National News Monday, July 15, 2013 1. Al-Mustapha Was a Model Prisoner, Say Prison Sources Former CSO: I have forgiven my accusers Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the later military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, was a model prisoner. Throughout his 14 years of incarceration behind at Kirikiri Maximum Prison, he was said to have conformed to the rules governing the prison, a feat many prison sources have attributed to the military regimen garnered during his training and subsequent career as a military officer. Aside his personality, which was described as exemplary, the major had also honed his skills in sports especially tennis and became a champion behind the walls. According to fellow inmates, the tennis aficionado was best described as a disciplinarian who also had a large heart to accommodate those who were in need of help. Prison sources who spoke, but preferred not to be named, told THISDAY that the major had been known to have helped several inmates who were awaiting trial to secure their freedom by obliging them with his legal counsels. When contacted, the Lagos State Prison Public Relations Officer, Biyi Jeje, said although he could not confirm such claims, he however corroborated the fact that the major played the role of a philanthropist to other inmates. Thisday, pg7 2. Fresh outrage at Rivers’ crisis • ACN, AP blame Presidency, task PSC on probe • NUPENG seeks removal, prosecution of CP • Speakers condemn bid to impeach colleague • ACF warns of danger to democracy • PDP accuses ACN of plotting to destabilise system STILL outraged at the crisis that is rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly which resulted in fisticuffs last week, various stakeholders have proposed measures to restore peace to the legislative chamber. Reacting to the crisis in which five of the 32-member House of Assembly attempted the impeachment of the Speaker, Otelemeba Dan Amachree, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Accord Party (AP) yesterday blamed the Presidency for the development.The ACN called on the Police Service Commission (PSC) to address the causes rather than the symptoms of the crisis in the state in its ongoing investigation into the role of the police in the House of Assembly fight last week. But, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the ACN of plotting to destabilise the system on account of its renewed call for the impeachment of President Goodluck Jonathan over the recent crisis in Rivers State House of Assembly. The Guardia, front pg, cont on pg4 3. Nigerians challenge Patience Jonathan to debate with Soyinka Some Nigerians on Sunday asked the wife of the President, Patience Jonathan, to make herself available for a debate with Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka. The call came on the heels of the diatribe the First Lady launched against Soyinka in which she described the renowned playwright as an “embarrassment’’ for attributing the crisis rocking Rivers State to her and her husband, President Goodluck Jonathan. But some Nigerians, who took to Twitter and other social networks to voice their concern over the development, called on a Lagos-based private broadcaster, Channels Television, to organise a debate for the two. According to them, the TV station’s Sunrise Daily, a news and current affairs programme that features prominent Nigerians, who are experts in their areas of specialisation, will provide a level playing ground for the duo to thrash out the knotty issues they were arguing on. The Punch, pg14 15 4. BOKO HARAM: Amnesty committee under fire Amnesty has failed-Northern CAN,the whole thing is confusing-Balarabe Musa JTF kills Boko Haram top commander in Borno, we didn’t claim we spoke with Shekau LAGOS — The Presidential Committee on the Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts in Northern Nigeria, came under severe criticisms, yesterday, from across the country following denial by Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau that the sect had entered into a cease-fire agreement with the Federal Government. The Committee came under attack on a day the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Restore Order II in Borno State, said that it has succeeded in killing a top commander of Boko Haram sect, Bulabulin Nganaram, who was on the wanted list of the JTF with a N10m bounty. The sect commander who was killed in a shootout with the taskforce was said to be responsible for the killing of a teacher and three students of Sanda Karami Secondary School, Ruwan Zafi Maiduguri. Vanguard, front pg, cont on pg5 5. Uduaghan taking sides with Itsekiri to marginalize us-Warri Urhobos Wants marginalization addressed before LG polls, or… Director-General of State Security Service (SSS) to use their good offices to intervene before the situation gets out of hand, warning that the idea of the state government waiting for lives and property to be destroyed before drafting Army personnel and other security agents to quell crisis is inhuman and criminal. “There is obvious serious tension, Warri South may boil if urgent steps are not taken now,” they warned. The Urhobo Voice, pg7 6. Legislators spend N5.2 billion per bill in two years Nigeria’s National Assembly (NASS) which is facing a backlog of unfinished business and increasing public dis- approval, has spent N5.2 billion on average, to pass a bill in the past two years. The legislators are on pace to pass less than 10 percent of bills before them, since the inauguration of the 7th Assembly (2011-2015) on 6th June, 2011. The NASS which comprises a Senate and House of Representatives has passed 69 bills out of a total of 725 bills in various stages of progress before it, according to BusinessDay’s analysis of the bill progression chart of both houses, gotten from the assembly’s website. Meanwhile 73 percent of people in Nigeria thought that parliament or legislature was affected by corruption, data from Transparency Internationals (TI) most recent global corruption barometer shows. Ninety-four percent of respondents in the same TI survey said Nigerian political parties were affected by corruption. BusinessDay, front pg, cont on pg8 Business News 7. NLC rejects new electricity tariff FROM the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has come condemnation of the multi-year tariff designed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). In a statement Sunday in Abuja, the NLC President, Abdulwaheed Omar, said that the congress rejected the latest figures because of the epileptic electricity supply and the low purchasing power of the working people. The Guardian, front pg, cont on pg4 8. Lagos-Abidjan highway to cost $2bn The Abidjan-Lagos highway development project may cost up to $2bn, the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Economic Community of West African States Commission, Mr. Ebima Njie, has said. He spoke in Abuja on Friday during a meeting with development partners on the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project. The Punch, pg32 9. Subsidy debt: Marketers threaten to stop petrol importation The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, whose members comprise Conoil, Forte, MRS, Mobil, Oando and Total, has threatened to stop importation of petrol due to the non-payment of their N40.6bn subsidy claims by the Federal Government. The Secretary, MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, who spoke with newsmen in Lagos on Friday, said the debt was largely for petrol imports done this year. The Punch, pg32 World/Regional News 10. Power probe: Elumelu to sue EFCC over falsehood, detention Determined to clear his name dented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ndudi Elumelu, member of the House of Representatives, is to sue the commission for allegedly dragging his name into mud. The commission had detained and subsequently arraigned him over allegations of bribery during the probe of the power sector in 2009 but was on June 26 cleared of the charges and was subsequently discharged and acquitted. Daily Independent, pg6 11. Senate shifts PIB meeting for Constitution, Ewherido ABUJA — FOLLOWING debates on report of the 1999 Constitution, the Senate has been forced to shift a planned public hearing on the provisions of the new Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, with the thirty-six state governors and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed Vanguard, pg8
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 12:13:06 +0000
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