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December 30, 2006

Anambra: Obi stays away from govt house

The reinstated Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, stayed away from the Government House, Awka, on Friday, contrary to speculations that he would assume office.

By Our correspondent
Published: Saturday, 30 Dec 2006

A High Court in the state capital, presided over by Justice Umegbolu Nri-Ezedi, had on Thursday annulled the impeachment of Obi by a faction of the state House of Assembly on November 2.

Tension mounted in the state after the judgment, following speculations that Obi would return to office on Friday and ask his successor, Mrs. Virgy Etiaba to return to her previous position of deputy governor.

Saturday Punch learnt that, Etiaba, who had already been picked by the All Progressives Grand Alliance to fly its flag at next year’s governorship election, was consolidating the gains of her administration rather than relinquishing power.

But, on Friday, the runoured confrontation between the two public officials did not take place as Obi failed to turn up at the Government House.

It was gathered that, the restored governor, on the advice of his lawyers, avoided coming to the office because the defendants (House Assembly Speaker, Mike Balonwu, and five others) in the suit had entered an appeal against the judgment at the Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal.

“He is the patient type; Obi believes in the judicial process. If his lawyers have been duly served with the appeal processes, he is not likely to rush to office.

“There was also another matter they (defendants) instituted, praying for a stay of execution of the court judgment. So Obi is likely going to allow the processes go through first,” a source told Saturday Punch on Friday.

The source spoke just as the media aide to Etiaba, Mr. Mike Udah, denied that there was a rift between Obi and Etiaba.

He also said that Etiaba was not disposed to speaking on the outcome of the court’s decision because there was “really no basis for that.”

Udah, who incidentally, was the media aide to Obi before he was impeached, explained that the two public officials would not clash with each other because they had “a common agenda.”

He said, “The government’s position is that the governor will not speak on the issue.”

Etiaba worked till about 3.35pm in office on Friday, receiving visitors and presiding over a State Executive Council meeting before she left the Government House.

Saturday Punch tried without success to get Obi on his mobile telephone. A check at a residence he once stayed in Awka showed that he had checked out of the place.

Obi drove into Awka on Thursday, shortly after the judgment was delivered.

He later drove off to an undisclosed destination after he told journalists that he was prepared to forget the past and work with the House of Assembly to move the state ahead.

Posted by Publisher at 04:22 PM | Comments (0)

I’ve not gone into exile – Atiku

Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has denounced insinuations that he used the opportunity of his vacation to flee the country.

By Olusola Fabiyi
Published: Saturday, 30 Dec 2006

The vice-president, who assured that he would return to the country after his holidays, noted that it was wrong to assume that he had already gone on exile when it was certain that he actually went on a vacation that was approved by President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Speaking through the Head of his Media Campaign Office, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Thursday, Abubakar said he would return to the country mid-January 2007.

The Presidency on Wednesday filed a suit at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, asking that the seat of the vice-president be declared vacant following his defection to the Action Congress. The AC nominated Abubakar last Wednesday as its presidential candidate.

In the suit, which was filed by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), the Presidency also urged the court to restrain Abubakar from parading himself as vice-president after abandoning the Peoples Democratic Party, under whose banner he assumed the position. Abubakar also on the same date filed a counter-suit asking the court to nullify his purported removal from office and the declaration of his seat as vacant.

Shehu said, “Vice-President Abubakar still remains the vice-president of the country. He is on vacation and not on exile as is erroneously believed in some quarters. He has said that he will return to the country and you don’t have to doubt that.”

Asked when the vice-president would return, he said he could not be specific; “but I can tell you that he will be back in the middle of January, next year, to resume fully in his office as the vice-president.”

Shehu said the reference to Abubakar as a former vice-president in the Presidency’s suit should be ignored.

He said, “If the Federal Government actually believes that the seat has become vacant, will it still go to court, asking the same court to declare his office vacant? If you are asking the court to give you permission to do something, that means that you believe that the action you have taken is illegal. So, you can see that the office of the vice-president is not vacant as they are claiming.”

Posted by Publisher at 04:20 PM | Comments (0)

Census 2006 puts Nigerians at 140 million

* Males make up 71,709,859
* Females make up 68,293,083
* Males more than females by 3,416,176
* Population up by 51million since 1991
* Fuller details is six, eight months’ time

By Ben Agande
Posted to the Web: Saturday, December 30, 2006

ABUJA — Nigeria’s population now stands at 140,003,542 according to the provisional figure of the 2006 housing and population census released yesterday in Abuja by the chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Chief Samuila Makama.

In other words the country’s population has grown by fifty one million, eleven thousand, three hundred and twenty two (51, 011, 322) since the last official census figures were released in September, 1991.The official figure as released in 1991 was eighty-eight million, nine hundred and ninety-two thousand, two hundred and twenty which is made up of forty-four million, five hundred and twenty nine thousand, six hundred and eight (44,529,608) males and forty-four million, four hundred and sixty-two thousand, six hundred and twelve (44,462,612) females.

Chief Makama who addressed an extra-ordinary meeting of the Federal Executive Council said the provisional census figure comprises of seventy one million, seven hundred and nine thousand, eight hundred and fifty nine (71,709,859) males and sixty eight million, two hundred and ninety three thousand six hundred and eighty three, (68,293,083) females.

By the provisional figure of the census, the number of men in the country is higher than that of women by three million, four hundred and sixteen thousand, one hundred and seventy,(3,416,176). The NPC chief who led a team of his commissioners to the State House yesterday said by the provisional figures, the annual growth rate of the country stood at 3.2% while the ratio of male to female was 105 to 100 respectively.

According to the chairman the break down of the census figures according to the states and local governments would be available between six and eight months time. He said the conduct of the 2006 census was done with “considerable transparency and confidentiality, pointing out that even the President did not have a prior knowledge of the figure until it was released officially yesterday.

Chief Makama said the success of the exercise was because of the commitment of the President who supported the commission whole-heartedly without intervention, pointing out that anybody who had any doubt about the accuracy of the figures should not accuse the President of manipulation.

President Obasanjo who said he was “neither alarmed nor disappointed with the figures released because it is still within the range of what we are planning”, added that the way the result was released by the chairman of the commission gives joy to Nigerians and the world.

He said he will make a categorical statement on the figure after he had “followed the provisions of the constitution by submitting it to the National Council of State. President Obasanjo thanked the chairman of the commission for his ‘transparency’ and ‘secrecy when necessary’ and specifically thanked the European Union and other agencies for their support towards the success of the exercise. He said he had asked the chairman of the commission not to divulge the figure of the population census to him “until it is in the public domain.”

Posted by Publisher at 04:18 PM | Comments (0)

Fresh Explosion Scare Rocks Lagos

News of another pipeline explosion in Lagos caused panic at different quarters in the state yesterday, just as the state government has called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other relevant federal agencies to take physical possession of the right of way of the corporation's oil pipelines in the state, adding that the right of way is 50 meters under the operative building plan regulation of the state, which is a zone of no development.

By Chika Amanze-Nwachuku, Deji Elumoye and Olawale Olaleye, 12.29.2006

The news, which was later discovered to be false, was said to have emanated from residents of the area, who had alleged that miscreants were siphoning feul from a vandalised pipeline. A leader in that community, who spoke with journalists stated that the rumours were being spread by residents, although he did not rule out the possibility of miscreant attempting to vandalize the NNPC pipeline in the area.

But the Corporation which also dismissed the news as a mere rumour, has called on police authorities to take urgent steps to tighten security around the pipelines to prevent further vandalization by miscreants.
Briefing newsmen yesterday, Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Francisico Abosede, alerted on another impending explosion in the state and urged the Federal Government, the NNPC and other relevant authorities to regularly organize joint security patrol to man pipelines in the state.

The Commissioner alleged that there are leakages from NNPC pipelines scattered across the state, and warned that except the federal government and relevant agencies take urgent steps to better the state of the pipelines another explosion is likely to occure.

He mentioned Akute, Baruwa village, Agbado-oko-aro, Ilashe village, Ijegun, Oko-itire and Adosoba as areas where disaster looms, and that recalled that the state Governor Bola Tinubu had on several occasions, at both formal and informal levels written the presidency, the NNPC and other relevant agencies about the deplorable condition of the corporation'spipelines in the state as well as the noticeable security lapses, but that nothing has been done since then.

He therefore appealed to the NNPC and other relevant federal agencies to take physical possession of the right of way of the corporation's oil pipelines in the state, adding that the right of way is 50 meters under the operative building plan regulation of Lagos state which is a zone of no development.

While assuring that the state government would render necessary assistance in this regard, and other processes in order to free the NNPC oil pipeline right of way from all encumbrances, Abosede disclosed that Lagos state has not granted any form of approval or permit along the right of way of pipelines in any part of the state, pointing out that the right of way falls within the purview of the Petroleum Act of Nigeria.

Reacting to the news of another explosion, NNPC's spokesman, Dr. Livi Ajuonuma, who confirmed that the police have been asked to be patrolling the areas, dismissed as false and mere rumour, the report that an explosion occured in Baruwa where vandals were scooping feul from a vandalised pipeline.

He stated that the corporation, on receiving the news, quickly mobilzed some officials to visit the said spot, but only to discover that it was a mere rumour. Acting on the said directive however, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, was said to have ordered his officers and men to begin a 24 -hour patrol of those areas and to ensure that the perpetrators of the dastardly act were fished out and brought to book.

Meanwhile sources at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital disclosed yesterday that more of the victims of Tuesday explosion, who were on admission at the hospital have died. The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Femi Olugbile had on Wednesday stated that the injuries sustained by the victims were quite extensive as most of them had more than 50 degrees burns, a condition, which experts consider highly risky for survival.

In a related developmrnt, governorship flag-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, yesterday condoled families of people who lost their lives in the fire incident, describing the development as another sad experience in the life of the nation, particularly during the festive period.

The governorship candidate who spoke from the United States where he is holidaying, regretted that hundreds of Nigerians who would have had their useful input in the development of the society might have lost their lives in what he described as avoidable tragedy. Obanikoro said "although, away from home for a much-needed rest, it is however appropriate to express my sorrow for the recent loss of lives from the oil pipeline accident. It is also with regrets and heavy heart that I express my sorrow over the loss of lives of hundreds of people during the accident".
It would be recalled that hundreds of people were killed on teusday in an inferno which was caused by vandalization of an NNPC pipeline.

Posted by Publisher at 04:14 PM | Comments (0)

Execution prompts joy, martyrdom claims

CAIRO, Egypt - His enemies rejoiced, his defenders proclaimed him a martyr, and others looked ahead to the impact the Saturday execution of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein would have on Iraq.

By WILLA THAYER, Associated Press Writer
Sat Dec 30, 7:35 AM ET

Kuwaitis and Iranians welcomed the death of the leader who led wars against each of their countries.

"This is the best Eid gift for humanity," said Saad bin Tafla al-Ajmi, former information minister of Kuwait, referring to Eid al-Adha, the most important holiday on the Islamic calendar, which began Saturday for Sunni Muslims.

Al-Ajmi heads a state committee that is searching for 605 people who disappeared during Saddam's seven-month occupation of Kuwait that began in 1990. He said the families of the missing were "ecstatic."

"This is the fair punishment for the one who executed our sons without trials," he said.

In Iran, which fought an eight-year war with Iraq that killed hundreds of thousands of people on both sides after Saddam invaded in 1980, most people thought he got what he deserved.

"Death was the least punishment for Saddam," said Hasan Mohebi, a fruit vendor in Tehran. "He destroyed the lives of millions of people in this region."

For university student Sareh Naghavi, Saddam's death came too soon.

"He should have been made to answer why he invaded Iran and Kuwait and why he launched chemical attacks against Iranians and Iraqis," she said.

While there was no official comment from Arab leaders, the government of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi announced a three-day official mourning period and canceled all celebrations for Eid.

The Yemeni government made last-minute appeals, sending a letter to President Bush and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, asking that Saddam be spared.

The legal team for Saddam, which is based in Jordan, issued a statement describing Saddam in his final moments: "The martyr remained fearless, honest and clear-minded."

Najeeb al-Nauimi, a Qatari member of the legal team, said "for Iraqis, he will be very well remembered. Like a martyr, he died for the sake of his country."

Another of Saddam's lawyers said the death penalty had been decided before Saddam's trial had ended.

"The farce execution was announced by Bush seven months ago, when he said that Saddam will be executed before the end of the year," said Issam Ghazzawi.

Mohammed al-Douri, who was Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations in the run-up to the U.S.-led 2003 invasion, declared that "the Arab nation has lost a hero. So have all of those who are against Iran and Israel and for Arab unity."

A leading member of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood, Jamil Abu-Bakr, warned the Bush administration that Saddam's execution would have dire consequences.

"If Bush thought that he achieved victory with this move, he is wrong because the Iraqi resistance will be intensified and the hatred of America will increase in the region," he said.

Al-Douri shares the view that the execution was a false victory.

"They think this is a victory, the execution of President Saddam," he said. "They have no other victory to claim. There is no new Iraq, no new democracy, no example for the region."

Posted by Publisher at 03:18 PM | Comments (0)

December 27, 2006

Nigeria mourns pipeline victims

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he is "shocked and saddened" by the vandalisation of an oil pipeline that led to at least 260 deaths.

Hundreds of people in a Lagos suburb were scooping fuel from a pipeline punctured by thieves when it exploded.

It took the emergency services hours to extinguish the flames and many of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition.

Some 2,000 people have died in similar incidents in recent years in Nigeria, which suffers frequent fuel shortages.

President Obasanjo blamed the tragedy on vandals damaging the pipeline and said he was sad that such vandalism continued despite his warnings that it was "not only illegal but a dangerous pursuit".

Adding his voice to the condolences, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said the UN was ready to provide immediate assistance. and also to help assess gaps in disaster response.

Mr Annan also called for " a review of the country's fuel supply management, as well as a thorough regional review of risks that could lead to other environmental or technological disasters in West Africa."

Despite being Africa's largest oil producer, Nigerians often suffer fuel shortages because of corruption, poor management and infrastructure problems.

It appears that thieves broke into a pipeline passing through the Abule Egba area of Lagos early on Tuesday to siphon off large amounts of fuel.

Some time later, hundreds of local people had arrived on the site carrying jerry cans and plastic buckets when a vast explosion shook the neighbourhood.

The Nigerian Red Cross (NRC) says at least 260 people were killed and dozens were injured.

Some of those injured in the blast are believed to have gone into hiding to avoid arrest. Others may not have gone to hospital because they lack money to pay for treatment.

Lagos journalist Adeyinka Adewunmi witnessed the aftermath of the explosion.

"The pipelines are in a popular neighbourhood, very close to the express road, which I normally use for my journey to work," he told the BBC News website.

"I could see fire, state ambulances, ambulances of the Red Cross, firefighters, government officials. There were scores of dead bodies on the ground and injured people being carried into ambulances.

Posted by Publisher at 02:14 PM | Comments (0)

Court Upholds Saddam Hussein’s Death Sentence

The move by former Iraqi President, Saddam Hus-sein to escape the hangman’s noose was yesterday quashed by an Appeal Court ruling that he be executed within 30 days for his culpability in the 1982 killing of 148 Shiites in Iraq’s central city of Dujail.

By Gboyega Akinsamni with agency report, 12.27.2006

In his pronouncement yesterday, Chief judge Aref Shahin said Saddam's death by hanging "must be implemented within 30 days," adding that "From tomorrow, any day could be the day of implementation."

On November 5, an Iraqi court had sentenced Saddam to the gallows for ordering the 1982 killings following an attempt on his life.

The only option left for the former despot now is the ratification of the appeal court's ruling by President Jalal Talabani and Iraq's two vice presidents as specified by Iraqi law.

Talabani is not well disposed to the death penalty but had in the past delegated a vice president to sign an execution order on his behalf and this has been legally accepted.

However, Raed Juhi, a spokesman for the High Tribunal court that convicted Saddam, said the judicial system would ensure that Saddam is executed even if Talabani and the two vice presidents do not ratify the decision.

"We'll implement the verdict by the power of the law," Juhi said. He did not elaborate further.

The appeal court also upheld death sentences for Barzan Ibrahim, Saddam's half brother and intelligence chief during the Dujail killings, and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, head of Iraq's Revolutionary Court, which issued the death sentences against the Dujail residents.
The appeal court concluded that the sentence of life imprisonment given to former vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan was too lenient and returned his file to the High Tribunal. Ramadan was convicted of premeditated murder in the Dujail case.

"We demand that he be sentenced to death," said Shahin, the appeals judge.

At his trial, Saddam argued that the Dujail residents who were killed had been convicted in a legitimate Iraqi court for trying to assassinate him in 1982.

Saddam was ejected from the courtroom repeatedly for political harangues, and his half brother once showed up in long underwear and sat with his back to the judges.

The nine-month trial inflamed Iraq's political divide, however, and three defence lawyers and a witness were murdered during the course of its 39 sessions.

Saddam is in the midst of a second trial charging him with genocide and other crimes during a 1987-88 military crackdown on Kurds in northern Iraq. An estimated 180,000 Kurds died during the operation.
Saddam was found hiding with an unfired pistol in a hole in the ground near his home village north of Baghdad in December 2003, eight months after he fled the capital ahead of advancing American troops.

Posted by Publisher at 02:12 PM | Comments (0)

Gerald Ford, oldest former US president, dies

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Gerald Ford, who took office after the Watergate scandal and later stunned the nation by pardoning a disgraced Richard Nixon, has died at his home in California, aged 93.

Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:47am ET
By Steve Gorman

Vowing that "our long national nightmare is over," Ford took over from Nixon, who on August 9, 1974, became the only U.S. president to resign his office.

Nixon had been implicated in a cover-up of a break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington D.C. Ford defended his highly controversial pardon of Nixon until his death.

President George W. Bush, in a tribute from his ranch in Crawford, Texas, said that Ford had helped heal the nation.

"For a nation that needed healing and an office that needed a calm and steady hand, Gerald Ford came along when we needed him most," Bush said.

The oldest living U.S. president, Ford served for 2-1/2 years with a style often mocked as bumbling until he lost the 1976 U.S. presidential election to Democrat Jimmy Carter.

Ford had been ailing and largely out of the public eye for several years. He died at 6:45 p.m. (0245 GMT) on Tuesday at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, his office said. No cause of death was given.

Funeral services, expected to take place after his body lies in state, were to held in Washington and Grand Rapids, Michigan, his boyhood home. Plans will be made final on Wednesday, Ford's office said. The public may view the body in Palm Desert, California, Washington and Grand Rapids, it said.

"My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, has passed away at 93 years of age," Betty Ford said in a statement.

"His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country."

A one-time Republican congressman, Ford was the only U.S. president who was not elected to either the presidency or vice presidency. He was appointed vice president in 1973 after Nixon's vice president, Spiro Agnew, resigned to avoid prosecution on corruption charges.

Ford became president when Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment in the scandal over a politically motivated burglary of Democratic Party offices in the Watergate complex.

One month later, on September 8, 1974, Ford stirred enduring controversy by granting Nixon "a full, free and absolute pardon" for any crime he may have committed in office.

That set the paradoxical pattern for the fill-in presidency of this rough-hewn politician who had served 26 years as a congressman from Michigan.

A HEALER, BUSH SAYS

His death leaves three living former presidents -- George H.W. Bush, Carter and Bill Clinton. Bush is oldest at 82, a few months senior to Carter.

Ford is survived by four children and his wife of 58 years, Betty Ford, who won many admirers for her personal battles against breast cancer and prescription drug and alcohol addiction. The Betty Ford Center she helped found in 1982 is viewed as a top center for treating drug and alcohol abuse.

Ford's mini-term included two assassination attempts; the fall of Vietnam; Cambodian seizure of a U.S. freighter, which prompted him to "send in the Marines;" constant fights with Congress; and a stumbling, head-cracking clumsiness that made him a butt of jokes.

Critics ridiculed his occasional clumsiness with barbs such as "he can't walk and chew gum at the same time."

Ford revived questions about his intellect and grasp of issues with a notorious gaffe in a televised campaign debate against Carter in 1976. He asserted in defense of his foreign policies that "there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe."

He fell just short in his fight to overcome a 30-point Carter polling lead and lost one of the closest elections in U.S. history.

Gerald Rudolph Ford was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 14, 1913. His name then was Leslie King but his parents were divorced soon after his birth and he later took the name of his stepfather, Gerald Ford Sr.

A Navy officer in World War II, Ford married Betty Bloomer in 1948.

(Additional reporting by Tabassum Zakaria in Crawford)

Posted by Publisher at 02:07 PM | Comments (0)

James Brown's body to lie at Apollo Theater

NEW YORK (AP) -- James Brown's music career will come full circle when his body is brought to rest on the stage of the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, where he made his explosive debut, and the world changed to his beat.

POSTED: 8:43 a.m. EST, December 27, 2006

The public will be permitted on Thursday to visit the Apollo to have one more look at a man who helped steer modern musical tastes toward rhythm-and-blues, funk, hip-hop, disco and rap, the Rev. Al Sharpton said Tuesday. The reverend has been a close friend of Brown for decades.

"It would almost be unthinkable for a man who lived such a sensational life to go away quietly," Sharpton said in an interview from Georgia, where he was making funeral arrangements with Brown's children.

Sharpton said the public Apollo viewing will be followed by a private ceremony Friday in Brown's hometown, Augusta, Georgia, and another public ceremony, officiated by Sharpton, a day later at the James Brown Arena there.

"His greatest thrill was always the lines around the Apollo Theater," Sharpton said of the Harlem landmark. "I felt that James Brown in all the years we talked would have wanted one last opportunity to let the people say goodbye to him and he to the people."

Brown, known as the Godfather of Soul, died of congestive heart failure on Christmas morning in Atlanta at age 73. He had been scheduled to perform on New Year's Eve in Manhattan at B.B. King's blues club.

Mourners paid their respects to Brown in Augusta on Tuesday, filing past his statue, which was draped in an American flag and a red scarf.

Flowers were left at the base of the statue in tribute to the late singer.

"There were some troubled times in his life, like everybody else, but he meant well," said John Arthur Thomas, 73, of Daleville, Alabama, who stopped by the statue. "He is a legend. There will never be another James Brown."

Sharpton said he and Brown's children talked Tuesday about the moment after the Rev. Martin Luther King's assassination when Brown stepped to a microphone and told gathering crowds of angry people to go home.

"And they went home," Sharpton said. "For them to riot for a man who lived a life of peace would send the wrong message. He always said he was surprised and humbled that he had that influence."

Sharpton said Brown was "always very sensitive as to how people could be remembered."

The Apollo began recruiting and showcasing talent in 1934. Early acts included "Pigmeat" Markham and Jackie "Moms" Mabley. Before long, Lena Horne, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Aretha Franklin and Brown were making their debuts.

Apollo audiences cheered the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Michael Jackson, Fats Waller, Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Sammy Davis Jr. and Nina Simone. Comedians such as Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor performed there, too.

Brown, who lived in Beech Island, South Carolina, near the Georgia line, won a Grammy for lifetime achievement in 1992, as well as Grammys in 1965 for "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" (best R&B recording) and for "Living in America" in 1987 (best R&B vocal performance, male.) He had a brief but memorable role as a manic preacher in the 1980 movie "The Blues Brothers," starring Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.

"Fortunate were those of us who were able to engage his talents and witness his latest shows. The greatest on-stage revue of music in the history of our planet," Aykroyd said in a statement released by his publicist.

Sharpton said Brown always knew his place in history.

"He used to tell me, 'There are two American originals, Elvis and me,' " Sharpton said. " 'Elvis is gone, and I've got to carry on.' "

Posted by Publisher at 02:03 PM | Comments (0)

Mariam Baba is Kalu's running mate

PROGRESSIVE Peoples Alliance (PPA) Presidential Candidate and Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu, in Umuahia at the weekend said a Kano State female activist, Hajia Mariam Baba, of the Republic Party of Nigeria had been selected to be his running mate in the 2007 presidential election.

From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia

Kalu also warned that there might be crisis should he be unconstitutionally removed from office as governor before May 29, 2007.

He spoke in reaction to a question on the reported Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) statement declaring his office and that of Vice President Atiku Abubakar vacant following their recent defection from the party.

The governor stated that nobody could remove him from office before May 29 2007 unless through due impeachment. He insisted that neither the PDP nor the President but the Abia State House of Assembly had the constitutional powers to remove him, stressing that he had not been found guilty of any gross misconduct to warrant removal from office.

His words: "The statement is arrogant and autocratic, not something anybody in his right senses would make. PDP is just one of the political parties and not INEC or the Abia State House of Assembly. I have not been found guilty of any gross misconduct, I only left the party which I have not been a member for about two years now. It is because they (PDP) know I would challenge them successfully in a free and fair election, that they will not get any vote in the South-East and South-South zones despite having a vice presidential candidate from the South-South zone.

" The PDP thought I was gunning for the vice presidency until they realised how serious I am for the Presidency. I urge them to go back to school and read the Nigerian Constitution well to know that the only way to remove a governor from office is by impeachment. If they do something unconstitutional, I will match it and them accordingly."

Disclosing that he envisaged the action, Kalu said he took steps "on December 20, 2006 to stop them from discussing that matter by going to the Abuja High Court to restrain them.

"I knew they would take that decision because they are a bundle of illegality. I went to Abuja High Court before I declared to restrain them from discussing it. They have been served by a court of competent jurisdiction."

Expressing hope of emerging President next year, Kalu added: "I am not for the VP. It is either I get the real thing (President) or I go back to my business, but I am getting the real thing. Nigeria must have new people, there must be a generational change, new people with new vision and knowledge of the common man's problems like those of the Niger Delta, Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Middle Belt, Bakassi, Ogoni, Tiv, Birom etc and how to solve them"

On his opponents like Muhammadu Buhari and Abubakar he said: "I am going to beat them all in a free and fair election. Though PPA is young, it is all over Nigeria and I will soon embark on vigorous nationwide campaign. Nobody will rig this election.

"We have also selected Hajia Mariam Baba, the Kano State woman activist, as my presidential running mate. Her choice is in line with Beijing, China agreement that women ought to have a stake in everything. So she represents the womenfolk."

Posted by Publisher at 02:01 PM | Comments (0)

My presidency 'll revisit Bakassi issue - OKOTIE

LAGOS — PRESIDENTIAL candidate of the Fresh Democratic Party, the Reverend Chris Okotie, has rolled out a programme that would engage his attention as President of Nigeria.

By Bolade Omonijo & Kayode Matthew
Posted to the Web: Wednesday, December 27, 2006

In an interactive session with journalists in Lagos last night, Rev. Okotie who polled more than 30 per cent of the votes of Nigerians in a popularity contest that pitched him against other eminent Nigerians including Generals Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Governors Donald Duke, Victor Attah, Peter Odili, Orji Kalu, Professors Pat Utomi and Akunyili, among others, said he would declare war on crime, harness the unity of Nigerians and ensure that the diversity of the country was turned into a positive tool for national renewal.

The interactive session was jointly organised by Silverbird Television and Vanguard Newspapers.
His words: “Security will be a major priority of our programmes. We have to reopen the Bakassi case by re-examining, revisiting it to know what happened. What we had was a connivance of the government of Nigeria with the international community.”

Rev. Okotie pledged that, if elected, there would be cohesion and realignment between the government and the governed. He explained that other sectors of the economy and society that would engage his attention including boosting energy supply and spearheading agricultural revolution.
On agriculture, he said: “My government will improve agriculture because it is very important. We will introduce farm stratification mechanism by which seedlings will be sold to farmers.”

He criticised a situation by which money was just being thrown into the energy sector which he said had become a bottomless pit. Sounding positive that the sector could be turned around in the overall interest of the national economy, the Fresh Democratic Party candidate said: “It can be done. We will first get a realistic picture of the situation on ground. There has to be a scientific approach to it and independent power producers and state governments must be involved. We will also try alternative power sources.
“We will establish a government that has a human face, that is all encompassing and all involving,” he said.

Waxing philosophical much of the time, the FDP candidate described God as the author of change. He, however, admitted that God requires human instrumentality to effect changes in the affairs of men. “If you sit down and do nothing, this country will disintegrate. Nigerians have lost faith in the democratic setting,” he said.

Reacting to a suggestion that as a pastor he might not fit into the mould of the Nigerian politician, he said the fact that he had been an artiste, a Pastor and now a politician added up to what had become “the Chris Okotie trajectory.”

He explained that anyone who genuinely wanted to understand his mission in politics as a pastor should read the Biblical account of Melchizedek who as a priest was also King of Salem.
According to Okotie who unlike the average politician turned up for the session in a shirt and tie as against politicians’ penchant for flowing gown, “the Lord Jesus Christ said He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, that is a philosophy that we can conceptualise. The Way represents ideology, Truth represents veracity and Life, animation and galvanising impetus. Christ epitomises all these and I have been engaged in all these.”

Asking rather rhetorically, Rev. Chris Okotie called attention to the fresh approach that he had brought to politicking and declared that the only way forward for the country was to have a candidate who could be trusted and who would bring the necessary changes to the machinery of government.

Posted by Publisher at 02:00 PM | Comments (0)

Ladoja, Akala shun each other

Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State and his estranged deputy, Chief Christopher Alao-Akala yesterday in Ibogun/Olaogun, Ogun State, the home town of President Olusegun Obasanjo, caused a stir as the duo visibly made efforts to avoid each other.

Kola Adepoju, Abeokuta

The mild drama which took place at the annual Ibogun/Olaogun Day came as President Obasanjo upbraided Senator Ibikunle Amosun, for dumping Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pick the governorship ticket of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) for Ogun State.

The president was a special guest at the high profile traditional ceremony which attracted notable political leaders and industry chieftains.

Addressing dignitaries, which included Senator Amosun who defected to ANPP and later, picked the party’s governorship ticket, Obasanjo expressed disappointment at the senator for refusing his plea not to leave PDP.

Governor Gbenga Daniel had earlier in his speech at the occasion set the ball rolling when he declared that Obasanjo was an exemplary father to all including those children who have derailed and gone astray.

Daniel who digressed and spoke in Yoruba, however, said that PDP door was still open to accept decampees back to its fold.

Only last week, the state chairman of PDP, Chief Joju Fadairo at a news conference announced the party’s plan to write the Senate to declare Amosun’s seat vacant.

In a similar twist to Olaogun/Ibogun Day celebration, Governor Ladoja of Oyo State and Chief Akala caused a noticeable stir as they avoided each other like a plague.

Apart from arriving the occasion at different time, Ladoja and Akala sat separately at a distance as if they are not representing Oyo State government.

Akala arrived the occasion alone contrary to expectations that he would accompany his boss to the event.

Few minutes after Akala’s arrival, Ladoja further took the audience spell bound when he stormed the occasion with his entourage which avoided and shunned Akala like a plague.

As if competing, the duo of Ladoja and Akala later donated N1million each to the development of Ibogun and Olaogun community.

Commending the transformation of Olaogun/Ibogun village to a town, Obasanjo said community development was not an exclusive function of government.

He enjoined various stakeholders to team up with government at all levels to ensure grass-root development in the state and Nigeria at large.

Also speaking earlier, Governor Daniel said Obasanjo has improved development of Ibogun/Olaogun town by establishing the first power station in Southwest at Papalanto as well as the reactivated Railway Term in us in Kajola all at Ifo Local Government.

Over N25 million was raised for the development of Ibogun/Olaogun town.

President Obasanjo thereafter commissioned Ibogun/Olaogun Garri processing industry.

60 survivors of yesterday’s pipeline inferno killed about 300 people at Abule-Egba a Lagos sub-burb, were still on danger list at the intensive care units (ICUs) in four general hospitals across the stare, just as governor Bola Tinubu declared mass burial for the dead victims.

Ail Champion reliably gathered that the Lagos State Univeristy Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja is hosting 24 while the General Hospital, Gbagada has 13 victims.

The remaining is shared between the general hospital, Isolo and Lagos Island General hospital.

The victims are suffered various degrees of burn, as some were seen at the LASUTH, Ikeja almost virtually burnt. According to a medial personnel (names withheld) their chances of survival is slim, because "Their lungs and livers were affected," he said.

Addressing the sympathizers and residents of the area, on arrival at about 2pm Governor Bola Tinubu said: "I sympathize with Nigerians on this occasion of this tragedy."

He however blamed the fire incident on lack of employment for the citizenry, "If there had been employment in the country, no right thinking citizen of any country would have dared the consequences of siphoning oil from a pipeline.

"This is the evidence of poverty, hunger and deprivation; it is a shame on Nigeria as the most populous blauk nation in the world, and the eighth largest producer of oil in the world; the country should live up to the responsibilities of catering for its citizens," Tinubu lamented.

Also speaking, the commissioner of police, Mr. Emmanuel Adebayo blamed the occurrence on the economic sabotage, saying that "the vandals have taken risk and those who have died have died for the risk they took; they have seen it happened before; those who have not seen it have heard about it, so if they went to that extent of taking risk, they carsed it.

"We advise those who are still thinking of that way to make money to desist from it because those lives cannot be brought back," Adebayo said, adding that he ha dispatched about 2,000 policemen to the area to protect lives and properties.

He said: "We have not less than 2,000 men here to provide security until the corpses are evacuated and the damaged pipeline is repaired."

A survivor, Daniel Umru, a staff of the Cross Society described the incident as horrible and said "this morning at about 7.30am to 8.00am, my attention was drawn that people were carrying fuel up and down at Abule Egba, and I telephoned our people that something would happen at Abule Egba in the next one hour.

"While the harvesting of fuel in the night old not result in an explosion in the night was due to cold weather." So most of the people that died are those that went to scoop fuel from the burst pipe in the morning.

More than 200 people died in this incident. And as I am talking to you more than 14 people still conscious have been taken to Ile-Epo General Hospital.

Umoh said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) blamed should be held responsible for the lack ?? of the security agents protecting the pipeline.

Posted by Publisher at 01:59 PM | Comments (0)

Edo 2007: El-Rufai, Ribadu back Oshiomhole

Federal Capital Territory,(FCT) Minister Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,(EFCC) Nuhu Ribadu have declared their support for the governorship ambition of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, declaring him as a rare breed whose experience and knowledge would help in the search for a better Nigeria .

By FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE, Abuja
Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Speaking during a fund raising dinner organized by the Adams Oshiomhole Foundation, in furtherance of the aspiration of the labour leader to rule Edo State in 2007, the duo urged all well meaning people to come to the aid of Oshiomhole financially and help him realize his ambition.

First to speak was the FCT Minister who in his characteristics blunt manner shook the audience at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, venue of the dinner`as he argued that Oshiomhole deserves the support of all Nigerians in his aspiration irrespective of party affiliation. “We understand why you did not join our party. But wherever you are, our soul, our hearts and our pocket will be with you,” he assured.
Reviewing the activities of NLC President while a member of the National Privatization Council (NCP), Rufai stated that Oshiomhole’s position on all issues was not dogmatic, but influenced only by the benefits Nigerians would derive from the privatization.

According to him, when many activists viewed privatization with disdain, Oshiomhole did not only contribute actively to debate on the issues but ensured that the policies and programmes that emerged from it were such that will enhance the welfare of Nigerian people, adding: “He is one of the few Nigerians I have the greatest respect for. We need leaders who can bring out the best in people. Oshiomhole represents the best of the good people we believe in.

We are expecting that one day, all Nigerians will be like Oshiomhole, and then we will be able to go to sleep,” Rufai noted
He said that his presence along with Mallam Ribadu, Ms Ifueko Omoigui, Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service among others, was a demonstration of their belief and commitment to the struggle and aspiration of Oshiomhole.
The FCT minister urged the labour leader not to deviate from the course which he is noted for in any position he finds himself in the future.

Responding, Oshiomhole said he was impressed that Nigerians valued the struggle he had waged, noting that he believed in the future of the country, and that “ in spite of whatever people would say of the present government, Obasanjo was able to assemble technocrats without ethnic and political considerations in his effort to rebuild the country
“The government has done a couple of things right and some wrong. But one thing that you cannot deny the government is that Obasanjo has been able to bring on board young professionals in the respective fields, not necessarily because they are party faithful, but because of their capacity and outstanding achievements to human development”
He commended the FCT Minister and Ribadu, for finding time to honour his fund-raising dinner, saying that in spite of their different views on some issues, their loyalty to the Nigeria nation was never in doubt.

Posted by Publisher at 01:58 PM | Comments (0)

Police, NNPC disagree

The Commissioner, Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Emmanuel Adebayo, and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Funso Kupolokun, have disagreed on their prior awareness of the siphoning of fuel from the pipeline.

By Our correspondent
Published: Wednesday, 27 Dec 2006

While Adebayo, who arrived at the scene at about 10am, denied the allegation that the police had heard about the scooping in the area for weeks, Kupolokun said the NNPC was aware and police were aware.

The commissioner said he got the report on Tuesday morning and immediately called his men to move to the scene.

He said, “I got telephone calls this morning and sent my men to the scene. If anyone said reports had previously been made at the Oko-Oba police station, that would have to be investigated.

“No one ever told me that such a thing (scooping of fuel) was going on there, and if the DPO of Oko-Oba got the reports and he did not act, we know the appropriate action to take after investigation.”

Adebayo argued that what happened was only a fall-out of “disobedience” by those scooping fuel from vandalised pipelines.

He claimed that about 500 men have been detailed to the scene with another 2,000 expected to ward off the crowd, which had taken half of the Lagos- Abeokuta Expressway to watch the charred human bodies.

But Kupolokun, who arrived at the scene at about 12.30pm, in company with his top management staff, confirmed that the corporation was aware of the siphoning of fuel from the pipeline.

According to him, “We are aware and the police are aware, and we put securitymen to be patrolling the area. But they cannot do much except we station them 24 hours at the pipeline. So, the onus falls on everybody to keep surveillance at the place.”

As it is, all hopes for an early end to the current fuel scarcity, dimmed further with the pipeline explosion.

Kupolokun said, “The pipeline will take at least three days before it can be repaired.”

Posted by Publisher at 01:58 PM | Comments (0)

Nigeria to replace vice-president

Nigeria's government has announced that President Olusegun Obasanjo is to replace Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

A government spokesman said Mr Abubakar had "technically resigned" by attending an opposition convention.

The ruling People's Democratic Party expelled the vice-president from its ranks on Friday and called for him to be dismissed from his government post.

The two leaders fell out early in the year, when Mr Abubakar opposed plans to let the president run for a third term.

Presidential spokesman Uba Sani said President Obasanjo, who must step down after elections in April, would abide by the constitution, and called on Nigerians to remain calm.

'Illegality'

He said the decision followed Mr Abubakar's defection to the opposition Action Congress (AC) early this week.

During the convention, Mr Abubakar was chosen as the party's presidential candidate for leadership elections next April.

The vice-president said the government's decision was against the country's constitution.

"The 1999 constitution, which is the ground norm of our democracy, does not give the president power to either declare the office of the vice-president vacant or to withdraw the rights and privileges of the vice-president," he said.

He said he would take legal action "to challenge this illegality".

But the ruling party said constitutional rules stated that the vice-president must belong to the same party as the president.

The PDP suspended Mr Abubakar last September after he was indicted on corruption charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Mr Abubakar has been President Olusegun Obasanjo's deputy since May 1999.

Under the country's constitution, Mr Obasanjo can only serve two terms of eight years as president.

Posted by Publisher at 01:57 PM | Comments (0)

Nigeria 'using Abacha cash well'

Nigeria is using funds it regained from the former military ruler, Sani Abacha, to boost health, education and transport, the World Bank has said.

A Swiss court returned $458m (£257m) of stolen funds to Nigeria last year, on condition it was spent on development and monitored by the World Bank.

Now, a World Bank review has found that half the projects begun with the looted cash have been successfully completed.

Nigeria is lacking in infrastructure, despite its abundant oil wealth.

The World Bank review said the monitored projects were being implemented across the country, and most of those not yet finished were heading for completion.

Frozen funds

A World Bank statement said the stolen funds were "utilised for development projects in five sectors".

It said the study showed significant increases in spending in 2004 in areas such as power, roads, water, education and health.

Mr Abacha was in power from 1993 to 1998 and is thought to have embezzled billions of dollars.

Following his death in 1998, Nigeria started trying to claw back money that had been deposited outside the country.

In 1999, Swiss authorities originally froze funds linked to Mr Abacha found in its banks.

However, they refused to return them until they were given guarantees about how the money would be used.

Posted by Publisher at 01:55 PM | Comments (0)

December 22, 2006

Senate President Considers Buhari’s Running Mate Offer; Says colleagues should decide

President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani, has hinted that he is considering the offer of participating in the 2007 election as the running mate of one of the presidential aspirants.

By Kola Ologbondiyan in Lagos and Sufuyan Ojeifo in Abuja, 12.22.2006

He, however, said he would wait on the members of the National Assembly to give him the nod to accept the offer or decline.
But a principal officer of the Senate, who spoke to THISDAY last night, said Nnamani will reject the offer even as he assured that some of his colleagues have began to put pressures on the President of the Senate to reject it.

THISDAY gathered yesterday that the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential candidate, Major General Muha-mmadu Buhari, and the ANPP leadership of the party, may have contacted Nnamani to join the party and stand as its presidential running mate for the 2007 election.
Buhari, who ran the 2003 presidential election with the late former Senate President, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, (from Anambra State), had last Monday emerged as ANPP's consensus candidate for next year's presidential polls.

If Nnamani accepts the offer, he will be required to resign from both the PDP as well as his position as the President of the Senate. The PDP controls the majority in the Senate and the majority party produces the President of the Senate.

In the Senate, many of the senators elected on the platform of the PDP, who sought re-nomination and lost the party’s senatorial primaries, have expressed dissatisfaction with the party hierarchy on account of alleged disappointments.

Nnamani however told a gathering Wednesday night that, "The speculation, and some have already gone to town to write about it, is about whether I have been approached or I am going to be a running mate to one of the presidential candidates. Candidates are beginning to emerge; we are no longer talking about aspirants; we are talking about candidates. That is a step and another level in the course of our democratic process.

"Whether or not I have been approached, I do not think is the issue now. The issue is that the Senate is still consulting on the issue because we work as a family. The National Assembly will, at the appropriate time, issue a statement on that.

"But my immediate constituency is the Senate, and by extension, the National Assembly. I will like to carry them along in whatever I do politically because I owe them a whole lot.

"If the Senators say my time is up, and they say I should resign tomorrow, I will write my resignation letter without raising an eyebrow. But since they have not said I should resign and that I should continue what I am doing, I think I will continue. I will do that regardless of whose feeling is hurt.

"So, I will not comment on the speculation until the Senate issues a statement, which is going to be a collective decision. That is all about that".

The Senate President had earlier explained that "those who are speculating, I am sure you know that right from April 5, 2005 I knew that for every good thing that there is another little bit of sad side to it. I knew I will hit the roadblock and the only way I think I can move is forward and not backward.

"I knew I will not be aspiring to come back to the Senate; this was a decision I made as far back as last year and any person who is close to me and who watched me closely noticed that I did not battle for the distribution of party cards and I did not try to be a linkman or link-woman".

Nnamani said further: "I took it as I saw it. I just picked my card as a loyal member of our party. I did not fight whether I had been marginalised or not; I just thought it was unnecessary. I will just like to point out that in a democratic setting such as ours, we have not matured to a level where people appreciate service if you bend backwards to do that".

He proffered an analogy: "In an organisation, if you have become chief executive of a company and all of a sudden you are struggling to become a branch manager or a personnel manager, people will say something is wrong".

Therefore, he said, "The only way for me is either to go out or to aspire to the other two levels which ever is available. If our constitutional definition says that Senate President is number three citizen, I cannot aspire to any other thing higher politically… than either number two or number one.

"Therefore, to maintain the integrity and prestige, I will not do anything whether in or out of office to debase that very position and because of this, I will consider it appropriate because we have not matured where I can even go back and become a local government council chairman; if I do that, they will say he has come to take our money. They will not appreciate the service in that.

"I know in some countries like United States and I will like to talk about California. It is a State but their economy is more than that of Africa put together. I know that Gov. Jerry Brown was a two-time Governor of California. The other time I visited, he was Mayor of Oakland, a very small county and while a Mayor of Oakland, he was aspiring to become the Attorney General of a State where he was Governor twice, saying such can’t be done in Nigeria without courting ridicule.

"I wouldn’t mind serving as a local government council chairman, but it would be misunderstood," he stated.
"So, for me, I have to step aside and continue to do something else whether in informal leadership and that will be defined at the appropriate moment".

The Senate President, who was sandwiched on the dinner table by a number of Senators, including Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), said: "For this evening, we are here to thank members of Press Corps, my colleagues, myself are saying thank you for your objective reporting all these months.

"We have a very vibrant press in Nigeria. I am impressed. You can compete anywhere in the world very favourably because not only in grammar, but the indepth analysis on certain issues. I don’t know how you do it. Sometimes you do the permutations and it works out. I am so happy and as I said earlier when the time comes, I will leave with my head high that we have not at any point tried to suppress any area; we have always liked the Nigerians to hear us because we are representing the people; we are not representing ourselves and I believe that".

When asked to declare the position the Senate would take on the amendments that the House of Represen-tatives has just effected to the Electoral Act 2006, he said that the Senate was still studying them.

According to him, "That amendment being sought by the House of Representatives, the amendment came in two parts. One is the extension of time for the registration; instead of 180 days to an election, it is reduced to 90 days, therefore allowing an additional three months for the registration exercise to go on.

Informed party sources revealed that in a bid to counter the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket of Gov. Umar Yar'Adua and Gov. Goodluck Jonathan, the ANPP leadership has resolved to look towards the South East zone for Buhari’s running mate. Both Buhari and Yar' Adua are from Katsina State.

But while Jonathan is from the South-South State of Bayelsa, Senate President, Nnamani, who is being considered to run a joint ticket with Buhari, is from the South-eastern state of Enugu.
THISDAY gathered that the party’s (ANPP) hierarchy also considered Abia State governor, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, and Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) before settling for Nnamani.

Onu won the party’s presidential primaries in 1999 before stepping down for the joint ticket of Chief Olu Falae and Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi while Ahamba prosecuted Buhari’s case against President Olusegun Obasanjo over the 2003 presidential election.

Posted by Publisher at 02:03 PM | Comments (0)

Nigeria militants in deadly raid

Delta militants have carried out a series of attacks and abductions
Militants in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region have attacked a pumping station, killing three security guards.

At another oil facility armed men have taken oil workers and more than 40 soldiers guarding it hostage.

Meanwhile, Shell is evacuating its family staff members after a car bomb on Monday exploded inside a residential compound in the city of Port Harcourt.

Both militants and local criminals have attacked oil facilities and kidnapped oil workers to obtain ransom money.

A spokesman for the oil giant Total told Associated Press news agency that the Obagi station in Rivers State, which produces some 35,000 barrels of oil a day, had been shut down.

The police confirmed the raid.

"Militants at 3.30am attacked a facility at Obagi. Three people were killed," a police spokesman told Reuters news agency.

In neighbouring Bayelsa State, a flow station, operated by Italian company Agip, was also raided overnight by armed men.

"There was an attack at the Agip flow station at Tebidaba. I don't know if there were any casualties," a military officer to AFP news agency.

The BBC's Abdullahi Kaura Abubakar in Port Harcourt says that after this flow station came under attack a few months ago the military sent soldiers to guard it against further raids.

These soldiers and workers at the facility are being held hostage, a miltary source has told him.

Our correspondent says Agip has now evacuated most of its foreign workers from the region, while Royal Dutch Shell is relocating all its oil workers' families and dependants from the Niger Delta.

"We don't want to take chances and jeopardise the safety and security of our workers and their families," a spokesman told AFP.

Another blast on Monday hit the fence of a compound belonging to Agip.

There were no casualties in either of Monday's car bomb attacks, which the militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) claimed responsibility for.

Mend are demanding the release of two leaders and more oil wealth for locals.

The world's eighth biggest exporter of crude has been losing more than 500,000 barrels of oil per day since February when militants demanding greater local control of oil wealth staged a series of raids on the industry.

Posted by Publisher at 02:02 PM | Comments (0)

Nigeria VP's jet grounded in spat

Atiku Abubakar is the opposition party's presidential candidate
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has told Lagos airport staff not to let the vice-president's official jet take off with him on holiday, reports say.

It comes a day after Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was chosen by an opposition party as its candidate for next April's presidential election.

Correspondents say the two have become bitter rivals after Mr Obasanjo accused his deputy of diverting public funds.

Mr Abubakar has now left for a two-week holiday aboard a commercial aircraft.

There has been no comment from the president's office about the reports.

Mr Abubakar's office told Reuters news agency that Mr Obasanjo had issued instructions for his deputy's plane to be prevented from leaving Lagos airport after formally approving his holiday.

Corruption allegations

Mr Abubakar was the only nominee put forward at the national meeting of the Action Congress party in Lagos.

Mr Obasanjo, the outgoing leader, fell out with Mr Abubakar over a failed bid to seek an unconstitutional third term.

In September, Nigeria's anti-corruption body accused Mr Abubakar of fraudulently using public funds from the country's Petroleum Technology Development Fund.

Mr Abubakar denies that he diverted $125m into personal business interests and says the corruption allegations are politically motivated.

Presidential candidates for some 50 registered political parties are being announced by the end of the week.

Next year's polls should become the first transfer of power from one elected leader to another since independence in 1960.

Posted by Publisher at 02:00 PM | Comments (0)

2007: PPA adopts Kalu

ABIA State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu yesterday in Abuja emerged the presidential flagbearer of the newly registered Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) for next year’s presidential election.

But speculation, yesterday grew that former Head of State, Mohammadu Buhari who picked the ticket of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) may pick the governor as his running mate.

By the adoption of Kalu as PPA’s presidential candidate at the party’s first national convention held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, the Abia State governor has formally declared for the party after several months of rumour that he has been the main financier of the party. Prior to yesterday’s convention, Kalu had hoped to actualize his presidential ambition under the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which he was a foundation and staunch member.

The governor who was the sole presidential aspirant in PPA was adopted through a motion moved by South-West zonal chairman of PPA, Prof. Oluwaseun Omotayo who noted that Kalu is prepared for leadership position being a detribalized Nigerian.

The motion was seconded by zonal chairman of the party from South-South, South-East, North-Central, North-West and North-East, Chief Ken Gbalikuma, Chief Dr. Chris Anele, Mr. Wole Oke, Alhaji Mohammed Kabir and Alhaji Ibrahim Adamu respectively.

Other highlights of the convention include the adoption of the party’s manifesto, colours and flag, party officials at all levels and results of party primaries.

In his acceptance speech, Governor Kalu noted that the crowd who attended the event was an indication that they desired a change stressing that the "change is inevitable."

He said "our country is in trouble and unless something is done quickly, Nigeria is doomed," lamenting that despite the trillions of naira being budgeted yearly, there was nothing to show for it.

Governor Kalu noted that having successfully ran his private businesses and served the people of Abia State, he is very confident that he would even do very much better at the national level if elected the President of the country.

He promised to strengthen the police, army, National Assembly and judiciary to enable them to independently perform their assigned roles.

Further, he assured that the rail system would be reactivated, security provided while dignity of Nigerians would be restored to enable the country be among the comity of nations practicing true democracy.

Governor Kalu also paid glowing tributes to Gen. Mohammadu Buhari who was present at the PPA’s convention, saying that while as a head of state, Buhari brought discipline in every aspect of the nation.

He enjoined all to be up and doing to ensure that the forthcoming election was not rigged adding that the Senator should be on guard to ensure that there won’t be tenure elongation of the present administration.

Present at the convention include, Senator Uchu Chukwumerije, Rear Admiral Ndubisi Kalu and wife of former head of state, Late. Gen. Aguiyi-Ironsi, Mrs. Ironsi among others.

In a related development the Democratic Peoples Alliance has adopted the ANPP presidential flag bearer Gen. Mohammadu Buhari as the party’s presidential candidate in 2007 general election.

Posted by Publisher at 01:58 PM | Comments (0)

NJC suspends four chief judges over impeachment

FOLLOWING their roles in the controversial impeachment of their respective state governors, the National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended the chief judges of Anambra, Ekiti and Plateau states.

By Ibe Uwaleke (Lagos) and Lemmy Ughegbe (Abuja)

Whereas Justice Chuka Jideofor Okoli was suspended for his role in the impeachment of Mr. Peter Obi, Justice Kayode Bamisile was sanctioned for his role in the impeachment of Chief Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.

The impeachment process leading to the ouster of Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State also claimed a casualty in Justice Ya'u Dakwang as he was equally suspended for his role.

A statement made available to The Guardian in Abuja yesterday and signed by the Executive Secretary of the council, Mr. Danladi Halilu, disclosed that Justice Jide Aladejana, who was appointed Acting Chief Judge of Ekiti State by the state's House of Assembly was also suspended.

The statement, in part, reads: "The suspension is sequel to the role they played in the recent impeachment of the governors of their respective states.

"The National Judicial Council in the exercise of its power under Paragraph 21 (d) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, gave the suspension at its recent emergency meeting which was held on 20th December 2006 in Abuja."

At the climax of the controversial impeachment proceedings in Ekiti, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Salihu Modibo Alfa Belgore, had given an indication of what to come in a letter he wrote to Aladejana.

The letter entitled "Petition against the conduct of Hon. Justice Jide Aladejana of Ekiti State High Court on illegal composition of purported impeachment panel in Ekiti

State," reads thus: "It has been brought to my notice that you have been appointed by the House of Assembly of Ekiti State as the acting Chief Judge, following the suspension of the State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Kayode Bamisile, for exercising his constitutional power. Your faxed letter and other documents of 12th October, 2006 to me were also in the same vein.

"As you are aware, the procedure for appointment of an acting Chief Judge for the state is clearly spelt out in Section 271 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

"I am to stress that the perceived imminent constitutional crises in the state mentioned in your letter notwithstanding, the procedure and circumstances under which you have been appointed are contrary to the aforesaid provision of the 1999 Constitution on appointment of an acting Chief Judge. Hence, any action by you in your capacity as the acting Chief Judge will be unconstitutional."

President Olusegun Obasanjo declared a state of emergency in Ekiti on October 19, 2006 after Governor Fayose was impeached on October 17, 2006 by 24 members of the House of Assembly who alleged corruption and misgovernance as the former governor's offence.

Justice Bamisile, the chief judge of the state, was suspended by the state House after the committee he appointed cleared Fayose of any wrongdoing.

In his place, Justice Jide Aladejana was appointed by the State House of Assembly who thereafter constituted a second seven-man panel, which found Governor Fayose guilty of the allegations levelled against him.

In the case of Governor Obi of Anambra State, he was removed from office by 15 members of the state Assembly out of the total of 28 members.

Obi was impeached on November 6, 2006 after the House passed a resolution based on the report of the seven-man judicial panel, which indicted the governor for over-reaching himself.

The panel was set up by the now suspended chief judge of the state, Okoli.

Concerning Governor Dariye of Plateau State, Justice Dakwang, the chief judge of the state, constituted a seven-man panel on the request of six members of the state Assembly to probe the governor.

He was impeached on November 6, 2006 by the minority six members of the state Assembly who affirmed the report of the seven-man judicial panel led by Chief John-Mark Samchi.

Posted by Publisher at 01:58 PM | Comments (0)

IMF okays Nigeria's economic reforms

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday pushed forward Nigeria's economic reform with the approval of a two-year Policy Support Instrument (PSI) for the country under its newly created PSI Framework.

From Mathias Okwe, Abuja

The endorsement of the nation's economic reform package came from the Executive Board of the IMF under its Article 4 review conducted on Nigeria last October, according to a statement posted on the Brettom Woods Institution's website yesterday.

Nigeria's PSI is based on the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), which focuses poverty reduction strategy, and rapid and sustainable non-oil growth. The instrument will assist Nigeria to develop a sound policy framework, such as prudent macroeconomic policies, strengthening of institutions, and governance structure conducive for private sector.

The IMF designs PSIs for low-income countries that may not need its financial assistance, but still seek advice, monitoring and endorsement of their policies. PSIs are voluntary and demand-driven.

Basically, they support programmes based on country-owned poverty reduction strategies adopted in a participatory process involving civil society and development partners. They are usually articulated in a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).

"This is intended to ensure that PSI-supported programmes are consistent with a comprehensive framework for macroeconomic, structural and social policies to foster growth and reduce poverty. Members' performance under a PSI is normally reviewed semi-annually, irrespective of the status of the programme, '' the IMF statement added.

Speaking on the IMF's board decision, Ms. Anne O. Krueger, its first deputy managing director and acting chair, said : "Over the past 18 months, Nigeria has made commendable progress in implementing its economic reform programme, aimed at accelerating economic growth, reducing poverty and meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). More recently, the authorities requested a Policy Support Instrument in support of a comprehensive reform programme based on their National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy.''

She continued: "The authorities' programme is designed to sustain and strengthen macroeconomic performance and encourage economic growth and diversification with front-loaded structural reforms. The programme emphasises pro-growth and export-oriented reforms that - along with prudent fiscal, exchange rate, and monetary management - will boost external competitiveness over the medium term. "It is formulated with quantitative and structural assessment criteria that reflect policies meeting the IMF's standard of upper credit tranche conditionality-the same policy standard that would warrant IMF financial support beyond the first credit tranche. The continuing close relationship with the Fund envisaged under the PSI approved today (yesterday) should support Nigeria in developing a well-articulated and sound policy framework and implementing the next phase of reforms, and promote and facilitate private sector activity and debt relief.

"A key challenge going forward will be to maintain an appropriate stance and mix of fiscal and monetary policies, in view of the importance of reversing the upsurge in inflation that was associated with the expansionary monetary and fiscal policies in early 2005," Krueger said.

While the government is committed to containing spending in 2005 below budget appropriations, the projected increase in spending is still large, and the resulting fiscal expansion will place more of the burden of controlling inflation on the Central Bank.

Following the failure to sterilize the build-up of excess liquidity in the first half of the year, the CBN has recently taken measures to reduce money growth - including increased sales of foreign exchange, more aggressive open market operations, and a further increase in cash reserve requirements - which have put the year-end monetary targets within reach.

In addition, the prospective adoption of a 2006 budget that reduces the primary non-oil deficit well below the projected outturn for 2005 will further improve the policy mix. At the same time, the government aims to strengthen expenditures on poverty-related programmes, allocating an extra $1 billion to well-defined programme related to the Millennium Development Goals.

"The IMF said the Nigerian authorities have initiated a broad and ambitious structural reform programme aimed at improving public service delivery and the business environment. The programme it said, were measures to strengthen budget procedures, advance civil service reforms, restructure the banking system, unify foreign exchange markets, rationalise the external tariff system, and improve governance and transparency.

"The authorities' recent decision to allow oil marketers to increase gasoline prices by about 25 per cent will help reduce allocation distortions and implicit subsidies.

"Implementation of the agreement in principle that Nigeria has reached with Paris Club creditor countries should improve investors' confidence and free up resources for poverty reduction. Negotiations on a comprehensive debt treatment are expected to take place in the near future", the fund said.

It noted that Nigerian homegrown programme supported by the PSI would provide an opportunity for the country to consolidate the gains already achieved and address the challenges stemming from past economic mismanagement and resistance to reform from vested interests.

Posted by Publisher at 01:57 PM | Comments (0)

PDP may expel Atiku today

The National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party may at its meeting scheduled for Friday (today) expel Vice-President Atiku Abubakar from the party over his defection to the Action Congress.

By Musikilu Mojeed, Abuja
Published: Friday, 22 Dec 2006

The vice president had on Wednesday in Lagos emerged as the presidential candidate of the AC.

Abubakar was on September 28, 2006 suspended from the party over his alleged indictment for corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

A party source told our correspondent on Thursday that the decision to call the NEC meeting was taken by the National Working Committee of the party at an emergency meeting in Abuja shortly after Abubakar emerged the candidate of the AC.

The source said the NWC meeting deliberated on the defection of the vice-president to the AC and his submission before the Senate‘s ad hoc committee probing the finances of the Petroleum Technology Trust Fund.

The meeting, our source said, resolved that Abubakar had terribly embarrassed the party by his actions and that there was no need to continue to tolerate him in the fold.

The parley also reportedly resolved that an emergency NEC meeting should be called to expel the vice president.

Our source said the NWC would also recommend to the meeting that the executive arm of government should find a way to sanction Abubakar.

He said the president would be advised to approach the court to demand that the vice presidential seat be declared vacant.

”The argument is that the presidential ticket is indivisible. It is a joint ticket and since the VP has abandoned the ticket, he cannot continue to remain in office.”

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. John Odey, confirmed that a NEC meeting had been fixed for Friday.

He, however, said he was not aware of the agenda of the meeting.

Odey explained that he was not at Wednesday‘s NWC meeting where the agenda of the NEC meeting was decided.

Also, the Legacy House Campaign headquarters used by the Obasanjo/Atiku campaign organisation was reopened on Thursday.

The office was reopened for the use of the Yar’Adua presidential campaign organisation.

Posted by Publisher at 01:56 PM | Comments (0)

10 policemen fall to robbers, militants' fire; 17 die in road crash

AS Nigerians proceed, today, on the Christmas holidays, the country yesterday lost 27 of its citizens, 10 of them policemen, to separate incidents of militants' attack, robbery, and road crash.

By Ben Agande, Dayo Johnson, Ola Ajayi & Jimitota Onoyume
Posted to the Web: Friday, December 22, 2006

Seventeen of the victims died at dawn yesterday in a motor accident on the Akure-Ondo road after two commercial vehicles carrying market women and traders to Akure and Ondo collided.

Vanguard gathered that the crash which involved two Toyota Hiace commercial buses occurred at about 6.30a.m. at Wasimi village. Only three passengers survived the accident. They are now on the danger list at the State Specialist Hospital.

The Ondo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Ahmed Hassan, attributed the crash to excessive speeding by the drivers of the two vehicles, who also lost their lives. “One of the vehicles was trying to overtake another when it had a head-on collision with the on-coming commercial bus,” he said.

Passersby and other motorists used cutlasses, axes and other sharp objects to cut open the vehicles before the trapped bodies of victims could be removed. Hassan added that 11 men and six women, mostly traders, died in the accident. Most of the victims were Igbo traders.
The bodies of the victims have already been deposited at the mortuary of the State Specialist Hospital in Ondo.

Friends and relations rushed to the hospital as news of the accident broke. They wailed and cried as they identified the victims.

Robbers kill 7cops in Ibadan
In the second incident — a robbery operation in Ibadan — bandits went on the rampage at Agbowo area of the city where they attacked two banks and killed seven policemen.
The robbers numbering 30 reportedly arrived Agbowo at about midnight and fired three shots to warn residents that they were around before launching their operation.

When Vanguard visited the scene yesterday, there were two police vans and a blue car marked LAGOS CA 225 GGE riddled with bullets. One of the vehicles with number plate PF 874 HQ was stained with blood. There were also blood stains at the gates of the University of Ibadan.
The robbers who operated between midnight and 3:40a.m. also trailed another police van marked 033 and riddled it with bullets.

The deadly acts left some traders in the area losing goods worth millions of naira as a result of fire that gutted their shops. The fire was triggered off when the robbers shot at the tank of another police van which exploded and burnt no fewer than 18 shops by the roadside.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olu Akinmoladun, said only two policemen were killed while four others were lying critically wounded at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

He said: “Around 1:00a.m., we got a distress call that there was a bank robbery at Agbowo area. So, we mobilised our patrol team from the metropolis. But along the line, two of our police vans ran into an ambush laid by the robbers and we lost two of our men, while four others are lying critically ill in the UCH now. We lost one patrol man and a driver.”
Overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the robbers, the police had to use an Armoured Personnel Carrier to repel the attack. Sources in the area said some policemen escaped into the campus of UI when the firepower of the robbers was too much to bear.

Asked if any arrest was made, Akinmoladun answered in the negative but said the hoodlums had their own casualties. “At the end, we succeeded in chasing the hoodlums away, but they succeeded in robbing one of the banks,” he said.
A night guard who narrowly escaped being killed said when the robbers arrived, they first fired three warning shots and went straight to two commercial banks close to the University of Ibadan.
He said they held the security men of the banks hostage and directed them to open the gates of the bank. They were up to 30, fully armed men and women.
Vanguard later gathered that the robbers used a welding machine to break the vaults and carted away an undisclosed amount of money.

Two of the shop owners counted their losses as a result of the fire incident. They said 18 shops containing electronics like deep freezers, cookers, and many other electric gadgets worth over N5 million were burnt. One of the victims said she had only a days before stocked her shop with goods worth about N500,000.

Militants kill 3 cops
Also yesterday, armed militants in speedboats killed three policemen in an overnight attack on a residential facility belonging to French oil company, Total.
“In Obagi, we have three deaths among the policemen guarding the facility”, a company spokesman at the group’s headquarters in France said, adding that no Total employee had been killed.
“This was not a political attack, it was a case of banditry. There were no hostages taken,” he added.
No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

An industry official speaking on condition of anonymity said the attack at Obagi, outside the Rivers State capital, Port Harcourt, was carried out by masked men who stormed the place in speed boats.
Total is the fifth largest oil operator in Nigeria.
A second car on Monday hit a facility owned by Italian firm Agip. Neither blast caused any casualties and material damage was minimal. The Rivers government said in a statement it had held a security meeting with Shell and Agip over the incidents.

Meanwhile, the Asari Dokubo-led Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force in an online statement yesterday called for the immediate release of its detained leader. Threatening violence in the region, it said the release was the only condition for peace. The statement reads: “We foresee an exodus of heavily armed young men from the creeks into the streets of Port Harcourt. We foresee an increased number of explosions in corporate establishments, government buildings and government motorcades. We foresee deaths and assassinations.”

Posted by Publisher at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)

Afenifere adopts Buhari; ANPP, AC joint candidate emerges today; Kalu joins race

The Democratic Peoples’ Alliance (DPA), tha political arm of the pan-Yoruba cultural group, Afenifere, has adopted presidential candidate of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) General Muhammadu Buhari for the 2007 election.

By Emmanuel Bello, Aliyu S. Machika & Abdul-Rahman Abubakar
Friday, December 22, 2006

The party unanimously took the decision at its national convention held in Abuja yesterday.

Speaking at the occasion, the National Chairman of the DPA, Chief Olu Falae, said the time has come for progressive politicians to upstage the current crop of ‘purposeless’ leadership in the country.

Chief Falae said: “It is not easy to dislodge a ruling party in third world countries especially in Nigeria. In 1999 I believe that I won the election but someone was sworn in, in 2003 Buhari won the election still another person was sworn in, it is time for Nigerians to resist such act.”

Falae who was the 1999 presidential candidate of the ANPP said there had been consultations between the DPA and all progressives in the country for the past one year and that the party found in Buhari a credible leader that can provide the much needed credible leadership for Nigeria.

In his acceptance speech, General Buhari thanked delegates of the DPA for providing him the party’s platform for the 2007 presi-dential election.

Buhari added: “It is time for Nigerians to rise and defend their votes, it is not just to cast their votes and go back home but they must wait at the polling centers to protect their votes.”
He said it is time for the people of Nigeria to take charge of their destiny. Buhari added: “since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 there has never been a time which Nigeria got as much revenue as now, but in the contrary there has never been anytime that poverty was widespread as now.”

Buhari added that there is need for formation of alliance and coalition in order to form a strong opposition capable of upstaging the incumbent government of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
The 2003 ANPP presidential candidate urged Nigerians to make use of the opportunity provided by the 2007 elections to ensure that they elect credible leaders who will move the country forward.

“Nigerians must be prosperous, progressive and live in a peaceful society which can guarantee security of all citizens”, Buhari added.
DPA has joined about five political parties that have adopted Buhari as presidential candidate for next year’s election.

Some of the parties are; the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Progressive Action Congress (PAC), the People’s Salvation Party (PSP) and the ANPP which Buhari is a member.

Meanwhile, Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu has emerged as the presidential candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA). This was the fallout of its national convention held in Abuja yesterday.

Governor Kalu was adopted as the presidential candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) by a consensus gesture that was unanimously accepted by the delegates that converged at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Center, Abuja.

The governor who was adopted in the presence of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammad Buhari pledged to offer Nigerians better leadership.

Kalu described Buhari as a man of principle and discipline, saying it was his regime in 1984 that brought sense of discipline to Nigerians.
While congratulating Buhari for the gesture, he equally stated that no society can develop without discipline and urged all Nigerians to imbibe the culture of discipline in their day-to-day affairs so that Nigeria can move forward.

He warned against any possible attempt to rig the 2007 general elections.

Earlier in his remarks, the National Chairman of the PPA, Alhaji Suleiman Ahmed said Nigeria deserves better leadership.
Alhaji Suleiman who criticized the ruling party’s incompetence, assured that PPA, when voted into office will ensure that it rectifies the problem of power inadequacy and electricity.

“Nigeria deserves better with our natural resources and that is why a PPA-led government in 2007 is needed to lead us to the Promised Land,” he added.

The strength of the alliance between the All Nigerian People Party (ANPP) and the Action Alliance would be put to test today in a meeting between the two as the issue of a consensus candidate takes center stage. It is expected that one of the two presidential flag bearers in the alliance would be dropped from the race.

Both parties had agreed to present a single presidential candidate for the 2007 general election. The Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged the flag bearer of the AC while former Head of state, General Mohammadu Buhari is ANPP presidential flag bearer. By the MOU of the alliance signed recently, one of them is expected to step down for the other.

Describing it as a tough meeting, Chairman of the alliance and former governor of Edo state said, “The occasion will test the patriotism of our leaders. It is a time to make the tough decision and we hope that patriotism will prevail today.”

A source however disclosed to Daily Trust that the Buhari camp believes the former head of state will be adopted by the alliance. He said: “Buhari is a good brand and he is the best we can project and he has all it takes to rally the support of Nigerians behind his candidature.”

But for Hon. Usman Bugaje, a close aide of Atiku the matter was beyond speculations. He said that today’s meeting would come up with a solution, even as he added that Atiku, who is currently out of the country, has communicated his position on the matter before leaving for his vacation.

Bugaje noted: “there are two levels to this alliance. The first is the one, which is constant. That is, it is our desire to ensure that PDP is driven from power. We all must work together to ensure this happens. We must ensure there are credible elections, that the police, SSS, INEC and even soldiers are not used by the PDP to sabotage the people’s vote. That is the first leg of the alliance.

Then there is also the second part which is the issue of a consensus candidate which I think is a matter for strategies to win elections. We must also work together in that area. So irrespective of who emerges the candidate, the first level of our alliance must be held sacrosanct by us.”

Today’s meeting will also produce the running mate of the consensus candidate. Already some names are making the rounds on who may be the running mate to the ANPP candidate.

Senate President Ken Nnamani, whose name was touted, had confirmed that he was approached for the position. Other candidates are Ogbonnaya Onu and, Mike Ahamba.

The ANPP is zoning the position to the South East against the PDP’s strategy to use the South South as its launching pad for the campaigns.

Explaining the strategy, a source close to the ANPP said the Buhari/ Okadigbo ticket was a winning one and hoped that the 2003 feat could be repeated.

Posted by Publisher at 01:47 PM | Comments (0)

Again, 17 killed in Ondo auto crash

NO fewer than 17 people were killed in an auto accident that occurred on the Akure-Ondo road on Thursday. The accident, which involved two Toyota Hiace commercial buses, was said to have happened at about 6.30 a.m. at Wasimi Village, Ondo Road.

Yinka Oladoyinbo, Akure - 22.12.2006

An eyewitness said that the two 18-seater commercial buses involved in the accident with registration number XA 419 KTP and XB123 AKR were conveying traders to the market. Only three passengers, including a three-month-old baby whose mother also died, survived the accident.

They were, however, in intensive care at the State Specialist Hospital , Ondo. The Ondo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Ahmed Hassan, who confirmed the accident, said that it was due to excessive speeding.

According to him, the drivers of the two vehicles, who also died in the accident, were said to be on top speed when it happened. He said one of the vehicles was trying to overtake another vehicle when it had a head-on collision with the on-coming commercial bus.

Sympathizers and passersby were said to have used cutlass, axe and other sharp objects to cut the vehicles before the trapped bodies of victims could be removed. Hassan added that 11 men and six women, mostly traders, died in the accident, while many of the victims were Igbo traders.

He said the bodies of the victims had already been deposited at the mortuary of the State Specialist Hospital in Ondo. Many Igbo traders trooped to the hospital as the news of the accident reached the town, to identify the bodies of the deceased.

Sympathisers, particularly women, were seen wailing at the hospital. Hassan advised motorists to be careful on the highways and adhere strictly to the highway codes.

Posted by Publisher at 01:24 PM | Comments (0)

December 19, 2006

Nigeria opposition pick candidate

Some 5,000 delegates from the main opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) have met in Abuja to select its presidential election candidate.

Six of the seven nominees stood aside to allow the former military leader, General Muhammadu Buhari, to become the party's representative.

The Action Congress opposition party is expected to meet on Wednesday in Lagos.

On Sunday, Katsina state governor Umaru Yar'Adua was selected by the ruling party to contest the April 2007 poll.

The reclusive northerner will be viewed as favourite by many, having received support from outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo, leader of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

In his acceptance speech, Gen Buhari - who lost to President Obasanjo in 2003 - promised to run an all-inclusive government if elected next April.

"We have the people, we have the support of Nigerians, we have the programmes. All we need by the grace of God is free and fair elections," Gen Buhari said.

Gen Buhari's claim that the 2003 presidential elections were rigged was rejected by the Supreme Court last year.

The political rivals are kinsmen from Nigeria's north-western state of Katsina and the ANPP is hoping that this factor might help split the northern Muslim vote in next year's polls.

Deals

The other main opposition party - the Action Congress party (AC) - is due to meet on Wednesday in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos.

Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is expected to seek nomination as AC's presidential candidate.

Mr Abubakar who was a key figure in the formation of the governing PDP was recently suspended following disagreements with Mr Obasanjo and allegations of corruption which he denies.

Last week, the ANPP and AC formed an electoral pact, agreeing not to run rival candidates against each other in an attempt to counter the formidable election machinery of the PDP.

A BBC correspondent says there is little ideological difference between the parties, which are mostly divided by personality and patronage.

The PDP candidate will start off as favourite to win, but his lack of political experience will give hope to rivals of an upset, say analysts.

Splits

Nigeria's population is roughly split between southern-based Christians and Muslims who predominate in the north. Northerners say it is their turn to have the presidency after years of rule by Mr Obasanjo, a Christian.

A former college lecturer, Mr Yar'Adua is one of the few governors not currently under investigation for corruption.

He also has a close family link to Nigeria's leader - his brother was Mr Obasanjo's deputy when the president was military ruler during the 1970s. And the two men were in jail together during the rule of President Sani Abacha.

His running mate will be a southern Christian governor Goodluck Jonathan, from the oil-rich Niger Delta.

In his speech, Mr Yar'Adua said his nomination furthered the cause of democracy in Nigeria.

Since it was hastily formed some eight years ago, the PDP has had to cope with internal feuds that led to the exit of almost all its founding members.

Presidential candidates for some 50 registered political parties are being announced by the end of the week.

Next year's polls should become the first transfer of power from one elected leader to another since independence in 1960.

Posted by Publisher at 08:10 AM | Comments (0)

Atiku alleges massive looting of PTDF funds

IT was billed to be a forum for Vice President Atiku Abubakar to defend the mountain of allegations against him.

From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh Abuja

But the hearing of the Senate ad hoc committee probing activities of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) yesterday turned out a forum to take the battle to the doorsteps of the accusers.

Literally firing from the hips, Vice President Abubakar, who denied all charges levelled against him, raised several damning allegations against President Olusegun Obasanjo and many other state officials.

He denied the allegations that under his supervision, the PTDF was largely used to fund the business activities of his friends and cronies. Abubakar added that since the probe of the fund by the Senate began, far more questionable withdrawals had been made under the watch of President Obasanjo.

The President had forwarded to the Senate, the indictment of Abubakar by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and an administrative panel headed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN).

The Senate opted to set up the panel following strong denials of the allegations, as well as counter allegations by Abubakar's media aides.

Last Friday, EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, told the legislative panel that the Vice President was guilty of the allegations.

But at the public hearing yesterday, Abubakar accused the President of gross financial misconduct. According to the Vice President, the PTDF had in 2006 become a "beehive of irregularities."

He told the legislators: "You will find evidence of PTDF resources being diverted to schemes and activities that are not only unbudgeted for but also clearly outside the mandate of the Fund in line with its governing statutes. Indeed, the PTDF has, in recent times, been turned into a slush fund for all manner of inexplicable transactions for the convenience of the very people who falsely accuse me of wrong-doing."

Abubakar said: "PTDF monies are now regularly and whimsically doled out to individuals, groups and causes that catch their fancy."

On the establishment of an Institute of Science and Technology in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Vice President said: "In August 2006, the President approved the sum of 25 million US dollars from the Fund for the establishment of a so-called African Institute of Science and Technology, Gulf of Guinea Affiliate, in Abuja. The money was released. Distinguished Senators may wish to investigate and find out to whom the money was paid, and where such Institute is located. More importantly, there is no enabling law setting up the Institute and no money was appropriated by the National Assembly for it."

Abubakar also spoke on alleged misconduct over the formation of a company by Obasanjo. He said: "In September 2006, the President approved the payment of the sum of 250 million Naira from the PTDF to his personal lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola, of Emmanuel Chambers, for the mere act of registering a company, Galaxy Backbone, with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

"With a share capital of one billion Naira, the actual amount paid to the Corporate Affairs Commission is 23 million Naira." He queried: "Distinguished Senators, is the establishment and funding of Galaxy Backbone within the mandate of PTDF? Is it justifiable for a President who claims to be fighting corruption to authorize the payment of 250 million naira of public funds to his personal lawyer for the mere registration of a company?"

The other allegations include the purchase of computers for civil servants. He said: "Distinguished Senators, you may also wish to note that on July 28, 2006 the President approved the sum of ten million dollars from the PTDF for the purchase of computers under the Computers for All Nigerians Initiative (CANI).

"As laudable as CANI may be, the question should still be asked whether PTDF is the right government agency with the capacity to organize, manage and support a revolving loan for the ownership of computers by civil servants. And considering the need for legislative oversight for such a major project ,why was this programme not included in the normal budgetary process?"

The Vice President urged them to note the purchase agreement between the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and other banks as it relates to the PTDF. He said: "Distinguished Senators may also want to look into the scandalous lending of billions of naira of PTDF money to the United Bank for Africa (UBA), which, strangely, the Federal Government then borrowed from the bank to buy vehicles. It is also interesting that the President went on to draw a personal loan of 200 million naira from the UBA, which, according to his spokespersons, was used to purchase the 200 million shares in Transcorp. We hope that this 200 million Naira 'loaned' to the President is not a trade-off for the deposit, which he approved for the bank. Distinguished members of this committee may wish to investigate these."

On PTDF's bank deposits and interest rates, he said: "I was accused of authorising the deposit of PTDF funds in a bank without the approval of Federal Executive Council. Distinguished Senators as at May 31, 2006, the PTDF had nearly 19 billion Naira deposited in various banks in the country. It may interest you to note that there was no Federal Executive Council approval for these deposits which buttresses my point that I did not require any additional approval, for the deposit which was authorised by me."

Abubakar also spoke on approval limit for expenditure of PTDF funds. He said: "Distinguished Senators, in trying to find out who has been mismanaging PTDF funds, it may interest you to note that on 4th April 2006, without recourse to the Federal Executive Council, the President raised the limit of the amount of money that the Executive Secretary of PTDF can approve from seven hundred thousand Naira to ten million Naira. This new approval limit seems to have provided an opportunity for a renewed assault on the resources of the fund."

He accused the President of awarding contracts to members of the National Working Committee of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Vice President said: "You may also want to know that contracts were awarded from the PTDF on July 17, 2006 to companies many of which are suspected to belong to members of the National Working Committee of the PDP to induce them to support the President's total destruction of internal democracy within the PDP. You will also discover in your investigations that some of the companies to which these contracts were awarded were not duly registered."

He also alleged that PTDF contracts were awarded to the President's aides and cronies, saying: "As further evidence of the abuse to which the PTDF has been subjected by the very people accusing me of wrong-doing, companies linked to such aides of the President as his current Political Adviser, Ministers such as those of the FCT and Science and Technology; and a long l