JOURNALIST KIDNAPPED IN EDO

Suspected kidnappers on Friday night abducted the General Manager of the Edo State-owned broadcast outfit, the Edo Broadcasting Service, Mr. Tunde Ebosojie.
He was said to have been abducted while returning from work.
Sources said the kidnappers had contacted the family and demanded a ransom of N20m.
A senior police officer confirmed the incident to EXCLUSIVE.com on Friday and said they were putting all necessary machinery in place to rescue the journalist.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Ansel Ojezua, expressed worry over the rising spate of kidnapping in the state, which before now, seemed to have been targeted at medical practitioners.
He urged the police and other security agents to step up their operation and rise to the occasion by curbing kidnapping in the state.
“The kidnap of the General Manager of EBS is unfortunate and makes no sense as he is a public servant with limited resources. I appeal to the abductors to release him without delay,” Ojezua said

IBB set to support ATIKU

*Atiku must win this election- IBB

We broke the news of IBB negotiating with pres. Jonathan, but as at now due to cordial disagreement, The FORMER Military President Ibrahim Babangida said yesterday that he would remain undaunted even though he was prepared to keep to the elements of the Consensus Agreement of the Mallam Adamu Ciroma led Committee that ex-vice President Atiku Abubakar as the preferred candidate for the north.‘’Although a decision has emerged, he challenges remain relentless, dominant and problematic. This is both rational and essential for us to continue to be in good spirit and remain steadfast in our engagements. While we keep to the elements of the Consensus Agreement, we shall remain undaunted”, he said.Addressing Journalists at the Hotel Horizon, Wuse 2, Abuja, Babangida who stressed that he is an honourable man who would at all times abide by agreements reached, said he is not a fool to abandon the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP because he was not the lucky person to have been chosen by the Consensus Candidate Committee.According to him, he would join forces with Atiku Abubakar to ensure that he wins the PDP’s primaries to emerge as the Party’s flagbearer in the 2011 Presidential election.While thanking his Campaign Director-General, National Directors, Zonal Directors, State Coordinators and his other teeming supporters who were at the venue of the briefing for the support, however stressed their commitment was certainly not lost to him or to history, adding, ‘’Who knows, for at a time like this, we may rebound.”The former President who was one of the Presidential aspirants from before the announcement of Atiku Abubakar told his supporters and loyalists that at a time like this, there was the need for them to sustain the spirit of goodness and for them to believe in the commitment to the objectives that brought them together as a campaign Organization.Meanwhile, the Director-General of IBB 2011 Campaign Organization, Chief Raymond Dokpesi told members of the IBB campaign Organisation that arrangements have been concluded where everyone will be integrated into one formidable Campaign Organisation for the realization of Atiku Abubakar’s ambition.

EFCC Set to Try Emmanuel Uduaghan And Former Deputy Governor, Prof. Utuama, for Money Laundering

caption: Emmanuel Uduaghan and Prof. Amos Utuama

Sources at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) say the agency plans to arrest and try the deposed governor of Delta State and his deputy, Professor Amos Utuama, for money laundering and financial crimes relating to the looting of Delta state under the regime of James Ibori governor between 1999 -2007.


Uduaghan was removed from office yesterday via a ruling of the Elections Petitions Court of Appeal in Benin which nullified his flawed April 2007 election as governor.

Uduaghan, who is a cousin of Ibori, was the secretary to the Delta state government during the intervening period.  His name has featured prominently in the ongoing trial of Ibori's estranged wife, Theresa Nkoyo at the Southwark Crown Court in London.
Prof. Utuama's name has also featured prominently in the money laundering activities of Ibori.  During his tenure as Ibori's Attorney General, Utuama’s Prime Chambers account at Zenith Bank in Nigeria was generously used to transfer funds that helped spread bribes to a variety of lawyers and judges.
Though Mr. Uduaghan and Utuama have been involved in cases of corruption involving the Iboris, they enjoyed legal immunity from persecution on account of their positions as governor and deputy governor.

They took advantage of those positions to help Ibori to seize and manage his own trial as he pleased. 

Together, they set up a kangaroo Federal High Court in Asaba which was paid for, staffed and kitted by the Delta State government.  It was no surprise when that court, last year, threw out 170 counts of money laundering charges against Ibori. The EFCC appealed the case and mounted fresh legal challenges against Ibori and his cronies. 

But the Delta State government funded militants to prevent the arrest of Ibori by the EFCC and the police until Ibori was safely ferreted out of Nigeria to Dubai where he was eventually arrested by the London Metropolitan police with the aid of Interpol and the Dubai police.
Ibori now faces extradition to the UK to face trial for money laundering. He has so far stalled his extradition by launching an appeal against a high court ruling which granted his extradition to London.

If the EFCC successfully begins the prosecution of Uduaghan and Utuama, the duo will have a hard time rejoining the gubernatorial race that will be taking place in the next 90 days, as ordered by the court yesterday.
It would also mean that Ibori will face serious financial hurdles in resisting his extradition to London, in view of the fact that Uduaghan and Utuama have consistently used Delta State funds to support Ibori's extravagant lifestyle as well as his legal bills in Dubai.

London Money laundering Trial: Theresa Ibori Gets 5 Years Jail term

Theresa Ibori, the former First Lady of Delta State, is going to prison for five years.
The London jury in her Southwark Crown Court trial returned their verdict today. James Ibori's United Kingdom lawyer, Mr. Bhadresh Gohil, who was on trial with Theresa, has been remanded in police custody, awaiting sentencing.
In a previous trial, the court had also sent to prison Ibori's sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie; and  his mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo-Onuigbo.
The main culprit, James Ibori, awaits extradition to the UK to face three set of trials relating to money laundering and theft of delta state resources.

IKUFORIJI aides beats Nollywood actress to pulp

Top Nollywood  actress and a prominent member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria(AGN), Ufuoma Ejenebor cried like a baby  on the 29th of October.

On that black day, she was assaulted by a group of convoy traced to be the convoy of the Honorable Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honorable Adeyemi Ikuforiji.

Narrating her ordeal in the brutal hands of these hoodlums  in a press conference,  the pretty actress amidst flood of tears said “I was driving along Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, in my  blue Nissall Xterra Jeep with registration number UC 189 KJA under a heavy traffic.

A black police Toyota Hilux truck with registration number ‘ESCORT’ squeezed its way on my right side and in that process hit me,  damaging the right side fender of my jeep.”

“I got frightened and was practically forced out of my lane. To my utter shock, the driver neither stopped nor showed any sign of remorse, following the incident. So, I quickly went  after him to draw  his attention, lo! And behold, what I got in return was the unexpected, showers of insults  by the driver and occupants of the vehicle who called unprintable me names.” she recounted.

Continuing, she added “that got me infuriated as I started trailing them.  Just then, the driver swerved the road, forcing, me to slow down and subsequently blocked me. Then all of a sudden, and  deliberately, the truck stopped and intentionally reversed straight unto my front grill hitting me violently in the presence of other road users and thereafter sped off.

It was then I realized that they were actually on a convoy and then I called my family and my lawyer who advised that I should record the happenings with my phone.”

Apparently, the realization that I was recording the incident infuriated them as they suddenly gave me a hot chase and in the process threatened to shoot me if I did not open my car. Unfortunately opening the car was my greatest undoing as they pounded on me, snatching my cell phone,ransacked  my car and later disappeared  with my laptops and some of my other valuables.

“My lawyer had since filed in petitions to the office of the Honorable Speaker and nobody had neither called nor written to say anything about the incidence.” he said.

On whether the case will be taken to court or not,  the assaulted actress stated that she definitely will take the matter to court if there is no response from the office of the Honorable Speaker over the matter, adding that “I will sue him  for a compensation of N35million”  because according to her, she had lost  a lead role job because of this incident and all her contacts are in her blackberry cell phone that was taken away by these men.

Shock and disquiet over the Fraudulent Award of Contract for Rebranding of NNPC Affiliate Stations

Recently, deep probing   by industry watchers as well as  intelligence and surveillance reports on   the contract execution for the re-branding of affiliated stations into NNPC RETAIL LTD, found the process to be  loaded with a lot of negligence with respect to issues of Due Process.   The system fell short of the acceptable standards   contained in the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Act of 2007.And this shocking discovery is making stakeholders call for an end to the palpably fraudulent steps so far taken on the matter

The first batch of 117 affiliate stations contract for the re-branding of NNPC RETAIL LTD revealed that a contract sum of five hundred million Naira (N500, 000.00m) had already been disbursed for the contract. The contract selection and approval process was hurriedly executed without recourse to Due Process and compliance with the Public Procurement Act, before the award was given out.

 Here are the findings on the contract award:

The contract scoping process for the re-branding of affiliate stations was done by a single contract: IPAYA, alleged to be a crony of the Managing Director, NNPC Retail Ltd., Dr. Richard Ajiboye, without the knowledge of the Engineering Department of NNPC Retail Ltd.

Messrs: IPAYA was said to have carried out the job scoping for the contract of the re-branding works, which contradicts contract scoping and job assessment evaluation in the contract cloning, selection and approval process.
The contract sum value was five hundred million naira (N500m) for the first batch of re-branding works for 117 affiliate stations, yet no advertisement was made for publicity as envisaged by the Bureau of Public for Procurement, for transparency.

When the scoping was concluded by Messrs. IPAYA, five other contractors: Messrs: FRESH NETWORKS, AMRON, PESTER BRANDS, BOLD CONCEPT, & DAN FULANI were called in to have a share of the job, just to give it a semblance of credibility and create the impression that the contractors’ selection process was transparent. There was said to be no call for Tender, both technical and commercial, no bid analysis, and evaluation was  said to have been done to make room for ranking, while no contractor short listing was   done, no internal market survey either, to get an in-house estimate for the control of contract sum. Yet the contract was awarded.

The contractors were said not to have been subjected to competitive bidding, the expertise of the contractors not benchmarked against any approved standard prior to award according to the Audit Manager’s report in NNPC retail. There was said to have been no legal vetting of the contract process before contract was approved, hence a credibility issue was at play when the contract was awarded for execution.

Internal mechanism was said not to have been properly exhausted in the arrival at contract sum, as the contract was reported to have been given free hands to scope, compute price and package of the entire contract, without the involvement of the Engineering Unit of NNPC RETAIL LTD.

Our source states that Contract award was done by the MD NNPC RETAIL LTD “without the involvement of the Manager in charge of control of the job quality, hence the output from the completed jobs is nothing to write home about.”
 The other batch of the remaining affiliate station (about 350), we gathered will soon be given out for re-branding through the same process, which   lacks transparency.

 The Petitioners against the scam are therefore requesting that:
    Top management should probe the contract award for the re-branding of the first batch of 117 affiliate stations to ascertain if all contract selection and processing requirement were met, asking:
    “Why was the scoping of a contract for the re-branding of 117 affiliate station  issued to a proposed contractor, Messr: IPAYA who was a crony of the MD, NNPC Retail, Dr. Richard Ajiboye, a practice which was against the Bureau of Public Procurement Act 2007?”
   

“How was the contract sum arrived at when there was no proper internal control mechanism in place from the Engineering Unit of NNPC Retail Ltd., who approved the sum for the contract value?”
   

“Why was Audit Department of NNPC Retail Ltd. not informed of the contract selection process leading to award, if it met Due Process and Bureau of Public Procurement?,  as the Audit Manager of NNPC Retail Ltd. should be able to explain?”   

“Why was the contract not advertised in the national dailies to give it much publicity for competitive bidding to be promoted and for transparency?”
    “If a contract sum of five hundred million naira did not go under the scrutiny of the Legal Department of NNPC, how and why was it awarded? Who approved the budget and at what forum?”
   

Aggrieved stakeholders are demanding that The Bureau of Public Procurement should be invited to immediately investigate and determine if the re-branding contract selection and approval process met the expected standard as contained in the BPP Act of 200, and that top Management of NNPC should set up an investigative team of engineers in conjunction with NNPC to carry out a confirmation exercise.
 

 Furthermore, the following have been revealed:

1.             That Alhaji Abba Bukar had never worked in any Depot loading facilicity as a Depot Representative, so why should MD NNPC Retail Ltd. prefer him for the herculean task of loading over 400 affiliate stations across the network without any prior experience?

2.    That the decision to send him to Apapa Private Loading Depot was taken right in the retreat venue held 6th February, 2010, when it was very clear that he had not worked in any depot or at any loading operations. This decision was the input from his MD NNPC Retail Ltd. mentor, Alhaji Aminu Baba-Kusa who was the Group Executive Director (GED) Commercial & Investment.

3.     That in the NNPC Retail Ltd. organogramme from the Human Resources Department, there is no job title as ‘Co-coordinator, Depot Operations,’ which was the letter issued to Alhaji Abba Bukar, when he was posted to head the loading operations at the Apapa private Depot  - why was this so?
4.     That the MD NNPC Retail Ltd., Dr. Richard Ajiboye, categorically, informed the Regional Manager who was the in charge of Lagos operations (Mr. Febohe) not to interfere in the Private Depot Operations at Apapa, which was supposed to be under his (Ajiboye’s) control and supervision. This explains, from findings of our sources, why the title Coordinator Loading Operations was cleverly used in the letter given to   letter issued to Alhaji Abba Bukar, beside the significant fact that Human Resources Department was not copied.

5.     That at the request of Alhaji Abba Bukar, he single handedly employed ten (10) support staff ers to assist in the loading operations, with the approval of  MD.NNPC RETAIL LTD, who approved the purchase of three (3) motor cycles for  Abba Bukar as logistics for the operations,  against the corporate policy of NNPC.

6.    That   Abba Bukar had never operated a computer prior to his posting to Apapa loading operations, hence he had no applicable knowledge of the use of Microsoft suites in the preparation of report of loading from the Depot facility, so why should a computer operations-deficient personnel be asked to handle such an onerous task of computing loading operations to about 400 affiliate stations in the NNPC RETAIL network if there was no intention to defraud the NNPC of  substantial sums of money?

7.     That for the period he functioned as the Regional Manager Western Operations, Mr. Febohe was prevented from overseeing the activities of the loading operations at the Apapa loading depot, and that Dr. Richard Ajiboye even threatened to issue him a query if he finds that he (Febohe) should go to Apapa to supervise the operations, since Abba Bukar was supposed to report to him. Instead, the MD asked him (Abba Bukar) to report to him (MD) directly so that there will be no leakage in the strategic alliance between the MD and Bukar over the sharing of proceeds from products loaded without proper documentation.

8.     That there is also strong evidence confirming that MD NNPC RETAIL LTD. intermittently visited Lagos (Apapa loading depot) without the knowledge of the Regional Manager, Mr. Febohe and that on each occasion, Bukar would be seen communicating with the MD at isolated locations from the scene of the support staff and the dominant issue discussed was money transfer from their deals.

9.    That  the MD NNPC RETAIL LTD has successfully wrongly removed those who are experienced in tracking of the operations from position and has surrounded himself with mediocre personnel  who do not understand the detailed operations of depot operations and product distribution and tracking from depot to stations, hence the collapse of the system.

10.   That Abba Bukar from intelligence gathered by our source collects N30, 000: 00 from truck owners before berthing and loading. In some cases, the truck numbers and destinations are not entered into the loading manifest and as such the details would not be captured when the loading invoice is to be reconciled with PPMC – a   deliberate act and incompetence on the part of Bukar). The big question, our sources claim, is “why would he be asked to take up such assignment”?

11.  That the accord between  Abba Bukar and the MD NNPC RETAIL LTD started when   Bukar  took the MD to meet  Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta as well as the governor of Ogun state ,  Otunba Gbenga Daniel, so that he would be retained in Retail as the MD in spite of accusations of incompetence, and

12. That “why was it that all 500  missing loaded trucks are  only from the Apapa private Loading Depot Operations under the Coordination  of Abba Bukar, given that there is no report of missing trucks from Warri, Benin, Kaduna or Mosimi depots?” This trend, our sources argue, “points to a business collaboration between Alhaji Abba Bukar and the MD NNPC RETAIL LTD.

 Our sources and stakeholders in the sector are demanding that the following steps be taken:
 a.) That NNPC top management make a detailed inquiry to unearth the root cause of the missing loaded trucks all from same source (Apapa Private Depot loading operation);

b.)  That top management should question the MD NNPC RETAIL LTD, Dr. Richard Ajiboye on how he got that nomenclature, Coordinator Private Depot Loading, Apapa, absent from the   organogram?

c.) That   Abba Bukar had no depot loading experience before he was sent o handle such an onerous task as loading products to over 400 stations at the expense of the interest of NNPC, so why was he sent even when such fact was known to the MD?

 d.) They ask, “Where in the condition of service of NNPC is it stated that motor-cycle would be bought for logistic operations in a loading depot?

 e.) Why did the MD, NNPC RETAIL LTD restrain    Febohe, the Regional Manager Western Operations from overseeing the activities of Abba Bukar at the loading operations at Apapa when it was under his domain if there were no collaboration between him and Bukar to defraud the corporation? They suggest that Mr. Febohe could be contacted for more details on: 080052012592/08033166405/08077091220

f.) They argue that Depot Representatives such as Mr. Tari Omonibo, Mr. Ibrahim Yinusa who had experience in depot operations were not sent to cover the operations at Apapa by the MD, rather it was Abba Bukar, who was asked to leave Abeokuta mega station from the venue of a retreat at NNPC Towers 6th February, 2010 to take up the assignment that he had no knowledge about:  why?

g.) That Abba Bukar’s persistent complaints to the MD, NNPC RETAIL LTD, of trespass on his operations at Apapa by the Regional Manager Western Operations, Mr. Febohe, resulted in the redeployment to Yenegoa mega station of Febohe, so that   Bukar could have a free hand.

h.) That when it was clear that Bukar lacked the experience to handle a task such as the one at Apapa loading depot, Mr. Yinusa Ibrahim was asked to temporarily stabilize the operations to clean up the mess, but he bluntly told the MD that he “did not need to work with any staff, that he was in charge and requested that Ibrahim Yinusa should be called back, and the MD granted the request - why?”

i) That Bukar is still getting full pay in-lieu of hotel accommodation at the current category (A) rate of N19, 000.00/night,  while other colleagues deployed to the mega stations are paid 1/3 of their monthly in-lieu of accommodation benefits. His contemporaries ten (10) senior career  officers) who were redeployed to Abuja to cover duties at the Head Office since February 2010 till date have not been paid any in-lieu of hotel accommodation benefits, our sources confirmed and ask: “why the double standard?  Is it not the same condition of service NNPC operates?”

j.) Our sources observe that a support staff, Mr. Matthias Peter who had detailed information computed from the system on the missing loaded trucks and the identified causes of the irregularities that may have resulted in such operations, was openly rebuked by the MD, NNPC RETAIL LTD and threatened with dismissal, and that after much appeal, he (Peter) was redeployed to the Audit section of Retail. He has been a very useful asset to the Manager Audit in information computing about the missing loaded truck, our sources say and recommend that top management should invite him for more details.

k.) They recall that when Alhaji Ahmed Gambo was the Manager Operations in charge of tracking and distribution of loaded products to the various stations,  no single truck that  got missing; so they ask: “why did the MD Retail remove   Ahmed Gambo from the tracking and distribution of loaded products to stations? Finally, they query,

l.) Why did Alhaji Abba Bukar single-handedly undertake the renovation of the house of the father of MD, NNPC RETAIL LTD at Abeokuta at a contract sum above N20m if there was no collaboration between him and the MD?
 
 The other questions on the lips of stakeholders and our sources are : how a staff who could not account for the whereabouts of 500 loaded missing trucks belonging to his employer is still being allowed to remain in office by the MD, NNPC RETAIL LTD without any query, no panel set up for inquiry and no investigation is being done to get the truth about his activities?

 
They believe that the truth will be established if all these options are fully explored in detail. As far as they are concerned, the dismissal of the support staff at Apapa Private Loading Depot by the MD was intended to give a false impression to top management that they were responsible for the crime. This, they argue, “is not correct; there is collaboration; the MD should be asked to step aside for proper investigation and top management should declare a state of emergency in NNPC RETAIL LTD now, to sanitize the system so that the labour expended in setting up the retail arm of NNPC should not be in vain.

 

DOKPESI vs SSS legal war adjourn to Dec.8

Hearing in the suit brought against the State Security Services (SSS) and the Federal Government by Chief Raymond Dokpesi over the Independence Day twin bomb blasts in Abuja has been fixed for December 6, 2010 by a Federal High Court.

On the adjourned date, counsel in the litigation were expected to adopt their written addresses in the enforcement of human rights suit.
This came just as the counsel to the Federal Government, Alex Iziyon (SAN), brought an application to the court praying for an extension of time to enter appearance and also file his written address and counter-affidavit to the application filed by the plaintiff.

Justice Abdul Kafarati granted the application as prayed but the plaintiff counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN) also sought for time to reply to the defendants’ application and on points of law, this was also granted by the court.

The SSS had earlier invited Dokpesi, director general of the General Ibrahim Babangida Campaign Organization, for questioning over the October 1 bomb blasts on the premise of some text messages which established a nexus between him and some persons suspected of complicity in the dastardly act, which led to the loss of lives and property in the country.

Dokpesi later approached the court seeking to enforce his rights by stopping the SSS from further harassing or intimidating him. He was asking for damages of N100 million over his interrogations which he said, were aimed at waging psychological war on him and prevent him from carrying out his duties as director general of the Babangida Campaign Organisation.

GOODLUCK JONATHAN SUPPORTS SACKED FORMER GOV. UDUAGHAN

President Goodluck Jonathan is reported to intensify efforts to pacify chieftains of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in Delta State who are bent on ensuring that Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was recently sacked as the state governor, does not contest the rerun election expected to take place in the next three months.

Mr. Jonathan is reportedly talking to Edwin Clark, a foremost Ijaw leader who is allegedly bent on truncating the re-election bid of Mr. Uduaghan.

The recently estranged governor who was in Abuja on Wednesday to meet Mr. Jonathan told journalists at the Presidential Villa that he had come to, “brief President Jonathan, the leader of our party, on the political development in my state.” He later met with the president in the evening, and Mr Jonathan was said to have assured him of his support

‘Madman’ attacks Obasanjo at Lagos airport

The nation’s security system was thrown into another serious embarrassment on Monday as a man suspected to be mentally deranged attacked former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The incident occured at about 8am, when the unnamed suspect forced open the door of a car conveying Obasanjo from the airport and jumped into the vehicle. Obasanjo, who had just arrived from the airport from a trip, was being driven in a convoy out of the presidential wing when he was attacked.

According to eyewitnesses, the alleged attacker sneaked up to the car in which Obasanjo was riding when it slowed down to join the road linking the international airport with the old domestic terminal. After jumping into the car, the suspected attacker was said to have grabbed Obasanjo.

THE PUNCH learnt that it took the timely intervention of Air Force officers and security aides attached to Obasanjo to save the former president from harm. He was later surrounded off by a team of security men.

The attacker, who appeared to be in his forties, could not say exactly what prompted him to attack the former general. The alleged attacker was taken to the military commander’s office at the airport and later transferred to the airport’s police station.

The Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Mr. Chris Ola, confirmed the incident on the telephone.

He said, “The incident was a security breach. We have commenced an investigation into the incident to ascertain if there were some people behind the attack.

“We can’t ascertain if the man is a lunatic becauise you can’t call somebody a lunatic unless a medical excamination proves.”we will take him for medical examination tomorrow (today).”

Before the incident, the suspect was said to have been wandering aimlessly around the airport.

KSA and OBEY dream deffered

Leader of the opposition within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state, Lekan Balogun, has asserted that state governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala lacks popularity in his hometown, Ogbomoso.

Mr.Balogun, one time senator and Ibadan high chief, said in Ibadan on Sunday while reviewing the last week’s anti-Akala rally in Ogbomoso that his lack of appeal was one of the reasons why Mr Alao-Akala was opposed to the rally staged by the opposition.

Describing the rally as a success, Mr Balogun said it had put clouds to the governor’s ambition to return to office next year as many people of the town are equally aware of the governor’s bad performance and would not want him to come back next year.

“Without the meeting, we would not have known that the governor lacks strong followership in Ogbomoso,” he said. “The experience made nonsense of his often repeated allegation that the opposition to him is purely and simply a localized Ibadan phenomenon; whereas, the governor is just simply unpopular. In retrospect, it became obvious why the governor did not want the meeting in Ogbomoso to hold at all.” Mr Balogun led other party leaders,including former governor, Rashidi Ladoja; Senate Leader, Teslim Kolawole Folarin; former Secretary to State Government (SSG) in the state, Sarafadeen Alli and members of the PDP Implementation Committee in the state led by their chairman, Yunus Akintunde, to the rally.

Might is not right

Blaming the government’s ‘might is right’ philosophy on the loss of lives reported at the town before the rally, he said his group only got to know about the incident through newspapers reports.

“Why should a government bring out hoodlums to prevent the holding of a meeting regardless the citizens constitutional right of association, freedom of speech and movement, why? again, why should anybody be prevented from using public places for lawful business? For instance, local government halls, schools,these are public institutions that are collectively owned and for which we should all have access for the purpose of lawful transactions,” he said.

Mr.Balogun also wondered why the governor would want to prevent those opposing his second term ambition from holding rally in his town after doing same for his own ambition at the homesteads of the said opposition.

“The governor had his so-called second term declaration a few weeks ago in Ibadan.

His faction is known to have held meetings, rallies in Lagelu, my local government area in not less than four or five times in the last one year and at no time was there a threat to law and order,” he said.

Commending the police for their response, the PDP leader noted that the state police command ensured that the meeting was held peacefully and successfully.

AKALA is not famous in Oyo State

Leader of the opposition within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state, Lekan Balogun, has asserted that state governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala lacks popularity in his hometown, Ogbomoso.

Mr.Balogun, one time senator and Ibadan high chief, said in Ibadan on Sunday while reviewing the last week’s anti-Akala rally in Ogbomoso that his lack of appeal was one of the reasons why Mr Alao-Akala was opposed to the rally staged by the opposition.

Describing the rally as a success, Mr Balogun said it had put clouds to the governor’s ambition to return to office next year as many people of the town are equally aware of the governor’s bad performance and would not want him to come back next year.

“Without the meeting, we would not have known that the governor lacks strong followership in Ogbomoso,” he said. “The experience made nonsense of his often repeated allegation that the opposition to him is purely and simply a localized Ibadan phenomenon; whereas, the governor is just simply unpopular. In retrospect, it became obvious why the governor did not want the meeting in Ogbomoso to hold at all.” Mr Balogun led other party leaders,including former governor, Rashidi Ladoja; Senate Leader, Teslim Kolawole Folarin; former Secretary to State Government (SSG) in the state, Sarafadeen Alli and members of the PDP Implementation Committee in the state led by their chairman, Yunus Akintunde, to the rally.

Might is not right

Blaming the government’s ‘might is right’ philosophy on the loss of lives reported at the town before the rally, he said his group only got to know about the incident through newspapers reports.

“Why should a government bring out hoodlums to prevent the holding of a meeting regardless the citizens constitutional right of association, freedom of speech and movement, why? again, why should anybody be prevented from using public places for lawful business? For instance, local government halls, schools,these are public institutions that are collectively owned and for which we should all have access for the purpose of lawful transactions,” he said.

Mr.Balogun also wondered why the governor would want to prevent those opposing his second term ambition from holding rally in his town after doing same for his own ambition at the homesteads of the said opposition.

“The governor had his so-called second term declaration a few weeks ago in Ibadan.

His faction is known to have held meetings, rallies in Lagelu, my local government area in not less than four or five times in the last one year and at no time was there a threat to law and order,” he said.

Commending the police for their response, the PDP leader noted that the state police command ensured that the meeting was held peacefully and successfully.

ACN vs PDP: Osun looks forward to EKITI-like victory

As the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan reserved judgement in Osun State governorship election petition,  many are wondering whether the state will also go the way of Ekiti.
At the resumed hearing Monday before the appealate tribunal, counsel on both sides adopted their written submissions while the court fixed judgement for a later date.
Counsel to Action Congress of Nigeria ACN candidate, Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola asked the court to nullify results of the 2007 governorship election in 10 local governments and declared his client winner of the poll having scored lawful majority votes in the remaining 20 local governments which constitute two-third required by law.
However, counsel to Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola insisted that his client victory should be upheld as Aregbesola could not prove his case.
Before the court of appeal sitting in Ilorin declared Governor Kayode Fayemi winner of Ekiti State governorship poll, some observers were of the opinion that Dr. Fayemi should have concentrated his energy and resources on the 2011 race rather than pursuing the appeal.
His eventual victory had however vindicated him on the genuiness of his case. It was Fayemi’s victory that has given fillip to Aregbesola and his lawyers. The two cases shared some similarities. At the tribunal of first instance, both cases were dismissed and they proceeded on appeal.
In Ekiti, the Appeal Court ordered re-run election in 10 local governments comprising of 63 wards. In Osun however, the Appeal Court ordered fresh trial of the case because the trial tribunal failed to consider some vital pieces of evidence. Another major similarity is that the two cases went before the tribunal of first instance and Court of Appeal the second time.

It is not known where the pendulum of justice will swing in the Osun case that has witnessed a lot of under currents. Allegations and counter allegations have been traded by parties to the case.
That was why the members of the appeal panel that sat in Ibadan Monday was unknown until they sitting day. They were drawn from different parts of the country in order to guarantee the sanctity of their judgement whenever it is delivered.
The preliminary issues in the appeal were handled by other judges before now.
With Lagos and Ekiti in its kitty, ACN is confident that Osun may follow suit.
The development has been creating some worries in the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in the South West. As it lost Ondo to Labour Party and recently Ekiti to ACN, the ranks of PDP leaders in the zone are disturbed that Osun may also slipped  off.
The unresolved internal crisis in the South West  PDP is tearing apart the its soul amid deep concerns of possible implosion.
The crises are more pronounced in Ogun, Osun and Oyo States. Stakeholders blame the loss of Ekiti on the situation such that the ouster of former governor Segun Oni was regarded as big blow because it was in similar circumstance the party lost former Ondo State governor, Dr Segun Agagu.
Of major concern to the party is Osun where party members are polarised over alleged imposition of Senator Iyiola Omisore as party governorship candidate by Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Even the intervention of former president Olusegun Obasanjo had failed to resolve the crises.
Similarly, Ogun, which is seen as the real stronghold of PDP in the South West is also threatened by the festering crisis. According to a source, Governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel  was said to be disturbed about the development, especially as he and Obasanjo belonged to different camps of the state 2011 governorship candidates.
While Obasanjo had pitched his tent with Brigadier-Gen Tunji Olurin, Governor Daniel is backing Alhaji Gboyega Isiaka
However former All Nigeria Peoples Party governorship candidate, Senator Ibikunle Amosun who is preparing to move to ACN is seen as a major threat to PDP in the state because he may capitalise on the division in the party to clinch the governorship seat in the state.
The source said: “Danger is that if they carry on like this, it may have dire consequences for PDP. There is no doubt that the party is losing ground in Ogun under Obasanjo leadership. The fear is that if it goes into 2011 poll divided, and the opposition does what it has to do, then it is over for PDP”
In Oyo apart from his own people and Obasanjo, Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala was said to be on his own even as opposition is mounting against his second term ambition. “
In Oyo it is dicey for PDP because of internal crisis”, said another source.
“Generally, Obasanjo is seen as the problem of South/West PDP.  He is seen to be imposing candidates particularly in Oyo. He is romancing in Ogun and people are angry over this.
For me, the crisis in South/West PDP is irreconcilable and this is a bad omen for the party ahead of 2011” the source added.

JONATHAN/SAMBO fate in 2011

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OLURIN meets Adele Olu of Ilaro to express governorship ambition

The former ECOWAS Monitoring Group, Commander, Brig.-Gen. Adetunji Olurin (retd.), and a former military administrator of Lagos State, Brig.-Gen. Raji Rasaki (retd.), on Wednesday stormed Ogun State for the 2011 governorship election of Olurin.

Olurin had expressed interest to contest the governorship election on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, while Rasaki, who is from Oyo State, is nursing the ambition of going to the Senate in 2011.

The two former military officers, who were members of the defunct Armed Forces Ruling Council, were in Ilaro, headquarters of Yewa/Awori for the presentation of Olurin to traditional rulers at the palace of Olu of Ilaro.

Olurin stated that he was seeking to govern the state so as to use his wealth of experience in advancing the course of the state, while pledging to “reconstruct, re-unite and rebuild the state if elected the governor.”

According to him “My administration’s focus will be on the development of agriculture, creating employment for the teeming unemployed youths and provision of social amenities among others while I also promised to be fair and just to all people of the state.”

The former ECOMOG Commander who went down memory lane as a military officer, recanted how he was banished to Ebute, a rural community in the state for four years by a former Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha.

He stated that the military dictator decision later paid off as it rekindled his interest and loved for agriculture as he used the period of his banishment to engage in large scale farming.

According to him, “As I came back from my ECOMOG assignment the then Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha, who was not comfortable with the number of troops I controlled, fear I may be a risk to his administration. He, therefore, chose to banish me to Ebute for four years.”

Rasaki, while canvassing support for Olurin, recalled how the military background of the Senate President, David Mark, has helped in stabilizing not only the Senate but the National Assembly.

Rasaki, added that the track record of performance of the aspirant when he was “my state governor in Oyo strengthens my belief in him to deliver on good governance.”

Presenting him to the Adele Olu of Ilaro, High Chief Abiodun Oyekan, members of the Elders Forum of Ogun West, led by the Oga’lu of Ayetoro, Chief Ishola Olatunji, said the decision to present Olurin was arrived at after two years of brainstorming on who the entire indigenes of the state can trust.

Olatunji who led 14 other Elders from across the five local governments in Ogun West, also described the father of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alani Bankole, as one of the numerous elite and political bigwigs in the state who had agreed to work for the emergence of the former ECOMOG commander as the governor in 2011

Aftermath of Fayemi victory: FG set to sack REC Ayoka

Ahead of 2011 general elections, pressure is mounting on the Federal Government over the continued stay within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the controversial Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Mrs Ayoka Adebayo. Mrs Adebayo was accused of connivance in the Ekiti gubernatorial electoral fraud.

The pressure, this time, coming from the organized labour, which was insisting on the removal of the Abeokuta, Ogun State born commissioner was consequent upon a protest letter forwarded to the Presidency by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) calling for Mrs. Adebayo’s removal as REC.

Also, the labour had even commenced mobilization towards campaign rallies for her removal as agreed to at the meeting of the highest organ of the congress.
There had been calls from various groups and bodies on the need to disallow Mrs. Adebayo from conducting the 2011 elections in Ondo State, her new duty post, following the indictment of INEC under her in Ekiti State gubernatorial electoral malpractices.

Both NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had, in the wake of the nullification of the election of former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor Segun Oni of Ekiti State by the election petition appeal tribunal, joined the growing calls not only for the removal of the REC but also her prosecution.
The NLC had at its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting last week decried the role played by Mrs Adebayo as the then resident electoral commissioner in Ekiti State, who supervised the state’s gubernatorial election re-run, which was marred by sharp practices and affirmed by the appeal tribunal and insisted that she had to be removed

To give vent to its position, the congress, Daily Sun learnt, had forwarded its resolution to President Goodluck Jonathan through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Yayale Ahmed, for action before labour takes to the streets, just as it had done in the case of the former INEC chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu.
 

Abuja explosion: Dokpesi’s suit frivolous - SSS

The State Security Service has raised objection to a suit by the Director-General of the Ibrahim Babadamosi Babangida Presidential Campaign Organistation, Chief Raymond Dokpesi before a Federal High Court in Abuja, saying the action was frivolous.

Dokpesi had filed the action to enforce his right and demanded N100m damages.

In a preliminary objection filed by the lawyer to the SSS, Dr. Alex Iziyon (SAN) the service claimed that Dokpesi was invited for questioning over the bomb blasts in Abuja on October 1 on the premise of some text messages which established a nexus between him and some persons suspected of complicity in the dastardly act.

Izinyon contended that since the SSS was statutorily empowered to invite any person for questioning on matters bordering on national security, Dokpesi’s action amounted to inviting the court into breaching the powers and compromising the duties of the Service.

He said, “The issue in this case which led to the invitation of the applicant by the first respondent relates to bomb blasts where several innocent Nigerians lost their lives. It has to do with state security which the first respondent is legally empowered to investigate.

“Edmond Ebiware, a suspect arrested in connection with the said bomb blasts during investigation admitted meeting the applicant (Dokpesi) some days before the said bomb blast and also further admitted receiving the sum of N4m from the applicant.

“Pursuant to its constitutionally guaranteed powers of investigation, the first respondent invited the applicant for questioning following the aforesaid statements made by Edmond Ebiware.

In the process of his investigation, the applicant was granted bail and requested to show up for further investigation.”

He therefore argued that the action brought by Dokpesi, seeking “a declaration that his arrest, detention, harassment and undue questioning is on a poor footing and therefore cannot be granted in law.

No preparation to receive Ibru in Ikoyi Prison – Investigation

Indication emerged on Tuesday that Nigeria Prisons Service had no plan to receive the convicted former Chief Executive of Oceanic Bank, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, into prison, even if doctors certify her fit before the conclusion of her terms of imprisonment.

A visit to Ikoyi prison by our correspondent showed that the convict, who is currently receiving treatment at an high brow hospital in Victoria Island, Lagos, Reddinton Hospital on the order of Federal High Court, did not have identification number which is usually given to inmates of the prison.

An official of the Ikoyi prison, who accosted our correspondent outside the prison gate, directed him to contact the prison command’s spokesman for clarification.

But the official and others contacted consequently refused to answer our correspondent’s questions.

Sources at the prison however said that the NPS believed that Ibru might spend her term of imprisonment at the hospital as the NPS might not bother itself unnecessarily.



One of the sources said, “Haba, she is an old woman now. You don’t expect her to have quick recovery like younger people like you.”

Another source said that medical doctors in the employ of the NPS examined the convict, “and they confirmed that she was actually ill, so what do you expect us to do? Refuse her treatment?”

But another senior person told our correspondent that since Ibru was convicted on plea bargaining, the authorities of Ikoyi prison decided to handle her with kid gloves.

“I don’t think she even have prison number. A file was opened for her, but that was all,” the official said.

But the NPS spokesman, Mr. Ope Fatinikun, on the telephone said that Ibru was being handled like any other inmate.

“Go and read the court ruling, we are merely following orders. The court said she should be taken to the hospital for treatment, which has been done. And it is not true that she did not have prison number; if there is a file, there is a number. But don’t expect me to tell you the number,” he said.

Lagos Bans Campaign Posters On Highways

The Lagos State Government has banned indiscriminate pasting of political campaign  posters on highways in the state.
The state government said it observed the indiscriminate pasting of political advert  posters across highways and roads in the state and could no longer tolerate such  act.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Lagos State Signage and  Advertisement Agency, LASAA, Mr. Tunji Bello said within the next few weeks,  government would come out with list of places where politicians would be allowed to  paste their campaign posters instead of defacing the highways with them.
“Government has observed with astonishment the current indiscriminate trend of  pasting political posters, banners and other items of political advertisement on  major highways and roads in the state.
“The agency wishes to remind the general public particularly political parties,  politicians, political activists, their supporters and other campaigners that by the  provisions of the enabling law which regulates and control outdoor advertisement  signs and displays in Lagos State, all outdoor advertisements require LASAA’s  authorisation through the issuance of permit.
“This information has become necessary to educate members of the public and admonish  them against indiscriminate pasting of posters on highways, roads, verges, sidewalks  and bridges in Lagos State,” he stated.
According to Bello, impunity in the pasting of political advertisement materials  would no longer be tolerated by the agency.
“Also of concern to us is that the materials used for these political campaigns if  unchecked have the tendency of defacing and obliterating the aesthetics value and  landscape of our city which the state government has jealously preserved over the  years,” added Bello in a statement.
“To this end, LASAA will in the next few weeks publish a list of identified  designated areas where political materials such as posters and banners will be  allowed.”
“We will also give a time frame for all political parties, associations, supporters  and campaign organizations to comply with these guidelines and in the event of any  infraction by owners of such structures and display materials found in unauthorised  areas, LASAA will in tandem with the enabling law remove or impound them,” he  stated.
The LASAA boss, however, said the information was issued without prejudice to any  political party or association, adding that “it is our intention to ensure fairness  and to apply the rules without sentiments.” Our common interest is to establish  sanity and protect the environment from further defacement as a result of visual  blight.”
According to him, “our agency wishes to reiterate its readiness to assist and  co-operate with all political parties, politicians, campaigners and their supporters  in ensuring that they have a hitch free political campaign as well as assist to  guarantee the exercise of their right to political participation.”

Akinlade set to emerge Ogun governor

According to the latest information reaching EXCLUSIVE.com from the corridor of power in Ogun state, we are getting insinuation that Hon. Abiodun Akinlade the member of the federal house of representative representing Yewa South/ Ipokia may emerge the next Ogun governor.

This is according to the in house feud between Otunba Gbenga Daniel and the PDP Chieftain Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as to who emerge not coming from OGD camp. a reliable source revealed that President Jonathan has initiated a peace movement to allow both OBJ and his political godson OGD choose the Asiwaju of Owode Yewa as their anointed candidate for the 2011 governorship election displacing Gboyega Isiaka.

Governors’ Forum: Northern govs disown OGD

The Northern Governors’ Forum yesterday dissociated itself from the recent election of Otunba Gbenga Daniel as new Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) by a group of governors.
Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu said in Minna that the governors had slated for tomorrow, another meeting where a new chairman for the Forum would be picked. Incidentally, Daniel’s kinsman and Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola also claimed ignorance of Daniel’s election, saying, he travelled out of the country when the agreement was reached.

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Lasisi Olagunju, on Monday, Oyinlola said he had not taken a stand on the issue as he had just returned from the Biennial General Meeting of the International Golf Federation which held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Earlier, Governors Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and his Kano State counterpart, Ibrahim Shekarau had expressed their displeasure with Daniel’s enthronement. Only last weekend, 17 governors met at the Ogun State Governor’s lodge in Abuja, announced the appointment of the Ogun governor as successor to Kwara State Governor, Bukola Saraki.

The G.17 were among those who hitherto called on Saraki to relinquish the position having declared his intention to run for the presidency in next year’s election. To them, Saraki’s continued stay as chairman had the capacity to drag the association into partisan politics.

Declaring open the INEC Voter Education Interactive Session with Traditional Rulers in the North Central zone, Aliyu said even though the position was a honorary one, due process must be followed in choosing a successor to Saraki.
‘No person can go outside the forum to elect a chairman’ Aliyu said, in apparent reference to the election of Otunba Daniel.
The NGF, Aliyu argued, “is a non partisan organisation,” adding that its membership cut across party lines. He alleged that some people wanted to hijack the Forum for selfish interest.

“Even if you hijack it you cannot use it for election purposes.”
Announcing the election of Daniel as replacement for Dr Saraki, Governor Suswan of Benue State said the decision was hinged on the exemplary performance of the governor and the good leadership he had given since he was elected.
Suswan said Daniel was “unanimously elected by consensus of all the members of the forum” and had, therefore, been mandated to coordinate the activities of the group and respond to national issues as appropriate.
Governor Godswill Akpabio who was also at the unveiling of Daniel said his selection was based on his outstanding performance as an administrator.