The Nation-June-24-2011

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Nigeria’s truly national newspaper

News Anxiety as soldiers, policemen clash again in Lagos Sport Super Eagles prefer Black Stars to Bafana for friendly Business Electricity consumers to pay more as tariffs rise

P8 P23 P11

http://www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL. 6, NO. 1800 FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2011

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

Jonathan weighs options on fuel subsidy removal President backs push for new revenue formula Subsidy should stay, says TUC

A

DVOCATES of a new revenue allocation formula are likely to win their battle, sources said last night. Leading the battle are governors, who are facing pressure from workers demanding a new minimum wage – N18,000. The governors formed a seven-man committee, led by Governors Forum Chairman and Rivers State Gov-

From Gbenga Omokhunu (Abuja), Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu,

Miriam Ndikanwu and Kelvin Osa- Okunbor (Lagos)

ernor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, to tell the President that fuel subsidy should be removed and a new revenue formula, which will give the states more cash – in line with their responsibilities – should be worked out. “The President accepted

the proposals in principle,” a source close to the Presidential Villa Wednesday meeting said, adding that “he is weighing the options”. Reminded of the effect of the removal of subsidy (petrol price will rise, just as diesel is sky rocketing), the source, who pleaded not to be named, said: “I think it will be structured in a way that it will cause little or no pains. They realise the potential

Eight in race for PDP chairman

danger. I think it’s part of the economic planning.” Labour has advised the government against the removal of subsidy, saying it will deepen the hardship in the land and fatten the purses of big businesses. In Lagos yesterday, Governor Babatunde Fashola said the state would pay more than N18,000, if its allocation from the Federal purse is raised to meet its numerous

needs. Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi restated the need for the review of the revenue allocation formula to enable states have more money to attend to their developmental needs. He said workers deserve the N18,000, even though most states do not have the capacity to fullfil the obligation. Fayemi, who spoke to reporters at the Murtala

Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, supported the advocacy for the removal of fuel subsidy, which he said should not be extended to kerosine, which is used by low income earners. He said: “First of all, we are looking for all available opportunity to make things relatively easier for us to comply with the law. Continued on page 2

FURY OF UI STUDENTS

•Southwest may get Secretary

T

HE battle for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman heightened yesterday, with eight aspirants in the race. All the aspirants are from the Northeast, a development that has foreclosed a likely concession of the office to the Southwest. The Southwest may, however, produce the National Secretary. Although the June 6 election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, and his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, changed the power sharing formula within the ruling party, the chairmanship slot has been

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

conceded to the Northeast. It was learnt that despite a “desperate bid” for the office by the Southwest, the party’s Board of Trustees and the National Working Committee of the party are insisting on ceding the slot to the Northeast. Those who have emerged for the office so far are a former Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Hassan Adamu, former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, Alhaji Bamanga Muhammed Tukur; former Minister of Petroleum Prof. Jibril Aminu(Adamawa); former Continued on page 2

•Protesting University of Ibadan (UI) students on their way to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) office at Dugbe, PHOTO: NAN Ibadan ... yesterday. The students say power supply has been erratic on the campus in the past four months ... yesterday.

•AGRIC P14 •POLITICS P17 •SPORTS P23 •SOCIETY P29 •BRANDS P47 Court to rule on Gaddafi’s arrest

UI students protest poor power supply on campus

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged the second son of the late Chief Moshood Abiola, Deji, with alleged N35.5million theft. He is to face trial for alleged fraudulent conversion and stealing before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja. The EFCC alleged that he collected N35.5 million in 2008 from Jide Jose after promising to supply him printing machines from Switzerland.

THE International Criminal Court has said it will decide on Monday whether to issue an arrest warrant for Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi. The panel of judges will also decide whether to seek the arrest of Col Gaddafi’s son, Saif, and his intelligence chief ...

A MASSIVE students’ protest yesterday grounded the University of Ibadan (UI) – Nigeria’s premier. The students were protesting the failure of power supply to their campus. Most of the major roads leading to the university were blocked as the protesters took to the streets of Ibadan. The students marched on the Dugbe Office of the Power Holding Company Nigeria (PHCN) to register their grievances.

NEWS – Page 4

FOREIGN – Page 60

NEWS – Page 4

Yoruba elders warn EFCC charges Abiola’s Boko Haram son with N35.5m theft YORUBA elders yesterday urged the Boko Haram sect, their sponsors and other militant groups to stop the killing and maiming of their children in the North and other parts of Nigeria. Speaking under the aegis of Yoruba Unity Forum ...

NEWS – Page 6


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