MEMBERS of Pa Simeon Soludo’s family are still in shock over the kidnap of the 78-year old man.
The father of former Central Bank boss Charles Chukwuma Soludo was snatched on Tuesday night by a gang of five gunmen who stormed his home in Isuanioma, Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State.
The kidnappers are demanding N500million ransom to release Pa Soludo, a source told The Nation last night. Another source, who pleaded not to be named, said a group he called Omega 12 contacted the Soludos at about 6pm, demanding N5b to defray political expenses.
A Police source, who confirmed the N500m demand, vowed that the kidnappers would be arrested within 24 hours, with detectives on their trail.
Police Commissioner Philemon Leha yesterday invited the self-styled godfather of Anambra State politics, Chief Chris Uba, on the incident.
But, Uba said he knew nothing about Pa Soludo’s kidnap on a day that the the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a rally. He described the rally and the incident as a mere coincidence.
Leha told reporters at the police headquarters in Amawbia that if Uba was found wanting, the police would arrest him.
Uba told reporters that he would honour the police invitation, adding that the "police in Nigeria know where to see me, if they want me".
He alleged that Soludo, the PDP governorship candidate, is not a member of the party, insisting that he must be shown the way out.
Said Uba: "I must fight on; no amount of blackmail can stop me. He has been begging me to soft pedal and I said I will not. He came in through the backyard and he must leave through the backyard.
"Soludo is not a member of PDP. I am the leader of the party in Anambra State, I’m still consulting with all my lawyers for a legal action against Soludo and his cronies."
Leha said: "The second and the most dangerous phase is insecurity sponsored by politicians. Just yesterday, some group of politicians held a meeting at Emmaus House, Awka where scathing remarks were made on the person of Prof Charles Soludo. Just after the meeting, Chief Simeon Soludo was kidnapped and it is left for people to speculate who did it, and for what reasons.
"The Anambra State Police Command wishes to reiterate its earlier warning and very strongly too, that it cannot fold hands while politicians make nonsense of all the gains made.
"The command will deal very decisively with any politicians found to be fomenting trouble either by his action or words.
"The command also wishes to remind the politicians that the only road to Government House is through the ballot box and not by kidnapping people.
"This brief statement should serve as a warning to all politicians to follow due process and play to the rules. Once again, the command will not hesitate to deal very ruthlessly with anybody caught causing trouble, irrespective of his societal status."
Soludo’s older brother, Chief Emmanuel Soludo, relived the incident in his country home in Isuanioma. He said his father had finished washing his hands for his supper when the men stormed the house. He was not allowed to eat the food, he said.
Chief Soludo said that the men came in a black Mercedes Benz 190 car and not a Peugeot 406 as reported. He named no suspects.
Chief Soludo said he was not at home when the hoodlums came, but children who were around narrated what transpired.
Sympathisers thronged the Soludo compound all yesterday. Some were weeping. Others were discussing the incident, which they described as "unfortunate" and "sad", but all were united on the motive of politics.
Chief Soludo said: "They took the small girls at gun point, searched the whole building, looking for papa’s phone and took it away.
"And in order to accommodate the man in their vehicle, one of them had to move into the trunk of the 190 Benz car."
"The old man was with the children at about 7.30pm when they came," he said.
Leha visited the family yesterday. A detachment of police personnel has been deployed to the building and the residence of Prof. Soludo whose mother, Veronica, is said to have been taken to Lagos for safety.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Bode George, others get prison uniforms
It was busy yesterday at the maximum section of the Nigerian Prison, Kirikiri, Lagos, with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Olabode Ibiyinka George and five others who were sentenced to two years in prison by an Ikeja High Court facing the Reception Board.
The other convicts are: Salu Aliyu, Zanna Maideribe, Abdullahi Tafida, Olusegun Abidoye and Dabo Aminu.
It was gathered that at the board, each of the convicts was issued his prison uniforms, with numbers.
Besides, they were given other materials and items that they will be using until the completion of their terms.
They also received lectures on the rules of inmates and were told the dos and don’ts of the prison.
Prison sources said the convicts would not be treated specially. They will be entitled to a N200 per day meal.
They will be allowed to receive a specific number of visitors and on certain days of the week.
Prison spokesman Ope Fatinikun told The Nation that the number of visitors allowed the inmates and the days of visit will not be disclosed, "based on security reasons".
A source explained that every new convict must face the Reception Board within 24 hours of his arrival at the prison before being moved to their cell.
It was learnt that inside the prison, the former Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Chairman and other convicts were moody yesterday morning. They refused to eat, sources said.
Some people suspected to be George’s supporters massed at the prison’s vicinity but were not allowed close to the gate.
Others gathered in small groups, discussing the tragedy that befell the PDP leader.
Fatinikun said that the prison is "a security area" without any political affiliation.
"Any kind of carnival or rally will not be allowed as it is a security threat to the prison. That is why we have armed guards," he noted.
George, a close ally of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and five others were jailed two years each for contracts fraud at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) where he was chairman of the board.
Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja a convicted George and the others.
The other convicts are: Salu Aliyu, Zanna Maideribe, Abdullahi Tafida, Olusegun Abidoye and Dabo Aminu.
It was gathered that at the board, each of the convicts was issued his prison uniforms, with numbers.
Besides, they were given other materials and items that they will be using until the completion of their terms.
They also received lectures on the rules of inmates and were told the dos and don’ts of the prison.
Prison sources said the convicts would not be treated specially. They will be entitled to a N200 per day meal.
They will be allowed to receive a specific number of visitors and on certain days of the week.
Prison spokesman Ope Fatinikun told The Nation that the number of visitors allowed the inmates and the days of visit will not be disclosed, "based on security reasons".
A source explained that every new convict must face the Reception Board within 24 hours of his arrival at the prison before being moved to their cell.
It was learnt that inside the prison, the former Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Chairman and other convicts were moody yesterday morning. They refused to eat, sources said.
Some people suspected to be George’s supporters massed at the prison’s vicinity but were not allowed close to the gate.
Others gathered in small groups, discussing the tragedy that befell the PDP leader.
Fatinikun said that the prison is "a security area" without any political affiliation.
"Any kind of carnival or rally will not be allowed as it is a security threat to the prison. That is why we have armed guards," he noted.
George, a close ally of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and five others were jailed two years each for contracts fraud at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) where he was chairman of the board.
Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja a convicted George and the others.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
It'll be hard to qualify for next round -Germany coach
Germany coach Marco Pezzaiuoli has revealed that it will be difficult for his team to advance to the next round of the ongoing FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
The Germans were forced to 3-3 draw by Nigeria's Golden Eaglets in the opening day of the Championship on Saturday at the Abuja National Stadium.
"It'll be very hard to qualify for the next round, but I'm convinced that the teams from this group who do go through will have a great chance of going all the way," Pezzaiuoli stated.
He stressed that he was disappointed with the result, noting that all coaches will want to win their first game.
"I'm disappointed because all coaches want to win, but I'm still satisfied with the game. For an hour, we played the perfect match, but after the red card, with the fatigue and the pressure from Nigeria, we caved in. But I can't put it all down to the red card, as even with 10 players we should still be able to keep our shape. In a group like ours, every game is very difficult," the German tactician said.
Germany took a deserved lead in the 22nd minute as Lennart Thy powered home a header to silence the home crowd.
They doubled their lead sixteen minutes later when Shkodran Mustafi found himself free on the right to slam home a cross in the Nigerian box.
Both teams returned into the second half with purpose but it was the Germans who compounded the hosts' woes when Mario Goetze made it 3-0 in the 47th minute.
The turnaround began for the defending champions in the 53rd minute when Robert Labus harshly halted Omoh Ojabu in the area, conceding a penalty and receiving his marching orders for the professional foul.
It marked a remarkable fight-back as the Golden Eaglets scored three times in a spate of seven second-half minutes against the ten-man European champions to salvage a point when all seemed well and truly lost.
Stanley Okoro scored from the resulting penalty kick in the 54th minute while Kenneth Omeruo left his marker stranded to power home a header five minutes later.
And substitute Edafe Egbedi volleyed home a deflected shot in the 61st minute from close range.
Both sides had a late chances to win the game but Terry Envoh hit the crossbar for Nigeria while Thy struck the upright late in the game.
The Germans were forced to 3-3 draw by Nigeria's Golden Eaglets in the opening day of the Championship on Saturday at the Abuja National Stadium.
"It'll be very hard to qualify for the next round, but I'm convinced that the teams from this group who do go through will have a great chance of going all the way," Pezzaiuoli stated.
He stressed that he was disappointed with the result, noting that all coaches will want to win their first game.
"I'm disappointed because all coaches want to win, but I'm still satisfied with the game. For an hour, we played the perfect match, but after the red card, with the fatigue and the pressure from Nigeria, we caved in. But I can't put it all down to the red card, as even with 10 players we should still be able to keep our shape. In a group like ours, every game is very difficult," the German tactician said.
Germany took a deserved lead in the 22nd minute as Lennart Thy powered home a header to silence the home crowd.
They doubled their lead sixteen minutes later when Shkodran Mustafi found himself free on the right to slam home a cross in the Nigerian box.
Both teams returned into the second half with purpose but it was the Germans who compounded the hosts' woes when Mario Goetze made it 3-0 in the 47th minute.
The turnaround began for the defending champions in the 53rd minute when Robert Labus harshly halted Omoh Ojabu in the area, conceding a penalty and receiving his marching orders for the professional foul.
It marked a remarkable fight-back as the Golden Eaglets scored three times in a spate of seven second-half minutes against the ten-man European champions to salvage a point when all seemed well and truly lost.
Stanley Okoro scored from the resulting penalty kick in the 54th minute while Kenneth Omeruo left his marker stranded to power home a header five minutes later.
And substitute Edafe Egbedi volleyed home a deflected shot in the 61st minute from close range.
Both sides had a late chances to win the game but Terry Envoh hit the crossbar for Nigeria while Thy struck the upright late in the game.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Excess crude cash down to $7b
Only $7billion is left of the about $27billion the Yar’Adua administration met in the excess crude account in 2007, it emerged yesterday.
If the cash crashes further and revenue plummets, governance may run aground, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) chair Hamman Tukur has warned.
Tukur spoke when he received Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole in Abuja.
Besides, he lamented that revenue from crude oil sales is being directed to servicing joint venture cash calls, leaving the Federation Account with revenue from Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT).
Tukur said for many months, revenue from gas has not been accounted for.
He said states and local governments no longer showed interest in the management of the federation account.
According to Tukur, the Federal Ministry of Finance has resorted to the excess crude oil account denominated in naira to augment monthly allocations to all tiers of government because of the dwindling revenue.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), he said, has now become a rubber stamp as commissioners and accountant-generals from the states are merely handed documents showing how money has been shared only for them to sign.
On most occasions, the states’ delegates are told to endorse deliberations of the National Economic Council (NEC), "which is just an advisory body to the President", rather than for them as the body legally mandated to share the Federation Account among the beneficiaries to decide how the revenue is to be disbursed, he said.
Tukur urged Oshiomhole to prevail on governors to advice the Accountant-General of the Federation to release the N18 billion deducted from the councils’ account during the Obasanjo administration to fund hospitals. President Umaru Yar’Adua halted the programme on assuming office.
He said N18 billion had been deducted from the local governments’ fund, with only N6 billion paid to the contractor. Over 30 months after, the local governments are yet to be refunded the balance.
Tukur described as illegal the current revenue formula being used by FAAC, saying: "It is a memo issued by former Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, which is contrary to the dictates of the constitution."
On gas, Tukur said the revenue from the commodity no longer gets to the Federation Account, adding that recent FAAC communiqué no longer reflected data on gas.
Tukur solicited the cooperation of governors and council chairmen to instill true fiscal federal regime in the country by challenging the perceived excesses of the Federal Government.
Tukur decried a situation whereby his Commission did not receive support from states and councils in its legal battle against unconstitutional deductions from the federation account to finance FIRS and NCS.
Oshiomhole decried lack of reliable data on crude oil export.
According to him, despite the high incidence of illegal bunkering, neither the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) nor the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) report shortages.
The governor lamented the arbitrariness at the federal level on revenue allocation, especially between 1999 and 2007, praising RMAFC for speaking up against such illegal practices.
He promised to intimate the Governors’ Forum about RMAFC’s frustration and advise that Tukur be invited to address the body on the dangers ahead.
If the cash crashes further and revenue plummets, governance may run aground, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) chair Hamman Tukur has warned.
Tukur spoke when he received Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole in Abuja.
Besides, he lamented that revenue from crude oil sales is being directed to servicing joint venture cash calls, leaving the Federation Account with revenue from Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT).
Tukur said for many months, revenue from gas has not been accounted for.
He said states and local governments no longer showed interest in the management of the federation account.
According to Tukur, the Federal Ministry of Finance has resorted to the excess crude oil account denominated in naira to augment monthly allocations to all tiers of government because of the dwindling revenue.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), he said, has now become a rubber stamp as commissioners and accountant-generals from the states are merely handed documents showing how money has been shared only for them to sign.
On most occasions, the states’ delegates are told to endorse deliberations of the National Economic Council (NEC), "which is just an advisory body to the President", rather than for them as the body legally mandated to share the Federation Account among the beneficiaries to decide how the revenue is to be disbursed, he said.
Tukur urged Oshiomhole to prevail on governors to advice the Accountant-General of the Federation to release the N18 billion deducted from the councils’ account during the Obasanjo administration to fund hospitals. President Umaru Yar’Adua halted the programme on assuming office.
He said N18 billion had been deducted from the local governments’ fund, with only N6 billion paid to the contractor. Over 30 months after, the local governments are yet to be refunded the balance.
Tukur described as illegal the current revenue formula being used by FAAC, saying: "It is a memo issued by former Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, which is contrary to the dictates of the constitution."
On gas, Tukur said the revenue from the commodity no longer gets to the Federation Account, adding that recent FAAC communiqué no longer reflected data on gas.
Tukur solicited the cooperation of governors and council chairmen to instill true fiscal federal regime in the country by challenging the perceived excesses of the Federal Government.
Tukur decried a situation whereby his Commission did not receive support from states and councils in its legal battle against unconstitutional deductions from the federation account to finance FIRS and NCS.
Oshiomhole decried lack of reliable data on crude oil export.
According to him, despite the high incidence of illegal bunkering, neither the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) nor the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) report shortages.
The governor lamented the arbitrariness at the federal level on revenue allocation, especially between 1999 and 2007, praising RMAFC for speaking up against such illegal practices.
He promised to intimate the Governors’ Forum about RMAFC’s frustration and advise that Tukur be invited to address the body on the dangers ahead.
Tinubu seeks US support for reforms
Former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as "dreamers" over the party’s plan to "capture" the state in the 2011 election.
Asiwaju Tinubu, one of the leaders of the Action Congress (AC), spoke yesterday when he led a group of democrats to the United States Embassy in Abuja to seek support for electoral reforms in Nigeria.
PDP Chairman Vincent Ogbulafor had on Tuesday told a Kano State delegation in Abuja that PDP must capture Lagos and Kano states in the next general elections.
Led by Tinubu, other members of Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER) on the visit include the facilitator, Ayo Opadokun, AC governorship candidate in Ekiti State Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Senators Suleiman Nazif (Bauchi), Abu Ibrahim (Katsina) and Olorunimbe Mamora (Lagos).
Others are former Minister of Labour Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, former Deputy Governor of Enugu State Dr. Chidi Nweke and 2007 AC governorship candidate in Bayelsa State Ebitimi Angbare.
Tinubu said PDP’s comment was "undemocratic" and "insulting" to democratic values.
His words: "They are dreamers; I don’t believe they can achieve that. They have already used the word that is insulting to democratic values and belief-‘they must capture’. They cannot capture it; they cannot.
"They’ll lose more states than they stole in the last election; they’ll lose power too, if they go the way of capturing."
Tinubu, who said there was a need to harness democratic institutions and individuals towards the entrenchment of an enduring electoral process, spoke on his meeting with All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari.
"Of course, Muhammadu Buhari is a democrat; he was a presidential candidate two times. He is open to discussions; we have to discuss and work together on how to have a level playing field. It is necessary to meet a personality of his reputation and the need is there," Tinubu said.
Besides, he said the institutionalisation of a realistic and enduring electoral process through the on-going agitation for reforms was not only possible but in the interest of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Tinubu said: "It is feasible because it is easy. It is a matter of attitude and determination towards its realisation.
"It can be done in three days, not to talk of six months; the President agreed to reform this system and he has the opportunity now to build a lasting legacy for himself. It is in his interest and that of the entire nation."
On the motive behind the visit to the US Embassy, the former governor said it was to present the objectives of the group and seek America’s assistance. He recalled that the United States helped in no small way during the struggle for democracy.
He said: "The visit was to present what CODER stands for, our objectives, our national patriotic development that will bring about a level playing ground for elections, bring about respect and integrity for our country, the necessary change for the votes of our people to count.
"The reason was also to explain that as individuals, there is no other objective than to make the organisation the engine for change."
According to Tinubu, the visit was a success as the Deputy Head of Mission and Charge d’ Affaire, Dundas McCullough reiterated the US’ commitment to democracy and freedom. "We have been able to achieve, with this meeting, better and clear understanding of what we stand for, how the institution should be helped and the way to help stimulate awareness in the direction of the reforms.
"We are a part of a common world with a common conviction, trying to share common value. The US wants electoral system and they have shown commitment to democratic value, capacity building and institution development. They are committed to democracy and freedom and we have seen it work in their system as well as Ghana and elsewhere. It can work here."
Tinubu, however, noted the forum’s non-partisan position, saying: "We are determined and resolute for change. There must be a change in the ways we conduct our elections. People’s votes must count in this country."
Asiwaju Tinubu, one of the leaders of the Action Congress (AC), spoke yesterday when he led a group of democrats to the United States Embassy in Abuja to seek support for electoral reforms in Nigeria.
PDP Chairman Vincent Ogbulafor had on Tuesday told a Kano State delegation in Abuja that PDP must capture Lagos and Kano states in the next general elections.
Led by Tinubu, other members of Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER) on the visit include the facilitator, Ayo Opadokun, AC governorship candidate in Ekiti State Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Senators Suleiman Nazif (Bauchi), Abu Ibrahim (Katsina) and Olorunimbe Mamora (Lagos).
Others are former Minister of Labour Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, former Deputy Governor of Enugu State Dr. Chidi Nweke and 2007 AC governorship candidate in Bayelsa State Ebitimi Angbare.
Tinubu said PDP’s comment was "undemocratic" and "insulting" to democratic values.
His words: "They are dreamers; I don’t believe they can achieve that. They have already used the word that is insulting to democratic values and belief-‘they must capture’. They cannot capture it; they cannot.
"They’ll lose more states than they stole in the last election; they’ll lose power too, if they go the way of capturing."
Tinubu, who said there was a need to harness democratic institutions and individuals towards the entrenchment of an enduring electoral process, spoke on his meeting with All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari.
"Of course, Muhammadu Buhari is a democrat; he was a presidential candidate two times. He is open to discussions; we have to discuss and work together on how to have a level playing field. It is necessary to meet a personality of his reputation and the need is there," Tinubu said.
Besides, he said the institutionalisation of a realistic and enduring electoral process through the on-going agitation for reforms was not only possible but in the interest of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Tinubu said: "It is feasible because it is easy. It is a matter of attitude and determination towards its realisation.
"It can be done in three days, not to talk of six months; the President agreed to reform this system and he has the opportunity now to build a lasting legacy for himself. It is in his interest and that of the entire nation."
On the motive behind the visit to the US Embassy, the former governor said it was to present the objectives of the group and seek America’s assistance. He recalled that the United States helped in no small way during the struggle for democracy.
He said: "The visit was to present what CODER stands for, our objectives, our national patriotic development that will bring about a level playing ground for elections, bring about respect and integrity for our country, the necessary change for the votes of our people to count.
"The reason was also to explain that as individuals, there is no other objective than to make the organisation the engine for change."
According to Tinubu, the visit was a success as the Deputy Head of Mission and Charge d’ Affaire, Dundas McCullough reiterated the US’ commitment to democracy and freedom. "We have been able to achieve, with this meeting, better and clear understanding of what we stand for, how the institution should be helped and the way to help stimulate awareness in the direction of the reforms.
"We are a part of a common world with a common conviction, trying to share common value. The US wants electoral system and they have shown commitment to democratic value, capacity building and institution development. They are committed to democracy and freedom and we have seen it work in their system as well as Ghana and elsewhere. It can work here."
Tinubu, however, noted the forum’s non-partisan position, saying: "We are determined and resolute for change. There must be a change in the ways we conduct our elections. People’s votes must count in this country."
Lar warns North against discrimination
Founding Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former governor of old Plateau State, Chief Solomon Lar, has said that the North may lose its unity, if the "discriminatory attitude" of some of its leaders does not change.
Lar told reporters in Kaduna that Christians in the North were suffering from severe discrimination and were being denied land to build churches in some states, a situation he said runs contrary to the legacies of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello.
According to him, the Middle Belt, which has contributed immensely in ensuring that Nigeria remains indivisible, is being neglected.
The former governor noted that besides Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger, Kwara, Taraba and Gombe states, others in the North discriminate against Christians.
Lar said: "The Northern states still remember what Sardauna did for them. He made sure there were good schools and he established them and funded them properly. He ensured that the literacy level improved. He also encouraged the education of women, boys and girls at the same time. Although there were different ethnic nationalities within the region, he managed to keep them together, irrespective of their differences.
"Apart from that, he did not allow religion to overshadow his administration. Although he was a good practising Muslim, he also recognised that there are other people of different faiths, such as Christians. He did not deny them their rights as they are doing now in some states in the North.
"In the North, apart from Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger, Kwara, Taraba, Kogi and Gombe states, other states discriminate against Christians so much so that if you are a Christian or if you are not a Muslim, they will not give you a piece of land to build a church; they will not employ Christians, they will not allow the children of Christians to go to public schools. They don’t allow the teaching of Christian religious knowledge in their schools. This is very wrong. This type of thing should not exist if we are all citizens of this country.
"If Christian children go to public schools in those states, they will be forced to change their names to Muslim names. For example, if you are Gabriel, they will change your name to Jibril. If you are Moses, they will call you Musa etc. This is very bad. This will not bring about the unity that Sardauna left for the people of the North."
He, however, expressed the hope that with the launch of a foundation in honour of Ahmadu Bello, the situation will change for better.
Recalling the role of the Middle Belt in ensuring Nigeria’s unity and stability, Lar said the region had been neglected by subsequent civilian administrations.
"It is a pity that the Middle Belt that used to do everything and helped in maintaining peace and order is being neglected. For example, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and other soldiers from the Middle Belt worked together to keep this country together and at the end of it, he said there was no victor no vanquished.
"This is a great statement ever made, but now the civilian administrations do not seem to look after the Middle Belt properly. It is forgotten completely. They are crying, they have been complaining, they have been coming to me. In terms of appointments at federal level, the Middle Belt is not properly taken care of.
"Economically, the Middle Belt is not properly looked after, development wise; the roads are the worst. No development at all!"
Lar also called for the reformation of the nation’s electoral process for a credible and transparent general election in 2011.
"I was the first National Chairman of the PDP and we never rigged elections. Our president won on merit alone, all governors and local government chairmen won without any question. There was no complain of rigging in the 1999 election, but it was after 1999 that people started talking about rigging. Why should you rig when you already enjoy the support of the people?
"I am appealing to all political parties to allow Nigerians to have their say at elections because it would encourage development, unity and peace and everybody would accept the administration that comes to power in a credible and transparent election. Please, let us accept the electoral reform recommendation by Justice Uwais as it is, because it would solve the problems," Lar said.
Lar told reporters in Kaduna that Christians in the North were suffering from severe discrimination and were being denied land to build churches in some states, a situation he said runs contrary to the legacies of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello.
According to him, the Middle Belt, which has contributed immensely in ensuring that Nigeria remains indivisible, is being neglected.
The former governor noted that besides Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger, Kwara, Taraba and Gombe states, others in the North discriminate against Christians.
Lar said: "The Northern states still remember what Sardauna did for them. He made sure there were good schools and he established them and funded them properly. He ensured that the literacy level improved. He also encouraged the education of women, boys and girls at the same time. Although there were different ethnic nationalities within the region, he managed to keep them together, irrespective of their differences.
"Apart from that, he did not allow religion to overshadow his administration. Although he was a good practising Muslim, he also recognised that there are other people of different faiths, such as Christians. He did not deny them their rights as they are doing now in some states in the North.
"In the North, apart from Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger, Kwara, Taraba, Kogi and Gombe states, other states discriminate against Christians so much so that if you are a Christian or if you are not a Muslim, they will not give you a piece of land to build a church; they will not employ Christians, they will not allow the children of Christians to go to public schools. They don’t allow the teaching of Christian religious knowledge in their schools. This is very wrong. This type of thing should not exist if we are all citizens of this country.
"If Christian children go to public schools in those states, they will be forced to change their names to Muslim names. For example, if you are Gabriel, they will change your name to Jibril. If you are Moses, they will call you Musa etc. This is very bad. This will not bring about the unity that Sardauna left for the people of the North."
He, however, expressed the hope that with the launch of a foundation in honour of Ahmadu Bello, the situation will change for better.
Recalling the role of the Middle Belt in ensuring Nigeria’s unity and stability, Lar said the region had been neglected by subsequent civilian administrations.
"It is a pity that the Middle Belt that used to do everything and helped in maintaining peace and order is being neglected. For example, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and other soldiers from the Middle Belt worked together to keep this country together and at the end of it, he said there was no victor no vanquished.
"This is a great statement ever made, but now the civilian administrations do not seem to look after the Middle Belt properly. It is forgotten completely. They are crying, they have been complaining, they have been coming to me. In terms of appointments at federal level, the Middle Belt is not properly taken care of.
"Economically, the Middle Belt is not properly looked after, development wise; the roads are the worst. No development at all!"
Lar also called for the reformation of the nation’s electoral process for a credible and transparent general election in 2011.
"I was the first National Chairman of the PDP and we never rigged elections. Our president won on merit alone, all governors and local government chairmen won without any question. There was no complain of rigging in the 1999 election, but it was after 1999 that people started talking about rigging. Why should you rig when you already enjoy the support of the people?
"I am appealing to all political parties to allow Nigerians to have their say at elections because it would encourage development, unity and peace and everybody would accept the administration that comes to power in a credible and transparent election. Please, let us accept the electoral reform recommendation by Justice Uwais as it is, because it would solve the problems," Lar said.
Appeal Court nullifies Oyo Rep’s election
The Osun State Police Command has intercepted 30,000 copies of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Form EC40A ballot papers being conveyed into Osogbo, the state capital on Wednesday night.
As early as 7.00am. yesterday, many Action Congress (AC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains had converged on the Okefia Area Command in Osogbo, where the bus carrying the forms was detained. The four young men accompanying the electoral materials were being interrrogated by the police.
Controversy has been trailing the reasons why the forms were being conveyed at odd hours without any police escort, and in a commercial bus with registration XD 214 GNN.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Vincent Okodua, tried to verify the genuineness of the source of the materials, as claimed by the four men.The men told the police that they were sent to the INEC office in Osogbo by an Abuja-based contractor.
The AC refused to believe the account which its chieftains led by the Chairman, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, described as a cock-and-bull story.
The police showed the waybill prepared by the company, Jike International Investment Limited, 7, Udo Udoma Street, Asokoro, Abuja, dated October 22, 2009, for convenying the forms.
The waybill was addressed to the commission’s zonal office in Osogbo.
The AC, in a letter entitled: "Report of Complicity in Osun State Election Petition Matter", has written the INEC headquarters in Abuja to intimate it with the development.
The letter signed by the party’s state Secretary, Gboyega Famodun, queried why the materials intercepted by the police were being transported in a commercial bus rather than INEC’s official vehicles. He also queried such materials were moved without a police escort.
"Our curiosity arose from the fact that when there is no bye-election or real election coming up in Osun State at this material time, why will INEC be transfering such a large and such sensitive material to the state at this time?
"Since our party, the petitioner, is about closing our case at the election petition tribunal after two long tortuous years of diligent prosecution, we wonder what INEC intended to do with these now if not to favour the PDP in its defence.
"We are, therefore, by this letter requesting an open explanation on the reason behind this suspicious movement of sensitive election materials and an assurance that these materials and similar ones that might have been brought in unnoticed in the past few weeks are not being moved for use in aid of their defence which is just about to commence," the AC said.
But the PDP spokesman, Mr. Deolu Adeyemo said," Ac is "is only raising a false alarm and crying wolf where there is none."
As early as 7.00am. yesterday, many Action Congress (AC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains had converged on the Okefia Area Command in Osogbo, where the bus carrying the forms was detained. The four young men accompanying the electoral materials were being interrrogated by the police.
Controversy has been trailing the reasons why the forms were being conveyed at odd hours without any police escort, and in a commercial bus with registration XD 214 GNN.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Vincent Okodua, tried to verify the genuineness of the source of the materials, as claimed by the four men.The men told the police that they were sent to the INEC office in Osogbo by an Abuja-based contractor.
The AC refused to believe the account which its chieftains led by the Chairman, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, described as a cock-and-bull story.
The police showed the waybill prepared by the company, Jike International Investment Limited, 7, Udo Udoma Street, Asokoro, Abuja, dated October 22, 2009, for convenying the forms.
The waybill was addressed to the commission’s zonal office in Osogbo.
The AC, in a letter entitled: "Report of Complicity in Osun State Election Petition Matter", has written the INEC headquarters in Abuja to intimate it with the development.
The letter signed by the party’s state Secretary, Gboyega Famodun, queried why the materials intercepted by the police were being transported in a commercial bus rather than INEC’s official vehicles. He also queried such materials were moved without a police escort.
"Our curiosity arose from the fact that when there is no bye-election or real election coming up in Osun State at this material time, why will INEC be transfering such a large and such sensitive material to the state at this time?
"Since our party, the petitioner, is about closing our case at the election petition tribunal after two long tortuous years of diligent prosecution, we wonder what INEC intended to do with these now if not to favour the PDP in its defence.
"We are, therefore, by this letter requesting an open explanation on the reason behind this suspicious movement of sensitive election materials and an assurance that these materials and similar ones that might have been brought in unnoticed in the past few weeks are not being moved for use in aid of their defence which is just about to commence," the AC said.
But the PDP spokesman, Mr. Deolu Adeyemo said," Ac is "is only raising a false alarm and crying wolf where there is none."
Police intercept voting materials in Osun
he Osun State Police Command has intercepted 30,000 copies of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Form EC40A ballot papers being conveyed into Osogbo, the state capital on Wednesday night.
As early as 7.00am. yesterday, many Action Congress (AC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains had converged on the Okefia Area Command in Osogbo, where the bus carrying the forms was detained. The four young men accompanying the electoral materials were being interrrogated by the police.
Controversy has been trailing the reasons why the forms were being conveyed at odd hours without any police escort, and in a commercial bus with registration XD 214 GNN.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Vincent Okodua, tried to verify the genuineness of the source of the materials, as claimed by the four men.The men told the police that they were sent to the INEC office in Osogbo by an Abuja-based contractor.
The AC refused to believe the account which its chieftains led by the Chairman, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, described as a cock-and-bull story.
The police showed the waybill prepared by the company, Jike International Investment Limited, 7, Udo Udoma Street, Asokoro, Abuja, dated October 22, 2009, for convenying the forms.
The waybill was addressed to the commission’s zonal office in Osogbo.
The AC, in a letter entitled: "Report of Complicity in Osun State Election Petition Matter", has written the INEC headquarters in Abuja to intimate it with the development.
The letter signed by the party’s state Secretary, Gboyega Famodun, queried why the materials intercepted by the police were being transported in a commercial bus rather than INEC’s official vehicles. He also queried such materials were moved without a police escort.
"Our curiosity arose from the fact that when there is no bye-election or real election coming up in Osun State at this material time, why will INEC be transfering such a large and such sensitive material to the state at this time?
"Since our party, the petitioner, is about closing our case at the election petition tribunal after two long tortuous years of diligent prosecution, we wonder what INEC intended to do with these now if not to favour the PDP in its defence.
"We are, therefore, by this letter requesting an open explanation on the reason behind this suspicious movement of sensitive election materials and an assurance that these materials and similar ones that might have been brought in unnoticed in the past few weeks are not being moved for use in aid of their defence which is just about to commence," the AC said.
But the PDP spokesman, Mr. Deolu Adeyemo said," Ac is "is only raising a false alarm and crying wolf where there is none."
As early as 7.00am. yesterday, many Action Congress (AC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains had converged on the Okefia Area Command in Osogbo, where the bus carrying the forms was detained. The four young men accompanying the electoral materials were being interrrogated by the police.
Controversy has been trailing the reasons why the forms were being conveyed at odd hours without any police escort, and in a commercial bus with registration XD 214 GNN.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Vincent Okodua, tried to verify the genuineness of the source of the materials, as claimed by the four men.The men told the police that they were sent to the INEC office in Osogbo by an Abuja-based contractor.
The AC refused to believe the account which its chieftains led by the Chairman, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, described as a cock-and-bull story.
The police showed the waybill prepared by the company, Jike International Investment Limited, 7, Udo Udoma Street, Asokoro, Abuja, dated October 22, 2009, for convenying the forms.
The waybill was addressed to the commission’s zonal office in Osogbo.
The AC, in a letter entitled: "Report of Complicity in Osun State Election Petition Matter", has written the INEC headquarters in Abuja to intimate it with the development.
The letter signed by the party’s state Secretary, Gboyega Famodun, queried why the materials intercepted by the police were being transported in a commercial bus rather than INEC’s official vehicles. He also queried such materials were moved without a police escort.
"Our curiosity arose from the fact that when there is no bye-election or real election coming up in Osun State at this material time, why will INEC be transfering such a large and such sensitive material to the state at this time?
"Since our party, the petitioner, is about closing our case at the election petition tribunal after two long tortuous years of diligent prosecution, we wonder what INEC intended to do with these now if not to favour the PDP in its defence.
"We are, therefore, by this letter requesting an open explanation on the reason behind this suspicious movement of sensitive election materials and an assurance that these materials and similar ones that might have been brought in unnoticed in the past few weeks are not being moved for use in aid of their defence which is just about to commence," the AC said.
But the PDP spokesman, Mr. Deolu Adeyemo said," Ac is "is only raising a false alarm and crying wolf where there is none."
N10b found in accounts linked to ex-bank chief
Two accounts linked to the detained former Bank PHB Managing Director Mr. Francis Atuche were blocked yesterday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The accounts contain N10billion, EFCC sources said.
Atuche is being held for alleged insider abuse and gross mismanagement. He is being interrogated.
EFCC investigators stumbled on the two "strange", which were said to belong to "two subsidiaries" of Bank PHB - Platinum Capital Limited and Bank PHB Assets Management Limited.
But the EFCC is said to believe that the two companies are not subsidiaries of Bank PHB.
An EFCC source said: "Today, we placed a ‘no-debit note’ on two accounts in Bank PHB. That means we blocked the two accounts linked to Atuche.
"The accounts belong to two companies (Platinum Capital Limited and Bank PHB Assets Management Limited) paraded and operated as subsidiaries of Bank PHB.
"But we discovered that the two companies were actually owned by Atuche.
Atuche allegedly used his position as the MD of the bank to give N14billion to these two companies to operate. The two accounts are domiciled in Bank PHB.
The source added: "Curiously, over 20 members of the staff of the two companies are on the payroll of Bank PHB.
"As at the time of the discovery, about N10billion was still in the two accounts.
"We were able to uncover that the funds were hurriedly returned when the CBN began its audit.
"Atuche and his cronies made last-minute efforts to shore up the accounts to save their image."
EFCC spokesman Femi Babafemi said: "I have an idea of what you are talking about; I don’t have the details yet because investigation is still ongoing."
The EFCC is believed to have made "substantial progress" on how Spring Bank was acquired by Bank PHB under Atuche.
Another source said: "It was a dirty game; we are closing in on other suspects."
In the 2005 consolidation, six banks merged to form Spring Bank. They are: Trans-International, Guardian Express, Citizens, ACB International, Fountain Trust and Omega.
But barely a year into consolidation, Spring Bank ran into trouble over post-merger adjustment. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) moved in, appointing an Interim Management Board headed by Suleiman Ndanusa.
In November 2008, Bank PHB bid for about 3bilion shares of Spring Bank for about N21billion. The bid resulted in the controversial acquisition of Spring Bank by Bank PHB on December 18, last year.
The acquisition, however, attracted many petitions to President Umaru Yar’Adua and a web of suits in court.
Yar’Adua mandated the Ministry of Finance to investigate the crisis and co-ordinate opinions of regulatory authorities on the acquisition. The ministry’s team was led by the Minister of State, Mr. Remi Babalola.
Babalola, in a March 2008 report to Yar’Adua, described the acquisition of Spring Bank as illegal. Besides, he said "the shares of Spring Bank were under full suspension prior to the purported sale".
Atuche is being held for alleged insider abuse and gross mismanagement. He is being interrogated.
EFCC investigators stumbled on the two "strange", which were said to belong to "two subsidiaries" of Bank PHB - Platinum Capital Limited and Bank PHB Assets Management Limited.
But the EFCC is said to believe that the two companies are not subsidiaries of Bank PHB.
An EFCC source said: "Today, we placed a ‘no-debit note’ on two accounts in Bank PHB. That means we blocked the two accounts linked to Atuche.
"The accounts belong to two companies (Platinum Capital Limited and Bank PHB Assets Management Limited) paraded and operated as subsidiaries of Bank PHB.
"But we discovered that the two companies were actually owned by Atuche.
Atuche allegedly used his position as the MD of the bank to give N14billion to these two companies to operate. The two accounts are domiciled in Bank PHB.
The source added: "Curiously, over 20 members of the staff of the two companies are on the payroll of Bank PHB.
"As at the time of the discovery, about N10billion was still in the two accounts.
"We were able to uncover that the funds were hurriedly returned when the CBN began its audit.
"Atuche and his cronies made last-minute efforts to shore up the accounts to save their image."
EFCC spokesman Femi Babafemi said: "I have an idea of what you are talking about; I don’t have the details yet because investigation is still ongoing."
The EFCC is believed to have made "substantial progress" on how Spring Bank was acquired by Bank PHB under Atuche.
Another source said: "It was a dirty game; we are closing in on other suspects."
In the 2005 consolidation, six banks merged to form Spring Bank. They are: Trans-International, Guardian Express, Citizens, ACB International, Fountain Trust and Omega.
But barely a year into consolidation, Spring Bank ran into trouble over post-merger adjustment. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) moved in, appointing an Interim Management Board headed by Suleiman Ndanusa.
In November 2008, Bank PHB bid for about 3bilion shares of Spring Bank for about N21billion. The bid resulted in the controversial acquisition of Spring Bank by Bank PHB on December 18, last year.
The acquisition, however, attracted many petitions to President Umaru Yar’Adua and a web of suits in court.
Yar’Adua mandated the Ministry of Finance to investigate the crisis and co-ordinate opinions of regulatory authorities on the acquisition. The ministry’s team was led by the Minister of State, Mr. Remi Babalola.
Babalola, in a March 2008 report to Yar’Adua, described the acquisition of Spring Bank as illegal. Besides, he said "the shares of Spring Bank were under full suspension prior to the purported sale".
Oni’s witness watches own attack on journalists
People at the Ekiti State Election Petitions Tribunal were yesterday treated to a huge dose of drama when a loyalist of Governor Segun Oni, Femi Olanrewaju, was confronted with the video evidence of his alleged attack on journalists at the Government House on the eve of the last governorship rerun poll.
Olanrewaju, popularly known as "Ijakoko", denied ever entering the Ado-Ekiti Government House.
It was at the continuation of the hearing of the petition filed by the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Kayode Fayemi, against Oni’s declaration as winner of the April 22 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The rigorous drilling of the witness during his cross-examination by counsel to AC and Fayemi, Anthony Adeniyi, saw him (Olanrewaju) asking for water to drink to cool off.
The witness had severally been described as "Oni’s chief thug" by witnesses from Ifaki-Ekiti, his hometown who had earlier given evidence before the tribunal.
He was also accused of being the mastermind of the violence that rocked the community and other places where the rerun was held in Ido’Osi Local Government Area.
Having denied ever entering the Ado-Ekiti Government House, Adeniyi said the car that he (Olanrewaju) brought to the court had a "Government House Pass" sticker.
Replying, Olanrewaju, who was the Respondent Witness 13 (RW 13), admitted that the Government House Pass was given to him "only three days ago" by the Personal Assistant to the Governor, Bunmi Ojo, to facilitate his entry into the Government House.
The witness, who referred to himself as "respected chief", admitted living in Lagos sometime ago.
But, he denied that popular fuji musician sang his praises in an album.
Olanrewaju threw the whole courtroom reeling in laughter when he said: "A chief does not dance to weird music or involved in dancing disco in the full glare of the public".
When asked whether he was aware that journalists and election observers were attacked and driven away from Ifaki on the day of election, Olanrewaju said: "A chief does not engage in fighting in the public because it is the chiefs that always settle disputes of such nature".
Adeniyi told the witness that records have shown that he (Olanrewaju) was invited by the State Security Service (SSS) in connection with the attack on journalists. But Olanrewaju denied.
When the petitioners’ counsel told him that the cap he was wearing was a political symbol of his godfather (the governor), Olanrewaju said the cap was a replica of the one worn by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The atmosphere in the court was charged when Adeniyi sought the permission of the Justice Hamma Barka-led panel to have the film of the Government House attack on the reporters relayed.
He requested that the film be paused where Olanrewaju was shown attacking one of the journalists.
Tension mounted during the proceeding when Adeniyi urged the tribunal to order Olanrewaju to remove his cap and eyeglasses to have a closer look at him.
In the video, Olanrewaju was seen biting one of the journalists on the back, after administering several slaps and kicks on them.
Counsel to Oni, Adebayo Adenipekun (SAN), objected to Adeniyi’s application and was also supported by the counsel to INEC and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Rafiu Lawal-Rabana (SAN).
Adenipekun noted that asking his witness to remove his cap and eyeglasses would be tantamount to embarrassing him.
Tribunal chair Justice Barka asked Adeniyi to continue his cross-examination of the witness, and the frayed nerves were clamed, albeit temporarily.
Adeniyi asked the witness what the person attacking the journalists was doing in the video, Olanrewaju said he saw the aggressor pouncing on his victim but "I don’t know what he was doing with him".
The court was also shown the rowdy scene at the Ifaki Police Station where election observers were brutalised.
While under cross-examination from PDP counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), Olanrewaju denied being involved in any act of violence before, during and after the election.
He said he did not know those people that were shown in the video.
Under cross-examination from Lawal-Rabana, Olanrewaju denied knowing a fellow PDP loyalist, Peter Oladosu, popularly known as Erinmoje, and other witnesses from Ifaki.
He also denied holding any position in the Oni-led administration and the state chapter of the PDP.
Olanrewaju said all those who had come to the tribunal to testify to his alleged involvement in violence were telling lies against him.
Earlier in the day, a witness who came to testify for Oni from Ipoti-Ekiti, Temitope Olajuyi, told the tribunal while answering questions from Adeniyi that his desire was that Fayemi’s petition should not fail.
Adeniyi asked: "Is it your desire that this petition should fail?"
The witness answered: "No, my lord".
Olajuyi, RW 10, told the tribunal that no INEC form was filled before the commencement of voting in the unit where he served as an agent for the PDP.
He also denied that a member of the House of Assembly, Lai Oke, and other PDP chieftains in Ipoti disrupted election.
RW 11, Olufemi Ajibola, said his age at the time he registered as a voter was 37 years but he was surprised to see a different age in the Voters’ Register.
When asked whether he saw any INEC official or security agent bribed at the election, he said: "I can’t say whether INEC officials or policemen were bribed because if such happened, my lord, they will not allow me to see it.
"My lord, I cannot say what I did not see. I am not a contestant at the election so, I did not bribe anybody".
Ajibola also said he was not sure whether other party agents were given Form EC8A to fill like he did.
He said he was a councillorship aspirant and joined politics on part-time basis in 2007.
When it was brought to his attention that the number of accredited voters on Exhibit 31 (1) and the number of those who voted on Exhibit 57, the official result sheet did not tally, the witness responded that he was not the maker of the document.
RW 12, Joseph Ajayi was confronted with documents which revealed that 295 votes were cast but 319 were recorded. But, he denied involvement in the alleged inflation of figures.
He said he should not be held responsible for the alteration in the result sheet.
The hearing continues today
Olanrewaju, popularly known as "Ijakoko", denied ever entering the Ado-Ekiti Government House.
It was at the continuation of the hearing of the petition filed by the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Kayode Fayemi, against Oni’s declaration as winner of the April 22 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The rigorous drilling of the witness during his cross-examination by counsel to AC and Fayemi, Anthony Adeniyi, saw him (Olanrewaju) asking for water to drink to cool off.
The witness had severally been described as "Oni’s chief thug" by witnesses from Ifaki-Ekiti, his hometown who had earlier given evidence before the tribunal.
He was also accused of being the mastermind of the violence that rocked the community and other places where the rerun was held in Ido’Osi Local Government Area.
Having denied ever entering the Ado-Ekiti Government House, Adeniyi said the car that he (Olanrewaju) brought to the court had a "Government House Pass" sticker.
Replying, Olanrewaju, who was the Respondent Witness 13 (RW 13), admitted that the Government House Pass was given to him "only three days ago" by the Personal Assistant to the Governor, Bunmi Ojo, to facilitate his entry into the Government House.
The witness, who referred to himself as "respected chief", admitted living in Lagos sometime ago.
But, he denied that popular fuji musician sang his praises in an album.
Olanrewaju threw the whole courtroom reeling in laughter when he said: "A chief does not dance to weird music or involved in dancing disco in the full glare of the public".
When asked whether he was aware that journalists and election observers were attacked and driven away from Ifaki on the day of election, Olanrewaju said: "A chief does not engage in fighting in the public because it is the chiefs that always settle disputes of such nature".
Adeniyi told the witness that records have shown that he (Olanrewaju) was invited by the State Security Service (SSS) in connection with the attack on journalists. But Olanrewaju denied.
When the petitioners’ counsel told him that the cap he was wearing was a political symbol of his godfather (the governor), Olanrewaju said the cap was a replica of the one worn by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The atmosphere in the court was charged when Adeniyi sought the permission of the Justice Hamma Barka-led panel to have the film of the Government House attack on the reporters relayed.
He requested that the film be paused where Olanrewaju was shown attacking one of the journalists.
Tension mounted during the proceeding when Adeniyi urged the tribunal to order Olanrewaju to remove his cap and eyeglasses to have a closer look at him.
In the video, Olanrewaju was seen biting one of the journalists on the back, after administering several slaps and kicks on them.
Counsel to Oni, Adebayo Adenipekun (SAN), objected to Adeniyi’s application and was also supported by the counsel to INEC and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Rafiu Lawal-Rabana (SAN).
Adenipekun noted that asking his witness to remove his cap and eyeglasses would be tantamount to embarrassing him.
Tribunal chair Justice Barka asked Adeniyi to continue his cross-examination of the witness, and the frayed nerves were clamed, albeit temporarily.
Adeniyi asked the witness what the person attacking the journalists was doing in the video, Olanrewaju said he saw the aggressor pouncing on his victim but "I don’t know what he was doing with him".
The court was also shown the rowdy scene at the Ifaki Police Station where election observers were brutalised.
While under cross-examination from PDP counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), Olanrewaju denied being involved in any act of violence before, during and after the election.
He said he did not know those people that were shown in the video.
Under cross-examination from Lawal-Rabana, Olanrewaju denied knowing a fellow PDP loyalist, Peter Oladosu, popularly known as Erinmoje, and other witnesses from Ifaki.
He also denied holding any position in the Oni-led administration and the state chapter of the PDP.
Olanrewaju said all those who had come to the tribunal to testify to his alleged involvement in violence were telling lies against him.
Earlier in the day, a witness who came to testify for Oni from Ipoti-Ekiti, Temitope Olajuyi, told the tribunal while answering questions from Adeniyi that his desire was that Fayemi’s petition should not fail.
Adeniyi asked: "Is it your desire that this petition should fail?"
The witness answered: "No, my lord".
Olajuyi, RW 10, told the tribunal that no INEC form was filled before the commencement of voting in the unit where he served as an agent for the PDP.
He also denied that a member of the House of Assembly, Lai Oke, and other PDP chieftains in Ipoti disrupted election.
RW 11, Olufemi Ajibola, said his age at the time he registered as a voter was 37 years but he was surprised to see a different age in the Voters’ Register.
When asked whether he saw any INEC official or security agent bribed at the election, he said: "I can’t say whether INEC officials or policemen were bribed because if such happened, my lord, they will not allow me to see it.
"My lord, I cannot say what I did not see. I am not a contestant at the election so, I did not bribe anybody".
Ajibola also said he was not sure whether other party agents were given Form EC8A to fill like he did.
He said he was a councillorship aspirant and joined politics on part-time basis in 2007.
When it was brought to his attention that the number of accredited voters on Exhibit 31 (1) and the number of those who voted on Exhibit 57, the official result sheet did not tally, the witness responded that he was not the maker of the document.
RW 12, Joseph Ajayi was confronted with documents which revealed that 295 votes were cast but 319 were recorded. But, he denied involvement in the alleged inflation of figures.
He said he should not be held responsible for the alteration in the result sheet.
The hearing continues today
Fed Govt distributes generators to states
The Federal Government yesterday distributed 500KVA generators to eight states assessed to have started the establishment of enterprise zones in their states.
The pledge for the provision of the generators was made during the administration of the former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Charles Ugwu, to encourage industrial cluster concept in states.
The former minister had said that the first 10 states to start the concept would be rewarded with the provision of generators to power their industries.
The states that benefitted are: Imo, Ebonyi, Kogi, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Osun, and Kano.
The government not only provided generators, but also assured the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) of good road network.
The Minister of State, Commerce and Industry, Mr. Humphrey Abbah, who presented the generators to state commissioners, said unreliable power supply had been a major challenge for manufacturers.
He said: "As you may be aware, the government had designed numerous programmes aimed at revitalising the industrial sector, but, unfortunately, these efforts have not achieved the desired goals.
"This situation has been a source of concern to the government. Part of this is the contribution of manufacturing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which was as low as 5.6 per cent by 2006, while the importation of consumer goods and raw materials constituted over 75 per cent of import bills. The share of manufacturing to non oil exports was less than 50 per cent.
"Factors that constitute stumbling blocks to the rapid growth of industries are, poor infrastructure, lack of skilled labour, unreliable power supply, multiplicity of taxes, absence and lack of access to credit facilities, and so on.
"The acquisition of land and legal documentation and high cost of provision of infrastructural facilities like power, water, telecommunication, access roads, could account for 30-40 per cent of total setup cost."
Abbah said the new industrial development strategy was hinged on cluster concept, which entails a group of small enterprises operating in a defined geographical location, producing similar products or services.
"The enterprises should be cooperating and competing with each other in order to overcome internal problems, setting common strategies to overcome external challenges and reaching distant market through development network."
According to him, "The cluster concept is expected to work at five levels: Free Trade Zones, Industrial Parks, Industrial cluster, Enterprise Zones, Incubators.
"In line with this mandate, the ministry has chosen enterprise zones to jumpstart the implementation of the cluster concept on the recognition that it is the simplest and cheapest to implement."
The Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Corporation, and Tourism, Kano State, Alhaji Ahmed Yakassai, appealed to the government to follow up with the second phase, which is providing other states with the same generators.
He praised the government for the project and assured that the generator sets would be well taken care of
The pledge for the provision of the generators was made during the administration of the former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Charles Ugwu, to encourage industrial cluster concept in states.
The former minister had said that the first 10 states to start the concept would be rewarded with the provision of generators to power their industries.
The states that benefitted are: Imo, Ebonyi, Kogi, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Osun, and Kano.
The government not only provided generators, but also assured the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) of good road network.
The Minister of State, Commerce and Industry, Mr. Humphrey Abbah, who presented the generators to state commissioners, said unreliable power supply had been a major challenge for manufacturers.
He said: "As you may be aware, the government had designed numerous programmes aimed at revitalising the industrial sector, but, unfortunately, these efforts have not achieved the desired goals.
"This situation has been a source of concern to the government. Part of this is the contribution of manufacturing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which was as low as 5.6 per cent by 2006, while the importation of consumer goods and raw materials constituted over 75 per cent of import bills. The share of manufacturing to non oil exports was less than 50 per cent.
"Factors that constitute stumbling blocks to the rapid growth of industries are, poor infrastructure, lack of skilled labour, unreliable power supply, multiplicity of taxes, absence and lack of access to credit facilities, and so on.
"The acquisition of land and legal documentation and high cost of provision of infrastructural facilities like power, water, telecommunication, access roads, could account for 30-40 per cent of total setup cost."
Abbah said the new industrial development strategy was hinged on cluster concept, which entails a group of small enterprises operating in a defined geographical location, producing similar products or services.
"The enterprises should be cooperating and competing with each other in order to overcome internal problems, setting common strategies to overcome external challenges and reaching distant market through development network."
According to him, "The cluster concept is expected to work at five levels: Free Trade Zones, Industrial Parks, Industrial cluster, Enterprise Zones, Incubators.
"In line with this mandate, the ministry has chosen enterprise zones to jumpstart the implementation of the cluster concept on the recognition that it is the simplest and cheapest to implement."
The Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Corporation, and Tourism, Kano State, Alhaji Ahmed Yakassai, appealed to the government to follow up with the second phase, which is providing other states with the same generators.
He praised the government for the project and assured that the generator sets would be well taken care of
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Robbers attack Ibadan Poly Rector, others
The Rector of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, Prof. Moshood Nassar, and other members of the institution’s Governing Council, were attacked by armed robbers, it was leant yesterday.
A corporal attached to Nassar was killed in the incident which happened last Thursday.
The Rector was also shot in the arm.
The team was on an inspection tour to the Saki satellite campus when it was attacked by the hoodlums.
They had visited the Eruwa campus before heading to Saki.
The policeman simply identified as Hassan, was said to have shot one of the robbers who suddenly jumped on the road to stop the convoy.
But other members of the gang emerged from their hideout and ordered all those on the convoy to prostrate on the road.
The robbers fired seversl shots at the policeman, and he died on the spot.
The institution’s spokesman, Mr. Soladoye Adewole, said members of the Governing Council were on an inspection tour of projects on the institution’s campuses when they were attacked.
"It was on a neighbouring community, Maya’s market day. The robbers had earlier robbed some other people before they got there," Adewole said.
Police boss Baba Adisa Bolata confirmed the incident.
A corporal attached to Nassar was killed in the incident which happened last Thursday.
The Rector was also shot in the arm.
The team was on an inspection tour to the Saki satellite campus when it was attacked by the hoodlums.
They had visited the Eruwa campus before heading to Saki.
The policeman simply identified as Hassan, was said to have shot one of the robbers who suddenly jumped on the road to stop the convoy.
But other members of the gang emerged from their hideout and ordered all those on the convoy to prostrate on the road.
The robbers fired seversl shots at the policeman, and he died on the spot.
The institution’s spokesman, Mr. Soladoye Adewole, said members of the Governing Council were on an inspection tour of projects on the institution’s campuses when they were attacked.
"It was on a neighbouring community, Maya’s market day. The robbers had earlier robbed some other people before they got there," Adewole said.
Police boss Baba Adisa Bolata confirmed the incident.
Dud cheque suspect docked
A forty-year old oil executive, Miss Yinka Olagbaju, yesterday pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge of issuing dud cheques amounting to N125 million to Intercontinental Bank Plc.
Miss Olagbaju, who is the chief executive of Pro-Oil Nigeria Limited, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja.
The commission said the accused issued the Ecobank Nigeria Plc cheques "fraudulently and knowingly with intent to defraud."
The offences are contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, Cap. D11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
She was, however, granted bail on liberal terms by Justice Morenike Obadina, following the decision of the EFCC lawyer, Mr. Ben Ubi, not to oppose the bail application made by her lawyer, Mr. Seth Ikenge.
Justice Obadina ordered that she should be reminded in EFCC custody pending she would be able to meet her bail condition.
She was granted bail in the sum of N500,000, including two sureties, one of whom must be a civil servant on grade level 12 and above is fulfilled.
One of the sureties, the court said, must own a landed property in Lagos, which must be verified by the Police and court registrar.
Trouble began for Miss Olagbaju when she could not liquidate a loan of N146.8million she took from a new generation bank in July 2005.
The bank had told investigators that Miss Olagbaju "gave a personal guarantee as security for the loan with an Irrevocable Letter of Domiciliation of Payment but reneged on the loan agreement and arrangements."
Though part of the loan was paid, in a bid to offset the remaining facility, she issued two Ecobank cheques - the subject of litigation.
The matter was adjourned till November 26 for trial.
Miss Olagbaju, who is the chief executive of Pro-Oil Nigeria Limited, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja.
The commission said the accused issued the Ecobank Nigeria Plc cheques "fraudulently and knowingly with intent to defraud."
The offences are contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, Cap. D11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
She was, however, granted bail on liberal terms by Justice Morenike Obadina, following the decision of the EFCC lawyer, Mr. Ben Ubi, not to oppose the bail application made by her lawyer, Mr. Seth Ikenge.
Justice Obadina ordered that she should be reminded in EFCC custody pending she would be able to meet her bail condition.
She was granted bail in the sum of N500,000, including two sureties, one of whom must be a civil servant on grade level 12 and above is fulfilled.
One of the sureties, the court said, must own a landed property in Lagos, which must be verified by the Police and court registrar.
Trouble began for Miss Olagbaju when she could not liquidate a loan of N146.8million she took from a new generation bank in July 2005.
The bank had told investigators that Miss Olagbaju "gave a personal guarantee as security for the loan with an Irrevocable Letter of Domiciliation of Payment but reneged on the loan agreement and arrangements."
Though part of the loan was paid, in a bid to offset the remaining facility, she issued two Ecobank cheques - the subject of litigation.
The matter was adjourned till November 26 for trial.
Govt okays seven more varsities
The Federal Government yesterday granted provisional licences for seven more private universities in the country.
The latest approval brings the number of universities in the country to 96 out of which 24 are private.
Granting the approval, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), explained that the approval was given to enhance the standard of education in the country.
The Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, who briefed the State House correspondents, listed the new institutions as Wellspring University, Evbuobanosa, Edo State, Paul Universities, Awka, Anambra State, Rhema University, Obeama-Asa, Rivers State, Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, Osun State, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Godfrey Okoye University, Ugwuomu-Nike, Enugu State and Nigerian Turkish Nile, University, Abuja.
The Minister of State for Education, Hajia Aisha Duku, said the provisional licensces were given to only individuals or group who met a set of conditions by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The latest approval brings the number of universities in the country to 96 out of which 24 are private.
Granting the approval, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), explained that the approval was given to enhance the standard of education in the country.
The Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, who briefed the State House correspondents, listed the new institutions as Wellspring University, Evbuobanosa, Edo State, Paul Universities, Awka, Anambra State, Rhema University, Obeama-Asa, Rivers State, Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, Osun State, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Godfrey Okoye University, Ugwuomu-Nike, Enugu State and Nigerian Turkish Nile, University, Abuja.
The Minister of State for Education, Hajia Aisha Duku, said the provisional licensces were given to only individuals or group who met a set of conditions by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Tribunal rejects Oni’s witness’ documents
The Ekiti State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ado-Ekiti yesterday rejected two documents a witness sought to tender in favour of Governor Segun Oni.
It was at the resumed hearing of the petition filed by Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate Dr. Kayode Fayemi against Oni’s declaration as winner of the April 25 governorship rerun election.
Omodan Afolabi sought to tender as exhibits his AC membership card and tag as party agent during the election.
Afolabi, who claimed to have acted as a party agent for AC at Ipoti Ward B, Ijero Local Government Area of the state, urged the tribunal to admit the documents - his party membership card and party agent tag - as exhibits.
The ruling, which threw out the two documents, was delivered shortly before the continuation of Oni’s defence of his election.
Fayemi is challenging the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in six wards of Ipoti A, Ipoti B in Ijero Local Government Area and Ifaki I, Ifaki II, Orin/Ora and Usi in Ido/Osi Local Government Area.
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice Hamma Barka, had in a short ruling after counsel announced their appearances, rejected the two documents.
He said they were not pleaded.
Justice Barka upheld the objection of the counsel to the petitioners.
He said the provisions of the Tribunal Practice Direction are clear on which document to admit or reject.
He said the party membership card and agent tag failed to pass the test of admissibility as enshrined in Paragraph 4 (1) of the Practice Direction.
Making allusion to the position of counsel to the respondents that the tags of some election observers brought to the court by the petitioners were admitted as exhibits, Justice Barka held that the circumstances leading to the admission of the observers’ tags were clearly different from the documents at issue.
Stressing that documents are not admitted at will but in accordance with the law, the tribunal chief urged counsel to parties to assist the tribunal while leading their witnesses in evidence.
He warned them not to mislead the tribunal while canvassing a position.
"Such evidence are inadmissible and they are subsequently rejected and should be marked rejected," Justice Barka said.
Shortly after the ruling was delivered, Afolabi was cross-examined by PDP counsel Joe Gadzama (SAN).
The witness, who deposed in his statement on oath that he acted as an agent at Unit 005 in Ipoti Ward A, told the tribunal that all AC agents at the poll wore red T-shirts.
Under cross-examination from counsel to INEC and Resident Electoral Commissioner (3rd and 4th respondents), Rafiu Lawal-Rabana (SAN), he said nobody disrupted the election and that there was no stuffing or theft of ballot boxes whatsoever in his unit.
While being cross-examined by counsel to the Returning Officer for Ijero Local Government Area, Nathaniel Oke (SAN), Afolabi said the PDP won Unit 005 in Ipoti Ward A where he claimed to have served as agent.
The courtroom was treated to some drama when the witness was grilled by counsel to the petitioners, Mr. Anthony Adeniyi.
He (the witness) told the tribunal that he was 35 years old.
But, when he was confronted with Exhibit 31(5), which was the Voters’ Register for the unit where he registered as a voter showing that he was 35 years old as at 2007, Afolabi said as a farmer, he gave what he believed to be his age to the officials.
The witness, who was Respondent Witness 5 (RW 5), told the tribunal that he did not know when he was registered as a voter.
He said he registered and voted at Unit 006 in Okeya-Afin CAC Primary School but acted as agent at Unit 005 in Surajudeen Primary School, Okesokun.
Afolabi said he could not tell how long it would take to cover the two units where he acted as agent and voted.
He admitted knowing Navy Captain Omoniyi Olubolade (rtd), an Ipoti indigene, who defected from the AC to the PDP but claimed that he did not meet him in the party when he (Afolabi) joined it in 2007.
When asked whether he stands by his claim in his deposition that he is an artisan, Afolabi said: "An artisan is not a farmer".
He said those who registered him as a voter assumed he was an artisan.
Next to give evidence was DW 6, Ahmed Jimoh, who caused a stir before the tribunal by removing the cloth he wore to reveal the red shirt he had on him on the election day, which, he said, was to identify AC agents.
Being cross-examined by Obafemi Adewale, who took over from Gadzama, Jimoh said the red T-shirt was given to all AC polling agents at Fayemi’s residence in Isan-Ekiti where, according to him, they had undergone tutelage as party agents.
The witness, who is also a farmer, said their slogan on the day of election was "Rig and Roast" but recanted when he was cross-examined by Adeniyi.
Initially, Jimoh refused to answer Adeniyi’s question that there was nowhere in the red shirt where the name of the party or its logo or symbol was inscribed. He agreed after Justice Barka noted that there was nothing on the T-shirt to show that it belongs to the AC.
When given Exhibit 41 (official result sheet) which indicated that only 245 ballot papers were used in his unit whereas 241 were marked as accredited, Jimoh said INEC should be blamed for the discrepancy.
Dare Fagbohun, a student, told the tribunal that he was not sure whether all who registered at Unit 006 in Ipoti Ward B, where he reportedly acted as agent, voted.
The witness, who also removed his cloth to show the red T-shirt he claimed to have worn on election day, agreed with Adeniyi that the T-shirt could have been bought in any market but said it was specifically given to them for the election.
Fagbohun, RW 7, was asked to sign his specimen signature twice on a clean sheet of paper.
Adeniyi told him that he was not the one who signed his witness statement on oath.
The two signatures were admitted as Exhibit 53.
He also admitted when shown Exhibit 52, the official result sheet for his unit that 151 ballot papers were used but only 144 voters were accredited as confirmed by Exhibit 31 (13), the unit’s Voters’ Register.
"I cannot say whether all those who voted at my unit were accredited. What happened at the unit was quite possible because I was not the one that marked the register," Fagbohun said.
He told the tribunal that he was polling agent in Unit 006 but cast his vote at unit 007.
The witness said when he left the unit where he acted as an agent, an AC councillorship aspirant held the fort for him.
Fagbohun told the tribunal that his witness statement on oath was written for him.
He said did not know the person who wrote it for him.
When asked if he stood by his deposition in the document that he did not leave the unit where he acted as an agent throughout the period of the election, Fagbohun answered in the affirmative. Adedeji Adeyemo, RW 8, counted the votes recorded on Form EC8A which he tendered but it did not correspond with the figure recorded on Form EC8A.
The figure that was recorded as having voted was at variance with the number of accredited voters in the voters’ register.
There were many discrepancies in the Form EC8A tendered as exhibit.
More witnesses are expected to give evidence today.
It was at the resumed hearing of the petition filed by Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate Dr. Kayode Fayemi against Oni’s declaration as winner of the April 25 governorship rerun election.
Omodan Afolabi sought to tender as exhibits his AC membership card and tag as party agent during the election.
Afolabi, who claimed to have acted as a party agent for AC at Ipoti Ward B, Ijero Local Government Area of the state, urged the tribunal to admit the documents - his party membership card and party agent tag - as exhibits.
The ruling, which threw out the two documents, was delivered shortly before the continuation of Oni’s defence of his election.
Fayemi is challenging the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in six wards of Ipoti A, Ipoti B in Ijero Local Government Area and Ifaki I, Ifaki II, Orin/Ora and Usi in Ido/Osi Local Government Area.
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice Hamma Barka, had in a short ruling after counsel announced their appearances, rejected the two documents.
He said they were not pleaded.
Justice Barka upheld the objection of the counsel to the petitioners.
He said the provisions of the Tribunal Practice Direction are clear on which document to admit or reject.
He said the party membership card and agent tag failed to pass the test of admissibility as enshrined in Paragraph 4 (1) of the Practice Direction.
Making allusion to the position of counsel to the respondents that the tags of some election observers brought to the court by the petitioners were admitted as exhibits, Justice Barka held that the circumstances leading to the admission of the observers’ tags were clearly different from the documents at issue.
Stressing that documents are not admitted at will but in accordance with the law, the tribunal chief urged counsel to parties to assist the tribunal while leading their witnesses in evidence.
He warned them not to mislead the tribunal while canvassing a position.
"Such evidence are inadmissible and they are subsequently rejected and should be marked rejected," Justice Barka said.
Shortly after the ruling was delivered, Afolabi was cross-examined by PDP counsel Joe Gadzama (SAN).
The witness, who deposed in his statement on oath that he acted as an agent at Unit 005 in Ipoti Ward A, told the tribunal that all AC agents at the poll wore red T-shirts.
Under cross-examination from counsel to INEC and Resident Electoral Commissioner (3rd and 4th respondents), Rafiu Lawal-Rabana (SAN), he said nobody disrupted the election and that there was no stuffing or theft of ballot boxes whatsoever in his unit.
While being cross-examined by counsel to the Returning Officer for Ijero Local Government Area, Nathaniel Oke (SAN), Afolabi said the PDP won Unit 005 in Ipoti Ward A where he claimed to have served as agent.
The courtroom was treated to some drama when the witness was grilled by counsel to the petitioners, Mr. Anthony Adeniyi.
He (the witness) told the tribunal that he was 35 years old.
But, when he was confronted with Exhibit 31(5), which was the Voters’ Register for the unit where he registered as a voter showing that he was 35 years old as at 2007, Afolabi said as a farmer, he gave what he believed to be his age to the officials.
The witness, who was Respondent Witness 5 (RW 5), told the tribunal that he did not know when he was registered as a voter.
He said he registered and voted at Unit 006 in Okeya-Afin CAC Primary School but acted as agent at Unit 005 in Surajudeen Primary School, Okesokun.
Afolabi said he could not tell how long it would take to cover the two units where he acted as agent and voted.
He admitted knowing Navy Captain Omoniyi Olubolade (rtd), an Ipoti indigene, who defected from the AC to the PDP but claimed that he did not meet him in the party when he (Afolabi) joined it in 2007.
When asked whether he stands by his claim in his deposition that he is an artisan, Afolabi said: "An artisan is not a farmer".
He said those who registered him as a voter assumed he was an artisan.
Next to give evidence was DW 6, Ahmed Jimoh, who caused a stir before the tribunal by removing the cloth he wore to reveal the red shirt he had on him on the election day, which, he said, was to identify AC agents.
Being cross-examined by Obafemi Adewale, who took over from Gadzama, Jimoh said the red T-shirt was given to all AC polling agents at Fayemi’s residence in Isan-Ekiti where, according to him, they had undergone tutelage as party agents.
The witness, who is also a farmer, said their slogan on the day of election was "Rig and Roast" but recanted when he was cross-examined by Adeniyi.
Initially, Jimoh refused to answer Adeniyi’s question that there was nowhere in the red shirt where the name of the party or its logo or symbol was inscribed. He agreed after Justice Barka noted that there was nothing on the T-shirt to show that it belongs to the AC.
When given Exhibit 41 (official result sheet) which indicated that only 245 ballot papers were used in his unit whereas 241 were marked as accredited, Jimoh said INEC should be blamed for the discrepancy.
Dare Fagbohun, a student, told the tribunal that he was not sure whether all who registered at Unit 006 in Ipoti Ward B, where he reportedly acted as agent, voted.
The witness, who also removed his cloth to show the red T-shirt he claimed to have worn on election day, agreed with Adeniyi that the T-shirt could have been bought in any market but said it was specifically given to them for the election.
Fagbohun, RW 7, was asked to sign his specimen signature twice on a clean sheet of paper.
Adeniyi told him that he was not the one who signed his witness statement on oath.
The two signatures were admitted as Exhibit 53.
He also admitted when shown Exhibit 52, the official result sheet for his unit that 151 ballot papers were used but only 144 voters were accredited as confirmed by Exhibit 31 (13), the unit’s Voters’ Register.
"I cannot say whether all those who voted at my unit were accredited. What happened at the unit was quite possible because I was not the one that marked the register," Fagbohun said.
He told the tribunal that he was polling agent in Unit 006 but cast his vote at unit 007.
The witness said when he left the unit where he acted as an agent, an AC councillorship aspirant held the fort for him.
Fagbohun told the tribunal that his witness statement on oath was written for him.
He said did not know the person who wrote it for him.
When asked if he stood by his deposition in the document that he did not leave the unit where he acted as an agent throughout the period of the election, Fagbohun answered in the affirmative. Adedeji Adeyemo, RW 8, counted the votes recorded on Form EC8A which he tendered but it did not correspond with the figure recorded on Form EC8A.
The figure that was recorded as having voted was at variance with the number of accredited voters in the voters’ register.
There were many discrepancies in the Form EC8A tendered as exhibit.
More witnesses are expected to give evidence today.
USA arrives with 4 CIA chiefs
As expected the national team of the United States of America flew into Nigeria yesterday heavily guarded by its own private security numbering,four to forestall mischief.
They touched down at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos at about 3pm but did not leave the arrival hall until 5pm after completing all the necessary traveling documents.
Outside the hall, it was observed that the team comprising players, technical crew and officials of the football federation arrived with five heavy suitcases containing boxes of chocolates and foodstuffs that should last them for the duration of the tournament aside kits and training equipment.
Some of the players were seen taking chocolates from the suitcases while waiting for the bus that conveyed them to the local wing of the airport to connect a flight to Kano.
The presence of the security men all dressed in black suits prevented journalists, admirers and passengers from catching a full glimpse of the team who will be making their 12th appearance in this tournament.
By this, they are the only team to have featured in all the tournaments since its inception in 1985 in China.
The team has been drawn against Spain, Malawi and the United Arab Emirates.
Going about with security has always been the practice of any USA team whenever it travels for international competitions organised by FIFA.
When Nigeria hosted the U-20 FIFA tournament in 1999, USA stormed Port-Harcourt with their own soldiers and other security operatives including food.
It was the same picture at the 2007 FIFA Women World Cup in China.
In China they rejected the hotel provided by FIFA to opt for one at their own expense.
They touched down at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos at about 3pm but did not leave the arrival hall until 5pm after completing all the necessary traveling documents.
Outside the hall, it was observed that the team comprising players, technical crew and officials of the football federation arrived with five heavy suitcases containing boxes of chocolates and foodstuffs that should last them for the duration of the tournament aside kits and training equipment.
Some of the players were seen taking chocolates from the suitcases while waiting for the bus that conveyed them to the local wing of the airport to connect a flight to Kano.
The presence of the security men all dressed in black suits prevented journalists, admirers and passengers from catching a full glimpse of the team who will be making their 12th appearance in this tournament.
By this, they are the only team to have featured in all the tournaments since its inception in 1985 in China.
The team has been drawn against Spain, Malawi and the United Arab Emirates.
Going about with security has always been the practice of any USA team whenever it travels for international competitions organised by FIFA.
When Nigeria hosted the U-20 FIFA tournament in 1999, USA stormed Port-Harcourt with their own soldiers and other security operatives including food.
It was the same picture at the 2007 FIFA Women World Cup in China.
In China they rejected the hotel provided by FIFA to opt for one at their own expense.
Govt okays 50% pay rise for university teachers
UNIVERSITY teachers won yesterday their long battle for better pay and more conducive environment for work.
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) finally signed the controversial 2001 Agreement. The action is likely to end a three-month strike that kept the universities shut.
The ASUU President, Prof Ukachukwu Awuzie, signed on behalf of the union. The Chairman, FGN/ASUU Re-negotiation Committee, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode, and Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), Chairman, Committee of Pro-Chancellors (CPC) of the Federal Universities, signed on behalf of the government.
The next comprehensive review of the Agreement shall be in 2012 in accordance with International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 98 and within the framework of Medium Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) and Vision 2020.
A source said last night that the government agreed to increase the lecturers’ salary by over 50 percent. This is an improvement over the 40 percent salary increase earlier rejected by the union. But the union is insisting salary is not their major concern in the dispute.
However, there is an indication that this may be the last time there will be collective bargaining as parties agreed that there shall be a review of the collective bargaining machinery in the university system, including procedure and substance of negotiations.
The sacked 49 lecturers of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) issue remains unresolved.
Although the Re-negotiation Committee had initially agreed that the matter be resolved out of court, the Federal Government still preferred that the matter before the Supreme Court be concluded. But ASUU insisted that an out of court settlement was appropriate and preferable, and should continue to be pursued.
Both parties have, however, agreed that nobody shall be victimised in any way whatsoever for his or her role in the process leading to this re-negotiation and agreement.
Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who played a major role in the reconciliation, praised the two teams for showing understanding.
He said: "There is no substitute to dialogue. What has happened shows that we have a president that is a statesman and has put the country forward. Some other president will just say… given all that has happened it is going to be difficult.
"We have seen a president who was ready to reverse himself through flexibility to make additional concessions without which the whole effort would not have worked.
"ASUU has also been able to demonstrate a level of patriotism that at the end of the day we all meant well. We might not appreciate the same style and all of that but Nigeria is all that we have. We are all patriotic; ASUU has demonstrated that."
Oshimohole said the next challenge is for the parties to ensure implementation of the agreement to the letter so that next time ASUU and government would not have a crisis of confidence, which he said accounted for the prolonged strike.
Asked if his state would implement the agreement, Oshiomhole, who said state governments shall not be obliged because the Federal Government cannot negotiate for them, added that his state would obey the agreement.
"Edo State will have to obey this agreement because there is what we call the neighbourhood effect," he pointed out
Education Minister, Dr. Sam Egwu, told reporters. "We have shifted ground so that we can move forward and what we did is in the interest of the country.
He declined comments on the details of the agreement.
The ASUU president said the union would soon convoke a National Executive Council meeting to take some decisions, especially on the strike, which was suspended for just two weeks the meeting is likely to hold tomorrow.
He admitted that both teams had agreed on "a lot of issues".
Awuzie said: "As you know in collective bargaining there is give-and-take and because we are patriots, we want the best for the education system. So, all of us have to make compromises here and there and at the end of the day we have an agreement.
He went on: "Every human society is dynamic. We have made commitment in writing. We hope every party to that agreement will keep its own part. When these are done, there will be progress. No academic went into university to go on strike but we cannot allow the system to decay. I have children in school and they are at home. We have a duty to this nation and posterity to give them education that is competitive in Nigeria and the world.
"We are going to pursue the next stage, which is the implementation of the agreement; signing of agreement is one thing; implementing it is another one. We are hoping that all parties will keep their parts".
On whether the agreement would be binding on state governments, Awuzie said: "We created benchmark for every university. We are all patriots; we want education to work."
ASUU warned the government not to set unions against one another.
It also demanded immediate payment of the lecturers, four months salary, which was withheld.
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) finally signed the controversial 2001 Agreement. The action is likely to end a three-month strike that kept the universities shut.
The ASUU President, Prof Ukachukwu Awuzie, signed on behalf of the union. The Chairman, FGN/ASUU Re-negotiation Committee, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode, and Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), Chairman, Committee of Pro-Chancellors (CPC) of the Federal Universities, signed on behalf of the government.
The next comprehensive review of the Agreement shall be in 2012 in accordance with International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 98 and within the framework of Medium Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) and Vision 2020.
A source said last night that the government agreed to increase the lecturers’ salary by over 50 percent. This is an improvement over the 40 percent salary increase earlier rejected by the union. But the union is insisting salary is not their major concern in the dispute.
However, there is an indication that this may be the last time there will be collective bargaining as parties agreed that there shall be a review of the collective bargaining machinery in the university system, including procedure and substance of negotiations.
The sacked 49 lecturers of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) issue remains unresolved.
Although the Re-negotiation Committee had initially agreed that the matter be resolved out of court, the Federal Government still preferred that the matter before the Supreme Court be concluded. But ASUU insisted that an out of court settlement was appropriate and preferable, and should continue to be pursued.
Both parties have, however, agreed that nobody shall be victimised in any way whatsoever for his or her role in the process leading to this re-negotiation and agreement.
Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who played a major role in the reconciliation, praised the two teams for showing understanding.
He said: "There is no substitute to dialogue. What has happened shows that we have a president that is a statesman and has put the country forward. Some other president will just say… given all that has happened it is going to be difficult.
"We have seen a president who was ready to reverse himself through flexibility to make additional concessions without which the whole effort would not have worked.
"ASUU has also been able to demonstrate a level of patriotism that at the end of the day we all meant well. We might not appreciate the same style and all of that but Nigeria is all that we have. We are all patriotic; ASUU has demonstrated that."
Oshimohole said the next challenge is for the parties to ensure implementation of the agreement to the letter so that next time ASUU and government would not have a crisis of confidence, which he said accounted for the prolonged strike.
Asked if his state would implement the agreement, Oshiomhole, who said state governments shall not be obliged because the Federal Government cannot negotiate for them, added that his state would obey the agreement.
"Edo State will have to obey this agreement because there is what we call the neighbourhood effect," he pointed out
Education Minister, Dr. Sam Egwu, told reporters. "We have shifted ground so that we can move forward and what we did is in the interest of the country.
He declined comments on the details of the agreement.
The ASUU president said the union would soon convoke a National Executive Council meeting to take some decisions, especially on the strike, which was suspended for just two weeks the meeting is likely to hold tomorrow.
He admitted that both teams had agreed on "a lot of issues".
Awuzie said: "As you know in collective bargaining there is give-and-take and because we are patriots, we want the best for the education system. So, all of us have to make compromises here and there and at the end of the day we have an agreement.
He went on: "Every human society is dynamic. We have made commitment in writing. We hope every party to that agreement will keep its own part. When these are done, there will be progress. No academic went into university to go on strike but we cannot allow the system to decay. I have children in school and they are at home. We have a duty to this nation and posterity to give them education that is competitive in Nigeria and the world.
"We are going to pursue the next stage, which is the implementation of the agreement; signing of agreement is one thing; implementing it is another one. We are hoping that all parties will keep their parts".
On whether the agreement would be binding on state governments, Awuzie said: "We created benchmark for every university. We are all patriots; we want education to work."
ASUU warned the government not to set unions against one another.
It also demanded immediate payment of the lecturers, four months salary, which was withheld.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Dele Giwa: IG gets one-week ultimatum to re-open case (The Nation)
Twenty three years after the murder of the former Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine, Mr. Dele Giwa, his lawyers have called for the re-opening of the case.
They gave the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, a week ultimatum to prosecute former Military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and others for their alleged complicity in the incident.
The late Giwa was killed through a letter-bomb on October 19, 1986.
Addressing reporters yesterday, the Head of the Gani Fawehinmi Chambers, Mr. Mohammed Fawehinmi, said Gen. Babangida is liable given the circumstances in which Giwa was killed.
He urged Onovo to prosecute him since he (Gen. Babangida) no longer enjoys immunity.
Others to be prosecuted, according to him, include the former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), Colonel Halilu Akilu, Deputy Director of State Security Service (SSS), Lt.-Col. A. K. Togun and Gloria Okon.
Said Fawehinmi: "Since the Constitution empowers him and Section 4 of the Police Act 2004 empowers him to arrest, prosecute anyone found guilty of law, it is the duty of Onovo to prosecute former president Ibrahim Babangida, former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), Colonel Halilu Akilu, Deputy Director of State Security Service (SSS), Lt.-Col. A. K. Togun and Gloria Okon since they are all alive and the law respects nobody. Ogbonna should do his job as expected of him."
Fawehinmi urged the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Michael Andoakaa, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to rise up to Giwa’s murder and other long list of unresolved killings.
"I want to assure those that killed Dele Giwa that the death of my father will not be the end of the fight to prosecute those that assassinated Dele Giwa. We are giving the Inspector-General of Police a week to respond to issue raised in the press conference," Fawehinmi said.
At another forum yesterday, family, friends and rights activists relived Giwa’s death, lamenting that his killers were yet to be found 23 years after.
They spoke at a "Night of Conversation" held in Giwa’s memory at the Eko FM, Ikeja, Lagos.
In attendance were Giwa’s mother, Madam Elekhia; sister, Mrs Ronke Aboaba; Afenifere chieftains Wale Oshun; Yinka Odumakin and Bisi Adegbuyi, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Ethiopia Chief Segun Olusola, Campaign for Democracy (CD) president Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, Mr. Festus Keyamo and Dr. Tunji Abayomi, among others.
Giwa’s mother and sister lamented that the family had been abandoned by the late journalist’s friends, saying: "things have not been easy for us".
Oshun, Odumakin, Keyamo and Abayomi regretted the unresolved murders in the country,saying: "It is a shame that our nationals could be killed without their killers being found".
They noted that since Giwa, other journalists – Godwin Agbroko and Abayomi Ogundeji of Thisday and Bayo Ohu of The Guardian - had been killed without the killers being found.
In Benin, the Edo State capital, Nigerians were advised to fight corruption in spite of Giwa’s murder.
Delivering a lecture at the first Dele Giwa Memorial lecture series organised by the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in conjunction with Estako West Local Government Area, Mr. Osaheni Uzamere, a lawyer, noted that in the face of a bleak and uncertain future that faces Nigeria, the responsibility of the press is to continue to expose corruption as failure to do so would be detrimental.
Uzamere, who spoke on "Journalism, Law and Power in Nigeria: The Dele Giwa Phenomenon", said: "Dele Giwa would not brook any obstruction along his journalistic path. He believed in published and be damned. He more or less introduced investigative journalism into Nigeria. The irony of Dele Giwa’s case is that he had not reached the point where he would tell the truth even though he was inching towards it when he was brutally cut down.
"The murder of Dele Giwa marked a watershed in the history of Nigerian journalism.Never before had such a dastardly sophisticated means been employed to silence an inquisitive journalist. There was no iota of doubt that Dele Giwa was killed because he vowed that his young Newswatch magazine would exercise its freedom, albeit of the Press."
The Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Ogun State, has admonished journalists to continue to uphold the practice of developmental journalism, against all odds.
In a statement issued in Philadelphia, USA, Oladunjoye, a journalist, noted that it is shamefully embarrassing that the Giwa riddle remain unresolved.
Rather, we have witness other cases like Abayomi Ogundeji, and the most recent, which is Bayo Ohu’s of The Guardian.
His words: "Nigerian journalists are today’s endangered species.What with low and unsecured jobs, restricted access to public information, ownership censor, political manipulation and very weak unionism, and race for survival."
Recalling the efforts of journalists in the struggle for Nigeria’s independence and the pro-democracy battle, Oladunjoye said no one has a higher stake to the nation’s socio-cultural and economic advancement.
Oladunjoye expressed frustration at what he called the vainglorious assurances from members of the National Assembly on the Freedom of Information Bill (FOI).
"It is unbelievable that the FOI bill has taken so many years and it is still yet to be passed.
"We are tired of these empty promises from our lawmakers, who mouth support for FOI bill with little or action.
"Nigerian journalists should continue to raise their heads high because anywhere in the world today, the journalism profession remains honourable, enviable and very humane even in the face of daunting global economic realities. That is how to ensure that Dele Giwa did not die in vain," Oladunjoye said.
They gave the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, a week ultimatum to prosecute former Military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and others for their alleged complicity in the incident.
The late Giwa was killed through a letter-bomb on October 19, 1986.
Addressing reporters yesterday, the Head of the Gani Fawehinmi Chambers, Mr. Mohammed Fawehinmi, said Gen. Babangida is liable given the circumstances in which Giwa was killed.
He urged Onovo to prosecute him since he (Gen. Babangida) no longer enjoys immunity.
Others to be prosecuted, according to him, include the former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), Colonel Halilu Akilu, Deputy Director of State Security Service (SSS), Lt.-Col. A. K. Togun and Gloria Okon.
Said Fawehinmi: "Since the Constitution empowers him and Section 4 of the Police Act 2004 empowers him to arrest, prosecute anyone found guilty of law, it is the duty of Onovo to prosecute former president Ibrahim Babangida, former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), Colonel Halilu Akilu, Deputy Director of State Security Service (SSS), Lt.-Col. A. K. Togun and Gloria Okon since they are all alive and the law respects nobody. Ogbonna should do his job as expected of him."
Fawehinmi urged the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Michael Andoakaa, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to rise up to Giwa’s murder and other long list of unresolved killings.
"I want to assure those that killed Dele Giwa that the death of my father will not be the end of the fight to prosecute those that assassinated Dele Giwa. We are giving the Inspector-General of Police a week to respond to issue raised in the press conference," Fawehinmi said.
At another forum yesterday, family, friends and rights activists relived Giwa’s death, lamenting that his killers were yet to be found 23 years after.
They spoke at a "Night of Conversation" held in Giwa’s memory at the Eko FM, Ikeja, Lagos.
In attendance were Giwa’s mother, Madam Elekhia; sister, Mrs Ronke Aboaba; Afenifere chieftains Wale Oshun; Yinka Odumakin and Bisi Adegbuyi, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Ethiopia Chief Segun Olusola, Campaign for Democracy (CD) president Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, Mr. Festus Keyamo and Dr. Tunji Abayomi, among others.
Giwa’s mother and sister lamented that the family had been abandoned by the late journalist’s friends, saying: "things have not been easy for us".
Oshun, Odumakin, Keyamo and Abayomi regretted the unresolved murders in the country,saying: "It is a shame that our nationals could be killed without their killers being found".
They noted that since Giwa, other journalists – Godwin Agbroko and Abayomi Ogundeji of Thisday and Bayo Ohu of The Guardian - had been killed without the killers being found.
In Benin, the Edo State capital, Nigerians were advised to fight corruption in spite of Giwa’s murder.
Delivering a lecture at the first Dele Giwa Memorial lecture series organised by the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in conjunction with Estako West Local Government Area, Mr. Osaheni Uzamere, a lawyer, noted that in the face of a bleak and uncertain future that faces Nigeria, the responsibility of the press is to continue to expose corruption as failure to do so would be detrimental.
Uzamere, who spoke on "Journalism, Law and Power in Nigeria: The Dele Giwa Phenomenon", said: "Dele Giwa would not brook any obstruction along his journalistic path. He believed in published and be damned. He more or less introduced investigative journalism into Nigeria. The irony of Dele Giwa’s case is that he had not reached the point where he would tell the truth even though he was inching towards it when he was brutally cut down.
"The murder of Dele Giwa marked a watershed in the history of Nigerian journalism.Never before had such a dastardly sophisticated means been employed to silence an inquisitive journalist. There was no iota of doubt that Dele Giwa was killed because he vowed that his young Newswatch magazine would exercise its freedom, albeit of the Press."
The Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Ogun State, has admonished journalists to continue to uphold the practice of developmental journalism, against all odds.
In a statement issued in Philadelphia, USA, Oladunjoye, a journalist, noted that it is shamefully embarrassing that the Giwa riddle remain unresolved.
Rather, we have witness other cases like Abayomi Ogundeji, and the most recent, which is Bayo Ohu’s of The Guardian.
His words: "Nigerian journalists are today’s endangered species.What with low and unsecured jobs, restricted access to public information, ownership censor, political manipulation and very weak unionism, and race for survival."
Recalling the efforts of journalists in the struggle for Nigeria’s independence and the pro-democracy battle, Oladunjoye said no one has a higher stake to the nation’s socio-cultural and economic advancement.
Oladunjoye expressed frustration at what he called the vainglorious assurances from members of the National Assembly on the Freedom of Information Bill (FOI).
"It is unbelievable that the FOI bill has taken so many years and it is still yet to be passed.
"We are tired of these empty promises from our lawmakers, who mouth support for FOI bill with little or action.
"Nigerian journalists should continue to raise their heads high because anywhere in the world today, the journalism profession remains honourable, enviable and very humane even in the face of daunting global economic realities. That is how to ensure that Dele Giwa did not die in vain," Oladunjoye said.
Yar’Adua, Okah discuss Niger Delta rescue plan
President Umaru Yar’Adua yesterday met in camera with Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) leader Henry Okah, ostensibly over the group’s threat to launch fresh attacks.
Sources said the meeting, which was at the President’s instance, is part of the post-amnesty process aimed at finding lasting solutions to the Niger Delta crises.
It was the first meeting between the President and Okah since the militant leader was released from detention in July.
He had left for South Africa after his release for medical treatment. He went back yesterday immediately after the meeting, a source said.
Presidential spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi said the meeting went well. He refused to comment further.
Adeniyi said: "Yes; I am aware that Mr Okah came to the Villa today (yesterday) on the invitation of the President and they held a very fruitful discussion. The Federal Government has agreed to dialogue with every and any person who can help bring lasting peace to the Niger Delta."
On details of the discussion, Adeniyi said: "No; I cannot give you the details, but I know that the President is determined to bring development to the Niger-Delta and I am very positive that it will be done."
A source at the Presidency said the visit was an opportunity for Okah to talk with the President just like other former militant leaders.
Another source said the meeting was held in the President’s residence in the Villa, unlike previous meetings with other former militant leaders.
The source said it took the intervention of Okah’s lawyer Femi Falana for him to attend, after he had insisted on not attending any meeting on the Niger Delta question because of what is described as his suspicion that the government was insincere.
"He had said he could meet with only the President in confidence. So, the media were not there; it was a closed-door meeting," said another source.
On what the President and Okah may have discussed, the source said: "They agreed on continuous dialogue and urgent physical development of the Niger Delta."
Sources said the meeting, which was at the President’s instance, is part of the post-amnesty process aimed at finding lasting solutions to the Niger Delta crises.
It was the first meeting between the President and Okah since the militant leader was released from detention in July.
He had left for South Africa after his release for medical treatment. He went back yesterday immediately after the meeting, a source said.
Presidential spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi said the meeting went well. He refused to comment further.
Adeniyi said: "Yes; I am aware that Mr Okah came to the Villa today (yesterday) on the invitation of the President and they held a very fruitful discussion. The Federal Government has agreed to dialogue with every and any person who can help bring lasting peace to the Niger Delta."
On details of the discussion, Adeniyi said: "No; I cannot give you the details, but I know that the President is determined to bring development to the Niger-Delta and I am very positive that it will be done."
A source at the Presidency said the visit was an opportunity for Okah to talk with the President just like other former militant leaders.
Another source said the meeting was held in the President’s residence in the Villa, unlike previous meetings with other former militant leaders.
The source said it took the intervention of Okah’s lawyer Femi Falana for him to attend, after he had insisted on not attending any meeting on the Niger Delta question because of what is described as his suspicion that the government was insincere.
"He had said he could meet with only the President in confidence. So, the media were not there; it was a closed-door meeting," said another source.
On what the President and Okah may have discussed, the source said: "They agreed on continuous dialogue and urgent physical development of the Niger Delta."
Minister threatens BankPHB over N122.3m debt (The NATION)
Minister of Labour and Productivity Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) has protested to the Managing Director of Bank PHB over accumulated N122.3million non-performing loans credited to him by the bank.
Kayode, who denied owing the bank any amount, also threatened to sue for defamation of character.
In a letter, signed by his counsel, Mr. Tunji Salawu, the Minister gave the bank seven days to clear his name and pay N1billion compensation.
The letter said Kayode "is not indebted to Bank PHB, rather it is the bank that is actually indebted to our client to the tune of N15million in a fraudulent manner, the fact of which is presently a subject matter in a pending suit filed by our client at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja."
"The matter has been fixed for hearing on 2nd November, 2009 before Hon. Justice A. S. Umar," the lawyers said.
The Minister explained how the alleged indebtedness came about.
The letter says: "Sometime in January 2008, Bank PHB approached our client and offered to grant him a loan facility to buy the bank’s 5,000,000 units of shares. Our client was asked to make a deposit of N11million for the shares while the bank will provide the balance.
"Surprisingly, after Bank PHB received the deposit of N11million made by our client, it refused to buy or allot the agreed 5,000,000 shares to our client.
"For more than a year, our client requested for the certificate of shares purportedly bought for him by Bank PHB but the bank could not produce it.
"No word was heard from the bank either in respect of the loan transaction or the purchase of shares despite several personal and written demands made by our client.
"It was after our client had threatened to report the said transaction to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that the bank management became panicky and wanted to meet with our client to resolve the matter amicably.
"Our client briefed us sometime in February 2009 to recover the deposit made by him from the bank. Consequently, we wrote a letter dated 3rd March, 2009 on behalf of our client to the bank to demand for the refund of the sum of N11million being the deposit of our client as well as the statement of our client’s account.
"In the process, it was discovered that an additional N6.5million made by our client sometime in June 2008 to his account was fraudulently converted to an interest paid in respect of a loan facility which was never granted to our client."
Kayode, who denied owing the bank any amount, also threatened to sue for defamation of character.
In a letter, signed by his counsel, Mr. Tunji Salawu, the Minister gave the bank seven days to clear his name and pay N1billion compensation.
The letter said Kayode "is not indebted to Bank PHB, rather it is the bank that is actually indebted to our client to the tune of N15million in a fraudulent manner, the fact of which is presently a subject matter in a pending suit filed by our client at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja."
"The matter has been fixed for hearing on 2nd November, 2009 before Hon. Justice A. S. Umar," the lawyers said.
The Minister explained how the alleged indebtedness came about.
The letter says: "Sometime in January 2008, Bank PHB approached our client and offered to grant him a loan facility to buy the bank’s 5,000,000 units of shares. Our client was asked to make a deposit of N11million for the shares while the bank will provide the balance.
"Surprisingly, after Bank PHB received the deposit of N11million made by our client, it refused to buy or allot the agreed 5,000,000 shares to our client.
"For more than a year, our client requested for the certificate of shares purportedly bought for him by Bank PHB but the bank could not produce it.
"No word was heard from the bank either in respect of the loan transaction or the purchase of shares despite several personal and written demands made by our client.
"It was after our client had threatened to report the said transaction to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that the bank management became panicky and wanted to meet with our client to resolve the matter amicably.
"Our client briefed us sometime in February 2009 to recover the deposit made by him from the bank. Consequently, we wrote a letter dated 3rd March, 2009 on behalf of our client to the bank to demand for the refund of the sum of N11million being the deposit of our client as well as the statement of our client’s account.
"In the process, it was discovered that an additional N6.5million made by our client sometime in June 2008 to his account was fraudulently converted to an interest paid in respect of a loan facility which was never granted to our client."
Soludo: I’m ready for probe (The Nation)
Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has said he was ready for any inquisition about his stewardship at the apex bank.
Professor Soludo said in a statement from his campaign orgnaisation that insinuations that he was hinted with any bribe relations to the Printing of Naira notes in polymer were not correct.
In the statement issued by his Legal Assistant Mr. Dan Obiekie yesterday, he said: "Neither ‘The Age’ newspaper nor anyone has accused Soludo of demanding or receiving bribe from anyone. The allegation by ‘The Age’ is a speculation that ‘senior government officials and high-level Nigerians’ may have been paid bribe. Without any specificity or evidence, we find the allegation/insinuations to be wild. We are not aware of anyone who received any bribe whatsoever in relation to the polymer substrate.
According to him ‘The Age’ newspaper was simply accusing the Australian company ‘Securrency’ of paying high commissions to its international marketing consultants and therefore speculated that the commissions may have been used to bribe senior officials in countries where polymer is being used."
Obiekie argued that the Australian parliament has debated the matter and dismissed it, while the Australian police has been investigating the matter since May 2009 and no report of wrong doing has been issued so far either against the Company (Securrency) or anyone.
"He said the Soludo camp was interested in the result of the investigation and would be highly surprised if anyone in the CBN during Soludo’s tenure received any bribe, adding, "for sections of the media to be screaming headlines of ‘bribery scandal’ without naming anyone who received bribe is not decent journalism. It is also politics at its worst."
He explained that the polymer substrate was introduced because of its superior features and cost effectiveness, stating that the former President and Board of the Central Bank approved the introduction of polymer (on experimental basis with the N20) to realise its benefits.
Many countries of the world, he said, are also migrating to the polymer substrate. The success of the N20 and its long life span relative to paper currency (hence cost effectiveness) warranted the approval by the current President that the remaining lower denominations be printed in polymer, Obiekie added.
Professor Soludo said in a statement from his campaign orgnaisation that insinuations that he was hinted with any bribe relations to the Printing of Naira notes in polymer were not correct.
In the statement issued by his Legal Assistant Mr. Dan Obiekie yesterday, he said: "Neither ‘The Age’ newspaper nor anyone has accused Soludo of demanding or receiving bribe from anyone. The allegation by ‘The Age’ is a speculation that ‘senior government officials and high-level Nigerians’ may have been paid bribe. Without any specificity or evidence, we find the allegation/insinuations to be wild. We are not aware of anyone who received any bribe whatsoever in relation to the polymer substrate.
According to him ‘The Age’ newspaper was simply accusing the Australian company ‘Securrency’ of paying high commissions to its international marketing consultants and therefore speculated that the commissions may have been used to bribe senior officials in countries where polymer is being used."
Obiekie argued that the Australian parliament has debated the matter and dismissed it, while the Australian police has been investigating the matter since May 2009 and no report of wrong doing has been issued so far either against the Company (Securrency) or anyone.
"He said the Soludo camp was interested in the result of the investigation and would be highly surprised if anyone in the CBN during Soludo’s tenure received any bribe, adding, "for sections of the media to be screaming headlines of ‘bribery scandal’ without naming anyone who received bribe is not decent journalism. It is also politics at its worst."
He explained that the polymer substrate was introduced because of its superior features and cost effectiveness, stating that the former President and Board of the Central Bank approved the introduction of polymer (on experimental basis with the N20) to realise its benefits.
Many countries of the world, he said, are also migrating to the polymer substrate. The success of the N20 and its long life span relative to paper currency (hence cost effectiveness) warranted the approval by the current President that the remaining lower denominations be printed in polymer, Obiekie added.
Ex-commissioner: Daniel is after my life (The Nation)
A former Commissioner for Agriculture in Ogun State, Hon. Waliu Taiwo, has accused Governor Gbenga Daniel of being after his life.
He said Daniel has a killer-squad that is bent on eliminating all his perceived opponents.
Addressing reporters in Lagos yesterday, Taiwo, who was sacked from the State Executive Council (Exco) on March 4, said he and members of his family were the latest victims of the governor’s killer-squad.
They were attacked over the weekend, and one of his cousins was killed, he said.
Narrating his ordeal, the two-time member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, said he was invited to attend a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward meeting at Atan, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area but had to shelve it when an anonymous caller warned him to stay away.
"I later got a distress call from my supporters that hired thugs led by a local government chief with a commissioner invaded the meeting with dangerous weapons like guns, machetes, charms etc. and were demanding for me," Taiwo said.
Brandishing the photographs of the injured, the former Commissioner said he reported the matter to the Police Area Commander in Ota.
"When I could not be located at the meeting, the gang moved down to my ancestral home in Ota, thinking I would be there, and attacked many people. From there, they proceeded towards my family house in Osi where they shot several people and killed one of my cousins, Abiodun Oyewole. This was also reported to the Area Commander.
"Gbenga Daniel used to say he does not have a killer-squad and that people should produce any corpse his squad had killed; now I have the corpse of my cousin that his killer-squad killed. He cannot deny this killing because he masterminded this operation through his boy, the council chief, funded it through the commissioner and now wants to cover up through his security adviser," Taiwo said.
The PDP chieftain said when he went to the police station to report the matter, he was told to go to the Commissioner of Police in Abeokuta, the state capital, where he was told that there was a petition against him by the council chief and a Special Adviser to the Governor.
"Daniel wants to compare himself with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but there is no basis for comparison, Tinubu is a leader, founded the AC and concedes where necessary, but Daniel is a stranger in PDP, had no political antecedent before he became governor, he is an inexperienced politician, he joined us in the party, now he wants to decide what happens without taking other stakeholders into consideration," Taiwo said.
But, the state government denied Taiwo’s allegation.
Speaking through the Consultant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Sina Ogunbambo, the government said it does not have a killer-squad.
"That is not our character. We don’t run a government of killers, and those concerned in the matter will address the press tomorrow (today) to give details of all they knew about the issue."
He said Daniel has a killer-squad that is bent on eliminating all his perceived opponents.
Addressing reporters in Lagos yesterday, Taiwo, who was sacked from the State Executive Council (Exco) on March 4, said he and members of his family were the latest victims of the governor’s killer-squad.
They were attacked over the weekend, and one of his cousins was killed, he said.
Narrating his ordeal, the two-time member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, said he was invited to attend a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward meeting at Atan, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area but had to shelve it when an anonymous caller warned him to stay away.
"I later got a distress call from my supporters that hired thugs led by a local government chief with a commissioner invaded the meeting with dangerous weapons like guns, machetes, charms etc. and were demanding for me," Taiwo said.
Brandishing the photographs of the injured, the former Commissioner said he reported the matter to the Police Area Commander in Ota.
"When I could not be located at the meeting, the gang moved down to my ancestral home in Ota, thinking I would be there, and attacked many people. From there, they proceeded towards my family house in Osi where they shot several people and killed one of my cousins, Abiodun Oyewole. This was also reported to the Area Commander.
"Gbenga Daniel used to say he does not have a killer-squad and that people should produce any corpse his squad had killed; now I have the corpse of my cousin that his killer-squad killed. He cannot deny this killing because he masterminded this operation through his boy, the council chief, funded it through the commissioner and now wants to cover up through his security adviser," Taiwo said.
The PDP chieftain said when he went to the police station to report the matter, he was told to go to the Commissioner of Police in Abeokuta, the state capital, where he was told that there was a petition against him by the council chief and a Special Adviser to the Governor.
"Daniel wants to compare himself with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but there is no basis for comparison, Tinubu is a leader, founded the AC and concedes where necessary, but Daniel is a stranger in PDP, had no political antecedent before he became governor, he is an inexperienced politician, he joined us in the party, now he wants to decide what happens without taking other stakeholders into consideration," Taiwo said.
But, the state government denied Taiwo’s allegation.
Speaking through the Consultant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Sina Ogunbambo, the government said it does not have a killer-squad.
"That is not our character. We don’t run a government of killers, and those concerned in the matter will address the press tomorrow (today) to give details of all they knew about the issue."
Drama as Oni opens his defence at Ekiti polls tribunal
Ekiti State Governor Segun Oni yesterday opened his defence before the Election Petitions Tribunal, with his first witness giving three different names to the tribunal.
There was plenty of drama at the proceedings which was the continuation of the hearing of the petition filed by the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who is challenging Oni’s return as winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Oni ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 25 governorship rerun election.
First to appear before the tribunal was a witness from Ekunpa Polling Unit in Ipoti Ward B in Ijero Local Government Area, Akande Olurotimi Johnson.
The witness told the tribunal under cross-examination by counsel to the petitioner, Yusuf Ali (SAN),that he was in the Police between 1989 and 1994 after which he worked with a private estate agency before establishing his own business.
But, he was confronted with the Voters’ Register for his ward and was asked by Ali to locate his name and read it to the hearing of the court.
He admitted that his name on the Voters’ Register marked as Exhibit 31 (11) read "Olurotimi J. Akanbi", which appeared as Number 81 on the list.
The Defence Witness 1 (DW1) was also obliged Exhibit 47, which was the official result sheet, otherwise known as Form EC8A for the unit, which he signed as the agent for his party and identified his name as "Akande Johnson Ayodeji".
He was asked by Ali to read the names written as an agent of the PDP on Form EC8A which he had tendered at the tribunal but he only read out "Akande Johnson" but declined to read out the third name of "Ayodeji", saying the discrepancies were not his fault.
Akande, who told the tribunal that he monitored the election throughout the voting hours, said the election was free, fair and devoid of violence as claimed by the petitioners and their winesses.
Fayemi’s counsel, Ali, urged the tribunal to look at the name, saying Ayodeji was written on Form EC8A.
Ali’s bid to have the witness count the number of accredited voters was objected to by Oni’s counsel, Adebayo Adenipekun (SAN) on grounds that the witness was not the maker of the document.
The objection was supported by PDP counsel, Joe Gadzama (SAN), INEC counsel, Rafiu Lawal-Rabana (SAN), counsel to Ido/Osi and Ijero Returning Officers, Nathaniel Oke (SAN).
The tribunal upheld the objection, and the witness was disallowed from counting the number of accredited voters.
Akande said the last rerun election marked the first time he would serve as an agent.
When asked by Ali whether anything was done on his voter’s card, the witness replied that the presiding officer "did nothing to his voter’s card", and that three persons had voted before he cast his vote between 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm.
Next to give evidence was Clement Oluwole, who said under cross-examination from Ali, that he would not be surprised to know that the number of accredited voters was less than those who voted.
He admitted that only those whose names were ticked on the voters register were allowed to vote.
More drama was to come when the tribunal reconvened at 3.00 pm after the break.
Defence Witness (DW3) Olukayode Jimoh, from Ipoti Ward A Unit 5, said he signed Form EC8A which he tendered at the tribunal.
But on close examination of the document, his signature was not on the document.
Under cross-examination from Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), who took over from Ali, Jimoh, who said he is a school certificate holder, did not know that 5 multiplied by 12 equals 60.
Akintola asked him what time would a voter would spend to vote starting from accreditation to voting, suggesting to him that it would take an average of five minutes.
He said if a voter spends five minutes, how many minutes will 12 voters spend?
Besides, the signature he signed in the open court did not tally with the one he appended on his witness statement on oath.
The two signatures were tendered and admitted as Exhibits 50 and 51.
When confronted with the fact that the number of ballot papers recorded on Form EC8A which he tendered did no tally with the number of voters ticked as accredited, Defence Witness (DW 4) Oluwafemi Olajide said the mistake was from INEC and not from his.
The hearing continues today.
There was plenty of drama at the proceedings which was the continuation of the hearing of the petition filed by the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who is challenging Oni’s return as winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Oni ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 25 governorship rerun election.
First to appear before the tribunal was a witness from Ekunpa Polling Unit in Ipoti Ward B in Ijero Local Government Area, Akande Olurotimi Johnson.
The witness told the tribunal under cross-examination by counsel to the petitioner, Yusuf Ali (SAN),that he was in the Police between 1989 and 1994 after which he worked with a private estate agency before establishing his own business.
But, he was confronted with the Voters’ Register for his ward and was asked by Ali to locate his name and read it to the hearing of the court.
He admitted that his name on the Voters’ Register marked as Exhibit 31 (11) read "Olurotimi J. Akanbi", which appeared as Number 81 on the list.
The Defence Witness 1 (DW1) was also obliged Exhibit 47, which was the official result sheet, otherwise known as Form EC8A for the unit, which he signed as the agent for his party and identified his name as "Akande Johnson Ayodeji".
He was asked by Ali to read the names written as an agent of the PDP on Form EC8A which he had tendered at the tribunal but he only read out "Akande Johnson" but declined to read out the third name of "Ayodeji", saying the discrepancies were not his fault.
Akande, who told the tribunal that he monitored the election throughout the voting hours, said the election was free, fair and devoid of violence as claimed by the petitioners and their winesses.
Fayemi’s counsel, Ali, urged the tribunal to look at the name, saying Ayodeji was written on Form EC8A.
Ali’s bid to have the witness count the number of accredited voters was objected to by Oni’s counsel, Adebayo Adenipekun (SAN) on grounds that the witness was not the maker of the document.
The objection was supported by PDP counsel, Joe Gadzama (SAN), INEC counsel, Rafiu Lawal-Rabana (SAN), counsel to Ido/Osi and Ijero Returning Officers, Nathaniel Oke (SAN).
The tribunal upheld the objection, and the witness was disallowed from counting the number of accredited voters.
Akande said the last rerun election marked the first time he would serve as an agent.
When asked by Ali whether anything was done on his voter’s card, the witness replied that the presiding officer "did nothing to his voter’s card", and that three persons had voted before he cast his vote between 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm.
Next to give evidence was Clement Oluwole, who said under cross-examination from Ali, that he would not be surprised to know that the number of accredited voters was less than those who voted.
He admitted that only those whose names were ticked on the voters register were allowed to vote.
More drama was to come when the tribunal reconvened at 3.00 pm after the break.
Defence Witness (DW3) Olukayode Jimoh, from Ipoti Ward A Unit 5, said he signed Form EC8A which he tendered at the tribunal.
But on close examination of the document, his signature was not on the document.
Under cross-examination from Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), who took over from Ali, Jimoh, who said he is a school certificate holder, did not know that 5 multiplied by 12 equals 60.
Akintola asked him what time would a voter would spend to vote starting from accreditation to voting, suggesting to him that it would take an average of five minutes.
He said if a voter spends five minutes, how many minutes will 12 voters spend?
Besides, the signature he signed in the open court did not tally with the one he appended on his witness statement on oath.
The two signatures were tendered and admitted as Exhibits 50 and 51.
When confronted with the fact that the number of ballot papers recorded on Form EC8A which he tendered did no tally with the number of voters ticked as accredited, Defence Witness (DW 4) Oluwafemi Olajide said the mistake was from INEC and not from his.
The hearing continues today.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Countries Billionaires Could Buy
These American moguls could buy some of the world's economies
Castles in France. Islands in the Caribbean. Private jets. With a collective $1.27 trillion at their disposal, the members of The Forbes 400 could buy almost anything.
How about a country? A quick glance at the CIA Fact Book suggests the individual fortunes of many Forbes 400 members are as big as some of the world's economies.
Bill Gates, America's richest man with a net worth of $50 billion, has a personal balance sheet larger than the gross domestic product (GDP) of 140 countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Bolivia and Uruguay. The Microsoft (MSFT) visionary's nest egg is just short of the GDP of Tanzania and Burma.
Warren Buffett, who lost $10 billion in the past 12 months and is this year's Forbes 400 biggest dollar loser, still has a fortune the size of North Korea's economy at $40 billion. (The Oracle of Omaha probably would steer clear of that investment, though.)
One Forbes 400 member does actually run a small chunk of a state in an official capacity: Mayor Michael Bloomberg. While he is busy serving as the chief executive of New York City and grappling with its sluggish economy, his own personal balance sheet -- amassed through financial information services and media company Bloomberg LP -- equals the value of all the goods and services produced in South Africa's Republic of Zambia's ($17.5 billion).
Some say that land developer Donald Bren, whose assets throughout the vicinity of Orange County, Calif., include 475 office buildings, 115 apartment communities, 41 retail centers, resort properties and new housing, runs Orange County -- he certainly owns most of it. And with a net worth of $12 billion, he could, in theory, buy Haiti's economy, too.
Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson's $9 billion net worth is akin to the Bahamas' GDP ($9 billion). Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay (EBAY), the world's biggest auction marketplace, could theoretically control Somalia's market with his $5.5 billion fortune.
George Lucas, the famed Hollywood director behind the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises and ILM, the world's most bankable special effects shop, has a $3 billion fortune, making him worth as much as the GDP of Guyana.
Hedge fund founder David Shaw's $2.5 billion net worth parallels Belize's marketplace.
Investor John Paulson amassed much of his fortune by exploiting the real estate bubble and shorting the subprime market in 2007. Today he has a net worth of $6.8 billion -- the equivalent of Montenegro's gross domestic product.
Although Eli Broad's fortune suffered because of AIG's (AIG) collapse last fall -- he's lost $1.3 billion in the last 12 months -- he still has a bank account that rivals Barbados' economy ($5.4 billion).
Forbes 400 members with net worths just under $1 billion still possess fortunes that could operate the economies of significant fractions of the globe. Gary Magness, who owns water rights in Colorado through his ranch holdings, has a net worth of $990 million, which barely exceeds Vanuatu's GDP ($988.5 million).
If this year's three poorest Forbes 400 members were to combine their wealth (a combined $2.9 billion), their amassed fortune would be worth more than the workings of Belize's entire economy.
Castles in France. Islands in the Caribbean. Private jets. With a collective $1.27 trillion at their disposal, the members of The Forbes 400 could buy almost anything.
How about a country? A quick glance at the CIA Fact Book suggests the individual fortunes of many Forbes 400 members are as big as some of the world's economies.
Bill Gates, America's richest man with a net worth of $50 billion, has a personal balance sheet larger than the gross domestic product (GDP) of 140 countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Bolivia and Uruguay. The Microsoft (MSFT) visionary's nest egg is just short of the GDP of Tanzania and Burma.
Warren Buffett, who lost $10 billion in the past 12 months and is this year's Forbes 400 biggest dollar loser, still has a fortune the size of North Korea's economy at $40 billion. (The Oracle of Omaha probably would steer clear of that investment, though.)
One Forbes 400 member does actually run a small chunk of a state in an official capacity: Mayor Michael Bloomberg. While he is busy serving as the chief executive of New York City and grappling with its sluggish economy, his own personal balance sheet -- amassed through financial information services and media company Bloomberg LP -- equals the value of all the goods and services produced in South Africa's Republic of Zambia's ($17.5 billion).
Some say that land developer Donald Bren, whose assets throughout the vicinity of Orange County, Calif., include 475 office buildings, 115 apartment communities, 41 retail centers, resort properties and new housing, runs Orange County -- he certainly owns most of it. And with a net worth of $12 billion, he could, in theory, buy Haiti's economy, too.
Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson's $9 billion net worth is akin to the Bahamas' GDP ($9 billion). Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay (EBAY), the world's biggest auction marketplace, could theoretically control Somalia's market with his $5.5 billion fortune.
George Lucas, the famed Hollywood director behind the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises and ILM, the world's most bankable special effects shop, has a $3 billion fortune, making him worth as much as the GDP of Guyana.
Hedge fund founder David Shaw's $2.5 billion net worth parallels Belize's marketplace.
Investor John Paulson amassed much of his fortune by exploiting the real estate bubble and shorting the subprime market in 2007. Today he has a net worth of $6.8 billion -- the equivalent of Montenegro's gross domestic product.
Although Eli Broad's fortune suffered because of AIG's (AIG) collapse last fall -- he's lost $1.3 billion in the last 12 months -- he still has a bank account that rivals Barbados' economy ($5.4 billion).
Forbes 400 members with net worths just under $1 billion still possess fortunes that could operate the economies of significant fractions of the globe. Gary Magness, who owns water rights in Colorado through his ranch holdings, has a net worth of $990 million, which barely exceeds Vanuatu's GDP ($988.5 million).
If this year's three poorest Forbes 400 members were to combine their wealth (a combined $2.9 billion), their amassed fortune would be worth more than the workings of Belize's entire economy.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Militant leader Ateke Tom surrenders
A key Niger Delta militant leader Ateke Tom, renounced militancy yesterday – 72 hours to the expiration of the amnesty deadline.
President Umaru Yar’Adua, who received Tom and his lieutenants at the State House, Abuja, said the militant leader’s action was his 49
th Independence Anniversary gift.
Tom, the leader of the Niger Delta Vigilance Force (NDVF), and his team were flown from their Camp 4 in Rivers State to meet with the President in Abuja.
They were first taken in a private helicopter to the nearest Air Force military base, from where they were flown in a military aircraft to the Owerri Airport in Imo State. The group was flown to Abuja in a presidential aircraft.
Tom was accompanied by his lawyer, Uche Onyeagocha, and nephew, Akinaka Richard, Executive Director Grassroots Institute for Peace and Democracy.
Five militant commandants under him – Friday Itaekoha, Joshua Opia, Felix Itwida, Roland Okugbo and Gilbert-Amos were on his entourage.
Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, Chairman of the Amnesty Panel and Minister of Defence, General Godwin Abbe (rtd), National Security Adviser, General Sarki Mulktar (rtd), Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Paul Dike, Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ogbonna Onovo among others joined the President to receive Tom.
Under the amnesty package, militants are to surrender their arms in return for unconditional pardon within 60days. The deadline expires on Sunday.
Describing Tom’s action as his Independent anniversary gift, Yar’Adua pledged that in two to five years, Niger Delta would witness massive infrastructural development.
The President fixed another meeting for tomorrow with Tom, who demanded a private meeting to trash out some thorny issues. Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi is expected at the meeting.
Yar’Adua said his administration understood the challenges of the Niger Delta and its people. The challenges, he promised, would soon be over.
He added that the amnesty is not an end in itself but a means to an end.
Assuring the militants that the government would work with them to ensure that Niger Delta youths a meaningful life through the kind of programmes that would evolve, Yar’Adua called on other militants, who are yet to take advantage of the amnesty, to do so.
He said: "First I would like to praise and thank God Almighty for this afternoon’s visit today. Chief Ateke Tom has just given me my 49th Independence anniversary gift. This independent anniversary gift you have given me I cherish, very much. Of all those things I cherish, one of them is peace and security in the Niger Delta.
"It has always pained me to see our brothers and sisters taking up arms against fellow Nigerians and ready to live in the creeks under very difficult conditions because of issues that agitate their mind but by the grace of God and the kind heart and the goodwill you have brought to this amnesty programme this is coming to an end.
"I want to commend you and members of your delegation and to thank you very much. You may not know what you are doing for your people and the nation now; it will become evident in the future. Continue with the peace and security in the Niger Delta region. In a few years, five years or so, you will see the kind of development that would have taken place then you will thank God that you decided to take advantage of this amnesty so that together we join hands to work diligently for the welfare and wellbeing of our people.
"This administration understands the challenges of the Niger Delta region and the challenges people are facing and that is why from the beginning I made Niger Delta a top priority in our seven-point agenda. I want to say that the amnesty is not an end in itself but a means to an end. It is a means to peacefully and lovingly with brotherly understanding bring to an end all insurrection and misunderstanding between brothers. It is a means to bringing stability peace and security to the Niger Delta region. It is a means of making the two of us work together to ensure that our youths do not take up arms again.
"We will work together to ensure that youths in the Niger Delta have a meaningful life through the kind of programmes we will evolve; train them, help them to establish businesses, those who want to further their education to whatever level to help them to do that to ensure that each and everyone of them has a career and a life to be proud of and that he would stand to be proud of himself, his family and his country and he would be proud that he is a Nigerian.
"You have told the Minister of Defence that you will like to see me but this is the first time we have met but this will not be the last time.
"Secondly, I am calling on other militant leaders who have not yet taking advantage of this amnesty programme to do that because I want us to work together into the post-amnesty period. I am hoping that in the remaining three days, 4th October, the remaining militant leaders will please consider and follow the example of Chief Ateke Tom so that if they do that, after 4th October we will sit down with them and discuss as brothers the kind of programmes that will help in the rehabilitation and reintegration of their followers and other militants that are under them so that together we plan a future for them. A future they will be proud of. That is one of the things we will do.
"The other thing is to look at the problems that caused the agitations in the Niger Delta in the first place. These are problems that have been well known for a very long time. We will not just say you have dropped your arms and so you go, no.
"Come we will sit down and see what are the problems that have made you to take up arms against your state; then you will say these are the problems, we work out the solution together with you, then we go ahead to implement and then you also participate in implementing the solutions to these problems. That is the essence of this amnesty. To stop the violence but also to unite with you to solve other problems so that the issue of militancy and grievances we will put behind us."
Replying, Tom who spoke in pidgin English called on the President to help address the Niger Delta problems.
He said his confidence in the President led him to embrace amnesty from the first day.
Tom said: I meet with Defence Minister, them come our camp, ask us say wetin be our problem, we tell them our problems and the problem, this Niger Delta problem no be new story na story we the whole world know and your amnesty, immediately you announced the amnesty, I be the first person wey embrace the amnesty because I like the amnesty.
But things wey we talk we dey worry us make una try do am for us because we dey suffer for Niger Delta and we believe you.
Me particularly, I believe you well well. I know say the things dem wey you promise you go fit do am for us but the people wey no fit endure am na him no fit endure am so I thank you very well for this amnesty.
Make you try help us, we the Ijaw people, try commot us from this problem wey we dey get. Our arms we go drop am; like me, I don promise I go drop my arms. Na im make I say make I come see you; take all our problems dem, try solve am for us, that is why I dey here today.
President Umaru Yar’Adua, who received Tom and his lieutenants at the State House, Abuja, said the militant leader’s action was his 49
th Independence Anniversary gift.
Tom, the leader of the Niger Delta Vigilance Force (NDVF), and his team were flown from their Camp 4 in Rivers State to meet with the President in Abuja.
They were first taken in a private helicopter to the nearest Air Force military base, from where they were flown in a military aircraft to the Owerri Airport in Imo State. The group was flown to Abuja in a presidential aircraft.
Tom was accompanied by his lawyer, Uche Onyeagocha, and nephew, Akinaka Richard, Executive Director Grassroots Institute for Peace and Democracy.
Five militant commandants under him – Friday Itaekoha, Joshua Opia, Felix Itwida, Roland Okugbo and Gilbert-Amos were on his entourage.
Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, Chairman of the Amnesty Panel and Minister of Defence, General Godwin Abbe (rtd), National Security Adviser, General Sarki Mulktar (rtd), Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Paul Dike, Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ogbonna Onovo among others joined the President to receive Tom.
Under the amnesty package, militants are to surrender their arms in return for unconditional pardon within 60days. The deadline expires on Sunday.
Describing Tom’s action as his Independent anniversary gift, Yar’Adua pledged that in two to five years, Niger Delta would witness massive infrastructural development.
The President fixed another meeting for tomorrow with Tom, who demanded a private meeting to trash out some thorny issues. Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi is expected at the meeting.
Yar’Adua said his administration understood the challenges of the Niger Delta and its people. The challenges, he promised, would soon be over.
He added that the amnesty is not an end in itself but a means to an end.
Assuring the militants that the government would work with them to ensure that Niger Delta youths a meaningful life through the kind of programmes that would evolve, Yar’Adua called on other militants, who are yet to take advantage of the amnesty, to do so.
He said: "First I would like to praise and thank God Almighty for this afternoon’s visit today. Chief Ateke Tom has just given me my 49th Independence anniversary gift. This independent anniversary gift you have given me I cherish, very much. Of all those things I cherish, one of them is peace and security in the Niger Delta.
"It has always pained me to see our brothers and sisters taking up arms against fellow Nigerians and ready to live in the creeks under very difficult conditions because of issues that agitate their mind but by the grace of God and the kind heart and the goodwill you have brought to this amnesty programme this is coming to an end.
"I want to commend you and members of your delegation and to thank you very much. You may not know what you are doing for your people and the nation now; it will become evident in the future. Continue with the peace and security in the Niger Delta region. In a few years, five years or so, you will see the kind of development that would have taken place then you will thank God that you decided to take advantage of this amnesty so that together we join hands to work diligently for the welfare and wellbeing of our people.
"This administration understands the challenges of the Niger Delta region and the challenges people are facing and that is why from the beginning I made Niger Delta a top priority in our seven-point agenda. I want to say that the amnesty is not an end in itself but a means to an end. It is a means to peacefully and lovingly with brotherly understanding bring to an end all insurrection and misunderstanding between brothers. It is a means to bringing stability peace and security to the Niger Delta region. It is a means of making the two of us work together to ensure that our youths do not take up arms again.
"We will work together to ensure that youths in the Niger Delta have a meaningful life through the kind of programmes we will evolve; train them, help them to establish businesses, those who want to further their education to whatever level to help them to do that to ensure that each and everyone of them has a career and a life to be proud of and that he would stand to be proud of himself, his family and his country and he would be proud that he is a Nigerian.
"You have told the Minister of Defence that you will like to see me but this is the first time we have met but this will not be the last time.
"Secondly, I am calling on other militant leaders who have not yet taking advantage of this amnesty programme to do that because I want us to work together into the post-amnesty period. I am hoping that in the remaining three days, 4th October, the remaining militant leaders will please consider and follow the example of Chief Ateke Tom so that if they do that, after 4th October we will sit down with them and discuss as brothers the kind of programmes that will help in the rehabilitation and reintegration of their followers and other militants that are under them so that together we plan a future for them. A future they will be proud of. That is one of the things we will do.
"The other thing is to look at the problems that caused the agitations in the Niger Delta in the first place. These are problems that have been well known for a very long time. We will not just say you have dropped your arms and so you go, no.
"Come we will sit down and see what are the problems that have made you to take up arms against your state; then you will say these are the problems, we work out the solution together with you, then we go ahead to implement and then you also participate in implementing the solutions to these problems. That is the essence of this amnesty. To stop the violence but also to unite with you to solve other problems so that the issue of militancy and grievances we will put behind us."
Replying, Tom who spoke in pidgin English called on the President to help address the Niger Delta problems.
He said his confidence in the President led him to embrace amnesty from the first day.
Tom said: I meet with Defence Minister, them come our camp, ask us say wetin be our problem, we tell them our problems and the problem, this Niger Delta problem no be new story na story we the whole world know and your amnesty, immediately you announced the amnesty, I be the first person wey embrace the amnesty because I like the amnesty.
But things wey we talk we dey worry us make una try do am for us because we dey suffer for Niger Delta and we believe you.
Me particularly, I believe you well well. I know say the things dem wey you promise you go fit do am for us but the people wey no fit endure am na him no fit endure am so I thank you very well for this amnesty.
Make you try help us, we the Ijaw people, try commot us from this problem wey we dey get. Our arms we go drop am; like me, I don promise I go drop my arms. Na im make I say make I come see you; take all our problems dem, try solve am for us, that is why I dey here today.
Police arrest fake lawyer
A 45-year-old man, who had been parading himself as a human rights lawyer, has been arrested.
He was paraded yesterday by the Lagos State Police Command.
The suspect, Abayomi Balogun, who resides at Number 30, Sayanolu Street, Oko-oba, Agege, was arrested at Elere Police Station where he had gone to represent one of his ‘clients.’
He was paraded by police spokesman Frank Mba.
Balogun, a father of five children, told The Nation that he did not charge his ‘clients,’ but rather he helped them on humanitarian grounds.
He said: "My only regret is that I paraded myself as a lawyer when I am not.
"But I am not happy at the way the police detain people illegally without trial.
"If anybody says I have collected money from him or her, that person should come and testify."
He was paraded yesterday by the Lagos State Police Command.
The suspect, Abayomi Balogun, who resides at Number 30, Sayanolu Street, Oko-oba, Agege, was arrested at Elere Police Station where he had gone to represent one of his ‘clients.’
He was paraded by police spokesman Frank Mba.
Balogun, a father of five children, told The Nation that he did not charge his ‘clients,’ but rather he helped them on humanitarian grounds.
He said: "My only regret is that I paraded myself as a lawyer when I am not.
"But I am not happy at the way the police detain people illegally without trial.
"If anybody says I have collected money from him or her, that person should come and testify."
Judge accuses Fayose of delaying his trial
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has been accused by Mr. Justice Tijani Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Lagos, of attempting to delay his (Fayose’s) trial.
The judge spoke following arguments by prosecution and defence counsel. They traded blames over who was delaying the trial, which began in 2006.
Besides, Mr. Justice Abubakar fixed October 22 for ruling on whether or not to accept the amendment made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the earlier charge pending against Fayose.
EFCC counsel Mr. Rotimi Jacobs had, while commenting on a notice of preliminary objection filed by Fayose against the amended charge, told the court that the objection was in line with the defence’s strategy to scuttle the case.
Jacobs said the defence led by former Ekiti State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, deliberately filed the application late to frustrate the case.
He said the defence deliberately filed the application "just yesterday (Tuesday) when they had about four months to have done same, since the case last came up four months ago.
"I am raising this because of public perception that my client and the court are responsible for delay. This is an antic by the defence counsel to scuttle proceedings," he said.
Jacobs agreed that the application should be moved, adding that he was ready to reply.
Ajayi denied being responsible for delay. He noted that the prosecution had never been diligent in handling the case.
"Trial had commenced and prosecution witness number two was in the witness box when the prosecution stopped trial. Mr. Jacobs just came into the matter and what he did was to amend the charge and brought in new parties.
"We were not responsible for the last adjournment. The accusation that our filing of and objection amount to a professional misconduct is a misuse of words," he said.
In a mid-proceedings ruling, Mr. Justice Abubakar said the defence filed its objection just a day before the hearing date.
He added that despite that it had four months since the last hearing date,it (the defence) chose not to take any step but wait until a day to the next adjourned date.
"I agree with the prosecution that the defence’s action is an attempt to delay trial," Mr. Justice Abubakar said.
Moving his preliminary objection, Ajayi urged the court not to allow the amended charge because it would amount to denying his client fair hearing.
He argued that the court has the discretion under Section 163 of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) to either accept or reject an amendment to a charge before judgment, but that such discretion should be exercised in Fayose’s favour.
He said the amendment constituted an abuse of court process, prejudicial to Fayose and will render his pending appeal worthless because the new charge would change the whole case.
Ajayi added that the appeal had been entered by the Court of Appeal, which has issued parties hearing notice.
"I urge the court not to be persuaded by sentiments to do injustice against the accused person. The court should be guided by facts before it," he said.
Jacobs opposed the application.
He cited Section 163 of CPA, stressing that the court was empowered to allow amendment to charges where trial had not been concluded.
Jacobs said the amended charge had been accepted by the court having been filed.
He said what the defence needed to prove that the amendment amounted to an abuse was for it to show "malice or mala fide", which, he said, the defence has failed to show.
On the argument that there was a pending appeal, Jacobs said the trial court ought to be well-educated on the existence of such appeal to enable it reach an informed conclusion.
He urged the court to reject the application.
The judge adjourned the matter till October 22 for ruling.
In the new charge, EFCC added three companies believed to be owned by Fayose and his family members, as defendants.
They are Spotless Investment Limited, Feyerio Nig. Ltd. and Hoff Concept Limited.
The counts have also been increased from 51 to 80.
Fayose is standing trial for alleged money laundering in relation to his alleged involvement in the diversion of funds meant for the state’s poultry project.
The judge spoke following arguments by prosecution and defence counsel. They traded blames over who was delaying the trial, which began in 2006.
Besides, Mr. Justice Abubakar fixed October 22 for ruling on whether or not to accept the amendment made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the earlier charge pending against Fayose.
EFCC counsel Mr. Rotimi Jacobs had, while commenting on a notice of preliminary objection filed by Fayose against the amended charge, told the court that the objection was in line with the defence’s strategy to scuttle the case.
Jacobs said the defence led by former Ekiti State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, deliberately filed the application late to frustrate the case.
He said the defence deliberately filed the application "just yesterday (Tuesday) when they had about four months to have done same, since the case last came up four months ago.
"I am raising this because of public perception that my client and the court are responsible for delay. This is an antic by the defence counsel to scuttle proceedings," he said.
Jacobs agreed that the application should be moved, adding that he was ready to reply.
Ajayi denied being responsible for delay. He noted that the prosecution had never been diligent in handling the case.
"Trial had commenced and prosecution witness number two was in the witness box when the prosecution stopped trial. Mr. Jacobs just came into the matter and what he did was to amend the charge and brought in new parties.
"We were not responsible for the last adjournment. The accusation that our filing of and objection amount to a professional misconduct is a misuse of words," he said.
In a mid-proceedings ruling, Mr. Justice Abubakar said the defence filed its objection just a day before the hearing date.
He added that despite that it had four months since the last hearing date,it (the defence) chose not to take any step but wait until a day to the next adjourned date.
"I agree with the prosecution that the defence’s action is an attempt to delay trial," Mr. Justice Abubakar said.
Moving his preliminary objection, Ajayi urged the court not to allow the amended charge because it would amount to denying his client fair hearing.
He argued that the court has the discretion under Section 163 of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) to either accept or reject an amendment to a charge before judgment, but that such discretion should be exercised in Fayose’s favour.
He said the amendment constituted an abuse of court process, prejudicial to Fayose and will render his pending appeal worthless because the new charge would change the whole case.
Ajayi added that the appeal had been entered by the Court of Appeal, which has issued parties hearing notice.
"I urge the court not to be persuaded by sentiments to do injustice against the accused person. The court should be guided by facts before it," he said.
Jacobs opposed the application.
He cited Section 163 of CPA, stressing that the court was empowered to allow amendment to charges where trial had not been concluded.
Jacobs said the amended charge had been accepted by the court having been filed.
He said what the defence needed to prove that the amendment amounted to an abuse was for it to show "malice or mala fide", which, he said, the defence has failed to show.
On the argument that there was a pending appeal, Jacobs said the trial court ought to be well-educated on the existence of such appeal to enable it reach an informed conclusion.
He urged the court to reject the application.
The judge adjourned the matter till October 22 for ruling.
In the new charge, EFCC added three companies believed to be owned by Fayose and his family members, as defendants.
They are Spotless Investment Limited, Feyerio Nig. Ltd. and Hoff Concept Limited.
The counts have also been increased from 51 to 80.
Fayose is standing trial for alleged money laundering in relation to his alleged involvement in the diversion of funds meant for the state’s poultry project.
Police nab monarch for allegedly aiding crimes
The Abia State Police Command has arrested the traditional ruler of Obala community in Obingwa Local Government Area, Eze Friday Ozioma Alozie, and four chiefs for allegedly aiding the escape of some arrested criminal suspects .
The monarch and four of his chiefs were arrested allegedly for refusing that the suspected criminals, who had earlier been on the wanted list of the police, be apprehended to face the law.
The three-member gang had earlier been nabbed by the police after a long manhunt.
The State Commissioner of Police, Jonathan Johnson, said the villagers and their monarch had blocked the police from taking away the suspects into custody.
A policeman was killed in the process of arresting the suspected gangsters, the commissioner said.
Johnson said the villagers later returned to the police station at night to shoot another policeman, who is now lying critically wounded at an undisclosed hospital.
The monarch and four of his chiefs were arrested allegedly for refusing that the suspected criminals, who had earlier been on the wanted list of the police, be apprehended to face the law.
The three-member gang had earlier been nabbed by the police after a long manhunt.
The State Commissioner of Police, Jonathan Johnson, said the villagers and their monarch had blocked the police from taking away the suspects into custody.
A policeman was killed in the process of arresting the suspected gangsters, the commissioner said.
Johnson said the villagers later returned to the police station at night to shoot another policeman, who is now lying critically wounded at an undisclosed hospital.
Oando floods market with cheap kerosene
In a swift move to alleviate the hardship created by the acute shortage of kerosene in the nation, Oando Marketing Limited (OML), yesterday commenced distribution of household kerosene (HHK) to its petrol stations nationwide.
The company warned its dealers to strictly adhere to its directive on selling at N50 per litre.
Because of the lack of uniformity in the retail price of kerosene, some marketers sell the product at outrageous prices, ranging from N80 to N100 per litre.
Oando has just taken delivery of over 2,300,000 litres of kerosene and has started dispatching the product to all the critical need areas of the country: Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Benin, Warri, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ilorin, Akure and Owerri.
The company warned its dealers to strictly adhere to its directive on selling at N50 per litre.
Because of the lack of uniformity in the retail price of kerosene, some marketers sell the product at outrageous prices, ranging from N80 to N100 per litre.
Oando has just taken delivery of over 2,300,000 litres of kerosene and has started dispatching the product to all the critical need areas of the country: Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Benin, Warri, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ilorin, Akure and Owerri.
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