NIGERIAN JUDICIARY: SENATE CONFIRMS THE NEW CJN.

The Senate on Tuesday 18^th November, 2014, confirmed the appointment of Justice Mahmud Mohammed as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). He is to replace the outgoing CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, who is going to retire on Thursday 20^th November, 2014, following the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Justice Mahmud Mohammed

Mahmud Mohammed, who hails from Taraba state, was born on the 10^th November, 1946, and had his first degree in Law (LL.B) from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1970 and was called to bar in 1971.

He began his career in the public service with the Ministry of Justice of the defunct North-eastern and Gongola states, after which he was appointed the acting Chief Judge of Taraba state in 1991 and the substantive Chief Judge of the state in that same year.

Mahmud is well read and has a Certificate in Legislative Drafting from the Commonwealth Institute of Legislative Drafting; a Certificate in Human Resources Planning and Management from the National Institute of Public Management, Washington, USA; a Certificate of Administration of Justice in a Presidential System of Government from the Institute of Judicial Administration, University of New York, USA; and a Certificate in Government Legal Advisers Course from the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London, UK.

We hope that with his wealth of experience, he will be able to bring the much expected reforms in the Judiciary.

TAG: Mahmud Mohammed.

THE LAGOS OF MY DREAM

Many years ago, far back in the late 90’s, in Surulere area of Lagos state, where I grew up alongside my peers, I saw some element of thuggery, which was even the order of the day in most public schools, where students ganged up to beat not only fellow students, but also, teachers.

 This was highly worrisome, of which at various bus-stops, these miscreants were found under the guise that they were staff of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) operating in the state. Little did I know that this was going to escalate into a renowned group called “Area Boys.”

Today, they are found every-where extorting money from commercial motorists, at different times of the day .The question is to whom is the money remitted? These boys are now among the stake-holders in the state, dictating who occupies the number 1 position in the state. I never dreamt of this!

Prior to 2007 general election which brought about the demise of a notable personality in Lagos politics, Engineer Funsho Williams, Lagosians had expected a change from this money collection at various bus-stops.

Undoubtedly, Fashola’s feat at the poll was a relentless effort by these “boys” who are subject to BAT (Bola Ahemd Tinubu). With the introduction of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT), I had expected these “boys” to be out of their jungle, but I was wrong. 

Perhaps, if the late Funsho Williams were to be alive to contest at the poll, he would have won and remove these miscreants from our roads. (Not partisan!)

 We never had a good road network and the hinterlands are nothing to write home about. Yes! Fashol­a’s administration worked relentlessly to building roads, in his first term in office, but in this 2^nd term, it is being politicized. I never dreamt of this! 

Some road projects executed by some local government chairmen did not get to completion yet, they displayed the completed parts on television screens as completed and commissioned. These individuals don’t have integrity!

2015 general election is by the corner and politicians in the state are now awake to their responsibility simply because they want the people’s mandate. This is not the Lagos of my dream.

My dream Lagos where all roads will be tarred

 I desire to see Lagos to be not just the commercial hub for West, but for the entire world, where there will not be untarred roads, street lights with CCTV cameras at every nook and cranny of the city, education affordable for all, employment listing on the basis of merit and competence, complete eradication of thugs and extortionists from our bus-stops, housing affordable for all irrespective of ethnicity.

When will this dream come to reality?                                     

                                                                     

Tags: Lagos, Dream, Area boys.

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PRISON BREAK AT KOTON-KARFI PRISON

There was a prison break which occurred at Koton-Karfi prison, Kogi State, on Monday 3rd November, 2014.

 The prison was invaded by unknown gunmen who set 144 inmates free. In the operation which lasted for 2 hours, two of the inmates were killed while two others were rearrested.

 

The prison controller confirmed the attack as the prison facilities were destroyed.

Similar attack occurred in February, 2012.

NIGERIA POLITICS: BUHARI AND HIS LUDICROUS AMBITION

A man who does not know where he is going can never make any headway in life. He will always be carried away by every wind that blows; meaning that such one is less dense than air. This cannot be disputed as it is applicable in every area of human endeavour.

Buhari was the military Head of State between 1983 and 1986, after which he was ousted by General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in a coup d’état that occurred in 1986.

 

Mohammadu Buhari

Buhari formally declared his intention to contest for the presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Wednesday 15^th October, 2014, having obtained his presidential form for a whooping sum of ₦27.5 million.

To him, Nigerians have been under the shackles of the PDP, and as such, he has promised to be the Moses who will bring Nigeria out of bondage. The retired General said if elected into office, he would tackle issues of insecurity, corruption, unemployment and power generation.

He was the minister of petroleum and natural resources during General Obasanjo’s regime in 1976, after which he became the helmsman of the NNPC in 1977. During Abacha’s regime, he also served as the PTF chairman.

Yes, antecedents may speak for him that he is an upright man, a man of integrity, but to me, a man who is able to obtain a presidential nomination form of such an outrageous amount, is invariably telling the public that if he assumes office, he will recoup all he expended on his presidential campaign.

In no doubt, this man is pretentious. Can he publicly tell Nigerians what happened to the $2.8 billion that got missing during his tenure as the NNPC boss? Why did he refuse to appear before the Oputa Panel set up by General Obasanjo’s administration concerning the matter if were indeed an incorruptible man?

 Buhari in a rally

What would he say about the billions of naira stolen under his watch while he was the PTF chairman? Would you say Buhari is incorruptible? How then does he want to fight corruption?

There are lots of corrupt politicians in the APC, and how is he going to tame them? Will he probe them if in the event he becomes the President?

If he really wants to fight corruption, he doesn’t need to blow the trumpet to his colleagues and admirers, lest, they turn their backs on him.

I think he should have been able to fight for a reduction in the cost of obtaining the Presidential nomination form of his party. This is bizarre!

Buhari had contested for the Presidential seat in 2003, 2007 and 2011 but was unsuccessful. I love his ambition as he appears to be the Abraham Lincoln of our time, but this is indeed ludicrous, as he may likely emerge the runner-up candidate in the 2015 Presidential election.

President Jonathan’s critics assert he is clueless, but I see Buhari as myopic and clueless in actualizing his presidential dream, having lost three times to his opponents. No doubt, he will again meet his waterloo at the polls.

Let him go home, take care of his family, contribute meaningfully to the development of our great nation and be a true elder statesman.

THE JOURNEY TO NASARAWA STATE GOVERNMENT HOUSE

The minister of information, Mr Labaran Maku, is set to vacate the enviable ministerial position come 20^th October, 2014, in a bid to actualizing his dream of becoming the Governor of Nasarawa State.

Labaran Maku has been on the frontline of governance after serving as Commissioner for information and also Deputy Governor of the state between 2003 and 2007.

Mr Labaran Maku

                                                

He was initially appointed as the minister of state for information by President Goodluck Jonathan while the late Prof. Dora Akunyili was the federal minister of information. Her political ambition to be the governor of Anambra state, made her to vacate the position, and as such, Labaran Maku assumed the position of the federal minister of information.

The teacher-cum-politician is poised to taking the Home of Solid Minerals to the next level come 2015. We hope his dream come true.