Reps exchange blows again

The crisis in the House of Representatives degenerated into a free-for-all on Tuesday, as lawmakers exchanged blows, injuring one another in the process.

Eleven members of the Progressive-Minded Legislators, a group calling for the resignation of the Speaker, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, were placed on indefinite suspension, following the fracas.

The suspended lawmakers are Mr. Dino Melaye; Mr. Anas Adamu; Mr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa; Mr. Independence Ogunewe; Mr. Solomon Awhinawhin; Mr. Austin Nwachukwu; Mr. Gbenga Oduwaiye; Mr. Gbenga Onigbogi; Mr. Kayode Amusan; Mr. Bitrus Kaze; and Ms. Doris Uboh.

A pro-Bankole lawmaker, Mr. Chinyere Igwe, was injured on his right arm after Nwachukwu attacked him with a substance suspected to be tear-gas.

But as the fighting continued, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission raided the office of the Clerk of the House and took away documents believed to be those relating to the N9bn allegation against Bankole by the PML.

A source at the EFCC, who disclosed this to one of our correspondents, said that the operatives, on arrival at the National Assembly complex around 10am, restricted movement around the clerk’s office before taking away the documents.

Trouble broke out on the floor of the House when Igwe and Nwachukwu confronted each other, with the latter allegedly spraying the substance on the former.

Igwe stumbled and fell before he was helped out of the chamber. It was unclear whether he broke his arm as he held it and writhed in pain on his way out.

The speaker‘s loyalists reacted to the development by pouncing on Nwachukwu, and tearing his clothes to shreds before dragging him out of the chamber.

In the ensuing commotion, Awhinawhin was also beaten and forced out of the chamber. He had attempted to snatch the mace but was prevented by the Sergeant-at-Arms, Col. Emeka Okere(retd.), and his aides.

Many members punched Awhinawhin in the melee but he replied with blows. He was left with a bleeding nose before he too was dragged out of the chamber by pro-Bankole legislators.

The PML, which is led by Mr. Dino Melaye, had accused the leadership of the House of allegedly misusing N9bn out of the N11bn voted as the capital vote of the House between 2008 and 2009.

The group had earlier given Bankole a seven-day ultimatum to resign or be “disgraced out of office.”

On Monday, the group submitted a petition to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, seeking an investigation into the matter.

Waziri had promised to investigate the allegation immediately and went ahead to say that Nigerians had become fed up with the ”scandals upon scandals” in the House since 1999.

The exchange of fisticuffs took place on Tuesday as the House made to suspend the anti-Bankole lawmakers, on the grounds that the method they adopted in attacking the speaker brought the House to public ridicule .

The House argued that whatever offence the speaker was alleged to have committed should have been addressed through an internal mechanism rather than taking the matter to the public.

A member of the House, Mr. Chile Igbawua, was called by Bankole to move a motion for the suspension of the 11 members.

Igbawua stood and said that the conduct of Melaye and his group breached Section 24 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2004.

He said that the law prohibited anybody from publishing any statement, ”whether in writing or otherwise, which falsely or scandalously defames a legislative House or any committee thereof.”

Igbawua added that it was an offence under the Act for anyone to publish any material ”reflecting on the character” of either the President or the speaker or ”publishes any writing containing a gross, willful or scandalous misrepresentation of the proceedings of a legislative house or of the speech of any member in the proceedings of a legislative House....”

As Igbawua read the motion, Melaye suddenly sprang out of his seat and started shouting, “Point of order, Mr. Speaker, no, it cannot happen; it cannot be, not here, never!”

Melaye, who came into the chamber with a whistle, started blowing it to distract Igbawua when it was apparent that the speaker was not listening to him.

Bankole asked Igbawua to proceed, but Uboh surged towards Igbawua and tried to snatch the paper from him.

A member sitting next to Igbawua, Mr. Ishiaku Bawa, pushed Uboh, who almost fell. She fought back, hitting Bawa with punches.

Melaye snatched the paper from Igbawua, tore it and threw the pieces on the floor.

Pandemonium resulted as Awhinawhin rushed to snatch the mace but was prevented by Okere, security operatives and some lawmakers. They beat him repeatedly.

In a bid to restore order, Bankole adjourned the sitting of the House by ramming his gavel.

However, the majority of lawmakers led by Mr. Abdul Ningi, a former majority leader, advised him to go back to his seat to continue with the motion.

For over 25 minutes after Bankole returned to his seat, there was a free-for-all as the majority of members backing him, fought with the PML lawmakers.

In the midst of the fracas, Bankole rammed his gavel, endorsing the motion for the suspension of the 11 members.

A bizarre drama followed thereafter, as the PML members were dragged out of the chamber one after the other.

Nwachukwu, who also brought a walking stick into the chamber, received the worst beating. He was almost stripped bare before he was forced out.

Kaze, Melaye, Awhinawhin and Udoh were also beaten and dragged out of the chamber.

Some journalists were also attacked by security agents on Tuesday in the course of performing their legitimate duties.

The Aide-de-Camp to Bankole, Mr. Dauda, personally confiscated the camera of a photojournalist for daring to take shots of the fighting from the press gallery.

The photographer was later beaten and taken out of the gallery. Two reporters suffered a similar fate.

The spokesman of the House, Mr. Eseme Eyiboh, later told a news conference that the disorderliness in the chamber took place because the 11 suspended members failed to heed the order of the speaker to leave the chamber after they had been suspended.

He also claimed that the PML members attempted to disrupt the proceedings of the House by attacking Igbawua, while he was moving a motion.

Eyiboh said, ”Nwachukwu came to the session with tear-gas while Melaye brought a whistle and was blowing it. These are weapons and under the rules of the House, they are not allowed to do what they did; it was unruly.

”The speaker invoked Order 10 (5)(6), which culminated in their indefinite suspension.”

When asked whether the suspension had addressed the allegation of abuse of funds by the leadership, Eyiboh replied that the PML members knew the rules of the House and should have exhausted them before going to the public with their allegation.

But reacting to the incident, Melaye said that the House was under the spell of a tyrannical leadership.

He added, “It is the height of tyranny; what they accused us of, Eyiboh and Bankole are also guilty of talking to the press.

“There is nowhere in our rules that says we cannot talk to the press. Mr. Halims Agoda did the same thing when Mrs. Patricia Etteh was the speaker; Farouk Lawan did the same.”

Melaye and Nwachukwu were later invited by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command for questioning over the fracas.

The command’s spokesman, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, told the News Agency of Nigeria, that the Commissioner of Police ordered that they should be questioned.

Moshood said, “It is true that Mr. Melaye and Mr. Nwachukwu were invited. They were questioned over the attack on another member of the House, Mr. Igwe.

“I cannot confirm if they have been released or not; all I know is that the commissioner of police ordered their interrogation.”

One of our correspondents learnt from an EFCC source that while the free-for- in the House was going on, five operatives of the commission headed straight for the office of Clerk and retrieved some documents on the award of contracts by the House between 2008 and 2009.

A source at the EFCC who disclosed this to our correspondent said, “They (operatives) moved from office to office to retrieve documents relating to award of contracts that covered 2008 and 2009. The lawmakers were having a stormy session at the period.

“The EFCC men combed all the administrative offices and restricted movement of people around the area. They were seen moving big bags of documents out of the office of the Clerk.

When contacted, the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, denied knowledge of the operation.

Constitution Amendment: Fashola, Ogunlewe, Osibajo, Others React

The Amendment to the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly is generating mixed reactions from Lagosians, as the Lagos State House of Assembly held a public hearing on the Amendment Bill.
At the hearing were former Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yemi Osibajo; Secretary-General of Afenifere, Chief Femi Okurounmu, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, Mr. Dele Adesina (SAN), and Mr. Bamidele Aturu, among others.

The State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Political and Legislative Power Bureau, Abdullateef Abdulhakkem, was of the view that there should be true federalism, two exclusive legislative lists, one on federal and the other for state, and that each tier of government should be allowed to have its police while federal police will have jurisdiction over federal offences and cross border issues.

Fashola maintained that the concept of revenue derivation should be extended to all revenues accruing to federating account, and the state where such revenue is derived should be entitled to 25 per cent of the revenue accruable, just as he demanded that local governments should be within exclusive jurisdiction of the states.
“States should as well determine the number of local governments they want and more so, number of local government should not be a parameter for sharing revenue”, Fashola added.

Former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe on his part insisted that the public hearing organised by the House is coming at a wrong time. According to him, any recommendation made now by stakeholders will only serve as input to any future amendment of the constitution.
Adeseye agreed that the amendments made by the National Assembly were not perfect, but pointed out that any recommendation made now is coming late, “and rather the recommendations that would be made now for those grey areas should be reserved for a future amendment.

“I have made my view known that there is very little public hearing can do now, public hearing is meant for the beginning, not for the end. We are approaching the end of the constitutional amendment, if there is anything we notice here now; it should be reserved for the future.
“We should not tamper with what has been done for years, because we have members representing Lagos state, both at the Senate and House of Representatives, I assumed they might have seen these things and agree with them, and not to deviate from what has been agreed,” he added.

Expressing a contrary view, Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji noted that state Houses of Assembly have the right to make input into the amendment, adding that any input they make, which contradicts the one made earlier by the National Assembly will definitely be knocked out.
He disclosed that the Conference of Speakers will be meeting on Thursday to harmonise their position on the Constitution amendment, and that some of the recommendations of the National Assembly that did not have majority support by the conference shall be dropped.

“State Houses of Assembly are to debate the recommendations and any section of the constitution that did not carry majority debate shall be dropped, we will meet on Thursday to harmonise our position,” said Ikuforiji.
Speaking in the same vein, Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist, Bamidele Aturu said that in line with provision of Section 7 of the Constitution, the State Assemblies cannot add to the amendment, but can only reject some sections of the proposed amendment and stand by it.

“The amendment made to section 107 and section 285 should be critically looked into. A situation whereby only tribunal will determine petition filed would not augur well and every petition should end at the Court of Appeal”, Aturu said.
He however, added that since election is near, area of concentration should be on electoral reform, because it is sacrosanct.
Dele Adesina, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, told the lawmakers that they can debate the recommendations made by the National Assembly, but they cannot make new inputs, just as he told them that they can reject some of the sections of the constitutions.
The hearing, which was held at Assembly’s Lobby had in attendance, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye; former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Abiodun Ogunleye; Professor Yemi Osibajo, among others.

Babangida: Insensitivity carried too far

By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye
Monday, 21 Jun 2010

The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. Adolf Hitler declared a costly war on the United States on December 11, 1941. Saddam Hussein invaded and annexed Kuwait on August 2, 1990 and sparked off international crises that left his country in ruins. Ibrahim Babangida annulled in June 1993, what is widely regarded as Nigeria‘s fairest and freest election and plunged his country into needless, disastrous crises that consumed many precious lives and invaluable property.

Also, the belief is yet to diminish that under his regime (1985-1993), corruption became free, fair, transparent and effectively institutionalised, and the economy, despite huge earnings from oil exports, was successfully grounded. These are abiding facts that will always be with us.

In his favour, there is this perennial belief out there that IBB is a moving huge bag of money. This bag, though horribly stained and very unattractive to people with any sense of decency, contains billions of naira and has very generous holes ready to ”drop” at any time. And so as rotten meat easily attracts numerous flies, so does this moneybag draw hordes of greedy followers any time there are some hints in the air that it might ”drop.”

Now, Babangida knows this very well, and has learnt to always fully exploit it to give the false impression that he enjoys some popularity in Nigeria. But show me a single individual following Babangida any time and singing his praises on housetops and I will show you a man motivated by raw greed striving to get his own slice of the fabled Babangida billions. And that is why Babangida, the self-confessed evil genius of Nigeria, could muster the effrontery to say in public that he wants to rule Nigeria again.

It is easy to see that Babangida is, perhaps, more interested in sustaining the debate raging around him today than ruling Nigeria again. He appears unduly excited that Nigerians still take him serious enough to deploy energy and time to discuss him and his obnoxious ambition. At the end of the day, this may just be all he intended to achieve.

But let‘s not be too optimistic, however, because Babangida is seeking to actualize his ambition through a party famed for its disdain for the feelings of the populace and whose determination to always allocate political offices to anointed candidates despite the verdict of voters at the polling booths has become legendary; a party where one man can sit in his house and choose a presidential candidate and impose him on the party and the whole country.

Already, Babangida has paid a useful visit to Ota Farm where this formidable ”Kingmaker” holds court, and must have extracted assurances of support from him. I am sure he may have also had very useful discussions with other sworn enemies of Nigeria‘s progress who do nothing else than sit in their bedrooms and plot the perpetual stagnation of the country. They, too, must have given him their word, hence the revolting confidence he is radiating today.

And, moreover, Babangida has the large heart and deep pocket to seduce the countless jobless ‘prominent‘ Nigerians scattered across the country whose political clout in the face of a confused and self-emasculated populace cannot be easily dismissed. These, too, must have underlined their assurances to impose him on Nigerians despite the bitter resentment the mere mention of his name still evokes across the country today.

Babangida will be 70 by 2011. This, certainly, is not an age to advertise the kind of insensitivity and remorselessness that he is flaunting today. It is only in Nigeria, where successive rulers are always too guilt-ridden to investigate the (mis)deeds of their predecessors in office that characters like Babangida, with huge, unresolved doubts around them can walk the streets free and even talk of ruling the country again.

No doubt, many Nigerians would be interested to know what Babangida has been doing since he lost power 19 years ago to accumulate the boundless wealth that funds the incredibly lavish lifestyle he and his family members are leading today. Well, this is Nigeria where no questions are ever asked about the sources of wealth of persons, especially the mighty and very influential. And while other nations are deploying their best brains to achieve progress and development, we are only content here to continue recycling expired drugs and fielding our diversely challenged and parasitic tenth elevens, while those with genuine visions, sound character and sterling commitment to steer the country out of the woods are edged out with filthy billions. What one finds most annoying is the feeling of helplessness among the impoverished citizenry!

That is why Babangida in his recent BBC interview could dismissively say with ”bold face” that he has ”seen signs that [younger people] are not capable of leading this country,” and that is why he is stepping forward ”to help them ... [because] a country like Nigeria cannot be ruled by people without experience.”

And why does he think the younger generation is not capable? ”…They [were] not given the proper education, that is why!”, Babangida said. Yes, Babangida said that!

What an insufferable insult! Well, what can one say? We deserve all the insults we get from the likes of Babangida. This is because instead of ensuring that a heavy searchlight is beamed on his eight years of mindless misrule and the source of his current boundless resources, given the kind of morally bankrupt regime he is believed to have supervised, Nigerians outside a lunatic asylum, I mean supposedly sane human beings, are rather running after him for the clearly contaminated crumbs that might fall from his bottomless pocket.

By the way, what kind of ”education” and ”experience” is Babangida laying claim to. What did he use them to achieve in Nigeria except boundless and very costly crises and monumental decay?

It is difficult not to find Babangida‘s exaggerated view of himself very revolting.

Here was a man who came into power when the exchange rate was (by his own admission) N4.5 to a dollar (but the truth is: N1 to $1.004), but when he was forced out of power, the dollar began to exchange at N22.3.

Till today, Nigerians are yet to get any convincing explanation from him on what happened to the $12.4 billion realized from the Gulf War Oil Windfall, which allegedly developed wings under his watch. His era would proudly take the credit for the undue glamorization of corruption flourishing in Nigeria today.

Under him, a wasteful and fraudulent transition programme was brazenly prosecuted, which, despite the billions it gulped, led to nowhere because it was so designed.

If Babangida failed Nigeria woefully in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when he was younger and stronger, in 2011 when he would be 70, his second coming would spell greater disaster for the country, and only a people who hate themselves so irremediably can sit still allow that happen to them.

Babangida should just retire to his palatial palace in Minna and leave Nigerians alone to pick the pieces of their lives, which he helped immensely to shatter. This country has simply suffered enough from the endless mischief and unparalleled insensitivity of unrelenting power mongers.

Culled from

Pointblanknews.com

EFCC:We’re Probing House Allegations

The Economic and Finan-cial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it will set up a special committee to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations of corruption and abuse of office levelled against the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole.

The Progressives, a group of lawmakers in the House, had recently alleged that Bankole misappropriated the sum of N9 billion being capital votes expended by the House in the 2008 and 2009 fiscal years.
But as the House resumes plenary today, a stormy session seems underway as members of the Progressives said they would table the fraud allegations against Bankole on the floor of the House.
However, sources said a gale of suspension may sweep through the Green Chamber in a move by the leadership to curb what a source called "the excesses of some dissident members.

EFCC Chairman Mrs. Farida Waziri who expressed the agency’s readiness to investigate the sundry allegations against Bankole and other principal officers of the House said the current spate of allegations of corruption cannot be swept under the carpet because the lower chamber of the National Assembly has had more than its fair share of scandals over the past 11 years.
Waziri spoke when she met with members of the Progressives who were at the EFCC’s office to submit a formal petition on their allegations.

According to her, there is need to sanitise the House and save the country the embarrassment of having a parliament where allegations of corruption have become a recurring decimal.
However, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, has expressed appreciation to the commission over its interest in the affairs of the chamber but said the House under Bankole had demonstrated keen interest on issues of transparency and accountability.

“The House of Representatives appreciates the interest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, in requesting the House to explore available avenues to collaborate with it to thin down avenues of graft.
“It is on record that the present House is known for its vigour and commitment to legislative engagements premised on transparency and rule of law. These avenues are exercised in our rules’ book and through various committees. We therefore request all agencies of government to avail itself of this synergy with the House,” Eyiboh said.
Arrowhead of the Progressives, Hon. Dino Melaye, who led his colleagues to submit the petition, had earlier told the EFCC boss that members of the Progressives decided to take their battle to the anti-graft agency because of their conviction that they have a genuine case.

Melaye, however, disclosed that they (Progressives) have been under intense pressure and threats of being suspended from the House since the crusade to probe the leadership of the House began two weeks ago.
The EFCC boss disclosed that hours before the lawmakers came to submit the petition; she had met with the secretary of the commission as well as the director of operations on how to go about the investigation.
“We have been pained when our country is being run down as a result of massive corruption. I am in a position to say it because as I sit here I know and I see what goes on and I feel so many pains. I think that with this step you have taken and the action that will follow, it is obvious that there is need to sanitize the House and make it like any other House any where in the World I am sure you have travelled to other houses of parliament.

“We don’t have to wait for you to come here to submit the petition before we do our job. We will swing into action. We have to salvage our nation. For the National Assembly, the House, I have been worried. I think most Nigerians have been very concerned because there have been scandals upon scandals in that House and that is the bastion of democracy and the hope for the common man.
“All the citizens who trusted you and voted you into that House feel that you are there to protect their interests. But when we have issues all the time starting from the era of Salisu Buhari, you remember the certificate forgery scam and now the car scam. I mean its something that is worrisome.”

And as it reconvenes, the House may go into an executive session to see how the issue at stake could be resolved amicably, failing which the big stick may be wielded if the members of the Progressives prove intransigent.
A source in the House said members of the group have breached Section 24 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act CAP L12 as it concerns publications and reports.
Last Wednesday, following the expiration of a one-week ultimatum it gave Bankole to resign or be disgraced out of office, the Progressives addressed a press conference where it accused the Speaker of lack of transparency and financial misconduct and specifically demanded that he should account for N9 billion.

But the House leadership dismissed the accusation of reckless approvals of expenditure against Bankole, saying that award of contracts is not the business of the Speaker but the duty of the management of the National Assembly headed by the Clerk.
It also added that the Progressives had proved its ignorance on how funds budgeted for the House are spent.

Oil firm, fishermen at war in Rivers over Oil spill

LOCAL fishermen in Bonny, a bustling natural gas island of Rivers State, are locked
in a battle with ExxonMobil, an American oil giant. The fishermen are accusing the
oil major of what they described as ''a desperate attempt'' to cover up a fresh oil
spill in the area.

According to the fishermen, ''a catastrophic oil spill occured last Saturday at
ExxonMobil's Yoho oilfield location in Akwa Ibom state''. The fishermen are operating
under the name, Organization of Fishermen, Sea food Dealers and Farmers in
Niger Delta (OFSDF/ND).

Chairman of the group's board of trustees, Mr. Richard Abbey, on Monday claimed
that the spill occurred around 4.30 - 5pm during the loading of a foreign vessel,
Northstar, on Saturday June 19, 2010, when suddenly a burst from the host linking
the Yoho field location, to the company’s Floating, Storage, Offloading, (FSO)
tanker.

The spill, he insisted, has gradually spread to Amanam, Chevron oil field and the
Bonny anchorage in Bonny Island, Rivers state.

He, however, disclosed that the American oil giant responded swiftly to the spillage,
discharging two boats to curtail the flow but condemned the company’s decision to
spread dispersant chemical on the sea, an action he said was intended to conceal
any trace of the spill from the community and fishermen in order to avoid payment of
necessary compensation to the two entities who are hit by the environmental
disaster.

He argued, ''if one of the measures to tackle the spill is spreading dangerous
dispersant chemical on the sea we are seriously against it because it is capable of
endangering the lives of aquatic species on the sea, and do further harm to
fishermen whose lives depend on the sea. The spread of the chemical itself is
another crime added to the crude oil spill that has done enough ecological damage
to the sea''.

Commenting on the effect of oil spill within the fishing area, Mr.Akpan Esuet a
fisherman in the area, regretted that apart from its bad effect on the ecosystem,
many fishermen, whose means of livelihood is tied to the ocean, are now without
visible source of income.

Similarly, he noted, the multi-national oil company’s dispersant chemical sprayed on
the affected waters has adversely affected the people, as indigenes of the area now
complain of eye problems from the wind blowing from the Atlantic Ocean.

ExxonMobil, he said, is yet to own up to the occurrence, but added that the
desperate attempt to conceal the spill is not only seen as evil and dangerous but a
desperate attempt to shy away from responsibility.

The fishermen are calling on relevant authorities to warn the oil company as the
alleged deliberate attempt to avoid the compensation of both the community and
fishermen directly affected might be their greatest undoing.

They have decried the mode of settlement by transnational oil companies in the
event of a spill. According to them when a spillage occurs, companies are always in
the habit of settling only the host community, without realising that the fishermen
who toil on the sea are the most affected.

Some of the fishermen who are lamenting over the development stated that majority
of the fishermen who fish on the sea come from diverse ethnic groups and reside in
fishing ports, so, they neither live in the community nor are they members of the
community. In the event of a spill they are not allowed to benefit from the community
compensation hence, they are making a case and are prepared to challenge
multinational companies in the court of law if that is what is required to make them
see reason why they also must be compensated. After all they maintained that they
are the ones whose source of livelihood has been directly taken away as a result of
the pollution.

On the May 2010 spill that occurred in Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Richard Abbey the
OFSDF/ND helmsman disclosed that the compensation money has generated a lot
of controversy following rejection the of N600 million naira compensation money
given by Mobil.

Similarly, he also added that the spill in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom has been curtailed but
there is some leakages. he condemned the clamping work done maintaining that a
lot of work need to be done asl drifts from the clamped pipes still pollutes the sea.

On Shell’s reaction to the Oloma, Bonny spillage, he lambasted the multinational
company over their decision to hold meeting with companies that to start the repairs
of the flow line replacement, instead of embarking first on a cleaning up the spill,
compensation of the affected community and fishermen before arranging on the
repairs. He used the opportunity to call on Shell to expedite action and come up
with workable modalities on how to compensate the fishermen and the community
affected while making efforts to proffer final solution to curb the effect of the Oloma
spill.. He also warned that the Organization of Fishermen, Sea food Dealers and
Farmers in Niger Delta (OFSDF/ND) will not fail to take appropriate action should
they fail to consider the plight of the fishermen.

The issue of compensation, accusations of conspiracy by multinational companies
and sabotage has been constant points to contend with in this spillage drama. It is
no longer news that those living in Nigeria's oil-rich delta are suffering a human
rights tragedy inflicted by decades of environmental damage caused in large part by
multinational companies. The contamination has damaged farmland, destroyed fish
stocks and polluted the air and water, while oil companies' response has been
misleading or inadequate.

However, it has been alleged that multinational companies has exploited the
instability and lack of oversight to cover up oil spills caused by its own out-of-date or
faulty equipment and these are the fundamental issues that need to be addressed
hence, the constant call by the fishermen organisation to oil companies to own up to
their responsibilities. ENDS

Appeal court nullifies election of four Osun PDP lawmakers

An Appeal Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, Monday nullified the election of two members of the House of Representatives from Osun State and two others in the state House of Assembly.

Monday’s judgments brought to 10 the number of verdicts delivered by Justice Thomas Naron-led Election Petition Tribunal that have been upturned by the appellate court.

The four former legislators, who contested on the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), had their elections nullified by a three-man panel, with three of the judgments read by Justice Sidi Bage.

The appellate court requested the President, Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, to reconstitute another panel to hear the petitions de novo, adding that it should be given accelerated hearing.

Affected are Messrs George Jolaoye (Ayedire/Oluwa/ Iwo Federal Constituency) and Oluwole Oke (Ijesa North Federal House Constituency).

At the House of Assembly, Mr Idowu Abiodun (Ifedayo State Constituency) and Idiat Babalola (Ede North State Constituency) were asked to vacate their seats for a rerun election.

The court set aside the Justice Naron-led Tribunal judgment of March 14, 2008, saying the appellants were denied fair hearing.

The Action Congress (AC) candidates at the elections - Akintayo Amere, Nathaniel Agunbiade, Juwon Abatan and Ojo Ajagbe - had contested the tribunal’s judgment, which affirmed the elections of their PDP rivals in the House of Representatives and House of Assembly respectively.

They argued that the elections were fraught with malpractices, violence and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2006.

Among other issues, the AC candidates prayed the court to determine whether the lower court was right to have declared the PDP lawmakers winners of the elections in view of alleged massive rigging and electoral malpractices; and whether the ballot stuffing and hijacking, violence and non-compliance with the Electoral Act were not enough evidence to vitiate the results of the election.

In the cases of the two state lawmakers, Abatan and Ajagbe had their request for the nullification of the elections and order of fresh election granted by the three-man panel.

In the three judgments read by Justice Sidi Bage, the court stated: "The appeal succeeds and the judgment of the lower tribunal delivered on March 14, 2008, is hereby set aside for lack of fair hearing. The President, Court of Appeal is ordered to constitute a fresh panel to hear the case de novo."

The remaining judgment, written by Justice Modupe Fasanmi, in the case of Nathaniel Agunbiade and Busayo Oke, read in part: "The judgment delivered on June 30, 2008 by a lower tribunal, is hereby set aside for lack of fair hearing and it is returned to Osun State Election Petition for retrial. The appeal has merit and it subsists. It should be given accelerated hearing."

Mr Bosun Oyintiloye, the Personal Assistant to AC governorship candidate, Rauf Aregbesola, said the latest judgment confirmed the allegation of bias against the Justice Thomas Naron-led tribunal, pointing out that hardly had any of its judgments passed the appellate court’s trial.

He said: "Today’s judgments delivered at the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan , Oyo State capital, marked the 10th case returned for re-trial from the cases adjudicated by the Naron-led Tribunal in Osun State."

He listed the cases as, Lasun Yusuf vs Leo Awoyemi (Irepodun/Orolu Federal Constituency); Rauf Aregbesola vs Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun Governorship); Bashiru Adeyala Vs Olajide Adeyeye (Ife East State Constituency); and Ajibola Famurewa Vs Gbenga Onigbogi (Ijesa South Federal House of Represetatives), among others.

Danjuma Gives Condition for Jonathan to Run in 2011 •North no longer monolithic, says Northern minority group

From Emmanuel Bello and Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 06.22.2010

President Goodluck Jonathan is free to run in 2011, provided he conducts a free and fair poll, former Minister of Defence and Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC), Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, has said.
Danjuma said there is no law in the land banning Jonathan from contesting for the presidency.
Meanwhile, Northern Minority states of Benue, Taraba, Adamawa and Plateau said yesterday in Abuja that they are no longer ready to be used to attain selfish interests of some people in the North.

The bloc was apparently reacting to the statement of the over 150 Northern leaders, who met last Thursday in Abuja and argued that the North has all it takes to win any election in the country without any zoning arrangement.
Addressing a press conference, the Northern minority states under the aegis of the National Movement for Equality for Change also said there is nothing like a monolithic North.
Danjuma spoke to THISDAY in an exclusive interview over the weekend in Abuja against the backdrop of speculations that he had parted ways with Jonathan over the 2011 election.

The PAC chairman denied that he had any disagreement with the President.
In a rare interview, Danjuma said: “Jonathan, like all other Nigerians is entitled to his franchise. He can aspire to be the nation’s leader. He is not banned by any statue of the nation and as enshrined in our laws. Besides, he is the one who can make that decision to run or not to run. He is free as far as I’m concerned. In fact, he can run for office and for obvious reasons. The laws do not stop him. He can run as president and why not? ”.

The former minister said if he had any issue with the President, he would have since resigned as PAC chairman.
But he stated that all he wants Jonathan to do is organise a poll that will be a reference point in the nation’s history.
He added: “If I have any difference with Jonathan I would have since resigned. I’m not the type to stay with someone I have not endorsed. If I’m not interested in him, I would just resign. I have been approached by people who tell me that Jonathan should not run and I have consistently told them to disappear from my presence.

“My conviction is that there is no constitutional basis for that sort of call. We are a nation with a constitution. We are a nation led by laws and not by whims and caprices. So, no one has told me what the basis is for not allowing him to run.”
On the contentious zoning arrangement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the move by some Northern leaders to enforce the zoning of the presidency to the North in 2011, Danjuma said: “Well, I’m not even a member of that party. So I don’t feel competent to speak on it and their internal issue.”
Jonathan’s alleged 2011 aspiration has continued to generate controversy in the land, though he has not said categorically he would contest.

He reiterated this stand two days ago during his maiden Presidential Media Chat, saying he would not declare his stand yet on 2011 until the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) releases the time-table for the poll.
Leader of the Northern minority group and former Senate President, Senator Ameh Ebute, who spoke on behalf of the group expressed reservations about the statement of the Northern leaders, describing it as unacceptable.
The Northern leaders had said in a communiqué issued on Sunday that the North can win election on its own numerical strength without zoning

They added, however, that they are not targeting their campaign for zoning at President Goodluck Jonathan, as the North has what it takes to win any election and never demanded for zoning in the first place.
But Ebute said: “We (have) observed with concern some unpatriotic statements by a group in the Northern part of Nigeria intended at emasculating other Nigerians into submission to their sectional views that the presidency must be zoned to the North; we use our numerical strength to win election and so on, and wish to say that we say no to these unacceptable threats.”
The former Senate president added: “This group should be reminded that the minority ethnic nationalities of the North contributed more to keeping this country a united entity and would continue to do so now and in the future.”

Also, he said the group should be “reminded that the numerical strength of numbers and perpetual retaining of power in the North is not possible without a united North (and) that the larger population of the North say no to primitive sectional domination and all divisive tendencies.”
Regretting that “just as the Northern minority ethnic nationalities were in the past ignorantly manipulated into supporting parochial personal and sectional agenda of the few in the North,” he said, “the South-South also allied and partnered with the North ignorantly to promote the parochial agenda of the few.”

Ebute said while the Northern minority ethnic nationalities have not benefited from the partnership, “the South-South minorities are now testing the bitter pill of their support to the North.”
The former Senate President said the political space is open and those who feel they must run in 2011 and have the numerical support may opt for any of the other political parties or decide to run as independent candidates as the yet-to-be fully amended 1999 Constitution permits.

He reminded the Northern leaders that zoning was adopted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 1999 primarily to address the June 12, 1993 saga and should not be seen as “a perpetual rotational item on the PDP menu.”
He observed that the most destabilizing issue in Nigeria today other than the utterances of the so-called Northern leaders is the Niger Delta issue.
Ebute suggested that the same principle of zoning adopted in 1999 should be appropriately applied to stabilize the country by allowing a South-South sitting President to contest on the platform of PDP in 2011, thereby permanently addressing the Niger Delta issue.

The Northern minorities said all Nigerians are free to contest elections through democratic means without intimidation, harassment or coercion.