kAlthough most people would joke that just living in Nigeria,
was a dangerous job on its own ( they would be right ), in
fact the only reason it’s not on this list is because we aren't
paid, between the crime rate, terrorism
and decayed infrastructure, the fact that your actually alive
to reading this right now means you're tougher than
Rambo, but believe it or not there are Nigerians who have
it much worse than you do, people who have to dance with
death every time they go to work, so take a look at 9 of the
most dangerous jobs in Nigeria.
9. Electrician
OK so most of you are surprised at this, but if you had
really thought about it, you would have realized that being
an electrician in Nigeria is no picnic, especially for those
that work for power distribution companies, carrying their
heavy wooden ladders in the hot sun, going to potentially
hostile places to disconnect the electricity of potentially
hostile people ( and you can guess they won't be happy
about that ), we have had reports about electricians being
beaten by locals and in one case flogged by a state
governor because the electricity went out when his
birthday was going on ( really it happened ), its like there
not just electricians anymore but the power holding
company itself, people blame them for everything. The
danger doesn't end there folks, because even if by some
miracle your not one day beaten by locals, there's still the
problem of electrocutions from faulty wiring even
electricians that don't work in private homes gets
electrocuted, because either the owner of the house was
too cheap to hire a proper electrician when he was
building the house and instead did it himself or he hired a
fake and only now when everything's gone to ruin does he
call far from the case hire a proper electrician to risk his
life and fix it.
8. Construction worker
You've seen construction workers in other countries
before, fully clothed people, with hard yellow helmets for
protection ( like in the picture above ), but if you’re in
Nigeria you've got to know that's far from the case here.
They work on buildings sometimes more than five stories
high, with no protection whatsoever (because boxers don't
count) with most times the only support being long
bamboo sticks, and with no health insurance, it would only
take a misplaced foot on the bamboo to send them to their
deaths, even if there on the ground the possibility of
something falling on them is high, so of course it's
dangerous.
7. Petrol tanker driver
We've all seen or heard about tanker related accidents and
its never pretty, the damages are usually gruesome and
fatalities high. Driving a normal vehicle through most
Nigerian roads ( which seem to have more portholes than
road ) is difficult enough, but driving a really large vehicle,
filled with inflammable liquid is just playing with danger,
all it takes is just one wrong turn, a big enough pothole or
even a crazy driver and your dead, tanker drivers face the
risk of agonizing death if burnt by fire or a quick one from
impact alone .
6. Telecommunication mast
The danger in this one is pretty easy to see isn't it, all you
have to do is look at your nearest mast, you see how tall it
is, well its built by people and when it malfunctions, which
it will every now and then someone has to repair it, that's
where these engineers come in to fix these tall scary steel
structures, most of them more than 40 feet high, the good
news is at least the ones I’ve seen are equipped for the
job, but still at those heights anything can happen.
5. Armed forces
This Covers the air force, navy and army, so basically
people who are allowed to wield weapons and shoot
people, with such privileges I.e. the guns, it begs the
question how are these groups of people in danger, to
answer that I would advise you to look around. We've got
terrorist in the north bombing and killing people and had
militants in the south killing and kidnapping people, and
even though they face more danger than say the
electrician, their paid almost the same if not less. I'm not
even sure they have health insurance, and if they
eventually die the family is hardly compensated, think
about it the government hardly pays its living workers, you
think their families are going to get compensated if they
die, no wonder they are always so angry.
4. Police
I was kind of conflicted on whether to put this before or
after armed forces, but then decided on after, because
whatever soldiers were facing, the police were facing it too,
for example soldiers are killed by boko haram terrorist, so
are police officers, you know when they raid police stations
to bust their peeps out if prison, and whereas the soldiers
font have to deal with everyday problems like kidnappers,
armed robbers or just crazy Nigerians, the police has to
deal with that and still get killed by terrorists ( now does
that seem fair ) all on top a bad paycheck and no
insurance or compensation.
3. Armed robbers
I know most of you are probably asking yourselves " is
armed robbery really a job ", well yes it is, sort of, but
don’t just take my word for it according to www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/job, a job is work that a person
does regularly in order to earn money ( so as long as they
rob regularly we're good ), thank you Merriam, now that I
have been vindicated and you're probably nodding in
understanding, let's continue.
OK we've already cleared up the fact that armed robbery is
indeed a job, so what makes it so dangerous? You ask,
where should I start, oh I know “you ", not just you but
everyone in Nigeria. Nigerians hate giving people things,
especially money because we have so little of it, we even
hate paying taxes because we don't want to give the
government our money, and then here comes a group of
armed individuals coming to take your stuff or worst, cash,
and of course you can't do anything about it because they
have guns, so in that moment you swallow your resistance
and pain, so as not to get shot. Then a few weeks after
getting robbed, you see were a group of people just caught
a robber, right then you remember your new laptop that
was stolen and suddenly it becomes personal. We've had
incidences of robbers being beaten, maimed and burnt in
Nigeria and though its very wrong, you can see where the
hate stems from, but even if they weren't burnt to death by
an angry mob, the law isn't much better, since the Nigerian
police normally just shoots to kill, if you're a robber ( and
they don't say freeze ), and if they don't kill you, you end
up on in a holding cell till trial, which is almost worst than
death, and when you do eventually get trialed, you risk
spending 14 years in jail, life in prison or death if you
killed someone, so next time you get robbed at gun point,
just smile cause you know what's coming to them. Robbers
ate hated and killed by both the police and people, yet its
only number 3 so what job is worst ?
2. Oil vandal
This applies under the same job definition as armed
robbery, Nigeria's special in this case as its one of the only
country, whose citizens steel oil, it goes to show you how
bad things are that people would steal their own resource.
Though for some, the venture is extremely profitable, it is
far from safe, besides the risk of getting burnt to death in
the very likely chance that something goes wrong and an
explosion happens, in which case they would probably
suffer an agonizing death, there's also the fact the federal
government has been on a war path with these vandals for
several years now, security forces as well as local vigilante
groups have been tasked with catching them ( and they
don't play nice ), oil vandals risked the chance of getting
burnt, shot or prison time ( yep pretty dangerous ), yet its
not number 1 so what job is more dangerous than
everything one the list
1. Manual river sand extractor
I actually learnt of this on an episode of don't tell my
mother on discovery channel, when they came to Lagos
and one of the places the guy visited was a river sand
extracting site, for those of you who don't know what a
manual river sand extractor does, let me enlighten you,
they carry empty buckets to the floor bed of a river, fill it
up with sand and carry it back up to the surface, pretty
easy right, NOT, no part of that is easy or safe, first of all
these rivers are very deep any inexperienced diver would
drown in minutes, plus its a Nigerian river for crying out
loud talk about murky, you wouldn't be able to see two
feet in front of you, and did I forget to mention that the
guy had no equipment whatsoever not even goggles, the
only thing he was with, was the pocket and boxer shorts
( what's with manual workers and boxers in Nigeria ), this
guys risk getting wounded or killed by sunken scrap metal
or by dangerous aquatic life.
As you can imagine in jobs like this with ever present
danger anything can go wrong and only the need for
money and the decision to not be unemployed is the only
reason these guys having quit, so do you still think you
have a bad job bad.
Wednesday 25 November 2015
Tuesday 24 November 2015
Oduduwa: Nigeria Must Let us Go or We take it by Fire & by Shedding of Blood – Femi Fani Kayode
I look at the Nigeria of today and I am not encouraged or
inspired. As a matter of fact I am deeply saddened. I see no
heroes on the horizon but only questionable pretenders and
fallen caricatures that have sold their heritage and destiny
for a mess of porridge and that couldn’t give a fig about
what history or posterity will say about them or their
country.
Many have asked why I should say such things. Permit me to
answer that pertinent question by posing a few of my own.
I start by asking: is this the Nigeria of Murtala Mohammed
and Theophilius Yakubu Danjuma? Is this the nation that
helped to liberate Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and
South Africa?
Is this the nation that restored sanity and stability to Sierra
Leone, that brought an end to a civil war in Liberia, that
fought so gallantly in Burma and Somalia and that quelled a
military coup in Sao Tome and Principe? Is this the nation whose wealth once knew no bounds and
whose middle class once owned the finest cars and
properties in London, Paris and New York? Is this the nation
whose beautiful people once graced the streets of Belgravia,
Chelsea, Hampstead and Knightsbridge?
Is this the country that once nationalized BP and that gave
Margaret Thatcher sleepless nights over apartheid South
Africa?
Is this the nation that once stood up to the mighty Boers and
whose ancestors studied at Oxford and Cambridge as far
back as the 1800’s?
Is this the nation whose inhabitants and various ethnic
nationalities once ruled vast empires and whose progenitors
contributed so much to the traditions, religion and culture of
Ancient Egypt?
Is this the country that once fought a bitter and brutal civil
war, yet declared ”no victor, no vanquished” and, in the
spirit of love, came back as one? Is this the country which
has been through thick and thin and yet whose people
remained ever so resilient and always put a smile on their
faces?
Is this the country where giants once held court and where
the greats of old once presided? Where did we go wrong?
What has happened to our people and what has afflicted our
country? When did our leaders become spineless cowards
and deceivers? When did the green white green of our
nation’s flag become soiled with human faeces and when
was it torn to shreds? When did we shy away from fighting our own battles and
prosecuting our own wars? When did we start bowing our
heads in shame as events unfold in our country? When did
we start sitting down silently as international newscasters
speak about our nation in painful, disdainful, hushed and
condescending tones?
What has happened to the ever courageous, ever smiling,
ever confident and ever dependable Nigerian who shook the
world with his arrogance and confidence and who spoke of
his nation with pride and joy.What has happened to our great army that was once the
pride of Africa and that once made us so proud? What has
happened to our great intellectuals and our men and
women of courage and vision who once, like a collosus,
bestrode the world?
What has happened to the stubborn and proud yet warm,
friendly and profoundly good people that Nigerians once
were? What has happened to the people that were once
regarded as the hope of Africa and the pride of every black
man on the planet?
Where and when did we go astray? How and when did it all
go wrong?
When did we lose our strength, our wealth, our honour and
our power? When did we lose our excellence, our
confidence, our dignity and our self-respect? When did we
become so weak and so helpless? When did we turn into
killers, savages and barbarians?
When did we become so pitiful that the whole world mocks
us and heaps insults on us so easily? When did they start
saying that we have ”no serious government”, that we have
”lost control of large portions of our nation” and that we
can’t even protect our own children? When did we become
incapable of defending our borders and protecting our
people?.When did we turn into a laughing stock and a reference
point for incompetence, stupidity, cowardice, ignorance,
evil, cluelessness and all that is bad to the rest of the world?
When did other nations start giving us lessons on how to
fight insurgency and how to prosecute our wars? When did
our people start clamouring for foreign armies to enter our
land, violate our sovereignty and march on our sacred soil?
When did we start having to ask others to come and solve
our local problems? O Nigeria, how are the mighty fallen.
Truly ours is a nation afflicted. She is finished and there is
little hope of any form of redemption or resurrection.
The honeymoon is over and the glory has departed. One
hundred years of a forced and failed marriage has ended in
a bitter yet undeniable divorce. We have lost it all and there
is no going back. Those that wish to break up our nation for
sport and bring our people to their knees have had their
way.
Those that wish to watch us slaughter one another in an orgy
of mindless violence and that wish to establish their
AFRICOM in our shores will soon be here and we shall be
occupied forever.
O Nigeria, how are the mighty fallen. I loved Nigeria but now
I have stopped believing in her. She is saddled with many
different sub- nations that were simply incompatible right
from the start.
She is plagued and cursed with one particular sub-nation
whose ruling elite are dangerous and unyielding, whose
guile and deceit is second to none, who treat their own
people with contempt and derision, who believe that they
were born to rule, who think that power belongs to them,
who suppress the religious and ethnic minorities within their
ranks and who were taught from an early age that there was
none besides them. Those people have killed Nigeria. They
and those who have consistently bowed and trembled
before them and who have always allowed them to have
their way. Our nation has become a cruel joke- she is a
maliciously contrived contraption that has shattered many
dreams and frustrated many ambitions and aspirations. This
was a country that was created for the benefit of just a few
at the cost of the misery and pain of so many. I will never accept the idea of living in a nation side by side
with religious extremists who slit the throats of children,
who habitually slaughter the innocents and who abduct and
fornicate with small girls. Animals have no place in the
homes of men.
It is time for us to stop pretending: let the terrorists and
their friends in high places break away and establish their
own country where they can marry as many young girls as
they please and chop off as many limbs as they want. Let
them form a nation where they can stone adulterers and
turn women into chattels that are not even worthy of life. Let those of us from the west establish Oduduwa and let us
celebrate and enjoy our freedom from the bondage and
ineptitude of a cruel failed state that has no soul and that
lacks humanity and compassion.
Let us be liberated from the deceit that is known as Nigeria:
a nation that once was but that is no more. Let us be free of
Nigeria: a nation where injustice, evil, persecution,
insensitivity, impugnity, terror, graft and wickedness reign
supreme.
Let us be rid of Nigeria: a country where those of us that had
the misfortune of being born on the ”wrong” side of the
regional divide or who are adherents of the ”wrong”
religious faith are butchered for our heritage and can never
be treated as equals. Give us Oduduwa or let us die. Yet we will eventually take our freedom by force if it is not
freely given to us. We shall take it by fire: by the shedding of
blood and by our own bleeding if necessary. We will take it
by fire and by sacrificing our lives if that is what we are
forced to do.
What we will never do is continue to live in perpetual slavery
in a nation called Nigeria that is afflicted with feeble rulers
and peopled by religious bigots, sexual deviants and
bloodthirsty terrorists.
We shall not allow ourselves to be consummed by the
weakness and ineptitude of our present-day rulers and the
sheer incompetence of those that do not have the courage
or the moral authority to crush the beasts that have
abducted and enslaved our girls.
I have had enough. I say goodbye Nigeria: give them Biafra;
give us Oduduwa or let us die.
inspired. As a matter of fact I am deeply saddened. I see no
heroes on the horizon but only questionable pretenders and
fallen caricatures that have sold their heritage and destiny
for a mess of porridge and that couldn’t give a fig about
what history or posterity will say about them or their
country.
Many have asked why I should say such things. Permit me to
answer that pertinent question by posing a few of my own.
I start by asking: is this the Nigeria of Murtala Mohammed
and Theophilius Yakubu Danjuma? Is this the nation that
helped to liberate Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and
South Africa?
Is this the nation that restored sanity and stability to Sierra
Leone, that brought an end to a civil war in Liberia, that
fought so gallantly in Burma and Somalia and that quelled a
military coup in Sao Tome and Principe? Is this the nation whose wealth once knew no bounds and
whose middle class once owned the finest cars and
properties in London, Paris and New York? Is this the nation
whose beautiful people once graced the streets of Belgravia,
Chelsea, Hampstead and Knightsbridge?
Is this the country that once nationalized BP and that gave
Margaret Thatcher sleepless nights over apartheid South
Africa?
Is this the nation that once stood up to the mighty Boers and
whose ancestors studied at Oxford and Cambridge as far
back as the 1800’s?
Is this the nation whose inhabitants and various ethnic
nationalities once ruled vast empires and whose progenitors
contributed so much to the traditions, religion and culture of
Ancient Egypt?
Is this the country that once fought a bitter and brutal civil
war, yet declared ”no victor, no vanquished” and, in the
spirit of love, came back as one? Is this the country which
has been through thick and thin and yet whose people
remained ever so resilient and always put a smile on their
faces?
Is this the country where giants once held court and where
the greats of old once presided? Where did we go wrong?
What has happened to our people and what has afflicted our
country? When did our leaders become spineless cowards
and deceivers? When did the green white green of our
nation’s flag become soiled with human faeces and when
was it torn to shreds? When did we shy away from fighting our own battles and
prosecuting our own wars? When did we start bowing our
heads in shame as events unfold in our country? When did
we start sitting down silently as international newscasters
speak about our nation in painful, disdainful, hushed and
condescending tones?
What has happened to the ever courageous, ever smiling,
ever confident and ever dependable Nigerian who shook the
world with his arrogance and confidence and who spoke of
his nation with pride and joy.What has happened to our great army that was once the
pride of Africa and that once made us so proud? What has
happened to our great intellectuals and our men and
women of courage and vision who once, like a collosus,
bestrode the world?
What has happened to the stubborn and proud yet warm,
friendly and profoundly good people that Nigerians once
were? What has happened to the people that were once
regarded as the hope of Africa and the pride of every black
man on the planet?
Where and when did we go astray? How and when did it all
go wrong?
When did we lose our strength, our wealth, our honour and
our power? When did we lose our excellence, our
confidence, our dignity and our self-respect? When did we
become so weak and so helpless? When did we turn into
killers, savages and barbarians?
When did we become so pitiful that the whole world mocks
us and heaps insults on us so easily? When did they start
saying that we have ”no serious government”, that we have
”lost control of large portions of our nation” and that we
can’t even protect our own children? When did we become
incapable of defending our borders and protecting our
people?.When did we turn into a laughing stock and a reference
point for incompetence, stupidity, cowardice, ignorance,
evil, cluelessness and all that is bad to the rest of the world?
When did other nations start giving us lessons on how to
fight insurgency and how to prosecute our wars? When did
our people start clamouring for foreign armies to enter our
land, violate our sovereignty and march on our sacred soil?
When did we start having to ask others to come and solve
our local problems? O Nigeria, how are the mighty fallen.
Truly ours is a nation afflicted. She is finished and there is
little hope of any form of redemption or resurrection.
The honeymoon is over and the glory has departed. One
hundred years of a forced and failed marriage has ended in
a bitter yet undeniable divorce. We have lost it all and there
is no going back. Those that wish to break up our nation for
sport and bring our people to their knees have had their
way.
Those that wish to watch us slaughter one another in an orgy
of mindless violence and that wish to establish their
AFRICOM in our shores will soon be here and we shall be
occupied forever.
O Nigeria, how are the mighty fallen. I loved Nigeria but now
I have stopped believing in her. She is saddled with many
different sub- nations that were simply incompatible right
from the start.
She is plagued and cursed with one particular sub-nation
whose ruling elite are dangerous and unyielding, whose
guile and deceit is second to none, who treat their own
people with contempt and derision, who believe that they
were born to rule, who think that power belongs to them,
who suppress the religious and ethnic minorities within their
ranks and who were taught from an early age that there was
none besides them. Those people have killed Nigeria. They
and those who have consistently bowed and trembled
before them and who have always allowed them to have
their way. Our nation has become a cruel joke- she is a
maliciously contrived contraption that has shattered many
dreams and frustrated many ambitions and aspirations. This
was a country that was created for the benefit of just a few
at the cost of the misery and pain of so many. I will never accept the idea of living in a nation side by side
with religious extremists who slit the throats of children,
who habitually slaughter the innocents and who abduct and
fornicate with small girls. Animals have no place in the
homes of men.
It is time for us to stop pretending: let the terrorists and
their friends in high places break away and establish their
own country where they can marry as many young girls as
they please and chop off as many limbs as they want. Let
them form a nation where they can stone adulterers and
turn women into chattels that are not even worthy of life. Let those of us from the west establish Oduduwa and let us
celebrate and enjoy our freedom from the bondage and
ineptitude of a cruel failed state that has no soul and that
lacks humanity and compassion.
Let us be liberated from the deceit that is known as Nigeria:
a nation that once was but that is no more. Let us be free of
Nigeria: a nation where injustice, evil, persecution,
insensitivity, impugnity, terror, graft and wickedness reign
supreme.
Let us be rid of Nigeria: a country where those of us that had
the misfortune of being born on the ”wrong” side of the
regional divide or who are adherents of the ”wrong”
religious faith are butchered for our heritage and can never
be treated as equals. Give us Oduduwa or let us die. Yet we will eventually take our freedom by force if it is not
freely given to us. We shall take it by fire: by the shedding of
blood and by our own bleeding if necessary. We will take it
by fire and by sacrificing our lives if that is what we are
forced to do.
What we will never do is continue to live in perpetual slavery
in a nation called Nigeria that is afflicted with feeble rulers
and peopled by religious bigots, sexual deviants and
bloodthirsty terrorists.
We shall not allow ourselves to be consummed by the
weakness and ineptitude of our present-day rulers and the
sheer incompetence of those that do not have the courage
or the moral authority to crush the beasts that have
abducted and enslaved our girls.
I have had enough. I say goodbye Nigeria: give them Biafra;
give us Oduduwa or let us die.
Monday 23 November 2015
RUMOURS: WAYNE ROONEY WANTED IN CHINA
The Manchester United striker has
reportedly been targeted by the cash-rich
Chinese Superleague as a potential
superstar to give the competition more
attraction
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney
is wanted to become the face of Chinese
football, according to The Sun.
The England international still has three
years on his contract at Old Trafford, but
the newspaper claims the cash-rich Super
League is keen to bring him to the Far East,
after a massive TV deal injected funds into
the league.
Rooney has reportedly been identified as
the superstar China needs to give their
competition a worldwide profile, although
The Sun adds that no agreement is
currently in place
BENITEZ BACKED BY REAL MADRID PRESIDENT
The Spanish coach will remain in charge of
the club despite increasing speculation
surrounding his position in the wake of
Saturday's 4-0 defeat to Barcelona
Rafa Benitez will remain in charge of Real
Madrid after being backed by the club's
president Florentino Perez.
Pressure surrounding the 55-year-old's
position at Madrid intensified on Saturday
following the 4-0 trouncing at home to
Barcelona, which saw the home fans boo
the players and wave white handkerchiefs
at the final whistle.
"We have had a board meeting and
analysed the sporting situation at Real
Madrid and Rafa has all our support and
all our confidence," Perez told reporters on
Monday.
"Rafa Benitez has all the ability and has
only just started his job here. Let him keep
working and he will achieve his objectives.
"The players did not lack attitude. The team
played badly but we cannot question their
attitude in such an important game.
"Rafael Benitez is the chosen one to bring
success to this squad that since January
has struggled and now more than ever he
needs the support of all of our followers.
"We offer full support for our coach who
will be capable of turning this situation
around. The team has suffered a
deterioration since January.
the club despite increasing speculation
surrounding his position in the wake of
Saturday's 4-0 defeat to Barcelona
Rafa Benitez will remain in charge of Real
Madrid after being backed by the club's
president Florentino Perez.
Pressure surrounding the 55-year-old's
position at Madrid intensified on Saturday
following the 4-0 trouncing at home to
Barcelona, which saw the home fans boo
the players and wave white handkerchiefs
at the final whistle.
"We have had a board meeting and
analysed the sporting situation at Real
Madrid and Rafa has all our support and
all our confidence," Perez told reporters on
Monday.
"Rafa Benitez has all the ability and has
only just started his job here. Let him keep
working and he will achieve his objectives.
"The players did not lack attitude. The team
played badly but we cannot question their
attitude in such an important game.
"Rafael Benitez is the chosen one to bring
success to this squad that since January
has struggled and now more than ever he
needs the support of all of our followers.
"We offer full support for our coach who
will be capable of turning this situation
around. The team has suffered a
deterioration since January.
Alleged $2bn fraud: FG asks court to revoke Dasuki’s bail
ABUJA – The Federal Government, yesterday, asked the
Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to revoke the bail
it granted the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col.
Sambo Dasuki, retd.
The government, in an application it filed pursuant to
section 169 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act,
2015, sought for an order committing the former NSA to
prison pending his trial.
It will be recalled
that though
Dasuki was on
September 1,
granted bail by
the high court on
self recognition,
however, trial
Justice Ademola
Adeniyi, on
November 13,
while granting
the defendant
leave to travel
abroad for
medical
treatment,
varied his bail
condition.
Justice Adeniyi
ordered the
erstwhile NSA to
produce a
surety that must
be ready to face prosecution should he (Dasuki), go into
hiding after his medical treatment in the United Kingdom.
The court further directed the release of his hitherto
seized traveling documents, saying Dasuki should return
same to the Deputy Chief Registrar, Litigation of the high
court within 72 hours of his return from the three weeks
medical trip.
It was the order that the government yesterday asked the
court to vacate by revoking the bail that was granted to
the defendant.
Meantime, the Attorney General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, yesterday,
failed to honour the summon that was issued for him to
appear before court to explain why Dasuki has remained
under house arrest despite the leave granted for him to
travel for medical treatment.
Though Justice Adeniyi specifically ordered the AGF to
appear before him yesterday, however, the Director of
Public Prosecution, DPP, Mr. Mohammed Diri, announced
appearance on his behalf.
Diri told the court that he was eminently qualified to
represent the AGF in the matter, contending that no
contempt proceeding is pending against the AGF.
The DPP rather queried the continued absence of Dasuki
in court, even as he urged the court to order his
appearance at the next adjourned date.
The position of the DPP infuriated Dasuki’s lawyers led by
Mr. J. B. Daudu, SAN, who accused the AGF of having little
regard for the court.
Daudu insisted that the AGF ought to have shown respect
to the court by obeying the summon on him, noting that
the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mr. Taiwo
Abidogun, had at the last adjourned date, entered an
undertaking that the AGF would be in court yesterday.
Meantime, while agreeing with Dasuki’s lawyers that the
AGF ought to have appeared in court yesterday, Justice
Adeniyi, fixed November 26 to determine the merit of FG’s
application for bail revocation.
On why the bail should be revoked, FG, yesterday, told the
court that Dasuki is undergoing investigation by the
committee auditing procurement of arms/equipment in
the Armed Forces and Defence Sector from 2007 to date.
It said that an interim report of the committee showed
that over $2 billion was allegedly embezzled and that
Dasuki’s presence is required to assist in further
investigation.
“That there is a federal government directive for the arrest
of all those indicted by the report, including the defendant
(Dasuki) and that the ongoing investigation which borders
on money laundering against the defendant has not been
concluded and there is fear that investigation might be
tempered with on account of foreign visit by the
respondent before the completion of investigation”, Diri
stated in the application.
He added also that the ailment for which permission was
given to Dasuki to travel to the United Kingdom for
treatment can be properly treated in the National
Hospital, Abuja and other teaching hospital in Nigeria.
Besides, FG, told the court that there is an intelligence
report that Dasuki has concluded plans to take the
advantage of the court order releasing his International
Passport to escape justice and tamper with ongoing
investigations.
Daudu objected to the application, contending that FG
could not pray the court for such relief when it has
refused to obey a subsisting order of the court.
Daudu argued that the federal government should not be
granted any indulgence by the court until it stops the siege
to Dasuki’s home.
In a fundamental right enforcement application he filed
before the court, Dasuki who is facing a five-count
criminal charge bordering on money laundering and his
alleged illegal possession of firearms, wants and order
directing FG and operatives of the DSS to vacate his house
located at 13, John Kadija Street, Asokoro with immediate
effect.
Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to revoke the bail
it granted the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col.
Sambo Dasuki, retd.
The government, in an application it filed pursuant to
section 169 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act,
2015, sought for an order committing the former NSA to
prison pending his trial.
It will be recalled
that though
Dasuki was on
September 1,
granted bail by
the high court on
self recognition,
however, trial
Justice Ademola
Adeniyi, on
November 13,
while granting
the defendant
leave to travel
abroad for
medical
treatment,
varied his bail
condition.
Justice Adeniyi
ordered the
erstwhile NSA to
produce a
surety that must
be ready to face prosecution should he (Dasuki), go into
hiding after his medical treatment in the United Kingdom.
The court further directed the release of his hitherto
seized traveling documents, saying Dasuki should return
same to the Deputy Chief Registrar, Litigation of the high
court within 72 hours of his return from the three weeks
medical trip.
It was the order that the government yesterday asked the
court to vacate by revoking the bail that was granted to
the defendant.
Meantime, the Attorney General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, yesterday,
failed to honour the summon that was issued for him to
appear before court to explain why Dasuki has remained
under house arrest despite the leave granted for him to
travel for medical treatment.
Though Justice Adeniyi specifically ordered the AGF to
appear before him yesterday, however, the Director of
Public Prosecution, DPP, Mr. Mohammed Diri, announced
appearance on his behalf.
Diri told the court that he was eminently qualified to
represent the AGF in the matter, contending that no
contempt proceeding is pending against the AGF.
The DPP rather queried the continued absence of Dasuki
in court, even as he urged the court to order his
appearance at the next adjourned date.
The position of the DPP infuriated Dasuki’s lawyers led by
Mr. J. B. Daudu, SAN, who accused the AGF of having little
regard for the court.
Daudu insisted that the AGF ought to have shown respect
to the court by obeying the summon on him, noting that
the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mr. Taiwo
Abidogun, had at the last adjourned date, entered an
undertaking that the AGF would be in court yesterday.
Meantime, while agreeing with Dasuki’s lawyers that the
AGF ought to have appeared in court yesterday, Justice
Adeniyi, fixed November 26 to determine the merit of FG’s
application for bail revocation.
On why the bail should be revoked, FG, yesterday, told the
court that Dasuki is undergoing investigation by the
committee auditing procurement of arms/equipment in
the Armed Forces and Defence Sector from 2007 to date.
It said that an interim report of the committee showed
that over $2 billion was allegedly embezzled and that
Dasuki’s presence is required to assist in further
investigation.
“That there is a federal government directive for the arrest
of all those indicted by the report, including the defendant
(Dasuki) and that the ongoing investigation which borders
on money laundering against the defendant has not been
concluded and there is fear that investigation might be
tempered with on account of foreign visit by the
respondent before the completion of investigation”, Diri
stated in the application.
He added also that the ailment for which permission was
given to Dasuki to travel to the United Kingdom for
treatment can be properly treated in the National
Hospital, Abuja and other teaching hospital in Nigeria.
Besides, FG, told the court that there is an intelligence
report that Dasuki has concluded plans to take the
advantage of the court order releasing his International
Passport to escape justice and tamper with ongoing
investigations.
Daudu objected to the application, contending that FG
could not pray the court for such relief when it has
refused to obey a subsisting order of the court.
Daudu argued that the federal government should not be
granted any indulgence by the court until it stops the siege
to Dasuki’s home.
In a fundamental right enforcement application he filed
before the court, Dasuki who is facing a five-count
criminal charge bordering on money laundering and his
alleged illegal possession of firearms, wants and order
directing FG and operatives of the DSS to vacate his house
located at 13, John Kadija Street, Asokoro with immediate
effect.
Lagos Assembly, executive at war over bills suspension
LAGOS—Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly,
Mr. Mudashiru Obasa has ordered the Clerk of the House,
Mr. Ganiyu Segun Abiru, to invite the Attorney General
and Commissioner for Justice of the state, Mr. Adeniji
Kazeem, for a meeting with the Principal Officers of the
House over the request for the House to suspend some
bills supposedly inherited from the previous Assemblies.
This followed a letter by the
Commissioner directing the 8th Assembly to stop
legislative activities on outstanding Bills inherited from
previous assemblies.
In the letter, which was read on the floor of the House by
the Clerk, Mr. Ganiyu Abiru, the commissioner listed 15
Bills, which he said the House should suspend.
The Bills which include Lagos State Public Private
Partnership Amendment bill 2013, Lagos State Sunset
Agency bill 2013, Lagos State Police Regulatory Authority
bill 2014, Lagos State Public Works Corporation 2014,
Lagos State Examination Board bill 2014, Seal of Lagos
State Government Amendment bill 2014, Lagos State
Public Procurement Agency repeal and re-enactment bill
2014, Lagos State Environmental Management and
Protection bill 2014.
Others are, Lagos State Tourism Promotion Agency bill
2014, Ibile Holding Corporation bill 2014, Lagos State
Safety Commission swimming Pool Regulations 2014
Lagos State Water Infrastructure Development Fishery
Regulation Bill 2014 as well as Lagos State Waterways
Authority boat safety regulation 2014.
However, the House disagreed with the request thereby
calling for a meeting with the Attorney General.
However, the Majority Leader Mr. Sanai Agunbiade,
observed that if the the Attorney General was not new on
the job, he wouldn’t have called for the suspension of the
bills.
“We cannot stop work on the bills as requested by the
Attorney General. So I will suggest that we should continue
working on them,” he said.
In his contribution, Mr. Gbolahan Yishawu said the
executive could send any addition to the Bills rather than
calling for the suspension of works on them. Adding that
each arm of the government has its own responsibilities.
Also, Lanre Ogunyemi, said, that Ibile Oil and Gas is
already a law and that it shouldn’t have been part of the
bills suggested for suspension by the commissioner.
He, however, said that the Attorney General did not have
the power to ask the Assembly to suspend the bills, saying
that the fact that he had requested for the revival of the
bills made the latest request unnecessary.
Mr. Mudashiru Obasa has ordered the Clerk of the House,
Mr. Ganiyu Segun Abiru, to invite the Attorney General
and Commissioner for Justice of the state, Mr. Adeniji
Kazeem, for a meeting with the Principal Officers of the
House over the request for the House to suspend some
bills supposedly inherited from the previous Assemblies.
This followed a letter by the
Commissioner directing the 8th Assembly to stop
legislative activities on outstanding Bills inherited from
previous assemblies.
In the letter, which was read on the floor of the House by
the Clerk, Mr. Ganiyu Abiru, the commissioner listed 15
Bills, which he said the House should suspend.
The Bills which include Lagos State Public Private
Partnership Amendment bill 2013, Lagos State Sunset
Agency bill 2013, Lagos State Police Regulatory Authority
bill 2014, Lagos State Public Works Corporation 2014,
Lagos State Examination Board bill 2014, Seal of Lagos
State Government Amendment bill 2014, Lagos State
Public Procurement Agency repeal and re-enactment bill
2014, Lagos State Environmental Management and
Protection bill 2014.
Others are, Lagos State Tourism Promotion Agency bill
2014, Ibile Holding Corporation bill 2014, Lagos State
Safety Commission swimming Pool Regulations 2014
Lagos State Water Infrastructure Development Fishery
Regulation Bill 2014 as well as Lagos State Waterways
Authority boat safety regulation 2014.
However, the House disagreed with the request thereby
calling for a meeting with the Attorney General.
However, the Majority Leader Mr. Sanai Agunbiade,
observed that if the the Attorney General was not new on
the job, he wouldn’t have called for the suspension of the
bills.
“We cannot stop work on the bills as requested by the
Attorney General. So I will suggest that we should continue
working on them,” he said.
In his contribution, Mr. Gbolahan Yishawu said the
executive could send any addition to the Bills rather than
calling for the suspension of works on them. Adding that
each arm of the government has its own responsibilities.
Also, Lanre Ogunyemi, said, that Ibile Oil and Gas is
already a law and that it shouldn’t have been part of the
bills suggested for suspension by the commissioner.
He, however, said that the Attorney General did not have
the power to ask the Assembly to suspend the bills, saying
that the fact that he had requested for the revival of the
bills made the latest request unnecessary.
68% IDPs are children —Dogara
ABUJA—SPEAKER of the House of Representatives,
yesterday, said 68 per cent of Internally Displaced
Persons, IDPs, in Nigeria were children.
Speaking at the sensitisation workshop and launch of
UNHCR hand book, “On Internal Displacement for
Parliamentarians,” Dogara said statistics from the UNHCR
showed that 68 per cent of IDPs in Nigeria were children,
adding that there had been about 60,000 births in IDP
camps so far.
The speaker further
stressed that today’s
event offered the
opportunity to restate
the fact that there was
no adequate legal
framework for handling
issues of internal
displacement.
According to him,
though Nigeria at the
executive level has
ratified the African
Union Convention for
the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced
Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention), it has not yet
been domesticated by the legislature.
He said: “We need to further explore the theme of this
handbook for parliamentarians, which is ‘Internal
Displacement: Responsibility and Action’, in a nutshell,
who and what is responsible for internal displacement
and what action is being taken by relevant authorities to
address the problem.
“For our purposes, I think we should adopt the description
of IDPs as ‘persons or group of persons who have been
forced or obliged to flee or leave their homes or places of
habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order
to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of
generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural
or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an
internationally recognized state border.’ (Article 1(k) of the
Kampala Convention).
“Large scale development and environmental projects can
also generate IDPs. What is clear from the above
definition is that IDPs are citizens of our country. They are
not refugees from another country.
“They are our constituents, some of who voted us into
office. As legislators, we have a duty and responsibility to
care for them, protect them, assist them, provide for their
needs, their welfare and to advocate on their behalf.”
“To be displaced or uprooted from one’s home is one of
the most degrading and humiliating experiences that can
befall any human being.
“They are very vulnerable and are exposed to all forms of
exploitation and misery, women and female children are
sometimes subjected to sexual abuse, and trafficking.
“IDPs lack appropriate shelter, food, water, sanitation,
healthcare, child protection and educational
opportunities.
“Access to money and work is severely limited or non-
existent. Statistics from the UNHCR show that 68% of IDPs
in Nigeria are children and there are so far about 60, 000
births in the IDP camps.
“The National Assembly has made its own contributions to
the fight against terrorism and internal displacement, over
the years.
“On the fight against Terrorism, we should recall that the
National Assembly speedily passed both the Terrorism
Prevention and the amendment Acts to aid the executive
in its anti terrorism measures.
“The House is also currently processing a Bill to
consolidate the anti – terrorism legislations into one
document for ease of use and reference”.
“The National Assembly has always supported all
budgetary requests from the Executive to fight terrorism.”
“The 8th House of Representatives and indeed the 8th
National Assembly is also ready and willing to provide the
legislative support that may be required of it in this
regard”.
On the issue of Internally Displaced Persons, Dogara said:
“Apart from creating a Standing Committee by the House
of Representatives, a Resolution, sponsored by me and
many other members, was recently adopted by the
House, which among other things; requested Mr President
to set up the machinery for the establishment of the North
East Development Commission and the convening of a
Donor Conference or Summit for the North East region
which will assist in solving the problem of IDPs.”
On domestication of laws, the speaker said:
“Domesticating the Kampala Convention, all legal and
institutional structures with respect to rehabilitation and
assistance of IDPs needs to be reorganized for better
coordination.
“In this regard, the National Commission for Refugees Act,
which is now known as National Commission for
Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons,
needs further amendment.
“Notwithstanding the fact that the Commission has been
formally designated by the Federal Government to cover
matters relating to Internally Displaced Persons and
coordination of Migration and Development, this
designation requires the backing of law in order to further
strengthen the Commission to discharge its mandate.
“Let me place on record, the appreciation of the House of
Representatives of the efforts of President Muhammadu
Buhari, to end terrorism and return our IDPs back to their
respective communities.
“In particular, the inclusion of Five Billion Naira (N5
billion) in the 2015 Supplementary Appropriation Bill just
submitted to the National Assembly, for victims of
terrorism for which IDPs, form a major part, shows
responsiveness on the part of Mr. President.
“Of course, we will expect even more support in the 2016
Budget Proposal and in this regard, we solicit the
continued cooperation and support of our development
partners, UN Agencies, Multilateral and Bilateral Partners,
international and National NGOs, International
Foundations, International Funds, Development Banking
Institutions and Agencies, such as World Bank, IMF,
African Development Bank, etc.
“The private sector organizations and Companies in
Nigeria cannot be left out in this effort.”
yesterday, said 68 per cent of Internally Displaced
Persons, IDPs, in Nigeria were children.
Speaking at the sensitisation workshop and launch of
UNHCR hand book, “On Internal Displacement for
Parliamentarians,” Dogara said statistics from the UNHCR
showed that 68 per cent of IDPs in Nigeria were children,
adding that there had been about 60,000 births in IDP
camps so far.
The speaker further
stressed that today’s
event offered the
opportunity to restate
the fact that there was
no adequate legal
framework for handling
issues of internal
displacement.
According to him,
though Nigeria at the
executive level has
ratified the African
Union Convention for
the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced
Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention), it has not yet
been domesticated by the legislature.
He said: “We need to further explore the theme of this
handbook for parliamentarians, which is ‘Internal
Displacement: Responsibility and Action’, in a nutshell,
who and what is responsible for internal displacement
and what action is being taken by relevant authorities to
address the problem.
“For our purposes, I think we should adopt the description
of IDPs as ‘persons or group of persons who have been
forced or obliged to flee or leave their homes or places of
habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order
to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of
generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural
or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an
internationally recognized state border.’ (Article 1(k) of the
Kampala Convention).
“Large scale development and environmental projects can
also generate IDPs. What is clear from the above
definition is that IDPs are citizens of our country. They are
not refugees from another country.
“They are our constituents, some of who voted us into
office. As legislators, we have a duty and responsibility to
care for them, protect them, assist them, provide for their
needs, their welfare and to advocate on their behalf.”
“To be displaced or uprooted from one’s home is one of
the most degrading and humiliating experiences that can
befall any human being.
“They are very vulnerable and are exposed to all forms of
exploitation and misery, women and female children are
sometimes subjected to sexual abuse, and trafficking.
“IDPs lack appropriate shelter, food, water, sanitation,
healthcare, child protection and educational
opportunities.
“Access to money and work is severely limited or non-
existent. Statistics from the UNHCR show that 68% of IDPs
in Nigeria are children and there are so far about 60, 000
births in the IDP camps.
“The National Assembly has made its own contributions to
the fight against terrorism and internal displacement, over
the years.
“On the fight against Terrorism, we should recall that the
National Assembly speedily passed both the Terrorism
Prevention and the amendment Acts to aid the executive
in its anti terrorism measures.
“The House is also currently processing a Bill to
consolidate the anti – terrorism legislations into one
document for ease of use and reference”.
“The National Assembly has always supported all
budgetary requests from the Executive to fight terrorism.”
“The 8th House of Representatives and indeed the 8th
National Assembly is also ready and willing to provide the
legislative support that may be required of it in this
regard”.
On the issue of Internally Displaced Persons, Dogara said:
“Apart from creating a Standing Committee by the House
of Representatives, a Resolution, sponsored by me and
many other members, was recently adopted by the
House, which among other things; requested Mr President
to set up the machinery for the establishment of the North
East Development Commission and the convening of a
Donor Conference or Summit for the North East region
which will assist in solving the problem of IDPs.”
On domestication of laws, the speaker said:
“Domesticating the Kampala Convention, all legal and
institutional structures with respect to rehabilitation and
assistance of IDPs needs to be reorganized for better
coordination.
“In this regard, the National Commission for Refugees Act,
which is now known as National Commission for
Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons,
needs further amendment.
“Notwithstanding the fact that the Commission has been
formally designated by the Federal Government to cover
matters relating to Internally Displaced Persons and
coordination of Migration and Development, this
designation requires the backing of law in order to further
strengthen the Commission to discharge its mandate.
“Let me place on record, the appreciation of the House of
Representatives of the efforts of President Muhammadu
Buhari, to end terrorism and return our IDPs back to their
respective communities.
“In particular, the inclusion of Five Billion Naira (N5
billion) in the 2015 Supplementary Appropriation Bill just
submitted to the National Assembly, for victims of
terrorism for which IDPs, form a major part, shows
responsiveness on the part of Mr. President.
“Of course, we will expect even more support in the 2016
Budget Proposal and in this regard, we solicit the
continued cooperation and support of our development
partners, UN Agencies, Multilateral and Bilateral Partners,
international and National NGOs, International
Foundations, International Funds, Development Banking
Institutions and Agencies, such as World Bank, IMF,
African Development Bank, etc.
“The private sector organizations and Companies in
Nigeria cannot be left out in this effort.”
Biafra: Call for caution
Since the arrest of Mr Nnamdi Kanu, the Director of
pirate, foreign-based Radio Biafra, youths have been
staging daily protests for his release in many cities of the
South East and South-South. The agitators, under the
platforms of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) and
the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State
of Biafra (MASSOB) are also calling for the granting of
their demand for a separate country called Biafra.
Though the demonstrations have remained peaceful, they
appear to be gathering traction, as more and more youths
are joining, with the risk that matters could boil over and
threaten the peace and stability of the country.
We call on all concerned to exercise caution and ensure
that we do not get into yet another security mess. The
country has just recovered from the militancy in the Niger
Delta, which ended when the government of the late
President Umaru Yar’ Adua packaged a comprehensive
amnesty deal for repentant militants. We are yet to fully
overcome the threat to the stability of the country posed
by the Boko Haram Islamist terrorists in northern Nigeria.
We cannot afford to add to it another uprising, this time
from the South East.
We call on the Biafra agitators to jettison the idea of
compromising the unity and territorial integrity of Nigeria.
Igbo leaders should rein in their angry youth and
persuade them to seek solutions within the Nigerian
platform which belongs to all of us. The Biafra issue was
settled forty five years ago when the nation successfully
reasserted the indivisibility of Nigeria. We do not want a
re-enactment of that sad chapter which occasioned
massive loss of lives and property and brought untold
pain and misery to millions of our countrymen, women
and children.
We believe that the complaint of marginalisation, which is
often used to justify the call for secession, can be
addressed through the political process, good governance
and good leadership. The funny thing about the cry of
marginalisation is that virtually every group in the country
is complaining. This is why we have so many national and
constitutional conferences, in the last 38 years. Perhaps,
it is time for us to start implementing some of the
resolutions from these confabs to enhance greater citizen
participation in their own affairs.
We must devolve more political and economic power to
the people and ensure justice and fair play in the
distribution of the political and economic resources of the
country. We must eliminate all sources of injustice, create
more opportunities for the full employment of the youth
and make all Nigerians happy and proud of their country.
Nigeria must remain one united entity.
pirate, foreign-based Radio Biafra, youths have been
staging daily protests for his release in many cities of the
South East and South-South. The agitators, under the
platforms of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) and
the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State
of Biafra (MASSOB) are also calling for the granting of
their demand for a separate country called Biafra.
Though the demonstrations have remained peaceful, they
appear to be gathering traction, as more and more youths
are joining, with the risk that matters could boil over and
threaten the peace and stability of the country.
We call on all concerned to exercise caution and ensure
that we do not get into yet another security mess. The
country has just recovered from the militancy in the Niger
Delta, which ended when the government of the late
President Umaru Yar’ Adua packaged a comprehensive
amnesty deal for repentant militants. We are yet to fully
overcome the threat to the stability of the country posed
by the Boko Haram Islamist terrorists in northern Nigeria.
We cannot afford to add to it another uprising, this time
from the South East.
We call on the Biafra agitators to jettison the idea of
compromising the unity and territorial integrity of Nigeria.
Igbo leaders should rein in their angry youth and
persuade them to seek solutions within the Nigerian
platform which belongs to all of us. The Biafra issue was
settled forty five years ago when the nation successfully
reasserted the indivisibility of Nigeria. We do not want a
re-enactment of that sad chapter which occasioned
massive loss of lives and property and brought untold
pain and misery to millions of our countrymen, women
and children.
We believe that the complaint of marginalisation, which is
often used to justify the call for secession, can be
addressed through the political process, good governance
and good leadership. The funny thing about the cry of
marginalisation is that virtually every group in the country
is complaining. This is why we have so many national and
constitutional conferences, in the last 38 years. Perhaps,
it is time for us to start implementing some of the
resolutions from these confabs to enhance greater citizen
participation in their own affairs.
We must devolve more political and economic power to
the people and ensure justice and fair play in the
distribution of the political and economic resources of the
country. We must eliminate all sources of injustice, create
more opportunities for the full employment of the youth
and make all Nigerians happy and proud of their country.
Nigeria must remain one united entity.
Audu’s death: There should be fresh polls in Kogi, say Don, others
LAWYERS across the country, yesterday, continued to
proffer suggestions on how the country could wriggle out
of the constitutional logjam occasioned by the death of
Prince Abubakar Audu, the All Progressives Congress
(APC) governorship candidate in Kogi State.
Audu before his death was leading in the governorship
election held on Saturday with over 40,000 votes and
looked set to emerge as winner later because only 49000
voters are expected to vote in the supplementary
elections to be conducted in 59 polling units.
The Constitution
and Electoral Act
have no
provisions for a
situation where a
leading candidate
dies during an
election.
APC should
replace Audu for
the re-run polls –
Olajide
A lawyer, Barrister Asiyanbi Olajide, said: ”The death of
Audu Abubakar comes with some constitutional questions.
What happens to the inconclusive elections? Who
becomes the APC’s Governorship candidate in the re-run
elections in the affected areas. Will a new election be
ordered in Kogi State? Many more questions, yet few
answers.
The scenario would have been different if the results of
the election were declared before the death of Audu
Abubakar. In that case Section 181(1) of the Constitution
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would have been
invoked. ‘Section 181. (1) If a person duly elected as
Governor dies before taking and subscribing the Oath of
Allegiance and oath of office, or is unable for any reason
whatsoever to be sworn in, the person elected with him as
Deputy governor shall be sworn in as Governor and he
shall nominate a new Deputy-Governor who shall be
appointed by the Governor with the approval of a simple
majority of the House of Assembly of the State’.
But the scenario in Kogi is different. Nobody has been
declared the winner yet. Therein lies the constitutional/
electoral challenge. But its not beyond resolution.
This is where Section 33 of the Electoral Act (as amended)
2010 can be invoked. It provides ‘Section 33. A political
party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its
candidate whose name has been submitted pursuant to
Section 31 of this Act, except in the case of death or
withdrawal by the candidate’
”Section 33 of the Electoral Act is wide enough to
accommodate the scenario in Kogi State, where a
candidate dies where the election is declared
inconclusive. This is because Section 33 of the Electoral
Act is not limited to pre-election substitution of a
candidate. Pre-election substitution of a candidate is
specifically provided for in Section 36(1) of the Electoral
Act. ‘Section 36(1). If after the time for the delivery of
nomination paper and before commencement of the poll,
a nominated candidate dies, the Chief National Electoral
Commissioner or the Resident Electoral Commissioner
shall, being satisfied of the fact of the death, countermand
the poll in which the deceased candidate was to
participate and the Commission shall appoint some other
convenient date for the election within 14 days’. The
postponement of the election as contemplated under
Section 36 of the Electoral Act is to allow the party to
present another candidate.
”However, if the candidate dies where the election is
declared inconclusive as in Kogi, the party will be allowed
to substitute the death candidate for the re-run election in
the affected areas. This is the intention of Section 33 of the
Electoral Act. Limiting Section 33 of the Electoral Act will
be restricting its intention and deviating from the
purposive rule of interpretation.
The party’s garnered votes in the inconclusive election
remain valid. This is because the electorates voted for the
party not the candidate.
In the end, no constitutional/electoral lacuna exists. The
APC should invoke the provisions of Section 33 of the
Electoral Act and substitute Audu Abubakar with another
candidate, while their votes remain intact as they go in for
the re-run elections in the affected areas, declared
inconclusive.”
INEC, AGF should approach Supreme Court for
interpretation – Alli
Ibadan-based lawyer, Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, said:
”INEC should approach the Attorney General of the
Federation, who may quickly seek interpretation from the
Supreme Court as our laws, both the Constitution and
Electoral Act never envisaged the present situation. To do
otherwise, any party who feels aggrieved would go to
court or tribunal making it one of the issues for
determination.”
There should be fresh polls – Leigh
To Oluwaseyi Leigh, a lecturer at the Olabisi Onabanjo
University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, ”the nearest solution to
the seeming constitutional conundrum is Section 36 (1) of
the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended). The section relates
to Death of a Candidate before the Commencement of a
Poll.
In my own view, an inconclusive election is to all intents
and purposes, akin to no election at all, even if only in
those affected areas. Now, with the interposition of death,
the equation becomes skewed. Why do I say this? The
rerun of the election is now in the future and Audu’s death
is now tantamount to the death of a nominated candidate
before the commencement of the poll (in this case, the
rerun), even in those selected areas for the rerun.
”But in the light of the exigency of death, the rerun will
have to be ordered in the whole state. This is because if
the party decides to field another candidate apart from
the running mate of the deceased at the election, or even
if the running mate is fielded at the election, both of them
will have to choose a new running mate, which makes
them an entirely new set of candidates who are new to the
rerun arrangement and therefore cannot take the benefit
of what went before.
Even though political parties are for now, the
constitutionally recognised platforms upon which
candidates can stand for election and political parties are
clothed with the “perpetual succession” fiction of their
existence, yet, only natural persons subject to natural and
human foibles can be candidates, and where death
occurs, the succeeding candidate(s) will also need to
undergo the motions undertaken by the departed.
It is an instance of a situation known to lawyers where a
“cause of action” dies with a party to the action. Under
section 36 earlier referred to, INEC will have to appoint
some other convenient date for the election within 14
days.”
Fresh polls, the only option – Chukwu
Owerri-base Legal Practitioner, Barr Stanley Chukwu, said:
”The present situation arising from the death of Audu, the
APC gubernatorial candidate in Kogi has created an
unprecedented situation not envisaged in the 1999
Constitution of the Federation as Amended. While Section
181 of the Constitution envisaged a situation where if a
Governor elect dies before taking oath of office his deputy
is to take over. Subsection 2 of section 181 provides that
where both the Governor elect and his deputy die before
taking oath of office, that there will be a flesh election.
”The Kogi situation is that the Gubernatorial candidate
died at a time election has not been concluded and
supplementary election is to be conducted so that a
winner would be declared. In this scenario, APC no longer
have a gubernatorial candidate for the supplementary
election. In fact, supplementary election would be a waste
of time. Audu’s running mate cannot step into his shoe.
There is no provision in the Electoral Act or the
Constitution that assigned any role to a running mate
upon the demise of the Gubernatorial candidate before
declaration of winner. The only option is for an a flesh
election to be conducted in which APC will field a
candidate. Again, this is one scenario which our law fail to
envisage and there is now the need to take care of it in
future constitutional amendment.
”The argument that it is the party that stands for election
will not fly when you analogically consider section 181(2).
of the Constitution which orders for fresh election where
both the Governor Elect and Deputy Governor elects die
before taking oath of office. If the Constitution recognises
the party above the candidate, it would have simply
required the Party to field a new Governor-elect and
Deputy Governor elect but instead, the Constitution
required a new election. So in this case, since Audu has
not been declared, his running mate can only be seen and
not reckoned with. The only option now is conducting a
fresh election.”
proffer suggestions on how the country could wriggle out
of the constitutional logjam occasioned by the death of
Prince Abubakar Audu, the All Progressives Congress
(APC) governorship candidate in Kogi State.
Audu before his death was leading in the governorship
election held on Saturday with over 40,000 votes and
looked set to emerge as winner later because only 49000
voters are expected to vote in the supplementary
elections to be conducted in 59 polling units.
The Constitution
and Electoral Act
have no
provisions for a
situation where a
leading candidate
dies during an
election.
APC should
replace Audu for
the re-run polls –
Olajide
A lawyer, Barrister Asiyanbi Olajide, said: ”The death of
Audu Abubakar comes with some constitutional questions.
What happens to the inconclusive elections? Who
becomes the APC’s Governorship candidate in the re-run
elections in the affected areas. Will a new election be
ordered in Kogi State? Many more questions, yet few
answers.
The scenario would have been different if the results of
the election were declared before the death of Audu
Abubakar. In that case Section 181(1) of the Constitution
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would have been
invoked. ‘Section 181. (1) If a person duly elected as
Governor dies before taking and subscribing the Oath of
Allegiance and oath of office, or is unable for any reason
whatsoever to be sworn in, the person elected with him as
Deputy governor shall be sworn in as Governor and he
shall nominate a new Deputy-Governor who shall be
appointed by the Governor with the approval of a simple
majority of the House of Assembly of the State’.
But the scenario in Kogi is different. Nobody has been
declared the winner yet. Therein lies the constitutional/
electoral challenge. But its not beyond resolution.
This is where Section 33 of the Electoral Act (as amended)
2010 can be invoked. It provides ‘Section 33. A political
party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its
candidate whose name has been submitted pursuant to
Section 31 of this Act, except in the case of death or
withdrawal by the candidate’
”Section 33 of the Electoral Act is wide enough to
accommodate the scenario in Kogi State, where a
candidate dies where the election is declared
inconclusive. This is because Section 33 of the Electoral
Act is not limited to pre-election substitution of a
candidate. Pre-election substitution of a candidate is
specifically provided for in Section 36(1) of the Electoral
Act. ‘Section 36(1). If after the time for the delivery of
nomination paper and before commencement of the poll,
a nominated candidate dies, the Chief National Electoral
Commissioner or the Resident Electoral Commissioner
shall, being satisfied of the fact of the death, countermand
the poll in which the deceased candidate was to
participate and the Commission shall appoint some other
convenient date for the election within 14 days’. The
postponement of the election as contemplated under
Section 36 of the Electoral Act is to allow the party to
present another candidate.
”However, if the candidate dies where the election is
declared inconclusive as in Kogi, the party will be allowed
to substitute the death candidate for the re-run election in
the affected areas. This is the intention of Section 33 of the
Electoral Act. Limiting Section 33 of the Electoral Act will
be restricting its intention and deviating from the
purposive rule of interpretation.
The party’s garnered votes in the inconclusive election
remain valid. This is because the electorates voted for the
party not the candidate.
In the end, no constitutional/electoral lacuna exists. The
APC should invoke the provisions of Section 33 of the
Electoral Act and substitute Audu Abubakar with another
candidate, while their votes remain intact as they go in for
the re-run elections in the affected areas, declared
inconclusive.”
INEC, AGF should approach Supreme Court for
interpretation – Alli
Ibadan-based lawyer, Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, said:
”INEC should approach the Attorney General of the
Federation, who may quickly seek interpretation from the
Supreme Court as our laws, both the Constitution and
Electoral Act never envisaged the present situation. To do
otherwise, any party who feels aggrieved would go to
court or tribunal making it one of the issues for
determination.”
There should be fresh polls – Leigh
To Oluwaseyi Leigh, a lecturer at the Olabisi Onabanjo
University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, ”the nearest solution to
the seeming constitutional conundrum is Section 36 (1) of
the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended). The section relates
to Death of a Candidate before the Commencement of a
Poll.
In my own view, an inconclusive election is to all intents
and purposes, akin to no election at all, even if only in
those affected areas. Now, with the interposition of death,
the equation becomes skewed. Why do I say this? The
rerun of the election is now in the future and Audu’s death
is now tantamount to the death of a nominated candidate
before the commencement of the poll (in this case, the
rerun), even in those selected areas for the rerun.
”But in the light of the exigency of death, the rerun will
have to be ordered in the whole state. This is because if
the party decides to field another candidate apart from
the running mate of the deceased at the election, or even
if the running mate is fielded at the election, both of them
will have to choose a new running mate, which makes
them an entirely new set of candidates who are new to the
rerun arrangement and therefore cannot take the benefit
of what went before.
Even though political parties are for now, the
constitutionally recognised platforms upon which
candidates can stand for election and political parties are
clothed with the “perpetual succession” fiction of their
existence, yet, only natural persons subject to natural and
human foibles can be candidates, and where death
occurs, the succeeding candidate(s) will also need to
undergo the motions undertaken by the departed.
It is an instance of a situation known to lawyers where a
“cause of action” dies with a party to the action. Under
section 36 earlier referred to, INEC will have to appoint
some other convenient date for the election within 14
days.”
Fresh polls, the only option – Chukwu
Owerri-base Legal Practitioner, Barr Stanley Chukwu, said:
”The present situation arising from the death of Audu, the
APC gubernatorial candidate in Kogi has created an
unprecedented situation not envisaged in the 1999
Constitution of the Federation as Amended. While Section
181 of the Constitution envisaged a situation where if a
Governor elect dies before taking oath of office his deputy
is to take over. Subsection 2 of section 181 provides that
where both the Governor elect and his deputy die before
taking oath of office, that there will be a flesh election.
”The Kogi situation is that the Gubernatorial candidate
died at a time election has not been concluded and
supplementary election is to be conducted so that a
winner would be declared. In this scenario, APC no longer
have a gubernatorial candidate for the supplementary
election. In fact, supplementary election would be a waste
of time. Audu’s running mate cannot step into his shoe.
There is no provision in the Electoral Act or the
Constitution that assigned any role to a running mate
upon the demise of the Gubernatorial candidate before
declaration of winner. The only option is for an a flesh
election to be conducted in which APC will field a
candidate. Again, this is one scenario which our law fail to
envisage and there is now the need to take care of it in
future constitutional amendment.
”The argument that it is the party that stands for election
will not fly when you analogically consider section 181(2).
of the Constitution which orders for fresh election where
both the Governor Elect and Deputy Governor elects die
before taking oath of office. If the Constitution recognises
the party above the candidate, it would have simply
required the Party to field a new Governor-elect and
Deputy Governor elect but instead, the Constitution
required a new election. So in this case, since Audu has
not been declared, his running mate can only be seen and
not reckoned with. The only option now is conducting a
fresh election.”
Petroleum contributes N1.94trn to Nigeria’s GDP
The oil and gas sector contributed N1.942 trillion to
Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, in the third
quarter, Q3 of 2015, according to a data by the National
Bureau of Statistics, NBS.
Giving a breakdown, the NBS in its GDP Q3 2015 report,
said the Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas sub-sector
accounted for N1.845 trillion, rising from N1.614 trillion in
Q2 2015, and also an improvement when compared to
N1.826 trillion recorded in 2014.
On the other hand, the Oil Refining sub-sector, under the
Manufacturing sector, accounted for N81.93 billion,
compared to N28.545 billion and N92.55 billion recorded
Q2 2015 and Q3 2014 respectively.
The contribution of the Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas
sub-sector, according to the NBS, represented 10.27 per
cent of the country’s total real GDP, and is an
improvement on the N1.614 trillion recorded in Q2 2014.
The NBS attributed the improved contribution of the
sector to a significant rise in crude oil production in the
period under review, compared to oil output in Q2 2015.
According to the report, in the period under review,
preliminary data on oOil production reflects output of
2.17 million barrels per day (mbpd) up from production in
Q2 2015 by 0.17 mbpd.
“Oil production was also marginally higher in the
corresponding quarter in 2014 by 0.02 mbpd when output
was recorded at 2.15 mbpd,” the report said.
The NBS further said that the contribution of the oil and
gas sector to Nigeria’s GDP in Q3 2015, reflected an
increase by 1.06, year-on-year, higher by 4.65 per cent
points from the corresponding quarter of 2014, and
higher than the Q2 when growth declined by 6.79 per cent.
The report continued: “Quarter-on-Quarter, growth also
increased by 14.35 per cent. As a share of the economy,
the oil sector represented 10.27% of total real GDP, down
from the shares recorded in the corresponding period of
2014 by 0.18 per cent points and up from the share in the
Second Quarter of 2015 by 0.46 per cent points.”
Generally, the NBS said that Nigeria’s GDP in Q3 2015,
grew by 2.84 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms, higher
by 0.49 per cent points from growth recorded in the
preceding quarter, yet lower by 3.38 percentage points
from growth recorded in the corresponding quarter of
2014.
It also added that quarter on quarter, Nigeria’s real GDP
increased by 9.19 per cent.
Top 5 Richest Comedians In Nigeria And What They Charge Per Show
Richest comedians in Nigeria: They may be the b*tt of their
jokes. They could do anything but be serious. But they’re
no fools. While you smile at home, they are rocking and
dancing Gobe to the banks! From obscurity to fortune,
these comedians are the biggest in the game. They are
Nigerian’s top five richest comedians.
5. AY Comedian Comedian Call him a master of the arts.
You won’t be wrong. He’s a lover of taste and distinction-
and maybe money too! His AY Live annual show fetches
him around N160 million. In popular demand, AY collects
between N1 to N2 million per event, while his annual
income is put at N280 million, with a net worth of N800
million, AY can surely boast of exotic cars and choice
properties. Also, his 30 days in Atlanta has been dubbed
the highest grossing Nollywood movie ever.
4. Julius Agwu He is a genius. No doubt. Book publishing
in Nigeria could be anything but money spinning. But
Julius defied the odds. His book, Jokes Apart fetched him
N20 million. A humor investor, Julius is the CEO of Real
Laff entertainment, organizers of Crack Your Ribs and
Laugh for Christ’s Sake. These events bring him N140
million annually. With a performance fee between N2 to
N3 million, his net worth is N1.5 billion, including
properties scattered across the country. He’s indeed a
money making genius.
3. I Go Dye He’s a UN amba$$ador. But he hardly banks
on that! Beyond thrilling his admirers, I Go Dye is a
consummate businessman. He owns Revamp Construction.
Revamp deals in real estate, property and road
construction. His annual take home is between N350 and
N500 million. With a net worth of over N2 billion, I Go Dye
is not done. Not yet. Franstel Bottle water is in the works.
2. Basketmouth He’s basket mouth, but so is his business
appetite. More than any other Nigerian comedian,
Basketmouth remains the toast of reputable brands in
Nigeria. He pockets over N120 million annually from his
endorsement deals. He gets N100 million from his
Basketmouth Uncensored show. With an income of over
N360 million, his net worth stands at N2 billion.
1. Ali Baba All hail the King! A jester extraordinaire, but a
serious businessman too. His Lekki home alone is valued
at over N300 million. Dubbed the father of modern
Nigerian comedy, he’s the delight of politicians and the big
boys in Nigeria. His appearance fee stands between N4 to
N5 million per event. And he’s sure of two events per
week: Bringing him to N400 million per annum. With a net
worth of over N3 billion, little wonder he remains the
kingmaker of Nigeria’s comedy industry.
jokes. They could do anything but be serious. But they’re
no fools. While you smile at home, they are rocking and
dancing Gobe to the banks! From obscurity to fortune,
these comedians are the biggest in the game. They are
Nigerian’s top five richest comedians.
5. AY Comedian Comedian Call him a master of the arts.
You won’t be wrong. He’s a lover of taste and distinction-
and maybe money too! His AY Live annual show fetches
him around N160 million. In popular demand, AY collects
between N1 to N2 million per event, while his annual
income is put at N280 million, with a net worth of N800
million, AY can surely boast of exotic cars and choice
properties. Also, his 30 days in Atlanta has been dubbed
the highest grossing Nollywood movie ever.
4. Julius Agwu He is a genius. No doubt. Book publishing
in Nigeria could be anything but money spinning. But
Julius defied the odds. His book, Jokes Apart fetched him
N20 million. A humor investor, Julius is the CEO of Real
Laff entertainment, organizers of Crack Your Ribs and
Laugh for Christ’s Sake. These events bring him N140
million annually. With a performance fee between N2 to
N3 million, his net worth is N1.5 billion, including
properties scattered across the country. He’s indeed a
money making genius.
3. I Go Dye He’s a UN amba$$ador. But he hardly banks
on that! Beyond thrilling his admirers, I Go Dye is a
consummate businessman. He owns Revamp Construction.
Revamp deals in real estate, property and road
construction. His annual take home is between N350 and
N500 million. With a net worth of over N2 billion, I Go Dye
is not done. Not yet. Franstel Bottle water is in the works.
2. Basketmouth He’s basket mouth, but so is his business
appetite. More than any other Nigerian comedian,
Basketmouth remains the toast of reputable brands in
Nigeria. He pockets over N120 million annually from his
endorsement deals. He gets N100 million from his
Basketmouth Uncensored show. With an income of over
N360 million, his net worth stands at N2 billion.
1. Ali Baba All hail the King! A jester extraordinaire, but a
serious businessman too. His Lekki home alone is valued
at over N300 million. Dubbed the father of modern
Nigerian comedy, he’s the delight of politicians and the big
boys in Nigeria. His appearance fee stands between N4 to
N5 million per event. And he’s sure of two events per
week: Bringing him to N400 million per annum. With a net
worth of over N3 billion, little wonder he remains the
kingmaker of Nigeria’s comedy industry.
Sunday 22 November 2015
Crisis, as Audu, Kogi gov candidate dies
LOKOJA—The wait for a new governor of Kogi State
following last Saturday’s governorship election turned into
a constitutional crisis, yesterday, after the leading
candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu died after he had taken
a commanding lead over the incumbent governor, Captain
Idris Wada.
Audu contested the election on the banner of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, and had won 240,827 votes to
beat Wada who contested on the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP to second place. However, because
of the irregularities that trailed the election, polling was
cancelled in 59 polling units, a development that led to
the declaration of the election as inconclusive. Audu’s
death is an unprecedented development not envisaged by
the constitution and the Electoral Act.
The circumstances of Audu’s death in his country home in
Ogbonicha were still cloudy, yesterday, but sources
disclosed that it followed complaints of stomach ache that
commenced about Thursday.
His ill-health
Sources said the
condition which
was first noticed
in Lokoja
worsened in his
country home in
Ogbonicha but
aides were able
to manage the
prince to vote in
the election in
which he was standing as a governorship candidate for
the sixth time.
His condition, however, worsened late on Saturday and by
yesterday morning he had died even before the result of
the election could be declared. An eerie silence enveloped
the country home as family members waited for the
results of the election to be declared far away in Lokoja.
Sources disclosed that at least two doctors from the
Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja and other medical
personnel had been attending to him in his residence for
some time and were with him until he died yesterday
morning.
However, it was not until about 2.30 p.m. that suspicion
on the fate of the APC candidate emerged to the outside
world. That was when an ambulance from the Federal
Medical Centre arrived to carry the corpse, but the
ambulance eventually left without the corpse of the late
Audu.
Among the early arrivals at the Ogbonicha country home
were his running mate, James Faleke, Senator Dino
Melaye, a former minister, Abah Humphrey; senior
officials of the Audu Campaign among others.
There were suggestions last night that Audu, a Muslim,
could be buried as early as this morning. APC chieftains
led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu are expected to
witness the burial today.
Earlier yesterday, the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, had declared the election as
inconclusive despite the commanding lead taken by Audu
over Governor Wada, the candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP.
The INEC, returning officer for the election, Prof.
Emmanuel Kucha of Federal University of Agriculture,
Makurdi, had announced Audu as having polled 240,827
votes to top the election with Wada scoring 199, 514 votes.
He, however, declared the election inconclusive on the
fact that no party could be declared the winner since the
number of cancelled votes was more than the difference
between the APC and the PDP.
Incloclusive election
Though the election was peaceful across the three
senatorial districts, the election was cancelled in 59
polling units across 18 Local Government areas of the
state due to non-usage of the card reader, over voting,
ballot snatching, violence and other irregularities.
Kucha said: “Since the number of cancelled votes was
49,953 while the difference between the votes scored by
the APC and PDP candidates stood at 41,353, the election
could not yet be declared as conclusive.
“Applying provision of INEC guideline, page 22 – 23
paragraph 4(m), the election will be re-conducted in 59
polling units across 18 LGAs”.
The breakdown of the result declared so far shows that
the late Audu won 16 out of the 21 Local Government
Areas of the state while Wada won five of the LGAs.
The APC won in Yagba East, Yagba West, Kabba/Bunu,
Ijumu, Lokoja, Kogi, Okehi, Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ibaji, Ankpa,
Igalamela/Odolu, Ofu, Olamaboro and Idah LGAs; while
PDP won Mopamuro, Dekina, Okene, Ogori/Mangogo and
Omala LGAs
The result of the election shows that all the major
gladiators won in their respective Local governments, with
the late Audu winning his LG, Ofu; his Deputy, Faleke won
Ijumu LG; while Governor Wada won his LG, Dekina; and
his Deputy, Yomi Awoniyi won his LG, Mopamuro.
A further breakdown shows that the. Governor won only
one local government in the Western senatorial axis and
two each from the Central and Eastern senatorial axis of
the state.
INEC, before the news of Audu’s death, had promised to
communicate a new date for the conduct of the
rescheduled election in the affected polling units to the
parties.
The following are the LGAs and numbers of cancelled
votes: Adavi 2134, Ajaokuta 1406, Ankpa 6021, Bassa 742,
Dekina 17,454, Ibaji 2665, Idah 310, Igalamela/Odolu
1501, Ijumu 705, Kabba/Bunu 1767, Kogi 1689, Lokoja
2854, Ofu 4679, Okehi 403, Okene 676, Olamaboro 2046,
Omala 2526 and Yagba West 375.
following last Saturday’s governorship election turned into
a constitutional crisis, yesterday, after the leading
candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu died after he had taken
a commanding lead over the incumbent governor, Captain
Idris Wada.
Audu contested the election on the banner of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, and had won 240,827 votes to
beat Wada who contested on the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP to second place. However, because
of the irregularities that trailed the election, polling was
cancelled in 59 polling units, a development that led to
the declaration of the election as inconclusive. Audu’s
death is an unprecedented development not envisaged by
the constitution and the Electoral Act.
The circumstances of Audu’s death in his country home in
Ogbonicha were still cloudy, yesterday, but sources
disclosed that it followed complaints of stomach ache that
commenced about Thursday.
His ill-health
Sources said the
condition which
was first noticed
in Lokoja
worsened in his
country home in
Ogbonicha but
aides were able
to manage the
prince to vote in
the election in
which he was standing as a governorship candidate for
the sixth time.
His condition, however, worsened late on Saturday and by
yesterday morning he had died even before the result of
the election could be declared. An eerie silence enveloped
the country home as family members waited for the
results of the election to be declared far away in Lokoja.
Sources disclosed that at least two doctors from the
Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja and other medical
personnel had been attending to him in his residence for
some time and were with him until he died yesterday
morning.
However, it was not until about 2.30 p.m. that suspicion
on the fate of the APC candidate emerged to the outside
world. That was when an ambulance from the Federal
Medical Centre arrived to carry the corpse, but the
ambulance eventually left without the corpse of the late
Audu.
Among the early arrivals at the Ogbonicha country home
were his running mate, James Faleke, Senator Dino
Melaye, a former minister, Abah Humphrey; senior
officials of the Audu Campaign among others.
There were suggestions last night that Audu, a Muslim,
could be buried as early as this morning. APC chieftains
led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu are expected to
witness the burial today.
Earlier yesterday, the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, had declared the election as
inconclusive despite the commanding lead taken by Audu
over Governor Wada, the candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP.
The INEC, returning officer for the election, Prof.
Emmanuel Kucha of Federal University of Agriculture,
Makurdi, had announced Audu as having polled 240,827
votes to top the election with Wada scoring 199, 514 votes.
He, however, declared the election inconclusive on the
fact that no party could be declared the winner since the
number of cancelled votes was more than the difference
between the APC and the PDP.
Incloclusive election
Though the election was peaceful across the three
senatorial districts, the election was cancelled in 59
polling units across 18 Local Government areas of the
state due to non-usage of the card reader, over voting,
ballot snatching, violence and other irregularities.
Kucha said: “Since the number of cancelled votes was
49,953 while the difference between the votes scored by
the APC and PDP candidates stood at 41,353, the election
could not yet be declared as conclusive.
“Applying provision of INEC guideline, page 22 – 23
paragraph 4(m), the election will be re-conducted in 59
polling units across 18 LGAs”.
The breakdown of the result declared so far shows that
the late Audu won 16 out of the 21 Local Government
Areas of the state while Wada won five of the LGAs.
The APC won in Yagba East, Yagba West, Kabba/Bunu,
Ijumu, Lokoja, Kogi, Okehi, Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ibaji, Ankpa,
Igalamela/Odolu, Ofu, Olamaboro and Idah LGAs; while
PDP won Mopamuro, Dekina, Okene, Ogori/Mangogo and
Omala LGAs
The result of the election shows that all the major
gladiators won in their respective Local governments, with
the late Audu winning his LG, Ofu; his Deputy, Faleke won
Ijumu LG; while Governor Wada won his LG, Dekina; and
his Deputy, Yomi Awoniyi won his LG, Mopamuro.
A further breakdown shows that the. Governor won only
one local government in the Western senatorial axis and
two each from the Central and Eastern senatorial axis of
the state.
INEC, before the news of Audu’s death, had promised to
communicate a new date for the conduct of the
rescheduled election in the affected polling units to the
parties.
The following are the LGAs and numbers of cancelled
votes: Adavi 2134, Ajaokuta 1406, Ankpa 6021, Bassa 742,
Dekina 17,454, Ibaji 2665, Idah 310, Igalamela/Odolu
1501, Ijumu 705, Kabba/Bunu 1767, Kogi 1689, Lokoja
2854, Ofu 4679, Okehi 403, Okene 676, Olamaboro 2046,
Omala 2526 and Yagba West 375.
Champions League: Alaba worries Bayern
Bayern Munich are waiting on the fitness of defender David
Alaba for Tuesday’s Champions League home match against
Olympiakos after the Austrian picked up an ankle injury, AFP
reports.
Having opened the scoring in Bayern’s 3-1 win at Schalke 04
on Saturday as Pep Guardiola’s side went eight points clear
at the top of the Bundesliga, Alaba injured his left ankle and
had to come off in the 83rd minute at the Veltins Arena.
A scan in Munich on Sunday revealed the extent of the injury
and whether or not Alaba faces the Greek champions at the
Allianz Arena depends on how the injury heals in the coming
days.
Bayern are top of Group F, but level on nine points with
Olympiakos, and a draw at the Allianz Arena would send
both teams into the draw for the knock-out phase.
Meanwhile, Thomas Muller insists Bayern must give “100 per
cent in every match” if they are to defend their Bundesliga
title successfully.
The Germany star accepts teams are becoming increasingly
defensive when taking on the leaders and he has warned
that any let-up in their efforts could prove costly.
“You have to work hard for every single victory in the
Bundesliga,” he said after the match. “Our opponents make
it difficult for us, the back five is quite popular at the
moment.
“Our opponents try everything, so we have to give 100 per
cent in every match. We played reasonably well. It was
annoying to concede the equaliser from a counter-attack.”
Bayern now turn their attentions to the Champions League,
with Greek title-holders Olympiacos visiting the Allianz Arena
on Tuesday.
Alaba for Tuesday’s Champions League home match against
Olympiakos after the Austrian picked up an ankle injury, AFP
reports.
Having opened the scoring in Bayern’s 3-1 win at Schalke 04
on Saturday as Pep Guardiola’s side went eight points clear
at the top of the Bundesliga, Alaba injured his left ankle and
had to come off in the 83rd minute at the Veltins Arena.
A scan in Munich on Sunday revealed the extent of the injury
and whether or not Alaba faces the Greek champions at the
Allianz Arena depends on how the injury heals in the coming
days.
Bayern are top of Group F, but level on nine points with
Olympiakos, and a draw at the Allianz Arena would send
both teams into the draw for the knock-out phase.
Meanwhile, Thomas Muller insists Bayern must give “100 per
cent in every match” if they are to defend their Bundesliga
title successfully.
The Germany star accepts teams are becoming increasingly
defensive when taking on the leaders and he has warned
that any let-up in their efforts could prove costly.
“You have to work hard for every single victory in the
Bundesliga,” he said after the match. “Our opponents make
it difficult for us, the back five is quite popular at the
moment.
“Our opponents try everything, so we have to give 100 per
cent in every match. We played reasonably well. It was
annoying to concede the equaliser from a counter-attack.”
Bayern now turn their attentions to the Champions League,
with Greek title-holders Olympiacos visiting the Allianz Arena
on Tuesday.
’85 Eaglets: Numa praises Buhari
China ’85 FIFA Under-17 World Cup winner Binabei Numa
has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his
promise to reward the Golden Eaglets for winning the
tournament.
Numa told the News Agency of Nigeria that he was filled
with joy when he heard the news.
The retired player, who played as a defender when Nigeria
won the World Cup, said, “I must say that it was
commendable remembering old people who have made the
country proud. I can say that the President is out for the real
change in Nigeria.
“I see that the President is a man that has his people at
heart, remembering to fulfil his promise and to honour us
after 30 years. Yes, it is a good development in the game of
football.
“I cannot believe that after 30 years that this unbeatable
team can still come together for celebration. I believe this
will go a long way in encouraging the young ones.
“I can still remember most guys in the team. Some are into
sports academy and others are manager of clubs.”
On development of football in the country, the Bayelsa
United team manager called for grassroots development of
players, especially in the primary and secondary schools.
He said, “Poor foundation gives birth to poor performance
in the game. We must strengthen the development of
football in the country.
“Children these days no longer play football, rather they go
about playing computer games.
“In our own time we watched and played football matches,
now it is no longer like that. You cannot even see children of
8-10 years in the street playing football.”
has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his
promise to reward the Golden Eaglets for winning the
tournament.
Numa told the News Agency of Nigeria that he was filled
with joy when he heard the news.
The retired player, who played as a defender when Nigeria
won the World Cup, said, “I must say that it was
commendable remembering old people who have made the
country proud. I can say that the President is out for the real
change in Nigeria.
“I see that the President is a man that has his people at
heart, remembering to fulfil his promise and to honour us
after 30 years. Yes, it is a good development in the game of
football.
“I cannot believe that after 30 years that this unbeatable
team can still come together for celebration. I believe this
will go a long way in encouraging the young ones.
“I can still remember most guys in the team. Some are into
sports academy and others are manager of clubs.”
On development of football in the country, the Bayelsa
United team manager called for grassroots development of
players, especially in the primary and secondary schools.
He said, “Poor foundation gives birth to poor performance
in the game. We must strengthen the development of
football in the country.
“Children these days no longer play football, rather they go
about playing computer games.
“In our own time we watched and played football matches,
now it is no longer like that. You cannot even see children of
8-10 years in the street playing football.”
How President Buhari Can Stop Boko Haram - Prophet Cardinal Onaiyekan
Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the catholic Archbishop of
Abuja, has revealed what President Muhammadu Buhari
should do to stop the deadly Boko Haram insurgency.
The prominent cleric has advised the incumbent
Nigerian leader to involve the sect in negotiations.
Onaiyekan, who is the ex- president of the Christian
Association of Nigeria spoke in Abuja at the 2015
Catholic Television of Nigeria dinner.
The cleric said: “ What happened in Mali can happen
here. We do not need people to cause this kind of great
calamity.
“The question is how do you create a situation where
such things don’t happen?
“It is not easy but you can do all you can to put
security apparatus around but you cannot do it in such
a way that no bad people will move around.
“As a spiritual leader, the solution is first we should
pray because God can do everything.
“Secondly, we should look into our religious messages,
because many of these terrorists are also calling the
name of some religion, calling the name of God.
“But we must find a way of letting them (Boko Haram
members) know that this is not what God wants.
“I personally do not know how to achieve this but I
believe that a lot still needs to be done.
“When you (government) reply fire for fire I am afraid it
does not solve the problem.
“So, apart from military tactics there is need for more
effort as political discussion, reaching out to people.
“Even the terrorists are human beings born of a woman
with feelings. I am sure somebody somewhere can talk
to them.”
During the presidential campaign Buhari pledged not to
hold talks with the terrorists if chosen as president.
Meanwhile, in a BBC interview several months ago the
president has welcomed talks with Boko Haram
insurgents.
The last ceasefire agreement between the militants and
Nigerian government in October 2014 has failed when
the Boko Haram sect rejected that they had agreed to a
ceasefire with Goodluck Jonathan’s government.
Negotiations with the insurgents in recent years have
failed to achieve a peace deal, partly because it has
several rival factions.
barcelona disgraced real madrid 3-0.
The most watched and anticipated match has come and gone with barcelona ahead of real madrid throughout the game.the following players recorded a. Goal each to their respective names Luis Suarez,Neymar jnr and Iniesta.Barcelona are now topping the laliga table with 6 points ahead of real madrid.the question is will real madrid be able to meet up and challenge barcelona for the laliga cup?.
Saturday 21 November 2015
Kogi Decides,Counting Of Votes has started
KOGI POLLS: Counting of votes has started at Crowther
Memorial College, Lokoja @vanguardngrnews:
Kogi Decide Latest Score :
Aiyeromi ward unit 2,
PDP 71
APC 33
PPA 1
Aiyeromi ward unit 2,
PDP 71
APC 33
PPA 1
Okibo unit 1,
PDP57
APC 9
Unit 2
PDP 56
APC 13.
Ogori magongo
Mopamuro Ward 08 Unit 1-
APC 28,
PDP 118.
Unit 2-
APC 23,
PDP 75.
Unit 3-
APC 27,
PDP 59.
Nda Aaron:
Lokoja LGA_Ward A.
SUBEB/SPEB POLLING UNIT :
APC =193
PDP =129
Okesi ward, Ogori-Mgongo unit 001,
PDP 118
APC 13
PPA 2.
Ogori_ Magongo, ENI Ward unit 002_
PDP 33
APC 29
Awi compound unit
PDP 34
APC 24
Mopamuro unit 04 ward 8:
PDP 128,
APC 26.
as declared by INEC.
Kogi Central
#KogiDecides #KogiSR2015
Friday 20 November 2015
Breaking News! Nafdac Staff Begins Nationwide Strike
Activities were brought to a halt in all NAFDAC offices
nationwide due to the ongoing 7 days warning strike
declared by the Federal Area Council (FAC) of the Medical
and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), which is
saddled with the responsibility of protecting the interests of
its staff members.
The chairman of the NAFDAC branch of MHWUN, Comrade
Olu Ogundola, said that NAFDAC offices will remain under
lock and key until their plights are met by the management
and the Federal government. Com. Ogundola also declared
that after the 7 days warning strike and nothing happened,
the Union may consider an indefinite strike, which may last
for months.
The issues were contained in a communique issued by the
NAFDAC branch of MHWUN at the end of their 6th extra-
ordinary congress held at NAFDAC Headquarters, Isolo,
Lagos on Ocyober 4, 2015. The contending issues include:
Review of salary/allowances.
Appointments of Deputy Directors In-Charge for Laboratory
services and Food Safety & Apllied Nutrition Directorates
respectively.
Drivers mandatory training by the Ministry of Works Training
School, Abeokuta.
Appointments of Consultants in NAFDAC.
2015 Productivity Allowances.
Suspension of staff members without trial.
Also, the FAC Chairman, Com. Attah Ibrahim, said that
activities were grounded due to NAFDAC management's
insincerity and insensitivity to the sufferings of the entire
staff of the award-winning agency. And that until the NAFDAC
management meets the plights of its staff members, the
gates will remain locked.
Eye-witnesses disclosed that so many customers and visitors
were denied entrance into all NAFDAC offices. Below are
photos showing the ever-busy Isolo Lagos office of NAFDAC
looking so deserted, not even a single vehicle or person in
sight.
nationwide due to the ongoing 7 days warning strike
declared by the Federal Area Council (FAC) of the Medical
and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), which is
saddled with the responsibility of protecting the interests of
its staff members.
The chairman of the NAFDAC branch of MHWUN, Comrade
Olu Ogundola, said that NAFDAC offices will remain under
lock and key until their plights are met by the management
and the Federal government. Com. Ogundola also declared
that after the 7 days warning strike and nothing happened,
the Union may consider an indefinite strike, which may last
for months.
The issues were contained in a communique issued by the
NAFDAC branch of MHWUN at the end of their 6th extra-
ordinary congress held at NAFDAC Headquarters, Isolo,
Lagos on Ocyober 4, 2015. The contending issues include:
Review of salary/allowances.
Appointments of Deputy Directors In-Charge for Laboratory
services and Food Safety & Apllied Nutrition Directorates
respectively.
Drivers mandatory training by the Ministry of Works Training
School, Abeokuta.
Appointments of Consultants in NAFDAC.
2015 Productivity Allowances.
Suspension of staff members without trial.
Also, the FAC Chairman, Com. Attah Ibrahim, said that
activities were grounded due to NAFDAC management's
insincerity and insensitivity to the sufferings of the entire
staff of the award-winning agency. And that until the NAFDAC
management meets the plights of its staff members, the
gates will remain locked.
Eye-witnesses disclosed that so many customers and visitors
were denied entrance into all NAFDAC offices. Below are
photos showing the ever-busy Isolo Lagos office of NAFDAC
looking so deserted, not even a single vehicle or person in
sight.
How much sex is enough? Weekly sex makes for happy couples – study
How much sex is enough? Just once a week is all it takes
for optimal happiness among married heterosexual
couples and those in long-term relationships, said a US
study Wednesday.
The findings are based on surveys of more than 30,000
Americans collected over four decades, and are published
in the journal Social Psychological and Personality
Science.
“Although more frequent sex is associated with greater
happiness, this link was no longer significant at a
frequency of more than once a week,” said lead
researcher Amy Muise, a social psychologist and
postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto-
Mississauga.
“Our findings suggest that it’s important to maintain an
intimate connection with your partner, but you don’t need
to have sex everyday as long as you’re maintaining that
connection.”
Researchers noted that the study was not designed to
show cause-and-effect, so it remains unknown whether
happiness leads to weekly sex, or if weekly sex arouses
more joy in life.
The study was also limited to people in romantic
relationships, not single people.
“In fact, there was no association between sexual
frequency and well-being for single people,” said Muise.
The findings were also consistent across age groups,
gender and the length of the relationship — whether
months or decades.
Muise said couples should discuss whether their sexual
needs are being met, rather than simply press for more
sex.
“It’s important to maintain an intimate connection with
your partner without putting too much pressure on
engaging in sex as frequently as possible,” she said.
for optimal happiness among married heterosexual
couples and those in long-term relationships, said a US
study Wednesday.
The findings are based on surveys of more than 30,000
Americans collected over four decades, and are published
in the journal Social Psychological and Personality
Science.
“Although more frequent sex is associated with greater
happiness, this link was no longer significant at a
frequency of more than once a week,” said lead
researcher Amy Muise, a social psychologist and
postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto-
Mississauga.
“Our findings suggest that it’s important to maintain an
intimate connection with your partner, but you don’t need
to have sex everyday as long as you’re maintaining that
connection.”
Researchers noted that the study was not designed to
show cause-and-effect, so it remains unknown whether
happiness leads to weekly sex, or if weekly sex arouses
more joy in life.
The study was also limited to people in romantic
relationships, not single people.
“In fact, there was no association between sexual
frequency and well-being for single people,” said Muise.
The findings were also consistent across age groups,
gender and the length of the relationship — whether
months or decades.
Muise said couples should discuss whether their sexual
needs are being met, rather than simply press for more
sex.
“It’s important to maintain an intimate connection with
your partner without putting too much pressure on
engaging in sex as frequently as possible,” she said.
First ladies lead campaign against female genital mutilation
Worried by the prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation/
Cutting, FGMC in Nigeria especially in the Southwest,
stakeholders last week at two different workshops in
Osogbo and Ilupeju met to discuss the situation. The issue
of female circumcision which has been an age long
tradition has for sometimes been a serious concern to the
government and health practitioners but took a centre
stage in the administration of President Goodluck
Jonathan.
Jonathan had
signed into law
the stoppage of
the traditional
practice. The
wife of Osun
State governor
and the initiator
of Sherif Care
Foundation,
SCARF, Mrs
Sherifat
Aregbesola
gathered some
state governors’
wives and Unicef
representatives in Osogbo where the matter was
thoroughly discussed.
While the workshop in Osogbo was going on, journalists
from Ekiti, Osun and Oyo states were at Ilupeju in Ekiti
State for training on how to end the practice through
public sensitisation and enlightenment against FGMC. The
United Nations International Children’s Fund UNICEF,
health experts and media practitioners at the workshop
appealed to Nigerians to desist from the practice, saying it
is harmful and deadly.
A representative of UNICEF, Mrs. Roseleen Akinroye, said
the practice should be stopped because it leads to life
threatening experience for women during childbirth. She
condemned some medical professionals who engage in
the practice, saying it is unacceptable. Akinroye, who is a
Child Protection Specialist, said: “This harmful practice is
unacceptable and should not be encouraged by anybody
under any guise. Total abandonment of the practice
should be preached by all.”
The Osun State Coordinator of Inter African Committee on
Harmful Traditional Practices, Mrs. Aduke Obelawo, said it
was worrisome that some medical workers engaged in
female circumcision. A Consultant on Reproductive and
Family Health, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Prof.
Dupe Onadeko, also charged parents to desist from the
act.
The health expert said the practice was found to be an
ineffective means of preventing promiscuity among
ladies. She said the harmful practice had been found to be
highly ineffective to curb promiscuity and should be
stopped because of its numerous adverse effects on
health. She stated that the prevalence of FGMC is very
high in Osun, Ekiti and Oyo States, stressing that this
practice should be discarded because it does not prevent
the vice which many taught it prevents.
Onadeko said, “99 per cent of prostitutes are circumcised.
This is from a survey carried out among prostitutes. So,
the belief that this practice curbs prostitution is
erroneous. “We need First Ladies to be at the fore front of
the campaign to curb FGMC. They are influential persons
who many look up to. I think they should be the
champions in the campaign against this harmful practice.”
Onadeko lauded Ekiti and Osun States for putting up
legislation to stop the practice while urging Oyo to speed
up the process of legislating against it. Participants at the
seminar also appealed to parents and guardians not to be
swayed by the mythical beliefs of local circumcisers.
Aregbesola commends Jonathan
At the Osogbo workshop, the Governor of Osun State,
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbeýsola commended former President
Jonathan for prohibiting female genital mutilation in
Nigeria. He said, “If I have been saying that the former
President has not done any good for the country like most
people have been saying, I want to use this opportunity to
commend the former President for just one good thing he
has done on the female genital mutilation law.
“Former President Goodluck Jonathan did one good thing
against Female Genital Mutilation, which makes it a crime
for anybody to mutilate the genital organ, there is a law
signed by him on the 5th of May this year. “Everybody
must work hard to ensure that the practise is done away
with, besides the damage it has done to women; it has
created health challenges like acute urinary retention.
“We have not established any scientific advantage let
alone any religion supporting the practice. It is just a
human design to suppress the other sex. We must all tell
our society that an end must be put to Female Genital
Mutilation in our society and Nigeria”.
Earlier, the wife of the of the governor, Mrs Sherifat
Aregbesola in her welcome address described female
genital mutilation as primitive. Mrs. Aregbesola stated that
it is disturbing that the primitive practice is prevalent in
Osun, saying all hands will be on deck at ensuring that the
practice is eradicated in a no long distant time.
Genitalmutilation
She chided the procedure of female genital mutilation
which involves partial or total removal of the external
female genitalia, noting that the procedures intentionally
alter and cause injury to the female genital organ. “Our
meeting here today will be the first in the series of high
level collective efforts initiated by the UNFPA to eradicate
female genital mutilation. Female genital cutting is very
disturbing”. She told the gathering.
Speaking also, the country representative of the UNFPA,
Ms. Ratidzai Ndhlovu, charged Osun State to work and
ensure the eradication of the practice. She stressed that
Osun has the highest prevalence rate of 7.6percent
followed by Oyo state with 7.2percent rate.
Cutting, FGMC in Nigeria especially in the Southwest,
stakeholders last week at two different workshops in
Osogbo and Ilupeju met to discuss the situation. The issue
of female circumcision which has been an age long
tradition has for sometimes been a serious concern to the
government and health practitioners but took a centre
stage in the administration of President Goodluck
Jonathan.
Jonathan had
signed into law
the stoppage of
the traditional
practice. The
wife of Osun
State governor
and the initiator
of Sherif Care
Foundation,
SCARF, Mrs
Sherifat
Aregbesola
gathered some
state governors’
wives and Unicef
representatives in Osogbo where the matter was
thoroughly discussed.
While the workshop in Osogbo was going on, journalists
from Ekiti, Osun and Oyo states were at Ilupeju in Ekiti
State for training on how to end the practice through
public sensitisation and enlightenment against FGMC. The
United Nations International Children’s Fund UNICEF,
health experts and media practitioners at the workshop
appealed to Nigerians to desist from the practice, saying it
is harmful and deadly.
A representative of UNICEF, Mrs. Roseleen Akinroye, said
the practice should be stopped because it leads to life
threatening experience for women during childbirth. She
condemned some medical professionals who engage in
the practice, saying it is unacceptable. Akinroye, who is a
Child Protection Specialist, said: “This harmful practice is
unacceptable and should not be encouraged by anybody
under any guise. Total abandonment of the practice
should be preached by all.”
The Osun State Coordinator of Inter African Committee on
Harmful Traditional Practices, Mrs. Aduke Obelawo, said it
was worrisome that some medical workers engaged in
female circumcision. A Consultant on Reproductive and
Family Health, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Prof.
Dupe Onadeko, also charged parents to desist from the
act.
The health expert said the practice was found to be an
ineffective means of preventing promiscuity among
ladies. She said the harmful practice had been found to be
highly ineffective to curb promiscuity and should be
stopped because of its numerous adverse effects on
health. She stated that the prevalence of FGMC is very
high in Osun, Ekiti and Oyo States, stressing that this
practice should be discarded because it does not prevent
the vice which many taught it prevents.
Onadeko said, “99 per cent of prostitutes are circumcised.
This is from a survey carried out among prostitutes. So,
the belief that this practice curbs prostitution is
erroneous. “We need First Ladies to be at the fore front of
the campaign to curb FGMC. They are influential persons
who many look up to. I think they should be the
champions in the campaign against this harmful practice.”
Onadeko lauded Ekiti and Osun States for putting up
legislation to stop the practice while urging Oyo to speed
up the process of legislating against it. Participants at the
seminar also appealed to parents and guardians not to be
swayed by the mythical beliefs of local circumcisers.
Aregbesola commends Jonathan
At the Osogbo workshop, the Governor of Osun State,
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbeýsola commended former President
Jonathan for prohibiting female genital mutilation in
Nigeria. He said, “If I have been saying that the former
President has not done any good for the country like most
people have been saying, I want to use this opportunity to
commend the former President for just one good thing he
has done on the female genital mutilation law.
“Former President Goodluck Jonathan did one good thing
against Female Genital Mutilation, which makes it a crime
for anybody to mutilate the genital organ, there is a law
signed by him on the 5th of May this year. “Everybody
must work hard to ensure that the practise is done away
with, besides the damage it has done to women; it has
created health challenges like acute urinary retention.
“We have not established any scientific advantage let
alone any religion supporting the practice. It is just a
human design to suppress the other sex. We must all tell
our society that an end must be put to Female Genital
Mutilation in our society and Nigeria”.
Earlier, the wife of the of the governor, Mrs Sherifat
Aregbesola in her welcome address described female
genital mutilation as primitive. Mrs. Aregbesola stated that
it is disturbing that the primitive practice is prevalent in
Osun, saying all hands will be on deck at ensuring that the
practice is eradicated in a no long distant time.
Genitalmutilation
She chided the procedure of female genital mutilation
which involves partial or total removal of the external
female genitalia, noting that the procedures intentionally
alter and cause injury to the female genital organ. “Our
meeting here today will be the first in the series of high
level collective efforts initiated by the UNFPA to eradicate
female genital mutilation. Female genital cutting is very
disturbing”. She told the gathering.
Speaking also, the country representative of the UNFPA,
Ms. Ratidzai Ndhlovu, charged Osun State to work and
ensure the eradication of the practice. She stressed that
Osun has the highest prevalence rate of 7.6percent
followed by Oyo state with 7.2percent rate.
Thursday 19 November 2015
About 100 Nigerian soldiers missing after Boko Haram attacks
The Nigerian Army has not confirmed this yet but there
are reports that Army may have lost about 150 of it men
to an attack by Boko Haram insurgents in Gudunbali,
Borno State.
The insurgent it was gathered attacked at Gudunbali in
Borno State, on Wednesday as a result the 157 Battalion
of the Nigerian Army could not account for at least, 105
soldiers including their commanding officer.
According Sahara Reporters which also quoted PREMIUM
TIMES they report that sources said the terrorists also
captured a T-72 tank as well as several artillery weapons
from the unit.
“Gudunbali was attacked this morning and some weapons
were captured from the battalion. Two officers and 105
soldiers are still missing,” our source said.
“They captured a T-72 tank from the unit and some
artillery weapons were also captured. The commanding
Officer (CO) of the battalion is yet to be seen but no one
has been confirmed dead yet,” the source added.
Another source however said the T-72 tank was recovered
after a prolonged fight with Boko Haram insurgents. The
gunner and tank commander were injured in the process,
he said.
Also reportedly captured by the insurgents were eight
vehicles, a truck loaded with 60,000 rounds of AA
ammunition and three artillery pieces.
Similarly, soldiers of the Multi-National Joint Task Force
(MNJTF) stationed at Baga, Borno State also recently came
under attack. The attack occurred in Geringiwa at about
four kilometers to the headquarters of MNJTF, PREMIUM
TIMES has also been told.
According to a source, the military has been unable to
completely clear the insurgents from Baga and nearby
towns due to inadequate equipment.
Our source explained that the equipment recently
provided by the military hierarchy were inadequate and
were not enough to go round to all units involved in the
war against the insurgents.
Boko Haram carried out a series of mass killings in Baga
between January 3 and January 7, 2015, after the army
headquarters there was sacked by the insurgents.
Although the military later liberated the town, soldiers
stationed in the area have come under constant attacks
from the insurgents.
Also on Sunday, Boko Haram insurgents attacked
advancing soldiers about four hours drive to Damasak, in
Borno state.
When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, the spokesperson for
the Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, a colonel, directed
enquiries on the matter to officials of 7 Division,
Maiduguri.
But the spokesperson of the Army’s 7 Division,Tukur
Gusau, also wouldn’t comment on the matter, saying the
commander of the division would hold a press conference
on the issue today (Thursday) and that it was not proper
for him to pre-empt his commanding officer.
The attacks on the military came on the heels of the
suicide attacks on Yola and Kano respectively.
After a lull of several weeks, the recent spike in attacks on
military and civilian targets suggests the insurgents might
have regrouped after coming under heightened attacks
from the Nigerian military.
The Nigerian military has claimed series of victories over
the militants in recent weeks.
On Monday, the army claimed that it captured and
destroyed a factory where the group makes rockets and
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
are reports that Army may have lost about 150 of it men
to an attack by Boko Haram insurgents in Gudunbali,
Borno State.
The insurgent it was gathered attacked at Gudunbali in
Borno State, on Wednesday as a result the 157 Battalion
of the Nigerian Army could not account for at least, 105
soldiers including their commanding officer.
According Sahara Reporters which also quoted PREMIUM
TIMES they report that sources said the terrorists also
captured a T-72 tank as well as several artillery weapons
from the unit.
“Gudunbali was attacked this morning and some weapons
were captured from the battalion. Two officers and 105
soldiers are still missing,” our source said.
“They captured a T-72 tank from the unit and some
artillery weapons were also captured. The commanding
Officer (CO) of the battalion is yet to be seen but no one
has been confirmed dead yet,” the source added.
Another source however said the T-72 tank was recovered
after a prolonged fight with Boko Haram insurgents. The
gunner and tank commander were injured in the process,
he said.
Also reportedly captured by the insurgents were eight
vehicles, a truck loaded with 60,000 rounds of AA
ammunition and three artillery pieces.
Similarly, soldiers of the Multi-National Joint Task Force
(MNJTF) stationed at Baga, Borno State also recently came
under attack. The attack occurred in Geringiwa at about
four kilometers to the headquarters of MNJTF, PREMIUM
TIMES has also been told.
According to a source, the military has been unable to
completely clear the insurgents from Baga and nearby
towns due to inadequate equipment.
Our source explained that the equipment recently
provided by the military hierarchy were inadequate and
were not enough to go round to all units involved in the
war against the insurgents.
Boko Haram carried out a series of mass killings in Baga
between January 3 and January 7, 2015, after the army
headquarters there was sacked by the insurgents.
Although the military later liberated the town, soldiers
stationed in the area have come under constant attacks
from the insurgents.
Also on Sunday, Boko Haram insurgents attacked
advancing soldiers about four hours drive to Damasak, in
Borno state.
When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, the spokesperson for
the Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, a colonel, directed
enquiries on the matter to officials of 7 Division,
Maiduguri.
But the spokesperson of the Army’s 7 Division,Tukur
Gusau, also wouldn’t comment on the matter, saying the
commander of the division would hold a press conference
on the issue today (Thursday) and that it was not proper
for him to pre-empt his commanding officer.
The attacks on the military came on the heels of the
suicide attacks on Yola and Kano respectively.
After a lull of several weeks, the recent spike in attacks on
military and civilian targets suggests the insurgents might
have regrouped after coming under heightened attacks
from the Nigerian military.
The Nigerian military has claimed series of victories over
the militants in recent weeks.
On Monday, the army claimed that it captured and
destroyed a factory where the group makes rockets and
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
We can no longer pay N18,000 minimum wage, Govs cry out
ABUJA – Thirty-six States Governors have said that they
can no longer pay the N18,000 minimum wage to workers
owing to the poor state of the economy.
Rising from a
crucial meeting
on that ended
at the early
hours of
Thursday at the
Old Banquet
Hall of the
Presidential
Villa, Abuja
under the
umbrella of
Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, the governors said that
the dwindling prices of oil had drastically affected their
States’ income.
Specifically, they said that the burden of the wage was
lighter when oil sold at $126 as against the current $41
per barrel.
They therefore sought to have audience with President
Muhammadu Buhari on the economy, resolving that the
only way out of the quagmire was to diversify the
economy to agriculture and mining.
Reading the communique issued at the end of the
meeting, the Chairman of the Forum and governor of
Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari hinted that the Forum also
backed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
over the N2.1trillion sanction on MTN.
According to him, the governors agreed that the fine must
be paid in full.
He said that they received briefing from the Acting
Executive Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NCC,
Professor Umar Dambata who explained the matter to
them.
He said: “We resolved that we must look at ways to
enhance revenue generation and at the same time look at
ways to cut our overhead costs more especially the
political office holders’ salaries and other overhead
expenses.
“The situation is no longer the same when we were asked
to pay N18,000 minimum wage, when oil price was $126
(per barrel) and continued paying N18,000 minimum
wage when the oil is $41 and the source of government
expenditure is from oil, and we have not seen prospects
in the oil industry in the near future.
“We will diversify our economy in the area of agriculture
and mining. But at the same time, we should understand
our situation where some of us (states) today are taking
N100million take home (monthly allocation) and then
have salaries in particular of over N2billion to pay.
“We therefore agreed here to take this suggestion to NEC
in our meeting tomorrow (Thursday) so that we can be
able to find ways to tackle this problem.
“And we are looking at coming together to discussing with
Mr. President and his team, with governors, technocrats
and experts in the economy to see how we can tackle our
troubled situation. We are working harder to deal with it.
“Hence the MTN has accepted that they committed the
offense and has apologised, and they are looking for
leniency, we the governors forum decided to support the
NCC to abide by the laws of the land and the laws of our
land do not not give leniency to deliberate offense to our
nation.”
Yari also revealed that the forum also received a
presentation from the National Agency for Science and
Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) which will help in
boosting mechanised agriculture and improve small and
medium businesses especially in the rural communities.
can no longer pay the N18,000 minimum wage to workers
owing to the poor state of the economy.
Rising from a
crucial meeting
on that ended
at the early
hours of
Thursday at the
Old Banquet
Hall of the
Presidential
Villa, Abuja
under the
umbrella of
Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, the governors said that
the dwindling prices of oil had drastically affected their
States’ income.
Specifically, they said that the burden of the wage was
lighter when oil sold at $126 as against the current $41
per barrel.
They therefore sought to have audience with President
Muhammadu Buhari on the economy, resolving that the
only way out of the quagmire was to diversify the
economy to agriculture and mining.
Reading the communique issued at the end of the
meeting, the Chairman of the Forum and governor of
Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari hinted that the Forum also
backed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
over the N2.1trillion sanction on MTN.
According to him, the governors agreed that the fine must
be paid in full.
He said that they received briefing from the Acting
Executive Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NCC,
Professor Umar Dambata who explained the matter to
them.
He said: “We resolved that we must look at ways to
enhance revenue generation and at the same time look at
ways to cut our overhead costs more especially the
political office holders’ salaries and other overhead
expenses.
“The situation is no longer the same when we were asked
to pay N18,000 minimum wage, when oil price was $126
(per barrel) and continued paying N18,000 minimum
wage when the oil is $41 and the source of government
expenditure is from oil, and we have not seen prospects
in the oil industry in the near future.
“We will diversify our economy in the area of agriculture
and mining. But at the same time, we should understand
our situation where some of us (states) today are taking
N100million take home (monthly allocation) and then
have salaries in particular of over N2billion to pay.
“We therefore agreed here to take this suggestion to NEC
in our meeting tomorrow (Thursday) so that we can be
able to find ways to tackle this problem.
“And we are looking at coming together to discussing with
Mr. President and his team, with governors, technocrats
and experts in the economy to see how we can tackle our
troubled situation. We are working harder to deal with it.
“Hence the MTN has accepted that they committed the
offense and has apologised, and they are looking for
leniency, we the governors forum decided to support the
NCC to abide by the laws of the land and the laws of our
land do not not give leniency to deliberate offense to our
nation.”
Yari also revealed that the forum also received a
presentation from the National Agency for Science and
Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) which will help in
boosting mechanised agriculture and improve small and
medium businesses especially in the rural communities.
How To Get A Banking Job In Nigeria
Banking job in Nigeria is a job for those who aspire to be the
best in all they do, the environment in this industry is highly
competitive. A moment of weakness on your part could
place you on the sidelines. Being good on the job is not
rocket science, it is something that happens with your
commitment, passion and loyalty to the system.
But to be in contention for beating the competition, you
have to get the job first; and that is the purpose of this
article. From my personal experience, it cannot be said that
getting employed by a bank is difficult or easy. The reason is
because there are a lot of variables which compels banks to
recruit.
Depending on the variable, which is never constant from
year to year, it directly determines the processes involved
and the duration of the selection exercise.
There are two major forms of recruitment obtainable in the
industry, they are:
1. Executive Trainee
2. Experienced hire
Executive trainees are the sets of candidates comprising of
fresh graduates between the ages of 24-26. A banking career
in Nigeria usually starts from this level.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR EXECUTIVE TRAINEE HIRE
To be in position to apply for a bank job as an ET, you will
have to possess the following requirements:
1. Should be between the ages of 24-26
2. Should possess a degree (BSc or HND) not less than
second class upper
3. Gone through NYSC
4. Possess good communication skills
5. Smart and young
Now these are the basic qualifications for ET, if you possess
the above requirements congratulations you have passed
the first step. The second step is the unwritten requirements
and this is where you have to do your homework. You have
to prepare a great CV and a cover letter that will sell you
better. Consider yourself as someone convincing and telling
the bank what you are and what you can offer, the interview
time does not last more than 10mins, but your resume and
credentials stays in their possession after you are long gone,
so how you arrange your CV and credentials represents you.
Remember to use professional email address for your CV,
what I mean is using your full name in your email, not some
odd and informal expressions like sweetchick@yahoo.com
or john1986@gmail.com. Ensure that your date of birth does
not conflict, cross check what you have on your WAEC
certificate with your birth certificate.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
There are different avenues one can submit applications, in
this digital era all banks have a human resources page on
their websites that accepts job applications. There are times
were it has to be hard copy in designated branches. Again it
depends on the need and the sense of urgency. The key here
is to get the right information at the appropriate time.
THE BANK WILL CONTACT YOU
After submitting your application, it may take some time to
be contacted by the bank for either aptitude test or
interview. Either step that comes first depends on the
urgency of the process. There are situations where aptitude
test will be bypassed and it may just be series of interviews.
Make sure your phones and emails are reachable at this
stage.
THE TRAINING SCHOOL
After going through aptitude test and interviews, successful
candidates are enlisted for the banks’ training school, every
bank has a name for their training school, and it usually
takes between 3 to 6 months depending on the bank.
During this period, the bank will train you on all their
processes and duly equip you with requisite knowledge on
how to beat the competition in the industry.
There are also series of examinations and written test in the
school, failing any test or exam at any stage of the training
may mark your exit from the process, which is why you have
to be at your very best.
Successful completion of the program translates into a
brand new career for you, that makes you an executive
trainee (ET) of the bank and this is the starting level.
EXPERIENCED HIRE
The experienced hire in the banking industry is when a
banker is switching to another bank. The process is not the
same with the executive trainee, this is because they are
already in the system with some years of experience.
The qualifications are:
1. Bachelors degree or HND (second class upper)
2. Additional qualification is an added advantage
3. Must have some years of banking experience
4. Must be cleared from the previous bank (integrity wise)
There may be other requirements depending on the bank,
but these are the basic requirements for experienced hire.
Successful candidates are usually placed one step above
their current level but never below.
These are just my personal experience in the industry, and I
hope it helps one step further in actualizing your dreams of
becoming a banker. Congratulations in advance.
PDP Releases List Of Key Members Allegedly Marked For Death By APC
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that some
of its key members are currently been targeted and
marked for death by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This was disclosed in a statement by Chief Olisa Metuh, the
national publicity secretary of the PDP in a press
conference to address the alleged assassination attempt
on Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.
Addressing newsmen, Metuh alleged that Ekweremadu was
not the only PDP member targeted, and other key
members allegedly marked for death include Uche
Secondus, the acting national chairman of the party, Dr.
Haliru Bello, the acting national chairman of the Board of
Trustees, Sen Godswill Akpabio, the Senate minority
leader, and Hon. Leo Ogor, the minority leader in House of
Representatives, among others, Leadership reports.
He said: “As you are aware, on Tuesday, November 17,
there was brazen attempt at the life of Ekweremadu on his
way to work bringing to the fore fears that the era of
political assassination may have returned to our dear
country.
“We had also informed Nigerians that key PDP leaders
were being trailed and that the government should be held
responsible should any of them suddenly become victim of
‘terror attacks’, unexplained accidents, kidnapped or
suddenly killed by ‘armed robbers’.
“Nigerians are witnesses to the growing draconian
proclivity of this government, the increasing muzzling of
opposition using security forces, judicial persecution and
other devious means aimed at decimating our party to
pave way for the imposition of one-party state, all in the
desperate bid by this particular regime to forcefully retain
power in 2019.
“The PDP does not mince words in holding the APC
responsible for the Tuesday attempt on the life of the
Deputy Senate President. As you are well aware, APC
leaders have not hidden their bitterness and resentment
towards Senator Ekweremadu, whose offense is the
privilege of being elected as Deputy Senate President, in
line with the Standing Rules of the Senate and provisions of
the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Is it not shocking that Senator Oluremi Tinubu , in
furtherance of their plan to take over the office of the
Deputy Senate President, went ahead at plenary today to
occupy his seat and attempted to assume the duties
associated with that office
“Intelligence information available to us however indicates
that Senator Ekweremadu is not an isolated target, as
notable PDP leaders, including our Acting BOT Chairman,
Bello Haliru Mohammed, Acting National Chairman, Prince
Uche Secondus National Secretary, Prof. Adewale Oladipo
and members of the National Working Committee, Senate
Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, House Minority
leader, Hon. Leo Ogoh among others have also been
penciled down for assassination.
“We have further information that some desperate power-
mongers close to President Muhammadu Buhari,
particularly those privy to his interest to contest the 2019
presidential election, and who have been reading his body
language against the opposition, have gone ahead to
establish a killer squad to wipe off strong opposition,
deeming such a service to the President.
“This killer squad, our intelligence further revealed, has
key marksmen recruited from within and outside the
country with directives to trail, track down and hit strategic
opposition elements and instill fear among PDP members.
“Additionally, we have verified reports from our elected
members, especially those in the National Assembly that
agents of the APC and the government have been
approaching and threatening them to join their party or
face victimization should they refuse.
“We therefore want the international community to note
this ugly development in our country and hold the
government responsible should any unexplained harm
befall any PDP leader. This government should be held
responsible should any PDP leader be visited by ‘armed
robbers’.
“The PDP hereby draws the attention of President
Muhammadu Buhari to this disturbing development as the
onus lies on his to come our clear and moderate the
political temperature of the country by calling his
overbearing party members and security officials to
order.”
Metuh also stated that the ordering of the arrest of the
former national security adviser (NSA) Sambo Dansuki, was
based on the verdict of a subjective administrative panel,
which was present to indict him.
The PDP spokesman further warned about the
manipulation of the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship
elections using the security forces and some compromised
INEC officials and called on the Directorate of Military
Intelligence to keep off issues concerning politicians.
According to him, the PDP has never raised any false alarm
on national issues.
On Tuesday, November 17, the deputy president of the
Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, reportedly escaped a
suspected assassination attempt.
Uche Anichukwu, the deputy Senate president’s
spokesperson, said the attempt occurred on his way to
work at about 10am between Apo Flyover and Dantata
Construction Company’s yard, close to the Old Central
Bank of Nigeria headquarters junction.
The suspected assassins reportedly operated in a tinted
white-coloured Mercedez Benz AMG E63 without a plate
number. The driver was a long-bearded light skinned
foreigner, probably a mercenary, Anichukwu said.
source: https://www.naij.com/642016-pdp-releases-list-key-
members-allegedly-marked-death-apc-see-full-list.html
3 Likes 1 Share
Re: PDP Releases List Of Key Members Allegedly Marked
For Death By APC by Mogidi: 11:53am
Addressing newsmen, Metuh alleged that Ekweremadu was
not the only PDP member targeted, and other key
members allegedly marked for death include Uche
Secondus, the acting national chairman of the party, Dr.
Haliru Bello, the acting national chairman of the Board of
Trustees, Sen Godswill Akpabio, the Senate minority
leader, and Hon. Leo Ogor, the minority leader in House of
Representatives, among others, Leadership reports.
of its key members are currently been targeted and
marked for death by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This was disclosed in a statement by Chief Olisa Metuh, the
national publicity secretary of the PDP in a press
conference to address the alleged assassination attempt
on Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.
Addressing newsmen, Metuh alleged that Ekweremadu was
not the only PDP member targeted, and other key
members allegedly marked for death include Uche
Secondus, the acting national chairman of the party, Dr.
Haliru Bello, the acting national chairman of the Board of
Trustees, Sen Godswill Akpabio, the Senate minority
leader, and Hon. Leo Ogor, the minority leader in House of
Representatives, among others, Leadership reports.
He said: “As you are aware, on Tuesday, November 17,
there was brazen attempt at the life of Ekweremadu on his
way to work bringing to the fore fears that the era of
political assassination may have returned to our dear
country.
“We had also informed Nigerians that key PDP leaders
were being trailed and that the government should be held
responsible should any of them suddenly become victim of
‘terror attacks’, unexplained accidents, kidnapped or
suddenly killed by ‘armed robbers’.
“Nigerians are witnesses to the growing draconian
proclivity of this government, the increasing muzzling of
opposition using security forces, judicial persecution and
other devious means aimed at decimating our party to
pave way for the imposition of one-party state, all in the
desperate bid by this particular regime to forcefully retain
power in 2019.
“The PDP does not mince words in holding the APC
responsible for the Tuesday attempt on the life of the
Deputy Senate President. As you are well aware, APC
leaders have not hidden their bitterness and resentment
towards Senator Ekweremadu, whose offense is the
privilege of being elected as Deputy Senate President, in
line with the Standing Rules of the Senate and provisions of
the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Is it not shocking that Senator Oluremi Tinubu , in
furtherance of their plan to take over the office of the
Deputy Senate President, went ahead at plenary today to
occupy his seat and attempted to assume the duties
associated with that office
“Intelligence information available to us however indicates
that Senator Ekweremadu is not an isolated target, as
notable PDP leaders, including our Acting BOT Chairman,
Bello Haliru Mohammed, Acting National Chairman, Prince
Uche Secondus National Secretary, Prof. Adewale Oladipo
and members of the National Working Committee, Senate
Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, House Minority
leader, Hon. Leo Ogoh among others have also been
penciled down for assassination.
“We have further information that some desperate power-
mongers close to President Muhammadu Buhari,
particularly those privy to his interest to contest the 2019
presidential election, and who have been reading his body
language against the opposition, have gone ahead to
establish a killer squad to wipe off strong opposition,
deeming such a service to the President.
“This killer squad, our intelligence further revealed, has
key marksmen recruited from within and outside the
country with directives to trail, track down and hit strategic
opposition elements and instill fear among PDP members.
“Additionally, we have verified reports from our elected
members, especially those in the National Assembly that
agents of the APC and the government have been
approaching and threatening them to join their party or
face victimization should they refuse.
“We therefore want the international community to note
this ugly development in our country and hold the
government responsible should any unexplained harm
befall any PDP leader. This government should be held
responsible should any PDP leader be visited by ‘armed
robbers’.
“The PDP hereby draws the attention of President
Muhammadu Buhari to this disturbing development as the
onus lies on his to come our clear and moderate the
political temperature of the country by calling his
overbearing party members and security officials to
order.”
Metuh also stated that the ordering of the arrest of the
former national security adviser (NSA) Sambo Dansuki, was
based on the verdict of a subjective administrative panel,
which was present to indict him.
The PDP spokesman further warned about the
manipulation of the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship
elections using the security forces and some compromised
INEC officials and called on the Directorate of Military
Intelligence to keep off issues concerning politicians.
According to him, the PDP has never raised any false alarm
on national issues.
On Tuesday, November 17, the deputy president of the
Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, reportedly escaped a
suspected assassination attempt.
Uche Anichukwu, the deputy Senate president’s
spokesperson, said the attempt occurred on his way to
work at about 10am between Apo Flyover and Dantata
Construction Company’s yard, close to the Old Central
Bank of Nigeria headquarters junction.
The suspected assassins reportedly operated in a tinted
white-coloured Mercedez Benz AMG E63 without a plate
number. The driver was a long-bearded light skinned
foreigner, probably a mercenary, Anichukwu said.
source: https://www.naij.com/642016-pdp-releases-list-key-
members-allegedly-marked-death-apc-see-full-list.html
3 Likes 1 Share
Re: PDP Releases List Of Key Members Allegedly Marked
For Death By APC by Mogidi: 11:53am
Addressing newsmen, Metuh alleged that Ekweremadu was
not the only PDP member targeted, and other key
members allegedly marked for death include Uche
Secondus, the acting national chairman of the party, Dr.
Haliru Bello, the acting national chairman of the Board of
Trustees, Sen Godswill Akpabio, the Senate minority
leader, and Hon. Leo Ogor, the minority leader in House of
Representatives, among others, Leadership reports.
Tuesday 17 November 2015
Papa Eaglets And Our Cheating Culture
n
“Yakubu is 25 but a Nigerian 25”—Everton Manager, David
Moyes in 2008.
“I don’t see Nigerian football getting out of the quagmire, the
problem it is in, today, is because corruption is getting
deeper and deeper. From time to time we get flashes where
we do well in some competitions with overage players and
we celebrate.
That was one of the issues I looked at; we can’t keep using
overage players. We used over-age players for junior
championships, I know that. Why not say it? It’s the truth. We
always cheat. It’s a fact. When you cheat, you deprive the
young stars that are supposed to play in these competitions
their rights.”— NFA Chairman, Anthony Kojo Williams, in
2000.
JULIUS Agwu is one of my favourite comedians in Nigeria .I
love his feminine voice,the crispness of his jokes as well as
his delivery. Anytime I am boarding a flight and I call my
wife,I usually say “abodu ala o”.I picked that from Julius.He
cracked the joke about a flight attendant going around the
lounge to announce an aircraft boarding because the public
address system was not working during the renovations of
the Enugu airport .
The Igbo lady was saying: “A Lagos abodu ala o” There was a
passenger billed to fly that plane who did not understand a
word in Igbo and therefore sat put while other passengers
went to join the queue. About an hour later he went to the
A… counter and asked why they had yet to make a boarding
call only to be told that the plane had since departed “I went
round shouting abodu ala” came from the flight attendant as
if every passenger must understand her native tongue.
But his joke that is relevant to what I am discussing today is
the one where he talked about some Nigerian team training
for an age-grade competition near his house and how he
went to one of the players to ask for his age and the
response he got was: “Our coach has not given us our age”.
We have just “conquered” the world again in Chile and the
drums are rolling in celebration of our lack of character and
integrity as a people. Our infinite capacity to conspire in
falsehood and pretend that all is well when the reverse is
the case is once more being demonstrated even when we
don’t blink in reciting our
NATIONAL PLEDGE:
“I pledge to Nigeria my country To be faithful,loyal and
HONEST”
We say these and all the other lines(read LIES) even when no
one believes in them. We have mastered the art of saying
something and doing another because the very foundation
of our country is a concrete of lies. Every action we take is
built on falsehood because we just can’t do it right. Cheating
our ways to corner undeserved advantages has become a
national culture because we have not been able to construct
a national vision.
After 55 years we still cannot count ourselves because an
accurate census would minimise our ability to cheat. Our
examinations have become a farce as parents even buy
questions for their wards and pay for admissions. We beat
traffic rules if there is nobody in sight to enforce them.Our
politicians forge certificates to contest elections. Our vote
counts conflict with actual vote cast. Judges take bribes to
pervert Justice. Priests and Imams negate moral values. The
“how “ no longer matter to us and yet we pray that our
country should succeed .
We can occasionally have some fake success but not good
success because we break all the rules of success as natural
cheats. We deploy kids to vote in elections where adults
should participate when we want to cheat internally and
assemble adults to go and compete with kids globally when
we want to cheat internationally. This is why we are
celebrating 22 men who went to an unequal competition
with only whispers about the actual ages of our boys.
Physical appearance
Mere physical appearances of our boys should tell any
honest person that the suspicion about true ages of some
Nigerian footballers which made FIFA to ban the country
from all international fixtures for two years after finding that
the birth dates of three of our players in the 1988 Olympics
were different from ones used by the same players in
previous tournaments is still very much with us.
Nigeria has over the years paraded promising “ youngsters”
who mysteriously failed to fulfill their potential in the senior
teams. Phillip Osondu was the best player at the 1987
Under-17 World Cup, after which he was signed on by
Anderlecht, only to drift out of the game and into janitorial
work after questions were raised about his real age. Femi
Opabunmi shone brilliantly when Nigeria played in the finals
of the Under-17 competition in 2001 and was officially the
third youngest player in the senior team when he featured
in the 0-0 game with England during the 2002 World Cup.
But by 2005 he had expired doing only part-time soccer in
some unrated team in lower rungs of the French league.
Adokiye Amiesimaka questioned the inclusion of Golden
Eaglets captain Fortune Chukwudi during the 2009 Under 17
championship . Amiesimaka in an unusual candor bared his
mind after Nigeria’s opening 3-3 draw with Germany at the
Abuja National Stadium on October 24. “In the 2002/2003
season, I was chairman of Sharks Football Club of Port
Harcourt. I decided to have a feeder team of fresh school
leavers not older than 20 years.
One of my key players then is the current captain of our so-
called Under-17 Golden Eaglets. By his own admission at
that time, that is seven years ago, he was 18 years old…If we
are not utterly irresponsible, how can he be eligible for this
tournament when he is not less than 25 years old now?”
Amiesimaka wrote in the Punch newspaper. Chukwudi
played till the Eaglets final match and fizzled out thereafter.
But since corruption is official in Nigeria,there was no
whimper from our officials .
I read on The Cable in June this year of how Taye Taiwo’s
twin sister allegedly celebrated her 39th birthday the day
Taiwo was doing his own 27th.There was also the story of
Samson Siasia cutting the cake of his 30th wedding
anniversary at the age of 47!
About the most hilarious was that of Dele Ajiboye who
exposed the lie over his age when he featured in the
Under-17 tournament in 2007″.In the chat(with Soccer Star)
the Golden Eaglets gold medal-winning goalkeeper in the
FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2007 inadvertently revealed he was
older than he claimed eight years earlier. When asked about
his role model as a professional goalkeeper, the Kwara
United keeper revealed the person without much fuss. “I
have many role models.
Anyone I learn from is my role model,” he said. “I could
remember when I was still a young boy, I do watch Peter
Rufai and I learnt a lot from him.” Ajiboye is 25 now and 17
in 2007, but we doubt he was referring to the Peter Rufai of
1998 World Cup. Nobody learnt anything fruitful and
meaningful from Rufai of 1998. Even Ajiboye at age eight
couldn’t have learnt anything worthy from the fumbling
Dodo Mayana except, of course, how to make cheap goals
look spectacular. Then, we are assuming Ajiboye was
referring to the Rufai of 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and
World Cup. But in 1994, Ajiboye was four!”
James Spencer in an article traced age fraud in the Premier
League to African players: “Age fraud came to prominence in
the Premier League from the mid-1990s onwards, as clubs
began looking more and more at emerging African players.
Several former Premier League players from Nigeria alone
have been suspected of such misrepresentation.
Nwankwo Kanu is a legend of African football and became a
cult hero in England playing for clubs like Arsenal and
Portsmouth. The tall forward won the Champions League
with Ajax in 1995, but was always suspected to be as much
as nine years older than his stated age. Speaking in 2010,
Harry Redknapp jokingly exaggerated that Kanu was 49,
though given how he described ever increasing ailments and
the need for treatment, there seemed to be a shred of
authenticity to his words.
Former Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins was also
at the centre of an age row. The player had spectacularly
burst onto the scene with Inter Milan as a youngster, but
failed to make the most of his talent, suggesting he could
already have been much older than stated. In 2005, while
Martins was still in Italy, the Nigerian Football Federation
claimed he was actually born in 1978, though his player
registration stated it was 1984.
National failure
Similar stories also exist for both Jay-Jay Okocha and Taribo
West who plied their trade in the Premier League for Bolton
Wanderers and Derby County, respectively.
Throughout his career, Okocha was rumoured to be 10 years
older than his official age. Following his departure from
Derby in 2001, West allegedly told Partizan Belgrade that he
was only 28, though given the state of his body the club had
strong suspicions that he was 40.
It may not occur to us that our national failure is the sum
total of all these little acts of dishonesty .I recall a Dutch-
journalist friend of mine who I was driving along the Airport
Road in 1998 and saw a fellow peeing on the road. He
looked at the guy and said to me: “If that man cannot see
anything wrong urinating on the roadside,he would do other
1000 things that are not right and would not see nothing
wrong”.
We shall engage in this hollow rituals of celebrating our
“victory” but we know in the inner recesses of our minds that
is all a fluke because we didn’t do it right. Scoundrels posing
as patriots would even abuse this writer for writing the truth.
That majority is wrong should not desist the minority that is
right from saying it as it is.
The truth must be told even if heavens fall: It is only
righteousness that exalts a nation.
“Yakubu is 25 but a Nigerian 25”—Everton Manager, David
Moyes in 2008.
“I don’t see Nigerian football getting out of the quagmire, the
problem it is in, today, is because corruption is getting
deeper and deeper. From time to time we get flashes where
we do well in some competitions with overage players and
we celebrate.
That was one of the issues I looked at; we can’t keep using
overage players. We used over-age players for junior
championships, I know that. Why not say it? It’s the truth. We
always cheat. It’s a fact. When you cheat, you deprive the
young stars that are supposed to play in these competitions
their rights.”— NFA Chairman, Anthony Kojo Williams, in
2000.
JULIUS Agwu is one of my favourite comedians in Nigeria .I
love his feminine voice,the crispness of his jokes as well as
his delivery. Anytime I am boarding a flight and I call my
wife,I usually say “abodu ala o”.I picked that from Julius.He
cracked the joke about a flight attendant going around the
lounge to announce an aircraft boarding because the public
address system was not working during the renovations of
the Enugu airport .
The Igbo lady was saying: “A Lagos abodu ala o” There was a
passenger billed to fly that plane who did not understand a
word in Igbo and therefore sat put while other passengers
went to join the queue. About an hour later he went to the
A… counter and asked why they had yet to make a boarding
call only to be told that the plane had since departed “I went
round shouting abodu ala” came from the flight attendant as
if every passenger must understand her native tongue.
But his joke that is relevant to what I am discussing today is
the one where he talked about some Nigerian team training
for an age-grade competition near his house and how he
went to one of the players to ask for his age and the
response he got was: “Our coach has not given us our age”.
We have just “conquered” the world again in Chile and the
drums are rolling in celebration of our lack of character and
integrity as a people. Our infinite capacity to conspire in
falsehood and pretend that all is well when the reverse is
the case is once more being demonstrated even when we
don’t blink in reciting our
NATIONAL PLEDGE:
“I pledge to Nigeria my country To be faithful,loyal and
HONEST”
We say these and all the other lines(read LIES) even when no
one believes in them. We have mastered the art of saying
something and doing another because the very foundation
of our country is a concrete of lies. Every action we take is
built on falsehood because we just can’t do it right. Cheating
our ways to corner undeserved advantages has become a
national culture because we have not been able to construct
a national vision.
After 55 years we still cannot count ourselves because an
accurate census would minimise our ability to cheat. Our
examinations have become a farce as parents even buy
questions for their wards and pay for admissions. We beat
traffic rules if there is nobody in sight to enforce them.Our
politicians forge certificates to contest elections. Our vote
counts conflict with actual vote cast. Judges take bribes to
pervert Justice. Priests and Imams negate moral values. The
“how “ no longer matter to us and yet we pray that our
country should succeed .
We can occasionally have some fake success but not good
success because we break all the rules of success as natural
cheats. We deploy kids to vote in elections where adults
should participate when we want to cheat internally and
assemble adults to go and compete with kids globally when
we want to cheat internationally. This is why we are
celebrating 22 men who went to an unequal competition
with only whispers about the actual ages of our boys.
Physical appearance
Mere physical appearances of our boys should tell any
honest person that the suspicion about true ages of some
Nigerian footballers which made FIFA to ban the country
from all international fixtures for two years after finding that
the birth dates of three of our players in the 1988 Olympics
were different from ones used by the same players in
previous tournaments is still very much with us.
Nigeria has over the years paraded promising “ youngsters”
who mysteriously failed to fulfill their potential in the senior
teams. Phillip Osondu was the best player at the 1987
Under-17 World Cup, after which he was signed on by
Anderlecht, only to drift out of the game and into janitorial
work after questions were raised about his real age. Femi
Opabunmi shone brilliantly when Nigeria played in the finals
of the Under-17 competition in 2001 and was officially the
third youngest player in the senior team when he featured
in the 0-0 game with England during the 2002 World Cup.
But by 2005 he had expired doing only part-time soccer in
some unrated team in lower rungs of the French league.
Adokiye Amiesimaka questioned the inclusion of Golden
Eaglets captain Fortune Chukwudi during the 2009 Under 17
championship . Amiesimaka in an unusual candor bared his
mind after Nigeria’s opening 3-3 draw with Germany at the
Abuja National Stadium on October 24. “In the 2002/2003
season, I was chairman of Sharks Football Club of Port
Harcourt. I decided to have a feeder team of fresh school
leavers not older than 20 years.
One of my key players then is the current captain of our so-
called Under-17 Golden Eaglets. By his own admission at
that time, that is seven years ago, he was 18 years old…If we
are not utterly irresponsible, how can he be eligible for this
tournament when he is not less than 25 years old now?”
Amiesimaka wrote in the Punch newspaper. Chukwudi
played till the Eaglets final match and fizzled out thereafter.
But since corruption is official in Nigeria,there was no
whimper from our officials .
I read on The Cable in June this year of how Taye Taiwo’s
twin sister allegedly celebrated her 39th birthday the day
Taiwo was doing his own 27th.There was also the story of
Samson Siasia cutting the cake of his 30th wedding
anniversary at the age of 47!
About the most hilarious was that of Dele Ajiboye who
exposed the lie over his age when he featured in the
Under-17 tournament in 2007″.In the chat(with Soccer Star)
the Golden Eaglets gold medal-winning goalkeeper in the
FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2007 inadvertently revealed he was
older than he claimed eight years earlier. When asked about
his role model as a professional goalkeeper, the Kwara
United keeper revealed the person without much fuss. “I
have many role models.
Anyone I learn from is my role model,” he said. “I could
remember when I was still a young boy, I do watch Peter
Rufai and I learnt a lot from him.” Ajiboye is 25 now and 17
in 2007, but we doubt he was referring to the Peter Rufai of
1998 World Cup. Nobody learnt anything fruitful and
meaningful from Rufai of 1998. Even Ajiboye at age eight
couldn’t have learnt anything worthy from the fumbling
Dodo Mayana except, of course, how to make cheap goals
look spectacular. Then, we are assuming Ajiboye was
referring to the Rufai of 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and
World Cup. But in 1994, Ajiboye was four!”
James Spencer in an article traced age fraud in the Premier
League to African players: “Age fraud came to prominence in
the Premier League from the mid-1990s onwards, as clubs
began looking more and more at emerging African players.
Several former Premier League players from Nigeria alone
have been suspected of such misrepresentation.
Nwankwo Kanu is a legend of African football and became a
cult hero in England playing for clubs like Arsenal and
Portsmouth. The tall forward won the Champions League
with Ajax in 1995, but was always suspected to be as much
as nine years older than his stated age. Speaking in 2010,
Harry Redknapp jokingly exaggerated that Kanu was 49,
though given how he described ever increasing ailments and
the need for treatment, there seemed to be a shred of
authenticity to his words.
Former Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins was also
at the centre of an age row. The player had spectacularly
burst onto the scene with Inter Milan as a youngster, but
failed to make the most of his talent, suggesting he could
already have been much older than stated. In 2005, while
Martins was still in Italy, the Nigerian Football Federation
claimed he was actually born in 1978, though his player
registration stated it was 1984.
National failure
Similar stories also exist for both Jay-Jay Okocha and Taribo
West who plied their trade in the Premier League for Bolton
Wanderers and Derby County, respectively.
Throughout his career, Okocha was rumoured to be 10 years
older than his official age. Following his departure from
Derby in 2001, West allegedly told Partizan Belgrade that he
was only 28, though given the state of his body the club had
strong suspicions that he was 40.
It may not occur to us that our national failure is the sum
total of all these little acts of dishonesty .I recall a Dutch-
journalist friend of mine who I was driving along the Airport
Road in 1998 and saw a fellow peeing on the road. He
looked at the guy and said to me: “If that man cannot see
anything wrong urinating on the roadside,he would do other
1000 things that are not right and would not see nothing
wrong”.
We shall engage in this hollow rituals of celebrating our
“victory” but we know in the inner recesses of our minds that
is all a fluke because we didn’t do it right. Scoundrels posing
as patriots would even abuse this writer for writing the truth.
That majority is wrong should not desist the minority that is
right from saying it as it is.
The truth must be told even if heavens fall: It is only
righteousness that exalts a nation.
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