Extrajudicial killing: Policeman to hang •Court rejects accidental discharge defence

SOURCE::: THE SUN




A police sergeant, Kalejaiye Ola, is to pay the supreme price as a Benin High Court has sentenced him to death by hanging for the murder of one Paul Erimafa on June 23, 2003 with AK47 assault rifle. Justice Roland Amaize, in his judgment, held that the act of the accused was pre-meditated and not the defence of accidental discharge offered by the accused.

According to the judge, the accused initially reported a case of armed robbery against the deceased but that investigation proved that the alleged robbery was a lie. Justice Amaize held that there were contradictions in the accused person’s extra-judicial statement and oral testimony in court.

“It is the view of the court that there was no justification for the accused person to have shot and killed the deceased who was harmless as at the time of the incident,” the judge held.
He observed that evidence from the police doctor who performed autopsy on the corpse showed damaged urinary bladder and profuse bleeding, which led to the death of the victim.
The accused policeman was said to have shot the deceased on the laps near the residence of the chief judge of Edo State, GRA, Benin City on June 23, 2003.

According to prosecution witness, police guarding the chief judge’s house saw the deceased kneeling at the scene of the crime in the early hours of the fateful morning shouting “help, help,” while the accused policeman with gun in hand was also shouting “thief, thief,” and in the process, he pulled the trigger. Paul was said to have died shortly after while being rushed to the hospital.

The court also noted that evidence of one of the expert prosecution witnesses on the handling of arms and ammunition showed that the AK47 rifle was not in the safety mode when the incident happened.
Besides, Justice Amaize further held that the evidence of another prosecution witness present at the scene of the crime was not challenged.
Besides, the trial judge said the evidence of a witness called by the sergeant was questionable as there was no summons on the witness to come and testify in court.
Justice Amaize, therefore, held that the prosecution proved the case of murder against the accused beyond reasonable doubt as stated by law and sentenced Police Sergeant Kalejaiye Ola to death by hanging under Section 319 of the Criminal Code.

GOV. Amaechi emerges Governors’ Forum chairman

SOURCE::: THE SUN



Rivers State Governor Chibuke Rotimi Amaechi yesterday emerged as the new Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF). He would serve a-two year term. He was elected at a valedictory meeting of the NGF in honour of the outgone Chairman, Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State and other embers.

The new chairman was elected by consensus while a motion for his adoption was moved by Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva and seconded by Governors Danjuma Goje and Isa Yuguda of Gombe and Bauchi states respectively. He was unanimously adopted while Governor of Lagos State, Raji Fashola (SAN), remains the vice-chairman of the forum..

The meeting was held behind closed doors at the Kwara State Government House, Ilorin.
Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the meeting, Saraki said: “The NGF received and adopted the Governor Babatunde Fashola’s committee’s report on revenue allocation formula with some amendments.”
He said the forum agreed to designate the new chairman and his deputy the approval to negotiate with the leadership of the National Assembly on the revenue allocation formula and “engage with the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC), the President as well as the mass media.”

He added that the Fashola committee and the NGF secretariat had been mandated to brief the media on the thorny issue of the revenue allocation formula.
Saraki noted that the forum deliberated extensively on the election of the new chairman, adding that “Governor Rotimi Amaechi was chosen as the new chairman of the forum. He would serve for a-two year term.”

He said the NGF commended its members for the successful induction for newly-elected and re-elected governors as well as the launch of the State’s Peer Review Mechanism, adding that Anambra and Edo states are to pioneer the peer review process.
Responding, Governor Amaechi said that “I will consolidate on the achievements of the last chairman,” describing his appointment as a challenge.
Re-echoing the stand of NGF on the allocation formula, he said the states were asking for more funds from the Federation Account to enable them reduce poverty and ensure a productive economy.
He added that efforts would be made by the forum to build a united Nigeria, saying that “when we have a united nation, crises arising from election results would be resolved through the judiciary.”

According to him, the NGF would look into how to resolve these crises to end election violence.
Some of the governors at the meeting included those of Kwara, Niger, Cross River, Bayelsa, Rivers and Bauchi states. Others are Sokoto, Gombe, Lagos and Osun. The deputy governors of Kaduna and Kastina states were also in attendance.

But Daily Sun learnt that the proceeding may not have gone as smoothly as it might seem.
For one, it was gathered before the meeting commenced the PDP Governors had already met and decided that the PDP must retain it.
When it was obvious the PDP governors were bent on enthroning their own amidst Fashola’s objection that the process as contained in their laws should be followed and Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola that the House did not form a quorum and were overruled by Saraki, Fashola left the meeting, though he said his flight was running late.
On his part, Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra State, who had already been unanimously nominated by the Governors of the South- East, withdrew his candidature, citing the need for stability in the Forum. It was however clear that he did not like the development, though they unanimously insisted he remained the Vice Chairman.
The Governor of Niger Babangida Aliyu wondered what they would tell their people about the South retaining the Chairmanship and the Vice Chairmanship and wondered if zoning had finally died.

Those who should not be ministers (1)

SOURCE: THE PUNCH



As President Goodluck Jonathan sorts out the list of his aides for the next dispensation – amidst intrigues, pressure and various political calculations – ABIMBOLA ADELAKUN, GBENGA ADENIJI, ALLWELL OKPI, JAYNE AUGOYE and MAUREEN AZUH rule out some of the names that have been thrown up, based on their records in offices hitherto held



Ojo Maduekwe

Ojo Maduekwe was a minister in the Obasanjo and Yar’Adua administrations. Yet, his name has come up as the likely Secretary to the Government of the Federation in the impending Jonathan government. This does not only sound like an undue pampering in a country where millions of people qualified for the same position are idling away, but because Maduekwe has never performed brilliantly as a public official.

Popularly called ‘AGIP’ (Any Government in Power), he is probably the most recycled public office holder in Nigeria. He was once the National Secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, a position that pan-Igbo socio-political organisation, Olu Ndi Igbo, then faulted.

In a country where integrity is taken seriously, Maduekwe would never have tasted the ministerial apple – at least not after 1999.

During the terrible Abacha reign, he canvassed for the late ruler’s self-transmutation. When Obasanjo was also scheming for a third term, the same Maduekwe was in the forefront of those campaigning for him. Little wonder, he was described by WikiLeaks as an opportunist willing to serve any administration irrespective of how it is done During Yar’Adua’s regime, Maduekwe had sacked Nigeria’s Ambassador to the US, Oluwole Rotimi, for allegedly undermining his (Maduekwe) office. But later, Rotimi said Maduekwe got him out because of his insistence on accountability over a Nigerian house sold in the US.

He also appeared before The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on account of the N2.7bn expended as travel expenses as Foreign Affairs Minister. Maduekwe did not see anything wrong with in this and he even asked for an increase at a time many of the country’s embassies were broke.



Ikedi Ohakim

After failing to get re-elected as governor of Imo State, it is possible that Ikedi Ohakim will strive to get his name on the list of new ministers. That is probably the only bail-out for the businessman-turned-politician, who boasted that none of his opponents could match him at the polls, but ended up defeated. The public jubilation that followed his defeat showed that Imo people had rejected him, and merely tolerated him through the four-year tenure.

Till date, some still argue that Ohakim was not the people’s choice in the controversial April 14, 2007 Imo governorship election, in which voting was cancelled by the Independent National Electoral Commission after a widespread violence. Nonetheless, Ohakim was declared the winner in the rescheduled election two weeks later. However, it is his conduct and performance as governor that mostly make him unsuitable for a ministerial appointment.

Many of his critics say his biggest achievement was his greening programme which saw flowers planted around the state.

Besides, Ohakim is only remembered for his ill temper, arrogance and loquaciousness. Shortly after he became governors his security detail attacked a female motorist in the presence of her children after a minor traffic argument. Shortly thereafter, a social activist in the state claimed Ohakim invited him to the government house and whipped him with a horsewhip.

However, the act of brigandage that turned the electorate against him was the humiliation that his security detail visited upon a reverend father in the predominantly catholic state.

Though Ohakim was relatively successful in business, he is believed to have failed in effectively managing government funds. Few days to his exit, it has been reported that the state treasury is in red, while most of the about 2000 youths that have been employed so far in his proposed 10, 000 jobs scheme, are being owed.





Diezani Alison-Madueke

Diezani Alison-Madueke, 49, has got a pretty face. but what launched her into fame was the theatrics she displayed on the Lagos-Benin Expressway where she launched a high profile visit to prove that, as a minister of transport, she wasn’t just going to sit in the office and look pretty like a flower vase.

Alison-Madueke, for good measure, broke down in tears at the Ore section of the highway and gave a well rehearsed apology on behalf of the Federal government for the state of the road and promised that the expressway would soon be expeditiously revamped. Well, as the minister of transport, she was expected to show more zeal than tears. She didn’t quite do so but as reward for her (non)efforts, she was redeployed to the mines and steel development ministry in December 2008 and subsequently ‘promoted’ to Minister of Petroleum, becoming the first woman to do so.

According to whistleblower, WikiLeaks, her family has an entrenched interest in Royal Dutch/Shell, suggesting that her coming is like a strategic return of the oil giant to the mainstream. What seems to be most important, however, is that since then, a lot has happened. Within 60 days of her leadership, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation got two group managing directors, with speculations that the appointees were her cronies.

She has twice been indicted by the Senate for fraud. The first was in 2008 and the indictment was about ‘irresponsible and reckless’ spending concerning the illegal transfer of $263m, from the account of the ministry within just three days - December 26-31, 2007.

The second indictment came less than two years after the first probe. In October 2009, the Senate indicted her and recommended that she be tried for allegedly transferring N1.2bn of a toll company into her private account without due process and in breach of concession agreement.

While campaigning for President Goodluck Jonathan, she kept assuring Nigerians that their administration had done well by ensuring that people no longer queued for petrol. She, however, has no answer for the scarcity and costliness of diesel and kerosene currently biting the polity.

Alison-Madueke has been credited with working on the oncoming Gas Revolution or for steering the Nigeria oil and gas industry towards the path of transformation and sustainably growth. In fact, much of the achievements credited to her has either been that she is a female or for projects that are yet to be realised. In terms of concrete achievements, she has very little to show for the past four years in governance.





Dimeji Bankole

Dimeji Bankole assumed the speakership of the House of Assembly at a relatively young age – less than 40. While no one should deny him the influence of whatever political calculation and providence that lay the honour on his lap, one may be worried that he does not seem to have not performed excellently. For one, the past four years have not seen him demonstrate the kind of political maturity that one would have expected from one with a new generation blood.

The House he led romanced crises and absence of integrity several times. Ever since he assumed leadership of the lower legislative chamber, it has experienced more than its fair share of scandals. In June last year, some members of the self-styled ‘‘Progressives Group’’ flexed muscles with a faction loyal to the speaker as a result of which the House was thrown into an uproar.

Personally as the speaker, Bankole has had to contend with one form of graft allegation or the other. In fact, controversy trails most of his footsteps like a bad coin. At a time, some members of the House were calling for his sack over what they termed his role in the alleged misappropriation of funds for the purchase of cars for the House. While the dust is yet to settle on that, he is back in the trenches fighting some of his collegues over a N10b loan he allegedly took on behalf the House.

As a result, many Nigerians believe that the House Bankole led has not really, earned itself a good image and as its leader, he lacks the moral latitude to hold public offices. So, he does not deserve to be made a minister in whatever capacity particularly as the criteria for such a position include competence, integrity and maturity.





Josephine Anenih

Although Josephine Anenih has, for a long time, been at the forefront of women politics and activism, She has no legacy ot tout for her time in public office. Albert, where competence counts, the wife of the PDP top gun, Tony Anenih, has been a force to reckon with in the corridors of power.

She was a Special Adviser on Women Affairs to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and currently the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development. Josephine was also the chairperson of the Federation of Women Lawyers between1994 to 2000, and was the first National Woman Leader of the PDP.

In April 2002 she came under fire from critics and human right activists when she hailed the implementation of the Sharia Legal system in Kano State. Earlier this year, she was alleged to have diverted N150m earmarked by PDP to assist female members running for offices at various levels.

She also allegedly cornered hundreds of thousands of dollars from the United Nation Development Fund (UNDP), meant to empower the women.

While it is good that Jonathan has promised to give women up to 35 per cent slot in the ministerial appointments, it will not be good to honour someone who appears to have been milking the womenfolk. So, retaining Josephine, or offering her another portfolio is not the best.

In the politics of the governor’s administration, the voice of Arapaja was not too pronounced. And it is clear that if there was any issue he added his voice, it is mere echoing of his boss’.

For a man who prides himself as a grassroots politician, many may doubt his impact in a ministerial position- a post which requires wider reach to several categories of people.

SPORTS:::::: Taiwo makes Ligue 1 best XI

SOURCE: THE PUNCH




Nigeria international defender Taye Taiwo said goodbye to the French Ligue 1 in fine style after he was named by the French Professional Footballers’ Union in the best XI of the season.

The 26-year-old Taiwo has quit Olympique Marseille as a free agent for Italian champions AC Milan, who have handed him a three-year contract.

Taiwo is in good company in this best XI along with Ivory Coast international Gervinho and Moussa Sow, who helped Lille win their first league championship since 1954.

However, there was no place for Taiwo’s compatriot and Sochaux striker Brown Ideye, who fired 16 goals in the French top flight and ensured his club feature in the Europa League next season.

FG to ban rice, sugar, fertiliser importation by 2015.

SOURCE::: THE PUNCH



The Federal Government has indicated its intention to stop the importation of some staple items, including rice, fertilisers and sugar by 2015.

President Goodluck Jonathan made this declaration at an interactive session with the Nigerian business community in Lagos on Monday.

He also promised that before the first three months following his inauguration, there should have been considerable progress on the new economic agenda.

The President said, “Before the first three months, we shall be able to tell the people this is where we are and this is where we are going. If we need to amend the laws, we will do so.

“By the end of four years, I believe that Nigeria has no business importing rice. Nobody will come to me with a brief case and say to me he wants to import fertiliser. We have vast land, and yet, we import all these essential goods.”

He said the country needed to stimulate local production of these items, adding, “My belief is that by 2015, Nigeria has no business importing rice or fertiliser, and we also need to encourage the local production of sugar such that its importation will be a thing of the past.

“To create jobs,” he continued, “government will strongly discourage the importation of goods being locally produced or capable of being locally produced in the country.”

He added that subsidies and waivers, which he believed had had much detrimental effect on the economy, would be discouraged, and henceforth, “special consideration and concessions will be granted only to businesses delivering value chains and creating jobs.”

Jonathan assured the business community that the Federal Government would come up with an appropriate tariff structure that would not be tinkered with until 2015 in order to allow for long-term planning by the organised private sector.

He informed the august audience made up of captains of industry cutting across the manufacturing, services, banking and sundry sectors that from May 29 onwards, he would personally chair the National Economic Team, a think-tank consisting of eggheads from the both the public and private sectors.

The President said he had decided to usher in and inaugurate his new administration with a meeting and brainstorming session with the private sector, instead of dancing and merry-making because “this is what the times call for.”

He said the new dispensation would lead to a new era of economic transformation that would reposition Nigeria’s economy in the next decade

The President asked the business community to make a break with the “lamentations” of the past on the problems of the nation, insisting that a transformation programme to be worked out between the Economic Team and the private sector leaders, would usher in an era of “revelations.”

He said, “I will not want you to read the book of Lamentations to me; but we want to open the book of Revelation.”

Jonathan told the business leaders that whatever deliberation they came up with during the meeting would form the basis of a three-day retreat by the NET immediately after his inauguration.

Although the constitution of the NET was postponed to a later date, the President said he would be the chairman of the team

Speaking earlier, the Special Economic Adviser to the United Nation’s Secretary General, Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, said that Nigeria should be hopeful of a great future of development.

“To double gross output like in Japan and Korea, Nigeria needs to attain about seven per cent growth rate, which it has attained, and to double per capita income (income per head), it needs to grow at about nine per cent, which I believe it will attain soon,” Sachs said.

According to him, there are five things working for the country in terms of development, including the facts that reforms are being consolidated on; democracy is being consolidated on and the beginning of the President’s term offers immeasurable opportunities.

The other two factors, according to the UN economist, are that world markets are on Nigeria’s side and technology is also on the side of the country’s further development.


.............................I DON TALK AM!!!

OFFICIAL:::::: Chelsea FC axed Ancelotti......scouts for new manager

SOURCE:::: BBC SPORTS



Chelsea have sacked manager Carlo Ancelotti after he ended his second season at the club without a trophy.

He was dismissed following the 1-0 loss to Everton, as the west Londoners finished second in the Premier League.

The 51-year-old had one more year left on his contract at Stamford Bridge.

A club statement read: "This season's performances have fallen short of expectations and the club feels the time is right to make this change ahead of next season's preparations."

Speculation had been mounting that Ancelotti would be sacked following Chelsea's first season without a trophy in three years.

They missed out in the Premier League as Manchester United clinched their 19th top-flight title last week, further compounded by exits in the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup during the season.

The Blues, who were Premier League and FA Cup holders at the start of the campaign, finished nine points behind United and only ahead of third-placed Manchester City on goal difference.

Former manager Avram Grant suffered similar treatment when Chelsea finished second in the domestic table and lost the Champions League final in 2008 on penalties.

Chelsea's attentions will now turn to finding Ancelotti's successor, their seventh manager in the eight years since Abramovich took control of the club in 2003.

Porto's highly rated Andre Villas-Boas, Hiddink and former Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard are all in the frame.

Dutchman Hiddink, who has a close relationship with Abramovich, revealed he still has an advisory role at Stamford Bridge.

"Since I left two years ago I've been advising the club on things concerning the squad," he wrote in De Telegraaf on Saturday.

"Sometimes I become a sounding board. It costs me very little time and I can combine it well with my position with Turkey. There is no conflict at all."

Bafta Television Awards 2011 and the WINNERS

SOURCE:::: BBC NEWS



The 2011 British Academy Television awards took place on 22 May at London's Grosvenor House.

Here is a full list of this year's winners - marked in bold - along with the unsuccessful nominees.


Leading actor

Jim Broadbent - Any Human Heart

Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock

Daniel Rigby - Eric and Ernie

Matt Smith - Doctor Who

Leading Actress

Anna Maxwell Martin - South Riding

Vicky McClure - This Is England '86

Natalie Press - Five Daughters

Juliet Stevenson - Accused







Supporting Actor

Brendan Coyle - Downton Abbey

Martin Freeman - Sherlock

Johnny Harris - This Is England '86

Robert Sheehan - Misfits

Supporting Actress

Gillian Anderson - Any Human Heart

Lynda Baron - The Road to Coronation Street

Lauren Socha - Misfits

Jessie Wallace - The Road to Coronation Street

Entertainment Performance

Rob Brydon - The Rob Brydon Show

Stephen Fry - QI

Harry Hill - Harry Hill's TV Burp

Graham Norton - The Graham Norton Show

Female Performance in a Comedy Programme

Jo Brand - Getting On

Dawn French - Roger and Val Have Just Got In

Miranda Hart - Miranda

Katherine Parkinson - The IT Crowd

Male Performance in a Comedy Programme

James Buckley - The Inbetweeners

Steve Coogan - The Trip

Tom Hollander - Rev

David Mitchell - Peep Show

Single Drama

Eric and Ernie

I Am Slave

The Road to Coronation Street

The Special Relationship

Drama Series

Being Human

Downton Abbey

Misfits

Sherlock

Drama Serial

Any Human Heart

Mad Dogs

The Sinking of the Laconia

The Promise

Continuing Drama

Casualty

Coronation Street

EastEnders

Waterloo Road

International

Boardwalk Empire

Glee

The Killing

Mad Men

Factual Series

Coppers

One Born Every Minute

Welcome to Lagos

The Young Ones

Specialist Factual

Alan Bennett and the Habit of Art (The Making Of)

Flying Monsters 3D

Human Planet

Pompeii: Life and Death in a Roman Town

Single Documentary

Between Life and Death

The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan

Pink Saris

Scenes From a Teenage Killing

Features

Come Dine With Me

Hugh's Fish Fight

Mary Queen of Shops

Pineapple Dance Studios

Current Affairs

Kids in Care (Panorama)

Lost Girls of South Africa (Dispatches)

Secret Iraq

Zimbabwe's Forgotten Children

News Coverage

BBC One Ten O'Clock News: Handover of Power

Channel 4 News: From Chile's Ecstasy to Congo's Agony

ITV News at Ten: The Cumbria Murders

Sky News: Egypt Crisis

Sport

6 Nations - England v Wales

FA Cup Final: Chelsea v Portsmouth

Formula 1 - The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Wimbledon 2010

New Media

LabUK/Brain Test Britain

Misfits

Malcolm Tucker: The Missing Phone

Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention

Entertainment Programme

The Cube

The Graham Norton Show

Have I Got News For You

The X Factor
Comedy Programme

Catherine Tate's Little Cracker

Come Fly With Me

Facejacker

Harry and Paul
Situation Comedy

Mrs Brown's Boys

Peep Show

Rev

The Trip

Audience Award

Downton Abbey

The Killing

The Only Way Is Essex

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

Sherlock

Miranda
Fellowship

Sir Trevor McDonald

Prison officials beat up guardians............OMG!!!!

SOURCE::::: THE PUNCH



Tension enveloped Oroki Housing Estate area of Osogbo, on Friday afternoon when officials of the Nigerian Prisons Service beat up two guardians, who were taking their wards home from school.

The guardians, Adeyemi Ahmed and Adeyemo Adam, had gone to pick up their cousins from Olive Branches Junior School, Osogbo, when the incident occurred.

Narrating his ordeal to our correspondent on Thursday, Ahmed said he had gone to pick up his two-year-old cousin (names withheld) from the school when an official car conveying the Controller of Prisons, Osun State, Mr. J.O Komolafe, drove against the traffic.

Adam, who was on a commercial motorcycle, said the rider of the motorcycle bearing him spoke harshly to the occupants of the prisons vehicle.

He said a top official of the NPS got out of the car and ordered that he be taken to NPS office, which is a block away in order to be taught a lesson.

“Immediately he gave the order. About 10 of them just ran towards me. They took the baby from me, abandoned her on the road and started beating me with gun butts and blows. It was officials of the school that took the baby away from the road.

“When they dragged me to their office, more officers pounced on me. May be they taught I was the motorcyclist. They took my gold necklace, tore my clothes and took away my phone and N92,000.”

Giving his own side of the story, Adam, who is related to Adeyemi, said he was shocked when he came to the scene and saw how Adeyemi was being brutalised.

Efforts to rescue Adeyemi from the alleged assailants, he said, got him into trouble as he too was beaten up.

Adam said, “I was urging them not to beat him anymore but they won’t listen. They got my phone from me when I tried to make a call and they smashed it on the floor. The rammed their gun butts into my stomach.”

Confirming the incident, Proprietor of the school, Mr Goke Omigbodun, lamented that NPS officials had become a terror to residents, guardians and parents in the area.

He recalled several episodes which involved NPS officials battering parents and guardians who had come to drop or pick up their children from his nearby school.

Omigbodun said, “I witnessed the battery. It was inhuman and shocking. Even if the prisons boss was abused, should his officials take the law into their hands? My wife was turned back when she went to their office to plead for the release of the two men.

Reacting, Komolafe said, “I didn’t drive against traffic. I only reversed so that a woman driver who was learning how to drive could pass. When the motorcycle came to my side, the person he was bearing called me names. He said I was ‘oga elewon’ (prisoners’ master).

“This was why some of our officials arrested him. I told them to take him to the police station. He was not beaten. Nobody smashed his phone or stole his money.”

But a witness, Mr. A. Adesina, confirmed that the two men were beaten black and blue by more than 20 NPS officials, stressing that the scene was “as barbaric as it was obscene.”

Adesina said, “Many female parents were weeping as they were watching the beating. I have never seen such maltreatment in my life.”

Presidential election:::: Jonathan confronts Buhari today

SOURCE::::: THE SUN



President Goodluck Jonathan will today confront former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Election Tribunal as he steps out to defend his mandate.

The president and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had earlier told the tribunal that the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), which filed the petition has no case against him.
When the tribunal resumes sitting today, it would also listen to the application by the petitioners for the inspection of vital electoral materials used for the presidential elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

During the inaugural sitting of the tribunal which is headed by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, the CPC kickstarted its petition on a shaky note when its application for inspection of electoral materials was not served on other parties in the appeal. It was on this basis that the application was withdrawn by the party and it was consequently struck out.

As a replacement, however, the CPC filed a new application, which largely contained the same prayers as the one that was withdrawn. Counsel to the party, James Ocholi (SAN) at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal had informed the court that he would like to withdraw the earlier application on technical ground and substitute it with a fresh one filed on May 16 adding that he was not aware of the directive of the court that the respondents should be put on notice.
Counsel to INEC, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) did not object to the application but filed a better and further application.

Counsel to President Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) leading a team of 25 lawyers, including nine Senior Advocates, did not also oppose the application but prayed the court to allow the petitioner to effect the service of the motion on the counsel. In a similar way, counsel to PDP, Joe Kyari Gadzama (SAN) did not also oppose the withdrawal of the petitioner’s earlier application.

After hearing all parties in the appeal, the chairman of the panel, Justice Ayo Salami later struck out the application dated May 6, 2011 and therefore adjourned till May 23 to hear the fresh application filed on May 16. He further ordered that all respondents should be put on notice and that service should hence forth be through counsel to counsel to avoid cases of delay services. Other members of the panel are, Justices M.L Garba, M.A Owoade, I.I Agbube and Obande Ogbuinya.

ASUU @ IT AGAIN:::::: THREATENS TO GO ON IN DEFINITE STRIKE

SOURCE:::::: SUN NEWSPAPER





Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that it will embark on another round of indefinite industrial action if the Federal Government fails to implement the terms of Agreement reached with ASUU in 2009.

The Chairman of ASUU-UCB, Mr. James Okpiliya, who disclosed this while addressing journalists at the unions secretariat over the weekend in Calabar, said the imminent crisis ahead will be dangerous for the university system and called on all major stakeholders to intervene before the education sector is doomed.

Okpiliya admitted that though, the government has implemented the monetary increase as contained in the agreement, but the problem lies with the National Assembly that has refused to pass the law on the retirement of professors and other major contending issues.“The union regrets that since 2009 when the agreement was signed, the National Assembly has refused to pass the law making retirement of lecturers at professorial cadre to be 70 years. The government has failed or refused to enact the enabling laws to facilitate the implementation and enforcement of some of the key aspects of that agreement.

“With less than two weeks to the end of this administration, we can conclude that government is ill-willing to give legislative backing to the parts of the agreement, ‘’ he said. The union urged the National Assembly to urgently pass the relevant law in respect of the areas of the agreement that require such before the end of the legislative tenure, stressing that “to renege on this is to avoidably throw the university system into another serious crisis.’’

The union also strongly objected to the arbitrary dissolution of the governing councils by visitors of various state universities with a wave of the hand insisting on due process of law in the removal of the Vice Chancellors especially that of Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma, and the University of Ado Ekiti by their visitors. Okpaliya further commended lecturers and members of the National Youth Service Corps for their role in the success of the recently concluded general elections.

He, however, condemned in strong terms the post-election violence in some parts of the country, particularly the killing of corps members, saying “their killing is unfortunate, unacceptable and a primitive fall back on fault lines that drift us apart as a nation.”

Alaafin wants Akala jailed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SOURCE::::: SUN NEWSPAPER



The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has asked an Oyo State High Court to commit the out-going Governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ladi Abdulsalam, and Mr Ganiyu Ajiboye, a purported traditional chief in Oyo town to prison for severally flouting the orders of two courts, directing the non-recognition of the latter as the Alago-Oja of Ago-Oja, Oyo.

Governor Alao-Akala had in 2006 installed Ajiboye as Alago of Ago-Oja, in the Atiba Local Government area, which is the Alaafin’s domain, an action, which was nullified by a state high court, following a legal challenge by the Alaafin and subsequently upheld by the court of Appeal. Justice O.A. Akinola of the high court in his ruling of February 29, 2007 declared that “the creation, appointment and installation of Baale Ago Oja was illegal, null and void, unconstitutional” and ordered Ajiboye to stop parading himself as such and vacate the official residence.

Justice J. A Fabiyi-led Court of Appeal in a ruling delivered on April 30, 2008, had upheld the order
But, the three defendants in the suit were said to have ignored the court verdicts and kept on recognizing Ajiboye as the Alago. This prompted the new action by the Oyo monarch, who is also the Chairman of the state Council of Obas and Chiefs. He has prayed the court through his counsel, Mr Adeola Omotunde, for the committal of the three defendants for contempt of court, following their alleged refusal to comply with the rulings of the law courts.

Aside this, the order became imperative, according to the lawyer, when it became apparent that the defendants were not making themselves available to receive the court notice. Justice Adegboye Gbolagunte of the state High Court, Ibadan, had on Wednesday, last week, granted an order for substituted service of the Form 48 and other legal processes relating to the matter on the respondents.

In the order, the court granted Alaafin’s request to either paste or drop the form within the premises of the Government House, Ibadan for the out-going governor; premises of the Ministry of Justice, Ibadan for the Attorney General; and the official residence of Ajiboye.

In his judgment, Justice Akinola had declared the title of Baale Ago-Oja as “non-existent, illegal, unconstitutional, null and void”, adding that the certificate of office issued him was a ‘“worthless piece of paper’”. Similarly, the Appeal Court sitting in Ibadan , Oyo state capital, comprising Justice J. A Fabiyi, Justice I. Thomas, and Justice C.N Uwa had ruled that the order made by Justice Akinola, pronouncing the installation of Ajiboye as illegal, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect, was still subsisting.

MY BITHDAY.

ME AND MY FRIENDS


MY BIRTHDAY WAS ON THE 3RD OF MARCH, 2011. IT WAS AN EVENTFUL ONE. THOUGH IT WAS THAT BASHY, BUT I THANK MY FRIENDS THAT WISHED ME WELL ON THAT DAY.