Citizen Report: Nigerian President Travelled Out Of Country Without Handing Over To Deputy

                              

A citizen reporter, who is also an administrative officer in the Presidency have just filed in a report that the Nigerian President, Mr. Umaru Yar'Adua who just left the country to Saudi Arabia for medical check up, travelled without handing over to his deputy, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as demanded by the constitution.

"It is not yet clear if Mr. President handed over to any other person, if he did, it must have been in secret", the report concludes.

chidi opara reports  have not been able so far to independently confirm this information.

Assasination: Nigeria's Rivers State Government May Engage Private Isreali Security Company To Protect Key Personnels

                                             [Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi]

The assasination on friday 20th November, 2009 of Mr. Charles Nsiegbe, a close aide of the Rivers State governor, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi may have quickened the Oil rich state governor's decission to expand the brief of a private Isreali security outfit to include "Executive Protection Service", chidi opara reports have reliably learnt.

Well placed contacts inside the governor's office informed us that for sometime now, the governor have been under pressure from one of his very close friends to expand the brief  of the security company to include the protection of key government house personnels.

This governor's close friend, a Journalist based outside Nigeria  was reported to be the person who introduced the security company to him. The outfit presently handles tracking of kidnappers in the state.

One contact told one of our network members yesterday that " Oga is seriously considering expanding their job, my brother, we need serious security around us".

Investigation by chidi opara reports revealed that after the kidnap of Professor Nimi Briggs and the wife of the rich Ijaw Oil and Gas tycoon, Mr. Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, the Rivers State government through this Journalist, engaged the service of the security outfit "to track kidnappers". The efficiency of the company, according to theses insiders, was proved when during the kidnap of the renowned novelist, Mr. Elechi Amadi, security personnels using the company's sophisticated gadgets, informed the kidnappers of their exact location, which made them to release the writer within twenty-four hours with no ransom paid. The company we also learnt on good authority have been introduced to the Abia State government.

Checks in security circles in Port Harcourt, revealed that the Isreali security experts mostly engage in "discreet survillance and preventive security".

chidi opara reports could not locate any office or any personnel of the security company. A middle aged male Isreali national was however, noticed yesterday shuttling between the government reserved area(GRA) five star hotel suite of the Journalist and the governor's lodge.

News Release: We Condemn Nigeria’s Further Slip In The Ranking Of Corruption Index

                                          [Nigerian Flag]


The Movement Against Corruption in Nigeria (MAC), a not-for-profit independent conglomeration of civil society organizations, trade unions, faith-based organizations, community based organisations, the media, businesses (farmers, and artisans cooperative societies), human rights activists, academics, women, students, and youth groups from across Nigeria berates Nigeria’s further drop from the ladder of the global anti-corruption watchdog, Transparency International, ranking. The report released on November 17th, 2009 ranked Nigeria 130 out of 180 countries in the 2009 Corruption Perception Index (CPI).


This latest ranking, like the previous one, is an indictment on Nigerian government’s half- hearted war against corruption in the country. The haphazard approach of the government in the fight against corruption; the fire-brigade approaches utilized by the anti-corruption agencies; the limitless immunity enjoyed by our public office holders; and the undue connivance of the judiciary in granting perpetual injunction prohibiting investigation into graft matters particularly involving former governors contributed in no small measure to the decline recorded. In 2008 Nigeria ranked 121st with a CPI score of 2.7 and confidence range of between 2.3 and 3.0 while it presently ranked 130 with a lowly score of 2.5 out of possible ten obtainable especially if Cape Verde, a tiny West African nation emerged with a score of 5.1

It is indeed regrettable and condemnable that Nigeria has reached a threshold of rewarding corruption, dishonesty and indolence. No country ever achieved development without tackling the war against corruption seriously. The recent report of Transparency International made a mockery of President Yar’Adua’s 7-point agenda and his commitment to the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

The Movement Against Corruption in Nigeria (MAC) hereby reiterate that for the war against corruption to be successful, government at all levels must demonstrate strong political will to adequately tackle the scourge of corruption that has smitten our economic, social and political life. Until there is a holistic general reform programme cutting across all strata of our socio-economic and political systems, no real progress can be made in the fight against graft, electoral reform, constitutional review, economic reform, power generation and attainment of Millennium Development Goal.

MAC therefore calls for the government’s action in the:

• Removal of the Immunity Clause from the nation’s Constitution;

• Strengthening of anti-corruption agencies and the judiciary for effective and decisive war against corruption in the country;

• Immediate passage of Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill; and

• Passage of Justice Uwais Panel’s recommendation on Electoral Reform.


Imam Abdurahman Ahmad
Chairman

20, Mojidi Street, Off Toyin Street, Ikeja – Lagos, Nigeria
Tel: 07033690566, 08085897682 Fax: 01-3451096
E-mail: movementagainstcorruptionn@yahoo.com

Citizen Report: Nuhu Ribadu Declared Wanted By Code Of Conduct Tribunal

A citizen reporter in Abuja filed in a report this afternoon that the immediate past Executive Chairman of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Mr. Nuhu Ribadu have been declared wanted by the Code Of Conduct Tribuanl sitting in Abuja, presided over by Justice Constance Momoh.

Ribadu, who is on self exile in Europe was arraigned at the tribunal for failure to submit his assets declararation form when due as stipulated by public service rules.

His failure to appear in person today to take his plea as ordered by the tribunal at its last sitting, reportedly necesitated the declaration.

chidi opara reports have since confirmed the declaration order.

The Achebe Colloquium on Nigerian Elections Holds On December 11, 2009 In Providence, Rhode Island

                                          [Chinua Achebe]

According to the organizers, "Conference themes will include problems, prospects and pathologies of 50 years of Nigerian independence; strategic interests of Nigeria and the United States; challenges of the Anambra Elections in 2010; lessons learned and problems ahead in monitoring Nigerian elections; strategies for free and fair polls in the 2010 elections and beyond".

Inaugural Edition Of West African Forum On Access To Quality Medicines Holds November 24th, 2009 In Accra Ghana

                                          [Medicine]

The inaugural edition of the West African forum on access to quality medicines, a programme of The Initiative for Public Policy Analysis, (IPPA Nigeria), Africanroundtable, IMANI – Ghana, the Health Access Network, and the mPedigree Network will hold on 24th November, 2009, at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel(Homowo Conference Centre) Accra Ghana, from 9.00am to 6.00pm.

The Organizers in a statement contained in an invitation made available to chidi opara reports, said that “given the recent concern about the substandard quality of a significant proportion of the medicines sold and dispensed in the West African sub-region, the forum is urgently required to collect views of key stakeholders in the health sector about how to address these challenges”.

“Furthermore”, the statement continued, “the high prices of essential pharmaceuticals, and the difficulty marketers of medicines have in selling their products in other countries beyond their own, are also major concerns that need to be discussed”.

”These views”, the statement further revealed “will be used in a proposed draft policy paper on how to expand access to quality medicines for decision makers in the region”.

The conference will feature:

(1)Babatunde Osotimehin, (Minister of Health, Nigeria)

(2)Dr. Paul Orhii, (Director General, National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, Nigeria)

(3)Dr. Alex Dodoo, (President, Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana)

(4)Joseph Odumodu, (President, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group Of MAN)

(5)Mazi Sam Ohuanbunwa, (President, West African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association)

(6)Dr. Placido Monterio Cardoso, (WAHO Director-General)

(7)Dr. Daniel Kertesz, (WHO Representative)

(8)Dr. Stephen Opuni, (Chief Executive Ghana Food & Drugs Board)