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Africa Reacts to Obama's Choice of Senator Bidden as a Running Mate

The world, particularly Africa is following this year's U.S. presidential campaign with interest not only because the United States is a super powers economically and militarily, but because of the Africa roots of presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. So what is Africa saying about the selection of Senator Joe Biden as Obama's vice presidential running mate? Kabiru Mato chairs the political science department at the University of Abuja. He told VOA Africa hopes the selection of Senator Biden would increase the Democrats' chances of winning in November.
"To be very sincere, I think a lot of Nigerians and people all over Africa imagined that he (Obama) was going to nominate Hilary Clinton. This basically as a result of many factors one of which is the tradition in American politics where you have very serious competition in party primaries, the winner normally carries along the loser so that they can forge a common front, reassure the unity of the party and party members with a view to facing the opponent in general election," he said.
Professor Mato compared Obama's selection of Biden to the choice of now Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as running mate for then Nigerian ruling party candidate Umaru Yar'Adua. He said the criteria used in the Nigeria selection process are different from those used by Senator Obama. "I agree with you that most likely Senator Obama must have considered the integrity, the political credentials as well as other factors in nominating his running mate. But the choice in Nigeria was not exactly the same thing because here was a very contrite agenda where the primary itself was not free and fair, where the sitting president unilaterally decided who was an aspirant, and at the end of it, after the presidential candidate was nominated the issue of running mate was announced from the presidential villa. So it was not a free political intercourse," Mato said.
He said there are a lot of factors and configurations that lead to alignment and realignment of political forces in the Nigerian case. "There is the regional issue; there is the ethnic issue; there's also the religious issue. And in the case of Goodluck Jonathan, I think one of the most fundamental consideration had to do with the Niger Delta crisis, especially if we place it within the spectrum of the aggression and the violence that has been taking place by either the youth of the region and those who desire to steal oil from the region," Mato said. Mato said the world particularly Africa is following this year's U.S. presidential campaign with enormous interest not only because the United States is a super power economically and militarily but most importantly because of the Africa roots of Senator Obama.

EFCC Sacks 11 Officials Over Stealing, Forgery
> Fighting corruption in Nigeria is risky – Elumelu
The chairman ofthe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri, has taken the battle against corruption to her own house: she has ordered the dismissal of 11 officials of the commission for forgery and other fraudulent acts.
Of the 11 dismissed officials, three were junior staff, four cadet officers, three senior staff and one management officer.
According to a statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr. Femi Babafemi, the affected officers were shown the door between August 2007 and August 2008.
All those dismissed for forgery were discovered after routine investigations carried out on them to verify the authenticity of their academic claims to have serious anomalies.
Those dismissed on account of certificate forgery were Adamu Samson, Usman Muhammed, Muhammed Umar, Collins Nwachukwu, Shola Pedro, Olatunji Oluwakeri, Adaka James, Akinwamide Oluwaseyi, Mohammed Maina, and David Ibhawoh.
While the 10 officers dismissed on account of forgery were lucky to have gone without prosecution, Mrs. Waziri has directed that Mr Davies Idrisu Ibrahim, who was arrested in Lagos last week for allegedly conniving with others to defraud a suspect, should not only be dismissed but should also be prosecuted.
He is expected to be charged to court this week.
"She gave the directive for the prosecution of the officer not only as a break from the past when such officers were allowed to go without trial but more importantly to send a strong signal to those who may want to use the name of the commission to commit crime", Babafemi added.
Meanwhile, a former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Power and Steel, Hon. Ndudi Godwin Elumelu, has decried the high level of corruption in the country, saying those who fight the menace face the grave danger of losing their lives.
This is just as a non-governmental organisation, Crusade for Greater Nigeria on Poverty Eradication and Social Matters, has honoured the lawmaker with a Heroes’ Award for his contribution towards exposing corrupt practices and sustaining the fight against corruption in the country.
Elumelu, who chaired the recent probe of the power sector, disclosed this at a one-day anti-corruption rally and workshop organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with Crusade for Greater Nigeria in Abuja at the weekend.
He lamented that corruption in Nigeria has assumed an almost uncontrollable level as most people who made money through dubious means are in control of the social system and are doing everything possible to frustrate those who are committed to the eradication of corruption in the country.
"The reality though is that the fight against corruption poses grave and unpredictable risks to those who dare to challenge this gargantuan monster.
"We must expect resistance from well-entrenched beneficiaries of the existing system.
"Protagonists of the anti-corruption crusade should not expect to be congratulated by powerful existing interests. In spite of great odds, however, I strongly believe that the battle against corruption can be won in our lifetime in Nigeria," he said.
He blamed the profound rate of corruption in the country on the elites whom he said pose the biggest impediment to the success of the war against corruption, adding, "The greater part of the Nigerian problem is the ruling elite, selfish, greedy, unpatriotic and often lawless."
According to him, official corruption in Nigeria has graduated from mere stealing, bribery and misappropriation of funds to active looting of the public treasury, saying its devastating effect derogates from the quality of life and standard of living.
"It is a crime against humanity, depriving citizens of education, employment opportunities, health care, water, food, roads and electric power. Grand corruption has denied Nigeria every opportunity for economic advancement."
Recognising his performance as chairman of the House Committee on Power, the Crusade for Greater Nigeria on Poverty Eradication and Social Matters has honoured Elumelu with the 2008 heroes’ award.
Other recipients are Lagos State governor, Chief Babatunde Fashola, Akwa-Ibom governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, and Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro. The rest are ICPC chairman, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, NAFDAC DG, Dora Akunyili, Senator Uche Chukwumerije and Senator Victor Egba-Ndoma.

Mugabe loses key post
HARARE: Zimbabwe's main opposition party won the top job in parliament yesterday, a surprise victory for democracy that could give the opposition leverage in deadlocked power-sharing talks following the country's disputed election. President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party had been expected to win the key post of Speaker, but did not nominate a candidate because "the figures were against us", party MP Walter Mzemdi said. Zanu-PF MPs were instructed to vote for the leader of a splinter opposition faction, Paul Themba-Nyathi, he said. But Lovemore Moyo, of Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change, won the key position by 110 votes to 98. The distribution of votes in the secret ballot showed Moyo apparently got votes from both Mugabe's party and the breakaway splinter faction.
The Speaker can control the timing and pace of debate, which is a strategic advantage. Analyst Simandla Zondi said the victory marked "the beginning of power-sharing not by consensus, but by issue of the electoral weight" of the opposition party. "It gives them a significant amount of power to build the legislative assembly into a strong force for accountability, one which is really going to force the executive (Mugabe) to find a way to work with a parliament which may be led by hostile forces," said Zondi, of South Africa's Institute for Global Dialogue. Zanu-PF won a later vote for the presidency of the upper house of parliament, the Senate - where it has a majority - meaning it can block legislation passed by parliament. If Tsvangirai's party continues to win support from MPs in other parties, the opposition could block legislationin parliament and funding for major ministries.
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The opposition says Mugabe's decision to convene parliament undermined his negotiations with Tsvangirai. The Movement for Democratic Change party has 100 seats in the 210-seat legislature; Mugabe's party 99; and a faction that broke away from the opposition has 10. An independent politician who broke away from Mugabe's party, Jonathan Moyo, has the remaining seat. Jonathan Moyo seconded the candidacy of Nyathi, which indicated that at least one Zanu-PF legislator must have voted for Tsvangirai's candidate, Lovemore Moyo, in the secret ballot. The two Moyos are not related. Lovemore Moyo promised to "work towards a professional parliament that will represent the true wishes of the people of Zimbabwe".
Shortly before the election of the Speaker, two opposition politicians were arrested as they entered parliament to be sworn in. One of those arrested, Sure Mudiwa, was held briefly and was among 208 of the 210 lawmakers sworn in. But Elia Jembere did not reappear. He was among seven opposition activists police had said they were seeking, alleging for being involved in election violence. Mudiwa was not on the list. The uniformed and plainclothes officers who made the arrests did not say why or where the two were taken. An opposition statement said police also tried to arrest a third member, who is on a team trying to negotiate the power-sharing agreement, but he "was rescued by other MDC members of parliament".

MASSOB asks Igbo to stay at home on Thursday
DESPITE the clampdown on members of the outlawed Movement for Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) by the security operatives, the group has called on Igbo to remain at home on Thursday to mark the struggle for a Biafran republic.
The sit-at-home order is expected to take effect from 7.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. In letters posted at strategic places in Enugu metropolis, signed by the leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, MASSOB said its struggle was a matter of life and death.
According to the group, based on the realisation that the destiny of the Igbo lied with them, they had resisted all temptations to compromise on the struggle.“Presently, the Federal Government, through some Igbo politicians, is using some of our expelled members to create the impression that there is crisis in MASSOB. This is a mere storm in a tea cup. The struggle for Biafra is unstoppable.“We recently engaged a team of international lobbyists to facilitate the quick realisation of Biafra. And this stay-at-home is highly needed to lead us the next stage. We count on your usual cooperation,” it added.Efforts to reach the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mike Abattam, for comment were not fruitful as he was not in the office at the time the Nigerian Tribune called on Monday