The governor of Rivers State of Nigeria,Mr. chibuike Rotimi Amaechi appears to have recruited online news publication, elendureports.com to fight his restive political opponents.
Sources arround the governor informed us that the sum of twenty-five million naira have been made available to the governor's chief publicist, Mr.Ogbonnaya Nwuke for this purpose.This money according to sources have since been handed to Mr. Jonathan Elendu, the publisher,through a friend of Mr. Nwuke's who resides in the United States of America.The identity of Mr. Nwuke's friend could not be unravelled at the time of posting this report.
Mr. Chibuike Amaechi who was recently installed as governor by the supreme court of Nigeria after a protracted legal battle,have been having running battle with his political opponents, who appear to be having upper hand especially in the area of propaganda.
This development,according to sources, necesistated the recent decission by the governor to de-emphasis church propaganda in favour of press propaganda.
elendureports.com, sources averred was chosen because in the opinion of the governor's publicity handlers, ranks higher in terms of popularity amongst similar sites with Nigeria as editorial focus.
We could not reach the governor's chief publicist for comments as our reporter could not gain access to Rivers State government house in PortHarcourt where his office is located.A Mail sent to his e-mail address has not been answered at the time of posting this report. The situation is same with an e-mail sent to the publisher of elendureports.com
Saturday, 22 December 2007
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
"VP" NAMED IN WILBROS BRIBERY SCANDAL IS NIGERIA'S IMMEDIATE PAST VICE PRESIDENT.
The "VP" mentioned in the recent wilbros international incorporated bribery scandal in Nigeria is the immediate past vice president of Nigeria, Mr. Atiku Abubakar.
A reliable source informed us that the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars was actually handed to a Lagos based, Delta State born business tycoon, who is also a very close associate and business front of Mr. Abubakar, for passage to the "VP".
Even though the then vice-president was not in the line of authority of officials who award contracts in the oil and gas sector, it was necesary, according to our source to include his name in the list of officials to be bribed, to avoid leakage of the deal, considering the number of loyalists the then vice president had in all sectors.
Recently, a certain Mr. Jason Edward Steph, a citizen of United States Of America and a general manager of one of Wilbros International Incorporated subsidiaries in Nigeria was convicted in a United States Of America district court for bribing government officials in Nigeria to the tune of six million dollars to secure contracts for his company. This was in contravention of that country's foreign corrupt practices act.
It was in the course of the trial that Mr. Steph revealed the names of the Nigerian officials who were bribed, one of them being the "VP".
There have been denials by those mentioned in the scandal, the most strident denial being that of the immediate past vice- president.
Authorities in Nigeria have since ordered investigations into Mr. Steph's allegation.
A reliable source informed us that the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars was actually handed to a Lagos based, Delta State born business tycoon, who is also a very close associate and business front of Mr. Abubakar, for passage to the "VP".
Even though the then vice-president was not in the line of authority of officials who award contracts in the oil and gas sector, it was necesary, according to our source to include his name in the list of officials to be bribed, to avoid leakage of the deal, considering the number of loyalists the then vice president had in all sectors.
Recently, a certain Mr. Jason Edward Steph, a citizen of United States Of America and a general manager of one of Wilbros International Incorporated subsidiaries in Nigeria was convicted in a United States Of America district court for bribing government officials in Nigeria to the tune of six million dollars to secure contracts for his company. This was in contravention of that country's foreign corrupt practices act.
It was in the course of the trial that Mr. Steph revealed the names of the Nigerian officials who were bribed, one of them being the "VP".
There have been denials by those mentioned in the scandal, the most strident denial being that of the immediate past vice- president.
Authorities in Nigeria have since ordered investigations into Mr. Steph's allegation.
Saturday, 15 December 2007
NIGERIA'S OIL STATE GOVERNOR IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH KIDNAPPERS
Information reaching us from Portharcourt,Rivers State,Nigeria's major oil state, has it that the state governor, Mr.chibuike Amaechi is seriously negotiating with the kidnappers of professor Nimi Briggs, the former Vice-Chancellor of university of PortHarcourt and presently, the chairman of Rivers State independent electoral commission.
Reliable sources in the governor's office informed us that the kidnappers had called the governor on his cell phone while on a sympathy visit to the home of the kidnapped professor.
The initial demand according to our sources was one hundred million naira ransome, this however, was reduced to seventy million naira and an additional demand to appoint some of the governor's political opponents into some key positions in the state executive council was made.
At the time of posting this report,Mr. Amaechi is said to be ready to pay fifty million naira and have not made any commitment regarding giving appointments to his political opponents.
Mr. Amaechi who was recently installed governor by the supreme court of Nigeria, have been ruffling the feathers of his political opponents.
The governor recently took steps which observers believed was a prelude to probing the administration of his predecessor and that of his political godfather, Mr.Peter Odili.
In a related development,a cross section of observers of the recent kidnapp episode who spoke to our reporter, are of the opinion that Mr. Amaechi who was the speaker of the Rivers State house of assembly, helped directly or indirectly to set up these kidnapp squads to intimidate political opponents.
Reliable sources in the governor's office informed us that the kidnappers had called the governor on his cell phone while on a sympathy visit to the home of the kidnapped professor.
The initial demand according to our sources was one hundred million naira ransome, this however, was reduced to seventy million naira and an additional demand to appoint some of the governor's political opponents into some key positions in the state executive council was made.
At the time of posting this report,Mr. Amaechi is said to be ready to pay fifty million naira and have not made any commitment regarding giving appointments to his political opponents.
Mr. Amaechi who was recently installed governor by the supreme court of Nigeria, have been ruffling the feathers of his political opponents.
The governor recently took steps which observers believed was a prelude to probing the administration of his predecessor and that of his political godfather, Mr.Peter Odili.
In a related development,a cross section of observers of the recent kidnapp episode who spoke to our reporter, are of the opinion that Mr. Amaechi who was the speaker of the Rivers State house of assembly, helped directly or indirectly to set up these kidnapp squads to intimidate political opponents.
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
NIGERIAN PRESIDENT MAKES CONCESSIONS TO FORMER VICE PRESIDENT.
The President of Nigeria, Mr.Umar Yar'Adua last week in a secret meeting in Aso Rock Presidential villa with Mr. Atiku Abubakar, the immediate past Vice President and a presidential candidate in the last presidential election, made some concessions to the former Vice President.
Nigerian Presidency sources informed us that the meeting, which was at the instance of the President, was called to find ways to put pressure on Mr. Abubakar to withdraw from challenging the President's election.Mr. Abubakar is challenging the elction of Mr.Yar'Adua at the Presidential election tribunal.The thinking in the presidency according to our sources is that of all the petitions against the President's election,Mr. Abubakar's petition is the most likely to rock the boat.
The former Vice President according to sources was said to have made a number of demands, out of which three concessions were said to have been made to him for now.The three concessions are:(1) Presidency neutrality in the event of a re-run of the gubernatorial election in Adamawa State, the former Vice President's home state.The Adamawa gubernatorial election was recently annulled,even though there is an appeal against the annullment, the former Vice President's camp is optmistic of a re-run.(2)A revisit of the African Petroleum Plc majority equity acquisition by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.African Petroleum Plc's core investment was acquired by an Abubakar front but was taken over by the government of Mr. olusegun Obasanjo, Mr.Abubakar's boss,and sold off to an Obasanjo front.(3)Refund of campaign expenditures in the last presidential election.
Our sources are however of the opinion that anti-Abubakar elements in the presidency may truncate these concessions.
Nigerian Presidency sources informed us that the meeting, which was at the instance of the President, was called to find ways to put pressure on Mr. Abubakar to withdraw from challenging the President's election.Mr. Abubakar is challenging the elction of Mr.Yar'Adua at the Presidential election tribunal.The thinking in the presidency according to our sources is that of all the petitions against the President's election,Mr. Abubakar's petition is the most likely to rock the boat.
The former Vice President according to sources was said to have made a number of demands, out of which three concessions were said to have been made to him for now.The three concessions are:(1) Presidency neutrality in the event of a re-run of the gubernatorial election in Adamawa State, the former Vice President's home state.The Adamawa gubernatorial election was recently annulled,even though there is an appeal against the annullment, the former Vice President's camp is optmistic of a re-run.(2)A revisit of the African Petroleum Plc majority equity acquisition by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.African Petroleum Plc's core investment was acquired by an Abubakar front but was taken over by the government of Mr. olusegun Obasanjo, Mr.Abubakar's boss,and sold off to an Obasanjo front.(3)Refund of campaign expenditures in the last presidential election.
Our sources are however of the opinion that anti-Abubakar elements in the presidency may truncate these concessions.
Sunday, 9 December 2007
"NO PEACE IN NIGERIA'S OIL REGION UNLESS............" MEND.
The three-day peace ceremony being organised by Bayelsa state, one of Nigeria's oil rich states, which is to metamorphose into a peace agreement between the state and the various militant groups within her boundaries has been described by a faction of Nigeria's oil region major militant group, MOVEMENT FOR THE EMANCIPATION OF NIGER DELTA(MEND), as a publicity stunt designed to impress the international community.
A MEND spokesman in an e-mail, described participants in the peace ceremony as rented militants, vowing that peace can only return to the oil rich region if one of its leaders detained in Angola is released.This is an apparent reference to Mr. Henry Okah(a.k.a Jomo Gbomo),the erstwhile MEND spokesman, who is currently in detention in Angola on allegation of gun running.
Mr. Henry Okah, a South African based Nigerian businessman is an influencial figure in Nigeria's oil region struggles, under the auspices of MEND.
A MEND spokesman in an e-mail, described participants in the peace ceremony as rented militants, vowing that peace can only return to the oil rich region if one of its leaders detained in Angola is released.This is an apparent reference to Mr. Henry Okah(a.k.a Jomo Gbomo),the erstwhile MEND spokesman, who is currently in detention in Angola on allegation of gun running.
Mr. Henry Okah, a South African based Nigerian businessman is an influencial figure in Nigeria's oil region struggles, under the auspices of MEND.
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