THE NATION FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2012
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NEWS Boko Haram kills three policemen in Niger
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NKNOWN gunmen beleived to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect yesterday night struck in Minna, Niger state capital, killing two Policemen attached to Wushishi Housing Estate Police post. The gunmen rain bullets at the unsuspecting Policemen at the gate of the estate at about 8pm leaving an Inspector and a Sergeant lifeless while a Corporal was critically injured. The attack in Minna came barely 24 hours after a Corporal was similarly killed by unknown gunmen who attacked Maje Police station, Maje, Suleja local government area of the state. Residents of Wushishi estate who were outside of their houses ran inside when the
Jide Orintunsin, Minna
gunmen attacked the Policemen, while the sporadic shooting of the gunmen sent fears to residents of neighboring Kafintela area. Confirming the attack, the Police Public Relations Officer for the state, Mr. Richard Oguche said that the command was yet to ascertain whether the attacks, both at Minna and Maje were carried out by members of the dread Boko Haram sect. ‘’We are yet to get details of how the gunmen attacked our men. Nobody is offering any information now. We pray that the injured corporal, who is now in a critical condition will survive to give us details of the attack,’’ Oguche stated.”
ACN gets sixth seat in Anambra
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HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday won its sixth seat in the Anambra State House of Assembly, following the declaration of Ebele Obi as the winner of the Idemili South Constituency rerun election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The Returning Officer, C. Nwankwo, said Obi polled 3,235 votes to beat his closest rival, Tony Ezekwelu, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who scored 3,177. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ifeanyi Igwe, scored 2, 805 to come third; Ibekwute Boniface of Accord , Owgho Magdalene of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Nnamdi Ozokwelu of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) scored 16, 15 and 14 votes to come fourth, fifth and sixth. Also, the member representing Anaocha/Njikoka/ Dunukofia Federal constituen-
•Ekwunife wins From Nwanosike Onu, Awka
cy in the House of Representatives, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, was yesterday declared the winner of the rerun in 15 wards. The Court of Appeal in Enugu, had in December, ordered INEC to conduct a rerun within 90 days in the wards among the parties that contested last April 9 National Assembly election. The Returning Officer, Prof Emeka Ezeonu, said Mrs. Ekwunife scored 29,005 votes to beat ACN candidate Dozie Nwankwo, who polled 21, 948 votes to come second Others are Emeka Eze of the PDP who scored 9,198, Obiora Igwedibia, Accord 2,624; Ikenna Anekwe ADC (334); Mike Igwilo All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) 250; Ezeaku Nnaemeka CDC 121; Kingsley Uguome CPC 228; Kingsley OKafor, LP 78; Aniefo Sonny NMDP 18 and Rebecca Njilika PPA 121 votes .
Imo: Court delivers judgment HE Supreme Court has March 2 fixed March 2 for judg-
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ment in an appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the electoral victory of Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha. The apex court fixed the date after parties adopted their brief of argument yesterday before Justice Walter Onnoghen-led five member panel. Okorocha won the election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). But the PDP candidate and former governor Ikedi Ohakim is not a party to the suit.
From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja
The appellant counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) urged the court to set aside the judgment of the Appeal Court, which affirmed the decision of the Governorship Election Petition that declared Okorocha as governor. According to him, Ohakim won the lawful majority vote. But counsel to Okorocha, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) urged the court to discountenance him.
Ex-lawmaker dead
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WO-time member of the House of Representatives Patrick Gbinije is dead. Gbinije died in his home in Warri, Delta State. He was 94. Until his death, he was the most senior Okakuro of Okpe Kingdom and held the title of Okpagha of the Kingdom. He was elected into the House of Representatives during the Second Republic for the first time in 1979 and then
in 1983. He was the Chairman of the House Committee on Mines and Power. Gbinije was a member of the Midwest House of Assembly between 1962 and 1964. He was an old student of St. Gregory’s College, Obalende, Lagos and served with the United African Company, UAC, before he left to start his own business. Funeral details will be announced by his family.
Funeral for man
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ZE Basil Nwokorie is dead. He was 86. Until his death, he was a community leader , a devout Christian. According to the funeral rites as announced by his son, Kevin Ogoke, his remains would be interred in his hometown,
Umuakunaba, in Umuezeala, Ehime Mbano Local Government of Imo State today after a requiem mass at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Umuezeala Owerre, at 11am. He is survived by his wife, 12 children and 14 grandchildren .
Anglican bishops condemn A Boko Haram NGLICAN bishops yesterday rose from a meeting in Awka, the Anambra State capital, condemning the activities of the terrorist group, Boko Haram. They said Nigeria’s break up would have consequences on every citizen whether Christian or Muslim. The over 170 Anglican bishops were in Awka for a standing committee meeting. The Primate, Rev Nicholas Okoh, addressed the bishops yesterday at the Cathedral Church of Saint Faith, saying the issue of Boko Haram was a foregone conclusion. He advised northern and southern indigenes not to relocate as, according to him, “we are all one”. Also, the Bishop of Dutse, Jigawa State, Rev Yusuf Lumu, said the sect had reached its crescendo and would die a natural death with prayers. His words: “Look at what
•’Sect hijacked by politicians’ •Obi: why I supported subsidy removal am would soon become hisFrom Nwanosike Onu, Awka
happened in Kano after the attack, over 85 per cent of the people affected were Muslims and you can imagine what that means. “Can you still say that Boko Haram is against Christians? It has been hijacked by politicians. “Initially, it was a religious sect with its motive probably to Islamise every community in the country but with the hijacking of the sect by politicians, it turned as if they are portraying Islam in bad light.” He said with the prayers of the churches, Boko Har-
tory. Lumu appealed to other northern governors to emulate their Jigawa State counterpart, Sule Lamido, by ensuring there were no security threats in their states. The Bishop of Oleh Diocese, Rev Jonathan Edewor, called for a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) to discuss the nation’s problems. He attributed most of the country’s problems to lack of focus among the leaders. Edewor frowned at what he called ‘enormous powers concentrated at the centre’ at the expense of the states. The bishop said such pow-
ers should be transferred to the states. Host Governor Peter Obi hailed the bishops for being vocal on the issues affecting Nigeria. He said if the churches do not change Nigeria but allow the nation change them, the country would be ‘finished’. The governor gave reasons why he supported the removal of oil subsidy. “It was a difficult decision by the President, the governors and some stakeholders but we cannot help it, the cost of running government is high,” Obi said. The standing committee was also addressed by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha. The Bishop of Awka, Rev Alex Ibezim, praised the standing committee for choosing “Pressing towards the mark” as the topic for the meeting.
•Niger State Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu (left) with the Emir of Agaie, His Royal Highness Alhaji Muhammadu Kudu Abubakar III displaying an award presented to Aliyu for his support for peace and security during the launch of Election Management Practice Guide in Accra, Ghana...on Tuesday
26-year olds shine at UNILAG convocation
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WO graduands, both 26, stood out during the convocation of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) yesterday. They were celebrated for their achievements. Iziren Josiah Akhigbe has gone into the record books as the graduate with the highest Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) ever. He finished with a CGPA of 4.98, and led, not only the 37 first class graduates from the engineering faculty, but the 118 that the university recorded for the 2010/2011 academic session. Temitope Olabisi Adeyemi, is the youngest PhD graduate the university has produced. She also won the
By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie and Medinat Kanabe
best PhD thesis award for her research on: “Molecular Systematics and DNA barcoding of African Sapindaceae” in the field of Botany. Iziren Josiah Akhigbe is a star student two times over. He graduated as the best Engineering student (HND) at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) in 2007 with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.58. The Edo born engineer thanked his mother, a teacher at Ikeja Senior High School, and some friends for motivating him to be the best. He told The Nation in an in-
terview that he would have been satisfied with a second class upper but for their influence. He said: “In the beginning, I just thought that I was in UNILAG, where it happens so let me just come and make it happen – not to play but just to have fun. I had a distinction from another school so a 2.1 would be okay. However, I had people around me who motivated me. My Mum told me that since I had always wanted to go to UNILAG and finally got it, I should work hard to get a first class and make the family proud. “Chris Ogbunuzor was another great influence. He started with a GPA of 3.8
and told me the story of a student who made 5.00 each semester from his 300-Level. So we decided to work towards that. “Another influence was Titi Oluyide. I think that if I hadn’t started from 300-Level, she probably would have been the best graduating student. She has a 4.94.” Adeyemi advised the graduates to be job creators and not job seekers. For their outstanding contribution to knowledge, teaching, research supervision two professors, Prof Olukemi Abiodun Odukoya and Prof John Taiwo Darocha were also given Gold Medal of the University of Lagos.
‘Belgore’s committee won’t stop agitation for national dialogue’
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ROM some Yoruba elders came a quick response to President Goodluck Jonathan’s seeming reliance on the Justice Alfa Belgore committee to resolve issues to be raised at a constitutional conference: the committee’s report cannot replace a proper forum for national dialogue. The Yoruba elders, who visited Jonathan on Wednesday under the aegis of the Yoruba Unity Forum, insist-
From Yomi Odunuga, Abuja Bureau Chief
ed that only a national conference would resolve the evident imbalance in the socio-economic and political construct of Nigeria as a nation. Addressing reporters, the elders said though the President should be commended for expressing his desire to yield to the sincere demands of Nigerians the problems confronting the country are
beyond what a committee can handle. According to Senator Femi Okunrounmu, who spoke on behalf of the elders, the Justice Belgore Committee would, at best, work on only the constitutional issues that were discussed in previous national conferences, claiming that the which terms of reference of such conferences were gagged by the governments that set them up.
He said: “Some of the problems confronting us as a nation are traceable to a much more fundamental malady. There seems to be that inability to practise true federalism. Again, what we have is not a constitution but a military decree. That is why many people from the different geo-political zones are advocating for a national conference and until we do that, we cannot have a constitution.”