Tambuwal begs PDP leaders

Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan

The crisis of confidence within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the election of Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker of the House of Representatives and Emeka Ihedioha as his deputy, contrary to the party’s decision, was resolved Wednesday with Tambuwal formally apologising to the party for their action.

Tambuwal and Ihedioha arrived the national secretariat of the party in Abuja at 1.50 p.m. and few minutes after their arrival, the acting national chairman of the party Haliru Bello, came to join other members of the party’s National Working Committee who were already seated inside the conference room.

Tambuwal, who was dressed in flowing blue gown contrary to the South-South outfit on the day he was elected, told Bello and other party leaders “we are here this afternoon to pay you your due respect and to say here and now that all that we did was not intended in any way to either undermine our party or out of disrespect for our party.”

Nigerian president says bombings not tied to election

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said Wednesday that deadly bomb attacks on the night of his inauguration were in no way linked to his election victory.

"We have these challenges but it has nothing to do with the election," Jonathan told reporters on the sideline of the global conference on AIDS, refuting claims that the bombings were to express disaffection at the polls.

Bomb attacks in different parts of Nigeria on the night of Jonathan's inauguration, particularly on the outskirts of the capital Abuja and in the northern states of Borno and Bauchi, left at least 18 people dead, according to official figures. Unofficial tolls said there were more.

Jonathan, a Christian from the oil rich south, defeated his main challengers, mainly Muslims from the north, in a contest adjudged as free and fair by local and foreign observers.

Nobody claimed responsibility for the attacks. Jonathan said they were the work of terrorists and not the result of ethnic or religious divides in the country which have been a source of friction.

"Initially we as a nation, we didn't believe that we have terrorists among ourselves until it became so obvious that we have some elements of terrorism," Jonathan said.

"This issue of explosion has been with us and we are doing all we could to contain it. As a government, we are committed to bringing it down and we will bring it down," Jonathan said.

Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan

Court remands Bankole in custody

A Federal High Court, Abuja, this morning refused an oral bail application filed by the embattled former Speaker House of Representatives, Hon Dimeji Bankole, ordering him to remain in custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Bankole is facing a 16-count charge of contract inflation and award of contracts amounting to N894 million without recourse to the Procurement Act slammed against him by the EFCC.

Attempt by his counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) to move the oral bail application was frustrated by the EFCC counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo who objected. Keyamo argued that the allegations against the former Speaker were weighty and required that materials be placed before the court.

Justice Donatus Okorowo upheld the objection.

Before adjourning till June 10 for hearing, he directed the defence to file a formal bail application.

He also fixed July 26 and 27 for trial.

Meanwhile Bankole’s lawyer faulted the mood of his client arrest by the anti-graft agency complaining that the incident was over bloated both on national and international media even when the trial was yet to commence.

But the Judge said the court lacked the power to restrain the press from its job.

He however pointed out that courts have power to punish for contempt.

Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan

IGP hands-over 6 gunboats to Lagos police command

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim, on Tuesday, handed-over six refurbished gunboats to the Lagos police command as part of measures to further beef up security around the coastal areas of Nigeria’s economic hub. Ringim, who arrived at the Marine Police Headquarters on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos in the company of Governor Babatunde Fashola for the event, said the release of the gunboats was in recognition of the special place of Lagos, as the nation’s commercial centre and its huge population who must protected and secured.

He also mentioned the need to secure the various federal and private properties in the city, citing in particular the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) facilities along the coastal line at Atlas Cove, Ibafon, Badagry, Epe, Apapa, Ijora Coal, Marina and nautical miles offshore.

According to Ringim, “consequent upon the tour of NNPC facilities and tank farms in January 2011, it has become imperative to add additional six back-up boats for effective patrol of the facilities.

And with the commissioning of these six gunboats, it is my expectation that the police in Lagos will be able to provide adequate security around all federal government installations, vital public and private assets along the riverine areas of Epe through Marina to Badagry,” the IGP said.

While soliciting the continued cooperation of the Lagos State government, the police boss, however, acknowledged Governor Fashola’s massive support to the Lagos police command since 2007. He noted that this support has put the command ahead of other states.

In his remarked, Fashola commended the IGP for acceding to the demand of the Lagos command for additional gunboats. Pledging his continued cooperation with the Federal Government and the police, Fashola disclosed that plans were afoot by the state through the Lagos Security Trust Fund to purchase additional gunboats to the police.

He reiterated the determination his administration to fight crime headlong, warning that criminals bent on making lives unbearable for the residents were in for a fight with the government.

Earlier, the commissioner of police, Lagos, Yakubu Alkali, said the additional gunboats became necessary in order tame hoodlums who have chosen to attack from the water having “realized the danger involved in attacking on land”.

“In the face of this daunting challenge, it became imperative to support the marine police so that it could save Lagosians, particularly Ikoyi, Victoria and Lekki Peninsula residents, the harrowing experience of devastating incidents of crimes,” Alkali said.

Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan

Two senators miss oath taking

Two senators, Alphonsus Igbeke and Abdu Umar Yandoma, were on Monday walked out of the National Assembly by security officials while others took their oath of office.

The senators -elect were denied oath taking following a letter from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to bar the duo because of a subsisting court order on their elections. INEC asked the National Assembly to discountenance the certificates of return issued to both aspirants the previous day.

Mr Igbeke was stopped due to a notice of appeal challenging his emergence as the elected representative of the Anambra North Federal Constituency.

Mr Igbeke is accused of forging the documents he presented to the court which led to a judgment that declared him the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the April 9th National Assembly election.

Mr Yandoma, a CPC senator elect from Katsina North Senatorial District, was denied oath taking on similar grounds. According to the June 4th letter from INEC signed by its secretary, Abdullahi Kaugama, Mr Yandoma was issued certificate of return contrary to an order of a Federal High Court in Abuja which is challenging the authenticity of his nomination as the party's candidate for the election.

Both men were sighted in the National Assembly on Sunday when the senators resumed for verification and identification and were subsequently issued with invites for the inauguration.

Brutal security force

Meanwhile, some people sustained injuries after security agents brutally forced back several journalists and hundreds of visitors from Monday's inauguration of the National Assembly conducted under extreme security.

Police used tear gas on journalists caught in an adjoining room to the venue of the event, and used batons on visitors, injuring at least two women.

Ahead of the inauguration that featured the swearing in of 469 lawmakers and hundreds of visitors,

Sergeant-at-Arms of the National Assembly said last week that the ceremony will be conducted under stern measures and warned that media coverage may be disallowed in many areas.

The police had six check points and shut all banks and food outlets within the vicinity for most part of the day.

As is becoming customary with key government functions in which brutish measures are adopted by the government, roads within the Three Arms Zone were shut, frustrating commuters while many repeated clashes between police and journalists created minor stampedes within the complex.

Hundreds of anti riot police and Nigeria Civil Defence team mounted security. Police officials said they were carrying out orders, not stating whose orders.

A middle aged woman was injured after being manhandled by police officials who were ordered by their superiors to double their efforts.

For hours, journalists who arrived as early as 8.30am were refused entry after valid accreditations were issued; only to be allowed by about 3pm. Former governor, Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom State was also denied entry and one new senator-elect was manhandled. Officials refused to comment on the incident.

Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan

Five killed in Islamists sect attacks in Nigeria

Bomb attacks by members of an Islamist sect targetting a church and a police station in Nigeria's troubled city of Maiduguri killed five people on Tuesday, police said.

"There were attacks by gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram in which five people in all were killed and three injured including two policemen," police spokesman Lawal Abdullahi.

He said the attackers "hurled an explosive device into the premises of the police station which went off but did not cause any causalties."

But gunbattles broke out between the police and the attackers "in which the police succeeded in killing three of the gunmen," he said. Two policemen were injured in the shootout.

"In the second attack another group of sect members hurled a bomb apparently targeting St Patrick's (Catholic) church, but missed the target and landed on the street outside," said Abdullahi.

It went off and killed two passers-by and injured another.

Another bomb went off near the same church last week but with no casualties.

On Monday a gunman killed a Wahabbi cleric and imam of a mosque in Biu town who was critical of Boko Haram ideology especially its rejection of Western education and its resort to violence, his neighbours said.

Ibrahim Birkuti was shot by a motorcycle-riding gunman thought to be a member of Boko Haram sect outside his house Biu, 2OO kilometres (120 miles) south of Maiduguri, which is in Borno state.

The sect which launched an uprising in 2009 and has been blamed for dozens of killings in the northeast where it targets security forces, community leaders and government institutions.

Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan