YAR’ADUA: Saudi hospital flies in experts from US, Europe - Plans to stabilise him for journey back home

AS the experts from the United States and Europe to treat ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua arrived the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Saudi Arabia, plans have been concluded to fly in the president into the country as soon as he picks up, to enable him to attend to pressing issues in the country.

The authorities of the King Faisal Specialist Hospital, where President Yar’Adua is currently receiving treatment for an acute heart condition, flew in experts from the United States and Europe, sources said on Sunday.

It was gathered that the hospital called the experts to further ensure stability for the president after the ailment refused to show appreciable improvement in the first week of his admission.

According to sources, part of the plan to engage the services of medical doctors from Europe and the United States was to ensure the stability of the president for him to recover quickly and attend to national issues demanding his attention.

The development is coming on the heels of fears that government activities might be grounded to a halt this week, following the failure of the president to assent the supplementary budget aleready passed by the National Assembly.

Many government agencies, including the National Assembly, are relying on the supplementary budget to run the remainder of the 2009 fiscal year, but their inability to access the budget would mean that their activities would be on hold.

Not only that, it was also felt that the presence of President Yar’Adua in Nigeria would calm all frayed nerves and put to rest the clamour for his resignation.

“The plan is that as soon as he (president) picks up, he would be brought into the country through a chartered flight,” sources said.

Sources even added that even when the president returned, he would still need some days off to stabilise before he could be in a position to attend some events and state matters.

President Yar’Adua is suffering from acute pericarditis, which is regarded as one of the symptoms of the degenerative disease known as Churg Strauss Syndrome (CSS).

The presidency had, on November 26, admitted that the president was suffering from acute pericarditis - the inflammation of the sac-like covering of the heart- which is one of the symptoms of the advanced stage of the incurable degenerative disease, CSS.

Medical experts have said the disease is a rare one and only about 400 cases had been reported worldwide.

It was also gathered that the president’s health had been unpredictable in line with the symptoms of CSS.

A medical expert said the unpredictability of the state of the president was not strange because the syndrome attacked different sytems in the body at the same time.

“Those planning to return the president to the country are mindful of the fact that his absence has been causing a lot of hues and cries, but they are also being careful not to return him to the country through air ambulance, which could further raise anxiety,” a source said.

Information reaching the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday also indicated that some groups had started mounting pressure on Katsina indigenes who recently joined members of the G53 to canvass for Yar’Adua’s resignation.

A source in Abuja said plots against the G53 members by some groups in Katsina include attack on their properties.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/07122009/news/news3.html

Kill Jonathan, face break up - Pastor Bakare explodes - Advises Yar’Adua to resign - My brother will not resign - Yar’Adua’s sister

THE Overseer of Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has said that for Nigeria to remain an indissoluble entity, ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua should honourably resign from office and hand over to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Delivering his message to the nation in a sermon entitled “Beginning of the End,” Bakare warned politicians not to manipulate the Constitution, saying, “If Yar’Adua refuses to leave office, the office will leave him.

Quoting from 1 King 22:47, which states that “there was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king,” he said that it was divine and in Nigeria’s case, constitutional, for Jonathan to become the president after Yar’Adua’s exit. “Long live King Jonathan,” Bakare said.

Speaking to the congregation at his Ikeja Church on Sunday, the pastor said the political schemings over whether or not the president should resign and who should succeed him were uncalled for.

“Now as I’m speaking, we don’t have a functioning president and the vice-president we have is a lame duck.

“So if you cannot empower the vice-president to function for whatever reason, then you are left with only two options. One, step down or resign and hand over for your deputy to function, that is what the constitution says. But except you kill him and if you make a mistake of killing him, all the weapons that are hidden in the Niger Delta, plus those owned by people in other parts of the nation will be brought out and this will lead to the disintegration of Nigeria.

“Also, the Western power will move into this country and this will give rise to forming of seperate nations in the country by ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.

“The current state of health of the president warrants an immediate resignation from office as his patriotic duty to the country,” Bakare said.

He cautioned the politicians calling for Jonathan’s resignation to beware of the consequences of their actions.

Bakare said the only way out was for President Yar’Adua to hand over to Vice-President Jonathan, and to forestall a situation like this in future, Nigeria must have a full, functional and effective deputy that will discharge the duties of the president when he is not around.

He said such a deputy must be “someone that will always stand in place of the president when he cannot perform his duty.

“It is an insult upon our collective integrity for the president to travel and go for treatment under presidential fleet, whether in coma or not in coma, without a proper handing over, thereby creating a vacuum,” Bakare said.

Sympatising with President Yar’Adua over his predicament, Bakare said it was not his fault to be sick, saying, those who wished the president dead may even die before him.

“God sees my heart; only wicked people will wish others dead. Since it is not his fault that he is sick, we will not wish him dead.

“But since this is the situation, Jonathan must take over.”

According to him, “if politicians knew beforehand that Jonathan could not preside over the country because he will turn Nigeria into a zoo because he is a zoologist, why did they put him there?

“If you think Jonathan will treat the nation like a zoo because he studied zoology, you should have probed him first before you put him there, so if you see the whole country as monkeys, then you need a zoologist to treat it.

“Now at the presidential lodge you have created this mess, you better give him power to function or else, others will rise up and wipe all of you out of office.”

However, in what appears to be the first reaction of President Yar’Adua’s family on the current controversy surrounding his health, the president’s younger sister and former women leader of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Hajiya Binta Kuraye, has dismissed the calls on her brother to resign, insisting that her brother will continue to be president by the will of Allah.

“Those calling for the resignation of the president on his ill-health should have the fear of God for the sustenance of democracy of the country,” she said.

She told newsmen in Kaduna, at the weekend, that her family and their well wishers were not happy to hear the rumoured death of the president.

“The president wiIl soon bounce back, stronger than ever, to assume the leadership of the country. President Yar’Adua cannot be changed by anyone. If the president is given the chance, he has the ability and capacity to lead the country for another 16 years.

“Those clamouring for the death of the president or for his removal must know that death, itself, is inevitable; power belongs to Allah. Those calling for constitutional change of government are the real enemies of democracy in the country. They have vested selfish interest and ulterior motives calculated at creating disharmony and total disintegration of the Nigerian nation.

“Corrupt politicians in the country are not comfortable with the present administration’s pursuit of war against corruption. The leadership qualities of the president are those of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”

She said wishing the president dead was an ugly development and bad omen for both Muslims and Christians, adding that what was expected at a moment like this is for all Nigerians, irrespective of their religions, to pray for the president.

Kuraye urged Nigerians to be their brothers’ keeper, just as she stressed the need to sustain the current peace initiatives by the president in the Niger Delta.

She described the current presidential roadmap in the Niger Delta and the 13 per cent derivation for the oil producing communities as unique and laudable, saying that this was a feat successive administrations in the country could not achieve.

“His rumoured death is the handiwork of corrupt politicians in the country, who are not comfortable with his style of administration. Those politicians have lost out of the struggle for power.

“These politicians calling for constitutional change of government are the real enemies of democracy in the country. They have selfish interest and ulterior motives calculated at creating disharmony and the total disintegration in the country.

“Why do you wish others dead, when you know that death is inevitable? Power is of Allah. So, nobody can change the president. We will soon bounce back in sha Allah.

Nigerians, she said, should have faith in God and the ability of the president to lead Nigeria on the right path.

Ijebu violence: 15 bodies deposited in mortuary, community deserted

The bodies of about 15 victims of the communal violence in Ijebu Ife, Ogun State, may have been deposited in the mortuary of the state hospital in Ijebu Ode.

Although no official figure of casualties has been given, a competent security source, who did not want his name printed, told our correspondents that the number would not exceed 15.
An Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Omololu Oladokun, was burnt to death by aggrieved youths on Saturday.

The youths were said to have been protesting the alleged killing of a tailor by some members of the community’s vigilante group when a distress call was sent to Oladokun.

Sources claimed that the senior police officer arrived at the scene with some of his officers whom he later asked to go and purchase petrol. One of the sources said that while he was trying to calm the irate youths, he was lured to a corner where he was shot dead and his body set ablaze.

The security meeting, it was learnt, was said to be strategic in guiding the state government to fashion out steps to prevent the violence from escalating.

The meeting at the Government House, Abeokuta, was also attended by the Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria and Chairman, Remo North Local Government Area, Mr. John Obafemi, as well as the state ALGON Secretary and Chairman, Abeokuta North LGA, Mr. Abeeb Ajayi.
Others in attendance were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Alhaji Lamidi Odulawa, and the Chairman, Ijebu East LGA, Mr. Tunde Oladunjoye.

Our correspondents who visited Ijebu Ife on Sunday saw only few residents and domestic animals. One of the residents claimed that many people had fled for fear that policemen might carry out a reprisal attack on them over the death of Oladokun, who was the Area Commander, Ijebu Division.
Burnt vehicles and houses revealed the level of the violence which was sparked by the alleged killing of a tailor.

While riot and regular policemen barricaded entrances to the town, Armoured Personnel Carriers were also seen patrolling the town.

Daniel, who visited the town on Saturday, described the mayhem as unfortunate and called on the police to launch a full scale investigation into it.

He said, “These people must be brought to book. One wonders why some of these people would take the law into their hands. Even if they have grievances, are there no channels to resolve such grievances?”
He said that the slain Oladokun was a gallant officer, who did not deserve such a gruesome murder.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20091207458871

Police boss burnt to death in Ogun

Tragedy on Saturday hit the Ogun State police command when an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Omolodun Oladokun, was burnt to death by unknown assailants during a communal clash.

The incident which happened at Ijebu Ife, SUNDAY PUNCH gathered, also claimed the lives of four other persons when the police allegedly visited the community on a reprisal attack.

Oladokun, who was until his death the Area Commander, Ogere, Ijebu East local council area, our correspondent learnt, had gone to intervene in the community following the eruption of violence and the death, on Friday, of a tailor, who was allegedly manhandled by a vigilance group over a week ago.

A source told our correspondent on Saturday that the vigilance group was set up to complement the effort of the police following the increasing wave of armed robberies in the area.

The State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Hashimu Argungu, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone on Saturday, said Oladokun had responded to a distress call from the town as the youth took up arms against the security outfit to protest the death of the tailor.

Argungu added that the vigilance group allegedly clashed with the tailor, who was said to be working overnight in his shop.

The police commissioner said, “About nine days ago, the town‘s vigilance group met the tailor, working in his shop in the night. So, they told him to go home and come back the following morning to continue with his work but he refused. I believe they asked him to go because of the security situation in the town.
“Unfortunately, it led to a fight and the tailor was wounded. He, however, died yesterday (Friday) and the community now rose up against the members of the vigilante group.

“The Area Commander, however, went there to find out what was happening and ensure that peace was restored to the place. On his way, he was shot and burnt.”

Argungu added that the command had deplored more men to the community to forestall further breakdown of the peace in the area.

The explanation of the police boss, however, differed from an account by a member of the community, who claimed that the clash was between the youths and some riot policemen who had been keeping watch in the town for some time now.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20091206127393

Uncertainty still hovers around Yar’Adua’s health

There were palpable anxieties across the country on Saturday over the health of President Umaru Yar‘Adua who is currently receiving treatment at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for what his doctors named as acute pericarditis.
This was as fresh facts emerged that President Yar‘Adua abandoned the Horst Schmidt Klinik, Wiesbaden, Germany for the Saudi Hospital because the German hospital had asked him to resign from office in order to attend to his fragile health.
The president was said to have been prepared to heed the German hospital’s advice but that he later changed his mind when members of his kitchen cabinet asked him not to do so.
Those who persuaded the president was said to have prevailed on him to seek medical help from elsewhere, thus his change to the Jeddah hospital.
Meanwhile, throughout Saturday, the news desk of SUNDAY PUNCH received many frantic calls as anxious citizens sought to clarify speculations over the state of health of their president.
The anxiety by Nigerians persisted even as an online publication, Earth Times.org said a doctor at the Saudi hospital said on condition of anonymity that President Yar’Adua would be released “as early as next week.
“He was no longer in the intensive care wing of a Jeddah hospital and was undergoing routine medical tests,” the publication quoted the anonymous doctor to have said.
Checks by our correspondent, however, confirmed that Yar‘Adua was responding to treatment, though he was said to be in critical condition.
Efforts to receive assurances from the President‘s spokesman, Olusegun Adeniyi, did not succeed as calls to his mobile phone did not go through. Also, text message to his phone received no response.
Sources close to the President told our correspondent that visitors were barred from the private ward where he was receiving treatment under tight security.
”The man‘s health is stable but he is continuously placed on drip by doctors who are doing everything to rescue his life,” a source said.
Another source told our correspondent that the president would have taken a definite position on how to respond to advice to resign but for those whose continued relevance depends on the president‘s continued stay in power.
“The President is not power drunk as some people are thinking but those close to him who think they may lose their position if he resigns will not allow him,” the source added.
Before he became a patient of the Saudi hospital, President Yar‘Adua was said to have visited the HSK, based in the city of Wiesbaden, regularly since he was the governor of Katsina State.
As a president, Yar‘Adua‘s first visit to the German hospital was said to be in August 2008 when he was kept under observation for 11 days.
He, however, was said to have stopped patronising the HSK where he was being treated for Churg-Strauss syndrome because he was not willing to accept the advice by his doctors to relinquish power on health grounds.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200912062135295

Why they want Yar’Adua to resign — Gov Goje

By GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE
GOMBE State governor, Alhaji Danjuma Goje, declared yesterday at Okada, near Benin that those asking President Umaru Yar’Adua to resign from office on grounds of ill-health were doing so with a view to gaining  power through the back  door. His Edo State counterpart, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, joined the call, appealing to Nigerians for prayers for the ailing president.

Speaking at the convocation ceremony of Igbinedion University, Okada where he was awarded honourary degree in public administration, Goje said, “If democracy is to be sustained, we should not be sentimental. We should pray to God to speedily give good health to Yar ‘Adua. We should join other Nigerians to pray for Mr. President. Anything that will bring instability is unpatriotic. God who gives life and everything will save us.”
 
On his part, Oshiomhole called  for prayers for Yar ‘Adua. “All of us have the duty to pray for our president Yar’ Adua has make contributions to ensuring the peace and stability of this country at very difficult times.
I do not belong to the same umbrella with him but we belong to the same country. Yar’ Adua is an asset to this country. He is a statesman”, the Edo governor said.

Earlier in his welcome address read on his behalf by the deputy vice-chancellor of the university, Prof.Tonye Grace Okorie, chancellor of the University, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, stressed the need for  mutual cooperation between the school and the home front for a holistic moral upbringing of children.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/12/05/why-they-want-yar%E2%80%99adua-to-resign-%E2%80%94-gov-goje/

Nothing To Celebrate About Yar’Adua’s Administration - Na’Abba

FORMER Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Na’Abba, has said that there is nothing to celebrate about President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration because of the low standard of living in the country.

Alhaji Na’Abba, who said this when speaking with newsmen in Kano on Friday, maintained that Nigerians had not enjoyed dividends of democracy in the last two years of President Yar’Adua’s administration.

Na’Abba, who was the Speaker of the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003, disclosed that the country was generally weak due to lack of effective governance.

According to him, “there is nothing so serious about President Yar’Adua’s administration under two years that can make people celebrate him.

“At present, Nigerians’ living condition has not changed. In fact, it is even worse than before,” he said. He stated further that as far as he was concerned, attempt to measure how happy people were had to be based on policies that enhance the well-being of the people.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/05122009/news/news12.html

EFCC ARRAIGNS 2 DIRECTORS, 2 EX-BANKERS OVER N621M FRAUD.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned two former bankers and a firm over a N600million fraud. They were arraigned at a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja. The former bankers are Hillary Amakor and Osondu Chimaokwu and the firm involved in the scam is Osdech Nigeria Limited. Both suspects were former employees of Finbank plc. While Amakor was an intern, Chimaokwu was a staff of the bank. Their arraignment in Lagos also coincided with that of two serving federal directors in Abuja. They are Engr Suleiman Idris of the Federal Capital Development Authority,FCDA and Dr Olatunbosun Ayileka of the Federal Ministry of Works.

The two bankers were arraigned before Justice Mufutau Olokooba on a six count charge bordering on falsification of account to the tune of N600milion ( Six hundred million naira only). One of the charges read: “Hillary Amakor. Osondu Chimaokwu on or about the 31st day of December 2008 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division of Lagos High Court with intent to defraud conspired to falsify Account No. 313430000173201 belonging to Osdech Nig. Limited with Finbank Plc Owerri”. They pleaded not guilty to all the six charges.

Odion Obioh held brief for Amakor while W.K. Amao appeared for Chimaokwu and Osdech Nigeria Limited. Both defence counsel prayed the court for an oral application for bail. This was opposed by the EFCC counsel: Ben Ubi. Ubi reminded the court that certain material evidence that may be needed in the application for bail should not be presented orally. The Judge agreed to this and ruled that written application should be made for bail. He also ruled that the suspects be reminded in Prison custody and adjourned hearing on the bail application till December 9th , 2009.

In a related development, the Commission also
arraigned Engr. Suleiman Idris, a Deputy Director, FCDA, Abuja on a two court charge of fraud at the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja . In one of the two count charges, Engr Idris was said to have on or about the 20th day of November 2008 with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N15 million from Gab O. C. Okpokwasili under the false pretence that the money would be used to obtain allocation of an outright purchase of three houses in Abuja for Dr. (Mrs) Virginia Anohu under the federal government sale of government houses in Abuja. Investigation later showed that the accused obtained the money under false pretence contrary to section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.

Soon after EFCC counsel, Takon Ndifon, sought the leave of the court to prefer criminal charges against the accused person, he asked the court to read the count to the accused person. The accused pleaded not guilty to the two counts.

Counsel to the accused, Victor Okangbe then moved for oral application for bail. He pleaded with the court to grant the accused person bail as he was already on EFCC bail. He said the essence of bail was not to set the accused free but release him to sureties who are bound to produce him to face his trial at specific time and place. He cited the Supreme Court judgment on the case of Bamaiyi Vs State. He also cited the 1999 constitution to back his point that the accused was presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

Presiding judge, Justice Alade Toyinobo then admitted the accused to bail for N16 million, one surety with like sum and a senior civil servant who must be resident in Abuja .The case was adjourned to January 20, 2010

In the same manner, Dr. Olatunbosun Ayileka, a Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of works, was docked on a count charge of fraud and issuance of dud cheque. He was arraigned before Justice O. A. Adeniyi of FCT High court Abuja for issuing a bounce cheque to the tune of N6.8million.

The one count charge reads “That you Olatunbosun Ayileka on or about the 18th of August, 2008 in Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, did with the knowledge that you had sufficient funds in your account issued to one Michael Okafor, a Wema Bank cheque number 02374848 dated 18th August, 2008 for the sum of N6, 800,000.00 (Six million eight hundred thousand naira only) which the said cheque when presented for payment within three months of issuance was dishonoured due to insufficient funds in your account and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1)(b) of the Dishonoured cheques (Offences) Act Cap D11 of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 1 (1)(b) (i) of the same Act”.

Though the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge, his counsel Barrister Kolawole Olowookere argued that his client be granted bail on self recognition.

The prosecution counsel, S.A Ugwuebulem, however, rejected the bail condition and further prayed the court for a stiffer one.

The Presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi granted the accused bail on the conditions that the surety must have a verifiable land in the FCT and N2 million in like sum.

The accused is however to be reminded in Kuje prison pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions.

The case has been adjourned till November 11th, 2009. All the suspects were docked on Thursday, October 22.

FEMI BABAFEMI
Head, Media & Publicity
24/10/09

Banker Steals 12 Million Naira From ATM Machine!

A bank official who specialised in stealing the bank’s money through the Automated Teller Machine, ATM, is to appear before the court very soon.

The bank officer, Mr. Olajide Ogundipe, was alleged to have stolen N12.5 million belonging to the bank through the ATM machines under his custody at the Lokoja branch of the bank.

First City Monument Bank blew the whistle on Mr. Ogundipe when the Domestic Operations Department of the bank observed a fraudulent withdrawal of money in excess of N12 million through the bank’s ATM machines, and reported the crime to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

In the course of investigations, the anti-graft commission discovered that sometime in March, 2009, Ogundipe posted a debit entry of N450,000 to the Asset Account of the bank and credited the ATM with same value. He subsequently withdrew the sum through ATM machines after close of business.

Further investigations revealed that several other entries were passed in a similar manner and were withdrawn by Ogundipe.

The suspect, who confessed to the crime when he was picked up by EFCC operatives, said he used the money for his wedding. He said he made the withdrawals, usually N500,000 each time he loads the three ATM machines in Lokoja.

The Osun State-born banker, who joined FCMB in September 2008 after three years with Access Bank, in Abuja, said he never kept the stolen money in the bank but in his brief case in his Lokoja home, unknown to his wife who resides in Abuja.

After his confessional statement, Ogundipe who promised to return the stolen money made good his promise.

He brought an FCMB draft of N9,000,100 dated 22 October, 2009. He was said to have earlier paid N3,500,000 of the stolen money.

http://thepmnews.com/2009/10/26/banker-steals-n12m-from-atm

Man Inside Goat WHAT A GOAT: NIGERIAN MAN CAUGHT HAVING SEX WITH GOAT

God forbid! Chineke! Osanobuwa! When Nigerians see what shocks them, what confuses them, what takes their breath away, what staggers their soul, they cry to God in alarm. So the Igbos say 'Chineke!' and the Binis say 'Osanobuwa!' It is a cry of bewilderment to God, for understanding.

How else can one describe this photo, this incredible photo of a young Nigerian man having sex with a she-goat? Bestiality. Staggering. Stunning. Satanic. Devilish. Crazy. Mad. Insane. It is difficult to run out of adjectives. It is difficult to understand. It is difficult to comprehend. It is impossible to grasp.

What in the world is this? What in God's name is happening here? What in God's name is this sicko doing to this goat? What in God's name is this mad fool doing having sex with a goat?

Doesnt he have a wife? Doesnt he have a girlfriend? Couldnt he have paid for sex somewhere? Couldnt he have even begged for sex? Couldnt he have satisfied his needs in a private place?

Apparently, that is not what happened? Clearly, the young man was caught pants down having sex with a goat. That is why the Nigerian police is in the picture, as you can see. What a goat he is. What an animal. What a shameless goat. What a big fool. What a demonic animal!

We do know that there are many people in Nigeria who engage in all sorts of demonic sex with animals and satanic rituals all in the name of becoming rich and powerful.

We do know that there are many villages and towns and cities from Northern Nigeria to Eastern Nigeria, and from Western Nigeria to South-South, where politicians and business people, and other Nigerians looking for fame and fortune, engage in the most satanic rituals the mind can conjure, usually involving sex with animals and human sacrifices.

We condemn these satanic beliefs and practices. We believe they do not have any place in modern society. We believe that fame and fortune comes from hardwork, creativity, ingenuity, guts, self assurance, confidence in your abilities against all odds, tenacity, and perseverance. God will always reward your good efforts.

Okogie opposes pay for militants, YCE to meet Yar'Adua

From Iyabo Lawal (Ibadan), Hendrix Oliomogbe (Asaba) and Gbenga Salau (Lagos)

THE Federal Government's introduction of monetary incentives in it amnesty package has been condemned by the Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie.

Okogie said it was wrong of the government to have reneged on its earlier plan not to offer cash to militants in the amnesty package.

He said the decision to pay each of the 10,000 militants a monthly allowance of N20,000 and daily feeding allowance of N1,500 as announced by the Chief Co-ordinator of Amnesty Implementation Committee, Air Vice Marshal Lucky Ararile, was not well thought out because it could fuel the crisis as the armed men would certainly ask for more.

And worried by the protracted Niger Delta crisis, the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) also known as Igbimo Agba Yoruba, has resolved to meet with President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua on ways to promptly end the problem.

Speaking against the backdrop of last week's attack on the Atlas Cove jetty in Lagos by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the elders said the violence if not checked could lead to inter-tribal war.

At the commissioning of newly trained evangelisers in Lagos at the weekend, Okogie said: "It cannot solve any problem. If they start by giving them N20,000, they are going to take it, later they will say it is too small, and ask for more. Then, where are they going to draw the line? Why not seat down and have reasonable dialogue and see what will happen from it. But I do not think they are ready to do that."

On the spate of robberies, especially the one in Nsukka, Enugu State, where police officers were killed and their station razed, Okogie said: "If MEND could get sophisticated weapons with little or nothing that they have. And MEND is probably just 1,000 of the Nigerian population and look at how they are shaking the country.

What are the federal and state governments doing with our money? I think what is wrong is that we are not concentrating on what we should take first."

Okogie charged the newly ordained church workers to be ready to lay down their lives for the gospel, noting that the work of an evangeliser is risky because an evangeliser is an enemy to Satan.

"The work of witnessing for Christ is at times risky. A lot of the early missionaries suffered martyrdom. It has something to do with suffering. You just have to bear your cross. Though most people will prefer to hear the gospel of prosperity and not the gospel of suffering. The pastors do not wait for God to bless them. They force the money out of the poor people. Anyone setting out to authentically evangelise for Christ is at risk, an enemy of Satan.

"Witnessing cannot be based on hearsay. You must experience it before you can evangelise well. You must have a personal relationship with Jesus. You must read the scriptures and meditate on it. You must also improve your prayer life, this is how Jesus will reveal Himself to you," he said.

YCE, which described the spread of the Niger Delta violence to the South-West as shocking, said it has decided to meet with Yar'Adua on the logjam.

Its President, Maj.-Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd), told reporters at the end of the council's meeting in Ibadan that the unending crisis in the oil-rich region had again brought to the fore the need to practice true federalism in the country.

The group also described the political crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State as disturbing and appealed to the warring parties to sheath their sword.

Adebayo said a committee of the YCE, headed by him, had earlier met behind closed doors with all the factions in the Ogun crisis with a view to finding an amicable solution to it.

He said: "This is the second time within two months that we would be releasing a statement on the political crisis in Ogun State. All Yoruba sons and daughters must at all times strive to adopt the concept of Omoluabi."

The elders, however, assured Nigerians that an amicable resolution of the crisis would be found soon.

"There is no way for war or any form of battle in Yoruba land again. The race must be noted for political sophistication, economically viable and socially progressive."

At the meeting were Second Republic Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide; former Secretary to Oyo State government, Dr. Dejo Raimi; Secretary-General of the body, Prof. Bayo Olateju and Mrs. Bolajoko Doherty, among others.

Yar'Adua's amnesty to militants may have started yielding results as some Niger Delta ethnic nationalities' youth leaders, have endorsed the deal.

In a statement issued at the end of a meeting in Asaba, Delta State during the weekend, the youth leaders however advised that the package should be anchored on a two-phased approach of persuading the militants to surrender their arms and the take-off of infrastructural and human capital development in the region.

While calling for the immediate demilitarisation of the oil-rich region, the youth leaders demanded for a return to true fiscal federalism, which must be reflected in the amendment of the 1999 Constitution.

The forum also condemned the government's attempt to site another Petroleum Training Institute in Kaduna while neglecting the one at Effurun, near Warri.

The Niger Delta youth leaders who welcomed the creation of the Niger Delta Ministry however frowned at its under-funding and for the immediate release of the withheld funds of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The statement was jointly signed by Dr. Chris Ekiyor, President of Ijaw Youth Council; Mr. Godwin Okporoko, President of Urhobo Youth Council; Mr. David Tonwe, President of Itsekiri National Youth Council; and Mr. Zino Onaemo, President of Isoko National Youth Movement.

Others are Mr. Aiyamekhue Edokpolo, the President of Benin National Congress; Mr. Henry Okpamen, the President of Esan Youth Coalition; and Mr. Imoh Okoko, the President of Ibibio Youth Forum.

The Guardian Nigeria

President Umaru Yar'Adua has withdrawn the electoral reform proposals billed to strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)...

President Umaru Yar'Adua has withdrawn the electoral reform proposals billed to strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sent to the National Assembly after the Senators condemned it for its poor packaging.

The bill was rejected by Senators who chided the Attorney General of the Federation for his failure to give sound legal advice to the President on the futility of amending the INEC law without an amending the constitution. The Senators observation were summarized by the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu who presided at yesterday's session as he expressed amazement on how the bill could have successfully passed through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

The bill was introduced on the floor of the Senate by the Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin who said the bill is aimed to strengthen INEC by providing for the appointment of a deputy chairman for the commission, for the renewal of the tenure of INEC commissioners and a provision for INEC to be stripped of its powers of registration and regulation of political parties.

Another Senator, Senator Thomson Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East) upon a constitutional point of order vide section 9, 14 (1)(3)sought for the bill to be thrown out on the fact that it was a violation of the constitution since INEC was established by the constitution and could only be amended by an alteration of the constitution.

His point was supported by several Senators, among those who contributed to the debate yesterday were Senators Dahiru Umar (PDP, Sokoto), Kabiru Gaya (ANPP, Kano, South), Anthony Manzo (PDP, Taraba North), Kanti Bello (PDP, Katsina North), Isiaka Adeleke (PDP, Osun), Idris Umar (PDP, Gombe), Sola Akinyede (PDP, Ekiti North), Kabiru Jubril, (PDP, Kaduna Central), Omar Hambagda (ANPP, Borno South) and Anyim Ude (PDP, Ebonyi).

Some Senators canvassed for the bill to be thrown out or in some cases for the bill to be sent to the Constitution review committee; Senator Kanti Bello called for caution, saying that the genuine intentions of the bill should not be thrown away.

The Federal Ministry of Justice, was however, described as incompetent by Senator Dahiru Umar, chairman of the Senate committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters.

Nigeria: Government plans N180,000 (US$1,300) tuition fees for Federal Univerity students, Education for the rich only.

THE Federal Government is planning to introduce N180,000 per student per session in federal universities, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) revealed after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the University of Abuja at the weekend.

But, the SSANU President, Comdrade Promise Adewusi, who addressed journalists after the meeting, said the union had rejected the move during their various negotiations with the government.

However, Assistant Director (Press), Ministry of Education, Mr. Alphonso Okoroafor, in his reaction to the allegation said the ministry was not aware of such plan at press time on Sunday.

Also, SSANU has rejected in its entirety, the proposed salary increase for its members, insisting on the full implementation of the product of its collective bargaining with Federal Government, as it begins an indefinite total strike today.

The SSANU NEC directed all its members to resume its suspended strike and proceed on an indefinite and total strike with effect from the 20th of July 2009, “since government has violated the sanctity of the agreement, until that sanctity is restored.”

The SSANU president, who had participated in all the negotiations between the Federal Government and university workers, said the government had hinged payment of enhanced salary to them on their acceptance of the introduction of N180,000 school fees per student per session in all federal universities.

Comrade Adewusi, who explained that the government’s rationale for the planned introduction of N180,000 school fees, said the union leaders and the university workers had been blackmailed to accept the introduction of the “whopping” amount by the government.

But he added that they had maintained their position and rejected the move, because, “we have always maintained this solidarity with our students, because even our children are in these universities. We cannot afford to send our own children out of the country like other government public functionaries, who hardly have any of their children in Nigerian universities and, of course, we believe that, that is why they cared less about what happens with these universities.”

The SSANU president said: “I will like to acquaint you with the issues that affect the university system as a whole and, of course, we all know what the rot had been and the sharp decline in the quality of education.

And because of these various interventions or because of this state of anomaly in our universities, the unions have cried out, including our humble union, SSANU, on the need for interventions.

“Some of these interventions have led to collective bargaining and, as I have said from the outset, to this collective bargaining was not centered around salaries per se only.

“We are against the postulations and we are against the move that our students should pay a whopping NI80,000 per session per student, whereas the minimum wage still stands at N5, 500. One, how many parents can afford N180,000? Two, the fact is that, even the paltry N20, 000 and N25, 000 they pay in the federal universities, most parents can still not conveniently and comfortably afford this.

“If this is allowed to happen, what that means in effect is that education will be priced out of the reach of the children of the poor, which we do not want. It means the ministers would continue to produce ministers, the governors would continue to produce governors and the peasants, the labourers, the gardeners would continue to produce gardeners, because they would not go to school.

“So we want a level playing field, because we have been blackmailed most times that, ‘look, you want enhanced conditions of service, accept introduction of school fees in our universities’.”

Besides blackmailing them, Comrade Adewusi pointed out that the present administration had deliberately reduced the funding of university from 11 per cent maximum achieved during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration to less than three per cent.

He pointed out that the issue of proper funding of the universities was one of the issues that arose from the 2001 agreement, adding: “Key among the issues that were agreed in the 2001 agreement was a funding formula where government was supposed to progressively improve funding.

“When Obasanjo came, his funding was inadequate but he managed to get to 11 per cent. As I speak with you here, the funding for education in this year’s budget is less than three per cent and this is abysmal and this is in a bid to blackmail us to accept that school fees should be introduced in universities, so that they can pay us enhanced salaries and we said no.”

The SSANU president said: “Something that will benefit us and hurt or prejudice the rest of Nigerians would not be in our interest and would not be in the interest of the country, particularly, when you need this critical human capital to drive the progress we so desire. The development we so desire, the vision 2020, the seven-point agenda, who drives them? They are not robots, it is human beings and who are these human beings? They must be knowledgeable; they must be well trained; they must be skilled and that is what education does.

Therefore, it is one social tool you can’t afford to price out of the reach of the people and that has been our contention.” On the issue of the agreement reached with them by government, he explained that the Onosode Panel set up by government took them two and half years and that the government team comprised 27 eminent Nigerians drawn from all walks of life who could not be arm-twisted

He said: “They negotiated for over two and half years; agreement was reached, signed and I want to show you for the first time, because government keeps saying there is no agreement. You can see that this is an agreement between government and SSANU. You can see every page of this was signed. Of course, government has come out with the fancy talk that it was signed only for identification.

“But I want you to judge, even if it was signed for only identification, which we were not told at the time. In equity, this already is binding and government should do well by performing its own contract.

“The unions do not have the cohesive power to intimidate 27 prominent Nigerians. Therefore, the product of that agreement was based on their reasoned conscience that it is reasonable to make this system function minimally, not even maximally and now the government has jettisoned it and has made issue to look like that of salary alone.

“Even, talking in terms of salary, part of the agreement is a salary structure that took each party to the negotiation to go back to its principals to go and consult and get their approval. We did that several times, we took several breaks to consult and now government is showing this attitude.

“This was concluded before the so-called global meltdown, that the government is using as an excuse. If they had implemented this agreement, nobody would be talking of global meltdown, because this happened more than six months before the so-called of global meltdown set in.”

Adewusi said that all SSANU members, including those in hospitals, nurses and doctors in hospitals within the campuses, staff in halls of residence in all universities, and those in charge of other domestic affairs, water, electricity, library would commence a total and indefinite strike today.

He called on parents to reach out to their children because the basic things that would sustain them in the universities could not be available.
He said: ”This honourable house has resolved that in view of the above, SSANU rejects in its entirety, the proposed salary increase for its members and insists on the full implementation of the product of its collective bargaining with Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Since government has violated the sanctity of the agreement, until that sanctity is restored, SSANU NEC has directed all its members to resume its suspended strike and proceed on an indefinite and total strike action with effect from the 20th of July 2009 since it is obvious that the peaceful disposition of SSANU has been taken for granted.

“What this means, the implication is that the universities have to be shut down, because our members are the ones maintaining the services that keep the students in comfort, now we cannot guarantee this comfort. Our members have withdrawn their services.

“I think the best advice in this circumstance is for parents to reach out to their wards and their children because we cannot guarantee that there will be facilities that will continue to sustain them in classes and hostels.”