The Theodore Orji you dont know, THE OKIJA GOVERNOR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_eHbzBZPnA

The rest of the world caught up with the harm the godless guber candidate of the PPA, Theodore Ahamefule Orji planned to unleash on Abia State, Saharareporters had obtained this video and displayed it to the world to see. Here, Thedore Orji, in 'whitey' underwear, was being "sworn" to an oath of secrecy and loyalty at an Okija Shrine before he took over as the Governor of Abia State, now under the corrupt spell of his predecessor, Orji Uzor Kalu, the governor is doing exactly what we reported long time ago-Stealing with authority! 

One commentator asked...SO WHAT DO ABIANS EXPECT FROM THIS SON OF DEVIL? THATS WHY HE CAN`T DO ANYTHING FOR ABIANS COS HIS DAYS ARE NUMBERED! T.A ORJI SO MUCH HATE ABIANS TO THE EXTENT THAT HE GAVE HIMSELF TO DEVIL THAT ANYONE WHO BELIEF IN HIM WILL GET HIS OWN LION SHARE AND END UP WITH HIM IN HELL FIRE . AND SO SHALL IT BE IN JESUS CHRIST NAME AMEN! GOD IS WATCHING.

Henry Okah: South African Court Convicts Nigeria Rebel -BBC

Henry Okah

By BBC

A South African court has found Nigerian militant leader Henry Okah guilty of masterminding the 2010 car bombing which killed 12 people.
Okah was convicted of 13 counts related to acts of terrorism.
He was arrested in Johannesburg a day after two car bombs exploded during the 50th anniversary of Nigeria's independence.
He had denied the charges, even though his militant group, Mend, said it had carried out the attack.
Johannesburg High Court Judge Neels Claassen convicted Okah on charges ranging from conspiracy to commit terrorism to detonating explosives.
"I have come to the conclusion that the state proved beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of the accused," Judge Claassen said, AFP news agency reports.
Okah was arrested on gun-running charges in Angola in 2007 and then transferred to Nigeria but never convicted.
He was released after two years under an amnesty for oil militants and he returned to South Africa, where he had lived since 2003.
Mend says it is fighting so that more of Nigeria's massive oil wealth is used to benefit the Niger Delta area which produces the oil.
But criminal gangs have taken advantage of the region's instability to make money from ransoms paid by oil companies, and by stealing oil.
The violence subsided significantly after the government offered militants an amnesty in 2009.
At its peak, the instability in the Niger Delta cost Nigeria about $1bn (£630m) in loss revenue, Reuters news agency quotes the central bank as saying.
Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer, but most of its people live in poverty.

Satanic mistress strangles lover’s 4 children

In what sounds like a movie tale, A woman in Obuno Umuochefu, Igbo-Ukwu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra state has snuffed life out of four children of her boyfriend by strangling them. Not done with her bestial mission, the suspect sat back at the scene of the crime until her victims’ parents returned, and attacked their mother.
For Mr and Mrs Nwanneka Ogechukwu Okonkwo, both natives of Ekwulumili in Nnewi South Local Government Area but resident in Igbo-Ukwu, January 15, 2013, came like any other day. But the young couple who are each 28 years old, never knew that it was the day their four children, Chukwuebuka, (13), Chukwumelum (6) Obumneme (3) and 15-month-old Chinenyenwa would breathe their last.
The young couple had no premonition of the tragedy that shocked everybody in the community. Their three sons and a daughter were allegedly killed by a lady simply identified as Blessing, from Abakiliki in Ebonyi State. Narrating the tragic incident, the mother of the dead children who spoke at Ekwulumili Health Centre where she was recuperating from the shock, said that she was also attacked by the suspect. Mrs Okonkwo said that the eldest of her children, Chukwuebuka, was the first casualty.
According to her, the suspect allegedly hit him on his forehead with a hard object and dumped the lifeless body inside an underground tank in the compound before strangling his siblings one after the other. “I was to go for a burial ceremony with my husband at Ukpor on that fateful day and the children went to school. We initially left with the youngest one, Chinenyenwa but the vehicle we boarded was jam-packed with passengers and the baby started crying. Consequently, my husband said we should disembark and use our motorcycle but people around said the road was too dusty to ride with a baby on a bike.
I decided to go home and wait for our other children who went to school so that they would take care of the baby and enable my husband and I to make the trip with our motorcycle. “But long after school hours, the children didn’t come home. We went to the school and other pupils told us that our children had gone home. I looked for them along the roads they usually take to the house but I did not see them.
Thereafter, I urged my husband to go on his own and look for them, but he returned soon after, saying he had seen them coming home. Before my husband and I left for the burial, I gave them food and told them to go and stay with an old woman in the neighbourhood because we are the only occupants of that building, and I don’t like them staying alone in the compound. “We had stayed barely one hour at the burial ceremony when my husband said we should go home.
But before we left, my husband’s phone rang and I heard him say, ‘I’m in a burial’. So, as we got close to our home, his phone rang again and he told the caller that we were not back yet. I didn’t ask him who the caller was as we rode straight to the house.
“When we got to the elderly neighbour’s house, we were told that she had gone for prayers and that my children were not seen there. We got to the house and I opened the gate from behind believing that the children were inside the house. As we parked our motorcycle inside the compound, my husband pointed to the underground tank that was open. I became apprehensive because we don’t keep it open. But I said maybe the eldest might have drawn water from the well and had forgotten to close it.
I called Ebuka but there was no response. I ran into the sitting room and saw the three younger ones lying on the floor as if they were asleep. I ran out again believing that those three were sleeping. I continued to call Ebuka and looked into the tank and I didn’t see anything. “Later, I decided to wake up Ebuka’s immediate younger brother to ascertain the whereabouts of his brother. I called him but he didn’t wake up; I tried to rouse him but he was motionless and so were the other two. I cried to my husband that the children were dead and I concluded that since the three were dead, Ebuka might be inside the well.
There were marks of human nails on their necks that showed that they were strangled. One of them had faeces in his anus. “It was when my husband started crying and moved towards our bedroom, that the lady (suspect) emerged from the bedroom and asked him why he was shouting. Then, I advanced towards her and demanded from her, where she kept Ebuka’s body because I had seen the others she killed. I held her and she gripped me. When I freed myself from her grip, I rushed to lock one of the two gates and raised the alarm until neighbours came.
“Later, somebody rushed out and called the youths of the community before the local vigilante and policemen arrived. She was arrested along with my husband.” Sources said that the timely arrival of the police and the local vigilante saved the suspect from being lynched. It was also gathered that Mr Okonkwo, a furniture maker, had been dating the suspect, a relationship his wife confirmed, and had been battling to stop.
When contacted, the couple’s landlord, Mr Sunday, who lives outside the community, described the alleged killing of the innocent children as unfortunate and declined further comment. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Anambra State, Mr Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed the incident and said the matter was being handled by the State Criminal Investigation Department in Awka, the state capital.

Obasanjo, Okorocha trade words

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday criticised the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha for daring to contest the 2003 presidential election. It will be recalled that Okorocha defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) under which he emerged as presidential aspirant on the party’s platform in 2003. But Obasanjo during the grand finale of a civic reception organized in his honour by the PDP in the South West in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital humorously berated Okorocha who was at the event for joining the race with him.
“Rochas, I met him not long ago by virtue of the fact that he was brought up in Jos. One of the few cities that I found in the ‘50s and ‘70 as genuine melting pot in Nigeria; he probably would not have been able to achieve what he has achieved.’’. “He is a true Nigerian. And when he wants to pull me down, he will say we are colleagues. How can I be a colleague of a failure? You are a failure in contesting for the presidency of Nigeria”, he said. In his goodwill message, Vice President Namadi Sambo described Obasanjo as a leader that the country can always trust. He used the occasion to highlight the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan assuring Nigerians that the present administration would do more to better their lot particularly in the areas of electricity-generation, good roads and infrastructural developments. Responding to Obasanjo, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governor incurred the wrath of the former president and erstwhile Board of Trustees (BOT)Chairman of the PDP when he jokingly described Obasanjo as his colleague.
Recalling his days as Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs to Obasanjo, Okorocha on a lighter mood said he gave advice that led to the good things done by the former president. Okorocha apparently absolved himself from what he described as ‘bad things’ allegedly done by Obasanjo while in office adding that he was always out of the country whenever his former boss erred. “We are here to give honour to whom is due. Obasanjo will remain immovable and unshakable. He is a man very difficult to describe.
He represents different things to different people. He is not afraid of fighting any battle. But for me, he represents a former colleague, because we both once ran for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. When he appointed me as his adviser, I gave him good advice. He is not afraid fighting any battle. “All the good things he did for those eight years, I advised him but all the bad ones he did, I traveled out of the country”. The APGA governor described Obasanjo as a true nationalist who transcended all political parties and should always think of taking up the national leadership of the country rather than any of a particular party.

Gunmen attack Emir of Kano

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, Saturday, escaped death by the whiskers after unidentified gunmen rained bullets on his convoy, killing three of his aides in the surprise attack. The tragic incident occurred at about 10.35 am as the highly revered traditional ruler of Kano was returning from an Islamic graduation ceremony (Saukan Karatu) which took place at Murtala Mohammed mosque (Masallaci Murtala) in Hausawa Quarters of the state capital.
Three of the Emir’s aides were shot dead in the attack. However, there were suggestions by witnesses that in addition to the three confirmed dead victims, at least one person, unrelated to the Emir also died as a result of the attack. The Emir’s official limousine was sprayed with bullets by the gunmen who allegedly “came on motorcycles and some came in a car.” The gunmen escaped in the confusion that trailed their attack as the whole residential area of Hausawa Quarters by Zoo Road was thrown into pandemonium following the attack.
It was gathered that among those injured in the attack was the son of the Emir, Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero (Turakin Kano). He, it was, who moved the Emir of Kano away from the troubled scene back to the safety of the palace. Dressed in a yellow kaftan, Alhaji Nasiru was spotted at the palace of his father with blood stains on his leg, shortly after the attack. Also injured was a police officer formerly attached to the intelligence unit of the Command, Inspector Datti Ahmed was shot on his leg by the gunmen and was undergoing treatment in an unnamed hospital in the state. Palace sources said that the Emir’s official driver, Alhaji Barde Sarkin Ruwa, was killed in the ambush.
An aide (dogari) in charge of the Emir’s official convoy, Alhaji Ahmadu Mohammed was also confirmed killed in the attack. A third aide, who is also believed to have died, was simply identified as Kone Bala Dan Muri. Kano State governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has since paid an official visit to the Emir, who received him at the palace. Speaking to reporters at the palace, he assured the people of the state that the Emir was hale and hearty, but regretted the death of the three aides.

Mother jailed five years for throwing baby in river

A 30-year-old mother, Yidiat Bakare, has been sentenced to five years in prison by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court for throwing her three-month-old baby into a river in Ifon-Osun community, Osun State.

Yidiat was said to have thrown the baby into the river to express her grievance following a disagreement with her husband, Amodu Bakare.

According to the charge sheet obtained on Friday by our correspondent, the offence was committed on January 10, 2013 at about 4pm.

The woman, who pleaded guilty to the offence when the charge was read to her, urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

Police prosecutor, Mr. Oladoye Joshua, said her behaviour resulted in the death of the baby, stressing that the offence was punishable under Section 325 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2003.

Yidiat’s lawyer, Mr. Jimoh Daramola, urged the court to be lenient in its judgement, describing the incident as a personal tragedy to the mother.

After listening to the positions of the prosecution and defence counsel, Magistrate Olusola Aluko found Yidiat guilty.

The magistrate described the crime as unacceptable and heinous.

Aluko said, “People should exhibit restraint during disputes. It is always good to seek amicable resolution of conflicts at all times.

“The baby sent to the grave does not know whether the parents were quarrelling or not. This crime is unacceptable and heinous.”

He thus sentenced Yidiat  to five years in prison with hard labour without an option of fine.

 Parents remanded for assaulting son with hot charcoal

Also, an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court has ordered that the parents of a 12-year-old boy, David Ajibade, be remanded in prison custody for allegedly pouring hot charcoal on the boy.

David’s 49-year-old father, Elkannah Ajibade, and his wife, Elizabeth, were arraigned for allegedly tying David up and pouring hot charcoal on him as a deterrent for attending a church’s vigil.

The charge sheet obtained by our correspondent on Friday explained that the offence was committed on January 2, 2013, in Okinni community of Egbedore Local Government Area of the state.

Specifically, the court was told that the couple allegedly tied-up the hands and feet of David while they poured hot charcoal on his body.

Police prosecutor, Sergeant Elisha Olusegun, said the boy was thrown out of the house after he was bathed with charcoal, adding that a good Samaritan took him to a juvenile centre.

Olusegun said the parents were arrested after the boy was brought to the juvenile centre, adding that the offence was punishable under sections 516, 335 and 351 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2003.

Both parents pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and causing bodily harm.

Their lawyer, Mr. O. O Alabi, applied for their bail, assuring the court that the accused persons would provide reliable sureties and would not jump bail.

But the Magistrate, Mr. Adebayo Lasisi, refused the bail application, ordering that both parents be remanded in Ilesa prison.

Lasisi also ordered that the boy should be brought to court on January 25 – the next adjourned day.

He said the boy’s appearance in court would provide an opportunity to ascertain his condition.

30 bodies found in Anambra river•Obi cuts short overseas trip

From GEOFFREY ANYANWU, Awka
Residents of Amansea in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State woke up yesterday morning to a horrifying discovery of over 30 dead bodies floating in Ezu River in the community. The river is at the boundary between Enugu and Anambra states and the dead bodies were found at the old Enugu-Onitsha road axis of the river.
The corpses that could not be easily identified, were suspected to have been dumped in the river Friday night by unknown persons. Some fishermen and sand excavators discovered the decomposing bodies at the bank of the river. People from all over the state and neighbouring Enugu state including travellers besieged the river yesterday to catch a glimpse of the dead bodies. Meanwhile, government sources said that Governor Peter Obi has cut short his working trip abroad on hearing of the incident and would return to the state immediately.
When reporters visited the scene, three more bodies were seen floating toward the other bodies in Amansea-Ugbenu- Ebenebe town.  Natives of Amansea who were still in shock over the discovery stated that some of the bodies they saw had been swept away while some were still buried down the river and would float later. Speaking to reporters, the traditional ruler of Amansea community, Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo, described it as a sad development, noting that his community had not witnessed such a gory sight before.
On the number of bodies so far seen, the monarch said he could not say exactly the total number of dead bodies found in the river but that they were too many, adding that his people would take counts as the dead bodies flow. However, addressing newsmen, the Commissioner for Local Government, Mrs Azuka Enemuo who was in the company with her Environment counterpart and the Awka North local government chairman, said the discovery was strange and that government would get to its root. She further said: “We have seen about 14 floating bodies so far and this is a river at the boundary between Enugu and Anambra states.
This river actually runs from somewhere in Agbogu Enugu through Oji River cross Anambra state and empties into River Niger. “It is obvious that these corpses are flowing from somewhere and I can tell you we haven’t seen the last of it. We cannot say for instance, that this is the number because they are still floating. From the account we have, corpses are still floating down into Anambra state.” The Commissioner explained that the security agencies have been informed about the incident, adding that the governor who was outside the country on an official assignment had cut short his trip and was on his way back to the state.
She said that Enugu state government officials had been contacted, “to come and witness with us because it is a river on the boundary of Anambra and Enugu states and it is floating into Anambra state.” Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka said that the command was aware of the incident and that it has commenced investments, assuring that it would soon unravel what happened. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Balla Nasarawa, has also confirmed the incident, adding that investigation had begun to unravel the mystery.
“Our attention was drawn to the incident and we immediately dispatched our men. As you can see, we are at the scene and we saw some corpses flowing on the river. I have contacted my colleague in Enugu since we share the boundary so that we can carry out a high level investigation into the incident. “I don’t know the exact number of bodies, but we have seen about 10 to 15 corpses afloat the river,” he said. Nasarawa, however, denied reports that it was a recurrent incident being carried out by the police, saying this was his first time of getting such a report. “I don’t think that is true but we shall investigate and keep the public informed after we conclude our investigation,” he said.
The Amansea River is a tributary of River Niger deriving its source from Agbuogugu community in Enugu and flows through Orji to Amansea. The river is also a source of drinking water to the people of Amansea and neighbouring communities. The Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mrs Azuka Enemuo, described the incident as a gory one and a waste of human lives, adding “it is a crime against humanity.’’ The commissioner also noted that the bodies found were not fresh corpses. “It was a discovery made by the households who normally come down to get water for their domestic chores. It is a horrible site.
“It is obvious that these corpses are from somewhere and I can tell you that we have not seen the last of it or say this is the actual number,” she said. She said that the government would sink additional boreholes in the area to ameliorate the water challenges of the people who drink and carry out other domestic chores from the river. “The demand to take water from an existing borehole would be high now. We shall collaborate with the traditional ruler to sink more boreholes to ameliorate the water challenges of the people,” she said.
Also speaking, the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo, who expressed shock at the development, said that finding an alternative source of potable water for the people had become paramount. Okonkwo said he would collaborate with security agents to unravel the mysterious incident and work with the state government in providing water for the people.
In separate remarks, the Transition Chairman of the Council Area, Mrs Joy Enweluzor, and the Vice President-General of the community, Mr Maduka Okoye, said that none of the bodies found afloat had been identified as members of the community. They added that no member of the community had also been reported missing.

Phone bug: Ozekhome, others react

Notable Nigeria lawyers have condemned the move by the Federal Government to legalize telecommunication interception (e-surveillance), describing it as dangerous, offensive and a threat to peace in the country. In separate chats with Sunday Sun, the lawyers urged members of the National Assembly to ensure that the bill does not see the light of the day.
The bill tagged: The Lawful Interception of Communication of Communications Regulation being sponsored by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), if passed into law, will empower some government agencies, namely, the Police, State Security Service, (SSS) and office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to wiretap communications without necessarily securing a warrant.
A Human Rights Activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), in an interview with our correspondent, said the bill would be a bad law since the constitution guarantees every citizen of the country the right to private and family life. He said, “It will be very dangerous to put on guard every Nigerian’s telephone line because mischief makers and politicians would capitalize on that to monitor their opponents.
Nobody will be safe in this country again, as there will be more cases of assassination, political killings as well as kidnapping. Everybody will be able to monitor their targets for selfish interest”. In a similar reaction, the Principal Partner, Interveners and Kedjoe Solicitors, Lagos, Joe Nwokedi, posited that the bill would amount to an abuse of the fundamental human rights of the citizens as enshrined in section 36 of the 1999 constitution, as amended. Instead, he advised the Federal Government to explore a more effective means of checkmating security threats, crimes and criminalities.

Why I returned to PDP –Kalu

• His exit won’t affect PPA –Nkire
Former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu said last Saturday that he returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after an agreement with other founding members of the party, urging him to return. Speaking with newsmen at his Igbere country home, near Umuahia, Kalu said there was no going back on his decision as the PDP executive in Igbere Ward ‘A’ had already issued him a membership card. He said he returned to the PDP to re-jig the party and realise the dreams of its founding fathers.
“All the founding members of PDP have met and decided that we should all go back to our party because if we continue to leave it to the animals, they will put it into shame and Nigerians no longer have confidence in the party,’’ Kalu said. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Kalu was re-admitted to the PDP by his community ward, Igbere Ward ‘A’ on January 16, at Igbere in the Bende Local Government Area. However, Mr. Emma Nwaka, the Abia PDP chairman, had while briefing newsmen on January 18, dismissed Kalu’s claim. Nwaka said all the party’s executive members in Igbere Wards ‘A’ and ‘B’ resigned their positions on January 10.
He also said Chief Amaechi Ukoh, the Igbere Ward ‘A’ chairman who issued the card had resigned and submitted the party’s cards and register to the state’s PDP secretariat. Contrary to Nwaka’s position, Ukoh was sighted at Kalu’s home in company with other officials of PDP’s Igbere Wards ‘A’ and ‘B’. Ukoh told reporters that he was yet to resign as a ward official of the PDP, saying that he was in hiding because the PDP state officials were using military men to trail them in their homes.
“In the past four days, we have been on the run because they are using military men to pursue us in our homes and I use this opportunity to call on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the matter,’’ he said. Kalu also condemned the actions of PDP leadership in Abia over what he described as ‘false propaganda on my re-admission’. “I already have PDP card number 9787845 and there is no going back.’’ He said such un-coordinated propaganda presented the state PDP leadership as not only irresponsible but fake. “We want all these deceits in Abia State to stop because we are going to fight for democracy, we are going to remove inept government and put a credible one in the state. “All those living by propaganda will soon stop; corruption will stop, all the manipulation of Abia people will stop.

Jonathan’s police college visit, Heads may roll after

Unbelievable! President Goodluck Jonathan and the Commandant, Police College, Ikeja, Lagos, Irimiya Yerima, during Jonathan’s visit to the college... on Friday.

SHOCKING discoveries by President Goodluck Jonathan during his unscheduled visit on Friday  to the Police College, Ikeja, may lead to a major shake-up  in  the Nigeria Police Force and the Ministry  of Police Affairs, findings by The PUNCH have revealed.

A Presidency official, who spoke to one our correspondents in confidence, on Sunday, said, “The picture being painted is that of total neglect of the police training colleges, including the one in Ikeja.

“But the fact is that some money was budgeted for those colleges. How has the money been spent? There will be a probe and anybody found wanting will be sacked.”

Already, sources said top officials at the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Police Service Commission, and the office of the Inspector-General of Police have  been put under scrutiny over the condition of  the PCI.

It was also gathered that the DIG ‘E’ Department, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo, who oversees training in the Nigeria Police, might be called upon to give explanations on the “unacceptable magnitude” of rot in the police training schools.

Jonathan, who could not hide his anger during  the visit to the PCI  en route Cote d’Ivoire for the ECOWAS Summit on Mali, said  that the  rot , being televised as a documentary on a Lagos-based privately-owned Channels Television, was meant to tarnish the image of his  administration.

The documentary was said to have informed his unscheduled visit to the college.

  “This is a calculated attempt to damage the image of this government. The Police College, Ikeja, is not the only training institution in Nigeria,” he had said.

PDP issues Kalu membership card• PPA also woos former gov.

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PDP issues Kalu membership card• PPA also woos former gov.
In a bid to have former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji
Uzor Kalu, back in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
which he left in 2007 when he was deregistered, the
leadership of the party has presented him a membership
card.
This is coming at a time when leaders of the
Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) are also wooing
Kalu to return to their fold. During a visit to Kalu, in his
country home, on Wednesday, executives of the PDP, led
by the chairmen of Ward A & B, Igbere, in Bende Local
Government Area of Abia State, said it was time for Kalu
to return to the party, which he helped found. They,
therefore, issued him a membership card no. 9787945,
which is a constitutional requirement to join the party.
Chairmen of PDP, Wards A and B, in Igbere, Joseph
Chika and Amadi Gideon Kalu respectively, said Kalu
had impacted positively on the lives of several persons
that it would be impossible to forget him. They said the
former governor’s goodwill and large heart had been felt
by many members of the party, who craved his return to
the party. Saying that Kalu’s decision to stay out of
politics has been affecting the people negatively, Chika
pleaded: “We urge you to come back to your home.”
He said Kalu was one of the few people that formed,
nurtured and financed the PDP but was victimised out of
the party by some selfish people. After the presentation
of the membership card, Chika called on the National
Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and his
executives not to relent in their reconciliation moves to
take the PDP to the Promised Land. In a related
development, the leadership and members of the PPA in
Wards A, B and C of Igbere also visited Kalu on
Wednesday to woo him back to the party he left as the
chairman of the Board of Trustees.
The Chairman of Ward A, Ikechukwu Abaegbu, called on
Kalu to relaunch himself into partisan politics. Abaegbu
noted that Kalu’s non-participation in party affairs has
denied his people good governance at all levels. He
stated that at a time like this, when the party is
restructuring, “we will appreciate if you accept to rejoin
our great party PPA.”
Kalu was later presented a PPA membership card of by
Abaegbu. Responding to the PDP and PPA delegation at
different times, Kalu thanked them for the courage and
visits to woo him back to their parties. He, however,
said he was not into partisan politics at present. He
said his main focus is to ensure the repositioning of
Igbo people in the Project Nigeria. He advised them to
use their political platforms for the betterment of their
people and promised to convey his decision on the
acceptance of membership of either of the two parties
to them in due course.

Reps divided over Jonathan’s request for centenary celebration

Members of the House of Representatives were yesterday divided over President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for their approval for a centenary celebration of Nigeria’s existence. House Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal had read Jonathan’s letter asking the House to allow the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, to brief it on the preparations for the centenary celebration. The president’s letter was entitled: ‘Proposed Programme for the Celebration of Nigeria’s Centenary’. Nigeria’s amalmagation took place in 1914. However, Tambuwa had barely finished reading the letter when some lawmakers asked the House to reject the president’s request. But some took a contrary position, arguing that the president’s request was in order and should be approved. Deputy Minority Leader, Samaila Kawu, set the tone for the opposition to the request as he argued that the letter was in breach of privilege of the House. According to him, the president had refused to honour invitation from the House last year and therefore does not deserve the endorsement of his request. He said: “Mr. President had refused to honour our invitation in the past, so we could not honour his request too.”
Lending support to Kawu’s position, House Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, said there was no justifiable reason for the House to support the proposed centenary celebration because it would lead to waste of economic resources. Gbajabiamila said: “Respect should be reciprocal. If the president could ignore our invitation last year, I think we should do the same to him by rejecting this letter. The celebration is going to make us to spend more money at a time we are even saying that we lack money to fund the budget.” Taking a divergent position, Linus Okorie (Ebonyi State) said the celebration was in order.
He warned against opposing the proposed centenary celebration, pointing out that it could send wrong signals to Nigerians. Linus said: “We should be seen as working to promote the interest of the people and not opposing the position of the president all the time.” Ruling on the matter, Tambuwal urged his colleagues to exercise patience pending the time a resolution would be taken on the matter.

Police arraign pastor accused of raping 12-year-old girl

The alleged rapist

Alao Shobowale, the 42-year-old pastor of a white garment church who allegedly raped a 12-year-old foster daughter of his neighbour (name withheld) was on Wednesday arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos.

Shobowale, who speaks Igbo, the only language the girl understands, had allegedly lured the girl to the toilet of their residence and raped her.

According to the charge sheet, the incident happened at 10, Togodo Street, Temu, Epe, Lagos State at about 10pm on December 15, 2012.

The police said apart from having sexual intercourse with the girl, Shobowale also “sexually penetrated her anus.”

He was charged with two counts bordering on unlawful sexual intercourse and rape, which according to the charge sheet, is punishable under sections 137 and 259 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

When the charges were read to him, Shobowale pleaded not guilty to both charges.

His lawyers, Kola Afolayan and Saka Bello, made an application for his bail urging the court to grant it on liberal terms.

Prosecutor, R. Odigie, who did not oppose the bail application by Shobowale’s lawyers, told the court that the victim and his foster father, Dayo Anjorin, were in court.

Anjorin, while fielding questions from the court, said Shobowale lured the girl from the passage they both share in the house to the toilet where he had carnal knowledge of her.

He said, “She is my wife’s niece and we brought her from Imo State two weeks before the incident happened and we were planning to enrol her in a school within our vicinity.

“The accused lured her from the common passage we share in front of our apartment to the toilet while my wife, I and our three children were inside.”

Magistrate Oyindamola Ogala urged Anjorin to speed up the process of enrolling the girl in school.

Before ruling on the application, Ogala said the matter would be referred to the family court “in the interest of justice.”

But one of Shobowle’s lawyers, Bello, opposed the transfer of the case to the family court.

“This court has jurisdiction to hear this matter. In the eyes of the law, he is presumed innocent and transferring this case without bail might make an innocent suffer unjustly,” Bello said.

But, Ogala allayed Bello’s fears that the accused would be denied bail, adding that she would rule on the bail application before the court.

She said, “I don’t see any problem with transferring this case to the family court. I’m sending this case to the family court in view of the age of the victim and in the interest of justice.

“You have made your bail application and I’m going to rule on it. For emphasis sake, the family court entertains matters that affect the right of a child.”

Ogala later granted Shobowale bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

She said the sureties must furnish the court with evidence of tax payments to the state government and verifiable residential and office addresses while one of the sureties must be his blood relation

’94 Eagles vs Present Eagles: Any comparison?

News, Sports

A couple of days ago, precisely on Monday, January 14, the Super Eagles Coach, Mr Steven Okechukwu Keshi equated the present Eagles which he is handling to that of all-conquering 1994 Eagles squad.
Keshi had said in a chat with Supersport.com at the team’s camp in Faro,Portugal that, “many Nigerians don’t know how good this team is.  I see great potentials in them and they can go places,” adding that “in Emenike I see a player who can be like Rashidi Yekini and Godfrey Obaobona will grow in his position”.

1994 Eagles Squad

However, his comparison has drawn mixed reactions from football stakeholders and soccer fans alike. In fact, there are divergent opinions on whether there is any basis for comparison. One of those that disagreed with Keshi is former Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper, Peter Rufai.
In a sharp reaction to Keshi’s assertion, Rufai who manned the posts both at the 1994 Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup said, “our ’94 squad was poles apart.”
He said although the present Eagles could boast of some talented footballers, “they still cannot be compared with the team of our time.”
Rufai recalled: “Remember, 1994 was not our first Nations Cup as some of us had been in the national team since Libya ’82. We were in Cote d’Ivoire ’84, Egypt ’86, Maroc ’88, Algiers ’90 and Senegal ’92 before Tunisia ’94. You can see the difference. The present crop of players have to be there for some time to be compared to our team.”

Present Eagles

Apart from experience, which Rufai said comes with time, the former goalkeeper said, “during our time, we played a lot of matches, our league was good and the competition for shirts in the national team was stiffer. We went through a lot to get to the national team.”
He noted that the Eagles preparing for the Nations Cup in South Africa were an upcoming team that need encouragement and cannot be compared with 1994 set.
Even Vanguard Online commentators are not left out of the debate. Most of them believe that there is no comparison whatsoever between the present Eagles and 1994 squad.
Note that the ’94 squad won the Nations Cup in Tunisia(Nigeria’s second after 1980) and also qualified the nation for her first World Cup in USA’94.
The 1994 Super Eagles squad paraded the likes of Skipper Stephen Keshi, Sunday Oliseh, George Finidi, Emmanuel Amunike, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Dan Amokachi, Austin Eguavoen, Peter Rufai, Uche Okechukwu, Uche Okafor(late), Rashidi Yekini(late) and Emeka Ezeugo.
Others are Aloy Agu, Ben Iroha, Chidi Nwanu, Oliha Thompson, Samson Siasia, Mutiu Adepoju, Victor Ikpeba, Efan Ekoku and Mike Emenalo among others.
Now, based on what Rufai has said here, do you think the present Eagles have come of age to be compared with ’94 set? Any basis for comparison?

Man who raped grandma to death …To die by hanging

From, Ado-Ekiti
A High Court in Ekiti State has condemned a 27-year-old man to death by hanging for raping and killing a 63-year-old woman. The accused person, Mr. Emmanuel Tometin, who hails from Ekore Village in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State, was reported to have raped and killed Mrs. Ikubolaje on August 17, 2006 at about 2:00p.m at Oke Sele farm, Igirigiri Road, Odo-Ado in Ekiti State. She was reportedly attacked, raped and killed on her way to the farm.
The convict was arraigned on a two-count charge. On the first count of rape, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, while he was found guilty of murder and thereby sentenced to death by hanging. Tometin who was said to have attended Apostlic Primary School at Ekore and dropped out in primary four for lack of fund, had ever since been engaged in farming. He was said to have settled in Ado-Ekiti through a relative, Mr. Bassey, in 2004.
Tometin said he was the second child of his parents but added that his mother had left his father to remarry and gave his mother’s name as Mrs. Adiya Erekunpon. The Judge, Justice Ilori Akindayo, said after all findings and facts on the issue, his view was that Exhibit C, F, and G-G3, which indicted the accused were very relevant to the case and he recorded it as full evidence. He therefore ruled that the accused person be hanged by the neck until he is dead.

I may change my mind on 2015 election –Buhari

Former Head of State, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd),

Former Head of State and three time Presidential candidate, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has said the ongoing merger talks by the major opposition political parties will determine if he will run for president in 2015.

Buhari said this in Abuja on Wednesday while fielding questions from reporters after inaugurating the Congress for Progressive Change Merger Committee.

The 18-member committee is saddled with the responsibility of having talks with the Action Congress of Nigeria on the proposed merger.

He explained that the CPC would first conclude discussions with the ACN after which talks would be initiated with the All Nigeria Peoples Party.

“We have written priority (with ACN) and we are going to go into discussion with ACN before we move to the other party,” the former Head of State told the journalists.

Buhari, however, assured, “It is not impossible that the new party is presented to the people of Nigeria by the middle of this year.”

The Katsina State-born general, who acknowledged the fact that he had said he would not run for the office of the President again, having failed to win the election three times, said he would wait for the outcome of the merger talks before giving a definite answer.

He said, “For the umpteenth time, I said it (that I won’t run again), it is on record that I would not present myself again for election.

“But after that, I have said so many times that members of my party and groups went and said that I don’t belong to myself and that I belong to them. They also said they belong to me.

“I asked them to go and organise the party and if you approach me I may consider it. This is the stage we are.

“I mentioned it several times and I’m waiting on my party and if we have a merger, it will make things much easier for me. The new party will then decide whether it will offer me its ticket and it is up to me to consider accepting it or rejecting it.”

While inaugurating the committee, which has a former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Garba Gadi, as its chairman, Buhari said personal interest should not stand in the way of a great opportunity to build a better Nigeria.

This, he said, would happen once the CPC, ACN and ANPP came together as one party.

He said, “The issue before you now and as you go into your negotiations is fundamentally one – that you will negotiate the best deal for Nigeria.

“It is essentially a matter of give-and-take. There is nothing sacrosanct about any of the issues you will be called to thrash out, but of course, there is a bottom line, the outlines of which have been given in the committee’s terms of reference.

“Your task is national. Petty personal interest should not stand in the way of a great opportunity to build and run a better Nigeria, which will happen once CPC, ACN and ANPP come together.”

Buhari told the committee not to take the negotiations as a battle, saying it was a friendly game with fellow brothers who he said, desire the nation for what people like him also desire for the country.

He said the country was at a crossroads, stumbling from one disaster to another “simply because its leaders lack purpose.”

The former Head of State regretted that the opposition had also not been able to get its act together because its leaders had refused to unite.

“In Nigeria today, therefore, unity – unity of people, unity of political parties, and unity of the opposition is no longer an option. It has become a national imperative,” he added.

Buhari said it was a great joy to know that the leaders of the two parties were eager to merge, adding that the sentiment in the country was for full merger and not alliance or electoral understanding or anything of sorts.

According to him, “What Nigerians want is merger and that is what you are going to negotiate and bring home to them.”

He said the work of the committee would be simple because there was already in existence, an unexecuted understanding between the CPC and ACN for the creation of a new party, with a brand new logo and a new flag already designed and all other paraphernalia of a political party put in place.

All these, according to him, should be dusted off and built upon to avoid time wasting.

The committee, he said, should be able to finish its job in six weeks before the two parties would now constitutionally seal the merger in another six weeks.

Buhari said the new party should actively support the restructuring of the country, adding its 36-state structure was not working.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo: MASSOB spits fire…Warns S’East governors

The new Igbo leader and leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike has warned the Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Martin Elechi, to desist from distracting Ndigbo trying to conduct another election in Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Uwazuruike said Ndigbo would no longer allow the governors whom he described as garrulous to continue to destroy their unity by sacrificing the fortune of the people on the altar of sheer greed and personal political aggrandisement. He described as distraction the action of Ebonyi State Government to start talking about election of the president general and national officers of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation when the election had been contested and won. “Ohanaeze Ndigbo has been conducted and completed and the immediate past president generals, including Justice Eze Ozobu and Amb. Ralph Uwechue, among other prominent Igbo sons, were in attendance and Chief Garry Igariwey was elected unopposed when his compatriots from Ebonyi State stepped down for him. “It is quite unfortunate that the governor is planning another election and as Igbo leader, I am warning him that Ndigbo shall no longer continue to suffer in the hands of the governors.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not an appendage of the state governors and MASSOB has come out to identify with Ohanaeze Ndigbo. There will be no other election of Ohanaeze Ndigbo anywhere, any place and anytime because the election has been conducted last Saturday in Enugu.” Uwazuruike also warned that Ndigbo would resist any incursion from the South-east governors or any government to drag its apex socio-cultural organisation into politics of selfishness, adding that, “for very long now, the governors had used Ohanaeze Ndigbo to achieve their selfish aims but I am saying that from henceforth, we will not tolerate any form of distraction from any governor.”

Sack of Oyinlola: Confusion in PDP

•Deputy may take over secretariat today
From: TAIWO AMODU, ABUJA
This is not the best of times for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as those running the affairs at Wadata Plaza,  the party national secretariat in Abuja are set to the return to the trenches, today, four days after President Goodluck Jonathan’s admonition that they should sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign.
Findings revealed that the Deputy National Secretary, Mr. Solomon Onwe, a lawyer,  is set to assume office today as acting National Secretary.   His reason to assume the position in acting capacity  was premised on last Friday’s court pronouncement which removed  the former Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye, as National Secretary of the party. A Federal High Court in Abuja  had ordered Prince Oyinlola to vacate the position.
Delivering judgment, Justice Abdul Kafarati held that the election of  Oyinlola to the position was a “flagrant violation of two court orders.’’ Kafarati said that evidence existed before the court that two orders from a court in Lagos, dated April 12, 2012 and May 2, 2012 stopped the conduct of congress that made Oyinlola the South-West candidate for the post. “The court is convinced that those orders were given based on the pendency of a suit against the nomination of the second respondent (Oyinlola) to vie for the position.
“The action of those officials who went ahead to conduct the congress was criminal and against the rule of law and they could have been committed to prison. Oyinlola is to immediately stop parading himself as the National Secretary of the PDP,’’ he said. The embattled former governor had appealed and also applied for a stay of execution of the judgment shortly after it was delivered. But a Daily Sun source disclosed that  Onwe was being emboldened  to assume office as acting National Secretary by pro-Bamanga Tukur forces.
The source cited section 45 subsection 3 of the PDP 2012 constitution as amended to back up his submission that statutorily, Prince Oyinlola should vacate the office as National Secretary. But checks revealed that the party’s 2012 constitution being flaunted has not been ratified by the highest organ, the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC).
At its last NEC  meeting, members of the committee were advised to take home the new constitution and come back with their  observations at the next NEC  meeting before ratification of the document. Speaking with Daily Sun on phone ,  the PDP National Legal Adviser, Mr.  Victor Kwon, denied any plan to install Onwe as acting National Secretary. ‘’Wait until tomorrow[ today] first.  That is speculative; why not wait for tomorrow?’ Kwon told us.

Prosecute Lawan, Otedola now, Falana tells Jonathan

Mr. Femi Otedola, and a lawmaker, Farouk Lawan

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to order the immediate trial of the former Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Adhoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime, Mr. Farouk Lawan, and billionaire businessman, Mr. Femi Otedola,  for bribery.

Lawan allegedly received about $620,000 out of $3m bribe from Otedola, to delete the businessman’s companies from the list of firms indicted by the committee.

Secretary to the committee, Boniface Emeluno, was also said to have received part of the bribe.

Falana, in a statement on Sunday, rejected the duo’s excuse for their involvement in the scandal, insisting that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute them.

He said, “Having undertaken to make the fight against corruption part of its transformation agenda the Goodluck Jonathan Administration should direct the anti-graft agencies to bring to book all those who have been indicted in the various probes on the fuel subsidy. Let no one deceive Nigerians by saying that there is no evidence to try criminal suspects who have made confessional statements.”

Falana wondered why Lawan and Otedola had not been charged to court when a few months after the bribery scandal broke, two other members of the House, Herman Hembe and Chris Azubogu  were promptly arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for a similar allegation.

Hembe and Azuogu were last November 26, re-arraigned at an Abuja High Court before Justice Peter Kekemeke for illegal collection of about $4,095 (less than N5m) from the Nigerian Security Exchange Commission sometimes in October 2012.

Falana said, “Since what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, Messrs Lawan and  Emenulo should  be charged to court  without any further delay. Otedola should also be arraigned in court for bribing the two legislators to delist his indicted companies.”

Attributing Nigeria’s poor rating on global corruption scale to “lackadaisical manner of handling cases of corruption involving influential members of the ruling class”, Falana expressed worry why the Federal Government had not acted upon the police report on the bribery scandal

Pastors encouraging corrupt leaders – Bakare

Pastor Tunde Bakare

Convener, Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has accused some church leaders in the country of aiding and abetting corruption.

The Serving Overseer of The Latter Rain Assembly also said some churches not only encourage and harbour corrupt individuals, but also receive ill-gotten money from them.

He  said  this while delivering a speech in preparation for the first anniversary of the Occupy Nigeria Protest in Lagos on Sunday.

He said, “The church has failed the nation. Worst oppression is going on in the churches today. Most churches encourage corrupt leaders by failing to tell them the truth and collecting their money.”

Speaking on the theme, ‘Corruption and the Soul of the Nation’, the lawyer regretted that corruption had robbed the country of the chance to realise its potential.

He said, “It cripples a nation’s character and drains her of substance. We are confronted daily with news and reports of executive corruption in high places, assaulted with a legal system that has long lost respect for the sacredness of justice.

“We have resorted to worshipping and preserving certain sacred cows and even their sires. We have a social system that makes a mockery of a country and her feeble efforts at self-reclamation to the end that even her entire existence becomes a running joke.

“This is not mere alarmism. Our country has long been distorted by corruption and it has progressively eroded her strength and undermined her potential.”

Bakare reiterated his call for the convening of a national conference, saying it would help solve some of the country’s socio-economic and political problems.

Return toxic waste containers to UK – FG

Director General of the agency, Dr. Ngeri Benebo

Federal Government has ordered that the toxic waste containers on board MV Marivia Monrovia be returned to the port of origin in the United Kingdom.

The Director-General of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, Dr. Ngeri Benebo, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday.

NAN reports that the Nigeria Customs Service and NESREA intercepted the ship with Liberian flag, which berthed at the Tin-Can Island Port on Wednesday.

The names of the importers are Messrs Moronuk David and Bonik Investment.

Some containers in the 23, 652-tonnage ship were laden with used televisions, computers, Central Processing Units, DVDs, microwaves, pressing irons and stereos.

Benebo said returning the consignment to the UK was in conformity with the provisions of Harmful Wastes Act, promulgated after the Koko waste saga.

She said, “We are sending the e-wastes back to the port of origin.’’

Chime: Trouble brews in Enugu

…Group demands 2-week ultimatum on gov …They’re attention seekers –CPS

A pro-democracy association known as ‘Save Enugu Group’ has given the acting governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi two weeks to make a categorical explanation on the whereabouts and status of Governor Sullivan Chime. The group, which has former commissioners and top politicians from the state as members also requested the deputy governor to constitute a delegation, which should include eminent personalities from the state to pay a visit to the governor and report back to the people of Enugu State.
The group suggested personalities like, Bishop Callistus Onaga, Catholic Bishop of Enugu, Revd Hyde Onuaguluchi, Prof Bath Nnaji, Igwe Paul Egbogu, Chief Mrs Grace Obayi, Chief Nduka Eya, Secretary General Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo and Dr Louis Anya Chukwuma to be part of the delegation. The letter, which was also copied the Speaker of the State Assembly was signed by former commissioners, Mr Ray Nnaji and Igbonekwu Ogazimorah, former presidential aspirant of the NSP, Chief Maxi Okwu, National Secretary-General of the CNPP, Willy Ezeugwu, Ibuchukwu Ezike and Victor Eneh.
The letter read: “Today makes it 110 days since our great governor was last seen in public. It is in the public domain that Governor Chime was last sighted in public on September 19, 2012. Since then, sightings and near sightings of him have been reported, which all turned out to be a hoax. “This has created a thriving mill of idle gossips, who speculate on his whereabouts and state of health. Matters got to a head December 15, 2012, when the national media was rent with the news of the death of our governor.
“On some occasions, the Commissioner of Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke had come out with an official statement that His Excellency was quietly enjoying his holiday and accumulated leave or that he would be in office shortly. These conflicting accounts merely served to exacerbate rather than ameliorate the situation. “We are also told that at the time of his disappearance from public view, His Excellency, as required by section 190 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), duly handed over to the deputy governor.
“We must bring to your notice that the public is awash with accounts of the inability of the acting governor to discharge his mandate under the Constitution, as a cabal of unelected officers have rendered his authority otiose. We, therefore, most humbly submit that this is a most untidy state of affairs. “At this juncture, we make bold to ask: Can the governor hand over and create an acting administration in perpetuity? What is the duration of annual leave for the Governor? How many days make up this ‘accumulated annual leave’? Could the Constitution and government holiday regulations have given His Excellency a carte blanch to take a break for over 100 days? We do not think so.
The question, which we would be most obliged if it is answered is: Where is His Excellency our governor? “We are in no doubt that comparatively speaking he has done well or that government is going on ‘peacefully’ or ‘smoothly’ as his supporters would chime; but the fact of unreasonable absence from office, is suggestive of permanent inability to discharge the functions of his office. In the alternative we would argue that his disappearance for this extended period amounts to grave misconduct.” But in a swift reaction, the Enugu State Government dismissed the letter as a non-issue.
A statement signed by Chukwudi Achife, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Chime said that “though government did not intend to join issues with those he described as habitual attention-seekers, it was obvious that having realized that their media attacks had not achieved their intended results, they have now chosen to issue baseless statements as a group. “Government does not intend to join issues with these habitual attention-seekers. This is, at best, the coming together of men whose views on the incumbent government are well-known and always predictable.
It is obvious that having realized, perhaps most painfully, that their media attacks had not achieved their pre-determined goal, they have now chosen to issue a statement as a group. “However, it is even more laughable that in dabbling into issues beyond their purview, they first mischievously leaked to the press a letter meant for His Excellency, the Acting Governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi.
“We urge our people to ignore the hollow argument and baseless call by the group, which merely expose the narrow mindedness of the pay-masters because the people of Enugu State know the real men behind the mask.”

Jonathan: OBJ is confused…says FG doesn’t need his advice

Twenty-four hours after former President Olusegun Obasanjo advised the Federal Government to adopt “carrot and stick” approach in tackling Boko Haram, presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, has told the Nigerian leader to pocket his counsel. In fact, Abati said Obasanjo is confused. Obasanjo told Zain Verjee on CNN International interview on Tuesday that President Goodluck Jonathan should use the stick to check the menace of the Islamist sect whose campaign has killed over 2,500 people during attacks on churches and mosques. Reacting to Obasanjo’s interview for the second time yesterday, Abati, in four tweets, said Obasanjo is apparently confused over the Boko Haram menace with his recent suggestion that the “carrot and stick” approach should be employed to address the insurgency. Obasanjo had, in the CNN interview, accused President Jonathan of only using the stick approach to address the problem rather than ‘a double track’ approach.
“To deal with such group, you need ‘carrot’ and ‘stick’ approach. ‘Carrot’ is finding out what, how to reach out to them and ‘stick’ is when you are trying to reach out to them, those that are amenable to be reached out to, you have to use the stick approach”. But Obasanjo’s new posture, however, drew the ire of the Presidency, as Abati picked holes in the suggestions of the former president, saying it smacked of contradiction and confusion.
He said Obasanjo had earlier accused President Jonathan of being too soft on Boko Haram at a function in Warri, Delta State where he suggested an Odi solution (genocide) to the Boko Haram insurgence “Jonathan administration has shown creativity and purposefulness in handling the Boko Haram challenge. Hence, the progress we witness. “One report says Obasanjo is recommending a multifaceted approach to Boko Haram. This government certainly doesn’t need a lecture on that,” Abati tweeted.
Obasanjo and the Presidency had engaged in a veiled war of words since last year over perceived plan by Jonathan to contest a second term in 2015. Although, the President was yet to declare his intention, Obasanjo had never concealed his posture that the next president must come from another zone of the country and not from the South-South where Jonathan hailed from.

Oshiomhole wants DIG sacked over Oyerinde’s death probe

Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole
| credits:

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Thursday in Abuja called for the dismissal of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Peter Gana,  who supervised the investigation into the murder of his private secretary, Olaitan Oyerinde.

Oshiomhole alleged that the DIG was shielding  the real killers and urged  President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the matter.

He said the State Security Service apprehended Oyerinde’s suspected killers while the police arrested and detained an innocent civil rights activist, Rev. David Ugolor, for two months without trial in disobedience of a court order.

The governor, who canvassed for the scraping of the Police Affairs ministry on the grounds that it politicises the Force, noted that with a functional Police Service Commission, the country would not need a ministry in charge of police affairs.

The governor said this while delivering a key note address at the inauguration of a Code of Conduct for officers and men of the Nigeria Police, Vice-President, Namadi Sambo represented President Goodluck Jonathan.

Oshiomhole said, “I am aggrieved; I am aggrieved over the murder of my private secretary and the way in which it was trivialised.

“I am saying it knowing that the Vice President is here. My secretary was murdered in cold blood and you dispatched a DIG to supervise that investigation; a DIG is a sufficiently senior officer. They came to Benin and they did what Fela (Ransome-Kuti) would have called police magic.

“At the end, they went for a civil rights activist and charged him for the offence of murder.”

Oshiomhole alleged that the DIG conspired with other officers involved in the investigation to shield the killers of Oyerinde, saying they were no longer fit to wear police uniform.

He added, “The DIG Force CID has a case to answer; it is either he is guilty of conspiracy to murder or is guilty of conspiracy to shield murderers or both. In which case he cannot wear his police uniform, he must be dismissed.

“The Deputy Commissioner of Police that he used claimed that they had done a thorough job. He has no business wearing police uniform because by my judgment, in his own narrative, he is a criminal.”

The governor lamented that one of the problems of  Nigeria, including the police and even the civil service was the culture of impunity where people do things wrongly and got away with it.

In his response, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, said the case was still under investigation and assured the governor that the outcome of the probe would be made public.

Jonathan charged officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force to exhibit the finest ideals of professionalism in the discharge of their duties, and directed the IG to furnish him with details of assessment of police conduct on a quarterly basis.

Jonathan and 2015

Wale Sokunbi CURRENTS, 08056180228 walesokunbi2003@yahoo.co.uk
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, woke up on January 1, 2013 to the spectacle of re-election campaign posters of President Goodluck Jonathan adorning the streets, including the highbrow Asokoro and Wuse areas of the city.
Coming barely six weeks after the president declined to speak on his interest or otherwise in the 2015 presidential election, saying it was too early to do so, the posters of the president with screaming inscriptions such as 2015: No Vacancy in Aso Rock, Let’s Do More, One Good Turn Deserves Another and Support Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for 2015 Presidency, jolted many Nigerians.
The opinion that has been expressed in several quarters is that the pasting of the posters, especially the one declaring that there is no vacancy in the presidential villa in 2015, is unbecoming, coming from a government that is still grappling with the challenge of delivering on its campaign promises to the people. Although presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, has denied any involvement of the Presidency in the printing or pasting of the posters, and quoted Jonathan as asking those “playing games” with the posters to allow him concentrate on the job at hand, many Nigerians, including leaders of some political parties and civil society groups such as Campaign for Democracy (CD) are unimpressed with the presidential denial.
The CD, through its president, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, has said that the pasting of the posters smacks of “high-level insensitivity” coming from a president that, after two years in office, is still saying he does not want to make mistakes. Abati, however, put up a strong defence of the president. According to him: “There is no reason for the president to engage in any form of scaremongering. He has said that by 2014, his position on the 2015 presidential race would be made public. “Nigerians should wait till then.
Those pasting the posters are trying to express their own views… They do not have the consent of the president. What is most important now is for the president to deliver on his electioneering promises to Nigerians and not to embark on pasting of posters.” This is explanatory enough, if only Nigerians will believe their presidents!. Unfortunately, we have a culture of disbelieving our leaders, which is borne out of their serial deceits of the past. It is not a peculiar “Jonathan problem.
”Flying of kites through pasting of controversial campaign posters before actual commencement of campaigns for political offices is a well-known gimmick of Nigerian politicians. Official denial of knowledge of such controversial campaign posters is also a popular past time of Nigerian leaders. It is a practice that was embraced by the late former Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, and even erstwhile president, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, before the unveiling of his bid for a third term in office.
It is a tactic that has been used now and again by our politicians to introduce controversial political propositions to test the waters. The appearance of Jonathan’s campaign posters on Abuja streets may not, therefore, be an exception. This posting of campaign posters for an election that will not be taking place till April 2015, which is more than two years away, is however, not the way to go for the the sponsors of this poster campaign.
In spite of the fact some of the posters were reported to have the imprint of the South South Peoples Action Group, the subterfuge surrounding the posters is unhealthy. Considering the secrecy surrounding the pasting of the posters, many Nigerians cannot be blamed for taking the denial of the Presidency with a pinch of salt. They can, indeed, be excused for refusing to take the denial by the Presidency on its face value.
These are people who believe that the posters were pasted with the president’s passive approval and endorsement, if not his direct involvement. This hide-and- seek game on the campaign posters is, however, unnecessary, considering the fact that if the president wants to run for a second term in office, he is qualified to do so. He has every legitimate right to go for a second term.
Therefore, if he is interested in another term, all he has to do is to say so, and get on with his work. There would be no need for amorphous groups to paste his posters, thinking they are doing him a great favour by flying a kite on his behalf. . Since there are no time limitations on when a president can declare his interest in a second term, Jonathan should just come out and let Nigerians know his plans for 2015..
He should avoid methods employed by duplicitous politicians who prefer to speak from both sides of their mouths while sounding out the public on their political plans. I believe he is forthright and I expect expect him to be different from his predecessors in office. Although what is expected of President Jonathan now is for him to concentrate on his efforts to improve the quality of life of Nigerians as he works harder at delivering on his campaign promises, the people also expect him to be straightforward and unequivocal on his political aspirations.
Nigerians should be able to be sure of the concentration of the president on his duties and not have to bother themselves with shenanigans over funny re-election posters flying around the Federal Capital Territory. There are so many problems facing the country today that all Nigerians should be thinking of ways to put behind the nation. The 2015 presidential election is not one of these.
Jonathan will, therefore, do very well to either put the matter of 2015 behind him for now and concentrate on the task before him, or come out clearly and vigorously on his plans for the poll. There is no need at all for the controversy on those re-election posters.

EFCC arrests Soludo over currency contract scam

A former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Charles  Soludo, was on Thursday arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes  Commission over his role in the Australian polymer banknotes bribery scam which occurred between 2006 and 2008 when he was in office.

A sources in the commission said that Soludo arrived the EFCC  Headquarters about 2pm from his Abuja residence and  immediately faced a team of operatives who quizzed him for several hours to ascertain his level of complicity in the scandal.

It was learnt that the decision to look into the polymer deal was followed  a petition by  Human and Environmental Development Agenda.

According to the chairman of HEDA, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, the group’s petition had demanded the investigation and possible prosecution of those involved in the alleged contract scam.

The petition had demanded that both the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission  pursue the investigation and prosecution as provided by laws establishing both anti-graft agencies.

Sources also indicated that other top management staff of CBN, who had worked with Soludo, were also picked and currently being held alongside other ex-staff of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company.

However, all efforts to get the identities of other  detained suspects  proved abortive, as no one was ready to volunteer information.

It was not clear whether the ex-CBN governor would be remanded at the EFCC detention  as he was still being held as at 8pm on Thursday.

Spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest, but could not be categorical on whether the embattled former 2010 Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Anambra State would be detained or not.

Chime: Where are the people of Enugu?

Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”

—Martin Luther King, Jnr.

 It should be of utmost concern to the indigenes of Enugu State that the peaceful state   is gradually drifting into a state of anarchy, following the intrigues playing out on the whereabouts of the state governor, Sullivan Chime. It is obvious now that the absence of Governor Chime for more than four months has truncated the political hierarchy of the state, thereby turning Enugu  into a motionless and ungoverned state! Unfortunately, the people of the state have been pretending that all is well, while on the contrary, the state  is sitting on  the keg of gun powder!

The nonchalant attitude of Enugu people on the political crisis ravaging the state like a wildfire can be likened to the story of the proverbial frog and how it endured to the point of death! The parable of the frog is a typical story of change. When you put a frog into a bucket of hot water, it will quickly jump out of the hot water. But if you put a frog inside this same bucket of water at ordinary room temperature, it will stay put. If you now put the bucket on a stove and increase the temperature of the water gradually with the frog inside it, the frog will remain inside the bucket. If you continue to do this until the water boils, the frog will still be there inside the hot water until it dies of heat and burns. What a tragedy!

This is how Enugu citizens are behaving now concerning the political turmoil going on in the state. In an attempt to adjust to the current political crisis in the state following the long absence of the governor from office, they continue to endure executive rascality and legislative indolence until the whole state goes up in flames! It is no longer news that Chime is overseas treating an undisclosed ailment many say has incapacitated him. Funny enough, we live in a country that has good laws, but has little enforcement mechanics for her laws. The constitution has envisaged a situation where the governor may be incapacitated by reason of illness, in order to ensure that the smooth running of the state government is not interrupted. The constitution has made it expressly clear  that the deputy governor will take over as the substantive governor, but what is happening in Enugu is different; an obviously incapacitated governor has refused to toe the path of honour by throwing in the towel! To me, Chime should resign now and allow his deputy to take over. It will be wise and more honourable for him than what he is doing now, lying on a sick bed fighting two battles: his life and the governorship seat he left behind.

Chime is a public figure whose earning is got from the taxpaying Enugu citizens. His health status information is deceptively managed by his aides who see the seat of the governor as a personal property of the Chimes. While in an Indian hospital, his salaries and allowances are still running including security votes when he is in a limbo with only his aides becoming his mouthpiece. Almost a replay of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua incident. Not even the acting governor in the employ of the state has spoken with him. I think this is an instance of a ghost governor in office! His media crew are still insulting the sensibilities of the people of the state by insisting that he is on “vacation”. Since September! What a load of horse crap! I am not wishing him death, because as mortals we are, none of us is immune from sickness or death, but until he learns to start showing respect to the people of Enugu State who elected him, then he does not deserve the respect and sympathy of Enugu citizens either. Governor Chime should do the right thing and abdicate power as he is incapable of continuing in office, he is an elected governor and not an emperor or a King! He was not born as governor of Enugu State, but as Sullivan Iheanacho Chime. His life and that of his family members are not tied to Lion Building (Governor’s Office), he did not inherit the governorship throne from his father, because Enugu State is not practising a monarchy!

Some people have been calling for prayers for the quick recovery of the ailing governor. As good as that might be, I think there is no how someone should start telling the people of Enugu State to pray for a governor which the Government House, Enugu declared fit. How can Enugu citizens pray for quick recovery of someone who is on “vacation” or holidays? Who is fooling who? I wonder whether they see Enugu citizens as a bunch of dullards and dummies! It is only in Africa that her leaders want to die in office. They rather leave offices in their corpses than resign or retire. How many times have we heard that the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, went for cancer surgery in Cuba last year? Whenever he was going; he would tell Venezuelans that he was going for operation on this or that. They would join hands and pray for their leader to go and come back successfully, but ours is a  different ball game: our rulers will hide it till the person dies! South African legend, Nelson Mandela, spent his Christmas in a hospital, the whole world was aware of that. The late president of Ghana, John Atta-Mills, died in a Ghanaian hospital after a long battle with cancer, Ghana citizens were aware of that unfortunate sickness. A situation where we have an absentee governor for more than four consecutive months is not only crazy, but shows that we do not have a country in the first place!

It is a known fact that Chime has not been in a sound health all this while. He has been reported to be debilitating and in an instance, reportedly collapsed in a state function. It is very sad that the national leadership of the PDP, his party, has refused to address this issue appropriately, thereby leaving the good people of the state in a political quandary. The fact that his deputy is acting is not enough reason to keep an incapacitated and non-functioning governor in office. As pathetic as it may sound, the 1999 constitution as amended, did not stipulate the time limit within which  the deputy governor can act, before he will be sworn in as a substantive governor if the governor fails to show up and resume normal duties. Instead, it just says “…until the governor returns…” (even if he is away for eternity?). If this is the case, it is absurd! It is very unfortunate that a state that has produced great men such as the late C.C. Onoh, Chief Jim Nwobodo, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Senator Ken Nnamani, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, Prof. Barth Nnaji, among numerous others has been hijacked by a cabal led by some power hungry elements!

Despite the hue and cry of the citizens of the state, Eugene Odoh has refused to use the powers conferred on him as the Speaker of the House of Assembly to resolve this quagmire. There is this Igbo adage that says an elder does not sit in the house and watch a goat being strangulated by a rope. Where are the elders from Enugu State? The Nwobodos, the Nnamanis, the Nwodos, the Nnajis, the Mbakas, the Igwesis, among others? Can we continue to sit down and watch Enugu State run into a ditch like a fully-loaded luxury bus without a driver steering the wheels? I wonder whether the Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, is waiting for the state to drift into a full-blown anarchy before he intervenes to ensure the resolution of the political crisis in the state accentuated by Chime’s long absence by ensuring the swearing-in of Sunday Onyebuchi as the substantive governor of the state, because there is a time when silence becomes a betrayal. An injustice done anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere; apology to Martin Luther King, Jnr.