The ANPP as a political party may not survive this time around as the battle of 'who becomes what' in 2011 continues to generate tension and anxiety, thereby heating the polity and diverting the attention of particularly state governors from discharging their responsibilities. Desert Herald can reveal with authority that the plot to eliminate ANPP as the opposition party and by extension to render the country a one party state has succeeded even though unofficially, using the huge government resources at its disposal and sometimes the anti-corruption agencies as tools of black mail, the PDP has infiltrated and penetrated the national leadership of the ANPP and all the state governors that were elected on the party's platform... more

Point with Duty by Tukur Mamu

Don't Decamp to PDP, Gov. Shinkafi

It took me time before finally deciding to write about this subject matter. The initial column I wrote for this week is entirely about a different subject, but I considered changing it at the last minute which almost delayed our production because of the personal relationship and respect I have for Governor Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi. To say I am devastated with recent political development particularly as it affects the raising political profile and personal integrity of Governor Shinkafi is an understatement. He is one of the few state governors we deeply respect not because of our closeness but because of his vision, selfishness, hard work, focus and ability to deliver amidst growing sabotage and political mischief within and outside his party. I know wherever Governor Shinkafi is at the moment, he is in a big political dilemma. I also know that it was not his idea to contemplate accepting the so-called PDP's offer for whatever reason and even if that reason will mean succeeding president Umaru Yar'Adua by 2011 as a PDP President...more

TRIBUTE

Brig-Gen Musa Usman: A Tribute

By ADAMU M. FIKA, CFR, WAZIRIN FIKA
Today marks the 17th anniversary of the death of Brigadier General Musa Usman, the first military governor of the defunct North Eastern State. He died 16 years after the military coup that toppled the regime of General Yakubu Gowon, and brought to a premature end his own tenure as military governor.
As it were, that coup did topple more than a regime. It brought to an end the vision of that glorious future, which a decade of dedication by a diarchic coalition of relatively young military officers, a team of civil commissioners comprising of distinguished retired civil servants and highly regarded politicians of the First Republic, and equally dedicated sitting civil servants had come to promise.

EDITORIAL

Hajj Operations: The Need to Do things Right

The recent directive by National Hajj Commission to airlines seeking to air lift pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, to engage reputable banks as guarantors against any failure in this year's Hajj airlift is definitely a step in the right direction. For the past several years, the conduct of the annual Hajj in this country has remained problematic. Even though many factors account for the failure to conduct a hitch-free Hajj exercise in this country, the insouciant attitude of airlines operating the Hajj route has always been a critical factor in this unsuccessful operation.

Why Kaduna Speaker Resigns

The Honorable Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Honorable Abdullahi Adamu has mentioned the reason for his resignation saying, “For over one year now, my state of health has been a course for concern to the stakeholders in and around the state and despite the spirited prayers and intervention of the state executives for proper medical attention here at home and abroad, it is regretfully apparent that things have not significantly improved for me to effectively steer the affairs of the Honorable House. While I continue to search and pray for remedy, I must recognize and accept the fact that the overall interest of the Honorable House as the first realm of government in the state, should be paramount in all our thoughts and actions, it is therefore for these reasons that I now wish to solemnly extend my resignation as Speaker of this honorable House.”

yaradua

The Lesson Yar'adua Should Learn from ...

By HUSSAINI LAUSHI, JOS, A'ISHA UMAR ALIYU, KADUNA
History is replete with stories of full blown dictatorships which were eventually swept out of power by the collective will and determination of the people. In 1986, people's power brought down two oppressive and tyrannical regimes; one in Haiti, and the other in Philippines. That was a sad year for dictators all over the world, and a fruitful one for all lovers of decency and freedom, because the governments of two despots Baby Dor Duvalier of Haiti and Ferdinand Marcos of Philippines - crashed like sacks of beans.

Revealed! A Chief Judge and Her Many Scandals

By OHIA ISRAEL, ABUJA

For someone that is saddled with the responsibility of steering the affairs of a State's Judiciary and whose duty is to uphold law and order in the state by ensuring equal and fair judgments amongst all, it's rather sad and embarrassing that the same office has been abused over the years by the same person. This is the case of the Cross River State Chief Judge, Justice Dorothy Eyamaba-Idem, who is enmeshed in many scandals in the State, which include, among many things, allegedly turning the Cross River State Judiciary purse into her private coffers.

ANPP's National Leadership and The Collapse of A Viable Opposition

The advent of Chief Edwin Ume Ezeoke's national leadership of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) and the emergence of virtually all those that were elected either as governors, national or state representatives under the platform of the one time promising party, is arguably the worst calamity that has ever happened to Nigerian democracy and, by extension, the history of a viable and effective opposition in the country's democratic set up. The crisis of selfishness, greed and lack of conscience demonstrated over the years by the national leadership of the ANPP, precisely by its present and past leaders, some of whom have eventually decamped to the PDP for similar reasons, is worst than the autocratic and corrupt conduct of the ruling PDP under the infamous rein of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

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