From all indications and at all times, most Nigerians are ingenious, either positively or negatively.Take a look at the data of those that are into cyber crime, armed robbery, kidnapping and so on and so forth, you will agree that Nigerians are unbeatable in the world.
Even in sports, especially football, forget about the recent woes that have beset the nation’s football flag bearers. The country is an admixture of what a famous author called the bad, the good and the ugly. This reminds me of a poor man from a village who never went to school, any kind of western education at all, back then in Kano, who displayed a common sense of cleverliness in the process of begging. The man visited Alhaji Aminu Dantata, one of the early Nigerian millionaires, to commiserate with him during the naming of his child. When the man was about to take his leave after greeting Dantata, he brought out N100 and gave it to his host saying: “please accept this token from me to buy even if it is baby pants.” Alhaji Dantata was soundly surprised, received the money with a lot of enthusiasm. When the man was gone, Dantata turned to his other guests, most of who were very wealthy too, saying: “since I was born, today is the first time someone would offer me monetary gift.” Yes, many people thought that millionaires did not need financial assistance. Rather, it is they, the millionaires that are constantly destined to be “giving.” The poor man, who offered Dantata his first ever monetary gift was later to enjoy a chunk of Dantata’s wealth. The history repeated itself in Abuja recently when a man, just coming out of higher institution and serving his National Youth Service, donated N10,000 cash to the campaign purse of President Goodluck Jonathan, who has just been adopted by all organs of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to run for the second term in office, come 2015 general elections. The man, Mr. Ezemagu Sunday Nnamdi, in a covering letter along with the cash, assured President Jonathan of the continued support of patriotic Nigerians even as he appealed to him to seek re-election in 2015. “Nigerians are behind you. We see your good works in power, transportation, education, housing, ICT, sports, electoral reforms, observation of the principle of federal character and the creation of investment opportunities. “The insurgents who are trying to destabilize your Administration are enemies of peace and progress. You will surely defeat them,” the youth corps member wrote. Responding, President Jonathan expressed his appreciation by the gift which he said deeply touched and encouraged him, adding that Nnamdi’s expression of confidence in his administration’s achievements and immense support the government has been receiving from young Nigerians in all parts of the country are the tonics that keep him moving. The President assured Nnamdi and other young Nigerians that he will continue to do his best in the service of the nation in keeping with their trust and expectations. “Your gracious gesture is particularly gratifying, coming as it does from one of our nation’s vibrant and gifted youth who are our successor generation and for whom our Administration is unequivocally committed to providing the requisite environment to optimally realize their tremendous creative and productive potentials. “As I carry on with the task of positively transforming our country for its God-ordained greatness and prosperity, I will continue to count on the goodwill as well as the practical and prayerful support of committed patriots like you.” Jonathan made it clear that he will continue to count on the support, goodwill and prayers of patriotic Nigerians as he strives to give the best possible leadership towards the positive transformation of the country. When the story was told, I just shook my head and, running in my brain (the thinking network) was and has been “clever Nnamdi.” After all, he knew that N10,000 would not even do to print 100 copies of Jonathan posters; that the Presidency and PDP are spending billions, yet, he chipped in his widow’s might. And, you think it is for nothing? As a matter of fact, Nnamdi has just shown that, to survive in today’s nigeria, you either steal (raw thief, including robbery, etc and pen-robbery as well as kidnap) or you beg. He decided to go for the latter. That is to say, it is better to beg, dignifyingly than to steal. For, in Nigeria, you beg to be employed on public and private establishment. You beg before your legitimate salary is paid. You beg before you get contract and for the money to execute it to be paid. You beg the President, governors, lawmakers to contest election to continue with the good work they have been doing. Or the President, governors and lawmakers beg the people to beg them to contest elections. You beg to marry a woman and beg your child to go to school. This is a nation where things don’t work until you beg; a nation of beggars. And a nation of thieves! Those who take middle course are none existence. The result of the pittance and ridiculous N10,000 cash, plus the enticing letter that accompanied it, even if it was an arrangement from ‘the top’ from corper Nnamdi would soon manifest into quantum of opportunities, money and fame. I found myself blaming myself for not thinking faster than Nnamdi and doing a thing like that before him. Lucky him!
[su_heading size=”14″] Read More Articles From This Author:Yusuf Ozi-Usman [/su_heading]
With about 30 million households in Nigeria still without access to electricity at the dawn of a new era in Nigeria’s liberalized electricity power sector, the 4th WorldStage National Electricity Power Conference 2014 is set to address the challenges of post-privatization. According to the organizers, the conference which will hold at the Lagoon Restaurant, Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, now scheduled for October 23, 2014, will bring policy makers and the private sector together to review the new development in electricity power sector, address new challenges, deliberate on critical issues and chart the way forward for the realization of privatization objectives. The forum that will attract participants from the Presidency, Ministry Power, Ministry of Finance, NERC, National Assembly, BPE, GENCOs, DISCOs, NIPP, IPPs, State Governments with IPPs, Oil and Gas Firms, Banks, Insurance Firms, Local and Foreign Investors, Media and Other Relevant Stakeholders, will feature presentations from top government officials, industry experts and panel discussions on, Challenges of Electricity Generation Post Privatization; Transmission and Distribution Challenges; Alternative Energy Sources/ Energy Conservation; and State Governments’ Promoted IPPs. Major stakeholders. including the Chairman, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi; Managing Director/CEO of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Mack Kast; Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State, would be participating in the forum. Dr. Sam Amadi is expected to deliver a paper ‘Commitment Of NERC Towards Regulation And Effective Consumer’s Right On Electricity Supply Chain’ even as the TCN boss will discuss ‘TCN: Meeting The Electricity Transmission Capacity For Nigeria Post-Privatization’ as Governor Kwankwaso, whose state has achieved commendable progress in power generation through Independent Power projects (IPP) for economic development, will share his dream and experience with the highly networking forum. The WNEPC 2014 will be chaired by the President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCL), Alhaji Aderemi Ismaila Bello. Segun Adeleye, President/CEO, World Stage Limited, organizers of the conference said: “The challenges that surfaced with the new dispensation are numerous but not un-surmountable.” He listed the challenges to include; the rising activities of vandals who burst gas pipelines and other power transmission equipment; high level of power theft and by–passing metering; gas supply limitation; revenue collection; transmission wheeling capacity; funding model for transmission; expected declaration of Transition Electricity Market; lack of accurate data on power demand of the entire country; non-alignment of the entire value chain of power generation, transmission and distribution; security of investment; right pricing and efficient usage of available electricity; paucity of funding transmission and aging 132KV lines. “As Nigerian banks invested about N750 billion in the power sector since its privatization, it’s imperative that the security of this huge exposure rests squarely on every efforts to ensure the success of the privatization process,” he said.
A young man, currently serving in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mr. Ezemagu Sunday Nnamdi has sent a donation of N10,000 as his contribution to the campaign purse of President Goodluck Jonathan as he begins to seek for his re-election for a second-term in office, come 2015. According to a statement from the special adviser to President Jonathan on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati today, Mr. Nnamdi sent the donation before the Peoples’ Democratic Party adopted the President yesterday as its sole candidate for the 2015 presidential elections. Abati said that in a covering letter along with the cash, Nnamdi assured President Jonathan of the continued support of patriotic Nigerians even as he appealed to him to seek re-election in 2015. “Nigerians are behind you. We see your good works in power, transportation, education, housing, ICT, sports, electoral reforms, observation of the principle of federal character and the creation of investment opportunities. “The insurgents who are trying to destabilize your Administration are enemies of peace and progress. You will surely defeat them,” the youth corps member was said to have written. Abati said that President Jonathan was deeply touched and encouraged by such expression of confidence in his administration’s achievements and immense support the government has been receiving from young Nigerians in all parts of the country. The President assured Nnamdi and other young Nigerians that he will continue to do his best in the service of the nation in keeping with their trust and expectations. “Your gracious gesture is particularly gratifying, coming as it does from one of our nation’s vibrant and gifted youth who are our successor generation and for whom our Administration is unequivocally committed to providing the requisite environment to optimally realize their tremendous creative and productive potentials. “As I carry on with the task of positively transforming our country for its God-ordained greatness and prosperity, I will continue to count on the goodwill as well as the practical and prayerful support of committed patriots like you.” President Jonathan was elated by Nnamdi’s expression of faith in the federal government’s ongoing efforts of repositioning Nigeria for sustained growth and development. He made it clear that he will continue to count on the support, goodwill and prayers of patriotic Nigerians as he strives to give the best possible leadership towards the positive transformation of the country.
Any person of average intellect who read the 1999 constitution (as amended) along with four key judgments of the Supreme Court (INEC Vs Boni Haruna, Peter Obi Vs Chris Ngige, Ladoja Vs INEC and INEC Vs 5 PDP Governors) would easily conclude that President Jonathan’s eligibility to contest for another 4-year term in 2015 or at any other time thereafter under the present constitution is impeded. This argument is premised on the fact that what constitutionally applies to the governor on the issue of eligibility or otherwise to contest elections is ipso facto applicable to the president.
In those judgments, the apex court had established the relationship between the governor and his deputy on the issue of succession (Boni Haruna); determined the holding of office in a term at 4 years (Peter Obi); affirmed that a governor can stay less but not more than 4 years in a term (Ladoja); and declared that tenure of the executive in office is a cumulative maximum period of 8 years and not a day longer (5 PDP governors). By 29 May 2015, President Jonathan would be 5 years 23 days as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If the president contests and wins the 2015 presidential elections or at any other time later, he will exceed the cumulative tenure of 8 years maximum period as interpreted by the Supreme Court. Therefore such a contest will be unconstitutional.
The Argument
The 1999 constitution (as amended) provides a term of 4 years and another term of 4 years and no more for the executive. The Supreme Court, in the case of INEC Vs the 5 PDP Governors (Idris, Nyako, Wamako, Sylva and Imoke), interpreted this provision as a maximum of 8 years cumulative tenure. The Court said it can be less for an individual but certainly not more. With this interpretation, the Supreme Court removed 5 governors from office and necessitated for the amendment of sections 135 and 180 of the constitution. With 5 years 23 days to his credit as president, would President Jonathan’s contest for another term of 4 years not violate the provisions of the constitution as interpreted by the Apex Court? Since all presidential elections are for a 4-year term, we definitely need a clear judicial answer to this question.
In determining the issue of tenure in that case, the Supreme Court adopted two basic principles in its interpretation of the constitution in calculating the 4-year tenure system. Firstly, that a Governor, or a President, is elected for four years and eligible to re-election for another four years, and no more. On the basis of that the Supreme Court declared:
“In all a governor has a maximum tenure of eight (8) years under the 1999 constitution. … It is very clear from the relevant provisions that no person elected under the 1999 Constitution can remain in that office for a day longer than provided otherwise the intention of the framers of the constitution would be defeated”, and added pointedly that “The 1999 Constitution has no room for self–succession for a cumulative tenure exceeding eight years”.
Explicitly, this means that the cumulative 8 years tenure can be in bit and pieces, so to speak. It also means that in computing President Jonathan’s maximum of 8 years tenure, the 1 year 23 days he held as president between May 6, 2010 and May 29, 2011 will be counted. Other two points being made also are: first, all tenures of office of the executive emanate from the two 4-year terms; and second, it really does not matter how one constitutionally comes into office, what matters is one does not remain in that office a day beyond cumulative 8 years.
Secondly, the Supreme Court adopts the principle that so long as “the acts performed during the period in office remain valid and subsisting”, then the oath taken empowering the performing of those acts also remains valid and becomes the starting point in calculating the cumulative 8 years tenure of office. It is on record that all the acts President Jonathan performed between May 6, 2010 and May 29, 2011, including the Electoral Act that was used to re-elect him in 2011, are all valid and subsisting. Therefore, to calculate the tenure of office of President Jonathan from May 29, 2011 when he was sworn-in as duly elected President and ignore the period from May 6, 2010 when he was first sworn-in as President, is to close our eyes to what is real and concrete thereby extending for the President a period in office beyond the maximum 8 years tenure for the executive. If the President contests and wins another four-year term in 2015, he would have self-succeeded himself in office as president for a cumulative period of 9 years 23 days.
It is also worthy to note that President Jonathan’s only claim of right to contest another term of 4 years is solely hinged on the disqualification clause in Section 137 sub-Section 1 (b) of the constitution that says “if he has been elected to the office of president at any two previous elections”. This is the clause upon which Justice Oniyangi of the FCT High Court (referred to below) mainly based the argument of his judgment. It is true Jonathan was not elected as president in any two previous elections, but this provision must also be looked at vis-à-vis the maximum tenure of 8 years prefix. The question therefore is if electing a person two times will give him a cumulative period in office beyond the 8 years bracket, will he still be eligible to contest such two terms of 4 years to that office? I think the answer, to my understanding of the logic and conclusion of the Supreme Court judgment, is in the negative.
Besides, if Section 137 sub-Section 1 (b) is President Jonathan’s only ‘qualification’ to contest, then same will be applicable to Boni Haruna in Adamawa, Rotimi Amechie in Rivers and Ibrahim Gaidam in Yobe states under Section 182 sub-Section 1 (b). Technically speaking, like President Jonathan, these men were also not elected at any two previous elections as governors of their respective states. All of them, again like President Jonathan, assumed office through some constitutional means after election and commencement of terms. Does it mean that they are all eligible to contest another term as governors of their states? Can we say that Gov. Yero of Kaduna State by 2015 still has 8 more years to continue as governor? What of Ag. Gov. of Taraba; can he contest for two terms by 2015? Likewise, in the case of A-g Gov. Fintiri of Adamawa State in which two successful elections can give him a maximum of only 4 years 7 months in office, can he contest again simply because he did not clock 8 years in office? In my understanding of the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the constitutional provisions of the 4-year term of 2 terms, I believe none of them is eligible to exceed 8 years whether or not they are elected in two previous elections or whether or not they clock 8 years in office, whichever is applicable.
This then further begs the question – can President Jonathan, under the circumstance, still be eligible for another 4-year term in 2015 or at any other time afterward, seeing that, if he contests and wins, by the end of that term (in 2019) he would have self-succeeded himself in office as president for a cumulative period exceeding the maximum of 8 years interpreted by the Supreme Court? Undoubtedly, posing this question is not only germane but is unavoidable. Getting a judicial determination to this issue in the Supreme Court is basic if we are to hold and advance the cause of constitutional democracy and rule of law in Nigeria. To close our eyes to this and pretend that the coast is clear for the president to contest 2015 is playing the ostrich to an indispensable constitutional matter. This will be doing grave injury to our system. The solution to this matter lies with the Supreme Court.
Though we may all have built our interests, emotions and sentiments for or against President Jonathan’s contest in 2015, but as things stand his contest is unlikely to enhance constitutionalism and judicial pronouncements as it will instead eliminate the principle of maximum tenure for the executive in Nigeria. It will also create the basis for perpetuating one political party in power by unendingly making an incumbent of one party a contestant, thereby setting a perilous precedence in the country’s democratization process.
A leader ought to lead by example, by action and by sacrifice. He must lay good precedents in the governance and politics of the polity. As we strive to apply international best practices standard in our public affairs, it will be good President Jonathan draws some lessons from examples in mature democracies such as that of America, where we borrowed our system. We should not just copy the written constitution alone but also along with it, its values, ethos and practices. For example, none of the nine Vice Presidents of the USA (John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Andrew Johnson, Chester Arthur, Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson or Gerald Ford) who, like President Jonathan, became president on account of the death or resignation of a president, submitted himself for election, and none was ever elected, twice in office as president. As patriotic statesmen and good leaders wanting to build an enduring system for their country, they stepped down their personal ambitions for the higher interests of their country. But as it seems that President Jonathan, who shares the same political milieu with these former US Presidents, is however not willing to do same and set a positive precedent for his country’s democratization process, and print his name in gold in the annals of Nigeria’s national politics, it is essential that his candidacy for 2015 is put before the apex court for determination, either be affirmed or rejected.
I am aware of the High Court judgment declaring that the President can contest again – that of Justice Oniyangi of the FCT High Court delivered on Friday 1st March, 2013. The matter was also brought before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court Kaduna who knocked it out on technical ground. I read the submissions of both cases and their judgments against the interpretation and definition of tenure of office for the executive by the Supreme Court. I also read the argument proffered by Justice Oniyangi against the logic and conclusion of that Supreme Court Judgment, and I respectfully think the learned Judge has missed the point. For a highly celebrated case in which the Supreme Court went the extra mile to get legal opinions from luminaries as Amicus Curiae, the final unanimous decision of its 7 Justices cannot but be compelling. It would really be interesting to see how the FCT High Court’s judgment will fare on appeal.
Equally, to argue that President Jonathan’s tenure of office as president between May 6, 2010 and May 29, 2011 as “completing the tenure of late President Yar’adua”, in my opinion is futile, given that there is nowhere in the constitution where such provision is made. Besides, if a Vice President will be sworn-in as substantive President of the country, and in his new capacity appoints his Vice President, thus forming a distinct regime of his own, the talk of completing someone’s else’s term of office cannot even arise.
Conclusion
In our politics we must always be guided by the provisions of the law, especially the interpretation of the law by the court. Left to our devices, we all want things done our own ways, but this is impossible. That is why we have a premise to operate upon, which is the law that directs and guides the conduct of all operators. Personally, even as an academic, President Jonathan’s contest in 2015, an episode of great significance to the nation, seems to me to have fallen outside the law, and therefore needs the determination of the supreme court of the land. And as a PDP member and a Nigerian of good standing, I think it is in our best interest to get the matter thus determined if we are to go into the nomination process in confidence, with a candidate whose eligibility status is spotless. That is the only way to ensure smooth operation of our system, avoid lawlessness, political crises and social anarchy, and guarantee our democracy and the wellbeing of our country. It is against this backdrop that I consider a judicial action necessary, and for which reason I intend to institute one at the Court of Appeal.
Amnesty International has exposed what it called toture chamber across Nigeria where police and military routinely torture women, men, and children – some as young as 12 – using a wide range of methods including beatings, shootings and rape, even as the Nigeria Police authorities have dismissed the allegation as untrue. In a new report titiled “Welcome to hell fire” published today, the Amnesty International detailed how people are often detained in large dragnet operations and tortured as punishment, to extort money or to extract “confessions” as a shortcut to “solve” cases. “This goes far beyond the appalling torture and killing of suspected Boko Haram members. Across the country, the scope and severity of torture inflicted on Nigeria’s women, men and children by the authorities supposed to protect them is shocking to even the most hardened human rights observer,” said Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director. “Torture is not even a criminal offence in Nigeria. The country’s parliament must immediately take this long overdue step and pass a law criminalizing torture. There is no excuse for further delay.” Compiled from hundreds of testimonies and evidence gathered over 10 years, the report exposed the institutionalized use of police torture chambers and routine abuses by the military in a country that prohibits torture in its constitution but has yet to pass legislation outlawing the violation. The report also revealed how most of those detained are held incommunicado – denied access to the outside world, including lawyers, families and courts. The report said that torture has become such an integral part of policing in Nigeria that many police stations have an informal “Officer in Charge of Torture” or O/C Torture. “They use an alarming array of techniques, including nail or tooth extractions, choking, electric shocks and sexual violence. “In one illustrative incident Abosede, aged 24, told Amnesty International how sickening police abuse left her with a permanent injury: “A policewoman took me to a small room, told me to remove everything I was wearing. She spread my legs wide and fired tear gas into my vagina… I was asked to confess that I was an armed robber… I was bleeding… up till now I still feel pain in my womb.” The Amnesty International said that Nigeria’s military is committing similar human rights violations, detaining thousands as they search for Boko Haram members. “Mahmood, a 15 year old boy from Yobe state, was arrested by soldiers with around 50 other people, mainly boys between 13 and 19 years old. “He told Amnesty International that the military held him for three weeks, beat him repeatedly with their gun butts, batons and machetes, poured melting plastic on his back, made him walk and roll over broken bottles and forced him to watch other detainees being extra-judicially executed. He was eventually released in April 2013. “Military in Yobe state even arrested and beat a 12 year old boy, poured alcohol on him, forced him to clean vomit with his bare hands and trod on him. “Soldiers pick up hundreds of people as they search for those associated with Boko Haram, then torture suspects during a ‘screening’ process that resembles a medieval witch hunt,” said Netsanet Belay. “Torture happens on this scale partly because no one, including in the chain of command, is being held accountable. Nigeria needs a radical change of approach, to suspend all officers against whom there are credible allegations of torture, to thoroughly investigate those allegations and to ensure that suspected torturers are brought to justice.” The report said that in most of the torture allegations against Nigerian state security forces documented by Amnesty International, no proper investigations were carried out and no measures were taken to bring suspected perpetrators to justice. “When internal investigations within the police or the military do take place, the findings are not made public and the recommendations rarely implemented. Of the hundreds of cases researched by Amnesty International, not one victim of torture or other ill-treatment was compensated or received other reparation from the Nigerian government. “The Nigerian government is aware of the problem and has set up at least five Presidential Committees and working groups over the last decade on reforming the criminal justice system and eradicating torture.
“However, the implementation of these recommendations has been painfully slow. “Our message to the Nigerian authorities today is clear –criminalize torture, end incommunicado detention and fully investigate allegations of abuse,” Netsanet Belay said. “That would mark an important first step towards ending this abhorrent practice. It’s high time the Nigerian authorities show they can be taken seriously on this issue.” However, the Nigeria Police dismissed the report, saying that Amnesty International is just exercising its freedom to earn its relevance and bread. [myad]
Nigeria coach, Stephen Keshi has been ranked as the best national team in Africa with the sacked Ghana coach, Kwesi Appiah placing second on the continent.
In the latest ranking released by a leading coaching statistics agency, Keshi continues to top the poll for coaches on the continent while Appiah leads the pack who are chasing the Nigeria coach as the best in Africa.
The ranking of the top fifty coaches is dominated by coaches who coached at the World Cup with the top 15 almost exclusively for coaches who excelled at the World Cup.
World Cup winner Joachim Low of Germany tops the ranking and he is followed by Spain’s Vicente Del Bosque in 2nd place while Oscar Tabarez of Uruguay placed 3rd.
The ranking favours coaches who are active in their jobs; those who have been jobless freely tumble down the ranking.
Here is the list of full ranking of National team Coaches for September 2014:
1.Joachim Low 2.Del Bosque 3.C.Prandelli 4.Paolo Jorge Gomes Bento 5.Jurgen Klinsmann 6.L Van Gaal 7.Fernando Santos 8.Jose Pekerman 10.Jose Manuel de la Torre 11.Luis Felipe Scolari 12.Jorge Luis Pinto 13.Marc Wilmots 14.Stephen Keshi 15.N Pumpido 16.Reinaldo Rueda 17.Ottmar Hitzfeld 18.Julio Valdes 19.Safet Susic 20.Alberto Zaccheroni 21.D.Deschamps 22.Eric Hamren 23.Alejandro Sabella 24.Fernando Suarez 25.Sergio Apraham 26.Jorge Sampaoli 27.Morten Olsen 28.Fabio Capello 29.R.Hodgson 30.Bob Bradley 31.Cesar Farias 32.James Kwesi Appiah. [myad]
Scotland has voted to stay in the United Kingdom (UK) after rejecting independence with 30 out of the country’s 32 council areas declaring in vote: the “No” side has an unassailable lead of 1,877,252 votes to 1,512,688. The winning total needed was 1,852,828. Nationally, the margin of victory is about 55% to 45%. The vote is the culmination of a two-year campaign. Talks will now begin on devolving more powers to Scotland. This margin of victory is some three points greater than that anticipated by the final opinion polls. Glasgow, Scotland’s largest council area and the third largest city in Britain, voted in favour of independence by 194,779 to 169,347, with Dundee, West Dunbartonshire and North Lanarkshire also voting “Yes.” But Edinburgh, the nation’s capital, rejected independence by 194,638 to 123,927, while Aberdeen City voted “No” by a margin of more than 20,000 votes. There have also been big wins for the pro-UK campaign in many other areas. Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who led the pro-independence “Yes” campaign, is expected to make a statement from his official residence at Bute House in Edinburgh at 10:00 BST (11:00 GMT). In his first public comment since the results started coming in, Mr Salmond tweeted: “Well done to Glasgow, our Commonwealth city, and to the people of Scotland for such incredible support.” His deputy, Nicola Sturgeon, conceded defeat with a handful of results still to be declared, saying there was a “real sense of disappointment that we have fallen narrowly short of securing a ‘Yes’ vote”. She said that the projected result was “a deep personal and political disappointment” but said “the country has been changed forever”. Ms Sturgeon said she would work with “anyone in any way” to secure more powers for Scotland. British Prime Minister David Cameron said: “I’ve spoken to Alistair Darling (head of the pro-UK Better Together campaign) – and congratulated him on a well-fought campaign.” Mr Cameron is expected to respond to Scotland’s decision in a live televised address following the final result
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It shares a border with England to the south, and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea to the east and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the south-west. In addition to the mainland, the country is made up of more than 790 islands,including the North Isles and the Herbrides.
Edinburgh, the country’s capital and second-largest city, was the hub of the Scottish Enlightenment of the 18th century, which transformed Scotland into one of the commercial, intellectual, and industrial powerhouses of Europe. Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, was once one of the world’s leading industrial cities and now lies at the centre of the Greater Glasgow conurbation. Scottish waters consist of a large sector of the North Atlantic and the North Sea,containing the largest oil reserves in the European Union. This has given Aberdeen, the third-largest city in Scotland, the title of Europe’s oil capital.
The Kingdom of Scotland emerged as an independent sovereign state in the Early Middle Ages and continued to exist until 1707. Having entered into a personal union with the kingdoms of England (which included what is now England and Wales) and Ireland following James VI’s succession to the English and Irish thrones in 1603, Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with England on 1 May 1707 to create a single Kingdom of Great Britain. This union resulted from the Treaty of Union agreed in 1706 and enacted by the twin Acts of Union passed by the Parliaments of both countries, despite popular opposition and anti-union riots in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and elsewhere. Great Britain itself subsequently entered into a political union with Ireland on 1 January 1801 to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. [myad]
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has laughed off the adoption of the incumbent Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the sole Presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party for the 2015 election. Atiku blamed PDP for being so cheap by not subjecting President Jonathan to a contest for the ticket. Speaking in a Channels Television programme in Abuja today, Atiku Abubakar insisted that President Jonathan does not stand a chance against the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next year’s polls. According to him, it is now clear that Nigerians have been given ample opportunity to make a choice of which party to vote for in the election.
According to Atiku, some governors under the ruling PDP would join the APC in protest over the decision to make President Jonathan the sole presidential candidate of the party.
The former Vice President is expected to publicly declare to contest the 2015 Presidential election under the opposition APC on September 24. [myad]
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has announced the capture of a Boko Haram leader whose name was not immediately disclosed, and other suspected members of the sect in the neighbouring Niger Republic. The Army said that all the captured suspects are presently undergoing interrogation in an unnamed military facility. According to a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier-General. Chris Olukolade today, the breakthrough was recorded through intelligence gathering. He said the intention of the sect leader and those arrested was to rearm from Niger Republic and launch deadly attacks on Nigerian communities. The statement said: “The plan by a band of terrorists who relocated to Niger Republic to remobilize and rearm insurgents with the aim of carrying out fresh terrorists attacks on some Nigerian communities has been foiled. “The leader of the group who had fled Nigeria when the terrorist camps were sacked was reportedly recruiting fresh hands and training them for renewed terrorist activities in Nigeria. “The intention of the group is to focus its attacks on some towns around the Nigeria-Niger Republic border.” “Intelligence operatives of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) had been on the trail of the leader until he was eventually arrested in Karanga, Niger Republic on Saturday with the cooperation of Nigerien forces. “His other accomplices were later picked up in other villages in Nigeria. They are currently being interrogated. A source, who spoke in confidence, added: “Investigation revealed that following their dislodgement from their camps in Nigeria, the Boko Haram leader relocated to Niger Republic with his cell members. “While in Niger Republic, they tried to regroup and recruit more hands to be able to attack Nigerian communities. When we got intelligence report, we contacted our Nigerien counterpart. The Boko Haram suspects were trailed and their leader was captured. “We succeeded in arresting other members of the cell and they were brought down to Nigeria from Niger.”
The National Chairman of the opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Kenneth Odigie Oyegun has been named as one of the over 300 distinguished Nigerians and friends of Nigeria that President Goodluck Jonathan would confer this year’s National Honour Awards. Also to be conferred with various categories of awards, according to the Presidency, are the Chief Judge of Kogi state, Justice Nasiru A. Ajanah, ministers of information, Labaran Maku, education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau; ace Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde and the Gomo of Kuje, first class traditional ruler in the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Tanko Haruna Jibril. Others are the ministers of women affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, that of power, Professor Chinedu Nebo; minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochepe, and acting Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba among others. The awards, to be conferred at the International Conference Centre in Abuja on September 29, were approved by the President recently. A statement from the office Of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, also contained the names of some of the nation’s footballers and athletes as well as traditional rulers, judges, civil servants and others. The list of the over 300 award recipients goes thus: In the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) Category are 1. AIR MARSHAL ALEX SABUNDU BADEH CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF 2. MAJ. GEN. KENNETH MINIMAH CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF REAR ADMIRAL USMAN JIBRIN CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF
3. AIR VICE MARSHAL ADESOLA AMOSU CHIEF OF AIR STAFF
4. ALHAJI SULAIMAN ABBA ACTING INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE 5. HON. JUSTICE BOLARINWA O. BABALAKIN FMR. SUPREME COURT, JUDGE
6. HON. JUSTICE ABUBAKAR BASHIR WALI JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT, (RTD)
7. HON. JUSTICE IBRAHIM TANKO MUHAMMAD JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
8. HON. JUSTICE CHRISTOPHER M. CHUKWUMA – ENEH JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
9. HON. JUSTICE MUHAMMAD S. MUNTAKA COOMASSIE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
10. HON. JUSTICE JOHN AFOLABI FABIYI JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
11. HON. JUSTICE OLUFUNLOLA OYELOLA ADEKEYE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
12. MOHAMMED SAMBO DASUKI NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
13. BUKAR GONI AJI FORMER HEAD OF SERVICE OF THE FEDERATION
14. MR. DANLADI I. KIFASI, OON, MNI HEAD OF SERVICE OF THE FEDERATION
15. AMB. AYO OKE DIRECTOR-GENERAL, NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
16. HRM OBA DR. VICTOR ADEMEFUN A. KILADEJO TRADITIONAL RULER
17. CHIEF PHILIP C. ASIODU OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANT
18. BRIG. GEN. JONES O. AROGBOFA (RTD) CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE PRESIDENT
19. HRH ALAYELUWA OBA (DR.) JIMOH OYEWUMI A. TRADITIONAL RULER
20. CHIEF KOLAWOLE BABALOLA JAMODU, OFR FORMER MINISTER/ PRESIDENT OF M.A.N.
21. CHIEF OLUDOLAPO IBUKUN AKINKUGBE ENTREPRENEUR
22. CHIEF (DR.) EMMANUEL C. IWUANYNWU BUSINESS MAN [su_spoiler title=”View More” icon=”plus-square-1″] 23. JIMOH IBRAHIM FOLORUNSHO, OFR ENTREPRENEUR IN THE CATEGORY OF THE COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF NIGER (CON) ARE 24. ALHAJI IBRAHIM ADEJOH IDRIS FORMER GOVERNOR
25. HON. JUSTICE OLATOKUNBO ODUYINKA OLOPADE CHIEF JUDGE, OGUN STATE
26. HON. JUSTICE ALOY NWEKE NWANKO CHIEF JUDGE, EBONYI STATE
176- DR. ABDULLAHI Y. SHEHU DG. INT. GOVT. ACTION AGAINST MONEY LAUNDRING IN WEST AFRICA
177- AMB. BINA CITIP SELCHUM DIPLOMAT
178- AMB. ESTHER AUDU (MRS) NIGERIA’S HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE GAMBIA
179- MANU GARBA (MFR) CHIEF COACH, UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
180- MRS. BEATRICE E. JEDY-AGBA EXECUTIVE SECRETARY NAPTIP
181- OBONG MICHAEL A. AFANGIDEH ENTREPRENEUR/ POLITICIAN
182- HIS EMINENCE IME A. UMOETTE RELIGIOUS LEADER
183- HRM OFFONG (ENG) EFFIONG ROBIN ASABI TRADITIONAL RULER
184- ALHAJI MUHAMMADU NADADA UMAR FORMER DIRECTOR-GENERAL SMEDAN
185- ALHAJI GIMBA YA’U KUMO MANAGING DIRECTOR, FEDERAL MORTGAGE BANK OF NIGERIA
186- BOMA OZOBIA, LLM FORMER PRESIDENT COMMONWEALTH LAWYERS ASSOCIATION
187- PROF. SHEHU ARABU RISKWA FORMER VC, USMAN DANFADIO UNIVERSITY, SOKOTO
188- DR. (CHIEF) DAVID OGBA ONUOHA ENTREPRENEUR
189- IBRAHIM MOHAMMED MERA PUBLIC SERVANT/DCG CUSTOMS
190- PETER DEDEVBO COACH UNDER 20 NATIONAL FEMALE FOOTBALL TEAM
191- DR. AKILU NDABAWA SECRETARY PRESIDENTIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL CONFERENCE
192- PROF. ABDU IGANIYU AMBALI VC UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN
193- IDRIS ABIODUN JAWANDO RETIRED DIRECTOR ENGINEERING CIVIL AND SANITARY INFRASTRUCTURE
194- STELLA UGBOMA PROMINENT LAWYER, FMR. PRESIDENT OF FIDA FOR THE MEMBER OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC (MFR) CATEGORY 195- MRS. KATHERINE PHILIP ADAMU CHIEF CATERING OFFICER, STATE HOUSE
196- HAMALAI JUMMAI GWALEM HOUSE KEEPER, PRESIDENTIAL WING, NNAMDI AZIKIWE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
197- MR. FELIX IKUMAPAYI, FDC DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF STATE SERVICE (DSS)
198- OLALEKAN ODUGBEMI, FDC DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF STATE SERVICE (DSS)
199- HON. FARUK MALAMI YABO HON. COMMISSIONER IN SOKOTO STATE
200- HON. GABRIEL HAMADAMA HON. COMMISSIONER, IN ADAMAWA STATE
201- ELDER (DR,) MRS. HANNAH ODEPO-YAMA RETIRED SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
202- MR. KNUT ULVMOEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DANGOTE GROUP
251- HASSAN MUHAMMAD LIMAN ESQ, SAN LEGAL PRACTITIONER
252- CHIEF (DR.) SYLVANUS O. EBIGWEI MEDICAL DOCTOR
253- SALIHU SINTALMA ABUBAKAR PUBLIC SERVANT
254- ALIYU OMAR CIVIL SERVANT
255- HRM. OBA JACOB OLUFEMI OMOLADE JP TRADITIONAL RULER
256- HRH. EZEKWO SAMUEL CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT
257- ONUH ISAAC MICHAEL HEAD, PRESIDENTIAL STEWARDS
258- ADO AHMAD G. DABINO PUBLIC SERVANT
259- CPL. SOLOMON DAUDA TRAFFIC WARDEN
260- MRS..MAIRO I. LONDON EDUCATIONIST
261- ODO CLAIRE KALANGO ADMINISTRATOR
262- DR. NATHANIEL CHIDI NWANERI ACCOMPLISHED TEACHER
263- OBA MICHAEL ADESINA TRADITIONAL RULER
264- ALH. SHITU MUHAMMED BUSINESS MAN
265- YUSUF KUNLE POLITICIAN/YOUTH MOBILIZER
266- EGBAIYELO TEMITAYO TEAM SECRETARY, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
267- AYODEJI OLARINOYE TEAM DOCTOR, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
268- GABRIEL OYENUGA TEAM PHYSIOTHERAPIST, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
269- MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN TEAM MEDIA OFFICER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
270- SULEIMAN ABUBAKAR TEAM COORDINATOR, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
271- MOHAMMED KAFA EQUIPMENT MANAGER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
272- MUSA MUHAMMED PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
273- SUNDAY ALAMPASU PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
274- ABDULAZEEZ ABUBAKAR PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
275- UZOHO ODINAKA PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
276- ZAHARADEEN BELLO PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
277- ALIU ABUBAKAR PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
278- OBASI CHIGOZIE PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
279- MUSA YAHAYA PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
280- SAMUEL GODWIN OKON PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
281- CHIDIEBERE NWAKALI PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
282- AKINJIDE IDOWU PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
283- SALIHU A. BABA PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
284- GODWIN SAVIOUR PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
285- ALFA ABDULLAHI PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
286- MAKANJUOLA HABEEB PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
287- CHIDERA EZEH PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
288- SUCCESS ISAAC PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
289- KELECHI IHEANACHO PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
290- AWONIYI TAIWO PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
291- DENNIS OKON NYA PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
292- JAPHET RAYMOND PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
293- PROF. ALASHILE ABIMIKU EDUCATIONIST
294- ASISAT OSHOALA HIGHEST GOAL SCORER, 2014 UNDER 20 FIFA FEMALE FOOTBALL COMPETITION
295- AMINAT ADENIYI GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
296- ABDULAZEEZ IBRAHIM GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
297- ESE BRUME GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
298- LOVELINE OBIJI GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
299- MARYAM USMAN GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
300- ODUAYO ADEKUOROYE GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
301- OLUWATOYIN ADESANMI GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
302- PAUL KEHINDE GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
303- ADEKOYA JAMIU POLICE INSPECTOR FRM I SGT. JAFARU WADZANI POLICE OFFICER FRM II
[/su_spoiler] The statement said that all the award recipients are entitled to come with two guests only even as it announced that there would be shuttle bus services for all the awardees, adding that attendance is strictly by invitation. The statement said that accreditation of all the award recipients and the media will be done on Friday, to Sunday 26th/28th September at at Agura Hotel Abuja, beginning 8.00 am to 8.00 pm. daily.
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A young man, currently serving in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mr. Ezemagu Sunday Nnamdi has sent a donation of N10,000 as his contribution to the campaign purse of President Goodluck Jonathan as he begins to seek for his re-election for a second-term in office, come 2015.
Amnesty International has exposed what it called toture chamber across Nigeria where police and military routinely torture women, men, and children – some as young as 12 – using a wide range of methods including beatings, shootings and rape, even as the Nigeria Police authorities have dismissed the allegation as untrue.
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has laughed off the adoption of the incumbent Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the sole Presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party for the 2015 election.
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has announced the capture of a Boko Haram leader whose name was not immediately disclosed, and other suspected members of the sect in the neighbouring Niger Republic. The Army said that all the captured suspects are presently undergoing interrogation in an unnamed military facility.
