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23 Anambra Gubernatorial Candidates To Be Quizzed – NEDG

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23 Anambra Gubernatorial Candidates To Be Quizzed – NEDG

The Nigerian Election Debates Groups, NEDG, comprising of media organisations, Non Governmental Organisations, NGOs, Civil Society Groups, CSO, and the Nigeria Bar Association among others are to stage debates for the 23 candidates vying for the Anambra governorship seat on November 16.

The chairman of NEDG, Aremo Taiwo Allimi in a news briefing on Thursday told journalists that though the debate will feature all the candidates from the various political parties in two segments and will also include a grand finale for the few candidates who will  emerge as the leading ones as chosen by registered voters in Anambra.

Allimi said, “NEDG is a non-partisan, non-political and independent group, designed to ensure that political debates become a permanent feature of Nigeria’s democracy and culture.

The debate is designed to present to Anambra state electorates the opportunity to have firsthand information on the plans of governorship candidates and the strategies of implementation before radio/TV and live audience.

“The debates will be issue based and issue driven, aimed at setting public agenda which may form the basis of policy formulation and direction of government. The debates would be transmitted around the country and globally through television, radio and webcasting,” he said.

The debates have been scheduled to hold on October 27 for all governorship candidates and October 29 for deputy governorship candidates, at the Women Development Center and will feature two sections -morning and afternoon.

Researchers from the group would through the registered voters in the state select the leading candidates who will participate in the grand finale which also comes up in two segments on October 31.

Allimi said all the candidates have expressed willingness to attend the debate and that the participating audience would be barred from wearing party branded clothes or cheering the candidates during the debateates.

The NEDG had last Tuesday met with chairmen of the political parties endorsed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to field candidates for the governorship elections, with the aim of getting their candidates to participate in the debates and to acquaint them with the rules of the game.

Court Remands Freight Forwarder Over $22,800 Scam

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Court Remands Freight Forwarder Over $22,800 Scam

Justice S.S Ogunsanya of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, has ordered that one Aderemi Aderounmu, a supposed freight forwarder, be remanded at the Kirikiri maximum prison for obtaining money from a client by false pretence.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had arraigned Aderounmu on a 3-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, contrary to Section 8 (a) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

He was alleged to have collected $22,800 from one Simeon Iwunor, as part payment of air freight for the shipment of his cargo to Liberia without delivering the goods.

Count one of the charge reads, “that Aderemi Aderounmu and Michael Nnodu (at large) on or about 21st day of July, 2012, at Egbeda, within the Ikeja Judiciary Division of this Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $10,000.00 (Ten Thousand United States Dollars) only, from Simeon Iwunor, being part payment of air freight for shipment of his cargo/ goods to Liberia.”

Count two reads, “that Aderemi Aderounmu and Michael Nnodu (at large) on or about 26th day of July, 2012, at Egbeda, within the Ikeja Judiciary Division of this Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $12,800.00 (Twelve Thousand, Eight Hundred United States Dollars) only, from Simeon Iwunor, being part payment of air freight for shipment of his cargo/ goods to Liberia.”

When the charges were read to the accused person, he pleaded not guilty.

The prosecuting counsel, I.O Daramola asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the accused person in prison custody.

But the defence counsel, J.O Ololo prayed the court to allow the accused to continue to enjoy the administrative bail initially granted him by the EFCC. This plea was however opposed by Daramola who pressed for the remand of the accused person in prison custody.

Justice Ogunsanya, while adjourning the case to October 21, ordered the accused person to be remanded in Kirikiri maximum prison, Lagos.

Delta Bye-Election: No Corps Members For Kokori, NYSC Warns

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Delta Bye-Election: No Corps Members For Kokori, NYSC Warns

From Jessica Tamaradonye, Asaba

Authorities of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), have directed that no Corps member should be posted to Kokori and other towns in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for Saturday’s bye-election for Delta Central Senatorial District.

This, apparently in fear of loosing any its members to kidnappers, might not be unconnected with recent security challenges being experienced in Kokori following the arrest of kidnap kingpin cum armed robber, Kelvin Ibruwe also known as Oniarah.

Some unidentified gunmen who were allegedly in symperty with the arrested kidnapper, had attacked the campaign team of candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the bye-election, Emmanuel Agwariavwodo.

Delta State Director of NYSC, Mrs. Olive Etukudor, made this known to journalists in Asaba, the state capital. She appealed to political gladiators and community leaders to ensure a safe atmosphere in other council areas where corps members would acting as election officials.

Meanwhile, the National Commissioner of INEC in Delta state, ismail Igbani, has expressed readiness by the Commission to conduct a free, fair and credible bye-election for Delta Central.

Igbani made this known in Asaba while presiding stakeholers’ meeting. He disclosed that all personnel and logistics requirements have been put in place for the election.

He urging political parties and their candidates to caution their supporters and to be of proper behaviour before, during and after the election.

According to Igbani, a total of 2,782 voting points have been created for the election in the 85 registration areas across the eight local government areas of the senatorial district.

“A total of 819,118 registered voters are expected to participate in the election that will be manned by 4,224 election officials. The electronic voter register and 19 addendum registers have been printed for the election,” he said.

He gave the breakdown of the election officials as 1,263 presiding officers; 2,782 assistant presiding officers all from NYSC; 85 supervising presiding officers from federal agencies; 85 LGA collation officers; and one senatorial district returning officer from federal university.

For the troubled Ethiope East, Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in Delta State, Dame Gesilia Khan told the stakeholders that the electoral body would opt for students in tertiary institutions in conjunction with INEC staff to conduct the election.

Libyan Prime Minister Abducted By Gunmen

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Libyan Prime Minister Abducted By Gunmen

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zidan has been abducted by gunmen early Thursday Morning from a Tripoli hotel where he resides.

Government officials have confirmed that the 62-year-old was snatched from the Corinthia Hotel along with two of his guards, and “taken to an unknown destination for an unknown reason”.

A government official who spoke to the Associated Press (AP) on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said the gunmen broke into the luxury hotel in downtown Tripoli where Zidan lives and abducted him and two of his guards who were beaten but later released.

The government’s official website said Zidan was taken at dawn to an “unknown location for unknown reasons” by a group believed to be “revolutionaries” from a security agency known as the Anti-Crime Committee.

However, the abduction appears to be in retaliation for the U.S. special forces’ raid on Saturday that seized a Libyan al-Qaida suspect from the streets of the capital.

The militants were angered by the capture of the suspected militant known as Abu Anas al-Libi, and accused the government of colluding in or allowing the raid.

A spokesman for the Operations Room of Libya’s Revolutionaries, a group of former rebels, claimed responsibility for Zeidan’s abduction and blamed the U.S. operation which captured suspected terrorist al-Liby.

Meanwhile, Abdel-Moneim al-Hour, an official with the Anti-Crime Committee, told the AP that Zidan had been “arrested” on accusations of harming state security and corruption, but the public prosecutor’s office said it had issued no warrant for Zidan’s arrest.

On Tuesday, Zidan said the Libyan government had requested that Washington allow al-Libi’s family to establish contact with him.

Zidan insisted that Libyan citizens should be tried in their homeland if they are accused of crimes, stressing that “Libya does not surrender its sons.”

Al-Libi is alleged to be a senior al-Qaida member and is wanted by the United States in connection with the bombing of American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998, with a $5 million bounty on his head.

Immediately after the raid, the Libyan government issued a statement saying it was carried out without its knowledge and asked Washington for “clarifications” about the operation.

“The U.S. was very helpful to Libya during the revolution and the relations should not be affected by an incident, even if it is a serious one,” Zidan said at a press conference in Tripoli.

U.S. officials said al-Libi was immediately taken out of the country and is now being held on a U.S. warship.

Court remands cattle seller over dud cheque

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Court remands cattle seller over dud cheque

By Jessica Tamaradonye, Asaba

Abraham Inyamhe, a cattle seller, has been remanded in prison custody by an Asaba Magistrate Court for allegedly issuing a dud cheque of N900,000 to one John Osuyali.

The 52-year-old Inyamhe, is facing a two-count charge of fraud and issuance of dud cheque.

Prosecution, led in evidence by Mrs. Ndidi Ahamefula, told the court that Inyamhe on July 1, the accused at the GRA Police Station, Asaba, issued a dishonoured Keystone Bank cheque of N900,000 with number 29671306 to Osuyali.

Ahamefula further told the court that the accused had obtained N1.9 million from Osuyali under false pretence, adding that he (Inyamhe) refused to pay back the money after efforts by the complainant to collect his money.

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According to the Prosecutor, the offence of obtaining under false pretence contravened the Criminal Code Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 while the second offence contravened the Dishonoured Cheque Offences Act Laws of Delta, 2006.

Presiding Chief Magistrate, Mr. Steve Okebu, who said the Court lacked jurisdiction over the case, refused to take the plea of the accused.

He who however ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody, and thereafter adjourned the case to October 31 for mention.

Plateau Assembly Deputy Speaker Impeached

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Plateau Assembly Deputy Speaker Impeached

The Deputy Speaker of Plateau House of Assembly, Johnbull Shekarau, was impeached on Wednesday for dereliction of duty.

Shekarau was impeached few minutes after presiding over the selection of a new Speaker, following the resignation of the former Speaker, John Dabwan “in the interest of peace”.

He described the resignation of Dabwan as sad and touching, and called for the nomination of a new Speaker.

He later announced Titus Alarms representing Bokkos Constituency as the new Speaker following his nomination as the unopposed candidate.

Shekarau handed over to Alarms, who few minutes after was faced with the duty of presiding over the impeachment of his deputy.

The motion for his removal was moved by Abbas Wokdung, the member representing Dengi Constituency.

Wokdung drew the attention of the house to a petition signed by 16-members demanding the removal of the Deputy Speaker.

The Speaker after consulting with the Clerk, said that the petition met with the requirements of the law and consequently announced the impeachment of Shekarau.

Joyce Ramnap, representing Pankshin South, defeated two other nominees to emerge as the new Deputy Speaker.

NANS Threatens Legal Action Against ASUU Over Strike

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NANS Threatens Legal Action Against ASUU Over Strike

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, on Wednesday said it is considering  legal action against the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, if it failed to call off it’s strike soon and is therefore embarking on a nationwide sensitisation tour to garner enough support from the states.

President of NANS, Yinka Gbadebo, told a news conference jointly addressed by the association and the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN in Abuja that the association would also consider staging a demonstration.

“We have considered options; we have considered the option of taking them to court; we have considered the option of leading a protest against ASUU. But…we know that if we take ASUU to the court now or if we lead a protest against ASUU now, it may be suicidal because the public has not been well informed about all this, that is why we are planning to embark on a sensitisation tour of Nigeria, to inform our students who will distribute these document across Nigeria in the next one week,” he said.

Gbadebo said the protracted ASUU strike had become a thing of concern to Nigerian students and there was an urgent need to look into the contending issues between the federal government and the union.

According to him, NANS members have met with the federal government and the document containing the demands and agreements reached with ASUU made available to them.

He, however, said efforts by NANS to meet with the leadership of ASUU to verify the authenticity or otherwise of the document had proved abortive as the union had declined to meet with the students’ body.

The NANS president alleged that the document obtained from the government indicated that ASUU’s primary demands were in its own interest and not that of Nigerian students as most of the demands that concerned students had already been met by government.

He said the Nigerian public should make efforts to get facts and not to judge based on sentiments being whipped by ASUU and which had continued to jeopardise the future of Nigeria.

Gbadebo commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his efforts at resolving the crisis and urged students to be on the alert and to monitor how funds allocated to their various institutions would be applied by the university authorities.

Also speaking, the President of NYCN, Olawale Ajani, said that Nigerian youth were taking their destinies in their hands by joining NANS in the struggle to ensure that the education system did not collapse.

He said the federal government should do all in its powers to ensure that students were not left to idle about

 

GIABA Chief Advocates Better Funding For EFCC

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GIABA Chief Advocates Better Funding For EFCC

The Director-General, Inter-Governmental Action Against Money Laundering in West Africa, GIABA, Abdullahi Y. Shehu, said the Economic and Financial crimes Commission, EFCC, should be completely independent to enable it perform optimally.

Shehu made the statement in Abuja at the on-going 6th INTERPOL Global programme on anti- corruption, financial crimes and asset recovery holding at the EFCC academy.

Speaking to the topic “Recovering the Proceeds of Crime: key legal and practical issues and challenges,” the DG said: “I am advocating for providing part of the recovered funds for the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies, this is the practice in America and other parts of the world where serious attention is paid to the success of the law enforcement agencies.

According to the him, commonwealth countries, including Nigeria should not be so regimented, stressing that law enforcement agencies should be able to benefit directly from recoveries as the era of going to the National Assembly or the presidency begging for funds should be a thing of the past.

“Imagine the EFCC benefiting from the billions of naira recovered from Cecilia Ibru, former Managing Director of Oceanic Bank that would have gone a long way to reasonably ameliorate part of its financial challenges,” he opined.

He also advocated for complete independence of the operations of the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies, noting that one of the major problems in fighting corruption and economic crimes is undue interference of the political class.

Earlier, the deputy director, Central Bureau of Investigation, India, Yagnic Venkata Krishna Arige, in his paper titled “Forensic Audit and trail of Fraud- The Approach of Investigators”, said that INTERPOL member countries need a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach to combat corruption and all forms of economic and financial crimes.

He said that forensic audit becomes a major factor and an attraction to investigators in the face of escalating corporate fraud.

Arige added that member countries should work on the necessary legislation and all that is required to ensure that directors of all registered companies are coded through a Director Identification Number, DIN, through which an investigator can track and trail proceed of  crimes

The week long conference is to end on Friday, October 11.

Plateau, Northern Governors, Others Mourn Solomon Lar

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Plateau, Northern Governors, Others Mourn Solomon Lar

Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has announced the passing on of Solomon Lar, first civilian governor of old Plateau State.

Lar died in an American hospital early Wednesday after a protracted illness at age 90.

Jang described the late politician as not only an illustrious son of Plateau and Nigeria but the African continent for his immense contribution during the colonial days as well as his role during the military regime as well as helping midwife the political party that ushered in democratic rule in 1999.

The Northern States Governors’ Forum also mourned the death of the late elder statesman, describing his death as a devastating loss to the citizens of the state and the country in a statement signed by Danladi Ndayebo, spokesman to the forum’s chairman, Babangida Aliyu, governor of Niger State.

It described Lar as a nationalist who lived a purposeful life, which was dedicated to the cause of national unity and the welfare of the citizenry and called on the Plateau government to immortalise him so as to serve as an inspiration to the younger generation of Nigerians.

Also, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, described the death of Lar as “the loss of one of the country’s greatest statesmen”.

“He was a leader Nigeria needed at each time of crisis,” he said, adding that his demise would be most felt at this time when there was growing disagreement among the country’s political elite.

Lar was a legal practitioner, member of the country’s first national legislature, state governor, the first national chairman of the PDP and an elder statesman.

 

FG Investigates Killing Of Three Nigerians In Guinea-Bissau

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FG Investigates Killing Of Three Nigerians In Guinea-Bissau

The federal government on Wednesday ordered investigation into the reported killing of three Nigerians and the attack on the Nigerian Embassy in Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday.

The special adviser to President Gooduck Jonathan on media and publicity, Reuben Abati, told State House correspondents in Abuja that the incident was discussed during the Federal Executive Council, FEC, today.

“Indeed, during the FEC meeting today, the minister of State for Foreign Affairs II, who is in-charge of Africa, briefed council about development in Guinea Bissau involving an attack on the Embassy, resulting in the death of at least one Nigerian,” he said.

Abati said the Nigerian Ambassador in Guinea Bissau was directed immediately to take up the matter with the minister of foreign affairs in Guinea Bissau and that the matter is being investigated.

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The lynched Nigerians were alleged to have kidnapped a child in Bissau, the capital, and were killed by an angry mob using stones and bottles.

According to the AFP, rumours spread that the missing child had been abducted by the Nigerians. This prompted an angry crowd to gather in the centre of the city to form a mob which security forces were unable to control.

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