Nigeria Content Online

Talks between the
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive
Change (CPC) aimed at producing an alliance broke down again on Monday
night following the inability of the delegations of the two parties to
agree on which platform the aspirants should contest the elections.

At a meeting held
in the Maitama District, Abuja home of the deputy chairman of the Board
of Trustees of the CPC, Sule Hamma, the two parties were said to have
rejected proposals for either of the parties to be used by aspirants.

While the CPC
delegation insisted that its platform should be used, those of the ACN
wanted their party’s platform to be used by the presidential candidate
since it is coming into the arrangement as a senior partner.

The ACN delegation
reportedly said that apart from having four governors, the party has a
semblance of national spread than the CPC.

A source at the
party, however, said the two parties could also not resolve the issue
of who should fly the presidential flag as well as the running mate.

“The major areas of
disagreement were the platform on which to use and the issue of running
mate. But the issue of running mate was not much of a problem rather it
was the platform. Because of these areas of disagreement, the meeting
was inconclusive,” the source stated yesterday.

When contacted, the
spokesman of the CPC, Dennis Aghanya merely confirmed that the two
parties met in Abuja on Monday night, but refused to speak further.

“I can’t tell you
anything now,” he said. “By the time we conclude the alliance talks we
will tell you everything. It is true the parties met in Abuja.” The
spokesman of the ACN, Lai Mohammed could not be reached for comments.

The two parties
have been engaged in alliance talks for several months with a view to
confronting the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the 2011
polls. However, the talks have not yielded any fruit following the
alleged insistence of the CPC to produce its presidential candidate.

There were also
reports that at some point, the ACN agreed to produce the vice
presidential candidate but could not agree on who to pick among the
former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, the former governor of
Ekiti State, Niyi Adebayo and former governor of Anambra State, Chris
Ngige.

If they finally agree to form the alliance, the parties will present common candidates where each of them is strong.

A former governor
of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, on Tuesday, laid to rest speculation on
his desire to dump the People’s Democratic Party, as he formally
declared his membership in the Accord Party. He is to pick to the
party’s governorship nomination form on Thursday, which will enable him
contest in the 2011 general elections. Mr Ladoja, who made his
intention known before a gathering of his supporters from the 33 local
governments of the state at a meeting at Alli Oyedeji’s house in
Ibadan, said he is contesting to respond to calls by his supporters to
rescue the state from alleged maladministration, misrule and misplaced
priority of the present government.

If re-elected, he pledged to provide quality leadership and bring back government of the people which will ensure their welfare.

The former governor
assured the people that the Accord Party will not become a conduit
through which public purse will be drained like the party currently in
power in the state has been doing.

He also promised to
ensure that education, health, pensions, industries, housing and the
market places are given adequate attention, to create a conducive
atmosphere for meaningful growth.

A faction of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to the state governor, Adebayo
Alao-Akala, has challenged the order of its National Working Committe
(NWC) that a fresh congress be conducted to put in place a new
executive council in Oyo State.

The faction held a
closed-door meeting at the Banquet Hall of the state’s Government House
in Ibadan on Tuesday in reaction to the order given by the NWC in Abuja
on Monday.

Ostensibly in order
to remove the differences in the state chapters ahead of its national
congress and the 2011 general elections, the NWC rose from the meeting
to order fresh congresses in Enugu and Oyo States where controversies
have trailed the constitution of the executive committes in existence
in the states.

It ordered that the
two states should conduct congresses to elect party officers for their
wards, local government and state excos between Wednesday and Sunday
next week.

But the governor’s loyalists yesterday declared the decision illegal, unconstitutional, and contempteous.

Briefing the press
after the meeting, Richard Akinjide, a former Attorney General of the
Federation, said the order of the party’s NWC had contravened an
existing court order which ruled that no one should interfere with the
current party exco in the state, adding that the order still subsists
till February, 2011.

He said by the order, the NWC is acting in contempt to an order of the Oyo State High Court obtained on September 13, this year.

Disregard of order

Sounding
excessively miffed, Mr. Akinjide noted that with his experience as a
lawyer and activities in politics over the years, he has never
witnessed such a level of disregard to court order.

“The directive is
unlawful and illegal, and I say this with a high sense of
responsibility. I have been a legal adviser of major political parties
in the past; I have never seen such illegality in my political career,”
he said.

The senior
advocate, however, said the party will still go ahead to hold the
congresses as directed, but quickly warned that the party national
leadership must note that it lacks any right to give the order.

He told the gathering that the national secretariat was yet to
formally send a letter to back up its order, though it had informed the
governor about it through a text message.

The president of
the Senate, David Mark, has demanded an apology from Rauf Aregbesola,
the governor of Osun State, over allegations of plans to destabilise
Osun State.

The Senate
president said yesterday he will seek legal redress if Mr. Aregbesola
does not apologise for “spuriously” alleging that he, the Senate
president, and other “eminent” Nigerians, were raising N1 billion to
fund a project which will knock the state off balance.

Mr. Aregbesola was
widely reported in the media as saying that some prominent Nigerians
were involved in the plot to raise funds to destabilise his
administration.

“We ordinarily
should not elevate such idle talk with a response, but for the
increasing enquiries from friends, associates and the general public on
the allegation,” Paul Mumeh, the chief press secretary to the Senate
president said on Tuesday.

“We frown at this
falsehood and unwarranted attack on the person and office of the
president of the Senate. We demand unreserved apology from Aregbesola,
or we would be left with no option than to seek legal redress,” Mr.
Mumeh said.

Believer in rule of law

Mr. Mumeh said the
president of the Senate is a statesman who believes in the rule of law
and commitment to development that will improve the lives of Nigerians,
and that it is “unthinkable and an affront” for the Osun State governor
to link Mr. Mark to issues that do not engender progress or development.

“The president of
the Senate is a builder, a lawmaker, and adherent to democratic ideals.
He believes in the right of every one to express his or her views but
in doing so, it should not impugn or insult the sensibilities of
others,” Mr. Mumeh said.

“We do not want to
be dragged into the politics of Osun State. We can only advise
Aregbesola that what the people of Osun State desires is purposeful
leadership, development that affects them positively and make the
society a better place, and not mudslinging.”

Mr. Aregbesola of
the Action Congress of Nigeria was, last month, proclaimed the winner
of the 2007 governorship election in the state. His victory put an end
to the seven-year government of the PDP and the governorship ambition
of some PDP politicians, including the chairman of the Senate
appropriations committee, Iyiola Omisore.

Mr. Omisore recently rejected the court ruling, saying the ACN government in Osun State was a product of judicial illegality.

Mr. Aregbesola has also alleged that Mr. Omisore was leading a group of people to raise money to destabilise his administration.

Imminent crisis
appears to be brewing in the Nigeria Police Force as six officers and
men of the force from across the country have sent a signed petition to
the presidency over alleged discrimination in the promotion of officers
of the force who have acquired some additional educational
qualifications while in service to the rank of Assistant Superintendent
of Police (ASP).

In the petition,
also sent to the National Assembly, ministry of police affairs, police
service commission and the Inspector General of Police, the officers
complained that they were denied promotion even when they fell within
the minimum and maximum score for promotion after their examination at
the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), commissioned by a
former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero.

In the petition,
which was signed by an Inspector from Kaduna State Command, a sergeant
from Ekiti State command, a corporal from Edo State command, a
constable from Zamfara State command, a corporal from Akwa Ibom State
command and a corporal from Lagos State command (all names withheld) on
behalf of over 2,000 of their colleagues, they alleged that since 2007
when ASCON was commissioned by Mr Ehindero to conduct examination for
graduate inspectors and other rank and file of the force, they had
written and passed the examination but that, to their chagrin, others
who performed below the benchmark were promoted while they that scored
within the range have remained without promotion. The aggrieved
officers also alleged that the leadership of the force, instead of
selecting the best for promotion in the first batch of those who sat
for the examination, selected the first 500 candidates and included
others who scored below the minimum score. This process, they said was
continued in the second batch which, according to them, has resulted in
leaving out qualified personnel in the first batch without promotion,
even when the second batch are being promoted.

“The question now
is when are these much hated and discriminated Inspectors and rank and
file going to be elevated to their hard earned and much desired status
as Assistant Superintendant of Police which is the hallmark for their
hard work and struggle for self development that transcends to high
service delivery?” the petition said in part.

“This has shown that the Nigeria Police prefer mediocre and school
dropouts who they can use to perpetrate aggression, humiliation, gross
violation of human rights and continuous extortion of money from the
public they are paid to protect, to the highly educated and intelligent
people who can challenge and disobey their unlawful orders.” The
unhappy officers also lamented that these situations have made the
police force a “dumping ground for all comers.”

As the yuletide
holidays come to an end, hundreds of outbound and inbound passengers
were on Tuesday seen at the both domestic terminals of the Murtala
Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

With some of the
travellers purchasing air tickets for their respective destinations,
others at the arrival terminals were being received by their loved ones
as they prepare for their regular work activities.

“It is no surprise
to see this crowd here because the Christmas holidays end today and
from tomorrow, work begins for most people; so one has to leave for
work after spending time with family members during the holidays,” said
Onoriode Victor, an Abuja bound passenger with Aero Contractors at the
Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (MMA2).

Three days prior to
Tuesday, flight activities at the domestic airports were on the low as
only a handful of travelers visited the terminals to embark on flights.

Mr Victor, however,
frowned at the increase in fares across major destinations within the
country, describing the development as “inadequate.” “I paid N4,000
extra for this trip to Abuja; but before now, I know you can book
online for tickets four times lesser than the amount I paid today,” he
said. “This to me is unfair and inadequate. They (airlines) should not
use this period to exploit travelers knowing that a lot of people fly
these days because of our bad roads.” To Chike Nelson, another
traveller with Arik Air at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), the
increase in fare is no surprise, as he maintained that the season
requires “multiple expenses.” “The increase in air fares is something
we encounter every year, and this is not only with airline operators;
other service providers and even those that sells food items inflate
their prices this period. In fact this season comes with multiple
expenses,” he said.

Admitting that the
high passenger turnout at the airports necessitated the increased
fares, a ticketing and reservation officer with Aero at MMA2 who spoke
on conditions of anonymity said that airlines have this period to make
up for some of their losses in the past.

“As you know airlines in Nigeria are faced with a lot of challenges
and we pay series of charges to many agencies in the industry, so a
little addition to the regular air ticket amount should not be seen as
an act of exploitation,” said the officer.

The national
leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday ordered the
transfer of the screening of aspirants in the 2011 general elections in
Enugu State to Abuja due to poor security situation in the state.

This is just as the party deferred the appeal by some gubernatorial aspirants earlier scheduled for yesterday.

The national
organising secretary of party, Uche Secondus said in a statement in
Abuja that the security situation arose as a result of the inability to
hold the exercise few days ago.

Mr Secondus said
though the screening of some of the aspirants to the state House of
Assembly and the appeal have taken place, those who missed the exercise
should report at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja for the
exercise.

Mr Secondus also
said the screening of the National Assembly aspirants will take place
between December 29 and 30, 2010 at the national secretariat.

“We hereby enjoin
all State Assembly aspirants who are yet to present themselves before
their committee to do so immediately,” he said. “These arrangements are
done in view of the security situation in Enugu State arising from the
botched screening exercise.” It will be recalled that the Enugu State
chapter of the party was one of the eight state chapters which the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the elections of
the state executive committees were inconclusive.

As a result, the
party’s National Chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo, who incidentally is a
former governor of Enugu State, ordered the dissolution of the state
executive committee led by Vitalis Abba, last October.

The chairman’s
action, however, pitted him against the state governor, Sullivan Chime
and the dissolved executive members, who not only accused him of acting
unilaterally, but also challenged the dissolution in court.

There have been
attempts to reconcile Messrs Nwodo and Chime. Last Friday, the governor
visited the national chairman in his office in Abuja during which they
held discussions for hours.

The transfer of the screening to Abuja, it was learnt, was not unconnected with the discussion both men had.

Meanwhile, the hearing of the appeal filed by some aspirants in others states were also held as scheduled yesterday.

Out of all the
governorship aspirants that appeal the decision of the committees that
went round the zones to screen the aspirants before the Tunde Ogbeha
led committee; those that were cleared include Obiora Ene of Enugu
state, Anayo Onwuegbu of Abia, Ben

Fiabema of Rivers, Moore Chinedu of Rivers, Imoh Udo of Akwa Ibom and Peremobowei Ebebi.

Those that were not
cleared are Ike Ibe of Enugu, A. Atuloma of Abia, Suleiman Hunkoyi of
Kaduna, Adamiu Suleiman of Kano, and Frank Daniel of Akwa Ibom. They
were claimed not to be cleared because of not meeting up with tax
requirement and not paying tax at when due or incomplete tax payment.

Also on Monday, Mr Nwodo reportedly met with the two factions of the PDP in Oyo State as part of the effort to reconcile them.

This is coming a
few days after President Goodluck Jonathan and his deputy, Namadi Sambo
visited the South West geo-political zone.

In attendance were some members of the National Assembly from the state, state lawmakers and other stakeholders.

But the Governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala was not present at the meeting.

Dotun Oyelade, the
governor’s senior adviser on public communications, explained that Mr
Alao-Akala did not attend because it would be demeaning for him to do
so.

“We understand that
some disgruntled so-called members of PDP from Oyo State came to Abuja
for a meeting to resolves issues. We insist that as far as Oyo is
concerned we are poised for the April election.

“In any case, the
cat is already let out of the bag when the so called leaders said it is
a taboo for any governor to aspire to rule Oyo State twice as if a
myopic norm is a product of the constitution. To grace such meetings
with our presence is demeaning and an insult to the founding fathers of
our great party.

Let them fight the popularity battle here not in Abuja,” the statement said.

When contacted on the matter, a member of the House of Representative, Depo Oyedokun refused to comment.

The Federal Road
Safety Commission (FRSC) recorded low accident rate during the yuletide
period, an official of the commission, Mr Kayode Olagunju, who is the
Commander in charge of Okene-Lokoja-Abaji and Abuja for the Christmas
and New Year period, said this on Monday in an interview with the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, but did not give any figures to
buttress his claim.

He added that the
commission has recorded some crashes on the road, “but, as said earlier
by the Corp Marshal few days ago, we are not where we wanted to be but
the rate is lower than what it was last year.

“Today, the road is
better than it was three days ago, and yesterday, traffic was very
heavy because a lot of people delayed their movement till Christmas
Day,” he said.

He also said that
the major problem the commission had on the road was that of some
senior government officials “who have the privilege of using siren,”
disrupted the traffic arrangement on ground.

“They put on their
siren and their convoy disorganise the traffic control arrangement and
when they move many other road users followed them.

“However, we were
able to get some of them to comply by force, while the number plates of
those who proved aggressive were captured in our video coverage of the
operations,” he said, but that “we shall definitely release their names
which we compiled, under what is known as the roll of shame.”
Meanwhile, NAN correspondents who visited some parks in Abuja report
that some people were seen relaxing with their family members.

At the Millennium
Park in Maitama, Chinonso Uka told NAN that she came to relax with her
kids as part of the Christmas celebration.

On his part, Ikechukwu Ole expressed regret that there was no money for “the masses to celebrate the Christmas.”

“We are hoping that
by the grace of God when our man, President Goodluck Jonathan is there
he will provide for us to celebrate next year’s Christmas in style,” he
said.

Also speaking to
NAN, Abdulahi Kaku, the General Manager of Maitama Amusement Park, said
about 2,478 people visited the Park in the past three days.

“We brought traditional dance troupe to entertain people; there was
also dancing competition and many people won various prizes,” he said.

Despite ongoing discussions between two major opposition
parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive
Change (CPC), findings by NEXT indicate that the parties will field separate
candidates in the 2011 elections.

Both parties have admitted being involved in negotiations which
will lead to a merger or an alliance. While the ACN negotiation team is lead by
Niyi Adebayo, former governor of Ekiti State, the CPC team is led by Aminu
Masari, former speaker of the House of Representatives.

Sources within the ACN however confirm that for reasons
including the short period before the general elections, the rigid positions of
the parties and the rejection of the alliance by top members of the ACN, the
proposed alliance would not work.

“Let me tell you that majority of our party leaders and members
do not support it. Also, there is no time for any merger. We have less than
four months to the elections, even the electoral act does not allow that,” a
national official of the ACN told NEXT. Apart from the four ACN governors
(Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, Adams Oshiomole of Edo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti,
and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun) who are reportedly opposed to the alliance, the
chairman of the party, Bisi AKande, is also said to be against it.

Mr Akande’s opposition is based on the insistence of the CPC
that Muhammadu Buhari, a retired General and former military ruler, should be
made the presidential candidate of any alliance that was formed. Mr. Buhari is
not only the CPC’s only presidential aspirant, the party was primarily formed
to help him achieve his presidential ambition.

“The CPC was founded on my authority by my political associates
as a solution to the debilitating ethical and ideological conflicts in my
former party, the ANPP,” the former head of state stated on the party’s
website.

Prior to the formation of the ACN, the Action Congress had
stated that its presidential candidate for the 2011 elections would be a young
man, a child of independence, who has demonstrated competence and integrity and
is untainted with corruption allegations.

Party for the young

After his unopposed re-election at the ACN convention in Benin
on Tuesday, Mr. Akande again restated this position in his acceptance speech.

“Now that the Action Congress of Nigeria and the entire people
of this country are happy with the services of these young men (four ACN
governors), I think you will all cooperate with me to ensure that we return
another young man as the President of Nigeria,” the party chairman stated while
surrounded by the four governors.

Unlike Mr. Buhari who is 68 years old, all the presidential
aspirants of the ACN are around 50. The Action Congress presently has three
presidential aspirants. They are Uba Saidu Malami (46) a businessman; Attahiru
Bafarawa (56), former governor of Sokoto State; and Nuhu Ribadu (50), former
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Usman Bugaje, the former National Secretary of the party, is
believed to have dropped his presidential ambition and will instead run for
governor of Katsina state.

“We can say boldly that our party has the youngest and brightest
presidential aspirants in the country,” Lai Mohammed, the national publicity
secretary of the ACN stated while commenting on the relatively young
presidential aspirants of the party.

Another senior official of the party said barring last minute
political upheavals, Mr. Ribadu will likely emerge the presidential candidate
of the party.

Some of the factors believed to be working for Mr. Ribadu, apart
from meeting the criteria the party set up, are his popularity not just within
the ACN but also across different political parties, and his acceptance and
popularity among young Nigerians.

Mr Ribadu proved his political acceptance when leaders gathered
at the Thisday dome in Abuja on Tuesday, December 14 to launch his
autobiography, “My Story, My vision.” Describing the former EFCC boss, Ken
Nnamani, former senate President and PDP chieftain stated that “Nuhu is one of
the few Nigerians that I consider a good example.

The type of courage he has is the type of courage Nigeria needs
if we indeed want to join the committee of Nations in the year 2020.” Another
PDP leader who clamoured for a Ribadu presidency is Femi Fani- Kayode, the
former aviation minister.

“If a man like Ribadu emerges as your candidate, many many
people from PDP, from APGA, will join your party,” Mr. Fani-Kayode stated.

The National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance
(APGA), Victor Umeh, as well as other APGA chieftains are also said to be
rooting for a Ribadu candidacy if they are to join any alliance.

The Tinubu factor

One person who many believe is going to influence the decision
of whether the ACN picks Mr. Ribadu or joins forces with the CPC to pick Mr.
Buhari as the presidential candidate is Bola Tinubu, former Lagos State
governor and the most influential ACN chieftain.

“Asiwaju wants an alliance of progressive political parties to
defeat the monster called PDP, that is why he is encouraging the talks. But
definitely he supports that all presidential aspirants go for primaries,” one
of his aides said.

The Disabled
Persons Empowerment Foundation (DPEF) wants more of its members to be
given the opportunity in governance to contribute their quota to
national development.

Mr Parkins Uzor,
Chief Executive Officer of the foundation made the call in an interview
with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki, Abia State on
Monday.

He stressed that the Federal Government can do this by integrating more persons with disabilities in governance.

According to him,
when people are not represented in any way in government, it is
difficult for them to influence or sponsor bills that will affect their
lives.

He said, “Any
democratic dividend from the three tiers of government without full and
total emancipation of people living with disabilities is a monumental
failure.

“Persons with
disabilities have all it takes to economic prosperity. We have the
political energy and momentum. Our strength for economic growth is
undisputable.

“There is no
provision in the constitution which says people living with
disabilities are not entitled to holding public offices or elective
positions.” Mr Uzor called for the creation of a Disabled Persons
Welfare Fund and a Ministry for the Physically Challenged where funds
recovered from corrupt officials should be kept for effective use.

He said some sections of the public are not concerned about the plight of persons with disabilities.

“They keep creating awareness that people living with disabilities should not be stigmatised.

“Our problem is not stigmatisation but empowerment. If we are being empowered, nobody will stigmatise us,” he said.