Anambra: Implications of victory

The zero hour is at the very doors, as Anambra decides tomorrow.  Who succeeds Peter Obi as governor of the state?  The answer is in the womb of time, but the hour of delivery also draws near, and time will soon put to bed.
Without denigrating the many others in the race, five contestants have been isolated as frontrunners.  And out of the five, two have again been pencilled down as ‘possible’ and ‘probable.’  Who gets it?  Kulu tempa, as we say in this side of the world.  When a bride is being brought to your house, you don’t crane your neck from the balcony again to catch a glimpse of her.  She’s coming in to be yours and yours only, till death do you part.
There are implications if any of the five top candidates runs away with the diadem.  Implications for democracy, for Nigeria, for Anambra.  By the way, you already know the top five, but let us mention them again.  Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Chris Ngige of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ifeanyi Ubah of Labour Party (LP), Godwin Ezeemo of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), and Tony Nwoye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Any of the five listed above can be Anambra’s next governor.  But what are the fallout of victory, the necessary corollary, if any of them emerges, as it must necessarily happen?
Let me start with Tony Nwoye of the PDP, a late starter, hobbled for weeks by litigation in his party, which was not settled in his favour till Monday last week by the Supreme Court.  Call him “one born out of due time,” like the biblical Apostle Paul, and you would be right.  Others had more than a head start over Nwoye, and he can only try and play catch up.
But what if Nwoye wins?  Now, why are you laughing?  Don’t you believe in miracles again?  Me, I do.  I never rule out anybody.  Yes, what if Nwoye wins?
If the PDP gets Anambra State back again, it proves the veracity of the biblical saying that “the last shall be the first, and the first shall be the last.” The battle is not for the strong, nor the race to the swift.  It would, indeed, be the eighth wonder of the world if Nwoye becomes governor after the polls tomorrow, but it would be good, exceedingly good for the PDP.
Consider the current state of the much-vaunted largest party in Africa.  The umbrella (logo of the party) is torn, perforated, tattered, and rain is badly beating those taking shelter under it.  In fact, most of them want out, and are already considering other options for their political future.  At least seven governors, a national secretary, a former acting national chairman, and many others are in rebellion against the party.  They call themselves New PDP.  For PDP, things have fallen apart, the centre cannot hold, and mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.  There is depression, despondency, disillussionment in the party.  PDP badly needs encouragement, its waning fire needs to be stoked again, it needs a transfusion before the last breath of life escapes through its nostrils.  Victory for its candidate in Anambra will be a shot in the arm the party needs so badly.  It is enough to bring PDP back from death’s door, enough to snatch it from the jaws of the lion, which is about to tear its jugular.  Will it happen?
If Nwoye wins, not only will PDP rejoice, the confidence of President Goodluck Jonathan will also be kindled, if truly he wants to run in 2015.  The way it is, the rug is about being pulled from under the feet of the president.  The scenario at work now is to so decimate the PDP, that by 2015, nothing will be left of the party, except a carcass.  And it will not be useful for anybody as a political platform again, especially the president. A victory in Anambra tomorrow will, however, change the permutations.  Nwoye?  Good luck to you.
How about Ezeemo of PPA, the man who was first in APC, and contested for the gubernatorial ticket with Ngige.  Twice they ran the race, and twice Ngige dusted Ezeemo, the second by a landslide margin.  But the latter believed he had a date with history on November 16, 2013, so he headed for the PPA.  He found accommodation in that party, and he’s candidate for tomorrow’s election.
If Ezeemo wins, what a resurgence it would be for PPA.  Remember that in 2007, that party had two governors, and it was poised to become an alternative party to APGA, particularly in the East.  But then, Brutus showed his hand.  Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State was the first to decamp, and later T. A. Orji of Abia followed the same infamous track.  They weakened the party considerably.  From outside, they even sponsored an insurrection within the party, and a splinter group emerged, laying claim to leadership.  But PPA has been retooling, re-strategizing, and it is still a credible platform.  If Ezeemo wins tomorrow, it will be a great comeback for the party.  Will it happen?  Ezeemo has my best wishes.
If Ezeemo wins, it will exemplify the saying that one must be resolute in one’s convictions.  He had a dream to be governor, believed in the dream, and when the APC attempted to turn the dream to nightmare, he held a speedy dialogue with his feet.  Keep your dream alive, let no one extinguish the fire.  Dreams do come true.
Now, Ifeanyi Ubah of Labour Party.  Deep pocket.  And it is said he’s the one who has spent the most money in the race for Government House in Awka.  Maybe true, maybe not.  If he wins, it shows that you truly need a deep pocket to make any impact in the political race in Nigeria.  Money, answereth all things, as the Good Book says.  And of course, beyond money, you need ideas, good ideas.
Yes, Ubah has good ideas, as I’ve listened to him espouse his dream and vision for Anambra a number of times.  I was on the panel at the final round of the governorship debate held in Awka a fortnight ago.
If Ubah wins, it says again that you should never let any man stand between you and your dreams.  Initially, he was in APGA, but Gov Peter Obi apparently did not want him as a successor.  I could labour for the people somewhere else, Ubah told himself, so off to Labour Party he went.  Will Dr Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State have a companion governor?  Tomorrow will show.  Again, good luck to Ifeanyi Ubah.
What if Chris Ngige wins?  And he can win, can’t he?  Does any soldier go to war with the intention of losing, or of being brought back home in  a bodybag?  Not at all.  Ngige is former governor of Anambra, and if he wins, if shows that lightning always strikes twice.
On his first coming, the court said the mandate was snaffled from Peter Obi of APGA, so after three years, Ngige got a kick in the butt.  But you know what?  He had spent the three years doing good, and had built a good reputation for himself.  The lesson: in whatever position you find yourself, use it to serve.  Serve God, serve mankind.  You never know what the future holds.  Ngige is a frontrunner today because a large number of Anambra people have not forgotten what he did in the three years he held power, even if illegitimately.
If Ngige wins, it is very good for APC.  The party is a coalition bent on wresting power from the PDP at the centre, and in as many states as possible in 2015.  Victory for Ngige will, therefore, be a boost for APC.  With Anambra in the bag, Abuja will be the next destination.
Again, if Ngige wins, it signals the final nail in the coffin of zoning in Nigeria.  I used to believe in zoning, till it was killed in 2011.  Now, I am for free contest.  Let anyone from anywhere run for any position, if you believe you have what it takes.  The outgoing administration in Anambra has made a lot of bones about the need for power to shift to Anambra North, which has never produced the governor before.
Obi is from Anambra Central, Ngige is also from the same senatorial district.  Should the zone continue to rule, when Anambra North has not even ruled once?  That is why APGA picked its candidate from the North.  But if Ngige wins, Anambra people would have said a resounding no to zoning.  We do not care where the governor comes from, we just want a competent person.  That will also be quite instructive for our national politics.  The people are at the heart and centre of democracy, and their will must prevail.
Again, if Ngige wins, it will reinforce the fact that by sheer force of personality, you can make the people accept your political party, even if some others try to portray it as a weak platform, or ‘not our own’ party.  When Mimiko was forced out of the PDP in Ondo State, he joined Labour.  PDP people laughed him to scorn, saying it would be labour loss.  Today, the rest is history. Mimiko’s personality did it.
Also in Bauchi, Isa Yuguda was forced out of the PDP, he went to the then ANPP, and won (Don’t mind that he later went back to his vomit, rejoining PDP).  So, an acceptable candidate can always make his platform widely acceptable.
And the last big masquerade: Willie Obiano.  Does Anambra have another Babatunde Raji Fashola in the making?  Before the 2007 elections, the question on everybody’s lips in Lagos was Babatunde who?  But today, not again.  He has become the poster boy for continuity and democracy dividends in Nigeria.
Peter Obi, by my reckoning, has governed well.  He has laid a very solid foundation for Anambra.  Will the people transfer the confidence they have in him to his protégé, Obiano?  If the latter wins, well, lightning has struck twice again.  First in Lagos, from Bola Tinubu to Fashola, and then in Anambra.  As at six months ago, if you mentioned his name, the question would have been, Willie who?  But not anymore.  He is a frontrunner in tomorrow’s election.  He has formidable following, just as he equally has formidable opposition.
If Obiano wins, it shows that zoning still matters in Nigerian politics.  If he has block votes in Anambra North, despite Nwoye of PDP coming from the same zone, it then shows that people of Anambra North want the governorship so badly, and nobody could do it better than their own son.
A victory for Obiano is confidence booster for APGA, which will sally forth to try and win Imo back, and then other states in the region, and even beyond.
But what if any other candidate, outside the Big Five wins? And why not?  Don’t despise the days of small beginnings.  A little one can become a thousand.  It will simply tell us that dark horses still exist, and can pull stunts. A dark horse can even run for president in 2015, and win.  And that includes the person reading this piece.  Or don’t you think so?

TheSun

Sovereign or unitary wealth fund?

Not long ago, while collecting Federal Government’s bond on the Lagos State contribution to the unconstitutional Sovereign Wealth Fund, Lagos State Governor, Raji Fashola, restated his government’s opposition to the Fund.
More noticeably, while emphasising  his objection, Governor Fashola likened the Aso Rock- imposed Sovereign Wealth Fund to the sharing of a family estate in which a top member of the family is dictating to, or indeed, forcing others in the family to save for a rainy day.
That was interesting because that was exactly the same analogy with which state governors were alerted in this column as far back as November 11, 2011 when members of National Assembly (especially of the defunct ACN, CPC and ANPP) ignorantly joined in passing the Sovereign Wealth Fund Bill, while attorneys-general of the thirty six states kept slumbering without realising the implications for our federal set up.
Accordingly, the views expressed in this column in the early days of the Sovereign Wealth Fund illegality, are being reproduced today. It must, of course, be added that when it dawned on state governors that they were being shortchanged, they headed for the Supreme Court as advised in this column at that time.
Instead of deciding the case in view of its constitutional importance/urgency, the Supreme Court, ever complicit with the Executive, has been dilly-dallying. First, the court advised state governments to try out of court settlement with the Federal Government. When the effort failed after about four months, the same Supreme Court fixed hearing for early next year.
Meanwhile, did Governor Fashola and any other state governor(s), who might have collected the Federal Government bond on their contributions to the Sovereign Wealth Fund realise the implication of their action? It was a trap set for them by the Federal Government. In law, once you abide by the contents or fall-out of an action whose legality you are challenging in a court of law, you have ignorantly recognised the legality  of the subject matter and, therefore, forfeit all rights of litigation. Case dismissed.
The governors concerned should wait for the hearing of their suit. The following is the alert given the governors and it was even insinuated in the alert that Nigeria was bankrupt. Those state governors owe me the same fee to be paid to their legal consultants: 
Even if one political party controls the entire thirty-six component states of Nigeria, governance in the country will still be under the prevailing federal constitution until or unless the document is amended otherwise to empower the Federal Government as a free-wheeling overlord to which the states are subordinated especially on fiscal matters.
What is more, for now state governments in the country are controlled by six political parties, the ACN, the CPC, the PDP, ANPP, APGA, and the Labour Party (LP). This fact alone does not, on that basis necessarily confer autonomy on the states. Rather, their somewhat respective self-government derives authority from the federal constitution. In effect, the PDP-controlled Federal Government, in a stable political environment cannot dictate to PDP-controlled state government(s) how to disburse their revenue from the federation account.
This is the basis of the split between President Goodluck Jonathan and the thirty-six state governors. Their disagreement is over the utilisation of surplus federal revenue specifically from oil sales. Goodluck Jonathan in his Almighty, as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has commandeered substantial revenue allocation, which should accrue to the states and converted it into a Sovereign Wealth Fund. Jonathan deems to have acted on behalf of the thirty-six states to save for a rainy day, perhaps on the strength of an act of the National Assembly.
But then such act may not necessarily be in line with Nigeria’s federal structure, since each state has the constitutional prerogative to disburse its revenue from federal allocation instead of some sermon from Aso Rock to save for a rainy day.
It is a question of separation of powers/authority between the federal and state governments rather than some kind of morality. Put in plain language, the head of a family may be privileged to regularly share out from family estate. Yet, each beneficiary is not forced to save for a rainy day (from his share) by the head of the family. Everybody unto himself. If, however, there is a compelling need to save for the rainy day, that will be from mutual voluntary agreement, which at government level, will require an amendment to Nigerian constitution to clearly empower the Federal Government as sole custodian of a Sovereign Wealth Fund, thereby subordinating the states to Goodluck Jonathan.
Such a development is not feasible because it will be against the spirit of the existing constitution which deliberately concedes autonomy to states but also the current political mood for further decentralisation of revenue allocation formula to release more funds to the states. The instant catchy name is fiscal federalism.
There is a major aspect of governance of which those leading us are either ignorant or pretend not to know. This is a civilian if undemocratic government. It is, therefore, ridiculous that those who should know better – lawyers, parliamentarians and political party officials – are alluding to the Petroleum Trust Fund as operated under the late General Sani Abacha’s regime.
State military governors in a military regime do not enjoy the same constitutional legitimacy with elected state governors. In fact, the only Constitution in a military regime is the Commander-in-Chief from whom every other official takes orders. State military governors are, therefore on duty postings, operating completely at the sole discretion of their Commander-in-Chief, (in that case, General Sani Abacha), who originated the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) headed by General Muhammadu Buhari.
Accordingly, no state military governor had constitutional authority to insist on disbursing (his) state excess oil revenue as he deemed fit.
The law establishing the PTF under General Sani Abacha, and by the way, still sustained under General Abdulsalami Abubakar, legally and constitutionally lapsed on the return of civilian rule in 1999 as it (the PTF Decree) conflicted with the federal constitution which restored the autonomy of elected state governors. In contrast, all military regimes are unitary in operations.
Jonathan’s Sovereign Wealth Fund is similarly being likened to the excess crude fund as operated under Obasanjo. For a start, Obasanjo never said he was saving revenue due to the states for a rainy day. And the fact that Obasanjo operated a similar policy does not make it constitutional. He was only allowed unnecessary latitude largely because of the ethnic affinity of some state governors while others were corrupt and not well-footed to challenge him (Obasanjo) in law courts. What is more when the same Obasanjo unconstitutionally withheld federation account allocation of Lagos State government over disagreement on how the allocation should be disbursed to local councils in Lagos State. Governor Bola Tinubu successfully challenged Obasanjo’s illegal act in court, which ruled that Obasanjo should release the fund.
Both Bola Tinubu and law courts could not enforce the judgement as Obasanjo defied the ruling throughout his tenure. Release of the total arrears of the allocations of Lagos State Government from the federation account was one of the first decisions of the late President Umar Yar’Adua on assumption of office.
In the present case, the Federal Government can operate its Sovereign Wealth Fund just as state governments can each or collectively operate their wealth fund independent of Jonathan’s Sovereign Wealth Fund. It is also up to any state government or some state governments to join the Sovereign Wealth Fund. Where, however, a state or group of state governments resist such local colonialism, it is within the constitutional right of such states.
Where a state government refuses to save for the rainy day or even decide to squander its share of excess crude fund, it is not the business of Federal Government. Where a state government accordingly goes bankrupt or declares itself bankrupt, only then can the Federal Government move in, not by injecting any financial aid from its own Sovereign Wealth Fund, but by declaring an emergency to sack such a state government. The Federal Government will also be acting within its constitutional responsibility to, over a period thereafter, commence deduction of refund of the emergency financial aid to the state from its (state’s) share of federation account.
That is constitutionalism in operation. Only a State House of Assembly can query, control or even legislate a state government to save for a rainy day. Where a state government fails to sign such a fiscal bill or any bill for that matter, such statutorily becomes law after a period.
But then, Obasanjo throughout his tenure ignored the Freedom of Information Bill passed by the National Assembly.
Even where constitutionally imperative for Federal Government, such bill cannot unilaterally be initiated. State governors might therefore be sincere in the impression created that they were taken by surprise. At least, a state governor, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, owned up to have been consulted on the sovereign wealth bill by Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
As Edo’s Adams Oshiomhole was consulted, did he seek the legal opinion of his Attorney-General? If not, why did Oshiomhole agree with the coercion into the Sovereign Wealth Fund only to turn round to join other state governors in challenging the legality/constitutionality of the Sovereign Wealth Fund in a court of law?
If Governor Oshiomhole agreed to be forced into the Sovereign Wealth Fund, he was unconsciously surrendering the constitutional prerogative of Edo people to disburse their share of federal allocation (through their governor) the way they deemed fit.
Incidentally, when did the thought of Sovereign Wealth Fund occur to President Goodluck Jonathan? Throughout his campaigns for the presidential elections, he never mentioned anything to that effect. Instead, as late as the eve of the elections, Jonathan stimulated each state governor with three billion naira from the same federation account. What for? To ensure the ninety-eight percent return of votes in their states?
Before assuming office, Finance Minister, Okonjo-Iweala alerted that Nigeria as a country had been living above its means. Okay, she said Nigeria must live within its means. It can only be hoped Nigeria is not yet bankrupt and that the Sovereign Wealth Fund is a desperate way to cover up.
Whichever, state governments should not be forced to join the Fund, very much against their fiscal autonomy.
Governor Lamido in bad light
He could be anybody but Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State. This is year 2011 and despite the low level of democracy in Nigeria, the country is not such a place where a public servant, perhaps unconsciously, will elevate himself to the status of Lord of the Manor before whom everybody should be prostrating or be frightened to appear.
As an elected governor, it should not be a crime to criticize Sule Lamido. It is, of course, not sweet if not sour to be criticized but as long as a public office holder remains in the capacity, he must put up with criticisms. Or indeed, false allegations.
There are adequate laws to deal with such provocations. It is also settled in Nigerian law that a serving Nigerian president or state governor has no legal basis to institute any legal action against ordinary citizens as long as he, (the president or state governor) enjoys constitutional immunity against any legal action by an ordinary citizen.
That, in the first place, provides cover for any Nigerian citizen (especially of Jigawa State origin) to be intimidated by Governor Sule Lamido. Where, on the other hand, Governor Lamido wants to try his luck, he should follow due legal process without unnecessary interference.
Libel? Defamation? Yes, Governor Lamido might have been a victim. The place to seek redress, under Nigerian constitution, is not the Sharia court(s) but established conventional law courts. Libel or defamation is not a religious crime for which Sharia courts are established specifically to handle. Did Governor Lamido complain to police authorities about his political opponent libeling or defaming him? If he did, police authorities should have told Lamido that Nigerian constitution does not allow him the luxury of suing since he (the governor cannot be sued.
If at any rate, the police, out of ignorance, mischief or subservience, were to panic before Governor Lamido, then the alleged culprit should have been arraigned at a court of competent jurisdiction instead of a lower court or a Sharia court only to obtain a convenient excuse that such court(s) lack jurisdiction, an excuse for remanding the alleged accused in prison or police custody pending arraignment at court of competent jurisdiction. It would even be worse if Governor Lamido did not complain and only an overzealous police officer had been in action. Whichever is the case, the buck stops on Sule Lamido’s table for all legal/constitutional controversies in his state and around his person.
It is all the more worrying because of Sule Lamido’s person and his background. The victim in the current violation of human rights is not only a member of rival Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Second, Sule Lamido was one of those self-styled progressives who rose to fame through regular and harsh criticisms of government, especially military regimes.
In one of such misadventures under the late General Sani Abacha’s regime, Sule Lamido and his friend, the late Abubakar Rimi, were detained for months. If under a military regime, Sule Lamido believed he must assert his right to criticize General Abacha and his government, why, especially in a civilian dispensation, must the ordinary Nigerian citizen of Jigwa State origin not have the right to criticize Governor Lamido without being charged to court as a cover for detention in prison custody?
Sule Lamido did not enjoy it when he was detained by General Abacha. In fact, I took their case (Lamido and Rimi) in this column then in the defunct National Concord. Not long after, General Abacha released them.
That was a military regime, in contrast with the current civilian regime, which is more vulnerable to public criticisms.
Which law in Nigerian says a state governor cannot be criticized or even abused? The redress is at the law courts. And then,why Sharia court? When did Governor Lamido become Sheikh Sule Lamido to be seeking redress in a Sharia court?
On all grounds, the detention of Governor Sule Lamido’s critical political opponent is wrong. Lamido must therefore order his release today.

TheSun

 

 

 

UPDATE!!! ALLEGED MURDER SUSPECT OF NIGERIAN PHD STUDENT ADAOBI M. OBIH IN POLICE CUSTODY!!

**UPDATE***UPDATE******UPDATE***UPDATE******UPDATE***UPDATE******UPDATE***UPDATE****

Alleged Murder Suspect Is in Police Custody

Ryan Klug / Photo: Columbus Police Department

A Columbus man wanted for allegedly murdering 26-year-old Adaobi Obih recently at the apartment they shared on the city’s west side is in custody.
Columbus Public Safety spokesman Lt. Matt Myers says police were notified by the U.S. Marshals Service that 36-year-old Ryan Klug was taken into custody Saturday without incident in the Galveston, TX area.
Myers says authorities had been tracking Klug near Galveston since Friday night.
Representatives from the Columbus Police Department’s Detective Division will be going to Galveston in the near future to conduct their investigation.
Myers says police will be releasing an update on the investigation in a few days. No further information is available at this time.
Police have been looking for Klug for several days. He shared the apartment with Obih located in the River Stone Apartment Complex. Police were called to the apartment complex Tuesday after an employee found Obih dead.

Last Updated: Saturday, November 23, 2013 9:55:27 PM

SOURCE: http://wcsi.whiterivernews.com/templates/localnews_temp.asp?id=8299&storyno=1

ORIGINAL STORY: 

COLUMBUS – Columbus police obtained an arrest warrant for a man wanted for murder.
They’re looking for 36-year-old Ryan Allen Klug, who they say is now the prime suspect in the murder of 26-year-old Adaobi M. Obih, who was found dead Tuesday in an apartment. Police initially said Klug was a “person of interest” in the case.
Columbus police don’t think Klug is still in the area and said multiple law enforcement agencies were looking for him.


Adaobi M. Obih
Police were alerted to Obih’s death after she missed work Monday and Tuesday without notifying anyone. Concerned coworkers contacted her apartment complex to ask about her. Police also contacted the property manager to request a welfare check, according to the arrest affidavit.
A maintenance worked went to check on the woman and said, “It’s not good, there is blood everywhere” after going to Obih’s apartment.
A neighbor said he noticed that the door to Obih’s garage spot was open and had been open for at least 24 hours. Klug, who police described as Obih’s roommate, parked his vehicle there.
The maintenance worker told police there were no signs of forced entry at the apartment and that only two people would’ve had keys: Obih and Klug. The maintenance worker told police he found Obih with a “large amount of blood around her head” and said it appeared clear that she was dead.
Police talked to Obih’s boyfriend, who revealed that he’d texted and called her multiple times but never heard back. The last message he received from her was at 12:17 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17. When she failed to respond, he went to her apartment, saw her car in the parking lot and knocked on the door. Obih didn’t answer.
A neighbor who lives in the apartment below Obih’s said it sounded like someone was moving furniture during Sunday afternoon. “It went on for more than three minutes,” the neighbor said, adding that it happened shortly before tornado warnings went off for Sunday’s storms.
Police said Klug had texted a pastor asking him to call. When the pastor did so, Klug answered and said he couldn’t talk at the time.
Further investigation found that Obih had been stabbed multiple times and her throat cut. A blood trail went from the woman’s bedroom to Klug’s, and police said it appeared “the assailant attempted to clean up in the bathroom area belonging to Mr. Klug.” They also found a bloody towel in Klug’s sink. Police located a plastic bag containing a bloody sock and other clothes stained with blood, including blue jeans, boxers and a shirt. Police said the “amount of blood on these items was significant.”
Police found a trail of small blood drops leading from the apartment to the garage where Klug parked his vehicle. His 2008 silver Subaru Legacy was not parked in the garage.
Klug works for the Indiana Department of Transportation, and police contacted his supervisor, who told them Klug’s behavior had been “off” lately. He sent a text message Sunday saying, “sick tomorrow, then vacation next two weeks.” His supervisor said the message was out of character and also violated the department’s vacation time policy. Klug did not return texts or phone calls, his supervisor said. He didn’t show up at work Monday or Tuesday.
Klug’s stepmother and father said they hadn’t heard from him for several days.
His brother told police he’d spoken with Klug about two weeks ago. Klug wanted to get back with a girl he’d dated. The relationship ended about a year ago. His brother told Klug to call her; he said Klug discovered she was dating someone else and told him, “I’m losing control.”

NOTE: Police need help finding prime suspect 36 yr old Ryan Allen klug of 3461 Limestone Lane, Apt. 2134 Columbus Indiana, who might have fled to Ohio. He’s likely driving a 2008 gray Subaru with Indiana plate 357BPC.
*story developing .. Pls share any info u might hv on this guy + call police dep @ 812-376-2600

Tribex

"Jonathan And Lamido" - By: Sam Nda-Isaiah

I hope no one is duped by the face-off between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State being packaged as the president’s own version of the war against corruption. Last week, Governor Lamido accused President Jonathan of doing nothing about the lead he (Lamido) gave him: a minister close to him collecting $250 million bribe from an oil company. In less than 24 hours, the EFCC had swooped on two of the governor’s sons over the alleged laundering of about N10 billion. I am certainly not holding brief for Sule Lamido and his children. They may, in fact, be guilty; but would the president have given a different directive if the governor had not been such a trenchant opponent to him? If Lamido had not been in the Amaechi-led NGF and had been in the Jang-led NGF, would the prognosis have been different?

Or, let’s put it this way: why is it that, in spite of all the hoopla about Stella, the EFCC still does not know the way to the aviation minister’s house, even though her bulletproof cars run on excess aviation fuel? There have also been several reports on the petroleum minister, without any consequences whatsoever. During some of the investigations, it was the president himself that sometimes begged the National Assembly not to “embarrass” the ministers by inviting them to their committees.

It is too early for us to forget the president’s contributions to the House of Reps fuel subsidy probe. This is what happens when a leader has completely lost credibility. Governor Lamido may well be guilty of the massive corruption charges as alleged, but Nigerians are reading other meanings into it.

And, by the way, where is the report of the fuel subsidy scam involving the son of another PDP chieftain? Nigerians have not yet forgotten that the PDP chairman’s son and his colleagues have been charged in court over the theft of N304 billion. It’s now over 20 months, and nothing is heard about the case anymore. The case will probably never come up again until Bamanga Tukur starts thinking of conducting a free and fair presidential primary. And lest we forget so soon, what were the president’s contributions in catching the pension robbery kingpin, apart from what Nigerians already know?

The president’s double standard did not just surface today. Evidence of it started showing even before he became president. Does anyone still remember Vincent Ogbulafor? He was the chairman of the PDP when President Umaru Yar’Adua had become sick and incapacitated. Jonathan was acting president then but Ogbulafor insisted that the PDP would still zone its presidential slot to the north. Before anyone knew what was going on, some funny charges had been slapped on Ogbulafor’s face for an offence he was said to have committed seven years earlier. Of course, Ogbulafor was forced to resign. The PDP chairman might have been guilty, but he was not the only guilty party there.

It is very hard to continue to trust the current leadership of the ruling party with power. And we are all witnesses to the quality of governance under Jonathan. Any group that sees power as an advantage for self-promotion and breaking the law must never be allowed near power. The Appeal Court has just passed a judgement declaring former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the authentic secretary of the PDP. But Jonathan doesn’t want that and has quickly got Oyinlola suspended from the party. Nobody should tell me that it was not Jonathan who did it. In their confusion, they said Oyinlola could not be reinstated because the court judgement had not been served the PDP headquarters. But the same PDP headquarters was aware enough to rush to the Supreme Court to appeal the Appeal Court’s judgement. That’s certainly not the kind of leadership you want to watch over your nation.

If many Nigerians are forced to either accept Jonathan’s accusation or Lamido’s allegation, more would rather believe the Jigawa State governor because the president has tons and tons of corruption issues he has been protecting. It may not be true, but that is the perception the president has given himself.

Nigerians now know how important to the nation the man who occupies the presidency is. Next time, we must insist that only a leader fit for a country as important as Nigeria emerges.

EARSHOT
The Disturbing $5bn Revelation From Amaechi
While we are still at it, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), has declared that, under the watchful eye of President Jonathan, $5 billion (five billion dollars) has been secretly withdrawn from the excess crude account since January. I think Nigerians will need to find out from Amaechi whether this “secret withdrawal” is another name for stealing. Amaechi is not just another Nigerian. He is the legit chairman of the NGF. That is why fighting has its uses sometimes. Were it not for this fight now, how would we have heard this kind of alarming news? It would have been a perfect impossibility for the other chairman who received 16 votes as against Amaechi’s 19 votes and who is being recognised and supported by Jonathan (remember, our president was taught by his primary school teacher that 16 is greater than 19) to give us this patriot’s information.

Now, this is a very serious matter. If any president can just do this without any consequences at all, then, we don’t need democracy. What then is the use of the National Assembly? If this National Assembly would take any action (which might include several sanctions including impeachment and removal from office) and if the allegations are indeed true, then, let us just forget it. And, on this matter, let every senator and rep answer his or her father’s name. Our country cannot be dying – no water, no power, no security, no quality education, etc, etc – and this level of stealing is going on unabated. If it is not fuel subsidy, it is Stella; if it is not pension funds, it is stolen security money; if it is not blackout, it is no pipe-borne water; and the list goes on and on and on…

Leadership

100m Nigerian Destitute Reality: The Lies of A Jet And Bulletproof Car Bloated Government In Deadly Disconnect

The World Bank country director for Nigeria, Marie-Francoise Marie-Nelly, earlier this month said that 63% or 100 million Nigerians were destitute, living below the poverty line. In her words, “1.2 billion people live in destitution (around the world) out of which 100 million are Nigerians. Inequality is rising in many developing nations.”

Nigeria’s president just “debunked” this via his Chief Economic adviser, Dr Nwanze Okidigbe. Please let’s review.

Firstly, it is important to appreciate that the World Bank did not reveal any new figures. This has been the recognized poverty level in Nigeria since 2010 at least.

National Bureau of statistics (NBS), BBC, 13 February 2012: Poverty has risen in Nigeria, with almost 100 million people living on less than a $1 (£0.63) a day, despite economic growth, statistics have shown. 60.9% of Nigerians in 2010 were living in “absolute poverty” – this figure had risen from 54.7% in 2004.

February NBS report for 2011, Vanguard: 112 million Nigerians are poor going by the economic situation in the country in 2011. While 100 million are in absolute poverty, 12.6 million are moderately poor. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/02/how-government-impoverished-nigerians-poverty-on-rampage/

As can be seen, Marie-Nelly’s statement on our destitution level is not revealing anything new; this year, National Bureau of Statistics again stated that about 112million Nigerians lived below the poverty line. And “that the population of Nigerians in poverty has increased considerably (In 2011). The figure represents about 67 per cent of the entire population.”

To confirm this, we implore the President and his Chief Economic adviser to go ask Dr. Yemi Kale, Nigeria’s Statistician general who heads the National Statistics Bureau which collects these data from over 20 million Nigerian households, over the years. It is beneficial to highlight at this point, that these figures are not evenly distributed, the landlocked north has higher rates, Sokoto with a highest of 86% destitute, while Southern States have some of the better rates which reduce the national average, with states like Anambra—the lowest—with 22% destitute.

What our government representative ignorantly jumbled up, and accused the World Bank of contradiction in, was the National poverty rate. This “rate” is very different from the well established nation’s figures for people living below the global poverty line (of $1.25/day).

Quoting World Bank, “National poverty rate is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line.” The poverty threshold, or national poverty line, is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a given country. It is an insular figure which is set and varies by countries.

It was this comparative figure within Nigeria that did drop 2 points between 2004 and 2010. Once we understand that for this figure to drop, it can simply mean that Nigeria reduced the “deemed adequate” value or that overall Nigeria developed more poverty within the period, but what happened was a “curve” shift arising from more of the middle class moving to frank poverty. Such a shift will drop the national poverty rate while increasing the global poverty rank. The documented widening gap between the rich and poor substantiates such explanation. In any case, the national rate has nothing to do with the global poverty line.

It is frankly distressing to think that our Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Dr Nwanze Okidigbe and by representation, our President does not even know where we stand in the world poverty map, and discombobulated our national rates with this well recognized and tracked 60-70% poverty prevalence. So what figures have this government been using to address poverty in Nigeria? The 46%? If this is what our Chief Economic Adviser understands and utilizes, then it is clear why we are in such economic shambles! It appears this government exists in a self-blown up bubble.

Sadder yet, was the presentation Nigeria used to “counter” the figures referenced by the World Bank. Referring to loaves of bread and GSM phones serves only one purpose. Clearly, Nigerian leadership was not talking to the World Bank. They know that to talk to the World Bank, you quote standard statistical data. This presentation was a political statement to the Nigerian masses to convince or confuse us by elementary methods that the World Bank is “working for the opposition parties.”

On GSM lines, Dr Nwanze Okidigbe seemed to suggest that 112 million lines translated to 112 million people who can afford that comparatively expensive (when the Nigerian GSM extortive, oligopolistic service is compared to the world) technology. The reality we all know is that our inflated price mobile network service is so poor that most of us have 2 or 3 lines. This brings down the relevance of this 112m figure to less than 50m that own the total lines.

Secondly, owning a line costs a mere N200 and servicing it per month costs N100, N1200/year which is basically all many, especially those in the rural areas where poverty is most prevalent (with 80% living below the poverty line) do so as to manage limited use in receiving calls alone and sending occasional texts. N1200/year equals less than $7/year.

The forgotten rural population of Nigeria who suffer at the hands of government instituted taxes, subsidy-removal, planned road use taxes and other siphons are the worst hit, cheated and robbed from, by Nigeria’s successive rapacious administrations. This disenfranchised population which accounts for roughly half of the nation’s total (81 million), do not have a single benefit from our governments and are the most pitiful victims of the government and even of us proletariat and petty bourgeoisie, who do not fight to protect their right to welfare and prosperity.

And on the presidencies’ reference to loaves of bread; that’s just a big laugh. In the US, 50 million are destitute. Does this mean 50 million do not eat bread? Our deluded stupendously wealthy government is in such disconnect from the masses, it’s mortally gelastic.

Did he mention SURE-P? Funds that are milked from the poor to feed the cabal and that are largely missing, embezzled or poorly accounted for?

These days, Nigeria seems to always be highlighted in the news and for the same set of painful reasons. Last January, David Cameron mentioned Nigeria as the elucidative example, during his World economic forum speech, to highlight the problems of transparency and corruption in the world.

In the speech, Cameron said, “Last year Nigeria oil exports were worth almost a hundred billion dollars. That is more than the total net aid to the whole of sub Saharan Africa. So put simply: unleashing the natural resources in these countries dwarfs anything aid can achieve, and transparency is absolutely critical to that end. So we’re going to push for more transparency on who owns companies; on who’s buying up land and for what purpose; on how governments spend their money; on how gas, oil and mining companies operate; and on who is hiding stolen assets and how we recover and return them.”

The British Prime Minister followed up by referring to the topic today. He said, “Thirty years ago more than half of our planet lived on the equivalent of one dollar twenty five a day or less; today it’s not one half, it is one fifth.”

It is disheartening to realize that when the world is improving the living conditions of its people. When a predominance of more than half living below $1.25 has been cut around the world to one fifth, Nigeria is not one of the nations that celebrate human progress. We own almost 10% of the world’s poor. 70% of this nation lives below the poverty line, whereas the nation brags of having some of the world’s wealthiest men. Billionaires in dollars who made wealth off of the nations massive natural blessings by impoverishing the masses of the nation via government managed oligopolies and partnership with our governments, civilian and democratic to loot the wealth and resource of the people.

This is the law of compensation. It is unfortunate, but not surprising that the President and his team are oblivious to this reality. You cannot plunder the wealth and future of a people, and all drive armored cars and command private jets, and the people remain affluent. When you take, someone must give. When the government continues all types of elaborate schemes and scams, siphoning the oil wealth of the nation, enforcing exploitative monopolies for its private partner cabal friends on life’s essentials, imposing higher tariffs, levies and sanctions on the masses to squeeze out every last kobo into the paws of the cabal, the result is poverty.

At about 68% destitute level, Nigeria, a world top oil producer, and the nation with the highest paid Senators in the entire world, today has the fourth highest number of poor on the continent. Interactive map here: http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/indicators/SI.POV.DDAY

Our government and their coterie of elite vampires loot not just from our land, but from our pockets. They have made the nation too poor, too poor to react and they are counting on us soon becoming too poor to even think.

Yours Truly, Dr. Peregrino Brimah

NewsRescue

JONATHAN SHOCKS JANG •Mr. President betrayed me, cries Plateau Governor

The mood in the Government House in Jos, capital of Plateau State, is a pensive one. The chief occupant of the house, Governor Jonah Jang, a key ally of President Goodluck Jonathan, is yet to fully overcome the shock that came with the news, two days ago, of the appointment of Dr. Dikko Suleiman as the new Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission for a period of four years with effect from last Tuesday, November 19.
Sources at the Government House told News Express that Jang, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) faction recognised by President Jonathan, was shattered when he got wind of Suleiman’s appointment as announced via a statement from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.
“Jang feels betrayed by Jonathan and he is not hiding it,” one of the sources told News Express. “He lobbied for a Plateau person to be given the post and even used the late Solomon Lar’s Middle Belt Forum to lobby the President, only for it to go to someone from elsewhere. He feels really betrayed and justifiably so,” the source added.
News Express learnt that Jang’s candidate for the post is Dr. Yakubu Gambo, a grassroots mobiliser for both his administration and that of Jonathan. Gambo’s appointment was assumed to be a foregone conclusion in view of Jonathan’s assurances. “At some point, Jonathan’s godfather, Pa Edwin Clark, wanted Prof. Suleiman Bogoro from Bauchi for the position but the President told him he had already given it to Plateau,” a source disclosed.
News Express learnt that Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema pulled off a last-minute ‘coup’ when he used SGF Anyim to swing the pendulum in favour of Dikko, his first cousin and confidant. It is not yet clear if Jang would be placated with another plum appointment for Gambo.

OsunDefender

THE BENIN THRONE AND THEIR CHALLENGES

The Benin throne was established in 475AD. For 713 years, the Ogisos ruled over the Kingdom and created 100 enigies. (Dukes). As the Oba Erediauwa CFR presents his new book "cradle of ideas: a compedium of speeches and writings" on the 28th of November, 2013 at the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre Benin City, this article will dwell more on the challenges faced by the 38 Kings that have ruled over this great kingdom. One major challenge Oba Erediauwa faced was his suspension by the former military administrator of Edo State, Commodore Onyeregbulum of blessed memory. I was invited to play at the Obas anniversary during the period of his suspension. As my band played “congratulations!" to usher the king into the arena, the Oba of Benin, revered and respected by all because of his strict adherence to the traditions of his ancestors apparently broke one of the tenets by busting into a dance-half waltz (as he is Cambridge trained) and half Esakpade-a Benin traditional dance. The arena went into immediate excitement and celebration. A suspended king who all expected to look sad and pensive, dancing to the music of a commoner? The press men sighed and waited impatiently for the question and answer session. "your majesty" one of the pressmen quipped, (it was another case of Jesus healing on Sabbath day) "you should not be dancing to the music of Eno Louis". The royal father said "I did not dance to the music of Eno Louis". The journalist either did not believe their ears or that their eyes did not see the Oba dance. the oba continued." I danced to the music of an Ogbelaka man". There was a thick silence.
My father from Ogbelaka was the head of the royal musicians and thus extended that right to me.
The continuous misunderstanding between the palace and some chiefs reminds one of Ovio, a wealthy man who lived during the time of Owodo, the last Ogiso. The peaceful nature of oba Erediauwa and his solomonic wisdom made him deal with such matters in a fatherly and civilized way that stunned all other subjects. Ovio was banished and he eventually founded Obior in Delta State where the immediate past deputy governor Elue of Delta state hails. I was there too to play for Honorable Elues home coming.
Erediauwas father, Oba Akenzua the second, faced a major challenge when the Benin was run over by Biafran soldiers. Was he to remain loyal to the federal government or cooperate with the Biafrans to become a major catalyst in the Benin republic being suggested? The Obas ancestors quickly intervened and Benin was liberated, averting a blood letting that many thought was inevitable. Oba Akenzua was a founding father to the Mid West region with all the intrigues that followed. The Western regions asset have not been shared till this present day. The Mid west region was part of the Western region.
Eweka the second became the Oba of Benin in 1914. The fact that he ascended the throne of Ovorawmen at all makes him a hero in the preservation of the Benin kingdoms aristocracy. Second only to that of Japan in longevity His challenges and that of his father were one and the same. He could have been banished along with his father but was much favored by posterity and destiny. His doggedness to reclaim his throne can only be compared to that of David and Goliath. Ovonramwen surrendered to the British to save his kingdom and beloved subjects from being razed from the surface of the earth. He was not at all a coward or self centered, he was ready to lay down his life for a kingdom he so much cherished.
Adolo mounted the Benin throne in 1848. ‘Dolo’ in edo language means ‘repair’ Adolo, his father Osemwende and grandfather Obanosa were together “the bridge between the rapidly fading past and rapidly threatening future” (Prof. Iro Eweka). Alan Ryder wrote “the threat to the very existence of the kingdom posed by British intervention came no nearer in Adolos lifetime. It might even appear to have receded”. Obanosa bore the title Edaiken-heir apparent for a long time. He was said to have plucked white hairs and sent it to his father to show he was getting old only for his father to send back to him salt and native chalk, meaning “life is sweet”.
Akengbuda reigned for 55 years. The Obi of Obuluku had asked for Adesuwa’s hand in marriage. (Adesuwa was chief Ezomo’s daughter and was already betrothed to the Oba.) Adesuwa’s refusal and her subsequent murder by the Obi led to a battle that ended with the Obis head been brought to the Oba Akengbuda.
Eresoyen, Akengbuda’s father built a house of money. The walls and floors were paved with cowries. He subdued the Agbor rebellion.
Akenzua the first was Ewuakpe’s first son. His first challenge was the usurping of his throne by his younger brother for one year. Akenzua the first was the richest king to ever ascend the throne of his ancestors. He was named “Isonoro” meaning “endless wealth from heaven”
“Benin is admired for its government, laws, tolerance and hospitality to visitors”, so wrote Dutch trader Van Nyendael in 1702 during the reign of Ewuakpe. His wife Iden sacrificed herself to fulfill the oracle for a human sacrifice. Ewuakpe was treated unkindly by his mother’s people and he cursed them.
In 1692, Pope Innocent the 12th sent a personal letter to Oba Oreoghene who was crowned three years earlier. Christianity had come into the kingdom already and the Pope encouraged him to remain a catholic. One might ask at this point what will become of his ancestors? This departure from the norm must have led to conflict.
Oba Ahenkpayes high handedness led to his dethronement in 1684, the year Akengbedo ascended the throne. Ahenzae, Akenzua and Akengbo all had peaceful reigns, even when an oracle predicted the predicament of Ovoramwen about 200 years later.
About 1606 A.D, Ohuan became Oba. Handsome and feminine in appearance, he had to walk naked across the kingdom when he was young, to dispel rumors about his real gender. He quelled a rebellion of an unfriendly Iyase (Senior chief).
Between the last Ogiso and Uhuan, 17 kings reigned, prominent amongst those were Esigie, Ozolua, Ezoti, Ewuare, Oguola, Eweka the first. Duarte pires wrote about Esigie. “I am a true friend of the king. He ordered his son to build a church and learnt to read and write”. Oba Esigie introduced the use of guns and initiated the first king mother (Iyoba) after his mother Idia who assisted in Ida war.
Ozolua was a great warrior. Enemies fled into the bush at sound of his coming. He took the title “Uku-akpolokpolo (emperor of the big kingdom). Obulu uku, Ise luku, Ugwashu uku etc, all fell to his sword. Ozolua was eventually poisoned by his warriors.
Ewuare captured 201 town and villages. He made walls and ditches around the city. Patrick Darling concludes ‘what is arguably the largest single archaeological feature on this planet – the Benin moat’ Ewuares challenges were different from all others. He lost his two sons on the same day. The tough laws made to mourn his two sons made citizens of his kingdom to flee. To stop the depleting of his kingdom, tribal marks were introduced (Iwu). Neighboring kingdoms were warned not to harbor Benin people on the run. Oguola, Ewuares son, introduced bronze casting. He also dug trenches around the city to prevent attacks from enemies.
Eweka the first was dumb during his early years. Some charmed seeds sent to him by his father helped him make his first utterance “owomika” meaning “I have succeeded in winning my game of pebbles”.
The fact that he was a young king controlled by his father led to great jealousy. The trick to kill his father by asking the king to advice his father to tie egbela (suicide robe) succeeded and the elders finally got rid of his adviser.
The different Benin king faced different challenges. Benin history is well documented. Oba gha to kpere Ise.

By Eno Louis Enobakhare