Taraba crash: Governor Suntai’s aides flown to Germany

The three aides of Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State involved in last Thursday’s air crash in company of the governor have been transferred to Germany for treatment, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Emmanuel Bello, said yesterday.
The movement of the three aides to Germany came as the state government declared that there was no power vacuum in the state. Mr. Bello declared that the deputy governor, Alhaji Sani Abubakar was holding forth for the recuperating governor.
The three aides involved in the air crash are Dasat Iliya, the Aide de Camp, ADC; Timo Dangana, Chief Security Officer, CSO, to the governor; and Joel Dan, Chief Detail. They had earlier been transferred to the National Hospital, weekend.
The movement of the aides from Abuja to Germany, the stage government declared, yesterday, was to ensure that like the governor all possible fears were totally removed.
Bello told Vanguard: “The three aides are in the National Hospital and are all showing great signs of improvement. In fact, one of them was even walking around and others were talking with family members.”
”They are in very, very stable condition. There were only four persons in the plane and there were three aides and they are all doing fine.”
“The governor is fine and all the reports we are getting show that he is doing fine. It is only that we were not taking chances and that is why he was moved to Germany. It is the same for all the other aides. They were moved to Germany as well. There is no preferential treatment as some were trying to insinuate.”
 DailyPost

Only God can solve Nigeria’s problems – Governor Lamido

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has said that the only panacea to Nigeria’s many problems is to return to God.
The governor noted that having witnessed many problems including the recent nationwide flood that sacked millions of Nigerians, he has resolved that it’s only God that has answers to the problems that bedevilled the country.
Lamido observed that the problems that befell Nigerians this year were indications that something was wrong, urging Nigerians to go into serious prayers.
He added that all hands must be on deck to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Lamido assured flood victims in the state of relief materials, just as he promised that government would use the N400 million donated by the Federal Government to help victims get back to their normal lives.
Meanwhile, president Goodluck Jonathan would visit the area on a two-day working tour. The Governor said the state was ready to welcome the President to the Jigawa State.
DailyPost

Woman, 25, arraigned for impersonation and car theft in Lagos

A 25-year-old woman, Cynthia Okonkwo, has been arraigned  for impersonating an Army officer and also for car theft in Ogudu Magistrate Court, Lagos.
Cynthia with no specific residential house address was arraigned before Justice I. O Afunwa on a four-count charge of impersonation, unlawful possession, stealing and conspiracy.
Although she pleaded not guilty to the charges but the prosecutor insisted she stole a Toyota Camry saloon car with registration no. KU 200 AAA, valued at N800, 000, property of Mr. Babatunde Onibire.
According to the Corporal, Kemi Adeniran, the accused falsely and unlawfully deceived a taxi driver on octobor 16, 2013 at Ojota motor park, Lagos by disguising herself as an army officer while putting on an army cap and a jacket.
“The accused approached Onibire at Ojota Motor Park to take her to Adeniji Adele on Lagos Island, to buy some drugs.
“On the way she asked the driver to take her to a hotel to lodge, but complained that she could not afford to pay N7, 000 per night and convinced the driver to allow her to pass the night inside his car.
“By 4.00 a.m. the next day, Okonkwo had disappeared with the car,”Adeniran told the court.
After listening to the pleas of the accused, the Magistrate granted her bail in the sum of N50, 000 and two sureties in like sum. He therefore adjourned the case to November 26, for further hearing.
DailyPost

Political Space For Good Nigerians

  AYISHA OSORI

There are a few truisms about the political space in Nigeria. One is that it is predominantly occupied by, to put it politely, people who cannot do anything else. They had nothing to do before they got in, contributed nothing to their communities (no, procreation does not count) and will have absolutely no idea what to do when/if they have to leave. The second is that it is absolutely/hands down the most financially lucrative venture to indulge in. The rewards are astronomical and relatively risk-free… for those going in to uphold the status quo. The third is that, to be highly successful in the political space, a person must murder the ability to be honest; swallow dignity and unashamedly embrace the most nauseating form of sycophancy – the proudly made in Nigeria strain.
As a result of the first three truisms, the fourth truism is that the type of person who should inhabit the political space – who cares and is skilled enough to actually make a difference in moving Nigeria in the right direction – is reluctant and even scared of participating.
2015 is clearly in play and, as some begin to deliberate about candidates and consider options about how to start tugging a reluctant political class and its machinery towards better governance, it is necessary to analyse the group captured by the fourth truism. As a few members of the professional class and civil society struggle with themselves about their responsibilities as citizens or their desires to enter into the political space, it is important to understand what makes our ‘dream candidates’ wary or afraid of attempting to actively participate in a space defined by Nigerian political truisms.
Apart from the obvious obstacles to participating such as the violence, the occultism and the compromise deals, there are other less obvious reasons people stay out of the political space. The possibility of damaging their reputation is a deterrent to many. The reality and perception of corruption within government is so pervasive that some are reluctant to accept political appointments for fear of being seen as just taking the opportunity to dip into the oil pool. The belief that government is not a place for people of honour and integrity is so strong that some, including foreigners, automatically ‘rethink’ what they believe they know about a person once news filters out linking him/her with elective or appointive positions.
This is unfair but not entirely unfounded. It is unfair because there is no doubt that public officials would lead lives slightly different from the rest of the public, not because they are above the public but their duties are such that they should be excused from certain routine activities. As the late Václav Havel – activist-turned-president of Czechoslovakia - put it, it is not the best use of his time as president to still have to make his own airline bookings when an assistant can be employed at the state’s expense to enable him focus on more important issues. The burden of making decisions which affect millions is a heavy one and the less routine things certain officials have to contend with, the better. However, in Nigeria, government officials take undue advantage of their positions to pile on privileges which are unjust and in complete discord with the services they provide the public. For instance, there are government agencies in Nigeria where the commissioners are paid a leave allowance of N10 million per annum in addition to other benefits. It is these types of unconscionable perks which make people believe any participation in government cannot be justified by people of conscience. And this is without the pitfalls and traps the more politically savvy lay out for those who come from the ‘outside’.
There is also the fear of metamorphosis. This is a difficult one to explain because clearly as far as the eye can see entering into the political space in Nigeria comes with an obvious transformation into a world of fantastic privileges and untold access to money and opportunities - where roads and people part miraculously before Nigerian politic
Leadership

We didn’t back Mimiko to spite Tinubu – Braithwaite

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE
SECOND Republic politician and elder statesman, Dr Tunji Braithwaite, 76, was one of a host of Yoruba elders, who endorsed re-election of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, several weeks before the October 20 contest that Mimiko won.
In this interview, the legal icon, who leads the Nigeria Advance Party, NAP, said his endorsement of Mimiko was not targeted against any party or individual. However, he insists that no part of Nigeria should be under one-party control.
We backed Mimiko because of his track record
Asked what informed his endorsement of Mimiko and belief that the governor would win, he said: “We endorsed Mimiko for public support in the recent governorship election, particularly the support of the people of Ondo State because of his track record. I can only reiterate what I said, before the election.
“We identify with Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State, primarily because in our country, presently, in the firm grip of knaveries, mediocre and utterly unfit persons who occupy sacred offices of state, due to the pervasive power of king corruption in the land, here, is one governor among the very infinitesimal few in government, whose sole purpose in government is the delivery of good governance, providing selfless leadership towards the development and improvement of the standard of living of the people of his state.”
Our support for Mimiko not against Tinubu
Braithwaite dispelled assumptions in some quarters that he supported Mimiko to spite former governor of Lagos, Bola Ahmed Tinubu saying: “Our support for Mimiko in the South West is neither against Ahmed Tinubu, nor against any individual.

Braithwaite: Our support for Mimiko is not against Tinubu

My politics, right from the formation of the Nigeria Advance Party, NAP is to try and relieve the Nigerian people, especially the masses and the young generation, of the destructive burden of corruption, on their lives, and the paralyzing effects of the wholesale thieving by unfit persons in governments.
Unfortunately– due to the low level of the knowledge and understanding of the power, available to them, the masses allowed the rats and the parasites to become so fat that they now flaunt their illegitimate “wealth” with impunity, – while the people remain helpless.
“Nevertheless, we are optimistic that our revolution, our mantra in politics, will destroy these suffocating and deleterious effects on their lives pretty soon.”
We must shun one-party state
Asked his view on claims by the Action Congress of Nigeria that the South West must be under one party before it could witness needed development especially the South West regional integration agenda, he urged Nigerians to avoid one-party state.
“Neither the South-West, nor any geo-political zone, nor the country as a whole should be a one-party zone or state. The present trend and claims of “control” by these parties is a mirage. It is without any sincere acceptability by the people of the so-called controlling parties,” he argued.
Braithwaite expressed concern over pre-election jibes by one of the contestants to his opponent that South-West was not for sale querying:  “Who is the vendor, who is the purchaser? This type of mindset is characteristic of the corrupt power-mongers, in this presently unfortunate country. These individuals perceive everything, in politics, only in terms of money and never in terms of service to the people. For them, politics is a matter of “do or die”. Well, they have to die, in their ungodly and ruthless quest for money and power, by means of mammon.”
Mimiko must remain focused
To fast track development in Ondo State, he urged Governor Mimiko to remain focused on his agenda. “He must continue, in transparency, his track by which he earned the critical and revolutionary support of people like us and our fast growing constituencies of revolutionaries across this nation.
Major parties to meet waterloo in 2015
Asked to assess all political parties in the country in terms of internal democracy and party discipline, and whether any of the party is well organised to lead the country out of the woods, Braithwaite said: “None of the so-called ‘major parties’ now in control of governments, both at the federal and state level is altruistic enough to lead the country ‘out of the woods’. I stand to be vindicated that sooner than later, indeed before 2015, the revolutionary forces, now on an irreversible course to destroy king corruption in Nigeria shall discharge that sacred duty.”
We’ve not endorsed Jonathan for 2015
On whether his call on Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan, during the latter’s appearance at his book launch recently was not tacit endorsement of the President’s second term ambition in 2015, the politician said: “President Goodluck Jonathan’s launch of the Jurisprudence of the Living Oracles – was a fortuitous duty he had to perform and I am happy, he did not miss the opportunity. The book is not an ordinary book. I am more grateful to those religious leaders of all faiths, paramount Obas, Emirs, Obis, leading scholars and civil society groups that turned up for that historic launch.
“Unlike our unequivocal endorsement of Mimiko for the last Ondo Governorship election, the launch of my book by President Jonathan is by no means our endorsement of him for the 2015 election. The country still has to undertake a thorough house-cleaning before that election.
Indeed, we will soon call out the people for a final showdown, unless, a National Conference, by the People is able to resolve major outstanding issues relative to the well-being of this country and of Africa as a whole takes place, in a matter of months, if not weeks. I speak authoritatively. By the way, what happens to the ugly criminality of the bribery saga, in the National Assembly and some fuel marketers over the so-called fuel subsidy removal?”
Vanguard

Oshiomhole reads riot act to doctors

By GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE
BENIN—EDO State governor, Comarade Adams Oshiomhole, has frowned on the attitude to duties of doctors in the employ of the state, warning that government would not hesitate to dismiss any found wanting.
He gave the warning yesterday at Central Hospital, Benin City, when he paid an unscheduled visit to the hospital.
He emphasized that hospitals in the state were not supposed to be death, but healing centres.
He reminded the doctors that they were trained to save lives, but lamented that they were, instead, presiding over avoidable deaths due to negligence.
He said: “We will dismiss any doctor who is not ready to work.
“Are we supposed to beg doctors to come to work?   It is a contract, it is either you service it and you keep it or you don’t and you go.
“We don’t have all the resources we need. The little that we have we don’t value. If we don’t have a hospital, we should be able to tell our people so that they can go to herbalists.
“But when you put a sign board that there is a hospital and you go there and there is no doctor, the general impression is that it does not matter.
“When they don’t see a doctor in the hospital, they will now go to private hospitals.”
“Our people are already dying of negligence, so I am not bothered about threat of strike.”
Vanguard

$180m HALLIBURTON SCANDAL: Two ex-Heads of State battle Jonathan

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI
ABUJA — Following the directive by President Goodluck Jonathan that the investigative report into the $180 million Halliburton bribery scandal be re-opened and the major culprits re-arrested, Vanguard gathered that this has resulted in a fall out between two former heads of state and President Jonathan.
The two former heads of state (names withheld) were said to have been found in the investigative report to have benefitted from the sharing of the Halliburton bribe money using fronts who have already confessed that they were only fronting for their principals.

Incidentally, when the investigation team took off from Abuja sometime in 2010 and landed in Ibadan on their way to the home of one of the indicted persons, Bodunde Adeyanju, to recover documents relating to how the Halliburton bribe money was collected and disbursed, the team was sent back  to Abuja from the Ibadan airport.

Jonathan determined to prosecute suspect

It was gathered that President Jonathan is determined to prosecute those found wanting in the bribery scandal to demonstrate not only to Nigerians who feel he is a toothless bulldog when it comes to fighting corruption, but also to show the international community that corrupt people, no matter their status in the society, can be brought to book in Nigeria.
And as part of this determination, it was gathered that an approval has been secured by the five-man inter-agency panel headed by the Inspector General of Police, including EFCC, SSS, and ICPC, to travel to France, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Spain to confirm the foreign leg of the investigations which mostly involves wiring of the funds, the amounts and the account holders.
It will be recalled that this aspect of the investigation was to be carried out in 2010, as the visas had been acquired and about N50million meant for the trip and investigation expenses made available but the trip was called off following pressure said to have been mounted on the office of the Attorney General of the federation by a former head of state.
Already, Vanguard gathered that the US government has sent a letter to the Federal Government warning that it may apply certain amount of sanctions in line with international anti-corruption protocols if the culprits are not prosecuted and if the $26.5 million paid by Julius Berger as Plea Bargain is not located and given to the Police.
Meanwhile, the Police authorities are said to be working round the clock to unravel the mystery surrounding whereabouts of the Julius Berger plea bargain money with the Inspector General of Police vowing that the money must be found.
It was gathered that as part of investigation on the matter, all the receipts of plea bargain money returned by other suspects during investigation, and whose amounts were lodged in such government accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, Ministry of Finance, Accountant General’s office and the office of the Accountant General of the federation have been recalled and the monies located except that returned by Julius Berger.
It will be recalled that President Jonathan had directed the Police to resuscitate the investigative report of the $180million Halliburton scam following America ’s insistence that the culprits in the bribery scandal must be brought to book before the $130million in US coffers can be returned to Nigeria .
America also insisted that the $26.5million plea bargain money returned by Construction giant, Julius Berger, must be located and made available to Police following suspicion that the money has developed legs and ended up in some person’s pocket.
Since the directive there has been confusion over the whereabouts of the huge amount of money and this according to sources has angered President Jonathan who has subsequently charged the Attorney General of the federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke to fish out the money and make it available to the Police by end of this week.
The decision to task the Attorney General with the assignment according to sources followed conflicting statements by both Julius Berger, office of the Accountant General of the federation and the Police investigators about the true position of the funds. One account said the money was in the possession of the Accountant General of the federation. Another account said the money was being kept in the office of the AGF while the Police said they are at a loss of the money’s whereabouts.
Julius Berger one of the companies indicted in the Halliburton $180 million bribery scandal had opted for a plea bargain in order to be speared the prosecution process following the conclusion of the 5 man inter-agency investigation panel.

Vanguard