Nuhu Ribadu Vows to Jail Rogue Politicians

Presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu yesterday threatened to jail those who have looted the treasury in the last 12 years if elected in 2011.

The former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) who made the statement in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital during his presidential rally, said the ACN is like a revolution that would sweep the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) out of Nigeria.

Ribadu and his running mate , Mr Fola Adeola and other party leaders, who brisk into the venue of the campaign rally along Iworoko road at about 3.55pm, said he would fix the country's economy if he becomes the president

"ACN is changing Nigeria and is going to kick the PDP out of the country. I represent the youth generation , a young man is taking over the country after 2011

"If we are elected, we are going to provide employment, build hospitals, create wealth, build industries to take care of the youths. PDP have destroyed Nigeria by its inability to impact on the lives of the people in the last 12 years.

"We are going to focus on peace and unity, provide security . This will not be a great task to achieve because of my experience in the public service and that of my running mate , Mr Fola Adeola in the private sector

"PDP have destroyed Nigeria. They have stolen our money and now, we should come together and rescue our nation", Ribadu said

Other party leader at the event include, the former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and now an ACN chieftain, Chief Audu Ogbeh; ACN national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande and ACN governorship candidate in Oyo state, Mr Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi.

Others are former Ekiti state governor and the incumbent, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and Dr Kayode Fayemi respectively; two PDP members in the House of Assembly, Hons Adebayo Morakinyo and Femi Adeleye representing Ikole 1 and Ido/Osi 2 respectively who decamped to ACN.

Tinubu who had harsh words for the PDP said youths' revolution has entered Nigeria even as he called on all and sundry to embrace the progressive revolution and chase away the PDP out of Nigeria

He regretted that PDP has not been able to proffer lasting solution to the lingering crisis of poor power supply in Nigeria in the last 12 years after spending $17 billion on that sector without commensurate electricity generation.

Describing the PDP as a "power disaster party", the ACN leader posited that the party and other progressives will rescue the country like the Biblical Babylon in the Holy Book.

"God will deliver Nigeria the way it delivered the Babylon. PDP has become a disaster to this country. When the former President Olusegun Obasanjo got to power in 1999, he promised to provide stable power in six months; but did nothing after eight years, this was a confirmation of my belief that the PDP is a power disaster party.

"Despite the disaster in Japan, about 100 per cent of the power supply was taken away and within a week, over per cent had been restored, but the PDP spent 70 billion dollars in eight years and nothing to show for it

Tinubu said the 2007 elections which he said were massively rigged as a lesson to Nigerians, charged members of his party to be vigilant in the next elections and prevent rigging.

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Jessica Tata returns to U.S. to face charges

A Texas woman who allegedly fled to Nigeria after authorities say four children died in a fire at her day care facility is on her way back to the United States, a U.S. congresswoman said Sunday.

Jessica Tata was charged after she left a group of children alone inside a home with the stove on, officials have said. Four children died and three others were injured in the February blaze.

"I am glad she decided to make the right decision, which is to return to this country of which she is a citizen in order to face the charges against her," U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said in a statement.

Lee, D-Texas, said Tata left on a flight from Lagos, Nigeria, at about 5:30 p.m. ET and is expected to arrive in Houston within the next 24 hours.

"Hopefully, the return of Ms. Tata will begin to bring the right kind of closure, even as these families continue to mourn their loss, most likely throughout their lives," she said.

The U.S. Marshals Service declined to comment on Tata's status Sunday. Earlier this month, the agency added Tata to its "15 Most Wanted" fugitive list.

Tata allegedly left the seven children unsupervised in the home day-care facility and drove off in her car in February, authorities have said.

The blaze likely originated on an electric stove, which was on and had a pot on it containing oil, according to Houston Fire Department arson investigator Thomas Wood.

A definitive cause for the fire will be announced once the investigation is complete.

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Nigeria votes for No-Fly zone in Libya

The Nigerian Mission to the United Nations (UN) has explained that the actions of Libyan authorities to violate the terms of the resolution and fundamental principles of international law informed its vote for the no-fly zone over Libya.

The United Nations Security Council had onThursday evening approved a draft resolution calling for a no-fly zone over Libya to assist rebels.

The draft resolution passed with 10 votes in favor and none opposed.

Five countries, including China, Russia, Germany and Brazil, abstained from voting on the issue.

Addressing the Security Council's debate in New York on the situation in Libya, the Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Joy Ogwu said that the resolution being adopted was necessitated by the persistently grave and dire situation in Libya.

"Notwithstanding the clear expression of our common will and the comprehensive measures instituted under Resolution 1970, the Libyan authorities have continued to violate the terms of the resolution and fundamental principles of international law," She said.

Professor Joy Ogwu added that the current state of affairs leaves an indelible imprint on the conscience and moves the Nigerian government to act, adding that the magnitude of this humanitarian disaster is, indeed, what compelled Nigeria to vote in favour of this resolution.

She further noted that Nigeria's persistent calls for peace are rooted in the need to ensure the safety, dignity and availability of humanitarian assistance for a population in need, many of whom are Nigerian nationals.

She also noted that the emphasis of the resolution on the protection of civilians under threat of attack and the provisions for humanitarian assistance do much to address these concerns.

Saying that the League of Arab States and the African Union (AU) have spoken with one voice in condemnation of the situation in Libya, and rightly so as the crisis is one of regional import, the Nigerian top envoy stressed that Nigeria, as a member of the security council and a member of the AU maintains that foreign occupation is not an option to secure peace in Libya.

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97 Year Old Politician's Mother Kidnapped

Ninty-Seven year old mother of PDP senatorial candidate for Delta central senatorial in the April 2011 election, Mrs Ovireyibo Amori, has been kidnapped.

The Saturday Vanguard reliably gathered that she was abducted in her Ugbokpa-Mosogar community, Ethiope West Local Government Area residence at about 8 o'clock Thursday night. Mrs Ovireyibo Amori was said to be taking fresh air outside her apartment when the kidnappers struck. Her political son Chief Ighoyota Amori confirmed the incident on phone, explaining that he got a ditress call at about 8pm that she had been kidnapped by yet unknown persons.

Amori said the kidnappers were in touch with him, giving him two conditions for therelease of their victim.

He said: "The kidnappers have been calling me, asking me to either dump my senatorial ambition or part with N100 million as ransom."

He called the kidnap political. He said he had informed the police of the situation.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Charles Muka confirmed the incident, saying Madam Amori was taken through Jesse River in a waiting boat.

Muka said the Mercedes Benz car with number plate AZ 70 ADJ, in which the woman was driven from her compound, was submerged in the Jesse River, but was later recovered by the police.

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FELA! comes to Afrika Shrine

The cast and crew of Fela! Musical that has been making waves at the Broadway and cinema houses across Europe and America will be in Afrika Shrine on April 14 for a live performance of the award winning show.

The Thursday April 14 show will kick off the series of shows lined up by the production crew of musical which is making its debut in Nigeria, the birth place of the legendary Olufela Anikulapo Kuti, the creator of afro beat musical genre and who is also Africa's greatest musical export.

Originally, the musical was billed for Nigeria this March but was moved to April due to logistics reasons and the demand by Femi, the internationally acclaimed musician son of Fela, who canvassed for the shift as he will not be available in the country throughout the month of March.

Insiders disclosed that the Afrika Shrine live performance of Fela! Musical will be a combination of a live concert and drama depicting the life and times of Fela who succumbed to the cold hands of death on Saturday August 2 1997 at hospital on Victoria Island Lagos.

According to our source, the crew for the show will move into the Ikeja Business District based New Afrika Shrine on Saturday April 9 for stage construction in preparation for the show which is expected to attract all lovers of afrobeat and Fela's fans.

It would be recalled that the British Council Nigeria and the National Theatre, London (NT Live) in association with British Deputy High Commission, Lagos had on Sunday February 6, organized the screening of Fela! Musical at the New Afrika Shrine. The production which was filmed live at the Oliver Theatre in London was seen by a large crowd and members of the diplomatic community.

The screening was part of the British Council's work in the arts and to showcase the best of UK's creativity overseas while working with the best of creative talents to develop innovative events and collaborations that link thousands of artistes and cultural institutions around the world and developing skills and leadership in the creative sector.

Winner of three Tony Awards including best choreography, the music al which is a baby of two Americans, Jay Z and Will Smith, celebrates the life of the afrobeat legend, his music and most importantly, his pioneering political and human rights activism in Nigeria during the military era that earned him imprisonment severally

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