Jonathan promises more cash for education

President Goodluck Jonathan has restated his administration’s determination to improve the education sector through vigorous budgetary allocation to the sector. The move is to make the secotr more responsive to the need and challenges of the nation.

Jonathan, who spoke yesterady at the public presentation of the nation’s education data survey and the inauguration of the Digest of Education Statistics from 2006 to 2010, in Abuja , assured Nigerians of increase budgetary allocation to the sector.

Represented by his deputy Namadi Sambo, Jonathan frowned that while the federal budget has continued to increase, that of education has remained static, adding; “this will not continue. However, this lacuna has been addressed in the 2011 budget.”

Expressing his concern about the trend, he said: “That it is only through improved, spread and quality education system that his administration would achieve its plan to transform Nigeria .”

He went further that education would play a vital role in the administration’s efforts towards tackling the challenges of inadequate and irregular power supply, quality health provision, enhanced transport system as well as overall development.

“For instance, the issue of ensuring that we have adequate power supply, we need to get the plant, develop expansion and operate and mange the facilities. We need Nigerians to do all these and they must be educated Nigerians. It is only educated Nigerians that can run efficient seaports, rail system, health and other sectors of the economy.

“The mirage of our problems as a society can be achieved through a responsive education system. None of our developmental goals would be achieved if the education system cannot produce men and women to provide solutions to the problems.”

ASUU threatens strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday in Kaduna accused the Federal Government and the National Assembly of reneging on the agreement it entered with the union two years ago.

The group said the inability of the government to fulfil its side of the agreement would spell doom for the nation's universities and added that Nigerians should hold the government responsible for whatever happened.

Already, the university lecturers had directed all executives of the union in the various universities to call for congress in respect of the proposed strike. They added that the peace on campuses for the past two years would be truncated if the current National Assembly failed to enact relevant laws required for the smooth running of the university system in the country in line with the 2009 ASUU/Federal Government agreement.

Addressing journalists at the end of the its National Executive Council meeting at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, the ASUU President, Ukachukwu Awuzie noted that members had waited in vain for over two years for the government to fulfill its own part of the agreement without success.

Mr Anwuzie said the major cause of crisis in the nation's universities had always been the failure of government to implement valid agreements that it entered into with the union.

"Government has failed, refused and neglected to enact laws that will give effect to certain major areas of the agreement that need legislation for their implementation and enforcement," he said. "Of particular concern is the 70-years retirement age for lecturers in the professorial cadre. The expectation was that this item in the agreement would be passed into law within a few months of the agreement. After close to two years of waiting in vain and seeing the consequences in the form of continued brain drain in the university system, ASUU members have become restive across the country."

Peace Will Return to Plateau - Pastor Adeboye

The general overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch. A Adeboye has disclosed that the people of Plateau State need not worry about the recent unfortunate ethnic-religious crisis that engulfed the state and prophesied that all would be well as the state would take its pride of place as a home of peace and tourism.

In a prophetic declaration at the thanks giving service to mark the end of the 2011 Northern Ministers/Workers Conference at the Redemption Camp ground of the Church in Kassa, Barakin-Ladi local government area of Plateau state Pastor Adeboye, who spoke on the topic "Divine Champion" said that the devil had failed concerning Plateau State and implored the people to live in peace and harmony with one another adding that a divine champion is the man who defends the word of God and is powered by God.

He charged the congregation to strive to live a holy life all the time adding that it is by so doing that they could access the power of God and be a divine champion in all spheres of life.

Plateau state governor Jonah Jang who was represented at the occasion by his Special Adviser on Religious Matters, Reverend Gyang Choji said that recent peaceful conduct of the elections was an indication that the hand of God is on Nigeria.

According to him, Nigerians should thank God for giving the country a listening president who is ready and willing to take advice and rule the country based on the yearning and aspirations of the people

Nigeria's Islamist rebel group rejects amnesty deal

Last week, the governor-elect of Borno State, Northern Nigeria offered an amnesty deal to Boko Haram, the Islamist rebel group headquartered in his state. Since 2009, Boko Haram has staged numerous attacks and assassinations, including the murder of prominent politicians in Borno during Nigeria’s most recent campaign season. Governor-elect Kashim Shettima explained that theamnesty program, explicitly modeled on “aspects of the amnesty programme offered to militants in the country’s oil-producing Niger Delta region,” would involve “invit[ing] [Boko Haram] to a negotiating table as soon as we are in office to find out from them what their problems are and find solutions to them.” The idea of an amnesty has generated controversy, but Shettima seems to believe that a temporary peace would create the conditions for a lasting redress of grievances and the prevention of further violence.

Boko Haram has rejected the amnesty offer in word and now deed. The verbal reaction came in ideological form:

"The spokesman of the sect who gave his name as Abu Dardam in a BBC Hausa programme monitored in Maiduguri [the capital of Borno State], stressed that their reason of not accepting the amnesty is that they don’t recognise democracy as a form of government.

The group also faulted the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, saying that justice can only be found in the Holy Quran, that is Shariya system of government."

More on Boko Haram’s statement here.

The physical reaction came in the form of shootings:

"Suspected members of an Islamist sect blamed for a series of attacks in northern Nigeria have shot and killed a driver for a state governor as well as a local chief, police said Friday.

The driver, Mai Kadai, had just left home Friday morning and was on his way to the Borno state governor’s office when two gunmen on motorcycles shot him dead, said police commissioner Mohammed Jinjiri Abubakar.

Four robbers burnt to death in Ebonyi

No fewer than four suspected armed robbers were reportedly burnt to death, weekend, by angry mob in Nwekendiagu Community in Effium Development Centre of Ohaukwu local government area, Ebonyi state for allegedly raping five persons, including an
albino lady.

The robbers were also alleged to have robbed over one million naira from the people of the area .

According to reports, the hoodlums had been terrorizing the people of Nwekendiagu Community for over five months without the prompt intervention of the police in Effium even as some, for fear of being robbed, abandoned thier homes and while others moved thier belongings outside the community.

It was gathered that the activities of these hoodlums climaxed immediately after the April 2011 general elections as records of rape, stealing of motorcycles and snatching of mobile phones increased drastically in the area.

Some of the community members who spoke with Vanguard under condition of anonymity lamented the indiscriminate manner with which the hoodlums had robbed them adding that what salvaged the situation was the constitution of an Internal Security Outfit which according to them led to the arrest of some of the hoodlums.

According to them “what the robbers have done in this community is very despicable and for over five months now they have been terrorizing us.

“They have every day been robbing us from one house to the other and before they will come they will first alert you by writing before their coming. Every night people don’t sleep in their homes because each night they will be shooting sporadically in the air and this made over seventy percent of the community members to desert their homes and prefer to sleep comfortably in the push.

“To tell you the fact, this criminals has committed atrocities. The worst is that if they come to your house and you give them money whether big or small they will first beat you to coma and after which force you to hold a touch light for them and they will be raping your wife one after the other at a gun point”.

Lagos prosecuting 50 rapists

The Lagos State Government is prosecuting 50 suspected rapists, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Risqat Akiyode, has said.

She said no fewer than 137 children faced different forms of abuses, including rape, in the past one year.

Mrs. Akiyode lamented increasing cases of child abuse, saying there were 137 reported cases at government disposal in the past year.

Of the 50, Akiyode said 25 men were currently being prosecuted over violence on children while another 25 men were currently in government’s custody, awaiting prosecution over abuse on children.

According to her, 73 children abused by men had been reconciled with their parents, adding that government was ready to prosecute offenders under the child rights law.

Ogun government, private school owners bicker over examination

The Ogun State chapter of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) at the weekend in Abeokuta, the state capital embarked on a protest ahead of today's Junior School Certificate Examination.

The grouse of the school proprietors was the intermittent interruption in the current academic session. They therefore asked that the scheduled examination should be postponed to a more convenient date.

The association's president, Basirat Alimi, threatened that the association would boycott the examination if the government went ahead with the planned date, arguing that the National Examination Council - Junior School Certificate Examination (NECO- JSCE) clashed with the proposed Ogun State JSCE.

Ms Alimi noted that since the academic session ends in July, such an examination cannot come up earlier than July.

"The present academic session had been interrupted by reasons of strike, voters' registration exercise, the just concluded election and the extended holiday,' she said. ‘The scheduled examination, if allowed to commence, implies testing students on the scheme of work yet to be covered by schools in Ogun State.

Moreso, the released time-table for Ogun State JSCE exam is loaded, with four subjects starting from 8am through 5pm per day, added to NECO's JSCE time-table, making a total of six subjects per day for the students. The protesters also alleged that the government had levied students in public secondary schools in the state N100 each for the 2011/2012 academic session for the examination.

But the state commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Yemi Akinwonmi, faulted the action of the private school proprietors and also denied allegation of N100 payment levy on the pupils.

"There is no government circular to the effect and the ministry does not intend to introduce this," he said.

He, however said government had approved a shift in date of the examination as a result of the current misunderstanding with the private school proprietors.

Jonathan pays tribute to Mrs Katsina-Alu

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, on Saturday, said that Mrs Victoria Mimidoo Katsina-Alu was a good mother, philanthropist and dedicated Christian, just as he prayed God to grant the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu and his entire family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

President Jonathan, who made the remark at the funeral of Mrs Katsina-Alu, held at the Local Government Education Authority Primary School, Tse Alu near Lessel, Ushongo Local Government council area of Benue State, said Mimidoo played her role well but left when the ovation was loudest.

While lamenting the deceased’s tragic death, he recalled that whenever he asked after her from the CJN, he would respond that his wife had gone to their country home to carry out the work of evanglism, winning souls for Jesus Christ.

Stating that Jesus Christ died at a very young age, he declared that those who God loves don’t live long.

In his welcome address, the host governor, Dr Gabriel Suswam, appreciated the enormous demonstration of concern, love and solidarity shown by the president on the death of the wife of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, adding that words were not enough to express the deep grief in his heart.

Mimidoo, he maintained, had the qualities of a wonderful partner and amiable wife and provided the desired support, strength and succour which kept her husband going noting that her sudden and tragic departure was a monumental blow to the family, the people and government of Benue State and Nigerians in general.

Court orders arrest of senator for forgery

For allegedly misleading the court into awarding judgment in his favour, a magistrate court in Abuja has ordered the arrest of Alphonsus Obi Igbeke, the senator representing Anambra North senatorial district.

The warrant, which was issued in Abuja at the weekend by the presiding magistrate,Attahiru Alkali, ordered all police officers who see Mr Igbeke anywhere to arrest him as he stood charged with forgery. Before the warrant was issued, the police had told the Federal High Court, Abuja, that Mr Igbeke forged the documents he presented to the court which led to the judgment that declared him the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the April 9th National Assembly election.

The Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Abdul Kafarati, in a judgment delivered on the 17th day of March, 2011, declared Mr Igbeke the authentic PDP candidate for Anambra North senatorial district. Dissatisfied with the decision, his opponent, John Emeka, took his case further to the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

Mr Igbeke had filed an application for the enforcement of his rights at the Federal High Court, Abuja, after the police wrote to the clerk of the National Assembly asking for him to be released for questioning.

Oyo ACN, Alao-Akala disagree over alleged last-minute looting

IS the outgoing admini-stration of Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala looting the treasury?

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) alleged it is.

But Alao-Akala denied the allegation, describing it as frivolous.

In a statement by its Secretary, Wasiu Olatubosun, Oyo State ACN said: "It is to the knowledge of the public that the out-going administration of Alao-Akala would go down in the history of Oyo State as the most corrupt ever, but events in the last few days have indicated that there is a grand plan to completely ground the state and ensure that the in-coming administration does not succeed, even as the governor-elect, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has indicated his resolve to fix the state socially, economically and politically in no time.

"Our party has been inundated with various reports of illegal withdrawals from state accounts, diversion of fertiliser stock, conversion of public properties to private assets, increased sponsorship of foreign trips for political office holders and "cooperating" career officers, among other illegal activities capable of milking the state dry.

"We call on relevant officials of the state, principal staff of commercial banks and other financial institutions to steer clear of any questionable order or arrangement aimed at stealing public funds further, as culprits and their accomplices shall be made to face the full wrath of the law sooner than expected."

Denying the allegation in a statement by his spokesman, Prince Dotun Oyelade, Alao-Akala said: "The allegations are frivolous and baseless. Why is the ACN fretting over illegal withdrawal of funds while it is quiet about various daily deposits into government accounts? This government will run and perform its duties till May 28.

"On the issue of fertilisers, ACN dwelled on half information. Government attention was called to a fertiliser purchase that had not been paid for. Government has ensured that a balance of N8 million will be paid to its coffers by Wednesday and 248 bags returned to the government’s warehouse.

Fayemi hails new OAU VC

Governor Kayode Fayemi has lauded the appointment of an Ekiti State indigene, Prof. Tale Omole, as the Vice Chancellor (VC) of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Omole, who hails from Oye-Ekiti in Oye local government, was a member of the Ekiti Education Summit and Visitation Panel.

In a congratulatory letter yesterday, Fayemi said: "This appointment is a confirmation of your pedigree as an outstanding scholar with robust managerial skills, whose rich experience would uphold the great virtues of the ‘Great Ife’.

"I’m confident that you have what it takes to build on these virtues and provide virile leadership that would push the university to a greater height of academic excellence with global exploits.

"The tasks are truly challenging but certainly not insurmountable for a person made of your stuff.

"On behalf of the government and the good people of Ekiti State, please accept my hearty congratulations on this well-deserved elevation."

Also yesterday, newly-elected members of the National and House of Assemblies from the state were urged not to execute projects during their tenures to ensure transparency and accountability.

This is one of the high points of a communiqué issued at the end of a retreat for the lawmakers-elect at Royal Parks Hotel, Iloko-Ijesa, Osun State.

The communiqué said it is not the duty of legislators to execute projects but to supervise them.

The legislators-elect were warned against ostentatious lifestyles and urged to sponsor bills that will impact on good governance.

Participants included Fayemi; his deputy, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka; retired bureaucrats and community leaders from the state.

Southsouth Senators back Mark, Ekweremadu

Southsouth Senators yesterday threw their weight behind the retention of Senators David Mark and Ike Ekweremadu as the Senate President and Deputy Senate President.

This brings to three the number of zones that have promised their votes for Mark in the past three days. The Northcentral and the Southeast caucuses had already announced their support.

Addressing reporters at the National Assembly, Deputy Senate Leader Victor Ndoma- Egba said the zone endorsed Mark and Ekweremadu because of their track record.

He said: "They have led the most remarkable tenure since 1999. They have brought dignity to their offices. They would be needed for continuity. More so as Nigerians are awaiting dividends of democracy, there is need for a strong senate to achieve all these."

At the conference yesterday were Senators James Manager, Alloysious Etuk, Emmanuel Paulker, Odion Ugbesia and George Thompson Sekibo and new senators-elect including Helen Esuene, Dr. Okowa, Pius Ewheredo and Hon. Eta Enang.

IBB faults PDP over power sharing

FORMER military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) has faulted leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over their inconsistencies on the principles of the zoning formula.

Babangida, who dropped his presidential ambition to support the endorsement of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as the consensus candidate of the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF), accused the PDP leaders of breaking zoning formula at will.

Faulting the leaders for sticking to the zoning principle after the just-concluded general elections, he queried why the party returned to a formula it earlier discarded for merit before the polls.

Babangida, who spoke through a statement signed by his spokesman, Kassim Afegbua, denied he was nursing the ambition of succeeding former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT).

He said there will be no hope for the country if those who double-speak, are made to preside over certain levels of government.

The national caucus of the had PDP last Tuesday retained the present zoning formula of the party.

The formula is as follows: President (South-South); Vice-President (North-West); Senate President (North Central);

Speaker (South-West); Deputy Senate President (South-East); Deputy Speaker (North-East); National Chairman (North East); SGF (South-East); Senate Leader (South-West);

House Leader (South-South); Senate Chief Whip (North-West); and the House Chief Whip (South-East).

Electoral defeat: We are undeterred, says Akala

Oyo State Governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, yesterday said that his defeat in the April 26 governorship election would not stop him from continuing with the good work he is doing for the state.

The outgoing governor had christened his campaign: “Ise rere o duro” (The good work continues).

The Director-General of his campaign organization, Chief Ademola Ojo, disclosed this at the inauguration of a vocational training workshop on Waste to Wealth as a means of tackling poverty being embarked upon by the outgoing government

The project is being undertaken by the Association of Local Government Chairmen (ALGON) and the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Ojo is also ALGON chairman in Oyo State.

The three-day training programme will see a minimum of 750 youth from each of the 33 Local Government Areas of the state trained in converting wastes from agriculture products to gum, adhesive and glue. Trainers are to be engaged from the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO).

Apart from empowering unemployed youth in the state, the vocational programme is also intended to reduce filth and waste materials in the environment.

Ojo, who is also the ALGON Chairman in the state, maintained that the training programme which is coming up barely three weeks to the end of the tenure of the present administration “is another manifestation of Governor Alao-Akala’s commitment to youth empowerment and poverty alleviation aimed at making the beneficiaries self-employed and self-reliant.”

He declared, “We have left everything to the hands of God as our principal, Governor Alao-Akala believes that the good programmes he had started must outlive him. And this seminar which is designed in a manner to empower the beneficiaries is aimed at lifting the spirit of the mass followers.”

Mark set for record senate presidency re-election

Some senators-elect from the north central region of the country converged Friday on the senate press centre to address journalists on their preferred choice of senate president for the next senate session.

It turned out that they want David Mark, the incumbent senate president representing Benue South senatorial district, to lead the seventh senate. This declaration of support is coming after the ceding of the post to the zone by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to the senators-elect, Mr Mark has led the national assembly successfully. "He was able to introduce the ‘doctrine of necessity' to resolve a near political crisis that almost tore Nigeria (apart) last year through his doggedness and commitment to ensuring that Nigeria moves forward," said one of them, Zainab Kure (PDP - Niger South).

The endorsement of the incumbent senate president to lead the next senate by senators-elect from his region was the climax of a series of public endorsements and antics by the incumbent senate president to ensure his re-election into office, which would be a record.

Mr Mark has had his sight set on leading the next senate from way back as the last quarter of 2010; he has carefully orchestrated his manoeuvres ever since.

His first endorsement came late last year when he supposedly entered into an agreement with the president for mutual support to reclaim their respective offices. The frequency of endorsements has surged since he secured re-election to be a member of the next senate.

Mr Mark is also said to have won the favour of his party for the job following a recent power-sharing deal which doled out the senate presidency to the north central region of the country.

Gunmen attack Benue A C N guber candidate’s convoy

Party faithful were thrown into mourning yesterday as unknown gunmen shot and killed a key member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Benue State, Charles Ayede at Kadarko on Lafia-Makurdi Road in Nassarawa State.

A stalwart of the party in the state, Senator J.K.N Waku, told our correspondent that another member of the ACN governorship campaign team, Adam Maagbe, was with the late Ayede in the same vehicle, heading to Makurdi from Abuja ahead of the ACN governorship candidate in the April 26 governorship poll, Prof. Torkuma Ugba.

After the killing of Ayede, Ugba, who was also coming from Abuja, was quickly alerted and he aborted his journey to Makurdi for safety reasons.

The journey from Abuja was said to have been smooth until they got to Kardako in Nasarawa State, where a car overtook them and sprayed their vehicle with bullets and killing Ayede on the spot, while Maagbe, a former NITEL Director sustained serious injuries and was receiving treatment in a private hospital.

The late Ayede worked with the Nigerian Television Authority (HTA) and the National Orientation Aagency (NOA) before joining Ugba’s campaign team in the last general election.

Okorocha shocks Ohakim, imposes embargo on Imo govt accounts

The out-going Imo State administration has expressed shock that the governor-elect, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has written to banks placing embargo on the state government’s accounts until he is sworn in.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Nze Elvis Agukwe, who made government’s stand known at a press conference in Owerri, also said that Governor IKedi Ohakim was not afraid of any inquiries that may be made about his activities during his tenure.

“You can imagine the level of shock with which the Governor received reports that the governor-elect, acting through his Chief of Staff, Prince Eze Madumere, has written to banks, holding the state government’s accounts,placing embargo on the accounts until Chief Okorocha is sworn in on May 29, 2011”, Agukwe fumed.

While saying that Okorocha’s action was illegal and unconstitutional, adding that there is nothing like the office of the governor elect and the Nigerian Constitution does not recognize two governors at a time.

“The action of Chief Okorocha is already grinding government machinery to a halt. As I talk to you, civil servants in the state are bcomin restive because banks, evidently acting under the instruction of Chief Okorocha, have refused to release cheques for their April salaries”, Agukwe said.

The Commissioner wondered why Okorocha was in a haste to frustrate Ohakim, even after he (Ohakim) has shown faith in the collective interest and aspiration of Imo people.

Ministerial list tears Osun PDP apart

The Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State is far from being on top of the crisis bedevilling it, as aggrieved members under the aegis of Osun PDP Rebirth are mobilising supporters against a list of potential ministers and other nominees for federal appointments purportedly forwarded by the party executive in the state.

The group, which has leaders and members across the 30 local government councils, have lately held several meetings, where they clamoured for immediate dissolution of the present EXCO.

The group wants an interim state working committee to be formed to oversee the affairs of the party before congresses are held and to also inaugurate a Truth and Reconciliation Committee which will rebuild the party from the ward to the state level in order to rekindle public confidence in the Osun PDP.

Since the the ruling PDP in the state was sacked in last November Appeal Court judgement, the party’s popularity has waned tremendously.

Senate presidency: Mark’s support swells up to 77 senators

Support for the re-election of Senator David Mark swelled further at the weekend as a total of 77 senators across the geo-political zones, political parties and senators from the North-Central yesterday threw their weight behind his re-election.

Addressing senate correspondents at the NationalAssembly yesterday , Senator Zainab Kure who highlighted the achievements of the Senate President David Mark in the last four years said Mark remains the only candidate who has the ability and experience to steer the leadership of the National Assembly for the next four years.

According to Senator Kure from Niger state, the mature way senator Mark handled proceedings and his outstanding leadership qualities made the amendment of the electoral reform possible.

She also said the ‘doctrine of necessity’, which saved the country from a political logjam occasioned by the ill health of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was achieved through the very vast experience of the Senate president David Mark.

“We believe that it’s our responsibility to support him because, we feel he is the best man for that position, he has done an excellent job as the senate president.

Reps Speaker: South West PDP Caucus Endorses -Ajibola

The Southwest Caucus of the PDP has endorsed the candidature of Muraina Ajibola for Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Reports say that the endorsement was made at a meeting held at the hill-top residence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo by the caucus in Abeokuta on Thursday.

It was learned that the meeting also deliberated on the petitions, filed by the party before various tribunals, challenging the outcome of the just-concluded general elections.

Sources close to the meeting told newsmen that Ajibola, a second-term member of the House of Representatives, hails from Ibarapa in Oyo State.

“With an experienced legislator like Ajibola, he is sure to hold all the members of the house together; he will not just be learning to climb the rope,” the source said.

Although none of those who attended the meeting was ready to volunteer information, it was, however, learnt that there was no strong opposition to the choice of Ajibola.

Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, the PDP National Vice-Chairman, Southwest, declined comments when approached by newsmen, advising reporters to seek audience with Obasanjo.