Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Ogba CDA Chairman murdered.
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Tragic! The Chairman of Ogba Community has been killed by unknown gunmen in Edo State. (Graphic video + pix)
According to the wife, Aisosa Omoregbe, who was an eyewitness, the deceased was shot over a dispute.
The PPRO of Edo State Police command, DSP Moses Eguavoen, has promised to fish out the culprits.
See more graphic images and video after the cut:
What Oshiomhole told us- Nyaim
What Oshiomhole told us - Nyiam
"We left Jos and went to Minna, we went through the same experience with Governor Babangida Aliyu and most people there too spoke in terms of ethno nationalities representations. We went to Calabar, we went through the same experience. So we came to Benin, where Governor Oshiomhole shifted the timing and that changed the time we were supposed to meet the Oba of Benin. We saw the governor for at least 40 minutes and he started giving us tutorials as if we are children; he told us that he was a product of Kaduna, that he had his children in Kaduna.
"He went on to now attack the idea of ethno-nation. He argued that we are going to celebrate 100 years next year so what are we going to talk about? I countered that. He argued that we don't need a conference, but with all the troubles we had, for a leader to say we don't need a conference is very sad. It is an insult on the intelligence of Nigerians. In Kenya recently after the elections, there were lots of killings that led to a constitutional conference which turned Kenya from a unitary system to a true federalism.
"With that background, he now came to the venue after the Benin Development Forum spoke. He came late and after listening, he asked for an intervention, he took the micro phone and then decided to repeat the lecture, treating people like students and castigating the Federal Government. More offensive for me was that he was talking down on the elders there, that the idea of them coming together there was a waste of time.
"These two things, one talking down on people is contrary to the philosophy of our people. We had former governors there, elders, traditional rulers. Secondly when we are in an interactive session with the people, it is not for a governor to come and take over the stage, grandstanding. This is a governor that spoke over 40 minutes when we were with him. This idea of governors trying to run down the President, a governor abusing the office of the President to make insinuations against the office of the president, to criticise people's ability for self expression, is unacceptable.
"So when people started booing the governor, I went to the chairman to remind him about the rules of our committee. The chairman said we should give him a chance to continue. He carried on with his derogatory remarks and it was at that point I then said no, not again. When I said that, by this time, his aides tried to come at me, but when I suspected that one was at my back I stood up, then sat down.
"Not long, after a group of people came towards the table, it was then that the DSS people advised that my life was not safe and I was taken away for safety. The Director of the Department of State Service, DSS, mounted security around us; the Commissioner of Police came to see me and they brought security. The Police drove us all out of Edo State because of fears of attack. So contrary to what they said that I mobilized thugs, it is not true, it was Edo people that protected me," he narrated.
"We left Jos and went to Minna, we went through the same experience with Governor Babangida Aliyu and most people there too spoke in terms of ethno nationalities representations. We went to Calabar, we went through the same experience. So we came to Benin, where Governor Oshiomhole shifted the timing and that changed the time we were supposed to meet the Oba of Benin. We saw the governor for at least 40 minutes and he started giving us tutorials as if we are children; he told us that he was a product of Kaduna, that he had his children in Kaduna.
"He went on to now attack the idea of ethno-nation. He argued that we are going to celebrate 100 years next year so what are we going to talk about? I countered that. He argued that we don't need a conference, but with all the troubles we had, for a leader to say we don't need a conference is very sad. It is an insult on the intelligence of Nigerians. In Kenya recently after the elections, there were lots of killings that led to a constitutional conference which turned Kenya from a unitary system to a true federalism.
"With that background, he now came to the venue after the Benin Development Forum spoke. He came late and after listening, he asked for an intervention, he took the micro phone and then decided to repeat the lecture, treating people like students and castigating the Federal Government. More offensive for me was that he was talking down on the elders there, that the idea of them coming together there was a waste of time.
"These two things, one talking down on people is contrary to the philosophy of our people. We had former governors there, elders, traditional rulers. Secondly when we are in an interactive session with the people, it is not for a governor to come and take over the stage, grandstanding. This is a governor that spoke over 40 minutes when we were with him. This idea of governors trying to run down the President, a governor abusing the office of the President to make insinuations against the office of the president, to criticise people's ability for self expression, is unacceptable.
"So when people started booing the governor, I went to the chairman to remind him about the rules of our committee. The chairman said we should give him a chance to continue. He carried on with his derogatory remarks and it was at that point I then said no, not again. When I said that, by this time, his aides tried to come at me, but when I suspected that one was at my back I stood up, then sat down.
"Not long, after a group of people came towards the table, it was then that the DSS people advised that my life was not safe and I was taken away for safety. The Director of the Department of State Service, DSS, mounted security around us; the Commissioner of Police came to see me and they brought security. The Police drove us all out of Edo State because of fears of attack. So contrary to what they said that I mobilized thugs, it is not true, it was Edo people that protected me," he narrated.
Making presentation to the Nation Confernce Advisory committee
Here is my response to the suggestion by Bar Friday Ojealaro that Edo Political Forum should harness the positions of the Edos for the National conference Advisory Committee....I am all for Bar Friday Ojealaro's suggestion and we should do it within the next few days. The position of the State Governor has already started affecting and molding the response of the people and Edo State towards the conference. For example on the day of the conference, Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta States government sent down their protocol officers to secure seats for their states delegates and indicated their interest to speak because they were ready. So when the conference commenced those other states took prominet positions in the hall. Also when the Chairman started calling people to come and make recommendations it became Bayelsa, Delta States over and over again, the people of Edo had to protest verbally before the Chiarman skipped to call Benin Forum. My point is that if we want Edo State peple to be heard we must take the bull by the horn. The other thing I observed was that the people that came to represent their various states were old men in their 70's. Men who should be in retirement, men who were nervous and uncoordinated. I was force to ask the man who represented the Isoko nation, where is your lawyer son who has been practicing for 18 years? What makes you think you can better represent your people than your son? He was just smiling, foolish and greedy generation.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
How Akhigbe died in the US.
How Akhigbe Died in the US
Mike Akhigbe
•Mark: I've lost a brother
•Mark: I've lost a brother
By Adibe Emenyonu
Details have emerged on how a former Chief of General Staff, Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe, died Monday in his Manhattan home, New York in the United States at the age of 68.
The late former military vice-president in the junta headed by former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, between 1998 and 1999 died at 1.06 pm, Eastern Time, after he had earlier been discharged from a New York hospital where he had been receiving treatment for cancer.
Reacting to his death last night, Senate President David Mark expressed sorrow at the death of his former military colleague, saying he has lost a brother.
THISDAY had earlier in the day, based on initial reports from sources, which later turned out to be false, reported that the former chief of naval staff was dead.
But the family had refuted the publication, saying Akhigbe was alive and was stabilising.
But the family had refuted the publication, saying Akhigbe was alive and was stabilising.
It also refuted the report that the retired naval chief had died in a hospital in England.
It said Akhigbe, who had been on admission in a hospital in the United States, was stabilising.
It said Akhigbe, who had been on admission in a hospital in the United States, was stabilising.
However, later in the day, another family source confirmed to THISDAY that Akhigbe finally gave up the ghost yesterday at 1.06 pm New York time after losing the battle against cancer.
It was learnt that his doctors had earlier discharged him, saying there was nothing more they could do for him as his organs had packed up.
Confirming his death, a member of the Akhigbe's family said: “The admiral died after a long battle with cancer.”
Confirming his death, a member of the Akhigbe's family said: “The admiral died after a long battle with cancer.”
The Senate president, who retired from the military as a brigadier-general, in a swift reaction to the death of his former military colleague, expressed sadness at his passing away.
Mark, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media & Publicity, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, described Akhigbe's death as the loss of a brother, confidant, friend and comrade-at-arms.
Mark, who was overwhelmed with grief, recalled their days at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), stating that “Mike was fearless and very diligent in our course. He took these attributes to all the formations where he was privileged to have been posted either in his core military postings or political offices.
“He was one of the poster boys of our Course 3 and we were all very proud of him. His death is a huge personal loss to me, the members of Course 3, the Armed Forces, Edo State and the nation.
“But we cannot question God. He alone gives life and takes same when he so desires. We are bound by his decision to take our brother and friend at this time.”
The Senate president who is the chairman of Course 3 Alumni of the Nigerian Defence Academy, said: “We are however consoled that while Mike was with us, he lived his life in the service of God and mankind.”
Dialogue panel chief incites thugs against Oshiomhole
The national dialogue roadshow went awry yesterday in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
A meeting of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue in the Southsouth zone ended in a fiasco at the Imaguero Hall. The delegates left after comments by Governor Adams Oshiomhole caused an uproar.
The hall was virtually empty by the time some ethnic groups and individuals were presenting their memoranda.
The meeting that began at about 2pm ended at 4:30pm after committee Chairman Femi Okunrounmu declared that its members’ lives were not safe in Edo.
The Isoko, Urhobo, Itsekiri and Bini had presented their stand before the fracas.
It was as if some people were hired to disrupt the event when somebody from the audience interupted Oshiomhole a few minutes into his speech.
The voice said” “Two minutes”. “I will do more than that,” Oshiomhole replied.
The governor went on: “I want to make my own comments. They are my views and not the views of Edo State. It is not the view of any particular ethnic nationality. I think as a Nigerian we all have stake in this country and we have a duty to lay a solid foundation for the future of this country. I have a duty to be honest and truthful on the views and position that I canvass. My views are different. I asked the question, why are we having a national conference?”
“I believe that anyone who convenes a meeting must be clear why he convened a meeting. I have the opportunity to travel far and wide. You don’t assemble people and then ask them, what do we talk?. Whoever wishes to convene a meeting must be clear on what the issues are. When you have stated why the meeting was convened, you can then ask what should be added or deleted. You have hundreds of agenda. When I was the NLC, a former president convened a national conference and up till now…
Another interruption. Oshiomhole said: “You cannot shout me down. I know some persons were hired to be here.”
He continued: “People from various states converged, money
was spent and in the end I can’t remember what came out of that conference. It is a valid point to make that we failed before, we can make amend but it is important we learn from our history. I will be surprised if anything changes. As a leader, I have no business to mislead anyone. This conference will not be different from any previous conference.”
was spent and in the end I can’t remember what came out of that conference. It is a valid point to make that we failed before, we can make amend but it is important we learn from our history. I will be surprised if anything changes. As a leader, I have no business to mislead anyone. This conference will not be different from any previous conference.”
Some ethnic nationalities, mainly from Bayelsa and Delta states, were accused of joining to shout down the governor.
A member of the committee, Col. Tony Nyiam, stood up and made some unprintable remarks about Oshiomhole which led to a near free for all on the high table.
Nyiam stood up, banging the table and screaming: “No!”, “no!”, “no”. The ex-soldier was restrained by other members of the committee who appeared shocked at his behaviour.
The committee members hurriedly left after thugs invaded the hall.
The governor was still making his contribution when Nyiam started screaming for him to sit down. He was then joined in by the thugs who disrupted the proceedings and many scampered for safety as a result of the unruliness of the committee member and the thugs.
The governor, who insisted on concluding his remarks, yielded the floor to the thugs, who were getting violent.
The National Anthem was hurriedly played as the governor took his exit.
In a statement last night, the dialogue panel condemned the “unruly conduct” of one of its members for joining the crowd to heckle the governor.
At a visit to him in his office by members of the committee led by Senator Femi Okurounmu either Oshiomhole said he had no faith in the process.
He said: “All I owe Nigeria now is to speak my mind. It could be error of my head, but certainly not of my heart. As much as I wish you well, I just want to say that I have no faith in this process and I do not think it was necessary at all.”
The governor added: “I am unable to find any basis to give me some illusion that this exercise will be different from the others.
He lamented that 53 years after independence, Nigerians still prefer to look at themselves from their ethnic origin rather than being Nigerians. “For me, I am just a Nigerian,” Oshiomhole said.
Oshiomhole said: “I do not think that more than 100 years when we have set aside billions of naira to celebrate our centenary the fact of our amalgamation of the North and Southern Nigeria, and we have lived together as one country for over a 100 years, and we have gone through independence, we have been free for 53 years and we are coming back to ask the question, how could we be there?
“I think Nigeria needs to address very serious issues. When I see eminent Nigerians discussing this issue, I am sure they know that Nigeria’s problem is not this politics of sharing, which the national dialogue is all about; who is getting what, who has this natural endowment, who should do this or not do this. For me, this is the act of perfecting poverty.
“The real challenge is getting Nigeria back to production. The real challenge is creating industrial base and this cannot be resolved through conferences. We have moved from parliamentary system in our own wisdom to the presidential system. We have test-run it and it was aborted by the military and it has re-incarnated in the present form,” he said, adding:
“Nigeria does need a serious reflection about how to return to those core values that made Nigeria work before. Those healthy competition between the governments, visit the whole question of attitude and unless that changes, I do not see how any dialogue can work”, he said.
The Governor said: “I was discussing with somebody last week and he noted that this is the eleventh conference and I ask what ten conferences could not do, how would the eleventh one do it? Why do we think we can continue doing the same thing the same old way and think that this time the outcome would be different?”
The Governor said nobody convenes a meeting without stating the agenda and asking others to draw up the agenda for that meeting. “From conception we know we want to talk, but we do not know what we want to talk about.”
Okurounmu said the committee was in Benin as part of its tour of the six geopolitical zones to get their input into the content of the agenda, the duration, choice of delegation and legal framework of the proposed dialogue.
Okunroumu expressed happiness over the impressive turnout by Nigerians at the different venues of its sittings.
“Nigerians have accepted the need to have this conference. We have been to four centres Minna, Akure, Jos and Calabar, and the turnout has been impressive and overwhelming.
“In all the centres, Nigerians came from the rural areas, even from the remotest villages to make presentations to us and there are “no-go areas at all.
“We are to listen to all Nigerians and I am happy that the turnout has been encouraging to the extent that we requested for bigger halls,’’ he said.
The chairman noted that “we have been listening to different groups and views, but no single group who threatens to dismember Nigeria has come before us.
“Nigerians all over the world are entitled to submit their views, but they must not be in the committee to air their views.
They have our e-mail address. “Let them submit their memo to us and their views will be acknowledged. This is the essence of the committee.
“That is why we are going round to know what are the things agitating the minds of Nigerians.
“We will include these views in our report and these will definitely set the agenda for government and tell government how they want to be governed,’’ he said.
Confab: Nyiam resigns after shouting match with Oshiomhole
BY SIMON EBEGBULEM
BENIN CITY— FOLLOWING his outburst against Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State a member of the the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference/Dialogue, Col Tony Nyiam (rtd), was yesterday forced to resign by the Senator Femi-Okurounmu-led committee.
BENIN CITY— FOLLOWING his outburst against Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State a member of the the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference/Dialogue, Col Tony Nyiam (rtd), was yesterday forced to resign by the Senator Femi-Okurounmu-led committee.
Vanguard gathered that members of the panel were embarrassed by Nyiam’s perceived partisanship and had to apologise to Oshiomhole.
However, in a telephone chat with Vanguard last night, Nyiam refused to confirm whether or not he had quit the job. Asked if he had resigned, Col Nyiam, in a combatant tone asked Vanguard to question the source of the report that he had resigned.
Col Tony Nyiam (rtd) shouting at Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
“Who told you that I have resigned? Ask the person who told you to tell you his authority or how he learnt that I have resigned. Thank you!” he said and hung up.
Another member of the committee firther clarified that the committee had to force him to step down in order to redeem the panel’s image.
“ The governor, Oshiomhole was our host. It was unbecoming of a member of a commiitee that was set up to listen to Nigerians to now want to stop Nigerians from talking, no matter what they had to say. We faulted him, he didn’t like it; we told him he embarrassed the committee; he admitted his outburst was wrong and we demanded his resignation.
Authoritative sources told Vanguard that Okurounmu led other members of the panel to apologise to the governor and showed him a copy of Nyiam’s alleged resignation letter.
Oshiomhole reportedly accepted the apology.
This came as suspected thugs disrupted the proceedings of the Committee on national conference in Benin City, when they stopped Governor Oshiomhole and others from making contributions to the ongoing talks.
The disruption came after a member of PAC, Col. Tony Nyiam (rtd) had shouted down the Governor while making his contribution.
The thugs believed to have been imported from neighbouring states heckled the Governor as soon as they realised that his contributions would be different from the expected opinions.
The governor who took the stage to make his contribution after the Isoko Ethnic group had made its contribution said he objected to spending huge public funds on a wasteful venture, saying, during the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo, money was spent on a similar conference and at the end, nothing came out of that conference.
was spent on a similar conference and at the end, nothing came out of that conference.
While the governor was still making his speech, Col Nyiam stood up to challenge the governor and shouted him down.
But Oshiomhole who had earlier told the crowd that his views about the conference may not be the views of the people of the state but “my personal views” insisted that he must be allowed to air his views publicly and he continued despite comments from Ijaw groups at the conference.
“I will be surprised if anything changes. Sincerely, I have no business to deceive or mislead anyone. I believe that the outcome of this conference will not be different from that of other conferences we have had in the past.”
But as soon as Governor Oshiomhole made this statement, committee member, Col Nyiam jumped up and shouted at the Governor.
He was restrained by other members who were taken aback by his action. Even while the Governor was still making his contribution, Nyiam started screaming at the Governor to shut up and sit down.
Thereafter by the PDP thugs who disrupted the whole proceedings and many scampered for safety as a result of the unruliness of the committee member and thugs.
The governor who insisted on concluding his remarks however left the floor when the thugs were getting violent.
However, the Governor had, at a courtesy visit to him in his office by members of the Committee led by Senator Femi Okurounmu, said he had no faith in the whole process.
Oshiomhole said: “All I owe Nigeria now is to speak my mind. It could be error of my head but certainly not of my heart. As much as I wish you well, I just want to say that I have no faith in this process and I do not think it was necessary at all. I am unable to find any basis to give me some illusion that this exercise will not be different from the others. And I honestly think that in terms of the private sector, when a country keeps debating how we can live together that cannot be one of the basis on which the outside community will invest in Nigeria. They may well wait until we know how we want to live in Nigeria.”
He lamented that fifty-three years after independence, Nigerians still preferred to look at themselves from their ethnic origin rather than being Nigerians, saying, “for me, I am just a Nigerian. I do not think that more than one hundred years when we have set aside billions of naira to celebrate centenary celebrating the fact of amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria, and we have lived together as one country for over a hundred years, and we have gone through independence, we have been free for fifty three years and we are coming back to ask the question, how could we be there.
“I think Nigeria needs to address very serious issues. When I see eminent Nigerians discussing this issue, I am sure they know that Nigeria’s problem is not this politics of sharing which the national dialogue is all about, who is getting what, who has this natural endowment, who should do this or not do this. For me this is the act of perfecting poverty. The real challenge is getting Nigeria back to production. The real challenge is creating industrial base and this cannot be resolved through conferences. We have moved from parliamentary system in our own wisdom to the presidential system. We have test-run it and it was aborted by the military and it has re-incarnated in the present form.”
“Nigeria does need a serious reflection about how to return to those core values that made Nigeria work before. Those healthy competition between the governments, visit the whole question of attitude and unless that changes, I do not see how any dialogue can work. I was discussing with somebody last week and he noted that this is the eleventh conference and I ask what ten conferences could not do, how would the eleventh one do it? Why do we think we can continue doing the same thing the same old way and think that this time the outcome would be different?
The Governor said nobody convened a meeting without stating an agenda and asking others to draw up an agenda for the meeting, saying “one would have expected the Federal Government to make an outline and allow Nigerians make additional input, instead of saying there are no no-go areas and giving the impression the exercise will end nowhere, at which point the governor’s security aides formed a ring around him, just as the arena was getting very rowdy, with shouts of no, yes, the only words that could be discerned. ’Then the issue of fashioning a new political system came up in the past, a lot of money was spent, transporting people all over the whole country and expanding more on related issues but at end, what did we get. To me, this is not meant to work and it will not work. Fconception we know we want to talk but we do not know what we want to talk about.”
was spent, transporting people all over the whole country and expanding more on related issues but at end, what did we get. To me, this is not meant to work and it will not work. Fconception we know we want to talk but we do not know what we want to talk about.”
Earlier, chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue/Conference, Senator Femi Okurounmu said they were in Benin as part of their tour of the six geo political zones to get their input as regards the content of the agenda, the duration, choice of delegation and legal framework. States of the South-South zone and different ethnic nationalities, including the Ijaw National Council, Urhobo Progress Union, Benin Forum, Ijaws of Gbaramatu, Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, Isoko Development Union, Midwest Consultative Forum and many other groups made presentations.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Spontaneous protest again Comrade Adams
Today in Benin City @ the National Conference Advisory
Committee meeting at Imaguero College, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the Executive
Governor of Edo State was making a remark and wanted to use the opportunity to
put forward his personal view. As he started to say that he the conference does
not have a set goal the crowd erupted and started chanting thereby hushing him
up. It should be noted that there were delegates from Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers
and the host state of Edo. The spontaneous action did not have political
colouration and any attempt to paint is so is a cheap lie.
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