Strike no going back on demands – Poly Lecturers

Two months into its nationwide strike, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, said that there was no going back on its demands, insisting that unless all issues that caused the strike were addressed, the action would continue. This came as the union rejected the discriminatory cut-off points for candidates seeking admission into Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education and called for harmonization of the cut-off points into tertiary institutions in the country. ASUP had called out its members on a nationwide strike in protest against government’s refusal to implement agreement on bothering on welfare and other sundry issues. The union, after its 74th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting at Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra…

Egyptians awake to uncertainty as Adly Mansour is sworn in as New Interim President

Egyptians awoke up on Thursday to an uncertain new political order, a day after the military deposed and reportedly detained the country’s first democratically elected president, put a top judge in his place and suspended the constitution. The coup that toppled Mohamed Morsy as president on Wednesday prompted hundreds of thousands of people in the streets across Egypt to both applaud and assail the generals’ decision to step into the country’s political fray for the second time in a little over two years. It also left a series of significant questions unanswered. What will happen to Morsy, who insists he remains the country’s legitimate leader, and his key supporters? Will the sporadic outbreaks of violence…

OGUTA STATE CONSTITUENCY RE-ELECTION: Why I am not excited

On the 29th of June 2013, there will be a re-run election for the representative of Oguta State Constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly. This is as a result of the nullification of the election of Hon. Eugene Dibiagwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the court. The front runners in the election, the PDP and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)/yet-to-be registered All Progressive Congress (APC) have been campaigning and mobilizing in a very big way. The battle line seems to be drawn between both parties. On the side of the PDP are Senator Hope Uzodinma, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha, Senator Author Nzeribe etc. while Governor Rochas is leading the other side…

Politics And Public Service: The Most Lucrative Business Enterprises In Nigeria Today (1)

Politics is a witty stratagem and artifice that are being exercised to establish a human and material platform for the institutionalization of a stable and progressive state with the full credence and tenet of the entrenchment of democracy and enactment of good governance. While Public Service could be categorized as a working contract entrusted to the care and responsibility of a chosen with a stipulated remuneration, recompense or allowance, for the strengthening of the affairs of the state and welfare of the people. Analytically, both politics and public service are for the advancement, growth and upliftment of a state in every facet of her development including direction, conduct, guidance, administration and management. If all these…

Obama starts long awaited Africa tour at Slave Port

Almost four centuries after Africans started being shipped to North America as slaves, the first U.S. president of African ancestry will on Thursday visit an infamous embarkation point for those destined for lives in chains. In his first – and, many Africans say, long-overdue – extended tour of the continent, President Barack Obama will focus on political and economic issues, but is also paying homage to a painful chapter in American history. On the first leg of his eight-day visit he is taking his family to the House of Slaves, a fort built in the late 18th century on Goree Island, off the coast of Senegal, as a transit point for the human traffic and…

Rudd sworn in as Australian PM after overthrowing Gillard

Kevin Rudd was sworn in as Australian prime minister for the second time on Thursday, a day after toppling Julia Gillard and three months ahead of elections in which opinion polls show the ruling Labor Party faces a devastating defeat. Rudd’s return as prime minister follows three years of squabbling within the Labor leadership and as the world’s 12th largest economy faces challenges stemming from a slowdown in top trade partner China. Rudd, a Mandarin-speaking former diplomat, has highlighted the difficulties associated with “the end of China’s resource boom” and said he would work to rebuild the government’s strained relations with the business community. He left open the option of changing the September 14 election…

Venezuelan Official Asks for Papal Mediation in Nation

Opposition Leader Requests Francis’ Help in Beginning a ‘National Dialogue’ The president of an opposition parliamentarian group in Venezuela, Acción Democrática leader Edgar Zambrano, asked Pope Francis for mediation to begin a national dialogue. Zambrano spoke with the Holy Father for a few minutes after last Wednesday’s general audience. Two days before that, Venezuela’s new president, Nicolas Maduro, met with the Pope in the Vatican. Zambrano told ZENIT that last Tuesday, he and his delegation were received by the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, to whom they explained the situation of the country and pointed out the need for Parliament to approve amnesty legislation, as a condition to move towards dialogue…

Newly elected Eze Irete recommends Option A4 -To Ezeship-torn communities

Communities which for years have known no socio-economic progress, as a result of being enmeshed in intractable internal strife over their royal stool, can now heave a sigh of relief as an incontrovertible way out, has been found.  The solution lies in Option A4 system of voting, which has been described as most transparent, as it simply involves counting those queuing behind each candidate in an open field. This recommendation came from His Royal Highness, Eze Ethelbert Ekwelibe, the Agubiam I of Irete, who personally emerged through the Option A4 method on Wednesday, June 20, 2013, when he pulled 1110 votes to defeat his two other opponents, Anayo Okenwa and Uzoma Ibe who got 127…

Talks between U.S., Taliban on Afghan war expected soon

Peace talks between the United States and the Taliban over the war in Afghanistan will probably be held “in the next few days,” a senior U.S. administration official told CNN on Wednesday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not offer up a time line for the discussions. But a prisoner exchange is one of the issues the United States intends to discuss with the Taliban. Senior U.S. officials say they want the release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, a soldier captured by militants in 2009. “We have every reason to believe” Bowe Bergdahl is alive, a Pentagon official told CNN. News that the meeting was moving forward followed a tumultuous day that saw…

Pope Francis Sends Letter to British Prime Minister David Cameron

- Pontiff Responds to Letter Sent by British PM Regarding G8 Summit Priorities On Sunday, the Holy See made public a letter sent by Pope Francis to the British Prime Minister David Cameron prior to the G8 summit that was held 18-19th June in Northern Ireland. The letter was sent in response to a message sent by Prime Minister Cameron to the Holy Father in June 5th. In his letter to Pope Francis, the British Prime Minister said that he would use his presidency of the G8 summit to help developing countries achieve sustainable development. “Your Holiness has spoken eloquently about the need to rebalance the global economy, to help the poor and disadvantaged, and…

Engr. Obinna Nshirim: Spread the Money…

For a man who’s been around politics for most of his life, Engr Obinna Nshirim should know when a politician is playing politics or playing to the gallery. Additionally, for a man whose dream of obtaining good education was nearly aborted by lack of a mere two naira, in 1970, Engr. Nshirim also knows how to praise a Governor who removes school fees and tries to clean up the education system, especially primary and secondary. Even when it seems Engr. Nshirim is contradicting himself, one thing is certain; he knows the terrain well, having been around political circles for long.  From his undergraduate days at University of Benin until now, he’s been in politics, although…

Holy See Representative Addresses UN Session on Access to Medicines

Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva, addressed the XXIII Ordinary Session of the Human Rights Council on Access to Medicines. The address, which was pronounced on May 27th, was made available today by the Holy See. Archbishop Tomasi opened his address by pointing out several “key elements” that required attention in the initial report on Access to Medicines. Regarding accessibility, the archbishop stated that a “comprehensive analysis” was necessary to examine the social and political realities that exist and deprive access to medical and physical needs to millions of people. The Holy See Delegation, he said, “found that the Report paid insufficient attention to basic…

How APC will Fix Nigeria – Okorocha

Imo state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has assured Nigerians that the newly formed All Progressive Congress (APC) by the coalition of major opposition parties will fix and return Nigeria in the path of progress. Governor Okorocha who seized the opportunity of rendering his two year account of stewardship to Imolites to speak on his political future and recent political development in the country, maintained that APC would among other things balance the political equation as well as offer credible alternative so far as leadership is concern in Nigeria. He said “let me throw more light on why I have decided to join and promote APC. It is a clear fact that our dear country under…

Ojukwu and the discourse of disunity

He came from a wealthy stock. He was educated in the best schools. He was a soldier. He was a radical. He was an adept. Some will describe him as unpatriotic, while others see him as a nationalist. Some see him as a villain and others see him as a hero who fought for justice. In life and in death, Ojukwu appeared to have embodied the paradoxes of life and its extremes. Notwithstanding his rare characteristics represented in a somewhat mystic personality, the name Ojukwu will for a long time remain synonymous with the defunct Biafra. As the ex-warlord of Biafra, Ojukwu was a historic figure upon which the apparent ethnic and tribal disquiet in…

Reckless comment: Arrest Buhari now - CAN demands

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has called on security agencies to arrest a former Head of State and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change in the 2011 general elections, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) saying he constitutes a security risk. The call, he said, followed comments by Buhari condemning the military operations in the three northern states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa, where a state of emergency has been declared by the Federal Government. The association, according to a statement by the Special Assistant to the CAN President on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Kenny Ashaka, on Tuesday, also described as unfortunate Buhari’s decision to throw his weight “behind…

POLYNEK LECTURE: Varsity VC lists criteria for True Democratic System

Professor Boniface Egboka, Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa has identified true democratic system as one anchored on the development of appropriate institutions. This fact was contained in a convocation lecture he delivered at the convocation ceremony of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri on Wednesday June5, 2013. The University don, whose topic was, Democracy and good Government: An imperative for political stability and Economic Development in Nigeria, posited that this could be achieved through developing stronger vehicles for formal political participation and representation through political parties and electoral systems. It could also be achieved through improving governance in political parties, promoting the participation of minorities and women, building electoral systems and limiting the distorting influence…

NIGERIAN GOVERNORS FORUM: WHICH WAY NOW?

When the Chief Executives of the 36 states of the federation formed the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) soon after the return to civil rule in 1999, Nigerians welcomed the idea as a laudable development capable of strengthening the then fledging nascent democracy. The Forum, as a coalition of the elected governors is a non-partisan association which seeks to promote unity in governance and better understanding among states to ensure a healthy and beneficial relationship between the states and other tiers of government.  It is on record that the Forum has played useful role at certain critical moments of crisis in the country by trying to wedge the country from drifting down the precipice. The Forum…

Communiqué To Rescue Nigeria From Collapse – CBCN

Statement of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, issued at the end of the Retreat to mark the Year of Faith(May 11-17, 2013, at the Daughters of Divine Love Retreat and Conference Centre, Abuja. We, Catholic Bishops of Nigeria have spent this last week in prayer to mark the Year of Faith. During this period, we have reflected and prayed for the Church in Nigeria and our dear country. We are confident that prayer remains an indispensable means for restoring our country to normalcy. For the last two years, we have witnessed an unprecedented escalation of violence and criminality across the country. We must admit that apart from the tragic civil war, our nation has…

BOOK REVIEW: ROCHAS REVOLUTION, Leadership By Example

BOOK REVIEW Title:                      ROCHAS REVOLUTION, Leadership By Example Author:               Rev. Fr. Nathaniel I. Ndiokwere Pagination:     240 Pages Reviewer:       Mr. Brendan Ikechukwu Nwaozor; Principal Information Officer;                                               Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Owerri. The author, Rev. Fr. Dr. Nathaniel I. Ndiokwere is not new in contributing to the literary world, as he has to his credit some of the soundest quotable materials which are regularly used in academic parameters. Beginning this project with a simple quote from the Book of Proverbs in the Bible highlights the author’s status as clergyman of sound intellectual standing and a good homilist, who knows his onions of the pulpit. The Quote: “Where…

Community Government: Is it viable?

Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha has on several occasions enumerated what Imo people stand to gain from embracing his Fourth-Tier System of Government, otherwise called, Community Government.  The novelty of it all, being that the state power base will, as it were, relocate from Douglas House Owerri (Government House) to the various autonomous communities in the 27 local government areas of the state. According to the new structure, the duly recognized traditional ruler of each autonomous community will preside over the Community Government Council (CGC), which will include: a Government Liaison Officer (GLO), a Community Liaison Officer (CLO), a Woman leader, Youth leader and Secretary.  The concept is to bring development close to the people as…