10 members of Boko Haram surrender to Nigerian troops

 

10 Boko Haram members surrendered to Nigerian troops yesterday September 21st 

at Kawuri in Borno state, a day after five members surrendered. Many weapons

 were recovered from the terrorists 

 

INEC to register more parties –Jega

The Independent National Electoral Commission will register more political parties before the 2015 

general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who disclosed this to The PUNCH  in Abuja on Friday, however 

said some parties might be deregistered.

He disclosed that there were eight   applications by groups seeking   registration as political parties.

“We will still register some parties. Currently, we have eight applications. Some will get it some will not.

 We may also deregister some parties if the occasion warrants before the 2015 elections,” Jega added

Jega, who did not dwell much on the issue, said by the   “provisions of the law,” the electoral body had 

the power to degister political parties.

Section 78(7) (i) and (ii) of the Electoral Act, 2010. states that , “The commission shall have power to 

de-register political parties on the following grounds:

“(i) breach of any of the requirements for registration; and

“(ii) for failure to win a seat in the National or State Assembly election.”

There are currently 26 political parties in the country. The commission had   on December 6, 2012 

deregistered 28.

But on July 29, 2013, Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court in Abuja voided the provisions 

of section 78(7)(ii) of the Electoral Act, 2010.

Jega however insisted on Friday that the law on deregistration of political parties remained as it was and that   INEC would continue to enforce its provisions.

“That is the law. Until it changes, we will continue to enforce the provisions of the law,” he said,

On the deadline for party registration, Jega said the law did not make provision for it . But he assured that 

INEC was trying to bridge the gap administratively.

Jega said, “We are going to handle that administratively. We may have to put the deadline on the eve 

of primary elections. Since an applicant will not be able to field candidates for the elections, what’s the point

 of registering such a party?”

But the National Secretary of the National Conscience Party, Ayodele Akele, faulted Jega, saying   

the threat by INEC to deregister some parties was unfair.

NCP, founded by the late jurist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), had lost a suit it filed before a Federal 

High Court in Lagos, challenging the power of the commission to deregister parties. The matter is currently

 at the Court of Appeal.

Akele argued that it amounted to contradiction when the commission deregistered political parties with 

one hand and registered additional parties.

He said, “INEC should be told that deregistration of political parties should not warrant its attention.

 There are enormous tasks ahead of the commission, such as the distribution of the permanent voter card,

 over-monetisation of election in the country and lack of level playing ground for all political parties. 

These are issues INEC should focus on.

“If INEC fails to address the issue of distribution of the PVC and continuous voter registration exercise 

which the commission is handling shoddily, a lot of people will be disenfranchised in 2015.”

He queried the basis for   the   deregistration of parties when some African countries such as Republic of

 Benin and South Africa as well as the United States had more political parties than Nigeria.

The NCP chairman said, “There are just 26 political parties in Nigeria. There are about 50 in the Republic 

of Benin, about 50 in South Africa and even in the US there are about 100 parties with only two prominent

 ones. Nobody talks of deregistration in those countries.

“Even when INEC was funding political parties under Prof. Maurice Iwu, no party was deregistered. 

Why is Jega interested in deregistering parties now that INEC no longer funds parties?”

Two political parties that were de-registered a few years ago by INEC had condemned the plan 

by the commission.

The Fresh Democratic Party and African Liberation Party in separate interviews with THE PUNCH said 

it would amount to impunity if INEC embarked on fresh deregistration of parties without obeying a court order.

The National Publicity Secretary of FDP, Mr. Ladi Ayodeji, said the commission lacked respect for the 

rule of law.

He said, “We were deregistered; we went to court and secured a victory. But they refused to obey the 

court verdict. INEC filed an appeal but they have not followed it through. As I speak, for the last one

 month, they haven’t got a date.

“They just filed that appeal to stall our party. If Jega is going ahead to deregister more parties,

 it then shows that the man has no respect for the rule of law.

“The reign of impunity under this government is really very embarrassing. Not even under the military 

did we experience this phenomenon whereby a government agency will ignore a court order completely. 

This reign of impunity is very bad and it just defines the character of this government. This is a government

 that chooses to obey the rule of law it wants. If that happens, you will be inviting anarchy.

“That is why we continue to see pockets of unrest in different parts of the country. They will

 reach an agreement with trade unions. they won’t implement it, they will sign agreement with teachers,

 they won’t implement it. The annoying thing is that they are even looking for four more years. The

 Peoples Democratic Party which   claims to obey the rule of law is trying to nominate the President 

(Dr. Goodluck Jonathan) without a congress. Where is adoption in the Constitution?”

Also,   the National Chairman of the African Liberation Party, Chief Emmanuel Okereke, said Jega 

had an ulterior motive.

He said, “Everybody knows that Jega has an ulterior motive because he knows that with many parties

 he won’t conduct a credible election in 2015. Jega has an ulterior motive which Nigerians are supposed 

to have known by now. Jega is the only electoral commission   chairman   in the world that aborted election.

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi visits Bola Tinubu in Lagos

Former CBN governor and Emir of Kano Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was at the Lagos home of the national leader of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu today Sunday September 21st. Above is a pic of Tinubu welcoming Sanusi to his residence at Bourdillon street in Ikoyi, alongside the Oba Of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akinlolu 

 See another pic after the cut...

Boko Haram: Shekau impersonator killed by Nigerian troops?

The Nigerian military may have recorded a major victory in the war against Boko Haram as the man suspected to be mimicking late Abubakar Shekau in recent videos from the sect, may have been killed during the September 17th battle in Konduga, Borno state.

A senior military source said "it is getting more certain that the terrorists' commander who has been mimicking Shekau in those videos is the one killed in Konduga on September 17."

Sources at the image making company of the Nigerian government, PR Nigeria, say the death of the man believed to be the leader of the group is responsible for the scattering of the sect members in different independent locations in neighboring countries.


Security sources did not deny the suspicion but cautioned that "the process of confirming that the dead body we have is the same as that character who has been posing as Shekau is ongoing. He is definitely a prominent terrorist commander. I don't want to say anything about this yet please."

Another high ranking military source said that the resemblance between the man killed and the one seen in recent videos posted by the sect group is quite striking, citing his facial marks, beards and teeth as some of the striking resemblance features.

Military officers say the Defence Headquarters will address the nation after a full investigation of their 

latest discovery has been done.

Meanwhile the Defense headquarters say five members of the sect group surrendered their arms 

to the Nigerian troops yesterday, pleading for mercy. They said some captured members of the sect

 group are helping with useful information regarding future planned attacks by the sect.

Source: PR Nigeria

Lagos State Schools to Re-Open on October 8th

Lagos (NAN) –  Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Sunday directed 

public primary and secondary schools in the state to start academic activities on 

October 8th.The schools had earlier been scheduled to open on September 22nd.

Fashola made the announcement at an interactive session with principals, vice 

principals, head teachers and teachers in public primary and secondary schools in Lagos.

He directed principals, vice principals, teachers to re-open schools on September 

22nd for the distribution and supply of preventive materials against the Ebola Virus 

Disease in all schools ahead of the new resumption date.

He said that the new date was to allow smooth distribution of all necessary materials 

to the schools.

“We will use from tomorrow (September 22nd) as getting ready week.

“My proposal is that tomorrow, the principals, the teachers and the district heads get 

to the schools and sort out what else is missing.

“We will use from tomorrow through the week, to get the schools ready. This week is 

getting ready week.

“Academic work I propose, instead of starting and stopping, should start immediately

 after the Sallah festival, on Oct. 8,” he said.

The governor said he was also scared of the disease just as the teachers were

 but was determined to overcome.

He said that medical personnel have declared the state safe of Ebola and, 

therefore, the schools were safe to commence normal academic activities.

“I am not afraid or ashamed to tell you that I was scared of the Ebola disease.

 I am not ashamed to say it but being afraid does not solve the problem.

“I have a job to do. If the fear overcomes me then I should leave the job, so I do 

not allow the fear to overcome me.

“The doctors have told us that the schools are safe to re-open, so let us go 

back to our schools and observe all the preventive measures.

“We have awarded contracts to provide water in about 800 schools, over 200 

have been completed.

“Whether there is Ebola or not we must provide water for the schools and make 

our schools safe for our children,” the governor said.

Fashola urged the schools to increase hand washing and personal hygiene exercise

 among the pupils and students to prevent the disease.

Segun Raheem, Lagos State Chairman, National Union of Teachers commended 

the state government for postponing the resumption date.

Raheem told newsmen, after the programme, that the governor’s decision 

was to ensure that the schools were ready to receive the students.

Earlier, he urged the state government to provide all necessary preventive equipment

 before the schools re-open.

He said that most schools in the state did not have potable water supply, 

while other preventive materials have not been provided ahead of September

 22nd resumption date.

The Special Adviser to the State Governor on Public Health, Yewande Adeshina 

said that thermoscans, a scientific instrument used to measure body temperature,

 have been distributed to 1,688 primary and secondary schools.

Adesina said that 1007 Ebola Focal Officers in public primary schools and 668 

Ebola Focal Officers in public secondary schools had been sensitised on the 

management of the disease.

She explained that the officers would be responsible for surveillance and monitoring 

of the disease in each school and interface between schools and Primary 

Healthcare Centres in the area if  needed.

She assured the principals and teachers that it was safe to re-open the schools.

Ibrahim Babangida Reportedly Hospitalized in Germany

Former head of state, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) has 

reportedly been hospitalized in Germany.

He was rushed to Germany from his residence in Minna, Niger State ten 

days ago, according to Sahara Reporters.

Sources allegedly say that Babangida is “severely ill,” and that his condition is as a 

result of a “chronic back ailment” which  he had previously had surgery for in Germany.

NFF Fire report reedy next week

Unless there is a sudden change of plan, the much expected report of the Federal Fire
 Service (FFS) on the fire incident that ravaged the accounts section and the office
 of the general secretary last month will be out this week.

A source at the NFF secretariat told Sports Vanguard that earlier last week;
most of the top management staff of the football house were at the office of the FFS in
 continuation of the investigation to unravel the real cause of the fire incident.

The source further explained that throughout last week, most of the junior and intermediate
staff also visited fire service office to make further explanations on all they knew of the development.

“Most people think that the fire incident has been swept under the carpet as usual but I want
to tell you that investigations have been ongoing and in fact throughout last week,
many people including the management, senior 

and even junior staff have been visiting the fire service and by the end of this week they will
 come out with their report” our source added.

The Operational Commander of the Federal Fire Service, Imeh Eyo, had informed journalists

 that the report would be made ready after a proper assessment an investigation of what might

 have led to the devastating fire incident which has left the once beautiful glasshouse as shadow 

of its old self.

“Professionally we must have to speak after a disaster like what happened at the NFF office 

but that must be after through investigations and I want to say that we have done a lot to in 

that regard and very soon the outcome would be made public”.

He however insisted that much would have been saved if his men were notified about the fire

 in good time regretting a situation where organizations always rely on self-help only to invite 

the experts after the matter had gone out of hands.

Many analysts have blamed the devastating nature of the NFF fire incident on outright neglect 

after a shocking discovery that all the fire extinguishers at the office had expired since two years ago.