US-based Nigerians Would No Longer Be Intimidated, SaysACN Chieftain From laolu Akande, New York

T TS-BASED Nigerians, passion­Uate about the fate of the country. will no longer be sutr jeer to the intimidation of "do or die" politiCians, says Steve Ugbah, ACN's gubernatorial candidate in Benue State at the recently concluded elections.

"Some of our political col­leagues in Nigeria think those of us abroad are so comfort­able that we can nor take the heat here. This is our opportu­nity to tell them that our des­tiny is in Nigeria also," Ugbah said in a telephone interview with The Guardian last week

According to him, Nigerians in the US and elsewhere in the Diaspora "are not just COffi-

INTERNATIONAL plaining; we are coming home to put our money where our mouths are and to provide so­lutions."

Ugbah, 57, a university Profes­sor in California for27years, was declared loser in the state's gov­ernorship polls. But he is chal­lenging the results at the Election Petitions Tribunal.

More significantly however, his case and cause are now am­munitions in the mobilisa­tion of a number of US-based Nigerian professionals; many of who are actively supporting him and advocating his cause in America after he was arrested recently on the orders of Gover­nor Gabriel Suswam for alleged

public incitement tiona! Broadcasting Corpora-US-based Nigerians and tion, NBC, and many other

groups, like the defunct US- local California media outlets PRONACO chairman, Dr. Baba like 1V stations and newspa­Adam, Ernest Ezeocha, the Exec- pers have published detailed utive Director of the Nigeria reports on the political travails Forum in California, Ugbah's of the American professor of wife, herself a Nigerian profes- Marketing at the California sor, Stevina Evuleocha and his State University. sister Rosemary Akhidenor are For instance the largest 1V among several others known network in the US, National to be actively involved in mo- Broadcasting Corporation, bilising the US media, US gov· NBC, via its San Francisco sta­ernment law makers, officials tion ran a report last week say­and other US-based Nigerians ing 'A California State to rise in defense ofUgbah after University East Bay teacher run­he was arrested. ning for governor in his

As a resul~ since Ugbah's ar- home country, survived an as­res t over a week ago in Abuja sassi nation attempt and an ar­and aial in Makurdi, several US rest but ·his future in media outlets including the that country remains uncer­New York Times and the Na- tain."

lagos Slale Governor, Babatunde Fashola (second from right) , receives a gift of the Holy Ouran from Baba Adinnl of Lagos, Sheikh Hafeez Abou (left); Chief Imam of L~gos, She,ikh Garub~ Akinola Ibra~im (middle); Service Moderator, Alhaji Abdul·Rasa·q Aremu Gawat (second from le'ft) and Bashorun of lagos, Alhaji Sikiru A1abi·Macfoy (right) durmg a speCial Jumat service 10 mark commencemenl of Ihe governor's second lerm in office aline Central Mosque Lagos, .. Friday.

From Ralph Omololu Agbana, Lokoja

BYa popular decision, sec­ond timer, Abdullahi Bello,

representing Okene I State Constituency on Friday emerged as Speaker of the newly inaugurated Kogi State House of Assembly.

He succeeds Clarence Olafemi, who bowed out after two terms, having also emerged as the Peoples Dem­ocratic Party(PDP) deputy gov­ernorship candidate for the ill-fated January governorship primary election. .

Rumpus Trails Speaker's Emergence KOGI made available to reporters cause disunity, misundcr­

in lokoja, shortly before Bello standing, disharmony, and But the decision to nomi- was named Speaker, the ag- disenfranchise the newly

nate Bello as Speaker without grieved said that while nomi- elected legislators from the election may be the beginning nating principal officers of a three senatorial disaicts. of a legal tussle, following re- party or parties is the sole busi- While hinting that they are solve by four opposition mem- ness of each party, with the weighing a judicial option to bers to seek legal redress. amended Section 10 (I) of the clarify the issue, the lawmak-

(n a press release, signed by standing rule, the nomination ers said: "We, incoming mi- . the members from the West (and not election) of principal nority members, coupled Senatorial District: Oluyori officers of each party should be with other forthright mem­Afolabi (ljumu), Adeyemi done with majority party bers,lmowwhat todolegisla­Ablderru (Yagba West), Folusho members. tively, but we do not want to Daniel (Mopamuro) and The group said that if the take-off amidst rancor and HenryOjuola (Yagba East) and issue is not addressed, it could confusion."

!.L •. ,::.5;C.-:-~·~~,_..Id:":':"""'~ .. ;;;;;;:~:'·~=' · · ~··"· A .nx~'W!iiiilP'X").!~l'::'~~· . .;;~~&tie.'§j'.~

PDP Senators Trade Allegations, As Seventh Senate Kicks Off From ChuksCollins. Awka the new 7'" Session of the Sen- Igbeke, in a reaction dis· 'TWO of the three claimants are: missed the a llegations as I to the Anambra North sen- A press statement from representing his zone, when it coming from a disgruntled

atorial seat, Prince John Emeka, who was the immedi- convenes on Monday. political upstart who was Emeka and the incumbent ate Minister of State forItans· He alleges thatlgbeke still roundly , defeated at the Alphonsus (gbeke, have con- porration, called on the has a pending case of forgery party's primaries again and tinued to exchange words leadership of the National As- and pequry m a Federal H.gh again. and claims to the seat, ahead sembly not to swear in Sena- CourtAbuJa, m a case between He said he is more pre-oc­tomorrow's inauguration of tor Igbeke as a Senator Senator Igbeke and the Fed- cupied with how to continue

eral Government of N.gena. serving his people. ... ....:.:~ffi~.:;:;.;;(.-:;:.::~~i.:z-:~&'·· -;~~.':~""""~. " " ~>1. . • ~ :.::'t·~~~l~j

Legislator Protests Mode Of House Appointment From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City

A S the inauguration of the Il.:7'" National Assembly holds tomorrow, some elected members in Edo State have said the use of rank to determine who occupies what position in the cham­ber would not bring the best out of the Assembly.

I I

Speaking to journalists at the weekend, one of the law­makers-elect, representing Owan Federal Constituency, Pally lriase, said competenc'e, profeSSional background and pedigree should be the con­dition.for choice of leaders.

"The way we are carrying

on about rank is wrong be­cause our democracy has not lasted long enough, neither has it had the best of experi­ence in terms of acceptable behaviour that will say, 'look this is the way we must go'.

"Right noW, the image of the National Assembly is at its lowest ebb and anything that will make it a case of 'business as usual' will not be

acceptable to Nigerians. For God's s:llie, let experience, let profeSSional competence,let track record, pedigree deter· mine who .becomes the chairman of what commit­tee, because, after all, the greatest value that the legis­Jature can gIVe to gover· nance is derivable from vibrant committee perform­ance."

iZa.mfaraTo Restore Students' . !Allowances . ." i'

• cua:oURmayhave ~ome to Zamfara State students in vari-· ~us terpaWipstil:1.J.dons in thecount:rY; as the new govemOl; . A1hajl Abdul'aziz YariAbubakar has expressed readiness to re- . ;store andclilrnrnence fJllYJl!ent of monthly allowances, begin- . [ning fUJIe. Students lost forty months of aUowances dwing • :theJast adrninistration of MamudaAIiyQ $hinkafi: Speaking dtUiPg a m¢etingwith:stakeholders at GovemmentHo!lSe, , Gusau, the !,;overnor said thathis administration would do • eve~gpossible to n;store quahtativej:ducation to its pro- ' pIe. My administration will do everything in its power to en­>sure it does not fail to deliver on its electoral promises," he sara. He also said he would pay registration fees for students wno enroll forthe WestAfiican ExaqUn;ltion Council [WAECI -an~National ExamlI)atipn Council [NECO I in the state, ';, " "', . -Is;lh Ibrahim, Gusau

.' ,- ' . . . '\ .

BishoDWamS Relbtious Bigots . . . ' 'T'HEBishop on the Niger, (MiJ(!itan Comml!pion) RJ;Rev. . 1 Owen Nwokolo, !1a$warneareligious fanatics and leaders in: thr North to ca II tht;ir niembersto order. 1l1eBisnop who . ~pokeat theweekend atlrnmanuel Church, Ugwimabamkpa, :' OniJ:Sha, dUring the 2S"'syIlod with the.theme:. 'forgetting whatlies behind. , . 'pr;'$s on; said Christ!~ns cannot contioue to be Sactilit.i.al .. ' lam. os, a. d<jing: "EnOl!g/1.is eno.ugh." He said: 1.'

"EVery efforr.should be made to stein the tide of religiOUS poli- , tics, beca!lSe it is;! dangerous wind that blows no one any '. go:od. The goyernmen~.should create a levelllIaying groundfo~ 'otizeps, so that love, peace, justice and unityWiU reign." ;

... -Chuks Collins, Awka .

Jonathan's PresidenCyA Tribute To -.' j Constitutional 'co~rence "_ AMlJMBERof the defunct19941995 Nationa] Constitutioilal <

.I\Copference, Prof. Timothy Uzodinma Nwala, has said the. j ;emergence of President jonathan from the minority ~outh- • [South region is testimony to the ~onference's laudable woikw-j [wards the unJty of \hecoimay. NWala who ~poke at the ·. _: w~el,epd said, the develgpmePtad,dressestl:ie;fe""lo[thoSe: . ,: whofeel marginalised. ': L. . .

':"';'all>ias Okwe,Mlija- . i

~g¥~ntis~ fl~y'NECdOverEXamina~o~ i rIl1N. Gdefi. leme.n. t. of tIl.e. sacred,n.es. s otth.'. e. Sabbath by exam- j

!~ationbodies in tIlemunay.tIleAssciCiation ofAdventisl' ! iSeqin~School Pripdpiils inNigeri<!(MsSPIN) has con- ,: 'demJledrefusal of the National ExaminauonCouncil (NICO) j ito $top co,pduo:;t; ofits eJGimWtions on Saturdays" .. .:' : ~akinga[theweekend through the President,Ad~ 1 itiffiothYAdes. P.lii, ar its . . a. nnUalco.ofe. r. ence,held atBabcodil1nh · , High Schqo~ Ili!;nan-Remo, OgunStat~ the association .

tted thatits students miss~ three s~bjects in the Iffeilt ; r Secondary Certificate examination; organised NE<::q, ,

'He sai¢"We believe that Saturday is the$abbath and Ibesa~ ess of tile $abbath$nouldberespected. But in recent · ! students have been,having problepls: Ip the recent /imiOr1

. ,ertificate eJgImination by NECO, ClUr students , : .difIeil!nt papers that were fix~d foiSaturdays bee i

elieved tnat'Sabbaths.should, be observed~ ; tharthough the association has disqJssed With the.

qfNECQanq there is agreemeptthat the affected sru.: d rewnte thepapers;heappealed to the exa.nuna, .

,tiop bodytoTevers.¢ polities onboldlrig of examinations on .. ' , lSat\!Idays. "Wl\,are ready tocoopeiate with gqvemmel)l;we are' ll>.le,acjjngth.arth.eann.' .uaIJOin. t. A .. dmis ....... sior)Ma .. m. 'cuIationil(laI:d ' i(]M1B~ eJGln:unationsshould bedlanged:to the days of the '. i week:. .hesald ~, . 't· -Gb~n~Akinfenw. .",

IIjaw Lead~rTask$ Jonathan, On . . .

~~~~jrmr:;,~~~~;ghi~fPius~rurlabOfa,h~~ ; iPresidentjotlat!:tanw Ii,ve up to d)e expectations ofNigeIians ,bydeliveripg on his prprniseto transfoIll1the counay. .· " . : SpealOngatthewee'kend during a posi;inaflguratlon rliImer. :orga$ed by the BenljeState (jaw Cornm\uJi~ Orunabota said 1 fIonathan naSlmenorrnp\lS respopsibilitY tq live upto ruscam-': :paign promjse$ be~lIs¢of tIte conftdel\ceNigerians fromaU . 'g . av~reposed iP him. \. ,.', . .' !' He . jdept tQ cOPdnl!e wit\! the developmenrof !th~ . "so as. tQgalvanis.e th~ ecopoiny;md empower ~ess ptivilt!ged Nige.tiallS. : .. ; ; , . . i Orunaoofajllso appeiJIed to 19naihan ~ojn'vestin iheeduca-­It/Qrial, ~ealthitnd watet~eo:;t;ors to directl)' re~ch out to indi-'.' ;nal')' NI~~nal)s wbo voted for hirrl, but Ia¢.k access to these . , illPslC amepid'es. ' . . .! . . ',: i A~\:((rding'tohim: ~Nowisthe time for President jonathan to . [deliver on qiepromiseshe madero NigefianS duringihei:am- ,

?igns. We knowile has tit. e capacity to de. liver. and we support: !"9<lm:~ • .esev(ejry ;~' . ~st.tlef!!p:oftheway, That is why we ur~him to remailt :" go<$ahead, as he has done siilce he tookOllef

e mantle oJ. eadersbipof the nil-tion lastye~r." · He call~d on thepreSiden(to appoipU:reqibie lrunisters 'andpdvisersm..assi!itbilnindeliVeringonhismandate. -, .' , lfi$pointl;if the occasioiHvas cutting of the calm by South- . lSoudilea~ers~ttheevePt . ' ... ' . . . r . . .':' -Sime.ooNwakaudu.lla!wrdi ·

iWeeds''IhreatenFoQdSeCUrity ' .' , !l A.ialDS.li.ke. fl. OOds,dtOU. ght, .. ins. .ect"pests. and. diseas. es . . ronsti- '. !VVtute.a thTl!at to fopd sepmtym Africa,saY$Friday ~kclerne, : ' rofWeedSclencearthell~inaugurallectu[erofthe ' ~ University of Agriculture; l\bia State. At the ' "

, HaUunder$e$airn1ansbiJ1oftheVi~e ,chan~ . Hilary Odo Ed¢Qga.Eke1eme said: "Weeds represent '

, . . imPQrflInt~~~ompl\iXStagna!ingyield$and pith !d~onparti~arl¥ Ui.\\fti<;q where contro.l~Ues heavilyOll. tmi\P-ualJabOur. > ' .". ,

:if~;U~~~~ctilJ;eon "O;pp?@J)pil;f$i.$pategjr:$.RJr, . Ii! • ", ageme.nrrnSinallholderfilriningSySteiIiln',c.; Lo~ ~~~~,)~:.~~!~~f:~r~~~·.~;::.::::-~i;L]:!~··L::~~::,;i.~~~: ·:~~~ .. ~.. . .~: ?C,:,~~~~6-i:~~