Vol. 1 No. 21, Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
N150
Anambra/Kogi oil war: 19 missing, 22 houses burnt Page 3
Page 21
Jonathan battles Okorocha Why PDP wants him out ...Escapes death, flown abroad Page 2 page 27
‘Buhari will never rule Nigeria again’ – Witches Page 21
Jonathan
Okorocha
Nigeria may break up –Bishop Chukwuma
1 e g Pa
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S’Court okays MASSOB leaders’ trial e Pag
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
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Jonathan battles Okorocha ·His mystery auto crash ·Why PDP wants to remove him By Uche Chukwu
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mo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha's ambition to rule Nigeria is age-long. In 2005, he came nearest to actualizing his ambition when he bankrolled the formation of Action Alliance as one of the political parties to seek for elective positions. Many were not surprised that when he opted for governorship of Imo State. Political observers saw his bid for the governorship as a stepping stone for his presidential ambition. Since becoming the governor of the State, policies and programmes of Okorocha , in the sight of observers are populist in nature. On assumption of office as governor of Imo State, Okorocha promised he would serve one tenure and quit to make way for Owerri zone to take its turn in line with the Imo Charter of Equity.He reiterated his resolve to contest the Presidency at the expiration of tenure of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. To prove to his detractors that Nigeria's governance is not a big deal, Okorocha actually set machinery in motion to deliver the goodies as Imo state's helmsman. He promised to build a Five Star hotel in each of the three senatorial zones in the state within three years, declared free education in Imo state making available scholarship sum valued at N25,000.00 per annum to every primary school pupil in the state; N40,000.00 to every secondary school student in the state; N60,000 to every OND student of the state Polytechnic; N80,000.00 per annum to every HND student and N100,000.00 to every Imo State indigene studying at the Imo state University apart from free tuition. That is not all, governor Okorocha announced that he would build three new universities in the state, one in each of the three senatorial zones, before 2015 . However, the crisis that hit his new found party as well as his face-off with his Anambra State counterpart, Mr. Peter Obi may have forced the Imo governor to stand adopting a plan B for his 2015 bid. It would appear that the schemings by loyalists of President Jonathan to have him run for the 2015 election on the platform of the PDP may have , in the thinking of political pundits fuelled his move join the merger to enable him either settle for a running mate post and come out full blast after 2019.
Though his move to make APGA part of the alliance in the All Progressives Congress along side the Action Congress of Nigeria
“what you saw shows that it is possible for the South-East to produce the next president of Nigeria. I say so because most of
President Goodluck Jonathan. (ACN),Congress of Progressives Congress (CPC) and All Nigerian People's Party (ANPP) has been debunked by crisis-ridden APGA, Okorocha has stuck to his gun in the merger in which he coordinates the South-East geopolitical zone. Ahead of the merger and horsetradings for the 2015 bid, the wedding of Okorocha's daughter, Uloma to Hon. Nwosu at Ogboko, in Ideato South local government area of Imo State in January 5 this year , according to political watchers could pass for a grand political meeting of some sorts as it attracted an avalanche of political leaders and elders from the North,South-East, SouthWest and South-south geopolitical zones. In attendance at the meeting includedformer President Obasanjo who is believed to be scouting for a Northerner to take over from Jonathan come 2015 and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar. It was gathered that the theme of the meeting was the relevance and role of the South-East in 2015 election and contractual political consideration. Former Senator Annie Okonkwo from Anambra State and the leader of G21, a political committee in which Okorocha's current political interest is protected, saw the Ogboko meet as part of effort to unite the South-East with other zones ahead of the general elections especially as it relates with an Igbo man becoming the president of Nigeria. According to him
unity in the country and among political leaders across the nation. The political quake resulting from the solidarity given to Okorocha at daughter's wedding ceremony, observers opine jolted the PDP, especially those working for the re-election of Jonathan in 2015.
Gov. Rochas Okorocha
the people, who came to Owerri and saw the level of performance and political mobilisation, have come to accept that what Nigeria needs at a time like this is a practical leader like Okorocha… The major concern of C21, as a political group, is to make sure that the dream of producing a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction becomes a reality. With what is happening now, it is now very clear that a North and SouthEast alliance, for this very purpose, is possible and real,” he said. When reminded about the presence of ACN stalwarts at the wedding ceremony of Okorocha's daughter, Okonkwo stated: “yes,, that is also a confirmation that at this period in the political history of Nigeria , a South-East presidential candidate will receive the support of the West,. Don't forget that a lot of Igbo investment is In Lagos and the South-West and so an alliance with the South-West is also most needful“yes, that is also a confirmation that at this period in the political history of Nigeria, a South-East presidential candidate will receive the support of the West. Don't forget that a lot of Igbo investment is in Lagos and the South-West and so an alliance with the South-West is also most needful. That is what we are working towards and that social gathering, the wedding, is just a confirmation of the successes recorded so far,” he said. Obasanjo who spoke at the occasion, stated that the wedding had underscored the need to foster
It was gather that the heat on Okorocha may not be unconnected with his perceived ambition and solidarity coming across the length and breath of Nigeria. Sources to The Advocate indicate that the heating of polity in Imo State in the past weeks is sequel to the Okorocha's move to rubbish Jonathan's ambition. Equally threatened by Okorocha's rising popularity and seeming tendency to go for re-election in 2015, is the deputy governor, Agbaso who is believed to be warming up to take over from Okorocha after his first tenure. It was gathered that the appointment of the younger Agbaso was in line with the support given by the elder Agbaso to allow Okorocha run for Imo State governorship against Ikedi Ohakim after which he backs his younger brother who was given the deputy governor slot. The hatched impeachment, according to our source was aimed at checkmating the deputy's threat .But Martin Agbaso, the elder brother the impeached deputy governor accused Okorocha of reneging in the one-term agreement reached with him after he had given him a platform to run for Imo governorship. Sir Agbaso was impeached after the contracting firm, JPROS abandoned the Sam Mbakwe Road project after allegedly collecting the total contract sum of N1.5 billion and another N200,000,000 million overpayment from which sums it
allegedly gave gratification to Agbaso and could not finish the job. Following the impeachment of Agbaso after the charges were investigated by the Mr. Dina-led Committee of the Imo State House of Assembly which accused the former Deputy Governor and then Commissioner for Works, Sir Jude Agbaso, of demanding and receiving N458M gratification, an allegation which he claimed led to the abandonment of the project. Sir Agbaso was subsequently impeached by the state legislature on March 28, this year, thus becoming the first deputy governor to be impeached since the creation of Imo State in 1976. The impeached deputy governor of Imo State, was immediately replaced by Chris Madumere who has since been sworn in. But before Agbaso's impeachment, moves were said to have been made b y the PDP to fasten the process of impeachment of Okorocha to pave way for his deputy, Jude Agbaso to take over. Insight into the allegation was blown open by the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Mr Benjamin Uwajumogu, who claimed that the elder brother to the impeached deputy governor, Jude Agbaso and some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had offered him N3 billion to facilitate the impeachment of the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha. Uwajumogu had in his interview with journalists in Owerri, the state capital, alleged that the millionaire businessman, the PDP national vice chairman (South East), Col. Augustine Akobundu and other high-ranking PDP members, promised to give him the money if he would facilitate the impeachment of Okorocha to pave way for his deputy, Jude Agbaso to become the governor of the state. According to him: “Sometime in August, 2012, the elder brother to the former deputy governor, invited me for a meeting to assist me in the attempt by the PDP hierarchy to remove me from office. “I attended the meeting with him in Anambra State in the house of a businessman, with other high ranking PDP members in attendance including the current South East national vice chairman of the PDP in attendance. “I was jolted at the meeting when I was told that the Presidency had directed that impeachment proceedings be initiated against Governor Okorocha to remove him from office so tghat the then deputy governor, Sir Jude Agbaso
Continues on page 3
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
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Anambra/Kogi oil war: 19 missing, 22 houses burnt in Aguleri ·Anambra attacked Ibaji communities with Ogbunigwe - Council boss By Ted Peters
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o fewer than 19 persons from Okpeze, Aguleri, in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State have been reported missing and 22 houses razed, following renewed bloody clash between the community and their Echenwo and Odeke neighbours, in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State. Reports from the area said that dangerous weapons were freely used during all-night fierce battle on Wednesday and Thursday. Eyewitnesses and relations of the missing people from Anambra side said Friday that they were taken unawares on Wednesday and Thursday nights, when gunmen from Kogi State swooped on their
homes, shooting and setting them on fire. The victims alleged that when the gunmen invaded the area, people who ran out of their homes were captured and taken to unknown destinations. But reacting to the development, Saturday, Chairman of Ibaji Local Government, Mr. Dave Ogwu dismissed claims by Anambra people that Ibaji fighters invaded them saying the warriors from Aguleri attacked Odeke with locally-made bomb popularly called Ogbunigwe and destroyed several houses before they were repelled by Kogi people. He said that it was unfortunate that Anambra people decided to employ propaganda to deceive the people that they were under attack
after wagging war on his (Ibaji) people who, he said, had remained law-abiding waiting for the Federal Government to take final decision on the boundary dispute. The council boss said that he would give further details of the attack on Ibaji communities by Aguleri people since the recent uprising between the two states, describing the development as very barbaric. "Our people had been under heavy bombardment from the Aguleri people who invaded some our communities with Ogbunigwe destroying several houses and maimed several people in the process. I have the pictures of the destruction, yet attackers are the first to run the media to raise alarm. It is
unfortunate," Ogwu said. However, one of the women from Okpeze Aguleri, Mrs. Martha Nweke told newsmen that her husband was among those missing. She said: “We were asleep when suddenly, we heard sounds of gunfire from many directions. There was pandemonium, as many people ran out of their houses half naked, into the bush. Many children were heard crying, as the invaders dragged their fathers out to unknown places. “Most of the people slept in the bush and when the day broke, we discovered that many houses were either burnt or looted. I thought my husband ran into the bush with others, but when he did not appear the following morning, we knew
Jonathan battles Okorocha Continued from page 2
could take over. The sum of N3billion was offered to me and adequate protection.I now asked them to give me the evidence that was required to impeach the governor and up till today they have not given me any required evidence.” According to Uwajumogu “while the elder brother to the impeached deputy governor was trying to sponsor the impeachment move, Okorocha learnt of it and confronted him and myself. I owned up but having heard their discussion and there was no evidence, I didn't think it was anything to worry about.” Uwajumogu who denied that the impeachment of the deputy governor was predetermined, pointed out that, “I am actually surprised by some of the information being released. If there was any predetermined impeachment action, it was to be against the governor, which was to be sponsored by the elder brother to the impeached deputy governor and the PDP in line with the directives of the Presidency.” But both Akobundu and Amajirionwu had denied their involvement. Akobundu, said “I am not aware of what he (Speaker) is talking about. I am a member of the opposition in the state and can't be talking about impeachment. The PDP is concerned with restoring good governance in the state.” In the same vein, the state Public Secretary of the PDP, Chief Blyden Amajirionwu, described the Speaker's claim as unfounded and total falsehood adding that, “the PDP is not interested in the impeachment of Okorocha because if he is impeached, the PDP will not take over. We are working to win the next election and restore good governance in the state. The PDP will remove Okorocha during the next general election. We are not talking about impeachment.”
Jude Agbaso- Impeached But it was not yet uhuru as the matter that gave rise to the impeachment of the deputy governor of Imo state, resurfaced following last week's storming of Imo State by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives who arrested Imo state Commissioner for Finance, Okafor Chike John and the Accountant General, Eche Ezenna George. They were arrested and detained in connection to a contract awarded to a JPROS International Limited which the company abandoned after allegedly collecting the contract sum. It was gathered that more personalities are being invited for questioning. In a twist, Imo State proceeded to file criminal charges against the contractor, J-PROS filed obtaining the sum of N1.3 billion under false pretence. The Owerri Chief Magistrate Court presided by Mrs. Victoria Isiguzo last Thursday ordered the police to produce Mr. Joseph Dina, the Managing Director of J-PROS Int'l Limited to face criminal charges filed against
Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu
him and his company by Imo State Government for fraud and obtaining money from the state government under false pretense. The suit which was brought by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner, Barr. Soronnadi Njoku, on behalf of the state government also sought to prosecute the contractor for abandoning a major road contract in Owerri capital city after criminally obtaining money in excess of the contract sum. This is the second time both Imo top officials are being arrested by the EFCC over alleged fraud and abuse of office.They were arrested sometime in January this year, after which they were granted bail without any criminal charge. The House Majority Leader, Mr Adaku Ihuoma (representing Ahiazu Mbaise constituency), moved the motion for the impeachment of the deputy governor, Agbaso, while Mr Pat Ekeji, the Minority Leader (Aboh Mbaise constituency) seconded.
The Speaker, Mr Benjamin Uwajumogu, after confirmed the resolution in favour of the impeachment after its adoption. Following the impeachment, the speaker read out a letter from Gov. Rochas Okorocha where he nominated the Chief of staff, Eze Madumere, to replace the deputy governor. The legislators withdrew into a session to deliberate on the replacement and thereafter okayed it.Later, the House ratified the nomination of Eze Madumere as the new deputy governor. But the embattled deputy governor who had earlier put up a not-so-encouraging resistance, attributed his ordeal to Okorocha's ploy not to have a top challenger in his re-election bid. He disclosed that the governor, who he accused of witch-hunting him, signed an agreement with his elder brother, Chief Martins Agbaso, to serve only one term and handover to his brother who gave him (Okorocha) the platform to emerge as governor in 2011. Agbaso also accused Okorocha of
that he was among those kidnapped. “We are worried because these invaders had boasted, in the past, that they would continue to kill and e a t o u r p e o p l e . We w a n t government to step into this matter without further delay to save us from this trauma. “We are just beginning to settle down after last year's flood that destroyed our homes and crops and here we are again facing this attempt to sack us from our community by Kogi people because oil was discovered in our land.” Meanwhile, the people of Aguleri have sent a Save-Our-Soul (SOS), to the Federal Government and the governments of Anambra and Kogi states to intervene immediately to avoid further loss of lives. inducing the members of the House with financial gratifications to move against him. “The contractor that has been falsely accusing me was actually nominated by Okorocha, who approved the payment of N1.3billion to the contractor for a job not yet done”, he added. The deputy governor's brother, Chief Martin Agbaso, described the deputy governor as a victim of political manipulations, ahead of the 2015. “We are a hard working family and do not indulge in fraud. So, I can state authoritatively that the deputy governor, who is my blood brother, is framed up because of politics. He could not have committed the offence for which he is vilified”, he maintained. The House of Assembly, in a swift response to the deputy governor's claim, restated that he was indicted by the report of the ad-hoc committee, which independently investigated the allegation against him. In a statement signed by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon Acho Ihim, the House insisted that Agbaso was merely wiping up sentiment by employing cheap political blackmail to divert public attention from the issues of embezzlement and abuse of office. The Commissioner of Information, Mr. Chinedu Offor, also described his statements as diversionary and unfounded. He spoke just as the Imo State governor was for the second time involved in an auto crash in which he sustained a head injury. The circumstance of the accident has kept tongues wagging as the governor's car was hit by a mystery car that rammed into his. What is not known if the recent EFCC invasion of the State has anything to do with the plan by the ruling PDP to rubbish Okorocha's ambition for either the presidency, running mate or the second term bid.
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
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Abia begins work on N3.7b shopping mall
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HE Abia State government Thursday began the construction of the N3.7 billion digital Abia Shopping Mall, which has 13 months' delivery target. Located at the former Cattle Market in Umuahia and established under the PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP), the mall is owned by Abia Retail Company (85 per cent equity) and the state (15 per cent) equity, and will be operated by Shoprite. When operational, it is estimated to employ 500 direct and 5,000 indirect personnel. Governor Theodore Orji, who laid the foundation, said the project was conceived to provide residents of Umuahia with “a
one-stop shop.” While the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Sampson Orji, described the project as a cutting-edge concept in the supply of all human daily needs, the Managing Director of New Technics Construction Company, which is handling the project, Mr. Enyinnaya Emelogu, asked indigenes to expect the best shopping complex that will compare with what obtains in other states of the country and beyond. He indicated that it would be completed within 13 months if all stakeholders live up to the terms of the contract.
Achebe to be buried May 23 By Ted Peters
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enowned Nigerian Author and literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe, who passed on in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America on March 22, this year, would be buried on May 23, Governors of the South East states announced this Sunday. The internationally celebrated writer and author of “Things Fall Apart” died at the age of 82 after a brief illness. Rising from the South East Governors' Forum at the Government House, Enugu, the governors said the burial date was chosen following due consultations with the deceased author's family and other stakeholders, who had indicated interest to participate in the funeral. Members of Achebe's family were present at yesterday's meeting. Chairman of the governor's forum and Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, who briefed newsmen after the meeting, however, declined to give further details, but expressed the readiness of the governors to accord Achebe a benefitting burial.
Obi said that the forum also deliberated on security issues in the south east zone and the ongoing Federal Government's projects targeted at upgrading Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu to an International Airport. Also speaking with newsmen, the first son of the late writer, Ikechukwu Achebe described his father as a good man who wished Nigeria well. He recalled that his father's last wishes was a Nigeria that would be free of corruption as well as a Nigeria that would live up to the expectations of its citizens. The late Achebe's first son thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for granting him an opportunity to meet with him and his support so far to the family. He also expressed gratitude to the South East Governors for their support and special indication that his late father's burial was an important event. Governors Peter Obi, Martin Elechi, Theodore Orji and Sullivan Chime of Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Abia States attended the meeting while Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, who left Nigeria for London last Friday following an injury he sustained in an auto crash, was represented by his deputy, Eze Madumere.
Enugu Prisons to be relocated By Uba Ani
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he Federal government has confirmed the relocation of Enugu prisons to a new location in Enugu
Name: Okoli Brenda Hobby: Modeling and Acting Likes: Honesty Dislike: Dishonesty Email: brendyo417@yahoo.com Source: st santos productions 07067899677
state. Briefing the press during a visit to Enugu, Mr. Jimmy Osinusi, Head of Prisons Department, Federal Ministry of Interior stated that his visit to Enugu was to facilitate the process of the proposed relocation which when actualized, shall strongly support the Federal Government's transformation programmes on agricultural and industrial development that will enhance the growth of the nation's economy. The decision of the Federal Government to relocate Enugu Prisons from its present busy city-center to a new location was because of the incursion of urbanization on the present location as well as for better security. Mr. Osinusi explained that the programme was a tripartite collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Interior, the Nigeria
Prisons and Enugu State Government adding that the mix- committee has almost concluded work on detail plans for the relocation. Commenting on the issue, the Hon. Commissioner for Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), Engr. Ikechukwu Ugwuegede welcomed the Nigeria Prisons and Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs delegation expressing enthusiasm that the project would have ripple effects on the social- economic life of the people of Enugu State and the nation at large. Engr. Ugwuegede reiterated his earlier statement that the actualization of the project would enable the inclusion of the location among the Central Business District (CBD) being created by the Enugu State government. He further said that the successful relocation shall facilitate the easing up of traffic congestion within the Old park area in the coal city adding that this shall enable the rapid development of the rural area of the new location to a modern rural-urban structure. In his entourage was Elder Chris Ntewo, the Comptroller, Enugu Prisons.
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
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I have not endorsed any gov. candidate – Jonathan Yet to take decision on re-election in 2015 …Warns political jobbers to leave him alone
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resident Goodluck Jonathan has described as “totally untrue and without any basis in reality” that he has endorsed candidates for the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) governorship elections. The president has also debunked newspaper reports that a 21-man committee had been set up to start working on his behalf ahead of the 2015 presidential elections. He insisted that he was yet to take a decision on whether or not he would seek re-election in 2015 and had therefore not mandated any individual, committee or organisation to start working on his behalf for the 2015 elections. President Jonathan said that he should be left alone to focus on delivering on his promise of good governance and national transformation without unnecessary distractions. He warned political jobbers and their collaborators in the media to stop heating up the polity with baseless speculations and falsehoods, revolving around imaginary plans and schemes by him for the 2015 elections. President Jonathan specifically denied an advertorial where he purportedly lifted up a politician's hand in supposedly endorsement of his gubernatorial ambition. He warned those he described as “unscrupulous persons” that had begun to print 2015 campaign posters with his photograph, saying that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was yet to announce the commencement of campaigns and political parties were yet to conduct any primaries for the selection of candidates. A statement signed by the President's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, reads: “In spite of clear and unambiguous pronouncements by President Goodluck Jonathan that he remains fully focused on the implementation of his administration's agenda for national transformation and not the politics of future elections, the Presidency has noted with concern that some individuals, groups, organisations and sections of the media have continued to foster the myth of a president and administration solely concerned with jostling and self-positioning for the 2015 elections. “On Monday, April 15, 2013, ThisDay Newspaper published a front page news story entitled “21-member C'ttee Empanelled for Jonathan's Second Term Bid” wherein it was stated, inter alia, that “the president's aides and associates have set up a 21member committee to advise (President) Jonathan on the viability of his entry into the
presidential contest in 2015”. "The impression is further created that a group known as “We, the people” has its roots in the Presidency and that the 2015 campaign has now become the main preoccupation of the Presidency. “This is totally untrue and without any basis in reality. "As he has truthfully declared on several occasions, President Jonathan has not yet taken a decision on whether or not he will seek re-election in 2015 and has, therefore, not mandated any individual, committee or organisation to start working on his behalf for the 2015 elections. “President Jonathan's stated wish to be left alone to focus on delivering on his promise of good governance and national transformation without unnecessary distractions should be respected. Political jobbers and their collaborators in the media should stop heating up the polity with baseless speculations and falsehoods revolving around imaginary plans and schemes by the Presidency for the 2015 elections. “The Presidency has also observed what seems to be an emerging trend whereby persons with their eyes fixated on political opportunities in future elections are beginning to use President Goodluck Jonathan's name to promote themselves and their vaulting ambitions. "It was clearly in this regard that some unscrupulous persons began to print 2015 campaign posters
with President Jonathan's photograph, whereas the Independent National Electoral Commission is yet to announce the commencement of campaigns and political parties are yet to conduct any primaries for the selection of candidates. Perhaps, the most audacious illustration of this trend and resort to mischief and opportunism is represented by an advertorial, which appeared on page 14 of the Saturday Vanguard of April 13, 2013 signed by one OBITEX Industrial and Investment Company Limited. The colour advert shows President Jonathan purportedly raising the hand of Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the unmistakable suggestion that the President had endorsed Nze Nwankpo as the PDP gubernatorial candidate for Anambra State. "The advertiser claims as follows: “ A s M r. P r e s i d e n t , H i s Excellency, Dr. Ebele Goodluck Jonathan has symbolically raised (sic) up your hands, so you have been chosen by God Almighty to be the governor of Anambra State come 2014.” "It is instructive that the so-called raising of hand is represented through an artist's sketch and not a photograph with verifiable, empirical value. For the benefit of the unwary, the Presidency emphatically states that President Jonathan has not endorsed any
candidate for any position whatsoever ahead of the 2015 general elections neither has he commissioned persons to start campaigns for his own candidature. "As a leader, who respects the rule of law, President Jonathan respects the fact that there are laid down procedures, defined by INEC and the political parties, for the selection of candidates for any election. As a law abiding citizen, President Jonathan will not engage in any act, symbolic or direct, that runs counter to laiddown procedures. "As a loyal party man, he will equally not do anything that will amount to the usurpation of the party's structures and powers to conduct primaries and choose
candidates for elections. We, therefore, disown the claims and allegations of Presidential endorsements or the commencement of 2015 campaigns. "general public and affected stakeholders are advised to be wary of the kind of opportunism, misrepresentation and mischief that usually arise ahead of elections in general. "The Presidency seizes this opportunity to warn all 2015 political office seekers and their sponsors, friends or collaborators, to desist from unconscionable exploitation of President Jonathan's name in the service of jaded antics of self aggrandizement, promotion and positioning”.
Remain fearless, Osoba urges journalists
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ORMER Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba has urged Nigerian journalists to remain fearless in the course of news reporting in spite of harassment and intimidation in the hands of security agents. Osoba insisted that it was only by remaining undeterred that the primary objective of information dissemination by journalists to the people could be achieved. The former governor, who spoke at the turning of the sod of Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, multimillion naira guest house in Shomolu, Lagos on Tuesday, said journalists owed the public a duty to report the truth as professionals, irrespective of the odds. Describing journalism as a respected and decent profession, Osoba argued that the only way to make sure it remained so was for journalists to allow professionalism to reflect in the reportage of issues as they
unfolded regardless of whose ox was gored. Osoba said Lagos was the centre and headquarters of journalism in
the country. In his remark, President, NUJ, Mallam Muhammad Garba decried the spate of harassment
and assault of journalists by security agents and called on President Goodluck Jonathan to call the security agents to
ALGON condemns plot to destabilize one duly elected by us and the Rivers State Govt accredited delegates from our By Abraham Ajaero, PortHarcourt
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ssociation of Local Governments of Nigeria ALGON, Rivers state chapter has condemned the clandestine moves by a group of disgruntled PDP members in the state to create a chaotic situation that could lead to a declaration of state of emergency and subsequent removal of Governor Chibuike Amaechi from office. Addressing a press conference in P o r t H a r c o r t We d n e s d a y, Chairman of ALGON and Mayor of PortHarcourt, Hon. Chimbiko Akarolo insisted that the dissolution of the elected Rivers state PDP executive by an Abuja High Court on Monday despite an
earlier High court order in Rivers state validating G.U. Ake led executive, was the climax of the grand plot to unseat the state governor adding that ALGON will not seat down and watch a few individuals plunge the state into crisis. Rejecting the outcome of the Abuja High court, the ALGON chairman maintained that “as the third tier of government and leaders of our great party in Local Government Areas we shall not accept or condone any illegal executive council to be foisted upon us” adding that the Local government chairmen “shall not support, recognize or do any business with any other State Executive Council of PDP except
various local government areas.” He recalled that those PDP members who dragged the Chief G.U. Ake led PDP state executive to court did not participate in the state party convention that produced the sacked executive and wondered why the court took such a decision, which to him is “a BAD LUCK to democracy in Rivers state and Nigeria.” The state ALGON therefore declared its support for the governor of Rivers state and the G.U. Ake led state executive council. While appealing to its supporters and party faithful to remain calm and law abiding, it stated that the judgment has already been appealed against at the court of appeal.
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Oruku–Umuode peace talks suffer setback ·Warring communities trade blames By Ted Peters
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he rescheduled peace talks between the warring communities of Oruku and Umuode in Nkanu East local government area of Enugu state, yesterday, suffered a setback as the meeting was shelved at the instance of Umuode people who complained of lack of security. The community, The Advocate learnt, expressed fears that Amagunze, the council headquarter, venue of the meeting, was not safe enough to hold such talks and suggested that another venue be chosen either in Emene or Enugu. The absence of the former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, who is said to have traveled out of the country, scuttled the meeting as the Umuodes said the dialogue must wait until he returned to the country, as he would personally speak for his community. Chairman of the local government and convener of the meeting, Mr. Sam Iyiogwe, said that the parties had expressed fears that they might be attacked on the way to the meeting but the council assured them that adequate security arrangements had been made to escort them from the point of departure to the meeting venue, but in spite of the assurance, “I got a call from Umuode Monday night saying that they will not attend.” “The Umuode requested that the meeting should be rescheduled at a place in Emene or Enugu for security reason and we have to oblige them. The meeting will be rescheduled,” he said. Asked if the parties are willing to embrace the fresh peace overtures since the meetings had been frustrated several times, Iyiogwe said: “I have a conviction that everyone in Oruku and Umuode is tired of fighting, I can feel it and I can see it, but possibly there may be some ego working and powers are influencing men negatively but we will overcome it. “We will continue to appeal to both parties, dialogue with them and let our people know the reason why we should stop killing ourselves because when blood is being littered, the land is angry, the land will be dry and people will continue to suffer. So, I wouldn't say any party is not willing but I believe that there are some external influences that are making people not to adhere to our calls but I believe that at the end we will succeed.” The peace talks which would have involved the entire Nkanu East Traditional Rulers, the Oruku and Umuode communities, was convened by the council boss following continued shooting in
Obinna Nwatu from Eziobodo Village Oruku allegedly shot by Umuode warriors while plucking mangoes in front of his house.
Chief Charles Iyiagwo of Uzam village Oruku, allegedly shot dead by Umuode at his residence the troubled communities that claimed some lives and valuables recently. In a statement issued yesterday by the President General of Oruku Town Union, Chief Lazarus Odo, the community said it had prepared fully to honour the invitation of the council to peace talks but were shocked to hear from the office of the chairman that the Umuodes and their leadership had bluntly rebuffed the peace moves by the council and the traditional rulers of the local government. “The implication of this development is that the Umuodes are not disposed to peaceful resolution of the 18 year-old crisis. Instead they are singing war songs as can be shown by their recent actions. It is to be recalled that on the first scheduled date for the peace talk on April 12, the Umuode youths invaded Oruku people. The home of one Ogbonna Onwuta was burnt down while that of Chief Nnamani Nwachi was badly shattered with bullets.
“The target of Umuodes was to kill and maim Oruku residents conducting the burial of late Mrs Victoria Ben Okenwa. To date, the corpses of Obinna Nwatu and Chief Charles Iyiagwo murdered th th by Umuodes on 25 and 27 of March, 2013 are still in the mortuary as no action has been taken by the state police command to these atrocious acts of the Umuodes,” the statement said. But the Umuodes raised an alarm Monday over the alleged killing of a native, Mr. Chijioke Nnaji and wounding of others by the people of Oruku, who invaded them during a burial ceremony. It was alleged that Nnaji was shot dead while attending the burial of one Chief Uwadiegwu Moses Edeh in Eziobodo village Umuode last Friday. The Orukus quickly dismissed Umuode’s allegation as totally false saying the said Chijioke Nnaji, from information available to them, died since 2009 after a brief illness and challenged Umuode to produce his corpse.
Chairman, Umuode Town Union, Mr. Emmanuel Omaba, told newsmen in Enugu that the attack on his community occurred less than two weeks after a recent bombardment of Umuode before Easter. According to him, a detachment of policemen from Amechi-Idodo division of the Nigeria Police Force was sacked by the superior firepower of the Oruku warriors, while the mobile police team attached to Umuode fled. He recalled that the Umuode Town Union had in a letter dated April 4 and addressed to Governor Sullivan Chime, complained of damage done to the lives, psyche, property and means of livelihood of the Umuode people, which they described as unquantifiable.
Umuode Statement: Mayhem was again let loose on Umuode Community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu state by their neighbouring Oruku Community during the burial ceremony of late Chief
Uwadiegwu Moses Edeh at his compound, Eziobodo village Umuode, on Friday, April 12, 2013. During the attack which started immediately after the burial church service, just as the body of the late Chief Edeh was being lowered into the grave, one Mr. Chijioke Nnaji was shot dead, while several mourners including women and children were badly injured. Last Friday's attack came in less than two weeks after a recent bombardment of Umuode Community during the Holy week of Easter, when for six consecutive days, Monday 25th to Saturday 30 t h March 2013, sporadic gun shots from the artillery of Oruku attackers tore apart the entire Umuode land, leaving in its trial blood and tears. A detachment of policemen from the Amechi Idodo division of the Nigeria Police Force were sacked by the fire power of the Oruku warriors, while the Mobile Police team attached to Umuode ran away for their lives, as the Oruku death squad had a field day. Speaking in tears, Mr. David Anene Edeh, an Abuja based businessman and first son of the deceased, described the attack as a multiple tragedy. He regretted that after several years of meritorious service to the state where late Chief Edeh retired as a staff of the Government House, Enugu, his father's demise and burial was visited with such horror. Mr. David Edeh called on the Enugu State Government to, as a matter of urgency, implement the white paper on the Oruku/Umuode crisis to save the peace loving people of Umuode from further devastation. It will be recalled that the Umuode Town Union had in a letter dated April 4, 2013, and addressed to the State Governor Sullivan Chime complained of damage done to the lives, psyche, property and means of livelihood of the Umuode people, which they described as unquantifiable. We wish to state that these various acts are being planned and executed by the members of Oruku Town Union, the Igwe and his Cabinet members with some miscreants and leaders of the community. Most of these people are known to Government. We implore the government to call them to order to save the situation from deteriorating further. It is unfortunate that the perpetrators of these wicked acts have been left to move about in the society without being held to account for their activities which had spanned a long period of time. They have thus been emboldened and more daring in their activities as of recent. As Christians who are
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
Oruku–Umuode peace talks suffer setback Continued from page 6 peace-loving members and citizens of this State, it is not our wish to shed any blood and Umuode community has tried to distance herself from the shedding of any human blood. So far, we have successfully maintained it. We therefore plead with the Governor to use his good offices as the number one citizen and the Chief Security officer of this State to come to our assistance by bringing to justice those who constantly enter our community with automatic weapons shoot their way through thus doing damage to peoples' lives and property and causing fear in people and death to others. We p r a y f o r a t h o r o u g h investigation by the government, the immediate implementation of the White Paper and payment of compensation to Umuode people whose lives and property have been systematically shortchanged. We also pray for a quick intervention before our lives are terminated prematurely.
Onwuta Nwuzor’s house allegedly burnt by Umuode fighters
Oruku Replied The attention of Oruku Community in Nkanu East LGA Area of Enugu State has been drawn to another spurious, Halftruth, and deceptive allegations against Oruku community by Messrs Emmanuel Omaba and Thomas Chukwudi alleging that Oruku people killed one Chijioke Nnaji, an alleged uncle to Barth Nnaji at a fake burial of one Uwadiegwu Edeh as published by some newspapers recently. In view of the newspaper reports, we Oruku people wish to refute the allegations thereof, and further wish to state that the publication was a decoy to cover up the brutal murder of two sons of Oruku, namely; Obinna Anthony Ogbu and Charles Inyiagwo in their homes, in an unprovoked attack by Umuode youths sponsored by Umuode leaders and which had drawn condemnation from far and wide including security agencies and clergies against Umuode people. We also wish to remind Umuode that the era of using propaganda, lies , ruse and subterfuge to attract sympathy from good people of Enugu State and Nigerians in general against Oruku people has gone, as the general public now know that they are the aggressors and precipitators of the age long Oruku -Umuode crisis, in their bid to use both Government and force to sack Oruku People numbering over 500 homes from their ancestral home in Aguefi Oruku land, so as to establish Umuode as an autonomous Community with less than 100 homes in the same land in spite of majority of Oruku habitation in Aguefi It was this same falsehood and lies
Nnamani Nwachi’s house at Uzam village Oruku allegedly riddled with bullets, louvre blades damaged that they used and deceived our amiable Governor , Barr. Sullivan Chime into issuing the controversial white paper, they referred to, in 2009, which Oruku
people had challenged in suit No E/271/2009 pending before an Enugu High Court. It is ridiculous that Umuode in their write-up under reference
said that a non existing Chijioke Nnaji whom they alleged was killed by Oruku youths is an uncle to Prof Barth Nnaji, when it is known to them and Oruku people
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that the only uncle that Barth Nnaji had was late Mr Basil Onovo, a retired teacher who died in the year 1978. Both late Basil Onovo and Late Nnaji Onovo (the father of Barth Nnaji) were the only sons of late Onovo Ekpa , Prof Nnaji's grandfather. In conclusion, the earlier Umuode starts thinking of being settled at Abari land donated to them by Oruku community which is a vacant land measuring over 500 hectares, and which was recommended by the famous Oputa Panel , the better for them instead of wallowing in falsehood and propaganda. It is high time Umuode youths should ask their leaders where they are taking them to and also force them to bring their own Children to the front where they are waging war against Oruku people. We also wish to advise Umuode youths to start thinking of having a home and their own history at Abari instead of being used as rebels and militants in Aguefi. Umuode youths should also know that there was no other community(s) that was sacked in Enugu State in order to establish another or even a sister autonomous community in the whole of Enugu state since the creation of autonomous communities , hence Oruku's case will not succeed as a test case. It is also time for them to evaluate and appraise the journey so far since early 90s they started this struggle to uproot Oruku from their ancestral home in Aguefi, where we had lived interwovenly and peacefully with them. They should look at other autonomous communities created with them and know whether their demands are justifiable and attainable. They should know that violent conflict has never solved any agitation by any group. Though truth is bitter, but it is better told.
Gov Orji backs amnesty for Boko Haram ·Wants repentant ex-kidnappers rehabilitated
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OVERNOR Theodore Orji of Abia State has urged the leadership of Islamic sect, Boko Haram, to identify themselves, come out to discuss with the Federal Government for the amnesty initiative to be successful. He believes that the success of the amnesty initiative would go a long way in helping the nation to move forward. Orji, who expressed the views when he received members of the House of Representative Committee on Public Petitions, lamented the negative impact the crisis had had on the
nation's economy. The lawmakers were in the state to hear the petition of 5000 repentant Abia State youths protesting their noninclusion in the federal government's amnesty programme. Orji said: “We are also praying that the amnesty initiatives of the Federal Government to Boko Haram will be successful. Let them [Boko Haram] come out and talk. It will go a long way to helping Nigeria move forward.” He noted that though Abia was now peaceful there was a time
it had the problem of kidnapping which affected the economic and social activities in the state. His words: “That time, Abia became the den of kidnappers. Aba became a ghost city. Every body ran away. I visited Abanta's place [a member of the committee], there was nobody, they had all fled, I saw only his posters. That was the situation and we fought it. We fought them doggedly. “We tried amnesty here. They came here and I saw them. They told us their grievances, and we acceded to their
complaints and proposed amnesty to them. They accepted and we built camps. “They brought their arms. They were in camps and we were planning to settle them. But when they heard that the Federal Government had provided largesse to their colleagues, they abandoned the camps. “We took their names to the Federal Government but no response. Though they left camp, they promised that they will not make any trouble because we treated them like human beings. “They maintained it till their kinpin, Osisikankwu, was killed. Please, tell the Federal Government to start where we stopped.”
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
New York Senate passes resolution on Achebe
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he Senate of New York State, in the United States has passed a resolution paying tribute to acclaimed author Chinua Achebe. In the resolution, the Senate said , Professor Achebe's global significance lies not only in his talent and recognition as a writer, but also as a critical thinker and essayist who has written extensively on questions of the role of culture in Africa along with the social and political significance of aesthetics and analysis of the post colonial state in Africa. The New York Senate noted that Achebe left behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended. The Legislative Body paused in its deliberations to mourn the death of the famous novelist just as it promised to present a copy of its resolution to the Achebe's family.
Below is the details of the resolution: LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of paramount novelist Chinua Achebe, founder and pioneer of African literature Same as: / Versions: J1186-2013 Sponsor: PARKER Law Section: Resolutions, Legislative Text WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to the lives of those esteemed individuals of international renown who distinguished themselves through their life's work; and WHEREAS, Foremost novelist, Professor Chinua Achebe, died on Thursday, March 21, 2013, at the age of 82; and WHEREAS, Born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, on November 16, 1930, Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic; he was best known for his 1958 novel, THINGS FALL APART, selling over 12 million copies around the world, and having been translated into 50 languages, making him the most paraphrased African writer of all time; and WHEREAS, Raised by his parents in the Igbo town of Ogidi in southeastern Nigeria, Chinua Achebe excelled academically and earned a scholarship for undergraduate studies; he became fascinated with world religions and traditional African cultures, and began writing stories as a college student; and WHEREAS, After graduation, Chinua Achebe worked for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service (NBS) and soon moved to the metropolis of Lagos; he gained worldwide attention for THINGS FALL APART; his later novels include: NO LONGER AT EASE (1960), ARROW OF GOD (1964), A MAN OF THE PEOPLE (1966), and ANTHILLS OF THE SAVANNAH (1987); and WHEREAS, When the region of Biafra broke away from Nigeria in 1967, Chinua Achebe became a supporter of Biafran independence and acted as ambassador for the people of the new nation; the war ravaged the populace, and as starvation and violence took its toll, he appealed to the people of Europe and the Americas for assistance; and WHEREAS, When the Nigerian government retook the region in 1970, Chinua Achebe involved himself in political parties, but soon resigned due to
frustration over the corruption and elitism he witnessed, thereby deciding to devote himself to academia; he lived in the United States for several years in the 1970s, and returned there in 1990 after a car accident left him partially disabled; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe's novels focus on the traditions of Igbo society, the effect of Christian influences, and the clash of Western and traditional African values during and after the colonial era; his style relies heavily on the Igbo oral tradition, and combines straightforward narration with
representations of folk stories, proverbs, and oratory; he also published a number of short stories, children's books, and essay collections; and WHEREAS, A David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University, Chinua Achebe worked up until the time of his death; and WHEREAS, New York's Bard College, with a distinguished history of supporting Chinua Achebe's work and legacy, will continue to be a primary home for his
projects; and WHEREAS, Professor Achebe's global significance lies not only in his talent and recognition as a writer, but also as a critical thinker and essayist who has written extensively on questions of the role of culture in Africa along with the social and political significance of aesthetics and analysis of the postcolonial state in Africa; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe distinguished himself in his profession and by his sincere dedication and substantial contribution to the welfare of his community; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe's commitment to excellence, and his spirit of humanity, carried over into all fields of enterprise, including charitable and civic endeavors; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe is survived by his wife, Christie, their children, Chinelo, Ikechukwu, Chidi, and Nwando as well as his grandchildren, Chochi, Chino, Chidera, C.J. (Chinua Jr.), Nnamdi and Zeal; and WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of compassion, Chinua Achebe leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the death of paramount novelist Chinua Achebe, founder and pioneer of African literature; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Chinua Achebe.
END OF A SAGA: How Boston terrorist was found
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grisly post-mortem photo of one of the suspected Boston Marathon bombers appears to have been taken early today after medical personnel turned the body over to law enforcement officials. The image of Tamerlan Ts a r n a e v, 2 6 , b e g a n circulating online this afternoon after it was posted on popular web sites. The source of the photo remains unclear. The picture shows Tsarnaev naked from the hip up after he died at 1:35 AM at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Tsarnaev was
mortally wounded during a gun battle between him and his 19-year-old brother Dzhokar and police. In an interview, Dr. Richard Wolfe, Chief of the hospital's emergency medicine department, said that he had seen the photo, but stressed that the image “was not taken during the medical procedures or when the medical team had c o n t r o l o f t h e b o d y. ” While Wolfe said that he would be greatly concerned “if it was a health care provider,” he flatly added that, at no point, did hospital staffers photograph Tsarnaev's body. Wolfe said that after Tsarnaev
was pronounced dead, his body was moved to a “nonclinical area” where custody of the corpse was turned over to law enforcement officials. The photo shows gunshot wounds to Tsarnaev's body as well as a large thorocotomy incision on his chest. Additionally, portions of Tsarnaev's face and right shoulder reflect a discoloration that Wolfe termed “purplish lividity.” Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, was discovered in the bottom of a rare, 1980s pleasure boat in the backyard of Watertown, Mass., home just after 6 p.m. by the shocked owner David Henneberry, his family told. Henneberry, an avid boater who is a member of the Watertown Yacht Club, walked outside to have a cigarette just after Gov. Deval Patrick lifted the curfew on Boston residents at 6 p.m. Friday. Henneberry was quietly smoking when he noticed the tarp that covered his 22-foot pleasure cruiser a white Seahawk with blue trim and a fiberglass hull was askew and walked over to investigate, said his stepson Robert Duffy. “He went over and saw the tarp
was dislodged and then he saw that one of the straps was hanging loose. He picked it up and saw it had been cut. He found it incredibly odd,” Henneberry got a small ladder, climbed up to reach the boat deck and flipped back his tarp. “He lifted it up and saw a pool of blood. And then he saw what he thought was a body,” He jumped off the ladder and ran inside, dialing 911 as he went. Wi t h i n m i n u t e s , c o p s descended and moved his stepdad and mother to a neighbor's house. His sister was briefly allowed to speak to her mother, who has been ill, so the family would know they were all right, Duffy said. “Cops have been interviewing them ever since,” He said his stepdad thought the person in his boat was still alive despite spotting blood pooling under the tarp. Apparently shots were exchanged at some point when police moved in, “I just heard they wound up shooting a couple of rounds through his boat,” “He's not going to like that; he's real anal about it.” Duffy said.
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
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APGA crisis won't affect my governorship ambition – Emma Nweke As the race to occupy Government House, Awka, in 2014 hots up, one of the contenders, Engr. Emmanuel Nweke, an accomplished professional and entrepreneur has indicated interest to become the governor of Anambra State on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). A graduate of Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration, Engr. Nweke was the candidate of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) for Anambra Central Senatorial District in the last National Assembly election. In this interview with The Advocate, the Awka- born advocate for grassroots and youth development, said that the crisis rocking his party, APGA, won't affect his chances of emerging governor of Anambra State next year. Nweke believes that governors don't make parties rather parties make governors and therefore would want Governor Peter Obi to obey the Appeal Court ruling which reinstated Chief Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of (APGA). Nweke stressed that the convention organized by Obi was unconstitutional because the constitution did not empower State governors to conduct party convention but the National Chairman and Nation Working Committee (NWC) He expressed confidence in the Atahiru Jega-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), citing Edo and Ondo as example of where the commission conducted free and fair elections. democracy in which the peoples Excerpts: voice could be heard. They have By Patrick Okolie Having lost your ambition to represent Anambra Central in the Senate, what are your chances in the forthcoming gubernatorial race in your state? Just like you rightly said that I ran for Senate but did not win and today God has given me another opportunity and privilege to aspire to a higher position hence I have once again offered myself for service of the people of Anambra State in the capacity of the number one job. The journey so far is a process of democracy. Let me give an illustration of democracy, democracy in my understanding is a platform laid to uplift the poor and stabilise the rich for the interest of the state. That is my understanding of democracy. But that is not what we have had in last 14 years of our democracy. Instead of uplifting the poor and fortunate the rich stronger, what we have is destroy the poor and capitalize the rich to the complete destruction of the state. Invariably this destruction goes towards not establishing any infrastructure for the state, not building human capacity or institutions of the state. They went further to demonstrate what our brother Fela called “Demonstration of Craze� By showing that the best way to govern is to intimidate the people and acquire wealth. This is not what the founding fathers had in mind towards having a democratic country. The people we are emulating in other parts of the world, for instance America, where a poor person can aspire to be someone in the society by working for the society, realizing that all he has in life will be left behind, the only thing he will go with to the great beyond is that which he is able to transfer to the next generation but unfortunately that is not what we have in our country. We have leaders who are selfish. So I'm in the race to proclaim or bring to bear what the founders of democracy had in mind for
deciding that our Nation or state will thrive through correct application of basic democratic principles. Therefore, I believe its time for me to put the past behind and seek a platform to serve my people and that platform is All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the capacity of governor. APGA will afford me the opportunity to serve my people even though the last general election in some parts of the country did not reflect the wishes of the people hence I believe this time around the people of Anambra State will vote the right candidates and also guide their votes.
Don't you think the crisis in party will affect your chances of becoming the next governor of Anambra State? I have not seen any latest development than what has been there. In politics we disagree to agree hence my party, All
Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) is trying to tell Nigerians that governors don't make parties rather political parties make governors. If that is what you call crisis so be it. In other words, I appreciate the good job my Governor, Peter Obi is doing but he need to understand that what gave him the opportunity to do all he is doing is APGA. The party is the vehicle that transports anybody to the seat of governor or any elective position in Nigeria and that is what gave Obi the platform to run the State for 8 years he is about concluding. So if the governor and the National Chairman of party have issues which was not well managed and they find themselves in court for interpretation and the court has giving its ruling, therefore I expect both parties to accept the interpretation of the court on the matter. The court has asked the party to go and remain one, if any
person sees himself as leader by a faction I want to let the person know that there is already a leadership that is in place and should cooperate with the existing leadership. However, the pronouncement by the court have dismissed the leadership of Obi's faction and any APGA member should have hanged on for the Appeal Court ruling before going ahead to organize a convention. I believe the ruling should be obeyed so that we can forge ahead High rate of poverty in the country has been said to be the reason for electorate to sell their votes. What is your view? Because we demonstrate the bad side of democracy that is why the electorate allows politicians to buy their conscience. This time I absolutely believe that the people have learnt their lessons because after collecting money to vote the wrong person they bear the brunt, right now we are talking to them in the language they will understand towards achieving true
to make their voices to be heard. It is the voice of the people that are being suppressed. The number of governorship aspirants is always overwhelming thereby making election in the state expensive and majority of them are moneybags yet the people are still yeaning for good leadership. Do you see yourself as the kind of leader the people of Anambra State are longing for? Democracy allows freedom to aspire to any office in the land, as far you are qualified. I don't see any thing wrong with the number of aspirants because the more the merrier. However, it's a pity that many of them believe that being a governor will give them power even when they already have the power they are looking for. They have it but they don't know. They forget that what the people are looking for is not a man that has all the powers but a man who can distribute the wealth of the state equally, a man they can trust. So whether you have one thousand people with all the money who probably will come and throw money around. The people of Anambra State are now mature politically they can't be fool again. This time around they will collect the money and vote candidates of their choice. The leadership the people are looking for is one that believes in building a future that guarantees a better tomorrow. Therefore, the question every Anambrarian both old and young will ask anybody wishing to lead them are; Whether the person has the ability and capacity to bring about commonwealth of all. How the person can make health care cheap and affordable, introduction of free and qualitative education at primary and secondary school levels, how he or she can create jobs and security of lives and property. So deceiving them now will not be possible as it were before. A person that has the ability to discover the basic infrastructure that is lacking in all the local government Areas of the State and
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APGA crisis won't affect my governorship ambition – Emma Nweke Continued from page 9
provides them to the people. These are what the people will consider before casting their vote for any candidate. Many Anambrarians who have distinguished themselves in their chosen career are today asking, is this the same community, is this the same State they were proud of twenty years ago? What has happened? It's time we start to advise the youths that as tomorrow leaders, they should not allow the flame to burn out in their hands. I foresee a revolution of change of the mindset of the youths in Anambra State just to secure their tomorrow. This is a state that turns out graduates every year but no job and they didn't care or cater for their welfare. In the 21 local government Areas, there is no single bulldozer not to talk of a grader.
Gov. Peter Obi has thrown his weight behind power shift to Anambra North, what is your view? Anambra North has produced great leaders such as, the first President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, first Administrator of East central State, Dr. Ukpabia Asika and former Senate President Dr. Chuba Okadigbo. Just to mention but few. Anambra State is one, what we are looking for is right leadership, a leader that will share the resources of the State equally. The people don't care about which area of the state the person comes from; all they care is somebody who would lead and serve the state well and not those who display what I 'call primitive and stone-age tyranny'. The people are at alert and would protect their votes.
What is your manifesto for the state? What I have said so far are in my manifesto. You understand the direction I'm going which is the principle of democracy as enshrined in the 1999 constitution. First, I will lead by example because the Nation is yelling for exemplary leadership and that is where I want to fit in.. Who says qualitative and a ff o r d a b l e h e a l t h c a r e i s unachievable in Anambra? Free and qualitative compulsory education in primary and secondary school level is a right and not a privilege. High rate of crime in the State is as a result of unemployment as the State turned out graduates with no job hence most of them take to crime to keep body and soul together. You will agree with me that security challenge is not only in Anambra State but the entire south east is necessitated by the decadence in
the region. If elected governor of Anambra state, I won't spend so much money to combat crime but I will spend money on crime prevention and this can be achieve through youth empowerment because if the youths are occupied with a meaningful means of livelihood, they won't go into crime. Education will be free and compulsory at primary and secondary levels. Pregnant women, children and the elderly will enjoy free health care. I will create jobs by introducing what I call business groups network, as an Entrepreneur, graduates that read the same course will be organised in groups and a computerized business outfit will be established by the state government to be managed by these graduates, through it they will remunerate themselves and those they employ. The cost of establishing the business will be refunded installmentally after one year and six months of take off to the State government. Anambra by the grace of God will have a leader that will lead by example. We have graduates who are trained mechanical, structural and urban development Engineers that can design, build and supervise new cities in the State but we invite expatriates thereby neglecting our youths who can even do better. So it is in
agriculture, but we will equip the youth to practice their profession and be proud, however, it is unfortunate that these youth are neglected. In Anambra State we have only two cities or towns, namely Nnewi and Onitsha, others are villages and the main source of income of these communities is agriculture. Therefore, if elected governor I will introduce mechanized farming by empowering and equipping the youths to take to farming as a vocation.
As a former member of PDP, which you left and contested to represent Anambra Central in the Senate during the last National Assembly election, how do you intend to confront them? It is a good question. A political party is a vehicle that transports a candidate to any office of his or her choice and because there is no room for independent candidate in our constitution, I will run under All Grand Progressive Alliance (APGA). APGA seem to some people as a regional party but I believe in All Progressive Grand Alliance, I also believe that what we are talking about is the establishment of a solid state for the people of Anambra. Imo State has a very vibrant governor, a futuristic governor that believes in developing his people as well as the state, that is the type of
governance APGA will bring to the entire southeast. Anambra State under the leadership of Peter Obi, is another example of good leadership and it is in furtherance of the good works Obi is doing that I'm in the race. Yes, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a great party, the largest party in Africa but is not a great party in my state, absolutely not. However, because we all cannot be in one political party, that is why I chose to contribute my quota to the development of my state on the platform of All
Progressive Grand Alliance. To answer your question, the people who decided to vote APGA in the previous elections will ultimately vote APGA again because power belongs to the people.
Do you foresee Igbo Presidency in 2015? There is no true success without hard work. For Ndigbo to clinch the presidency, we must lay a solid foundation for it to happen. Igbo have credible people that can lead Nigeria and make it a greater Nation but it will take great minds to achieve the feat.
NEWS
Obi asked to wade into Mgbakwu communal feud By Our Reporter
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h e M g b a k w u community, Awka north local government council, Anambra state has asked Governor Peter Obi to wade into the crisis now rocking the community over the alleged recognition of a parallel town union leadership in the area. The community had been engulfed in crisis following the emergence of paralleled town union executive and the situation appears to have escalated on account of the recognition accorded the “illegal” body. In a petition sent to Governor Peter Obi by an Enugu based legal practitioner, Dr Ejike Ume (SAN) on behalf of Mgbakwu Progressive Union, MPU, the community stated that certain individuals in the town had formed a parallel executive under the of Mgbakwu Town Union (MTU) and are being accorded recognition by the office of his Special Adviser on Chieftaincy and Town Union
Governor Peter Obi Matters. A copy of the petition obtained by The Advocate called on the governor to withdraw the recognition granted the MTU and dissolve its executive, saying the formation of the parallel executive was the source of the current crisis in the community. Giving a background to the
crisis, Ume said that Mgbakwu Progressive Union duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission had been in existence since 1948 as a functional body for Mgbakwu people. The petition reads: "The said Union has been carrying on all important and developmental functions since its existence.
However, very recently, some individuals in the town got themselves together and purported to form what they called Mgbakwu Town Union (MTU) and held what they called election under which they claimed to have elected officers of the Union. "It is our instruction that on the 4th day of March, 2012, a letter of recognition was issued, we understand in error, with a group of eleven (11) persons who claimed to have been elected as executive officers of what they called Mgbakwu Town Union by the Special Adviser, Chieftaincy and Town Union Matters, Sir G.N Muotolu". Ume said that despite the confession of the Special Adviser that "some facts were not made known to him before the issuance of the aforesaid letter", the position has remained the same. He added that confusion being created in the town now was that the bodies are working at cross purposes thereby creating tension in the community.
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
Ohanaeze returns to court, shuns govs. By Uche Chukwu
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he last may not have been heard from the Igbo apex umbrella organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo following the inability of the warring groups to sheathe their swords. The expiration of Ambassador Ralph Uwachue's tenure as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo few months ago was followed by another election of January 12, 2013 which was boycotted by some states like Ebonyi and Imo. Nonetheless, the election produced a candidate from Ebonyi, chief Enwo Igariwey as the new Ohanaeze PresidentGeneral with Dr. Joe Nwaorgu as the Secretary-General and chief Damian Okeke-Ogene,as the National Treasurer, among other national officers in line with the rotational arrangement. It was gathered that prior to the election, a disagreement arose among members of the Chief Chris Asoluka-led electoral committee which led to the replacement of the secretary to the committee, Chief Richard Ozobu, with Mrs. Grace Ene.It was the Committee that conducted the election that installed Igariwey team. But reacting, chief Ozobu, who owned up to postponing the election said he took the action to enthrone the genuine democratic process which was lacking as well as tackle “logistics problems.” According to him, two days to the election, majority of the aspirants, who purchased nomination forms, had not returned them, adding that funds had not been made available for the secretariat to produce ballot papers, ballot boxes, just as he claimed that the timeframe was similarly not suitable for the committee to screen candidates participating in the election. Ozobu also brandished copies of protest letters from two state c h a p t e r s o f t h e organization,Ebonyi and Imo to prove they were not prepared to participate in the election scheduled for January 12. One of such letters which came from the chairman of Ebonyi State Council of Traditional Rulers, Elder Agom Eze, urged for a shift in the date, as the timeframe was “too prompt to allow stakeholders to be mobilised for election.” The letter also said that Ebonyi, whose turn it was to produce the President General, had not screened its candidates in line with section 11 of the Ohanaeze's constitution, which provides for three candidates. Elder Eze said he received notice of the election by a text message, and appealed that the election be moved to January 19. Ozobu produced another letter from the Imo State chairman, Traditional Rulers' Council, Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri, who
Gov. Obi
Senator Obi
Igariwey
Nwaorgu
complained of the timeframe, noting that it would not allow the state to present a candidate for the position of secretary allocated to it. Sources close to Ohanaeze secretariat alleged that chief Ozobu was replaced for attempting to use his office to thwart the overall interests of the organisation, especially through unilateral postponement of the date fixed for the election from January 12 to January 19 without recourse to the leadership of the organisation or committee, which he served as secretary. Although the Imeobi (highest decision-making organ) said it noted the complaints, it ruled that the national election should go on as planned, on the ground that it intended to make do with the little resources at its disposal to prosecute the election. The Imeobi added that other state chapters of the organisation in the country and Diaspora had been sensitised and mobilised for the national election, and indicated that it could be a calamity should the election be postponed after the efforts. It urged the committee to use the available timeframe and ensure the process pulled through. This was not acceptable to Ozobu, who insisted on the January 19 date. Infact, Ebonyi government and others were mobilizing to conduct another election in Abakaliki, on January 19, when members of the Ohanaeze electoral committee went to court and obtained an injunction preventing them from doing so. In a bid to bring truce to Ohanaeze, the governors of the South-East geo-political zone on Friday 10, this year waded in to the crisis and set up a Committee headed by Senator Ben Obi, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to meet with the two groups and seek for an amicable solution to the post-election crisis.
It advised the warring factions to withdraw all court cases. The committee, partly made up of representatives of religious organisations, members of the Senate and House of Representatives, and traditional rulers, had two weeks to submit its report to the governors. The meeting also urged the committee to recommend ways of ensuring a stronger Ohanaeze Ndigbo that would function as the pride of the Igbo person. The Senator Obi-led Committee which was given two weeks to submit its report rounded its assignment 8 weeks after. Last week precisely Sunday April 7, the governors under the platform of SouthyEast Governors Forum met for over five hours after which they declared that the forum had accepted reports of the 10-man committee it set up to look into the remote causes of the postelection crisis rocking Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Anambra State Governor and Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, Mr. Peter Obi, who briefed reporters at the end of the meeting, said the governors would take a critical look at the report with a view to ensuring that peace returned to the organisation. Investigation revealed that the committee had partly recommended that those who emerged from the election should be allowed to function, while their tenure should be tied to two years only as against the four years done by the immediate past administration of Ambassador Ralph Uwaechue. This it was gathered is to give room for another election after two years, in which Ebonyi would still be asked to produce the President General. Reacting to the intervention of the governors, immediate Past Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nduka Eya, “said Ohanaeze Ndigbo does not owe
any obligations to them”, adding that Ndigbo had through the election of January 12, spoken of their choice of leadership. He wondered how the governors should intervene in an organization that had survived without their support, adding that governors of the zone had contributed “nothing to the running of the organization”. He said, “I want to tell you that from 2010 till last year, Ohanaeze Ndigbo had survived by the monthly imprest given to it for running of the secretariat and payment of salaries by the President General. Our governors are supposed to contribute financially to the organization, but none of them did so. So why should they adjudicate for the organization? They have always wanted to use the organization as a political tool and we have always told them that Ohanaeze is not a political body. That is why they cannot support it. What is that they want to say about the election is it that it did not hold, is it that the constitution was not followed, is it that Ndigbo did not massively vote during the process both those drawn from state chapters in Nigeria and Diaspora? I think they are on a political mission, apparently to satisfy one of their own, but we are watching”. . Recall that the Uwaechue-led Ohanaeze was greeted by similar controversy in 2009 when the immediate past leadership of the organization could not be allowed to function on account of the zoning of the position of secretary general to Enugu. Two candidates, Nduka Eya and Richard Ozobu had emerged. But Eya was elected from the election held in the state to stand for the position at the national level while the state government that favoured chief Ozobu as its candidate rejected him and vowed not to allow Ohanaeze sit at its
secretariat in Enugu. In the aftermath of the ensuing scenario, services of security agents were believably procured by government to ensure that it kept the secretariat under lock and key for several months, while it took the insistence of notable Igbos that the outcome of the election should be upheld for government to unlock the place and allowed Eya to function as Secretary General. In what appears to be a failure of the South-East Governors Forum, which had sued for an out-of-court settlement, fresh trouble is looming in the suspended leadership tussle in Ohanaeze Ndigbo following the resumption of the court case at the Enugu High Court on April 26, this year. A suit was filed by a chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and elder statesman, Prince Chukwuemeka Onyeso, seeking the nullification of the controversial election in which Enwo Igariwey was elected as the President-General. Onyesoh who took the court action accused the governors of bias in their resolution. “The committee recommended that there should be a repeat election, but the governors chose what they wanted to do. “We are in court, the election is illegal and we told them pointblank. We are not holding on because the court is the only place to address grievances not just among politicians. Politicians will not look at what is right or wrong but Abuja interest? Onyesoh spoke further: “There was no election both by law and attendance maybe they have brow beaten Ebonyi governor and he has accepted. I don't know. But my own is that the constitution of Ohanaeze must be respected. The Governors of the South-East Zone and new Ohanaeze leadership could not be reached for reaction before going to press.
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
ADVOCATE
FROM THE COURT Outrage trails S-Court's order to try MASSOB leader, Uwazuruike, six others for treason By Our Reporters
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he Supreme Court, Friday, gave the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Mohammed Adoke Bello, SAN, the nod to prosecute the leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike and six others, for allegedly committing treason against the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A five- man panel of justices of the
apex court led by Justice Mahmud Mohammed, dismissed an appeal before it by the accused MASSOB members, saying that their “trial should proceed with dispatch.” However, the Supreme Court's decision triggered angry reactions from Igbo, most of who described the Federal Government position on MASSOB as absurd, especially in ''view of the kid glove approach it had adopted in the case of Boko Haram adherents who are being considered for amnesty.'' Aside Uwazurike, the other
Court orders 11 beggars to pay N1,000 fine each
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n Ilorin Magistrates' Court, Wednesday, imposed a N1,000 fine on each of the 11 beggars arraigned before it for street begging. The beggars were convicted on a one-count charge of street begging which the prosecution said contravened Section 4 of the Kwara State Law, 2006. According to the charge sheet, the convicts were arrested while wandering and begging for alms on an Ilorin street. The accused persons pleaded guilty to the charge against them. The prosecutor, Sgt. Funsho Zacheus, applied for summary trial of the beggars since they pleaded guilty. Magistrate Nathaniel Ajide, in his judgment, convicted the beggars as charged and ordered them to pay the N1,000 fine.
Court remands driver over attempt to murder judge
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Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, Thursday, denied bail to a commercial bus driver, Mr. Kasali Quadri, 33, who was arraigned for attempting to kill a Lagos High Court judge, Justice Ebenezer Adebajo. The bail application filed by Mr Oludare Falana, from Falana and Falana Chambers, counsel to the defendant, was not granted by the presiding judge, Justice Christopher Balogun, on the ground that there was not enough facts to prove that the defendant will not abscond if released on bail. “Where in your affidavit have you shown that the defendant will come back if released on bail?” the judge asked. Falana, in his response, told the court to consider the presumption of innocence and noted that the defendant was the breadwinner of the family and that his wife just put to bed. He argued that the offence that the defendant was charged with could be likened to a mere traffic offence which is a bailable offence, and not attempted murder as stated by the charge sheet. In his words: “The offence with which the defendant was charged can be likened to a mere traffic offence and not attempted murder as stated by the charge sheet.” Urging the court to deny the defendant bail, the prosecutor, Mr Femi Adamson, said the defence counsel had not giving enough facts to guarantee that the defendant will come back if released on bail. Adamson noted that although the offence committed is a non-capital one but the provision of law is clear that bail of that nature is dependent on the facts before the court. It will be recalled that Kasali (defendant) was first arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrate court, Lagos on March 9, 2012 on a charge of alleged attempted murder of justice Adebajo, which he pleaded not guilty. Kasali was said to be driving a commercial bus with registration number XA 242 KLK at Moloney St., Lagos Island at 2.20 pm where he obstructed other road users and when he was challenged by the judge, he hit the judge's car three times. The alleged offence was said to contravene Section 228 of Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2011.
accused persons the apex court directed the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to promptly commence their trial included Ambrose Anyaso, Augustine Ihuoma, Chibuike Nwosu, Kelechi Ubabuike, Chimankpa Okorocha and Benedict Alakwem. The Federal Government had on November 8, 2005, arraigned the accused persons before the Federal High Court, on a four-count criminal charge bothering on treasonable felony. The government had alleged that the accused persons who it said were top officials at the MASSOB headquarters situated at Okwe, Onu-Imo Local Government Area of Imo State, on diverse dates between January 2004 and October 2005, at Owerri and other places in Nigeria, “with intent to levy war, overawe and overthrow the legitimate government of Nigeria,” conspired to commit felony to wit: treason against the Federal Republic of Nigeria, contrary to Sections 37 (2), 62(2) (1) 64, 237 (1) of the Criminal Code Act Chapter 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and punishable under Sections 37 and 63 of the same Act. Besides, they were accused of belonging to a militant group called MASSOB Army and undergoing training with the intent to levy war in order to overthrow the President and government, as well as, formed, managed and assisted in the management of an unlawful society of more than 10 persons whose aim was to incite acts of violence and disturb peace and order in the country. The accused persons had pleaded not guilty to the charge and urged the trial court to quash it for being incompetent and baseless, contending that there was no proof of evidence indicting them to the commission of any crime known to law. Their Counsel, Festus Keyamo, h o w e v e r, c h a l l e n g e d t h e i r arraignment despite a subsisting order of the Federal High Court,
Owerri, made on January 18, 2005, which had restrained the Federal Government from infringing upon their fundamental human rights. Following the refusal of the trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako to either quash the charge or release the accused persons on bail, Keyamo, took the case before the Appeal Court in Abuja, which on May 15, 2008, granted them bail, but also refused to dismiss the charge. Dissatisfied, the accused persons took the case to the Supreme Court. According to Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour who delivered the lead judgement, “this appeal to my mind is unnecessary and clearly a waste of precious judicial time since all the information imaginable that the appellants' would need for their defence has been available to them before they appealed to the Court of Appeal. “Courts are set up with the sole purpose to do substantial justice between the parties… The argument that the charge should be dismissed because it was not accompanied by proof of evidence is a mere technicality designed to defeat the course of justice. “In the light of the fact that the proof of evidence has been filed and is available to the appellants, trial should proceed with dispatch. This appeal is dismissed,” he added. Other members of the panel who concurred with the lead verdict were Justices John Afolabi Fabiyi, Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili and Kumai Bayang Akaahs. H o w e v e r, r e a c t i n g t o t h e judgement, Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman of International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, said, “I wonder the circumstances under which Uwazurike and his MASSOB colleagues should be tried for treason. MASSOB is a non-violent organization that has not at any time taken up arms against the Federal Government like the other
groups such as Boko Haram and the Niger Delta militants had done. “Despite taking up arms against government and killing people and destroying the economy of the country, these groups have not been made to face any trial. “The decision to try Uwazurike and members of his group shows the inequality that exists in Nigeria and we condemn the court pronouncement on this matter because it is an extension of war against the Igbo using judicial mechanism.'' “Igbo have been suffering economic, social and political marginalization, but they still want to go further to provoke them. This ruling should be condemned because this kind of ruling does not encourage peace in the country.” Also, Elder Chris Eluemuno, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Anambra State, said, “We have to study the case and see what the charges against the MASSOB leader and his members are. Treasonable felony is not a small allegation and it is only when we get the details that we can react appropriately.” The state Chairman of All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in Imo State, Chief Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, described the judgement as “most surprising, especially as loyalists of MASSOB and their leader, Chief Uwazuruike, do not carry arms and have never killed anybody.” According to Ajumbe, it was ridiculous that the Federal Government was presently trying to pacify members of the Boko Haram, despite the atrocities committed by the group on defenceless citizens. “Honestly, I am in deep shock over the Supreme Court judgement. The Federal Government is trying to pacify the Boko Haram, despite the despicable atrocities committed by the group. MEND killed several people in the past and have again resumed their onslaught and none of them was tried for treason.”
Hotel manager, accountant docked He said the defendants over N25m theft converted the N25million
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40-year-old Hotel M a n a g e r, N e l s o n Obinna Obasi, and an accountant of the hotel, Salami Sikiru, were Wednesday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate Court, for allegedly stealing N25 million belonging to one Sam Okey Nwosu. The defendants who are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy and stealing were
arraigned before Magistrate B.O. Osunsanmi. The crime was said to have occurred on April 11, 2013, at about 2pm at Bay Town Hotel, Shasha Road in Akowonjo area of Lagos. The police prosecutor, Chinalu Uwadione, told the court that Obasi and Sikiru committed the said offence while they were manager and accountant of the hotel.
property of one Chief Sam Okey Nwosu to their use. Uwadione also alleged that sometime in August 2012, at 25, Wole Omotosho Street in Egbeda area, the defendants also stole N1.5 million belonging to one Kanu Iyke. Obasi and Sikiru had pleaded not guilty to the three- count charge proffered against them by the police.
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF IGBO YOUTHS IGBO PRESIDENCY
Enugu Office 35 Owerri Road, Asata, Enugu
LET DETRACTORS LEAVE OKOROCHA ALONE The National Association of Igbo Youths, an Umbrella Organization of Igbo Youths at home and in the Diaspora, has been following the unfolding political developments in Imo State with keen interest. There is little doubt that in the political equation of Igboland, Imo State is significant and co-efficient. The proactive administration of the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has successfully turned the State around with an impressive performance in a short space of time, which is unparalleled in the history of Modern Imo State. This is why the National Association of Igbo Youths regard the recent suit instituted against the Governor of Imo State by Chief Ikedi Ohakim and his co-travelers as disgusting, distractive, untenable, tendentious, invidious and vindictive. This suit is praying the Court to declare the seat of Governor of Imo State vacant because Governor Okorocha has joined a new political party other than the one under whose platform he became the Governor of Imo State. We feel highly disturbed by this politically-motivated legal action. This is why we took the pains to go to the Court to obtain the Certified True Copy of the suit and publish the same so that Igbos will know who is who and those mercenaries who have sworn to put a clog in the wheel of any Igbo man who aspires to be the President of this country. Though our investigations revealed that the suit has not been served on Governor Okorocha, we owe our great people, as responsible Youths and the veritable Leaders of tomorrow an obligation to appraise them of the handwork and plot of some black legs and black sheep in Igboland who prefer to line their pockets with money and other aggrandizement while lending themselves to the grand old plot to perpetually keep the Igbos on the sidelines of political, economic, social, financial and international decisionmaking processes in the Nigerian Nation. For long, the Igbos have been subjected to perennial political No-hopers in this country. For long, the Igbos who contributed Men, Materials and Resources towards the independence of this country have been neglected and deprived of their right to produce a President for Nigeria. For long, the Igbos who are the engine room and heartbeat of this nation have suffered deprivation and treated as second-class citizens in a nation they worked more assiduously and tirelessly than others to nurse, build and nurture. It is a sad commentary on the Igbo elite that some of them are active participants and conspirators in this grand plot to continually keep the Igbo man from the hallowed portals of Aso Villa as if the Presidential Villa is the birthright and preserve of some people. Some senseless Igbos pull their kith and kin down and throw mud on them anytime they aspire and mobilize to head to Aso Rock to get what is rightly due to the Igbo Nation. This, indeed, is the bane of the Igbo Nation. It is in this light that the National Association of Igbo Youths view the senseless and purposeless litigation embarked upon by Ohakim and his cohorts. The good people of Imo gave Ohakim the opportunity to run the affairs of the State for four years. What Ohakim made of this opportunity is left for everybody to see. Governor Okorocha, the man at the helm of affairs in Imo and whom the good people of Imo chose to steer the machinery of Government should be allowed to do his job without mindless distractions and interferences. The fate of the teeming masses of Imo State and indeed any other State for that matter is inextricably tied to the performance of the Governor. He should not distract Okorocha further from doing his job as this present suit is an addition to the multiple suits he had instituted against Okorocha since his assumption of office as Governor of Imo State. It is on record that Governor Okorocha pays school fees for youths of Imo State from primary, secondary and university and also place them on salary while attending schools. Imo people will remain ever grateful to Governor Okorocha for the dualization of roads in three zones namely: Orlu, Owerri and Okigwe respectively. Therefore, to distract the attention of the Government by instituting suits which are, to say the least, irrational, irritating, harassing and annoying is to toy with the destiny of millions of people and to put their fortune in jeopardy. Such frivolous suits will draw back the hands of the clock. It is an ill-wind which will not blow anybody any good. It is a dangerous and unwholesome precedent which has the capacity of stalling the business of government and bringing Government business to a standstill. Governor Okorocha is a hard working Governor. He has done very well in Imo State. Imo is no longer the same. The days of lethargy and drowsiness are gone for good in Imo. The old ways of crippling red-tapism, drudgery and disingeniuity have given way to activism, proactive performance and competence. It is no longer business as usual. In Imo State, it can be truly said that old things have passed away and new things have taken shape. Imo is now a new creature. It is beyond question that Governor Okorocha is an Igbo man with Igbo blood in his veins. The Igbos forget in a hurry how Okorocha has continued to uphold them and carry the banner of the Igbo race with pride, panache and confidence. Whilst others were
Signed:
selling out, Okorocha refused to compromise. He refused to budge. He stood by his words and insisted that what is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. The Igbos appreciate what Okorocha is doing for them and his sacrifices for the Igbo Nation at his personal loss and discomfort. The litigants in the suit against Governor Okorocha are fifth-columnists and lazy minds who are afraid of the truth. They are a bunch of never-do-wells who have no regard for the Igbo Nation. They do not care if the Igbos are subjected to servitude, enslavement and marginalization. All they are interested in is lining their pockets with dirty money. The aim of the litigants is to ridicule Governor Okorocha create the negative impression that he is unfit to run for the Presidency of this Country and dent his ever rising political profile. Governor Okorocha is a Great Igboman and a Great detribalized Nigerian who is interested in using his matchless acumen, experience in both Government and business and unquantifiable energy to serve Nigeria at the highest level. Igbo youths are solidly in support of Governor Okorocha because he means well for the Igbos and Nigerians. The National Association of Igbo Youths encourages Owelle Okorocha to march on and go ahead to vie for the Presidency. We assure him of our full, unalloyed and undivided support, loyalty and backing. We daresay that no army of detractors and Judases can stand in the way of the modern Messiah in his avowed determination to give the nation a new lease of life and a new measure of respect in the international community. It is cheering news that an Igbo man is set to take a shot at the Presidency after so many years. We wish to state categorically and unreservedly that the youths will not take it kindly with any Igbo man who maliciously and mischievously attempts to scuttle Okorocha's ambition as it will be a great disservice to the Igbos as a whole. In fact, it is unthinkable that any Igbo man worth the name should constitute a stumbling block to the collective desire of the Igbo race to produce the President of this Great Country. All the Major Ethnic Groups and even some Minority Groupings who do not form up to three percent of the Igbo population have had turns at the Presidency. The Igbos must rise with one voice and shake off the crippling lethargy and lack of self-belief and go and grab what is rightly their turn. Governor Okorocha has performed tremendously well in Imo. He will do well as a President. He has turned and converted Imo State into a Heaven of sorts in so short a time. The signs are clear that he will perform miraculously if he is given another opportunity or a higher responsibility. In Imo State, Governor Okorocha has provided the dividends of democracy for the people. He has turned many rural and urban roads into modern roads. Salaries of teachers have been increased. Job opportunities and openings are created especially for the Youths. In the field of Education, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has returned some Schools to the Missions. Scholarships are awarded to students. Bursaries are paid. Teachers have been encouraged and made to have a feel of their reward here on earth rather than waiting for it in heaven. Civil Servants have had their morale raised. Before now, morale in the Civil Service was at its lowest ebb. Salaries remained unpaid. Rochas came and the old way of doing things changed for the better. Salaries are now paid promptly and regularly just as infrastructural facilities have been put in place. In the areas of Health, Science and Technology, Culture, Agriculture and the likes, we have observed appreciable progress under Governor Okorocha. Security is now superb unlike before when Kidnappers and other Anti-Social Elements virtually crippled socio-economic activities. As a true son of Igboland, Governor Okorocha successfully hosted a carnival-like funeral for the late Igbo sage and Elder-Statesman, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Igbos will not forget in a hurry the superb and superlative arrangement put in place in Owerri during the funeral ceremonies preceding the burial of the Igbo idol and icon. Apart from this, it is a notorious fact that Owelle Okorocha contributed a great deal towards the successful burial of the late Ikemba of Nnewi. We must commend Governor Okorocha for his belief in the Igbos, his love for the Igbos, his determination to place the Igbo race in the world map and his total identification with the Igbo cause. Of special importance is Governor Okorocha's consistent support for the Youths in Imo State by providing employment for many of them, giving schools, colleges and institutions of higher learning in Imo State face-lift and introducing diverse programmes which are youth-friendly. We urge Owelle Okorocha not to be discouraged by the suit. He should remain focused, resolute, undeviating and unhurried. The task ahead in Imo State is more important than the frivolity of politically-motivated suits aimed at throwing dust into a clear sky. We enjoin Okorocha to march forward and forge ahead without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. History shall vindicate him. He should also feel free to go for the highest office in the land as he is eminently and indisputably qualified for it.
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
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Nigeria may break up – Bishop Chukwuma Rt. Rev. Dr Emmanuel Chukwuma, Anglican Bishop of Enugu, Chairman, CAN southeast expresses concern over the numerous disturbing issues in the country especially as it affects Ndigbo. The clergyman said that the proposed amnesty to Boko haram is unnecessary contending that if northerners want leadership, they must sue for peace or otherwise they should forget about it. In this interview with The Advocate editorial team UBA ANI and Ted Peters, Bishop Chukwuma noted that the centenary celebration is uncalled for since the ethnic units that make up the country have not seen anything that truly make them one. Excerpts
The state of the nation I am concerned about some of the issues that have been in the front burner in our nation for sometime which calls for a cry out and urgent attention by all the concerned citizens of this country. Moreover I have sympathetic concern for the leadership of this country which seems to be drowning. I am very much concerned about it. I truly pity President Jonathan because the way things are going in this country, it seems to me he has lost sense of direction and there's no more purpose of leadership. This is particularly glaring in the area of the composition of the people that are now being inaugurated as board and different councils in our country. Many of the calibre of people that are being put in these boards and councils are unacceptable to Nigerians because some of them have questionable characters, some of them are already expired, some of them have nothing to offer anymore and is like putting an old wine into a new skin. And the case in one is that of Buhari who had a questionable certificate of Toronto and was expelled from the House of Representatives, but for him to be put into the Governing Council of University of Nigeria Nsukka, I think is an insult to the Igbo's. Consequently we feel that it is not be acceptable. And many of them too who are more or less old enough to be consultants, some of who are already expired and have nothing to offer for the development of education this country, should not be continually be imposed on the system by the powers that be. We are asking, what are the criteria for which most of these people have been combined and put into boards and councils in Nigeria today, what were the criteria for their selection? Nigerians want to know because people are raising questions. I will say that if the country is going to go forward, and we are committed in the transformation agenda, the recycling of old politicians in the name of settling them, recycling of expired and contaminated old men that have nothing to offer anymore in this country negates the spirit of transformation and that does not give room for the young ones that are now growing up. Thirty years ago you told them that they are the leaders of tomorrow and the people who are in leadership 30 yrs ago are still there, then when will tomorrow of the youths come? So, it is a concern for the youths
and that is why we now have the increase in cases of kidnapping and increase in all sorts of evil. The rates of social vices are becoming sky-rocketed. This is because most of these youths are now becoming frustrated , you told them 30 yrs ago that they will be leaders of tomorrow yet the old people are still there, the youths are not given chance to come and serve. Time has come for those old people to give way for young people to come up. So, President Jonathan must know what he is doing and this is why I pity him. If he is doing this in the name of settling people, trying to pacify people, it negates this spirit of transformation and that will not be acceptable to the people of this nation.
Amnesty Again, we are talking about amnesty; the amnesty issue should be taken with caution because I see no reason why we should be talking about amnesty without concern for the people who lost their lives or the churches who lost their buildings. The victims have to be considered also. So I'm saying 'no compensation, no amnesty. If there's going to be amnesty it must be in line with c o m p e n s a t i o n . We m u s t compensate those victims if not, it's going to be very disgraceful thing and it will not work. This amnesty is now being turned down by some of these Boko Haram people, then where are we going? We must be very careful not to mesmerize what we call amnesty, otherwise tomorrow the kidnappers will come up and say they want amnesty, around robbers will come up, they want amnesty, MASSOB will come
up, they want amnesty, the Biafran veterans will come up, they want amnesty. Most of these Biafran people who fought the war are wallowing in abject poverty. Nobody has talked about compensating them or even giving them a source of living. So it's a concern to us, as Nigerian, as Igbo's.
Sanusi and the Central Bank We want to call the attention of President Jonathan to the activities of Central Bank Governor, Lamido Sanusi. He has basterdized the principles and policies of CBN and before he leaves there should be an investigation into his activities in Central Bank. Central Bank has derailed from the policies that were left by Soludo. Employment policies have been basterdized; not less than 600 Northerners have been employed to work in Central Bank and one may ask what the criteria are? Many of the people in other religions are not employed and some of the people in north and people in government are being given just one, two, three slots and they kept their mouth shut. I am saying that Lamido Sanusi should give us the account of his activities in Central Bank and he should be very careful, and the President should also be careful not to handpick somebody that will succeed him that could not even run the bank. We are aware of all these things and I'm crying out now as a prophet in this nation that Central Bank must be held with utmost principle, dignity, respect and sanity which Sanusi has basterdized. He should be warned that it is wrong for him to dressed like an Emir to official
duties that concerns Central Bank if he is tired of being the governor of CBN then he should go and b e t h e traditional ruler but we totally object and refuse h i m a s governor of CBN to be dressing like an Emir to functions that concern the C B N o r o ff i c i a l functions. That means he is an Islamic Jihadist that wants to make sure that everything is Islamized and we will tell him that he cannot succeed to do that.
Education in the Southeast Another thing again we are talking about in this nation is that the education policy for the zone 'Mmuta bu ihe', which was inaugurated at Okpara Square last year in the South East has not kicked off and we are calling on Federal Ministry of Education to do something about it so that, that quality and opportunity of 'Mmuta bu ihe' which was the corresponding programme of Almajir that was created in South-East must be implemented with utmost dispatch. The Governors of the southeast must rise to ask where is this programme going to and how far have we have gone with it.
The Roads in the Southeast We are concerned about the roads that are constructed in south-east, many of them are being patched and not being reconstructed. Something must be done to make sure that there's a serious supervision of these roads and not patching. A lot of money has been released, so we want to make sure that there's a solid construction of these road, reconstruction and not patching, so the contractors should be very careful, the way they are doing these roads EnuguOnitsha, Enugu Port-Harcourt road.
Security Question Part of what we are talking about is that the security of this nation must be held to high esteem. I
said that I pity Jonathan that nothing has been done yet to confirm and also be able to convince Nigerians confidently that security of Nigerians has come to be. But I want to warn at this time that northerners should put themselves together to allow peace to reign. We cannot allow anybody to bomb out the present President because they want leadership. If northerners want leadership, therefore they must maintain peace otherwise they should forget about leadership and we will refuse to that this present government should be bombed out of government because of their flare and also their interest in leadership of this nation. That's why it is necessary that we must sit down in a conference to discuss how this government of this country can move forward. Otherwise, the centenary celebration is going to be absolutely useless and very much uncalled for. How can you say that you are celebrating centenary of Nigeria of amalgamation when we have not proved ourselves to be one. When Nigerians don't love themselves, when there is no safety, where people in the east cannot be safe in the north, but the northerners who are in the south are safe, nobody is harassing them. They should stop harassing our people in the north and we want to warn that anytime again they bring any corpse back from the north to the south east, west or south, we shall not take it lightly. We will also tell them that we can also send corpse from here back to the north that is exactly what I want them to understand. And I have said it before that our people still have “Ogbunigwe� technology, we have fought the war and this war is not yet ended because the way we are going now does not show that we have learnt our lesson from Nigeria civil war. So I think something must be done about that.
Flooding in Nigeria Now the rain is coming again, the flood that took over so many houses in this country last year and a lot of money was raised, where is the money? Many of these victims are crying again that rain is coming. Nothing has been done to resettle them. The money that has been raised, who are those keeping them? So we want to also appeal to the federal government and the committee in charge to do something positive now to salvage these flood areas as they promised before another rain comes because we have now heard from the metrological
Continues on page 22
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With Chinwe Chukwu E-mail: brownsugarbarbie@ymail.com
Tips for Buying a Suit W
hether you're a business man, a sharp guy, or a 'Mad Men' enthusiast, the suit is very essential. It is the basic building block of every man's wardrobe. Without a suit, you're missing the first type of formal wear for the modern man and that just wont do. If you don't know who that is by now then you haven't seen THIS. We tapped into his knowledge of menswear to give us guides to picking a suit.
Know the Three Basic Colours As with a lot of things, colors matter a lot. In the nation of suits only a certain number of colors matter. According to Taryor, a designer “Blacks, grays (in many different shades) and navies have been around forever. This is because they are classics. Gray is universal, good for business and pleasure, and conveys that you are an honest & nice person. Blue is sporty and not as somber. Black could be off-limits. A light gray suit is more daring while darker grays are more conservative. Dig around and find something that speaks to you.
Know What You Want When shopping for a suit for a particular purpose there are different factors that will come into figure out if you need something formal for big-shot meetings and dinners or something more The two areas that generally define how dressy a suit is are the lapels and the pockets. Thinner (roughly 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 inches at the widest point) are more elegant, while thicker lapels (3 to 3 more executive. As for pockets, flapped or jetted (tuxedo-style) pockets are the standard, while (rounded) pockets give your look a bit more a laid-back vibe. Peaked lapels (with pointed joints) are a bit more rakish, while notched lapels (with round ends) are smoother.
Know your Fabric: You may not know so much but you do know that polyester is for punks, shiny suits are best reserved for “hitmen” and that any label that contains the word lycra or spandex is a lining you don't want near you. You can never go wrong with high quality wool.
Know your Fit: Shoulder and jacket length should be as close to perfect as possible, anything else can be fixed. The shoulders should end where your shoulders end; if they're hanging off the end, even a smidgen, put the suit back on the rack and find another. Next, check the length.You should be able to cup your hand underneath the bottom of the jacket.” If you brought daddy along and he's telling you to go for the suit that touches the tips of your fingers, ignore him. That was the rule in his day; the new rule, is a more modern look. “It makes everyone look taller if your jacket is a little shorter We hope this has helped the guys figure out what they need to do to get that 'Mr. GQ' going. Don't forget to share your tips on buying a suit with us.
Classy Hermes bags
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ag is currently not merely as an accessory for storing goods, but also as a fashion statement. So also is the hermes bag which has been classified as fashion statement for women of power and money. It comes in two forms; the Kelly and the Birkin Crafted by hand by a single
artisan, both are embellished with a petit padlock, keys and a gleaming hard wear made of white or yellow gold. Ranging from $7,000 (1,120,000), to as much as $100,00 (16,000,000) and $20,000 (3,200,000). This is so amazing !!!
p l a y. ” To chilled out. l a p e l s 1/2) are patch
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Buhari will never rule Nigeria again – Witches and Wizards
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he leader of the Congress for Progressive Change, C P C , G e n e r a l Mohammadu Buhari (retd) whom his party is part of the merger that gave birth to the new Mega Party All Progressives Congress, APC, has been advised to bury his ambition of ever ruling Nigeria again.
This advice was given by the Association of Witches and Wizards in Nigeria through its spokesperson, Dr. Okhue Iboi, in an interview with journalists recently. He asserted that witches and wizards in the region would not allow him to spearhead the affairs of the nation again.
“If Buhari contests 100 times, he can't rule this country again,” Iboi began, “because the pillars of the north at night have no likeness for him. They would not let him rule this country.” On President Goodluck Jonathan's 2015 ambition, Iboi said, he will “re-contest and he will win the 2015 election irrespective of whatever
opposition that rises against him”. On the menace of Boko Haram, Iboi said, “We gave the witches in the North the mandate to cool down Boko Haram; mark my words, by the end of this year, you will hardly hear of any Boko Haram mayhem again.” On the merger of political parties under the banner of All Progressives Congress (APC) and its chances of challenging the dominion of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, the coven's image maker asserted, “This mega party when we looked at them and their future, they are good, they have good intentions, but at the last minute, before election, they will be thrown into disarray; they will have a big disagreement that will shatter the party and in-fighting over superiority. This discord will not be settled until the elections hold.”
SHOCKER: Man impregnates wife's friend three months after wedding
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randy husband Edwin (surname withheld) at the Junior Staff Quarters, Asaba, Delta State, has put his wife's bosom in the family way three months after wedding. Reports said Edwin's wife on Thursday last week moved out of her matrimonial home when it was confirmed by the husband's personal doctor that her friend was pregnant for her husband. Edwin's wife and her friend, it was learnt, were course mates at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ill- Efe, where Edwin, who was then doing his youth service in the area, met her. It was gathered that, Nneka, as she
was identified, made herself useful to her newly married friend who had become pregnant, a situation she allegedly took advantage of by making herself useful in home chores and helping to prepare meals for the man, who
is reportedly a senior banker in one of the new generation banks. Speaking to the press, the victim, who did not want her name in print, said: “I never knew there was something fishy as I was not suspecting my best friend. But there was a day she told me she
was going to check her parents in Ibadan. A day after she left, my husband told me he was billed for an official assignment in Lagos, and would not be back in four days time. My husband returned to Asaba about the same time Nneka came back from her Ibadan trip. “Two months later, a lady in our estate called me and asked if I
observed that Nneka was pregnant. I called her one day to ask her. She opened up, telling me she had actually wanted to tell me but do not know how to approach the matter. “It was then she opened up, telling that it was the time she traveled to Ibadan, my husband came to meet her and they both slept together for four days.”
Bus drivers to strike because uniform pants are too tight
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us drivers in a French city said they will go on strike because, among other grievances, the uniform pants they are required to wear are too tight. The drivers, who work for the public transport authority in
Marseille, said Friday the company's 1,600 employees will strike for 24-hours June 3 because they don't approve of "the quality, the color or the fit" of their new uniform pants, The Local.fr reported Friday. "I won't be wearing them," a
Marseille bus driver told the La Provence newspaper. "You'd think we work for [car repair company] Speedy! The shirts are alright, but these pants are far too tight." CGT union leader Bernard Gargiolo said union leaders are
upset they weren't consulted in choosing the uniforms. "The employees don't want to wear a uniform that was chosen u n i l a t e r a l l y b y [ RT M ' s ] management, without taking into account the reflections of our clothing committee," Gargiolo said.
Couple reunited after 10yrs apart, dies 24 hours later
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ne of the most shocking stories of the tragic accident involving a Young Shall Grow luxurious bus and a Dangote cement truck was that of Nneka and Kenneth Ojielo, a couple who died in the accident. Theirs is a story that will bring tears to many eyes because Kenneth had not seen his wife in the last 10 years until Thursday, the day before they both perished in the explosion. “My sister traveled to Lagos from Enugu on Wednesday. On Thursday, I took her to the airport to welcome her husband. No one could separate them when Kenneth eventually came out with his luggage. They kissed for about 15 minutes and everybody around just stood watching.” Nneka's younger brother, Ogonna Abako said. According to him, “Kenneth traveled to Austrian 2003 in search of greener pastures. Before he left, they already had five children. Their eldest child is 21. They actually got married very early. Kenneth was 26 years old when they got married while my sister was about 20 years old at the time. Everybody was joyous when we heard he was coming home.” A picture of the joyous reunion
taken by Ogonna's wife on her mobile phone at the airport showed a couple with much happiness written all over their faces, but that joy was short-lived. On Friday, they decided to travel to Enugu. Kenneth wanted to meet his children as soon as possible. The children too were ecstatic in Enugu as they kept calling, asking their father, whom they had not seen in the last 10 years, to get home on time. Ogonna said, “I drove my sister and her husband to a hotel and lodged them there. The following day, I woke up early to take them to the bus park. We got to Jibowu and realized that the Ekene bus they wanted to take had already left. “I wanted them to take a smaller bus, but Kenneth insisted he would rather board the luxury bus.” The couple held hands in the bus and prayed for journey mercies as Ogonna bid them farewell, not knowing it was for the last time. He said he called his sister's phone at 3pm but it did not connect. He thought there was at network problem. “When it was 6pm, my sister's eldest child called and said she had not seen her parents. I then asked my brother to go to the
Young Shall Grow Park in Enugu. He was told there that only two of the company's buses took off from Lagos that day, one from Maza Maza and one from Jibowu. “Many families were waiting for their relations at the park too. The
bus that took off from Maza Maza got to the park and that was when the passengers broke the news of the accident to waiting families. Those children will never see their father and mother again,” Abako said as he dabbed at his
teary eyes. Worse is the fact that their bodies cannot be claimed by their family members for burial as they were burnt beyond recognition and were therefore given a mass burial on Tuesday in Benin.
Nneka and Kenneth Ojielo, hours before the accident
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APGA Crisis: Court restrains Okwu, Anambra Exco ·I will comply with court order - Okwu
·Umeh writes INEC over victory as Gajo disowns Obi faction
Chief Victor Umeh By Ted Peters
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he Federal High Court sitting in Awka, the Anambra State capital has restrained from acting the recently elected National Chairman of the Governor Peter Obi-led faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Maxi Okwu, as well as the state executive of the party led by Egwuoyibo Okoye, elected penultimate week during its state congress. The restraining order, issued by Justice M.T Salihu, was sequel to an application brought before the court by one Charles Nwazojie for himself and on behalf of the elected members of the ward, local government area and state executive committee of the party in Anambra State. The defendants in the suit are Okwu, Okoye, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Inspector General of Police (IG), Commissioner of Police and Anambra State APGA, who are the first to sixth respondents respectively. The applicant represented all members of the state executive of APGA replaced by the new one. The applicant had urged the court to grant him leave restraining the
Chief Maxi Okwu
INEC, the IG and his agents from recognising, relating or dealing with any other person (s) or caretaker in whatever name called other than them as the members of the Anambra State APGA. He also sought the order of interim Injunction restraining Okwu and Okoye and their privies, from presenting, parading and holding out
themselves as APGA National Chairman and national officers respectively and or members of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC). Also, an order of mandamus was slammed on the INEC and the police by the court, to compel them to investigate, arrest and charge any of the officers of the party they had accused or written a petition against.
Nwazojie told journalists that he and others were compelled to move in defence of the collective spirit of the party and the people. Reacting to the court order, Okwu, said Wednesday he would abide by the order of a Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra State, which restrained him from parading himself as national chairman of the party. Okwu in a statement in Abuja, said: “I have received an e-copy of the controversial order made on April 15, 2013, in suit No. FHC/AWK/CS/88/2013 for himself and others and INEC and five others including my humble self. “As a counsel with 35 years of experience, I will abide by that direct court order on me until it is set aside. I concede that the plaintiffs who are merely surrogates of our political opposition have scored a pyrrhic victory, as it will be set aside shortly.”. The embattled National Chairman of APGA, Victor Umeh, has written to INEC to notify it of the judgment of the Court of Appeal that stayed the execution of his ouster by an Enugu High Court. In the letter dated April 15, 2013 which was attached to a copy of the court's ruling, Umeh said the ruling of the Court of Appeal was 'self explanatory,' noting that the
ruling directed the parties in the suit to maintain status quo. The letter, which was addressed to INEC's Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, read: “I am happy to forward to you the ruling of the Court of Appeal with appeal number CA/E/84/2013 between Chief Victor Umeh and Ichie Okuli Jude Ejike. The enrolled order is also attached. “The ruling and order are self explanatory. The order directed the maintenance of the status quo pending the determination of the appeal. This ruling would guide the commission on the leadership of our great party, APGA.” Also, the National Financial Secretary of APGA, Alhaji Habib Gajo, had written to INEC Chairman disowning his purported election by the Obi-led faction. In the letter dated April 11, received by the chairman of the commission on April 15, and made available to journalists Wednesday in Abuja, Gajo denounced his purported election and involvement in the convention in Awka which produced Okwu as the national chairman of APGA. Galo, said he was shocked to hear his name announced as having won an election in Awka, Anambra State, when he neither attended the national convention of the party that held in Awka nor signified interest in what he called an illegal poll.
Zamfara records 100 fresh cases of lead poisoning in children
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n international organisation, Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) has said that 100 children have again been affected by lead poisoning complications in Anka and Bukkuyum Local Government Areas of Zamfara State in the last three months. The MSF Project Manager, Malam Zakariya Mawattia, revealed this in Anka on Wednesday at a stakeholders' meeting. He said that the rate at which fresh cases were recorded was alarming in spite of the concerted efforts of
the MSF, government and other organisations to control lead poisoning affliction among children. “Between December 2012 and March 2013, we recorded an average of thirty to forty fresh cases of complicated lead poisoning in children from Bagega and six other affected mining communities every month. “This has become a source of serious concern to us and other organisations that are involved in the control of lead poisoning effect on children.
“What is giving us more concern is the fact that the officials of the federal and state ministries of health have not demonstrated sufficient commitments to partner with us in the intervention so that by the time MSF winds up, the state health personnel can take over. “As it is, MSF is afraid that when it finally disengages from the country, there is nobody on ground to manage the lead poisoning disease,“ he said. According to him, MSF is ready to offer technical services and expertise to government officials so that they can handle cases of lead poisoning. The Zamfara Commissioner for
Environment and Solid Minerals Development, Alhaji Mukhtar Lugga, while speaking, expressed the readiness of government to partner with the MSF. He commended MSF and other organisations for their support and assistance toward controlling the impact of lead poisoning in the state. He said that the federal and state governments had embarked on the remediation of the village and were determined to complete it before the commencement of the rainy season. He said that the action was a response to the MSF's conditions for setting its lead poisoning clinic in Bagega.
NASS' treatment of health bill shocks NMA
Suspected suicide bomber set ablaze after explosion in Kano
IGERIA Medical Association, NMA, yesterday, expressed sadness over the setback suffered by the National Health Bill during its consideration by the Senate, calling on the National Assembly to quickly get the bill back on track. The Senate had, Tuesday, disagreed over the constitutionality of the minimum of two percent
n angry mob Wednesday evening set ablaze a suspected suicide bomber shortly after a blast went off near Kano Central Mosque. The incident which occurred around 8.25p.m. attracted hundreds of worshipers loitering around the vicinity of the mosque after the Ishai prayers. An eyewitness said “as soon as the crowd recovered from the
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allocation to the National Primary Healthcare Development Fund from the Consolidated Fund of the Federation provided in the bill. Expressing displeasure on the development, President of NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, in a statement, said: “While we note that debates are characteristic of the legislature, we, however, believe that the
disagreements over the constitutionality of the minimum of two percent allocation to the National Primary Healthcare Development Fund from the Consolidated Fund of the Federation, as expressed in clause 11 of the proposed bill, should not be allowed to further deny Nigerians, majority of whom are poor, equitable access to healthcare services, especially in rural communities.”
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deafening sound of the blast, we spotted a man in tricycle and the crowd went after him and when he was captured he was set ablaze. “As I talk to you now the crowd is watching the raging fire to ensure the suspect does not survive the jungle justice.” Confirming the blast, the JTF spokesman in Kano, Capt Ikediche Iweha said: “We were alerted of the incident and we have sent in our men to contain the situation.”
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Second S'East Media Summit holds August
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he second edition of South East media summit has been slated to hold in August this year at Nike Lake Protea Hotel Enugu. Organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, South East Zone, the first edition took place at Gregory University Uturu, Abia State, last year. A statement from the office of the National Vice President of NUJ in the zone, Mr. Chris Isiguzo said that the decision was reached at the zonal meeting of the union attended by zonal officers and all the Chairmen and Secretaries of the five state chapters of the union in South East. Isiguzo also disclosed that the meeting resolved the inauguration of a-seven man committee to plan for the Summit to be headed by the Abia State NUJ Chairman, Mr. Hyacinth Okoli while the Zonal Administrative Secretary, Mr. Dennis Agbo serves as Secretary of the committee. The committee was mandated to source for funds and resource persons, come up with a befitting theme among other responsibilities. The union said that the Summit will once again provide a veritable opportunity to x-ray the operations of the media industry especially as they affect the South East geo-political zone of the country.
Comrade Isiguzo urged the members of the committee to ensure that persons with integrity and who have impacted positively on the lives of the people through their business or other activities are chosen to be honoured. The union also resolved to host one of the best National
Executive Committee (NEC) meetings of the Union slated for Monday April 22 to Thursday April 25, 2013 at Umuahia, the Abia State Capital. He stated that all is now set for a successful hosting of the NEC by the zone. The zonal meeting called on the State Governments of the South
East zone and other stakeholders to work for peace, security and economic welfare of the people. It also urged the governors in particular to utilize their security votes judiciously especially in the provision of adequate logistics and incentives to security outfits in combating the menace of kidnapping, armed robbery and
child-trafficking in the zone. The meeting appreciated the existing peace in the state councils of NUJ within the zone and urged state chairmen of the councils to maintain the peace by always carrying along their secretaries, the entire executive and other members of the union in the zone.
Chime approves recruitment of health workers for district hospitals
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he Enugu State Government has taken some bold steps to enhance healthcare services delivery, ensure access to quality health care and smooth running of the free Maternal and Child healthcare programme in the state. To this end, the State Executive Council approved the recruitment of two hundred and fifty-five health workers for the Seven District Hospitals, three SubDistrict Hospitals and forty-one Cottage Hospitals in the state. The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke told the press that the approval for the recruitment of the health workers was given at the councils meeting in Enugu chaired by the Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime. Briefing the press at the end of the meeting, Mr. Ugwoke said that
the health workers to be employed will include twenty (20) Medical Officers, one hundred and fifty (150) Nurses, Pharmacists, Radiographers, Laboratory Scientists, Security Guards and Clerical Officers among others. The commissioner recalled that only last week the council gave approval for the renovation of the seven District Hospitals in line with governments commitment to provide affordable qualitative healthcare services to the people. Mr. Ugwoke explained that the council approved the sum of over Ninety-Seven Million Naira (N97,684,537.60) for the renovation and other repair work in State Liaison Office Complex Abuja and State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) Office, Enugu. According to the commissioner,
the contract of over Sixty-eight million naira (N68,507,175.60K) for the repair and renovation of the Abuja Liaison Office awarded to Messrs Rome Construction Company will include expansion of the parking lot, landscaping, re-roofing of the leaking arrears and replacement of plumbing installation, doors and windows. The commissioner stated that the council had earlier approved the purchase and installation of lifts and electric power generating sets in the complex to restore the confidence of tenants who occupy parts of the building. For the renovation of the ENSIEC Office which is through direct labour, the sum of over twenty-nine million naira (N29,177,362.00) was allocated and the scope of work will include partitioning, electrical
work and tiling. Also at the meeting the council approved to send a draft bill for a law to establish the State Tourism Board to the State House of Assembly for its deliberation and passage. In its wisdom, the council maintained that the Bill if passed into law, would enhance and improve the control and operation of tourism activities/industries like hotels, fast food centres and recreational parks in the state. In a bid to decongest the Naira Tr i a n g l e a n d c h e c k t h e indiscriminate parking of trailers and oil tankers as well as erection of pockets of Shanties and make shift houses with the NNPC Depot at Enugu end of Port Harcourt express way, the council approved the development of Truck Park at Emene near Enugu. The Truck Park is concessioned to Alukwu and Sons Limited to build and operate.
...Hails partnership with Enugu LGs on development
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he Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime has commended local government council chairmen in the state for collaborating with the state government in its efforts to provide the needed basic amenities to better the lots of the people Governor Chime made the commendation at a meeting of State Economic Planning Commission which also approved the construction of new road linking multiple communities in some local governments of the state. The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke who disclosed this at a press briefing on the outcome of the meeting held at the Government House, Enugu said the Governor however challenged few council chairmen who may not have been up to their expectations to redouble efforts to justify the confidence reposed in them by their people Ugwoke said that Governor Chime used the occasion to express the willingness of the state government to continue to collaborate with the council
chairmen in the provision of amenities that will benefit the people. He said that the chairmen in turn commended the good working relationship between them and the state governor, especially the full release of their monthly allocation. They maintained that this had helped them in the execution of various capital projects including roads, electricity and health care among others in their various localities. Mr. Ugwoke also told the press that at the meeting the commission approved in principle the construction of a 34.6 kilometers, Imilike Ani Ezimo Uno, Ezimo Agu Imilike Agu Ogbodo Aba, Obollo Etiti , Obollo Nkwo, Enachi Amala Egoli Amala Obollo Afor road in Udenu council area. The second road project also approved by the commission include the 7 kilometer Akagbe Ugwu Amechi Uno, Obeagu Uno, Amodu Obuoffia, Umueze in Enugu South and Nkanu West local government council areas. The approval for the construction of the two roads is subject to
Gov. Chime confirmation by the State Executive Council and will be executed in partnership between the state and benefiting council areas in the seventy-thirty sharing ratio. The commissioner who was accompanied by the Chairmen of
Udenu, Dr. Godwin Abonyi that of Enugu North and Awgu, Hon Emeka Ede and Mathanus Nze said that the meeting provided opportunity for the review of progress of work by the local government and their challenges. Answering a question, the
Chairman of Udenu local government, Dr. Abonyi spoke on the economic importance of the road approved for reconstruction in the area, adding that it would help to open up the benefiting communities and make their life much better.
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Ondo Police parade 64 suspected criminals
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USPECTED kidnappers of a woman said to be the wife of erstwhile Petroleum Minister, Professor Tam David West, Taye, and those who abducted the female broadcaster with the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Mrs Bunmi Oke, were among the 64 suspects paraded, by Ondo State Police Command in Akure on Wednesday. Parading the suspects, the Police Commissioner, Patrick Dukumor,
said in all, 47 robbery suspects including a 22.year-old 300-level Accounting student of the University of Ado Ekiti (names withheld) and five cultists were arrested within the last two months. “The kidnappers collected a ransom of N3 million from the families of the former minister's wife while those of the NTA staff paid N1 million before their relations were set free,” the CP said.
Giving details of how Taye was kidnapped, Dukumor said “Seven kidnappers invaded the residence of the former minister's wife in Aiyedun area of Akure metropolis and abducted her but were arrested in Owo area of the state. On the kidnap of the NTA staff, the Police chief said detectives traced the abductors to Edo State where one Michael Onaibre was arrested with the nursing mother's blackberry phone. While saying that other
kidnappers still at large would soon be arrested, Dukumor added that those in police custody will soon be arraigned. Dukumor added that 54 different types of arms and ammunition and four different types of vehicles were recovered from the suspects. A Higher National Diploma, HND, holder, Akinjide Daniel, and two others who hacked into a bank's website through which they sent fake bank alert to a car
Enugu pastor killed by unknown assailants By Ted Peters
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cleric in Enugu State, Pastor Victor Nnaduagwu, has been killed by unknown persons suspected to be armed bandits. The deceased, who resided at Ilukwe Street, Asata within the Enugu capital city was killed Wednesday night and his corpse
dumped in the Asata stream at the back of the government-owned Poly Clinic. Sources said many residents fled the street after the cold-blooded murder of the pastor for fear of police arrest. Residents said the cleric's battered body was discovered in Asata Stream, in the early hours of Thursday.
“Some persons, who had gone to fetch water in the morning, saw his lifeless body and raised alarm, which attracted many people to the scene. “The Pastor had several wounds in his body, suggesting that they might have killed him by hitting him with hard objects,” a source said. The source, a lady, described the late cleric as an easy going man, “who ensured that we had security in the neighbourhood”.
She added, “He was our security man in this street; you can see the location of his house. So each time, he was always there with his dog and with that he scared bad people away from this area. We are indeed going to miss him.” Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu State, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the incident saying the police had commenced investigations with a view to apprehending the killers of the pastor.
dealer from whom Daniel fraudulently purchased a car of N1.6 million in Akure was also paraded. Akinjide who was later arrested in Lagos said he hacked into the bank's website using his laptop. The police commissioner said the suspected car snatchers among those paraded were arrested in Army barracks following a tip off that they used to drive the snatched cars there and after a week or so, drive them out to car dealers in others states. According to Dukumor, “one Honda Accord car with number plate SQ147AAA was stolen from one Adebayo Oluwajemiluyi but later recovered after it had been re-painted and re-registered as KSF154BC. The Police chief said many of the snatched cars were sold to dealers who in turn sold them to unsuspecting buyers across the country. He, however, assured that the war against crime and criminality in the state was a continuous process and required the collaborative efforts of all.
Man kills friend over girlfriend T he Police in Cross River State have arrested one Abraham Bepeh of Betukwel community in Obubu Local Government Area of the state for allegedly killing his friend identified as Richard Beshel Mashok with whom he had been having running battle over a girlfriend, Miss Anna Ushie. Abraham is with the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Calabar, where the Officer-in-Charge (OC) o f H o m i c i d e , M r. J o s e p h Inuyashe, said he is being quizzed to ascertain why he killed the deceased. The investigating police officers said during interrogation, Abraham described his victim as “my close friend”, alleging that “Richard was the first who attempted to eliminate me over the girl both of us were in love with, Miss Anna Ushie, a student of Immaculate (Annunciation) Secondary School, Ohong”. To convince the police, Abraham, who displayed some scars on his neck, legs, hands and chest, alleged that he had a face-off with Richard, following which the deceased inflicted on him machete cuts. Abraham allegedly dropped out of school at JSS3 because of cult activities, while the deceased was said to have recently graduated with a degree in education and was attached to Immaculate (Annunciation}Secondary School, Ohong-Obudu as a teacher. On the day of the incident, Richard was said to have
left a salon where he went to barb his hair and was taking his clothes to a drycleaner when he ran into Abraham who accosted him, saying they should finish what they had started some weeks earlier. A fight was said to have ensued and Abraham reportedly brought out a dagger and stabbed the deceased on the neck and took to his heels in an attempt to escape arrest and possible jungle justice. But some boys went after him and caught him. “Chiefs and leaders
from the neighbouring communities of the two friends had waded into the matter, advising the duo to sheathe their sword and embrace peace but they did not”, a source said. Richard, our source said, was fined a goat, and Abraham two cartons of beer by the chiefs to end the rift, but Abraham stood in their midst and protested, saying the fine imposed on Richard was not proportionate to the series of assault the deceased had unleashed on him. Determined to fight on, Abraham boasted in
anger at the village square saying, “you have enjoyed your goat meat and two cartons of beer, for me it is not over until it is over” Efforts to save Richard's life did not yield any result as he died before reaching the Obubu General Hospital where he was rushed to for medical attention. Abraham told newsmen from his cell that “the boy was a secret cult member. He was initiated into Vikings in 2002, long before I was initiated. “We used to fight because of one girlfriend we were sharing and I
told him that since he had seized Anna from me, let him leave me alone but he would not. Whenever we came across each other, he would ask me if I was coming for attack, opening his shirt to show a locally made pistol concealed in his trousers”. Cross River State Police Command spokesman, DSP John Imoh, said the police were going to carry out detailed investigation into the case, as the suspect “has mentioned other members of his cult group that we must go after”
Murder: Police arrest A'Ibom lawmaker
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he Akwa Ibom State Police Command on Friday confirmed the arrest of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly member representing Ikono State Constituency, Mr. Victor Udofia, over the alleged murder of one Mr. Nsikak Etefia. The incident took place on August 15, 2012 at Ibiaku Atta, Ikono Local Government Area of the state. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Etim Dickson, told newsmen in Uyo that Udofia was invited for questioning by the police. He said, “In reaction to several calls from media practitioners across the state on the above issue, I hereby confirm the invitation to state CID Homicide Section of Hon. Victor Udofia, member AKHA representing Ikono State Constituency on his alleged involvement in the murder of one Nsikak Edet Etefia in Ibiaku Atta
on 15/08/2012.” Dickson, who said investigation had been ongoing since 2012, revealed that if found culpable, Udofia would be prosecuted. It was learnt that a disagreement
had ensued between Udofia and Etefia over the award of a Niger Delta Development Commission contract meant for the constituency to non-indigenes. Etefia was said to have prevented
the contractors from entering the site of the project, leading to an altercation between him and Udofia. In the process, Etefia was shot dead.
Nine feared dead as suspected Fulani herdsmen Daniel Ezeala disclosed that the ambush commuter bus in Benue Benue state Commissioner of Police
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commuter bus conveying 13 passengers from Gbajimba in Guma local government area of Benue state capital was Friday ambushed at Ajir village by suspected Fulani herdsmen with nine of the occupants reportedly killed or missing. Sources said that the incident has left all commuters traveling to and out of Gbajimba stranded as commercial motor operators have withdrawn all their vehicles on that route. According to the source, “the occupants who were mostly native Tiv farmers were traveling from Gbajimba to Makurdi at about 11am when the heavily armed herdsmen
waylaid and opened fire on them, killing two at the spot, four of the passengers managed to escape while seven others were chased into the bush by the assailants. ”Our fear at the moment is that those that were chased into the bush might have been killed because no one knows their whereabout and their families are yet to trace them. ”The search for them is still continuing but we are scared that they might have been killed because if they are still alive, we would have seen at least one of time, “ he said. When contacted, Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Suprintendent of Police
had directed an immediate investigation into the matter. According to Ezeala, “The assailants killed one of the occupants on the spot after shooting sporadically into the bus, but our men recovered another corpse in the bush. ”The Benue state Commissioner of Police has directed an immediate search of the entire area to ensure that the missing persons are traced and rescued. And security has already been beefed in the community,” he added. In the meantime, most of the inhabitants of the community which is less than seven kilometers from the heart of Makurdi have all started fleeing into Makurdi town for safety.
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Nigeria may break up – Bishop Chukwuma Continued from page 15 people that there is going to be a heavy rain again this year. And if it comes, we will still go back to square one. So I am appealing through this media that something must be done sincerely to meet up these challenges of flooding and the victim must be settled and also saved from the impending flooding that may come at any time.
EZU River corpses and other security issues The corpses of the people dumped sometime at Ezu have remained a mystery, till today nobody has been able to tell us what happened. It lies in secrecy and we are still concerned about the outcome of the enquiry and even the killing of former commissioner of police of Kwara state in Enugu state. We are yet to understand what is the outcome of it? What we are saying is that this country belongs to all of us and we want the government of Nigeria to please make sure that lives are secured. Not only that, that the youths that are unemployed must be given employment through this SureP programme as soon as possible because what we see now that most of the jobs they are creating goes to the House of Representatives, Senate and if you don't have somebody in Senate or Reps, you don't get the employment. So we want to know the employment that are being done through this SureP, what is the criteria and how is it being done because we are advocating that if these youths are not taking care of though this SureP, nobody should blame them for committing more crimes because they are getting frustrated and something must be done to salvage this.
Position of the Church in the bombings The church is not in support of retaliation but if that is going to be an alternative to the negligence of even security or compensating the victims in the north then it means that these people have a cause. All we are saying is that they should stop killing our people, stop burning our churches, let peace reign but in alternative when this cannot be done and government is not coming with salvaging the affected south region people in the north, then these Niger Delta people that are about to do their own now will not be blamed. Actually, we are not interested in retaliation but we are interested in defence. What we are saying is that there will be a way of defending our people, a way of letting them know that we are angry. We don't want violence; we don't want trouble in this nation. We want peace and that's what I'm saying that inorder not to provoke
MEND and other groups, these northerners should call their people to order and let there be peace because these they may be annoyed because they are trying to bomb out their brother from office, they surely will have other ways to react. To avoid continues negative reaction something must be done by the security forces and those concerned in the north should make sure that there is peace, unity in this nation so that we can be together at peace; so that we see how we can forge ahead for the progress of this nation. So the church is not out for violence but out for defence and also for sensitization to let the government know that we have been wounded.
1914 Amalgamation and the centenary celebration It is not right to celebrate an amalgamation that is not with the consent and consultation of the people of Nigeria. That is why before there can be any true celebration about amalgamation, there is a need for a conference, a national conference. This national conference will be a way where all of us will now say yes, we are celebrating an amalgamation that has brought us together and we agreed to be together. We don't celebrate what is not working and some people are trying to make money out of this centenary
celebration and that will be a curse on Nigeria, it will be a great misfortune on Nigeria, and most of these people too who are now being consulted to bring money for their centenary celebration should be in jail, so they are now hiding under this umbrella and the government is keeping quiet. So I feel that this centenary celebration is more or less a corrupt celebration. It is also an un-agreed celebration, it is a celebration that is not going to work because I have not seen anything that brings Nigeria together and we say we are together as Nigerians. Nigeria is not yet one, we are not one, we divided and our ideologies are not the same and something must be done on that before we can have a very successful celebration. Otherwise we are deceiving ourselves, and Nigerians and leaders should stop deceiving themselves. And I want to say that if it will not work and we cannot be together for since 100 years then let everybody go to their tents, it's not yet bad for everybody to break up, if that will bring peace. Let northerners stay where they are, easterners stay and westerners stay where they are because this kind of idea the, 'we want to lead, we want to lead' then let us know where we are. But for us to celebrate an amalgamation without an agreement by consultative units, it's a deceit and corruption.
Ohaneze visit to Kano Well as I said, that the Igbo people who went to Kano personally do not have the representation of the generality of Igbos. They must have gone there on their own and if that is the case we want to say that the Igbo's idea about the Kano incidence is what I have told you that we stand on apology from Kano state, compensation for the victims because Sanusi compensate his people, when there was a problem in Kano. The Igbo's are looking forward for compensation and also assuring the transporters that Igbo's are going to be at peace and will be secured in the northern part of Nigeria and in Kano. That is what we are really out to say so whether someone went to Kano for Igbos or not, as far I am concern they went on private visit, I call it a private visit and whatever they must have said that they made their points. We are not against their going, it is good thing for them to go but whatever they must have said we have a stand beyond that. What we are saying is that we will not tolerate any burning of Igbo property or buses that transports our people from north to south. And that is why I am saying that if these things continues, the amalgamation celebration is useless; where people are not safe to travel from one place to another, I mean it is not fair.
Enugu International Airport Let me add, the 'International' Airport in Enugu, we want to call the Minister of Aviation to do something about it, we frown at the rate and quality of work in that place. The quality and rate of work at Enugu International Airport is not showing at all any seriousness of qualitative work for the Southeast. It is an insult to Southeast and the Minister of Aviation is from the Southeast. He should give proper attention to that place; the Minister should go there and see the quality and rate of work. We are not happy about it, therefore something must be done about it as urgently as possible so that people coming to Southeast will see Enugu Airport really as international airport, if not we will call for an investigation; a commission of enquiry to look into the work and quality of work because if we are fighting corruption and we are talking about transformation agenda, there must be sincerity in what we are doing, there must be focus, purpose in the leadership of President Jonathan. We are praying for him but we pity him. He should be careful of sycophants and those who don't tell him the truth, if he is going to succeed. And his performance between now 2015 matters a lot otherwise he should forget about it.
16-year-old American school pupil kidnapped in Lagos
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16-year-old pupil of American International School, Lagos, has been confirmed kidnapped. Sources saidthat the pupil was last seen in his parents' Sports Utility Vehicle on his way to school last Tuesday. Reports said the victim was kidnapped on Tuesday morning while going to school but the drivers' whereabouts remained unknown. The vehicle was however found abandoned at the Palms shopping Mall, located in Lekki area of the state. Although the identity of the victim was not initially known, school authorities have identified him as Olufolabi Adeniji, an 11th grade pupil. It could however not be immediately confirmed if the kidnappers had made contact with the family. Adeniji's kidnap was the third case of abduction last week. The chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Kehinde Bamgbetan was
kidnapped on Monday on his way home while a lady, Nnena Edu, was kidnapped in front of Redeemed Christian Church of
God, Sabo, Yaba, on Sunday. She was however released three days later. The Ejigbo council boss,
however, regained his freedom on Saturday after millions of naira was paid as ransom.
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Fake Medical Doctor arrested in Lagos ·Works with stolen certificates for one year
Onyeagolo, the Fake Doctor
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ichael Akorful Onyeagolo who claimed to be a medical practitioner with a popular hospital in Festac Lagos, was Tuesday arrested by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and Lagos State Health Facility Monitoring Agency
(HEFAMA) for impersonation. Onyeagolo 28, aka Dr. Hilary Abiwu, confessed that he was not a medical doctor. He said he stole the certificates from a doctor in Ghana. Michael who hails from Imo State had been practising until nemesis caught up with him when he
mismanaged a patient who was brought to the hospital. He said, “I was in school in Ukraine but could not graduate. I ran away from the school because I was to be arrested for being a witness to a crime. I went out to a joint with my friends one day and there was a fight. In the course of
the fight, somebody died. The police arrested the guy and were looking for me. So I ran away.” On how he began to practice, he said a friend of his by name Obinna Uche, a businessman gave him the certificates with which he had been working. “When I ran away from the school, I went to meet my friend Obinna who gave me the documents. So, I came down to Nigeria and obtained a licence to practice.” Michael after much interrogation, by Dr. Okwuokenye Henry and Dr. Theophilus Ajayi, admitted that he stole the certificates by h i m s e l f f r o m D r. A b i w u Hilarious. Dr. Henry Okwuokenye, HOD, Inspectorate Department of MDCN who led the team, said the certificate was not given to Michael by anybody, adding that he lived with Dr. Abiwu for two months and stole the doctor's certificates. “From our investigation, it was revealed that he stole the documents from Dr.
Abiwu who resides in Ghana. When Michael came to us, he presented himself as the owner of the documents and registered for our assessment examination that is done by all trained foreign medical doctors. He did the examination twice and failed and on the third sitting, he passed and we gave him a provisional licence. In the process of verifying his documents, we discovered that his certificates were stolen from another doctor in Ghana. "We contacted the Medical and Dental Council Ghana who gave us the relevant documents and the real photograph of the doctor, who also wrote to us. Since then, we have been looking for him until report came to us that he mismanaged a patient. That was how we got his address.” Okwuokenye advised all quack doctors in Nigeria to desist from their evil practices adding, that the Registrar (MDCN), Dr. Ibrahim Abdumumin had vowed to rid the society of quacks in the medical field.
It's embarrassing Nigeria is still among countries with polio– Mark
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ENATE president, David Mark, said it was embarrassing that Nigeria was still being ranked among countries with polio pandemic. He also blamed states and local governments in the country for not doing enough to complement Federal Government's efforts at arresting the disease. “One of the countries in the world today where we still have polio is Nigeria and it is a very embarrassing thing for us. I hope that we are doing something about it,” he said. Senator Mark, who spoke during debate on a motion on polio, Wednesday, regretted that in spite of the fact that the Federal Government was providing vaccines for immunisation of people against both polio and measles, state and local governments were redundant at playing complementary roles. After contribution from senators on the issue, the Senate, therefore, in a resolution, asked the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Orientation Agency and other relevant agencies to intensify sensitisation and awareness campaign throughout the country with a view to getting people embrace vaccination against the diseases. The motion, “Urgent Sensitisation and Awareness Campaign, Supply of Vaccines to Measles affected Areas”, was sponsored by Senator Danladi Sankara, PDP, Jigawa North West
Senate President, David Mark and 28 other senators. “Why can't the state governments on their own, do something? This, to me is something that should be done at the Local government level if things are working properly. “If not indeed, the Federal Government's concern at all, vaccines and immunisation are
things that are carried out at local government level. “The state governors themselves must be very concerned and very worried that these things are happening. It is not a matter of coming to blame the Federal Government that they are not supplying vaccines. Even on their own, they should be able to
arrange for this routine immunisation and vaccination,” he charged. Senator Mark, while regretting that people had said much about the polio and measles pandemics in the country but acted little to stem the situation, charged senators, especially those from the north to undertake enlightenment campaigns in their constituencies on the need for their constituents to embrace the vaccination against the diseases. He said: “People have talked about it but nobody has acted on it. But there is very little we can do as legislators; if you go home and talk to your people and you go away, and they give them the vaccines and don't take it to the field, you can't go and do it yourself. “The bulk of this is at the doorsteps of the state and local governments and I hope that after this motion, we will be able to get the committee on health and ministry of health to try and persuade state and local governments to ensure that this routine immunisation is carried out and that vaccinations are given to those who ought to be vaccinated.” He attributed the continuous existence of the diseases in the country to what he referred to as lack of dedication by those in leadership positions to fight the menace. “In spite of the fact that we know what the problems are and what
the issues are and what the solutions are, why have we not been able to do it? I think that's where the problem is, and it boils down to whether we are dedicated enough or whether we even want to do what we are supposed to do routinely”, he said. He said those who were carrying out false campaign against the vaccination were doing it on political purpose even as he noted that some were ignorantly embarking on the campaign against the pandemic. “No doubt that people go about deliberately misinforming the ignorant in the society about the consequences of routine immunisation or vaccination. “Well, some use it for political reasons. If you look at the states that are affected currently, it's unfortunate that it is more prevalent in the northern states. I think that all of us from the northern states must have the courage to go back to our constituencies and educate our people that this is the right thing for them to do and that it is the right thing for the family”, he said. Earlier, while defending his motion, Senator Sankara observed that the outbreak of the measles in some parts of the north was as a result of excessive heat for the past two weeks. He noted that 36 kids have so far lost their lives just as he said about 3,588 children aged between nine months and three years were on admission in various hospitals in the Northern parts of Nigeria.
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Madonna varsity committed to high quality education – VC By Ted Peters
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adonna UniversityNigeria was founded by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel M.P. Edeh,to among other things, “revive in its community the agelong tradition of Catholic education and the exacting demand of the contemporary society for sound education enrooted in salubrious lifep r o m o t i n g m o r a l i t y. ” T h e university has its main campus in Okija and the second campus at Elele. Akpugo is the third campus of the university and houses the Faculty of Engineering with the following departments : Electrical/Electronics, Food S c i e n c e a n d Te c h n o l o g y, Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Computer Engineering. Madonna University is the first private University in Nigeria and the first Catholic University in Nigeria. Enjoying both Stately and Ecclesiastical approval, it strives to revive in her community the age-long tradition of Catholic Education and the exacting demand of the contemporary society for sound education enrooted in salubrious lifepromoting morality. According to the authorities, the principal objective of the institution is to remain in the frontline of centres of learning, teaching and research. As a university with difference, Madonna works for the improvement of her local community as well as for an active contribution to the needs of the international community in the aforementioned areas. The various Colleges, Institutes and Faculties in the University help to foster an interdisciplinary approach to different areas of study and enhance the discouragement of the traditional claim for exclusivity and superiority by each discipline. By so doing a healthy interdisciplinary contribution to studies for the promotion of the life of man on earth is also facilitated. As part of its desire to make tertiary education accessible to the people, especially young Nigerians who had previously encountered difficulties in securing admission, Madonna decided to establish a campus at Akpugo and it obtained the approval of the relevant authorities, the National Universities Commission, NUC to actualize it. Two years ago, the university commenced academic activities at the Akpugo campus which is in Nkanu area of Enugu State. It commenced with the Faculty of Engineering and
Technology comprising Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Chemical E n g i n e e r i n g , Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Food Science and Te c h n o l o g y, M e c h a n i c a l Engineering and Petroleum Engineering academic departments. When newsmen were recently taken on a guided tour of the university's facilities at the Akpugo campus it was observed that a conducive learning environment had been provided for the students. Several innovations were also put in place in compliance to the basic standards set for universities in the country. The campus has beautiful hostel facilities for the female and male students respectively. The print and elibrary are intimidating while the classrooms for the students' population are adequate with very modern teaching and learning facilities. The engineering workshops and laboratories parade the best equipment one could find in any well established university. For instance, Food Science and Technology instrumentation laboratory has the very costly atomic absorption spectrophotometer rarely found even in laboratories of most first generation universities in Nigeria. Among other equipment at the Food and Science Department were Hot air oven, hot plate with m a g n e t i c s t i r r e r, r o t a r y evaporator, muffle furnace, colony counter, fume cupboard, homogeneizer and micro-mixer. The Civil Engineering laboratory has soil mechanics laboratory, structure/strength laboratory and highway asphalt laboratories. The laboratories contain the Gas chromatograph which is not only very costly but also rarely found in other laboratories elsewhere, concrete mixer, concrete vibrator machine, concrete hollow boring, concrete cone, concrete compactor, grain size analysis machine, water cell pressure triaxial, electrical auger, soil aggregate, soil aggregate mould, soil tester kit analysis complete box, cone pentrometer, soil
sample cutter, electronic shear strain apparatus, soil provelizer machine, jaw crusher, camry weighing balance among others. S i m i l a r l y , t h e Electrical/Electronics Engineering laboratory contains analogue communications trainer, digital communications trainer, multi functional generators 3MHZ and 8MHZ, 300 MHZ, 200 MHZ and 150 MHZ osciloscopes, digital soldiering stations, transistor tester, digital cable tester, frequency counter, power analyser and others numerous to mention. The computer software laboratory contains 28 systems unitspentium IV Gigabyte, 30 LG monitors, 7 automatic voltage regulators (AVR 500), 40 computer desk, 29 swivel chair, 4 blue gate UPS, surge protector, cable tester and laser jet printer, while the hardware laboratory contains 20 junk systems, 25 spoilt monitors, one oscilator, audio generator, DC power supply, multi range meter, blower among others. The equipment at the Petroleum Engineering Department include M a r s h f u n n e l , f a a n V- G viscometer, bariod mud balance, porosimeter, permeater (liquid and gas), sand content equipment, retort kit, pour point equipment, hydro-pressure pipeline equipment, hamilton beach mixer, gas cgromatograph, reparative index analyzer and cement consistometer. Expectedly, the numerous modern equipment in Madonna University have already began to yield the desired results, going by the quality of projects submitted by students including cassava grinding machines, melon shellers and oil palm fruit processing machines. Speaking with journalists after the tour, the new Vice Chancellor of Madonna University, Prof. Chuks Emmanuel Ezedum stated unequivocally that they are running a serious academic enterprise in the Akpugo campus, with a vision to replicate the Massachussets Institute of Technology, United States there in Akpugo. Speaking on his vision for
Madonna, Ezedum recalled that he was coming from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), known for its high standards and had been an academic for over two decades now, involved in human resources development. In terms of where he wants to take Madonna, he noted that he met Madonna in a place that was quite high but made it clear that 'no height is the ultimate'. “So, my vision is to take Madonna higher. For instance, now we have one faculty here, three at Okija and five at Elele. That means that by the time I will be through with Madonna, we will be able to put on ground more faculties, more programmes and strengthen further, the ones we are running, so that at the end of the day, we can be comparable to any good university anywhere in the world. “In a nutshell, my idea is that the word university stands for universal standard and ours is not going to be different. We go for all international best practices in all the programmes we are offering and at the end of the day, we will be better and greater that what we are now, even when we are already great” Ezedum said. On the challenges on the way, the Vice Chancellor observed that every organism that grows and develops must have some challenges, but pointed out that the challenges vary. “Over here, I will rather say that the challenges are not enormous because I am lucky to be joining the university at a time so many things are already in place. If I were to join this university at inception, it would have been more challenging. You have gone round to see things for yourself. We have got all it takes to set up a standard university. We have the facilities, we have the equipment. We have students. We have the staff. You will have well said that my problems are solved” he said. The university administrator said his only preoccupation now would be to consolidate on what he met and ensuring that he keeps to the standard or raise it higher because 'low standard is never ultimate'. On the cost of studying in Madonna, Ezedum said; “it is still on record as I am talking to you now that Madonna charges the least in terms of teaching and other fees across the country, across all the federal universities that are currently running in the country and what I have just said is verifiable.”
Ezedum who spoke further on multi-campus model of university education, noted that most successful universities all over the world always adopt this kind of arrangement. Ezedum cited the University of Nigeria Nsukka as example, with the main campus at Nsukka and then the second campus at Enugu and a third campus in Aba. Noting that multi campus model is a sign that the university is growing, the Vice Chancellor said if everybody must be pigeon holed within the same place, at a time, it may become suffocating in terms of over-crowding, but when there is opportunity of spreading out in the first place, there is a good chance of not over burdening your facilities, like the hostels. “Then, there are other facilities you mentioned. You talked about extra-curricular activities. If you come to Elele and have two football pitches which is purely what the space available can take, you will not be surprised in a situation I have two there, two at Akpugo and two at Okija. So, at the end of the day, if I may summarise, the more the merrier, the more the number of campuses, the more the facilities you are likely to put on ground for the students and the less the congestion of students vis avis facilities that are available. It says a lot about any serious minded university that thinks a lot about the welfare of students” he said. On the issue of accreditation of programmes, he said if you go through the JAMB brochure, you will see courses accredited for various universities, and as against Madonna, all its engineering courses are indicated for students to apply and be granted admission. Ezedum maintained that no department in Akpugo has denied accreditation status, pointing out that all courses denied accreditation were delisted from JAMB brochure. According to the Vice Chancellor, the inclusion of Madonna engineering courses in JAMB brochure is pure evidence that Akpugo campus, of all the seven departments within the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, none has been denied accreditation. “It has come to my notice that some print media who dwell on what I may call unprofessional journalism go on writing one nauseating article or another on our Akpugo campus. I may not know their reason for choosing such line of dishonor, but what I am sure of is that my administration will not take such actions likely,” Prof. Ezedum said. He stated that all the departments are manned by well qualified staff who are always around and willing to clarify whatever the press may wish to be clarified.
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
23 illegal refineries discovered in Anambra …453 drums of illegally refined diesel recovered
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ecurity agencies have discovered 23 illegal petroleum refineries in Atani, Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra. The Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in the state, Mr. Michael Ochogwu, announced the discovery in Awka. Ochogwu said naval officers from their Onitsha outpost discovered the illegal activities and invited the NSCDC to inspect and evacuate the tanks and products. He said a combined team of the NSCDC, the Nigeria Army and the Nigerian Navy visited the area and discovered 23 illegal refineries near Iyiowa Odekpe, Atani in Ogbaru. “The areas where the illegal refineries were discovered spanned more than two kilometres. Fire wood used for the refining, refined and unrefined products were discovered. We travelled for almost one and a half hours before reaching the site of the refineries,”
Continued from page 28 month which is huge. Yes. I admit that. And we can’t afford I'll tell you; my thesis on corruption is we are still a poor country. We cannot afford any leakage. We also need the international community to weigh in. We have Mexico and Nigeria are suffering from this problem, you can check. Mexico has (inaudible) losing 25,000 barrels a day. And they found (inaudible). In our case, we have international people who also buy that stolen oil. We need them to treat this stolen oil like stolen diamonds, the blood diamonds. Make it blood oil. Help us so that those people don't have a market to sell this stuff. That's one. And we ourselves should commit to fighting and we
Illegal Refinery
are fighting that.
me.
AMANPOUR: Let me ask you *video clip* about that, because you also have challenges with electricity. You mentioned you're very rich in oil and people just simply don't understand why there still seem to be so many problems with electricity. And it might seem, you know, weird to pick on that one thing, but it is very prevalent. I asked your president about this during an interview I did by satellite when he was at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Let's just see what he had to say to
GOODLUCK JONATHAN, PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA: That is one area that Nigerians are quite pleased with the government, that's a commitment to improve power. It's working. So if you are saying something different, I'm really surprised. That is one area, one area that the civil society members agree that government has kept faith with its promise. *end of video clip* AMANPOUR: N o w, t h a t interview caused a bit of a hullabaloo, as I think you know,
By Our Reporter
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said the NSCDC state commandant. Ochogwu noted that the vandals operating the facilities were not arrested “because they took to their heels on sighting the army and naval officers who discovered their nefarious activities.” He expressed surprise that for long, some Nigerians had created illegal refineries on river banks to refine crude oil illegally transported from the sea. While commending the efforts of the naval and army officers, Ochogwu emphasised the need for adequate training and provision of speed boats for the NSCDC to tackle vandalism. Ochogwu expressed concern with the increasing rate of vandalism in the state. He called on traditional rulers and members of the public to provide information that could lead to the arrest of suspects. He appealed to the management of the NNPC to evacuate the 453 drums of illegally refined diesel at its headquarters in Awka. He said the command was still investigating the matter and that no arrest had been made.
Nigeria has problem with Corruption – Okonjo Iweala in Nigeria. And yet, the World Bank has said that half more than half the Nigerian population doesn't have any access to the power grid. OKONJO-IWEALA: As you know, Nigeria became a democracy again when President Obasanjo came into power in 1999. Two decades prior to that, there was hardly any investment in electricity. If you've neglected a sector for that long, you've not in v es ted , y o u ' v e n o t ev en maintained your basic facilities, it's not going to happen that fast. It takes time. That month, when you interviewed the president, the polls s h o w e d , i n d e p e n d e n t l y, scientifically (inaudible) that they are in technical partnership with
12,000 persons infected with TB in Benue o fewer that 12,000 persons are said to be infected with tuberculosis across the 23 local government area of Benue State. This accounts for over 53 per cent of patients suffering from the disease in the entire North Central zone in the country. Permanent Secretary of the Benue State Ministry of Health, Dr. Jonathan Kwaghtsule made this known during the commissioning of a Chest Clinic donated to the Benue
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State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, by Chevron Nigeria Limited and it's partners at the Agbami Oil Fields. Kwaghtsule said, “the prevalence of Tiberculosis in Benue State in 2012 was 144/100,000 while new cases were pegged at 6,262. “ In his speech, the General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr. Deji Haastrup said that the clinic was meant to add value to the lives o f th e p eo p le an d als o
contribute positively to the socio-economic development of the country. Haastrup said that several other projects, mainly chest clinics and science laboratories constitute an aspect of the strategic intervention plan of the Agbami partners in the six geopolitical zones of the country. Commissioning the clinic, the State Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam who was represented by his Deputy, Chief Stephen Lawani commended the Agbami partners for the
gesture. noting that the clinic would help in addressing the health needs of the people especially as Benue was rated high in the area of HIV/AIDS and TB prevalence. Suswam also urged the people infected with the disease to see the project as an opportunity to get adequate treatment by patronizing it to improve their health. Responding, Chief Medical D i r e c t o r, B S U T H , P r o f . Orkuga Malu thanked the Agbami Partners for citing the project in the state stressing that the clinic would help in combating rising cases of TB in the state.
dialogue. That 54 percent of Nigerians felt there was some improvement. They do it monthly. Now this month, they've surveyed and they've showed this going down, because 800 megawatts has been taken off the grid, which is while they are maintaining the grid. AMANPOUR:Well, let me ask you, because businesses apparently say that this problem with electricity is causing them to, you know, be reluctant to invest. *cross talk* AMANPOUR: They need this investment…
OKONJO-IWEALA: Nigeria is not the only country. Almost every developing country has a problem with power, as you know. India has it. South Africa has it. South Africa is far better off because they've invested much more. But many developing countries, even China, they are struggling with keeping up with infrastructure. Now, what we are doing in Nigeria? We have accepted that the government is not the best place to run the power sector, that if we want this country and this economy to do better, we just have to get out. And Nigeria is pursuing one of the most sweeping privatization programs in any country in the world. We are selling off everything. The generation capacity, the distribution capacity in the country, government is only retaining one thing transmission. AMANPOUR:Well, on that note, Madam Minister, thank you for joining me. OKONJO-IWEALA: Thank you, Christiane, for having me.
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
The Advocate Gospel This Week
HOW MUCH DO WE LOVE THE LORD? Text: John 21:15-17 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. (NIV)
Narration: After the barbeque breakfast on the beach, Jesus turned to Peter. Doubtless Peter was still ashamed of his triple denial of the Lord; perhaps he wondered how Jesus would treat him. Speaking simply, Jesus addressed him by his formal name (Simon, son of John) and asked if he loved Jesus more than all the others did. The word Jesus used for 'love' was 'agapao': this means a godlike and sacrificial love which is seen in self-giving whatever the cost. However, Peter could not honestly say that he loved Jesus like that. So he responded with another word, “You know that I love (phileo) you.” 'Phileo' is a strong word, but relates to brotherly affection and mutual sharing; it is the fondness you see in any real relationship. Twice Jesus asked the same question and Peter responded in the same way. But the third time, Jesus changed the question. “Simon, son of John, are you only fond of me?” That question drove deep into Peter's heart - he knew that the Lord had heard his unwillingness to declare his sacrificial love towards Him (as described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ). Peter admitted that there was too much self-interest in his way of loving, but also recognised that the Lord knew everything about him and the disciple was content to be in His hands. So Jesus reaffirmed his calling to ministry by commanding him to feed the flock of God. Most believers will admit that personal failure reflects a low level of sacrificial love for the Lord. Our track record of spiritual failure often saps our confidence and reminds us of the times when we have only loved the Lord because of what He might do for us rather than sacrificing ourselves in service and mission because of what Jesus has already done for us on the cross. Despite this, the Lord does not want us as spectators, but as those who are fully involved and eager to work with Him so that His people might be strengthened. Yet many relegate themselves to being 'interested observers of God working through other people' even though He has chosen to work specifically through you and me. Let us not be disobedient to His call!
ADVOCATE
I didn't bomb Madalla Catholic church – Kabir Sokoto
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lleged Christmas bomber, Kabiru Sokoto (centre) surrounded by security operatives, at the Federal High Court Abuja... on Friday. An alleged Boko Haram commander suspected of masterminding the December 25, 2011 bombing of St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State, Kabiru Sokoto, on Friday pleaded not guilty to an amended twocount terrorism charge brought against him by the Federal Government. Sokoto, whose real name is Kabiru Umar, was arraigned amid tight security before an Abuja Federal High Court presided by Justice Ademola Adeniyi. The arraignment was initially slated for March 20, 2013, but the absence of counsel for the accused person stalled the process. On that day, the suspected Boko Haram chieftain had asked the court to give him time to get a lawyer. When the matter resumed on Friday, a team of five lawyers, led by H. A. Ibrahim, appeared in court to defend Sokoto. The other lawyers are Hassan Lukman, Yahaya Saidu, S. Okoh, and a human rights lawyer from Kaduna, Sadau Garba. Sokoto's wife and child were also present in court. Speaking through a court interpreter, the alleged terrorist denied the two-count charge when it was read to him by the court clerk. Apart from the charge that he had prior knowledge of the St. Theresa's Catholic Church bombing, Sokoto was also accused of planning to bomb the headquarters of the Sokoto State Police Command as well as other government organisations in the state. Count 1 reads, “That you, Kabiru Umar (alias Kabiru Sokoto) member of an illegal terrorist organisation known and called Boko Haram, between 2007 and 2012, at Masiwa, Sokoto State, did facilitate the commission of terrorist acts
to wit: by planting and encouraging your boys (now at large) at Masiwa, Sokoto, in Sokoto State, with the intention to bomb the police headquarters Sokoto and some other government organisations in the state, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004, and punishable under the same Act.” In count two, the SSS alleged that on or about December 25, 2011, at St. Theresa's Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, Sokoto had information about the bombing of the church and failed to disclose such to law enforcement officers as soon as possible, an offence contrary to section 7(1) of Terrorism and Prevention Act 2011, and punishable under section 33(1)(c) of the same Act. After the accused person had taken his plea and denied the charge, the prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Chioma Onuegbu, asked for a date for trial. She had earlier informed the court that about eight witnesses have been pencilled down to testify against Sokoto. The suspect's lead counsel rose to move an oral application, asking the court to grant Sokoto bail “in the most liberal terms.” But the judge instructed Ibrahim that the rules of the FHC stipulated that such an application must be formal. “If you propose to make any application, you must come formally and also serve the prosecution,” Justice Adeniyi said. Ibrahim thereafter asked the court to transfer Sokoto from the custody of the State Security Service to prison custody. He claimed that Sokoto's lawyers were having challenges in getting access to him in the SSS detention facility. “We need access to the accused person to enable us to prepare his defence,” Ibrahim added. In a short ruling, Justice Adeniyi fixed May 2, 6 and 9, 2013, for trial. He also ordered that Sokoto be remanded in prison custody until the trial date.
Prayer: Dear Lord God. Thank You that Your love is big enough to embrace people who do not love You wholeheartedly as yet. Please forgive me for my weakness, failure and even outright denial that I belong to You. Please help me to know that You cherish every bit of love I show to You and that You are willing to involve me in growing Your kingdom even though I am not perfect. Please help me to cooperate with You so that You can use me to be a blessing to others and glorify You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Alleged Christmas bomber Kabiru Sokoto centre surrounded by security operatives at the Federal High Court Abuja
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
ENSUBEB crisis: Former chairman raises alarm over kangaroo trial By Uba Ani & Patrick Okorie
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he crisis rocking the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB) following the sudden dissolution of its board by the state government during the absence of Governor Sullivan Chime, has taken another dimension as the ousted Executive Chairman of the board, Chief Ethel Nebo Eze-Abasili has raised an alarm over a plot to indict her through a kangaroo trial. A former member of the board who pleaded anonymity, told journalists in Enugu at the weekend that a four man committee has been set up to investigate the activities of ENSUBEB with a lawyer at Government House Enugu as the chairman of the committee. “The information reaching us shows that some disgruntled individuals have planned to carry out evil/kangaroo court proceedings against the Enugu State Government in a bid to rope in the Executive Chairman of ENSUBEB, Chief Ethel Nebo Eze-Abasili,” said the source. When contacted over the new
development, Eze-Abasili who was removed from office while Governor Sullivan Chime was on his prolonged vacation in a very controversial manner, said any attempt to use a kangaroo trial to indict her, amounts to a violation of her fundamental human rights. “The Nigerian Bar Association, Civil Liberties Organisation, and other interested human rights organizations are hereby notified of the above evil plan to be carried out,” she said. It could be recalled that shortly after the state government announced the dissolution of ENSUBEB board, Eze-Abasili went into hiding over an alleged attempt on her life.
Narrating her ordeal, she said about 583 contracts were meant for execution, including new construction, worth N3.6 billion and the state government set up a pre-qualification committee headed by one Nduka Ikeyi, which decided that only four contractors-New Techno Nig. Ltd, J and J. Techno Nig. Ltd, Raycon Nigeria Ltd and Akiota Works Ltd- would execute the 583 slots contrary to the ESUBEB law and procurement act. “The Chief of Staff to the Governor set up an Education Sector Committee, comprising of herself as Chairman, the ESUBEB Chairman and Commissioner for Education, without any member from the
other educational institutions in the state, which means the committee was allegedly set up to hijack the ENSUBEB contracts. “The Chief of Staff asked me to surrender schools listed for the projects. I did that. But, before then, there was an action plan which I sent to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and it was approved. Later, the Chief of Staff called me and said the Governor directed that I should prepare a second action plan, which I did. But UBEC said that they can only accept an amendment to the first action plan. “They put an advert that anybody who has not previously executed a contract up to N500 million is not eligible. That is to ensure that
contractors from Enugu did not benefit. I did another action plan, but the Chief of Staff rejected it. The Commissioner for Education gave me a list of the committee headed by Nduka Ikeyi, which pre-qualified four contractors for 583 slots. They asked me to publish it. I did it. When contractors saw it, they went to court to challenge it. They sued me that I should not open the bids” Eze-Abasili said. According to her, she held a prebid meeting on October 31 last year and when she left the meeting, some persons allegedly sent from Government House, went into her office and carted her files away and thereafter the ENSUBEB was dissolved.
Lagos declares 3rd Mainland Bridge safe
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AGOS State Government, Wednesday, declared the Third Mainland Bridge safe for public use following apprehension raised in some quarters over the bridge's condition. The government, however, stressed the need for regular maintenance programme by Federal Government. This came as Lagos appealed to Federal Government to make
good its promise by refunding the N51 billion it spent over the years for the rehabilitation of Federal Roads in the state. Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, made this known during the 2013 ministerial briefing on the activities of his ministry and to mark the sixth year of Governor Babatunde Fashola's administration. Hamzat said: “Federal
Government last year shut the Third Mainland Bridge for about four months, to carry out maintenance works on the bridge. “The bridge was closed so that the expansion joints could be repaired. It was designed as a county leaver that is why it vibrates when vehicle moves on it. This doesn't mean the bridge is not safe.” It is safe. There is need for Federal Government to visit the bridge and carry out checks on
it to ascertain its stability. “We know that for them to carry out any check, someone will need to go under the water to see if the base of the bridge is stable. “Therefore, Federal Government needs to put in place a maintenance structure for all its bridge, especially the Third Mainland Bridge, for those public facilities to serve the citizens longer than expected.”
MultiChoice donates 43 resource centres to Benue school
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he General Manager, Trade and Distribution, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr Akin Salu, said that the firm has donated 43 resource centres to schools in Benue State. In a statement issued by the firm after the presentation of the centres to beneficiaries at Mount Saint Gabriel Secondary School, Makurdi, the Benue State capital, this has brought the number of resource centres donated by MultiChoice to schools in 24 states across the country to 244. Salu, who represented the Managing Director, Mr John Ugbe, at the event, explained that the gesture was to commemorate the 20th anniversary of MultiChoice in Nigeria, adding that the initiative was inaugurated in Abuja in 2004. “It is befitting that we are inaugurating another set of resource centres in Makurdi, Benue State, to mark MultiChoice's 20th anniversary in the country. The resource centre initiative is our corporate social investment project, which has grown from only four centres at inception, to 244 schools in 24 states of the federation,” he said. He said that the firm's involvement in education was borne out of its conviction that the technological, economic, social
and political advancement of any country has a direct correlation with its level of educational development. “Since we know that the future of a country is intrinsically tied to the quality of education that the youths are exposed to, MultiChoice believes that pupils should be exposed to qualitative education driven by technology. With these resource centres, we believe Nigerian pupils would be exposed to sound learning like their counterparts across the world,” he said.
Salu also disclosed that MultiChoice would ensure that all the states of the federation have the learning platforms in their schools. Also, Head, Public Relations, MultiChoice, Mr Segun Fayose, explained that under the Phase Eight of the MRC project, Ondo and Anambra States got 10 new centres each, Benue got 11, while the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja got extra 10 centres. Ogun and Akwa Ibom States, he said, received an additional centre each. T h e M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r, Innovative Technology Literacy
Services Ltd, the project managers for the MultiChoice Resource Centre project, Mrs Ronke Bello, described Benue State as a lucky beneficiary of the MRC project in this phase. Each of the resource centres donated a comprise television set, a HD PVR decoder, satellite dish, a generator, stabilizer, a set of chairs and desks for the laboratory. An Innovative Technology Literacy Services is also conducted through a teachertraining programme for 50 selected teachers, five each from the ten beneficiary schools.
Permanent Secretary, Benue State Ministry of Education, Dr. Tornge Tor-Anyiin, who received the centres on behalf of the state government, commended MultiChoice for its generosity. He added, “Benue State Government is delighted to partner with MultiChoice Nigeria and Innovative Technology Literacy Services Ltd on the MRC project, as their objectives tally with the government's policy, which stresses the importance of ICT education for the overall development of the Benue child in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)”
Petty trader wins N1m 'So Klin' promo at Oba International Market
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petty trader one Mrs. Nkechi Agbowo has won N1million 'So Klin and Good Mama detergent scratch and win promo held at Orie-Oba International Market in Nsukka, Enugu state. The promo was conducted by Eko Supreme Resources Nigeria Limited, makers of 'So Klin' and 'Good Mama' range of detergents to reward loyal consumers. The event has in attendance people of all ages and gender among loyal consumers at Oba International market in Enugu state, Nigeria. Echos of excitement greeted the air as Mrs. Nkechi Agbowo the
winner of the one million naira was announced. She was shocked and wept profusely at the presentation of the N1 million naira cheques, by one of the company's representative. Expressing her profound gratitude to the organisation for availing her of such opportunity Mrs. Agbowo, described her win as an act God. Speaking to The Advocate, she said that when she was coming to the market it never occurred to her that such goodtime would come her way as she went to buy petty items and food stuffs for her family. “I have never won anything in
any promo since my life. I left for the market with intention to buy food stuff for my family, on getting to the market I was accosted by one man carrying So Klin and Good Mama detergent asking me to buy that they are doing promotion on the product. He pleaded and reluctantly I bought one with N10 and scratched it and it was 'try again' and they asked me to try more.” “Reluctantly I bought another one with N10 again and scratched it and behold I won N1 million. I was confused and I was asking if that how promotional raffles are won? In short it seemed to me as Heaven was going to fall as they
told me it is real,” she said. She said since God has visited her, she is going to plough the money back into business and education of her children to better their future. Ten other people won N25, 000.00 each during the promo. Commenting on the event, Mr. Ekenze, leader of Eko Supreme Resources Nigeria Limited said it is the 4th edition of the Scratch and Win Promo, and it is targeted at rewarding loyal customers for their patronage and also to mobilise more consumers towards taking advantage of the promotion to patronize, So Klin products.
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Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
Dangote to build $8bn oil refinery in Nigeria
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frica's richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, plans to invest up to $8bn to build a Nigerian oil refinery with a capacity of around 400,000 barrels a day by late 2016, the tycoon told Reuters on Tuesday. This will almost double Nigeria's current refining capacity. “This will really help not only Nigeria but sub-Saharan Africa. There has not been a new refinery for a long time in sub-Saharan Africa,” Dangote said in a telephone interview. The country currently has the capacity to produce some 445,000 barrels per day among four refineries, but they operate well below that owing to decades of mismanagement and corruption in Africa's leading energy producer. Nigeria, the continent's secondbiggest economy, relies on subsidised imports for 80 per cent
Dangote said the country's ability to import fuel would soon be challenged. “In five years, when our population is over 200 million, we won't have the infrastructure to receive the amount of fuel we use. It has to be done,” he said. Past efforts to build refineries have often been delayed or cancelled, but analysts have said Dangote should be able to build a profitable Nigerian refinery, owing to his past successes in industry and his strong government connections. The Dangote Group's cement manufacturing, basic food processing and other industries have helped lift his personal fortune to $16.1bn from $2.1bn in 2010, according to the latest Forbes estimate. Alhaji Aliko Dangote Nigeria has two refineries in its main Port Harcourt oil hub, one in in Nigeria, but it would cut into the Niger Delta town of Warri, and of its fuel needs. A surge in domestic capacity profits made by European refiners one in Kaduna in the North that would be welcomed by investors and oil traders who would lose serve 170 million people. Not one part of that lucrative market.
of them functions at full capacity. Analysts have said previous attempts to get the refineries going have been held back by vested interests such as fuel importers profiting from the status quo. Dangote said this concerned him. “The people who were supposed to invest in refineries, who understand the market, are benefiting from there being no refineries because of the fuel import business,” he said. “Some … are going to try to … interfere.” Nigeria's government subsidises fuel imports to keep pump prices well below the market rate at a cost of billions of dollars a year. Fuel subsidies are the single biggest item on the country's budget. Dangote said making a new refinery run at a profit would work even if the government failed to scrap the subsidised fuel price that has deterred others from investing. “We've done our numbers and the numbers are okay,” he said.
Nigeria has problem with Corruption – Okonjo Iweala ·We are selling off everything in power sector
except Transmission By CNN
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n Tuesday, 16th April, 2013, Nigeria's Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was interviewed by Christiane Amanpour , CNN's chief international correspondent and anchor of Amanpour, a nightly foreign affairs program on CNN International. The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, said Nigeria has made tremendous progress by restoring macroeconomic stability, while the problem of inadequate power supply is being addressed through privatization of the sector, among others. Please find the transcript below-
minister and she's been lauded as just the kind of reformer that Nigeria needs. She was a runnerup to lead the World Bank and “Forbes” ranked her as one of the world's most powerful women. But even she isn't immune from Nigeria's problems. Her own mother was kidnapped for a terrifying five days before being released. I spoke to her and I asked her about her country's uphill struggle to transform Nigeria's resources into a better life for all the people. We talked when she was here in New York for the Women in the World Summit. And as you watch, we look forward to your tweets using #amanpour. AMANPOUR: Dr. OkonjoIweala, welcome to the program.
A M A N P O U R : NGOZI OKONJOIntroducing the interview IWEALA: Thank you for segment having me. Welcome back to the program. Africa's most populous nation, AMANPOUR: Great to have Nigeria, is full of promise. But fulfilling that promise is sometimes a struggle. Plagued by corruption and mismanagement, the resource-rich country has a poverty rate of over 50 percent. Maternal mortality is shockingly high. And more than half of Nigerians don't have access to electricity. Nigeria's president, Goodluck Jonathan, can't even escape the power problem himself. Here he is on Easter Sunday, delivering a speech to his people only to have it disrupted by a blackout. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says that she and her president want more for the country. She's Nigeria's finance
you.
OKONJO-IWEALA: Thank you.
AMANPOUR: Nigeria is a huge and important country. We have many, many viewers from Nigeria, always very active and very interested. So it's great to have you here. OKONJO-IWEALA: Thank you. AMANPOUR:You have said and others have said, that 2013 is going to be a real game-changing year, a turning point year for Nigeria, particularly in your area of finance and economics. How? OKONJO-IWEALA:: Well,
corruption. I mean how do it's going to be a game-changer you answer and a turning point, because this is that? the year we are going to produce OKONJO results. And we're already -IWEALA producing results within the : How do I administration. answer that First, on the economic side, I just q u e s t i o n ? want to say that macroeconomic OK, listen to stability has been restored. Now, what I have to nobody should minimize that. s a y o n Remember, there were two lost c o r r u p t i o n . decades in Africa, in the '80s and And I think I '90s, where there was so much have quite a macro instability that people could bit to say. I not even focus on sectors that wrote a book could create jobs. recently Now things have gone right. where I also We've got growth that is at 6.5 had a whole percent last year and we're c h a p t e r o n projecting for 2013, also, around that issue called, “Reforming the the same number compared to Unreformable.” average 5 percent on the African Nigeria does have a problem with continent. corruption. And so do many other Now, I just want to say that when countries, including developed you mention GDP growth, people countries. I don't like the fact that immediately say we can in my when people mention the name country, they say we can't eat Nigeria, the next thing they say is g r o w t h ; b e c a u s e w e h a v e corruption. unemployment challenges, we This is a country of 170 million need to create more jobs. We have people; 99.9 percent of them are a challenge of inclusion. We have honest, hard-working citizens problems of inequality. who just want to get on with their All those are challenges we face. lives and they want a government AMANPOUR: Yo u a r e that delivers for them. obviously a passionate defender What we've said is that in order to of your country. You are a person help block any leakages and help who calls for transparency and to, you know, stop any attempts at honesty and best practices. There corruption or taking monies, we i s a h u g e p r o b l e m w i t h must build electronic platforms. corruption in your country. The We must distance people from the president promised to address money. this stuff. And the latest is that an These things were recommended ally of his, a former governor who by the World Bank and the IMF. I was convicted of stealing millions used to work at the World Bank. of dollars, has been pardoned, We are doing them. embezzling $55 million in public And I strongly believe that we lack funds. Now, the U.S. calls that a institutions. We lack processes. setback for the fight against Now, what President Goodluck
Ngozi Okonjo Iweala Jonathan has done now is to call the judiciary, the legislature and the executive arm for the first time to meet together on this issue and say, this is not just about government, this is about all of us coming together, because even if you catch somebody, they go to the courts and they are let off lightly. The president can't do anything about that. The judicial system also has to be strengthened. Legislators also have to crack down. They themselves have to work at also being transparent and helping the executive. But for me, also, in addition to doing that, we need to stop talking and identify the specifics, like you mentioned oil leakages. Let me mention two things quickly. The first one is the oil theft that is 150,000 barrels a day AMANPOUR: Which is huge. OKONJO-IWEALA: a
Continues on page 25
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AMAA 2013: Bayelsa realises N.8B at fundraising dinner By Philip Eke, Yenagoa
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bout N.8 billion was realized at the fund raising event for the hosting of the 2013 Africa Movie Academy Award, (AMAA) in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. This amount, which is expected to boost efforts of the organizers in ensuring a successful hosting of the annual award ceremony, is exclusive of the pledges of support made by some corporate organisations. Speaking at the event, which held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, urged filmmakers to tell stories that highlight the virtues of peaceful coexistence among Nigerians. Dame Patience, who encouraged stakeholders in the movie industry not to be deterred by the challenges currently facing it, expressed the hope that with active private sector participation, the industry would be better placed to compete at the international market and enhance national development.
While commending Governor Henry Seriake Dickson for his ingenuity in attracting the private sector in the sponsorship of AMAA, she called on the state government to build a Film City in Yenagoa to further underline the State's commitment to encourage the film industry. Corroborating the views of the First Lady, Governor Seriake Dickson said henceforth, AMAA would be a private sector-driven event as a marked departure from the past. According to the Governor, the new Bayelsa project cannot be realized without effective collaboration with the organized private sector which he noted is more enterprising and business oriented than government. Dickson, who praised past administrations in the state for pioneering and sustaining the hosting of the event, posited that the Bayelsa State government is supporting AMAA to provide a veritable platform for the state to harness its numerous potentials. He also stressed the need for government at all levels to use the Arts
as a tool for promoting national unity and development and assured that the proceeds of the fundraising would be put to judicious use. “The marked departure this year and going forward is that we want AMAA to be a private sector driven event because we believe that we cannot fully realize and bring about the Bayelsa of our dreams without encouraging and working with the private sector. Our role as a government is clear which is to create the enabling environment and allow individual enterprise to thrive because it is the private sector that knows how to do business. In his remarks, Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata also underscored the significance of the fund raising event, pointing out that supporting Bayelsa on the project would have a positive multiplier effects on the socio-economic fortunes of the country. Alhaji Dantata therefore called on all well meaning individuals and corporate organizations to donate generously to the project, which he described as a worthy cause.
In her welcome address, the Director General of the Bayelsa State Tourism Development Agency, Mrs Ebizi Brown, described AMAA as a platform for hunting and grooming new talents and appealed to corporate organizations to contribute their quota to the movie industry. Also speaking, the Chief Executive of AMAA, Peace Anyiam Osigwe, highlighted the supportive role Bayelsa has played over the years, noting that the story of the movie industry in the country cannot be told without the mention of Bayelsa State. She pointed out that AMAA had trained over 200 youths in Africa in film making, stressing that Bayelsa deserved all the support it could get to maintain highly commendable level of success it has already attained. In their goodwill messages, Chairman of the Bayelsa Development and Investment Corporation, Ambassador Lawrence Ekpebu, Mr. Ben Murray Bruce and Chief Ndutimi Alaibe lauded Governor Dickson's initiative on the funding of AMAA.
14-year-old boy launches website for social networking A 14 year-old boy, Terkura Unongo, has launched a website, www.theimongo.com, for social networking. Though the website might not be as sophisticated as the likes of Facebook, seems as a good invention coming from a young Nigerian. The early exposure that Terkura, an eighth Grade Student of Hillcrest Middle School, Jos, Plateau State, had to the Internet seems to have paid off. His parents gave him the support to explore his talents in the digital world, and provided him with gadgets. As a result of this he opened his first e-mail address at eight, joined Facebook two years after and other popular social networks in quick succession. Apart from the fact that his parents gave him the support to explore his talents in the digital world, his computer science teacher also inspired him. Terkura, who hails from Benue State, says, “Well, I think I became IT-savvy right from the day I started using a computer, as my parents provided the atmosphere for me to acquire various computer devices. But my potentials got sharpened in 2011 when my computer teacher basically showed me the fun in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language). “It was during a class where we were told to make a website based on any topic of our choice, he taught the class the basics, e.g. images, colours, fonts, etc. of the language and I was challenged to go on and further my knowledge on the language.” He explains that after being fascinated by the workings of various social networks, coupled with the knowledge of programming languages he had acquired, he felt he could also make a difference by starting a social network of his own. According to him, the name, “Imongo”, is taken from the Tiv native dialect which simply means, “Gathering,” He explains that he picked the name because he feels it really described his main objective of connecting people to enable them to meet one another, keep in touch with those they already know, and make new friends at the same time staying entertained and informed. He adds that he was fascinated by what he could do with HTML so he immediately decided to learn Cascading Style Script and other languages, including JavaScript, Java, and VB. He created various websites for school projects, and for fun though never published them. “I felt I could do something positive, and then I decided to create something that would impact on the lives of potential members from all over the world. So I went on to work on Imongo, and I am still working on it to take the online social experience to a whole new level. “I started work on the Imongo in May 2012, and made it public in early August, and received over 300 members in less than three months. I built the Video Chat feature using a partner called, TokBox. I had no official guide, I used my current knowledge of scripting languages and the Internet to guide me.” A visit by our correspondent to the site shows that the network is not only a platform for making friends but one where members can also stay updated with news bordering on entertainment, where members keep up to date with latest gist, and gossips locally and internationally, and also stay entertained with music, videos, pictures and tech reviews. The membership strength of the network currently stands at 1,258 and the site is designed such that intending members can be a part of it by joining through Facebook or by simply signing up with an e-mail address and a password. An online forum and a blog is also embedded on the network. A check on the site shows that 30 topics ranging from religion, politics, sports and entertainement have come up for discussion on the site's forum. Terkura, who would be 15 on July 4, says his role model is Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, adding that he is targeting a million members on his site by 2014. “I would like to master Java, C++, PHP and other languages that would enable me to take on future projects. I am hoping to attain one million members by 2014. And if the need for more bandwidth, storage space, and more servers to take on a huge population of members become necessary, it is possible for Imongo to purchase more,” he says. Terkura's 77-year-old father, Paul, told our correspondent that right from age four, his son had always insisted that he is presented with various gadgets as birthday gifts. He said at some point he was at first scared that his IT inclination could distract him from his academics. “There was a time that I became worried and her mother and I tried to discourage him. We felt that he was spending too much time after school on the computers and gadgets that we buy for him on his birthdays. “But, he assured us that he was taking his academics seriously and when we realised that we were not doing badly, we encouraged him and guided him to achieve his dreams in the IT world.” Paul advises parents not to be over-protective while guiding their children in what they learn. “Once the activities they are engaged in is adding to their knowledge, I think parents should give them a chance and encourage them,” he adds.
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Stories By Okey Anyichie
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angers football club of Enugu last Sunday in a close-door league soccer encounter with the visiting Dolphin football club of PortHarcourt came out smoking with a 3-0 victory. In an encounter at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu played without the presence of football spectators, the Enugu based Premier Division League football club shot into the second position. The three goals that sealed the ambition of the Port-Harcourt visiting club-side were scored in the first and second halves of the encounter. In the other encounters across the country, the week-end league soccer fiesta produced the following results.
At Ibadan, Akwa United from Uyo fell before the fire-power of their hosts, 3SC football club by 4-1. Sunshine football club was truly at home at Akure with 3-0 spanking of the visiting Wikki Tourist football club of Bauchi by 3-0. ABS of Ilorin out-scored their guest club-side from Bayelsa State, the Bayelsa United by 2-0, while Sharks played a barren drawn game with the visiting Kano Pillars at Port-Harcourt. Heartland of Owerri in their encounter with Lobi Stars of Makurdi had the upper hand by 30. Nasarawa United at Lafia dislocated Gombe United by 2-0, while Warri Wolves turned the table on the visiting El-Kanemi of Maidugri by 4-1. Nembe City playing at home to visiting Kaduna United ran away with a lone goal victory. Kano Pillars, the defending champion of the Premier league
soccer championship top the league table with 16 points and goals difference of 4, while Rangers of Enugu follow up to the
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league table with 14 points and six goals difference. Nasarawa United are at the third position with this same 14 points but with
four goals difference. The premier league encounters enter the eight week of action across the country this week.
no excuse to produce mediocre performers in the face of young and budding athletes ready and hungry to show their skills and standard in the events and put up a good representation of the country are in abundance. Athletics events have exposed Nigeria in different global championships that, it now calls for high class performance. Hence a look at Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda, the three East African countries form the strong force in the global track events. Since the period of half 20th century to
present, these three East African countries have continued to render excellent score-card in numerous global athletics meets in different parts of the world. And Nigeria is over-due to challenge very vigorously these EastAfrican supremacy at both continental and global track events. It is up to Athletics federation of Nigeria (AFN) to leave no stone unturned to get the standard of our athletes in the global athletics championship to a new frontier of success.
·As flying Eagle commence camping
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ecently the Africa junior athletics championship, the first of its kind took place in Warri stadium, Delta State of Nigeria. This is part of the efforts in building future athletes that will mature to be top-rated from different parts of Africa, Nigeria inclusive. It was a thing of joy that Nigeria won this maiden edition of the junior continental track and field events. Now as the Athletics federation of Nigeria is now knee-deep in organizing and fishing top athletes that will be the toasts of international games and competitions, the body is geared toward ensuring the athletics, golden league will produce top athletes. However, a sports writer, Ben Efe writing in the 'Vanguard' Newspaper of April 15, 2013 had this to say “Athletics Federation of Nigeria Technical officials are faced with the dilemma of reducing the performance standard set for this year's Golden league as athletes failed to meet up
with the mark at the first leg of the meet held Saturday in Sagamu, Ogun State. Going by this disclosure of Mr Efe, the sporting event is in trouble for Nigeria sports observers and pundits have not yet recovered from the disastrous outing to the 2012 London Olympic games, where Nigerian athletes failed to impact on the games track and field events. This is another area, where Nigeria since 1984 Los-Angeles Olympics won the first games medal in track event 4x400 metres relay race in 1992 at BarcelonaSpain Nigeria came out with both silver and bronze medals in 4x100 metres relay race. In both male and female categories. However the climax of Nigeria in both track and field events of the Olympics took place in 1996 in Atlanta games in USA. Chioma Ajunwa became the first Nigerian female athlete to win a gold medal in long-jump event. Another Nigerian athlete also won a silver
medal in 4x400 metres relay race. The story continued to be positive in Olympic track events in 2000 edition in Australia 2004 AthensGreece and 2008 in China. But the tune changed in 2012 games in London. Even Blessing Okogbare the only hope for medal in 100 metres and long jump failed to deliver. Now the Common Wealth games which we would have hosted in 2014, the centenary year is around the corner, only to be followed in 2015 by the All-Africa games and the 2016 Olympic games in Brazil. It is now necessary for the Athletics federation of Nigeria to be up and doing to mobilize and nurture athletes that would do Nigeria proud to avoid the embarrassment of Nigeria's barren outing in 2012 London games. Hence if the standard and quality of both our male and female athletes fail to make the mark, the body organizing the track and field events should then fine-tune the standard. They have
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eanwhile, the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria in the opening match with Ghana starlets in the under 17 Africa youth soccer championship 'pounded' their opponents 6-1 in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh. Morocco in their opening match with Gabon won by 4-1. Four teams would qualify to represent Africa at the global final in, United Arab Emirate, later in the year. It would be recalled that Nigeria had won the African championship twice and global championship three times in China in 1985, Japan in 1993 and South-Korea in 2007. In another development, the under-20 footballers, the 'Flying Eagles', of Nigeria will camp and train in Nnewi for one month, preparatory to their global engagement in under 20 world cup soccer tournament in Turkey, July this year. It would be recalled that Nigeria failed to sail into the final of Africa Youth championship in under-20 age grade played in Tunisia last month. Egypt defeated Nigeria 2-0 in the semi-final and went on to win the African junior soccer championship by beating Ghana. However, Nigeria qualified to be among the four countries that would be Africa's flag-bearers in Turkey this July when the global junior soccer tournament kicks off with other teams from different nooks and crannies of the world. Nigeria is yet to win the global junior soccer competition although had qualified twice for the final of the competition in 1989 in SaudiArabia and 2005 in Holland. Ghana is the only African country that had a crack at the competition, when the West African country defeated Brazil in Egypt in 2009. Brazil the 2011 champion had failed to qualify in their group in South-America during the qualifying series of the junior world cup soccer tournament. Nigeria will play in the same group with Cuba, Korea Republic and Portugal in Turkey this July in the junior world cup tournament
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orussia Dortmund midfielder IIkay Gundogan has hailed semi-final opponents Real Madrid as the best team left in the Champions League. The Germany international ranked the Madrid giants over four-time winners and this season's favourites Bayern Munich and Catalan giants Barcelona, who are in their sixth consecutive Champions League semi-finals. Gundogan will be hoping to prove his worth against Real Madrid after being tipped as possible replacement for Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso. He went on to add that although his team are underdogs for the tie, they could repeat their group stage heroics against Los Blancos. "Madrid is one of the best clubs in the world. I think they're the best team in the Champions League, but we have beaten them in the group before,” the midfielder said "Undoubtedly Madrid are now better than they were in the group, but as we showed we could beat anyone and that leaves us with a
Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
positive feeling. "Reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League is very important for Dortmund. In fact, nobody had marked us as favourites to reach the second round because of the group we had with Real Madrid and Manchester City. The work we have done has been perfect. Having experienced a disappointing domestic campaign this season, Gundogan emphasised Dortmund's aim to make the Champions League final despite facing Real Madrid. "We are not worried about playing against Real Madrid. Whatever happens we will try with all our might to reach the Champions League final on May 25." Gundogan also showed his admiration for Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, and could not hide his excitement at the prospect of playing against two of best players in the world: Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo. "There is no question that Madrid has a lot of quality in midfield. But most important for me is that it has
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Gundogan believes Real Madrid will be tough opponents the best coach in the world," he added. "I feel happiness. Those two are the best in the world. Three years ago I saw them both on television and now I have the opportunity to play and share the same field against them. It's a unique feeling."
Dortmund qualified for the semifinals after a dramatic victory over Malaga in added time. The German side will be quietly confident especially with star defender Mats Hummels fully fit and ready to go. Dortmund will play Madrid in the hope of reaching their first final
since 1997, with the first leg scheduled for Wednesday in Germany. The German clubs are the dark horses for the competition so will hope to upset the Spanish giants, who are on a quest for their historic 10th Champions League trophy - but they will have to stop Ronaldo first.
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x-Super Eagles Coach, Samson SiaSia, has distanced himself from the feud between his successor, Stephen Keshi, and some of his key players. The Bayelsa State gaffer, who had a similar experience with some of the players during his tenure as national coach, refused to make any comment when approached by sport writers recently. He opined that though he had a similar experience while in-charge of the squad, he will rather reserve his comments, adding that the officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are better placed to resolve the bone of contention between Keshi and the Super Eagles players. “Keshi's problem with some of the Super Eagles players is not my concern. The issue is better handled by the coach and the NFF. I cannot make any comment. I don't want to be dragged into the issue. Keshi is in charge, he is the Head Coach whatever he tells the players they have to do,” he said. On the successful outing of the Super Eagles at the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in South Africa, Siasia, who is a former striker of the Super Eagles, gave kudos to the technical input of the coaching crew led by Keshi. “It was a sweet victory for Nigeria. Considering that it came 19 years after we won it last makes it a very historic outing. Keshi has done well and my advice is that all Nigerians must queue up behind him to support his effort,” Siasia said.
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ormer Super Eagles midfielder, Sylvanus Okpala has described his reported sack as assistant coach of the national team as a laughable matter.
where the Eagles won despite all odds.
But Okpala who played 45 times for Nigeria and scored five goals said he still considers himself as coach Nigeria Football Federation, since he has not been NFF sources disclosed that officially notified by the Okpala was sacked because NFF. he refused to answer a query “You remember that some fired at him for disrespecting years back when former the NFF during the African P r e s i d e n t O l u s e g u n Nations Cup in South Africa
Obasanjo was asked a question concerning national issues, he said: I dey laugh. So it is the same thing with me I dey laugh.
they should be specific and say what exactly I did that constitutes disrespecting him.
“They have also accused me of misconduct in South Africa during the Nations Cup. Let them tell Nigerians what I did at the Nations Cup. Until then, I have no “And when the NFF people comment to make,” Okpala say I was disrespectful to added. president Aminu Maigari, “I have not been notified by the NFF. So I still consider myself as coach,” the player dubbed 'Quick Silver' for his slick passing moves, stated.
Vol. 1 No. 21, Monday, April 22 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
Shaibu Amodu Back page comment
KIDNAPPING: Has It Come To Stay? By Okechukwu Alaku
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n spite of human imperfection people generally believe that there are certain areas in human existence which morally we should abstain from evil acts. It is incredible to find that people today embark on kidnapping as a means of living rather than finding any work of their choice to ease the pressures of life. The actions of these wicked youths have affected people in different ways-shock, trauma, tremendous emotional pain and sometimes death. Some years ago when the militants turned to kidnapping as a reprisal for protecting their land, thus kidnapping oil workers from oil fields within the river-rine areas no one expected that kidnapping will eventually become a big business for youths in Nigeria. Before then more worrisome was the issue of cultism in schools. Most universities and other tertiary institutions were strongly battling to contain cult activities and killings in and outside the campuses. Most times parents wonder what are the ulterior motives of these criminals? They see no short cut to life and advise that ambitious youths must struggle to survive and not through foul means or kidnapping. Experience has shown that genuine change must occur from and within the criminals heart before he can escape the wrath of the law. Many people have been jailed for various offences in the past either for bank robbery or robbery on the high seas. Thieves are no longer thinking of house breaking or stealing from homes rather kidnapping has turned a big business that spills money to the tune of millions and millions in one stretch. Immediately after the civil war in Nigeria the Federal Government banned drug peddling from which those involved were shot on the stake in the presence of their people, until Human
Rights groups objected to the legislation as inhuman and finally got a withdrawal of the procedure. Today drug barons are still thriving in the business. Some countries in order to deter offenders from the business chop off the arm of victims while others imprison or shoot them quietly. Many Nigerians have fallen victims of drugs overseas and suffered death penalty. A group of Nigerians are recently protesting against 14 Nigerians
Nigeria Police logo awaiting death sentence in Indonesia possibly on drug charges. These are strong laws nations embark upon to scare away temptations from all and sundry intending to join the dirty business. Unlike drugs, kidnapping must be chased out with strong legislation such as death sentence or life imprisonment since more and more youths have allowed it to spread as a vital means of survival. It is unfortunate to read of an American woman who was abducted in Obingwa Local Government and later died in the hands of her kidnappers. A 79-year old woman, Mrs Udeji Ononi was kidnapped at her residence in Awgu Local Government and held in the bush for one month until the police rescued her after payment of N5 million. A 28
year-old man Ejike Ezeugwu luckily escaped from kidnappers hideout when bulldozers pulled down part of the building his abductors had kept him for 7 days. A female corps member Dr. Chiagozie Onuoha Bibiana was also rescued by the police at Abakaliki. These are few touchy developments which the country has to contend with as kidnappers continue to lay siege on law abiding citizens. It is difficult to defuse a potentially dangerous situation but only the steps taken by our Government can correct this irritating and hostile behavior which h a s c o m e t o s t a y. Kidnapping is not limited to matured people alone even school children have suffered similar fate. Concerns arise regarding people walking behind you on the road, in the office, at school and even in your r e s i d e n c e . To d a y motorists are no longer prepared to assist people freely especially people stranded on the highway or render services on emergency cases for fear of being kidnapped. The situation has become so bad that everyone has become conscious of kidnapping because no violence or reaction has yielded advantage among their victims for once they are blindfolded no resistance is expected of them. Sadly, most of these kidnappers have neither considered what damage they are doing to Nigeria's image nor the effect these activities have on the economy. Most investors who are ready to invest in Nigeria are yet watching the insecurity challenges which have contributed to threaten lives in the country. These have as well affected the image of Nigeria as a nation. While the president is fighting every possible means to eradicate these challenges some others have continued to criticize his administration but a large majority of Nigerians believe that his approach to these problems is the best hope for creating a peaceful new society.
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haibu Amodu (born 18 April 1958 in Edo State) is a Nigerian football manager who was appointed Head Coach of the Nigerian national side in April 2008. Coaching career He previously managed Nigeria from April 2001 to February 2002. Shaibu Amodu was appointed coach of Nigeria's Super Eagles in 2008, his fourth spell as Nigeria coach, taking over from Berti Vogts. It was he whom the administrators turned to when the Super Eagles faced elimination from qualifying for Japan/South Korea 2002 after the sacking of Dutchman Johannes Bonfrere. His successful tinkering of the team ensured that Nigeria made the Asian World Cup party but he was sacked after the team's bronze-medal finish at AFCON 2002. He repeated this feat in 2009 by leading Nigeria to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Just like in 2002, the team's third place finish led to Amodu being let go on 6 February 2010. Despite reaching third place with the national side in the 2010 African Cup of Nations, he was demoted to serve as the coach of the Nigerian B-team (Home-Based Eagles) and Lars Lagerb채ck was installed in his place. Shaibu Amodu also led Nigeria to the AFCON bronze medal at Mali 2002 and Angola 2010. Other accomplishments include Nigerian FA Cup titles with BCC Lions of Gboko and El Kanemi Warriors on multiple occasions. He has also managed Shooting Stars, BCC Lions, Orlando Pirates and Sharks F.C. In CAF Club Competitions, Amodu won the African Cup Winners' Cup with BCC Lions of Nigeria in 1990. Under Shaibu Amodu's guidance BCC Lions also finished as Runners Up of the African Cup Winners' Cup in 1991 losing in the final to Power Dynamos of Zambia.