EFCC arrests Amos Adamu

Former FIFI executive Committee member Amos Adamu

Amos Adamu, FIFA Executive Committee member who was banned for three years by FIFA from all football related activities for his role in the cash-for-vote scandal, was yesterday arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

He arrived the commission’s office yesterday morning and was interrogated for several hours by operatives of the anti-graft agency over how the N24 billion budgeted for the 2003 All Africa Games, whose organising committee he headed, was spent.

Adamu returned to Nigeria on Friday night from Europe where he had been since the cash-for-vote scandal broke in October.

Billion naira “PR”

The former Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) is also expected to explain how N1.3 billion was spent as “PR”.

Femi Babafemi, the spokesperson of the EFCC said Adamu is being quizzed for another 180 million naira involving his wife as well as an 80 million naira expenditure involving his son-in-law.

Adamu was expected to be granted administrative bail last night according to Babafemi, who confirmed that the FIFA executive committee member had indeed been questioned by the commission.

“He will be granted bail tonight (yesterday) but we are seizing his passport so that he’ll be available anytime we need him,” Babafemi said.

Adamu’s arrest comes barely 24 hours after he appeared before the House of Representatives where he defended himself over the cash-for-vote scandal, which broke after English newspaper, Sunday Times of London released a video in which Adamu reportedly asked for money in order to cast his vote for the United States after the undercover reporters posed as businessmen representing American interests.

After the FIFA ethics committee handed its verdict in November, Adamu, the former Director of Sports Development in the Ministry of Sports and until the vote scandal, President of the West African Football union (WAFU) indicated he was going to appeal the decision insisting he was innocent of the charge against him.

He also authorised his lawyers to head to court to stop the EFCC from interrogating him over the cash-for-vote scandal. The case came up for hearing on December 13 with Adamu asking the court to declare that the EFCC lacked jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute him over the matter.

He also prayed the court to restrain the EFCC and the police from infringing his right to personal liberty as enshrined in Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution. His lawyer, Niyi Ayoola-Daniels, told the court that FIFA was not an agency of the Nigerian government and as such the EFCC could not interrogate him in his capacity as the football body’s executive committee member. The case was adjourned to 17th January, 2011.

Source:234next.com

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Football federation debunks EFCC raid

NFF President, Aminu Maigari

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has denied reports making the rounds in the media that its Abuja secretariat was raided on Monday by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The NFF said Tuesday that officials of the EFCC did not visit the Federation’s office.

Acting General Secretary of the NFF, Barrister Musa Ahmadu said: “No official of the EFCC visited the NFF Secretariat in Abuja, or the Liaison Office in Lagos for that matter. What actually happened was that a couple of persons from a committee on ‘Lost Funds’ set up by the Federal Government came to our office to ask a few questions.

“They wanted to know if the NFF followed due process in reporting the matter of $236,000 that was stolen in our accounts department in March 2009. They asked questions and received satisfactory answers, and left.

“They certainly did not leave with any file, talk less of files. We earnestly urge gentlemen of the media to always endeavour to cross-check their facts.

“The NFF has a relationship of mutual respect with the EFCC, a responsible agency of government that has been doing its job professionally. Whatever issues the two organisations had in the past have been largely resolved.

“We definitely appreciate the tremendous efforts that the media has been making to help clear the hazy cloud around our football. We will also appreciate the more if certain rumours and speculations are double-checked”, said Ahmadu.

When contacted, Femi Babafemi, EFCC spokesman corroborated Ahmadu’s statement stating that no operative from their office visited NFF’s offices.

Accolades for Falcons

Meanwhile the NFF President, Aminu Maigari has congratulated Super Falcons striker, Perpetua Nkwocha after emerging as the continent’s best Female Player and the Super Falcons as the Women’s Team of the Year at the African Football Awards in Cairo, Egypt.

Maigari said the women’s achievements have placed a burden on the men’s teams and the male players going into next year.

“The performance of our women’s teams, Super Falcons and Falconets during the out-going year was heart-warming, and there was no doubt that Perpetua Nkwocha deserved the gong as the Women’s Player of the Year.

“The men must now tighten their shorts. There is no reason why our country should not have a contender in the Men’s Player of the Year category. We have so many good players in Europe who also play for the national team and all they need do is put in extra efforts.

“I believe we would have a Nigerian in the shortlist for Men’s Player of the Year come next year”, said Maigari, even as he also congratulated goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and defender Taye Taiwo, who were named in the CAF First Eleven of the year.

Maigari also commended the release of Chairman of Bendel Insurance FC of Benin, Chief Igbinowanhia Ekhosuehi who was abducted by unknown persons in his Benin City, Edo State home on Saturday night.

Ekhosuehi, a board member of the Nigeria FA between 1996 and 1999 during the chairmanship of the Colonel Abdulmumuni Aminu (rtd), was taken away in his black, Jeep which was later found abandoned at the Ikpoba slope on Sunday morning.

“We are very happy with this development. You know, we condemned the action and now that he has been released, we must also express our happiness. We are particularly happy that he was released unhurt”, added Maigari.

Source:234next.com

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Sunshine Stars remain on top

Sunshine Stars

Sunshine stars of Akure continued their fine form in the Nigeria Premier League as they defeated their opponents Warri Wolves 3-1 at the Ijebu Ode Township stadium on Wednesday to remain top on the log with 16 points.

The match, which was one of the week eight fixtures played across the country, gave the Akure-based team its fifth victory of the season.

A free kick by Olurundare Dele was headed in by Ajani Ibrahim to give Sunshine the lead in the 5th minute. At the end of the first half, they were three goals up.

Warri Wolves got a consolidatory goal in 90th minute when Tochukwu converted a penalty. Earlier in the week Sunshine Stars duo of striker Akombo Ukeyima and coach Gbenga Ogunbote claimed the first of the NPL monthly awards.

Akombo was voted Player of the Month for November, while Ogunbote claimed the award for Coach of the Month.

The Sunshine hegemony was broken in the Goalkeeper of the Month category, where Warri Wolves Chigozie Agbim ensured that Henry Ayodele would not make it a clean sweep for the Akure team.

Sunshine made a barnstorming start to first month of the new campaign, winning three out of four games to leap to the top of the standings.

They were unlucky to give up two late goals in a 1-2 reverse to 3SC at Ibadan, but then bounced back to claim wins over Enyimba at home, Plateau on the road and then Rangers at home.

Ukeyima’s goals were instrumental to those successes and saw him picked ahead of Heartland’s Osas Okoro and Warri Wolves’ Ehiosu Ekigho.

His boss Ogunbote, beat Dolphins’ Stanley Eguma and Wolves’ Paul Aigbogun.

Warri Wolves went unbeaten in November, and a pivotal part of that was down to great goalkeeping by Chigozie Agbim.

Dolphins Sunday Rotimi came a close second in the glove race.

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Sports Commission backs Premier League over sponsorship deal

 Premier League action

The Nigerian Premier League had a breakthrough yesterday when an adjudication panel set up by the National Sports Commission, gave it the all clear to proceed with MTN as new title sponsors.

Last week, the league organising body announced telecommunications company MTN as its new sponsors on a four-year deal.

Barely twenty four hours later, rival bidders Glo launched a protest, claiming the bidding process was not transparent.

The NFF also weighed in, berating the NPL for ‘not following established protocol’.

On Tuesday, the NSC called all the parties and then set up a committee comprising of 10 lawyers to evaluate the process.

After over 15 hours of deliberation, the panel not only ruled that the NPL had been fair to all parties involved in the process, but commended them for doing what it called ‘a professional job’.

And on Wednesday, after briefing the Nigeria Football Federation President, Aminu Maigari, the NPL was given the go ahead to do business with the new sponsors.

Source:234next.com

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Dortmund unlikely to loosen Bundesliga lead

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Alexander Meier (C) challenges Borussia Dortmund’s Sven Bender and Neven Subotic (R) during their German Bundesliga soccer match in Frankfurt

League leaders Borussia Dortmund go into the four-week winter break with a record 10 point cushion and few believe they will loosen their tight grip on the Bundesliga championship in the second part of the season.

Dortmund, as opposed to Hoffenheim two years ago or Bayer Leverkusen last season, who both saw their winter break advantages evaporate, have several things working in their favour.

With experienced captain Sebastian Kehl, Patrick Owomoyela, Mohamed Zidan and Dede set to return for the new year, Juergen Klopp's young team, whose outfield players regularly have an average age of under 24, will benefit from the injection of experience at just the right time.

Dortmund, who have lost only twice in the league this season and lead with 43 points from 17 games, having won 14 of them, also have no other obligations than the Bundesliga.

Mainz 05 are second on 33 points, level with Leverkusen, while defending champions Bayern Munich are four points behind.

Dortmund's early exits from the German Cup and the Europa League may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for a team who are bidding for their first domestic league title since 2002 and are not used to the demands of multiple competitions.

"From the beginning of January we will start preparations for the second part," said club manager Michael Zorc.

"After all we only have the Bundesliga left now and I hope we can pick up where we left off because in most games we played some sensational football." With the league's best attack and defence, Dortmund have set a very high standard for their title rivals.

Germany call-ups

Their impressive form also led to Germany coach Joachim Loew selecting youngsters Marcel Schmelzer and Mario Goetze and recalling midfielder Kevin Grosskreutz and defender Mats Hummels for the national side in November.

"I dare make the prognosis that it will be extremely difficult to overtake Dortmund in the second half. Teams like Leverkusen or Bayern must start a good run to do that," Loew told reporters this week.

While Leverkusen traditionally falter in the second half of the season, Bayern will only become stronger.

The return of Dutch winger Arjen Robben and Germany's Holger Badstuber from injury will strengthen their attack and defence and they are determined to boost their backline further in the winter transfer window.

Bayern, on the advice of coach Louis van Gaal, did not buy anyone in the close-season and paid the price for sticking with erratic central defenders Martin Demichelis and Daniel van Buyten.

But even Van Gaal, whose team came from behind in the winter to clinch the title last season, considers a Champions League spot a more realistic target than winning the Bundesliga with Dortmund 14 points ahead.

"Obviously Dortmund are a target but for us the focus will first be on Mainz 05 and Leverkusen, who are only four points away and on the Champions League spots," he said on Wednesday after his team advanced into the German Cup quarter-finals.

The Bavarians face holders Inter Milan in the Champions League first knockout round, further crowding their match schedule.

At the other end of the table, Borussia Moenchengladbach look doomed in last place on just 10 points, having conceded 47 goals and relegation-threatened VfB Stuttgart, two points ahead of them, showing signs of recovery.

With Gladbach coach Michael's Frontzeck's future in doubt, the five-time German champions have little room for mistakes.

"Everyone has written us off already and that is fine by us but there is a whole half of a season still to be played and we will not give up until the very last game," Frontzeck said.

Source:234next.com

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Wenger, Terry count their blessings

Chelsea's John Terry (L) challenges Arsenal's Jack Wilshire during their English Premier League soccer match at Stamford Bridge, west London October 3, 2010

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was relieved on Thursday that a wobbly home record had not been more costly and Chelsea captain John Terry was glad his team were still in the Premier League title race despite a lack of depth.

The season has so far been very forgiving as just three points separate the top four, with unbeaten Manchester United on 34 points, two ahead of Arsenal and Manchester City, and Chelsea in fourth on 31.

A busy festive schedule could shake things up and Chelsea travel to Arsenal on Monday.

"The good news is that we are in a good position and we have not paid a high price for that (three home defeats and five in total) but of course our home form in the second part of the season will be the decider," Wenger told a news conference.

He gets the chance to put that drive for improved form at the Emirates into practice against Chelsea, another team counting their blessings after escaping stiffer punishment for poor results.

The champions, whose season started promisingly with 21 goals in five consecutive victories, have imploded with no wins in their last five league games and have found their squad under pressure with injuries to the likes of midfielders Frank Lampard and Michael Essien and Terry.

"In the past we had a big squad and could rotate and put other players in, we don't have that now, we have quite a young squad and it's a time for everyone to stay together like we always will," Terry said on the club website (www.chelseafc.com).

"Once we've turned that corner we can move on from there and wait for other teams to slip up which they will do.

"We've missed some key players at key times and it is a case of keeping everyone fit now over the Christmas period where we have two games in three days."

Hectic list

A hectic Christmas and New Year fixtures list gives some clubs four games in little over a week, meaning there could finally be some daylight between the top sides soon -- something that was not lost on United manager Alex Ferguson.

"If we are still top of the league by January 4 then we will have done well," he told a news conference.

"By that time the top of the league will have taken shape. Depending on the weather of course, we could have a lot of postponements yet." Heavy snow and freezing temperatures have led to two of United's league matches being postponed this month. While they would have preferred to play them, last Sunday's postponement of their match at Chelsea was good timing as several United players were suffering with flu.

Ferguson was optimistic Nemanja Vidic, Nani, Anderson and Michael Carrick, who were laid low with the bug, will have recovered in time for Sunday's match at home to Sunderland.

Winger Nani may have been ill but he found time to irk Arsenal by ruling out the Londoners as title contenders.

"I no longer see anybody winning the Premier League this season outside of Manchester United or Chelsea. Hopefully, it will be United," local media quoted him as saying on Thursday.

Wenger poured cold water on the Portugal player's view.

"I personally don't know who will win the league and I've managed 1,600 games," he said. "So if Nani knows, he must be 1,600 times more intelligent than I am." Pull Quote: The good news is that we are in a good position and we have not paid a high price for that (three home defeats and five in total)

Source:234next.com

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Ghanaian player breaks 13-year-old record

Jide Bejide of Ibeju Lekki batting for Nigeria against Japan in Guernsey

Obed Harvey played a great game at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval as he helped Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association get back to winning ways with a 296 runs victory over a hapless Ibeju Lekki Cricket Club 2.

The Left arm all rounder was 17 runs short of double century as he scored 173 runs not out off 147 balls. Onwuzulike Osita scored 70 runs off 62 balls, GCI Captain Odeku Seun scored 25 runs, and Wicket keeper Olayinka Segun had 11 runs not out.

Obed spent four hours in the batting crease to break a thirteen year old record set by the late ladi Elliot - 156 runs, while Idris Lumus 2 wickets for 62 runs in 9 overs was the pick of the bowling for ILCC 2 who have now lost all their 4 matches in the Lagos league.

Chimezie Onwuzulike made life unbearable for the Yemi Amusa-led side with his bowling as he picked up 4 wickets for 14 runs in 10 overs and 4 maidens. Atoloye Tayo and Adegbola Yemi both took 2 wickets to compliment Chimezie's effort.

Ayannaike Joshua scored 16 runs and Amusa Yemi's addition of 14 runs was the high point for the second innings as ILCC 2 crashed to 86 runs all out in 31 overs. Man of the Match Obed said "it's a dream come true for me.

"I have never played at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval before and for me to break a 13 year old record gives me double joy and I wish you were on my shoes".

He went further to thank Goke Idris, a cricket enthusiasts, who gave him N10,000 for scoring a century which he never expected but which came as a morale booster.

The former U-19 player concluded by thanking Ewa Henshaw, team Manager of Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association, Adebola Ogunshina, and Endurance Ofem, Vice-Captain of BRFCC for helping him set the new mark for batters in the country.

Source:234next.com

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Benitez's reign at Inter ends in ignominy

Rafael Benitez's reign as Inter Milan coach ended in ignominy on Thursday when he left the European champions after just six months in charge having dared to question club owner Massimo Moratti's authority.

"Inter and Rafael Benitez announce that, mutually and with satisfaction on each side, they have reached an agreement for the early resolution of his contract," said a statement from the Serie A club after days of talks.

"Inter thank Rafael Benitez for his work with the team which led to Italian Super Cup and World Club Cup success. Rafael Benitez thanks Inter for a great professional experience and the victories obtained together."

The Spaniard, appointed in June after treble-winner Jose Mourinho left for Real Madrid, was already on shaky ground with his team slumping to seventh in Serie A and spluttering through the Champions League group stages.

He had appeared to secure his job with Saturday's World Club Cup triumph, only to explode in the post-match news conference and threaten to discuss his future with his agent if signings did not materialise in the January transfer window.

Benitez directly criticised Moratti, saying he was promised buys in the close-season which did not arrive and pointing out that the club recruited five first-teamers last term under Mourinho and yet did not bring any player in for him.

His ultimatum was too much for Moratti, a man not known for his patience, especially as it came when the president thought his side should be celebrating a fifth trophy of a great year rather than pondering his outburst.

Former Liverpool coach Benitez knew when he took the job that Italian soccer worked differently from English with the clubs rather than the coaches buying players.

He even said he saw this as positive element of the move having left Liverpool after six years in which his transfer spending at Anfield was heavily criticised by fans and media.

However, a raft of early injuries at Inter, which some pundits blamed on his new training regime, meant Benitez was down to the bare bones by late October and the lack of signings rankled with him more.

Spalletti staying?

The former Valencia boss had become increasingly militant at Liverpool after a quiet start, famously lambasting Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson in a news conference before using bizarre Spanish proverbs about milk, sugar mountains and priests to criticise his ex-Anfield bosses when he arrived at Inter.

His blast at Inter was a step too far for the Italians, though, given they were his current employers and he now finds himself out of work while Inter begin the task of replacing him knowing they do not have a game until Serie A resumes on January 6.

Zenit St Petersburg coach Luciano Spalletti was tipped by media and bookmakers to take over but the Russian champions have said the former AS Roma boss is staying.

Former Inter goalkeeping great Walter Zenga is therefore the a new favourite along with ex-AC Milan boss Leonardo, whose former side are now top of Serie A in a galling reminder to their city rivals of how far they have fallen since May's treble.

Their chances of a sixth straight Serie A title look remote whoever takes over as Inter lie 13 points behind Milan.

Source:234next.com

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Ekeji denies knowledge of Premier League crises

The Director General, National Sports Commission, Patrick Ekeji.

The Director General, National Sports Commission, Patrick Ekeji yesterday in Abuja denied having knowledge of the leadership tussle that has engulfed the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) for months.

Ekeji made the denial while presenting the 2010 Ministerial Score Card at the VIP Lounge of the National Stadium Abuja.

"There is no document on my table that indicates that. I am not aware of any leadership tussle in the NPL," he said.

Davidson Owumi had emerged as Chairman of the league from an election conducted after the exit of former league boss, Oyuki Obaseki.

However, his leadership has been questioned by some aggrieved people, amongst whom is former Bayelsa United Chairman, Victor Baribote, who has alleged that Owumi was not qualified to vie for the position in the first place.

Several meetings have been held to help resolve the matter with the former Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, President Sani Lulu setting up a committee led by Ibidapo Obe. The Obe committee recommended a fresh election as a way out.

Even the current leadership of the NFF has at different times also tried to settle the rift a situation, which has made the Ekeji's supposed ignorance baffling to many.

Bid Process

Apart from his comment about the crisis in the league, Ekeji also commented on the controversial Sponsorship deal that gave MTN the right to sponsor the league for 4 years at the tune of 2.6 billion naira. He said the Sports Commission can only advise it's parastatal but not direct them. He said that no system in the world is perfect after all.

Ekeji said the achievements recorded by the Commission in 2010 include the award of contract for the construction of 43 mini Sports centres at locations across the country -- at a total cost of 1.806 billion naira. Others are the construction of Grand Stands, Fence And Natural Football Turfs in 14 locations across the country; and the construction of 6 Zonal Sports Offices in the six geo-political zones in the country. Contracts have also been awarded for Restoration and upgrading facilities at the 6 federal Stadiums under the supervision of the Sports Commission, the completion of a 200 rooms Athletes Hostel at the National Sports Complex in Abuja, and Construction of Sports Medicine Center, National Stadium, Abuja.

Ekeji was unhappy that some Nigerian athletes failed Dope tests at the Commonwealth Games in India. He said investigations proved that the athletes involved took the substance outside the Country and not in Nigeria.

Olympic target

The Sports Commission boss gave the list of events in which Nigeria will be competing at the London Olympic Games in 2012 as Sprint Races, Takwando, Terrestrial and Horizontal jumps, Wrestling and Weightlifting {Female Category).

"We are sure for now to participate in athletics, and this will be in the sprints as well as terrestrial and horizontal jumps, and football if the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) does its own part.

"The talents are there for us there, and we are sure the federation can muster the finances needed to get the tickets to the games for its teams," Ekeji said.

Sports Festival date uncertain

Meanwhile, the National Sports Festival billed for Rivers State next year February may be postponed again as it clashed with electoral activities. Ekeji, who said Rivers is ready for the event, admitted that political events may force a change in date.

Source::234next.com

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Drug control agency seal pharmacy in Ogun

Momodu-Segiru Momodu, director NAFDAC displaying some of the fake drugs.

Officials of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State Capital closed a popular pharmacy over alleged sale of counterfeit drugs. Patent Medicine Stores in the town and several adultrated drugs impounded.

The NAFDAC officials carried out the operations during an unannounced random check on a number of pharmacies and patent medicine stores across the state. On the spot investigations were carried out on drugs with the use of a machine called Truscan which reveals the authenticity of tested drugs.

Drugs found to be fake were immediately withdrawn from the shelves by the investigators, who also ordered the proprietors to report at the NAFDAC office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta for further investigation to reveal sources of such drugs.

Cracking down

At a press conference he addressed after the operations, NAFDAC's Director, Ports Inspection Directorate, Momodu-Segiru Momodu disclosed that in the course of the operations, the Janiez Pharmacy Store located in Adatan area of the town was closed down.

"Janiez Pharmacy Stores located at Adatan area has been ordered shut, because we found a number of fake and expired drugs there. We have equally asked the owner and the pharmacist in charge of the place to report to our office," Mr Momodu said.

He lamented that in spite of intensified campaign by the authorities, some people still find pleasure in dealing in fake and adulterated drugs.

"The agency would not fold its arm and see the unscrupulous elements killing innocent people as a result of fake drugs," he said.

Mr Momodu listed some of the seized drugs to include fake copies of Fulcin, Gtrotas, Fansidar, Artesunate, Augumentin, Zinnet, Maloxine, Ampiclox and Lonart DS, among others.

"It is sad that some of these stores even sell the drugs as if they are groundnuts," he said.

Officials of the drugs agency this week launched a nationwide campaign to verify the authenticity of drugs being sold by pharmacies and patent medicine stores.

Source:234next.com

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Abia lecturers call off strike

Relief came to students of Abia State University (ABSU),Uturu on Thursday as the staff unions of the school suspend their four month old strike after signing an agreement to that effect with the state government. The agreement also signal what could be an end to the closure of universities across the five eastern states by protesting workers.

Chairman of the joint unions of the ABSU and its ASUU chairman, George Chima who confirmed the suspension, said the staff have reached an agreement with the state government to resolve other outstanding differences.

He said the unions have accepted the conditions given by the state government, which he said were favourable to them, while the modalities for the payment of the outstanding arrears of salaries from 2008 are being worked out.

ABSU, along with other state owned universities in the South East, had embarked on an indefinite strike to press for parity in salaries with their counterparts in the federal universities following an agreement between the federal government and the unions to pay an enhanced salary structure for university workers.

The Chief Press Secretary to Abia State governor,Theodore A Orji, Kingsly Emereuwa also confirmed that the agreement that led to the suspension of the strike has been signed but he did not give details.

The last meeting between the striking staff and state officials last month ended with Mr Orji threatening to sack the lecturers if they refused to return to work. He said all those dissatisfied with the conditions of service at the institutionS should quit and not continue to frustrate efforts of his government.

Making concessions

The governor, who said federal institutions are there for lecturers who feel they can no longer stay in ABSU, called on the school's staff to make concessions towards resolving the strike in the interest of the students.

The governor said he has promised to pay 100% of the agreement reached by the unions with effect from January next year.

As part of efforts to resolve the impasse, participants at the meeting, including parents, students and the university management arrived at the conclusion that the striking staff should call off the strike and accept the state government's offer.

They equally agreed that the new wage increase will require an increase in fees paid by students, but it will be minimal so that the parents can afford it.

The return to work by the staff unions will put pressure on their colleagues in other states institutions in the East to follow suit.

Source:234next.com

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PDP wins bye-election in Lagos

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Ikorodu Constituency II Bye-election, Olugbenga Akinwale Oshin, won the election with a total vote of 3,438, which was 416 votes higher than the total vote of the Action Congress of Nigeria's candidate, Olusayo David Alagbe.

The constituency sit became vacant on November 2 when the occupier, ACN's Rotimi Sotomiwa died. The Independent National Electoral Commission's returning officer, Kenneth Obianyi, after collating all the votes announced Mr. Oshin, whose occupation is farming, as the winner.

"Having scored the highest votes, I hereby declare Olugbenga Akinwale Oshin as the winner of the bye-election of Ikorodu Constituency II," Mr. Obianyi said, after reeling out the total votes polled by each of the 14 candidates in the election.

New wave

The PDP supporters, on hearing the result, went into jubilation, especially because it was not certain who would emerge the winner of the election.

When counting started around 3pm, the results announced from Igbogbo wards tipped ACN's candidate slightly ahead of other contestants and jubilation started from their camp. However, results from Imota, Ibeshe, and Ijede drained every hope in the ACN's camp and jubilation shifted to the PDP camp. More results had the two camps using calculators and making frantic calls.

The ACN supporters who then knew they had lost hardly bothered to return to the INEC's office to hear the official result.

Free, fair, but...

The election was peaceful in almost all the polling units. Only one case of ballot box snatching was reported in Ginti Village and the result was cancelled.

However, at Methodist Primary School and Adeboruwa Bus Stop units which NEXT monitored, voters were induced with money by supporters allegedly working for the PDP's candidate. Voters who spoke to NEXT on the condition of anonymity said each vote cast earned them N1,000.

At about 1.20pm ACN supporters alerted the security agencies that a woman, identified as Mrs. Ogunmuyiwa, had several voters card on her. A search by the security personnel revealed two voters' card, one of which the alleged said belonged to her tenant.

Mr Ogunmuyiwa was let go after voting has closed and ACN's lawmaker, representing Ikorodu I, Sanai Agunbiade, refused to make a case out of it.

Ikorodu's salvation

Kazeem Adeagbo, a PDP supporter who spoke to NEXT after the announcement of the result, said the victory signals "Ikorodu's salvation."

"ACN is not popular in Ikorodu. They have no structure here and all they do is make noise. Now, we are beginning to save ourselves and the salvation will be completed in the next general election," he said.

Another supporter, who identified himself as Johnson, said, "Now Goodluck [Jonathan] will know that PDP is still very strong in Lagos."

"We are surprised," said Femi Maribade, an ACN's supporter, who attributed his party's loss to "over confidence." "Up till about four days ago, there was no noise from the PDP camp and we thought we will win easily," he said.

Source:234next.com

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‘There are too many agencies with environmental responsibilities'

Olanrewaju Fagbohun, a Research Professor of Law at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of Lagos.

Olanrewaju Fagbohun, a Research Professor of Law at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of Lagos, speaks on environmental agencies and enforcement of environmental laws in Nigeria.

There are numerous laws guiding the use of our environment in Nigeria. Do you think they are having the necessary impact?

It is true that there are numerous laws aimed at environmental protection in Nigeria. Regrettably, it cannot be said that they are having the necessary impact. Nigeria spans some 924,000 square kilometres. The country is endowed with rich environment and natural resource base. These are continually being destroyed, degraded and desecrated. What is odd is that in terms of talk, Nigeria has remained a key player in all global environmental initiatives. In terms of concrete actions, however, we still have a long way to go.

Is it a case of weak environmental laws, or weak enforcers, or both?

The problem is that there is a weak link between the law and enforcement of the laws. There are many reasons for this, the major one is corruption; next to this is inconsistencies in some of our laws; then, weak capacity. Also the unrealistic nature of some of the laws, and by this I mean when targets are ridiculously high or fines are too low. There is also the problem of weak capacity and unnecessary conflicts between implementing institutions. These are the serious threats, gaps and barriers to enforcement.

Do you think there is a need to review the NESREA Act so it would be up to date with current environmental challenges?

I would not say there is a need to review the National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Act, which is the legislation that repealed the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) Act. Rather, I would say we should be more proactive in enforcement. Let there be a clear signal that it is not the status of the "individual" that would determine whether a law will or will not be enforced.

In fairness to NESREA, I must say that the agency under the able leadership of Dr. Ngeri Benebo has been doing a lot in recent times, not only in sensitising the populace on environmental dangers, but also in trying to push the frontiers of effective enforcement. These efforts need to be continued and broadened.

There are lots of agencies saddled with environmental responsibilities, yet we still have pollution problems. What do you think is responsible?

You are correct in saying there are too many agencies saddled with environmental responsibilities and yet, we are having increased problems with pollution. The problems is not so much with the different agencies, rather, it is the failure to properly integrate, harmonise and interface their activities.

We are all agreed that the Federal Ministry of Environment is the primary body saddled with environmental protection, but then, you find out that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in the case of the oil and gas sector is saddled with the functions of environmental regulation of oil and gas activities while NESREA (which is the Ministry's real enforcement arm) has no role to play. What we should have had in that kind of situation is proper delineation of functions. Let the DPR regulate technical issues in the sector; NESREA enforce compliance with environmental requirements; while the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) takes charge of emergency response and clean-up. They will coordinate their activities to avoid duplication through inter-agency consultations. This synergy is unfortunately lacking in our system and is an appropriate loophole for potential offenders to exploit.

How would third party involvement help in setting better environmental standards?

There are too many obstacles for the participation of Civil Society and non-governmental organisations. There is a need for government to realise that it cannot do it alone. There is serious lack of access to justice. There is an urgent need for the obstacles placed in the way of third parties to be removed.

Let us start to seriously rethink issues relating to standing, pre-action notice and time limitation in the way they apply to environmental issues. The philosophy and theoretical considerations underpinning these concepts are not applicable to environmental issues.

What in your opinion do you think is the best way to tackle environmental problems as it relates to monitoring and enforcement?

The best way to tackle environmental crisis of monitoring and enforcement is for the system to be structured in such a way that all stakeholders will be able to play their roles effectively. The citizens (public) are there to act as a watchdog for the agencies of the Executive arm of government and keep them on their toes. Right now, the civil society is not able to play that role.

The judiciary is also largely bound to rules and concepts that do not allow them the freedom to distinguish between environmental issues and other issues. A number of our judges have been sensitised, but, they are still hemmed in by old rules.

Source:234next.com

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‘Mobile money service can help banking access'

There is compelling need for financial services firms to explore mobile money services in order to reach out to more unbanked Nigerians.

Emmanuel Okoegwale, principal consultant at MobileMoneyAfrica, a mobile money services company, said the challenge of rolling out new branches has made it imperative for banks to explore the new channel.

"The prospect for mobile financial services is significant in a country like Nigeria where only 25 million of the 70 million adult population have access to banking services," Mr Okoegwale added. He said the infrastructural needs to roll out mobile money lies with the mobile network operators despite the fact that the licences were issued to financial institutions and independent providers only.

He said the mobile payment regulatory framework issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which has been in use in the last 24 months does not adequately spell out liaison between the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and the CBN on enforcing compliance by the network providers. "Post licencing period will expose some of the land mines in the regulatory framework and potential lapses but since no framework is carved in stone, I believe the regulator will take note and ensure positive changes."

He expressed concern about enforcing certain aspects of the framework on the Mobile network operators through the NCC. ‘'How do you force MTN for instance, to open its network for independent providers when it already has its preferred partners''? Already, the Central Bank has issued licenses to 16 firms to operate in the mobile money business.

Jibril Aku, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, said embracing mobile banking facilities will aid the gradual migration to cashless society and also reduce cost of cash handling. In a statement recently, Mr Aku said mobile banking payment solution will help bridge the gap between the over 64 million unbanked and the over four million under-banked Nigerian adults.

Pieter Verkade, MTN Executive of MobileMoney, said recently that it has reached agreement to introduce international mobile remittance services in the 21 countries where MTN operates. Nigeria remains MTN's largest market with subscriber base of over 20 million.

No role for Communication Commission

Reuben Morka, NCC's spokesperson said the commission has no real role to play in the sector as the CBN is the regulator granting the licences. "It is not our business to begin to regulate how banks relate with telecoms companies on this. We licence telecoms companies but banks are seeking solutions and they approach any company of their choice." The Central Bank in its framework for mobile payment services identified three models for the implementation of mobile payments services.

These are, bank -focused- financial institutions as lead initiator, bank led-financial institutions and non-bank corporate organisation. According to the framework, "The lead initiator shall be responsible for ensuring that the various solutions and services within a mobile payment system meet the entire regulatory requirement as defined by the Central Bank of Nigeria."

This framework makes banks legally responsible and accountable to the Central Bank of Nigeria and the end user.Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA), a non-profit organisation promoting access to financial services for the unbanked and financial sector development said Nigeria lags behind South Africa, Botswana and Kenya in terms of the percentage of the population who are financially served. Its claimsin 2010 that, "the growth in financially served population in many of these markets is mainly attributable to their mobile money offerings."

Source:234next.com

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Ojukwu flown to a hospital in United Kingdom

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the fiery former Biafran leader who has been on admission at the intensive care unit of the University of Nigeria Teaching hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, after suffering a stroke, has been moved out of Enugu to an undisclosed hospital in the United Kingdom.

The ambulance conveying him left the teaching hospital at 11am yesterday.

Anxiety all round

The movement of Mr Ojukwu from the hospital was supervised by Victor Umeh, chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) which is the party formed by the ailing Igbo leader. Also involved in the process was Mr Ojukwu's wife, Bianca and his son, Emeka Ojukwu Jnr, a former commissioner in Anambra State.

Mr Umeh who refused to disclose the hospital that the former leader was being flown to said, ``All we want to let you newsmen know at this point is that the leader is being flown abroad for medical treatment.''

The APGA chairman who looked ruffled, ordered staff of the teaching hospital and others who came to witness the evacuation of the national leader of APGA off the route that the ambulance will take.

A warrior

Mr Ojukwu was born on November 4, 1933 in Zungeru, Niger State to Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu.

He had his early education in Lagos, before he left the country at 13 for the United Kingdom to study at Epsom College, England. He left Epsom at 18 for Lincoln College, Oxford.

At Oxford University, he obtained a bachelor's degree in modern history. He returned to Nigeria in 1956.

He later earned a masters degree in history at Lincoln College, Oxford University. Mr. Ojukwu joined the Eastern Nigeria Civil Service as an Administrative Officer at Udi.

In 1957, within months of working with the colonial civil service, he left to join the Army as one of the few university graduates taken as a recruit.

He rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and became the military governor of the then Eastern Nigeria until he announced the secession of Biafra from Nigeria.

A civil war broke out during which he installed himself as head of state of the People's Army. The war lasted for two and half years, ending on January 12, 1970. He went on self exile in Cote d' Ivoire until he was pardoned by former President Shehu Shagari.

Source:234next.com

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Two die as Police clash with land grabbers

 Two people were shot dead during a clash between mobile police officers and ‘area boys' on Thursday at Adekunle, Yaba. According eyewitnesses and residents of the area, the clash ensued at about 1pm when police officers stormed a large parcel of land near Adekunle junction to demolish shacks occupied by some area boys.

The area boys were said to have fought the police officers and seriously injured one of them, then the police regrouped from the State Criminal Investigation Department which is nearby and came back shooting a combination of canisters and bullets.

According to Olayinka Adewuyi, a resident of the area, the police officers were brought by the owner of the land to chase the area boys away so that he can develop it.

"What happened is that the area boys have been staying there since. You know they smoke all manner of things there, they do drugs there and that's where they have been living. But the man that bought the land has asked them to leave since but they said he has to pay them enough money for them to get another house. I heard that the man has paid some of them N10, 000 each and they said it is not enough. So they have been having problems with the man and he decided to use police to drive them away" he said.

"So when the police came the first time, the area boys fought them and injured one of their Oga, so the mobile police people, RRS they came and the areas ran away but they shot one boy dead." The mobile police officers belonging to Rapid Respond Squad, RRS, who were heavily armed, who garrisoned the Adekunle Junction till late evening, intermittently charged at the residents and passersby who had come out to watch and sympathise and they ran away for fear of stray bullet.

As shop owner closed up and parents took their kids away to safer faraway, a soldier who did not give his name, enter his car and left nearby Makoko where he was visiting.

"Though I'm a soldier but I know this people, they will come and raid this place and arrest innocent people and before you explain that you are a soldier they would have done what you will not expect. When I stopped joking with things like this is when I was sitting with a friend and a stray bullet came from somewhere and killed him" he said.

Though, the soldier's prediction did not happen exactly as at press time some eyewitnesses said police had earlier arrested many people in the neighbourhood including old men and old women.

The already tensed mood in the neighbourhood was heightened when another body of one of the area boys was discovered at the scene. Many people including the area boys who were puffing large wraps of marijuana, started crying, as the bodies were taken away in a commercial bus.

Source:234next.com

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Soyinka asks Jonathan to intervene in Ogun

Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka has announced plans to retire from public life soon, saying he is concluding arrangements towards this and the decision is final.

The 76-year-old literary giant told NEXT during the week in an exclusive interview which he said would be his last formal interview with any media organisation that, "Let me add this, I am withdrawing from public life. I have being announcing it serially. I am withdrawing from public life. I have to concentrate on a number of other things. It is something that has been going on in my mind for years."

Mr Soyinka, whose recent attempt to intervene in the political crisis rocking Ogun State was disrupted by thugs in Abeokuta, said that was also likely to be his last public political event. He, however, called on President Goodluck Jonathan, with whom he read books to school children at an event in Lagos last Monday, to intervene by facilitating the reopening of the state House of Assembly that was shut in September.

"I sat with the President in camera, I said what is happening in Ogun State is a disgrace. It brings shame to any pretence to democratic governance. Get the House of Assembly to re-open and make sure those who go there are protected," he said.

Although he did not reveal the president's response, Mr Soyinka said he told Mr Jonathan that, "an individual or cabal cannot shut down House of Assembly, it means democracy had been terminated in Ogun State." He said the interview was another final opportunity for him to announce his semi-retirement to the world.

"When Desmond Tutu did that, I say I have people to point to, to say they have shown the way. So, my date to retire from public life is coming very soon. This interview will be my last interview," he said.

Open to all

Mr Soyinka also said he has nothing against religious people, so long as they don't oppress those who don't practice the same faith with them because he believes that religion is a personal thing.

"I have nothing against the churches, I have nothing against mosques, I have nothing against temples, against shrines. I am a very different person," he said. "I like to go deep inside myself and carry out certain... and that satisfies me. So, I don't worry myself going to church on Sundays, going to Mosque on Fridays or going to Seventh Day Adventist."

On the type of burial he wanted, Mr Soyinka said he would prefer to be buried in Abeokuta, but with a proviso that, "if I died before democracy is restored in Ogun State, I think I might add to my will that I should either be kept on ice or temporarily buried somewhere else in Nigeria".

Source:234next.com

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Delta community accuses task force of war crimes

Residents of Ayakoromo claim their lives and property were deliberately destroyed by troops
Residents of Ayakoromo Community, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State have accused the military Joint Task Force (JTF) of war crimes and looting of N500 Million from the war-ravaged community during the recent operation of the military in the area.
Read more:234next.com

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NBC, 2 others to pull out of Stock Exchange

Media speculations of planned delisting of Nigerian Bottling Company Plc. was confirmed on Tuesday, when the food and beverage giant commenced steps to pull out of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Also on the verge of pulling out are two other foreign blue-chip companies (names withheld).

If this happens, the shares of the companies will no longer be traded on the NSE trading floors, although stakeholders can still get dividends and bonuses, as may be approved by the company’s board of directors.
Impacted by long-drawn market meltdown, its attendant loss of confidence and crisis in the exchange, three quoted companies had earlier delisted from the exchange this year, Prior to NBC application, INCAR Plc., Afprint Plc., and Abosedehye Plc.

But this is the first time foreign multinationale companies from breweries, conglomerate and food & beverages sub-sectors have applied to pull-out of the bourse. If the companies eventually get delisted, it will bring to six the number of companies that have pulled out of the NSE this year.

In its notification letter, NBC cited a proposed ‘Scheme of Arrangement’ involving merger and acquisition with Hellenic Bottling Company South Africa as majority stakeholder, having bought a major stake in NBC, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company South Africa.

The letter stated that the proposed scheme of arrangement between the company and its members involve a cancellation of part of its share capital, such that the company would become a wholly owned subsidiary of its majority shareholder, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company S.A. According to the notification letter, the proposed Scheme would be effected under the provision of S539 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), which allows for an arrangement to be proposed between a company and its members.

The proposed structure envisages a cash consideration to be paid as compensation to shareholders for the cancellation of the shares of the company, which Hellenic (through its subsidiaries) does not already own.
“The terms and conditions thereof will be incorporated in a Scheme document to be circulated within the stipulated statutory period to all the company’s shareholders for their consideration,” the letter stated.

The proposed scheme includes a cash payment of N43 per NBC share as consideration to the minority shareholders and the proposed price would provide all minority shareholders with a premium of 37.4 per cent to the 30-day average closing price and 43.2 percent to the closing price of NBC shares on the NSE on December 13, 2010, which was N30.03 per NBC share.

However, the proposed scheme will be subject to the approval of the shareholders at a meeting of the Company, convened on the order of the Federal High Court, and will only become binding and effective upon obtaining the approval of not less than three-quarters in value of shares held by those present and voting, in person or by proxy, at the said meeting and the subsequent sanction of the FHC.

Consequently, an application will be made for the delisting of the company’s shares from the Daily Official List of the NSE and thereafter the company will be re-registered as a private company in accordance with the relevant provisions of CAMA
Source:Sunnewsonline.com

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New NSE DG: Ike, Onadele divide Council

Baring last minute change, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) may announce the newly recruited chief executive officer of the Exchange this week, with Mr. Bola Onadele and Yvonne Ike being front runners to clinch the exalted job. Both finalists are said to have divided the Council of Nigerian Stock (NSE) as to who should clinch the top position at last.


Already, Mrs. Taba Peterside and Binus Yaroe are said to have emerged successful as the Executive Directors. The duo who are already employees of the Exchange are to be joined by two other successful applicants for the post of Executive Directors who are coming from outside.

As one of the three finalists pencilled down for the job, Onadele has another strong contender, Yvonne Ike, to beat. Oscar Onyema has also been found worthy of the job and can pull a last minute surprise. Daily Sun gathered from impeccable sources that Onadele has divided the Council of the Exchange as some of the members are predisposed to have him for the job.

Mr. Onadele, an Economics graduate and a Chartered Accountant is the founder of Financial Datanet. Koko, (as he is popularly called in the Nigerian financial market), is vast in Treasury Management Operations with experience spanning over 10years as Assistant General Manager Treasury (Citibank Nigeria) and Vice-President, Treasury group of FCMB.

With a passion for Treasury development, he has been involved with a number of market development activities of the Money Market Association of Nigeria (MMAN); having served on the FX Advisory and Market Development Committees of the MMAN between 1997 and 2000.

He was the Chief Operating Officer of Lead bank between 2003 and 2005 and served as a Director of the Nigeria Inter Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) in 2000. Koko championed the two-way quoting system in trading in the foreign exchange market, the Nigerian Inter-bank Offered Rate (NIBOR), Nigeria Inter-bank Foreign Exchange Index (NIFEX) and the introduction of screen based dealing in Nigeria.

He was a facilitator for the Citibank Bourse Game (Foreign Exchange & Money Market Simulation) course in Nigeria and Ghana between 1997 and 1998. He also served as faculty member of the Lagos Business School/MBC International Bank Treasury Simulation Course. He is currently the President of FDHL.

However, Yvonne Ike, a South Easterner married to Hon. Habeeb Fashinro, a House of Representative member, is believed to have the backing of highly placed insiders in government and at the capital market.

Presently out of job, Mrs. Fashinro was a senior investment banker and until 2009 was a Managing Director at JP Morgan Chase, one of the world’s biggest financial services institutions, where she was Head of Investment Banking for West Africa. Prior to that, Yvonne worked at Lehman Brothers. She is an Ernst and Young trained Chartered Accountant and holds a BSc in Economics. 

  Source:sunnewsonline.com
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CPC warns PHCN, NERC over arbitrary billing

The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has asked Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to hence -forth stop arbitrary billing of electricity consumers for services they did not provide.


The Director General of the CPC, Ify Umenyi who expressed displeasure with the unpleasant treatment to Nigerian consumers without value addition said the Council was ready to wade into the situation.

“It has become a tradition with the PHCN to always bill consumers of electricity on what they refereed to as maintenance charges so far such consumers have not connected to the PHCN national grid”, which is not proper, she stated.

According to the survey conducted by the Council, she said, “this maintenance fee is irrespective of whether such consumers use electricity or not. It also observed that neither the NERC nor the PHCN carries out any such routine maintenance on the consumers’ meters”.

She stressed that the Nigerian consumers should be treated with all sense of respect, without which services and products will not, in the first place be found in the market place.
Mrs. Umenyi disclosed that, discussions are on going with the NERC over the issues as survey carried out by the council revealed that all the consumers repeatedly keep making the same complaints over the ill treatment being melted on the officials of the PHCN.

She said there was never a time any of the PHCN’s meters being used by the consumers had ever been maintained instead, “The meters are collected and the consumers made to pay again, the same amount to obtain new ones. That is where and when they are available.”

She vowed that what the PHCN or NERC refers to as maintenance fees will be eliminated as there is no basis for such fee since no routine maintenance is being carried out by the agencies. The Council boss who also expressed worries over the ill-treatment melted out to consumers by the aviation operators at the airport, said, “I felt very bad for also the foreigners who keep experiencing one form of problem or the other at our airport. Some of these challenges they experience here in Nigeria , are not so in their own countries.

Everything works well for everybody at their country’s airport but here in our airport, the operators seem not to be mindful of their services to consumers. “They don’t care about the implications of their actions, especially when it has to do with the challenges of flight delays or other unpleasant issues,” she said.

She decried several ordeals faced by consumers when these operators will send information about alteration in flight movement when passengers are already at the airport or sometimes at the tarmac.

Mrs. Umenyi berated such mode of service rendering by the operators of the industry as not good enough for the consumers who should be treated as king in the market place.
The Council she added was working with the consumers department of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) towards ensuring that the unpalatable treatments melted on the aviation sector consumer are checked.
Source:sunnewsonline.com
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Army will secure all oil pipelines –Ihejirika

Ihejirika
The Nigerian Army said it would provide adequate security to Oil and Gas pipelines across the country, promising to spoil business for vandals.

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika who disclosed this in Abuja Wednesday when he received the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Engr. Austen Oniwon assured of the readiness of the Army to support the NNPC in mitigating the effects of the activities of vandals on oil pipelines and promised that a dedicated Army team will immediately be assigned to the two oil pipelines that are central to the operations of the three refineries in the country.

He said that in line with his vision upon assumption of office, the Nigerian Army would transform and rise to the occasion to meet the challenges of contemporary Nigerian society, stating that the collaborative efforts with the NNPC was to bring to an end the incessant vandalization of petroleum products pipelines across the country especially the Niger Delta region.

Earlier, the NNPC GMD noted with dismay that the recurring damage of oil pipelines by vandals have impacted negatively on the operation of the Country’s Refineries.
He implored the Chief of Army Staff to particularly deploy his men to step up surveillance on the crude pipeline from Bonny to Port Harcourt refinery and the Escravos pipeline to Warri and Kaduna Refinery saying that the refineries have been shut down temporarily because all the aforementioned pipelines have been severed.

“The rate of the crude pipeline vandalisation from Bonny to Port Harcourt refinery and the escravos to Warri and Kaduna refinery is alarming and I wish to request the Army to concentrate on these pipelines as they are critical to our operations”, Engr. Oniwon opined.
The GMD further sued for more collaboration with the Army in the area of Engineering and applauded the Army for maintaining a high standard of work in some of the contracts being handled by the Army for the Corporation.

He reiterated the commitment of the Corporation to the existing mutual relationship between the NNPC and the Army and asserted that the relationship would help the duo to meet its primary obligations to the country.
Source:sunnewsonline.com

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Ogazi tasks Nigerians on Eagles

Veteran sports journalist, Paul Ogazi, has affirmed that total support for the Super Eagles is crucial in the drive to turnaround the national team.

The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) ace, who spoke on the heels of the unveiling of the former Under-20 and World Youth Championship (WYC) silver-winning Coach, Samson Saisia in Abuja recently, said the new manager needed such support to take the team to loftier heights.

He told Daily Sunsports that Nigerians were in the habit of switching allegiance to the opposing team any moment the home side appeared not to be doing well, maintaining that, that does not inspire a comeback in a football game. “I think Nigerians owe Coach Samson Siasia a lot of support to succeed. They need to encourage him by cheering the Eagles anytime they are competing.

“Tunisians will always cheer their Carthage Eagles from sunrise to sundown. They will go all the way with the team to the last minute and remain with it until the referee blows the final whistle. But that does not happen in Nigeria. Here, we will always pretend to like good football.

“Brazil will come here to play the Eagles, in the first 10 minutes, they are ahead, and then everybody will switch support to the visitors. The next thing you begin to hear is: “Eee! Ooo!” Nigerian fans will begin to boo the home side. I think it is only here that such a support for foreign teams happens, it is not like that overseas,” he said.

“The Eagles can make a mistake at some point in the game. But nothing suggests that they cannot come back and do the unexpected. We are still living witnesses to the Flying Eagles’ feat at the World Youth Championship (WYC) in Damman, Saudi Arabia in 1989. Though down with four goals, the team came back, pulled a spectacular draw and went ahead to win the match. Such a thing can happen anywhere.
Source:sunnewsonline.com

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Adamu’s release temporary – EFCC

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which Wednesday night granted FIFA Executive Committee suspended member, Dr. Amos Adamu, administrative bail after his travel documents were seized has said that the agency would keep its tab on him pending investigations.


Spokeman of EFFC, Femi Babafemi, confirmed to Daily Sunsports that the shamed football administrator was released Wednesday night, adding that it is only temporary as the commission would invite him from time to time as investigation on his case proceeds.

“Adamu was released Wednesday night on administrative bail after interrogation but this is only temporary as he would be invited from time to time in the course of investigations. Our chat with him Wednesday bordered on financial issues related to COJA and, of course, the vote-for-sale for which he was suspended for by FIFA.”

Apart from the bribery scandal for which Adamu has been slammed a three-year suspension and a fine, he is expected to answer questions on the N24 billion allocated to the 2003 COJA Games.
FIFA had on Thursday, 19 November 2010, banned Adamu, Reynald Temarii and four others from participating in all football-related activities for corruption.

It also fined them of 10,000 Swiss francs (£6, 341).
They were found guilty of offering to sell their votes to Sunday Times of London undercover reporters, posing as lobbyists for a US consortium as a means of helping one of the bidding nations clinch the hosting rights of the 2018/2022 World Cups.
Source:sunnewsonline.com
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Mega Party’ll spring surprise in 2011–Falade

Falade
Corruption
One of the greatest threats to the survival of democracy in Nigeria is corruption. It has never been that bad.It is unfortunate that corruption has become a major vice in this country.

Since 1999, when the nation returned to democratic rule after several years of military dictatorship, the expectation of millions of Nigerians was that it would be the dawn of a new era. But this has not been the case. Corruption has become rampant with many public office holders being indicted. It is sad that it is still not yet uhuru for the voters who elected these leaders into office.

Corruption is giving Nigeria a bad name to the extent that even on the international scene, respect that other nations would have accorded Nigeria is being eroded due to corrupt acts by our leaders.

As another general election is fast approaching, Nigerians should realise that time has come for a change. They should vote only for credible people who have the guts to take the bull by the horn. We need revolutionary leaders that will clean the augean stable. We need a fearless leader that will clear the rot.
Nigeria of today is not the kind of nation envisaged by the founding fathers. The decay in Nigeria today would even make some of the founding fathers turn in their graves.
2011 general elections
Now that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has released the time table, political parties should prepare for the battle ahead. The election should not be seen as a do-or-die affair.
Instead of engaging in acts of political brigandage or harassment of political opponents, parties and their leaders should sell their manifesto to the electorate. They should engage in campaign of ideas, and not only that, electioneering campaigns should be issue-oriented.

As expected, all eyes would be focused on INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, and his team. The INEC boss should strive to be an unbiased umpire. He should provide a level playing ground for all parties.
Jega shouldn’t forget the reputation he has built over the years. He should not allow some unscrupulous elements to tarnish his image.

2011 general election will go a long way in determining the future of our democracy. INEC should not forget that international observers would be coming to monitor the poll. We also have one lesson or two to learn from other countries like the United States, and Cote d’Ivoire, where elections were recently held without any report of violence.
Insecurity
This is another major threat to democracy. The recent happenings around the country, including Abuja bomb blast, and importation of 13-containers load of arms calls for concern. Following closely on the heels of the containers-arms saga was the recently reported seizure of some military weapons illegally brought into the country by the Nigeria Navy.

These are ominous signs, and appropriate actions must be taken by security agencies to bring the situation under control. Insecurity is a serious threat that must be addressed before the general elections.
Democracy can’t thrive amid insecurity. This is a big task for President Goodluck Jonathan. Federal Government must ensure security of lives and property. It is not only democracy that is threatened by insecurity, every facet of our lives, including the economy will be endangered.
Leadership problems in Nigeria
The nation has not got it right since 50 years ago when we got independence because we have not been blessed with visionary leaders. The founding fathers had lofty ideas for this nation. Their dream was to transform Nigeria into a force to be reckoned with in the comity of nations. They, indeed, tried their best but successive leaders have not been able to take Nigeria to the promised land.

Nigeria is in dire need of visionary leaders who can take daring actions. The nation need men of courage that can change the status quo. We need a leader that can tackle the so-called cabal that have not allowed things to work.
MPPP and 2011
The party will present formidable candidates that will deliver the goods. Nigerians are yearning for a change, and MPPP will provide a platform for dynamic professionals who will deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians.MPPP is a grass-root party.We are not afraid of big names. We have candidates that will shock the so-called big parties. We are set to spring a surprise.

2011 will be a year of disappointment for many parties. MPPP will demystify the so-called invincibility of these big political parties.
Source:sunnewsonline.com

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