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The most
provocative man in American politics is inviting hundreds of thousands
of people to a rally in Washington tomorrow (Saturday), taking another
big step in one of the strangest careers in U.S. pop culture and public
life.

“The more we get into it, the more historic it feels,” said Glenn Beck.

Beck is a former
drug-addicted rock-n-roll radio host who’s put entertainment industry
expertise and antics into the service of populist politics and religion.

On his top-rated TV
and radio shows, he talks, lectures, carries-on and cries. He waves his
arms, turns silly or solemn, passionate or professorial.

It’s making him a
rich man. His broadcasts, best-selling books, public appearances,
internet subscriptions and commercial endorsements helped his company
bring-in an estimated $32 million last year.

At every
opportunity he says that the U.S. has been hijacked by corrupt
politicians and leftists who oppress law-abiding citizens.

He made headlines
by accusing President Barack Obama of having “a deep-seated hatred of
white people or the white culture.” Race is an issue for Saturday’s
rally as well, planned for the very spot and day of the calendar that
Martin Luther King chose back in 1963 for his most widely remembered
rally.

Beck says he didn’t
realize he would be speaking on the anniversary of the “I have a dream”
speech but he considers it “divine providence.” At the very least, it
could add to his remarkable and growing influence on national politics.

Beck has never run
for office, but he’s considered one of the fathers of the surging Tea
Party movement that is pressing the Republican Party further to the
right.

Tea Party activists
are helping organize Saturday’s event and encouraging people nationwide
to attend. Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, a Tea Party favourite,
is among the featured speakers.

Last year, Palin mused about running for president with Beck as her vice-presidential running mate.

“Glenn Beck – I have great respect for,” she said.

“He’s a hoot. He
gets his message across in such a clever way.” Beck says he’s not
interested in being a candidate. What is he interested in doing?

As they say in TV, stay tuned.

Mr. Mann wrote this article before last Saturday’s rally at the Lincoln memorial in Washington.

Lagos State
governor, Babatunde Fashola, has appealed to the Federal Government to
re-visit the revenue allocation formula which according to him
“currently favours the centre.”

Mr. Fashola made
the appeal at the Annual Ramadan Lecture organised by the Arabic and
Islamic Institute, `Markaz’, Agege, in Lagos on Sunday.

He said that
necessary constitutional amendments should be made to correct what he
described as the present straight jacketed lumping of all local
governments in one category.

The governor
justified his submission by explaining that the 774 local governments
in the country had different priorities to address to make life
meaningful to their people. “While some local governments are endowed
with mineral resources and deposits, some are riverine while those in
the north are preoccupied with cattle rearing and milk production.

“It is ironic that each one gets the same allocation, irrespective of its different features,’’ he explained.

Also at the event,
the governor said that the Lagos State Government was committed to
equipping public schools with laboratories and Information Technology
equipment to enable the schools compete favourably with products of
private schools.

He explained that
teachers in public schools would also enjoy continuous training to
enable them to impact adequate knowledge on pupils and students. He
implored Nigerians to participate actively in politics and to always
collaborate with their elected leaders through proffering constructive
suggestions and advice.

Also speaking, the
Director of the institute, Habeebullah Al-Ilori, commended the Lagos
Government for its achievements in the provision of infrastructure.
“An average resident of the state is happy to pay his or her taxes
now, because he or she feels the impact of the government more than
ever before,’’ he said.

The state of
insecurity in Bauchi State manifested yesterday with an attempt made on
the lives of security aides to the state’s governor.

Unidentified gunmen
shot Sule Giwa, a police sergeant who serves as orderly to the state’s
governor, Isa Yuguda, within the metropolis on Saturday in what seems
like an assassination attempt on the state’s helm’s man.

The state Police
Commissioner, Danlami Yar’Adua, confirmed the report to the News Agency
on Sunday. Mr Yar’Adua, described the incident as part of the “routine
crime” in the state and dismissed insinuations that the attack was an
assassination attempt. He, however, gave assurance that his command was
doing everything possible to curb criminal activities in the state.

This incident is
coming barely one week after the son of the governor’s special adviser
on pilgrims’ matters, Mahmud Dahiru, was abducted by unknown persons.
Master Dahiru, 10, is yet to be released by his abductors.

It will also be
recalled that the Vice Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
Caretaker Committee in the state, Bala Hadis, was recently shot and
wounded in his house in the state. Mr Hadis is currently reported to be
recuperating in an Indian hospital.

Also, a
gubernatorial aspirant of the CPC, Sarki Muktar, popularly known as
‘Dan China’ narrowly escaped an attack when a group of unknown
assailants recently raided his house at Narabi Village in Toro local
government area of the state. One of Dan China’s security guards was,
however, killed while another was injured during the attack.

Reacting to the
latest incident, the Senior Special Assistant to the state’s governor
on media, Sanusi Mohammed, described the new wave of criminal
activities in the state as “unfortunate” stating that the government
was taking every step to secure the lives and property.

“The government is collaborating with relevant security agencies to
introduce new security measures with a view to stopping the ugly trend
in the state” he said.

Following the
warning from the ministry of health on a cholera outbreak across our
nation, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has blamed the epidemic on
the failure of governance at all levels to ensure the provision of
portable drinking water.

The party blamed
the outbreak on the lack of potable water, which it claimed “is the
major cause of the disease”. It noted that, had the various governments
lived up to their responsibility by ensuring that people have access to
potable water and good health care, many of those who have died from
the disease so far this year would have been alive.

Recent figures from
the Ministry of Health stated that 352 deaths and 6,437 cases have been
recorded. While the cases have so far been limited to 11 states in the
north, the ministry said the entire country is at risk.

“It is a shame that
cholera is killing our people like chickens in the 21st century,
despite the fact that it is cheap to treat, using oral rehydration
solution, a gauged mixture of sugar and salts to be mixed with water
and taken in large amounts. It is even more shameful that this is
happening in a resource-rich country like Nigeria,” the ACN said in a
statement on Sunday.

It further
condemned the government’s insensitivity on the epidemic, stating that
“the federal executive council is busy churning out – on a weekly basis
– billions of naira in contracts that barely touch on the lives of the
people, while the so-called representatives of the people are busy
sharing the spoils of office.”

Failed governance

The ACN also noted
that the failure of our nation to attain any of the eight Millennium
Development Goals (MDG) in the target year of 2015 is the biggest
indication yet that no governance is going on in most parts of our
country. “That is why we said the cholera epidemic points to failure of
governance,” the party said.

It further added
that measles has also killed 83 people this year and infected 5,073
others, also pointing out the needless deaths from malaria and other
diseases. “One begins to wonder whether we remain a part of humanity.

“The palliative
measures being embarked upon by our clueless state and federal
governments is nothing but a mere tokenism. Only a development-oriented
approach can rid our country of these diseases,” it said.

The ACN said the need to prevent such cheap deaths and ensure better
life for Nigerians should prod people to register en masse, vote
massively and defend their votes stridently during the 2011 general
elections, so that leaders who have the interest of the people at heart
can be voted into the various offices.

Nigeria and Britain
are set to strengthen their partnership on migration, the Permanent
Secretary in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Martin Uhomoibhi, said on
Sunday in Abuja.

He told the News
Agency of Nigeria that officials of both countries would meet in London
in September to discuss migration issues “as part of constant dialogue
to strengthen the partnership.”

Mr Uhomoibhi
described the bilateral relations as vibrant, saying that Britain had
the largest concentration of Nigerians in Europe. He said the
partnership was aimed at resolving migration and consular issues, which
could threaten the cordial relations between both nations.

“Dialogue is needed
to improve migration partnership. Our bi-national agreements are strong
and prosperous, and we must do nothing to endanger these relations.

“It is not only in
Nigeria’s interest but also in Britain’s interest that we must remain
constantly engaged to address these little irritants that can pose a
threat to our relations,” the permanent secretary said.

Uhomoibhi said the issue of Nigerians serving jail terms in Britain would be addressed, among other migration issues.

Nigeria and Switzerland in July also concluded plans to strengthen
their policy on migration, with a view to addressing immigration and
other consular challenges.

Ugandan President
Yoweri Museveni will contest next year’s presidential poll, trying to
extend a presidency that started in 1986, a statement from his office
said on Sunday.

He will also seek
election as chairman of his National Resistance Movement (NRM) party at
its national conference in mid-September, the statement added.

It quoted Museveni
as asking a crowd in western Uganda to support him in both races,
confirming widespread expectations in the east African country, which
discovered commercial oil deposits in 2006, that he would stand.

“People with
disabilities are embracing my candidature for chairman and Presidential
flag bearer for NRM, I put in my nomination forms, so I can now ask for
your support,” he said.

One of the
longest-serving presidents in Africa, Museveni rose to the top of
Ugandan politics when his then National Resistance Army (NRA)
insurgents seized power from a short-lived military junta.

The early years of
his presidency drew wide praise from the west and effusive support from
Ugandans for its respect for the civilian population, prudent and
liberal economic management and commitment to the rule of law.

In the past decade,
support among the people has begun to ebb and relations with the west
have frayed on mounting accusations by the opposition and human rights
observers that his leadership has turned despotic and corrupt.

Run-off

Political analysts
say Museveni — expected to win the party leadership contest easily —
will probably face off against Kizza Besigye, who is expected to be
picked by a coalition of opposition parties, the Inter-Party
Cooperation (IPC).

Besigye, who fought
and lost elections against Museveni in 2001 and 2006, is the leader of
the biggest opposition party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

Museveni’s victories in both polls were marred by accusations of widespread rigging and violence.

A unified
opposition, analysts say, will give Museveni the most formidable
challenge yet and is likely to send the poll into a run-off.

“Going by the trend
of Museveni’s electoral fortunes, he got 76 percent in 1996, 69 percent
in 2001 and 57 percent in 2006, there’s a real big chance that he will
get anywhere between 45 and 50 percent in 2011,” said political analyst
Bernard Tabaire.

“That’s not enough
because to win outright, the constitution requires you to have above 50
percent.” Museveni defended his years in power, denounced by critics as
evidence of a life-presidency ambition, saying it was necessary to keep
Uganda’s development on track.

“Some elements of
the historical team need to be kept in leadership so as to provide the
much needed expertise and experience to propel the country ahead,” he
said in the statement.

The management of
the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo
State, has directed all students to resume for academic activities
today.

The directive was
contained in a statement by the institution’s spokesperson, Yomi
Akintunde, which stated that lectures and other academic activities
will commence.

The resumption,
which comes after a short break earlier announced by the university’s
management, may create another logjam for the institution owing to the
ongoing crisis between the owner states, Osun and Oyo.

The two states have
been in dispute over the effort of the Oyo State governor, Adebayo
Alao-Akala, to unilaterally convert the institution to the state’s
ownership

At the heat of the
crisis, the governor directed all Oyo indigenes who are medical and
paramedical staff of the university’s teaching hospital at Osogbo, Osun
State, to resume at Ogbomoso, Oyo state.

Former President
Olusegun Obasanjo had waded into the crisis, just as the National
University Commission (NUC) threatened to withdraw the license of the
institution if it was not resolved.

Despite these and
recent meetings between the governors of the two states over the issue,
no significant progress has been made in arriving at a resolution.

Political appointees have been directed to pay five percent of
their basic salaries to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) throughout their
stay in office.

Just last week, defaulting appointees were reminded of their dues
when the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mahmud Yayale
Ahmed, sent a terse letter to all ministers demanding the payment of the dues.

Citing a section of the PDP constitution as his backing, Mr Ahmed
instructed federal ministers to act as collectors and to deposit the collected
funds into the party’s account at Unity Bank.

“…all party men and women elected or appointed at the instance
of the PDP, including ambassadors and board chairmen at the federal level, are
required to contribute five percent of their basic allowances or remuneration
to the party. The directive is effective from the day they are appointed,” Mr
Ahmed said in the memo, exclusively obtained by NEXT.

This letter has allegedly been endorsed by relevant ministers and
passed on to all or most heads of parastatals.

Paying their dues

Sources who spoke to NEXT said all political appointees have to
pay the levy, whether or not they belong to the PDP. Others conceded that they
have been paying the dues and expressed no alarm at PDP’s demand.

In some instances, the percentage is taken from the source and
the appointee need not make a trip to the bank. It is not clear how many
ministers and top-level government officials make these payments, but according
to the SGF, the ministers must not only serve as collectors but as petty
accountants. The ministers are to forward duplicate copies of all payments made
to Mr Ahmed’s office.

“Thereafter, you are required to forward a copy of payments made
in this regard to my office for information,” he instructed, adding that “all
monthly contributions subsequently collected should also be treated in the same
manner.”

The PDP vs the people

Government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
condemned Mr Ahmed, accusing him of abusing his office to pursue his political
affiliations.

“Should the structure and institutions of government be converted
into a PDP funding institution?” one source asked.

“This means that only people who will dance to their tunes of 5
percent will be appointed into political office, whether or not they are
qualified.”

Kayode Ajulo, an Abuja-based attorney, believes that Mr Ahmed
should be relieved of his duties for abuse of office. He said that for him to
use the instrument of government to “fan the interest of a political party is
absurd.”

“The office of the SGF is totally different from the person of
Yayale Ahmed. The office of the SGF has its own operating manual, and writing
memos for political parties is not one of it,” said Mr. Ajulo.

Mr. Ajulo said that the party should apologise to Nigerians and
return the money they have collected to the coffers of the government. He also
called for the resignation or the sack of the SGF within seven days.

“Any sensible and reasonable president would ensure that this is
redressed,” he said.

Another lawyer and human rights activist, Obo Effanga, believes
it is a breach of public office for the SGF, who is a public servant, to use
state apparatus to collect contributions and remit them to a private and
non-state institution, such as a political party.

Mr. Effanga said the PDP was at liberty to decide how much it wants
to levy its members who may be in government, but Mr Ahmed is working for the
country, not the party.

“I don’t care what responsibility his party gives him, as far as
he is the SGF, his responsibility is based on the oath of office and oath of
allegiance he took.

“The office he holds demands him to be neutral and do good to all
Nigerians. Will the SGF be right to set up a scheme to ensure that staff under
him pay and remit zakat and tithes to their respective religious bodies, in
fulfilment of their religious obligations, which the constitution allows them?
Certainly not, for those are private matters, not state matters. It would be
surprising if the president was unaware of this,” he said.

Drumming up funds

National publicity secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria,
Lai Mohammed, said though paying the dues was not wrong, it should have been
done by the party itself.

“It is a problem. I see the SGF just as a minister and will it be
right for a minister to ask all his board members to contribute their dues? It
should have been the party doing that, not the SGF.”

While it is not certain that appointees who do not belong to the
PDP are required to pay the levy, an official who claims he does not belong to
any political party said he received the memo nonetheless.

The source accused the PDP of desperately trying to raise funds
for the 2011 elections.

“Are they becoming this desperate or is the SGF’s office now an
extension of Wadata house?” he asked.

All of our efforts to contact Mr. Ahmed for his response to our
findings were not successful, that is until just a few minutes before we went
to press. We then asked him why he wrote and sent the Memo. He said he
considers himself a politician and since the party constitution says members
should pay 5%, he merely wrote to remind them of their obligation. “If the ANPP
asked me to remind its appointees, I will do that for them,” he said.

Mr Ahmed however said that all payments will be done through the party.