AILING GOVERNOR DISSOLVES CABINET THROUGH HIS YORIYORI

A serious political drama is playing out in Taraba State. A governor who was helped down from an aircraft in public glare, who couldn't say a word to the media at the airport and later when Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State visited him, is now taking actions through third parties.

He sent a letter to the State House of Assembly that he wants to resume as governor but the House say from what they saw at the airport they are not convinced. Hence, they requested that he appear at the floor of the House to address them, with a view to ascertain that he is indeed fit.

I learnt that Suntai's wife will never allow that to happen:

Since the governor can't even make coherent speeches, according to medical sources, it would be suicidal for his wife to take him to the House of Assembly. But the sad development is that executive functions are now being performed in the name of the ailing governor.

A reliable source said that the State cabinet appointed by the acting governor, who is the deputy governor, has been sacked by Governor Suntai. Yet no one is sure if the order came from him or his wife since he has neither address the state nor the media since his controversial return.

Governor Suntai, according to a statement, has appointed Timothy Katap as new SSG and Aminu Jika as new COS to the governor. Sources say his wife is now in-charge of the state.

Tension is in the air in Taraba, as the House of Assembly is insisting on hearing from Suntai himself before they can respect any statement released in his name.

Latest information:
The deputy governor has said all commissioners remain in office until he speaks with the governor!

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Femi Fani Kayode Apologizes to Nigerians and Three Ladies for Calling Names

Ex-minister of Aviation, Femi Fani Kayode mentioned names of three former Igbo girlfriends in an article he wrote a few days back to prove he wasn't tribalistic and has nothing against the Igbos. People felt calling out their names was disrespectful to the women. He has apologized. Find his statement below

'Chief Femi Fani-Kayode hereby expresses his deepest regrets for mentioning the names of three distinguished Nigerian ladies that he was once associated with in his last article titled ''A Word For Those Who Say I am A Tribalist''. He meant no harm by doing so and neither did he at any point make references to having had any sexual relations with any of these ladies when they were associated with him as is being suggested by some members of the public. He was simply trying to emphasise the fact that he has nothing against the igbo people and that his friendship with these three ladies in particular over the years provided some evidence of that.  

For the record he has not seen Madame Chioma Anasoh, Chief Adaobi Kate Uchegbu and Ambassador Bianca Onoh in many years and he admits that it was inappropiate for him to have mentioned their names in the essay, to use them as a point of reference in a public discussion or to make any references whatsoever to the nature of their past association. All references to them have been erased from the updated version of the essay.

Chief Fani-Kayode has reached two of the ladies concerned and he has personally conveyed his unreserved apology to them both and to their families for his indiscretion. He shall endeavour to reach the third lady to do the same in the next few days. Chief Fani-Kayode has nothing more to say on this matter and would prefer to remain focused on issues of national importance and not of a personal nature''-

Mr. Bisi Lawal, Press Secretary to Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

R-E-T-A-L-I-A-T-I-O-N: Nigeria Plans £5000 Visa Bond For UK Citizens

Three months to the commencement of the £3000 visa bond regime due to be imposed on Nigerians travelling to the United Kingdom, the Federal Government may have perfected plans to impose a £5,000 visa bond on prospective British citizens visiting Nigeria.
This is in retaliation to the new but controversial immigration policy of the UK scheduled to commence in November 2013.
The Home Office of the United Kingdom, recently classified Nigeria, India, as “high risk” and placed a £3,000 bond on every Nigerian visiting Britain.
The bond will be forfeited to the British government if an immigrant overstays his permit.
More than two million Nigerians are residing in the UK.
Uproar had greeted the immigration policy described as “discriminatory” since its announcement in June.
Nigeria is one of the countries put on the British “high-risk-list”. Others are India, Ghana, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The countries are slated for the pilot scheme of the new immigration policy to check immigration abuses.
A reliable source at the Nigerian High Commission in London told National Mirror that the refusal of the British Government to backpedal on the visa bond compelled Nigeria to fight back.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, had earlier assured that Nigeria would react appropriately if the policy was eventually implemented.
The source, who is a senior officer of the High Commission but did not want his name mentioned, told our correspondent in London that Nigeria had officially protested to the British government over the policy.
He, however, said that there was no sign that the British would rescind the decision.
“As a responsible country, we have protested officially against the discriminatory policy to the British government. But from all indications there is no going back on the policy. We have tried to make them see reasons on the need to review the new immigration policy, but it is like a done deal.
“Don’t forget that Nigeria has threatened to retaliate if the policy is implemented. So, we are only waiting for the implementation and the modalities of the new British immigration policy. But I can assure you that the Nigerian government won’t fold its hands. We would even raise the stake beyond the £3,000 they are asking Nigerians to pay as bond. We are looking at £5,000 as visa bond for UK citizens visiting Nigeria. This is our plan, which is subject to the approval of the Federal Government,” the source told National Mirror yesterday.
This stand is bound to strain the diplomatic relations between Britain and its former colony, Nigeria.
Early this year, British Prime Minister David Cameron chided Nigeria for passing anti-gay bill and threatened to cut aid to the country.
Also, Cameron recently berated Nigerian leaders for the mismanagement of the country’s huge natural resources.
But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesman, Ogbole Amedu Odeh, denied knowledge of the £5,000 visa bond.
“I’m just hearing that from you. I’m not aware of any £5,000 visa bond for British citizens,” Odeh told National Mirror on phone yesterday.
“Nigeria has not got official correspondence from the British government. Anytime Nigeria gets official communication on the policy, we will react appropriately.”
Meanwhile, Nigerians in the UK under the umbrella of the Central Association of Nigerians in the United Kingdom, CANUK, have said that if this bond is implemented, wrong people will be targeted.
In an interview with National Mirror in London, CANUK Chairman, Bimbo Folayan, said: “On the visa bond, we’ve expressed our feelings that this is not a right policy. We feel that the wrong people are being targeted. We believe that this will be counter-productive and we think this is more political, more economical than immigration related.
“We have protested to the Commonwealth Office, they have listened to us and they promised to get back to us.
“Because of the present situation of British economy, it is probably another way for the Home Office to make money. But that will be to the detriment of genuine travellers. The £3,000 bond will only swell the purse of the British government.”
They, however, opposed the planned retaliation of the British immigration policy by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Folayan added: “Our position is that two wrongs cannot make a right. I believe that Nigerian government should not retaliate wrongly. Three times this year, I have gone to Nigeria with British investors. So, it means if I’m going to Nigeria, I will have to look for £5,000 visa bond for each of the visitors.
“So, this can only hurt Nigeria. This can hurt investment inflow in Nigeria. We do not support the £5,000 proposed visa bond. Either way, from the British government or Nigerian government, we do not support the policy.
“Policies are made and can be changed. If this is injurious to the economy of the UK, they have to change the policy. I don’t see anything cast in stone on the matter.”
The group, however, said that there was no basis for Nigerians to come to UK illegally.
“The region of the world that is enjoying growth is Africa and that is where the focus is. In UK, we are not recording so much growth and the economic forecast is not too promising.
“So, everybody is feeling the pain. There are not many jobs in the UK any more. There is actually no basis for any youth to leave Nigeria and live in UK illegally because, one, there are no jobs. Two, if you come illegally, that is even worse because you cannot get a job without relevant papers like work permit whereas there are opportunities in Nigeria,” Folayan said.
Nigerians also decried their being labelled as “high risks”. “Nigeria is not high risk. The vast majority of Nigerians living in UK are students, workers and those born in the country. That is not to say that there are no illegal immigrants.
“We strongly feel that Nigeria is not a high risk country regardless of the statistics they might have gathered. We object to targeting a few countries, calling them ‘high risk’.
“We do not support illegal immigrants. We actually encourage Nigerians in the UK to regularise their papers. We’re also in the forefront of encouraging Nigerians living in UK illegally to embrace the opportunity that have been provided by the International Organisation of Migration, IOM, for them to go back home and live more meaningfully than staying in UK without getting a job because of lack of regular papers.”
The group noted that the £3,000 bond would only embolden desperate people rather than serve as deterrent.


Culled From NATIONAL MIRROR

Corruption: Why Dariye, Turaki, Kalu, Others Still Walk Free, By EFCC

Alamieyeswugha

Balogun

Kalu

Daniel

Fayose

 

Nyame

Dariye

Ibori

Turaki

COUNSELS to former governors and other high-profile Nigerians in the case file of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have been accused of colluding with accused persons to frustrate trials.

In an exclusive chat with The Guardian, Director of Legal and Prosecution Unit of the anti-graft agency, Mr. Chile Okoroma, admitted that, although the EFCC, which was established 10 years ago to fight corruption and economic vices, had made resonating impacts and got a few high-profile convictions, there have been public grumblings as to why major cases are pending in courts without reasonable convictions.

Specifically, the director mentioned the cases against former governors Orji Uzor Kalu, Jolly Nyame, Joshua Dariye, Gbenga Daniel, among others, which he claimed are in court and that one or two have entered trial stage.

Said he: “The case against Jolly Nyame is going on in court now. It was commenced in 2007 and we’ve called about nine witnesses. That case had to go to the Supreme Court on a preliminary issue and it came back to the trial court for trial to commence.”

“That was because they raised the issue of jurisdiction of the trial court—the High Court of FCT to try the case, which is becoming a norm now. When charges are filed, the first thing — even when it’s obvious that the court has jurisdiction — is that the defence counsels want to use one issue or the other to make sure the cases are frustrated. The issue was raised that there was no jurisdiction and prime official case to warrant him to stand trial. So it was canvassed, but the High Court overruled and they went to the Court of Appeal. They lost at the Court of Appeal and they went to the Supreme Court and they lost. Eventually, the matter had to come to the High Court of FCT for the matter to commence.”

According to the EFCC lawyer, the case against Dariye, which started about the same time, is taking the same process.

“They are now at the Supreme Court on the same issue of jurisdiction and the charge of not declaring a prime official case against him to warrant him standing trial. They lost at the court of first instance, which is the High Court. They have lost at the Court of Appeal and they are now at the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the trial is put on hold. It’s after we finish at the Supreme Court that we can now go back to the matter. That is if they don’t use another matter again to delay it.

On Fayose, he explained: “Now, we had the case against Ayo Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State. That case was commenced in 2006. It started at the Federal High Court Lagos. They had called one or two witnesses after raising some preliminary issues and following the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of Federal Republic of Nigeria against James Ibori, whose trial was started in Kaduna and later taken to Asaba. The counsel to Fayose then brought an application for the transfer of the case that the matter be brought to Ekiti State, because the crime was alleged to have been committed under the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Ekiti State.

“The case was transferred to Ekiti; of course, to start afresh. When we got to Ekiti, they brought an application again, challenging the charge that it does not disclose a prime official case against him.”

He added that Uzor Kalu just took his plea and “started the whole process and taking the matter to the Supreme Court on the same issue of jurisdiction.”

Okoroma was, however, optimistic that justice will be done in the end. He cited cases involving hitherto untouchable Nigerians like former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tafa Balogun, who was successfully prosecuted and punished, a feat for which the EFCC earned international respect.

“Even the international community has confidence in the EFCC. They write us from abroad; I mean, those who have been scammed through the Internet. I think we are succeeding. There are proceeds of crime, which have been recovered and repatriated to the victims.

“We have Alamieyesiegha case, a former chief executive convicted. They are just there for people to see and we are still working. It’s just that the impact we made when we started, those things we did resonated because of the circumstances we were in then, so that when we are doing the same things again, they don’t reverberate the way it used to.”

The lawyer called for an overhaul of the judicial system to enable the anti-graft agency successfully prosecute pending and new high-profile corruption cases in good time.

Author of this article: From Abosede Musari 
THE GUARDIAN

HEAVY DOWNPOUR IN KATSINA STATE LEADS TO COLLAPSE OF DAM AND DESTROYS FARM PRODUCTS WORTH MILLIONS OF NAIRA

Reports reaching me from the stables of Katsina State has it that there have been heavy downpour today 2^nd August, 2013. The heavy downpour has caused the collapse of the KANKIA DAM in KANKIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT of the STATE.

The rice and maize farms had been washed away following the collapse of the dam.

Some of the victims explained that the situation could affect irrigation farming, which could further lead to food security problem, unemployment and rural-urban drift.

A resident and a farmer, Malam Abba Almu said the incident, was the first of its kind in the history of the town and had destroyed crops worth millions of Naira.

The victims urged the State and Federal Governments to come to their aid as many of them would not have food for their families.

He also called for the immediate re-erection of the collapsed dam’s embankment.

Another victim, Abdulkadir Mai’unguwa, said the disaster would negatively affect the over 500 irrigation farmers in the area who relied on the dam for irrigation activities.

Mai’unguwa added that herdsmen had to move to nearby local governments following the collapse of the dam, and also urged the state government to assist them and reconstruct the embankment for the socio-economic development of the area.

The Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the council, Alhaji Abubakar Lawal, lamented that the dam was recently rehabilitated by the Federal Government.

He said it was rehabilitated under the constituency project of the member representing the area, Alhaji Ahmed Babba, “but yet, it collapsed.”

He appealed to the lawmaker, to as a matter of urgency, call the contractor back to site to reconstruct the embankment and widen the water spillway to avoid future occurrence.

WOMAN SELLS GRAND-DAUGHTER

Insert: Blessing and Baby Chiamaka

A 17 year-old Girl, Blessing Godspower, on Wednesday narrated how her mother sold her eight-month-old baby. The mother, Onyinyechi Nwabueze, 38, was paraded by the police at the ‘A’ Division of the Plateau State Police Command.

Policemen from the division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Victor Dimkpa, a Chief Superintendent of Police, had rescued the baby, named Chiamaka, in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

Blessing, who was staying with her mother at Rukuba Road area of Jos North, was put in the family way by her boyfriend, who is on the run.

After baby Chiamaka was delivered, Blessing’s mother decided to get rid of the baby. According to Blessing, on July 19, her mother sent her on a tricky errand in order to carry out the “abominable” act.

She said, “My mother sent me on an errand, but when I came back I asked for my baby and my mother asked, ‘which baby?’ She feigned ignorance and at that point I started crying and reported the incident to the Police.”

Police Commissioner, Mr. Chris Olakpe said, “After the mother sent her daughter away, she (Nwabueze) stopped a tricycle and took the baby to the first receiver, one Eucharia Anyaegbu. Anyaegbu transferred the baby to the second receiver, Rita Maduako, who finally sold the baby to 53-year-old unmarried woman, Grace Nnadozie.”

Nnadozie, however, told our correspondent that after she applied to an orphanage home for a child without any result for the past two years, she sought Anyaegbu’s help.

She said she gave N500, 000 to Anyaegbu for the baby. Anyaegbu gave N350, 000 to Maduako. Maduako was to give N200, 000 to the baby’s grandmother.

But Nwabueze denied that she sold the baby. She said her daughter was very wayward, so she decided to give the baby out to somebody else who would take proper care of her.

She said, “How can I sell my granddaughter. My daughter is not capable of taking care of the baby and I decided to give her to somebody who will take proper care of her.”

Mrs Nwabueze however confessed that she lost her husband in 2007 and since then, she and the six children she had with him, had been finding things difficult.

Why I Deal Mercilessly With Nigerian Policemen ––Notorious Robber Speaks

A most wanted armed robbery leader, Abiodun Ogunjobi, aka Abbey Godogodo, who has been terrorising the South-West of Nigeria for years, has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command.

Speaking on he became a criminal, Godogodo said: 

"[When I was young] I was charged for fighting; I spent about seven years in prison. My prolonged stay in prison for minor crime of fighting hardened me and I vowed to pay back the police for that injustice. After I was released, I went to Katangowa in Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos to meet my friend, Odun.

“I started robbery in 1996 but in 1999... 

"Odun was an armed robber, so, we started operating together. We worked with several gangs and I invested lots of my money in arms buying. I also built five houses in Ifo, Ilaro, Ikorodu and Ibadan. I usually kill policemen and take their rifles because policemen have killed several of my boys and taken most of my rifles from them.

“I have no regrets for all I have done. I have no advice for young people, who want to become armed robbers like me. I have three children from three women. The police should take all my properties.”

According to police authorities, the suspect led the gang that killed seven people, including the owner of 04 Hotel, Ajah, Lagos, Olanrewaju Subair, on July 7, 2013. They also killed two other security guards at a popular hotel along Apapa Road, Ebute Meta area of the state on the same day.

The 36-year-old suspect was arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad at his home in the Egbeda area of Ibadan, Oyo State, after he had been monitored for three weeks.

Policemen attached to SARS, said Godogodo narrowly escaped arrest on July 14, when he and members of his gang engaged SARS operatives in a shoot-out along Eko Bridge, Lagos Island, after they killed two policemen at Ebute-Ero and Ajao Estate respectively.

According to police authorities, the suspect had been evading arrest because he doesn’t use the same gang members twice.

A police source said:

“He is the most notorious armed robber we have had in the South-West in the past 14 years. We arrested him 11am on Thursday at his mansion in  Olowu area of Egbeda LGA Ibadan Oyo State and recovered two AK47 rifles and 10 loaded AK47 magazines in his house."

The Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, said he would be given medical treatment and charged to court soon.

Zimbabwe Votes ! ... Results Could End Mugabe's 38 year reign !

Zimbabwe Votes ! ... Results Could End Mugabe's 38 year reign !

ASUU Threatens To Cancel Post-UME Exams In Universities

Thousands of students who wrote the university-organised matriculation examinations, commonly called Post-UME, during university lecturers strike may have engaged in a futile exercise and may be forced to re-write the examination as lecturers complain they had no input in the exercise.

Speaking at a press conference called by the Ibadan Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the Lagos State University, Ojo, the Zonal Coordinator, Adesola Nassir, said the leadership of the universities that have conducted the examination hurriedly did so because of the financial gains accruable from the candidates.

“It is an abnormality,” he said. “How can you hold such an important examination without the input of academic staff,” he asked.

“Vice-chancellors are employing non-academic staff and consultant to do Post-UME. They are doing it because of money. The exam already constitutes a crisis-point in the universities.”

Mr. Nassir said the “results from the examination may be jettisoned.”

After writing the government sanctioned Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), most individual universities in Nigeria require students to pass internally organised matriculation examinations called Post-UME.

In most cases, an average a student’s score from both examinations is considered before the student is granted admission. This arrangement started in 2005 over complaints about the falling standard of UTME by universities.

The Ibadan Zone of ASUU comprises University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Ibadan (UI), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Lagos State University (LASU), University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB), and Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED).

CULLED FROM NAIRALAND

HUSBAND ON THE RUN AFTER WIFE DELIVERS TRIPLETS

A 40-year-old farmer, Mr. Biodun Akapo, a resident of Afojupa Village,a suburb of Owode-Egba Town of Ogun State, is on the run because his wife bore triplets.

The wife, Mrs Bose Akapo, delivered the babies on July 24, 2013 at Ore-Ofe Maternity Home in the town. She was only able to pay the hospital bill with the intervention of the traditional ruler of the town, Kolawole Sowemimo.

The father of the babies, who was not available as at the time of the delivery, absconded when news reached to him about the delivery. He is yet to return home as at the time of this report.

Narrating the story, the 30-year-old house wife, Bose Akapo, who already has two children aged 5 and 8, said her husband was not at home when labour started. She explained that she was assisted to the hospital on a motorcycle popularly called “OKADA” by a neighbour.

She said she never knew that there were three babies in her womb.

“I was taken to hospital on a motorcycle by a neighbour when I started noticing signs of delivery, because my husband was not at home then. But surprisingly, I gave birth to triplets and when the news got to my husband he failed to show up till date,” she said.

Mrs. Akapo said she had to contact the traditional ruler of Owode-Egba, who rendered assistance in providing clothing and other medical materials for the babies.

She lamented that her husband, on hearing the news about the delivery of the triplets, absconded and has since remained unreachable.

The housewife, an Ibadan indigene like her husband, said they have been living together as a happy couple in the village for over ten years. She pleaded with her husband to return home.

“I don’t even know his whereabouts now, but am begging him to come home for the sake of these innocent babies,” Mrs. Akapo said.

She also used the opportunity to appeal to government, individuals, and groups to come to the family’s aid for the welfare of the kids, just as she sought for employment to support the family’s financial plight.

The woman and the triplets are in stable health condition and have been discharged from hospital.

Speaking on the development, the traditional ruler thanked God for the safe delivery, and also called for assistance from government and other Nigerians for the upkeep of the kids.

Mr. Sowemimo expressed optimism that the state government would attend to the needs of the family based on the administration’s known concern to the welfare of the citizens and residents.

MUGABE VOTES HIMSELF

Harare – The elections are a chance for Zimbabweans “to choose what is free and fair”, President Robert Mugabe said after casting his ballot on Wednesday.

“It’s an opportunity for the nation to demonstrate their own wishes as to what must be done and that, of course, this means they have the right to choose the party they think can fulfil their wishes. In other words, give them a better life,” Robert Mugabe said, before going into the polling station.

“I am voting for myself,” he added.

When asked about a possible new term, he said: “I’ve got lots of things to do – repair our industries, which have collapsed; there’s much work to be done in the mining sector.”

TONTO DIKE BLAST NIGERIA SENATORS

This is Tonto Dike's Message to Nigerians:

Is so shameful that our so called stupid 'OgaAtDtop' ar trying to bring back Under age marriage to our gra8 country Nigeria, how can u sit ur stupid a** in dat God 4saken chair calling ur selves Senators and u talkin like bounce on idi*ts, ya kw me i dnt hide ma feelings, u al ar f**ls aka ol*do, m*mu, if u dnt kw youth ar the light of the world make their light shine n stop talking abt teen marriages, n start talking abt better things like (Good roads, electricity, good schools, etc) pals let’s join hands 2geda n support Mrs Stella Damasus on dis campaign 'SayNoToChild' Slavery! My name is Tonto Charity Dikeh I’m a true Nigerian n I’m not scared to say my mind ‪#‎poko’
Tonto joins a growing number of celebrities protesting the bill.