By Emeka Mamah & Dayo Johnson
KADUNA—FORMER Head of State and presidential aspirant of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Major-Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) and Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, yesterday, expressed confidence on the ability of President Goodluck Jonathan to conduct free, fair and credible elections next year and urged Nigerians to give him a chance to do so.

General Buhari spoke in a Kaduna State Radio programme “Vision Nigeria”, while Professor Soyinka… Continue

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA—Following the refusal of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ogbonaya Onovo, to appear before it yesterday, an Abuja High Court sitting in Maitama, has ordered the Federal Capital Territory Police Command to ensure that he was arrested and produced in court on September 7.

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, who was irked by the absence of the police boss in court yesterday, however, acceded to a request by a police lawyer, CSP Henry Njoku, who pleaded for more ti… Continue

By Henry Umoru & Salamatu Ismail
ABUJA—AHEAD of the 2011 general elections, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, said, yesterday, that unless a competent court sets aside the amended constitution of 1999, it remained valid and operational.

Ekweremadu who was answering questions from newsmen when he visited the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over last Saturday’s fire incident, said the constitution recently passed by the National Assembly m… Continue

By Simon Ebegbulem
BENIN—SUPPORTERS of President Goodluck Jonathan for 2011 presidency in Edo State and those of former Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, yesterday, traded words over claim that IBB was more experienced to lead the nation than President Jonathan.

It will be recalled that former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Albert Legogie, had Monday, declared that IBB would be the best candidate of the party in the forthcoming 2011 presidential election du… Continue

BENIN—A Professor of Economics at the University of Benin, UNIBEN, Prof. Mike Obadan, has attributed what he described as the failure of the nation’s economy to grow rapidly since the inception of democracy in 1999 to deficiency in plan formulation and implementation by the Federal Government.

The university don, advocated the re-introduction of development planning in the country so as to achieve the Millenium Development Goals, MDGs, in 2015. He argued that in developing countries whe… Continue

By Dayo Benson &Okey Ndiribe
LAGOS—PROMINENT lawyers including two former presidents of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, and Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, yesterday, rose in support of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct 2011 Governorship Election in 32 states in January, excluding Edo, Ondo, Rivers and Anambra States.

They said the commission’s decision was perfect and in order, noting that anything contrary will amount to fraud an… Continue