News Desk Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Police Arrest Ige's Killers

ABUJA—THE police confirmed yesterday they had in their custody, the drug baron suspected of masterminding the December 23, 2001 assassination of the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Chief Bola Ige.

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Yar'Adua's Presidential Inauguration To Gulp N820m

ABUJA — THE May 29 inauguration of Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua as Nigeria’s next president will cost N820,306,727.10k, according to Information Minister, Mr. Frank Nweke (Jnr).

Mr. Nweke at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, on the events lined up for the change of baton at the federal level listed the inaugural lecture as top of the events.

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Obi Loses Tenure Elongation Bid

Enugu—THE Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu yesterday dismissed the application filed by the outgoing Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi seeking the elongation of his tenure by three years for lack of merit.

In a unanimous verdict on the suit filed by Mr. Obi the five-man panel of judges held that the determination of tenure of the governor was an exclusive jurisdiction of the Election Petitions Tribunal and not that of the courts saying the Federal High Court which had earlier dismissed the matter for lack of jurisdiction was right in its decision.

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6 vDays To Go, Obasanjo Vacates Official Residence

With six days left before handing over power on May 29, President Olusegun Obasanjo has moved out of his official residence in Aso Rock to another house within the Villa to allow for renovation of the official residence for his successor, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
According to presidency sources, the out-going president vacated the residence Sunday night soon after he held series of meetings with some of his friends and associates for a house that is called “Glass House”, a small house adjacent to the main residence.

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48 Nobel Laureates Calls For Election Re-run

As preparations for the handover of power gets into its final stages, a group of 48 Nobel prize winners has joined the call for a re-run of Nigeria's recent elections, warning that not doing so could lead to violence.
The laureates, in a statement issued through Elie Wiesel Foundation (EWF) for Humanity yesterday, recommended the convocation of a Conference of National Unity that will oversee the conduct of fresh polls within 18 months.

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PDP Moves to Censure Nnamani, Obasanjo Insists on Party Loyalty

FOR publicly criticising the conduct of the April 2007 elections, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday asked its National Working Committee (NWC) to summon the Senate President, Ken Nnamani, for explanations within 48 hours, failing which he will face dire consequences.

The NEC took this decision at a meeting at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja during which President Olusegun Obasanjo apologised to the National Chairman of the party, Col. Ahmadu Ali (rtd), over the demolition of the PDP chief's house in Abuja by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

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Nigerian Diplomat Caught With N300m In India

A senior Nigerian diplomat was reportedly caught by Indian authorities on Monday as he was trying to board a flight from New Delhi to Lagos with $2.27 million (about N300 million) in cash in his possession.


The diplomat, Defence Adviser to the Nigerian High Commissioner in India, Captain G.A. Ojedokun, was reportedly caught when Indian Airlines staff members handling baggage on the early morning shift at the Indira Gandhi International Airport were alerted by the X-ray images of the contents of his bag.


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How Bribe Money Entered N/Assembly

VICE-President Atiku Abubakar yesterday gave insight into how bribe money entered the National Assembly. He alleged that President Olusegun Obasanjo used bribes to scuttle the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) choice of first Senate president, thereby destroying the unity and solidarity in the rank and file of the National Assembly.

In a release made available to Daily Champion, Atiku said: "On May 29th, 1999, the day the new civilian administration was sworn-in, the PDP called a meeting of its senators-elect at Agura Hotel in Abuja . At the meeting, which minutes were taken, the party said that it wanted to involve the senators in the choice of their presiding officer and other principal officers. When the choice of the Senate President was put to vote, the overwhelming majority cast their votes for Dr Chuba Okadigbo. In fact, only four senators declined to support Okadigbo, namely: Nwobodo who wanted to be Senate President and therefore, voted for himself; as well as Nzeribe and Enwerem who also harboured a similar aspiration. Chief Joseph Waku, the fourth of the dissenters voted for Nwobodo.

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