Friday 30 November 2012

Court remands couple in prison for assault on neighbour, theft




An Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court on Friday remanded a couple, Gbenga and Elizabeth of GRA Mpape, Abuja, in prison for allegedly beating up one Rabinatu Adamu.

They were charged for assaulting and causing bodily harm to one Rabinatu Adamu.

They duo will spend 10 days in prison, because they were unable to meet the bail conditions granted by Senior Magistrate Grace Adebayo.

The Police Prosecutor, Mohammed Abdullahi, told the court that on November 20, Ms. Adamu also of GRA Mpape, reported the case to the Mpape Police Station.

Mr. Abdullahi said that the couple were involved in a fight with the complainant and her sister Alira Adamu, who got hurt in the process.

He said that during the fight, the accused allegedly stole a Techno cell phone valued at N7,000, a Nokia phone valued at N4,000 and N5,000 cash belonging to the complainant.

He said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 79 and 247 of the Penal Code.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the offence.

The senior magistrate granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 each with one surety each.

But as at the end of the court’s sitting, they were not able to meet the conditions for bail, as nobody came for them.

Mr. Adebayo, then, ordered that the couple be remanded in prison custody till the next adjourned date of December 10, for further hearing.

Nigeria Army demolishes Boko Haram ‘Bomb Factory’ In Zaria





The Nigeria Army has demolished a suspected Boko Haram bomb factory in Zaria, Kaduna State, recovering many important items.

The Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, who confirmed the action to SaharaReporters and also sent pictures of the recovered items, said that the incident followed a Cordon and Search Operation which it carried out with other security agencies in the Kwanar Shahada, Jushin Chiki area of the city.

He described the bomb factory as a two-bedroom bungalow, and that there were Improvised Explosive Devices in “stage one state of readiness.”
The operation also recovered several IED-making components that include:

•    17 Sensor Mechanical Timers (Remote Controls)
•    11 Primed Suicide Bombers Vests
•    36 Primed IEDs in “Bobo” cans
•    One military kitbag with support items like saw, hammer, cello tapes and guns
•    2 gallons of paint containing prepared IEDs
•    2 gallons of turkey oil brand with prepared IEDs
•    7 rolls of wires of various lengths
•    One bag containing several sensors
•    25 nine volt batteries

The spokesman said that a 60-year old man, Umaru Mohammed,was arrested within the premises, and the house demolished.
He did not say why it was essential to demolish the building rather than turn it over to the police for further investigation.

Wednesday 28 November 2012

ACN lambasts Tukur over insecurity


 
Opeyemi Adesina

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) said the statement credited to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Bamanga Tukur, that the PDP is not a security agency and should not be blamed for the insecurity in the country, is the clearest indication yet of the party’s alleged “cluelessness” over the worsening state of insecurity and other ills bedevilling the country.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, ACN said ”What the PDP Chairman is saying, in essence, is that his party is no longer fit to rule and that Nigerians should look elsewhere.”

ACN said it is inconceivable that a man of Alhaji Tukur’s standing, experience in public life and international exposure will not know the powers and responsibility of a ruling party.

”The PDP sired the President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government that controls the security agencies in the country, and the party’s Chairman is not unaware of this fact.”

ACN in the statement urged Nigerians to take their destiny in their own hands.

”The insecurity that has now reached a level at which daring gunmen will attack the police and the military, the very institutions the country relies upon to ensure its internal and external security, is a reflection of the deep rot in other spheres of life in Nigeria.

”To be fair, the rot did not start in 1999. But 13 years is a long enough time for a party that is worth its name to make an appreciable effort to turn things around. Sadly, the situation is worse today than it was 13 years ago” ACN said.

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Igbo unity crucial ahead of 2015 elections - Kalu


Opeyemi Adesina

The former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has said that engendering unity among the Igbo race is a crucial factor if the South East will make nay impact in the 2015 general election in Nigeria, especially the desire of the region to produce the next president of the country.

Kalu, who spoke in Washington DC, United States of America, in continuation of his advocacy visits for a president of Igbo extraction for Nigeria in 2015, said without unity, it would be impossible to make the dream come true.

At a dinner in his honour at the residence of Surveyor John and Lady Maria Juruobi in Washington DC, Kalu said it was in order to foster the much desired unity among the Igbo irrespective of political affiliation, religion, gender and other such divisive tendencies that a non partisan group, the Njiko Igbo, was formed.

The dinner, which was chaired by Mr. Ola Famuyiwa, had in attendance a cross section of Nigerians amongst whom were Mr. Henry Okadigbo, Barrister Ndubuisi Uche Umuma, Mr. George Udezor, Chief Anyaso Ojukwu, Engr A. Ola, Prof. Tunde Ayo, Mr. Daniel Eke, Mr. Seyi Ogunbiyi, Prof. Akin Ola, Dr. John Owolabi and Mr. Lawal Suleiman.

Kalu said Njiko Igbo would reconcile everyone in order to present a common voice for the repositioning of Ndigbo in terms of development and leadership positions.

He disclosed that those engaged in the project have been engaging stakeholders in the South East and other parts of the country on the marginalization of Ndigbo over the years and the need for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction.

He further stated that the only compensation that could erase the years of marginalisation will be the acceptance of an Igbo man as president in 2015.

Kalu, who is the portem coordinator of Njiko Igbo, said: "Since the creation of the country to the era of the civil war and now, the Igbo race has suffered deep marginalisation.

"Yet, we have not considered this as we have supported other regions and zones to produce the president of the country.

"There can be no better befitting way of repaying us than allowing us to produce the president in 2015.

"And we have been working silently for a very long time building bridges of understanding all over the country to achieve this.

"Njiko Igbo is just the visible arm of the move to achieve a project that is very dear to the hearts of the genuine Igbo man and woman home
and abroad."

Kalu charged Nigerians in the Diaspora to imbibe the spirit of integrity in their profession and discipline in order to strengthen bilateral relationship between Nigeria and their country of residence.

Famuyiwa, in his remarks, stated that it will only be fair if the South East produces Nigeria’s president in 2015.

He said for 52 years that Nigeria has been independent without the Igbo having the opportunity to rule the country, other zones should compensate the region with the presidency since the south East has eminently qualified men and women that could rule the country. 

Sir Juruobi congratulated Kalu and Ndigbo on the Njiko Igbo project, which he described as the new face of Igbo.

He implored other Igbo groups and associations to compliment the efforts of Njiko Igbo in taking the South East to the Promised Land.

In the same vein, a businessman, George Udezor, called for the re-invigoration and emulation of the belief of our forefathers, anchored on peaceful co existence.

Mr. Henry Okadigbo, younger brother to the late former Senate President, Chief Chuka Okadigbo, disclosed that he was not surprised that Njiko Igbo sprang up, stating that is late brother, Dr. Kalu and a few Igbo leaders were always at the forefront of selfless fight for the people of the region.

He described Kalu as a reformer per excellence, with a strong will to fight a genuine cause for Ndigbo.

In his contribution, Barrister Uche Omuma decried the state of roads in the South East.

He made specific mention of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, which he used some months back on his way to his village and lamented on the state of Aba city in Abia State.

He called on government at all levels to be responsive to the plight of their people.

He also urged Igbos to rally support for Njiko Igbo, describing it as a collective advocacy forum for the repositioning of Ndigbo.

Engr A. Ola used the opportunity to introduce a new non governmental project, Diaspora Campaign for Democratic Change in Nigeria, which aims at promoting democratic values.

He said this initiative was conceptualized in response to various national and international calls for genuine democracy in Nigeria, where the average man’s voice counts.

He said: "We are tired with the political rigging and victimization, which has denied the people the opportunity to elect the leaders of
choice."

Sunday 25 November 2012

We'll puruse Igbo presidency to logical conclusion - Njiko Igbo



Opeyemi Adesina

Njiko Igbo, a non partisan political movement, has restated its position of pursuing its objective of the election of a president of Igbo extraction for Nigeria in 2015.

The acting National Publicity Secretary of Njiko Igbo, Brady Chijioke Nwosu, who stated the position of Njiko Igbo, lamented the marginalization of Ndigbo in national leadership positions and reaffirmed the resolve of Ndigbo at home and in the diaspora for the actualisation of Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2015.

Nwosu stated that Njiko Igbo, which stands for unity by mending fences and faces, is apolitical, without bias towards any political party or association.
 
He said the leadership of Njiko Igbo, including the Protem Coordinator, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, and the Chairman, Senator Sylvester Anyanwu, are apolitical.

He said: "The group is for all Igbo sons and daughters irrespective of age, religion, place of residence, political party, profession, association and economic status amongst others."

He described it is a common platform initiated to provide a common voice in the repositioning of the South East region in terms of development and leadership positions.

The acting secretary identified the aims and objectives of Njiko Igbo as the name connotes to include harmonisation of diverse interests in the South East zone of Nigeria, promotion of a common South East voice on national issues, rejuvenating the spirit of political participation among the grassroots across the zone as well as channeling commitment to positive national goals, building bridges across political tendencies in the zone and extending such bridges to other geopolitical zones for the full re-integration of the zone, amongst others.

Nwosu disclosed that the leadership and members of Njiko Igbo are consulting with stakeholders across the geopolitical zones of the country and outside Nigeria "to advocate our position on the Nigerian project."

He maintained that the Igbos have greatly contributed to the economic development of Nigeria and have also supported other regions in clinching the presidency, adding that this should be a period of compensation for Ndigbo for their patience, sacrifice and national contributions.

Nwosu disclosed that the project has received the support of Nigerians and promised to strengthen dialogue, consultation, stakeholders’ engagement, advocacy and campaign as key tools in driving the aspiration of Ndigbo.

He called on Ndigbo to be committed, courageous and focused for what he described as a selfless fight, imploring them to use social, print, electronic and other means of communication to share the message of Njiko Igbo globally.


Wednesday 21 November 2012

Speaker's trial incessant adjournments: Lagos PDP suspects ACN, EFCC conspiracy

Opeyemi Adesina

The Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed his intention to file a petition against the EFCC if the anti corruption agency does not improve in its manner of handling the ongoing prosecution of the Speaker of LAHA, Adeyemi Ikuforiji.

The party's position is coming on the heels of five consecutive adjournments of the said trial which has been blamed on the unbelievable indisposition of the EFCC lead Counsel, Mr. Godwin Obla.

According to the Party, the allegations and trial are too serious to be dragged or indeed frustrated by the prosecution. The party warns that the prosecution's manner of seeking for adjournments in the matter can lead to a striking out of the Case. This can only be done to satisfy ACN as no excuse can hold waters.

"We strongly believe that the Speaker and ACN have the sympathy of the EFCC prosecution team as presently constituted, otherwise there won't be indiscriminate call for adjournment in a matter that the presiding judge, Okechukwu Okeke, is serious to dispense with on time. It may be a ploy for the case to be struck out for want of due diligence"

The Party has thus admonished the EFCC to prosecute the matter diligently, without fear or favour as lagosians and indeed Nigerians are monitoring same.

In the same vein, the Party has berated the members of the House who are quick to suspend sittings on the days of the Speaker's Trial, claiming Solidarity.

It would be recalled that the LAHA of Assembly speaker is on trial for allegedly embezzling 7Billion Naira of the House's fund.

Monday 19 November 2012

PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE NEW LAGOS TRAFFIC LAWS , THE OPERATONS OF MOALS AND THE FATE OF THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC IN LAGOS,THE STATE OF EXCELLENCE.


VENUE; PDP STATE SECRETARIAT, GRA IKEJA

 TIME; 9.AM PROMPT.



I, Dr. Segun Ogundimu, a former chairman Lagos state water corporation, commissioner for transport, chairman petroleum & petroleum products distribution & monitoring committee, and former Lagos state commissioner for Health, personally welcome you gentlemen of the press to this program , on behalf of the travelling Public to lend my solo voice to the ongoing appeal to our Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) to please temper justice with mercy on this new traffic laws, christened “Draconian” by the people of Lagos.

 Your Excellency I know Governance is not an easy thing and I do appreciate the stress of Governance, and its varied challenges you are saddled with on daily basis which could be strong and worrisome enough to make a Governor hit at unintended hapless public. The law as relates to the okada operatives and whatever the challenges on your plates should not make you lose sight of the necessity to protect the travelling public. You should avoid been labeled an anti- people government. When an aggressive mosquito lands on “the place” caution is necessary to get rid of the nuisance pest, else the force will break “the place “and the mosquito will escape ‘this is a Yoruba proverb’. With benefit of hind sight, I recall with mixed feelings, my tenure as Lagos state Commissioner for public Transportation in the early 90’s. The problems, I was confronted with then, are not any different from yours, though I must admit that the population and the aggression is not as serious as now. Not with standing, no one tries to kill an ant with a sledge hammer without damaging the platform on which the ant rests. The challenges then, which are not different from what obtains now include but not limited to;
   1. Increasing population of okada operators.
   2. Untrained, ill-kitted and unlicensed operatives.
   3. A very sizeable no of operators are unemployed school leavers( some of whom are graduates) are non- indigenes who have noticed the yawning gap in the State’s supply side of public transportation and taken up the gauntlet in challenge created by this inadequate support for the travelling public. The primary aim is to irk a living rather than engage in more devastating tendencies to keep body & mind together.
   4. Increasing tendencies of operators to be hired by negative groups to perpetrate nefarious activities state- wide, especially rendering Reece services to people of questionable characters.
   5. Active and outright participation of operators in armed and unarmed crime as been reported by security operatives.
   6. Increasing violation of traffic laws e.g. riding against traffic flow with overloading.
   7. Increasing road traffic accidents with serious orthopedic consequences to outright death of one or both rider & passenger.
   8. There are so many others too numerous to catalogue here. 

 No doubt, these are very worrisome challenges confronting your Excellency but I make bold to say with respect sir, that not serious enough to attract such reactions currently plaguing and incapacitating the travelling public, a blackish I want to believe was not thought of ab-inito.  

The law strangulating the operations of the okada operatives must be looked into again for the sake of the travelling public.

The alternatives opened to the public are
   1. The BRT operations, good concept but badly operated from stand point :
   a) Of ever escalating cost per person.
   b) Poorly maintained vehicles.
   c) Recklessness of the drivers and occasional fatal consequences.
   d) Restriction on areas of coverage as they cannot operate in state & most local Government roads because of very bad, ill-maintained & narrow road network.
   2. Taxis: these charge exorbitantly because of high rapid returns on service of the high loans given to operators. You may not know this ,the lucky few participants or allotees of the STATE-OWNED private partnership access to purchase of taxis under the scheme is excruciating and at the end of the rope are the travelling public whose take home pay does not take them home.
   3. Use of the popular danfo and Molues with the attendant infestation with bedbugs, unkempt rough seats and risk of ‘one chance’ a common parlance associated with regular robbery attacks in these vehicles.  
   4. Trekking up and down the dusty/ muddy streets of Lagos. Good as this may be health-wise, certainly does not fit into the 21st century Public transportation arrangement.

The only viable and swift means of affordable Public transportation in Lagos today is the OKADA mode.

 A transportation mode analysis done in Lagos in 1994 shows the following percentage usage by the travelling public as 

97%- Road Mode

2%- Rail Mode

1% -water Mode

This led to my initiating, on the strength of the reports of Dar al- andarsal Consultant to world-bank on metropolitan Lagos, the” Rail-Road- Sea” intermodal coordination which was aimed at reducing the road mode, a major cause of traffic congestion in our city. A beef up of Rail & Water Modes was intended then. We actually commenced the process of integration of these 3 modes, but for the constant change in Governance at that time. With the assistance of the Federal Government, a second pair of rails was laid from Ijoko Railway Station to Ijora Wharf. We did put in place a double-deckered katamaran Boat M.V, Odoragunshen (with 1,400 passengers capacity) to Ferry commuters from Ijora to Apapa -and C.M.S from where smaller buses transport commuters to Ikoyi, Federal Secretariat, Obalende, bourdillon, Awolowo road, Ebute-ero, Osborne and beyond. I really do not know the where about of M V Odoragunshen bought with $2 millions Lagos state money. Please tell us. 

 In collaboration with Federal Inland Waterways and their ferry fleet, we mass- transported commuters from Ijora to Oworonshoki -to Ebute ero-to Ikorodu-Maroko to mention a few.

I believe there are more serious developmental program in the transportation area to tap into and occupy your plate, than running after miserable souls who are out to make a living, no thanks to our poor educational system that is skewed towards white collar jobs instead of a policy that produces employers of labor as against job seekers.
 Recently the PUNCH newspaper, a voice and soul of the masses reported the burning & crushing of 3,000 motor- cycles in Lagos. Many people could not believe their eyes, but for the reliable source- PUNCH. Your Excellency 3,000 struggling poor souls reduced to more joblessness and asked to bite the dust. Millions naira loans from some financial institutions down the drain, just like that. Rather than confiscate and crush or burn their motorbike, I will suggest a more pragmatic look into their case again, so that we don’t jump from fry -pan into fire. These trampled upon and bruised people may become more violent and take to daring armed or non- armed robbery attacks on people to irk a living. More devasting effect of the ban on the Okada riders in certain areas is made manifest in the harrowing stress imposed on the travelling public, the increase in transportation cost, high morbidity rate, clear and present danger of loss of job for coming late to work place by the working class that patronize these riders even at the risk of their lives in the absence of an affordable alternative. Congregation of the travelling public in black spots, like Oshodi, Marine beach, Marina CMS, ojuelegba, ojota, Anthony Under-bridge to mention a few, increases the risk of attacks by the league of hoodlums that would be swelled by the deprived Okada riders. What is then the joy of been governed by Midas touch- hearted Governor.

The case of ONDO’s Mimiko is quite instructive, where the people spoke loud and clear with their votes in support of their listening Governor’s second coming. Please take a cue from the Federal Government that listens to the cry of the people:
   1. The change of position on fuel increase.
   2. Change of position on the N5000 notes
   3. Change of heart on the Niger Delta militants. 
   4. Bakasi issue and the practical assessment of issues than the sentimental clap trap attached to ownership based on false premise.

Rather than the current war on Okada operatives, I call on you to please revisit the issue and work out a master plan on how to accommodate these avoidable challenges. I believe in strong regulation rather than outright ban. Implementing stronger regulation will even generate more jobs within the sea of these unemployed graduates in search of a lively hood.

If you will put aside our political differences I am willing, for the sake of the Okada riders and the travelling public, to share notes on how to salvage this ugly situation that has refused to go way and getting worse by the day. It will be difficult to wish these riders away without a viable source of income and affordable swift mode of transportation for the travelling public as an alternative.

Finally, your Excellency, may I humbly draw your attention to the ever present deplorable conditions of the State and local Government roads and drainages. It is as if all the Local Government simply went to sleep after the LASEIC Chairman, a retired Judge in our state awarded victory to all the 57 LCDA, , without a mention of votes scored for or against almighty ACN in Lagos. We thank the same judiciary for seeing these anomalies and now set to do justice.

The State and Local Government roads and drainages if put in place and commensurate with the monthly FAC allocation and IGR to our LGs in Lagos, things will be better than they are now. All the feeder roads and tributaries would be opened up, there will be less tension on major axial roads(inward and outward) like Ikorodu road, Herbert Macaulay, Western avenue, agege motor, isolo, ikotun-egbe, Egbeda roads, Abeokuta-Express way ; all the link roads will be put into full use, there will be less stress within the round house in alausa and less tendency to vent anger on these struggling souls. I tell you with authority as someone who has been closely associated with roads and drainages in Lagos that, global warming is not a major cause of flooding in our state. Rather the major causes are, the deplorable state of all our non-flowing secondary and tertiary drains and the incessant sand- filling of our water body with attendant rise in the water-table below the ground, in the state in an attempt to create empire for the novoriche and greedy hawks in power. The six primary channels in Lagos are totally blocked. Some are now places of abode to giant reptiles, crocodiles, alligators, monkeys and other animals, while Government is playing pranks with others channels 2-6. A major channel to the lagoon is the famous Odo iya’laro, between ojota and Maryland, that is totally blocked. All storm water westwards from ikeja environ are trapped and hence the flooding in those areas. Your Excellency you may not know this, not 1 (one) secondary or tertiary drain flows in any Local Government. I challenge you to take a tour to any of your LCDA to prove me right or wrong. 

Many years ago this State witnessed regular competitions amongst LGA from stand point of cleanliness, roads and drainage repairs and maintenance. Are these no longer the duties of our Local Government offices? You really need to wake up these officials so you can have peace of mind rather than stirring the Horner’s nest. The roads in areas like Ajegunle, ajangbadi, alaba, ijagemo, akowonjo, agege ,tabon tabon, iju agbado, ikotun egbe, ikorodu, Somolu, Bariga, oworonshoki, Badagry etc. It is as if these rural roads are cursed, yet they get allocation from FAC regularly apart from the IGR milked from the people monthly. Your Excellency please wake up your Local council areas, the people there are really suffering. Ikoyi Victoria Island, Lekki and Ajah areas are not all spared of the rot in our road network. You must do something about real issues in the state rather than pursue Okada riders all over the place.

My words of caution to the established Okada association in Lagos, please do not take the laws into your hands,remember two wrongs don’t make a right. Violence is an ill-wind that blows no one any good, continue to adopt dialogue because at the end of any struggle we still end up at a round table.

Human right activists and the civil liberty societies the whole world is watching this avoidable unfolding drama playing out.  

 Let’s avoid a state of anarchy in an otherwise peaceful State.

 Your Excellency, the fact that this is your last stanza does not mean you throw the people to the marines are careless about their plight. Be mindful of history and posterity.

This is the only state you can call yours.

 I salute and wish you well.

Gentlemen of the press, I thank you all for your attention.



-Dr, Segun Ogundimu, MBBS, FWACP

  PDP, CHIEFTAIN IN LAGOS.



Sunday 18 November 2012

Abia PPA condemns inequitable demolition of shops in Abia



Opeyemi Adesina

The Chairman of the Abia State chapter of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, Prince Emeka Okafor, has condemned in strong terms the recent demolition of shops at the Umuahia Timber Market, popularly known as Timber Shade Market, by the state government, saying it was inequitable.

Okafor said the demolition in the timber market, owned by independent marketers of building and allied materials, was unjust, unfair and quite unfriendly.

He stated that the government or its agents displayed preferential treatment, favouring those believed to be allies of the government or those in government circles to the detriment of others.

He also said the properties should not in the first instance have been destroyed considering the staggering amount used in putting them up and the present economic situation of the country.

The PPA boss also faulted the alleged allocation of the land acquired by the government from the demolition exercise to some its favourites instead of the original owners of the land.

Okafor called on the Abia State Government to retrace its steps and concentrate on measures that will impact positively on the welfare of all Abians and save the citizens from further hardship and untold harassment.

Saturday 17 November 2012

My clamour for Igbo presidency not party based - Kalu



A former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, has said that his clamor for a president of Igbo origin in Nigeria in 2015 is not based on the platform of any political party.

Kalu, at different fora in the United States of America last week, said that to achieve the lofty aim, it has to be beyond the confines of a political party, hence the formation of a non partisan political movement, the Njiko Igbo.

He said it has thus become imperative for all Igbo sons and daughters, home and abroad, to unite behind the Njiko Igbo for the realization of the objective of having, for the first time in Nigeria, an elected president of South-East origin.

A statement by his Special Adviser, Oyekunle Oyewumi, quoted Kalu as saying: "I am playing the role of protem coordinator of Njiko Igbo for the unity of our region in particular and Nigeria as a whole, using this platform to bring Igbo sons and daughters together irrespective of their political affiliations and associations."

Kalu, who spoke first at a dinner in his honor by Yoruba professionals at the residence of Chris Ogunrinde in Charlotte, North Carolina, added that as a person charged with the noble role of coordinating the aspirations of the Igbo and reaching out to others regions, he needed to be neutral by not associating with any political party at this point.

Kalu said: "I need to be neutral at all levels in achieving a unifying platform for this laudable project.

"However, we are ready to support any political party that zones its presidential ticket to the South East, which is in line with our cardinal objective.

"We have many qualified and dynamic people who have both the technical expertise and wealth of experience in the private and public sectors that are fit to occupy the position of Nigeria's president. "We have people who have excelled in the academia, business, politics and philanthropic areas of life among others and have contributed positively to economic growth of the country. "Those are the people we need to look at and put forward our best foot in 2015." Responding, Ogunrinde applauded the commitment of Kalu in promoting unity in Nigeria. Ogunrinde described him as a bridge builder with network of contacts beyond boundaries.  He acknowledged the support of Igbos in voting en masse for the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in the 1993 and 1999/2003 presidential elections, promising to mobilize Nigerians in the USA to support the move for a president of South East origin. At another parley with a cross section of Igbos in the USA, Kalu passed across the same message, soliciting for support for the project. Dr. A. Eze, a Consultant Surgeon, who spoke on behalf of others, pledged their unalloyed support to the Igbo cause.  Eze stated that Igbos have contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria in all ramifications and deserve to be given the opportunity to lead the country. Also commenting at the event, a friend of Dr. Eze's, Mr. Abdullahi Umar, poured encomiums on Dr. Kalu.  Umar went down memory lane on the selfless fight of Dr. Kalu when he held sway as the president, Student Union Government of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State. He commended him for declining the offer by the school authority to pardon him alone during the protest of the SUG that led to the rustication of the students' leaders unless everyone involved was pardoned. Drawing from his actions from his school days to his experience in the private and public sectors, Umar admonished Dr. Kalu to contest the presidency in 2015.  He acknowledged his role in building the PDP with the likes of Dr. Alex Ekwueme, General Ibrahim Babaginda, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, late Chief S.M. Afolabi and General Aliyu Gwarzo among others and also the Progressive Peoples Alliance, which have both produced political office holders. In another development, Dr. Kalu was a guest at the anniversary dinner of the North Carolina chapter of the Jewish National Association, where he thanked them for their support and sought for the strengthening of cordial relationship with Nigerians.  Dr. Kalu stated that by identifying the challenges, developing responses and delivering support and strength, both could make the world a better place for us all.  The association said it was delighted to have Nigerians grace this year’s anniversary dinner and promised to extend the same invite next year.

Fashola's celebration of 2,000 days in office amid apparent poverty, human rights abuses is shameful, says Lagos PDP


Opeyemi Adesina

As the Lagos State Government celebrates 2,000 days in office tomorrow, Sunday, the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described it as a jamboree that is absolutely shameful and irrational.

In a statement made available to the Press, the Publicity Secretary of the party, Barr. Taofik Gani, marvelled at the monumental financial waste that accompanies such unnecessary exercise and asserted that such monies would improve lives and provide more social services if utilised.

The party submitted that celebrating days without commensurate infrastructure is inglorious and deceitful, hence threatened to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the state having observed that such is a conduit pipe for defrauding the state .

The statement reads in part: "The Lagos State PDP is cautioning the ACN government of Lagos State not to waste Lagos funds in its disillusioned and misdirected celebrations of the number of days in government.

"We posit that the monumental amount usually spent on mobilising ACN members to such party can be ploughed to improve the lots of Lagosians rather than living in fool's world that Lagosians are happy with them.

"The Party challenges the ACN to dare Lagosians by measuring its achievements through street parade and see whether the reactions will be positive or negative.

"Honestly, this is a pathologicaly deceitful and propagandist political party that has indeed become a metastatised shameless party in government. How on earth can a sensible government plan celebration in Office when there is apparent poverty, lack of employment, underpaid civil servants and violation of human Rights to mention a few.

"Inspite getting total revenue of over 56billion Naira Monthly, the State is still not enjoying such developments that are social services. All the assumed developments in the State are indeed by concessionaires and donors. Notwithstanding, they are highly paid for to enjoy. The celebration will be another talk Party of "I will do" and not "I have done" It is our belief that monies are been syphoned through this activity because it is just too often and non-sensical" "We may invite the EFCC into the activities of certain parastatals and contractors of the Lagos State Government now discovered as conduits for the looting of Lagos Funds.

Thursday 8 November 2012

Stop the threat: Lagos PDP counsels Fashola



Opeyemi Adesina

The Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has counselled the Lagos State Governor to adopt a more diplomatic, Civil and honourable manner of addressing Nigerians, especially in his usual threats to non-Lagosians to leave the state or be ready to face his manner of governance.

The Party speaking through its State Chairman, Tunji Shelle, posited that it is very unbecoming of the State Governor to be quick in asking non lagosians to leave lagos state whenever such persons seek redress or demand their Rights as Nigerians.

This position is coming as a reaction to the latest assertion by the governor that the Lagos traffic Law and other unpopular laws in the state must be obeyed and that those who are not ready to obey or live in lagos in particular manners should return to their villages.

"We are taken aback to hear a Governor, lawyer and indeed SAN threaten or make statements suggestive of ignorance to nigerians. Under no circumstance can anybody, not even the president, "deport" any Nigerian from any state in the country.

The Right of a Nigerian to live and not be discriminated against is guaranteed under the constitution of our great country. No Law can thus be made to frustrate or erode such guarantee. The Governor ought to know this and remain civil" The Party has thus called on the presidency and the National Assembly to call the Lagos State governor to order to respect the sacrosanct Right of every Nigerian to live in any part of the Country.

Similarly, the party has called on the Leaders and Elders of lagos State to advise the governor against taking steps that can expose lagosians outside the state to hatred.