2015 Presidency: ACN / CPC Dialogue Over Gov Fashola

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Gov Fashola of Lagos State

The permutations of 2015 presidency has begun. Information available to 247ureports.com through sources close to the headquarters of the Congress for Progressive Change [CPC] indicate that the political owners of the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] and the CPC have openned channels of communication against the upcoming presidential elections of 2015. This is as stalwarts within the two political parties have sighted the unfolding political upheaval squiring around the regions of the country as an opportunity. A source confirmed.

According to the information received, the feelers from within the political movers of the two parties indicate President Goodluck Jonathan is near certain to not join the presidential race in 2015. According to the source, the growing religious tensions among the religious fundamentalist in the various regions of the country is believed to play the determinant role on President Jonathan’s decision to walk away from the polls. They believe that the President will make the decision  to not contest largely due to the expected unrest in some regions of the country, and lesser on his pledge to serve one term only.

On the mood of the silent rejection by the north of President Jonathan’s presidency and the southwest outpouring of public anger towards the presidency following the sudden hike in the price of petrol – along with the striking silence of the southeast and south south regions of the country, the two parties believe they could tap into the opportunity. In their take, the southwest and the north will not vote for a Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] candidate for President in 2015.

This notion is boosted by a recent online chat where the former minister to the federal capital territory of Nigeria, Malam Nasiru El Rufai [a member of CPC] told 247ureports.com that the CPC would prefer Governor Fashola of Lagos State be given the presidential ticket – aside from General Buhari who was the presidential flag-bearer for the CPC in the 2011 elections. A source in CPC however discounts Gen Buhari’s ambition as unattainable in 2015 owing to the perception of Buhari being a religious zealot. Non-Muslims are reported to be uneasy with Buhari’s candidacy. According to the source, Gov Fashola [also a Muslim] does not carry the same baggage that Gen Buhari carries – and would not alienate non-Muslims around the other regions of the country.

“Talks between agents of the General’s presidential campaign team and that of ACN are taking place in Abuja“, stated a source in the government house in Lagos who went on to deny that Governor Fashola is considering dumping the ACN for the CPC – and that the governor has not indicated interest in the joint presidential ticket. The source however stated that the governor has been in talks with top CPC personalities in the likes of Pastor Tunde Bakare, Malam Nasiru El Rufai along with Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] governors from two northern states. The source admitted that although the Lagos State governor might have not made a decision, his body language and demeanor indicates “he is entertaining it“.

Adding an unlikely twist, Governors of two northern States, Kano and Jigawa States, in the persons of Gov Kwankwaso and Gov Lamido, both PDP members have indicated interest in joining the presidential race in 2015 under the PDP – just as the Vice President of Nigeria, Arc Namadi Sambo has also indicated interest in joining the fray. Sambo’s decision to join the fray has in turn changed the dynamics for the two northern governors – because of the fear the of not winning the PDP presidential ticket against the candidate-ship of Sambo. This realization has in turn led them to the doorsteps of the CPC and ACN -particularly to the office of the Lagos State governor.

The former governor of Lagos State and the strongman of ACN, Bola Tinubu is reported to be determined to beat the PDP in the upcoming 2015 presidential race. He is said to have begun underground preparations against the 2015 exercise. According to a source, Tinubu has made clear indications to the northern political elite that the ACN is willing to collaborate to produce a joint ticket in 2015. In particular, the ACN strong man has begun marketing of Gov Fashola to the northern political elite as a viable candidate that is sell-able to the south and to the north. According to sources, Bola Tinubu has met with some Governor’s of the States in the north – the likes of Gov Nyako of Adamawa State and others.

stay tuned

Delta ex-speaker hospitalized as PDP ward congress turns bloody

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By Our Reporter, Delta state

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ika south local government area of Delta state was said to have turned bloody on Saturday leaving the former speaker of the house of Assembly, Mr. Martins Okonta hospitalized.

Trouble, it was learnt started at the state PDP secretariat in Asaba when the former speaker allegedly protested against the choice of the returning officer for the LGA’s ward congress which resulted into bloody fracas between him and other party members who resisted his protest.

It was gathered that following the heated argument, Okonta who is currently representing Ika south constituency in the state Assembly was allegedly mobbed and fell unconscious on the ground and was immediately rushed to the St. Luke’s Hospital, Asaba for medication attention.

Speaking to journalists at the hospital, Mr. Martins Okonta accused Cairo Ojuogboh, a former member of the House of Representatives, representing Ika Federal constituency of attacking him. “Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh brought his personal assistant to be the returning office for the congress which I protested against and before I knew it, he attacked me with a bunch of keys in his hand and before I could know it I found myself in the hospital.”

When contacted, Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh, former Presidential Aide to Late President Umaru Yar’Adua  on legislative matters denied all the allegations saying Martins was acting Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and Nduka Irabo’s script because “Okowa want to be governor at all cost.”

According to Ojuogboh “That is very very far from the truth. Dr. Senator Ifeanyi Okowa sent Martins Okonta to the PDP secretariat and I was there with a name called Hillary, Okowa’s PA to be the returning officer for Ika south they argued it out and the party said they want a neutral person. Then they choose one Oritsbubemi Nanna from Warri North LGA of Delta state which was okay by me and I left the place. When fight and everything started I wasn’t there I had already left. I wasn’t at the venue and I have nothing to do with Okonta, it is what Dr. Okowa asked him to do that he is doing. This thing started in the year 2002. Dr. Okowa and Nduka Irabo, are the problems of Ika South, I don’t know what Dr. Okowa and Nduka Irabo is looking for Ika south.”

Gov Okorocha congratulates former President Obasanjo and others

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Gov Rochas Okorocha in a handshake with HRH Eze Chidubem

Government House, Owerri

Press Release

Gov Okorocha congratulates former President Obasanjo and others

Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha OON, has
congratulated former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, [GCFR] on his 75th
birthday.

Governor Okorocha prayed God to grant President Obasanjo good health
and wisdom to continue his service to the country.

The Governor also congratulated the General Overseer of Redeemed
Christian Church of God [RCCG], Pastor Enoch Adeboye on his 70th
birthday.
He said that Pastor Adeboye’s life has been an inspiration to millions
of people worldwide and has been a blessing to Nigerians. Gov Okorocha
urged Pastor Adeboye to continue his good work in the Lords vainyard.

Governor Okorocha also congratulated seven [7] Senior Police Officers
recently elevated to the post of Deputy Inspector-General of Police
[DIGs].

Chinedu Offor
SSA Media to the Governor
5th March, 2012

Goodluck Jonathan’s Golden Opportunity

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By Anthony A. Kila

 

Students of strategy and history will agree that in all forms of government rulers are motivated by and subsequently judged based on the legacy they live behind them.  Whilst in power they strive to shape their legacy through their deeds and the statements they make.

Their level of success naturally depends on the social context in which these leaders operate but also on their character, charisma and vision of the world. One must therefore judge differently the way a roman emperor treated war from the way a modern day prime minster or president will treat war.

Needless here to dwell upon on the fact that rulers with more powers like those ruling within an undemocratic system have more scope to define their own legacies than those operating within a system laden with checks and balances. One of the features that limits and characterizes democratic governments is the limited tenure in which they have to operate. Such feature forces a democratic government to focus on relatively few and rather quick to achieve objectives. Technically speaking, democratic rulers are like managers or administrators who can only deal with mere mundane albeit essential matters such as the building and maintenance of good infrastructures, provision of security and maybe balance the budget. A good example is former USA president, Bill Clinton who most analysts consider perhaps the greatest politician of his generation; he had to force his way into such historical heights through efficient administration and charisma. Just a political administrator, lucky them in USA.

When we give it all a closer ascetic look, what exactly did the great Chief Obafemi Awolowo do to have gained such status even after death? Like any good administrator, he simply managed what he had and used it to provide the very much needed infrastructure for his western region of Nigeria. Lucky them in that Western Nigeria. Unlike Bill Clinton, Obafemi Awolowo also had the opportunity to be the first to provide those services to his people, it must be said at this junction that other premiers in Nigeria had that opportunity too, but Obafemi Awolowo was one that had the vision and vigor to make history. Lucky Obafemi Awolowo.

Rarely do these political administrators get the chance to write their name in history through grand unforgettable deeds that none has done before them, they don’t often get the opportunity to forge a nation, to lead a generational change, to reshape or lead the trajectory of a people and by so doing the change also the course of history.

The current president of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has an opportunity most of his peers around the globe will give an arm for: being part of world history without having to raise tax, sell national assets or fight a war. Goodluck Jonathan has the opportunity of becoming the president under whose watch Nigerians are given the opportunity to truly sit down to examine and discuss issues related to our sovereignty and our mode of government in order to perfect our union. As some observers have had occasions of pointing out, what we call our constitution today in Nigeria is in fact a military decree handed down to the people the ways military decrees are forced on people. Does that matter? Yes it does.

In democracy, a constitution is not just a body of laws, it is also a moment and the mode in which a people manifests its intention to live together, it outlines the manner of such union and clarifies how much power it is willing to surrender to and for the success of such union. In many cases, it is the constitution and the practices it inspires that help turn a state into a nation. No wonder therefore, that most constitutions are declared in the name of the people, many indeed start with the phrase “we the people” and therein lies the sad and worrisome peculiarity of the Nigerian present system for it is operated within a constitution that lacks the input of its people. Goodluck Jonathan can change all that by simply allowing a sovereign national conference to hold.

Those of us calling for a conference to discuss issues related to our sovereignty and our mode of government are doing so not only to help perfect our union but also to help put Nigeria amongst the group of truly democratic nations.

Many of us find it hard to understand why a self evident and common knowledge about the most important and most central document to our living together as a country should not have taken a central position in our political and social discourse and proceedings ever since the country began its current democratic experience.

The need to give Nigeria a people’s constitution is long overdue and this president has the opportunity of making that happen and by so doing reserving himself a place of honor in history without having to fight a war, raise tax or sell our national assets. Will he make use of such opportunity?

 

Okorocha Calls For Additional State For The South East

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Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has re-iterated the call on the National Assembly to create an additional state for the southeast geo-political zone considering that the zone has only five states against more states in other zones. Governor Okorocha made this call in a tribute to the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, whose corpse was layed-in-state at the Heroes Square, New Owerri, Imo state.

He noted that the former military administrator of Eastern Region, Ojukwu being courageous and committed, fought for justice and for the interest of his people. Owelle Okorocha added that the Igbo believe in the unity of the nation, hence have over the years shed their blood for the unity of Nigeria. He thanked the President, Goodluck Jonathan for honouring the late elder statesman with a full state burial worthy of a late General and appealed to Nigerians to always sustain the legacy of late Ojukwu as well as remember the family in their prayers.

Deputy Governor of Imo state, Sir Jude Agbaso remarked that late Ojukwu gave the Igbos hope and pride that made them to rise in their defence when their lives were threatened. Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Chief Ben Uwajimogu in a brief tribute said that late Ojukwu was a great man of Igbo nation hence the House had unanimously awarded a posthumous merit award to the late hero. The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) chairman, Chief Victor Umeh noted that the Igbo nation would live up to sustain the legacy of their hero now that he has left them.

Chief Arthur Eze, former Eastern Region House member, stated that Ojukwu fought and died for his kinsmen and thanked Imo people for finding the late hero worthy of elaborate funeral ceremonies. Highlight of the event was match pass by the military band, 21-gun salutes and fireworks displays.

Elombah.com Exposes Omoyele Sowore of Saharareporters.com

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Sowore Omoyele owner of saharareporters.com
My attention has been drawn to the trash published in Saharareporters.com by Omoyele Sowore, the sole owner of that blog, alleging that I, Daniel Elombah, have ever been hired in any capacity by Mr. James Ibori, the convicted former Governor of Delta State. That trash was titled, ‘Ibori Won’t Serve Prison Term In Nigeria’, on 29 February, 2012. It would have been a simple matter of me flatly debunking such a senseless and vain fabrication by Mr. Sowore, but in view of Sowore’s known agenda for attempting to tar me with any such association with Ibori, it would be in good order for me to further inform the pubic concerning Mr. Sowore and Saharareporters’ motives.
This fabrication that Sowore published about me is consistent with his modus operandi since he established the poisonous fraud that his Saharareporters has come to be in the past few years. Whenever it sooths Sowore’s whims and despicable machinations, he would use his Saharareporters.com to spew unimaginable falsehoods against people. Usually, he does it either for blackmail purpose and some bizarre and insane objective.
Despite all the information available to our on-line news portal, the Elombah.com, consistently showing that Sowore has demanded blackmail money from people, failure to pay which he threatened to publish damaging but untrue stories about them and their families on Saharareporters.com, and such other criminal activities, I have refrained from publishing these stories about Sowore and Saharareporters to avoid any perception of an undue attack on a rival.
Yet, we remained dismayed and greatly troubled by the damage and destruction that Sowore and Saharareporters have wrought on so many innocent people. Yes, it is true that some of the people that Saharareporters have written about are truly corrupt. Indeed, most Nigerian public officials are corrupt. Yet, it remains wrong and dangerous for Saharareporters to hide behind the veneer of that Nigerian reality to tarnish certain innocent people with utter impunity. Also, it is wrong for him to make money out of people’s desire not to be subjected to false light. Even in cases where an official is corrupt, there is still no basis to exaggerate or falsify records as Saharareporters has repeatedly done. Also, the fact that Sowore guessed one out of every 20 stories right, does not obviate the fact that the remaining 19 stories are fabrication and that innocent people are thereby damaged.
Clearly, Sowore and Saharareporters have hoodwinked the gullible Nigerian public and some people outside Nigeria in the most basic manner known to all fraudsters. He juxtaposes perception with false realities. He has ridden on that practice for way too long now. He acquired powers and access, which he has used to enrich himself. But like in all cases of life, the truth will eventually catch up with every lie. The emergence of alternative on-line news has continued to deny Sowore and Saharareporters the monopoly they needed to continue the evil practice of intimidation, blackmail and extortion. It has been much anticipated that some day, Sowore and Saharareporters will bare their fangs at these rival sources. And what you have seen in the story in question is just one such moment.
Unlike Sowore, Elombah.com has attempted to operate above the passions and sensationalism of the moment, especially where such departures from standard are driven by personal greed and ambitions such as the case with Saharareporters. Two events in recent times have cast Elombah.com as the opposite of Saharareporters. First, last year, Saharareporters carried an extremely false and incendiary sensation against the family of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumgwu Ojukwu. He falsely claimed that the Ikemba was on life support, in a coma and almost dead, when he was not. Sowore also false reported that Ikemba’s wife, Bianca Ojukwu had abandoned him in the hospital, and was living with her lover when in fact the lady was by his bedside throughout.
And in the most shameless fashion imaginable, he fabricated stories of infidelity and dishonor against the poor Mrs. Ojukwu. That report and the outcry it raised forced Elombah.com to actually travel to Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, United Kingdom, where the Ikemba was being treated to ascertain for itself the truth. And lo and behold, the truth was so different from what Sowore reported in Saharareporters. Indeed, there was nothing that could be likened to what was reported. The world was aghast and from the moment I reported my findings, people, on their own, began to come to grips with the fact that there is no truth in Saharareporters stories.
Also, recently, Elombah.com felt the need to follow the lawsuit that Emeka Ugwuonye filed in American federal court against Saharareporters for defamation and false light. We have known about that case since the past 3 years. But we refrained from publishing most of the stories until we knew how the case was going. After several desperate efforts on the part of Sowore to kill that case failed, notwithstanding Ugwuonye’s exceptional travails in Nigeria, the case has now moved to the critical stage of discovery. At present, Sowore is now having to answer the kind of questions he never expected in his life and to face a level of scrutiny unprecedented in his experience. After due consideration, we contacted both parties for information and we approached the court as well. Our recent reporting – two days ago, is evidently exposing the erstwhile-unknown truths about the shady practices of Saharareporters and its owner, Omoyele Sowore. That rankles them so much. And today’s story about me and Ibori is just a desperate rash-out from a desperate and drowning dream and extraordinary ambitions of Sowore.
Furthermore, as people read more stories about the abusive and even criminal conducts of Sowore in America, more stories are reaching us from hundreds of people who have had extraordinarily nasty experience with that man going back to the time he was a cult member and a bloody menace to his fellow students in the University of Lagos.
For instance, upon reading our story on Saharareporters and the libel case in America, Emeka Ogbonna wrote us, narrating how his chance encounter with the “President of the Students’ Union called Sowore and his boys” nearly cost his his life and said: “”I’ve just seen the photo of the Omoyele Soworo of Sahara Reporters and I realised he was a former students’ union president of University of Lagos. He use to go by the nickname “Sho.” I remember that when he left unilag he join the civil society movement. My encounter with him as Unilag students’ union president was not a good one. That experience gives me the impression that if he were to be one of the political leaders he often criticizes, he would do worse things. I keep the details of the encounter for another day.”
Elombah.com shall continue to follow the case in America notwithstanding this blatant intimidation by Saharareporters and Sowore.

Exclusive: How Kebbi’s Dakingari Spent 718.5m on Re-Election Bid [Documents Included]

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sacked kebbi_state_governor alhaji_saidu_usman_dakingari

A cantankerous fete of financial mischief may have overtaken the administration of the State government. This is as documentary evidence recently made available to 247ureports.com reveals that the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] governor of Kebbi State, Saidu Usman Dakingari may have laundered Kebbi State monies in excess of N718.5million – against an outcry of striking State workers demanding for the implementation of the minimum wage Act of N18,000p per month.

The Governor had turned his back to the striking workers – stating that the State can not afford to implement the minimum wage act. But available information indicate otherwise. Documentary evidence show that the governor of Kebbi State and his associate withdrew the sum of 718.5million from the State resources solely for the purposes of the governor’s April 2011 re-election campaign.

According to the information gathered, the State administration began its clean up of the State’s financial resources during the period leading up to the general elections of 2011 starting from December 2010.

Under the guise of election preparations, the State Governor Dakingari instructed the Chairman of the Kebbi State Chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria [ALGON] to write the Honorable Commissioner for Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs on behalf on the 21 Local Government Area [LGA] Sole Administrators to repeatedly access questionably large sums of money for election related items.

The letter was written with caption “Conduct of Primary Elections and Provision of Tight Security” referenced ALGON/182/VOL.III/2010 and dated December 29, 2010.

The letter indicated that he had been mandated by the 21 LGA Sole Administrators to forward a request for “release of funds to local governments in order to provide logistic support for the conduct of primary elections across the 21 LGAs of Kebbi State”.  The primary elections were for the house of assembly scheduled for January 1, 2011, federal House of Representatives scheduled for January 5, 2011 and gubernatorial scheduled for January 9, 2011.  The letter requested for N128,500,000 [N128.5million] to be released – and in a manner suggestive of connivance, approval was given by the Commissioner the next day, December 30, 2010. See letter below, 2 pages.

Page 1: ALGON Kebbi Chapter letter to Commissioner
Page 2: ALGON Kebbi Chapter letter

Less than three months following the initial letter to the Commissioner, the ALGON Chairman [Kebbi Chapter] took to his pen stating that he had the mandate of the 21 LGA Sole Administrators. He wrote concerning the visit of President [candidate] Goodluck Jonathan to Kebbi State. The letter was written on March 9, 2011 referenced ALGON/0725/Vol lll/2011 with caption “Visit of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Mr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to Kebbi State”. The letter specifically requested for money to be released from the LGA account being managed by the State Government for use to purchase “praise singers”. The amount of N180,000,000 [N180million] was requested.  On the same day, the approval was given. See letter below, 2 pages

As the general elections drew nearer in the early days of April 2011, the Governor turned to the Special Services Department [SSD] of the Governor’s Office to request for additional amount of N410million for “security in the State for operation during the forthcoming April 2011 election”.  The request was made in three letters signed by the Permanent Secretary of SSD, Tanko, Musa Magaji and Director Finance and Supply of SSD, Lawal Ibrahim Argungu

The first letter dated April 1, 2011 was addressed to The Manager, First Bank Plc, Birini Kebbi Branch, Kebbi State requesting “the release of fund from Account No 3572040000435” to the tune of N120million for the election to commence April 2, 2011. The two other letters dated April 4, 2011 made requests from the same account at the First Bank for funds to be released for use against the elections of April 2, 2011.  The requests of N57million and N233million were made. All three request letters were presented and acknowledged by the bank.

April 1, 2011: Letter for N120,000,000
April 4, 2011 letter for N57,000,000

Sources in Kebbi State point to the rapid withdrawal of funds [718.5million] between the months of December 2010 and April 2010 as financing of election related malpractices while more serious critics of the Kebbi State government point to a more sinister motive. They point to the Governor’s closeness to persons known for their ties to the Islamic militant group based in Borno State, Boko Haram. Through deductive extrapolations, they cite him as possibly sponsoring activities of the group.

However in talking to the Government of Kebbi State, 247ureports.com gathered through one of the signatories, Lawal Ibrahim Argungu [Director Finance & Supply] that the above documents were fabicated by the opposition. He also stated that agents the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] visited the government of Kebbi State following a petition by the opposition. He stated that the EFCC inspected the documents and deemed them fake.

Efforts to reach the EFCC regarding the authenticity of Ibrahim Argungu’s claim proved abortive – as the EFCC made it clear that it would not comment on the Kebbi State petition. Sources within the former governor of Kebbi’s camp [Aliero] opied that the EFCC and the governor of Kebbi State may have reached an agreed settlement that got the Kebbi State officials off the hook.

Sanctions on Iran hike gas prices

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To show its animosity and destructive power, the U.S. political pundits used to say that the upcoming U.S.-EU sanctions will force Iran to sell its oil at a discount. But it seems Iran not only is not forced to sell at lower prices, but on the contrary is being freed from some long-term contracts, enabling Iran to begin selling the barrels at the spot for higher prices, notes Ardeshir Ommani.

Risks to global oil output, once confined to Iraq and Syria, are now spreading to Africa. The intelligence data show that the inventories are low and Saudi Arabian oil minister’s promise to make up any shortage is being called into question. The state of oil supply is reflected in the price difference between the prices for immediate delivery and the contracts for longer delivery dates. The short term oil contracts for Brent crude has jumped $7 a barrel this month to more than $118/bbl and on Feb. 15 it rose to as high as $120/bbl. From all signals sent by the international oil market, the U.S. plans to limit Iran’s oil revenue by pressing the European countries, especially those suffering from debt crisis like Spain, Greece and Italy, to boycott the purchase of the Iranian oil is neutralized by higher prices. The shortage of oil supplies has pushed the prices so far up that higher oil prices are compensating for lower amounts of oil sold.
According to a commodity analyst at Citi, “There is little redundancy across the whole system: inventories are really low, and there is low spare capacity and supply risks…” The tightness in oil supply is primarily caused by the U.S. war drive and interference in the domestic affairs of other countries. The damage is felt not only by the oil producing countries but also the European countries in recession and the consumers in the developed and developing countries through higher prices at the pump stations and heating their living spaces, not to mention the commercial enterprises.
For example, the U.S. and NATO helped to break Sudan into two parts. Currently, south Sudan engaged in a dispute over transit revenue with northern Sudan has terminated oil production and deprived the market of about 300,000 barrels per day. The U.S. invasion of Iraq damaged that country’s oil installations pipes, ovens and refineries. Today, Iraq has a production and refining capacity less than half of what it had before the U.S. invasion and bombardment totally greater than the U.S. military engagement in WWII.
According to Barclay’s Capital calculations the social unrest in Sudan, Yemen and Syria put together curtails over one million barrels a day of output – or one percent of global supply – from the world market. All this is compounded by the looming U.S. European sanctions on Iranian imports, which will deepen the chronic recession of the European economies by depriving them from 600,000 barrels a day of crude oil. In addition to receiving higher prices for its oil, Iran will be able to find alternative buyers for the majority of those barrels. To show its animosity and destructive power, the U.S. political pundits used to say that the upcoming U.S.-EU sanctions will force Iran to sell its oil at a discount. But it seems Iran not only is not forced to sell at lower prices, but on the contrary is being freed from some long-term contracts, enabling Iran to begin selling the barrels at the spot for higher prices. It seems once again, the U.S. has shot itself in the foot.
Goldman Sachs in a current research note writes that OPEC spare capacity is “approaching dangerously low levels” and this condition is reaching dominance “just as world economic growth is beginning to strengthen.” Such a situation would make the world oil market increasingly vulnerable to sharp price hikes in 2012. Could it be that in the wake of U.S. imposition of the latest sanctions on Iran, the Saudi Arabian assurances that it possesses the spare capacity to make up for the shortfalls was simply a bluff whose function was to make the task of passing the Congressional resolutions ‘a walk in the park’. The path of least resistance for prices is still to the upside”, says Barclay’s Capital.
Pursuing its own strategic and geopolitical interests, the U.S. pressured the European countries, especially Portugal, Spain and Greece to impose sanctions on their importation of Iranian crude oil. To show that the U.S., U.K., and France are not the only countries that can carry out pre-emptive strikes, the Islamic Republic of Iran decided pre-emptively to shut down its oil export to the most aggressive imperialist countries behind the U.S.: Britain and France. To deceive the European and American public, the U.S. and British publications began immediately spreading false data with regards to world oil supply and deliberately underestimated world oil consumption.
While the oil and gas stock markets sharply told different stories, the pundits tried to blame Iran and not the shortage in supply for higher oil and gas prices. Furthermore, they connected the story of oil and gas to Iran’s civilian nuclear industry, confusing the American and European public as to the real causes for paying higher prices at the gas stations.

Libya apologizes for attack on World War II graves

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Libyan authorities on Tuesday condemned the desecration of World War II  graves in the eastern city of Benghazi by protesters angry over US troops  burning the Quran in Afghanistan.

The interim government, in a statement, expressed “strong condemnation of the  attack on non-Muslim graves by subversive elements who have no respect for  religion or international law.”

“This action is contrary to the values of our Islamic religion and law,” said  the statement obtained by AFP.

The government vowed to find and put the perpetrators on trial.

An unidentified group on Friday entered Benghazi military cemetery and  shattered headstones of British and allied servicemen who fought in North  African desert campaigns against the Nazi during World War II, according to  local media reports.

The reports said the group comprised Salafists angered by the burning of the  Quran at a NATO military base in Afghanistan earlier this month.

US President Barack Obama has apologized for the burning of the Muslim holy  books, which officials said were inadvertently sent to the incinerator.

Picture Update: Nanka N1.1Billion Gully Erosion Project

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The New entrance into Isiakpuenu Gully Site in Amako

The Nanka Gully Erosion landslide of August 2008 which saw the loss of properties and livelihood appears to have finally received the approipriate attention. Work has finally begun at the site – Isiakpuenu Gully Erosion Site in Amako village. The Engineer on site [Hybron based in Port Hacourt] has begun to slowly mobilize to site. The Consultant – Isa Abdulahi – has yet to report to site. But the pictures below show the ongoing progress at the site as indicative of activity involvement by the contractor and the community.

The Gully Site according to an [NGO] Rural Community Development Outreach measures 64,000 linear feet in lenght by 9,000feet in width by 4.500ft in depft. It is expected that when the construction beginnings in full steam that a Tree Planting Campaign will be used to supplement the battle again the gully.

Nanka Students Union [NSU] in their effort has begun preparations for the launch of a 100,000 Tree Planting Campaign for the major gully erosions in Nanka. The Tree Campaign is slated for April 7, 2012.

To help the Tree Campaign call :- 0813 669 7979

 

 

 

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