In news just reaching us the national officials of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) have upturned their decision not to make forms available for other contenders for the party's ticket in the race for the presidential flag bearer of the party in the 2015 elections.
Details are still sketchy but does this mean they have decided against having a consensus candidate and rescheduling for primaries. I know your curious as i am. I really would bring you the details as soon as they are in.
BREAKING NEWS:
Fuel laden tanker engulfed by fire along Ayobo-Ayetoro road in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos state. Commercial buses and motor bikes said to be among victims engulfed in the fire. The number of casualties is yet to be ascertained. The Lagos state fire service and other authorities have since been notified but yet to arrive at the scene. We hope to bring you details later from our correspondents on the scene.
THE reported insistent of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos to field former Accountant-General of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode, as its candidate for 2015 governorship election is tipping the party at the precipice, Nigerian Tribune learnt on Sunday night.
At about 5.43 p.m. on Sunday, top-notchers of the party across the three senatorial districts were locked in a crucial meeting on how to stop the alleged plan to pick Ambode as Plan A and, if the imposition succeeds, helping the opposition to win the state as Plan B.
Disgruntled associates of the national leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu, constituted the fulcrum of the meeting.
One of them, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune before the meeting, disclosed that things had gone completely awry within the party over the Ambode project.
The meeting was said to be a fallout of new developments in the state chapter of the party, as different caucuses struggled to control the process that would throw up delegates for the December governorship primaries.
At the centre of the storm within the party was said to be the issue of the control of local government councils, which a competent party source said had torn the party in the median, leading to the emergence of those who called themselves the “Progressives” and the party leadership, as represented by Tinubu, being referenced as the “Old Brigade”.
The reality that council chairmen would be crucial to the emergence of delegates had reportedly seen both divides struggling to have control of headship of the council areas, with Tinubu’s camp said to be insisting on the return of the chairmen whose tenure ran out last week, in acting capacity.
The former chairmen, said to have been coordinated by a particular chairman of a local government (name withheld) in Lagos West senatorial district, had allegedly played a major role in Ambode’s campaign so far, allegedly providing financial, logistic and moral support.
The alleged move to return them to power was said to be the plan to seize the control of the delegates by Tinubu’s camp and ensure the emergence of Ambode as the candidate.
The Progressives reportedly walled the move and yet to budge as of press time.
The idea of new caretaker chairmen is being rebuffed by Tinubu’s camp.
New caretaker chairmen was said to be seen as a move to take the levers of influence and ensure the emergence of another candidate, who is not to be handpicked by the Tinubu caucus.
The reported stalemate is now said to have stagnated activities in all the local government areas in the state, since the council managers that Lagos State government ordered the former council chairmen to hand over to could not function without a bye-law to be passed by the state House of Assembly, whose Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, is also seeking APC’s governorship ticket.
As of last night, Nigerian Tribune could not confirm if the legislation was before the state lawmakers.
When the Nigerian Tribune contacted an affected council chairman last night, he painted a situation that was incomprehensible.
The two-term chairman, seeking a legislative ticket, disclosed that they were yet to know whether they would be returned or not.
According to him, “our Ogas have obviously not agreed. It is when they agree that we would know what is going to happen to us.”
The pro-Ambode ex-council boss could not fathom the insider opposition to his candidacy and when reminded that the arithmetic of voting population in Lagos might not sustain the agitation for a Christian candidate, he retorted “Is that why he can’t be governor? We are waiting to see how it would end.”
As both parties struggle to control the delegate appointment process, another move is on to ensure Ambode’s defeat at the general election, if those pushing his candidacy succeed at party level.
A close associate of Tinubu, who is now aggrieved over the Ambode project, told the Nigerian Tribune last night that they just rose from a strategic meeting at a location in Lagos (identity withheld), where their struggle had been given a direction and code-named “Operation Enough is Enough.”
He noted that Tinubu was now a bigger picture for them to end his dominance of Lagos politics, adding that whatever happens with Ambode would not really matter at the end of the struggle.
Describing Ambode as just a part of the whole project, he disclosed that the agenda to upstage Tinubu from this point would have nothing to do with the candidate he presents for the governorship election, as they may be pushed to give the opposition the Alausa Government House next year.
“We want him to dare us. Over 70 per cent of our members (APC members) may be voting the opposition next year. Just watch us. He tried unpopular imposition during the last local government election and you saw what happened by yourself.
“We lost clearly in nine local governments in an election they (ACN then) conducted by themselves. Oh, you think it was Obanikoro’s son that was that popular to defeat Tinubu in his local government? It was an insider job. “Aggrieved party members simply showed him what they were capable of doing. If he got such drubbing in a state election, we are talking about an election that those who want to take over in Lagos would conduct from Abuja. Wait and see,” he said.
The source made it clear that the disgruntled chieftains were meeting with stakeholders across party lines with a view to building a coalition that would displace Tinubu.
Meanwhile, the candidate selection crisis in APC is said to have sent the leadership back to the drawing-board to rethink the Ambode project vis-a-vis the agitation for the emergence of a Christian governor next year.
The agitation was said to be a major criterion for the Ambode’s choice, while PDP was said to be looking in the direction of another Christian, Jimi Agbaje.
However, the reported realisation that 62 per cent of voters in 2011 governorship election in the state were Muslims is reportedly giving the leadership of both parties serious concern, especially if one decides in the zero hour to field a Muslim candidate.
One of the leaders of “Enough is Enough” group explained that while the religious consideration would matter for APC, it might not cost PDP any fortune, since sacking Tinubu would be a greater motivation than religious belief of PDP’s candidate.
It was learnt that in resolving the APC logjam, the ticket might be zoned elsewhere outside Lagos East and this possibility was said to be responsible for the emergence of the former Attorney General of Lagos State, Supo Shashore.
Despite the expected windfall from the imminent implosion of APC, PDP leadership is the state is also said to be double-checking the idea of a Christian candidate, given the arithmetic realities.
A group within the leadership of the party was also being credited with the idea of an Igbo running-mate, who is most likely to be a Christian, in order to forestall the emergence of a Christian candidate.
The move is said to have put Agbaje’s chances in the cooler, since a Muslim candidate would be expected to run with the Igbo deputy.
Though the idea was publicly premised on sweeping the Igbo votes, which were put at 23 per cent of total voters’ population in Lagos, Nigerian Tribune gathered that the original concept was to get a Muslim to pick the governorship ticket.
A chieftain of APC, while reacting to the Igbo agenda, confirmed it and expressed the readiness of his party to counter it.
“Let PDP try it. It would make our campaign easier. It is simply to tell the entire Yoruba race that PDP is planning to dash Igbo the most economically-viable state in Yorubaland.
“That means if something happens to the Yoruba governor, Igbo man becomes Lagos governor. Can they allow that in Enugu or Anambra? Let them try that nonsense because they want to win election. We are waiting for them,” he fumed.
Nigerian Tribune also gathered that other aspirants on the platform of APC might end up presenting a consensus against Ambode.
A source in the race told the Nigerian Tribune last night that “we are exploring a lot of options. The main focus is to stop this man (referring to Tinubu).”
A suicide bomber has detonated an explosive device killing scores of Muslim worshippers in Potiskum the Yobe State capital.
Witnesses said that the Muslim brotherhood, the Shia, were on procession in Potiskum metropolis in observance of the 10th Day of Muharram 1436 celebration when the explosion went off among the worshippers killing scores of those in the procession.
It was also gathered that the bomber was among the worshippers when the explosion went off around 11:15 on Monday morning
Residents said that several followers of the group, particularly women and children, were killed by the explosion as security forces have presently cleared off the area to prevent further attack.
The Yobe State Commissioner of Police, Mr Markus Danladi, who confirmed the incident, said that the suicide bomber took advantage of the procession to carry out his dastardly act but casualty figure was yet to be known.
“Yes a suicide bomber was among the Shia group and detonated his explosive device, killing members of the group, but I am still on my way to the scene of the incident,” the CP said.
The entire area has presently been condoned off by security men as residents remain in their various locations to avoid being victims of any attack.
Potiskum has been experiencing several bomb attacks with the last one before this occurring two days after the Eid-el Fitr Sallah celebration where worshippers were killed in two separate mosque attacks.
Over 300 protesters under the aegis of Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS on Monday shut down the office of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS over their miserable conditions due to access to antiretroviral drugs and ongoing withdrawal of funding support to HIV/AIDS by external funding partners.
They also complained about the non-implementation of the Comprehensive Response Plan inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan to bridge the existing treatment access gaps.
As early as 6am, the protesters had besieged the major entrance to office of the Director-General, of NACA, Prof. John Idoko and prevented him and other staff from entering their offices.
They came with bed sheets and other sleeping materials, an indication that the protest would be serious.
The Federal Government had appropriated N140bn for the PCRC, out of which only N8bn has been released.
The spokesperson for NEPWHAN, Mr. Sumaila Garba told Journalists that they would lock up NACA office for 25 days.
Among these protesters were young men and women, carrying placards with different anti-government inscriptions.
But Idoko assured the protesters that NACA was looking into their grievances to ensure that the issues were resolved amicably.
Details Later…
Scores of Muslim worshipers killed in Potiskum, Yobe state by suicide bomber. Women and children among victims. Suicide bomber was amidst Muslim precession when bomb was detonated. details later
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has said that protecting the safety of journalists and ensuring that crimes committed against them don’t go unpunished is ever-more important in today’s changing times.
In a message on Nov. 2 to mark the first-ever International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, Ban said: “No journalist anywhere should have to risk their life to report news.
“A free and open press is part of the bedrock of democracy and development.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the UN General Assembly proclaimed the Day in a resolution on safety of journalists.
The date marks the assassination of two journalists, Gislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, in Mali in 2013.
Ban said that in the past 10 years, more than 700 journalists were killed for doing their job.
The UN scribe added that in 2013 alone, some 17 Iraqi journalists were executed, while many more suffered from intimidation, death threats and violence elsewhere.
Ban noted that nine out of 10 cases go unpunished which, he said, only served to embolden criminals.
No fewer than 144 inmates of the Koton-Karfi Prison in Kogi State have been set free by gunmen, who invaded the prison on Monday.
One of the prisoners, whose identity has yet to be made known, was also killed.
The Controller of the prisons confirmed the attack.
Details later..
President Goodluck Jonathan and his vice, Namadi Sambo have asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to quash the suit challenging their eligibility to stand for re-election into office next year.
Two lawyers and another Nigerian, Mase Acho, Saeeq Sarki and Murtala Abubakar had filed the suit.
The suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/661/14 is asking the court to declare that having taken the oath of office twice, Jonathan and Sambo have already exhausted the limit allowed by the Constitution.
The plaintiffs, in their originating summons, had argued that another four-year term for the President and his vice would amount to a breach of sections 135(2)(a) and 137(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.
But Jonathan and Sambo have, however, through the lawyers, Mr. Ade Okeaya-Inneh (SAN) and Dr. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), filed a preliminary objection to the issues raised by the plaintiffs.
It is part of their arguments that they could not be sued in their personal capacities for any criminal or civil cause since Section 308 of the Constitution confers on them immunity.
Besides this, the President and his vice are contesting that the plaintiffs have no standing in law to institute the legal action.
Their lawyers argued that before the plaintiffs could have a valid case against their clients, the plaintiffs must first show that their personal interests have been adversely affected and prove that such interest overrides the public interest.
According to the President’s legal team, the plaintiffs have not disclosed any sufficient interest to warrant a claim in Public or Private Law.
Jonathan and Sambo are further contesting that it is not within the purview of the Federal High Court, Abuja to entertain the plaintiffs’ suit.
Describing the plaintiffs’ cause of action as speculative, academic and conjectural, their lawyers said, “It is trite principle also that a court should not decide a case on mere conjecture or speculation. Courts of laws are places of facts and laws. They decide issues on facts established before them and on laws. They must avoid speculation.”
Clarinettist Acker Bilk, who personified the trad jazz revival of the 1950s and 60s, has died after a lengthy illness, aged 85.
His most famous number Stranger on the Shore was the UK's biggest selling single of 1962 and made him an international star.
Born Bernard Stanley Bilk, he changed his name to Acker - Somerset slang for mate - after learning to play the clarinet in the Army.
His last concert was in August 2013.
Pamela Sutton, who was Bilk's personal manager for 45 years, said he had "been ill for some time. He was my great friend and his music was legendary."
Fancy waistcoat
He leaves his wife Jean, daughter Jenny and son Pete.
