Sanusi denies committing plagiarism against US Don ……says I’ve not been served any court process

The Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, wednesday, denied allegation that he copied the research work of a United States based Nigerian Professor, Victor E. Dike and presented it as his own ideas at a public lecture he delivered in Edo state on November 26, 2010.

Sanusi who refuted the allegation via a press statement that was issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN,  Wednesday  insisted that he did not write the said paper that culminated to the lawsuit currently pending before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

It will be recalled that the court presided by Justice Adamu Bello, on Monday, summoned the CBN governor to appear on May 31 to defend himself over his alleged complicity in acts of plagiarism.

The Court equally granted the plaintiff, Prof. Dike, who is an Adjunct Professor at the School of Engineering and Technology, National University, Sacremento and Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Centre for Social Justice and Human Development in California, leave to paste the court processes at the Notice Board of the apex bank, situated within the Central Business District, Cadastral Zone AO, of Abuja.

However, the CBN boss denied receiving the court papers, just as he refuted allegation that his security personnel thwarted efforts by the court bailiff to effect service on him.

The statement which was signed by the Director, Corporate Communications at the CBN, Mr Ugochukwu A. Okoroafor, reads: “The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria has been drawn to reports in the media regarding a suit against the Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, by one Victor E. Dike, who is said to be a professor of Engineering and Technology, National University Sacramento, USA.

“It is important to provide some clarifications on the matter. First, as at the time of release of this statement, no court papers in respect of the said suit, had been served on the Governor.

“Furthermore, and for the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi did not write the said paper.  Governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria, just like Chief Executive Officers of similar institutions in Nigeria and abroad, deliver papers, not in their personal capacities, but on behalf of the institutions for which they are chief spokespersons.

“In the case of the CBN, such papers, even though presented by the Governor, represent our collective views and are prepared by professional researchers in the relevant departments of the Bank. We can vouch that such papers are prepared in line with strict global and ethical standards.

“As a responsible public institution, we always cooperate fully with court officers and our well trained and responsible security officers have ever been under strict instructions to treat them with the appropriate dignity and respect they deserve.

“While awaiting details of the alleged suit, it is pertinent to state that speeches delivered by the current Governor, focus on the core mandates of the Bank and are direct contributions to discourse on national development.

“At a time like this, when the Bank is deeply committed to critical reforms of the banking system, the least we can do is to focus on the arduous task of bequeathing to the nation a financial system that will effectively improve the collective welfare of the Nigerian people.”

Specifically, the plaintiff, told the high court that he was the original author of a research wok entitled:“Review of the challenges facing the Nigerian Economy: (Is national development possible without technological capability?), which he said the CBN boss copied verbatim and delivered as his paper during the eight convocation ceremony of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State.

Prof Dike said he was forced to approach the high court for redress upon discovering that the CBN governor had in six separate occasions, plagiarized his intellectual works, just as he has asked the court to make a declaration that the defendant is in breach of the copyrights of the plaintiff.

As well as to grant, “a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from citing the two papers delivered by the defendant on the 26^th of November 2010, and 10^th of December 2010 respectively as his work, having breached the Copyrights of the plaintiff without proper reference and citation in accordance with Copyrights Acts.” Source: Vanguard

Gunmen kill five in Damaturu bar

Gunmen killed five people, including a police officer and a politician, at a bar in an area previously hit by a bomb blast blamed on Islamists, residents and a doctor said Wednesday.

Three gunmen stormed the bar in Damaturu, capital of northeastern Yobe State, late Tuesday and shot dead their victims as they sat around a table, a witness told AFP.

“The attackers … shot dead five people at a table and drove off,” said the witness. He said a police officer, a local politician and a senior state government official were among the dead.

Police could not be reached for comment, but a doctor at a state-run Damaturu hospital said five bodies were deposited at the morgue late Tuesday.

“The body of the police officer was taken away by his colleagues this morning while the other four bodies are still in the morgue,” the doctor who spoke on condition of anonymity told AFP.

Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, Islamist group Boko Haram was blamed for an explosion at a nearby open-air bar in January that wounded several people.

The group has carried out other attacks in Yobe, including coordinated bombings and gun assaults targeting security forces in Damaturu in November that killed about 100 people.

Boko Haram’s insurgency, mainly in northern Nigeria, has left more than 1,000 people dead since mid-2009. (AFP)

Tinubu,Aregbesola, Others Storm Igbokoda, As Ex OSOPADEC Boss, Adewale Omojuwa Declares For ACN

The National Leader of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the Governor of Osun state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and other prominent leaders of ACN from across the country will storm, Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje local government area of Ondo state on Saturday, 28 April, 2012, to witness the official declaration of Chief Adewale Omojuwa from PDP into ACN.

Chief Omojuwa was the immediate past chairman of Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, (OSOPADEC), where he successfully implemented developmental projects that reportedly improved the living standard of the OSOPADEC coverage areas of Ondo state, under the government of Dr Olusegun Agagu.

His track record at the interventionist agency was said to have endeared him to the leadership of ACN, and there are speculations across Ondo state that he is being tipped for the position of deputy governor in the 20 October, 2012 election in the sunshine state.

PLATFORM NEWSWIRE also learned from a reliable source that all the prominent traditional rulers as well as sons and daughters of Ilaje Kingdom are now in a happy mood as a result of the unfolding events in the political life of Chief Omojuwa, whom they love, for his humility and his interest in the development of Ilaje. in particular and Ondo state in general.

EFCC Probe: Ondo Finance Commissioner Goes Into Hiding.

The Ondo state Commissioner of Finance, Mr. Yele Ogunndipe has gone into hiding, over fear of arrest by officials of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,(EFCC), in the ongoing investigation of alleged mismanagement of Ondo state funds by the anti graft agency.

PLATFORM NEWSWIRE can recall that Mr. Ogundipe was arrested by the EFCC, two weeks ago, although he denied the arrest, claiming that he only visited Abuja on official duties.

PLATFORM NEWSWIRE findings revealed that Ogundipe had gone into hiding since last week to avoid arrest over the ongoing OSOPADEC probe as well as other petitions written against the Ondo state government, bordering on wastage of public funds as well as alleged inflation of contract sums awarded by Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

A staff in the ministry of Finance, Akure told our reporter that Mr. Ogundipe no longer sleeps in his official residence, over fear of arrest, preferring to sleep in a private residence of one of his close confidants, located at Ijapo estate, Akure.

He was also said to have changed his mobile phone numbers to avoid contacts with EFCC officials who are currently monitoring his movements.

Lady Akinjoko, Ondo State PDP Woman Leader Joins ACN

The Immediate past woman leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo state, Lady, Ambassador Folake Akinjoko has resigned her membership of the party and pitch her tent with Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

Lady Akinjoko, who announced her resignation as a member of the self-acclaimed largest political party in Africa, told PLATFORM NEWSWIRE in an exclusive interview earlier today that she tendered her resignation letter to the leaders of PDP and joined ACN in view of the actions of some PDP leaders which had brought great misfortunes to the party and for the fact that PDP seems not ready to participate and win in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo state as well as in other elections.

Lady Amb Folake Akinjoko

Her words’ “It’s a fact that I dump PDP, and the reason is not farfetched. It’s because of internal rancour and insincerity of the party leadership. I have seen it that PDP as it is cannot face the challenges of the 20th October, 2012 election in Ondo state and win. And I want to sincerely see myself as somebody who is representing her people in any position I find myself.”

Lady Akinjoko also stated that as the immediate past woman leader of PDP, her action will enable her to console her people and to help them in taking decisions that lead them to the Promised Land.

“I dumped PDP because we always talk of federal might and we believed, if truly, PDP is enjoying that federal might, we would not be losing those elections that we are not suppose to lose. For instance, when we left government in February 2009, through the travesty of justice given by Nabaruma, we believed that, as a party that belongs to the federal government, we had not lost anything. But later, we realized that we lost all,” she added.

She promised to help ACN in the area of mobilising Ondo state women to take part is dislodging the current government, headed by Dr Olusegun Mimiko, as according to her, the governor’s projects are misplaced priorities and waste of public funds, compared to the developmental efforts of the past administrations in Ondo state, especially, during the reign of Dr Olusegun Agagu.

Police rescue woman, recover N2.9m ransom from suspected kidnappers

The Police Command in Delta today, announced the rescue of the wife of the Financial Secretary, Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association,  the recovery of N2.9 million ransom and arrest of four persons in connection with the kidnap.

Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, the Commissioner of Police while briefing newsmen in Asaba, said the woman was kidnapped on Tuesday in her store at Ekpan in Warri.

“The gunmen who demanded the sum of N5 million, took the victim to their hideout in Benin, Edo State,’’ Aduba said.

He said that police officers who carried out the rescue operation returned with the woman unhurt at about 4.30 a.m. on Saturday.

“Acting on intelligence report, men of the state anti-terrorist squad stormed the kidnappers’ hideout in Benin city and arrested four notorious armed kidnappers including a 20 year-old girl.

“The victim was rescued and items recovered from the suspects included N2.9 million which they collected as ransom.

“We also recovered one black Sienna space bus with registration number EK 483 BEN and an Audi car with registration number AA 261 DGS,” the commissioner said.

Aduba told newsmen that anti-crime patrol team from Sapele also arrested two suspects during a stop-and-search operation and recovered 25 live cartridges.

“On interrogation, the two suspects confessed membership of a robbery gang terrorising the residents of Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government Area and its environs,’’ he said.

The commissioner, who described Ororokpe in Okpe LGA as a `den of criminals,’ appealed to parents to monitor the activities of their children and wards.

“It has become necessary to warn criminals to have a change of heart and take to legitimate business or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.

“We want to appeal to members of the public to have absolute faith in the Command as we have resolved to rout  hoodlums and kidnappers out of the state,’’ Aduba said. (NAN)

Ondo denies arrest of officials by EFCC

Ondo State Government on Friday denied a report, alleging that three top officials of the state had been arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. It blamed the opposition for spreading falsehood against it and its officials.

A statement by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, said attempts by the opposition to blackmail the state government would fail.

He claimed that a national newspaper and an Akure-based radio station both owned by a leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria had in separate reports alleged that the EFCC operatives had arrested some of its officials.

Akinmade said the reports were false and that the officials presumed to have been arrested were still at their duty posts till the end of work on Thursday and were currently with their families within the state. He added that they were very embarrassed by calls being received since the reports.

He said, “The game plan of the opposition is to use the false reports to destabilise the state government, using the EFCC but forgetting that the anti-corruption establishment does not act on sentiment and would not allow itself to be dragged into politics.

“The opposition, especially the ACN, is becoming excessive in its campaign of calumny and blackmail to cast aspersion on the state government all in the name of politics.”

Fuel Subsidy Withdrawal: NLC And TUC Urge Nigerians To Prepare For Massive Street Demonstrations

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, along with the pro-people civil society organizations and patriotic professional organisations have rejected the new fuel prices and directed Nigerians to resist their imposition. 

In a statement, they described today’s withdrawal of fuel subsidies by the Presidency as “callous and insensitive,” and intended to cause anarchy in the country.

“It is tragic that the Jonathan Government has become the greatest source of insecurity in the country and the spring of danger to the Nigerian nation,” the statement said, and the bodies directed their state councils and unions to take steps to resist any price above N65 litre of PMS.
They further asked them to await a date for the commencement of general strikes and mass protests across the country.

“Similarly, we alert the populace to begin immediate mobilization towards the d-day for the commencement of the strikes, street demonstrations and mass protests across the country,” the statement said.

[Full text of the statement]:

As Nigerians mourn the victims of the bomb blasts in the last few days and grapple with insecurity, the Jonathan Administration decided to utilize this period to impose astronomical fuel price increases on the populace.

This New Year “gift” by the Presidency is callous, insensitive and is intended to cause anarchy in the country. It is tragic that the Jonathan Government has become the greatest source of insecurity in the country and the spring of danger to the Nigerian nation. 

In the last few days, Jonathan’s administration had told Nigerians that it was consulting us on the issue of fuel subsidy removal and that if any was contemplated, it would be with effect from April 1, 2012.  The NLC and TUC warned Nigerians that this government thrives on falsehood and can therefore not be trusted.  The Presidency’s New Year Day action of removing the fuel subsidy and imposing new fuel prices on the populace is a clear demonstration of the fact that the Jonathan administration cannot be trusted. We also have information that it intends to make a litre of PMS N150.00 and then ask the NNPC to reduce the price at its fuel stations by a few Naira. Nigerians must defeat whatever are the schemes of this government.

The NLC, TUC, the pro-people Civil Society Organizations and patriotic Professional organisations reject these new fuel prices and direct Nigerians to resist their imposition.  We direct our state councils and unions to take steps to resist any price above N65 litre of PMS, and await a date for the commencement of general strikes and mass protests across the country.

Similarly, we alert the populace to begin immediate mobilization towards the d-day for the commencement of the strikes, street demonstrations and mass protests across the country.

With the decision of the Jonathan administration to create chaos in the country, we Nigerians have the duty and responsibility to restore the country to normalcy and reclaim our birthright.
This promises to be a long drawn battle; we know its beginning, but we do not know its end or when it will end. But we are confident that the Nigerian people will triumph over the cabal in Aso Rock.

We call on the National Assembly and the Governors to side with the people and stand by them in this struggle.

The Labour Movement also calls on the police, armed forces and other security personnel not to accept any order to shoot Nigerians or attack them for publicly resisting these evil hikes in fuel prices.  We warn that any officer who does so will be brought to justice, and a claim that he was obeying orders, will not be an excuse for committing such crimes. 

We also put the Jonathan Presidency and its surrogates on notice that we shall ensure that they are prosecuted up to the International Criminal Court if they, by acts of commission or omission spill the blood of any Nigerian over the protests that follow their inhuman acts against the people.
In the next few days, the leadership of the NLC and TUC will jointly issue directives on the date organized national strikes, street demonstrations and mass protests will commence.  We shall neither surrender nor retreat.

Full Text Of The Press Release From The PPPRA Announcing Removal Of Fuel Subsidy

ByReginald Stanley

PPPRA Announces Formal Removal of Subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)

Following extensive consultation with stakeholders across the nation, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) wishes to inform all stakeholders of the commencement of formal removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), in accordance with the powers conferred on the agency by the law establishing it, in compliance with Section 7 of PPPRA Act, 2004.

By this announcement, the downstream sub-sector of the petroleum industry is hereby deregulated for PMS. Service providers in the sector are now to procure products and sell same in accordance with the indicative benchmark price to be published forthnightly and posted on the PPPRA website.

Petroleum products marketers are to note that no one will be paid subsidy on PMS discharges after 1st January 2012.

Consumers are assured of adequate supply of quality products at prices that are competitive and non-exploitative and so there is no need for anyone to engage in panic buying or product hoarding.

The PPPRA in conjunction with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) will ensure that consumers are not taken advantage of in any form or in any way.

The DPR will ensure that the interest of the consumer in terms of quality of products is guaranteed at all times and in line with international best practice.

In the coming weeks, the PPPRA will engage stakeholders in further consultation to ensure the continuation of this exercise in a hitch-free manner.

Signed:

Reginald Stanley

Executive Secretary, PPPRA.

Letter to Mr. President: Before Withdrawal of Fuel Subsidy

By Akin O. Akinkuotu

Believe me sir, you rode to the presidential palace on three platforms: 1.The general believe that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is God-fearing and humble. 2. He is not part and parcel of our ignoble political past. 3. Flowing from the foregoing, his campaign slogan --- a breath of fresh air --- was believable.

At inauguration, Mr. President, you told us that you will abide by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This even went beyond mere speech; your Excellency vowed to this effect as provided by the Constitution.

Recently, Mr. President, you brought the issue of removal of fuel subsidy which, in my own view, when juxtaposed with the Constitution and your campaign to introduce a breath of fresh air, negates your demeanor especially before we voted.

First, Section 16(1b) of the extant Constitution provides:

 The State shall, within the context of the ideals and objectives for which provisions are made in this Constitution ----

Control the national economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity.

If the proposed removal of fuel subsidy is examined in the context of this Constitutional provision, it will be crystal clear that there is no way such policy could bring about the security of maximum welfare, not to talk of the other laudable ideals which this Section of our Constitution envisaged. On the other hand, it will engender further deprivation and, a lot more of our people would be subjected to deeper poverty, which will act as harbinger of other socio-economic problems that may put the sovereignty of the Nigerian nation into peril.

Secondly, there is no way that the issue of removal of fuel subsidy can be explained to be a fresh matter. In fact and indeed, in most recent socio-economic history of Nigeria, it remains a terribly odious matter. It was the curse in Abacha’s regime. It was the malady in Obasanjo’s government. If Mr. President had brought the issue of removal of fuel subsidy into his campaign before election, his electoral failure would have been without parallel.

It is in the context of all this factors that I respectfully urge our beloved President to view and weigh his seemingly dogmatic pursuit of withdrawal of fuel subsidy.

Mr. President, as your Excellency is an intellectual, one had expected that by now, the news media would have been awash with facts and figures of our petroleum trauma; to the effect that we would have the following at our finger tips:

1. How much it costs to import petroleum products.
2. The quantity of these products imported monthly and yearly. We may calculate from 2007 to 2011.
3. The names and addresses of the organizations supplying us these products. This will enable us cross-check to see if we are being short-changed because there may be a big difference between the amount being paid and the actual worth of our imports.
4. Have we discussed with other producers as we don’t have reason to stick to any particular producer?
5. The beneficiaries of the import arrangements in which we appear to be trapped. This arises because Mr. President was reported to have said that only few Nigerians benefit from fuel subsidy.
6. Why we are not refining sufficient crude oil to meet our needs.

After we have these facts and figures and there is no relief, we then look at other areas that can be adjusted to assist us.

The first area that comes to mind is our elected and appointed politicians. National Assembly is my first port of call. This is because a respected Nigerian, a man of unquestionable integrity, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the CBN Governor (forget what political, religious and ethnic bigots are saying) astounded Nigerians sometime ago by letting us know that we spend a whopping 25 percent of our hard-earned income on Members of the National Assembly. The “Honourable” members did not question his figures. Some of them only tried to cow him but, expectedly, they failed.

It was this revelation that made me sniff around the National Assembly. And, I got some information that depressed me.

One, what is the contribution of the National Assembly to the economic welfare of Nigeria that qualifies each member to earn N20 million monthly? Why are we paying them N45 million quarterly (every three months) as “constituency allowance”? Is it true that each member collects N350 million as furniture allowance?

Why are we buying state-of –the-art vehicles for them only to hear discordant and shameful tunes from the National Assembly? Why are we paying them for aids they refuse to employ?

Was it not in our National Assembly that a medical practitioner turned politician lost his life in a free- for- all wrestling right inside the House?

Didn’t we bury our heads in shame when, in the presence of secondary school children, who escaped by the whiskers, our National Law-makers were throwing sticks, chairs and all-what-not, amidst and against themselves, not quite long ago?

Are our ears deaf to the extent that we didn’t hear that the leadership of the Lower House borrowed N10 Billion from our financial system to pacify some members?

Mr. President, this is where the real waste lies. The salary of the National Assembly members should be reduced to just N2million per month. The so-called “Constituency Allowance” should be cancelled forthwith. Extravagant furniture does not make for good law-making. Five million Naira is more than sufficient for any class of reasonable furniture. Are they there to sleep on gold when millions of decent, skilled and law-abiding Nigerians are roaming about without food?

Furthermore, the President should be courageous enough now, to introduce a Bill to the House to amend the Constitution and reduce the National Assembly to just one House of equal representation as it is in the present Senate, beginning from 2015. We can not afford the luxury of a Bi-cameral legislature in view of the astronomically high cost. After all, they have not done anything really beneficial to this country. The amendments to the Constitution for which they have been boasting is not spectacular. Also, several sections of the Electoral Act, 2010, are being contested at the Law Courts, even by the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Secondly, we should stop the waste that is going on at the Executive Arm of Government, be it Federal, State or Local.

For example sir, there is no provision under any Law in force in Nigeria, for the office of the wife of President, Governor or Chairman, at the three tiers of government. Yet, Millions of Naira is spent yearly on the non-essential activities of the august wives of our leaders.

One question that agitates my mind in this aspect is, whether there would be the office of the First Man whenever a woman is elected President, Governor or Chairman, as the case may be.

Moreover, there is a monthly deduction by the head of the Executive Arm of each of the three tiers of government in Nigeria that comes under the curious name: Security Vote.

At the Federal level, it is not part of the allocation for the Military and Para-Military organizations --- Armed Forces, Police, SSS and others. Each has its own vote usually put forward by the respective Ministers in charge of such agencies.

At the State level, Security Vote is the prerogative of the Governor. How much monthly, what and how he spends it is entirely out of public glare. The same rule of no-accountability applies to the various Local Government Councils in respect of this out-law called Security Vote.

Remember sir, Armed Forces, Police and other security agencies are in the employ of the Federal Government. And, the Police posted to States are not employed under the Supernumerary system. So, the Federal Government still pays and equips them.

Next to this is the long list of Senior Special Advisers. They are political appointees and many of them are of “cabinet rank”, that is, they rank equally not necessarily in function and qualification, but in emoluments, with Ministers at the Federal level, Commissioners at the State level and Supervisory Councilors at the Local level. Many of them come with funny qualifications and they are not subject to   scrutiny, however slight, at the respective Legislative Houses like Ministers and Commissioners. There is a State with 108 Senior Special Advisers. I heard about one of them. He is reported to be a secondary school drop-out. He is Special Adviser for Domestic Affairs!

Thirdly, Mr. President should direct the Attorney-General of the Federation to ensure that State governments comply with Section 7 of the Constitution, particularly, subsections (1) and (3).

Contrary to Section 7(1), some State Governors simply appoint their cronies as Chairmen and Supervisory Councilors for their respective Local Government Councils.

These appointments, apart from being undemocratic, negates the letters and spirit of our Constitution.

Also, it constitutes a wide drain of public kitty. There is no way we can query how much they spend. They have no budget as there are no elected Councilors to which the so-called Chairmen will present their respective budgets for approval. They don’t abide by the Code of Conduct provision of the Constitution. They have no plan!

Many of these illegal appointees, parading themselves as Caretaker Committees, enjoy a life style that borders on the ridiculous; more so that we are not sure they are qualified for the positions to which they are appointed. They are only answerable to the Governor.

Mr. President, I strongly believe that if these steps are taken, there will be enough money for fuel subsidy if, indeed, there is any subsidy.

I pray that God Almighty who directed me to vote for you will guide you and protect you from people that want you to cause chaos by this eye-wash bogey they call fuel subsidy.

I am an Attorney-at-Law and author of The Pocket Lawyer Series, based in Ondo State.

Phone:* 08064382259 * 08052244171.