Bad weather disrupts international flights in Lagos

Hundreds of passengers were on Sunday stranded at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos following the cancellation and rescheduling of various international flights by different airlines.

The development, which is due to the harsh weather prevalent in most parts of Europe, saw to the disruptions of both in-coming and out-going flights, a situation which led to the placating of passengers by airline operators at the international airport.

“Due to extreme weather conditions at UK airports, there have been temporary disruptions to inbound and outbound British Airways flights,” said Moyela Muyiwa, media representative for British Airways.

Mr Muyiwa disclosed that the carrier’s night flight to London from Lagos has been rescheduled adding that Monday’s flight from London, Heathrow to Lagos and Abuja may be affected.

Hoping for a change

The carriers’ representative pleaded with passengers to bear with the airline, as he noted that Sunday’s flight from Abuja to London will be diverted to Brussels.

“Passengers will be lifted out of Brussels to London on Monday baring any other unforeseen issues,” he said.

Other carriers at the airport affected by the ice and snow weather effects in Europe include: Arik Air and Air Nigeria, formally Virgin Nigeria.

“Our flights are cancelled because London, Heathrow airport is currently shut down,” said Adebanji Ola, spokesperson for Arik Air when contacted.

Expressing various concerns on the development, some passengers prayed for better weather in due course.

“This is a natural issue and nothing can be done, we could only hope and pray for a fair weather so that we can embark on our diverse activities and see our families,” said Oyetunji Johnson, a passenger at the airport.

Nigeria loses N.7bn, as Chevron shuts down stations •JTF arrests Togo’s son, sister

NIGERIA is losing about N700 million, as American oil giant, Chevron , has shut in 50,000 barrels of crude oil per day in Delta State, following the damage done to its facilities on Saturday by the militants.
The pipeline services some oil production platforms in the swamp operations of the company in the oil-rich state, before it was breached by some militants on Saturday.

Findings revealed that some oil flow stations producing about 50,000 barrels of crude oil per day were affected by the action.

The ill-fated pipeline had been ruptured more than five times within two years, a development which led to epileptic operations by the oil major in the area.

The General Manager, Government and Public Affairs of the company, Mr Femi Odumabo, told the Nigerian Tribune in a telephone interview on Sunday night that the pipeline was breached by some faceless persons.

Odumabo stated that the pipeline had been isolated while investigation into the incident had begun.

He, however, declined to confirm the number of the production platforms affected by the action and their production strength.

But an independent source in the oil company, who craved anonymity, said “I can confirm to you that about three flow stations were shut down and we are currently recording a production shut-in of about 50,000 barrel per day (bpd) due to the unfortunate incident.

“This is, no doubt, another setback to the operations of Chevron in the Niger Delta and we hope that the security challenges in the region would be seriously addressed by the authorities and relevant stakeholders.”

Odumabo, in the interview, added that the company’s management decided to suspend operation through the pipeline to prevent damage to the environment.

Meanwhile, the fragile security situation in the Niger Delta region was, again, threatened, as the nine-year-old son of the wanted militant in the region, John Togo, Peres and the his elder sister, Mrs Patie Otoruna, were arrested by the Joint Task Force (JTF), on Sunday.

As of press time time, it could not be confirmed if the action was a bait to force the wanted militant leader to surrender to the authorities.

The Togos were being detained at the Third Battalion, Effurun, the headquarters of Delta sector of JTF.
Togo’s lawyer, Mr Carsley Omo-Irabor, who confirmed the arrest of the duo in a telephone interview with the Nigerian Tribune, asked the authorities of the JTF to release them with immediate effect.

Togo had, last week, asked the JTF to guarantee his safety and restrict the activities of the troops in the creeks as conditions for him to surrender to the security agency.

The spokesman of JTF, Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony Antigha, however, denied knowledge of the arrest of the duo.

Akunyili Will Succeed Obi as Governor, Says Mbadinuju

The defection of former information and communications minister, Dora Akunyili, to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is a prelude to her becoming the governor of Anambra State after the incumbent Peter Obi, a former governor of the state, Chinwoke Mbadinuju told NEXT at the weekend. Mr Mbadinuju said Mrs Akunyili’s foray into politics and her membership of APGA could be Mr Obi’s way of repaying her for supporting him during his successful bid for a second term at the February 6 governorship poll in Anambra State. Mr Obi’s tenure will end in 2014.

Shortly after Mr Obi won that election, the defeated candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chukwuma Soludo, had alleged that Mrs Akunyili worked for the incumbent governor. Although Mr Obi and some other APGA members had laughed it off as the tantrums of a defeated man, Mr Soludo succeeded in convincing many of his supporters on the veracity of his allegation. But Mr Mbadinuju, who also reportedly has plans to contest the governorship post again, said Mrs Akunyili must have joined the race to realise a bigger ambition.

‘If anyone knows Dora, the person should know that she does not do anything in vain. I seem convinced that Dora has her eye on the governorship seat of Anambra State,” Mr Mbadinuju said. “She knows she won’t go far in that her ambition if she remained in PDP. After the last Anambra guber election in which APGA’s Peter Obi defeated PDP’s Chukwuma Soludo, Dora must have done her homework to come to the conclusion that since Mr Soludo is now the leader of PDP in the state, she would have no chance of getting a ticket to run for governor when Soludo also has his eye on the same seat come next election.

‘During the last guber election, Soludo had accused Dora of anti-party activity in helping Obi to win the contest. If that is correct, then there will surely be a pay-back from Governor Obi to reciprocate the alleged Dora’s assistance in his victory. And by the way, Obi is from Agulu and Dora married an Agulu man, so Dora and Peter Obi are related by marriage, and nobody should be surprised to see Dora as governor of Anambra State courtesy of Peter Obi. This will be so if Anambra PDP fails to put its house in order before the next election.’

Akunyili’s campaign starts

The former governor, who had a running battle with some leaders of the PDP while in office, said the recent political development in Anambra State was a clear indication that the PDP was in serious trouble in the state after failing to heed his previous warnings. He said he had foreseen the current scenario and warned against it.

‘I warned against a situation like this as I was being forced out of office in 2003, and now we have seen it because we were all witnesses. And we have also seen that it is not possible for one to eat one’s cake and still have it. Let us keep believing that one day it shall be well,’ he said.

Mbadinuju however refused to be drawn into the argument of whether the move by Akunyili was a political gamble, pointing out that only time would tell whether she made a mistake in leaving a comfortable position as minister for another that appeared risky.

Meanwhile, barely a week after deciding to run represent Anambra Central senatorial zone under APGA, Mrs Akunyili will today kick-start her campaign by embarking on a tour of her constituency after a courtesy visit to the governor.

Mrs Akunyili is believed to enjoy the support of many APGA candidates running for other positions and NEXT gathered authoritatively that they planned to use their already established structures to assist her in reaching the grassroots, given the short period between her declaration and the party primaries slated for January 2.

Jonathan targets Lagos

Despite suffering a string of losses in the South West recently, the Peoples Democratic Party is determined to wrest Lagos State from the tight grip of the Action Congress of Nigeria which has ruled the state since 1999.

President Goodluck Jonathan at the weekend in Ibadan urged leaders of the party in the South-West to work at winning the gubernatorial election in Lagos, or the PDP will always rue its inability to take over a state so strategically located.

Speaking at a parley with delegates at the Mapo Hall in Ibadan the president said, “If you don’t get Lagos we will continue to be tormented. I have discovered that Lagos as a result of its strategic position has the capacity to intimidate other South West states. We have more political weight in Lagos State. Our analysis proves that if a clean election is conducted PDP will win.” He added that, “The figure of supporters I have of other ethnic groups in Lagos show that PDP can beat any other party. We are more prepared and confident that we can win ahead of any other presidential aspirant now. I assure you that we are committed and I encourage you to work harder to win South West clearly especially Oyo, Ogun and Lagos”.

The President and Vice President Namadi Sambo, had at the weekend visited the South-West region in a bid to lobby delegates for the presidential primaries of the PDP slated for January.

Kinship with Ibadan

The president and his vice flew into Ibadan, the Oyo State capital yesterday afternoon to have consultations with various groups in the party and notable South West elders.

Mr. Sambo, in his speech, noted that the President and himself both served in Ibadan during their National Youth Service Corps’ days and so must be considered “Ibadan boys.”

According to him, “I served in the Ministry of Works in Ibadan so I am an Ibadan boy. President Jonathan has all the experience, the first to have served as deputy governor, governor, vice president and now the president. He is transparent, patient and a patriotic Nigerian and we are working together to develop, construct and transform this country.’’

In his remark, the Oyo State Governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala said Ibadan was the heart of the South West, and no matter the court pronouncements in Ondo, Ekiti and Osun, PDP remains strong in the South West and will soon claim Lagos State.

The Zonal Coordinator of Jonathan/Sambo Campaign and Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, said the 585 delegates’ vote from the south west that was promised the president would be delivered.

“What we are doing is not speculative but a definite operation and total delivery does not mean operation work at ease”.

He assured the president that 51 delegates of Lagos, 60 of Ekiti, 80 of Ondo, 108 of Ogun, 153 of Oyo and 133 of Osun states will deliver the south west vote for the Jonathan/Sambo ticket during the January 13th primaries.

All for one

Speaking for the south west Mr. Daniel said, “If we do it well we will stand before our President and demand our rights in terms of development. South west stands for true federalism and we agree that the Jonathan/Sambo ticket represents that concept. We have a candidate who has everything other candidates are looking for, he is already the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, our job is to reconfirm what we already know that come 2011 election we will give our vote to Mr. President”.

Also speaking on behalf of the party chairmen in the region, Dayo Dairo, the PDP chairman of Ondo State affirmed the promise that all delegates from the region will give their votes to Mr. Jonathan.

The leader of the South West branch of the Association of Chairmen of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), John Obafemi, of Ogun State said, “For us the election has been concluded. This is our own project to ensure we deliver the Jonathan/Sambo ticket. All ALGON chairmen in the country had agreed to vote Jonathan/Sambo and we in the South West are looking forward to seeing you sworn in on May 29th 2011”.

Speaking on behalf of the members of the House of Representatives in the region, Duro Fasheyi said, “we have resolved in our meeting, our word is our bond. We won’t change our vote. We are reaffirming our vote on January 13th and all we ask is that we need you to stand by us”.

Speaking on behalf of women in the region, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, assured the duo of the women’s vote in the south west, since they had all been sensitised by the president’s wife, Patience Jonathan through the Women for Change Initiative and Jonathan’s support for women.

She said, “We assure you of our vote since you have promised us 35 per cent affirmative action, you have our votes but keep your promise”.

Iyiola Omisore, a Senator, moved the motion that the 585 delegates in the region should pledge their total votes to the Jonathan/Sambo ticket come January 13th.

Some of the PDP leaders expected to hold consultations with the President include Alao-Akala, Mr Daniel; former Ondo State governor Olusegun Agagu, the sacked Ekiti State governor, Olusegun Oni, Mrs. Etteh, Richard Akinjide and Raji Rasaki.

Mr. Jonathan and Mr. Sambo also visited the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Olugade.

Other notable personalities include the Minister of Defence, Adetokunbo Kayode, Minister of Youth, Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, Minister of Special Duty, Taoheed Adedoja, Minister of Commerce, Jubril Martins Kuye, the Head of Service of the Federation, Oladapo Afolabi, Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Caleb Olubolade, and the Director General Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation, Dalhatu Tafida.