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Gov Wada Rallies Support For PDP in Kogi

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Gov Wada Rallies Support For PDP in Kogi

The governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada on Wednesday urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state to remain steadfast in spite of the recent defections by some members to opposition parties in some parts of the country.

The governor spoke at Kpata, Bassa local government area while inaugurating the permanent secretariat of PDP Ward 5 built at a cost of N7 million.

“PDP remains the toast of the people at the grassroots,” he said.

Wada commended members in the state for what he called their loyalty and commitment to the ideals of the party and lauded the effort of members in the ward for building a befitting secretariat, describing it as the first of its kind in the area.

Wada, who was accompanied by his wife, Halima, urged other wards in the state to emulate Ward 5.

Earlier, the commissioner for rural development, Umar Mohammed, described the secretariat as a dream come true.

He said PDP had also won new members from the opposition parties in the area.

Also speaking, the chairman of the party in the ward, Idris Amodu, appealed to the governor to ensure early completion of the hospital in Kpata

FG repatriates 80 Illegal Nigerian Immigrants From Saudi Arabia

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FG repatriates 80 Illegal Nigerian Immigrants From Saudi Arabia

The first batch of 80 out of 508 Nigerians to be repatriated from Saudi Arabia arrived the country Wednesday, an official of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has said.

The assistant director, relief and rehabilitation, NEMA, Daniel Obot, disclosed that the 80 deportees, mainly women and children, arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on board an Ethiopian Airline plane at about noon.

They are among the 508 Nigerians illegally residing in Saudi Arabia, who had indicated interest to return home following the clampdown on illegal residents by the Saudi government.

The federal government quickly approved the repatriation of those Nigerians who had voluntarily agreed to return.

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Obot said the deportees who hail from eight states in the North-east and North-central parts of the country would be handed over to officials of agencies in their various states after due clearance.

Thirty-one of the deportees are from Kano state, 19 from Borno, three from Bauchi, eight from Jigawa, seven from Yobe, two from Plateau, one from Nasarawa and nine from Katsina.

More deportees are expected to arrive in the country on Thursday, while about 951 Nigerians, who were arrested in Saudi, are still being held in a camp.

Former Anglican Primate, Peter Akinola, Feared Kidnapped

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Former Anglican Primate, Peter Akinola, Feared Kidnapped

Even in this yuletide season, the business of kidnapping continues to thrive, as gunmen have abducted Peter Akinola, the former Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, in Abeokuta.

The Ogun Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident but said it was too early to conclude that it was a kidnap.

Adejobi, a deputy superintendent of Police, DSP, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ikemefuna Okoye, had ordered a manhunt for the suspects.

“We are aware of the incident, but it is too early to jump to conclusion that he was kidnapped. We were told that some armed men waylaid him and went away with his vehicle, himself and the driver; but we have seen cases where armed men will steal a vehicle and go away with its owner or occupant for their own safety, therefore, it’s too early to draw the line that it is kidnapping,” he said.

He added: “We have alerted our men and we have details of the vehicle and by God’s grace, it will not be a sad situation. The primate will be safe. The CP and the Area Commander are out to make sure he is safe.”

The police spokesman urged the public to assist the command by volunteering information on criminal activities in the state.

EFCC Says It Has No Score To Settle With Oronsaye

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has denied media reports that it is witch-hunting the former Head of Service, Steve Oronsaye, over his perceived support for the Financial Intelligence Agency Bill, currently before the National Assembly.

It would be recalled that the commission had commenced investigation on Oronsaye for diverting N6.2 billion pension fund through the award of bogus contract meant for biometric enrollment and payment for computer accessories that were never supplied while he headed the federal civil service.

The EFCC had closed investigations in the Pension case in 2010, but in a twist on December 7 reopened the matter saying it has fresh evidence of Oronsaye’s involvement in the fraud.

The commission said that as a law enforcement agency, it can determine when to commence investigations on anyone it finds wanting, adding that it was not the place of interested parties outside the EFCC to determine when an investigation is closed in a particular matter.

“Let it be made manifestly clear that the EFCC is a responsible and responsive law enforcement agency and has no scores whatsoever to settle with Mr. Oronsaye or any other person for that matter,” it stated.

According to the EFCC, “the pension scam investigation is an ongoing exercise and if anyone is mentioned as having played a role in it at whatever stage (as indeed Mr. Oronsaye is alleged to have done), he or she will be invited to shed more light on his/her alleged involvement (as indeed, Mr. Oronsaye has done).”

It noted that what it has done is in line with standard practice in the best tradition of law enforcement worldwide, stressing that “time does not run out on criminal investigation or prosecution and if fresh information is brought to the attention of the EFCC at any time on any matter the Commission is handling, we are duty bound to look into it.”

It urged Nigerians not to be misled by attempts to divert attention from unravelling those behind the theft of N6billion belonging to pensioners.

Oronsoye is the chairman of the Presidential Committee on the Financial Action Task Force and he had recommended the merger of the EFCC with Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related offences Commission, ICPC.

He is also a strong supporter of the autonomy of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, a unit presently under the EFCC which has been battling the Commission for autonomy.

Amnesty International Decries Police Brutality In South Korea

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Amnesty International Decries Police Brutality In South Korea

A global watchdog, Amnesty International, has called on the South Korean authorities to stop unlawful police raids and arrests of trade unionists and respect the rights of striking workers in the country.

It said about 130 trade unionists were arrested on Sunday when 5,000 policemen raided the headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, KCTU, in response to a strike by railway workers over fears that large-scale layoffs may be looming.

Several workers were injured when police used pepper spray.

The police raid, which was carried out without a search warrant, was the first on the KCTU’s headquarters since it was given legal status in 1999 and the body of trade unions describes the action as “illegal”.

“The police raid on the Kyunghyang Daily building without a search warrant is an apparent crime. We will file a complaint against the police for their criminal act to hold them accountable,” KCTU said at a press conference.

It said the Police had requested a search warrant, but a Seoul district court had dismissed the request, and, with only arrest warrants, the Police proceeded to break into its office and carry out “violent operations” which it had no right to do.

“We will ask police and President Park Geun-hye to take responsibility for this illegal labor-suppressing,” the group said, adding that it will launch a massive strike on December 28 in a protest of the Geun – hye administration.

The Lawyers for a Democratic Society in a statement said that such a police raid without a search warrant is, “an abuse by the police force.”

But the Police has flatly denied allegations that the raid was illegal.

National Police Agency Chief, Lee Sung-han, said asking the Police to take responsibility is unfair, insisting that the entry was a legitimate enforcement of law made with strong evidence that the labout leaders were hiding in the building.

The police chief said: “Police had requested search warrants before the operation, but it seems that the court dismissed it because the court didn’t consider search warrants necessary.”

He explained that police raided the office because they could not ignore wanted criminals staying at a certain place and masterminding an illegal strike.

“I made all the decisions regarding the operation and I’m the one who should take responsibility,” the Police boss said further.

The strike began on December 9 to protest a decision by Korea Railroad, KORAIL, to set up a separate company to run a new bullet train line.

The Korean Railway Workers Union, KRWU, which is part of the KCTU, fears that the move would lead to a privatization of KORAIL and large-scale layoffs.

On December 18, Prime Minister Chung Hong-won reportedly branded the railway workers’ strike “illegal” and said the government would counter the industrial action with stern measures.

KORAIL subsequently suspended 7,927 workers participating in the strike as a disciplinary action.

Warrants for arrests of 28 union officers were issued based on criminal charges of ‘obstruction of businesses’ and two union leaders were arrested.

KORAIL has also filed a lawsuit worth $7.25 million in damages against the KRWU and its 186 leaders.

Amnesty International says these developments are in direct contravention of internationally recognized labour standards.

“This is a blatant attempt by the Korean authorities to deny the rights of striking workers and to cripple the legitimate work of the trade union. It is a clear breach of international standards,” the Asia-Pacific deputy director at Amnesty International, Polly Truscott said.

Borno Group Berates Rep For Supporting Jonathan

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Borno Group Berates Rep For Supporting Jonathan

Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

A group known as the Maiduguri Patriotic Front, MPF, has criticised the House of Representatives member representing the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Kyari Gujbawu, for abandoning his legislative duties and acting as a mouthpiece for President Goodluck Jonathan.

In a statement signed by its secretary, Abba Kime Lawan, the MPF accused Gujbawu of “selling out his constituency of Borno mainly to please the Presidency for his selfish interests which can best be described as errand sycophancy”.

Lawan said Gujbawu may have resorted to sycophancy and bootlicking in order to win the heart of President to appoint him minister upon his calculation that he may not be re-elected.

The group reminded the lawmaker that he was elected to speak on behalf of the people of Maiduguri who are now displeased with him, especially in the way the Boko Haram crisis is being handled by President Jonathan

“it is unfortunate that Gujbawu has made it his ‘new legislative duty’ to regularly and unnecessarily speak against the overall interest of Borno people over matters the Rep member shows clear ignorance of,” the statement said.

The MPF expressed concern that Gujbawu was fast becoming a “lost son” and adviced him to retrace his steps and begin to take decisions that are in the interest of the people he represents “before it is too late”.

Kwankwaso Condemns Arrest Of Kano State Lawmakers

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Kwankwaso Condemns Arrest Of Kano State Lawmakers

Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State has described the arrest of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Gambo Salau, and other principal officers as an attempt to intimidate and prevent them from defecting to the All Progressive Congress, APC.

About 11 Kabo Estate legislators were stripped of their security details and whisked away by men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for “questioning” at their head office in Abuja.

This is coming less than a week after Kwankwaso announced his defection to the APC and is interpreted as an attempt to frustrate the governor and the lawmakers.

“It is crystal clear that the above mentioned public officials were arrested by the EFCC based on the orders from the above, because of the legislators’ defection to APC, in support of Governor Kwankwaso. This action is obviously to intimidate and cow them into submission for choosing to move to the progressive fold,” the governor said.

He added that the action is capable of overheating the polity.

“This action is not only despicable and absurd but also capable of igniting crisis in the polity, thereby breaching the relative peace that is being enjoyed in Kano state. It is regrettable that the EFCC is allowing itself to be a tool of witch-hunt in the hands of the powers that be,” he said.

The summon was contained in a letter with reference number CR:3000/EFCC/KNZ/EG/TA/VOL.10/123 dated Monday 23, 2013 and signed by the EFCC Head of Operations in Kano, Ishaq Salihu.

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The letter did not clearly state the issues being investigated, but said that the commission was investigating a case which “concerned the lawmakers”.

Those invited were the speaker, his deputy, the chief whip, deputy chief whip and majority leader, deputy majority leader, minority leader, deputy minority leader, chairman house committee on appropriation, chairman committee on finance and the clerk of the house.

The EFCC spokesman. Wilson Ueujaren, has defended the commission’s action, saying that the legislators were not forced but willingly heeded an invitation for questioning.

PDP Challenges Anambra Guber Poll Results

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PDP Challenges Anambra Guber Poll Results

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the November 16 gubernatorial election in Anambra State, Tony Nwoye, has filed a petition at the election tribunal in Awka challenging the results of the election.

Nwoye who disclosed this on Monday in Awka during an interactive session with stakeholders of the party, said the need to challenge the verdict of the poll became imperative because the election was widely criticised as fraught with fraud.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had on December 1 declared Willy Obiano of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA. winner of the election in spite of allegations of fraud and mass disenfranchisement.

Nwoye said that the decision to petition the outcome of the election was taken at the zonal and state levels of the party.

“This is contrary to speculations that the PDP will not go to court over the governorship election,” he said, expressing optimism that the party would upstage APGA “just like Gov. Peter Obi displaced Dr Chris Ngige and Dr Ifeanyi Uba through the instrumentality of the court.”

He commended members of the PDP in the state for their support which he said enabled the party emerge second in the election, despite the late campaign.

According to the election result released by INEC, Obiano polled 180,178 votes to emerge winner of the election while Nwoye, garnered 97,700 votes to place second.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Chris Ngige secured 95,963 votes while Ifeanyyi Ubah of Labour Party scored 37,495 votes to place third and fourth respectively.

Jonathan Fires Back At Obasanjo

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Jonathan Fires Back At Obasanjo

President Goodluck Jonathan has publicly unbottled his anger at former President Olusegun Obasanjo for the series of accusations heaped on him in an 18-page open letter dated December 2, 2013.

Responding to Obasanjo’s letter, Jonathan said the intent of the former President was to cause disaffection and overheat the polity, saying all the accusations levelled were baseless and false.

He said in his 11-page letter that it was very unfortunate for the former President to turn around to accuse him of destroying the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, knowing that he contributed to inciting the “seeming crisis” within the party.

“Instigating people to cause problems and disaffection within the party is something that you are certainly familiar with,” Jonathan wrote.

He said in spite of the troubles, the party remained united and that as leader of the party, he will continue to do his best to unite the party and hoped that it would “recover” as it had always done in time past.

Reacting to the allegation of encouraging corruption through his body language, the President noted that the seed of corruption had been sown for a long time now and that his administration was doing the best it can to curb it.

“That corruption is an issue in Nigeria is indisputable. It has been with us for many years. You will recall that your kinsman, the renowned afro-beat maestro, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti famously sang about it during your first stint as Head of State. Sonny Okosun also sang about corruption. And as you may recall, a number of Army Generals were to be retired because of corruption before the Dimka coup,” he reminded Obasanjo.

“We are doing all that we can to drastically reduce its debilitating effects on national development and progress. I have been strengthening the institutions established to fight corruption,” he added.

Jonathan said as much as he would not shield any government official or private individual involved in corruption, his actions against the virus must be seen to follow due process.

“Whenever clear cases of corruption or fraud have been established, my administration has always taken prompt action in keeping with the dictates of extant laws and procedures. You cannot claim to be unaware of the fact that several highly placed persons in our country, including sons of some of our party leaders are currently facing trial for their involvement in the celebrated subsidy scam affair. I can hardly be blamed if the wheels of justice still grind very slowly in our country,” he said.

Commenting on another letter written by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, where he alleged that $49.8 billion were unremitted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, which Obasanjo also mentioned in his letter, Jonathan said “I am amazed that with all the knowledge garnered from your many years at the highest level of governance in our country, you could still believe the spurious allegation…”

He said having served for many years as minister of Petroleum Resources, the former President ought to very well know the workings of the corporation.

“You made a lot of insinuations about oil theft, shady dealings at the NNPC and the NNPC not remitting the full proceeds of oil sales to the of CBN. Now that the main source of the allegations which you rehashed has publicly stated that he was “misconstrued”, perhaps you will find it in your heart to apologize for misleading unwary Nigerians and impugning the integrity of my administration on that score,” the President said.

Jonathan also denied putting over one thousand Nigerians on a political watch list and training snipers and other militia to assassinate people as alleged in Obasanjo’s letter.

He dared the former President to support his accusations with facts or swear with a Bible that he himself truly believes the allegation.

“The allegation of training snipers to assassinate political opponents is particularly incomprehensible to me. Since I started my political career as a Deputy Governor, I have never been associated with any form of political violence. I have been a President for over three years now, with a lot of challenges and opposition mainly from the high and mighty,” Jonathan stated, adding “Your allegation that I am using security operatives to harass people is also baseless. Nigerians are waiting for your evidence of proof.”

Jonathan said he has nevertheless, directed the security agencies and requested the National Human Rights Commission to carry out a thorough investigation of the allegations and make their findings public.

On the issue of investors being scared to come to Nigeria, due to economic dormancy, and stagnation, Jonathan said statistics from the Foreign Direct Investment, FDI between 2000-2013 show that Nigeria has emerged as the preferred destination for investments in Africa.

According to him, “For the second year running, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Investments (UNCTAD) has ranked Nigeria as the number one destination for investments in Africa, and as having the fourth highest returns in the world.”

He added that the country currently holds 18 percent of all foreign investments in Africa and 60 percent of all foreign investments in the ECOWAS Sub-Region.

Comparing achievements in this regard, the President wrote: “Kindly note also that in the seven years between 2000 and 2007 when you were President, Nigeria attracted a total of $24.9 Billion in FDI. As a result of our efforts which you disparage, the country has seen an FDI inflow of $25.7 Billion in just three years which is more than double the FDI that has gone to the second highest African destination.”

In concluding his letter, Jonathan said: “Let me state that you have done me grave injustice with your public letter in which you wrongfully accused me of deceit, deception, dishonesty, incompetence, clannishness, divisiveness and insincerity, amongst other ills.”

NMA Ends Warning Strike

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NMA Ends Warning Strike

The national president of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Osahon Enabulele, has announced the end of the on-going warning strike embarked upon by the body to protest refusal of the federal government to honour an agreement to improve their welfare and increase funding for the sector.

Enabulele said in a statement on Sunday that all doctors in the public health sector would resume full services with effect from 8.00 a.m. on Monday, December 23.

“NMA wishes to inform the general public that doctors in the public health sector will resume services from December 23. This is in line with our earlier promise to give prime consideration to the Yuletide season in the prosecution of our warning strike,” he announced.

The NMA president said the call-off action is also to give another opportunity for the federal government to fulfil its promise and urged that the opprotunity is utilised.

“Nigerian doctors shall not hesitate to commence a full blown strike from 8.00 a.m. on January 6, 2014, if government does not satisfactorily resolve the demands of doctors,” he warned.

The demand includes appropriate funding of Nigeria’s healthcare system, expansion of universal health coverage to cover all Nigerians and health infrastructure upgrade.

The NMA had on December 15 directed its members to embark on the nationwide strike which paralysed health care delivery in all the government-owned hospitals nationwide during the five-day strike by medical doctors.

Some patients placed on admission at the Garki and National Hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, were forced to seek medicare elsewhere as they were prematurely discharged.

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