Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper
PREVIEW 2012:
Two EFCC officials to face corruption trial
VOL. 7, NO. 1996 FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012
TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH
NEWS
Can Nigeria attain uninterrupted NEWS power supply? Pages 6 & 7
Page 8
•Lamorde promises better performance
www.thenationonlineng.net
N150.00
•Adebamigbe Omole, the Branch Chairman (middle), leading members of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch, marching on Alausa, the seat of power ... yesterday
PHOTO: RAHMAN SANUSI
Petrol protests spread Demonstrations in Ibadan, Benin, Gombe, Oyo, Akure, Kaduna, Bauchi
A
COFFIN held aloft by youths singing anti-government songs, lawyers in black suits, marching and crowds setting up bonfires – the fuel price protests gathered more steam yesterday. More cities joined the action, which is aimed at forcing a reversal of the New Year’s Day’s removal of fuel subsidy. The policy sent petrol price shooting up from N65 a litre to between N138 and N200.
From Osagie Otabor (Benin), Vincent Ekhoragbon (Gombe), Bode Durojaiye (Oyo), Sulaiman Salawudeen (Ado-Ekiti), Bisi Oladele, Tayo Johnson (Ibadan), Leke Akeredolu, Damisi Ojo (Akure) and Ernest Nwokolo (Abeokuta)
There were protests in Ibadan, Bauchi, Gombe, Benin, Oyo and Akure. The police aborted the protest in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. The protests followed those of Kano, Ilorin and Abeokuta. Thousands of protesters, drawn from civil society groups, commer-
INSIDE •NBA urges National Assembly to impeach President Jonathan •NANS threatens action •Ajibola: It’s time bomb •Right step, wrong direction, says Akume •Falana urges EFCC to probe PPPRA, NNPC •Nigerians should embrace policy, says Minister •Why governors backed subsidy removal, by Suswam •See pages 2, 3, 5 & 53
cial motorcyclists, popularly called Okada, Non-Governmental Organisations and students, marched in Benin, the Edo State capital. Traffic flow was disrupted at the popular King’s Square. All major roads leading to the city centre (King’s Square) were blocked by the protesters who sang anti-
subsidy songs. The protest was organised by the Coalition to Save Nigeria (CSN). The protesters carried a mock coffin, which they said symbolised the death of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the ruling party at the centre. Many businesses located within the King’s Square were closed down over fears of looting. Attempts by the protesters to force some commercial bus drivers,
Okada riders and pedestrians to join the march were unsuccessful as they went about their normal businesses. Speaking at a rally, CSN Chairman Dr. Phillip Ugbodaga said the Federal Government should restore the country’s four refineries into full capacity and revert to N65 a litre. Ugbodaga said the masses should Continued on page 4
Up up go food prices F THE ILORIN PROTEST VICTIM – PAGE 3
OOD prices are reacting to the sudden rise in petrol prices. They are going up. For instance, at Oyingbo market in Lagos, a small bowl of tomato now costs N100. In September, the same portion sold for N50. A tomato and pepper seller attributed the increase in the price to the hike in petrol price. A small bowl of crayfish costs N1000. It was N500 in December. A small size of stock fish sold for N500 yesterday, as against N350 last November. A small tin of gari, which cost N300, now sells for N400. But loaves of bread still cost N50, N100 and N150. A small bundle of vegetable sells at N300. It was N50
From Ernest Nwokolo (Abeokuta), Daniel Essiet (Lagos), Bisi Oladele and Tayo Johnson (Ibadan)
before petrol subsidy was removed. Palm oil price jumped by 20 per cent. A gallon is N6000. A gallon of groundnut oil now sells for N7,500, up from N7000. From what The Nation gathered, the prices vary at various markets. For now, the concern is how to stabilise the prices of corn, sugar, rice and other commodities, which remain unchanged. Speaking with The Nation, a goat meat seller, Mr Akin Akanni, said the price of a goat has increased from Continued on page 4
•COURT UPHOLDS AJIMOBI’S VICTORY P10 •10 KILLED IN EDO CULT WAR P9