Southern CPC Backs Out Of Presidential Election Petition

There is an apparent crack in the leadership of the Congress For Progressive Change (CPC) as a group from the southern part of the country dissociated itself from the suit filed by the party challenging the election of President Goodluck Jonathan in the just-concluded presidential election.

Rising from a one-day meeting in Enugu on Friday, the group maintained that its decision remained irreversible, stressing that the president won convincingly in the south.

The group also condemned the alleged plan to expel some southern leaders from the party, describing the action of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party as repugnant, obnoxious and objectionable, saying that it transcended constitutional limitations on their powers.

According to a statement issued by the Enugu State Chairman of the CPC, Emeka Okafor, the action of the party’s NEC in initiating the expulsion of some southern leaders from the party was a violation of the provisions of Article 8, section 31 (iv) of the CPC constitution, arguing that every member of the party has the right of fair hearing in all matters that affect him with regard to discipline.

The group therefore submitted, “that the NEC as presently constituted is illegal and does not have any legitimacy, since the record of its existence is not with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“The purported expulsion of the eminent southern leaders from CPC is null, void and of no effect.

“That Several non-CPC governors have resolved to co-opt many CPC members into their cabinet and the INEC has not found the action of the willing CPC members sanctionable.

“We, the eminent CPC southern leaders, hereby give the impostor NEC of CPC seven days to retract its statement with regard to the expulsion and rescind their decision, failing which we shall in line with our resolution, institute legal proceedings to compel the retraction,” the statement added.

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Election Tribunal: Opposition Parties Win Round 1 In Kano

AS the on-going governorship election tribunal sitting in Kano State, continues the tribunal on Friday granted the prayers of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), that an exparte order be served on the state governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso by pasting same at the state office of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Furthermore, Hon. Justice (Mrs) Iyabo Oladunni Kasali, the head of the tribunal also granted the prayers of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) asking the tribunal to order the exparte order to be served on Dr. Kwankwaso, through the state chairman of the PDP.

The tribunal chairman also allowed the ANPP to inspect the Independent National Electoral Commissions (INEC) sensitive materials.

Based on this order, the defendant, Dr. Kwankwaso, must respond within 14 days as stipulated by the law.

It is recalled that the ADC filed its petition before the tribunal calling for the cancellation of the election because its governorship candidate in the state, Alhaji Sufiyanu Ibrahim Abubakar, was unlawfully excluded from the race by INEC, by refusing to make the logo of the party and its sign available on the ballot papers during the election.

The party claimed in the petition that INEC went ahead to exclude its candidate’s name despite the fact that he was nominated by the party to contest under it and that his name was submitted to INEC as the governorship candidate of the party.

The party also called on the tribunal to admit that his exclusion was unlawful, unconstitutional and amounts to fundamental denial of his right to contest the said election along with his political party.

It noted that the party was duly and lawfully registered by the INEC and was recognised by it and the general public.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar, the ADC governorship candidate in April governorship election in the state has appealed to the tribunal to nullify the election by virtue of his exclusion and invalidate the return of Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as the elected governor of Kano.

Similarly, the plaintiff is urging the tribunal to set aside the election and order for fresh election, or new governorship election be held where all political parties including his own will contest.

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Rep Denounces Decision To Exclude New Members From NASS Leadership Positions

House of Representatives member-elect for Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State, Mr. Pally Iriase, on Friday, denounced the decision of returning members of the National Assembly to exclude new members from occupying the Assembly’s principal offices.

He said that the way they were carrying on about ranking was wrong, adding that, “Our democracy has not lasted long enough, neither has it had the best of experience in terms of acceptable behaviour. Now, the image of the National Assembly is at the lowest ebb and anything that will make it a case of business as usual will not be acceptable to Nigerians.”

Iriase, who is the immediate past Secretary to the State Government (SSG), told journalists in Benin City that the development would bring in people with unenviable pedigree as leaders of the seventh Assembly, thereby denying Nigerians the positive changes they had been craving.

According to Iriase: “I am afraid that, that is where ranking is taking us to, because everybody who ranked was part of the rot. Why will they not allow us to bring fresh blood on board? For Christ’s sake, let experience, track record and pedigree determine who becomes chairman of a committee.”

He added that the greatest value that the legislature could give to governance was derivable from vibrant committee performance.

“Without wanting to sound immodest, when I quit banking at the level of African controller, I came into politics. I have been Deputy Speaker of a state legislature for four years. I have been a local government chairman and while on that, I doubled as the chairman of ALGON, managing the entire association of local governments in the state. I just quit my job as Secretary to the State Government,” he said further.

He pointed out that there were so many like him making the seventh Assembly and “then, somebody calls us rookies. I think it is unfair and it is not helpful to this nation that is yearning for change.”

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AFRIBANK Fraud: EFCC Denies Arraigning Isah

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday, warned politicians to desist from using the name of the anti-graft commission to settle political scores.

Spokesman of EFCC, Femi Babafemi, who gave the warning while reacting to a complaint by the Kogi State PDP governorship aspirant, Alhaji Jibrin Isah, who protested the publication of his name as one of the suspects docked by EFCC along with former AFRIBANK Managing Director, Sebastian Adigwe, over N87 billion fraud, wondered how Isah’s name suddenly appeared among the accused persons.

According to him, “Jibrin Isah’s name is not on the charge sheet. In fact, he is a principal prosecution witness. He is not a suspect. I wouldn’t know how his name came in as one of those that were docked. But I feel it may be political but they should keep us out of their politics.”

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Okada riders protest paralyse Ughelli

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COMMERCIAL motorcyclists, popularly known as ‘Okada riders’, yesterday, thronged the streets of Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, in protest against the levy of N20 daily ticket allegedly imposed on them by an agency of the state government.

The protest, which lasted for over four hours, paralyzed economic activities in Ughelli and environs, took the Okada riders through the major streets of the town.

The protesters, while chanting songs of grievances, rode dangerously in acrobatic manner to express their displeasure at the re-introduction of the daily ticket, which, according to them, was abolished by the last local government administration in the area.

Workers, traders and students trekked to their various destinations, following the early hour protest of the commercial cyclists in the metropolis. This was as a result of the absence of intra-city taxis in the town.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Ughelli ‘A’ Division, Mr. Chris Sorgbara, who waded into the protest, appealed to the protesters to go about their normal businesses.

Saying that he would hold a peace meeting with the protesters with a view to addressing their grievances, he stressed the need for peace and security in the area.

Speaking to newsmen, one of the protesters, Mr. Frank Idogun, said some persons came out in the early hours of yesterday, asking them to purchase a daily ticket of #20.

He said: “They insisted that we must pay for the daily ticket. The ticket was abolished over two years ago by the immediate past Chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Council, Mr. Kenneth Ibru.”

Pointing out that majority of them were university graduates who ventured into the ‘Okada, business, in the absence of “white collar jobs”, he held that the re-introduction of the ticket was unacceptable to them.

Delta PDP suspends district chairman, scribe

ONE-TIME commissioner for lands, survey and urban development and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta Central Senatorial District, Mr. Terry Noah, and state assistant secretary of the party in Delta Central, Mr. Felix Anirah, were, Saturday, slammed with one month suspension for their alleged anti party activities.

The party, in a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting, alleged that the duo had “fragrantly breached Article 21 (1) paragraphs a, b, c, e, f, h and i of the PDP constitution as amended” and urged the state executive committee of the party to “act expediously on the issue of anti party activities in the Central Senatorial District so as to put the party in a strong footing.”

The communiqué, signed by Chief J.J Scott, Chief Taro Joseph, Dr David Oghenekevwe, Chief Captain Omovie, and Mr. Stephen Aghelegin, chairmen of the party in Okpe, Uvwie, Sapele, Ethiope East, and Ethiope West Local Government Areas respectively, referred the officials to the state disciplinary committee for ratification of the suspension or expulsion “as the state executive committee may deem fit as appropriate.”

According to the communiqué, the meeting was held in “accordance with the extant provisions of the PDP constitution 2009 as amended to x-ray the performance of the party and deliberate on the actions and inaction of party leaders and members that resulted to the abysmal performance of the party in the senatorial district.

The communiqué warned the suspended officials to cease to parade themselves as officials of the party pending their clearance or otherwise by the state disciplinary committee set up by the state working committee of the PDP.

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GNU: ACN Denies Making U-Turn

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The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has denied a report published in some national dailies that it had made a U-turn and decided to join the Government of National Unity (GNU) being planned by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The party, in a release signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated: ‘’We hereby state, for the umpteenth time, that we will not participate in any GNU.

‘’Reports that we have embraced the GNU and adopted a ‘guarded participation policy’ amount to sheer fallacy, and should be treated as such by all our members and supporters,’’ it said.

The party said it was curious to conclude that by participating in a meeting convened by President Jonathan in Abuja, the ACN has automatically reneged on its earlier decision not to join the GNU.

‘’Indeed, we were represented at that meeting by a powerful delegation led by our chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, simply because it will amount to sheer arrogance to shun a meeting convened by the president to discuss nothing more than the issue of Nigeria, in which we are all stakeholders.

‘’However, when we received the letter of invitation, we immediately wrote back to the presidency, asking to be intimated with the agenda of the meeting.

When no response was forthcoming, we went to the meeting with a letter in which we reiterated our decision not to participate in any GNU, for the simple reason that a unity government in peace time can only stifle democracy and facilitate the emergence of a one-party state, which will in turn breed unbridled corruption.”

Police Foil Attempt By DCP To Kill IG, Gov’s ADC

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The police have foiled an attempt by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to kill the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim, through planting charms in his cars or bombing him.

The DSP, Musa Agbu, of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad, Lagos and formerly an orderly to CP James Dambaba, now in detention and facing trial, is being interrogated by the IGP Monitoring Unit on how he planned to carry out the dastardly act.

According to informed police sources, the DSP had contacted a marabout on how to prepare charms for him to paralyse and kill the IGP for denying him to be the ADC to the newly-elected Nasarawa State governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura.

The source disclosed that the officer was angered by the refusal of IGP to appoint him the governor’s ADC, instead, he chose his former security officer, ASP Jamilu Ringim, to be the ADC to Al-Makura.

Events started unfolding when DSP Musa contracted the marabout to pray and make charms so that Al-Makura will win the election and become the next governor of Nasarawa State.

The source revealed that after the election and Al-Makura was declared winner, DSP Musa started preparing on how to move to Nasarawa State as the ADC.

The source said that to his utter surprise and dismay, the IGP picked ASP Ringim to become the ADC and subsequently started to hatch his evil plans.

He was alleged to have consulted another marabout to prepare a charm to kill the IGP through motor accident with his car or be paralysed.

However, he was not lucky as the marabout contacted a police undercover agent, who subsequently reported to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, who then ordered them to play along with DSP Musa.

The plan was to be hatched by planting one charm in the governor’s route so that he will be involved in an accident and the ADC will die and the governor will survive.

Nigerians blasts FIFA site over Eagles, Argentina match report

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Nigerians and other nationals from around the world have reacted to FIFA’s description of the Argentine team that lost 1-4 to the Super Eagles in an international friendly played at the Abuja National Stadium Wednesday as Team B.

With the headline, Nigerians hammer depleted Argentina, FIFA posted a story on its website Wednesday with an introduction that went thus “Nigeria thrashed an Argentina B team in a friendly in Abuja tonight.”

However, in sharp reactions, some Nigerian football fans who visited the FIFA site criticised the write up, stressing that the Super Eagles deserved some respect, adding that the victory should not be downplayed by creating the impression that they played Argentina’s Team B.

Writing from his base in South Africa, one Abayomi wrote that in all previous matches where both sides fielded their complete squad, the Argentines have never humiliated Nigeria but always won by slim margins like 1-0 or 2-1.

He added that “Even with the so-called Messi in the World Cup in South Africa, they managed to score a single goal. Argentina has always found it difficult humiliating Nigeria. Even with Nigeria’s team C in South Africa, Messi could not get a goal. What difference would he have made with a better organised and more determined Nigeria team?”

Sizwem also writing from South Africa called for respect for the Eagles, adding “Nigeria deserves our respect. They beat Argentina 4-1 period. Nigeria did not play Argentina B team. Because if that was the case the advert for the game would have been Nigeria A vs Argentina B. The complacency of these so called big teams is what cost Argentina a before final exit in South Africa 2010. Viva African teams.”

Another South African, Ngcobo.Scelo wrote “Well done to the Super Eagles. Some teams would not have even managed to win yesterday (Wednesday) even against a B team”, while another visitor by the name Marabennie from Nigeria said, “the Nigerian side cannot also be called a full team A side. Batista underrated Nigeria by opting to field the so-called team B when he knows that even the team A finds it difficult to defeat Nigeria. Thumbs up to the Super Eagles.”

From England came Toluwase who reminded all that “This same Argentina team just walloped Paraguay 4-2,” adding that they met a more organised and disciplined team handled by Samson Siasia that is still under rehabilitation process.

“Siasia is a disciplinarian that doesn’t take any nonsense and that is not the best he can offer yet. With Messi or no Messi, there will be a little difference. I think is high time they give more respect to African teams, “ Toluwase wrote.

I-G didn’t stop Bankole’s arrest – Police

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Hafiz Ringim, did not stop the EFCC from arresting the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, police authorities said on Saturday in Abuja.

In a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Olusola Amore, the police said Ringim “did not direct, instruct or intervene’’ in the matter.

“The IGP is not aware of the presence of EFCC operatives at the former Speaker’s residence, nor did he speak or interact with the EFCC operatives,” Amore, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, said in the statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The police spokesman explained that the EFCC was not under the command of the Inspector- General of the Police and would not have involved him in its activity.

He added that the anti-corruption organisation was even at liberty to invite the former Speaker or anybody, without any recourse to the IGP.

“It was a mere coincidence that it was when EFCC operatives went to the house of the former Speaker that the IGP paid him a social visit.

“His visit was to apologise for not attending a social event which the former Speaker had invited the IGP to,” Amore said.(NAN)

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Nigeria's Jonathan to visit White House

US President Barack Obama will welcome Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to the White House on June 8, officials said Saturday.

Obama "looks forward to consulting with President Jonathan on the latest regional and global developments, and deepening our strong bilateral partnership," his spokesman said in a statement.

The Nigerian presidency said Jonathan, who will leave Nigeria on Monday, would also take part in the United Nations high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS and the launch of a project aimed at eliminating HIV mother-to-child transmission with former US president Bill Clinton. He would return to Nigeria on Friday.

Nigeria is currently one of the nine non-permanent members of the UN Security Council and Jonathan was also expected to take part in one of the Security Council sessions that may decide on a second term for the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the statement said.

It said 12 foreign leaders, mostly from Africa, had confirmed their participation at the HIV/AIDS summit.

Jonathan was sworn in last weekend for a four-your term as leader of Africa's most populous country and a major supplier of crude to the US.

The Nigerian leader's visit comes amid renewed tension in his country, after a series of blasts rocked Nigeria following his swearing-in, killing 18 people.

A southern Christian, Jonathan defeated ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim from the north, in a April 16 poll that led to an explosion of rioting in Nigeria which killed more than 800 people.

In early May Obama commended Nigeria's elections, where he said the majority of ballots were cast free from intimidation, signalling a strong future for democracy, but he slammed the post-poll unrest as "deplorable."

Violence, he said, "has no place in a democratic society, and it is the responsibility of all Nigerians to reject it."

Jonathan's visit this week comes a day before Obama welcomes another west African leader, Gabon's Ali Bongo, to the White House to discuss strategic regional and bilateral topics.

The administration meanwhile this week announced an initiative to engage Africa with a visit by First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha to South Africa and Botswana later in the month.

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EFCC storms Bankole’s residence

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Former speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, may have unwittingly placed himself under house arrest by his refusal to yield to operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who stormed his residence at Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja, yesterday morning.

Operatives of the anti-corruption agency reportedly stormed the residence of the former speaker yesterday after they got wind that he planned to flee the country to London, at the wee hours of today, following the end of the legislative session the previous day.

It was learnt that fierce looking policemen and other security operatives attached to Mr. Bankole blocked his arrest and almost engaged the EFCC operatives in what was described as“bloody confrontation” but for the intervention of some superior officers.

It was learnt that senior officers who sensed trouble among the security operatives and the police alerted, the EFCC boss, Mrs. Farida Waziri and the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Alh. Hafiz Ringim, who raced to the former Speaker’s House to save the situation.

The IG, it was gathered, had a short discussion with Mr. Bankole on the need to hand himself over to the EFCC and save himself further embarrassment. This Bankole accepted before the IG left his house in the afternoon.

According to a statement signed by the former speaker’s Media Assistant on Communications, Mr. Kayode Odunaro, said Bankole would make himself available to the EFCC to answer question regarding allegations of financial misappropriation during his tenure in the House.

It stated that Bankole was ready to submit himself for interrogation and would report to the EFCC offices in Abuja by 2 pm on Monday.

The statement reads in part “contrary to widespread speculations that the outgoing Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole has been arrested or resisted EFCC arrest, the Speaker has informed official of EFCC of his intention to honour their invitation on Monday June, 2011 at 2pm.

“Following Bankole’s letters to the EFCC Chairman of some procedural defects in his invitation by EFCC over ‘investigation activities, the anti-corruption agency has sent its men to Bankole to renew the invitation and Bankole has given a Monday date for his appearance.”

The statement insisted that Mr. Bankole was not running away from the EFCC, adding that any speculation that the former speaker had wanted to leave the county was false