[MUST READ] The Disgraceful Conduct Of Lagos PPRO Ngozi Braide - An Open Letter to IGP MD Abubakar

Our dear gallant, patriotic, detribalized and ever-dynamic IGP, we sincerely hope that all is well with you and your new wife, Zarha Bunu? We 're sorry that we had to make this letter an open matter; apologies; it was borne out of the bureaucratic inconvenience of your office.

Ngozi Braide

Dear lovely IGP, we wish to bring to your notice of the bizarre idiosyncrasy of Ms Ngozi Braide, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Lagos State command and the unethical conduct of your officers in Lagos State command.
Ngozi, a young woman saddled with the responsibility of laundering the image of the Police institution in Lagos State is currently destroying the institution she's being heavily paid to defend with her youthful exuberance, arrogance, incompetence, etc.
Sir, without much ado, the ordeals of one of our friends in the hands of Ngozi Braide and some of her happy-trigger officers in Lagos State, goes as thus:
The beginning of the illegality, the exhibition of unprofessionalism and recklessness by the Lagos Police Command under the supervision of Ngozi Braids, Lagos State PPRO:
Sir, our friend, Mr. Abragahou Aminu, a Lagos based french teacher, while trekking along Ketu-Ojota road on Tuesday 19th November, 2013, saw an ugly incident between two Police officers (a policeman and a policewoman both in uniform) and a commercial driver. Aminu, being a man with a high level alertness, brought out his mobile handset and started recording/snapping the public show of shame.
However, a police officer saw Aminu when he was recording the incident and pounced on him.
 Aminu was mercilessly beaten by the policeman for recording public unrest. He was initially detained at the Ketu Police station. When we contacted Ngozi Braide, Lagos PPRO to intervene, she insulted us, saying that she had been looking for a scape goat amongst Nigerians that do record the illegal activities of the Nigerian Police. Ngozi banged the call and the next we heard was that Aminu has been transferred from Ketu police station to the Lagos PPRO, then to Ikeja police Area "F" command.

Continue reading after the cut.....

All these happened simply because Aminu used his mobile phone to record an incident between a commercial driver and a-team of police officers.
Aminu's phone was seized on the order of Ngozi, the Lagos PPRO while the policeman fighting with the commercial driver was released unconditionally while the innocent teacher, Mr Abrangahou Aminu was detained up till saturday 23rd November before he was arraigned at a Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos. More also, we wish to inform you that the commercial driver that a policeman was having a public show of shame with, was not detained for a second.
The cruel incarceration of Aminu and the exhibition of lawlessness by Ngozi Braide, Lagos PPRO:
Dear IGP, as stated above, Aminu was arrested on Tuesday 19th November, 2013 and kept in four different police detention cells before his kangaroo Arraignment on Saturday 23rd November, 2013. All moves made by us to secure the release of Aminu on bail were rejected by your men in Lagos command acting to the instruction of Ngozi Braids, Lagos PPRO. Aminu was first arbitrarily detained at Ketu Police Station, from Ketu, he was transferred to the PPRO's office where he was harassed for hours. From PPRO's office, the innocent Aminu was transferred to Area F detention cell, and from Area F to X-squad cell. All these acts of injustice and unprofessionalism were perpetrated by your men simply because a man was caught recording an incident with his mobile phone!
Sir, may we bring to your notice that the police possesses no power to keep an accused in custody for more than 48 hours at most. May we also remind you that the PPRO's office is not meant for the tourtoring of an accused. May we also inform you that the X-squad detention cell that Aminu was detained for about 96 hours wasn't meant for civilians but for that of undisciplined/errand officers.
Sir, it might interest you to note that while at Ngozi Braide's mini-detention room, Aminu was compelled to re-write his statement under duress to suit Ngozi Braids. He was made to write an apology letter, which he did after he has been irresponsibly threatened/tortured. Aminu was also given a letter of apology to sign which he did under duress. His phone was seized, cloth was torn and most of the vital information related to this case which he stored on his phone memory were deleted except one photo, all in order to cover up the unprofessional acts of your men.
Sir, may we also inform you that Ngozi Braids said she consider it as disservice to the Police force for civilians to be recording their activities while Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah could not be sanctioned for buying armoured cars. Ngozi also averred that the police had been looking for a scape goat amongst Nigerians that do record their acts of unprofessionalism. Ngozi claimed that uploading the corrupt and immoral activities of the Police on the social, print and electronic media is disservice to the nation! Dear IGP, to us, we consider Ngozi's affirmations as reckless and irresponsible!
The hues and cries about Aminu's nationality:
Dear IGP, may we inform you that your officers in Lagos under the supervision of PPRO Ngozi Braide arrogantly claimed that Aminu possesses no constitutional right to record the incident leading to his unlawful incarceration and unlawful detention simply because he is a Togolese. Sir, your officers, out of ignorant, have forgotten that Togo is a West Africa country, hence, he possesses diplomatic immunity, freedom of movement and trade as entrenched by the law of the economic community of west African states (ECOWAS). In addition to that, Aminu's ECOWAS passport is valid and yet to expire. His residential and working permits are valid.
The questionable arraignment of Aminu at Magistrate court:
Dear IGP, after all the pleas and moves made by us and about 20 human rights journalists, lawyers and concerned Nigerians to have Aminu released on bail were curiously, unlawfully  rejected by Ngozi Braide with the aide of the Lagos Police Commissioner, Alhaji Umaru Tanko, Aminu was sadly arranged in court on Saturday 23rd November, 2013.
Alas, our team of lawyers secured the bail of Aminu but no one was on ground to sign his bail paper.
It is an incontrovertible fact that Saturday is not a working day in Nigeria. Sir, we make bold to avow that Aminu was arraigned on Saturday in order for your men to have ample of opportunities to suffer him the more in their detention cell thereby causing him more mental, psychological and emotional traumas.
Furthermore, may we inform you that when we met with the Police Commissioner (CP) over Aminu's ordeal, we discovered that Ngozi Braids had satanically lied against him. The C.P said Aminu would not be released because we had alerted well-meaning Nigerians about his ordeal via social media. Sir, may we ask that when has it become an offence to run/alert/cry/report to the public via the social media? When has it become a crime for one to exercise his/her rights to speech and expression?
Our charter of demands:
Dear IGP, having patriotically and moderately perused and exposed the unethical and unprofessional display of your officers in Lagos, we hereby give your esteemed institution 7 days, starting from today to meet the following demands or risk a never-seen-before mass and court actions (lawfully):
(1). immediate removal of Ngozi Braids as the Police public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Lagos State. We also demand for her immediate demotion as she has proven to be Immatured. Ngozi Braids has also proved that she deserves not the exalted position she currently holds.
(2). Immediate withdraw of the suit against Mr. Aminu Abragahou as he did nothing wrong to warrant being prosecuted and persecuted. Attempting to expose illegality, absurdity, immorality and unprofessionalism doesn't warrant being caged.
(3). Immediate arrest and prosecution of the police officers who arrested Aminu in Ketu. The police officers who were involved in the show of shame with a commercial driver that Aminu was recording in Ketu should also be arrested and prosecuted.
(4). Having suffered enormous psychological, emotional and mental humiliations in the hands of the men of Nigeria Police Force, we demand that the Nigeria Police should adequately compensate Mr. Aminu Abragahou as he has lost his teaching job during his ongoing ordeal. It will amount to a crime against humanity should Aminu's heavily pregnant wife be allowed to suffer.
Lastly sir, may we conclude this letter by reminding you of the words of Martin Luther King which says that "In the end, we 'll remember not only the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." Sir, May we also remind you of the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson which goes as thus: "all lives are interrelated, we are being caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality and tied up in a single garment of one destiny; whatever affects one directly affect all indirectly"
Dear IGP, consequent upon the above words of marble from Ralph Waldo Emerson and Martin Luther King, we wish to remind you that injustice anywhere, is Injustice everywhere!
Dear IGP sir, as the outstanding Man of the year 2013 (an award you recently bagged in Abuja), we put it to you that we 're anxiously awaiting your quick response to this letter. Sir, may we remind you that both the words and silence of our friends shall be remembered when divine judgement is being delivered.
Thanks and God bless.
Yours truly,
High Chief Sandra Duru,
Executive Director, Pre-Adult Affairs Organisation (www.pre-adultaffairs.org)
Zest Entertainment & Media Limited(www.bareitoutwithsandraduru.tv)
Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
234-8026741128
CC: President FRN
CC: Senate Committee on Police Affairs
CC: Fed Min of Police Affairs
CC: Police Service commission
CC: African Diplomatic Mission
CC: ECOWAS
CC: Relevant Human Rights lawyers/NGOs/ Journalists
CC: NANS

Share your thought till it get to the IGP

New PDP ,G-7 Merge With APC After Meeting with Buhari,Tinubu,Others -

The New Peoples Democratic Party n PDP has merged with the All Progressives Congress,APC. All the G7 governors are also part of the merger,reporters were told.
Alhaji Kawu Baraje ,chairman of the New PDP announced this to news men after a meeting attended by new PDP leaders,G7 governors and leaders of All Progressives Congress,APC at Kano State Lodge Asokoro Abuja.
Baraje who who read the communiqué also said that all the G7 governor are part of the merger.
The communiqué was read after a meeting attended by G7 governors including Rotimi Amaech,(Rivers)Rabiu Kwankwaso(Kano) Murtala Nyako(Adamawa)Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Abdulfatah Ahmed(Kwara)Sokoto and Jigawa state governors were absent but insiders said they sent representatives.Baraje said all of the new PDP members are part of the merger.
Though Aliyu and Ahmed left the meeting before it ended,Baraje said they left after taking permission .
The communiqué read by Baraje said “ a meeting of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress,APC and the new PDP met this morning at the Residence of Kano state Governor,Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in Abuja.
After exhaustive deliberations,the two parties agreed to merge in order to rescue our fledgling democracy and the Nation.”
The communiqué was signed by Chief Bisi Akande for APC leadership and Alhaji Kawu Abubakar Baraje .
Political chieftains present at the meeting include General Muhammadu Buhari,Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,Kashim Imam,Timipre Sylva,Olagunsoye Oyinlola,Bukola Saraki,Aminu Bello Masari,Chief Bisi Akande and Lai Mohammed among others.

Sources said despite assurances by NPDP chairman ,Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa seems still having difficulties making up his mind on the issue.But his colleagues have advised him to come along so that he will not be messed up in PDP.Curiously,Governor Aliyu media aide reportedly claimed that his boss was not at the meeting and that Niger State governor remains a PDP member.Even worse,the Niger State Deputy governor errorneously said on TV said Amaechi was the only G7 governor present at the press conference announcing the merger.

9ice Impregnated My Sister, Denied her, Now He Wants her Kids - OAP Oreka Godis

Since last week when popular musician, 9ice, posted the photo of the twin daughters that his secret Abuja based lover, Victoria Godis, gave birth to, it has been one trouble or the other. Some are beginning to say the issues are the handiwork of his estranged wife who he drove away from his house.

Whatever, 9ice actually denied openly in the media about two years ago that a lady gave birth to twins for him. And now that 9ice has decided to take the twins back, a section of the lady's family are angry...

One of them is On Air Personality, Oreka Godis. She called 9ice a "moron" for saying something else to them in their home and coming out to talk trash about the twin girls. One of the problem is that 9ice has not been taking care of his "children" as he abandoned their mother after impregnating her.
A source who is close to the saga revealed that 9ice was not very sure that the babies were his as he was already having issues of alleged infidelity with his estranged wife, Toni Payne, then and he only slept with the lady, Victoria Godis, a few times when he visited Abuja.
He had thought Victoria, Oreka's sister, wanted to rope him with another man's pregnancy because he's star.

I arrested Sahara Reporters’ Omoyele Sowore for rape, but he jumped bail, says Ex-IGP, Mike Okiro

Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters online news portal may have landed pat in the centre of a rape scandal.

Though the alleged act is believed to have been dug up from the writer’s past but the players and circumstances of the alleged crime are such that cannot easily be brushed off.

Former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro recently in a forum, made a pronouncement that Omoyele Sowore of the Sahara Reporters was once arrested for rape.

The statement made by the former police chief has since become a subject of discussion and controversy and merely heard in small talks among a section of the news media.

Okiro alleged that Omoyele Sowore had raped a UNILAG female student who’s now married with two kids. “I arrested him when I was Surulere Area Commander of the Nigeria Police. I prosecuted him and he jumped bail”, said Mike Okiro, former Inspector General of Nigeria Police?

Okiro actually gave a graphical detail of the crime, the circumstances and the state of the victim at the time.

Brick bats have been flung back and forth over this revelation. As the controversy rages, some have hinted that Okiro’s revelation was belated and smacks of corruption, others allege that Okiro must have been privy to Sowore’s bail-jumping stunt, while yet another segment insist that politics or not, a criminal must face justice no matter how long ago the crime was committed.

So far, Sowore has neither affirmed Okiro’s pronouncement nor denied it, thus making further speculations and controversies, rife.
                                                                                  

Yar’Adua Was Poisoned By Obasanjo's Kitchen Staff! — Professor Ukandi G. Damachi

USA Wikileaks secret cables reveal that according to Professor Ukandi G. Damachi, Nigeria’s former president, Musa Yar’Adua was poisoned. Yar’Adua died while in office as president of Nigeria in May, 2010.

Professor Ukandi G. Damachi is a friend to US consul, long term confidant to Nigeria’s past president Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida with privy to Nigeria’s government workings inside information.
The Wikileaks cable, reference ID 08LAGOS153, described in Professor Damachi’s narration, that late president Yar’Adua was given poison in his food, “his food was poisoned”, he alleged. Further stating that the president inherited his predecessor, president Obasanjo’s kitchen, and these kitchen staff were likely used to poison Nigeria’s president. The professor further revealed that when president Yar’Adua realized this he fired the Obasanjo kitchen staff.
Quoting Damachi from the US secret cables:
“There are lots of problems in Nigeria.” The first problem, he said, is the President’s illness; “his food was poisoned”, Damachi alleged. Asked whether he meant “food poisoning” or that someone had deliberately poisoned the President’s food, Damachi shrugged, replying “The President inherited Obasanjo’s kitchen staff”; Yar’Adua has now fired them all, and the kitchen has been cleaned out following the incident, Damachi said.
At the same time, Damachi went on, the President did attend functions on both the Saturday and Sunday preceding his illness and ate some food at both of them. “What President eats at a function?”, Damachi asked rhetorically. The President was so sick that the day he signed the budget, he was unable to sign a second piece of legislation awaiting his approval.”

Yar’Adua was known to have stepped hard on his predecessors toes. Upon entering office president Yar’Adua, described by his wife as a very honest man who left no wealth behind; seriously went after the reversal of Nigeria’s public assets that his predecessor had sold to his allies, Aliku Dangote and Femi Otedola.

ABOUT APC ELECTORAL VALUE- Dapo Oke

A man has three wives, each of the three wives had children for their former husbands. At a recently conducted national population census, the man was asked how many children does he have and he proudly replied 6 children whereas non of the six children bear his name on their birth certificates . This is the precise story of APC electoral value in Nigeria as at today. The truth is that APC is yet to deliver a new baby since its marriage with its new wives. It had been one story of still birth, threatening abortions and infertility.

Until APC has its own Governors, Senators, Reps members and state house of assembly members elected on the platform on the newly registered party spread across the six geopolitical zones of the nation it cannot convince me that it is a national party yet. A MAN is not valued by the size of his prick but by the products of the prick.

Aftermath Of Asuu Strike Lol....

Asuu please call off this strike...Can't stop laughin

Protests rock Anambra over INEC’s refusal to declare Obiano Governor

Protesters this afternoon took to the streets in parts of Anambra to express their displeasure over the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the APGA gubernatorial candidate, Chief Willie Obiano, governor-elect.

Though Obiano (174,710 votes) beat PDP’s Comrade Tony Nwoye (94,956 votes) in the election held over the weekend, INEC refused to declare him winner on the grounds that the margin of victory was lower than the number of cancelled votes. It announced that a supplementary election would be held in the affected areas.

Ifeanyi Muofunanya, Chairman, Awkuzu Youths Association, who led a group of protesters at Awkuzu Junction in Oyi local government, however, disagreed. “We are giving INEC 24 hours to declare Chief Willie Obiano the winner,” he said amidst shouts of approval from the protesters, who brandished placards in favour of Obiano.

PHOTO Speak! See Picture of some Sham Protesters in Anambra

Some Sham protesters protesting a Sham election in Anambra over the weekend.

INEC Declares Anambra State Governorship Election Inconclusive

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Anambra Governorship election that held on Saturday November 16th inconclusive.

The commission declared the election inconclusive due to the significant number of votes it voided during counting. It said the total number of votes cancelled is much more than the difference between the candidate with the highest number of votes and the runner up.

The results declared by the commission showed that Chief Willie Obiano of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) polled 174, 710; Comrade Tony Nwoye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 94, 354, while Senator Chris Ngige of the All Progressive Congress (APC) polled 92, 300 votes. Continue...

The APC, PDP, and Labour Party candidates had in a joint statement on Sunday called for the cancellation of the election citing irregularities.

The Chairman of the commission, Professor Attahiru Jega, had also in an interview with a local television station admitted that the election was flawed, especially in Idemili North local government, where he said the electoral officer connived with outside interests to sabotage and subvert the electoral process.

INEC to conduct supplementary elections in areas where elections were cancelled or did not hold.

Source: The Will Nigeria 

CALL FOR CANCELLATION OF ANAMBRA STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION

We, Senator Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige, Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah and Comrade Tony Nwoye,
candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP) and Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) respectively, hereby call for the total cancellation of Anambra State
Governorship Election held on the 16th Nov. 2013.
We are making this clarion call for total cancellation of the election because it was marred
by gross irregularities emanating from:-
1. Gross manipulation of the Voters Register leading to disenfranchisement of thousands
of innocent voters
2. Illegal removal of result sheets, doctoring of the said result sheets and massive
removal of ballot booklet and thumb – printing of the said ballot papers
3. Harassment and intimidation of Polling Agents and voters by security officials and
party thugs
4. Use of Voters Registers in some Local Government Councils different from the Voters
Registers made available to candidates
5. Late arrival of electoral materials
6. Manufacturing of results in many polling units where no voting took place
We are of the candid view that the sham election does not reflect the wishes and
aspirations of Anambra voters.
Our call for the cancellation of this election is reinforced by the public admission by
Professor Attahiru Jega, the INEC chairman that some INEC staff sabotaged the conduct of
the Election.
This call for the cancellation of the Election would have been unnecessary if INEC had
postponed the conduct of the election after becoming aware of the sabotage of the election
by INEC officials

Anambra election: Jega admits election official compromised poll

by Premium Times



INEC chairman Attahiru Jega said he was confident an official messed up the election.
Police has confirmed the arrest of the Electoral Officer accused of deliberately compromising Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra state.
In an interview Sunday, Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said he was convinced the official purposely hijacked the election in some local governments, leading to a reschedule.
“The Electoral Officer in charge of Idemili North for some inexplicable reason messed up the distribution of electoral materials,” Mr. Jega said in an interview with AIT television.
He said the official held some results sheets and in turn distributed false result sheets.
“We believe strongly that there was connivance between the EO and unknown agents to subvert the electoral process,” Mr. Jega said.
He said the Electoral Officer and supervisor in charge of Idemili North had been handed over to the police.
“We are serious about this matter and whoever is responsible will be apprehended and handed over for prosecution.”
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra, Bala Nasarawa, on Sunday confirmed the arrest of the official.
Mr. Nasarawa was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Awka as saying that the state police command was interrogating the official but declined to mention the presumed offence.
“Yes, I can confirm to you that we arrested one official, but I don’t know if that is the one you are talking about. Yes, we arrested one official,’’ he said.
The election could not take place in 65 polling units in Obosi, following the late arrival of INEC officials and the materials for the exercise.
Voters waited till 4 p.m. when the officials arrived, eight hours behind schedule, prompting the elders of the area to call for the rescheduling of the election.
INEC rescheduled the election in the area for Sunday, prompting at least two parties – APC and PDP – to call for a boycott. (NAN)

Friend Dupes Mikel Obi Of N100M

Nigerian top footballer, Mikel Obi has been duped. Mikel Obi was duped by a close friend after he was shown a property to buy. The footballer after inspecting the property was satisfied with it and gave his friend a cheque of N100m to purchase it. It was said that, his friend disappeared into thin air after he cleared the money and till today Mikel is yet to hear from him or see him.

A source who confirmed the story said, Mikel still finds it difficult to believe, they were very close the source said. The friend is no longer seen in town and his phone numbers have been unreachable. The source also said Mikel is still very much busy to come to Nigeria to report the case to the police.

(PHOTO OF THE DAY) HONESTLY SPEAKING WETIN BE DIS? Don't laugh Pls

Isn't she cute?

12 Reasons Women Don’t Date ‘Nice Guys’

1. Not real. Nice guys are too nice. No one can always be that nice unless they’re a saint. They are busy being nice instead of being real and women instinctually don’t trust that. Bad boys “keep it real.” Nice guys don’t want to upset the apple cart.
2. Respect. No one respects a doormat. Nice guys don’t set boundaries or make any real demands. A bad boy doesn’t let a woman walk all over him or control him. Women can’t respect a man they can control. No respect equals no attraction.
3. Predictable. Most people lead boring, predictable lives, so they’re attracted to people who are exciting and a bit unpredictable. Bad boys are always a challenge. Nice guys are never a challenge. Predictable plus no excitement plus no challenge.
4. Mother Nature. Women are designed to nurture. However, instead of doing this with children, they often end up doing it with bad boys. They think their love will save them. Nice guys rarely need to be saved.
5. Fixing. Nice guys don’t usually need to be fixed. Bad boys usually do, so they become a project. Women think if they can “create” the perfect man, he will never leave them. Also, if they’re busy fixing someone else, they don’t have to look at what needs to be fixed in their own lives.
6. Genetic wars. Women are designed to procreate with the strongest possible genes. Bad boys are sending an unconscious message that they have great genes, so they’re not afraid of losing the woman by misbehaving. Nice guys are sending a message that they don’t think their genes are good enough, so they won’t misbehave.
7. Fear of intimacy. If a woman is afraid of intimacy, she subconsciously knows she can avoid it with a bad boy, since she can never get close enough to him to have to go there. A nice guy will eventually want a commitment, and that’s scary.
8. Low self-esteem: We don’t feel comfortable with people who treat us better than we treat ourselves. If you don’t think much of yourself, the bad boy is simply reinforcing your negative belief. A nice guy is treating you in a way you’re not familiar with.
9. s*x. Women feel a nice guy won’t be good in bed. They sometimes like to be manhandled and think a nice guy won’t be able to take control and get the job done. A bad boy comes across as being able to deliver, even though that may not always be the case.
10. Hot. Have you ever seen a bad boy who wasn’t hot? They probably wouldn’t be able to get away with half the stuff they did if they didn’t look so good. Meanwhile, when a woman describes someone as a nice guy, she means, “He’s not hot.”
11. Charm. Nice guys don’t always know what to say and are sometimes at a loss for words. Bad boys can be very charming and know exactly what women want to hear. However, they eventually switch over to being selfish. By the time they reveal their true colors, the woman has fallen for them and has a hard time letting go.
12. Protection. Historically, men have protected women — physically and otherwise. Bad boys give the illusion of being able to protect women, while with nice guys, women aren’t so sure. Life is about balance. Most men fall into either the bad boy or the nice guy category. The ideal man is neither, but walks that fine line between the two. Until men learn how to do this, more often than not, women will choose the bad boy, until they realize that his bad qualities outweigh his good ones.

Sure-P Missing Funds By Sola Ademiluyi

When the late Afro beat Maestro, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti sang a hit song about 2.8 billion Naira missing from the treasury during the first tenure of Olusegun Obasanjo with Muhammadu Buhari as Petroleum Minister, it must have sounded like a big deal then. Now such amount of funds is mere chicken feed compared with the trillions of dollars that have been salted away since the return of democracy fourteen years ago.
The nation was engulfed in a crisis last year January as a result of the removal of petroleum subsidy. This was the precursor of the Occupy Nigeria movement that led many Nigerians old and young, rich and poor to protest the inhumane and anti-people policy in unison. The effect of the removal was the hike in the price of the products from 65 Naira to 141 Naira before its reduction to its current 97 Naira.
The Sure-P was established as an interventionist agency to manage the proceeds from the fuel subsidy removal. It is financed by the savings or the difference which would have been used to subsidise premium motor spirits had has been full subsidy for the product. The difference between the 65 Naira cost as full subsidy and the 97 Naira as partial subsidy is what the government uses to fund the project. The funds saved are divided among the three tiers of government.
There was a bit of hope as a committee was inaugurated with Dr. Christopher Kolade a man of proven integrity who had headed the National Broadcasting Commission, Cadbury and was Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom was appointed Chairman. They were to work closely with the Ministries of Finance, Petroleum and the Director-General of the Budget Office to ensure the funds were properly managed and restore the confidence of Nigerians.
The allegation by the Senate that 500 billion Naira was missing jolted the nation and made nonsense of its launch with great fanfare. The Plateau State House of Assembly’s SURE-P Chairman, Dalyop Mancha declared that funds from the project were not disbursed to the state and local governments since January last year.
The bane of the sixth largest producer of crude oil in the world has been mind boggling corruption and the impunity with which it is perpetrated. The Senate ad-hoc committee on SURE-P summoned Diezani Allison-Maduekwe, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Engineer Andrew Yakubu to appear before it and explain to Nigerians how over $3 billion grew wings. As is the norm in this clime fast sliding into a banana republic, they refused to appear before it giving the hapless populace the impression that they can fart and pour faeces on their faces with the confidence that the Heavens would not fall. This is not the first time this arrogance is being displayed. Chief Tony Anenih refused to appear before the House of Representatives Committee investigating the alleged 310 billion Naira scandals while he held sway as Minister for Works and Housing and combined the juicy portfolio with the Chairmanship of the Poverty Alleviation Programme. He has not only gone to become the Chairman of the Board of the Ruling Party’s Board of Trustees twice but is currently the National Ports Authority Chairman. Sir Emeka Offor was summoned by the Senate to answer questions over the abandonment of the turnaround maintenance contract for the refineries he received under the dictatorship of the late General Sani Abacha. He was at least ‘courteous’ to come but insulted the members of the senate committee and by extension the general populace by opining that he was too big for anyone to deal with in the country. How tragic!
The Petroleum Ministry released a report that the country consumed 1.3 billion litres in January last year; it dropped to 941 million the following month and slightly over 770 million by September. Why then have the remittances remained constant and not dropped? Don’t Nigerians have a right to know? Why the secrecy? Why is the NNPC feigning ignorance over this matter? It is high time the Freedom of Information Act Bill is invoked to compel these tin gods to render an account of how they allegedly squandered our commonwealth!
The programme has not even achieved anything. What is the rationale behind paying graduates 18,000 Naira a month that is worse than a piddling? Youth corpers earn more than that. Is the government preaching retrogression? We should be thinking about developing our human capital to the zenith and not fostering an economic structure that makes its most productive minds in their prime no more than glorified serfs.
Nigerians demand an answer to this recent hocus pocus!
@ademiluyitony

The Shame That Is Murtala Muhammed International Airport By Japheth Omojuwa

By Japheth J Omojuwa

How much does a country need to keep its busiest international airport from running like an oven? The Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos has to be the hottest airport in the world. It is easily the hottest I have travelled through and I have been through quite a lot of airports. Even the Nairobi airport in Kenya that was engulfed by fire is not as hot as the MMIA.

You should not even get started with comparing it with the airport in Cape Town or Johannesburg, South Africa. Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport, Accra may be small but it does not meet you with the repulsiveness the MMIA greets you with. Even the Eyadema airport in Togo has a better atmosphere. The Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal trumps ours by light years. This is speaking of African countries. We dare not try to compare with airports outside Africa. As soon as you descend from the plane to go through the immigration point, the feeling is as though you were being punished for daring to travel to Nigeria – if a foreigner – or you were being punished for daring to leave the country – if a Nigerian. The saddest part of this reality is that money is not the reason why we have an airport that makes us look like we are a people without shame. Or, are we?

There is a chance you are busy during the week. If you find time this Sunday, please pay a visit to the MMIA. Find your way to the Departure Hall. If it does not remind you of the old Oshodi in Lagos, I’d write an apology for everyone who says it doesn’t. Of course, there is a chance they quickly react to this piece to make a few cosmetic changes. If it looks better this Sunday because of this piece, just wait another four weeks; I can bet it will be back to its seamy self. Last Sunday, there were more touts than there were passengers inside the airport. The system is such that even getting your boarding pass to travel is made difficult so an incentive is created for you to engage one of the touts. I was approached to pay N5,000 to get my boarding pass. I wouldn’t pay because I just needed to see if I’d miss my flight despite arriving over three hours earlier. If that had happened, I’d have made sure the airline in question never gets to try it with anyone again. Where else could an anomaly like this happen? If you arrive the airport two hours before your flight, there is a chance you miss your flight not because that is not enough time before your flight but because somehow, someway, bottlenecks have been created to make you need touts to do what you’d do within minutes elsewhere. Nigeria is a nightmare!

If per chance you are wondering why one would dedicate a column to an airport of all the myriad of issues facing Nigeria, please have a rethink. The airport is an essential part of a country’s prestige and perception. Any country with a badly managed airport as ours is likely to be as badly managed as our country. If a country cannot manage its main airport, how can it manage anything else? Travelling through Section D 34 on Sunday and it was as though someone was increasing the heat as we were getting boiled. How much does it cost to make the air-conditioning systems work? What does it cost to make the airport clean enough? Why should we have people in queues for hours just to go through immigration and security checks? Why have more metal detectors if passengers are made to use just one or two on most occasions? Body scanners have been in use since 2007, how much does it cost to have them in our major airports? Why is Nigeria the only country where, to travel, you must have your box opened and ransacked by security men? What is the essence of running these same bags through electronic security? Why in the world can’t we get even the simplest of things right?

The first impression you get about a country upon visiting is its airport. There are people who intentionally run their flight connections through some airports just to make use of their facilities or make purchases. I know people who travel to other parts of the world but make sure to travel through Dubai simply because of the travel experience. I dare not start comparing our airports with Dubai’s because then I’d be comparing two things of different kinds. You will not find a Nigerian who has been outside of this country who is not ashamed of our airports. Of course, this does not include Nigerians who call things that do not exist as though they do; Nigerians who look at the poverty and gross unemployment and proclaim our lives are being transformed. You will not find a Nigerian who has the ability to face the truth who’d not admit shame at looking at our major airports. I was at the Addis Ababa airport last August when a Nigerian started lamenting behind me. She was shocked even Ethiopia could do better than the “giANT” of Africa. Giant ko, dwarf ni. We stay living in a delusion of grandeur that does not exist.

Having said all this, I will never be able to describe the pain and sadness that come with travelling from the MMIA. The only way you won’t feel this sadness is if you’ve gone past caring about this country or you are one of the reasons this country is so messed us as it is. The MMIA was modelled after Amsterdam’s Schipol. Over 40 years later, the MMIA is worse than it looked when the military government of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo remodelled it. Just look at Schipol airport today. If you dare compare both, tears will fill your eyes before you even get started.

Where then do we start? We can start by doing away with the touts inside the lobby. We can start by ensuring the air-conditioning systems work. We can look to make sure passengers are well-treated on arrival and departure. We always look at problems and immediately assume throwing money at them will solve them. I have since realised half the problems with Nigeria have nothing to do with money. Even with all the money in the world, our airports and our country will not work as long as we do not have people who care about excellence. Caring about excellence means knowing that Nigerians deserve the best all the time. When we reserve the rights citizens of other countries take for granted, upgrade such to privileges for our citizens, we will always miss the point of making things work. Nigerians deserve more but as long as we have people – including the President – dancing on national TV because a road contract has been awarded, we’d always have a situation where mediocrity will remain the norm. Would anyone say the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is the mess it is because of money? Nay. It is what it is because we are who we are. We have become a people accustomed to seeing nothing work.

It’d be great to see someone in authority do something about the mess that is the MMIA for starters. It’s a shame to Nigeria. But does Nigeria even understand what shame is? Does anyone really give a damn about the shame?

mr.omojuwa@gmail.com; twitter: @omojuwa

OSUN 2014: OYINLOLA TO MEET TINUBU

Barring last minute change of mind, plans have been concluded by the former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola to lead his associates and supporters in the new Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, over the coming governorship election in the state.

Daily Sun learnt on Monday that Oyinlola had held several meetings with his political associate where the idea of collaborating with the APC over the coming poll ahead of final consideration to join the party later.

A close source to one of the meetings held at Oyinlola’s residence in Okuku, headquarters of Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state confided in Daily Sun that “the choice of APC in the coming election is borne out of the belief that if a former senator grabs the PDP ticket, he will have the backing of Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who is the leader of the Labour Party.”

Governor Mimiko is believed to be a good friend of the senator and former deputy governor, who is believed to be so strong footed in the state chapter of the PDP so much that clinching the party’s ticket in the primaries is almost a foregone conclusion.

And if that happens, he will be the automatic leader of the party in the state over Oyinlola, his former boss a situation that no serious politician would detest.

Daily Sun gathered that the meeting was polarized into two factions with one faction supporting joining the Labour Party, while the other was in agreement with Oyinlola over the APC choice.

The faction that preferred the Labour, according to investigation hinged its support for the party on the reported Mimiko’s commitment to support any Labour candidate in any contest, while the other faction was of the conviction that teaming up with the APC would make them equal joiners since the party had not registered its members.

They said following Oyinlola to the APC would be in line with the thinking of the ‘rebel governors’ who were talking with the leadership of the APC about the possibility of belonging to the same party in the event that the old PDP refused to reconcile with them.

Daily Sun can authoritatively report that, it is against that polarization in the team that has led to some of the team members to go ahead to romance with the Labour Party with a view to joining the party and seeking its governorship ticket for the coming election in 2014.

Daily Sun had reported last week that a former commissioner under Oyinlola had concluded plans to declare for the Labour Party and also intend to declare his governorship interest before the end of this month.

A source close to the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregesola, who craved anonymity confided in Daily Sun that “the governor is not unaware of the move by a section of the opposition to have a meeting with him and his party.”

APC Demands INEC Prosecution of Anambra Governorship Candidate Within 24 Hours

By SaharaReporters, New York

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to commence the prosecution of Maduabuchi Willie Obiano, the candidate of the All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) in next Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Anambra State.

 

Mr. Obiano is alleged to have registered as a voter more than once as is allowed under the law, and in more than one state

In a letter today to the chairman of INEC, Mr. Festus Keyamo announced that he has been retained for the prosecution of Mr. Obiano. 

Recalling previous instances in which INEC has stated that it would prosecute cases of multiple registrants, APC drew attention to the situation in Anambra, saying that it puts the Commission’s resolve to test.

“This is the case of one “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie,” a voter registered at Otuocha Ward 1, Polling Unit 004, Eri Primary School 1 of Anambra East Local Government Area. From the Voters’ Register made available to all the political parties including our client, the said “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie” was issued a Voter Identification Number (VIN) 90F5B12B88377091121 at 2:18 pm on August 21, 2013. Further, the said Obiano was again issued with another Voter Identification Number 90F5B15E7D378200332 at exactly 10:25 am on September 3, 2013.”

The letter further noted that but for the clothes worn by the same Obiano on the different dates, all of the particulars of the voter were the same. 

“Also, it is now public knowledge that the said “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie” had earlier registered at Ifako/Soluyi Ward 2, Polling Unit 060 - Junction of Ramot Oluwakemi Street, Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State. His Voter Identification Number (VIN) is 90F5B12B01296204172 while his serial number on the Voters’ Register is 416,” the statement said, attaching a copy of the document evidencing the said registration at Ifako/Soluyi Ward 2 of Lagos State.”

Saying that INEC is reluctant to prosecute the suspect, the lawyer drew attention to Section 12(2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), which says, “A person shall not register in more than one registration centre or register more than once in the same registration centre.” It also drew attention to Section 12(3), “A person who contravenes the provision of subsection (2) of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding N100,000 or imprisonment.”

On those grounds, it gave INEC a 24-hour ultimatum to commence the prosecution of Mr. Obiano or it would apply for Mandamus to compel the Commission to carry out its statutory duty. 

Appearing on SaharaTV last Saturday, Kayode Idowu, the Chief Press Secretary of INEC, confirmed that the commission was aware of the controversy surrounding the multiple registration of Mr. Obiano, but he did not say if he would be disqualified for that reason

Jonathan announces 2m Naira reward for Golden Eaglets: Vanguard

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday announced cash rewards and national honours for the Golden Eaglets and their handlers who won the FIFA U-17 World Cup on Friday in the UAE.

President Goodluck Jonathan lifts the FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy at the reception for the Golden Eaglets Sunday in Abuja. Photo: State House - 

Jonathan made the announcement at a special reception in honour of the victorious Golden Eaglets, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The President announced a cash reward of N2 million to each of the team’s 19 players.

Jonathan also gave N3 million to the head coach, Manu Garba, and N2.5 million each to the two assistant coaches, Nduka Ugbade and Emmanuel Amunike.

The team’s doctor, physiotherapist, secretary, and the Chief Technical Officer were rewarded with N500,000 each.

Also, the Team Co-ordinator, Media Officer and Curator were given N300,000 each.

The President also said that the players, all their handlers and some key officials of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club would be given national honours at a later date.

Jonathan, who described the cash rewards as ”very very little tokens” from the federal government, urged state governments, the private sector and public-spirited individuals to follow the federal government’s step in rewarding the Eaglets.

The President extolled the team’s dedication, discipline and spirit of sportsmanship, noting that they brought honour to the nation.

He said ”with commitment and hard work, from being the second best in Africa, the Eaglets had transformed to the best in the world by winning the World Cup”.

Jonathan noted that with the consistent winning of five major tournaments in the last two years, Nigeria had recorded its golden era in sports.

The President attributed the success in the sector to the pro-active measures and policy action taken by his administration after the the country’s disappointing performance at the 2012 London Olympics.

He assured that his administration would continue to provide necessary support in terms of facilities and funding to the sports sector.

”The victory of the Eaglets was for the whole of Africa and the beginning of the revival in the nation’s sports sector,” Jonathan said.

He also charged stakeholders in the sector to harness the potentials of the victorious Eaglets for greater successes.

Speaking earlier, the Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, said that the success recorded by the team was not by accident but as a result of a system reconstructed to deliver results.

He said the process of selecting the victorious 19 players was rigorous and competitive, devoid of favouritism.

Abdullahi said the successes recorded so far in the sports sector in the last two years had placed Jonathan as the most successful President in Nigerian sports history.

”The victorious Golden Eaglets team is not just a team but a project and their winning will not be the end but a beginning of greater victory for the nation,” he said.

Before the President’s speech, the captain of the team, Musa Mohammed, had presented the cup to Abdullahi, who in turn presented it to the President.

The Ambassador of Mexico to Nigeria, whose country played the final match with the Eaglets, was also at the event.

He presented the home and away jersies of his country’s national football team to the President in a show of spirit of sportsmanship.

Vice-President Namadi Sambo, the Senate President, Sen. David Mark, and his Deputy, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, were also at the reception.

Others at the event included the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and his Deputy, Hon Emeka Ihedioha.

Also at the event were state governors such as Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Jonah Jang of Plateau, Babangida Aliyu of Niger, Liyel Imoke of Cross Rivers, ministers and presidential aides

Governor Chime Chases His Wife Out Of Government House

These are indeed not the best of times for Governor Sullivan Chime and his second wife, Clara, who is said to be having "serious" medical challenge. Their crises assumed a new dimension on Sunday as Governor Chime with the assistance of security operatives, sent his wife from the Enugu State Government House.

Mrs. Chime’s personal effects were packed for her by the governor and his security detail, and she was forcibly taken out of the Government House in broad daylight.

Mrs. Chime, who struggled to depart with her four-year-old son, was bundled into a convoy of six cars and taken to her mother’s residence at House 38, Coal City Estate, Enugu.

However, on getting there, the mother who had not been notified that her daughter was being brought home, was not around. This forced Mrs. Chime and the security operatives to sit in their cars waiting for her mother to return for several hours.

Soon, the news spread round town and journalists rushed to Clara mother's residence to cover the incident live. Consequently, Governor Chime ordered that his wife be brought back to Government House.

Sources say he intends to send her back to her mother on Monday.

The governor was said to have taken the sad action to drive his wife away because she petitioned him before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over her confinement against her wish.
Turner says Nigerians "don't like to support their leaders" but need to give Jonathan time.
"Nigerians should allow him time to focus on what he wants to achieve. He has not been in power for a long time. He has not been given any breathing space to focus on the issues," he said.
In a January 7 speech, Jonathan said elimination of the subsidy was a tough but necessary choice for the country's economic future. "I am determined to leave behind a better Nigeria that we all can be proud of. To do so, I must make sure that we have the resources and the means to grow our economy to be resilient and to sustain improved livelihood for our people.
"We must act in the public interest, no matter how tough, for the pains of today cannot be compared to the benefits of tomorrow."

A president under pressure (A MUST READ)

"El-Rufai’s ‘insulting’ Twitter post on Jonathan sparks debate"

A post on the Twitter page of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, describing President Goodluck Jonathan as “docile”, has sparked a debate.

El-Rufai, who is the Interim Deputy National Secretary of the opposition All Progressives Congress, had on Saturday quoted a tweet and its accompanying picture of one of his followers, Lauretta Onochie, on his Twitter page, which some people deemed anti-Jonathan.

The picture showed the President on his knees praying to God. However, the message which accompanied his picture stated, “Many prayers of the lazy, docile, incompetent, clueless, hopeless and useless leader!”

In an apparent move to shrug off initial criticism that he is a religious bigot, El-Rufai, who describes himself as a “certified ruffler of feathers” tweeted that he would have gladly posted such a tweet on his Twitter page if the President were a Muslim praying in the mosque.

“If he (a muslim President) prays instead of honest work, yes!” he tweeted, in response to a query by one Editi Akpan, who was worried about the tweet.

Quoting the words of American born poet, Joybell C, El-Rufai wrote that he has a message for members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and supporters of the President whom he described as “Jonathanians.” He wrote, “No, I am not bitter, I am not hateful, and I am not unforgiving. I just don’t like you.”

But the Presidency has reacted to the Twitter post, describing it as mockery of the office of the President. Special Assistant to the President on New Media, Reno Omokri, in a tweet to el-Rufai, branded him as a “bitter” fellow.

“It is only a sick and bitter fellow like you that would stoop so low to mock a man praying to his God. What type of man mocks a person who is praying to God? Even if you don’t respect your President, at least, respect God!” Omokri stated.

However, the controversial tweet has attracted mixed reactions from Nigerians on social media. While some Nigerians condemned the former minister for the message others argued that the adjectives used in the tweet truly describe Jonathan.

Those who carpeted el-Rufai said they had expected him to have steered clear of such tweets and not amplify such on social media.

According to them the President deserves some respect and putting such a post on his (el-Rufai’s) Twitter page was out of place.

A Twitter user, Ladi Owolabi, said the words used on the President were too heavy. “As an opinion leader and a former minister el-Rufai should know better than retweeting that rubbish? You (el-Rufai) should be totally ashamed of yourself!”

Another Twitter user, Bryan Chaut, described el-Rufai’s actions as a misbehaviour, adding that he needed to turn a new leaf.

“So the accidental Mallam misbehaved again today. We have become too wise in our own eyes that we mock people who pray to God. Mallam’s style is always the same, he asks someone to tweet something and then he retweets. This isn’t the first time. Mallam and his paid goons need to repent,” Chaut wrote on the micro-blogging service.