Did Soyinka Just Liken The First Lady To A Hippopotamus? Nobel Laureate Warns Of Dire Consequences In Rivers Crisis

 

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has fired yet another coded message in the direction of the Presidency just as he warned of dire consequences for the country should the crisis in Rivers State be allowed to fester.

Professor Soyinka, in a statement stated that “even after the Rivers crisis has been resolved, this notorious proceeding will not be permitted to fester unchallenged.”

Painting a picture of what appears to be the root cause of the present no-love lost relationship between the Presidency and Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Professor Soyinka says, “Before the press conference held by Femi Falana and myself – that is, even before the Rivers Assembly fracas – I had been canvassed by opposing sides of the face-off, both via telephone and physically. One such visit, perhaps the most significant, was made by a Special Adviser in the presidency who outlined what can be regarded as the official rationale for the Governors’ Forum election debacle. In the process of this exchange, he did make certain complaints against Governor Rotimi Amaechi, including charges of a conflict of interests over certain resources.”

Why Appeal Court Freed Al-Mustapha; See The Details

The Court of Appeal, Lagos quashed the death sentence that Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos High Court handed Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan over the death of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. The appellate court said that the court below convicted the duo at all cost despite the prosecution’s failure to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Below is the judgment as delivered by the appellate court: DELIVERED BY RITA NOSAKHARE PEMU THE Appellant, in a 326 pages Judgment of the High Court of Justice, Lagos State in Charge No 10/37C/03 Coram Moji Dada J. was convicted for the offences of conspiracy to murder and murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. The Charge initially included Chief Superident of Police Mohammed Rabo Lawal, but he was discharged on a no-case submission made on behalf of the Defendants. FACTS OF THE CASE The case of the Prosecution is that the Appellant conspired with another to murder and allegedly did murder Alhaja Kudirat Abiola on June 4, 1996, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway opposite Cargo Vision, Ikeja Area of Lagos State. The Prosecution called four witnesses, namely: Dr. Ore Falomo (PW1), Barnabas Jabila, a.k.a. Sgt. Rogers (PW2), Mohammed Abdul a.k.a. Katako (PW3) and D.C. Yusuf (PW4), while the Appellant called two witnesses and testified himself. The facts leading to this appeal can aptly be put as follows. This trial started at the Lagos State High Court as ID/43C/99 in which the present Appellant with Mohammed Abacha, Rabo Lawal and one Mohammed Abdul were charged with conspiracy and murder. Mohammed Abacha was eventually discharged by the Supreme Court on July 11, 2002, on the ground of non culpability. The charge metamorphosed into the present Charge No ID/37C/2003.

Lawmaker Who Beat His Colleague To Stupor In Rivers State House Of Assembly Declared Wanted By Police

 

 
  The Rivers State Police command has declared majority leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, wanted over his role in the fracas that led to the injury of another lawmaker, Hon. Michael Chinda.

Information Nigeria learnt that the declaration follows Hon. Lloyd’s refusal to honour an invitation by the police in the state to explain his role in the fight that broke out in the state House of Assembly last week Tuesday.

In a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Angela Agabe, Hon. Lloyd, a pro-Amaechi lawmaker, is wanted for attempted murder and causing of grievous bodily harm to his colleague.

The statement reads in part: “The Rivers State police is in search of the majority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, an adult male, 37 years of age and 5.9ft tall, who hails from Emuoha L.G.A and speaks English and Igbo fluently for an attempted murder and in connection with the fracas that occurred in the Rivers State House of Assembly recently.

“Any member of the public, who knows his where about or any information about his where about is to contact the office of the state commissioner of police, Moscow road, Port Harcourt.”

Jonathan approves redeployment of 5 perm. secs

Abuja – President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday in Abuja approved the redeployment of some permanent secretaries in the federal service.

The information is contained in a statement signed by Mr Tope Ajakaiye, Director Communication, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

Those affected are Mr Danladi Kifasi, from Ministry of Finance to Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and Mrs. Fatima Bamidele from the Ministry of Health to Ministry of Finance.

Mr Sani Bala moves from the Federal Civil Service Commission to the Ministry of Health, while Mr Abdulkadir Musa moves from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to the Police Service Commission .

Others are Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (Service Policies & Strategies Office) to the Ministry of Information .

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Aji, who announced the deployment, also directed that the processes for handing and taking over should be completed on or before Wednesday, July 17. (NAN)

Fresh Cut: by Lynxxx

Lynxxx partners up with Banky W!

Sudan’s President Visit: Apologise To ICC – Oyebode Urges Nigeria

A professor of International Law, Akin Oyebode has asked the Federal Government of Nigeria to apologise to the international community for hosting rather than arresting Sudan’s President, Omar al-Bashir.

Mr Bashir was in Nigeria for an African Union-organised health summit due to end on Tuesday.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Mr Bashir in 2009, accusing him of committing genocide during the 10-year conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Some 2.7 million people have fled their homes since the conflict began in Darfur in 2003, and the UN says about 300,000 black Africans have died – mostly from disease.

Sudan’s government says the conflict has killed about 12,000 people and the number of dead has been exaggerated for political reasons.

Mr Oyebode said, “The embarrassing thing is that Nigeria touts the fact that it is the world’s largest black nation and so I thought the interest of black Africans should predominate. I have never believed that Nigeria would end up in this kind of situation; so messy and have made nonsense of the foreign policies enunciated from the time of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed.

The professor said the African Union could have cajoled Nigeria to take an unpopular stance towards Mr Bashir by endorsing its candidature for a non-permanent membership at the next election in September.

He said, “In the Interest of Africa, I think even the OAU stance was misdirected.

“I agree that there are so many people that could have been dragged before the ICC, for instance one George W Bush and also Tony Blair and so many others. But there are procedures for these things in terms of how to bring accused persons before the International Criminal Court.

Omowunmi Akinnifesi Speaks On Being ‘World’s Most Beautiful

Omowunmi Akinnifesi, former MBGN and M.Sc holder from Kings College London is the current cover girl of Y! magazine. We got her to share her reaction to being named the most beautiful woman in the whole wide world, life after the crown and her plans for the immediate future,

When Gwyneth Paltrow was named the most beautiful woman in the world by People magazine, her response was “It’s obviously not true.’’ What is your response to Y! magazine’s decision?

I would say it is a decision that is subjective. I think it’s about appreciating a woman who is probably well educated and beautiful at the same time. To an extent I happen to have both qualities and someone has to be given the title. I don’t think it’s true, I mean so many women are beautiful, the most beautiful are probably in some isolated places that no one has discovered so it’s kind of a tall task. But I am humbled and grateful to be considered but I don’t think it’s true.

What was your first reaction when you first saw it?

ASUP Call Off Their 81 Days Old Strike for One Month

student was very happy After 81 days of inactivity, polytechnic students across the country are expected to return to their classrooms as the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) suspends its strike today.


The ASUP Chairman, Dr. Chibuzor Asumogba, told Vanguard in a phone interview that the decision was made by the National Executive Committee of the Union as a result of the intervention of the Joint committee of the Senate and House of Representative on Education.

He said the union gave the government representatives one month to accede to their demands and release the white paper on the visitation panel to federal polytechnics.

The ASUP Chairman however, called on all lecturers to go back to work. “All lecturers are to resume work at their various institutions today”, He said.