Governor Amaechi Moves To Stop PDP From Evaluating His Performance

The Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has gone to court to challenge plans by the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State to commence a performance evaluation of political office holders in the state elected on the platform of the party.

Parties in the originating summons filed by Governor Amaechi include Senator Magnus Abe and the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Otelemaba Dan Amakri as well as the Chairman of Port Harcourt Local Government Council.

Emenike Ebete legal representative to Governor Amaechi said the PDP lacks the constitutional power to carry out an oversight function on democratically elected public officers.

Justice Godspower Aguma of the Port Harcourt High Court fixed the fourth of July 2013 to hear the motion for interlocutory injunction by governor Amaechi.

Nigerian Security And Civil Defence Corps Apprehends 2 Suspected Pipeline Vandals

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has apprehended two suspected pipeline vandals in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau.

NSCDC commandant in the state, Vincent Bature, said that the command had beefed up surveillance to curb the menace particularly around the NNPC depot in Jos.

The suspects would soon be handed over to the appropriate authority for further investigation.

The commandant said, said that the act of pipeline vandalism had affected the Pumping of Petrol and diesel to Plateau state

He, however, warned the vandals to desist from the act, adding that operatives of the command would always be on ground to curb such illegal activities in the state.

The commandant called on the traditional ruler in Bassa Local Government Area to sensitize his people to the danger inherent in such nefarious activities.

Vincent Bature listed 23 gallons of diesel, four motorcycles, basins and machetes as the items recovered from the suspects.

UI Students Protest Police Shooting At Student On Campus

Pandemonium was let loose on the University of Ibadan today when a police Corporal, Ajisafe Amos allegedly shot at a vehicle belonging to a student of the premier university, Adewale Adegboyega, a 400 level Guidance and Counselling Student.  

The police were said to have started chasing Adegboye's Honda V6. Engine (FST 986 AZ) wine colour after using the butt of the gun to break the light from rail-line at Sango to UI.

Apparently afraid of the motive of the police, Adegboyega was said to have driven his car from Sango to the university of Ibadan for refuge.

However, the police corporal in the team reportedly shot twice with one bullet hitting the rear tyre on campus.  

The gun shots created pandemonium around adjourning communities of Agbowo and students as they ran for cover.

There was also traffic gridlock on and off campus.

A team of students led by the Student Union Government President, Babatunde Badmus protested shooting on university campus demanding dismissal Ajisafe Amos.

The students confiscated the Identity card of the officer saying 'they may deny the person was not a police officer'

According to him, the police have killed no fewer than twenty students have lost their lives from police extra judicial killings.

"I have called the director of SSS to inform him. Should the police shoot a student who has parked on campus? It is not done anywhere! We have our security men here and they ought to have liased with them to handle whatever the case may be. What of if the bullet hit any of the students boarding cab to their destinations? When thieves come, police do not have answers but they shoot hapless nigerians for no just cause. This man Ajisafe Amos must face the wrath of the law. The IGP should see to this case and ensure that the man is dismissed from the force. We will not allow anybody to play with our lives. They killed people at mokola, Benin, and lagos through extra judicial killings. The police needs training. How can you shoot in a populated university campus? We shall resist any temptation to sweep the case under the carpet. We want justice"

Police Corporal Ajisafe Amos with force number:  497226 was rescued from being lynched by angry students and passersby and taken away to Sango police station.

The Divisional Police Officer of Sango, Syblle Akinfenwa apparently angered by the development stormed the scene and promised to try the case. 

The victim, Adewale Adegboyega, said he was suspicious of the identity saying he thought he would be safer on campus.

"I am afraid trusting who they are since there approach was questionable. They tried to block my movement broke my light and at that moment I cannot say what their motive was. I had to speed to campus where I parked at the gate and it was there that they shot their gun. Only God knows their aim but thank God I escaped."

However, the student union government said it will pursue the case to logical conclusion.

As at the time of filing this report the affected vehicle has been parked at the security office of the university of ibadan while the SSS were spotted at the SUG building. 

ECOWAS President's Statement on The Signing Of Agreement On Mali

 The President of the ECOWAS Commission welcomes the signing, in Ouagadougou on 18 June 2013 by the Transitional Government and the MNLA High Council for the Unity of AZAWAD, of the preliminary agreement to the presidential elections and inclusive peace dialogue, enabling anticipation, with much optimism, of definitive exit from the Malian crisis.

The President of the Commission avails himself of this occasion to express his deepest gratitude to H.E Mr Mr Blaise Compaoré, Président of Faso and ECOWAS Mediator for Mali, as well as H.E Mr. Goodluck Ebélé Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and associate Mediator, for their commitments and unflinching efforts that made it possible to achieve this significant advance trowards peace. He equally welcomes the involvement of the African Union and all the strategic ECOWAS partners, especially the United Nations, the European Union and France, which left no stone unturned in their efforts to provide effective support to the Malians in the process of exiting from the crisis.

The President of the Commission commends the Transitional National Union Government in particular, and all the Malian actors involved in this process for their sense of commitment and their demonstrated will in the signing of this Agreement in the supreme interest of the nation of Mali.

The President of the Commission reiterates ECOWAS’ unflinching attachment to the territorial integrity, national unity and secularity of the State of Mali, and urges all their stakeholders to use their creative genius for the rebirth of a new, sovereign and prosperous nation.

Commonwealth Nations Honours Nigerian Woman

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma and the winners of the 'Women's Leadership for Enterprise' essay competition, Nonyem Obiageli Odili (left) and Malaysia's Tang Sze Lin (right).jpg

A Nigerian woman, Nonyem Obiageli Odili was honoured in the presence of around 2,000 people gathered at the 10th Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting(10WAMM) held 17-19 June 2013 in Dhaka, Bangladesh for proffering reasons and ways governments could promote women’s involvement in leadership and policy-making processes in their countries.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma presented Odili with a trophy for taking the 1^st position under the18-29 age category in the Commonwealth Women in Leadership Essay Competitionwhich focuses on engaging the youth in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment within the Commonwealth. Malaysia's Tang Sze Lin was also honoured for taking 1^st place in the 15-17 age category.

A panel of 22 adjudicators, in consonance with the 10WAMM theme of 'Women’s Leadership for Enterprise’, selected Odili’s essay amongst entries from participants across the Commonwealth’s 54 nations for best highlighting the importance andsignificance of having more women represented in the economy and in decision-making processes, global financial markets, leading banks and national policy making bodies.

Odili in her essay undertook a comparative analysis of select countries in the Commonwealth to highlight the “overwhelming number of women” excluded from leadership positions globally; while pointing out that a progressive democracy can only be achieved with the involvement of women - the significant majority of the world’s population -  in the decision making process. She evoked a change of consciousness in redefining a woman’s role with sensitivity to each nation’s cultural and religious beliefs. Drawing a link between gender inequality and domestic violence, war, poverty, gang rapes, national unrest and slow economic growth, supported with data from the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015, Odili concluded that achieving gender equality is not about using quota systems of positive discrimination to favour women into leadership positions but about governments empowering women with education and necessary skills.

“Without key implementations in place, such as education, encouraging women in leadership is like drilling an oil well with an office pin,” Odili said.

Another Nigerian, Edem Dorothy Andah, took 3^rd place in the 18-29 age category for her essay advocating an all-inclusive renewed socialization and political education process granting women greater participation in leadership. Tameka Nicketta Hill of Jamaica took 2^nd position for her script which highlighted how women’s exclusion from leadership opportunities result in unhealthy societal constructs, poor conflict management, proletarianization of labour, war and other social issues.

PDP NEC Meeting Update

All is set for the National Executive Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja.

Security in and around Wadata House, headquarters of the party, is very tight with some access roads around the area cordoned off.

The first NEC meeting since last July is expected to resolve several crisis in the party.

Eight members of the party's National Working Committee, including the National Publicity Secretary, Oliseh Metuh,  formally tendered their resignations letters yesterday.

Chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur has insisted he will not resign despite some members of the party's NEC  pushing for his sack.

Court Jails Banker for N2.9m Fraud

Justice Bello Lawal of the Kaduna State High Court, Zaria, Kaduna state on Wednesday June 19, 2013 sentenced one David Danjuma Gwani who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 2- count charge of theft to six months imprisonment on each count and ordered him to restitute the victim to the tune of N250, 000.

The accused person who is an employee of United Bank for Africa, Samaru Branch, Zaria, used his position as relationship officer to suppress the accounts of customers by stealing the sum of N2,948,040 (Two Million, Nine Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand, Forty Naira Only) from the accounts between September 2011 and June 2012.

The charges read; “That you David Danjuma Gwani between September 2011 and June 2012, in Zaria within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice Kaduna State while being an employee of United Bank for Africa Plc committed theft by stealing the sum of N745, 000 (Seven Hundred and Forty Five Thousand Naira Only) in possession of the said United Bank for Africa and that you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 289 of the Penal Code.

“That you David Danjuma Gwani between September 2011 and June 2012, in Zaria within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice Kaduna State while being an employee of United Bank for Africa Plc committed theft by stealing the sum of NN2, 203,040 (Two Million Two Hundred and Three Thousand Forty Naira Only) in possession of the said United Bank for Africa and that you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 289 of the Penal Code”.

The accused person pleaded guilty to the charges and was convicted accordingly.