BreakingNews: Workers in Anambra go on indefinite strike

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The labor hammer has fallen on Anambra State. Information received by 247ureports.com indicates that the National head of the National Labor Congress [NLC] announced in Awka, the capital of Anambra State the commencement of an indefinite workers strike against the failure to implement the minimum wage as indicated by the federal government.

The announcement came at 1:30pm by the National leader of NLC following a brief meeting Awka. According to the leader, in talking to 247ureports.com, the entire civil servants in Awka are now on strike including “the governor’s driver”

Sty tuned.

One Anambra & two Imo supects nabbed for Ingesting Cocaine & Heroin

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Ukeachu Oliver Aham

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) have arrested three suspected drug traffickers including a 35 year old man that ingested both cocaine and heroin at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos. One of the suspects was on his way to Malaysia while two were going to Madrid, Spain at the time of arrest. The suspects who were apprehended within the week in connection with unlawful exportation of narcotic drugs completed the excretion of drugs at the early hours of Thursday September 15, 2011.

Izunna Lawrence Onyeze

The names of the suspects are Udeh Donatus Chukwuka, 35, that ingested 35 wraps of cocaine weighing 815 grammes and 26 wraps of heroin weighing 560 grammes bringing the total weight of drugs ingested by him to 1.375kg. Ukeachu Oliver Aham, 45, ingested 70 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.540kg while Onyeze Izunna Lawrence, 31, ingested 100 wraps of methamphetamine weighing 1.300kg. Apart from Onyeze Izunna that was going to Malaysia, the other two suspects were on their way to Madrid, Spain.

Udeh Donatus Chukwuka, 35, that ingested 35 wraps of cocaine weighing 815 grammes and 26 wraps of heroin weighing 560 grammes was to board an Iberia flight to Madrid, Spain when he tested positive to drug ingestion. The suspect who is an auto parts dealer said that he had been living from hand to mouth. According to the suspect, “I used to sell auto parts at Nnewi in my State but my business suffered a setback in 2009. Since then, I have been living from hand to mouth with my wife and three children. It was hardship that made me to smuggle drugs”. He hails from Anambra State.
Udeh Donatus Chukwuka

Ukeachu Oliver Aham, 45, ingested 70 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.540kg was nabbed during screening of Emirate passengers to Madrid, Spain. He is a casual worker in a plastic manufacturing company in Spain. The suspect who hails from Imo State is married with two children and had lived in Spain for six years. According to Ukeachu Oliver “I have lungs problem and came to Nigeria for traditional treatment. In the process, I was lured into drug trafficking with a promise of 700,000 naira. It is a shameful thing but I had to do it to survive”.

Onyeze Izunna Lawrence, 31, ingested 100 wraps of methamphetamine weighing 1.300kg. The suspect hails from Imo State and sells shoes for a living. In his words, “I was deported from Dubai in 2010 on a false accusation of theft. It was frustration that made me to smuggle drugs to start my business again”.
All suspects will be charged to court soon.

Jonathan calls for stronger Nigeria-UK ties

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President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Wednesday in Abuja called for the maintenance and further strengthening of the historical relations between Nigeria and Britain for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Speaking at a meeting with a British business delegation   led by the Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Michael Bear, President Jonathan said that both countries must make greater efforts to continually renew their longstanding relationship and make it more functional.
Welcoming the Mayor who said that he had come with a delegation of British investors and businessmen to follow up on bilateral agreements concluded during Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent visit to enhance economic cooperation between Nigeria and Britain, President Jonathan said that the Prime Minister’s visit had been “very significant and fruitful”.
The President invited British investors to support his Administration’s efforts to diversify the Nigerian economy and create greater employment opportunities for its youthful population, saying that more sectors of the economy previously run exclusively by government were being opened up for private sector participation.
“A high population of unemployed youth could be dangerous anywhere in the world. We are therefore working very hard to create more jobs by expanding our economic base through increased investment in infrastructure, manufacturing and commercial large-scale agriculture,” President Jonathan told Mr. Bear and his delegation.
The Mayor told the President that he was in Nigeria with his delegation to pursue the realization of the agreements reached during Mr. Cameron’s visit to double bilateral trade between Nigeria and Britain in the shortest possible time.
“We are here to move things forward. We have confidence in your reform programme and are willing to help you in any way that we can,” he told President Jonathan.  

Garden Citybook Feast: Prince Tonye Princewill & The Foremost Rev Jesse Jackson

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By Wabiye Idoniboyeobu, wabiyeidons@riverdrillgroup.com, 08063755563

Prince Tonye Princewill the Prince of Niger Delta Politics, member of the Rivers State Economic Advisory Council and Consultant to the Rivers State Government on Public Private Partnership joins hand with Mrs. Koko Kalango the Founder of Rainbow Book Club, organisers of the 2011 Garden City Book festival to welcome the great Rev Jesse Jackson to Port Harcourt who is expected to act as guest speaker. He is to talk on the power of written words by writers who bring people-oriented issues to the front burner of public discuss thereby bringing about the much sought change.

For avoidance of doubt, Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson Senior one of the America’s renowned and foremost civil rights, religious and political figures who has for over forty years played pivotal role in virtually every movement for empowerment, peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic and social justice. On August 9, 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded Reverend Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Reverend Jackson has been called the “Conscience of the Nation” and “the Great Unifier,” challenging America to be inclusive and to establish just and humane priorities for the benefit of all. He is known for bringing people together on common ground across lines of race, culture, class, gender and belief. He is the founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition one of America’s foremost civil rights, religious and political figures.

On 11th September, 2011 destiny brought this world citizen to the path of Prince Tonye Princewill the renowned Scion to the Kalabari Kingdom and the 2007 gubernatorial candidate of the then Action Congress in Rivers State who on arrival from his London base at Murtala Muhammed International Airport joined the same flight with Rev, Jesse Jackson who also arrived from USA to Port Harcourt to attend the 2011 Garden City Book Festival kicking off from 12th September, 2011 and ending on 17th September, 2011.

Prince Tonye Princewill who whiles the flight to Port Harcourt briefed the special guest to the Rivers State Government that five years ago, Port Harcourt was more in the news for inter-cult violence and kidnapping than for anything else, that residents lived in fear daily and went to bed with one eye open however, that worrisome state of affairs has given way to a more stable environment. “The current state government, headed by the Governor Rotimi Amaechi, has calmed virtually all nerves and is gradually restoring the city to its former glory as the Garden City and a place of peaceful living,”

Mrs. Koko Kalango who was the Port Harcourt International Airport to welcome this two great sons of our world told Rev. Jackson that the relationship between governments and writers, in the Niger Delta context, can sometimes be fragile, especially where writers highlight the perceived flaws of government. “From the point of view of the people, literature can serve as a mirror to our society; reflecting the good, bad and ugly aspects of our cultures and socio-economic practices,” she added.

At last year’s festival, Governor Amaechi spoke about his abiding interest in literature and how Chinua Achebe’s A Man of the People is one of his all-time favourites, because it instructs him as a politician. “The truth is that we have very good writers in Nigeria, but they haven’t achieved the same stature as, say, Chinua Achebe,” he said, tasking writers to continue to address the corruption in Nigeria. “Politicians will not change until you the writers become the voice of the people.”

He announced plans by his administration to build a world-class library in the state capital. “The building plans are in my office. They have already been approved and the library project itself would cost about N1.2billion,” he said, adding that a large chunk of the cost will be borne by corporate organisations and other sponsors. Amaechi, who is a graduate of Literature, also shared his vision of a literary festival that will not only be sustained beyond his tenure, but one that will be positioned to attract increased corporate support strictly on the strength of its own values.

“Our dream is that in the near future the city of Port Harcourt would not only be known for its oil and gas industry but also as Africa’s leading literary hub. Under Governor Amaechi, Port Harcourt has become the Garden where Literature blooms.

At inception, the festival attracted such accomplished writers as Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, Kofi Awoonor, Elechi Amadi and Gabriel Okara. In 2009, it hosted authors, such as Ngugi wa Thiong’o and J.P. Clark, among others; and last year, the festival had in attendance the likes of Chukwuemeka Ike and Vice-President Namadi Sambo as guests.

“With the first African and black Nobel Prize, the most widely read novel in Africa, numerous literary awards in the international scene, and the most vibrant and populous literary guild in Africa, Nigeria’s literature has given a robust account of itself, since the nation’s independence,” said Prof. Olu Obafemi, keynote speaker at last year’s edition on the theme: 50 Years of Post-Colonial Literature.

Wabiye Idoniboyeobu is a Public and Political Analyst based in Port Harcourt.

[Wikileaks] How US Amb. Sanders kicked EFCC Chairwoman, Farida Waziri out of Minister’s House

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Frustrated by the “cold shoulder” treatment given to the Chairwoman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], Madam Farida Waziri by the government of the United States of America [USA] owing to what the USA believed was the result of her being corrupt and lack of progress in the fight against corruption in Nigeria – the Chairwoman of the EFCC sought avenues to reaching the USA government through the American Ambassador in Abuja, Robin R. Sanders.

In mid 2008, the USA government had given instructions to the Ambassador in Abuja “not to have any contact with Mrs. Waziri until such time as the USA government saw progress on issues on corruption” which were earlier stated to the EFCC Chairwoman. The USA government was not happy with the manner the EFCC Chairman was piloting the affairs of the EFCC – particularly the cases of ex-Delta State Governor Ibori, Waziri’s lack of political independence, the redeployment of previously USA trained EFCC agents.

To this effect, the USA Ambassador blacklisted the EFCC Chairwoman. And, in reaction, the EFCC Chairwoman mounted a struggle to meet with the Ambassador through numerous invitations to public and private events – of which the Ambassador turned down repeatedly.

As a last desparate move to reach the Ambassador, the EFCC Chairwoman sought the assistance of the then foreign minister [FonMin], Maduekwe. Waziri pleaded with the FonMin to intercede on her behalf since Maduekwe is believed to be in good terms with the USA Ambassador. Maduekwe agreed. The two [Waziri + Maduekwe] then planned to ambush the American Ambassador.

On the Saturday evening of March 14, 2009, Maduekwe placed a call to the Ambassador inviting her for lunch at his home on March 15 being the next day to discuss on matters concerning President Yar’Adua and his coming visit to the USA.  Ambassador arrived, was greeted in the normal fashion, and walked in the parlor to find another person sitting in the corner in the room.  The Fonmin then announced that he had someone with whom he wanted the Ambassador to talk, and thought [at the last minute, he claimed] he would take advantage of the March 15 lunch to arrange that discussion.  Once the dark glasses were off, the visitor was revealed to be Farida Waziri, Chairwoman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC].

The Ambassador immediately lost her cool and blasted but the FonMin and Waziri – stressing that she was under instructions not to have any contact with Mrs. Waziri until such time as the USA government saw progress on issues which had discussed with the Government of Nigeria on several occasions, and that if the Minister had arranged the lunch for her to talk with Mrs. Waziri, the Ambassador could not stay.

The Ambassador turned to Mrs. Waziri, saying she hoped the USG position was clear to her, but reiterated:  that there would be no meetings with her; that she would not be received by USG officials if she visited the U.S., though she certainly was not barred from traveling to the U.S. for personal reasons (she does hold a valid U.S. visa); and, that constantly seeking a meeting with, or inviting the Ambassador to her events, only put the Ambassador in the position of being rude in not being able to respond.

An embarrassed EFCC Chairwoman apologized to the Ambassador stating that she was sorry the U.S. considered her not competent to do her job, and thought she was involved in file tampering, something she insisted she would not do. 

Maduekwe then asked his wife to escort Mrs. Waziri out.

READ the WIRE cable below. It was classified as Confidential by Ambassador Robin R. Sanders on March 16,2009 – and due to declassification on March 16, 2019.

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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000458 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2019

SUBJECT: NIGERIA: FOREIGN MINISTER SETS UP SURPRISE ENCOUNTER WITH EFCC CHAIRWOMAN

 Classified By: Ambassador Robin R. Sanders for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

1. (C) Foreign Minister Maduekwe called the Ambassador late

Saturday March 14 [of 2009] to ask her to lunch on March 15 to discuss

AMISOM following his most recent talks with President

Yar’Adua on the issue, as well as to discuss his upcoming

trip to Washington to meet with SecState and attend other

private meetings.  Ambassador arrived, was greeted in the

normal fashion, and walked in the parlor to find another

person sitting in the corner in the room.  The Fonmin then

announced that he had someone with whom he wanted the

Ambassador to talk, and thought (at the last minute, he

claimed) he would take advantage of the March 15 lunch to

arrange that discussion.  Once the dark glasses were off, the

visitor was revealed to be Farida Waziri, Chairwoman of the

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

2. (C) The Ambassador immediately said she was under

instructions not to have any contact with Mrs. Waziri until

such time as the USG saw progress on issue

Senator Sidi Ali Vs Hon. Etsu Zhin: Between Failed Senatorial Representation and Distraction?

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Does Senator Sidi Ali think he is deceiving the people of FCT with his so called petition to EFCC against Honourable Danladi Zhin or what? For four years he represented FCT in the Senate, he did not attract a single project to any area council in FCT. If he had attracted Roads and Housing projects in any of those councils that make up FCT; he would have known their costs, through which comparison can be made with those projects executed by Hon. Zhin. Nobody in FCT knows the constituency office of Senator Sidi Ali, yet, millions of Naira was given for its management by NASS. This is a case of pot calling kettle black- A frustrated former supporter of Senator Sidi Ali.       

Political pundits and observers have reasoned that Senator Sidi Ali, the erstwhile senatorial representative of the Federal Capital Territory [FCT], is certainly not the best person to accuse any area council Chairman in FCT of financial impropriety, not to talk of his prime benefactor, Honourable Danladi Etsu Zhin, who he is accusing of corruption for obvious reason that his tenure as the representative of Abuja in his capacity as a Senator was at best, a waste to the people. Although, it is the function of the National Assembly to expose corruption in the area councils, in the case of FCT, as part of their oversight function, but when one realizes that NASS is made up of both the Senate and House of Representatives, with the House having more legitimacy to oversight function due to the fact that they are the direct representatives of the people, one begins to wonder why commensurate noise is not coming from them on alleged corruption in Kuje area council and FCT in  general. 

There is no doubt that politics is the root cause of the friction between Honourabe Zhin and Senator Sidi Ali. For almost four [4] years as Senator in FCT, Sidi Ali did not forward petition of alleged corruption of Zhin to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], it was when he failed in his bid to get re-election in his party [PDP] that he remembered that there was corruption in Kuje area council. In-fact, were it possible that EFCC is empowered by law to conduct integrity test on each and every petitioner, there was no way Senator Sidi Ali would not have been detained to account for his stewardship at the Senate that was abysmal.  It could be recalled that Senator Sidi Ali entered into the political lexicon of FCT in 2007, when he contested the senatorial election and lost to Senator Jubrin Wowo, the former Chairman of Kuje area council. Luck however, smiled on Sidi Ali when the election of Wowo was canceled on account of exclusion. The resultant re-run election presented another opportunity for Sidi Ali to try his luck once again. Senator Ali knew that he had outside chance of defeating Senator Wowo, who was the incumbent with solid structure on ground then.  

Ordinarily, it was impossible for Sidi Ali to win the re-run election because of the obvious reason that he had no political structure in FCT. But when Zhin provided his huge structure and goodwill, it was not surprising that he eventually won the re-run. Information has it that Zhin mobilized support for Senator Sidi Ali from his core zones- which include Kuje, Gwagwalada, Kwali and Abaji. Zhin’s huge support base in these areas is of course, a function of his long stay as the Secretary of the ruling People’s Democratic Party [PDP] in FCT. As the lynchpin of PDP in FCT, Zhin naturally was in good position to influence voting pattern in an election in FCT and that was exactly what he did in that re- run election. So it was not unexpected that Sidi defeated Senator Jubrin Wowo in the re-run election.

No sooner had Sidi Ali became the senator representing FCT, than he turned his back on the people. He did not make any impact in FCT for almost four years that he stayed at the National Assembly. He completely detached himself from the electorates in Abuja. As of today, Senator Sidi Ali cannot pinpoint to projects in FCT in his name that have impacted positively on the people. Watchers of FCT politics have repeatedly asked whether Senator Sidi Ali gave accurate account of the constituency allowance he collected at the national assembly. If Sidi Ali had constituency office, only he and his family knew.  What effort did Sidi Ali invest in fighting the marginalization of his people?

The poor representation Senator Ali gave at the National Assembly provided the platform that led to his total rejection at the primary election of PDP in 2010. Senator Ali was dumped for a more progressive Philip Aduda, who incidentally was the immediate House of Representatives member representing AMAC/ Bwari area councils. His rejection was total that he managed a distant third position behind Irete Kingibe in the primary election. Since that election, Senator Sidi Ali has not hidden his anger against Honourable Danladi Etsu Zhin, for withdrawal of support for him.

Watchers of political events in FCT have likened Ali’s petition to EFCC against Zhin to the proverbial stone thrower who lives in a glass house. Senator Sidi Ali has clearly forgotten that his voyage to NASS was an incomparable failure. He did not attract projects in FCT, whereas Zhin embarked on many developmental projects in Kuje area council. Even the petition he wrote was in respect of some projects the Honourable Chairman completed in the council. One would have been happy if during his tenure as the Senator representing FCT, Sidi Ali had attracted some projects for the benefit of the people in the same Kuje area council. To start with, what gave Sidi Ali the impression that some projects were inflated in Kuje area council? Is he, Sidi Ali professionally competent to evaluate the projects which he believes were inflated? The only motive for Sidi Ali’s petition against Hon. Zhin, is crave to get even, arising from Zhin’s withdrawal of support at the primary election of PDP that eventually culminated in his exit from the Senate. Surely, the petition is a base one and a huge distraction as well. Senator Sidi Ali can’t be taken seriously in this curious crusade.

Emeka Oraetoka

Information Management Consultant & Researcher

Wrote in from Garki-Abuja

P.O Box 18928

e-mail: oramekllis@lycos.com

 

New York Police Officer Sentenced 87months for Armed Robbery

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NEWARK, NJ—A former New York City police officer was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for conspiring to commit the armed robbery of a Carlstadt, N.J., perfume warehouse, in which he, other active New York Police officers, and others stole approximately $500,000 of perfume while holding 11 employees hostage, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Richard LeBlanca, 27, of New York, previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls. Judge Walls also imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

LeBlanca admitted that from December 2009 to February 2010 he conspired with NYPD officers Kelvin L. Jones, 30, of Yonkers, N.Y., and Brian Checo, 26, of New York; former NYPD officer Orlando Garcia, 27, also of New York; and others to rob the In Style USA warehouse. LeBlanca stated that on Feb. 9, 2010, he and others entered the warehouse while carrying firearms, displaying NYPD-issued badges, and announcing themselves as NYPD officers. LeBlanca also admitted that during the course of the robbery, 11 employees were held hostage while the conspirators loaded hundreds of boxes of perfume onto trucks that were used to transport the stolen perfume. After leaving the warehouse, LeBlanca met Jones, Checo, Garcia, and others in New York, where they developed a plan to conceal the crime after some of the conspirators had been arrested at the robbery site by Carlstadt authorities.

LeBlanca admitted that, in an effort to conceal his involvement, he falsely reported to his bank that his ATM debit card had been stolen—the same card he had used earlier that day to pay for rental of one of the two trucks used in the heist.

Checo and Garcia previously pleaded guilty before Judge Walls to conspiring to commit armed robbery. Jones was convicted by a jury last December on all four counts charged in the indictment—conspiring to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and interstate transportation of stolen merchandise—and was sentenced on Sept. 7, 2011, to 195 months in prison. Checo was sentenced the same day to 75 months in prison. Garcia was sentenced yesterday, Sept. 12, 2011, to 51 months in prison.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Walls sentenced LeBlanca to three years of supervised release. A universal restitution hearing before Judge Walls will be held for all defendants Nov. 9, 2011.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark, for conducting the investigation. He also thanked the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of John L. Molinelli, as well as the Carlstadt Police Department and the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau, for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric T. Kanefsky of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

How Nigeria can prevent Ethno-Religious Conflicts – Giade

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NDLEA/PUBAF/074/ VOL. V /99                                September 14, 2011
 
PRESS RELEASE
 
The Chairman/Chief Executive officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade has enumerated solutions on how to prevent conflicts in the country leading to loss of lives and properties. The Agency’s boss in an interactive section with participants of Senior Executive Course 33 at the Nigeria Institute for Policy and strategic studies (NIPSS) Kuru, Plateau State on Wednesday September 14, 2011 noted that the nation’s ethnic and religious diversity is a blessing and not a curse as the various conflicts being witnessed across the country suggest.
The way out of conflicts is for leaders and elites to galvanise ethno-religious pluralism for the rapid growth and development of the country through equal opportunity, provision of employment, eradication of poverty, illiteracy, deprivation and corruption. Drug control is also crucial because drug abuse is at the root of conflicts just as illegal arms need to be taken out of the society he opined.
Giade’s paper titled Perspective on the Management of Ethno-Religious Pluralism was presented by Mr. Victor Cole-Showers, Head Pension Department of the anti-drug Agency. The NDLEA boss thanked the management of the Institute for selecting a topic that is relevant to the current security situation in the country and urged that suggestions on the way forward should not be left unimplemented.
He contended that pluralism is a harmless global phenomenon as countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Malaysia and South Africa among others are ethno-religious plural States. In his words, “the factors responsible for ethnic chauvinism and religious conflicts are manmade. It has nothing to do with a country, its religions and ethnic groups. The existence of diverse and competing interests underscores the basis for democratic coexistence where power is spread among many different groups within the society. This way, individuals and groups feel a genuine sense of belonging and are encouraged to actualise their goals” Giade stated.
He added that while some ethno-religious nations are maximising their diverse strengths and comparative advantages, others are locked in mutual suspicion, bitter and retrogressive hegemonic rivalries. The inability to accommodate ethnic and religious differences remains a threat on cohesiveness, peace and development that requires urgent intervention.
The NDLEA boss however expressed optimism that the unity of the country in sports music and related fields makes it possible to permanently make ethno-religious conflict a thing of the past. According to Giade, “it is worthy to note that in sports, music, education, science and related fields where Nigeria is involved internationally, the beauty and strength of our diversity is enviable. This underscore the fact that our diversity is indeed a blessing and not a curse as some may want to believe. The excitement of our nationals performing creditably in international competitions flies our national flag with pride”.
The way forward according to Giade must begin with re-orientation on nationalism, political education on the rich culture and unity, political enlightenment on critical political issues that will enhance participation of all groups, wealth creation through empowerment and creation of an enabling environment such as provision of roads, electricity, water, friendly legislation and other incentives will help neutralise ethno-religious acrimony among the various ethno-religious groups.
Other suggestions are aggressive public enlightenment, non-partisan and impartial anti-corruption campaign, promotion of merit at all levels. Management is about prudent use of resources to satisfy needs. This he posited can be met easily when the best hands are engaged.
 
Ofoyeju Mitchell
Head, Public Affairs

Anambra ACN condemns extention of LG caretaker tenure

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Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Anambra Chapter condemns the elastic transition to elected local government chairmen and councillors under the present state government as represented by the manipulation of the State House of Assembly to rubberstamp fresh three-month tenure for the illegal care-taker government in place in the local governments.

We again call on ANSIEC to release of a firm electoral timetable leading to the smooth conduct of local government elections this year.

The unnecessary tenure renewal, when Anambra is waiting to vote in their elected officials and  the controversial removal of the Chairman of Anambra State Electoral Commission Prof Vitus Eze, without due process combine to confirm that the interim government of Anambra State under Mr Peter Peter Obi is paying lip service to the issue of local Government elections.

The sad oddity of the unfolding scenario is that Anambra State is under torture from a government whose intention they cannot judge and on who they cannot place their trust. Speak of the proverbial king that lies to his subjects. In fact APGA aspirants have privately shown more disappointment in the current state of affairs.

To an extent, this is not surprising considering that the sitting government does not enjoy the mandate of majority of the Anambra Citizenry. It is however shocking the government would be so brazen in playing on the intelligence of Ndi Anambra.

ACN will not leave any stone unturned in the renewed quest to return the state to true democracy and will explore or legal and legitimate means to wake up the APGA- inspired government of Anambra State to their responsibility to the people of the state particularly on the practice of democracy which has taken root in many states of Nigeria that Anambra ought to be ahead of.

We  invite the Governor Peter Obi to respect the wish of the people of Anambra State, disband the so-called caretaker governments at local government levels and emplace the conditions for the smooth conduct of elections, as Ndi Anambra have fallen out of patience on the ‘come today -come tomorrow’ approach to the elections.

 

Okelo Madukaife

Publicity Secretary,

ACN, Anambra State

Suleja Blasts: SSS Arraigns Suspects

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Eight suspects believed to have planted the bombs that killed 16 people at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Suleja, Niger State, on April 8, have been arraigned by the State Security Service (SSS) before an Abuja Chief Magistrate.
 
The accused persons namely Shuaib Abubarkar, Muhammed Dalhatu, Salisu Ahmed, Ahmed Hasaan, Umar Baba Gana, Muhhamed Alli, Musa Adamu and Umar Ibrahim were brought before the court yesterday at about 1:40pm by heavily armed SSS operatives. They were said to have conspired to do an illegal act to wit, planting and detonating explosives at different places, causing grievous bodily harm to tens of people and killing about 22 others at different places. Apart from the 16 people killed at INEC office in Suleja, the suspects were also said to have been responsible for the killing of three people at All Christian Fellowship Church in Suleja and another bomb that killed three people in Bawri.

All the suspects but one pleaded not guilty to the charges. The 4th accused person, Ahmed Hassan, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transact illegal arms and also confirmed allegiance to the Boko-Haram sect with the 3rd accused person Salisu Ahmed since 2008. He narrated how one Barsha, said to be at large, enjoined them to avenge the death of late Boko-Haram leader, Muhammed Yussuf, and asked them to procure cortex cable from a mining site in Nassarawa state. (The other seven suspects said they did not know anything about the charges read to them.)

He also told the court that Barsha taught them how to use AK47. According to SSS sources, Hassan’s mother is from the southeast while his father is from Niger Republic. All the suspects are very young and are aged 20 to 35. The charges were first read out in English and latter translated to Hausa by the court’s registrar. No lawyer represented the accused persons.

When Chief Magistrate Oyebola Oyewunmi informed them of their right to be represented by lawyers, they all said that they had no lawyers.
Apparently not ready for the trial, the prosecutor, Mr. C.I. Osagie asked that the case be adjourned till October 4, 2011. He said that though investigations had been concluded, new arrests had been, thus necessitating the adjournment.

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