NEW YORK (Reuters) – South Sudan’s vice president, Riek Machar, dismissed on Friday rumors of a planned military coup, saying it would be “unwise” for army officers to attempt a takeover of the year-old state.
The speculation was serious enough to prompt South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir to visit the headquarters of Sudan’s army (SPLA) this week to warn that any successful coup leaders would be isolated internationally, according to the Sudan Tribune.
The Court of law is constitutionally clothed with the judicial powers of the state to adjudicate matters between parties with a view to interpreting the provisions of the law and by so doing to promote the respect for the principle of rule of law. In the exercise of these powers, the judges as ministers in the temple of justices are obliged to live above board and to dispense justice creditably, without allowing any sort of compromise or influence to make them reach a pre-determined end.
Since the inception of the ongoing democratic experiments in the country, the role of the judiciary has come under constant scrutiny even as several serving judges of the various court system in the country have been dismissed and/or sanctioned by the National Judicial Council (NJC) for offences bordering on bribery and frivolous granting of injunctions to applicants which have in the past operationally crippled the smooth conduct of elections by the independent National electoral commission.
Some of these ex parte injunctions which were awarded indiscriminately by some judges have also prevented political parties and other institutions of democracy from functioning optimally thereby making observers to question whether some of these judges who issue these nebulous injunctions are actually using their high offices to undermine democracy in Nigeria.
The National Judicial Council has also faced criticism in the past for not responding quickly to allegations of impropriety against certain judges in the High Courts of the various states and the Federal Capital Territory and the Federal High Court of diverse divisions in the country.
Observers are of the opinion that if the hierarchy of the National Judicial Council are always ready to effectively bring heavy sanctions and other disciplinary measures to bare on the indicted judges, then other judges who may be tempted to compromise their high office and misbehave will be effectively deterred since they are aware of the serious consequences of their actions and inactions.
With the exception of the periods that Justices Muhammadu Lawal Uwais and Alfa Belgore served as the Chief Justices of Nigeria and the chairmen of the National Judicial Council (NJC) respectively whereby a good number of indicted judges dragged before the disciplinary forum[NJC] were severely sanctioned, the National Judicial council has come under increasing criticism as not actively enforcing its constitutionally guaranteed mandate to ensure that Judges adhere to professional ethics and exercise their powers enshrined in the section 6 of the constitution with the highest display of maturity, wisdom and patriotism.
Most observers therefore remember Justices Uwais and Belgore for bringing high sense of discipline in the administration of the nation’s courts when they each served as the Chief Justice of the Federation. In the past few years, all eyes have seriously being directed toward the hierarchy of the National Judicial Council hoping that the unprecedented indiscipline and unprofessional conducts of some judges all across the country are checked.
When therefore, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, a woman by name Justice Maryam Alooma Muktar emerged as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, most Nigerians expressed optimism that she will carry out a clean sweep and restore credibility, respect and integrity to the institution of the judiciary and importantly that she will ensure that the National Judicial Council stops the business-as-usual tendency and rise up to the challenge of enforcing strict professional ethical codes of conduct among serving judicial officers.
The demand for the strict enforcement of discipline among judges is so that litigants and the members of the general public are not made by the gross indiscipline and apparent disposition of some judges to bribery and other monetary inducements, to lose faith in the impartiality of the court as the last hope of the common man.
The new Chief Justice of Nigeria, who is the first woman to become the leader of the court system in Nigeria since independence, is expected to carry out a moral revolution to once more convince Nigerians that those judges, who have constituted themselves into formidable cogs in the wheel of Justice, are effectively sanctioned and dismissed.
The current leadership of the National Judicial Council is facing a litmus test as a result of a troubling allegation of compromise made against the person of the Chief Judge of Enugu state Justice Innocent Umezulike by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Victor Umeh.
Specifically, Chief. Umeh has come under intense pressure by some of his estrange party members who have resorted to the adoption of series of antics, manipulations and other strategies to compel him to relinquish the office of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which produced the Governors of Anambra (Peter Obi) and Imo States (Rochas Okorocha).
Chief Umeh has similarly been told by the governor of Enugu State Mr. Sullivan Iheanacho Chime of the People Democratic Party (PDP) to prepare for the demolition of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) since the ruling political party at the center (PDP) has set machinery in motion to defeat and uproot the All Progressives Grand Alliance from its traditional South East zone.
Soon after the Governor of Enugu State made the declaration, Chief Umeh was dragged in his personal capacity before the chief Judge of Enugu state by whom he (Umeh) described as an expelled member of the party form Udi local government which happens to be the home local council of the governor of Enugu state who had earlier served media notice of the impending ‘demise’ of the All progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Not long ago, the Chief Justice of Nigeria acknowledged publicly that state governors in most states of the federation are starving their state judiciary of funds. What this statement implies is that because state judiciary is not financially independent, it is possible that some governors may resort to blackmail to compel their state courts to play by their own game. If this is the case, then democracy is imperiled.
The petition instituted against the Chief Judge of Enugu state by the National Chairman of APGA Chief Victor Umeh has alleged that the Enugu Chief Judge failed to disqualify himself from hearing a matter seeking his ouster by an allegedly suspended party member from Udi local government even as the Chief Judge granted unnecessarily prolonged ex parte injunction against Chief Umeh which in effect crippled the administration of All Progressive Grand Alliance.
Chief Umeh had reduced his grouse with the chief Judge of Enugu state in the following issues he has raised before the Justice Muktar-led National Judicial Council.
Umeh stated; “Recall, Sir, that by letter dated 19th September 2012, I prayed the Chief Judge of Enugu State to transfer/re-assign the Case to another Judge of the Enugu State High Court as I have no confidence of obtaining justice in his Court given the attitude and antecedents in the Case. This request was ignored and not responded to”.
Chief Umeh also disclosed that; “By Motion on Notice, through my Counsel, I prayed the Hon. Chief Judge of Enugu State for “an Order that the Honourable Chief Judge of Enugu State, Hon. Justice I. A. Umezulike, OFR the Presiding Judge in Suit No. E/270/2012 Ichie Okuli Jude Ejike V. Chif Sir Victor Umeh disqualifies himself and decline from continuing the hearing of Suit No. E/270/2012 pending before the Enugu State High Court”.
According to Chief Umeh; “The Motion was filed on 5 October 2012. One would have expected that the Hon. Chief Judge would, as a Court of Law, hear my said Motion on Notice and determine same one way or the other before proceeding further in the Case”.
He continued thus;
“The Case came up before the Hon. Chief Judge of Enugu State on 8 October 2012. I was perplexed that, not only did Hon. Chief Judge refuse to hear/entertain the Motion filed on 5 October 2012 seeking to disqualify him from hearing the Case, but the Chief Judge proceeded to the hearing of the Case even when Counsel representing me in Court urged him to hear the Motion.”
The National Judicial Council needs to find out why the Chief Judge failed to transfer the matter to another judge because the moment a party in a case before you raises such fundamental doubt regarding the impartiality or otherwise of a presiding Judge, it is better for another judge to hear the matter so that Justice will not only be one but will be seen to have being done.
To even imagine that very senior members of the bar were part of the legal team that prayed the Chief Judge to hands off the matter, it is shocking that the Enugu state Chief Judge proceeded with hearing the substantive issue brought by a plaintiff even when the respondent shouted ‘blue murder’ severally and doubted the credibility of the presiding judge.
What then is the interest of the Enugu State Chief Judge in this matter? Is he playing the game prepared by some powerful politicians who vowed to ensure that the APGA is destroyed before the 2015 election? How is a judge to adjudicate a politically charged litigation to escape accusations of being bias and compromised?
These are the knotty issues that needed to be untied by the Justice Maryam Alooma Muktar’s-led National Judicial Council in the petition brought by Chief Victor Umeh of APGA against the Chief Judge of Enugu state who is also a holder of the national honour of officer of the Federal Republic.
* Emmanuel Onwubiko, Head, HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA blogs@www.huriwa.blogspot.com.
HOUSTON—Godwin Chiedo Nzeocha, 45, a naturalized United States citizen originally from the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has been convicted for his role in the multi-million-dollar City Nursing health care fraud scheme, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.
Nzeocha, who was charged on October 19, 2009, entered a plea just a short time ago to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of money laundering. As part of the plea, he has also agreed to forfeit $1,098,320 to the United States.
According to the documents in support of his plea, Nzeocha left the United States to avoid arrest not long after receiving a telephone call from a co-conspirator the day Umawa Imo, owner of City Nursing Services of Texas Inc., was arrested. Nzeocha made his initial appearance June 27, 2012, after being extradited back to the United States from Nigeria.
Nzeocha admitted he had an agreement with Imo to sign his name on City Nursing patient documents as the provider of physical therapy services that he knew he was not qualified nor did provide to Medicare beneficiaries. The documents included blank treatment data forms, progress notes and daily physical therapy records. Nzeocha further admitted to knowing Imo was buying Medicare beneficiary information from recruiters and paying Medicare beneficiaries cash in order to bill for physical therapy services that were not provided. Nzeocha received approximately $1,098,320 from City Nursing.
Between December 3, 2007 and June 26, 2009, when Nzeocha worked at City Nursing, the company billed Medicare and Medicaid for approximately $35,819,508 worth of physical therapy services that were not provided and received approximately $26,233,122 as payment for those services from Medicare and Medicaid.
Nzeocha is the eighth person to be convicted in relation to the City Nursing health care fraud scheme, including Imo, who was sentenced to 327 months in federal prison.
Nzeocha faces a possible punishment of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of his convictions. He will remain in custody pending his sentencing, set for January 18, 2013.
This case has been investigated by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General and the Texas Attorney General’s Office-Medicare Fraud, Control Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Julie Redlinger is prosecuting the case.
From Yenogua, Bayelsa State
As the devastating effect of the current flood continue to cause hardship and mystery, Bayelsa over the weekend recorded a serious casualty when a wooden boat conveying a family and other passengers capsized.
One of the drowned passengers indentified as Abbey from Efon Alaye, in Ekiti state, an auto mechanics based in Yenagoa, lost his life alongside other passengers, including a nursing mother and her two children along Epie creek, Akenfa community,Yenagoa local government area of the state.
The journey of less than five minutes sailing, in a twinkling of an eye, according to an eye witness account claimed the lives of the six out of the eight passengers on board of the manually operated wooden boat.
However, the Bayelsa state Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has ordered the recovery of the bodies of the victims and as well sympathized with the bereaved families.
The Governor during his visit to the scene of the incident ordered the provision of life jackets for all the boat operators in the area, adding that the incident would have been averted, had it been the passengers put on the life jackets.
The victims, as reliably informed boarded the wooden boat because the affected community could no longer be accessed by road as a result of the recent flooding of some part of the state.
To convey the passenger across the trouble spot, the wooden boat operators charge between N5 and N10.
The ill fated boat, according to eye witness account was about to berth when the incident occurred. Two of the passengers on board swam to safety, while Abbey and remaining passengers on board got drowned.
Efforts to locate them prove abortive, as sympathizers gathered at the bank of the creek, waiting for the body of the victims to float.
Members of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Nigeria Security Civil Defence, local divers and other security operatives were sighted at the bank of creek, waiting helplessly for the time that the body of victims will float.
One of the sympathizers who spoke under condition of anonymity said Abbey supposed to have traveled to his hometown but postponed the journey till next week.
His word, ‘Abbey supposed to dedicate his newly built apartment next week. Not only this, his father’s coronation ceremony is coming up same time next week. I met him two days ago, and expressed fear over the recent flooding which has rendered hundreds of people homeless.
He told me that he is always afraid of water not knowing that the same water will claim his life. He could not wait to pack into the house that he has labored to build.
Another eye witness account stated that two of the victims were traveling to the other side of the creek in search of snake meat, disclosing that, only yesterday they bought one at a cheaper rate.
Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relation Officer, Fidelis Odunna said three people were feard dead in a boat mishap that occurred along Epie creek in Akenfa community, Yenagoa local government area of the state.
As Nigerians continue to celebrate the success of the just-concluded governorship election in Ondo State, it is important to note that although the president would naturally have wanted his party, the PDP, to win the governorship election in the State, the fact that he has never abused the enormous powers of the presidency to influence the outcome of elections shows that he is a man of his words, a committed democrat and a President who believes in the rule of law and the supremacy of the will of the people. Ahead of the Ondo State 2012 Gubernatorial elections, here is what the President said at the Democracy Park in Akure, Ondo State on October 13, 2012:
“What we can guarantee the people of Ondo state is that the commitment of this present administration to ensure that Nigeria continues to remain high in the comity of nations in terms of how we select our leaders remains constant. It is going to be one man, one vote, one woman, one vote, one youth, one vote.”
While reacting to the news that some political parties were mobilizing thugs for the election, President Jonathan added: “I was told that some people are mobilizing thugs from everywhere, if they like they can go to anywhere to bring thugs, the Federal Government will not allow any thug to come out that day, and if you know you are a thug or your child is to be used as a thug, carry them away from Ondo state, because government will never tolerate any rubbish. It will be free and fair election and nobody will frustrate the commitment of government to project Nigeria truly and nobody will allow thuggery.”
The President made a similar promise, most recently in Edo state. And he kept his words. He has kept his words again. Discerning Nigerians will readily admit that Nigeria’s electoral process has been truly transformed under President Jonathan’s watch. Apart from ensuring free and fair elections in Edo and Ondo as in every other part of the country, President Jonathan was also the first person to congratulate Governor Mimiko. A man of his words! A true sportsman!
President Jonathan also commended the dutiful, patriotic and law-abiding electorate of Ondo State as well as the INEC personnel and security agencies who ensured that the elections were peacefully and successfully conducted in keeping with his Administration’s commitment to making elections in Nigeria progressively better organised and more credible.
As Governor Mimiko prepares for his second term in Office, the President has urged him to rededicate himself to work even harder to justify the trust and confidence reposed in him by the people of Ondo state who voted overwhelmingly for his re-election.
President Jonathan has assured Dr. Mimiko that the Federal Government will continue to engage constructively and positively with the Ondo State Government in collaborative efforts to achieve faster socio-economic development and better living conditions for people in the state and all other parts of Nigeria.
Ondo Gubernatorial Election: Another bright moment for Nigeria! President Jonathan’s transformation agenda remains sure and steady.
Reuben Abati
State House, Abuja
A church run by a controversial multi-millionaire African preacher has been accused of ‘cynical exploitation’ after its British branch received £16.7 million in donations from followers who were told that God would give them riches in return.
Followers are ferried in double-decker shuttle buses to the church, handed slips inviting them to make debit card payments, and are even told obeying the ministry’s teachings will make them immune from illness.
Today’s Mail on Sunday revelations about the Winners’ Chapel movement have prompted the Charity Commission to review the charitable status of the church – one of the fastest-growing in the UK.
Winners’ Chapel is part of a worldwide empire of evangelical ministries run by Nigeria’s wealthiest preacher David Oyedepo, who has an estimated £93 million fortune, a fleet of private jets and a Rolls-Royce Phantom.
Plenty to smile about; Preacher David Oyedepo of the Winners Chapel movement aboard one of his private jets. He also owns a Rolls Royce Phantom
Dubbed ‘The Pastorpreneur’, he was accused earlier this year of slapping the face of a young woman he said was a witch. The assault case was struck out but is being appealed.
Branches of the church have sprung up in major UK cities in a huge recruitment drive centred on Mr Oyedepo’s ‘prosperity gospel’. This claims that congregants who make regular donations and pay tithes – a ten per cent levy on their income – will be rewarded financially by God.
Followers are urged to target vulnerable people such as the lonely, the sick, the homeless and the suicidal as potential candidates for conversion.
Last night, Labour MP Paul Flynn said Winners’ Chapel was cynically exploiting supporters. ‘They [Winners’ Chapel] are making clearly spurious claims and it seems to be a cynical exploitation of the gullible,’ he said.
Referring to the slapping incident, Mr Flynn added: ‘What is also alarming is the reported violence and the lack of respect for the status of women. It’s taking us back to a previous age of ignorance and prejudice that we all thought the church had escaped.’
Caught on camera: Video of Mr Oyedepo striking a young ‘witch’ across the face in front of a congregation
This newspaper’s investigation can further disclose:
In the past three years, Winners’ Chapel churches have been established in Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds and Bradford, adding to those in London, Manchester, Dublin and Glasgow.
An undercover Mail on Sunday reporter attended Sunday services at Winners’ Chapel’s ‘London HQ’ in Dartford, Kent, which attracts 1,000 congregants – chiefly African and Caribbean immigrants. It is run like ‘a business conference’ by Mr Oyedepo’s son, David Oyedepo Jnr. Packed buses deliver singing worshippers from South-East London, Essex and Kent to the huge auditorium.
The reporter saw a payment slip being given to every person entering the church encouraging them to donate money by cheque or cash or to fill in a form with their debit card details. The slip said tithes should be paid separately using a ‘Kingdom Investment Booklet’ and the reporter was informed that payments could also be made by phone. A pastor told the worshippers: ‘You shall be financially promoted after this service in Jesus’s name if you are ready to honour the Lord therefore with all your givings, your tithes, your offerings, your Kingdom investment, your sacrifices.’
Congregants were told to fill in their slips and hold them above their heads while the donations were blessed.
One of the fleet: A jet belonging to Mr Oyedepo – he has at least two that he bought with his huge fortune
The service was interspersed with testimonies. ‘I received a bill from the bank that I didn’t understand, so I prayed,’ said one congregant. ‘A few days later, the bank wrote to apologise for their mistake – Hallelujah!’ ‘Hallelujah,’ the audience shouted back.
Congregants were told they could gain favour by persuading others to follow Mr Oyedepo’s teachings. His son said: ‘Look around you. Someone is sick and already wishing he or she were dead, that is a fruit ripe to harvest. Someone is confounded and considering suicide as an option, that is another fruit that is ripe to harvest.
‘Someone else is lonely and wondering if there is any future for him, that is another fruit ripe to harvest.
‘Also there are many men and women, young and old that are homeless, these are fruits ripe to harvest.’
The reporter was taken, with 20 other new recruits, to a room where preachers gave sermons claiming acceptance of the Lord would prevent them ever being ill or suffering misfortune.
The Mail on Sunday has seen video footage of Mr Oyedepo striking a woman across the face and condemning her to hell after she said she was a ‘witch for Jesus’. He attacked her in a Winners’ Chapel superchurch, believed to be in Nigeria, in front of worshippers. A separate video shows him saying: ‘I slapped a witch here last year!’
In May, he was sued for £800,000 over the alleged assault. The case was struck out – a decision which is now reported to have been appealed.
The Winners’ Chapel movement, also known as the Living Faith Church, has hundreds of churches in Nigeria and across Africa, the Middle East, the UK and the US.
Mr Oyedepo has received fierce criticism in Africa. One Nigerian journalist accused him of ‘leading a growing list of pastorpreneurs – church founders exploiting the passion and emotion that Christianity commands to feather their nests’.
Marriage: Seen here with his wife Faith, Mr Oyedepo has a son who runs services at the chapel’s London headquarters
Catholic Cardinal Anthony Okogie criticised such preachers for placing materialism above Jesus’s message. He reportedly said: ‘They have been skinning the flock, taking out of the milk of the flock.’
Among Mr Oyedepo’s fleet of aircraft are said to be a Gulfstream 1 and Gulfstream 4 private jets. It is also claimed he and his wife, Faith, travel in expensive Jeeps flanked by convoys of siren-blaring vehicles. He is the senior pastor of Faith Tabernacle, a 50,000-seat auditorium in Lagos reputed to be the largest church in the world, and runs a publishing company that distributes books carrying his message across the world.
His other business interests span manufacturing, petrol stations, bakeries, water purification factories, recruitment, a university, restaurants, supermarkets and real estate. The latest addition is a commercial airline named Dominion Airlines.
A Charity Commission spokesman said: ‘The Charity Commission is currently assessing what, if any, regulatory role there is to play with regard to the complaints made against the World Mission Agency. It is important to clarify that this does not constitute an investigation at this stage.’
Winners’ Chapel administrator Tunde Disu declined to comment.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2220833/Laughing-private-jet–93m-pastor-accused-exploiting-British-worshippers.html#ixzz29wktxISF Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
PRESS STATEMENT
1. I have just been told the final results of the Ondo State governorship election. As a party of democrats, we in the Action Congress of Nigeria have always known that the choice of who governs has always been that of the people in situations where the electoral process is transparent and credible. Therefore, all politicians worthy of their salt must always expect victory or defeat. We recognize that it is the sovereign right of the people to decide what kind of government they want. This is the challenge of democracy. Our party believes that there was and still is need for change in Ondo State. Thus, our party will study carefully the general details of the results with a view to taking a final position.
2. Our party has always been and remains proud of our candidate, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and this election has reinforced our confidence in his ability to lead and stimulate life back into the Action Congress of Nigeria in Ondo State. Through him, our party will continue to express gratitude to the leadership and general members of our party and to the electorate of Ondo State in general. We are glad that they performed that brilliantly in spite of many challenges, glaring lapses in the system and institutional inefficiency in the conduct of Ondo state governorship election.
3. I must congratulate our teeming members in Ondo state for their hard work at resuscitating the party and putting it in a position of reckoning in such a short time.
4. Our party will continue this post mortem analysis of the lapses in all the institutions involved in the conduct of the Ondo election.
Chief Bisi Akande,
National Chairman, Action Congress of Nigeria. October 21, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
BAYELSA DEMOCRATIC FRONT (BDF)
Ovom-Yenagoa
STOP RIDICULING BAYELSA
A recent report alleging that Chief Timipre Sylva is behind the
resolve of the Change Advocacy Party (CAP) governorship candidate in
Bayelsa State, Dr. Imoro Kuboh, to pursue justice is, at best, childish. It is one of the pinpricks of the present administration in the state, which Bayelsans and other Nigerians just have to ignore and
get on with their lives.
We, too, would have ignored the absurd lie but for the fact that the
Seriake Dickson camp is laying Bayelsa people open to ridicule with
such undignified pursuits at a scale that we can no longer fold our
arms and watch.
The report attributed to the state CAP Chairman, Mr. Deme Kolomo,
claimed that the party had dissociated itself from its candidate’s
search for justice in the governorship contest after several failed
attempts to upturn Dickson’s “popular victory.” The report said CAP
was worried by Kuboh’s insistence on seeking redress at the Supreme
Court when he stood no chance, concluding, “From evidence at our
disposal, the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Timipre
Sylva, is the sponsor of Kuboh.”
Even the most uninformed of minds could see through the tragedy of
fabrications and intellectual idleness that were being celebrated in
the said report. The mockery of Dickson’s election by the imputation
of “popular” to his bizarre victory was glaring. Who in the world did
not see or hear how the country’s most revered democratic
institutions, including the party, security, and justice systems, were
compromised just to force-feed the Bayelsa electorate with the Abuja
mandate dressed in Dickson colours.
Besides, how could Kolomo and his co-travellers be so worried about a
candidate pursuing a cause he stands no chance of winning, even when
they try to give the impression that their principal is confident and
unperturbed?
To all intents and purposes, the reference to Sylva in Kuboh’s
electoral litigation is another manifestation of the nervousness that
has become the standard character of Hon. Dickson since he stool the
Bayelsa governorship mandate some months ago.
To be sure, Chief Sylva has not shown any association with any
political party outside the Peoples Democratic Party. He has remained
a loyal party man, despite the numerous attempts to frustrate him.
May we also state here without any equivocation that what is happening
between the Dickson camp and CAP in Bayelsa State is the mere
demonstration of an Abuja-sponsored hatchet job that backfired. No one
is deceived. Kuboh was an Abuja brainchild meant to throw a spanner in
the works for Chief Sylva. But the plot became a vicissitude. The
attempt to now draw Sylva into the crisis is at best silly.
PROMISE OKPOEBI
President-General
Delta state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has congratulated Governor Olusegun Mimiko on his re-election as Governor of Ondo State, saying democracy has taken roots in the country with the conduct of the election.
Governor Uduaghan who is also the Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of which Mimiko is member, said his victory at the polls which was concluded at the weekend is another testimony that free and fair elections are possible in our democracy.
“While I congratulate my brother Governor on his victory at the polls, I urge him to take particular note of his endearment to the grassroots which gave him the support for his return. He should strive to continue to build on the path of development he started in his first term. I urge him to see the victory as further opportunity to serve the people of Ondo State,” Dr. Uduaghan said.
Governor Uduaghan also used the opportunity to thank President Goodluck Jonathan who lived up to his promise of providing a level playing field for all political contests and which was once again demonstrated during the Ondo governorship election.
He particularly appreciated the people of Ondo State for their conduct during and after the election which he described as “peaceful, devoid of violence.”
Chevron Nigeria Limited has donated N50 Million to victims of flood disaster across the country.
Presenting the cheque at the national headquarters of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Abuja Chairman/Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr. Andrew Fawthrop said the company made the donation as part of its belief and commitment to the society.
“Our hearts go out to those affected by the flood disaster. We wish them well and pray that God will strengthen them in this critical period.
We are donating relief materials, including foodstuff, water, blankets, palm oil, salt beverages and mattresses to state government relief centres in some of the most affected states in the Niger Delta. This cheque donation is meant to complement these relief materials and the efforts of the governments and other organizations that are supporting the relief initiative both in the Niger delta and other parts of Nigeria.”
Represented by the Manager of Abuja office of the company, Alhaji Aliyu Mansur , the Chevron boss added “As a responsive and responsible Corporate Organisation, we reiterate our commitment to continue to partner with Nigeria in mitigating the effects of this natural disaster. In line with its “Tradition of Care,” the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture is committed to being a good corporate citizen, focused on building and sustaining productive, collaborative and beneficial partnerships for socio-economic development in Nigeria.”
Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mohammad Sani -Sidi has urged major companies operating in the country, especially oil companies to assist victims of the recent flood disaster across the country.
Speaking while receiving a cheque of fifty million naira donation from Chevron Nigeria Limited, one of the NNPC Joint Venture operators, Sidi said the government alone cannot shoulder the challenge of mitigating the effects of the natural disaster. He described the recent flood incident as the biggest natural disaster ever in the history of Nigeria.
He also enjoined oil companies to particularly assist the agency in the area of capacity building; pointing out that the agency was always on hand to intervene anytime there is pipeline fire incident anywhere in the country.
“The flood affected thirty four states out of the 36 states in the country. This is alarming and unprecedented. From records, this is the biggest natural disaster ever in this country. So many people have lost their lives, so many have lost their means of livelihood and millions of people have been displaced. Government has done a lot through NEMA by establishing camps; and providing food materials and medical care to millions of victims of the disaster”, he said.
Describing the donation as timely, the DG said it showed that Chevron is a very responsive and responsible organisation that takes the issue of corporate social responsibility seriously.
He noted that a special account will be opened to pay in the donations as they come, assuring that the N50Million will be forwarded to the Aliko Dangote Presidential Committee.
“I want more of this kind of collaborations. I had opportunity of speaking with the Group Managing Director of NNPC, and we have written to NAPIMS. We must find a way of collaborating because anytime you have pipeline vandalism or inferno; it is NEMA that you call first. In fact, we almost lost one of our staff recently during a pipeline fire in Ogun State. When our staff went there, the hoodlums opened fire on them; we had to call in the Police and later the military intervened. We feel that at this time the oil companies could come in by building our capacity in terms of equipment; because NEMA at this point is the only federal government agency that is charged with the responsibility of disaster management. Any other agency is just playing complementary role. That is why we need to have more collaboration and partnerships with all the stakeholders including the oil industry“, NEMA DG stated.
Inter-governmental Relations Manager of NNPC, Mrs. Bola Ashafa assured that the oil companies were disposed to collaboration for maximum result.
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