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The first fire outbreak in 2011 in Bayelsa State on Monday night claimed two minors, aged between two and seven years.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
reports that the fire, which started at about 8.30 p.m., also destroyed
property worth millions of naira in Amarata, a suburb of Yenagoa.

An eye witness said the fire started when a boy threw fireworks near a kerosene tank in a make-shift building.

The parents of the children who are
indigenes of Delta State, were said to have wept uncontrollably as they
watched their children burnt to death.

The eye witness said extensive damage had already been done before the arrival of men of the state fire service.

It was however noticed that the lack of access roads which usually
prevent fire fighting trucks from getting to the scene of fire
outbreaks is a major challenge to efficient serve delivery by fire
fighters in the state.

A faction of the
ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, under the
leadership of Dayo Soremi, yesterday kicked against the re-scheduled
congress of the State Assembly as ordered by visiting panel from Abuja
led by Obinwa Nnaji.

Mr Soremi, whose
faction is loyal to the Minister for Commerce, Jubril Martins-Kuye,
said Mr Nnaji’s panel does not have the power to cancel the congress.

“The attention of
our party has been drawn to reports in few newspapers to the effect
that the House of Assembly primaries we peacefully conducted in Ogun
State yesterday has been purportedly cancelled on the orders of Obinwa
Nnaji who led the visiting panel from Abuja,” Mr Soremi said.

“For records
purpose and in order to clarify issues to our teeming members, we wish
to state clearly that the said Mr Nnaji cannot give what he does not
have.

“The powers to fix
dates of primaries of our party has been exercised by the National
Working Committee (NWC) and confirmed by the National Executive Council
(NEC) of our great party. No individual, or group, panel or panelists
can excercise such authority, except as a day-dream exercise in
futility.”

He said the House
of Assembly primaries in the state, which was conducted on January 3,
2011, was very peaceful as could be attested to by members of the
press, State Security Services, Police and INEC.

“We wonder why
anybody could then be induced to create chaos, which is the predictable
outcome of a so-called new primaries,” he said.

Hand of Esau

He said it was
clear that the faction loyal to the state governor, Gbenga Daniel lost
out woefully in the primaries, “as the authentic members of the party
whose names are in Abuja voted overwhelmingly for our aspirants who
have now emerged as our party’s candidates.”

“We are aware that OGD has been boasting that he will warehouse any
panel sent to Ogun State as he has the party national chairman in his
pocket with the backing of the Presidency,” he said. “Though we tend
not to believe this, however, if it appears to be real, then, this will
signal a continuous suport for illegality from the highest level and it
would certainly not augur well for our party in Ogun State. We
therefore categorically reject another OGD- induced House of Assembly
primaries in Ogun State. It is illegal, fraudulent, against the PDP
costitution and an invitation to chaos.”

Days to the ruling
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primaries for the Senate and House of
Representatives in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the FCT
Minister, Bala Mohammed, has appealed to contestants to shun violence
and activities that may undermine the city’s security. Addressing the
contestants in a meeting on Tuesday, the minister said that the FCT
administration is committed to the free and credible election of
representatives of the party, adding that he has not anointed any
candidate as has been rumoured.

“We are trying to
bring a new face of leadership in Nigeria,” he said. Mr Mohammed noted
that “in the local government election we had, we provided a level
playing field” and he continued, stating that “we are not going to
anoint any candidate because I believe all contestants represent the
party and we are trying to implement that policy of fairness, justice
and equity so that emerging leadership will be leadership that is
guided as a process where the common people have a pinch of leadership
where they participate in determining who emerges as a leader.” Mr
Mohammed also noted that there is need for maximum security because the
country is overheated.

“We want you to
continue to conduct yourself with this posture of accommodation,
politics without bitterness so that our party will remain together,” he
told the contestants.

Calling the
contenders to collectively support the eventual winner, the minister
said that “we will try as much as possible to provide a level playing
field so that nobody will be excluded or persecuted. Collapse your
interest and support the winners. Live and let live, no acrimony, no
mistrust. Not for opportunism or personal interest. I will supervise.
Let the chairman make everything very transparent.”

A number of contestants

On the large number
of contestants for the three positions available in FCT, the minister
said it is a reflection of democracy in Nigeria.

“This is what we
call representative democracy. Abuja is the centre of the nation; a
pivotal role. Abuja has always been peaceful,” he said, adding that the
primaries will be an eye opener.

The minister of state for the FCT, Caleb Olubolade, also urged the politicians to minimize violence.

“You cannot afford to take a position after taking lives,” he said. “Do not portray Nigeria in a bad light.”

There are over 30 contestants for the two Houses of Representatives
and one senatorial seat in the Federal Capital Territory while 1,400
delegates will participate at the primary election holding on tomorrow
at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja. Also present at the meeting was the
FCT’s police commissioner, John Haruna, and the PDP chairperson in FCT,
Haji Gwagwa.

A presidential
aspirant of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Nuhu Ribadu has blamed
rising insecurity in the nation on the weakness of government and its
security agencies. Mr Ribadu made the comments when he addressed
reporters at a fundraising dinner held at Chelsea Hotel in Abuja for
the Federal Capital Territory’s chapter of the Action Congress of
Nigeria.

Other politicians
at the event were another presidential aspirant of the party, Uba
Malami and some House of Representatives aspirants.

“I want them to
wake up,” he said. “I want them to understand that we rely on them and
that they are the ones who will help keep us in peace. They have failed
us for now; time has come for us to say, yes, give us a chance to come
and manage the country well; to ensure that we have peace and security
in the country,” Mr Ribadu said.

He said as far as
he was concerned, the increasing insecurity in the nation is the
failure of the government, even though the perpetrators of the crime
are being unpatriotic.

“It is a failure of
leadership,” he said. “It is incompetence, mismanagement. It is the
inability to do what you are supposed to do, whether you are in law
enforment or you are in charge of our affairs. We are entitled to
peace, stability and security. Our leaders are supposed to make that
possible. They have failed.”

Party debates

Chris Ngige who was
represented at the event by Yusuf Obaje, a gubernatorial aspirant of
the ACN in Kogi State, said the nation is currently suffering from a
lack of good leadership by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

“We need a leader who is unreasonably patriotic, courageous, and proactive,” he said.

The event, also featured a debate session for the party’s
contestants across the board. The contestants took turns to lay their
personal manifestos before party members ahead of the party’s
convention scheduled for next week.

The National
Executive Committee of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday
in Abuja fixed January 14 for the party’s presidential national
convention. The NEC meeting only ratifies the submissions of the
National Working Committee (NWC) which met in Asokoro, Abuja on Monday.
The media had besieged the Zone 6, Abuja venue of yesterday’s NEC to
the surprise of party executives who did not respond to several
overtures to get an insight into the discussions and resolutions of the
five-hour-plus marathon meeting, including the much-publicised alliance
talks with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

The source told our
reporter that all the state governors of ACN attended the expanded NWC
meeting, though only governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and Rauf
Aregesola of Osun attended the NEC. But another party official, who
craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press,
said discussions are still ongoing and that the party has fixed its
national convention for January 14 where its presidential candidate
will be announced. The source refuted reports that the party has
adopted CPC leader, Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential flagbearer in
the talks.

Also at the FCT ACN
stakeholders interactive session, one of the party’s presidential
aspirants, and former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, said the planned alliance will not
affect his ambition of becoming president and called on Nigerians to
see him as a person they can trust.

He said: “I am ready to work with every progressive to salvage this
country from all this mess of insecurity. Give me a chance to bring
what Nigerians are looking for.”

Presidential
aspirant, Atiku Abubakar yesterday criticised President Goodluck
Jonathan for being ashamed to defend the 2011 Budget proposal he
presented to the joint session of the National Assembly last month.

Mr Abubakar had, a
few days ago, written the president warning him that the proposal in
the budget could worsen the state of the nation’s economy. In a
statement by his campaign outfit, Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation
(ACO) in Abuja, the former vice president said the president has become
too ashamed to personally defend the budget, insisting that the budget
of a nation is too serious a matter to defend through anonymous person.

Mr Abubakar was
reacting to media reports that an anonymous presidency source had
questioned the rationale behind his widely-published critique of the
budget proposal.

“It is
inconceivable that a government that presented a budget that will
determine the lives of 150 million cannot rise in defence of such
budget,” Mr Abubakar said. “It is reprehensible that despite the army
of officials in government, there is no single volunteer who can take
the risk of being identified with the wishy-washy collection they call
the Budget 2011 proposal.

“A budget is a very
serious instrument that guides the conduct of government business. Its
formulation is supposed to be guided by the philosophy and the vision
of government. It is the appropriation of this vision with the
expectations and needs of the people that a budget is said to be
well-thought out.

“If the Budget 2011
proposal is well thought-out, everybody in government will not be too
ashamed to put a face to its defence.”

Faulting the budget

The presidential
aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) noted that the conduct
of government by anonymity is becoming the defining character of the
Jonathan administration.

“When the
presidency is accused of working on the 2011 elections with a rigging
manual, the initial response of government is through this now
notorious anonymous presidency sources,” Mr Abubakar said. “How can
anonymous source be the one defending government against serious
allegations of incompetence and malfeasance. Is it that no one is so
persuaded by the conduct of government that it can put his/her face in
its defence.” The former vice president restated his earlier position
that the Budget 2011 proposal, which guiding policy is predicated on
consumption is a recipe for economic disaster.

Jonathan campaign’s response

The spokesperson of
the Goodluck Sambo presidential campaign organisation, Sully Abu
however said it finds little to comment on in what Mr Abubakar said.

“As they stare
defeat in the face in what was once thought would be a contest, but
which is fast turning into a coronation for President Goodluck
Jonathan, the fretfulness of the Atiku Abubakar campaign is reaching
fever pitch,” Mr Abu said.

“Fresh from raising false alarms about their candidate being primed
for arrest following rather unguarded statements which predated the
recent acts of terrorism in Jos and Abuja about violent change, they
are now making a song and dance about being ignored over their comments
on the 2011 budget. Those comments follow a long litany of
prognostications on the economy which have been dismissed by economic
experts and by the facts on the ground. When the Atiku campaign has
something worthwhile to say that deserves a response, we would do so
and at a time of our own choosing.”

The Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) has acknowledged posting
non-existent polling units ahead of elections this year, but said weeks
of verification of the widely-questioned 120,000 units it claimed
earlier, produced only a “minimal discrepancy”.

The commission’s
Chairman, Attahiru Jega, said yesterday that the screening unearthed 28
fake polling units-a far cry from the 28,000 analysed for NEXT in a
October, 2010 report, by WangoNet, an advocacy group.

Tracking the huge
number of Polling Units on the commission’s website, WangoNet said its
examinations showed that the electoral body had extra 28,000 Units than
it claimed, with the disparity forming a significant portion of INEC’s
N87 billion budget last year.

Details of the
analysis showed many polling stations were enumerated multiple times,
officials having possibly upped the figures in manner that appeared to
be outright falsification.

Nearly 8,000 units
were counted twice, thrice, or substantially more, before INEC arrived
at the round figure of 120,000, the report pointed out.

Some of the worst
cases noticed were two schools in Edo State- Ivbiyeneva Primary School
in St. Saviour ward and Ologbosere Primary School in Ugbekun ward, both
counted 40 times.

The listings
predate Mr Jega’s tenure. While reacting to the errors before the
report was published by NEXT, his Media Aide, Kayodu Idowu, denied any
fraudulent intent, saying the commission was pressed for time and as
such, based its projections on unverified available records.

He said the site
was being upgraded and promised that the accurate number of polling
booths will be ascertained during the deployment of the Direct Data
Capture machines.

Addressing the 36
Resident Electoral Commissioners yesterday in Abuja two days away from
a crucial Delta State governorship rerun, Mr Jega admitted the fake
posts existed but noted that the verification exercise turned up only
28 phony voting posts across the country.

“I thank you all
for the time and dedication you invested in that process,” he told his
commissioners. “It shows clearly in the outstanding outcome of the
process. Currently, the discrepancy is minimal; in fact 28 to be
precise.” He said the new figures will be promptly updated in the DDC
machines and on the mapping of the polling units on the Google maps.

Delta’s re-run as litmus test

The meeting on
Tuesday is the last for the commission’s highest echelon as officials
rally final preparations for the Delta State rerun on Thursday-seen as
a litmus test for the Mr Jega led INEC, and national voters’
registration on a week away. Mr Jega listed fresh steps adopted by the
electoral body as it races to preserve a national goodwill for his
administration, and to disperse lingering doubts whether the commission
can be different from its well discredited past.

“Nigerians see the
Delta rerun as a barometer for gauging how things have either changed
or remained unchanged in INEC’s conduct of elections,” he told the
commissioners.

Part of the plans,
he said, prominent Nigerians may be appointed as returning officers to
help “shield officials of the commission from unwarranted accusation of
bias.”

New security features too have been introduced on the ballot papers
while the existing voters’ register have been “cleaned up”, he added.
Further, the number of corp members to be drafted as Assistant
Registration Officers have been pruned from 360,000 to 240,000.

The Nigeria Police have deployed 22,600 conventional
and 2,835 mobile policemen to monitor the re-run election slated for
January 6 in Delta State.

Also, no fewer than 6,500 officers of the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will be deployed to work with
other security agencies to ensure that the re-run election succeeds.

Audu Abubakar, the Deputy Inspector General of
Police, “B” Department (Operations), said no fewer than six officers
would be deployed to man each of the polling centres in the state to
forestall violence.

“The Federal Government is determined, INEC is ready
and we are given a matching order to be here and ensure that the
election is not only credible but free and fair,” Mr Abubakar said. “We
have deployed 22,600 officers and men of conventional police and 45 PMF
units of 63 officers per unit from various squadrons. My call to all
the non-governmental organisations, foreign and local election
observers and good spirited individuals is for them to collaborate with
INEC officials and the security agents.” The police boss, who had a
closed door meeting with the 14 gubernatorial candidates contesting in
the re-run election, said it is in the interest of all the candidates
to shun violence.

Great Ogboru, the Democratic People’s Party candidate told reporters that the DIG underscored the seriousness of the election.

“The meeting with the DIG was quite instructive; he
made us to understand that there was a national seriousness attached to
the elections and that it was a litmus test. We were reminded that
thuggery and violations of the Election Act will not be tolerated,” Mr
Ogboru said.

The state PDP Chairman, Peter Nwaoboshi, also said the party was satisfied with the security arrangement.

Joining forces

The NSCDC Commandant in Delta State, Amos Andekin, said the command would deploy 3, 500 of its officers,

while 1,000 officers each from Edo, Anambra and Bayelsa States would join his men.

He explained that two officers would be assigned to
each perceived quiet polling units, while more than two officers would
be deployed in volatile units located in areas such as Warri and Asaba.

The commandant explained further that he had appealed
to the Bayelsa State command of NSCDC to place 300 officers on
stand-by, and another 50 each from Edo and Anambra.

Mr Andekin, however, said that the deployment of the
officers would be a challenge, claiming that though the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Delta State had said it would
not provide any other logistic support apart from feeding the officers,
mobility will be one of the major challenges because the corps does not
have vehicles with which to transport the officers to the units they
are deployed to.

Luka Ikpi, Sector Commander of the Federal Road
Safety Corps (FRSC), also said that 130 officers of the command would
be on ground to guarantee smooth flow of traffic. He said that the
officers would also ensure that the movement of vehicles was restricted
until after the re-run election.

The Police Public
Relations Officer for the state command, Onyeka Orji, made the
statement while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo
on Tuesday. He said that some politicians have been invited for
interrogation in connection with the alleged murder.

Mr Akpaudo was
reportedly killed on New Year’s Eve by yet to be identified gunmen. Mr
Akpaudo was until his death, a medical doctor with the State Hospital
Management Board in charge of Maternity Unit at St. Luke Hospital, Uyo.
He was also a House of Assembly aspirant for Mkpat Enin constituency in
the 2011 elections.

Greed and a desire
to accumulate monies are factors militating against Nigeria’s
development, President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday in Abuja.

The President, who
spoke during a church service yesterday at the Holy Trinity Catholic
Church, Maitama, Abuja, also described terrorism as a global trend
which Nigeria is also experiencing as part of the globe, adding that
those behind the bombings were agents of demons.

He said , though
he hated to use the word ‘corruption’ to describe Nigeria’s problem, he
has no other word to qualify the desire of the people in highly placed
positions who do all to accumulate wealth, which their children and
grandchildren won’t even exhaust.

Responding to a
request by the officiating minister,Innocent Jooji in his homily at the
Eucharist service, asking the president to ensure that professionals
were appointed into their areas of competence for greater performance,
Mr Jonathan said this was not the problem of the country.

The President used
the opportunity to tell the congregation that his administration has
put professionals in key ministries but noted that if Permanent
Secretaries and Directors, who had been long in Ministries were
committed and ready to serve the nation well, the appointment of a non
professional to a ministry will not be noticed.

“I agree that round
pegs should be put in round holes. My administration has been putting
professionals in core ministries. This is the first time that a health
professional is heading the ministry of Health, the same with some
other core ministries,” Mr Jonathan said.

“However, what
makes government to excel is not the professionalism of ministers but
their integrity. What sets us backward as a nation is greed; where one
person takes so much money that he and his grandchildren cannot finish
spending. We should not accumulate what we do not need. We will do our
best to select professionals but one thing we need is the credibility
of the leaders.”

Believe in the country

He further appealed
to Nigerians to continue to pray for the country and have more faith in
their country so that the action of detractors like those planting
bombs will not deter the country from its march to greatness.“My new
year wish for all Nigerians is that we should walk in unity and not
discriminate among ourselves, with hard work and love, our country will
be great,” he said.

Mr Jooji
reprimanded those who are canvassing for military rule, insisting that
the worst civilian regime was better than the best military
government.“If those calling for the military are having hangover, they
should go and sit down”, he said, but advised politicians to seek ways
of economic and political emancipation that will attract development.

He also counseled politicians against use of violence during the elections, pointing out that violence begets violence.