Boko Haram - Okorocha's Registration Rumpus in the Senate

The reported plan by the Rochas Okorocha administration to register northerners in the state has raised a fuss between the regime in Owerri and the Senate. Was it really misdirected fire or what?

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has been famed for some weird policies since he came to power nearly three years ago. His latest policy of registering northerners in the state has, however, received blistering criticisms from several quarters including the Senate.

The proposed policy was reported to be part of the administration's attempt to protect life and property in the state following the upsurge in the Boko Haram insurgency.

The scheme it was learnt was originally designed by members of the Hausa community in the state to keep away people with strange ideologies from their midst. The scheme it was learnt was bought over by an aide of the governor who is himself a non-indigene, a development that seemed to give it government approval.

Courts to embark on long vacation

NATION-The Supreme Court, Federal High Court and Lagos State High Court will go on long vacation from July till September. The Supreme Court will vacate on July 21 and resume on September 8.

The Federal High Court will begin its vacation on July 14 and end on September 12.

Chief Judge of Lagos, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, approved July 16 till September 11 for the long vacation.
At least 10 vacation judges have been appointed to sit in Ikeja and Lagos divisions, a statement by the Chief Registrar, Mrs. Olamide Akinkugbe, said.

In Ikeja division, Justice Olajumoke Emeya will sit between July 16 and July 24; Justice Ibironke Harrison, July 28 to August 8; Justice Akintunde Savage, August 11 to August 22; Justice Sodoten Ogunsanya, August 25 to September 11, while Justice Kudirat Jose would serve as a substitute judge.

In the Lagos division, Justice Folashade Bankole-Oki will sit between July 16 and July 24; Justice Oyindamola Ogala, July 28 to August 8; Justice Ganiyu Safari, August 11 to August 22; Justice Wasiu Animahun, August 25 to September 11, while Justice Omobolaji Dawodu will serve as a substitute judge for the division.

Update: Jonathan swears in Shekarau as Nigeria’s Education Minister

President Goodluck Jonathan has sworn-in the four new ministers, who were cleared by the National Assembly.

They include Ibrahim Shekarau, Stephen Oru, Adedayo Adeyeye and Abdul Bulama. Mr. Shekarau, a former Kano State governor, decamped from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Shortly after swearing them in, the President announced their portfolio and also announced a minor rearrangement in the current cabinet.

The President announced Mr. Shekarau as the new Education Minister; Mr. Adeyeye was named Minister of State for Works; Mr. Oru, Minister of Niger Delta; and Mr. Bulama, Minister of Science and Technology.
Mr. Jonathan also announced that the current Minister of Works, Bashir Yuguda, will now be the Minster of State for Finance and substantive Minister of National Planning.

Mr. Yuguda is filling the vacancy created by the exit of the former minister of state of finance, Yerima Ngama.
In his cabinet shake up last year September, the President had designated the Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson, to oversee the Ministry of Science and Technology, vacated by Ita Ewa Okon; while the Minister of State, Works, Bashir Yuguda, was assigned to oversee the Ministry of National Planning following the sack of the longest serving cabinet member, Shamsudeen Usman, who was first appointed minister by late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

In his remarks, Wednesday, President Jonathan while congratulating the ministers on their appointment, urged them to work hard not to only impress him but also Nigerians as they were coming in at the ‘injury time.’
Mr. Jonathan told the new ministers that there was no time to rest but to quickly adjust and begin work.

“Let me congratulate you for this appointment,” he said. “But It is not an enviable appointment because in football match when you get to the injury time and a player is brought in you expect goals. This government has less than a year to go and you have been brought in this time, so you know the reason why you have been brought in.”

Osun 2014: Omisore Afraid of His Shadows - APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has  accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, of deploying masked gunmen as security men during his ongoing electioneering for the August 9 election in the state.

The party wondered why uniformed or plain-cloth policemen as well as State Security Service (SSS) personnel are suddenly not good enough for  Omisore.

In a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the only reason Omisore could have resorted to hiring ‘ninjas’ for protection is because he is afraid of his own shadows.

It wondered how a man who wanted to rule a state would be afraid to move freely among the same people whose votes his is canvassing, saying the PDP candidate should emulate the state Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who is barely distinguishable from the ordinary citizens of the state.

‘’Every month, Aregbesola leads the people of the state in a jogging exercise on the streets, during which he mixes freely with them. Not once has a ‘ninja’ been spotted behind him in the name of security.

You need to know Why we have not returned Oduah’s N255m bullet-proof cars – Aviation Minister

The Ministry of Aviation has explained why it is yet to return the N255m BMW bullet-proof cars purchased by former Minister, Stella Oduah to Coscharis motors as directed by the House Committee on Aviation.

According to the Supervising Minister of Aviation, Samuel Ortom, the Ministry is trying to follow due process before it would release the cars.

Ortom, who appeared before members of the Mrs Nkiruka Onyejiocha-led committee yesterday, said that President Goodluck Jonathan and other stakeholders have the final say on the controversial cars.

Addressing newsmen at the Assembly complex yesterday, Ortom said, “Before we comply, we have to carry the President and other stakeholders along.

Final year Student shot in UNILAG campus

A student was reportedly shot in the head by unidentified gunmen on Monday at the King Jaja Hall area of the University of Lagos.

The student who was identified as Sapara, a final year student of Philosophy, had his face covered in blood after a bullet was said to have scraped the side of his head.

He was subsequently taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba and official report had it that he was in stable condition.

The incident, however, led to chaos as students were seen running in different directions after the gunshot was heard.

Eyewitnesses said they saw a car speed off after the shooting, noting that the perpetrators might have carried out the attack from there.

Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, the Dean of Students’ Affairs of the University, Prof. Olukayode Amund, confirmed that Sapara was indeed shot and currently recuperating at LUTH.

American Citizen With Suspected Case Of Ebola Virus Dies In Ghana

Reports fro Ghana confirm that the American man who was quarantined at the Nyaho Clinic in Accra on suspicion of carrying the Ebola virus has died.

Sources at Ghana's Health Ministry say the man died on Monday. 
Meanwhile, The Health Ministry could not confirm, or deny, whether he died of the Ebola virus as earlier reports revealed that the tests run on him for the virus by the Nugochi Memorial Research Institute proved negative.

The US man arrived from Guinea on Sunday and reported at the clinic for medical attention. His case was suspected to be the first Ebola case in Ghana, but with recent developments, it still cannot be confirmed that the deadly virus has entered Ghana.  (saharareporters)

Nyako Impeachment: Investigative Panel begins sitting

The seven-member investigative panel constituted by the acting Chief Judge of Adamawa State, Ambrose Mammadi, to investigate allegations of gross misconduct by Governor Murtala Nyako, commenced sitting on Monday.

The panel ignored the directive of the state government which had on Sunday declared Monday and Tuesday as public holidays.

Mr. Nyako had declared the holiday to allow citizens pray for peace in the state, but critics said it was aimed at stopping Mr. Mammadi from inaugurating the panel he appointed last Friday.
Mr. Mammadi’s tenure as chief judge ends on Monday, while the panel was expected to be inaugurated on Monday. No public inauguration was done.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, the Registrar of the State High Court, Abubakar Babayola, said the inauguration of the committee is a mere ceremony and not a constitutional requirement.
Mr. Babayola signed the Friday statement, on behalf of the acting Chief Judge, announcing the composition of the committee.

“The Hon. Acting Chief Judge Hon. Justice Ambrose D. Mammadi by the powers vested in him under Section 185(5) of the 1999 constitution as (amended) has approved the appointment of seven (7) Man Panel to investigate allegations of Gross Misconduct of the Executive Governor of Adamawa State Admiral Murtala Nyako and the Deputy Governor of Adamawa State Mr. Bala Ngilari,” the registrar had said.
The committee is chaired by Buba Kaimaga from Mubi Northern Zone.

The other members are Laraba Hassan, Michika Northern Zone; Njidda Kito, Song Central Zone; Joshua Abu, Hong Central Zone; Binanu Esthon, Guyuk Southern Zone; Sa’ad Lawan, Mayo-Belwa, Southern Zone; and Esthon Gapsiso, Genye Southern Zone.

The registrar had said the committee members would be sworn-in at a later, unannounced date.
However, as at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, the committee was sitting amidst tight security at J & J Holiday Villa located at Atirwucha close in Karewa GRA, Yola.

It is not clear if Messrs. Nyako and his deputy, Bala Ngilari, will appear before the committee to clear themselves of the allegations.

Twenty of the 25 lawmakers in the state had, as part of the impeachment proceedings, asked the chief judge to set up the committee.(premiumtime)

Osun Guber: My popularity will Speak for me – Aregbesola

Ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State, Governor, Rauf Aregbesola of the APC, has asserted that he was battle ready for the PDP.

The governor said he was prepared to face the ‘acid test’ of the Peoples Democratic Party, insisting that he will win the election by popular votes. He further stated that the PDP does nor have the backup of the masses like him.

Speaking on Saturday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, Aregbeaola warned the PDP against rigging the governorship election.

He said, “I’m a product of the popular forces; by popular forces, I mean the people. I emanated from them, I’m a product of their struggle. I’ve interacted on a daily basis with the people from the outset of my administration. They know me and I know them. I have affected their lives through populist programmes.

“I’m from the street and it is easy for me to go back to the street because that’s where my people are. Can they (PDP) go to the street?

“They don’t know who they are facing; my real home is the street. Look at me, do I look like a governor? That’s why I call my administration government unusual because we need to bring passion and vision into governance and break away from stagnating ways of doing things.

“Let’s meet on the street. My administration has the full support of the masses.”
However, the Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, has vowed that the PDP would stop the APC from rigging the election.

According to him, “We are not here to capture Osun. We want people to come out without any fear or intimidation and cast their votes.

The noise, the hullabaloo that you are hearing is because they want to rig. We know them too well with their capacity to rig election. They are not for one man, one vote. They have been importing people into the state.”
(dailypost.ng)

APC decries delay to release Permanent Voter Cards

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has decried the delay in distributing the permanent voter cards (PVCs) ahead of the August 9 governorship election in Osun State.

Its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement in Lagos yesterday, warned that the delay might be a ploy to disenfranchise voters.

“INEC has been painfully slow in processing the permanent voters cards and one can only hope that the electoral body is not doing this deliberately to disenfranchise voters, especially in opposition strongholds.

“The slow processing of the permanent voter cards has in particular hit the Central Senatorial District of the state and has affected those who had registered as well as those who registered this year,” it said.

APC said INEC has continued to tell those who throng its offices in the state that the cards are not ready, without giving an indication of when they will be ready for collection.

“If INEC has no diabolical plan, then it should speed up the processing of the permanent voter cards. We say this based on the reported announcement by the REC in Osun State that whoever does not possess a permanent voter card will not be allowed to vote in the August 9 election,” the party said.

It urged INEC to maintain its neutrality and  ensure it does not do anything that can affect the credibility of the commission or the integrity of the election.

APC recalled that a few days before the Ekiti governorship election, INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega had told stakeholders that the commission would use colour-code ballot papers to ensure that ballots meant for one local government are not taken to another.

“However, not only did INEC not use colour-coded ballot papers in the Ekiti election, it never felt the need to explain its sudden volte-face. This is a blow to the integrity of INEC and we hope it won’t be repeated,” the party said.

The APC has raised the alarm over a multi-pronged strategy by the federal authorities to skew the election in Osun State in favour of the PDP, just as they allegedly did in Ekiti State last month.

According to the party, the dubious strategy by the federal authorities involves using the military and other security agencies to lock down the state, days ahead of voting as well as an alleged plan to starve the state of funds so it cannot meet its obligations.

“Whereas Ekiti was locked down about three days to the election, indications are that Osun will be locked down at least a week before the state’s poll, while the security agencies will again be used to harass, intimidate and arrest opposition politicians just as they did with impunity in Ekiti.

“We are raising the alarm now so the world can see that any election can only be described as free and fair if the entire process is transparent and not skewed in favour of any of the parties. We insist that election is a process, and that whatever happens on election day is only, but a part of the whole.

“Therefore, we demand a level-playing field for all the candidates before, during and after the Osun election. We reject any plan to use the military and other security agencies to lock down the state and to harass, intimidate and arrest opposition members.

We call on local and international observers to take note of these and other anomalies ahead of the Osun poll,” it said. (Nation)

Why I Against Fayose, by Oni

Former  Governor of Ekiti State,  Olusegun Oni has declared governor-elect Ayodele Fayose as a wrong role model for youths. 

Speaking on a radio programme, “Face the Nation”, broadcast on RockCity 101.9 fm Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oni said  this was one of the reasons why he did not support Fayose and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the poll.

He said:  “Fayose had been governor of Ekiti State. His records are there and cast your mind back and judge in your own mind whether what I’m saying is true. It is about the personalities of the two people involved, it is about the future of our state, who can place it firmly under , it is about the fact that we don’t want a governor whose image will rubbish us .

“I have been governor and if anybody comes to that office and misbehaves, I will feel like it is the office that has misbehaved. If your governor misbehave, anytime, I will feel like it is the office that has misbehaved and if the office of the governor misbehaves, I will feel bad that a part of me has misbehaved.”

Oni, who is the Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said he held  no grudge and had forgiven  those who played a role in his abrupt exit from office four years ago.

“ I have forgiven Dr. Fayemi, I have forgiven Fayose, I have forgiven everybody, and so, the issue of vengeance did not come in. But I look at both of them, who will make us as Ekiti people more confident about the future, our children more secure and our future more assured, who I can recommend to my child or other children as their role model. 

Because I will never campaign for anybody for the governorship of any state and I want to tell you, if I cannot point to that person as a role model for the children in that state or my own children. I’m sorry, I am not here to run down anybody.”

“ People will ask me,why are you doing this against PDP,is it because the party offended you? And I say I have forgiven everybody including institutions that offended me, but why would the PDP for God’s sake not listen to what we keep saying,” Oni queried. The former governor  insisted that Fayose did not win the PDP primaries.

“They arranged it for him and if you must arrange anything for somebody,let that person be very credible, let that person have the image, let that person be that who will lift us up not an image that will undermine,  so they arranged for the wrong person and my conscience would not stand beside Governor Fayose on the podium to ask people to vote for him as governor,” he said. (Nation)