wow, i am tripped
Monday 31 December 2012
Covenant University expels 200 students for not attending Church service
*Students beg, Parents react…* School declines comment
*I’m not aware — Prof Okojie, NUC boss
About 200 students may have been expelled by the authorities of Covenant University, Cannanland, Ota, Ogun State, recently for what was described as “disregard of paramount core values.”
Frustrated and angered by the development, some of the affected students who gave account of what happened battled emotions while narrating their situations to Saturday Vanguard recently. They however pleaded with the school authorities to tamper justice with mercy in order to save their future.
Saturday Vanguard investigation revealed that out of the figure, about 126 were expelled for not attending the ‘departure service’, meant to sign off from the school after the end of the Semester and Matriculation of students on November 30. Five other students were thrown out for smoking while unconfirmed source said additional 60 got the same fate for violating other rules bordering on the University’s core values. A few others were given four weeks suspension for failure to sign the head count that was conducted a couple of weeks earlier.
A letter of expulsion signed by the Registrar, Ntia Ubong, a copy which was made available to Saturday Vanguard stated that the affected students contravened Chapter 1, section 30, page 40 of the 2010-2014 Student Handbook.
We gathered that the massive expulsion was predicated on the anger of the Chancellor, Bishop David Oyedepo who was said to have been infuriated after seeing students loitering around when they were supposed to be at the Chapel for the Departure Service.
He was said to have personally chased students to the Chapel and ordered for a search into all the halls and colleges to fish out those who did not attend the service.
Several attempts to get the school authorities comment on the issue proved abortive. The Instituion’s Corporate Affairs Head, Mr Igban Emmaunel also refused to comment as calls pulled through to him were unanswered and text messages not replied.
How it happened
A few of the affected students gave account of what happened to Saturday Vanguard at different points. The similar accounts go thus: “On November 30, the last day of the semester, preceding our December break, there was also a Matriculation for the 100 level students; in fact some students had their last semester exams on that day, some of them finished around 3:00pm while the matriculation started around 8am. Some students retired to their rooms to relax while some engaged in some other activities jubilating the end of the semester.
A few of the affected students gave account of what happened to Saturday Vanguard at different points. The similar accounts go thus: “On November 30, the last day of the semester, preceding our December break, there was also a Matriculation for the 100 level students; in fact some students had their last semester exams on that day, some of them finished around 3:00pm while the matriculation started around 8am. Some students retired to their rooms to relax while some engaged in some other activities jubilating the end of the semester.
“Some also got drinks from the matriculating students. Even as these were going on, some students who finished around 3pm retired to their halls. By 5pm, they announced that we should get prepared for the ‘Departure service’ which was to start by 8pm. Some students were already seeing their parents off while some of us were just trying to relax to get off the stress of the exams.
“Most of us hadn’t gotten through the tiredness of the sleepless nights of the exams; so, some us stayed back in our rooms. The departure service is usually a day before we go home and it is usually presided over by the Chancellor. Before the commencement of the service, they used to lock up the main doors of the halls so as to prevent cases of theft. I was not bothered since there were a lot of us in the hall. Some minutes past 8pm, they switched off the light and all of us in the hall went into our rooms. Because of the darkness and the cold, I slept off immediately.”
He continued: “The persistent knocks on the door woke me up and I realised that they had come to search for people who had not come to service. Before I realised what was going on, I found myself with other students numbering about 30. They took down our names and counted us to make sure that no one was omitted. They said the Chancellor was at the service and we refused to come. I heard them talking about other halls and they asked us to wait. I didn’t take it seriously because I never believed in my widest imagination that we would be expelled. We were later asked to go to our various halls.
“Some of those who went into hiding were lucky as they were not found. Shortly, those who went for the service returned and told us there was poor attendance at the Chapel and how students were diving in through the windows, scampering for seats. In fact, one narrated to us how the Chancellor jumped through the window to vent his anger on some students who had jumped in,” he stated.
Another expelled student also gave similar account of the incident. “I couldn’t go to the service because, I was not feeling well which was as a result of the stress of the exams we had just finished. After a while, I managed to go but I heard that they started driving people back around 7:30pm while the service was to start around 8pm. I was surprised because the rule was that you’ve got to be seated 15minutes to the service. Again, it was never made compulsory, but they tried to get students out of the halls to prevent cases of theft. So, because I was not feeling well, I went back to my room because I needed to rest for a while.
“I thought it was a joke when they said we are in for expulsion because we failed to come for departure service. I have never done anything contrary to the school laws. I have never faced any panel before and neither did I have any unpleasant case in my file. I never thought it was real until letters were handed to me the following morning.”
Giving account of how letters were handed out to them, the visibly troubled student said: “By 6am, they announced the names of those who were caught in halls and colleges. Usually after the departure service, one can sign out from there and go but because it ended late and no one could travel, students had to wait till the following morning. But the hall officer told those of us whose names were written down that if we leave, we should be considered gone from the university forever. That gave us an insight into what was likely to come as punishment. By 7:45am, we were called once again to go downstairs for our letters. Those who collected theirs before mine were crying and I wondered what the punishment could be until I read the letter stating I was expelled from the university.”
Bishop Oyedepo
At the Chapel
Another student who found his way to the Chapel also told Saturday Vanguard that while the Chancellor was being driven past, he noticed that students were loitering at about the time they were supposed to be seated at the chapel. He said that this apparently infuriated him and he alighted from his car and chased students to the chapel with knocks. “I saw him, alighted from his car and chased students to the chapel; I quickly found my way to the hall. Not quite long after, I saw students jumping in through the windows. It was a big commotion. Even the chancellor was going after those who jumped into the chapel. Later, he addressed the students saying he was very disappointed by the behaviour that the students were not seated 15 minutes before the service.”
Another student who found his way to the Chapel also told Saturday Vanguard that while the Chancellor was being driven past, he noticed that students were loitering at about the time they were supposed to be seated at the chapel. He said that this apparently infuriated him and he alighted from his car and chased students to the chapel with knocks. “I saw him, alighted from his car and chased students to the chapel; I quickly found my way to the hall. Not quite long after, I saw students jumping in through the windows. It was a big commotion. Even the chancellor was going after those who jumped into the chapel. Later, he addressed the students saying he was very disappointed by the behaviour that the students were not seated 15 minutes before the service.”
Another account had it that while the Education Secretary, Prof. Aize Obayan was addressing the students, the students were murmuring, then the Chancellor immediately took to the microphone and said: “if I hear the voice of any student, the curse of the Lord shall fall upon that one.” The chapel immediately went dead silent.
Our source who was also late to the service stated that the Chancellor later directed that those students who did not come to the service would be purged out saying they did not belong to the school. Our source stated that at the end of the service, he prayed for the students in the hall.
Another source in the school hinted that at that point, the Vice-chancellor pleaded on behalf of those who were absent but the Chancellor insisted they must be purged from the school.
Our source told Saturday Vanguard that the Vice-Chancellor while addressing the students announced that a search would be carried out in all the halls and colleges to find out those who failed to attend the departure service, advising them to wait behind.
Saturday Vanguard investigation revealed that out of the figure, about 126 were expelled for not attending the ‘departure service’, five were thrown out for smoking marijuana, twenty-five final year students and undisclosed number of lower level students were caught violating rules bothering on the University’s core values. We also gathered that a few others were given four weeks suspension for failure to sign the head count that was conducted a couple of weeks earlier. Some of the students opined that failure to sign the head count was even a greater offence which implied that the student was not in the school at the time of the exercise but yet got a four-week suspension.
The private university is known for its strict rules and discipline such as not allowing the students to use mobile phones within the school’s premises, while it is mandatory for students to always bring their bible to the chapel.
Parents react
A few parents who volunteered information spoke to us on condition of anonymity fearing that their children might be victimised in case the issue was resolved amicably. One of them said with bitterness that it is unacceptable, adding that the expulsion was not commensurate with the offence deemed to have been committed. He urged the school authorities to rescind its decision adding that the future of the students is at stake.
A few parents who volunteered information spoke to us on condition of anonymity fearing that their children might be victimised in case the issue was resolved amicably. One of them said with bitterness that it is unacceptable, adding that the expulsion was not commensurate with the offence deemed to have been committed. He urged the school authorities to rescind its decision adding that the future of the students is at stake.
“For me, it is not acceptable. These students were not given fair hearing. Expulsion should not be a punishment for failure to attend service. We all agree, it is a Christian school but failure to attend church service could be due to a lot of reasons. I gathered that some of the students even finished their exams about 5pm that day. So, those people that finished at that time had barely three hours to prepare for the service. But stampeding them to congregate for service and then expelling those who did not come is a decision taken too far. For me, if there was poor attendance, I think the authorities have a responsibility. They have not been fair in putting the service so close to the examination. Even God will not do that.”
He however commended the Chancellor, Dr. Oyedepo on his vision towards the education of Nigeria children especially when the government institutions are failing, but urging him to tamper justice with mercy.
Another parent who was afraid of the press noted that he was still studying the situation and would not want to comment but noted that he was reliably informed that some group of parents made frantic efforts to meet with the Chancellor on the issue but without success. It was not clear the level of the efforts made. He further hinted that some students have not told their parents about their expulsion, still hoping that the issue would be resolved.
He lamented that his child had been having sleepless nights, going through mental torture unjustifiably. “I agree that discipline must be instilled in the students but it should not be aimed at destroying the life of the students. Expulsion is too great a punishment for non attendance of a departure service, without even a warning especially when the students hitherto, had not been found wanting,” he stated.
What the Student Handbook says
The Covenant University Core values border on Spirituality, Possibility Mentality, Capacity Building, Integrity, Responsibility, Diligence and Sacrifice. On the spirituality aspect, it states: “The Christian ethos underguard our activities and conducts at all time and every student of Covenant University is expected to exhibit character traits and dispositions of a Jesus-centered heritage. The Jesus – factor centered approach to all issues is non-negotiable and central in the pursuit of our mandate in raising a new generation of leaders and in the realization of the objectives of our purpose.
The Covenant University Core values border on Spirituality, Possibility Mentality, Capacity Building, Integrity, Responsibility, Diligence and Sacrifice. On the spirituality aspect, it states: “The Christian ethos underguard our activities and conducts at all time and every student of Covenant University is expected to exhibit character traits and dispositions of a Jesus-centered heritage. The Jesus – factor centered approach to all issues is non-negotiable and central in the pursuit of our mandate in raising a new generation of leaders and in the realization of the objectives of our purpose.
To this extent therefore, students will be committed to maintaining a high level of spirituality and shall act in such manner as to facilitate their spiritual growth as well as work out ways to evolve and implement a spiritual development plan. Attendance at Chapel Services is a compulsory part of students’ spiritual development where a bible and notebook are essential kits for the service. Students are expected to demonstrate a deep reverence for God at all times.”
The school declines comment
Several attempts were made to get the school authorities comment on the issue. The institution’s Corporate/Public Affairs Officer, Mr Igban Emmanuel Kalu declined comment. At first, several calls were pulled through to him but he refused to pick his calls. When the reporter persisted, he later picked but said he was driving and could not answer any question. But few hours later, other calls pulled to him were unanswered. A text message was sent to his phone and up to the time of writing this report, he did not reply.
Several attempts were made to get the school authorities comment on the issue. The institution’s Corporate/Public Affairs Officer, Mr Igban Emmanuel Kalu declined comment. At first, several calls were pulled through to him but he refused to pick his calls. When the reporter persisted, he later picked but said he was driving and could not answer any question. But few hours later, other calls pulled to him were unanswered. A text message was sent to his phone and up to the time of writing this report, he did not reply.
I’m not aware —Prof Julius Okojie, NUC Executive Secretary
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof Julius Okojie said he has not been briefed on the matter.
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof Julius Okojie said he has not been briefed on the matter.
Prof Okojie stated this during a telephone conversation Saturday Vanguard had with him a few days ago. “I am not aware of any expulsion by Covenant University; I will ask the school authorities. Right now, I am not in Abuja, I left Abuja few days ago and until I return to Abuja and find out details about the matter, I cannot comment on it,” he said.
Save us from death on East-West Road, cleric begs Jonathan
Yenagoa – The deplorable state of the East-West Road resonated yet again, weekend, at the funeral ceremony for the former National Security Adviser, late Gen. Andrew Azazi, with the Catholic Bishop of Bomadi Vicariate, Bishop Hyacinth Egbebo, calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to fix the ailing road to curb rising spate of accidents and loss of human lives.
Already, a section of the road, which straddles states of the oil-rich Niger Delta, is on the verge of being washed away around Okosi Bridge in Bayelsa State by river erosion.
East-West Road in the Niger Delta region…begging for reconstruction
Bishop Egbebo, who spoke in Yenagoa in his homily during the funeral, also blamed most of the air mishaps in the country on corruption.
The cleric recalled how he was almost killed on the East-West Road during one of his many trips on the route due to its deplorable state and pleaded with the President to intervene and help reduce the carnage on the road by ensuring timely completion of the rehabilitation and dualisation of the road.
He said: “Mr. President, save our lives, construct our roads. People are dying on the East-West road everyday.”
Akpabio declares Wednesday as prayer day for A/Ibom
Uyo - Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom has fixed Jan. 2, 2013 for general prayers among the pupulace, to dedicate the state unto God for the 2013 new year.
Akpabio announced this at the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), Uyo, during a thanksgiving service organised for the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Paul Ekpo.
The governor said the entire state would gather at the Ibom Hall Ground in Uyo to dedicate the state and his administration to God, adding that “with God all things are possible”. He stated that there was a great need to thank God in Akwa Ibom for His faithfulness to the people of the state.
The governor said that the recovery of the PDP state chairman from sickness after six months of being bedridden in Germany called for thanksgiving unto God. ”For him to be alive today is a great lesson that we must always hold unto God. For our life is in the hands of God and no man can tamper with it.
“This thanksgiving today is not only for the state PDP chairman but is for all of us, because we are all alive to see today and for Akwa Ibom State because of the great things that are happening here,” Akpabio said.
The governor, who described the PDP chairman as a winner for being alive, urged him to remain faithful to God at all times. Earlier, the PDP Chairman, Ekpo, expressed gratitude to God for his life and Gov. Akpabio who sponsored his treatment overseas.
“If God had not been with me, the devil would have taken my life,” Ekpo said. Ekpo said he had forgiven all those who peddled rumour that he was dead while undergoing treatment in Germany.
The resident Pastor of Living Faith Church in Uyo, Joseph Ajibade, who preached on the theme “The mystery of the sacrifice Of Christ”, said thanksgiving was a commandment from God. Ajibade explained that God desired thanksgiving from man, as the beneficiary of God’s mercies.
He said the sacrifice of thanksgiving was a gateway for lasting breakthrough and fulfilment in life, stressing that the people must always thank God for His blessings.
The pastor urged Christians to give God sacrificial thanksgiving, explaining that it meant celebrating God in the midst of impossible cases and challenges.
Sunday 30 December 2012
Saturday 29 December 2012
WHAT DO I DO
Hello readers, i need help, i have been married for four years now but my marriage is crumbling. my husband is impotent and everytime i talk about it he calls me a prostitute and worse names because he thinks i am asking for sex to much, no matter how naked i stand before my husband, he does not feel anything.... please what do i do, i am losing my head.....
Former RCCG pastor berates Adeboye for welcoming politicians in to their annual Holy Ghost congress
According to a statement released by Bankole who said he left the church as pastor in 2010 but still worships there, the church programme has now turned to a 'supermarket where charlatans and political opportunists come shopping. He questioned why President Jonathan should be allowed to stand on their 'Once sacred alter' and speak deceitfully and indirectly campaign for 2015 during a spiritual gathering
Read Bankole Solomon's full statement after the cut...
"I know this post will attract a sharp condemnation because I worship in RCCG and I was once a pastor before I resigned voluntarily because of rights violations in the name of religion. I resigned in December 2010 but I am still worshiping there as an ordinary member. So, whatever I have here is without prejudice.
"Holy ghost congress of our great church is now a political congress where all shades of corrupt leaders will mount our altar to fool Nigerians on what they will do.
"Holy Ghost congress is now a supermarket where all kinds of people like charlatans and political opportunist come shopping turning God to father Christmas to give them end of the year bonus.
"Jonathan was even there turning our once sacred altar to political podium talking deceitfully and indirectly campaigning for 2015. My question is this? On what ground was president Jonathan allowed to speak to people. Is he a pastor? Because the gathering is purely a spiritual gathering and event.
"I've been a pastor in Redeemed for the past 10 years and I've not got any opportunity to sit on dat altar not to talk of holding mic. If because Jonathan is a President and he is recognized, it means some are more equal than others.
"Immediately I left camp on Saturday morning, I looked at the camp very well because I know that would be the last time I will set my foot to that Eagle Square called Redeemed camp."
Friday 28 December 2012
Survivor Of Yobe Christmas Massacre: It Was Boko Haram That Attacked Us
A survivor of Christmas day church attack on the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) Church, Giri, Yobe State who is presently receiving medical attention has exclusively said that during a phone interview that it was Boko Haram sect members that attacked their church in the early hours of Christmas day, killing the pastor and other five worshippers and also set the church ablaze along with some houses.
The survivor who spoke through an interpreter said, “We had gathered in our church in the night praying and doing our night service. In the early hours we just heard sporadic shooting inside the church. We were confused and had nowhere to go. They surrounded the church building, so if you were coming out of the church they would shoot you, and some of us just escaped by a miracle but with gun wounds.
“They were shouting Allahuakubar and some were speaking in Arabic and Hausa saying that they must kill all of us and set an example. That since we cannot stop, they will also not stop attacking and killing us. We hide in the bush while those they trapped were crying in pain. It is what I will never forget in my life. They were many in numbers, other villagers who were in their homes heard gun shots and also fled. I came only on Monday evening from Gombe where I am based and presently under my relations care here in Potiskum.”
He added that the sect members carried out the attacks without any resistance and left before men of Joint Task Force (JTF) arrived the village, saying, “By then they had finished perpetrating their killings and burning our church and other houses.”
The spokesperson of the JTF in Yobe State Lt. Eli Lazarus, said that they have arrested one of the suspected killers, who he said attacked the village while fleeing Potiskum because of stiff operations of the JTF. He did not explain if the suspected individual confessed of being part of the Boko Haram sect.
LATSMA: Slain danfo driver’s wife relives life with husband
HOW am I going to take care of the children now? They have made life unbearable for me and my family. They have taken away our breadwinner and made me a widow. I never imagined that I will be a widow now.” With these words, Mrs Modupe Popoola, the wife of the deceased danfo driver, Isaac Popoola, who was allegedly killed by LATSMA officials wailed uncontrollably, Thursday, as sympathisers thronged their Lagos home to commiserate with her. The late commercial bus driver was killed on December 24.
LATSMA has made me a widow
At their 16, Ojo Ogundana Crescent off Jimoh Akinremi Street, Jimoh Bus stop, Akowonjo, Egbeda, Lagos residence, an inconsolable Mrs Popoola wondered how harm could come the way of her husband, whom she described as a gentleman. “He did not have problem with people around. People in our area know him to be an easy going person; he went to look for what we are going to use to celebrate Christmas, only for me to receive a shocking news of his death,” she said tearfully.
Popoola called on Nigerians to come to her aid and that of her family. She also wants justice done and the killers of her husband brought to book. She said: “Is 6.30 am their time of resumption? What were they doing on the road at that time? They wanted to pull him down to take his vehicle away from him because of the money that they wanted to collect from him. Because they pay contributions of N10,000 that was why they have taken our bread winner away. Now I don’t have any helper any more.”
Late Popoola
He bought ram for Christmas but did not live to eat it
Recalling her husband’s last deeds, she said that the late driver had bought a ram (tied outside) in October for the celebration of Christmas, noting “we have been planning on how we are going to have fun with members of our family, before LATSMA killed my husband.” She lamented that since the incident occurred on Monday, LASTMA officials, had not paid the family a condolence visit, “they have not even called or sent text message to express their condolence.”
My husband asked me to stop work because of our sick daughter
Pointing to her last child, who is physically challenged and also the only girl out of five children, she said she and her husband had been trying to take care of the child along with the other children, but now she is going to shoulder the responsibility of bringing the children up all alone. Mrs Popoola said because of the condition of their daughter, her husband asked her not to work or trade so as to take proper care of her while he shouldered the responsibility of providing for the whole family.
Driver planning to bury late dad, January 28
According to her, the husband had planned with his brothers on how to go and bury his father on January 28, 2013 only for him to be killed. The father died last August.
“I want the government and Governor Babatunde Fashola to come help me and my family because I don’t have any business that I am doing. I don’t know how we are going to survive, I don’t know where we are going to get our next meal from, please come to my aid,” she cried.
Popoola’s colleagues at Oshodi motor park, where they always loaded passengers when he was alive attested to the fact that he was a very gentle and easy going driver, who obeyed traffic laws and regulations. Those encountered were shocked to hear about his death.
I ‘ve not recovered from the shock – conductor
His conductor, said since the incident, he had not been himself because they had been together for a very long time that if he did not see him in the park, he did not work with any other driver.
Late driver’s children wail
The first son, Ibukunoluwa, who is a graduate of Accounting from Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, said LATSMA officials who were at the Akinpelu Police Station in Oshodi, promised to visit the family but till now they have not seen or head anything from them. He said he didn’t have the opportunity of seeing his father that morning before he was killed, adding: “I don’t know how I am going to cope without a father, because I wasn’t expecting to be fatherless at this point in my life.”
Ibukunoluwa, first son of the late driver and his widow, Modupe Popoola
Another son of the late driver, Busayo Popoola, who was in Osogbo when the incident happened, said he was not aware of his father’s death until he came back home on December 26, adding “I don’t know what to say now but the death is very painful.”
IPO takes case to court
Meanwhile the Investigative Police Officer, handling the case, has taken it to the magistrate court in Ikeja for approval so that they can start coroner’s inquest into the matter.
My husband had internal bleeding
The wife said that he had internal bleeding due to the way he was beaten because when they were embalming him at the mortuary, blood was coming out from his nose and ear.
A friend of the family said that LATSMA officials were supposed to be keeping traffic laws and not collecting money from people, noting that LATSMA officials need to be re-orientated because most of them don’t even understand the laws.
His words: “They are thieves, if he the danfo driver had gotten down from the bus, they would have taken it to their office and start charging him with offence that he didn’t commit and before you know it, they would ask for N40,000 to N50,000. Where would he get it from, when he was looking for money to feed and take care of his family?”
PRESIDENCY 2015: How Buhari, govs plan to stop Jonathan
ABUJA—Nigerian opposition political parties and second term governors on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are working from different angles to stop the second term aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan, it emerged yesterday.
While the opposition parties are fine-tuning plans to crystallize into a single party in the first half of next year, the PDP governors are equally working to stop President Jonathan from achieving a second term for reasons Vanguard learnt, yesterday, were based on self-survival instincts.
Vanguard reliably gathered that unlike in the past when political parties opted for merger with their identities intact, the major opposition parties in the country were ready to shed their identities and confront the ruling party as a coalition.
Plan to form strong coalition to upstage PDP
The parties, which have been meeting frequently on merger talks, are said to have agreed to forgo their individual identities and work as a team toremove the PDP from the seat of power it has been occupying since the return of civilian rule in 1999.
The arrowheads of the new talks-Gen Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, and the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, have been strategizing along with other opposition figures to ensure the emergence of a mega party that can give the PDP a good fight in the next poll.
President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd)
Fashakin explained that the opposition parties had accepted to fill the yawning leadership gap created by alleged failure of the PDP administration in the last 13 years to provide effective governance that could give hope to Nigerians by coming together to work for the nation.
All opposition parties will merge — CPC
The CPC spokesman said: “Yes, all the opposition parties will coalesce into a big party. We shall all lose our identities and probably our jobs after assuming the identity of the new party.
“The need to salvage the nation from the precipitous rulership of the PDP is the cause of the initiative. Hopefully, this will emerge early next year.
“Indeed, we have crossed the rubicon and our minds are set on the merger.”
Only on Wednesday, a chieftain of the All Nigeria Peoples Party and former Yobe State Governor, Senator Abba Bukar Ibrahim, had boasted that the major opposition parties were set to float a new party in March next year.
Ibrahim, who is a member of the ANPP’s Contact Committee for the merger talks, said: “Before March 2013, we are all going to reach an accord on the merger. From all indications, the parties are looking forward to forming a totally new party where all opposition parties would come together as one entity.
“The plan appears to be more popular than any other arrangement and I believe there is sufficient time to register a new party,” the lawmaker said.
Governors ready to stop Jonathan
The governors on their part, it was learnt last night while shadowing the merger talks, are also preparing to stop Dr. Jonathan from achieving a second term using their command of the majority of electors at the PDP convention.
Giving reasons for the determination of the governors, one source privy to the development said:
“It would be unwise for any of the governors to leave office with Jonathan still in power given what is turning out to be his ruthlessness. If the governors leave him behind, every one of them that has offended him would find himself in prison within weeks of Jonathan getting a second term,” a source working with one of the potential presidential aspirants still working in the shadows said yesterday.
The source disclosed that the governors like the potential presidential aspirants have decided to give the president a false sense of security and would only manifest themselves shortly before the presidential election.
Should the plan of the governors to stop the president in the PDP fail, they would then use the platform of the merged political party to confront the president in 2015.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ANPP, Mr. Emmanuel Eneukwu, expressed satisfaction with the way the opposition parties in the merger arrangement were carrying on with the plan, saying that it would help to achieve the desired political result.
PDP afraid of merger talks — ANPP
The ANPP spokesman noted that the merger talks were giving the ruling PDP sleepless nights because of “its monumental failure” to provide basic needs for Nigerians.
He said: “PDP has become very unpopular among Nigerians because they have not performed and President Goodluck Jonathan is busy giving excuses on that. Nigerians are tired of the failure of the PDP and are ready to join the new move to build a new Nigeria of their dream come 2015,” Eneukwu boasted.
But the PDP has dismissed the opposition in Nigeria as incongruent and incapable of upstaging it from power.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said that the PDP was the only party that could bring about the needed development and unity of Nigeria.
FIREWORKS TRAGEDY IN LAGOS
Fireworks tragedy: Traders rush back from villages ….As death toll rises to four
12:06 pm
Management of the General Hospital, Odan, Marina, Lagos State, says that three unidentified persons were brought dead to the hospital from the site of the firecrackers explosion yesterday at Ojo-Giwa, Lagos Island Local Government.
One 15-year old was burnt beyond recognition when the fire started on Sunday
Meanwhile, some of the affected traders who travelled for the Christmas celebration have started returning following the incident.
The traders, majority of whom were from the eastern part of the country, were sighted at the scene of the fire incident yesterday, lamenting their fate.
The latest casualty figure was disclosed by one of the senior officers who pleaded anonymity at the hospital, who said that the three persons were taken to the hospital on emergency
According to her, “28 injured persons were brought to this hospital, while three others apparently burnt to death were also brought later wrapped in body bags that would aid movement of the corpses.”
“At present,four of the victims from the scene of the explosion on our admission list is one Murphy, who jumped from the three-storey building at No. 42 Ojo-Giwa Street, Lagos.
Vanguard investigation revealed that the victims were admitted at the Burns Unit of the hospital. (ward B3).And a few of those who were injured, that we couldn’t manage were referred to LASUTH. because they were in critical situations.”
On what would be the fate of owners of the structures affected and those sited within the axis, Farinloye said that the agency has handed over the site to the LagosGovernment to comm- ence test on the structures sited close to the scene.
The explosion has affected the foundation of the structures closer to the scene. And we have marked 20 houses for the test.”
Breaking News: 20 feared dead as gunmen sack police station, prison in Adamawa
No fewer than 20 persons were feared killed and inmates set free when unknown gunmen, Friday, struck in Maiha, Adamawa state.
Report says the Maiha attack, in the Local Government that shares a common border with Cameroun left many injured.
Eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the Divisional Police station, the prison, the Customs area office, the presidential lodge, all located at the local government headquarters were completely razed.
According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen stormed the town at about 3: 00am with heavy artillery.
Vanguard gathered that the gunmen overran the police station, carted away arms and ammunition, then proceeded to the prisons where the inmates were reportedly set free.
File photo:
When contacted, Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, Godfrey Okeke who confirmed the incident said, “nobody should disturb me now, already I am in Maiha, you people should allow me to rest.”
The Police public Relation Officer,PPRO, Mohammed Ibrahim (DSP), said they (the police) were in Maiha already to assess the situation.
Thursday 27 December 2012
Exposed: Abuja minister lied to Nigerians, promised fake, non-existent jobs
The perceived failure of the SURE-P to translate to jobs as promised, has touched off at all states and Abuja
An ambitious pledge by the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide, of “massive” recruitment before year ending, has turned out an elaborate deception, with just days away from December 31, 2012.
New slots of about 10,000 jobs were to be provided for Abuja under the federal government subsidy reinvestment programme, the minister had said.
But days to the year’s close, the openings are nowhere near reality. Neither the advertisement, registration, pre-selection calls, nor recruitment tests have taken place.
Weeks of inquiries have proven the idea of preliminary registration for the jobs as Ms. Akinjide announced separately in August and November, to not only be a ruse, but a subject unknown to several officials of the FCT administration. One official said the selection had been concluded since March.
The contradictions come as the intervention programme, the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, faces mounting criticisms over its failure to deliver on proposed projects, with critics dismissing the initiative as a drain pipe that squanders badly needed funds, while unemployment, which it was partly meant to address nationwide, escalates.
If anything, the inconsistencies at the Abuja ministry point to the indifference authorities accord a pressing national need as jobs creation, which are often eagerly promised by officials, but hardly delivered.
Ms. Akinjide gave her promise as a passing remark while addressing two women groups in August and November.
“There will be massive employment before the end of this year and we have started registration of unemployed women and youth in the FCT,” the minister said in a remark to the National Council for Women Societies, Abuja chapter, who visited her office on November 13.
Applicants were to be “be employed into different fields and also vocation acquisition programmes,” of the SURE-P plan, the minister said.
To demonstrate seriousness, Ms. Akinjide advised interested women and youth to register with the FCT Social Development Secretariat as of November.
No registration
Repeated visits to the office and contacts to other arms of the FCT administration supposedly responsible for the “recruitment” since November have proven no such job drives exist, and officials have consistently denied knowledge of any job-related registration.
At various units of the FCT Secretariat at Garki, Abuja, a week after the minister’s promise, all key officials spoken to said they were unaware of the plans. It was also observed that no registration took place.
“As you can see, there is nothing like that going on, maybe you could get further clarification from the minister’s office,” one official said on anonymity, fearing sanctions if he were identified.
Despite the apparent absence of the exercise, a spokesperson for the minister, Oluyinka Akintunde, insisted the plan was afoot.
Mr. Akintunde denied the minister had misled the unemployed by announcing a non-existent exercise, possibly as a passing political remark. He said as part of the SURE-P, the programme was being administered by a central presidential task team.
He also said the plan was targeted at the grassroots and the recruitment was meant to done on the basis of electoral Wards.
“There are provisions made for these things, and there are people working on them,” Mr. Akintunde insisted. “The minister did not lie.”
Yet, he provided no verifiable detail about where the listings were actually done, and no explanation was given as to why, if the registration existed elsewhere, Ms. Akinjide had given a different venue.
Again, the exercise existed nowhere, as found none ongoing within Abuja as the minister claimed.
At one of the FCT units our reporters were referred to for clarification, an official who spoke under anonymity said the so called grassroots registrations had been completed since March, and 15,000-more than the 10,000 required- were captured.
“We even had excess application,” the staff said.
Rosy initiative, fat budget, no delivery
At least 370,000 jobs are to be created under the SURE-P, with each state and Abuja providing 10,000 in partnership with the federal government.
A second component of the programme is tagged the Graduate Internship Scheme, GIS, designed to enhance the employability of another 100,000 unemployed graduates across the federation. That will involve internship placements with interested companies.
A new website has recently been dedicated for registration into the GIS.
But the 470,000 total slots, a potentially significant figure for an ever-soaring unemployment rate, have barely taken off even at the state level, months after the SURE-P was created.
The programme’s dismal performance, despite its huge multibillion budget, recently alarmed federal lawmakers.
At a budget meeting a fortnight ago, the National Assembly joint committee on petroleum downstream, declared the programme a scam that has failed to keep any of its promises of job creation, and accused Christopher Kolade-led SURE-P committee of reckless spending.
The lawmakers accused the subsidy committee of duplicating projects with ministries, and defrauding the nation by making double payments for projects also financed by the ministries.
Most shocking, the National Assembly committee found out how the SURE-P committee claimed spending N2.2 billion on “secretariat services” and another N75 million on travels between July and October.
Another N27 billion was also spent on “Public Works for Youths”, and N8.9bn for the purchase of 800 buses. Details of how the monies were allocated were not provided to the lawmakers.
“The SURE-P funds should not be seen as crude oil money which everybody is sharing,” Magnus Abe, the Chairman of the Senate Downstream Petroleum Committee warned as the committee pressed for more information.
For 2013, SURE-P is to spend N273.52 billion.
At a separate meeting, Mr. Kolade claimed the amount involved with office administration was N1 billion and not N2.2 billion as earlier stated. He knocked off criticisms trailing the committee’s failings by declaring he will not quit.
“I will not quit, if you attack me, I will defend myself. The National Assembly and the SURE-P Committee and everybody are supposed to be working for Nigerians not individuals,” he was quoted as saying at a media luncheon in Lagos.
Across the states, the confusion has played out, with barely any state releasing provable data of how much of the 10,000 jobs have been in the months that SURE-P existed.
attention was first drawn to Ms. Akinjide’s bogus job announcement for Abuja, after early responders to her notice of registration alerted that no such exercise was taking place at the designated venue.
Reporters, who visited the secretariat and the FCT head office at Area 11 repeatedly, confirmed same to be true.
How ex-President Obasanjo’s house was gutted by fire
Barely 20 minutes after Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s former President left his Abeokuta Hilltop Mansion residence on Thursday, fire engulfed the building.
The house located in Abeokuta, the Ogun State Capital, was gutted by fire on Thursday with extensive damages recorded in the 30-minute incident
The fire, which started at about 4.25 p.m., was traced to electricity power surge, just barely about 20 minutes after Mr. Obasanjo left for his other house located in the Ita-Eko area of the town.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the fire started from Mr. Obasanjo’s private office, a stone throw to his bedroom, before the security in the premises raised alarm, and the state fire service was contacted.
The fire service, in a swift response, raced to the scene with two fire fighting vehicles, to curtail the fire, which would have spread to other apartments. However, a number of valuables were consumed by the fire.
No life was lost, but some damaged property were seen being moved out by men of the fire service and officers of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC).
As at the time of this report, Mr. Obasanjo had returned home, apparently to see the extent of the damage. His wife, Bola Obasanjo, was seen outside in company of some grandchildren looking worried.
On his part, Mr. Obasanjo, after the fire had been put under control, was seen sitting within the premises receiving telephone calls from sympathizers.
However, one of his sons, identified as Oba Obasanjo, threw caution to the wind, as he seized the Blackberry phone of PREMIUM TIMES correspondent and smashed it on the floor for taking photographs.
Symphatisers that thronged the home of the former President include the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye; a factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Dipo Odujinrin; and the state’s Director of State Security Services.
Ironically, an hour after the fire incident was brought under control, the officials of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, arrived in two pick-up vans loaded with ladders.
The former President is expected to address journalists on the cause of the fire.
Located along the Ibrahim Babangida Boulevard in Abeokuta, the multi-millionaire villa, made up of about six structures, was completed shortly before Mr. Obasanjo left office in 2007. It was constructed by Messrs Gitto Construzioni Generali Nigeria Limited, an Abuja-based Italian company.
It was built atop a hill, some critics said, to give the former president the psychological feeling of being on top of everyone.
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