Author: Leadership Newspapers

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LEADERSHIP Journalists’ Arrest, Signs Of Things To Come – ACN

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has strongly and unreservedly condemned the arrest of four LEADERSHIP newspaper journalists by the police, apparently acting on orders from above, for no reason other than for carryingout their constitutionally-assigned role.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said
the arrest, over a story the government has refuted, is the worst attack against press freedom under the Jonathan
Administration, and a sign of the seemingly-inevitable descent into dictatorship by an increasingly-desperate presidency.
 
It said the arrest is also a sign of things to come, warning that the Administration will increasingly seek to tamper with
press freedom as it pushes its do-or-die plan to stay in power, with or without the people's votes.
 
ACN said the alleged vow by the police not to allow the detained journalists to leave until they have revealed the
source of their story has shown that the Leadership's story - on the plan by the presidency to scuttle the merger of
progressives and target key leaders of the emerging All Progressives' Congress (APC) - is indeed true.
 
''Why will the police, and by extension those who are playing thepuppeteers in this case, be interested in the source of a
story that the government has described as fake? This confirms thesaying that anywhere one sees a 'no thoroughfare sign', there is indeed a road!
 
The party also criticized the police for pushing the detained journalists to act against the ethics of their profession by
disclosing the source of their story, and hailed the journalists for rejecting such request and the newspaper's management for standing by its story and refusing to be cowed.
 
''We demand an immediate and unconditional release of the detained journalists and the tendering of an unreserved apology to them. And if the police is convinced that the journalists have broken any law, it should charge them to court. After all, the police cannot be the accuser and the judge at the same time.
 
''To the Jonathan Administration, we say no government, whether elected or not and irrespective of its level of brutality, has
ever won any battle against the media, and this administration will not be the first!'' ACN warned.

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Ekiti Govt Will Immortalise Late Deputy Gov, Says ACN Chairman

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) controlled Ekiti government will name an important structure after the state Deputy Governor, Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka, who died on Saturday, April 6.

Chief Jide Awe, the Chairman of the state chapter of the party, made the remark while briefing newsmen in Ado Ekiti on ``The Stand of ACN on the late deputy governor's death".
 
Awe described late Olayinka as a strong pillar of support for the party and government.
He said Olayinka had already immortalised herself by raising the standard of politics in the state to an enviable height.
“There will be one or more monuments that will be named after late Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka by the Ekiti State Government for her numerous contributions and supports to politics."
 
Awe debunked the rumour making the rounds that the deputy governor's death was spiritual, saying that she died of cancer.
When asked to comment on the nature of Olayinka’s death, Awe said, ``for us in the ACN, we all know, she battled with cancer but could not survive it."
 
He described her death as a ``big blow to Ekiti ACN and Nigeria as a whole, adding ``this is indeed a sad moment in the history of Ekiti’’.
 
“We want to tell you that we will miss her for a very long time to come," the party chairman said.
Meanwhile, Rep. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, has described Olayinka’s death as ``devastating''.
 
In a statement, the lawmaker expressed shock and disbelief over the sudden death of the deputy governor.
“Her death is very devastating and sad. In fact, I am short of words,’’ she said.
 
The lawmaker said the late deputy governor was a loyal and hardworking deputy to her governor as well as to the people of Ekiti.
 
She said Olayinka’s death at a time the state was witnessing tremendous growth and development was very sad.
Dabiri-Erewa said the late deputy governor would be remembered for her humility and reservation as well as emancipation of women.
 
“I condole with her husband, family, government and people of Ekiti over her demise,’’ she prayed. (NAN)
 

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No Amount Of Blackmail Will Stop OPC From Resuscitating UPN – Fasehun

The President, Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), Dr Frederick Fasehun, says no amount of blackmail will stop the congress from resuscitating the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

Fasehun said this on Monday in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos.
He also urged politicians not to make comments which are capable of heating up the South-West geo-political zone.
Fasehun lamented the recent comments credited to a political party on the resuscitation of UPN founded by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
 
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fasehun was the Chairman of the Committee for the Resuscitation of UPN.
 
In his statement however, Fasehun said the ``UPN is an idea whose time has come. And no amount of blackmail will stop it.
“Those resuscitating UPN are committed to the legendary ideals of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, which always made the human person the centre piece of government policy. Like Awo, they are committed to the delivery of free, qualitative and affordable education and healthcare. We know how far they can go.''
 
Fasehun debunked insinuations that OPC had bagged a monthly N2.4 billion pipeline protection contract.
He said he had earlier addressed the press on the intention of OPC to stem pipeline vandalisation in the South West.
“OPC was only toeing the line of private security agencies formed by militants in the Niger-Delta who secured pipeline-protection contracts in their area. Equity and Federal Character dictate we should get a similar contract.
 
“And unlike the billions of Naira rampantly stolen from state allocations by politicians in authority in this part of the world, the pipeline contract will feed tens of thousands of families.
“Unfortunately, the Federal Government is yet to reply to our proposal, although we have been to Abuja to defend our proposal at several interviews,’’ Fasehun explained.
 
He said the congress had in October 2010 furnished the Federal Government with a comprehensive proposal to provide security for petroleum pipelines in the South-West.
 
The OPC president said this was in the wake of various incidents of pipeline vandalisation and oil theft.
“Nigeria loses a significant chunk of its revenue to pipeline vandals, apart from the social dislocation and loss of lives and properties resulting from vandalised pipelines. Everyone knows that OPC has the network, commitment and discipline to render this legitimate and patriotic service to protect pipelines.
 
“Not only will it provide jobs for about 30,000 Nigerians, it will satisfy the yearnings of Nigerians that oil be produced and pumped through local refineries and pipelines in order to guarantee a reasonable pump price,’’ he said.(NAN)
 

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Fashola Hinges Economic Performance On Quality Of Leaders’ Education

Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Monday said that the performance of the nation’s economy was a function of the quality of education its managers received in various institutions in the country. Fashola said this on Monday while receiving...

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Market Capitalisation Grows By N163bn – NSE

Activities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) opened for the week on Monday on a positive note with market capitalisation appreciating by N163 billion due to gains by major equities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that market capitalisation rose by N163 billion to close at N11.14 trillion, up from the N10.99 trillion posted on Friday, an increase of 1.48 per cent.

Also, the All-Share Index, which opened at 34,301.37, grew by 508.88 basis points or 1.48 per cent to close at 34,810.25.

Nestle recorded the highest price gain to lead the gainers' chart with N9.50 to close at N970 per share.

Dangote Cement came second on the gainers' table, gaining N9 to close at N165 while Nigerian Breweries increased by N3.49 to close at N164.99 per share.

CAP rose by N2.90 to close at N40 while Okomu Oil Palm improved by N2 to close at N97 per share.

Conversely, Mobil Oil and PZ Cussons topped the losers' chart with a loss of N1 each to close at N123 and N35 per share respectively.

Access Bank lost 59k to close at N9.91, Air Services decreased by 47k to close at N4.28 while GTBank dipped by 44k to close at N25.50 per share.

Also, the volume of shares traded appreciated by 30.40 per cent as investors staked N5.19 billion on 492.81 million shares transacted in 6,383 deals.

This was in contrast to the 377.91 million shares worth N4.19 billion traded in 6,185 deals on Friday.

NAN reports that IHS was the toast of investors, accounting for 166.76 million shares valued at N353.53 million.

FBN Holdings followed on the activity chart with an exchange of 32.64 million shares worth N689.21 million while Access Bank sold 32.22 million shares valued at N322.46 million.

 

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JTF Repels Insurgents’ Attack In Yobe

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Yobe on Monday said it repelled an intended attack by insurgents near Giedam on Sunday.

Lt. Lazarus Eli, the spokesman of the task force, confirmed this to newsmen in Damaturu .

``Suspected terrorists heading towards Geidam town to carry out attacks had an encounter with JTF troops close to Tumbulgi, 11 kilometres north of Geidam, and were successfully repelled."

Lazarus said that details, including casualties, were not readily available.

``We are still working on the details. We will provide you with the details when available,'' he said.

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