FG may clamp down on MASSOB, OPC

FG may clamp down on MASSOB, OPC

THE Federal Government may soon commence a clampdown on “extremist groups”, especially the Oodua People’s Congress and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra.

President Goodluck Jonathan has said the OPC, MASSOB and  the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, constitute threats to national security.

“The Nigerian state faces three fundamental security challenges posed by extremist groups like Boko Haram in the North; the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra in the South-East; and the Oodua People’s Congress in the South-West.

“The activities of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra and OPC, though not as violently intense as those of Boko Haram, they still pose a serious security challenge to the Nigerian state,” Jonathan said in his 234-page mid-term report presented to Nigerians as part of the activities marking the nation’s Democracy Day, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent on Thursday.

But both factional leaders of the OPC, Dr. Fredrick Fasheun and Chief Gani Adams, on Thursday denied the allegation that their group constitute security challenges to the country. They spoke separately to one of our correspondents on the telephone.

While Fasheun described the allegation as unfair, Adams said such assessment did not take into consideration the activities of the group in the last eight years.

“OPC does not constitute any security threat to any people let alone Nigeria. So, anybody that ties the rope of insecurity around our waist is being unfair to us. We love Nigeria but we love social justice more,” Fasheun said.

Adams added that rather than constituting a security threat to the country, OPC had for the past eight years, helped to promote peace in the South-West Zone of the country and by its festivals, helped to develop Nigeria tourism.

The MASSOB also denied that its members constituted threat to national security.

Its Director of Information, Mr. Uchenna Madu, told our correspondent on telephone that the President could not have said MASSOB had been a threat to national security.

Punch Newspaper

Reps investigate $40m surveillance contract • Adopt anti-gay marriage Bill

Reps investigate $40m surveillance contract

• Adopt anti-gay marriage Bill

THE House of Representatives has ordered an investigation into the alleged award of $40 million Internet surveillance contract by the Presidency to a foreign company.

The said contract was intended to monitor computers and Internet activities of over 45 millions Nigerians.

The alleged contract was reportedly awarded to an Israeli firm.

Meanwhile, the House has adopted the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill, preparatory for its third reading.

The House mandated its committees on ICT, Justice and Anti- corruption to investigate the alleged contract, while the Presidency was directed to put the contract on hold while the investigation lasts.

This was the outcome of a motion introduced under matters of urgent public importance by Ibrahim Shehu Gusau (ANPP Zamfara) who stated that the contract was reported to have been awarded secretly and in clear disregard for due process and the Fiscal Responsibility Act as well as the Public Procurement Act of 2007.

According to him, the award has violated the basic privacy provision in Chapter 4, Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, pointing out that the contract purportedly awarded for intelligence gathering for purposes of national security may not be the answer to the glaring security challenges facing the country at the moment.

He further argued that the right to private and family life of Nigerians have been violated and breached by the arrangement.

Both Houses of the Sixth National Assembly had passed the controversial bill, but was not assented to by the President, prompting the Albert Sam-Tsokwa-led Rules and Business Committee of the House of Representatives to re-introduce it for the Committee of the Seventh House to consider.

Speaking with journalists after the adoption, spokesman of the House, Zakari Mohammed, stated that the lawmakers have spoken the minds of Nigerians, and added that there was no going back.

Key sections of the Eight-clause Bill were that “marriage contracts or civil union entered between persons of same gender are invalid and shall not be recognised as entitled to the benefits of a valid marriage,” and the provision that “marriage or civil union entered between persons of same gender shall not be solemnised in any place of worship either church, mosque or any place in Nigeria.”

Guardian Newspaper

We ‘ll swim or sink with Amaechi – Rivers lawmakers

We ‘ll swim or sink with Amaechi – Rivers lawmakers

PORT HARCOURT — 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, yesterday, vowed to swim or sink with Governor Rotimi Amaechi as they dismissed insinuations that some of them had succumbed to inducements to impeach the governor.

The assertion by the lawmakers came as the faction of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, opposed to Governor Amaechi’s leadership, opened a new secretariat in Abuja with a promise not to antagonize President Goodluck Jonathan.

The opening of the Governor Jonah Jang-led factional NGF secretariat, however, exposed a setback for the faction as Vice-President Namadi Sambo and three governors that earlier identified with the faction stayed away.

The 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly including the speaker, Daniel Amachaere, in a joint statement, rebuffed insinuations that some of them had caved in to entreaties to join a plot to impeach the governor.

While pledging to swim and sink with the governor, the lawmakers were, however, mute on whether approaches had been made towards enlisting them into such a plot.

Five of the 32 members of the House who have in the past been associated with the anti-Amaechi tendency did not sign the statement.

The five lawmakers who did not sign the release were Evans Bipi, Kelechi Nwogu, Michael Chinda, Martin Amaewhule and Victor Ihunwo.

In a statement made available to Vanguard, the lawmakers who also declared loyalty to President Jonathan said:

“We have observed with consternation rumours making the rounds, even appearing on the pages of National Dailies that we, the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have been financially induced to impeach Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of Rivers State, and Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we make bold to categorically state as follows: that we have not and will not receive any pecuniary gratification or marginal oil fields.

“That we are united in our resolve to commit our unalloyed loyalty to His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike R. Amaechi  Governor and the people of Rivers State; that we the undersigned do not contemplate the impeachment of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike R. Amaechi  as an option.

Vanguard Newspaper

FG approves new broadband policy

FG approves new broadband policy

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday asked the Ministry of Communication Technology to immediately commence implementation of a new national broadband policy for the country.

The new national broadband policy is capable of creating high speed communication network that connects end users at a data transfer speed greater than 256kbit/S.

The policy has drawn out immediate strategic action plan, including transparent cost based price caps, secured a 4-year row waver agreement, as well as mandates the pre-installation of ducts when constructing new roads and buildings.

Others include the production of a GIS-based national fibre infrastructure map and introduction of low cost wireless and satellite solution to hard to reach areas.

Speaking after receiving the report of the Presidential Committee on a National Broadband Strategy and Roadmap at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Jonathan said he was confident that the successful implementation of the National Broadband Strategy and Roadmap with a target of 80 percent nationwide Internet coverage by 2018, will help to positively revolutionise communications in Nigeria.

The report was jointly presented to him by the Minister of Communications Technology, Omobola Johnson, in the presence of the co-chairmen of the committee, Ernest Ndukwe and Jim Ovia.

The committee said it is expected that in the 2013-2018 implementation period a five-fold increase in Internet and broadband penetration will be achieved in the country.

“It is also intended that all state capitals and urban cities will have metro-fibre infrastructure installed within the period”.

The new broadband policy envisaged Internet experience where the user can at the moment access the most demanding content in real time at a maximum speed of 1.5 MIT/S, with strong potentials for upward movement.

Under the new policy, government is expected to provide special protection for critical national ICT infrastructure, promote transparency of pricing and reduction of build out costs through price caps where necessary.

Businessday Newspaper

Kontagora, SURE-P VP, dies at 69

Kontagora, SURE-P VP, dies at 69

MAJOR General Mamman Tsoho Kontagora, the Deputy Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) and a former Minister of Works is dead.

The former minister during General Ibrahim Babangida’s  regime died Thursday morning at the National Hospital, Abuja. He was 69 years old. He had been buried in Kontagora his home town.

President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President, Senator David Mark have both expressed shock and sadness over his sudden demise.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, said, “On behalf of himself, the Federal Government and all Nigerians, President Jonathan extends sincere condolences to the late general’s family, the Kontagora Emirate Council, Governor Babangida Aliyu and all the people of Niger State.

“The President joins them in mourning the illustrious and indefatigable former Minister of Works and the Federal Capital Territory who, even in retirement, continued to serve his fatherland with zeal, vigour and enthusiasm whenever he was called upon to do so,” the statement said in part.

Leon Usigbe-Dapo Falade-Abuja And Adelowo Oladipo-Minna

Leanwhile, president Goodluck has expressed shock and sadness at the passing away of the deputy chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Major-

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, in Abuja on Thursday, said  President Jonathan extended sincere condolences to the late General’s family, the Kotangora Emirate Council, Governor Babangida Aliyu and all the people of  Niger State.

Meanwhile, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, has described the late Kotangora as a good man, a fine officer and a complete gentleman.

He said this in reaction to the news of Kotangora’s demise in Abuja, on Thursday.

Professor Taoheed Adedoja, former Minister of Sports has also sent a condolence message to the family of the late Kotangora.

Professor Adedoja, who worked with Kotangora as vice chairman of the Federal Government Administrative Audit Panel to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1995, described the deceased as a hardworking, honest, dedicated and incorruptible Nigerian.

In a related development, the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has expressed shock and sadness over the death of the deputy chairman of SURE-P, describing it as a monumental loss to Niger State in particular and the nation in general.

Tribune Newspaper

Forum chairman and governor of Niger State, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu,  expressed the forum’s condolence in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo.

Punch Newspaper