Sudanese opposition leader held

Sudanese Islamist opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi -- once President Omar al-Bashir's main ally -- was arrested Saturday night, according to state media and al-Turabi's political colleagues.

State-run Ashorooq network said al-Turabi, head of Popular Congress Party (PCP), was detained after remarks he made in a local newspaper criticizing al-Bashir's regime and its handling of last month's elections.

Ibrahim al-Senousi, PCP deputy, said that security forces raided al-Turabi's house and detained him. His secretary, Awad Babakir, added that, "Armed security forces and intelligence agents arrived in three cars and took Dr. al-Turabi to an unknown location."

Kamal Omar, PCP secretary general said, "the authorities transported al-Turabi to Kober prison in Khartoum for investigation after his arrest around midnight (Saturday)."

Omar also said that military forces took over the PCP newspaper building last night and prevented journalists from entering its premises.

The newspaper's editor-in-chief, Omar al-Imam, said authorities closed the newspaper Saturday night.

CNN could not obtain an official statement from al-Bashir's government on Sunday.

Al-Turabi has been imprisoned a few times within the last few years, the last time in January 2009.

Al-Bashir seized power in a military coup in 1989 together with his then-close ally al-Turabi, who was long thought to be the power behind al-Bashir's regime.

In 2000, the president ousted al-Turabi from his post as parliament speaker and stripped him of his political power. Al-Bashir accused al-Turabi of undermining his power.

Al-Turabi later formed the opposition Popular Congress Party.

The oil-rich African nation has been riven by fighting in Darfur and a civil war between north and south.

Source:(CNN)

Ministers Chastised For Lateness To Function

The late arrival of the Minister of Education and other governmental officials to the prize-giving day ceremony of the Anfoega Senior High School in the Kpando District on Saturday, May 15 incurred the displeasure of the Paramount Chief of Anfoega traditional area, Togbe Tepre Hodo II, who minced no words in chastising them.

The program which should have begun at 9:30 am, started at 1:30pm. The Education Minister, Mr. Alex Tettey-Enyo, the Volta Regional Minister, Joseph Amenowode and the Director of Education, Gabriel Kploanyi, all arrived at 12:11pm. Togbe Hodo castigated government officials and politicians in general for being in the habit of arriving at functions late and thus “distorting the programme and wasting everybody’s time.”

He said that “if the President does not put his foot down to check these attitudes of his ministers and other politicians; they would derail his ‘Better Ghana’ agenda.” Togbe Hodo said “the time has come for politicians to call a spade a spade and not a big spoon, because Ghanaians can no longer be taken for granted by politicians.

He cautioned that if things continued to be done the same way as was done in past, then the Better Ghana agenda that Ghanaians had been promised and were yeaning for would elude them. “We are all talking about leadership and if our politicians continue this way, what type of signals are they sending to the youth? “My chiefs and I disapprove of late start of functions and especially so when no reasons are assigned for the lateness,” the paramount chief said.

He cautioned politicians not to take traditional authorities for granted or they would pay dearly for it. Both the Minister of Education and the Regional Minister apologized to the guests. Mr. Tettey-Enyo said they could not have absented themselves from the function and had to attend at all cost. He said it was not their intention to inconvenience traditional authorities and inconvenience traditional authorities and other dignitaries and invited guests.

Mr. Amenowode said he would not attempt an explanation for arriving late. The occasion which was on the theme: “45-yerars of Community Education. Challenges and the way forward,” was used on commission a bus, a computer laboratory and girls hostel. Mrs. Margaret Krampah, the headmistress of the school, appealed for a boy’s dormitory, administration block, a dinning hall complex, classrooms and staff bungalows to enhance academic work.

Mr. Peter Hayibor, chairman of the Board of Governors, expressed concern about the school’s low enrolment, describing it as a setback in the human resource development of the area and appealed to stakeholders in education to save the situation.

Akufo-Addo shocked by support at Isaac Osei’s constituency

Monday, 17th May: - If there was any doubt about Nana Akufo-Addo’s popularity in the main opposition party, then this cleared it. Subin on Sunday sent a clear message to the party and country, at large, where lies the overwhelming sentiment of the New Patriotic Party.

The filled-to-capacity atmosphere at the Owner Services Auditorium, Subin, Kumasi, was charged with positive excitement on Sunday, May 16, when Nana Akufo-Addo met with Subin delegates to tell his message of hope for victory 2012 to them.

“This is a big shock. We knew Nana was popular among polling station executives in this constituency. But, this is beyond our widest expectation,” Nana Yaw Osafo-Maafo, a member of Nana Akufo-Addo’s Victory 2012 campaign team, said after witnessing the ground swell of support his candidate received at Subin on Sunday.

Nana Akufo-Addo, who is competing for re-election as the presidential candidate of the NPP, also expressed a similar surprise and thanked the delegates for keeping faith with him.

Mr. Isaac Osei is the Member of Parliament for Subin and was thought to have the overwhelming support of his constituency delegates. Mr. Osei is one of five aspirants competing for the 2012 presidential nomination of the New Patriotic Party.

With the Subin constituency chairman, Alhaji Baba Wala, being a leading member of Mr. Osei’s campaign team, and news that most of the 16 constituency officers were in support of their MP’s presidential bid, what was not known was the allegiance of the 485 polling station executives, representing all 97 polling station areas and the 10 electoral area coordinators.

But, on Sunday, the overwhelming majority of the delegates spoke boldly and they spoke in favour of Nana Akufo-Addo.

Sloganeering in twi, they shouted “the one who toils is the one who must reap,” referring to Nana Akufo-Addo’s enduring contribution to the fortunes of the party from its conception.

The resounding message was that, by winning the confidence of 49.77% of the Ghanaian electorate in 2008, Nana Akufo-Addo represents the best hope for the NPP to change the trend of two four-year-terms for a sitting president.

One delegate said they will be electing on August 7, the candidate who has the best chance of winning in 2012, “not one who wants to use 2012 as a launching pad for 2016.”

The delegates said they were aware that while their MP was among those who openly campaigned against the expansion of the electoral college in 2009, Nana Akufo-Addo was the only known presidential aspirant, among the five, who went all out to push for the expansion.

“Unlike the past where only 10 constituency officers and members would pocket some big money and decide who to lead us, today, all of us polling station officers have the vote,” said one Subin delegate, K Agyemang.

“Those who thought we were not good enough to vote now thinks our vote is good enough for them. We shall see!” he added.

The delegates were determined to make it clear to Nana Akufo-Addo that Subin was more than a ‘go-area’ for him.

One delegate screamed to a loud echo of approval from the audience, “the results from Subin on August 7 will tell you we are all for you!”

The NPP will choose its 2012 flagbearer on Aug 7, 2010. The elections will take place simultaneously at 230 centres in all 230 constituencies across the country. The ballots will be counted and results declared at the constituency polling centres.

In a very short and powerful message, Nana Akufo-Addo asked delegates to vote for the name that is on the lips and minds of all Ghanaians today, whether in the market places, households, on the streets or workplaces.

“Some of us campaigned vigorously for polling station executives to have the vote because we know you are the men and women who do the actual door-to-door campaign and who on election day will get our people out to vote,” Nana Akufo-Addo explained.

“We are also aware that you have day-to-day interactions with members of your various communities. You hear what they are saying. You know who they want. So we want you to be the main decision-makers on who you think you can sell the easiest if elected as your presidential candidate,” he said.

Nana Akufo-Addo tasked polling station executives to make good use of the power that has been given them, because “if today, the Ghanaian people are looking up to the NPP to come and salvage our country from the pain and hardships, then they are looking up to you the polling station executives of our party to choose the candidate who can lead you to victory.”

He added, “the larger responsibility of bringing the NPP back into power in 2012 lies on you. For our part, we will do what we have to do, including giving you the resources to do your work effectively.”

The atmosphere in Mr. Isaac Osei’s constituency was not only vibrant but peaceful. He is the only candidate who is a sitting MP. Nana Akufo-Addo, with a 12-year background as an MP, is the only other candidate with any parliamentary experience.

Minority Leader, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, who was in Kumasi at the weekend, expressed the desirability of political parties nominating presidential candidates who have had experience as a legislature or of an elected office holder, as has become the norm in America.