Kalika: No star player in Eagles

Super Eagles’ Assistant Coach, Simon Kalika, has argued that there is no outstanding player among the current squad of Eagles who could eclipse the contributions of others in the team, noting that the focus is now on the team not on any individual player.

The Holland coach, speaking with the media at the National Stadium, Abuja, admitted that it would be very difficult for the technical crew to easily pick a starting IX among the array of stars jostling for attention in the tie against the visiting Ethiopians.

“We don’t have stars in the current crop of Eagles squad. The meaning is that the team is now the focus. Before now, we have star players in the Eagles who attract attention, but we don’t have it now. We don’t also have anybody above the team now, yet the team is reaching a very high standard. We are happy with the situation,” he said.

On the fitness form of Obafemi Martins and Peter Osaze Odemwingie that sustained slight injury ahead of the encounter, Kalika said: “We stopped them from training today (Wednesday) because we want to be very careful about the injury. We don’t just want to take risk on them. However, I think they will be okay for the match.”

Colours of a presidential dinner with Nollywood stars, musicians

People may call it a rare dinner for strange bed fellows, but Monday’s meeting and felicitation with actors and musicians by President Goodluck Jonathan was indeed, a welcome development. For the first time ever, a Nigerian leader had time to sit with artistes in a relaxed atmosphere to deliberate on issues that can move their profession forward.

And so, actors; particularly Nollywood stars, musicians, dramatists, visual artists, writers, producers,comedians, among many others, had the privilege of dining and wining with Mr President at the Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. It was a unique gathering of who is who in Nigeria’s creative and showbiz sectors.

The roll call was simply intimidating as artists of different generations; the old, the middle-aged, the young and the very young came to heed President Jonathan’s call for wider consultations and mutual interaction. Among those in attendance were foremost painter and print maker, Bruce Onobrakpeya, music lover and playwright; Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, famous batik maker Nike Okundaye, top Nollywood stars/filmmakers Justus Esiri, Eddie Ugbomah, Olu Jacobs, Lere Paimo,Jimoh Aliu, Enebeli Elebuwa, Mahmoud Ali-Balogun as well as singers Onyeka Onwenu, Sammy Okposo, Daddy Showkey, D’Banj, Azu Ekiye, Victor Eyiara, among many others.

Bomb scare throws Abuja residents into panic

There was palpable tension and panic in Abuja yesterday following an alleged warning by suspected members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) directing workers to stay away from the vicinity of the Bayelsa State House situated few meters away from the Federal Ministry of Justice as series of pre-laid bombs would soon be detonated.

The panic by residents and workers within the area increased with additional information from an anonymous informant that the high powered explosives would claim large casualties if detonated.
It would be recalled that the Independence Day twin bomb blasts that claimed several lives took place a stone’s throw from the Federal Ministry of Justice.

MEND, which claimed to have carried out the Independence Day bombing had earlier warned that it was going to bomb three cities including Abuja and Lagos.
For Abuja residents, the sad memories of last year’s blasts and their attendant devastation re-echoed in their hearts as they ran helter skelter for dear life.

When Daily Sun visited the scene, policemen had already cordoned off the entire vicinity just as anti-bomb squad was immediately summoned to sweep the pin-pointed locations.

There is no going back on Igbo president in 2015

Before Chief (Dr.) Philip Atamuo became the Ohanaeze Ndigbo chairman in Anambra State he had held sway at Alaja Steel Company in Delta State as the general manager and later Ajaokuta Steel Company as the chief executive.

He also later went into politics and at a stage became one of the gubernatorial aspirants in Anambra State. And today, the Ogidi-born engineering guru is combining the rulership of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Anambra State with a routine lecturing work at the Anambra State University, Uli.
In this interview with Daily Sun, Dr Atamuo spoke on the state of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Igbo presidency in 2015 and the disappearing Igbo language. Excerpts:

Being Ohanaeze Ndigbo chairman in Anambra State
I feel honoured that the Igbo in Anambra State elected me to pilot the affairs of Ohaneze Ndigbo for this period. There are many good Igbo who are capable and probably better, but they gave me this opportunity. I believe it is an honour for somebody to have this opportunity to lead the Igbo, but perhaps more like trying to bring the Igbo together, so that we can foster a direction in their lives. As you are aware, Ohaneze Ndigbo is a socio-cultural organization set up principally to cater for the welfare of the Igbo in Nigeria, to ensure that we get our rights which have been denied us for so long, to help the Igbo to see ourselves as brothers.

State of Ohanaeze Ndigbo
I do not know what you mean by peace, but I know we do not have parallel leadership in the organization now, but I believe that even in the past when we had two, it was a question of understanding. Everybody was concerned about seeing that the interest of the Igbo was protected and they were doing so their own way. I am glad that we have been able to merge the two oppositions together. We have been able to tell the Igbo, please let’s work together so that we can have one single direction instead of two, so that we can have one single opinion in whatever we are doing, so that we can stop internal squabbles which had in the past torn the Igbo nation apart.
My tenure of office
Originally, the tenure used to last for two years, but even before we came in, there were constitutional reviews that were on, to elongate the period and this has been done in our time so that the tenure now is four years.

My vision
You see, as I said earlier, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo had serious setback because of the squabbles within and even without. There were people inside who were busy fighting for supremacy, people outside the Igbo land, who did not want to see the Igbo land together, who were helping to fan the flame that would keep the Igbo apart. We are very interested in seeing that this kind of situation is eliminated for good within Ndigbo society. The next thing is how far have we fared in the Nigeria project since independence, what is keeping us down, can we start doing something about it, not necessarily accomplishing it within our tenure, but at least get started. Before now, you know that there was Igbo union that catered for the interest of the Igbo, but for example, we in Anambra State, I believe it is the same in all the other states, it is our job to see that the Ohanaeze understanding goes all the way to the grassroots and we are working on that.

We will like to see Ohanaeze starting from town union to local governments down to states and from the states to the national level. Our concern right now is to see that the local government Ohaneze is set up properly and that the town union Ohanaeze is set up properly. You know if we don’t have a good foundation, you cannot start. That has been the focus of our activities in the last two years.
Now, we are looking at the issue of the rights of the Igbo in this country, what is happening to them and how can we get our rights.

The Igbo and 2015
I will answer this question this way. We gained independence since 1960, that is some 50 years ago. During this period, yes we had military rule and we had civilian rule and we have had rulers who came from different parts of the country to be at the helm of affairs now known as the president. You can ask yourself, how many Igbo presidents have we had during this period. We say that Nigeria sits on three legs – the Igbo, the Hausa/Fulani and the Yoruba. There are a number of many other very important tribes who all of us make up Nigeria, but these three groups have been involved in the struggle for independence, in the struggle for the development of this country. In all aspects, in finance, education, agriculture etc, but you see that only the Yorubas and the Fulani/Hausas have had the opportunity to be at the helm of affairs in this country and we know in this country that who you are and where you come from are very important. So, if you consider what has happened in 50 years, you will discover that there has been the North leadership or the West. Nobody has really come from the East.

We in Ohaneze believe in the six geo-political zones that were created to help to administer and develop this country and we believe that leadership and being at the helm of affairs in this country, should follow that set up. You and I know that that has not been the case. If you go through the 50 years, you will see that one part has been there for 18 years. They have produced leadership at the top position of this country for 18 years, some others 12 years plus, some five years plus. If you come to the South-east which is where the Igbos come from, you see that South-east has only produced the president for six months, that was Ironsi’s period. Then the other part of the Igbos which is Anioma which is from the South-South, has not produced anybody at all until President Goodluck Jonathan came in to fill up for the late President Yar’Adua. You can see, if we are talking about equity and justice in Nigeria then it is right and proper that President Jonathan who is currently on seat should be allowed and supported to give the South-south their own opportunity and at the end of that the South-east should have their own opportunity to produce the President.

If you are talking about equity and justice, it is fair it is not the other way round. You cannot pretend to be a democracy, to be promoting equity and somebody is telling you who has been there for 18 years to wait for another eight years, when I finish you can come in. Somebody has not given you breakfast, he has eaten his breakfast, he has not given you a chance to eat your lunch, he has eaten his lunch then he tells you to wait, I will give you a very sumptuous dinner, when I have finished eaten my own breakfast, lunch and dinner, then you can have your own. I think that is not fair and that is not what we understand as equity and that is why Ohaneze said that we will support President Jonathan who is there now and when he finishes, the South-east will take that opportunity in 2015.
Our concern over disappearing Igbo language

It is not a question of whether it is true or not. It is a fact that we are losing our language and if you don’t have a language, you practically don’t exist. English language makes Britain very popular. Everywhere around the world, people speak English. Within Nigeria, you find out that Hausa language is very much promoted even in the universities and on television. It is right for the Igbo to have plays and movies on television. Some 60 per cent of the plays and movies you see are produced by the Igbo, but they are in English, we will like to see some of them produced in Igbo language. We are meeting with film editors and producers to let them understand this. We have also discussed with the universities to see that Igbo language is taught in the universities and people should be proud to say that I am majoring in Igbo language.

As you are aware, our present Governor in Anambra State has been very cooperative on this. We now have what you call Subakwa Igbo. On Wednesday in Anambra State, all transactions are done in Igbo language. When Subakwa Igbo was launched, the government was very much involved and we are grateful to the government on this and grateful to Prof. Pita Ejiofor who has been a promoter of the programme.
I don’t know whether you are aware that in Anambra State University, one must pass Igbo language before one graduates. There is encouragement for people to study the language and become proficient and promoters of the language. I am afraid Ohaneze does not have the means now to award scholarship because nobody is sponsoring Ohaneze even the governments are not sponsoring us. When we make the people realize that this is your organization by right, by birth and your responsibility to promote it, then people will begin to donate to help run the organization, then we will be able to give scholarship and a lot more.
Our stand on new states creation

I don’t see it as a problem. I was at the Abacha Constitutional Conference in 1995 where it could really be said that this idea of six zones was given acceptance and we believed in equity of the zones. Unfortunately, the beautiful constitution we put together was discarded by the military when they came out with the 1999 constitution and created imbalance in the six geo-political zones. How can you leave one zone with five state and others with six. You took away one state from the South-east and gave it to another zone, so that zone now has seven states. Is that equity? That is unfairness and if you are looking for justice, you cannot create such situations that cause problems. We in Ohaneze supported moves.
  Kidnapped woman escapes from booth of her car
…Says she was rescued by angels of God
From DOM EKPUNOBI, Onitsha

For the Ogonna Mogbo family of Nibo in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, February 9 would be difficult to be erased from their memory.
That morning the family had started their day with their usual morning devotion.
And soon after the devotion, they dashed out to do their morning chores after which they would be set for the day’s business outside their home.
Thus on that fateful day, everything was going well until about 5:20 p.m. when Mr Mogbo and his wife, who work at Nnamdi Azikiwe University , Awka, came back from work.

Mogbo was the first to return home and in less than 10 minutes, his wife, Grace also came back and sounded the horn of her Toyota Corona car without any premonition that a team of kidnappers had laid ambush in a bush around their house.
As Mrs Mogbo was waiting for their gate to be opened for her to drive in, three armed fierce-looking men dashed out of the bush and ordered her at gun-point to surrender the car key.
As the doors of the car were locked and could not be opened from the outside, Mrs Mogbo refused to open the door even when the kidnappers had pointed their gun directly at her.

Youngest Oldman’s Comedy Overdose ignites Benin

Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State will be leading other dignitaries, stars and celebrities to this year’s bumper edition of Comedy Overdose, in Benin, on Sunday, March 27. The anticipated evening of rich comedy and good music, already serenading Benin and its environs, according to its host and creator, Roland Igbaduhme,

famously known as Youngest Oldman, was his own little way of contributing to the growth of entertainment in his home state. The Abuja-based comedian and showbiz entrepreneur, further promised to discover, encourage and nurture budding and raw talents with the show.

 Comedy Overdose which holds at the expansive Civic Centre will feature some of the leading lights in the nation’s film, music and comedy sectors. The hilarious duo of Osita Iheme and chinedu Ikedieze ( Aki and Paw Paw) will welcome fun seekers to the event as special hosts, while Nollywood star, Jim Iyke and pretty actress, Tonto Dike, will be making special appearances.

Katsina gov in fatal crash Aide-De-Camp, 7 PDP supporters killed

Tragedy hit the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign train on Tuesday as the convoy of the Katsina State governor which was on its way to receive President Goodluck Jonathan at Daura town was involved in a multiple collision with two buses conveying some party supporters.

Although Governor Ibrahim Shema and his running mate, Abdullahi Garba Faskari, cheated death by the whiskers in the auto crash, no fewer than eight persons, including the governor’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Mr. Aminu Ibrahim, died on the spot.

The crash reportedly occurred at Zaka Aliyan village, near Mashi, about 20 minutes from Katsina.
An eyewitness told Daily Sun that the ADC, who was traveling with his boss in the same car, three supporters of the PDP in a bus that collided head-on with Shema’s Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and another four faithful of the party in another bus that crashed into the ill-fated vehicles all died on the spot.

OBJ pleads for Daniel

It was a bad outing for Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, yesterday, during the President Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Rally at the Gateway Stadium, Abeokuta, as he was booed by the crowd three times as his name was mentioned during the ceremony.

The ugly development is on the heels of a peace meeting between Governor Daniel and former President Olusegun Obasanjo brokered last Friday by eminent lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola, and others at Obasanjo’s Hill Top private residence in the state capital.

Until the peace meeting, there had been supremacy battle between Daniel and the former President over the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. At the heat of the feud, supporters of the governor had called Obasanjo unprintable names at a rally in the state.

The bad moment started for the governor when the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prof Ahmed Alkali, was reeling out names of some great men of the state and he mentioned the governor’s name, which prompted loud jeers from the PDP supporters and others at the venue. The governor also incurred the wrath of the party’s supporters when the state PDP chairman, Chief Dayo Soremi, acknowledged Daniel’s contribution to development of the state.

16 dead, 6 injured in Edo, P/H accidents

No fewer that 14 persons lost their lives on Tuesday night along the Benin-Ore federal highway. Five others who sustained serious injuries are in hospital.

In another accident, a car knocked down three primary school children yesterday in Port Harcourt. Two of the children-a boy and a girl- died on the spot while the third was seriously wounded.
Daily Sun was told that the 14 persons died when Eastern-bound commercial bus ran into a truck along kilometre 18 close to Ugbogui in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The driver of the ill-fated bus with registration number XY 234 FST was said to be travelling from Lagos to Anambra State when he ran into the on-coming truck marked XE 887 AWK at about 7:20pm.
Among the dead were six females and eight males whose corpses have been deposited at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in the state capital.
Actual cause of the accident could not be immediately ascertained as at the time of filing this report but it was learnt that the driver of the commercial bus was about to overtake another vehicle when he collided head-on with the trailer.

It was further gathered that but for the swift intervention of good Samaritans and policemen on routine check close to the area who pulled out some of those trapped, the death toll would have risen. Confirming the accident, the state commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Olatunji Henry Sunday in a telephone interview attributed the accident to either overspeeding or dangerous overtaking on the part of the driver of the bus. Already, the driver of the SUV, with registration number FW 97 LND which knocked down the school kids has been arrested.

Adeyemi paints Nigeria’s history in Sweden

Last October in Sweden, Nigerian artist, Kunle Adeyemi staged his exhibition, Beauty in Freedom which coincided with Nigeria’s 50 Independence anniversary. The show having chronicled the country’s five decades of social, political and economic lives.

The exhibition was equally significant as it records all what the artist has gone through since he was born 51 years ago. Below is the artist’s statement during the show. Excerpts:

As an artist, I enjoy the beauty in my freedom of expression having learnt the language of visual arts, I can at least objectify and subjectify my imagination and thoughts. Each time I think of God’s endowment or investment in me for being counted worthy to speak a universal language of visual arts for which everybody on the surface of the earth understand, I feel elated and on top of the world. Images in my mind congeal together and form a tangible object through line, form, tone, texture, colour and composition.

I was rather too young as a child of 14 months old when my country, Nigeria became an independent nation on October 1, 1960. To be an independent nation means to be free from colonisation of any form, particularly human impostors. The credit for this goes to the collective efforts of our heroes, heroines, political juggernuts, professionals, students (home and abroad) other peace-loving independent nations etc. Nigerians of my contemporary read in history books how long and fierce the battle for political freedom was won. This effort, sacrifice and struggle of our forerunners gave way to self-rule and liberation from the British, unfortunately, the fruits of this struggle is still having its bitter taste 50 years after.

Eagles must qualify for Nations Cup –Enyeama

Nigeria’s Footballer of the Year, Vincent Enyeama, is already looking forward to the Super Eagles qualification for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations championship to be co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea after receiving his AIT Award on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.

Elated Enyeama who, arrived late to the venue, Hotel Presidential, for the award ceremony, said he’s determined to see Nigeria qualify for the Nations Cup and the award he just received would ginger him to put up his best for the nation.
“I never expected this award but I thank God I’m honoured.

It’s a morale booster to my career because I always give out my best. I tried all I could for Nigeria during the last World Cup in South Africa but it wasn’t enough to take us beyond the first round. The whole world watched all our matches. We all tried our best. Everybody in the team contributed to this award,”Enyeama said shortly after receiving the award.

The Israel-based goaltender, however revealed why he cried in one of Nigeria’s group matches at the World Cup: I knew that we were almost out of the competition and I was receiving awards in our matches. I just thought there was no justification for that because I’m at the World Cup to see my country play up to the finals of the competition”.

NFF begs Rivers, Taraba govts to fund F/Eagles’ camping

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is relying on state governors to bankroll the extended camping for the Flying Eagles players and officials, following the indefinite extension of the African Youth Championship (AYC) formerly billed to hold in the crisis-hit Libya.

Disclosing this to Daily Sunsports in Abuja, the chief media official of the FA, Ademola Olajire, said that they had already reached out to the governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Ameachi, and his counterpart in Taraba state, Governor Danbaba Suntai, stressing that they the Federation is getting positive responses from them.

Asked about the weather hostility camping in the northern part of the country, the media officer noted that they are, however, hoping that the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) must have announced the venue to avoid camping in a state where weather may not be favourable to the players.

FOI: Jonathan’s adviser, Abba-Aji under fire over comments

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday dissociated himself from a statement made by his Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji, on the Freedom of Information Bill.

The President reacted on the heels of the barrage of criticisms the statement attracted.

Abba-Aji had on Monday in Maiduguri, Borno State, said he was disappointed in the House of Representatives which passed the bill last week and expressed the hope that the Senate would throw out the bill.

He threatened that in case the Senate passed the bill he would ensure that Jonathan did not give its assent to turn the bill into a law. He also boasted that he worked against the bill when he was a Senator.

Obasanjo re-echoes do-or-die politics at Jonathan’s Lagos rally

The ‘do-or-die’ electoral philosophy espoused by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the build-up to the 2007 elections resonated on Tuesday as the former president again said in Lagos that he would never allow the Peoples Democratic Party to lose the April elections.

Though he did not clarify how he would do it this time around, Obasanjo, at the party’s presidential rally at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, sang in Yoruba, “Lau erebe, erebe lau; Obasanjo oni gba kadibo kama wole o, lau erebe, erebe lau.”

Literally translated, the song means, “Bravo is the song of the day, Obasanjo cannot condone, Obasanjo would resist if we vote and we dont win.”

In Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on February 10, 2007 during a meeting of the PDP members and stakeholders, Obasanjo had reportedly said that the elections were a do-or-die affair for his party.

Obasanjo had said then, “It is left to you to ensure that we elect credible and committed leaders. I commend those of you in the PDP for your efforts so far. I will campaign. This election is a do-or-die affair for me and the PDP. This coming election is a matter of life and death for PDP and Nigeria.”

ACN will bring Nigerians fresh hope – Tinubu

The Action Congress of Nigeria on Monday in Dutse, Jigawa State commenced its its presidential campaign in the North-West, with its leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, assuring Nigerians of its determination to offer them fresh hope.

Tinubu, in a solidarity message after the presidential candidate of the party, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and his running mate, Mr. Fola Adeola, were presented with the party’s flags, said the nation’s leadership crisis would be resolved with the election of the party in the April polls. He told the mammoth crowd of party chieftains and supporters that the ACN would provide a youth friendly leadership.

He said the ruling Peoples Democratic Party had been insensitive to Nigerian youths, assuring, however, that Ribadu would redress the situation. The former Lagos State governor said the Ribadu/Adeola joint ticket would create 120 million new jobs.

Speaking at the rally, which was also attended by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Tinubu pledged a solid welfare package for the Nigeria Police Force. He assured that the least paid policeman would earn N50,000 under an ACN government.

With a chant of ‘Sai Ribadu, Sai Nigeria, Sai Ribadu’, the ACN National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, handed over the party’s presidential flags to Ribadu and Adeola, saying it signified their onward journey to the Presidency.

He said, “I bring to you the people of Nigeria a new brand of ideas through a new brand of leadership, today in Jigawa, in Dutse, Jigawa State, because of the problems created for Nigeria already by the PDP in the last 12 years. We talked about it and discussed it.

“The problems are problems of corruption, problems of insecurity to lives and property, problems of poverty. We have been thinking about how to clear these problems. Our solution is about bringing in new brand of leadership.

“Today, I brought these two young men. I brought Shehu Nuhu Ribadu and I have brought Fola Adeola. One is a very good expert in corruption management, the other one a management investor.”

Asked to comment, Ribadu could only utter quotes from the Quran, saying, ‘Auzubillahi Mina Shaytani Rajin, Bismillahi Arahamanu Rahim. Alhamdullah! Alhamdullah! Alhamdullah!’ (I seek refuge from Satan, the accursed. I begin with the Name of God the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficient. I thank God.)

His running mate stated that the ACN was on a mission to ease the pains of Nigerians and create jobs for the large army of unemployed youths.

He said, “We are here to ease your pains, to give employment and put money in your pockets through employment, not to take what is yours. We will sit down with you to proffer solutions to our numerous problems. So, vote for us, trust us. We are new on the scene and we will bring in new ideas.”

Labour dares govs, vows to make Nigeria ungovernable

The two major umbrella labour unions in the country, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, on Monday threatened to make the country ungovernable if the state governors refused to pay the new N18,000 minimum wage to workers.

“It is none of our business where they get the money to pay the minimum wage. They must pay, if not we will make this country ungovernable,” President of the TUC, Peter Esele, told THE PUNCH.

Asked if the NLC would also make the country ungovernable if the state governor failed to implement the new minimum wage, the NLC President, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, said, “Of course, that is our position. Our position is that labour made a formal demand of N52,000 minimum wage. Government set up a tripartite committee that lasted one year. After that, we agreed on N18,000 not because it was enough but because we thought we could also help in developing this economy.

“But if anybody is coming at this point to say it was predicated on any other thing, that is a new thing, and Nigerian workers will not allow it.

“Nigerian workers will go to any length to fight for their rights, especially on the issue of minimum wage.”

The TUC boss said the governors were playing with fire if they played politics with the new workers’ package.

About 25 governors under the aegis of Nigerian Governors’ Forum on Sunday met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja, and appealed to him to facilitate the altering of the revenue sharing formula in favour of the states, a precondition for meeting the new wage regime.

Under the current revenue sharing formula amongst the three tiers of government, the Federal Government gets 52.68 per cent; states, 26.68 per cent; and local governments, 20.60 per cent.

The governors, our correspondent gathered, had complained that they would not be able to pay workers in their states the new minimum wage except they got more from the federal allocation.

But the unions dismissed such logic as ridiculous as the governors were part of the process that resulted in the new minimum wage played politics with its implementation.

The President General of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Peter Esele, who spoke on the issue in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, described as unacceptable the reported decision of the governors to hinge their ability to pay the new wage on increased allocation from the Federation Account.

Esele said that it was unacceptable for the governors who had enough to money to pay more than 1,000 special advisers to resist the payment of the minimum wage

He said, “I think sincerely that the governors were part of the whole process that led to the agreement reached during the deliberations to pay a minimum wage of N18, 000.

“It is rather ridiculous for them to now say they are predicating the payment of the minimum wage on a new revenue allocation formula.

“Where are they getting the powers to have 1,000 advisers and where are they getting the money to make jobs available for the boys?

“Honestly, I think they are playing with fire. It is none of our business where they get the money to pay the minimum wage. They must pay, if not we will make this country ungovernable.”

Similarly, the General Secretary of the NLC, Mr. John Odah, said the governors had a responsibility to honour the agreement reached between labour and the government on the issue of minimum wage.

Odah argued that the N18,000 minimum wage before the National Assembly was a product of exhaustive deliberations between labour and the Federal Government team, which had due representation from the NGF.

He insisted that while the governors were right in seeking avenues for improved revenue allocation to their respective states, it would be inconceivable for them to go against the implementation of the minimum wage which some states had started paying.

Odah said the NLC expected the immediate passage of the bill on minimum wage into a law.

He maintained that while the governors expected the NLC to be law abiding, the union leaders were also of the view that the governors had a responsibility to set a good example by obeying the laws of the land.

He said, “We do not have any problems with the governors trying to get more allocation from the Federation Account for their people.

“We expect the minimum wage to become law very soon and all the governors being law abiding people must obey.

“The governors were part of the negotiation team of the Federal Government which eventually settled for the N18,000 minimum wage.

‘You will agree with me that labour reluctantly accepted the N18,000 having commenced the negotiation with N52,000. It is not possible for them to renege on the payment of the new wage.” he said

Others that expressed similarly views were the President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities Mr. Promise Adewusi, and Secretary General of the TUC, Mr. John Kolawole.

He said that it would be condemnable for governors to attempt to tie the implementation of the minimum wage to “some extraneous gambit.”

He said that making increased revenue allocation as a condition for the payment of the minimum wage would a violation of the law on minimum wage when passed.

Adewusi who doubles as a Vice-President of the NLC, also said that refusal to obey the law of the minimum wage would definitely not protect the constitution.

He explained, “Governors, like other Nigerians have a right to seek to improve their lots and circumstances, however, it would be utterly illegal and unacceptable to tie the payment of the new minimum wage to some extraneous gambit.

“This will be contrary to the spirit and letters of the law when passed. It will indeed, negate the spirit of good governance and protection of the Nigerian constitution. The governors are welcome to form a trade union but they must play be the rule.”

How 12-year-old schoolboy aided arrest of his kidnappers–Police

The Police in Lagos have arrested two brothers over the kidnap of the boy in Ojokoro area of Lagos two weeks ago.

The suspects, Seun Akinyosoye, 19, and Akin Akiyosoye, 22, allegedly kidnapped the boy while on his way home from school.

The Junior Secondary School 2 pupil, reportedly took shelter in a shop around Centre Road, during a downpour on February 14.

PUNCH METRO gathered that the suspects also took shelter in the same shop and engaged the boy in a discussion.

During the discussion, the boy revealed that his father is a banker with one of the new generation banks and also gave out his mobile phone number to the suspects. The suspects thereafter, took him to their apartment around Jerry Street, Ojokoro, from where they made a call to his father and demanded N4m ransom.

His father was said to have pleaded with the suspects to accept N55,000 and the suspects instructed him to pay the money into an account. Three days after the ransom was paid, the suspects eventually released the schoolboy.

But unknown to the suspects, the boy played a fast one on them by picking Akin’s passport photograph while in the brothers’ apartment.

“He saw the passport at the apartment where he was held hostage. After his release, he gave the passport to his father and identified Akin as one of his kidnappers,”the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, said on Monday.

The photograph was taken to policemen at Owutu Police Station and Akin was invited for questioning.

Jinadu said, “Akin had previously been arrested for street fighting. So, he did not think anything was amiss when his IPO called him to make an appearance at the police station.

“During investigation, he mentioned his brother, Seun, who was subsequently arrested. They confessed to have withdrawn the N55,000 with ATM card from the Ikorodu branch of the bank it was paid into.”

He therefore warned others who had such a sinister motive that there was no hiding place for criminals in the state, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yakubu Alkali, had put necessary machinery in place to check crimes.

Bauchi NMA begins strike over doctor’s kidnap

Bauchi State Chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association,  has begun an indefinite strike to protest alleged abduction of a medical officer, identified as  Dr. Sambo, of the General Hospital Boto, Tafawa Balewa local government of Bauchi state, by the Special Task Force (STF) in Plateau state.

The association called for immediate release of the medical officer who it said  was arrested while attending to a gunshot patient.

NMA claimed the armed military men came to arrest the patient, who was said to be under anesthesia, but the doctor pleaded with them to allow the patient to recover, but unfortunately the patient died.

The chairman, who revealed that the doctor was arrested at a police check point on his way to Bauchi on Friday, a day after the incidence purportedly on orders of the Chief of Army Staff, lamenting that “his (Sambo) GSM handsets has been confiscated while the doctor had  taken to an unknown destination in Jos.
He  noted that all efforts by his relatives and NMA to trace his whereabout

Jonathan’s aide, Abba-Aji, vows to scuttle FoI Bill

By BEN AGANDE & NDAHI MARAMA
ABUJA — Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba Aji, vowed yesterday to ensure that the president does not sign the Freedom of Information, FoI, Bill into law even as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media, Senator Ayogu Eze assured that the Senate will pass the Bill, in accordance with the yearnings of Nigerians
The Presidential aide, who told newsmen in Maiduguri that he was disappointed in the House of Representatives for passing the bill, declared that he expected the upper chamber of the National Assembly to throw it out, stressing that the Bill was against the nation’s constitution.
Abba-Aji said if the Senate fails in its duties to Nigeria, he would be left with no option but to advise the president not to assent to the bill.
It would be recalled that the 34-clause piece of legislation was passed by the House of Representatives last week.
With the Senate expected to follow suit this week, Abba Aji dropped the bombshell that he will work against the passage of the bill which if finally passed into law will give Nigerians access to information unimpeded.
Abba Aji while revealing that he led the group that opposed the passage of the bill on the floor of the National Assembly during the Obasanjo’s reign said he had not regretted his action and was ready to fight the Bill to a standstill.
He said it was regrettable that this Bill continues to drag for long. He queried the support for the bill, stressing that no government or organisation will offer its official secret to members of the public or the press.
The former senator insisted that all public institutions had information that must be closely guided for the benefit of peace, progress and development of the society.
He said Nigerians should be wary of opening the nation’s secret to the rest of the world through this unpatriotic FoI Bill, insisting that instead of the Bill what needs to be promoted is the freedom of the press.
Abba Aji who claimed that the Nigerian press remained the freest, said even in the United States of America, USA, information still gets classified, noting that once information gets classified in the US, it is after 30 years that it gets declassified.
On the unconstitutionality of the FoI, the aide to the president argued that every public officer, including the president, was under oath of secrecy that is in the constitution and this is what this new bill is trying to oust.
Senate ‘ll pass the Bill
Meanwhile, in an interview with Vanguard yesterday, Senator Eze said the Senate was not averse to the passage of the Bill as it had already undergone second reading and is awaiting the third and final passage.
The passage of the Bill by the House of Representatives last week has turned the pressure on the Senate from Nigerians who believe that the upper legislative chamber should accelerate the passage of same.
But speaking with Vanguard yesterday, Senator Eze said the Bill would be passed “as soon as the Senate leadership meets and decides on its passage. I cannot give a definite date for now but it is not going to be delayed further than necessary.”
The House of Representatives penultimate week passed the Bill with amendments to some of the critical provisions contained in the original bill.
Areas that were waived in the Act were International Affairs and Defence in which case the head of government or public institution may refuse to disclose any record which may be ‘injurious to the conduct of International Affairs and the Defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’
One of the key sponsors of the Bill, Hon. Abike Dabiri expressed delight with the passage of the bill saying that ‘with the passage of this bill, we have taken a major step and I am happy that the bill has been passed under the leadership of Dimeji Bankole’.

Nigerian pensioners in UK register for payment

London – No fewer than 145 registered Nigerian pensioners resident in the UK are to participate in the biometric data capturing exercise for pensioners scheduled to start from March 1.

Mr Charles Bonat, Permanent Secretary, Establishment and Records Office in the Office of the Head of Service, made this known in London.

“We will take their biometrics which include finger prints and photographs to verify main documents of retirement including  letters of first appointment or gazette of same, confirmation, last promotion, retirement documents and two passport photographs each.

“Once their documents are verified, their bank account numbers are verified and their biometrics captured, it will lead to seamless payment of pension monthly,’’ Bonat said.

On the fate of the British ex-colonial officers, Bonat said the exercise would not cover them for now.

“The exercise for now does not cover the category of British colonial pensioners but we have been informed of some pensioners that are still alive but worked under the colonial administration,’’ he said.

He stated that although such cases would be looked into, government was more concerned with pensioners that retired under the Pay-As-You-Go system.

He commended the Nigerian High Commission for its collaboration in ensuring that the exercise came to fruition.

Bonat said he hoped that pensioners across Western Europe would avail themselves of the opportunity and get registered, adding, “those that will miss, will have to travel to Abuja to be captured.’’

FG disowns Abba-Aji on FoI bill

The Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media, Imma Niboro, has distanced the Federal Government from the statement of the Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji that the President would not assent to the Freedom of Information, FoI, Bill.
Imma Niboro said whatever comment Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji made in Maiduguri, Monday was his personal opinion and not that of the Federal Government.

Speaking with Airport correspondents at the Presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos Tuesday, Niboro said, “I speak for the President, the Information minister speaks for the government and in the matter of laws the Attorney General who is the chief law officer speaks for the government. If the speech doesn’t come from any of us, then he is purely speaking for himself.”
It would be recalled that the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji, had said that he would advise the President to reject the FoI bill.
Abba-Aji said he was disappointed in the House of Representatives for passing the bill and that he hoped the Senate would throw it out , adding that the bill was against the nation’s constitution.
Abba-Aji said if the Senate fails to do that, he would be left with no option, but to advise the president against assenting to the bill.