« November 2005 | Main | January 2006 »
December 30, 2005
Mbadinuju charged with murder
ABUJA—THE police yesterday arraigned immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Chief Chinwoke Mbadinuju, before a Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Jabi, Abuja over the September 1, 2002 assassination of the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Onitsha Branch, Mr Barnabas Igwe and her pregnant wife, Amaka.
By Ise-Oluwa Ige
Posted to the Web: Friday, December 30, 2005
The arraignment brought to two the number of former executive office holders protected by constitutional immunity, that were charged to court over alleged crime while holding office.
Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was the first to be dragged before the court of law to face trial.
Mbadinuju who looked sober and dejected in the dock was said to have conspired with some criminals, still at large, to arrange the death of the two lawyers. The charge did not give reasons why the governor arranged the killing of the former NBA boss.
Late Igwe and his pregnant wife, Amaka, were assassinated three years and four months ago while on a visit to a family friend in Awada Layout, Onitsha.
According to reports, the former NBA boss (Igwe) and his wife were shot several times by assassins in their private car. After several gun-shots, the assassins allegedly moved closer to the dying couple and inflicted several machete cuts on them before using a vehicle to run over their bodies again and again to ensure that they did not survive the attack.
The assassination followed several death-threat telephone calls received by the couple over a 21-day ultimatum issued the Mbadinuju-led Anambra State government by the Onitsha branch of the NBA led by the late Igwe on salary arrears owed civil servants.
Soon after the death of the couple, several people accused Chief Mbadinuju of masterminding the killing even though he was away to Houston-Texas at the time the incident occurred. The former state governor denied his involvement.
But, in a dramatic turn yesterday, the police dragged the former governor before the Chief Magistrate Court, Jabi for the killing. They said their three-year investigation revealed that it was the former governor that arranged the murder and spread several millions of naira to a number of police investigators to either stop investigation in the case or cover him up.
Also arraigned with him for the murder was one young man, Daniel Anyiego. Anyiego was arraigned for allegedly collecting money from the governor to bribe investigators and powerful security men interested in the case to conceal the real identity of the killers.
But little was known of Anyiego’s identity at press time as the police themselves said he (Anyiego) was a man of no known address.
The duo of Mbadinuju and Anyiego were brought to court by the police in a Peugeot 406 car about noon. They were neither handcuffed nor leg-chained. They looked unruffled until they were called into the dock.
In the not-too-spacious dock, Chief Mbadinuju who wore a red shirt atop a pair of black trousers. Much of the times he was looking down, feeling shy. But he braced up and comported himself immediately the chief magistrate motioned to the court registrar to read the First Information Report (FIR) (charges) already prepared by the police to the accused persons.
The First Information Report (FIR) read out to them:
* That you Chief Chimaroke Mbadinuju, former Governor of Anambra State is accused of criminal conspiracy; abetment of an offence of culpable homicide punishable with death;
* Giving false information with intent to mislead public servants;
* Causing disappearance of evidence and giving false information to shield an offender ;
* Third party benefitting from gratification to shield an officer contrary to sections 97, 84, 162, 121 and 168 of the Penal Code;
* That on or about the 1st day of September 2002 and November 2005, you Chimaroke Mbadinuju, ex-Governor of Anambra State of No 135, Adetokunboh Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja and Daniel Anyiego of no definite address conspired amongst yourselves and with others at large and agreed to do an illegal act to wit: you use your position and engaged the service of persons whose identity is yet to be unraveled and you aided and facilitated the killing of Barrister B C Igwe, Chairman of the NBA, Onitsha branch and his wife and you gave false information to the police with intent to mislead the police from the true facts of the circumstances of the killing of Barrister and Mrs Igwe;
* That you know and have reason to believe that an offence of murder instigated by you has been committed whereas you caused the evidence of the offence to disappear with the intention of shielding the said persons who committed the offence from legal punishments. In furtherance of your dishonest intention, on or about the month of October 2002 and November 2005, you gave gratifications to the tune of several millions of naira for the concealment of the said offence in order to avoid legal punishment. Investigation has revealed that you Daniel Anyiego, male, received several millions of naira at Rockview Hotels, Abuja from Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju for distribution to security officers to serve as inducement to the security officers to avoid investigations and legal punishments. You hereby committed the above named offences.
Almost immediately the accused persons entered their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Mr Ibrahim Bako urged the court to remand them in prison, saying investigation was on-going in respect of the foot-soldiers allegedly used by the governor to murder the two lawyers. He told the court that the police were ready to go ahead with the prosecution of the case as soon as possible.
But counsel to the former governor, Messrs Gabriel Egbele and Sina Oluwole Femi, orally applied for his bail. It was Mr Egbele that addressed the court first. He invited the court to admit Mbadinuju to bail pending commencement of trial in the case, saying his client (Mbadinuju) was a responsible Nigerian and a lawyer who would not jump bail if granted or interfere with police investigation. Besides, he said at the moment, the accused was not feeling fine.
Opposing the bail application, counsel to the police, Mr Bako said the mere fact that counsel to Mbadinuju said his client was ill was not enough a reason for the court to admit him to bail, having not exhibited any documentary evidence to back up his claim. Bako further told the court that though the grant of bail was purely the discretion of the court, he would implore the court not to move in favour of Mbadinuju because the police were yet to be through with the investigation of the case.
“I also want the court to take cognizance of the national importance of the case. Granting him bail at this point will not be in the interest of justice,” he said.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Usma Shuaibu, however, did not write his ruling yesterday on the ground that the submissions made were lengthy. He, consequently, adjourned delivery of the ruling till January 3, next year.
But the Chief Magistrate ordered that the former governor and his alleged accomplice be remanded in prison till same date.
Posted by Publisher at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)
Nigeria ex-ruler warns Obasanjo
A former Nigerian military leader has warned President Olusegun Obasanjo not to change the constitution and stand for a third term in office.
The speech by General Yakubu Gowon received a standing ovation at a conference of central Nigerian leaders.
Mr Obasanjo has expressed his desire to retire to his farm when his mandate expires in 2007.
But there is increasing speculation in Nigeria that behind the scenes he is trying to secure a third term.
Divided nation
Correspondents say the ruling People's Democratic Party is deeply divided between those who would like Mr Obasanjo to remain in office and supporters of Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
The question of who should succeed Mr Obasanjo is also threatening to divide Nigeria along regional lines.
Both northern and southern leaders have held meetings and demanded that the next president should come from their respective areas.
Southern groups have threatened to seek more power for individual states if a northerner becomes the next president.
Mr Abubakar is from the north, while Mr Obasanjo is from the south.
However, southern ethnic groups have already cautioned Mr Obasanjo against trying to remain in power.
The BBC's Mannir Dan-Ali says the central region, or Middle-Belt, sees itself as a bridge between the two other areas.
"We have to avoid the tendency of leadership to prolong itself or overstaying its acceptability," said Gen Gowon, who ruled Nigeria from 1966 until 1975.
The US has also warned Mr Obasanjo not to change the constitution, prompting Nigerian officials to tell the UN to mind its own business.
Nigeria's parliament is currently discussing proposed constitutional amendments which, if approved, could allow presidential third terms.
Any constitutional amendment needs to be approved by parliamentarians and two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states.
Posted by Publisher at 01:51 PM | Comments (0)
Britain slams 29-count charge on Alamieyeseigha
Despite his ongoing prosecution in Nigeria, the former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, will soon face trial in London on 29 charges.
Yusuf Alli
Investigations by our correspondent indicated that the Crown Prosecution in the United Kingdom had filed the list of charges at the Bow Street Magistrates’ Court on December 19, 2005.
Alamieyeseigha was arrested at the Heathrow Airport, London, on September 15 for allegedly laundering over £1million.
On October 14, the Southwark Crown Court granted the former governor bail on six conditions, including the seizure of his passport.
But on November 21, 2005, Alamieyeseigha jumped bail and fled to Nigeria.
The Bow Street Magistrates’ Court in London on December 8 issued a warrant for the suspect’s arrest.
Although the former governor was removed from office on December 10, 2005, there had been a diplomatic deadlock on whether he should be extradited to London for trial or not.
Alamieyeseigha, however, on December 15 applied for a visa to return to London but the British High Commission in Nigeria rejected his application.
As at Thursday, findings showed that it appeared the problems over Alamieyeseigha’s extradition were being resolved.
It was learnt that the charges were filed at the court in anticipation of the extradition of Alamieyeseigha to the UK.
Out of the charges, 28 border mainly on suspected cases of money laundering and the one-count charge is on his jumping of bail on November 21.
Most of the cases of money laundering were committed between December 14, 2001 and September 28, 2005.
The former governor will be tried under four laws in the United Kingdom.
These laws are, the Bail Act 1976; Criminal Attempts Act 1981; Justice Act 1988 and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
A copy of the papers filed by the Crown Prosecution, exclusively obtained by The PUNCH further revealed that the 29 allegations against Alamieyeseigha are divided into three existing charges and 26 additional charges.
The three existing broad charges read:
• That he on or about the 14th December 2001 concealed or disguised property, namely a credit of £420,000.00 received into his account at the Midland Bank Plc (now the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Plc), which was, or in whole or in part directly or indirectly represented, his proceeds of criminal conduct for the purpose of avoiding prosecution for an offence to which Part VI of the Act applies. Contrary to Section 93C(1)(a) of the Criminal justice Act 1988;
• That he on or about the 22nd March 2002 concealed or disguised property, namely a credit of £475,724.08 paid into the account of Nedd and Co solicitors, which was, or in whole or in part directly or indirectly represented, his proceeds of criminal conduct for the purpose of avoiding prosecution for an offence to which Part VI of the Act applies. Contrary to Section 93C(1)(a) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988;
• That he on or before the 15th September 2005 concealed, disguised, converted or transferred criminal property namely monies in Sterling and United States dollars, amounting to a total value of £73,749,16 which constituted his benefit from criminal conduct or represented such a benefit in whole or in part whereby directly or indirectly and which he knew or suspected constituted or represented such a benefit. Contrary to Section 327(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Some of the additional charges include:
• That he on or about the 1st November 2004 concealed, disguised, converted or transferred criminal property namely the sum of £949,763.65 debited from the account of Santolina Investment Corporation with the Royal Bank of Scotland Plc and dispatched to Berndadt, Vukic, Potash and Getz at the First National Bank, Cape Town, South Africa.
• That he on or about the 30th August 2005 attempted to conceal, disguise, convert or transfer criminal property namely the sum of £1,853,849.73 from the account of Santolina Investment Corporation with the Royal Bank of Scotland Plc and to Joseph Kokkinos and Co (Clients Account) in Cyprus at the Cyprus Popular Bank which constituted his benefit from criminal conduct or represented such a benefit in whole or in part whereby directly or indirectly and which he knew or suspected constituted or represented such a benefit. Contrary to Section 1(1) of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981.
• That he on or about the 28th September 2005 concealed, disguised, converted or transferred criminal property namely monies in Sterling and United States Dollars, amounting to a total value of £73,749.16 which constituted his benefit from criminal conduct or represented such a benefit in whole or in part whereby directly or indirectly and which he knew or suspected constituted or represented such a benefit. Contrary to Section 327(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
• That he on 8th December 2005 having been released on conditional bail in criminal proceedings failed without reasonable cause to surrender to Bow Street Magistrates’ Court. Contrary to Section 6 of the Bail Act 1976.
The PUNCH, Friday, December 30, 2005
Posted by Publisher at 01:49 PM | Comments (0)
Count INEC out of alleged third term, says Iwu
FOLLOWING allegation that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was being used for the alleged third term agenda, its chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, has dissociated the body from the plot.
From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu
Iwu, who spoke to reporters yesterday in Enugu said the commission had no hand in furthering the tenure of present elected officials.
He stated that the constitution was clear on the tenure of office of the present officials, adding that the commission would conduct elections in May 2007 in line with the 1999 Constitution.
He also defended his appointment as INEC chief, stressing: "I was not appointed by President Olusegun Obasanjo. He only nominated me and I went to the Senate where I was screened and found worthy. The Senate could have as well rejected me if I did not meet the requirements. I was presented to the Council of State and no member said no.
"The mandate I hold is to conduct elections for the country such that Nigerians will feel happy and fulfilled participating in the exercise. That is what I have sworn to uphold. INEC is sufficiently independent, the only thing we need is financial autonomy. We are independent in terms of operation and we have the capacity to increase the spread and that is why we are fully determined to give to Nigerians the most credible elections in 2007,".he added.
He explained that though the amended Electoral draft bill which the Commission submitted to the House for the conduct of the 2007 polls had not been passed into law, the Commission had options which could still enable it conduct polls which would be acceptable to Nigerians.
The INEC boss stated that already, the commission had carried out enlightenment campaigns in most parts of the country, especially on the introduction of the Electronic Voting System (EVS) which it intends to use for the on coming elections. He added that Adhoc staff were being engaged as well as overhauling the operational machinery of the commission to enable them contribute effectively to the success of the elections.
On the EVS, Iwu said that there was no going back as according to him, those criticising it were afraid that the device would not allow them to rig elections.
He said: "People are not comfortable with the EVS because it is rig proof. There is no other better ways of conducting a transparent election at the moment without the EVS. So we are not going back on the exercise. The device will help us determine anomalies and where they are committed".
He said that the device though electrically operated works like the GSM, adding that once the votings were concluded, results would be immediately announced at the polling centre.
He said the commission would not tolerate any iota of violence during the polls, adding that a lot of constituencies would be cancelled or declared "inconclusive." He also warned politicians to beware of acts capable of truncating the rules of the exercise.
Posted by Publisher at 01:48 PM | Comments (0)
Egunje rocks Lagos, Speaker impeached; Tinubu dazed
FOLLOWING allegation of financial misconduct, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Jokotola Pelumi was yesterday impeached. A new Speaker, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji (Epe 1) was immediately elected and installed.
FUNKE ODUWOLE
The motion for Pelumi’s impeachment which was moved by the Chairman House Committee on Education, Hon. Kolawole Taiwo and seconded by Hon. Adefarasin Hassan was endorsed by 33 out of the 40 member house.
But news of the House proceedings jolted Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was attending a book launch commemorating the 60th birthday of Professor Segun Gbadegesin at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on Victoria Island, Lagos.
After receiving a telephone call apparently on the impeachment, Tinubu stormed out of the venue and for about 20 minutes when he returned to his seat looked distraught.
Later at a press briefing the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Babajide Omoworare, said that the Speaker was impeached because of the need to reposition the House.
According to him, the goal of the House is to deliver selfless service to members of the public, adding "I am not aware if the former Speaker was not representing the interest of the House properly, section 92(2)(c) does not state that a reason must be stated for an impeachment of the speaker, I don’t think there is a provision for such."
"Our desire is to reposition the House, we will always collaborate with the executive arm of government, but the separation of powers will always be maintained."
However at the House session which commenced at 2.10 p.m lasted for 45 minutes and had virtually all the lawmakers in attendance.
The atmosphere was charged upon the commencement of session, with a fresh allegation of impospriety and financial misconduct being levelled against the former Speaker.
He was accused of misappropriating the sum of N12 million earmarked for the House members for Christmas by Gov. Tinubu.
Immediately after reading out the alleged misdemeanor of the former Speaker, by the Clark of the House, the lawmaker passed a vote of no confidence on him and voted for his impeachment.
The Clark said the lawmakers’ action was backed by Section 92, 2 (c) of the 1990 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Swiftly, the motion for the election of a new Speaker was moved and seconded by Hon. Bolaji Ayinla and Hon. Otonyan Bamgbose respectively. The session was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Farouk Adegboyega (Oshodi).
However, there were arguments and counter arguments among the lawmakers before they finally agreed to call for nomination for the post of the Speaker which they said they had waited to effect in the past two years and seven months.
The deputy Speaker before the election reminded the House that the speakership was zoned to Epe Constituency which made it possible for Hon. Jokotola Pelumi to emerge as the Speaker. So he urged the honourable House not to look elsewhere but follow the zoning arrangement.
There was no counter motion against the nomination of Adeyemi Kuforiji from the House members.
Kuforiji in his acceptance speech thanked the members for the confidence reposed on him and the trust they have in Epe Constituency where they had elected a new Speaker for the second time in the last two and half years.
"As you have decided to put the task on my shoulder, please, in the name of Allah, come together and give me your cooperation and support," he said.
According to him, a "speaker must not be lord of the manor but a servant of the House, and at best to preside over the activities of the House". He assured them that within the next three months the House will witness positive changes.
Hon. Jokotola Pelumi was absent during the session.
Meanwhile, Gov. Bola Tinubu was jolted by the action of the House members. The governor was at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) attending the book launch commemorating the 60th birthday of Prof. Segun Gbadegesin when the impeachment took place.
He rushed out of the hall when the news got to him, made some phone calls ostensibly to stop the move.
He later rushed back to the Government House. But the deed had already been done.
Posted by Publisher at 01:48 PM | Comments (0)
Oyo crisis: Adedibu gives Ladoja conditions
As the delegation from the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) tries to resolve the crisis in Oyo State, Lamidi Adedibu, one of the combatants, has given Governor Rashidi Ladoja conditions under which reconciliation can be achieved.
By Sola Shittu
Reporter, Ibadan
Adedibu wants him to immediately secure the release of former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Akinsola Tokyo, who is now in detention over a murder incident in Ogbomoso during the administration of Lam Adesina.
He also wants him to de-recognise Lamidi Adetoro as the state’s party Chairman as well as get his lawyer, Abdulrahman Shittu, to retract an interview granted The Nigerian Tribune during the week over the face off.
Adedidu gave the conditions just as the PDP delegation waited for another round of reconciliation talks on Thursday night in Ibadan.
But PDP Deputy National Chairman (North), Ibrahim Shema, has said that the impeachment move against Ladoja, by the Adedibu faction in the state Assembly has nothing to do with the peace process initiated by the party’s national secretariat.
Shema, who is leading the four-man delegation of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to Ibadan, stated this on Thursday when he visited the home of Adedibu.
He said the party’s leadership is committed to the peaceful resolution of the conflict so that peace can return to the state for the people to enjoy the full dividends of democracy.
He urged the people to remain calm and avoid violence, adding that it would be in the interest of all to ensure that peace is maintained.
The delegation had earlier visited Ladoja on the same mission as a follow up to Shema’s visit on Wednesday when he delivered a letter from the party’s national secretariat to him indicating the desire of the leadership to intervene.
It was learnt that a meeting by the delegation with representatives of the two factions was scheduled for Thursday at Premier Hotel, Ibadan.
It was at the same hotel former PDP National Chairman, Audu Ogbeh, led a delegation to resolve the gridlock before it escalated again.
In any case, calm has returned to Ibadan after Wednesday’s wild jubilation by Adedibu’s supporters over the court ruling that the impeachment process against Ladoja is purely a political affair outside court jurisdiction.
But most civil servants at government secretariat refused to resume work on Thursday following increasing rumour that the Adedibu men plan to attack and take over the secretariat.
The faction believes the court ruling gives them the go ahead to sack Ladoja.
Only a handful of workers reported for work at the secretariat, several stood outside their offices discussing the situation.
The National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations, (NACOMYO) in Oyo State has condemned the conflict, saying it has paralysed economic activities statewide.
The group, in a statement, implored Abuja to quickly find a way to end the crisis and called on Nigerians to pray for the success of the democratic experiment.
Posted by Publisher at 01:47 PM | Comments (0)
Bomb Scare in Oyo Assembly; Workers stay off work
The tension generated by moves to remove Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State from office worsened yesterday as a bomb scare forced the group of 18 members of the state House of Assembly routing for the governor’s impeachment to shelve its sitting scheduled to hold at the assembly’s chambers in Ibadan.
By Bolaji Adebiyi, Yemi Akinsuyi in Lagos and Ademola Adeyemo in Ibadan, 12.30.2005
The scare, which was fueled by fear of adverse reactions of the governor’s supporters’ to Wednesday ruling of the state High Court, sitting in Ibadan that declined jurisdiction in the suit filed by the Speaker of the House, Mr. Adeolu Adeleke, and his deputy, Mr. Dauda Atilola, seeking to stop the impeachment of Ladoja, became intensified as the state’s Acting Chief Judge, Justice Afolabi Adeniran, is expected to empanel today the seven-man committee that will investigate the allegations of misconduct against the governor.
Also scared away from work were civil servants most of who said they were yet to recover from the shock of last week’s mayhem, which sacked both the parliament building and the governor’s office. Consequently, the State Secretariat seat of government was deserted yesterday even as the governor’s close aides and staff stayed away from their offices.
But the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Ayodele Adigun, in an interview with THISDAY sued for peace, saying the state government remained committed to its mandate of securing the lives and property of its citizens.
The government’s commitment to the security of the state, a police source told THISDAY in Lagos, received the support of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, who yesterday ordered the deployment, from Lagos State Police Command, of two more mobile police units in Oyo State to help calm restive supporters of the warring factions in the state.
However, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Mr. Babatunde Eesuola, who doubles as the spokesman of the G18 told THISDAY in a telephone interview yesterday that his group had to shelve its planned plenary session because of a security report that bombs had been allegedly planted in the assembly complex, making it unsafe to sit.
“We had planned to sit today to carry out the business of the House, not necessarily over the impeachment of the governor, but we had to postpone this as a result of unfavourable security reports, which said the place was unsafe because bombs had been planted in House,” he said.
He stated that the police were expected to give his group clearance to sit and that when that was not forthcoming, the session was postponed until such a time the House chambers would be conducive to legislative work.
Eesuola who insisted that the only condition for peace in the state was the removal of the governor said his group expected the acting chief judge to empanel the impeachment investigative committee today, saying the ongoing discussions between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fact-finding committee and stakeholders in the political crisis, including the governor’s estranged godfather, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, would not abort the impeachment process.
He said: “I think people are missing the point. There are two issues. One is the quarrel between the governor and his godfather; that one is secondary. The other is the primary issue of a constitutional dispute between the governor and the House. We have leveled allegations of gross misconduct against the governor, and instead of responding to the allegations he chose to ignore us.
“So the intervention of the party and other stakeholders in the state, in my view, only relates to the problem between the governor and his godfather. If they want to settle that we have no business with that. The one that concerns us is the constitutional breaches that we have raised and we intend to deal with that matter decisively.
The G18 spokesman disagreed that the disagreement between Ladoja and Adedibu instigated the impeachment proceedings, saying it was politically expedient for the House and the governor’s estranged godfather to merge forces to redress the wrong he had done to both of them.
“What you are suggesting is that we are dullards, that we do not have a mind of our own. This is far from the truth. We have an axe to grind with the governor; Baba (Adedibu) has his problems with him. I know that it is not all of us that are Molete boys; I do not come from there, I come from Oyo and that it is where my loyalty lies,” Eesuola said.
But as Ladoja’s adversaries intensifies their efforts to oust him from office, his SSG, Adigun, has called for peace, asking that everyone should subject himself to the rule of law. “We want peace in the state. Our mandate is to secure the lives and property of our people and provide a peaceful environment for them to do their businesses. We are determined to do that,” he said.
Contending that the crisis was not caused by disagreements over public policy, he said the state government was not prepared to pander to the whims and caprices of any person or group who might want to turn the state to its private estate.
“It is unacceptable for any group of people to sit down and insist on imposing their will on the people,” he said, adding that anyone who had any grievance should redress in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile the PDP fact-finding committee dispatched by the party’s national secretariat continued its assignment in Ibadan yesterday meetings with the main actors in the political dispute.
Its Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, told newsmen that the committee was making progress and was hopeful that an amicable solution would be found to the crisis. He said his committee had met with Adedibu and would meet with the governor yesternight.
Posted by Publisher at 01:45 PM | Comments (0)
Govt sells NITEL below reserved price
THE Federal Government yesterday sold three state-owned enterprises to investors at prices considered by privatisation officials as ridiculously low but inevitable.
From Mathias Okwe and Betrand Nwankwo, Abuja
Most surprising was the price for the Nigerian Telecommunications (NITEL) Limited and its mobile telecommunication subsidiary, the M-Tel, which were sold for $256 million to Middle East-based Orascom Telcom Holding S.A.E. (Orascom Telcom).
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, noted that the price is far below the over $7 billion that had been injected into NITEL in the last few years. The minister, a former Director -General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), however, added that the development could not be helped following the loss of investor confidence in NITEL.
The $256 million offered by Orascom is far below the $1.3 billion offered for the same NITEL by Nigeria's International Investors (London) Limited (ILLL) in 2001. This was before the government installed the multi-million dollar Nigeria SAT - 3 infrastructure in NITEL, which is considered as the cash cow of the company. The infrastructure was also sold with NITEL as well as the M-Tel component of the group.
Major stakeholders at the NITEL sale in Abuja yesterday also wondered why the government declared Orascom winner for the NITEL and the M-Tel companies when the $285 million license fee it paid to the National Communications Commission (NCC) for the M-Tel is more than the $256 million now offered for the two companies.
El -Rufai, who witnessed the transactions, the first since he left the BPE, described the amount offered by Orascom as disappointing. He, however, blamed the development on the sloppy services offered by NITEL staff, adding that it might have been responsible for the low price it attracted from the investors.
The minister, a member of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), promised to appeal to the investor to review its price offer for the two companies. He asked the staff of other state-owned enterprises yet to be privatised to learn from the NITEL price mishap and said that in spite of the development, the sale would go on.
The minister asked those who were against privatisation to stay out of the way as they might be "crushed" by President Olusegun Obasanjo "or, in the case of me in the FCT, demolish you."
He added: " You either shape up or be ready to be shipped out of the system."
In her remark before the bid's opening, the BPE Director-General, Mrs. Irene Chigbue, had recalled that the initial attempt to privatise NITEL had brought up Investors International (London) Limited as the preferred bidder and Telnet Nigeria Limited as the reserved bidder.
She recalled that IILL paid 10 per cent of its bid price on December 12, 2001 but failed to pay the balance of 90 per cent as required by the deadline of January 12, 2002. This failure, she added, ran counter to the privatisaton rule and IILL was disqualified.
However, negotiations with Telnet Nigeria limited, were inconclusive as the consortium finally declined to take up the offer thus aborting the whole process.
This time, she noted, the Federal Government approved six companies at the start of another privatisation process. They include Telkom/Vodacom, Huaweii/Jacuz, Orascom, Celtel, Newtel and MTN.
But at the end of the exercise, only Orascom Telecom and Newtel International Limited submitted their final technical and financial bids.
The Guardian learnt that BPE is scheduled to meet with Orascom to know if they can raise the amount at least to between $300 million and $350 million since government is not prepared to sell the two telecom firms as low as $256.5 million.
The Special Adviser to the President on Privatisation, Mr. Vena Ikem, who also expressed concern over the $256 million price offer for the two firms, said that there was still room for an upward price review by the investor. He explained that the huge liabilities of NITEL might be responsible for the low offer.
The events leading to the declaration of Orascom as investor in NITEL/M -Tel for the ludicrous price did not come as a surprise judging from how the process began. First, only two companies, Orascom and Egypt-based Newtel International Limited, emerged for the exercise and they opened their price quotations on a very insulting note.
While Orascom quoted $127.5 million, Newtel offered $154.9 million. This attracted cynical comments and grumbles from the audience who refused to applaud the offers even when asked to do so by the NCP Technical Committee Chairman, Mr. Akin Kekere-Ekun.
Kekere-Ekun thereafter charged the two investors to be serious with their quotations, saying that the government was not a charity organisation.
This, according to him, was necessary because the offers were terribly below the reserved price set by the NCP. He then asked them to take 25 minutes outside to review upward their quotations.
It was a more bizarre scenario when after about 30 minutes, only Orascom returned with a reviewed quotation. Newtel had disappeared.
This was the first time in the privatisation exercise in the country for an investor to disappear mid-way into transaction. After waiting in vain for Newtel, the NCP Technical chairman declared Orascom the only bidder and its reviewed offer of $256.5 million a winning bid. He, however, noted that the offer was below the reserved price. He stated that the NCP would meet and decide if it could sell it to Orascom at the rate.
Orascom, according to the BPE profile, is a leading mobile telecommunication company with GSM operations in seven emerging markets in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. It has a total population under license of approximately 460 million with an average mobile telephony penetration of approximately 11.5 per cent.
The company operates in Algeria, Pakistan, Egypt, Tunisia, Iraq, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. The group is said to have 25.5 million subscribers and a yearly revenue of $2.5 billion as at September 30, 2005.
Some stakeholders, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, said the NITEL sale transaction was a kangaroo arrangement put together to deceive the public as the companies had since been tactically transferred by senior government officials to their cronies.
Unconfirmed reports claimed that both Orascom and Newtel belong to the same consortium and were brought into the country by senior government officials to act as their cronies.
This, they claimed, explained why the telecommunication companies in Nigeria were barred from participating in the NITEL transaction to pave way for the emergence of Orascom.
The staff of both NITEL and M-Tel, as well as those of the Communications Ministry in Abuja yesterday expressed disgust over "the shoddy and lack of transparent manner in which the BPE handled the transaction".
A group which called itself, The Telcom Collective, in a paid advert, described the two companies as " unknown quantity'' and called on those charged with the sale to disregard them as they were cronies of some selfish individuals in the country. They also linked Orascom to Pentascope, a company they said grossly mismanaged NITEL.
Meanwhile, in the other transactions, Miramar Group International bought over the Federal Government's 75 per cent equity in the Nigeria Machine Tools, Oshogbo for N1.5 billion, defeating its only competitor, Bronwen Nigeria Limited which offered N450 million.
Also, the 75 per cent government holding in Steyr Nigeria Limited, Bauchi was sold for N700 million to a local company, Kaura Motors Limited which the NCP also said was below the reserved price. Kaura defeated another local company, Barbedos Ventures, which offered N306 million for the same plant.
Posted by Publisher at 01:22 PM | Comments (0)
Brazil formalizes cancellation of part of Nigeria's debt
Brasília - Brazil will receive only US$ 67.3 million of the US$ 150.4 million owed to it by Nigeria, which incurred the debt over 20 years ago in the form of loans and export insurance. The other US$ 83.1 million will be cancelled, pursuant to an agreement signed yesterday (29) by the acting minister of Finance, Murilo Portugal, and the Nigerian minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
09:45
Stênio Ribeiro
Reporter - Agência Brasil
Portugal affirmed that, despite the cancellation of part of the debt, the agreement represents "an important step for bilateral relations." According to him, it was an old debt, without solution, and the agreement will permit the "revitalization" of commercial and financial relations with Africa's largest petroleum producer.
The political decision favoring an agreement between Brazil and Nigeria was announced by president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during an official visit to Nigeria in April of this year, for the sake of what was termed Brazil's "repayment of its social debt" to Africa, as the president put it at the time.
The agreement, according to the Nigerian minister, who is in Brazil on a visit, will enable Petrobras and the NPC (the Nigerian Petroleum Company) to transact business directly, without intermediaries, as they do at present. Moreover, Brazil wants to export more to that country, in order to readjust the trade balance (exports minus exports), which is grossly unfavorable to Brazil.
Data from the Ministry of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade show that Brazilian sales to Nigeria amounted to US$ 505 million last year, as against the US$ 3.49 billion spent on purchases, mainly of petroleum and petroleum derivatives. This represents Brazil's largest trade deficit with a single country, and it is expected to increase this year to something on the order of US$ 4 billion.
Translation: David Silberstein
30/12/2005
Posted by Publisher at 01:18 PM | Comments (0)
Galadima returns NFA chairman
THE incumbent chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, (NFA), Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima was yesterday re-elected into the baord of the association at Royal Tropicana Hotel, Kano.
By ADO SALISU
Galadima scored 2 votes to beats former NFA Secretary General, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi who polled 24. Others elected members, were Mr. Felix Anyansi-Agwu, 1st vice-chairman; Mr. Pickson Adejube, Suleiman Mu’azu, Kachako Bala Gana, and Ben Agary.
The rest include Suleiman David, Sabo Adamu Jumba, Tony Nnachetta, Peter Fabuku Singabeli, Sam Sam Jaja and Barr. Chris Green.
Speaking shortly after the election, the electoral committee chairman, Hon. Nduka Irabor, said that 33 states attended the congress with over 66 delegates representing two third of the quorum supposed to vote in the election.
Hon. Irabor said that they conducted the election on FIFA approved statutes.
In his post election speech after sworn-in by Barr. Halima Usman, the new NFA boss, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, said that the board would continue to work hand-in-hand with the federal ministry of sports for the promotion and development of the game not only in the country but the world at large.
He expressed appreciation to Kano state government for rescuing and hosting the NFA election, adding that the government has justified its interest for sports development in the country.
He commended the electoral committee members for their sacrifice, dedication and committment towards organising a credible election and called on the states FA chairmen to cooperate with the NFA towards upliftment of the game.
Posted by Publisher at 01:17 PM | Comments (0)
Hajj: Aviation ministry disown crisis
The federal ministry of aviation has distanced itself from the hitches currently being experienced in the airlift of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia emphasizing that “the positioning of Aircrafts for airlifting of pilgrims to the holy land is the responsibility of the carriers and the directorate of pilgrims affairs of the foreign ministry.
by Isa Sanusi / 2005-12-30
A statement signed by the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Imoro Kubor expatiated that the ministry is only responsible of ensuring that all aircrafts for the airlift of pilgrims are in good condition of Airworthiness at all times, adding that the ministry is committed to ensuring hitch free Hajj operations by insisting on compliance with aviation regulations.
“It is instructive to note that the provisions and positioning of Aircrafts for airlifting of pilgrims to the Holy land is the responsibility of the carriers and the Directorate of Pilgrim Affairs. The statement further said the ministry and its agencies are working to ensure that all facilities at the airports including navigational Aids are all in perfect working condition.
The ministry said it is also committed to ensuring the currency and proficiency of the technical and cabin crew of airlines contracted for pilgrims airlift
The airlift of pilgrims for the 2006 Hajj is facing hitches as a result of the failure of some airline companies to deliver with less than ten day to the closure of Jeddah airport to pilgrims.
Posted by Publisher at 01:16 PM | Comments (0)
Nigeria questions Abacha official
Nigerian officials are questioning a leading member of former dictator Sani Abacha's military government.
Former Lagos Governor Mohamed Buba Marwa has been held for a week, in connection with his alleged possession of funds looted by Mr Abacha.
Correspondents say the allegations arose from Mr Marwa's time as Nigerian military attache in Washington.
Mr Abacha was in power from 1993 until he died in 1998 and is believed to have embezzled more than $2bn.
A spokesman for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) described the investigation as the first serious case undertaken by them regarding the missing Abacha money.
Mr Marwa had said he planned to run for president in Nigeria's 2007 elections.
Nigeria's government has received some cash back from Swiss bank accounts. Money has also been found in the UK, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Austria but the process of recovering the money is a painstaking one.
Posted by Publisher at 12:59 PM | Comments (0)
December 29, 2005
MARWA:Probe links $7m Abacha loot to Albarka - It’s witch-hunt, say aides
Amid controversies over the motive behind the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) arrest and detention of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), Daily Trust exclusively gathered that $7million of the Abacha loot for which he is being investigated was allegedly transferred into an account belonging to Albarka Air Plc.
by Ahmed I. Shekarau & Austine Odo / 2005-12-29
Two aides of General Marwa have alleged that the current probe of the former military administrator of Lagos state is “politically motivated”, and an alleged witch-hunt intended to stop the general’s bid to run for the presidency in 2007.
Specifically, the Public Relations Manager of Albarka Air Plc, Chief Biodun Odunuga and Secretary General of the Marwa Movement, Engineer Mohammed Lawal told Daily Trust separately that they suspect the National Security Adviser, Lieutenant General Aliyu Gusau (rtd) mopped up the case to smear their boss’ image and scuttle his ambition to run for the presidency in 2007.
According to them, “the case was investigated in 2001 and nothing culpable had been found against him (Marwa), so why are they reviving the matter now?”.
But Daily Trust findings show that General Marwa himself did not deny involvement in the deal, though he denied “personally making any monetary gain” from the transaction.
Also, a letter written by Marwa himself to president Olusegun Obasanjo on the matter dated 15th of April, 2004, which was shown to Daily Trust states that the two times military administrator confirmed that Late General Sani Abacha had indeed directed him in 1995 to sign a contract on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), for the supply of 1,500 TATA vehicles for use by some establishments in the country.
According to Daily Trust findings, sometime in 1995, Late General Abacha directed General Marwa, who was then a Lieutenant Colonel working as Nigeria’s Military Attaché in the Nigerian Mission in New York, to proceed to India and make arrangements for the importation of 1,500 TATA personnel carriers and trucks into the country. Our investigations show that 1,000 of the vehicles were meant for the military and the police, while the remaining 500 were for operations of the erstwhile National Electoral Commission (NECON).
Further investigations show that Marwa inspected the TATA vehicles at the company’s plant in India through a link man said to have been introduced to him by the Nigerian Presidency by name Mr. Romanus Nwosisi, who is now deceased.
The PDP presidential aspirant in his letter of 15th April last year to president Obasanjo, said he was “surprised” that the late head of state directed him (Marwa) to go ahead and sign the TATA supply contract on behalf of the FGN “without passing it through the defence headquarters or ministry of defence or even the ministry of finance”. But that he (Marwa) had to comply because he knew then that he was dealing with “a dictator”.
Marwa also admitted in that letter that shortly after the transaction was concluded and he returned to his beat in the United States, he received a telephone call from late General Abacha instructing him to submit the number of an account through which some money would be transferred. But that such money was only meant to be remitted to someone else, and not for himself.
However, a presidency source who showed our reporters documents to back his arguments, told Daily Trust yesterday in Abuja that “the military administration of General Abdulsalami Abubakar took particular interest in the contract because it realised it was inflated by about 100 percent.
“More so, it was discovered in the course of investigations as you can see in these documents that General Abacha’s cut in the deal which was 50percent of the value of the entire contract sum worth over $100million was transferred to the Abacha family through an account the particulars of which were given to Vaswani by General Marwa.
“The government also became interested in a $5million and another $7million making $12million which was paid into an account in Geneva, and then to General Marwa’s account in New Jersey, then to Nairobi in Kenya and Cayman Islands, and other destinations before approximately $7million finally landed into Albarka’s account”, the source stated.
The source who will not disclose the account numbers said while denying insinuations about the political motive of the probe that, “the documents are there and Marwa himself has not denied these transactions. All he is claiming is that in his honour, he has not personally benefited from a kobo of the entire sum”.
Daily Trust reliably gathered that president Obasanjo had earlier asked General Marwa to refund the said amount allegedly credited to his corporate account so that he would be cleared of all allegations, but that the Adamawa-born PDP aspirant maintained his innocence.
Our source revealed that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister for Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo was earlier directed to “expedite action” on the investigation, but upon advise from the AGF the EFCC was asked to probe the issue further.
Meanwhile, the two aides of Marwa wondered why a case which was closed in 2001 when their boss was not found culpable, was being resurrected at this time, moreso as Marwa could not have disobeyed the orders of the Commander in chief of the armed forces.
According to them, the whole issue is fixated on politics to ensure that Marwa does not realize his presidential ambition.
Posted by Publisher at 04:51 PM | Comments (0)
Oyo: Court can’t stop impeachment bid – Judge
For the second time in five days, Ibadan elders met with President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday in Ota to stop the bid by 18 members of the Oyo State House of Assembly to remove Governor Rashidi Ladoja.
Yusuf Alli, Toyin Obadina and Akin Oyedele
Our correspondents learnt of the meeting hours before an Ibadan High Court declined jurisdiction to entertain a suit by 14 members of the Assembly to stop the impeachment proceedings against the governor.
The 18 lawmakers are said to have sympathy for Chief Lamidi Adedibu who is engaged in a face-off with the governor.
A six-member delegation of Ibadan elders had on Saturday visited Obasanjo over the Oyo crisis.
A source said that although Obasanjo told the team that Ladoja must be removed from office, he could not say in concrete terms what the governor did wrong.
It was learnt that the elders decided to give the President a few days to have a second thought on the impeachment proceedings.
The source said that the elders returned to Ota on Wednesday to prevail on Obasanjo to stave off the impeachment process.
Our source said the elders also felt that the presidential intervention could assist in facilitating a truce between the two parties to the crisis.
Findings revealed that the peace initiative might have been informed by the degeneration of the political situation in the state.
Apart from the mayhem at the Assembly, the two petitions sent by the governor to the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, to nip the crisis in the bud, got missing in transit, till last Monday.
It was also revealed that the elders’ peace move was encouraged by alleged recent rapprochement between Ladoja and Adedibu.
Adedibu, according to our source gave four conditions for reconciliation with the governor.
The conditions are the release of the state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lateef Akinsola (a.k.a. Tokyo), from detention; the release of some funds as welfare and palliative package; the allocation of two constituency projects to each of the 18 lawmakers who are against the governor; and unrestrained access to Ladoja.
Investigations further indicated that the government might have given an unspecified amount of money to Adedibu as “welfare package” in the past two weeks to appease the aggrieved PDP chieftain.
The governor also allegedly consented to the allocation of a second constituency project to each of the 18 pro-impeachment lawmakers with a proviso that the first contract should be completed.
But at 5pm on Wednesday, the bid by the 14 legislators to stop the removal of the governor on Thursday (today) suffered a setback as an Ibadan High Court said it had no jurisdiction to hear their suit.
After hearing the suit in the morning, the court deferred ruling till 6pm.
Justice Olagoke Ige, who delivered a terse ruling after listening to the arguments of counsel in the case, said that impeachment and related proceedings of the Assembly were purely political matters over which the court could not intervene.
Ige said it was clear that the jurisdiction of the court had been ousted, adding that the action of the 14 legislators was not justiciable.
“The issue of impeachment is a matter that comes within the internal affairs of the House of Assembly. The court will therefore decline jurisdiction in this matter,” he said.
Counsel to the applicants, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), had in the course of the proceedings tried to change his clients’ application by filing a fresh one.
He lamented that all the court officials expected to attend to the matter deserted their duty posts.
Akintola added that a new case had been instituted against the acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Afolabi Adeniran, to prevent him from appointing the seven-member panel to probe the allegations of misconduct against the governor.
In the case instituted by two members of the Assembly, Hassan Ogundoke and Babatunde Olaniyan, against the CJ, they prayed the court to declare that the letter requesting Adeniran to raise the panel was unconstitutional.
They also asked for an order restraining the acting CJ and his agents from acting on the letter.
Counsel to the 18 legislators, Mr. Lekan Latinwo, had earlier brought a notice of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case.
After a heated argument, the court upheld the arguments of Latinwo that the objection be heard first.
The judge argued that Section 188 (10) of the constitution ousted the jurisdiction of the court to entertain any matter relating to the proceeding of the Assembly.
He however did not award costs as prayed by the lawyers to the pro-Adedibu group.
Reacting to the ruling, Akintola said he had filed an appeal.
Security was however tight as armed policemen frisked people entering the court premises apparently to forestall a repeat of last Thursday’s mayhem at the city.
However, hundreds of market women besieged the Olubadan of Ibadan’s palace on Wednesday to drum support for Ladoja.
Prince Jide Ogundipe, one of the chiefs in the palace, who received the women on behalf of the Olubadan, Oba Yinusa Ogundipe, said the Oba was abreast of the situation and that normalcy would soon be restored.
The governor held a security council meeting, shortly after which he inspected the extent of damage to the secretariat complex and his office in the aftermath of last Thursday’s violence.
Our correspondents gathered at about 8.30pm on Wednesday that some prominent indigenes of Ibadan had intensified efforts to make the pro-Adedibu legislators jettison the move to remove Ladoja.
Sources however said that the police headquarters had concluded arrangements to deploy more policemen to the city to complement the efforts of the state command.
One of the sources claimed that some of the policemen might be assigned the duty of ensuring that the 18-pro-Adedibu legislators had easy access on Thursday (today) to the Assembly complex.
Already there were speculations that the Adedibu-18 could mount pressure on the CJ to set up the panel to investigate the governor to prepare the grounds for his impeachment in the next few days.
As at 9.45pm on Wednesday, the outcome the meeting between the Ibadan elders and Obasanjo was not known.
The PUNCH, Thursday, December 29, 2005
Posted by Publisher at 04:49 PM | Comments (0)
Third Term: Presidency reports Cohen to Bush; His comment an incitement – Presidency
President Olusegun Obasanjo has reportedly directed Foreign Affairs Minister, Olu Adeniji, to send a protest letter to the United States President, George W. Bush, after being upset by the comment by a former official of the U.S. State Department.
By Donald Ojogo
Correspondent, Lagos
A source in Aso Rock confirmed in a telephone interview that the directive arose from the remark by former U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Mike Cohen, that the American Government would oppose the rumoured third term ambition of Obasanjo.
Said the source: “Initially, Mr. President felt that Cohen was expressing his opinion on the matter and had decided not to engage him in a debate, especially when the Presidential Assistant on Public Affairs, Femi Fani-Kayode, replied that Nigeria does not need lessons from the U.S. on democracy.
“But with the way the man is going, it is clear that he has an agenda, and that is why Mr. President may have given that directive”.
Fani-Kayode had described Cohen’s statement as an “irresponsible incitement” and said he did not see why the Presidency should make a formal complaint.
Cohen had in an interview with a national newspaper insisted that the U.S would monitor the democratic system in Nigeria especially when the dust raised by the third term speculation lingers.
“The same drama also played itself out during the Abacha regime with the political parties adopting a serving General (as the sole Presidential candidate) to the surprise of the entire world. So America does not want to take chances”, he stressed.
He compared Fani Kayode to Tahir Aziz (Saddam Hussein’s Information Minister), saying the government’s spokesman is lying to the people on the issue.
Cohen’s statement, the second in less than two weeks, comes on the heels of a warning by lawyer and human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi, that Obasanjo should ignore the third term temptation.
Adeniji could not be reached for comment on Wednesday having travelled out of the country.
But Fani-Kayode denied that the President directed him to write a protest letter to the U.S.
His words: “I don’t think there is any reason for that kind of thing. One, you have to draw a line between a serving government official and one that has left office. Cohen is only expressing his personnel views and not those of the U.S Government, so why write to protest the irresponsible inciting comment made by a barrack room bully.
“His comparison of Nigeria with Iraq is the manifestation of crass ignorance, sheer arrogance and insincerity of purpose, but I will not trade insults into him. The Federal Government has better things to think about and do than to waste time in writing the U.S Government over a statement made by a former official, a statement that is ill-mannered and ill-motivated, especially coming from someone like Cohen who knows nothing about Nigeria.
“There is no way the government of Nigeria could be drawn into an unnecessary controversy with the U.S with which we have a very cordial and an enviable relationship. We have a relationship that is predicated on mutual respect as two sovereign nations, hence Cohen should be seen as a security risk to both nations”.
Posted by Publisher at 04:44 PM | Comments (0)
FG Deploys Troops to Monitor Oil Pipelines
The Federal Government yesterday ordered immediate deployment of troops from the Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta (JTF), code named Operation Restore Hope, to protect pipelines Right of Way (ROW), following Tuesday’s attack on a fuel pipeline in Adeje near Warri in Delta State.
From Segun James in Warri, 12.29.2005
THISDAY checks revealed that four persons had been arrested by the Federal Task Force on NNPC pipelines the incident just as preliminary investigation suggested that the attackers might have used explosives to blow up the pipelines.
It was gathered that the deployment of troops began yesterday afternoon, the first major deployment in land area since the Federal Government put the military on red alert two weeks ago.
Sources informed yesterday that security operatives who swooped on the site soon after the fire was put out found evidence that some fire works were used to blow up the pipeline which was buried six feet underground.
The arrested persons, whose identities were kept under wrap, according to information, were picked up near the scene of the blast.
The development, it was gathered, forced the management of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, to meet local government officials and community leaders whose towns and villages border the pipelines Right of Way to discuss ways to prevent further damages, and attacks to the lines.
The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Engr. Funso Kupolokun, was scheduled to visit Warri yesterday to assess the situation.
It is already feared that the Northern part of the country may experience fuel shortages as the affected pipeline conveys petroleum products from the Warri refinery to the North through PPMC pump stations in Benin and Lokoja.
It would be recalled that a similar attack on the Escravos crude oil pipeline near Warri in 2003, led to the shut down of both the Warri and Kaduna refineries for more than two years, forcing the country to rely heavily on importation to meet its needs.
The Federal Government was also forced to deploy more troops to the Niger Delta last week after militants attacked a Shell pipeline in Opobo Channel near Port Harcourt last Tuesday. The attack has presently shut in 15,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil production.
Shell said yesterday that while crude oil lifting was still going on at the Bonny Export Terminal, the force majeure placed on some cargoes because of the pipeline incident, was still in force.
A fresh wave of attacks were launched on oil facilities in the Niger Delta as unidentified persons Tuesday attacked and set fire to a petroleum products pipeline that runs across the Adeje community, near Warri in Delta State.
Huge balls of fire took over the horizon around the Adeje community following the explosion on the oil pipeline belonging to the PPMC, a subsidiary of NNPC. The pipeline conveys petroleum products from the Warri refinery to the Northern part of the country through PPMC pump stations in Benin and Lokoja.
THISDAY reported yesterday that the fire had occurred at several points on the pipeline almost simultaneously which, according to PPMC officials, was an indication that the facility might have been sabotaged.
Tuesday’s incident followed several other attacks on the same pipeline by vandals who used ocean-going barges and trailer tankers to siphon products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) from the line.
Posted by Publisher at 04:35 PM | Comments (0)
PDP Crisis: IBB Should Tell Us Where He Belongs – Buhari; Kalu unites them in Umuahia
Former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida, made a sudden appearance in Umuahia on Tuesday where he held a close-door meeting with his predecessor in office, Mahammadu Buhari and Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu.
By Uche Nwosu
Correspondent, Umuahia
The meeting lasted for about 40 minutes before the trio proceeded to Igbere, Kalu’s home town for a cultural festival.
Buhari explained that he has consistently said his relationship with Babangida is “absolutely normalised” and stressed that both of them rode in the same car to Sokoto three years ago to see the sultan.
“However”, he noted, “I don’t know why people don’t want to believe me. I’m saying that the only difference between me and himself is that he is in the PDP while I’m in ANPP. And unfortunately that difference persists, despite all the fragmentations of the PDP and I’ll like him to tell us which side he’s in now”.
The reason for the parley was not disclosed but sources said it could be part of the plan by activists to scuttle the third term agenda allegedly laid out by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Buhari, Babangida and Kalu are vying for Aso Rock in 2007.
Buhari was an All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential candidate in 2003 and Kalu, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) two-term Governor, has declared his interest in the big job and Babangida is believed to be in the running.
After the meeting, Kalu held their hands as they all walked into the Presidential lounge of Government House, Umuahia.
It was there he announced that both men were in the state to settle their differences and that they have resolved to work together for the interest of the country.
He added: “People in their stories will always say these two leaders are quarrelling. Their supporters think they’re quarrelling. We want to re-affirm this afternoon that they’re not quarrelling.
“A few weeks ago they were in Kaduna, in the Northern Senators’ Forum, and we want to tell Nigerians, and indeed the people of goodwill who wish this country well, that in the weeks, months and years ahead that rapport between them will be more cordial”.
Nigeria, Kalu insisted, is at a cross roads and their experiences, togetherness and ideas are needed to keep the country together and moving.
Babangida thanked him for bringing them together, noting that Buhari and himself have been together for 40 years.
“We’ve also been together as battle and front line soldiers and we know what we took for the sake of this country”, he recalled.
“Both of us were frontline soldiers, both of us were almost killed during the civil war. So, the two of us will do everything possible to make sure that the unity of this country is maintained.
“I also want to re-assure you that our relationship had been in existence even when you were still in secondary school (referring to Kalu) but I thank you for this opportunity given to us”.
Buhari stressed the need to rescue the country from “the dangerous drift out of nationhood” and recalled that during the war, both Nigeria and the seceding Biafra lost men and materials which cannot be quantified.
“We couldn’t regain our friends and relatives but we regained our respectability as one nation. Along the line we must thank Yakubu Gowon. Whether he is dead or alive, he’s a good leader.
“We’re extremely serious about the oneness of this country and God willing, we’re going to achieve it. I’d like you to settle down and reflect very seriously. We’re determined to keep the country together because we have enough resources in the land. We’re only hoping that God will bless us with a sincere leadership which will harness the resources properly”.
Posted by Publisher at 04:20 PM | Comments (0)
Police uncover illegal armoury
EDO State Police Command may have recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against armed robbery in the state, with the discovery Tuesday, of an illegal armoury, suspected to have been kept by a gang of armed robbers terrorising the state.
VINCENT ADEKOYE, Benin
The discovery is coming on the heels of the dismissal of 24 officers of the command, by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Muktar Abbas.
Arms recovered by special squad of the Command led by men of the Area Command office, Adesuwa, Benin, included four world class assault rifles popularly called AK-47, four Lark rifles, two Double Barrel guns, two specially made British rifles and one Pump Action rifle.
Other items recovered from the black spot located at Egor Village, in Egor local Government of Edo State, included two police bullet proof vests and four bags of ammunition containing over 50,000 live bullets.
Commissioner of Police when contacted on the major raid told Daily Champion that his command will leave no stone unturned in putting an end to robbery operations in the state, though he informed that he was yet to be officially briefed on the content of the armoury.
However, a source at the office of the Benin Area Command confirmed that men of the Command invaded the illegal armory at Egor Village in the early hours of Tuesday following a tip off by a member of the public.
According to the source who is a senior officer, a special squad from the Area Command office was detailed to the area following the tip off.
"It was a difficult task, but we are all happy that we have achieved this major feat. The area before now is known to be a den of robbers and so when we got the information, we have to apply all tactics in order not to fall prey of some robbers who are out to eliminate police in the state.
"Finally after blocking all approaches, we stormed the black spot where the illegal armoury was located. It was located inside a thick bush in Egor Village. We condoned off the area and what we saw at the end of the exercise was very frightening. I want to believe that the gang of robbers operating the armory was building the place for the purpose of invading or over running the state in due course.
"No arrest have been made in connection with the discovery but I can assure you that very soon, we shall get those behind it," the senior police officer who pleaded anonymity disclosed.
Reports said one of the AK-47 Assault rifle recovered from the spot belonged to a police Inspector that was killed by a gang of rampaging robbers in Benin two weeks ago while another AK-47 rifle was said to belong to another Prison guard attached to the Campaign office of the former Minister of Solid Mineral, Elder Odion Ugbesia who was shot by another rampaging robbery gang in Benin three weeks ago.
It was gathered that the Command has commenced investigation to determine the source of the Police bullet proof vest recovered at the spot.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Abass said those officers dismissed were found guilty of various offences ranging from official misconduct to conspiracy and stealing. He added that while 15 were dismissed between January and May 2005, others were dismissed some weeks ago. According to him, some of them were demoted while others were simply shown the way out of the Force.
Posted by Publisher at 04:15 PM | Comments (0)
Buhari, IBB disprove doubting Thomases ...Resolve to ensure democracy sustained
THE much-orchestrated sour relationship between two former heads of state,Generals Muhammadu Buhari and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida which over the years caused a serious division in Northern leadership, has of recent assumed a promising dimension that insinuations over this may after all, be mere pigments of black sheeps’ imagination.
This development was attested to last Tuesday when the two military leaders collectively restated their commitment, without mincing words, towards the continuity and progress of their motherland.
In a meeting under the aegies of Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia state which also registered the presence of the defunct Biafran war-lord and APGA leader,Dim Chukwumeka Odumegwu Ojokwu, the two former leaders stressed their resolve to promote the sustenance of democratic political system for the nation.
Dispelling the no-love-lost relationship further, General Babangida said his rapport with General Muhammadu Buhari which spans 40 years, has been most ordeal.
Chippinig his contribution at the occasion during which some prestigious Igbo traditional titles were conferred on them by Governor Kalu, General Buhari, erstwhile ANPP presidential candidate in 2003 election, observed that Nigeria is endowed with enormous human and material resources which should be harnessed for national development.
Earlier, Governor Uzor Kalu had stated that what the country needs, is the experience of each of the nation’s past leaders especially when the country is now at cross-roads.
Others at the historic meeting were former vice president Alex Ekwueme and Governor Chris Ngige of Anambra state.
All of these Nigerian leaders, General Buhari, General Babangida, Dr. Ekwueme, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, Governor Ngige and host Governor Kalu later went into a closed door meeting at Igbere in Bende local government area of Abia state before gracing a cultural ceremony where the two former heads of state were honoured with the traditional titles.
General Ibrahim Babangida was conferred with the title of Nwannedinamba (kinsman in Diaspora) while General Buhari got the title of Nwannediahanma (kinsman who is pleasing to all).
Posted by Publisher at 04:14 PM | Comments (0)
CNPP enjoins Obasanjo to leave in 2007
ABUJA—The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties has once again called on president Olusegun Obasanjo to leave office honourably in 2007 and allow Nigerians to elect whomsoever they want as president.
By Ben Agande
Posted to the Web: Thursday, December 29, 2005
In a statement in Abuja yesterday, the CNPP noted that the statement credited to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Communication, Chief Fani Kayode to the effect that Nigeria must insist on a leadership like Obasanjo was a veiled confirmation of the third term plot, which Nigerians must resist.
The statement signed by the CNPP’s Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, pointed out the statement by Fani Kayode was reminiscent of the Hilter era in Germany ‘‘where nobody except the Furher is capable of leading Germany and therefore the staus quo must be maintained." “CNPP can imagine from the statement how cronies captured Chief Obasanjo exploiting his innate desire for self glorification and built a cult hero around him, making him believe that without him Nigeria will disintegrate and nobody is capable of running the country.
“CNPP contends that nobody is indispensable and that there is no record that shows that Nigerians are happier today than ten or twenty years ago “We wish to state for the umpteenth time that Nigerian democracy should be allowed to flourish, therefore Nigerians should be allowed to elect whosoever they want as president” he pointed out.
The CNPP commended the catholic bishop of Abuja dioceses, John Onaiyekan for standing in defence of democracy by asking the president to resist the temptation of extending his tenure and called on other Nigerians to do the same.
Posted by Publisher at 04:13 PM | Comments (0)
Bayelsa speaker named deputy gov
SPEAKER of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Peremobowei Ebebi, yesterday emerged as the new deputy governor of the state following his confirmation by the state legislature.
OKEY ONWUCHEKWA, Yenagoa
Governor Goodluck Jonathan had forwarded his name to the House for approval to fill the vacant position.
Ebebi, representing Ekeremor Constituency 1, had shot into national limelight recently when he led the 23-member Assembly to impeach the then governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was succeeded by Jonathan.
A member of the Assembly, Hon. Nadu Karibo, announced the Speaker’s appointment even as he promised to shed more light on the issue.
Also yesterday, the governor presented the state’s 2006 budget of N126 billion to the lawmakers.
Ebebi’s elevation has put to rest speculations on who will clinch the post of deputy governor.
Lobbyists for the post had included Senator David Brigidi, and Ebebi.
It was however, gathered that the choice of Ebebi was favoured for the role he played in chasing out the former governor.
The majority leader of the Assembly, Hon. Adolphus Ofongo is expected to replace Ebebi as the new Speaker.
Meanwhile, Bayelsa State has proposed N126 billion for its services next year.
The Appropriation Bill, if approved will be N10 billion higher than last year’s budget.
Dr. Jonathan said the budget proposal will see the state spending about N86.4 billion on capital projects while N40 billion will go into recurrent expenditure.
A breakdown of the budget showed that works and infrastructure has the lion share of N25 billion while education came second with N15 billion.
Others are public utilities and rural development (N10 billion), Health (N6 billion), Housing, (N5.4 billion) Transport (N3 billion), Information, Culture and Tourism (N1.3 billion), Sports (N1.1 billion), Judiciary (N1.2 billion).
The government plans to construct three major highways linking the three senatorial zones of the state. These roads are Sagbama - Tungbo - Ekeremor - Agge/Amasama - Ebeni - Ekeremor road, Ogbia - Nembe - Brass road and Yenagoa - Oporoma - Ukubie Lobia Road.
"In addition, given that, the Mbiama - Igbogene entrance into the state falls in neighbouring state, thereby, limiting government power to maintain that section of the road, as well as for some purposes, a new deal carriage road that will provide a gateway to the state capital will be constructed to access the state from the East - West road between Mbiama and Kaiama," Dr. Jonathan noted.
He also stressed that his government was determined to restructure and professionalize public institutions, stem corruption, and enhance service delivery.
Meanwhile, Bayelsa State Government has saved N25 billion in its last year’s fiscal estimate, just as the governor, Dr Jonathan announced his intention to appoint a Special Adviser on Due process.
Speaking at the 2006 budget presentation Wednesday in the State House of Assembly, Yenagoa, Dr. Jonathan said the N25 billion saving will help to kick start the capital projects in the new fiscal year."
He said the due process office to be established in his office will be in keeping with the anti-corruption stance of the federal government.
He warned that attempts by persons to lobby for the position of special advisers (Due Process) would earn the lobbyists automatic disqualification in any public office of the state government.
Dr. Jonathan stressed that the Due Process Office will be headed by a competent technical officer of about 15 years post-qualification experience.
Posted by Publisher at 04:10 PM | Comments (0)
Nigeria says attack likely caused pipeline fires
LAGOS, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Fires that broke out along two pipelines in the southern Nigerian state of Delta on Tuesday were most likely caused by an attack rather than attempted oil theft, the state oil company said on Thursday.
Thu 29 Dec 2005 8:46 AM ET
(Adds details, quotes)
"It was a wilful act of destruction," said Levi Ajuonuma, spokesman for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Asked whether NNPC suspected an attempt at stealing from the pipeline -- a common problem in the Niger Delta -- or a deliberate attack, he said: "We are looking at it as an attack."
The pipeline fires in Delta came just one week after unknown gunmen attacked two Royal Dutch Shell
The Niger Delta accounts for almost all of Nigeria's 2.4 million bpd crude output.
Ajuonuma said the situation at the Delta pipelines was now under control and there was no disruption to supply of petroleum products from the Warri refinery in Delta to northern Nigeria, or of crude oil to the Kaduna refinery in the north.
The pipelines are operated by the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), an arm of NNPC.
"There is a high security alert in the area right now. Government is not going to stand by and let people disrupt our economy. Security agencies are working around the clock to ensure there is no reoccurrence," Ajuonuma said.
He said he was not aware of any deployment of extra troops in the Niger Delta, as reported by several Nigerian newspapers on Thursday.
Posted by Publisher at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)
NCC bars V-Mobile, MTN from sale of NITEL
AS the sale of three Federal Government enterprises takes place today, two telecommunication giants, V-Mobile and MTN have been barred by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) from the sale of the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL).
From Mathias Okwe, Abuja
The other two enterprises up for sale today are the Steyr Motor Nigeria Limited, Bauchi and the Nigeria Machine Tools Limited, Oshogbo.
According to a statement by the Head of Public Communications of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Anichebe Ochigbo, the two telecommunication giants can only participate in the sale if they are ready to forfeit their existing licences.
The statement said opening of bids for the three enterprises will hold this morning at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja from 10.00 a.m.
The government is divesting 51 per cent of its equity holding in NITEL/M-TEL.
The BPE had originally pre-qualified six firms for the enterprise's sale. They included: MTN Group of South Africa; Telkom/Vodacom Consortium also of South Africa; Celtel International B.V and Huwei/Jacuz Consortium as well as V- Mobile Group.
The NCC action may be to guard against market dominance and monopoly. It, however, said the companies could be allowed to participate in NITEL/M-TEL only if they are willing to forfeit their existing licences.
The statement read in part: "The NCC has given an indication that it is not inclined to approve the sale of NITEL/Mtel to existing Nigerian mobile licence holders unless they are willing to forfeit their existing licences. This move, according to NCC, is designed to maximise competition in the industry and prevent the negative implications of market dominance by an over-bearing operator".
NCC argued that this arrangement will ensure the "success of the privatisation programme and not compromise the competitive environment.''
The commission added that a situation where a bidder, considered to hold a significant share in the industry, attempts to acquire another licence by means of the privatisation programme, will have the effect of lessening the competition in the industry and may ultimately lead to the creation of monopoly.
The statement declared: "As you are aware, the role of NCC is to facilitate market entry and promote fair competition in the sector. The commission has the exclusive right, under the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003 to determine, pronounce upon and enforce compliance of all persons with competition laws and regulations as they relate to the communications market.
"The Commission also has the right to issue licences to operators and the licences have several provisions and conditions that must be fulfilled by the operators to ensure competitive environment and a level playing field for all operators". One of such conditions, according to NCC, is that the "commission must give written approval before a licencee can transfer or assign its licence and the commission has absolute discretion to grant or refuse such approval, hence the BPE approached the regulator for guidance on the issue.''
The BPE had planned to conclude the privatisation of NITEL this year and hand it over to a core investor.
But the transaction process had been dogged by controversy, including litigation which sought to bar the Federal Government from selling NITEL with the Nigeria SAT -3 infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the BPE yesterday said it has received N260 million from
Seaforce Shipping Company Limited, being 10 per cent deposit of the bid price for Nigerian Unity Line (NUL).
The payment, according to the bureau, was made on Friday, December 23, 2005 at the head office of the bureau. Mr. Kareem Otaru of Seaforce Limited presented the Zenith Bank Plc draft to BPE's acting director of transport and aviation, Mr. Kayode Khalidson.
In a statement, it said Khalidson commended Seaforce Limited for paying ahead of schedule and expressed the hope that the outstanding 90 per cent would be paid on time. The deadline for the payment of 10 per cent of the offer price is December 29, 2005. Seaforce has a deadline of January 30, 2006 to make the outstanding payment.
At the opening of bids for NUL on December 1, 2005, Seaforce a subsidiary of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, emerged the preferred bidder with an offer price of $20 million. The firm defeated two other bidders: Daddo - Frontline Shipping Co. and Pedmacgrek Shipping and Training International (PSTI) Ltd.
NUL is a public limited liability company wholly owned by the National Maritime Authority (NMA) on behalf of the Federal Government. It was incorporated on January 23, 1995 to serve as a model shipping line for the maritime industry after the liquidation of the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) and to exploit the extensive opportunities that exist in the shipping sector.
As a national flag carrier, NUL is uniquely placed to become Nigeria's first indigenous company to participate in the transportation of crude cargo. It began operations in July 1996.
By its set up, NUL was required to undertake the following businesses:
* Deep sea transportation of wet cargo; Ocean transportation of bulk cargo; Coastal tanker services;
Storage and warehousing; Complete agency services; Freight forwarding; Customs clearance and others.
However, a special resolution led to the incorporation of NUL with the main objectives of engaging in shipping business as: Ship owners, operators, shipbrokers and chatterers and general shipping agents.
NUL has a share capital of N10 million. Its shareholding structure shows that National the NMA is holding three million ordinary shares while Maritime Shipping Lines Limited (Special Purpose Vehicle) on behalf of the Federal Government is holding two million ordinary shares.
Posted by Publisher at 04:06 PM | Comments (0)
Unity Bank gets CBN approval
The Unity Bank Group has finally obtained the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) final approval with promise to integrate its operations February 1, 2006.
by Bright Ewulu / 2005-12-29
The chairman of the bank Professor Akin Mabogunje and its CEO, Alhaji Falalu Bello, who disclosed this at a press conference yesterday in Lagos stated that with the granting of final approval by CBN and the sanctioning of its scheme of merger by the Federal High Court last Thursday, were indicators that its consolidation effort has ended successfully.
According to them, the bank is going to be the first to integrate its operations, saying that it’s already working as an organization and that its operational head office will be based in Abuja.
In order to forge a strong operational system, the bank aired that the group has adopted a highly robust and versatile core Banking Application called BANKS certified by oracle, adding that it will run on the latest oracle version platform oracle 109.”
As the chairman stated during the briefing yesterday by top slots of merging “within the last couple of weeks, our group has expanded to include NNB International Bank Plc, Bank of the North Limited and New Africa Bank Limited. The admission of these institutions has at once broadened the scope of the group and placed it in a better stead to harness the abundant opportunities in the Nigerian economy.
“One of the biggest strengths of the Unity Bank group lies in the vast spread of its business outlets which are over 200 with shareholders’ fund of N27 billion upon the conclusion of ongoing verification by the CBN,” he said.
He raised hope that the group will be a shining example of post-consolidation, saying that it will remain a cohesive, dynamic and solid bank.
Said he: “The existing partners in the group have a fairly impressive presence in the six geo-political regions in the country and once full activities commence, the new bank is going to be a major player in retail, corporate and commercial banking in not only Nigeria but the African region.
Going further, the bank maintained that it will remain a customer driven institution that would seek to leverage on skilled and motivated workforce in order to stay ahead of the game.
It should be recalled that CBN had in a letter dated December 22, 2005 conveyed its final approval to the bank and urged it to quickly conclude its integration of BON, NNB and New Africa Bank which recently joined the group within the remaining days.
As the letter read “we refer to your letter dated December 20, 2005 in respect of the above subject and hereby convey final approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria for the merger of Intercity Bank Plc, First Interstate Bank Plc, Tropical Commercial bank Plc, Pacific Bank Limited, Centre-Point Bank Plc and Societe Bancaire Limited…!
“As a result of the inclusion of NNB International, Bank of the North and New Africa Bank to the group, you are advised to fast-track their integration,” it stated.
Posted by Publisher at 04:04 PM | Comments (0)
December 28, 2005
Gani: 3rd term is suicide mission
OUTSPOKEN lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), yesterday described the speculated third term bid of President Olusegun Obasanjo as a suicide mission and unattainable in present day Nigeria.
RASHEED BISIRIYU
He warned the President against such an ambition and urged him to bow out of office honourably at the expiration of the current tenure on May 29, 2007.
Gani gave the warning in a New Year message to the president, dated December 27, 2005.
Titled: Open New Year Message to General Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Fawehinmi declared in a five-page document that "it is incontrovertible that any third term bid by you is psychologically, spiritually, emotionally and, in every respect, a suicide mission driven by perverted ambition even when it is so glaring that it is unattainable in Nigeria of today."
To him, the third term agenda if allowed to sail through, will not only rock the polity but lay a dangerous precedent, tempt God and amount to ignoring the feelings of the real people.
Already, he stated that "since the third term bid controversy erupted, the Nigerian society has been divided and highly polarised, particularly along dangerous ethnic and tribal cleavages."
Chief Fawehinmi also recalled that in 1979, Obasanjo "proved that a military dictator could hand over power to a democratically elected leader", and wondered why it should be difficult in 2007 for him (now as an elected president) to hand over power to another democratically elected president.
He warned the president not to toe the line of Omar Bongo who had remained in power in Gabon since 1967 or Yoweri Museveni of Uganda since 1986 and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak since 1981. Rather, Gani urged him to take advice offered by Nelson Mandela, former South African President against the third term, which he said was echoed by President George Bush of the United States.
Chief Fawehinmi who noted that 2006 would be crucial in shaping events of 2007 and determining the nation’s future, pleaded with President Obasanjo to seize the opportunity of his next January 1 national broadcast to douse the raging controversy and tension, by reassuring Nigerians that he would quit in 2007.
Said he: "It is not too late for you to change your perilous course. A national broadcast on the 1st of January 2006 that you will hand over government as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the 29th of May, 2007 will bring down the negative temperature of the country and bring the country back from the brink of looming catastrophe or calamity. However, Mr. President, if you fail to hearken unto this seasonal message, you have yourself or your soul to blame," he said.
Posted by Publisher at 04:51 PM | Comments (1)
Buhari, IBB, Kalu in talks on 3rd term plot
UMUAHIA—FORMER Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida; his immediate predecessor in office, General Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Orji Kalu of Abia State, yesterday, held talks in Umuahia, the Abia State capital on the perceived third term agenda of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
By Jide Ajani, Political Editor
Posted to the Web: Wednesday, December 28, 2005
*As Gani warns Obasanjo not to dare God on 3rd term bid
As they met, Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), warned President Obasanjo not to dare God on the third term bid, because as he (Fawehinmi) put it: “What is it that is bugging you to sit tight at 70 in 2007.”
The two former military leaders, who are rarely seen together in public, were in Umuahia at the instance of the governor. Vanguard was reliably informed that the meeting which took place at Government House, Umuahia, was very private.
The meeting was held between 10:55a.m and 12:15p.m. General Buhari, according to sources close to Government House, Umuahia, arrived the Abia State capital on Monday night while General Babangida arrived Umuahia yesterday morning.
Details of the talks were sketchy at press time. However, sources hinted that it was not unconnected with the present political gyrations in the country.
Vanguard was informed that the alleged third term plot woven around the person of President Obasanjo was central to the discussions. The position of political leaders of Southern Nigeria contained in their communiqué at the end of their meeting last Monday in Enugu, the Enugu State capital, specifically the demand by the leaders that the presidency must remain in the South after 2007, was also discussed.
Fawehinmi warns Obasanjo not to dare God
Also yesterday, Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, in a five-page statement warned President Obasanjo not to dare God on the third term bid issue.
He said: “In view of the importance of 2006, which will determine 2007, I have decided to send to you this Open New Year Message. I have never sent you any seasonal greetings before. And this is not one. Since the course of this nation will be determined in all its ramifications by your third term bid, it is necessary to send this message which is stated below:
“The Obasanjo third term bid
“Do not disturb the polity.
“Do not lay a dangerous precedent.
“Do not tempt God.
“Do not ignore the feelings of the people as they are against your bid.
“The agony, the anguish, the pain and the pang of crushing poverty, which your six years in office had brought on the majority of Nigerians show no sign of abating.
“On Monday, October 1, 1979, you voluntarily handed over power when you were a young 42-year old military dictator to a democratically elected president. On Saturday, October 1, 1999, you became a civilian president and swore to uphold the constitution, which prescribes a two-term presidency and no more.
“On Thursday, October 1, 2003, at the beginning of your second term in office as president, you swore to uphold the same constitution, which prescribes a two-term presidency. Is there any destructive evil lurking somewhere that is preventing you from easily leaving office as an old man of 70 on the 29th May, 2007?
“In 1979, you proved that a military dictator could hand over power to a democracy. Why should it be difficult in 2007 for you as a “democratically elected President” to hand over power to another democratically elected President if you genuinely believe in democracy?
“Mr. President, since third-term bid controversy erupted, the Nigerian society has been divided, highly polarised, particularly along dangerous ethnic and tribal cleavages which virtually now colour every governmental thought, policy, programme and nuances.
“Mr. President, you ought to know if you are sincere to yourself that Nigeria is different in every respect from Gabon where Omar Bongo has lorded it over the Gabonese since 1967, from Uganda where Yoweri Museveni has blinded Ugandans since 1986, from Egypt where Hosni Mubarak has ingloriously sat tight since 1981. And that is African Union (AU) you lead as the Chairman.
"The internationally revered Nelson Mandela warned you against it and your propagandists abused him that he was senile. President George Bush of the United States of America, the current President in his second term, warned you against it but your publicists railed against hint, saying that the Americans cannot teach you democracy, despite the fact that you begged them for debt relief. And you continually plead with them for investment in our country.
“Mr. President, in your capacity as Chairman of the Commonwealth of Nations, you should be aware of the record of the Commonwealth against sit tight presidents. What is it that is bugging you to sit tight at 70 in 2007?
“In 1995, you were found guilty of planning a phantom coup by the late General Sani Abacha. We pleaded with General Abacha not to execute you and others because we believed you were innocent. You served three years in prison. God rescued you despite your ailment. You left the prison to become an “elected President” in controversial circumstances. After the first term, you continued as President in the second term.
“What is it that is bugging you to remain in office at the old age of 70 in 2007? Do not do it. Do not extend your time.
“It is incontrovertible that any third term bid by you is psychologically, spiritually, physically, emotionally and in every respect a suicide mission driven by perverted ambition even when it is so glaring that it is unattainable in the Nigeria of today. It is not too late for you to change your perilous course.
"A national broadcast on the 1st of January 2006 that you will hand over government as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the 29th of May, 2007 will bring down the negative temperature of the country and bring the country back from the brink of looming catastrophe or calamity.
“Mr. President, if you fail to hearken unto this seasonal message, you have yourself or your soul to blame; or do you want to make it a case of those the gods want to destroy, they first make mad; and in your own case they first make obstinate, truculently obstinate?
“Wishing you a God-fearing, sane and humble 2006.”
Posted by Publisher at 04:42 PM | Comments (0)
OPC withdraws vigilance services
Two months after the arrest of its leaders and their arraignment for treason, the Oodua Peoples Congress on Tuesday directed all its members to withdraw from vigilance services.
Oluseto Olatuyi,Kunle Adeyemi and Semiu Okanlawon
The group had in the last five years engaged in security vigilance services to communities in the South-West, ostensibly to supplement police efforts.
But their mode of operation has always placed them on collision course with the police.
A statement by the National Secretary-General, of the group, Alhaji Lateef Lawal, said the withdrawal from vigilance services was to put an end to the frequent confrontation with the police.
He hoped that the step would stem the mutual suspicion between the organisation and the police.
Factional leaders of the OPC, Dr. Frederick Fasehun and Chief Gani Adams, were arrested on October 22 following a spate of violent clashes between the factions in which many persons were killed and properties destroyed.
They were arraigned at a Federal High Court, Abuja, for treason on December 1.
Lawal, who is a leading member of the Fasehun faction, said, “We have since the arrest and detention of our leaders on October 22, 2005, and their subsequent detention in Abuja discovered that the police hierarchy and the rank and file always nurse a misconception about the complementary role our members have played in the recent past to stem the spate of armed robberies and other vices, especially in the South-West states.”
He lamented that social miscreants and motor park touts usually claimed to be OPC members when they were caught after committing criminal acts.
“We are therefore imploring the police to always demand for a duly signed identification card by our national President, Dr. Fasehun, from whoever falls foul of the law and claims to be a member of the congress,” he added.
When contacted by our correspondent, the Adams-led faction said the two camps agreed on the withdrawal of vigilance services.
An aide to Adams, Mr. Segun Akanni, in a telephone interview, said his faction took the decision two weeks ago when it became clear that nobody had come to the aid of the organisation since the arrest of Fasehun and Adams.
He said, “We are united on the matter. It is true we did not formally meet to take that decision. But we have since realised that nobody appreciates what our group has been doing in the area of protecting lives and property. If they do, at least, people would have risen in defence of our leaders and seek their release.”
The Lagos State Police Command said the OPC’s decision to dump its vigilance services was welcome.
The command argued that the group’s activities never had any positive impact on police work. It added that OPC members created problems for the police.
Spokesman for the command, Mr. Olubode Ojajuni, a deputy superintendent of police, told our correspondents that the police’s task of maintaining security would better be felt without the involvement of the OPC.
He said, “Their so-called vigilance services have no impact on the police. We are not in any pact with them, we never employed them to do that job for us. In fact, their activities usually bring misunderstanding between us and members of the public.”
The PPRO acknowledged that the OPC volunteered to work with the police, but he said the police did not give them the licence to take the law into their hands.
“What we said was that any group that was lawful and had respect for the rule of law would be accommodated by the police and we will work with the group, but the OPC members has always been controversial in their acts,” Ojajuni said.
He cited the Neighbourhood Watch (another vigilance group), saying nobody ever heard any bad report on the way its members went about their activities.
Ojajuni said if some members of the OPC had not been reckless in their activities, the group would have been left to operate like the Neighbourhood Watch.
He added, “What the law says is that anybody or group that arrests any suspect must hand over such person to the police immediately, but these people do all sorts of unimaginable things with the people they claim to have arrested.
“We can do our job, we are equal to the task, our men are doing wonderfully well and some members of the public have attested to that. We need no group to tell or teach us how to do our work.”
The PUNCH, Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Posted by Publisher at 04:39 PM | Comments (0)
Row over Nigeria debt repayment
A row has broken out in the UK over a deal to cancel part of Nigeria's $30bn (£17bn) debt to Western nations.
Religious leaders say that although the deal would relieve Nigeria of nearly $18bn in debt, it would still have to repay a further $12bn in coming months.
They said it would be a huge burden for Nigeria which is one of the world's poorest countries despite oil wealth.
But critics say funds available from abroad only benefit Nigeria's rich elite, which cares little for the poor.
The head of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Rev David Coffey, said debt relief is a matter of justice, not charity.
"We want to secure that debt cancellation. We applaud the UK and Nigerian governments' efforts to secure debt cancellation for Nigeria," he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.
He pointed out that of the $12bn that would still have to be repaid, "$1.7bn is coming to the UK - and that figure is twice as much as the UK is giving in aid to the whole of Africa in 2005."
The Anglican Archbishop of York and the Muslim Council of Britain are also among a group of religious leaders who have become involved in the debate.
Correspondents say the issue has raised serious questions about debt cancellation, including whether the rich countries have a moral obligation at all to help poor countries which fail to keep their house in order.
Nigeria is the world's eighth largest oil producer, and the largest in sub-Saharan Africa.
Posted by Publisher at