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Account For Missing Funds Or Quit, Tinubu Tells Jonathan

National leader of the All Progressives Congress Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on Saturday took a swipe at the President Goodluck  Jonathan-led administration, urging it to account for the various missing funds or quit as president.
Tinubu,  who spoke at the sixth Bola Tinubu Colloquium in Lagos entitled “The Summit of the Common Man”,   described President Jonathan’s administration as shameless.
According to him, “rather than account for the alleged missing $20bn oil revenue, it kept giving frivolous excuses that tend to ridicule the country.
He said: “They are so shameless that the number of years they have ruled does not matter to them. Don’t change the subject matter. Account for the missing money or go. All the explanations they gave about the missing money are just explanations. They steal from pensioners. We must kick them out.”
The former Lagos State governor said the electorate would not continue to vote for a government that refused to give them electricity.
The Gagaban of Borgu Kingdom said, “The change is for you to vote and defend it. We must break the shackles of poverty. How can we continue to vote for a government that refused to give us petrol and which removed subsidy on petroleum products. Are we sadistic? Do we enjoy being punished?”
In his remarks, the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, called on the electorate to be mindful of those they elect to govern them.
He said, “I know that we have employed somebody for the top job in this country but when we asked him about his qualifications and experience, he said he had no shoes. You must decide whether you want someone who spends most of his time in church or mosque, or the man who is ready to spend his time on the job.”
Also speaking the, chairman of the event, The Most Reverend Ephraim Ademowo, said Asiwaju Tinubu  is an uncommon man: “He is a consummate and tested politician. A master strategist and a libertarian par excellence. He is kind to a fault.”
The ceremony attracted notable Nigerians such as APC interim chairman Chief Bisi Akande, former military head of state Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), Chief Segun Osoba, Prof. Pat Utomi, and the governors of Ogun, Osun and Ekiti states.

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Ibadan horror: Soka forest yet to be cleared

| credits: Olufemi Atoyebi

Nine days after the discovery of a forest at the Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo State, where scores of decomposing human bodies were found, the forest, which lies on the bank of Ogunpa river extension, the forest has yet to be cleared.

After the visit of the state Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, to the forest on Tuesday, he gave the directive that the forest shpuld be cleared, while buildings where eight people were rescued would be demolished.

But on Wednesday when the demolition began, a directive from the Oyo State Police Command put a halt to the exercise. The command said there was a need to do a forensic evaluation of evidence found at the site.

The state government agreed with the police, pointing out that continuation of the demolition would erase evidence sought by the police.

It added that the exercise would be completed on Friday.

However, the forest has yet to be cleared, while it is not clear if the forensic exercise has been carried out.

When contacted, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Ilobanefor, directed our correspondent to the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ndabawa, who in turn did not give a specific answer to our correspondent’s question.

“Don’t ask me that kind of question, we will do the test when it is time,” he said.

Meanwhile, residents around the Soka forest have called on the government to clear the land and put it to good use.

According to them, the discovery and existence of such forest in the community is a threat to them.

“The government should make good its promise by clearing the forest. It is not safe, especially after the discovery that it was used by suspected ritual killers,” said a Muslim cleric and a member of landlords’ association in the area, Saheed Muhideen.

Caretaker committee Chairman,Ibadan South East Local Government, Abass Najimdeen, appealed to the youths to stop attacking mad people.

The police had said 10 mentally deranged persons had been handed over to them by people who suspected that they feigned their mental condition with intent to perpetrate evil.

Source: PUNCH

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I’ve Forgiven Atiku, Others – Obasanjo

Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has said that he has forgiven his ex-vice-president Atiku Abubakar and other persons perceived to have offended him.
Abubakar who was vice president to Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007 was believed to have scuttled his boss’ attempt to get a third-term in office in 2006.
But while reacting to the request of the Northern Youth Leaders Forum at the end of a two-day meeting in Abeokuta yesterday, Obasanjo said as a leader and father, he did not harbour any ill-feelings against anyone.
He added that if there was anyone who felt otherwise, he had forgiven such a person.
“On the request that you made yesterday, I do not have any grudge against anybody. And if there is any, I have forgiven all as a father,” he said.
Obasanjo commended the group for coming to Abeokuta to seek a way forward for the country, stressing that “Since 2003, the effort of your group has been noteworthy. I’m happy that you have also increased in number. Let me appreciate all your support since 2003 and urge you to continue by ensuring that credible leaders are elected in 2015.”
The leader of the delegation and NYLF national chairman, Elliot Afiyo said “The leadership is in Abeokuta to visit our Baba to identify with his vision for our great country, Nigeria.
“We have come to you (Obasanjo) as a father, indeed, an elder statesman for sure, an advanced citizen par excellence, an honest and forthright leader, courageous and bold democrat, loving and compassionate.”
He noted that with such positive attributes, Obasanjo had no option than “to chastise and later forgive and embrace both the good and bad characters.
“In view of this, we humbly request that you forgive your former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for whatever political sin or offence he might have committed against you. We bow ourselves before you on his behalf and plead for mercy and understanding.”
The NYLF national chairman, however, added that their plea for Atiku “does not in any way stop you (Obasanjo) from charting any noble political course for the nation come 2015.”
The group also solicited the support of the former president in finding lasting solution to the incessant violence in the country, particularly the Boko Haram insurgence in the North East and the communal clashes in Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Taraba and Kogi states.
Afiyo stated that the Forum had unanimously decided to consult Obasanjo “as the oracle of a better Nigeria before taking any decision because of our numerical strength of over 12million registered members.”
He assured that the position of the group “will definitely shape the direction of any election as witnessed in 2003, 2007 and 2011.”

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Attempted Jail Break:How SSS Killed 21 Terrorists

Deputy Director, Public Relations, Department of State  Services, Ms. Marylyn Ogar

Security was  beefed up around the Presidential Villa and other parts of Abuja on Sunday morning as heavy shootings were recorded at the  headquarters of the State Security Service.

The SSS headquarters, known as Yellow House, is located behind the Villa.

The access gate to the Villa through the Fire Service office in Asokoro was quickly shut while more heavily armed soldiers were seen at the gate leading to the nation’s seat of power through the Federal Secretariat.

Military helicopters were also seen hovering over the area.

One of  our correspondents who attempted to access the SSS headquarters area through the Aso Drive was turned back alongside other motorists in front of the Millennium Park by armed SSS operatives.

The PUNCH learnt  from a source  that trouble started when one of the suspects in the SSS custody, believed  to be a Boko Haram  member,  overpowered an operative who was in his cell to deliver food to him.

The suspect was said to have shot the operative with a rifle and went ahead to release his co-suspects.

The source said, “An operative went to give food to a suspect this (Sunday) morning. The suspect was not properly chained, so he pushed down the operative and quickly dispossessed him of his rifle and shot him.

“He quickly released his co-inmates who started escaping with some scaling the fence.”

The incident led to a gun battle between the suspects and the SSS operatives.

It was  learnt that in the process, 21 suspects believed to be Boko Haram members,  were killed while about 20 were re-arrested.

Two rifles were recovered from them while two SSS operatives were also said to have been critically injured.

The     Deputy Director, Public Relations, Department of State Services,   Ms. Marylyn Ogar,   confirmed the shootings  but   did not give the  identities of  detainees who attempted the jailbreak.

Ogar   said in an electronic mail on Sunday  that a detainee  struck one of the operatives  handlers  on the back of his head with his handcuff.

She added  that the attempt by the detainee to escape  made other SSS operatives on guard to fire shots to prevent others from escaping from the facility.

According to her, the gunshots attracted the attention of the military, which according to her, had an understanding of mutual protection with the SSS in the event of any threat.

Ogar  said, “At 0715 hours, the service suspect handler went to the detention facility within the headquarters to give food to the suspects.

“One of the suspects attempted to disarm him by hitting him at the back of his head with his handcuff. His attempt to escape drew the attention of other guards at the facility who fired some shots to warn and deter others.

“The Army immediately deployed a team to reinforce our perimeter guards to forestall any external collaborators. The situation has since been brought under control.”

She explained    in another statement later on Sunday,   that the roads leading to the headquarters of the SSS were initially cordoned off to prevent  a possible assistance from “external collaborators.”

According to her, the entire neighbourhood was thoroughly searched after which the roads were open to the public.

The SSS spokesperson restated the determination of the service to continue to ensure the safety of Nigeria and its citizenry.

However, as of the time of filing this report, security operatives were still combing the thick bush that surrounds the Yellow House in search of the  fleeing suspects.

Ogar, in her third statement on Sunday, said 21 people died during the incident.

But she did not indicate whether the dead were inmates or not.

She  said, “Following our earlier releases, it has been established that 18 casualties were recorded, while two  service personnel sustained serious injuries. Three other detainees who sustained gunshot injuries during the incident have also died.”

The SSS spokesperson said that investigation was still ongoing to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the incident.

When the news of the incident spread, security was also quickly beefed up at the Nigeria Police Force headquarters in Area 11.

The NPF headquaters, known as Louis Edet House, is not too far from the Presidential Villa.

An Armoured Personnel Carrier was used to completely block a lane on the road leading to the Federal Secretariat with motorists driving one way.

In a bid to douse  speculations that the Presidential Villa was affected by the SSS headquarters’ shootings, the Presidency said President Goodluck Jonathan was “safe and well.”

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, made the clarification on his Twitter handle.

“What happened at the SSS HQs has nothing to do with the Villa. President Jonathan is safe and well. Thank you for your concern and support,” Abati wrote.

The presidential spokesman further explained that the incident at the SSS headquarters was an attempted ‘jailbreak’ that was foiled, adding that there was no cause for alarm.

“What happened at the SSS HQ this (Sunday) morning was an attempted jailbreak which has been effectively foiled. There is no cause for alarm,” he wrote.

Source:  PUNCH

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One dies as police, OPC clash in Lagos

Some riot policemen.

Members of the Oodua People’s Congress and policemen clashed at the Tolu Police Division, Ajegunle, Lagos State on Saturday evening.

One member of the OPC, identified as Dauda Apampa, lost his life, while a police corporal, identified simply as Emeka, sustained gunshot in the incident.

It was learnt that the fracas was caused by a disagreement over the release of an unidentified man from OPC’s custody.

It was learnt that prior to the fracas, the man at the centre of the disagreement had been arrested by OPC men on Friday for allegedly raping an 18-year-old girl.

The OPC Lagos State Governor, Wasiu Afolabi, told our correspondent on the telephone that after his men had arrested the alleged rapist, policemen forcefully released him from their custody.

He said, “A young lady, who sells amala, reported that she was raped by one guy and we arrested him. The guy’s mother ran down to the police station and policemen came shooting and released the guy from our custody.

“The following day, which was Saturday, three OPC men went to have a discussion with policemen at the station in a bid to settle the misunderstanding, but in the process, things went out of hand and Apampa was shot and killed.

“After the killing, I had a chat with the policemen at the station and they claimed that my men were the first to attack and that they (police) shot in self-defence. They said a corporal was also shot in the fracas.

“But when I went to the hospital to see the so-called officer, I discovered that the police were only trying to cover up their crime because the policeman in question only had a minor injury.”

The OPC boss urged the government to look into the excesses of policemen, especially those attached to Tolu Police Station, as they had become notorious for such.

“I have told my boys not to retaliate. OPC men are gallant and if they decide to retaliate, there will be too much blood,” he said.

A police source at the station, however, said they went to effect the release of the alleged rapist because they learnt that OPC men were torturing him.

The source said they were trying to avoid a repeat of the Ejigbo torture which led to the death of a woman last year.

He said, “The case was not rape. An 18-year-old mother and a man had sex on the promise that the man would pay her N7, 000. After sex, the man refused to pay. Two days later, the lady approached the guy and told him to pay up, but the guy beat her up and chased her away.

“The lady then reported the matter to OPC men and they marched down to arrest the man. They took the man to a location and tortured him for many hours. When policemen got wind of the situation, they stormed the place on Friday and rescued the man.

“The man was then taken to the station where he was given necessary documents to take to a nearby hospital for treatment, while the 18-year-old lady came to the station to write a statement.”

The police source stated that a day after the man was rescued, the disgruntled OPC men, wielding guns and charms, stormed the station and threatened to burn it down.

The police source said, “They came to our station and started shooting. They said the police had no right to seize a suspect from their custody.

“The OPC guys were feeling invincible because they had put on charms for metaphysical protection and they started shooting. They shot a corporal, Emeka, and when we saw that we had no choice, we fired back.

“In the process, one of the OPC boys was also shot. He died, but his corpse has been taken away by his colleagues.”

Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone, said investigations into the shooting had commenced.

Braide said the policeman, who fired the killer shot, had been arrested to allow for objective investigation.

She said, “The policemen said they were under attack and shot in self-defence. However, the policeman who fired the killer shot has been arrested. Also, the corporal, who was shot by the OPC men is recuperating at a hospital.

“Normalcy has since returned to the area and security has been beefed up to prevent a recurrence at the station.”

Meanwhile, our correspondent learnt that the slain 45-year-old OPC man had been buried.

Source: PUNCH

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HOUSE BOY NABBED FOR BEHEADING AN EX JUDGE

 By Iroroh Frank
Abeokuta, capital of Ogun state in western Nigeria has witnessed yet another horror: the beheading of a 65- year old retired magistrate, Mrs Olufunmilayo Timeyin by her domestic aide, simply identified as David.
The tragedy happened at the Laderin Housing Estate, Kobape Road, barely 48 hours after an insane police corporal killed seven people and subsequently committed suicide in the same Abeokuta.
A witness told journalists at the scene of the incident that it happened at about 4:00. p.m. in the deceased’s house.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Timeyin, who retired as a senior magistrate in the Ogun state judiciary, employed the domestic aide about two months ago.
David who hails from Benue, was said to have been sacked and arrested by the police after he allegedly stole jewellery, mobile phones and some electronic gadgets, from his boss.
He however, returned to the house Friday afternoon shortly after regaining freedom from police custody and jumped the fence.
He was alleged to have deactivated the security alarm system in the house and lurked in one corner, while an unsuspecting Timeyin returned from an outing.
The witness said Timeyin packed her blue Toyota Camry car– marked Lagos KIA 141 BU– outside the house, apparently planning to go out again.
The source said that the domestic aide attacked Timeyin with a machete immediately she opened her gate.
Timeyin’s son, identified as Olumide, who arrived the house with his mother, raised an alarm that a thief was inside his mother’s house.
But, by the time neighbours came round, the retired magistrate had been beheaded and his assailant and househelp had escaped into the bush.
The suspect was, however, arrested by residents of the area and handed over to the police.
The Chief Judge of Ogun state, Justice Olatokunbo Olopade, and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftain Affairs, Chief Muyiwa Oladipo, were part of important dignitaries who had visited the home of the deceased as at 8:00 p.m. on Friday.
Though the state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, could not be reached for comments, policemen from Kemta division of Abeokuta were at the scene as the body was being moved to the morgue at about an hour ago.

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We won’t probe Diezani –Presidency

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke

The Presidency has said that it will not probe the allegations of misappropriation of  public funds levelled against the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, told Saturday PUNCH on Friday, that the Federal Government would not set up a probe panel to investigate the minister because the House of Representatives was currently probing her.

Alison-Madueke was alleged to have spent N10bn on a chartered Challenger 850 aircraft in two years for which the House of Representatives is currently probing her.

Okupe said that the Federal Government could not institute a probe panel on matters that had not been substantiated.

Okupe, who spoke to one of our correspondents in a telephone interview in Abuja, on Friday, said since the House of Representatives had started investigating the matter, the right thing to do was to wait for the outcome of such a probe before any further step could be taken.

He said, “The Federal Government cannot set up a probe panel just on things that have not been substantiated as such. The information I have is that the House of Representatives is looking into the matter and they want to invite the honourable minister. Definitely, the right thing is to wait for the outcome of such an interaction before anybody can decide to do anything.”

Though the House of Representatives had assured Nigerians that it would investigate the allegations against the petroleum minister, it  is yet to start the probe one week after it  gave the promise. The House Committee on Public Accounts  was given three weeks to conduct the investigation and produce a report.

But as at Thursday, there was no formal action on the probe and no invitation had been sent out to any government official to appear before the committee.

This confirmed an earlier report by The PUNCH  that the probe committee, chaired by Mr. Solomon Olamilekan, had only held preliminary meetings on the probe, but had yet to swing into full action.

There were also indications that members of the committee had come under pressure to soft-pedal on the matter.  But the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Victor Ogene, said the investigation was being delayed because the committee had not yet received an official  notification  from the House to proceed with it.

He explained that the normal procedure was for the committee to get the gazetted copy of the resolution and wait to be notified officially by the Clerk of the House.

He had also implied that the allegation might not be substantiated at the end of the day  as he clarified that nobody had been found guilty. He said,” Nobody is guilty and we don’t have to be judgemental until the investigation is concluded.’’

However, criticisms have trailed the decision of the Presidency not to probe the petroleum minister.

Lagos lawyer and activist, Bamidele Aturu, told Saturday PUNCH in a telephone interview that he would have been shocked if the Presidency had said it would conduct a probe.

He said, “This government does not probe anyone in the first place. Anything goes under this government. Nigerians would have been surprised if the Presidency was willing to take the Allison-Madueke matter any further.

“It has become a stock in trade for the government not to probe any matter. Nobody should be shocked about the government’s stand.

“It is clear that there are sacred cows in this government when you consider what is happening at the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Financial Reporting Council; an organisation which nobody knew anything about and which had been inactive, was suddenly resuscitated to do all sorts of things against the sacked CBN Governor, Lamido Sanusi.”

Aturu said that calls for probe were the same as saying she was guilty. He, however, insisted that the Federal Government owed Nigerians the investigation to shed light on the issue.

Another lawyer and activist, Mr. Jiti Ogunye, described the development as “very unfortunate and unexpected of any responsible government.”

He said it was unfortunate that the Presidency which was smaller than the entire Federal Government of Nigeria had decided to conduct itself in a way that militated against the interest of Nigerians.

According to him, by the Federal Government’s pronouncement on the issue, it has permanently demobilised anti-corruption agencies and the Code of Conduct Bureau from taking action even when they receive petitions against the minister.

Ogunye said, “By giving this careless statement, the presidency has granted a ministerial immunity to the minister and combined that with impunity.

“The legislature is investigating but what this statement implies is that the House of Representatives could do whatever it likes but that the Federal Government would never take an action on whatever its findings will be since the legislature do not have the power of implementation.

“The Presidency is telling the legislature to its face that, just like it did with Arunma Oteh and other reports, even if Allison-Madueke is found culpable, nothing would happen. This is an invitation to anarchy because we can easily slip into a dictatorship this way.”

Also, the National Coordinator, Committee for Democracy and Rights of the People, Alhaji Amitolu Shittu, said President Goodluck Jonathan should simply resign as a result of this.

He said that the decision not to probe Allison-Madueke showed the level of corruption and waste by Jonathan’s government.

“Why should Allison-Madueke not be probed? Is it because she is helping the President to stash away money for his coming re-election? This is why the controversial letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo should be revisited,” Shittu said.

Founder, Justice Now Foundation, Alhaji Lawal, who also reacted to the issue in a telephone interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday, said the Presidency had come out in the open to encourage corruption.

He said the government should be courageous to conduct a probe since she has yet to be indicted.

 The President, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Debo Adesina, also stated that the presidency’s decision was a way of telling the  world that the President Jonathan condones corruption.

“It accentuates  the belief that there are sacred cows within the President’s cabinet. It seems to be confirming the belief among the public that the President has some people on whose ministry he is relying on to amass fund for his campaign,” he said. 

Source: PUNCH.

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National Conference: 50-member consensus group agree on voting procedure – Official

Chairman of the National Conference: Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Idris Kutigi …. Photo: Courtesy www.nigeriaa2z.com

The delegates have not agreed on what constitutes the voting majority.
The 50-member consensus group selected by the National Conference chairman, Idris Kutigi, to resolve the impasse on the number of delegates required to approve a decision at the confab, has reached a resolution.
The Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications at the CONFAB, Akpandem James said on Friday in Abuja that an agreement had been reached. He said the agreement would be tabled before the delegates on Monday for adoption.
Delegates disrupted proceedings on March 24 and 25 when they failed to reach a consensus on whether to adopt a two-third majority or three-quarter majority on any issue.
Read the full post and other National Conference stories here.

Source: PREMIUMTIMES

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Two lawyers found dead inside vehicle in Delta

The lawyers are believed to have been murdered.
The police command in Delta has commenced investigations into the death of two lawyers inside a vehicle at Ozoro, near Warri.
The Public Relations Officer of the command, Celestina Kalu, told reporters in Warri on Friday that it was too early to determine the cause of the death.
”Investigation is still on because they were found dead inside a vehicle,” he said.
Mr. Kalu said the bodies had been deposited in a hospital in Warri, adding that autopsy would be conducted to ascertain the cause of death.
A reliable source told journalists that the lawyers, Horis Dafiaghor and Samuel Ekuwangju, were found dead inside a vehicle.
The source alleged that the deceased were on their way to court for a high profile case when they were waylaid and killed by hired assassins.
It said that the deceased were both of Whytfort Jurisconsult Chambers of at No 81 Udu Road, Ovwian in the Udu Local Government Area of Delta.
However, the Warri Chapter of the NBA is holding a crucial meeting on the matter.
Some colleagues of the deceased described the duo as easy going and intelligent lawyers.
Oghenejabor Ikimi, the National Coordinator of the Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, described the incident as very unfortunate.
(NAN)

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Tinubu, Sheriff in near fisticuff at APC NEC meeting

Modu Sheriff (third from left) threatens to slap Bola Tinubu (right)

The recent meeting of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, almost turned violent following the threat by a former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff to beat up a national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu.
Mr. Sheriff exploded midway into the meeting, raining abuses on Mr. Tinubu and threatening to slap the former Lagos State governor.
But for the intervention of the some party leaders attending the meeting, including a former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari and a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the former Borno Governor, almost made real his threat, sources at the meeting told PREMIUM TIMES.
The APC NEC meeting, which was held at the party’s headquarters in the Wuse 2 District of Abuja, was convened last Monday to discuss some pressing issues in the party, including the impending inaugural ward, local government and state congresses as well as a national convention.
The membership of the party’s NEC includes all members of the National Working Committees, NWC, Board of Trustees, BoT, former presidents, vice presidents, governors and their deputies who are members of the party, and leaders of the party in the National Assembly.
Mr. Sheriff is a member of the organ in his capacity as a former governor and a leader of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, which last year merged with the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Congress for Progressives Change, CPC, and a section of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to form the APC.
He was the Chairman of the ANPP Board of Trustees until the merger. On his part, apart from being a former governor, Mr. Tinubu is a respected leading light of the country’s main opposition party.
At the end of the meeting, the APC NEC fixed May 24 for its first national convention. It also fixed April 5 for the ward congresses while the local government and state congresses will hold April 12 and 23 respectively.
Our sources said Messrs. Sheriff and Tinubu clashed when the meeting began discussions on the congresses and convention.
It was gathered that the during the discussion, the APC National Chairman, Bisi Akande, who was presiding over the meeting nominated himself and the National Secretary, Tijjani Tumsah to serve as chairman and secretary respectively of the National Convention Committee, NCC, which would also oversee the conduct of the congresses.
Angered by the suggestion, this newspaper was informed that the former Borno State Governor, who is popularly called SAS (Senator Ali Sheriff) or GAS (Governor Ali Sheriff) while in power between 2003 and 2007, grabbed the microphone and expressed his opposition to the choices.
Mr. Sheriff was also said to have made some remarks which suggested that he believed that APC was not yet mature as a party.
He was reportedly cautioned by Mr. Tinubu, who asked him not to speak about the party in a negative manner. The former Lagos State Governor also asked Mr. Sheriff to quit the APC and go elsewhere, if he was not comfortable with the party.
At this point, Mr. Sheriff, who was now holding firmly to the microphone, allegedly began to insult Mr. Tinubu, asking him if he owned the party.
“Who are you? Who do you think you are? Are you the owner of the party?” the former Borno governor reportedly inquired from Mr. Tinubu in a fit of anger.
All the leaders of the party present at the meeting reportedly watched with amazement as the 58-year old former Borno State governor reportedly rained abuses on Mr. Tinubu, 62, who on his part, kept his cool all through.
Out sources said Mr. Buhari saved the day when, sensing danger in allowing Mr. Sheriff to continue insulting Mr. Tinubu, intervened. The former head of state was said to have tongue-lashed Mr. Sheriff for losing his composure.
Attempts by PREMIUM TIMES to speak with Mr. Tinubu were not successful. His media aide, Sunday Dare could not also be reached as he did not respond to calls to his mobile telephone on Friday and Saturday.
Also, Mr. Sheriff could not be reached as he was said to have travelled out of the country on Friday morning.
A commissioner in his administration, who pleaded anonymity (saying he was not competent to speak for the former governor) said although he was not at the meeting where the two former governors exchanged verbal punches, he heard about it.
“I was not at the meeting, but I heard about it. I think it was just one of those disagreements among party members. Bola Tinubu was said to have made a remark, which didn’t go down well with Sheriff. But the matter has been resolved,” the former commissioner told PREMIUM TIMES.
No party official contacted was willing to speak on the matter. A senior member of the party, who said he was not competent to speak on behalf of the party, but who also confirmed the altercation between the two former governors to this newspaper, insisted he would not speak officially despite prodding by this reporter.
“I can’t speak on this matter. It will be against my principle and I may not be objective. Personally, I am not one to speak in a way that will portray my party in bad light,” the member said.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr. Sheriff’s action was a product of bottled-up anger over the refusal of the party to accord him a prominent place in the fold since the conclusion of the merger talks and eventual registration of the party.
The former Borno governor was said to have repeatedly position himself to play greater role given the positions he had occupied as a senator, governor and ANPP BoT chair.
Our source alleged that the former governor has always fingered Mr. Tinubu, for the “ill-treatment” and the former Lagos Governor’s remark presented a veritable opportunity to strike against him (Tinubu).
Mr. Sheriff, it was further learnt has always believed that Mr. Tinubu has not achieved politically than him as they were not only former senators, but also fellow two-time governors.
“All this is about ego. Ali Modu Sheriff believes that he was a governor just like Tinubu and both are former senators and so should not be treated in such manner,” the source told this newspaper.
Another source within the APC who is conversant with the workings of the opposition party, told this paper that Messrs. Tinubu and Buhari as well as some other key leaders are afraid that given him (Sheriff) a prominent role to play could backfire on the young party.
The source said Mr. Buhari had always been uncomfortable with Mr. Sheriff since their days in the defunct ANPP, where the former was presidential candidate twice (2003 and 2007.)
It was further gathered that some APC leaders suspect Mr. Sheriff to be a mole planted in the opposition party by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, perhaps due to his closeness to some senior members of the ruling party.
Besides, the role he is suspected to have played in the emergence and evolution of the extremist Boko Haram sect is  also a source of concern to some APC leaders.
The not-so-robust relationship between Mr. Sheriff and his successor, Kashim Shettima has reportedly not helped the ex-Borno Governor’s desire to play greater role in the APC.
However, in spite of all this, PREMIUM TIMES was told, some of the party’s leaders are not willing to let Mr. Sheriff turn his back on the APC as he still has some political value to bring to the merger. This, it was gathered, is majorly because of his popularity in the north eastern state of Borno.
One of our sources however argued that Mr. Tinubu has overreached himself by his disposition to some issues in the party, which, in his estimation, could affect the fortunes of the party.
“Tinubu forgets that the prefects he groomed are now principals in their own right,” the source volunteered. “Nobody will allow him to trade off this golden opportunity for the change Nigerians earnestly yearn for in 2015. He can be pardoned for what he did to Ribadu in 2011 presidential election, but not now.”
 Source: PREMIUM TIMES

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Gaddafi’s Son Apologises, Asks For Forgiveness

Saadi Gaddafi, detained son of late Libyan dictator Moamar Gaddafi, has apologised for what he called “my attempts to destabilise the country” and asked for forgiveness.

“I should have helped achieve renaissance in the country. I shouldn’t have carried out such deeds”, he said without elaborating in a video broadcast late on Thursday on Libya’s state television.
“I want Libya’s leaders, people, government and the Congress (parliament) to forgive me.”
Saadi, Gaddafi’s third son, was extradited earlier this month by Niger, where he sought refuge after armed uprising in 2011 against his father.
Saadi, 40, appeared in the footage in good health apparently to quash rumours that he had been tortured in prison.
He is due to go on trial next month for allegedly ordering the shooting of peaceful protesters during the uprising against his father.
Gaddafi, who ruled Libya for 42 years, was captured and killed in Oct. 2011.
(NAN)

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Jonathan Condoles With Family Of Late Delegate To National Confab

President Goodluck Jonathan has commiserated with the family of late Alhaji Hamma Misau, a late delegate to the on-going national conference.In a statement issued today in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, Jonathan also extended his condolences to the Bauchi State Government, and the Chairman and delegates to the National Conference.
Abati said the President urged all delegates to the conference to honour late Misau by rededicating themselves to work towards strengthening national unity, promote peace, security, political stability and faster development in the country.
He said that the President commiserated with members of the Association of Retired Police Officers on the passing away of Misau, who was one of their representatives at the conference.
“The President joins them in mourning Hamma Misau who patriotically served his nation, state and community throughout his 34 years of distinguished service in the Nigeria Police Force.
“Even in retirement, Alhaji Misau continued to be actively engaged with efforts to move the nation forward as shown by his participation at the National Conference.
“The President prays that Almighty Allah will receive Misau’s soul and grant him eternal rest in Paradise,’’ he said.
Misau died on Thursday and was laid to rest in his home state, Bauchi. (NAN)

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Nigerian police officer kills self, wife, five others over marital dispute

Police investigators arrived Sunkanmi Ogunbiyi’s house after the shooting

The Ogun police corporal shot and killed all his victims.
A police officer in Ogun State on Thursday shot and killed seven people including his wife, a two-year-old toddler, and himself, the police have confirmed.
Police Corporal Sunkanmi Ogunbiyi, attached to State Criminal Investigation Department of the Ogun State Police Command, went berserk on Thursday morning in Abeokuta.
The rampaging policeman was said to be having matrimonial problems with Oluwatosin, his wife, who is also a police corporal attached to Obantoko police station in Abeokuta, the Ogun capital.
According to neighbours, following a quarrel between the couple, Oluwatosin moved, alongside their two children, to the house of a neighbour, their landlady.
Witnesses said Mr. Ogunbiyi arrived the landlady’s residence at about 7:02 a.m. and immediately opened fire on his wife. He also shot and killed the landlady, a 2-year-old toddler, and three others. He did not shoot at his children, who were also in the house.
Three other tenants also sustained gunshot injuries during the incident which occurred at 67, Ifelodun Street, Akingbala area of Obantoko, Abeokuta. The injured were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, where they are now receiving treatment.
Some neighbours told PREMIUM TIMES that the police corporal had in the past warned the landlady not to harbour his wife and children whenever the couple had any misunderstanding.
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, later visited the scene to assess the situation.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement, confirmed the incident.
He said that Mr. Ogunbiyi and his wife had been having ‘domestic conflicts’ before Thursday’s killings.
“The Ogun State Police Command has deemed it necessary to react to the killing of six persons by a police Corporal Sunkanmi Ogunbiyi attached to the Ogun State Police Command,” the spokesperson said in the statement.
“The unfortunate incident occurred this morning Thursday 27th March, 2014 at 0758hrs when the said corporal, who had been having domestic conflicts with his wife, shot and killed six persons, with his rifle, including his wife, Woman Corporal Oluwatosin Faremi, the landlady in the house, a two-year-old baby girl and two males and one female, while another three persons sustained injuries and receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba, Abeokuta. The said corporal, having killed these persons, shot himself dead immediately.
“The Commissioner of Police Ogun State, CP Ikemefuna Okoye has described the incident as unfortunate; and has visited the scene with other senior police officers in the command to assess the situation and sympathize with the relations of the deceased and members of the Akingbala Ifelodun Estate, Eleweran Area, Abeokuta, where the incident took place,” he added.
Mr. Adejobi said “The Command has therefore commenced thorough forensic investigation into the killing and promised to make sure justice is done in the matter.”
“ The commissioner of police however appeals to the general public to perceive the incident as one of the unfortunate social mishaps and not to judge the police with the incident, as the police is committed to protection of lives and property and will not tolerate any act capable of trampling on fundamental human rights of the citizens of Ogun State.”

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Sanusi Sues Financial Reporting Council, Accuses It of Exceeding its Powers

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

The suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,  Lamido Sanusi, on Thursday sued the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, FRCN, accusing it of exceeding the limits of its statutory functions.
The embattled governor had earlier in the day shunned the Council’s invitation to appear before it to answer questions on the activities of the bank during his tenure between 2011 and 2012.
According to legal papers filed before a Federal High Court in Lagos by his counsel, Kola Awodein, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr. Sanusi said that by virtue of the provisions of Sections 7, 8, and 62 of the FRCN Act 2011, the Council lacked the statutory powers to investigate him and the CBN.
Mr. Sanusi accused the Council of acting ultra vires, by violating his  right to fair hearing and natural justice, as guaranteed in the constitution under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Under the Act, the FRCN is charged with the responsibility of, among other things, developing and publishing accounting and financial reporting standards to be observed in the preparation of financial statements of public entities in Nigeria.
Mr. Sanusi asked the court to summon Jim Obazee in his capacity as the Executive Secretary of the FRCN to appear before it within seven days to explain why he should not be accused of acting in bad faith in the Council’s probe of the CBN.
For denying him the opportunity to make representations to the Council before the formulation of the Briefing Note of June 7, 2013 submitted to the President, which formed the basis for his suspension from office, the governor said it was clear that the FRCN acted in bad faith.
Noting that the controversial Briefing Note, which recommended his immediate sack from office and criminal prosecution, Mr. Sanusi said the Council’s conduct defied valid legal contemplation of an independent, fair, objective and unbiased investigation of the CBN.
Consequently, the governor asked the court to declare that the Council exceeded the bounds of its statutory powers and functions spelt out in the FRCN Act 2011.
He therefore asked for a declaration that the conduct of the Council was biased, as it contravened the rules of natural justice, and in violation of the constitutional right to fair hearing, in the preparation of the Briefing Note submitted to the President without first granting him an opportunity to be heard.
Mr. Sanusi also asked the court to declare that the Council’s failure, refusal and neglect to accord him the right to fair hearing before preparing the Briefing Note that recommended his removal from office was not only capricious, arbitrary and without basis, but also a gross violation of the rules of natural justice and constitutional right to fair hearing.
While also asking the court to declare that the FRCN had no power to conduct the purported investigation into his activities and those of the CBN, Mr. Sanusi asked for an order to retrain the Council from continuing any investigation, inquiry, hearing or proceeding against him and the CBN.
In a supporting affidavit to the application, Mr. Sanusi drew attention of the court to several allegations of financial recklessness, fraud, incompetence, misconduct, wastefulness, abuse of due process, and misrepresentation of facts made against him by the FRCN.
He said that although he responded to the allegations in the Briefing Note through his letter of March 18, 2014, he was surprised that he was still being invited by the FRCN to appear before it for further investigations.
Despite not being called to clarify several allegations in the Briefing Note before forwarding same to the President, Mr. Sanusi said the Council made several scathing and offensive statements about his administration of the CBN.
Specifically, he noted the Council’s allegation that the CBN made a deposit of about N4.947 billion for shares in the Bank of Industry, BOI, since September 2007 without being concerned that the shares were not issued as at December 2012.
Besides, he also deplored allegations that the CBN paid the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting, NSPM Plc N38.233billion in 2011 for ‘printing of Bank Notes’ whereas the entire turnover of NSPMC Group was N29.370 Billion.

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National Conference delegate, Hamma Misau, is dead

One of the delegates to the ongoing National Conference representing the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria, ARPON, Hamma Misau, is dead.
Mr. Misau, 67, reportedly died of an undisclosed ailment.
An official of the confab who declined to be named because he was not authorised to announce the death confirmed the passage of the retired police officer to PREMIUM TIMES.
The official stated that Mr. Misau, a retired assistant inspector-general of police,  died Thursday evening at the National Hospital Abuja.
Also a senior delegate from the north, confirmed that Mr. Misau died. He could not however confirm if he has been buried.
Mr. Misau died a few days after his photograph was circulated on social media suggesting that he took a nap during plenary at the conference.

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Abba Moro Accepts Blame for NIS Tragedy

The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro yesterday accepted blame for the poorly conducted immigration recruitment exercise that led to the death of 16 youths on March 15th. Mr Moro appeared before the Senate Committee on Interior Matters Panel instituted by the senate to investigate circumstances that led to the ill-fated exercise. While expressing his sympathy to those that died, Moro said as with most administrative exercises, the end result cannot be determined...

"Mr chairman and distinguished senators, we are deeply grieved and saddened by the way events turned out. We express our sincere regrets once again. However, permit me to state that our patriotic desire was the pursuit of a more honest, a more transparent, a more cost effective, a more efficient and equitable platform. We sincerely made appropriate and adequate preparations for a hitch -free exercise, but as most things in administrative and human conditions, the yield curve of expected outcome is mostly undefined .My heart goes out to the families of those who have lost their dear loved ones. I sincerely sympathize with those injured. I share in their grief. I share in their pains." Continue...

"May I, at this juncture, assure you, distinguished senators and Nigerians, of my respect for  the sanctity of human life. The loss of these young Nigerians, who are needed as a critical human resource factor for nation building is most regrettable. As the Minister of Interior, under whose purview this unfortunate exercise took place, I cannot abdicate my responsibility. The buck stops here.”

Also at the panel yesterday, the Comptroller-General of the NIS, Mr.  David Parradang told the committee members that he was sidelined by the Minister throughout the recruitment exercise and that he got wind of the exercise through a  newspaper advertorial. He said only N45million was released to the NIS for provision of test materials as against the the N201million released to the consulting firm, Drexel Technical Nigeria Limited. He said this caused a lot of logistic problems on the day of the test.

Some of the Commanders of the NIS who headed the test in some other states said asides the serious logistic problems, influx of those who were not supposed to write the exam was also responsible for the stampede experienced on that day..

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Facebook acquires virtual reality gaming startup, Oculus, for $2 billion

Facebook isn’t just buying into mobile messaging; it’s also going for gaming.
Facebook has announced that it will acquire Oculus VR, makers of the Oculus Rift for $2 billion (N329 billion).
The social networking giant stated on Tuesday it had reached a definitive agreement to acquire Oculus VR, Inc., the leader in immersive virtual reality technology, for $400 million (N65.9 billion) in cash and 23.1 million in Facebook shares.
The Oculus Rift project gained prominence on Kickstarter, raising over $2 million in the summer of 2012. The company went on to raise more than $91 million (N15 billion) in venture funding in 2013. With this exit, the Oculus Rift is easily the most successful Kickstarter project of all time.
Oculus has already built strong interest among developers, having received more than 75,000 orders for development kits for the company’s virtual reality headset, the Oculus Rift. While the applications for virtual reality technology beyond gaming are in their nascent stages, several industries are already experimenting with the technology, and Facebook plans to extend Oculus’ existing advantage in gaming to new verticals, including communications, media and entertainment, education and other areas.
Given these broad potential applications, virtual reality technology is a strong candidate to emerge as the next social and communications platform.
“Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow, and Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate,” Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg said in a post on Facebook.
According to Mr. Zuckerberg, the company plans to expand Oculus beyond gaming.
“After games, we’re going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences. Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face — just by putting on goggles in your home,” he said.
“We are excited to work with Mark and the Facebook team to deliver the very best virtual reality platform in the world,” said Brendan Iribe, co-founder and CEO of Oculus VR. “We believe virtual reality will be heavily defined by social experiences that connect people in magical, new ways. It is a transformative and disruptive technology, that enables the world to experience the impossible, and it’s only just the beginning.”
Facebook says that Oculus will remain headquartered in Irvine, California, and will continue developing the Oculus Rift platform, its ground-breaking virtual reality platform.
This is Facebook’s second major acquisition in less than two months. Last month, Facebook bought WhatsApp in a $19 billion deal.

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Nigeria Police Arrest Forgery Syndicate

The syndicate was based in Abuja
The Nigeria Police on Wednesday said it arrested five members of a syndicate that specialises in forging documents and certificates in Abuja.
The suspects – Emmanuel Onyehiela, Ugorji Ramsey, Emeka Chukwu, Chinyere Bright and Abdulazeez Sadiq – were arrested by a team of operatives attached to the International Police Organization, INTERPOL, section, Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, Abuja.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, in a statement said the suspects were arrested following a tip off and a discreet investigation at the syndicate’s base at UTC Shopping Complex, Area 10 Garki, Abuja. Mr. Mba said, as part of the investigations, police undercover agents presented themselves as prospective clients.
“The syndicate which has its operational base at the UTC Shopping Complex, Area 10 Garki, Abuja specialises in forging documents such as: WAEC Certificates, University Degrees, NYSC Discharge Certificates, assorted land documents, certificates of incorporation,” Mr. Mba said.
He said the suspects also engaged in falsification of travel documents and drivers’ licenses for a fee of N5,000 to N30,000, depending on the status of their client or urgency of need.
The exhibits recovered from the suspects included forged copies of Corporate Affairs Commission documents, land document of Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, University of Abuja degree and official stamps, and other sundry fake documents.
Also recovered were electronic equipment allegedly used in perpetrating the crime such as laptops, desktop computers and printers.
Mr. Mba said that the suspects had made useful statements to the police and would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.

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Ekiti 2014: PDP Upholds Fayose’s Candidacy

Ayo Fayose

Mr. Fayose is being prosecuted for corruption by the EFCC.
The National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Wednesday approved the election of Ayo Fayose as the party`s candidate for the forthcoming Ekiti State governorship election.
This is contained in a statement issued by Olisa Metuh, the party`s National Publicity Secretary in Abuja.
The statement said the NWC approved the nomination of r. Fayose after a thorough consideration of the report of the Ekiti State Governorship Primary Electoral Committee.
“The NWC approved the result and upheld the nomination of Fayose as the candidate of the PDP for the June 2014 governorship election in Ekiti state.’’ the statement added.
It commended the committee for the conduct of a ‘peaceful and transparent’ exercise and urged all PDP members in the state, including the other aspirants, to support the party`s candidate. This, it said, was critical to ensure that the party had a successful outing at the governorship election.
Mr. Fayose contested the party primary on March 22 with 13 other aspirants. He was announced winner of the election by Peter Odili, former Governor of Rivers state and the leader of the five-member panel from the party`s headquarters.
Mr. Odili was also the leader of the Governorship Primary Electoral Committee.
Mr. Fayose, a former Governor of Ekiti state, emerged winner of the primary with 462 votes out of the 544 accredited delegates.
Ninety-seven delegates were said to have been absent while 477 ballot papers were utilised and four were voided.
The Ekiti PDP primary election was said to have been observed by INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State, security agents and other election observers.
The PDP was, in the statement, silent on allegations of corruption against Mr. Fayose. The candidate is being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly stealing over N400 million state funds in his first stint as governor.
(NAN)

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Arabs urge Syria political solution, reject 'Jewish state'

Kuwait City (AFP) - Arab leaders called Wednesday for a political solution to the conflict in Syria sidestepping Saudi-backed demands for greater military support for rebel forces to tip the balance in the war.

But they were fully united in their support for Palestinian refusal to recognise Israel as a Jewish state, a flashpoint issue threatening to derail US-brokered peace talks.
Syria's opposition National Coalition chief Ahmed Jarba had called at Tuesday's opening of the two-day summit in Kuwait for the rebels to be supplied with "sophisticated" weaponry.
And Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, whose country is a key backer of the revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said the world was "betraying" rebels by failing to arm them and leaving them "easy prey."
But the final declaration by the summit called instead for a political solution to the three-year conflict, which has cost more than 146,000 lives.
"We call for a political solution to the crisis in Syria based on the Geneva I communique," they said, urging the United Nations to renew its efforts after the failure of Geneva talks.

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Secretary General of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi attends the closing session of the 25th Arab Lea …

An international conference in the Swiss city in 2012 had called for a "peaceful transition" in Syria without specifying the fate of Assad.
"We have no alternative to a political solution," Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah told a press conference following the summit.
- Regime massacres condemned -
Yet the leaders of the 22-member Arab League condemned the regime, while reaffirming their support for the opposition.
"We strongly condemn the massacres committed by the Syrian regime against unarmed people," the statement said, reaffirming "total support for the Syrian National Coalition as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people."

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Residents of Syria's besieged Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp, south of Damascus, stand amidst d …

The Syrian government's brutal repression of protests that erupted in March 2011 resulted in its suspension from the Cairo-based Arab League.
Yet while last year's summit allocated Syria's seat to the National Coalition, it remained vacant at the Kuwait meeting and will remain so until the opposition meets legal and technical requirements.
A clearly dissatisfied Jarba told the opening session that the decision "sends a message to the Assad regime encouraging it to continue to kill Syrians."
Spokesman Louay Safi said differences among Arab foreign ministers as a meeting on Sunday had prevented the National Coalition from taking the seat.
"The new Arab decision reaffirms the previous decision... but the implementation was hindered due to disputes between Arab foreign ministers," Safi told reporters.

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the 25th Arab League summit at Bayan palace in Kuwait City

The declaration echoed UN peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who called for a political solution and urged an "end to the supply of arms to all parties".
Syria sharply criticised the summit declaration and stressed that nothing would change "the clear decision by the Syrian state to protect its people against terrorism and to face up to it forcefully and firmly".
State news agency SANA said the summit's expression of support for the opposition was made "in order to satisfy the rich Gulf states that impose their will on the Arab League".
Saudi Arabia and Qatar are key backers of Syria's revolt.
- Arabs reject 'Jewish state' -
Separately, Arab leaders announced their "total rejection of the call to consider Israel a Jewish state."
The Palestinians recognised Israel at the start of the peace process in the early 1990s.
But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now insists they acknowledge Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people, a move that would effectively torpedo the "right of return" for Palestinian refugees.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is facing an uphill battle to keep the floundering peace talks on track beyond an April 29 deadline.
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, fresh from talks with President Barack Obama in Washington last week, told the summit that Palestinians "reject even discussing the issue."
Netanyahu has placed the recognition dispute at the forefront of the talks, describing Arab rejection of the Jewish state as the "root of the conflict."
For the Palestinians, the issue is intimately entwined with the fate of their refugees who were forced out of their homes or fled in 1948 when Israel became a state.

They see Netanyahu's demand as a way to sidestep a negotiated solution to the refugee question.

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Group rallies for Nigeria’s unemployed

The rally is taking place in Lagos.
A mass rally for the unemployed in Nigeria is ongoing in Lagos. The rally is organised by the Joint Action Front.
“The crisis of unemployment is such that the decadent capitalist economic agenda of successive regimes cannot resolve,” says Achike Chude, Vice Chairman, JAF.
Unemployment is a major challenge in Nigeria with the statistics bureau putting the figure at over 20 per cent of the 160 million population. Youth employment is put at over 50 per cent.

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Obama holds first meeting with Pope Francis

.

President and Pope Meet at the Vatican

Obama looking for kindred spirit in Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY (AP) — President Barack Obama is holding a historic first meeting with Pope Francis, the pontiff that the president views as a kindred spirit on issues of economic inequality and the poor.

Obama arrived at the Vatican Thursday morning amid the pomp and tradition of the Catholic Church, making his way to greet the pope after a long, slow procession. The pontiff and the president shook hands before sitting down with their translators at a wooden table for their meeting.
"Wonderful to be here," Obama said, calling it "a great honor."
As they meet, the six-year president, with his sinking poll numbers, would not be blamed for seeking some reflected glory from a pope who, one year into his pontificate, is viewed as an agent of change in the Roman Catholic Church.
Obama is the ninth president to make an official visit to the Vatican. His audience marks a change of pace for the president, who has devoted the past three days of a weeklong, four-country trip to securing European unity against Russia's aggressive posture toward Ukraine.
The pope whom Obama will sit with this time is a different pontiff than the last one to host him. Obama visited Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, a cordial meeting that nevertheless drew attention to the differences between the church and Obama on abortion.
To be sure, the relationship between the Obama administration and the Catholic Church is a fraught one. And Vatican officials say Obama will not leave without having heard Francis' views on Obama's health care law and its mandates for contraception coverage. But in Francis, the White House sees the popular pope and his emphasis on economic disparity as a form of moral validation of the president's economic agenda.

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Pope Francis and President Barack Obama smile as they meet at the Vatican Thursday, March 27, 2014.  …

"Given his great moral authority, when the pope speaks it carries enormous weight," Obama said in an interview with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera published ahead of his papal visit. "He can cause people around to the world to stop and perhaps rethink old attitudes and begin treating one another with more decency and compassion."
Several presidents have found allies if not comfort in the pope.
President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II famously shared an antipathy for the former Soviet Union, Reagan the Cold War warrior and the pope a Polish priest who fought communism in his country and later in Europe.
"Sometimes in these meetings there are compatible personalities," said Paul Begala, a former aide to President Bill Clinton and a Catholic himself. He recalled being with Clinton when the president met John Paul II in Denver.
"They were only supposed to meet alone for five minutes," he said in an interview earlier this year. "Those two gregarious, charismatic men sat in that room for an hour without another soul in there."
The Obama-Francis chemistry remains to be seen, but thematically both seem to be on some of the same pages.

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President John F. Kennedy and Pope Paul VI talk at the Vatican in this July 2, 1963 file photo. Kenn …

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, at the Vatican this week trying to secure Francis' attendance in Philadelphia next year, said he expected the Obama-Francis meeting to be good for both the U.S. and the Vatican.
"We have the most important religious figure in the world as part of that meeting, and one of the most important political leaders, so anytime the church and politics come together is an important moment for dialogue, discussion and the commitment to the common good," Chaput told reporters Tuesday at the Vatican.
Still, there are difficult areas of discord between U.S. bishops and the Obama administration over abortion and the administration's health care overhaul. U.S. bishops were among the most outspoken opponents of Obamacare, objecting to its mandatory coverage of contraception. The Supreme Court this week seemed divided when hearing arguments in a case in which companies argued that they have religious rights and can object to such coverage based on such beliefs.
Vatican officials noted that during the recent visit of Secretary of State John Kerry with his Vatican counterpart Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the cardinal raised the issue of the health care mandate. The Vatican statement issued after that meeting said Parolin had "expressed the concern of the U.S. bishops for the reforms in relation to the guarantee of religious freedom and conscientious objection."
Anticipating that the issue will be a topic of their meeting, Catholics for Choice published an ad in the International New York Times Thursday as an open letter to Obama declaring that "Francis' interpretation of church teachings does not represent that of the majority of Catholic
Francis faithfully backs church teaching on abortion — he has said he's a "son of the church" — but his emphasis and tone are elsewhere. He has said he wants his church to be more of a missionary, welcoming place for wounded souls rather than a moralizing church.
He caused a fuss in November when he decried some conservative economic theories as unproven. "The excluded are still waiting," he wrote.
Francis' attention to poverty has also captured the attention of Republicans, prompting some to stake out high-profile anti-poverty positions. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has extended a formal and open invitation to the pope to address Congress when he visits the United States.
No doubt there is a political dimension to Obama's visit as well. The president won the Catholic vote in both of his elections, helped by heavy support from Hispanic Catholics. Some of that support has waned since.
Meanwhile, the Pew Research Center found that the pope remains hugely popular, with more than 8 in 10 U.S. Catholics saying they have a favorable view of the pontiff.
___

Kuhnhenn reported from Rome. Associated Press writers Julie Pace in Vatican City and Frances D'Emilio in Rome contributed to this report.

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Nigerian Government promises to cooperate with America to recover $550million Abacha loot

Former Head of State, Sani Abacha

Attorney General Bello Adoke says the recovery of $550m from the Abachas will benefit Nigerians
The Federal Government said on Wednesday that it is in support of the forfeiture proceedings initiated by the United States Department of Justice against the property related to the corrupt conduct of late Head of State, Sani Abacha, and his associates and the subsequent laundering of corruption proceeds.
The proceedings would make it possible for the defendants to forfeit over $550million and £95,910 in 10 accounts and six investment portfolios linked to the Abachas in France, the Britain, British Virgin Islands and the United States.
The government stated this in a statement by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Mr. Adoke listed the accounts and investment firms/ banks where the looted funds were stashed abroad as follows:
-Doraville Properties Corporation – $287 million in Account Number
80020796 located at Deutsche Bank International Limited in the
Bailiwick of Jersey;
-HSBC Fund Administration (Jersey) – $12 million in account number
S-104460 in the Bailiwick of Jersey; and
-Rayville International, S. A – $1 million in account number
223405880IUSD at Banque SBA in Paris, France.
Others are Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited – $144 million
in account 223406510PUSD at Banque SBA in Paris;
-Mecosta Securities – $21.7 million in accounts 10030688 and 100138409
at Standard Bank in the United Kingdom; and
-HSBC Bank Plc – $1.6 million in account number 38175076;.
-Blue Holding (1) Pte Ltd/ Ridley Group Limited – £6,806,900;
-Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd/ Ridley Group Limited – £21,846,983;
-Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd/ Ridley Group Limited – £10,293,343.58; and
-Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd/Ridley Group Limited – £56,962,996.26
The US Justice Department had on March 6 announced the freezing of $485 Abacha loot, a few days after the late head of state was honoured alongside 99 other Nigerians by President Goodlcuk Jonathan as part of the Centenary celebration.
Mr. Abacha ruled Nigeria between November 1993 and June 1998 when he died in office.
According to the civil forfeiture complaint in the US District Court in Washington, the Justice Department said it wanted to recover more than &550 million in connection with the action.
“This is the highest forfeiture action to recover the proceeds of foreign official corruption ever brought by the department,” Mythili Raman, the Assistant Attorney General, had said.
“General Abacha was one of the most notorious kleptocrats in memory, who embezzled billions from the people of Nigeria, while millions lived in poverty.”
In the statement, Mr. Adoke said his office had received request for mutual legal assistance for the US.
“We applaud the efforts of the United States to recover the proceeds of corruption for the benefit of the people of Nigeria,” the minister said.
“As the Central Authority for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, my office has received requests for Mutual Legal Assistance for the Central Authority of the United States and we are cooperating with the United States in line with the obligations we assumed under the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.
“The overall objective of these efforts is to ensure that Nigeria as the Victim State is able to have the forfeited assets (money) repatriated to Nigeria to fund development projects for the benefit of the people in accordance with the dictates of Chapter IV of the United Nations Convention against corruption, UNCAC.”
Mr. Adoke assured that Nigeria, as state party to UNCAC, would do what was required to realize this objective.

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