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IBB Murders: Major Ibrahim Babangida and Major Mammam Vatsa At Okigwe In 1969 Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida-Murders, Corruption and Destruction Of Nigeria Major Ibrahim Babangida, the self-aclaimed "evil genius" and Nigeria's most corrupt dictator is seen here standing with his bossom friend (both of them Army Majors) in Okigwe in 1969. 17 years later IBB framed Vatsa in a phantom coup. He set up a military tribunal to try the "coupists" but the tribunal which had the input of  Babangida's minister of defence, Major General Domkat Bali found no evidence of Vatsa's involvement. But blood thirsty IBB won't have any of that, he had to kill Vatsa. When Vatsa was facing the firing squad, he was asked what his last words were, he didn't say much, after checkin...

  caption: Col.Lawan Gwadabe (rtd.)  A memo addressed to Goodluck Jonathan by a former army colonel, Lawan Gwadabe, who is currently the chairman of the Nigerian Federal Road Safety Commission provides amazing insight into how Goodluck Jonathan recently cowed former dictator, Ibrahim Babangida, and those state governors opposed to his presidential candidature. The memo, which was obtained by Saharareporters, also provides a rare insight into Mr. Babangida's stupendous wealth as well as well as that of his long-time friend, Globacom's Mike Adenuga. Also listed in the memo are the  fronts that were used by the governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki to siphon funds from the Kwara State treasury. Col. Gwadabe's memo made no pretense about the ruthless and handy tactics Jonathan could employ to intimidate his opponents, particularly the Economic and Fi...

L-R: VP, UI, Prof Bamiro, former Commonwealth Sec-Gen, Prof Anyaoku, Prof Jega, Chair, INEC at the 2010 Advancement Lecture in UI Friday   CHAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday expressed concern over the apathy of Nigerians in the election processes. He said these were challenges the commission is battling to overcome in preparation for next year’s election. Jega spoke at the 2010 Advancement Lecture  at the University of Ibadan (UI) Monday. Speaking on the theme: Citizens’ Responsibility in Bringing About Free, Fair and Credible Elections in Nigeria, Jega regretted that the achievements of the commission to accomplish credible elections may be in vain if Nigerians continue  their withdrawal from the process. He said the Federal Government has implemented about 80 per cent of the recommendations of the Justice Muhammadu Uwais-led Election Reform Committee, adding that it sh...

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Consensus aspirant: Ciroma group fails to woo Northern senators     ...

I haven’t endorsed IBB for President, says Kaduna governor   Governor Patrick Yakowa Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa yesterday denied endorsing former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida for next year’s election.  In a statement  in Kaduna by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Reuben Buhari,  the governor denied a report  that he said Babangida is the most qualified presidential aspirant.  He said the statement was a calculated attempt to create political tension.  The statement said what Yakowa said when he received the former military leader and his campaign team at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna, was that he was “eminently qualified to aspire and lead this country alongside other Nigerians”.  It said the governor had drawn the attention of his guests to the fact that Northern governors took a decision at the council chamber of the Government House, Kaduna , that even tho...

Adamawa State And The Burden Of A Governor I wondered to myself, is there no governor in Adamawa State? For more than four years I have lived and worked in Yola, Adamawa state. Daily, I see the agony of living in this state that has produced some of the most influential Nigerians of our time—Atiku Abubakar , Jubril Aminu, Bamanga Tukur, Gambo Jimeta, Nuhu Ribadu, Buba Marwa, Ahmed Joda, to mention a few. I have been writing about Nigeria, Africa, and the entire black race for quite some time, yet, I cannot remember seeing evidence of concerted efforts by the intellectuals of Adamawa state to draw attention to the ineptitude and travesty of governance that is typified by Adamawa state governments over the years. Is this state cursed? I cannot hold my peace anymore; I must speak at this time. I am a resident of Adamawa state, and hence, I believe I am indebted to the government of Adamawa state to point the finger because the time and conditions demand so. The current governor of Adam...

Varsity workers begin one week strike today   Education Minister Varsity workers under the aegis of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) will today begin a one-week warning strike. The strike is in sympathy with their members in the state universities, especially, in the Southeast and Southwest, whose governments have refused to implement the agreement signed on the development of the university system in 2000.  SSANU’s President Comrade Promise Adewusi, said the job boycott would continue if the crises in the universities are not addressed.  Other unions involved are the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).  To mobilise them for the strike which the unions vowed would not end, except the Federal Government ensure that the state governments implement the agreement, SSANU has sent letters to its branch chairmen in all the universities, to ensure th...

Reject Akala for ‘wasteful spending’   Gov. Alao Akala •Govt: allegation is outlandish A former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeolu Adeleke, has urged voters to reject Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala in next year’s elections for allegedly running a “wasteful, directionless and blind government”. But the governor said the allegation lacked substance  since the criticism was not based on performance but on expenditure. Adeleke spoke in Ibadan  when he presented four buses to the Rashidi Ladoja Campaign Organisation at the weekend. Former governor Ladoja has restated his preparations for next year’s governorship election but he is yet to name the party under which he would contest. Adeleke, who is a strong supporter of the former governor, said Oyo State needs a change to “checkmate the backward integration policy of Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala.”

Jonathan drops ‘C -In-C’ title President Goodluck Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan has dropped the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces from his official title lists, it was learnt yesterday. “Mr President has removed the title, ‘Commander of the Armed Forces,’’ Vice President Namadi Sambo said at the Oxford University where he delivered a lecture to the Oxford International Relations Society. “He (Jonathan) has directed that he should only be referred to as Mr President,’’ Sambo was quoted as saying. The Vice President who was responding to a question from the audience on why Nigerian leaders were being addressed by series of titles added that the long lists of protocols at official events has also been dropped. “During the declaration where we declared to participate in the up-coming elections, it was very clear that Mr President said reading of long lists of protocols before the main address be reduced,’’ Sambo said. The Vice President...

2011: EFCC submits corrupt aspirants’ names to PDP         ...

Aero aircraft crash-lands in Lagos Barely 24 hours to the fifth anniversary of the Bellview air crash in Lisa, Ogun State, an Aero Airline aircraft crashed-landed in Lagos yesterday, leaving over 15 passengers injured.  The aircraft which was coming from Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital was involved in an emergency landing on the Runway 1.8 R of the airport. Tears and screaming seized the aircraft after smoke enveloped the cabin. There was, however, no loss of lives in the incident. Some of the passengers who spoke with The Nation said there was a sudden loss of pressure, which led to huge smoke in the aircraft cabin when the aircraft was making its final landing approach into the Murtala Muhammed Airport. They said the smoke originated from the cockpit and later engulfed the business and economy cabins. One of the passengers, Moses Alex said the 4.00pm flight was delayed for almost an hour in Port Harcourt.  “As the aircraft w...

South African neighbours shocked as Okah stands trial for bombing   Henry Okah •Neighbours of Nigerian rebel leader Henry Okah believe he is a gentle man who cannot hurt a fly. Henry is the nicest guy. I’ve seen him stop his bike to help an injured cat on the street’   Now he stands accused in South Africa of being the mastermind of the terrorist car bombings in Nigeria’s capital this month which killed at least 12 and wounded 50 on the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence.  He is being tried in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court - which heard of his friendship with “senior officials in the Nigerian government” - while others whom he allegedly directed are being tried in Lagos.  Okah has denied all the charges in an affidavit and, from a public phone in the cells, told the Al Jazeera news agency: “I am arrested here at the (insistence) of Nigeria, which threatened the South African government with dipl...

  2011: Fresh row over Jonathan’s ambition Ciroma A former Minister of Information Chief Edwin Clark yesterday condemned a Co-Convener of the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) Mallam Adamu Ciroma for mobilising the North against President Goodluck Jonathan. He also described Ciroma as a political lightweight whose influence is no threat to President Goodluck Jonathan’s ambition. Clark asked Nigerians to give Jonathan a chance in 2011 as he would only spend a single term of four years in office. Clark, who made his views known in an open letter to Ciroma in Abuja , said the utterances of the ex-Minister of Finance were capable of causing the disintegration of the country. He asked the NPLF to drop its selfish agitations for the emergence of a Northerner as President in 2011. Ciroma and members of the NPLF are currently consulting and mobilising key Northerners on the need for the presentation of a consen...

EFCC Looks Other Way As Three High-Profile Fugitives Walk Free Investigations have revealed that three main targets of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are fully back in Nigeria and walking free – after they were declared wanted by the anti-corruption agency. Cecilia Ibru and Dele Oye The three are businessman Mike Adenuga, former Governor Ahmed Adamu Muazu, and an Abuja-based lawyer, Dele Oye. Adenuga, a controversial businessman who has acted for long as a financial front for former military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida, publicly showed off his presence and freedom last week. He attended a packed event at Eko Hotel in Lagos where he launched fiber optic cable from London. Numerous public officials, including the Senate President, David Mark, and the governors of Lagos and Ogun states attended the event. The EFCC recently made a fan-fare of decla...