AT the inception of this administration President Musa Yar’ Adua vowed to frontally fight corruption in the polity. Two years down the line, it appears not much is being done in this regard. Some critics have even accused the administration of insincerity in its battle against graft. One of the anti- corruption agencies which Yar’ Adua inherited is the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ICPC headed by Justice Emmanuel Ayoola.

FIRST son of late Albert Badey, one of the four prominent Ogoni chiefs that were killed in Giokoo, Gokana local government area on May 21st, 1994, Mr. Swaga Alex Badey, in this interview with Vanguard described the recent decision by Shell to pay compensation to families of late Ken Saro Wiwa and the other eight that were hung as sad and divisive. Instead of compensation, he said, Shell should have shown sincere resolve to address the devastation and degradation caused by its operations in Ogoni land.

QUITE unexpectedly, Cross Rivers State has suddenly found itself out of the club of oil producing states in the country. Obviously this will have telling effects on the state revenue and by implication, affect governance. In this interview with journalists, Gov Liyel Imoke spoke on efforts to reverse the development and how the state is presently coping. He also spoke on power sector and South-South states. Excerpts:

With a radical disposition forged in the lecture theatre of the famous Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) of the Ahmadu Bello University in the early seventies, Kuta yet carries on as a comrade with vituperations against the bourgeoisie class. Despite signs of comfort here and there like the air-conditioning in his office which he said is for his visitors, Comrade Senator Kuta nevertheless remained one of the voices of the masses in the Senate.

FORMER Chairman of South-South Peoples Assembly (SSPA) Ambassador Matthew Tawo Mbu, the Otu Agrinya of Boki land in Cross River State is not only an elder statesman but also a lawyer and diplomat who could be described as one of the few nationalists of the first republic. Although he has a string of honorary doctorate degrees, he likes to remind you that he only treasures the one he sweated for; a doctorate in law.