Gbenga Daniel was spotted the other day campaigning with his hand-picked governorship candidate and sidekick. Daniel and his stooge were campaigning for a job the stooge has not been nominated for by the PDP! Strange things happen where Mr. Daniel is concerned. While a lot of people consider it stupid and dumb, I think it is a good sign of gross disrespect for the rule of law and an obsession with self-importance.
Mr. Daniel attended the rally wearing a hat on top of an agbada and a staff of emperorship or rod (a symbol of his empty mien of superiority) in his hands. He promised to fight to the end, but never mentioned the name of the person he is at war with! Who was the fashionista who suggested a hat in place of a cap to Gbenga Daniel? Is Mr. Daniel finally losing it the very same way he lost Ogun State in the race for development?
I will not try to compare Mr. Daniel to the hugely successful governor of Lagos State, Raji Babatunde Fashola. It will be like comparing night and day. Considering the endless challenges in Lagos State and the myriad of problems the Lagos State Governor faced and is still facing since he took over less than four years ago, you will wonder how Fashola has been able to transform Lagos State in three years while Mr. Daniel has nothing to show for eight years of terrible misrule, banditry and hooliganism. The workman's sign in Ogun State in eight years has been the same: "BRIGAND AT WORK - PLEASE PISS OFF". Eight years and the people of Ogun State are still without water, medical care, good schools and colleges.
The monthly federal allocation to Ogun State ran into billions of naira. The money quickly disappears as soon as it is collected and there is nothing to show for it. For sure, Mr. Daniel was never elected by the people of Ogun State; he was chosen and awarded the job by the rigging machinery of his now disorganized and demystified political party, which is primarily why serving the people of Ogun State and putting their funds into good use for the benefit of the indigenes of the state was never on the cards.
With the support of then President Obasanjo and the mutual benefits the two men derive it was possible for Mr. Daniel to begin to develop a false mentality of superiority and pseudo-super star image. How do you make claim to a super star image when you have done practically nothing beside send your wife on endless trips to the United Kingdom and a litany of Owanbes?
The people of Ogun State are the losers of that greedy and selfish arrangement. Mr. Daniel spoke at the self-styled "farewell rally" and gave himself a pass mark with unsubstantiated claims that he has "done everything possible to turn the state economy around." The truth is that in eight years Mr. Daniel has turned Ogun state economy on its head; he has neglected schools and colleges, deprived hospitals of the much needed funds, and mismanaged state funds.
100 billion naira was the state's budget in 2009 and 2010. To what use did Mr. Daniel put more than 200 billion naira in a spate of two years? One road, the Siun-sagamu Road, was awarded for the sum of 1 billion naira. The rehabilitation and annual maintenance of this single road is also costing the state 500 million naira each year! The 100 billion naira bond raised by Mr. Daniel has left the state in a big hole. Ogun State now expends more than 5 billion naira annually to service debts incurred during the years of the locust under Mr. Daniel.
The choice investments Mr. Daniel made for the state such as the stadium projects in Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode and sagamu, the Sagamu International Market, Yewa International Market, the Olumo Rock project and the Trailer Pack are nothing more than bottomless pits and wasteful projects that have only made millionaires, probably billionaires out of the contractors and those they fronted for.
What is the wisdom and common sense in building an international market in Sagamu and Yewa? What do you need international markets for in towns and localities that are not linked nor served by major roads and highways? Who wants to come to some towns in Ogun state to buy goods with no hope of finding good transportation to move such goods?
At 2 billion naira each the markets are absolutely unnecessary and built for other reasons beside the interests of the people. Who wants to do international trade in Sagamu or Yewa where there are no link roads or an international airport? What was the motivation for wasting billions of naira on gargantuan projects that will only go to ruin, be poorly maintained and eventually abandoned?
I was in Ijebu-Ode in March 2010. The road from Otunba Subomi Balogun's house right to the roundabout by the cemetery was built in the 1980s by the government of Chief Olabisi Onabanjo. That road has lost one side to water and grass. The only side remaining is now shared by vehicles going the opposite directions. The water-logged and grass-invaded side is nothing but a metaphor of the degeneration Ogun State has become under Mr. Daniel.
The schools and colleges in Ijebu-Ode are no better. Ijebu-Ode Grammar School (IOGS) is in a deplorable situation despite the best efforts of the students and staff of the school to put it in good shape. The Assembly Hall at IOGS needs urgent attention. There are so many dilapidated buildings inside the school that obviously pose threats to students and staff, and classrooms are inadequate. The school and many others like it are in urgent need of repairs, new classrooms and laboratory equipment.
Mr. Daniel appeared to have left the schools to the care of God while he is taking very good care of himself with generous budget allocation to the Governor's Office. Most of the roads in Ijebu-Ode and it's environ are far from being worthy. Seeing Ijebu-Ode, the second largest city in Ogun State, and seven years into Mr. Daniel's governorship left me bewildered and shocked. Is Ogun state getting its own share of the national cake and revenue allocation? If the answer is yes, then where is all the money going to? Why is there so much poverty and unemployment in Ogun State?
Who owns Conference Hotel in Ijebu-Ode? Conference Hotel sits on the very site where the Judges' Quarters in Ijebu-Ode were located. How did that landed property that used to provide official accommodation to jurists in Ijebu-Ode changed hands? It has been rumoured that Conference Hotel is a business concern of Mr. Gbanga Daniel. I was unable to confirm this, but this is not the only state property purported to have been diverted to personal ownership by Mr. Daniel. There is the land on which Mr. Daniel built his mansion in Sagamu, which was also said to be the property of the state judiciary.
Ghana-must-go bags have done far better than the people of Ogun State, and the EFCC should wake up to its responsibility and hold Mr. Daniel accountable for the billions spent in Ogun state with little to show for it. Ogun State has never had it this bad. The arrogance of a failed governor who sees himself as an emperor just tick you off and makes everyone wonder who he thinks he is. Who do you think you are, Mr. Daniel?
Even Chief Obafemi Awolowo never regarded himself as an emperor, so you wonder why a poor performer like Mr. Gbenga Daniel would think so highly of himself despite his below par performance.
Chief Awolowo who made free education, free health care, social services, road networks and economic development possible never for one moment thrust his nose at anyone or considered himself larger than life; it was the people who saw unusual and outstanding attributes of leadership and good governance in him who made him a sage, a nationalist and their hero.
But Mr. Daniel who made hunger possible and poverty available as a sole option in the lives of the people of Ogun State is so full of himself, so drunk on self and emptiness that he wants everyone to see him as a modern day emperor! Where is Mr. Daniel coming from that he has no rope around his neck? This man lacks humility and is devoid of honour and respect for the people and taxpayers of Ogun State. He is either on something or drunk on empty pride.
Does it surprise anyone that Mr. Daniel prefers to handover to his stooge? I just cannot stop laughing when I read what he said in Imeko. "God is telling me that I will hand over to Isiaka as the next governor of Ogun State"! Isiaka who? I do not know the god Mr. Daniel is referring to, but I know it is not the God who hates failure, arrogance, greed, selfishness, chaos, blood letting, blunder and monstrosity.
Leaders like Chief Awolowo and the "rascal" in Lagos State, Governor Raji Babatunde Fashola made very striking contributions to social, economic, educational and civic development and earned the respect, applause, and submission cum devotion of their people and followers. But a self-appointed leader such as Mr. Gbenga Daniel who has nothing meaningful to show for eight years of selfish service will only earn the contempt, disdain and hisses of the people, not even his hugely amassed wealth will find him peace.
He will be lucky if he is not stoned by the masses of Ogun State, or he will need the protection of security forces to escape stones and shoes being flung at him every where he turns. Mr. Daniel will never be able to walk along Ibara Road in Abeokuta with Raji Babatunde Fashola - Fashola on this side, Daniel on the other side of the street - without Mr. Daniel being stoned by men and women, young and old, students and tradesmen.
They will stone Mr. Gbenga Daniel for the terrible way he mismanaged the funds of the state, the poverty he brought with him, the dilapidation of their schools, the white elephant projects he initiated in the state, and the debts he piled up for Ogun State.
Do you know Emperor Daniel actually zoned the governorship of Ogun State to Yewa? He said that much at his farewell rally and thumbed his chest as a kingmaker. Mr. Daniel a Kingmaker? A political upstart, a neophyte is suddenly seeing himself as a kingmaker! What kind of king will a leper make? The emperor of Ogun State!
This is how much Mr. Daniel sees himself, and how banal and empty he is. Ogun State has been a one man show for eight years, and, unfortunately, that one man lacked wisdom, humility, integrity, fairness and the selflessness demanded of good leadership. He came to be served and to rule.
He chose to rule as a rod-wielding, all-powerful autocratic emperor of Ogun State. Now the emperor wants to relocate to the Nigerian Senate. Unfortunately, the Nigerian Senate has no room for emperors and totalitarian powers. The emperor who has vowed to defect to another political party is now ready to fight till the end. This is an emperor who rants from both sides of his mouth. He will be disgraced and be brought to earth.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Barack Obama defends Gay Rights Against U.S Federal Laws
As Churches and Republicans React in Rage
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor says he was "taken aback" by President Barack Obama ordering his administration to stop defending the constitutionality of a federal law that bans recognition of gay marriage.
The Virginia Republican said Thursday that he'd never been around when a president decided not to defend a law on the books. He says the U.S. Congress is mulling its options on the 15-year-old Defense of Marriage Act.
Cantor made his comments in response to a question following a speech at Harvard University.
Cantor also says the House budget will include proposals on how to curb spending on programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Hundreds of students gathered outside to protest Cantor's visit, faulting Republicans for deep cuts to programs like global health initiatives and AmeriCorps.
In a major policy reversal, the Obama administration said Wednesday it will no longer defend the constitutionality of a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriage.
Attorney General Eric Holder said President Barack Obama has concluded that the administration cannot defend the federal law that defines marriage as only between a man and a woman. He noted that the congressional debate during passage of the Defense of Marriage Act "contains numerous expressions reflecting moral disapproval of gays and lesbians and their intimate and family relationships - precisely the kind of stereotype-based thinking and animus the (Constitution's) Equal Protection Clause is designed to guard against."
The Justice Department had defended the act in court until now.
"Much of the legal landscape has changed in the 15 years since Congress passed" the Defense of Marriage Act, Holder said in a statement. He noted that the Supreme Court has ruled that laws criminalizing homosexual conduct are unconstitutional and that Congress has repealed the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
At the White House, spokesman Jay Carney said Obama himself is still "grappling" with his personal view of gay marriage but has always personally opposed the Defense of Marriage Act as "unnecessary and unfair."
Holder wrote to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, that Obama has concluded the Defense of Marriage Act fails to meet a rigorous standard under which courts view with suspicion any laws targeting minority groups who have suffered a history of discrimination.
The attorney general said the Justice Department had defended the law in court until now because the government was able to advance reasonable arguments for the law based on a less strict standard.
At a December news conference, in response to a reporters' question, Obama revealed that his position on gay marriage is "constantly evolving." He has opposed such marriages and supported instead civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. The president said such civil unions are his baseline - at this point, as he put it.
"This is something that we're going to continue to debate, and I personally am going to continue to wrestle with going forward," he said.
On Wednesday, Holder said the president has concluded that, given a documented history of discrimination against gays, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny than the department had been applying in legal challenges to the act up to now.
The attorney general said the department will immediately bring the policy change to the attention of two federal courts now hearing separate lawsuits targeting the Defense of Marriage Act.
One case, in Connecticut, challenges the federal government's denial of marriage-related protections for federal Family Medical Leave Act benefits, federal laws for private pension plans and federal laws concerning state pension plans. In the other case in New york City, the federal government refused to recognize the marriage of two women and taxed the inheritance that one of the women left to the other as though the two were strangers. Under federal tax law, a spouse who dies can leave her assets, including the family home, to the other spouse without incurring estate taxes.
Gay rights groups celebrated President Obama's decision on Wednesday to no longer defend the constitutionality of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which bans federal recognition of same-sex marriages.
It was a major turnaround for Obama, who for two years has tried to have it both ways, declaring his personal opposition to the law while insisting that, as president, he had no choice but to defend and uphold it.
Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, called the decision "a tremendous step toward recognizing our common humanity and ending an egregious injustice against thousands of loving, committed couples who simply want the protections, rights and responsibilities afforded other married couples."
Wednesday's announcement came after months of internal administration debate. The specific occasion for the reversal was the need to respond to two court challenges that were filed in a judicial jurisdiction with no established precedent for evaluating claims of discrimination against gay people.
Previously, the White House had defended DOMA simply based on applicable court precedents. In the two new cases, however, the administration would for the first time have had to state a position on a key underlying issue: whether laws regarding sexual orientation should be subject to a particularly rigorous legal standard applicable to legislation targeting minority groups with a history of discrimination.
Attorney General Eric Holder wrote in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner:
After careful consideration, including a review of my recommendation, the President has concluded that given a number of factors, including a documented history of discrimination, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny. The President has also concluded that Section 3 of DOMA, as applied to legally married same-sex couples, fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional. Given that conclusion, the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute in such cases. I fully concur with the President's determination.
This time around, Holder also explained, the administration would have had to affirmatively argue on behalf of the law, based on Congressional intent. And Justice Department lawyers apparently concluded they just couldn't do it.
Story continues below
For one thing, Holder wrote, "the legislative record underlying DOMA's passage... contains numerous expressions reflecting moral disapproval of gays and lesbians and their intimate and family relationships--precisely the kind of stereotype-based thinking and animus the Equal Protection Clause is designed to guard against."
"I think this is pretty bold, given where they've been before," said Michael Dorf, a Cornell University law professor. "Given that they were defending it up until know, if that was their inclination, they could have continued to do that."
Dorf also said he didn't completely buy the administration's explanations for the turnaround. "They discovered there was homophobia in 1996!" he said, in mock alarm. "Either you think the law is constitutional or it's not," he said.
"I think the administration is still walking a tightrope, in that I don't hear them saying that there is affirmatively a constitutional right to same-sex marriage," Dorf told HuffPost.
So what really explains Wednesday's announcement? "I assume there was some internal debate in the Justice Department and the people who I would regard on the right side won -- or this was a compromise," Dorf said.
Dorf also said he did not think Obama's decision could be used as a precedent by future presidents who want to abandon laws they don't like. The debate over what presidents should do when they think a law is unconstitutional has been a gray area since the time of Thomas Jefferson, he said -- and this move won't make it any greyer.
The one big fly in the ointment for opponents of DOMA is that despite Wednesday's decision, the law remains on the books, and the Obama administration will continue to enforce it.
"Section 3 of DOMA will continue to remain in effect unless Congress repeals it or there is a final judicial finding that strikes it down, and the President has informed me that the Executive Branch will continue to enforce the law," Holder said in a statement.
An administration official on Wednesday told the Huffington Post that on a practical basis, the government will still be tasked with maintaining the law where it effects federal policy, for instance in the distribution of Social Security benefits to spouses. DOMA defines marriage as between a man and a woman, which means same-sex married couples are denied access to marriage-based federal benefits. Same-sex marriage is legal in five states and Washington D.C., and will likely be legalized in Maryland soon.
At Wednesday's White House briefing, spokesman Jay Carney said the administration will also do what's required "so that other interested parties are able to take up the defense of the Defense of Marriage Act if they so wish -- and in particular, Congress or members of Congress who want to proceed and defend the law in these cases."
Holder asserted that Wednesday's decision was a "rare case," but not the first of its kind. "As you know, the Department has a longstanding practice of defending the constitutionality of duly-enacted statutes if reasonable arguments can be made in their defense, a practice that accords the respect appropriately due to a coequal branch of government," he wrote to Boehner.
"However, the Department in the past has declined to defend statutes despite the availability of professionally responsible arguments, in part because the Department does not consider every plausible argument to be a 'reasonable' one."
The attorney general also suggested that he thinks the law's days are numbered. "Much of the legal landscape has changed in the 15 years since Congress passed DOMA," he wrote. "The Supreme Court has ruled that laws criminalizing homosexual conduct are unconstitutional. Congress has repealed the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Several lower courts have ruled DOMA itself to be unconstitutional."
Senate Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called Wednesday's announcement "a victory for civil rights, fairness, and equality for the LGBT community and all Americans."
Michael Steel, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), wasn't as welcoming. "While Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending, the President will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation," he said.
Some conservatives were highly critical. Edward Whelan, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, has argued all along that Obama was sabotaging DOMA litigation. On Wednesday, he blogged for the National Review that "it is logically incoherent for the Obama administration to refuse to defend DOMA and to continue to enforce it. The obvious explanation for this incoherence is political: Obama doesn't have the guts to take the political heat for not enforcing DOMA, but he's hoping that his refusal to defend it will lead to court rulings that he can hide behind."
Back in June 2009, Obama's Justice Department infuriated gay rights activists by filing a legal brief that not only defended DOMA, but likened it to rules against incest and marrying children. The brief was refiled two months later, still in favor of DOMA, but minus those references.
And just this past October, the Justice Department appealed the decision of a federal judge in Massachusetts who struck down the law.
Obama somewhat telegraphed Wednesday's decision in December in an interview with the Advocate, during which he signaled he and his lawyers were reviewing "a range of options" regarding the defense of DOMA.
Obama also said in his Advocate interview that his attitude on marriage equality is "evolving." But Carney said Wednesday's decision didn't reflect any change in Obama's views.
"The President's position on the Defense of Marriage Act has been consistent," Carney said. "He has long opposed it as unnecessary and unfair."
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor says he was "taken aback" by President Barack Obama ordering his administration to stop defending the constitutionality of a federal law that bans recognition of gay marriage.
The Virginia Republican said Thursday that he'd never been around when a president decided not to defend a law on the books. He says the U.S. Congress is mulling its options on the 15-year-old Defense of Marriage Act.
Cantor made his comments in response to a question following a speech at Harvard University.
Cantor also says the House budget will include proposals on how to curb spending on programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Hundreds of students gathered outside to protest Cantor's visit, faulting Republicans for deep cuts to programs like global health initiatives and AmeriCorps.
In a major policy reversal, the Obama administration said Wednesday it will no longer defend the constitutionality of a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriage.
Attorney General Eric Holder said President Barack Obama has concluded that the administration cannot defend the federal law that defines marriage as only between a man and a woman. He noted that the congressional debate during passage of the Defense of Marriage Act "contains numerous expressions reflecting moral disapproval of gays and lesbians and their intimate and family relationships - precisely the kind of stereotype-based thinking and animus the (Constitution's) Equal Protection Clause is designed to guard against."
The Justice Department had defended the act in court until now.
"Much of the legal landscape has changed in the 15 years since Congress passed" the Defense of Marriage Act, Holder said in a statement. He noted that the Supreme Court has ruled that laws criminalizing homosexual conduct are unconstitutional and that Congress has repealed the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
At the White House, spokesman Jay Carney said Obama himself is still "grappling" with his personal view of gay marriage but has always personally opposed the Defense of Marriage Act as "unnecessary and unfair."
Holder wrote to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, that Obama has concluded the Defense of Marriage Act fails to meet a rigorous standard under which courts view with suspicion any laws targeting minority groups who have suffered a history of discrimination.
The attorney general said the Justice Department had defended the law in court until now because the government was able to advance reasonable arguments for the law based on a less strict standard.
At a December news conference, in response to a reporters' question, Obama revealed that his position on gay marriage is "constantly evolving." He has opposed such marriages and supported instead civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. The president said such civil unions are his baseline - at this point, as he put it.
"This is something that we're going to continue to debate, and I personally am going to continue to wrestle with going forward," he said.
On Wednesday, Holder said the president has concluded that, given a documented history of discrimination against gays, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny than the department had been applying in legal challenges to the act up to now.
The attorney general said the department will immediately bring the policy change to the attention of two federal courts now hearing separate lawsuits targeting the Defense of Marriage Act.
One case, in Connecticut, challenges the federal government's denial of marriage-related protections for federal Family Medical Leave Act benefits, federal laws for private pension plans and federal laws concerning state pension plans. In the other case in New york City, the federal government refused to recognize the marriage of two women and taxed the inheritance that one of the women left to the other as though the two were strangers. Under federal tax law, a spouse who dies can leave her assets, including the family home, to the other spouse without incurring estate taxes.
Gay rights groups celebrated President Obama's decision on Wednesday to no longer defend the constitutionality of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which bans federal recognition of same-sex marriages.
It was a major turnaround for Obama, who for two years has tried to have it both ways, declaring his personal opposition to the law while insisting that, as president, he had no choice but to defend and uphold it.
Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, called the decision "a tremendous step toward recognizing our common humanity and ending an egregious injustice against thousands of loving, committed couples who simply want the protections, rights and responsibilities afforded other married couples."
Wednesday's announcement came after months of internal administration debate. The specific occasion for the reversal was the need to respond to two court challenges that were filed in a judicial jurisdiction with no established precedent for evaluating claims of discrimination against gay people.
Previously, the White House had defended DOMA simply based on applicable court precedents. In the two new cases, however, the administration would for the first time have had to state a position on a key underlying issue: whether laws regarding sexual orientation should be subject to a particularly rigorous legal standard applicable to legislation targeting minority groups with a history of discrimination.
Attorney General Eric Holder wrote in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner:
After careful consideration, including a review of my recommendation, the President has concluded that given a number of factors, including a documented history of discrimination, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny. The President has also concluded that Section 3 of DOMA, as applied to legally married same-sex couples, fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional. Given that conclusion, the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute in such cases. I fully concur with the President's determination.
This time around, Holder also explained, the administration would have had to affirmatively argue on behalf of the law, based on Congressional intent. And Justice Department lawyers apparently concluded they just couldn't do it.
Story continues below
For one thing, Holder wrote, "the legislative record underlying DOMA's passage... contains numerous expressions reflecting moral disapproval of gays and lesbians and their intimate and family relationships--precisely the kind of stereotype-based thinking and animus the Equal Protection Clause is designed to guard against."
"I think this is pretty bold, given where they've been before," said Michael Dorf, a Cornell University law professor. "Given that they were defending it up until know, if that was their inclination, they could have continued to do that."
Dorf also said he didn't completely buy the administration's explanations for the turnaround. "They discovered there was homophobia in 1996!" he said, in mock alarm. "Either you think the law is constitutional or it's not," he said.
"I think the administration is still walking a tightrope, in that I don't hear them saying that there is affirmatively a constitutional right to same-sex marriage," Dorf told HuffPost.
So what really explains Wednesday's announcement? "I assume there was some internal debate in the Justice Department and the people who I would regard on the right side won -- or this was a compromise," Dorf said.
Dorf also said he did not think Obama's decision could be used as a precedent by future presidents who want to abandon laws they don't like. The debate over what presidents should do when they think a law is unconstitutional has been a gray area since the time of Thomas Jefferson, he said -- and this move won't make it any greyer.
The one big fly in the ointment for opponents of DOMA is that despite Wednesday's decision, the law remains on the books, and the Obama administration will continue to enforce it.
"Section 3 of DOMA will continue to remain in effect unless Congress repeals it or there is a final judicial finding that strikes it down, and the President has informed me that the Executive Branch will continue to enforce the law," Holder said in a statement.
An administration official on Wednesday told the Huffington Post that on a practical basis, the government will still be tasked with maintaining the law where it effects federal policy, for instance in the distribution of Social Security benefits to spouses. DOMA defines marriage as between a man and a woman, which means same-sex married couples are denied access to marriage-based federal benefits. Same-sex marriage is legal in five states and Washington D.C., and will likely be legalized in Maryland soon.
At Wednesday's White House briefing, spokesman Jay Carney said the administration will also do what's required "so that other interested parties are able to take up the defense of the Defense of Marriage Act if they so wish -- and in particular, Congress or members of Congress who want to proceed and defend the law in these cases."
Holder asserted that Wednesday's decision was a "rare case," but not the first of its kind. "As you know, the Department has a longstanding practice of defending the constitutionality of duly-enacted statutes if reasonable arguments can be made in their defense, a practice that accords the respect appropriately due to a coequal branch of government," he wrote to Boehner.
"However, the Department in the past has declined to defend statutes despite the availability of professionally responsible arguments, in part because the Department does not consider every plausible argument to be a 'reasonable' one."
The attorney general also suggested that he thinks the law's days are numbered. "Much of the legal landscape has changed in the 15 years since Congress passed DOMA," he wrote. "The Supreme Court has ruled that laws criminalizing homosexual conduct are unconstitutional. Congress has repealed the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Several lower courts have ruled DOMA itself to be unconstitutional."
Senate Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called Wednesday's announcement "a victory for civil rights, fairness, and equality for the LGBT community and all Americans."
Michael Steel, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), wasn't as welcoming. "While Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending, the President will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation," he said.
Some conservatives were highly critical. Edward Whelan, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, has argued all along that Obama was sabotaging DOMA litigation. On Wednesday, he blogged for the National Review that "it is logically incoherent for the Obama administration to refuse to defend DOMA and to continue to enforce it. The obvious explanation for this incoherence is political: Obama doesn't have the guts to take the political heat for not enforcing DOMA, but he's hoping that his refusal to defend it will lead to court rulings that he can hide behind."
Back in June 2009, Obama's Justice Department infuriated gay rights activists by filing a legal brief that not only defended DOMA, but likened it to rules against incest and marrying children. The brief was refiled two months later, still in favor of DOMA, but minus those references.
And just this past October, the Justice Department appealed the decision of a federal judge in Massachusetts who struck down the law.
Obama somewhat telegraphed Wednesday's decision in December in an interview with the Advocate, during which he signaled he and his lawyers were reviewing "a range of options" regarding the defense of DOMA.
Obama also said in his Advocate interview that his attitude on marriage equality is "evolving." But Carney said Wednesday's decision didn't reflect any change in Obama's views.
"The President's position on the Defense of Marriage Act has been consistent," Carney said. "He has long opposed it as unnecessary and unfair."
THE IGBO HAVE OPPORTUNITY, BUT WE MUST FIRST RESTRATEGIZE
In his opinion Mr. Daniel Elombah wrote:
"…Ndigbo Nwere Problem!!!..." (Translation: the Igbo have problem)
Mr. Elombah's dire prediction was based on the publication of the registered voters by zone by our Independent National Election Commission which was published as follows:
1. North-West Nigeria 18 Million
2. South West Nigeria 15 Million
3. North East Nigeria 8 Million
4. North Central 8 Million
5. South South Nigeria 8 Million
6. South East Nigeria 7 Million
Total 64 million
On the surface it would look as if Igbo have problem especially when taken from the point of view of Idowu Bobo
All road the presidency of Nigeria runs through Northwest and Southwest, 50% of the voters are from these two regions of the country.
In other words 2 zones make up 50% of registered voters. If you convincingly win both you will just be scrambling to win 25% from a few more states and you are in.
Several things stand out from this analysis:
1. NW (21%) of the population has 28% of registered voters 7 points higher than her share of population.
2. NW registration (61%) is 20 points higher than the national average of 45.7%.
3. SW with 19.7% of the population has 23.4 % of registered voters or 5 points higher than her share of the population.
4. SW registered 54% of it citizens compared to the national average of 45.7% or 10 points above national average.
5. SS and SE have the lowest registration percentage except for NE and considerably lower than their share of the population.
Compared with other data from the Nigerian government the oddity of the registration exercises become more apparent. Take a look at college enrollment table.
1. The 2 zones with the highest percentage of college youths (SE 34% of all Nigerian college students and SS 25%) have the lowest number of registered voters. In other words college education is an impediment to participation in politics or access to political information. In no other place in the world has this phenomenon been observed.
2. NW with a mere 5.3% of college enrollment has almost a 2:1advantage over SS in registration 61%:38%. Their youth have more access to political information than SS or are more politically aware.
3. NC which has the highest level of college education in the North has the lowest level of registration for this election.
This is just a one minute analysis of the published results. We shall look at the details as the registration exercise results are published. The State numbers would highlight where the most fraud was compiled as would city and constituency reports.
Areas of further research:
* Comparison with prior registrations
* Comparison with the prior voting numbers
* The state registration currently with the amended voter registration in the rerun elections in Anambra, Ekiti and other states.
* Tax collection from the states such as number of payee
Mr. Elombah and his Igbo compatriots would serve Nigeria better by purring into the statistics and proving them fraudulent. It will be much better than throwing up hands and saying that: "Ndiigbo nwere nsogbu." What Ndiigbo nwere is opportunity to unmask fraudulent practices in Nigerian polity.
One can lie with statistics but such lies are often revealed by statistics.
Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba
Boston, Massachusetts
It is interesting and at the same time frightening how very little interest and comments arose out of the recently released result and analysis of the voter registration for the upcoming election. Contrast this to the intense interest shown and continues to be shown about appointing two Nigerian professors in the US to the position of VC in Nigeria. Instead of planning how to better the lot of the people in Nigeria, it is clear that a vast majority are longing for how to go and join the band wagon of running the country down.
Back to the analysis of INEC registration. If the result is as reported it raises very serious and challenging issues.
1. That the SE zone is possibly the least populated of the zones in the country. If that is the case what is the justification for demanding another state? Are we not better off insisting that the basis for the federation be the six region that is already, more or less, official and have revenue sharing based on that instead of the states or local governments.
2. Having the highest number of students in higher education suggests that the southeast zone is in the business of spending their resources training their talents only to have them exported to other zones. Brain drain.
One of three things could be done about this state of affairs. The first is to do nothing and continue to train talent and export them and continue to depopulate the zone. The second is for the zone to develop a comprehensive plan that will dissuade the migration of people to other zones by making the zone more attractive for her citizens to want to stay in their area and develop it and also to attract those who have left to return. This is my preference because a prosperous area is the area with growing population not a declining one. The third is to fight for the abolition of “indegenship” phenomenon so that where ever they are any Nigerian will have the full rights as anyone else: to live, work, own property, do business and participate fully in the political process. Am I the only one who has this opinion?.
You are indeed not alone in the observations you’ve astutely made in above excerpt. The main problem with the core Igbo political leadership elite is the absence of strategic thinking and planning; there is always this urge to live for now as if tomorrow is for the birds to worry about. The Igbo supposed strategic political interest appears to be predicated mostly on a superficial half-baked scheme for the occupancy of the Aso Rock or in positioning the well-situated few Igbo with Abuja connection to secure plum jobs at the center, whether in the Federal Government or the main political parties’ leadership echelon. The only times one hears about so-called “Summits” for deliberating on Igbo political affairs are whenever elections are around the corner. There was just one held in Concorde Hotel, Owerri during which a threat was issued to the PDP, ostensibly on behalf of Ndiigbo, to restore the ruling party’s chairmanship to the Southeast geopolitical zone or else. Issues like the voter registration head count must be esoteric matters for whoever are naïve enough to believe that the actual vote counts matter during general elections in Nigeria. What matters to some is not how many are registered to vote in the Southeast but rather what accrues to the zone from the center at any point in time. It is also not how large the allocation to the Southeast that bothers our political elite leadership; it who are in the advantaged positions to receive whatever comes our way on behalf of the rest of us. Sad and bizarre, isn’t it?
The reconfiguration of Nigeria during the decades of North-dominated military rule was used to assure one thing – that the former East is gerrymandered enough to make it perpetually incapable of standing toe-to-toe with the other former regions, at least, when sheer numerical strength is relied upon as the sole index for sharing the nation’s largesse. The object, of course, was to hamstring the Igbo at the center and thus make us to be content with playing second fiddle to the former North and West in perpetuity. And they succeeded beyond compare, at least, for now. As long as we join other Nigerians in continuing to rely solely on the silly game of numbers, especially based on the geopolitical zones, number of states and other demographics, the Igbo shall remain effectively checkmated in the scheme of things. But some of our folks really don’t get it. We still clamor for state creation as the magical instrument for seeking parity, for example. We are also too willing and ready to configure our strategic interests by aping the models and tactics that supposedly work to the benefit of our rivals in the North and West.
The Igbo must discard the penchant to dance to the tune of music being dictated by our rivals simply because we have been had since the civil war which our side lost. Unless we, as a people, start soon to become more imaginative in the revamping of our strategic game plan for interfacing with rest of our fellow compatriots, we shall surely condemn this and future generations of Ndiigbo to reaping the harvest of heartaches and disappointments in affairs of the Nigerian nation. I appreciate the overall thrust of your options and the associated viewpoints about each one of them. The option of dissuading outward migration of the Igbo has been posited my many but as we all have come to realize, this is a tall wish that is easier said than done. The sociocultural impetus which drives our people toward self-actualization through individual accomplishment trumps the logic of focusing all our available energy in the development of our home front first. Somehow, our Igbo commonsense informs us to think home after we have accomplished something of note. “Aku lue uno” appellation goes to those who bring home the bacon after one has it made it elsewhere. Let’s, therefore, not excessively quarrel with our folks for responding to the imperatives of our authentic Igbo sociocultural pressure which compels us to range far and wide within Nigeria or even internationally, if that is what it takes for fulfill our individual Ikenga. In fact, our strategic advantage ought to be sought through the deployment of what comes to us naturally and not by fighting it. This proposition shall be fully elucidated on a later occasion.
The quest to actualize the “abolition of “indegeneship” phenomenon” is a genuine cause for the Igbo because it marries consistently with our worldview. We, therefore, cannot just acquiesce to citizenship of a nation in which the Igbo vital sociocultural instinct in us is stifled. The late Senator Chuba Okadigbo made a spirited effort to push for the universality of Nigerian citizenship through a committee he headed at the time of his premature demise. The right of every Nigerian to exercise one’s domiciliary rights in all nooks and corners of the country should be regarded as a fundamental baseline for citizenship. The paradox of continuing to feel like a stranger in one’s own country negates the Igbo worldview in a very fundamental way. Our political elite class must internalize this truism about the Igbo before any of their articulation or representation of our collective interests can begin to get any traction.
Our problem in contemporary Nigeria is the lack of coherence in delineating what it takes in order to qualify to speak on behalf of the Igbo. Thus far, it appears that just having an Igbo-sounding surname appears to be all it takes for anyone to open one’s mouth too wide to vocalize even on matters of extreme strategic importance to our cause.
One of three things could be done about this state of affairs. The first is to do nothing and continue to train talent and export them and continue to depopulate the zone. The second is for the zone to develop a comprehensive plan that will dissuade the migration of people to other zones by making the zone more attractive for her citizens to want to stay in their area and develop it and also to attract those who have left to return. This is my preference because a prosperous area is the area with growing population not a declining one. The third is to fight for the abolition of “indegeneship” phenomenon so that where ever they are any Nigerian will have the full rights as anyone else: to live, work, own property, do business and participate fully in the political process. Am I the only one who has this opinion
"…Ndigbo Nwere Problem!!!..." (Translation: the Igbo have problem)
Mr. Elombah's dire prediction was based on the publication of the registered voters by zone by our Independent National Election Commission which was published as follows:
1. North-West Nigeria 18 Million
2. South West Nigeria 15 Million
3. North East Nigeria 8 Million
4. North Central 8 Million
5. South South Nigeria 8 Million
6. South East Nigeria 7 Million
Total 64 million
On the surface it would look as if Igbo have problem especially when taken from the point of view of Idowu Bobo
All road the presidency of Nigeria runs through Northwest and Southwest, 50% of the voters are from these two regions of the country.
In other words 2 zones make up 50% of registered voters. If you convincingly win both you will just be scrambling to win 25% from a few more states and you are in.
Several things stand out from this analysis:
1. NW (21%) of the population has 28% of registered voters 7 points higher than her share of population.
2. NW registration (61%) is 20 points higher than the national average of 45.7%.
3. SW with 19.7% of the population has 23.4 % of registered voters or 5 points higher than her share of the population.
4. SW registered 54% of it citizens compared to the national average of 45.7% or 10 points above national average.
5. SS and SE have the lowest registration percentage except for NE and considerably lower than their share of the population.
Compared with other data from the Nigerian government the oddity of the registration exercises become more apparent. Take a look at college enrollment table.
1. The 2 zones with the highest percentage of college youths (SE 34% of all Nigerian college students and SS 25%) have the lowest number of registered voters. In other words college education is an impediment to participation in politics or access to political information. In no other place in the world has this phenomenon been observed.
2. NW with a mere 5.3% of college enrollment has almost a 2:1advantage over SS in registration 61%:38%. Their youth have more access to political information than SS or are more politically aware.
3. NC which has the highest level of college education in the North has the lowest level of registration for this election.
This is just a one minute analysis of the published results. We shall look at the details as the registration exercise results are published. The State numbers would highlight where the most fraud was compiled as would city and constituency reports.
Areas of further research:
* Comparison with prior registrations
* Comparison with the prior voting numbers
* The state registration currently with the amended voter registration in the rerun elections in Anambra, Ekiti and other states.
* Tax collection from the states such as number of payee
Mr. Elombah and his Igbo compatriots would serve Nigeria better by purring into the statistics and proving them fraudulent. It will be much better than throwing up hands and saying that: "Ndiigbo nwere nsogbu." What Ndiigbo nwere is opportunity to unmask fraudulent practices in Nigerian polity.
One can lie with statistics but such lies are often revealed by statistics.
Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba
Boston, Massachusetts
It is interesting and at the same time frightening how very little interest and comments arose out of the recently released result and analysis of the voter registration for the upcoming election. Contrast this to the intense interest shown and continues to be shown about appointing two Nigerian professors in the US to the position of VC in Nigeria. Instead of planning how to better the lot of the people in Nigeria, it is clear that a vast majority are longing for how to go and join the band wagon of running the country down.
Back to the analysis of INEC registration. If the result is as reported it raises very serious and challenging issues.
1. That the SE zone is possibly the least populated of the zones in the country. If that is the case what is the justification for demanding another state? Are we not better off insisting that the basis for the federation be the six region that is already, more or less, official and have revenue sharing based on that instead of the states or local governments.
2. Having the highest number of students in higher education suggests that the southeast zone is in the business of spending their resources training their talents only to have them exported to other zones. Brain drain.
One of three things could be done about this state of affairs. The first is to do nothing and continue to train talent and export them and continue to depopulate the zone. The second is for the zone to develop a comprehensive plan that will dissuade the migration of people to other zones by making the zone more attractive for her citizens to want to stay in their area and develop it and also to attract those who have left to return. This is my preference because a prosperous area is the area with growing population not a declining one. The third is to fight for the abolition of “indegenship” phenomenon so that where ever they are any Nigerian will have the full rights as anyone else: to live, work, own property, do business and participate fully in the political process. Am I the only one who has this opinion?.
You are indeed not alone in the observations you’ve astutely made in above excerpt. The main problem with the core Igbo political leadership elite is the absence of strategic thinking and planning; there is always this urge to live for now as if tomorrow is for the birds to worry about. The Igbo supposed strategic political interest appears to be predicated mostly on a superficial half-baked scheme for the occupancy of the Aso Rock or in positioning the well-situated few Igbo with Abuja connection to secure plum jobs at the center, whether in the Federal Government or the main political parties’ leadership echelon. The only times one hears about so-called “Summits” for deliberating on Igbo political affairs are whenever elections are around the corner. There was just one held in Concorde Hotel, Owerri during which a threat was issued to the PDP, ostensibly on behalf of Ndiigbo, to restore the ruling party’s chairmanship to the Southeast geopolitical zone or else. Issues like the voter registration head count must be esoteric matters for whoever are naïve enough to believe that the actual vote counts matter during general elections in Nigeria. What matters to some is not how many are registered to vote in the Southeast but rather what accrues to the zone from the center at any point in time. It is also not how large the allocation to the Southeast that bothers our political elite leadership; it who are in the advantaged positions to receive whatever comes our way on behalf of the rest of us. Sad and bizarre, isn’t it?
The reconfiguration of Nigeria during the decades of North-dominated military rule was used to assure one thing – that the former East is gerrymandered enough to make it perpetually incapable of standing toe-to-toe with the other former regions, at least, when sheer numerical strength is relied upon as the sole index for sharing the nation’s largesse. The object, of course, was to hamstring the Igbo at the center and thus make us to be content with playing second fiddle to the former North and West in perpetuity. And they succeeded beyond compare, at least, for now. As long as we join other Nigerians in continuing to rely solely on the silly game of numbers, especially based on the geopolitical zones, number of states and other demographics, the Igbo shall remain effectively checkmated in the scheme of things. But some of our folks really don’t get it. We still clamor for state creation as the magical instrument for seeking parity, for example. We are also too willing and ready to configure our strategic interests by aping the models and tactics that supposedly work to the benefit of our rivals in the North and West.
The Igbo must discard the penchant to dance to the tune of music being dictated by our rivals simply because we have been had since the civil war which our side lost. Unless we, as a people, start soon to become more imaginative in the revamping of our strategic game plan for interfacing with rest of our fellow compatriots, we shall surely condemn this and future generations of Ndiigbo to reaping the harvest of heartaches and disappointments in affairs of the Nigerian nation. I appreciate the overall thrust of your options and the associated viewpoints about each one of them. The option of dissuading outward migration of the Igbo has been posited my many but as we all have come to realize, this is a tall wish that is easier said than done. The sociocultural impetus which drives our people toward self-actualization through individual accomplishment trumps the logic of focusing all our available energy in the development of our home front first. Somehow, our Igbo commonsense informs us to think home after we have accomplished something of note. “Aku lue uno” appellation goes to those who bring home the bacon after one has it made it elsewhere. Let’s, therefore, not excessively quarrel with our folks for responding to the imperatives of our authentic Igbo sociocultural pressure which compels us to range far and wide within Nigeria or even internationally, if that is what it takes for fulfill our individual Ikenga. In fact, our strategic advantage ought to be sought through the deployment of what comes to us naturally and not by fighting it. This proposition shall be fully elucidated on a later occasion.
The quest to actualize the “abolition of “indegeneship” phenomenon” is a genuine cause for the Igbo because it marries consistently with our worldview. We, therefore, cannot just acquiesce to citizenship of a nation in which the Igbo vital sociocultural instinct in us is stifled. The late Senator Chuba Okadigbo made a spirited effort to push for the universality of Nigerian citizenship through a committee he headed at the time of his premature demise. The right of every Nigerian to exercise one’s domiciliary rights in all nooks and corners of the country should be regarded as a fundamental baseline for citizenship. The paradox of continuing to feel like a stranger in one’s own country negates the Igbo worldview in a very fundamental way. Our political elite class must internalize this truism about the Igbo before any of their articulation or representation of our collective interests can begin to get any traction.
Our problem in contemporary Nigeria is the lack of coherence in delineating what it takes in order to qualify to speak on behalf of the Igbo. Thus far, it appears that just having an Igbo-sounding surname appears to be all it takes for anyone to open one’s mouth too wide to vocalize even on matters of extreme strategic importance to our cause.
One of three things could be done about this state of affairs. The first is to do nothing and continue to train talent and export them and continue to depopulate the zone. The second is for the zone to develop a comprehensive plan that will dissuade the migration of people to other zones by making the zone more attractive for her citizens to want to stay in their area and develop it and also to attract those who have left to return. This is my preference because a prosperous area is the area with growing population not a declining one. The third is to fight for the abolition of “indegeneship” phenomenon so that where ever they are any Nigerian will have the full rights as anyone else: to live, work, own property, do business and participate fully in the political process. Am I the only one who has this opinion
MUCH ADO ABOUT WATER IN ANAMBRA STATE
Athanas Ezevuike
Despite God's benevolence and magnanimity in providing the inevitable requirements for life subsistence (air, water, light, the soil etc), man, in many of his habitations, particularly in black Africa, has failed to optimally harness the availability of these for greater life among his fold.
This failure, largely consequent upon the negligence of man in running his affairs, accounts for the pains which make life hard, degenerate and short in most human communities. Anambra State in the past suffered its share of this degradation which laid the state almost entirely waste, approximating it to Thomas Hobbes's postulation on the state of nature.
This was before the new turn of political revolution in the state in March, 2006 which threw up Mr. Peter Obi as the state Governor. Since the dawn of this dispensation, there have been concerted efforts to purge the state of the Augean stables nurtured by the old order.
This renaissance manifests in the sustained systematic infrastructural rejuvenation now recognized in Anambra in terms of good road network, enhanced health institutions and health services, school renovations and enablement for effective learning, among others.
Today, Anambra State celebrates the gains of good governance. This time, the government of the state, in furtherance of its demonstration of commitment to the needs of the people, has embarked on multiple water projects. The government has commenced actions aimed at providing potable water to majority of the inhabitants of the state who for long have suffered penurious deficiency of this primary essential in situating decent living.
Considering the relevance of water in the lives of the people, particularly the urban dwellers, one wonders why it took the government this long to engage in this plausible scheme.
A critical look at the enormous demands of such projects in terms of funding, planning and other logistics suggests why past governments in the state lacked the will to delve into them; it also explains the extended time this government took in strategizing before coming up with the present medium and large scale schemes articulated towards alleviating the people's thirst for potable water.
recall that shortly after Mr. Obi took charge of the state, he identified the water supply situation in the state as critical; he therefore declared it as demanding emergency action. As a palliative, a special intervention package was quickly designed to assuage the pains of small and most vulnerable communities like schools and hospitals where scarcity of the substance was causing untold hardship to the inmates as well as sabotaging the core essence of the institutions.
The government quickly caused boreholes to be sunk in secondary schools, colleges and hospitals as a way of immediately responding to the intractable water crisis it identified therein. That was celebrated, and students in schools are now spared the distractions of chasing the lures of life outside schools while presumed to be scouting for water.
The present thrust of the Government of Anambra State is geared towards confronting the more elaborate challenge of providing drinking water for the larger communities and the people of the State.
In this operation termed Anambra Medium Term Water Supply Programme, the Government has not only declared intension to execute seventeen new major water supply projects, it has gone ahead to kick-start actions towards achieving this mouthwatering scheme by awarding contracts for the construction of large capacity water boreholes spread across the state.
At the flag-off of Nibo-Nise Millenium Development Goals Water Scheme, Governor Peter Obi again exuded his passion for running a people inclusive government. This he did by stating that although the total fund for the project was already available, the contractor, who had already been sufficiently mobilized to site, would only receive full payment on completion of the work if the Nibo and Nise communities certify the job well done.
This empowerment of the people underscores their relevance in ownership of government projects in their locality and their inherent responsibility in preserving such projects from wanton mismanagement and decay. To further embolden the communities in sustaining the water projects, the Commissioner for Public Utilities Water Resources and Community Development, Mr. Emeka Nwankwu, disclosed government's intention to establish Water Consumers Association which would allow public involvement in the management and maintenance of water projects across the state.
On the line-up of the multiple water projects flagged-off by the state government are Njikoka-Dunukofia medium scale water scheme valued at N141 million, the Nibo project worth N140 million; a greater Aguata water project sourced from Obizi is yet another in the schedule of the government of the state to make potable water available and affordable for the people.
There is the Agu-Inyi water scheme involving boreholes and resuscitation of large water reservoirs across the beneficiary communities. There are the Nimo, Nnewi water projects among others.
One can go on and on enumerating these projects and their sizes, but more worthy of note is the underlying character of Anambra State Government towards serving the people of the state. This was succinctly encapsulated in Governor Obi's remark while addressing the crowd present at the flag-off of Njikoka-Dunukofia water project.
The days of wastage of public funds are gone, the Governor said, What I have done these past four years is to use public money for public good, he concluded. Here therefore lies the heart of the matter, for it is this transparent prudence that has made it possible for the state government to reach understandings with reputable international organizations towards assisting the state in its various developmental quests.
Athanas Ezevuike writes from Adazi-Nnukwu.
Despite God's benevolence and magnanimity in providing the inevitable requirements for life subsistence (air, water, light, the soil etc), man, in many of his habitations, particularly in black Africa, has failed to optimally harness the availability of these for greater life among his fold.
This failure, largely consequent upon the negligence of man in running his affairs, accounts for the pains which make life hard, degenerate and short in most human communities. Anambra State in the past suffered its share of this degradation which laid the state almost entirely waste, approximating it to Thomas Hobbes's postulation on the state of nature.
This was before the new turn of political revolution in the state in March, 2006 which threw up Mr. Peter Obi as the state Governor. Since the dawn of this dispensation, there have been concerted efforts to purge the state of the Augean stables nurtured by the old order.
This renaissance manifests in the sustained systematic infrastructural rejuvenation now recognized in Anambra in terms of good road network, enhanced health institutions and health services, school renovations and enablement for effective learning, among others.
Today, Anambra State celebrates the gains of good governance. This time, the government of the state, in furtherance of its demonstration of commitment to the needs of the people, has embarked on multiple water projects. The government has commenced actions aimed at providing potable water to majority of the inhabitants of the state who for long have suffered penurious deficiency of this primary essential in situating decent living.
Considering the relevance of water in the lives of the people, particularly the urban dwellers, one wonders why it took the government this long to engage in this plausible scheme.
A critical look at the enormous demands of such projects in terms of funding, planning and other logistics suggests why past governments in the state lacked the will to delve into them; it also explains the extended time this government took in strategizing before coming up with the present medium and large scale schemes articulated towards alleviating the people's thirst for potable water.
recall that shortly after Mr. Obi took charge of the state, he identified the water supply situation in the state as critical; he therefore declared it as demanding emergency action. As a palliative, a special intervention package was quickly designed to assuage the pains of small and most vulnerable communities like schools and hospitals where scarcity of the substance was causing untold hardship to the inmates as well as sabotaging the core essence of the institutions.
The government quickly caused boreholes to be sunk in secondary schools, colleges and hospitals as a way of immediately responding to the intractable water crisis it identified therein. That was celebrated, and students in schools are now spared the distractions of chasing the lures of life outside schools while presumed to be scouting for water.
The present thrust of the Government of Anambra State is geared towards confronting the more elaborate challenge of providing drinking water for the larger communities and the people of the State.
In this operation termed Anambra Medium Term Water Supply Programme, the Government has not only declared intension to execute seventeen new major water supply projects, it has gone ahead to kick-start actions towards achieving this mouthwatering scheme by awarding contracts for the construction of large capacity water boreholes spread across the state.
At the flag-off of Nibo-Nise Millenium Development Goals Water Scheme, Governor Peter Obi again exuded his passion for running a people inclusive government. This he did by stating that although the total fund for the project was already available, the contractor, who had already been sufficiently mobilized to site, would only receive full payment on completion of the work if the Nibo and Nise communities certify the job well done.
This empowerment of the people underscores their relevance in ownership of government projects in their locality and their inherent responsibility in preserving such projects from wanton mismanagement and decay. To further embolden the communities in sustaining the water projects, the Commissioner for Public Utilities Water Resources and Community Development, Mr. Emeka Nwankwu, disclosed government's intention to establish Water Consumers Association which would allow public involvement in the management and maintenance of water projects across the state.
On the line-up of the multiple water projects flagged-off by the state government are Njikoka-Dunukofia medium scale water scheme valued at N141 million, the Nibo project worth N140 million; a greater Aguata water project sourced from Obizi is yet another in the schedule of the government of the state to make potable water available and affordable for the people.
There is the Agu-Inyi water scheme involving boreholes and resuscitation of large water reservoirs across the beneficiary communities. There are the Nimo, Nnewi water projects among others.
One can go on and on enumerating these projects and their sizes, but more worthy of note is the underlying character of Anambra State Government towards serving the people of the state. This was succinctly encapsulated in Governor Obi's remark while addressing the crowd present at the flag-off of Njikoka-Dunukofia water project.
The days of wastage of public funds are gone, the Governor said, What I have done these past four years is to use public money for public good, he concluded. Here therefore lies the heart of the matter, for it is this transparent prudence that has made it possible for the state government to reach understandings with reputable international organizations towards assisting the state in its various developmental quests.
Athanas Ezevuike writes from Adazi-Nnukwu.
Making Obasanjo President in 1999 was a big mistake —Ango Abdullahi
Tony Akowe
Former Adviser on Food Security to former President Olusegun, Obasanjo Professor Ango Abdullahi yesterday said the decision to make Obasanjo contest the presidential election in 1999 was a big mistake.
The former vice chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria said at a Town Hall meeting organised by the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) in Kaduna that he has since regretted being one of the first people to insist that Obasanjo be made President.
Contributing to the theme of the Town Hall Meeting ‘’Picking the right candidates: The essence of one man, one vote’’ Abdullahi said: "I was one of those who insisted that Obasanjo should be our first president and right now, I am beginning to ask myself whether we took the right decision or not?
"The answer that has come to my mind is that we made the wrong decision and that was why I opted out of the PDP and out of politics… I don’t wish to be called a politician any more even though I was one of those who took a stand against zoning which should have found its way into the constitution but lost out.’’
Continuing, he said:" But the military extracted it out and left it in the hands of the politicians. As one of the founding fathers of the PDP, together with Alex Ekwueme and others, we signed the PDP into life as a party and drafted the party constitution.
‘‘I detested the inclusion of zoning in the constitution but the party felt that for the purpose of winning election, it should be there.
"I told my friend, late Abubakar Rimi in 2003 that things will not be well again and I opted out because of what was happening and went back home and I have remained at home since then"
He added that the political situation currently is that of fait accompli since none of the political parties offer any credible alternative.
The former presidential adviser opined that Nigeria has nothing to show for 12 years of democracy.
He explained: "The Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature don’t seem to be helping the growth of democracy in the Nigeria. In the last 12 years, democracy means very little to me.
"Even though I was part of it as a presidential adviser, I discovered that it has not worked for Nigeria and if we don’t get it right in 2011, when are we going to get it right?"
He lamented that political parties as currently constituted have not offered any meaningful alternative.
Abdullahi stressed: "We can distance ourselves from the parties because they have not offered us any choice and focus on the candidates and what they are likely to do or what they stand for".
The guest speaker, Barrister Festus Okoye said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should begin to create what he called baby units from polling units likely to be over crowded to avoid disenfranchising Nigerians on.
He said some units registered more than 3000 voters and will therefore be difficult to use the modified open ballot system without disenfranchising people.
He advised that the commission should also begin to work on transport and security logistics because "unless INEC works out its own transport arrangement, there is likely going to be sabotage in the system during elections.’’
Okoye, who was a member of the Justice Uwais- led Electoral Reforms Committee, called for passage of the Electoral Offences Commission Bill into law.
"Unless we catch and prosecute one person, people will not learn their lessons," he stressed.
He noted that Nigerians must resolve to get the April polls right and he lamented that the political class has infiltrated the judiciary leading to conflicting orders.
Former Adviser on Food Security to former President Olusegun, Obasanjo Professor Ango Abdullahi yesterday said the decision to make Obasanjo contest the presidential election in 1999 was a big mistake.
The former vice chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria said at a Town Hall meeting organised by the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) in Kaduna that he has since regretted being one of the first people to insist that Obasanjo be made President.
Contributing to the theme of the Town Hall Meeting ‘’Picking the right candidates: The essence of one man, one vote’’ Abdullahi said: "I was one of those who insisted that Obasanjo should be our first president and right now, I am beginning to ask myself whether we took the right decision or not?
"The answer that has come to my mind is that we made the wrong decision and that was why I opted out of the PDP and out of politics… I don’t wish to be called a politician any more even though I was one of those who took a stand against zoning which should have found its way into the constitution but lost out.’’
Continuing, he said:" But the military extracted it out and left it in the hands of the politicians. As one of the founding fathers of the PDP, together with Alex Ekwueme and others, we signed the PDP into life as a party and drafted the party constitution.
‘‘I detested the inclusion of zoning in the constitution but the party felt that for the purpose of winning election, it should be there.
"I told my friend, late Abubakar Rimi in 2003 that things will not be well again and I opted out because of what was happening and went back home and I have remained at home since then"
He added that the political situation currently is that of fait accompli since none of the political parties offer any credible alternative.
The former presidential adviser opined that Nigeria has nothing to show for 12 years of democracy.
He explained: "The Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature don’t seem to be helping the growth of democracy in the Nigeria. In the last 12 years, democracy means very little to me.
"Even though I was part of it as a presidential adviser, I discovered that it has not worked for Nigeria and if we don’t get it right in 2011, when are we going to get it right?"
He lamented that political parties as currently constituted have not offered any meaningful alternative.
Abdullahi stressed: "We can distance ourselves from the parties because they have not offered us any choice and focus on the candidates and what they are likely to do or what they stand for".
The guest speaker, Barrister Festus Okoye said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should begin to create what he called baby units from polling units likely to be over crowded to avoid disenfranchising Nigerians on.
He said some units registered more than 3000 voters and will therefore be difficult to use the modified open ballot system without disenfranchising people.
He advised that the commission should also begin to work on transport and security logistics because "unless INEC works out its own transport arrangement, there is likely going to be sabotage in the system during elections.’’
Okoye, who was a member of the Justice Uwais- led Electoral Reforms Committee, called for passage of the Electoral Offences Commission Bill into law.
"Unless we catch and prosecute one person, people will not learn their lessons," he stressed.
He noted that Nigerians must resolve to get the April polls right and he lamented that the political class has infiltrated the judiciary leading to conflicting orders.
EGYPT: UN LAUNCHES INITIATIVE FOR CHILDREN TRAUMATIZED BY RECENT VIOLENCE
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its national partners in Egypt have launched a psycho-social support programme for children who were affected by violence during the uprising that led to the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak earlier this month.
“Children need help to come to terms with the violence and feeling of insecurity they have seen or experienced,” UNICEF country representative Philippe Duamelle said.
“All reported deaths and injuries, particularly of children, as well as reports of children being paid to participate in counter-demonstrations, and of children being detained, should be thoroughly investigated, and children’s rights fully protected.”
According to preliminary figures announced by the Ministry of Health and by human rights organizations, 365 people were killed during the events in different governorates, and thousands of people were injured.
The most seriously affected young people are the tens of thousands of children who live and work on the streets of Cairo and other major cities, according to UNICEF. Testimony from children living in the streets indicates that they were exposed to severe violence, witnessing people killed and badly injured.
The psycho-social programme will help children at risk in Cairo and Alexandria, as well as schoolchildren nationwide, to overcome their psychological distress. Social workers and teachers are being trained to identify signs of trauma and stress, provide psychological support and refer cases to specialized services when needed.
The training will also be offered via video conferencing to reach teachers across the country. Psychologists will provide special on-the-job coaching to teachers and social workers in the areas that were most affected.
According to Dr. Hashem Bahary, professor of psychology at Al-Azhar University, up to 30 per cent of Egyptian children may suffer from anxiety, depression and obsessive compulsion.
“Children need help to come to terms with the violence and feeling of insecurity they have seen or experienced,” UNICEF country representative Philippe Duamelle said.
“All reported deaths and injuries, particularly of children, as well as reports of children being paid to participate in counter-demonstrations, and of children being detained, should be thoroughly investigated, and children’s rights fully protected.”
According to preliminary figures announced by the Ministry of Health and by human rights organizations, 365 people were killed during the events in different governorates, and thousands of people were injured.
The most seriously affected young people are the tens of thousands of children who live and work on the streets of Cairo and other major cities, according to UNICEF. Testimony from children living in the streets indicates that they were exposed to severe violence, witnessing people killed and badly injured.
The psycho-social programme will help children at risk in Cairo and Alexandria, as well as schoolchildren nationwide, to overcome their psychological distress. Social workers and teachers are being trained to identify signs of trauma and stress, provide psychological support and refer cases to specialized services when needed.
The training will also be offered via video conferencing to reach teachers across the country. Psychologists will provide special on-the-job coaching to teachers and social workers in the areas that were most affected.
According to Dr. Hashem Bahary, professor of psychology at Al-Azhar University, up to 30 per cent of Egyptian children may suffer from anxiety, depression and obsessive compulsion.
Benin traditional ruler bans works minister from palace
Jethro Ibileke
Oba Erediauwa I, Benin traditional ruler, ordered Minister of State for Works, Chris Ogiemwonyi, out of his palace today, saying he could not come in until the infamous Benin-Ore road was fixed. Not even the presence of the leaders of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), could save the minister from the anger of the traditional ruler.
Mr. Ogiemwonyi had paid a visit to the palace immediately after his appointment as minister and had promised to take urgent steps to fix the gully-ridden road. The minister went with several candidates of the PDP in the forthcoming general elections to the palace to seek the oba's royal blessing for their aspirations.
Oba Erediauwa said that the road was strategic to the economic development of the country and had remained dilapidated even when one of his subjects was now a minister in the Works Ministry. According to a palace source, as soon as the minister was introduced to the king, he was ordered out of the palace for feeding the palace and citizens of the state with lies over the state of the road.
The king was angered by the minister who he said had come into Benin by air, but subjected motorists to pain on the Benin-Ore road. According to the source, the traditional ruler said to Mr. Ogiemwonyi: Don't step your feet into this palace until your promise to Nigerians and Edo state people in particular is fulfilled.
Mr. Ogiemwonyi was saved from further embarrassment when one of the palace chiefs in the rank of Uzama, (kingmaker), asked that the minister be allowed to stay with other guests at the ceremony.
The minister, on his part, assured the monarch that steps would be taken to ensure that the Benin-Ore-Lagos road was fully rehabilitated, adding that the Benin axis of the road was now better than it used to be.
During a phone interview, Mr. Ogiemwonyi said that Oba Erediauwa was just joking. A palace chief who did not want his name in print, however, viewed the matter differently. He described the traditional ruler as a man of few words, who would not say something if he did not really mean it.
Exactly what real traditional leaders, tiitled men and women, chiefs, Ozos, Eze etc should be doing.
It is very insulting for Engr Ogiewonyi to say the Oba was joking.I would be too scared to say my Enogie is joking.for a Bini son to refer to his king in such manner what a shame.and God knows why he was allowed to sit with other guests at the end of the day.Hope he listens to his king or he becomes an enemy of our King.
He has a very good reason to either go back to Goodluck to push for that road to be constructed or resign his position as a Minister of state citing neglect of his people by the Goodluck government.
That should not be a difficult thing to do.
Of what benefit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul.
Of what benefit is the position of the Minster to the dude if it only brings him ridicule and the wrath of his King and his people.
Hopefully, commonsense will prevail over long throat.
We need more assertiveness in governance in Nigeria! The Oba has just set the pace. It is about time somebody damns the consequence!
The Minister's response to the Oba's admonishment is very curious. His decision to make light of the matter is indicative of a rebuff, and gives an insight to his character.
His friends should, however, caution him on the danger of his apparent failure to get the drift of the Oba's reprehension. He should be made to realize that the Oba actually spoke for the generality of the people, which is a key duty of a true monarch. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
So Dr Ogiemwonyi should use his personal money to fix the Benin-Ore simply because he comes from Edo state? He is the minister of state for the entire country for God's sake, if there was no appropriation for that road in this year's budget, I'm afraid there is nothing more he could do.
Abeg, make una go sit down ja re. No wonder the place in Benin is pre-historic, backwardness will pervade the entire place if this kind of mindset is allowed to prevail. Now I understand why eminent and well to do Edo citizens have nothing to do with that God-forsaken place where envy and jealousy has become their stock-in-trade. Is the Oba's son not the Chairman of Oredo local government? What has he done to rid the city of garbage piling in every nook and crannies? Is he going to chase his son away when he comes visiting to the palace?
Whoever advised the Oba into this ridiculous prank of a joke should bear the full consequence of it.
You made an excellent point. Just as his Highness chastised and shunned the Minister of State on the dilapidation of Benin - Ore express road, he should also bite the bullet and chastise the Chairman of Oredo Local govt on garbage pile-up and the sanitary mess in Benin City. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander in the name of fairness. Cheers and peace.
Oba Erediauwa I, Benin traditional ruler, ordered Minister of State for Works, Chris Ogiemwonyi, out of his palace today, saying he could not come in until the infamous Benin-Ore road was fixed. Not even the presence of the leaders of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), could save the minister from the anger of the traditional ruler.
Mr. Ogiemwonyi had paid a visit to the palace immediately after his appointment as minister and had promised to take urgent steps to fix the gully-ridden road. The minister went with several candidates of the PDP in the forthcoming general elections to the palace to seek the oba's royal blessing for their aspirations.
Oba Erediauwa said that the road was strategic to the economic development of the country and had remained dilapidated even when one of his subjects was now a minister in the Works Ministry. According to a palace source, as soon as the minister was introduced to the king, he was ordered out of the palace for feeding the palace and citizens of the state with lies over the state of the road.
The king was angered by the minister who he said had come into Benin by air, but subjected motorists to pain on the Benin-Ore road. According to the source, the traditional ruler said to Mr. Ogiemwonyi: Don't step your feet into this palace until your promise to Nigerians and Edo state people in particular is fulfilled.
Mr. Ogiemwonyi was saved from further embarrassment when one of the palace chiefs in the rank of Uzama, (kingmaker), asked that the minister be allowed to stay with other guests at the ceremony.
The minister, on his part, assured the monarch that steps would be taken to ensure that the Benin-Ore-Lagos road was fully rehabilitated, adding that the Benin axis of the road was now better than it used to be.
During a phone interview, Mr. Ogiemwonyi said that Oba Erediauwa was just joking. A palace chief who did not want his name in print, however, viewed the matter differently. He described the traditional ruler as a man of few words, who would not say something if he did not really mean it.
Exactly what real traditional leaders, tiitled men and women, chiefs, Ozos, Eze etc should be doing.
It is very insulting for Engr Ogiewonyi to say the Oba was joking.I would be too scared to say my Enogie is joking.for a Bini son to refer to his king in such manner what a shame.and God knows why he was allowed to sit with other guests at the end of the day.Hope he listens to his king or he becomes an enemy of our King.
He has a very good reason to either go back to Goodluck to push for that road to be constructed or resign his position as a Minister of state citing neglect of his people by the Goodluck government.
That should not be a difficult thing to do.
Of what benefit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul.
Of what benefit is the position of the Minster to the dude if it only brings him ridicule and the wrath of his King and his people.
Hopefully, commonsense will prevail over long throat.
We need more assertiveness in governance in Nigeria! The Oba has just set the pace. It is about time somebody damns the consequence!
The Minister's response to the Oba's admonishment is very curious. His decision to make light of the matter is indicative of a rebuff, and gives an insight to his character.
His friends should, however, caution him on the danger of his apparent failure to get the drift of the Oba's reprehension. He should be made to realize that the Oba actually spoke for the generality of the people, which is a key duty of a true monarch. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
So Dr Ogiemwonyi should use his personal money to fix the Benin-Ore simply because he comes from Edo state? He is the minister of state for the entire country for God's sake, if there was no appropriation for that road in this year's budget, I'm afraid there is nothing more he could do.
Abeg, make una go sit down ja re. No wonder the place in Benin is pre-historic, backwardness will pervade the entire place if this kind of mindset is allowed to prevail. Now I understand why eminent and well to do Edo citizens have nothing to do with that God-forsaken place where envy and jealousy has become their stock-in-trade. Is the Oba's son not the Chairman of Oredo local government? What has he done to rid the city of garbage piling in every nook and crannies? Is he going to chase his son away when he comes visiting to the palace?
Whoever advised the Oba into this ridiculous prank of a joke should bear the full consequence of it.
You made an excellent point. Just as his Highness chastised and shunned the Minister of State on the dilapidation of Benin - Ore express road, he should also bite the bullet and chastise the Chairman of Oredo Local govt on garbage pile-up and the sanitary mess in Benin City. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander in the name of fairness. Cheers and peace.
Deal heavily with courrupt politicians: Uduaghan told Nigerian Police
Delta state governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has enjoined the Nigeria Police not to treat politicians with kid glove but arrest and prosecute anyone found breaking the law however highly placed.
The governor who made the call when the outgoing Commissioner of Police in the state Mr. Yakubu Akali and the new Commissioner Mr. Ibrahim Tsafe paid him a courtesy call in Asaba urged the police not to see the political class as sacred cow so that there will be peace and sanity in the system.
Dr. Uduaghan charged the police to be alert and do its job without fear so that, the April election will be credible and acceptable to all Nigerians.
He promised not to interfere or protect any body found wanting adding that criminals should not hide under the cloak of politics to disrupt peace and cause hardship for the people.
His words “Nobody is above the law and anybody who breaks the law should be prosecuted irrespective of the person’s position in the society. I am not going to protect anybody”.
The governor reminded the new commissioner of police Ibrahim Tsafe that he was bound to face challenges in the state especially while enforcing the law.
He therefore urged him not to succumb to the ugly tactics of politicians but should be brave and courageous to enable him succeed.
Dr. Uduaghan who promised to continue to give logistic support to the state police command was optimistic that the new Commissioner will surpass his predecessor.
The governor described the outgoing Commissioner of police Mr. yakubu Akali as a silent achiever who created unprecedented record in crime control.
Dr Uduaghan said Mr. Akali was in the habit of quietly carrying out surveillance alone in the state and the result of such exercise was astonishing.
Explaining further he said “Mr. Akali has a unique way of monitoring his men and checking crime in the state and it was result oriented. He will just drive round the state alone in mufty and achieve result”.
In his remarks the outgoing Commissioner of Police Mr. Yakubu Akali said the three point agenda of the state government spurred him to action.
Mr. Akali particularly praised the peace and security programme even as he remarked that he faced a lot of challenges in Delta state but said humorously that chanllenges were for human beings.
He expressed appreciation to the governor for all the support given to him and appealed to the governor to extend the same gesture to his successor.
The governor who made the call when the outgoing Commissioner of Police in the state Mr. Yakubu Akali and the new Commissioner Mr. Ibrahim Tsafe paid him a courtesy call in Asaba urged the police not to see the political class as sacred cow so that there will be peace and sanity in the system.
Dr. Uduaghan charged the police to be alert and do its job without fear so that, the April election will be credible and acceptable to all Nigerians.
He promised not to interfere or protect any body found wanting adding that criminals should not hide under the cloak of politics to disrupt peace and cause hardship for the people.
His words “Nobody is above the law and anybody who breaks the law should be prosecuted irrespective of the person’s position in the society. I am not going to protect anybody”.
The governor reminded the new commissioner of police Ibrahim Tsafe that he was bound to face challenges in the state especially while enforcing the law.
He therefore urged him not to succumb to the ugly tactics of politicians but should be brave and courageous to enable him succeed.
Dr. Uduaghan who promised to continue to give logistic support to the state police command was optimistic that the new Commissioner will surpass his predecessor.
The governor described the outgoing Commissioner of police Mr. yakubu Akali as a silent achiever who created unprecedented record in crime control.
Dr Uduaghan said Mr. Akali was in the habit of quietly carrying out surveillance alone in the state and the result of such exercise was astonishing.
Explaining further he said “Mr. Akali has a unique way of monitoring his men and checking crime in the state and it was result oriented. He will just drive round the state alone in mufty and achieve result”.
In his remarks the outgoing Commissioner of Police Mr. Yakubu Akali said the three point agenda of the state government spurred him to action.
Mr. Akali particularly praised the peace and security programme even as he remarked that he faced a lot of challenges in Delta state but said humorously that chanllenges were for human beings.
He expressed appreciation to the governor for all the support given to him and appealed to the governor to extend the same gesture to his successor.
NYSC Tragedy...Delta State Mourns
Two youth coppers who served in batch A in Delta State lost their lives during the service year while one is missing.
The state NYSC Director Mr. Chris Ngbemena who disclosed this at a cocktail party organized by Delta state government in honour of the outgoing Batch A Corp members said that besides the death, about 98 percent of the coppers rendered their service diligently.
Mr. Ngbemena disclosed that so many of the coppers were outstanding in community service and particularly paid tribute to a copper who served in Etua community in Ndokwa West local government area for constructing a bus stop stand.
He commended her for saving from her meager allowance to construct the bus stop stand and enjoined other youth Coppers still serving to emulate her.
The director who expressed appreciation to the state government for giving logistic support to the scheme, however appealed to the state government to pay the outstanding one month allowance to the outgoing coppers.
Delta state governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan in his speech promised to reward any copper who excelled in community development service.
The Governor who was represented by the commissioner for Transport Mr. Lawrence Osiegbu said he has passion for Bus stop stands in all routes used by Delta state Transport Service as it will encourage the patronage of the transport service.
He said the transport industry is thriving in the state and promised that more vehicles will be bought to boost the state Delta line.
The governor said coppers were not being owed in the state and explained that if they were being owed at all it will be for the month of February which has not ended.
Dr Uduaghan however promised to look into the report in case there were some who have not received their January allowance.
The state NYSC Director Mr. Chris Ngbemena who disclosed this at a cocktail party organized by Delta state government in honour of the outgoing Batch A Corp members said that besides the death, about 98 percent of the coppers rendered their service diligently.
Mr. Ngbemena disclosed that so many of the coppers were outstanding in community service and particularly paid tribute to a copper who served in Etua community in Ndokwa West local government area for constructing a bus stop stand.
He commended her for saving from her meager allowance to construct the bus stop stand and enjoined other youth Coppers still serving to emulate her.
The director who expressed appreciation to the state government for giving logistic support to the scheme, however appealed to the state government to pay the outstanding one month allowance to the outgoing coppers.
Delta state governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan in his speech promised to reward any copper who excelled in community development service.
The Governor who was represented by the commissioner for Transport Mr. Lawrence Osiegbu said he has passion for Bus stop stands in all routes used by Delta state Transport Service as it will encourage the patronage of the transport service.
He said the transport industry is thriving in the state and promised that more vehicles will be bought to boost the state Delta line.
The governor said coppers were not being owed in the state and explained that if they were being owed at all it will be for the month of February which has not ended.
Dr Uduaghan however promised to look into the report in case there were some who have not received their January allowance.
UN AND LEBANESE FORCES CONDUCT DISASTER PREPAREDNESS EXERCISES
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the Lebanese armed forces have carried out exercises in large-scale disaster response in the south of the country in an effort to strengthen their coordinated readiness to respond to emergencies.
The exercises, dubbed "United Beacon", in the city of Tyr on Saturday and Sunday were carried out in coordination with a number of other government and non-government organizations, and were based on a fictitious reaction to a large humanitarian emergency in the aftermath of an earthquake.
The exercises were today reviewed by UNIFIL Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier-General Xavier Woillemont, and Brigadier-General Sadek Tlais, the South Litani Sector Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
They involved 277 soldiers, 70 vehicles and two helicopters of the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL. Also participating were units of the Internal Security Forces, LAF
Intelligence, Civil Defence, Lebanese Red Cross, the Tyr Fire Brigade, Tyr Municipality, the concerned ministries of the Lebanese Government and local NGOs.
Activities included the deployment of emergency response teams by LAF and UNIFIL, aerial and ground reconnaissance of affected area, search, rescue and relief activities, including first aid for victims, medical evacuation by ground and air transportation, deployment of fire-fighting and engineering assets for clearing debris and Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
"We have to be always prepared to respond to any natural disasters within our available resources and capabilities in order to be ready to mitigate the resulting damage to life and property," Brig-Gen. Woillemont.
"An effective and immediate first response is paramount to reducing the number of casualties, to save lives, treat the injured, and to prevent further injury and other forms of loss. This exercise is an important step in the continued efforts of UNIFIL and the Leban
ese Army to enhance our combined ability," he added.
The exercises, dubbed "United Beacon", in the city of Tyr on Saturday and Sunday were carried out in coordination with a number of other government and non-government organizations, and were based on a fictitious reaction to a large humanitarian emergency in the aftermath of an earthquake.
The exercises were today reviewed by UNIFIL Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier-General Xavier Woillemont, and Brigadier-General Sadek Tlais, the South Litani Sector Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
They involved 277 soldiers, 70 vehicles and two helicopters of the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL. Also participating were units of the Internal Security Forces, LAF
Intelligence, Civil Defence, Lebanese Red Cross, the Tyr Fire Brigade, Tyr Municipality, the concerned ministries of the Lebanese Government and local NGOs.
Activities included the deployment of emergency response teams by LAF and UNIFIL, aerial and ground reconnaissance of affected area, search, rescue and relief activities, including first aid for victims, medical evacuation by ground and air transportation, deployment of fire-fighting and engineering assets for clearing debris and Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
"We have to be always prepared to respond to any natural disasters within our available resources and capabilities in order to be ready to mitigate the resulting damage to life and property," Brig-Gen. Woillemont.
"An effective and immediate first response is paramount to reducing the number of casualties, to save lives, treat the injured, and to prevent further injury and other forms of loss. This exercise is an important step in the continued efforts of UNIFIL and the Leban
ese Army to enhance our combined ability," he added.
Celebrating Bode George In Style The Elite Way
Godwin Oritse, Abdulwahab Abdulah, Ishola Balogun, Dapo Akinrefon & Ifeanyi Okolie
Among top politicians that were present at the church service were Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Ogun state governor, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Ayo Fayose, former Ekiti state governor, Defence Minister, Mr Kayode Ademola, John Odeh, Gen Tunji Olurin, Mrs Modinat Adedibu, Deputy Governor Oyo State, Mr. Taofeek Arapaja, Ambassador Musiliu Obanikoro among others.
Obasanjo who came in at about 1pm embraced Chief Bode George and exchanged pleasantries with other politicians including Governor Gbenga Daniel..."
I have graduated from the university of life, says Bode George
GREAT celebration heralded the release of former South West Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Chief Olabode George from the Maximum Prison in Kirikiri in Lagos Saturday, as hundreds of party supporters and well wishers gave him a warm reception.
Bode George who was in very high spirit, acknowledged greetings from supporters with a victory sign when he hung on the door of a Toyota Sequia four runner jeep with registration BD 252 EKY , wearing a white Buba and Sokoto.
Bode George who stepped out of the gates of the prison at exactly 10 : 40 am was met by the Lagos State PDP chieftains who ushered him into the waiting vehicle and drove straight to the Cathedral Church of Christ at the Marina, Lagos for the thanks giving service.
Thousands of party supporters had gathered at area, as early as 7:00am waiting for the release of the popular Lagos Boy. Many were clad in various aso-ebi and customized T-Shirts with inscriptions such as We thank God your incarceration is highly political, G18 etc, defying the security personnel and the armed guards of the Prison Service who had barricaded the road..
However, this euphoria was not without some over-zealousness from the supporters of the politician, attacking a photo journalist, who defied their instruction not to catch his picture while stepping out of the Prison.
Among top politicians that were present at the church service were Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Ogun state governor, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Ayo Fayose, former Ekiti state governor, Defence Minister, Mr Kayode Ademola, John Odeh, Gen Tunji Olurin, Mrs Modinat Adedibu, Deputy Governor Oyo State, Mr. Taofeek Arapaja, Ambassador Musiliu Obanikoro among others.
Obasanjo who came in at about 1pm embraced Chief Bode George and exchanged pleasantries with other politicians including Governor Gbenga Daniel.
Bode George who spoke to newsmen after the church service said he holds no grudge against anybody and wish everybody well.
He said: Out there in the prison, you are totally blanked out, You don't know what is going on, so, I want to thank you guys, thank all Nigerians with malice to nobody and love for all. We will make our country an envy to other nations. I have collected the certificate from the university of life and I thank God. I just graduated from the university of life.
Bode George who was sentenced to a two-year jail term alongside some members of the Board of the NPA by Justice Joseph Oyewole was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on August 8, 2008 . He was accused on a 163-count charge that bordered on alleged abuse of office and award of about N100bn contracts without due process.
George's supporters at Kirikiri
The arraignment had followed the investigation conducted by the EFCC under Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. But they all pleaded not guilty. However, on October 24, 2008, the EFCC reduced the charges to 68.
The convicts were said to have inflated the contract prices contrary to Section 22 (3) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Justice Joseph Oyewole held that the EFCC proved beyond reasonable doubt that George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, abused his office and the court delivered its judgment on Monday, October 26, 2009.
Among top politicians that were present at the church service were Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Ogun state governor, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Ayo Fayose, former Ekiti state governor, Defence Minister, Mr Kayode Ademola, John Odeh, Gen Tunji Olurin, Mrs Modinat Adedibu, Deputy Governor Oyo State, Mr. Taofeek Arapaja, Ambassador Musiliu Obanikoro among others.
Obasanjo who came in at about 1pm embraced Chief Bode George and exchanged pleasantries with other politicians including Governor Gbenga Daniel..."
I have graduated from the university of life, says Bode George
GREAT celebration heralded the release of former South West Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Chief Olabode George from the Maximum Prison in Kirikiri in Lagos Saturday, as hundreds of party supporters and well wishers gave him a warm reception.
Bode George who was in very high spirit, acknowledged greetings from supporters with a victory sign when he hung on the door of a Toyota Sequia four runner jeep with registration BD 252 EKY , wearing a white Buba and Sokoto.
Bode George who stepped out of the gates of the prison at exactly 10 : 40 am was met by the Lagos State PDP chieftains who ushered him into the waiting vehicle and drove straight to the Cathedral Church of Christ at the Marina, Lagos for the thanks giving service.
Thousands of party supporters had gathered at area, as early as 7:00am waiting for the release of the popular Lagos Boy. Many were clad in various aso-ebi and customized T-Shirts with inscriptions such as We thank God your incarceration is highly political, G18 etc, defying the security personnel and the armed guards of the Prison Service who had barricaded the road..
However, this euphoria was not without some over-zealousness from the supporters of the politician, attacking a photo journalist, who defied their instruction not to catch his picture while stepping out of the Prison.
Among top politicians that were present at the church service were Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Ogun state governor, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Ayo Fayose, former Ekiti state governor, Defence Minister, Mr Kayode Ademola, John Odeh, Gen Tunji Olurin, Mrs Modinat Adedibu, Deputy Governor Oyo State, Mr. Taofeek Arapaja, Ambassador Musiliu Obanikoro among others.
Obasanjo who came in at about 1pm embraced Chief Bode George and exchanged pleasantries with other politicians including Governor Gbenga Daniel.
Bode George who spoke to newsmen after the church service said he holds no grudge against anybody and wish everybody well.
He said: Out there in the prison, you are totally blanked out, You don't know what is going on, so, I want to thank you guys, thank all Nigerians with malice to nobody and love for all. We will make our country an envy to other nations. I have collected the certificate from the university of life and I thank God. I just graduated from the university of life.
Bode George who was sentenced to a two-year jail term alongside some members of the Board of the NPA by Justice Joseph Oyewole was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on August 8, 2008 . He was accused on a 163-count charge that bordered on alleged abuse of office and award of about N100bn contracts without due process.
George's supporters at Kirikiri
The arraignment had followed the investigation conducted by the EFCC under Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. But they all pleaded not guilty. However, on October 24, 2008, the EFCC reduced the charges to 68.
The convicts were said to have inflated the contract prices contrary to Section 22 (3) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Justice Joseph Oyewole held that the EFCC proved beyond reasonable doubt that George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, abused his office and the court delivered its judgment on Monday, October 26, 2009.
Qaddafi’s Grip on Power Seems to Ebb as Forces Retreat
DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and MONA EL-NAGGAR
CAIRO — The 40-year-rule of Libyan strongman Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi appeared to teeter Monday as his security forces retreated to a few buildings in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, where fires burned unchecked and senior government officials and diplomats announced defections. The country’s second-largest city remained under the control of rebels.
Security forces loyal to Mr. Qaddafi defended a handful of strategic locations, including the state television headquarters and the presidential palace, witnesses reported from Tripoli. Fires from the previous night’s rioting burned at many intersections, most stores were shuttered, and long lines were forming for a chance to buy bread or gas.
In a sign of growing cracks within the government, several senior officials — including the justice minister and members of the Libyan mission to the United Nations — announced their resignations. And protesters in Benghazi, the second-largest city where the revolt began and more than 200 were killed, issued a list of demands calling for a secular interim government led by the army in cooperation with a council of Libyan tribes.
Security forces loyal to Mr. Qaddafi waved green flags as they rallied in Tripoli’s central Green Square Monday under the protection of a handful of police, witnesses said. They constituted one of the few visible signs of government authority around the capital. The ubiquitous posters of Colonel Qaddafi around the capital had been torn down or burned, witnesses said.
Tripoli descended into chaos in less than 24 hours as a six-day-old revolt suddenly spread from Benghazi across the country on Sunday. The revolt shaking Libya is the latest and most violent turn in a rebellion across the Arab world that seemed unthinkable just two months ago and that has already toppled autocrats in Egypt and Tunisia.
Colonel Qaddafi’s whereabouts were not known. The Libyan government has tried to impose a blackout on the country. Foreign journalists cannot enter. Internet access has been almost totally severed, though some protesters appear to be using satellite connections or to be phoning information to news services outside the country.
In a rambling, disjointed address delivered about 1 a.m. on Monday, Mr. Qaddafi’s son, Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi, played down the uprising sweeping the country, which witnesses and rights activists say has left more than 220 people dead and hundreds wounded from gunfire by security forces. He repeated several times that “Libya is not Tunisia or Egypt, ” neighbors to the east and west.
The United States condemned the Qaddafi government’s lethal use of force.
Witnesses in Tripoli interviewed by telephone on Monday said protesters had converged on the capital’s central Green Square and clashed with heavily armed riot police for several hours after Mr. Qaddafi’s speech, apparently enraged by it. Young men armed themselves with chains around their knuckles, steel pipes and machetes, as well as police batons, helmets and rifles commandeered from riot squads. Security forces moved in, shooting randomly.
By the morning, businesses and schools remained closed in the capital, the witnesses said. There were several government buildings on fire — including the Hall of the People, where the legislature meets — and reports of looting. Protesters were seen taking down pictures of Colonel Qaddafi and burning them.
News agencies reported that several foreign oil and gas companies were moving on Monday to evacuate their workers from the country. The Portuguese government sent a plane to Libya to pick up its citizens and other residents of the European Union, while Turkey sent two ferries for its construction workers in the strife-torn country, The Associated Press reported.
The Quryna newspaper, which has ties to Colonel Qaddafi’s son Seif, said that protests have occurred in Ras Lanuf, an oil town where some workers were being assembled to defend a refinery complex from attacks.
Quryna also reported that Mr. Qaddafi’s justice minister, Mustafa Abud Al Jeleil, had resigned in protest over the deadly response to the anti-government demonstrations.
Al-Manara, an opposition website, reported that a senior military official, Col. Abdel Fattah Younes in Benghazi, resigned, and the newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Colonel Qaddafi ordered that one of his top generals, Abu Bakr Younes, be put under house arrest after disobeying an order to use force against protesters in several cities.
Abdel Monem Al-Howni, Libya’s representative to the Arab League, also resigned. “I no longer have any links to this regime which lost all legitimacy,” he said in a statement reported by news agencies . He also called what is happening in Libya “genocide.”
Protesters remained in control of Benghazi on Monday. Online videos showed protesters flying an independence flag over the roof top of a building in Benghazi, and a crowd celebrating what they called “the fall of the regime in their city.”
The younger Mr. Qaddafi blamed Islamic radicals and Libyans in exile for the uprising. He offered a vague package of reforms in his televised speech, potentially including a new flag, national anthem and confederate structure. But his main theme was to threaten Libyans with the prospect of civil war over its oil resources that would break up the country, deprive residents of food and education, and even invite a Western takeover.
“Libya is made up of tribes and clans and loyalties,” he said. “There will be civil war.”
With little shared national experience aside from brutal Italian colonialism, Libyans tend to identify themselves as members of tribes or clans rather than citizens of a country, and Colonel Qaddafi has governed in part through the mediation of a “social leadership committee” composed of about 15 representatives of various tribes, said Diederik Vandewalle, a Dartmouth professor who has studied the country.
In addition, Mr. Vandewalle noted, most of the tribal representatives on the committee are also military officers, who each represent a tribal group within the military. So, unlike the Tunisian or Egyptian militaries, the Libyan military lacks the cohesion or professionalism that might enable it to step in to resolve the conflict with the protesters or to stabilize the country.
Over the last three days Libyan security forces have killed at least 223 people, according to a tally by the group Human Rights Watch. Several people in Benghazi hospitals, reached by telephone, said they believed that as many as 200 had been killed and more than 800 wounded there on Saturday alone, with many of the deaths from machine gun fire.
After protesters marched in a funeral procession on Sunday morning, the security forces again opened fire, killing at least 60 more, Human Rights Watch said.
The man who was the government’s chief spokesman until a month ago, Mohamed Bayou, called on Libya’s leadership to begin a dialogue with the opposition and discuss drawing up a Constitution. On Monday, Reuters reported that Mr. Bayou issued a statement referring to Seif Qaddafi: “I hope he will change his speech to acknowledge the existence of an internal popular opposition.”
Sharon Otterman contributed reporting from Cairo, and Nada Bakri from Beirut, Lebanon.
CAIRO — The 40-year-rule of Libyan strongman Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi appeared to teeter Monday as his security forces retreated to a few buildings in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, where fires burned unchecked and senior government officials and diplomats announced defections. The country’s second-largest city remained under the control of rebels.
Security forces loyal to Mr. Qaddafi defended a handful of strategic locations, including the state television headquarters and the presidential palace, witnesses reported from Tripoli. Fires from the previous night’s rioting burned at many intersections, most stores were shuttered, and long lines were forming for a chance to buy bread or gas.
In a sign of growing cracks within the government, several senior officials — including the justice minister and members of the Libyan mission to the United Nations — announced their resignations. And protesters in Benghazi, the second-largest city where the revolt began and more than 200 were killed, issued a list of demands calling for a secular interim government led by the army in cooperation with a council of Libyan tribes.
Security forces loyal to Mr. Qaddafi waved green flags as they rallied in Tripoli’s central Green Square Monday under the protection of a handful of police, witnesses said. They constituted one of the few visible signs of government authority around the capital. The ubiquitous posters of Colonel Qaddafi around the capital had been torn down or burned, witnesses said.
Tripoli descended into chaos in less than 24 hours as a six-day-old revolt suddenly spread from Benghazi across the country on Sunday. The revolt shaking Libya is the latest and most violent turn in a rebellion across the Arab world that seemed unthinkable just two months ago and that has already toppled autocrats in Egypt and Tunisia.
Colonel Qaddafi’s whereabouts were not known. The Libyan government has tried to impose a blackout on the country. Foreign journalists cannot enter. Internet access has been almost totally severed, though some protesters appear to be using satellite connections or to be phoning information to news services outside the country.
In a rambling, disjointed address delivered about 1 a.m. on Monday, Mr. Qaddafi’s son, Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi, played down the uprising sweeping the country, which witnesses and rights activists say has left more than 220 people dead and hundreds wounded from gunfire by security forces. He repeated several times that “Libya is not Tunisia or Egypt, ” neighbors to the east and west.
The United States condemned the Qaddafi government’s lethal use of force.
Witnesses in Tripoli interviewed by telephone on Monday said protesters had converged on the capital’s central Green Square and clashed with heavily armed riot police for several hours after Mr. Qaddafi’s speech, apparently enraged by it. Young men armed themselves with chains around their knuckles, steel pipes and machetes, as well as police batons, helmets and rifles commandeered from riot squads. Security forces moved in, shooting randomly.
By the morning, businesses and schools remained closed in the capital, the witnesses said. There were several government buildings on fire — including the Hall of the People, where the legislature meets — and reports of looting. Protesters were seen taking down pictures of Colonel Qaddafi and burning them.
News agencies reported that several foreign oil and gas companies were moving on Monday to evacuate their workers from the country. The Portuguese government sent a plane to Libya to pick up its citizens and other residents of the European Union, while Turkey sent two ferries for its construction workers in the strife-torn country, The Associated Press reported.
The Quryna newspaper, which has ties to Colonel Qaddafi’s son Seif, said that protests have occurred in Ras Lanuf, an oil town where some workers were being assembled to defend a refinery complex from attacks.
Quryna also reported that Mr. Qaddafi’s justice minister, Mustafa Abud Al Jeleil, had resigned in protest over the deadly response to the anti-government demonstrations.
Al-Manara, an opposition website, reported that a senior military official, Col. Abdel Fattah Younes in Benghazi, resigned, and the newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Colonel Qaddafi ordered that one of his top generals, Abu Bakr Younes, be put under house arrest after disobeying an order to use force against protesters in several cities.
Abdel Monem Al-Howni, Libya’s representative to the Arab League, also resigned. “I no longer have any links to this regime which lost all legitimacy,” he said in a statement reported by news agencies . He also called what is happening in Libya “genocide.”
Protesters remained in control of Benghazi on Monday. Online videos showed protesters flying an independence flag over the roof top of a building in Benghazi, and a crowd celebrating what they called “the fall of the regime in their city.”
The younger Mr. Qaddafi blamed Islamic radicals and Libyans in exile for the uprising. He offered a vague package of reforms in his televised speech, potentially including a new flag, national anthem and confederate structure. But his main theme was to threaten Libyans with the prospect of civil war over its oil resources that would break up the country, deprive residents of food and education, and even invite a Western takeover.
“Libya is made up of tribes and clans and loyalties,” he said. “There will be civil war.”
With little shared national experience aside from brutal Italian colonialism, Libyans tend to identify themselves as members of tribes or clans rather than citizens of a country, and Colonel Qaddafi has governed in part through the mediation of a “social leadership committee” composed of about 15 representatives of various tribes, said Diederik Vandewalle, a Dartmouth professor who has studied the country.
In addition, Mr. Vandewalle noted, most of the tribal representatives on the committee are also military officers, who each represent a tribal group within the military. So, unlike the Tunisian or Egyptian militaries, the Libyan military lacks the cohesion or professionalism that might enable it to step in to resolve the conflict with the protesters or to stabilize the country.
Over the last three days Libyan security forces have killed at least 223 people, according to a tally by the group Human Rights Watch. Several people in Benghazi hospitals, reached by telephone, said they believed that as many as 200 had been killed and more than 800 wounded there on Saturday alone, with many of the deaths from machine gun fire.
After protesters marched in a funeral procession on Sunday morning, the security forces again opened fire, killing at least 60 more, Human Rights Watch said.
The man who was the government’s chief spokesman until a month ago, Mohamed Bayou, called on Libya’s leadership to begin a dialogue with the opposition and discuss drawing up a Constitution. On Monday, Reuters reported that Mr. Bayou issued a statement referring to Seif Qaddafi: “I hope he will change his speech to acknowledge the existence of an internal popular opposition.”
Sharon Otterman contributed reporting from Cairo, and Nada Bakri from Beirut, Lebanon.
Corp Members charged to be resourceful
The 2010 Batch ‘A’ Youth Corp Members who served in Delta State have been enjoined to be resourceful, creative and maximize every opportunity at their disposal to be self employed and improve their wellbeing.
The Permanent Secretary Directorate of Government House and Protocol Mr. Tony Obuh, gave the advise at a send-forth party held in honour of the Corp members who served in the Directorate.
Mr. Obuh explained that white collar job was scare and charged the coppers to be industrious to enable them survive in the present scheme of things.
He however called on them to be good ambassadors of the state and promote the positive things they learnt in the state about the culture of the people.
While congratulating them for successfully completing their service year, the Permanent Secretary expressed appreciation to the corp members for their contributions to the economic growth of the state.
He encouraged those who want to stay behind in search of greener pastures to do so by taking advantage of the hospitable disposition of Deltans, explaining that investment opportunities abound in the state
Responding on behalf of his colleagues, Mr. Emmanuel Unuigbe thanked the Directorate for appreciating their contribution during their mandatory service.
“We truly enjoyed our stay and would have loved to stay, but we must venture out to face the realities of life” Unuigbe who harped on the need for corp members to be posted to departments relevant to the courses they studied, added.
Highpoint of the send-forth party was the presentation of gift and souvenirs to the eleven corp members that served in the Directorate by the Permanent Secretary.
The Permanent Secretary Directorate of Government House and Protocol Mr. Tony Obuh, gave the advise at a send-forth party held in honour of the Corp members who served in the Directorate.
Mr. Obuh explained that white collar job was scare and charged the coppers to be industrious to enable them survive in the present scheme of things.
He however called on them to be good ambassadors of the state and promote the positive things they learnt in the state about the culture of the people.
While congratulating them for successfully completing their service year, the Permanent Secretary expressed appreciation to the corp members for their contributions to the economic growth of the state.
He encouraged those who want to stay behind in search of greener pastures to do so by taking advantage of the hospitable disposition of Deltans, explaining that investment opportunities abound in the state
Responding on behalf of his colleagues, Mr. Emmanuel Unuigbe thanked the Directorate for appreciating their contribution during their mandatory service.
“We truly enjoyed our stay and would have loved to stay, but we must venture out to face the realities of life” Unuigbe who harped on the need for corp members to be posted to departments relevant to the courses they studied, added.
Highpoint of the send-forth party was the presentation of gift and souvenirs to the eleven corp members that served in the Directorate by the Permanent Secretary.
Buhari: I Have Never Lost Sleep over PDP
Onyebuchi Ezigbo
Former Head of State and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) Change Saturday said he has never lost sleep over the Peoples Democratic Party and did he see any reason to blame the ruling party for its alleged role in frustrating the proposed alliance between his party and the Action Congress of Nigeria ahead of the April general election.
The former head of state's statement coincided with a comment made Saturday by former Sokoto State governor and ACN party member, Attahiru Bafarawa, who blamed former Lagos State governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu for frustrating the alliance talks between both parties, saying the talks failed because of Tinubu's selfish desire to be vice presidential candidate
Buhari, whose view is at variance with the one expressed by Tinubu, over the breakdown of alliance talks between ACN and CPC, said there is no way he would have expected PDP to sit back and allow the plan to succeed.
Well, people are blaming PDP, but I do not blame PDP. I expect PDP to do what they are doing I do not expect PDP to sit back and allow us to win the elections.
If we have a major threat, I think it is us that are going to work hard to make sure that such threat does stand in our way to success. I have never lost sleep over what PDP is going to do with our party or any of our candidates, he said.
The CPC presidential candidate, who was meeting with the national executives of the party in Abuja, said what the opposition parties should be concerned about is how to get their act together and oust the PDP instead of laying blame on anyone.
Buhari said: What I expect the CPC leaders to do is to concentrate on what they are doing and not to be distracted by anyone, let alone the PDP.
On his choice of Tunde Bakare as running mate, Buhahi said: I picked him first and foremost because he identifies with and is concerned about Nigeria.
I identify his as a man of great probity, of courage and patriotism. These are the specific qualities why I chose him as my running mate.
Buhari traced the genesis of his relationship with Bakare to the days when the late President Musa Yar'Adua was sick and people tried to make political capital out of the incident to destabilise the polity.
He said, along with Pastor Bakare and other prominent Nigerians, they mobilised members of the public to demonstrate in the streets of Abuja and at the National Assembly to ensure that there was no constitutional crisis.
On the preponderance of disputes in the party, especially among the leadership of the party in Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi and Katsina States, he acknowledged that people have expressed concern that there appears to be considerable trouble in the states regarded as his base, the north-west.
Buhari, who described CPC as the fastest growing party in Africa, however, assured that the party is not alone in the crisis that erupted after the primary elections, adding that while CPC kept to its resolve to promote internal democracy by holding primaries, some other parties only sat in their offices and wrote down candidates names.
He assured party leaders and Nigerians that the CPC is determined to resolve all disputes amicably in accordance with the party's constitution and the electoral law.
On his part, Bakare, who has been chosen to head the Buhari Presidential Campaign Council, said he would give the party and the presidential candidate 100 percent support and loyalty.
Under the revised campaign structure of the CPC, the party appointed Bakare to lead the Presidential Campaign Council, with membership drawn from the party's Board of Trustees, including national chairman, Prince Tony Momoh, national secretary, Buba Galadima, all zonal presidential campaign coordinators, all national vice chairmen, all deputy national vice chairmen and the national women's leader.
The party said it would now flag off its presidential campaign on Wednesday in Kaduna where the party flags are to be presented to its candidates as a symbol of endorsement for the election.
As CPC unfolded its campaign flag-off, Bafarawa, meanwhile, placed the blame squarely for the breakdown in the ACN and CPC alliance talks on Tinubu, saying the talks failed because of the latter's selfish desire to be vice presidential candidate.
Bafarawa spoke against the backdrop of comments made by Tinubu that the merger talks failed because of agents planted by the PDP to frustrate the planned merger.
Addressing newsmen in Sokoto Saturday, Bafarawa said, if PDP paid anybody to frustrate the alliance talks with CPC, it is Tinubu, because he was the root cause of the failure.
According to him, it is unfortunate the way and manner Tinubu is talking about the alliance talks, blaming different causes, when actually he was the main problem.
I happen to be a member of the caucus of the ACN and there is no day I was informed. I was never invited to the meeting and I only read it in the newspapers.
You see him either in Borno or Lagos having meetings with Buhari without involving serious party caucus leaders. So he was the one behind the failure of this merger.
Blaming PDP or Buhari does not take away from the fact that he was the root cause of the breakdown in the alliance talk.
It is on record that majority of us who fought for the grand alliance of the merge were kept in the dark over this issue of the alliance, he said.
He wondered why Tinubu should blame the PDP for the failure of the merger when he was the cause of the problem.
I am surprised to see Tinubu giving excuses over the failure. The last time he was looking for a scapegoat; he is the agent of PDP and the problem behind the failure because of selfishness.
Initially, Buhari told us that Tinubu is frustrating his talks with us because of his interest of being vice presidential candidate, but because of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, he (Buhari) disagreed.
Now, we did not see Tinubu disputing that, instead he went ahead to blame PDP and CPC on the issue,Bafarawa lamented.
The former governor maintained that he had no problem or any disagreement on any issues with Tinubu prior to this, and as such harbours no hard feelings towards him on any issue, adding,it is just that we must set the record straight.
He stressed that he did not join ACN to be a yes man or kowtow to anybody and as such will never cover the truth no matter whose ox is gored
Former Head of State and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) Change Saturday said he has never lost sleep over the Peoples Democratic Party and did he see any reason to blame the ruling party for its alleged role in frustrating the proposed alliance between his party and the Action Congress of Nigeria ahead of the April general election.
The former head of state's statement coincided with a comment made Saturday by former Sokoto State governor and ACN party member, Attahiru Bafarawa, who blamed former Lagos State governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu for frustrating the alliance talks between both parties, saying the talks failed because of Tinubu's selfish desire to be vice presidential candidate
Buhari, whose view is at variance with the one expressed by Tinubu, over the breakdown of alliance talks between ACN and CPC, said there is no way he would have expected PDP to sit back and allow the plan to succeed.
Well, people are blaming PDP, but I do not blame PDP. I expect PDP to do what they are doing I do not expect PDP to sit back and allow us to win the elections.
If we have a major threat, I think it is us that are going to work hard to make sure that such threat does stand in our way to success. I have never lost sleep over what PDP is going to do with our party or any of our candidates, he said.
The CPC presidential candidate, who was meeting with the national executives of the party in Abuja, said what the opposition parties should be concerned about is how to get their act together and oust the PDP instead of laying blame on anyone.
Buhari said: What I expect the CPC leaders to do is to concentrate on what they are doing and not to be distracted by anyone, let alone the PDP.
On his choice of Tunde Bakare as running mate, Buhahi said: I picked him first and foremost because he identifies with and is concerned about Nigeria.
I identify his as a man of great probity, of courage and patriotism. These are the specific qualities why I chose him as my running mate.
Buhari traced the genesis of his relationship with Bakare to the days when the late President Musa Yar'Adua was sick and people tried to make political capital out of the incident to destabilise the polity.
He said, along with Pastor Bakare and other prominent Nigerians, they mobilised members of the public to demonstrate in the streets of Abuja and at the National Assembly to ensure that there was no constitutional crisis.
On the preponderance of disputes in the party, especially among the leadership of the party in Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi and Katsina States, he acknowledged that people have expressed concern that there appears to be considerable trouble in the states regarded as his base, the north-west.
Buhari, who described CPC as the fastest growing party in Africa, however, assured that the party is not alone in the crisis that erupted after the primary elections, adding that while CPC kept to its resolve to promote internal democracy by holding primaries, some other parties only sat in their offices and wrote down candidates names.
He assured party leaders and Nigerians that the CPC is determined to resolve all disputes amicably in accordance with the party's constitution and the electoral law.
On his part, Bakare, who has been chosen to head the Buhari Presidential Campaign Council, said he would give the party and the presidential candidate 100 percent support and loyalty.
Under the revised campaign structure of the CPC, the party appointed Bakare to lead the Presidential Campaign Council, with membership drawn from the party's Board of Trustees, including national chairman, Prince Tony Momoh, national secretary, Buba Galadima, all zonal presidential campaign coordinators, all national vice chairmen, all deputy national vice chairmen and the national women's leader.
The party said it would now flag off its presidential campaign on Wednesday in Kaduna where the party flags are to be presented to its candidates as a symbol of endorsement for the election.
As CPC unfolded its campaign flag-off, Bafarawa, meanwhile, placed the blame squarely for the breakdown in the ACN and CPC alliance talks on Tinubu, saying the talks failed because of the latter's selfish desire to be vice presidential candidate.
Bafarawa spoke against the backdrop of comments made by Tinubu that the merger talks failed because of agents planted by the PDP to frustrate the planned merger.
Addressing newsmen in Sokoto Saturday, Bafarawa said, if PDP paid anybody to frustrate the alliance talks with CPC, it is Tinubu, because he was the root cause of the failure.
According to him, it is unfortunate the way and manner Tinubu is talking about the alliance talks, blaming different causes, when actually he was the main problem.
I happen to be a member of the caucus of the ACN and there is no day I was informed. I was never invited to the meeting and I only read it in the newspapers.
You see him either in Borno or Lagos having meetings with Buhari without involving serious party caucus leaders. So he was the one behind the failure of this merger.
Blaming PDP or Buhari does not take away from the fact that he was the root cause of the breakdown in the alliance talk.
It is on record that majority of us who fought for the grand alliance of the merge were kept in the dark over this issue of the alliance, he said.
He wondered why Tinubu should blame the PDP for the failure of the merger when he was the cause of the problem.
I am surprised to see Tinubu giving excuses over the failure. The last time he was looking for a scapegoat; he is the agent of PDP and the problem behind the failure because of selfishness.
Initially, Buhari told us that Tinubu is frustrating his talks with us because of his interest of being vice presidential candidate, but because of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, he (Buhari) disagreed.
Now, we did not see Tinubu disputing that, instead he went ahead to blame PDP and CPC on the issue,Bafarawa lamented.
The former governor maintained that he had no problem or any disagreement on any issues with Tinubu prior to this, and as such harbours no hard feelings towards him on any issue, adding,it is just that we must set the record straight.
He stressed that he did not join ACN to be a yes man or kowtow to anybody and as such will never cover the truth no matter whose ox is gored
Governor Uduaghan markes marriage anniversary in style
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and his wife Roli, sunday marked the 23rd anniversary of their marriage at the Word of life Bible church Warri, when they worshipped in an early morning service.
Reflecting on his 23 years of marriage, Governor Uduaghan thanked God for blessing them spiritually and materially, in addition to their two children.
He said “23 years ago, God gave me a young girl… she has tried because I am a very difficult husband”.
The governor, who was flanked in the altar by his wife and children, recalled that he was out of office and preparing for the re-run election when he last worshipped at the church.
He said although many people thought the election will not hold God made it possible as earlier proclaimed by Pastor Papa Ayo Oritsejafor in a sermon.
Governor Uduaghan who enjoined the congregation to cast and defend their votes in the April elections, described Papa Ayo as an architect of peaceful co-existence in Nigeria and for Christians all over the country to be protected.
In a brief remark, Papa Ayo, who is the Pastor and founder of the Word of Life Bible Church and National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), commended the governor and his wife for opting to come to the church and offer thanks to God on their marriage anniversary, instead of organizing a party.
He said the attitude of the number one couples of Delta state was worth emulating, but noted that whereas successful marriage comes from God, a lot also depends on the deliberate effort by the couples.
Later at his Warri residence, aides’ to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan rejoiced with him on the occasion of his marriage anniversary.
The governor used the occasion to advised unmarried adults to take a decision on who will be their life partner and stick to it.
Recounting the early days of his marriage when he had a beetle car, the governor posited that no marriage is easy because “it is not easy to find a perfect man or woman”.
He enjoined couples to love one another and eschew those things that can jeopardize their marriage.
Governor Uduaghan added “what you should never do is to think of, I won’t continue with this marriage again.
“No matter how bad the marriage is, two things in marriage, at least that has helped me, do not be so upset after a quarrel to say I won’t eat my wife’s food.
“Infact, it is when you are quarreling that you should eat the food. Do not be upset to say I won’t sleep with her”.
Speaking earlier on behalf of the aides, Pastor Dowell TOS Ojigho, said they have come to celebrate with the governor and his wife on the 23rd anniversary of their marriage.
He wished the governor many more years of happy marriage life, adding that they are glad to tap into the grace of been married.
Reflecting on his 23 years of marriage, Governor Uduaghan thanked God for blessing them spiritually and materially, in addition to their two children.
He said “23 years ago, God gave me a young girl… she has tried because I am a very difficult husband”.
The governor, who was flanked in the altar by his wife and children, recalled that he was out of office and preparing for the re-run election when he last worshipped at the church.
He said although many people thought the election will not hold God made it possible as earlier proclaimed by Pastor Papa Ayo Oritsejafor in a sermon.
Governor Uduaghan who enjoined the congregation to cast and defend their votes in the April elections, described Papa Ayo as an architect of peaceful co-existence in Nigeria and for Christians all over the country to be protected.
In a brief remark, Papa Ayo, who is the Pastor and founder of the Word of Life Bible Church and National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), commended the governor and his wife for opting to come to the church and offer thanks to God on their marriage anniversary, instead of organizing a party.
He said the attitude of the number one couples of Delta state was worth emulating, but noted that whereas successful marriage comes from God, a lot also depends on the deliberate effort by the couples.
Later at his Warri residence, aides’ to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan rejoiced with him on the occasion of his marriage anniversary.
The governor used the occasion to advised unmarried adults to take a decision on who will be their life partner and stick to it.
Recounting the early days of his marriage when he had a beetle car, the governor posited that no marriage is easy because “it is not easy to find a perfect man or woman”.
He enjoined couples to love one another and eschew those things that can jeopardize their marriage.
Governor Uduaghan added “what you should never do is to think of, I won’t continue with this marriage again.
“No matter how bad the marriage is, two things in marriage, at least that has helped me, do not be so upset after a quarrel to say I won’t eat my wife’s food.
“Infact, it is when you are quarreling that you should eat the food. Do not be upset to say I won’t sleep with her”.
Speaking earlier on behalf of the aides, Pastor Dowell TOS Ojigho, said they have come to celebrate with the governor and his wife on the 23rd anniversary of their marriage.
He wished the governor many more years of happy marriage life, adding that they are glad to tap into the grace of been married.
Delta State PDP repositions for war against the opposition
As the campaign for April election heat up the Delta state PDP has assembled a crack council that has the capacity to turn the table against any other party in the state.
The state Governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan who announced this while inaugurating Delta state PDP campaign council for the April pools in Asaba enjoined the council to launch a vigorous campaign that will shake the state and create the much needed awareness for PDP candidates.
Dr Uduaghan also charged the campaign council to take the bull by the horn and penetrate all the nooks and crannies of the state to mobilize support for the presidential gubernatorial, senatorial House of Representatives and Assembly candidates in the state.
The Governor disclosed that President Goodluck/Sambo campaign train will land the state on Friday February 25 and enjoined Deltans to come out enmass to welcome him.
He enjoined the campaign council to expect challenges explaining that they should brace up to surmount and address issues that will come their way.
Dr Uduaghan said the campaign council was deliberately made bottom heavy and top light so that the grassroot will embrace and participate actively.
Reminding them that aggrieved members of the party were still threatening to quit the governor urged them to map out reconciliatory strategy that will win them back.
Dr Uduaghan disclosed that plans were under way to persuade all party faithfuls to withdraw the cases they filed in various courts to give room for genuine reconciliation.
His words “Embark on genuine reconciliation especially to win all aggrieved members back to the party. We are however making effort to enjoin all these who went to court to withdraw the various cases”.
The Governor however appealed to the aggrieved members of the party not to destroy the house they helped to build.
Dr Uduaghan said if the aggrieved members quit the party at this time they will be creating emotional and political problems.
Going philosophical he said it would be an error of judgment for a man to cut open his body simply because that part of the body is itching him.
Recalling the result of the rerun election the governor said “PDP is firmly and effectively on ground. We won 70 percent of the votes and the election was PDP versus PDP. Indeed we are effectively on ground and still in charge”.
He commended elders of the party and all party faithful for their dedication and contributions towards the achievements recorded by the party.
Responding the chairman of the campaign council Barrister Peter Nwoboshi promised that members of the council will deliver President Jonathan, the Governor and other PDP candidates in the state.
Barrister Nwoboshi also gave assurance that the council will start immediately to mobilize support for the party.
The campaign council which the governor is the principal is made up of the following, Mr. Paulinus Akpeki Director General, Dr Festus Okubor Deputy Director General, Deputy Governor Prof Amos Utuaman member, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa member and Brother Emma Ogidi member.
Other members are Chief Solomon Ogba, senator James Manager, Dr Pius Senebe, Dr Mrs. Marian Ali, Senator Patrick Osakwe, Chief Chirs Agbobiu among others. Hon Funkekeme Solomon will serve as Secretary.
The state Governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan who announced this while inaugurating Delta state PDP campaign council for the April pools in Asaba enjoined the council to launch a vigorous campaign that will shake the state and create the much needed awareness for PDP candidates.
Dr Uduaghan also charged the campaign council to take the bull by the horn and penetrate all the nooks and crannies of the state to mobilize support for the presidential gubernatorial, senatorial House of Representatives and Assembly candidates in the state.
The Governor disclosed that President Goodluck/Sambo campaign train will land the state on Friday February 25 and enjoined Deltans to come out enmass to welcome him.
He enjoined the campaign council to expect challenges explaining that they should brace up to surmount and address issues that will come their way.
Dr Uduaghan said the campaign council was deliberately made bottom heavy and top light so that the grassroot will embrace and participate actively.
Reminding them that aggrieved members of the party were still threatening to quit the governor urged them to map out reconciliatory strategy that will win them back.
Dr Uduaghan disclosed that plans were under way to persuade all party faithfuls to withdraw the cases they filed in various courts to give room for genuine reconciliation.
His words “Embark on genuine reconciliation especially to win all aggrieved members back to the party. We are however making effort to enjoin all these who went to court to withdraw the various cases”.
The Governor however appealed to the aggrieved members of the party not to destroy the house they helped to build.
Dr Uduaghan said if the aggrieved members quit the party at this time they will be creating emotional and political problems.
Going philosophical he said it would be an error of judgment for a man to cut open his body simply because that part of the body is itching him.
Recalling the result of the rerun election the governor said “PDP is firmly and effectively on ground. We won 70 percent of the votes and the election was PDP versus PDP. Indeed we are effectively on ground and still in charge”.
He commended elders of the party and all party faithful for their dedication and contributions towards the achievements recorded by the party.
Responding the chairman of the campaign council Barrister Peter Nwoboshi promised that members of the council will deliver President Jonathan, the Governor and other PDP candidates in the state.
Barrister Nwoboshi also gave assurance that the council will start immediately to mobilize support for the party.
The campaign council which the governor is the principal is made up of the following, Mr. Paulinus Akpeki Director General, Dr Festus Okubor Deputy Director General, Deputy Governor Prof Amos Utuaman member, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa member and Brother Emma Ogidi member.
Other members are Chief Solomon Ogba, senator James Manager, Dr Pius Senebe, Dr Mrs. Marian Ali, Senator Patrick Osakwe, Chief Chirs Agbobiu among others. Hon Funkekeme Solomon will serve as Secretary.
Governor Uduaghan goes tough on contractors
Delta state governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has charged project Directors to critically monitor the performance of contractors not only to fast track the projects but to ensure that quality job was done.
Dr Uduaghan who gave the charge at a meeting with project Directors in Asaba enjoined them to improve on monitoring because some of the contractors were too slow.
The governor said most of the contractors have been fully paid and project directors should spur them to perform.
He told them to restrategise and inspect the projects often and not allow the contractors use flimsy excuse to delay the projects.
Dr Uduaghan told them that the projects they are monitoring are critical and hold economic value to the people and they should as such not toy with their job.
Disclosing that he had inspected some of the projects recently and observed that some contractors were unpardonably slow the governor enjoined the Directors to monitor closely so that such lapses would not exist.
Dr Uduaghan reminded the Directors that when projects are slowly executed the tendency is for the public to have the wrong impression that government was owing the contractor.
He regretted that work has not started in the 12 schools contract was awarded sometime ago and urged the Directors to ginger the contractors up.
Explaining further he said “some of the projects are critical and some contractors have not started work. Get them to site and let them accelerate work”.
The governor also enjoined them to ensure that the contractors do not deviate from specifications unless officially directed.
Dr Uduaghan who said the state government will pay compensation where necessary however stressed the need for site engineers and contractors to redesign any road project which carried the burden of heavy compensation.
He talked about the Asaba International Airport and dispelled insinuations that the project was over delayed .
The governor explained that the construction of an airport project takes at least five years and wondered why people should complain when the project was started about three years ago.
He cautioned project Directors over pronouncements on completion dates for projects explaining that false information on completion dates could mislead the public.
His words “Be careful of the information you give out on the dates projects you are monitoring will be completed, such information mislead the public”.
Dr Uduaghan who gave the charge at a meeting with project Directors in Asaba enjoined them to improve on monitoring because some of the contractors were too slow.
The governor said most of the contractors have been fully paid and project directors should spur them to perform.
He told them to restrategise and inspect the projects often and not allow the contractors use flimsy excuse to delay the projects.
Dr Uduaghan told them that the projects they are monitoring are critical and hold economic value to the people and they should as such not toy with their job.
Disclosing that he had inspected some of the projects recently and observed that some contractors were unpardonably slow the governor enjoined the Directors to monitor closely so that such lapses would not exist.
Dr Uduaghan reminded the Directors that when projects are slowly executed the tendency is for the public to have the wrong impression that government was owing the contractor.
He regretted that work has not started in the 12 schools contract was awarded sometime ago and urged the Directors to ginger the contractors up.
Explaining further he said “some of the projects are critical and some contractors have not started work. Get them to site and let them accelerate work”.
The governor also enjoined them to ensure that the contractors do not deviate from specifications unless officially directed.
Dr Uduaghan who said the state government will pay compensation where necessary however stressed the need for site engineers and contractors to redesign any road project which carried the burden of heavy compensation.
He talked about the Asaba International Airport and dispelled insinuations that the project was over delayed .
The governor explained that the construction of an airport project takes at least five years and wondered why people should complain when the project was started about three years ago.
He cautioned project Directors over pronouncements on completion dates for projects explaining that false information on completion dates could mislead the public.
His words “Be careful of the information you give out on the dates projects you are monitoring will be completed, such information mislead the public”.
PRESS RELEASE on Hon. Ndudi Elumelu by rights group
News Report on Police Declare Ndudi nElumelu Wanted on Charges of Attempted Murder
UmuAnioma Worldwide are deeply concerned regarding the recent media reports of the alleged assault and attempted murder on innocent Anioma Youths by Mr. NdudiElumelu. Please double click on the link below to read relevant news story.
http://thewillnigeria.com/politics/7584-Police-Declare-Ndudi-Elumelu-Wanted-Charges-Attempted-Murder.html
We, in UmuAnioma Worldwide work on the assumption that anyone accused of any crime is innocent until proven guilty. However, we are in dire concern that this serious crime was allegedly committed by a House of Representative member who is in a position of trust, and responsibility and should know better. Using policemen paid by the tax payers’ money to cause harm and serious injury to the people whose support he is seeking for his re-election into office is not our idea of a role model for our youth in the Anioma geographical area.
It is appalling and disgraceful for NdudiElumelu to be engaging in such violent acts at such a time when Nigerians are seeking peaceful, free and fair elections. UmuAnioma Worldwide condemn such acts by anyone and more so, NdudiElumelu, a man who is currently indicted of alleged misappropriation of public funds. UmuAnioma Worldwide advise NdudiElumelu to concentrate his time and efforts to clearing his name of these serious allegations instead of causing mayhem and intimidating Anioma Youths with a view to imposing himself on them. Anioma Youths have come of age and can longer be deceived as can be seen from NdudiElumelu’s recent experience.
UmuAnioma Worldwide trust that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, GoodluckEbele Jonathan takes such matters seriously. We are, therefore, calling on the Nigerian Authorities to ensure that the due process of law is adhered to. We respectfully request that a frank and full investigation be carried out to its logical end. Undoubtedly, UmuAnioma worldwide would lend her weight and monitor this case through to its conclusion.
We offer our support to the victims of this violence and hope they will recover fully to commence their day to day activities. We applaud them for exercising their democratic rights and not giving in to intimidation; they have done nothing wrong and should be proud of themselves as we are of them.
On a general note, UmuAnioma Worldwide request that any such acts of violence at election campaign and rallies be taken seriously and the perpetrators brought to book. In addition, the authorities should make reasonable efforts to monitor and ensure that ordinary citizens are protected from such unscrupulous politicians and bullies who seek office at all cost even human lives.
About UmuAnioma Foundation:
UmuAnioma Foundation Inc. is a not for profit and non-partisan Organization governed by a board of directors. UmuAnioma Foundation Inc. was incorporated under Georgia law on June 11, 2010 as the apex organization representing the general interest of Anioma indigenes worldwide. Membership of UmuAnioma Foundation Inc. comprises of Anioma indigenes that are sold on the VISION of a reconstructed value system for the common good of all.
Comrade Okonkwo Collins Chinedu
Asaba Chapter, Umu-Anioma Foundation
Gloria Adagbon
Membership Secretary
UmuAnioma Worldwide
gadagbon@UmuAnioma.com
Lauretta Onochie
Publicity Secretary and Spokes Person
Umu-Anioma Worldwide
lonochie@UmuAnioma.com
Prince Emmanuel O. Ohai
Convener and ChairmanUmuAnioma Worldwide
convener@UmuAnioma.com
April elections: Governor Uduaghan wooes students
Delta state governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has charged students of tertiary institutions in the state to turn out emmass and participate in voting during the April elections so that they will have a voice in determing who represents them.
Dr Uduaghan who gave the charge when students of Delta state university paid him a solidarity visit urged them to see themselves as role models who could champion credible elections in the country.
The governor who was at the cenotaph to inspect preparations for the President’s campaign visit told them, that as future leaders in the country they should see that their votes count especially as democracy was a game of number.
His words “you should all vote during the coming elections. It is important that you should vote because your vote will help to determine who represents you”.
The governor enjoined them to shun cultism even as he said that cultism has dealt fatal blow to academic excellence in Schools.
Dr Uduaghan also attributed the decay in the social system and the rot in the university community to cultism.
He said for peace and tranquility to reign permanently in tertiary institutions students must renounce cultism.
The governor promised that the state government will continue to make effort towards creating employment opportunities for graduates in the state.
Dr Uduaghan who said his administration will establish more industries in the near future enjoined them to be orderly at all times.
Speaking on behalf of the students Mr. Odion Odafe pledged their support for Governor Uduaghan’s gubernatorial race.
Mr. Odafe said Dr Uduaghan’s programme on education was impressive and promised to mobilize support for him to enable him continue his good works.
He commended the governor for the achievements he recorded on other sectors of the economy.
Dr Uduaghan who gave the charge when students of Delta state university paid him a solidarity visit urged them to see themselves as role models who could champion credible elections in the country.
The governor who was at the cenotaph to inspect preparations for the President’s campaign visit told them, that as future leaders in the country they should see that their votes count especially as democracy was a game of number.
His words “you should all vote during the coming elections. It is important that you should vote because your vote will help to determine who represents you”.
The governor enjoined them to shun cultism even as he said that cultism has dealt fatal blow to academic excellence in Schools.
Dr Uduaghan also attributed the decay in the social system and the rot in the university community to cultism.
He said for peace and tranquility to reign permanently in tertiary institutions students must renounce cultism.
The governor promised that the state government will continue to make effort towards creating employment opportunities for graduates in the state.
Dr Uduaghan who said his administration will establish more industries in the near future enjoined them to be orderly at all times.
Speaking on behalf of the students Mr. Odion Odafe pledged their support for Governor Uduaghan’s gubernatorial race.
Mr. Odafe said Dr Uduaghan’s programme on education was impressive and promised to mobilize support for him to enable him continue his good works.
He commended the governor for the achievements he recorded on other sectors of the economy.
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