Nigerian News - INEC May Drop Electronic Voting Machine

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may drop the Electronic Voting Machine from the Electronic Voting System (EVS) following its deletion from the Electoral Bill 2006 by the National Assembly. INEC’s new thinking came to the fore yesterday during a stakeholders’ interactive forum organized by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) INEC, in preparation for the electronic voters’ registration exercise starting tomorrow.

The FCT INEC National Commissioner, Hon. Setley Daze, who disclosed this at the forum said: “INEC has not identified any electronic machine or vendor for the EVM for use for the 2007 elections. INEC only included it in the proposed Electoral Act. “If it comes, fine, because it would help as a pilot scheme. Even if we don’t get it, we have capabilities to conduct free and fair general elections in 2007 using the other three methods.” The other methods include the Election Management System (EMS), which was launched just last week, the Electronic Voters’ Registration (EVR) and Electronic Transmission Result (ETR).

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Nigerian News - Jimoh Ibrahim Defies Regulator on NICON Insurance Corporation

Embattled Group Chief Executive Officer, NICON Insurance Corporation, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, yesterday faulted the directive issued by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) for him to step down as head of the insurance firm, affirming that he intended to stay in control as long as he lives.

Ibrahim who stated this yesterday in Abuja at the presentation of cheques to former NICON Insurance staff by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) for pensions and gratuity, noted that no law in Nigeria prohibits an individual who owns a company from running it.

“I have come to stay for life, only God can remove me because I bought NICON Insurance. It’s my company, I have 70 per cent of it. Insurance is a member of NICON Group. NAICOM can withdraw the licence of Insurance, it doesn’t matter,” declared Ibrahim.

NAICOM, the regulatory body for the insurance sector, had given Ibrahim a 21-day ultimatum to step down as the chief executive of NICON Insurance Plc and also demanded that the firm forward the name of a new CEO within 21 days.

NAICOM threatened to impose appropriate sanction on the company if the directives were ignored. Read More

Nigerian News - NAFDAC shuts Julius Berger clinic

The National Agency for Food And Drug Administration (NAFDAC), yesterday shut down all drugs outlets at the Julius Berger clinic located in life camp Abuja and put the clinic on hold.

Leader of NAFDAC enforcement team, Alhaji Hashim Ubale Yusuf, who led the delegation for the exercise, told newsmen that the agency ‘s decision to shut down all drugs outlets in the clinic was as a result of the presence of counterfeit and expired drugs, as well as products that are not registered by the agency. Read More

Nigerian News - Obasanjo Lobbies S/West Governors, Lawmakers

President Olusegun Obasanjo Tuesday night met with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives from the South-west to explain to them why he wanted to continue in office beyond 2007. Obasanjo has consistently avoided a "yes" or "no" response to allegations that he is scheming for an extra term of office. Continue

Nigerian Constitution Amendment Wahala

There was pandemonium yesterday at the Senate as the upper chamber of the National Assembly yesterday rejected a National Assembly Journal containing a Bill for an Act to Amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Second Publication), which proposed a three terms of four years each for governors.

The first journal circulated to senators did not contain a proposal for the amendment of Section 182 and this had created cracks in the ranks of proponents of three terms of four years each for President Olusegun Obasanjo and state governors. There were, however, indications that Obasanjo mandated the President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, to ensure that Clause 182 of the proposed amendment was restored into the bill. See here for more details

Protesters Stone Obasanjo’s Convoy in Kano

On its way to Jigawa State enroute from Kano, the convoy of President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday ran into hundreds of protesting youths who hauled missiles at it in the ancient city. But in Jigawa, the president, while responding to a praise singer who urged him to damn the constitution and accept to rule for another 12 years, said he had no hand in such matters. The Kano incident had precipitated a violent clash between the supporters of All Nigeria People Party (ANPP) and the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), resulting in the destruction of about 70 vehicles while the stone-throwing youths chanted anti Obasanjo slogans. The supporters of both political parties were seen wielding dangerous weapons, which they also used to smash the windscreens of any vehicle that carried the posters of a rival party. It took the intervention of the security personnel to control the situation at Kofar Nasarawa at the heart of Kano metropolis when the warring youths engaged themselves in a skirmish. Consequently, some people suffered various degrees of injuries. Obasanjo was on his way to Kazaure, Jigawa state where the governor, Alhaji Saminu Turaki, received a traditional title of Turakin Kazaure.

Zenith Bank Becomes the first Nigerian Bank to Handle Nigerian Government Foreign Reserves

Zenith International Bank Becomes the first Nigerian Bank to Handle Nigerian Government Foreign Reserves .

When i first heard that zenith bank was going back to the capital market for more funds - i told my friends then that Zenith was all out to get their hands on the Federal government foreign reserves. I came to this conclusion when i heard that the CBN announce that any Nigerian Bank that has 1,000,000,000 US Dollars ( about 129,000,000,000 Naira) will be given 500,000,000 US Dollars to manage.

Now Zenith Bank Plc, in partnership with JPMorgan Chase, a United States-based leading global financial services firm, has been appointed as the first global custodians of Nigeria's foreign reserve which is projected to grow to about $50 billion by end of the year.

Way to go Zenith, i pray others Nigerian banks should do the same so that Nigerian banks can finally play their role in the African Financial scene.

Uphill Battle For 3rd Term As National Assembly Decides

While going through my the Website of Thisday Newspapers i came across this headliner -

Uphill Battle For 3rd Term As National Assembly Decides ... More members enlist in opposition camp.
An uphill battle appears underway over the move to elongate the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo beyond 2007 as the National Assembly reconvenes on Tuesday in Abuja to commence the second reading of the 1999 Constitution Amendment Bill 2006. The bill seeks to amend some sections of the constitution including the present two terms of four year each tenure for President.
Also, there are indications that more Senators and House members are abandoning the pro-3rd term camp to join forces with the group opposed to the idea. But there were indications on Saturday that the pro-third term legislators are set to make some adjustments to the contentious amendment bill.

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Ronaldinho - A legend in the making...

Ronaldinho - A legend in the making...

While going through Nairaland today i saw this link showing pictures and videos of the world's best footballer in action. Enjoy

Ronaldinho

3rd Term: Governors Give 3 Conditions to Obasanjo

What is Nigerian Democracy turning into?
As the strategists of President Olusegun Oba-sanjo's tenure extension plan return to the drawing board, indications emerged yesterday that the governors backing the plan have given the president conditions for their continued support. Also yesterday, the publicity committee of the 2007 Movement, an assembly of federal lawmakers opposed to the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to permit tenure elongation for Obasanjo and governors, said it will take its case against the move to foreign envoys on Monday. But the governors, who met Obasanjo and the defunct National Assembly Joint Committee on the 1999 Constitution Review (JCCR) Chairman, Senator Ibrahim Nasir Mantu, separately last Wednesday demanded for the total restoration of Section 308 which dwells on immunity from criminal prosecution for the President, his deputy as well as governors and their deputies. More

Nigeria: Obasanjo's Score Card

I Just this Interesting link while Browsing the Net

The following graphic show the pains and gains of Obasanjo's regime over the past 6-7 years he is in office. As it clearly show we have more poor people, more unemployed, products cost more and the stress all these bring takes their toll first with the higher infant mortality and death rates and second with the general life expectancy declination. As for the gains more people can communicate on their mobiles, increase in literacy and of course the partial reduction/write-off of the country's external debt.

Source: Agodi

Nigeria Exits Paris Club Tomorrow

President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday announced that Nigeria will finally exit its indebtedness to the Paris Club tomorrow. Speaking before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja, the President said the approval of NigeriaÂ’s Policy Support Instrument (PSI) by the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday, April 17, “means the last stage of our indebtedness to the Paris Club has been cleared. Noting that the Minister of Finance, Dr.(Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had already issued a statement on the debt settlement, President Obasanjo added that “by Friday, April 21, we would have cleared ourselves of all debts owed to Paris Club. More

Delta Militants Denounce Obasanjo's Plan for Oil Region, Threaten More Attacks

Militants targeting oil installations in Nigeria's southern Niger Delta on Wednesday denounced plans unfolded by President Olusegun Obasanjo to redress grievances in the impoverished region, vowing instead more attacks to increase local control of oil wealth.

Like I earlier reported President Obasanjo met with moderate Niger Delta leaders in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Tuesday and unfolded a plan to create 20,000 jobs in the region and invest in roads, education and health for its people. While hard line Niger Delta leaders boycotted the meeting, MEND dismissed Obasanjo's offer of "menial jobs".

Hear Them: "For 50 years the wealth of our people has been looted by the Nigerian government and it believes this injustice can be remedied by providing menial jobs to indigenes of the Niger Delta," MEND said in a statement emailed to reporters.

"What we have demanded is the control of our resources which the Nigerian government has so far ignored," it added.

"Our halt in attacks was more of a tactical suspension which has come to its end," it said. "At a time of our choosing we will resume our attacks with greater devastation and no compassion on those who choose to disregard our warnings." MEND claims to be fighting for the interests of the impoverished inhabitants of the Niger Delta, who live with no electricity or running water and feel cheated out of the oil wealth by Western oil companies and the government of Nigeria, the world's eighth largest crude producer.

Shebi I talk am

Government Announces Plan for Niger Delta

President Olusegun Obasanjo has announced the governments decision to make the development of the Niger delta a reality. The decision was announced yesterday at the Banquet hall of the presidential Villa, Abuja during the inauguration of a 50 member consolidated council on Social and Economic Development of Coastal states of the Niger Delta.

The president unfolded a massive short, medium and long term development programme for the oil producing states.

The short term covers the period from now to the next two years, medium term is from two years to five years and long term is five years and above.

Whether this solves the problem of the Niger Delta is something we must wait to see

Kingsley

Charles Taylor Was Arrested in a Liberian Embassy Car

According to The Daily Trust Newspapers Charles Taylor the embattled former Liberian President who was formerly a Guest of the Nigerian government was caught on the Nigerian border in a Liberian embassy car. The news raises questions about who aided in his escape from his Calabar home to the north of Borno state.

Eyewitnesses of Taylor's arrest last month said the diplomatic plate number of the jeep was 81 CD 85, as reported by Agence France Presse (AFP) and the Liberian newspaper The Analyst.

The Daily Trust can today confirm that this is a Liberian diplomatic number plate.

Embassies are designated specific numbers for their car registrations by the consular department of the Foreign Affairs ministry in Abuja. Number plates beginning with 81 are exclusively for the use of the Liberian government, an embassy staff member confirmed.

But the Charge d' Affairs of the Liberian embassy, Manfred Peters, said yesterday the car was not officially given to Mr Taylor by the embassy for his use.

He said: "There was no official contact with Mr Taylor before his arrest. Mr Taylor has been the guest of the Nigerian government. I am waiting for the Federal government's investigation."

The government's spokeswoman, Remi Oyo, said: "This is a matter for the Liberian government to answer".

The Range Rover jeep is still being held by Customs officials in the village of Ngala, Borno state, police said. Friends What do you make of this? A conspiracy or mere coincidence? Well only Taylor can say.

Nno - Inakwana - E-Kabo...

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