You can defect, PDP dares rebel govs

The Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday said it would not compel any of its members to remain within its fold.

It said while it would prefer to dialogue with the aggrieved members to resolve any outstanding issues, it recognised that there was no compulsion in political party membership.

The party was reacting to a threat by some of the governors to defect to the opposition All Progressives Congress if the crisis within the party persisted.

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, told our correspondent over the telephone that the party was a democratic institution made up of individuals who chose to be members on their own free will.

He said, “We want them to remain in the party. We will want to work with them and resolve our issues; but we are in a democracy and in a democracy membership of a party is a choice freely made.”

Jim Iyke holding jealously to his new faith

PUNCH - Three weeks after his ‘deliverance’ in a Lagos church, Nollywood star, Jim Iyke, now sings a brand new song on Twitter, writes JAYNE AUGOYE

When the news  of Jim Iyke’s purported deliverance from ‘demons’ at the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Lagos,  was announced on the TB Joshua Ministries Facebook account on September 29, it immediately sparked an online frenzy.

An accompanying video, which saw the actor rolling all over the floor as ‘demons and evil spirit’ were being cast out of him by a minister in the church, elicited mixed reactions and had many saying that it was all stage-managed by the actor, in a quest for relevance. Not a few also argued that there was more to it all than meet the eye.

Yet, surprisingly, Iyke, appears to have chosen to remain silent amid increasing public criticism. Occasionally he lets out some tweets that have further heightened the suspense.

Identity verification: Jonathan orders agencies to stop multiple registration

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday ordered all government agencies requiring identity verification or involved in data capturing activities by switching over to the National Identity Management Commission infrastructure by December 31, 2014.

He also gave the NIMC till the same date to ensure that all eligible persons as provided for in Section 16 of the NIMC Act 23 of 2007 were enrolled into the National Identity Database.

Jonathan handed down the order at the inauguration of the enrollment exercise for the issuance of the National Identification Number held inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

There has been growing concerns among Nigerians over the duplication of data capturing activities by government agencies including the Federal Road Safety Commission, Nigeria Police, Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigeria Population Commission.

The Biometric Central Motor Registration introduced by the Nigeria Police recently had attracted criticism with many describing it as unnecessary.

Nigeria move up on FIFA rankings

Nigeria have moved up to the 33rd position in the latest FIFA  rankings released on Thursday. The Super Eagles gained three spots from last month’s ranking following their victory against Ethiopia in Sunday’s World Cup first leg play-off in Addis Ababa.

The Eagles have had a topsy-turvy year rising to 28th position in May but falling down to 36th in September. Their victory over Ethiopia has now pushed them up three places on the rankings.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia dropped two spots to finish 95 ahead of their return leg against Nigeria in Calabar next month.

Ivory Coast  continue to be the top ranked African side moving up two places to 17 this month. Ghana also move up one spot to finish in 23rd position while Algeria dropped four spots to finish in 32nd position just ahead of Nigeria.

Spain remain the leading country in the world followed by Germany, Argentina, Colombia and Belgium in the top five.

Bulletproof car scandal: Airline operators, others demand investigation

Some stakeholders in the aviation industry and civil society  groups   have called on the nation’s anti-corruption  agencies to investigate the purchase of two bulletproof vehicles for the Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Oduah.

The vehicles valued at a whopping $1.6m(about N225m) were said to have been  delivered to Oduah in August by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

But the aviation industry stakeholders and the groups, in separate interviews with our correspondents on Thursday, said their calls for a probe  were  necessary in order to identify and prosecute those behind the controversial deal.

The aviation stakeholders are the  Airline Operators of Nigerian and  Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.

AON, through its Assistant General Secretary, Mr. Muhammed Tukur, described the purchase of the bulletproof cars as unfortunate, saying   it showed the high level of  corruption  in Nigeria .

I don’t need average players – Eagles coach

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi insists that the door remains open for new players to come into the Super Eagles, but says it will take “very high quality” to dislodge any of his current players.

“It’s going to be very hard,” Keshi told KickOffNigeria.com. “Anybody that wants to break into the team now must be a very tangible player.

“He must have a very great thing for us that he is bringing into the team to make the team much better.

“The door is not closed, there are a lot of Nigerian players out there that have not gotten the opportunity to play, I have not seen them.

“But if there’s anybody coming into the team, he must be a very high quality player.”

The likes of Dinamo Kyiv’s Haruna Lukman, Kilmarnock’s Gabriel Reuben and Hull City’s Sone Aluko are knocking on the door and Keshi says they will get a chance to prove their quality.

“In every department of the Eagles, we need competition and we need players who can bring that competition.

“If Lukman is doing so well, we will bring him in. We have people like (Gabriel) Rueben and Sone Aluko, who are doing well too, so why not we will bring all of them in?

They are all Nigerians and they want to play and it’s a blessing for me and for the team,” Keshi said.

Keshi invites home boys for Jordan

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has invited 28 domestic league players to camp ahead of  the October 28 friendly game against Jordan in Amman.

In a statement on Tuesday, spokesman for the Nigeria Football Federation Ademola Olajire said the camp would open   on Thursday.

He said the friendly game was to enable Keshi to prepare his squad for  the African Nations Championship in South Africa next year. The Eagles will be playing in the  competition meant for players playing their trade for clubs  in their countries for the first time.

On the other hand,  Jordan will use the encounter  to prepare for their 2014  World Cup playoff  against South American powerhouse Uruguay.

As expected, Keshi invited goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Solomon Kwambe, Benjamin Francis and Sunday Mba, who are members of the first team.

The Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations winner  invited the 2013 Federation Cup hero Bright Esieme from Enyimba, as well as  former France-based Ejike Uzoenyi and  Nasarawa United’s Victor Namo, who the domestic league leading scorer. Other prominent players listed are Daniel Akpeyi, Ebenezer Odunlami,  Umar Zango, Etebo Oghene, Muhammad Gambo, Ifeanyi Edeh and Ezekiel Mbah.

The squad are scheduled  to depart the country  for Amman on October 25.