Nigeria Content Online

A visually impaired
man, and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State,
Yinka Ibidunni, yesterday officially announced his intention to contest
against Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello for the Ogun Central Senatorial District
in the forthcoming 2011 polls.

Mr Ibidunmi, a
known critic of the state Governor, Gbenga Daniel, before he was
appointed as Special Adviser on Physically Challenged People, made this
known in Abeokuta. Declaring his senatorial ambition at his campaign
office, located in Kugba area of the town, Mr Ibidunni who is eyeing
the seat for the third time, said his ambition is to create positive
effect and influence in people’s life. “I want to ensure that people
enjoy the dividend of democracy, and doing this is for the electorates
to vote the right persons into political offices, in the next
dispensation, in which I am qualified,” he said.

“I am not ready to give a kobo to any delegate before getting the
party slot, nor will I part away with any money as condition for the
electorate to vote for me,” he said. “But what I will say is that, let
us put the right person in right position.” The aspirant assured the
electorate that if voted in as senator, he would be transparent and
spend his constituency allowances judiciously. “Let us put the right
driver in the right driving seat,” he said.

The Anambra State government has
commenced the process of formulating the state’s 2011 budget with a
workshop on data collection, presentation and analysis, organised
yesterday in Awka by the ministry of economic planning and budget.

The workshop, according to Vivian
Nwandu, the permanent secretary of the ministry, was necessitated by
the government’s plan to introduce what she called ‘organic budget law’.

The law, she explained, was a manual containing the process and procedure of planning the budget.

“In the past decade, planning
methodologies have continued to evolve and the awareness that planning
must be based on facts and figures has continued to increase,” Mrs
Nwandu said.

The state’s commissioner for economic
planning and budget, Chinyere Okunna, said the training was coming at a
time when many reforms in planning and budgeting were taking place at
both state and federal levels.

She, however, noted that there still
existed gaps in terms of knowledge and skills by staff of the ministry,
either because they had been newly posted or because they were yet to
completely settle down.

“This workshop provides an opportunity
for them to listen, learn and ask questions,” Mrs Okunna said, pointing
out that effective planning must be based on available statistical data
on which the state government’s programmes and projects had been based.

Current momentum

She said that for
the state government to sustain its current momentum in development, it
needed to plan effectively and that such planning must be executed by a
crop of knowledgeable and skilled planning officers and statisticians.

“We urge the
participants to take full advantage of the opportunity the workshop
offered to acquire useful knowledge and skills they would use to
enhance their performance,” Mrs Okunna said.

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Oleh, headquarters of Isoko South Council Area of
Delta State was in turmoil yesterday as irate youth took the laws into
their hands killing three persons and injuring several others as the
crisis in the predominately Isoko community takes a turn for the worse.

Though the Police spokesman, Charles Muka, said
troops have been deployed to the troubled community to quell the
uprising and imposed a dusk to dawn curfew, the local police said two
persons have been arrested.

About seven trucks of mobile policemen were sighted in the town yesterday taking positions when NEXT visited the community.

The crisis, according to a source from the community,
erupted during a meeting of two rival youth groups, who have been
spurring for war over who get the larger share of an oil largesse,
which was recently paid to the community by one of the oil companies
doing business in the area.

The source said the payment has been causing tension
in the town for the past one week, and finally got to a boiling point
yesterday when a corpse was laid in front of the residence of one Chief
Egbo, an uncle to a former councillor who is opposition to the
terrorising youth group.

This led to the invasion of the main market by the
rampaging youth, who held several people hostage and smashed about
eight vehicles belonging to their opponent.

In one of the bloody encounters, one of the leaders
of a rival group, identified as Wilfred Ato, who is said to be an oil
landlord was killed at night and his corpse dumped at the home of one
of the youth leaders.

Though, it could not be ascertained which group
killed the young man, but sources said the deceased is the first in
command, to a group opposed by the serving councillor.

Fight for cash

Another victim, simply identified as Ekamena, was
allegedly shot at Amawa layout, located along the Ogumudia road axis of
the town. The other unidentified victim, said to be a stranger, was
allegedly killed by irate youth in a reprisal attack.

About three people so far have died, since the crisis
broke out on Tuesday, while one Ogadema, a key player in the crisis
claimed that invaders destroyed seven cars in his compound.

He alleged that the invaders, led by one Frank
Agbaragu, who earlier led the protest against SPDC, came to kidnap a
serving councillor in the council, Henry Iviero who had been opposed to
their activities in the community.

But in a swift reaction to Ogadema claims, Mr
Agbaragu alleged that Ogadema and his cohort were cultists holding
meeting with intent to launch attack on himself.

Next gathered that the community has been enmeshed in
one crisis or the other since about N6 Million was paid to the
community by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

A section of the town was said to have hijacked the
money, resulting to the violence by the youth and oil landlords who
embarked on the protest.

It was also learnt that some group of irate youth, last week
paralysed SPDC’s operation in the area over what they termed gross
marginalisation and wrong naming of an oil well after a neighbouring
Olomoro community.</

A group of councillors from the Oyo North Senatorial District of
Oyo State have criticised Gbenga Babalola, the senator representing the area,
accusing him of being a “bench warmer” at the senate.

Led by Adewumi Ismail, chairman of the Oyo State Councillors’
Forum, the local government legislators were at the Nigerian Union Journalists
state headquarters, Ibadan, on Wednesday, to express their resolve that Mr
Babalola is not returned to the senate next year.

“We have all watched the proceedings of the National Assembly on
the television, How many times have you seen Senator Babalola moving a motion
or sponsoring a bill? He is a member of the Supporters Club and just there as a
bench warmer,” one of the councillors said, while explaining why the senator
does not deserve another ticket.

The aggrieved councillors said they are, instead, nominating
Hosea Agboola, current commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy
Matters in the state, saying he had used his influence to better the lot of the
people of his constituency as well as the generality of the councillors, whose
matter fall under his purview of administration.

Mr Babalola, a son in-law to the late acclaimed godfather of Oyo
State politics, Lamidi Adedibu, was declared winner of the 2007 elections for
the Oyo North Senatorial district. Like other elected officials in the state,
he has been going around to campaign for a re-election. A group of councillors
endorsed his second term ambition last week, touting his achievements as their
reason.

Contest of popularity

But this other group dismissed the endorsement as a ruse, saying
they are the authentic councillors from the constituency. “I want to use this
medium to dispel the rumour that a group of councillors have endorsed the
return of Senator Babalola in the 2011 election,” said Mr Ismail. “The rumour
is not true. We are the genuine councillors from the region.”

According to the
legislators, Mr Agboola has not only used his current office to better their
lot, he is qualified for the position of a senator because of his antecedents.

The councillors further accused Mr Babalola of lacking good
human relations, saying until he was trying to seek a re-election, he was not
known by anybody in the constituency.

The councillor also said
rather than pick from among his people as his personal assistant, the senator
appointed a man from the South-East for the job.

The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
Okwesilieze Nwodo, may soon constitute a new caretaker committee to oversee the
affairs of the party in Anambra State, it was learnt yesterday.

However, members of the PDP in the state have kicked against the
proposed action, saying it is a complete deviation from the agreement they
reached during a July 12, 2010 meeting in Abuja. They said Mr. Nwodo had
pledged to conduct elections to appoint a state executive.

The group, led by prominent members of the party, including
Peter Uyanwa, Frank Oramuli and Ken Emekayi, released a communiqué following a
meeting in Abuja yesterday. They said Mr. Nwodo instituted the agreement to
help settle litigation among the members.

“The national chairman stated without reservation that the era
of godfatherism and money politics are over in Anambra and Nigeria in general,
under his watch. [He said] that he intends that the party be taken to the
people and that he will abide by the majority decisions of the stakeholders and
it was on that premise that decision for congresses were arrived at,” read the
statement.

“The information available to us indicates that the national
chairman has somersaulted from the popular Anambra PDP decision reached with
him at Transcorp Hilton Hotel.” The members warned that they would resist if
Mr. Nwodo attempted to renege on his previous decision.

The vice chairman of the Anambra PDP, Newton Iloegbunam, said
that should Mr. Nwodo go ahead with his plan, the party would continue to
suffer at the polls. He noted that similar protests cost the party the last
governorship election and resulted in multiple court litigations. The next
local government elections in the state will come up on December 4th.

Not final decision

Mr. Nwodo’s spokesman, Ike Abonyi, said the issue is still being
debated.

“The issue of Anambra is still on the table of the National
Working Committee and the final decision would be made known. It is not
something to hide.”

But a source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the
decision to conduct congresses was no longer feasible because there was not
enough time before the primaries.

Prominent member, Olisa Metu, said those against the appointment
of a caretaker committee were being unrealistic.

“The people are too much in a hurry. They should await the
chairman’s final decision before they act – a decision which will come up on
August 10th,” he said.

“They cannot give Nwodo any ultimatum or deadline.” Dissolved
Abia executive

Meanwhile, The National Working Committee has voted to dissolve
the Abia State Executive Committee following the confirmation of several
allegations of gross misconduct involving its members.

In a statement by its secretary, Ahmed Alkali, the party accused
the committee members of flagrantly violating the party’s constitution, abusing
their office and disobeying lawful directives. They said the members
precipitated a crisis and fractionalized the party.

Members of the dissolved committee were directed to immediately
hand over to the state administrative secretary.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday, approved the
sum of N250million for the production of compendiums for the Nigeria at 50
celebrations.

The approved compendiums will come in form of 20,000 copies of
800page publications and 5,000 CD ROMs.

Briefing pressmen after the weekly FEC meeting, which was
chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Information and
Communications, Dora Akunyili, said the memo was presented by Mr Jonathan.

“Mr President presented
a memo to council seeking approval for the award of contract for the production
of 20,000 copies of 800 pages and 5,000 CD ROM of compendium on Nigeria as part
of the 50th Independence Anniversary Celebrations,” she said.

The project was initiated by the steering committee on Nigeria
at 50, which was constituted to arrange, co-ordinate, and execute required
programmes for Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary celebrations.

“The committee brought a proposal to produce a compendium on
Nigeria which was considered and approved by council at its meeting of 20th
January 2010,” said Mrs Akunyili.

She also told pressmen that the compendium is intended to
highlight the nation’s journey so far, her history, achievements and challenges
since independence as well as the people and the nation’s aspirations.

“Photographs on achievements in various sectors of the economy,
area of tourist attraction, arts and culture, historical monuments and
achievements of Nigerians in Diaspora will all be featured,” she said.

“Pursuant to the
attainment of the goals for a memorable golden jubilee celebration of Nigeria’s
Independence, council approved the award of contract for the production of
20,000 copies of 800 pages and 5,000 CD ROM of compendium on Nigeria in favour
of Messrs 1st October Publications Limited, in the sum of N250,000,000 only.”

The second memo, from the ministry of defence, could not be
discussed during the briefing.

The World Bank will release the sum of N3.4 billion for the
activities of the nine centres of excellence selected by the country, for the
second component of the Science and Technology Education Post-Basic Project
(STEP-B) in Nigeria, which started in 2007.

STEP-B is the World Bank’s intervention programme targeted at
improving the quality of learning, teaching and research in the science and
technology sector. The first component of the programme focused on promoting
science education in secondary and research institutions in the country.

Now, nine of the institutions that performed creditably have
been qualified as centres of excellence, including two agencies of the Ministry
of Science and Technology and seven educational institutions.

Centres of excellence

Peter Materu, outgoing Task Team Leader for STEP-B at the World
Bank, visited Mohammed Abubakar, minister of science and technology on Tuesday
in Abuja and said Nigeria has performed moderately in implementing the project,
as shown by the emergence of the centres.

The outgoing leader said the success of the first component was
not without challenges, including inadequate data for evaluation of
implementation processes. “There was a slight delay in the disbursement of
funds, but that has been resolved and the fund will be flowing in the next few
days,” he said. “The total amount in that (second) component is $56 million for
the nine selected institutions.”

Responding, Mr Mohammed said the ministry will ensure that the
funding released is judiciously used.

Mr Materu has since handed over to Trajen Appassamy who resumed duty on
August 1 as Task Team Leader for STEP-B in Nigeria.

The Delta State government has frowned at the handling of the
oil spill which devastated the Multi-billion naira Ekpan fish farm when one of
Chevron oil’s tugboats sank in its dockyard in Ekpan, Uvwie local government
area and discharged a substance suspected to be diesel into the Ekpan River.

The spill contaminated water at the farm, killing tonnes of fish
and sending fish farmers into despair. Chevron officials however said they have
contained the incident, which the company said was restricted to its compound.

The remark seemed to have attracted the ire of the state
government. The state commissioner for environment, Bello Orubebe berated
officials of the company who were at his office in Asaba yesterday to make a
presentation on the spill.

Mr Orubebe said the presentation fell short of the economic and
ecological damage caused by the spill.

The leader of the oil company’s team, Tim Ainodion had, in his
presentation, claimed that only eight litres of diesel and lubrication spilled
from the sunken tug boat. He further said that while the spill was limited to
the company’s water front, it has been cleaned up and normal fishing was going
on in the Ekpan River.

But an enraged Mr. Orubebe countered these claims and accused
Chevron of not giving a true picture of the event in its presentation. He said
reports from the ministry’s field officers show that the massive cluster of
fishing ponds in Ekpan have been impacted by the spill.

“We insist that the spill is still continuing, the effect is
continuing, the fish in the ponds are dying, the river is polluted and there is
need for Chevron to go back and deploy its full capacity to clean-up the
river”, said the commissioner, who said he was relocating to Warrri to oversee
the situation.

Peace at risk

He said the state governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan was disturbed
because the spill has adversely affected the indigenes and warned that if the
situation was not properly managed, it could threaten the federal government’s
amnesty programme as well as the prevailing peace in the area.

Mr Orubebe however pledged government’s cooperation to ensure a
quick clean-up of the polluted pond and river, stressing that this was not the
time to trade blames over the incident.

The spill started about two weeks ago and the affected farmers
said they are yet to notice any reduction in the impact of the spill.

“We are calling on the government and multinational agencies to
come to our aid. We borrowed monies to start this business, but now all our
fishes are gone. The pollution started last week, now it has spread all over
the ponds. If we are not helped, we will run out of business,” Joshua Ughere,
chairman, board of trustees of Ufuoma United Farm, Ekpan said.

Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was unharmed by an
attack with a homemade explosive device on his motorcade during a visit to the
western city of Hamadan on Wednesday, a source in his office said. However, a
government statement claimed it was not an attack.

The source said Ahmadinejad’s convoy was targeted as he was
travelling from Hamadan’s airport to give a speech in a local sports arena. The
president was unhurt but others had been injured in the blast. One person was
arrested. “There was an attack this morning. Nothing happened to the president’s
car,” the source told Reuters. “Investigations continue … to find out who was
behind it.” Ahmadinejad, who has cracked down on opposition since a disputed
June 2009 presidential election, appeared on live Iranian television at the
sports stadium. He looked unperturbed and made no mention of any assault. The
populist, hardliner Ahmadinejad has accumulated enemies in conservative and
reformist circles in the Islamic Republic as well as abroad.

Al Arabiya television said an attacker had thrown a bomb at Ahmadinejad’s
convoy before being detained. Dubai-based Al Arabiya cited its own sources as
saying the bomb had hit a car carrying journalists and presidential staff.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The main Iranian state
television channel remained silent about the explosion, while the
English-language state news channel Press TV denied there had been any attack.
The semi-official Fars news agency, after initially reporting a man had thrown
a home-made grenade, later changed its story to say a firecracker had been set
off by a man who was excited to see the president. Ahmadinejad’s government is
facing economic pain as new foreign sanctions imposed over Iran’s disputed
nuclear energy programme bite on the world’s fifth biggest oil exporter.

Iranian leaders have responded to the pressure by accusing the
West of plotting against the Islamic Republic. Domestic opponents are accused
of being backed by foreign powers. On Monday, during a speech to a conference
of expatriate Iranians in Tehran, Ahmadinejad said he believed he was the
target of an assassination plot by Israel. “The stupid Zionists have hired
mercenaries to assassinate me,” he said. But one opposition activist said it
was a very different thing for the president to talk of attacks and for an
attack to actually take place. “It is obviously a reflection of the fact that
all is not well in Iran and control is not total, contrary to conventional
wisdom,” said Mehrdad Khonsari, a London-based Iranian opposition activist.

Provocative speeches

One of Ahmadinejad’s trademarks has been constant travel around
his vast country to deliver provocative speeches before outwardly adoring
crowds who shout “death” to Iran’s foes. The oil market initially reacted
calmly to reports of the attempted attack. Iran gets just under half of its
revenue from oil and gas and would benefit from any rise in prices.

“I expect that any backlash there might be from Ahmadinejad will
be far more important to the oil market than the initial attack itself,” said
Paul Harris, head of natural resources risk management at Bank of Ireland. “You
would expect the oil market to react if there is any attempt to link the attack
to the current tensions with the West and the ramping up of sanctions.”

Baqer Moin, a London-based Iran expert, said Hamadan was a
stable area without any notable ethnic or local tension. “Let’s wait and see
who they accuse, an internal or an external enemy,” Moin said. Several armed
groups opposed to the government are active in Iran, mostly ethnic Kurds in the
northwest, Baluch in the southeast and Arabs in the southwest. The banned
Mujahideen Khalq, listed by the United States as a terrorist group, carried out
many anti-government attacks after the 1979 Islamic revolution. It was blamed
for two 1981 bombings that killed dozens of senior officials in Tehran,
including the president and prime minister.

But Shahin Gobadi, French-based spokesman for the Mujahideen,
now part of an opposition coalition known as the National Council of Resistance
of Iran, denied involvement. Asked if his group was behind the attack, he said:
“Absolutely not, absolutely not. It has nothing to do with us. I don’t know
what happened but it has nothing to do with us.” Ahmadinejad recently sought to
isolate rival political factions by declaring that “the regime has only one
party, which is the velayat” – a reference to Shi’ite Islam’s hidden Imam, for
now represented by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Just as combative towards external pressure, the president has derided
sanctions over Iran’s nuclear programme as “pathetic” and vowed to pursue what
Iran says is a quest for nuclear energy, not weapons as the West believes. On
Monday, Ahmadinejad called on U.S. President Barack Obama to face him in a
televised one-on-one debate to see who has the best solutions for the world’s
problems.

Ahmadinejad, backed by Khamenei and
the elite Revolutionary Guards, crushed street protests that greeted his
disputed re-election in June 2009, although he has yet to silence losing
reformist candidates Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi. The president, first
elected in 2005, also seems bent on displacing an older layer of conservative
leaders and clerics whose influence dates back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.