Monday, October 8, 2012
Jonathan to address Nigerians on Tuesday morning
President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to address Nigerians in a nationwide radio and television broadcast at 7a.m on Tuesday.
This was contained in a statement by presidential Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.
Jonathan may address the raging controversy over calls for his administration to call for a review of the 2002 judgment of the International Court of Justice which awarded Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun.
More details later.
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20 Wedding Guests Killed In Auto Crash In Abeokuta
The driver of the truck was said to have lost control and killed the bus passengers. Many of the victims, according to an eye witness account, died on the spot following the impact of the collision, while others died in hospital. Two infants, including a two-year-old, were said to be among the victims. An eye witness claimed the survivors were taken to a state hospital for treatment. Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Ayobami Omiyale, confirmed the accident, but said only nine died. He however said that sympathisers took some corpses away before rescue team arrived the scene.
When Vanguard visited the State Hospital Ijaye, where the victims were allegedly taken, worried relations were seen, asking for the victims whereabouts. A doctor coordinating Ogun State Ambulance Services, Hassan Adelakun, said some of the victims died at the scene of incident while others died at the hospital. Adelakun added that some of the victims corpses were deposited at State Hospital while others were taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta.
Source: Vanguard
Jonathan decorates new CDS, service chiefs
President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday decorated the new Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, with a marching order to deal decisively with terrorism and oil theft.
Jonathan, who decorated the new military chiefs with the assistance of Vice-President Namadi Sambo at the Council Chambers of State House, Abuja, said they must put an end to both vices.
The President said, “These fine officers and gentlemen are taking up command at a time when our nation is faced with serious challenges.
“Given their inspiring antecedence, however, and working in synergy with other security services, I am confident that they will bring fresh impetus into the new security architecture to combat the menace of terrorism in all its ramifications across the length and breadth of Nigeria.
“May I further reiterate that the security of life and property in all parts of this country is a sacred obligation which our administration will do everything in its power to live up to. We cannot allow threats to national security to compromise our national transformation efforts,” the President said.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, was not decorated as he retained his position as the Chief of Army Staff.
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Good Samaritans Rescue Baby That Was Dumped In Faeces
I have been told that the wages of sin is death but what about this young being which i believed knows nothing about sin? The baby in the picture above was wrapped and dumped in a toilet filled with faeces. Luckily, a good Samaritan was able to find and rescue the child from that horrible condition.
Click here to See the Original Photo
Lagos ACN unruffled over loss of Ikoyi/Obalende LCDA – Spokesman
Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria on Monday said it was not rattled by its loss of Ikoyi/Obalende Local Development Council Development Area at the state local government election petitions tribunal.
Spokesman for the state ACN chapter, Joe Igbokwe, said in a statement that the party’s lawyers were studying the judgment of the tribunal, which last week declared that Jide Obanikoro won the October 22, 2012 and not Ade Adeniji of ACN won the poll.
“In a democratic dispensation, it is natural that after elections, there are bound to be disputations and that is why the judiciary is there to sieve the grain from the chaff. In the case of Ikoyi/Obalende LCDA, we saw the desperate efforts to claim the LCDA every means possible.
“We expected to contest against other parties and as such, we expected to either win or lose elections, which is how it is supposed to be. After what we believed was a free and fair election, our opponents who have planned another strategy, knowing their strength, went on an extensive campaign to rubbish the election and even went to the extent of mobilising thugs and urchins to cause a breach of the peace in Lagos.
“They denied that any election took place and in another breath, claimed they won the election.
“While we felt that the election was free and fair, we advised those who felt otherwise to approach the court. Thank God they did only after seeing the futility to resort to self-help and thank God that the judgment they are now celebrating was got through the same system they desperately tried to rubbish.
“Thank God, what they presented as obtained in the same election they were desperately trying to deny is the basis of the present judgment’ but we seriously object to this. We are pleased that the process in Lagos is giving room for the opposition to canvass for and win local councils, contrary to what obtains in all PDP states where the party merely awards itself all available local council seats in the name of elections and where the courts have been made annexes of PDP head offices and approve whatever the party desires.
“We have no doubt about the capacity of Lagos to midwife a free and fair democratic process in the face of the deliberate efforts of the PDP to rubbish the local councils and its electoral system for their selfish benefits.
“The present judgment, even in its flawed nature, is proof of the credibility of the electoral system in Lagos. We had 60 cases arising from the election and we have won 46 so far, lost 6 including two ordered re-runs.
“We have already won one of the re-runs and we are awaiting the rest. Lagos ACN has appealed the cases we lost at the tribunal so it is an on going process that has not been concluded,” the statement reads.
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Hundreds stranded as flood overflows East-West Road
Hundreds of motorists were stranded on Sunday as heavy flood cut off access through a portion of the busy highway at Ume, between Ughelli and Patani in Delta State.
The situation forced many motorists to either brave the flood and attempt crossing or seek alternative routes, on the advice of the Federal Road Safety Commission.
The flood blocked the only highway linking Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states.
Deputy Corps Public Education Officer, FRSC, Bisi Kazeem, confirmed the development in an SMS to our correspondent.
He also called on the Delta State Government, National Emergency Management Agency and charitable organisations to provide relief for persons displaced by the flood in the area as well as stranded motorists.
“There is heavy flooding along Ughelli-Patani axis of the East-West Road which has cut off a segment of the road rendering the Ume village portion difficult to pass.
“Motorists travelling/plying Patani, Bayelsa State and Rivers State through the Ughelli – Warri route are advised to make a detour and ply Sapele – Warri – Agbor Road as an alternative route.
“Meanwhile, stranded commuters /motorists at Ume community transiting the Ughelli-Patani axis of the East -West Road are being assisted by the FRSC Ughelli Unit Command to return to their take-off points or in some cases cross to the Patani end.
“A patrol vehicle is involved in the evacuation. NEMA, Delta State Government and charitable organisations are humbly requested to come to the aid of displaced persons in the area by setting up camps,” the SMS reads.
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15 persons escape death in Ogun bus crash
The Mazda bus, in which they were travelling to Lagos, lost a propeller near the Sagamu Interchange, forcing the vehicle to plunge into the bush.
Ogun State Sector Commander, Ayobami Omiyale, who broke the news on a programme on Lagos Trafiic Radio, said 15 of the occupants of the bus sustained varying degrees of injury.
He said they were all taken to the hospital for medical attention.
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Nigerian Celebrities Who Have Difficulty Speaking English - Video
Let's accept, English is not our language, officially or unofficially, even with joke we no dey try!
So flytime entertainment went out to ask celebs what the word "Incumbent" means and alot of them do not know that meaning of the word, as usual, I am more concerned with those that don't know it than those that knew.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Bakare predicts Mimiko’s victory
Pastor Tunde Bakare
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Convener, Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has predicted that Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko will be re-elected during the October 20 governorship election in the state.
Bakare, who is the Serving Overseer of The Latter Rain Assembly, said this in the church auditorium on Sunday.
The cleric said, “Mimiko will win hands down. Thereafter, he will muster strength and there will be an alternative party as people would begin to see leadership by living right and not by material acquisition of flying jets over the people which you want to vote for you, without letting them know how you came about the jets when you have little or no money in your pocket.’’
According to him, the Peoples Democratic Party, with the exception of Lagos, won South-West states in 2007 because the people believed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was just trying to limit himself to the presidential election.
He stated, “But to their chagrin, their states were swept off and we had the PDP in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states. They later reclaimed some through court proceedings, verdict and judgments. But God preserved Lagos State in the midst of that hurricane. Through Lagos that was preserved, Bola Tinubu who became the leader of Action Congress of Nigeria, alongside the leadership of the party, began to muster strength and they were able to secure the region from the PDP. It was a breath of fresh air.’’
On economic integration being promoted by the ACN in the region, the clergyman noted that it should be preceded by enabling legislation in each of the state Houses of Assembly to empower individual governor to carry it out.
He also urged the people of Ondo State to be vigilant, vote for candidates of their choice and defend their votes.
Bakare stated, “I want those who said they will win at all cost to remember what Samuel Akintola said in the election that led to ‘Operation we ti e’, that if people refused to vote for them angel would vote for them. We know the consequences of that. If anybody thinks they can perpetuate any violence in Ondo State, violence will consume the perpetrators of violence.”
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Lead City University student, others arrested for internet scam, robbery
SUSPECTED bank robbers and a fraudster, Nurudeen Oyeniyi, were on Thursday paraded by the Oyo State Police command.
Twenty-three year Oyeniyi, a 300-level Mass Communication student of Lead City University, Ibadan, was arrested for allegedly defrauding some foreigners of millions of dollars.
The suspect, who confirmed his involvement in Internet fraud, told the police that he got into the business two years ago.
He also accepted to have swindled two women of huge sums of money.
He said, “I am involved in yahoo business (Internet fraud). I had duped some women living in the United States of various sums of money.
“I was arrested by the police as a suspected armed robber but I told them that my mother owned the car (Range Rover Sport) that they saw me with.
“My mum is a doctor and my dad a retiree.
“I got into the internet fraud business one year ago. The first deal fetched me $17m while the second fetched me $25,000.”
The police also paraded one Kingsley Aniankan, a house keeper, who allegedly robbed the wife of his former employer.
Aniankan, who was sacked by his employer for questionable character, later attacked their residence and stole jewelry and laptop.
The police said Aniankan sold the stolen items to one Alhaji Umaru Haruna in Ibadan.
Also, corpse of one of the suspected robbers, who reportedly attacked a first generation bank in Iseyin on Wednesday, was displayed by the police.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Joseph Mbu, said the stolen gold was valued at N25m.
The suspect, who the police chief claimed sold the gold for N13m, said he used the remaining sum to build a house at Aba Pan, Oluyole Extension and to buy a Bora Volkswagen car.
He said, “The receiver confirmed that he knows Kingsley and that he used to buy gold from him. Investigation shows that he had bought about N9m worth of gold from the suspect.”
View the original article here
Fashola, a better administrator than Tinubu – Mimiko
Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko
| credits: File copy
ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko says his Lagos State counterpart, Babatunde Fashola, is a better administrator than the Action Congress of Nigeria Leader, Chief Bola Tinubu.
Mimiko said this on Saturday at a rally in Okitipupa ahead of the October 20 governorship poll in the state.
He faulted the comments allegedly made about him by Tinubu, urging the former Lagos State governor to be civil in his utterances.
He said, “Those whose pedigree or track records are in the public domain must tread cautiously.
“The cries of him (Tinubu) coming to capture Ondo State, which is being better managed than any of the ACN controlled states, is a dream that would fall flat on his face.
“In Ondo State, the ACN is not on the ground and they will meet their political waterloo here. What are they doing in Osun that we have not done better?”
The governor added, “Ondo State is better managed than any of their states. I salute Babatunde Fashola. Whatever anybody may say, he has shown a flash of brilliance in governance. But the eight years before Fashola, what did they do in Lagos?
“They used eight years to build just one Millennium School;in just three and a half years, we have built world-class mega schools all over Ondo State.
“They talked about integration, if they want to integrate the South-West, is it going to be in one person’s pockets? If that is integration, then Ondo State will never be a part of such a phoney and deceitful integration.
“If it is the integration for the development of our people; to give world-class education to our people; to give world-class hospitals; integration to develop our public transport; to bring development like we are doing in Ondo State for the generality of the people; oh yes, we are for it.
“But if it is integration of the pockets of one person, we will not be part of it and we are aware that the Yoruba across Ondo State and in the South West know the type of integration that they want.
“It is definitely not the type of integration being preached by the leadership of the ACN.”
Mimiko said he was seeking re-election due to his achievements.
He said, “Our people will vote for me based on my performance and based on the fact that they want a real governor, not a District Officer who will repatriate our funds to his taskmasters.”
The governor insisted that his adminstration had placed the state “on the path of sustainable development”.
Mimiko accused Agagu of “surreptitiously trying to draw back the hands of progress in the state by attempting to foist his stooge on the people”.
He described Agagu as “a non-performer” and challenged him to point to any major project that he executed and completed in the Southern senatorial district of the state.
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Slaughter of Uniport Students: Monarch, 13 others Arrested, More Details
Information available obtained through sources within the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State indicate that the four [4] students slaughtered by the mob may have been the result of actions sanctioned by the community monarch of the Aluu in Rivers State.
The brutal beating, burning to death and video taping of the four University of Port Harcourt students whose names were reported as Ugonna, Lloyd, Tekana and Chidiaka was the result of official vigilante work setup by the community and authorized by the Rivers State government.
Senator’s driver arraigned for killing nurse
Senator Ajayi Borroffice
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A middle-aged man, Mr. Micheal Agunloye, identified as the personal driver of Senator Ajayi Borroffice, was on Friday arraigned before an Akure Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly killing a nurse, Mrs. Florence Olusori.
Agunloye said to be driving a vehicle in the convoy of Boroffice when the incident happened.
The police accused him of driving dangerously on the Akure-Owo Expressway and in the process killed the 52-year-old nurse.
The charge preferred against the driver reads, “That you Michael Agunloye ‘m’ on August 29, 2012, at about 1630hrs along Akure/Owo Expressway, Akure, in Ogbese Magistrate district, being a driver in charge of an unregistered Nissan Titan V8 Pick-up van with inscription the ‘Pilot vehicle’ driven same on the public highway in a manner in which was dangerous to the public.
“With regard to the circumstance of the case, including nature, condition and use of highway and the amount of traffic which actually is at the time of which might reasonably be expected to be on highway and caused the death of one Mrs. Florence Olusori and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 and punishable under Section 18(1)RTL Cap 111 Vol.6 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria.”
Agunloye however pleaded not guilty to the charge.
His lawyer, Mr Michael Adeyemi, applied for his bail on liberal terms, saying the offence was a bail able one.
Adeyemi told Chief Magistrate Adeusi Fatusin that since the accused had been on police bail without running away, he would always produce him whenever the case comes up.
The police prosecutor, Mr John Zakari, urged the court to use its discretion in granting the bail.
In his ruling, Fatusin granted Agunloye N500,000 bail and one surety in like sum. He said the surety must have three years tax clearance and Certificate of Occupancy.
He adjourned the hearing of the case until October 15.
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40 billion-barrel oil reserves possible by 2020 – NNPC
GMD, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu
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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has reiterated its determination to work with other stakeholders to grow the nation’s proven crude oil reserves from its current level of 37 billion barrels to 40 billion barrels by the year 2020.
Speaking in Kaduna at a reception organised by the state government in honour of some illustrious sons and daughter of Kaduna State, the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, who was one of those honoured, said apart from ensuring an increase in the level of proven reserves, the corporation was working towards increasing production from the current figure of 2.4 million barrels per day to four million bpd by 2020.
The country’s crude oil production currently averages 2.4 million barrels daily after recording an all-time high of 2.7million bpd late July.
“As we endeavour to achieve effective transformation of the oil and gas industry in line with the Transformation Agenda of the President, our target is to ensure that we grow our proven crude reserves to 40 billion by 2020 and also increase our production to four million barrels per day by 2020,’’ Yakubu said.
The GMD also gave an assurance that the corporation, alongside its Joint Venture partners, was strategically focused on electricity generation through effective alignment with the power supply aspiration of the Federal Government.
He said NNPC was also working on the strategic upgrade of gas infrastructure in Kaduna and other northern states to help resuscitate the ailing textile industries in that part of the country.
Yakubu also reassured residents of Kaduna and adjoining states of adequate supply of petroleum products, noting that the Kaduna refinery was currently producing about four million litres of petrol per day.
“The Kaduna refinery is one of the best run in the country today. It currently produces four million litres of petrol every couple of days and this has helped us to stabilise supply in Kaduna and its environs, especially at this trying period,’’ he said.
The GMD pledged that the plan to ensure complete turn around and rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries was still intact, as the major equipment for the maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery had arrived.
“Once we are done with the Port Harcourt refinery, Kaduna is next in line, and from there, we will move to the Warri refinery,’’ he said.
Yakubu thanked the government and people of Kaduna State for the special recognition, noting that it was reassuring to know that “you are loved back home when embarking on a journey like this’’.
The event, which had Vice- President Namadi Sambo as special guest of honour, and former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammadu Uwais, as chairman, also witnessed the conferment of awards on theMinister of the Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Mailafia; Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Kumai Akaahs; and National Organising Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha.
In his remarks, Sambo commended Yakubu for piloting the corporation in the right direction, especially the recent effort to resuscitate the search for oil in the inland sedimentary basins, particularly the Chad Basin, which had recorded significant breakthroughs.
A similar position was echoed by the Kaduna State Governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, who praised Yakubu for his focus and sterling leadership qualities.
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Flying Eagles beat S/Africa, qualify for 2013 AYC
South Africa’s Asive Langwe (left) evades Tolulope Aluko of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles during an invitational tournament at the Cape Town Stadium ... on Tuesday
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Nigeria have qualified for the 19th African Youth Championship to be hosted in Algeria next year following the Flying Eagles 3-1 victory over Amajita of South Africa in Ilorin, Kwara State on Sunday.
Nigeria, the defending champions and six-time winners of the tournament, picked the ticket to Algeria 4-2 on aggregate.
The Flying Eagles took the game from the first blast of the whistle but it was not until the 38th minute when Abduljaleel Ajagun, who was voted Most Valuable Player, turned smartly inside the six-yard box before firing past goalkeeper Lebo Ngubeni.
But almost immediately the Amajita drew level on the back of a quick counter attack as the Nigerians seem to still be celebrating their opening goal.
And again it was danger man Thabani Mthembu who scored for South Africa, just as he had done two weeks ago in Nelspruit.
Flying Eagles coach John Obuh commended the resilience of the South Africans.
“It was a mistake on our part as we over-celebrated our goal and we got punished for it,” lamented Obuh after the encounter.
“They are a very good team and they kept us on our toes from start to finish.
“Kudos to the entire team for putting in their best to ensure we will be in Algeria to now defend our crown.”
The game was then delicately balanced at 1-1 before Ajagun delivered the best goal of the day on 45 minutes when he blasted home into the roof of the net to the relief of the large crowd at the Kwara State Stadium.
Enugu Rangers striker Alhaji Gero further settled the nerves of the home crowd when he slipped home a stylish through ball by the outstanding Ajagun.
However, to the credit of the visiting South Africa they did not give up the fight as they opened up and took the game to their hosts.
Goalkeeper and skipper Samuel Okani was at his best as he kept out a goal-bound shot in the 74th minute and in stoppage time, Okani tipped another effort for a corner as Amajita continued to press for another goal.
Okorie was forced to clear into the side netting for a corner as South Africa kept on the pressure.
And when the Ghanaian referee blew the final whistle, players, officials and fans erupted into a wild celebration.
South Africa coach, Solly Luvhengo, commended the sporting skills of both his team and that of the Nigerian team. He, however, said the weather was not favourable to his team. He added that his players were doing well but caved in when the goals started coming in from Flying Eagles.
“I think for the first 20 minutes, the boys played very well. But when they started scoring goals, we became jittery.
“The impact of the weather was another factor. It was crazy. You cannot play football well with this weather,” Luvhengo said.
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Sunshine defiant despite Al Ahly advantage
Despite letting in three goals at home, Sunshine Star said they could still go past Al Ahly and qualify for the CAF Champions League final.
Sunshine Stars midfielder Tamen Mendrano told MTNFootball.com they are in a tight corner after a 3-3 at home against Egyptian champions Ahly, but they will hope to wriggle out of it to reach the final against either Esperance or TP Mazembe.
“It is not over for us, we wanted to win but ended up with draw,” insisted Mendrano, who capped a fine display in Ijebu-Ode with a great goal.
“We still have second leg to play. It has happened before and we survived it. We will again take the battle to Al Ahly in the second leg.”
Sunshine Star coach Gbenga Ogunbote was equally defiant after the six-goal thriller.
“It is not over. We will go to Cairo for our result to take us to final,” maintained Ogunbote.
“If we get the kind of officiating that we had here in Cairo, we will get to final.”
Ahly coach Hossam Al-Badri said his players’ fitness ensured they got a good result on the road.
“We know what Sunshine Stars can do, so we went into long-term camping to make sure the players maintained their fitness level and plan for the game. We also played friendly matches to put the boys in match situation,” said Al-Badri.
“It really worked for us. We came here to tame Sunshine and go for goals which we were able to achieve, scoring three goals away is good for us.
“Sunshine are a good side with great character. I must give them credit for their display and we won’t relent in our preparation ahead of the second leg.”
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Furore over Jonathan’s false claim on corruption
President Goodluck Jonathan
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OLALEKAN ADETAYO, in this piece, X-rays the controversy that surrounds the claim by President Goodluck Jonathan in his Independence anniversary speech that his government was highly rated by the Transparency International for its fight against corruption
Since the Union Jack was lowered on October 1, 1960 and Nigeria’s Green-White-Green flag was hoisted to signal the nation’s independence, successive governments have been marking the day as the country’s Independence Day.
However, celebrations have never been limited to the day. Activities are always lined up to precede the D-Day. Such activities include interdenominational services in churches and mosques, Independence lecture and dinner among others, depending on the mood of the nation at the time of the celebration.
Whether low-keyed or elaborate festivity, one activity that has remained unvarying among the programmes is the Independence Day address to the nation by whoever is the head of government at the time of the commemoration. The address, which is aired on radio and television stations in the morning of the Independence Day, is meant to keep citizens abreast of positive developments as well as challenges facing the country since the last celebration. The President may also tell the citizens other issues he wants them to know.
The yearly ritual was expected on October I, 2012. And it happened. Therefore, as early as 7am that morning, when the nation marked its 52nd Independence anniversary, many Nigerians were glued to their television and radio sets with mixed feelings, expecting to hear what their President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan would tell them. Some were looking forward to policy statements that they thought would turn the fortunes of the country around. Others were not expecting anything new from their President who they see as a man who always repeats issues he had raised several times. Some even believed that the President was fond of making bogus claims, which they said were not in tandem with the reality on the ground.
As it turned out, the 17-minute address by Jonathan on that fateful morning has again turned his albatross. Jonathan had in the address given his administration pass marks in some sectors including agriculture, economy and power among others. He, however, courted controversy while attempting to give himself a pat on the back in its administration’s efforts at ending corruption. He boasted that he had so far given the leadership of the nation’s anti-graft agencies freehand to do their job. He added that the decision not to interfere had paid off. He proudly told Nigerians that the global corruption watch body, Transparency International, had rated Nigeria second after United States in the fight against graft.
“In its latest report, Transparency International noted that Nigeria is the second most improved country in the effort to curb corruption. We will sustain the effort in this direction with an even stronger determination to strengthen the institutions that are statutorily entrusted with the task of ending this scourge,” the President had told the nation in a confident voice. He had made a similar claim at an interdenominational church service held the previous day as part of the activities marking the Independence anniversary.
TI was hitherto known to be critical of Nigeria as far as corruption was concerned. The global body has consistently been placing the nation on the list as one of the most corrupt countries. It is therefore understandable that a piece of news that the same body has recognised Nigeria’s efforts at combating graft will elicit interest from all stakeholders.
The claim by Jonathan has since been found to be untrue with many accusing their President of telling a lie. In fact, TI has reportedly denied issuing such a report. An online publication, Premium Times, reports that TI refuted the claim when it was contacted. “Transparency International does not have a recent rating or report that places Nigeria as the second most improved country in the fight against corruption,” Premium Times quoted the organisation to have said in a mail.
As expected, the development attracted a lot of flak to the President. First to fire the opening salvo was the opposition political party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, which urged Jonathan to apologise to Nigerians for misleading them. The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said it was taken aback that the President of Africa’s most populous nation and the continent’s second largest economy could make such a frivolous claim on an issue of global concern.
The ACN added that in addition to apologising to all Nigerians for the false claim, the President must immediately kick-start an investigation into the source of a claim that has exposed his administration and the entire country to global ridicule. It said the wrong claim by the President raised doubts about the authenticity of other claims by the President in the anniversary speech. The party said if the President failed to act quickly to unearth the source of such a spurious claim and ensure it does not recur, he risks a bigger embarrassment from officials who may want to tweak facts and figures to justify their positions.
Although the President has not apologised, he indeed conducted a probe which resulted in a statement that revealed that the claim was actually sourced from a news item in a September 12, 2012 edition of a business newspaper. The explanation was published on the website of the Ministry of Information.
The explanation had ended with, “For a section of the opposition to now cast aspersions on the integrity of the President when he relied on notorious facts (anything published in the press and which remains unchallenged is a notorious fact) is proof positive of the now obvious fact that they lack ideas on how to move Nigeria forward and would rather snipe at efforts of the President to move the nation forward for which any patriot would do.”
Again, ACN won’t take such a statement lying low. The party described the decision of the government to blame the inaccurate claim on the media as a product of bad thinking, saying that the action is worse than the original gaffe. “It is lazy and irresponsible for handsomely-remunerated presidential aides to lift the claim of Nigeria’s supposed progress in the anti-corruption effort from a newspaper and insert such in a presidential speech without confirmation. But then anything is possible in a rookie Presidency populated by apprentice aides,” the party said.
ACN is not alone in the President’s condemnation. It has an ally in the All Nigeria Peoples Party which said it was unreasonable for the President to misrepresent statistics, saying such is a strong message of support to corrupt people and those planning to confuse the citizens for their own personal gain. “Words and body language are potent enough to aggravate corruption just as corrupt practices would. When a leader embellishes a story, he is inadvertently telling his subjects to turn the truth on its head whenever they find the opportunity,” the ANPP said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Emma Eneukwu.
But to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the backlash that has trailed his boss’ address particularly the anti-corruption claim was unnecessary. Abati is of the opinion that whether the claim was wrong or right, Nigerians should have focused more on the President’s message which is that his administration is committed to fighting the scourge.
He said, “The President’s message is that this administration is tackling corruption. The revelations from the pension scam and the fuel subsidy scam as well as the sanitation of activities at the ports all came to be because the President sanctioned them. People should focus on the message, namely that a lot of progress has been made and is still being made to tackle corruption in the system. There are lot of people outside there who mislead Nigerians that nothing is being done. These people tackle individuals. What the President did was that he fired hope and promised renewed dedication to the service of the nation. There are those who are looking for a way to water down the message.”
As the controversy lingers, many observers are still waiting to see the fate that will befall those who misled the President into making the spurious claim that has succeeded in bringing him to ridicule in the eyes of many Nigerians. This is so as the President does not write his own speeches. Many are also wondering whether the President should not have insisted on seeing proof of such a claim before reeling it out to unsuspecting Nigerians.
What is however clear in the latest episode is that the self-acclaimed most criticised President in the world has succeeded in attracting fresh criticism to himself. He should be prepared to receive more pebbles, unless he and his aides learn to do their homework well before coming to the public with claims, especially those that are verifiable.
More Stories in Politics
Source : punchng[dot]com
Can you supplement your income?
Nimi Akinkugbe
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Are you struggling to make ends meet? If so, you are not alone. The high cost of living in the country has prompted many Nigerians to seek out other avenues to earn extra income and still hold on to a full-time job. For all of us, a diversification of earnings is advisable; not only does it boost your earnings, it also provides a safety net should you experience salary delays which have become commonplace, a salary reduction, unexpected job loss or some other financial setback such as major unplanned expenses or significant loss in investments.
Research shows that most successful people earn multiple streams of income primarily from rental income from real estate investments, interest and dividend income from investments in the financial markets and investing in businesses. In addition to this, other avenues exist to supplement your income.
There are different types of people; some capable people are prepared to face the indignity and the consequences of a low income or no income at all, whereas there are others who are determined and are proactive about making efforts to improve their lot and lead a better life by thinking outside the box and seeking to earn extra income by utilising their talents and skills.
Most people have some inherent talents or skills that if properly nurtured could create a huge window of opportunity that will not only help them earn but will also give them a sense of fulfilment and happiness. Have you identified your gift or talent? Don’t just rest on your oars; be creative – think outside the box. Identify your strengths, talents and skills and do something with them. Which one of them can you take immediate action on?
A potential freelance job or business should incorporate the skills and talents you already possess. Ideally, it should require a relatively little amount of your time and require low oversight, be fairly low-risk, and not require huge capital outlay. Above all, it must be customer–centric and deliver a high level of service, and must be unique.
So, what can you do? Are you a good communicator or confident public speaker? Are you an organiser? Are you a budding entrepreneur? Below are just a few self-help examples of what some enterprising Nigerians have embarked upon as they faced the predicament of unemployment or low income. They have effectively utilised their hobbies and talents often resulting in the establishment of viable businesses that subsequently became their primary source of income.
Sadly, several schools have proved inadequate in equipping children for significant examinations without additional support from private tutors. Further, parents often do not have the time or inclination to tutor their children particularly during the long holidays, which makes for huge demand for such services to keep children engaged.
Can you teach someone how to speak properly? Do you have an exceptional skill in a particular academic subject or language? Are you a gifted musician or very skilful in a particular sport? If you possess the deep knowledge and skills and an ability to start teaching a particular subject, or skill, there may be an opportunity to earn extra income. It is worth investing in obtaining some certification to give you an advantage.
Computers and the internet have become an integral part of our lives. Yet many of us are not very proficient with IT and telephony matters and need help with our smart phones, iPads and laptops. Clearly, those with strong skills can seek to offer services in web designing, programming, and trouble-shooting. Individuals and businesses are often in need of high quality presentations for their marketing purposes, and skills in the design of power point presentations are highly sought after.
Do family and friends often compliment you on your outstanding culinary skills? If you are a good cook and enjoy cooking, you can consider giving cookery classes or offer catering services at small events and parties. If you are good at baking, you can start to take orders for birthday cakes and other special occasions. There is some demand for cakes and freshly made sandwiches and light lunches delivered to local businesses during lunch hour. A huge opportunity presents at Christmas when cakes are widely sought after.
If you have creative talent, ideas, and the ability to work with your hands and are passionate about what you do, you can turn your passion into a profitable, part time, money-making business. Sewing, jewelry making, artwork, novel crafts such as candle or soap making are much sought after particularly during the holiday season when people are looking for appropriate gifts.
We all need the help of someone to do home repairs from time to time. Some people are very good at do-it-yourself solutions but unfortunately most do not have the confidence, the tools or the time to do it successfully. We are all too aware that reliable and efficient workmen and technicians to do even the most basic repairs or to sort out plumbing or electrical problems are increasingly hard to find. If you have such skills and is service -oriented and most importantly, have credible referees, you can offer your services to households in a niche area.
*Don’t jeopardise your day job. Be careful not to jeopardise your current employment income by being distracted and losing focus on what you have been contracted to do; you owe your employer your full attention so don’t let any other interests eat into your work time. The key is to keep them separate, yet be well organised so that your side job doesn’t interfere with your regular role and vice versa. It is important to ensure that there is no conflict of interest. It often helps if you are in partnership so that you and your partner/s can cover for each other as the business evolves.
Whilst these efforts on a small scale will not make you rich overnight, you can certainly create some useful extra income this way. Even in difficult times, you can acquire certain skills or build on your existing skills. The independence that you derive from less dependency on an employer opens up a wide vista of options enabling you to experiment with new opportunities and have a better chance at long-term financial stability and success.
More Stories in AM Business
Source : punchng[dot]com
Nigerian Senate To Stop Kids Of Public Officials From Schooling Abroad
If a bill proposed by Senator Basheer Garba Mohammed succeeds, children of public office holders would be restricted from schooling abroad, except for specialized programmes or courses not offered in the nation’s educational institutions.
The bill among other objectives is aimed at restoring the nation’s public educational system by discouraging public officials from sending their children and wards to foreign schools.
Besides, senators have accused some committee heads of using their positions to influence the implementation of only constituency projects in their senatorial districts.
Mohammed noted that aside from neglect suffered by public schools, the desire of many public officials to educate their children overseas had been a major source of capital flight and brain drain. He stressed that in this regard, there was the need for the Senate to adopt drastic measures to rescue the ailing educational system.
“Today, in this digital age, the pupils sit on bare floor. You then ask, what manner of leaders of tomorrow are we producing? You may also ask, where are the children of senators, honourable members, ministers and governors? If our children attend such schools, can we afford to leave them in such a sorry state?”
The senator representing Kano Central stated that the country’s educational system had continued to suffer serious setbacks because political office holders and policy makers had given an impression that they had no confidence in the quality of education.
He described the bill as a patriotic call for sacrifice to restore confidence to the country’s educational sector.
“We should be proud of what we have and Nigeria cannot develop without a sound educational system. You cannot be a minister or commissioner of education or of health and refuse to patronize your own system and expect the system to improve”, Mohammed said.
The bill, however, proposed an option of a special tax for defaulters, which would be channelled toward revamping the ailing educational system in the public sector from primary through secondary to tertiary levels. According to the sponsor of the bill, the tax would be determined in due course.
Some senators yesterday accused the Works Committee headed by Senator Ayogu Eze (Enugu North) of giving priority to the projects earmarked for the South East geopolitical zone of the country.
Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North East) raised the matter when the Senate went into the Committee of the Whole to consider the report of the Committee on Works on the screening of Nnoli Nnaji for appointment as a member of the Governing Board of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).
Shortly before Enang raised the matter, Senator Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North) had remarked that the committees on works in both the Senate and the House of Representatives are headed by lawmakers from Enugu State-Senator Ayogu Eze and Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi respectively. He prayed that despite the constitution of the committees in such a manner, other lawmakers should be carried along in the implementation of projects.
Senator Ita Enang, argued that the roads earmarked for repairs in the South East should not be done because there was no appropriation for them in the 2012 budget. He stressed that FERMA was not representative of the entire country because the membership was skewed in favour of a particular part of the country.
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