Nigeria yesterday disagreed with Iran that the issue of shipment of 13 containers of arms intercepted at Apapa port where Iran was accused of complicity has been settled.

It is popularly called Ileya among the Yoruba, but its Arabic name of Eid-El Kabir captures its global relevance as an annual celebration among the Muslim faithful.

Five months to the April 2011 general polls, a thick cloud of uncertainty is still covering the exercise. And this is in spite of assurances by President Goodluck Jonathan and Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, that the nation would witness free and fair elections next year.

GOVERNOR Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has warned that if the much talked about electoral reforms failed to come into fruition before the 2011 general elections, Nigerians would mobilize to resist any attempt to rig the elections by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

As the final countdown to the announcement of a consensus candidate by the North begins, the four Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirants (former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former National Security Adviser, NSA, General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau and Kwara State governor, Abubakar Bukola Saraki) on the bill of the Northern Political Leaders Forum, NPLF, are already holding talks on their individual and collective post announcement activities.

President Goodluck Jonathan Saturday said that the Federal Government would ensure that enough funds would be provided for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) even if it will squeeze itself for the Commission to conduct a free, fair and credible election in 2011.

Militants, early yesterday bombed the Opokuma, Bayelsa State country home of the Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta, Mr. Timi Alaibe, killing his police guard.

THE battle for the governorship ticket of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Delta State turned bloody, Thursday night, when a private political army suspected to be working for a splinter group, bombed the residence of one of the governorship aspirants, Mr. Jude Ukusare , killing his 73-year-old mother, Chief (Mrs) Agnes Ukusare and a nine-year-old girl, Miss Favour Najemo.

THE Nigerian government yesterday fingered its Iranian counterpart as the brains behind last month shipment into Nigeria of 13 containers loaded with weapons such as grenades and rocket which were intercepted at Apapa port by the State Security Service, SSS.

Former Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Professor Eugene Okpere, who was abducted, Sunday, by kidnappers, regained his freedom Thursday, after the family was said to have paid N2.5million ransom.