One Killed As Pro-Biafra Protests Ground Anambra, Imo, Asaba

A man lost his life on Friday in Onitsha after a protest by the
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) got out of control in the
commercial city.

Commercial and social activities were disrupted for much of the day in
Onitsha and environs, Asaba,Delta State, and Owerri, where protesters
demanding an independent Biafra and release of Biafran agitator Nnamdi
Kanu from detention clashed with security agents.

The Police warned against violence, vowing to resist violence by the
agitators, who they said planned to embark on " ill-advised protests
using dangerous weapon across some South Eastern States."

The protests disrupted vehicular movement along the Onitsha-Enugu
Expressway, Onitsha-Owerri Road, and roads in Uga-Atani-Ogaru Local
Government area, Nsugbe, Nkwelle Ezunaka Roads, Old and New Market
Roads, Nkpor, Ogidi, Obosi Roads all in Anambra state.

The result was a massive traffic jam within and outside Onitsha.

The circumstances of the death of the victim were not immediately clear.

Some sources said he was shot by the police, an allegation denied by the police.

The Onitsha Police Area Commander Philip Ezekiel said emphatically
that the police were not responsible for the man's death as there was
no clash whatsoever between the protesters and the police anywhere in
the state.

Another source said the man was killed by members of a vigilance group.

Three persons were allegedly injured.

Markets were shut between 7am and 2.30pm.

While some traders loitered around to see if the situation might allow
them open their shops for business, others stayed back at home for
fear of being attacked.

The Anambra State government had announced asked market leaders to
ensure that the markets were opened for business.

Shut were the Onitsha Main Market, Ochanja Central Market Onitsha, New
Tyre Market Nkpor, New Auto Spare Parts Market Nkpor, Building
Materials Market Ogidi, Ugwuagba Market Obosi, Electronics Market
Onitsha, Bridge Head Market Onitsha.

Thousands of IPOB supporters had gathered round the Emeka
Odumegwu-Ojukwu Statue by the Niger Bridge Head chanting and dancing
Pro Ojukwu and Biafran songs.

From that spot they marched to the Upper Iweka Flyover denouncing the
Federal Government, Police and the Army in their songs.

They also asked for the immediate release of Kanu and other Biafran
activists from security custody.

Kanu, one of the brains behind Radio Biafra, was arrested over three
weeks ago and charged with acts prejudicial to national security.

A large number of armed soldiers and policemen were deployed on the streets

The situation was not different in nearby Asaba, the Delta State
capital and Agbor.

It was gathered that the protesters took off from Agbor and moved
to Asaba in a motorcade causing a gridlock on the Benin-Onitsha.

The protesters wore no shirts and adorned their heads and left arms
with palm fronds while chanting solidarity songs.

They described Kanu's continued detention as uncalled for and totally
unacceptable.

It was gathered that security operatives fired canisters of tear
gas at the protesters at the Summit Junction with a view to disbanding
the gathering.'Some of them were arrested.

A protester, Chineye Udeoba said : "we are Biafrans. My father is 72
years old and he is older than Nigeria. He is a Biafran, I am a
Biafran and we all here are Biafrans. We the indigenous people of
Biafra are ready to go. We want to be on our own.

Mrs. Judith Ihebiehi told journalists that the detained Kanu was the
voice of Biafra, insisting that it was wrong for the Federal
Government to detain him as he did nothing to deserve any
punishment.

The protesters were however, denied access into the Government House
by security operatives who were on guard. No official of the state
government addressed them.

A combined team of security operatives disrupted the protest by IPOB)
in Owerri,the Imo state capital.

The security operatives who were made up of the Army,

Police and Civil Defence Corps, dispersed the over 500 IPOB members
who were stationed at strategic locations in the state capital.

Some of the protesters had hoisted the Biafra flag and other insignia
of the group on electric poles and residential buildings before the
heavily armed security men took over the streets.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relation Officer, Andrew
Enwerem, said the action of the police was a normal security patrol.

He said "each situation determines action. What you saw them doing is
not unusual, it is called visibility policing, it is okay"

Enugu, on the contrary was generally calm, with residents going about
their normal business.

People with engagements associated with weekends were on course
preparing for such engagements like burial, wedding an birthday etc.

But earlier in the day, a detachment of the Nigerian Army in full
combat outfit drove round some major roads ostensibly to warn trouble
makers to be wary of their presence.

Although no official statement was given for the military exercise,
residents saw it as normal regimental exercise.º

Police Inspector General Solomon Arase, warned IPOB to discontinue
its plans to embark on a violent protest.

The Police, in a statement yesterday by its Spokesperson, Olabisi
Kolawole said that information available to it suggested plan by the
group to embark on ill-advised protest using dangerous weapon across
some South Eastern States.

The Police said that the law prohibiting unlawful possession of
firearms is still in place adding that attempt by the group to embark
on the protest will be met with stiff resistance from the police and
other security agencies.

The Police said: "any attempt to unleash mayhem on innocent and law
abiding Nigerians under any guise by this group will be met with
stiff resistance from the Police and other security agencies, the
actors will be brought to justice in line with extant criminal laws".

The police boss however assured citizens in the South-Eastern States
of adequate protection, as appropriate Police deployment has been
emplaced to deal with any group or persons who might be bent on
breaching public peace and threatening national security.

The police in Yenagoa confirmed yesterday that they arrested more than
80 pro-Biafra agitators during one of a series of protests across the
Southeast against the detention of the group's leader.

The 78 men and five women were detained in a motorpark in Yenagoa, the
capital of Bayelsa state, "because they want to foment troubles and
unleash mayhem" said Bayelsa police spokesman Anisim Butswat.

Witnesses reported other rallies in at least four other areas, and one
activist said police fired tear gas at marchers from Imo state walking
to Bayelsa state border, though there was no independent confirmation.

-NewsDay

Taraba Ruling: Evidence Of FG Interference – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Saturday's Taraba
State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal judgment in favour of
the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, in the April 11
elections, Mrs Aisha Alhassan as "another evidence of executive
interference" in the judiciary.

The party said the reason given by the tribunal for arriving at what
it termed "bizarre decision" is intriguing and further exposed the
"contradictions and double standards" inherent in most tribunal
rulings against PDP interests recently.

A statement on Saturday by PDP national publicity secretary, Mr Olisa
Metuh, said the Taraba State tribunal ruling "brought to the fore the
organized plan by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC federal
government to deploy all unorthodox means to decimate the opposition."

The PDP said if the tribunal is faulting the party's primaries as
basis for its decision, it then means that no APC gubernatorial
candidate can stand the test, as their party never had acceptable
primaries in any of their states.

The party said it was "totally confounded by the brazing (sic) show of
power" by the executive and warned that the development "clearly
portends grave danger to the country's democracy, national cohesion
and development."

The party called on its members across the country, especially in
Taraba State to remain undaunted "as the appellate courts would
restore its well-deserved victory."

It said "evidence that Taraba ruling was a product of Presidency
manipulation can be deduced from the fact that few hours before the
judgment was delivered, the APC had arrogantly announced their victory
on the new media.

"It is rather curious and a great conflict of irony that the Taraba
tribunal sitting in Abuja on security grounds faulted the conduct of
PDP primaries shifted to the same Abuja on security reasons."

-ChannelsTV

Election Tribunal Removes Taraba Governor, Declares Aisha Alhassan Winner

The Taraba State Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja has
removed Taraba governor, Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) and has declared Alhaja Aisha Alhassan of All Progressives
Congress (APC) winner of April 11, 2015 governorship election.

The Taraba State Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja has
removed Taraba governor, Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) and has declared Alhaja Aisha Alhassan of All Progressives
Congress (APC) winner of April 11, 2015 governorship election.

Alhassan who appointed minister by President Muhammadu Buhari and
confirmed by the senate contested her loss at the governorship
election after early reports had indicated that she was in the lead
and poised to win the election.

Prior the judgment, the courtroom was filled with lawyers and
supporters of the two parties as well as journalists.
Also present in court was Taraba State Deputy Governor, Mr Haruna Manu
and Alhassan, a minister-designate.

The tribunal Chairman, Justice Musa Abubakar, had on October 7
reserved judgment indefinitely after hearing the final submissions of
the counsels.

In his final address, the lead counsel to the petitioners, Mr Mahmoud
Magaji (SAN), asked the tribunal to return Mrs Alhassan as the duly
elected governor of Taraba State.

The Counsel to the governor, Mr Kanu Agabi (SAN) prayed the court to
dismiss the petition, describing it as lacking in merit.

Justice Abubakar ruled that Ishaku of the PDP was not qualified to
contest for the April 11 governorship election because he was not
properly nominated to contest on the platform of the party.

The tribunal added that the PDP failed to conduct primary for Taraba
State governorship election in line with Section 177 of Nigeria's
Constitution.

Aisha Buhari Visits Rev. Fr Mbaka In Enugu; See Why (Photos)

After holding another edition of her women health initiative project
tagged "Aishatu Buhari women health initiative" at the queens school
Enugu and screening over 2000 women for free,Mrs Aisha Buhari paid a
courtesy visit to Enugu Catholic priest andthe founder of Adoration
Ministry, Rev Fr. Ejike Mbaka.

Prior to the visit,Mrs. Buhari was received by the wife of the
governor of Enugu state Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi and other dignitaries. She
addressed a mammoth crowd of women at Queens School Enugu.

Speaking while addressing the mammoth crowd at the initiative, Mrs
Aisha Buhari said all hands must be on deck in the fight against seven
ailments that severely affect women which include cervical and breast
cancer, diabetes, hypertension and more.

Nigeria Beats Mexico To Set Up All-African Final Against Mali

Holders Nigeria have reached their second consecutive final thanks to
a thrilling 4-2 victory against Mexico in Concepcion.

Mexico opened the scoring through Kevin Magana, with stunning efforts
from Kelechi Nwakali and Orji Okwonkwo seeing the African side ahead.
Diego Cortes's remarkable solo effort levelled matters, before
Osinachi Ebere and Victor Osimhen's late record-equalling penalty saw
the Golden Eaglets into an all-African final against Mali.


Mexico controlled the ball in the opening stages of the match, and
took the lead early on. Kevin Lara beat his man on the Mexican right
and delivered a teasing cross into the middle. Aguirre tried to
control with his chest, but Magana took charge and fired home.

Emmanuel Amuneke's side began to grow into the game, with Kelechi
Nwakali hitting a low drive from the edge of the Mexican penalty area
with his venomous drive stinging the palms of Romero before the ball
was cleared away.

The game see-sawed back Mexico's way, with a free-kick from the
Mexican left headed goalwards by Jose Esquivel. The chance forced a
superb point blank stop by Akpan Udoh, onto the crossbar and
eventually cleared behind.

Nigeria rode their luck, with a couple of good Mexican opportunities
and after riding the storm, managed to level things up thanks to the
superb technique of their captain. Nwakali lined up a free-kick from
around 25 yards, and curled a perfect effort into the bottom left-hand
corner. Romero stood no chance.

Amuneke's charges sensed their opponents were on the back foot, and
Okwonkwo took advantage, producing one of the moments of the
tournament to see his side ahead. He cut inside from the left onto his
right foot and thumped an effort in off the crossbar.

After the break, Mexico took time to reassert their rhythm after the
shock of going behind. Cortes then stepped up to score what must be
considered one of the best goals ever scored in the Estadio Ester Roa.
He picked up the ball on the Mexican right just inside the Nigerian
half and proceeded to dribble past five players, showing incredible
close control before slotting calmly past Udoh.

Nigeria were undeterred by Cortes's golazo and struck back. Ebere
found space on the Nigerian right just inside the Mexican penalty area
after a long through ball. His right-footed effort was too strong for
Romero, who got a hand to the strike but could not keep it out.
John Lazarus was taken down in the Mexican penalty area, giving
Osimhen the chance to score his ninth goal of Chile 2015 and go level
at the top of the all-time U-17 World Cup goalscoring charts. He
slotted home with ease, adding gloss to the Golden Eaglets victory.

Nigeria head to Vina Del Mar on Sunday for an all-African final
against continental champions Mali while Mexico will face off against
Belgium in the match for third place earlier the same day.
-Vanguard

Man Beats Wife To Death In Enugu, Absconds

A middle-aged man at Aku, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu
State, allegedly beat his wife to death over a misunderstanding.

The deceased, identified as Mrs Angela Oyibo, 36, was said to have
engaged her husband, Charles Oyibo, 50, in a heated argument. He
allegedly pounced on her and gave her the beating of her life.

Vanguard reports that the attack led to her being rushed to the
hospital, where doctors battled unsuccessfully to save her life.
It was learned that her husband escaped to an unknown destination,
having discovered that she did not survive the attack.

An eyewitness said the deceased was beaten into a state of
unconsciousness, adding that efforts to save her life proved futile.

The eyewitness said: "She was unable to raise her hands and legs; she
was totally weak.

"People suspected she may be pregnant, but the doctors that attended
to her before she died are in a better position to state her condition
before her death.

"None of the people that rushed her to the hospital can tell what the
problem with her husband that led to that kind of beating was."

Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, who
confirmed the incident, said investigations had since commenced,
adding that a manhunt for the fleeing killer-husband was ongoing.

-Vanguard

Tension As MASSOB Gives Military Ultimatum

The Movement for Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra
(MASSOB) has given the Nigerian military 48 hours ultimatum to release
its members supposedly held by the soldiers.

Today reports that Tony Nwodo, the regional administrator for Nnewi
south local government area gave this ultimatum in Onitsha on
Wednesday, November 4.

Nwodo threatened that Anambra would be shut down if the men supposedly
apprehended men are not released.

"We will shut down Anambra state if the five arrested members are not
released within 48 hours."

He gave the men's names as Eugene Odoh, Friday Nwoye, Sunday Amaechi,
Chuma Okonkwo and Ebuka Okolo.

H claimed that Eugene was arrested from his shop and that his money
was also stolen.

"Eugene Odoh was picked from his shop at 2, Chukwurah Street, off Awka
Road, Onitsha, this evening. They stormed his shop with six Hilux and
a Sienna buses.

"They ransacked his shop and N50,000 was missing and up till now, his
whereabouts and four others are unknown.

"These four others were picked from their homes and on the road
without committing any offence."

The pro-Biafra leader warned that MASSOB would show the military its
strength if the men are not released within the specified period.

"We will not take this if they are not released after 48 hours, we
will show the military the stuff we are made of even if we are a
nonviolent body fighting to actualize a sovereign state of Biafra."

As the quest for Biafra steps up, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo
state has dissociated southeast governors and leaders from the
pro-Biafra groups and declared support for President Buhari and the
continued existence of Nigeria.

-NigeriaBulletin

Chimamanda Adichie’s Half Of A Yellow Sun Wins ‘Best Of The Best’ Baileys Prize

HALF of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adich­ie has been named 'Best
of the Best' of the winners of the second decade of the Baileys
Women's Prize for Fiction. The announcement was made on Monday, at the
Pic­cadilly Theatre in London.

The 'Best of the Best' was chosen from 10 novels that have won the
prize in the past decade. Chairs of the judging pan­els read from each
of the 10 prize-winning novels before the 'Best of the Best'
an­nouncement.

On the award, Adichie, from Abba in Njikoka Local Government Area of
Anam­bra State, said: "I have a lot of respect for the books that have
won awards in the past 10 years and also for the books that have been
short­listed – I feel I am in very good company.

"To be selected as 'Best of the Best' of the past decade is such an
honour. I'm very grateful and very happy."

Half of a Yellow Sun won the Bailey's Women's Prize in 2007 (when it
was still known as the Orange Prize).

Muriel Gray, chair of judges, said: "While it's sometimes pompous to
call a book 'important', it's ap­propriate to say it of Half of a
Yellow Sun. Chimam­anda's achievement makes Half of a Yellow Sun not
just a worthy winner of this most special of prizes, but a benchmark
for excellence in fiction writing." The announcement marks the climax
of celebrations to mark 20 years of the prize.

In a double win for Adich­ie, Half of a Yellow Sun was also the
public's choice for the "Best of the Best" award in a vote hosted on
the BBC website.

The Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction is the world's most prestigious
annual book award for fic­tion written by a woman. Established in
1996, it cel­ebrates and promotes fiction by women throughout the
world to the widest range of readers possible.

-TheSunNews

Saraki To Defend Self, As His Lawyers Walk Away From CCT Trial

Nigeria's senate president, Bukola Saraki will defend himself at the
Code of Conduct Tribunal after his legal team staged a walk out over
verdict on stay of proceedings.

The former Kwara state governor is tried for false asset declaration
and has a 13-count charge against him.

CCT has now adjourned Saraki's trial to November 19.

On the conduct of his legal team, Justice Danladi Umar of the CCT said
that Saraki's legal team disrespected the court.

More details to follow…

Why We Don’t Speak Igbo At Our Meetings – Ohanaeze

The umbrella association of all Igbo cultural unions, Ohanaeze Ndigbo,
has given reasons for Igbo language not being spoken at Igbo
gatherings by Ndigbo.

PHOTO: Chief Clark, Alhaji Musa, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Femi Falana and Pat Utomi


Former National Secretary of Ohanaeze, Professor Ben Nwabueze, SAN,
who spoke, lamented that Ndigbo do not speak the Igbo language to
themselves because most of them were promoting their various dialects
instead of speaking the central Igbo.
There are as many Igbo dialects as there are communities.

Nwabueze, who spoke at an Igbo language programme organized by the
Igbo Youth Movement, IYM, for secondary school students in Enugu, said
that Ohanaeze Ndigbo once decided that its meetings and activities
would be conducted in Igbo, but this did not work because there were
several Igbo dialects spoken in various parts of Igbo nation unlike
Hausa or Yoruba which had acceptable central language.

"We once said at an Ohanaeze meeting that all our meetings would be
conducted in Igbo because we realized that our language was dying, but
this did not work. The first day we decided that we must speak Igbo in
our meetings, the late governor of Anambra State, Chief C. C. Onoh
spoke his own brand of WAWA Igbo.

"Onoh spoke at length and most people did not understand what he was
saying. Every other person spoke his own dialect and at the end,
nobody spoke Igbo again at Ohanaeze because none of us understood one
another's dialect," he said.

Also contributing, the former Registrar of the West African
Examinations Council, WAEC, and now traditional ruler, Professor
Chukwuemeka Ike, blamed the inability of Ndigbo to speak Igbo on the
missionaries who established schools in Igbo land.

Ike said that when he went to the then Government College, Umuahia in
the present Abia State, it was an offence to speak Igbo in the school
premises.

"When I went to Government College, it was an offence to speak Igbo in
the school then. When I left the college, I travelled overseas for
further studies. Writers should publish their books in both English
and Igbo languages …," he added.

Also speaking, the former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, said that
Igbo language should not be allowed to die.

On why Ndigbo do not speak their language, Ekwueme said that this was
because, "English language is a predator to Igbo," just as Hausa is
the predator to Angas, spoken by the former Head of State, General
Yakubu Gowon's people.

"Gowon's father was the leader of his people in the Anglican Church.
The Bible was first translated to Angas language, but nobody read it
because Hausa is predator to Angas. Igbo Bible is not read because
English is the predator to Igbo.

"The Hausa Bible which was translated after the Angas Bible is widely
read, but that of the Angas did not sell," he said.

John Okafor, aka Ibu, an actor, also lamented that the average "Igbo
child cannot tell you where he comes from. He will tell you that
his/her father has not told him the name of his village. This is not
good. We must speak our language," Ibu said.

-Vanguard

Ihedioha Lashes Back At Okorocha, Denies Asking To Join APC

Former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives and Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP governorship candi­date in Imo State, Rt. Hon. Emeka
Ihedioha yesterday described the statement credited to Governor
Ro­chas Okorocha that he had asked him to join All Pro­gressives
Congress, APC and become Senate Presi­dent as falsehood.

Governor Okorocha while giving account of his stewardship for past
four years on Monday has stat­ed that the former deputy speaker would
have still be relevant in politics today if he had accepted his plea
for him to contest the sena­torial seat of Owerri zone in order to
become the Sen­ate President.

Reacting in a statement by his Media Assistant, Chibuike Onyeukwu,
yes­terday, Ihedioha described the governor's statement as
diversionary and false­hood in its entirety and something that could
only come from a feeble mind.

"Although we find the Governor's acknowledge­ment of Rt. Hon.
Ihedio­ha's capacity to chair the National Assembly a well known fact
and therefore needless to emphasize, we however wish to state that the
statement is in its en­tirety, false, diversionary and indeed could
only have come from a man, very well known for his penchant for
falsehood."

Ihedioha stated categori­cally that Governor Okoro­cha did not visit
him before the elections to plead with him to jettison his ambition.
"The only time Governor Okorocha visited me was in 2013 in company of
Senator Osita Izunaso to condole me on the death of my younger
sister," adding that there was no way they could have discussed
politics in such solemn moment.

The statement further added: "Even if he did, Chief Ihedioha wouldn't
have yielded to his ill- in­formed advice because the entire Imo
citizens yearned, and still yearn for the former Deputy Speaker of the
House of Represen­tatives to address the un­told hardship that has
rav­aged the state based on his sterling qualities and track record of
achievements.

"It is unfortunate that the courts couldn't consid­er our petition
against the declaration of Governor Okorocha by INEC as the winner of
the polls, which would have exposed the fraud and massive rigging that
skewed the election in favour of...

-NationalMirror

Buhari Insists There Will Be Ministers Without Portfolio

t is now confirmed that the screening and confirmation of the
ministers has been concluded.

This is because the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has handed
over the final list of ministers who scaled through the confirmation
process.

During the meeting in the Presidential Villa, the President again
explained that the Federal Government might not be able to fund all
the existing ministries, given the unavailability of funds.

President Buhari emphasized that his administration would not have 36
ministries because of the economic downturn.

Recieving the list of 36 ministerial nominees confirmed by the Senate
from Dr Bukola Saraki, he commended the Senate for a job well done,
especially as the National Assembly passed all the names he submitted.

Telling his critics that they cannot stop him from telling the country
the truth, he insisted that some of the ministers would stay without
portfolio following an economy that has been battered.

The Senate President himself acknowledged the economic challenges
facing the country and said that the issue of portfolios should not be
trivialized.

There have been expectations that President Buhari would assign
portfolios to his ministers during the week as a source from the
Presidency said that it is most likely that the President finalises
all plans on the list and might make final pronouncement on the
matter.

The source also said that the list of ministers which has gone viral
on the web should be disregarded as those who published those names
and portfolios were merely making guesses.

-ChannelsTV

Fire Razes Building, Destroys N200m Property In Onitsha

Over N200 million worth of property was destroyed yesterday when an
inferno engulfed a three-storey building in Nkpor junction in
Onitsha, Anambra State.

The fire was said to have been caused by chemicals stored in drums in
one of the three-storey buildings at No 1 Afam Uzugwu in Nkpor
junction . An eyewitness, Mr. Clement Okeh said the fire started from
a three-storey building and spread to other surrounding buildings
before the fire service stopped it from spreading.

The Vice Chairman of Red Cross Society in Anambra, Prof Peter Katchy
confirmed that one lady, who jumped from the three-storey building
sustained injury and is currently receiving treatment.
Katchy said the fire was caused by explosion from chemicals packed in
drums in the building, saying that the fire service from Okpoko
responded promptly but the intensiveness of the fire, made them to
alert another fire service from Awka to support them to put out the
fire.

He, however, warned residents against keeping any flammable material
or object in the house to avoid explosion or fire outbreak.
Some of the victims of the fire, Mr. Afamefuna Okwuora and Mr. Peter
Nzele, whose flats were completely destroyed by the fire, said they
lost property worth over N3 million, calling on federal and state
governments and corporate bodies as well as good spirited individuals
to come to their aid.

-TheSunNews

Oscar Pistorius Faces Fresh Legal Hurdle

SOUTH African judges have heard an appeal on whether athlete Oscar
Pistorius should be convicted of murder instead of culpable homicide.

The Paralympian was transferred to house arrest last month after
serving one year of his five-year term for killing his girlfriend
Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius, 28, shot her through a locked toilet door in 2013 but
insists he thought she was an intruder.

No date was set for the judgement that could see Pistorius return to prison.

Pistorius and his family did not attend the hearing at South Africa's
Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein. Ms Steenkamp's mother, June,
was present, as well as some women activists of the governing African
National Congress who said they came to show solidarity with her.

The proceedings were broadcast live on television.

State prosecutor Gerrie Nel outlined the state's case for the verdict
to be changed to murder from culpable homicide, or manslaughter.

The five appeal court judges did not consider the facts but the
application of the law, in a highly technical case. What is on
everybody's lips is what Pistorius' lawyer Barry Roux was overheard
saying at the end of the hearing. "I'm going to lose", he is reported
to have said in a conversation with Mr Nel while their microphones
were still open.

Nigerian Ebola Survivor Gives Birth To Baby Girl

A Nigerian doctor who was infected with Ebola virus and survived has
given birth to a baby girl in California.

According to a statement issued by the World Health Organisation,
"First Consultant Medical Centre officially announces that resident
staff and Ebola Survivor, Dr. Ada Igonoh gave birth to a baby girl a
few hours ago.The baby girl weighing 9 pounds 1 ounce was born at the
Greater El-Monte Community Hospital, California.

Dr. Igonoh is the only female medical doctor to have survived the
deadly disease. Since her conception, Dr. Ada has been placed under
medical surveillance to ensure that her child is Ebola-Free. The baby,
upon birth, has been certified Ebola-free.

To mark this wonderful news, the staff and friends of First
Consultants Medical Centre are jubilant in celebration as they welcome
a new lease of life to the institution and in memory of fallen
colleagues and Survivors of Ebola.

The World Health Organization, in concert with the Centre for Disease
Control, formally declared Nigeria Ebola-Free on October 20, 2014.

Abia Governorship Election Tribunal Upholds Ikpeazu’s Election

The Abia Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia,
on Tuesday upheld the declaration of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as governor of
the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

In an 85-minute judgment delivered by the Chairman, Hon. Justice Usman
Bwala, the tribunal said that the petitioners, Dr. Alex Otti and the
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), did not prove their claim to
have won the election "beyond doubt".

Bwala said that the petitioners had on one hand, urged the court to
nullify the election on grounds that it was marred by irregularities
and massive fraud and on the other hand, sought that they should be
declared winners of the same election.

He said that the petitioners reckoned with the card reader as a means
of accreditation during the election of April 11 but failed to
countenance with the voter register.

The tribunal further refused to grant the petitioners' request for it
to uphold the cancellation of the results of the election in Obingwa,
Osisioma and Isiala-Ngwa North Local Government Areas of the state.

Bwala said that the State Returning Officer, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba,
was not allowed under the law, to cancel the said results in the first
place, hence the subsequent reversal by him had no effect.

He said that the onus lay heavily on the petitioners to prove beyond
doubt that they won the election as they claimed in their petition.

The tribunal chairman, therefore, dismissed the petition because of
the failure of the petitioners to convince the tribunal beyond doubt
that they won the election.

NAN reports that Otti had urged the tribunal to annul the decalaration
of Ikpeazu as governor, saying that the election was marred by
irregularities and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

He, however, urged the tribunal to declare him (Otti) the winner on
account of the lawful votes cast during the election.

He also asked the tribunal to uphold Ozumba's cancellation of the
results for Obingwa, Osisioma and Isiala-Ngwa North LGAs.

He said that Ozumba, having cancelled the results, did not have the
power to cancel the result and reverse himself, adding that only the
tribunal had the power to reverse the cancellation.

Reacting to the judgment, Counsel to the petitioners, Mr Ndionyenma
Nwankwo, said that the legal team would study the judgment and decide
on the next line of action to take.

Counsels to Ikpeazu and the Peoples Democratic Party, Messrs Chubuike
Nwokeukwu and Haggler Okorie, commended the tribunal for its judgment,
which they described as sound and founded on law.

Abia House Launches Investigation Into Alleged Fulani Republic In Ohafia

THE Abia State House of Assembly has ordered an investigation into the
reported putting up of a sign post with the inscription "Fulani
Republic" near the 14 Brigade Army Barracks, Ohafia Council Area of
the State.

The House also recalled its former Minority Leader, Sir Abraham Oba,
who was suspended about three months ago following the position of his
party on the N30 billion bonds the government wanted to secure.

The investigation by the House followed a petition brought by the
member representing Ohafia South constituency, Chief Uchendu Ifeanyi,
which drew the attention of the House to the alleged "Fulani Republic"
sign post mounted by Fulani herdsmen.

According to Uchendu, the said sign post "posed threat to peace in his
constituency" because it created the impression that the herdsmen had
taken over that portion of land where they grazed their cattle.

The committee which has Chikwendu Kanu representing Isiala Ngwa South
Constituency, as Chairman, was charged with the responsibility to
establish if the said "Fulani Republic" land was part of the Army land
and how the Fulani came into its alleged occupation. The committee is
to submit its report next Wednesday.

Activities of Fulani cattle herdsmen in some Abia communities have
become a source of great worry to the people because the cattle cause
huge damage to crops and farmlands in these rural communities where
the breeders illegally and brazenly colonize as grazing grounds and
dared the land owners for a showdown when challenged.

Besides the damage on crops and other farm produce, the aggressive
nature of the Fulani cattle guards is more of concern to any community
they invade.
They are always armed to the teeth with dangerous weapons, including
AK47, charms and deadly daggers and machetes and are ready to attack
the farm owners at the least provocation.

There have been reports of clashes between the herdsmen and farmers in
some Abia communities of Uzoakoli in Bende Local Government Area, Ebem
and Akanu in Ohafia and Umuchieze in Umunneochi of deadly clashes
between rural farmers and the cattle breeders.

In Ozuakoli for instance, a man popularly known in the areas as
Ajambele sometime in the past received a deadly attack when he
confronted Fulani cattle herdsmen who invaded his farmland with their
cattle and he met the cattle destroying his farm in the Over Rail area
of the community.

-Vanguard

Woman Arranges Friend’s Gang-Rape

Police in Lagos have arrested a 20-year-old lady, who admitted to
setting up her friend to be gang raped after a misunderstanding
between them.

The victim (names withheld) was reportedly ambushed by six armed men,
suspected to be cultists, at about 8p.m., around Olaosebikan Street in
Somolu area of Lagos.

The gunmen, said to have earlier propositioned her, which she
rejected, took turns on her for over four hours inside an apartment at
Elewure's House, around Bajulaiye Compound, where she was taken.

The suspected cultists, it was gathered, accused the victim, a
computer operator, of accepting a member of a rival cult group as a
lover.

The victim, who gave the names of the suspects (withheld) to policemen
at Alade Division, said two of them saw her off to a street close to
hers, from where she walked home.

Police frees suspect

Vanguard reports that one of the suspects was arrested at a hotel
located off Bajulaye Street, but was released.

It was gathered that during investigation, the victim's friend,
identified as Vera, allegedly masterminded the incident and was
arrested last Saturday.

Police sources hinted that Vera admitted to the claim, saying she did
it out of bitterness.

The police source said: "She said it was after an argument that she
threatened to deal with the victim. A few days later, the victim was
raped.

"The victim will be invited here tomorrow (Thursday), where both of
them will sit face-to-face, during the interrogation section.

"We are also on the trail of the suspected rapists. Thereafter, they
will all be charged to court.
Currently, the victim is in good condition after undergoing treatment."

Man Kills Girlfriend For Rejecting Marriage Proposal In Imo

One Miss Onyinyechi Okegbulam of Egbu in Owerri North Local Government
Area of Imo State has allegedly been killed by her boyfriend for
refusing his marriage proposal.

A source, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, told Vanguard that the
girl was shot in the head at close range by her supposed boyfriend in
the village.

The source recalled that the deceased was, last Saturday, lured out of
her family home by the boyfriend at about 7p.m.

"Some people, who were close to the scene of the crime that night,
reported that as soon as the boy saw the girl approaching him, he
fired at her," the source said.

Another source claimed that soon after shooting the girl, the young
man tried to smuggle Onyinyechi's lifeless body into his car but
scampered for safety when a woman raised alarm, which attracted
several people to the scene.

'He paid for the girl's education'
Another story, however, had it that the boyfriend was responsible for
the entire educational expenses of the girl, who later ditched him.

A resident of the area said: "We heard that the boy picked the bills
for the girl's education, but that the girl later abandoned the boy
and opted to marry another man.

"We have even heard that the marriage has been fixed before the
boyfriend struck."

The 22-year-old Onyinyechi was, until her untimely death, a final year
student of Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri West Local Government
Area of the state.

Although the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, a
deputy superintendent of police, could not be reached at press time, a
reliable source in the state police headquarters, Owerri, confirmed
that police had waded into the matter.

The police source said: "Police have started investigating the
incident and the late girl's parents are cooperating with us. Police
will get to the root of the case."

-Vanguard

FG’s Indebtedness To Oil Marketers Now N470bn

THE Federal Government's outstanding indebtedness to oil marketers has
risen to N470 billion, arising from a backlog of unpaid subsidy claims
since August 1, 2014 till date.

This is even as the marketers say they require in excess of $2 billion
dollars to pay off their foreign suppliers, otherwise they will not be
able to continue to import more petroleum products into the country.
Marketers, who spoke to Vanguard in confidence yesterday, lamented
that government has not been able to fulfil its promise to offset all
outstanding marketers' claims between October and second week in
November. This is just as the promise by the Central Bank of Nigeria,
CBN, to assist marketers in accessing dollars to pay off their foreign
suppliers has also not yielded fruit.
One of the marketers said: "We had another meeting with the Vice
President (Yemi Osinbajo) two weeks ago and he promised that they
would pay us. Right now I can tell you that no marketer has any money
or line of credit to import even one litre of fuel.
"The last time any marketer was paid claims was July 31, 2014. Since
August 1, 2014, no marketer has received anything. The total
outstanding claims between August 1 and now are about N470 billion."

Besides, he added, "Even if they paid all the N470 billion, it will
still not be enough to pay off our foreign suppliers because the
dollar value of what we require to offset matured debts is over $2
billion. The CBN Governor promised to help us, but nothing has
happened."
90 workers sacked

Another marketer also disclosed on telephone that the situation is so
critical that in the last one week, two oil marketing companies have
sacked 90 workers, adding that others are laying off secretly on daily
basis, thereby compounding an already saturated labour market.

"If marketers continue to lay off workers, soon the unions will soon
swoop down on us and begin another crisis."
Sealing outlets selling above N87/litres.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC,
yesterday called on the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, to
swing into action and shut down any retail outlet selling Premium
Motor Spirit, PMS, otherwise known as petrol, above the official price
of N87 per litre.

The call comes as long queues resurfaced in the Lagos metropolis on
Monday, and other areas in the country, with many outlets taking
advantage of the scarcity to sell petrol above the government approved
pump price.

NNPC's spokesman, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, in a telephone conversion with
Vanguard, said: "There is supply of petroleum products from the NNPC
and as such there should not be scarcity.

However, DPR should shut down any outlet found selling this product
above the regulated price of N87 per litre."

NNPC said last week, it had deployed 306 truckloads or about 10
million litres of petrol to some northern states.

The long queues of motorists waiting to buy the scarce product have
led to traffic gridlocks along some of the major roads in Lagos, even
as motorists lament the arbitrary hike in fuel prices.

Vanguard investigation showed that petrol stations along the Badagry
area, Agbara and its environs sold fuel at between N100 and N120
instead of N87 per litre.

The Director, DPR, Mr. Mordecai Ladan, in a statement, against the
backdrop of the purported resurgence of fuel scarcity in some parts of
the country, warned oil marketers against products' diversion,
hoarding, pump manipulation and selling products above government
approved prices.

According to Ladan, any marketer found to be under-dispensing or
selling products above the government regulated prices shall be
suspended for a minimum of two months.

He said: "Marketers caught diverting or hoarding the products for
profiteering shall be sanctioned with a fine of two million naira and
have their operating licence revoked and prosecuted for national
economic sabotage."

Ladan also said the DPR is collaborating with the Petroleum
Equilisation Fund (PEF) and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory
Agency, PPPRA, to ensure that defaulters are sanctioned accordingly.

-Vanguard

Why I Can’t Appoint Commissioners Now – Okorocha

Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha has blamed the financial
position of the state for his inability to appoint commissioners in
the state six months after he was sworn in for a second term in
office.

He also maintained that the Igbo will not use the platform of any
separatist group to negotiate their agenda.

The governor who was interacting with the media at the government
house on Monday, stated that the state was broke and could not at the
moment engage extra hands in the form of appointment of Commissioners
as they would also require to be serviced.

According to him, "We will not be able to appoint commissioners for
the state now because there is no money as we want to cut cost. When
we appoint commissioners, they would require Prado Jeeps, travel
allowances, and other allowances; and the state is not ready to do
that now. It is better to do with the committees which we had
appointed to take care of those things."

-ThisDay

Flood, Bad Roads Ravage Imo Communities

Ifakala and Nkalu autonomous communities in Mbaitoli Local Government
Area of Imo State have been participating actively in the development
of the state.

They solidly supported former governors Achike Udenwa and Ikedi
Ohakim's administrations. They also played active roles in the
emergence of Governor Rochas Okorocha and other elected candidates
from the area, and have not ceased to show them their support.

Yet the communities say they have nothing to show for their past
support in terms of infrastructural development and appointment into
key positions in the state.

They insist they don't have any accessible roads and that they are
ravaged by flood and erosion.
Residents complain that the Ukwu Orji-Ifakala-Nwaorieubi Road, the
only state road running through the area, is in a deplorable state.
The road, contracted to MCC during the administration of Governor
Ikedi Ohakim, was abandoned. And nothing whatsoever has been done on
it.


They alleged that the construction firm handling the project had a
disagreement with the state government which allegedly reviewed the
contract sum downwards, a development that did not go well with the
contractor. As a result, the project was abandoned, pending when
enough funds would be made available by the state government.


MCC later took the Imo State Government to court over the issue, and
the case is still pending.

However, as the case lingers, residents and other road users are
paying the big price as erosion and flood are forcing some of them out
of their homes.

The residents are equally unhappy that the abandoned
Ogbaku-Nkalu-Ifakala Road that links Umuagwu, Umunakpaku, Oboro,
Amazu, Umungwo, Umutaku to Owere Nkalu villages as well as Nwaorieubi
is causing the residents enormous pain. They complain that erosion and
flood have taken over their homes and farmlands.

Their crops were damaged, just as some villages had been cut off from
the rest of their relatives.

Narrating the ordeal of the communities, the traditional ruler of
Ifakala, Eze Michael Akanonu Eromaka Ekeruo (Ezeriohamma II),
expressed regret over the hardship residents of the area have been
facing.

The royal father, who spoke to Daily Sun in his palace at Umuchinewe
village, stated that the Ukwuorji-Ifakala Road that connects
Nwaorieubi-Mbieri-Atta-Inyishi-Ikeduru-Ahiazu Mbaise, if
rehabilitated, would be more useful to road users.

He said it would reduce the pressure on the Onitsha-Owerri Road and
other roads in the state.

He also said the road would be of economic benefit to the residents,
noting that traders would have good access to various markets in the
region.

"Aside that, if the road is rehabilitated, it would attract
investments to Mbaitoli; the existing businesses here would do better.
With that, there would be more job opportunities for the unemployed.

"It is unfortunate that most villages here are no longer accessible;
business activities have also been crippled and many are being
threatened to vacate their homes due to flood. This has been on for a
long time and we have been complaining, yet, the government has
refused to do anything about it."

He appealed to Governor Rochas Okorocha to mobilise contractors
handling all the abandoned road projects at Ifakala and Nkalu
communities to complete them.

"We do not expect what we are getting from Governor Okorocha. We tried
hard to ensure his victory and he knows it. But now, he is paying us
back with denial of infrastructure and total abandonment.

"During Ifakala Cultural Day Celebration 2015, Deputy Governor, Eze
Madumere, an Mbaitoli son, came here and promised us that the state
government would complete the Ukwuorji – Ifakala Road.

Shortly after he left, they started reconstructing the road from
Nwaorieubi, thereby giving us hope that all would be well. But
immediately after the 2015 election, they abandoned the project.

"Our community is closer to Owerri. But because of bad roads and lack
of infrastructure, our people who are supposed to be commuting to work
in Owerri from home can't do that. I know that if such people were
encouraged to live at home, they would concentrate and contribute to
community development.
"We are not asking for much from the government; we are only asking it
to reconstruct our roads and leave us to struggle for survival on our
own."
Also, the Chairman of Umutaku Umungwo Progressive Union, Mr.
Christopher Dike, lamented the state of roads in the area and called
on the state government to see the residents as part of the state by
allowing them to benefit from the dividends of democracy.
Dike pointed out that with the way things were going in the affected
communities, it appeared that they did not have any sense of
belonging. He therefore called on Governor Okorocha not to play
politics with the welfare of those who stood under the sun to vote him
into power.
"It is obvious that our people played active role in the emergence of
Okorocha as governor. There is no reason we should be abandoned just
like that. Therefore, he should intervene before the floods consume
us."
Responding, the Chief Press Secretary to the Imo State Government, Mr.
Sam Onwuemeodo, explained that no government would embark on a project
with the intention of not completing it.

He informed that the state government was presently doing everything
possible to ensure that all abandoned projects in the state,
especially roads, were completed immediately after the rainy season.

"Governor Okorocha is bent on ensuring that every community in the
state is happy during and after his administration. But our people
should exercise patience and support him to achieve his heart's
desires," he informed.

"They should appreciate what he has already done and is still doing,"
he enjoined.

Why I Slashed Salaries Of Imo Magistrates – Okorocha

Governor Rochas Okorocha has clarified issues surrounding the alleged
slash in the salaries of magistrates in Imo State which led to the
boycott of the mobile court by magistrates during the monthly
sanitation exercise last Saturday.

Speaking during a media interaction with a select crop of journalists
in the Government House, Owerri, the governor regretted that the
judiciary which he had pampered over the years has failed to come to
terms with prevailing economic realities in the country.

Said he: "In Nigeria, it is only in Imo State that you start out
magistrates with N500,000 per month. Akwa Ibom, with all their jumbo
allocations start magistrates with N150,000; Anambra is N170,000 while
Abia is about N150,000. Nowhere in Nigeria except Imo State are
magistrates started out with N500,000. In fact, in the Imo judiciary,
level 9 workers go home with N390, 000 while their colleagues in other
ministries get only 59,000 monthly. So I offered to pay the
magistrates N200,000 and they rejected it.

The governor noted that a committee has been set up to negotiate with
the judiciary and also stressed that due to the poor allocation to the
state he has resolved to cut wastages and negotiate salaries where
necessary.

He informed that the state government is effectively embarking on what
he called, 'salary adjustment programme'.

I Believe I’m Better Than Messi – Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't believe trophies have any impact in deciding
who's the best player in the world, proclaiming he's better than
Barcelona superstar and Ballon d'Or rival Lionel Messi.

Real Madrid's all-time leading goalscorer spoke to Spanish newspaper
El Pais back in August, in an interview withheld until now to promote
his upcoming documentary. Jesus Balseiro of AS translated his views on
Messi's success:

It doesn't bother me. If you look back over my past eight years, I've
always been at the peak; and that is difficult. Name me someone else
who has done it? After that, being No.1 or No.2 is a matter of small
details, such as if you win trophies or not. Perhaps for you, Messi is
the best; in my head, I am the best – and everyone should think that
about ourselves. That is why I have been able to achieve so much in my
career.
It was hard for me to watch Messi picking up several Ballon d'Ors. I'd
be thinking: "Why should I go to the gala?"
Barcelona may be thriving as a team, but Ronaldo has been proving
himself with individual accolades of late. After surpassing Raul as
Real Madrid's top scorer earlier this term, he's now honing in on
another goal record.

"I am not the humblest person in the world, I admit that. I am not
fake. But in one way I am very humble. I like to learn.

I don't mind people hating me, because it pushes me. When I go to play
away, they are always against me, but it's good. You have to see the
good things from the haters. I need the enemy. It is part of the
business. They start screaming when I touch the ball. It had started
already when I was 18 or 19. It is not a problem for me."

Messi, on the other hand, is seen as a far more humble creature, one
who prefers to stay out of the spotlight despite his unparalleled
quality on the pitch.

Recently, a poll of 20 Brasilerao Serie A coaches were asked if they'd
rather sign Messi or Ronaldo given the chance. Despite Brazil's
historic rivalry with Argentina, Messi took 75% of the votes.

Buhari Playing Politics With Ogoni Clean Up —Youths

Five months after the celebrated announcement of the clean-up of
Ogoniland by President Muhammadu Buhari, youths of the area have
accused the President of playing politics with the exercise.

In a statement, the president of the National Youth Council of the
Ogoni people, Dr. Young Nkpah, accused President Buhari of deceiving
Ogoni people by that announcement.

PHOTO: Ogoni land and President

Buhari
President Buhari had, immediately after assumption of office announced
his readiness to implement the United Nations Environmental Programme,
UNEP report on cleaning of Ogoniland.

Dr. Nkpah said: "After a study of the approach, loud pronouncements
and long delays adopted by the government on the globally celebrated
implementation, the Ogoni people are not persuaded about the sincerity
of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government whose earlier
promises were designed to score cheap political points."

He said after the July 28, 2015 consultative meeting in Abuja chaired
by the immediate past Head of Service, Danladi Kifasi, the federal
government was yet to release any fund to kick start the process.

"Since the announcement by President Buhari of immediate action and
release of funds, the federal government has seemingly dosed off on
the programme without regard to the health hazards and increasing
mortality rate resulting from the long polluted Ogoniland. The silence
by President Buhari's administration has raised suspicion among the
Ogonis that the federal government in collaboration with SHELL has
opted for their usual strategy of divide and rule to set the Ogoni
leaders and the people against themselves and also employing gradual
frustration of the oil clean-up programme to force the collective
loyalty of the Ogoni nation to join the ruling party in the country,"
the statement said.

-Vanguard

Biafra Not Nigeria’s Problem

BIAFRA is not one of the problems besetting Nigeria. Those unable to
appreciate this fact may require a dose of creative thinking.
Nigeria's stubborn thorn in the flesh is its adamant repudiation of
the self-evident concept of the changelessness of change, upon which
sits a crippling unwillingness to engage that same constancy of
change. There are two random but famous declarations – one little
remembered today, the other something of a mantra – that neatly wrap
up the national antiparty to inexorable change and its management.

On January 15, 1970, there was a ceremony at Dodan Barracks, Lagos,
the then seat of political power. Biafran acting Head of State,
General Philip Effiong, Colonel David Ogunewe, Colonel Patrick
Anwunah, Colonel Patrick Amadi and Police Commissioner Patrick Okeke
had gone to submit Biafra's document of surrender, which officially
marked the end of the civil war. "The so-called rising sun of Biafra
has set forever," declared Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, on that
occasion.

In the leaps and dips of Nigeria's turbulence, it is common to hear
politicians of varying persuasions declaring, as a way of "helping" to
stabilise the listing ship of state, that "Nigeria's unity is not
negotiable."

Between Gowon's presumption of Biafra's finality, which rode on the
crest of triumphalism and was hailed as prescient by many, including
Gowon's biographer Professor Isawa Elaigwu, and the incessantly voiced
exclusion of terms on Nigeria's oneness, lies the country's
problematic.
General Gowon is alive and bouncing.
Were he to honestly comment on his 45-year old declaration today, he
would readily admit to not having thoroughly considered all sides of
everything. For it is clearly outside the bounds of political
authority to decree the irreversible amputation of human predilection
and proclivity.
The current hoopla around Biafra lends credence to the assertion.

Now, there is something baffling in the oft-repeated statement on
Nigeria's unity not being negotiable. The statement does not mean that
Nigeria's unity is a fait accompli. It simply insists on a spiteful
denunciation of any thought of mapping out a sustainable road on which
the assumed or anticipated national unity must travel, free from
iniquity and cataclysms; a method for mastering the imperatives of
national unity which is, anywhere in the world, a particularly
daunting proposition. It is because Nigeria has kept its back
obdurately turned to change that even the littlest molehill on its
uncharted road invariably becomes a precipitous mountain.

Why is Nigeria incapable of learning from history? When Biafra came in
1967, it was way ahead of its time. Since January 15, 1970, the
world's political map has continued to be redrawn. Emperor Haile
Selassie would have started, and branded any dream in which Eritrea
was mentioned a nightmare. Eritrea gained international recognition as
an independent state in 1993.
South Sudan was only a fictional construct in 1970; it became an
independent nation in 2011. Bangladesh was non-existent in 1970; it
declared its independence from Pakistan a year later.
The Soviet Union dissolved into 12 independent states in 1991. By
1992 Yugoslavia had fractured into about seven independent countries.
On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia split into Czech and Slovak
Republics. Scotland held an Independence referendum early this year
that failed.

There is a powerful Catalan movement pushing secession from Spain.
Separatist tendencies are not on the wane in Cabinda.

What to bear in mind is that most of the secessions or agitations for
secession in the world are along ethnic lines. For an ethnically
composite country like Nigeria, the way to avoid potential split props
is not by precluding discussion on contentious issues, and it is not
by expeditionary repression of peaceful dissent. After all, dissent is
not and should never be construed as a crime in a democracy.

Why is Nigeria incapable of learning from history? When Biafra came in
1967, it was way ahead of its time. Since January 15, 1970, the
world's political map has continued to be redrawn. Emperor Haile
Selassie would have started, and branded any dream in which Eritrea
was mentioned a nightmare. Eritrea gained international recognition as
an independent state in 1993. South Sudan was only a fictional
construct in 1970; it became an independent nation in 2011. Bangladesh
was non-existent in 1970; it declared its independence from Pakistan a
year later. The Soviet Union dissolved into 12 independent states in
1991. By 1992 Yugoslavia had fractured into about seven independent
countries. On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia split into Czech and
Slovak Republics. Scotland held an Independence referendum early this
year that failed. There is a powerful Catalan movement pushing
secession from Spain. Separatist tendencies are not on the wane in
Cabinda.
What to bear in mind is that most of the secessions or agitations for
secession in the world are along ethnic lines. For an ethnically
composite country like Nigeria, the way to avoid potential split props
is not by precluding discussion on contentious issues, and it is not
by expeditionary repression of peaceful dissent. After all, dissent is
not and should never be construed as a crime in a democracy. A country
of disparate peoples can only be held together in peace and harmony by
the glues of visionary leadership indexed on tried and tested
political structures of equity, fairness, justice, innovation and
practicality. This cannot be said of Nigeria.
Look at neighbouring Ghana, which, like Nigeria, is multi-ethnic. Who
ever heard of secessionist agitation in that country? Here is a point
made in a June 28, 2012 Memorandum submitted to the House of
Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution by
the Ohanaeze Ndigbo: "In our socio-political and economic intercourse
all groups (big or small) must be allowed free-play and equitable
access to our country's resources and strategic political command
posts, including particularly the presidency. Sustained imbalance in
sharing responsibilities and the 'national cake' could conceivably
induce in those units aggrieved a rethink of the value to them of our
much vaunted national unity."

One possible way of checking skepticism on Nigerian unity is the
implementation of the report of last year's National Conference.
Unfortunately
, chameleons, who throughout their dubious political careers had
hoisted the National Conference placard, turned up on the eve of the
last presidential ballot to execrate the idea.

Chuks Iloegbunam
-Vanguard

Amaechi’s Confirmation, Formal Approval Of Corruption – PDP

The River State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Bro Felix
Obuah has again said that the confirmation of Hon Rotimi Amaechi as
minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a an approval of
corruption.


Obuah in a statement signed by by his Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity, Jerry Needam, said that the intrigues surrounding the
ministerial screening of former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Chibuike
Amaechi and his eventual confirmation for appointment as a Minister of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the All Progressives Congress, APC
dominated Senate is an official endorsement of corruption and gross
abuse of democracy.

This is the view of the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP in reaction to the nod given to president Buhari's choice
of Amaechi as one of his Ministers despite the monumental allegations
of fraud, looting of State treasury and unprecedented abuse of trust
while he held sway as Governor of the State for eight wasted years, as
contained in the Justice George Omereji led – Judicial Commission of
inquiry and the Rivers State Government white paper which indicted
Amaechi.

Bro Felix Obuah said for throwing the most revered rules of the Senate
and the sanctity of the laws of the land to the winds for the singular
reason to compensate an indicted party member does not only amount to
fait accompli but also exposes the hypocrisy of the APC-led federal
government that anchored its campaign slogan on anti-corruption
crusade.

The State PDP Chairman who expressed shock that the APC Senates could
descend so low as to fling away the report of the ethics and
privileges committee just to have their way without minding the
feelings of the people they are representing amount to formal approval
of corruption.

He however, commended the courage of the PDP Senators for staging a
walk-out, which is a historic statement that they were not and could
not be part of the institutionalization of corruption in Nigeria and
the legalization of criminality and scarification of integrity on the
altar of loyalty.

Bro Obuah remarked for the umptieth time that Amaechi is only
representing the interests of his benefactors and definitely not
Rivers people as the State prefers to suffer persecution for standing
on the side of truth and what is right to being eulogized and pampered
as a chief servant in a slave house.

"While we look to the end of the APC-led federal government which has
started on precarious feet of falsehood and deceit, we can only say
that the end can never contradict its means which in this case, is
suspect.
Our regret is the APC's disservice and disappointment to the entire
Nigerians whose hope of getting a better alternative government from
the Buhari administration and 8th Senate has been dashed.

It's an illusion to think that Amaechi and his like as ministers would
perform anything different from what they did while they served in all
other capacities", the State PDP boss declared.

-Vanguard

How I Arrived At My Choice Of Ministers – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has explained how he came about the persons
he nominated as ministers.

The explanation was against the backdrop of insinuations that Buhari,
since he has been out of the corridors of power for a while, may not
have had so much input into his choice of ministers.

But speaking with the Nigerian Television Authority and Channels
Television in New Delhi, India on Friday, Buhari said the insinuation
was far from the truth.

Buhari, who was in New Delhi for the 3rd India-Africa Summit, said his
previous three attempts at the presidency before he eventually won on
March 28, 2015, afforded him the opportunity of knowing many
Nigerians.
He said: "I have just talked about Nigerians, especially the elite,
sitting and reflecting on serious national issues.
"How many times did I attempt to be the president of Nigeria?
"How many times did I end up in the Supreme Court?

"Does it mean every time, I don't know people in this country?

"I know people who we were going together but fell by the wayside
because it was too tough.

"You know I contested in 2003, 2007, 2011.
"I think Nigerians should stop taking things for granted as far as we
are concerned."

-Leadership