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Time constraints may prevent the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting credible elections next
year, but a little adjustment in the timetable will help it out of the
ongoing shoddy arrangement for the exercise, the Academic Staff Union
of Universities (ASUU) said yesterday in Calabar.

Rising from a-three day national executive meeting of
the union in Calabar, lecturers of public universities in the country
said the time between when their colleague, Attahiru Jega, was
appointed as the chairman of the electoral agency and early 2011 when
elections will come up, is “too short a time for free and fair polls to
be conducted.” The body’s national president, Ukachukwu Awuzie, told
the press in Calabar that it will take a miracle for the electoral body
to do a neat job, hence the timetable should be adjusted for the
exercise to come up at the middle of the first quarter of 2011, with
the May 29 handover date remaining unchanged.

According to him, if there is no shift in the
elections, Nigerians and the international community will be convinced
that Goodluck Jonathan and the INEC have “programmed the elections and
the entire process to fail. It will not help to guarantee the required
free, fair, and credible elections”.

A communiqué presented by the union suggested the
election time table be adjusted to provide time for a fresh voters
register, verification of the register and political enlightenment that
will guide the electorate in voting for candidates of their choice.
“ASUU believes that for the Nigerian political process to serve the
needs of the people of Nigeria, the NEC of our union is calling for an
adjustment of the election time table, but such adjustment must not
interfere with the handover date of May 29th, 2011,” Professor Awuzie
said.

Assessing activities

Assessing the political activities put in place by
the government for the 2011 elections, the ASUU leadership said the
federal government has not demonstrated enough sincerity in
institutionalizing true democracy in the country, as issues of party
bigotry and ethnic aspirations have not been properly addressed in the
electoral reform laws to serve as a step toward producing credible
leaders for the country.

On electoral reform, the union expressed confidence
in the INEC chairman, but expressed fears that the political class may
make votes not count again as was the case in 2007, stressing that
there was no sign in sight that the “people are ready to conduct free
and fair elections”.

“Attahiru Jega has integrity to deliver as INEC
chairman, but the fear is that he may not be given a free hand to
implement the electoral laws. Imo and Cross River State local
government council elections which were used recently to experiment the
new electoral law, were an indication that the ruling class are not yet
ready for democracy. Elections in the two states were fraught with
irregularities,” Mr Awuzie said.

“In Imo State, reports from the area revealed that
election results were declared without figures, while in Cross River
State, women demonstrated nude on the street against the conduct of the
polls. There is nothing in the offing to convince Nigerians that next
year’s general elections will be free and fair.”

There were
indications yesterday that the Oyo State Police command has shelved the
plan to declared Lateef Akinsola Oluwatoki (aka Tokyo) wanted, even as
he failed to show up at the state police headquarters on Monday.

The state
Commissioner of Police, Baba Adisa Bolanta, had told journalists last
Friday that he had invited both Tokyo and Lateef Salako (aka Eleweomo)
for interrogation over the violence that led to the death of three
persons and destruction of valuables, including vehicles, at the state
secretariat of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in
Ibadan early on Wednesday last week. The two men are leaders of the two
factions of the union involved in the said fight.

Mr Bolanta, at the
press conference, threatened to declare wanted either of the two
leaders who failed to honour the invitation yesterday, and deploy the
necessary police fiat to effect their arrests.

Despite the threat,
only Eleweomo showed up at the command headquarters on Monday, while
Tokyo was represented by his counsel, Adeleke Bakare, who took excuse
from the command that his client could not come because he was
indisposed and was at an undisclosed hospital in Abuja where he was
receiving treatment.

After spending some
minutes at the commissioner’s office, Eleweomo was asked to go and give
his statement at the office of the state’s Criminal Investigation
Department (CID), Iyaganku, Ibadan.

On account of Mr
Akinsola’s (Tokyo) illness, Mr Bolanta told journalists in Ibadan
yesterday that the command would not be declaring him wanted any moment
soon, despite his failure to honour the invitation, since his lawyer
had represented him, which was taken as him being there physically. He
added that an understanding was reached with the lawyer to get back to
the command on today, on the state of his client’s health and the time
he would be honouring the invitation.

The command’s
spokesperson, Olabisi Okuwobi, said that during his brief stay at the
commissioner’s office, Mr Salako was advised to ensure that he cautions
his followers against engaging in any act that could negatively affect
the peace of the state.

Suspects arraigned

Meanwhile, 10
suspects paraded at the state’s police headquarters on Friday for
alleged involvement in last week’s disturbance, were brought to court
on Monday.

They were arraigned
before the Chief Magistrate, Shakratu Badrudeen, on a five-count charge
of felony, illegal possession of arms, attempted arson and public
disturbances.

The accused persons
are Hassan Fakorede (45), Ismaila Raheem (30), Mojeed Amsat, (32), Akem
Balogun (27), Sumoila Idowu (25), Abideen Oladimeji (25) Lukumon
Adebayo (35), Sunday Adeleke (30), Sefiu Ramon (23) and Azeez Sakiru
(25).

The prosecuting
officer, Mathew Olubuse, told the court that the accused persons, on
the said date, conspired to commit felony, disturb public peace, were
in illegal possession of arms and attempted to commit arson. Counsel to
the accused, Adeleke Bakare, prayed the court to grant them bail,
arguing that they still remained innocent of the charges until they are
convicted by the competent court.

But Mr Olubuse
opposed the bail application, saying granting it might spark off more
violence in the Ibadan metropolis which, he said, is now enjoying a
modicum of peace after they were arrested.

While granting them
bail, the magistrate, said though the offence attracts 14 years in jail
if the accused are convicted, it still remains a bailable offense.

She granted all of
them bail of N10,000 with two sureties each. She said one of the
sureties must present a C of O of a landed property, and adjourned the
case till October 15, 2010, for hearing.

Namadi Sambo, the
Vice President, has directed the Ministry of Water Resources to “as a
matter of urgency” assemble all the Dam Managers of Goronyo, Hadejia
Jama’are, as well as all dams across the country for an emergency
meeting.

The Vice President
expressed regret over the flood incident at the Goronyo Dam, requesting
that a survey be carried out to note those villages that are in
dangerous locations which could be affected by such floods, so as to
address and arrest future occurrences of such incidents.

He made this
disclosure during a joint meeting between the Ministries of Power and
Water Resources aimed at properly briefing him on the steps so far
taken in the realization of the Gurara Phase II project.

He noted the effort
to accelerate progress in the development of Gurara Phase II
Multipurpose Dam and in particular as part of efforts to boost
Hydro-Power generation.

Mr Sambo, who set
up a committee on harmonization on the Power and Water and irrigation
projects at the Gurara Phase II a fortnight ago, observed that there is
the need for harmony in the execution of the project.

He noted that Water
Resources will undertake the funding of the project, while the two
committees will work in harmony by taking a leap in analysing the whole
project. He observed the need to bring on board Coney et Bellier, whom
he believes have undertaken the necessary studies to fast-track the
project and keep to the recommended time as proposed by the committee.

Joint report

Earlier, the
Ministers of Power and Water Resources had presented a joint report on
the progress of the activities on the Gurara Phase II implementation.
The Committee they said adopted a work plan as its guide for the
implementation of the project.

The work plan was
slated as: August–September commencement of public procurement;
September–November 2010 completion of studies; December 2010–January
2011 final design and preparation of Tender Documents and
January–February 2011 completion of procurement process and
commencement and award of contract.

Similarly the
committee developed a term of reference for the various consultancy
services/duties to be carried out which include: Geotechnical Studies,
Environmental impact Assessment, Hydro Power design, Hydrological
studies, Topographic survey, ariel mapping, Irrigation Service Studies,
appointment of prime consultant and project support monitoring and
evaluation.

In attendance at the meeting were the Ministers of Power and Water
Resources, Permanent Secretary Water Resources and top ministry
officials.

The federal
government has urged the organizers of this year’s Argungu Fishing
Festival-Golden Jubilee Unity Motor Rally to directly reach out to car
manufacturers for a successful hosting of the event.

The Vice President,
Namadi Sambo, disclosed this at a de-briefing session with the
organizers of the rally at the State House in Abuja yesterday.

He commended the
initiative of the organizers as a good one, adding that the event will
not only further bolster the celebrations but will provide an “avenue
for motor vehicle manufacturers, like Peugeot Automobile Nigeria
Limited, to showcase the durability, stability and ruggedness of their
vehicles to prospective Nigerian buyers.” He, therefore, enjoined the
organizers to source for competent personnel to see to the successful
hosting of the occasion. Mr Sambo assured the organizers that he will
use his close contact with the state governors to reach out to them, to
ensure they fully participate in the programme.

He advised them to
also liaise with the office of the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, the office of the Director-General of the Nigeria@50
celebrations, for its inclusion in the programmes.

Earlier, the Deputy
Governor of Kebbi State, the hosting state of the Argungu fishing
festival, and Chairman of the Unity Motor Rally, Ibrahim Aliyu,
disclosed that the special motor rally is part of the contributions of
Kebbi State, in collaboration with Anambra, Bauchi, Ogun and Sokoto
States and in conjunction with Benue, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina,
Kogi, Nassarawa, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Zamfara and the Federal
Capital Territory, to celebrate the occasion of Nigeria’s 50 years of
independence.

Founding fathers

He said the rally
was also to commemorate four of Nigeria’s founding fathers; the
Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. To this end, he said the flag-off centres of
the rally have been chosen “to be the ancestral home states of these
fallen heroes, namely, Sokoto, Bauchi, Anambra and Ogun, adding that
the four teams were named after them as a mark of appreciation for
their earlier contributions to the nation.

Mr Aliyu lamented
the inadequate response for sponsorship from the private sector, which
he adduced to “the media misinformation on the amount purported to have
been released for the golden jubilee celebrations by the federal
government”.

He, therefore,
appealed to the federal government for funding support and donation of
40 motor vehicles. He used the occasion to urge the Vice President to
flag-off the second leg of the event. He also told the VP that the
two-leg rally, which will be simultaneously flagged off on October 1 at
the four centres, will transverse the 36 states of the federation, with
the first leg terminating at the FCT, and the second leg, which will
start from Abuja, will end at Argungu, Kebbi State on October 8, 2010.

The group also
said, as a mark of respect to late President, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the
Sardauna team will perform a special rally to Katsina, the home state
of the late president, commencing from Sokoto.

Also present at the occasion were the Deputy Governors of Niger and
Sokoto States, Ahmed Musa Ibeto and Mukhtari Shagari, the
Director-General of Nigeria@50 Celebrations, B. K. Kaigama, other top
federal and state government functionaries and entrepreneurs from the
private sector.

Nigerians from all backgrounds will
converge in New York on Saturday, September 25, at La Guardia Marriott
Hotel, under the auspices of the Nigeria Peoples’ Parliament in
Diaspora (NPPiD), at its 3rd parliamentary session.

The session will be devoted to
reflecting on Nigeria’s trajectory after 50 years of existence as a
post colonial entity, with the theme: “Nigeria at 50: Problems,
Progress and Prospects”. Topics to be discussed include: Nigeria’s
nationhood and federalism as a panacea for Nigeria’s lack of cohesion,
growth and development and the Niger Delta Issue. Other topics are the
critical relationship between poor leadership and unrealized
citizenship as components in Nigeria’s crisis; the significance and
challenges of the 2011 elections and the search for a credible
electoral system.

The NPPiD was born out of a desire by many Nigerians abroad to
create a forum where they can discuss their nation’s affairs and
generate solutions for the multifarious crises plaguing their country.

Bukola Saraki, the Kwara State governor, yesterday
returned his Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) just as he declared that he has the capacity to
lead the country if elected as president, next year.

Mr Saraki, who was accompanied by supporters to the
party’s national secretariat, told journalists that the time had come
for Nigerians of his generation to step forward to save our country,
adding that he would repeat the feat he achieved in Kwara State at the
federal level.

“I came here to submit my expression of interest and
nomination forms, to contest the presidential election on the platform
of the PDP,” he said. “Indeed it is an historic moment and I believe
that it has come to a moment where in Nigeria’s history, we are about
to create a generational change. After 50 years of Independence, we are
about to start another 50 years.

“We believe that some of us, with our capacity,
energy, ability, resourcefulness and knowledge, that we can transform
Nigeria, make it more effective, do some of the things we were able to
do in our states, address the things that matter to our people such as
food productivity, jobs. So, what I am saying is that we have to get it
done. And it is time for our generation to step up and move Nigeria
forward and I believe I have what it takes to do that and I have
started the journey.”

His chances

Asked about his chances in the race in which the
current president, Goodluck Jonathan; former military president,
Ibrahim Babangida and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar are
participating, Mr Saraki said it is about what each of them can offer
Nigerians.

The chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF)
said he has transformed Kwara State in the last seven years he has been
governor, adding that he would do the same for Nigeria.

“My chances are very bright because Nigeria will
decide who has the best policies,” he said. “This is about what each of
us can deliver to Nigerians. I have done things that had been
impossible, transformed my state and made the Kwara people proud and I
believe I will do the same for Nigeria. The issue of governance is how
to deliver leadership and I believe I have the capacity to deliver.”

Apart from Mr Saraki, others who were at the PDP
national secretariat to either pick or return the Expression of
Interest forms include: the Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola;
his counterpart in Sokoto, Magatakadar Wamakko; Iyiola Omisore, a
senator; Sylvanus Ngele and Sarah Jubril; some members of the House of
Representatives: Lanre Agoro, Henry Dickson and Ishaq Kamaldeen Adeyemi.

Mr Oyinlola, we learnt, wants to run for the Senate, while Mr Omisore is angling to succeed the governor.

Nuhu Ribadu, the Presidential aspirant and former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, will register as a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria on a date later than the September 23 earlier planned.

Announcing the postponement in a press statement yesterday, Mr. Ribadu’s campaign organisation said the decision was taken in honour of Mahmud Waziri, who died in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Mr. Waziri, a former senator and chairman of the defunct All People’s Party, hailed from Adamawa State as the presidential hopeful and is believed to be related to the Ribadus.

The spokesperson of the campaign organisation, Chido Onumah, said, “The former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, yesterday declared he will run for president under the newly formed Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and was to pick his party card in his ward in Yola, Adamawa State, as soon as the registration process began”.

The group did not disclose a new date for the event.

Goodluck Jonathan
has accepted the resignation of the National Security Adviser, Aliyu
Mohammed Gusau, a retired Lieutenant General, the presidency confirmed
yesterday.

A four-paragraph
statement by the special adviser to the president on media and
publicity, Ima Niboro, stated that Mr Gusau had in a letter to the
president dated Thursday, September 16, 2010, “informed the President
of his desire to play an active part in the 2011 electoral process.
Consequently, he requested the President’s permission to vacate the
Office of National Security Adviser.” Mr Gusau, who said all
de-briefing had already been done by Friday last week and only the hand
over note to his successor was waiting to be delivered, added that his
step towards resignation was the right thing to do.

“It was the right
thing to do for my family,” he said. “As for the future, we leave
everything to the will of Almighty God,” he said, confirming his
resignation to NEXT in a brief telephone discussion on Sunday.

The statement from the president’s spokesman added that “His resignation takes effect from Monday, September 20, 2010”.

Mr Gusau, who was
recalled as NSA during the Olusegun Obasanjo regime, was appointed in
April this year by Mr Jonathan for the fifth time to serve in the same
capacity, taking over from Sarki Mukhtar, had nursed his presidential
ambitions since 2007.

Democracy works

Shortly after the
presidency confirmed his resignation, Mr Gusau was seen coming out of
his office at the presidential villa with his ex-deputy. He was
accosted by journalists who wanted to know why he chose to go against
his friend and now ex-boss Mr Jonathan and what he intends to do for
Nigeria.

Speaking on his
next move, he said though he contested and lost the primaries in 2007,
“I consider that now that I have a chance, I will give it a shot again”.

Mr Gusau, when
asked why he chose to contest against Mr Jonathan, his close friend,
said, “No, no. This is democracy and that is to show you how democracy
works”. He was confident that he would not be on the losing side at the
primaries, as he said, “We will go there and I can’t say I am going to
lose”.

When asked of his
previous association with Babangida, who is also contesting on the same
platform, the former military general said, “If you go to England, you
find Ed Milliband and David Milliband, of same parents, contesting
against each other”. On what makes him want to go through the route
again after losing, he said he had gone through it before and now knows
how rough it is.

Mr Gusau said his vision for Nigeria will be unveiled when he has an open declaration.

Nigerian Breweries Plc has unveiled 12 contestants, instead of 10 usually selected, for participation in its annual television reality show, the Gulder Ultimate Search

The event was held at the at the main hall of the Lagoon Restaurant, Victoria Island. Out of the 41 youth shortlisted after a three week search across the country, only 18 were called on stage. The moderator, under the watchful eyes of guests and the organisers, was saddled with the task of pruning down the first list of 41 hopefuls to 18. His task became more difficult when he had to come up with the final list based on requirements.

After engaging the 18 in mental tasks and observing other laid down criteria, the moderator came up with the final 10. However, the management of Nigerian Breweries Plc, through their representatives at the event, communicated to the moderator on stage, to keep hope alive for the 8 others who had failed to make the final list. The moderator announced that, in the spirit of the 40 year anniversary of the Gulder in Nigeria, being celebrated this year, the owners of the brand has decided to increase the number to 12, instead of the traditional 10 that usually made it to the jungle for the search.

The last man standing will go home with a cash prize of N7Million, an SUV worth N10Million, and N500, 000 wardrobe allowance; while others will go home with consolation cash prizes ranging from N450, 000 to N2.5million.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday announced minor adjustments to its guidelines and congresses.

The guidelines and schedules for congresses and
national convention were released by the party during its National
Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Wednesday last week. According to
the party’s spokesperson, Rufai Alkali, in Abuja, the National Working
Committee (NWC) at its emergency meeting last Sunday approved the
changes.

He said that the ward congresses for the election of
three ad-hoc delegates earlier scheduled for today are now to hold
nationwide on Saturday this week, while the local government congresses
for the election of one national delegate per local government area
previously fixed for Thursday will now hold on Monday next week.

Mr Alkali said the adjustments were necessitated by
the need to allow aspirants to obtain and return their nomination forms
for the congresses without undue stress.

Nomination fees

He also said that the NWC approved N100 as nomination
fee for both ward ad-hoc and national delegate nomination forms,
payable in cash at the party’s state, national and Federal Capital
Territory secretariats.

“The decision to include the national secretariat for
obtaining and return of ad-hoc nomination forms is informed by the
commitment of the party leadership to safeguard against the exclusion
of any member at any level from fully participating in the forthcoming
exercises,” the PDP spokesman stated.

Mr Alkali also announced that the sales and return of
Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for the House of Assembly,
National Assembly (House of Representatives and Senate), gubernatorial
and presidential elections have now been extended to 24 hours before
the screening deadlines for the various offices, as set out in the
timetable.

The NWC, according to him, warned state chapters of
the party not to charge any additional fees to aspirants regarding the
purchase of Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, outside the
prescribed fees as approved by NEC.

“The NWC wishes to reiterate that no state chapter should charge any
additional fees to aspirants regarding the purchase of Expression of
Interest forms and Nomination forms outside the prescribed fees as
approved by the National Executive Committee,” Mr Alkali said.