I wanted to quit West Brom – Osaze

Osaze Odemwingie

Osaze Odemwingie concedes that he considered leaving West Bromwich Albion during the summer.

The Baggies striker was subject of speculation over his future during the close season, with Qatari club Al-Gharafa making an unsuccessful bid for the player.

But Odemwingie – who denied any suggestions of a summer bust-up with Steve Clarke – claims the West Brom boss actually convinced him to stay at B71.

The Nigeria international told Birmingham Mail, “I don’t know where that (reports of a bust-up) came from.

“People would have seen afterwards if there was a problem.

“We sat down and had a normal talk. He was the new coach and he said ‘give me a few weeks and see how we work, because we’re ambitious for this year’.

 “I said I would give it a couple of weeks and after that I was enjoying training and it looked like it was going to be an interesting season, so I forgot about the offer.”

He continued: “I thought there would be nothing new for me at West Brom and I gave it a try (asked about leaving) to see what would happen.

“But the club said that it was too early for me to go and they thought I could play an important role for them and keep playing.

“Then pre-season started and I got hungry again for Premier League action and I forgot about it.”

Fuel scarcity hits Abuja again

Fuel queues appeared again in Abuja on Tuesday but nobody is sure what the cause is this time.
On August 15, queues were noticed in filling stations in Abuja after NUPENG stopped deliveries to the capital to protest the alleged non-payment by the Federal Government for fuel imported by oil marketers. The strike was called off after one week.
Our correspondents who visited filling stations on Tuesday, reported that there were long queues of vehicles waiting to buy fuel.
Parallel markets for the product (black market)have emerged with a 10 litres selling for N3,000 against the normal price of N970.
One of the young parallel market  operators, Akeem Muson, said he travelled to Keffi in neighbouring Nasarawa State to buy fuel for sale when he noticed the queues on Monday night.
A news conference called by the NNPC for Tuesday, apparently to explain the latest scarcity, was later called off. No reason was given for the action.
The Deputy Supervisor, Total Fuel Station Area 3, Mr Moses Audu, blamed the scarcity on inadequate supply of the product  to Abuja.
He said his station ran out of stock after the last supply of product on Monday. “We are not getting regular supply in Abuja; we only had one yesterday and we have sold all.
“Unlike before we do have regular fuel supplies but since yesterday, we only had a supply of one truck which we discharged and sold to customers until about 10 a.m. today (Tuesday) when we ran out of stock.
At Conoil, Area 1, Mr Atai Obaka, a dealer, also claimed there was a shortage of supply from Lagos to Abuja, adding that most marketers were not importing petroleum.
“The marketers are not importing because most banks are not ready to give us loan as they are not sure of getting back their money.
“Right now, I have 240,000 litres of petroleum to be discharged and more is still expected to be transported down to Abuja but I don’t know if we can get more.”
At the NNPC Mega Station, Central Area, Mr Stephen Yohana, said he did not know why there should be fuel scarcity after NUPENG had met with the Federal Government and agreed that there would be supplies of the product nationwide.
“For me, I think it’s out of panic that most stations hoard the product; as for us, we have 300,000 litres underground and four trucks standing to be discharged. We are selling at the normal price to customers.”
Mr Andrew Obande, a bus driver who plies the Wuse Market route, said passenger fare was still normal but might be increased if the scarcity continues. (NAN)

Bomb Scare Forces Closure Of The Offices Of Delta State Head Of Service

There was confusion this morning as workers at the offices of Delta state head of service resumed for work at about 8:00am and found the gate sealed with a box believed to contain a bomb.
The office of the head of service is about a minute drive from the Delta state government house and the state police headquarters in Asaba.
SaharaReporters gathered that the alarm raised by workers who resumed for work this morning attracted the public and the men of the Anti-Bomb Unit ofDelta state police command to run to the scene and carried the box away for analysis.
Prior to the bomb scare, Delta state officials   were in government house receiving the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of  zone 5 Benin.

Former Sultan Of Sokoto Blasts “Corrupt And Insincere” Leadership, Calls For Enthronement Of Justice

Former Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki

The former Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, says Nigeria is in mess because of the “corrupt and insincere” leadership she has suffered over time.
The 18th Sultan, who is also the father of the current National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, however praised his son, saying, “My son is a matured person with his family and is capable of taking decisions. Now, I go out every day to pray without being afraid of any attack”.
Alhaji Dasuki, who was speaking to journalists in his Kaduna home, insisted that bad leadership must be cleaned out of Nigeria.
He lamented: “Nigeria is in a mess today. How we came about it I don’t know. The country is full of richness but there are many poor people in the society. Mismanagement and injustice have led us to where we are, and unless we work hard, with everybody contributing his part and we learn to coexist with each other, we may not resolve the problems facing the country.”
Reflecting on his past when he worked in the public service, he recalled that Nigerians coexisted peacefully, and that civil servants conscientiously advised their Ministers as to what was wrong or right.
“If we disagreed with our minister, we could go to the federal executive council as permanent secretaries to defend our position,” he said, adding,  “Today, the civil service is no longer civil. We used to be accounting officers as civil servants but today the governors are the accounting officers. There was justice then, but that is lacking today.”
Reflecting on the depth of corruption in the country, he said, “I didn’t know what a trillion is until I asked somebody to write it for me and he wrote 12 zeros. The average Nigerian is earning $1 per day with all the money that we have, yet somebody collected some people’s N2 billion pension and kept it in his house in cash. The oil subsidy money, which is in billions, is also gone. We don’t have our own airline now. We are a sleeping giant.”
Expressing optimism, Dasuki, who was dethroned and jailed by the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, said, “Greatness is not achieved by proclamation but by hard work, honesty and transparency. The leaders and whole society need to be honest, just and fair for the country to develop.”
He said that if governments, from the local government to the presidency, declared justice, everything would be all right, the insecurity would be resolved, the bombing would stop and corruption would end.

Gunmen kill LG secretary, varsity don in Borno

BARELY 28 hours when six people were shot dead by suspected terrorists in Sulimanti ward of Maiduguri Metropolis, a local  government secretary of Bama Council area of Borno state, and his friend, a university lecturer  were on Monday night shot dead by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram in the same area.
Our reporter who was at the scene of the attack in Maiduguri near NNPC depot before the bodies were evacuated by the police officials to Biu Local Government for burial as both hail from Biu had sparks off confusion as nearby residents and neighbours have all vacated their houses for fear of another attack.
The Borno state police commissioner who just resumed newly, Abdullalahi Yuguda, confirmed to newsmen that the Local government secretary, Muhammed Salisu, and his friend, Barrister Abubakar Muhammed Salihu a Senior Law  lecturer from the Federal University of  Ado-Ekiti, South-west Nigeria, were shot dead last night.
The bodies of the two slain friends were seen lying in the pool of their blood with bullet wounds in their heads.
A close family relation, whose name can’t be mentioned for his security said ‘the University lecturer was in Maiduguri to enroll his about 12 years old son in one of the colleges in Maiduguri. He came in yesterday and insisted on sleeping in the house of his best friend the Local government secretary. He was supposed to deliver a paper at the Nigeria Law School today in Abuja’.
The bodies of the two have since been taken to Biu town for burial according to Islamic rite.
As at the time of filing this report the members of the Boko Haram, whom the police suspected hadn’t call to confirm or deny their involvement in the killings.

JTF Recovers Arms, Equipment From Home of Boko Haram’s Commander

Recovered ammo

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri, Borno State, says it has recovered several weapons and equipment from the home of a top Boko Haram commander.
JTF spokesperson, Lt.Col. Sagir Musa said in a statement that the Task Force’s ‘Operation Restore Order’ made the recovery in the Bulunkutu-Lawanti area of the metropolis during a follow-up operation in the residence the man, whom he described as “a wanted key commander of Boko Haram sect.”
The statement did not say whether the man or anyone else was arrested.
“Following the operation which was carried out at the early hours of yesterday, large cache of weapons which include 3AK 47 rifles, 306 x 7.62 mm special ammunition, 39 primed improvised explosives devices cans, and six empty magazines were recovered,” the statement said.
It continued: “Other items recovered, include one HP laptop computer containing instruction on preparation of IEDs and chemical weapons, a notebook register containing names of Boko Haram members indicating those already dead and 54 assorted SIM cards. 40 IED remote controls, 20 assorted electrical switches, 50 Qlink motor cycle battery chargers, 20 assorted torchlight batteries and one RPG bomb fuse.”
The sect is yet to respond to the recovery as claimed by the JTF.

Mrs Jonathan not ill, she’s only resting abroad -Presidency

There was confusion on Monday over the trip of President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience, to Germany.

An online portal, Saharareporters, had reported on Sunday that the wife of the President  was being treated for “food poisoning” which she contracted during a visit to Dubai, United Arab Emirate 11 days ago.

However, the Presidency, in its reaction on Monday, denied that Mrs Jonathan had been hospitalised for food poisoning.

Her  spokesman, Ayo Osinlu, confirmed that she had travelled out of the country but denied the rumoured illness. Osinlu said the President’s wife travelled out of the country to take a “moment’s rest”. He, however, did not disclose Mrs Jonathan’s whereabouts.

“If you look at her itinerary in August, you would be wondering how she was able to accomplish that. In the course of this week, she will be back home. But remember, it all depends on her plans,” he said.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, who also spoke on the matter, dismissed Mrs Jonathan’s widely reported illness as a  rumour.

 Abati insisted that the story “was a rumour and there is nothing like that”.

In its report, Saharareporters had revealed that an air ambulance airlifted the President’s wife to Wisbanden in Germany for emergency medical attention. It added that Patience had been undergoing treatment  for about four days.

The United States-based Nigerian news portal quoted an unnamed source in the Presidency as saying that Mrs. Jonathan travelled to Dubai after the African First Ladies Summit in Abuja.

 It also quoted sources in the Presidency as saying  that the “emergency airlift departed for Wiesbaden, Germany” but could not confirm if “her treatment was being undertaken in that city.”

A national newspaper on Monday had reported that Mrs. Jonathan was being treated at a hospital called Horst Schmidt Klinik in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Horst Schmidt Klinik is where the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was hospitalised for kidney-related ailments. However, The PUNCH could not confirm on Monday if Mrs Jonathan was indeed in the hospital.

Meanwhile, an aide of the President, who pleaded anonymity, said on Monday that the President had ordered the first couple’s media aides to find a way to inform  Nigerians about his wife’s trip and health.

It was learnt that Jonathan handed over the directive following the concerns raised over his wife’s alleged  ailment.

He was said to have told his media team to liaise with his wife’s media team and agree on how to tell Nigerians what really transpired.

Following this directive,  Abati and Osinlu met. Osinlu later told The PUNCH  that they decided to speak on the issue “in order to save ourselves of the stress of responding to the widespread enquiries from our friends in the media one-by-one.”

He also said that the report that Patience was airlifted to a German hospital by an air ambulance was not true.

But he promised sending a statement which at the time of filing this report at 9pm, he had not sent.

PHOTO STORY: OccupyCBN-Protesters Storm CBN Headquarters In Abuja To Stop Issuance Of N5000 Notes

Former house of representatives member, Dino Melaye, led protesters in Abuja today to express disapproval of the planned introduction N5000 by the governor of the Central bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi. The protesters mobilized online under the banner of  #OccupyCBN.
Protesters braved early morning showers to make a strong presence at the Central Bank of Nigeria headquarters in Abuja. 

Oluwafemiayo sets world record, wins silver

Nigeria’s Oluwafemiayo celebrates after winning silver in the women’s powerlifting event ...on Monday.

Team Nigeria has continued to win medals at the London 2012 Paralympics as Folashade Oluwafemiayo and Victoria Nneji won silver and bronze medals respectively on Monday.

Oluwafemiayo broke the world record twice before setting a new one at 148kg to better Chinese Taoying Fu’s 147kg in the women’s powerlifting -75kg class.

Oluwafemiayo and Fu lifted 146kg in their third attempts respectively but the Chinese was awarded the gold medal because she weighed 2kg less than the Nigerian. Fu weighed 72.53kg, while Oluwafemiayo weighed 74.17kg. Tzu-Hui Lin of Chinese Taipei won the bronze medal with her 137kg lift.

Their fourth attempts where Fu lifted 147kg and Oluwafemiayo 148kg were not to determine the winner but to have a new world record in the category.

Nneji, who earlier in the day had a poor start in the women’s powerlifting -67.5kg class, attributed her failure to win gold to a shoulder injury she sustained during camping for the Games in Korea.

She lifted 125kg to finish behind France’s Souhad Ghazouani (gold) and China’s Yujiao Tan (silver). Ghazouani had lifted 146kg in her first attempt but failed to complement in the subsequent attempts, while Nneji was only able to lift 125kg in her third attempt.

“My bronze is like gold to me because I didn’t enter the competition very fit. The injury I sustained from the camp actually hindered me from making a better attempt,” Nneji, who lifted 132.5kg to win silver at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, said on Monday.

“I knew I was a medal prospect but I was not sure how I would end up in the competition because of the injury. I was not able to train very well due to the pain.”

Mrs Jonathan not ill, she’s only resting abroad -Presidency

There was confusion on Monday over the trip of President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience, to Germany.

An online portal, Saharareporters, had reported on Sunday that the wife of the President  was being treated for “food poisoning” which she contracted during a visit to Dubai, United Arab Emirate 11 days ago.

However, the Presidency, in its reaction on Monday, denied that Mrs Jonathan had been hospitalised for food poisoning.

Her  spokesman, Ayo Osinlu, confirmed that she had travelled out of the country but denied the rumoured illness. Osinlu said the President’s wife travelled out of the country to take a “moment’s rest”. He, however, did not disclose Mrs Jonathan’s whereabouts.

“If you look at her itinerary in August, you would be wondering how she was able to accomplish that. In the course of this week, she will be back home. But remember, it all depends on her plans,” he said.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, who also spoke on the matter, dismissed Mrs Jonathan’s widely reported illness as a  rumour.

 Abati insisted that the story “was a rumour and there is nothing like that”.

In its report, Saharareporters had revealed that an air ambulance airlifted the President’s wife to Wisbanden in Germany for emergency medical attention. It added that Patience had been undergoing treatment  for about four days.

The United States-based Nigerian news portal quoted an unnamed source in the Presidency as saying that Mrs. Jonathan travelled to Dubai after the African First Ladies Summit in Abuja.

 It also quoted sources in the Presidency as saying  that the “emergency airlift departed for Wiesbaden, Germany” but could not confirm if “her treatment was being undertaken in that city.”

A national newspaper on Monday had reported that Mrs. Jonathan was being treated at a hospital called Horst Schmidt Klinik in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Horst Schmidt Klinik is where the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was hospitalised for kidney-related ailments. However, The PUNCH could not confirm on Monday if Mrs Jonathan was indeed in the hospital.

Meanwhile, an aide of the President, who pleaded anonymity, said on Monday that the President had ordered the first couple’s media aides to find a way to inform  Nigerians about his wife’s trip and health.

It was learnt that Jonathan handed over the directive following the concerns raised over his wife’s alleged  ailment.

He was said to have told his media team to liaise with his wife’s media team and agree on how to tell Nigerians what really transpired.

Following this directive,  Abati and Osinlu met. Osinlu later told The PUNCH  that they decided to speak on the issue “in order to save ourselves of the stress of responding to the widespread enquiries from our friends in the media one-by-one.”

He also said that the report that Patience was airlifted to a German hospital by an air ambulance was not true.

But he promised sending a statement which at the time of filing this report at 9pm, he had not sent.

Jonathan aide calls for Okorocha’s impeachment

Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak,  has  called for Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha’s impeachment by the state House of Assembly.

Gulak made the call for Okorocha’s removal after the 27 local government chairmen sacked by Okorocha submitted a letter of protest through him to the President in Abuja on Monday.  Okorocha fired the  chairmen  elected under the  banner of the Peoples Democratic Party  during the Ikedi Ohakim administration on the  grounds that their tenure   had expired.

The governor  appointed transitional committee chairmen comprising members of his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, to administer  the LGs.

But the LG bosses   challenged their removal in court, arguing that the governor had no constitutional powers to sack them.

The  Federal Government  on July 16 through the Attorney-General of the  Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Bello Adoke, ordered Okorocha to reinstate the  chairmen.

The FG urged Okorocha to give full effect to the July 4, 2012 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Owerri, declaring their removal illegal and unconstitutional.

But the governor refused to reverse his decision.

Gulak said, “What Okorocha has done is illegal and unconstitutional and where democracy thrives, these are acts that are impeachable. It is just unfortunate that the members of the Imo State House of Assembly have not taken up that matter. But these acts are impeachable because the offences are impeachable.

“In this vein, the courts have given their verdict that you should be reinstated. But the court verdict would be empty if you are not allowed to operate as chairmen of your local governments. A political solution must be found for this logjam and I believe that the leader of our party will be properly advised on the political solution to this political crisis in Imo State.

“Nigerian democracy was not got on a  platter of gold. People suffered, people sacrificed, people lost their lives before this democracy came to be and no individual is greater than the democracy of Nigeria.”

The council bosses   were led by the chairman of Isiala Mbano LG/Imo State chairman of Association of Local Government of  Nigeria, Mrs. Ruby Emele, and  Ngor Okpala LG boss who is the state ALGON Secretary, Mr. Enyinnaya Onuegbu.

Meanwhile, a High Court, Owerri on Monday struck out a suit filed by the  chairmen, urging it to allow them to serve out their tenure, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Justice Ngozi Opara struck out the case, ruling that hearing it would amount to abuse of court process since a similar case had been instituted in the Federal High Court.

The counsel for  the governor, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), had while arguing the case on August  16, said the plaintiffs had filed another suit at a Federal High Court, Abuja, on the same matter, insisting that it was an abuse of court process.

The second defendant, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Soronnadi Njoku, argued that the proper order was for cases to proceed from a lower court to a higher court and not from the higher to the lower court since the claimants plea for two-year tenure had earlier been granted by the Appeal Court.