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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Cynthia's body remains in morgue |
on: 14-09-2012 07:30 AM
| By Jude Isiguzo, Segun Balogun and Olatunde Odebiyi Right days after it should have been buried, Cynthia Osokogu’s body is still lying in a controversy. The remains were to be interred in Bebe, Ovia Agbor, in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State last Friday, but the ceremony was postponed because the body was not available. The police said the body would be released to the family after an autopsy had been conducted. Cynthia was allegedly killed by her Facebook friends Okwuoma Echezona Nwabufo, 33 and Ezekiel Odera Olisa, 23, who have been charged with her murder. The controversy over her body deepened yesterday, with the police and TOS Funeral Services morgue at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), making conflicting statements on the conduct of the autopsy. Sources at the morgue wondered why the family has not come for the body, which is said to have been examined by pathologists. "Cynthia's body has been transferred to the Lekan Ogunshola Memorial Mortuary and it is ready for collection. The mortuary is awaiting her family members to come and collect her remains for burial," a source said. But the police yesterday insisted that they were awaiting the autopsy report. They said the body would not be released to the family until the report is out. The Area Commander in charge of Area 'E', Command FESTAC Town, Mr Dan Okoro, told The Nation that the body would not be released until the autopsy result is out. "The autopsy result is not out yet. We will release the body as soon as the autopsy result is out," Okoro said. Meanwhile, residents of Sixth Avenue, FESTAC Town, where one of the suspects, Okumo Nwabufor lived before his arrest over Cynthia's death are denying knowledge of his life style. Nwabufor's real residence is said to be at A1 Close, First Avenue, and not Sixth Avenue as he claimed when he was paraded on August 22. The house where he lived before his arrest is in a secluded part of FESTAC Town. The compound has six houses, three on each side. The one Nwabufor lived is a twin duplex, the first house on the right side, on entering the street. At the end of the close is a wide canal with a short demarcating fence, where a church is. When The Nation got there to make enquiry, residents denied knowing Nwabufor. They directed our reporters to another place. All enquiries led back to A1 Close, and when our reporters went back, they met hostile neighbours. The pastor of a church near the house was approached, but a woman who was eavesdropping on the conversation flared up. The woman asked our reporters' to leave immediately or incur her wrath. "Please go, just go. Stop disturbing us. What information are you looking for?" she kept shouting. A security guard in one of the houses under construction in the area said Nwabufor is reclusive. He said not much was known about him, until the police came to arrest him. via The Nation http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/news/61462-cynthia-s-body-remains-in-morgue.html | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Four kids die in mysterious fire |
on: 14-09-2012 07:26 AM
| By CHIDI NKWOPARA OWERRI—A mysterious fire yesterday, consumed four children of the same parents in their Obokofia, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State. Vanguard investigations revealed that the deceased children, Mercy, Ify, Chioma and Onyinyechi, were aged between six and 12. Narrating the family’s ordeal, the father of the deceased children, Mr. Charles Aggrey, lamented that it was most regrettable that his children spent their long vacation in their maternal home only to return and meet their untimely death. via Vanguard http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/four-kids-die-in-mysterious-fire/ | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Seven killed in Bauchi |
on: 14-09-2012 07:24 AM
| By Austine Tsenzughul Seven people have died in a flood that ravaged several communities in Zaki and Gamawa local government areas of Bauchi State. The Caretaker Committee Chairman of the local governments, Alhaji Muhammad Babaji and Alhaji Kabiru Garba, said this yesterday when they took the deputy governor round the affected areas. They said the flood washed away farmlands and houses and cut off the road linking Sakwa Council to Zaki Local Government. The chairmen said the flood was caused by River Katagum which overflowed its bank, displacing many people who are now taking refuge in primary schools. Residents told reporters that the flood was also caused by a spillover from dams in Kano and Jigawa states. via The Nation http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/news/61455-seven-killed-in-bauchi.html | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Man drugs, assaults two teenage sisters in Kaduna |
on: 14-09-2012 07:22 AM
| A middle-age man Garba Tanimu was yesterday arraigned before a chief magistrate’s court in Kafanchan town of Kaduna State for allegedly molesting two sisters. Prosecutor Sgt. C O Obi told the court that the accused had approached the elder one who turned down his proposal and so “he decided to call the younger one who equally rejected.” “Tanimu had asked the 16 year-old girl to call her 18-year-old elder sister on phone and they now came. Tanimu then poured some substance like powder on the floor and when the two girls inhaled the substatnce, they lost consciousness and he pulled them and had carnal knowledge of them in his room,” the prosecutor said. He said the elder sister girl quickly reported the matter to some military men at a checkpoint when she woke up and saw herself in Tanimu’s room located in the Kafanchan metropolis. Chief magistrate Sammy Daka adjourned the case for further mention. via Daily Post http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/09/13/man-drugs-assaults-two-teenage-sisters-kaduna/ | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Brit producer of gay play in Uganda held in jail |
on: 14-09-2012 07:19 AM
| Associated Press/Stephen Wandera - David Cecil, the British producer of the play "The River and the Mountain" concerning the condition of Uganda's gays, stands in a court cell in the capital Kampala, Uganda Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012. Cecil appeared in court Thursday charged with "disobeying lawful orders" from the Uganda Media Council which says he staged "The River and the Mountain" in Uganda's capital last month despite orders to the contrary, and according to his lawyer was not released on bail because his passport, wanted by the magistrate, had been confiscated by the police. (AP Photo/Stephen Wandera) KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — The British producer of a play about being gay in Uganda is in jail pending his trial on charges that he had the work performed without official authorization. David Cecil appeared in court Thursday charged with "disobeying lawful orders" from the Uganda Media Council, which says he staged "The River and the Mountain" in Uganda's capital last month despite orders to the contrary. Cecil's lawyer, Francis Onyango, said his client was not released on bail because his passport, wanted by the magistrate, had been confiscated by the police. Cecil told The Associated Press that the play, whose main character is a gay businessman who finally gets killed by his own employees, was performed eight times at little-known theaters in Kampala last month. The play, a first for Uganda, was praised by gay rights activists who said it was "revolutionary" in the way it provoked an examination of common thinking about gays. But the play failed to make it to Uganda's national theater, where producers rejected the script. Homosegxwals are highly stigmatized in Uganda, where in 2010 a lawmaker with the ruling party introduced a bill proposing the death penalty for what he called "aggravated homosegxwality." The bill, which is now in committee, has been condemned by some world leaders. The bill's author says he still believes it will be passed one day. Cecil, who faces two years in jail if convicted, said he was singled out for legal action because he had become the play's "public face," the man who printed posters and sent out invitations. The play was written by a British student of poetry named Beau Hopkins, who has not been targeted by the police. The play took a tragicomic view of the condition of gays in Uganda, and its playwright and producers said that was the best way to look at things. The play's main character is a young businessman who loses friends and then gets murdered after revealing he's gay, the victim of machete-wielding colleagues stunned that "a good man" can be gay. The gay character's mother stages an epic but losing battle to "cure" him of his homosegxwality, taking him to everyone from a Christian pastor to a private dancer. Cecil said at the play's premiere in Kampala that he did not believe the drama was "a magic pill" against raging homophobia in the East African country. | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Police set to dismiss Corporal over Lagos killing |
on: 13-09-2012 10:37 PM
| There are strong indications that Corporal Abbey Adekunle, a police officer, who allegedly killed a unit chairman of Three Wheelers Operators in Meiran, a Lagos suburb may be dismissed from the force. Nigerian Compass recalled that last weekend was hellish in Meiran, following the alleged killing of Dele Oroja, chairman of the Meiran unit of the Three Wheelers Operators Association for refusing to part with N50 as bribe to Adekunle. The incident sparked off a clash between the police and Keke Marwa operators, who openly condemned the extortionist activities of some corrupt police officers attached to Meiran police station. According to sources in the area, some corrupt police officers from Merian police station have been collecting money from okada riders, Keke Marwa operators and commercial bus drivers very early in the morning and late at night at Ile Iwe bus stop. Speaking also on the incident, Ngozi Braide, Lagos police spokesperson said that the police command is on top of the situation and will ensure that justice is done and clearly seen to have been done I the case of Corporal Abbey Adekunle. via Compass http://www.compassnewspaper.org/index.php/component/content/article/90-front-page-/7529-police-set-to-dismiss-corporal-over-lagos-killing | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / 25-Year-Old Woman Arrested For Allegedly Killing Her Son |
on: 13-09-2012 10:32 PM
| The police in Plateau have arrested a 25-year-old woman for allegedly murdering her son believed to be about one year old. The woman, a resident of Sabon Barkin, in the Tudun Wada area of Jos South, was alleged to have secretly killed the boy and dumped the corpse into a well before disappearing to an unknown destination. Mr Emmanuel Abuh, the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, who confirmed the incident, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Wednesday that the suspect, a single mother, committed the offence in August. ``The body of the boy was discovered in a well on Aug. 13, at Sabon Barkin, but the suspect’s whereabouts had been unknown until she was nabbed by our men today,’’ he said. The police officer described the offence as ``very grievous’’. ``Culpable homicide is a very grievous offence because that little boy had the right to live but was killed.’’ Abuh, who expressed shock over the attitude of the woman, said investigation had commenced into the matter. ``The Bukuru Police Division is handling the preliminary investigation. Once we are through, we shall transfer the case to the state Criminal Investigation Division for thorough investigation,'' he said. (NAN) via Leadership http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/34708/2012/09/12/25yearold_woman_arrested_allegedly_killing_her_son.html | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Nigerians on death row: SERAP drags Gambia to ECOWAS Court |
on: 13-09-2012 10:20 PM
| Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and two Nigerians on death row in The Gambia who said they are about to be executed by the government have taken their case to the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja asking the court to urgently stop their impending execution. The Nigerians involved in the case are Micheal Ifunanya and Stanley Agbaeze. In the suit Number ECW/CCJ/APP/11/12 filed yesterday on behalf of the plaintiffs by Femi Falana, SAN, against the Gambian government, SERAP and the Nigerians are alleging that the threat of execution while they (2nd and 3rd plaintiffs) have been denied the right to appeal “violates their human rights to right life; to due process of law; to access to justice and judicial independence; to a fair hearing; to appeal, and to effective remedy.” According to the plaintiffs, “The 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs are among the 48 people on death row in The Gambia. Without allowing them to exhaust their right of appeal, the Gambian government has threatened the Plaintiffs on or about 15 August 2012 to execute them and all other persons on death row in The Gambia.” The plaintiffs also argued that, “In spite of several appeals made to the Gambian government by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and other organizations, the government carried out the threat and secretly executed nine persons on death row in August 2012. The names of the nine persons executed by the government are:-Lamin B. Darboe; Alieu Bah; Lamin Jarju; Dawda Bojang; Abubacarr Yarbo; Abdoulie Sonko; Lamin F. Jammeh; Gibril Bah and Taraba Samba. “The Gambian government has threatened to carry out the secret and illegal execution of the Nigerians and other remaining persons on death row by September 2012. But the Gambian parliament has not passed any memorandum endorsing the execution of the Nigerians, as required by Section 81 of the constitution of the Gambia,” the plaintiffs argued. The plaintiffs also argued that, “The Gambian government’s action “violates the resolutions adopted by both the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN General Assembly requiring countries including the Gambia to adopt Moratorium on execution of the Death penalty. The resolution also asked AU member states including The Gambia that still retain the death penalty to fully comply with their obligation under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and guarantee to every person accused of crime for which capital punishment is applicable, fair trial standards; and to include in their periodic reports information on the steps they are taking to move toward the abolition of death penalty in their countries. The resolution is similar to the one adopted by the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly in 2007.” “Unless the reliefs sought are granted, the Defendant will continue to be in breach of the Gambian Constitution and Gambian international Human Rights Obligations and Commitment, as highlighted above. The government will proceed by September 2012 to secretly execute the Nigerians away from the public and from their families, thereby violating the requirements of transparency,” the plaintiffs further argued. They also said that, “The right to fair trial is a fundamental safeguard to assure that individuals are not unjustly punished. It is indispensable for the protection of other human rights such as the rights to freedom from torture and the right to life. However, when people are subjected to unfair trials, justice cannot be served.” via Compass Nigerians on death row: SERAP drags Gambia to ECOWAS Court http://www.compassnewspaper.org/index.php/component/content/article/90-front-page-/7596-nigerians-on-death-row-serap-drags-gambia-to-ecowas-court | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Somalia's new president survives Shebab assassination bid |
on: 13-09-2012 09:53 PM
| y Ali Musa Abdi (AFP) MOGADISHU — Somalia's president survived an assassination bid Wednesday, just two days into his new job, when bomb blasts claimed by Islamist rebels rocked the Mogadishu hotel where he was meeting Kenya's foreign minister. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was unharmed after two blasts went off outside the hotel where he had been staying in Mogadishu, but three soldiers were killed in what appeared to be an attack by multiple suicide bombers. "There has been a blast around the hotel where the president was. The president is safe. All the people who were inside the hotel are safe," Ali Houmed, spokesman for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) told AFP. A police officer said a Ugandan soldier from the regional force and two Somali troops were killed in the attack, adding that initial reports suggested it was carried out by three suicide bombers. Amisom confirmed in a statement that one peacekeeper had died and three were injured in the attack, which took place a few hundred yards from Mogadishu's international airport. Two suicide bombers were shot and blew up while trying to enter the hotel, while a third bomber was shot dead as he tried to climb the compound wall, the statement said. "The president was in no danger and continued to calmly address the media," the statement said. An AFP reporter at the scene saw bits of flesh scattered in front of the hotel gates. Hassan, whose election on Monday was widely welcomed as a boost to the Horn of Africa country's peace prospects, was meeting Kenyan Foreign Minister Sam Ongeri at the time of the explosions, Kenya's foreign ministry said in a statement. "The meeting however went on succesfully after the thwarted terrorist attack with the minister Ongeri and his entourage (was) expected back to the country (in Kenya) later this evening," the statement said. The Shebab, an Al-Qaeda-linked group which has been waging a bloody insurgency against Somalia's Western-backed government, was quick to claim responsibility for the attack. "We are responsible for the attack against the so-called president and the delegation," Shebab spokesman Ali Mohamud Rage told AFP. The Shebab spokesman had warned on Tuesday that his group considered as illegtimate the UN-backed process which saw newly-designated lawmakers elect Hassan. "Nothing personal, but the whole process is like an enemy project," the Shebab spokesman had said. European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton condemned the attack. "It is an appalling assault against both the new President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and the recent political progress in Somalia," Ashton said in a statement in Brussels. "Monday's successful and peaceful presidential election was a clear signal of hope and change," said Ashton. "Today's attack serves as a reminder that Somalia remains fragile. I hope that the people of Somalia and their new President will now be even more determined to realise their hopes and aspirations. "The EU is ready to support Somalia on its new course to peace and stability." The newly-elected 56-year-old academic's predecessors have all survived numerous assassination attempts in the war-ravaged Somali capital. AMISOM troops have wrested control of most of Mogadishu back from the Shebab in recent months but the insurgent group has continued to attack foreign and government targets, mostly with suicide bombers. Rage vowed that such attacks would continue "until the liberation of Somalia", where Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Burundi and Djibouti have sent troops to support the government and battle the Islamist insurgency. Hassan unexpectedly defeated incumbent president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in Monday's vote in what was interpreted as a sign that Somali leaders wanted to break with the corruption-tainted outgoing administration. The US State Department welcomed the peace activist's election as heralding "new era of Somali governance" while other Western powers also hailed the vote as a major milestone in efforts to restore peace. Somalia has not had a credible central authority since the 1991 ouster of former president Siad Barre but Hassan's election came as a semblance of normality returned to Mogadishu and hopes of a recovery grew. In his acceptance speech, Hassan promised to bring Somalia back into the international fold, but he inherits an ongoing war, a humanitarian crisis, feeble institutions and deeply entrenched warlordism. Read more:http://www.naijapals.com.com/page.html#ixzz456 http://www.naijapals.com.com/group/insideafrica/forum/topics/somalia-s-new-president-survives-shebab-assassination-bid#axzz25tixAmZL | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Woman Strangles Friend For Snatching Lover |
on: 11-09-2012 05:27 PM
| A 58-year old woman, Josephine Jacob, has been arrested and charged to a Lagos court for allegedly strangling her friend, Mrs. Margret Ndidi, 59, in their home at Shasha, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria. This happened 16 years after Josephine’s bitter experience of losing a lover to Margret whom he married. Josephine reportedly went inside Margret’s one room apartment at 19, Omo Olore Street, Mosalashi Bus Stop, Shasha, when she was sleeping and strangled her. She was arrested and arraigned before Yaba Magistrate’s Court where she is facing murder charge. P.M.NEWS gathered from the residents that Josephine bore grudge against her over what happened 16 years ago between them. It was learnt that the marriage of both Josephine and the late Margret later broke down and they both became divorcees. “ She has been blaming Margret for her condition because she snatched her lover 16 years ago,” a source said. Though they later reconciled and became friends again and started living together at their two-room rented apartment they shared, unknown to Margret, her friend was still nursing the pain and had not forgiven her. So, in August this year, Josephine allegedly went inside Margret’s room where she was sleeping and chocked her neck and strangled her. When the woman died, she started shouting for neighbours to come and help her, saying that Margret had died on her bed. After Margret was rushed to a hospital, a doctor certified her dead. But the hospital management discovered that her neck had bruises and wound. It was suspected that she was strangled. The matter was reported at Shasha Police station and Josephine was arrested and detained. The police preliminary investigation also revealed that she was strangled. The matter was transferred to SCID, Panti, Yaba and Josephine’s two daughters were also arrested. She was charged to court for murder under Section 221 of the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011. Her plea was not taken. The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. J. Ugbormaiko ordered that her file should be duplicated and sent to DPP for advice. No date was fixed for hearing. In another incident, a 22-year old man, Afeez Oyewole, has been arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, for allegedly stabbing Taiwo Adeyemi whom he claimed was having affairs with his wife. Oyewole was said to have committed the offence on 9 September, 2012 at 92, Old Aroloya Street on Lagos Island. P.M.News gathered that Oyewole confronted Adeyemi when he got wind of his alleged amorous affairs with his wife. This resulted in a fight. Oyewole in the process, allegedly took a broken bottle and stabbed his wife’s alleged lover in the face. Adeyemi subsequently lost one of his eyes as a result of the severity of the stab on his face. Arraigning the defendant before Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, police prosecutor, Superintendent of Police, Augustine Orji, informed the court that Oyewole alleged that the complainant had been pestering his wife for an affair for quite a while. The prosecutor said the offence is punishable under Section 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011. When the charge was read to him, the defendant pleaded not guilty and was granted bail by Magistrate Martins Owumi in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties. The case has been adjourned till 26 September, 2012 for further hearing. —Cyriacus Izuekwe & Jamiu Yisa via PM News http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/09/11/woman-strangles-friend-for-snatching-lover/ | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Woman gives birth to a horse in Edo church |
on: 11-09-2012 05:22 PM
| Worshippers of the World Liberation Ministry located along old Sapele-Benin express road on Tuesday took to their heels during a prophesy programme when a female member delivered a horse. The horse was however dead by the time Journalists visited the church. It was gathered that the woman whose identity was not yet known started screaming during the prayer session and began to bleed from the honeypot before the horse came out. The General Overseer of the church, Evangelist Silva Wealth, said he was still amazed at what came out of the woman. He told Journalists that during prayers a revelation came that there was a woman with an issue and that something was blocking her womb. Silva said as prayers intensified, the woman started screaming and bleeding started when the object came out. The cleric said he couldn’t confirm whether the horse was dead or alive because he didn’t go near it. “I can’t describe the object. We have seen people that vomited several things during our service but not this type of thing. God has been blessing our ministry with prophesies and miracles, “he said. People rushed to the church to catch a glimpse of the horse when news of the delivery filtered into town. via The Nation http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/news-update/61099-woman-gives-birth-to-horse-in-edo-church.html | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Erection drove cannibal to machete murder |
on: 11-09-2012 05:07 PM
| Lagos - A Nigerian man has been arrested after he killed a woman and ate her stewed intestines in a bid to cure an abnormally persistent erection, police said on Wednesday. A spokesperson for Osun state police said 50-year-old Folorunso Olukotun had led officers to his victim's disemboweled body in the bush near his home village in south-west Nigeria.
"According to the man's story, his private organ always has an erection and it doesn't go down," Oluwole Ayodeji said. "An elder advised him to kill a woman and eat her intestines."
Olukotun ambushed his victim, a woman in her forties unknown to her attacker, on a path near her village. He attacked her with a machete, killed her, and took her intestines home, Ayodeji said. "He cooked them like a sort of stew and ate them with pounded yam," he said. "When the police arrived he was very open, we have his whole confession on tape and he has been remanded in custody."
The spokesperson said that police believe that Mr Folorunso Olukotun, who had erection problems, consulted an elder in his village who prescribed cannibalism as a cure for Olukotun's problem. The elder claimed that this prescription was an old Yoruba cure for priapism and sex-addiction, even if it’s less practiced now or rather practiced more discretely. "He seems to have believed them," he said. Police could not say whether the erection has now subsided.
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Police kill top PDP chieftain’s son |
on: 9-09-2012 09:21 PM
| From PAUL ORUDE, Bauchi Son of a one-time National Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Umaru Dahiru, has been shot dead by suspected policemen in Bauchi metropolis in Bauchi State. Sunday Sun learnt that Sulaiman Umaru Dahiru, aged 31, was allegedly shot when he refused to stop during a stop-and-search operation by officers and men of the Bauchi State Police Command. Our correspondent further learnt that Suleiman was driving very close to his father’s residence at Murtala Muhammed Road, opposite Gwallaga Juma’at mosque in Bauchi city, when the security men on patrol allegedly ordered him to stop for identification. The deceased allegedly refused and was shot by the joint patrol team. His father, Alhaji Umaru Dahiru, who was until the tragedy a staff of the Federal Capital Development Authority, Abuja, and the Baraden Bauchi, confirmed the killing of his son, describing it as unfortunate. He said: “We held a wedding ceremony in my house last Friday, so the boy was busy taking women that attended the occasion back to their various houses. “We couldn’t see the boy and we tried to find out his whereabouts, but we only located his vehicle sprayed with bullets and discovered his dead body at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital riddled with bullet wounds.” Dahiru, one time Commissioner for Finance in the state, explained that he was told his son was killed after he allegedly failed to stop during a stop and search operation, saying it was unfortunate that both criminals and innocent people were being killed. On what the family intends to do, the PDP chieftain said there was nothing they could do, but to leave it to God to judge. Commenting on the issue, the Chief Medical Director of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, Dr. Mohammad Alkali, said the police brought the deceased alive around 2 am on Saturday for treatment, but he later died. When contacted the state’s Police Commissioner, Mohammad Ladan, said he was not aware of the incident. Ladan said he was hearing it for the first time from the reporter. http://sunnewsonline.com/new/national/police-kill-top-pdp-chieftains-son-in-bauchi/ | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Orji Kalu: As Governor I Didn’t Leave Any Debt for Theodore Orji |
on: 9-09-2012 09:02 PM
| Former Abia State Governor Orji Kalu has been on the political sidelines for some time. But he says he is now working on a plan to restore the weight of his native South-east in the Nigerian political equation. After leaving Government House, Umuahia in 2007, he had unsuccessfully contested for the presidency. Last week at his Victoria Island residence in Lagos, Kalu sat down with Vincent Obia to discuss his new preoccupations since leaving the governorship throne and how he plans to rekindle the Igbo presidential dream
No Hard Feelings
Former Governor Orji Kalu held sway in the South-east state of Abia between 1999 and 2007. As governor, Orji, 52, was not just in government, he was in power. But soon after he left office in 2007, like other godfathers, he also fell out with Governor Theodore Orji, his successor and former chief of staff, whom he had virtually single-handedly installed against all odds. Kalu says there is no love lost between him and the governor; though he refused to be drawn into comments on Theodore Orji and some of the allegations levelled against his administration by the present government in the state. He says he does n’t want to take issues with the governor. “I was just a mere messenger of the people and I left happily. This is why I’m saying I never lost anything. As governor for eight years, I was just a messenger of the people and nothing has changed. This is the house I had been living in even before I was governor, and I have not changed the house or the chairs. “I’m not going to discuss the governor. I’ll leave that aspect for the people of Abia to decide. I have tried since I left not to discuss him, whether privately or publicly. It has been a strong cause of my life not to discuss him. I leave that discussion to the people of Abia. The day I handed over to him, I told him to govern with his conscience and this is the same thing I’ve continued to say.”
T.A. Orji Lied Asked to respond to the allegation by his successor that the main source of disagreement between them is the present government’s refusal to sell some property of the state in Lagos and in Kalu’s native Bende to him, Kalu had absolutely no difficulty denying the claim. “It is not true. This I can answer you straightaway. There is nothing like that. “We were building a university at Igbere and the university people asked the government to lease the Umunnato General Hospital, which I refurbished when I was governor and nobody is using till today. It’s overgrown with weeds. You can send your correspondent in Umuahia to go and look at it. So they asked him to give them 50 years lease; lease with payment. I am not going to make any profit from Igbere – to the best of my knowledge. “Why should I ask him to sell property to me? I was governor for eight years when they were doing privatisation. This is a man I told that there was no need to sell government property. If I wanted to buy government property, I could have bought it. But it wasn’t my desire. “I have been living in this house at Victoria Island since 1986. I have my office at Apapa since 1986.” Kalu debunks the governor’s allegation that his eight years administration left virtually nothing in terms of infrastructure in the state. “I know that the allegation that nothing was done during my tenure is wrong. Almost all the roads in the state were constructed in my tenure. The Umuahia-Aba road (old road), the Obehie-Azumiri road, the Lokpanta-Udeato road, the Ebem-Ohafia road, all were constructed in my tenure. When I was governor, the Aba roads were motorable. I don’t want to talk about these things. I want the governor to lead the people with his conscience. Conscience is a wound, only the truth can heal it. People are seeing today, they are not seeing tomorrow. I want Nigerians to start seeing tomorrow. “Go back to your archives. Obasanjo made me the Action Governor for that regime on account of the Aba roads that I constructed. He came to Aba and campaigned on those roads. Anywhere in the world, roads are maintained every two to three roads, if not, they will collapse. I cleaned up Aba. “Nobody has given me credit for all these things because I fought the federal government. I’m the only politician that his businesses were taken. Obasanjo killed my businesses here. He was out to ruin me because I challenged him over Third Term. What have I done to these people? I had helped them in the past.”
Exit from PDP Kalu blames his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party on former President Obasanjo’s alleged intolerance. The former governor who was elected in 1999 on the PDP platform left the party to form the Progressive Peoples Alliance in the latter part of his second term. He bemoans the poor attitude of Nigerians to politics. “I didn’t leave PDP; Obasanjo virtually drove me and Atiku away. I was de-registered by Obasanjo. I give God the glory; I don’t feel any harm because everything we do is vanity. “As far as I am concerned, Nigerian people have not shown commitment to democracy. Look at my governor, he worked for me. He knows that I am not a money man. If he will say the truth, which I know will come out one day. If money were to be my problem, I would have followed Obasanjo because I had full access to him. “My challenge in life is the people, not money. When anybody says I asked him not to work, the person is not being sincere. For instance, I own The Sun newspapers; I don’t interfere in their day-to-day job. I like process, I like system, and this is what most Nigerians lack because they were not prepared for leadership. “Most people in positions of leadership in Nigeria today found themselves suddenly in the line of leadership. That is the problem Nigeria has today, people are not prepared for leadership.”
Break from Active Politics Kalu’s exit from PPA marked the beginning of his life on the sidelines of politics. But was he also driven out of PPA? “No. I left because democracy was no longer the process of choice, but force,” he says. “People who do these things should be ready to face the consequences in future. If we want to come back to politics, it is either they do it right or everybody would be prepared to pay for it. “It is disheartening that a lot of people who won elections are not where they have won elections. Apart from the South-west and some parts of Northern Nigeria, democracy has not taken root at all. I am disappointed. This was not what we bargained for, which made me to leave my business for politics. Nigerians, whether living or dead, will regret what is happening someday. Leadership is not about possessions, it is about the people. Once a leader cannot reconcile with the people, it becomes a problem.”
2015 and Igbo As the country inches towards the 2015 elections, many Igbo believe it should be the turn of the South-east to produce the country’s president. But many of those who ought to lead the South-east presidency campaign appear to have a half-hearted belief in the cause. They are believed to be reading President Jonathan’s body language to see if he would be going for a second term. But Kalu sees no sense in such wait for Jonathan. “Anybody who wants to run for the presidency should prepare to run. Why should they wait for anybody to tell them whether he will run or not. That is part of the things that are not right in our democracy. “South-east has not been fairly treated. That is why when I see some Igbo people say they are waiting for Jonathan to decide whether he would run or not, I look at them as very stupid. Nobody should decide for anybody. As far as I am concerned, it is either you give Igbo the presidency or nothing. “Almost 48 years after the civil war, you are telling people they are not entitled to rule Nigeria. Unless an Igbo man rules this country, the country would not be well. That is the truth because we are the salt of the nation. Whether you want to believe it or not, that is the truth. Anywhere you go in Nigeria and you don’t see an Igbo man living there, nobody lives there. So why don’t you give them the opportunity to rule their country? They have given Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, and Jonathan room to rule. Now is the South-east’s turn, it’s either the South-east or nothing.”
Jonathan’s Performance On the performance of President Jonathan, Kalu says he would give the president the benefit of the doubt and give him time before engaging in any serious assessment of his performance since the President had said 2013 would usher in a lot of things. “I will give the President the benefit of the doubt as he had said he would do most things and deliver by 2013. Let’s wait and see, though I have not seen anything in terms of concrete performance, especially in the areas of security and infrastructure. “The fundamental issue is the rule of law. Any president who wants to rule this country should respect the rules and give people justice. If there is no rule of law, there will be no society. The most fundamental issue in any good society for the people is the rule of law. A minister’s son who violates traffic law, for instance, should be penalised like any other Nigerian. Political armed robbers who took the country’s money should not be allowed to walk free. “Governance is not about gossip. Once leaders start listening to gossip, they are failures already. People must run government by what the constitution says.”
Question of Igbo Unity He dismisses the talk about Igbo disunity, saying disunity is not a peculiar problem of the Igbo. “Who has had unity before? When they made Obasanjo president, were the Yoruba united? When they made Yar’Adua president, were the Northerners united? “You people should stop deceiving the Igbo. This nonsense should stop. They would say Igbo people like money, who does not like money? The election of 2011 was effectively put together by some prominent Northerners, they collected money. So who does not like money?”
Strategy to Actualise President of Igbo Extraction On whether the South-east has a coherent strategy for the achievement of their presidential dream, the former Abia State governor says formulating such plan is his preoccupation at the moment. “I know the national appeal is there,” he says, “I am going to play a leading role within my community to organise people for what Igbo are going to do. I wanted to be totally out of politics, but I’m going to sit back in my house and be part of their planning. “I will plan for them and give them to go and execute. Awolowo wasn’t a president but he was a very important man in Nigeria. I’m sitting back to help give the Igbo what they don’t have: planning. I’m going to reconcile those who are quarrelling and get one of them to lead. We will get it right this time.” He says the leaders; the candidates from the zone would emerge on their own. “But give me some months to be able to consult. The most important thing is the process that gets who would run for president. The president is just a by-product of unity. What I’m talking about is to kick-start the process. I have to go back to the drawing board, go back to the academics, traders, politicians, etc, and re-energise them to move forward.”
Is He Stepping into Ojukwu’s Shoes? Kalu said: “I purposely kept away when Ojukwu died because his burial became an avenue for sycophancy. People who abused Ojukwu in my presence, people who never believed in him were praising him to death. I was surprised. That was why I sent a delegation to extend my condolences and I didn’t go. “When Ojukwu was alive, they abandoned him. Most of these people who were talking abandoned him. Ojukwu’s brothers are there, they can speak because they know how close I was to him. They know I always tried to be with him at any point of his need.”
PDP Reconciliation Moves [/size][/font][/color][/b] Asked whether he would return to PDP if approached in the course of the party’s present reconciliation efforts, Kalu says nothing about PDP excites him at present. “I don’t think so. I don’t think I am talking about party politics now. If I want to play party politics, I would play it in PPA. “People cannot always leave when the condition is not good, people should also be there to defend the situation when the condition is bad. I’m not talking party politics now; I’m talking about advising everybody in Igbo land. I want to energise the base. In the next couple of months, I would put the process in motion.”
Prosecution by EFCC Kalu thinks the charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are trumped up. “My conscience tells me that I have not done anything. I have never discussed with anybody on how to make underhand deals. What I have spent is security vote, which is not much for the size of our state. I applied it to the police and they were happy with what I did with the money. I am the only governor that is being prosecuted for spending security vote. “Even the present governor knows that we were not making deals. Check the calibre of commissioners that I had – Awa Kalu (SAN), Lambert Mmecha, Professor Nkpa (present Secretary to the State Government), Professor Ogbuagu (currently a vice-chancellor), Onyekwere Ogba, etc. I will set up a foundation that will deal with the issue of anti-corruption.” He adds, “I have asked the international agencies to set up a real anti-corruption outfit, let us know who the real thieves are. I’m ready to subject myself to the probe, and others, too, should come out.” Real Legacies in Abia “All the low-cost housing schemes in Abia State were built by my government. The Ehimiri housing estate, the two stadiums in the state, were built by my administration. The housing estate at Obingwa had been roofed before we left, even the one at Obakala, apart from the housing estate at Ubeku. “Mind you, our resources then were lean – Obasanjo took away our 46 oil wells, which Yar’Adua returned. $650 million was deducted from the state’s allocations to repay money from the wells. I gave Abia people purposeful leadership. Go to the Federal Ministry of Finance and check how much we had from 1999 to 2007.” Left No Debt in Abia Against the backdrop of allegations that he left a mountain of debts for his predecessor in 2007, Kalu says, “I never left any debt for Theodore Orji as governor. I want this to be on record. I left no debt the day I was leaving as governor of Abia State. I’ve heard people say I owed banks N28 billion before I left. That is not true. “We were only banking with Hallmark. Hallmark stopped, and we went over to Bank PHB. The day I left, the account was N1.7 billion in overdraft, because Obasanjo asked the Ministry of Finance to withhold the money. On June 6, 2007, the overdraft cleared. The documents are there for anybody to verify. “I never owed any bank money, which some people now say Abia State is repaying. This is the first time I am coming openly to say this.”
Human Errors[/size][/font][/color][/b] The former governor, however, admits that he is human and might have made mistakes in the course of his leadership. “In the process of governance, I’m not saying I was perfect. Wherever I have wronged our people, I’m very sorry for wronging them. Wherever I have done well, they should also praise me for doing well. “I’m not perfect, even Jesus Christ was not perfect. I’m human. I must have made several mistakes in Abia as a young man. I wasn’t 50 years old when I was governor. Today, I’m 50 and above. So I know more things that are right and wrong today.”
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Revealed: VP Sambo, IBB & Dangote forced Nnaji out of Power Ministry |
on: 9-09-2012 08:02 PM
| Former Minister of Power, Mr Barth Nnaji did not resign because of a conflict of interest, but was forced out by the duo of Vice President, Alhaji Namadi Sambo and Billionaire and Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote. This much was borne out in this weeks ECONOMIST. The internationally renowned magazine said Mr Nnaji's departure was hastened because he battled with the vice-president, Namadi Sambo, who owns companies with interests in the public power sector. Sambo also oversees the government’s national privatisation council and heads a programme to build ten new state power stations that Mr Nnaji hoped to privatise. Mr Nnaji also incurred Dangote's displeasure because a bid from Nigeria’s richest tycoon arrived apparently minutes late, and therefore was rejected. It has also been revealed that two former heads of state, retired Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, as well as former Governor of Lagos State and leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, are the promoters of some of the bidding consortiums contesting for the 18 companies unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). Reforming electricity in Nigeria; A bright spark is extinguished - The president’s most vaunted reform is flagging but must be revived - The Economist ALTHOUGH Nigeria has almost as many inhabitants as Brazil, it produces only 5% of the electricity. Many Nigerian leaders have tried to boost the state’s power supply, but many more have become rich by obstructing it, earning fees from private generation and stealing official funds meant for new power plants. When he was elected last year, President Goodluck Jonathan promised to make electricity reform his big thing, hoping to transform the lives of millions of Nigerians who have spent decades in the dark. But the resignation of his power minister on August 28th over a conflict of interest has exposed the rot in a process that seemed to be running relatively smoothly. Bartholomew (“Barth”) Nnaji, a respected technocrat who had been minister of power since last year, was meant to sell six generating companies and 11 distribution companies. Months ago he declared that a firm in which he owns shares held in a trust was involved in the bidding. It is not unusual for Nigerian politicians to engage in business overseen by their office; what is unusual is for any of them to resign. Mr Nnaji’s supporters say that opponents of privatisation belatedly and unfairly engineered his departure. “Nnaji was the best person for the job,” says an adviser at the presidential task-force on the reform of power. “But he was getting in the way of other interests.” The minister had certainly made enemies. He took on trade unions opposed to mass job cuts. A key aspect of privatisation is unbundling the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, a bloated and ill-managed monopoly, with thousands of “ghost” workers on the payroll. Two-fifths of the staff are apparently listed as drivers. Mr Nnaji tried for months to negotiate redundancy terms, as otherwise serious investors are unlikely to bid. It remains to be seen whether the unions have won the battle. Privatisation may be delayed. Mr Nnaji also warred with the vice-president, Namadi Sambo, who owns companies with interests in the public power sector, oversees the government’s national privatisation council and heads a programme to build ten new state power stations that Mr Nnaji hoped to privatise. This may have hastened his departure. Worrying signs have also emerged over transparency. Watchdogs were at the last minute relegated from being active participants in evaluating bids to observers, says a consultant. Their role is important because firms may win bids with lofty promises but fail to get finance or honour their contracts. This has hampered past privatisations. The current list of bidders is longer than expected and includes many local firms. Preferred bidders may be announced next month. According to the government, the power sector needs $10 billion of investment a year for at least a decade. Mr Nnaji’s resignation is troubling investors who feel he brought expertise to a process that had previously been paralysed by corruption. Watched by foreign development agencies, eligible bidders have so far been selected in a clean and efficient manner. When a bid from Nigeria’s richest tycoon, Aliko Dangote, arrived apparently minutes late, it was rejected. Most important for investors, a new tariff system, which will see a gradual increase in electricity prices over the next two years, came into effect in June. It is meant to ensure profitability. President Jonathan imposed the new tariffs despite worries that they would spark mass protests. In January Nigeria came to a standstill when he removed fuel subsidies. He partially reinstated them. This time, taking no chances, he agreed to new electricity subsidies for the poorest households for at least two years. But he no longer has a high-profile power minister to hide behind. IBB, Abdulsalami, Tinubu Lead Battle for PHCN Assets - THISDAY http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ibb-abdulsalami-tinubu-lead-battle-for-phcn-assets/124309/Two former heads of state, retired Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, as well as former Governor of Lagos State and leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, are the promoters of some of the bidding consortiums contesting for the 18 companies unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), THISDAY investigations have revealed. This is coming as the workers of the ailing power utility giant have called for the re-evaluation of bids for companies slated for privatisation. Also topping the list of promoters is an oil magnate, Sir Emeka Offor; business mogul, retired Colonel Sani Bello; as well as allies of Vice-President Namadi Sambo. North South Power Company Limited, which is believed to be promoted by Babangida, passed the technical evaluation for the Shiroro Power Station and would participate in the financial bid stage. North South Power Company was the only consortium that submitted bids for Shiroro, while Dangote Power and Super Tech belonging to business mogul, Aliko Dangote and Professor Jerry Gana, respectively, submitted late bids and were automatically disqualified. Integrated Electric Nigeria Limited, promoted by retired General Abubakar as chairman, Mr. Tunde Ayeni and Dr. Shola Ayandele, is contesting with other bidders for Eko, Ibadan and Yola Distribution Companies. However, the chances of the company’s bids for Eko and Ibadan Discos are slim due to the presence of Oando Gas and Power, Lagos State Government, Tinubu and Honeywell in the contest. THISDAY learnt that Integrated Electric has however passed the technical evaluation for Yola Disco, which is awaiting the approval of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP). For Ibadan Disco, Integrated Electric will compete against Western Consortium, promoted by Oando Power and Tinubu. Integrated Electric and Western Consortium are believed to have passed the technical bid stage for Ibadan Distribution Company, which is awaiting NCP’s approval. Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, supported by Bello, passed the technical evaluation for Kainji Power Station and is set to participate in the financial bid. It also submitted a bid for Jebba Power Station but it is not yet clear if any of the bidders for Jebba was successful, as there was no announcement made by the NCP on the status of the technical bids submitted for the hydro power station. The Oando Consortium, believed to be promoted by Oando Gas and Power, Lagos State Government and Tinubu, is battling with other bidders for Eko and Ikeja Distribution Companies. Also in the race for Eko and Ikeja Discos are: Ampiron Power Distribution Limitedand Honeywell Consortium, promoted by Mr. Oba Otudeko. The Lagos State Government, it was gathered, decided to hedge its bets by also submitting a bid alongside the Honeywell Consortium, as it is bent on acquiring a stake in the two Lagos-based distribution assets. The state government has made it abundantly clear that whoever wins Eko and Ikeja Discos would have to deal with it owing to its massive investment in distribution infrastructure and rural electrification projects over the years. Meanwhile, Offor’s Interstate Electric Nigeria Limited is slugging it out with several other bidders, which include Eastern Electric Nigeria Limited for Enugu Distribution Company. THISDAY gathered that there are 30 per cent unalloted shares in the Interstate Electric bid which was submitted to the Bureau of Public Enterprises, fuelling speculation that the shares may have been reserved for investors with the financial muscle to enhance Interstate’s bid for Enugu Disco. Eastern Electric, on the other hand, is backed by Time Power Global Dynamics, believed to be sponsored by Ernest Azudialu’s Nestoil; Nifex Limited; Aba Power and Geometric Power Limited, which belongs to the former Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji; and the governments of Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States. It is believed that the refusal by the Imo State Government to bid under any consortium stemmed from Governor Rochas Okorocha’s close relationship with Offor. In the case of Port Harcourt Distribution Company, Four Power Consortium, promoted by the governments of Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa States and other private sector bidders, is contesting against Rockson Engineering, promoted by the owner of Arik Air, Sir Joseph Arumemi-Johnson. Southern Electric Distribution Company, which submitted bids for Benin Distribution Company, indicated that it has the commitment of the government of Delta State, while Rockson Engineering indicated that it has a similar commitment from the Edo State Government. A top member of the NCP is believed to be behind Skipper Nigeria Limited, which is bidding for Kaduna Distribution Company against NAHCO Energy and Power Limited. However, none of these bidders was successful, compelling the BPE to come up with three fresh options, which it intends to submit to NCP, on how to handle the failed bids for Kaduna Disco. The first option is to re-advertise the company to harvest a new batch of expressions of interest from prospective investors; the second option is to allow those that submitted late technical and financial bids and were rejected by the BPE to submit their bids; while the third is to invite other bidders that lost out at the financial bid stage to submit fresh bids for Kaduna Disco. Skipper Nigeria Limited is however believed to have passed the technical re-evaluation conducted by a new committee set up by the NCP for Afam Power Station, but is subject to NCP's approval. Skipper had slugged it out with NPG Consortium and Primeniza Energy Limited. The reconstituted evaluation team comprised officials from the Ministries of Works and Power, Infrastructure Regulatory Concession Commission and Bureau of Public Procurement. Sahelian Energy, which was pre-qualified for Kano Distribution Company, is promoted by Alhaji Yusuf, a ministerial nominee of Vice-President Sambo, who did not pass the security screening. However, Kepco Consortium, promoted by Sahara Energy, is still in negotiations with the BPE for the takeover of Egbin Power Station, subject to NCP and the Federal Government's approval. State governments such as Lagos, the four South-east and four South-south states are believed to have joined various consortiums after they were encouraged by the BPE to submit bids for the distribution assets. Under the privatisation programme, the state governments are automatically entitled to two per cent but can get a maximum of eight per cent through the bidding consortiums due to their ownership of the right of way in their states and their massive investment in the distribution and rural electrification network. THISDAY gathered that another reason the states were encouraged to participate in the process stemmed from the difficulty in carving out the distribution network and delineating boundaries in the immediate term, but this could happen in the future as the market structure evolves. Also, there were concerns that it will be difficult to place a value on the investment by the states in distribution and rural electrification infrastructure, thus necessitating that they bid for the distribution assets through the privatisation process. Meanwhile, electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have called for the re-evaluation on the grounds that Nnaji’s resignation implied that there might have been some undue influence in the overall management of the privatisation process. In a letter to Sambo who doubles as the Chairman of NCP, the union also requested the report of the valuation of PHCN which puts the assets and liabilities of the corporation at N200 billion. It stated that the valuation of a company like PHCN should be transparently done with active participation of all stakeholders. The letter signed by the General Secretary of the union, Comrade Joe Ajaero, advised that persons who are politically vulnerable should not be allowed to participate in the privatisation exercise. “To us it is altruism that the undue influence issue might not have been restricted to Afam Power Plant and Enugu Electricity Distribution Zone of PHCN alone, we believe the whole process has been grossly infested by the menace. “With all sense of patriotism, we demand also for the report of the valuation of PHCN assets and liabilities that actually came up with the current value of PHCN put at N200 billion only. “The valuation of a company like PHCN should be transparently done with active participation of all stakeholders. “We believe that this is the only way credibility and transparency would be seen to have returned to the whole privatisation process. This will enhance investors’ confidence and those of the international community,” the union stated. http://elombah.com/index.php/special-reports/12481-revealed-vp-sambo-ibb-dangote-forced-nnaji-out-of-power-ministry | | | |