Task force seizes cash-laden bullion van, arrests driver

The Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and other special offences Enforcement Unit on Tuesday arrested a driver and seized a bullion van for violating the state’s traffic law.

Chairman of the task force, Bayo Sulaiman, said the driver was nabbed while driving against traffic around 12noon on ACME Road in the Ikeja area of the state.

He added that a policeman escorting the van was also apprehended, while the cash-laden vehicle, with registration number PF 4582 SPY, was impounded.

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He said, “The task force was on routine patrol of Agidingbi and other areas in Ikeja. While coming through ACME at about 12pm, we saw the vehicle being driven against the traffic.

“He had no reason to have done that because the road was relatively free. We flagged him to stop him, but he sped away. We chased him for several minutes and later apprehended him.

“He attempted to hit me and some of my men, but we managed to overpower him and arrest him and the police escort. The bullion van is filled with cash and has been moved to our premises in Alausa.”

Sulaiman, a Chief Superintendent of Police,  said the driver, who was moving cash from an undisclosed bank at the time of his arrest, had been charged to court, while the policeman had been handed over to Lagos State Police Command for disciplinary actions.

The task force boss said violations of the state’s traffic law by bullion vans were becoming rampant, adding that the government would no longer condone the act.

He insisted that the fact that they were moving cash did not exempt them from the law.  Sulaiman warned security personnel, especially those escorting bullion vans, against disregarding the traffic law, saying, “the law is no respecter of anybody.”

He said, “Police officers are not above the law. Remember the case of a policeman who drove against the traffic and injured a mother and her child. The law is taking its course.”

“Of course, police officers can escort bullion vans, but it does not mean the driver has the licence to break the law. We will not condone any act of lawlessness from anybody.”

President GEJ. welcomes Nigeria’s election to a non-permanent seat on the UN Security coucil

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan welcomes Nigeria’s election today to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council with a total of 186 out of a possible 193 votes.

On behalf of the Federal Government and people of Nigeria, President Jonathan wishes to convey his sincere appreciation of the support of all member-countries of the United Nations who voted for Nigeria’s election to the Security Council.

The President believes that today’s endorsement of Nigeria’s candidature for the Security Council seat by the vast majority of member-countries is a glowing expression of support and encouragement for Nigeria’s active participation in the promotion of  peace, security and political stability in Africa and other parts of the world.

This is the fourth time since it became independent in 1960 that Nigeria is being elected to the UN Security Council. It is also the second time (2010-2011 and 2014-2015) that Nigeria will be elected to the Council under the Jonathan Presidency.

The President is particularly delighted by this historic victory and assures the global community that Nigeria, under his leadership, will continue to make very significant contributions towards the achievement and sustenance of global peace and security.

Pres. Goodluck Jonathan sets deadline for registration of all Nigerians

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday inaugurated the National Identity Card Project with a directive that all eligible Nigerians should be registered by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) by December 2014.

Jonathan gave the directive during a ceremony at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he also launched the National Identification Number (NIN), expressing displeasure at the proliferation of data capturing activities by private and public institutions in the country.

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“Aside from being unwieldy, the cost of operating multiple discordant data bases and infrastructure is unsustainable.

“Government cannot afford continued proliferation of data capture activities. Proliferation does not grant any advantage in efficiency neither does it make good economic sense. The growing identity verification needs, therefore, calls for harmonization and integration of identity data bases in the development of a universal service infrastructure.

“To achieve this goal, the National Identity Management Commission should ensure that by Dec. 31, 2014 all persons eligible for registration as provided for in section 16 of the National Identity Management Act No. 23 of 2007 are enrolled into the national identity data base.“

According to the President, all government agencies requiring identity verification and authentication services or involved in data capture activities should align their activities with a view to switching over to NIMC infrastructure.

He said: “The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Finance must ensure that these objectives, which are aimed at streamlining biometrically-linked databases and optimising scarce resources, are accomplished in record time.“

He expressed the hope that by the time the projects were completed, they would assist the National Population Commission (NPC) in carrying out the 2016 census.

He stated that in spite of their separate obligations, NIMC and NPC needed to work more closely to deliver a comprehensive centralised national database urgently.

Jonathan also urged the private sector to partner with NIMC in ensuring an efficient national database for the country.

“While Government remains committed to the accelerated development of the National Identity Management System (NIMS), the private sector must also rise up to its role.

“Corporate operators must seize the unique opportunities provided by the Concession Agreement to make investments in the scheme.

“Private sector participation would mean extended optimization of resources typically devoted to addressing issues of Proof of Identity across the nation.

“It would also mean seamless integration and use of a common facility for identity verification and authentication in both the public and private sectors,“ the President said.

In his remark, the Director-General of NIMC, Mr Chris Onyemena, expressed the hope that the identity card project would collapse other data capturing activities earlier embarked upon by some institutions in the country.

He said the project remained the most important tool for the harmonisation and integration of government policies and programmes.

Onyemena added that NIMC would partner with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to educate Nigerians, especially rural dwellers, on the need for them to obtain their national identification numbers.

(Photos) Professor Chinua Achebe Buried !!!

Prof. Chinua Achebe was buried this afternoon at his country home in Ogidi, Idemili North LGA of Anambra state. His burial was attended by president Goodluck Jonathan, Ghana’s President John Mahama, all governors of Eastern states (minus Sullivan Chime of Enugu state), governor Emmanuel Iduaghan of Delta state and members of the international community of writers.

See more photos after the Break

The son and wife of late Prof Achebe

Senate President backs national conference (What do you think ?)

President of the Senate, David Mark, on Tuesday said the call for national conference by certain sections of the country was in order in view of the discontent in the polity.

Mark, while welcoming senators from their seven-week annual vacation, said every matter about the union of ethnic groups that made up the country should be opened to discussion though with the proviso that the dismemberment of the country should be a no-go area.

He said that the country could not continue to shy away from discussing national issues in view of the discontent in the polity and present global realities.

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The Senate President said, “We live in very precarious times, and in a world increasingly made fluid and toxic by strange ideologies and violent tendencies, all of which presently conspire to question the very idea of the nation state.

“But that is not to say that the nation should, like the proverbial ostrich, continue to bury its head in the sand and refuse to confront the perceived or alleged structural distortions which have bred discontentment and alienation in some quarters.

“This sense of discontentment and alienation has fueled extremism, apathy and even predictions of catastrophe for our dear nation.

“A conference of Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities, called to foster frank and open discussions of the national question, can certainly find accommodation in the extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution which guarantee freedom of expression, and of association.

“It is welcome. Nonetheless, the idea of a National Conference is not without inherent and fundamental difficulties. Problems of its structure and composition will stretch the letters and spirit of the Constitution and severely task the ingenuity of our constitutionalists.”

But Mark, in tandem with the typical fear of those already in power, wanted a national conference premised on existing governance structure, saying giving the sovereignty to an “unpredictable mass” to determine the fate of the country “will be too risky a gamble and may ultimately do great disservice to the idea of one Nigeria.”

He in fact said “it would be unconstitutional to clothe such a conference with constituent or sovereign powers.”

He said, “Let me counsel that we make haste slowly, and operate strictly within the parameters of our Constitution as we discuss the national question.

“Be that as it may, such a conference, if and whenever convened should have only few red lines, chief among which would be the dismemberment of the country. Beyond that, every other question should be open to deliberations.

“The task of nation building requires patience, faith, scrupulous honesty, diligence, dedication, sacrifice, toil, labour, assiduous application and massive investments in our future. The heights attained by great nations were not made by sudden flights.

“Our people long for a country in which our tremendous potentials as a nation are transparently and equitably nurtured and realised; a country in which law reigns supreme, and is applied evenly and equally to all, high and low.

“For our constituents, there is no alternative to the democratic project. What they dread, and will never want, is a nation trammeled by impunity, brigandage, banditry, insurgency, rampant corruption, and misgovernance.

“These expectations perfectly dovetail into our core constitutional mandate of making laws for the good government of our federation, and all of its parts.”

Mark lamented that despite the fact that the 2015 general election was still two years away, some “political jobbers, sycophants, and hustlers have prematurely seized the political space, and are being allowed to set the tone of national discourse.”

He described the development as an “unnecessary and avoidable distraction by characters or hirelings who are desperately in search of relevance.”

He said those in the forefront of the crisis were only out to feather their own nests and in the process unduly overheat the polity.

FG recovers £22.5m stolen assets abroad – Adoke

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke, said on Thursday that his ministry had recovered more than twenty million pounds allegedly stolen from Nigeria’s coffers.

Adoke, who said this at the 2013 Ministerial Platform in Abuja, noted that the money was recovered from one Raj Arjandes Bhojwani, an Indian national and associate of late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.

He said that the assets were recovered in 2011, adding that the ministry was able to recover and repatriate the money following its negotiations with the Island of Jersey.

“During the period under review, the ministry intensified its efforts to trace and repatriate Nigeria’s stolen assets abroad.  “In this connection, we have maintained effective liaison and communication with targeted jurisdictions to keep pace with assets recovery proceedings in those jurisdictions.

“In 2011, our close liaison and negotiation with the Island of Jersey led to the recovery and repatriation of the sum of £22.5 million confiscated by the Royal Court of Jersey from Raj Arjandes Bhojwani, an Indian national and associate of General Sani Abacha on account of his money laundering transactions from Nigeria.“

Adoke also said that the Principality of Liechtenstein recently confiscated the sum of Euro 175 million from the Abacha family and associate companies in Liechtenstein. The minister said although Nigeria had not recovered nor repatriated the money following an appeal lodged by the companies involved, the ministry would ensure the repatriation of the money.

“We continued the liaison and negotiations with the Principality of Liechtenstein, which recently confiscated the sum of Euro 175 million from the Abacha family and associated companies in Liechtenstein following a confiscation order by the Supreme Court of Liechtenstein.

“However, the companies involved have lodged an appeal against the decision before the European Court of Justice in Strasburg.

“As soon as the appeal is concluded, firm arrangements consistent with the asset recovery provisions of the United Nations convention against corruption would be made to repatriate the forfeited sums to Nigeria. “

Pres. Goodluck Jonathan will to probe aviation minister - Presidency

President Jonathan will soon order relevant government agencies to investigate the purchase of two bulletproof vehicles for the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, Punch reports.

Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, in an interview with Punch on Friday said President Jonathan would not shield the minister.

Gulak, however, said the President would not take a decision on the fate of the embattled minister based on media reports.

He said Jonathan’s decision would be based on verifiable facts, which could only be achieved when relevant government agencies investigate the matter.

The presidential aide said Jonathan would not hesitate to show anybody found guilty of corruption or impunity the way out of his government.

He assured Nigerians that the President was on top of the situation. He did not, however, disclose when the President would order the probe. He also did not name the agencies that would probe the allegation. Gulak said;

“I can assure you that President Jonathan will not shield the minister or any government official for that matter if he receives information that is true. In this particular instance, the reports are in the media. But media reports are not enough to act on. The President is on top of the situation. He will direct appropriate authorities to investigate the matter. Anybody found wanting in terms of corruption or impunity, President Jonathan will not hesitate to show such person the way out of his government.

“The most important thing is that such decision must be based on facts as provided by appropriate government agencies that will investigate, not based on media reports.”

'ASUU Strike Will Be Over ‘In A Few Months’, Says Federal Government.

Nigerian students were yesterday assured by the Federal Government that the protracted strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, would be over in a few months.

Minister of Education, Mr Nyesom Wike stated this at the anniversary lecture of National Universities Commission, NUC, in Abuja.

Continue after the break.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Macjohn Nwaobiala, the minister reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to resolving the ongoing strike.

“The Federal Government is very concerned about the state of public tertiary institutions in the country. The Federal Government is really worried about the ongoing strike of ASUU and the strike would be resolved in a few months,” Wike said.

In his paper presentation titled, ‘Turbulent and Testing Times for Global Higher Education: Lessons for Nigeria’, Professor John Daniel said “online teaching and learning is now part of the future of most universities. Nigeria should be very good at this because without embarrassing you by pressing the point, I note that your country, through 419 scams, is a world leader in the use of the internet for less desirable purposes.”

According to him, higher education all over the world is facing lot of challenges that included youth unemployment and the current changes in the university system.

“These are indeed turbulent times, not only for United States of America but also for much of higher education globally,” he said.

In his goodwill message, a former Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Jubril Munzali, noted that the education sector has been underfunded for 21 years, with the significant increase in the funding of tertiary institutions being done over time, through the struggle of ASUU.

He blamed the Federal Government for the lingering crisis rocking the nation’s university system.

According to him, it is high time the Federal Government listened to its agencies and allow NUC perform its statutory role and fund universities based on the advice of its agencies like NUC.

“Successive administrations in the country never paid adequate attention to university education,” Munzali said.

President: I never said I wouldn’t contest 2015 election

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday said contrary to reports making the rounds, he had never at anytime promised that he would not contest the 2015 presidential election.

He also denied the claim by Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State that he signed an agreement with some Peoples Democratic Party governors for only one term in office. He challenged anybody with a copy of such agreement to produce it.

Jonathan was fielding questions from a panel of journalists during the Presidential Media Chat in Abuja on Sunday.

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He answered questions ranging from politics and education to security, economy and power.

When pressed to be specific on whether he would contest the 2015 election, the President insisted that it was too early to make his intention known adding that doing so would violate the Electoral Act which stipulates the time frame within which politicians can declare their interests.

The President, however, said the fact that he had not declared his position did not mean that those who were interested in the seat could not go ahead and start working.

Jonathan said, “There was no agreement with anybody that I will serve for only one term. If I had signed any agreement with anybody, they would have shown you the agreement.

“I did not say that I will not contest in 2015. In Addis Ababa, that was when I advocated single term of seven years. My argument was that to  be more productive, maybe we should consider single term of seven years.

“ I said if Nigerians agree to that, I may not be involved. I did not say I will contest or not. Those who said I have signed an agreement, they should show the agreement.”

The President blamed past governments for the continuous campaign of violence being carried out by members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

He said the needless killings would have been avoided if the menace of the sect was curbed from the beginning.

“Boko Haram did not start today. I was Vice-President in 2009 when (Mohammed) Yusuf (Boko Haram leader) was killed. People talk about Boko Haram as if Jonathan caused it. It started before 2009 but because it was not handled well, it has grown into a cancer and it has become terrible. If something happened and you don’t take the right action, it will continue. But I can assure Nigerians that it will be brought under control,” he added.

When asked whether Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, was truly dead, the President replied, “I don’t know whether he is dead or alive. I don’t know him and I have not seen him before.”

The President, who regretted the protracted strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, described the action as unfortunate. He added that it had been politicised.

He called on the   university lecturers to consider the plight of their students and the sincerity of government and call off the strike.

The President, however, said it was wrong for ASUU to go on strike because of the state of infrastructure in universities when it was his government that initiated inventory of infrastructure in the institutions and returned a verdict that something drastic must be done.

He said, “ASUU strike is very unfortunate. There is no time a government has taken inventory of properties in schools but we set up a technical team that visited all universities. When the report was presented, I said it must be presented to all governors during NEC.

“We said things must change but it can’t be done overnight. For us to do that inventory shows that we are committed. For ASUU to go on strike for infrastructure is not fair. We are doing inventory for polytechnics and colleges of education too and they are not being done for fun.

“We expect ASUU to work with us. It is unfortunate that the strike lasts this long because we have witnessed strikes before and most of them are called off when government don’t even do up to what we have done.

“Politics have fallen into so many things. We may be seeing something different.”

Jonathan faulted those who have been describing the country as broke or bankrupt, saying that also smark  of unhealthy politics.

“People play politics with serious issues. How can you describe the country as bankrupt? What parameters did they use?  Anybody that says Nigeria is broke is playing politics and talking out of ignorance,” he declared.

On the power sector, Jonathan promised that before the end of the first quarter of next year, power would be stable in the country.

He also promised that his administration was building security architecture to tackle oil theft.

While admitting that corruption was  prevalence in the country, Jonathan however said the menace was not the nation’s number one problem.

He said, “We did an in-house investigation and we are still doing it now. I am not saying there is no corruption in the oil sector but the way people are looking at it may not be the real thing. Recently, we have  asked some auditors to look at the books again.”

R.I.P: 3 Nigeria Union of Journalists officials Lost Their Lives

Three members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Adolphus Okonkwo, (NUJ National Economic Secretary), Kafayat Odunsi, (NTA - Lagos) & Tunde Oluwanike, (FRCN -Ibadan), missing their lives in a deadly road crash as they certainly were returning from the meeting in Abuja on Friday May 2nd. May their souls sleep in peace, ase.

President Jonathan drops two special advisers

One week after Leader Jonathan sacked nine ministers, he has again sacked two more people. In a statement signed by his Particular Adviser (Media & Publicity) Mr Reuben Abati, Pres. Jonathan declared the sack of two particular advisers - Mrs. Pleasure Emordi, the Particular Adviser to the Leader on National Assembly Matters and Dr. Tunji Olagunju, the special Adviser to the leader on the New Alliance for Africa's Development (NEPAD)

Nigeria League Seals ₦5.4Billion TV Rights Deal

Good news for Nigerian football fans, most especially those individuals who have been itching to watch the Nigerian League matches regularly. You understand it was once once in a week, come year 2015, Nigerians would have the privilege of seeing six matches per week. 

Continue After The Break.

The Nigeria League has sealed a lucrative 4-year television rights deal considered to be worth ₦5.4 billion with sports television station, Super sports. Confirming the headlines, Chairman, League Management Company, Nduka Irabor says it would go a long way in changing the league. 

"Happier days are ahead, this contract has additionally seen Supersport assuring that Nigerians who will work together could have their jobs secured at least till 2019." 

He also added that unlike before where sponsors have looked the other way, there will be more money in the league, beginning from the brand new season, Supersports would also be giving the league $2 million (₦323 million) per year. 

University Don Urges FG To Dedicate 36 Per Cent of Budget To Education

An educationist, Abiola Awosika on Tuesday urged the federal government to dedicate 35 per cent of its budget to education to ensure that the country meets the international educational standard.

Speaking during a programme on Channels Television, the education professor said she had written an academic article in 1992, recommending that 25 per cent of Nigeria’s budget be dedicated to education because “we had a shortfall and we needed to catch up with the rest of the world”.

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“So if the United Nations (UN) is recommending 26 per cent today, we need to be at may be 35 or 36 per cent of our budget going into education” noting that “if we do that, we will be able to move our universities up” she said.

She further advocated for a shift in the mode of learning saying “I keep saying that technology is the way to go. E-learning”.

She recounted the visit of former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown’s visit to Nigeria, where he also, according to her, told the National Universities Commission (NUC) and “told them categorically that e-learning is the only way that we are going to be saved in this country”.

She however noted that “a lot of our universities are in the fore front of that” listing “Obafemi Awolowo University (Ife), Ahmadu Bello University (Zaria), University of Ibadan (Ibadan)” as universities that “are trying to do something different so that we can get different results”.

Despite canvassing for financial autonomy for Nigerian universities, she noted that “we have to also think about the economy that we are in” expressing dismay that Nigerians pay overseas and don’t want to pay in Nigeria.

She further noted that over N60 billion is paid to Ghana by Nigerians who go there to study annually.

Professor ABiola Awosika is also the Rector of Olawoyin Awosika School of Innovative Studies (OASIS), Isheri-Lagos.

Jobs In Nigeria: Ibm’s Graduate Trainee Program Is On – Nigerian Job Vacancy

IBM is filled with smart people, each of whom are actively involved in helping industries around the world do something better, more efficiently and more productively

JOB TITLE: Graduate Trainee

JOB ID: GTS-0610973
JOB AREA: IT & Telecommunications (non consulting)
LOCATION: Nationwide

JOB DESCRIPTION
Through the Graduate Trainee program, we seek to recruit high-potential recent graduates and develop them into Telco IT specialists through a twelve month long on-the-job training. The selected candidates will work in either Network Management, Server administration or Application Support. Each candidate would receive training as specific to their tower, plus everyone will go through training on Service Management and Basics of Telecom IT.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Working with Competency managers, ensure smooth IT operations for a leading Telco in Africa
Interacting directly with client team members onsite
Developing proficiency in one or more areas to become a subject matter expert (SME)
Preparing data for Management Reporting (and presenting occasionally to local management)
Undergoing continuous training and development incorporating common soft skills education and specialised classes for IBM

STRENGTHS AND EXPERIENCE
While exposure in computer science / IT is a pre-requisite
Highly driven, energetic, flexible and resourceful
Positive attitude towards learning (systems, processes and people)
Strong quantitative aptitude and Troubleshooting bent of mind (i.e., Problem Solving ability)
Structured communication ability
Strong adherence to policies and processes

Access Bank Aum Hits 200 % Development

 Local news:

Access Bank UK Limited, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Access Bank Plc, has declared that its Assets Under Management, AUM, in the private banking and asset management business has increased by over 200 percent to US$18.5 million by the conclusion of 2012. The bank, in a statement, said AUM had continued to grow and now stand at US$66 million. Based on the statement, "the upsurge in AUM has been driven by the ability of Access Bank UK to deepen its client relationships by expanding its product portfolio to its clients beyond its traditional give attention to banking and asset management services. "Buy-to-let property loans, investor visa and discretionary portfolio lending provide new routes for customers to access hard currency outside Africa. "The bank provides private banking services to African/Nigerian Ultra High Net Worth Individuals, UHNWIs, in the UK and sub-Saharan Africa. "Services provided include traditional private banking services, property and discretionary portfolio lending." The statement said the amount of customers had grown because the launch of the Private Bank in 2009.

Presidency to govs: Jonathan alone can’t Remove Tukur

The Presidency  on Sunday dismissed  the reported insistence of  five northern   governors  on the sack of  the Peoples Democratic Party National Chairman,  Dr. Bamanga Tukur.  The governors — Muritala Nyako (Adamawa),  Rabiu Kwankanso (Kano), Babangida Aliyu (Niger),  Sule Lamido (Jigawa), and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) —had on Saturday  met with President Goodluck Jonathan  on issues that  included  the political impasse in Rivers State and the crisis in the PDP.

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They were quoted to have told the President that only Tukur’s exit would guarantee peace in the party.

But Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, told one of our correspondents that the governors ought to know that Jonathan alone could not remove Tukur  since he (Tukur) was  a product of an election.

According to him,  it  amounts to political immaturity for the governors to “ambush” the President and ask him to sack the  PDP chairman.

Though he admitted that he did not attend the meeting, Gulak said the governors’ reported position was not the right line of negotiation.

Gulak said, “It is political immaturity for the governors to ask the President to sack Alhaji Tukur. That is not supposed to be the line of negotiation. When you go for a negotiation, all cards must be on the table.

“You can’t go and ambush the President and ask him to sack somebody that was elected at a national convention of the party.

“As senior members of the party, the governors know that Tukur is a product of election. The President can’t sack him  alone. That will  not  be proper.

“There are processes stipulated in the PDP constitution for officers to be removed from office and they (governors) are aware of the procedure.”

The PUNCH learnt on Sunday in Abuja that the five governors also demanded fresh elections into all the positions in the party’s National Working Committee.

They were said to have told Jonathan that having a fresh set of members in the NWC would go a long way in rejuvenating the peace process.

Two of the five governors, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed these to the correspondent.

One of them   said “We want the President to support our position that all the offices in the   NWC should be declared vacant; to allow for fresh elections.’’

The 12 offices in the NWC are national chairman, deputy national chairman, national secretary, deputy national secretary, national treasurer, national financial secretary,  national organising secretary, national publicity secretary, national auditor, national legal adviser, national woman leader and national youth leader.It was gathered that Nyako complained about his continued isolation from the affairs of the party,  especially  in his  state.

A source close to the meeting  said,  “He (Nyako) told the President that he was left with no choice but to speak out after several attempts to get the party to see reason over the issue( his isolation) failed.

“The governor  also accused Tukur of high- handedness and undue interference in the affairs of the state chapter of the party.”

It was learnt that the governors also expressed displeasure that certain individuals, who were openly hostile to them were being given positions of responsibility within the scheme of things in the PDP.

Another governor, who spoke with one of our correspondents, said   Kwankwaso  was   aggrieved because no one either from the Presidency or the PDP had contacted him to  find out  how the state was faring after the terrorist attacks which claimed many lives in the state.

However, the Chairman of the PDP ‘Special Convention, Prof. Jerry Gana, has said the party will continue to survive  in spite of its  many challenges.

  He stated this while fielding questions from journalists at the public presentation  of three books written by  the Head,    Department of European Languages, University of Lagos, Prof. Jide Timothy-Asobele, in Abuja.

Gana, who recalled that five major groups  came together to form the PDP,  said when “people see a little bit of crisis in PDP,  they think it is going to die.”

He  appealed to Nigerians to use public offices to serve humanity, adding that, “We should come together to make progress; we must not rig elections and we   must  allow the people to speak. That is the essence of democracy”.

Meanwhile, an  Abuja High Court will today(Monday) hear an amended motion in which some members of the PDP  are insisting on  the  sack of  Tukur  and the acting members of the PDP  NWC

The PDP members want the court to compel the party to conduct fresh elections into all the offices in  the committee.

The court, presided by Justice Suleiman Belgore, had   on Thursday ordered the party to refrain from conducting a special national convention slated for August 31, 2013.

The court however refused to restrain Tukur from serving as the national chairman. It also  declined to sack the acting members of the NWC.

The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Jibrin Okutepa, told the court that “the resignation of other members of the NWC of PDP have incurably affected the election and the continued stay in office of the National Chairman of the PDP.”

They noted  that, “It is in the interest of justice to order fresh election in the national offices of the PDP as specified in article 29 (1) (a) – (b) (d) ((h) and (j) (l) of the constitution of PDP by empowering the NEC of PDP to do so.”

Tobacco control campaign begins in Nigeria as Govt releases tobacco survey

More than 600,000 who die annually from tobacco related diseases are nonsmokers exposed to second-hand smoke.  The world’s leading preventable cause of death claiming the lives of 6 million people each year, tobacco is a slow, but more often than not, sure killer. Numbers do not lie. They aren’t pretty, but they represent the hard facts about the effects of tobacco worldwide. Most of tobacco’s damage to health does not become evident until years or even decades after the onset of use.

There are currently no national restrictions on the advertising and promotion of tobacco use in Nigeria. A campaign has recently been launched to raise awareness on the various health risks of smoking and second hand smoke, as well as the toll of tobacco use on the Nigerian population. Tobacco Control Nigeria is a behavioural change and public health campaign project using Social Media to advance tobacco control and support the passage of a comprehensive Tobacco Control (TC) law compliant with the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). According to the project campaign manager, Olamide Egbayelo “we  hope to nurture and give voice to a community of persons focused on ensuring that tobacco companies carry out their advertising and marketing responsibly. We want to ensure that Nigerian children are properly protected from pressures to take up smoking, that public places are protected from the tyranny of secondhand smoke, that persons who wish to quit smoking find the support they require.” The project will be launched in August.

However, in 2012, Nigeria conducted the Global Adults Tobacco Survey (GATS) and is the first country in the African region to do so. GATS aims to assist countries address selected demand-related articles of the World Health Organization on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). It also further supports the WHO MPOWER policy package

The report reveals that exposure to secondhand smoke is highest among those who visited restaurants. 29.3% of adults (6.4 million adults) were exposed to tobacco smoke when visiting restaurants. Nigeria has the opportunity to focus on prevention, stop initiation, and further decrease prevalence rates. A copy of the full GATS report can be downloaded here

If you would like more information about this campaign, please visit

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TobaccoCtrl

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"Nigerians encourage corruption" ,says President Goodluck .E Jonathan ( Do you agree ?)

President Goodluck Jonathan  has lamented  that in spite of institutional reforms aimed at fighting corrupt practices, Nigerians, through their actions encourage graft.

He also said both the  public and private sectors were involved in corruption but stated that he would not give out their names “so that  I won’t be attacked.”

The President  spoke while declaring open the 54th annual conference of the Nigerian Economic Society in Abuja on Tuesday.

C.A.T.B

The conference, which has as its theme, “Institutions, institutional reforms and economic development,” is the single largest gathering of economists in the country.

Jonathan argued that if Nigerians did not “reward corrupt practices” through their actions,  those  involved in them would have no need to continue.

He said, “I want a society where all of us will frown upon people who come up with what they are not supposed to have.

“(If) a young man who just started a job and within six months or a year comes up with a car of N7m to N15m and you clap for him, then you are rewarding corruption.

“So for us as a nation to bring corruption down, it is not just blaming government or blaming the police. but all individuals must frown upon people who have what they are not supposed to have; who live in houses they are not supposed  to live in; who drive   cars they are not supposed to drive and who wear expensive suits  they are not supposed to wear.

“And until  Nigerians are able to do this, I don’t think we will get to where we want to go.”

Advising that the war  against corruption  should not be left to the government alone, Jonathan said both public and private institutions were  also involved in sharp practice.

He advised that the country should stop creating an environment where people would be tempted to take what belonged to the public.

The President  said “ When you talk about corruption, the private sector is involved; the public sector is involved; even  individuals. But I wouldn’t want to mention names so that I will not be attacked.

“But I know that if collectively  we  don’t reward corruption, people would not be attracted to corrupt practices but when we all reward corruption, then of course, we will be tempted to go in that direction.”

He however said  his administration would continue to focus on how to strengthen all anti-corruption agencies to enable them discharge their duties effectively.

Jonathan  explained that  his administration’s approach to fighting  graft was targeted at building institutions that had the capacity to overcome corrupt influences.

This approach, according to him, will  use the rule of law as a framework.

In this regard, he said the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Commission  had been repositioned to ensure  effective, efficient and transparent way of managing corruption and corrupt practices.

He said that a major principle underlying the implementation of his transformation agenda was the unwavering conviction that reforms must not be centred on individuals, no matter how strong they might be.

Rather, he said his administration recognised the fact that in order for reforms to be sustainable, they must be driven by strong, sound and effective processes and institutions.

On  the management of government finances, Jonathan said that the nation’s  budget was now being managed electronically.

He said, “For many years, the process had been manual – government officials carrying  documents and files from one office to another.

“This manual system created opportunities for corrupt practices and also introduced many ghost workers and ghost pensioners to the payrolls.

“Today, we have put in place  computerised systems and processes to manage the government payroll and also   government finances.”

At the event, the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and a former Minister of Health, Prof Eyitayo Lambo, were conferred with a fellowship award of the NES.

The institute had only conferred its fellowship award on  38 distinguished economists in its 56 years of existence.