Buhari demands el-Rufai's release

The Presidential Candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change(CPC) and former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, has demanded the immediate release of former FCT minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai who was detained by the State Security Service(SSS) Saturday morning.

* Nasir el-Rufai

El-Rufai was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport upon his arrival from London without being told of the reasons for his arrest and whisked to the SSS Headquarters.


Spokesman for General Muhammadu Buhari, Yinka Odumakin in a statement today said "Gen Buhari condemns this brazen act of intimidation, harassment and flagrant violation of citizens right in a democratic atmosphere. It only shows that there are more people in our country who know how to win by hook and crook than those who know how to make proper use of their 'victory'”, he said.


He added that hounding innocent citizens to detention in less than a month in office while failing to rise to the security challenges facing the nation shows a regime that does not understand what its priorities should be.


He therefore calls for the immediate release of El- Rufai from unjust incarceration by the SSS who can then proceed to prefer whatever charges they have against him in court if he has committed any offence known to the laws of the land. "But to keep him in gaol without any charges will only cast the administration in the mould of a vindictive regime that is launching a wave of political repression because it is jittery”, he concluded.

CACOL to Jonathan: Ministers that must never be

The Executive Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL),Comrade Debo Adeniran has admonished the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr Goodluck Jonathan not to succumb to pressures from his party members to appoint proven incompetent people as ministers, not the least are past ministers whose performance history are below expectation of Nigerians.

President Jonathan

One of such ministers, according to Adeniran, is the immediate past Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke.

Considering the former minister's antecedent while in office as the AGF, the CACOL Chairman allegedly averred that Mr Adoke contributed to the festering national sore that corruption is instead of curtailing it.

Adeniran explained that Adoke always exhibited arrogance of impunity when ever he wanted to withdraw cases that anti graft agencies like Economic and Financial Crime Commission EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) have painstakingly investigated and charged to the court of law.

Said he, "we can boldly say that Adoke was the bane of the effectiveness and smooth operation of anti graft agencies and could aptly be described as an Ambassador of Corruption in Nigeria".

Going down the memory lane, he added that during Adoke's tenure, the former AGF was fond of asking the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) as well as the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to drop corruption charges against his favourite Publicly Exposed Persons (PEPs) for his own ministry to preside over it.

"And each time such cases are taken over by him, they were withdrawn from courts by entering charges against them without recourse to the agency that might have expended time, energy and public resources in investigating such cases. Recent information has it that about 30 cases have been, in the verge of being withdrawn or admitted to the corruptible transaction called "Plea-Bargain" in such circumstances.

A few prominent of such cases include the ones involving the Vaswani Brothers who were accused of multi-billion naira tax evasion and forgery, Kenny Martins of PEF notoriety, former Controller-General of Customs, Julius Berger Plc., Siemens, etc.


The withdrawal of charges against indicted multinational companies which included Julius Berger, Siemens Plc, Saipem, Technip and Haliburton Inc. Quoting from a newspaper, the anti-corruptin activist submitted at a press briefing that the AGF had told Journalists that the Federal Government has recovered $170.6m penal fines from multinational companies indicted in the Halliburton scandal in their bid to escape.


A total of about $255m would have been received as restitution from the indicted companies, which is considerably less than those imposed by foreign countries involved in the case.

A vivid example is the US government, which fined Halliburton $559m. It has been discovered that , here in Nigeria , the company paid a paltry fine and individuals haven?t made restitution.


His latest bid before leaving office was the case of Alhaji Suleiman Bello, the former minister of State for Health, who was alleged of collecting N4.2 million from the Adamawa State Governor in the year 2007.

After the ICPC has tried in its own bit in the effort to bring the culprit to book by making sure that he is being prosecuted, The then Attorney General in person of Mr Mohammed Adoke tried to misuse his power to cover up a sin that has already being made known to the general public.


But for decisive intervention of a Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday, 28 October, 2010 which refused the bid of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), to withdraw the charge against Anosike brothers over the alleged dissipation of the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc's assets as Justice Pat Ajoku dismissed the AGF's application on the matter.

He, therefore, described Mohammed Adoke as a man who has used all his might and power to defend people who have raped and robbed the country of his resources and therefore should not be considered as one of the nominees in the ministers list.


The CACOL Chief further said that new Jonathan Goodluck cabinet should treat the fight against corruption in Nigeria as a topmost priority and therefore advised that all hands must be on deck to fight the menace to a standstill. Adeniran reminded President Jonathan that the Nigerian masses voted for him and not PDP and urged him to ensure he delivered on all his campaign promises so that the country will move to a greater height in area of human and infrastructural development.

How Akintola Willams Deloitte held International Women’s Day

L-R: Mrs. Tara-Fela Durotoye, CEO of House of Tara International; Mrs. Oghogho Osula, MD of Afribank Trustees and Asset Mgt. Co; Mrs. Bisi Adeyemi, MD of Deloitte Corporate Services Ltd; Mrs Adesuwa Onyenokwe, CEO of Universal Communications Ltd; Mrs Bukky George, MD of Health Plus Pharmacy; and Mrs. Uche Erobu, Senior Partner, Akintola Williams Deloitte at the women’s forum organised by Akintola Williams Deloitte on Tuesday, 8 March, 2011.

By James Ezema

International Wemen's day this week held in countries of the world. Last Tuesday, it was a day to educate women in the country on career and family as Akintola William Deloitte (AWD) held its International Women’s Day (IWD) Forum tagged “Charting a Career Path: Balancing Family, Career, and Relationships”.

At the event in Lagos were distinguished female role models, including Mrs. Oghogho Osula, MD Afribank Trustees & Asset Management Company ltd, Mrs. Tara Durotoye, CEO of House of Tara International, Mrs. Adesuwa Onyenokwe, CEO of Universal Communications Limited, Mrs. Bukky George, MD of Health Plus Pharmacy, and Mrs. Bisi Adeyemi, MD of Deloitte Corporate Services Limited, were present at the event.

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL) and its member firms used the occasion of this year's annual event to recognize the contributions of Deloitte women to the success of their local practices, firms and the global Deloitte organization. This is the third consecutive year that DTTL and its member firms are celebrating this day. At the Akintola Williams Deloitte 2011 International Women’s Day forum, opening remarks were given by Senior Partner, Akintola Williams Deloitte, Mrs. Uche Erobu.

“The aim of the day is to celebrate not only Deloitte women but also distinguished women outside Deloitte who continually strive for excellence and demonstrate leadership qualities that have made them successful role models in their careers and society”, said Mrs Erobu.

The event brought together all the female staff members and partners of Akintola Williams Deloitte in the Lagos office, including other invited guests, who took the opportunity to learn about what motivated the women to become successful in their chosen career. The speakers unanimously recognized that women are ‘multi-taskers,’ who continually strive to balance family, career and relationships.

Every speaker seemed to agree on these points: put God first in all that you set out to do, be determined to succeed against all odds, get the necessary qualifications that you need to advance your career or business, make time for life outside of work, and source for good hands to help with house chores or the children. They advised that employers should make the necessary effort to create flexible work time/ virtual office options for their staff members (especially for women). Women in the country were also advised not to despise ‘small beginnings’ in whatever career they choose as they eventually result to incremental steps that lead to success after they might have put in a period of hard-work, determination, passion, and relentless efforts in their ventures.

Particularly, Mrs. Bisi Adeyemi while advising career women to maintain a balance between career and family, she said when a woman is faced with the challenge of taking care of her home and career, "the woman has to prioritise. One need not suffer for the other", adding " you're asking yourself, how do I get there so as to pick up a child, how do I balance these? The reality of it is that it is difficult and I'm not going to tell you that it is easy or that there is a magic to it. But you have to manage it".

Bishop T.D. Jakes - Free Your Mind

2011: INEC Moves Against 87 Rigging Techniques Politicians Use

Ahead of 2011 general elections, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega Tuesday in Lagos, said the commission has documented 87 ways politicians in the country rigged previous elections and has vowed to frustrate election manipulators in the forthcoming elections.

The commission also reiterated its readiness to prosecute electoral offenders during the elections.

Prof. Jega maintained that the resolve to depart from the past where electoral fraud was not punished shall be demonstrated during the compilation of new voters' register later in the year as INEC has concluded arrangement to ensure that anyone who perpetrated illegality during the registration exercise was appropriately sanctioned.

He made this known at a roundtable discussion on "The Importance and Sanctity of Votes in the Electoral Process in Nigeria" organised by the United States International Visitors Leadership Programme Alumni Association, Lagos, Nigeria.

The event held under the chairmanship of Senator Joy Emodi, while in attendance were Mr. Femi Falana, Vice Consul, US Consulate General, Lagos, Mr. Matthew Trumbull, director, Muslim Rights Concern, Prof. Is-haq Akintola, Rev George Ashiru, some aspirants, among others.

Speaking on "Electoral Process and New Expectations", Jega, represented by Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, disclosed that during the registration of voters, direct data capturing machines will be assigned to each polling unit across the country and multiple registration will not only be detected by also sanctioned.

"The truth remains that the main trajectories of rigging elections in Nigeria have been well documented and studied and can be effectively countered.

"Let me inform you that when the new commission was put in place, there was a retreat at Obudu. The commission’s report was studied by members of the commission and in the report there was indication that there are about 87 ways of rigging elections that were discovered and since that time INEC has been doing everything possible block those loopholes", Prof Jega said.

He added: "Most of these things (rigging methods) has been documented and we are looking at all these ways and are blocking those loopholes and I want to assure you that there are several things in the registration procedure that will make us detect those who carry machines to their homes. There is no way they can remove the time the registration was done because if you register at 9 a.m. the machine will record it that you registered at 9 a.m."

He added" "INEC will make the registration exercise credible and ensure that the lapses of the past were completely removed. For example, the new direct data capturing machines is a clear departure from other machines used in the last registration exercise because, this time around, there are certain things that will be done to make multiple registration difficult, and also, there are sanctions for registration offences apart from the fact that the personnel the will be used will not be party agents and that will ensure that we capture a lot of people.

"One other unique aspect of it is the deployment of one machine to each polling unit. This will remove the problems of the past where people were always having problems during election time locating their names in specific polling unit. Since it is one machine per polling unit, it will remove such problems and you go to where you were registered definitely you will find your name there", Jega said.

According to him, following controversies generated by 2007 voters’ register, "INEC sampled 100 polling units from 19 randomly selected state. The results were alarming and include, among others massive inadequacies, underage registrants, hundreds of blank or blurred photographs and multiple registrations by the same persons. There is therefore the need for fresh voters’ register".

In tackling the problem, he disclosed that the commission has "developed new registration software that is completely owned by INEC for the exercise which has been and is currently being vigorously tested. The significance of the new software is that it will tackle many of the lingering challenges that had questioned the credibility of voters’ register. The system will no doubt lead to improvement in accuracy and convenience with which the Register can be revised and updated"

The INEC chairman furthered assured that over 3060, 000 ad-hoc staff required for the registration exercise will be traceable just as payment to them shall be done through their bank accounts, saying that "INEC has established a working relationship with the NYSC directorate and the NUC with a view to engaging youth corpers and senior Federal university students as ad-hoc staff".

Chairman of the occasion, Senator Joy Emodi in her remarks narrated how she was allegedly robbed her victory at the poll through judicial process, saying the court allegedly declared someone who did not campaign in the election winner.

She however call on women to join politics insisting that politics is not a dirty game as some people were made to believe saying, "when you sit in the comfort of your home and say that politics is dirty, charlatans and corrupt people will go there and they will rule over you".

On his part, human rights crusader and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana in his keynote address at the event said: "Jega will not succeed until we deal with the culture of impunity in the country", adding that the role of the State Security Service and other security agencies in ensuring credible elections must be redefined.

According to him, "the sanctity of votes goes beyond INEC. Government officials, those of us who are privileged, ad-hoc staff of INEC and the media, have we come to the stage where we regard injustice to one as injustice to all? And until we get to that stage, we’re not going to get it right. And that is the problem of the sanctity of votes", Mr. Falana noted.

I Don't Want Paradise, There's More Fun Otherside, says Soyinka

 


Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has called on the Inspector-General of Police to revoke the regulation compelling Nigerians to produce Police reports before they could be treated in an emergency.

Just as he said he was not preparing to go to paradise, describing the other side (Hell) as full of more fun.

Addressing a rally to mark the fifth anniversary of the death of late the founding secretary of the Campaign for Democracy (CD) in Lagos, Mr Chima Ubani, Professor Soyinka argued that the law is anti-Human and irrelevant.

The rally took place at Allen Avenue Roundabout in Ikeja addressed the Theme: “Chima Ubani: Five Years After”.

It will recalled that Ubani, aged 42, died in a ghastly motor accident on September 21, 2005 on his way from Maidugiri after a mass rally organized by a coalition of organized Labour and Civil Society groups against increases in petroleum product prices.

Until his death, Ubani, was a leader of the pro-democracy movement in Nigeria and a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience and had since 2003, been the executive director of the country's Civil Liberties Organization.

Soyinka said the late Ubani could have been alive if the various hospitals he was taken to after the accident had treated him immediately rather they were insisting on Police reports.
According to him, “These rules when enforced in such situations makes our society ridiculous and it hurts that someone like Ubani willing to give his life for the nation would be rejected for treatment.”

The nobel laureate, however, assured that the fundamental issues that Ubani died for has not been relegated adding that “these profound issues ay have been temporarily overshadowed but they would be pursued to the latter.”

Speaking further, he urged Nigerians to gird their loins as the nation makes another giant moves in re- defining itself in the 2011 polls by voting and protecting their votes.

In his remarks, Human Rights Lawyer and convener of United Action for Democracy, UAD, Mr Bamidele Aturu said that time has come for all progressives and civil society groups in Nigeria to come together under one umbrella to fight to save the nation.

The legal luminary called on Nigerians to resist any attempt from any government to sell the nation’s public institutions adding that “it is wrong to sell institutions that would make life unbearable for the people.”

Besides, he criticized the toll currently being operated by the Lagos State Government on the Lekki expressway.

In her solidarity message, President of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Dr Joe Odumakin, said that the 2011 elections is the last opportunity Nigerians have to decide how they would be led.

She said “we must all struggle to ensure that we vote out those whose pedigrees have impacted negatively on the nation’s democracy.”

In her brief remarks, widow of the late Ubani, Ochuwa Ubani said that there is need for Nigerians to uphold the ideals and struggle for which Ubani died for.

According to her, “I was not an activist but with Chima’s death, y hear was challenged to become one because I realized that there is need to keep talking against the ills of society. My cry is not because Nigeria is backward. My cry is because many people have given up challenging the Leaders and those that made us backward.”

Comrades, you all know why we’re here today. It’s to remember a fighter who fell in the struggle. Now, there are many kinds of death; there are what are sometimes known as natural deaths, there are others which are definitely contrived, for which somebody should be held responsible. Among the direct deaths, you’ll remember all those who were assassinated on the roads, in their bedrooms during the reign of one of the most treacherous presidents we ever had in this nation. More assassinated on took place during those eight years than any time in our history.

But there have been other deaths also sometimes called force of nature; accidents and so on. I disagree with all those expressions. Some of those deaths bear a stigma; there is a stigma on those who are indirectly responsible and the rest of us.

Soyinka's words: 
I made it a point of duty of coming here today because I have a special message for the Inspector-General of Police. And that message came about for the simple reason that I have asked myself again, again and again: Why do people like Chima Ubani die? Who is really responsible for their deaths? We know he died on active duty.

Chima was a young comrade, very close also to the Beko Ransome-Kuti with whom who incidentally started this party of the people which will be launched on Saturday and have been in existence all along but will be launched formerly this Saturday at Airport Hotel, Ikeja. You all are invited. And Beko, very, very close Comrade and Chima were in fact to come to Benin for the inaugural meeting but Chima was sent on an errand which was far more important and that was why he was not at the inaugural meeting on that day. And it is symbolic that this party will be launched a few days after this memorial.

Now, back to my message, and the thrust of this message was a funeral that just happened just about a few days ago. The deceased worked not too far from here. And why did he die? A careless driver mould him down with about five other people. This individual will be with us today if the stupid anti-human regulations that govern the conduct of those who are supposed to protect our security., if those rules were not in force. Maybe Chima also would have been alive today if those rules were not being enforced.

And what happened was a good Samaritan, as the expression goes, picked up this man who was still breathing, injured, still savable and he went to, I repeat, eight hospitals; they went from one hospital to the other and these clinics will not admit this patient unless he had a police report.

Look, I don’t know in what kind of society this kind of barbarism is allowed to happen; that a patient, a seriously injured individual, a citizen like ourselves, like any of you, will be taken from one clinic to the other, bleeding, and rejected because there is a regulation, I’m not even aware that there is even a law; I think it’s just a regulation that you must bring a police report.

Well, I don’t know if you get to the gates of the Paradise you need police report but if you do, I hope it’s not from our policemen which is guarding the gates of Paradise because I know all of us here will be rejected. I mean, I’m not going there anyway; I have no intention of going there. It’s more fun on the other side. But for those of you that are going there, if the gates are guarded by the Nigeria Police, angel Gabriel or whoever will turn you back and say go and say go and bring police report.

So, it’s a ridiculous society, which we live in and one of thing is, we owe many, many things to memory.

And this one, which is a very simple one, ok, we can talk about protection of ballot, it requires mobilisation, we can talk about democratic mandate, imperativeness of democracy in this country, we can talk about renegades or reprobates who still want to come back and rule this country; that requires organisation, we can talk about the ridiculous document of enslavement called the Nigerian Constitution, and issues which Chima Ubani was one of the pillars of organisation.

You remember that on the PRONACO, of course, I remember Chima’s work; a number of times he travelled throughout the whole nation, fire fighting, mobilising, to ensure that there was maximum participation in the fashioning of an alternative draft constitution that genuinely emerge from the people.

On that kind of absurd and others that Ubani died and it really hurts me that somebody who is engaged on behalf of you and me, can suffer an accident be rejected treatment in eight, I repeat, eight hospitals. This event took place in the last few days.

So, one of the things we can remember and establish against the present norm and remember and honour Ubani for, is to call on the Inspector-General of Police and insist, not next week, not next month, not next year but even today, that this stupid, thoughtless kind of regulation be revoked because it is anti-human.

2011: Jonathan Must Resign, IBB Unfit to Rule at 70 – Action Group

Following President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan declaration of his intention to contest 2011 presidential election on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a pressure group, known as Action Group of Nigeria today expressed strong reservations about the entrance of both President Jonathan and General Ibrahim Babangida into the 2011 presidential race.


Speaking through its national coordinator, Chief Olawale Okunniyi in Abuja, the pro-democracy group said pundits opinion have shown that the ambition of both PDP leaders is being currently pushed against free and fair elections as well as the stability of Nigeria.


The group during its quarterly review of the march towards the 2011 elections warned that the entrance of both gladiators poses great threat to credible elections and the future of the country.


Okunniyi said Babangida though professing to have repented from his past errors may not have the strength and stamina at 70 to positively correct his past mistakes in view of the increased complexity of a big country like Nigeria and the current trend in the world


He said the former president may therefore end up at the mercy of a clique of his military acolytes, if he wins as his antecedence and inclinations to junta and high handed politics betrays.


He said given old wounds there is every likelihood that the Southwest and the progressives will revolt against his government to foist a tenure of unrest and instability on the country


AGN said though President Jonathan is constitutionally qualified to run he may also have started digging the grave of his promises to deliver free, fair and credible elections, if he, as the numero uno of a government that is expected to conduct the elections suddenly become a major participant in the same election.


The group however advised Jonathan to resign as president if he must run in order to guarantee free and fair elections in 2011.


“For the world and especially the pro zoning north to believe that president Jonathan wins on his own merit and not through the coercion of incumbency, he must first and foremost resign and put in place an interim administration of eminent Nigerians from the 6 geo political zones to manage the affairs of the country throughout the period of electioneering “


Where is the fairness if Goodluck Jonathan runs in an election he is conducting? The group retorted


The PRONACO Spokesman also hinted that the group in the interest of the hard won democracy will formally write Jonathan to resign before contesting the 2011 election to prevent ugly fall outs from a perceived uneven contest by the North.


AGN said in the light of the ethnic strife that have since characterised the 2011 elections it is supporting the convocation of the all politician summit to be convened next month Abuja by the 24 eminent leaders of thoughts.