Nigerian News: Unbridled and Unafraid

August 21, 2000

Every sanctimonious deed deserves a future political I owe you - Fawehinmi declares presidential ambition Details, time to cash in! Our referred Chief, return the retainer first. You are kind of soiled on that one!

Gives us a break! House fears no probe, says Na'Abba
Details Alhaji, do the honorable thing first, cleanse the House in the manner of the Senate, even with a whitewash, then we will believe you, thank you

Does parliamentary immunity cover an alleged act of brigandage? Why I won't resign— Senator Owie If Obasanjo government fails to prosecute these people, he opens himself up to the charges of a dictator out to subjugate the National Assembly. After all, prosecution is not a pre-judgment, it merely clears the atmosphere. I am sure Senator Owie will not mind been prosecuted, since he proclaims his innocence at the top of his voice. This is the time for us to know whether the Cicero from Esa-Oke has a spine. We are convinced this is the time for him to throw away the cloak of the so-called turn-coat, and re-establish his credentials of yester-years as a man who stands for the rule of law. An Attorney-General must act in a time like this.

Senator Aluko has mounted a propaganda blitz based on semantics devoid of probated substance. All these can only be cleared in the court of law. One of Aluko's defense been the acknowledgement of an un-sworn witness as part of the Kuta report. It has not been said that the inclusion of this acknowledgement will change the facts. We all live in the so-called civilized country, and such inclusion is not totally uncommon here in the US of A. "Do you see that man here sitting in this court room?, yes sir, so, let the record show that Mr. So-and So was identified by the defendant". Has this not ever happened here? Was there an "Objection your honor" heard from Senator Aluko ? At any rate, this Kuta report is not a court of law, this is a mere fact finding report. Let the Alukos of this world have their days in court, that is where he should seek to clear himself. To, Nagode

August 10, 2000

Tragedy of self-betrayal
Get to know about the thought and the mind process of this Nigerian - Ignatius Orisewezie, of whom there is no guile!. Details We at the Nigerian News salute your de-tribalized mind

August 8, 2000

Nigeria as a country of tribal (or can we now say ethnic) contradictions does not ever cease to surprise us at the Nigerian News. The Okadigbo rented thugs at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, have in the name of student demonstration confirmed what we fear most at the Nigerian News, they have tribalized what is otherwise a clear-cut day light robbery by the senate leadership The leadership has now found a way of blackmailing the President of the disunited Republic, he was reportedly waylaid by these student thugs on his visit to Anambra see Details. It is a shame the model example these students wish to follow is there beloved "Oyi" . It is our believe that when the final investigation of their man is complete, the exact meaning of "Oyi" which is a river in Oyi local government of Anambra state will take on its Edo state, Bini meaning. For those who care to find out this Edo meaning, please call your Edo friend and you will get the meaning. We at the Nigerian news are very dumbfounded about the attitude of these thugs who should bury their heads in shame.

No, there is nothing tribal about the senate inquiry going on in Abuja right now. No, the executive did not apportion all those monies mentioned to your "Oyi", "Oyi" did. No, we do not see the independence of the National Assembly jeopardized because of this probe. In the hindsight, the executive with the privilege of knowing the rapaciousness and the Ali Baba behavior of these gangs, monitored them very well, and knew the caliber of people they are. If the Ali Baba and the forty thieves think the president is a "barawo" like them, they should go and get him, and if they have a case, you hear it first, we at the Nigerian News "dey kampe", and we will visit his discovered malfeanses. However, we will fail to follow you if the only thing you can get the president on is the graft committed by any of his Ministers. We all know, some of these ministers got to be one as a result of zoning and the Nigerian law that encourages mediocrity - jettisoning of merit. If the only violation Obasanjo can be indicted on is the thievery of his ministers, we believe the man who invokes the name of God all the time would have done it in vain, and the laws of Caesar must then be called upon. The Minister, not the President must then be severely punished, unless the president has a share of the loot or has knowledge of the loot and look the other way. Proportional justice is one of the attributes of a just society and Nigeria must thrive to be a just society.

Haba, Okadigbo should be very ashamed of involving these gullible students. At their formative years they need to learn the art of good citizenry, not the defense of an Ali Baba in the making.

We were almost sure this exercise would be tribalized, and it has. May be these students ought to borrow some good politics from their counterparts in the Southwest. In the Southwest, Gbenga is on his own with perhaps his father the only supporter. Even his brother here in the USA talked to the editor of the Nigerian News on Monday, and he made available an unequivocal call on his brother to resign his position as the deputy chief whip. If as some wish-mongers are brooding around, Obasanjo turns out to be an egregious and pernicious liar, you wait and see the call from the Southwest. The Omoboriowos (or is it Owoboriomo), the Jakandes of the Southwest are living examples of the way of life in that part of the country.

You may ask where was the Southwest when Tinubu got into his Diploma trouble? We will then ask where you were during his senatorial election where the information he provided was the apparent truthful information? Tinubu said the second election information was an unvetted job (very hard to believe but quite possible) and he cited the previous election information. I know these people who will ask this question have a more superior brain, but since we are not mind readers here at the Nigerian News, we accept the fact that if his intention was to be fraudulent, we are at a loss to see the advantage of providing a previous information that was correct and then went back the next election to provide a false information. Both of them are in public records. Does that mean we exonerate Tinubi? Of course not, what we are saying is that he surely provided an alibi. IT IS THIS ALIBI THAT WE ASK OF OUR BELOVED "OYI" to provide. So far, his explanation is an invocation of ethnic appeal to a slothful and gullible mind.

We are at a loss to understand those our brothers from the Southeast who see this probe as an ethnic probe purely because their "Oyi" is involved. Was Sen. Ewerem also not part of you? Will Sen. Mwabara, Sen. Anyim or Sen. Nwachukwu be less of an Igbo person if any of them replaces this man called "Oyi"? What proof can you provide that when any of them becomes the senate president, he automatically becomes a stooge of the President? What culture are you exactly trying to imbibe in the young one? This editor is a Yoruba man, when you are able to robe-in Obasanjo for performing the feat Okadigbo has preformed, we will help you in getting him to Kirikiri. Until then, let us examine these clowns in the National Assembly. If you also feel you are a good mind reader and you know what was in Gov. Tinubu's mind when he filled those two contradictory forms, let us know, we will find a mind reader who can equally verify your mind, and if you are right, we will also be very vocal in getting Tinubu to the goal which he will then deserve.

If on the other hand Okadigbo can shelve his arrogance and at least offer some explanations rather than invocation of tribal passion, we will also listen to him. But sorry, we can not buy lack of explanation, or in the other instance, the rhetoric that he has not "come to Abuja to spread poverty". To us, there is nothing honest, and intellectual about that neither is there any modicum of intelligence exhibited by this "Oyi". - SORRY

August 6, 2000

This guy called Okadigbo, is he real? Hear his Mumbo Jumbo Details Nigerian people are very gullible, and this guy Okadigbo is taking advantage of it. He is actually milking the ethnic disease that has eaten up the Nigerian fabric. We must tell this guy that if he knows about executive excesses, he should expose it, but meanwhile, he must clear himself of all the allegation against him. Please, the good Igbo people of this world must not let this guy get away with this. He may as well have a point about executive excesses, but the executive is not responsible for the alleged misappropriation of all those money. This guy's diversionary process is on, and gullible Nigerians including the press will see the handiwork of a wretched brigand as an executive destabilization process, to these Nigerians, if the executive is also guilty of similar brigandage, let us expose it without hesitation and without condoning an act of roguery and betrayal, but let us finish this senate merchandisers case first without paying off the hungry press or playing the ethnic card - Ciao

August 5, 2000

Nigeria is bad today because of this kind of ethnic reporting. The reporter who conducted this interview falls in to the same Ohaneze parochialism on Okadigbo. Okadigbo's problem has nothing to do with assault on Ndigbo. It is about the insatiable greed of a shameless senate leadership. We understand here at the Nigerian News that a reporter must prod and probe, however, this ethnic reporter went beyond this and Akinfenwa answered him with dexterity. When Aluko vomited all those words during the senate probe, we at the Nigerian News did not spare him although he shares some kinship with our writer and his brother is one we admire in the struggle. Is there no outrage any more? - click below to read
AD HAS NO HAND IN PROBE— Akinfenwa

Before we even finished digesting the story above, we stumbled on this:

Aluko defends son (click 'story' highlighted in blue to read Prof. Aluko's piece)

This is a story of Prof, Aluko, the father not the son, and both of them are good people. Prof. Aluko, the father, paid dearly for his uprightness during the defunct Akintola regime. He had to move to Nsukka to show his defiance of the rogue regime of the time. And so, our humble Professor was venerated by all. Then come Gbenga, the Senator. How does a father dessert a greedy son in bad company? It is with this dilemma that we can begin to see the downward spiral of a reputable family. Our respected Professor wants all of us to believe the executive is the cause of his son's problem. Haba!, it is not impossible the executive may have something to do with it, however, has our Professor thought it out very well, if his son had not been involved in this scandal as detailed by Gbenga himself, would the executive mousetrap have any effect? Please Professor Aluko, we love you more than you think, and so we forgave you the role you played with Abacha. However, it is everybody's conclusion here at the Nigerian News that were our sons to be caught in an executive mousetrap and he was actually stealing (or is it helping himself to the national cake?), we would ask him to clear himself first or serve a jail term before we dress him in accordance with the tradition of the three children of Prophet Hosea. These children had three symbolic names, the second of which was Lo-ruhamah (Not pitied), and that is what Prof Aluko should apply at the end of Gbenga's travail, to show his love for him. Nagode!

July 27, 2000

OUR SELF-STYLED COMPUTER EXPERT, SENATOR ALUKO

The current Nigerian Senate inquiries in to frauds in their midst is very revealing. Senator Aluko, the self-styled expert on computers seems to be providing the life audience evidence of how our leaders are unashamed of their own ignorance. His statements as reported by Comet News are leaving no doubt as to the ignorance of our leaders and how ridiculous they can be in making a fool out of the rest of us.

Consider the following conversation and appraise the knowledge of the Senate computer expert Sen. Aluko:

Ogheha: Are you now doing the market research for the contractors? What you did is not supposed to be done by a Senator who should be concerned with making good laws for the country. In fact, I bought my own laptop under $2000 and it is year 2000 compliant.

Fair enough, Sen. Ogbeha seems to be right on the money, and you will think the merchandizing senator Aluko would keep quiet so that he might not expose himself to further ridicules. But hear what he had to say:

Aluko: I hope you know the difference between Pentium I, Pentium II, and Pentium II. I am an expert in computer matters.

One would think this "Expert" would be responsive to what a Senator ought to be doing as counter distinctive from pricing computers for vendors for which they have interest. Then the drama continues:

Ogheha: You have not addressed the issue

Aluko: There is a lot of ignorance when it comes to computers here. There is a huge difference between hardware and software. It is the hardware that should meet compliance not the software. HABA

For those who understand and are true experts in computing, wouldn't this assertion by this "expert" make you want to vomit? If you do not feel like vomiting, I am, and I can show the Chairman of this inquiry what damage this self-styled expert has caused me. I hope the good Senator Kuta from Niger State will invite me to come and show why the self-styled computer expert in the senate may not pass computer literacy test regularly offered here in American Universities for computer wannabes. Incidentally, years ago, I taught this course in one of the New York City University systems.

Nigeria is in serious trouble that may not be curable because of ethnic blinders. Fortunately, this Senator is from one of the South Western States. In fact, my own dear state of Ekiti! The South-West has a history of making a leper out of fraudulent politicians. You hear it here first that Senator Aluko is on his first and last lap in the senate representing his Ekiti district. I hope things have not changed in that part of the world! I pray also that a time will come when the rest of the country will start making lepers out of those who are not morally fit to represent them.

It is becoming very clear why Aluko is one of President Obasanjo's obstructors. There is something in the closet that must be hidden.

by Dr. Michael K. Oladimeji

June 13, 2000

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

This Agreement reached between the representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress and representatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria on this day the 13^th of June, 2000 witnesses as follows:-

1. That the pump price of petroleum products be and is hereby agreed by the parties

as follows:

Petrol (PMS) shall be reduced from N30 to N22 per litre;

Diesel (AGO) shall be reduced from N29 to N21 per litre and;

Kerosene (DPK) shall be reduced from N27 to its original price of N17 per litre.

That a negotiating Committee including representatives of various interest groups and the Federal Government will be formed to review all aspects of the petroleum products supply and distribution sector of the Nigerian Economy and make recommendations.

That the strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress on the 6^th of June, 2000 to protest the increase in the pump price of petroleum products is hereby called off following the signing of this agreement.

That no worker would be punished as a result of participating in the nation wide strike action.

Signed this day, the 13^th of June, 2000 by.

For and on behalf of the For and on behalf of the

Nigeria Labour Congress Federal Government of Nigeria

(Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole mni) (Chief U.J. Ekaette, Mni)

President NLC Secretary to the Government of the Federation

June 08, 2000

Press Statement From Aso Villa

The negotiations between the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Government were cordial . There was clear agreement on both sides that there was a need for an increase in the price of petroleum products. Both sides also agreed that effective machinery should be put in place for future pricing to avoid the customary upheaval that characterizes fuel price increases. Moreover both sides agreed of the necessity for full deregulation of petroleum products so as to encourage competition and private sector participation in this sector. It is reasonable to expect that such competitive process will ultimately work in favour of the consumer.

However there was disagreement on the timing of the increase in prices, and the NLC, also insisted on a better consultative process. There were further strong views expressed as to the fact that the minimum wage proposed had not yet been applied nation-wide.

The negotiations were constructive, patriotic and candid. In fact during the negotiations, the Government side shifted grounds on all objections by the NLC except rolling back the price of petrol (PMS) to N20 per litre. The inability of the Government team to accept this was informed by the reality that 95% of our imports cannot be sustained at that price leading to severe scarcity, long queues, smuggling, hoarding and so on. In order to avoid an impasse, the President personally intervened and joined the negotiations up to about 4 am, which led to further concessions being made by Government.

Being a listening Government that believes in upholding the tenets of democracy and in response to the various opinions expressed by well-meaning Nigerians, the following concessionary price regime was offered.

Premium Motor Spirit-reduced from N30 to N25 per litre
Diesel (AGO)- Reduced from N29 to N24 per litre

However, the price of domestic kerosene is reduced from the new price of N27 to its original price of N17 per litre. This is in recognition of the importance of domestic kerosene to the generality of Nigerians.

At this point, the NLC leadership replied that they will take these new concessions to their working committee in Lagos for consideration and possible approval and that they will communicate their decision on the matter to Government by 2 pm today. Up to the moment of this press briefing, the NLC leadership in Abuja has sent no such response.

It is important to note that the N5 increase made in the price of PMS and AGO will not be sufficient to maintain adequate supplies but it would be used to sustain part of the importation costs pending the return to full production of the refineries. Even the, prices would have to reflect market forces.

Meanwhile Government will do everything possible to reduce smuggling and hoarding. Even where there are shortages, Government will ensure that the effects remain minimal.

In order to avoid the cyclical associated with the pricing of petroleum products, the FG believes that it is imperative to fully deregulate sector within the next 12 months.

Government would like to involve organized Labour, employers and other relevant consumer groups in formulating a policy of cushioning the effects of price hikes in fuel and other consumer items. A Committee to do this will be formed after necessary consultation.

The Federal Government appeals to all Nigerians to avoid violence, to go about their businesses without let or hindrance and to maintain peace. This appeal is fully endorsed by all well meaning Nigerians.

We know that there are hoodlums and miscreants who will want to take advantage of the situation to cause confusion, vandalize and loot. Your renunciation of violence will allow us isolate and deal with such people.

Finally the Federal Government notes that the National Assembly has passed a minimum wage bill and the President has just signed it into law. The Government urges all employers of Labour to abide by this law and implement it immediately.

Dr. Doyin Okupe

Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)

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