Labour Party sues lawmakers over bill

The national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Dan Nwanyanwu said on Sunday that the party will head for court to challenge the proposed bill making members of the National Assembly members of the national executive committee (NEC), once it is passed into law.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Mr Nwanyanwu said the party has already contacted its lawyers to seek redress in court and that the court processes are being drafted."We will challenge in court , we can't afford to fold our hands and see this bill passed into law,these lawmakers are just arrogant , they only want to allocate more powers to themselves." he said.

The LP boss wondered why the federal lawmakers are desperate in processing legislation that is self-serving and that will not stand the test of time.Mr Nwanyanwu said, "You will recall we told them and drew their attention to the fact that for any act of the National Assembly to become law must have presidential assent, including alterations and amendments to the Nigerian Constitution, they said no, but they now know better, the court nullify their position. Though they have appealed but they won't go far. "This present NASS is the worst ever, what baffles us most is that the NASS is headed by a highly experienced and successful military general who has served this country in different capacities, as a military man, even as a minister. For all these illegalities to happen under his nose is most unfortunate. Probably it is so because of the way and manner they all got elected.

"We can forgive Bankole as the Speaker, who is a young man who just came back from abroad without any work experience in Nigeria, but suddenly found himself in a position of the speaker. The man that should have guided him and give him direction is also involved in all these."

Beyond comparison

He said the present crop of federal legislators cannot be compared to those of the Second Republic. According to him, Abraham Adesanya,Wali, Nathaniel Anah, Basil Okwu, David Dafinone, Olusola Saraki, John Wash Pam and others were great senators who had the interest of the country at heart unlike the current ones.

Mr Nwayanwu, however, said it is not too late for the lawmakers to withdraw the bill, saying, "It is not too late for the present NASS leadership to retrace their steps and do the right thing, which is the most honourable thing for them because this path they are towing will put them on the wrong side of history."

Police arrest 13 suspected Boko Haram members

The Borno State police command said yesterday that it had arrested 13 suspects in connection with last week's killings in Maiduguri.

The suspected Boko Haram militants reportedly killed at least four people in separate attacks on Wednesday and Friday in Maiduguri.

Confirming the arrest, the command's Police Public Relations Officer Lawal Abdullahi said in Maiduguri that 11 suspects were arrested in connection with the Wednesday's killing, ``I want to inform you that we have already made a number of arrests in connection with the killings.

``We have arrested 11 suspects in relation to the Wednesday's killing, we have also arrested two suspects in connection to the Friday's killings,'' Mr Abdullahi said.

He pointed out that the arrests were based on information gathered by the police on the incidences, claiming that ``we have been able to record a breakthrough that will eventually lead to uncovering the root of the numerous killings in the town in recent times." The brother of the ward head of Ngarnam, in the state, simply called Baba Gana was killed on Wednesday by some suspected Boko Haram militants who took him for the ward head, while on Friday, three persons including a six year old boy, Musa Amin were killed near a Friday Mosque at Layin Makaranta in Gumari ward behind the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).

The victims are 35-year-old Yunus Abba, and his friend simply called Ibrahim both part II Arabic students of the University of Maiduguri and an unnamed police officer who was shot in Umarari late on Friday near his house in the metropolis. About 30 persons have so far been killed by the suspected militants since July when they began sporadic attacks on individuals believed to have played active part in quelling last year's Yusufiya insurgence in Maiduguri.

Although security checks had been put in place to checkmate their activities, the militants appeared so far to have beaten the security agents, especially with their guerrilla tactics.

Overcrowding causes chaos at Jeddah airport

WRONG flight schedules at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAIA), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, have been blamed for the chaos being faced by stranded hajj pilgrims.
Over 4.5 million pilgrims from all over the world took part in the yearly hajj exercise and the population explosion this year overstretched the facilities put in place by the Saudi Arabia government for the exercise.
Between Friday and Saturday, the airport was overcrowded due to the influx of pilgrims from Mecca, and a high ranking Saudi Arabian Airlines official has blamed the development on Hajj service providers who have poorly thought out plans to bring departing passengers from Mecca to the airport.

Abdullah Al-Ajhar, who is the Assistant Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, said: “The crowding and build-up of pilgrims returning to Gulf countries and domestic destinations at KAIA on Saturday and Friday was caused by errors in the schedules set up to bring departing pilgrims to the airport. Because of the errors of Hajj service providers, Saudi Arabian Airlines has had to reschedule its general flights and prepare an alternate plan to ferry pilgrims.”
Al-Ajhar, who was quoted by a local Saudi newspaper, Arab News, dismissed postings on some websites that Kuwait had sent an aircraft to transport Kuwaiti pilgrims as baseless, adding: “The Kuwaiti and other pilgrims returned in alternate flights operated by Saudi. I do not know of any flights from any Gulf country arriving here to take out pilgrims who have been waiting at KAIA for 20 hours,” he said, adding that he had no comment over false reports.
He further said: “I will affirm that we are dealing with more than half a million pilgrims flying on both domestic and regional flights. I do not rule out occurrence of mistakes, but we are trying our best to correct errors that have occurred and to normalise matters at the earliest.”
Several websites have been carrying reports that Kuwait and the UAE transported pilgrims returning to their respective countries on their own planes after pilgrims were left waiting at Jeddah airport for over 15 hours.
A UAE newspaper recently criticised the quality of services at KAIA and said that many pilgrims had to seek medical assistance from their respective Hajj missions.
However, sources at the airport said medical centres in the airport - staffed by 600 doctors, nurses and support workers - have been providing all types of medical help to returning pilgrims. Meanwhile, outbound pilgrims are taking their own precautions not to miss flights.
An Egyptian Hajj group had come to KAIA’s South Terminal, well over six hours, prior to check-in and camped at the airport.
“But our efforts were of no use as the scheduled flight was delayed,” said the team leader, who did not wish to be named.
He added: “Though there are large crowds milling around, we are not complaining.”

Varsities: Ex-AGF writes Jonathan, makes case for Kogi

FORMER Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN) has passionately appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to approve the siting of one of the proposed federal universities in Kogi State.
The presidential committee on the matter had already started inspection of areas where the new universities will be sited. The six geo-political zones in the country are to have one new federal university each, with special consideration for states without any existing federal university.
Kogi is one of the states in the North-Central zone without a federal university.
Ojo, in the letter dated November 11, 2010, appealed to the president that Kogi should be considered in the interest of fair play, adding that of all the old provinces in the North, only the state had no federal university.
It reads: “I wish to commend your excellency for the practical demonstration of the commitment of your administration to human capital development of our nation, as evident in the gracious approval of the Executive Council of the Federation to create six additional universities.

Lagos doctors suspend strike - NEXT

Lagos State medical doctors, on Sunday suspended, their 14-week-old strike and gave the state government a 72-hour ultimatum to pay their withheld salaries.

The decision was taken at an emergency congress of the Medical Guild, an umbrella association for medical doctors on the payroll of the Lagos State government, presided by the chairman, Aboyade Williams. Mr Williams, while briefing journalists about the congress's decision, said that the association may have to call another congress on Friday, November 26, or in February 2011, depending on whether the government reciprocates their "goodwill." "If within 72 hours, the withheld salaries are not paid, the congress may have to reconvene on Friday," he said.

Mutually agreeable wage review

Mr Williams told journalists that there is a "very good understanding" between the state government and the medical association, and the strike was suspended on the basis of that understanding, hoping that by January 2011, the government will make good its promise to implement a new salary package. He read out a letter, addressed to the association on November 19, by the state's Head of Service, Adesegun Ogunlewe, which contained several promises for all the demands of the association.

The letter stated, in part, that: "With effect from January 2011, a mutually agreeable wage review, which will not put Lagos doctors on a disadvantage compared to their colleagues in other states, will be implemented." Other promises included the "positive review" of the case of Ibrahim Olaifa, the association's past chairman, who was sacked for addressing journalists as against government's order, which forbid any civil servant from speaking to journalists; a "positive review" of withheld September and October salaries and other arrears; the remittance of the association's dues; and the promise that "no officer will be victimised on account of participation or role played during the strike." Whatever the "mutually agreeable wage review" means in terms of figure, though not disclosed, was acceptable to the doctors. It will not be known until January's salary is paid whether the review will be acceptable to the doctors; hence the promise by Mr Williams that the congress may be convened sometime in February to review government's implementation of its promises.

Banking on government's goodwill

The strike succeeded in dragging the government to the negotiation table, though it still did not produce the legal commitment the doctors demanded. The government had earlier promised to implement the new pay package in January 2011, thorough a letter written by Mr Ogunlewe to the association, but the doctors demanded for a circular, choosing not to "trust" the promise on the basis of several previous failed promises. According to one of the doctors, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the doctors shifted stance because the strike has already gone farther than they expected. "You know when you struggle against an entity with limitless resources, you must have limitless resources also and we don't have that limitless resource," he said.

Consumer price index rises

Nigeria’s Composite Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 13.4 percent year-on-year in October, according to the monthly price statistics report just released by the National Bureau of Statistics.

“This is slightly lower than 13.6 percent recorded in the previous month in the new CPI series. The monthly change of the CPI was 0.3 percent increase when compared with September 2010,” the report dated 16 November stated.

A Consumer Price Index is expected to measure changes over time in the price level of goods and services, purchased especially by households. The annual percentage change in a CPI is usually used as a measure of inflation.

The nation’s bureau said the urban all items monthly index rose by 0.5 percent, while the corresponding rural index recorded 0.1 percent increase when compared with the preceding month; and that the year-on-year average consumer price level, as at October 2010, for urban and rural dwellers, rose by 11.5 and 15.0 percent respectively.

Food Index

The bureau said average monthly food prices remained stable in October, when compared with September, adding that the level of the Composite Food Index was higher than the corresponding level a year ago by 14.1 percent.

“The average annual rate of rise of the index was 14.9 percent for the twelve-month period, ending October 2010. The marginal fall in the index was caused mainly by slight decrease in the prices of some food items like yam, potatoes, and other tubers, due to the harvest season,” the National Bureau of Statistics said.

Lydia Olushola, an economist and consultant at Skytrend Nig. Ltd., said for the everyday consumer, a rise in CPI means prices of goods go up.

“The problem is when their average wages do not increase in accordance with the CPI, that is, if the CPI rises faster than people’s average wages, then the consumers’ purchasing power declines. They can’t buy as much as whatever it is they usually bought,” Ms. Olushola said.

Experts say inflation effects on an economy can be positive or negative, as the case may be. Inflation rates in Nigeria have peaked as high as 15.6 and as low as 11.6 between October 2009 and October 2010.

Bismarck Rewane, managing director, Financial Derivatives Company, a finance firm, said “Inflation on items less farm produce increased from 1.3 percent to 12.8 in September, though that of food decreased by 1.1 percent to 14 percent, from 15.1 per cent and 11.3 percent in July respectively. Presently, inflation is running at 13.6 percent. The current inflation record is weak, due to fiscal spending,” adding that inflationary pressures are likely to persist in November.

The Central Bank said inflation depicts an economic situation where there is a general rise in the prices of goods and services, continuously. It could be defined as “a continuing rise in prices, as measured by an index, such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or by the implicit price deflator for Gross National Product (GNP).”

The bank said price stability does not connote constant (or unchanging) price level, but it simply means that the rate of change of the general price level is such that economic agents do not worry about it. Inflationary conditions imply that the general price level keeps increasing over time.

Nigerian army arrests militant gang behind kidnaps

The Nigerian army has arrested a militant gang leader and more than 50 of his followers believed to be behind the kidnapping of 19 people in the oil-producing Niger Delta, a spokesman said on Saturday.

The hostages, including two Americans, two Frenchmen, two Indonesians, one Canadian and 12 Nigerians, were freed late on Wednesday after being held by a gang leader known as Obese at a camp in Rivers state.

"We have arrested Obese and some of his boys, more than 50 of them," Timothy Antigha, a spokesman for the military taskforce which polices the Niger Delta, told Reuters. He would not elaborate, pending a statement to be issued later.

A security source said Obese had been detained with 51 of his followers after a shootout near Bonny in Rivers.

"The military has him and 51 of his boys and is presently transferring the criminals to Port Harcourt in military-escorted gunboats," said the source, who asked not to be named.

Nigeria says heroin was shipped from Iran

Nigerian authorities said Friday they had seized 130 kilograms (286 pounds) of high-grade heroin in a shipment that originated in Iran.
The drugs were hidden inside auto parts and were discovered because of intelligence reports from foreign collaborators, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency said in a statement.
The shipment was seized in the Apapa port in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city.
Some arrests were made, the agency said, though it did not provide any details.
"Drug barons will be frustrated out of the illicit drug business through similar undercover operations. We have successfully established links with our foreign collaborators and will maximize every opportunity to dismantle drug trafficking cartels in the country and West Africa," said Ahmadu Giade, head of the agency.
Last month, Nigeria's security service said that it had seized 13 shipping containers filled with illegal weapons, including rockets, grenades and bullets -- believed also to have come from Iran.
Nigeria reported Iran to the U.N. Security Council after the arms seizure.
Nigerian Foreign Minister Odein Ajumogobia said Tuesday the issue of the weapons shipment would be reviewed by a U.N. sanctions committee that was appointed by the Security Council to monitor the Iranian regime.
U.N. Security Council resolutions prevent Iran from sending weapons abroad.

Mosque Attack Signals a New Round of Violence

Two men were killed and one child was wounded after suspected members of Boko Haram, an Islamic sect whose name means “Western education is sacrilege” in the Hausa language, ambushed a mosque in northeastern Nigeria during Friday Prayer, in what a police spokesman said was the first daytime attack by the group in a new wave of violence. More than 1,000 worshipers were at the Gomari Jumat mosque in Maiduguri on Friday afternoon when two men arrived by motorcycle and used Kalashnikov assault rifles to kill their victims. The child was wounded by stray bullets, he said. Thirteen suspects were arrested in the attack and other killings in the area, he said.

Ijaw leader urges JTF, militants to embrace peace

As tension mounts in parts of Niger Delta over renewed hostilities between militants and operatives of the Joint Military Taskforce (JTF), Ijaw leader and elder statesman, Thompson Okorotie and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) have urged both parties to maintain restraint and embrace dialogue.
Okorotie, a former Political Adviser to the Bayelsa State Government, called on the militants not to return to the past that had brought so much destruction of lives and property.
The Ijaw leader and chairman of Bayelsa State Conciliators Forum (BSCF), who spoke on Thursday in Yenagoa, at an interactive session with journalists, said the citizens are worried over the renewed war in the coastal region.
He went on: “Clearly, we are seeing the scenario of some Niger Delta agitators flexing their muscles violently and attacking oil installations leading to losses as it were.
“The Federal Government and security forces are talking tough. This is a similar situation that characterised the environment when the Niger Delta agitators were uprooted in Delta State from their different camps by JTF with all its might resulting in the deaths of hundreds of our people in the Niger Delta and those alive rendered homeless, hungry and deceased. We are not sure these problems have been totally solved.”
The gun battle between security forces and militants at Foropa and Ogodobiri in Bayelsa and Delta States, had resulted in casualties, thereby generating anxiety as there are fears that innocent people may be affected in the war.
Okorotie, therefore, appealed to ex-militants to apply dialogue in making their demands, rather than opting for confrontation.
“We must remember at all times that when we make our demands with violence, the little development that we already have is depleted. This cannot be a sensible way of asking for development.
“On the other hand, the Federal Government should ensure that whatever department is responsible for implementing the different aspect of the amnesty programme should do so with efficiency and transparency,” the chairman said.
The ex-political adviser condemned the October bomb blast in Abuja and the stoning of Governor Timipre Sylva during the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the state, stressing that it was right time the people remove violence as a core component of their character.
He said: “Violence at the beginning was justifiable because hitherto no government listened to our cries. We have now made our points. We have been listened to and there is an amnesty programme that is running. Any hiccup in the process of implementation of this laudable programme should best be corrected through negotiation.”

Real Betis employ Finidi George

A member of the all-conquering 1994 Super Eagles, Finidi George, has been appointed a member of the technical crew of his former club, Real Betis in Spain.

The right winger, who was at one time adjudged to be the best crosser of the ball, was officially presented on Wednesday as the new International Director for the Spanish club side. George would be working hand in hand with coach Pepe Mel.

One of his tasks will include scouting for players. He expressed delight at being recognised by the club where he played for four years, and expressed his readiness to start work. “It is an opportunity you (the club) gave me to join the technical body and I look forward to work to bring in good players,” he said. He went on to say he would use the opportunity of his global assess and profile to raise the club to greater heights. “I am going to focus on football outside Spain like Africa, Europe and other places where there are good players who can come to Betis,” he said. “I know the coach very well and I actually played with the assistant coach Roberto Rios and the trainer Jesus.”

His career

Finidi joined Real Betis in 1996 from Ajax, in a deal worth $7.6 million, scoring 38 goals in 130 appearances before moving on to Real Mallorca, and Ipswich Town, in the English Premier League, before ending his career at Real Mallorca. At Ajax, he cemented his place as a legend by providing many memorable assists. In that club, he scored 18 goals in 85 appearances. He started his career as a central midfielder with Sharks in Port Harcourt, joining his older brother, Alari George, before his skills drew the attention of national selectors. He then spent two seasons with Calabar Rovers before returning to Sharks in 1993. In Port Harcourt, where he grew up and began his career, he is most admired for his creativity in midfield; but it was as a winger that he gained global recognition for the accuracy of his crossing, which was even rated ahead of David Beckham and Luis Figo at his prime.

Dutchman Clemens Westerhof recognized this, and Finidi’s crosses brought out the best in Rashidi Yekini making the latter Nigeria’s all time top scorer. He has been living in Spain and is very fluent in Spanish and Dutch. At the national scene, he made a goal scoring international debut for Nigeria against Burkina Faso in a thrilling 7-1 defeat where he set up 3 goals, scoring the last after coming on for Austin Eguavoen at half time. He also scored twice in the World Cup qualifiers that secured Nigeria’s first ever qualification for the USA 94 FIFA World Cup. Finidi featured for Nigeria at the Senegal 92 (bronze), Tunisia 94 (gold and Cup,) Nigeria/Ghana 2000 (silver) and Mali 2002 (bronze).

He also represented Nigeria at the USA 1994 and France 98 World Cup and was vice-captain to Sunday Oliseh when the team qualified for the 2002 World Cup; but both of them were controversially omitted from the final squad. His goal against Greece is best remembered for his “dog” celebration and is often replayed.

2011: Ibadan youths protest against IBB candidature

IBADAN—THE presidential campaign of the former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, IBB, suffered a major setback in the South-West yesterday as youths numbering 500 staged a protest against his re-emergence as the president.

While marching on major streets in Ibadan, the youths passed through the Old Ife road to Agodi telling residents in the city why IBB should be the last to be voted for having spent eight years on the exalted position before.

Armed with placards with various inscriptions such as “Say No to IBB,” “Don’t give in to IBB’s lies, they chanted anti-Babangida songs.

The Anti-Babangida Coalition, spoke through its National Coordinator, Mr. Sina Odugbemi, “We are saying No to IBB. We don’t want Nigerians to pass through the experience again. When they come with their gimmicks, we want people to see beyond their beautiful posters and rhetoric. We need to let them know what we passed through under IBB.”

Vanguard gathered that the youths stopped at each intersection and addressed the people not to waste their votes in 2011 by voting for the former ruler.

They said, “We are saying No to IBB. We don’t want Nigerians to pass through the experience again. When they come with their gimmicks, we want people to see beyond their beautiful posters and rhetoric. We need to let them know what we passed through under IBB.”

Police arrest lawmaker’s aide with Indian hemp

The personal assistant to a member of the House of Representatives who was arrested on Wednesday with 10 sacks of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp in Edo State said yesterday that he took advantage of his boss’ pilgrimage to engage in the illicit business.

The 37-year-old man, Nurudeen Ibrahim who works for Abdulazeez Abubakar, the member representing Mafaranka Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, was arrested by policemen along Auchi-Afuze road with sacks of Indian hemp loaded in the booth of the lawmaker’s official Peugeot 407 car, marked NASS FL 124 REP.

Mr. Ibrahim, who was paraded by the Edo State Police Command, told journalists it was the second time he was coming to buy Indian hemp in Edo State, having earlier engaged in the illicit business during the last Muslim holiday.

He said his friend introduced him to the business which he took up in order to “make up” and he used his friend’s car to convey the consignment of the weed during the first trip to Edo State.

Action to regret

Mr. Ibrahim, who claimed to have bought the 10 sacks of cannabis for N50, 000, also informed the police that he has somebody in Abuja who helps him to sell the weed.

“This is the biggest regret I ever have in life,” said Mr Ibrahim, who claimed to have worked for Mr Abubakar for three years. He also blamed his ordeal on those who sold the weed to him, alleging that they were the ones who leaked the information to the police.

Edo State Police Command spokesman, Peter Ogboi, advised those in authority to open their eyes and monitor the activities of their aides, pointing out that the suspect has taken the advantage of his work with the lawmaker to engage in drug dealing.

He said the case would be transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and eventual prosecution.

Chelsea name Nigerian Emenalo as assistant coach

Chelsea have named Nigerian Michael Emenalo as their assistant manager, the Premier League leaders said on Thursday.

The 45-year-old replaces Ray Wilkins as Carlo Ancelotti's right-hand man. Wilkins left Stamford Bridge last week for undisclosed reasons.

Emenalo joined Chelsea in 2007 and has been working as the club's Head Opposition Scout.

He represented Nigeria as a defender at the 1994 World Cup and played for clubs including Molenbeek in Belgium, England's Notts County and San Jose Clash in the United States

Nigerian militants warn of more kidnappings

Militants in Nigeria's southern Niger Delta warned on Friday that they would carry out more kidnappings from oil installations after the military rescued 19 hostages from one of their camps this week. "Our fighters have being instructed to carry out more raids on oil installations from where fresh hostages will be taken," the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said in a statement emailed to media.

Nigeria tops in school enrolment in US

Nigeria still leads other Sub Saharan African countries, whose citizens are studying in the United States, a statement by the US embassy in Abuja said yesterday.

According to the statement, a total of 6,568 Nigerians were enrolled in regionally accredited institutions in the US for the 2009/2010 session. The statement, which attributed its source to the Institute for International Education (IIE) annual Open Doors report on the flow of international students to the US said, “Nigeria has maintained its position as the number one country in Sub Saharan Africa for sending the largest number of students to the U.S.

“Nigeria’s increase contributed to the worldwide increase of 2.9% to 690,923 international students in the United States, and helped minimize sub-Saharan Africa’s decrease of 1% over the past year. A total of 6,568 Nigerian students were enrolled in regionally accredited institutions in 2009/10.”

The US Mission’s EducationUSA Advising Centres (EAC) in Lagos and Abuja, according to the statement, celebrated International Education Week (IEW) between November 15 and 19, 2010. The embassy said that, as part of its contribution, the Abuja centre will host several activities, including undergraduate and graduate essay writing workshops and session with selected secondary school students, parents, and teachers.

IEW is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to promote programmes to prepare Americans for a global environment, and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.

The U.S. Mission’s EducationUSA Advising Centre (EAC) promotes U.S. education by providing students and parents in Nigeria with unbiased information and counsel for study in U.S. universities and colleges.

Some of the services provided include guidance on the U.S. college application process, standardised testing, student visa requirements, and pre-departure orientation.

SSS recovers car bomb in hotel

Officials of the State Security Service (SSS) yesterday displayed a car that they said Henry Okah, purchased and wired with a bomb for use in the twin bombings in Abuja on October 1st.

Marilyn Ogar, a spokesperson for the agency, said the car, a Mazda 626 saloon with a Lagos license plate, was discovered parked in a hotel in Port Harcourt. The hotel’s management had discovered that it had been parked there for a long time. A sister of one of the suspects in custody assisted the service in recovering the fully-wired vehicle, which was towed to Abuja.

Other items recovered

Ms. Ogar also revealed that military items, including 10 bulletproof jackets, a large number of camouflage vests, boots, water bottles, and camp tents were intercepted from “a popular transport company which runs cargo courier services from Lagos to Port Harcourt.”

“The military items were sent by Charles Okah to one of the suspects for onward movement to militants in the creeks,” said Ms. Ogar. “In view of these discoveries, the service seizes this opportunity to warn transport and courier companies to be more circumspect in handling goods for customers, as they will be held responsible for conveying prohibited items.” The SSS said the new suspects, including those caught with military items will be charged to court on 25th of November.

Reps to sanction members opposed to Electoral Act

House of Representatives members in staunch support of the heavily-criticised amendment to the Electoral Act that gives lawmakers automatic membership of their parties’ National Executive Committee have demanded that members opposed to the amendment be sanctioned, NEXT learnt yesterday.

Their target are lawmakers who have gone public to state their opposition to the contentious amendments. The renewed determination to ensure the passage of the bill comes as a second member of the House viciously condemned the bill on a Television programme yesterday.

Ita Enang, the chairman House committee on Business and Rules, criticized his colleagues on a TV show on Thursday for introducing and seeking the passage of the proposed sections. He described the bill as “toxic” and called on Nigerians to press for its rejection.

“Certain provision in the bill to amend the Electoral Act is toxic,” he said. “We only allow it come to the floor and passed second reading so that the public will have the opportunity to contribute to it, it does not mean that the bill enjoys the support of the House.

“At the public hearing, the public will be able to make contribution and reject it because the 1999 Constitution had already empowered the political parties to run their affairs, it is not the responsibilities of the National Assembly to make such laws and it must be rejected”.

In his capacity as the chairman of the Rules and Business committee, Mr. Enang approved the bill for listing on the Order Paper for debate during the second reading of the bill.

He however urged his colleagues to reject the contentious clause in the bill at the final reading, saying it will not stand the test of time.

Growing opposition

Mr. Enang said the lawmakers should be more concerned with resolving the uncertainty caused by the court ruling which declared the amendment of the 1999 constitution as incomplete without the assent of the president.

He appeared with Patrick Obahiagbon, the Edo state lawmaker who staged the first public opposition to the bill’s passage at a press conference last Monday. Mr. Obahiagbon had said the attempt to introduce the controversial law, amounts to “legislative rascality”.

Since then, condemnations against the bill have grown with several opposition parties threatening mass protest against its passage.

Source said yesterday that majority of the members who have supported for the bill, view the remarks of the colleagues as contemptuous, and are already making calls for sanctions against them when the House resumes next week.

Eseme Eyiboh, the House spokesperson could not be reached yesterday.

Senate denies doing secret work on state creation

The Senate yesterday denied doing any selective work in favour of certain proposals for state creation submitted to it by people agitating for new states.

The senate spokesman, Ayogu Eze, on Thursday in Abuja, denied allegations that the senators have shortlisted a list of new states which they intend to rubber-stamp during the state creation exercise.

“There is no list of states to be created that has been drawn by the national assembly,” he said. “That matter is not being considered right now but we hope that we will consider it in the life of this sixth national assembly.” He added that currently, the lawmakers are only receiving requests and collating such requests and that the issue of state creation has been relegated until the constitution review exercise is finished.

“We don’t have any reason whatsoever at this stage to eliminate any request or to include any request because we have not started the consideration of any request,” he said.

Mr Eze said all the requests for creation of states are with the senate’s 44-member ad hoc committee on the alteration of the constitution, which would bring out criteria for selection of the states to be created - in accordance with section 9 of the constitution - “when the time comes.”

“All the requests that have been received are with us, we have not drawn up any list, we have not thrown away any request, and we have not taken any request onboard. All of them are intact as they have been made,” he said.

He insisted that the state creation exercise will follow the same pattern with that of the constitution alteration, as outlined in section 8 and 9 of the constitution. He added that it is through such a process that the lawmakers will determine which states would be created, depending on the mood of the public.

Altruistic lawmakers

He also added that the insistence of the lawmakers that the president need not sign an amendment to the constitution before it becomes effective is not an “ego trip,” but a necessary argument that will benefit the constitution in the end.

He also defended the ongoing amendment to the 2010 electoral act, part of which seeks to make the lawmakers members of the National Executive Committees (NEC) of their various parties.

“We are not making laws for ourselves because we are not going to stay in the national assembly forever,” he argued. “We think that if you pull in the representatives of the people into the decision making bodies of the parties, we are making it more democratic; we are bringing in more voices, and views; we are enlarging the political space within the parties and increasing the participation.” He added that the amendment is not strange, considering that only a few parties in Nigeria do not have all their national assembly lawmakers as members of the NEC.

Jonathan warns militants to desist or face fire

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday warned criminals who continue to hide under acronyms to engage in criminal acts of self-enrichment that they no longer have a hiding place, as orders have been given to law enforcement agencies to hunt them down. The President also affirmed that government will continue to pursue its programmes for the re-orientation, rehabilitation and reintegration of all genuine militants who had laid down their arms under the amnesty programme.

He commended the military high command and officers and men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta for the safe rescue of the seven foreign and 12 Nigerian oil workers held by kidnappers in the region, yesterday.“While the Federal Government will continue to take all necessary steps to guarantee the safety of lives and property, as well as the security of oil workers and installation in the Niger Delta, all law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear,” the president said.

The security forces yesterday handed the freed hostages to their employers on Thursday.The release of the hostages is seen as a victory for Mr Jonathan’s administration.

Charles Omoregie, commander of a military taskforce in the Niger Delta, said the military had taken over several suspected militant camps in the region’s three main states, including those run by a newly emerging kingpin, known as Obese.“Two camps have been taken over in Delta, two in Bayelsa and three in Rivers ... (The hostages) were all rescued from Obese’s camp here in Rivers state after a sustained military operation.” He said the raids started on Monday and that Obese, thought to be a newfield commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND)militant group, had contacted the security forces via former militant leaderswho accepted amnesty last year to tell them he was ready to surrender.

Mr Omoregie praised the role that former MEND field commanders, including Boyloaf and Farah Dagogo, who acceptedlast year’s amnesty, played in ensuring the release of the hostages.

Shocking Experience

The seven expatriates were taken from an offshore oil rig operated by exploration firm Afren on November 7. Eight of the Nigerians were abducted from an Exxon Mobil platform a week later, while the remaining four were employees oflocal construction firm Julius Berger.

One hostage, Canadian Robert Croke, described the ordeal.“It was a shocking experience. They gave us mattresses to sleep on,virtually nothing else. We were begging for food and water because what we were exhausted,” he told reporters. “We were not maltreated, they were not hostile to us, it was just that we lacked the basic necessities.”