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Jonathan Condemns Coup In Mali … Toure Hides In Military Camp
President Goodluck Jonathan has condemned the military take-over in Mali, and said that the Nigerian Government would never recognise any unconstitutional regime.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, yesterday, Jonathan expressed displeasure and dismay over the action of the renegade troops.
Malian rebel soldiers reportedly took over control of that country from the democratically-elected government of President Amadou Toumani Toure.
Jonathan, according to the statement demanded an immediate reinstatement of the government of Toure and the continuation of the electoral process in that country.
He described the military takeover as “an apparent setback to the consolidation of democracy in Mali in particular and the African continent in general”.
Jonathan warned the coup plotters to allow the ongoing democratic process in that country to run its full course.
He also warned them not to do anything that would truncate the electoral process, especially the presidential election slated for next month.
The president also cautioned against the shedding of innocent blood and unnecessary destruction of property of the citizens and foreigners resident in Mali.
He urged all well-meaning governments in the ECOWAS, the AU and the UN to roundly condemn the coup in Bamako and demanded an immediate reinstatement of the government of Toure and the continuation of electoral process.
Meanwhile, Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure, ousted on Thursday by mutinous troops protesting the government’s handling of the rebellion in the north,has reportedly taken refuge in a military camp.
According to our source, the ousted President is at the Djikoroni military camp, which is home to Commando-paratroopers, to which Toumani Toure belonged in his days in the military.
It is not yet clear whether the ousted leader went there voluntarily or was taken there by the military junta, led by Capt. Amadou Sanogo.
The putshists, who started their mutiny at a military base on the outskirts of Bamako, the Malian capital, on Wednesday, have announced the arrest of government officials and a number of personalities.
They have also suspended the country’s constitution.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the regional power, Nigeria, have condemned the coup, which took place a few weeks before Mali’s presidential election in which President Toumani Toure was not expected to take part.
In a similar development, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr Jean Ping, yesterday strongly condemned the military take-over of government in Mali.
A statement in Addis Ababa by the Peace and Security Department of the Commission said Ping expressed concern at the “reprehensible action by some elements of the Malian Army in Bamako”.
Ping, who said the AU would not tolerate any attempt to seize power by force, also stressed the need to respect constitutional legitimacy.
He said the Commission would continue to closely follow the situation adding that the Commission was in contact with President Yayi Boni, current Chairman of the AU, the ECOWAS, and other relevant international stakeholders.
Soldiers in Mali appeared on the country’s Television early on yesterday and announced that they have ended the rule of President Ahmadou Toure.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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