Jonathan arrives in US, to address UN Security Tuesday

President Goodluck Jonathan arrived in New York on Monday night to attend the UN high level meeting on HIV and AIDS.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the President, who arrived at J F Kennedy International Airport with his wife, Patience, is expected to address the Security Council on Tuesday and the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.

He arrived at 10.40 p.m. local time (3.40am Nigerian time) and was received by the Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the UN, Joy Ogwu, and Nigeria's Ambassador to U.S., Ade Adefuye.

Also on hand to receive the president were the Permanent Secretary Foreign Affairs Ministry, Martin Uhomoibhi, and the President's Special Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Thaddeus Hart.

Mr Jonathan will address the Security Council meeting on the impact of HIV and AIDS epidemic on international peace and security. The meeting is expected to be chaired by the President of Gabon, Bongo Ondimba. The county holds the Rotating Presidency of the Security Council for the month of June.

He will also deliver a statement at the opening ceremony of the high-level meeting on HIV and AIDS at the General Assembly.

The President will also pay a visit to U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House, Washington D.C., on Wednesday afternoon and return to New York to attend a meeting of Heads of State and Government on AIDS, health and sustainable development.

Mr Jonathan is also scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with the President of Gabon and a luncheon and interactive session with Nigerians in the UN system.

The President, who is making his first visit outside the country after his inauguration last month for a four-year term, is expected to launch the Global Plan for the Elimination of HIV mother-to-child-transmission with former U.S. President Bill Clinton on Thursday.

After the launch, Mr Jonathan would depart for Abuja same day.

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Kalu blames NFF for Eagles draw

While football egg heads celebrate Eagles’ draw in Addis Ababa,former Abia state governor Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu Tuesday hit the nail on the head blaming the Glass House for the near disaster.

Kalu wondered why the NFF should be content with a draw, when the match could have been won by the vastly improved Eagles who were made to look breathless by the crisis ridden soccer house.

He said,”That game was bungled.How could anyone fly Eagles into Addis on the day of the match?They did not think of altitude,nobody saw the fatigue.Mauling Argentina 4-1 did not mean Ethiopia would be given another 4-0 drubbing.I think we should ask for specialised departments in the NFF toAFCON fourth-round qualifying clash that ended goalless in Yaoundé on Saturday.

Hayatou is a Cameroonian but is not directly involved in the designation of match officials, a source at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, said on Monday.

Angolan-born referee Martins de Carvalho Helder came under fire in Dakar immediately after the face-off for booking four Senegal players and expelling two others, Issiar Dia and Lamine Sané.

The Teranga Lions coach, Amara Traore, was also sent off for contesting the referee’s decisions, while a late penalty was awarded to the home side but was fluffed by team skipper Samuel Eto’o.

Ndiaye judged the referee’s actions as a “distant complicity” with CAF, according to the Senegal Press Agency, APS. “Hayatou no longer deserves to run African football. He silently watched while Carvalho Helder gave a negative image of African refereeing,” Ndiaye said.

He further urged Senegal FA President Augustin Senghor to take the necessary actions in contesting the legitimacy of Hayatou at the helm of the African football governing body and to press for sanctions against the Angolan referee.

Carvalho Helder was dropped during the 2010 African Cup of Nations after being given a poor evaluation by assessors following his performance during the Group C second match between Nigeria and Benin. However, coach Amara played down the incidents and urged all to look forward.

“The referee is a human being and can make mistakes. The most important thing is that we picked one point from Cameroon and we are looking forward to our qualification for the 2012 showpiece. That’s all,” Amara said at a press conference in Dakar on Monday.

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WAEC lauds Mimiko over conduct of exams in Ondo

THE West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has commended Governor Olusegun Mimiko administration of Ondo State over the conduct of incidence-free public examinations in the state.

Commissioner for Education, Dr Pius Osunyikanmi, said this during the inspection of 57 projects renovated by the Governor at St Peter’s Unity Secondary School, Akure.

This came as the state government reviewed upwards the scholarship and bursary awards to students of the state origin.

It equally approved the establishment of Overseas Scholarship Scheme for PH.D and other specialised post graduate programmes.

The scheme, which commences from 2011/2012 academic session, will be an annual award for 30 beneficiaries covering tuition fees, books and accommodation.

According to Osunyikanmi “WAEC specifically praised the state government on the last Senior Secondary Certificate Examination as the best organised in the recent years in terms of organisation and conduct. The Ministry of Education was able to achieve this feat through various steps taken to make a clean break from the past.

What we did was to prepare the schools and ensure their strict adherence to the rules governing the conduct of such examinations. Moreover, we made concerted efforts to stamp out incidence of malpractices in all forms at the so called ‘miracle centres’ and they have almost been completely eradicated” .

The Commissioner added that such centres had earlier been identified and sanctioned while the Supervisors found culpable during the clean-up exercise were given the appropriate punitive dose

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Zoning: Why we can’t congratulate Tambuwal – PDP

SHOCKED by the dumping of its zoning formula and the emergence of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as Speaker at the election of principal officers in the House of Representatives , yesterday, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that it cannot congratulate the newly elected speaker.

According to the Party, it became imperative not to congratulate him because consultations were still on with leaders of the party, National Assembly leaders and other stakeholders.

In a statement, Tuesday, by the National Secretary of the PDP, Abubakar Kawu Baraje, the Party noted that , consultation is on course and the party will soon come up with its position.

The statement read, ‘’the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) notes with great concern the unfolding developments in the House of Representatives especially the outcome of the election of principal officers on Monday, 6th June 2011.

‘’While the Party believes in, and indeed encourages the exercise of freedom of choice for all Nigerians including members of the National Assembly, it is important to reiterate that the principle of zoning is still an integral part of the PDP Constitution.

‘’The idea of zoning is a well thought-out philosophy for National stability and integration. It is the only guarantee that every segment of Nigeria enjoys a sense of belonging by being represented in all the decision making organs of the government of Nigeria.

‘’Consequently, prior to the election of Principal Officers that took place in the Senate and the House of Representatives on the 6th of June 2011, the NWC in collaboration with other decision making bodies of our Party made spirited efforts to build a consensus around the zoning formula. ‘’The NWC is currently consulting other organs of the Party to re-assess the entire scenario and will come up with an appropriate policy in due course.’’

Tambuwal, who hails from Sokoto State, North-West was massively elected as Speaker with 252 votes compared to 90 votes garnered by government and PDP-backed Mulikat Akande-Adeola, who hails from the South-West.

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Ajimobi proscribes Oyo NURTW activities •To restructure motor parks.

JUST as reported on Monday by the Nigerian Tribune, Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, on Monday, banned the activities of the state chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and directed security agencies to dislodge its members from all the motor parks in the state.

Henceforth, the 33 local government areas in the state are to take over the management of the parks, which statutorily belong to them.

The state transport union had been bedevilled with a series of crises over the control of the motor parks, occasioning violent clashes between factions with the resultant loss of life and property, as well as breach of public peace.

The ugly crises in the union had necessitated its proscription by the immediate past administration, with a reversal of the ban at the twilight of that administration.

The decision to have a ban slammed on the union by the new administration in the state was reached at a security council meeting held in the executive chamber of the Governor’s Office. The meeting was attended by heads of the army, immigration, police, civil defence, senior members of the administration and other stakeholders.

In a communique read to newsmen by the governor at the end of the meeting, Senator Ajimobi said the council met to review the recent mayhem unleashed on the state by the feuding factions of the NURTW and noted that the body posed a major security risk to the state.

He said the root of the danger constituted by the union included, among other things, the politicisation of its activities, contending attempts to control the revenue from the parks, alarming access to arms and ammunition, abuse of court processes and ineffective enforcement of the law, violent succession crises and lack of political will of previous administrations to take appropriate decisions as and when necessary.

According to the communique, “security agencies have been directed to arrest all the perpetrators of crimes leading directly or indirectly to the recent mayhem in the state and recover all illegal arms and ammunition.

“The government hereby bans all the activities of the NURTW at the motor parks pending the investigation of the mayhem and prosecution of all the culprits which will be done immediately.

“All the motor parks will be identified by a committee set up by the state government to look into the restructuring and management of the motor parks with a view to preventing violence in future and to generating the much-needed revenue for the development of the state,” the governor said.

The governor assured citizens and residents in the state of the determination of his administration to maintain law and order while promoting peaceful co-existence among all, imploring them to go about their lawful activities without fear of molestation.

He sympathised with victims of the mayhem and their families and prayed that God console them.

Meanwhile, the Oyo State Police command has invited the factional leaders of the NURTW, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola, known as Tokyo and Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, also known as Auxiliary, to the command headquarters today, between 8.00 a.m and 4.00 p.m.

In a release signed by the deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Femi Okanlawon, the police threatened to declare the invitees wanted if they refused to appear at the headquarters in Eleyele.

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EFCC seizes Bankole’s passport

Ex-Speaker Dimeji Bankole’s passport was seized yesterday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The commission obtained a court warrant after which it sent a team of operatives to search Bankole’s 8, Clapperton Street, Asokoro Quarters, Abuja, home.

The ex-Speaker was allowed access to a lawyer, Margaret Onyema.

Bankole, who was arrested Sunday night, underwent about four hours interrogation.

He was questioned about how the House spent N25billion between January and March; his alleged involvement in the N2.3billion car scam; and abuse of due process and corrupt practices associated with the N9bilion capital budget of the House of Representatives for 2008/2009 session among others.

A source in the commission said: “During interrogation, a lot of allegations were put before him and he wrote his statement to respond to all these issues.

“One of the issues we are seeking clarification from the Speaker on is how N25billion was spent by the House within three months.

“According to records available to the EFCC, the House received its statutory budget allocation of N15.3billion on January 24, 2011 and two days later, it secured the controversial N10billion loan for allowances.

“The Speaker has been asked to explain how N15.3billion was spent within two days. We want to know the whereabouts of the budgetary allocation.

“Bankole will also explain his alleged involvement in the N2.3billion car scam; and abuse of due process and corrupt practices associated with the N9bilion capital budget of the House of Representatives for 2008/2009 sessions among others.

“After his initial statement, our operatives also asked him some follow-up questions but we are not done with him yet.

“We may still engage Bankole on Tuesday on other issues and certain gaps in his statement.
“So far, the ex-Speaker is in safe custody but his traveling documents have been impounded pending the conclusion of our investigation.

“In the interim, the ex-Speaker cannot travel out of the country except with the consent of the EFCC and eventually a court if he is arraigned in court.

“But a special team went to conduct a thorough search in his house to retrieve some vital documents.

“We made sure that we conducted the search in the presence of his counsel, Margaret Onyema, so that she can take a proper inventory of what we retrieved.

The Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed the seizure of Bankole’s passport.

He said: “It is part of the process. As soon as we are through with the process of interrogation, we will release his passport.

“The search on his house is normal to conduct such a search during a high-profile investigation like this. And that was done with a valid search warrant from a court.

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Tragedy averted in Ogun Assembly •As police detect explosive device

OGUN State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, newly-inaugurated 26 members of the state House of Assembly, friends and well-wishers, on Monday, escaped death as a substance described as Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was discovered a few metres from the Assembly complex.

The device, Nigerian Tribune learnt, was detonated by the officers of the Nigeria Police Anti-Bomb Squad, as the yellow light in the explosive was blinking when it was detected.

Some members of the Gateway Television (GTV) Outside Broadcast (OB) van crew told the Nigerian Tribune that the explosive was spotted inside the grass very close to a window pane at about 11.45 a.m. when the inauguration of the seventh session of the House was under way.

A member of the police anti-bomb squad was said to have discovered the explosive while combing the assembly premises.

A source, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on condition of anonymity, said, “immediately this was spotted, he alerted his colleagues, who combed the spot and discovered the explosive, with the yellow light blinking. It was immediately cut off and was taken into the van and they drove away.”
The detonated explosive was taken away in a police van marked NPF 1756C to the police headquarters, Eleweran.
Governor Amosun, in a statement signed by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Communication , Funmi Wakama, while speaking on the development condemned the act, saying, “this action depicts the height of desperation and wickedness by some agents of violence still prowling the state.
“This development is alien to the state and the administration will not allow agents of violence to peddle their trade in the state.”

He directed all relevant security agencies to investigate and unmask those behind it and bring them to book.

Also, commenting on the development, a member of the assembly, Honourable Motunrayo Adeleye-Oladapo, said, “why would anyone think of killing people, innocent people for that matter?

“What could be the motive behind it? This could have been a tragedy to the state. We shall continue to pray and this shows that our governor has God’s backing and we shall continue to rely on Him to take this government to the land of progress.”

Governor Amosun, in his inaugural speech, called for genuine collaboration from all the tiers of government in the mission of rebuilding the state.

He promised to uphold and strengthen the principle of separation of powers needed for checks and balances for the nation’s democracy.

Reacting to the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the nature of the device, saying “it is an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).”

Adejobi described the incident as unfortunate, saying “we have to commend the officers and men at the scene of the incident for being vigilant enough to detect the explosive early.”

He hinted that the state Commissioner of Police, Musa Daura, had directed that proper investigations be carried out on the incident.

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S-West loses in new political setting

The South West region yesterday lost out in the nation’s first four political ranking for the first time in the last 12 years as Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, PDP, Sokoto State emerged as the new Speaker of the 7th Session of the House of Representatives.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo from the region’s Ogun State was Nigeria’s number one citizen between 1999 and 2007 while from that time to last Friday, members of the House of Representatives from the region—Hon. Patricia Etteh, then Dimeji Bankole, at different times held sway as Speakers of the House.

By the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s arrangement, the position of the number four citizen— Speaker of the House of Representatives— would have gone to the region but Hon Tambuwal defeated Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola who was popularly tagged as the candidate of the PDP and the presidency.

Tambuwal was a Deputy Chief Whip in the sixth session of the House of Representatives. He ran against Hon. Mulikat Akande in defiance to the endorsement of the ruling PDP.

As things stand, the President is from South-South; Vice President from, North-West; Senate President, North Central and Speaker, House of Representatives from North West

Meantime, the main political party that is governing five of the South West’s six states, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, says it’s not worried about the development.

According to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, “we are not bothered since we are a national party with national and not ethnic agenda.

“We voted for a candidate that will advance our political agenda which includes devolution of power, Physical federalism and review of revenue sharing formula among others.

“We did not vote on ethnic grounds and this is the beginning of the re-birth of democracy.”
“Come to think of it, what did the South West gain from Obasanjo Presidency and a Dimeji Bankole Speakership in the last 12 years?”

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