APC Grateful As Supreme Court Dismisses Wike's Appeal

The All Progressives Congress, APC has hailed the Supreme Court's dismissal of the suit filed by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike challenging the relocation of the Rivers State Elections Petition Tribunal from Portharcourt to Abuja. 

The Supreme Court had on Tuesday dismissed Wike's suit challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the petition of Dakuku Peterside, APC's governorship candidate in the April 11th 2015 elections.

According to Chris Finebone, APC's Publicity Secretary, Rivers State, the Supreme Court's judgment affirms the hope of the ordinary man in the Nigerian judicial system.

“As a party, the APC is grateful that all seven eminent jurists of the Supreme Court unanimously agreed that there was sufficient violence before, during and after the elections to justify the relocation of the tribunal to Abuja.

“The significance of all seven eminent justices of the Supreme Court speaking in one voice in today’s judgment is that the faith, hope and confidence of the ordinary Nigerian to get justice is assured in the Nigerian judicial system,’’ he said.

He also said that the party was happy with the recognition by the apex court that Rivers State was a theater of war, hence the need to protect the lives of the tribunal members.

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Behold the 8 official candidates for FIFA presidency

The deadline for declaration for FIFA presidential candidacy passed on Monday 26 October 2015.

See the profiles of the eight candidates who beat the deadline as presented by AFP Sports.

PRINCE ALI BIN AL HUSSEIN

The 39-year-old brother of Jordan’s King Abdullah was a member of his country’s special forces, specialising in parachute jumps. The prince was on the FIFA executive from 2011 until this year when he first challenged Sepp Blatter for the presidency. Prince Ali championed the cause of allowing women to play football in a hijab. He has repeatedly demanded greater transparency within FIFA and promised to increase the share of revenues sent back to the national associations. He has condemned the “backroom deals” that he says are one of the biggest causes of FIFA’s long-standing troubles. The prince has been one of the main advocates of releasing the Garcia report into the 2010 votes that gave the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.

MICHEL PLATINI

One of the greatest footballers of all time and until he was implicated in a Swiss criminal investigation into FIFA, one of the sport’s most skillful politicians. After being co-chairman of France’s 1998 World Cup organisation, he became president of UEFA in 2007 and has since been re-elected twice. But the Frenchman’s 90-day suspension while FIFA investigates a 1.8 million euro ($2 million) payment from the world body without a written contract has seriously hit the chances of the man who was once hot favourite. Platini, 60, made his name as a sports administrator by pressing for football’s riches and decision-making to be spread between members.

JEROME CHAMPAGNE

The 57-year-old was a French diplomat in Oman, Los Angeles and Brazil before becoming a protocol advisor for the 1998 World Cup organisers. He joined FIFA in 1999 and rose to become deputy secretary general under Sepp Blatter, leaving in 2010. “I am not ashamed of the FIFA years,” he told AFP. Though not a footballer, Champagne was a freelance journalist for the magazine France Football. Champagne had tried to challenge Blatter in the election this year but could not get the required five signatures from national associations to enter. He has vowed to bring in greater transparency, stronger ethical standards and modernise the world body’s administration.

DAVID NAKHID

The mystery candidate in the FIFA race. Nakhid, 51, was captain of Trinidad and Tobago and played club football with Grasshoppers in Switzerland, Waregem in Belgium and New England Revolution in the UnitedStates. His main administrative post has been running his own chain of football academies. Nakhid said it is time for football’s power to be moved away from Europe and that it will need a former player to reform the world body. “I cannot be reckless. I am committed to transformation that is fair and even-handed and will deal with all or any breaches and improprieties,” he said.

TOKYO SEXWALE

The South African anti-apartheid campaigner, who entered the race on Saturday, wants to make history by becoming the first African to head football’s governing body in its 111-year history. A former politician and one of his country’s wealthiest men Sexwale, 62, was jailed alongside Nelson Mandela. He served 13 years of an 18-year jail term on Robben Island on terrorism charges. A member of South Africa’s 2010 World Cup bid team he serves on FIFA’s anti-racism and anti-discrimination committee, likening racism to “a monster that is trying to infiltrate sporting fields”. He is also a FIFA media committee member.

SHAIKH SALMAN BIN BRAHIM AL KHALIFA

The soft-spoken Bahraini royal took over an Asian confederation in turmoil in 2013 after Mohamed bin Hammam was kicked out in disgrace, but he now enjoys an iron grip on the body. Enjoys strong backing from Kuwaiti power broker Sheikh Ahmad al Fahad al Sabah, one of the most influential figures in world sport and a major player in both FIFA and the Olympic movement. This year, Shaikh Salman was re-elected unopposed for a full, four-year term and became a FIFA vice president into the bargain. But he has been dogged by allegations that he was complicit in Bahrain’s harsh crackdown on pro-democracy activists in 2011, charges he denies.

GIANNI INFANTINO

The 45-year-old Swiss lawyer joined UEFA in 2000 and became general secretary in 2009. Multi-lingual, Infantino’s original role was to deal with legal, commercial and professional football matters. He was subsequently appointed as director of legal affairs and club licensing division in 2004. He worked on fostering close contacts with the European Union, the Council of Europe and governmental authorities. Prior to joining UEFA he had a lot of experience working in sport. He had been an advisor to various football bodies in Italy, Spain and Switzerland before then working as the general secretary of the International Centre for Sports Studies at the University of Neuchatel.

MUSA BILITY

President of the Liberian Football Association, Bility’s candidacy is something of surprise. He is one of a select band of Africans to stand for the presidency following current acting FIFA head Issa Hayatou in 2002 , and Sexwale this time around. “If we are to change football, then we have to make sure that those (that) have been running FIFA for the last 20-25 years have nothing to do with it,”the 48-year-old Bility told the BBC after announcing his candidature.

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Governor's Lawyer Loses $100,000.00 In Hotel Room, Refuses To Invite Police

A senior lawyer representing Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa at the elections petition tribunal has reportedly lost $100,000.00 in a hotel room in Asaba, the state capital.

It is believed that the parallel market value of the stolen money is about N22.3m.

THE NATION reports that Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr Baba Alkali Usman who confirmed the theft said that four arrests comprising two males and two females were made.

Usman however said that the police were constrained to release the suspects when the lawyer whose money was stolen refused to lodge a formal complaint.

He said,
‘We received a case of stolen money from Grand Hotel by the chief security officer of the hotel, who reported that one of his guests lost the sum of$100,000. We incidented the matter at the Police ‘A’ Division and requested that those who worked overnight and those who had the keys to the chalet and those on night duty on that day appear at the police station.

“We visited the scene of the incident. When we did not see the complainant, we had to release those four persons pending when the complainant will come and formally lodge a complaint.

“But the CSO petitioned the Police ‘A’ Division and the matter was transferred to the State Criminal investigation Department. We released the four suspects when the complainant still failed to turn up. We held four suspects .Two of them – members of staff of the hotel, but the other two are not members of staff. The only connection is that one of them is the boyfriend to one of the suspects."

Sources at the hotel said that the money was stolen from room 111 where one of the governor's counsels was lodged.

Source: THE NATION

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"Pastor" Arrested For Killing Hunchback, Removing Genitals.

A pastor and suspected ritualist, Marshall Nwankwo of Dikeukwu community, in Umuahia is in Police net for allegedly murdering a hunchback, Mr Ukata Iheme for ritual purpose.

According to Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Onyeke Udeviotu, the pastor was arrested following information that he was seen with the hunchback on the day of his disappearance.

Upon interrogation, the suspect was said to have made useful statements leading to the discovery of the shallow grave from which the decomposing body of the victim was recovered last Tuesday.

Sources close to the community said that following the hunchback's disappearance on 10th of October 2015, the community contacted the police and also made announcements on local radio stations.

According to the youth leader of Dikeukwu community, Mr Chukwudi Egwu,

“We got information that the hunchback was seen on that fatefulday at Dubai market Onuimo, drinking wine with the pastor.

‘’Some people also said they later came to a beer parlour at Dikenta village drinking together. But the pastor denied setting eyes on him that day.”

Egwu revealed that a pair of shoes belonging to the hunchback was found when the youths conducted a search on the pastor's church.

His words ;
“This boosted our morale and as we continued combing the area, we also saw his shorts in a nearby cassava plantation.

‘’It was at that point that we combed the entire place and saw a mount of red soil which we strongly believed must be a grave.

“We, therefore, decided to contact the Police who came and we opened the shallow grave and found his decomposing body inside, with his genitals and hunchback missing.”

The suspect  reportedly  committed the crime with an accomplice, Emeka Okoye who is now on the run.

Meanwhile, Police spokesman Udeviotu has appealed for calm as investigation is still ongoing.

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Troops Destroy 20 Terrorists Camps In Borno

Front line troops of the 5 Brigade, Nigerian Army over the weekend completely destroyed camps apparently abandoned by fleeing Boko Haram militants at the border towns of Kerenowa and Chikun Gudu as well as their adjoining villages in Borno State.

According to the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman,
“During the operation which is ongoing, troops discovered and destroyed over 20 well-fortified terrorist camps in the general area of Kerenowa.

“The camps include some at the gateway to Kerenowa, Gumada and Dogon Gida. In addition, the troops have also discovered that to evade aerial reconnaissance and bombardment, the terrorists have dug twin tunnels to conceal their facilities and routes in and out of the camp.

“Among facilities discovered were training areas equipped with instructional and training materials that include wooden guns, among others.

“The troops have also cleared Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, along the road linking Marte, New Marte and Kerenowa.

“It is apparent that Boko Haram terrorists lacked the will to fight as they are in obvious disarray, abandoning their camps fleeing and leaving behind vehicles, solar panels used to power devices, food and other logistics,beddings, various IEDs-making devices, cables and cords.

“The advancing troops’ morale remains very high and they exude confidence and zeal to destroy all known Boko Haram camps along their axis of advance.

“We still reiterate our call for citizens to remain confident in the ability of our troops to eliminate all remaining vestiges of the terrorists before the year runs out in line with Presidential directives.

“Citizens are also requested to kindly provide useful and credible information to the military about any known terrorists or sympathizers.”

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Insurgents Arrested At IDP Camp

Four terrorists were arrested on Sunday as they tried to enter the Pompomari Internally Displaced Persons camp in Damaturu, Yobe State.

The Executive Secretary, Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Musa Jidawa confirmed the development on Sunday.

He told newsmen in Damaturu that the first two suspects tried to enter the camp, disguised as visitors going to see their relations in the camp.

They were however identified as Boko Haram insurgents by security operatives and IDPs who were screening visitors to the camp.

Two other insurgents who came separately later were also identified and apprehended.

Jidawa said that the last suspect's father, mother and child are taking refuge at the camp.

He said that “a member of his Turo Kura village identified the suspect and raised an alarm, saying he belong to the sect and the suspect’s father, also an IDP at the camp, confirmed it, which led to his arrest.’’

The suspect's father who pleaded anonymity told reporters that he narrowly escaped death at the hands of his son before running to the IDP camp for refuge.

“I have nothing to do with him; he should be arrested and killed just like he killed others,'’ he said.
Jidawa assured that security at the camp has been reinforced to ensure the safety of the occupants m

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Army Chief Reassures On December Deadline For Ending Insurgency

Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has once again assured that the December deadline given by the President to flush out Boko Haram terrorists remains feasible.

Buratai who gave the assurance during a visit to the 3 Division, Nigerian Army, Jos said that the armed forces have stepped up their operations against the insurgents. He added that the tempo of the operations regarding troops and equipment has been raised.

He also noted that bombings by the militants of soft targets has increased in the past two weeks, while assuring that the military was studying the pattern and would soon come up with a solution.

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