Suya and the cancer controversy

The controversy surrounding the link between consumption of barbecued or roasted meat and the risk of development of cancer is as old as the hills. In Nigeria, the local skewered savoury beef or chicken popularly called Suya, carries the can. Suya-suya Traditionally prepared by the Hausa, the thinly sliced meat is garnished in a complex mixture of spices, salt, vegetable oil and other flavourings and additives which make up the Suya marinade (known as Yaji) and then barbecued before being served with dried pepper mixed with spices and sliced onions, cabbage and tomatoes.

The dried version of the Suya known as Kilishi is just as popular particularly in the northern part of Nigeria. Suya is very tasty and much savoured by Nigerians from all walks of life. A trip to any of the big hotels in the nation’s cities and particularly to the local and international wings of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, attests to this. In June this year, I attended a nutrition function in Lagos where a professor of nutrition, Prof. Ignatius Onimawo, advised regular consumers of the local skewered beef or chicken popularly called Suya, to eat the delicacy with generous portions of the slices of onions, cabbage, tomatoes and other vegetables. A fortnight ago, I encountered the professor again at another nutrition event also in Lagos where he again spoke at length about the health hazards of suya consumption. Like he did during the first event, Orimawo, a researcher and lecturer at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, revealed how research had shown a strong link between consumption of suya and increased risk of cancer. According to the nutritionist, the same research had proved that consumption of suya garnished with onions and other vegetables, has a strong cancer-lowering effect. Recalling a warning by the World Health Organisation, WHO, that except there is deliberate effort to imbibe healthier dietary and lifestyle habits over the next 10 years, cancer and other Non Communicable Diseases, NCDs, would increase by more than 27 percent in developing countries like Nigeria, compared to 17 percent in the developed world. In his view, dietary habits play a major role in outcome of our health and one of this is cancer. “Take breast cancer for an example,its incidence used to be very low among our women in those days and it was even tagged oyinbo disease because it was very rare in Nigeria or in Africa for that matter. But today, this is no longer the case. Breast cancer is everywhere. It is even killing people in the village. When we carried out studies to try to look at the aetiology of the disease, to find out where it all started, what we discovered was that we could trace the origin to suya consumption,” Orimawo admonished. In the second event, Orimawo spoke at length about the hazards of the consumption of Suya had reservations about the Mai Shani (oil used in suya preparation). “The suya meat already contains enough fat, now the oil sprinkled on it is also from fat, that is why it kept by the fire to keep it in liquid form. It is highly saturated, and drips into the fire sending up smoke that contains carcinogens.” Narrowing down the conversation to suya preparation, he remarked: “During preparation of suya, the meat is cooked over an open fire, and oils from the meat undergo complex chemical reactions that produce toxins that are carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in nature. Meat cooked over open flame often causes the formation of toxic compounds known as Heterocyclic Amines, HCAs, which are carcinogenic. The more well-done meat is cooked, the higher concentration of carcinogenic HCAs can form.” Explaining that cancer is due to oxidative processes in the body, he said onions are powerful antioxidants that effectively stop the oxidative process triggered by consumption of suya from taking place. Further, Onimawo said one of the outcomes of the findings was that women, who consume suya, are more prone to cancer (breast cancer) than men because they (women) tend to consume just the suya and ignore the vegetables. “Men eat onions, women eat suya: “This is practically proven. Many young men, take girls out and buy suya to entertain them. Normally, apart from the spices sprinkled on the meat, the suya is served with slices of onions, cabbage and tomatoes in some cases. “The onion and other vegetables are actually added to act as antidote to the effect of the oil from the suya. Onions neutralise the oxidative effect of the chemicals in the oil and help prevent cancer, but because the young man wants to impress the girl, he will be eating the onions, while the girl eats the suya. At the end of the day he is preventing cancer, unknowingly, while the girl is eating the cancer.” A number of studies support the use of local spices such as ginger, clove, red pepper, black pepper, onion, thyme, oregano and garlic in a meat marinade before grilling also drastically reduce any carcinogens that normally would form on grilled meat. The suya sauce, a.k.a. Yaji, comprising most of these spices is believed to help ameliorate possible negative effects of the roasted red meat. However, findings link excessive consumption to possible kidney damage. The antioxidants in rosemary and thyme from a marinade were specifically cited in studies at being powerful inhibitors of HCA formation when grilling meats. Essentially, when meat is grilled, broiled, or seared, carcinogenic HCAs are formed. However, when meat is cooked in a water base the dangerous HCAs are eliminated. So meats cooked in a soup or crock pot will not have the problem of the carcinogenic HCAs and is a healthier way to cook meat. Remember that the more well-done a meat is cooked, the higher concentration of carcinogenic HCA’s can form, so rare, medium-rare, or medium are healthier choices than well-done. If you like your roast or barbecued meat well-done, remember that you may be eating a lot more carcinogens than meat that not as well cooked. So make sure to load up on using spices to drastically reduce the formation of HCAs on grilled meat...post by expdonaloaded

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Harvest of music videos for Baseline artistes..

The duo of Saeon and Mr Chidoo both signed to the fast growing record label, Baseline, are ready to unveil their music videos.
After the success of Boogie Down, featuring Wizkid, Baseline Music’s Sexy Saeon, releases long waited video for Awada Erekere , the cross-over song that got her signed on to the record label.post by expdonaloaded

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Keshi invites Ike Uche after saying striker will never play under him

After swearing that he will never invite Ikechukwu Uche to play for the Eagles as long as he remains coach, Stephen Keshi yesterday ate his words after inviting the Villarreal forward for this month’s 2015 Cup of Nations qualifying matches against the Red Devils of Congo and Bafana Bafana of South Africa.

Uche Uche Uche is called for the first time in nearly two years, and there is also a first senior team opportunity for Nasarawa United midfielder Tony Edjomari. Home –based defender Solomon Kwambe also return, and Aaron Samuel (who got one of the goals against Sudan), Hope Akpan, Sunday Emmanuel and home –boy Emem Eduok have further chances after being called for the matches against the Falcons of Sudan. Skipper and goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, defenders Godfrey Oboabona and Elderson Echiejile, midfielders Ogenyi Onazi and Mikel Obi, and forwards Ahmed Musa, Emmanuel Emenike and Babatunde Michael are also invited. All the players are expected to report at the Bolton White Apartments, Wuse, Abuja on Sunday, 9th November...post by expdonaloaded

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Nigeria must diversify its economy – Aganga

The minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, has called for the diversification of economy saying it is the only way the country could achieve economic development.

The minister who made reference to the feat achieved by the former Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, urged the present leaders to emulate past leaders, who used natural resources to improve the lots of their people and regions Minister of Trade & Investment, Olusegun Aganga Minister of Trade & Investment, Olusegun Aganga He said this on Friday as the 6th convocation lecturer of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, while speaking on the topic: Emergence of Nigeria as Africa’s leading economy: Challenges for the Future. According to him, for the country to maintain its position and even improve as the leading economy in Africa, it must encourage the growing of farm cash crops and embrace new standards in processing technologies. He said, “We need to diversify our economy. We need to go back to the good old days when the proceeds from Cocoa were used to build the Cocoa House in Ibadan. “We must improve the standard of what we produce and export. “If we must compete, we must acquire the necessary skills, we must provide an environment where there is finance for the private sector. We cannot be competitive if we don’t link innovation with industry.” “While he explained that the new economic status of the nation has been attracting foreign investors with many heads of state and presidents leading several investors from their nations to Abuja, he added that “the best time to invest in the country is now.” The vice-chancellor, Prof. Adebayo Adeyemi noted that for the transformation agenda of the federal government to yield the necessary fruit it must ensure it has inbuilt components of knowledge economy. According to him, knowledge economy relies on intellectual capabilities than on physical inputs or natural resources only. He said, “Leading edge economies are now being driven by technologies based on knowledge, information, production and dissemination. It has been established that the widely accepted pillars of knowledge economy are economic incentive, innovation, education and information infrastructure....post by expdonaloaded

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Jonathan, most performing president since independence, says Okupe...

Abuja – Dr Doyin Okupe, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, said on Friday that President Goodluck Jonathan, remains the most performing president the country has had since independence.

Okupe said this at the Public Affairs Forum held in Abuja. The four-day forum was organised under the auspices of Okupe’s office to highlight the achievements of the Jonathan-led administration. Okupe said that although previous Nigerian leaders performed well within the circumstances they found themselves, none of them achieved half of what President Jonathan have achieved in four years. President Goodluck Jonathan displaying Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms at the People's Democratic Party's Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday (30/10/14). President Goodluck Jonathan displaying Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms at the People’s Democratic Party’s Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday (30/10/14). The presidential aide described as “nonsense” claims that the Transformation Agenda of the President existed only in the media. “It is nonsense to say that the Transformation Agenda of Jonathan existed in the television. We have not spoken about what he has done. We are going to overwhelm Nigerians during the campaign.” He said it was regrettable that not much had been done to sell the good performance of the Jonathan`s administration to Nigerians. Okupe, however, held that past Nigerian leaders contributed immensely to the development of the country to their best abilities as each of them recorded his own achievement. He said that the Jonathan-led Federal Government would showcase its achievements to Nigerians during the presidential campaign for 2015. This, he said, would convince the people that Jonathan remains the best option for the country in the years to come. He, however, advised Nigerians to shun the antics of the opposition, saying that in spite of their criticism, they had not told Nigerians what they would offer, if given the opportunity to govern. “This election will be a ‘no contest’ affair. We are telling the world what Jonathan has done. We will not stop until well beyond February. 2015,” he said. Also speaking, the Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, presented the ministry’s achievements in the last four years during the event with the theme “Jonathan`s administration: Four impactful years”. He said the resuscitation and modernisation of the Nigerian Railway system had reached an advance stage. The minister highlighted various stages of work on new and existing rail lines in different parts of the country, many of which, he said, would be completed by the end of the year. He stated that the Jonathan-led administration had repositioned the Nigerian port system in line with global best practices. The administration, he said, had also increased the use of inland waterways and enhanced maritime safety and security. The minister said that the administration had also improved the inter-model coordination of the Nigerian transport system and enhanced private sector participation in transportation in the country. “These achievements have certainly impacted positively on the actualisation of the Transformation Agenda of Mr. President to the overall benefit of the Nigerian economy and the citizens,” he said. (NAN)....post by expdonaloaded

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Shekau denies ceasefire, says Chibok girls have converted to Islam, married off ...

Boko Haram denied that they had agreed to a ceasefire in a new video obtained on Friday by AFP, describing the Nigerian government claims as a lie and apparently ruling out future talks.

The group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, also claimed the 219 schoolgirls kidnapped from the remote northeast town of Chibok, in Borno state, in April had converted to Islam and been married off.Chibok-details In addition, Shekau said the Islamists were holding a German national, who was kidnapped in Adamawa state, also northeast Nigeria, in July. The video comes after a surprise Nigerian military and presidency announcement on October 17 that a deal had been reached with the militants to end hostilities. A senior presidential aide to Goodluck Jonathan also said agreement had been reached to free the schoolgirls, whose abduction sparked global anger and demands for their release. There was immediate scepticism about both claims because of previous assertions of ceasefires and the identity of the purported Boko Haram envoy at the supposed talks, Danladi Ahmadu. Violence — and fresh kidnappings — have continued unabated since the announcement, including a triple bombing of a bus station in the northern city of Gombe on Friday that killed at least eight. Nigeria’s government maintains that talks were ongoing in the Chadian capital, Ndjamena. But Shekau, speaking in Hausa, dressed in military fatigues and boots with a black turban, and flanked by 15 armed fighters, said: “We have not made ceasefire with anyone… “We did not negotiate with anyone… It’s a lie. It’s a lie. We will not negotiate. What is our business with negotiation? Allah said we should not.” He also said he did not know Danladi. – Kidnapped girls – There was no indication of when or where the video was shot but it was obtained through the same channels as previous communications from the group. In it, Shekau mentions the Chibok girls for the first time since a video obtained on May 5, when more than 100 were shown in a rural location dressed in the hijab and reciting verses from the Koran. Then, the militant leader said many of the girls had converted to Islam but in the latest, he indicated that all of those held had become Muslims. “Don’t you know the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls have converted to Islam? They have now memorised two chapters of the Koran,” he said. Shekau previously threatened to sell the girls as slave brides and also suggested that he would be prepared to release them in exchange for Boko Haram prisoners. In the latest message, he said while laughing: “We have married them off. They are in their marital homes.” Human Rights Watch said in a report published this week that Boko Haram was holding upwards of 500 women and young girls and that forced marriage was commonplace in the militant camps. One former hostage said she saw some of the Chibok girls forced to cook and clean for other women and girls who had been chosen for “special treatment because of their beauty”. – German national – Shekau’s claim in the video that they were “holding your German hostage” is the first claim of responsibility for the abduction, which happened on July 16. The German foreign ministry in Berlin said it did not want to comment when contacted by AFP. Armed gunmen kidnapped the foreigner, who was said to be a teacher at a government technical training centre in Gombi, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the Adamawa state capital Yola. Suspicion immediately fell on Boko Haram, which has repeatedly attacked schools teaching a so-called Western curriculum, as well as teachers and students. An offshoot of Boko Haram, Ansaru, has previously claimed the kidnapping of at least eight foreigners in northern Nigeria since 2012 but the group has been largely dormant for more than a year. The group reportedly broke with Boko Haram to specifically target foreigners instead of Nigerians and executed seven expatriates it seized from Bauchi state in 2013. In January 2012, Boko Haram kidnapped German engineer Edgar Raupach at a construction site on the outskirts of the northern city of Kano. He was killed in a military raid on a Boko Haram hideout on the outskirts of the city four months later. Kidnappings for ransom by criminal gangs are common in the oil-producing south. On October 24, armed men shot dead one German national and kidnapped another in Ogun state, southwest Nigeria. Both were working for the construction firm Julius Berger. The hostage was later released, the company said on Thursday...post by expdonaloaded

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Jonathan not acceptable, Buhari’s supporters will cause violence...

Sheik Ahmad Gunmi explodes again on why President Jonathan, Gen. Buhari should not contest 2015 Presidential election Fiery Islamic Scholar and scion of late Sheik Abubakar Gunmi, Sheik Ahmad Gunmi has said why he wrote two separate letters asking both President Goodluck Jonathan and the former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, rtd, not to contest the 2015 presidential election.
Gunmi who spoke with Saturday Vanguard in an exclusive interview in Kaduna Wednesday, said that both ‘’Buhari and Jonathan are polarising figures”, pointing out that Buhari’s participation in the election would exacerbate violence in the country while Jonathan was not an acceptable candidate to a “great chunk of Nigerians”. Sheikh Gumi Sheikh Gumi ‘’Tnorth is frantic; they don’t want President Jonathan to come back because of their safety, lives and security. And this has made them to be too attached to Gen. Buhari because they think he is the only credible person and he has large followers who feel that they can help defeat Jonathan. I know like Jonathan, Buhari is also polarizing figure. ‘’Buhari is not only a polarizing figure in Nigeria, he is even so in the North. There are people who don’t want him at all for different reasons. My Islamic credentials make me see things in broader perspective. And that’s why I am seriously telling him to consider that leadership is not only about honesty and accountability. It also has to do with conformity, flexibility, being nice to people and not just disciplinary strictness. No! All these people that are attached to him would be very surprised if he gets into power. He will not do what they want.’’ Gunmi further said that Buhari’s followers were not only ‘’irrational, fanatical and sentimental,’’ but were already hoping that ‘’their man will be president,’’ adding that if ‘’suddenly he is announced the loser… there would be ‘flames of war; they start nobody can control them.’’ According to him, ‘’It is about a Nigerian citizen (himself) telling Gen. Buhari, please step down for peace, unity and stability of Nigeria because your followers are fanatical, irrational, sentimental and they are many, not few. So, please … and look at their reaction (intolerance). Just telling their man to step down, and they reacted this way; what more if they were hoping, dreaming – because I tell you they are sentimental and irrational – hoping their man will be president and suddenly he’s announced the loser, how will their reaction be like? And who can control them? You see, the flames of war, when they start nobody can control them On Jonathan, Gunmi also said that he was a polarising figure pointing out that, “a big section of Nigeria will be uncomfortable with him (Jonathan) continuing as President.’’ to him, ‘’tquestion of Nigeria now is not about winning election, neither is it a question of I’m right, I won. It’s not about that now. It’s about responsibility. It’s not enough to say I have won election. It is only enough when every part of Nigeria feels truly that you have won. ‘’Secondly, when all sections say, we will be comfortable with your leadership then that’s it. If there is any section of Nigeria which is afraid and suspicious of your leadership, then don’t contest in the first place. Because everything in this democracy was designed to have a peaceful and mutual understanding and consent of the people as enshrined in the constitution. ‘’But in this case, if President Jonathan wins, a huge part of the society will feel uncomfortable and frightened by his continuation. The natural thing to do is to give the chance to another person to contest; this is just natural everywhere in the world.’’ BOKO HARAM Furthermore, Gunmi spoke on the war against Boko Haram, blaming the inability of the Military to defeat the terrorists on fifth columnists within the system and mercenaries from neighbouring countries like Chad. According to him, ‘’Who can believe that with the kind of wealth that Nigeria has; our soldiers will be given few bullets to face Boko Haram? Nobody knows that this Boko Haram, from the few the army were able to kill, were mercenaries from Chad. There are even some none-Muslims among them. ‘’A soldier came to us here from Bita, which is very close to the Sambisa Forest (in Borno State). He said when they went freshly with ammunition they were able to repel the initial attacks by Boko Haram. When the Boko Haram insurgents were withdrawing, he heard some shouting some names like Victor, Amir, John, Mohammed etc They were calling their colleagues. Boko Haram are not only Muslims. ‘’The Boko Haram issue has two perspectives – the perspective you, the press, have been bombarding Nigerians with and the true perspective seen by the victims. Let me tell you what the victims see in Boko Haram. We almost have one full year of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States. ‘’The people gave the government the benefit of doubt at the beginning. The National Assembly sanctioned the state of emergency and that means that soldiers can liquidate or kill anybody without trial. That automatically puts you out of the area if you are an outsider. You cannot go and see for yourself what’s happening. Powers were given to them and also huge sums of money. With these huge sums, nobody would have thought that after this long period, we will still be fighting them. NO MILITARY STRATEGY TO FIGHT BOKO HARAM ‘’Soldiers at the fronts were being eliminated, outnumbered, and many civilians incarcerated. The Army were just there arresting civilians and putting them in prison. There is no military strategy to fight Boko Haram. On the contrary some of these soldiers cry to me personally. They come to us and tell us stories contrary to what you people hear. Helicopter droppings, tinted glassed vehicles, sometimes with foreigners in them. Army officers telling me that sometimes they’ll pursue them but would be given orders to stop, don’t pursue. You (the press) don’t know this but we know, and even recorded some. We know it’s a remote controlled war. This stalemate is a remote controlled war.’...post by expdonaloaded

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ambuwal drags PDP, Mu’Azu, Ihedioha, IGP, INEC, AGF to court

Dissatisfied with the abrupt withdrawal of all his security aides barely 48 hours after he defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, the embattled Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, yesterday, dragged his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

The suit was also endorsed by the APC, which was cited as the 2nd plaintiff in the matter.Mallam-Aminu-Tambuwal Joined as 2nd to 7th defendants in the legal action were the PDP Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’Azu, the House of Representatives, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the acting Inspector General of Police, Sulaiman Abba, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN. The plaintiffs, prayed the high court to compel the defendants to within 30 days of the service of the Originating Summons on them, appear to explain the rationale behind the sudden withdrawal of all the security details hitherto assigned to the Speaker. Moreover, Tambuwal, who personally perfected the filing of the suit at the court registry around 1.30pm yesterday, also urged the court to go ahead and determine “Whether the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th defendants can declare the seat of the 1st plaintiff in the 3rd defendant (House) vacant and call upon the 6th defendant (INEC) to fill the seat of the 1st plaintiff when the 1st plaintiff has neither resigned nor withdrawn his membership of the 3rd defendant or when the 1st plaintiff has not been duly removed from the 3rd defendant in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended. “Whether upon a calm view and proper construction of the provisions of section 68 of the 1999 Constitution as amended and having regard to the decisions of this court in the cases of PDP and 1 Or. Vs Hon. Rasak Atunwa and 20 others, suit No FHC/IL/CS/6/2014, delivered on the 26th of June 2014 and the case of Ibrahim Magaji Gusau and 2 Others vs Hon Lawal Mohammed Zayyana and 30 others, Suit No FHC/S/CS/4/2014, delivered on the 3rd day of July 2014, can the seat of the 1st plaintiff become vacant upon his membership of the 2nd plaintiff (APC) for which the defendants can act to withdraw his rights and entitlements as member and speaker of the 3rd defendant”. Upon determination of the questions, the plaintiffs, beseeched the court for eight separate reliefs, which are; “A declaration that the decisions or threatened decisions of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th defendants purporting to or planning and or attempting to declare the seat of the 1st plaintiff in the 3rd defendant vacant as a member and Hon. Speaker thereof, is unlawful, unconstitutional and ultra vires the powers of the said the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th defendants. “A declaration that the 1st plaintiff remains a member and the Hon. Speaker of the 3rd defendant until the expiration of his current term of office on the 5th day of June, 2015, notwithstanding the membership of the 1st plaintiff in the 2nd plaintiff unless the 1st plaintiff is removed in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended. “A declaration that by virtue of the decisions of this Court in the case of PDP and 1 Or. Vs Hon. Rasak Atunwa and 20 others, suit No FHC/IL/CS/6/2014, delivered on the 26th of June 2014 and the case of Ibrahim Magaji Gusau and 2 Others vs Hon Lawal Mohammed Zayyana and 30 others, Suit No FHC/S/CS/4/2014, delivered on the 3rd day of July 2014, and the fact of the 1st plaintiffs membership of the New PDP that merged with the 2nd plaintiff, the membership of the 1st plaintiff in the 2nd plaintiff is legal and constitutional and within the purview of the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended and afortiori the 1st plaintiff remains a member and the Hon Speaker of the 3rd defendant until the expiration of his current tenure of office on the 5th day of June 2015, unless the 1st is removed in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended. “A declaration that the withdrawal, threatened withdrawal or purported withdrawal of the security details of the 1st plaintiff at the instance, orders or prompting of the defendants when the 1st plaintiff has not been removed from office as the Hon. Speaker and member of the 3rd defendant is unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional, an act of self help and a flagrant violation of the 1st plaintiff’s constitutional rights to life and security and same constitutes a denial of the said rights as well as privileges, perquisites associated with and pertaining to his office as Hon. Speaker and member of the 3rd defendant. “An Order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants herein either by themselves or agents, proxies or otherwise howsoever from taking any steps or further steps to abrogate or diminish or take away or interfere with or infringe the 1st plaintiff’s rights and privileges as the Hon Speaker and as a member of the 3rd defendant, before the expiration of his term of office on the 5th day of June, 2015. “An order of injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves, their agents, proxies or otherwise howsoever from taking steps to remove the 1st plaintiff from office s the Hon Speaker and member of the 3rd defendant or in any manner whatsoever taking any steps or further steps to abrogate or diminish the 1st plaintiff’s rights and privileges as the Hon Speaker and member of the 3rd defendant, before the expiration of his term of office on the 5th day of June, 2015. “An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 6th defendant from accepting any nomination of candidates or otherwise organizing or conducting a bye-election for the purpose of replacing the 1st plaintiff or taking over his seat as the Hon Speaker and member of the 3rd defendant before the expiration of the 1st plaintiff’s current tenure of office which expires on the 5th day of June, 2015. “An order of mandatory injunction compelling the 5th and 7th defendants to restore to the 1st plaintiff his security details and all other rights, benefits and privileges appurtenant to members of and the office of the Hon Speaker of the 3rd defendant”. The suit which was entered on behalf of the plaintiffs by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Jubril Okutepa yesterday, is yet to be assigned to any judge for hearing. Meanwhile, in a 40-paragraphed affidavit that was personally deposed to by Tambuwal himself, he told the court that PDP had “in the course of time became factionalized and metamorphosed into the PDP and New PDP and has remained factionalized in my home state, that is Sokoto State”. He maintained that he was not elected Speaker of the House of Reps on June 6, 2011, by reason of his membership to the PDP but as a member of the House, adding, “I was a member of the New PDP until it merged with the 2nd plaintiff; and by reason of the merger, I subsequently became a member of the 2nd plaintiff”. Aside attaching a copy of his membership card of the New PDP as Exhibit DD, Tambuwal, said his decision to defect to the APC was based on prevailing circumstances in his home state. He alleged that PDP, acting in concert with the IGP and other members of the PDP, have been threatening to cause the House of Reps to declare his seat vacant and withdraw all his rights and benefits “including my security details”. “That I know that when I subsequently became a member of the 2nd plaintiff, the 1st, 2nd, 5th and the 7th defendants began to intimidate, harass, and use self help against me; and they purported to declare my seat vacant. “That I know that in further demonstration of the unconstitutional conduct, the 5th defendant withdrew all my security details and thereafter issued a press statement justifying the said withdrawal by citing provisions of the constitution. “That I know that in particular the 1st and 2nd defendants have been threatening to use their contacts to ensure that my seat in the 3rd defendants is declared vacant so that the 6th defendant would organize a bye-election to fill it. “That I know that on 28th day of October 2014, the 1stband 2nd defendants threatened to forcibly remove me from office as the Speaker of the 3rd defendant. That on the 30th day of October 2014, the 3rd and 4th defendants began to strategize on how to unlawfully remove me from office as the Speaker of the 3rd defendant. “That I know that on 30th day of October 2014, the 5th defendant at the behest of the 1st – 4th defendants withdrew my security details thereby exposing me to danger of bodily harm all in their bid to forcibly remove me from office. “That in the circumstances, I have become apprehensive that the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and the 7th defendants will use unlawful means to make good their threats if this Hon. Court does not intervene to stop them. “That I make these depositions conscientiously and in good faith and in accordance with the Oaths Act”, he averred. Although Tambuwal came to court yesterday with a convoy of APC members, no single security detail accompanied him. In a written address he attached in support of the suit, Tambuwal, insisted that “membership of a political party that has majority is not a prerequisite for being the Speaker of the 3rd defendant”. He argued that section 50(1) (b) simply provided that there shall be “a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of the House from among themselves”. He further contended that section 50(2) provides that the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House shall vacate his office, “If he ceases to be a member of the House of Reps, otherwise than by reason of a dissolution of the House; When the House first sits after its dissolution; and if he is removed from office by a resolution of the House by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of the members. “We most humbly urge this court to find that none of the situations envisaged by section 50(2) of the 1999 constitution occurred”, he added. In another development, a constitutional lawyer, Mr. Tunji Abayomi, yesterday, approached the high court with another suit challenging the legality of the action of the acting IGP in withdrawing security details attached to the Speaker. Abayomi, in his suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/802/14, prayed the court to issue a temporary order directing the return/restoration of the security aides of the Speaker pending the determination of the substantive suit. He is equally seeking an order of court, restraining the AGF and the IGP from interfering or further interfering howsoever, with the rights and privileges whatsoever attached to the office of the plaintiff as Speaker, pending the determination of his suit....post by expdonaloaded

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Nigerian Music: It’s Now All About Sex and No Sense....

At the mention of the name, Fela Kuti, one might conjure up images of a half-naked man, ‘strutting his stuff’ on stage, accompanied by over a dozen half naked women following his lead. But the actual impression of many Nigerians and people all over the world is much more than that; Fela embodied a struggle for a truly democratic, free

Nigerian state. Whether it was his 1975’s Monkey Banana which warned the poor not to be hoodwinked into a life of servitude by the propaganda of the rich, or his 1978’s Suffering And Smiling which spoke without fear against religious hypocrisy of people in government; or his 1981’s Coffin For Head Of State which called out the Nigerian government on the Kalakuta raid that led to the rape of his wives and death of his mother, Fela’s message was one of change – very much like music of his time. D'banj, Tuface, Wizkid and Tiwa D’banj, Tuface, Wizkid and Tiwa Although peculiarly different from Fela’s Afrobeat, Osita Osadebe’s much-loved Highlife music was also very much about the message. His hit song, Osondi Owendi, can be translated to mean ‘One man’s meat is another man’s poison,’ portraying the ironic nature of the world. Onyeka Onwenu’s One love was and still instrumental to building national unity. What about Christy Essien Igbokwe’s Seun Rere, a timeless piece that remains ever fresh despite its lack of naked girls shaking their booties? Who would have thought that a song admonishing a child to behave well so that things would be well with him would remain a hit for generations to come? Yet value-glorifying songs like that, and Hear your mama by Mike Okri still remain unforgotten. Perhaps not the best club song, Edna Okoli’s Happy Birthday will be a tune of celebration for all seasons. And even now, Felix Liberty’s Ifeoma still gets people dancing and miming to their loved ones at parties. Yet it wasn’t all politics and values for the old timers; Victor Olaiya’s Baby Jowo was, and still is a love song that will never wane. Ask Tuface Idibia, who recently did a remix with Olaiya decades after the original release of the song. And when compared to today’s crude ‘shake your bum bum lines,’ the duo of Sunny Ade and Onyeka Onwenu gave a purer rendition of love in the song Wait for me. In today’s music industry, the tune is different and so are the lyrics. Danceable beats, catchy phrases, signature dances, hi-tech editing, and a whole lot of sex and money appeal define music today. The audience doesn’t mind singing ‘Take banana till you go yo’ 60 times in one song; it seems, that music is now defined only by how it sounds, and not what it means. Dearth of good lyrics: What does the future hold? Lyrics are simply words that make up a song, often consisting of choruses and verses. Sadly, these days, Nigerian musicians do not give much attention to the lyrical contents of their songs and most people do not listen to the lyrics of songs either. They only dance along to the beats. Now, the song is good if the beat is catchy and rhythmic. Musical lyrics nowadays have deteriorated to the extent that good and meaningful lyrics are hard to come by. A common trend in contemporary songs is the flaunting of wealth, sex, drugs and alcohol. Music lyrics have a way of sinking deep into our minds and impacting on ou r thoughts. Each song carries a message that the singer is trying to pass on. Are you feeling sad or depressed? Slot in a “feel good” dance hall song into your CD player and notice how your mood changes. Most music artistes of today have fallen short in terms of quality lyrics. A good song should come with quality lyrics. For instance, one song that has enjoyed massive airplay in recent times is Iyanya’s All I want is your waist.’ For the first one minute of the song, all you hear is, ‘your waist, your waist, all I want is your waist…’ and a few mumbled words which he chants intermittently. ‘All I want is your waist’, a request to which the girl responds in the affirmative as she sings in an erotic tone “all you want is my waist, my waist, you want my figure 8”. At some point, the singer gets really excited and begins to call out names of popular female celebrities demanding for nothing else but their waists and he sings more of ‘your waist’ and then the song fades. A song of about four minutes, enjoying massive airplay around the world, whose central theme is the woman’s mid region, scores low in terms of lyrics although you may give the rhythm a pass mark. Over the years, music has been a universal language which cuts across ages, time and space. It is represented in patterned rhythm, lyrics and systematic repetitions with a mission to communicate mood, time and ideology to an amorphous audience. It is found in every known culture varying widely between time and space. Music has been a powerful tool for societal change. The same way cultures and values can be preserved by good music, so can certain aspects of cultures be wiped out of existence by influx of bad music. One of the major functional and strategic appeals to the mind is music. By it, a worried soul can be enlivened; a wrinkled face can wear a smile and beam in the euphoria of joy again. By it, imagination can rule the mind. Lyrics can set the mind imagining of the future or reflecting on the past. Likewise, an unpalatable situation can be painted with sounds of hope. Music can both be emotional and functional depending on the feeling the originator is trying to elicit. Many songs have been built on the basis of helping to promote an idea, especially in the corporate world, where advertisers employ the power of music in promoting products and services for greater patronage. With good background sense, the early musicians in the world concentrated more on the content of music than on the instrument accompanying it . Although both variables – lyrics and instrument work together, one should have a greater percentage of priority than the other. Sadly though, the priority has shifted from lyrics to instrumentation especially on our shores. Nigeria’s contribution to the development of West African Highlife and Palm-wine music, which fuse native rhythms with the techniques imported from the Congo gave birth to several popular styles like Apala, Fuji, Juju, Highlife, and Yo-pop, unique to the country. However, the dish of undiluted music, which was coming from Nigerian musicians of old, got contaminated with time. Music can be used to curb corruption, promote love and peaceful coexistence and it can also be used to teach morals in our society. Consider for instance, the lyrics of Onyeka Onwenu’s One Love: …One love keep us together Somebody tell me; Oh why do we fight it One love can set us free; if we just let it be Take heart in a brand new day Cause love is all we need; To chase the past away You never need worry; If you just let it be ……. This song preaches the need to show love even when it hurts most, regardless of tribe and religion or race, lack of which is the genesis of the insurgency in the country for some time now. This was an article of faith and hope for a brighter future and our commitment to realizing and creating a united Nigeria that our children would be proud of. Our appreciation of the musicians who truly created songs to praise and preserve our culture to the envy of the Western world has diminished drastically, occasioning dominance by foreign music which lacks the essential things that make us Nigerians. “Ace” was a musical fusion between Juju and Afro beat; a rhythmic collaboration which pierced ethnic, cultural and language barriers in Nigeria by Sir Shina Peters (SSP). Shina Peters also released Shinamania (Afro-Juju Series 2) that changed and revolutionized the Juju Music scene in Africa. Sir Shina Peters is still regarded as the creator of a well-respected music genre (Afro Juju) that exists in its own class till this day. No doubt, our pop music is fast losing face, values and morals, and the younger generations are not making any effort to change that. Rather, they celebrate and inculcate some kind of corrupt western style of music to the detriment of ours. 2Face, in his Kolomental sings: “Make you craze dey go; That’s nonsense; Make you no make sense ...” Gone are the days when good music was characterized by words filled with values and morals; songs that were highly philosophical.....post by expdonaloaded

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Nigeria's Ambassador to UN loseshusband

Prof. Joy Ogwu is Nigeria’s Permanent
Representative to the UN. Her husband, Dr
Aloysius Ogwu has passed on.
A statement issued by the Permanent
Mission of Nigeria to the UN, New York, on
Thursday said he died on Monday in New
York, aged 77. He was a surgeon and retired
as Chief Consultant Surgeon at the Military
Hospital, Ikoyi, Lagos.
He is survived by his wife; Joy, five children,
grand-children, sisters and brothers.

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2015: Tafawa Balewa’s son to drag PDP to court over presidential forms..

AHEAD of December 6 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP where President Goodluck Jonathan, the sole presidential candidate of the party for the 2015 Presidential election would br ratified, son of Nigeria’s late prime minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Dr Abdul Jelil who was denied the Presidential forms has vowed to drag the leadership of the party to court to seek redress.

Addressing Journalists yesterday in Abuja, Abdul Jelil Balewa who boasted that the party cannot expel him because of insistence that he would contest the party’s presidential primary election inspite of PDP’s endorsement of President Jonathan as the sole candidate, however stressed that he has been a PDP member since 1998, adding that things cannot be done with impunity. The aspirant said that he would also petition the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu for locking him out of the race with excuses that the party printed only one Presidential nomination form because of the decision of the party to endorse Jonathan at the 66 th National Executive Committee, NEC meeting. Abdul-Jhalil Tafawa-Balewa Abdul-Jhalil Tafawa-Balewa He said, “ it is most unfortunate that PDP which is the largest political party in Africa had to descend so low to deny one the right to vote or be voted for. I went to PDP secretariat to pick forms and they decided to run in a circle. I saw the Treasurer, the Financial Secretary, I want that ticket because I know I have a lot to offer Nigeria. My team is ready to work immediately. “I will not leave this party, I will do everything that is in the constitution, I have started the process of ensuring that I get justice; I will send a petition to the national Secretariat.” On whether he would go to Court, he said, “I will do everything within the law to ensure that I contest.” On whether if he is expelled, he said, “ we must be careful with what we are doing, the world is watching the party, the party must be careful, things cannot be done with impunity any more. “ It would be recalled that attempt by Balewa to purchase his expression of interest and nomination forms to challenge the decision of the National Executive Committee, NEC to participate in the Presidential primary election was frustrated on Tuesday as he was asked to come back on Wednesday or Thursday. Jelil Tafawa Balewa paid the mandatory N2 million for expression of interest and N22 million for Nomination form totally, N22 million, but could not get the forms. Also recalled that the PDP had on Tuesday denied another presidential aspirant, Mrs Zainab Duke- Abiola opportunity of purchasing the forms to contest the Presidential election. Zainab Duke- Abiola, is wife of acclaimed winner of the 1993 Presidential election, late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola. According to Mrs Abiola, she paid N2million as a female aspirant and that she was in the race because this was a democratic dispensation, just as she said that it not a question of insisting, adding, “I have receipt from PDP. The consequences is that you are given what you paid for I asked and they told me they printed just one nomination form. I haven’t seen where it is written that PDP should print one form National Organizing Secretary and the national chairman told me. I asked for the only form printed, but they said you know who the form was printed for and I said I don’t know. It’s a representation of fact and figure and I’m not asking for my money back. Every four years, there’s vacancy in Aso Rock. The constitution guarantees inalienable rights and no one can stop me. “ It would be recalled that NEC had at its 66th NEC meeting endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s sole Presidential candidate of the party whose candidature would be ratified at the December 6 National Convention. The party had also said after the endorsement that all law abiding members of the party must adhere strictly to the decision of PDP by not picking presidential nomination forms to kick against the decision of the organs of the party...post by expdonaloaded

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41 Boko Haram members beheaded in Biu

No fewer than 41 suspected members of Boko Haram sect were killed and beheaded by men of the Civilian Joint Task Force, a.k.a Civilian JTF, at Biu, Borno State following a failed attempt by the insurgents to overrun the Sabon Gari village, in Damboa Local Government Area of the state,
Thursday. Biu,located south and about 185 kilometres drive from Maiduguri the state capital, is one of the largest local government areas in the state. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/41-boko-haram-members-beheaded-biu/#sthash.zPTxpy4w.dpufSources told Saturday Vanguard that the combine efforts of military officers and members of the Civilian JTF pursued the insurgents to Gur area, around Mandafuma village where they engaged them in a fierce battle which lasted for about two hours killing 41 members of the sect, before beheading them and hanging their heads on sticks. The victorious Civilian JTF members displayed the heads of their victims as the returned to Biu amid fanfare. A member of the Civilian JTF, Umar Hassan who confirmed the incident told Saturday Vanguard that, “we beheaded the insurgents after the shoot out which lasted for about two hours and took their heads to Biu to show the people that the Boko Haram insurgents are human and not beasts and so, people should not fear them but instead, join hands with us and security operatives to ensure that the sect members who are enemies of Islam and the people of Nigerians are defeated.” Umar further said that when his members heard that the insurgents went to attack Sabon Gari, where people were just returning to their homes after three months of exile as internally displaced persons in various camps across the state, they moved in quickly to foil their action pointing out that troops had however arrived the area before them, hence both groups joined hands to defeat them. “After the insurgents were repelled, they headed towards Mandafuma in Biu local government and took the route to Gur village in an attempt to escape, but again the military and our members ambushed them. “They were engaged in fierce battle with the soldiers and 41 of them were killed, 1 am alive, no soldier was killed in the ambush. After they were killed we cut off their heads and took them. We asked the people of Biu to stand against the Boko Haram fighters, who are now destroying our villages despite the supposedly ceasefire agreement with government,” he added...post by expdonaloaded

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23 killed, 34 injured in Gombe bus terminal explosion

A Bus terminal popular called Gombe-line park in Gombe metropolis of Gombe State went up in flames in the early hours of Friday when a tripple explosion rocked the park.

The explosion left over 23 persons dead and many others critically injured. It also left over twelve 18-Seater buses, some of which belonged to the State Government Transport Company called Gombe line, completely destroyed. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/23-killed-34-injured-gombe-bus-terminal-explosion/#sthash.RxzZXhnk.dpufIt was gathered that explosives were planted on a vehicle registered in Yobe State. The Gombe State Police Commissioner, Abdullahi Kudu while on a first hand inspection of the scene told Journalists that the incident which occurred at about 10 am claimed the lives of nine persons. Similarly, the spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Manzo Ezekiel, told AFP that officials of the Agency confirmed five persons dead, fearing that the figure could still be higher even as he said that about 34 people were wounded in the attack. On the steps already made by the police, Kudu said that three suspected persons were apprehended while trying to run away from the scene after parking a vehicle with Yobe State number plate, suspected to have conveyed the explosives. He said: “For now, three suspects have been apprehended and we are reasonably suspecting they are the people who brought in the Improvised Explosive Device (IED). It is either the vehicle is parked laden. But we cannot determine that now until our EOD make their investigation”. Sources from Gombe told Saturday Vanguard that the park had been cordoned off with a police tape while shops and offices around the area had been closed. They said that the development has sent shivers down the spine of most residents of the town. As at the time of filing this report, the State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo was yet to visit the scene. It will be recalled that explosion also rocked the park sometimes last year. Gombe shares a border with three northeastern states under emergency rule since May 2013 because of the Boko Haram uprising: Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. The police chief said he believed the suspected attackers had travelled together from Yobe, where the insurgents are thought to be in control of several towns and cities. The militants have claimed credit for a series of bus station bombings this year, including two in April and May on the outskirts of the capital Abuja that killed nearly 100 people. An October 23 attack at a bus station in Bauchi state, which also neighbours Gombe, killed five people, with many again blaming Boko Haram...post by expdonaloaded

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Police defend withdrawal of speaker’s security

Not with stand­ing the outrage that greeted the withdrawal of the security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal on Thursday by the Inspec­tor General of Police, Su­leiman Abba, the police insist it acted lawfully and legally.

In fact, to the police, Tam­buwal is no longer the Speak­er of the House as it referred to him as former speaker, implying that the withdrawal was predicated on the legal stance that he abdicated his position for swapping par­ties this week. The police had cited Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution to justify its action on grounds that as a member of the House elected into his position on the plat­form the PDP, he has lost the position for switching to an­other party when there is no division or split in the PDP.
The police in its defence of the action yesterday through a statement by the police said said that: “We had sought le­gal advice before taking the action as the force has the statutory responsibility to up­hold the spirit and letters of the Constitution.
A high ranking police of­ficer who gave the position of Nigeria Police on the is­sue wondered why some elements preferred the force to make a selective enforce­ment of the law while at the same time canvassing for a professional police for the country.
The police said: “Even members of the opposition hailed the acting Inspec­tor General Suleiman Abba when he provided atmo­sphere for the immediate swearing in of acting Gov­ernor of Adamawa State, Mr. Bala James Ngilari follow­ing court ruling for Ahmadu Fintiri to vacate office even when the latter has given indication that he was going to appeal the verdict, the se­nior officer wondered at the double standards of Nigerian opposition figures.”
Police said people should not forget that the institution of Nigeria Police belongs to all Nigerians whether politi­cian or not and therefore, its actions should be respected because it is working for the orderliness of the society no matter which party is in gov­ernment.”...post by expdonaloaded

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Jonathan should forget 2nd term – Bishop Adeyemo

■ Says PDP leaders deceiving president with their endorsement

Bishop David Oladunjoye Adeyemo is the Presiding Bishop of Latter Glory Evangelistic Ministry with headquarters in Lagos. In this inter­view with REMI ADEFULU, he declares that President Goodluck Jonathan should forget the idea of running for a second term. Excerpts:
What is your view on the state of the nation?
Recently, Nigeria celebrated its 54 years of independence. The period we are supposed to be free from oppression and domination of imperialism. We thank God for the progress of our nation, though we are not there yet, we shall get there.
Let’s look at our democratic jour­ney, do you think we have made sub­stantial progress?
As far as democracy is concerned, we have made progress as a nation. But the people, who are supposed to keep flag of Nigeria fly­ing, are not there yet. So, we are not getting the dividends of democracy.
Let’s look at Christians in politics, what is your view?
As I have said, whoever says Christians should not involve themselves in politics is missing the point. Or should I say, we have missed it from the inception of democracy in the country. In the Bible which is the scrip­ture, Prov. Chapter 29 verse 2 says when the righteous are on the throne, the people will rejoice, but when the wicked are there, the people mourn.
Really, we are practising democracy, but who are the people ruling us? They are peo­ple who don’t have the fear of God, they are all selfish. They think it is only themselves that have monopoly of wisdom. That is the problem we have in this country, that is why Christians are dissociating themselves from politics, because our politics is corrupt and no true man of God will want to be involved in corrupt practices. And that’s why our democ­racy is being abused by politicians, who are selfish, corrupt and self-centred.
From time immemorial, the church has always played an active role in politics and governance, but given the present situation, can it still do such?
I am not satisfied and that is why my type of bishop is quite different from other bish­ops, I don’t claim to be a saint, I’m not God. God is the creator of everybody. Some men of God have diverted from the scripture of God because they want money, they want power and they have forgotten the anointing of God over them. The anointing of God gives power. Everything has changed from what we are be­ing taught in the scripture. Men of God have changed these days because they want to drive good cars, own jets and have properties across the world. I didn’t say these worldly gains are not good, but as the apostles of God, we have misplaced our priority. And as a result, we have mortgaged our anointing.
How can the church retrace its steps?
As far as I’m concerned, I know for sure and God has told me that in Nigeria, there is going to be political revolution. Without po­litical revolution, there would not be a better change for the coming generation. It’s sad that their time would even be worse than what we are witnessing now, because we show them bad examples. Get there, go and eat your own part of the national cake. And this is like we are setting bad precedent for the young peo­ple. For instance, stories of pastors impreg­nating daughter and mother at a time, pastors found wanting in corrupt practices particularly in the church. But in view of all these, I know for sure that God would always have His way. Any government that’s not ordained by God shall be uprooted. It will fail and give way to crisis, because people will rise up against them.
Sometime ago, the Catholic Church said they were pulling out of CAN, what does this portend for the body of Christ?
CAN is good, that is the stand of us, Pente­costals. But the body is being bastardized. It’s sad because the Bible says we are the light of tyhe world and the salt of the earth. But when the salt loses its value, it’s not good enough for the Christendom. We should embrace peace and be the shining light for Christian faithful across the nation.
If you have the privilege of meeting President Goodluck Jonathan today, what will you be telling him?
I will tell him he should not contest the next election.
Why?
Because God said so much blood had been shed in this country. He wouldn’t be the per­son that will save this country. All those that anointed him as their sole candidate are de­ceiving him. Enough is enough, all those that are clamouring for his second term are doing that because of their own personal interest and the truth is that God is not mocked. No matter their pretence, I will advise him not to contest the coming election.
What is your take on the view that the next governor of Lagos State should be a Christian?
I support their view because, as a Christian, I believe a Christian governor will make the desired change and Lagos will be the better for it.
Are you impressed with the Jon­athan administration in the fight against corruption?
I’m not impressed at all. The present ad­ministration under President Jonathan his failed in its bid to fight the scourge that has eaten deep into the fabric of the nation....post by expdonaloaded

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Ohanaeze faults Iwuanyanwu on Igbo presidency

■ Apex group insists Ndigbo hasn’t decided to support any candidate

At a recent retreat for the South- East and South-South tradi­tional rulers held in Enugu, prominent Igbo son, Engr Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, openly stated that Ndigbo would not ascend the presi­dency after 2019, saying that the race is ill-prepared for it.

He, therefore, said that the Igbo should support President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, adding that when he leaves in 2019 power should return to the North. This has, however, not gone down well for Ohanaeze Ndigbo which has faulted him, saying that power must come to the Igbo after Jonathan in an unbroken succession.
The Secretary General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Joe Nwaorgu, who spoke to Saturday Sun after the inauguration of the women’s wing of the organisation in Enugu, said that when the time comes, the President-General of Ohanaeze would make pronouncement on who the Igbo should support in 2015 for the presidency. He also spoke with the duo of CHINEDU ASADU and IFEOMA IGWE about for­mer Governor Peter Obi’s defection to the PDP and other national issues. Excerpts:
As the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Secretary General, how would you describe your experience so far on the activ­ities of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisataion?
I am an old hand in Ohanaeze. I used to be the deputy secretary-general from 2000 to 2004, so I have undergone tutelage. Having been equipped with much experi­ence, the road has been sailing smoothly but not always. No organisation is all rosy, even the human family. An organisation is a necessity, especially in a structure like Nigeria that comprises ethnic groups that were not consulted before they were clamped into a nation. Hence the Hausas have theirs, the Arewa Consultative Fo­rum; Yorubas have theirs, Afenifere; the Igbos, Ohanaeze; the Ijaws have Ijaw National Congress; same with the Middle Belt. When we achieve nationhood, the in­fluence will subside but under the present circumstance, it is a necessity.
Recently, at a forum organised by Igbo traditional rulers which Ohanaeze officials including you at­tended, a prominent Igbo son, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, stated that no Igbo man will contest for the presidency after Jonathan, what is your take on this?
Ohanaeze has not taken a different posi­tion. In 2011, we clearly stated that after the tenure of the South-South, it will be the turn of the South-East in an unbroken suc­cession. It will take an Imeobi and a Gener­al Assembly to alter that decision and that has not been done. So, at the moment, the position still holds. When the South-South finishes its tenure, then it will be only the South-East that has not produced the number one person in this country. If Jona­than wins, since he has agreed to run on behalf of his party, PDP, it means he will spend four years, making it eight years the South-South has been in power. So, after the South-South, it will be the South-East in an unbroken succession, that is, our po­sition.
When we get to the bridge, we will cross it; in the present circumstances we will wait for the South-South to complete its tenure.
The 2015 general election is just few months away, what is the view of Ohanaeze as regards the election year?
Generally, I like the developments so far. What we are emphasizing on is zon­ing so that all components will fill a part of the whole. Peter Obi did it in Anambra by zoning to the North that had not produced a governor. Governor Sullivan Chime has also taken such a good decision by saying it is the turn of Enugu North. Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi has also done the same thing, saying power should shift to the South. Governor Theodore Orji, who is the Chairman, South East Governors’ Fo­rum, also did it. So, this is a welcome de­velopment in the South-East. That is what we have been emphasizing. That is why we said after the South-South, it should then become the turn of the South-East so that all zones would have produced a president. I thank the governors of the South-East for that and I want them to maintain that stand because we cannot be against zoning at home and argue about zoning at national politics.
Has Ohanaeze begun any mobili­zation for a candidate that it thinks will have the interest of Ndigbo in 2015?
We have not mobilised Ndigbo towards a candidate, but we have mobilised Ndigbo by asking them to register en masse dur­ing the electoral registration exercise. Recently, we were in the North asking all the leaders of the organisations and all the Igbo to stay where they reside and register there so as to enable them to vote. Finally, all Igbo will be ready for an election after we conclude consultations with the major Igbo stakeholders and Ohanaeze will take a stand on the candidate we should sup­port. We did that in 2010/11 and the Igbo supported President Goodluck Jonathan en masse. We can’t make any pronounce­ment now because we have not finalised our consultations. We are following the trend. When the consultations are con­cluded, Imeobi will sit to take a decision. Once the general assembly takes a deci­sion, the President General will make it known. Then Ndigbo should vote for the person during the presidential election. For the state elections, Ohanaeze Ndigbo will not take a decision because anybody who will arise next in the state is an Ohanaeze person and they are all our sons and daugh­ters. We don’t take stands on states, local governments or even the Senate. They are basically Igbo, but at the national level, the Igbo will take a decision and back one can­didate en masse.
Some people have posited that Obi’s defection to the PDP will rub off negatively on the interest of Ndigbo in the belief that APGA is the only strong Igbo party which even the late Ojukwu supported, what is your opinion on that?
First and foremost, Ikemba did not form APGA, he was brought into APGA by Justice Eze Ozobu; APGA was put to­gether by the activities of Chekwas Oko­rie and Engr Chris Okoye. The entry of Ojukwu into APGA gave it a wider vis­ibility to the members. That is the histori­cal fact because I took part in the activi­ties leading to APGA being an Igbo party. Nobody says APGA should not be, but we are discussing national politics. APGA is not strong enough to make an impact at the national politics. At this point in time, they should re-engineer themselves so that by the time it gets a strong home-base support, it can now be used as a negotiat­ing tool. The party is not strong enough because there has been too much rancour in it. Peter Obi described it as ‘an emp­ty shell’ now. He went ahead to say that the problem with APGA is the chairman, Chief Victor Umeh. Chekwas, the founder of APGA, has moved out of APGA and has a party known as UPP. What I think is that APGA and UPP should come together and remobilise and strategize their movement. Peter Obi, while replying Ojukwu’s wife, Bianca, said that he kept all the promis­es he made to Ojukwu. I don’t know the promises; I don’t want to get into the saga. At this point, I am interested in the Igbo interest in the national polity. Igbo interest is superior to the antics of one individual. Igbo interest is a collective will and in the future, any personal thing must subside in our corporate worldview. What affects all of us today and in the future is Igbo inter­est.
My advice to Ndigbo is that every Igbo man should read the political barometer clean and clearly. There should be no ras­cality. This is a very dicey time for Ndigbo because the nation is at crossroads. They must take a firm decision and push the po­litical wheel where it should go because they have the strength in terms of popu­lation. So, when we find a candidate that will be in Igbo interest then we will vote en masse for the person. For now, we are yet to decide....post by expdonaloaded

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…Count me out of your woes – Atiku

■ Says I’ll never leave APC

Reacting to claims by the embattled National Chairman, Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Dr Fredrick Fase­hun, that he was the one sponsoring those who are creating trouble for him within the party, former Vice President Atiku Abuba­kar said he has nothing to do with the crisis in UPN.
According to Abubakar, he remains a staunch member of the All Progressives Con­gress (APC) and one of the party’s presiden­tial aspirants, and therefore would have noth­ing to do with any other political party.
Asking Fasehun to count him out of UPN crisis, Abubakar, who spoke through his Me­dia Adviser, Mallam Shehu Garba, urged Fasehun to look elsewhere for those behind UPN’s crisis.
“Count Atiku out of UPN crisis. Atiku has no business in UPN, he is a prominent and loyal member of APC, and not only that, he is a presidential aspirant on the platform of the party. His name should not be linked to the crisis in UPN.”
Shehu, who revealed that his principal is currently out of the country, however, insisted that Fasehun and his party members should look for ways to resolve the crisis within their fold rather than dragging Atiku into it.
He further affirmed that the former Vice President would not under any circumstance leave APC for another party.
“Atiku has not met with anybody within UPN or any other political party, he still re­mains a committed and loyal member of APC. Any story of Atiku’s movement to an­other party is pure falsehood. Atiku does not only believe in APC, but is also of the view that APC is the force or platform that would afford Nigerians the opportunity to vote out PDP in 2015.”
While saying that it is unfortunate that some elements have been peddling rumour of Atiku leaving APC, Shehu asserted that the former vice president has no plan to dump APC for another political party.
He added that Atiku media office has over the past months been dispelling the rumour of the former vice president’s alleged romance or alleged planned defection to another party.
Insisting that Atiku will never have any­thing to do with UPN, Shehu further stated that UPN was only trying to find someone to blame for their woeful failure to deliver after collecting so much money from the presi­dency.
“If you check the recent election results in Osun and Ekiti states where UPN took part, the party got only 2,000 votes in Osun State, and 1,000 votes in Ekiti State governorship elections. What is there in UPN to make it at­tractive to anyone?”, he asked rhetorically....post by expdonaloaded

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Atiku wants to hijack UPN from me – Fasehun

■ Says those who expelled him from party are jokers
Founder, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and embattled National Chairman, Unity Party of Nigeria, (UPN), Dr Fredrick Fasehun, has declared that nobody can expel or suspend him from the party even as he described party chieftains who recently sacked him as jokers.

Making the declaration in an interview with Saturday Sun in Lagos, Fasehun described UPN leaders who announced his expulsion from the party as renegade members who are being sponsored by former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He described arrowheads of the action, Alhaji Bariu Salau and Mr Tunji Olateju, as political prostitutes who were out to sell UPN to Atiku in exchange for money. In this interview with TUNDE THOMAS, he spoke further on this and other issues. Excerpts:
What is happening in UPN as some members recently announced your expulsion from the party?
It is time for Nigerians to know the truth. These people claiming to have suspended or sacked me from UPN are being sponsored and used against me and majority of other party’s exco and ordinary party members who are with me by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. These people met with Atiku in Abuja recently and he gave them an initial sum of N10 million to go and look for a building to be rented as party secretariat. I challenged Atiku to deny my allegations. Atiku’s ploy is to use UPN as another platform to actualise his ambition to contest the next presidential election should he fail to secure APC’s ticket. I make bold to say Atiku is behind these re­bels in UPN and I challenge Atiku to disprove my claim. I have strong evidence linking him with the plot to hijack UPN.
Both Atiku and Salau and other rebels in their fold will fail in this mission. Have you ever seen a tenant ejecting his landlord? I founded the UPN and the party’s certificate of registration is with me. Let me see how Bariu and Atiku, with all his millions, will succeed in their mission. They have embarked on a failed mission.
Those who expelled you from UPN complained about your style of lead­ership, that you are dictatorial among others, what is your reaction to this?
This is purely falsehood. I allowed Salau and some of these other young men into UPN fold because I thought with their young age, they will be able to assist us in crystalising ideals of UPN as championed by the late sage, Papa Obafemi Awolowo, into a reality, but unfortunately it was a mistake as these young men are after money they can make in poli­tics. They are for politics of the stomach, and not stickler for politics of ideology. They are bread and butter politicians. It is a big shame that Salau and his co-travellers have exposed our great party, UPN, to this needless crisis. But I pity these rebels and Atiku, they don’t know me. I’m a fighter, they should prepare for a long battle. I’m out to sanitise Nigerian politics, and I will never succumb to any at­tempt to derail my vision to achieve that goal.
What has been INEC’s reaction to the crisis?
I’m waiting for INEC to speak out on the issue. Already, INEC is aware of the crisis, and actually, it was some officers from INEC that called me when some of these men plot­ting against me went to INEC headquarters to collect UPN’s registration certificate without my knowledge.
Unfortunately for them, these INEC offi­cials alerted me, inquiring to know whether I was the one that asked them to come to IN­EC’s office to collect the certificate.
I was shocked, but I quickly told them that the certificate should not be released to any­body. The following day, I travelled to Abuja to collect the certificate, and I have kept it where it is safe, well beyond the reach of these rebels.
How far is it true that Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade has inter­vened with a view to resolving the cri­sis?
It is true, kabiyesi has summoned a meeting for the palace at Ile-Ife. Ooni’s intervention is a welcome development. Oba Sijuwade is somebody I hold in high esteem. I will honour the royal father’s invitation, but once again, I want Nigerians and the whole world to know that these men plotting against me are doing so in order to sell UPN to the highest bidder.
With what is happening in UPN, do you entertain any fear about 2015?
I pray for our dear nation, I pray that love of money would not put our democracy in jeopardy.
There are no politicians again. What we have today are pretenders. You have people who are into politics because of pecuniary gains. It is sad that many of our young men that ought to be men of honour and principle have been compromised. The love of money has taken over their hearts and souls and these are supposed to be newbreeds who should be ready to give politics a new face.
Our political leaders need to imbibe a new orientation towards politics. They should start seeing politics as an avenue to serve rather than a platform to loot.
How would you rate President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration?
Jonathan has not fared badly. Nigerians should exercise patience with him. I know that today Nigeria is facing a lot of challeng­es, especially insecurity occasioned by Boko Haram insurgency. My appeal is that we should all join hands with the Federal Gov­ernment to tackle the challenge.
We should also realise that the issue of se­curity should be of everybody’s concern. We should be our brother’s keepers.
I’m not trying to speak on behalf of Jona­than or to be an apologist for his government. I’ve not taken any contract from government, even the proposal we made to government to recruit OPC men in helping to guard the oil installations and pipelines has not been ap­proved.
And for those who are talking about eli­gibility or otherwise of Jonathan to contest 201`5 presidential election, I will say that the man is constitutionally allowed to seek a re-run. But while it is the constitutional right of Jonathan to seek re-election, it is also the right of the electorate to either accept or reject him....post by expdonaloaded

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MY STEWARDSHIP AS ABIA GOVERNOR (1999-2007) – 7

(HUMAN EMPOWERMENT/FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION)

Without sounding immodest, I am proud to state there was no administration be­fore us which fought cor­ruption as much as we did for the eight years we held sway in Abia State. I lay claim to this feat because the evidence of our 22monumental war against treasury-looting, malfeasance and other forms of cankers that impeded the administration of the state in the past was unambigu­ous. In my inaugural address on May 29, 1999, I pledged to run an open, trans­parent and God-fearing administration, hinging my hope on the covenant I made before God to serve the people of Abia State with all my heart, mind and soul.
I thank God that we were able to keep to this promise despite the huge challenges that confronted us.
To drive the transformation agenda of our government was no mean task. But we knew that we could achieve the agenda only when we had given up our selfish desires and em­braced altruism and openness. And so, we started by reorienting the people, beginning with the civil service – teaching them the need to imbibe the culture of discipline and self-giving.
However, the initial opposition we faced was how to make many people who had been used to the culture of impunity to give up their old ways and step into the new vi­sion we had conceptualized. Those who did not want change worked hard to sabotage our effort in this direction but failed. The reason they failed was very simple: they could not get any accomplices from among the policy-makers in our government – be­ginning from myself, the governor, down to the directors in the ministries and govern­ment parastatal agencies.
It was a beautiful thing to see a once-cor­rupt citizenry embracing God and renewing their lives in the ways of moral rectitude and candour. Punctuality soon became the soul of business in Abia State. The civil servants who used to come to work any time that suited them and used the greater part of the day doing their own businesses turned a new leaf. A special department in the Office of the Head of Service was established to mon­itor the performance of civil servants, reap­praise them and reorient them. The resultant reports showed dramatic shift in attitude and service-delivery capacity among workers.
It was a wonderful feeling to hear civil servants discuss the positive changes that had taken place in the service and expres­sion of interest to partner with the govern­ment to move the state forward.
I wish to state at this juncture, that the performance of any administration is ma­jorly dependent on the virility and vibrancy of its civil service. That was why we fo­cused attention on rearming the civil serv­ants to serve as an added impetus to our fight against systemic decay.
The Abia State Civil Service for the whole of the years we served as governor cooperated with us wholeheartedly in driv­ing the structural changes that we spear­headed. The most surprising thing they did was to consciously expose corruption where it existed. They brought the names of gov­ernment officials involved in official corrup­tion. Some of the names on the list would make even the most incurable pessimist quiver. We handled identified cases of cor­ruption as swiftly as the occasions demand­ed without sparing anybody found culpable. By so doing, we were able to almost achieve a corruption-free state before we vacated of­fice in 2007.
I must mention here that money saved from leakages was what we leveraged upon in providing the social amenities that have helped to elevate the living standards of our people. I have spent the past seven editions of this column listing the achievements of our administration from 1999 to 2007. All these achievements were made possible by the austere mien and fiscal discipline we adopted in the running of government affairs. Between 1999 and 2007 we col­lected only N108 billion and achieved so much, while the present administration has collected over N600 billion (not including internally-generated revenue) and achieved nothing tangible.
Imagine what Abia State would have be­come if Governor Theodore Orji had con­tinued with the pace of development we put in place, rather than the current wild-goose chase and shadow-boxing he has engaged in since he was sworn in! My heart bleeds whenever I see the projects we built being allowed to waste, because the governor does not like my face. What have these projects got to do with him not liking my face? Go to Umunnato General Hospital or the Univer­sity Teaching Hospital, Aba and see how the governor has allowed petty envy to erode his sense of reasoning.
Our administration committed huge fi­nancial resources to establish the two pro­jects to better the lot of our people. Why has the governor not allowed both projects, which we completed and equipped before we left office, to operate? All the equipment and buildings in the site have depreciated for lack of operability. The same situation ob­tains at many of the projects we completed before the expiration of our tenure.
Let me ask: what is the situation in Abia State with the fight against corruption? Has the governor been able to resist the tempta­tion of not compromising his office for what­ever reason? How far have his workers and other appointed officials fared with the war against corruption? I have asked these ques­tions because there is nothing on ground to show that the Theodore Orji administration is performing. The administration is bogged down by corruption and bureaucratic bottle­necks in high places. If the government of Theodore Orji were not corrupt, perhaps, it should accept the challenge I threw at him over a month ago for us to bring the best auditing firms in the world to audit our two administrations to see which has performed better in terms of human capacity building and fighting corruption.
The governor is simply being afraid not to have accepted the challenge. In the alterna­tive he has intensified his media war against me and acted in a manner inconsistent with decency and truth. An administration that has nothing to hide would have spent scarce resources working for the people instead of fighting perceived enemies in order to cover its inefficiencies and incompetence. The governor knows deep in his heart that he has failed Abia people, which was the origin of our misunderstanding. Again, the gover­nor is a very incorrigible person and hardly brooks meaningful criticisms. So, what he gets daily is praise-singing and sycophancy. And huge sums of money go into greasing the palms of thousands of the praise-singers who troop to the Government House on a daily basis.
My fear is that it will take his successor enormous time, thinking and strategising to address the wanton destruction caused to the system. For instance, the incoming governor will be expected to perform wonders. But with what resources when the current gov­ernment in Umuahia has never ceased bor­rowing money from the banks? The simple deduction is this: whoever takes over from Governor Orji will spend the first tenure cleaning the Augean Stable created by the governor’s gross incompetence and grab­bing propensity.
Who will bell the cat then? This is where experience and vision come to play. Abia State needs a governor that is with enor­mous capacity to create new ideas. We need somebody who is selfless, God-fearing and people-oriented in his thinking and ideol­ogy. We do not need a political demagogue, a salacious and garrulous person, a sloth and grabber. It is to avoid this latter kind of per­son arising that has motivated me to devote my time, resources and energy to the rescue mission I have embarked upon. I have never pretended that it is going to be an easy and smooth sail. But I am determined, because I am familiar with the terrain, to go the whole hug. Anybody who thinks he will intimidate me into abandoning the struggle is deluding himself.
Those who know me very well will at­test to the fact that I do not fight shy when I believe in a cause. Abia State needs imme­diate redemption as things have continued to go out of hands under the close watch of a grossly incompetent and selfish leader. What are well-meaning Abians – at home and in the Diaspora – doing to rescue our state? Should we all sit down and watch while corruption destroys the fabric of our state? What are we going to tell the future generation that we did when the state was in dire need of redemption?
I am glad that Abians are wiser now than they had ever been. The clamour from them for things to be done right in our state grows by the day. I am inundated daily with inquir­ies from numerous Abians about what role they would play to wrest power from the grips of the evil government in Umuahia. In­terestingly, many of the inquirers are youth below the age of 30.
There is no doubt that the future is for this age group whom the administration of Governor Orji has constantly relegated to obscurity. Since 2007 his administration has not done anything tangible to provide jobs for the teeming population of our youth. All the government had done since 2007 was to establish a personal foundation called Gov­ernor Theodore Orji Foundation. The major objective of the foundation according to its founders was to empower the youth of Abia State. From the activities of the foundation it is very clear that it was established to fund clandestine operations targeted at perceived enemies of the governor. Run by his eldest son, all the foundation has done so far to em­power the so-called youth was to distribute second-hand vehicles with the photograph of the governor boldly emblazoned on them to political thugs and social misfits. How many of the youth have been given decent jobs? They should name them. What would N5000 do to a full-blooded youth with big dreams? Even the N5000 per beneficiary does not go round. They just hand pick the beneficiaries and hand out
to them the miserable sum every month or as the occasion demands.
What we did during our stay in govern­ment was totally different. We set up well-equipped skills acquisition centres across the state to train youth in diverse vocations. The result we achieved was amazing. The products of these centres, on graduation, were provided working tools and financial assistance to continue life from there. Ex­pectedly, thousands of youth benefitted and are doing well today.
We also removed many youth engaged in hawking from the highways and other spots across the state. We enrolled them in mass literacy centres, where they were taught by special teachers and prepared for WASCCE. Surprisingly, many of them made it in first attempt and have since graduated from ter­tiary institutions. I know many of them who occupy important positions in government and private organizations and are doing well overall.
Apart from the youth we also empowered other categories of people. It is on record that it was during our tenure that many Abians built their first houses and bought their first cars. Anybody in doubt should conduct an independent and random survey to ascertain the veracity of this claim. What do we have today: many people are hungry because they could not benefit from government: no jobs, no patronage of any sorts. The allocation from Abuja every month does not go round. It is held by a few people, leaving the major­ity hungry and rejected. Go to the markets and you will be shocked at the the level of poverty ravaging our people. Many traders could stay the whole week without selling a pin. Many of them also have died while those living are worse than those who had died. That is how bad the situation has be­come.
What is the purpose of a government that does not serve the interest of the people or cater to the welfare of the same people? Such government should be called to order and made to pay for its sins. The government of Chief Theodore Orji has only succeeded in impoverishing our people throughout the 8 years it has served. And our people are groaning under the weight of rejection and abandonment. All the noise you hear from the government propaganda media is nothing but gibberish. This government has nothing to offer to the suffering people of our state.
I thank God that our government came at the time it did, because the little we were able to do with the little funds available to us is what people point to as the presence of government in Abia State. Yet the man at the helm of the misdeeds in Abia State has never thought it proper to give some credit to us. Instead of giving us credit he has con­tinued to cast aspersion on us and do other atrocious things to destroy our reputation.
Thank God the people of our state are wiser now. They know who between Theo­dore Orji and me who has served them bet­ter.
For Theodore Orji, the clock is ticking fast...post by expdonaloaded

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Awo remains my role model – Solomon, Senate Minority Whip

Senate Minority Whip, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon popularly called GOS is no doubt a household name in Lagos politics. He is today one of the longest serving public official in the state; having won election into the state House of Assembly, elected Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area in 1999, member, House of Representatives in 2003 and Senator representing Lagos West in 2007 and re-elected 2011.

Son of an astute poli­tician and die-hard Awoist, Alhaji Rafiu Ishola Solomon, better known as R.I, the younger Solomon appears set to contest the governorship of Lagos State in the 2015 general elections.

In this interview with CHIOMA IGBOKWE, the Senator opens up on his political sojourn so far, his governorship ambition and the cat-and-mouse game between the legislature and the executive. In all, he submits that the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo remains his role model even in death because of his leadership qualities. He urges current leaders in the country to emulate Awolowo so as to deepen the nation’s democracy. Excerpts:
You have been in the Senate for almost eight years now. How has the experience been?
It’s been a wonderful experience being in the Senate. It’s quiet an eye-opener and gives one the opportunity to gather a lot of experience as it relates to legislation and representation. I think it’s a worthwhile experience.
Have there really been challenges you want to share especially as a member of an opposi­tion party?
I think the Senate being a key part of legislature is ex­pected to play a prominent role in the polity and given the composition and the entry requirements, Senators are considered as elder statesmen. To that extent, we hardly result in partisanship, not that it doesn’t happen. There are occasions when we toe party line, but we are always at every time guided by national interest. Occasionally, issues of the party you belong find a way of creeping in on us. The method of voting is by majority most times. We on the minority side most time have our say. One major challenge that readily comes to mind is when some of our colleagues wanted to leave our party. It was quiet a key mark. Eventually we had to let it go. That can be considered as our greatest challenge. We should also know that this came to be because of the swell in the rank of the opposition side. Suddenly, we controlled more than one third as against the situation we had be­fore. The size increased the activities of the opposition party. It became more visible. Apart from that, we work together irrespective of party affiliation.
How would you describe the relationship be­tween the Senate and the presidency?
The relationship between the Senate and the presiden­cy is that of two arms of the government that are work­ing together. That should be the ideal thing. But we still have the situation where part of the executive still sees some legislators as mere close accomplice. We are just lucky that the leadership of the senate is always finding ways to avoid crisis between the executive and the leg­islators. Everybody has his duties and responsibility. It’s part of our duties to check whatever they are doing, may­be their excesses as human beings. But they still think it’s none of our business. They need to go through a lot of re-orientation so that they will know that whatever the Senate is doing, it’s still within the provisions of the law and it’s not necessarily interference. After all, there can­not be any spending without the approval of the National Assembly and if that is so they must also be ready to submit themselves. They still go about saying they are not answerable to any Senate. And we believe 16 years along the line, we should have gone beyond this. I think it’s because of the constant change of ministers. They ought to be told their responsibilities to the Senate and the president. We are not doing too badly.
It’s on record that you sponsored a bill to cater for older people. Why not the youths?
The whole idea is that elderly people are vulnerable and they need assistance. It is agreed that they must have spent their pro­ductive years one way or the other in the service of the country. It is the responsibility of the government to make sure that at their old age they are taken care of. That’s why we came up with the bill. The bill is not to build old people’s homes. It will be a research cen­tre for old people and health service delivery for old people. It has passed first and second reading and then to the president. But he did not sign. The bill is still sitting there. We have another Bill which seems to amend the Act of National Directorate of Employment. The essence of this is this; the present Act is over 20 years old. It needs to be looked at. When it was introduced, they didn’t have as many youths as we have now. Perhaps there is need to look at it here and there to put reality into it.
Last week, the Senate President read a letter announcing your inter­est to be the next governor of Lagos State. That seems to be the first time such was happening in the Senate. How did you come about that?
I have been in the Senate for two sessions. I thought it wise to meet my friends in the Senate to tell them of my intention to be the governor so they can assist in any way they can, including through their prayers. It’s only right that I tell my friends. And because of the relationship we have in the Senate, I feel one of the best ways is to tell the Senate President. He announced it. The reception has been en­couraging. It is also part of the consultation process. As I said, Lagos is a mini Nigeria, every senator has relatives in Lagos. Letting them know that am running is just like let­ting their relatives know that am running. We agree that every state is represented in Lagos. The aftermath has been heartwarming.
You are seeking the ticket of your party from Lagos East. There are al­most eight other aspirants running for the same ticket from the same zone. How well do you think the par­ty can elect a candidate among you without rancor?
The solution to that is very simple, if we have transparent election without manipu­lation. The electorate are more enlightened now. They are interested in the process of the emergence of a candidate. We have moved from an era when everybody will say let me present a candidate and they vote for him on the strength of my political party or the candidate. We have moved out of that time. The recent happenings in some states indi­cate that as long as you belong to a particular political party, whoever is showing interest does so legitimately. The only thing in par­ty leadership is to present a level platform. We cannot afford a situation when you say I will support this particular person and you expect them to just accept that. We have got to a stage when everybody is going about meeting party members. It will be difficult to support a particular person. What happens to those people? You will show your intention by buying the form. Nobody will come out to say we have agreed to support this person. What we should be looking at is having a pri­mary election. We require a very transparent election. We believe we have come to a stage when we show institutionalized democratic precedent. I thank God, our party leaders, when they were forming this party, said that they will make sure that the principles of internal democracy are adopted within the party. I know none of them will change this policy. So, whenever we are having election, everybody will know about it. And nobody will have the fear that he is hopeless because he doesn’t know anybody. This will increase their chances of vying for positions and polit­ical offices without being pushed aside.
Does that signify the end of the wide held view of godfatherism?
Right now, people talk less about that. Emphasis is about the primaries. I was at a function when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said that whoever wants to run should go and pre­pare for primaries. I believe some of these aspirants want him to embrace them and en­dorse them. If you want to contest, meet the members. Why disturb the leadership about anointing you or endorsing you? But because there will always be one flag bearer, the only way to go about it is through primaries and the leaders as fathers will have to sit down and watch without indicating their preference whether openly or secretly because at the end of the day if there is no reconciliation, they are the ones to see it and settle it. Whoever wins will first need to bring the rest together because it shouldn’t be difficult if the process is transparent.
Now that there is this move for in­ternal democracy in your party, some of your leaders have been heard se­cretly say that some of you calling for primaries have been beneficiaries of the old order.
They are talking of the old order. This one is a new order. We are talking about a mega party. We are talking about change. Let’s make sure everybody has an opportunity of becoming who he wants to become. Let’s not leave it at the level of select few. It’s never done anywhere. Yes, you can have sympathy for a person but you don’t pursue that vigor­ously. So, even if you are beneficiary of the old order, this is a new order. It’s time for change. We should not continue with that. We should not continue to gamble with ev­erything. Picking one person may be right or not. It’s only God that can do that successful­ly. I always quote one part of the Bible. God chose David. He gave instruction to Samuel to go and look for him and he has ways of choosing such people through His prophets. That was the Old Testament. In the New Testament, when they wanted to choose a re­placement for Judas, they prayed. Candidates came forward. Matthias and Barnabas and they prayed. He didn’t give them a particular person but they voted through election. Now nobody should attempt to manipulate the votes. Let me say this. I am not saying this for this election alone. I am saying this for fu­ture elections. Let everybody have a sense of belonging. It means they have a future in this party. It’s better than a system where a few people are picked, where the leader says if you don’t want to be part of this you can leave us. You can’t say if you don’t take it you can leave us. Nobody says that anymore. So, if you can’t say that you should have on ground something that is highly acceptable.
You just quoted from the Bible. That means you have a good knowledge of the Bible even though you are not a Christian. What is your view on the issue of religion being played up in Lagos politics now as a factor in de­termining who the candidate of the party becomes?
That is also part of the grand plan to impose a candidate on the party. It has never been an issue in Lagos politics. Anybody can prove me wrong. Until now there has been no idea of zoning. It’s now that you see a group of people talking about a candidate coming from a particular zone or local government. Even if you want to do that you can mention a sena­torial district. On the issue of religion; we are trying to start what is not known in Lagos. Nobody cares about religion. We have people go to church and mosque. We have house­holds having both Christians and Muslims. In my family, it’s a mixture of both religions. My dad was a Muslim and his elder brother was a Christian and that’s how it runs in the family. I can wake up today and tell you that I am a Christian. We attended missionary school. When my grand mum died in 1985, the burial ceremony was held right in the church. Even Chief Obafemi Awolowo was there. So, what are you talking about? Why should anyone bring the issue of religion to a place that is religion tolerant? I know Lagosians are wise. You cannot force them. They are enlightened. They know when you want to deceive them
You just mentioned Chief Awolowo. What is the relationship between your family and the late sage?
My father, also of blessed memory, was an Awoist through and through. He was into politics from his 20s playing active role in the Action Group. He was the councillor represent­ing Ikorodu before we moved to Mushin. On several occasions they had to move us out of the house because of what was happening then. I grew up knowing the family particularly when there was ban on political activities. I remem­ber in the 80s, Committee of Friends held meet­ings in our house. Because of that, we had the opportunity of meeting Chief Awolowo. I still have pictures of the 71 and 72 and some of their meetings in our house. That is how close the two families were. To my dad, Awolowo was everything. The only person that would say a thing and he would not bother to crosscheck. He will always tell you that papa said this, papa said that. He is my role model even in death. People asked me why I don’t do certain things in spite of my exposure. That’s how I grew up learning from my dad. We were warned against doing some things. To me, he was just a perfect model.
Was that how you picked your own progressive politics?
Yes. I tell people that have had cause to in­teract with me. I always encourage them to be better politicians and to learn from the founding fathers. If you have them as your role models, there is no way you will go wrong. Our present leaders have one or two things to learn from them.
How would you place the chances of your party against PDP both at the fed­eral and state levels?
Let me start with Lagos. I am very sure about Lagos. There is no doubt. We know that 2011 was not the same as 2007 but we came out victorious. This time too we have a lot of losses and takings. It’s allowed. It’s free. But I know from the performance of our governor, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN and from our determination and with the result of the pri­maries, we will remain on top. But at the same time, Nigerians should be ready for a shocker. We are analyzing everything. APC stands the chance of winning. We are the party that will bring the needed change. The voters are more enlightened now. There is a little that you will tell them now that they don’t know. The issue of I belong to this party, am going to vote for this party will not count. It’s behind us. It is my well considered opinion that APC stands the chance
On a final note, why do you want to be the governor of Lagos State?
My supporters and I believe we have strongly what it takes to take Lagos to the next level. We have been interacting with Lagosians at various levels both with the rich and the poor. We have everything it takes to make that happen. We have this passion to serve. We know what they require. They want better life. We have every­thing it takes to make that happen. We need the government that is far ahead of individuals. We need the government that will take into cogni­zance the state of the people in future. We are not going there to manage. We must be innovative. Whatever mark that will be left by the current government, we will do much better through continuity, consolidation and innovation. I have been election into the state House of Assembly, I have served as a local government chairman, I have served as an elected member of the House of Reps and twice I have been elected as Sen­ator representing Lagos at the National Assem­bly. The implication of that is that, I have been deeply active in governance at the grassroots, local council level, state level and federal level. In essence, I have got sufficient knowledge of the two major arms of government; legislature and executive. That’s a rare advantage God has given me far and above every other person in the race for my party’s governorship ticket to­day and I am confident the people know who’s got the experience, the popularity and the net­work to bring dividends of democracy to them. We won’t start learning the ropes, we know the issues, we are conversant with what our people want and that’s what we will give them when they vote us in...post by expdonaloaded

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