IGBO political leaders in the five South Eastern states rose from a meeting in Enugu yesterday with a resolve to work tenaciously for the realization of President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential ambition in the 2011.

ON this, the eve of the general elections, it is again evident that the Anioma are on the road to self-immolation. Those who attack the ideology and or philosophical foundation of democracy have opined that it is only at election time that the people have any weight.

THE Speakers of 36 State Houses of Assembly have endorsed the National Assembly’s appeal at the Supreme Court challenging the Lagos High Court ruling on the First amendment to the 1999 Constitution.

THE potential flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party and gubernatorial aspirant in Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi, said yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan remained the only credible candidate in the line up of aspirants contesting 2011 general elections.

A LITTLE over one year after the amnesty programme of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua went into effect, with hundreds of ex-militants of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, surrendering their weapons to the federal authorities, the nation seems to be sliding to square one.

Ahead of the unveiling of a consensus candidate from the north by the Adamu Ciroma committee of Wise men and leaders, to challenge President Goodluck Jonathan in the forthcoming presidential primaries of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, has asked northerners to ignore the activities of Ciroma.

Sponsors of the controversial bill that canvassed for inclusion of lawmakers as members of political parties’ NEC said the move was to save the parties from “dictatorial and tyrannical” management.

AN Anambra State High Court sitting at Otuocha has ordered an Onitsha-based legal practitioner, Mr. Chibuzo Odili, and his client, Mr. Chinonso Nwajeri, to pay the sum of N2.05 million to one Mr. Samuel Ugokwe, an Onitsha-based trader over alleged false accusation.

MEMBERS of the current session of the National Assembly surely qualify as the worst crop of legislators ever assembled in Nigeria. Since the Freedom of Information Bill was introduced about 10 years ago, the House of Representatives, Senate and Presidency have been dancing circles around it to ensure it does not become law because if it does, governance will be demystified in accordance with genuine democratic traditions.

The nation’s governors have launched an offensive including the use of carrot and stick to kill the proposed law aimed at integrating members of the National Assembly into the National Executive Committees of the political parties.