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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

NGO rejects Oyo gov‘s threats over BATN

By Agency Reporters
Wednesday, 27 May 2009

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Journalists for Health and Environment, has rejected threats by the Oyo State Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, to oppose any attempt to close down British-American Tobacco Nigeria through the anti-tobacco bill currently before the National Assembly.

Tribunal commences trial of Amosun’s petition against Daniel
The Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abeokuta, on Wednesday, commenced the trial of the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party in the April 2007 election in Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, against the declaration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner of the poll.
At the preliminary hearing of the case on Monday, the Justice Suleiman Ambrusa-led panel granted the prayer of the Independent National Electoral Commission to remove the names of the fourth to 259th witnesses from the petition.
The affected witnesses, according to INEC’s counsel, Mr. Oluyele Delano, who were electoral officers, were expected to be joined individually. Ambrusa had promised that the case would be given accelerated hearing from Monday to Thursday.
PDP chieftain criticises Obi over Aguata erosion site collapse
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Anambra State, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, has blamed the recent partial collapse of the Umuchiama-Ekwuluobia erosion control project on lapses by the state government.
Obiogbolu said in Onitsha on Wednesday that the project had been doomed to fail from the outset, as due consideration was not given to the specialised nature of the job. He said the job called for expertise in its execution.
The site is a key environmental project of the Anambra State Government to check the increasing menace of gully erosion in Aguata and Anaocha local government areas.
NLF tackles Nigerian mission, UK over May 29 symposium
The Nigeria Liberty Forum has accused the British government and the Nigerian High Commission in London of planning to stop its May 29 symposium titled, ”State of the Nigerian Nation.”
The symposium, which is scheduled for Friday at the London Metropolitan University, London is expected to be addressed by the former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; former member of the House of Representatives, Prof. Sola Adeyeye; and Jean Lambert of the British Green Party.
The NLF said in a statement sent by email that the Nigerian mission held a meeting with officials of the LMU on Tuesday to try and convince them to cancel the booking for the event. It alleged that the move failed because it was able to meet the deadline for the payment of a high fee for the use of its facilities for the programme.
The NLF is a Nigerian pressure group, which organised the picketing of President Umaru Yar‘Adua last year in London and his predecessor, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in March.