Oshiomhole calls for removal of fraudulent RECs

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has called for the removal of fraudulent Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

He spoke at the 10th delegates’ conference of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Oshiomhole also said NLC is not vibrant.

He said: “To ask a brand new Prof. Attahiru Jega to head a house where the old cockroaches of rigging are present is not good enough. A lot of those fraudulent electoral commissioners who presided over fraudulent elections that were nullified by courts of law, upheld by the Court of Appeal must go. Everybody says one man, one vote, but they must watch their language.

“Anytime they say capture, that is a language of riggers.

“We are going to capture, that is not the language of one-man-one-vote. Capture

can only be done by rigging. Such RECs are wreckers, they cannot be allowed to continue to wreck the system. Jega will need more than two eyes and two ears to monitor these seasoned riggers, and most of them are members of the ruling

party. Jega must know this. He must watch them. Whatever comes out of this at the end of the day will be the result of your planning. I believe it is a mistake to leave those riggers, certified by court of law in the system. It is now the burden of the president and of course the responsibility of Comrade Jega to ensure their character. If they don’t conform with the norms, Cairo is not far from Abuja, Tripoli is not far from Abuja.

Speaking at the event Jega said an impartial electoral commission is the answer to credible polls.

He said: “We want to do our best to ensure that the current independent electoral commission is impartial, is non-partisan, and create a level playing field for everybody. We will also ensure that everybody does the right thing. We will obey the law. We will work within the legal framework and we will ensure that every participant and contestant do so, if we believe in the foundation of beginning to get things right in our country, and we are committed to that.

“We will never do anything, given our role and antecedent in the labour movement to make you feel ashamed of what we do, we will always do our best to make you proud of what we do for our country. And please continue to give us your best and your best to your country.

“I want to assure you that we, at the Independent National Electoral Commission, are doing our best, to use this opportunity to do the right things and to ensure that we create an upward framework to prepare credible elections.

“It is not easy. It has never been easy. It is a struggle. It is a continuous struggle. It is indeed a perpetual struggle. So the struggle continues, but we must struggle and we must keep on improving our democratic parties and our electoral processes,” Jega said.

(Jobs) National Consultant: Media Consultant – Abuja Nigeria

To assist the DGD in the planning and execution of the national workshop on Building Community Radio for Democracy and Development in Nigeria

• Assist the DGD in identifying relevant stakeholders for participation at the National Workshop on Building Community Radio Stations for Democracy in Nigeria;
• Assist the DGD in the contact and invitation of participants for the National Workshop on the Building of Community Radio Stations in Nigeria
• To maximize participants comprehension of key media issues in relation to January 2011 elections and coordinate active engagement of the group in discussing, raising issues, drawing conclusions, etc.
• To solicit feedback from meeting participants through informal and formal means to gauge reactions of participants and;.
• Prepare and present to the DGD a comprehensive report of the National Workshop on Building Community Radio for Democracy in Nigeria.

Deliverables

• The consultants are expected to deliver the following outputs:
• Smooth conduct of the National Workshop on Community Radio in Nigeria
• Submission of comprehensive report on the national workshop and;
• Submission of blueprint (roadmap) for the establishment and operations of six community radio stations in each of the geo political zones of the country.

Supervision

The Project Director of DGD will provide strategic guidance for the consultant in the discharge of the assignment while monitoring and supervision will be carried out by relevant progamme staff members.

Ducation:

• A minimum of a Master degree in the field of Communication, Media studies or other social science related subject.

Experience:

• At least 10 years progressive professional experience in work with Media in Nigeria
• Experience in Community Radio practice an advantage;
• Previous experience in facilitating media workshops and meetings required

Language Requirements:

• Strong skills in written communications in English;
• Excellent spoken English is also required.

Application closes on February 2nd, 2011.

Tp apply, visit the link below:

http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?job_id=21209

Senate threatens to stop work on 2011 budget – Daily Trust

The Senate yesterday threatened to suspend consideration of the 2011 Appropriation Bill due to refusal of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to forward budget estimates of some key government agencies to the National Assembly for approval. A letter by the Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation Senator Iyiola Omisore to Senate President David Mark obtained by newsmen yesterday said Senate Committees may in line with Section 21 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act stop further consideration of the budget until the estimates of the affected agencies are forwarded to it.

Omisore said, “Despite our concerted efforts, with repeated phone calls, personal visits and interaction with the ministry of finance, the budget estimate of the agencies have not been submitted and non compliance has caused the delay in the passage of the budget as planned.

“We wish to reiterate that any further delay to submit the budget of these agencies may continue to affect the passage of the bill as we don’t want to go against the Act of the parliament.”

April polls: IBB’s supporters declare support for Buhari

Supporters of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, have declared their intention to vote for the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, during the forthcoming April presidential election.

The supporters, under the aegis of Joint IBB Support Group,told newsmen in Kaduna through their leader, Kasim Idris Dodo, that since Babangida was no longer in the presidential race, they were now behind Buhari and would work for his success during the presidential election.

They said considering the fact that their trusted candidate, Babangida, was no longer in the race, they had resolved to support Buhari in the April presidential election.

“The decision of the group to support Buhari was taken after a wide range of consultations with Babangida and other stakeholders in the IBB campaign organisation.

“This decision came following series of dialogues and wider consultation both with IBB and his campaign organisation. It was unanimously resolved that we gather and publicly declare our support for General Buhari.”

The group believed that Buhari was the only credible, honest and patriotic candidate that can transform Nigeria by tackling the myriads of problems that have retarded the development of the country.

NNPC is not transparent, inefficient - Minister

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, has stated that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is inefficient and lacks transparency in its operations. Speaking at the weekend in Abuja, the minister, who was represented by the Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production, Mr Andrew Yakubu, solicited the support of all stakeholders to assist in entrenching transparency and discipline in their business dealings with NNPC officials.

She said, “it is our hope that all stakeholders and players in the industry will extend a hand of partnership in entrenching the transparent and efficient ways in which we now desire to do business by leveraging on the laws of the land. This will no doubt ensure accountability in the management of investments across the value chain.”

Former Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Remi Babalola, had recently reported that the NNPC was broke. The statement generated a lot of heat in the polity with the Finance Minister, Olusegun Aganga, denying the report.

The Minister for Petroleum said the ongoing reform in the oil and gas sector was to sanitise the corporation as well as the industry. “In order to entrench transparency and accountability in the sector, the government had embarked on critical reform in the sector,” she said.

Meanwhile, reports by independent auditors had earlier indicted NNPC of using its unique trading position to make profit in the country’s crude oil sale payments at the expense of the government between 2006 and 2008 which the audit covered.

The audit was conducted by British accountants, Hart Group and Nigerian firm, S.S Afemikhe & co and approved by the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

The report recommended that the NNPC should be autonomous. “Restructuring of the NNPC should ensure arm’s length dealing between the NNPC and the federation,” the report said. It also said the NNPC is taking advantage of its position as both buyer and agent of seller (the government) to make profit at the expense of the federation.

FCTA demolishes over 120 illegal structures in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said it demolished over 120 illegal structures between December 7, 2010 and January 26, 2011in the bid to keep faith with the dictates of the Abuja Master Plan.

According to the administration, while another 176 illegal structures had been marked for demolition, 64 new demolition notices had been served on illegal structure developers.

Making the disclosure at the weekend while reviewing the activities of the FCT Development Control Department in his office, the Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, disclosed that 37 shanties were removed around the FCT city while 94 stop-work and 107 quit notices were served on erring developers within the same period under review.

According to the minister, some of the buildings demolished under the mass housing programme include structures in Wumba on Plots 118, 119, and 120 as well as the over10 shanties that were removed in Mbora Districts.

Senator Mohammed said that 20 illegal structures in Dutse District around Apo Village in addition to more than 10 shanties were also brought down.

Other structures affected, according to him, were shanties on Plots 470, 468 and 1059, in addition to the nine illegal structures pulled down in Garki II District.

The minister further disclosed that the FCT Development Control has removed all structures on Plot 1290 Garki District developed for informal sector market by the Abuja Market Management Limited without building plan approval.

He said, “The Development Control has also cleared illegal settlements within Mabushi Village as well as market encroaching on individual plots 1669, 1668, 1666, 1805 and 938. An illegal structure being constructed on plot 760 Central Business District was also removed for attempting to build after revocation of title.

Some illegal structures were removed in Kubwa and Lugbe as well as in Wuye District in the Phase II of the Federal Capital City. Development Control has marked and re-sealed Plot 1059, Cadastral Zone B11 in Kaura District of Phase II due to development contrary to approved land use and building plan; while the foreman on site was arrested by the Police due to no compliance to notices issued.

Govt evacuates Nigerians from Libya

The Federal Government has started evacuating Nigerians stranded in Tripoli. The first batch of evacuees, about 499 Nigerians, arrived in Abuja yesterday around 1.30 am.

Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Muhammad Sani-Sidi said the government has set up a camp to accommodate the returnees, until the necessary documentation and screening are completed.

Sani-Sidi said the screening is necessary to identify passengers without valid travelling documents and those with bad records.

Foreign Affairs Minister Odein Ajumogobia, who was represented by Timloh Nkom, said all Nigerians in Libya would be brought home safely.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the African Union (AU) to stop the ongoing abuse of human rights in Libya.

In an open letter to AU Chairman President Obiang Mbasogo, the group’s lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, urged the union to exercise its right under Article 4 of the Constitutive Act and intervene.

The group is seeking the following:

•That the AU intervenes in Libya to stop the violence against the protesters.

•That the AU refers the situation in Libya to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and supports the initiatives at the United Nation (UN) Security Council in this respect.

•That the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights visits Libya to investigate allegations of rights abuses and refer the cases to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The letter reads: "Playing politics or remaining silent when the citizens of Libya are being murdered by their government will undermine the authority of the AU and its many institutions.

"It has committed itself to promoting peace and security in the continent and has a fundamental duty to assist people in danger. The old-fashioned theory of state sovereignty, used to fend off criticism of massacres, cannot stand under the terms of the AU Constitutive Act.

"Article 4 says the AU will intervene in respect of grave circumstances, namely: war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.’ Unless the AU acts now and stops the killing in Libya, its ability to prevent the kind of abuses cited above will be severely undermined."

Cocaine trial: Court rejects bid to free 3 accused

JUSTICE Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, at the weekend rejected a no case submission made by the defence counsel in the ongoing cocaine trial, on behalf of the third, fourth and fifth accused in the suit.

Justice Okon, while discarding the application for lacking merit, ordered the defence to open its case today.

According to the judge, “I have thoroughly and painstakingly examined the issues.

“A no case submission lacks merit and is hereby overruled.”

Meanwhile, chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, has renewed its pledge for diligent prosecution of drug barons in the country.

The helmsman of the anti-drug agency made the declaration, while reacting to a ruling on the application by the defence counsel in the ongoing 450.400kg cocaine trial.

Impressed by the ruling, Giade said it had sent the right signal to drug trafficking syndicates that the due process of the law must be followed in the dispensation of justice, adding that “this is commendable. The message is that every accused must justify their plea.”

Also describing the ruling as satisfactory, NDLEA director of prosecution and legal services, Mr Femi Oloruntoba, who is the chief prosecuting counsel, said that the prosecution was adequately prepared as trial continued.

“The ruling is satisfactory. Our prayer was upheld and we are ready for trial as the defence opens its case,” Oloruntoba said.

The NDLEA had argued that the no case submission be rejected and accused be allowed to open their defence.

The prosecution in the trial closed its case in December 2010, after producing 15 witnesses that gave evidence in support of the charges brought against the five accused.

Meanwhile, in a related development, the NDLEA, on Friday, arraigned three men on a two-count charge, in connection with 110kg of cocaine intercepted also at the Tin Can Island port Lagos.

The accused, who were arraigned before Justice M.B. Idris, pleaded not guilty to the charge and were ordered by the judge to be remanded in prison custody.

Following the objection of their bail application, the case was adjourned till tomorrow.

Robbers kill policeman, night guard in Ibadan

Suspected armed robbers, on Saturday, night, killed two people, a policeman and a night security guard, at Jakan area of Agbowo in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The suspected robbers were said to have wounded two other people, including a night security guard, who are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed private hospital in the area.

The policeman attached to Kajorepo Police Station, Jakan area, the Nigerian Tribune learnt, was not on duty when the incident happened.

According to a police source, he had closed for the day around 11.30 p.m. when he decided to see a friend who resides in the area.

He was killed in front of the house of his friend before other residents were deprived of their valuables.

The deceased policeman, not knowing that they were robbers, it was gathered, had introduced himself as a policeman and that he was coming from a friend’s house.

It was after introducing himself that the suspected robbers killed him and went ahead to kill the night security in the area.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered that they later matchetted another night security guard and another person.

The robbers were said to have deprived the people of Irepodun Street of their valuables.

But for the quick intervention of policemen at Kajorepo, the Nigerian Tribune gathered that more people would have been killed and several others were deprived of their valuables.

When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Baba Adisa Bolanta, confirmed the incident and said it was being investigated.

CNPP knocks Jonathan over Bode George

Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), on Sunday, said that it was against best ethical tradition for President Goodluck Jonathan to have delegated the Minister of Defence, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, to represent him at the event celebrating the release of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Bode George,from prison.

The group in a statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Osita Okechukwu, maintained that it was at a loss where to locate President Jonathan’s much publicised zero tolerance for corruption and in fact, his anti-graft crusade by his decision to send a representative to the event which it described as an obscene celebration.

According to CNPP, President Jonathan, from all intents and purposes, by the act failed woefully to defend the constitution which the group observed frowns at corruption.

Justice Salami queried again

USTICE Ayo Salami has again been quried by the Chairman, National Judicial Council, (NJC), Justice Alloysius Katsina –Alu over a statement made by the Appeal Court President.

The query centred on the statement that he trusted just a few of the Justices in his court for governorship election appeal cases.

A source in the NJC has also disclosed that Salami may get yet another query this week over two petitions from Osun and Ekiti states submitted with his alleged phone call logs in which he was accused of having dealings with chieftains of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and some of their lawyers “before, during and after “ the cases were heard by his court.

The latest query was issued to Justice Salami by the CJN on 17th February, 2011 giving him two weeks to respond to a second petition sent in by former Osun state governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

“ I forward herewith a petition dated 7th February, 2011 against you by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor, Osun state, on the above subject matter. The petition speaks for itself. I shall be glad to have your comments within two weeks of receipt of this letter, please,” the CJN said in the query with reference number NJC/F.2/CA.1/1/99.

The President of the Court of Appeal in an interview in Thisday newspaper of Tuesday January 25, 2011 disclosed that he had been using only those he trusted for governorship election appeal cases. He was quoted in the interview as saying : “then, he, (Senator Iyiola Omisore) raised the issue of using a few Justices to determine appeals. Well, when it comes to that, you must use people you trust, you can’t just empanel anybody.”

Osun and Ekiti chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party had repeatedly accused Salami of having “a special squad of nine Justices” who handled governorship election cases with Justices Clara Ogunbiyi appearing in Ekiti and Osun, C.C Nweze in Ekiti and Osun, Adamu Jauro in Ekiti, Osun and Ogun while M.L Garuba was in Osun and Ogun. Paul Galinge was also in Osun and Sokoto panels. There are over 60 Justices in the Court of Appeal.

Prince Oyinlola in the petition asserted that Justice Salami’s disclosure in the interview that he trusted only about nine of his over 50 colleagues confirmed his earlier petition that other considerations other than delivery of justice informed the actions of Justice Salami and the appeal panel in the handling of his case.

“My Lord, no doubt, the above statement could only mean one thing and, that is that, in constituting the Ogunbiyi panel that heard my case, other factors and considerations other than judicial fairness were at play in the mind of the President of the court. I urge, sir, that his open declaration that ” you must use people you trust.“deserve to be further examined with a view to knowing what he meant by trust and also, trust to do what? This is necessary because every member of the judiciary including the Appeal Court is deemed by virtue of his oath of office to be a person worthy of trust,” Oyinlola said.

Another area, among several others, Justice Salami will have to provide answers to is his comments on the osun judgement in which he claimed that not all the votes in the 10 local governments in contention were cancelled.

Police goes tough on tinted vehicle violation

Nigerian Police has promised to crackdown on motorists who violate the Federal Government order against the use of vehicles with tinted glasses as the enforcement on the ban takes effect from 28 February 2011.

The ban however exempts vehicles with factory fitted glasses and those authorized person(s) as Mr. President, his deputy, Senate President, Speaker of House of Representatives and state houses ofassembly, their deputies, House of Reps leader and governors who are allowed to use a tainted vehicles.

Minister of Police Affairs Barrister Humphrey Aba who stated this weekend in Benin during his visit to the state commissioner of police Mr. David Omojola, said the order followed government’s resolve to checkmate crime activities ahead of April elections.

He emphasized that the measures was aimed at bringing sanity to the society and to further scale down the level of kidnaping, shipment of arms, explosives and other forms of crime-related activities which may threaten 2011elctions in the country.

According to him, “no sane man will taint his/her vehicle so dark except he has a hidden motive.”

He stated that the enforcement was real and that government will not treat the order with kid gloves and charge all police commissioners to ensure they carry out the directives.

The police affairs minister expressed President Goodluck Jonathan’s grave concern and commitment to the issue of equipping the police in terms of man power despite acknowledged dearth in some areas.

He said government had procured equipment and uniforms to kit the police force which he said would be distributed to all the commands as soon as the Inspector- General of Police returned from his trip abroad.

The measure, he stated was to ensure that every policeman becomes more responsible in the discharge of his duties.

He urged the citizens to ensure that their vote count in line with the campaign of one man-one vote stressing that no man would be harassed or intimidated at the polling centers as polling boots would be made secure during the exercise.

He added that politicians will not be allowed to alter operational order by asking policemen to follow them and advised politicians to do more to campaign for votes and not employ other peoples children to perpetrate thuggery and violence during elections.

The minister stated that the police welfare structure of the force would be revamped to take care of all cadre of policemen and their family in the advent of deaths, injuries sustained during crime fighting and prevention as well as reward for gallantry.

He said the gesture was to further boost and encourage the rank and file in the force and that the present administration was sensitive and concerned about the welfare of police

Saraki, Dangote, Adenuga, others in Jonathan’s campaign team

Business mogul Aliko Dangote, telecoms magnate Mike Adenuga and Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki, among others, yesterday made the campaign team of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Former Director-General of the Jonathan/Sambo campaign organisation heads the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), which will be inaugurated by acting National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr Bello Haliru Mohammed in Abuja today.

Also on board are loyalists of former presidential aspirants Ibrahim Babangida and Abubakar Atiku. Atiku lost the party’s ticket to Jonathan at the January 13 convention after Babangida, Saraki and Aliyu Gusau stepped down for him following his emergence as North’s consensus candidate.

He was picked by the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) headed by Mallam Adamu Ciroma.

Babangida’s and Atiku’s loyalists may have been appointed in line with Jonathan’s promise to accommodate his opponents in his campaign.

Former Director-General of the Babangida Campaign organisation, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, is a member of the PCC Publicity Committee. He will also serve as one of the resource persons for the presidential campaign.

Saraki is the chairman of the Reconciliation Committee with pro-Atiku campaigner and former Senate President Ken Nnamani as member.

The wife of the leader of the NPLF and PDP’s National Woman Leader, Hajia Ina Ciroma, is also a member of the Reconciliation Committee. Former Governor of Ondo State Olusegun Agagu and former Minister of Information Prof. Jerry Gana are also members.

Others in the committee are Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Alabo Graham Douglas, Senator Ladan Shunni and Ambassador Aminu Wali.

The Publicity Committee also has some prominent publishers including Comfort Obi of the Source Magazine and Dennis Sami of Nigeria Pilot as members.

Names of some aides of the President feature on the list, but former Director of Media of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign organisation, Sully Abu is missing on the list.

Dangote, Adenuga, Femi Otedola, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, Tony Elumelu, Alhaji Kashim Bukar; Chief Emeka Offor; Alhaji Sayyu Dantata; Jim Ovia; Dahiru Manga and Kola Salako are on the donor’s list.

Former Chairman of PDP’s Board of Trustees (BOT) Chief Tony Anenih will serve as the Campaign Adviser. Former PDP national secretary Chief Ojo Maduekwe is Secretary.

The six geo-political zones will be co-ordinated by governors that did the same job for Jonathan before the January 13 convention.

They are Governors Liyel Imoke of Cross River State (Southsouth), Martin Elechi, Ebonyi (Southeast), Gbenga Daniel, Ogun (Southwest), Gabriel Suswam, Benue (Northcentral), Isa Yuguda, Bauchi (Northeast) and Ibrahim Shema, Katsina (Northwest).

Senate President David Mark, Speaker Dimeji Bankole, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekwerenmadu and the Deputy Speaker Usman Nafada are all expected to co-ordinate the National Assembly for the PCC.

Former Inspector-General of Police Mike Okiro heads the security committee; leading industrialist Oba Otudeko chairs the Finance and Fund Raising Committee.

The Inter-Party Relations Committee to handle affairs concerning parties that adopted Jonathan as their standard-bearer is headed by Chief Ebenezer Babatope.

We’ll not negotiate with Boko Haram, IG vows

As the wave of violent attacks by Islamic fundamentalists, Boko Haram, in some states in the northern part of the country continues, the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Hafiz Ringim, declared in Kano yesterday that the Police would not negotiate with them.

"We would not negotiate with criminals," the police boss said.

Ringim disclosed this while reacting to questions from reporters at the Police Academy, Wudil, shortly after the passing out parade of 414 cadet officers, comprising 203 Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP) and 211 inspectors, who underwent an 18-month training course at the academy.

The fundamentalists had claimed responsibility for violent clashes in Jos, Plateau State and the spate of killings in Maiduguri, Borno State.

One of the most prominent of such cases was the assassination of the gubernatorial candidate of All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), AlhajiModu Fannami Gubio and six others.

The IG said the Police would not relent in its effort to rid the country of the remaining elements of the Islamic sect.

The Police chief further stated that efforts were being made to provide a level- playing ground for all contestants in the forthcoming general election.

He said: "The general election is the prerogative of the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Government, headed by President Goodluck Jonathan, has said that what it wants is to conduct a free and fair election. My mandate is to provide a level-playing ground for all contestants, and that is what I am trying to do to the best of my ability.

"On its side, the Federal Government has done everything possible to train, equip, support and fund the Nigeria Police Force. We are doing the best we can to educate the members of the public on their rights.

"God willing, we shall provide and will continue to provide general security and a free and fair atmosphere for all to display their wares and be voted by the electorate.

"The election shall not be an exercise in futility but an exercise where every eligible voter will be allowed to come out and vote freely for people and parties of their choice."

Ringim also disclosed that a committee, made up of eminent Nigerians, including retired police officers, had been set up to draw a programme for the repositioning of the Nigeria Police Force, pointing out that he, as the Inspector General of Police, was doing his best to implement the recommendations of the reform committee.

He said: "So far, we have gone a long way in the implementation of the approved white paper by the Federal Government, and that includes training, infrastructure, logistics and orientation, and so far, as you can see, we are doing just that.

"Basically, this is to develop the Nigeria Police and make it function in line with the aspiration of the Nigerian society, as well as the good practice of law enforcement as it obtains all over the world.

"The ceremony you saw today is part and parcel of the Nigeria police reform, which is to develop and produce functional, actionable manpower that would go in line with democratic practices globally."

No One ’ll Manipulate Votes In My Favour, Says Jonathan

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan says he will not allow the manipulation of votes during the forthcoming general elections.


The President, who made the declaration during his campaign rally in Makurdi recently said : “Nigerians’ votes must count.’’


According to him, the internal democracy witnessed at the Eagle’s Square in Abuja during the presidential primaries will reflect in the April polls.


“We must vote the people we want. We no longer want a situation where people are imposed on us.


“I promise Nigerians that even though I am contesting, nobody will manipulate any vote in my favour.


Jonathan said he was holding on to the promise he made to Nigerians and the world that their votes must count.


He said that was why he and his campaign team were working assiduously to convince the electorate to vote for him and other PDP candidates in the general elections.


“We have gone to the six geo-political zones and we are going from state to state.


“After that we will still go back to some of these states to tell the people what we stand for, to tell them that we stand for change, transformation, and that we are ready to create wealth in the country.


“We don’t believe that although we are the ruling party and we are in government, any governmental instrument be used in our favour,’’ he said.


The President also said that his government had a five-year plan to revolutionise agriculture and establish industries in the country.


“Benue is the home of food, so it is easier to create wealth here. We will complete the irrigation project we started in Oturkpo,’’ he promised.


“The governor (Suswam) also requested a bridge across the River Benue. We promise that the second Niger Bridge and the Benue Bridge are projects that we will work on in the next four years.’’


Jonathan further promised to operate an open administration devoid of discrimination irrespective of the people’s religion and ethnic persuasions.


“If a Nigerian wakes up, he should know that he can at least eat, we know that poverty does not speak any language, does not love anybody and does not belong to any ethnic nationality.


“You all know about my humble background, I came from a wretched home but look at where I am today. We have come to bring hope to the people,’’ he said.


Reports say that Vice-President Namadi Sambo, PDP Acting National Chairman, Haliru Mohammed, and Senate President David Mark, were among the leaders who gave goodwill messages at the rally.


Leaders of 10 political parties, including APGA, Mega Progressive People’s Party, Democratic People’s Party and Action Alliance, were at the rally to support the Jonathan/Sambo ticket.

INEC to deploy 12,000 more machines

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is planning to deploy extra 12,000 Direct Data Capture machines to help deal with queues of prospective voters as it battles to meet the January 29 deadline for the voter's registration.

The commission seems to be gradually easing the fingerprinting failure that hit the exercise in its first four days, but massive files of registrants across the nation which rose as the electoral body struggled to fix the scanning problem now threaten the two-week deadline.

At many booths in the Federal Capital Territory, for instance, more number of registrants and field officials confirmed to NEXT yesterday that for the first time, people spent averagely 10 minutes at the polling units at the commission earlier billed.

However, the feat was achieved at the cost of arriving polling units as early as 5a.m in the hope of beating queues that, at some places, are in several hundreds of persons, they said.

"I came yesterday and wrote my number, 136, and today I came here 5.30am, but as others wrote their names, the list got missing and we had to form a new line and I became number 2," Jimoh Adejoh, a resident of Kubwa, said early Wednesday.

Although the commission targeted an average of 48 persons at eight working hours a day, it mandated its Registration Officers to attend to those who arrive at the line until 5pm each day, according to officials.

Improved process

But residents say the order is hardly carried out as some of the officers turn them back once the list for the day exceeds 100, at times as early as 8am. But those who have eventually registered say the process has sped up, allowing people to spend averagely 10 minutes at the points.

The commission acknowledging the reports, said the difference, although with some lingering technical challenges, point to a determination to get all qualified Nigerians registered.

"The mere fact that there is an improvement is a testimony to the commitment of INEC to getting every Nigerian who wants to be registered, registered," said Kayode Idowu, the media assistant to the chairman, Attahiru Jega.

Mr. Idowu dispelled the fear that the commission may fail to meet its 70 million voter's target with the slow start and the overwhelming queues nationwide.

He said the electoral body is preparing an emergency plan that may involve the deployment of the 10% redundant machines ordered, amounting to 12,000 to the areas that will be of utmost demand.

"We have 120,000 polling units across the country, but we ordered 132,000 machines, with a 10% extra which we can now use for this kind of challenge," he further said.

The commission said it is still confident to meet the two weeks allotted to the exercise, maintaining an earlier position that it is too early to consider an extension.

S’East govs may dump PDP chairmanship slot – The Guardian

Major stakeholders in the race to producing the successor of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman from the South-East geo-political appear set to change the goal post and game plan.

Unlike their earlier insistence that the office remains in the zone after Nwodo’s resignation on Tuesday, governors from the region reportedly developed cold feet towards the office.

And if they carry the day, the PDP’s balance of power at the national level may be altered as another office may be allotted to the zone.

But all this will wait till after the general elections and if President Goodluck Jonathan wins the presidential election, another zone outside the South-South and South-East will produce the new PDP chairman.

However, a leader of the PDP in Imo State, Oliver Enwerem alluded to this yesterday when he told The Guardian that the seven-man committee set up to screen candidates for the chairmanship post is no longer necessary as election is fast approaching.

Source: Guardian Newspaper Nigeria

Nigeria's ruling party to decide Jonathan's fate

ABUJA, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Thousands of Nigerian ruling party delegates flocked to a main square in the capital Abuja on Thursday to decide whether to back President Goodluck Jonathan as their candidate in April elections.

Such is the dominance of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigerian politics that whoever wins its primaries has in the past gone on to be the country's next ruler.

Historical precedent is on Jonathan's side. Should he be defeated in Thursday's vote, he would be the first sitting president to lose an election bid in Africa's most populous nation since independence from Britain in 1960.

"He's very confident. He was up all night visiting all the delegates ... He only finished about 9 a.m. this morning," Jonathan's campaign spokesman Sully Abu told Reuters.

But Jonathan's accidental route to power -- assuming the country's highest office when his predecessor, Umaru Yar'Adua, died last year -- means Nigeria is in uncharted waters.

His candidacy interrupts an agreement in the PDP that power should rotate between the mostly Muslim north and largely Christian south every two terms.

As a southerner, he faces stiff opposition standing for what would have been the second term of Yar'Adua -- a northerner.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a wealthy businessman from the northern Hausa ethnic group, is hoping to garner support from northern factions in the ruling party who fear their influence will wane should Jonathan win a four-year term.

"This election is one of the most important in Nigeria's struggle to consolidate its fledgling democracy," said Dapo Oyewole, director of the Centre for African Policy and Peace Strategy (CAPPS).

"It sees a highly contentious shift of power from the north to the south, breaking the informal zoning rotational agreement between these two regions that have competed for power since independence," he said.

Twenty of the 27 PDP state governors have publicly said they will back Jonathan. Many of the delegates arriving for the convention said the same, but they were reluctant to go on the record and there is no way of telling whether they will ultimately do so at a secret ballot.

Should Abubakar lose, he could form an alliance with a rival party and take northern support with him, going on to challenge Jonathan at the general elections.

SECURITY TIGHT

There was a carnival atmosphere -- albeit amid tight security -- as an estimated 5,000 delegates arrived at Eagle Square, a parade ground which has hosted national events in the two decades since the capital moved to Abuja from Lagos.

A band played and acrobats did cartwheels as helicopters buzzed overhead and the secret service, military and anti-riot police sealed off streets in a wide radius around the venue.

Africa's most populous nation is a patchwork of more than 200 ethnic groups, roughly equally divided between Christians and Muslims, who generally live peacefully side by side.

But regional and ethnic rivalries bubble under the surface and can easily be exploited by power-hungry politicians. The country has been rocked by violence in recent weeks.

Delegations from each of the 36 states will vote in turn in the middle of the open square, choosing between Jonathan, Abubakar, and veteran politician Sarah Jibril, the only female candidate and seen as a rank outsider.

A simple majority wins and results are expected in the early hours of Friday.

Nigeria has been rocked by violence as the election season gets underway, unrest which Jonathan's supporters suspect has been orchestrated to undermine his credibility.

A New Year's Eve bomb in Abuja killed four people. A series of blasts and subsequent clashes have killed more than 80 in the central city of Jos, the scene of frequent bursts of ethnic and religious unrest.

There has also been violence at political rallies in the Niger Delta, the heartland of Africa's biggest oil and gas industry. Jonathan is the first head of state from the restive region and some fear a backlash there if he loses.

The stakes in Thursday's vote are high and the outcome far from certain. But few expect the country to tumble into chaos.

"Nigeria has this inexplicable capacity to totter on the tip of anarchy, but fall back into an unexpected order of sorts," said Oyewole from CAPPS.

Delta rerun: 67 arrested over electoral malpractices

Sixty-seven suspected hoodlums were arrested in Delta State in connection with last Thursday’s rerun election that threw up Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan as the new governor of the state.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered from security circles that the suspects were apprehended in different parts of the state for electoral malpractices.

It was learnt that their offences ranged from ballot box snatching to willful disruption of electoral process in some polling units.

“So far, 67 suspects were arrested during the rerun election in the state last Thursday. They were picked up in different parts of the state by policemen for electoral malpractices. Some of them were arrested for ballot snatching. Others for attempt to disrupt elections,” a security source said.

At the moment, the Nigerian Tribune learnt that most of the suspects were scattered in various police divisions in the state, while some had been moved to the state police headquarters in Asaba.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Charles Muka, confirmed the arrest of some suspects but said he was yet to confirm their actual number.

He, however, disclosed that information available to him at the time of filing this report was that 13 persons were arrested with six in Sapele, five at Ubiarukwu and two at Ozoro.

Get voter card or be sacked from church - Bauchi CAN warns members

Bauchi State Chapter of the Christians Association of Nigeria, (CAN) has warned that any of its members, who refuses to be registered in the forthcoming voters registration exercise will not only be excommunicated from the church, but will be dismissed and strip of all privileges of a Christian.