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Local government officials in Ekiti
State should concentrate their finances on the completion of all
inherited and on-going projects in their domains, in order stabilise
governance at the grassroots, the state governor, Segun Oni, said on
Wednesday.

Mr. Oni, who gave the directive while
commissioning projects undertaken by the Emure Local Government in the
south senatorial district of the state, said the step was to guard
against economic wastes usually associated with unnecessary
proliferation of projects. He urged council chairmen in the state to
ensure that no infrastructural development project was left abandoned
in favour of newer ones. He said the area would soon become the
industrial nerve of the state, as his government is set to woo
industrialists to patronise its immense agricultural outputs such as
coffee, cocoa, timber, and others.

“Ekiti State is blessed with one of the
best human resources on earth. I appeal to our people to work with
patriotic spirit and see its development as the responsibility of all.
My administration is repositioning the state for rapid development; but
this must be backed up by good performance at the local government
level. That is why there must be no abandoned projects at the local
level,” he insisted.

Democratic dividends

Mr. Oni, who assured that his
administration would always adhere to probity and accountability to
ensure its resources are utilised for the benefit of all, said the
state’s economy was viable as it was rated 10th in Nigeria by the
United Nations.

Chairman of Emure Local Government, Sesan Aruaji, commended the
governor for his zeal at developing the state. He said the good example
of the state government was a major boost for the council’s
performance. He promised to ensure that more democratic dividends get
across to the people of the area by undertaking further meaningful
projects.

Two days after it called for the arrest
and prosecution of the police officers involved in the killing that led
to last Saturday’s unrest in Ajegunle, a Lagos suburb, the Labour and
Civil Society Coalition (LASCO)’s secretary, Tolar Dagga, has been
allegedly arrested by the police.

According to a source who did not want
his name disclosed, Mr. Dagga and two others, Akpos Okoro, a community
activist; and Aderemi Ismail, community activist and organiser of the
Ajegunle Branch of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), were
arrested on Wednesday after they were invited to a meeting over the
crisis in the community, with the chairman of the Ajeromi-Ifelodun
local government area and police authorities.

Activists’ arrest

In a press statement released by the
DSM and signed by its general secretary, Segun Sango, the group said
that the activists were arrested at about 1pm in the office of the
Local Government chairman, Kamal Bayewu.

“The arrest is in connection with a
protest held on April 3 following the gruesome murder of Charles Okafor
by the police on April 1 at a viewing centre in Ajegunle. The April 3
protest was peaceful until the police, on the order of Area B Apapa
Police Commander, Kenneth Ebirimson, bestially shot at the protesters
and left dead at least 4 youths, including Tunde Olotu,” said the press
statement.

When contacted on the phone, the
joint-secretary of LASCO, Abiodun Aremu, said that at a meeting held on
Tuesday between the Ajegunle community residents and the council
chairman, the police authorities threatened to declare Mr. Dagga
wanted. “We are still trying to reach our sources to confirm his
arrest. But as of now, he is missing. His mobile is no longer
available; apparently, it has been seized from him,” said Mr. Aremu.

Police denies

However, the state police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, claimed to be in the dark regarding Mr. Dagga’s arrest.

“I can’t confirm his arrest. I’ll make some calls. You can call me back later,” said Mr. Mba, in a telephone interview.

An unnamed source said that rumours of
a second protest to be organised by the youth if their demands are not
met, may have triggered the arrest of Mr. Dagga and the others.

“We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Dagga Tolar
and other activists. Otherwise, we challenge the police to arraign them
in court, if found culpable of any offence. We hold that the police are
embarking on arbitrary and criminal arrests of the activists in order
to cover up the crime of its officers,” said Mr. Sango.

Following last weekend’s clash between
supporters of Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party at Irele, the
headquarters of Irele Local Government, the Ondo State Police Command
have invited leaders of the two rival parties for interrogation.

Several people were injured in the
fracas while many vehicles were seriously damaged, including that of
the interim chairman of the council, Shedrack Ikujuni.

The spokesperson of the state police
Command, Adeniran Aremu, said the police would release the invitees
after questioning while those culpable would be prosecuted.

The violence occurred between the
supporters of the former Chairman of the local government, Albert
Akintoye and that of the incumbent, Mr. Ikujuni over who has the
permission to hold political rally on the said day.

Mr Akintoye, while giving his account
of the crisis, said he was leading some PDP members from Ore to
Akotogbo, his home town, for a rally when some LP members confronted
them and ordered them to make detour, an the instruction which he
refused “Some LP members led by Ikujuni insisted that the PDP members
could not hold their rally since they did not get permission from the
appropriate quarters,” he said. “We have to divert our movement to
other route.”

Dragged into conflict

The Publicity Secretary of the Labour
Party, Seyi James, however said the PDP members were the aggressors who
dragged the LP members into conflict.

He said the campaign committee of one
Dele Adetunji of LP had got police permission to flag off their
campaign in Irele for Okitipupa/Irele House of Representative seat. Mr
James said some LP, supporters including Mr. Ikujuni, were severely
injured when the PDP supporters inflicted injuries on them.

“Mr. Akintoye, who never got police permit for his own rally,
insisted that he must also flag off his campaign for the same seat same
day and it was in the process that the supporters of the former
chairman damaged the cars in the convoy of the LP supporters,” he said.

Millions of people
will be at risk if the failure of the new malaria treatment policy,
recently introduced by the World Health Organisation (WHO) spreads to
other countries of the world, a professor of Community Health and
Primary HealthCare at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital,
Oladipo Hunponu-Wusu, has said.

Because of the
increasing resistance of the Plasmodium Falciparum (malaria causative
agent) to older drugs like chloroquine, the WHO recommended the policy
of treating malaria with artemisinin-based combination therapies in
2004-5 and several malaria endemic regions have adopted the policy.

But in 2007, WHO
recorded a high failure rate of Artemisinin Combination Therapies
(ACTs) in treating Plasmodium falciparum (malaria causative agent) in
Cambodia and Thailand.

“This resistance would be disastrous for global malaria control,” Mr. Hunponu-Wusu said.

He lamented that
Nigeria, which is among the over 28 countries that have adopted this
treatment policy is yet to make progress, and a drug resistance which
is not yet discovered in Nigeria, may pose a serious threat to health.

“Despite the
African Summit in Abuja in 2005 and despite declaring 2000-2010 as the
decade to roll back malaria and reduce its morbidity and mortality by
half, we are in the last year and the statistics are not encouraging.”

According to the
WHO, there are 300-500 million cases of malaria each year, leading to
1.5-2.7 million deaths, 80 per cent of which occur in Africa.

Children under five and pregnant women are most vulnerable.

In Nigeria, the
Federal Ministry of Health, reports that malaria is responsible for 60
per cent of outpatients‘ visits in the country and about ₦32 billion is
lost yearly to its treatment and prevention.

Addressing resistance

Mr. Hunponu-Wusu said it is not through secondary or tertiary control that the disease will be eliminated.

“It is not by the
purchasing of drugs and more expensive drugs for the treatment of
malaria that this country can conquer or eradicate malaria.”

According to him, primary prevention is the key.

“I believe in the
primary prevention of malaria through the primary healthcare approach.
I see primary prevention is the saving grace; the salvation to be able
to control the disease.” Some primary prevention method, he listed ,are
vector control targeted at the environment; use of insecticide treated
nets, indoor residual spraying, larval control, clearing bushes and
getting rid of stagnant water or other breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Tolu Arowola, the Malaria Control officer of Lagos Malaria Control
programme said plans are already on for a pilot project in Lagos. “We
have begun the pilot project of the indoor residual spray in Lagos
State now, and we are hoping to scale up into more areas; it has been
effective,” said Mr. Arowolo.

Aramide Aitejina, a
41-year old man has been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court
sitting in Sabo, for allegedly issuing out a dud cheque, worth about
N3.5 million.

According to the
charge sheath, he was alleged to have committed the offence on December
4, 2009 at Apapa area of Lagos. He was said to have issued the cheque
of N3, 415, 500 to Kwakyama Oil and Gas limited.

The sheet further
stated that when the cheque, was presented at Oceanic bank, it was
dishonoured on the grounds that there is no sufficient fund in the said
account.

According to the
police prosecution counsel, O Okorie, the defendant was said to have
obtained 33, 000 litres of diesel, from the oil company under the false
pretence that he had enough funds in his account, which was not true.

When the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty.

Mr. Aitejina,
however, urged the court to grant him bail on liberal condition, to
which the prosecution counsel did not oppose her bail.

Presiding magistrate, Ayodele Isaac granted him bail in the sum of N250, 000 with one surety in like sum.

“Defendant is
hereby admitted to bail in the sum of N250, 000 with one surety in like
sum, the surety must show evidence of two-year tax payment to the Lagos
State government,” he said.

The suit was adjourned to April 22, for hearing.

Those entrusted with leadership
positions in the country should see the circumstances surrounding the
death of frontline politician Abubakar Rimi as a wake up call on them
to offer selfless service to the people, Muhammadu Buhari, former
military head of state said yesterday in Kano.

He particularly pointed at the level of
insecurity in the polity as one area that must be accorded priority and
advised politicians to always strive to provide good governance at all
levels for the benefit of the masses.

Mr. Buhari spoke to journalists after
paying a condolence visit to the family of late Abubakar Rimi in his
residence at Durbin Katsina in kano yesterday.

“Nigerians are shock over the death of
Rimi especially the way it happened, it has further confirmed what
Nigerians already know about the physical and material insecurity in
the country,” he said.

“Despite of our potentialities of both
material and human resources, we are still lagging behind. It is a
challenge to the Nigerian elite to be very serious and take the issue
of governance in this country wholeheartedly.

“Because we have all the resources both
human and material, it is high time is used it to stabilise this
country, so that the country can realize its full potentials.”

The 2011 presidential hopeful described
late Rimi as a fulfilled politician who strived hard during his time in
ensuring that the living standard of the common man has been uplifted.

He buttressed that the people of Kano are living witnesses of what Rimi did during his tenure as the governor of the state.

“Rimi has held various positions, in
kano here he was the governor he didn’t disappoint the people of the
state. He performed both in the rural areas and the city even with the
meager resources available then his legacies are still there for people
to see, the people of kano can bear him witness of his performance.
Until his death he has been championing the cause of the masses.”

Shocking death

In his tribute, former head of state Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida said the death of Rimi came to him as a shock.

“I’m shock like any other Nigerian, is
a great lost to Nigeria, he was a very discipline person, and we have
lost one of our best patriotic citizen. He lived and practiced a very
decent politics I hope those who are coming after him would emulate his
good qualities. Is a great loss may his soul rest in peace.”

On his part, former Vice president and
2007 Action Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, described
the late Rimi as one of the strongest pillars of democracy Nigeria has
lost.

“I have known Rimi as a
pre-independence front line politician, a post independence front line
politician and a grass rooter,” he said.

“He is one of the strongest pillars of democracy in this country it
is a huge loss for the growth and sustenance of democracy in this
country may his soul rest in peace.”

The tussle over who
is the PDP’s authentic candidate took another dimension recently when
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, of the Federal High Court, Abuja, upheld the
nomination of Peter Yohanna as the chairmanship candidate of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Bwari Area Council in the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT).

This judgement
thereby restrains the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
from effecting the substitution of Mr. Yohanna’s name with that of Musa
Dikko’s as the PDP candidate in the election slated for April 10, 2010.

History of the case

In a motion dated
March 16, 2010, Sunday Ameh, counsel to Mr. Yohanna, applied for an
order of prohibition restraining INEC and its resident electoral
commissioner from removing Mr. Yohanna’s name as the PDP’s candidate
for the April 10 elections, as he won the primary elections and his
party submitted his name as its candidate to INEC.

Mr. Ameh also asked
for an order of certiorari quashing the INEC’s list of nominated
candidates, in which Mr. Dikko was reflected as the PDP candidate.

Justice Kolawole
granted the orders, saying that INEC and its resident electoral
commissioner, had not shown cause why the order should not be granted.

Mr. Yohanna told
the court that he contested the PDP primaries for Bwari Area Council
chairman election with Mr. Dikko and other applicants, but won the
primary election by the result declared on November 21, 2009, while Mr.
Dikko came second. His name was subsequently forwarded by the state
chairman of PDP to INEC as the party’s candidate for the election. When
INEC recieved his nomination, the organisation published his personal
particulars at its Bwari office and at its FCT headquarters.

However, Mr.
Yohanna testified that on February 8, 2010, to his shock and surprise,
he learned his name was substituted with Mr. Dikko’s by a letter
written by the FCT Chairman of the PDP, and signed by the party’s
national legal adviser, Chief Olusola Oke, to INEC’s resident electoral
commissioner. Mr. Yohanna said he immediately protested the act, as
there was no reason for it.

On March 1, the
PDP’s national chairman, Vincent Ogbaulafor, reversed the substitution
in a letter addressed to INEC chairman, Maurice Iwu. Mr. Yohanna
accused INEC’s FCT resident electoral commissioner of ignoring the
letter and its directives.

Final judgement

Giving judgment in
the case, Justice Kolawole held that the substitution cannot stand in
the face of section 34 of the Electoral Act 2006.

The court noted
that the PDP substituted the plaintiff, Mr. Yohanna, as a result of
various allegations against him, but later cleared him after the party
conducted a thorough investigation and re-affirmed his candidacy.

Accordingly, the
PDP’s letter of February 1st, 2010, disqualifying Mr. Yohanna and
replacing him with Mr. Dikko was quashed by the court. The court upheld
Mr. Ogbulafor’s letter which cleared Mr. Yohanna of all the allegations
against him.

Justice Kolawole
banned Mr. Dikko from parading himself as the PDP candidate, and barred
INEC from further recognising him as the PDP’s flag bearer.

Finally, the court dismissed all the allegations brought against Mr.
Yohanna by Mr. Dikko in his counter-affidavit, which accused Mr.
Yohanna of failing to call witnesses.

The new
attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Mohammed
Bello Adoke, yesterday, called on lawyers in the ministry to be
advocates of change and reforms in the judicial sector.

Speaking in a
meeting with the top management team of the ministry, Mr. Adoke pledged
to do his best in order to leave a worthy legacy. He promised to build
upon the foundation already laid by his predecessors and said he will
pay particular attention to the reform of administration of criminal
justice, updating of international treaties, arbitration law reform,
and the modernisation of civil procedure, among others.

Take charge

Ambrose Momoh,
chief press secretary to the ministry, said the minister encouraged all
departmental heads, legal advisers and heads of parastatals to take
effective charge of their various posts and deliver results in line
with the reform agenda of the government. He also urged the lawyers to
be diligent in the discharge of their various duties.

Earlier, Mohammed Abdullahi Yola, the solicitor-general of the
federation and permanent secretary in the ministry, welcomed the
Attorney-General on behalf of the staff and said the ministry had
competent lawyers, who are capable of driving the various programmes
and projects lined up for implementation.

The new
attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Mohammed
Bello Adoke, yesterday, called on lawyers in the ministry to be
advocates of change and reforms in the judicial sector.

Speaking in a
meeting with the top management team of the ministry, Mr. Adoke pledged
to do his best in order to leave a worthy legacy. He promised to build
upon the foundation already laid by his predecessors and said he will
pay particular attention to the reform of administration of criminal
justice, updating of international treaties, arbitration law reform,
and the modernisation of civil procedure, among others.

Take charge

Ambrose Momoh,
chief press secretary to the ministry, said the minister encouraged all
departmental heads, legal advisers and heads of parastatals to take
effective charge of their various posts and deliver results in line
with the reform agenda of the government. He also urged the lawyers to
be diligent in the discharge of their various duties.

Earlier, Mohammed Abdullahi Yola, the solicitor-general of the
federation and permanent secretary in the ministry, welcomed the
Attorney-General on behalf of the staff and said the ministry had
competent lawyers, who are capable of driving the various programmes
and projects lined up for implementation.

The European Union has launched a
financial support, totalling N360 million, for various projects on
democracy and human rights in Nigeria.

In a statement signed by Kelechi
Onyemaobi, the Press and Information Officer of the EU, on Wednesday,
he said the money will cover projects for two years (2009 and 2010),
and will be implemented by non-governmental organisations:

“The European Union (EU) Delegation to
Nigeria has launched a financial support for various new projects
dealing with democracy and human rights. The total amount for the
projects, covering 2009 and 2010, is €1.8 million (about N360 million).

“The projects will be implemented by
non-governmental organisations that will be selected on a competitive
basis and awarded grants by the EU Delegation in Nigeria.”

Projects to be funded

The union also listed the priority
areas that will receive funding under the scheme. They include –
protection of the rights of children and young people (including
actions aimed at addressing child trafficking); protection of women’s
rights (including actions that support the implementation of the
Convention Against All Forms of Discrimination against Women); actions
that aim at the abolition of the death penalty; and actions that target
the prevention of torture and ill-treatment by state agencies,
including extra-judicial killings.

Others are actions that contribute to the peace process in the
Niger-Delta region of Nigeria; and actions that aim at conflict
prevention and/or resolution, especially in Nigerian societies deeply
divided by religious and ethnic issues, by means of civil society
dialogues which seek to bridge societal divides and which bring
together a wide range of stakeholders to share experience and analyse
common problems.