Robbery kingpin, Tijani dies in Kirikiri Prison

Alleged cross-border robbery kingpin Hamani Tijani, has died.
He died on Sunday after a partial stroke at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons in Lagos. He was aged 42.
DSP Biyi Jeje, the spokesman for the Nigerian Prisons Service, Lagos Command, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Jeje said that Tijani died at about 9.00 am in the clinic of the maximum prison.
He said that the service had earlier invited the state officials to examine Tijani’s health in December for possible transfer to another hospital.
According to him, a team of medical experts were sent to the prison by the Lagos State Government before Christmas to examine him, but the outcome of their findings was not made available.
Tijani, a citizen of Niger Republic, was arrested sometimes in September 2003 in Cotonou, Benin Republic, and moved to Abeokuta, Ogun State, briefly before he was transferred to Kirikiri.
The deceased spent 11 years in prison custody while his trial was still ongoing before his death.
Tijani was standing trial before Justice Sybil Nwaka of Lagos High Court on a three-count charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery and receiving stolen goods.
The defendant had through his lawyer, J. H. Bashir, filed a “no case submission’’ and asked the court to discharge and acquit him for lack of diligent prosecution.
His request was, however, refused by Justice Nwaka in a ruling delivered on Oct. 23, 2012.
When the matter came up on Jan. 14, 2013, the prosecution was not in court and the case was adjourned till March 12, 2013.
However, the trial was stalled again on the adjourned date as the court did not sit and the case was further adjourned till May 9.
Jeje told NAN that Tijani’s corpse had been deposited at the mortuary in Ikeja General Hospital pending further instruction from the appropriate authority

 

Ex- Gov. Mu’azu, Accused Of Stealing N19.8billion, Is New PDP chairman - PREMIUM TIMES

  

Barring any last-minute change in plan, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will, at its National Executive Committee meeting on Monday (today), ratify a former governor of Bauchi state, Adamu Mu’azu, as its new national chairman, party and presidency sources have said.
The usually reliable sources told PREMIUM TIMES early Monday morning that Mr. Mu’azu emerged the consensus candidate for the job after a rash of meetings involving President Goodluck Jonathan, PDP governors and other influential chieftains of the party, including Vice President Namadi Sambo and President of the Senate, David Mark.
Mr. Mu’azu, who will now replace Bamanga Tukur, who was forced out of office Thursday, emerged ahead of Minister of Transport, Idris Umar, a former Minister of Commerce, Idris Waziri, former Acting National Secretary of the party, Musa Babayo, a former party spokesperson, Ahmed Rufai Alkali   and a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Ibrahim Bunu, who were all widely reported to have jostled for the position.
A party source familiar with the maneuverings and negotiations that threw up Mr. Mu’azu said President Jonathan actually preferred Minister Umar for the position but was outfoxed by governors from the North-East geopolitical zone who all rooted for Mr. Mu’azu.
When Mr. Jonathan tried to insist on Mr. Umar, insiders say, the North-East governors reminded him of how they deferred to him two years ago when he insisted on Mr. Tukur for the position in spite of massive opposition from the zone.
Our sources said Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, and President of the Senate, Mr. Mark, joined the North-East governors in pushing that position.
They reportedly warned the president against foisting an unpopular candidate on party members to avoid a repeat of the Tukur situation where the party was perpetually  in crisis throughout his reign.
Mr. Mu’azu, 55, was among candidates who contested for the PDP chairmanship position in March 2012.
In a zonal congress election conducted by the North-East PDP in Bauchi to choose a consensus candidate for the zone at the time, Mr. Mu’azu got only one vote to place last.
Mr. Babayo got 14 votes  to defeat other contenders. Mr. Tukur, who was clearly the president’s anointed candidate for the position at the time, got four votes.
Former Ministers Bunu and Shettima Mustapha scored 2 votes each while Mr. Alkali , just like Mr. Muazu, scored only one vote.
Mr. Mu’azu and corruption
In November 2013, President Jonathan appointed the former Bauchi governor chairman of the Nigerian Pension Commission, PENCOM.
He was appointed to the position even though he is still being investigated for graft by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly looting N19.8billion belonging to his state while he was governor between 1999 and 2007.
The former governor has consistently denied any wrongdoing but he is yet to be cleared of the allegation.
The civic group, Transition Monitoring Group, protested the appointment at the time, saying it was morally wrong for the president to appoint a man being tried for corruption to such a high office.
Mr. Jonathan and the National Assembly disregarded that position and proceeded to clear the former governor for the position.
The TMG statement at the time reads in part, “The Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, is astonished and peeved by this move of the President, especially in the light of the fact that the former Governor is yet to be cleared by the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of the corruption charges he is facing for allegedly defrauding the coffers of Bauchi State to the tune of N19.8billion when he was Governor of the State,” the group said in a statement on Monday.
“This and other similar acts of Mr. President, particularly his penchant for surrounding himself with famed corrupt individuals, makes his government’s so-called anti-corruption efforts a laughing stock, for it is patently obvious from his antecedents that President Jonathan endorses corruption.
“The EFCC is investigating Mr. Mu’azu for allegedly stealing billions of naira belonging to Bauchi State during his term as governor between 1999 and 2007.Other names forwarded to the Senate for confirmation as Commissioners of PENCOM include Chinelo Anohu-Amazu (South East), Reuben Omotowa (North Central), Mohammed Ka’oje (North West), and Adesojo Olaoba-Efuntayo (South West).But the group said that appointing Mr. Mu’azu to head the commission is in line with his practice of shielding corrupt individuals.

“TMG recalls that in the heat of the corruption charges against the same Mu’azu Adamu, President Jonathan appointed him in 2011 as Chairman of the Board of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA),” said the statement signed by Ibrahim Zikirullahi and Eddy Ezurike, the group’s Chairman and Publicity Secretary respectively.
“It was with the President’s nod that Business Mogul, Mike Adenuga and his wife, Titi Adenuga in late 2010 walked free from the EFCC charges they were facing for reportedly collecting bribes from Siemens officials; and it was this same attitude of Presidential Romance with alleged corrupt individuals that enabled controversial Lawyer, Dele Oye to walk scot free from EFCC charges of allegedly acting as front for the defunct Oceanic Bank CEO, Cecilia Ibru; and aiding her to loot tens of billions of Naira in Bank assets.
“The Nigerian people of course will not forget in a hurry how this same President granted presidential pardon to a notorious convicted corrupt former Governor and his kinsman, DSP Alamieyeseigha, and other criminals, including a paedophile.
“Those who recently looted the Police Pensions Board, including its former Director are yet to be brought to book. The list is endless; yet Jonathan’s regime talks about fight against corruption. The attitude of Mr. President in recycling corrupt individuals in public places is worrisome and does not inspire confidence at all.
“In fact, on issue after issue, he has shown that he will never combat corruption but will rather aid, abet and shield corrupt officials.
“The group called on President Jonathan to withdraw, immediately, Mr. Mu’azu’s nomination and take “creative steps” to rebuild confidence and imbue confidence in the anti-corruption war.
“This is the only pathway to redemption, prosperity and development in this country.”
 

 

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Launches The World's First Gay Political Party




ARCHBISHOP Desmond Tutu has surprised South Africans by announcing the formation of a gay political party called the Democratic Religious Alliance Against Minority Antagonism (DRAAMA), which will take part in a general election later this year.

Last year Tutu outraged Christians when he declared: “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven…No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to hell…I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this.”

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate and South African archbishop emeritus added that he does not believe religion provides justification for homophobia.

His passion on the issue has led him to form the world’s first gay political party to address an issue which he feels president Jacob Zuma “tiptoes” around.

The first and last time we ever heard president Jacob Zuma addressing issues around anti-homophobia was when he had to make a public apology regarding a damaging statement he made about this minority group.

In a media statement released on Wednesday, DRAAMA said it is set to be at the forefront of minority human-rights issues the current ruling party has dragged its feet in addressing.

According to this report: “With gay socialite and choreographer Somizi Mhlongo being poached as the party’s spin doctor, South Africans should brace themselves for a lot of DRAAMA!!!”

Said Mhlongo: “I was pleasantly surprised upon receiving a call from the honourable Archbishop Desmond Tutu informing me of his intentions and his request for my involvement.”

Before his election as South African President Jacob Zuma was forced to apologise after offending the gay community.

He was quoted as saying that same-sex marriages were: “A disgrace to the nation and to God.”

He also said that when he was a young man, he would have knocked down any homosexual person he met.

He later retracted his words and explained: “My remarks were made in the context of the traditional way of raising children … I said the communal upbringing of children in the past was able to assist parents to notice children with a different social orientation. I however did not intend to have this interpreted as a condemnation of gays and lesbians.”

He also said he respected: “The sterling contribution of many gay and lesbian compatriots in the struggle that brought about our freedom.”

Across the border Mugabe has condemned South Africa for their stance on gay rights, claiming that they should not be upheld as they are not human rights. He said: “Gays and lesbians are worse than pigs and dogs. We cannot allow our children to be worse than wild animals.”

Jonathan announces Tukur’s resignation

 

President Goodluck Jonathan has dramatically announced the resignation of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja, still in session Thursday afternoon.
Jonathan told the national executive committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that Bamanga Tukur had stepped down, seen as a move to try to calm competing factions and heal divisions.
“For us to make sure that we put to rest these issues, the party chairman agreed to step aside,” Jonathan told delegates at a meeting in the capital, Abuja.
Tukur had been considered an undemocratically appointed place man for Jonathan within the party, with critics using his presence to bolster their opposition to the president.
In November last year, five influential state governors defected to the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) while 37 members of the lower chamber of parliament crossed the floor a month later.
The lawmakers’ actions lost the PDP its parliamentary majority, raising the prospect that it could lose power for the first time since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.
At the heart of the dispute is the perception that Jonathan will ignore an unwritten party rule to rotate the presidency between a candidate from the Christian majority south and mainly Muslim north.
Jonathan is a southern Christian.
The president said he had given Tukur “a new assignment” to “market this country and market the PDP”, without going into details, and that his replacement should be from the north and named next week.
Jonathan also said he was unperturbed by the party defections, dismissing them as “normal” and vowing that the PDP would get “stronger and stronger”.
“Before the end of March, people will just relax and say, ‘it’s over’,” he said.
“As long as we do things the way we should do, I believe, and I’m convinced, that (the) PDP will continue to be the number one party in this country,” he added.
After announcing that the National Chairman has indeed indicated his intention to leave his post, the President dipped his hand into his pocket and brought out a letter written to him to that effect by Tukur, an action which was greeted by thunderous ovation.
The President handed over the letter to Professor Wale Oladipo, the National Secretary of the party and Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State was directed to move a motion for acceptance of the resignation.
All members of the party present at the meeting accepted the resignation.

Tukur had battled all week to retain his position as chairman of the party, amidst speculations about his resignation. Several times, he denied resigning. Several times, the news mill continued to churn out his purported resignation.
Wednesday night, Tukur still denied he had thrown in the towel when he spoke with State House correspondents on his arrival at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, for the party’s Board of Trustee (BOT) meeting.
“I am not somebody who will resign and you will not know. I have not resigned,” he said.
But the signs were there that the Adamawa born politician was isolated already in the party, as he was excluded from a national caucus meeting of the leaders of the party presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The meeting was attended by the Senate President, Sen. David Mark and his Deputy, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal and his Deputy, Mr Emeka Ihedioha.
Also in the meeting were the BOT Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih and other party leaders, excluding Tukur.
Tukur was also missing at another meeting the President held with some PDP governors before the BOT meeting.
The governors were, Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Theodore Orji (Abia), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Ibrahim Shema (Katsina).
Governors ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Ramalan Yero (Kaduna) also attended the meeting.
Suswam told State House correspondents after the governors’ meeting that the discussion was centred on the need to re-strategise and restore the dwindling glory of the party.
“The issues discussed with the president was basically on how to re-strategise and re-position our party and how to move forward as a party.
“The second meeting is the national caucus and I am not in the position to comment on that,” he said.
He said the meeting did not discuss the issue of resignation of Tukur.
Suswam said the decision on Tukur’s fate would be taken at the BOT and the National Executive Council meetings of the party on Thursday.
Bayo Okunade, a professor of political science at the University of Ibadan, said Tukur’s resignation was inevitable to avoid the destruction of the PDP.
“It is a good thing for democracy. It is a triumph for democracy that the party was able to force him out,” he told AFP.
“His leadership of the party was already affecting the machinery and internal workings of the party.”
But he warned that trouble may still loom for Jonathan depending on the reaction of Tukur’s supporters and whether his replacement enjoyed broad support in the party.

 

Shake Up In The Military : President Jonathan Removes Ihejirika As Chief Of Army Staff

 

President Goodluck Jonathan has removed long serving Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika in his place Major General Kenneth Tobiah from the Niger Delta region will now take charge of the Nigerian army.
Mr. Jonathan made the announcement today in a statement signed by his special adviser on media and publicity, Reuben Abati.
 The statement also announced changes within the military that completely overhauls the military high command.
The president will likely announce a new cabinet list in a few days time with  former National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gusau taking over as the new minister of defense.

See text of Mr. Abati press release announcing the shake up in the military high command below:
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria approved the following changes in the nation’s Military High Command:
Air Marshal Alex Badeh takes over from Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim as Chief of Defence Staff;
Major-General Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah takes over from Lt.-General Azubike O. Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff;
Rear Admiral Usman O. Jibrin takes over from Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba as Chief of Naval Staff; and Air Vice Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu takes over from Air Marshal Badeh as Chief of Air Staff.
All the changes are with immediate effect.
The new Chief of Defence Staff and former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Badeh was born on January 10, 1957 and joined the Air Force as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s  21 Regular Course while the new Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Minimah was born on July 27, 1959 and joined the Army as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s  25 Regular Course. Until his new appointment, Major-General Minimah was the Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps, Jaji.
The new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin was born on September 16, 1959 and joined the Navy as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 24 Regular Course. Until his appointment as Chief of Naval Staff, he was Director of Training at Defence Headquarters.
The new Chief of Air Staff and immediate past Commander of the Presidential Air Fleet, Air Vice Marshal Amosu was born on August 1, 1958 and joined the Air Force as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 25 Regular Course. Until his new appointment, Air Vice Marshal Amosu was the Air Officer Commanding, Tactical Air Command, Makurdi.
President Jonathan has briefed the leadership of the National Assembly on the appointment of the new service chiefs and will, in keeping with the provisions of the law, request the National Assembly to formally confirm the appointments when it reconvenes.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 16, 2014

 

Aeroplane lands at wrong airport

Southwest Airlines flight from Chicago is under investigation after it landed at the wrong airport seven miles from its intended destination, Skynews reports.

Flight 4013, carrying 124 passengers and five crew members, was scheduled to fly from Chicago’s Midway International Airport to Branson Airport, Missouri.

But the Boeing 737-700 landed at Taney County Airport instead, on a runway half the size of it proper destination.

It was unclear why the flight went to the wrong airport.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Tony Molinaro said an investigation has been launched.

Airline spokesman Brad Hawkins said, “The landing was uneventful, and all customers and crew are safe.

“Our ground crew from the Branson airport arrived at the airport to take care of our customers and their baggage.”

Flight 4013 had been scheduled to go from Branson to Love Field in Dallas. Hawkins said another aircraft was flown into Branson at 10pm on Sunday to take the passengers and crew to Dallas.

The runway at Taney County, also known as M. Graham Clark Airport, is 3,738ft. Branson Airport’s website says its runway is 7,140ft long.

“As soon as we touched down the pilot applied the brake very hard and very forcibly,” said passenger Scott Schieffer.

Schieffer said the flight attendant announced “Welcome to Branson”, but after a few moments “the pilot came on and said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sorry to tell you we landed at the wrong airport.”

Doctors in Edo state on strike over pay dispute

Doctors in Edo state have heeded the call of their association to begin an indefinite strike.

The strike is to protest the deduction by the state government of five days pay from the last December salaries.

The doctors’ action coincided with the threat by the State chapter of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), to embark on an indefinite strike over the deletion of the names of over 40 staff from the payroll in the month of December, 2013.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole had during the nationwide warning strike embarked by the NMA in which the state chapter participated, threatened to evoke the policy of “No work, No pay” on medical personnel who joined the strike, because the NMA had an issue with Federal Government and not the state.

The salary deduction prompted the leadership of the Edo NMA to call out its members to begin the indefinite strike.

Chairman of Edo NMA, Dr. Emmanuel Ighodaro, while commenting on the issue, said the Association had written to the State government not to carry out the deduction.

Ighodaro accused the State government of “selective victimisation,”.

He noted that the government did not apply “no work, no pay” policy when lecturers at the government owned Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, joined their counterparts in the federal universities in a strike that lasted for about six months.

He added that the union would not call off the strike not until the government pay the members the full salaries.

Members of JUSUN who threatened to also go on strike indefinitely if the state government fails to restore the names of the 40 members of the Union, disclosed that the State Chief Judge has been mandated to discuss with Governor Adams Oshiomhole on the possibility of resolving the issue amicably.

A bulletin from the Union signed by K. Igbarago, and Uyi Ogierakhi, Chairman and Assistant Secretary respectively, said its members would be duly consulted before it takes any action, should the state government remain adamant on the issue.