Okorocha Pleads For Additional Federal Universities In Imo

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The governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has appealed to the
federal government to establish two more universities in Imo that will
specialize on Energy and Agriculture.

The state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, who made the appeal when
the senate committee on Education led by Comrade Uche Chukwumereije
paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Owerri, said that
University of Agriculture will go a long way in encouraging the
agricultural practices in the state, while the University for Energy
will help in putting the excess gas flare in the state to proper use.

Governor Okorocha, urged the committee to remove the issue of federal
character quota for admissions into federal universities to enable Imo
indigenes secure admission to federal universities in the country,
adding that priority should be given to the states that are more
talented in education.

The governor who said that Imo is highest in the federation in the
area of education, noted that the state government has embarked on the
construction of 305 Model Schools in the state as well as extended its
free education programme to the state government owned tertiary
institutions.

Governor Okorocha also, disclosed that his administration has embarked
on numerous developmental project in the state including construction
of over one thousand (1,000) kilometer of road projects, construction
of 27 general hospitals, construct ion of Presidential Lodge, Liaison
office Abuja and Deputy Governor’s office among others and however
stressed the need for federal government to increase its quota in
educational budget to Imo state.

Earlier in his speech, the chairman of the Senate Committee on
Education, Comrade Senator Uche Chukwumereije, thanked Governor
Okorocha for finding time to be with them and expressed his
satisfaction on the level of development he witnessed in Imo state,
especially education upliftment and free education given to all Imo
indigenes in the state.

He also said that their main reason for coming is on oversight
function to federal institutions in the state to enable the committee
know their problems and channel it to appropriate quarters. Comrade
Chukwumereije, also accepted that the idea of using federal character
to deny Imo the desired strength in university pursuit is not good and
assured that something should be done about it, stressing that people
should not be punished for being talented on education.

Press Release: ACN Calls For Explanation On N2b Agric Loan To Rivers

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As the world celebrates World Food Day, the Action Congress of Nigeria, Rivers State Chapter has called on the State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to explain what has become of the Federal Government N2b Agric Loan to the State government since 2009.

The party in a Statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam made this demand in Port Harcourt while addressing journalists to mark this year’s World Food Day.

According to ACN, the Federal Government in 2009 disbursed N2b to Rivers State government as agricultural loan intervention fund for farmers in the State.

Farmers in State according to the party, were subjected to unnecessary filing of all manner of forms and other forms of documentations in 2010, through the ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP)but up till now, nothing has been heard of the loan facility.

The ACN regretted that the money may have been diverted to prosecute myriad of cases hanging on the neck of the present administration, and political activities of the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The party also wants to know the whereabouts of several fishing trawlers purchased by the administration of Sir Celestine Omehia in 2007.

ACN argued further that under Governor Amaechi administration, agriculture has been neglected, adding that the State cannot boast of an egg in the market today harvested from Rivers State Government Farm.

The party describes as sham agricultural programes of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), stressing that the RSSDA only gives out money to political allies of Gov. Amaechi in the name of boosting agriculture, leaving the peasant farmers who have need for such assistance to their destiny.

The party challenged the Amaechi administration to release the N2b federal government agricultural loan to farmers in the State, revamp the Rivers State Agricultural Development Program (ADP) and Government Demonstration farms lying waste across the state and declare an emergency in the agricultural sector.

“Government should be honest on issues relating to agriculture now that flood is ravaging the State, which resultant effect must be food scarcity and should stop playing politics with it”, ACN concluded.

 

Signed:

 Jerry Needam, JP

Publicity Secretary

Action Congress of Nigeria

Rivers State.

 

Tuesday, October  16, 2012

Alafin Extols Yuguda’s Virtue

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Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda has been described as a detribalized Nigerian whose virtues are worthy of emulation by others in positions of authority if the unity and oneness of the country are to be promoted for continuous peace and harmony among the Nigerian populace as contained in a Press Release from the office of the Chief Press Secretary to the Bauchi State Governor, Ishola Michael Adeyemi.
The release which copies were made available to newsmen in Bauchi contained that while speaking in his Palace at the ancient town of Oyo when he received the Wife of the Governor, Hauwa Abiodun Isa Yuguda who paid him a congratulatory visit on the celebration of his 74th birthday, Tuesday, the Alafin of Oyo Empire, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III declared that, “I have closely monitored the activities of Isa Yuguda since I first knew him and came to the conclusion that he is one man who must be respected and treated as an elder whose attributes should be emulated by others.”
An elated Lamidi Adeyemi III added that, “his track record as the Governor of Bauchi State in the last five years have further confirmed that he is a committed person who is always thinking of what to do for the good of his people, the various developmental records his administration has done are there to speak for themselves, I am indeed proud to be associated with him and his administration.”
The monarch also said that, “in the last 15 years I have only conferred chieftaincy titles on three people including Isa Yuguda who I gave the title of Obasayero of Oyo Empire after I was convinced that he has all the qualities required of a person to hold such a title, he is one of the High Chiefs of Oyo Empire, many top government functionaries and other Nigerians have tried to get me into giving them one title or the other but I am such an Oba who will give title for no just cause. By the grace of God come January, 14th , 2013 he will be officially installed during the activities that will mark my 43rd anniversary on the throne of my forefathers.”
He then explained that the title of Obasayero was given to Isa Yuguda based on his humanitarian nature coupled with his detribalized nature considering the way and a manner he brought all manners of Nigerians into his cabinet saying, “I am impressed with the composition of Nigerians in his cabinet particularly the non indigene – settler issue which he has abolished in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria appealing to other Governors in the country to adopt same to eradicate the communal clashes that have claimed lives and properties in the country.
The Alafin of Oyo Empire also used the occasion to stressed the need for Nigerians to feel at home anywhere they found themselves in the country as well as tolerate each other irrespective of ethno-religious and or political differences saying that God in His infinite mercies created us to be Nigerians and nothing can change that and so we must tolerate each other and live together in harmony and unity.
Earlier on, Wife of the Governor, Hauwa Abiodun Isa Yuguda who represented the Governor, Isa Yuguda at the celebration wished the Traditional Ruler long life and good health as he continues to pilot the affairs of the people of Oyo Empire declaring that from what she saw when she went round the ancient town has witnessed tremendous development in the over 40 years of the reign of the Monarch.
Hauwa Abiodun Isa Yuguda then thanked Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III and the Oyo Mesis for finding her husband worthy of conferment with the title of one of the High Chiefs of Oyo Empire assuring that Isa Yuguda will not let them down neither will he betray the trust bestowed on him urging the Monarch to continue to serve as a father to her husband in his quest to serve the people of Bauchi state well.

Aluu Massacre of UNIPORT students: National Malady – By: Charles Ikedikwa Soeze

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The recent massacre of four University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) students and tagged criminals by the people of Aluu in Rivers State who became the prosecutor and the judge overnight in their own court of law has left many Nigerians and foreigners in a stupor of surprise and pangs of anger and righteous indignation. It had been shock, grief and lamentation since the judicial killings took place. Before the unfortunate incidence at Aluu, forty students were allegedly killed at the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi in Adamawa State. Why killing innocent souls for no just cause especially future enlightened leaders? The action of the killers is embarrassing, degrading and has not only dented but denigrated our image nationally and internationally. It portrays red and black image in the practice of public relations.

Now that the Aluu community massacred four students for an unconfirmed allegation, which was not substantiated by a court of competent jurisdiction but the people of Aluu, who are now the real criminals, is it the Aluu community or the students? The jungle justice exhibited by Aluu people without following the appropriate procedure is condemnable, unprogressive, wicked and clear demonstration of not wanting or encouraging any good thing. To me, the people of Aluu are the criminals for going into wanton destruction of students by taking the law into their hands. What a dangerous dichotomy indeed!

Furthermore, the Federal and Rivers State governments should rise to the challenge of unmasking the real culprits behind the cowardly and dastardly act no matter how highly or lowly placed in the society and crushed them in a most exemplary manner to serve as deterrent to others who would ever think of engaging in such act. This is because the act is not only condemnable as it is despicable and regrettable putting Nigeria in bad light which is the very depth of abomination. Consequently, there is need for all Nigerians to always be religiously and jealously guided by the word of an elderstatesman, octogenarian and first executive president of Nigeria, Alhaji Aliyu Shehu Shagari, a professional teacher, and career politician when he said and I quote “This moment of our history demands of all of us the spirit of tolerance and cooperation rather than the things that divide us, we will have succeeded in bequeathing a fitting legacy to the coming generation”.

However, let this be a time of sober reflection for us all. As Nigerians and international communities condemn the wicked act, let everybody look inward and reappraise what happened. Injustice and oppression cannot but ultimately produce a desire for revenge and or rebellion but the law of the land should be adequately applied. Let our deep sympathy go to all who lost their lives, persons and sense of security. Nigeria needs to be made safe for all; and the federal government should lead and show the way to this, purposefully and decisively especially through its security agencies.

In my opinion, all progressive and articulate Nigerians irrespective of religion, tribe and status must dislodge the idea of being agents of darkness and destruction. In this connection therefore, it is absolutely necessary with due respect, humility and sense of responsibility to appeal to all Nigerians to remain steadfast, focused on the path of truth, honour, fairness and justice so that Nigeria can make meaningful progress economically and politically in our current democratic structure under the leadership of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, popularly referred to as “GEJ”.

With these recent killing of students in Port Harcourt and Mubi, one may say that Nigeria’s democracy is therefore dangerous if the massacre is not properly investigated and the perpetrators brought to face the music. If not it might lead to a stage that the falcon can no longer hear the falconer and that things will fall apart. This is not the best for Nigeria’s democratic structure. In the words of Desmond Mpilo Tutu, “Justice must be done to the poor and oppressed and if the present system does not serve the purpose, the public conscience must be roused to demand another”. In other words, the federal government needs to investigate thoroughly if there was crassa negligentia, that is, gross negligence by any person or group of persons that would have helped to stop the killings and then follow due process. Let us not make Nigeria a sick country by our actions.

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Charles Ikedikwa Soeze, fhnr, fcida, fcai, cpae, son, emba, ksq.

is a Mass Communication Scholar from first degree to doctoral level, public affairs analyst and Assistant Director (Administration)/Head, Academic and Physical Planning (A&PP) at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria. (08036724193) charlessoeze@yahoo.ca

Bayelsa Guber Judgement: Move to bribe Supreme Court Justices Uncovered

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From Yenogua, Bayelsa State

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*** PDP& Presidency fingered

The Supreme Court of Nigeria, Abuja this Monday in a Suit No. SC/369/2012 has reserved judgment for appeal filed by the candidate of the Change Advocacy Party (CAP) over August 31 verdict of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Appeal that was held in Port Harcourt which declared Henry Seriake Dickson as Governor of Bayelsa State.

The Change Advocacy Party (CAP) and its governorship candidate, Dr.  Imoro Goodhead Kubor had filed an appeal at the Supreme Court challenging the ruling of Honourable Justice M.L. Tsamiya-led Appeal Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

www.247ureports.com  authoritatively gathered from Supreme Court, who pleaded profusely not to be mentioned that two PDP power brokers who allegedly claimed they are from the Presidency when asked, to meet with Chief Justice of the Federation and two others. Asked why they could not reach her on phone, GSM providers could burged calls and that it will be proper for them to meet her face to face, they said.

The source, who is a senior law officer, further said he was sensing their meeting with Madam in respect of the Bayelsa State governorship issue which to be decided on Thursday 25th October, 2012 by 9 am in the morning. According to our source he wondered whether the Chief Justice of the Federation will fall to their prey if they are sure of clear Justice on the matter. What is so special for their meeting with her today? The source queried.

One Political observer said the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is fond of bribing Judges to perpetrate injustice in the country. We are tired of the party called PDP and they have started it again; the Supreme Court should come out with clear findings on the matter without bias.

When contacted, the Governor’s aide in Yenagoa, he added that the Governor Henry Seriake Dickson can’t lose the battle because the President is from the state, so therefore the party won’t lose to any other political party that claimed to have registered with INEC which is not known to us here in the state. The aide added that when worse come to the worse, the party will roll out a month allocation to take care on the issue. This is what we did at the Appeal Court and we are sure of this very one at the Supreme Court. The party appointed the Judges, and when the party talks to them why won’t they listen, Dickson’s aide boasted.

www.247ureports.com investigations gathered that three of the Appeal Court Justices were allegedly brought in from outside to do the marathon Judgment in Port Harcourt and left to their various states. With this development, sources believe that the party can go extra mile to do their bidden on this matter also.

The five Justices of the appeal court were, Coram Honourable Justices M.L. Tsamiya, P.A. Galinje, J.I. Okoro, M.A. Danjuma and T.O. Awotoye JJCA. In their considered opinion dismissed the appeal against the Change Advocacy Party (CAP) and its governorship candidate, Dr. Imoro Kubor on the ground that ‘Exhibit “N” was resolved at the lower tribunal against Dr. Imoro Kubor and the ground of appeal upon which it was formulated was dismissed.’ And Judgment was delivered on the 31st day of August, 2012 in Appeal No. CA/PH/EPT/10/2012.

A retired appeal court Judge who pleaded not to be on print said how can exhibit “N” which is an ex-parte order be used by learned Justices as Judgment? It is here in Nigeria that Judges do whatever they like. Ex-parte order is an order directing someone base on the urgency of the matter which refused to hear from other side pending when the final determination of the case.

Leading Counsels to Dr. Kubor and change Advocacy party (CAP), who are celebrated lawyers and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Rickey Tarfa, Chief Emeka Ngige, A.J. Owonikoko and other senior lawyers said the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal misconstrued the complaint of Dr. Imoro Kubor and Change Advocacy party and erred in law because Exhibit “N” an ex-parte order issued in admittedly discontinued Suit NO. FHC/ABJ/CS/3/2012 on the non-qualification on Hon. Henry Dickson to contest the Bayelsa State Gubernatorial Election held on 11th February, 2012 was not taking into consideration before its ruling, stressing that it is a miscarriage of justice.

Rickey Tarfa, SAN further averred that the argument of Dr. kubor against Exhibit “N” is that being ex-parte interim order is a decision and not a final judgment – because it does not determine the right in litigation on which a party can rely in a subsequent suit to establish its right to a relief or defense.

The leading counsel Rickey Tarfa, SAN equally said the reasoning of the appeal court prevented the five Justices from properly appraising the arguments of Dr. Imoro Kubor and Change Advocacy Party (CAP) that the ex-parte order was proof that prior to commencement of the suit in which it was made, adding that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had not validly nominated Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson for the election as required by the 1999 constitution and the relevant mandatory provisions of the Electoral Act.

But Rickey Tarfa, SAN disproved the five Justices that section 84 provides for two alternatives for proving authenticity of electronically generated evidence so as to render it admissible in the sense that these Exhibits were tendered from the bar at the lower election petition tribunal. And that internets print out from INEC website in litigation which is not disputed by INEC as authentic is admissible in evidence against Hon. Henry Dickson and the Peoples Democratic Party.

Rickey Tarfa, SAN further argued that whether invalidly sponsored candidate by a political party can rise on his stage of nomination? That Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson was not nominated by the party. That the right of a party to nominate is separate from the duty of the party to validly sponsor a candidate. As par the close of nomination, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson was not a candidate with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has no candidate.

That Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson then filed an action in Abuja, less than twenty three (23) days to the election and base on that action, Hon. Dickson was entitled to contest because Hon. Dickson was a disqualified candidate, why? His name must be emerged and must be recognize by INEC not less than thirty (30) days to the date of the election. His nomination must be valid in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act (as amended 2010), that Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson was not qualified to be elected into office of Governor of Bayelsa State as required by law.

A retired appeal court Judge who pleaded not to be on print said how can exhibit “N” which is an ex-parte order that learned Justices used as Judgment? It is here in Nigeria that Judges do whatever they like. Ex-parte order is an order directing someone base on the urgency of the matter which refused to hear from other side pending when the parties involved will come back within a specific date to here the matter. So, asked me with this explanation how a learned Justices can conclude that ex-parte order formed part of Judgment in law? This is amazing in the eyes of law, he lamented.

As at the time of this report, the Presidential Spokesperson and PDP Publicity Secretary’s mobile lines were called but met bricks wall.

How Cheats Cheat Sports – By Emmanuel Onwubiko

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George Ehusani is a priest of the Catholic Church in Nigeria and one of the best known writers on contemporary issues. He was quoted as saying that the meaning that humanity attaches to values and standards is in rapid decline.

In the volume one of the book edited by Emmanuel Ojeifo titled “Young people and the hunger for meaning”, Ehusani was quoted as saying thus; “It is true that we live in a post-modern age. Analytic and critical philosophies have radicalized our conception of language. A Philosopher once said that in our age, nothing seems to agree with anything else. Everything is in a flux”.

Ehusani however hazards a guess of what he views as the correct meaning that people should attach to the concept of values.

His words: “Values are for us fundamental pillars that give direction and meaning to our lives. They are the things we hold most dear, the fixed standards upon which we base our judgment of what is right and wrong or good and evil, the guiding principles for our choices and decisions, over which we organize our priorities, and in relation to which we build up our aspiration in life”.

Nowhere is this wholistic view of the meaning of standards and values accepted as the whole truth and nothing but the truth like in the world of sports whereby athletes are expected not to take any performance enhancing drugs or mechanisms with the diabolical goal of winning laurels all the times in all competitive tournaments.

In the first place, an athlete is defined simply even by the writers of the New Webster’s dictionary of the English language as “a person with the skill and training to be good at sports, especially as an individual competitor (in running jumping, throwing) rather than as one of a team.”

By the same token, Sports is defined as “the playing of games or participation in competitive pastimes involving physical exertion and skill, especially those played outdoors”.

A cheat is “someone who tricks or deceives or someone who plays a game without following the rules and/or someone who uses unfair methods to score or win unfair advantage over other competitors”.

From the above definitions partly derived from the scholarly “the New Webster’s Dictionary of the English language”, it is clear that cheats in Sports are as bad as armed robbers or other sets of bandits who wreck havocs on the unsuspecting members of the public in an attempt to gain unfair advantage.

How can one describe a sport athlete who cheats his/her contemporary(ies) so that she/he can win the gold medal say in an Olympic and other sporting tournaments which have become increasingly tough, competitive and highly financially rewarding?

Sports administrators since the advent of modern sports have expressed concern on how best to check the infiltration of competitive sports by drug cheats and the other set of gamblers who fix outcomes of sporting competitions to amass the proceeds of crime. In the United Kingdom, some Pakistani Cricket players were recently prosecuted in the judicial system for alleged fixing of matches and most of these indicted players have been banned for several years by the respective authorities in charge of these sports.

Factually, drug cheats have become increasingly desperate and sophisticated because of the huge revenue and financial profits that come through endorsements awarded to frontline sporting athletes by rich multi-national companies since the history of modern sports a little less than a century ago.

While doing random research for this thematic area of sports cheats, I came across the piece posted in a website of www.thepeoplehistory.com in which the writers rightly explained the historical facts on how modern sports became big business which to most contemporary observers like me, forms the central reason why some athletes rather than rely on their natural talents and developed skills, have chosen the easy but very expensive way of embracing the administration of performance enhancing drugs before embarking on any competitive sports.

According to the writers who posted a piece titled; “Sports: the history and evolution” on the aforementioned website, sports have become big business because; “It is also impossible to talk about modern sports without considering the heavy influence of business. Sports and business have become forever linked, even in college, which is supposedly played by “amateurs” and not “professionals”, despite the fact that the coaches and athletic directors make as much as their counterparts in the professional leagues. From sports on television to sponsorships to naming rights on stadiums, the history of the business of sports reveals that business tied itself to sports more and more in the latter half of the 20th century, really ramping up in the 1970s and onward”.

These writers tried to rationalize why money and high fees have become synonymous to modern day sports and also rightly traced increasing wave of drug cheats in sports to this money-spinning possibilities when they wrote thus; “As a part of the stream of business into sports, another change has been the influx of money, which many believe has become obscene and wrong”.

According to them; “However, the fact of the matter is that when somebody is “The Best in the World” at anything, ordinary people want to watch or see those people perform-whether they are actors, musicians or athletes. As much as people decry the high salaries and excess of sports, the spectators and consumers of sports make it possible. Past the issue of public perception, however, there lie more serious issues. Like all things in life, when big money and business are involved, the opportunities and temptations to cheat or do whatever it takes to get ahead increase. In sports, this often involves performance enhancing drugs or gambling.”

Recently, one of America’s all time best cycling athletes Mr. Lance Armstrong was exposed by his nation’s top cycling authority for alleged notorious use of performance enhancing drugs over a period of several years.

The New York Daily News of Wednesday October 10th 2012 reported the well researched findings of the United States Anti-doping Agency (USADA) detailing the sophisticated methods used by Mr. Lance Armstrong, a cancer survivor, to win several laurels through the inducement of performance enhancing drugs.

The New York Daily News reported thus; “Lance Armstrong wasn’t just a cheater who used performance-enhancing drugs to win seven Tour de France titles, according to the explosive “reasoned decision” released by the United States Anti-Doping Agency on October 10th 2012-he was also a dope pusher who supplied banned substances to his teammate and threatened to replace cyclists who refused to juice”.

“The report describes an underground network of support staff-smugglers, dope doctors, drug runners-who kept Armstrong’s illicit program in business”.

“The evidence shows beyond any doubt that the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen,” USADA chief executive officer, Travis Tygart said.

USADA released 1,000 pages of evidence on October 10th 2012, including a 202-page summary detailing why the anti-doping agency stripped Armstrong of his seven Tour de Franc titles this summer and barred him from competition for the rest of his life. The report was sent to cycling’s governing body, the International Cycling Union, as well as the World Anti-Doping Agency and the World Triathlon Corporation.

Incidentally, the United States topped the recent chat of top ten drugs cheats of all times in the sporting history. These drug cheats include Ben Johnson, once regarded as one of the greats in the sprinting world. The Jamaica-born Canadian Johnson, according to a compilation done by www.stuff.co.nz, had a high flying career throughout the 80’s.

Johnson won two Olympic bronze medals in Los Angeles and set consecutive World records at the 1987 World Championship in athletics in 1988 Olympics where he won gold. He was stripped of both World records and the Olympic title after his urine samples, were found to contain stanozolol in 1988.

Other cheats found out and sanctioned by world anti-doping body in sports are Floyd Landis; Marion Jones; Albertto Contador of Spain, other cheats include Chinese Swim team that tested positive for dihydrotestosterone at the 1994 Asian games; Nadzeja Ostapchuck of Belarus; Alex Schwazer of Italy and Ivan Tsikhan of Belarus who tested positive for abnormal levels of testosterone after the 2008 Olympic games.

The lesson for Nigerian athletes from the disgrace suffered by the American Lance Armstrong among other once sporting greats is that they must stay off drugs and the Sporting Authority in Nigeria must install state of arts anti-doping detection and testing facilities here in Nigeria to stop these cheats in their tracks before they disgrace us internationally.

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* Emmanuel Onwubiko; Head, Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria blogs @www.huriwa.blogspot.com.

Town hall awaits Obama and Romney

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The format for Tuesday night’s presidential debate is expected to be a challenge. Neither Obama nor Romney has sparkled in town hall meetings.

President Obama and Mitt Romney will go head-to-head Tuesday in their most challenging debate format: the town hall, where they will field questions from more than a dozen undecided voters sitting a few feet away as millions of Americans watch from home.

Both men have held dozens of town halls with voters over the years, yet neither has sparkled in that setting. Each is cool and cerebral, often seeming more comfortable behind a lectern.

The event in Hempstead, N.Y., moderated by CNN’s Candy Crowley, will put them in a format tailored to produce interaction with voters, rather than heated exchanges with each other that fire up their supporters. The setting was introduced in the 1992 race between the famously empathetic Bill Clinton and the famously detached President George H.W. Bush, producing a sharp contrast that helped set the course of that race.

The imperatives now are different. Obama must remain presidential, while also showing some of the fire and flash that was missing at the first debate in Denver. Romney, who has been cast in advertisements by the Obama campaign as a wealthy and heartless chief executive, must show that he could be a competent commander in chief, but also one who could relate to the average voter.

Democratic supporters want Obama to come out swinging. Message received, say campaign aides, who promise that he plans to rebound sharply, casting Romney as dishonest about his positions.

But aides and others close to the campaign acknowledge the hurdles ahead — some inherent in the upcoming format, others in the candidate himself.

Obama ranks somewhere between Clinton and Bush on the empathy scale. He can be more focused when speaking directly to a voter, rather than a camera. As a candidate on the trail in 2008, he showed himself able, if not exactly gifted, when it came to listening and connecting.

Still, the same problem that tanked his first debate performance could dog his second. He is still a sitting president who practices the art of the stem-winding answer, as well as a former law professor who has found it hard to shake his academic demeanor.

“When he is on during a town hall, he can be very on and engaged,” said a person close to the Obama campaign who asked not to be identified while talking about the president’s challenges. “The risk is the same tendency to give professorial responses. He has to show he connects.”

Obama relied on the town hall format during his first bid for the White House. He tried to continue the sessions early in his presidency, but eventually backed away from them. Security requirements meant the crowds had to sit farther away from him, and from the perch of the White House, unplanned moments were riskier and made it harder to control the message.

The Hofstra University debate will be tightly controlled, but those close to the president hope it will play to his strengths. He likes being close to his audience, one noted, where he can gauge how his message is resonating.

Impromptu moments aren’t typically a problem for Obama. His asides tend to be self-deprecating.

When Obama and Republican rival John McCain were asked in the 2008 town hall debate, “What don’t you know? And how will you learn it?” Obama didn’t skip a beat. “My wife, Michelle, is there and she could give you a much longer list,” he said to laughs. “And most of the time I learn it by asking her.”

Four years later, the bar for Obama is much higher. Just being likable and
well-versed on the issues might not be enough to reignite his campaign. He’s going to be expected to land some blows.

Obama “allowed Mitt Romney to dance away a week ago,” said Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), who pointed to Vice President Joe Biden‘s aggressive performance in his debate against Rep. Paul D. Ryan as a model. “We learned a lesson. I learned from it. I’ll bet you the president learned a few things too.”

Romney has had more than his share of hard lessons this campaign. Most often his missteps have come in unscripted, town-hall-style moments. But those events also have shown off his best attributes — helping him win over primary crowds with his intellect, his command of the issues and what voters who saw him in person often described as his presidential aura.

Early on, Romney’s advisors tried to put him in intimate venues — a coffee shop or a diner where he sat down with small groups of voters to hear about the problems they faced. Many of those discussions were fruitful, arming him with stories to tell later on the stump about Americans’ woes in “the Obama economy.”

But unfortunately for Romney, there were memorable moments like his June 2011 visit to a Tampa, Fla., coffee shop, where he attempted a joke after listening to unemployed voters talk about their job searches. “I should tell my story,” Romney said. “I’m also unemployed.” The group laughed, but the quote still haunts his campaign.

Six months later, at a question-and-answer session with voters in Nashua, N.H., he uttered another line that would be mercilessly taken out of context by opponents. Arguing that his healthcare plan would encourage more competition among insurance providers, he added that when disappointed, “I like being able to fire people who provide services to me.”

The town hall settings also revealed Romney’s harder edge, a practicality that endeared him to some voters but turned off others. In Ohio, when a young student told him she was drowning in loans, he told her that students could not rely on government to pay their education costs, and said his best advice was to “shop around” — a remark that quickly became an attack line for the other side.

Romney has had much more recent practice in the town hall format than Obama. He has smoothed some rough edges when interacting with voters and, just in the last few weeks, has opened up more with his audiences about people he has helped through his work in the Mormon Church, and the stories that have touched him most on the campaign trail.

That combination of a crisp debate showing and his effort to connect seems to be working for the former Massachusetts governor. Last week, his favorable rating reached 50% for the first time among registered voters in the Pew Research Center survey.

But Romney and his advisors know that sustaining those gains could hinge on his performance Tuesday night — at a town hall.

I Am Committed To Eradication Of Polio From Nigeria – President Jonathan

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President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has restated his unwavering commitment to the total eradication of the wild polio virus from Nigeria.

President Jonathan was speaking after he received a briefing from the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication, presented by the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Mohammed Ali Pate, at State House, Tuesday.

“I do not want any political leader to hand over polio to his successor in 2015, and I am fully committed to oversee the total eradication of the polio virus from Nigeria”, he stated.

He said State Governors and Local Government Chairmen must take direct personal responsibility for the eradication because, “it is basically a primary health care issue”, adding however, that he was ready to visit the local governments still harbouring polio, as part of the effort to end it in Nigeria.

President Jonathan said lack of funds could not be an excuse for failure, just as population size could not be an obstacle, since India, with about 1 billion people had successfully eradicated the disease.

The President commended the strong support for the immunization efforts by the nation’s traditional rulers, and assured them that the Federal Government would not relent in the fight to eradicate polio from Nigeria.

Responding to proposals for legislation to check non-compliance with the immunization days, President Jonathan said more attention should be paid to advocacy, because legislation had failed to help end health problems such as female genital mutilation.

In a presentation titled, “Last Frontiers of Polio Eradication in Nigeria”, Dr. Mohammed Ali Pate, Minister of State for Health, said there was a concerted effort to halt polio in Nigeria, pointing to improving immunity in 94% of the country’s local governments.

Also speaking at the briefing, Governors or their representatives from Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara and Bauchi States committed themselves to eradicating polio from their states by December 2013, pledging to work with all stakeholders to achieve the target.

Also at the meeting, representatives of donor agencies commended the commitment of President Jonathan to the eradication of polio in Nigeria and expressed support for the effort.

The meeting was also attended by Commissioners of Health, Local Government Chairpersons and traditional rulers from polio-endemic states.

 

Aluu4: 13 suspects charged to court [photo of the 13]

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– From Port Harcourt, Rivers State

The Rivers state Police command says the 13 suspects arrested in connection to the Aluu four killings will be charged to court, this according to police information obtained by 247ureports.com.

Parading the suspects at the Police Headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state Police Commissioner, Muhammad Indabawa revealed that two additional suspects who actively participated in the killing of the students were arrested.

One of the additional two arrested, Ikechukwu Louis Amadi alias Kapoon is the most wanted on the Police list who led the killing of the boys.

Other suspects who includes a 24-year-old female, Cynthia Chinwo and the Aluu Community Chief, Alhaji Hassan Welewa are, Lawal Segun 28years, Lucky Orji 43 years, Ekpe Daniel 30 years, George Nwadei 30 years, and Gabriel Oche 33 years.

Others are Ozioma Abajuo 23 years and Chigozie Evans Samuel 22 years, Endurance Edet, 27 years, Uwem Sampson Akpabio 30 years, and David Chinasa Ugbaje 30 years.

Muhammad Indabawa also stated that the suspects were paraded against the philosophy of the Inspector-general of Police because of the gruesome manner in which the crime was committed coupled with the direct and glaring involvement of some the suspects and the interest generated by the heinous crime.

He however said that investigations are still on to arrest others involved in the brutal killing of the four boys.

 

Press Statement: Lucy Ukpong’s Death: ANPP Says Police Needs Training and Reorientation

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The All Nigeria Peoples Party [ANPP] received the news of the shooting of a salesgirl, Lucy Ukpong, in Apo, by a policeman from the FCT Special Anti-robbery Squad last weekend, with shock. It is, however, an encouraging development that the policeman responsible for the shooting has been detained by the Criminal Investigation Department in the Federal Capital Territory, which is now probing the murder of the deceased. While we condemn this wicked and senseless action by an officer supposed to be upholding the law with tact, humanity and caution, our heartfelt sympathies go out to the family and friends of Lucy, the unfortunate victim in this unreasonable and wanton human tragedy.

Nevertheless, against the backdrop of series of similar careless and senseless murders perpetrated by irresponsible and unprofessional Nigerian police officers, our great party believes it is not enough to carry out investigations intended to ultimately bring the guilty officers to book. In this vein, we strongly advocate for a thorough retraining and reorientation process in the ranks of the Nigerian Police, aimed at psychologically redirecting them to face the peculiar socio-political atmosphere that is currently pervasive in our dear nation; and also to upgrade their rudimentary knowledge and practice of weapons handling and law-enforcement professional ethics.

We are reminded that during the January 2012 fuel subsidy demonstrations, a police officer shot and killed a youth at Somolu Lagos State. Late last year, a teenager was shot in Bayelsa at a police checkpoint for criticizing the officers on duty. Also, just a couple of months ago, a Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja sentenced an ex-police corporal to death by hanging, three years after firing bullets that killed a three-year old girl at Alapere, Ketu; he was dismissed from the force after facing an orderly room trial before being charged for murder. The ANPP recognizes the immense pressure that our policemen are under everyday while in the course of their national duty; however, we believe that the service of the nation is the service of the people. No government assignment, function, or functionary, is more important that the ordinary citizen in the street.

Signed:

Hon Emma Eneukwu

National Publicity Secretary

ANPP

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