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A renowned Nollywood star, Anayo Onyekwere, popularly
called Kanayo O. Kanayo, on Wednesday in Lagos declared interest to
contest the Ahiazu/ Ezinihitte Mbaise Federal Constituency in Imo in
the 2011 polls.

He told journalists that he would vie for the
position on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Mr
Onyekwere said his foray into politics was informed by the passion to
serve his people and also correct what he called a twin scourge of
under-representation and misrepresentation in the area.

He said there was need for a change in the leadership of the constituency to reflect the mood of the nation.

“My candidacy was borne out of the realisation that
men of conscience do not have to keep quiet when everything seems to be
going wrong.

“What is needed this time in Ahiazu/Ezinihitte
Mbaise is not brawn but, face and voice that can bring back confidence
and hope to the people,’’ he said.

“If people believe that I have done well as an actor, then the story can serve as a role model for our youths.’’

The foremost actor famed for his action packaged and
diabolical roles in movies called for a re-orientation of youths toward
acquiring quality education and working hard to change the country’s
system.

Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday,
decried the smear campaign against him and his family by some faceless
politicians and threatened to take legal action soon.

The presidential aspirant said in a statement issued
by the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation in Abuja, that the
campaigns, which are both prosecuted online and in newspapers, are
carefully orchestrated and well-funded by the unnamed politicians and
are aimed at frustrating his political ambition.

“The smear campaign against Atiku through newspapers
(online and hard copies), text messages, e-mails, posters and
pamphlets, among others is the handiwork of political opponents, who
are mortally afraid of Atiku’s political ascendancy,” the statement
said. “It is most unfortunate that these politicians will not take on
Atiku on the issues of governance and welfare of Nigerians, which he
has made the hallmark of his campaign.” The statement quoted Mr Atiku
as saying that he will not be deterred in his commitment to an
issue-based campaign that will focus on the concerns and welfare of
Nigerians and the future of the country.

The former vice president said that formal complaints
have been lodged with security agencies to identify the faceless
sponsors of the campaigns and called on Nigerians to dismiss the
allegations.

While noting that his lawyers have taken legal notice
of these smear campaigns, he also warned that he will not hesitate to
drag any Global System of Mobile Telecommunication company that makes
itself available for use in the propagation of these libellous
materials against him and his family to court.

“We challenge the sponsors of this campaign of calumny to show
courage, put their faces and names to the claims and substantiate them.
Anonymity and cowardice are not attributes of leadership. Those who lay
claims to leadership should not be afraid to stake the basis of their
claims in public,” he said.

The Ogun State
government has, for the fifth time in the last one month, postponed the
much publicized official visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the
state without giving any reason.

The state
government through the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Sina
Kawonise had announced that the planned visit, initially scheduled for
September 16 was shifted to October 22 and 23.

As residents and
citizens of the state were counting down to welcoming Mr Jonathan, the
government announced that the date was not feasible and the event was
moved to October 28 and 29. Yet again, the government announced another
date, November 5 and 6.

Barely a week after announcing the November 5/6 dates, the government yesterday announced November 11 and 12 as new dates.

No reasons were
however given for the series of postponement as the President has being
visiting other states of the federation.

There are
indications that this development may have to do with the lingering
crisis within the State’s House of Assembly, as the duo of Tunji
Egbetokun and Shoyemi Coker lay claim to the office of the Speaker.

The President,
according to sources is said not to be comfortable over the ugly
development, hence, the need to find a lasting solution by the party
authority before his visit to the state. The party is yet conclude on
who is to recognized as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly at
the ceremony.

Residents who spoke on the visit, said, they are unhappy wit the frequent postponement.

According a resident, ‘all these several postponement to me seems
like April fool, for God sake how many times is government will
continue to change dates, if they like, they can even change it to next
year, am not bothered.”

The 39-year old Deputy Speaker of the
Ekiti State House of Assembly, Saliu Adeoti, is dead. Mr. Adeoti died
at about 8.30am yesterday at the University Teaching Hospital (UCH),
Ibadan, Oyo State, after a protracted illness.

The deceased, according to the Ekiti
State government, would be buried today, October 28, 2010, in his
country home, Otun Ekiti, in accordance with Islamic injunction, after
which the 8-day Fidau Prayer will be held next Wednesday.

The former Deputy Speaker, who lost his
wife in February in the same circumstance, was said to have been rushed
to the hospital on Tuesday, when it was discovered that his health was
fast degenerating.

The 39-year old former Deputy Speaker,
who was the acting Speaker during the 79-day administration of Tunji
Odeyemi as the acting governor of the State, hailed from Otun Ekiti in
Moba local government area of the state.

He graduated from the defunct Ondo
State University (OSUA), now University of Ado Ekiti (UNAD) in 1999,
with a bachelors degree in Political Science Education (BSc.Ed) and was
elected in 2007 on the platform of the Action Congress (AC) to
represent Moba Constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly.

His appointment was necessitated
following the sharing of political positions between the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) and his party in the Assembly, due to the 13/13
equal strength of the two political parties in the House.

The state government, Speaker of the
House, Mr. Odeyemi, the PDP, and the Action Congress of Nigeria, have
expressed regret over the loss of the politician, who until his death,
remained a vibrant member of the Assembly.

In a statement signed by the senior
special assistant to Governor Kayode Fayemi on media, Mojeed Jamiu, the
deceased death was described as shocking to the state government. The
statement prayed for the repose of the deceased’s spirit and prayed God
to give his family the courage to bear the loss.

In a statement signed by its director
of communications and strategy, Jackson Adebayo, of the state chapter
of the PDP, sympathized with the Oore of Mobaland, Oba Adedapo Popoola,
Adeoti’s family, and the entire Ekiti populace, over the demise of the
former Assembly member.

The chairman of the ACN in the state,
Jide Awe, described the deceased as a dependable political ally,
praising him for his steadfastness, competence, and political sagacity
during his life time.

The proposed privatization of the power
sector, which the federal authorities and lawmakers have said is
irreversible, will consume the jobs of about 50,000 employees of the
Power Holding Company of Nigeria, but the government says N135 billion
is being reserved for them.

Bart Nnaji, the special adviser to
President Goodluck Jonathan on power, listed before the members of the
House of Representatives yesterday, a barrage of failures in the
sector, which he said for years found little or no investment, and the
little that came, was almost spent on staff salaries and pension.

The total workforce is about 50,000.
The operating cost is over N8 billion – of which more than 80% goes
into staff entitlements, according to a presentation Mr. Nnaji made
before the House power committee, attended by the speaker, Dimeji
Bankole.

The Power Reform Roadmap, launched
about a month ago by Mr. Jonathan, targets raising the level of
investments in the sector, which has hovered at low levels, suffering
the worst of funding between 1989 and 1996, according to Mr. Nnaji.

Investments between those years averaged at about US$0, with 2001 drawing the highest of US$400 million since 1974.

Chief amongst government’s plan to
overhaul the sector will be to disengage almost all the workers, as the
PHCN becomes privatised, with a proposed severance package of $900
million reserved for the workers.

“There are areas which we want you to
help us and the issue with labour,” Mr. Nnaji told the lawmakers at a
meeting that aimed at canvassing lawmakers support to restart the
suspended Electricity Power Sector Reform Act, 2005.

“We have laid out a plan for dealing
with labour in a way that will bring comfort to anybody that is an
employee with PHCN. So that in this partnership, that the NASS help us
to educate the workers and the Nigerian public.” Mr. Nnaji said.

In his response, Mr. Bankole faulted
the presidency for launching the reform without the collaboration of
the National Assembly, and accused the government of frustrating a
power probe carried out by the House as he took reins in 2007.

“We were not consulted when you were
putting this together, and I think that is the first problem with this
document. The power issue is not an executive problem, it is a
government problem and, therefore, the legislature and the executive
should be sitting to brainstorm before even this document comes up.

“Because we have spent a better time of
this session on the power sector for almost two years in the House and
we came up with some conclusions and those reports were sent to the
executive. Till today, I don’t know of any executive team that have
consulted the House on that report, and I know that the executive will
spend more money on the power sector since that time, and yet there is
no power,” Mr. Bankole complained.

The report was suspended in the House
after the power committee, initially headed by Ndudi Elumelu, indicted
key past and present government officials. A new committee raised by
Mr. Bankole exonerated the officials who included the former president,
Olusegun Obasanjo, and the Cross River State governor, Liyel Imoke.

Mr. Bankole said the sector had failed
due to lack of consultations between the executive and the legislature.
He made a case for Nigerians who will lose jobs when power supply is
improved.

The presidential candidate of the
Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) is expected to emerge at its
national convention scheduled to hold in Abuja on December 29, the
national chairman of the party, Rufa’I Hanga, has said.

Also, all aspirants on the platform of
the party may be compelled to sign an undertaking that they will not
contest the results of its forthcoming primaries.

Mr Hanga, who announced this during a
meeting between the leadership and the governorship aspirants under the
banner of the party, said that though the presidential candidate will
be elected at a congress on December 22, he will, however be ratified
alongside other successful aspirants on December 29.

He added that the congress to pick the
party’s candidates for the Senate and the House of Representatives will
hold on December 18; ward congress, November 24; local government
congress (December 1) while registration of members nationwide will
hold between October 30 and November 6.

Mr Hanga, a former senator, stated that
the party’s leader, Muhammadu Buhari, may not be the only presidential
aspirant, adding that more aspirants may emerge before the December 22
congress.

Earlier, in his remarks, Mr Buhari said
that there will be a clause in the party’s nomination form for all
prospective candidates to reflect on and appreciate the fact that
elections can go one way or the other.

This, he added will ensure that both
winners and losers feel they have been fairly treated in the process.
“The CPC is committed to addressing the challenge we have in
institutionalising democratic process in our country,” he said. “We are
deliberately seeking to evolve a precise method for achieving democracy
so that winners and losers, all alike, may get the sense that they have
been treated with fundamental fairness, having the confidence that
nobody had been cheated in the process.” “Note that in the party
nomination form, there is a concession clause that compels a
prospective candidate to reflect on, and appreciate the fact elections
can go one way or the other when it is truly free and fair. This
provision would permit the party to manage the aftermath of primary
elections more graciously. It is only the do-or-die elections that can
produce a pre-determined result.”

Internal democracy

The former military head of state
stated that the party takes the issue of internal democracy seriously,
adding that it is mindful not to create grievance among its members.

According to him, democracy cannot be
achieved through random acts of political bravado and wizardry of few
individuals, stressing “neither can arbitrary manoeuvring even by few
well-meaning people bring us the democracy we desire. Unfortunately, we
have seen it all before – we have noticed all their undemocratic and
fraudulent manipulations.” Mr Buhari said that the proper registration
of members will uniquely permit the party to conduct the most
transparent party congress even known in Sub-Sahara Africa and by
extension in Nigeria.

He added that the exercise is a
fundamental stepping stone to positioning the CPC for victory in all
tiers of government in the upcoming 2011 electoral competition.

“Considering that we are conducting
this exercise before any other political party in the country, we take
delight as a truly world-class democratic party, to set the standard
for other democratic forces in the country to follow,” he said.

Mr Buhari also urged party faithful to
participate in the membership registration so that they can assert
their membership in the party congresses, as part of the bid to jointly
defend its votes during the general elections.

Key members of the
House of Representatives yesterday held secret talks with the Minister
of Finance, Olusegun Aganga, after planning to hear the minister’s
testimony at a plenary on why funds for federal projects were withheld.

Accused of blocking
money meant for the implementation of capital projects in the 2010
budget, Mr Aganga was strangely directed last week to meet with all
members during a plenary session on Tuesday, after the initial summons
last week was shifted.

But after stating
the procedure to admit the minister into the chamber yesterday, the
Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, announced that Mr Aganga would meet only with
a select committee of the House, away from the media, fuelling
complaints by opposition members that he is being shielded by the House
leadership.

“It is the normal style of PDP; they don’t want to expose themselves,” a member said.

Ita Enang, the
Chairman House committee on Business and Rules confirmed that the
meeting held but declined to give details. “We are meeting with him
now,” he told NEXT when asked on phone.

‘Playing politics’

Other members
attended the meeting, though the sponsor of the summons last week,
Mohammed Ndume, said he does not believe that the meeting that lasted
several hours held.

According to him if
such meeting was truly held, “they are just playing politics with it.
The Speaker has no right to do what he did. The case is not over yet
because the house resolution still stands.” Mr Ndume’s motion, widely
supported by many members last week, detailed how figures from
government offices show that funds released by the Finance Ministry
averaged barely 30 per cent about two months to year ending. Money
spent by the government on the recurrent budget was over 70 per cent,
the lawmakers said.

“By the time our
people ask which projects were attracted to our areas, what are we
going to say? These projects are not there, and if they are there, they
have been stopped and yet our salaries are not stopped. The salaries of
the presidency have not been stopped,” Mr. Ndume, the minority leader,
lamented.

The minister has also been asked by the House committee on Defence
to explain funds that accrued during United Nations peacekeeping
operations which Nigeria participated in. The summons was moved last
week Thursday after the minister said he was yet to be informed.

Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Kano reiterated his
pledge that power supply in the country will be stabilised by October
2011. He made the pledge after his visit to the Emir of Kano, Ado
Bayero, was interrupted by a power outage.

Mr Jonathan, who was on a one-day working visit to
Kano, said he was embarrassed when electricity in the Emir’s palace
went off as soon as he entered.

“As we stepped into this palace, I think what
happened is another way of telling me that I’m still up with a serious
business because immediately I stepped in, the light went off and I
remember that your royal highness wrote to me complaining about
epileptic supply of electricity in Kano,” he said.

“Today, the good news could begin. I’m here because
of two very important projects that are dear to us. One has to do with
power sub-station that we are commissioning and another is the Aminu
KanoTeaching Hospital projects, we are have upgraded some facilities
there that are ready to be commissioned for our use.

“What happened here today, by the grace of God, will
not happen again by this time next year. I am not saying that we will
satisfy all our power needs, but at least this epileptic power failure
will not continue. We will be able to stabilize it to a reasonable
level.” Mr Jonathan cautioned that his promise should not be
misunderstood for the generation of a particular number of megawatts or
that the power problem will be completely over next year.

“We are not making promises that by this time, we are
going to generate this or that. But all what we are telling his royal
highness is that we are gradually moving up forward. We are not going
backward again. We are stabilising it and by this time next year, we
will be a little bit more stable than what we are observing now and if
the government continues in that direction for another five years,
Nigerians will begin to talk to about another thing, because we are
totally committed to the power sector,” he said.

Bayero is expectant

Mr Bayero said he was happy to welcome the president
and that he was glad to hear that Mr Jonathan received the letter of
complaint on unstable supply of electricity that he sent to him.

“We are glad to receive you in Kano for the
commissioning of these health and power projects,” he said. “Steady
power supply is crucial for our economic development and prosperity. We
are glad to hear that Mr President received our formal complaint about
the power problem in Kano. We have been lodging complains to all the
previous government about this. We hope and pray that the government
will pay attention to this as promised by Mr President. This problem is
affecting us because Kano is the center of commerce.” Mr Bayero tasked
Mr Jonathan to, as a matter of urgency, tackle the insecurity problem
in the country, stressing that security of the people is important.

“We are equally drawing the attention of the
President on the issue of insecurity that requires urgent attention to
ensure peaceful coexistence and development in the country. It is a
known fact that peace is the most important thing the people need,
without peace nothing will work,” he said.

The president, while in Kano, commissioned the health
facilities in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and the Reinforcement
Kumbotso 330/132/33KV transmission sub-station.

The Federal
College of Education, Obudu, Cross River State will hold its first
convocation ceremony this weekend at its main campus, with over 10,000
students expected to wear the graduation gown in an elaborate combined
ceremony.

Provost of the
28-year-old institution, Joseph Effiom Ntibi blamed the inability of
the management of the school to organise convocation ceremonies in the
last seven years on paucity of funds. He said the October 30
convocation programme will also be funded from overhead costs.

The convocation
will be preceded by a lecture, and a gala night on Friday while on
Saturday, certificates will be presented to the graduates.

Seven Nigerians
who have contributed to the development of education and society will
be honoured with the fellowship of the college. They include Second
Republic Senate president, Joseph Wayas; wife of Cross River State
governor, Obioma Imoke; Paul Adah; Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam
and the pioneer chairman of the governing council, Elizabeth Ivaase.

“We hope to use
the days preceding the convocation to inaugurate a number of projects
executed by my administration,” Mr Ntibi said. “These include language
complex, ICT centre, computer laboratory all equipped with computer
units, administrative block and over 20 other projects”.

The outgoing
provost said standards have fallen in the country’s educational
institutions, but observed that in this age of ICT, so much is being
brought into learning on daily basis.

Degree awarding

On the issue of
examination malpractices, the provost revealed that under him, some
lecturers and non-academic staff were dismissed for aiding cheating in
examinations. Some were caught with answer scripts outside their houses
in company of desperate students.

“After
successfully tackling the problem of examination malpractices,” he
said, “we proceeded to stop the sale of handouts and textbooks by
lecturers. What we have now is an organized central point for selling
textbooks to students at official price only.” Mr Ntibi said though the
college has executed over 20 projects under his leadership, management
has not stopped lobbying for funds. He said national assembly members
from Cross River North senatorial district have channelled N500m of
their constituency development funds to the college.

With a staff
strength of 1,040 and a recent recruitment of junior staff, Mr Ntibi
said everything was working towards making the college become a degree
awarding institution.

“We are on it,” he said. “The National Commission for Colleges of
Education is helping out as it’s a national policy for some colleges of
education to become degree awarding. We have contacted authorities of
the University of Calabar on this and got their support.”

The valedictory
service in honour of the outgoing Chief Judge of Ondo State, Gladys
Olateru Olagbegi, took place yesterday amid protest from members of the
Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Ondo State branch, who all
shunned their duty posts.

The union’s
leadership, headed by Femi Ogunode had, on Monday, instructed his
colleagues to embark on a one-day strike against what he labelled as
seven years of harsh leadership of the former chief justice.

In compliance with
the directive, the judiciary staffers were nowhere to be found near
their duty post as all the doors to the various offices were under lock
and key.

A strange object,
which was said to be a ritual, was placed at the entrance of the Akure
High Court as early as 6.30am by unknown persons.

Aside from this, the wall of the high court entrance gate was decorated with palm tree leaves and some charms.

For those who came to swear to affidavit, it was a disappointing moment as there was nobody to attend to them.

However, mobile
policemen decided to force the gate of the High Court opened to ensure
that the parade that was slated to hold in honour of the Chief Judge
took place.

The Spokesperson of
the State Command, Adeniran Aremu justified the police action, saying
policemen had no option than to break the padlock of the gate to gain
entry to the premises of the court.

Mr Aremu pointed out that the parade in honour of the out-going Chief Judge was already slated.

“We must enter the
court premises because policemen have been instructed to be at the
court for the valedictory service in honour of Mrs Gladys Olateru
Olagbegi,” he said.

The action of the
policemen was, however, loudly condemned by JUSUN leadership which
described the action as illegal and unnecessary.

Mr Ogunode said they declared a compulsory one day industrial action in order to protest against the tenure of the former CJ.

“The tenure of the
ougoing CJ does not worth praising. We have to register to our
displeasure against his tenure which was not favourable to judicial
workers,” he said. ‘Such a leader does not deserve our participation in
the send-forth ceremony organised for her. If we had never deserved her
honour, she too does not now deserve our honour”.

The JUSUN Chairman
lamented that promotions were not effected as at when due, adding that
many of the judiciary staffers suffered moral and financial losses for
24 months.

Supported by colleagues

They also accused
the former Chief Judge of unilaterally stopping payment of disturbance
allowance and deliberately jettisoning the report submitted in respect
of send- forth for members of the union who retired voluntarily.

“After the governor
approved five new Toyota Corolla Cars for Heads of Departments in the
year 2010 budget, His lordship refused to access the fund to procure
the cars as a result of hatred she has for our members who are heads of
department,” he said.

However, despite the protest, the valedictory ceremony still took place at the court premises.

The outgoing Chief Judge was joined by colleagues from Osun and Oyo to participate in the valedictory service.

Mrs
Olateru-Olagbegi, who had earlier attended a church service in her
honour, later inspected the guard of hounour mounted by men of the
state police command who dressed in red and black uniform. She oversaw
the Ondo State Judiciary as Chief Judge between 2003-2010.

The Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko has nominated Olasehinde Kumuyi as the Chief Judge
of Ondo State and his nomination has been sent to the State House of
Assembly for confirmation.