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Isa Tijjani, a
member the Labour Party, has asked a High Court in Kanoto declare him
the substantive presidential candidate of the party for the 16th April
presidential election.

Mr Aliyu argued
that the court, presided over by Amina Adamu Aliyu has enough evidence
to judge whether the plaintiff should be regarded as the party’s
presidential candidate or not.

Council to the
plaintiff, Nurudeen Jimoh, said Mr Tijjani request was based on the
fact that he was the only person vying for the post and that he
deposited N500,000 for the purchase of an interim nomination form.

Mr Jimoh said when
Mr Tijjani deposited such amount of money, the party failed to even
give him receipt for the period of three month, saying that his client
could not purchase the nomination form because of the failure of Labour
Party to tender such receipt, which was the prerequisite of obtaining
the permanent nomination form.

He explained that
his client and Dele Momodu were the two people aspiring for the
presidential seat under the Labour Party, but due to internal problems
Mr Momodu withdrew, making him the sole candidate.

He expressed concern that the party is trying to frustrate his client, the same way it frustrated Mr Momodu.

No room for a candidate

But counsel to the
party and the Party Chairman, Biodun Fasakin said the plaintiff did not
fulfil requirements of the party for him to be nominated as its
presidential candidate. He also said Mr Tijjani did not purchase a
permanent nomination form.

Mr Fasakin,
represented by Suswan Stephen, also said there was no primary election
that presented Mr Jijjani as presidential candidate of the Labour
party. According to him, if the party presents the plaintiff to the
electoral commission as its presidential candidate, people would
question its integrity.

The Labour Party had already endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as
its presidential candidate and, as such, the party may not probably
field any other candidate for the post.

An Action Congress
of Nigeria (ACN) senatorial candidate, Olufemi Lanlehin, has assured on
the party’s intent to adhere strictly to the content of its manifesto
anywhere it is given the mandate to lead in the country.

Mr. Lanlehin, who
will be flying the flag of the party as a candidate for the Oyo South
senatorial constituency in the forthcoming elections, was on
familiarisation tour on some selected wards in Ido Local Government
area of the state, where he informed party members and residents that
the ACN has packaged in its manifesto, programmes that will better the
lot of all Nigerian citizens.

“What the people
should be enjoying in Nigeria is being destroyed by the impostors in
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They are doing that because they
did not get yourvotes to get to power. “We in the ACN have put on paper
what we want to do when we get to power, we have deliberated on them
and we are assuring you that we will do them all,” he said.

Before formally
swinging into full political campaign across the country, the ACN had
launched its manifesto at Abuja where it detailed its plans for the
Nigerian polity.

Mr. Lanlehin also
echoed the views of many Nigerians that votes will count in the next
elections, urging his audience to ensure that they come out and cast
their votes, as well as stay till the votes are counted and results
announced at the booths before leaving.

Meanwhile, the Oyo
South senatorial district wing of the ACN, at the weekend, has
described the recent open debate for governorship candidates in the
state, as a way of helping the state’s electorate in making the right
choice in the next election.

Debate of candidates

The party, in a
release signed by the spokesperson, Wasiu Olatunbosun, noted that
debate brought out the best of all the four candidates who attended.

The debate,
organized by a local radio station, Splash FM, was aired live, but only
four of the contestants, Abiola Ajimobi of the ACN, Adebayo Shittu of
the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Taiwo Otegbeye of Action
Alliance (AA) and Azeez Popoola Adeduntan of Labour Party (LP), were in
attendance.

Mr Olatunbosun, in
his release, remarked that the participants ‘clearly demonstrated
competence, maturity and wherewithal required to liberate Oyo State
from its current socio-economic and political quagmire.’ “The public
debate afforded voters the opportunity to access each candidate who had
an ample chance to sell their programmes to the world. The event turned
out a huge success as it was adjudged unprecedented by Nigerians who
wondered why state governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of the PDP and Rashidi
Ladoja of the Accord party stayed away without genui e reasons other
than display of arrogance and debate fever,” he stated further.

Dozens of people
left a district of Cote d’Ivoire’s economic capital Abidjan on Sunday,
a day after gun battles between forces backing two presidential rivals.
Residents of the northern Abobo district said clashes between forces
loyal to incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo and those supporting his
rival Alassane Ouattara continued most of Saturday, but had died down
on Sunday.

“People are starting to leave because they fear more combat,” said Issa Dembele, a resident of Abobo. “Personally,

I’m preparing to
evacuate my own family.” The United Nations estimates around 200,000
people – most of Abobo’s population – have left in the past two weeks.
Gbago has refused to step down after a November presidential election,
which Ouattara is recognised internationally as having won.

Forces loyal to
Gbagbo launched an assault on Saturday to drive Ouattara’s fighters out
of the suburb, although residents said those fighters still controlled
several areas. The latest African Union effort to mediate in the
dispute failed this week, adding to fears of a return to civil war in
the world’s top cocoa grower, whose crisis has pushed cocoa futures to
regular 32-year highs CCc2 in recent weeks. Allies of Gbagbo, who
contends the poll was rigged, refused to accept an AU proposal for a
Ouattara-led unity government.

“Things are calm now, apart from gunfire here and there. But people are leaving,” said Abobo resident Tiemoko Souala.

International
sanctions such as a ban on European ships using Ivorien ports, together
with the near-collapse of the local banking sector, mean supplies of
Cote d’Ivoire’s cocoa to world markets have virtually dried up.

Around 400 people
have already been killed in post-election violence according to the
United Nations, while some 450,000 Ivoriens have fled their homes for
fear of attacks. Around 90,000 have sought refuge in neighbouring
Liberia.

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The family of the
late leader of Afenifere, Abraham Adesanya, at the weekend said that
President Goodluck Jonathan’s display of humility in his leadership of
the country had endeared him to all and that Nigeria needed such a
leader.

Mr. Jonathan was in
the Adesanyas’ Apapa family house at the weekend to commiserate with
the family over the death of its matriarch, Rosanna Arinola Adesanya,
who was the late Adesanya’s wife.

“We appreciate your
visit,” said Modupe Adelaja, the spokesperson for the family. “It is
rare to have a serving president visiting like you have done, they
usually send representatives. It is a sign of humility. It takes
somebody like you to lead the country. You are indeed a leader.”

Mrs. Adelaja, who
recalled that the president had also come in person to comfort the
family after the death of Abraham Adesanya, also described Mr. Jonthan
as a man of few words and prayed that as he marched forward in the
leadership of the country, he would succeed because of his focus.

“God installs leaders and he will install you,” she said.

Businessman and member of the family, Oba Otudeko, declared the total support of the Adesanyas for the president.

He said that even
though members of the family belonged to different parties, “we who are
present here, and those outside, are all resolved that we will do all
that is possible to ensure your election in April”.

Loss to Yoruba

The chief of staff
to the president, Mike Ogiaghome, said that the presidential visit was
to convey the condolences of the federal government, as well as that of
the people, to the Yoruba over the loss of the wife of a late leader of
the Yoruba and a great fighter for democracy. Mr. Jonathan said his
visit was to encourage the family and wish them well on the loss of
their mother.

“We feel your pain and you will remain in our prayers,” Mr. Jonathan
said. “Mama lived a good Christian life and worked with her husband to
bring about change in our society. Death is an inevitable end we all
will get to someday.”

Embattled Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel,
yesterday said that the booing he got from the crowd during the
presidential campaign rally of the People’s Democratic Party in
Abeokuta over the weekend, was a premeditated plan sponsored by his
political enemies within the party. Although Mr. Daniel has reached a
compromise with his major foe and former president, Olusegun Obasanjo,
it seems as though the Ogun state governor still remains a despised
figure within the party. Even though he was the host governor, Mr.
Daniel was not even allowed to make a speech or given any official role
to play by the state chapter of the party at the rally which took place
at the 35,000-capacity Moshood Abiola Stadium. After weeks of fighting,
Mr. Daniel, last Friday, recognised Tunji Olurin as the candidate of
the party in the state. Some of Mr. Daniel’s supporters, including his
favoured governorship candidate, Gboyega Isiaka, defected from the PDP
to join the People’s Party of Nigeria, but their plans also foundered
as the INEC refused to substitute their names with those earlier
forwarded by the party. Mr. Daniel has also had to shelve his
senatorial ambition, as his name was not on the list of candidates
approved by INEC.

Enemy turned friend

Mr. Obasanjo had to step in to plead for the state
governor, advising party members to show respect for the Ogun governor
despite whatever misgivings they might have about him. But Mr. Daniel,
in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Gbenro Adebanjo, yesterday
said investigations had shown that those who carried out the act were
hired.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we want to put it on
record that there was nothing spontaneous about the disrespectful act
to the person and office of the governor of Ogun State,” the statement
read. “It was a premeditated act by sponsors of the ignoble act who,
having failed to get Mr. Daniel not to attend the event, decided to
embarrass him at the venue. They had hired some undesirable elements
mainly from outside the state and briefed them to heckle the governor
during the event.”

Opposition party reacts

The PPN also described the incident as a show of
shame by leaders of the PDP. Raheem Ajayi, the party’s publicity
secretary, said the insults meted out to the incumbent governor
justified “our recent action of leaving the PDP for a more decent and
democratic platform…”

Mr. Ajayi said that it was time all parties played
the politics of principles and decency to advance the present
democratic order.

“It is for this reason that we call on the PDP in Ogun State to
apologise to the governor, the government, as well as the good people
of Ogun State for the unruly behaviour of the rented crowd brought from
the neighbouring state,” he said.

The Conference of
Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has condemned what it described as
serial arrests of perceived political opponents of President Goodluck
Jonathan, who is also the presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP).

The spokesperson
for the CNPP, Osita Okechukwu said in Abuja on Sunday that it is
lamentable that agents of the federal government have been arresting
opponents of the PDP while they are unable to fish out those who
attempted to kill other members of the opposition.

It said that the
arrests and detention of the opposition figures have put to question
the cherished freedom of Nigerians and the often- pronounced commitment
of the president to free, fair and transparent polls next month.

The group listed
members of the opposition who have been arrested to include Umaru
Al-Mukura and Hassan Lawal of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) as
well as officials of the Northern Political Leaders Forum, Bello
Abdulkadir and Farouk Bibi Farouk.

The CNPP said it
believes that instead of detention, the accused should be charged to
court and their charges made known to the public, adding that Mr Farouk
has spent over 48 hours in detention without being charged to court.

“CNPP is yet to
locate from the security agencies the final report of the murder of
Bola Ige, Harry Marshal, Uche Ogbonna and other high profile murder or
the arrest of prominent politicians in the recent murder of Modu Gubio,
the gubernatorial candidate of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in
Borno State,” he said.

“Yet, so far, no
member or supporter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been
arrested, even those who spent $16 billion on power and N300 billion on
road construction without commensurate result and who are today leading
President Jonathan’s campaign.”

Free to criticise

The group, which
restated that democracy without freedom is a sham, also reminded Mr
Jonathan that the relative freedom achieved in the past years should
not be sacrificed on the alter of overzealous security operatives.

“President Jonathan should resist picking needless fights, therefore
all high profile murder should be fully investigated and the report
made public and all suspects should be charged to court without further
delay; as anything to the contrary gives wrong impression that the
security agencies are witch-hunting only the political enemies of Mr
President,” Mr Okechukwu said.

Japan fought on
Sunday to avert a disastrous meltdown at two earthquake-crippled
nuclear reactors as estimates of the death toll from the tsunami that
charged across its northeast rose to more than 10,000.

Officials worked
desperately to stop fuel rods in the damaged reactors from overheating
after some controlled radiation leaks into the air to relieve pressure.

The government said
a building housing a second reactor was at risk of exploding after a
blast blew the roof off the first the day before at the complex, 240 km
(150 miles) north of Tokyo.

The fear is that if
the fuel rods do not cool, they could melt the container that houses
the core, or even explode, releasing radioactive material into the
wind. Broadcaster NHK, quoting a police official, said more than 10,000
people may have been killed as the wall of water triggered by Friday’s
8.9-magnitude quake surged across the coastline, reducing whole towns
to rubble.

Almost two million households were without power in the freezing north,

Japanese media said. There were about 1.4 million without running water.

Kyodo news agency
said about 300,000 people were evacuated nationwide, many seeking
refuge in shelters, wrapped in blankets, some clutching each other
sobbing. Authorities have set up a 20-km (12-mile) exclusion zone
around the Fukushima Daiichi plant and a 10 km (6 miles) zone around
another nuclear facility close by. Around 140,000 people have been
moved from the area, while authorities prepared to distribute iodine to
protect people from radioactive exposure.

The nuclear
accident, the worst since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, sparked
stinging criticism that authorities were ill-prepared for such a
massive quake and the threat that could pose to the country’s nuclear
power industry.

Chief Cabinet
Secretary Yukio Edano said there might have been a partial meltdown of
the fuel rods at the No. 1 reactor at Fukushima. Engineers were pumping
in seawater, trying to prevent the same happening at the No. 3 reactor,
he said in apparent acknowledgement they had moved too slowly on
Saturday.

“Unlike the No.1
reactor, we ventilated and injected water at an early stage,” Edano
told a news briefing. The No. 3 reactor uses a mixed-oxide fuel which
contains plutonium, but plant operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO)
said it did not present unusual problems. Asked if fuel rods were
partially melting in the No. 1 reactor, Edano said:

“There is that
possibility. We cannot confirm this because it is in the reactor. But
we are dealing with it under that assumption.” He said fuel rods may
have partially deformed at the No. 3 reactor but a meltdown was
unlikely to have occurred.

“The use of
seawater means they have run out of options,” said David Lochbaum,
director of the Union of Concerned Scientists Nuclear Safety Project.

TEPCO said
radiation levels around the Fukushima Daiichi plant had risen above the
safety limit but that it did not mean an “immediate threat” to human
health. Edano said there was a risk of an explosion at the building
housing the No. 3 reactor, but that it was unlikely to affect the
reactor core container.

The wind over the
plant would continue blowing from the south, which could affect
residents north of the facility, an official at Japan’s Meteorological
Agency said. The disaster prompted an angry response from an
anti-nuclear energy NGO in Japan which said it should have been
foreseen. “A nuclear disaster which the promoters of nuclear power in
Japan said wouldn’t happen is in progress,” the Citizens’ Nuclear
Information Centre said. “It is occurring as a result of an earthquake
that they said would not happen.”

Search for the missing

Thousands spent
another freezing night huddled in blankets over heaters in emergency
shelters along the northeastern coast, a scene of devastation after the
quake sent a 10-metre (33-foot) wave surging through towns and cities
in the Miyagi region, including its main coastal city of Sendai.

In one of the
heavily hit areas, Rikuzentakata, a city close to the coast, more than
1,000 people took refuge in a school high on a hill. Some were talking
with friends and family around a stove. The radio was giving updates.
On the walls were posters where names of survivors at the shelter were
listed. Some were standing in front of the lists, weeping.

Kyodo news agency reported there had been no contact with around 10,000 people in one town, more than half its population.

A Japanese official
said there were 190 people within a 10-km radius of the nuclear plant
when radiation levels rose and 22 people have been confirmed to have
suffered contamination. Workers in protective clothing were scanning
people arriving at evacuation centres for radioactive exposure.

Government criticised

The government, in
power less than two years and which had already been struggling to push
policy through a deeply divided parliament, came under criticism for
its handling of the disaster.

“Crisis management
is incoherent,” blared a headline in the Asahi newspaper, charging that
information disclosure and instructions to expand the evacuation area
around the troubled plant were too slow.

There has been a
proposal of an extra budget to help pay for the huge cost of recovery.
Edano said the cabinet would meet later on Sunday to discuss economic
steps. The Bank of Japan is expected to pledge on Monday to supply as
much money as needed to prevent the disaster from destabilising markets
and its banking system.

reuters