Nigerians Told To Support Jonathan
Vincent Ogbunisi

Bishop Diamond Emuobor of Trinity Gospel Mission has called on the people of Delta State Nigeria and the world at large to renew their lives with Jesus Christ in this year 2010, having earlier called on Nigerians to allow the Vice President of Nigeria, Jonathan Goodluck mount the mantle of leadership until president Yar'Adua recover from his sickness.

Bishop Emuobor noted that the essence of having a vice in any organization is to enable administration go on, even when the head is not available. Bishop Emuobor who is the Vice Chaairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Delta State Chapter stated this in his new year message while speaking with news men in his church office at Ughelli, Delta State.

According to the man of God,' self centeredness is a disease and we must pray to God to take it away from Nigerians to enable us move forward, while calling on Goodluck Jonathan to immediately direct The affairs of the nation on behalf of his master, the president as the constitution empowers him.

Bishop Emuobor warned against further delay, saying any body or group of persons who disallow Jonathan from to acting are disobeying the laws of the land, as disallowing him will not only set Nigeria back but asking for trouble.

He said asking Jonathan not to act is asking for new Nigeria which may be as good as disintegrating the present Nigeria to allow those who claim that they own the country to rule themselves and allow us go on our own to form another Nation but if the constitution is for the generality of one Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan as the Vice President of Nigeria should be given the opportunity to act until he recovers because Nigeria cannot afford to stand still.

Bishop Emuobor used the opportunity to remind Christendon that the just concluded Christmas celebration was not a festival to drink, buy rice, eat plenty of food, wear new clothes, commit immoralities and misbehave, rather Christmas all over the whole world brings to mind the birth of Christ. Christ was not born for the sake of enjoyment but to save humanity who was lost because of disobedience to God and turn against man.

Jesus came to pay the prize of the sins of man and to bridge the gap and reconcile man with God. Therefore Christmas is meant for those who believe in him and have received the baptism of the holy sprit. Bishop Emuobor therefore advised every body in the world to ensure that he accepts Jesus Christ as his or her only saviour before taking part in the celebration Christmas .

Adokpayee Re-Affirms Commitment Alma Mater
Kofa Kings

In the spirit of keeping the ideals and philosophy of the founding fathers of Government College Ughelli GCU, the President General worldwide of the Old Boys Association Mr. Godwin Adokpaye at its 2010 reunion decried the poor state of Information Technology (IT) in Nigeria just has he said the Association was poised to redeemed the past glory of their alma mater.

Adokpaye affirmed that, the 57 position on (IT) by Nigeria in Africa was a clear indication that Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife which is rated as the best (IT) Department was not good enough for a country like Nigeria that prides itself as the "GIANT OF AFRICA".

The President General worldwide of GCU while briefing newsmen of Ughelli held that, the association would continue to do what it takes in the renovation of decaying infrastructure of the school adding that, the Delta State Government on its part has equally spent some colossal amount on its part for revamp the decaying infrastructure of the school.

He commended the Delta State Government, Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC and other donor agencies that have contributed immensely for infrastructural and academic development of the school. According to him "Education in Nigeria has been paid with so much lip service in terms of funding" noting that education is the bedrock of growth and "a country can not grow without good, sound education for its citizenry.

Adokpaye stated that the clamour by some old boys association of other schools to be returned to the missionaries was in the right direction but he is of the view that if such demands are granted, it will make the less-privilege students be denied of its affordability.

The principal of the school Mr. Erhijefe .E. Nelson on his earlier address urged the GCU old boys association to also include the welfare of the teaching and non teaching staff at heart by renovating some of their quarters. Erhijefe said that the task of creating a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning is encompassing calling on the association to carry members of staff along.

Niger Delta: Utuama Urges Support for Leaders
...Cautions DELSU Community Against Acrimony

Delta State Acting Governor, Professor Amos Utuama (SAN) has implored people of the Niger Delta to give support to their leaders to enable the region have its fair share among other regions in the country. Utuama has also cautioned members of the Delta State University, Abraka to avoid acrimony and bickering but give the necessary support to the new Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Eric Arubayi.

Utuama in his address at the launch of a journal, If not Uduaghan, then who?, in Effurun at the weekend, observed that successive leaders from the Niger Delta regional have been destroyed by the smear campaign waged against them by the people from the region.

According to him, this state of affairs has left the Niger Delta without leaders of influence at the federal level who could pull the necessary strings to enable the region have its fair share of the national wealth which coincidentally is derived from the area.

He reasoned that the journal, If not Uduaghan, then who?" could not have come at a more auspicious time than now when the imperatives for responsible and effective democratic governance are at their peak. "As an administration, our responsibility is to the electorate and society in general. This explains why we have woven our development paradigm around the threepoint agenda of peace and security, human capital and infrastructural development.

"Our overall vision is to move Delta State into a First World State and an international business hub. I therefore call on all Deltans to continue to cooperate and support government to achieve a better future for our people."

Chairman of the Delta State chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Patrick Muoboghare had in his lecture on the title of the journal , observed that the people of the Niger Delta were partly to blame for the problem of the area because they had destroyed their leaders. "We must showcase the good qualities of our leaders so that they can be available at the centre," he said.

In another development, Utuama, speaking at the thanksgiving service held in honour of the Vice Chancellor of the Delta State University, Professor Eric Arubayi, cautioned the members of the university community to avoid acrimony and bickering but give the necessary support to the new Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Eric Arubayi.

He commended the vice chancellor for his patience after his initial attempt at the position was unsuccessful, stressing that some other persons would have wanted the university to crumble in

Hotel Operators Cried Out Over Power Generation

Operators of Hotels and tourism centers in Ughelli has cried out over high cost of power generation in keeping their hotels running and providing the required comfort to customers as each hotel spends well over ten million Naira alone in power generation per month due to constant electricity power failures.

In a press interaction with the Chairman/ Chief Executive, Kubi Plaza Motel, the Lord Mayor of Urhobo Nation, Dr. John Kubi Hart Tagar said he spent over two million in this past exams period trying to give his Hotel a new phase lift for the interest of customers as he embarked on a total renovation and decoration, including painting and replacing all the required Hotel amenities with the reigning facilities just to give his customers the expected comfort.

He however lamented that high cost of running a generating set every night costs him well over ten million Naira per year, thereby spending more than his income to ensuring steady power generation in the hotel 24 hours a day for the comfort of his customers. He appealed to the Federal Government to hasten up it's promise on constant electricity supply as to allow hotel managements to remain in business.

Dr. John Kubi Hart Tagar noted further that due to the importance attached to the security of properties and lives of customers in his hotel, he engaged all arms of Nigerian security agents and quartered them in the Hotel to ensure that safety of customers were always ensured throughout their period of staying in the Hotel and since the Hotel, Kubi Plaza Motel came to operation in 2001, there has not been any single record of crime committed in the Hotel, despite the high crime rate in the society .

While assuring on the quality of services and facilities available at the Kubi Motel limited, Lord Mayor JKH Tagar urged all travelers to branch off and patronize the hotel to see things for themselves adding that quality services is their watch word as he wished his numerous customers prosperous new year.

Why Gov Uduaghan sacks Aide

More facts have emerged on the recent removal of the Special Adviser to Delta State Governor, on Inter Party Relations, Dr. Emmanuel Mafiana, by the State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. Dr. Emmanuel Mafiana was sacked recently without any reasons, but sources have linked his removal to a press interview he granted the Vanguard and Guardian Newspapers.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Ifeanyi Okowa in a statement directed the Special Adviser to the governor on mobilization, Hon. Solomon Edoja to take charge pending when a new SA is appointed. Our reporter can authoritatively report that the SA was fired following his alleged involvement in some dirty deals while in office.

It was reliably gathered that the alleged corrupt practices of the SA had fueled tension between the members of opposition parties in the state and his office. Sources say the Governor used the press interviews as an excuse to protect the government from a PR mess if it had stated the real reason for his removal.

Independent investigations revealed that the embattled SA while in office allegedly amassed wealth for himself from fraudulently deducting from grants meant for the opposition political parties in the state. The SA allegedly deducted 20% and 12% from various grants to registered political parties in the state. The most recent incident was a N16 million grant for 2006 which was disbursed to the parties despite all court injunctions restraining the state government from releasing the funds.

Our reporter sought Dr. Mafiana's comment on the allegations of fraud leveled against him but he declined to answer our questions. However the opposition political parties in the state under the umbrella of Coalition of all Registered Political Parties have reacted positively to Dr. Mafiana's removal from office.

Speaking on behalf of the body in Asaba, Chairman of the Coalition, Hon. Moses Abeh hailed the governor's decision saying it was overdue. He urged the Uduaghan to sack more corrupt office holders from the cabinet while advising him to appoint a person with integrity as a replacement. The Coalition called for the immediate probe of Dr. Mafiana's three-year stay in office, adding that the former SA ran the office like his private enterprise.

In another development an Effurun High Court No. 2 presided by Hon. Justice Godwin Gbemre has threatened to commit Dr. Mafiana and the Attorney General of the state to prison for contempt of court.

The Judge had on January 15, 2010 ordered Dr Mafiana (Special Adviser to Governor Uduaghan on Inter Party Relation and April 14, 2007 Governorship Candidate of the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA) led by Chief Olu Falae and the Attorney General of Delta State, to show cause why they should not be sent to prison for disobeying the Order of the Court made on June 2, 2009, when the Court ordered an Interim Order restraining the 2nd Defendant (Delta State Government) from further disbursing any Grant meant for political parties in the State to the 1st Defendant until the determination of the Motion on Notice.

An Interim Order restraining the 1st Defendant (Dr Mafiana) from collecting the Grant meant for the Plaintiff/Applicant from the 2nd Defendant. It would be recalled that On March 5 2009, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Delta State Chapter had instituted a legal action against the Defendants alleging that the 1st Defendant (Dr Mafiana Emmanuel) had fraudulently disbursed the N20million Grant approved by Delta State Government meant for only political parties operating in Delta State for 2007.

The Plaintiff also requested the Court to compel him to account for the N20m Grant and also prayed the Court to issue an Interim Order restraining Dr Mafiana from collecting any other Grant meant for the Plaintiff and all other political parties in delta state pending the determination of the Motion on Notice before the Court.

Dr Mafiana as mark of total disregard for the Court refused to appear before the Court since the trial of this Case commenced in March 2009 and the Court having sat for about seven times, still went further to collect and disburse another N28.8 million Grant approved by the Delta State to political parties for the year 2009 in gross disobedience to the Court's Order issued and served on him personally and the Attorney General in June 2009 by the Court's Bailiff.

In reaction to this contempt for court, the Plaintiff's Counsel (Mr C.F Ebu Esq) applied to the Court to issue Forms 48 and 49 for their committal to prison and to warn Dr Mafiana and the Attorney General of the State of the dire consequences of disobeying Court Order.

These forms were duly issued and served on the Defendants on October 2009 by Court's Bailiff. Despite this, Dr Mafiana again collected and disbursed another outstanding N16m 2006 Grant for political parties in November 2009 through the Zenith Bank, Asaba Branch in Delta State. Meanwhile, immediately after the Hon. Justice issued the Court Order to commit the 1st and 3rd Defendants to prison,

the Defendants through the Office of the Delta State Attorney filed a 1-page NOTICE OF PRELIMINARY OBJECTION alleging that the Plaintiff (Peoples Redemption Party, PRP) is not a juristic person known to law and therefore that the Plaintiff lacks the Locus Standi to institute the action. He further objected that the Plaintiff's Statement of Claims does not disclose any reasonable cause of action.

But investigation revealed that the Attorney General of Delta State has been appearing before the Court through one Barrister N.W OGBOGU (Assistant Director in the Ministry of Justice) and presenting their defence in the Suit but lost to the plaintiff on all grounds. The public therefore wonders why all of a sudden, the Attorney General now decides to claim that the Plaintiff is not a registered political party knows to law in Nigeria.

However it is a fact known to INEC and the Public that the PRP is a leading political party in Nigeria today and the oldest registered in 1978 under the same name by the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Moreover, it is also a fact that PRP has a governorship candidate (Comrade Igbini Odafe Emmanuel) in the April 2007 governorship election in Delta State with the result of the election challenged by AC and DPP and now awaiting the ruling of the Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City, Edo State.

It is a known fact that a Lagos High Court recently sentenced PDP chieftain (Chief Olabode George) to two years in prison. The world is therefore very keen on what will become of this case, whether the Court will be courageous to sentence these Defendants to prison. The Hon. Justice has fixed February 11, 2010.

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