chidi opara reports To Scale Down Operations For Security Reasons.

chidi opara reports have decided to considerably scale down operations for security reasons. This decission was taken at its monthly(May) Editorial Board meeting which took place yesterday in Owerri, capital city of Imo state, Nigeria. chidi opara reports is an e-news publication that debutted on the 9th of December, 2007. It is "a network of Nigerian news reporters and editors being published as an Internet based non profit making public information project". It uses volunteer workforce for its operation.

throwing more light on this decission, the Publisher/Editor-In-Chief, Mr. Chidi Anthony Opara told one of our network members in Owerri that, "it has become necessary to scale down our operations because of the need to protect our network members and contacts, most of whom the security agencies I learnt, have started closing in on".

Investigations revealed that following some of our publications which the security agencies consider "very offensive", increased survillance was ordered on our operations, this increased survillance according to our usually reliable security contacts, "have started yielding good results". A contact in the State Security Service(SSS) in Owerri told us that, "our people are presently casing two of your hideouts". Incidences of security snoops on our telephone line and e-mail address have also been noticed.

"This scale down is not out of fear, it is in our opinion, the most sensible thing to do inorder to protect our volunteers and contacts", an Editorial Board member who pleaded not to be named volunteered.

"This decission", according to Mr. Opara, "will mean drastic reduction in our news coverage, we will be back again in full scale as soon as we are able to put in place a more secure method of operation, if we cannot, we will suspend publications indefinitely, protecting our network members and contacts will always be our priority".

Nigeria's Niger Delta Commission Top Positions: Immediate Past President Is Approval Authority.

The top vacant positions at the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), namely; chairman, Managing Director and Executive Director(Finance And Administration), which have been zoned to Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States may not be filled by persons who do not have the approval of the immediate past President, Rtd. General Olusegun Obasanjo. The erstwhile President is the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

Rtd. General Olusegun Obasanjo whom chidi opara reports reliably gathered was able to survive series of indirect political harassments by the President, whom he single handedly installed in office, as a result of his possession of very damaging facts on the involvement of the President's family in the economic woes of the nation since 1960s, successfully positioned one of his proteges, Mr. Ufot Ekaette as the Minister incharge of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. Ekaette was Secreatary to the Federal Government in the immediate past Obasanjo Administration. He is presently the anchor person in this new task.

It was a surprised governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, chidi opara reports learnt, who recently on a visit to "Aso Rock", the seat of the Nigerian Government, was asked by the President to see Obasanjo if he hopes to make a headway with his NDDC nominations. Amaechi had gone to the Presidency to submit the names of Tonye Princewill and Chibudom Nwuche for the NDDC Managing Directorship position. When the Governor recovered from his surprise and procceeded to see Obasanjo, he was again directed by an Obasanjo aide to see Mr. Ekaette. Contacts in the Niger Delta Affairs Minister's Office informed chidi opara reports that the Minister pointedly told him that the name of Tonye Princewill should be dropped. "It is very clear that Amaechi heeded the advice", a contact close to the governor informed us yesterday in Portharcourt. Niger Delta Affairs Ministry insiders however, told us that Mr. Princewill, an Action Congress(AC) party chieftain cannot be trusted with such a strategic position even if he joins PDP now. Tonye Princewill contest against the PDP candidate in the 2007 governorship election in Rivers state, he is currently a participant in the Amaechi Administration.

Emissaries of these governors, chidi opara reports learnt on good authority have practically been chasing Mr. Ekaette and his Senator wife arround Abuja, Lagos and Uyo, in the bid to push the names of their nominees to Obasanjo.

Nigerian President's Shadow Security Advisers Advocate Increased Security.

Information available to chidi opara reports indicate that the mandate of the Joint Taskforce On Security(JTF), currently engaged in fiece gun battle with the Movement For The Emmancipation Of Niger Delta(MEND) in the creeks of Delta State, may be expanded, if the advice of a group of shadow security advisers to the President is accepted. The JTF currently have a mandate that is limited to the Niger Delta region.

This group, according to a senior Presidency contact, "met recently and forwarded a memo to Mr. President to expand the JTF mandate to include the South-eastern and the South-western regions of the country". This group we learnt comprises retired senior security and military personnels from Northern Nigeria. It has a retired Colonel who served in the military intelligence corps during the regime of Ibrahim Babangida as leader. We are however, unable to sight the memo in question, as our contact's promise to make a copy available to us was not fullfilled at the time of preparing this report.

Another contact close to the Presidency told a chidi opara reports network member in Kaduna that "Mr. President is studying the memo and other related memos, he will take decission on the matter at the appropriate time".

The reason for this advice we learnt is the fear within the group that "disgruntled elements" in the South-west and South-east may take advantage of the situation in the Niger Delta to cause more trouble. The South-east and South-west are the locations of the Movement For The Actualization Of Sovereign State Of Biafra(MASSOB) and the Oodua Peoples Congress(OPC) respectively. MASSOB and OPC have separatist agenda.

Meanwhile, chidi opara reports can now reveal that there is increased security survillance on some vocal elements in the country. We can now confirm that security survillance on Professor Pat Utomi, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Professor Tam David-west and others have increased in the last few days.

Ten Years Of “Democracy” And Two Years Of Yar’Adua As President: Nothing To Cheer!(News Release By Campaign For Democracy)

The Campaign for Democracy, CD, has assessed ten years’ of Nigeria’s search for democratic expediency and two years of the former President Olusegun Obasajo-imposed Umar Yar’Adua and concludes that there is nothing to cheer!

Ten years after Nigeria’s return to civil rule, and, two years into Yar’Adua’s presidency, it is so far, so worse: as there is nothing to celebrate!

It is sad that, especially, two years into President Yar’Adua’s rule, Nigeria is still in search of the true meaning of democracy. Even, the civil rule which we pretend to have on hand now has to be appropriately situated more especially, since there is already a debate on the level of civility in an administration that has to use soldiers to supervise bye-elections in just 63 wards in Ekiti State; an election which, at the end of the day, still left the electorate raped and robbed.

In truth, one of the basic ingredients of democracy is periodical election, with the electorate deciding who rule them. But, if we may ask: from the presidency, to the ward level, how many of those who currently occupy office in Nigeria today can claim to have been truly elected by the people?

Another kernel of democracy is openness and transparency. All over Nigeria’s landscape, government activities continue to be guided in secrecy like the Okija Shrine tactics. The Freedom of Information, FOI, Bill has been kept in the cooler and nobody knows whether it will see the light of day again. Of course, this is understandable! After all, all tiers of the Nigerian government, from the executive, to the legislature; are bogged down by corruption. Even, some sections of the judiciary are not left out of this ‘largesse.’

It is sad that, ten years on, it has been tales of scandals upon scandals: Siemmens, Halliburton, Power Probe, Rural Electrification Agency fraud, unspent funds, looting of recovered loot, etc. As if these are not enough, the recent report by the Auditor General of the Federation which showcased corruption at the three tiers of government was a sartorial attestation to the fact that all is not yet well even with Nigeria’s so-called civil rule.

The most interesting part of it all is that Nigeria’s anti-corruption has practically gone to sleep. What we have now are propaganda and mouthing of platitudes.

Socially, there has been an upsurge in the war song of poverty. Minimum wage remains at a paltry N7,500.00 which cannot even buy a bag of rice in any of Nigeria’s market patronized by both the rich and the poor. Yet, our political office holders swim in billions of naira.

In our clime, power situation remains comatose. Added to this is the fact that Nigerians continue to live in want amidst plenty even as they daily queue for the resources for which she ranks 6th in its production globally (fuel). Security of lives and property in the country is daily degenerating even as the Nigerian culture of impunity and might continues to rear its head. And, as if to add salt to our already festering injury, one of President Yar’Adua’s birthday gifts to Nigerians is the genocidal war that is going on in the Niger Delta.

However, despite all these, Nigerians must still have hope and a future. The way forward therefore is for Nigerians to take their destiny in their own hands and fight for a new order.

Dr. Joe okei-Odumakin,
President,
Campaign for Democracy, CD.

Children's Day: Images Of Nigerian Children!

chidi opara reports wishes Nigerian Children survival on this children's day.

Nigerian Leftists Regroup In London; Presidency Monitors Situation.

Nigerian leftists will be regrouping in London on the 29th of May, 2009 in a conference titled, "State Of The Nation", under the auspices of the Nigeria Liberty Forum(NLF), led by Dr. Kayode Ogundamisi, a former secreatary-general of the ethnic based radical Oodua Peoples Congress(OPC). May 29th is officially observed as "Democracy Day" in Nigeria.

The NLF, chidi opara reports reliably gathered is modelled like the National Democratic Coalition(NADECO), a leftwing pressure group, formed to preasure the government of late Sani Abacha to de-annul the June 12th, 1993 presidential election, believed to have been won by late Moshood Abiola, a billionaire businessman turned politician. NADECO, whose major activities took place abroad, particularly in London, disbanded voluntarily in 1999, following Nigeria's return to democratic rule. OPC was an affiliate of NADECO.

The NLF attracted initial International attention when it mobilized Nigerians and friends of Nigeria in the United Kingdom(UK), to protest an attempt by the Nigerian President to sign a comprehensive military co-operation pact with Britain. The pact would have entailed British military experts training the Nigerian military on counter-insurgency, etc. This was believed to have been targeted mainly at the Niger Delta militants. The NLF also this year picketed the entrance to the London School Of Economics(LSE), during a lecture delievered by the immediate past President of Nigeria, Rtd. General Olusegun Obasanjo. The LSE protest was primarily organized to embarass the former President, whom the NLF believes harbours anti-democratic tendencies.

The forthcoming conference according to the organizers, will feature notable Nigerian leftists like Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana, Nuhu Ribadu and others as speakers. Publisher of the famous leftwing news blog, SharaReporters, Mr. Omoyele Sowore is also billed to speak.

A chidi opara reports' network member in Abuja reports that the Nigerian Presidency is anticipating the possibility of the NLF transforming into a formidable Nigerian Pressure group based abroad in the mould of NADECO in the nearest future. A Presidency contact revealed to us that the Nigerian leader have already instructed the High Commission in London, "to monitor the situation closely and file a detailed report".

Furgitive Top Nigerian Oil Militant Refused To Work For Ruling Party.

Mr. Government Ekpumupolo(alias Tom Polo), the furgitive former Lord of "Camp Five" in the Gbaramatu area of Delta State, who narrowly escaped death when the Joint Taskforce On Security(JTF) engaged the Movement For The Emancipation Of Niger Delta(MEND) in the on going fiece gun battle, attracted the wrath of the Presidency when he refused to work for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)in the up coming 2011general elections, chidi opara reports reliably gathered. Tom Polo, a top MEND commander, is currently on the run and have been declared a wanted person by Nigerian security.

Our network members in Delta state, who have been following the Tom Polo saga report that the top oil militant prior to the present JTF onslaught have had a cordial relationship with oil majors operating in Delta state and the military high command. Contacts in the oil and gas sector informed chidi opara reports that oil majors like Chevron and Shell usually contract the security of their facilities and vessels in that area to Tom Polo. A JTF contact also told us the story of an incident in which Tom Polo's men took a soldier of the amphibious Brigade hostage last year, the then General Officer Commanding(GOC) Division 82 of the Army based in Enugu, under whose jurisdiction the Amphibious Brigade is was incidentally in Warri, when the incident was reported to him, he reportedly called Tom Polo from his mobile telephone handset, after some exchange of pleasantries, Tom Polo was asked to release the soldier, which the dreaded militant leader did.

Well placed PDP insiders revealed to us that based on Tom Polo's friendly disposition towards these institutions, PDP topshots decided to recruit the tough militant leader for "their 2011 project". We learnt further that a former governor of Bayelsa state, Mr. Diepriye Alamesigha was contacted to open up dialogue with him. Our information further has it that Alamesigha's meetings with Tom Polo on three ocassions yielded no favourable result. The militant leader was said to have insisted on unconditional release of the incarcerated former MEND spokesman, Mr. Henry Okah and an unconditional amnesty for the militants. He was said to have also insisted that further dialogues must be between the Party and a free Okah. This position, we learnt was promply communicated to the PDP national headquarters.

"From that day, the days of the so called Tom Polo became numbered", a top security contact in the Presidency informed chidi opara reports.

Shell Instigates Disunity Amongst Ogonis Of Nigeria

Unwilling to pack its drilling equipments and leave Ogoniland, an oil rich area in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, as requested by the natives and directed by the Presidency, the Shell Petroleum Development Company Of Nigeria(SPDC), an oil and gas major, have resorted to instigating the Ogonis against themselves, chidi opara reports have learnt.

To weaken the resolve of the Ogonis against its continued presence on their land, SPDC, we learnt on good authority aimed at the soul of the Movement For The Survival Of Ogoni People(MOSOP). At present, the umbrella body of the Ogonis parades two executives. Even though SPDC is said to have accepted to pull out of Ogoniland, indications point to the fact that the oil and gas giant is still desirous of having a say on who operates in the oil rich area.

The Ledum Mitte camp we learnt have been insisting that the Portharcourt based human rights Lawyer is still the President of MOSOP, having been allegedly elected for another two-year term, effective from January, 2009. Mr. Mitte have been President for about fourteen years.

The rival camp led by one Goodluck Diigbo is positing that Mitte is no longer the President, having lost to Diigbo in an election purportedly conducted in April, 2009.Diigbo was allegedly sworn in same April.

Investigations by chidi opara reports revealed an ongoing scheme by SPDC to cause disunity in MOSOP, through monetary inducements and contracts to some members of the body and some influential traditional rulers in Ogoniland.

The uniqueness of this scheme is that the inducements which are effected through proxies(sub contracting firms), are aimed at members of both camps. A contact in the community relations unit of SPDC in Portharcourt, whispered to us that "these friends of SPDC" are usually given details of each other's secret dealings to provoke distrust amongst them. Security operatives on the payroll of the oil and gas major, according to our contact, handle this aspect of the scheme.

chidi opara reports could not confirm the involvement or otherwise of the Rivers State and Federal governments in this scheme, prior to publication.

Nigeria's Top Oil Militant Escapes Death; On The Run

Information reaching chidi opara reports from the creeks of Nigeria's volatile oil and gas region, the Niger Delta where fiece gun battle have been raging for two days between the Movement For The Emancipation Of Niger Delta(MEND) and the Joint Taskforce On Security(JTF), indicate that Nigeria's top oil militant, Mr. Government Ekpomupolo, popularly known as Tom Polo, narrowly escaped death and is now on the run. Tom Polo's tactical headquarters is the now captured camp five located in the Gbaramatu area of Delta State.

Our network members report that at about 2.45am on saturday, 16th May, 2009, the JTF launched an aerial and sea attack at the camp, believed to be the most organized and fortified militant camps on the creeks of Niger Delta. The initial attack we learnt was repelled by the well equiped MEND fighters, prompting the commander of the JTF operation to call for re-enforcement. About one hour later, two helicopter gunships three gunboats and some troops were deployed from the JTF base in Warri. "The last battle was bloody for us and JTF, but we lost more", a MEND insider told chidi opara reports on telephone. Another MEND insider volunteered that Tom Polo, who fought with everything at his disposal to secure his tactical headquarters, was the last person to leave the camp. "General and his priestess were the last to leave the camp, they left at about 4.15am", our contact revealed further.

Tom Polo is credited with the personality of a "gentleman militant". He is not known to engage in vices like cultism, sea piracy, etc. He is said to be focused on the "struggle", and does not get distracted by proceeds from illegal oil bunkering. He is also said to be loyal to the incarcerated Henry Okah.

At the time of preparing this report, chidi opara reports have not been able to certain the reason for the attack on this top oil militant, known to have good working relationship with oil majors and the military high command.

Associates Of Detained Nigerian Federal Law Makers Get Desperate

Network members of chidi opara reports in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city report of desperation on the part of associates of the House Of Representative members detained by the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), on allegation of fraud at the Rural Electrification Agency(REA). The detained law makers are: Ndudi Elumelu, Nicholas Ugbane and Mohammed Jibo.

This desperation we learnt was due to subtle threats by the families of the detained law makers to spill the bean on other scandalous activities of the leadership of the House, which are capable of generating enough furore that would lead to the removal of the entire house leadership, if no political solution to the current ordeal of the detained law makers is found soon.

chidi opara reports learnt on good authority that a top level security operative from the south west, who is a close friend of one of the detained persons have furnished the influential elder brother of his detained friend, with some damaging details of the House Leadership's, especially, the speaker's and the Deputy speaker's involvements in the upstream sector of the Petroleum Industry. These details we learnt further, have been forwarded to the speaker and Deputy speaker. The Senate leadership, according to our National Assembly contacts are not spared in the threats. "These people are now working behind the scene to prepare a soft landing for the detainees", a contact close to the family of one of the detainees informed us in Asaba yesterday. It is also learnt that some notable personalities are working hard on their own to ensure the early release of the detainees. These personalities according to investigations are those who harbour private fears that further probe into the affairs of one of the detained law makers, whose relation is a top flight finance professional may expose some of their illegal financial dealings over the years.

A chidi opara reports' EFCC contact however, inform that the Commission would arraign the detainees in court soon.

Update On Fighting!(News Release Issured By MEND)

Considering that ours is a war of detachment and our camps are not meant to serve as permanent barracks, fighters from Camp 5 simply relocated to another camp with all their weapons and ammunition's intact. This is normal in guerrilla warfare.

We are embarrassed at the dismal performance of the Nigerian armed forces who performed like poorly trained amateurs by bombing indiscriminately into civilian communities using helicopter gunships and fighter jet planes. Civilians should have been allowed to leave the area before the attack. This simply has shown that the government is insensitive to the Niger Delta people.

If the army's mission was to also rescue the hostages, then that again was a botched and ridiculous attempt because the hostages were not at any immediate risk to their lives except for their temporary freedom.

We regret to announce that two hostages have been killed by the indiscriminate shelling and two more are still in our custody. We are happy that all of them were not killed by the army. The bodies of the dead men will be handed over to the Red Cross. MEND deeply regrets the avoidable deaths.

It is not true that the army captured a plane from Camp 5. If my memory serves me right, the plane in question is a toy remote controlled plane which can be purchased from any toy shop. It is rather shameful that they can not distinguish the difference between a toy plane and a drone.

As promised, we have begun nibbling again at the oil infrastructure. Already, two major trunk pipe and gas lines which were recently repaired have been blown up. This is just the tip of the series of attacks we plan to carry out.

For the Nigerian government to declare victory, troops must be able to secure every inch of pipelines and eliminate the over 500 camps stretching from Ondo to Akwa Ibom.

What the government has been successful in doing is committing genocide against the Ijaw communities whose offense it seems is discovering oil in their backyards.

Our message to the Northern Sultans and Emirs is this: The period of exploiting the Niger Delta is coming to an end. It is not the birth right of your people to rule the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The war is just beginning and by the time it ends, Nigeria will practice true federalism such as fiscal federalism which will benefit the entire populace. Let your people brace themselves to develop their resources and such a bold change will be remembered.

Our fighters in Delta state have not requested for reinforcement from other states. They are conducting the battle very well and every night the military is depleted by about an average of ten soldiers.

General Tompolo is alive and well. He was in unilateral discussions with the government on a peaceful way forward but that did not mean he would close his eyes and watch soldiers disrupt a local festival by harassing innocent visitors to the event.

Since they did not disrupt the Argungu festival in the North, it was not acceptable to disrupt ours in the South. The skirmish which saw the loss of over twenty soldiers and an officer as well as the sinking of two gunboats on Wednesday the 13th of May which the army has found it hard to admit resulted in the punitive expedition of the Gbaramatu kingdom.

The British hostage, Mr Mathew Maguire has been relocated to Delta state and will be a guest of one the camps there.

Nigerians should now brace up for the worst from the decisions from an incompetent leadership.

The Niger Delta people who have endured injustice and genocide for over 50 years must be ready to fight for change as our destiny should not be in the hands of others but ourselves.

Since the destruction of pipelines, manifolds and flow stations will be numerous, we may not announce everyone of them as it happens.

Jomo Gbomo

Behold! The New Faces Of Lagos Nigeria

Ogun State Governor, Daniel Disrupts Inspection Of Electoral Materials(News Release By Ogun State Chapter Of ANPP)

The All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) in Ogun state chapter is appalled that Ogun state Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, today disrupted the tribunal-ordered inspection of electoral materials used for the 2007 governorship election.

The governor’s henchmen led by Kola Onadipe, the state commissioner for Water Resources, Deji Kalejaiye, Ogun PDP director of Organization, Pegba Otemolu,state PDP secretary, Adisa Soyoye, otunba Daniel’s liaison officer for Obafemi-Owode, Moruf Ajisegiri, Daniel’s Liaison officer for Abeokuta North, along with a horde of thugs, insisted that they would not allow the order of the tribunal to inspect all the materials for the said election.

Upon insistence by Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s counsel’s that the exercise was a judicial directive, the governor’s men insisted on dictating the term under which the exercise would be done and the number of photocopying machines to be used by the ANPP.

We wish to point out that this arm-twisting tactics is a continuation of the obstruction of justice started with the previous tribunal which did not allow our governorship candidate to have access to all the materials needed to prove his case. We recall that Daniel and his PDP did all they could before to ensure that our candidate did not have unfettered access to the material we requested for and endorsed by the then tribunal. We condemn the use of brawn to pervert the rule of law in Ogun state which has become the pastime of the state governor.

Otunba Daniel cannot appropriate and reprobate at the same time. He refused to agree to the constitution of a fresh tribunal to look into the petition against his purported election. He again raced to the Supreme Court trying to hinder the work of the tribunal. He again wants the tribunal to wait for the Supreme Court but he lost again and now this unnecessary and unconstitutional hindrance.

Obviously, he has something to hide but we are determined to bring out the truth to the whole world that the ANPP won the 2007 gubernatorial polls in Ogun state, and not the PDP.

In the last two years, the ANPP has faced all kinds of intimidation, harassment, physical assault and all manner of evil machination in the hands of Governor Daniel and his supporters in our quest to reclaim the mandate freely given to Senator Ibikunle Amosun by the good people of Ogun state.

We appeal to the President to call Governor Daniel to order as his actions continue to make a mockery of the rule of law stance of the administration.

All these months we have endured all the provocations of Governor Daniel believing that the court is the final arbiter in this situation. We are at a loss at to why those who claimed they won elections would now be so afraid of judicial scrutiny of the electoral process.

In spite of these evil machination, we keep alive our hope in the judiciary to do justice because we believe that the development we want to give Ogun state can only be possible within the ambits of justice and orderliness.

We also call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to assert its independence from the PDP government in Ogun state by allowing the directive of the tribunal granting Senator Amosun to inspect all the electoral material’s carried out by the ANPP governorship candidate.

This is plain obstruction of justice, abuse of power and an assault on the rule of law. To allow this kind of situation to go unchallenged is to succumb to the evil that individuals have become more powerful than the institutions of state.


Bashiru Fadairo,

State Chairman
ANPP Ogun state Chapter.

Position Warfare At Nigeria's Niger Delta Commission

chidi opara reports can now report that the recent dissolution of the Board of Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) have provoked a position warfare amongst candidates for the positions of chairman and managing director. Chairmanship position is zoned to Bayelsa state, while that of managing director is zoned to Rivers state. NDDC catchment states are Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom. Cross Rivers, Imo, Abia and Edo states.

Our network members in Yenagoa report a cold war between the immediate past managing director of the commission, Mr. Timi Alaibe and the state governor, Mr. Timipre Sylva. Mr. Alaibe is vying for the chairmanship of the commission, while the governor is said to favour the candidacy of Mr. Steve Azaiki. Latest unconfirmed information however has it that Mr. Azaiki have been screened out of the race by the State Security Service(SSS). This security screening was said to have been influenced by Mr. Alaibe's friends in Abuja. Mr. Sylva is however, believed to be positioning a dark horse as a fall back. The name of this dark horse is not yet known to our network members.

Presidency contacts informed chidi opara reports that except if the Vice-president changes his mind, Mr. Alaibe is likely to emerge the chairman. Official reason we learnt further would be to ensure continuity, but the real reason is for Mr. Alaibe to continue to protect the personal interests of the Vice-president and that of the President in the commission.

The situation in Rivers state seem to be more complex. Network members in Portharcourt report that the state governor have preference for the candidacy of Mr. Chibudom Nwuche, a past deputy speaker of Nigeria's lower federal parliament, while the Peter Odili camp is pushing the candidacy of Mr. Austin Opara, another former deputy speaker of Nigeria's lower federal parliament. Both candidates are reported to be likely to clinch the position. We also learnt on good authority that pressure is being mounted on the State governor by some influential traditional rulers to concede the position to the Peter Odili camp as "a peace offering". Contacts close to the governor however, informed chidi opara reports that conceding the cash cow known as NDDC to the Odili group will place the governor's group in a disadvantaged position in the next gubernatorial election. "They can have other positions, but definitely not NDDC managing directorship", a River state government house contact informed us last night on telephone.

Chidi opara reports have not been able so far to completely unravel the situation in Delta state where the position of Executive director(Finance and Administration) is zoned to. Network members in Asaba report that stakeholders in the state are keeping their plans very close to their chests.

Nigeria's University Of Prostitution

The University of Portharcourt, also known as UNIPORT is fast assuming the reputation of a citadel of prostitution instead of learning. UNIPORT is one of the federal Universities established after the Nigerian civil war to carter for the increasing educational need of the country.

chidi opara reports investigation revealed that as early as 7.00pm each day, the "Abuja" and "Delta" camps witness a burst of prostitution activities involving female students and patrons from Portharcourt and environs.

These patrons who are usually well placed members of the society come in various types of exotic automobiles and can be seen parked on the car parks at "ofirima" junction of "Abuja" camp and 'the crab" mini-theatre of "Delta" camp, playing loud hip-hop musics to attract the attention of their targets, who are always hanging arround such spots. Initial contacts with these ladies are usually through the pimps who always accompany these patrons to these locations. These pimps are usually male students or immediate past students of the University.

An encounter between a male network member of chidi opara reports and miss "Anita Philips"(not her real name) revealed how the "deals" are struck. On the day in question, at about 8.45pm, our network member who had been at the "Ofirima" junction car park for about an hour, watching the activities therein, spotted the scantily dressed "Anita Philips", a lady in her early twenties, studing sciology at the University. When "Anita" was approached, she made it clear that she was ready to go with him for the night if the destination is within portharcourt, if he could pay the sum of ten thousand naira. The price was subsequently negotiated to seven thousand naira and our network member left, promising to come back with the money in few minutes.

According to "Anita", if the destination is any of the government lodges in Portharcourt, Umuahia, Yenagoa, Owerri, etc or any of the major hotels in portharcourt and environs, the price would start from twenty thousand naira. Payments are usually by cash. Cheques are however accepted, depending on how credible the patron appear.

Another female student who is also into campus prostitution whom chidi opara reports encountered at the "Delta" camp on a different day, volunteered after a few bottles of extra smooth stout, "bros, if we do not do RUNS, we cannot pay our school fees and other expenses, some of us come from poor homes". "RUNS" in this context means campus prostitution.

Nigeria's Ruling Party Shifts Focus To Osun State.

chidi opara reports' contacts in the national secretariate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Abuja have informed of a shift of the party's election winning focus to Osun state, after its controversial win in Ekiti state. Osun state is the neighbouring state to Ekiti.

We reliably gathered that the Appeal court order that the Osun state gubernatorial election petition filed by the Action Congress Party(AC) gubernatorial candidate for the 2007 governorship election, should be re-tried is the leeway the PDP needed to legitimize its hold on the governance of the state, which it regards as one of its strongholds in the South-west. It is expected that the re-trial will eventually result in a re-run election.

Based on this expectation, our contacts revealed, the party is on the verge of constituting "a formal secret strategic committee to work out ways and means of ensuring victory for the party in Osun state in the event of a re-run election". chidi opara reports have not been able so far to confirm names of potential committee members, we can however report that the immediate past Ondo state governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu may chair the committee.

The committee which will start holding secret meetings soon with PDP stakeholders in the South-west in Osogbo and Ibadan, will have its logistic needs provided by the Osun state governor, rtd. Brigadier-general Olagunsoye Oyinlola and his Oyo state counterpart, Mr. Alao Akala.

Presidency contacts have confirmed to us that the President is very supportive of the idea of a strategic committee for Osun state. "You know that Mr. President needs the South-west in particular for his 2011 project", a Presidency aide from the south-west boasted to one of network members at a function in Abuja recently.

chidi opara reports have also reliably gathered that the publisher of a national newspaper based in Lagos, whose former employee works with the President is likely to be the President's representative in the committee.

Ekiti Stolen Governorship: Time To End Pirates Politics!(News Release By Afenifere Renewal Group)

Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) is appalled by the brazen robbery that took place in Ekiti on Tuesday May 5, 2009 in which all the institutions of state and critical personnel acted in one inglorious concert to declare Mr. Segun Oni as the Governor in utter violation of the the wishes of Ekiti people.
In one night, Chief (Mrs.) Ayoka Adebayo, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ekiti State bowed to the PDP rigging machine and entered her name and her lineage in the Hall of Infamy by using 15,000 non –existent voters from Ido-Osi to nullify 15,000 genuine voters who chosed Dr. Kayode Fayemi in the elections.
Mrs. Adebayo resigned her appointment on the 26th of April 2009 citing undue pressures to do what is against her conscience and not right before her God. Though she did not give details of the pressure, but her Personal Assistant, Olu Solomoni explained that the pressures on her came to a head with attempts to force her to announce the results from Ido-Osi.
Said he: "The elections results of Ido-Osi were not duly accredited at designated centers…Those she had earlier read were duly endorsed by authenticated party agents and collated at designated centers before bringing them to the State capital… The EOs said they had to take the results to a police station to collate. And the woman asked at what point did I give you the directive to move the designated centre to a police station".
This was the background to the Inspector General of Police declaring her wanted to come and clarify the weighty allegations in her resignation letter. Till date we have not been told what her explanations were save for her "I am still a member of INEC" chants. Of course no one expected the partisan Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro whose men behaved more like PDP thugs or protection units for PDP thugs and warlords throughout the elections to do better. As we write, the IGP has yet to say a word on the Ido-Osi saga in which his men were accomplices despite the Supreme Court order to the IG in 1983 to discipline policemen who behaved in similar fashion. Sir Okiro has not denied the allegation that himself and controversial Senator Iyiola Omisore flew in a police jet to Ekiti on the eve of Oye Re-rerun.
Of course there is Prof. Maurice Iwu, the grand master of electoral manipulation and iwuruwuru conduct in electoral matters. This man has bent on all rules in the Ekiti re-run to satisfy his PDP paymasters and in the process dealt a deadly blow on the concept of one-man-one vote in Nigeria. Just a few samples:
(i) Iwu addressed a press conference in Ado Ekiti on April 22 to reiterate the law on electoral violence and that results would not stand wherever such occurs. But this same man of suspect honour insisted that two wards in Oye where elections could not hold twice (April 25, 26) would determine the winner of the elections.
(ii) The law enjoins Iwu to display the voters scroll before the elections, he didn’t do this. Yet he claimed there were 18,000 voters in 2 wards in Oye, a 12-ward Local Government with a population of 19,000 by the 2006 census. On May 5, 2009, only 2039 voters turned out in Oye I and II an indication that this career rigger has only been padding figures in most elections.
(iii) The law states clearly that for the Governorship elections, only the Resident Electoral Commissioner could announce the result. But Iwu took over this function by announcing the results of the April 25 rerun including all the figures Mrs. Adebayo earlier rejected. The announcement by the REC on May 5 was just re-echoing what Iwu already did.
We cannot but also talk about the Commander-in-Chief of this Ekiti show of rig-branding, President Umaru Yar’Adua, the serpent leader who started the "do-or die" drive when he went to campaign for Segun Oni in Ekiti by saying that he must rule for six years. This was a clear presidential directive to PDP enforcers, the Iyiola Omisores, Ayo Arises, Mike Okiros, Maurice Iwus, Olagunsoye Oyinlolas, Gbenga Daniels and Ebenezer Babatopes to go to work.
In his usual character the President promised on the eve of the April 25 re-run that soldiers would not be used for the elections but soldiers stormed Ekiti on April 24. He issued another President Deceiving People statement after Mrs Adebayo resurfaced that she should go and satisfy her conscience and obey her God. But every conduct of his presidency and party showed the "conscience" was already inside Wadata Plaza while the gods of the PDP had been made to replace the Almighty God in Mrs. Adebayo’s life.
In the Ekiti re-run, the President has displayed poverty of leadership in its nakedness. It is little wonder his preceding dictator Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo said he was not aware of his Electoral Reforms. Electoral Reforms is not about preaching but showing in concrete terms that things must be done aright. The useless bills he has sent to the National Assembly on Electoral Reforms awaits the signatures of his thug-Senators who specialized in ballot snatching and thugs rearing in the Ekiti re-run.
WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
The stolen governorship in Ekiti is a final nail on the coffin of one-man-one-vote in Nigeria. It is a major milestone in the internal colonization process. It is a major enslavement of our people by the hegemonic forces with the active cooperation of the quislings of Yorubaland. It is one crude assault that must be resisted by Ekiti people, all Yoruba progressives and democratic Nigerians. If we allow this electoral coup to stand, there is no reason talking about elections in 2011 as the list of Governors would just be pasted on a bill board in Aso Rock without any election.
We therefore endorse the decision by Dr. Kayode Fayemi to challenge the PDP/Police/INEC idiocy at Ido-osi. We await how a Tribunal, even if chaired by Yar’Adua with Iwu, Okiro, Mrs. Adebayo, Omisore and Babatope as members would say results in five wards collated in a police station and unsigned by party agents are admissible before the law.
In this regard, we appeal for support for this battle to free our electoral process from pirates posing as patriots that just happens to be located in Ekiti. Lawyers are called upon to volunteer their services and those who are not lawyers can make moral and material contributions.
Unlike June 12 struggle that we did not finish and whose ghost is now haunting us, this is a long drawn battle we must pursue to a logical conclusion. It is either we make the riggers to eat the humble pie or win us, and excise those of us who want free and fair elections from their country.
We commend the people of Ekiti who cried out in 2007 that their votes were stolen. They were challenged to go to the Tribunal. They proved that the counting were not right in 63 wards in 10 LGAs the Appellate Court said re-run. The PDP rigging machine was confronted gallantly and was now forced to go and cook up figures in 5 wards.
Ayoka Adebayo has again shouted the ridiculous "go to court" over the 5 wards in Ido-Osi. As Ekiti people go to that court again, let popular court sessions open all over Nigeria and internationally to end the rule of riggers in Nigeria.
We have come this far, we cannot afford to retreat or surrender. We must finish this battle because we are on the right side of history. Those holding on to the pyrrhic victory now will ultimately be put to shame. They and all they represent shall become what they have temporarily used fictitious figures to reduce our people to in Ido-Osi-NOTHING!
This act in itself will not postpone their day of reckoning.

Yinka Odumakin
National Publicity Secretary
Afenifere Renewal Group