IT had become evident during the tenure of Professor Maurice Iwu as Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission that the responsibility for midwifing democracy in Nigeria had been vested in the office of the Chairman of the Commission.

WHEN on July 12, 2009, the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND, bombed Atlas Cove, a sprawling Federal Government owned oil facility in the heart of Lagos, it was a shocked nation that suddenly woke up to the realisation that the country as a whole was no longer safe from attack by the Niger Delta militants who, up till then, had restricted their attacks to the oil facilities in that region.

Consequent upon misgivings in some quarters over the propriety of the State Security Service, SSS, screening being carried out on ministerial nominees, Vanguard can reveal that the security agency is statutorily empowered to carry out the screening.

EDO:
Arch.Mike Onolemenmen

Arch. Mike Onolemenmen was the former Minister of State for Defence and first cousin to the former Chairman,Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih. He is also from Uromi, in Edo Central Senatorial District with Chief Anenih.

A list of 33 ministerial nominees was presented to the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark yesterday evening. The list was presented by an unidentified presidential aide to Senator Mark who is expected to formally unveil the names at today’s session.