PDP and the Local Government Elections

With violence and voters apathy, the Peoples Democratic Party is said to have "swept" the local government elections, which, as usual, was marred by irregularities. From the Vanguard news desk, Enugu State recorded two deaths while five people in Oyo were shot and about 130 violent youths apprehended. It is becoming obvious that after 8 years of experiment in what supposedly should have guided a nation in its Fourth Republic on a series of trials in its democratic dispensation, nothing much has changed with the kind of election results that was just released. How can a single party win most, if not all, of the votes in every constituency the election was conducted?

Winning 30 local government slots in Osun State, 230 slots of 20 local government in Ogun state, 15 of 16 slots in Enugu State where two people died due to election violence and all the contested spots in Ondo State, PDP must be up to something, which means lessons are not learnt from the past 8 years of election fraud. It is a mockery of the nation's neo-democratic fabric and until electoral reforms are effected, the situations will remain the same.

News Desk Sunday, December 16, 2007

Violence, apathy mar council poll

ELECTION and violence in the countryproved inseparable as the election into local government councils held in some states yesterday was characterized by violence.
The election which took place in some states controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was equally marred by voters apathy. MORE>>>

Ibori:Militants Threaten Fresh Attacks

THE fragile peace in the Niger Delta may be halted with the series of stern warnings yesterday by three militant groups in the restive oil-rich region. Beginning from tomorrow, the militants have vowed to resume kidnappings and disruption of oil production in the area due to the arrest and detention of former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori. MORE>>>

EFCC: I Can Now Clear Myself, Says Ibori

Former Governor of Delta, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, has said that despite his detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Commission’s case against him at the Kaduna High Court, he now has the chance to cleanse his name in the court of law. MORE>>>

The case against el-Rufai - Yar’Adua, presidency take over probe - The inside details

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is not a stranger in the power arena in the country, just like his compatriot and successor, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar. The duo understand power and the awesome authority it breeds. MORE>>>

Yar’Adua’s cold shoulders
OBJ begs Atiku

Just seven months out of power, former President Olusegun Obasanjo is already feeling vulnerable to the extent that he has started begging his former deputy turned implacable political foe, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for forgiveness. MORE>>>

Bank PHB, Peugeot Introduces Easy Car Ownership

Owing to the need to provide cars for all Nigerians, Bank PHB in partnership with Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria Limited, have introduced a scheme whereby middle income earners would be owners of their own cars with ease. The scheme which was tagged, Peugeot Ownership Made Easy, allows Bank PHB to pay 80% of the cost while customers enjoy their cars at the payment of only 20% and a 5% interest as they enjoy the car. MORE>>>

Outlawed Bakassi Boys Back In Abia

The dreaded Bakassi Boys of Abia State banned in 2002 by the federal government are back in the state and are already parading, menacingly, in the streets of Umuahia, the state capital and Aba, its commercial city. MORE>>>

The Week in Review

On a sad note, the week ends with an order by Cameroonian soldiers giving Nigerians living in the Bakassi Peninsula up to today to vacate the said territory despite the original "August 28, 2008 pull-out date." Earlier in the week, President Umar Yar'Adua had written the senate asking for ratification of the Green Trees Agreement which sought the handing over of the peninsula to Cameroon. The Nigerian fishermen whose source of livelihood in the area are beginning to tell their ordeal since Nigerian soldiers left the peninsula last year. Anietie Akpan of Guardian Newspapers reports from Calabar:

"...Narrating their ordeal to The Guardian in Ibibio language in Abana, one of the fishermen, Mr Etim Udo Inyang said: "On Wednesday (December 12), some Cameroun soldiers who have occupied this place since our (Nigerian) soldiers left last year, came to us and said we must leave on or before December 15, otherwise there will be problem." "For fear of being maltreated and my fishing instrument seized from me, I have left Atabong to stay in Abana (headquarters) of Bakassi. I don't know what will happen next," Inyang added. Chairman of Bakassi Council, Chief Emmanuel Etene, confirmed the incident. He said: " Reports reaching us from our people at Ekpot Abia, that is, Atabong East in Bakassi, is that on Wednesday December 12, the Camerounian soldiers there gave Nigerians living there until December 15 (today) to leave the territory otherwise they will face the consequences..."

Interestingly, the Federal Government of Nigeria is getting serious about franchise, starting from its fire service which had been monopolized by the center since independence. According to Deji Elumoye of This Day, the federal governmend has summed up handing over the federal fire service to the states. This was made known by the Minister of Interior, retired Major General Godwin Abbe while paying a courtesy call to Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola. It's about time, I guess, and hopefully the Nigerian Police Force would follow, meaning our respective communities would be policed by the people we know, people we perhaps eat and dine with which sets the tone for a thorough democratic fabric.

Religious riots resurfaced again in the state of Bauchi where Churches and mosques were razed to the ground by religious fanatics who had complained about a mosque being built by a secondary school in Kagadama. Perhaps the 2000 Sharia riots in the North wasn't much lesson to be learnt.

The construction of Primary Health Care Centers in the nation's 774 local governments initiated by the Olusegun Obasanjo's administration was cancelled by the National Economic Council on the ground the decision was unconstitutional coupled with "irregular" deduction of money from the accounts of the local governments. Vanguard's Ben Agande writes;

"THE National Economic Council, yesterday, cancelled the contract awarded by the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo for the construction of Primary Health Care Centres in the 774 local governments in the country, saying the contract was not only unconstitutional, the deduction of money from the accounts of the local governments was irregular. President Umaru Yar'Adua had set up a committee to investigate the deduction of money from the accounts of local governments in the country to fund the construction of the Primary Health Care Centres following an outcry from local and state governments that they were not consulted before the decision to deduct the money from local government accounts was made. Mathan Nigeria Limited won the contract for the construction of the primary health care centres in the 774 Local Government Areas of the country. The then Minister of Information and Communications, Mr Frank Nweke, had alleged that the leadership of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria was taken along before the contracts were awarded. But announcing the suspension of the contract in August this year, the Minister of Finance, Dr Shamsudeen Usman, explained that some illegalities had been detected in the deductions. He explained that “as at now, N18 billion has been deducted although not all of that has been paid over to the contractors. N3.7 billion deducted for July has not been remitted and that is being kept in an escrow account in the CBN."

In today's news, the tabloid, Daily Sun reports that the presidency is now panicking since the arrest of former Delta State Governor, James Onanefe Ibori on too many complicated reasons from the ex-governors days as intelligence czar. Heads about to roll or just blowing hot air?

Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Abdulahi Bayawo was yesterday arraingned at a Lagos High Court for helping drug smugglers escape. He was indicted on a six-count charge for drug related offences using his position to aid drug suspects.

The ex-governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose landed himself in Economic and Financial Crimes Commision (EFCC) net while paying a surprise visit to the commission at its Ikoyi, Lagos office. The weeping Fayose who is also facing murder charges in Ekiti State will be flown to Kaduna next week and charged for the crimes levelled against him. Sesan Olufowobi and Tony Amokeodo of The Punch reports:

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, on Friday broke down and wept at the Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to the bewilderment of the commission’s officials who had to urge him to calm down.According to an official of the commission, who requested that his name be withheld because he was not the spokesman, the former governor had to mop his tears with three handkerchiefs. The source said that while he shed tears, Fayose kept blaming his bosom friend, Gbenga James, for his predicament, saying he knew nothing about the fraud in the poultry contract handled by James. He also claimed that the car James bought for his mother was before the contract and not a gratification as was suggested in the media. Fayose’s conduct at the EFCC’s office contrasted sharply with his initial posture when he arrived the office at about 11 am.

The visiting Nigerian President, Yar'Adua has reversed his earlier decision and agreed to work with Africa High Command (AFRICOM) in achieving its peace initiatives on the shores of the African Continent. Security in Nigeria, the Gulf of Guinea, Education, HIV/AIDS were among other things discussed with President George Bush. "I briefed him on our current strides to change things in Nigeria and our commitment to equity, fairness, good governance, transparency and accountability," Yar'Adua told reporters.

The Hype of Arrests and Corrupt Politicians in Nigeria

I am just laughing my black ass off taking a look at what the jokers have turned Nigeria into. Reading today's news, I'm still cracking up and I think it's now affecting my ribs. Today you will hear that one "vagabond in power" is arrested for stealing public funds and on the next breath the story dramatically changes, and the so-called vagabond in power is released on bail never to be charged again. Then, the media hype trails the story and when one vulnereable journalist or arranger gets paid, the whole brouhaha dies, just like that. The arrest of former governor of Delta State, James Onanefe "Odigborigbo" Ibori shouldn't be any different from the arrests of Orji Kalu, Joshua Dariye, Jolly Tevoru and the rest former rogue politicians who were bent on stealing public funds. As Ibori would be probably charged today in a Kaduna Court and probably remanded in custody or granted bail, it is most likely that a deal would be struck in his favor, as long as he's got the cash that would enable him get back on the streets. No big deal! Kalu is out there still talking with no sign of his case popping up in the courts anytime soon.

But one begins to wonder, of all the arrests and threats to arrest, no one including Mallam Ribadu's EFCC has mentioned or given the public a clue why the former governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, shouldn't by now be arrested for the damages and pains he caused to the people of Imo. Udenwa stole from all angles and yet he is scot-free and nobody is mentioning his name for looting the treasury of Imo State. If one should take a closer look, Ibori is a saint compared to Udenwa which makes the whole arrest thing a big joke and a mockery of Nigeria's fledgling democratic fabric. I'm not sure if the nations top cop, Ribadu, is taking a closer look judging from public opinion when he is making all these arrests and leaving out the culprits who destroyed every aspect of civil liberty.

Let's just take a look at charges levelled against public officials since the beginning of the Fourth Republic. It's too numerous to mention, but the fact of the matter is none of the subjects spent time in jail with the exception of the former police chief, Tafa Balogun.

And while Ibori's arrest is all over the news, a sitting governor in one of the North Western states is said to be under the microscope of EFCC for inflated contracts in the said state. Idowu Samuel of the Nigerian Tribune reports:

A governor from one of the North West states is said to have attracted the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by awarding contracts running into several billions of naira without recourse to due process. The state governor, who himself had probed his predecessor for alleged corrupt enrichment, according to Nigerian Tribune investigations, is now being probed by the EFCC following tips from aggrieved members of his cabinet. A petition by some members of his government now before the anti-graft agency was said to have alleged that the governor had been using his relatives and fronts in the award of contracts. The petitioners had prayed the EFCC to investigate the governor for money laundering. They claimed that all the contracts being handled by the fronts and relations were not listed in the budget. They also claimed that the contracts did not pass through the tenders’ board, thereby violating Due Process in the award process. A top source at the EFCC confirmed that the governor was one of those being investigated.


Ending up this note, it has been confirmed that Ibori bribed EFCC officials with $15m. Imagine, and Desmond Utomwen and Adi Femi of The News reports from the High Court sitting in Kaduna:

Details of how former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, attempted to subvert justice by bribing EFCC officials with $15 million (about N1.8 billion) emerged this morning at the Federal High Court, Kaduna, where he is being tried for alleged money laundering.

Ibori and four others were this morning arraigned on a 103-count charge of money laundering and abuse of office.

The EFCC, in one of the charges, alleged that Ibori on 26 April, 2007 made a cash payment of N1.8 billion ($15m) to EFCC investigators in order to influence their investigation.

According to the EFCC, the offence is contrary to and punishable under section 15(2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

The EFCC also alleged that Ibori on 31 December, 2004, collaborated with Lipopo Nigeria Limited to conceal the genuine origin of the sum of N280 million to buy Afribank shares in the names of fictitious persons.

Another charge accused him of collaborating with Kent to conceal the genuine origin of N220 million by using same to buy Afribank shares in the name of fictitious persons.

Ibori was also alleged to have transferred the sum of N5 billion from the account of the Delta State government to buy shares from Afribank with a fictitious company.

He was alleged to have also transferred N5 million to his personal account at Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) illegally from the account of the Delta State government, “and which you knew represent the proceeds of crime with the aim of concealing the nature of crime”.

Another charge against him reads: “That you, James Onanefe Ibori on 10 November 2004, transferred N1 million to your personal account at GTB which forms part of the fund from the account of the Delta State government.”

The presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Lawal Shuaibu, refused to grant him bail based on the submission of the EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, that he might jump bail.

Jacobs buttressed his argument with the fact that Ibori had been convicted twice in England for fraud related charges and that he might abscond if granted bail.

Even though Ibori’s counsel, Daudu, pleaded with the court to grant him bail, Justice Shuaibu declined to do so and ordered that he be remanded in EFCC custody until Monday, 17 December, when the court is expected to further consider his application for bail.

Security was tight at the premises of the court as armed anti-riot policemen frisked lawyers and judicial staff moving into the premises.

Despite the tight security, some protesting youths were seen with placards commending the EFCC for a job well done.

The inscriptions on some of the placards read: “ICPC, EFCC, CCB, Well Done’; ‘No Hiding place for corrupt leaders’; ‘With leaders like Ibori, Niger Delta Doesn’t need an enemy’; ‘No To Black Market Rule of Law’, etc.

Ibori was arrested yesterday by officials of EFCC at about 11 a.m. at his Asokoro residence in Abuja and taken to the EFCC office where he is currently being interrogated.

He was said to have escaped to the Kwara State government lodge in Abuja when he discovered the presence of EFCC officials around his house.

His arrest brought to an end the cat and mouse game between him and EFCC officials who have been trying to bring him to book to answer charges bordering on alleged financial impropriety while he was governor of Delta State between May 1999 and May 2007.

The London Metropolitan Police had earlier arrested his wife, Theresa Nkoyo, while she was about to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to Lagos.

The police said her arrest was “in connection with an ongoing money laundering enquiry.”

Ibori has been the subject of money laundering investigation in the UK, where his assets, worth N5 billion, have been frozen.

The investigating team of the Metropolitan Police has made several visits to Nigeria on the matter.

Also under arrest were some of Ibori’s associates, including Adebimpe Pogoson, described as Ibori’s special assistant, who is said to control a number of companies and bank accounts in Nigeria and several other countries; Christine Ibori-Ebie, James Ibori’s sister and Udoamaka Okoronkwo Onuigbo, said to be James Ibori’s banker.

Under probe are companies and properties said to belong to Ibori, such as Haleway Properties Ltd., Gibraltar; the property at 7, Westover Hill in the UK, valued at over 4 million pounds; the property at 42, Great Ground Street, Shaftsbury also in the UK and the company called Telston Quaye Ltd., (British Virgin Island).

Among allegations levelled against him were that he paid $20 million to Bombardier Inc. of Canada, an aircraft manufacturer, for the purpose of buying a plane.

Also being investigated is a London Barclays Bank account in the name of MER Engineering.

About 2.3 million pounds in deposits were traced to the account as payments by Chevron and NNPC.

The saga continues!

News Desk Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Yar'Adua asks Senate to okay Bakassi handover

PRESIDENT Umaru Yar’Adua has written the Senate seeking ratification of the Green Trees Agreement handing over the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon. The Senate, however, wants to hold public hearing on the issue before ratifying it. MORE>>>

Appeal Court voids Public Order Act

ANOTHER milestone was yesterday recorded in Nigeria's bid to enthrone constitutional democracy and guarantee the citizens' right to congregate as the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, yesterday struck down the Public Order Act. MORE>>>

Presidential polls: INEC loses bid to stop Atiku’s petition

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday failed in its bid to get the petition of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar challenging the April 21 2007 presidential
election thrown out by the Supreme Court on the grounds of incompetence. MORE>>>

Religious Riot Breaks Out in Bauchi

Religious crisis reared its ugly head again yesterday in ancient Bauchi city as fighting broke out in Kagadama area of the metropolis following the alleged demolition of a mosque by unidentified people. MORE>>>

FG Hands Over Federal Fire Service to States

The Federal Government has concluded plans to decentralize the operations of the federal fire service stations across the country To this end, the federal fire service stations in all the 36 states of the federation are to be handed over to the respective state governments for maximum efficiency and effectiveness of the service. MORE>>>

News Desk Tuesday, December 11, 2007

FG cancels Obasanjo's healthcare

THE National Economic Council, yesterday, cancelled the contract awarded by the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo for the construction of Primary Health Care Centres in the 774 local governments in the country, saying the contract was not only unconstitutional, the deduction of money from the accounts of the local governments was irregular. MORE>>>

Siemens scam: EFCC operatives back from Germany

Probe into the Siemens bribe-for-contract scam involving notable Nigerians is now at advanced stage as a high-powered delegation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has completed its first visit to Germany. MORE>>>

Ige, others: Soyinka demands independent probe

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has advised the Federal Government not to leave the planned reopening of all unresolved political murder cases in the country in the hands of the police alone. Instead, he said an independent commission of inquiry on whose foundation the police could build on, should be set up to investigate the cases. MORE>>>

News Desk Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Nnamani faces 124 fresh charges

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday slammed 124 fresh charges of fraud and money laundering against the immediate past governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chinwoke Nnamani, following the withdrawal of the 105-count charge initially filed against him. MORE>>>

I'm not afraid of EFCC— Orji Kalu

ABUJA—Former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday, declared that he was not afraid of the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) because he had nothing to hide and would use the judicial process to defend his name. MORE>>>

British lawyers stole N76m from Dariye, Alams’ loots - FG

BRITISH lawyers that handled the money laundering cases of former Bayelsa and Plateau State governors, Chief Diepreye Alamieyesiegha and Chief Joshua Dariye in London, tampered with the recovered monies, the Federal Government revealed on Tuesday in Abuja. MORE>>>

Yar'Adua to visit U.S. next week

Nigeria`s President Umaru Yar`Adua is expected in Washington DC next week on a four-day working visit to the US, a diplomatic source told PANA here Wednesday. President Yar'Adua will arrive 12 December for official engagements in Washington and will return to Abuja, the Nigerian capital, 15 December, the source said, without disclosing details of the visit. MORE>>>

Genoil and Aquamation Announce Commencement of Work

Genoil Inc. (TSX VENTURE: GNO)(OTCBB: GNOLF) and Aquamation, Inc. announced today that Genoil has commenced work on Aquamation's Geregu and Abeokuta Gas Metering Plants in Nigeria. Both projects are underway for the Nigerian Gas Company (a wholly owned subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Company) and on behalf of Zakhem Construction - Nigeria. Aquamation and Genoil will perform these projects under the previously announced Joint Operating Agreement between the companies. MORE>>>

Oil Prices Fall To 88 A Barrel Ahead Of OPEC Meeting

New York, NY (AHN) - Oil prices fell to $88 a barrel Tuesday on mixed signals about a possible spike in output as members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries are scheduled to meet this week. MORE>>>

News Desk Sunday, December 2, 2007

No to fuel price hike — FG * vow to stick to pact with Labour

“Government had an understanding with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) that until June 2008 there will be no upward adjustment of prices of petroleum products. Government is committed to honouring the agreement with NLC. Government has no intention to increase prices. I was just contributing to a very sensitive debate, and that is all”, he declared. MORE>>>

Theophilus Danjuma @ 70
.Mistakes I made during Biafra war

Warming up for his 70th birthday bash, former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, has sensationally revealed the most prized secret of his military adventures, even as he prepares to hand over the baton of entrepreneurship to his kids. MORE>>>

How N1b inducement split INEC

Unknown to the electorate in Nigeria, some contestants in the last April general elections, including a presidential aspirant and two governorship aspirants planned to scuttle the elections by creating crisis within the Independent National Electoral Commission with an offer of a N1 billion inducement to top officials. MORE>>>

Reps set to reconcile OBJ, Atiku, IBB, Buhari, others

The initiative as conceived would involve bringing the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, his former Deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, General Muhammadu Buhari, General Aliyu Gusau and others to a round table to iron out their areas of differences. MORE>>>

Niger Gov Blasts IBB, Abdulsalami

Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has said he is disappointed over the non-challant attitude of elder statesmen from the state including former military presidents, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) and General Abdulsalami Abubakar(rtd), to the feud between him and his predecessor, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kure. MORE>>>

Yar’Adua warns Army on indiscipline, missing arms

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has warned that the Federal Government would not tolerate any acts of indiscipline by members of the armed forces. He gave the warning at the closing session of this year’s Army Training Exercise at the Nigerian Army Training Centre in Kontagora, Niger State. MORE>>>

News Desk Friday, November 30, 2007

Bakassi stays in Cameroon, says FG

IRRESPECTIVE of the objection by the Senate to the manner the Obasanjo Administration ceded the Bakasi Peninsula to the Cameroon, Nigeria will not renege on the hand-over agreement with Yaounde, Chairman of the Nigeria-Cameroun Mixed Commission, Prince Bola Ajibola, declared yesterday. MORE>>>

How Abacha Strike Force killed Kudi Abiola—Witness

THE driver of Alhaji Mohammed Abacha, Mohammed Abdul (a.k.a. Katako), yesterday at an Ikeja High Court, Lagos gave a graphic account of how he and other members of the late General Sani Abacha’s Strike Force killed Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late Chief MKO Abiola, in 1996 in Lagos. MORE>>>

10 Militants Paraded For Threatening To Blow Up Oil Installations

The State Security Services (SSS) on Thursday in Abuja paraded 10 suspected members of the Niger Delta Youth Coalition for allegedly threatening to blow up oil installations in the Niger Delta. The suspects were said to have made the threat through a letter to President Umaru Yar'Adua. MORE>>>

Bakassi Handover Stands, Says Ajibola

The Federal Government has ruled out the possibility of revisiting the Bakassi issue, maintaining that the decision of the International Court of Justice to cede the oil-rich Peninsula to Cameroon was binding on Nigeria with or without the ratification of the National Assembly. MORE>>>

Nigeria Experiences Crime Boom

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Men carrying AK-47s leap from late-model Mercedes Benz sedans and burst into a Tex-Mex restaurant, training their weapons on tables crowded with foreign workers, greasy fajita pans, Corona beer bottles and ashtrays. MORE>>>

PDP - Ali Must Go Next Year

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that its National Chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, has no intention of extending his tenure till 2009, adding that he is willing and ready to go after the party's national convention. MORE>>>

IN GLOBAL NEWS:

56 Killed in Plane Crash in Turkey (WASHINGTON POST)

Cameroon gorillas returning home (BBC NEWS)

More work needed to hit UN world school goal - report (REUTERS)

Ugandan justice failing war's rape victims-Amnesty (ALERT NET)

Immigrants' children grow fluent in English, study says (LOS ANGELES TIMES)

Iraq Lacks Plan on the Return of Refugees, Military Says (THE NEW YORK TIMES)

Videos Show U.S. Hostages In Colombia (CBS NEWS)

News Desk Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Tribunal Nullifies Election Of Plateau Speaker

The Plateau State Elections Petition Tribunal yesterday delivered a landmark judgment by nullifying the election of the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Emmanuel Goar. The tribunal held that Mr. Goar was not duly elected and thereby ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections within 90 days into Pankshin-North Constituency of the House of Assembly. MORE>>>

How Kudirat’s Murder was Hatched, By Witness

The trial of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd), continued yesterday at an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, with the former driver to Alhaji Mohammed Abacha, son of late General Sani Abacha, giving graphic details of how he and other members of late Abacha's Strike Force killed late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of late Chief M.K.O. Abiola in 1996 in Lagos. MORE>>>

Yar’Adua, lawmakers head for showdown

PRESIDENT Umaru Yar’Adua and the National Assembly appear to be on a collision course over the benchmark of oil price for the 2008 budget. The President had proposed a benchmark of $53.83 per barrel while the National Assembly had raised this to between $60 and $70 per barrel based on the current price of oil in the international market. MORE>>>

Shake-up Imminent In Police

A reshuffle is expected in the police next week which may affect three Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) and ten Commissioners (CPs). Likely to be affected are DIGs Yakubu Mohammed (from Katsina State), Abdulrahman Yusuf (Kogi), and Bukar Dikwa (Borno). They are expected to proceed on retirement leave in January 2008. MORE>>>

Tribunal Sacks Male Lawmaker After Presenting Certificate From A Girls’ School

A member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Obo Mkpanam Bassey, has been sacked by the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections Tribunal in Calabar for certificate forgery. The Action Congress (AC) candidate, Mr. Eyo Egbai, had dragged Hon. Mkpanam who is serving a second term in the House to the Tribunal on allegation that the legislator’s secondary school certificate was forged. MORE>>>

Bakassi Revisited

THE Senate's rejection of the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula, Cross Rivers State, to Cameroun by former President Olusegun Obasanjo has returned this ever contentious issue to international attention again. The ceding was an aftermath of an International Court of Justice, ICJ, judgment of 10 October 2002. MORE>>>

Glimpsing Nigeria's digital lifeline

But in March this year, the scruffy primary became part of a remarkable experiment. It was the first in Africa to get its hands on the so-called $100 laptop, a rugged device aimed at helping children in the developing world get the most from their education. MORE>>>

Siemens apologises to Nigeria over 10m-euro bribery scandal

Lagos, Nigeria - German company Siemens has written to Nigeria's Presiden t Umaru Yar'Adua to apologise for the bribery scandal, in which the company repo r tedly funnelled 10 million euros to several Nigerian officials to facilitate con t ract deals. MORE>>>

IN GLOBAL NEWS:

Musharraf steps down as military chief (LOS ANGELES TIMES)

Somali journalists banned from covering insurgents (ALERT NET)

Senegal's Wade to mediate with Mugabe on EU summit (REUTERS)

Mideast Talks Yield Promises To Press On
Israelis, Palestinians Will Restart Peace Negotiations (WASHINGTON POST)

After Annapolis (BOSTON GLOBE EDITORIAL)

News Desk Monday, November 26, 2007

Obasanjo ran Area Boy govt, says Tinubu....Calls for urgent review of revenue allocation formula

Former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Tinubu has called for urgent review of the revenue allocation formula and establishment of financial processes that would prevent corruption in the country. Tinubu, who was in Ibadan at a dinner hosted by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) at the weekend, also likened the presidency under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to social miscreants popularly called Area boys due to its disregard for the Rule of Law. MORE>>>

ICPC begins Etteh’s, deputy’s probe - Over N628m house renovation scandal

AS investigation continues into the house renovation contracts awarded by the former leadership of the House of Representatives, the former Speaker, Olubunmi Etteh, and her erstwhile deputy, Babangida Nguroje, are to appear before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) this week. MORE>>>

In Nigeria, the new face of global Mormonism

LAGOS, Nigeria — Outside Zion Osandu Ndukwe's one-room apartment, a naked toddler ran up and down a filthy hallway lit by a single candle. The power in the overcrowded slum was off yet again. The stench of urine from the communal bathroom overpowered the fragrance of spices in the bubbling soup a neighbor was stirring. MORE>>>