A comprehensive CIA investigation reportedly fails to find the cause of the US drone going down in Iran last year, raising fears that the aircraft failed to dump sensitive data.
FOX News quoted a former intelligence official as saying that CIA’s comprehensive, 10-week review was unable to replicate the “malfunction” that brought down the RQ-170 Sentinel drone in Iran.
The report supports Iran’s claims that the reconnaissance was cyberjacked by the army’s electronic warfare unit and eased to a safe landing while deep in Iranian territory on December 4.
Washington originally denied the loss of the drone before changing its story and insisting that contact was lost with the aircraft during a surveillance mission over neighboring Afghanistan.
“Investigators were focusing on how to prevent a repeat of the incident in the future, but without the hardware or the drone – Iran refused to return it – those efforts have been frustrated,” the report added.
US President Barack Obama finally broke his silence on the issue on December 12 and announced that Washington had asked Tehran to return the drone.
“We’ve asked for it back. We’ll see how the Iranians respond,” Obama said.
Iran, however, responded that the drone is now its “national asset” and had undertaken reverse engineering procedures on the US spy plane. Tehran said it had necessary technology to decode the captured US drone’s data and documents.
To properly do justice to this topic, I looked up the definition of leadership so as to appropriately position my thoughts on our current President, Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan.
From Wikipedia, I found the following theory on leadership:
“Leadership is “organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal”. The leader may or may not have any formal authority. Students of leadership have produced theories involving traits, situational interaction, function, behavior, power, vision and values, charisma, and intelligence, among others.” The common goal in the case of Nigeria will be to deliver dividends of democracy and ensure the continued corporate existence of Nigeria.
Another online source said ” Good leaders are made not born. If you have the desire and willpower, you can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience (Jago, 1982).” Strong willpower is intimately associated with good leadership to the extent that some leaders are described as weak or strong depending on their perceived willpower. This quote from Warren Bennis is most appropriate to my thoughts that will soon be enunciated: “I used to think that running an organization was equivalent to conducting a symphony orchestra. But I don’t think that’s quite it; it’s more like jazz. There is more improvisation.” Leadership is not synonymous with dealing with text book situations like water supply, electricity supply, building roads etc. Rather every leader must confront distractions that seek to prevent him or her from tackling those textbook issues.
While we are all in agreement that most Nigerian leaders have failed us, there is this thinking that while some were “strong” leaders, others could be termed “weak” leaders. In the Nigerian context, strong leaders are those who were able to impose their will on Nigerians and pushed through their agenda regardless of distractions. “Strong” leaders were not necessarily good leaders but rather those who were perceived by the people as strong willed. If all those we saw as strong leaders were good leaders we won’t be where we are today. Weak leaders, in the Nigerian context, are those who the people perceived as not being able to “stand the heat” of office and failed to impose their will on the people.
Let’s examine some of the “strong” and “weak” leaders of Nigeria and see how they confronted major distractions thrown at them.
1. General Yakubu Gowon was initially perceived to be “weak” when he mounted the leadership stool through the 1966 counter coup. But after supervising Nigeria’s “victory” over Biafra, his status changed, albeit temporarily, to that of a “strong” leader. He enjoyed this status until he was shoved aside by Murtala Muhammed through a military coup. Subsequently, the lingering image was that of a young ex-President carrying food at a UK higher institution and a “prayer warrior”. He never recovered from this image to date.
2. General Murtala Muhammed’s claim to strength as a leader started with his civil war “exploits”. He is known to have supervised the genocidal massacre of Biafran civilians at point blank range. There are still calls for his posthumous trial for the Asaba massacre, where he lined up unarmed civilians and executed them Idi Amin style. It was this “strong man” image he carried over to the office of Head of State and Commander in Chief. Amazingly, he was killed on the streets of Lagos like an ordinary civilian. He didn’t fire a shot in self defense and even his killer was not caught till months after. That an international airport was named after him and his face inserted into our N20 note speaks volumes of who we choose to make hero in Nigeria. In my view, his greatest achievement must have been the Asaba massacre. Does that merit such recognition and honor?
3. General Olusegun Obasanjo in his first coming as military Head of State was seen as a weak “proxy” Head of State. It is common knowledge that his second in command, General Shehu Musa Yaradua was in effective charge of the government. OBJ was known to virtually take permission from Yaradua before going to ease himself.
But in 1999, he was repackaged and presented to the electorate as the only “strong” leader that can stabilize the country after June 12 debacle. Students of history will again point to most of his early achievements being actually the products of the leadership abilities of his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Most of the appointments were made by Alhaji Abubukar including the introduction of most members of the “young turks” like Nuhu Ribadu, El Rufai, Oby Ezekwesili etc. The stability of his first term was, in large part, creditable to Atiku. Obasanjo’s regime faced three major internal challenges and a look at how he managed those challenges should give insight to his “strength” as a leader. First was the Sharia crisis which he aptly described as political sharia. While that crisis consumed over 2000 Nigerian lives, President Obasanjo chose a “do nothing” course. He believed it will all go away, and he was partly right. It went away with over 2000 lives. The other crisis his regime faced was the beginning of the Niger Delta insurrection. With Kiama declaration and the agitation for self determination in the Niger Delta, Obasanjo’s response was to send the military to Odi to level the town, in response to the killing of 5 policemen by hoodlums. Most public affairs analysts agree that this singular act recruited thousands of Niger Delta youths for MEND. It emboldened them so much that by the time Obasanjo left in 2007, they had taken over most of the oil production facilities in that region and cut Nigeria’s oil production by as much as 25%. Will Obasanjo have bulldoze a Northern town if 5 policemen were killed? Boko Haram started on his watch. Finally, his greatest challenge as a “strong” leader came via his ambition to do a 3rd term against the constitutional limit of 2 terms. He failed woefully. Wherein lies his “strength”?
4. Alhaji Shehu Shagari is still seen as one of the “weakest” leaders ever in Nigeria. Even though his regime fought three “wars” and won. The Chadian rebels crisis, Cameroon’s Bakassi intransigence and the Maitatsine uprising. Yet he was seen as a man who couldn’t even control his cabinet members. That members of that regime stole so much of our resources that we virtually died as an economy is well documented. What is puzzling is that the President was said not to have been involved and/or didn’t know what was happening. Only the 1999-2007 Obasanjo regime out looted Shagari’s regime.
5. Even in the early days of Muhammed Buhari’s short lived military regime, the people saw his deputy, Tunde Idiagbon, as the strong man. He was the strong face of the regime while Buhari was more or less a titular head. The way and manner that regime was toppled clearly shows the real weakness of the Commander in Chief. Self preservation is the most important sign of strength in a government. If you are a strong leader who cannot preserve your regime, I wonder. Palace coup without a single shot fired is not how to remove a “strong” man from power.
6. Was Babangida a strong leader? My personal view is that he alone was the past leader who was prepared for power. He appears to have worked deliberately to capture power. He was also sure footed in the application of power. His enemies were crushed, without mercy, by all possible means, while his friends were shielded at all cost. Of course, but for his failure to hand over to the winner of June 12 1993 elections, he could have been rated as the father of modern Nigeria. It took the determination of Nigerian people to remove him from power and even then, he “stepped aside” on his own terms and handed over to whom he chose. He made the most profound changes in form and structure of the Nigerian state and economy.
7. Chief Ernest Shonekan was never really in power. Let us excuse him.
8. General Sani Abacha, was strong armed in leadership but was so scared of his enemies that he hardly left Aso Rock through out his 5 years in power. His regime also perfected the act of assassination as a state policy. The way and manner he finally left power in a casket suggests a leader who could not even be protected in a “hole”. He lived and ruled in fear and his worst fear took him out.
9. Alhaji Umaru Musa Yaradua spent most of his Presidency fighting for his life. But he is also credited with some heroics like attacking and softening up Niger Delta militants before settling for a political solution. More like carrot and stick approach. He also dealt a decisive blow on Boko Haram. If only he had his health, he might well have been the best and the strongest. Whatever could have been couldn’t be and he left the stage worse than he met it.
Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan doesn’t look like your typical “strong” leader. The first time I saw him (while he was Bayelsa governor) I came off with the feeling that the man was either a weakling or a poster child for humility. He was simply not like others in positions of power and cuts the image of a man who is satisfied with just being called His Excellency while allowing others to do as they please. Even his then deputy was more “gubernatorial” than him and appears to be the defacto governor. GEJ was the type of man who look like he can’t hurt a fly. I now strongly suspect that his perceived “weakness” have more to do with humility. He has faced more challenges than any other former Nigerian leader (possibly on same scale with Gowon). Goodluck Jonathan appears to have an unmatched inner strength that makes his adversaries underrate him at their peril. He has, in my, view showed more courage than others. Whether it is pushing for subsidy removal in the midst of Boko Haram’s challenge or carrying on with state matters unperturbed by the danger to himself or regime, GEJ showed courage. Am sure Abacha who holed up at Aso Villa for 5 years will be green with envy.
In the early days of his campaign for Presidency, I must confess, I never believed he could survive the heat of the Presidency for one month. I was wrong. First he confronted the powers that be in PDP and saw off the strong challenge from four of Nigeria’s most “feared” leaders. I wonder how many would have imagined the “timid” Otuoke fisherman literally retiring IBB, Atiku, Gusau and then Buhari from politics. In fact, when for the first time in Nigeria’s history a sitting President was stoned from one state to another in Northern Nigeria, I strongly recommended that he opts for proxy campaigns in the North while consolidating his Southern base. Not this “weak” Jonathan. He continued to campaign all over the North and visited all the 19 states of the North including the extremely hostile ones.
When Prof Jega made his false start to the elections of 2011, I thought the President will balk to avoid backlash. There were threats of violence and acts of violence that suggested that the elections will lead to sorrow, tears and blood. In recent history of Nigeria, the charged atmosphere would have been enough to cancel the elections or topple the government. But the President went ahead with the elections.
As the result of the polls started tilting towards his victory, hell was let loose. Even without the official result being announced by INEC. The streets of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Bauchi, Yobe, Adamawa etc were littered with dead bodies of national youth corp members and Igbos. There was blood in the desert sands of Nigeria. The demands of the rioters/killers were simple; “we will not accept Jonathan as President of Nigeria”. There were fears that the military might be forced to return to stabilize the country. The President stood firm, appealed for calm and reason to prevail as well as mobilized the security forces to restore order. Contrary to the expectations of the sponsors of the pogrom, INEC went ahead to announce Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He has survived the second attempt at making the “country ungovernable”.
But there was more to come from the source of the post election violence. Boko Haram, which was seemingly decimated by Yaradua, rose from the dead and became Africa’s deadliest terrorist group. From attacking the police in Maiduguri, they graduated to bombing the headquarters of Nigeria Police Force and United Nations at Abuja. Bombs were exploding like xmas fireworks or bangers. Anarchy became anarchical in Northern Nigeria. All manner of doomsday theories emerged. But the President’s response was calm, if not subdued. He continued to carry out his duties as if “nothing dey happen”. He saw the emerging terror as part of a global trend. He tried to strengthen our anti-terror infrastructure starting with the basics-registration of GSM phone owners. Deployment of electronic terror fighting infrastructure continued quietly across the federation. Unbiased observers must have realized how little past regimes did to prepare us for the inevitable spread of Islamic fundamentalism to our country.
But his government’s enemies will not relent. They want war and anarchy. The “final solution” will be to start a civil/religious war by targeting Igbos and Christians in an unprecedented orgy of massacre and genocide. Churches were bombed, terrorists went house to house to isolate and kill Igbos. Even street demonstrations were held in support of terrorists in Kano. The President was unfazed. Even before the bombs stopped exploding in Kano, the President arrived Kano against security advice. He was later to show up in Sokoto regardless of a subsisting threat by terrorists to bomb Sokoto. To date, analyst cannot explain how the President got the Igbo nation to refuse to be provoked into retaliation and war. Some believe that the maturity of Igbo leaders and youths were largely responsible for the country not rapidly descending into abyss. Whatever may be the case, the calm response of the President have ensured the continuing existence of Nigeria.
Today, the terrorists are on the verge of losing the war. Suddenly their sponsors are drumming up support for “political settlement” aka amnesty. Two field commanders of Boko Haram are in custody as well as one of their major protectors in the police force. Their capacity to unleash maximum mayhem is progressively being downgraded. Of course they will still drop bombs here and there. But they’ve lost the momentum. Their sponsors are in trouble and know it is only a matter of time before they are exposed and captured. More and more will call for “dialogue” and deals will be cut in numbers. Already, some of his opponents in the last elections are joining his government through the back door. The inevitability of victory of Jonathan over Boko Haram is now starring them in the face.
In the past, I have considered the question of who really is a strong man. Is it the man you slap and he slaps back or the man you slap and he summons all the strength in him to restrain himself from slapping back? Most men who resort to violence as first response are real weaklings, in my view. True strength lies in restraining your self from retaliating in kind but rather plan your actions and cripple the enemy permanently. George Bush with all his show of cow boy strength never got Osama or won any of his many wars. Obama with his careful planning and subtlety killed Osama and decimated the rank of Alquida leadership. He removed Libya’s Ghadafi without seeming to be involved. Two other dictators were removed and one is on the way out. Everything “strong” Bush dream of doing were done by a “weak” Obama without breaking any sweat. Obviously Obama is stronger than Bush as a leader.
Is Goodluck Jonathan Nigeria’s strongest leader? Historians will surely be inclined to answer in the affirmative if he defeats Boko Haram, give Nigeria stable power supply and build 5 new refineries. The icing will be national conference and voluntarily handing over power in 2015 regardless of an expected parochial call to “complete his constitutionally guaranteed second term”. The President must bring his inner strength to bear in resisting those who will “earnestly ask” for Jona to continue beyond 2015.
Ordinarily, the recent false publication on pages 10 and 11 of the Saturday Vanguard Newspaper of 11th February, 2011, alleging that 144,000 Virgins fan the Founder and Leader of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Leader Olumba Olumba Obu while asleep, among other ruses, would have been treated with the levity that it deserves.
But considering the gravity of the allegations and in order to put the records straight for posterity and for those who genuinely care to know the truth, we are inclined to respond as appropriate.
We are amazed that at this age and time, a news medium could publish such a damming story without making efforts to either seek the truth of the matter or at least, balance their report.
In today’s digital environment, it is common knowledge that with the aid of Information Communication Technology, it doesn’t take rocket science to track any information from an Organisation, not to talk of one as Universal as Brotherhood of the Cross and Star.
While we await legal counsel on how to extract necessary legal remedy from the Nigerian newspaper, we are inclined to register our disgust with the shameful attitude and “pull them- down- syndrome’’ of some news media. It is unfortunate that the Vanguard allowed itself to be ridiculed with such a false and blasphemous report from Ishola Balogun, a religious bigot, who is unable to separate his fanatism from professional practice.
No doubt, this latest sponsored attack on the Leader of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is recklessness taken too far.
The question is, why are we so interested in disparaging innocent people and Organisations without any reasonable proof of wrong doing?
We implore the Nigerian Mass Media practitioners to embrace the ethics of the noble profession of Journalism and operate within the precincts of accuracy, objectivity, patriotism and national development.
For avoidance of doubt, the role of the 144,000 Virgins in Brotherhood of the Cross is in clear conformity with the provisions of the Holy Bible, as recorded in Revelation 14:1-5.
The Virgins are “those who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, neither are they defiled and from their mouth are found no guile…”
If one may ask, is it that Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, whose membership includes all the movers and shakers of this world is so poor that it cannot afford the comfort of an air Conditioner or at least a fan for the Leader, if required?
Again, the World Headquarters of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is at 34 Ambo Street, Calabar and not Ambrose Street, as quoted by the lazy reporter. If Lozina and her hobby spent 14 years in Brotherhood as claimed, how come they do not know where the BCS WHQS is located? The story is not only malicious, but a mere propaganda and royal falsehood, aimed at scoring a cheap point and popularity.
The individuals mentioned in the publication, Lovina Amangala Iburere and Enoch Iburere were psychiatric patients who were delivered of insanity in a healing home in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star.
About a decade ago, in her usual illusion, she granted an interview to the ‘News Magazine’, claiming that she was seeing lizards and other strange things; a development that suggests distorted mental state.
Now that she has returned to the devil for spiritual help to perform miracles, it is obvious that her psychiatric problem may have returned. We recommend that she urgently visits a psychiatric Hospital for treatment before she gets to her former nude status.
More importantly, Lovina, who operates a ‘business center’, which she calls the Truth Ministry and co-founder of Christ World Charity Ministry, and her so called husband, Enoch Iburene are well known for their deceit and penchant for evil practices.
The strong presence of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star in Lagos State is their greatest threat, as all their hidden satanic temples, acts, false prophesies and miracles are presently being exposed.
In 2003, out of fear that the Kingdom will expose all her immoral and satanic practices that earned her expulsion, she ran to the ‘News Magazine’, paid a reporter and granted a false interview.
The effort to blackmail is simply the ranting of ants engaged in an unending scramble for relevance. Now that her shrine has fallen, hunger and poverty are gradually laying eggs in their home. But can this save her household?
Now, following the ongoing Media Evangelical programme of the Fold in Lagos, coupled with the unshakeable presence of the Holy Spirit in Lagos, her hidden ‘shrine’, which she has been covering with the so-called Pentecostal Church is shaking, hence her resort to blackmail.
Unless she confesses with her business partner, which she parades as her husband, they will never have peace, as no one can deceive God.
For those interested in knowing the truth, Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is a Divine Spiritual School of Practical Christianity established by God Himself. It has one Universal Leader, Master, Teacher and Sustainer, Leader Olumba Olumba Obu. His First Begotten Son, His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu is the Chairman, Head of administration and Sole signatory of the Kingdom.
Its teachings are centered on love, and love conquers all things. Agents of darkness are fighting with every available arsenal to pull it down. Unfortunately for them, it is a Kingdom that has come to dwell forever, as darkness can never overcome light.
For the gullible Journalist who can do anything for peanuts, we urge him to subject himself to professional training, to enable him understand and abide by the ethics of the profession.
Information available to 247ureports.com through sources within the government house in Borno State indicate that four army attacked with the Joint Task Force in Kwanan Yobe Maiduguri, Borno State.
The multiple bomb blast occurred at 3:30pm on Friday February 10, 2012 near a customs office when the suspected Islamic terrorist group attacked the patrol vehicle of the soldiers.
The corpses of the murdered soldiers have been deposited at UMTH morgue.
Details remain sketchy but the attacks comes on the heels of the capture and arrest of Kabiru Umar Sokoto today.
Nigeria’s Christmas Day bombing suspect, Kabiru Abubakar Dikko (a.k.a Kabiru Sokoto) was hiding in clothes rack at the residence of an accomplice when he was arrested, Marilyn Ogar, spokesperson for Department of State Security told journalists Friday while parading the accused in Abuja.
The accused, who is alleged to be the mastermind of the 25 December 2011 suicide attack against St. Theresa Catholic Church which claimed 42 lives and grievous injuries to scores of others escaped from a team of policemen, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Zakari Biu. The latter had taken him for a search at his house in Abaji, Federal Capital Territory on 15th, January, 2012.
He was re-arrested at Mutum-Biu in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State aroud 4 a.m on Friday morning, contrary to the earlier report that he was picked up last night.. “On his escape, he had taken refuge at Toto Local Government Area of Nassarawa State before he fled to Taraba State where he was eventually arrested”, Ogar said, adding that the suspect was arrested by a team of DSS and soldiers.
P.M. NEWS gathered that four persons were arrested alongside the suspect. The suspect confirmed that he was Kabiru Sokoto when he was questioned by journalists. Beyond ascertaining his identity, the media men were not allowed to question him further. Sokoto, sources told P.M. NEWS unwittingly gave himself away when he made a call to the alleged spokesperson of Boko Haram, Abu Qaqa who is presently in custody of the DSS.
Ogar added that contrary to popular belief, the suspect was from Sokoto State where he was also the leader of the militant sect. “Kabiru was instrumental to the visit of late National leader of the Boko Haram sect, Mohammed Yusuf to Gagi Village in February 2009, during which he (Kabiru) was declared the leader of the sect in Sokoto State”, said Ogar.
The suspect, according to information released by the intelligence agency was born to the family of Umaru Jabbi of Gagi Village, Sokoto South Local Government Area of Sokoto state. Kabiru was adopted by his maternal uncle, Abubakar Dikko upon the death of his father. He was subsequently renamed after the Uncle. The suspect dropped out from College of Nursing and Midwifery after failing some of his papers in 2007.
“We are poised to bring to an end the activities of a few unscrupulous elements and to also warn that the long arm of the law will always catch up with those who perpetrate evil”, Ogar said, while expressing the determination of the agency to tackle the security challenges confronting the country.
TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Iranian commander underlined that the country’s air defense unit is fully capable of detecting and repelling all aerial threats.
“Iran’s air defense will give a tough response to any threat with its various ground-to-air missiles and weapons, most of which have been upgraded or manufactured inside the country,” Commander of Northeastern Air Defense Unit Colonel Abdollah Reshadi told reporters on Tuesday. He added that Iran’s air defense radar systems can easily detect cruise missiles and drones.
In October 2011, Iran equipped its air defense units with advanced radars capable of detecting Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Commander of Khatom ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli said at the time that Iran can trace and shoot down small UAVs over its airspace. Brigadier General Farzad Esmaeili also said that air defense units are closely monitoring overflights of foreign aircraft and are fully prepared to detect and shoot down unauthorized UAVs.
Last week, Esmayeeli announced that the country’s Armed Forces have launched new radar and missile systems with various ranges. Tens of radar and missile systems with various ranges have been manufactured and deployed in Iran’s defense sector so far and new systems are on their way to join the defense network during the 10-Day Dawn celebrations, which began on February 1 to mark the 33th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Esmayeeli said last Wednesday.
Iran has recently renewed and upgraded the weapons and defense systems of its air defense units. Late in September, Iran equipped its air defense units across the country with large numbers of the home-made Mersad Air Defense Missile System. In November and during the massive air defense exercises in Iran, the power, capability, weapons and military systems of the Rapid Reaction units of Iran’s Air Defense Force were tested.
The Iranian Air Defense Force’s rapid reaction units used their state-of-the-art, home-made weapons and systems, including multi-frequency radar equipment, anti-aircraft canons and different types of air defense missiles to force hypothetical enemy aircraft out of the country’s air space. Later in the drills, the rapid reaction units tested their ability against the hypothetical enemies’ surprised night raids and blitzkrieg with full radio silence.
WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama has convinced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to afford some time for the international sanctions imposed on Iran to work, sources in the US administration told the New York Times Thursday.
According to the report, it was that agreement that inspired Obama’s confidence when he recently told NBC that “I don’t think that Israel has made a decision on what they need to do. I think they, like us, believe that Iran has to stand down on its nuclear weapons program.”
Jerusalem and Washington are divided when it comes to the question of whether Iran’s nuclear facilities will soon become “strike-proof.”
Defense Minister Ehud Barak noted recently that there is a need to act against Iran before it moves its entire nuclear operation to underground facilities.
The NYT quoted administration sources as saying that the communication between the Prime Minister’s Office and the Oval Office has improved, despite the ongoing difference regarding Israel’s West Bank settlement policies.
According to the report, Obama has ordered the Iranian issue be discussed independently from all others.
Meanwhile, sources in the US administration noted a difference between Barak and Netanyahu’s approach to the Iranian threat, saying that while Barak openly discusses his concerns over Iran’s nuclear progress, Netanyahu has ordered his cabinet ministers to stay mum.
“That’s very good advice,” a Washington source said.”
At the St. John’s Anglican Church, Rumueme, Rivers State, Governor Chibuike Amaechi said that his administration has created roads in the state. He swanked that the roads are of towering value and funds had been spent to ensure that the roads were sturdy which could stand the test of time. He made this declaration at the church dedication ceremony of Master Godstime Samuel Ndubuisi, son of Venerable Jolly Ndubuisi, on 5th February 2012. While he said that he had initiated the contractor handling the Okporo Road project to expand and dualize the road, his face was of smiles that in the Port Harcourt area roads that include Elekahia/Rumuomasi Road, Ikwerre Road, Oginigba/Trans-Amadi Road, Rumuola Road and Old Aba Road have been completed. On the contrary, he regretted the width the contractor handling the Okporo road gave to it. He admonished the freelancer-contractor to widen the road with the view that it was going to cost the state more money but there was no alternative to that. He rumbled “We want to do the roads in the State once and for all.”
Ada George Road was one of the roads that had seen the test of time. Regarded by the governor as a “key artery road in Port Harcourt” the ongoing work on it has been promised by the governor that the residents would be smiling on the road again before this year’s rainy season would begin. While these roads the governor said are experiencing change, many others like the Rumuolumeni and Eliparanwo Roads, he said that no bulldozer was going there till “due process” was completed for the award of their contracts. Work has not commenced on the Ogbogoro road, which had been awarded, the governor nevertheless informed that the residents of the area would soon be disturbed by the sound of machines reconstructing the road.
Oyigbo Local Government Area is one town that’s recklessly neglected by the Amaechi-led government of Rivers State. The roads there are pits-of-hell, but Amaechi seems to be answering to the quandaries of the residents, as he had guaranteed to invalidate all failing road contracts in the area if the freelancer-road-engineers the contracts were awarded to did not meet-up with the demand of the state government of putting the roads in good shape before the rains begin this year. It is very shameful of the contractors to be putting the efforts of the residents and the government in a box, whereas the governor had said that “almost all the roads in Oyigbo have been awarded”. Why are the contractors not doing well?
The archetypal Amaechi we knew at the beginning of this administration in 2007, who came with vigour and ebullience to the saddle but nearly went oblivion, had said that everybody must put hand on the deck to make this government work as “time was not on the side of his administration to deliver on its projects.” It is not the best of time for the Commissioner of Works. The force-opening eyes of the governor are, without a blink, on the Commissioner. He had been ordinanced to delist any spineless contractor that does not know his or her onus in the construction of roads from the “good book”of the state’s Ministry of Works.
Much as the Rivers State residents want unity and cooperation of the state government, Amaechi had assured that the “Unity Road” project in the state was not a fluke. In a statement of Jannuary 4th, 2012, Amaechi comforted the people of Opobo community on the early completion of the Ogoni/Andoni/Opobo Unity Road. As a “Thanksgiving Governor”, he pledged this during the Iria thanksgiving of the wife of the General Officer Commanding the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen Kenneth Minimah at Minimah Town in Opobo Nkoro Local Government Area of the State.
While Mrs. Felly K Minimah was of a joyous flash at the Thanksgiving, Amaechi told the Opobo people to watch, very soon, that the construction work that was nearly getting close to Kalaibiama Town, would soon take Opobo by surprise. This is where the project is anticipated to come to an end. Kalaibiama has two bridges and the Opobo creeks would be suffering if they are closed, so the governor had said that the 500 metres bridge is important and is the foremost one. The governor told the people that every other project in the area would be made easy once the bridge is crossed. He nonetheless promised to release more funds this January to haste the project.
It is on record that Engr Tele Ikuru and his boss, Amaechi, challenged a contracting firm, Rivigo JC, last year. This was after the contractor was financially mobilized and perhaps did not stand firmly for the occasion. N20 billion is not a fewer money which was mapped out for the road that is targeted to link about 30 riverine communities. This is in the South-East Senatorial District of the state.
Dakuku Peterside, when he was the Rivers State Commissioner for Works before he got the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest for membership of the House of Representative to represent Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro constituency in 2011 elections, which he won at the polls, had swaggered in an interview that before Amaechi came to power on 25thOctober 2007, the majority of the roads in Port Harcourt were almost impassable. He was of the opinion that most of the roads needed to be opened-out in what he called expansion. According to him, traffic was chaotic; the roads were either non-existent, riddled with potholes or were too narrow to make any sense. He said that the two greatest achievements of Amaechi administration in the road sub-sector as whole is the fact that he dualised the whole major roads in the city of Port Harcourt. (Wonder shall never end!).
He collaborated what the governor had said at the Thanksgiving service of the little Ndubuisi, saying that the present government dualised the Rumuola-Rumuokwuta Road, Slaughter-Oginigba-Rumuobiakani Road; reconstructed the road from Eastern Bye Pass-Amadi Ama-Abuloma- Oginigba; it also dualised the road from Rumuokwuta-NTA-Choba; NTA-East-West Road -Airport, the popular Prof. Tam David-West Road; also dualising the road from Airport-Isiokpo-Elele-Omerelu to the boundary with Imo State.
Hon. Dakuku confirmed that the government was about to expand the Okporo road, but was dualising the Elekahia-Rumuomasi Road and had started the dualisation of the original Ada George Road, parallel to Ikwerre Road; Ikwerre Road was also being upgraded and the government was dualising Azikiwe Road linking UTC to Lagos bus stop; Creek Road in Port Harcourt township was being reconstructed. In his words, it was very germane at a point that the government needed to first expand, improve, upgrade and make the roads capable of taking the traffic; which he said would address the wastage of manpower that government experience through the cause of chaotic transport; it was also critical at that point to address flooding and in the course of upgrading these roads the governor introduced sub-surface drains using ring pipes, that has substantially addressed drainage challenges.
Without mincing words, the government of Amaechi swooped into action in the area of road construction during its first year of administration and achieved the confidence of the people, but the irony of it is that Rivers State has not turned to the London in Nigeria that was the hope of many people because of the ebullient speed with which the governor came to battle the underdeveloped Rivers State he succeeded. But Dakuku was of the stance that the government had added over 500 kilometres to road network in the rural areas of the state, awarded contract for the building of 1000 kilometres of roads. He however strutted that it’s on record that it’s in the Amaechi-led government of Rivers State that the highest metreage of roads was built (by any government), less than three years from the creation of Rivers State till date. He was of the pity that the milestone must be viewed under the context that the government of Amaechi succeeded a very harsh situation and it costs so much to build roads in Rivers State, four times what it will cost in any other part of the country. He hinged his point on the fact that the topography of the states is a high-water-table, which results to challenges such as the use of sharp sand to build roads.
While Amaechi was of the opinion that the state has achieved in the building of sophisticated roads, Dakuku had said that there were two critical achievements of the government in term of road construction which was the added of 500 kilometres of roads to the entire road network.“That is unprecedented in history,” Dakuku had said. And the other, he said, was the courage to continue with the Unity Road, which passed from Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro.
These roads reportedly were not gotten on a platter of gold. According the Hon. Member of the House of Representatives, that road was costing N27 billion; originally the cost was N11 billion and the government has spent about N3 billion; the sum of over N17 billion had been spent to drive the project and the government made tremendous progress. He hoped that if funds were at the embrace of the government it would be completed, because the government had created massive land mass in a state that is located within the coastal periphery of the country.
In most of the areas in Rivers State, land is a major challenge for development, but Dakuku had informed that 50 hectares of land were created in Opobo; the same ‘creation of land’ was also applicable to Buguma, headquarter of Asari/Toru Local Government Area (LGA). He had added that the government was into a land reclamation and shore protection in Ogba Ama in Okrika, Owukiri in Ogi area, Abalama in Asari Toru Local Government Area and a couple of other places and had built bridges that would have thus far been considered impossible and four flyovers were built within this period and awarded contract for seven flyovers on the whole.
In his remark, Amaechi-led government had built four of the flyovers, one at Eliozu, awarded by the previous government; the government then has not shifted the ground before the present government arrived and the contractor was almost making away with the money. Dakuku blew his own horn, saying, “We got him back to site he has completed partially.” The former Commissioner mentioned that the government has done the flyover at Rumuokwurushie/Eleme junction, regarded as a multi-billion naira project handled by Julius Berger and was almost completing the flyovers at AGIP by Sani Abacha by Ikwerre Road on the Port Harcourt-Owerri section of the road and was completing the flyover at East-West Road located at Obiri Ikwerre, located specifically by Tam David-West Road. He emitted the news that there would be another flyover that would take the residents through Peter Odili Road-Woji-Elelenwo- Akpajo.
While some of these projects may have been completed by now, it is imperative to ask how much does it take to develop a state? The former Commissioner had said that he considered all the very critical achievements in a state like Rivers where to develop infrastructure is very difficult and that the governor made his vision very clear. That was, to build infrastructure that will drive economic growth. Alas! “Amaechi does not joke with his integrity,” Dakuku had said.
Odimegwu Onwumere, Poet/Author, Media/Writing Consultant and Motivator, is the Coordinator, Concerned Non-Indigenes In Rivers State (CONIRIV); and Founder, Poet Against Child Abuse (PACA), Rivers State. Mobile: +2348032552855. Email: apoet_25@yahoo.com
The Governorship Election Tribunal in Makurdi has reserved judgmenton the petition brought before it by Prof. Daniel Saror, the All Nigeria PeoplesParty (ANPP) candidate in the 26th April, 2011 governorshipelections in Benue state who is challenging the qualification of Benue State governorDr. Gabriel Suswam to stand the elections. Saror, ANPP have joined GabrielSuswam, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Independent National ElectoralCommission, INEC and Benue State Commissioner of Police as respondents in thepetition.
Prof. Saror believes that Mr. Suswam has presented a forgedGeneral Certificate of Education, G.C.E. to INEC. While making his case beforethe Justice Halima Mohammed led Tribunal recently in Makurdi, The ANPPgovernorship candidate tendered three news paper publications- the September 2010edition of Power Steering Magazine, January and February 2011 edition ofNational Life news papers-in which it was reported that governor Suswam wasusing a forged G.C.E O’Level, a Federal law Suit initiated by Terver Kakih, thePDP governorship aspirant in the 2011 polls against Gabriel Suswam forCertificate forgery as well as formCF001 submitted to INEC by Gabriel Suswam but without evidence of certificateof secondary education as exhibits to make his case.
He told the court under cross examination that although INECdid not specifically mention that candidates should enclose photocopies oftheir qualifications, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeriademands that candidates for the office of governor must poses at least senior schoolcertificate and emphasized that there must be documentary evidence to show forones claim of same.
Saror wants Tribunal to hold that Mr Suswam was notqualified to stand the April 2011 polls.
But the PDP’s only witness in the petition, Hon. Bem Dzohowho is the state Secretary of the PDP in Benue denied that Benue State governorDr. Gabriel Suswam did not submit any certificate to INEC stressing that INECdid not make provision for candidates to enclose their school certificates.
Suswam who was appeared for in court by a legal team led byDamian Dodo (SAN), A.A. Ijohor (SAN) and 17 others adapted the testimony ofHon. Bem Dzoho as his testimony in the petition.
Both INEC and the Benue state commissioner of Police did notcall any witness but relied on the submission of Suswam’s and PDP’s lawyers.
Both parties have filed and adapted their final writtenaddresses in the petition.
Justice Halima Mohammed, chairman of the governorshiptribunal in Makurdi has reserved judgment in the petition and said a date for judgmentwill be communicated to parties in due course.
In a related development, Justice Mohammed has fixed 13thFebruary, 2012 for ruling on the application by the governorship candidate ofthe Action Congress of Nigeria (A C N), Prof. Steve Ugbah. The application isseeking the restoration of ground three of his petition which was earlierstruck out by the erstwhile Justice Munir Ladan’s led panel. The said groundthree is challenging the qualification of Mr. Suswam to contest last year’selection. He also wants the court togive him judgment by default.
Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu(SAN) who appeared alongside 30 others for the petitioners while moving the applicationtold the court that ground three of his petition remains relevant following theorder of the Supreme Court to which he brought the application. He said itbecame necessary to bring the application since the Justice Mohammed’s panelwas reconstituted to hear his petition on its merit arguing that the panel isnot bound to adapt the proceedings of the previous panel contrary to theposition of respondents’ lawyers who insisted that parties should adapt entirelythe proceedings under Justice Ladan.
Akeredolu told the court that governor Suswam was using threeG.C.E O’Level certificates purported to have issued him by the West AfricanExamination Council (WAEC) and submitted that the court has the duty todeclare, if shown that the governor forged certificate, that Mr. Suswam was notqualified to contest last year’s election. The application is premised onsection 182(1j) of the 1999 constitution (as amended).
The petitioners also want the court to enter judgment bydefault in their favor against governor Suswam whom they said failed to replyon the issue of forgery leveled against him.
But Damian Dodo (SAN), Dr. A.A. Ijohor (SAN) and 17 others whoappeared for Suswam in opposing the application urged on the tribunal todismiss the application. Dodo argued onissue one of the application which sought the leave of the tribunal toentertain the application outside pre-trial that the petitioners have failed tosatisfy the requirements of section 47(1) of the first schedule to theelectoral act which states conditions under which an application can be broughtoutside pre-trial. Besides, he argued that the court is caught by the principleof fontus oficio on the issue. He attached to his counter affidavit exhibit onewhich according to him is the earlier ruling of the tribunal on the saidapplication.
Dodo further argued that the court has no powers underelection matters to give judgment by default and cited Appeal Court case noCA/S/EPT/SN/8/2011 in which the court held that under no circumstance shouldelection tribunal give judgment by default and described the application as themost vexatious abuse of process while urging on the tribunal to dismiss theapplication with substantial cost.
Both the PDP lead counsel, Chief Solo Akuma (SAN) and INECcounsel J.S. Okutepa (SAN) have filed a counter affidavit in opposition to theapplication and haven adapted same as their argument on the motion urged thecourt to dismiss the application with substantial cost.
No fewer than five hundred potential adhoc staff yesterday morning stormed the Anambra state headquarters office of the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC) in Awka, protesting what they described as sharp practices by the commission in the selection of adhoc staff.
According to their spokesman, Ikechukwu Ojibe, information at their disposal revealed that the commission has already compromised the recruitment process for adhoc staff for the Feb 15, 2012 scheduled re-run polls in the state.
While calling for the removal of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Prof (Rev) Chukwuemeka Onukogu, for alleged complicity in the whole episode, the adhoc job applicants noted that that would be only plausible thing for national chairman of Prof Attahiru Jega. Else no one would reckon with whatever result he turns in at the end of the anticipated re-run polls in the state.
They alleged that since the REC has shifted the selection process for the adhoc staff to some of his favoured politicians, the outcome of the re-run would be far from being free or fair. Ojibe claimed that Prof Onukogu has been openly hobnobbing with certain notorious politicians in the state, adding that the election would turn out a mere formality and sham.
However, the Administrative Secretary of INEC in Awka, Mr Ena Isiavwe said the claims were all false and misleading, calculated at tarnishing the image of the hardworking Commissioner. According to him, “the commission was still in the process of generating the list of its adhoc staff for the forthcoming re-run polls. And it will surely come out before the election date, Feb 15, 2012, and would be made up of only already trained persons for the job”.
He pointed out that INEC will always stand for justice and fair play , and will never shirk or abdicate its constitutional responsibility to conduct free and fair election to any politician, no matter how highly placed.
