The Nation Newspaper

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  • 2015: North ‘ll concede to Igbo, says Kalu

    Former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu yesterday said the North would not stop Igbo Presidential aspiration in 2015.

    Apparently set to prove that Nigerians in the North were not overshadowed by somepoliticians, Kalu deflated the reasoning that the Southeast cannot get justice in the next presidential arrangement.

    He said: “We are not being fair when we say the North will not compromise.On June 12, 1993, Chief Moshood Abiola, a Yoruba, defeated Alhaji Bashir Tofa in his backyard. In 1999, they chose Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, another Yoruba. So, all things being equal, something similar will happen in 2015 in favour of the Igbo.”

    Kalu delved into history to show that the Igbo trusted and maintained ties with the North.

    “Four Igbo sons – Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Gen. Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, Col. Emeka Ojukwu and Maj. Nzeogwu spoke fluent Hausa. In fact, Zik and Ojukwu were born in Zungeru. Ironsi appointed Lt.Col.Yakubu Gowon as Army Chief,” he said.

  • JTF seizes two vessels, 300,000 litres of diesel in Rivers

    Two illegal bunkering vessels containing 300,000 litres of diesel and 10 Nigerian crew members have been arrested by operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Bonny, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    Spokesman of the 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, Major Michael Etete at the weekend said the vessels, MT Lady Theresa and Pecos Peters, were arrested on October 17 and 18 at LightHouse, Bonny River.

    Etete said the vessels were registered in Nigeria and were caught siphoning illegally-refined petroleum product from a barge.

    He said the arrested crew members would be handed over to the police.

    Also at the weekend, the JTF burnt over 100,000 litres of illegally- processed diesel in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    It also destroyed three boats and arrested six persons suspected to be involved in the illegal business.

    The JTF, led by the Commanding Officer, Nigeria Navy Ship Victory, Calabar, Navy Commodore Kingdom Itoko, raided the hideout where the business was going on at Bay Side and Jebbs Street.

    At Bay Side, four men and two women were arrested. At Jebbs those involved escaped.

    Itoko said the building used for the illegal business would be burnt.

    He said: “As part of my duties for the stoppage of illegal bunkering, oil theft and pipeline vandalisation, I am here to effect the arrest of illegal bunkerers and their collaborators and the residents of this illegal building where the product is kept. This is a crime and we are committed to stopping it.

    “The perpetrators are very prominent people. Even when we arrest their boys, the suspects are not often willing to name their sponsors. The suspects will be handed over to the appropriate authorities foe prosecution.”

  • Four-storey building collapses in Onitsha

    An uncompleted four-storey building, at 20 Ukaeje Street, Awada, On the outskirts of Onitsha, the Anambra State capital, collapsed on Friday.

    A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited the site on Saturday, said many people witnessed the incident.

    Mr Steven Okechukwu, a resident, said the incident occurred at noon on Friday.

    Okechukwu said nobody died although some unused building materials were still in the debris of the building.

    He said: “As you can see, the collapse of the uncompleted building suggests that sub-standard or inadequate materials were used in it.

    “There had been at least monthly incidents of collapsed buildings, especially the newly-built ones in Onitsha.

    “And till now, the Anambra Government has not been out with a clear regulation and frame-work to check these death traps being erected,” he said.

    Mr Ojo Momodu, Station Officer of Isiwolu Police Station, Nkpor-Awada, said the incident had not been reported to the police.

    “We are just hearing about it and no one has come to report the incident.

    “Although with your information, we would go down to the spot and investigate it,” Momodu said.

    NAN recalls that in September, an uncompleted five-storey building collapsed at 5 Nnewi Street, Fegge in Onitsha

  • Police deny sealing off Kogi Assembly

    Kogi State Police Commissioner Mohammed Musa Katsina has denied sealing off the House of Assembly.

    He said he only tightened security in flashpoints across the state.

    Addressing reporters at the weekend in Lokoja, the state capital, the police chief explained that his action was to avert likely breaches of the peace following the impeachment of erstwhile Speaker Abdullahi Bello.

    Katsina said he acted on a petition he received from Bello and an intelligence report, which said some miscreants were planning to attack the Assembly.

    The police commissioner said he immediately drafted riot policemen to the area.

    According to him, he was surprised that Bello told the media that he had sealed off the Assembly Complex.

    Katsina said the Assembly was not sealed, since the workers and others with legitimate businesses were allowed entry into the complex.

    The police chief said he withdrew the police escort attached to Bello following a letter he received from the Clerk of the House on the change of leadership in the Assembly

    He said Bello wrote a petition, urging his office to investigate an alleged signature forgery against some Assembly members.

    Katsina said: “But when he (Bello) was invited to shed more light on the allegation, he ran away.”

    The CP stressed that as a chief law officer in the state he would not fold his arms and allow the breakdown of law and order. He warned politicians not to drag him into their face off

    Bello and the new Speaker Lawal Jimoh are from Okene Local Government Area.

    Bello and other principal officers were removed last Tuesday by 17 of the 25 members of the House.

    But Bello refused to quit office.

    He said he was fraudulently removed by pro-Wada lawmakers, who he alleged were financially induced.

  • Abia to probe Kalu

    The Abia State Government has said it would probe the Orji Uzor Kalu administration to determine the alleged financial misappropriation against him from 1999 to 2007.

    In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Theodore Orji, Mr Ugochukwu Emezue, the government said one of the areas that the probe would focus on is the former governor’s handling of the state’s Infrastructural Fund.

    The government said it believed the funds were mismanaged.

    The problem between the former governor and his successor started about two years into the first tenure of the present governor.

    It led to both of them parting ways before the last general elections.

    The statement explained that the probe would ascertain the level of corruption during the eight-year tenure of the former governor.

    It added that there are some areas that need to be cleared on how the state’s funds were administered at that time.

    On the Kalu’s claim that Orji has property in Abuja and other cities, the statement challenged the former governor to publish the documents on such property.

    The statement also urged Kalu to explain how he allegedly acquired multi-billion naira mansions in Potomac, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, all in the United States, and the acquisition of Slok Airlines, banks and other businesses.

    The government alleged that most of the houses and businesses were acquired by the former governor when he was in office.

    It said: “But Kalu is rather busy, playing to the gallery with his deceitful Igbo Presidency agenda in 2015, with the aim to remove attention from him on corruption. And he will soon be exposed.”

    The government also alleged that Kalu left a huge debt profile, which it said has remained a sour point.

    “Little wonder he is always angry when this issue is raised this sour point will continue to haunt him,” the statement said.

  • Balarabe Musa: North’ll prevent Nigeria’s disintegration

    Second Republic Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, at the weekend said northerners would ensure that Nigeria does not disintegrate.

    The former governor noted that despite the security challenges facing the country, Nigeria would still remain one entity.

    Musa spoke in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, at the 70th birthday of Chief Lekan Balogun, the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland.

    He urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the future of the country.

    Through Comrade Laoye Sanda, the former governor said he and many other northerners believed in Nigeria’s continued unity, despite the present challenges.

    Musa, who was the guest speaker, said he has been an associate of Balogun for several years.

    He urged the Federal Government to create jobs for the millions of unemployed youths, adding: “A situation, where able-bodied men and women are unemployed, portents dangers for the future of the country. We take serious exception to the daily increase of unemployed youths. A situation where Nigerians cannot eat three meals in a day is not acceptable to us.”

  • I have no hand in Bello’s impeachment, says Wada

    Kogi State Governor Idris Wada yesterday absolved himself of blame in the controversial impeachment of former House of Assembly Speaker Abdullahi Bello.

    In a statement in Abuja by his media aide, Jacob Edi, the governor said the allegation that he financially induced 12 of the 25 lawmakers to remove Bello was “satanic and most unfortunate”.

    In the statement, entitled: Abdullahi Bello, former Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly: Our position, Wada said: “Bello’s position is a rehearsal of tissues of lies, which has become well known in the active rumour mills, since the sack of the leadership of the House of Assembly.

    “Ordinarily, and since the crisis engulfed the Assembly, the executive has maintained neutrality. But much as the government is not eager to join issues with the former Speaker, it is constrained to issue this statement to set the records straight and educate the public, which may have been persuaded and misled by Bello’s infamous outing.

    “The issue, as contained in the impeachment notice, is purely an internal problem of the legislature. Therefore, any effort to link the good name of the governor and thereby tag him as the mastermind of the impeachment is not only unfortunate and puerile but should also be treated as a desperate attempt by somebody on a free fall to diverting the attention of the public from the real issues as listed by Bello’s colleagues.

    “The grounds for impeachment as contained in the impeachment notice which have been well reported in the media are well spelt out and not vague.

    “For anyone in doubt, Bello and his cohorts were accused of poor leadership and high handedness.

    “To be precise, the former Speaker was accused of being insensitive to the feelings of the citizenry as shown in his refusal to show reasonable concern first when 19 worshipers, and two soldiers on national assignment were gunned down by unknown persons in the Central Senatorial District and later during the flood that ravaged nine local government areas cutting across the three Senatorial Districts of the state.

    “He was accused of adjourning the House indefinitely and being absent during the visits of President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President David Mark, who separately paid solidarity visits to the flood victims.”

    Bello denied the allegation, saying they were dissident legislators out to precipitate anarchy in the state.

    He said: “The accusation that I did not come to receive the President is incorrect. I want to make it clear that I was not informed that the President was visiting.

    “I was attending a Conference of Speakers’ meeting on Constitutional amendment in Abuja the day the President visited. It was too late for me to leave immediately to the state.

    “I was in Saudi Arabia for Umrah when gunmen attacked the Deeper Life Bible Church in Okene in which many worshippers were killed and another two soldiers also killed a day after.”

  • Oshiomhole frees two prisoners on death row

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has freed two prisoners, Calistus Ikem Eke and Monday Odu .

    Oshiomhole faulted the claim by the National Human Rights’ Commission that he had signed the death warrants of Eke and Olu Fatogun.

    He said the commission should have verified its information before making statements to the international community.

    The governor was reacting to a petition signed by the commission’s Executive Secretary and other rights groups.

    He said: “Incidentally, the state government has not just granted Eke pardon but released him from prison.

    “We have done much more than the people are asking us to do. So they got their facts wrong.

    “Secondly, the human rights commission got it wrong to assume that Fatogun is to be executed, Fatogun’s case was reviewed by the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy and they recommended that his death sentence be affirmed and carried out, but I refused the prayers.

    “Instead, I ordered that the death sentence be commuted to life imprisonment. Again the Human Rights Commission was wrong to have said that I have authorised his execution.

    “I refused the recommendation of the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy to have him executed. They were acting on the recommendation without waiting for my confirmation.”

    Oshiomhole, said the conviction of two inmates, Daniel Nsofor and Osayinwinde Agbomien, has been approved.

    He said Agbomien killed his victim, dismembered his body and buried the parts in different places to avoid detection.

    Oshiomhole said when the convict was taken to court, he said his offence was a mistake but the manner in which he treated the body indicated that the crime was gruesome and premeditated.

    On Nsofor, Oshiomhole said he approved his death sentence because after disposessing his victim, a woman, of her possessions, he tortured and killed her.

    He said: “The rights’ commission was wrong. They must check their facts right.

    I decided to free those who did no kill, but we must send a clear message to criminals that they have no right to kill and live.”

  • Sylva has no link with governorship candidate’s suit

    A Group, Bayelsa Democratic Front (BDF), yesterday said former Governor Timipre Sylva has no link with the governorship candidate of the Change Advocacy Party (CAP), Dr. Imoro Kyboh.

    The group described the claim that Sylva sponsored Kyboh as childlish.

    BDF said Sylva has always been a loyal party man and has never associated with any political party outside the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    In a statement by Promise Okpoebi,the group said: “A recent report alleging that Chief Timipre Sylva is behind the resolve of the Change Advocacy Party (CAP) governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Dr. Imoro Kuboh, to pursue justice is, at best, childish. It is one of the pinpricks of the present administration in the state, which Bayelsans and other Nigerians just have to ignore and get on with their lives.

    “We, too, would have ignored the absurd lie but for the fact that the Seriake Dickson camp is laying Bayelsa people open to ridicule with such undignified pursuits at a scale that we can no longer fold our arms and watch. The report attributed to the state CAP Chairman, Mr. Deme Kolomo, claimed that the party had dissociated itself from its candidate’s search for justice in the governorship contest after several failed attempts to upturn Dickson’s “popular victory.” The report said CAP was worried by Kuboh’s insistence on seeking redress at the Supreme Court when he stood no chance, concluding, “From evidence at our disposal, the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, is the sponsor of Kuboh.”

    “Even the most uninformed of minds could see through the tragedy of fabrications and intellectual idleness that were being celebrated in the said report. Chief Sylva has not shown any association with any political party outside the Peoples Democratic Party. He has remained a loyal party man, despite the numerous attempts to frustrate him.”

  • Fire razes eight shops, six homes in Calabar

    About eight shops and six residential buildings on Nelson Mandela Road by Target Street in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, were yesterday razed.

    Also affected was a law chamber.

    A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ifeanyi Uche, almost got electrocuted while helping to put out the fire.

    An eyewitness said the fire started from a beauty salon at about 4:30am.

    It was reportedly caused by a power surge.

    Attempts to forcibly open the shop to curb the fire failed because of its burglary proof door.

    When men of the State Fire Service arrived two hours later and did not have enough water to stop the fire.

    It was learnt that the owners of other shops tried to stop the fire from spreading.

    Uche, who was helping to remove items from the shops, got an electric shock when he touched the iron rod on a door.

    An eyewitness said: “Fire started from the salon and entered the electrical shops. We tried to call the fire service, but there was no response. A driver went to their office, but when they came here, they could not stop the fire. They said water had finished.”

    Chief Onyekachi Agu, whose shop was burnt, said: “I had over N4 million worth of goods in the shop and N110,000 cash.

    “I just came back from the market on Friday. I urge the government to assist me financially. I do not know where to start from. All my grinding and petrol engines and electricity generating sets are burnt. Nothing was salvaged.”

    Mr. Remi Agwuzie, whose law chamber and his wife’s shop were burnt, said: “I got a call that my office and my wife’s shop were burning and rushed down. When I got there, men of the State Fire Service had arrived but could not do much.

    “I was able to retrieve a few files from my office and some goods from my wife’s shop. Some people could not remove a pin. I was lucky that I could save some of my vital documents, especially my school certificates.”

    Director of the State Fire Service Mr. Sylvester Duke said his office was informed of the incident late.

    Duke said and he went to the scene, but the Fire Station at Mary Slessor did not have a fire engine and depended on the Quick Intervention Squad (QIS).

    He said the vehicle the QIS came with developed a fault and he rushed to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which came to the rescue.

    Director-General of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Mr. Vincent Aqua, who spoke through the Assistant Director, Mr. David Akate, said 12 persons have been displaced by the fire.

    He said six residential buildings and eight shops were burnt.