Rivers Violence Continues as Gunshots Are Reported in Government House

Culled from Premiumtimes reports from Rivers State indicate
that sporadic gunshots are being
fired in front of the government
house in Port Harcourt, the state
capital.

Media reports indicate that the
shots are being fired by thugs
backed up by police officers.

Witnesses also report that
armoured tanks have been
deployed to the state assembly
complex, venue of Tuesday’s
violence where about five of the
32 state lawmakers tried to
impeach the speaker.

Both Governor Rotimi Amaechi and
the Rivers Commissioner for
Information, Ibim Semenitari, could
not be reached for comments.
They did not answer or return calls
to their mobile telephones.

Details later…

I made ‘successful’ mistakes as President – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday declared that he made “successful” mistakes as Military Head of State and civilian president
Obasanjo, who ruled the country between 1976 and 1979 as a military head and between 1999 and 2007 as a civilian President, however, took responsibility for all his actions.

He spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State during the 50th anniversary lecture to commemorate the call to the Bar of Chief Afe Babylon (SAN).

A civil war veteran and former Chief of Staff of the 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigeria Army, Gen. Alabi I same (retd), had recently accused Obasanjo of committing numerous blunders during his reign in government.

Obasanjo said, “One mistake I made that turned out to be successful was when I was looking for somebody to give leadership of the University of Lagos to and I chose Babalola. Some people said I made a mistake but it turned out to be a successful mistake.

“My mistakes as people say were mostly in appointments. I appointed the UNILAG Pro-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor and the university became the best. The Vice-president Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor that I appointed were acknowledged as the best at the time.

“The mother of all the mistakes was that the exposure and involvement of Babylon in the affairs of UNILAG led to the establishment of the Afe Babylon University in Ado Ekiti.

“If you have not seen ‘instant wonder’, go to ABUAD. Babalola used his experience as the Pro-Chancellor of UNILAG to build what today is the best and fast growing private university in the country.”

Obasanjo, who inaugurated the extension of Babalola’s Emmanuel Chambers on the occasion, said, “There are many Nigerians, but, there are not many good Nigerians of Babalola’s sterling qualities.”

Solicitor-General of the Federation,
Ahmed Abdulahi, who represented
President Goodluck Jonathan, described Babalola as a product of courage, perseverance determination and humility.

The Guest Speaker, retired Justice
Emmanuel Ayoola, while delivering a lecture entitled, ‘The future of Law in Nigeria’, stressed the need to improve legal education in the country.

He said, “Our legal education should be re-invigorated and made more robust.
For instance, we should begin to
encourage inclusion of Comparative Law in every aspect of our legal education.

“We can only neglect the history of the principles of the common law at a disadvantage. Our law faculties should be fully equipped with the access to jurisprudence and decisions of other jurisdiction to protect our laws.

“We delude ourselves in this country if we believe that, we can be a great nation without a great legal system. The path to the greatness of our nation is through a reliable, efficient, trustworthy and values driven legal system.”

Former Pro-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Chief Wole Olanipekun, (SAN) described Babalola as a reformer, revolutionary and educationist who contributed to national and legal development.

Governors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) and a former Ekiti State Governor Segun Oni among other eminent personalities attended the ceremony.

PunchNG

OJB Jezreel Thank You Message To Gov Rotimi Amaechi

Last week news broke out that Authentic Chairman Of Nigeria Governors Forum and Rivers State Governor, His Excellency Gov Rotimi Amaechi donated sum of $ 100,00 for Ace Nigeria Music Producer OJB Jezreel who is battle with Kidney failure and needed money for kidney transplant treatment. Well according to the leader of the OJB Jezreel fund raising committee Nomoreloss ” We have record and receive the donation” .
OJB got the cash in his account last Friday and he is very grateful.

See his message to Governor Amaechi and other Nigerians below:

“I really thank God for Governor
Amechi’s kind heart. All I can say is that God will fight his battles as he saved my life.”

“I also thank all Nigerians from all works of life who heeded my appeal for funds to go for my kidney transplant.  God bless everyone.”
I say thank you to Governor Amaechi for his kind gesture!

OJB Jezreel puts stop to donations

In a press conference that held yesterday, OJB said:

       "Appreciate all those who stood by me one way or the other. I'm sincerely grateful and feel blessed that people could go miles just to make me well again. Now that I. have gotten all the money needed for my medical bill, I want to officially put a stop to all forms of appeal or request in bid to save
OJB. I want Nigerians to know that
I have gotten the N16million needed for my treatment.
Therefore, no donation should again be made to any source in respect of the said case. I will be going for my operation by mid August

Appeal Court Dethrones Olofa Of Offa

The Appeal Court sitting in Ilorin,
in the central Nigerian state of
Kwara on Tuesday 9 July nullified
the appointment and installation of
Alhaji Mufutau Gbadamosi as Olofa
of Offa, while also restraining him
from parading himself as the
traditional ruler of the community
forthwith.

In the lead judgment delivered by
Justice Hussein Muhktar, the
appellate court held that the
evidence before it clearly showed
that the ascension to the stool of
Olofa of Offa is by rotation
between the Olugbense ruling
house, who are the appellants and
the Anilelerin ruling house, the
respondents.

To the court, rotation principle in
the town was established in 1969
when the late Oba Keji from the
Olugbense ruling house agreed to
step down from throne and
allowed the ascension of Late Oba
Mustapha Olawoore from the
Anilelerin ruling house, to allow
peace to reign in Offa. This, the
court said, was after the
intervention of the state
government.

Setting aside the decision of the
High Court sitting in Offa delivered
on 19 July 2012 by Justice S.M
Akanbi which upheld the
appointment and installation of
Alhaji Mufutau Gbadamosi as the
Olofa of Offa, the appellate court
granted all the reliefs of the
appellants and nullified Oba
Gbadamosi’s appointment and
installation.

The court ordered Gbadamosi to
stop parading himself as the Olofa
of Offa, while also ordering the
state government to immediately
install Prince Abdulrauf
Adegboyega Keji, who is from
Olugbense ruling house as the new
Olofa of Offa.

Counsel to the Olugbense ruling
house, John Baiyeshea, SAN, had
approached the Court of Appeal to
protest the judgment delivered by
the High Court that the ascension
to the stool of the Olofa of Offa is
not rotational but by competition
between the two ruling houses, a
position used by government to
instal Gbadamosi as the Olofa.
Some of the prayers of the
Olugbense ruling house which the
Court of Appeal granted are:

. That the ascension to the stool of
Offa of Olofa between the two
ruling houses is rotational,
.That the Anilelerin ruling house
having produced the immediate
past Olofa of Offa who ruled for
over forty years, must give way to
the Olugbense ruling house in law
and/or equity to produce the next
Olofa of Offa on the basis of
rotation,

.That the recognition of the
incumbent Olofa of Offa by the
state government “is illogical,
wrongful, unlawful, null and void
and of no effect whatsoever”.
The Court therefore upheld the
appeal of the Olugbense ruling
house and granted an order of
perpetual injunction restraining
Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi from
parading himself as the Olofa of
Offa.

Source: PMNews

ASUP Agrees To Call Off Strike

At the meeting organized on Tuesday by the Joint Committee on Education of the National Assembly, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has agreed to call off the strike as soon as possible - once their demands are met. The meeting sought to resolve the confrontation between the Federal Government, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and ASUP. Rukayat Rufai, the Minister of Education, and Chukwuemeka Nwogu, the Minister ofvLabour and Productivity were present at the meeting. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerije called the unions to end this impasse which has grounded tertiary institutions across the country. The President of ASUP, Chibuzor Asomugha stated that the polytechnic lecturers would do all within their powers to end the strike in the nearest time. "Our meeting with the Senate Committee on Education was successful. There was an agreement to meet our demands in the next two weeks as the request will be presented to President Goodluck Jonathan for his approval," he said. Mr Asomugha noted that the Senate, asked the union to call off their strike and give the Senate some time to convey their demands to the President. However, Mr Asumogba stated he cannotbunilaterally end the strike based on government's promise. He added ASUP will decide when to finish the industrial action "after our NEC meeting slated in two weeks." ASUP demands waiting for presidentialbapproval include implementation of the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure, the Consolidated Polytechnic and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS), package, the appointment of the governing council and the issuance of the White Paper on same. Channelstv