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A yet to be disclosed group has launched an SMS platform for Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign.

This platform may get wider coverage than the road campaign, as every network subscriber is said to be targeted by the texts.

In an SMS branded
“J.Goodluck”, which was sent to NEXT and a few others who confirmed
they too had received the text, Mr Jonathan solicits support from
Nigerians to join him in transforming our nation.

In the text, which
was obviously sent in bulk, Mr Jonathan said: “we are on the road to
rebuild our Nation. Stand with me, Stand for transformation”.

The SMS platform
may be the starting point of the president’s campaign which, NEXT
learnt, has its slogan as “Time for Transformation,” though it has not
yet been unveiled.

All-inclusive participation

Former Vice
President, Atiku Abubakar, has also launched a new campaign website as
a way of ensuring an all-inclusive participation in his campaign to
become Nigeria’s next president.

The website aims at
giving all Nigerians, including those living abroad, the opportunity to
make input in his campaign. “I want to run an inclusive campaign. I
want to hear from all Nigerians and respond to their questions and
concerns,” Mr Abubakar said yesterday, in a statement released by his
campaign office in Abuja.

The website, which was launched Monday, September 13, 2010, has already attracted over 2000 hits in less than 24 hours, he said.

He also launched his presence on the social media (Twitter and
Facebook) as a way of attracting younger Nigerians to support his
candidacy.

The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) is mourning the loss of its key operative, Abdullahi
Muazu, who was killed yesterday in his home in Kaduna. Mr Muazu was,
until his death, the head of the Forensic Unit of the anti-graft agency.

The EFCC says that there is not enough
evidence to suspect any particular person, as Mr Muazu had been
involved in several EFCC cases. An operative of the agency, who asked
not to be named, told NEXT in Abuja that Mr Muazu was very involved in
the ongoing trials of the bank chiefs who were sacked by the Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last year.

“Muazu was involved in virtually all
our cases because he was the head of the Forensic Unit, so it is
difficult to say that we suspect any particular person,” the EFCC
official said. “I know that he was very much involved in all the trials
of the Bank Chiefs, you know with checking finger prints and all that.”
The spokesman of the commission, Femi Babafemi, in a press statement
made available to NEXT, condemned the killing; adding that the
anti-graft agency is strengthening its resolve to go ahead with its
duties.

“Information reaching the Commission
today confirms that our head of forensic unit was killed in a cruel
manner in the early hours of today by unknown assailants. Those behind
this attack may have succeeded in killing a strategic hand and a key
witness in some of our on-going cases, but their act has failed to
dampen our spirit or deter us from continuing our investigation and
prosecution of all forms of economic crimes and corruption in the
country,” Mr Babafemi said.

Ominous killings

Mr Babafemi also said that the commission has launched an immediate investigation into the matter.

Mr Muazu’s death is coming just one day
after the gruesome murder of an agent of the State Security Service
(SSS), Garba Bello, who was killed alongside his children and wife in
Kano.

Bamidele Aturu, a Lagos Attorney,
described the murder of the SSS agent as “ominous”, while alluding that
the death is related to the coming 2011 elections. Mr Aturu also
expressed a lack of faith in the ability of law enforcement agencies in
the country to apprehend the killers.

“One must confess that it is futile to call on the security agencies
to fish out sponsors of gruesome and cold blooded murders such as the
one that happened in Kano on Monday,” he said. “They seem eternally
incapable of that. We can only hope that this latest killing might just
be an exception in the sea of murder riddles in a country that spends
billions of dollars on security at all levels of governance or
mis-governance.”

As part of its
determination to ensure the supply of petroleum products to all nooks
and crannies of our country, the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) says more floating mega filling stations are to be
constructed to cater to the people in the riverine areas.

NNPC Retail
Limited, which is a subsidiary of the NNPC assigned the responsibility
of handling the retail of petroleum products across the country, has 12
floating stations currently in operation at different parts of the
country, apart from 37 mega stations and 469 affiliate fuel stations
nationwide.

Managing Director,
NNPC Retail Limited, Oladipo Ajiboye, listed some of the floating
stations currently in operation with Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), or
diesel; Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), or petrol, and Dual Purpose
Kerosene (DPK), to include: the Nembe floating station in Rivers State
as well as those in Calabar and Ikang, all in Cross River State, and
Ibaka in Akwa Ibom State.

The oil executive,
who denied that the Okerenkoko floating station in Delta State has been
abandoned, said all the floating stations in the riverine communities,
including the ones located at Uta Ewa in Akwa Ibom State; Bonny in
Rivers State as well as Oporoma and Burutu in Bayelsa State are fully
operational, while efforts are in top gear to bring on stream the ones
affected by the crisis in the Niger Delta region.

Refuelling abandoned stations

He announced that
the NNPC Group Managing Director, Austen Oniwon, has already directed
that the construction of another floating mega station in Edo State
should go ahead, following a request by the state government, adding
that the completion of the project would gulp about N982 million.

“The NNPC is
waiting for the approval of the federal government to build additional
50 stations at different parts of the country. Some of the stations
will be mega models, while others will be standard affiliate stations,”
Mr Ajiboye said, adding that preliminary activities for the
construction of the stations have already commenced in Port Harcourt,
Yenegoa and Lagos.

The much-expected
launch of Ibrahim Babangida’s presidential campaign in Abuja today is
likely to be blunted by the meeting of the National Executive Committee
of the Peoples Democratic Party also fixed for 12pm, at the party’s
national secretariat in Abuja.

The NEC meeting,
which was brought forward from Thursday without any official reason,
not only took the Babangida camp by surprise but threatens to
jeopardise its efforts at hugging the limelight in a successful
declaration.

A text message sent
out late Monday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Rufai
Alkali, requested every member of the party’s national decision making
organ to attend the meeting on time.

“An emergency
meeting of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic
Party is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 15th September 2010.
Venue: National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja. Time:
12.00 noon. All NEC members are invited to attend on time,” the message
said.

No official of the
party was willing to state whether the event’s timing was a mere
coincidence or an attempt to scuttle Mr Babangida’s declaration. But
the implication, according to political analysts, is that PDP board and
national leaders may have to abandon the Babangida event to attend the
NEC meeting.

Ike Abonyi,
spokesperson to the PDP National Chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo, said time
constraints led to the decision to hold the NEC meeting. “We are under
pressure to finalise the order of the primaries in accordance with INEC
timetable,” he told NEXT yesterday. “Members of the PDP NEC are
expected to be neutral. No NEC member is supposed to attend the rally
of any aspirant. There is no clash, whatsoever.”

Ready for launch

But the Babangida camp did not entirely agree with this view of things. Mr Babangida’s spokesperson,

Kassim Afegbua
insisted that the declaration will go on today whether those invited
and others expected eventually turned up at Eagle Square or not.

He said a former
senate president and member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Ken Nnamani,
has been invited to chair the declaration ceremony.

He said: “The
declaration of the former president still stands as at today, despite
the convocation of the PDP NEC meeting. If the former senate president
decides to miss the PDP NEC meeting to attend another important event,
is it wrong?” When NEXT visited Eagle Square on Tuesday evening, a big
podium, along with a smaller platform, has been erected; with chairs
neatly arranged even and huge loud speakers blaring music from the four
sides of the square. On the side facing the highways, a huge billboard
of Mr. Babangida, with the inscription: “Together, let’s build a new
Nigeria” has been erected. It is believed that the reported choice of
former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili as Mr. Babangida’s running
mate was made to frustrate Mr Jonathan’s chances of picking the PDP
presidential ticket.

There are also
indications that Mr Babangida and another candidate, Atiku Abubakar
might be working towards some kind of political arrangement. The two
men, who have held series of meetings over the weeks, also met last
night in Abuja ahead of today’s declaration. None of them was willing
to discuss the reason for their meeting.

Ready for a debate

But aides of Mr
Jonathan, who is expected to announce his candidacy on Saturday, said
the president is ready for a public debate with his political
opponents, including Mr Babangida.

The Special Assistant to the president on Political Affairs, Mobolaji Adebiyi, said Mr Jonathan will not duck such an event.

“Is President
Jonathan ready to face anybody in an open debate? Yes, he is very ready
to go into debate with anybody in any party on any issue,” Mr Adebiyi
said. “He is very prepared. He has been the President now for some
months.

Before then, he has
been the Vice President. He knows and has what it takes to govern the
country. So, why would he not be ready to go into debates with other
candidates?”

Mr Afegbua also said his principal was ready to face the incumbent president any time.

“Yes, we are ready
for debates and we will be very happy to put issues in proper
perspectives,” he said. “He (Babangida) is a trusted and worthy
Nigerian leader that should be taken on his words. He will quit in 2015
as he has promised.” The Eagle Square has become historic as the
inaugural ground of past presidents, and our reporter observed that
politicians are planning very extravagant declaration ceremonies there
this week.

Apart from Mr Jonathan who is also expected to make his declaration
there at the weekend, the governor of Kwara State, Olusola Saraki also
plans to use the venue to announce his presidential aspiration.

On a visit to South
Africa, I walked into some Nigerian street hawkers in Johannesburg. One
of them, noticing I was just visiting, commented, “Do you see how clean
and nice this place is?” It reminded me of the conversation between two
South Africans on my flight. They were returning home after a business
trip to Lagos. “Did you get to visit Abuja after all?” asked one of
them. “No, I was so fed up with this place, I decided to cut my trip
short and return to Jo’burg. Even the hotel had no water this morning!”
he said.

I thought the
discussion was cruel and stuffy, but of course I was eavesdropping and
had no business joining a conversation I’d not been invited to. Even if
I did contribute, what was I going to say in defence of Nigeria? How
does a “Centre of Excellence” surrounded by water, produce dry taps?
Lagos is mild compared to other places in this country where incidences
of cholera, typhoid and guinea worm are commonplace enough to send the
water and health authorities back to continue their sleep.

Johannesburg is one
of the few big cities in the world not located near a major water
source. Some of the water supply to Johannesburg is pumped from over
45km away. Nevertheless, that city enjoys a much better and more
efficient water supply system than the almost submerged Lagos, or any
city in Nigeria. Two sources of water common in Nigeria actually result
from earth’s infinite generosity – groundwater and surface water, the
latter including, lakes, rivers and wetlands.

The problem in
Nigeria is, therefore, not so much the occurrence of water, but the
technical capability to manage its abundance, to design and execute
infrastructure to clean it and pipe into homes. It rains so heavily in
Nigeria that we do not need a foreign technical adviser to coach on how
rainwater could be collected, stored and used. This is simple
technology that dates back to ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, but
virtually unknown in modern Nigeria.

Yet, every
university faculty of science in the universe has a brilliant Nigerian
in it. Something at the governance level discourages innovation and
intellectualism in Nigeria.

I asked those
compatriots in Johannesburg if they intended inviting their South
African friends to visit Onitsha or Aba over Christmas, and the answer
was roaring laughter. Nigerians living abroad hardly invite their
friends to spend time in Nigeria.

And we’re supposed
to be a hospitable people? The reasons are obvious – constant stress of
having to repeatedly apologize and make excuses for poor sanitation,
for the toilet that cannot flush, indeed for lack of water and
epileptic supply of electricity.

Notice that
strangers are never shy to ask, “Could I have some water to drink?”
because we intuitively believe that water should be a basic human right
and must be available all the time in a home. Leaning on the 1968 paper
called The Tragedy of the Commons by the ecologist, Garrett Hardin,
water is the ultimate commons. But whatever seems boundless is
naturally easily abused, and that is what is going on with water
resources in Nigeria.

Ecuador is the
first country in the world to put the rights of nature in its
constitution so that rivers and forests are not simply property but
maintain their own right to flourish. Under these laws, a citizen might
file a suit on behalf of an injured watershed, recognizing that its
health is crucial to the common good.

We have a long way to go in Nigeria.

Former military ruler, Ibrahim Babangida, is in advanced talks
with Peter Odili, former governor of Rivers State, as he closes in on a running
mate for the 2011 presidential elections.

A source within Mr. Babangida’s camp said that the choice of Mr.
Odili was strongly influenced by Raymond Dokpesi, chairman of DAAR
Communications, and director general of Mr. Babangida’s presidential campaign.
The two men have a history of mutually beneficial dealings. Mr. Dokpesi was the
director general of Mr. Odili’s campaign when he ran for president in 2007. At
the time, Mr. Odili was alleged to have invested N400 million of funds taken
from the Rivers State treasury, into Mr. Dokpesi’s company.

The EFCC, under Farida Waziri, quizzed Mr. Dokpesi over the
money, but no charges were ever filed. According to the source, “Odilli will be
groomed as the person that will succeed General Babangida, come 2015.”

A controversial choice

Mr. Babangida, who is at the centre of several allegations, will
be picking an equally controversial character if he settles on Mr. Odili as a
running mate. Mr. Odili was elected governor of Rivers State in 1999 and was
re-elected in 2003. His tenure was marred by human rights violations,
insecurity, and widespread accusations of fraud.

During his governorship, Rivers State was, in theory, one of the
wealthiest states in the country owing to its enormous oil revenue, but Mr.
Odili instituted relatively few improvements. Instead, the former governor is
on record for acquiring a South Africa-based hospital, and two Brazilian jets.

In November 2006, Peter Odili announced that he would run for
president in the 2007 election under the ruling PDP. However, a day before the
PDP’s presidential primaries, Mr. Odili stepped down from the contest, paving
the way for fellow governor, Umaru Yar’Adua, to emerge as the party’s flag
bearer.

Reports say Mr. Odili was forced out of that contest when the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) led by Nuhu Ribadu, released a report
implicating him in fraud, mismanagement of state funds, money laundering, and
abuse of office.

In February that year, Mr. Odili filed a suit challenging the
powers of the EFCC to probe his administration. The court granted him an
indefinite injunction stopping any investigations into his finances, describing
it as a breach of his civil rights.

The declaration

It was expected that Mr. Odili would be unveiled at a rally for
the official declaration of Mr. Babangida’s intention on Wednesday in Abuja.

However, a text sent out by the National Publicity Secretary of
the PDP. Rufa’i Ahmed Alkali. inviting all party executives to an emergency
meeting on that same day , is raising eyebrows.

The coincidence in the timing is leading to speculation that this may be an
attempt to steal the thunder from Mr. Babangida’s declaration. As of the time
of going to press , we were unable to contact Mr. Babangida to find out if he
intends to change his plans. . Text messages to Mr. Alkali seeking clarity on
the matter, remained unanswered

A planned emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is threatening an event where Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida is to formally declare his intention to run in next year’s presidential election.

Both events are scheduled to hold on the same day, Wednesday, September 15, 2010, in Abuja. While the declaration, which was announced long before now, comes up at about 11.00 am at Eagles Square, the PDP emergency NEC meeting comes up at about 12.00 pm at Wadata Plaza, the party’s National Headquarters.

As at the time of going to the press, it was not known whether the events came up at about the same time as a mere co-incidence or an attempt to scuttle one with the other.

However, a text message sent out late Monday and received by NEXT correspondent from the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Rufai Alkali, called on every official to be punctual at the meeting.

It stated: “An emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 15th September 2010. Venue: National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja. Time: 12.00 noon. All NEC members are invited to attend on time.”

If both events hold as planned, it is unlikely the top echelon of the party will be available to witness Mr. Babangida’s declaration.

On Monday afternoon, when NEXT visited Eagles Square where Mr. Babangida’s declaration is expected to take place, preparation was in top gear with different technical men working to put the big stage in place.