Copper versus Aluminium
With over 30 years of experience in the use of aluminium in the manufacturering of windings used in distribution transformers. The choice of the material for the conductors depends on price and on market availability. Demand and supply of both aluminium and copper varies considerably and therefore so does price and supply for the manufacturing of transformers.
The dimension of a transformer with copper windings is smaller than one with aluminium windings, because less copper is needed for the windings 9With respect to cost it depends on que quotations of aluminium and copper in the LME ( London Metal Exchange) 9After carrying out many studies ABB has come to the conclusion that when the ratio of the quotations of Copper/Aluminium is > 1.25, the use of alumium reduces the total cost of materials in the manufacturing of a transformer 9Since 2005 the price of copper is increasing steadily. 9At the moment the ratio of Copper/Alumium is > 2, therefore the use of aluminium is the best option.
Cu USD/ton
Al USD/ton
Performance of distribution transformers
ƒWith respect to the performance there is no difference between transformers which have copper windings and those which have alumium ones. ƒAluminium has a greater heat capacity than copper (approx 2.35 times) and therefore makes it more suitable to bear higher tensions. ƒThe life span of a transformer depends on the aging of the insulation system. Since both copper and alumunium windings work at the same temperatures established by international market standards, the aging of the insulation system is the same. However because aluminium has a greater heat capacity this gives it a some advantage over copper .
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Sunday 6 July 2014
Monday 31 March 2014
NLC Warns BPE Against Further Sale Of Public Properties
NLC Warns BPE Against Further Sale Of Public Properties
NLC President, Omar
In a statement signed by its president, Abdulwahed Omar, the Congress said it was disturbed by a statement by the Director General of the BPE, Benjamin Dikki.
Mr. Dikki was reported to have announced that plans have been concluded to privatise refineries as well as commercialise the Nigerian Television Authority, the Federal Radio Corporation, the News Agency of Nigeria, Nigeria Films Corporation, Skypower Catering and Hotels Services and the Commodities and Exchange Commission, the partial privatisation of Bank of Agriculture and the Bank of Industries, and the commercialization of National Parks.
“The haste with which government seemed determined to sell off public properties to members of the ruling class and their cronies under the guise of making them more efficient is alarming,” the statement said. “There is the need for caution because these properties belong to the Nigerian people as a collective wealth and the people have never been consulted and their interests considered before the sales.”
NLC said it was scandalous that the same government which has always promised to use the gains from petroleum price increases it has received over the years to reactivate existing refineries and build additional ones can turn around to announce the privatization of refineries.
“This is clearly unacceptable, and the public have strongly opposed this attempt several times in the past, even on the floor of the National Assembly,” it warned.
The Congress said there was no evidence that previous privatization exercises have succeeded. “The major privatisation exercise that was implemented against public interest recently is electricity and ever since that exercise, electricity supply have worsened, while consumers pay higher even as the lights have gone off under excuses that questions the competence of the new electricity companies.”
It said government should not abdicate its social responsibilities by selling off everything that delivers services to the people, especially in a country where poverty and unemployment has become endemic, coupled with the collapse of industries.
“What we need in Nigeria is not a blind adoption of neo-liberal policies that mortgage the interests and future of our people,” the statement stressed.
“Our national economy depends largely on the oil industry and if we allow the industry to be handed over to private individuals, it would then mean the entire economy would become private property run by private individuals, mostly cronies of those in government, against our collective interests.”
Stressing that Nigerians must not allow the continuation of the robbery of their collective interests, NLC said that private individuals can build their refineries, but government must reactivate, maintain and take full charge of existing public refineries and also build new ones.
This National Conference Is Waste Of Time – Prof. Nwabueze
VANGUARD Newspaper Interview : This National Conference Is Waste Of Time – Prof. Nwabueze
Prof Ben Nwabueze
By Clifford Ndujihe & Ikenna Asomba
Let me correct the impression that we are in the process of another constitution making. The National Conference, as constituted by the President, lacks the capacity to draft a constitution to be submitted to the people for approval through a referendum. It doesn’t have the capacity, so it does not entail a constitution making at all. That is something we have to realize, arising from the nature and type of the conference as constituted or established by the President.
The reason for this is that the conference is not established by virtue of any law enacted by the National Assembly. The convocation, its composition, its functions, its modus operandi are not catered for by law. It is established entirely by virtue of the inherent powers of the President under Section 5 of the constitution. With its limited functions, its establishment is within the immediate powers of the President. The conference not established under a law enacted by the legislative authorities of the country cannot adopt a constitution. It lacks the capacity to draft a constitution that will be binding on everybody as law.
At best, what do you think would come out of this exercise?
Nothing, it’s just a talk-shop. We must realize that it’s a talk-shop. It’s functions are merely deliberative and advisory. So, there is no harm in talking. If they talk for three months, something good may come out of it but, certainly, not the adoption of a new constitution.
As it is, how can we make the best out of the present arrangement for the good of the country?
We have to decide first: what do you want as a country? What we want is a new, better and united Nigeria. That is what we want. There is no way you can get it from this conference. Even if you talk for one year, there is no way you can get it in this conference, we must all realize this. You can get something, but not a new and united Nigeria. You can’t because of the limitations of this conference. It has no powers, it has only functions.
There is a difference in law between powers and functions. This conference doesn’t have the powers to bind you and me, to affect the legal relations of you and me, or the legal rights of you and me. It doesn’t have the powers, that is what powers entail. It has only functions, deliberations, talking. You can talk for one year but what can come out of the talking is another matter.
You are one of those who convinced President Jonathan to go for National Conference. But the way you sound, it’s as if you are disappointed with the turn of things…
That is correct. I led the delegation of The Patriots to the President on August 29, 2013, and I think we were able to persuade him. The so-called u-turn made by the President is as a result of that meeting. But the conference we asked him to convene is totally different from what he has now established. There are totally two different things.
We were looking for a conference that will have the power to adopt a new constitution for Nigeria, that will be submitted to the people at a referendum for approval. That was what we were asking for, and we were asking for a conference of ethnic nationalities. I will come to that later.
On the first aspect, what we have now that the President has given us is a conference that lacks power to adopt a new constitution that will be submitted to the people at a referendum for approval. What the President said, in his speech at the inauguration about referendum is so confusing. I don’t know what the President means.
He said: “Let me, at this point, thank the National Assembly for introducing the provision for a referendum in the proposed amendment of the constitution. This should be relevant for the conference if, at the end of the deliberations, the need for a referendum arises. I therefore urge the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly to speed up the constitutional amendment process especially with regard to the subject of referendum.”
What does this mean? How can the need for a referendum arise when the conference does not have as its purpose the adoption of a constitution? So, what are you subjecting to a referendum? When we talk about referendum, it’s in relation to a constitution. So, how can the need arise when the purpose of the conference is not the adoption of a constitution and when the conference lacks competence to adopt a constitution?
The President, at a time, was talking about subjecting the outcome of the conference to the consideration of the National Assembly…
You mean for the National Assembly to subject it to a referendum? No, that’s not what this conference states. When you critically examine that statement by the President, it is deliberately intended to confuse.
Some people have said that the President based the conference on modalities or template established by the Senator Femi Okuronmu Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference. Do you agree?
Yes, to a large extent. If you read the report, it was the Okuronmu committee that recommended that there are two alternatives that the conference should be based on. One, is to establish a conference that will be authorized by an enabling law of the National Assembly and that the alternative is to establish a conference by virtue of the President’s inherent powers. But the President went for the alternative to constitute a conference based on his inherent powers. On this regard, The Patriots had written a letter to him to say ‘please, don’t go for this inherent powers because that will not meet the demands of the country.’
Our demand is for a conference that has the capacity to adopt a constitution. But the President went for the alternative put to him by the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC). So, to some extent, PAC is responsible for this because they put the alternative to him and he grabbed it and landed us in this situation that we are now.
Your critics say that you are responsible for all these problems we have.
What problems?
They said the President acknowledged your immense capacity to turn things around and nominated you into the Okuronmu committee but you didn’t take up the appointment. They said that if you had taken up the appointment, your input would have helped to make the modalities better. How do you react to this?
That position is misconceived as I said in my press statement on this issue of my appointment. At the time we met with the President, he promised he was going to do something. I never anticipated that I will be made a member of the committee, not to talk of being the Chairman.
And the reason I gave was that, one, I am 83, and in very bad health and cannot go across the country. I have prostrate cancer, which I have been fighting for the past couple of years. Every year, I go to Britain twice to consult with my oncologist. As you are aware, cancer is stubborn. So, I am surviving on injections. I said I couldn’t, given my age and my state of health.
I explained that I couldn’t afford to go round the country with the committee. From Bayelsa to Sokoto, Sokoto to Maiduguri, Maiduguri to Enugu, Enugu to Benin, Benin to Lagos… I said I couldn’t. I gave that as a reason, that in any case, I think there is an option for a younger person. These are the reasons I gave and I then nominated Chief Solomon Asemota (SAN). They initially rejected him but eventually appointed him.
They have a reason for choosing Okuronmu. They wanted the type of conference that they have now established. They were looking for somebody who will go along with them. Then Okuronmu was good choice for them. Asemota refused to go along with their plan. That is what I would have done if I were there. He submitted a minority report which was suppressed. Asemota was denied the right to present the minority report.
The fact that Asemota submitted a minority report was acknowledged by the appropriate authorities. And the Asemota minority report contains exactly what I wanted, what The Patriots wanted. And attached to it is a bill- The National Conference and Referendum Bill – prepared by The Patriots and submitted to the presidency, two years ago, but they refused to look at it. Instead, they have continued to deny that there was a minority report, when the fact is, there was. So, you can see, it’s not my fault.
I couldn’t serve, and I nominated somebody to be there, who presented the views that I would have presented if I was there but they suppressed it. They denied Asemota the right to present it, which is a terrible thing. That is a sign that would have destroyed the whole thing if we had wanted to press on with it. A minority report submitted, you acknowledged receipt of it and you came out publicly that it never existed, that it was not submitted.
Everyone denied it; from Okuronmu to Reuben Abati presidential spokesman. They castigated the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for saying that there was a minority report. They said there was none. So, anybody who is blaming me for that is being unfair.
Nigerians were aware you traveled to London for medication but after you came back you appeared very strong, holding meetings with Igbo Leaders of Thought. So the impression was that you are strong, that, at least, you could have managed to serve, that if you presented the issue instead of Asemota, it would have carried more weight.
When government had already made up its mind on what it wanted? It would amount to fighting in vain. You see, government had already made up its mind on what it wanted. It was just looking for somebody who would go along with it. They found that man in Okuronmu. Why didn’t they make me Chairman? Although, I would also have refused, why didn’t they make me Chairman?
They knew that I wouldn’t have gone along with the plan. I would have said, no, that’s not the kind of national conference that will thrust this country forward. It’s even obvious from the terms of reference what they wanted.
You seem to be calling for conference of ethnic nationalities. Don’t you think it is cumbersome? How do you think what you are advocating for would go without causing problem in the country?
Without causing problem? That’s where we run away from our problems. We are always running away from our problems. When we talk about unity, why is unity a predominating and hunting problem in Nigeria? Why is it, when it is not? In a place like England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and even in the United States, why is it not a problem there? Would it have been a problem, if Nigeria is a country composed of one people like say the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Ijaw, instead of a country composed of over 380 ethnic nations? Is that not the crux of the problem? Why do you want to run away from that fact?
You know as a fact that Nigeria is not one nation. It hasn’t become a nation even though that is the hope of all of us. When it will become a nation we don’t know. We are pretending that Nigeria is a nation. You read the President’s speech at the inauguration, he was running right through that Nigeria is a nation. Nigeria is not a nation yet. Chief Obafemi Awolowo described Nigeria in 1947, in his book, ‘The Path to Nigeria’s Freedom that “Nigeria is a mere geographical expression.” Yes, that was what it was, and that is what it is up till today.
So, the President saying that Nigeria is a nation from the time of its birth in 1914, by the amalgamation of two colonial entities into one big colonial entity called the colony and protectorate of Nigeria, means he has no idea at all of what a nation means. This is not a nation. But the reason the quest of making it a nation is a problem is because it is not composed of one people.
If it had been only made up of the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Efik, Ijaw, we won’t have these problems. Because these are already nations. They are made up of one people. So, you see, we have in Nigeria over 350 nations, and the problem is to coalesce them into one; and you don’t want to agree to that, you think you can get over it by calling Nigeria a nation, when it is not.
The fact remains that Nigeria’s problem has been to coalesce the over 380 nations into one. It’s not an easy problem. It has a number of problems, difficulties. One is the uncertainty about the character, number and identity of the people in the country. Two is the difficulty of devising a way to demand the equality of representations. How can you say that an ethnic nation comprising of 10,000 people should have equal representation with an ethnic nation comprising of 40 million people? It’s not equitable.
Then you have the problem of rancor. The fact is that if you conceive the conference on the basis of ethnic nationalities, that will throw up the number of delegates to maybe 1,000 or more. There is also the problem of the rancorous conflict among the ethnic nations, between the small and big ones. And there is another problem harped on by the President, an issue-based representation at the conference by the ethnic nationalities.
You run the risk, that the country might break up, that it might splinter into all the various ethnic nations. I don’t think that fear is founded because the problem of unity in Nigeria is not insoluble. If not attended to, it’s insoluble because the problem will be there. And the fear that this problem if attended to will make the country disintegrate is not enough. Then what we are saying is that the problem is insoluble.
So, these are the main problems. And I don’t think that these problems are not amenable to rational solutions. Come to terms with it, you will find out that there is no problem in this world that is insoluble. There is none. So, there is no reason running away from the problems. Come to terms with it, apply your mind to it, this has always been my philosophy. There must be an answer to every problem.
The more problems you have, the more it challenges you, your mind, your intellect. Apply your mind, apply your intellect and you will find the answer. Therefore, Nigeria must come to terms with how to coalesce the over 380 ethnic nations into one. We must have to, not by running away.
So, how do we coalesce the ethnic nations into one nation?
By recognizing the existence of these ethnic nations and bringing them together, and trying to foster mutual understanding and mutual cooperation among them. That is something that is beyond the resources of private individuals. The Ethnic Nationalities Movement and The Patriots have tried to organize the ethnic nationalities conference, which was held February on 11 and 12, 2014 in Abuja.
We tried bringing all the ethnic nationalities together but the cost involved was beyond our resources. We needed a lot of money to bring together 387 ethnic nationalities. That is a job for government, if it believes there lies the key to the problems of this country. So, there is no need pretending. Why are we running away?
You played an active role in the drafting of the 1979 Constitution that entrenched the present unitary system of government which destroyed the 1960 and 1963 Constitutions. So, why did your team supplant true federalism with the unitary system of government, which many Nigerians now see as the problem of the country?
I have explained this several times at public fora that we went for the unitary system of government at that time, largely because the federal system presupposes separate constitutions for the federal and the constituent governments. That’s the idea of federalism which was observed in the 1960 and 1963 constitutions. We abandoned it in 1979 and went for a unitary constitution, one constitution for the Federal Government and none for the state governments. That was a fundamental departure from the principles of federalism.
It is a unitary constitution more or less in the devolution of powers. The Federal Government is all powerful. Its powers are all-encompassing. We took 50 per cent from the concurrent list of matters and merged them to the exclusive list. We also went to residual matters, took almost 50 per cent and put it in the exclusive list. We took so many other things.
And why did we do that? We must take into consideration the circumstances in the country at that time. In 1976, ’77, ’78, everybody was talking about unity. So, we thought the best way to achieve that unity was to create a powerful centre, and we thought that once you have a powerful centre with so much power, you will achieve unity. That was the situation at the time. You don’t blame us because you must take into account the circumstances at that time.
The feeling that people had was that unity was overriding and that you could achieve it by putting so much power in the centre. We were misguided and that’s the truth. At a number of public statements, I have frankly admitted that we were misguided, that we were guided by the feelings at the time in the country. It turned out that putting too much power at the centre was an invitation for disunity. Yes, that was what happened, disunity. Struggle for control at the centre with all that power led to disunity, and that is what landed us to where we are today.
Over time now, there seem to be a disagreement between the Igbo Leaders of Thought which you lead and the Ohanaeze over this National Conference. What is the meat of the issue?
You must take into account how the Igbo Leaders of Thought originated. There was division within Ohanaeze following the Ohanaeze election of January 12, 2012. And the matter is still in court. When the Okuronmu committee was set-up, the Ohanaeze distributed a memo to the committee at Enugu and Umuahia, and demanded that the two people claiming to be President-General and Secretary-General on the basis of the election, that their mandate was protected.
We are saying, ‘you are not the President, we don’t accept you because we believe that the election was invalid’. And it was in that circumstance that various appeals were made to me that I should step in, that what the so-called Ohanaeze submitted to the Okuronmu committee does not represent the views of the people.
So, to step in, I wasn’t calling a meeting of the entire Igbo, I was calling a meeting of leaders of thought, the think-tanks. So, the meeting was of people who could sit together and put together the ideas of Ndigbo on a new constitution for Nigeria. And I made it very clear from the beginning, that I would like us to operate this as The Igbo Leaders of Thought under the auspices of Ohanaeze and the President-General was invited to the initial meetings of the Igbo Leaders of Thought.
Specifically, the meeting decided to write a letter to President Jonathan protesting the Okuronmu committee’s report, which had not been released at the time, but we had a copy. Asemota was not even given a copy because of his disagreement with the others over the minority report. But he managed to get a copy from one of their members. And that was how we got a copy. Immediately, The Patriots wrote a letter of protest to the President and The Igbo Leaders of Thought also decided that the letter be written to the President, in protest of the recommendations of PAC.
So, the letter was prepared in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo with the Park Avenue address, Enugu and the President-General was there. I invited him to my house in Enugu, we discussed, and he was also present at the meeting of The Igbo Leaders of Thought. And he suddenly said that he would not sign, because the letter was to be signed by himself and myself.
He said he won’t sign the letter written in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. He said he would need two days to consult with his executives. We said, ‘why do you have to consult? This thing is so clear.’ But he insisted on consulting, which provoked a lot of criticisms, opposition from the meeting. After that, I said, `look, the man is asking for just two days, just give him two days. `So, he was given two days to consult.
Several days later, he came back to say he won’t sign. So, we had to change the letter from Ohanaeze Ndigbo to Ndigbo. We didn’t use the Igbo Leaders of Thought. So, that’s point number one that it was the President-General that refused to sign. I have said that what we are doing is under the auspices of the Ohanaeze and that our meeting will be transferred from Zodiac Hotel venue to Ohanaeze secretariat.
At the meeting I had with him in my house in Enugu, I said to him that it’s my intention to ask, you the President-General to convene a peace and reconciliation meeting of Ohanaeze. I want you to bring unity to Ohanaeze, instead of all these divisions and factions’. When I put this to the notice of the Igbo Leaders of Thought, the leaders of the other factions said they will not accept such peace and reconciliation meeting, if the notice for the meeting was signed by Chief Gary Igariwey, the President-General.
Emeka Onyeso, the leader of the other faction, said the same thing, Prof. Elo Amucheazi said the same thing and the consensus was that the letter be signed by leaders of all the various factions- Igariwey, Onyeso, Amucheazi and myself. That was what was agreed. Then, when I met Igariwey in my house, initially, he objected, but later he agreed that the notice calling for the meeting should be signed by all.
I on my own eventually decided to add two people – Archbishop Obinna and Archbishop Elekwanwa. So, I prepared the notice calling for the meeting with all these signatories. When I gave it to Igariwey, he objected again. But these other people due to their magnanimity, said they didn’t mind, they didn’t want to sign anymore, but that it will be alright if the notice was signed by me and Igariwey.
So that was what was agreed and Igariwey was there. So, I passed on the notice and said ‘go and amend it’, but till today, Igariwey has not returned the letter, the meeting we have never had.
When people talk about the Igbo Leaders of Thought and the Ohanaeze, this is exactly what happened. At the meeting, the peace and reconciliation meeting was discussed, I said I didn’t want to go into the reasons for the demand for the election to be invalid, let us put it aside.
The five Eastern governors said they have set up a committee under Senator Ben Obi to look into this, and Ben Obi’s committee recommended that these two individuals, that’s the President-General and the Secretary-General should stay in office for six months and after that election should be held. We said no, let them stay on for the two-year term prescribed by the constitution, after that, election should be held.
And at that meeting Dr. Uma Eliazu said, no, that everything should not be swept under the carpet. That a committee should probe it to find out whether the election is valid or invalid. But I said, let’s not go into all that again but they insisted that it be put to the vote. An overwhelming majority supported their view. So, that was what was decided. But like I said, the peace and reconciliation meeting was never held.
So, are you saying that the peace and reconciliation meeting should be convened as a matter of urgency?
No, that has been overtaken by events. It’s overtaken. Igariwey and his executive rejected it.
How do we make the 2015 elections free and fair?
I hope it will be. The problem about free and fair election is that in Nigeria, we attach too much importance to the stakes. National elections have become a matter of life and death, a do-or-die affair because the stakes are so much. May be if we have a new constitution that will reduce the powers of the President, it will be less a do-or-die affair.
At the moment, the stakes are too high, which makes free and fair elections almost impossible. As long as the present constitution stays, I am not optimistic that any election in this country will be free and fair. The 2011 election was said to be free and fair to some extent but the fact remains that to do away with rigging in this country is very difficult.
What do you make of the Boko Haram insurgency and the rising wave of insecurity in the country?
It’s a tragedy. I believe that Boko Haram is a subject of politics. Some northern political and religious leaders are definitely behind it. I have tried to explain in various newspaper articles the difference between militancy and insurgency. Boko Haram is a clear case of insurgency, it’s not just a militancy like the Niger Delta thing. In Niger Delta, it was a case of militancy for good reasons.
They had good reasons for their uprising because of what was done to them by the regime of President Obasanjo. They were not taking arms against their country, which is insurgency. Boko Haram is a clear case of insurgency. They said they want the Nigerian constitution based on Islamic laws. They don’t want democracy, they want theocracy, that’s what they are fighting for.
How do you think government can win the war?
My attitude is fight them and try to subdue them. I supported the emergency declared in the three North-east states as a way of subduing them. Unfortunately, it hasn’t proved successful because of the support they have. It’s an international ring or network of terrorism. That is what is happening in Nigeria today. You think you are fighting only local Boko Haram? No! There is an international network organization behind them, and, of course, with the support of local politicians and religious leaders.
The government has solicited the support of the European Union, which agreed to support with a tune of $10 billion. How far do you think that will go?
I don’t know. I am not sure, I don’t think it’s a question of money.
What about intelligence?
Yes, intelligence is very important. You need to improve your intelligence to be able to effectively counter the sources behind them. I don’t think the intelligence we have presently in the country is enough to counter the Boko Haram insurgency. So, if the money from the EU is to boost our intelligence in the fight, then, that is good. I think the United States has also promised something.
What’s the way forward for Nigeria?
The way forward is that the new, better and united Nigeria presupposes a new constitution anchored on the people. That’s is why I don’t think the National Conference, as presently constituted, will lead us there. I say it very clearly that the way forward is to make a new beginning under a new constitution anchored on the people. That’s the way forward. We need to establish a new political order in place of the existing order.
That is the way forward. There is no other way. Not this conference, you stay there for three months talking, talking about what? About every subject under the sun? Again, the complication is unity. Why did you exclude unity?. The conference is supposed to renegotiate the terms of our unity, that is what it is, so why did you exclude unity? Again, unity has so many ramifications. Let them talk, if you want to talk, and that is what they are doing.
Petroleum Minister Diezani Jet Scandal: APC Warns Against Federal Government Interference With House Probe
Petroleum Minister Diezani Jet Scandal: APC Warns Against Federal Government Interference With House Probe
Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke
The House of Representatives Committee is conducting an investigation into allegations the Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, embezzled public funds of 10 billion Naira for the use of chartered private jets.
The APC's interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said, "Scandal is the hallmark of the PDP-led Federal Government and the presidency, hence both may not feel the public anger at the report that a minister, whose most notable 'achievement' is her contribution
to Nigerians' burden with her fixation on endless fuel price increases, has been frittering away the country's resources on the altar of unprecedented profligacy."
Mohammed added, ''…Nigerians are interested in knowing the truth. …Nigerians will like to know whether or not the minister spent the huge funds on jets, who authorized the spending of such funds, whether or not the expenditure was appropriated by the National Assembly and
which laws allow a government minister to junket around the world even on private trips."
The party commended the House Committee on Public Accounts for its diligence and its willingness to be fair and to carry out a thorough investigation, and urged committee members to put the interests of Nigerians above any individual or party's interest.
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECTS ARE ON THE WAY IN VARIOUS PARTS OF OSOGBO . LIGHT HOUSE STANDARD COMPANY LTD. GIVING LIGHT TO THE NATION.
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Friday 7 February 2014
SSS Releases Asari Dokubo - PREMIUM TIMES
SSS Releases Asari Dokubo - PREMIUM TIMES
He was invited to the SSS headquarters on Thursday morning for repeatedly making inciting comments.
His personal assistant (Media), Rex Asari, confirmed the release to PREMIUM TIMES.
“Yes, he was released. We are heading home now,” Mr. Asari said.
Mr. Dokubo-Asari was quoted in several media reports on Tuesday as saying that he would make Nigeria ungovernable if President Goodluck Jonathan was not re-elected in 2015. He also asked the major political parties not to field non- South South candidates.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, and an Islamic group, Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, had asked the SSS to arrest and question Mr. Dokubo-Asari over the statements.
More details later…
Read our earlier story below:
Less than 24 hours after a group, Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, called on security agents to arrest and caution the President of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, for repeatedly making inciting comments, the Department of State Security, DSSS, has heeded the call.
Mr. Dokubo-Asari was Thursday summoned to the DSS headquarters in Abuja, where he is being interrogated for comments believed to be capable of breaching the fragile peace the country currently enjoys.
The spokesperson of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar, was not available for comments. She did not answer or return calls.
But Mr. Dokubo-Asari younger brother, Rex Asari, who also doubles as his personal assistant on media, said the Niger Delta activist is currently being interrogated by operatives.
“It is true,” the younger Asari said in response to our reporter’s enquiry at about 12.30 p.m Thursday. “He is being interogated as we speak.”
Mr. Dokubo-Asari was quoted to have said on Tuesday that he would make Nigeria ungovernable unless President Jonathan secures a second term ticket in the 2015 presidential election.
He also reportedly asked politicians from the North to steer clear of the presidency.
Read MURIC’s full statement calling for Mr. Dokubo-Asari’s arrest below.
PRESS RELEASE:
THREAT TO MAKE NIGERIA UNGOVERNABLE: PRESIDENCY MUST CALL ASARI DOKUBO TO ORDER
The leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujaheeden Asari Dokubo, on Tuesday threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable unless President Jonathan secures a second term ticket in the 2015 presidential election. He also asked politicians from the North to steer clear of the presidency.
We are greatly perturbed that a threat of this magnitude is emanating at a time so close to the 2015 election time. As a human rights organization committed to the promotion of dialogue with its resultant peaceful environment and the avoidance of violence in all its ramifications, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is constrained to ask President Jonathan if Asari Dokubo is speaking for the presidency or if he has the tacit approval of Mr. President. We call President Jonathan’s attention to the dangers inherent in threats issued publicly in a country as volatile as Nigeria.
While this is not the first time such a threat is issued, we are bewildered by the silence and inaction of the security agencies each time Asari Dokubo issues one of his threats. We are shocked to our marrows that Nasir El-Rufai was harassed and finally detained for hours for allegedly making a ‘provocative’ statement just a few days ago whereas nothing happens when Asari Dokubo threatens law and order. Interestingly enough, El-Rufai’s statement was on the same theme: the 2015 general election. Our security agencies must eschew double standard in order to win the confidence of the general public.
MURIC therefore appeals to President Jonathan to call Asari Dokubo to order. A statement from the presidency on this issue is of strategic importance at this material time in the history of our dear nation. Silence will tantamount to tacit approval, nay, executive impunity.
Allah commands justice and righteousness (Qur’an 16:90). Allah also says, “O you who believe, stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin…” (Qur’an 4:135).
We reiterate for the avoidance of doubt, MURIC as a human rights organization is not witch-hunting any political party or individual. We are concerned about peace and stability in our dear country. Silence over critical issues is harmful to ourselves as well as to the polity. It is the duty of religious groups to speak out in these hard times. The Qur’an already warns that homo sapiens should beware of looming troubles because such troubles may consume even the innocent (Qur’an8:25).
Past experience has shown that it is even the poor who suffer most each time this country is engulfed in crisis. Schools and markets cannot open. Workers cannot go to their places of work. Petrol stations are shut. Hunger and disease stare the poor in the face. It is like the parable of the fight between two elephants when the grass must suffer the consequences. We want peace. We therefore appeal to all stakeholders to sheath their swords. We call on our respected elder statesmen to consult the presidency on this matter in the interest of peace and stability.
Ondo NSCDC Arrests Three Men For Theft Of 10,000 Litres Of Diesel
Ondo NSCDC Arrests Three Men For Theft Of 10,000 Litres Of Diesel
The State Commandant of the Corps, Alhaji Popoola Waheed Bamidele, speaking at the arrest, warned people against dealing in adulterated petroleum. He said the arrests are to protect people from the dangerous effects of diesel on their body.
Spokesperson for the Command, Kayode Balogun, said the suspects were arrested while driving a truck in Owena village along Illesha-Akure, capital of Ondo State, when in a patrol noticed the 'waybill' covering the oil transportation was fake.
PRO Balogun said a sample of the oil was taken to Lagos for laboratory analysis, which found the diesel was adulterated.
The names of the suspects are Jimoh Salami, Anifowose Saheed and Ojuolape Afeez.
The three suspects refused to deny the allegations.
The NSCDC also impounded a car, a Nissan Primera, registration DC 704 JJJ, carrying adulterated diesel in 44 kegs of 30 litres each, and a red Wagon Golf, without a number plate, carrying adulterated diesel in 18 kegs of 30 litres each.
Both vehicles were impounded at Ore in Okitipupa area, Odigbo local government of the state.
SaharaReporters learned that suspects of both cars on sighting officers of the NSCDC ran into the bush.
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