Jonathan, perception and the war against corruption

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Read Time:13 Minute, 39 Second

THE general perception amongst Nigerians, wrongly or rightly is that President Goodluck Jonathan’s government is not fighting corruption with adequate vigor. As worrisome as such negative perception amongst Nigerians is, re -echoing such sordid views on corruption in Nigeria by foreign media organs amounts to double jeopardy not only for President Jonathan and the ruling political party,the PDP but for Nigerian economy and society as well.

Take for instance the article in LA Times of California, USA partly reproduced below “Regarding Nigeria, Washington continues to pledge counter terrorism support, without a public word to Jonathan about missing billions, even though the collapse of U.S.demand for oil puts American officials in a good position to exert leverage. Jonathan’s finance minister gets a regular Washington platform to paint rosy pictures of her country’s economy. The oil minister has not been sanctioned despite those gaps in the revenue she is supposed to be depositing in government coffers. And dodgy Nigerian banks retain correspondent relationships with U.S counterparts.”

In the manner of a gifted pugilist determined to knock out an opponent,the writer struck a final lethal blow by concluding, a highly opinionated piece on Nigeria in a most cruel and cold manner with the following sentences: “lt’s up to Nigerians to decide this month what kind of leadership they want for their country. But if American officials truly mean to address the root causes of terrorism – as both President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have proclaimed – a good place to start would be with corruption.”

With such scathing remarks in the blistering article titled ‘Nigeria’s In-Your-Face Corruption Maybe Fueling Boko Haram Terrorism’ written by Sarah Chayes, a senior associate at Carnegie Endowment, no one should be left in doubt as to whether or not election 2015 is about President Goodluck Jonathan and the odious corruption perception in Nigeria.

Evidently, the ruling party’s effort to make proven accomplishments, capacity and ability to deliver dividends of democracy in terms infrastructure as reflected in the Transformation agenda of President Jonathan, the cardinal issues driving the presidential campaign has fallen flat as the main opposition party, APC has succeeded in framing corruption and to some extent terrorism as the reference point and template for deciding who should be voted for in the March 28 polls.

What is accountable for the foregoing conclusion is that APC has been literarily ‘roasting’ Jonathan on his alleged poor anti-corruption score card in the court of public opinion, particularly in the social media and by so doing, they have made their candidate, Muhamadu Buhari, the preferred choice for president. Reinforcing APC’s position are allegations by former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governors Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Chukwuma Soludo that trillions of naira had been mismanaged by Jonathan’s government, thus providing munitions for taking pot shots at Nigeria by the foreign publications.

Maximum damage

Interestingly, it was when APC’s initial tag on President Goodluck Jonathan as ‘clueless’ failed to inflict the maximum damage required to make him unre-electable, owing to the remarkable progress made in the past six years in terms of delivering infrastructure, that the opposition rejigged its strategy to focus on corruption and insurgency which are perceived shortcomings of Jonathan’s administration that resonates with and rile Nigerian hoi poloi who consider themselves the worst victims of corruption and terrorism.

Jaundiced views and propaganda: Latching onto such jaundiced views of Jonathan’s government by the savvy APC propaganda machine, the globally influential Economist magazine in a recent editorial described President Jonathan as ‘utter failure’ while tapping Buhari as the ‘better alternative’ even if he has ‘blood’ in his hands.

Thankfully,the highly rated Financial Times, FT, in her analysis has not been reliant on second hand information gathered from Nigerian media sphere which APC has completely polluted with ‘most corrupt’ government mantra against President Jonathan. Rather FT was less uncharitable by concluding that Buhari’s supporters stick with him without altruistic justification just as Jonathan’s supporters also lack justification for their unconditional support. In my view, FT’s analysis is a fair comment as none of the supporters on both sides of the divide seem to be basing their choice on universal good governance principles but on ethnic emotions, religious sentiments and vested interests.

The question now is how can Jonathan’s government wean itself of this unenviable reputation of corruption? One clear reason for the current sorry state of affairs is that Jonathan is yet to publicly declare a road map or blue print for a war against corruption.

Road map on corruption

After six years on the saddle, why is there no Federal Government road map on corruption like the road map on electricity power and automotive policy amongst others which have been well packaged, widely known to most Nigerians and are currently being implemented? The unsavory situation is further exacerbated by some goofs and gaffes that have been attributed to President Jonathan especially in the course of his campaign reinforcing the perception that the current government is feeble in its stance against corruption.

There are a few of such instances in the media space but a couple of examples would suffice: In refuting the allegation of not fighting corruption (Washington Consensus style) like his predecessors who paraded culprits before the media for public assassination before clamping them in prison, Jonathan reportedly asserted that petty stealing is not corruption which engendered a lot of public opprobrium towards him. Of course, the opposition choose to misunderstand him and capitalised on the ambiguity to disparage him for condoning corruption. During his campaign stumping in Enugu, he was alleged to have also told his supporters that their hero, the late Jim Nwobodo was jailed by his opponent, Muhamadu Buhari, for 200 years for allegedly stealing a sum of money not up to the price of a Volkswagen beetle car.

Although the remark resonated amongst the people of the South east who regard Nwobodo as their hero, it equally attracted sneers from the opposition who interpreted it as a reaffirmation of his complicity in the growing corruption perception in Nigeria. Another alleged remark by Mr. President is on the increased numbers of private jets (PJs) in Nigeria, now in excess of one hundred and fifty (150) which he said is reflective of the growth and expansion of Nigerian economy under his watch as opposed to the notion that it is emblematic of the high level of corruption in Nigeria.

Subject of discussion

With local content bill introduced by him in 2010 enabling Nigerians retain 30% of oil industry generated income locally,there could be justification for more Nigerians being jet set(a subject of discussion in another article) but the average Nigerian does not share such opinion.These and related ambiguities by other senior officials of this administration might have consolidated the belief in some quarters that Jonathan is acquiescing with rogues.

In this season of political anomie whereby office contenders are striving to present themselves as angels and their opponents as demagogues, any unqualified statements such as the aforementioned ones credited to President Jonathan are bound to be twisted to exert maximum damage to his image and personality which is why Mr. President and his handlers should have ensured that all his statements are qualified, unambiguous and put in proper context. As it now stands,by not developing a road map against corruption and not observing the simple rules of public speaking, Mr. President has inadvertently set himself and his government up for the negative labeling as the most corrupt government in Nigeria.

Such an ugly perception is palpable to the extent that former military president, General lbrahim Badamasi Babangida, IBB, whose regime had held the unenviable record of being the most corrupt for nearly thirty years, stated that the level of kleptomania in government today, makes officials under his watch look like saints. Even Justice Mustapha Akanbi, former ICPC chairman and judiciary icon stated in a recent media interview that the fact that governors and other top government officials are no longer being arrested, arraigned and jailed like in the past indicates that the present government is not fighting corruption.

Although, it is rather late as election date is barely a few weeks away, there are some remedial measures that can be taken to avoid or defray the associated ruin from misquote or misinterpretation of comments by Mr. President that makes him look like he is in cohort with looters of our patrimony. First thing to do is to simply, strategically package and disseminate President Jonathan’s anti corruption blue print or if you like,road map before it is too late.

Remedial measures

The role of planning in all aspects of life can not be overemphasized hence it is necessary to refer us to the popular maxim ‘what is not planned can not be measured’. Put succinctly, if President Jonathan does not make Nigerians aware of his anti corruption strategy, how would the public measure his accomplishments in that respect?

Whereas, it has been whispered that Mr. President has a plan against corruption, most Nigerians are unaware hence members of opposition parties refer to our President Jonathan’s government as most corrupt and such negative appellations stick because there is no existing blue print in the public arena to prove otherwise.

For a government that is embarking on a paradigm shift with respect to how it conducts its anti corruption crusade with emphasis on prevention, which they say, is better than cure, the new concept should have been articulated and sold to the stakeholders long ago so that they can key into it.

Similar wisdom and effort underpinning the establishment of the national electricity power master plan resulting in the unbundling and privatization of PHCN and national automotive policy or road map for local assembly of vehicles in Nigeria amongst others which were articulated, widely publicized and are now being implemented, should have been applied by President Jonathan in pursuing his new anti corruption stance which is a major paradigm shift from the old school, naming-and-shaming of culprits approach of which Nigerians are accustomed. Why leave such a gap?

Until Mr. President revealed during the flag off of his campaign in TBS, Lagos most Nigerians had no idea that it was the efficacy of the new technology driven payroll system which is programmed to shut down if and when there is a threat or breach of the normal protocol that led to the delay in payment of December salary to some civil servants. This implies that the issue of corruption which is such a critical element that has acquired huge significance in governance and now the fulcrum of the current presidential campaign is being paid attention by President Jonathan but dissemination of the strategy is not given a pride of place hence the negative perception of his government as corrupt both locally and internationally.

Notorious pension funds

Arising from the above stated lapse, many Nigerians and foreigners were unaware that by deploying technology, billions of naira has been recovered from ghost workers hitherto on government pay roll (66,000 thereby saving about N140b) just as the notorious pension funds thieves have been reined in via the adoption of technology which has reduced interaction between man and revenue while increasing man to machine interaction. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has re-emphasized these points since Mr. President mentioned it at his inaugural campaign rally in Lagos, but the message needs to be systematically packaged like other programmes and initiatives of government.

Some cynics may scoff at such baby steps taken in checkmating ghost workers and reining in pension funds thieves as enunciated by Okonjo-Iweala, but as the saying goes “Rome was not built in a day” So modest steps, matter. Having ‘busted’ as it were, the oil subsidy scammers via the series of public probes resulting in the reduction of cost from N971 billion in 2014 budget to about N620 billion in the proposed 2015 budget, expectedly technology would also be applied in routing the increasingly brazen crude oil thieves. Remarkably, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke has recently in a media chat reported a drop in crude oil theft from an all time high of about 400,000 barrels a day to about 60,000. That too is a huge relief.

Already, the USA navy retired war ship,recently gifted to Nigerian navy for deployment in the Gulf of Guinea is helping combat piracy – oil theft inclusive – in the Niger Delta. Further more, Mr. President recently, also commissioned four newly acquired vessels for the navy to protect Nigeria’s territorial waters of which crude oil is a major component. In the coming days or months, the application of other technological devices such as cutting edge scanners to monitor pipelines and other critical oil/gas infrastructure from where the thieves siphon the products, would help stem crude oil theft that Sarah shayes copiously referenced in her odious article.

Although, a rather late release of the forensic audit report penultimate week by the accounting firm PriceWaterHouseCoopers on the alleged missing $20 billion in NNPC revealed that it was a mere fabrication of the author that such humongous amount was stolen, however, some royalties and signature bonuses were actually yet to be accounted for and oil minister, Alison-Madueke has ordered a refund of $1.48 billion which the auditing firm identified as unremitted to the public coffers. Nevertheless, public perception of President Jonathan’s government as epitome of corruption might have ebbed but not really wiped off, so a lot more needs to be done to correct the wrong impression by enlightening Nigerians on the new paradigm shift. In conclusion, President Jonathan at the rally earlier referenced, told the cheering crowd in Lagos that he does not subscribe to the concept of arresting his political enemies or perceived corrupt people and parading them under media klieg lights and thereafter clamping them in jail as his predecessors did to gain public accolades. Rather, he prefers to apply technology to prevent thieves from dipping their sticky fingers into our treasury.

Brick and mortar practice

Such new thinking is noble and a welcome development because having been applying the old brick and mortar practice of arresting and jailing corrupt politicians and civil servants since the days of late General Muritala Mohammed who via a coup d’état ousted General Yakubu Gowon as military head of state on corruption charges while convicting most of the military Governors, ministers and so called ‘super’ permanent secretaries, the malaise of public service corruption has not abated.

Even after several coup d’état were staged on same allegation of corruption from the period of General Olusegun Obasanjo who took over from Murtala Mohamed and handed over to Shehu Shagari as democratic president, who latter got toppled via another coup d’état by General Muhamadu Buhari in December 1983 on the same allegation of corruption. As such, it may be time to change the old approach to fighting corruption and try a new method. That may be the change Nigeria needs, not the change from Jonathan to Buhari which APC is orchestrating.

As a matter of urgency, President Jonathan must come to the realization that he owes Nigerian voters the duty of showcasing his anti corruption road map and while doing so explain to them how efficacious the new approach is;how much has been recovered through the much vaunted Ministry of Finance Integrated Payroll System and how the new approach would be deployed to stem the tide in other corruption ridden sectors such as oil/gas where it has assumed crisis dimension.

This would enable him stave off the current negative perception as the most corrupt government in Nigeria and salvage his badly savaged image which is sticking out like a sore thumb and a huge drag on his re-election bid.

Magnus Onyibe, a development strategist and futurologist sent this piece from Abuja.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Allow independent reportage of operations, #BringBackOurGirls tells military

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Read Time:2 Minute, 50 Second

ABUJA – The #BringBackOurGirls campaign group yesterday, commended the victories made so far in counter terrorism action against Boko Haram insurgents by the military in the Northeastern part of Nigeria.

In a statement issued in Abuja on the second week of its six weeks countdown to the war against terrorism and rescue of the Chibok school girls, said it is imperative for the Federal Government and the military to engage journalists as part of its contingents as done by other troops.

According to BBOG, ” Regrettably, the military has yet to take steps to respond to our call for third- party independently-verified accounts of the war.

“We do not wish that the efforts of our gallant troops be cast in any shadow of doubt by a disbelieving public because of previous disappointments. It is for this reason that we reiterate the importance of having journalists embedded among the ground troops to independently cover the counterinsurgency effort. Such practice is in fact a global standard by militaries prosecuting war in various countries.

” We have observed that this practice has been adopted by the Chadian military who have allowed independent reportage of their operations”.

The statement that was signed by Rotimi Olawale, continued, “For the avoidance of doubt we wish to reiterate as we already did in our first Report that our Movement fully supports and endorses the on-going operations of our military. We also commended their early efforts and the results so far accomplished. As a Citizens movement that has been advocating for the rescue our 219 ChibokGirls and other abducted victims of terrorism, we cannot but continue to press for more results as the operations continue.

“We shall continue to laud every evidence of success even as we stand by our Ground Troop in executing this war to eradicate terrorism from our land. We shall in doing so also continue to demand for accountability and better performance by our Government as it executes this constitutional responsibility of ensuring safety and security for all Nigerians and our land”.

They noted that, though some of their concerns have been addressed,

” In our maiden Report covering the period 14th to 20th February we requested that the reporting of the activities – successes and challenges- of the war be backed up with relevant evidence to enable Citizens fully grasp the progress being made.

Since our demand, we have seen signs that the military and the Federal Government did take some steps to address the thrust of our concerns. We have since been seeing a spate of images and audio visuals of activities in the battle front now available in the public domain.

For instance we and members of the public took delight in watching a video of aerial combat in which our Military was decimating a Boko Haram enclave. We applaud such public confidence boosting visuals and ask for more of such evidence.

The reason is simply that in times like this, such evidence based messages of victory at the battle-front enormously help to rekindle citizens’ trust of the counter insurgency operation considering that it has unfortunately been ridden with many suspicions and challenges”.

The group also lauded the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the battlefronts saying it was a morale booster for the troops who are making enormous sacrifice.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Lawyer Faults New Abortion Bill, Urges FG Not to Legalise It

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Read Time:1 Minute, 40 Second

 A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Sonnie Ekwowusi, has faulted the new abortion bill, which seeks to allow Nigerian girls and women unimpeded access to abortion.
Ekwowusi, in a statement, described the new abortion bill as a big setback to the empowerment of Nigerian women and urged the federal government not to succumb to the pressure being mounted by international agencies to get abortion legalised in the country especially at this election period.

According to him, what Nigerian women need to stay alive is authentic educational, economic, social, cultural and spiritual empowerment, not abortion empowerment.

He said abortion is not like food or essential medicine that every woman needs to consume in order to stay alive.

Public Hearing on the new abortion bill coined ‘Violence Against Persons Prohibition Bill’ (VAPP) comes up at the Senate today.

Ekwowusi explained that the import of the VAPP Bill is that abortion is a woman’s choice and that women are entitled to have access to all safe, effective means of controlling their family size, including abortion.

“A woman has a right to make decisions regarding her own body. Denying women access to abortion is a form of gender discrimination. Safe abortions services protect women’s right to health.

“IPAS, an international abortion lobby group, together with the DFID, UNFPA and others, has been mounting pressure on the Senate to pass the VAPP Bill so that President Goodluck Jonathan should assent to it before the new swearing in of a new president. The VAPP Bill has already passed through the House of Representatives,” he stated.

The lawyer recalled that Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, once passed an abortion law entitled, Imo State Law of Nigeria Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law No 12 about four years ago but was forced by the citizens of Imo State to get the Imo State House of Assembly to repeal it.
Ekwowusi said abortion is illegal, unconstitutional and the greatest violence against women in Nigeria.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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UN to Probe Legality of Insurance Levy on Federal Schools, Seeks Additional Information

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Read Time:4 Minute, 24 Second

Reprieve may have come for the parents of the 125,000 pupils in the 104 Federal Government Colleges as the Office of the Special Rapporteur on the right to education and Office of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons have confirmed to Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) that they are “studying and looking into the issues relating to the compulsory insurance levy of N5,000 per student imposed by the government.”

The Special Rapporteur on the right to education is also seeking “additional information on the scheme with reference if possible to other documents – which detail the requirements of the insurance scheme, along with any additional information you may have.”

The development was disclosed by SERAP Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, in a statement in Lagos on Sunday.

This followed an urgent appeal submitted by SERAP to Mr. Kishore Singh, Special Rapporteur on the right to education; Mr. Chaloka Beyani, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; Mr. Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights; Mr. Ben Emmerson, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism as well as Gordon Brown of the Office of the UN Special Envoy for Global Education.

According to Mumuni, “SERAP welcomes the urgent intervention and attention by  Kishore Singh and Professor Chaloka Beyani in this matter and looks forward to a positive resolution of the matter by them. We hope that the other mandates will follow suit. Now that the two UN mandates are engaged in the matter, the government of President Goodluck Jonathan is strongly advised to suspend the implementation of this draconian insurance policy pending the final determination of the matter by the special rapporteurs.”

“This is important if the government is not to prejudice the final outcome of the consideration of the matter by the two mandates. As a member of the United Nations, Nigeria has a binding legal obligation not to circumvent its rules or undermine the authority of its mechanisms or render them impotent. Nigeria in fact should not be seen to be making it harder for UN institutions to effectively discharge their mandates,” Mumuni also said.

It would be recalled that SERAP had on February 24, 2015 sent an urgent appeal to the four UN Special Rapporteurs and the Special Envoy on Global Education over the imposition of compulsory insurance scheme for students of the Federal Government Colleges.

In the appeal, the organisation asked the mandates to use their “good offices and positions to urgently request the Nigerian government to immediately and unconditionally withdraw the exploitative insurance scheme imposed on the students on the excuse of protection against attack and violence by Boko Haram.”

The organisation also said that it “Considers this insurance scheme to constitute an abusive practice and renouncement of the obligation by the government to provide education as a public good. The insurance scheme also falls within the prohibited grounds of discrimination and amounts to exploitation of the students and parents involved, and is a shocking attack on the fundamental right of access to education.”

“Rather than expanding public educational opportunities for all Nigerian children, especially children from poor families, the government is restricting them, and commercialising education. In its response to the Boko Haram, the government has not prioritised the right of children to quality education. Many Nigerian children are driven to Cameroon as refugees and made to recite Cameroon national anthem as a precondition for attending school,” the organisation also said.

“Imposing a mandatory insurance scheme on students and their parents will also not contribute to better security for the children. Inequalities in opportunities for education will be exacerbated if this insurance scheme is allowed to continue. The government is simply failing in its international human rights obligation to ensure the right to education in a safe and protected environment that is conducive for learning,” the organisation said.

“All children have a right to access school and be provided with quality education regardless of the circumstances under which they live.”

“SERAP is in possession of a circular to this effect which was sent to the schools. According to the circular, In view of the current security challenges in the country which has impacted seriously on the safety of our students and teachers in Federal Unity Colleges, the Ministry of Education has decided to engage the services of NICON Insurance Company to insure our students. To this end, an Insurance Premium of N5000 (Five Thousand Naira Only) is to be paid once in a year. Students are hereby expected to pay the above amount through the college upon resumption for third term.”

The organisation therefore asked the rapporteurs and special envoy to urgently ask the government to: immediately and unconditionally withdraw the mandatory insurance scheme for students in Federal Unity Colleges throughout the country and to return any premium that may have been paid; make every effort to ensure that school children are fully protected throughout Nigeria; and ensure that the Boko Haram and any other extremist groups do not restrict the ability of the Nigerian children to realise their human rights and pursue their dreams.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Company Demands N3.1bn from Celtel, CAC for Infringement on Trade Name

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Read Time:2 Minute, 17 Second

 Telecommunication giant Celtel Nigeria Limited and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) have been dragged to a Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of double registration and infringement of a trade name.

The plaintiff, Celtel International Limited, is demanding N3.1 billion as damages for the alleged infringement on its trade name and forgery. as well as the illegal registration of a company with a name similar to that of the plaintiff.

The plaintiff through its counsel, Uzezi Obeuwou is also asking for an order that the Attorney-General of the Federation commences action on any criminal act arising from the suit.

The plaintiff further sought an order restraining the 1st defendant (Celtel Nigeria Limited) from using a similar name Celtel Nigeria Limited or any other name that is likely to confuse or misrepresent the name of the plaintiff to the public.

The plaintiff stated that it was first in time to be incorporated as it was registered on the 25th of April, 1997 whilst Celtel Nigeria Limited was registered on October 27 2006.

He argued that as at the time it was registered there was no legally registered company in the name of Celtel Nigeria Limited and that the purported documents of the registration of Celtel Nigeria Limited are false, contrived and non-existent.

In a witness statement on oath deposed to by Chuks Ejiojor, the General Manager of the plaintiff, he averred that the 1st defendant passed of the plaintiff’s name Celtel International Limited when the 2nd defendant (CAC) went ahead to register it despite the 1st defendant’s discovery of two companies with the name: Celltel Nigeria Limited and Celtel International Limited after a search was conducted at the registry of the 2nd defendant.

He further averred: The plaintiff remains 1st in time to be incorporated as it was registered on April 25,1997, whilst Celtel Nigeria Limited was registered on October 27, 2006.

The form CO1 dated December 1,1995 was contrived as the letter from the acting Chief Registrar of the Customary Court of Appeal Abuja confirmed the 3rd of December was a Sunday and that the court does not do business on Sundays and that the name and signature on the form CO1 used in incorporating Celtel Nigeria Limited does not exist in their records.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) had earlier in a letter dated October 23, 2007 stated that from their records from November 18,1983 no payment was made in favour of Celltel Nigeria Limited and that no payment was made in favour of Celltel Nigeria Limited as at November 29,1993.

Hearing in the matter has been fixed for March 10 before Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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NIGERIA: Victims of Insurgency Get Lifeline in Borno

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Read Time:1 Minute, 49 Second

 Residents of Shehuri North community in Maiduguri, the Borno State who had their properties destroyed at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency have received a lifeline of N5 million from the state Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Baba Kaka Bashir Garbai.

Also donated to the residents of the area, which was once the stronghold of the Boko Haram insurgents before they were driven away from within Maiduguri, are 250 pieces of wrappers and other relief items by the commissioner who is a Kanuri prince.

During the donation of the gift at the weekend, Garbai said the gesture were his personal donation to assist in the re-settlement of the community.
He said he had noted that after months of relative peace in the community, many of the residents are still living in depravity and could not but come to their assistance.

In a similar development, persons who were displaced from Dikwa by insurgents who occupied the town before they were recently chased away by the military, were given 5,000 bags of rice by the chairman of Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State, Alhaji Mohammed Ali Gana
Gana, during the commencement ceremony of the distribution exercise in Maiduguri, said the 5,000 bags are for Dikwa displaced persons who are quartered in residential houses within Maiduguri metropolis and Jere Local Government Area.

“The displaced persons who have been registered and sheltered within the designated camps in Maiduguri have been provided with three square meals, while their counterparts outside there living in residences have become a burden to their hosts therefore they need to be assisted,” Gana said.

Speaking earlier, the Secretary of Dikwa Local Government Area, Alhaji Modu Shettima, announced that the council has already collected, printed and placed the names of the beneficiaries at Dikwa’s IDPs camp, urging those whose names have not been registered or omitted from the list to lay their complaints appropriately.

Alhaji Mamman Grema and Hajja Kellu, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed gratitude for the gesture, insisting that it was instructive that they are remembered by their leader despite their absence from the IDPs camps.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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CJN Advises Magistrates to Grant Bail under Liberal Terms

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Read Time:2 Minute, 56 Second

 The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),  Justice Mahmud Mohammed, has  called on magistrates to stop imposing stringent conditions for bail, which an accused who has no real hope of meeting them, thereby causing some suspects to continue to languish in prisons.

A statement signed by the Media Aide to the CJN Mr Ahuraka Yusuf Isah, said the CJN made the call when the National Executives of the Magistrates Association of Nigeria led by its acting national president, Chief Magistrate Victoria Isiguzo, paid him and 15 other justices of the Supreme Court a courtesy visit.

The CJN noted that a large number of persons were detained without charge, while others were detained pending further investigation, commonly known as “awaiting trial.”

Besides, a lot of other people are detained on first information reports which, upon examination, may operate as holding charge while the prosecutor seeks more evidence to back up their trial. In those situations the suspect, who is not proven guilty, is often incarcerated.

The CJN called on magistrates to stop indulging the police by admitting to bail a suspect whose case the police were not ready to prosecute.

He said: “A corollary to this is the imposition of such bail terms which an accused has no real hope of meeting.  I wish to use this medium to counsel magistrates to judiciously and carefully exercise their discretion to remand and consider alternatives to detention where possible, and to set reasonable bail terms as appropriate.”

Justice Mohammed however said that the judiciary was worried about the woes of the magistrates whom he likened to ‘’proverbial animals that are neither mammals nor birds’’; just as they were neither judges nor civil servants per se.
He said: “Magistrates perform judicial functions and they are bound by the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, but Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) does not recognise them as judicial officers.

‘’Consequently, we are including proposals to the National Assembly that the magistrates be formally considered as judicial officers as defined under Section 318 of the Constitution, given the undeniable relevance of our Magistracy to justice dispensation in the country.’’

Justice Mohammed also cautioned the magistrates to avoid being used by politicians to keep their rivals out of the circulation or to be used to intimidate opponents during this year’s election cycle.

“I must urge you to shun corruption and unnecessary affiliations with the political class or politically exposed persons who may not hesitate to turn you into instrument of intimidation or use you to remove his or her rivals from the circulation during this year’s election cycle,’’ he added.

The CJN and the justices also played host to the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Ekpo Nta and other top officials of the commission.

The CJN said that the commitment of the Judiciary to speedy dispensation of justice led to the introduction of Practice Directions in 2013 to fast track major crimes and corruption cases in addition to dedicating some judges/courts to hear and determine economic crimes and corruption matters.

He, however, advised the commission to avail itself of these rules and the designated courts so as to ensure that corruption and economic crimes cases were promptly determined.

He also advised the commission to strengthen its investigation and prosecution units and support charges with evidence for speedy trial of cases.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Strike: Judicial Workers Tackle Ondo Attorney General

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Read Time:1 Minute, 41 Second

 As the effects of the strike embarked upon by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) bite harder, the Ondo State branch of the union at the weekend tackled the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) over his comment on the industrial action.

The disagreement was sequel to a statement by the Attorney General that “little that are made within the Federation Account, the Ondo State Government has given to the judicial arm of government.”

However, JUSUN  Ondo State branch in a statement signed by the  chairman, Mr. Femi Ogunode said the statement portrayed as if judicial workers  in the state have no reason to continue with the strike because government has complied with the subject of the  strike.

JUSUN members nationwide embarked on strike over the failure of government to execute a judgment which directed that judiciary should be funded directly rather than piecemeal release of fund to the arm of government by the Ministry of Finance.

Ogunode said since the publication of the statement of the Ondo State Attorney General who is also the Chairman of the Body of Attorneys General to all the governors of the federation, the union had been inundated with requests for clarification and questions.

According to him, stakeholders had been asking them the rationale behind their refusal to call of their strike when government had released money to the judiciary.

The JUSUN chairman said the state branch of the union had no information to confirm the assertion of the state Attorney General.

“For the avoidance of doubt, JUSUN demand is in accordance with the recommendation of Mr. Eyitayo Jegede as the Chairman, Body of Attorneys General to all the governors of the federation that monies due to the judiciary be paid directly to them. We expect implementation of this recommendation from his state,” he said.

He said despite the perceived effects of the strike, implementation of the judgment remain sacrosanct before his members would resume work.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Ongoing War against Boko Haram a Success, Says Gummi

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Read Time:1 Minute, 11 Second

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Zamfara State, Alhaji Ahmed Bala Gummi, on Sunday said the ongoing war against Boko Haram  insurgents by the federal government was largely succeeding.

Speaking with journalists in Sokoto, Gummi stated that the way things were going on, coupled with the myriad of successes being recorded by the Nigerian security forces, the problem of insurgency would soon be history.

According to him,  Nigerians were  now fully comprehending the wisdom behind the calls by the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, for the postponement of the polls, due to security concerns.

“It has now been made abundantly clear that Dasuki had been vindicated and the call for the postponement of elections was done out of national interest and not for any selfish reasons.

‘’Nigerians should therefore continue to appreciate the concerns and efforts of the federal government to conduct free, fair and transparent polls,’’ he said.
Gummi emphasised that what the federal government required was the support and fervent prayers of Nigerians.

The former Permanent Secretary said  Nigerians owe it a duty to the nation and posterity to ensure that the forthcoming polls were successful and hitch-free.
‘’All of us as bonafide citizens of this great country and politicians must learn to live peacefully with one another irrespective of any religious, ethnic and political differences,” he added.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Buhari is a child still crawling at 72, has nothing to offer Nigeria” – Patience Jonathan

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patienece jonathan Click here for Nigeria's Largest Newspaper Directory The First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan has described APC presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari as a crawling baby who have nothing to offer Nigeria.

Mrs Jonathan stated this at the PDP women campaign, which took place at IBB square, Makurdi, Benue state. According to Mrs Jonathan, “a child that is still crawling at age 72 does not have anything new to offer the people of Nigeria.” The first lady described the APC as a sinking ship that would drown and remain under forever.

She also lambasted Buhari and the APC over plans to phase out the office of the First Lady. She appreciated the women of Benue State for their support and said that she has seen that Benue is for PDP. Also speaking at the rally, the state Governor, Gabriel Suswam, said President Goodluck Jonathan is a true democrat, adding that Nigeria “must be ruled by democrats.” Noting that the future of the nation is guaranteed under Jonathan, the state governor said: “Victory will be ours on 28 March 2015.”

He added that the nation is in need of leaders who can think straight; leaders the people can count on and whose word is bond.

 

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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