its earth dams to create and accommodate big fishing festival and construction of tourists resorts among other goodies.

Posted by Publisher at 11:31 AM | Comments (0)

Sweden 2-2 England

England will play Ecuador in the last 16 of the World Cup after securing a draw with Sweden to top Group B.

England went in front when Joe Cole hit a sensational lob from 35 yards, only for Marcus Allback to equalise when he headed home from a right-wing corner.

Steven Gerrard headed in Joe Cole's 85th-minute cross, but Henrik Larsson levelled for Sweden in injury time.

The result was marred by a knee injury to striker Michael Owen, who was stretchered off in the first minute.

England will now meet Ecuador in the second round on Sunday at 1600 BST in Stuttgart, while Sweden play Germany in Munich 24 hours earlier.

It was an improved display from England, but they will be concerned by the way they struggled after the break having dominated the first half.

England knew if they could win or draw they would avoid a knock-out encounter with in-form hosts Germany.

But if Sven-Goran Eriksson was looking for a bright start from his side, it could barely have been any worse.

With less than a minute on the clock, Owen picked the ball up on the left and as he tried to pass it, his right knee buckled underneath him.

He immediately crawled to the touchline in agony and received treatment before being stretchered off, replaced by Peter Crouch.

Owen's team-mates looked shell-shocked at such a cruel twist of fate and the contest took time to get going as a result.

When it did get going it was England in the ascendancy, as Joe Cole fired over and Rooney went on a mazy dribble only to see Teddy Lucic block his goalbound shot.

When they went ahead, it was thanks to a goal that announced Joe Cole on the world stage as one of the stars of this tournament.

The Chelsea midfielder chested down a clearance 35 yards out, let the ball bounce and hit the most outrageous, dipping volley that Andreas Isaksson could only help into the top corner.

In a World Cup already full to the brim of sensational strikes, this one will remain up there with the very best.

England were buzzing, Joe Cole and Rooney in particular, and Frank Lampard and Rooney shot just over as England tried to double their lead.

But they were hit by a sucker-punch six minutes after the break, as Allback rose all too easily to glance home a Tobias Linderoth corner.

Former Villa striker Allback nearly made it two from another corner as England failed to learn their lesson, this time the ball ricocheting off Jamie Carragher's arm and Paul Robinson brilliantly reacting to tip it onto the bar.

From being in total control, England were all of a sudden in disarray.

Another corner, another free header - this time for Lucic - and Olof Mellberg volleyed against Robinson's crossbar.

England still looked shaky at the back and substitute Gerrard had to hack the ball off the line after Kim Kallstrom fired goalwards, as yet again a corner caused chaos.

Just as England looked like they were on the rack, Joe Cole crossed for Gerrard to nod in at the far post.

But they were denied a first win over Sweden since 22 May 1968 when they failed to clear another ball pumped into their box and Larsson pounced to poke home.

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Sweden: Isaksson, Lucic, Mellberg, Edman, Alexandersson, Linderoth (Andersson 90), Kallstrom, Ljungberg, Jonson (Wilhelmsson 54), Larsson, Allback (Elmander 74).
Subs Not Used: Alvbage, Hansson, Ibrahimovic, Nilsson, Rosenberg, Shaaban, Stenman, Anders Svensson, Karl Svensson.

Booked: Alexandersson, Ljungberg.

Goals: Allback 51, Larsson 90.

England: Robinson, Carragher, Ferdinand (Campbell 56), Terry, Ashley Cole, Beckham, Lampard, Hargreaves, Joe Cole, Rooney (Gerrard 69), Owen (Crouch 4).
Subs Not Used: Bridge, Carrick, Carson, Downing, James, Jenas, Lennon, Neville, Walcott.

Booked: Hargreaves.

Goals: Joe Cole 34, Gerrard 85.

Att: 45,000.

Ref: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland).

Fifa man of the match: Joe Cole

TRIVIA
Marcus Allback scored the 2,000th goal in World Cup history by netting Sweden's equaliser (1-1). Henrik Larsson's goal came 12 years after his first in the World Cup in 1994. The Swedish forward has now joined Pele, Uwe Seeler, Diego Maradona, Michael Laudrup and Sami Al Jaber as players who managed to net in the World Cup 12 years after their maiden goal in the competition.

Larsson appeared in the finals for the 12th time, becoming Sweden's most capped World Cup player ever. He equalled Kennet Andersson as Sweden's all-time World Cup top scorer with five goals, and also became the 19th player to score at three or more of the competition finals.

Michael Owen was substituted in the fourth minute of the match, equalling the fastest substitution in World Cup history. Sol Campbell became the tenth English player to appear in three World Cups, and England are still without a victory over Sweden since 22 May 1968.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 11:18 AM | Comments (0)

Paraguay 2-0 Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago's spirited World Cup campaign ended with defeat by Paraguay in Kaiserslautern.

The Caribbean side went behind in the 25th minute through a headed own goal from Gillingham defender Brent Sancho.

Paraguay doubled their lead through Nelson Cuevas four minutes from time for a scoreline which slightly flattered the South Americans.

Trinidad attacked with gusto, but defeat left them goalless and bottom of the group on their tournament debut.

The Soca Warriors can consider themselves unlucky not to have got off the mark after launching waves of second-half attacks.

It was a disappointing anti-climax for the smallest country, with a population of just 1.3 million, to qualify for the finals.

Trinidad will look back with some pride on a campaign which saw a gutsy draw with Sweden and a battling defeat by England.

They went into their final group game needing a win, and England to beat the Swedes, for any chance of going through on goal difference.

While the other Group B game in Cologne ended in a draw, effectively rendering this match a dead rubber, Trinidad again emerged with credit.

Coach Leo Beenhakker was able to bring Dundee keeper Kelvin Jack back from injury to replace Shaka Hislop and also recalled Avery John after a one-match ban.

A busy opening saw Jack soon pressed into action with a diving left-handed save to deny Roque Santa Cruz's header from a probing Edgar Barreto free-kick.

Trinidad hit back as Glen forced Aldo Bobadillo to parry and Aurtis Whitley fired a drive just over.

Paraguay, who had no hope of qualifying after two earlier defeats, were posed early questions by former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker Dwight Yorke.

As the sides traded blows, Werder Bremen striker Nelson Valdez caused a few scares for Trinidad, without seriously threatening.

But then Paraguay dealt a huge blow to their opponents' slender qualification hopes with a fortunate opening goal.

Sancho deflected into the net after Toro Acuna's free-kick was headed on by Julio dos Santos.

Boosted by the lead, Paraguay began to dominate and Denis Caniza's shot under Jack 10 minutes later appeared to have increased the lead before a late offside flag ruled out the goal.

Denzil Theobald also cleared off the line from Carlos Paredes, but Trinidad emerged for the second half with renewed vigour, and a Carlos Edwards cross just evaded the advancing Yorke and Chris Burchill.

Urged on by a noisy band of supporters, they continued to push forward through the impressive Luton midfielder Edwards and Yorke.

The pair almost combined again, before the ball fell to substitute Evans Wise, on for Glen, who struck his shot into the side netting.

Port Vale's Birchall fired over from distance and veteran midfielder Russell Latapy - capping a fine international career - shot wide as a host of chances went begging.

Paraguay made Trinidad pay as Cuevas combined for a neat one-two with Santa Cruz before stylishly slotting home to seal the victory and third place in the group.

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Paraguay: Bobadilla, Nunez, Gamarra, Caceres (Manzur 78), Caniza (Da Silva 88), Barreto, Acuna, Paredes, Dos Santos, Santa Cruz, Valdez (Cuevas 66).
Subs Not Used: Bonet, Cabanas, Gavilan, Gomez, Lopez, Montiel, Riveros, Toledo, Villar.

Booked: Paredes, Dos Santos.

Goals: Sancho 25 og, Cuevas 86.

Trinidad and Tobago: Jack, Avery John (Jones 31), Sancho, Lawrence, Birchall, Whitley (Latapy 66), Edwards, Theobald, Glen (Wise 41), Stern John, Yorke.
Subs Not Used: Andrews, Charles, Cox, Gray, Hislop, Ince, Samuel, Scotland, Wolfe.

Booked: Sancho, Whitley.

Att: 46,000

Ref: Roberto Rosetti (Italy).

Fifa man of the match: Julio Dos Santos

TRIVIA
Paraguay are eliminated at the group stage for the first time in four appearances. On each of the other three they also managed to win just one group match.

Trinidad & Tobago are the third debutants at the 2006 Fifa World Cup to have been knocked out. The others are Ivory Coast and Togo. The Caribbeans are leaving Germany without a goal scored. They join a list of only eight countries who have not scored a single goal in a World Cup finals.

Leo Beenhakker became the first coach to be in charge of seven World Cup matches and not get a victory.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 11:17 AM | Comments (0)

Ecuador 0-3 Germany

Hosts Germany made it three wins out of three in the World Cup as they beat Ecuador to finish top of Group A.

Miroslav Klose, now with four goals, became the tournament's leading scorer, first putting the Germans ahead early on by rifling home from close range.

He then coolly slotted in from Michael Ballack's brilliant chip before Lucas Podolski slid home to wrap it up.

If England avoid defeat against Sweden in their Group B tie, they will play Ecuador in the last 16 on Sunday.

The Germans were clearly taking the threat of a possible meeting with England more seriously than Ecuador and, despite having already qualified, were at full strength.

Having started the World Cup as dark horses, Germany's qualification for the knockout stages has been remarkably easy.

Granted, they have not faced any sort of test yet, coming up against a poor Costa Rica, a woeful Poland and now Ecuador who rested half of their first-team regulars.

But they have beaten every team they have faced, and they never seriously looked in any danger of not getting all three points once again in Berlin.

They took an early lead when Ecuador hopelessly failed to clear their lines and Bastian Schweinsteiger cleverly pulled the ball back for Klose to arrow into the corner from eight yards.

In truth, Germany should have had it wrapped up well before the break.

Klose just failed to connect with a Philipp Lahm cross, Bernd Schneider lashed one off target and Ballack's audacious 50-yard lob flew just over the bar.

Podolski looked like he desperately needed a goal to boost his flagging confidence, but when the killer second came, it fell to his strike partner once more.

Ballack's sumptuous chip cut out two defenders and Klose - albeit clumsily - rounded Cristian Mora and slotted home to double the advantage.

If Podolski was worried, he need not have been. Just before the hour mark, he finally broke his World Cup duck.

Germany repelled an Ecuador attack and broke quickly on the counter, Schweinsteiger sending Schneider away down the right from where the midfielder crossed superbly for a sliding Podolski to guide the ball home.

They cantered home after that, coach Jurgen Klinsmann using his substitutions to give Klose, Torsten Frings and Schneider a rest ahead of their last 16 tie on Saturday.

Which - as they look most likely to face Sweden - is almost certain to be their first real test of the 2006 World Cup.

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Ecuador: Mora, De la Cruz, Espinoza, Ambrossi, Guagua, Valencia (Lara 63), Edwin Tenorio, Ayovi (Urrutia 68), Mendez, Borja (Benitez 45), Kaviedes.
Subs Not Used: Castillo, Delgado, Hurtado, Lanza, Perlaza, Reasco, Saritama, Carlos Tenorio, Villafuerte.

Booked: Valencia.

Germany: Lehmann, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Huth, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Frings (Borowski 66), Ballack, Schneider (Asamoah 72), Klose (Neuville 66), Podolski.
Subs Not Used: Hanke, Hildebrand, Hitzlsperger, Jansen, Kahn, Kehl, Metzelder, Nowotny, Odonkor.

Booked: Borowski.

Goals: Klose 4, 44, Podolski 57.

Att: 72,000.

Ref: Valentin Ivanov (Russia).

Fifa man of the match: Michael Ballack

TRIVIA
Germany have now won their group in each of the last five World Cup editions (including 2006). The last time Germany failed to finish first in the group phase was in 1986 when they were runners-up to Denmark in Group E.

Germany have now scored in each of their first three matches at the 2006 World Cup. In 2002 they scored in every match except for the final against Brazil (2-0). Miroslav Klose's opening goal in the 4th minute was the second fastest World Cup goal ever by a German player. The German record is held by Rudiger Abramczik who scored in the third minute against the Netherlands in 1978.

Klose's opening goal was also the fourth fastest goal scored at the 2006 World Cup and the first goal conceded by Ecuador this tournament. Klose has now lifted his World Cup total to nine goals. Only Gerd Muller (14), Jurgen Klinsmann (11) and Helmut Rahn (10) have scored more World Cup goals for Germany.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 11:16 AM | Comments (0)

Costa Rica 1-2 Poland

Bartosz Bosacki notched his first goals for Poland to help his side to victory in Group A's dead rubber and ease the pressure on coach Pawel Janas.

With both sides already eliminated from the competition, it was an uninspiring start before Costa Rica's Ronald Gomez fired a low free-kick past Artur Boruc.

However, Bosacki equalised minutes later, volleying home from a corner.

And the defender sealed the win with a thumping header, before Paulo Wanchope saw a late effort denied for offside.

The win ensured Poland, who were favourites to progress to the second round alongside Germany before the tournament, ended their campaign with a valuable win that might help keep Janas in a job following a raft of criticism.

A languid start was memorable only for referee Shamsul Maidin's booking count, a tally that had reached 10 by the end of the match.

However, after 24 minutes the match sprung to life when the Poles fell behind to Gomez's low free-kick, allowed to squirm through his own legs by keeper Boruc.

Suddenly, both sides offered more purpose and the match developed into an open contest.

Ireneusz Jelen's fine break down the right flank caused Costa Rica problems before it was eventually cleared, while Wanchope should have done better when he failed to generate any power from Gomez's square-ball into the box.

But it was left to Bosacki to net the game's second, and Poland's equaliser, when he volleyed in Maciej Zurawski's corner for his first international goal on his 13th appearance.

Just like the opener, the goal owed much to a keeping error, this time Jose Porras failing to collect the cross amid muted cries for a foul by Ebi Smolarek.

A see-saw end to the half saw Zurawski force another good block after a fine break, before Gomez launched a free-kick towards goal that was only denied by Jacek Bak's headed clearance.

With the sweltering 28C temperature taking its toll, the second half failed to produce much early urgency, though Costa Rica twice went close before the hour through Cristian Bolanos' looped effort and Wanchope's tame header.

But, just as it did in the second half, proceedings livened up midway through the half and, after Jacek Krzynowek had forced a fine save from long range, Bosacki notched his second of the game with a towering header at the back post from the resulting corner.

Costa Rica fought admirably thereafter, and even thought they had grabbed a late equaliser when Wanchope, hoping to mark his World Cup swansong with a goal, poked home.

However, the effort was rightly ruled out for offside and the match petered out to draw a line under proceedings of what was an ultimately pointless encounter in Hanover.

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Costa Rica: Porras, Drummond (Wallace 70), Gonzalez, Umana, Marin, Bolanos (Saborio 78), Solis, Centeno, Badilla, Wanchope, Gomez (Hernandez 82).
Subs Not Used: Mesen, Fonseca, Bernard, Azofeifa, Sequeira, Nunez, Rodriguez, Alfaro, Martinez.

Booked: Umana, Marin, Gomez, Badilla, Gonzalez.

Goals: Gomez 24.

Poland: Boruc, Baszczynski, Bak, Bosacki, Zewlakow, Krzynowek, Szymkowiak, Smolarek (Rasiak 85), Radomski (Lewandowski 64), Jelen, Zurawski (Brozek 45).
Subs Not Used: Jop, Gancarczyk, Kosowski, Kuszczak, Mila, Dudka, Giza, Fabianski.

Booked: Radomski, Bak, Zewlakow, Baszczynski, Boruc.

Goals: Bosacki 33, 66.

Att: 43,000

Ref: Shamsul Maidin (Singapore).

Fifa man of the match: Bartosz Bosacki

TRIVIA
Poland's win was only their second in the last eight World Cup matches - the other victory being a 3-1 triumph over the United States in 2002. Jacek Bak made his 75th appearance for Poland and became the nations sixth most capped player. Grzegorz Lato is record holder for Poland with 100 caps.

Costa Rica have failed to win their last five World Cup matches, losing the last four. Their most recent victory came in their opening match of the 2002 tournament against China (2-0). The all-time record of nine consecutive defeats was set by Mexico between 1930 and 1958.

Referee Shamsul Maidin from Singapore showed ten yellow cards in this match. More cards have been shown in only three World Cup matches.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 11:09 AM | Comments (0)

June 20, 2006

Spain 3-1 Tunisia

Teenager Cesc Fabregas came off the bench to guide Spain into the last 16.

Tunisia had taken a surprise lead on eight minutes after Joahar Mnari beat Iker Casillas at the second attempt.

But on 71 minutes Ali Boumnijel spilled Fabregas' shot allowing Raul to score, with the Arsenal midfielder then setting up a goal for Fernando Torres.

The Atletico Madrid striker scored his third goal of the tournament when he won and scored a stoppage-time penalty, a spot-kick Boumnijel almost saved.

The win sent Spain to the top of Group H with six points, though Tunisia still have a chance of qualifying.

It was Spain coach Luis Aragones' decision to introduce Fabregas - the youngest Spanish player to appear in a World Cup - and striker Raul at the beginning of the second half that turned the game.

Until then Tunisia had frustrated Spain, through some clever tactics as well as brave defending, masterminded by Bolton centre-back Radhi Jaidi.

Indeed the North African side had taken the lead with their very first attack.

It was a goal that owed everything to the persistence and skill of Zaid Jaziri, who after brushing past Carles Puyol, beat three other Spanish players before picking out the advancing Mnari.

The Nuremberg midfielder's volley was parried by Iker Casillas, but Mnari made no mistake from the rebound.

David Villa spearheaded Spain's attempts to pull level in the first half, going close with a free-kick and then releasing Torres with a clever pass.

For a split second Torres glimpsed goal, before Hatem Trabelsi moved in to outmuscle the Atletico Madrid striker.

As well as providing defensive cover, Trabelsi was just as keen to scamper forward to give Tunisia a useful attacking outlet on the right.

Tunisia rode their luck at times - Luis Garcia flicking a header wide from Xavi's free-kick after the Liverpool forward had been fouled by Anis Ayari.

Garcia's Liverpool team-mate flashed a long-range shot narrowly wide and on the stroke of half-time Ayari headed Xabi Alonso's header off the line.

But Fabregas's arrival changed the game with the midfielder having an immediate impact, thumping a shot goalward that Boumnijel did well to beat away.

Soon after Aragones went for broke, throwing on his third substitute as Real Betis winger Joaquin replaced Valencia striker David Villa.

Joaquin provided the pass for a second Fabregas shot that set up Spain's equaliser, an effort Boumnijel was unable to hold, allowing Raul to score from close range.

A rush of blood to the head by Boumnijel proved fatal to Tunisia's hopes of coming away with a point as Fabregas released Torres.

Boumnijel was caught hopelessly out of position allowing Torres to flick the ball into the unguarded net.

Late on Torres was fouled by Alaeddine Yahia as he jumped for the ball, though the Spain forward was slightly lucky to score with the penalty, a goal that means he is the World Cup's current top goalscorer.

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Spain: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Puyol, Pablo, Pernia, Xavi, Alonso, Senna (Fabregas 45), Luis Garcia (Raul 45), Torres, Villa (Joaquin 56).
Subs Not Used: Albelda, Antonio Lopez, Canizares, Iniesta, Juanito, Marchena, Reina, Reyes, Salgado.

Booked: Puyol, Fabregas.

Goals: Raul 72, Torres 76, 90 pen.

Tunisia: Boumnijel, Haggui, Jaidi, Ayari (Yahia 56), Trabelsi, Mnari, Bouazizi (Ghodhbane 56), Chedli (Gmamdia 79), Namouchi, Nafti, Jaziri.
Subs Not Used: Ben Saada, Chikhaoui, Essediri, Jemmali, Kasraoui, Melliti, Nefzi, Saidi, Santos.

Booked: Ayari, Trabelsi, Jaidi, Gmamdia, Jaziri, Mnari.

Goals: Mnari 8.

Att: 52,000.

Ref: Carlos Eugenio Simon (Brazil).

Fifa man of the match: Xabi Alonso

TRIVIA
Spain are now unbeaten in 24 matches. Their last defeat came on 22 June 2004, when Portugal beat them 1-0 at Euro 2004.

Raul joined Butragueno, Hierro and Morientes as the fourth Spanish player to score five World Cup goals. Raul also became the 18th player to score at three or more World Cups. Fernando Torres is now top scorer of the 2006 World Cup with three goals.

Tunisia are on a streak of 10 matches without a win at the World Cup. This string started after they became the first African nation to gain a World Cup victory, when they beat Mexico 3-1 in 1978.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 01:33 PM | Comments (0)

Saudi Arabia 0-4 Ukraine

Ukraine put their hammering at the hands of Spain behind them by outclassing a poor Saudi Arabia side.

Ukraine were ahead inside four minutes when Mabrouk Zaid needlessly gave away a corner and Andriy Rusol bundled in.

Saudi keeper Zaid was also at fault when he slipped attempting to keep out Serhiy Rebrov's 35-yard piledriver.

Maxim Kalinichenko set up Andriy Shevchenko to head a third just after half-time and the roles were reversed for Kalinichenko to tap in a fourth.

Little went right for Ukraine on their World Cup finals debut against the Spanish.

But it was a vastly different story in Hamburg as they showed why they were the first European side to qualify for the finals.

The Saudis appeared nervous from the start, in particular Zaid, and Ukraine were not slow to take advantage.

The keeper made a hash of a goalkick to give Ukraine an early corner.

Kalinichenko curled the ball in and defender Rusol marched into the area unopposed to deflect it off his knee and through the unfortunate Zaid's legs.

Saudi Arabia seemed to struggle in the slippery conditions in Hamburg, while Ukraine found the surface to their liking with their swift, counter-attacking passing game.

Shevchenko was looking more like the striker Chelsea paid £30m for and was involved more in the opening quarter of an hour than in a statuesque 90 minutes against Spain.

Ahmed Dokhi cleared a Shevchenko effort off the line, while the former AC Milan star just failed to get on the end of a Kalinichenko pass after English referee Graham Poll had unintentionally played a part in the build-up.

The closest Saudi Arabia got to a goal was when Rusol's knee almost scored at the wrong end, but the defender will have been relieved to see his mis-hit clearance flash past the post.

Rebrov fired in a second goal shortly before the interval.

Anatoliy Tymoschuk rolled the ball into the feet of the former Spurs and West Ham forward and he was given space to turn.

He showed no hesitation in hitting a fine strike that flew into the corner, although there was more questionable goalkeeping from Zaid who slipped as he tried to get across to the shot.

Zaid's performance seemed all the more bizarre with Mohammed Al Daeyea - he of the world-record 181 caps - sitting on the bench.

Any hope of the Saudis launching another second half comeback lasted less than a minute of the second period.

Another pin-point centre from Kalinichenko saw Shevchenko open his World Cup finals account with a simple header.

Kalinichenko was denied a deserved goal when he hit the bar with a shot, but six minutes from time he put their goal difference back on level terms when he sidefooted home from a Shevchenko centre.

The win puts Ukraine's qualification hopes back on track and victory over Tunisia in their final game will ensure their progress to the knock-out stages.

Saudi Arabia will have to beat Spain to have any hope of going through, and on this performance they can now start preparing for their flight home.

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Saudi Arabia: Zaid, Dokhi (Khathran 55), Tukar, Al Montashari, Sulimani, Al Ghamdi, Ameen (Mouath 55), Noor (Al Jaber 77), Khariri, Aziz, Al Kahtani.
Subs Not Used: Al Anbar, Al Bahri, Al Daeyea, Al Harthi, Al Qadi, Al Temyat, Khojah, Massad.

Booked: Dokhi, Al Ghamdi, Khariri.

Ukraine: Shovkovskiy, Nesmachniy, Rusol, Sviderskiy, Tymoschuk, Shelayev, Gusev, Rebrov (Rotan 71), Kalinichenko, Shevchenko (Milevskiy 85), Voronin (Gusin 79).
Subs Not Used: Yatsenko, Yezerskiy, Byelik, Chigrynskiy, Nazarenko, Pyatov, Shust, Vorobey.

Booked: Nesmachniy, Kalinichenko, Sviderskiy.

Goals: Rusol 4, Rebrov 36, Shevchenko 46, Kalinichenko 84.

Att: 50,000.

Ref: Graham Poll (England).

Fifa man of the match: Maxim Kalinichenko.

TRIVIA
This 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia was the first ever victory for Ukraine at a World Cup. Andri Rusol became the first ever goalscorer for the nation in the competition. Maksim Kalinichenko had two assists in this game. Beckham (England), Figo (Portugal), Mendez (Ecuador), Riquelme (Argentina) and Schweinsteiger (Germany) are the other players with two assists at the 2006 World Cup.

Ukraine have won six of the seven matches they've played this year. Apart from the 4-0 defeat against Spain, they kept a clean sheet in every other game in 2006.

Saudi Arabia's winless World Cup sequence was extended to nine matches. The last time they won a game in the tournament finals was on 29 June 1994 when they beat Belgium 1-0.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 01:31 PM | Comments (0)

Togo 0-2 Switzerland

Switzerland stepped up their bid for a place in the knock-out stages and ended Togo's campaign thanks to goals from Alexander Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta.

Rennes striker Frei neatly stabbed home the unmarked Barnetta's cross from close-range after 17 minutes.

Togo were denied a decent penalty claim when Emmanuel Adebayor was chopped down and Mohammed Kader twice went close.

But despite a sustained spell of Togo pressure, Barnetta rifled in late on to send the World Cup debutants home.

After the 2-1 defeat to South Korea in their first match, the African side needed to avoid defeat in Dortmund to stand any chance of getting out of the group.

There was even a doubt before the match that the fixture would go ahead after a row over player bonuses in the Togo squad.

But despite all their off-field problems, Togo began brightly and had good chances to open the scoring.

Adebayor's headed flick fell to Kader whose neat turn failed to receive the finish it deserved and ended up in the hands of Pascal Zuberbuehler.

Kader and strike partner Adebayor continued to cause the Swiss back line problems and Adebayor felt he should have had a penalty when he appeared to be held back when heading towards goal.

But for all the Africans' endeavour in attack, their defensive frailties were soon exposed when poor marking led to Switzerland's opener.

Barnetta found himself with acres of space down the Switzerland right and he volleyed Ludovic Magnan's cross into the box for Frei to turn home from five yards.

Togo failed to wilt under the strain however and hit back with a chance of their own.

An horrific gaffe from the out-of-sorts Arsenal defender Phillipe Senderos handed Thomas Dossevi a free shot on goal, but he blazed his effort wide from close range.

As Togo searched for a way back into the match, they were denied what looked to be a certain penalty by referee Carlos Amarilla.

The Paraguayan official waved away appeals after Adebayor was scythed down by Patrick Muller and Togo would have felt hard done by going into the break a goal down.

The Swiss started the second half with more zest and Barnetta had a half volley acrobatically tipped over by Zuberbuehler while substitute Hakan Yakin sliced a long-range drive just over.

Yakin should have put the Swiss in a commanding position on 64 minutes, but his close-range shot when clean through was well palmed away by Kossi Agassi.

As Togo went in search of the vital equaliser the game became stretched, but they were kept out by a lack of quality in the final third and a resolute rearguard display.

And to compound Togo's misery, Barnetta completed Switzerland's victory with a sweet strike from just inside the penalty area on 88 minutes to send to them top of Group G.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Togo: Agassa, Nibombe, Tchangai, Toure, Agboh (Salifou 24), Dossevi (Senaya 68), Cherif-Toure (Malm 86), Romao, Forson, Adebayor, Mohamed.
Subs Not Used: Akoto, Atsou, Aziawonou, Erassa, Obilale, Olufade, Tchagnirou, Assemoassa.

Booked: Salifou, Adebayor, Romao.

Switzerland: Zuberbuhler, Muller, Philipp Degen, Senderos, Magnin, Barnetta, Vogel, Wicky, Cabanas (Streller 77), Frei (Lustrinelli 87), Gygax (Yakin 45).
Subs Not Used: Benaglio, Coltorti, David Degen, Djourou, Dzemaili, Grichting, Margairaz, Spycher, Behrami.

Booked: Vogel.

Goals: Frei 17, Barnetta 88.

Att: 65,000

Ref: Carlos Amarilla (Paraguay).

Fifa man of the match: Alex Frei

TRIVIA
Alexander Frei's effort was Switzerland's first World Cup goal since Georges Bregy scored in their 4-1 win over Romania at the 1994 World Cup. By netting his 26th international goal, Frei equalled Adrian Knup as Switzerland's fifth all-time top scorer. At the age of 21 years and 28 days, Tranquillo Barnetta became the third youngest goalscorer for his country in World Cup finals.

After failing to keep a clean sheet in their first 22 World Cup matches, Switzerland have now kept two in a row.

Togo have only scored four goals in their nine matches in 2006.

Trivia Stats source: Infostrada Sports

Posted by Publisher at 01:29 PM | Comments (0)

Rioters burn Onitsha prison, free 204 inmates

Hoodlums on Monday set Onitsha Prison ablaze and freed over 204 inmates.

John Ameh, Onitsha

It was learnt that the hoodlums arrived at the prison, located on the bank of the River Niger, around 5am and overpowered the guards before setting it on fire.

Although the 204 inmates were reportedly ordered to escape, four of them were said to have later returned to the yard.

The Agence France Presse, quoted one of the returnees, Bright Chukwujekwu, as having told journalists that the attackers were armed with guns, machetes, hammers, iron rods and acid.

He claimed that a number of prison officials on duty were injured by the mob who presented themselves as members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra.

But MASSOB痴 spokesman, Mr. David Chinedu, denied his group痴 involvement in the attack.

A few hours after the incident, Governor Peter Obi directed security operative to shoot on site, any hoodlum hiding under the cover of the National Association of Road Transport Owners and MASSOB to cause violence in Onitsha.

Obi gave the directive a few minutes after an emergency meeting with security chiefs in the state.

Those who attended the meeting included representatives of the Army, the Police, the State Security Service as well as those referred to as 鄭nambra stakeholders.・

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Mike Okiro, who arrived in the state on Monday to take over police operations also attended the meeting.

Obi, who looked sad as the meeting rose, told journalists that MASSOB, NARTO and the Anambra Vigilance Service must leave the state.

He said, ・We have told the police what to do since it is their duty to enforce law and order. All we want is that, every group should leave Onitsha. By that, I mean MASSOB, NARTO, AVS; whoever.

典he police know what to do. As the Chief Security Officer of this state, I am saying we do not want these people again.

的f any of them does not leave, shoot on site; they must leave. They are our problems.

展e know these things. Some people are behind NARTO and MASSOB. They represent nothing good for the people of Anambra State.・

He described the attack on the prison as regrettable.

The first attack on the Prison was on February 23, during the reprisal in the city over cartoon on Prophet Mohammed.

Okiro also told journalists after the expanded security meeting that the Federal Government was worried about the violence in Onitsha.

He explained that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, instructed him to oversee the security operations in the city because of the crisis.

The DIG said, 溺y stay here is indefinite. Onitsha is of commercial importance to Nigeria, so we shall do everything possible to restore peace there.

的 am here to join the AIG ,Zone ・・(Mr. Ade Ajakaiye). I will go round and assess the damage and after that, we shall draw up the strategies to ensure that this thing does not happen again・ Okiro said.

He denied allegations that the police were backing NARTO, in spite of the fact that it had been outlawed in the state.

According to him, a body which has been outlawed remains so until otherwise stated.

But the DIG parried a question on why his men had been unable to arrest any NARTO member in the state.

典here are no badges on the faces of people arrested to say this one is NARTO or the other group,・Okiro said.

He confirmed that the police lost one Armoured Personnel Carrier, two stations and vehicles. But he denied that any policeman was killed by the hoodlums.

Our correspondent reported that most parts of Onitsha remained calm on Monday afternoon, with residents and traders going about their normal businesses.

A bus driver, Mr. Uchenna Okonkwo, said that he drove up to Upper Iweka, the theatre of the current fighting, and was surprised that major roads had been opened to traffic.

A team of soldiers and riot policemen patrolled the Onitsha flyover, which links the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway.

The dual carriage way had been blocked by hoodlums for the better part of last week.

They reportedly extorted as much as N500 from desperate travellers before allowing them to proceed on their journey.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Restoration Group, Prof. Pat Utomi, has urged the Federal Government to urgently resolve the Onitsha crisis.

Utomi, in a statement on Monday in Lagos, said the crisis would have a long-term effect on the commercial life of the city if allowed to degenerate.

Utomi, who said he had been speaking with some of the stakeholders, including Obi, noted that it was important for the Federal Government to thoroughly investigate the cause of the crisis.

He called on the gladiators in state to be careful not to sacrifice the future of their children on the altar of immediate material and power gratification.

Utomi also called on leading statesmen from the state to speak boldly on the issue so that innocent and poor Nigerians do not continue to suffer hardship as a result of the callousness of power mongers.

He noted that the fracas in Onitsha again showed the importance of a decentralised policing system and regretted the limits the governor of a state had to act to ensure law and order.

Such incidents, he said, had shown that law and order should be a top priority in the 2007 campaign.

The RG leader enjoined all Nigerians to recognise that peace and economic freedom are directly related.

THE PUNCH, Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Posted by Publisher at 01:10 PM | Comments (0)

Onitsha violence escalates - 5 declared missing

AS the clash between the police, members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the National Association of Road Transport Workers (NARTO) entered the third day yesterday, five persons were declared missing and the 3-3 area police station burnt down.

SYVANUS EZE, Awka - 20.06.2006

A police officer, ASP Ikechukwu Egbochukwu, who took the state governor, Mr. Peter Obi, round the burnt station, said the miscreants released two detained persons before burning down the 3-3 area police station at Onitsha.

An eyewitness, Mr John Iwu, said NARTO members, angered by the ban placed on them and their activities in Anambra State, re-ignited the clash that had almost died down on Sunday, went out on the streets of Onitsha, shooting sporadically and making bonfires and singing Biafran freedom songs.

He said that five persons who were said to be passers-by were arrested by the miscreants in NITEL area of Upper-Iweka and their whereabouts were unknown.

One of the relations of the missing persons, Mr. Madueke Nwige, who said he came from Ojoto in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, disclosed that they had searched for their missing brother, Mr. Emmanuel Nwigwe, in all the police stations in Onitsha and other parts of Anambra State without success.

He added that the police denied arresting him and NARTO also denied knowing anything about his whereabouts.

The development prompted the state governor, Mr. Peter Obi, to make a second broadcast to the people of the state after that of Saturday, to assure them of the state government’s preparedness to see that peace returned to Onitsha.

He placed a dusk to dawn curfew on Onitsha from 6 p.m. to 6a.m. daily for one week and called on residents of the town to stay calm and go about their lawful business without fear of molestation.

Governor Obi said that President Obasanjo had returned to the country and had taken necessary action to calm the situation and appealed to the miscreants in Onitsha and other parts of Anambra State to desist from their actions henceforth.

Meanwhile, soldiers have taken over control of Onitsha streets in an attempt to protect life and property of the residents of the city.

Posted by Publisher at 01:06 PM | Comments (0)

...Gov Obi orders shoot on sight

PEEVED by continued threat to lives and property in Onitsha, Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi yesterday directed security operatives to shoot on sight hoodlums caught perpetrating violence in the city.

ALPHONSUS NWEZE, Onitsha and ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU, Awka

Mr. Obi had on Sunday imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the commercial hub of the South East zone as part of measures to contain activities of suspected members of Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).

Said he: "This problem is easy and can be solved easily. All we want is let every group

leave Onitsha. And by that I mean, MASSOB, National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and Anambra Vigilance Services (AVS) whoever. So what they (police, army) should do is to direct that everybody leave and also if any of them does not leave shoot on sight. They must leave. That’s all’’ he insisted.

Speaking shortly after a security meeting with all security chiefs, including Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Operations, Mr. Mike Okiro and other agencies in the state, Governor Obi said that MASSOB and NARTO represent nothing but evil and derive joy in causing problem in Anambra State and therefore should be dealth with ruthlessly for bringing bad image to Onitsha and causing business flight.

But the Anambra State House of Assembly yesterday absolved MASSOB of the allegation of masterminding the crisis in Onitsha.

Deputy chairman Police Affairs and member security committee in the state House of Assembly Hon. Frank Anthony Igboka who spoke shortly after the joint meeting decried the sufferings of the masses ,unsuspecting visitors, and traders at Onitsha and identified the root of the crises as control of motor parks in Onitsha and the state at large which members of MASSOB resisted that NARTO should not control.

‘’You see when you talk about MASSOB, I don’t believe MASSOB is the problem, I believe it is the issue of NARTO and so on. And issue of NARTO taking over the parks and MASSOB saying they should not take over the parks and this thing is escalating and turning into different directions and the poor masses are suffering."

On his part, Mr Mike Okiro has vowed to restore peace in Anambra State before long as nothing can be done in an environment of rancour and acrimony especially Onitsha which is the commercial hub of West Africa. He warned that NARTO should remain outlawed as ordered by the state government.

According to him, "Anambra state is such a place that needs peace for progress to go ahead. Without peace we can’t do anything. Onitsha is such a place that is known to be of commercial importance to Nigeria so we won’t allow it to happen any longer. If an outfit is proscribed by law it remains so. And the police do not support illegality. It is our duty to make sure that law and order prevail. It is our duty to ensure that law is enforced. So, any group that is proscribed until there is reversal it remains proscribed".

Meanwhile, Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) has said that unless the market trade unions is re-organized, the problem in Onitsha will continue since only traders have the solution to the crisis.

Its Vice President, Mr. Vin Obi who said this in Awka described the crisis as unfortunate attributing it to absence of market leaders. He said traders who are neither members of MASSOB nor NARTO are the greatest victims of the crisis. He pledged their loyalty and support to Governor Obi but demanded that he re-organized and re-engineer the market leadership.

Posted by Publisher at 12:58 PM | Comments (0)

Etiebet quits ANPP

Fortunes of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) further nosedived on Monday following the surprising exit of its immediate past National Chairman, Chief Don Etiebet.

By Francis Awowole-Browne, Abuja
Tuesday, June 20, 2006

This is coming barely two weeks ago after two governors elected on ANPP platform and members of the Gen. Jerremiah Useni led faction left for rival political parties over alleged irreconcilable differences with the leadership.

While the governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa and the Useni group crossed to the new Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), his Jigawa counterpart, Alhaji Saminu Turaki defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Though Ettiebet did not give reasons for his decision to dump the ANPP, Daily Sun gathered that he might be heading to the PDP where he hopes to actualize his governoship ambition in Akwa Ibom State.

Rumours that Etiebet would be contesting the Akwa Ibom State gubernatorial seat had been in the air for some time with the Useni group accusing him of romancing the PDP.

Reacting to the development on Monday, National Publicity Director of the ANPP, Alhaji Ibrahim Moddibo, told Daily Sun that Etiebet’s decision was a personal one which is allowed in a democratic setting, adding that alignments and mergers of like minds were not unexpected, especially at this time.
Though he would not say why Chief Ettiebet was leaving the party nor confirm which party he is defecting to, Moddibo, however, claimed that the exit of Etiebet would not have any negative effect on the fortunes of the party.

He maintained that just as some people are leaving ANPP, many others are joining, describing it as a necessary traffic, which cuts across all parties.
"All I can tell you is that the party leadership had no problem with Chief Etiebet and neither did Chief Etiebet have problems with the party.

“It is a normal thing. Afterall, he left PDP for ANPP and whenever he feels like, he could switch to another party, he’s free to do so,” Moddibo argued.

He nevertheless confirmed insinuations that the politician might have taken the decision in furtherance of his ambition to rule Akwa Ibom State, adding: "But on the platform of which party, I may not be able to tell you."

Efforts made to get Chief Etiebet’s comments were not successful. Sources, however, told Daily Sun that he would likely address the press soon on his action.

Posted by Publisher at 12:57 PM | Comments (0)

Charles Taylor leaves for trial

Former Liberian leader Charles Taylor has left Sierra Leone on a plane ahead of his trial in The Hague.

The UN-backed tribunal in Sierra Leone said he was taken by helicopter to Freetown's airport from his prison cell where he has been since his capture.

Mr Taylor faces 11 war crimes charges after allegedly backing rebels in the decade-long Sierra Leone civil war.

Last week, the United Kingdom offered to host any jail term he may serve, paving the way for his transfer.

The Dutch government agreed to host Mr Taylor's trial, as long as he was imprisoned in another country if he was convicted.

The trial is due to take place in the facilities of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, but it will be legal officials assigned to the Sierra Leone tribunal who will be responsible.

The proceedings have been moved because of concerns that a trial in Sierra Leone itself could provoke instability there.

Conflict

The tribunal's chief prosecutor once described Mr Taylor as the third most wanted war crimes suspect in the world.

Both Sierra Leone and Liberia are recovering from years of conflict, in which Mr Taylor played a central role.

He is accused of funding Sierra Leone's former rebels, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) by selling diamonds on their behalf and buying weapons for them.

The RUF were notorious for mutilating civilians, by hacking off their arms or legs with machetes.

Britain, the former colonial power in Sierra Leone, sent troops to help oust rebels from the capital, Freetown in 2000.

Mr Taylor started Liberia's civil war as a warlord in 1989, before being elected president in 1997.

In August 2003, with rebels already in the Liberian capital, he agreed to go into exile in southern Nigeria to end the conflict.

He was captured after disappearing from his home following diplomatic efforts to send him to Sierra Leone for trial.

Tens of thousands of people died in the interlinked conflicts in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Posted by Publisher at 12:56 PM | Comments (0)

EFCC Extends Probe To 36 Governors

All the 36 governors may now be probed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) because of American flak that it turns a blind eye to some with ties to the Presidency.

20th June
By Chinedu Offor, CORRESPONDENT, Washington

It had initially beamed its searchlight on 24 of them, which prompted a threat by United States officials to withhold further assistance, with the charge that those under investigation are critics of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Sources in U.S law enforcement agencies said the original target of 24 governors include two from the South South, four (South East), two (Middle Belt) and four (North).

It was learnt that two from the South East, one of them a supporter of Obasanjo, took the unusual step of petitioning the U.S. State Department alleging bias by the EFCC.

EFCC Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, who was recently in Washington to plead for American assistance, confirmed that he would bring corruption charges against the 24 governors when their terms end next year.

The governors currently enjoy immunity from prosecution and Ribadu said he would keep the identities of those affected a secret.

His words: "What I said is that we are investigating a couple of governors, and we have up to 36 states in Nigeria and the investigation would reveal whether we have an indictment, and indeed, prosecution, or not. But, of course, you know we have taken two governors to court already; one is in custody one is facing a trial".

He explained that the EFCC suspended most of its work during the Constitution amendment debate because it feared being labelled either for or against the debate.

Ribadu rejected suggestions that the EFCC may be engaged in witch hunt against perceived enemies of Obasanjo.

"Witch hunt for what? The work we are doing is transparent. For God's sake, we are trying to fix our country; we are trying to do what is right . For years we have been branded as a corrupt country and our inability to do anything correctly. We are coming to address it. We want to fix it".

The EFCC also intends to investigate candidates in next year's general elections.

"We are not going to say that we are targeting any body or particular persons for such a thing. But the point is we are going to ensure that we are going to get clean people, honest people, transparent people, people who do not have skeletons in their cupboards and would be able to come forward and be leaders in our country".

State Department officials expect Abuja to conduct an independent and fair investigation that would give "every citizen, including governors", the opportunity to defend themselves.

"It should be a case of everyone is innocent until proven guilty and not the current cloud of suspicion on governors without charges or even a conclusive investigation".

Posted by Publisher at 12:55 PM | Comments (0)

Katsina forum’s meeting: Buhari unhappy with Yar’adua

THE interim chairman, Katsina State Elders Forum, Gen. Muhammad Buhari has described as unfortunate the failure of Governor Umaru Musa Yar’adua to attend the last meeting of the state chapter of Elders Forum.

Stories from MU’AWUYA B. IDRIS, Katsina

Speaking at the maiden meeting of the forum last Sunday, held at Gidauniya Office in Katsina, Gen. Buhari said: ‘’I understand that the governor was approached and he accepted to attend the meeting.’’
He expressed concern on how the meeting was frustrated by the Nigeria Police Force who prevented the holding of the meeting at the office of Gidauniya.

He, however, said that the meeting later took place elsewhere and a good number of members of the National Assembly and elders from the state attended.

Gen. Buhari told the meeting that during the last meeting, it was observed that there is the need to set up Katsina Elders Forum as it exists in Kano state.

He cited the example of Kano Elders Forum which always meets to discuss current issues as they affect Kano and its people.
‘’For example, he said, before the confab, Kano Elders Forum meet, discuss extensively on the agenda and articulate a position which, in fact forms the bedrock of the Northern delegates’ position at the conference.’’

Gen. Buhari further explained: ‘’It has been generally observed that such out-fits exist in many other places but Katsina and those out-fits have become tools for the respective states to use and fight for the rights of their people at the federal level, be it on appointment or project allocations.’’

He explained that based on the role played by the Elders Forum during the last meeting, an Interim Elders Forum was set up with the appointment of four members.

Also speaking at the meeting, Galadiman Katsina, Justice Mamman Nasir (rtd) stressed the need for the people of the North to unite and fight for the region’s cause.

Posted by Publisher at 12:53 PM | Comments (0)

Akala bows to Adedibu; Recalls sacked deputy's aides to save job

Desperate to save his job as the governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala over the weekend invalidated his earlier sack order placed on aides of his deputy, Alhaji Azeem Gbolarumi.

By ADEMOLA BABALOLA, Ibadan

The governor had about two weeks ago, directed the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Chief Olayiwola Olakojo, to sack with immediate effect, the Special Assistant to the deputy governor on Media, Mr. Demola Solalu, and placed an indefinite suspension order on Mr. Gboyega Makanjuola, special assistant on Domestic Affairs and Mr. Debo Adeyemo, Personal Assistant to the deputy governor.

Prior to the recall of the aides, NewAge learnt that the strongman of Ibadan politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu had scolded the governor for hurriedly dismissing the aides of the deputy governor . It was further gathered that Alhaji Adedibu impressed it upon the governor to rescind his action so as not to further create disaffection in Ibadanland as most of the affected aides are from Ibadanland and most especially, Mr. Solalu who was an aide of the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola-Alao before his appointmnet to the post.

Aside Alhaji Adedibu, Alhaji Arisekola-Alao believed to be a major financier of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Oyo State was said to have recieved the sack of his man with utter disbelief and shock. Consequently, Governor Alao-Akala who later got wind of Alhaji Arisekola's disappointment over the matter quickly went to his house at Bashorun, Ibadan to plead with him, promising to reverse himself without further delay.

Sources at the parley informed New Age that the governor begged the Muslim leader, noting that he would would be more cautious subsequently, before the latter accepted his apology.

Speaking with New Age on Monday afternoon, Mr. Solalu confirmed that he and others were back at their desks, adding that they were ready to continue to serve the government with absolute loyalty and regard for constituted authority in the state.

Posted by Publisher at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)

In Bakassi, people before land

The Federal Government’s announced intention to withdraw Ni- gerian troops from the Bakassi Peninsula, end Nigerian admin- istration there and transfer sovereignty over the area to Cameroun was “deal” that broke the heart of every Nigerian.

Shocking though it was, it did not come as a total surprise, since the matter has been brewing for many years.

The dispute between Nigeria and Cameroun over ownership of the peninsula came to a head in October 2002, when the International Court of Justice at The Hague delivered judgment in Cameroun’s favour. To tell the truth, the ICJ’s ruling was a complicated one, which redefined the two countries’ borders all the way from Lake Chad to the Atlantic Ocean. All along the way, villages that were thought of for many decades as Nigerian were adjudged to belong to Cameroun, while scores of other villages once thought to belong to Cameroun were found by ICJ to be Nigerian.

However, the crown jewel of the border dispute, Bakassi, was awarded to Cameroun. The ICJ’s ruling with respect to Bakassi caused consternation all over Nigeria. Nigerians could not believe why and how an area whose people are very clearly Nigerians, who have lived there for as long as anyone knows, and the area has been under Nigerian administration for a century, could now be said to belong to Cameroun. Of course, Bakassi was but the latest example of the utter irrationality of colonially-drawn national borders, which have caused disputes and wars all over the African continent.

In 1963, as many African countries were emerging from colonial rule and the problem of borders came to the fore, founding fathers of the old Organisation of African Unity [OAU] wrote into its charter the inviolability of colonially-drawn borders. This was not by any means a recognition of their rationality, but a realization that trying to redraw them may cause interminable conflict all over the continent. Bakassi was a special problem because the old Cameroun was a German colony up until 1918, when the League of Nations took over the running of German colonies and placed parts of it under British and French control.

It now turns out that there were as many maps and borders as there were colonial powers in the area, and the ICJ reaffirmed the validity of some of these maps, to the detriment of our own country and, especially, the Bakassi people. It was not a ruling that our government should be in a hurry to “accept”, as it hastily did that time. The stage for the present trauma was set back in October 2002 when the Nigerian government accepted the ICJ verdict and began negotiations with Cameroun, under United Nations auspices, to implement the ruling.

Many Nigerians had hoped for an outright repudiation of the ruling. Even though that would have had serious consequences for Nigeria’s standing in Africa and in the comity of nations, there were still other things that our government should have done, short of outright repudiation of the ruling. The international community should have been properly sensitized as to the grave human dimensions of the problem. Here are a people who are the native inhabitants of a place, who have lived there for as long as anyone knows.

In deciding to consign them to a country that they do not wish to belong to, the ICJ has visited the Bakassi people with an injustice of historic proportions just because some White colonial cartographer once drew a map across a land that he knew nothing about and callously consigned these people to Cameroun. Surely, beyond rulings on the validity of colonial maps, the issue of self-determination by a people comes in here.

The OAU-AU charter’s provisions on the inviolability of colonial borders have not prevented people all over Africa from asserting their right to self-determination, sometimes by force of arms. In that way, the Eritrean people broke away from Ethiopia, and the Ogaden Somalis also waged a bitter struggle to leave Ethiopia for Somalia. This is not to mention the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara, which refused to be incorporated into Morocco and Mauritania and instead has fought for 30 years to attain national independence. The ICJ may lead the Bakassi horse to the river, but it cannot force it to drink Camerounian water.

The “agreement” that President Obasanjo concluded with the Camerounian President Paul Biya, under gentle UN prodding, to withdraw our troops from Bakassi and end Nigerian administration there was hasty, ill-advised and should not be allowed to stand. Obasanjo should have argued, truthfully, that Bakassi being a local government area in Nigeria, he cannot excise it from this country through an Executive agreement, ICJ ruling or no. At the minimum, it requires a constitutional amendment to remove it from the scheduled local government council areas in the country.

In any case, if argued forcefully enough, both the Camerounians and the UN should realize the futility of trying to take over a land whose people are emphatically Nigerians. It is not in the long-term interest of regional stability and international peace and security to do so. For, if the Bakassi people choose to resist both relocation and Camerounian sovereignty, it will easily provide a fertile ground for conflict between our two countries shortly down the road. Chances are, the conflict that this “agreement” seeks to ward off, may in fact be brought closer by it.

Posted by Publisher at 12:51 PM | Comments (0)

PDP faction, Chukwumerije, others hold talks

ABUJA— LEADERS of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) splinter group yesterday met with members of the 2007 Movement in the National Assembly.

By Rotimi Ajayi
Posted to the Web: Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Sources close to the factional leaders told Vanguard that a team of six officers of the National Interim Management Committee set up by the faction had a preliminary discussion with the leaders of the movement at a residence in Asokoro.

The PDP faction was led by former National Chairman (North) of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Safana, while the 2007 Movement was led by Senator Uche Chukwumerije.

The talks centred on the on-going legal tussle brought about by the emergence of the faction within the party.
It was learnt that the leadership of the 2007 Movement agreed to have a broader meeting with the group last night with a view to working out modalities for collaboration.

Meanwhile, National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu, has called on Nigerians to be prepared to defend their votes during the 2007 elections. Chief Nwosu made the call in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday entitled: “It is in our hands, let’s do it.”

According to him, “Nigerians should not allow themselves to be cowed any longer in view of the level of corruption and insincerity on the part of the PDP-led government. What has happened to the recovered loots of the previous administrations and the funds retrieved from the dismissed principal actors of the present government? Due process has become due privilege to Nigeria leaders of today. The world cannot be deceived. The inadequacies of our leaders are glaring and for all patriotic Nigerians, this is a call to duty.”

Posted by Publisher at 12:50 PM | Comments (0)

Post-enumeration survey begins today

TODAY, the National Population Commission begins its Post-enumeration Survey (PES). The exercise is in line with global standards and is aimed at achieving a fair and objective assessment of the last census.

From Charles Akpeji, Jalingo

To ensure a hitch-free exercise, the commission has called on journalists to refrain from negative and sensational reports capable of compromising the integrity of the census process.

According to the commission, reports capable of disrupting the PES should be treated with caution and a deep sense of patriotism.

Briefing journalists in Jalingo, Taraba State, the NPC chairman, Chief Samu'ila Danko Makama, said the role of the media could not be over-emphasised in the success of the exercise.

The chairman, who was represented by the NPC Federal commissioner in the state, Alhaji Yusuf Musa Sankara, however declared his confidence in Nigerian journalists.

Though the PES was randomly selected, he reiterated the NPC's determination to ensure that the necessary modalities towards achieving accuracy are put in place.

On the rationale behind the PES, he said: "The successful conduct of the PES will help in no small measure in upholding the integrity of the census data and generating indicators that would be useful for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and for planning process."

Assurance was also given yesterday that the exercise would be peaceful in Plateau State.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Jos, the NPC Federal Commissioner in the state, Harry Ezeoke, said that to ensure that the exercise is peaceful and orderly, the commission had started house-listing and numbering since last Saturday.

He noted that the exercise would take place in randomly selected enumeration areas (EAs) in the 17 local government areas in the state. He also canvassed against unnecessary agitation by communities, saying that, no community or section of the state would suffer any disadvantage on account of not being selected as the enumeration area.

Ezeoke also ruled out any lobbying for the selection, saying nobody could influence the listing of where the exercise would take place, "not even our National Commissioner, the governor or any big person, because what influences the selection of an area is usually determined by the high rate of figure ascertained in an area."

The official acknowledged the hiccups experienced during the March population headcount, noting that, it was one of the reasons why the PES was being embarked upon with a view to addressing some of those lapses. He added that NPC Form 01 would be used for the exercise as against the NPC form 01.

He added that training for the staff had been completed. Also distribution of enumeration materials had been completed. He warned that only persons who participated in the census proper would be allowed to participate in the exercise. For Plateau State about 952 functionaries would take part in the exercise, including supervisors and enumerators, he disclosed.

He allayed fears of the exercise being hampered by the on-going strike by the local government council workers in the state, because of the relatively compacted numbers to be enumerated. He added that because of the problems associated with the payment of workers in the last census, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) would handle the payments of those taking part in the exercise. In Plateau State, three commercial banks have been selected to handle the payment of the workers.

In Rivers State, the Federal Commissioner, Bello Abubakar Wudil, has urged residents to co-operate with the commissioner.

Wudil, who made the appeal in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the essence of the exercise was to consolidate on the 2006 census, adding that contrary to the controversy that trailed the last census, the commission would ensure that the exercise was conducted smoothly.

He explained that all issues critical to the success of the PES was being tackled in both the state and the rest of the country. He allayed fears about the distribution of materials, which almost marred the last national census, adding that available materials had already been sent to the 23 councils in Rivers.

Wudil disclosed that adequate arrangements had been made for the payment of all the enumerators. He expressed optimism that there would be no need for the kind of protest that rocked the state during the last exercise owing to the delay in the payment of enumerators.

According to him, payment for the PES would be done through the UNDP in conjunction with Standard Chartered Bank and Afribank.

About 890 adhoc officers are to be used in the exercise in Cross River State.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, the NCP's Federal Commissioner for the State, Chief John Kum, said out of this figure, 130 would be supervisors with 760 enumerators.

He said only persons who took part in the main census were eligible to go through the rigorous test of becoming facilitators, supervisors and enumerators and they had all been trained.

The supervisors and enumerators, according to him, "are now in their respective supervisory and enumeration areas of posting (and) they are carrying out the house numbering and house listing exercise in readiness for the enumeration exercise."

Kum noted that already all materials needed for the smooth conduct of the PES such as the NPC 02, training manuals and other ancillary items/forms, had been provided to each local government area.

On payment of supervisors and enumerators, he said: "In order to avoid the problems experienced during the census, payment for the PES will be carried out at three centres in the state, as was the recruitment tests"

While the banks would still be coming to pay, he explained that clearance of functionaries would take place on June 26 and 27 while actual payment would hold on June 29 and 30.

The PES is a sample survey involving a proportion or percentage of the enumeration areas and the population in those enumeration areas.

"It's a quality check exercise seeking to evaluate the coverage and content errors in the census. Within existing global practices PES must be conducted within three months of the census", he added.

The scope of the exercise according to him, includes additional information on fertility and mortality, age at first marriage and other questions that were not canvassed during the census.

Posted by Publisher at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)

NUC Proposes Tuition Fees in Fed Varsities

If the Federal Gover-nment yields to pressure from the National Universities Comm-ission (NUC), tuition fees may be on their way back to federal universities.

From Juliana Taiwo in Abuja, 06.20.2006

The fees have been off the bill of students of universities owned by the Federal Government for more than three decades. An attempt by the military regime of then Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo to introduce the fees in 1978 was successfully resisted by students under the aegis of National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS).

But the NUC at the close of its management retreat at the weekend in Abuja said despite the reluctance of President Olusegun Obas-anjo, the advantages of the fees far outweighed their disadvantages.
Consequently, the commission has proposed the introduction of the fees for undergraduate courses with effect from 2008 academic session.

At the retreat on 迭eforming University Education in Nigeria,・which was aimed at reviewing 努here we are, where we should be, and how to get there,・the NUC also recommended the resuscitation of student loan scheme to take care of the financial needs of indigent students, as well as the development of a scholarship system, National Scholarship Fund, that would take contributions from government at all levels and other stakeholders.

The fund, it said, would provide scholarship to every student who might need it.

Other recommendations are: provision of restoration and transformation grants by the proprietor of each university for the procurement of teaching and research facilities on a sustainable basis; integration of e-learning into the delivery mode of all universities; computerization of universities・administration for ease of data management; and rapid release of results and student transcript.

It said university councils should take over remuneration of staff from Salaries and Wages Commission, with an agreed benchmark salary structure and scaling down of part-time and sub-degree programmes to 10 per cent of present level of permit staff to concentrate on regular programmes.

The NUC also called for the attainment of full accreditation for all part-time programmes, and the rationalization of programmes that failed to get full status, contending that all satellite campuses should be abolished.

These, it added, would involve the rapid accreditation of all part-time programmes; strengthening of NUC anti-satellite campuses mechanisms, and the implementation of sanctions against erring universities and Vice-Chancellors.

The commission also looked at the depletion of professors in Nigerian universities and advocated massive capacity building and recruitment of high-quality teachers as a feature of the universities in the next 10 years.

Posted by Publisher at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)

June 19, 2006

Troops deploy across Nigeria city

Troops have been deployed in the south-east Nigerian city of Onitsha after clashes with a banned separatist Biafran movement and police.
The Anambra state authorities announced a curfew and crackdown after several people were reported killed on Friday.

The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (Massob) campaigns for secession for the area.

Ethnic Igbos in the south-east fought to break away from the rest of Nigeria during a civil war from 1967-70.

Police denied there had been any deaths in the clashes, but a separatist Biafran group said eight of its members were killed.

Residents told the BBC two police stations were burned down and two armoured cars were set ablaze when crowds went on the rampage on Friday.

The Massob group said on Thursday seven of its members died in a police raid on one of its meetings outside Onitsha.

Massob's founder and leader Ralph Uwazuruike and some of his followers are in jail facing treason charges.

A dusk-to-dawn curfew has also been imposed with Anambra Governor Peter Obi asking President Olusegun Obasanjo to intervene, saying it was a potential threat to national security.

Posted by Publisher at 12:55 PM | Comments (0)

UN orders Taylor’s transfer to The Hague

UNITED Nations Security Council on Sunday unanimously paved the way for the transfer of former Liberian President, Charles Taylor, now awaiting trial at a United Nations-backed tribunal in Sierra Leone on charges related to his alleged role in that country’s bloody civil war, to The Hague, Netherlands, where he would be tried for war crimes.

Our Reporter - 19.06.2006

Acting under Chapter VII, the Council adopted a United Kingdom-drafted resolution allowing a chamber of the Freetown-based Special Court for Sierra Leone to sit outside its jurisdiction, and requested United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, “to assist, as a matter of priority, in the conclusion of all necessary legal and practical arrangements” for Taylor’s transfer to the Special Court in the Netherlands, and the provision of the necessary courtroom facilities for the conduct of the trial.

The International Criminal Court has agreed to allow the use of its premises for both detention and trial. Noting that the ex-Liberian leader’s continued presence in the West African subregion “is an impediment to stability and a threat to the peace of Liberia and of Sierra Leone”, and that the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda was already too busy to handle the case, the council decided that the special court would retain “exclusive jurisdiction over former President Taylor during his transfer to and presence in the Netherlands”.

It decided further that the Dutch government would smoothen the progress of the trial proceedings by facilitating Mr. Taylor’s transportation within the Netherlands outside areas under the authority of the special court; and enabling the appearance of witnesses, experts and other persons required to be at the special court.

The council noted the willingness of the International Criminal Court to allow the use of its premises for Taylor’s detention and trial, including any appeal, and requested all states to cooperate to that end, particularly to ensure his ultimate appearance in the Netherlands.

The text “encourages all states, as well, to ensure that any evidence or witnesses are, upon the request of the special court, promptly made available to the special court for this purpose”.

The council’s action capped a series of events sparked by Taylor’s late March disappearance and then arrest in Nigeria — where he had been living in exile since fleeing Liberia in 2003 — and transfer back to Liberia, and, finally to the Special Court, to face an 11-count indictment for crimes against humanity, and other serious violations of international humanitarian law, including sexual slavery and mutilations allegedly committed during Sierra Leone’s decade-long civil war.

But the Special Court, as well as newly-elected Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, feared that Taylor’s presence in the countries where he allegedly fomented uprisings during the 1990s could shatter the fragile peace that was taking hold in the long-troubled West African region.

They asked the council, and other concerned countries to step in. Shortly after Taylor’s arrest, the Netherlands expressed its willingness to host the Special Court. Expressing a similar sentiment, the Council’s resolution recognizes that the proceedings in the case against Taylor would contribute to achieving truth and reconciliation in Liberia and in wider West Africa, and it also requests the Special Court — with the help of the Secretary-General and relevant states — to make the trial proceedings accessible to the people of the subregion, including through video link.

Posted by Publisher at 12:53 PM | Comments (0)

Power shift a time bomb

Foremost nationalist, Chief Anthony Enahoro has described current agitation for power shift among the nation’s geo-political zones as a time bomb that is capable of tearing the country apart if urgent steps are not taken to address it.

By FEMI BABAFEMI
Monday, June 19, 2006

According to the elder statesman, the clamour for the control of power in 2007 by each of the geo-political zones is an indication that too much power is concentrated at the centre which has made it attractive to the extent that every part of the country is becoming increasingly agitated in their quest to produce President Olusegun Obasanjo’s successor.

Pa Enahoro, who was the chairman of the just concluded ethnic nationalities conference (PRONACO) said the struggle by the north to regain the presidency and the campaign to keep power in the south beyond 2007, have put the country in a precarious situation.

The situation, according to him, is made worse because the nation’s elite and indeed the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have foisted a serious problem on the country by going into an alleged pact to return power to the north at the expiration of President Obasanjo’s tenure.
"Though people said that there was an agreement in PDP when Obasanjo was coming to power that power should go back to the north after his tenure, that agreement could not be binding on others who are not in PDP," Pa Enahoro stated.

He, however, explained that the crisis over power shift is a complex one because; "the ruling class and the party have already created the time bomb such that it is also difficult to say that power should not go back to the north."

To him, the clamour for the return of power to the north in 2007 "is a fait accompli for Nigeria because the ruling class has foisted that problem on the nation." He, however, said "at the same time those who are not part of that arrangement can resist it because it can’t be binding on them."
Enahoro who first moved the motion for the nation’s independence in 1957 noted that "the clamour has become so heated because of the concentration of too much power at the centre and as such, every geo-political zone wants to have power."

He said that the only way to douse the fire threatening the unity of the country is to amend the nation’s constitution in a way that will allow for the devolution of power from the centre.

According to him, the only way out of the imbroglio is for "power to devolve to states and regions and as such, there will be less agitation just like what obtained in the past when power was basically at the regions and the centre became less attractive."

Posted by Publisher at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)

Navy Arrests American Journalist

Officers of the Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy have detained an American journalist for taking photographs of an oil facility operated by the multinational oil company, Nigeria Agip Oil Company.

By Frank Kintum and Eugene Agha, 06.19.2006

A human rights group, Our Niger Delta, said yesterday.
The photojournalist, Ed Kashi of the National Geographic was photographing gas flare at the Obama flow station in Bayelsa State when he was arrested on Friday along with his Nigerian fixer.
"They said he did not obtain permission to take pictures of the facility and that the area is volatile and he could have been kidnapped," the group's spokesman said.

The Director Navy Information, Captain Obiora Medani who confirmed the arrest to THISDAY on phone yesterday stated that the American has since been released. Medani explained that, though, the Naval High Command in Abuja was not aware of the arrest, not until it was brought to their knowledge by a reporter, alleged that he immediately contacted the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sunday Baje, who in turn directed that the American be released.

What happened is that the Journalist was said to be taking pictures of some oil instalations in the Niger Delta area. When he was acosted by naval operatives posted to mount vigil in the area, it was discovered that the man had no authorisation, to either go closer to the oil installation or to take any photograph. This was the situation before he was arrested. When I heard of his arrest, I quickly contacted the FOC who inturn directed that the man should be allowed to go unconditionally,・he added.

Medani further denied that the man was detained for five days. According to him, the Journalist was only detained for about two days before he was released.

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My retirement plans, by Obasanjo

ABUJA—PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo is to devote his attention to farming and community service, after his retirement next year.
President Obasanjo in an agency interview in London, weekend, said: “For as long as I live, I want to be of service to humanity and to God.

By Charles Ozoemena
Posted to the Web: Monday, June 19, 2006

I will be doing community service and I regard the whole country as my community now.”

The President said he would also devote part of his time after leaving office to such issues as raising awareness on the imperatives for agricultural development, promoting good governance and better leadership in Nigeria and Africa and looking after his late wife’s Child Care Trust.

He added that as long as he remained fit and strong, he would remain available for service in the cause of peace-making in other parts of the world.
President Obasanjo also said he would campaign vigorously for the election of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in next year’s general elections. “Of course I will campaign for my party, for every candidate from local government to the Presidency,” he said.

He said the Federal Government would do everything possible to prevent political violence and ensure “free and fair elections, transparently conducted.”
On other matters, President Obasanjo dismissed recent suggestions that Nigeria’s foreign reserves were less than the figure given by the Federal Government. “When we came in 1999, our foreign reserves stood at $3.7 billion. Today, it is over $34 billion,” the President said, adding: “Some Nigerians confused unexpended income with foreign reserves.”

He said his administration would pursue efforts to recover funds which were stolen from Nigeria and stashed in foreign banks. “We will keep on putting pressure to get our money back. We have not done badly in this regard. Wherever we locate such looted funds, we will fight tooth and nail to get it back,” he said.
The President also denied that there was a growing clampdown on the media in Nigeria at the instance of the Presidency. “I believe that I am one of the most tolerant Presidents in the world and that responsible journalism has a role to play in development,” he said.

“Responsible journalism, he said, is based on “genuine facts, opinion and comment, not fabrications, rumour as fact, and getting paid for extolling lies and covering up the truth.”

President Obasanjo said his administration’s economic reforms had been very successful. “We have done very well there. Reform has been the most important issue for us and it has been all-embracing. It has led us to debt relief and over seven per cent growth in our economy and agricultural production,” he said, adding that the level of poverty in the country had been reduced by about 20 per cent since the inception of his administration.

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PDP Back In Enugu To Reconcile Senate President, Governor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today meet in Enugu to broker fresh peace between Senate President, Ken Nnamani and Governor Chimaroke Nnamani who are in a squabble for control of the state.

19th June
By Paul Mumeh (Abuja) and Chinwendu Nnadozie (Minna)

Last week, the PDP leadership sacked its South East Peace Committee, led by Jerry Gana, for failing to prevent a clash between the Nnamanis.

But there may be more politics to it than meets the eye. Gana himself is running for President.

Sources disclosed that the majority of party members in the zone wants all the executive committees - elected through affirmation from the ward to the national level - dissolved as a pre-condition for peace.

It was learnt that the PDP national executive is not well disposed to the suggestion, which may have led to the sack of the Gana committee.

The new panel is headed by Aminu Maina Waziri who is already in Enugu for the today's meeting.

It will meet separately with Ken and Chimaroke before bringing the two and their supporters together in a round table.

Ken and his supporters too are in Enugu. Security has been tightened to prevent a re-occurrence of the clash between the two camps last month.

All stakeholders are expected to state their grouses.

Meanwhile, Gana's first outing to enlist his constituency to support his Presidential plans under the banner of the PDP has suffered a major setback as the people have turned down the request.

At the weekend, the people of Doko Council, Niger State, where Gana hails from, did not hide their dislike for his ambition when he organisged a rally at the township playing ground.

Top politicians, including political appointees from the council and PDP chairmen in the eleven wards were present. Almost everyone who spoke faulted the antecedents of Gana, and accused him of not fully supporting the state PDP.

Allegations against him included his support for the candidature of Mustapha Bello, the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in 2003, who contested against Governor Abdulkadir Kure.

The people declared their support for former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, for the Presidency. They said Gana is an Abuja man who is not in touch with the PDP at ward, local and state levels.

Doko Council Chairman, Abdukhadir Dazhi and Gana's ward Chairman, Mohammed Liman, insisted that he is on his own as long as he refuses to join others to support Babangida.

Both Dazhi and Liman told the crowd that "Gana has approached us to solicit our support but we told him that we have already made up our minds for IBB, and that is final.

"We rejected him because he has not been fraternising with us as members of the party at any level and we told him point blank to drop the idea and any attempt to proceed will be at his own peril. Jerry Gana is insensitive to the plight of the people of his ward, Doko Local Government council and Niger State in general, he is more of an Abuja politician".

Kure's Political Adviser, Yahaya Emilugi, described Gana's political alignment as being in contrast to that of the generality of people of Niger State and, as a result, does not deserve the blessing of Nigerlites.

He cited instances whereby Gana single handedly bankrolled activities of the PRP in the state during the 2003 elections.

Posted by Publisher at 12:46 PM | Comments (0)

Congestion: Minister orders ships to Eastern ports

Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, has directed ships awaiting berth in Lagos to proceed to any of the Eastern ports.

Willy Eya

Dr. Sekibo who gave the directive at the weekend said the move is to forestall further congestion of ports in the Lagos area.

Daily Champion investigations reveal that private operators who took over the ports are finding it difficult to cope with the level of cargo traffic hence the current problem of congestion.

Dr. Sekibo who doubles as chairman of Presidential Committee on Port - Decongestion said as an interim measure ships awaiting berth should move to ports in Onne, Port Harcourt or Warri.

He explained that the concessionaires are yet to have on ground equipment to handle the level of cargo traffic in the affected ports but noted that they (concessionaires) were making efforts to solve the problem.

The minister disclosed that the concessionaires have already placed orders for at least eight container handlers which will arrive the country in few days time.

He noted that the private operators have also ordered for 13 other containers to be delivered later in the year.

Sekibo assured that in a forthnight, the ports would have been rid of the problem of congestion.

On high Port charges by the private operators, he said, government would not allow any increment that is outside the terms of the concessioning agreement.

Sekibo, however, noted that government will support any charges that will discourage congestion at the ports.

He expressed regrets that some importers and exporters have converted the ports to their warehouse, stressing that the ports are supposed to be transit points.

It will be recalled that the Presidential Committee on Port-Decongestion recently evacuated from Apapa ports to Ikorodu Lighter Terminal

Posted by Publisher at 12:45 PM | Comments (0)

Don’t leave PDP - OBJ appeals to IBB

IN an effort to enhance the reconciliation of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), President Olusegun Obasanjo is said to have employed the platform of his recent meeting with former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, to lobby him not to leave the party but use it to realise his presidential ambition come 2007.

BOLA BADMUS and JACOB SEGUN OLATUNJI, Abuja - 19.06.2006

Both Obasanjo and Babangida met at a closed door meeting about two Sundays ago and sources told the Nigerian Tribune on condition of anonymity that their discussions centred on the presidential ambition of the General and the party for its realisation. General Babangida, it will be recalled, had declared his intention to contest the presidential election in 2007 but refused to say in which party he wished to do so.

However, he had said that he needed a strong party for his ambition to be fulfilled, even as the National Democratic Party (NDP) had about a year ago adopted him as its presidential candidate for the 2007 polls.

The PDP embarked on a nationwide reconciliation of its members and leaders following the face-off between the president and his deputy, Abubakar Atiku, over the issue of the failed third term agenda, the sudden emergence of the ACD and currently the split of the PDP into two factions, one led by Colonel Ahmadu Ali and the other by Chief Solomon Lar, founding chairman of the party.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that Obasanjo was said to have asked for an update of the General’s ambition while he enquired from the General about the PDP, which the president was said to have insisted was the party they both belonged to.

The General was said to have concurred with the President that the PDP was “our party,” and the president was said to have pleaded with him to remain in the party and contest with other presidential aspirants at the PDP primaries coming up soon.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that loyalists of General Babangida within and outside the PDP were divided over how best to realise the General’s ambition.

Indeed, some of his core loyalists, including some retired Generals in the PDP, were said to believe strongly that Babangida should contest the primaries of the PDP, arguing that given the clout of the General, he would defeat any opponent and go on to win the presidential election.

But the others believe that Babangida was not deeply rooted in PDP and did not control its machinery, such as its leadership, which would ultimately decide who wins the presidential primaries.

It could not be ascertained whether or not Babangida agreed to seek the ticket of the PDP, more so as he had been offered that of the NDP ahead of 2007.

Nigerian Tribune, however, gathered that even as the parley between the president and Babangida held, a directive might have gone to organisations in support of the candidature of the General to collapse into the NDP. Such directive, according to investigations, pointed in the direction of Minna.

Involved in this exercise to fortify the base of the NDP are said to be organisations promoting the better life programme of the wife of the General, Mrs. Maryam Babangida, a programme said to have expanded in scope to cover the whole of Africa.

According to sources, some of the affected groups were said to have complied with the directive while some were said to have reached the final stage of doing so.

A source disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that some of the heads of the affected organisations were being offered positions of responsibility in the party and were doing well in mobilising for the party and Babangida’s presidential ambition.

In addition, huge campaign materials promoting the ambition of the General are expected to be received any time from now at the NDP national secretariat in Abuja, the source revealed.

In another development, Vice President Atiku Abubakar at the weekend revealed that the leadership of the PDP had long ago stopped inviting him to the party’s meetings.

The vice-president disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune during an interview that this informed his absence at last Thursday’s meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party held in Abuja.

The National Secretary of the party, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, had told newsmen after the NEC meeting that Vice-President Atiku was duly invited for the meeting and could not say why he did not attend, saying he (Atiku) might be holding fort for his boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was outside the country then.

President Obasanjo had in the NEC meeting held in May this year said that his deputy actually took permission from him that he would not be able to attend that meeting due to health reasons.

But Vice-President Atiku, who spoke through his media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu, dismissed the claims of the party, insisting that no invitation was extended to him regarding the NEC meeting as claimed.

The vice-president revealed that the party leadership had long ago stopped inviting him to the party’s NEC meetings as well as caucus meetings.

According to him, “you can not go to where you’re not invited, the vice-president is a member of the national caucus of the party but they no longer invite him to such meetings due to reasons best known to them.”

On the fresh resolution of the NEC empowering the National Working Committee (NWC) to invite Vice President Atiku for a probe over alleged anti-party activities, the vice-president said he was ready to face any panel, anywhere, any day.

According to him, “I’m a loyal, committed and disciplined party member, but things have to be done according to laid down rules and in line with the constitution of the party and that of Nigeria.”

The NEC at its last meeting mandated the NWC to invite the vice-president for questioning for alleged anti-party activities and to report back to it at its next meeting.

Posted by Publisher at 12:45 PM | Comments (0)

We didn’t declare Zamfara Sharia state - Gov Sani

Governor Ahmad Sani of Zamfara has said the introduction of Sharia laws in the state did not necessarily make it a Sharia state.

Sani made this known while speaking with newsmen at the weekend in Osogbo during a personality interview tagged “Executive Chat”, organised by the Osun state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

He said the government of Zamfara only responded to the yearnings of the people as provided for in the country’s constitution.
“Sharia has been with us in Nigeria; we only expanded it to include criminal offences; we did not declare our state a Sharia state,” Sani stressed.

The governor explained that there were different kinds of courts such as the magistrate, high court and the appeal court in Zamfara, saying that non-Muslims residing in the state have nothing to do with Sharia.
“We believe in freedom of religion and we make all necessary provisions to protect non-Muslims living in Zamfara,” the governor added.

He said the state government believes seriously in “moderation and peaceful co-existence of all religions”, stressing that Sharia is meant for the Muslims only.

Sani said the objective of the state government is to guarantee peace and tranquility for all residents, saying that Zamfara, in his opinion, is the most peaceful state in the country.

Sani, who is also a presidential aspirant under the All Nigeria Peoples Party, (ANPP), commended President Olusegun Obasanjo for implementing all his economic and social reforms but said his team had failed him.

“His policies are not working very well because everybody is doing it the way they like. Mr President has good intentions for this country and he has tried his best,” Sani reiterated.

The governor, however, said if he is elected as the country’s president, he would improve on defence and foreign policies, although he never had military experience.

Posted by Publisher at 12:44 PM | Comments (0)

2007: EFCC, others to decide candidates・fate ・INEC

Political parties may not have the final word on candidates that will fly their flags in the 2007 poll.

Yusuf Alli, Gbenga Odugbesan and Dotun Oladipo

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and some security agencies are also to screen the candidates after the submission of their names to the Independent National Electoral Commission by the parties.

This position was made known in an interview with our correspondents by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, who also disclosed that the commission would spend about N42billion as operational costs for the poll.

In the interview conducted in Lagos on Friday, Iwu said that though INEC would not be involved in the screening of candidates, it would be better for political parties to properly screen their candidates before forwarding their names.

He said the commission would not allow the replacement of such candidates once the stipulated time lapsed.

He said that apart from the law enforcement agencies, Nigerians who also did not feel satisfied with the character of any of the candidates had the right to seek the intervention of the court to stop such a person.

He said, "It will be the prerogative of the party. But it is also risky and they should know this.

"If you knowingly field an unqualified candidate and between the time you fielded him and the last time given for you to change the name, somebody goes to court and gets an indictment, the name will be removed and you cannot replace him.

"So, it is not as easy as they think. The law enforcement agencies too will make it public, so that people can look at the list and see if there is anybody there who is not fit.

"The EFCC has given indication that it is going to do that. I foresee that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency is also going to do the same. I also suspect that the police will do the same. They should do that because we don't want people of questionable character slipping through. But it is not going to be INEC.

"Then Nigerians themselves, if there is somebody in your village who has always been a crook and suddenly you see his name in a party that he is going to represent you, then you have the right to go to court.

"You can say this man, I don't care who he is, but he is not a fit and proper person to be so voted to power. Within that period of making the list public, the party can change the candidate.

"Then Nigerians will be involved and take ownership of the party by changing the names of unfit nominees.

"But if after the date that a party can change the nominee it is discovered that the party痴 candidate cannot stand for election, such a party has lost because it won稚 be allowed to field a new candidate."

On the amount to be spent on the elections, Iwu said, "The operational cost is about N42billion.

釘ut it is difficult for a country to estimate the cost of any such operation of such magnitude.

"We also have ､4million that the European Union is going to spend in connection with 2007 elections, which was given to us. But we asked that the United Nations Population Fund should manage it. It will take care of the issues surrounding the elections, not the elections proper."

Such issues surrounding the elections, according to Iwu, include enlightenment on money in politics and the sensitisation of women to take active part in politics.

He said that the timetable for the 2007 general elections would soon be out now that the Electoral Act had been signed into law.

Iwu added that INEC was already consulting stakeholders on the timetable.

He described those who criticised his announcement of April 2007 as the period for the poll as mischievous.

He said, "I used the word in a very studied manner to say it was mischievous for anybody to criticise the dates.

"Mischievous in the sense that you don't criticise something you ordinarily cannot change. We don't have any discretion whatsoever.

"The constitution is very clear and very precise. But some people use it to express a frame of mind, which is not good for this country."

Iwu said that he was excited that the new Electoral Act had cleared the air on the possibility of a party changing its candidate before the cut-off date for such.

He said, "There was a clause in the old Electoral Act that political parties might substitute candidates within a given time.

"The word 僧ay・as a lawyer will tell you, is such a discretionary word. You may or you may not. And politicians took maximum advantage of that.

"In this new law, it has been changed to 壮hall.・You can see all that it is going to be able to do to the system. We shall be able to have a cut-off date and we stick to it.

"It doesn't matter how much the people shout, once we have the candidate, we publish it and the person shall be the candidate."

He, however, said that he was disappointed that the clause seeking independence for INEC in the Act was removed.

The INEC boss said that the commission was still going to adopt the open-secret ballot system for the 2007 poll, adding that those canvassing the use of Option A4 did not know the import of their request.

He added, "There is no way anybody will tell you in 2007 to conduct elections based on Option A4 that has never been used during a general election before.

"It was only used in the primaries for the people to select their candidates from the ward level up because they could afford to queue behind people.

"What was used for the 1993 elections was what they called modified open-secret ballot system, which is totally different from Option A4.

"Secondly, a lot of desperation has crept into our political process. The level of violence we witnessed in Ondo, Imo and Ekiti, is totally unacceptable.

"If you allow such aggregation of people in 2007 and make it open, of course, you will have a lot of f