Senior North Korean official reappears, belies reports of another purge

SEOUL (Reuters) - A senior North Korean official, believed to be the No. 2 in the country after leader Kim Jong Un, has reappeared in official television footage, belying reports he had fallen victim to a fresh purge in the isolated nation.

Choe is the influential head of the political wing of North Korea's military and appears to have risen to become the second most powerful person in the country after the execution of Jang Song Thaek, Kim's uncle, last year.Choe Ryong Hae was pictured close to Kim in pictures taken in January and February, smiling but sporting a limp. He was seen enthusiastically taking notes on a visit by Kim to various sites and then appeared at a firing drill on a beach.

Speculation in recent weeks that Choe had also been purged triggered a wave of speculation that Kim was intent on shaking up North Korea's elite and that competing factions around the 31-year old leader were a destabilizing force in the North.

Choe's father was a partisan who fought alongside the young Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea.

In addition to the public title as the chief political operative for the North's 1.2-million-strong army, Choe holds a seat in the powerful standing committee of the ruling Workers' Party politburo shared only by Kim himself and two figurehead old guard members.

Choe is also one of the two vice chairmen of the ruling Workers' Party central military commission, a post that encompasses two of the most powerful institutions, the party and the military. He was made a vice marshal of the military this year.

In June, Choe was Kim's special envoy to meet President Xi Jinping of China, North Korea's only major ally. The meeting followed displeasure expressed by Beijing after North Korea launched a missile last year and conducted a third nuclear test.

There are frequent reports in South Korean and other media of the demise or fall from grace of top officials in North Korea, a closed nuclear- armed state.

"The Choe imprisonment rumor tells that it is hard to find out exactly what is happening inside North Korea.. and it is a problem to report information based on unreliable rumors from a source far away from Pyongyang," said Cheong Seong-chang, a North Korea expert at the Sejong Institute thinktank near Seoul.

APC leader got N84billion contract under ex-CBN Gov Sanusi – PDP

PDP is claiming that an APC leader got a contract worth N84billion from recently suspended CBN governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and that is why APC what pained when Sanusi was removed.

Find the Punch report below...

The Peoples Democratic Party has alleged that an unnamed leader of the All Progressives Congress got a contract of N84bn from the suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi. 

The party said this was one of the reasons why the opposition party was pained when President Goodluck Jonathan suspended the CBN governor.

Apart from this, the party also alleged that another leader of the APC got another N5bn consultancy contract while Sanusi was in office.

The National Publicity Secretary of the ruling party, Chief Olisa Metuh (pictured above), made the allegation at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

Metuh was commenting on the unveiling of the APC manifesto, which he said lacked character.

He said, “The spirited defence for the suspended Central Bank Governor  mounted by the APC was because the leaders of the party benefitted immensely from Sanusi.

“A fraudulent N84bn contract was awarded to a leader of the party while another N5bn  was paid to another stalwart of the party as consultancy fee.”

Metuh refused to give the names or the details of the contracts.

When asked for reaction, the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, promised to react “soon.”

He said he was attending a summit in Abuja.

Meanwhile, Metuh has described the manifesto which was released on Thursday as a product of what he called “Janjaweed ideology.”

He also described the manifesto as a roadmap to anarchy  which he said was typical of all anti-democratic coalitions and claimed that the manifesto lacked character, depth and that it completely addressed no issue.

Metuh said the manifesto ranked security of lives and property low and  that it gave no clue as to its  preparedness to tackle terrorism.

He added that the manifesto was a tacit acknowledgment that the APC might be benefiting from the mayhem and knew more than meet the eyes about the spate of terror attacks in the country.

He said, “When last year in its first official outing, the leaders of the APC said terrorism in Nigeria would disappear within 100 days of APC leadership, Nigerians did ask if they knew the characters in the crime and their sponsors. APC gave silence as an answer while Nigerians kept wondering.

“Today, the party has released its manifesto with loud silence on the matter so that Nigerians would not raise further questions on the face behind the terrorism mask.”

On job creation and war against corruption which the APC projected as cardinal on its manifesto, Metuh said the APC had no credible recipe for job creation nor had it shown the strength of character to fight corruption more than the PDP.

He said, “The PDP created anti-corruption agencies – the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and established the Freedom of Information Act to further give teeth to the war on graft.

“The PDP-led Federal Government has also shown no preferences in its battle against corruption as senior party leaders as well as relations have at one time or another been made to face the law on charges of corruption.”

13 students hospitalised in Lagos after inhaling poisonous fumes

13 students of Ogba Junior Grammah School, Ogba, in Ojodu Lagos collapsed yesterday March 6th after inhaling an unidentified poisonous fumes discharged from one of the cottage factories in Ogba Shopping Arcade, Vanguard reports.

This came four months after 25 of the students of the same school collapsed after inhaling an unidentified chemical waste discharged into drainage by a Photo Laboratory, situated in the Shopping Arcade.

When Vanguard visited the school, the management and staff were wondering which company would have discharged such hazardous fumes this time around.

Also, our correspondent observed that parents of the students raced to the scene to verify the condition of  their children. While those whose children weren’t affected by the emission rushed them back home, some were also sighted wailing over the ugly incident.

Mr. Oladokun, the father of one of the victims, who rushed to the scene immediately he heard of the incident, said: “I was in the office when  my wife called me that my daughter, who is in JSS 3 was also affected.”
The incidents was said to have occurred at about 12:40 pm while the students were still in their classes.

Vanguard gathered that the leak of the dangerous gas was least expected as it enveloped the premises making the victims unconscious.

Officials of the  National Emergency management Agency, NEMA and its Lagos state counterpart, LASEMA and the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit, SEHMU arrived the scene and rushed the unconscious victims to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja for treatment.

Of the 13 affected students, one was a male while the rest were females. Vanguard investigation revealed that one of the students was in critical condition and has been admitted at the Intensive Care Unit.

Some of the affected students were: Tijani Mariam, Subaidat Oladokun, Adebiyi Taiwo, Muiz Rodiat, Ogunbami Omolade, Onaigbe Blessing, Karimat Akiode, Rasak Gbolahan and Modupe Idowu.

Vanguard learnt that although the company responsible for discharging the chemical was yet to be identified, the state government has shut the school and the shopping complex indefinitely.

Source: Vanguard 

Photos: Sean Paul & Timaya collaborate on Bam Bam remix

Timaya is currently in the US shooting the video for his hit song, Watta Bam Bam remix featuring dance hall icon Sean Paul. He shared the info and pics on his instagram page...

Photo: Nigerian students rounded up in Malaysia

I sincerely cannot confirm that these are Nigerians but according to the person who sent the photo to me, they are Nigerians (and some citizens of other African countries) studying in Malaysia who were rounded up for not having complete papers. The sender said some of the students were arrested by immigration when they went to renew their visas, claiming they are living and schooling in Malaysia illegally. They want the Nigerian government to intervene and stop the harassment...

Civil War: Ohanaeze demands N2.4trn reparation, state apology for Ndigbo

The pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, yesterday, demanded from the Federal Government N2.4 trillion as reparation and compensation to Ndigbo in the five South East states and Anioma in Delta State, who lost their loved ones and property during the civil war as well as those still suffering dislocation and seizure of property in the country.

It also asked the Federal Government to tender a “State Apology for the wrongs the government and people of Nigeria visited on Ndigbo and Igboland” in the past.

These demands were contained in a statement entitled, ‘The Atrocities and Injustice Against Ndigbo and Ohanaeze Ndigbo: Demand for Reparation,’ issued by the Chairman, Ohanaeze Reparation Committee, Chief Mbazulike Amechi in Enugu.

He recalled that the apex Igbo organistion had on May 25, 2013 at its Imeobi meeting, which is the supreme executive organ of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, resolved that ‘enough was enough’ and that Ndigbo should now demand reparation and compensation and a final stop to the persecution of Ndigbo in their own country.

He said the committee, which he chaired, had taken the pains to document some of the atrocities, injustice and deprivation visited on Ndigbo and resolved to demand that the Federal Government should in addition to tendering a state apology,  pay a token of N400 billion to each of the five states of Igboland as compensation for the incalculable  damage done to the Igbo race.

According to him: “It is incalculable to put a price on the death of millions of Igbo who were killed in the civil war and on other occasions.

“However the Federal Government should pay a token of N400 billion to each of the five states of Igboland as compensation to those who lost their loved ones, lost property and those still suffering dislocation and seizure of property.

“The same amount should be paid to the government of Delta State for the benefit of Anioma area of the state,” Amechi said.

The elder-statesman, who was flanked by members of his committee, including Chief Ralph Obioha, Professor Uche Azikiwe, Dr. Chukwujama, Col. Ben Gbulie (rtd); Chief Maria Okwor, Prof. Paul Modum and other leaders of Ohanaeze, at the briefing, listed some of the chilling atrocities against Ndigbo as follows:

“On March 31, 1953, Tony Enahoro moved a motion in the House of Representatives asking for independence for Nigeria.

“Northern members of the House under the leadership of Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto) vehemently opposed the motion and threatened to break away from the federation.

“Shortly after that, S.L. Akintola went to Kano and in trying to explain the case for independence, said something which Northerners did not like. Their youths took up weapons and massively killed Igbos in such big towns as Kano, Kaduna, Zaria, etc; and destroyed and looted their property.

“It was known that over 300 Igbo were killed, but official figures released by the government only admitted that “36 people killed and 227 wounded.”

“In January 1966 some officers in the Nigerian Army organised a coup d’etat and overthrew the government of nationalists and founding fathers of the federation.

“A carefully planned pogrom and genocide was unleashed on the Igbo mainly in the North. On May 29, 1966 they commenced what they termed “ARABA” test riots. With the help of the police, Northern youths embarked on a supervised bloody ‘riot’ which lasted for seven agonising days in which hundreds of Igbo were killed all over the North and their property destroyed or looted.

“On July 29, 1966, in what was termed “Counter Revolution and Ethnic Cleansing” which began with the killing of Major Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi and over 300 military officers and men of Igbo origin escalated into the massacre of unsuspecting Igbo civilians, men, women and children in many Northern towns on a scale unprecedented in any part of the world even more gruesome than the killings of the Jews in Hitler’s Ger

DEFECTION: PDP sues Mark over 11 senators

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, dragged the Senate President, David Mark, and 11 other serving Senators that were elected on its platform but defected to All Progressives Congress, APC, before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, asking that their seats be declared vacant.

In an originating summons it entered through its lawyer, Chief Joe Gadzama (SAN), PDP further urged the high court to order Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to forthwith, conduct elections in the affected senatorial zones to fill the vacant seats.

Senate President David Mark

The party posed three questions for determination by the court: “Whether the 1st defendant, Senate President, by virtue of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, does not owe a legal duty to declare vacant the seats of the 2nd to 12 defendants, members of the Senate who decamped to APC without satisfying the conditions stipulated under Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.

Other issues the plaintiff prayed the high court to determine include “Whether the 2nd to 12th defendants, having been elected to the Senate on the platform of the 1st plaintiff (PDP) can, in view of the provisions of Section 68(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and having failed to meet the conditions laid down in Section 68(1)(g) of the constitution, validly decamp to APC and retain their seats.

“Whether, having regards to questions 1 and 2 above, the 13th defendant (INEC) is not obliged to conduct elections to fill the vacant seats in the affected senatorial districts of the lawmakers.”

Corruption: FG, Amaechi trade words

The Federal and Rivers State governments were, yesterday, locked in a hot exchange of words following accusation that the present federal administration had institutionalised corruption and given the vice a human face.

Governor Chibuke Amaechi who was the guest speaker at the 2nd annual Peoples Daily Conference tagged, ‘Nigeria: The 2015 Question,’ threw the first shot when he accused the Jonathan administration of reversing the deliberate efforts made by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in fighting corruption through established institutions.

Rotimi Amaechi and Goodluck Jonathan

He cited, among others recent revelations, of sleaze in federal agencies including allegations of the misuse of subsidies in petrol, kerosene and allegations of sharp practices in allocation of oil blocs.

“Whopping sums of $10 billion and $20 billion were alleged to have been missing; the aviation bullet-proof car saga remains unresolved, the subsidy saga is also unresolved and the Shell Malabu story. The impunity in fighting corruption is now extended to the door steps of those fighting corruption,’’ Governor Amaechi said in a speech delivered on his behalf by his Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari

He  described the removal of the Central Bank Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as unconstitutional, accusing the President of total disrespect for the rule of law.

The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku was, however, swift in hitting back at Amaechi as he called on the citizenry to look at all levers of government in checking the problems of the country.

Missing $20bn: We can’t carry out forensic audit, says Auditor General

THE Auditor General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, yesterday, told the Senate Committee on Finance investigating the alleged unremitted $20 billion to the federation account by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, that his office lacked the constitutional power to carry out forensic audit on NNPC account.

The suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi had raised the alarm that the $49.8 billion, which was supposed to be remitted to the coffers of the Federal Government through the nation’s apex bank was nowhere to be found.

Sanusi’s allegation and petition to the Senate Committee led to the ongoing probe of the missing fund where the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had told the committee that she was going to hire foreign experts for forensic audit of NNPC.

However, the Senate Committee on Finance invited the office of the Auditor General of the Federation to make its own submission as regards forensic auditing.

The Ahmad Makarfi-led Finance Committee had asked the Auditor General to explain the link between his routine checks in NNPC and the committee’s investigation.

The Committee specifically requested Ukura to furnish it with information on whether the periodic check his office was doing in NNPC had to do with the investigation it is currently carrying out.

The constitution

However, the AGF in his submission before the committee said that the constitution in Section 85 Subsection 2 and 3 barred him from embarking on such an exercise, adding that what he could only do was a routine check of NNPC account.

Ukura said that already 20 chartered accountants had been deplored to the corporation to look into the financial records and establish if there were missing funds.

He said: “I want to refer you to Section 85 (2) of the constitution which says nothing in this section shall be construed as authorising the Auditor General to audit the account of, or appoint auditors for government statutory corporation, commission, authorities, agencies, including bodies established by the act of National Assembly.

“But the Auditor General shall provide such bodies with a list of auditors qualified to be appointed as external auditors and from which the bodies shall appoint their external auditors and guidelines of the level of fees to be paid to external auditors.

“Subsection 4 says the Auditor General shall have power to conduct routine checks on all government statutory corporation, com-mission, agencies and so on.

“Going by the Section 3 of Subsection 8 (5), the Auditor General cannot do a forensic auditing of any of the government agencies.

‘Our checks’

“According to Section 4, what we are doing is a periodic check. 20 of my staff are there to do period check. We will provide the checklist.

“We are looking at the revenue generated and the expenditure.”

But Chairman of the Committee, Senator Makarfi asked the Auditor General to submit in writing before close on Friday (today) whether he has the manpower to do the auditing, adding “we will give you further directive if your letter did not cover what we are looking into.

“We want you to, in writing, confirm to us what you are checking in the NNPC accounts. Does it cover what we are looking for?

“We will only give further directives when you write letter to us to tell us whether or not what you are doing covered our own area of investigation.”

US freezes $458 mn stolen by Nigeria dictator Abacha

 The United States said Wednesday it had ordered a freeze on $458 million in assets stolen by former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and his accomplices and hidden in European accounts.

The Justice Department said the corruption proceeds — stashed away in bank accounts in Britain, France and Jersey — were frozen at Washington’s request with the help of local authorities.

Abacha died in office in 1998, but his surviving relatives still include some of the richest and most influential figures in Africa’s most populous nation.

Late Sani AbachaAccording to a civil forfeiture complaint unsealed in the US District Court in Washington, the department wants the recover more than $550 million in connection with the action.

“This is the largest civil forfeiture action to recover the proceeds of foreign official corruption ever brought by the department,” said Mythili Raman, acting assistant attorney general.

“General Abacha was one of the most notorious kleptocrats in memory, who embezzled billions from the people of Nigeria while millions lived in poverty,” she said.

The Justice Department said the assets frozen — along with additional assets named in the complaint — represent the “proceeds of corruption” during and after the military regime of Abacha, who became president of Nigeria through a military coup on November 17, 1993 and held that office until his death on June 8, 1998.

The complaint alleges that Abacha, his son Mohammed Sani Abacha, their associate Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and others “embezzled, misappropriated and extorted billions from the government of Nigeria and others, then laundered their criminal proceeds through the purchase of bonds backed by the United States using US financial institutions.

”Raman said that the action sends a “clear message” that the United States is “determined and equipped to confiscate the ill-gotten riches of corrupt leaders who drain the resources of their countries.

”- Return funds ‘where appropriate’ -The US government’s Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative “where appropriate” provides for the return of stolen proceeds “to benefit the people harmed by these acts of corruption and abuse of office.”It did not specify what action would be taken with regard to the Abacha case.

The funds frozen include approximately $313 million in two bank accounts in the Bailiwick of Jersey and $145 million in two bank accounts in France, the department said.Four investment portfolios and three bank accounts in Britain were frozed, with an estimated value of at least $100 million but the exact amounts in the accounts have not yet been determined, it said.

The Justice Department said that on February 25 and 26, authorities in Jersey, France and Britain complied with the US action to freeze the assets.The complaint also seeks to freeze five corporate entities registered in the British Virgin Islands.

According to the complaint, Abacha and others systematically embezzled billions of dollars in public funds from Nigeria’s central bank on the false pretense that the funds were necessary for national security.

They withdrew the funds in cash and then moved the money overseas through US financial institutions.Abacha and his finance minister, Anthony Ani, also allegedly caused the Nigerian government to buy Nigerian government bonds at vastly inflated prices from a company controlled by Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha.

That operation created an an illegal windfall of more than $282 million.In addition, Abacha and his co-conspirators allegedly extorted more than $11 million from a French civil engineering company, Dumez, and its Nigerian affiliate in connection with payments on government contracts.Funds involved in each of these schemes were laundered through the United States in nine financial institutions, the complaint alleged.The financial institutions involved include Citibank, Chase Manhattan Bank and Morgan Guaranty Trust Company, now JPMorgan Chase, and New York-based units of Britain’s Barclays Bank and Germany’s Commerzbank. 

Abdullahi in London, aborts trip to Poland

Bolaji Abdullahi heard the news of his sack as sports minister in London, Julius Ogunro, his spokesman said Wednesday, reports ONOCHIE ANIBEZE.

The former minister was transiting in London on his way to the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Poland. He left Abuja yesterday morning. While on board, his disengagement was announced.

Bolaji Abdullahi,Sports MinisterOgunro quickly informed him and he aborted the journey to Poland where he was expected to motivate the few Nigerian athletes competing in the championships.

Abdullahi had picked special interest in track and field, noting the number of medals the sport could win for Nigeria in international events like the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games and engaged two Americans to help develop the sports Nigeria has comparative advantage in.

Athletics was favoured although the minister was yet to back his support with adequate funding. However, there were promises and plans to boost the sport. The event in Poland would be the first outing of the American High Performance Directors for Nigeria and the minister wanted to see things for himself. But fate had a different plan for him.

“He did his best for Nigerian sports. The achievements speak for him,” Ogunro said of the man from Kwara and who was nominated for ministerial appointment by the Sarakis who have now pitched tent with the opposition party, APC. 

Another PDP member kidnapped in Rivers

ANOTHER Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, member has been abducted in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.A police source gave the victim’s name as Mr Dicken Worlu, adding that he was taken hostage from his residence in Dioubu area of Port Harcourt last night.This brings to four, members of PDP that have been taken hostage in the last one week in the state.Vanguard gathered that the kidnappers had not established contact with the families of Mr Worlu for ransom. The development has generated tension in Port Harcourt as most residents now retire to their houses early. - source http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/03/another-pdp-member-kidnapped-rivers/#sthash.wgguGy6j.dpuf

Lagos police parade 13 suspected cultists

 The Lagos State Police Command, yesterday, paraded 13 suspected cultists who were said to have converged from different parts of the state at a hotel recently.Parading the suspects, state Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Manko said: “On March 1, 2014 at about 3:55 a.m. upon a distress call received by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Ilasan Division, Lekki, Lagos, it was discovered that a group of cultists were converging on a hotel situated at Igbokosun, Lagos and were about to perpetrate some evil.

*The suspected cultists“Among the suspects paraded were: Ayomipo Sunny, Rilwan Saludeen, Tosin Jacob, Suleiman Abolaji, Babatunde Fashola, James Imeh, Olumide Tosin, Kola Abanikanda, Ibrahim Sikiru, Adedeji Adekunle and Ogunsola Oladimeji.“Based on this information, a team of policemen, led by the DPO, CSP Gbenga Olurunfemi, proceeded to the scene. On sighting the policemen, they took to their heels.“They were subsequently chased and 13 of them wearing T-shirts bearing Supremost Eiye Confraternity inscription were arrested.“Further investigation revealed that the celebration was the birthday of a member who has just been initiated into the cult.“However, members were said to have come from Ogun State, Bariga, and Ajah for the ceremony.“The following items were recovered at the scene of the crime: a set of sound system, various mobile phones, two Vanagon buses with number plate AAA 265 XJ, APP 198 XJ and one Infinity SUV with number plate EPE 505 MD. The case was later transferred to SCID Yaba for investigation and report.”Suspects’ accounts“My name is Ogunshola Olademeji, I am a waiter at Blue Fish Restaurant. I closed from work at about 11: 30 pm.“It was on my way from Victoria Island that I decided to relax which was why I stopped at the hotel.“I was at the bar trying to enjoy myself in the morning between 2 am and 3am. I didn’t know these people but when I came there I noticed that they were celebrating.“I was inside the bar but the others were in an open field inside the hotel premises. I live in West Coast area in Jakande.”Adedayo Ojomo: “Usually after I close from work I go to the hotel to relax. It is my usual style. On that fateful day, after I had finished work I went there, and I met some guys there.“They bought drinks for me, I also bought for them too. But I didn’t know they were cultists. They told me that they wanted to have a party, saying they had branded T-shirts and it costs N2,500 each and I showed interest.“The next Friday, as I got there I wore another dress but they gave me the T-shirt and I wore it. I sat down with them; they served us food, and drinks and we ate. The next thing I saw was policemen everywhere and they started shooting.“Because I didn’t know anything I refused to run. That was how I was arrested by the police.”Crying profusely, Ojomo said he has a wife and two children.

Man, 23, remanded for chopping off woman’s finger

Lagos — A 23-year-old labourer, Isaac John, who allegedly chopped off a finger off the hand of one Mrs Ogochukwu Aronwu, was yesterday remanded in prison custody by an Ikeja magistrate’s court pending when his remand warrant will be brought to court.The defendant is facing a three count charge bordering on robbery, infliction of wound and attempted murder, preferred against him by the police.Magiatrate Eniola Fabamwo ordered that he be remanded after going through the first count charge.The Police prosecutor, Inspector Benson Emuerhi, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence on February 14, 2014 at about 7:50 p.m.He said the incident happened along Murtala Muhammed Airport Road in Ikeja area of the state.Okoi said the defendant, while armed with a knife and other dangerous weapons, robbed one Mrs Ogochukwu Aronwu of her hand bag containing some money and headtie.The prosecutor also alleged that John inflicted wound on his victim by cutting off her left hand, adding that the defendant with intent to kill his victim, used a knife to cut off the fourth finger of her left hand.However, the defendant, who has no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the charges.The magistrate then adjourned the case till March 10, 2014.

President Jonathan Sacks Heads Of Aviation Agencies In Nigeria

The Nigerian government yesterday fired all directors working in various aviation agencies in the country.
See text of press release by the the SGF office below:

RE-ORGANIZATION IN THE MINISTRY OF AVIATION
His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has approved the following re-organization in the Ministry of Aviation:
(i) Engr. Saleh Dumona (Director Projects, FAAN) to replace Mr. George Uriesi as Managing-Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
(ii)Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam (General Manager, Procurements, NAMA) to replace Engr. Nnamdi Udoh as Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
(iii) Capt. Samuel Akinyele Caulcrick (Government Safety Inspector & ICAO Focal Point for Nigeria on line Aircraft Safety Information Systems, OASIS) to replace Capt. (Mrs.) Chinyere Kalu as Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).

(iv) Capt. Muhktar Usman (Commissioner, Accident Investigation & Prevention Bureau, AIPB) to replace Capt. Fola C. Akinkuotu as Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) subject to confirmation by the Senate. Engr. Benedict Adeyileka is to act as DG, NCAA pending the confirmation by the Senate.

(v)Dr. Engr. Felix A. Abali (Director Licencing, NCAA) to replace Capt. Muhktar Usman as Commissioner, Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIPB).

(vi)Dr. Tony Anuforo retains his position as Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMMET).

(Signed)

Sam Nwaobasi

Special Assistant (Media) to the

Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

APC denies copying PDP’s manifesto

Alhaji Lai Mohammed
APC denies copying PDP’s manifesto


•Accuses Presidency of voodoo opinion poll

The All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday it has never in any manner copied the manifesto of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), because it is empty.

It insisted that the recent poll by KA Research Ltd, Africa Division, which gave it a 10 per cent edge over PDP was more authentic than NOI Polls allegedly traced to the Minister of Finance, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo–Iweala.

APC accused the Presidency and PDP of practising voodoo with doctored opinion poll.

The party made its position known at a briefing in Abuja by its interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, preparatory to the launching of its “ROADMAP” tomorrow.

He said: “You see, we did not copy any manifesto. Honestly, if anybody is going to copy any manifesto, PDP’s manifesto is the worst to be copied. It should be clear to everybody.

“In fact, when we merged, Nigerians were yearning for merger on a daily basis. We held news conferences. We raised a merger committee. We set up a manifesto committee led by Chief Audu Ogbeh. It was a beautiful piece of work. But you can see that we have even gone a step further with our roadmap.

“When our manifesto committee was raised, we needed that manifesto to meet Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) requirements to register. What we have is the roadmap, built on what the manifesto committee did. It will be suicidal for any party in Nigeria to copy PDP’s manifesto. I am not even aware if they have any. If they have, it is not even good. Why would anybody copy them?”

Mohammed said contrary to insinuations, it was the PDP, which was poaching APC members because it was jittery.

He added: “I listened to the national chairman of the PDP in Ilorin on Monday and he talked about poaching. We never poached. You see, when we started the process last year, we announced to the whole world that the defunct ANPP, the defunct ACN and the defunct CPC would enter into a merger and become one party.

“We went into the process as prescribed for us by relevant laws and the constitution. That was the first stage. This is why I keep explaining to people that three things happened in Nigeria, which changed the political landscape. The first was on July 31, 2013, the day INEC approved the merger. From that day, the political calculations, the political permutations in the country changed.

“The second was exactly a month after when seven PDP leaders and their governors walked out of a convention and PDP has not recovered from that. The final was the day the new PDP joined the APC.

“So what happened was on the one hand via merger, which was perfectly legitimate; then we had an implosion within the PDP. It was that implosion, which led to the walking out of the leaders, which finally led to their coming to join the APC. We did not poach.

“Now, it is true that probably if there had been no merger, there will be no such platform. Those governors and those PDP senators would have been probably forced to stay in PDP. This is because there would have been no options for them.

“Come to the ACN, they will say it is a Southwest party. Go to ANPP, they will say it is a northern regional party. Go to this, they will say it is one man party. Now because our own leaders had the foresight of embarking on this merger, despite the cynicism of everybody, by the time the implosion happened, there was a national platform for them. This is what the National Chairman of PDP, Adamu Muazu, is mistaking for poaching. We never poached anywhere.”

The APC interim National Publicity Secretary said the PDP National Chairman was mistaking defection for poaching.

Said he: “However, while the law makes it permanently legal, legitimate for a governor, the deputy governor, the president or the vice president to move over from the party upon which he or she is elected to another party, it is not so easy with the legislators.

“So there is no ceremony if a governor crosses to APC tomorrow. But for a legislator to be able to move, it is expected that there is a faction within your party. Also there are procedures in the House. So, those 44 or 45 senators, who moved from PDP to APC, and the 37 members from the House of Representatives, who moved from PDP to APC were only following all righteousness to inform the House and the Senate President. Obviously, it is because of the faction within the PDP. Even today, I read that Oyinlola said he still remains the authentic National Secretary of the party.

“So whatever we have done, look at it from the view point of the constitution, from the view point of the law. We have always been law-abiding. They are the ones poaching. We did not poach in any way.”

On the controversy over opinion poll, Mohammed said APC did not conduct the survey on its own.

He gave insights into how the poll was conducted and released some indices to show that it was a credible exercise.

According to him, “for the benefit of the President and his likes who are hard of hearing, let’s give more specifics on the polling company and poll:

“•The survey has been conducted by KA Research Limited, Africa Division, on behalf of APC Nigeria within the 2015 Pre-Election Polling Programme, between December 9, 2013 and January 12, 2014.

“•The survey results is based on a Face to Face Nationwide Survey conducted in 36 States + FCT in Nigeria; with sample size of 21.091 interviews; representing 18+ population of Nigeria living in urban and rural settlements.

“•The survey respondents have been selected using multi-stage random sampling methodology across all Nigerian states; interviewed by experienced and trained local field teams in each state.

“•The survey results have a margin of sampling error of +/- 0.7 per cent, including design effect.

“•KA Research Limited (KARL) is a privately-owned international research company, based in Brussels, Belgium and Istanbul, Turkey; operating in more than 60 countries with its own offices, subsidiaries and affiliates in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA Region).

“•The company specialises in social and political polling; economic and media research in EMEA Region; its clientele includes private, governmental, non-governmental and academic clients, think-tanks; such as World Bank, United Nations, UNICEF, UNDP, Save The Children, USAID, DFID, University of Michigan, University of Maryland, CSIS, Brooking Institutions, National Democratic Institute, ABC News, BBC World Service, NHK Japan, ARD Germany, Deutsche Welle, Radio France International, Coca-Cola and Burger King Corporations; the company is also cooperating and working closely with major global research and consulting companies in EMEA Regions.”

The APC spokesman said the release of the poll outcome had created confusion in the Presidency.

He said: “First, the Presidency was confused. They seemed to think the APC conducted this survey itself. No, they got things wrong.

“Unlike the PDP, we do not conduct surveys ourselves; instead, we commissioned professionals to conduct our polls. We used experts in the field so that the results are accurate and above reproach. In this instance, our poll was conducted by KA Research Limited, Africa Division. It was the largest survey of its kind ever conducted in Nigeria. I understand how this might have been confusing to the Presidency, since the PDP does not use unbiased, professional pollsters.

“This explains why the results were such a shock to the PDP. The Presidency suggested we were practising some kind of voodoo. It seems the voodoo is coming entirely from the PDP and its survey company.

“Second, just who is the PDP/Presidency’s polling company? It is a firm named NOI Polls. And just who is this firm? Do those initials ring a bell? The Presidency’s pollster is none other than Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (NOI), the Coordinating Minister herself!

“And considering she recently lost track of more than $20billion at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), why would anyone trust any number she ever produced?

“If there’s anyone practising voodoo, it’s NOI polls. And when you ask the Coordinating Minister about her polling company, make sure to also ask her about the money that’s disappeared, and that the people of Nigeria need their money back!

“So, now that we’ve set the record straight and we know our survey numbers are the correct and credible ones, let’s review those results one more time:

“When asked, “If the elections were held today, would you vote for Goodluck Jonathan or the candidate of the All Progressives Congress,” the APC candidate held a 10-point b lead over the President. By a margin of 44 per cent to 34 per cent (with 22 per cent undecided), the APC candidate was the clear national choice.

“When asked, “In general, do you think things in Nigeria are going in a good direction or bad direction,” by a staggering more than two-to-one margin (50 per cent-24 per cent), Nigerians responded that the country was going in a bad direction.

“When asked, “What issue would you like the President and National Assembly to focus on most,” an overwhelming majority (60 per cent) said job was the dominant issue that the government should address.

“And then when asked if they found the following statement convincing or not, “Goodluck Jonathan has done nothing to create jobs, and far too many people are still unemployed.” Decisively, 58 per cent of Nigerians found that argument about Jonathan convincing.

“Finally, when asked if Jonathan was doing a good or bad job fighting corruption, 59 per cent of Nigerians thought Jonathan was a doing a bad job fighting corruption.”

Asked what the APC had realised from the poll, Mohammed said it was obvious Nigerians were after change.

He added: “The message is clear: The nation is going in the wrong direction. The country wants change and would not vote to re-elect Jonathan in part because the number one issue to Nigerians is job and the nation believes Jonathan has no credibility on the issue of job creation.

“Nigerians also believe Jonathan has done an extremely poor job fighting corruption (that he’s actually closed his eyes to corruption) and that the resources that should be invested in job creation, infrastructure and economic development have been stolen and wasted – undermining the nation’s opportunity.

“We hope the PDP will also come clean on its own survey company; the fact that it is owned by a serving minister whose initials are used to name the company, and the fact that it has been feeding doctored opinion poll to Nigerians.

“We have chosen to call the opinion polls they conduct on behalf of themselves and for themselves ‘’incestuous’’. We have nothing more to add!”