Court stops Fashola’s probe by House

A Lagos High Court presided over by Hakeem Abiru, yesterday stopped the Lagos State House of Assembly from probing allegations of financial impropriety levelled against Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos State. Ahead of yesterday’s decision, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the Speaker of the House of Assembly pooh-poohed the judiciary last Tuesday saying the courts could not be used against the House. “We know what the outcome [of the case] will be. No one will stop us from doing what we think is right,” he stated, hinting at a preparedness to snub a possible court order. The suit, filed by human rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, on behalf of Richard Akinola, a journalist, wanted the six-man committee set up by the House of Assembly to probe allegations of corruption levelled against Mr. Fashola and members of the Assembly to dissolve itself for conflict of interest. “The probe is against the rule of natural justice. The advert that alleged the impropriety also accused the House of collecting 20 million naira each. To that extent, they cannot be in judgement in their own case,” Mr. Akinnola stated in an interview with NEXT. He argued that “the governor said he was going to reply to all the allegations. I expect something similar from the House. If after these explanations, they are not satisfied, the matter can be brought to the EFCC and ICPC for investigations.” In his ruling, Mr. Abiru stated: “An order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the defendant, whether by themselves, agents, members, officers, privies or by whosoever, from proceeding with or acting on the purported investigation of allegations of financial impropriety levelled against the executive and legislative arms of Lagos State Government by a group published in the Punch newspaper of January 28, 2010 under the caption ‘The true face of Lagos’ or by any other group pending the determination of the suit.” Mr. Abiru justified the injunction saying “the affidavit of urgency when read along with the exhibits attached to the affidavits in support of the application, particularly the proceedings of the House of Assembly, attached to the further affidavit on the time frame given to the committee in question to act reveal that there is a real urgency warranting the grant of the interim order sought by the claimant.” House keeps mum Chairman of the probe panel, Razak Balogun, in a telephone interview, said “I have not been served and therefore cannot say anything now.” Mr. Balogun however, declined to comment on whether the panel would continue to sit, despite the court order. The Lagos State House of Assembly had on Thursday January 28, set up a six man committee to probe allegations of financial impropriety levelled against Mr. Fashola and the Assembly. The allegations were contained in an advertorial placed in the Punch newspapers of January 28 by an unknown and unregistered group, ‘The true face of Lagos.’ The group accused the governor of financial impropriety running into billions of naira and also accused the House of Assembly members of receiving 20 million naira each, illegally, from the executive. Further hearing in the case comes up on February 17.

2010 :The face of coming alliances and coalitions

 

By Olayinka Oyebode

Exigencies of the moment, including the confusion surrounding the leadership of the country have thrown up the need to build a platform that will match the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as political forces prepare for the 2011 general elections. This is more important within the context of the recommendation of the Justice Muhammed Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee for a reversion to a two party arrangement.

 

These factors are likely to bring slight changes to the make up and the amount of energy each of the political parties devote to political activities. Much energy would, no doubt, be deployed towards synergies, networking and bridge building, in an attempt to reposition ahead of the 2011 general election.

When the two party structure was experimented in the Third Republic, it brought politicians from different political tendencies and ideological backgrounds together on two major platforms- The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC). The experimentation was well received and ultimately led to the successful conduct of the 1993 presidential election, which is considered the freest and fairest in the country.

Prior to the recommendation by the Uwais panel, some prominent politicians, including former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Prof Pat Utomi, had consistently canvassed the reduction of political parties in the country to two or three. This, as they explained, would not in any way deny others their existence. But like the American model, where the Democrats and the Republicans are the major parties, but which allows other smaller parties to participate as well.

The country currently has 55 registered political parties, many of which exist just in the register of the Independent National Electoral Commission. (INEC).

With more politicians and civil society groups, expressing support for the actualisation of the Uwais panel recommendations, the clamour for a two party system has gained further momentum,, thus compelling political parties to look inward and fashion out a likely workable partnership arrangement with one another.

While the mega party arrangement, which is a project aimed at building a mass- oriented political party that can match the PDP in size and clout could be a short cut towards realising the two party structure, poitical analysts beieve it cannot stop other poitical parties from working out suitable alignment. The is even as the promoters of the mega party have said that they would preer that individual politicians and groups jointhe mega party than for parties to see it as an alignment of party forces.

Just as it has been since the return to civil rule in 1999, the PDP has in the outgoing year, stuck to its winner -takes -all approach, using its vast majority in the National Assembly to lord things over the citizens. The development is causing some political rethink and strategising, which will inevitably form the character of the parties in the new year.

 

Peoples Democratic Party

Even with the penchant of its leaders to refer to it as the biggest party in Africa, the PDP in 2009 was not as invicible as its leaders would have all believe, as factional crises and intra party squabbles within some of its state chapters, robbed it of the much desired progress.

Analysts believe that rebuilding the party, should be pursued withan equal passion with which its N10bn secretariat project is being pursued.

Sine the party is the main target of the various alignment of political forces that will come in the new year, it would have to buckle up for greater challenges in the new year.

With about four more governorship and counless assembly cases still pending at the tribunals and Appeal Court, analysts believe that the ruling party may still lose one or two more seats in the new year, while also retaining some as direction of some of the cases have shown.

The recurring intra party crises in many state chapters of the party, including Ogun, Anambra, Edo, Lagos, Niger, Oyo, Bayelsa, Rivers Cross River, Enugu, Abia and Imo remaied a big challenge. And this could affect the party’s preparations for the 2011 elections.

Since the party may not likely be considered a beautiful bride worthy of being wooed when the realignment of forces possibly takes effect, the party would be shooting itself on the foot, should it fail to strengthen itself ahead the coming alignment.

Other factors that will define the fate of the party this year include how it resolves the fallout of issues arising from President Umaru Yar’Adua’s medical trip abroad, the emergence of new power blocs within the party, and the leadership crisis that has fractured some of its state chapters.

Action Congress

With the continued participation of the All Nigeria People’s Party in the Government of National Unity, (GNU) the AC has remained the most visible opposition party in the country. it is perhaps the only party that is putting the ruling party on its toes, by challenging some of its activities, considered as obnoxious.

Expectedly, the party is seen by many as one that would galvanise others through the alignment of political forces. By that singular role, focus would be on the Chief Bisi Akande-led party in 2010.

As affirmed by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a recent interview, the AC would not be joining the mega party arrangement. Rather, it will be willing to be the rallying point for the alignment of forces.

One other agenda of the party in the new year could be to win the electoral war s it is waging in Osun and Ekiti States. The two cases arose from the 2007 governorship election. while Dr Kayode Fayemi, its candidate in the Ekiti governorship election is challenging INEC’s declaration of Governor Olusegun Oni as the winner of the April 25, 2009 governorship rerun, its Osun state candidate for the 2007 governorship election, Rauf Aregbesola is back at the reconstituted election tribunal seeking its intervention to declare him as the validly elected governor of the state. The case which had reached the appeal court level, was returned to the lower tribunal for retrial.

All Progressive Grand Alliance

The party ended 2009 with some measure of hope, as INEC recognised its candidate and incumbent governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, as its candidate for the February 6, 2010 governorship election in Anambra State. INEC’s position is seen as a tactical approval for the Chief Victor Umeh –led faction of the party.

The party’s ability to test the laws of the land can only be matched by AC, which also has a rich history of getting the judiciary to interpret knotty issues that are against its interests. Having succeeded in getting Governor Peter Obi’s tenure determined in 2007, the party has never looked back in putting the laws of the land to test.

Apparently fired by the success of the Obi’s case, the party is redirecting its energy to the judicial resolution of the governorship tussle involving its candidate, Martins Agbaso in Imo State.

The new year will however put to test APGA’s acclaimed popularity in the South East as the party is set to test its popularity in the February 6, 2010 election with the PDP, AC, Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA) the PDP and 21 others. Contesting the Anambra governorship seat with other prominent politicians as Dr Andy Uba (of LP), Dr Chris Ngige (AC), and Prof Charles Soludo (PDP), the coming governorship election is surely an acid test for APGA. And the outcome of the election , will definitely say a lot about the prospect of the party in 2010 and beyond.

Already, the party has opened its doors to possible alignment ahead of the governorship election , with the adoption of Peter Obi as consensus candidate by 12 of the registered political parties.

Progressive Peoples Alliance

With two governors and membership of the GNU initiated by the Yar’Adua administration, the PPA’s profile was very high in 2007, having just emerged as a party a year earlier. But that changed in 2009 with the exit of Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim to the PDP and resignation of some of its leaders and the attendant crumbs it got in the GNU arrangement.

Having tasted of the negative side of ‘government magic’ of the PDP, where it is partnering with the ANPP to boost the Yar’Adua administration, the party ended 2009 on a sober note.

Observers believe that the manner of Ohakim’s defection to the PDP, from where he had joined PPA, was enough lesson to the party that there is much strength in number, which can only be got through alignment.

There was an initial arrangement for the party to align with Ngige in the coming Anambra State governorship election, before the arrangement collapsed, leaving the two parties to pursue the election separately.

All Nigeria Peoples Party

With its participation in the GNU and continued snubbing of its Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, the ANPP has slid in ratings as an opposition party. It can only hope for a further slide, as there are no indications that the party has learnt its lessons.

The history of the party is a classic study of a party in the throes of crises. in 1999, it won the governorship and state assemblies elections in nine states (all in the north). By 2003, it had shrunk to seven states. four years after, it was five and now only three.

The defection of the Zamfara State Governor to the PDP late 2008 and his Bauch State counterpart, Isa Yuguda, is also seen as a prelude to more defections as the nation approaches the 2011 election. This is moreso as the party’s participation in the GNU has increasingly made its leaders think and act as officials of the ruling party.

Analysts believe that the ANPP would continue to live under the shadow of the ruling party, this year, except there is a change in the thinking of its leadership. Also, if the factional gap is not bridged on time, the party may end up losing its relevance at both the GNU and the build up to 2011.

Democratic Peoples Alliance

The DPA may be in a dilemma this year, following the factionalisation of the Yoruba socio-political orgnisation, Afenifere, which has created a division among some of its leaders.

National Chairman of the party, Chief Olu Falae and many leaders of the party are in Afenifere, while other younger members such as its colourful Lagos State governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, are in the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG).

Although, many of the DPA chieftains have said that the party issues have nothing to do with the affairs of the Yoruba socio-political group. But, that may not be so easy to achieve.

Observers believe that a possible working arrangement should not be difficult for the AC, AD and DPA as socio, political and economic issues continued to bind them together, especially with many of them getting weary of the Afenifere factional tussle.

Alliance for Democracy

The AD rose from its protracted factional crisis mid 2009 to put its popularity to test in the bye election conducted for the Ibeju Lekki House of Representatives seat in Lagos State. Assisted by AC, the AD candidate lost narrowly to the PDP, Hon Okanlawon Soniyi.

Observers believe that the sudden resurrection of AD may be for strategic reason. It is believed that some powerful politicians, who had since left the party, may be preparing the AD as a “special vehicle” in the realignment that would come later in the year.

Although the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Popoola Ajayi, denied such insinuation, the little cooperation between the party and AC during the Ibeju Lekki bye election is seen as an indication of what could happen subsequently.

Labour Party

Fortune smiled on the LP early in 2009 with the validation of the election of its Ondo State governorship candidate, Dr Olusegun Mimiko by the Court of Appeal. The party, through that feat, has ha its profile increased.

Shortly after the governorship victory, the party also got some national and state house of assembly elections resolved in his favour, thereby becoming better fortified in Ondo State.

Conference of Nigerian Political Parties

For the Conference of National Political Parties, (CNPP), the new year is likely going to pose some challenges, as the mega party arrangement is gaining grounds. The birth of the Forum of National Chairman of Political Parties, early in 2009, is likely to give the opposition parties that are not comfortable with the CNPP leadership an alternative platform.

The FNCPP which is being led by Chairman of the Citizens Popular Party, Chief Maxi Okwu, is set to reposition agitation by leaders of opposition parties.

Another school of thought, however , believes that the coming of the FNCPP may make the coordination of opposition parties for the coming realignment a difficult task. The polarity may also be to the advantage of the ruling PDP, which may likely be the victim of a properly coordinated opposition.

Alignment talks

Ahead of the re-alignment of political forces or the reversion to the two party structure, some political parties have had some form of understanding and working arrangements that have produced some dividends.

The LP, for instance has an understanding with the AC in Edo State, a development that paved the way for Oshiomhole to contest the 2007 election on the platform of AC. The AC –LP working pact is also working in Ondo State.

with 25 political parties vying for the Anambra governorship seat, alignment of political forces ahead of the election may become inevitable.

AFRICANS ABUSED IN RUSSIA

Nearly 60% of black and African people living in Russia’s capital Moscow have been physically assaulted in racially motivated attacks, says a new study.

Africans working or studying in the city live in constant fear of attack, according to the report by the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy.

A quarter of 200 people surveyed said they had been assaulted more than once. Some 80% had been verbally abused.

But the number of assaults was down from the MPC’s last survey in 2002.

The report’s clear conclusion was that Africans living in Russia exist in a state of virtual siege, says the BBC’s Rupert Wingfield Hayes in Moscow.

Many of the African respondents said they:

• Avoided using the Moscow metro
• Were also careful to avoid crowded public places
• Did not go out on Russian national holidays or on days when there were football matches

Many of the attacks on Africans were pre-meditated and extremely violent, the report found.

One Nigerian migrant interviewed by the BBC had been repeatedly stabbed in the back and then shot.

Another man said his attacker had attempted to remove his scalp.

Officially there are some 10,000 Africans living in Moscow, but far more are believed to live there illegally – many as economic migrants.

The Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy is an English-speaking interdenominational Christian congregation that has ministered to Moscow’s foreign community since 1962.

SOURCED FROM BBC

AFRICAN AMERICANS USE DNA TO TRACE AFRICAN ORIGIN

To get a sense of the pain many black Americans feel about their broken connection to Africa, just listen to the cries of joy when the divide was bridged by blacks who used DNA to trace their roots to a specific country: “My life has been turned upside down,” said Veronica Henry of Las Vegas, who quit her corporate job in information technology and set up website http://www.myafricandiaspora.com after she learned in 2007 that her mother’s lineage came from the Mende people of Sierra Leone.

Stephanie Smith of Randallstown, Maryland, after tracing her roots back to Sierra Leone: “I finally feel some of the separation between myself as an African American and other Africans beginning to fall away.” Others said they were almost physically sick with anticipation as they opened the envelope containing their DNA test results that could reveal their ancestry. Since DNA mapping made it possible to trace ancestry, tens of thousands of people around the world have taken tests. But the process is of particular interest to black Americans because it offers to reverse the terrible forced separation from their home.

To many Africans, Barack Obama’s trip to Ghana starting Friday will represent a homecoming for the first African American president and he will be welcomed as a son of the world’s poorest continent who has attained global power.

Obama’s heritage includes Kenya and his father came to the United States as a foreign student, but the trip will also generate interest in the success of other blacks in retracing their roots.

One effect of the slave trade that flourished between the 1600s and the 1900s transporting around 10 million Africans to the Western hemisphere, including 4 million to the land that became the United States, was that black Americans almost never knew which part of Africa they came from.

SOURCED FROM REUTERS

AFRICAN DAY

Africa day which is celebrated on the 25^th of May yearly was marked at Tshwane South Africa with a symposium

The 46 year old year event is designed to consolidate Africans, look into her challenges and her contribution to globalization.

Dignitaries from all around the continent graced the occasion and music which is said to be the food of the soul was not left out.

The mayor of the city of Tshwane ; which incidentally is the most industrialized city in South Africa said this year’s celebration is on heritage, culture and education. The city has a population of 2.2 million people.

She added that the city has benefited from the contributions made by several academic institutions.

The mayor said the role of cities in Africa should include focusing on education and culture as this will help provide more jobs for the people of Africa and gradually put an end to Africans in Diaspora and also improve the lives of ordinary people.

This was also the point Sipho Sepee a Political Analyst made some days ago. He said that Africans have not promoted education and hence the cause of the many ailments in Africa.

Finally, she congratulated South Africans on its 15 years of democracy and the just concluded Presidential elections. She thanked the people for coming out in their millions to vote.

Professor Francis of the Nwonwu African Institute said 70 % of Africans live below the poverty line and yet Africans prefer to import foreign products. He advised Africans to look inward and exploit the resources they have.

He made mention of the Oil in Nigeria and Angola, Timber in Central Africa, DRC and Congo etc. “We have failed to add value to these resources in Africa rather we allow them to be imported. If he had done this, more job opportunities would have been created’’ the professor said

Furthermore he said we should think African but act globally. “We need a new type of colonization not as in the past where the  focus was on building mansions and other physical structure rather the de-colonization of the mind where we see things differently and act accordingly especially in the area of development”.

The minister of arts and culture H.E Lulu Xingwara said The New Partnership for African’s Development (NEPAD) should come up with a key role in which we can develop and maintain a sustainable education.

He said it’s time for our scientists and researchers to look into the challenging areas of health issues like HIV/AIDS and malaria which is growing at an increasing rate in Africa and also develop those areas that can create jobs for the people in our continent.

Edem Abudra, the acting director of UNESCO, originally from Togo said Africans contribution to the World and mankind should not be taken for granted. A book should be written on it and this book should be made available not only to African youths, but to youths the world over.

Benny, CONNECTAFRICA

SOUTH AFRICA TO ISSUE DALAI LAMA VISA

South Africa’s government has made a U-turn over its decision in March to deny the Dalai Lama a visa. New International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said Tibet’s spiritual leader could now visit whenever he wanted. The government caused an international outcry when it said it would not allow him to attend a peace conference, linked to the 2010 Football World Cup.

Critics accused South Africa of caving in to Chinese pressure. The visa ban prompted Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former South African President FW de Klerk to pull out of the conference for Nobel laureates, forcing organisers to postpone it indefinitely. Despite the furore at the time, government spokesman Thabo Masebe said no visa would be issued “between now and the World Cup”, which South Africa is hosting. The government said his presence would distract attention from the World Cup – the first to be held in Africa.

But Ms Nkoana-Mashabane, appointed this week to newly elected President Jacob Zuma’s cabinet, said she wanted to clarify the position. “The Dalai Lama is more than free, like any other citizen of the globe, who would want to visit our country,” she told journalists. Beijing says the Dalai Lama is pushing for Tibetan independence, and has stirred up unrest in the region. But the Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 during an uprising against Chinese rule, has said he only wants limited autonomy for his homeland.

SOURCED FROM BBC

OBAMA’S MANY CHALLENGES ECLIPSE AFRICA

Despite the joy and high expectations inspired across Africa by Barack Obama’s election, issues on the world’s poorest continent have hardly featured at all on the new U.S. president’s agenda in his first 100 days. Many Africans hoped Obama’s inauguration in January as Washington’s first African-American leader would mark the start of a new U.S. drive to end the poverty, disease, corruption and conflicts that plague many of their countries.

But a tidal wave of domestic priorities ranging from the worst financial crisis for decades to floods and now a public health emergency triggered by swine flu, plus a series of foreign policy challenges, have left little time for Africa. The commander-in-chief’s father may have hailed from Kenya, but most on the continent are realistic about where they rank.

“We in Senegal do not expect much from Obama because America has a lot of problems that he has to take care of,” said Hadi Diouf N’diaye, the 32-year-old manager of a Dakar internet cafe. Top of the list for the new president has been the global economic slowdown. It has dominated major summits overseas and driven him to push Congress for a budget at home that would see him spend and borrow more than any U.S. leader in history.

With early forecasts that Africa would escape the worst of the financial meltdown now looking hopeful at best, many on the continent have been watching the response in Washington keenly. Akwasi Osei-Adjei, Ghana’s former foreign minister, said the first 100 days suggested Obama could do a lot to help the world.

SOURCED FROM REUTERS

HUNDREDS FEARED DROWNED OFF THE COAST OF LIBYA

Hundreds of people are feared dead after at least one boat packed with suspected illegal migrants heading for Europe sank off the coast of Libya.

Libyan officials said at least 21 people had died and about 20 were rescued after a vessel reportedly carrying 250 people went down.

There are unconfirmed reports that up to two more boats, carrying more than 300 people, also sank in the same area.

Tens of thousands of migrants attempt to reach Europe by sea every year.

Italy has announced that it will soon start joint sea patrols with Libya aimed at stopping the heavy influx of illegal migrants.

SOURCED FROM REUTERS

AFRICAN MIGRANTS DEFY FLOOD, CROSS INTO SPAIN

As many as 30 African migrants have taken advantage of flood damage to cross into the Spanish enclave of Melilla, from neighbouring Morocco.Heavy rains have caused two rivers to breach their banks in the Spanish city on the north African coast.

The floodwaters swept away part of a barrier erected to prevent migrants crossing into Melilla.Police are looking for the sub-Saharan African migrants, who waded through mud and water near a floodgate.

Melilla is a target for hopeful migrants, aiming to make the journey on to Spain or other EU countries.Spain has heavily fortified the fence that divides it from Morocco.

Police said they managed to prevent most of the group from entering, but say some managed to get past.”We had people there but they came at us in force and we couldn’t stop so many,” said a spokesman for the Spanish government’s office in Melilla.

The town has suffered some of its worst flooding in 30 years, and weather forecasts suggest heavy rain is set to continue.The conditions have cut access to Melilla by cut off by land, air and sea.Both Melilla and another enclave, Ceuta, are claimed by Morocco.

SOURCED FROM BBC

100 AFRICAN MIGRANTS FEARED DROWNED OFF THE GULF OF ADEN

About 100 migrants are feared to have drowned after being thrown overboard by smugglers in the Gulf of Aden, the UN refugee agency says. The migrants were attempting to flee to Yemen from war-torn Somalia but were forced off the boat about 5km (3 miles) from the coast, a UN official said.

About 47 migrants managed to swim to shore and alert the authorities. The UN says about 32,000 people have made the perilous crossing to Yemen this year, and 365 have gone missing.

The boat had left Marera in Somalia, close to the port of Bossasso, on Monday with 150 people on board, according to Ron Redmond, a spokesman for UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

“Survivors said they counted a total of 47 people reaching the beach and later saw Yemeni authorities burying five bodies,” Mr Redmond said at a press conference.

UNHCR estimates that in addition to those missing, at least 230 people have died attempting the crossing this year.

SOURCED FROM BBC