Tuesday, June 28, 2011
2face and Dbanj win BET Award for Best International Act (Africa)
Nigeria’s 2face Idibia and Dbanj tied for the BET Award for Best International Act (Africa) at ceremony held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Sunday night. It didn’t come as a surprise as the two were clear favourites for the nod. But perhaps it should have been more competitive with only one winner instead of the two. It makes the African category come out as mere tokenism to keep us happy. Although this was the second time that African artists have been nominated in the BET Awards, this year saw a separate category for the African acts which also included D-Black (Ghana), Fally Ipupa (DR Congo), Angelique Kidjo (Benin), and Teargas (South Africa).
Meanwhile R&B superstar Chris Brown garnered three trophies out of his pack-leading six nominations. There was a mix-up during the announcement of the Viewer’s Choice winner as Tiffany Greene first named Brown as the winner before then saying Drake and Rihanna were the victors [With Drake accepting the trophy] it was later confirmed that Chris Brown was indeed the winner of the fan voted accolade.
Kevin Hart hosted the annual BET event with featuring performances by top acts such as Beyonce Knowles, Drake, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Mary J Blige, among many others. There were also special tributes to Steve Harvey as the Humanitarian Award Honoree and Patti LaBelle as the Life Achievement Award winner.
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
Monday, June 27, 2011
NDLEA raises alarm over rise in cannabis cultivation, consumption in Ekiti
THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ekiti State command, has raised the alarm over what it described as the rise in the cultivation and consumption of cannabis sativa, known commonly as Indian hemp, in the state.
The Commander of NDLEA in the state, Mr Bamidele Akingbade, who raised the alarm in Ado Ekiti, while addressing newsmen, at the weekend said over five cases of mentally deranged persons resulting from the use of the substance were reported at the University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, weekly.
According to him, Ekiti was one of the states in the federation “known for cultivation of cannabis,” adding that over 400 acres of Indian hemp farm had been destroyed in the state since he assumed duty in Ekiti last year as the commander in the state and now.
He said it was worrisome that another 100 acres had just been discovered in parts of the state, saying “if this continues, there would be more lunatics on the streets and this would affect the future of our youths who are the leaders of tomorrow.”
According to him, “wherever cannabis is planted, it takes another 10 years to grow another plant there. So, we appeal to our people, especially those in charge of land to discourage giving out their land to people to grow Indian hemp.”
He also disclosed that the agency had arrested 34 suspects since last year when he assumed office for dealing in hard drugs, out of which 24 were prosecuted.
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
Sanusi, PFN disagree over Islamic banking
The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has said that those opposed to the introduction of Islamic banking in Nigeria are not conversant with current happenings in the world as the system is being practised in the United Kingdom and other countries of the world dominated by Christians.
He spoke on the BBC Hausa service monitored in Kaduna at the weekened, even as the Kaduna State chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) expressed concern over moves to introduce Islamic banking in the country.
The PFN while condemning the move said the action of the CBN governor at a time when Nigerians were still battling to douse the tension created by political and religious crises was unfortunate.
However, Sanusi explained that the move for the introduction of the JAIZ Bank in Nigeria had been on even before he assumed leadership in the CBN and disclosed that other superior officers in the CBN who were Christians had no problem with Islamic banking in Nigeria.
According to him, a major stakeholder in the JAIZ Bank was an Igbo businessman who saw the prospects and had since invested a lot towards the noble cause.
Nigerians, he said, should not be afraid of Islamic bank as it was going to be a non-interest banking which had been practised successfully in many parts of the world.
But the PFN in a statement by its chairman, Bishop David Bakare, said that the action of the CBN governor would further polarise the nation along religious lines as well as raise suspicions about his intention no matter how good it could be.
“Honestly if the CBN governor had embarked on this advocacy for Islamic banking as a religious leader it would have made a better sense than as a government official. Therefore, he should come out and tell the nation whose errand he is running and for whom he speaks. Is he speaking for himself, Islam, or for the government of Nigeria?
“ Sanusi should please be advised not put the nation into another avoidable distraction and dangerous crises. We call on the president not to wait until trouble begins before acting,” he said.
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
Don’t create religious crisis in Ogun, PPN warns Amosun
The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) has warned the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, against sparking off religious crisis in the state following the reversal of return of schools originally owned by Christian missions.
The party also expressed concern over the seeming inconsistencies of Amosun-led government in the state.
A statement, made available to newsmen in Abeokuta by the party’s Director of Organisation, Mr Deji Kalejaiye, said that the inconsistent decisions made so far by the governor in his almost one month in office indicated grave implications for the state.
It will be recalled that the Christian missions has dragged the Ogun State government before the court, asking for an interlocutory injunction restraining it from taking the schools back from them.
The statement further said that the state government had so far demonstrated lack of understanding of the art of governance, while advising the governor to always exercise caution before taking decisions.
“It is alarming that in just less than a month in office, the present administration in Ogun State has done enough to set the state on fire and worst still, our dear state is now a subject of mockery owing to somersault in policies that is now synonymous with Ogun State government under Governor Amosun,” Kalejaiye said.
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
Saraki, son reconcile
THE political differences between the strongman of Kwara politics, Dr Olusola Saraki and his son, who is also the immediate past governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, were formally and amicably resolved on Sunday.
Also, two committees have been set up to look into the issue of harmonisation between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) towards giving members of the two parties a sense of belonging.
The reconciliation took place at a special prayer held at the Ilofa Road GRA residence of Chief Saraki, with a number of Muslim clerics, led by the Chief Imam of Maraba mosque, Sheik Shuaib Abdulsalam, praying for the peaceful co-existence of the political leaders and people of the state.
Though Chief Saraki regretted that the feud between Senator Saraki and his sister, Gbemisola was yet to be resolved, noting that the former ACPN gubernatorial candidate was still upset over the political bitterness she suffered at the hands of her brother, he prayed that God should intervene and settle the rift.
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
Civil society tasks Fashola on procurement, tenancy bills, others
Lagos State Civil Society Partnership, LACSOP, has called on Governor Babatunde Fashola to urgently assent to Lagos State Procurement Bill, Lagos State Tenancy Bill, Lagos State Public Finance Management Bill, the Criminal Law of Lagos State Bill and others passed by the State House of Assembly between 2009 and 2011, saying when assented to, they will impact positively on the lives of millions of Lagosians.
LACSOP, in a statement, however, commended Governor Fashola for signing into law the Lagos State Special People Bill and Lagos State Public Private Partnership Bill and urged him to expedite action on several other critical bills passed by the State House of Assembly towards the end of the tenure of the sixth assembly, but were still awaiting the governor’s assent.
The statement by Mr. Ayo Adebusoye for LACSOP Steering Committee, read in part: “Rising from a recent meeting of the group’s Steering Committee, the group noted that some of these bills like to the Lagos State Procurement Bill 2009, Lagos State Tenancy Bill 2009, Lagos State Public Finance Management Bill 2010, all passed on Wednesday 25th May, 2011 and the Criminal Law of Lagos State Bill 2010, passed on Thursday June 2nd 2011, are bills that In view of the imperative need for adequate legislation to cater for issues emerging from the state government developmental drive, LACSOP is using this opportunity to encourage His Excellency to give urgent and priority attention to these all important bills in the first weeks of his new administration with a view to ensuring that no time is wasted before they are assented to.”
“LACSOP also believes strongly that these bills will empower the poor and socially marginalised people of Lagos State and foster greater popular participation in the ongoing transformation of the state. The bills will also go a long way to increase citizens voice and strengthen accountability in public finance management and Lagos State should be a pace setter in striving to achieve that goal. We are quite convinced that His Excellency will see the opportunity to consolidate on the gains of the last four years by giving these additional laws to the citizens of the state as veritable tools to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 and the actualization of Lagos State as “ Africa ’s model Mega City ”
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Group Charges Ajimobi On Oyo NURTW Crisis
An interest group in Oyo State has charged the State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to handle the crisis rocking the state branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) diligently and with fairness.
The group, Movement for Peace and Good Governance, in a statement signed by its coordinator, Mr. Segun Ajani, charged the state government to treat “both factions of the union equally and fairly without any bias,” adding that “the faction that started the crisis at Iwo Road can be traced and dealt with as prescribed by the law.”
Ajani added in the statement that, “Governor Ajimobi has promised us peaceful governance and the only way to achieving this is for the government not to be one-sided and ensure that any of the factions found guilty should be treated as such.”
The group said, “we enjoin the state government to allow the police to do the job they were trained for as just arming the police will not solve the problem.”
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
Alleged rape of corps member: Osun monarch placed under house arrest after dramatic appearance in court
THE appearance in court yesterday of the Alowa of Ilowa-Ijesha, Oba Adebukola Alli, ended with Magistrate Adewunmi Makanjuola placing him under house arrest.
The judge also ruled that the travelling documents of the accused, who was supported to step into the court room by his wife and driver, be submitted to the court with immediate effect.
The court at its sitting two Fridays ago ordered that the accused, who had failed to come to court for four consecutive sittings, be arrested or in the alternative his surety be brought to court on Friday June 24, 2011.
The Alowa of Ilowa-Ijesha in Obokun Local Government Area, Osun State, accompanied by his wife and pastor, was yesterday brought into court in his green RAV 4 Toyota SUV car.
Claiming not to be strong enough because of his poor health, the monarch lay on a sofa in the court room while his wife fanned him with a scarf.
The monarch also came to court with a blood pressure machine to convince the judge of his health condition.
At a stage, the judge stepped out of his seat to where Oba Alli lay and asked the wife where the accused was brought to court from. In tears, the wife replied that he was brought to court from a private hospital in Ibadan, Oyo State, saying the Oba was removed from the hospital because of the arrest order placed on him.
Counsel to the accused monarch, Victor Okpara, presented a medical report signed by one Dr. A.A. Adeyanju from Gold Cross Medical Clinic, a private hospital located at 36, Adeoyo, Oje Road, Ibadan, Oyo State to the court.
Okpara, who said the monarch had been receiving medical treatment from the hospital shortly after he was discharged from the University College Hospital, Ibadan on June 10, told the court that Alli’s previous absence from court was not delibrate but due to his health codition.
But the prosecutor, a senior state counsel, Olufemi Adedokun, urged the court to disregard the medical report presented by the defence counsel because it conflicted with the previous report, which showed that the traditional ruler was discharged from the UCH in sound health.
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
Fuel Subsidy: NNPC Gets Mandate To Spread Retail Outlets Nationwide
Ahead of planned removal of fuel subsidy, the Federal Government has mandated the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to ensure that its retail outlets being opened nationwide reach a considerable parts of the country.
Saturday Tribune gathered that the mandate became necessary as the Federal Government is said to have resolved to address a situation where the independent marketers will not hold fuel consumers to ransom by refusing to lift fuel or cause artificial scarcity once the subsidy is removed.
The Federal Government, according to sources, who spoke with the Saturday Tribune on condition of anonymity, is yet to decide on the time the fuel subsidy will be removed, even as widespread condemnation has trailed the state governors’ call on the Federal Government for the planned removal.
Reports had indicated that President Goodluck Jonathan has been put under pressure by the state governors to remove fuel subsidy running into billions of naira as a precondition to pay the N18,000 minimum wage, which has been a contentious issue since the coming of new government on May 29, 2011.
The governors had initially been working towards getting the revenue sharing formula hiked to 42 per cent in favour of states to enable them pay the minimum wage to their workers conveniently.
Presidency source informed the Saturday Tribune that though the issue of fuel subsidy removal is topmost on the agenda, he, however, disclosed that the government would not rush into it just because the state governors made the call for “their own selfish reason.”
According to the source, the new government will stabilise itself before deciding on when and how the fuel subsidy removal policy would take effect.
Meanwhile, a cross section of the people who spoke with the Saturday Tribune in Abuja on the governors’ panicky call for fuel subsidy removal stated that the state chief executives had betrayed the trust of the people who voted them into power.
Mrs. Florence Ijeoma, an assistant director in one of the key ministries, described the call as highly insensitive to the plight of the common man.
According to her, because the civil servants in the states are clamouring for N18,000 minimum wage , the state governors, who have no hiding place unless they pay the money just wanted a situation where the money so collected by workers would have no impact on them.
An Independent petroleum marketer, Alhaji Hassan Ibn Ahmed, informed the Saturday Tribune that the removal of fuel subsidy at this time would greatly hurt the average Nigerian.
Condemning what he described as the governors’ hasty call for fuel subsidy removal, Alhaji Ahmed said the governors should have allowed the NNPC to complete its programme of having its retail outlets in all the nooks and crannies of the country before calling for subsidy removal.
Urging President Jonathan not to listen to the governors, the oil magnate said the ripple effects of oil subsidy removal at this point in time would be more than what the governors bargained for when crisis erupts.
A man of God, the General Overseer of Our Lords Vineyard, Rev. Pastor Adamu Sule, admonished the president not to listen to the governors whom he described as not having the love of their people at heart.
However, the governors have an ally in the person of the interim president of the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Enterprises (NASSI), Dr. Albert Akinyemi, who said the governors were right in demanding for fuel subsidy removal if that would increase the revenue accruable to the states and local government councils.
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
JAMB Releases 2011 UTME Results •Withholds 22, 664 Candidates’ Results •197 Prison Inmates Wrote Exam
THE Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has withheld about 22, 664 results of candidates who sat for the 2011 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UTME last Saturday for examination malpractices and further scrutiny.
Registrar and Chief Executive of JAMB, Professor ‘Dibu Ojerinde, made this known while announcing the release of the UTME results, in Abuja on Friday barely six days after its conduct.
This is coming just as the JAMB Registrar, has vowed to sanction any tertiary institution involved in late conduct of admissions by deleting the name of the institution from its brochure. This, by implication means the erring university, polytechnics or colleges of education, as the case may be would not be allowed to admit students for the session.
A total of 1, 493, 604 registered for the examination but the JAMB Registrar said only 1, 450, 143 candidates actually sat for the examination, indicating about 43, 461 absentees.
According to him, a total of 15, 160 results were withheld for examination malpractice representing 1.014 per cent of the candidates that sat for the examination, a drastic reduction in the cases of examination malpractices in the past JAMB examinations.
He said the results of about 7, 160 candidates mostly from Lagos, Rivers and Abia examination centres were questionable because of what he described as “centres of excellence” and that the results would be subjected to further scrutiny before there are released.
Prof. Ojerinde, said the biometric verification of candidates introduced by the Board scared away some of the mercenaries who were hired to sit for some registered candidates.
Ojerinde disclosed that the Board was also able to drastically reduce the high incidence of invalid or incomplete results. In 2010, a total of 96, 451 candidates’ results were withheld as invalid, with a total of 82, 000 of the results declared incomplete results because of improper shading.
However, this figure was reduced to 28, 069 this year because of intensive sensitization of examiners on the need to check candidates during examinations. “Our target is to totally eliminate this phenomenon by drumming it to our examiners to do checks on candidates during the examinations,” he said.
A total of 197 prison inmates mainly from Kaduna and Ikoyi Prions sat for the 2011 UTME.
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
Two Killed In Anambra Communal Clash •School, 11 buildings razed
The lingering communal crisis that has bedeviled the Owerre Ezukala and Ogbunka communities in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Friday, took a dangerous dimension when two persons were killed and about 11 houses burnt.
Briefing newsmen on the incident, the caretaker committee chairman of the Owerre Ezekala Improvement Union, Mr. Alphonsus Ikegwu, lamented that the people of the community have been living in fear occasioned by continuous invasion of the community by hoodlums from Egbunka who have intimidated, harassed and raped their women, adding that all efforts to bring the attention of government to the predicament of the people was yet to yield any result.
According to him, the two communities, which share ancestral ties, have been on warpath for more than three decades over boundary adjustments with Egbunka laying claim to the sole ownership of a stone quarry site located between the two communities.
Ikegwu, who disclosed that most indigenes of Owerre Ezukala could no longer visit their village for fear of being kidnapped or killed as the only road to the village is through Egbunka village, maintained that their plea was for government to mobilise security personnel to maintain law and order and ensure security of lives and property. He added that they are law-abiding and cannot take up arms in self-defense.
The visibly shaken community leader insisted that government has not done enough to restore peace and order in the crisis-torn communities, stressing that all pleas and letters to Anambra State governor, the state Commissioner of Police and other relevant authorities had not been given the seriousness it deserved.
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
PDP Blames ACN For Pre-election Violence In A/Ibom
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has laid the blame for the March 22, 2011 carnage in the state at the doorstep of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
The party attributed the remote cause of the mayhem to the “inordinate ambition” and “desperation” of the ACN gubernatorial candidate, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, by employing “thuggery” to pursue his ambition.
Chairman of PDP in the state, Prince Uwem Ita Etuk, made the assertion in his presentation before the presidential fact-finding committee on pre and post-election violence in Akwa Ibom and other states of the federation sitting in Uyo.
Represented by the state legal adviser of the party, Mr. Dominic Okon, the PDP recounted how thugs allegedly engaged by the ACN had unleashed mayhem on Ikot Ekpene and Uyo, leaving in their trail, the death of two PDP supporters and burning of property belonging to the party, including the president’s campaign office and about 1,000 new cars and tricycles acquired by the state government to ease public transportation.
Prince Ita Etuk said it was curious that the ACN had claimed that his party was the aggressor, but could not present evidence of any of their members who was injured or killed in the mayhem, or the property belonging to the ACN or its members which was destroyed in the inferno.
Counsel for the ACN, Barrister Andem Ndem, had tried to persuade the panel that the pre-election violence in the state erupted because the PDP had allegedly prevented other parties from campaigning in Ikot Ekpene, a view which was debunked by many witnesses, who confirmed that the ACN had actually held its rally in the city unmolested until it decided to attack members of the PDP.
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
Boko Haram: Trial of seven cops stirs anger in Police
The ongoing trial of seven police officers for allegedly killing the leader of the radical Boko Haram Islamic sect, Mohammed Yusuf, his father-in-law, Baa Fugu Mohammed, and an alleged financier of the group, Buji Foi, is causing ripples in the Nigeria Police Force, it was learnt yesterday.
Yusuf was shot dead in July 2009 during one of the crises masterminded by the Boko Haram. Since then, the sect has allegedly engaged in a series of bombings and killing of policemen which culminated in the bombing of the Police Force Headquarters last week Thursday in Abuja.
A senior police officer, who spoke under condition of anonymity ,told our correspondent that most officers and men of the force are angry over the issue.
The source said officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force were not happy over the terrorism charges preferred against them because four of the accused officers had already been suspended with three others dismissed.
He contended that though Mohammed Yusuf died in "questionable circumstances" during the Boko Haram’s uprising in Maiduguri,there were many police officers and members of their families who also lost their lives."
"How can the officers be facing terrorism charges for what they allegedly did while fighting terrorists? Yusuf, the leader of the group, died in questionable circumstances after his arrest during the sect’s uprising, but many police stations and patrol vehicles were also burnt. Many of our officers and members of their families were also murdered then and up till now they are still being killed by members of the sect.
"To be candid with you, the development has not gone down well with most officers who feel the accused persons are being unjustly persecuted to please people in certain quarters. But one thing is clear, the trial is not good for the morale of officers and members of the rank and file," the source said.
Another source said: "What do they expect the police to do when they are being killed and attacked by the Boko Haram? Do they expect them to fold their hands until all of them are wiped out? This is rather unfortunate?
"If they are trying them for terrorism, who will try those who killed our officers and members of their families during the crisis and thereafter?"
Investigations by The Nation revealed that four of the accused officers were suspended from the force with effect from July 7, 2010 while three others were dismissed.
While those suspended included Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) John Abang, ACP Muhammed Akeera Yoonus, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Mohammed Ahmadu and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mada Babu; those dismissed from the force were Sergeant Adamu Gado, Corporal Anthony Samuel and Corporal Linus Luka.
According to a copy of a brief on the charge number FHC/ABS/KD/10C/2011 which was sighted by our correspondent in Abuja, the investigating team said: "Sequel to wide outcry after the airing in Aljazeera Cable Network which depicted extra judicial killings of the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Muhammadu Yusuf, and his followers on July 30, 2009 by some members of the NPF, apparently in response to the sect’s sustained attacks on police properties and other government buildings and facilities and killing of members of the force, the IGP directed a discreet investigation aimed at fishing out the police officers involved.
Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide
Friday, June 24, 2011
Seven INEC Staff Arrested Over Election Materials
Ekiti State Police Command has nabbed seven staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for allegedly doctoring electoral materials used in April general elections.
The workers were said to have been caught in the act at an undisclosed hotel in Omuo-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government area of the state.
Their motive was not immediately known. Vanguard however, gathered that they were working for unnamed politicians in the area in attempt to use the doctored electoral materials as evidence in the state Election Petition Tribunal.
The suspects, currently detained at the headquarters of the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, in Ado Ekiti, were said to have been arrested while invalidating ballot papers used in the April election.
The identity of the suspects were unknown at press time.
But one of the suspects was said to have been arrested for similar offence in the 2009 rerun, when he was said to have been caught with election materials and detained at the Okesa Police Station in Ado Ekiti.
Why I elevated Justice Odili to Supreme Court bench – Katsina-Alu
In his bid to quell the controversy trailing the elevation of wife of former governor of Rivers State, Justice Mary Peter Odili, to the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, yesterday, insisted that the decision was taken to meet the 35% affirmative action promised women by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The CJN, who made this discloure while swearing-in two new justices of the Supreme Court in Abuja yesterday, said he was delighted by the fact that the decision increased the number of female justices in the apex court bench to three.
Administering oath of office on the newly appointed Justices of the Supreme Court, Justice Odili and Justice N. S Ngwuta, the CJN maintained that the action had “no doubt met the yearning and aspirations of women in Nigeria and, indeed, the world over.”
According to him, “this day is, indeed, significant because we have just witnessed the swearing-in of another female Justice of this Honourable court, Hon. Justice Mary Peter-Odili.
“This brings to three the number of female Justices in the Supreme Court of Nigeria. You may wish to recall that on the 8th June, 2005, the first female Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, was sworn-in.”
Justice Olufunlola Oyelola Adekeye, who was elevated to the apex court in March 2009, completes the list of female jurists currently on the bench.
Tasking the new justices to shun every form of judicial malpractice, the CJN said he was confident that they would discharge their duties in accordance with the oath of office they subscribed to yesterday.
“The work of the Supreme Court, as you all know, is very demanding and, ,at the same time, very challenging. I am pretty sure you are equal to the task. It, therefore, behoves you to join hands with your brother justices of this court in order to continue to sustain the confidence of the general public and the judiciary.
“The code of conduct for judicial officers is there always to guide you. I have every confidence that you will not fail this court and nation. I urge you to strive hard to discharge your duties in accordance with the oath of office you have subscribed to, having the fear of Almighty God in your hearts and always following the dictates of your conscience,” he added.
The duo, before yesterday, served as justices of the Appeal Court.
Their appointment has increased the total number of justices at the apex court bench to 15.
They were recommended for the position by the National Judicial Council, NJC, following the recent retirement from service of Justices G. A. Oguntade, J.O. Ogebe, Nikli Tobi and I.F. Ogbuagu.
1999 Constitution stale, says S’West senators – The Guardian
Seek true federalism, fewer political appointees
Yoruba leaders lament zone’s loss of Speaker’s slot
Ajibola, Fasehun warn against killings
FOR the nation to enjoy true federalism, security and a robust economy that guarantees equitable distribution of wealth, the 1999 constitution must be replaced with a better one.
This was the stance of senators from the South West geo-political zone who met in Lagos yesterday.
Also, Yoruba elders under the aegis of Yoruba Unity Forum met in Ikenne, Ogun State country home of the late political leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to deliberate on the affairs of the nation.
The meeting which was presided over by the matriarch of the Awolowo family, Chief Hanna Idowu Dideolu Awolowo was attended by Fredrick Fasehun, Senator Femi Okunronmu, Adedapo Aderemi, Bola Ajibola, Gen. Oladipo Diya, Koforola Bucknor Akerele. The rest were Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Alhaji Lateef Arapaja and Senator Tony Adefuye.
Soldiers, policemen clash again in Lagos – Nation
There was pandemonium yesterday at Obanikoro, Lagos Mainland where soldiers clashed with policemen who were enforcing the law restraining motorists from plying the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane.
The incident, which occurred at 9am, came barely few weeks after a similar clash in Badagry led to the killing of three senior police officers.
An eye witness, Mrs. Esther Okafor, said the enforcement team was at work when two military officers were stopped by the policemen.
BankPHB ex-MD Atuche gets N50m bail
A Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, yesterday granted former Managing Director of Bank PHB Plc, Mr Francis Atuche, bail for N50 million with two sureties in like sum.
The sureties, the court ruled, must be working Lagos residents, one of whom must be on the board of a corporate entity with head office in Lagos or Abuja.
One of the sureties must have property worth N50million in Lagos, Justice Lateefat Okunnu ruled.
She barred Atuche from traveling abroad until the case is decided, except on the court’s permission, adding that he should report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) every first working day of the month.
The EFCC arraigned Atuche with his wife, Elizabeth, and a former Bank PHB Chief Financial Officer, Mr Ugo Anyanwu, over alleged theft of the bank’s N25.7 billion.
Atuche is also facing two other charges bordering on theft before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the same court.
Justice Onigbanjo had granted him bail on the existing conditions given him by the Federal High Court, Lagos, where he is facing other criminal charges.
But in yesterday’s ruling, Justice Okunnu said she would not adopt the same bail terms as the other courts’.
She refused to grant Atuche bail on the basis of earlier bails granted him by the courts, which the bank chief had prayed for.
Justice Okunnu held that she did not see any merit in Atuche’s claim that EFCC acted in malice or wanted to embarrass him.
She said case before her was not similar to the one at the Federal High Court and that the EFCC has the right to try him in any court in Nigeria under a state law.
“I am of the firm view that this is not a case of abuse of court process. The matter before the Federal High Court and the one before me have not been shown to be one and the same. The issue of double jeopardy does not arise,” Justice Okunnu had said.
Atuche’s trial will begin on July 5. The other defendants had earlier been granted bail because they did not challenge the court’s jurisdiction.
Jonathan weighs options on fuel subsidy removal
ADVOCATES of a new revenue allocation formula are likely to win their battle, sources said last night.
Leading the battle are governors, who are facing pressure from workers demanding a new minimum wage – N18,000.
The governors formed a seven-man committee, led by Governors Forum Chairman and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, to tell the President that fuel subsidy should be removed and a new revenue formula, which will give the states more cash – in line with their responsibilities – should be worked out.
“The President accepted the proposals in principle,” a source close to the Presidential Villa Wednesday meeting said, adding that “he is weighing the options”.
Reminded of the effect of the removal of subsidy (petrol price will rise, just as diesel is sky rocketing), the source, who pleaded not to be named, said: “I think it will be structured in a way that it will cause little or no pains. They realise the potential danger. I think it’s part of the economic planning.”
Labour has advised the government against the removal of subsidy, saying it will deepen the hardship in the land and fatten the purses of big businesses.
In Lagos yesterday, Governor Babatunde Fashola said the state would pay more than N18,000, if its allocation from the Federal purse is raised to meet its numerous needs.
Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi restated the need for the review of the revenue allocation formula to enable states have more money to attend to their developmental needs. He said workers deserve the N18,000, even though most states do not have the capacity to fullfil the obligation.
Fayemi, who spoke to reporters at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, supported the advocacy for the removal of fuel subsidy, which he said should not be extended to kerosine, which is used by low income earners.
He said: “First of all, we are looking for all available opportunity to make things relatively easier for us to comply with the law.
“All of us agree that the national minimum wage is a law; it is an Act of parliament. We are not abusers of the rule of law because we are products of the rule of law. To that extent, we all believe that if this is the law, we would have to comply with it.
“However, we also know that the capacity of the states to meet that obligation is highly in doubt. And the Federal Government, as well as the state governments, which are federating units, must come together and find a mechanism for achieving this objective, because we don’t believe that N18,000 is too much to pay workers. But in order to fulfil that, we must first of all have the money to pay.
“So, it is not a question of we will not pay; the resources are not there. How do we then get the resources in order to achieve our objective. That is the fulcrum of the discussion with Mr. President. And it was in that contest that the whole question of subsidy came in.”
On the impact the removal of fuel subsidy will have on low income earners, Fayemi said: “Well, this is a serious discussion we all have to have as Nigerians. We need to come to some definite realisation as to the best mechanism for making life more abundant for our people.
“Subsidy, naturally is not a choice we all want to go for, but we also know that it is really not the poor people who are also benefiting from the subsidy. It is those who are relatively well of that are benefiting from the subsidy. And as a result of that, the bulk of the fuel actually gets smuggled out of the country because it is cheap.
“So, I think that is the mechanism that we must look at so that it can be graduated. Things that directly affect poor people should be left out of this subsidy question, kerosene for example. But things that really focus on people that are relatively well of, and that can help us improve public transport. For example, we don’t need everybody to drive to work, provided that there is an alternative that makes it easier for people to get to work without having to suffer too much of indignity in the process.”
Fayemi spoke of plans by Southwest states to forge economic integration.
He said: “For example, we in the Southwest are talking about a great western rail that will enable people not only to leave Ekiti at 7am and get to Lagos at 9am to work, but also return at 5pm and get to Ekiti at 7pm so that they can have their breakfast before leaving home and have their dinner when they get home.”
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, also yesterday, said the state could pay its work force more than N18, 000 minimum wage, if the Federal Government increases its monthly allocation.
Ogun mission school owners sue Ibikunle Amosun
The Christian Missions in Ogun State yesterday made good their threat, as they dragged the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun to court, over the planned reversal of the past administration’s decision to return schools to their original owners.
In the suit filed by the body with reference number AB/161/2011, they sought an interlocutory injunction restraining him (Mr Amosun) from taking back the mission schools which had earlier been returned to them.
Also joined in the suit are the State House of Assembly, Ministry of Education, Technology and Science and the State Executive Council, just as the body insisted that the government should respect the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between both parties.
It would be recalled that the immediate past administration of Gbenga Daniel had in 2009 returned 23 out of the 468 secondary schools in the state to their original owners.
However, the state House of Assembly, under the leadership of Tunji Egbetokun, as the Speaker had at its end of the tenure of the legislative work passed a motion for the reversal of the return of the schools.
Unlawful decision
The assembly had faulted Mr Daniel’s decision in returning the schools back to the mission, and called on Mr Amosun’s government to reverse the decision and the process repeated again.
But reacting then, the Christian Community frowned at the resolution and threatened to take the state government to court if it carried out the resolution.
The Christian mission in the suit, prayed the court to restrain the defendants from applying the provisions of sections 3 and 4 of the Education (Post-primary institutions) (Special Provisions) Law, Cap 36, Laws of Ogun State.
The claimants in the originating summons want the court to determine whether the House of Assembly Resolution No. 251 – Reversal of Illegal Return of Schools to Initial Owners – moved and passed on June 1 was lawful.
Similarly, the court was also asked to determine whether it was within the legislative functions of the assembly under Sections 100 and 128 of the 1999 Constitution or any other law to reverse the exercise of the power of the state executive council.
They also prayed the court to declare the purported House Resolution 251 as unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect. However, the date for the hearing of the suit has not been fixed as at the time of filing this report.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
