Nigeria Content Online

The eight ICT
companies shortlisted by the Independent National Electoral Commission
for the purchase of equipment for the voters’ registration exercise may
know the outcome of their security screening today.

The names of the
companies were submitted to the State Security Service for screening on
Monday amidst criticism that not enough Nigerian companies were
enlisted. An INEC source close to the procurement process revealed last
night that only Google and Zinox Technologies had passed initial
clearing for the supply of software and hardware respectively.

Google is the
world’s leading internet-based services provider and is being
considered for the supply of the software that will power the data
capture machines. Zinox Technologies is a Nigerian company whose
chairman, Leo-Stan Ekeh, recently pledged his company’s capacity to
deliver the 120,000 direct data capture machines within eight weeks.

The other six
companies being considered are Dimension Data, Image Technology,
Resourcery ltd, Basmak, Pacific Millenium and Joint Komputer Company.

According to the
source there were two companies in particular that faced some
challenges because of a poor supply record particularly in regards to
the last general election.

“There are two companies on that list who were not first choice to deal with,” the source said.

“It would be unfair
of me to name them in the media but they may face some challenges with
the SS because they did not supply on time before.”

The N74bn contract
for the acquisition of the direct capture machines has been split into
three key components namely, the supply of the hardware consisting of a
laptop, a web cam and a finger printing device; supply of the software
needed to drive the entire process and lastly the expertise to
integrate the various components into one functional unit.

In sending the
shortlist to the SSS, the chairman, Attahiru Jega, is aiming for
transparency and credibility according to the source. With four
indigenous companies out of the total eight, the source said that Mr.
Jega was also aiming to aid the local economy.

“There were hundreds of companies bidding and we have gone for a
blend of both local and international skill sets,” the source said.

The former governor
of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, yesterday said he has forgiven Nuhu
Ribadu, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime
Commission (EFCC) for his investigation by the anti-corruption agency.

Speaking in Lagos
at the launch of ‘Diary of a Debacle: Tracking Nigeria’s failed
Democratic Transition (1989-94),’ written by Olatunji Dare, Mr. Tinubu
traced the forgiveness to the spirit of humility occasioned by the
Ramadan fasting.

“Your period was a
big challenge. Manipulators wanted to use it for politics, but you did
what you had to do to some of us and we challenged that. I believe in
what you believe: transparency, honesty and integrity, making the
people the cornerstone of every economy of a nation,” Mr Tinubu said.

“But, I must thank
you once again that no matter the level of things here and there, you
did not falsely paint a crime and charge me falsely. Thank you, and in
the spirit of this month of Ramadan, I have forgiven you everything and
it is the truth. Some could have created chronic charges, even if the
court will let you go, but you refused to use that office to abuse it,
you refused to allow that. Thank you very much. You believe in what we
believe, so we are expecting you to join the democratic struggles and
liberate this country,” he said.

He, however, asked
Mr Ribadu to make good all the opportunity he has now to benefit the
needs and yearnings of Nigerians, which he claimed had been deprived of
quality leadership.

“I have heard so many speculations in the papers. So make it real. We must take control of our future,” he said.

The former Lagos
State governor was accused of certificate forgery and shoddy dealings
in the sale of the state’s N4 billion shares in the telecommunications
outfit, Econet (now Zain) during his tenure, an allegation which he
then denied.

With his name still
listed as one of those under prosecution for one case or the other, he
said that the transaction was a “straightforward institutional
investment”, which earned the state over N15 billion profit.

Anti-democracy

Berating how bad
eggs that contributed to the annulment of June 12 are now also parading
themselves as presidential aspirants and politicians in the country,
Mr. Tinubu described them as dubious, saying “did they say they are
democrats and they want to contest the next election and annul June 12?
If they were, they would not have annulled June 12.”

He said Nigeria only honours fraudulent men and those that have no reason for receiving national honours.

“Look at the annual
list of our national honour award. Only those that are known for their
notoriety and contributions to economic instabilities are there,” he
said.

Sitting beside
Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu, Mr. Ribadu has also been linked to the
2011 presidential race and has promised that all Nigeria needs now is a
youthful leadership, which he is set to grant.

A delegate of the
National Association of Nigerian Students, led by Agbabiaka Ahmed, also
stormed the venue of the event at exactly 1:08pm to call for the
establishment of voters registration centres on university campuses.

Samingo Etukakpan,
a community leader in Eket, Akwa-Ibom State, on Tuesday urged the state
government to either ensure the early completion of the public-private
partnership initiated refinery or recover state money. Mr Ekukakpan
told journalists in Eket that this was the only way to ensure that the
$10million (about N1.5billion) the state invested in the Eket Private
Refinery does not go down the drain.

He said the state Governor,
Godswill Akpabio, during his visit to Eket last weekend, said that the
$10 million state fund it invested in the project was trapped and that
the governor claimed that only $1 million (N150million) has so far been
recovered. The state government and Amakpe International Refineries are
collaborating on the refinery project. According to Mr Ekukakpan, the
governor said that the steps so far taken to recover the money from the
private investors have not yielded any good result.

The chief judge of
Niger State, Justice Jibrin Ndatsu-Ndajiwo, on Tuesday, granted amnesty
to 15 inmates of Bida Prison on grounds of ill-health and other sundry
considerations.

A News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) correspondent reports that the visiting chief judge
pardoned two prisoners because of deteriorating health condition.

He granted amnesty
to five prisoners due to old age and two for good behaviour, while six
others were about to finish their jail terms.

Speaking to NAN on the occasion, the officer-in-charge of the
prison, Babayo Maisanda, said the inmates’ release was part of efforts
by the Federal Government to decongest the country’s prisons and
commended the chief judge for releasing the prisoners, saying “the
gesture is appreciated.”

Enugu lawmakers, on
Tuesday, attended the plenary session of the state House of Assembly in
an all-black attire as a mark of respect to their colleague, Emma
Maduabu (PDP-Awgu South), who died earlier in the month. The late
lawmaker had been in coma for two weeks due to injuries sustained in an
auto crash in which his wife and five others died.

Before the session,
a minute silence was observed for the deceased and the others who died
in the auto crash. A condolence register has also been opened at the
entrance of the Assembly and at the legislators’ quarters. The Clerk of
the House, Ifeoma Okereke, described the death of the lawmaker as
unfortunate, because “he died without a word to anybody.” “There will
be a valedictory session for him on September 8 and a wake at his
residence in the evening same day,” she said.

Afrobeat creator,
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, his brother, Olikoye, Nobel Laureate, Wole
Soyinka, and novelist, Abubakar Imam, are among 28 eminent Nigerians to
be inducted into The Nigerian Hall of Fame for Letters and The Nigerian
Hall of Fame for Science.

The induction
ceremony of the quartet and others including the late mathematician,
Chike Obi; psychiatrist, Adeoye Lambo; neurologist, Benjamin Osuntokun;
artist, Ben Enwonwu; poet, Christopher Okigbo; and Oladipo Akinkugbe
will hold at a gala night on Saturday, October 9.

Honour for excellence

A statement from
Ifeanyi Mbanefo, manager, corporate communications and public affairs
of Nigeria LNG Limited, said, “They will be honoured for outstanding
contribution to science and letters, which has put Nigeria on the world
literary and scientific map, promoted learning and scholarship, and
bettered the lives of Nigerians.”

The gas company is co-organising the ceremony with The Nigerian Academy of Science and The Nigerian Academy of Letters.

Mr. Mbanefo added
that the list of 28 people was arrived at after “three months of
extensive consultations and scrutiny by eminent panellists empowered by
The Nigerian Academy of Science and The Nigerian Academy of Letters.”

President, Nigerian
Academy of Science, Oye Ibidapo-Obe, and two other academics, Ekanem
Braide and Sunday Bwala, were on the science panel; while Romanus
Egudu, president, Nigerian Academy of Letters, worked with Ayo Banjo
and novelist, Zaynab Alkali.

Author of the popular ‘Things Fall Apart’, Chinua Achebe; the late
master potter, Ladi Kwali; and Gordian Ezekwe of the Biafran Ogbunigwe
fame, are also amongst the 28 people that will be honoured at the event
where winners of The Nigerian Prize for Science and The Nigerian Prize
for Literature will receive their prizes.

Courts in Ekiti
State on Monday proceeded on the 2010 annual vacation, with the state
Acting Chief Judge, Silas Oyewole, saying in a statement in Ado Ekiti
that normal court activities would resume on September 24.

He said the legal
year for 2010/2011 would commence on September 27 and that the vacation
would not lead to closure of court activities, as criminal cases might
be heard subject to the leave of the court.

The statement added
that during the period of recess, courts would remain open and operate
throughout the vacation. Meanwhile, the state judiciary has released
the results of examinations conducted for the post of Higher Registrar
on Grade Level 08.

A statement issued
by A.J Apuabi, a Deputy Chief Registrar, on behalf of the Registrar,
said 24 out of 29 candidates passed the examination with more than 50
per cent, with the remaining five candidates scoring below.

The National Assembly Service Commission has confirmed the appointment of Salisu Maikasuwa as its substantive Clerk.

A letter signed by the Executive
Chairman of the Commission, Ahmed Dogondaji, dated August 17, said the
appointment followed the retirement of Oluyomi Ogunyomi from the
service.

Mr Ogunyomi, who had proceeded on a
mandatory three-month leave beginning May 13, finally left the service
on August 15. While he was on leave, Mr Maikasuwa, a former Deputy
Clerk, was appointed in acting capacity.

The letter quotes Mr Dogondaji as
saying that the appointment was in recognition of “his work,
dedication, responsible conduct and loyalty to the leadership of the
highest law-making institution in the country”.

The commission charged the new clerk to continue exhibiting good
conduct and attributes of exemplary leadership, to justify the
confidence reposed in him. The appointment takes effect from August 16.

A total of 57, 000
candidates are expected to be screened for the 4, 500 vacancies
available for the 2010/2011 academic session in the Auchi Polytechnic,
Edo State.

The spokesperson of
the polytechnic, Mustapha Oshiobugie, who gave the figure, said that
the screening was for candidates who chose the institution as their
most preferred, more preferred and preferred school.

Mr Oshiobugie also
said that the post matriculation screening exercise would hold between
August 25 and August 27, and that the figure was 50 per cent more than
the number screened by the polytechnic in the 2009/2010 session.

More than 1.3 million candidates had applied to study various
courses in the country’s tertiary institutions of learning for the
2010/2011 session, while according to JAMB, only 550, 000 admission
spaces are available for the candidates.

Farmers in Jigawa State have commended the state government for making fertiliser available and affordable to them.

Hashiru Umar, a
farmer in Auyo Local Government Area of the state, who spoke with the
News Agency of Nigeria, on Monday, in Dutse, said the gesture would
improve the state’s lot. “This singular gesture by Governor Sule Lamido
is one of the things that farmers in the state will not forget,” he
said. “You know Jigawa State is rated as one of the poorest states in
the country going by statistics released by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
However, with the provision of fertilisers, insecticides, and other
modern farming implements to farmers, the economy of the state will
improve.’’

Nasidi Ali, the
state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, had told
announced that 14,463 tonnes of fertiliser, worth N1.5 billion, would be
distributed to farmers. Mr Ali said the gesture was meant to support
farmers who constitute the bulk of the state’s population and also to
boost food production. According to him, the fertiliser brands comprised
of NPK and Urea; and would be sold to farmers at a subsidised rate of
N2,000 as against the cost price of N4,600.

Giving a breakdown of how it will be distributed, the commissioner
said that 13,816 tonnes would be distributed to farmers across the 27
local government areas of the state, while 225 tonnes would be
allocated to the state’s Agricultural Development Programme. He also
reiterated the governor’s warning that anybody caught diverting the
commodity would face the wrath of the law. And to prevent diversion, Mr
Ali said fertiliser distribution committees had been constituted at the
state, local government and ward levels.

NAN