Friday 31 May 2013
Wale Odunsi: Rotimi Amaechi: His only sin is his victory
Nigeria, the self-acclaimed giant of Africa, is one of the few countries where citizens become endangered species once they foray into politics.
At the beginning of the face-off between the camp of Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi and the powers that be, I said that in not too distant future, a major player in the continuing battle would raise a disturbing alarm. The assertion came to pass seventy-two hours days after the chairmanship election of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF. The duly re-elected chair of the body (as we’ve all now confirmed) at a gathering, alleged that “Federal People” were after his life; “Pray for me” he pleaded.
As for Nyesom Wike, Minister of State for Education, he has given credence to the axiom: Best friends can be worst enemies. Thanks to him, governors now have an impeccable reason not to nominate their Chief of Staff for federal appointments. I am sure Amaechi, even with 99% alcohol in his blood stream, will not repeat that faux pas if the hand of time is reversed. Wike is playing god and his body language corroborates this. He is emboldened by his possession of the Rivers state People’s Democratic Party executive committee and the promise of a governorship ticket in 2015. Obviously to secure his political future, he has handed over his goodluck to Goodluck.
A research shows that on the issue of short-list for national executive jobs, most governors eventually regret the choice/s they make. It appears that a demon enters some of the appointees soon after they land juicy posts; pertinent to add that Ministers and head of parastatals are the usual culprits. You need to see their intimidating convoy in Abuja, the nation’s capital. These are people that hitherto had only one or two cars. Merely weeks into their new found glory, they wear arrogance like a well-tailored Babaringa. You then wonder how a man, who had to face 106 Senators for screening and probably asked to recite the National Anthem like a Primary Two student, suddenly lives and act like an emperor.
The Federal People and the leadership of the PDP, supported by their apologists, claim that their common foe siphon monies meant for developmental projects; that his achievements does not match funds allocated to/generated by the state; that he has marginalized some quarters; that he respect the President…bla bla bla. But do you on the basis of that scheme the man’s removal without following due process? I am not in any way supporting his deficiencies, but if you do not like an elected public office holder and wish to remove him, it is required that you at least respect the provisions of the constitution.
For the benefit of those with little or no idea of the genesis of the conflict, let me bring you up to speed. Sometime in 2012, Amaechi at a meeting declared that as an Ikwerre from Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government Area, it would not be fair for another person from same Ikwerre to succeed him in 2015.
The statement which makes sense, in view of the peculiarity of our multi-ethnicity, did not go down well with Wike, also an Ikwerre from Rumuepirikom community; he has his eyes set on the State’s number one seat. Since then, he has colluded with the Presidency to make life hell for his one-time friend.
Adekoya Boladele, in his recent opinion advised President Jonathan to take a cue from his estranged godfather, if he really wants to rubbish someone. “I think the President need to talk to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and learn a thing or two on how to bring down his political enemies…Every attempt by him to bring down Amaechi has brought the presidency to ridicule and public condemnation,” he opined.
No doubt the Rivers helmsman is now widely regarded as a hero and someone being victimized for daring to say NO to certain policies; for having the audacity to show legitimate interest in a attaining a higher position in life. I thought ambition is one of the attributes we all possess as human, so when did God label it a sin or have I been in coma since birth? I totally agree with the comment by Sokonte Davies, a House of Representatives member on platform of PDP. Reacting to the controversy surrounding the outcome of the NGF poll, he declared that this is the first time in history somebody is being punished for winning.
At a time most of his colleagues in same party would sit on the fence to avoid a clash with the overall Oga at the Top, Amaechi would always speak his mind. Few days to the disputed election, there were reports in the media of how Jonathan forced some state governors to vote for his last-minute candidate, Jonah Jang of Plateau. Of course they bowed to his inclination because intelligence gathered against them revealed staggering and monumental corrupt practices.
Come to think of it, PDP as a party has a thing for Septuagenarians. National chairman, Bamanga Tukur; Board of Trustees chairman, Tony “Mr. Fix It” Anenih and lately, favoured stooge, Baba Jang, are all above the age of 70! Not surprised though, the party’s National Youth Leader, Garba Chiza, is 61 years old!
The treatment being mete out to Ameachi is prejudicial and I urge the 27 supporting members in the House of Assembly to remain unshaken in their resolute to do the right thing. Posterity will not take it lightly with them if they sell their conscience even for porridge worth billions
Two years to his re-election, President of the United States, Barrack Obama, invested heavily in the youth as well as information communication and technology. He embarked on sweeping health reforms, boosted foreign bilateral trade and partnership, and re-moulded his country’s image in a bid to portray it as a friendly world power and not a war monger.
Here, it is two years to general elections and electricity supply is yet desirable. In fact as I typeset this piece my generating set is on, while they are lavishing our collective wealth on a frivolity tagged ‘Democracy Day Presidential Dinner’. Healthcare and education sectors still cry for help yet we are building more federal universities and doing ground-breaking ceremonies for hospital projects; urban settlements still get royal treatment to the detriment of satellite towns which in actual context are slums; the SURE-P jobs they make so much noise about are only seen by them – we should ask our statistics’ managers to tell us if unemployment has reduced from 24% it was in 2011; internal security is at the scariest level with three states slammed with State of Emergency and others at the risk of same; one can go on.
Instead of working vigorously to ensure that efforts (whether that is enough requires a separate debate) injected in these areas are seen and felt by the ever-expectant electorate, we are busy fuelling the split of our Governors’ Forum. What a shame; Oh, what a big shame!
wodunsi@yahoo.com
@WaleOdunsi // 08056472673 (text only)
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Security Seal Off Abuja’s Amigo Supermarket over Owner’s Alleged Terrorism Link
The popular Amigo supermarket in Abuja was sealed off by the Nigeria security agencies on Friday's evening. The mall is owned by a Lebanese who is accused of being part of an uncovered terrorist cell.
The Joint Task Force in Kano on Thursday named Fauzi Fawad, a co-owner of Amigo and Wonderland Amusement Park, Abuja's largest, as allegedly part of a Lebanese Hezbollah cell operating in Nigeria.
Both public areas were open on Friday as shoppers and visitors, many unaware of Mr. Fawad's alleged involvement, continued their transactions. Wonderland also allowed visitors in without the basic entry fee.
"I don't know about the owners terrorism links, I just came here to get some stuff," Chuks Nweze, a shopper at Amigo, said.
The sealing was not done by the police. The sources from the Nigeria security agencies said the sealing was done by the Department of State Security, SSS, who did not want to raise any alarm among the public and so waited till late in the evening to seal off both buildings.
Mr. Fawad is currently on the run, the JTF said after investigations by the SSS.
The JTF said they arrested three Lebanese in various raids in Kano and recovered heavy weaponry including anti-tank guns, rocket propelled grenades from a bunker in the house used by the foreigners.
They said the three arrested all named Mr. Fawad as being part of their cell.
The Lebanese community in Kano has already distanced itself from the actions of those arrested.
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Rivers has highest HIV/AIDS cases
RIVERS State has the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS with a total of 145,236 adults and 15,000 children affected.
Priscillia Shu, Co-ordinator, Rhema Care Integrated Development Centre stated this when the HIV/AIDS awareness center facilitated a sensitisation programme among staff of the Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism .
To curb the spread of HIV/AIDS, the awareness campaigner stressed the need for abstinence and faithfulness to one uninfected partner at the event.
She also advised on the need to avoid use of unsterilized sharp instruments and ensure that only screened blood are transfused.
Shu recalled that the epidemic first came to lime-light in America in the 80s then gradually crept into Nigeria in 1988 in Calabar through a 13 year old teenage girl.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism Mrs. Grace Akpughunum-Okwulehie who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Administration, Mrs. Ibiere Pepple enjoined all staff to join hands in minimizing the spread of HIV/AIDS.
vanguard
Rivers has highest HIV/AIDS cases
RIVERS State has the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS with a total of 145,236 adults and 15,000 children affected.
Priscillia Shu, Co-ordinator, Rhema Care Integrated Development Centre stated this when the HIV/AIDS awareness center facilitated a sensitisation programme among staff of the Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism .
To curb the spread of HIV/AIDS, the awareness campaigner stressed the need for abstinence and faithfulness to one uninfected partner at the event.
She also advised on the need to avoid use of unsterilized sharp instruments and ensure that only screened blood are transfused.
Shu recalled that the epidemic first came to lime-light in America in the 80s then gradually crept into Nigeria in 1988 in Calabar through a 13 year old teenage girl.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism Mrs. Grace Akpughunum-Okwulehie who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Administration, Mrs. Ibiere Pepple enjoined all staff to join hands in minimizing the spread of HIV/AIDS.
vanguard
Jang leads NGF faction to Jonathan
Gov. Jonah Jang of Plateau and factional Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), on Friday led 14 state governors to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa.
Addressing State House correspondents after a closed door meeting, Jang said they were in the villa to consult with the President.
He said “we have met with Mr President with me leading a team of governors from the Nigerian Governors Forum to congratulate Mr President and to consult with him on very serious national issues’’.
When asked on the specific issues discussed with President Goodluck Jonathan, the governor said it ranged from security to governance and development.
“You know the security problem in the country and what we need to do in the coming two years to ensure that democracy stabilised and development continues in the country,” he said.
Also responding to the question of the division in NGF, he said: “Well, let me tell you that there is no any faction of the NGF. The NGF is one and I am the chairman of the NGF.’’
The governors, who met the president with Jang, included Liyel Imoke of Cross River, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, Peter Obi of Anambra, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and Theodore Orji of Abia.
Others are Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Idris Wada of Kogi, Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State and Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State.
Also in attendance were the acting Governor of Taraba, Garba Umar and the Deputy Governor of Benue, Steven Lawani.
It would be recalled that following last Friday’s election of the NGF, Gov. Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers and Jang of Plateau both laid claim to the chairmanship of the forum.
Amaechi was declared winner of the election with 19 votes to 16 polled by Jang, but loyalists to the Plateau governor faulted the results and declared Jang the winner. (NAN)*
Breaking News: Amaechi Gets Court Order Against His Suspension by PDP
A Port Harcourt High Court has stopped the PDP from taking further action against the Governor Chibuike Amaechi as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum pending hearing on the suit challenging the suspension by the Party.
Justice M. Ogbuji of the State High Court issued the order following the preliminary application brought by Governor Amaechi’s Team of Lawyers led by the a Senior Advocate of Nigeria A. Olujumi.
Justice Ogbuji ordered the PDP to maintain the status quo in the matter and appear before it on the 6th of June 2013.
The Court also directed Governor Amaechi to serve the PDP the necessary court processes and also make publications in National Dailies.
Meanwhile the lead Counsel for Governor Amaechi Akin Olujimi told newsmen that they are in Court to ask the Court to set aside the suspension of Governor Amaechi by the PDP.
“There was a purported suspension of His Excellency by the PDP, we want it quashed, so we came to Court, and of course you do not decide that it at the preliminary stage like this, you can only ask for order to stop them, so the preliminary order is to stop them from doing anything further based on that suspension” he said.
Some of Governor Amaechi’s lawyers said the suspension is done in bad faith.
Emmy Chuks at 6:32 PM*
Breaking News: Amaechi Gets Court Order Against His Suspension by PDP
A Port Harcourt High Court has stopped the PDP from taking further action against the Governor Chibuike Amaechi as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum pending hearing on the suit challenging the suspension by the Party.
Justice M. Ogbuji of the State High Court issued the order following the preliminary application brought by Governor Amaechi’s Team of Lawyers led by the a Senior Advocate of Nigeria A. Olujumi.
Justice Ogbuji ordered the PDP to maintain the status quo in the matter and appear before it on the 6th of June 2013.
The Court also directed Governor Amaechi to serve the PDP the necessary court processes and also make publications in National Dailies.
Meanwhile the lead Counsel for Governor Amaechi Akin Olujimi told newsmen that they are in Court to ask the Court to set aside the suspension of Governor Amaechi by the PDP.
“There was a purported suspension of His Excellency by the PDP, we want it quashed, so we came to Court, and of course you do not decide that it at the preliminary stage like this, you can only ask for order to stop them, so the preliminary order is to stop them from doing anything further based on that suspension” he said.
Some of Governor Amaechi’s lawyers said the suspension is done in bad faith.
Emmy Chuks at 6:32 PM*
Monaco president announces Falcao deal
Monaco president Dmitry Rybolovlev, has announced that the deal to bring Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid is complete. The Colombian striker has agreed a five-year deal with the club, snubbing interest from Chelsea, PSG and Manchester City.
“Monaco are happy to announce that they have reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid and the player Radamel Falcao,” a club statement read.
“Falcao, 27, has signed for five season. He will be presented to the media and start training with the group at a date to be confirmed by the club.”*
NCC says SIM card registration ends June 30
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Dr Eugene Juwah, has said that the nationwide registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards by the commission will end on June 30.
Juwah made the announcement in Enugu on Thursday in a message to the 73rd edition of Telecoms Consumer Parliament organised by the commission.
The vice chairman, who was represented by the Director of Communications, Mrs Biodun Olujimi, said the commission would not extend the date for any reason.
According to him, any subscriber who did not register his or her number before the closing date will have the number invalidated.
He explained that the commission would commence the collation of the data for publication, adding that subsequent registration would be done by different telecom providers with approval from the commission.
Speaking on the theme of the parliament, `Mobile Number Portability: Benefits to Telecom Consumers’, the vice chairman said the service would allow consumers to switch from one network to another while retaining the current number.
He explained that the service would remove the trouble of moving around with multiple cell phones and encourage competitions among providers as well as reduce tariffs.
Juwah said the porting required registration of SIM card by the subscribers for security reasons.
“Without the registration, the network operators will not be able to identify a porting subscriber or confirm that such is the rightful owner of the number being ported,’’ he said.
Some of the consumers who spoke at the interaction lauded the programme but complained that the 90 days duration for porting was too long.
Miss Nkemdilim Nwagu, a student, said the service would reduce carrying of multiple handsets while Basil Peters, a youth corps member, said the issue of registering the SIM card again was hectic. (NAN)
*
Juwah made the announcement in Enugu on Thursday in a message to the 73rd edition of Telecoms Consumer Parliament organised by the commission.
The vice chairman, who was represented by the Director of Communications, Mrs Biodun Olujimi, said the commission would not extend the date for any reason.
According to him, any subscriber who did not register his or her number before the closing date will have the number invalidated.
He explained that the commission would commence the collation of the data for publication, adding that subsequent registration would be done by different telecom providers with approval from the commission.
Speaking on the theme of the parliament, `Mobile Number Portability: Benefits to Telecom Consumers’, the vice chairman said the service would allow consumers to switch from one network to another while retaining the current number.
He explained that the service would remove the trouble of moving around with multiple cell phones and encourage competitions among providers as well as reduce tariffs.
Juwah said the porting required registration of SIM card by the subscribers for security reasons.
“Without the registration, the network operators will not be able to identify a porting subscriber or confirm that such is the rightful owner of the number being ported,’’ he said.
Some of the consumers who spoke at the interaction lauded the programme but complained that the 90 days duration for porting was too long.
Miss Nkemdilim Nwagu, a student, said the service would reduce carrying of multiple handsets while Basil Peters, a youth corps member, said the issue of registering the SIM card again was hectic. (NAN)
*
BABA SUWE: Appeal Court upturned N25 Million Damages
The Court of Appeal of Nigeria, Lagos Division has quashed the N25 million damages awarded to popular actor, Babatunde Omidina, popularly known as Baba Suwe.
Bamidele Aturu, a civil right activities and Learned Counsel to d Comedian litigant expressed displeasure over d appellate's court decision and vow to appeal to d Supreme Court.
A panel of Court of Appeal judges in Lagos today set aside the N25 million compensatory damages earlier awarded Lagos comedian, Babatunde Omidina " Baba Suwe " over a prolonged detention by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) last year.
In the ruling, the Court of Appeal re-affirmed the right of the NDLEA to investigate, arrest, detain and prosecute drug suspects as long as the agency acts within the law.
The court said the NDLEA had not violated Mr. Omidina's rights because it sought and got court orders from the federal high court to keep him in custody after the arrested him on the suspicion that he had ingested hard drugs.
The Court of Appeal came down heavily on the Lagos High court judge that awarded the damages against the NDLEA, describing the decision as oppressive and burdensome to an agency of government carrying out its statutory duties.*
Ombatse Killers Must Be Punished – Buhari
Below is what General Muhammadu Buhari has to say about the Ombatse cult killing:
"The SSS boss or whoever that said he has left everything to God has no right to do that. Constitutionally, Nigerians can practice any religion they want or even if they don't want, they can be atheist or anything they want to be, that is constitutional.
But nobody should hurt a citizen of Nigeria and then get away with it, not to talk of slaughtering at least 56 law enforcement agents and then somebody coming out from the system and said such a thing. It is either that person doesn't know what he was talking about or he shouldn't even be there.
"I'm even against the people that are suggesting that the cult ritual places be destroyed. According to the constitution, you will allow them to go about with their activities as long as they don't go against the constitution.
But those that killed the 56 security men must be hunted and prosecuted no matter how long it will take because this is the bottom line about law and order, and security in the country.
They can't be forgiven, they can't override the constitution, Nigerians are being hurt and killed in their duties and those that killed them must be brought before the law", Buhari said..
Related News*
Azuh Amatus: Jega, please save Governors’ Forum!
I’d initially wanted to comment on the raging war between Nollywood practitioners and President Goodluck Jonathan over the recent appointment of a marine engineer as the substantive chairman of Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC).
The once cordial relationship between Mr. President and his darling Nollywood practitioners became strained, soured and still very shaky with that misplaced appointment of an engineer to head Nollywood’s apex body.
But I had to quickly change my mind having monitored closely the shenanigans currently playing out at the exalted forum of our elected governors.
Of course, it’s no longer news that our elected governors are at present fighting dirty and roforofo over the outcome of their recently held election. What is perhaps news is the fact that such national disgrace could only happen in Nigeria.
It’s quite sad, shocking and shameful that 35 out of the 36 governors of the federal republic of Nigeria could not sit and conduct a simple election to determine who will lead them.
Again, is it not ironical that ‘democratically elected’ governors could not elect one of their Excellencies, to help pilot their affairs for the next two years?
Such Nollywood drama could only take place in Nigeria, where those who are supposed to be our leaders, always play politics with virtually everything, including our national patrimony.
As a way of resolving this monumental national disgrace, I want to advice the already divided Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), to immediately invite and engage the services of Prof. Attahiru Jega, the INEC boss, to assist them in the conduct of another fresh election.
The Jega option becomes imperative since our governors have proven beyond every reasonable doubt that they could not conduct a simple election among themselves.
Sincerely, the coming of Jega and his team at INEC, will help our warring governors determine who their authentic leader is between embattled Rotimi Amaechi and reticent Jonah Jang of Rivers and Plateau States, respectively. In fact, the suspension of Amaechi from the extended PDP family might even make the coast clearer for Jang ahead of the next election to be conducted by Jega.
But if at the end of the day, Jega and his team could not conduct a free and fair election that will ultimately usher in a genuine winner. Then, we will now call on President Goodluck Jonathan to use his constitutional powers to declare a state of emergency in NGF.
Unlike Adamama, Borno and Yobe where Mr. President did not remove the governors of the affected states and did not also suspend democratic institutions, he should ‘sack’ the warring governors, collapse their offices and appoint a Sole Administrator for NGF, until peace is restored.
Jokes Apart, the mess coming out of the Governors Forum election is uncalled for and smacks of irresponsible leadership.
Must every election in Nigeria be settled in law courts, even those involving social clubs and charity organizations?
Nigerians deserve an unreserved apology from these governors who rubbished, disgraced and denigrated their respective states by washing their dirty linens in public with reckless abandon.
The big question begging for answer from many Nigerians is what the big deal is in conducting a simple, free and fair election among 35 state governors?
If these respected leaders cannot conduct a simple election among themselves, it then means Nigeria is in a big trouble ahead of 2015. God will surely save us. Did I hear your loud Amen?
And the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), captured it succinctly in a recent press statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed:
“If an election involving only 35 governors can generate so much controversy and threaten to overheat the polity, what will happen when millions of Nigerians vote in 2015?” ACN queried.
Also sounding a note of warning at a recent book launch, the national chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, insisted that the inglorious Governors Forum crisis is tearing Nigeria apart.
Here are Umeh’s exact words: “Today, we can see that the country is overheated, with so much distraction. If we are not talking about security challenges, we are talking about the Governors Forum. There is nothing like Governors Forum in our constitution. We have 36 governors in Nigeria and every day we are inundated with activities of 36 men. They are tearing the country apart. It shouldn’t be like that. I think the President is paying too much attention to governors.”
How can our great but battered and plundered nation move forward when those who are supposed to be at the driver’s seat as leaders, are already fighting over an office that is not recognized by the laws of the land? Which way Nigeria? In a country where nothing works, especially social amenities, our leaders are busy disgracing themselves and the entire nation.
Instead of wasting unnecessary energy and time fighting over who leads them, our governors should think of ways of helping to improve the very poor security in their respective states, provide good roads, tackle unemployment, build and equip hospitals as well as revamp and rescue decaying infrastructure. Enough of this national embarrassment.
The book of Proverbs 11:14, made it clear that: “Without wise leadership, a nation falls, with many counselors, there is safety.”
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Woolwich terror attack: Suspect Michael Adebowale in court over Drummer Lee Rigby’s murder
One of the two men shot by armed police after Drummer Lee Rigby was hacked to death in Woolwich has been charged with his murder.
Michael Adebowale is appearing in Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning where he will face a charge of murder and of illegal possession of a firearm.
The decision to charge him, the day after he was discharged from hospital, was announced late tonight by the Crown Prosecution Service following discussions with anti-terrorist police.
Sue Hemming, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism Division, said it had been agreed there was sufficient evidence to justify the charge.
“Following the release of Michael Adebowale from hospital, we have authorised the police to charge him with the murder of Drummer Rigby,” she said.
“We have also authorised police to charge him with possession of a firearm, contrary to section 16A of the Firearms Act 1968. There is sufficient evidence to prosecute Michael Adebowale and it is in the public interest to do so. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court tomorrow, Thursday 30 May.”
She added that as Adebowale has now been charged he “has a right to a fair trial” and as such she urged that nothing be reported that could prejudice the trial. Her warning was aimed as much as the new media, such as Twitter and Facebook, as traditional news outlets.
Michael Adebolajo, the other man shot by police on 22 May, remains in hospital and at least eight other people have been arrested as part of the inquiry. The CPS said it was continuing to advise police in relation to the suspects arrested during their investigation into Drummer Rigby’s death.
The announcement of the first murder charge in relation to Drummer Rigby’s death came just hours after the soldier’s fiancée paid tribute to him as a “great man”.
In a short statement Aimee West said: “I am devastated by the loss of Lee who was a loving fiance. I am extremely proud of him and I am moved by all the flowers and tributes, and that he has been remembered by the nation as the great man that he was.”
As it was confirmed that he died of multiple stab wounds police made a fresh appeal for witnesses to come forward.
Commander Simon Letchford said: “A fast-paced and complex investigation is now under way led by detectives from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.
”As part of that investigation, officers are asking for the public’s help. We need to hear from anyone who may have seen Lee being attacked or who may have any other information that may help.
“This has been a difficult time for everyone in our city. What is important now is that we, as Londoners, come together.
”I would urge people to continue to show restraint and calm as our investigation continues to bring those responsible for Lee’s death to justice.“
It was also revealed that thepolice marksmen involved in shooting two suspects could be back on duty within weeks.
Chief Superintendent Alistair Sutherland said: ”I will obviously speak to my counterparts in our department for professional standards and I will liaise with the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission), and then I will come to a decision around putting them back to ops.
“But at this stage, I would anticipate them being back on operational duty fairly quickly.”
The officers, along with two of their commanders, are currently undergoing post-shooting assessments.
The IPCC is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting of the two men. It said that two police officers had fired gun shots and one used their Taser when they were confronted.
An inquest into Drummer Rigby’s death will be opened and adjourned on Friday.*
Woolwich terror attack: Suspect Michael Adebowale in court over Drummer Lee Rigby’s murder
One of the two men shot by armed police after Drummer Lee Rigby was hacked to death in Woolwich has been charged with his murder.
Michael Adebowale is appearing in Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning where he will face a charge of murder and of illegal possession of a firearm.
The decision to charge him, the day after he was discharged from hospital, was announced late tonight by the Crown Prosecution Service following discussions with anti-terrorist police.
Sue Hemming, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism Division, said it had been agreed there was sufficient evidence to justify the charge.
“Following the release of Michael Adebowale from hospital, we have authorised the police to charge him with the murder of Drummer Rigby,” she said.
“We have also authorised police to charge him with possession of a firearm, contrary to section 16A of the Firearms Act 1968. There is sufficient evidence to prosecute Michael Adebowale and it is in the public interest to do so. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court tomorrow, Thursday 30 May.”
She added that as Adebowale has now been charged he “has a right to a fair trial” and as such she urged that nothing be reported that could prejudice the trial. Her warning was aimed as much as the new media, such as Twitter and Facebook, as traditional news outlets.
Michael Adebolajo, the other man shot by police on 22 May, remains in hospital and at least eight other people have been arrested as part of the inquiry. The CPS said it was continuing to advise police in relation to the suspects arrested during their investigation into Drummer Rigby’s death.
The announcement of the first murder charge in relation to Drummer Rigby’s death came just hours after the soldier’s fiancée paid tribute to him as a “great man”.
In a short statement Aimee West said: “I am devastated by the loss of Lee who was a loving fiance. I am extremely proud of him and I am moved by all the flowers and tributes, and that he has been remembered by the nation as the great man that he was.”
As it was confirmed that he died of multiple stab wounds police made a fresh appeal for witnesses to come forward.
Commander Simon Letchford said: “A fast-paced and complex investigation is now under way led by detectives from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.
”As part of that investigation, officers are asking for the public’s help. We need to hear from anyone who may have seen Lee being attacked or who may have any other information that may help.
“This has been a difficult time for everyone in our city. What is important now is that we, as Londoners, come together.
”I would urge people to continue to show restraint and calm as our investigation continues to bring those responsible for Lee’s death to justice.“
It was also revealed that thepolice marksmen involved in shooting two suspects could be back on duty within weeks.
Chief Superintendent Alistair Sutherland said: ”I will obviously speak to my counterparts in our department for professional standards and I will liaise with the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission), and then I will come to a decision around putting them back to ops.
“But at this stage, I would anticipate them being back on operational duty fairly quickly.”
The officers, along with two of their commanders, are currently undergoing post-shooting assessments.
The IPCC is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting of the two men. It said that two police officers had fired gun shots and one used their Taser when they were confronted.
An inquest into Drummer Rigby’s death will be opened and adjourned on Friday.*
FRSC lists Abuja-Lokoja, Lagos-Ibadan, Benin-Ore roads as most accident prone
The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, yesterday, named the Abuja-Lokoja, Benin-Ore, Lagos-Ibadan and the Abuja-Kaduna roads as most volatile to road accidents in the country.
Speaking at a capacity workshop put together for regulatory risk management practitioners in north-central states by Shell petroleum in Abuja, the Corps Marshal, Osita Chidoka, represented by the Deputy Corps Marshal, Denis Garba Terrang said the roads have recorded the highest number of road accidents, injuries and crash related fatalities in Nigeria.
He said, “Of recent, every Tuesday we sit down and look at the number of accidents that took place, the number of people that died and those that got injured and we discovered that there is a pattern, there are specific roads where these accidents take place, for example, Abuja-Lokoja road, Abuja-Kaduna road, Benin-Ore and Lagos-Ibadan road.”
He however, noted that due to the concentration of more resources to “face those places squarely; you look at the rate of road crash going down because of the concentration of safety resources in those areas.”
*Bad road
Terrang said the FRSC’s target is to reduce road traffic crash rate by 20 per cent and the number of fatality by 30 per cent this year, adding that the weekly number of fatalities resulting from road crashes was staggering. While informing that the World Bank donated 12 ambulances fully equipped with requirement for rescue to the FRSC last month, he said the FRSC is partnering with different organisations to have road side clinics equipped with paramedic that assists in the evacuation and rescue of crash victims.
The Country Chair of Shell company in Nigeria, Mutiu Sumonu, who spoke through the Manager, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), Amadi Amadi, said statistics worldwide has shown that about 1.2 million people die from road accidents yearly and about 50 million injuries with the highest number being recorded in Africa.
“We think that something needs to be done, hence we are putting this together to improve the capacity of those tasked with managing road safety in Nigeria,”
Amadi said.
He said similar workshop has been done in South-South, South-East and South-West, adding that Shell is partnering with government to support some of the facilities that can hasten the recovery process for those injured when a road accident occurs.
On his part, the Deputy Commandant of the Civil Defence Corps, Michael Odeniran, harped on the need for synergy on the road safety work. He also indicted some law enforcement officers of sabotaging government’s effort at reducing road crashes by compromising their responsibilities for personal gratification.
“While government has good road safety intentions, officers can sometimes be the problem. Some compromise their responsibility. I am challenging all of us, let us do our work well. We should not overlook drunk drivers because they are responsible for the lives of their passengers, so we shouldn’t overlook them. Let us all rise up as agencies charged with protecting Nigerians to make sure there is safety on our roads,” Odeniran said.
vanguard
Speaking at a capacity workshop put together for regulatory risk management practitioners in north-central states by Shell petroleum in Abuja, the Corps Marshal, Osita Chidoka, represented by the Deputy Corps Marshal, Denis Garba Terrang said the roads have recorded the highest number of road accidents, injuries and crash related fatalities in Nigeria.
He said, “Of recent, every Tuesday we sit down and look at the number of accidents that took place, the number of people that died and those that got injured and we discovered that there is a pattern, there are specific roads where these accidents take place, for example, Abuja-Lokoja road, Abuja-Kaduna road, Benin-Ore and Lagos-Ibadan road.”
He however, noted that due to the concentration of more resources to “face those places squarely; you look at the rate of road crash going down because of the concentration of safety resources in those areas.”
*Bad road
Terrang said the FRSC’s target is to reduce road traffic crash rate by 20 per cent and the number of fatality by 30 per cent this year, adding that the weekly number of fatalities resulting from road crashes was staggering. While informing that the World Bank donated 12 ambulances fully equipped with requirement for rescue to the FRSC last month, he said the FRSC is partnering with different organisations to have road side clinics equipped with paramedic that assists in the evacuation and rescue of crash victims.
The Country Chair of Shell company in Nigeria, Mutiu Sumonu, who spoke through the Manager, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), Amadi Amadi, said statistics worldwide has shown that about 1.2 million people die from road accidents yearly and about 50 million injuries with the highest number being recorded in Africa.
“We think that something needs to be done, hence we are putting this together to improve the capacity of those tasked with managing road safety in Nigeria,”
Amadi said.
He said similar workshop has been done in South-South, South-East and South-West, adding that Shell is partnering with government to support some of the facilities that can hasten the recovery process for those injured when a road accident occurs.
On his part, the Deputy Commandant of the Civil Defence Corps, Michael Odeniran, harped on the need for synergy on the road safety work. He also indicted some law enforcement officers of sabotaging government’s effort at reducing road crashes by compromising their responsibilities for personal gratification.
“While government has good road safety intentions, officers can sometimes be the problem. Some compromise their responsibility. I am challenging all of us, let us do our work well. We should not overlook drunk drivers because they are responsible for the lives of their passengers, so we shouldn’t overlook them. Let us all rise up as agencies charged with protecting Nigerians to make sure there is safety on our roads,” Odeniran said.
vanguard
70 virgins in Heaven? Another misconception
It was one Hamas activist, Muhammad Abu Wardeh, who was reported to be recruiting terrorists for suicide bombings in Israel more than a decade ago that said: “God would compensate the martyr for sacrificing his life for his land. If you become a martyr, God will give you 70 virgins, 70 wives and everlasting happiness.” All the informed Muslims knew certainly that Wardeh was only shortchanging his recruits.
This has become widespread to the extent that non-Muslim and mischief makers who have no modicum of knowledge about Islam use this false assertion to denigrate the religion, especially when the dare devil bombers or blood thirsty group struk. They say: Hey! they want to go to heaven and acquire 70 virgins and other bla bla…
It is only a sick and despicable mind that feels that it has a right to attack, steal, murder and cause harm to others.
One, suicide which is qatlu nafsi-hi is strictly forbidden in Islam, and it is followed by the punishment of Allah. The flesh and body are not our own possession but a trust granted to us in order to preserve our spirit. So, we cannot attempt to blow up the divine work of art entrusted on us. We cannot also destroy it by going on hunger strike; it is unacceptable in Islam.
The Quran which guides the actions and activities of any Muslims says: Suicide is forbidden. “O ye who believe!… [do not] kill yourselves, for truly Allah has been to you Most Merciful. If any do that in rancour and injustice, soon shall We cast him into the Fire…” (Qur’an 4:29-30). Then the Prophet says “Indeed, whoever (intentionally) kills himself, then certainly he will be punished in the Fire of Hell, wherein he shall dwell forever”, [Bukhari (5778) and Muslim (109 and 110)].
What the Hadith referred to is matayr which is (sahid) contrary to killing of oneself. Martyrdom is everywhere praised and encouraged. Again, the Prophet said: “The most excellent jihad is that for the conquest of self.” “Whoever suppresseth his anger, when he has it in his power to show it, God will give him a great reward.” “Do you love your Creator? Love your fellow beings first.”
“Wish not or supplicate for death before its taime cometh.”
Secondly, paradise is described in great sensual detail in Suratul Waqiah; Q56 verses 12-40 and other chapters as well as the hadiths. Also, Q55 verses 54-56 ; Q 76 verses 12-22.
In one of the verses, Hurun moqsuratun fil-khiyam. Meaning: Fair ones are reserved in the Garden. Yes!, the Quran talks about damsels, but in a context that most people especially the non-Muslims have misrepresented and always paint in a derogatory manner to suit their interests and purposes. There is no where in the Qur’an where 70 virgins was mentioned as a reward for killing people.
In paradise, there are many things that you cannot describe or comprehend except with spiritually assistance. Allah mentioned in Qur’an many things about Paradise. Comparing the earthily with that in heaven is mismatch. It is not about emotional and biological relationships, it is not about the way we relate here on earth.
The Qur’an says: In Gardens of Bliss: A number of people from those of old, And a few from those of later times,(They will be) on Thrones encrusted (with gold and precious stones), Reclining on them, facing each other. Round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness), With goblets, (shining) beakers, and cups (filled) out of clear-flowing fountains: No after-ache will they receive therefrom, nor will they suffer intoxication: And with fruits, any that they may select: And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire. And (there will be) Companions with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes,- Like unto Pearls well-guarded. A reward for the deeds of their past (life). Not frivolity will they hear therein, nor any taint of ill, Only the saying, “Peace! Peace”. Q56 v 12-26
Jihad
Non-Muslims are quick to refer to Islamic term of Jihad. Not many of them read the Qur’an or the hadiths to know exactly what the term means. Those of them who take Comparative studies or those who assume to know usually have a warped knowledge of the term as a result of sentiment of ‘mine is the only way’. They have refused to be guided by the substance in what they read, rather they twist it and allowed themselves to be ruled by sentiment.
You will be surprised by the idea of a Pastor on Jihad, or the meaning a student at the seminary will give to Jihad. Even when you explain to them, they still hold firmly to what they think they know because it serves them a purpose. I have had to explain ‘Jihad and the virgins’ a number of times to some of my non-Muslim colleagues, yet, it has not changed anything; they still hold on to their idea.
Islam is all about mercy, about virtue, about sacrifice and about duty to humanity. It encourages moral perfection and any activity that is far from these, no matter the colouration, is not Islam. As Muslims, there is no room for fanaticism, for hatred, for racism, for terrorizing or killing innocent people in Islam, even in a state of war. Shedding innocents’ blood constitute a form of injustice that can not be tolerated by Islam.
Combative dimension
The Qur’an states that to kill one innocent person is like killing all of humanity. Now, for the umpteenth time, Jihad, which literally means ‘struggle,’ has an internal, societal and combative dimension. The internal dimension of Jihad encompasses the struggle against the evil inclinations of the self, and the spiritual project to adorn the self with virtues such as justice, mercy, generosity and gentleness.
Secondly, the societal dimension includes struggling against social injustice and creating a communal identity based on charity, respect and equality; while the third aspect of jihad is only to be used as self-defense against aggression or to fight oppression, and, even at that, it is strictly within the limit of good conduct, justice and preservation of life of the innocents and the sanctity of the environment. For those who don’t know, this latter type of Jihad can only be declared by a legitimate, recognized religious authority, not any individual or a group of people with no legal identity or accepta
bility.
Hijab: Fashola seeks out of court settlement
The Lagos State Government is seeking an out of court settlement in the suit filed against it by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) Lagos State Area Unit over the victimization of Muslim girls wearing Hijab in state public schools.
When the case came up for first hearing before Justice J.O.K Oyewole of the Lagos High Court Ikeja today, counsel to the state government, S.A Ajanaku, said no defense had been filed in the case, but added that steps had already been initiated towards settlement of the matter.
He pleaded with the judge to allow the government more time to consummate the steps already initiated.
However, counsel to the MSSN Lagos State Area Unit Barrister Hassan .A. Fajimite, who led other nine lawyers to the court, expressed surprise at the request of the state counsel, saying that they were not aware or informed of any move by the state government to settle the case. He nevertheless obliged to the option.
Justice Oyewole thereafter asked the parties to meet and work out terms of the settlement and report back to the court on July 10, 2013.
Meanwhile, members of the MSSN and other Islamic organizations, who thronged the court premises for the case, later embarked on a peaceful protest to Ikeja under-bridge and back to the old secretariat mosque beside the high court.
They carried placards with inscriptions like ‘Hijab is our right,’ ‘Why must Lagos State Government compete with God?’ ‘Hijab our pride,’ ‘Nudity is not our way,’ and others.
Addressing the people, the Amir Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) Lagos State Area Unit, Alhaji Qasim Badrudeen, urged all Muslims in the state to remain calm and peaceful throughout the period the hearing of the case would last.
He also thanked all Islamic organizations that came to solidarise with the MSSN on the Hijab issue promising that the society would not relent until victory is achieved.
It would be recalled that the MSSN Lagos State Area Unit had taken the state government to court over persistent victimization of Muslim girls using Hijab by some secondary school principals in the state.
Vanguard
2015 Presidency: North may sanction pro-Jonathan politicians
INDICATIONS emerged, Thursday, that the north might sanction prominent politicians from the region found to be fraternising with President Goodluck Jonathan with a view to scuttling its desire of occupying the Presidency in 2015.
Vanguard learnt that the decision to clip the wings of northern politicians who were yet to see the need for the country’s top political office to revert to the region, was taken at a meeting of the Northern Elders’ Forum, NEF, during one of its recent meetings in one of the states, which is under the state of emergency.
At the meeting, which had some governors and many elite from the north in attendance, strategies for voting out President Jonathan was elaborately discussed and agreed upon. It was learnt that one of the weapons to be applied in cajoling influential northerners particularly governors and lawmakers, in railroading into the northern agenda, is to brand the unwilling ones as ‘enemies’ of the region and expose them to public.
Fraternising with Jonathan
A member of the NEF, Prof Ango Abdullahi, confirmed the position of the north in an exclusive interview with Vanguard but declined to say how such action would work against top politicians, who were not voted into office by the forum. The former ABU vice chancellor, said that although the NEF had no power to remove such politicians from office, they had the prerogative to expose them as saboteurs of the north.
Abdullahi said: “It is true that we are looking at those from the north, who are fraternising with Jonathan to stop us from getting the Presidency in 2015. I can say to you that appropriate steps will be taken at the appropriate time to deal with such moles known to be working with Jonathan against northern interest as far as the next election is concerned.
“We are aware that some of our people, governors, lawmakers and ministers are working against the interest of the region because they don’t believe that we should produce the next president of Nigeria. If we cannot do anything to stop them, we can mobilise the people to see them as the enemies of the north.”
Vanguard learnt that the NEF took the decision to sanction northern politicians working for Jonathan following the alleged persecution of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State by the Presidency for reportedly having an ambition of pairing with his Jigawa counterpart, Sule Lamido, to run in 2015.
Although the duo have consistently denied the rumour, their posters, suspected to be planted by opponents, have continued to flood major cities and towns, thereby exposing them to more trouble with the Presidency. Despite the fact that the President has not declared his intention to run, his soldiers particularly former militants, have already threatened to cause mayhem if Jonathan was not returned in 2015.
Vanguard
"The President Knows He Has Failed Nigerians" - Opposition
Opposition parties have dismissed President Goodluck Jonathan's assessment of his administration in the last two years, saying the President has not performed.
They also said that Nigerians did not need a marking scheme to assess the Jonathan administration.
But the ACN, in a statement in Ibadan, on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, reminded the President that it was not the business of the opposition to spoon-feed his administration on how to govern.
"Mr. President, Nigerians need no marking scheme to know that the rate of unemployment went up, under your watch, to an unprecedented 23.9% by December 2011, according to figures given by the National Bureau of Statistics. Today, the figure must be hovering above the 50% mark!
"Mr. President, what marking scheme does one need to know that despite the seemingly impressive economic figures being reeled out by your administration, the average Nigerian is worse off today than he or she was before you assumed office?"
The ACN said the Washington-based global advocacy and campaigning organisation, ONE, listed Nigeria, under President Jonathan, and Democratic Republic of Congo among "laggard countries'' pulling Africa back from reaching the MDG goals by 2015.
"This global body did not use any 'Jonathan-style marking scheme' to name Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Ghana and Ethiopia as the top performing countries in Africa (on the MDGs), even when they are less endowed than Nigeria."
The party said it would not have wasted its energy on commenting on the mid-term performance record of the Jonathan administration, had the President not disingenuously decided to blame imaginary enemies of his administration for his token achievements in the face of mounting challenges facing the country.
It said, "Mr. President, it is never too late for you to put your shoulder to the wheel, shun the political jobbers around you, reinvigorate your cabinet by chasing away the deadwood there - though some of them come highly recommended on paper - and giving Nigerians a more purposeful governance.
"When that happens, you will not need to waste valuable time on lecturing your much-sapped compatriots on how to assess your administration, and you would have succeeded in rending those seemingly implacable critics of yours in the media and the opposition jobless."
Also, the ANPP, which reacted through its spokesman, Emma Eneukwu, said it was not impressed by Jonathan's assessment.
It said that it had gone out of its way to proffer solutions to the myriad of problems facing the country, out of sheer patriotism.
"Needless to say that such suggestions from us and other well-meaning groups and individuals have been so arrogantly ignored by the administration,'' it said.
The party wondered why Jonathan was suddenly irritated that Nigerians had not given his administration a pass mark, after about three years in office.
It said that after being bashed by Nigerians for non-performance he had to encourage himself by becoming the exam setter and marker.
The ANPP said, "Performance is like a pregnancy that cannot be hidden. Where did he perform? Is it power, security, job creation, corruption or other infrastructural developments?
"The President knows he has failed Nigerians. Note that it is non- performance of the President that pushed him to aggression and fighting imaginary enemies. A performing President moves with air of confidence knowing that the people are on his side."
But the Presidency described the statements credited to the opposition political parties on the mid-term performance of Jonathan as reckless and irresponsible.
Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak, said contrary to the position of the opposition parties, Jonathan had achieved so much in the two years of his administration.
Gulak said, "The ANPP, ACN, Congress for Progressive Change and other political parties are just making statements that are reckless and irresponsible.
"Have governors of ACN, CPC or ANPP states presented mid-term report to the people of their states? The answer is no.
"This is the first time in history that a President will present his mid-term report to the people of the country. He told Nigerians in clear terms what he has done in the last two years.
"President Jonathan's achievements are facts and verifiable. They are there for all to see, they are not rhetoric.
"Nigerians should be the ones to be talking and not the ACN and others that will never see anything good in this administration. That was why he said Nigerians who want to assess him should design their marking scheme."
Punch
Ekiti guber: Tension mounts as S-Court rules on Oni’s petition today
Tension mounts in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, as the people of the state await today’s judgment of the Supreme Court over the suit instituted by former governor of the state, Mr. Segun Oni, urging the apex court to set aside the Court of Appeal’s judgement of October 15, 2010, that removed him from office.
The Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, had in its decision on the matter set aside the judgement of the lower tribunal which upheld Oni’s election as the validly elected governor of the state in 2007.
The court in its decision ordered a re-run election which was held in 2009
However, after living office, Oni, not satisfied with the decision of the court, approached the Ado Ekiti division of the court, alleging bias and favoritism on the part of the suspended president of the court, Justice Ayo Salami and the members of the tribunal.
Specifically, Oni is seeking an order setting aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, Ado Ekiti division delivered on Monday, February 27, 2012.
He,is equally seeking an order directing a fresh Panel of the Court of Appeal to hear and determine the aforesaid appeal in (ii) above de novo.
An order directing the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly to take over the governance of Ekiti State, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal in (ii) above by the Court of Appeal.
Ekiti CP speaks
On his preparation for the judgement, Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sotonye Wakama, said he had a meeting with the leaders of the two parties where they promised to caution their supporters against fomenting trouble before, during and after the judgement.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Victor Babayemi, said: “We are monitoring the situation very closely.
“We invited all the leaders of the political parties on Tuesday, and it was agreed that they will talk to their supporters and party members in view of today’s judgement to ensure that there is peace in the state.
“Our intelligence unit had been sent out to gather information from the public. We have also deployed our men to all strategic positions across the state to forestall breakdown of law and order that may arise as a result of the judgement. So, we don’t foresee crisis before, during and after the judgement.”
Ekiti ACN chair hopeful
In his response to the pending court verdict, the Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Ekiti chapter, Chief Jide Awe, who assured that his party members would not forment trouble, said his members were not in the habit of formenting trouble, even at a time when situations were more grievous than this.
He, however, expressed confidence in the judiciary, saying his members would not involved in any action that would desecrate the temple of justice, just as he enthused that the party would be victorious in today’s judgement.
Oni and other PDP leaders had at various times clarified that the suit was not intended to ridicule the judiciary but to expose alleged bias in the judgement that ousted him from office.
Oni believed that he would be vindicated in the end.
Vanguard
Mourinho: Emenalo’s Resignation Rejected
Nigeria's Michael Emenalo has offered to resign from his role as Chelsea's sporting director to facilitate the return of Jose Mourinho.
But it is understood that Emenalo's proposal was immediately rejected by Roman Abramovich, the owner, who views him as an important adviser and wants to keep him at Stamford Bridge, The Times reports. Emenalo who has at various times served as the club's international scout and assistant coach is now the Technical Director.
Emenalo's influence emerged as a potential problem during negotiations to bring Mourinho back as manager, but Abramovich is determined to keep him and is adamant that the pair work together. Mourinho did not demand Emenalo's removal, but the former Nigeria international is ready to give way for the good of the team.
Behind-the-scenes talks for his expected return to Stamford Bridge have seen Mourinho demand for 'full control' rebuffed by Abramovich and his board. They have insisted that the Technical Director must remain in charge of player recruitment. Mourinho has also been told he will have to accept working under Emenalo if he wants to return to Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho raised the hopes and expectations of the Blues fans that he was on his way "home" as he spoke warmly of the enduring "love" from the Chelsea faithful during one of the UEFA Champions League post-match media briefings.
But while the "Special One" and his advisors have been involved in negotiations with the Chelsea hierarchy for months the rejection of the demand for full control has seen the Portuguese checking his option by also looking in the direction of Paris St Germain, who have also held talks with his agent Jorge Mendes and are likely to bend over backwards to offer the 50-year-old a deal he wants. But despite the PSG opportunity Mourinho's preferred option is to go back to Chelsea where Emenalo is now in charge following changes made in the administration of the London club after the 'Special One' left there six years ago. After Mourinho left in 2007 Emenalo took charge of player recruitment and involved in the ongoing negotiations to land Atletico Madrid striker Radomel Falcao and Andre Schuerrle from Bayer Leverkusen.
His ranking in Chelsea may have made him to ignore the Nigeria Football Federation when they tried reaching him for the position of Technical Director for Nigeria in 2010. Emenalo played in the 1994 World Cup with the Super Eagles.
Related News*
Thursday 30 May 2013
Dispute over ballot boxes: Jega, INEC lose bid to stay judgment
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has lost in its bid to stay the judgment of a Federal High Court, Abuja, which restrained it from further using transparent ballot boxes for elections, without the consent of the patent right owner.
Trial judge, Justice Adamu Bello, in his ruling, declined to stay the judgment.
INEC and its chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had asked the court to stay the execution pending the determination of their appeal, challenging the judgment.
It will be recalled that the court had, in its judgment of June 5, 2012, held, among others, that the plaintiff, Bedding Holding Limited, owns a valid and subsisting patent rights over transparent ballot boxes and electronic collapsible transparent ballot boxes being used for elections in the country.
The judge voided the rights over similar inventions purportedly issued subsequently to three firms, Emchai Limited, Tambco United Nigeria Ltd and Anowat Project and Resources Ltd, by the Registrar of Patent, for being illegal.
Justice Bello, in the judgment, also granted an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the defendants and any other person from utilising or dealing with the patented boxes of the plaintiff, “except with the express and prior consent, licence and authority of the plaintiff to that effect.”
Refusing INEC’s application, the court held that the reliefs granted in the judgment were mainly declarative and were incapable of being stayed.
Justice Bello, who berated INEC and Jega for acting in disregard of the court’s order, frowned at the decision of the electoral body and its Chairman to deploy the same ballot boxes for the governorship elections held last year on July 10 in Edo State and on October 20 in Ondo State, without the consent of the plaintiff and in disregard of the court’s subsisting order made on June 5, 2012.
The court held that it was an irony that INEC and Jega would approach his court for an indulgence, having willingly disregarded and flouted its order.
“The use of the ballot boxes has soiled the applicants’ hands. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. They cannot, therefore, seek the indulgence of the court having flouted its orders,” the court said.
The court, meanwhile, stayed proceedings in the contempt proceedings pending against INEC and its principal officers for using the ballot boxes without the patent rights owner’s consent.*
Vanguard
19 govs shun Jang NGF faction's meeting
Nineteen out of the nation's 36 governors were absent when Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang-led faction of the Nigeria Governors' Forum opened its secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.
The secretariat is located at Nana Close, Maitama.
Signs that things were not going to work well started manifesting when words went round that Vice President Namadi Sambo, who was supposed to be the guest of honour at the event, would not come and did not send any representatives.
The acting Sole Administrator of the faction's secretariat, Mr. Osaro Onaiwu, had told our correspondent on Tuesday that the vice president would inaugurate the secretariat.
Aside Jang, governors that were at the event, were those of Kogi, Taraba, Kaduna, Cross River, Katisina, Abia, Anambra, Delta and Ebonyi.
Others included Ondo, Benue (deputy), Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Gombe (deputy) and Bayelsa.
Others stayed away from the event.
While unveiling the secretariat, Jang said two governors sent their apologies.
He, however, did not mention their names.
Flags of political parties that produced governors were hung outside the premises of the secretariat.
These are Peoples Democratic Party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, the Congress for Progressive Change, the Labour Party and the All Nigeria Peoples Party.
Some aides of the governors were seen discussing the refusal of majority of the governors to be at the event.
They said the number of those who attended might have confirmed the number of votes Jang scored at the Governors' forum, which was held in Abuja on Friday.
While Jang scored 16 votes, Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, scored 19.
But the Jang faction insisted that since their candidate was endorsed by the majority of the governors before voting, then he should be considered the winner of the election.
Speaking with journalists after a tour of the secretariat in company with other governors, Jang said he was impressed with what he saw.
He also said he would embark on reconciliation, adding that the opening of the secretariat was a new beginning in the Forum.
Jang said, "I want to thank you very sincerely for honouring our invitation to come for the opening of the secretariat of the NGF today.
"We have not had any formal meeting (today), we went round and saw what they have in the secretariat.
"We want to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. President on the 14th year if Nigeria's democracy and the presentation of his mid-term report, which he presented at the International Conference Centre on Wednesday.
"We wish him good health, we wish him everything and we support his transformation agenda."
He disagreed with the notion that the opening of the factional secretariat was not a sign that the Forum was already collapsing.
He said, "Who said so? When did we just open the secretariat? You know we have been meeting at individual's governor's lodge before and we decided we should be meeting on a new real ground so that we are not under the influence of any governor.
"Every governor would be coming here for meeting and I wish to say that we are working hard to reconcile each other. You heard what I said in Jos and that we will be doing our politics for the nation.
"We are appealing to our colleagues to work together for the glory of the country."
Also speaking at the occasion, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, said it was wrong to use the NGF for personal ambition.
He said the Forum was also not to be used to promote an agenda or an alternative government.
The governor said, "It (the opening of the factional office) is a new dawn in NGF; this is what we ought to have done in the first place.
"This Forum must not be used to promote personal ambition; it should be used to promote somebody's ego.
"This Forum is there to serve as a non-partisan body for development and responding for critical issues. That is the new spirit here now.
"We are poised to make a new beginning and to serve a message that this Forum should not be used for personal aggrandisement, this Forum does not exist to be used to as a platform or a tool for antagonising the President and people in authority.
"This Forum is not to be used to promote an agenda or promoting an alternative government."
Asked about the poor attendance of the event by the governors, Dickson said there was nothing new about it, adding that "the meeting in Kwara State where Governor Amaechi was elected was attended by seven governors and six deputies. That makes it 13."
Punch
Upset Magistrate Sends Rev. Okotie’s Former Keyboardist To Jail Over Facebook Posts
Chris Okotie and his former keyboardist engage in a brawl.
An upset magistrate at the Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos, on Thursday dispatched a former keyboardist of the Household of God Church, Dafiaghor Okiotor, to prison for contempt of court.
The magistrate, Oshodi Makanjuola, while accusing Mr. Okiotor of flouting her directives to desist from posting the court proceedings on social media; also announced that she is withdrawing from the case.
“I have two publications here,” Mrs. Makanjuola said, brandishing two pieces of paper.
“One is saying: Countdown to Reverend Okotie suit, let us find out if Okotie is too big to come to court.
“The other says: Hallelujah! Okotie Chris gets a dubious judgment…,” the magistrate read from the papers.
“You even had the effrontery to publish my picture on a Sahara Reporters newspaper
Ms. Makanjuola called in the police to take Mr. Okiotor out of the court despite the defendant’s plea that she hears his own side of the story.
“I don’t want to hear anything from you. A matter that is still subjudice before me,” said the furious magistrate.
“I hereby disengage myself from the case. The case file should be sent to the chief magistrate for re-assignment to another magistrate,” she added.
Mr. Okiotor, 40, is facing a three count charge including threatening and preventing Mr. Okotie, the General Overseer of the church, from preaching to his congregation as well as conducting himself in a manner capable of breaching public peace.
At previous sittings, Kola Dopamu, counsel to Mr. Okotie, had consistently sought to draw magistrate’s attention to media publications and Facebook posts on Mr. Okiotor’s wall.
At the last sitting, Mr. Dopamu raised the same “concerns” but the magistrate described it as mere “hearsay.”
“I’m not aware of anything being written by anybody,” Ms. Makanjuola had said.
Also, an earlier effort by Mr. Okiotor’s lawyer, Robert Igbinedion, to get the court to issue witness summons on Mr. Okotie was turned down by the magistrate.
Mr. Igbinedion had tried to convince the court to invite Mr. Okotie to come and present the church’s CCTV recordings on July 10 and 15, 2012, the days the defendant was accused of assaulting the “man of God.”
Premium Times*
We ‘ll swim or sink with Amaechi – Rivers lawmakers
27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, yesterday, vowed to swim or sink with Governor Rotimi Amaechi as they dismissed insinuations that some of them had succumbed to inducements to impeach the governor.
The assertion by the lawmakers came as the faction of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, opposed to Governor Amaechi’s leadership, opened a new secretariat in Abuja with a promise not to antagonize President Goodluck Jonathan.
The opening of the Governor Jonah Jang-led factional NGF secretariat, however, exposed a setback for the faction as Vice-President Namadi Sambo and three governors that earlier identified with the faction stayed away.
The 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly including the speaker, Daniel Amachaere, in a joint statement, rebuffed insinuations that some of them had caved in to entreaties to join a plot to impeach the governor.
While pledging to swim and sink with the governor, the lawmakers were, however, mute on whether approaches had been made towards enlisting them into such a plot.
Five of the 32 members of the House who have in the past been associated with the anti-Amaechi tendency did not sign the statement.*
Owner of Abuja’s Wonderland Amusement Park, Amigo Supermarket linked to terrorism
Nigerian security agencies have linked a co-owner of two major ongoing businesses in the nation’s capital as a ring leader in a major terrorist operation in the country.
In a statement by the spokesman of the Joint Task Force in Kano, Ikedichi Iweha, Fauzi Fawad, the co-owner of Amigo Supermarket and Wonderland Amusement Park, was named as a member of a Lebanese Hezbollah terrorist cell in Nigeria.
Wonderland is Abuja’s biggest and most popular amusement park, while Amigo is one of the largest supermarkets in the Nigerian capital.
The JTF said Mr. Fawad’s name was mentioned by “all those arrested,” for being in possession of heavy weapons, and other terrorism related activities.
Mr. Fawad is now on the run, the JTF said.
The JTF said it arrested three Lebanese suspected of owning the large cache of arms recovered at a bunker in the city.
The Brigade Commander, 3rd Brigade, Nigerian Army, Iliyasu Abba, said one of the suspects was arrested on Tuesday at a house on Gaya Road in Bompai area of Kano.
He said another suspect was arrested in Abuja while the third suspect was apprehended since May 16, at Aminu Kano International Airport, on his way to Beirut, Lebanon.
“The one arrested at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport had a sum of 60,000 US dollars in his possession”.
He said one Abdullahi Hassan Tahir Padalla, who was the owner of the house in which one of the suspect was arrested was still at large.
Mr. Abba said among the weapons discovered during the operation on Tuesday were 17 AK 47 rifles, 44 magazines, four land mines and 12 RPG bombs, 14 RPG charger, 11 66 mm anti-tanks weapons, one SMG magazine, one pistol and magazine.
Also, 11, 433 rounds of 7.26 mm special, 76 hand grenade, rocket propelled guns, 122 calibre artillery and anti mines weapons were recovered.
“What you are seeing here are weapons of mass destruction in terms of our situation here right now in Nigerian.
“If these things have been brought out only God knows the type of destruction they will cause to innocent persons in the state or in the country,’’ he said.
He said the Department of State Security Service (SSS) in Abuja had been investigating the case for long.
In a remark, the state Director of the SSS, Bassey Ettang, said that the three suspects had a link to the Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
He said the suspects have for a long time been using the bunker in the house to stockpile arms and ammunition.
He restated the commitment of the SSS and other security agencies to continue with the ongoing war on criminals nationwide.
Read the full military statement implicating the Abuja businessman below:
See full text of Press Release:
On 28 May 13 a combined team of the JTF involving the NA of the 3 Brigade here in Kano and the Kano state DSS conducted a thorough search of this house located at No 3 Gaya Road off Bompai Road Kano belonging to one Abdul Hassan Taher Fadlalla a Lebanese national who is currently out of the country. After painstaking search of the whole premises, the search team uncovered an underground bunker in the the master bed room where a large quantity of assorted weapons of different types and caliber were recovered.
The bunker was specially constructed for this purpose. It is worth mentioning to say that the weapons include anti tank weapons, rocket propelled guns, anti tank/anti personnel mines among other dangerous weapons.
All the weapons and ammunition recovered were properly concealed with several layers of concrete and placed in coolers, drums and bags neatly wrapped.
These discoveries were not accidental but the outcome of an ongoing robust counter terrorism investigation by the Department of the State Services Abuja in the past several months. The investigation also confirms the existence of a Hizbullah Foreign Terrorist Cell in Nigeria. Consequently, the DSS on 16 May 2013 arrested one Mustapha Fawaz the co-owner of the popular Amigo Supermarket as well as the wonderland Amusement Park all in Abuja. Thus, his arrest and confession unveiled other members of the foreign terrorists network which led to the interception of one member of the syndicate named Abdullah Tahini a Lebanese national at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport with undeclared amount of sixty thousand United States Dollars on him enroute Beirut. Thereafter on 26 May 2013 one Talal Roda also a Lebanese with Nigerian Passport was arrested in this same house.
All those arrested have confessed to have undergone Hizbullah terrorist training and further implicated one Fauzi Fawad, also a co-owner of Amigo Supermarket and wonderland Amusement Park. However, the fellow is now at large. The arms and ammunition were targeted at facilities of Israel and Western interest in Nigeria, however, the security agencies are making frantic efforts to unveil the true situation. At the end of investigation, all those involved will be prosecuted.
*
Niger Delta pollution: Fishermen at risk amidst the oil By Will Ross
Will Ross visits a Nigerian community still making a living from traditional farming and fishing
A pristine paradise - these are not words you often hear to describe the Niger Delta in southern Nigeria.
But you get to appreciate the area's natural beauty whilst wading across lily covered creeks and trekking deep into the forest, accompanied by birdsong.
Welcome to the Niger Delta before the oil.
"I'm on the plank now so walk right behind me," a guide said as we squelched across a muddy swamp trying not to sink in too deep.
After walking for about an hour and a half from the village of Kalaba in Bayelsa state, I caught the first glimpse of an expansive tranquil lake through the trees.
On the shore are shelters made of wooden poles draped in material.
Every two years several families set up a camp at Lake Masi where they fish for just three months.
Most people living near the creeks do not benefit from the oil wealth in the region
"After preparing the nylon and woven basket nets we go into the lake and drive the fish into one area," Woloko Inebisa told me.
"By fishing every two years we allow the fish to grow large. If we fished every year there would only be very small fish here," the 78 year old told me as two men in dug out canoes adjusted the nets inside a section of the lake that had been fenced off with cane reeds.
Smoke drifted across the camp as women dried the fish over home made grills above smouldering fires.
"I will use this money to pay my children's school fees, to buy books for them, to buy their school uniforms and to do everything for them," said mother-of-three Ovie Joe.
When these families return to their villages they will continue to grow crops but will have raised some capital from the fishing season.
"We have water for drinking and plenty of fish. But I'm not just here to feed my stomach - I'll save up money for when I go back to the village," Mr Inebisa said.
No birdsong
Just a few kilometres away near Taylor Creek is a very different picture.
An oil spill from June 2012 has left the ground covered in a dark sludge and the trees are all blackened by fire.
Villagers in the Niger Delta rely on fishing season to raise extra capital
Environmentalists believe local contractors often pay youths to set fire to the area where the spill has occurred.
This can reduce the spread of the oil but has other detrimental effects on the environment.
Despite extensive flooding late last year the oil has not dispersed and there are still signs of the rainbow sheen on the surface.
Your ears also tell you all is not well - there is hardly any birdsong as the pollution has sucked the life out of the area.
"When I walked here the crude oil was spilling out so fast I couldn't even get near the spill point itself," said Samuel Oburo, a youth leader from Kalaba.
Running through this area is an underground pipeline belonging to Nigeria AGIP Oil Company - which is partly owned by the Italian oil giant, Eni.
It says numerous leaks near Taylor Creek were all caused by people breaking into the pipe - sabotage.
On 23 March Eni issued a statement announcing the closure of all its activities in the area because the theft of oil, known as bunkering, was so rife.
"The decision was made due to the intensified bunkering, consisting in the sabotage of pipelines and the theft of crude oil, which has recently reached unsustainable levels regarding both personal safety and damage to the environment," the statement read.
People in the village suggest corroded pipes as a possible trigger of the spill and they doubt it was caused by sabotage.
'No prosecutions'
The breaking of pipes and theft of the oil is so rampant in the Niger Delta that experts believe several interest groups are involved.
"There is a high level conspiracy between the security forces, the community and oil workers to steal the oil," says environmental campaigner Erabanabari Kobah.
"That is why people are not prosecuted and convicted even though the crime is happening at an alarming rate," he says.
There is very little transparency when it comes to the awarding of contracts to clean up any oil spills.
Fishermen like Jeti Matikmo have to trek two hours to find clean water before casting their nets
This has led to increased incidents of sabotage as some believe the more oil spills there are the more money there is to share around.
The pollution is having a terrible impact on the environment.
"There is oil here. We are suffering," said Jeti Matikmo, carrying a pole on his shoulder on which bundles of fish were tied.
"Many of our crops are not growing well because of the oil spill and we are not killing fish in the ponds anymore.
"So we have to trek for more than two hours to where it is clean and where there is no oil."
Back at Lake Masi a crowd gathered as two men waded ashore dragging an enormous woven basket behind them. It was heavy with fish.
"There's nothing like pollution here. Although if the oil prospecting companies come they may find oil and all that could change," said Mr Inebisa.
"If this pond is polluted, hunger is the answer," he said adding that in his entire life he had not gained a single coin from the oil of the Niger Delta.
bbc news
Spring will be coldest in 50 years, Met Office says
May has also been wetter than average, forecasters said
This spring is on track to be the coldest for more than 50 years, provisional Met Office figures suggest.
This month has seen lower than average temperatures and it has been wetter than usual, forecasters said.
The UK's mean temperature for spring - based on figures from 1 March to 28 May - is currently 6C.
If conditions stay the same in the last days of May, it will be the coldest spring since 1962, and the fifth coldest since records began in 1910.
The Met Office said earlier figures from 1 March to 15 May suggested spring was on track to be the sixth coldest since records began, and the coldest since 1979.
But cooler than average weather in the past fortnight has pushed the mean temperature for the season slightly lower, it said.
'Cold air'
The provisional temperature for this spring goes against recent form for the season, forecasters said, with eight of the past 10 years seeing warmer than average springs compared to the long-term (1981-2010) average of 7.7C.
The main reason for the low temperatures in spring was a colder than usual March, which had a mean temperature of 2.2C to 3.3C below the long-term average. This made it the coldest March since 1962.
The forecasters added that the colder than average conditions had been caused by frequent easterly and northerly winds, bringing cold air to the UK from polar and northern European regions.
Earlier this month, snow hit Shropshire and Devon and Cornwall, while Wales saw widespread snow in March.
Rainfall amounts for March and April were below average, but May is already wetter than average, with the average area receiving 86mm of rain up to the 28th day of the month - 70mm is the average.
The Met Office said this suggested that spring overall would be slightly drier than average - but not as dry as the springs of 2010 and 2011
bbc news
US lifts key high-tech sanctions against Iran
Move seen as bid to counter government's plan to crackdown on social media in lead-up to next month's presidential poll.
The US has lifted a ban on sales of communications equipment to Iranians, and opened access to internet services and social media, in what it said was a bid to help Iranians avoid government controls as June 14 presidential elections near.
Thursday's decision immediately allowed US companies to begin selling computers, tablets, mobile phones, software, satellite receivers and other equipment for personal use to Iranians, after such sales had been banned under sweeping sanctions on the country.
Also allowed were the sales and free provision of internet communications like instant messaging, email, social networking, sharing of photos and movies, web browsing and blogging.
US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the action would allow Iranians to skirt the government's "attempts to silence its people" and help them exercise "the right to freedom of expression".
The US Treasury issued a general license allowing the sales of personal communications equipment and services by Americans, banned until now under sanctions aimed at pressuring Tehran over its nuclear programme.
But a ban remained in place on selling to the Iranian government or any entity or individual specifically designated for US sanctions.
"Freedom of speech, assembly and expression are universal human rights," said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen.
"We will use all the tools at our disposal, including licenses that facilitate communication and designations to target those responsible for human rights abuses, to help the Iranian people exercise these basic rights."
More sanctions
Meanwhile, the Treasury also put sanctions on Asghar Mir-Hejazi, the deputy chief of staff for Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khameini, and on the government censor, the Committee to Determine Instances of Criminal Content (CDICC), for "contributing to serious human rights abuses ... including through the use of communications technology to silence and intimidate the Iranian people".
With the creation of the CDICC, the Treasury said, Iran's internet filtering censorship "has become more systematic and uniform," aiming at information the government "deems against the regime's national beliefs and safety".
It called Mir-Hejazi "the working brain behind the scenes of important events," including directing oppressive government acts following the June 2009 post-election unrest.
In addition, the State Department announced it had placed visa restrictions on nearly 60 Iranians, mainly from the government, for their "role in the ongoing repression of students, human rights defenders, lawyers, artists" and
others.
aljazeera
Assad agrees to peace talks 'in principle'
Syria will attend proposed Geneva talks but any deal must pass through a referendum, president says in latest interview.
President Bashar al-Assad has said Syria would be willing to attend peace talks with the opposition in principle, but any subsequent deal would have to be approved by a referendum.
Assad was referring to talks, backed by Russia and the US, planned next month in Geneva aimed at finding a political solution to the country's civil war.
Speaking to Lebanon's Hezbollah-owned Al Manar TV in his latest interview, Assad also said weapons contracts with Russia are not linked to the crisis, and that he would contest presidential elections next year if the Syrian people want him to.
He also said there is "a world war being waged against Syria and the policy of [anti-Israeli] resistance ... [but] we are very confident of victory."
The interview, pre-recorded and released on Thursday, was welcomed by some in Damascus with celebratory gunfire.
"The only condition [to attend peace talks] is that anything to be implemented will be submitted to Syrian public opinion and a Syrian referendum," Assad said.
Agreeing "in principle" to talks shows a "lack of relevance to the diplomatic process," said Geneive Abdo, a fellow in the Middle East programme at the Stimson Centre in Washington.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, she said: "This is not good ahead of peace talks in Geneva."
Coalition talks ending
Assad's interview was broadcast as the main opposition coalition wrapped up several days of talks in Istanbul.
"The National Coalition will not take part in any international conference or any such efforts so long as the militias of Iran and Hezbollah continue their invasion of Syria," Sabra told reporters in Istanbul.
Earlier on Thursday, George Sabra, head of the Syrian National Colaition (SNC), said the opposition would not participate in the Geneva talks until the international community intervened to end a siege in Qusayr, a town in Homs province near the Lebanese border.
Khaled Saleh, the SNC spokesperson, who addressed the news conference after Sabra, said civilians in the town had been "severely wounded" and Qusayr had been completely cut off by forces loyal to Assad.
"Civilians have no access to water, electricity and the massacre continues minute by minute while the Assad regime continues to use weapons" it receives from allies, he said.
Saleh said the UN and Arab League should intervene to stop the killings that the Lebanese group "Hezbollah is responsible for".
Al jazeera
Assad agrees to peace talks 'in principle'
Syria will attend proposed Geneva talks but any deal must pass through a referendum, president says in latest interview.
President Bashar al-Assad has said Syria would be willing to attend peace talks with the opposition in principle, but any subsequent deal would have to be approved by a referendum.
Assad was referring to talks, backed by Russia and the US, planned next month in Geneva aimed at finding a political solution to the country's civil war.
Speaking to Lebanon's Hezbollah-owned Al Manar TV in his latest interview, Assad also said weapons contracts with Russia are not linked to the crisis, and that he would contest presidential elections next year if the Syrian people want him to.
He also said there is "a world war being waged against Syria and the policy of [anti-Israeli] resistance ... [but] we are very confident of victory."
The interview, pre-recorded and released on Thursday, was welcomed by some in Damascus with celebratory gunfire.
"The only condition [to attend peace talks] is that anything to be implemented will be submitted to Syrian public opinion and a Syrian referendum," Assad said.
Agreeing "in principle" to talks shows a "lack of relevance to the diplomatic process," said Geneive Abdo, a fellow in the Middle East programme at the Stimson Centre in Washington.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, she said: "This is not good ahead of peace talks in Geneva."
Coalition talks ending
Assad's interview was broadcast as the main opposition coalition wrapped up several days of talks in Istanbul.
"The National Coalition will not take part in any international conference or any such efforts so long as the militias of Iran and Hezbollah continue their invasion of Syria," Sabra told reporters in Istanbul.
Earlier on Thursday, George Sabra, head of the Syrian National Colaition (SNC), said the opposition would not participate in the Geneva talks until the international community intervened to end a siege in Qusayr, a town in Homs province near the Lebanese border.
Khaled Saleh, the SNC spokesperson, who addressed the news conference after Sabra, said civilians in the town had been "severely wounded" and Qusayr had been completely cut off by forces loyal to Assad.
"Civilians have no access to water, electricity and the massacre continues minute by minute while the Assad regime continues to use weapons" it receives from allies, he said.
Saleh said the UN and Arab League should intervene to stop the killings that the Lebanese group "Hezbollah is responsible for".
Al jazeera
Assad agrees to peace talks 'in principle'
Syria will attend proposed Geneva talks but any deal must pass through a referendum, president says in latest interview.
President Bashar al-Assad has said Syria would be willing to attend peace talks with the opposition in principle, but any subsequent deal would have to be approved by a referendum.
Assad was referring to talks, backed by Russia and the US, planned next month in Geneva aimed at finding a political solution to the country's civil war.
Speaking to Lebanon's Hezbollah-owned Al Manar TV in his latest interview, Assad also said weapons contracts with Russia are not linked to the crisis, and that he would contest presidential elections next year if the Syrian people want him to.
He also said there is "a world war being waged against Syria and the policy of [anti-Israeli] resistance ... [but] we are very confident of victory."
The interview, pre-recorded and released on Thursday, was welcomed by some in Damascus with celebratory gunfire.
"The only condition [to attend peace talks] is that anything to be implemented will be submitted to Syrian public opinion and a Syrian referendum," Assad said.
Agreeing "in principle" to talks shows a "lack of relevance to the diplomatic process," said Geneive Abdo, a fellow in the Middle East programme at the Stimson Centre in Washington.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, she said: "This is not good ahead of peace talks in Geneva."
Coalition talks ending
Assad's interview was broadcast as the main opposition coalition wrapped up several days of talks in Istanbul.
"The National Coalition will not take part in any international conference or any such efforts so long as the militias of Iran and Hezbollah continue their invasion of Syria," Sabra told reporters in Istanbul.
Earlier on Thursday, George Sabra, head of the Syrian National Colaition (SNC), said the opposition would not participate in the Geneva talks until the international community intervened to end a siege in Qusayr, a town in Homs province near the Lebanese border.
Khaled Saleh, the SNC spokesperson, who addressed the news conference after Sabra, said civilians in the town had been "severely wounded" and Qusayr had been completely cut off by forces loyal to Assad.
"Civilians have no access to water, electricity and the massacre continues minute by minute while the Assad regime continues to use weapons" it receives from allies, he said.
Saleh said the UN and Arab League should intervene to stop the killings that the Lebanese group "Hezbollah is responsible for".
Al jazeera
Army Arrests Seven Foreigners Suspected To Be Members Of Boko Haram
Five Nigeriens and two Chadians are among the fleeing insurgents apprehended by the Special Forces as troops continue their pursuit of terrorists dislodged from their bases.
The seven according to the Director Defence Information, Brigadier General Christopher Olukolade were among the nine arrested at Tumbu Gini, a border town with Chad as they tried to cross the borders into Chad.
He said the man suspected to be leading the group escaped with gunshot wounds.
He added that the Defence Headquarters has observed that attempts are being made by insurgents and their collaborators to push into public domain, questionable and manipulated messages meant to misinform the public.
The Abubakar Shekau, the Boko Haram leader in a video, which is the group's first since the emergency declaration, said the group is winning the war against the soldiers.
Mr. Shekau displayed identity cards of soldiers he claimed his group had killed in their operations. He also displayed a destroyed armoured tank he claimed his men bombed.
The group in a rare solidarity cry also sought help from foreign Islamic militants.
Mr. Shekau sought help from militants "who are fighting for Islam in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria and those we can't mention."
"We are here fighting those who believe in the constitution and western education. You should all know that we are all in good health," he said.
The army spokesman however said this message is "clearly a confirmation of the level of pressure which has been brought to bear on the insurgents."
He urged Nigerians to continue to be calm as there is indeed no cause for alarm as the insurgents are actually in flight, necessitating their call for help from their foreign allies.
The operation to put an end to the activities of insurgents is continuing and in line with overall plans for the nation's security.*
Court orders Bauchi Assembly to reinstate only female lawmaker
The lawmaker was suspended by her colleagues in June last year.
A Bauchi State High Court has ordered the Bauchi State House of Assembly to reinstate the only female lawmaker, Rifkatu Danna, who was controversially suspended about a year ago.
Ms. Danna was suspended in June 2012 for allegedly making uncomplimentary remarks when she challenged the lawmakers’ decision to approve the relocation of the headquarters of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi.
The Assembly suspended her and rejected her letter of apology, claiming the letter showed no remorse.
The Bauchi Court, however, declared the action of the lawmakers as illegal and granted all the reliefs sought by the lawmaker in a suit filed by her lawyers from the chambers of Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The judge also ordered the defendants, the Assembly and its speaker, to pay the female lawmaker all her entitlements since her illegal suspension.
Premium times
Reps Order Immediate Suspension Of $40 Million Internet Surveillance Contract
The House of Representatives has ordered the immediate suspension of the $40 million (N6 billion) internet surveillance contract awarded secretly by the Nigerian government to an Israeli firm.
A house resolution approved Thursday, said no further action should be taken on the controversial spy project, which has sparked national fury, until three house committees complete an investigation in three weeks.
The clandestine project, exposed by PREMIUM TIMES, was awarded by the Jonathan administration to Elbit Systems, an Israeli Info tech firm, to spy on millions of Nigerian internet users. It is seen as part of the government's widened clampdown on free media, and unrestrained use of the internet to attack government officials and policies.
But the authorities, which have not officially commented on the contract despite its extensive attention, passed the project off as an intelligence gathering effort in the face of growing insecurity and fundamentalist threat.
In a motion initiated by Ibrahim Gusau, the House said the project will infringe on the privacy of Nigerians and argued that the so-called intelligence gathering, "may not be the solution" to the nation's security troubles.
The House also questioned the secrecy surrounding the contract award, which lawmakers agreed violated federal financial regulations relating to contract awards, as stipulated in the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.
Three committees, namely, Information and Computer Technology, Human Rights, and National Security, are to conduct inquiry into the project and make its findings known in three weeks*
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