Thursday, July 29, 2010

138 People Die In Boat Accident, police report says

About 138 people died when an overloaded boat carrying passengers and goods capsized in bad weather in Democratic Republic of Congo, police said early today (Thursday).

The accident took place on Wednesday on a stretch of river in the western Bandundu province, some 300 km (185 miles) east of Kinshasa, the capital of the vast central African nation.

"The boat was badly overloaded and it didn't make the rough waters," Jolly Limengo, provincial inspector of police for Bandundu, told Reuters by telephone on Thursday.

"People here don't know how to swim. Our provisional toll is 138 dead," Limengo added.

Decades of conflict and neglect have left the nation's infrastructure in tatters, meaning travel by air and river are often the best or only option for Congolese travellers.

Accidents are frequent and often blamed on overloading.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

FASHOLA SUPPORT ADVOCACY GROUP CANVASSES SECOND TERM FOR GOVERNOR BABATUNDE FASHOLA

Posted By Lateef Lawal,Lagos

The government of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola's government in Lagos Sate has been described as the best in recent times and needed to be given a second term, so says the Fasholamania Independent Support  Movement Worldwide.
According to the group in a press statement jointly signed by its President,Olukayode Salako and Media and Publicity Director, Shakir Noah, the achievements of Fashola's government has benefited majority of Lagosians economically,socially and politically in no small measures and has helped satisfactorily to alleviate peoples sufferings in the State.
The statement said,''Therefore, his government deserves an uniterrupted second term in office for another four constitutionally allowed years from 2011-2015''.
It noted that Governor Fashola has today proved to the world and especially people of the State that solution to the myriads of problems militating against the progress and development of Nigeria over the wasted years was indeed in the hands of a sincere,disciplined,visionary committed and resolute Nigerian as he has demonstrated so far in the governance of Lagos State.
The group ponited out that the governor using the machinery of ideal democratic tenets and good governance, has done a lot to rewrite the story of Lagos and re-creat the living standards of Lagosians in a way that has been adjudge the best and unprecedented while the so many of the dangerous tendencies that used to define Lagos life in the past have become a thing of the past.
''For this honest reason, if it is true that the practice of democracy is about the freedom of the people to make preferred leadership choices through their own votes as we have been made to believe, the community of Fasholamanians in Lagos State and in diaspora, an expansive population of about 4million registered people, hereby join their voices in strong term with those of other Independent Pro-Fashola Advocacy groups to earnestly call and ask the leadership and followership of the ACTION CONGRESS PARTY to present Governor Fashola again to Lagosians so that we can vote for him to continue in office as the governor we still want in 2011 for another well-deserved term'', the group demanded

Monday, July 26, 2010

France Drops All 23 World Cup Players For Norway Friendly

New France coach Laurent Blanc Friday has punished the country's farcical World Cup squad by dropping each of the 23 players for a friendly against Norway next month.
Blanc's decision to take action was approved by the French Football Federation's (FFF) federal council after a meeting with Raymond Domenech's successor in Paris.
France suffered a miserable World Cup campaign in South Africa, marked by striker Nicolas Anelka's expulsion after his foul-mouthed tirade at Domenech, infighting, and the players' refusal to train.
'Les Bleus' returned home in ignominy after failing to win any of their first round games, with Domenech refusing to shake South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parriera's hand following the final defeat to the hosts.
Blanc, who will release his squad for the Norway game on August 5, refused to elaborate on his decision to boycott the World Cup squad.
France football has endured a woeful year, with Thierry Henry's controversial handball which put France into the World Cup at the expense of Ireland in the play-offs, their pitiful display in the competition itself, and then the scandal involving international stars Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema who this week put under investigation on charges of having sex with an under-age prostitute.
The crisis that engulfed Domenech's last mission as national coach resulted in the resignation of FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes, with his successor due to be unveiled on Friday.

AFP

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

N2.2bn NGA Scam :


EFCC Alleges Threat To Witness Life

A new twist was on yesterday July 20 added to the on-going trial of the former Director General of the National Gallery of Arts, NGA, Joe Musa when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC accused him of threatening prosecution witnesses in a desperate bid to frustrate his prosecution.
 Musa and three suspended directors of NGA are facing a 14 count charge bordering on misappropriation and diversion of funds totaling over N2.2 billion before Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the FCT high court, Lugbe, Abuja .
The allegation made in the open court by the prosecution counsel, Sir Steve Odiase against Musa is coming against the backdrop of threats sent to the mobile phone of a principal witness, Dr. Henry Achubo who is a Director of Finance at the NGA.
When the matter came up on Monday, a prosecution witness, Mr. Festus Chidi, who is the Chief Internal Auditor of the NGA had testified that, Joe Musa converted the sum of N40 million for K 12 retreat project that never held, adding that the accused  diverted the money for his personal use.
He stressed that Musa’s predecessors in 2004 and 2005 appropriated only N1.6million and N1.5million respectively for the same retreat. He equally gave details of how funds totalling over N2.2 billion were diverted for personal use by Musa and his co-accused.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, the EFCC counsel told the court that a principal witness, Dr. Achubo failed to come to court for fear of being killed. He said the witness was warned to stay away from the court. According to him, the text message sent to Achubo’s phone reads:
 “Big fool, you bite the finger that fed you. We are waiting. Come and testify. We are watching to see your interest in this case. We failed to attack you last year when you attack our Oga last year; we would not fail on you. Your dead body is bound home. Careless and loose idiot”.
Odiase also complained that another witness, Mr. David Ajiboye, the Chief Accountant of the NGA who was to testify at the resumed hearing  of the case also failed to present himself for the pre trial conference which the prosecution counsel slated for between 3 and 5 pm on Monday.
 He said the witness who switched off all his phones was later seen with the accused Mr. Joe Musa.
The witness, Ajiboye however surfaced at the  hearing of the case on Tuesday, and wanted to be taken without the pre trial conference, a development the prosecution counsel claimed was very dangerous.
The development led to a heated argument in court as the prosecution counsel argued that the accused has breached the provision of Section 341 {2} of the Criminal Procedure Code, CPC. The section makes it mandatory for an accused granted bail not to interfere, intimidate or romance with the prosecution witness.
“When this is done, the accused’s bail stands revoked because the witness will be a hostile witness”, Odiase told the court.
But rather than rule on the issue raised by the prosecution counsel, Justice Adeniyi ordered the same witness to give his testimony.
The other accused persons who are being prosecuted on a 14 count charge along with Musa are Olusegun Ogunba, Director of Finance, Dr Kweku Tandoh, Director of Research & Education, and Mrs. Oparagu Elizabeth, Deputy Director, Administration.
When the matter came up on Monday, a principal witness, Mr. Festus Chidi, had  told the court that international training for managerial staff for which over N65 million was appropriated and approved by the DG did not take place.
The witness said that other ghost projects the DG initiated to loot funds as shown in the proof of evidence before the court includes the Berlin Art conference in which the sum of N26.5 million was misappropriated.
Other areas of fraud, the witness pointed out was the misappropriation of the sum of N64, 350,500.00 for professional training, capacity building and manpower development when virtually nobody was trained as well as the misappropriation of the sum of N15 million for keeper management retreat when the retreat did not take place.
Chidi also told the court that the former DG further opened two illegal and fraudulent accounts with Spring Bank and Oceanic Bank in which he diverted the agency’s funds for his personal use.  
Earlier in April, 2010, Mr. Dubem Egbunike who is the assistant chief research officer of the NGA, during cross examination, had told the court that over N160 million was diverted to private pockets of the DG and top echelon of the NGA.
The witness had also said that though the staff salaries of NGA in a month stood at about N 15.5 million naira, but that the DG inflated it to the tune of N19.27 million monthly.
The witness had also said that each of the accused persons takes home five million naira each for fictitious expenses using fake receipts for retirement, as instructed by Joe Musa.
The third accused person, Dr Tandoh was also said to have been given the sum of N13 million for an exhibition that never took place, and diverted the sum of N7 million for his personal use and returned only N6 million to the coffers of the NGA.
The first accused, Musa was also said to have acquired a house at Constitution Road Kaduna at the cost of N18 million and rented to the NGA for N5 million annually. Another property owned by him in Auchi, Edo state, was equally said to be valued at over  N700million.
The case has been adjourned till October 18, 2010 for the continuation of trial.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

JOURNALISTS KIDNAPPERS DEMAND AMNESTY


 The Abia Kidnappers in South-East Nigeria have voluntarily released the four abducted journalists and their driver after a week in captivity and demanded for Special Amnesty similar to the amnesty granted to Niger Delta Militants of South-South of the country to dissuade them from further criminal activities in the region.
The Abia Kidnappers operate in South-Eastern Nigeria while the Niger Delta Militants are more active in the South-South part of the country where the nation’s oil is produced.
The Economic Confidential gathered that the Abia Kidnappers had called officials of Nigerian Union of Journalists that they had released the captives unconditionally in a remote area of Abia State. They also want the media to support their demands for special amnesty and new job opportunities from the government.

The released journalists are Lagos chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Wahab Oba, NUJ Zone G Secretary, Adolphus Okonkwo, Assistant Secretary, Sylva Okeke, Shola Oyeyipo, a Lagos-based journalist, and their driver, Azeez Abdulrauf.
While the released journalists have so far claimed they had been treated well by the kidnappers, it is yet  unknown whether the police or State Security Service (SSS) played any role in their unconditional release.
There is likelihood that government of Abia State out of fears of federal government declaring state of emergency in the state, might have played a role in kind or cash to ensure the timely release of the journalists. Some states in Niger Delta in the past used to pay ransoms for release of captured oil workers in those regions
Already the South-East kidnappers have sent a message requesting the Federal Government to grant them amnesty so that they could also lay down their arms and get free monthly allowances and training that could include foreign studies similar to what have been provided to Niger Delta militants. They also want good employments or contracts to sustain themselves and their families.
Only recently the kidnapping phenomena that has been rampant in the Southern part of the country was recorded in the North where a Kano-based businessman, Alhaji Salisu Mataba, was kidnapped in his residence and had to pay his abductors N80 million before he regained freedom. The negotiation was coordinated by the family of the businessman who acted on the instruction of the kidnappers without involving the police for any rescue effort.

BREAKING NEWS!

FOUR KIDNAPPED JOURNALISTS REGAIN FREEDOM

Posted by Lateef Lawal

The four  journalists kidnapped by gunmen a week ago have been released by their abductors, it has been revealed early this morning at about 3.00am. A source  confirmed to EagleNewsNigeriana a few minutes ago that the journalists are being picked up at a location somewhere inside the forest in Abia State by men of the Nigeria Police Force as at the time of filing in this report.
It could not be immediately confirmed whether any ransom was paid to the kidnappers or not before the release of the abducted journalists.
When contacted on his mobile phone, a member of the Lagos Executive Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalist(NUJ), Akinola Ariyo confirmed the release of the journalists, saying the information about their release got to him early today and that they are already in the custody of the Abia State Police Command awaiting their safe movement to Lagos for a happy re-union with their families and members of the council.
As regards whether any ransom was paid, he said only the released journalists can shed more lights on their ordeal, but since the Police had told 'us not to pay any money, we did not pay a dime.We relied solely on God  and the assistance of the Police'.
The four journalists and the driver of their vehicle who were abducted at Umuafouka Junction, Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State last week Sunday are – Chairman, Lagos State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Wahab Oba; Assistant Secretary, Lagos State Council of the NUJ, Mr. Sylva Okereke; Secretary, NUJ Zone G, Mr. Adolphus Okonkwo; Member NUJ, Mr. Shola Oyeyipo and the driver, Mr. Azeez Abdulraf.
Their abductors had at the beginning of their ordeal demanded forN250 milion for their freedom but reduced it to N20 million naira on Friday and later same day to N10m.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Seizure of Fully-Operational Narco Submarine In Ecuador

Ecuador Anti-Narcotics Police Forces and Ecuador Military authorities with the assistance of Drug Enforcement Agency(DEA) of U.S seized a fully-operational submarine built for the primary purpose of transporting multi-ton quantities of cocaine.
The investigation of the captured submarine and the individuals responsible for its construction is ongoing. One individual has been taken into custody by Ecuadorian authorities at the site of the seizure.
The twin-screw, diesel electric-powered submarine is about 30 meters long and about nine feet high from the deck plates to the ceiling. The sophisticated vessel also has a conning tower, periscope and air conditioning system.
Photo of Narco Submarine.
DEA Andean Regional Director Jay Bergman stated: “Traffickers historically employed slow moving fishing boats, sail boats, pleasure craft and subsequently go-fasts. Eventually, when speed no longer won the day, traffickers to avoid detection, turned to parasitic devices on the bottom of ship hulls, towed array devices and ultimately low profile vessels and semi-submersible boats. The advent of the narco-submarine presents new detection challenges for maritime interdiction forces.  The submarine’s nautical range, payload capacity and quantum leap in stealth have raised the stakes for the counter-drug forces and the national security community alike.”
The submarine was constructed in a remote jungle environment in an effort to elude law enforcement or military interdiction, and is currently located near a tributary close to the Ecuador/Colombia border. As a result of DEA intelligence, Ecuadorian authorities were able to seize the vessel before it was able to make its maiden voyage. This is the first seizure of a clandestinely constructed fully operational submarine built to facilitate trans-oceanic drug trafficking.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

$1million Fraud

*EFCC Docks Nigerian For Defrauding  German,American

(Posted by Lateef Lawal,Lagos)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned one George Nwokonko, 48, before a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja for allegedly defrauding Mr. Parkin Ali, a German national of the sum of $904,550. The accused was arraigned on a 6 -count charge of obtaining money by false pretence and forgery.
Nwokonko pleaded not guilty to the 6- count charge when it was read to him.  However, Nwokonko’s counsel attempt to move for bail was vehemently opposed by counsel to EFCC, George Adebola who said he was statutorily entitled to time to respond.
The trial judge, Justice L. A. Okunnu ruled that EFCC counsel was entitled to time to respond to the bail application and, consequently adjourned the matter to July 13 for ruling while fixing 22/23 September  2010 for trial. The judge also ordered that the accused person be remanded in Kirikiri prison.
Nemesis caught up with Nwokonko when on September 10, 2008, EFCC received a petition from Mrs  Frieda Springer-Beck on behalf of Mr. Pakbin Ali.  The petitioner alleged that George Nwokonko and others defrauded Pakbin Ali of about $1 million in a scam in 1995. She added that though the matter had been investigated in the past by the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police, nothing concrete was achieved. EFCC operatives then went into action.
Investigation shows that sometime in 1995, George Nwokonko and two others at large had a business discussion with Ali Pabkin at No. 4 Oweh Street Yaba, Lagos to supply chemicals to the complainant for the sum of $150,000 which they never did but collected the money from the complainant in 4 installments of $60,000, $45,000, $25,000 and $20,000.
In a similar development, EFCC also arraigned one Folayemi Oloye at the Ikeja High Court presided over by Justice L. A. Okunnu for obtaining money by false pretence. Oloye was arraigned on a 10 count charge of obtaining $133,000 from Nousshin Hart under false pretence. Oloye, alias Cole Whannel claimed that the money represents fees for storage, shipping charges and taxes for exportation of coconut for Bio fuel to the United States of America . In a petition by Ronald Nolan, a legal attaché of United State Consulate on behalf of one Dr. Nousshin Izadifor Hart of Houston, Texas, Oloye was said to have fraudulently obtain the sum of $133,000 under the pretence that the money would be used to export coconut to America for Bio Fuel which he never did.
Oloye and Izadifor Hart, a Radiation Oncologist met online through a dating service called e- harmony that matches single men and women based on compatibility. Oloye was introduced to Hart as a 49- year old, Mechanical Engineer and widower based in Houston, who lost his wife some years ago.
In the course of their interaction, the suspect informed the complainant that he has a company and was in Nigeria seeking to purchase raw coconut to be used in the US as bio-fuel.
He claimed he needed money and had no access to his account in the US , and was basically stuck in Nigeria Persuaded by the love she had for Oloye, Hart wired $133,000 to him in several trenches.
But Oloye pleaded not guilty to the 10 count charges July 7. Justice Akunnu, has fixed ruling on the bail application for 19 July while ordering that the accused be remanded in prison custody.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Court Remands Ex-Gov Aspirant In Prison Over N12m Fraud


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned a former governorship aspirant under the aegis of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Benue state over a N12million scam.
The aspirant, Mr. Joshua Mennaseh was docked at a Kano High Court  presided over by  Justice Abdullahi  Bello on a seven count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and intent to defraud. 
Mennasah, 45,  had defrauded one Mr Boniface Agu of twelve million naira in a business deal sometimes in 2007.
Mennasah, who, in the course of the arraignment pleaded not guilty to all the charges imputed to him, also described himself as a politician and businessman.
He allegedly secured a contract for the supply of twenty thousand units of motor cycles worth two hundred and seventy million naira (N270million)  from Kano state Teachers Board.
 The accused approached Agu to part -finance the supply with an  agreement to refund him when he was paid. Althogh, there was no written document to show that the two entered into contractual obligations, there however witnesses to the gentlemen agreement.
Mennasah supplied the motor cycles and collected his money but did not refund the money he collected from Mr Agu  as verbally agreed and witnessed.
He denied making the complainant part of the business but said he only provided fund for facilitation and accommodation.
However, investigations revealed that he collected the sum from the complainant for initial purchase of some units of the motor cycle in order to secure a  bank guarantee bond for submission to Kano Teachers Board.
Investigations also unearthed receipts issued in the name of the complainant for the purchase of some motor cycles. Furthermore, cheques issued to Mr Agu for payment of the money used for facilitation and accommodation according to Mennasah bounced.
The judge, after listening to all the charges and Mennasah’s pleas on Tuesday July 6, adjourned the case till July 13, 2010 for ruling on application for bail while he ordered that the accused should be remanded in Kano prison.

'WAR' ON HARD DRUGS IN WEST AFRICA

..........European Commission Seeks More 
        Funding For Enforcement Agencies

Governments in the West African Sub-Region have been advised to increase funding for hard drug control. 
Only through this and the political will to deal with the barons can the drug trafficking syndicates operating in the region can be dismantled.
The advise was given by a team from the European Commission(EC) headed by Mr Serge Rinkel during a visit to the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) in Abuja,Ahmadu Giade yesterday.
The head of the delegation Mr. Serge Rinkel expressed the willingness of the EC to assist the country in specific areas of need to advance drug control programmes.
The EC team on assessment tour of drug control formations in the country also demanded control and monitoring of scanning machines at the seaports by anti-narcotic agents. 
The team noted that though the country’s counter narcotic efforts are yielding positive results in terms of arrests and seizures, much still needs to be done in the area of funding and capacity building on long term and conspiracy investigation.  
The meeting which was attended by NDLEA directors, representatives of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA), German police and Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) of Britain also canvassed for maritime anti-drug surveillance by NDLEA.
According to Serge, “we are impressed with the counter narcotic efforts of Nigeria. NDLEA remains the best anti-drug Agency in the region. Our mandate is to discuss vital operational needs that will further empower the Agency. 
Drug trafficking, money laundering, violence and terrorist financing deserve strict attention. Our desire is to see the dismantling of drug trafficking syndicates in the sub-region”. 
He noted that funding is very crucial because illicit drug trade is capital intensive. Mr. Serge assured that the team’s mission is on the EC priority list and that issues of need shall be attended to speedily.
NDLEA Chairman who thanked the EC team for the visit pledged the country’s preparedness to collaborate with stakeholders towards the realisation of a drug free society. 
“Nigerian government is conscious of the consequences of drug trafficking and is willing to partner with other countries in the drug war and other forms of organised crime. We shall continue to restructure existing framework in the pursuit of a drug free society. Nigeria will sustain its leading role in global drug control programmes” Giade stated.
They also canvassed for a synergy among law enforcement agencies in the country with the maintenance of a common data bank. 
 This will help in the investigation of criminal cases and also enhance rapid response in the exchange of intelligence. Members of the EC team include Silvio Ciappi an Italian criminologist and expert on organised crime and Ghanaian Benjamin Ndego, a specialist in crime prevention and monitoring.
The team will visit some of the Agency’s formations particularly the airports, seaports and land borders. Their assessment also includes the extent of cannabis cultivation in the country which they have described as the greatest drug problem in Nigeria. 
Latter in the month the team will meet with stakeholders in Abuja where arrangements shall be concluded on agreements reached at the visit.  
 
 


 

ZONING IS DEAD IN PDP,says National Chairman, Nwodo

The  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), zoning arrangement is dead, so declared the new Chairman,Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo yesterday in Abuja adding that it has even been abandoned since 1999.
He told newsmen that the PDP had since abandoned the policy noting that anybody interested in elective positions under the party can freely do so.
This clarification has therefore pave the way for President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2011 presidential race if he wishes.
He however said that if members of his party want the zoning revisited, he was ready to put the necessary machinery in motion for a new zoning formula.
Nwodo’s position is coming against the backdrop of agitations for President Goodluck
Jonathan to contest next year’s presidential election under the PDP, a slot which the north said belongs to them.
"I said to BBC and I repeat to you again that zoning in PDP has been jettisoned. There is no zoning on ground right now. Absolutely there is no zoning. In 1999, there was zoning and only one Northerner insisted on his inalienable right in the Nigerian Constitution to contest against the zoning arrangement of the PDP.
"The PDP took its foot down and I wrote a letter to him and returned his cheque. That is the late Abubakar Rimi of blessed memory. In 2003, after four years of Obasanjo, candidates sprang up from across the country. They paid, they canvassed. Nobody returned their money. Nobody wrote them that there was a zoning.
"In 2007, there were more candidates from Southern Nigeria than Northern Nigeria
and I think if that election was allowed to hold without interference; maybe anybody among Peter Odili, maybe Donald Duke or Sam Egwu, anybody would have won. They all paid. Nobody returned their money. Nobody stopped them. Nobody talked about zoning. They all contested. Why zoning now? Why?" he questioned.
The party boss added: "we have jettisoned it but we can revisit it. I’m not afraid about revisiting it. If we think that we need to revisit zoning today, let us revisit zoning. But the one we did in 1999, no, no, no, no, it has been jettisoned by PDP itself.
"So those who are talking about that agreement are not following the history of the party. The party has never stopped anybody after 1999 on the altar of zoning. But if they want us to zone now, we will go through the mill. We will start from the National Working Committee. We will prepare a memo on the advantages and the disadvantages of zoning. We will take the memo to the Caucus.
"The parliament and the government will make their inputs on which way to go. We will take it to the BOT; we drink from their wealth of experience, the conscience of the party; we will modify the scale with their inputs and then we have the final debate at NEC, which takes final decision for PDP.
Dr Nwodo’s clarification now paves the way for President Goodluck Jonathan, who has refused to rule himself out of the race, to contest the 2011 Presidential election on the platform of the ruling party.

Africa’s largest market under threat

Stallholders at the Roque Santeiro market in Luanda, Angola, are getting ready to pack up and leave for good.
The local council has decided to move Africa’s largest market to a site north of the capital.
The market, which helped many Angolans to survive during the civil war, was called Roque Santeiro after the hero of a Brazilian soap opera, broadcast in Angola in 1985, who died defending his city.
Today, this open-air market spans several kilometres and, with almost 200,000 stallholders, is considered to be the largest on the continent. The Angolan writer Pepetela once said: "If you cannot find it at Roque Santeiro, it’s because it hasn’t been invented yet".
The local council of Sambizanga, a district of Luanda under the administration of David da Costa, has decided to redevelop the area where the market is currently located.
Stallholders will be moved to the town of Panguila, 18km north of the capital, where a 250,000m2 commercial complex is to be built.
The Roque Santeiro market will retain 5,300 stalls, but it will also have boutiques, banks, and more hygienic facilities thanks to the construction of cold storage rooms, drinking fountains and toilets. Lastly, security will be improved by the creation of a police station.

France24

ANENIH, EX-PDP BOARD CHAIRMAN IS A LIAR,SAYS OSHIOMHLE,EDO GOV.,


(posted by Lateef Lawal)
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole ,the Governor of Edo State has described the former Chairman of Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Chief Anthony Anenih, as a pathological liar.
He noted that  as an old man has reached his ‘departure hall’, he should  be atoning for his very many sins, which has combined to the short-changing of the socio- economic development of the  state.
Oshiomhole made this remark on Wednesday in Lagos at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport shortly before his departure to an undisclosed destination.
The governor  was reacting to statement credited to  Chief Anenih, that the Edo State governor has perfected plans to stagger the local council elections , such that he could utilize the machinery of state to rig the elections.
He explained that rather than pray to God for the remission of his sins, the PDP chieftain is associating himself with the propagation of half truths, which will further divide the state.
Oshiomhole said : " Chief Anenih is like an old man that children have abandoned and he is busy doing nothing. In fact when I saw Anenih , I felt sorry for him because at his age, he should be associated with something positive”.
He went on,:” There is another thing we should talk about, that is Chief Anenih now, I think I saw it on Channels saying that we want to stagger elections, from one local government to the other we don’t want to hold election on the same day because we feel that if we do it the same day they will not win any local government. I have a lot of sympathy for him.”
The governor added that,”First, there is no sense in it, governors don’t conduct elections, if they do it I won’t do it. It is INEC or state electoral commission that will conduct elections and they make the rules not the governor and the rules will not allow them to do the kind of thing he was suggesting. He still thinks it is pre-Jonathan era, where rigging is the game of the day, he doesn’t understand what one man one vote represents. When I watched him say that I am like, if at old age in our 80’s we still lie effortlessly at what age shall we begin to pray to God to forgive us for lying? I thought that elders should resist the temptation to lie even if you are pathologically a liar, as you age and you are approaching your departure hall you should begin to atone for your sins. So I was shocked that he could associate himself with such blatant untruth."
On the defection of the former director of his campaign organisation, Chief Sylvanus Eruaga to the PDP with over one thousand supporters, Oshiomhole described the former aide as a discredited person who was fired for involving himself in criminal activities, even as he described the defection as good riddance to bad rubbish.
He said : "No, no, no, no, I don’t want to talk about..., in my village we don’t talk about my elders, we don’t abuse younger ones in public because God has already put you up there. You don’t look down at people.
“This is a guy who was my security officer and then I appointed him chairman of a committee on the protection of government property, now rather than protect government property I was getting security reports that he was involved in bunkering, illegal bunkering, breaking pipelines and siphoning fuel from government, NNPC pipelines and both the police and SSS had accused him several times and I have those security reports. As governor I couldn’t put my personal friendship or loyalty of my staff over and above public interest so i decided to fire him and dissolve the committee.”
“Everybody working around me knows and I tell them, you are associated with me does not give you immunity, even I that have a level of immunity; I don’t use it in a way that will undermine public safety and public interest.I think that is it and I am quite happy that he has found a place."
On the preparations for the next general elections, Oshiomhole said : "We have done some test running, we have done two elections since I came in , all the elections that have been held with an INEC that was under his manipulations, we won. The last one he got the INEC REC to be transferred and a new one brought, he got them to bring a new police chief and dismiss Edo police.
“While they changed everything that they could change but they could not change Edo people, I went into the election, I won, and they lost  twice.
“If you go to Edo our work is doing the campaign for us. It is no longer I am going to; it is see what I am doing and look at what they failed to do. I am like ten year they were here what did they do You show me, you as a journalist, market woman, politician, engineers, you show me, just say ten years this is what PDP did in Edo and I will say in 18 months, I am doing airport road, Akpapkava road, in a few months I put street lights on Akpapkava, Sakpoba, Oba market, we have transformed the Kings Square, it is no longer Ring Road, it is now Kings Square.
In his own Local government in Uromi, I am working on two roads under construction; they have reached 60 per cent completion."
The Edo Governor also spoke on the on going construction of roads in the state, affirming that before the end of the year the road linking the Benin - Lagos road at the Ugbowo- Oluku axis will soon be completed.
" It is not 90 per cent at all. I don’t know what percentage but there has been a lot of progress. I am assured that it will be ready before Christmas. If you are coming home for Christmas you will drive on a brand new road every other thing being equal.
“On Ugbowo road we are doing additional two lanes, its a federal government road but you know the federal government always turns its eyes where it wants to turn to and Edo has not being too lucky, we haven’t got much  allocation’.
“So the state government t is doing additional two lanes to make it six lanes to decongest the traffic and we have permission from the Oba to dig into the traditional ground, because that was a little bit challenge but we now have the Oba’s blessing to do it because he is very excited over the progress we are making and we are building a big drainage all the way from Oluku to Ugbowo. So that way once that is completed we the flood on that road will be abated."



















Sunday, July 4, 2010

Fadlallah, Lebanon's top Shiite cleric dies aged 75


Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, the leading Shiite cleric in Lebanon and a figure seen as being a spiritual mentor to Hezbollah, died aged 75 Sunday.
Fadlallah was admitted on Friday to a hospital in Beirut's southern suburbs, suffering from liver problems.
In recent years Fadlallah, who was born in the Iraqi city of Najaf, distanced himself from the militant group Hezbollah, and promoted moderate social views, including on the role of women.
He rejected the Iranian Shiite doctrine of the rule of the clerical elite."No Shiite religious leader, not even Khomeini, has a monopoly on the truth," he argued.

KIDNAPPING: OBIGBO CALLS FOR POLICE FUNDING, TRAINING.

 ..Faults Umaru Diko over zoning.

The president of Obigbo, a pan Igbo Socio Cultural and Political Organization Mr. Charles Ahize has advocated for the training of thirty percent of the Nigeria Police Force for the purpose of stemming the increasing trend of kidnapping in the country.

Speaking with airport reporters at Ikeja on his return from Abuja, Mr. Ahize said the present crop of the Police force lacked the techniques of arresting kidnappers due to poor funding and inadequate training.

According to the Obigbo Chieftain “The Nigeria Police has not been funded and trained actually on how to track kidnappers. The Nigerian Police should be well funded and get 30 percent of the force trained overseas for surveillance and communications”

Ahize was of the view that there was no kidnapping incident without the knowledge of the security operatives. While describing  kidnapping as madness, the Obigbo chieftain traced the origin of kidnapping to what he called the handwork of die hard politicians that engaged the jobless youths in political thuggery by buying arms for them during elections only to dump them after achieving their political gains.

Ahize urged the government to as a matter of urgency contain the trend as it might likely filter into other areas describing it as a calculated attempt by some people to distablise the government.

On the zoning of the presidency, Ahize said the mistake was made in the past when former vice president Alex Ekwueme called for the zoning to be enshrined in the constitution but was rejected by Alhaji Umaru Diko at the constitutional conference in 1995.

According to the Chieftain of Obigbo, today, it is not haunting Ekwueme or Diko but it is haunting democracy and the entire Nigeria.

Describing defection from one party to another as one on the lapses in the country’s constitution, Ahize said that portion called for urgent amendment adding that Nigeria will stabilized in 2011 after a credible poll.

CAR DEALER DENIES SELLING CAR 'GIFT' AS BRIBE FOR EFCC CHAIRMAN

*Says Car Bought for Personal Use of Governor Akpabio

As the sale of a bullet proof car to governor Godswill Akpabio continues to generate controversies on the alleged bribery attempt for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri,the car dealer says he never sold the car as gift to the EFCC boss.

Reacting to the allegation that the car was sold to Governor Akpabio to bribe Mrs Farida Waziri, the car dealer, Charlse Ahize of Atlantic Automobile denied selling the car worth N42m to the governor  as a bribe.
 Ahize declared that Akpabio became interested in purchasing the Mercedes 450 GL bullet proof car after having a ride with him in his own personal car because of the ambiance of the car. “I sold the car to him for at N42m and he never told me he was giving the car to anybody.

 “Actually why Governor Akpabio bought the car was that he rode with me in my bullet proof 450 GL car and he liked the ambiance and he bought one from me”

According to Ahize, “The car was paid for by Governor Akpabio instalmentally. He never mentioned to me that he wanted to give the car to anybody, it was a car he put in his pool to use”.

He noted that before the car was delivered to Governor Akpabio, somebody alleged on the Internet that it has been sold for $500,000 dollars.
It was alleged by an on line news meduim that Governor Akpabio has bought a bullet proof car from Charles Ahize to bribe the EFCC chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri. 

OLDEST FATHER AT 79 !

CHIRPY Raymond Calvert is Britain's oldest new dad at 79 - after fathering a son with a woman 54 YEARS his junior. The sprightly pensioner and 25-year-old Charlotte Calvert became proud parents of tiny Jamie Rai ten weeks ago.
Last night Raymond beamed and said: "He's a gift from God - my very own little miracle."
The former shop owner and market trader, whose lover has taken his surname but not walked down the aisle, was 78 when the couple's 7lb 1oz baby was born.
That easily smashed the record set by previous oldest dad Dennis Ealam, who was 76 when his wife Cora gave birth to daughter Jessie in Lincoln last December.
Delighted Raymond said: "I am the most fortunate man in the world. It makes me feel 10ft tall.

Doting ... Raymond pushes 
lad's pram
Doting ... Raymond pushes lad's pram
"The baby was planned and I did not use Viagra or anything like that.
"I didn't actually think at my age that it would be possible to have a child, but he's a beautiful little fella. I feel blessed. I look at that baby and I think, 'He's so bloody healthy and good-looking - how did I make that'?
"For an older man, it's just amazing. I love him to bits and I would give my life for the little guy.
"I bumped into a load of bikers the other day. One came up to me, shook my hand and said, 'I hope I can be like you at your age'!"
Raymond had already had six children, raising them as a single parent after his wife died 28 years ago. The oldest is 51 and youngest 38. He also has nine grandchildren.
But the smooth-talker has always had a way with younger women - and told how he first met Charlotte after sharing a three-year relationship with her MUM.
Their paths crossed occasionally, yet it was not until Charlotte became pals with his 49-year-old daughter Denise ten years ago that she became involved in his life again.
Raymond said: "The first time I saw Charlotte she was around 16. Obviously nothing happened then, but she started coming on caravan holidays with me and my kids. We were all buddies and the two of us got on really well. But it wasn't until five years ago that romance kicked in. We realised we cared a great deal for each other."
Rocking Jamie in his basket at home in Winewall, Lancs, he added:
We started going out for meals and I remember how everything changed when we went to a pub called the Anchor Inn.
It was the way we were looking at each other, something had happened - the magic had occurred. We had a kiss and it felt right.
When you live to my age you've the experience to know what works. There was no bigger womaniser than me, but now I'm true to Charlotte. It was a love that was meant to be.

A lot of people wouldn't think so - but I think a lot of it's jealousy.
Some people will say, "How do you manage to pull such a young bird?" And I just respond, "You'd better ask my partner".
But those first kisses felt natural and then our relationship developed much more. We became closer and closer and didn't want to be apart. It may be hard to believe that such a young woman can fall for someone my age, but I know from experience that it seems to work. I've always had women 20 to 25 years younger than me.
In the early stages of our relationship, we'd sneak kisses when my children weren't watching.
Now, if people say, "He's an old bugger", Charlotte will say, "Not in my eyes." And the one thing I say to Charlotte is, "The door is always open" - should she not be happy.
The age gap never entered into it with us. As time went by, Charlotte said she wanted a baby - and that she wanted it with me. I was delighted when Charlotte told me she was pregnant. It was a wonderful, wonderful feeling.
Last night Charlotte, who left school with three A-levels and was on a childcare course before she fell pregnant, recalled the moment she realised she wanted a baby.

That's my boy ... dad's kiss 
for Jamie
That's my boy ... dad's kiss for Jamie
Jeff Morris
She said: "I realised it would be nice to have a baby Raymond. He has such a lot of nice qualities.
"I knew he'd be a great dad as he's done such a good job with his own children. He has so much energy and vitality and is so caring.
"I conceived virtually the moment we stopped using contraception. I was gobsmacked because you just think it's going to take a long time with somebody older. Ray's face lit up when I told him and he was so happy."
Charlotte admitted her friends were stunned when she broke the news. But she added: "A lot of people get the impression that someone Raymond's age is all flat caps and cricket. But when they meet him, they soon think differently.
"I was just 19 when I first realised I was in love with him - it felt so right. He's always been there for me. When I was at college he'd pick me up from my exams and look after me when I was ill."
Petite Charlotte spent more than ten hours in labour before Jamie arrived at Airedale Hospital, near Keighley, West Yorkshire.
Raymond said: "I was with her all the way through. It took three midwives and a doctor to get Jamie out.
"But when they did, it was the most amazing feeling. Yes, you get some plonkers who tell me, 'You'll never see him grow up'. But we've no regrets at all."

culled from FoxNews/Sun

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