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Speakers of the 36
State Houses of Assembly in the country have threatened to boycott the
primary elections of their parties if the proposed amendment to the
Electoral Act 2010 to include federal lawmakers in the National
Executive Committee (NEC) of their parties scale through.

The Speakers, who
met in Abuja yesterday under the aegis of the Conference of the State
Legislature (CSSLN), also rejected the exclusion of the members of the
state assemblies as delegates to the conventions of their primaries
where the presidential candidates will be picked.

The CSSLN chairman,
Haruna Istifanus Gbana, who read the communiqué to journalists, said
the bill to make the members of the National Assembly members of NEC of
their respective parties as passed in the House of Representatives last
week, is totally undemocratic, self-serving, and repugnant.

“In the event the
National Assembly goes ahead to pass this Amended Act, the way it is
now, Rt. Hon. Speakers and deputy Speakers will have no choice than not
to participate in the party primaries for the selection of candidates,”
Mr. Gbana said.

The conference also
faulted the exclusion of party executive members from the selection of
candidates during party primaries at all levels.

Be patriotic

It frowned at the
exclusion of members of the state Houses of Assembly as delegates to
their parties’ primaries for selection of presidential candidates of
their parties.

The Speakers asked
the federal legislators to show more patriotism and put the interest of
the nation first in coming up with legislations.

A Federal High Court in Lagos, on
Tuesday, adjourned till December 17, ruling in the application filed by
the former Managing director of Intercontinental Bank, Erastus
Akingbola, for the release of his international passport.

“We want an order from the court
directing all security agents such as the SSS (State Security Service),
EFCC (Economic and Financial Crime Commission) and the police from
prohibiting the accused person from travelling outside the country,”
said Felix Fagbohungbe, the counsel to Mr Akingbola. He also urged the
court to allow his client report once every month at the EFCC office in
Lagos instead of its Abuja headquarters every first working day of the
week.

Mr Akingbola had, through his counsel, urged Justice Mohammed Idris
to vary his bail conditions and release his passport. Prosecution
counsel, Emmanuel Ukala, however, urged the court to reject the
defendant’s application, arguing that “the Federal High Court was not
the appropriate court to vary the bail conditions.” Justice Idris had,
on August 30, granted Mr Akingbola bail in the sum of N500 million with
two sureties who must have landed property within the court’s
jurisdiction.

Bi-Courtney
Aviation Services Limited, operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2
(MMA2), Lagos, on Tuesday, announced that a female passenger of IRS
Airlines slumped at the departure terminal of the airport.

The passenger,
Chinyere Njebu, who died while being transported to hospital by Zenith
Medicals, an ambulance therapeutic service company stationed at the
terminal, was said to have been drinking with an unidentified man at
the Barcellos eatery in the departure terminal. Chukwudum Ofomata, the
media representative for Bi-Courtney, said that the incident happened
on Monday at about 12noon, adding that Ms Njebu was supposed to catch a
flight for Abuja before her demise.

Staff of the eatery
confirmed that the deceased bought two cans of stout and was drinking
with a man, who could not be found by security operatives at the
airport after the incident. “She bought two cans of stout and was
drinking it with this guy who we won’t be able to identify before she
suddenly slumped,” said Atoyebi Taofeek, a supervisor for Barcellos.
“Airport officials rushed her in a stretcher and she was taken to a
hospital by the Zenith ambulance. But after the doctor diagnosed her,
he said that she had traits of hypertension and her blood sugar level
was tested to be a little unusual.”

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi narrowly survived a no-confidence
motion on Tuesday that left his struggling centre-right government clinging to
power by a handful of votes.

The result reinforced Berlusconi’s reputation as one of the great survivors
of Italian politics but left him badly weakened, without the numbers in
parliament to ensure stability at a time of big economic challenges and a
menacing euro zone debt crisis.

Berlusconi’s survival was ensured with 314 votes against 311 in the lower
house of parliament.

Vote counting after an acrimonious debate was briefly interrupted by a
scuffle between deputies from rival camps.

Pier Luigi Bersani, head of the opposition Democratic Party, said
Berlusconi’s survival was a Pyrrhic victory.

“You, prime minister are no longer in a position to govern,” he
told parliament.

Riot police blocked off the centre of Rome and clashed with protesters who
threw firecrackers and paint bombs at the Senate and oranges at the economy
ministry.

After a year overshadowed by corruption and sex scandals and an acrimonious
split with former ally Gianfranco Fini that cost him a secure parliamentary
majority, the result offered at least a temporary lifeline to the 74-year-old
premier.

Berlusconi has repeatedly defied sceptics, shrugging off a string of gaffes
and scandals to win three elections and transform Italy’s political landscape
since gaining power for the first time in 1994, but he has polarised Italians.

Thousands of students, workers and other
government opponents staged other protests around the country on Tuesday.

Had Berlusconi lost in the lower house following a clear win in the Senate
earlier on Tuesday, he would have had to resign, potentially opening the way to
early elections more than two years before they are due in 2013.

The result was secured after a fevered campaign of back room deals, in which
opposition accusations of vote-buying and corruption have been answered by
fierce denials and counter-accusations of treachery.

“Go to elections”

With the vote out of the way, attention now switches to the concessions
Berlusconi will have to offer to centrists and rebels on the centre-right to
secure a longer term alliance.

On Monday, Berlusconi offered to open up his government to moderates in a
broad electoral pact but his coalition allies in the Northern League, who play
the role of government kingmakers, have already expressed scepticism.

“Either there are the conditions for continuing in government with a
solid majority or it would be better to go to an election,” Interior
Minister Roberto Maroni, a senior member of the Northern League told reporters.

Tuesday’s vote was closely watched by financial markets on high alert over
the euro zone debt crisis, and a prolonged period of doubt could turn the
spotlight on Italy’s strained public finances.

“Political uncertainty will only be dissipated in case of a clear
majority,” analysts from Italian bank UniCredit wrote in a research note before the key vote.

Italy has one of the heaviest public debt burdens in the world, at almost
120 percent of gross domestic product. But it has largely escaped the euro zone
debt storm thanks to tight control of spending and a conservative banking
system that avoided excess during the market boom.

Markets were reassured last week when the 2011 budget was passed in
parliament ahead of the votes, but the vote does not provide the secure
majority investors want to see and leaves the future of the government in
doubt.

Former anti-corruption judge Antonio Di Pietro, who now heads the opposition
Italy of Values party, said in parliament:

“Whatever the result of the vote you have bought, one thing is clear.
You (Berlusconi) do not have a political majority that would allow you to
govern.”

“Whether you like it or not, you have reached the end of the line for
your political experience,” he said.

REUTERS

James Ibori, former
Delta State governor, who is on a wanted list in Britain over
allegations of corruption, yesterday in Dubai, the United Arab
Emirates, lost his appeal against his extradition.

The Gulf Arab
Emirates’ cassation court ruled against Mr. Ibori’s appeal. The former
governor, who has also been declared wanted by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was arrested in the Emirates in
May. The arrest was at the behest of the London Metropolitan Police,
and a Dubai court later approved a British extradition request.

Convicted associates

A British court had
in August 2007 frozen his assets, worth over $35 Million, based on the
suspicion that they were the proceeds of corruption. Some of Mr.
Ibori’s associates in Britain have been convicted.

Among these are his
sister, Christine Ibie-Ibori, and his ally, Udoamaka Okoronkwo (nee
Onuigbo). Both are currently serving jail terms in a United Kingdom
prison. Mr. Ibori’s wife, Theresa Nkoyo, and his UK-based lawyer,
Bhadresh Gohil, were also convicted recently.

A statement by Femi
Babafemi, the spokesperson of the EFCC, yesterday said, “The ruling
today of the appellate court in Dubai only goes to confirm our earlier
position issued after the first ruling in October that justice is
universal and applicable anywhere in the world.

“We have been
cooperating with authorities in other jurisdictions on this matter and
we will continue to do this until the cause of justice is fully served,
irrespective of the ignorance and misrepresentation being peddled by
mischief makers.”

The anti-graft
agency had in April tried to arrest Mr. Ibori before his trip to Dubai,
to question him over allegations that he looted N44 billion from Delta
State coffers. However, a large number of his supporters prevented
police from arresting him in his hometown, Oghara. Few days after, he
fled the country for Dubai. How he fled the country without being
apprehended is still unknown.

Mr. Ibori governed
Delta State from 1999 to 2007. He was a big power broker in the Peoples
Democratic Party after he left power, dismissing all accusations
against him as political.

It is not clear yet how soon he will be flown to Britain to face further prosecution.

Fidelia Njeze, the
minister of aviation, on Monday, expressed dismay with the rise in the
number of passenger complaints recorded by the Nigerian Civil Aviation
Authority between the months of January to September this year.

Explaining that air
travellers are rightfully entitled to adequate treatment by airline
operators, Mrs. Njeze said that the grievances by passengers ranged
from issues of missing luggage, poor in-flight services, contempt, to
the sale of an already paid seat to another passenger.

“In the past few
months, the NCAA has received several complaints through its consumer
protection unit by aggrieved passengers who have been badly treated in
one way or the other by some airlines within and outside the country,”
she said during a meeting with representatives of foreign airlines
operating in Nigeria, held at the agency’s headquarters annex in Lagos.

“For instance, this
year alone, between January and September, the consumer protection unit
has received approximately 46,998 complaints pertaining to lost
baggage, flight delays, cancellations, poor in flight service,” she
added.

Revamping customer service

The aviation
minister urged the airline operators to retrain their front desk
officers and crew members on how to relate with passengers.

“I use this
opportunity to appeal to operators to remind their personnel on the
need for proper treatment of passengers, especially Nigerians, wherever
they may be.

“It is a momentous
time in Nigerian aviation industry, and I implore you to avail yourself
of the tremendous potentials and opportunities presented. I believe
together we can forge a strong and vibrant sector comparable anywhere
in the world,” she said.

New developments

While pleading with
the carriers to support in developing the sector, Mrs. Njeze outlined
some of the strides of the ministry to include the implementation of
the National Aviation Security Programme, which led to the installation
of 3D Total Body Imaging Scanners; various explosive detection systems
at the major airports; total body pat down at departure security
points; investment and roll out of Machine Readable Travel Documents
that incorporate biometrics, amongst others.

“The government
believes aviation security is a matter of global concern that requires
global concerted efforts. We, therefore, call on your support and
corporation in our quest to build a safe and secure airspace,” she said.

The minister also announced that the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu State, will be opened for operations this month.

“The Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, as you are well aware, has been upgraded to international status.

“As I speak, the runway extension and resurfacing with new airspace
infrastructure has been concluded and scheduled to open for daylight
operations from the 16th of this month. It is hoped that airlines will
take advantage of this and commenced plans to provide service to
travellers in that region,” the minister said.

Ekiti State government has appointed the permanent
secretary of the state ministry of finance, Olubunmi Famosaya, as the
new Head of Service (HOS).

Mr. Famosaya succeeds Olufemi Adewumi who has been occupying the office since June 2007.

According to the deputy governor, Funmilayo Olayinka,
who broke the news at a session held with permanent secretaries,
general managers of public corporations, and directors in the civil
service, Mr. Famosaya was picked out of the five candidates that
applied for the position, explaining that the process that led to the
emergence of the new HOS was “very rigorous and painstaking.”

Mrs. Olayinka, who presided over the meeting held at
the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s Office on behalf of
Governor Kayode Fayemi, who was outside the state on an official
assignment, advised Messrs. Adewumi and Famosaya to immediately debrief
their subordinates before the announcement goes on air.

Promise to perform

Mr. Adewumi expressed confidence in the ability of
his successor, saying they both had at one time attended the National
Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

In his response, Mr. Famosaya described his new
position as a “very big challenge”, saying he felt humbled for the
confidence reposed in him to lead the public service of Ekiti State.

“I want us to see the civil service as our own
institution and not as a government institution. The political class
and the civil service all have a stake to take the state to the next
level. I promise that we will all do our best to move the public
service forward in Ekiti State,” he said.

Special appointment

Mr. Fayemi also appointed a deaf and dumb staff
member of Oye local government council, Kayode Ogundana, as domestic
assistant in the Government House.

The state government described the appointment of Mr.
Ogundana as an attestation to the commitment of the Fayemi-led
administration to the cause of the physically-challenged people in the
state.

Mr. Ogundana, according to his letter of appointment
signed by Seun Odewale, the personal assistant to the governor, is
attached to the special assistant (Internal Security).

The governor urged the new appointee to justify the confidence reposed in him. The appointment took effect from December 1.