Monday, april 13, 2015(new) by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Poor electricity: Applications to import generators soar TOLA AKINMUTIMI & UDEME AKPAN

espite privatisation and assurances by the Federal

Nebo

Vol. 5 N0. 1089

Government on improved electricity, investigations have shown that unstable power supply has buoyed generator importation significantly over the past two years.

THE

BUSINESS SECTION

This shows that billions of Naira committed to the privatisation of the sector by power generation (Gencos) and power distribution companies (Discos)

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

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Mobile internet users surge to 80 million P.A4

Monday, April 13, 2015

FRONT PAGE COMMENT:

ecent reports show that the political class stepped up their odious pastime, as their political fortunes tumble with panic-stricken members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defecting in droves

N150

Away with politics of opportunism to the erstwhile opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) following the losses their party posted during the March 28 presidential and National Assembly polls. In Gombe, the Major-

ity Leader of the House of Assembly, Mamman Alkali, was listed as one of scores of PDP members who defected to the APC. Over 50 Personal Assistants CONTINUED ON PAGE 16>>

Ambode, Umahi, Tambuwal, Udom, Masari, el-Rufai win BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS

ll Progressives Congress, APC, may be coasting to a landslide in the gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly elections held weekend, as it has

...APC gets 18 states, PDP 5 BEHOLD! THE NEW GOVERNORS

already gotten 18 states in its kitty. Governor Abiola Ajimobi finally broke the second term jinx in Oyo

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

THE RESULTS SO FAR STATES

APC

PDP

LAGOS

811,994

659,788

OGUN

306,988

201,440

OYO

327,319

79,019

KWARA

295,831

115,140

NIGER

450,757

171,856

AKWA IBOM

996,071

89,865

KADUNA

1,117,635

485,140

KATSINA

943,085

476,768

KANO

1,546,434

509,720

SOKOTO

647,609

269,074

GOMBE

285,369

205,132

EBONYI

289,867

27,583

BAUCHI

654,934

282,650

ENUGU

482,277

43,837

Ahmed, Amosun, Ajimobi, Dankwambo re-elected

Ambode (Lagos)

el-Rufai (Kaduna)

Masari (Katsina)

Udom (Akwa Ibom)

Umahi (Ebonyi)

Tambuwal (Sokoto)

Ugwuanyi (Enugu)

Abubakar (Bauchi)

Ganduje (Kano)

irst term governors of Ogun, Oyo, Kwara and Gombe states, Ibikunle Amosun, Abiola Ajimobi, Abdulfatah Ahmed and Ibrahim Dankwambo respectively, were re-elected for a second term in Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gubernatorial election. Amosun, who contested on the banner of the All Progressives Congress, APC, polled 306,988 votes to defeat his closest rival, Gboyega Isiaka of the Peoples Democratic party, PDP, who managed to garner 201,440 votes. In Oyo, Ajimobi, also of the APC, defeated other contenders for the Agodi Government House, which included two former governors, Rashidi Ladoja and Adebayo AlaoAkala. He polled 327,319 votes to win the gubernatorial elections. PDP candidate and former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin, came a distant fourth with 79,019 votes.

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Ambode, Umahi, Tambuwal, Udom, Masari, el-Rufai win CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

State, as he was re-elected for a second term, becoming the first governor of the Pacesetter State to be so re-elected. Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, was declared winner. He won 11 out of the 20 local government councils of the state to retain his seat for another four-year term. INEC’s State Returning Officer, SRO, Prof. Duro Oni, said Amosun polled 306,988 out of 555,430 total valid votes cast to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, who polled 201,440 votes. Ajimobi defeated 11 other candidates, among whom were two former governors, Rashidi Ladoja and Adebayo AlaoAkala, who contested under the platforms of Accord Party and Labour Party, LP, respectively and candidates of the PDP, Teslim Folarin and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Seyi Makinde. Ajimobi triumphed in 20 of the 33 local government areas, leaving Ladoja and Akala with seven and six councils respectively. He polled 327,319 votes against Ladoja and AlaoAkala who polled 254,520 and 184,111 votes respectively. Folarin and Makinde polled 79,019 and 54,740 votes. APC won 18 of the 32 state Assembly seats, leaving Accord and LP with 8 and 6 seats respectively. PDP and SDP won no seat. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, the returning officer for the state gubernatorial poll, Prof. Ayobami Salami, declared that “Ajimobi of APC having satisfied the requirement and scored highest number of votes is hereby declared winner.” In Lagos State, APC’s Akinwunmi Ambode defeated PDP’s Jimi Agbaje, his closest rival in the race to Alausa Round House with 152, 206 votes. Ambode polled 811,994 to defeat Agbaje who polled 659,788. Ambode won in 15 out of the 20 lo-

cal government areas of the state, while PDP won in only five. Agbaje, who has since conceded defeat, reportedly called Ambode on his cell phone around 7pm to congratulate him on his victory at the polls. Agbaje equally twitted on his handle: “I just called Akinwunmi Ambode to congratulate him on his victory. I wish him well and pray he will be successful in guiding this state.” In Gombe, PDP’s Governor Ibrahim Hassan

Dankwambo was returned winner. He polled 285,369 votes to defeat APC candidate, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya who garnered 205,132 votes, in a result released by the state returning officer, Prof. Saminu Ibrahim. However, the victory is seen by many in the state as a big blow to immediate past governor of the state and leader of the APC, Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, who is seen as the main force behind Inuwa's campaign.

In Enugu, PDP’s Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has been declared winner. The state returning officer, Prof. Hillary Edeoga declared that Uguwanyi polled 482,277 votes against his closest rival, APC’s Okey Ezea, who garnered 43,837 votes. In Katsina, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Masari, of the APC was declared winner, beating six other contestants to the plum job. He garnered 943,085 votes against his closest

rival, PDP’s Musa Nashuni, who polled 476,768 votes. INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof. Lawal Sulieman Biblis, who read out the results, said Masari was returned after having certified requirements of the electoral law. Biblis said total number of voters for the election was 2,798,102; 1,641,251 were accredited, and valid votes were 1,514,000. He said rejected votes stood at 41,333, total votes cast was 1,555,333.

Meanwhile, it was celebration galore for the APC members following their gubernatorial win, with celebrations reported in several parts of the state following the results' announcement. APC also won all the seats in the state House of Assembly. The story was also not different in Sokoto as the incumbent Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal won the gubernatorial election for CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

L-R: Returning Officer, Prof. Ayobami Salami; Resident Electoral Commissioner for Oyo State, Amb. Rufus Akeju and AIG Zone 2, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye, during the announcement of results of governorship election in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Poor electricity: Applications to import generators soar and loans guaranteed for them by government for improved electricity may not have begun to yield tangible results. Available statistics on power generator imports showed that in 2013 alone, 524 applications were received and processed as against the about 430 in the preceding year. Though the 2014 official figures were not made available officially by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, the regulatory agency responsible for issuance of import certificates to importers of generators at the time of filing this report, a source in the know of the

importation trend hinted that last year alone, over 650 applications were received. Only a few of the 2014 applications were said to have been processed by the end of the year, leaving a backlog of hundreds of applications to be processed this year. The source confirmed that this year, over 80 applications had been submitted by prospective importers of power generators as the hope of stable electricity remains slim still. The breakdown of the 2013 figures showed that 264 applications were received in the first half of the year compared with

the 260 applications received between July and December of the year. A further breakdown showed that 123 applications were received from importers in the first quarter, while 141,139 and 121 were received in the second and third quarter (July – September) and fourth quarter (October – December) respectively. An industry operator, who pleaded not to be named, confirmed that the over 240 lucky applicants who secured the approval of NERC to import generators last year, were already bringing in the product, which came in different sizes and capacities.

NERC had earlier confirmed that the quest for generators remained high as the challenges of effective power generation, transmission and distribution in the country remained unabated. For instance, data by the Presidential Task Force on Power showed that the country generated 3,913 megawatts as at February 9, 2015. This, which is grossly insufficient considering the 10,000 mw, estimated national demand, culminated in load shedding, blackouts and increased importation of generators. The Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Sam

Amadi said, in a telephone interview with National Mirror, that the poor state of power supply may justify the need for increased importation of generators. Officials of the Ministry of Power in Abuja did not take their telephone calls when our correspondent called. But one of them, who preferred not to be named because he was not permitted to speak, hinted that the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, had stated that the cost of providing electricity per megawatt on average is $2bin. “For us to generate CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

PAGE

Monday, April 13, 2015

Good Health

Artificial blood to replace blood donation FRANKA OSAKWE

f per adventure you find yourself in a medical condition that requires blood transfusion for you to remain alive, at that point, the focus will be; getting a blood donor that will match your blood type, making sure the blood is free of infection, having it brought to the hospital on time, but these can be very challenging. More so, the right donor may not be available and other things may go wrong. But thankfully, scientists have developed artificially created blood that will one day replace blood donations for blood transfusion. The researchers from the University of Edinburgh have been using stem cells to create red blood cells and they have now reached an efficiency of almost 50 per cent. In 2016, these researchers will be trying their artificial blood in three patients who need regular transfusions due to a red blood cell disorder known as thalassaemia. If they succeed and the transfusion goes well, this breakthrough in red blood cell production could lead to a future where artificial blood is used more regularly than donated blood. This is according to the leader of the study and Medical Director at Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS), Professor Marc Turner, who predicted that artificial blood could replace donated blood as the norm for transfusion in the next 20 years. “The artificial blood would be made from a person of the rare universal blood type ‘O’ as this can be transfused into other patients of any blood type. “Producing an artificial blood which is of the scale, quality and safety required for human clinical trials is a very significant challenge” “But if we can achieve success with

this first trial, it will be an important step forward to enable populations all over the world to benefit from blood transfusions,” says Turner. He stressed, however, that it will take at least 20 years before artificial blood overtakes donated blood as the source for blood transfusions and that people should not stop donating any time soon.

Paracetamol cannot cure lower back pain

Walnut fights bowel cancer, heart disease

•Set for human trial in 2016

DID YOU KNOW?

illions of people advised by their doctor to take paracetamol to relieve lower back pain and osteoarthritis have been wasting their time, researchers claim. An extensive study has found that the over-the-counter drug is ineffective for pain concentrated in the lower spine.

If artificial blood finally replaces blood donation, it is hoped that the cost of blood per unit would drop. According to the researchers, artificial blood may also carry with it health advantages due to blood regeneration. “Blood cells last around 100 days but not all cells are born at the same moment, so donated blood is a mixture of old and new cells.

“Artifical blood, on the other hand, would be entirely new blood cells. The major problem at the moment is scaling up production from a trial to industrial levels. “Nonetheless if the trial proves to be a success, it would be a big step in the right direction towards making blood transfusions more widely available at a reasonable cost”, the report said. On how the process is made, Turner explained that it involves using adult skin or blood cells that have been genetically modified into stem cells, known as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. “These iPS cells are then cultured in biologic conditions that mimic the human body, eventually leading to their transition into mature red blood cells. “The trick so far has been increasing the efficiency of this transition process, as not all the cells are capable of becoming red blood cells. The red blood cells are then separated from the rest of the cells in a centrifuge”, he said. The team at the University of Edinburgh said they’re re-engineering the hemoglobin molecule to overcome a major problem faced by other researchers which is to make an artificial hemoglobin that isn’t toxic to the body. According to them, the new method is able to avoid toxicity by introducing into the artificial hemoglobin, specific amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, in an effort to detoxify it. “This artificial blood doesn’t need refrigeration, can be given to all blood types, and wouldn’t be at the mercy of willing donors”, they added. Although similar research has been conducted elsewhere, this would be the first time that manufactured blood would be produced in appropriate quality and safety standards for transfusion into a human being. The previous artificial blood was created by researchers from Babe -Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania Romania towards the end of 2013. The blood contained water and salts along with a protein known as hemerythrin that is extracted from sea worms. So far the artificial blood has been tested on laboratory mice that didn’t experience any adverse side effects.

Scientists also found that paracetamol offers just “small but not clinically important benefits” for people with osteoarthritis. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal, will come as a blow to millions of sufferers who use the pills to manage both conditions. Back pain and osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, are the leading causes of disability worldwide with clinical guidelines long recommending paracetamol as the first line drug treatment for both. But the research led by the George Institute for Global Health at the University of Sydney in Australia suggests this advice may be wrong.

ating a handful of walnuts a day can cut your risk of bowel cancer, heart disease and dementia, researchers claim. A number of studies presented at a conference in the US help shine fresh light on the super-food’s health boosting properties. Researchers at Ewha Womans University in Korea found that walnut extract reduces the size of colon tumours and slows the spread of cancer stem cells. They called for further studies into the role of walnut consumption in bowel cancer therapies.

Another recent study at Louisiana State University showed that adding walnuts to the diet of animals improved their gut bacteria, vital in maintaining a healthy bowel. At Tufts University, Massachusetts, tests on rats found that adding walnuts to their diet improved mental ability. The researchers said eating walnuts may help protect the ageing brain. And a study of postmenopausal women with high cholesterol by the University of California, Davis, found those who ate walnuts saw improved function in small blood vessels, where clots can cause a heart attack or stroke.

Photo News

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Executive Members of Abuja Residents Forum, Alhaji Abubakar Aminu; Leader, Hon. Olushola Emmanuel and Evang. Charles Okehislem, during a press briefing in Abuja, yesterday.

L-R: Senior Vice President, Babcock University, Prof. Iheanyichukwu Okoro; President, Prof Kayode Makinde; Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Bamitale Omole and Guest Speaker, Prof. Yetunde Makinde, during the 3rd inaugural lecture of Babcock University in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, at the weekend.

L-R: Managing Director/CEO, Uzoamaka Oshogwe; Chairman, Erelu Angela Adebayo and Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Mr. Obong Idiong, during the annual general meeting of the company in Lagos, recently

L-R: Resources Persons, Barrister Bonat Job Tagwai; Barrister Ado Solomon; Representative of Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. David Manya Dogo and Assistant Commissioner of Prisons (ACP) Cordelia Aguh at the Capacity Building on Mitigation of Post Election Violence for Community Support Brigade (CSB) held in Lafia, Nasarawa State at the weekend.

National News

INEC releases interim report on guber polls

…says 66 violent incidences recorded in 19 states Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA

ndependent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday released preliminary report on its conduct of governorship and Houses of Assembly elections across the country at the weekend. Governorship elections were held in 29 states of the federation, while House of Assembly elections were held in 36 states. Both exercises excluded the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, because the president and the federal legislature constitute the executive and legislative arms of the territory. The report, which was not signed by any INEC official, was however, sent through the usual channel used to reach the media by Chief Press Secretary to the commission’s chairman, Mr Kayode Idowu. Overall, many parts of the country remained rela-

tively peaceful during the elections, the report stated. It, however, regretted that in some states, there were records of a significant number of violent incidents, the most affected being Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi and Ondo states. “INEC’s records show that there were 66 reports of violent incidents targeted at polling units, the commission’s officials, voters and election materials. “These were in Rivers State (16 incidents), Ondo (8), Cross River and Ebonyi (6 each), Akwa Ibom (5), Bayelsa (4), Lagos and Kaduna (3 each), Jigawa, Enugu, Ekiti and Osun (2 each), Katsina, Plateau, Kogi, Abia, Imo, Kano and Ogun (1 each),” the report stated. It was, however, quick to add that the commission was investigating those incidents and would do everything within its powers to

bring the culprits to justice. According to the report, a general assessment of the exercise showed that the elections “went very well across the country”. It said 88.9 per cent of polling units opened for accreditation between 8am and 10am across the country. Only 5.2 per cent were yet to open as at 1pm. Also, 73 per cent of the polling

units had commenced voting by 2:30pm. INEC added that the process of accreditation with Smart Card Readers was also successful in majority of the polling units despite initial challenges recorded in Edo and Abia states. It said the technical teams deployed to support the states were able to resolve the issues on time.

INEC also commended Nigerians for once again demonstrating their resolve and commitment to participate in the electoral process and by doing so, contribute to deepening democracy in the country. The commission called on Nigerians to maintain the peace, as results of the governorship and House of Assembly elections are

being processed, and to accept the official outcome. It emphasised that winners can only emerge after collation of official results and on the basis of the requirements prescribed by the legal framework. The commission specifically urged any aggrieved persons or groups to seek redress at the tribunals.

Int’l observers call for cancellation of Rivers result

lection observers on Sunday called for cancellation of the governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State. Leader of African Centre for Leadership Strategies and Development, Mr Humphrey Bekaren, who spoke on behalf of the observers, made the call in Port Harcourt. He said the observers were shocked that INEC

disregarded the widely reported violent irregularities to begin the process of declaring results in the state. “We request all lovers of democracy to join us in calling for the outright cancellation of the phony election. “Unless this is done, we would have sown the seed that could eventually grow into providing a shade of fear and death over us,” he said.

According to Bekaren, what happened in Rivers State was a far cry from what election should be. “What we saw did not meet international standards of electioneering, not even the ones set by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC,’’ he said, adding that there were reported incidents like deliberate delays and diversion of electoral materials, attacks on

electoral officers, widespread arson and voter intimidation. Resident Electoral Commissioner for Rivers, Mrs Gesila Khan, said INEC cancelled election in centres with reported electoral malpractices. She said re-run elections took place in six local government areas in the state where electoral malpractices were reported.

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Monday, April 13, 2015

Poor electricity: Applications to import generators soar CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

40,000 mw like South Africa, we need to invest about $3.2trn (about N672trn),” he said. Investigations by our correspondent showed the low funding and other problems had impacted negatively on the rehabilitation of power sector infrastructure. For instance, a recent government data showed that some major units of Kainji plant, including 1G

5, 1G 6, 1G7, 1G8, 1G9, 1G10 and 1G11 were down for maintenance. The authoritative data showed that units 2G5 and 2G6 of Jebba plant were due for rehabilitation. The ST1 unit of Sapele Power Plant suffered a major water leakage in its boiler feed pump. Other units, including ST3, 4 and 5 were also out because of fault. Delta was not different. The power plant has a

generator winding fault in its GT3 and 5 while GT7 was shut because of leakage. While GT 19 broke down while other units such as GT11 and 15 experienced high vibration and turbine blade failure respectively, the Afam plant recorded some problems. For instance, its GT2 was down while GT3 suffered high vibration. Also, GT4, 5, 17, 18 and 19 were affected as a result of

various operational constraints. Also, Geregu Plant suffered a setback in its GT 12 and 13 due mainly to low gas pressure while the units GT2 and 3 of Omotoso were out because of some challenges. This is even as Olorunsogo Plant suffered a setback in its GT5 and 6 because of poor transformer and vibration respectively. The units GT21 and

Governor Godswill Akpabio (left) celebrating with the Governor-elect, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, at the Government House in Uyo,

22 of Geregu (NIPP) witnessed low gas pressure because of limited supply of the product. The GT1 unit of Alaoji (NIPP) was shut for water injection test. The GT4 unit of Olorunsogo (NIPP) was shut for maintenance; Omotoso (NIPP) was shut because of gas constraint while the GT1 unit of Ihovbor plant was shut as a result of another fault. The inadequate gas supply that affected the plants occurred mainly because of pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta. For instance, the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC Joint Venture has at various times shut its pipelines because of vandalism. The Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, noted that energy cost remained a major threat to the sustainability of business. Yusuf, who pointed out that expenditure by businesses on diesel and other fuels had risen greatly despite the privatisation of the power sector, lamented that profit margins of most firms has not yet shown improvement due mainly to rising cost of

alternative power supply. He said the chamber’s 2014 Business Environment Survey revealed that key sectors in the economy like construction, agriculture, manufacturing as well as oil and gas, have experienced slow growth. “Manufacturers, especially SMEs, still have major challenges such as worsening power supply, lack of access to credit, influx of fake and substandard products, and regulatory infractions, among others,” he said. The LCCI boss said with cost of fund generally hovering between 20 and 30 per cent, not many businesses can generate turnover to match the cost. Apart from the cost risks to the economy, there are also the environmental and health risks associated with the usage of the smoke-effusing generating sets. For instance, the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency, NESREA had hinted recently that it would establish vehicular emission testing centres across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The project, which is

Ambode, Umahi, Tambuwal, Udom, Masari, el-Rufai win CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

the APC. Tambuwal won with 647,609 votes, beating Abdallah Wali of the PDP who scored 269,074 votes, according to INEC. In Kaduna, APC candidate, Nasir el-Rufai sacks incumbent governor and PDP candidate, Ramalan Yero, in what has been described as a landslide victory. el-Rufai defeated Yero with 1,117,635 votes, while the PDP candidate polled 485,140 votes. Yero has conceded victory to his successor, wishing him success and prayed for peace and development in Kaduna State and Nigeria at large. Incumbent governor and APC candidate in Kwara State, Abdufatah Ahmed also won a second term in office after the collation of results from the 16 local councils of

the state. Ahmed won with 295,831 votes to PDP's 115,220 votes, while LP trailed with only 2,840 votes. APC also seems to be coasting home to victory in Niger State, as it leads the PDP, having won 17 out of the 18 local councils so far declared out of 25 councils. APC candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, won in Munya, Rijau, Shiroro, Gbako, Bida, Lavun, Chanchaga, Lapai, Agaie, Rafi, Paikoro, Suleja, Kacha, Borgu, Gurara, Bosso and Tafa council areas, polling 450,757 votes to PDP candidate, Hon. Nasko’s with 171,856 votes. Nasko only won in his local government of Magama. In Kano, as at the time of filing this report, APC candidate and deputy governor, Dr Abdulla-

hi Umar Ganduje, has emerged victorious in the 32 local government areas where results have been declared, beating his arch rival, Mallam Sagir Takai of the PDP in his Takai local government stronghold. Takai polled 19,855 votes to Ganduje’s 32,012 votes in his constituency. National Mirror reports that at the time of going to press, 32 returning officers have announced the outcome of the results in the 32 local governments, with Ganduje polling 1,032,884 votes out of 1,466,960, against 313,927 polled by the PDP standard bearer. The local governments whose gubernatorial elections results have been announced by assigned INEC returning officers are: Ajingi, Albasu, Bebeji, Danbatta, Dawakin Kudu, Dawakin

Tofa, Doguwa, Gabsawa, Garko, Gaya, Gezawa, Wudil, Warawa, Tudun Wada, Takai. Others are, Sumaila, Rogo, Rano, Munjibir, Makoda, Kiru, Kibiya, Karaye, Kabo, Gwarzo, and Garun Mallam local government areas. PDP gubernatorial candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel won in Akwa Ibom. Announcing the result of the election in Uyo, the Returning Officer, Prof. James Epoke, said Emmanuel polled 996,071 votes to defeat his APC rival, Mr Umana Umana, who polled 89,865 votes. Epoke said that Emmanuel won in all the 31 local government areas in the state, adding: “By the provision of the Electoral Act, Emmanuel, having scored the highest number of votes cast in the election, is hereby

declared elected.” It was history repeating itself in Bauchi State, as the APC defeated the ruling PDP with 654,934 votes. APC also won all the state Assembly seats, save two which the PDP won. APC candidate and incumbent governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura looks set to returning to Lafia Government House, as he is leading in eight out of 9 local councils so far declared with a margin of 24,724 over his closest rivals. Al-Makura won in Keana, Keffi, Wamba, Akwanga, Karu, Kokona and Obi councils, while Labaran Maku of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA won in Nasarawa Eggon local government area. PDP candidate, Mohammed Agabi is yet to win any local council. PDP and its candidate

in Ebonyi State, Mr. Dave Umahi, has been declared elected in the Saturday gubernatorial election. Declaring the results of the election, Ebonyi State collation officer, Prof Joseph Ahaneku, Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikwe University noted that Umahi won in 13 local councils, polling 289,867 votes to defeat LP, APC and APGA, which polled 124,817, 27,583 and 17,971 votes respectively. In Plateau State, PDP candidate, Gyang Pwajok was ahead of his closest rival, APC’s Simon Lalong with over 47,000 votes in the eight local councils which results have been declared by INEC. According to the results announced by INEC in Jos yesterday, the PDP and APC candidates won in four local councils apiece. In Adamawa, PDP CONTINUED ON PAGE 52>>

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Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Edo APC sweeps 21 Assembly seats SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN CITY

E Party faithful celebrating with Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (middle), his wife, Olufunso (right) and the incoming Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga (left), following Amosun’s victory in Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Abeokuta, yesterday.

L-R: Rivers State gubernatorial candidates, Mr. Dakuku Peterside (APC), Mr. Charles Harry (APGA) and Rev. Minaibim Harry (SDP), during a joint news conference asking for cancellation of the governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state, in Port Harcourt, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

do State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole’s last-minute aggressive campaigns yielded bountiful results with the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, defeating the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and taking a total of 21 seats in the 24-seat legislative chamber of the state.

Though APC lost the rescheduled Edo South senatorial election in Orhionmwon Local Government Area and parts of Uhunmwode local council to PDP, which candidate, Matthew Urhoghide, defeated APC’s reigning Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Samson Osagie, by 139,784 to 117,759 votes, APC’s performance in the state Assembly poll that held same day was much better compared to its result in 2008 and 2012 when he was overwhelmingly re-elected. Chairman, Board of Trustees of PDP, Tony Anenih, proved his mettle by pulling the needed strings to pick three seats for his party

in Edo Central Senatorial District. Declaring the results, Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mike Igini, commended Edo people for their lawful conduct and support that made the elections successful. “Overall, I am very satisfied, particularly with the performance of Saturday’s election. Unlike the first election last two weeks, our logistic arrangement was perfect,” Igini said. Declaring Urhoghide winner of the hotly contested and rescheduled election, the Returning Officer Prof Joseph Osemwenkhai said he scored the highest number of votes to satisfy the requirements to win the election. Edo South District Oredo I (West): APC scored 13,127 against PDP 10,193 votes. In Oredo II (East), the APC polled 15,587 against PDP’s 9,084 votes to win, even as APC won in Ikpoba-Okha with 23,571.votes, while PDP got 14,459 votes. In Egor, APC polled 19,554 votes while PDP got 12, 233 votes. The story was the

same as APC took Ovia South East with 22,562 votes against PDP’s 10,497 votes, as well as Orhionmwon and Ovia North East I with 7, 477 votes, while PDP polled 4,633 votes. In Ovia North East II, APC won with 8,041 votes, while PDP got 5,462 votes. Edo Central District Esan South East: APC polled 11,615 votes; PDP 18,867 votes. APC won Esan West, while PDP won Esan North East I. Esan North East II: PDP won. Esan Central: APC—10, 557 votes; PDP—8, 201 votes. Igueben: APC—8, 140 votes; PDP—6, 947 votes. Edo North District Akoko Edo I: APC— 14, 195 votes; PDP—7, 206 votes. Akoko Edo II: APC—2, 074 votes; PDP—677. Etsako West I: APC— 11, 228 votes; PDP—6, 321 votes. Etsako West II: APC—14, 373 votes: PDP—4, 001 votes. Etsako Central: APC won. Etsako East: APC—16, 825 votes; PDP—8, 793 votes. Owan West: APC—12, 883 votes; PDP—9, 963 votes. Owan East: APC won.

INEC withholds results in 4 Anambra constituencies …fixes re-run for April 18

Supporters of incumbent Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, jubillating over his victory in the governorship election in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Some ad hoc staff of INEC waiting to move election materials during the governorship and House of Assembly election at Imiringi in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, on Saturday. PHOTO: NAN

ndependent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Anambra State yesterday withheld the results of elections in four constituencies and fixed April 18 for the re-run.

Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr Edwin Nwatarali, announced the development in Awka when he briefed newsmen on outcome of the April 11House of Assembly election. Nwatarali also announced results of 25 constituencies, while one, Anambra West, was still being collated.

He said the four outstanding constituencies would have rescheduled elections due to electoral malpractices in the area during Saturday’s polls. According to Nwatarali, the 30 available seats, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, won in the 25 constituencies so far concluded. The commissioner listed areas where elections were rescheduled as Ekwusigo, where violence erupted during the poll; Aguata 1, Uga ward, Anaocha 1 and 2

where manual accreditation was used without justification. News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the 25 constituencies so far declared were mostly won by incumbent lawmakers. Anambra is one of the states where governorship election was not conducted.

Jega

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

POLL

Monday, April 13, 2015

LP guber candidate, supporters protest Delta results AMOUR UDEMUDE ASABA

Supporters of APC gubernatorial candidate, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, jubilating over his victory in the governorship election in Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Ogun PDP candidate to challenge Amosun’s victory FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

boyega Nasir Isiaka Campaign Organisation, GNICO, has signified intention to challenge the electoral victory of All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, in a court of law. GNICO in a statement issued and signed yesterday in Abeokuta by Direc-

tor of Media and Publicity, Ifekayode Akinbode, accused Ogun APC of rigging the governorship election, which gave victory to the incumbent governor, describing it as “unfortunate and not a true reflection of the wishes of the people.” Akinbode stressed that his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will follow legal process in seeking redress. He stated that GNICO

legal officers and PDP were looking at the results and promised they would come up with a clear position on the election, which he said was marred by gross irregularities. Akinbode appealed to PDP supporters, party faithful and Ogun people to remain calm and abstain from any act capable of disrupting the peace. The organisation further claimed that the gu-

bernatorial election held on Saturday was a travesty staged to help perpetuate APC government in the state in power. “Let us quickly state emphatically that we are displeased with the outcome of the governorship election, particularly being irregular in most aspects. It is clearly not a true reflection of Ogun people’s wishes and will be challenged as appropriate,” he stated.

Oba of Lagos holds prayer for peace

ba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, yesterday organised a prayer session for peaceful co-existence in Lagos and Nigeria in general. The prayer was conducted at his Iga Idunganran Palace on Lagos Island. Akiolu said the prayer was imperative to peaceful co-existence in Lagos and Nigeria in general, after peaceful conduct of the general elections in the state. He urged different tribes in Lagos to work for the progress of the state. The royal father urged the presidentelect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to assist Lagos in repairing most

of the damaged federal roads in the state. Akiolu, who spoke in Yoruba language, said when Buhari came to his palace during the campaign period, he was three hours behind schedule. He said Buhari complained of bad roads and told him that when he becomes the president he would help the state to reconstruct the roads. The monarch said he was sure that God would give him the power to do it. Akiolu also urged the incoming governor of Lagos, to do what he promised the people. The prayer was conducted by Imam Mujitabah Giwa, the Alawiye

of Lagos and his league of Imams. Giwa prayed for peaceful coexistence in Lagos and also for political leaders in the country. Some traditional rul-

ers in Lagos as well as white cap chiefs were present at the prayer session. Chairman of Eleganza Group, Chief Rasak Okoya, was among dignitaries present.

elta State Labour Party, LP, governorship candidate, Great Ogboru, led over 300 supporters yesterday evening to protest at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, office in Asaba over alleged malpractices and falsification of results in Saturday’s gubernatorial and House of Assembly election. The demonstrators were, however, barred from gaining entry into INEC headquarters by armed policemen, civil defence and other security personnel. The protesters carried placards that read: ‘PDP is a thief ’, ‘We shall not accept fraudulent results’, ‘Enough is enough’, and ‘The thieving is too much.’ The protesters stated that Ogboru won the election convincingly, but the

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in collaboration with some INEC officials, manipulated the results overnight. Ogboru therefore, called for immediate cancellation of the results because, according to him, ballot boxes were snatched in some areas. He stressed that the results from the wards were totally different from those announced at the INEC office, while usage of the Card Readers were totally ignored in most of the voting centres. According to Ogboru, in local government areas such as Burutu, Bomadi, Warri North, Warri South West, Isoko North, Isoko South and the entire Delta North, the card readers were not used, but fantastic figures were obtained. “The LP will no longer allow tyrants, who have colonised the state for years to continue to rule the state. We would contest the results in court

Whoever wins in Lagos is people’s choice –Mbu

ssistant InspectorGeneral of Police, Zone 2, Joseph Mbu, yesterday stated that whoever wins Lagos State governorship election did so on merit. Mbu told journalists at INEC office in Lagos, where the election results were being collated, that whoever emerged winner was the people’s choice. “We have done our best. I am not in possession of the figures, but I know it was a keen contest,’’ he said. He said no arrest was made by the police during Saturday’s governorship

and House of Assembly polls “because the people were orderly.” He said few incidents were recorded during the polls, but they were minor and did not warrant arrest. “There is no perfection on earth, but both the people and the security men did well,” he told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN. The two major contestants in the Lagos governorship election are Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress and Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Kogi APC accuses PDP of malpractice …says it won 10 seats WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

ll Progressives Congress, APC, says it won 10 of the 21 Kogi State House of Assembly seats, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of conniving with Peoples Democratic Par-

ty, PDP, to rig the election. Kogi APC Chairman, Haddy Ametuo, who disclosed this while addressing journalists yesterday in Lokoja, stated that most areas the results were declared have now been declared inconclusive. Ametuo noted that all the constituencies APC

won and got the result sheets, but now declared inconclusive, were Dekina /Biradu, Ofu and Koto Karfe. The APC boss also alleged that when the Resident Electoral Commissioner arrived Kogi, he was accommodated at Government House, adding that he has been aiding and abetting the ruling PDP to rig election in

the state. Ametuo listed the localities won by APC as Lokoja I, Koton Karfe, Mopamuro, Okene 1 Ofu, Ankpa I, Ankpa II, Dekina/ Biradu, Olamaboro and Ajaokuta. He called on the National Chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, to call the Kogi REC to order so as not to cause crisis in the state.

POLL

Monday, April 13, 2015

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Lagos Assembly poll: Elliot, Lai Mohammed’s son, win …as Obanikoro, Ajomale’s sons lose

ollywood star, Desmond Elliot, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Sunday polled 23,141 votes at the Surulere state constituency l to emerge winner. Mr Bayo Smith of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, came second with 12,546 votes in the April 11 poll. For Surulere Constituency ll, Returning Officer, Quadri, declared Mrs Mosunmola Sangodara-Rotimi of PDP winner with 33,583 votes, closely trailed by Mr Abiodun Awobotu of APC with 32,767 votes. Mr. Folajimi Mohammed, APC candidate and son of Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC’s spokesman, was also declared winner of Ikeja Constituency l House of Assembly election. INEC Returning Officer, Mr Onochie Mordi, made the declaration at the Central Primary School, Ikeja GRA. According to him, APC

scored the highest votes of 13,603 to emerge winner. INEC also declared Adedamola Kasunmu, APC candidate, as winner of Ikeja Constituency ll House of Assembly election. The APC candidate scored the highest number of 19,909 votes to emerge winner. The electoral commission also declared Wasiu Sanni and Giwa Shakirudeeen of APC as winners of the two seats in Lagos Island constituency. Declaring the result on Sunday morning, Dr Martha Amadi, Returning Officer, Lagos Island Constituency 1 for state House of Assembly election, said Sanni scored 17,866 votes to defeat Yusuf Saheed of PDP, who got 7,628 votes. Amadi said the three parties that contested in Lagos Island Constituency were APC, PDP and PPA. According to her, APC got 17,866 votes, PDP 7,628 and PPA 13 votes.

Also, Mr Adekunle Salvador, the Returning Officer, Lagos Island Constituency 2 for State House of Assembly Election, said that Mr Giwa Shakirudeen of APC scored 16,645 votes to defeat Mr Lateef Oluwanisola of PDP who got 7,676 votes. Salvador said that four political parties participated in the contest. Also, Mr Adekanye Oladele, the APC state House of Assembly candidate for Lagos Mainland I, was declared the winner of the constituency election. Oladele was declared winner of the election having polled 18,000 votes to defeat his major challenger Mr Ishola Jelili Balogun of PDP who scored 16,641. Mr Moshood Olarenwaju Oshun, the APC state House of Assembly candidate for Lagos Mainland II, was also declared the winner of the state constituency election. Olanrewaju polled 12,147 votes to defeat his major challenger Mr Ibrahim Aji-

ga of PDP who scored 9,985. The APC also won the two constituency seats in Mushin House of Assembly election. The INEC announced APC candidate, Funmilayo Tejuosho, as the winner of the Mushin House of Assembly Constituency 1. The commission also declared Olayiwola Olawale of APC as the winner for the Mushin House of Assembly constituency II. The PDP candidates, Dipo Olorunrinu and Hakeem Bello, were declared winners of Amuwo Odofin State Assembly Constituency I and II seats. The declarations were made by INEC’s returning officers of the constituencies, Mrs Fatima Taiwo and Prof. Ngozi Osarenren. Sultal Adeniji of APC scored 12,010 votes and Olorunrinu of PDP scored 13,580 votes. On the other hand, Ramota Hassan of APC scored 14,216 votes and Bello scored

Voters waiting patiently for results in Ajase-Ipo, Ifelodun LGA of Kwara State.

peaker, Plateau House of Assembly, Mr Titus Alams of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bokkos, on Saturday lost his bid to return to the house. Alams lost the seat to All Progressives Party, APC candidate, Mr Sunday Mallo, who polled 30,851 votes in the result declared by Returning Officer, Dr Kagoro Benjamin. Alams polled 21,331 to lose the seat. “I, Dr Kagoro Benja-

19,272 votes. Mudashiru Obasa of APC was declared winner for the Lagos State House of Assembly elections in Agege Constituency 1. Obasa polled 19,979 votes, Mr Adeyemi Adeseye of the PDP polled 14,489 votes, Mr Sogbade Adio of LP got 2,504 votes, Mr Babatola Oluwaseyi of AD got 93 votes. Similarly, Mr Ishahu Gbolahan and Mr Kazeem Alimi, of APC won the two seats in Eti-Osa constituency. Mr Oluwa Olatunji Fatai of PDP was returned as the winner of the House of As-

sembly election for AjeromiIfelodun Constituency Two. The PDP candidates were declared winners in the two state constituencies in Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area. In Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 1, Mr Shokunle Hakeem, was declared winner with 17,479 votes, while APC candidate, Mr Olukayode Ogundipe, came second with 17,125 votes and NCP candidate, Mr Olayilawal Ahmed, had 382 votes. In Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 2, PDP candidate, Emeka Idimogu, won with 27,423 votes. The APC candidate,

Ika South: Morka demands cancellation of election Theophilus Onojeghen WARRI

ll Progressives Congress, APC, House of Assembly candidate for Ika South Constituency in Delta State, Dr. Felix Morka, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to declare election in the area inconclusive. Morka in a letter to INEC obtained by our correspondent said he was calling for cancellation of the poll because the exercise in many polling units featured violence and votes were not collated in polling units. In a letter addressed to the Electoral Officer, Mrs Obasi, yesterday, the APC candidate said: “I write regarding the House of Assembly elections held in Ika South Local Government Area and to request that you declare the election to be void or inconclusive. I make

this request on the following grounds: “Voting in many polling units was truncated by extreme violence. There was no collation of votes in many polling units. Rather, the results of votes were written in INEC’s Local Government offices. There was no collation of results in any of the designated Ward Collation Centers. Rather, the ward collation is being done at the INEC LGA Offices.” Shedding more light as to why the poll should be voided, he stated: “The Ward collation agents mysteriously disappeared and never returned while polling officers wrote and doctored results in the full glare of all at your office. Even as of this morning, up until 5 am, your polling officers were filmed writing and rewriting polling units results. “I urge you to declare the House of Assembly election to be void or inconclusive.”

Plateau Speaker, Alams, loses seat min, returning officer for Bokkos Local Government, declare that Mr Sunday Mallo, having satisfied requirement of the law and having scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared winner and returned as elected,” he said. In Pankshin, Mr Diket Plang of PDP, who is also the House Committee Chairman, lost the Pank-

shin North Constituency seat to another APC candidate, Mrs Alice Nimlong. Dr Ajai Philip, Returning Officer, declared that Nimlong scored 17,782 votes against Plang’s 16,134 votes to clinch the seat. A former Speaker, Plateau House of Assembly, Mr Istifanus Mwansat of PDP, beat APC candidate, Mr Gideon Dashe, to re-

tain his seat in Pankshin South Constituency. Returning Officer, Dr Joel Barde, declared Mwansat winner with a total score of 9,841 against Dashe’s 8, 997 votes. In Kanke Local Government, PDP candidate, Mr Jacob Kassam scored 23,480 to be declared winner over his APC rival, Mr Emmanuel Jankanwa, who scored 17,458

votes. The Returning Officer, Mr Emmanuel Ramson, accordingly declared him winner of the poll having scored the highest number of votes. The result from Kanam Local Government showed that PDP and APC shared the two seats in the council with APC clinching Dengi constituency while PDP won at Kantana constitu-

ency. The APC candidate, Mr Saleh Shehu, scored 17,282 votes to beat PDP candidate, Hajia Hadiza Usman who polled 11,736 votes for the Dengi constituency. The PDP candidate at Kantana constituency, Mr Yusuf Adamu, scored 16,124 votes against APC’s Ismaila Bala’s score of 9,811 votes to win the seat.

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POLL

Monday, April 13, 2015

APGA picks 25 Assembly seats in Anambra Charles Okeke AWKA

L-R: Ogun State INEC Administrative Secretary, Dr. Dickson Atiba; State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Chief Timothy Ibitoye and State INEC Presiding/Collation Officer, Prof. Duro Oni, announcing Governor Ibikunle Amosun as winner of Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Ogun State, yesterday.

he fortunes of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, was boosted yesterday as it won 25 House of Assembly seats out of the 30 competed for in Anambra State on Saturday. Announcing this development at a press briefing in Awka, the state capital, yesterday the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Engr Edwin Nwatarali, stated that INEC has rescheduled election in four of the 30 state constituencies in Anambra State for

APC wins 17 Assembly seats in Ogun Femi Oyeweso ABEOKUTA

gun State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has won 17 out of the 20 seats in the House of Assembly elections held last Saturday in the state.

In the results made available in Abeokuta, the state capital, by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won the remaining nine seats. The state constituencies won by APC included Obafemi-Owode, Abeo-

kuta South I, Ewekoro, Abeokuta South 11, Abeokuta North, Ikenne, Odeda, Remo-North, Ijebu-North 11, Sagamu I, Odoogbolu, Ifo I and II, Ado-Odo/Ota 1, AdoOdo/Ota 11, Ogun Waterside and Egbado North I. The PDP won in Egbado 11, Imeko-Afon, Egba-

do South, Ipokia/Idiroko, Ijebu-North 1, Sagamu II and Egbado North II. The APC, which had 13 lawmakers during the outgoing 7th Legislatives session, will be returning 11 members, while the PDP, which had three lawmakers, will be returning with nine mem-

Ondo REC declares Ilaje poll inconclusive Ojo Oyewamide AKURE

ollowing irregularities that characterised Saturday’s House of Assembly election in Ondo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday declared the poll in Ilaje Local Government Area inconclusive.

State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Segun Agbaje, said only INEC national headquarters could decide what next to do concerning the poll in the council. Agbaje made the disclosure while addressing journalists at INEC’s office in Akure, the state capital. Some election materials meant for some

wards in the council were reportedly hijacked by suspected political thugs. Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won 19 seats, while the All Progressives Congress, APC, clinched five seats out of 26, according to results released so far. PDP won in Owo constituency 1, Ose, Akure constituency 1, Akoko

North West constituency II, Akoko South East, Akoko North East, Idanre, Ifedore, Ondo West I and II, Ondo East, Odigbo I and II, Akure North, Ese-Odo, and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo. APC won Akure South constituency II, Owo constituency II, Akoko South West I and II, and Akoko North West constituency I.

APC wins 24, PDP 2 seats in Osun Boladale Bamigbola OSOGBO

ll Progressives Congress, APC, retained its control of Osun State House of Assembly, as the party claimed 24 seats in Saturday’s House of Assembly poll out of 26 available. The party, however, lost two seats within Ile-Ife metropolis, losing in Ife Central state constituency and Ife East to candidates of the

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, showed that in Irewole/Isokan state constituency, APC got 20,176, while PDP got 6, 248 votes. In Boripe/Boluwaduro state constituency, APC got 14,631 votes, while PDP secured 6,181 votes; Ifelodun state constituency, APC, 12,292 votes, PDP 3,367 votes; Ila state constitu-

ency, APC 11,657, PDP, 3,847; Ifedayo state constituency, APC 3,820, PDP 1,366; Irepodun/Orolu state constituency, APC 18,200, PDP, 8,378; Odo Otin state constituency, APC 11,549, PDP 7,054. In Olorunda state constituency, APC,15,182, PDP, 3,267, Osogbo state constituency, APC, 22,803, PDP, 4,854, Atakunmosa-West and East state constituency, APC, 14,253, PDP, 2,407, Ife-Central state constituency, APC, 8,534, PDP, 9, 529.

Ife-East state constituency, APC, 7,768, PDP, 7,886, Ife-North state constituency, APC, 7,490, PDP, 5,92, Ife-South state constituency, APC, 8,806, PDP, 5,401. In Ilesa-East state constituency, APC, 9,195, PDP,1,469, Ilesa-West state constituency, APC, 8,550, PDP, 1,618, Obokun state constituency, APC, 9,499, PDP, 7,130, Oriade state constituency, APC, 11,738, PDP, 6,990, Ayedaade state constituency, APC, 10,775, PDP, 5,550.

bers. Among the principal officers in the outgoing Ogun State House of Assembly that would be returning for the 8th Assembly is current Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi, while his deputy, Tola Banjo, lost his seat to PDP candidate.

reasons ranging from electoral violence, card reader malfunction and loss of election materials. Nwatarali stated that the 25 seats won by APGA were part of results already declared by the agency, adding that the result for Anambra West state constituency were still being collated. He stated that the constituencies where elections were rescheduled include; Anaocha 1 and 2 House of Assembly constituencies, Uga ward 1 and Ekwusigo. He disclosed that in Anaocha, the card readers were alleged to have been sabotaged, leading to usage of manual accreditation and that in Uga, violence had disrupted the process, while in Ekwugigo, Nwatarali stated that some hoodlum hijacked more than half of the sensitive electoral materials for the election. The REC said that the rescheduled elections would be held on 18th April, 2015 including that of Ekwusigo state constituency which had been scheduled to hold on 25th April.

…Ekiti PDP clears 25 seats Abiodun Nejo ADO EKITI

eoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State has won all 25 House of Assembly seats, which results have so far been declared. The result of Ilemeje constituency was still being awaited yesterday. But the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday rejected outcome of the election, saying the exercise fell short of free and fair exercise.

A statement from APC state Publicity Secretary, Mr Taiwo Olatunbosun, stated that the party would challenge the result at the tribunal. Olatunbosun alleged that there were cases of alleged intimidation by policemen and thugs deployed to polling units across the state. Similarly, the Labour Party, LP, in the state also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of robbing the party of four Assembly seats during the election.

Akala congratulates Ajimobi Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

ormer Oyo State governor and Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate in Saturday’s election, Otunba Adebayo AlaoAkala, has congratulated Governor Abiola Ajimobi over his victory at the poll. According to a release by Alao-Akala’s Director of Public Affairs, Oludare Ogunlana, the former governor was said to have put a

call through to Senator Ajimobi after being informed of the situation of things by his agents at the collation centre before the final result was announced. He said his decision to congratulate the governor was borne out of the need to respect the people’s wish and for the state to move forward, urging the governor to be magnanimous in victory and device ways of taking the state to greater heights.

South West

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tamuno, ex-UI Vice Chancellor, dies at 83 Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

renowned Professor of History and former Vice Chancellor of Nigeria’s premier university, the University of Ibadan, Tekena Tamuno, is dead. National Mirror learnt that Tamuno, who was ex-President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, passed on in Ibadan, Saturday afternoon. He was aged 83 years. His demise came as a shock to friends and colleagues as he was said to have recovered and looked healthy after returning from the United States where he was reportedly treated for prostate cancer mid last month. Details of his last moments were sketchy as his family members refused to speak on his demise at the Agodi residence of the late university administrator and scholar yesterday. One of his sons, a lawyer, Tamuno’s widow and a few other relations, who received sympathisers flatly declined talking

about his death, describing their loss as “a private affair”. They also turned down entreaties to copy entries in the Condolence Register already opened for the deceased despite being reminded that the late historian was a public figure. The late Emeritus Professor served as Chancellor, Redeemer’s University; Chairman of the Presidential Panel on National Security from October 2001 to December 2002, and Panel on Policing Nigeria Project 2002- 2003. A poet and historian, Tamuno was a fellow of both the Nigerian Academy of Letters and Rockefeller Foundation and a member of the National Universities Commission, NUC. Born on January 28, 1932, in Okrika, Rivers State, he attended Saint Peter’s School, Okrika, 1938-46; Okrika Grammar School, Okrika, 194751; University College, Ibadan, 1953-1958; Birkbeck College, University of London, 1960-62; and Columbia University, New York City, USA, 196566.

FRSC apprehends 357 offenders in Lagos Olusegun Koiki

ederal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, said it arrested 357 road offenders in the first quarter of 2015 at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, alone. The commission, however, said that none of the traffic offenders has been prosecuted by the agency. Assistant Corps Commandant, RS2-115 Airport Unit Command, Mrs. Vivian Aladegbemin, disclosed this in an interview with aviation journalists at the weekend. She said most of those arrested had tyre violation of their vehicles, stressing that those apprehended cooperated fully with the corps, a situation that led to nonprosecution by the unit. She, however, identified the huge gridlock on

the Lagos Airport road, especially during peak period as one of the major challenges confronting her unit. She urged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to expand the access plaza, stressing that its expansion would lead to massive reduction in traffic within the airport. “We have slow movement during the peak hours. At times, some drivers who do not want to pay toll will keep others on queue. This will extend, at times from Ikeja bus stop to the toll gate at the International wing of the airport.” Aladegbemin noted that the unit command involved its staff at its training school to enforce law and order during the heavy traffic situation, particularly at the roundabouts along the access road.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi with his wife, Florence, and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu in the midst of a jubilant crowd shortly after his declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as winner of Saturday’s governorship election, yesterday.

Fashola restates commitment to stem unemployment Saidat Alausa

overnor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has said in order to stem unemployment rate in the country and fit into global best practices, the state has continued to improve on technical education. He disclosed this at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, during the 23rd convocation ceremony at the weekend. According to him, it was for the actualisation of that vision that government revamped institutions in the state to ensure that besides getting education on technical

knowhow, the state was also raising a generation that would not wait for government to create jobs for them. “We want our students to leave school as wellgrounded people, able to stand on their own and to not only work, but create jobs for others. The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Education, Otunba Fatai Olukoga, said the unemployment rate in Nigeria was quite high with data pointing to half of the youth population being unemployed. That is why, according to him, in raising the standard in Lagos institutions, the state govern-

ment focused on fostering the creation of small and medium enterprises since they are the largest employers of labour around the world. Pointing out that there was a place and a need for every knowledge acquired, he said more courses have been added to the curriculum to pave the way for a wider range of career choices and professions. He told the new graduates that the polytechnic had given them tools they needed to excel in their fields therefore, they must be confident to not only settle for just any job, but do that which they have learnt and also cre-

ate their own small and medium enterprises. “I want to encourage you to be focused as you go out into the world, don’t get distracted by the pursuit of money or fame, focus on doing good work and making a difference in the lives of others and the society.” In his speech, the Rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Abdulazeez Lawal, said the school is excelling on all fronts and that their academic programmes enjoy full accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education and other professional bodies. A total of 7,045 students graduated at the ceremony.

3 killed in APC, PDP supporters’ clash Boladale Bamigbola OSOGBO

hree people were feared dead in Ile-Ife yesterday following violent clashes between supporters of All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in several neighbourhoods in the town. Although identities of the deceased could not be confirmed at the time of filing this report, however, residents of Gbodo Area in Ile Ife, who spoke with National Mirror, said two people were killed in the area during a fight involving supporters of the two

parties. It was reliably gathered that the two victims of Gbodo clash were siblings of a notable politician in the area, whose house was also razed during the crisis. Sources said hostilities between the parties began on Friday when their supporters clashed at Enuwa area. During the fight, eyewitnesses said cutlasses and charms were freely used, as people ran in different directions to escape from the troubled spot. Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, had to summon leaders of both parties to his palace Friday evening, when it was becoming

obvious that people would not come out to vote because of the crisis that was spreading to all parts of Ife, a source in the town said. However, late Saturday evening violence resurfaced in some areas in the town, when suspected political thugs, clashed at Ayetoro, Otutu, Gbodo, Ita-akogun areas when guns were freely used for hours. “After the clash in Ayetoro here, a lifeless body was seen near the road leading to the neighborhood, but we were too scared to come out. Many people were also injured and properties damaged. “In a house in Gbodo, the

hoodlums damaged four vehicles. Also, around Ita Akogun, properties, mostly cars were damaged”, a resident said in telephone chat. Also in many areas in Ife East Local Government Area, properties were damaged while unspecified numbers of people were injured during clashes by supporters of APC and PDP. At the time of filing this report, fight was still going on in many parts of Ife and efforts to get reaction from Commissioner of Police in charge of election in the state, Mr. Valentine Ntomchukwu, proved abortive as he could not be reached through his mobile line.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Rep-elect promises bill on mechanised agriculture

ouse of Representatives member-elect, Alhaji Abdulsamat Dasuki, yesterday promised to initiate a bill that would enable the Federal Government attract unemployed youths into mechanised agriculture. Dasuki said in Sokoto that such legislation would ensure availability of modern farming inputs at government controlled rates across the country. He said the youth would be actively engaged in the system to enable them contribute towards the nation’s socio-economic and political growth. Dasuki, who will be representing Tambuwal/Kebbe federal constituency, said the federal and state governments would be encour-

ecretary, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, BOT, Senator Walid Jibrin, has said the party will never die in spite of its electoral misfortune in the March 28 presidential and National Assembly election. Jibrin said this yesterday while speaking with newsmen in his country home in Nasarawa State. While encouraging PDP supporters not to be deterred by the defeat it suffered in the elections, he assured that the party would bounce back and win all positions in future elections in the country. “I want to tell you and the whole world that the various PDP governments since inception of the party had done a lot in fighting poverty, hunger, unemployment and youth restiveness as well as empowering women. “Also, it has promoted peace and boosted the socio-economic development of the country. “President Jonathan has transformed the education, agriculture, economic, health, judicial, commercial sectors, and the electoral system, among others. “His transformation agenda has touched and improved the lives of every Nigerian positively. “Nigerians have seen

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Monday, April 13, 2015

aged to set up colleges of agriculture to train youths and women in mechanised farming. He said the introduction of mechanised agriculture would guarantee food security and discourage food importation. “We are blessed with vast land needed to produce assorted food crops for our consumption and exportation,” he said. He noted that mechanised agriculture would ensure the optimal development of the sector, saying it would further sustain the nation’s giant strides. Dasuki stressed that the teeming unemployed youths would be interested in farming under the system, expressing confidence in the ability of the youth to reposition the sectors.

what the PDP government had done in terms of establishing and equipping secondary and tertiary education, creating job opportunities, provision of infrastructural facilities, tackling insecurity and prompt payment of workers’ salaries, among others. “In spite of the defeat our great party, PDP, suffered during the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections, losing the presidential seat to APC, PDP will not and will never die. “It will continue to exist and we will win all positions in future elections,” he noted. He acknowledged that in every contest, there must be a winner and a loser and pledged the party’s commitment to do everything humanly possible to achieve its set targets and to improve on the standard of living of Nigerians for the benefit of all. Jibrin applauded President Goodluck Jonathan for exhibiting a high level of maturity by conceding defeat and urged other politicians to emulate him. “For President Jonathan to accept defeat when he lost his second term presidential ambition to APC has accorded him great respect from all Nigerians and even from the international community.

5 worshippers killed as cathedral collapses in Enugu Dennis Agbo ENUGU

ive worshipers were killed on Saturday following the collapse of St. Anthony Catholic Church Cathedral in Oduma, Aninri Local Gov-

ernment Area of Enugu State. An eyewitness said the incident occurred between 8pm and 9pm following a downpour, adding that the worshipers were in a prayer meeting when the tragic incident occurred.

Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amarizu, said cause of the incident was not yet known. “Yes, I can confirm that five persons died following the collapse of St. Anthony

Catholic Church about 8pm, but we are yet to know the cause. “It is not yet clear what brought about the collapse of the building, but we have commenced investigation into the matter,” Amarizu said.

Journalists at INEC results collation centre for governorship and House of Assembly election in Lagos, yesterday.

Don’t be used as rubber stamp, NGO tasks lawmakers

anguard for Better Living, an NGO, has urged lawmakers, especially at the state level to resist being used as rubber stamp by the executive. The organisation’s Coordinator, Mr. Samson Olaide, gave the advice yesterday in Ikole, Ekiti State. He spoke against the backdrop of new set of legislators that would take over in the states after May 29. Olaide said the call became necessary following

the dominance of Houses of Assembly by certain political parties as peculiar to each state. “Do you expect a House of Assembly with 26 members from one political party to kick against a request sent to it by a governor from the same party?” He noted that some state legislatures could hardly follow due process in dealing with issues as the law stipulated because of interference from the executive. “Most of the state legislatures are just rubber stamp in the hands of their

governors and any lawmaker trying to raise an objection is marked as a rebel. “The development has plunged many states into huge debts which should ordinarily not have been approved by the Assembly. “The results of the House of Assembly polls from states across the country show that things will get worse if the lawmakers fail to realise their statutory duty,” he said. Olaide urged legislators to be principled in their job irrespective of the cordial relation with their gover-

nors. “They should resolve to always follow due process, make laws that will be beneficial to the state and perform their oversight functions effectively rather than being used as a rubber stamp legislature,” he added. He also urged them to play vital roles in poverty reduction in their constituencies through viable economic empowerment programmes and desist from dishing out paltry sums of money to needy individuals.

JNI denies collecting Jonathan’s N12bn, threatens legal action

ama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, yesterday dismissed speculations that it received N12bn from outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan, and challenged the author to produce evidence. The organisation also threatened legal action if the author of the rumour failed to substantiate, withdraw the information and apologise to JNI. This was contained in

a statement issued by Secretary General of JNI, Dr Khalid Aliyu, in Kaduna. A copy of the statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, said the allegation was publicised by one Obinna Akukwe via online medium with an e-mail address: profetobinna2@yahoo.com The statement said the allegation went virile in the social media and other electronic media plat-

forms. “The most unfortunate part of the article was its deliberate and scanty reference in the paragraph JNI featured; details were not provided at all, whereas to some extent nitty-gritties were provided for other stated organisations,” it read in part. JNI expressed worry over the allegation, considering the various concerns raised by well mean-

ing individuals as a result of the weightiness of the allegation. “We wish to place on record and for posterity that such has never occurred and we (JNI) don’t really understand the ill motives of those behind the release. “We did not understand or is it because some other faith(s) are said to have collected the presidential largesse?

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Monday, April 13, 2015

Group demands immediate prosecution of electoral offenders Joel Ajayi ABUJA

s the governorship and House of Assembly elections held nationwide on Saturday, mixed reactions have trailed the exercise. In spite of low turnout of voters, the polls improved considerably in its overall organisation compared to the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly election. According to Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD Director, Idayat Hassan, general conduct of the election raised more concern about the conduct of politicians and political parties. “There is urgent need for investigation and prosecution of electoral offenders by the authorities; a further need to ensure the non-partisanship of security agencies policing elections; and an improved management of the conduct of elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. “The high level of reported cases of hijacking of election materials and confrontations between politicians and their party supporters led to disruption of the election process in many areas.” She cited a recent report titled ‘Matters arising from the Voting Phase during the Nigeria 2015 Governorship and House of Assembly Elections,’ where CDD documented many cases of electoral violence perpetrated by politicians and their supporters. The CDD, a civil organisation that deployed over 70 field observers in 21 states of the federation to observe the 2015 general elections, cited the situation in Rivers State as particularly disturbing. “Besides reports of killings, there were also cases of arson, attacks on INEC officials and hijacking of electoral materials,” the CDD director said. Hassan pointed to the complicity of security agents in cases of electoral fraud and violence in several states, particularly Rivers, where active connivance of security agents were recorded in the commission of elec-

Jega

toral violence. “Security and party agents were present at most polling units without being intrusive. “Their conduct during the exercise was generally evaluated as mature and professional. Voters also maintained orderliness across the country.” She said despite this, there were serious concerns about voter apathy during the elections. The CDD observed that several factors were responsible for the low voter turn-out. “The tense electoral environment across the country; pre-election violence, false assumption that the desired ‘change’ has been attained with the outcome of the federal elections and will therefore automatically engender solutions to the problems of governance at the state level are some of the factors,” it stated.

Dennis Naku

PORT HARCOURT

hree political parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC; All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and Social Democratic Party, SDP, have called for outright cancellation of Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State. The parties said the elections were fraught with violence and irregularities and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to reschedule the poll. The three political parties at a joint media briefing on Saturday night alleged that INEC and security operatives colluded with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to manipulate the April 11 exercise. Dr. Dakuku Peterside of APC, Prince Charles

National Mirror www.nationalmir-

Nigerians in Diaspora laud conduct of polls

group of concerned Nigerians in the United Kingdom has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the gubernatorial and House of Assembly election. In an interview with Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Sunday in London, some of the group’s members unanimously lauded the conduct of the election, describing it as “generally peaceful”. The group set up viewing centres in parts of London where they watched live streaming of the elec-

tions. Speaking on the development, Dr Philip Idaewor, All Progressives Congress, APC, UK chairman, said: “I am happy with the general conduct of the election, but I am concerned over reports of violence in the South East and South South of the country. “Our appeal is for government to bring perpetrators of violence to justice; that is the only way we can deepen our democracy.” On the use of the card readers, he said: “Technology is part and parcel of 21st century life. For anyone to suggest that the

device should be discarded means taking us back to the Stone Age. “The card reader is very good for our democracy, though there were hitches, what we should be looking for is continuous improvement.’’ Similarly, Mrs Kemi Ashinwuinde, a member of the Central Association of Nigerians in the UK (CANUK), said she was motivated to monitor the election “because of my concern for a better Nigeria. “This way, I will not feel completely left out of the process or disenfran-

chised. “From my observation, it was largely peaceful, you cannot rule out irregularities but this was well planned. “The INEC has done an incredible job and should be commended, although there is room for improvement, especially with the card reader device and general organisation,” Ashinwuinde stressed. The call for diaspora voting dominated talks at the viewing centres while the group was watching the live streaming of the elections.

Chief Observer, EU Election Observation Mission in Nigeria, Mr. Santiago Fisas, speaking on governorship and House of Assembly election at St. Paul School, Breadfruit Street, Lagos Island, on Saturday.

Harry of APGA and Rev Minaibim Harry of SDP, gave accounts of their experiences during the poll. In a text read on behalf of two others by the governorship candidate of APGA, Prince Harry said elections did not hold in most parts of the state, alleging that violence was unleashed on the people. “As governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, APGA, and SDP, and others, who due to certain exigencies are unable to join us, this press conference has become necessary. “As you are already aware the April 11 Governorship and House of Assembly was fraught with violence and unbridled manipulation and intimidation by the PDP, INEC and security agencies,” he stated. The contestants alleged that five APC members

were killed in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area, including the party’s youth leader. Harry gave the names of those killed as Obinna Ndubuoke, Jeophat Kingdom, Ndidi Ebere, Sydney Wokocha, Hon Clever Orukwowu (APC Youth Leader), while scores were either beaten or shot in various areas across the state. Elsewhere, the three candidates alleged that “disenfranchisement of voters, intimidation, harassment and outright manipulation of already announced results at the various units were the order of the day.” Continuing, they said 75 electoral officers were arrested by mobile policemen for allegedly thumb printing ballots for PDP in the home of one of its party chieftains. “The mayhem was such

that even the governorship candidate of APGA could not even be accredited. Such high levels of violence and misconduct recorded in these areas leave us as bearers of our people’s destiny with no choice than to insist that the elections that held in Rivers State were an unfortunate sham; a gruesome episode enacted by forces which are in alliance to mortgage Rivers and the future of our unborn children. “From vicious attacks that lasted for all night and stretched into the election day proper, to wanton destruction of property and intimidation of our supporters; from outright snatching of electoral materials to ballot boxessnatching perpetuated across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State to the killings in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni and Asari

Toru local government areas, respectively, we stand to assert that the elections have left us with more questions than answers. “It is therefore evident that any announcement of winners for these polls would be a travesty of justice and a rape of democracy. “We insist that the purported Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers be cancelled in their totality and a new date set for us. We hope that INEC will enforce the rights of Rivers people to free, fair and credible elections by heeding this clarion call,” the three candidates said. Peterside said elections should be rescheduled at a new date when INEC, security agencies and stakeholders would be focused on only Rivers State, to enable the people freely exercise their franchise.

Monday, April 13, 2015

OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly and a professor of Political Science, Mojeed Alabi, may emerge Speaker of the House of Representatives as leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, fine-tune zoning arrangements this week in Abuja for National Assembly top positions.

Alabi, who holds two doctoral degrees, PhDs in Law and Political Science, is a lecturer at the University of Ilorin. The APC, which produced the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari in the March 28 presi-

dential election, is also the majority party in the incoming National Assembly. It also won 214 of the 360 seats in the House of Representatives. APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, had during the

week said: “The party has not taken any position on power sharing at both the Senate and the House of Representatives, because we are still going through elections. We are going to meet after the elections to take decisions as regards

Ekiti APC rejects Assembly polls, vows to challenge result at tribunal

kiti State All Progressives Congress, APC, has rejected weekend House of Assembly elections results, saying the exercise fell short of free and fair elections. It therefore vowed to challenge the result at the tribunal. APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, said in a statement that there were cases of alleged intimidation by policemen and thugs deployed to polling units across the state by Governor Ayo Fayose. He explained that intimidation of opponents began on Friday with many unpleasant reports of statesponsored intimidation, which accounted for the low turn-out of voters across the state. He said: “To be specific, APC members were driven to the bush in many towns across the state. They in-

Politics

Osun ex-Speaker, Alabi in strong contention for Reps’ Speaker

Female voters display their cards during governorship and House of Assembly election in Suleja on Saturday. PHOTO: NAN

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

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cluded Efon Alaaye, where PDP thugs did not allow any APC member to participate in accreditation while no party agent was allowed to stay in any of the polling units in the town. “In Ilupeju-Ijan, APC members alleged that the traditional ruler of the settlement threatened to banish them because of their refusal to vote for the PDP as he decreed. The dwellers in their hundreds left their abodes and could not vote for the party of their choice.” He added that also in Ijan-Ekiti, PDP agents forced members of the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, who worked as adhoc staff, to abandon card readers for manual accreditation in three units, namely Eyingbe, Ogbontitun and Imekun in the town to enable them stuff the ballot box in support of PDP candidate who is from the town.

Olatubosun said APC members in Ilejemeje Local Government were driven into the bush while thugs and policemen from the Government House did most of the thumb printing of the ballot papers. He added: “In Ikere Ekiti, thugs and policemen from the Government House did not allow APC members to vote while party agents were driven into the bush. In Afao Ekiti, Fayose’s town, many APC members were not allowed to vote as they were driven into the bush by Fayose’s thugs imported into the town previous night.” The statement also noted that in Oke-Ako country home of factional Speaker, Dele Olugbemi, thugs and fake policemen were shooting to scare voters away while they were engaged in illegal thumb printing of ballot papers. “In Ijero Local Government, it was the same sto-

ry as thugs chased away voters and carted away voting materials, including ballot boxes, and later thumb-printed papers and deposited them in the ballot boxes, while in Ado Ekiti, policemen attached to the Government House, who were not accredited to monitor election, arrested APC members illegally but were only released when the people protested that they were on illegal mission. They were thereafter detained.” Olatubosun said PDP candidate in Irepodun/ Ifelodun constituency II, Sanya Aladeyelu, was moving from his town, Eyio to Esure and Iropora with fake policemen harassing voters while in Itaji, Ayede, Ilemeso and Ilafon, thugs under the command of the candidate of the PDP in Oye constituency II, raided polling units and carted away ballot papers which they later thumb-printed.

which of the zones will produce the Senate presidency and Speaker of the House of Representatives in view of the fact that the South East and by extension, the South South, that ordinarily ought to be in serious contention for the positions, are either not having APC senators-elect or House of Representatives members or ranking ones for that matter.” As the leaders of the party get ready for this week’s crucial meeting in Abuja after Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections, some recently elected federal lawmakers of the APC from both the geographical North and the South West zones have commenced open and subtle campaigns for the positions of Senate President and Speaker. With the South East out of contention for the Senate presidency, two ranking APC senators from the North-Central have started oiling their political machinery. They are Senators George Akume, Benue and Bukola Saraki, Kwara). Although, both are accomplished senators and pillars of support in the party in their respective states, a party leader who confided in National Mirror in Abuja yesterday said the odds are in favour of Akume. According to him, “with our President-elect coming from the core North and being a Muslim, the position of the Senate president which will now go to the North Central, will have to be given to a Christian. That is not only just, it will also erase the pre-election campaign by the rival Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that our party is a Muslim party.” He reasoned that “Saraki’s ethnic affiliation is a minus for him in the consideration of who becomes the Senate president,” stress-

ing that “one shouldn’t forget that he is Yoruba from Kwara State, and since a Yoruba from the South West will eventually emerge Speaker, we cannot in fairness have another Yoruba as Senate President.” For the position of Speaker, those known to be interested are Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, the incumbent chairman of the House Committee on Finance, representing Bebeji/Kiru federal constituency of Kano State; Hon. Yakubu Dogara, representing Bogoro/Dass/ Tafawa Balewa federal constituency of Bauchi State; the incumbent Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, representing Surulere 1 federal constituency of Lagos State and Hon. Mojeed Olujimi Alabi, former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, now to represent Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore and Ejigbo federal constituency. Alabi is coming to the House of Representatives for the first time. He is however also a ranking lawmaker, having served as Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly between 1999 and 2003 when Chief Bisi Akande was the governor. With the new zoning formula likely to come into effect soon, Jibrin and Dogara may not go far in the race as they are from the North. This may narrow the race down to Alabi and Gbajabiamila. Another form of zoning may also come into play among the duo. Already, the western end of the South West – the Lagos/ Ogun axis where Gbajabiamila hails from, has produced the Vice President-elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. Alabi’s Oyo/Osun axis of the South West, called ‘Ara Oke’(upland) Yoruba, may thus be given the consideration to produce the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Politics

Monday, April 13, 2015

Abuja residents want Kwankwanso as FCT Minister OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

n realisation of the peculiarity of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, where elections were not held for governor or state legislators, some powerful stakeholders in the city have canvassed for the appointment of incumbent governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso, a former Defence Minister as the next minister of the territory. Speaking under the aegis of Abuja Residents Forum, ARF, the stakeholders at a media briefing in Abuja at the weekend said with requisite experience and records of performance in maintaining peace and unprecedented infrastructure development in the last four years in Kano, it is only appropriate that Kwankwaso be allowed to turn Abuja into a masterpiece like other international capital cities. Leader of the group, Alhaji Aminu Abubakar said: “We are aware that Dr. Kwankwanso has just been elected a senator of the Federal Republic but it is our belief that he will be better utilised as a minister under the envisaged dispensation as Nigerians are all too eager to reap the benefits of electing General Muhammadu Buhari and it is only tested hands that can help to achieve this. “Remember that he was governor between 2003 and 2007 before he took a break to serve as Minister of Defence. He returned to Kano Government House in 2011, where he performed his development miracle in the state.

Kwankwaso

Noting that the FCT does not have a governor and so residents lack the power to elect who governs FCT residents, the stakeholders said appointing Kwankwanso as FCT Minister will have the multiple advantage of ensuring that someone with sound pedigree and great antecedents is put in charge; giving residents a minister with listening ears and also; giving the President peace of mind because of Kwankwanso’s dependability. The Kano governor was Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives between 1992 and 1993 and member representing the NorthWest on the board of Niger Delta Development Commission, NNDC. Abubakar added: “Currently, over 1,000 students from Kano State are studying in various universities in Nigeria and abroad on government scholarship in addition to the various other first class institutions that he established within the short period.” ARF, a socio-cultural group interested in the development of the FCT and with members cutting across different tribes, religion, culture, and states of the federation, who live in the six area councils of the FCT insisted that “our aim is to see to the progress of FCT and improvement of welfare of its residents.” Congratulating the President-Elect, General Buhari on his well-deserved victory after three strenuous trials, ARF said the victory is a lesson for the younger generation of Nigerians in perseverance, dedication and patience. ARF also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for displaying statesmanship, humility and exemplary attitude for humanity to emulate in conceding defeat even before the official announcement of the results. ARF executive members at the briefing include: Hon. Olushola Emmanuel, Comrade Mohammed Usman, Alhaji Hussaini Yusuf, Evangelist Charles E Okehislem and Mrs. Veronica Joseph.

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History’ll vindicate Jonathan –Adeyeye ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

inister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has said that the court of history will overturn the verdict of the 2015 presidential election which voted out President Goodluck Jonathan. Adeyeye said although Jonathan lost the election, history would vindicate him for the various transformations he brought into the polity and the socioeconomic development that took place during his

administration. The minister, who spoke in his Ise Ekiti country home yesterday, said: “Forget about the emotions of the present, history will be fair to Jonathan and adjudge him for his interest in the development, peace and unity of the country.” He said that the loss of the Presidency to the All Progressives Congress, APC, by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the gale of defections at present was “an opportunity for PDP as a party to sit back, do a critical analysis and move forward with the

hope that it is coming back very soon. I don’t believe APC can go far”. Adeyeye allayed the fears of Nigerian that there might not be opposition to the APC-led Federal Government, saying: “PDP will be able to offer virile opposition. But the major opposition will come from the people. “It is Nigerians who will feel the impact of the programmes and policies government and speak out. I don’t think Nigerians should fear that there would be no virile opposition. The opposition will

start from within.” Adeyeye, who said he was not bothered by the defection of some PDP members to APC shortly after the loss of the presidential election, said: “I am sure that in the next two years, PDP will consider not receiving the defectors back to its fold.” He said: “What is important is that we are able to have a good transition. President Jonathan has demonstrated that he is not power thirsty. If we allow things like this to happen, the winner will be Nigerians.”

INEC staff during the collation of result in Rivers State.

Lagos House of Assembly winner assures of adequate representation EBERE NDUKWU

inner of the election to represent Oshodi/ Isolo constituency 2 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Emeka Idimogu, has assured that he would ensure adequate laws are made in the state to benefit the generality of the people. He stated that the idea of referring to some people as non-indigenes was obsolete and should be discarded for the polity to

properly develop. Returning Officer, Dr Adeyemi Osinowo, had on Sunday, announced Idimogu, the PDP candidate as the winner of the seat with 27,423 votes. The returning officer said that the APC candidate, Mr Olayinka Ajomale, came second with 25,727 votes, while Mr Ifeanyi Udeh of APGA came third with 673 vote. Idimogu, who expressed gratitude to the people of the area for choosing him to represent them, assured that

he would do his best to justify the trust reposed in him. He stated that everyone is a stakeholder in the project to develop the constituency, and the nation, adding that he would use everything at his disposal to attract development to the area. Idimoju decried, the gale of defection emanating from the loss of PDP at the federal level, saying it was not the best thing, as it exposes the nation to a one party rule. According to him,

there is the need for politicians to remain in their parties, to form a formidable opposition, which he said will keep the ruling government in on its toes. He said that the formation of formidable opposition worked well for the APC, which finally paid off, as it won at the federal level. He stated that for the first hundred days in the House, he would do his best to make his presence felt for the benefit of his constituency.

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Monday, April 13, 2015

Of political competition and opposition politics Mirror of the moment ABDUL-WAREES A SOLANKE korewarith@yahoo.com, 08090585723 (SMS only)

Nigeria’s presidential election has come and gone. There are lessons derivable from the reactions of President Goodluck Jonathan and his APC challenger, General Muhammadu Buhari, a fourth time campaigner. Their statements, following the outcome of the election, were most endearing and demonstrated their statesmanship. They also reflected in a large measure the kind of incumbencyopposition relationship we are likely to witness. President Jonathan reaffirmed his position that nobody’s ambition was worth the blood of any Nigerian, adding that “the unity, stability and progress of our dear country is more important than anything else”. In his own reaction, General Muhammadu extended a hand of fellowship to the outgoing president. Writing on the essence of the opposition, which I described as ‘devil advocates’ on this page sometimes ago, I observed as follows: “When we are myopic, they widen our lenses and perception; when we have tunnel view, they open for us new and multiple windows of ideas; when we are lazy or

complacent, they force rigour on us; when we are flippant, they drive order in our thoughts and words; when we forget to do our homework well, they give us the hard knocks to awaken our senses; when we become arrogant, they bring us down from the clouds to the world of reality; when our preparations are shoddy, they point out our shortcomings; when we are superficial, they ignite in us the flame of originality”. In the sense I was writing, I assumed that the opposition would be sincere and patriotic in its position on the policy choices and programmes of the government of day in the overall national interest. In fact, in the ideal governance framework consisting of the state, citizens and the ‘third sector’, the opposition is the dominant force. Therefore, the opposition is necessary for deepening the democratic space and for the sustenance of good governance, required for the growth and development of any polity. But is this always the case, especially in most Third World countries, which have been victims of political instability? For us in sub-Saharan Africa, where Nigeria occupies a strategic position as the voice of the black race, we need to rethink the ideal of the opposition as a complement in the governance framework. Our experience since the First Republic suggests that the opposition has been mostly adversarial, never seeing anything good in the ruling government. The death of our First Republic was signaled by the acrimonious relationship be-

THE PEACEFUL AND TRANSPARENT CONDUCT OF THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAN BE REGARDED AS THE RIGHTEOUS STEPS TO ACHIEVE NATIONAL COHESION tween the government and the opposition. The Second Republic also suffered similar fate because the opposition and the ruling party put their group interest above the national interest. In the conduct of the Fourth Republic so far, we have barely managed to keep the nation together. I believe that even if the opposition has a superior logic or better alternatives, there should be a way of offering them without compromising the stability of the state. But because power contest is a zero sum game affairs, national interest takes a back stage in the pursuit of group interest. Therefore, the incumbent always views the opposition with suspicion, not willing to give an inch or totally rejecting the its position. The bottom line is that the majority versus the opposition syndrome in many developing countries always gives room for fifth columnists to cause confusion or destabilize the polity. In the last presidential election, there

were concerns even in the international community that the election might be deadlocked. The nation surprised all in meticulously conducting the polling exercise and completing the counting process transparently. The general mood in the country also reflected that we have learnt from past experiences when announcement of election results was always greeted with spontaneous violence. In the composition of the government and the National Assembly following this historic election, however, what would be the relationship between the two key arms of government? The two contending sides are sides of the same coin and should, therefore, be complementary. This is the spirit with which the nation should march on in this Fourth Republic. But this is not to say that the opposition should be a collaborator in impunity or an ally in corruption. To sustain this spirit, the various patriots who intervened at critical periods in the run up to the elections and committed the frontline candidates to peace agreements should not go to sleep as the nation will continue to cherish their intervention at critical periods of intense political competition. The peaceful and transparent conduct of the last presidential election can be regarded as the righteous steps to achieve national cohesion. The new opposition to be led by PDP and the about to be enthroned ruling APC need to foster a complementary relationship and benefiting from each other’s respective insights on how Nigeria can progress.

Effects of negative perfectionism SANDRA AKUOMA

n this column last week, we got introduced to the concept perfectionism, which I put down as a set of defeating thought patterns that push one towards achieving unrealistic high goals. I went ahead to differentiate between ‘healthy and unhealthy perfectionism’. In the former case, the victim is never satisfied by less than perfection state and becomes depressed when confronted with failure. And for the latter, which is also termed adaptive perfectionism, the victim manifests obsession with high standards. Our focus in this current discourse is the effects of negative perfectionism. Let us maintain a tap-tap approach to the discourse. First it leads to a constant sense of failure. Perfectionists tend to focus on their flaws rather than their achievements. So, no matter how well a task is done, there is always a sense of failure that it wasn’t done even better. An example is completing a lovely project but focusing on the rough edges. Second, it leads to procrastination and low output. Instead of taking the first step to start a new project, one is plagued by the overwhelming anxiety of not meeting the standards expected. The fallout is you don’t make a move at all. You take forever to begin something because you don’t want to make a mistake along the way. Too much attention to details can overwhelm you to the point of leaving a project incomplete

ONE SIDE EFFECT OF A PERFECTIONIST’S ATTITUDE IS THE TERROR OF MAKING MISTAKES until time forces its pressure on you to perform. It might take you twice as long to finish a project, for fear of producing anything less than perfect. As a result you miss deadlines and the process of achievement is normally full of terror and pain. Third, it leads to missed opportunities; meaning you wait for all the ducks to line up so you can make the first move. Now is never the perfect time or moment, because of that perception of life one chooses to stick to working jobs they have no passion for, despite their superb skills, rather than actively using them to push toward their ambitions. When they are not open to new experiences, they miss out on a lot of opportunities to discover new interests, people and passions. When they are closed off, these limits they place upon themselves bring unnecessary stress and make them miss out on what life has to offer. More importantly, it reduces opportunities for creativity. Fourth, is that loved ones, especially might be affected. Imagine the pressure a perfectionist puts on their children by drumming in their ears or in other ways

that anything short from perfection is not good enough by focusing on the stuff they get wrong rather than what they do right. Fifth, perfectionists never learn from their mistakes. One side effect of a perfectionist’s attitude is the terror of making mistakes. Mistakes equate with failure to a perfectionist. So, either they don’t acknowledge their and learn from their mistakes or they simply don’t make them. But the only way not to make mistakes is to limit what they do – thus limiting themselves and their growth as a person. Another effect is stress and anxiety. It makes you unhappy when you don’t need to be. You become drained by excess stress when you try to complete a task with anything less than perfection as the acceptable standard. When you’re under heavy amounts of stress, the anxiety can take over, robbing you of your sleep at night through over thinking. You can become so worried about things outside of your control that pose a threat to reaching perfection, or beat yourself up over minor setbacks because you can’t help but perceive them as a personal failure. This can cause burn out, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), high blood pressure and stress related diseases, all in the name of wanting to be perfect. And of course, low self esteem is another fruit of perfectionism. Since perfectionist tends to believe that everything can come out perfectly with their own hands, they will damage

themselves when failure comes. They may think negative things about themselves and bring themselves down. Perfectionists are like birds that fly so high when the weather is great, but when a sudden outpour of rain comes, the bird will stop flying and look for trees to shield them from the rain. Perfectionists fly high when great projects are being done, but when a failure comes, they fly down, get wet and find it hard to fly high again because they have lost self-esteem. Food for thought Being a perfectionist is not wrong at all if you use it in a proper and positive way. Extreme perfectionism will bring consequences that you wouldn’t like to experience. If you notice that your being a perfectionist stresses you, then it is time for you to start changing. Use perfectionism in a good way for you will be happy to see the result of it. Next week the focus will be the causes of extreme perfectionism Akuoma wrote from Lagos via sanlifepointers@hotmail.com and can be reached on 01816 5583876 (SMS only) Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

Editorial

Monday, April 13, 2015

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All the Facts, All the Sides A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, CFR PUBLISHER

SUNDAY OLAJIDE MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO SEYI FASUGBA DAILY EDITOR GBEMI OLUJOBI SATURDAY EDITOR AYO OLESIN SUNDAY EDITOR BEN MEMULETIWON GENERAL EDITOR DOZIE OKEBALAMA COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD CALLISTUS OKE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF AUGUSTUS IMEKAN ACTING HEAD, GRAPHICS

Away with politics of opportunism <<CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

and Special Assistants to Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo and many contractors were said to be in the carpet-crossing boat. They were received at the state secretariat of the APC by the party’s governorship candidate, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya. In Edo State, the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the 2012 gubernatorial rerun election, who served as the National Coordinator of the Goodluck Support Group and Goodluck Youth Initiative, Major-General Charles Arhiavbere (retd) reportedly led over 10,000 of his supporters to the APC. They were heartily received by Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The story was the same in Delta State, where PDP youth leader and chieftain, Chief Ayiri Emami and hundreds of others switched camp to the APC and vowed to deliver the governorship election of last Saturday. Similar apprehensions are rife in Kaduna and other states of the federation. Some of the big names in the defection frenzy before now included Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara). Others are Governor Olusegun

Mimiko of Ondo State, Speaker of the House of Representatives, AminuTambuwal, former governor of Ekiti State and one time Deputy National Chairman (South West) of the PDP, Olusegun Oni, former Kwara State governor, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, former Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, Isiaka Adeleke, the first civilian governor of Osun State and Olagunsoye Oyinlola, also former Osun State governor, to mention but just a few. Several reasons meant to demonise the parties from which they defected from are also being flaunted by the defectors to justify their abandonment of the party that brought them to limelight. Incidentally, the defection is mutual across both the PDP and APC, especially; and both parties pop champagne whenever it favours them. Unfortunately, too, while the defectors dangle patriotism, service to the nation or national interest as some of the reasons for which they jumped ship, what has become glaring is that they discard their parties mostly for selfish reasons bordering on survival in the political turf. Never in the history of the nation has clueless, non-principled, unethical and crude politics of the belly been

NIGERIANS HAVE BEEN DECEIVED, FOOLED AND PROVOKED ENOUGH BY THE SHENANIGANS OF THEIR POLITICIANS

exhibited in the country as in the past 16 years. It is for this reason that most Nigerians view the PDP and the APC as just two sides of the same coin, a perception that an APC-led federal or state government can only shrug off or discountenance with hard work and quality service to the citizenry. It is quite shameful that what the Nigerian political elite could most generously offer since the dawn of democracy in 1999 is deception of the public, gluttony for power, profligate lifestyles, confused and, indeed, hollow principles. Sadly, too, the nation’s judiciary has not shown sufficient seriousness in reining in the national aberration. We recall that in December 2014, the PDP lost out in its bid to declare the seats of four governors - Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara) - that defected to the

ON THIS DAY April 13, 1974 Western Union (in cooperation with NASA and Hughes Aircraft) launched the United States’ first commercial geosynchronous communications satellite, Westar 1. A special case of geosynchronous satellite is the geostationary satellite. These satellites have revolutionized global communications, television broadcasting and weather forecasting; and have a number of important defense and intelligence applications.

Letters tothe theEditor Editor Letters to

April 13, 1997 Tiger Woods became the youngest golfer to win the Masters Tournament. The Masters Tournament is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year. Unlike the other major championships, the Masters is held each year at the same location, Augusta National Golf Club, in the city of Augusta, Georgia, United States.

APC vacant. Originally, the PDP dragged five governors, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State inclusive, to court. But the latter’s name was struck out from the suit following his impeachment. Had the courts been able to teach some defectors the right lessons, they would by now be circumspect when taking the steps that diminish the integrity of the nation’s body politic. Baffling equally, is the open arms with which the APC is accepting defectors. Being the party that will be in the saddle beginning from May 29, 2015, the APC should be cautious not to plunge the nation into a one-party state, a dream that the PDP almost accomplished but for the emergence of a strong opposition coalition in the APC. A polity without a vibrant opposition is one sentenced to a no-choice condition, whereas democracy thrives on making free choices. Without a potent opposition, for instance, the APC probably won’t be opportune to take the place of the PDP at the centre. Nigerians have been deceived and provoked enough by the shenanigans of their politicians; and the APC should distance itself from encouraging same.

x April 13, 2014 A bus traveling from Villahermosa to Mexico City crashed into a tractor-trailer and caught fire, killing at least 36 people from the Veracruz region. There were four survivors. The collision took place near the municipality of Juan Rodriguez Clara, which is itself near Acayucan. The bus was owned by a car-rental company called ‘Turtle’, and the truck was owned by a milk protein company called ‘Prolat’.

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Cover

Real Sector:

Growth prospects, challenges ahead As latest reports of the nation’s real sector continue to reflect hope for brighter outlook in the years ahead, analysts say that in spite of the latest 55 per cent capacity utilisation recorded in the sector, its untapped productive opportunities require more than mere policy semantics to translate them into concrete gains. Udo Onyeka reports

he increasing importance of the real (manufacturing) sector to national development cannot be better captured than now when cataclysmic pricing upheavals in the global oil market are rapidly eroding the very foundation upon which Nigeria’s acclaimed growth was anchored in the past few years. Indeed, experts believe that one of the sure ways Nigeria could overcome the prevailing fiscal whirlwind is for government to focus more on the real sector, the strongest link in national economic diversification value chains with a view to tapping its immense benefits for broad-based development of the country. Specifically, far better than other climes’ real sector capacities, economic development experts see the Nigerian real sector as structurally strong in productivity mix such that exploring it better will give the country a stronger pedestal for capital accumulation, employment generation and economies of scale maximisation. According to a 2014 economic report by Renaissance Capital, Rencap, Nigeria’s manufacturing sector has displaced Telecommunications and Oil and Gas sectors to become the major economic growth driver. The report stated that with Ni-

geria’s re-based Gross Domestic Product, the manufacturing sector was growing faster than the telecommunications, oil and gas and agricultural sectors. Titled, “Nigeria’s GDP: Bigger but slower – Manufacturing is the engine of growth,” the research result was further strengthened by recent figures by the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, MAN, which showed that there was an increase in capacity utilisation from 46.3 per cent recorded in the first half of 2013 to 52.7 per cent in the second half of last year, but is currently put at to 55 percent. Rencap stated that the manufacturing sector recorded 22 per cent growth in 2013, as against the 14 per cent it recorded in 2012, with growth largely driven by the textile, cement and food sub-sectors, among others. The growth recorded by the manufacturing sector within the period under review, it said, accounted for one third of the total growth in the economy. “Manufacturing is growing strongly, despite power deficit. The manufacturing sector is a much bigger, faster-growing sector under the new series, nine per cent of GDP as against the four per cent previously. In 2013, it recorded substantial growth of 22 per cent, as against 14 per cent in 2012, comprising onethird of total growth.

Muda Yusuf, DG, LCCI

“Food, beverage and tobacco producers account for half of the manufacturing sector. The subsector’s growth accelerated to 12 per cent in 2013, against 7 per cent in 2012,” the report said. Interestingly, in Nigeria there have been conscious efforts by governments to implement reforms aimed at holistically transforming all facets of the economy in order to positively impact on the lives of the people. But then, the impact of such measures is yet to be fully felt as socio-economic performance indices of the economy remain poor still. It is against this backdrop that sector’s stakeholders are champi-

Kola Jamodu, DG, MAN

oning the cause of new strategies that could help in revitalising the ailing industry and putting the economy on a more structurally balanced operational space necessary to unlock its potentials for sustainable, inclusive and foreign exchange yielding source for Nigeria. One of such measures centres on increasing access to credit by real sector operators. “It was in a effort to revive and revitalise the economy and real sector in particular that the Federal Government had initiated several intervention funds”, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga had said

But Aganga on the Redcap’s report said it only corroborated the fact that the manufacturing sector was being transformed under the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan. “The trade and real estate sectors trumped agriculture and financial services in 2013, to become among the top three growth drivers, together with manufacturing. The decline in agriculUDO ONYEKA, CO-ORDINATOR BUSINESS COURAGE udonyeka@gmail.com c

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ture’s growth contribution in 2013 was partly due to the third quarter floods. “It is a good thing that the manufacturing sector is breathing well under this administration. Figures are there as proof. All we need do now is further improve the situation through consistency in policy as we continue to work hard towards continuously improving Nigeria’s non-oil revenue,” Aganga said. In spite of the efforts of the government, manufacturers are still lamenting that the operating environment in the country is poor, making the cost of doing business in the country very high. For instance, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Arewa Metal Containers Limited, ARMECO, Mr. Daudu Joachim, lamented recently that govern-

ment support to local industries in the country was very poor and not encouraging. Speaking at the company’s 45th Annual General Meeting, AGM, of the company held in Kaduna late last year, Joachim said local manufacturers have been operating within a very challenging environment coupled with the security challenges. In the same vein Director General, Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ACCIMA, Mr. Joseph Wenegieme, also said that the business climate in Nigeria has been a challenging one despite

Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

the fact that there are so many growth and development as evidenced by the number of companies springing up daily to start off business in Nigeria. He regretted that the business environment has remained harsh as the cost of doing business in the country is “neck breaking”. One of the factors affecting the real sector according to stakeholders is security challenge, which has threatened the survival of many local industries. Apart from this issue of security is the challenge of Power, which also ha in no small measure affected the production capabilities of local industries. “More worrisome is customer’s preference to imported products and the lack of support from the government; government should do more and provide better business opportunities for local industries to perform”, Joachim said. Board Chairman of ARMECO, Alhaji Mohammed Kabir Musa, said economic activities has been sluggish even though interest rates and inflation had remained relatively stable, stressing that local manufacturers have been put under pressure, resulting in the reduction of capacity utilisation or outright closure of some companies. He said the problem faced by local manufacturers is made double by the prolific liberation of the import policy currently in place. According to industry observers erratic power supply has increased the overhead cost of local manufacturers since all of them rely on power generating sets to power their machines. A lot of money is being spent in purchasing diesiel or fuels and also maintaining the generating sets. Also, the Institute of Directors, IoD, Nigeria, has condemned the high cost of doing business in Nigeria, saying it is the bane of economic growth and development in the country. The institute however enumerated some of the challenges facing the real sector operators to include: lack of access to finance, lack of infrastructure and good operating environment, smuggling of substandard goods in to the shores of the country, lack of local patronage and dearth of industrial skills. According to experts the infrastructure deficit in Nigeria is very huge making government efforts in the tackling the issue looks as child’s play. The infrastructural deficit, according to the experts, is so huge that Nigeria needs to spend about $14.2bn per year for the next 10 years to be able to bridge the gap. The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, recently decried the high cost of doing business in Nigeria and has therefore called on the incoming administration to address the issue. A communiqué issued at the end of the chamber’s meeting in Lagos, said both high cost of doing business and low productiv-

ity are intermingled with macroeconomic factors, institutional challenges and structural issues, which constitute the fundamental problems the incoming government must solve. LCCI noted that the outlook for many macroeconomic indicators is not bright with foreign reserves dropping below $30bn and persistent pressure in the exchange rate. It said that the chamber wants the incoming regime to ensure the blocking of all fiscal leakages and wastes in government especially in respect of the management of petroleum product subsidy, pension fund, import duty waivers, ghost workers in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs. The chamber equally wants prioritisation of government expenditure to boost investment in critical areas as well as performance audit of key regulatory institutions whose activities impact on the private sector with a view to ensuring that these institutions deliver the desired value to the private sector and economy at large. Other expectations by the chamber include acceleration of reforms on the oil and gas sector in order to attract more private investments in both the upstream and downstream segments stressing that this would save the economy the current huge foreign exchange used for importation of petroleum products. The LCCI called for a level playing field for all investors across all sectors with regard to import tariffs, funding opportunities, tax incentives etc as well as the sustainability of selected policies and programmes which offered value to the economy under the outgoing regime. The chamber said it wants a robust consultation with the private sector for inputs into policy formulation processes, and investment incentives should be universal application to all investors in the private sector. The Federal Government had inaugurated two Standing Inter-Ministerial Committees to address the high cost of doing business and revitalising of local industries. According to the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, NIPC, Mr. Mustafa Bello, “Doing Business and Competitiveness Committee was charged with the responsibility to regularly monitor, review and recommend improvement on existing policies and legislation that govern the act of doing business in the country, while Investor Aftercare Committee was charged with the responsibility of considering complaints from investors on account of apparent irregularity and inconsistency in the implementation of Government policies. He said the Committee on Doing Business and Competitiveness, has identified 10 doing business indicators such as:

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Aganga

Bello

starting business, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, enforcing contracts and dealing with construction permits. Others are: paying taxes, trading across borders, getting electricity, and resolving insolvency. The committee according to Bello prioritised the indicators based on their impact on the competitiveness of the Nigerian business environment. To further reduce the cost of doing business in the country, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, had approved the downward review of the cost of business registration at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission ,NIPC, from N50,000 to N15,000 ($100). Stakeholders have tasked to ensuring the provision of steady electricity supply, as well as mount pressure on the banks to reduce their lending rates, saying that with high cost of finance, there is no way manufacturers can survive in their businesses. The need to direct credit to the manufacturing sector and other priority sectors necessitated the implementation some special interventions by the government.

For instance real sector is expected to tap from a N300bn facility put together by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. The facility aims at helping the sector to unlock its potential that will at the end stimulate output growth, value-added productivity and job creation. The CBN, penultimate week in a circular to announce the initiative explained that the facility would be used to support large enterprises for startups and expansion financing needs of N500m up to a maximum of N10bn. The real sector activities targeted by the facility are manufacturing, agricultural value chain and selected service sub-sectors, the bank said. According to the circular, the objectives of the facility are to improve access to Nigerian Small and Medium-scale Enterprises to fast-track the development of the manufacturing, agricultural value chain and services sub-sectors of the economy. This is also expected to increase output, generate employment, diversify the revenue base, increase foreign exchange earnings and provide inputs for the industrial sector on a sustainable basis. BC

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News Combined risk cover will eliminate exporters’ losses – CDF By Francis Ezem

he Cargo Defence Fund CDF has said that it decision to introduce the Combined Insurance Risk Cover in conjunction with the NEXIM Bank and the Nigeria Insurers Association NIA, was designed to checkmate the losses being incurred by Nigerian non-oil exporters. The CDF is a unit of the Nigerian Shippers Council NSC, charged with the responsibility of helping Nigerian shippers (exporters and importers) to pursue their cargo claims, among several other functions. Business Courage had reported exclusively that Nigerian charcoal exporters loose a whopping N9.7bn in three years to fraudulent importers in European countries comprising Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Belgium. The combined risk cover is an additional insurance cover, apart from the one offered by the conventional marine underwriters, which alsocovers political risk and other risks of the buyer’s insolvency provided by the NEXIM Bank. Secretary to the Fund, Ms. Ogo Azuka, who spoke in an interview, disclosed that this additional risk cover, which is in line with Federal Government’s policy of promoting non-oil exports, is designed to provide a double protection for the Nigerian non-oil exporter so that he would remain in business even after any loss arising in the course of his international trade transactions. She disclosed that in addition to providing political and other risks associated with the insolvency of the buyer, the NEXIM Bank, which is a development-oriented banking institution provides due diligence services on the prospective international buyers of Nigeria’s non-oil exports so that the exporters would be properly guided even before commencing the entire process. According to her, under the combined insurance risk cover, the Fund provides the Standard Contract Form, which among

L-R: Zonal Business Manager – West, Opeyemi Oluwalusi, Regional Trade Marketing Manager, Ibadan Brewery Ayodeji Oke, and Regional Business Manager – West, Joseph Bodunrin, all of Nigerian Breweries Plc., at the trade launch of Ace Roots, in Ibadan

several other factors specifies the payment method for the Nigerian exporter, which enables him to negotiate with the foreign buyer on the preferred payment method. It was gathered that the essence of this is to ensure that the exporter selects the payment option that is beneficial to him, as many had in the past chosen wrong payment options as against the preferred Letter of Credit option that left them at the mercy of the foreign buyers, most of who took advantage of them. Investigation further showed that this combined risk cover in addition covers the foreign buyer of the non-oil export which ensures that payment is made as soon as the consignment is delivered, a development that gives both parties a high level of protection, thereby making the transactions interesting. She however noted that as part of measures to ensure that the new risk cover gained wide acceptance, the Fund is also working with relevant agencies of the government to carryout regional enlightenment programmes to increase awareness for the cover.

Dangote supports WEF African global leaders’ community projects By Udo Onyeka

Azuka

hirteen from among the Seventeen Africans recognised as Young Global Leaders, YGL, in 2015 by the World Economic Forum, WEF, are to benefit from the Dangote Fellowship instituted by the Dangote Foundation. The African youngsters were part of the 187 young leaders from 66 countries honoured for leadership and service to

society by the WEF. The Dangote Fellowship, created by the WEF and President and Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, was designed to increase the quality and quantity of young African leaders across the continent by supporting the engagement of African YGLs in the community, such as those from small enterprises or the non-business sector. The Fellowship helps YGLs from Africa attend YGL and World Economic Forum events and funds the organization of an YGL Africa Education Module. Dangote said the institution of the fellowship award was his own way of contribution to the intellectual development of exceptional young people of African descent. The YGLs come from diverse backgrounds and bring a range of expertise to the community from across the world. Over 50 per cent of the new intake are women, half come from the private sector and half from the public sector, including academia, arts and culture, civil society, government, media and not-for-profit organizations. According to Director and Head of the Young Global Leaders Community at the World Economic Forum, John Dutton, “The World Economic Forum has announced the leaders under 40 who are shaping the future of industry and society. About half of the new class of Young Global Leaders, YGLs, come from emerging economies with 17 from sub-Saharan Africa. The list of YGLs has a strong representation from women leaders and is split 50-50 between business and non-profit sectors, academia, arts and culture, civil society, policy and government, media and social entrepreneurs”. The class of 2015 joins a community which has been

growing in significance since it began 10 years ago.

Mobile internet users surge to 80 million

igures from Nigeria’s telecoms industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, indicates a strong increase in the number of mobile internet users on the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) in January. According to its Monthly Internet Subscriber Data, mobile internet subscribers rose from 76,324,632 in December 2014 to 81,892,840 in January 2015 – translating to 5,570,038 new users in January alone. MTN Nigeria leads the pack with 39,173,123 subscribers, followed by Globacom at 17,671,405 subscribers, Airtel stands at 14,969,924 while Etisalat had 10,078,388 subscribers. The data also showed that in the sick Code Division Multiple Access, CDMA, segment of the industry, Multi-Links and Visafone had a joint total of 153,798 internet users on their networks in January, down from 154,324 in the last quarter of last year.

mand’s revenue report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos. The report indicated that the Command generated N20.7bn in January; 21.5bn in February, and N32.3bn in March 2015. The command collected revenues from Import Duty, Common External Tariffs, CET; and levies from rice, sugar, wheat flour, cigarette and iron. During the week, Mr Uchu Block, the National VicePresident, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA, called for improvements in maritime trade environment. Block urged the in-coming government to make the nation’s refineries to work at full capacity. He said besides creating more jobs, the efforts would solve the problem of tankers drivers coming from all over the country to load petroleum products in Apapa. In the week under review, the Federal Government approved the implementation of the ECOWAS Common External Tariffs, CET, 2015-2019 and 2015 Fiscal Policy Measures. National Public Relations Officer of Customs, Mr Wale Adeniyi, in a statement, said the implementation of the ECOWAS CET together with its Supplementary Protection Measures occurred concurrently and would take effect from April 11. The development, therefore, meant that all imports arriving the country beginning from April 11, shall be subjected to the rates contained in the CET 2015-2019 and the 2015 Fiscal Measures. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Abdullahi, directed all Customs Controllers on immediate enforcement of the tariffs to enhance trade facilitation. Also, the Rector, Certified Institute of Shipping, Prof. Alex Okwuashi, urged the Federal Government to accredit some maritime institutions for postgraduate training. He said the urgent accreditation of the institutions would assist in meeting the manpower needs of the industry. Okwuashi said it would

Apapa Customs Command generates N74.5bn in Q1

ctivities in the maritime industry ended on Friday with the Apapa Area 1 Command of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, announcing revenue of N74.5bn in the first quarter of 2015. The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr Emmanuel Ekpa, stated this in the com-

Dikko

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Monday, April 13, 2015

residents to connect to the water main source provided for communities. He said that the master plan involves developing additional water schemes, taking raw water from rivers and the lagoons for treatment into potable water.

also be a welcome initiative to transform the Maritime Academy of Nigeria ,MAN, Oron, to a maritime college in any of the newly- established maritime universities.

Delta takes delivery of 46 tractors to boost agriculture

Why campaign on .ng domain not yielding results – NIRA

elta Government has disclosed that it had taken delivery of 46 tractors to boost agriculture in the state. This is contained in a statement signed by the media aide, Mr Dennis Medi, to the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Delta, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, in Asaba. The statement called on farmers in the state to form cooperative societies to enable then hire the tractors at subsidised rates. It stated that the ministry had placed order for 92 tractors, out which 46 tractors had arrived the state. “The bulk of the tractors will be giving to farmers at subsidised rates to encourage them go into commercial farming and boost food production, which is the hallmark of the ‘Delta Beyond Oil’ agenda,” it said. The statement described the procurement of tractors as parting gift to farmers by Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration. The statement quoted the commissioner as appealing to farmers take advantage of the gesture to boost farming by engaging in commercial or large scale farming. Muoboghare commended the management and staff of the State Tractor Hire Agency for their commitment to the development of agriculture. He called for timely assemblage of the knocked down parts and urged them to ensure adequate care and maintenance of the tractors. General Manager, Tractor Hire Agency Mr Peter Onichabor, was also quoted as commending the state government for bringing revolution into agriculture, which has impacted the activities of the Agency.

Cross section of Executive Council Members of World Federation of Advertisers, WFA, with Executive Council Members of Advertisers Association of Nigeria, ADVAN, during the just concluded WFA Global Marketers Week in Marrakech, Morocco

Market Dealers Quotations over the Counter, another trading platform on the nation’s capital market. They told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos that the listing would increase foreign and local investors’ participation in the market. Managing Director, Compass Investments and Securities Ltd., Mr Emeka Madubuike, said that the listing would enhance liquidity at the nation’s bourse. He said that the development would make the nation’s capital market a better investment destination due to transparent price discovery. “We are expecting more trading platforms in this market where all kinds of products can be traded,’’Madubuike said. Immediate past President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, Mr Ariyo Olushekun, said that the bank listed on both markets to boost liquidity. Olushekun said that listing on both market would allow a buyer or seller to buy or sell from either FMDQ or the NSE. “We are optimistic that listing will encourage more corporate bonds to be issued and listed on FMDQ and NSE,’’ he said.

UBA’s N30.50bn bond on FMDQ to enhance liquidity – Operators

apital market operators have expressed optimism that the listing of the UBA Plc N30.50bn bond on the FMDQ OTC and the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, would boost market liquidity. FMDQ OTC is Financial

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Phillips Oduoza, GMD, UBA

NAN reports that FMDQ OTC on April 8 commenced corporate bond listings on its platform with the listing of the bank’s N30.50bn bond. The listed Bond is Series-1 of UBA PLC 7-year 16.45 per cent Fixed Rate Subordinated Unsecured Notes due in 2021. Managing Director, FMDQ, Mr Bola Onadele, at the board listing exercise said that the listing would deepen the nation’s capital market. Onadele, who commended the bank for the feat said that the bond was the first corporate bond to be listed on its platform. He said the admission of the bank’s bond followed the recent approval of FMDQ bond listing and quotation rules by the Securities and Exchange Commission ,SEC. According to him, bonds listed and admitted on FMDQ will be traded by Fixed Income Specialists who would act as market makers to these bonds thus providing trading liquidity to the bond. “FMDQ provides a platform for the registration, listing, quotation and trading of bonds and other fixed income securities,’’ said Onadele. He said the company had empowered the Nigerian bond market with price discovery, transparency and market integrity through market development initiatives. Onadele said that listing and quotation on FMDQ provided a host of benefits across the debt market value chain, positively impacting stakeholders in the Debt Capital Market, DCM. He said that FMDQ had made the nation’s capital market globally competitive with continuous disclosure of relevant information on fixed income issues listed on its platform.

Lagos water master plan will reduce borehole drilling, says LSWC

he Lagos State Water Corporation, LSWC, has said the completion of the water master plan would stem indiscriminate drilling of boreholes in the state. Managing Director, LWC, Mr Shayo Holloway, made the remarks in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos. According to him, it is morally wrong to start enforcing the law on boreholes when majority of the areas in the state do not have access to water from the main source. “We know that there is proliferation of boreholes drilling in the state and this is because there is inadequate water supply to go round. “We are concerned about this development and that is why the corporation has developed a water master plan to increase water supply by 2020. “Studies indicated that if the proliferation of boreholes is not promptly addressed in the next ten years, Lagos runs the risk of saline water. “That is salty water from the Atlantic ocean massively migrating inwards to pollute ground water,’’ he said. According to him, this will make all boreholes draw salty water and that it is already happening to boreholes along the coastal region of Lagos. Holloway noted that the long term goal of the master plan was to ensure that water is available in the front of houses so that people do not suffer before fetching it. The director said that the corporation would enlighten

he President of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association, NIRA, Mrs Mary Uduma, has attributed the low uptake of the doting, .ng, domain names to infrastructure challenge. Uduma told the News Agency of Nigeria ,NAN, in Lagos that the association had done a lot toward sensitising Nigerians on the .ng domain names but that the efforts had yet to yield the desired goal. She said that one of the impediments of .ng domain uptake was the absence of infrastructure to ensure broadband penetration to all nooks and crannies of the country. According to her, infrastructure will ensure that everyone has access to the internet to facilitate the uptake of the country’s domain names. “How many people have websites, how many people have email addresses, how many people have internet access, is internet everywhere in Nigeria? “The price for internet access, how affordable is it? So those are the things that are impediments to .ng uptake,’’ she said. The NIRA president said that another shortcoming was that of knowledge, adding that not many Nigerians knew much about the internet. She said that not many Nigerians were aware of the business benefits in the .ng domain names. Uduma said that the association, through its registrars registered and renewed about 1,500 domain names on a yearly basis. According to her, the low uptake is as a result of attitude of Nigerians towards what is made in the country. BC

Uduma

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Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

Companies & Markets

BATN reiterates commitment to shared values By David Audu

hief Executive Officer, British American Tobacco, BAT, Nicandro Durante, has stated that sustainability is at the core of its stakeholder engagement. “Sustainability is not a choice or something that is ‘nice to have’, but something crucial to securing the future of our company and for creating shared value for our consumers, our shareholders and our stakeholders.” In its 2014 Value Shared publication, BAT’s engagements with a cross-section of its stakeholders were highlighted. The new report, which details the company’s sustainability initiatives, showed how BAT enhanced its approach with the development of a new sustainability agenda that is focused on the most important issues for the business and its stakeholders in 2014. Some of the issues raised in the report include harm reduction, sustainable agriculture and farmer livelihoods as well as corporate behaviour. These have clear commitments to research and development as well as promotion of a range of less risky alternatives to regular cigarettes and working to enable prosperous livelihoods for all farmers who supply tobacco leaf. This is in addition to operating to the highest standards of corporate conduct and transparency. “The concept of shared value, for us, is ensuring mutual benefits for our share-

holders and society, while also underpinning the company’s whole approach to sustainability,” said Durante. As a major international business in a controversial industry, British American Tobacco has a long history of focusing on sustainability. To this end, it has been producing independently assured reports since 2001. The company has made significant progress in that time, which is reflected by the Group’s inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the last 13 years, 12 of which have been as industry leader. The report highlights issues that include its leading role in innovative nicotine product li-

censed as a medicine, publication of the Group’s new human rights policy, detailing its commitments to eliminating child labour, no exploitation of labour and respect for freedom of association, the Group’s youth smoking prevention activities and publication of new principles for engagement as part of the Group’s commitment to transparency and integrity in lobbying. Other key highlights of the report include: investing more than £65 million each year in providing on-the-ground advice and support for over 100,000 contracted farmers worldwide, helping them to build successful, profitable businesses; achieving a 45 percent reduc-

tion in CO2 emissions from 2,000 baseline and a 24 percent reduction in water use from 2007 baseline; and more than £50 million invested each year in the fight against the tobacco black market – a trade that cheats governments out of an estimated £30 billion each year in taxes, puts consumers at risk and actively markets and sells tobacco products to children. Durante further stated that, “These areas are not only where we face some of our biggest challenges, but also where I see the greatest opportunities. They can add value to society, as well as helping to ensure we deliver our Group strategy and BAT continues to grow and thrive in the long term.” BC

L-R: Director Corporate Communications Department (CBN), Ibrahim Mu’azu; Managing Director CitiBank Nigeria Limited, Omar Hafeez; Managing Director Standard Chartered Bank, Bola Adesola; Director Banking Supervision Department (CBN), Agnes Olatokunbo Martins; and Managing Director Union Bank, Emeka Emuwa, addressing journalists at the end of the 321st bankers’ committee meeting in Lagos

Sterling Bank to hold 53rd AGM April 30 By Udo Onyeka

terling Bank has said its 53rd Annual General Meeting, AGM, would hold on Thursday April 30, in Lagos. The Bank in a statement signed by the Company Secretary, Mrs. Justina Lewa said the Directors of the Bank at the AGM will receive the audited financial statements for the year ended 31st December, 2014, together with the Reports of the Directors, auditors and the Audit Committee. Key extracts of the audited report and accounts of the Bank for the year ended December 31, 2014 released last week at the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, showed appreciable growth in all key performance indices, sustaining the strong performance outlook of the lender in spite of industry-wide headwinds. For instance, Sterling Bank

Plc announced gross earnings of N103.7bn and a profit before tax of N10.7bn, an increase of 13 percent and 15.4 percent over its 2013 figures respectively. Major highlights showed that net interest income leapt by 20.1 per cent to N43.0bn in 2014 as against N35.8bn recorded in 2013. This was driven mainly by an 11.4 per cent growth in interest income to N77.9bn, which far outweighed the 2.2 per cent increase in funding costs to N34.9bn. This underlined the increasing cost efficiency of the lender as cost of funds dropped from 6.1 per cent in 2013 to 5.3 percent in 2014. Similarly, non-interest income grew by 18.3 per cent from N21.8bnin 2013 to N25.7bn in 2014. This was boosted by an 82.2 per cent growth in net trading income to N6.8bn. The Bank continued to strengthen its mid and bottom-

Yemi Adeola, CEO, Sterling Bank

line performances as its increasing focus on cost reduction credit risks management and operating efficiency cushioned macro headwinds and retained value for shareholders. Net operating income rode on the back of growth in net interest income and a 10.5 per cent reduction in impairment charges to N61.4bn

in 2014, an increase of 24.4 per cent on N49.3bn recorded in 2013. While the Bank recorded a profit before of N10.7bn its profit after tax increased by 8.8 per cent to N9bn. The Bank’s Balance Sheet also emerged stronger. Net loans and advances increased by 15.4 per cent to N371.2bn in 2014 compared with N321.7bnin 2013. Customer deposits rose by 15 per cent to N655.9bn as against N570.5bn while shareholders’ funds increased by 33.5 per cent from N63.5bn to N84.7bn. Total assets closed 2014 at N824.5bn, representing an increase of 16.5 per cent on N707.8bn recorded in 2013. Commenting on the results, the Bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Yemi Adeola, said the bank’s performance shows the strengths of its resilient growth model and its ability to continue to deliver value for all stakeholders. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FBN Holdings record N82.8bn after tax profit

BN Holdings Plc has recorded profit after tax of N82.8bn for the year ended December 31, 2014, showing an increase of 17.3 per cent above N70.6bn recorded in 2013.Based on the performance, the directors recommended a cash dividend of 10 kobo per share and a bonus of one new share for every 10 shares already held. The company grew its gross earnings by 21.3 per cent from N396.2bn to N480.6bn, while net interest income went up by six per cent from N230.1bn to N243.9bn in 2014. Profit before tax stood of N92.9bn, up 1.7 per cent from N91.3bn in 2013, while profit after tax rose by 17.3 per cent from N70.6bn to N82.8bn. A cash dividend of 10 kobo per 50 kobo share and scrip of one for 10 were recommended amounting to a total distribution of N1.05 per share compare to N1.10 in 2013. FBN Holdings total assets grew by 12.2 per cent from N3.9trn to N4.3trn, with loans and advances jumped by 23.2 per cent from N1.8 trillion to N2.2trn. Commenting on the results, the Group CEO, FBN Holdings, Bello Maccido said,“The group recorded a strong financial performance in 2014 in spite of the highly challenging operating environment particularly for our flagship business, First Bank of Nigeria. As such, the performance by the Banking Group is a testament to the underlying strength of our commercial banking business which is built on an extensive retail network and a robust information technology platform. Notwithstanding the tough operating environment, the group showed commendable growth across all the key performance indicators buoyed by the complementary performance of our non-bank subsidiaries with gross earnings growing by 21.3 per cent to N480.6bn and profit before tax at N92.9bn.” According to him, “We remain focused on diversifying our revenue streams through the extraction of value from our recent bank acquisitions, consolidating our position in the investment banking space, especially with the acquisition of Kakawa, and expanding our insurance business scope.” BC

Maccido

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Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

Companies & Markets

Ecobank boss offers students investment tips T he Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Jibril Aku, has said one of the best ways to grow money is making investments. Aku gave this advice recently while lecturing students of Government Secondary School, Lugbe, Abuja on the topic “Growing Your Money” as part of Global Money Week. He described investment as something that is purchased with money and expected to produce income or profit, stating that, investing money reduces risk of theft, spending and gives chance for the money to grow.“Generally, investments are broadly divided into ownership, equities and lending (debt). The higher the risk involved, the higher the return and interest rate; the longer the period of investment, the higher the interest rate,” he said. The Ecobank boss also took the students through investing in real estate, precious objects, bonds, mutual funds, adding that “just like you eat good food and take vitamins to protect your body from sickness and allow you grow, you need to protect your money and investments in a similar way by get-

Aku

ting insurance.”He explained that “Stocks are securities that allow you become a part-owner of the company whose stocks you purchase. Examples of stocks are shares. When you buy the shares of a company, you are given a share certificate and entitled to dividends only if the company makes a profit. Shares also allow you to attend the company’s general meetings and sell your shares for capital gains in the stock market when the price of your shares increases.” He also counselled the stu-

dents on the need to save money in the bank, noting that “to register with a financial institution, you opened an account and are provided with an account number. The commercial banks generally offer ordinary savings account; current account; time savings deposit account and foreign exchange deposits. ”The Global Money Week is a global money awareness celebration that takes place between March 10 and 17 every year to engage children globally in learning the concept of savings and investment. The day is being marked to focus attention on children and youth in primary and secondary schools nationwide and to empower them by enhancing their financial knowledge and planning skills. During the period, financial institution chief executive will visit; teach selected students from the schools a module of a Financial Literacy curriculum specially designed by Junior Achievement Nigeria – a non-governmental organisation focused on educating children about their economic environment. BC

Mansard tops industry performance, gets award

ansard Insurance plc’s has been named the top quartile, first place in Insurance Category, of publicly listed Growth Strategy Leaders for the year 2015 awards season. The award honours “best of the best” growth companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in Nigeria and was presented by MSY Analytics, a teaming partner and Nigerian representative of global research and growth consulting giant, Frost & Sullivan. According to MSY analytics, ‘Using a weighted scoring methodology, the performance and financials of all publicly traded companies on Nigerian Stock Exchange ,NSE as of December 31, 2014 were evaluated across several metrics such as total shareholder returns, revenue growth and profitability growth. From within the pool, the company selected elite group of 10 top companies per industry and Mansard ranked 1st in the Insurance Industry.” The organizers further disclosed that emerging and frontier markets represent over 50 percent of world GDP & over 2/3 of global growth and thus a strategic focus area for investors around the world.

While African continent is home to several of these markets, Nigeria ,a key frontier market, enjoys a unique position as the largest GDP in Africa. Moreover, Nigerian Stock Market was among the 10 best performing markets around the world during 2013 and is expected to be an attractive market for both domestic as well as global investors for coming decades. Head of Mansard’s Marketing and Corporate Communications Group, Mr. Taiwo Adeleye, while receiving the award appreciated MSY Analytics for the honour accorded Mansard and he noted that Mansard has remained the biggest insurance company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange for several years. The 2015 Growth Strategy Leaders award was presented during the Wharton Club of Africa, WCA, Executive Investment Summit & CEO Forum 2015 in Lagos. Mansard Insurance plc is a member of the AXA Group, the worldwide leader in insurance and asset management with 157,000 employees serving 102 million clients in 56 countries. Mansard was incorporated in 1989 as a private limited liability company and is registered

as a composite company with the National Insurance Commission of Nigeria, NAICOM. BC

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CWG operating margins rises in 2014 By Johnson Okanlawon

omputer Warehouse Group, CWG, has announced an improved performance for the financial year ended December 31, 2014. The company’s results show an improvement in operating indices across most financial segments and also affirm its position as the foremost Pan African ICT services provider. According to the result presented to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, gross margin appreciated five per cent while the financing costs and general operating costs dropped 43 per cent and 15 per cent to N199.8m and N2.7bn respectively. However, the company’s revenues declined N5.3bn to N15.3bn while the gross profit shed 27 per cent to N3.0bn, reflecting the harsh operating environment leading up to the elections in the country. A statement from the company attributed the bottom line decline in the revenue figures with a less than corresponding drop in the operating costs. Others include the foreign exchange losses of N380million due to the currency devaluation and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s directive that excluded IT related companies from the Retail Dutch Auction System foreign exchange window. Reviewing the financials, the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Mr. Philip Obioha, stated that the results reflected the current harsh operating environment, and that the macroeconomic trend which the company started experiencing from the second part of last year. The Group Chief Executive

Officer, Mr Austin Okere, said the company shall continue to consolidate her operations in new systems and processes to achieve improved cost efficiencies in the face of stiffer competition, and dwindling margins. “In doing so, we shall achieve a cost leadership position whilst delivering superior service to our customers,” he added. He explained that the company will focus investments in new lines of business, christened CWG2.0, which are better positioned to withstand macroeconomic shocks, especially those relating to foreign exchange. He stressed that there are also collaborative agreements with multilateral organizations, which are focused on the growth of SMEs, in achieving inclusive growth in the country. “There is also the free to air services which the group is offering in collaboration with the second largest satellite provider in Europe. This service would launch with 30 TV channels and is planned to be launched in the second quarter of this year. BC

Okere

Axa SA predicts strong industry growth in Nigeria

xa SA, a foreign insurer active in Nigeria, sees the peaceful manner in which the country is handling its first transition in political power in decades as supporting economic growth in the country and beyond. Head of Axa’s global property and casualty business, JeanLaurent Granier, commenting on the just concluded presidential election said, “We think that political stability and the respect of democratic rules in this vote can only consolidate development potential in Nigeria and other African countries,”. A largely peaceful election in which Muhammadu Buhari defeated President Goodluck Jonathan has bolstered investor confidence, he said. Nigeria’s insurance penetration is about a fifth of the average on the continent and less than a 20th of the level in South Africa, underscoring the opportunity in a country with 177 million people. “We are not making a political interpretation of this out-

come,” Granier said. “This reinforces and confirms our will to grow in Nigeria.” Axa has disposed $9.7bn of assets in developed markets since 2010 to invest in fastergrowing nations, including African markets. In December, it spent €198 million to buy a majority stake in Mansard, Nigeria’s fourthlargest insurer. Also last month, Paris-based Axa completed the purchase of a 7.2 percent stake in pan-African reinsurer Africa Re for $61 million.

Granier

Insurance penetration in Nigeria, as measured as a percentage of premiums to gross domestic product, was 0.68 percent in 2012, according to a KPMG report in August. That compares with a 3.5 percent average for Africa and 15.4 percent in South Africa, the continent’s biggest insurance market, according to figures from PriceWaterhouseCoopers in October. Insurance premiums tend to increase faster than economic growth in Nigeria and African countries, as companies and households adjust their coverage to “catch up” with rising living standards, Granier said. “The corporate insurance market was first to develop and now the market for individuals is opening,” he said. Health insurance products sold through corporate or individual policies, car-insurance needs and micro-insurance initiatives are contributing to insurance expansion in Nigeria, as in other fast-growing African markets, he said. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Global News GE slashing finance arm, sells $26.5bn in real estate

Jinping

China to punish Internet firm Sina over series of complaints

hina will punish web portal and social media firm Sina Corp after it was identified as operating the most complained about major website in the country, the Internet regulator said on Friday, the latest blow in an ongoing online crackdown. Representatives from Sina, which also operates China’s most popular microblog Weibo Corp, discussed “the issues of breaking the law and the recent large quantity of Internet user complaints” with officials from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and its Beijing branch, the regulator said in a statement on its website. User complaints about Sina concerned “spreading rumours, terror, obscenity and pornography, fraud, publicising cults... distorting facts, violating social morality and promoting vulgarity,” said the CAC. Sina declined to comment. Since President Xi Jinping came to power in early 2013, he has overseen a broad campaign to bring China’s Internet under the government’s control. This includes clamping down on content seen as destabilising for the ruling Communist Party, using what cybersecurity experts say is the world’s most sophisticated censorship mechanism. CAC will punish Sina to strengthen supervision and management of news web sites and promote the healthy and orderly development of the Internet news services, the statement said, citing a CAC official. The regulator did not specify the punishment. If Sina fails to reform properly or illegal activity continues on its platforms, Sina will be severely punished or even have to halt its online news services, the CAC said. According to the statement, the Sina representative told the regulator the company would target the problems, strengthen its internal oversight and carry out its services in strict accordance with the law.

eneral Electric announced Friday it was getting out of most of its banking business, slashing back GE Capital and selling $26.5 billion worth of real estate. The US industrial giant said it would sell off most of the $500 billion in assets of GE Capital, a business which earned $2 billion last year. But GE will retain its aircraft leasing and energy and healthcare equipment finance operations, businesses that are closely tied to GE’s core industrial manufacturing operations. The action follows the spinoff and public offering of GE’s retail finance and credit card business, Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF - news) , last July, as the 123-year-old company gets back to its roots after years of letting finance drive much of its business. The sale over the next two years of GE Capital assets could generate as much as $90 billion to be returned to investors via dividends, share buybacks and a share exchange, the company said. The company heralded the move as getting back to core capabilities in advanced manufacturing technology. GE manufactures aircraft engines and parts, railroad locomotives, turbines for the energy industry and health care industry equipment. It also develops a broad range of technologies in communications, consumer goods and health care. By 2018 more than 90 percent of the company’s earnings will come from its industrial business, compared to 58 percent currently. “This is a major step in our strategy to focus GE around its competitive advantages,” GE chairman and chief executive Jeff Immelt said. “These businesses are leaders in technology, the Industrial Internet and advanced manufacturing. They are wellpositioned in growth markets and are delivering superior customer outcomes, while

Immelt

achieving higher margins,” Immelt said. Immelt said the fallout from the financial crisis, which led to GE Capital being designated a “systemically important financial institution,” (SIFI), drawing tougher regulation and capital requirements, spurred the move. “The business model for large, wholesale-funded financial companies has changed, making it increasingly difficult to generate acceptable returns going forward,” he said in a statement. GE said it will ask regulators to remove the SIFI designation for the pared-back company. “GE Capital will be smaller and simpler, with businesses designed to drive industrial growth,” it said.

the British passenger pays the highest fares in Europe to travel on rammed out and unreliable trains.

IG Group launches trading app for Apple Watch

Merkel

Tories to freeze train fares for five years

Germany to cut public debt below 70%/GDP next year – Finance minister document

ail fares will be frozen in real terms for five years if the Tories win the General Election, David Cameron has pledged. The Prime Minister said extending the Retail Price Index inflation cap on regulated ticket prices until 2020 would save the average commuter £400. The coalition has imposed the same restrictions for the past two years, and also removed the “’flex” train that allowed operators to increase some fares by more than inflation as long as others went up by less. According to the Conservatives, the policy means commuters are already paying £75 less than they would have been. The announcement is part of an effort to blunt the Labour attack over the cost of living, and accusations that most people are not benefiting from the economic recovery. Mr Cameron, who was campaigning in the south west, said: “The cost of commuting is one of the biggest household bills that hardworking families face and it is something we are determined to bear down on. “It shouldn’t just be taken for granted that people across the country who get up early and come home late, spend a large amount of the money they earn travelling to and from work. “Because of the difficult decisions that we have taken to repair the economy, we have been able to hold down commuter fares for the past two years. “If elected in May, we would freeze them in real terms for the next five.” But Mick Cash, leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: “This latest stunt would still mean annual fare increases that would institutionalise the harsh reality that

had achieved the feat.

ermany is cutting its public debt faster than expected, with Berlin now aiming to reduce its debt to less than 70 percent of its economic output next year, according to an excerpt of a finance ministry document seen by Reuters on Friday. Under European Union rules, set out in the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, euro zone states are supposed to keep the ratio of their debt to their gross domestic product to 60 percent or less. That rule has been broken for years. Even Germany, the EU’s economic powerhouse, has not been close to that level since the early 2000s, and its public debt rose further during the financial crisis in 2007-08 as the government pumping billions of euros into struggling banks. In its coalition agreement from 2013, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s governing coalition agreed to reduce the public debt to below 70 percent of GDP in 2017. However, Germany now will achieve this goal in 2016, one year early, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 68.75 percent, thanks to a reduction of toxic assets in government-run bad banks and generally good public finances, according to an excerpt of the finance ministry’s latest stability report seen by Reuters. Berlin further aims to reduce its public debt gradually in coming years and almost fulfil the Maastricht criteria in 2019, with a planned debt-to-GDP ratio of 61.5 percent, the document showed. Helped by strong tax revenues and rock-bottom interest rates, Germany achieved its goal of a balanced federal budget -- also known as the “schwarze null” (black zero) -- one year early in 2014. It was the first time since 1969 that Germany

ritain’s IG Group Holdings Plc said on Friday that it would launch one of the first online trading apps for Apple Inc’s smartwatch, in keeping with the trading platform’s push to bolster its technology division. The app will automatically install itself onto clients’ Apple Watches if it has already been downloaded to their iPhones, IG said in a statement. Traders will be able to buy, sell and monitor stocks, as well as spread bets across a number of asset classes from the watch through a “one-tap” login. IG Group said the app would be available from April 24, when Apple plans to start selling its watch in stores.

Oil rises towards $58, heads for weekly gain as Iran supports

il rose towards $58 a barrel on Friday, heading for a weekly gain, supported by an easing of concerns that the interim accord over Iran’s nuclear work will lead to a rapid rise in Iranian oil supplies. Evidence this week of ample global supplies, including the biggest jump in U.S. inventories since 2001, a glut of unsold Nigerian crude and Saudi Arabian output reaching a record high, limited the rally. Brent crude was up $1.16 at $57.73 a barrel by 1348 GMT, remaining on track for its third weekly gain in four weeks. U.S. crude rose 50 cents to $51.29. “The latest agreement with Iran does not open the floodgates for a significant return of Iranian oil on the market as many had feared,” said Harry Tchilinguirian, head of commodity markets strategy and oil strategy at BNP Paribas. World powers and Iran announced the interim accord last week. But on Thursday, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei demanded all sanctions on Iran be lifted on the same day as any final agreement, while the United States maintains that sanctions would be lifted gradually. Crude was also supported by expectations of stronger demand after data this week from the United States and Germany bolstered the view that world growth is slowly perking up. Oil’s rally came despite a stronger U.S. dollar, which tends to weigh on commodities priced in the U.S. currency. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

A9 25

Brand Watch

Dearth of data, media consumption key issues affecting African marketers Stories by David Audu

articipants at the recently concluded Global Marketing Week 2015 in Marrakech, Morocco, organised by World Federation of Advertisers and co-hosted by the Moroccan Association of Advertisers, GAM, Advertisers Association of Nigeria, ADVAN, alongside other trade associations in Af-

rica released new research into the state of marketing expertise and opportunity. The results highlight key challenges that all brands face in Africa, notably the lack of reliable data, including media consumption and retail performance, as well as the progress that marketers in the region are making in delivering more effective marketing.

President of ADVAN, Kola Oyeyemi, Executive Member, Kachi Onubogu and Executive Secretary, Ediri Ose-Ediale led ADVAN to the global marketers’ conference. According to Oyeyemi, the new document which seeks to unravel Africa’s marketing challenge was in co-operation with Millward Brown and National Advertiser Associations

L-R: Chairman, Briscoe Technologies, Emmanuel Ekong; Technical Director, Briscoe Technologies, Ralph Schubert and Regional Marketing Manager, Overseas Marketing Department, Hytera Communications Corporation Limited, Jimmy Jin, during the SECUREX West Africa Exhibition held at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos

NB launches Ace roots for traders in Ibadan

igerian Breweries Plc recently unveiled its new product, Ace Roots, to traders, distributors, retailers, entertainment spot operators and teeming consumers in the Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomosho, Oshogbo, Ilesha/Esa-Oke trade zone. According to the company’s Zonal Business Manager – West, Opeyemi Oluwalusi, Ace Roots is a product of painstaking research and response to consumers’ retailers and distributors’ demands and the result of Nigerian Breweries Plc’s in-depth consultations with critical stakeholders before its intervention in the herbal mix section of the beverage drink market. “At Nigerian Breweries Plc., we love to respond to consumers’ demands. You will bear me witness that your feedback from consumers and critical stakeholders have continued to play critical roles in our decision making process. “When our competitor came up with her brand sometimes

last year and stakeholders like you and our teeming consumers started asking when is Nigerian Breweries going to come out with her own brand of herbal mixture drink? “We responded by appealing for patience as we need time to carry our proper research and consultation with you ,retailers, distributors, including teeming consumers and other critical stakeholders before we can make a decision. “The result of that painstaking research and consultation is what we are launching and unveiling to you here today – Ace Roots,” he said. Speaking further to crowd of traders, retailers, bar operators, distributors and consumers that thronged the Ibadan Civic Centre, venue of the Trade Launch in Idi-Ape area of the sprawling ancient Yoruba city; Oluwalusi stated that Ace Roots is produced with the wellbeing and welfare of the consumer in mind. “Ace Roots takes the health, wellbeing and even the pocket of the consumer into serious consideration before it debuts.

“The herbal mix comes with the lowest sugar content in the Nigerian market today. Ace Roots has very low sugar content of just one cube of sugar. Aside this, Ace Roots is made with actual herbal juice extract from age-long roots, leaves and herbs. It’s alcoholic content is moderated at 6 per cent, that’s a little higher than lager beer and slightly lower than stout beer beverages. “More importantly, Ace Roots is entering the market with great value that takes the consumers’ purse into serious consideration. Oluwalusi explained that like many of its predecessors from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc, it has come to’ change the game for nightlife, especially for the bitters/herbal mix section of beverage industry. “Of course, the in-thing will be for consumers to ‘change their game to low sugar’,” he said. He espoused the rich herbal content of Ace Roots to include: kolanut, ginger roots, chilli pepper, sweet orange, bitter orange, ginseng roots, cocoa bean, ASPARTNE plus seven other fruits, spice and herbs. BC

in Cameroon (CMA), Kenya (MSK), Morocco (GAM), Nigeria (ADVAN), South Africa (MASA) and Zimbabwe (MAZ). The association said that the results are based on 82 responses from marketers working for well-known local and global brands at a country or regional level. They also reveal the gap in consumer understanding that local and regional marketers say exists at a global level. Fifty five per cent respondents agreed with the statement that “global colleagues do not understand consumers in our local markets” and only 20 per cent disagreed. The local versus global debate also applied to local agency partners, with 58 per cent of respondents agreeing that local agencies have a superior understanding of local business issues than international agency brands. Nevertheless, there was also a lot of common ground with marketers in other regions with key priorities cited such as brand positioning, integration, consumer insights and marketing analytics. “This reflects many of the

core concerns that WFA members globally have identified in the most-recent survey of marketer priorities, where integrated activity planning and digital marketing are the top priorities. Oyeyemi, on the importance of the conference to the Nigerian market said “It was a week of knowledge, new experiences and new insights into the marketing profession especially as it affects measurement of effectiveness in marketing” “It was quite insightful to learn from other markets the challenges and proven solutions to key marketing issues, these results are also applicable and automatable for Nigeria. “We are back with fresh information to ensure best practice marketing in Nigeria,” ADVAN president said. On his part, Onubogu stressed that the GMW 2015 provided the participants the opportunity to gather relevant knowledge and understand the local industry more. “Local marketers found the conference useful in many ways and the ripple effect would enhance our operation and add value to what we do. BC

WPP tops Effie Index for fourth year in a row

PP has topped the Effie Index as the most effective agency holding group globally for the fourth year in a row, as Omnicom’s BBDO is named the most effective ad network. The Coca-Cola Company toppled Unilever from the top spot to be named the highest ranked marketing company. Coca-Cola was also the most effective brand, a title it has now held for three consecutive years. Chair of the board of directors, Effie Worldwide and vice president, global marketing solutions, Facebook, Carolyn Everson, said “Effie Worldwide’s annual Effie Index recognizes the exceptional ideas that delivered results and made a difference for businesses globally. The Effie Index Worldwide is compiled from more than 3,000 finalists and winners from its 43 Effie effectiveness competitions around the world. “The Index is distinctively comprehensive in that it shines a light on the incredible ideas that worked around the globe, from local to international campaigns, and from both multi-nationals and independent brands. “This year’s honorees have set the bar higher for the industry and proven that great cre-

ative combined with thoughtful strategy equates to successful marketing initiatives.” The Effie Index Worldwide is compiled from more than 3,000 finalists and winners from its 43 Effie effectiveness competitions around the world. Each Grand Effie gets 12 points, GOLD Effies receive eight points, six points are given to silvers, bronzes winners get four and finalists are awarded two points. WPP topped the global holding company rankings for the fourth time, keeping Omnicom in second place. Interpublic was ranked third, Publicis Groupe fourth and Havas was listed in fifth place. Sir Martin Sorrell, the chief executive of WPP, said: “Some people talk about the importance of effectiveness to the marketing services industry. That’s like saying goals are important to football, or speed is important to Formula One. It’s not merely important – it’s the point of what we do. “Strategy, data, insights and, of course, outstanding creativity are the ingredients WPP agencies use to deliver their mission: results for clients. Or, to put it another way, creative effectiveness.” BC

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Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Energy Review

Stakeholders lament over increasing vandalism in the power sector By Gbenga Odogun

pileptic power supply has remained the biggest single source of worry for Nigerians. But the question on the lips of everyone concerned is why the problem has seemed to have defied all solutions in spite of successive government’s huge investments prior to the privatisation of the sector. According to stakeholders one answer that is readily available is the facility vandalism in every part of the country. The recent being the vandalism of gas pipeline transporting gas to various power stations. Just last month the Escravos gas pipeline transporting gas to Lagos was reportedly vandalised resulting in significant loss of supply to Lagos and its environs, in fact the media is awash with stories of mindless vandalism of public power facilities to the discomfort and detriment of the populace. Increasing cases of public power facility vandalism across Nigeria should worry all wellmeaning Nigerians, especially, against the backdrop of the fact that it is already threatening the recently acquired status of the country as the largest economy in Africa. Although government’s commitment to power sector reforms especially with the building of Independent Power

NNPC officials working on vandalised pipeline

Projects, IPPs, and the privatisation of the sector is well commendable, the spate of vandalism being reported appears to constitute the single most pressing challenge for the sector at the moment. Until recently, some common thieves take advantage of the inadequate policing of the power lines to steal high tension cables, where some even die by electrocution in the process. But the sophistry and co-ordinated vandalism suggest more

of sabotage than mere theft. While it will be impracticable to provide round-the-clock security for power-lines, Nigeria should be able to bank on the patriotic support of her citizenry. But to even imagine that some Nigerians may be sabotaging the system either because they are dealers on electrical facilities or because of political gains is regrettable .The task before the incoming administration should focus on using every means at its disposal to

protect this national asset and should not give stories of how vandals were making them fall short of their targets. The security agencies should be put to the best use. Again, the issue of cables being stolen because some thermal stations had gas cut is something that should never happen. The incoming administration of General Buhari should focus on reviewing the whole privatisation process with a view to determining their

suitability to bring about the desired change in the power sector since some of them have demonstrated lack of either technical knowhow or adequate financial capability to effect any meaningful change in both generation and supply chains. Notwithstanding the odds and constraints that attend efforts at fixing the power sector, government must go the extra mile to deliver on its promise on public power supply because of the importance and critical nature of power to the country’s social and economic development. Government must stop at nothing in ensuring that very harsh penalties, aside other unpleasant consequences, are imposed on people that destroy public utilities, while the political will should be mustered to ban, even if temporarily, the importation of electricity generators into the country. It must be made clear that a few selfish and unpatriotic business people cannot hold the country to ransom even if it has to mount frequent raids on electrical materials markets to identify stolen materials with a view to bringing culprits to justice. By the time these measures are put in place, the nefarious activities of power facilities vandals would have been brought under control and Buhari will have succeeded in writing his names in gold. BC

Energy commission, NBTI partner on commercialisation of research products

he Energy Commission of Nigeria, ECN, said it is working in conjunction with the National Board for Technology Incubation, NBTI, to commercialise its research and development products nationwide. Prof. Jere Bala, the Director General of energy commission who disclosed this said the commission’s collaboration with NBTI was to exploit the avenues of commercialising some of its research and development outputs, adding that the processes had been ongoing. The D-G said there were various research and development programmes currently running at six of its Energy Research Centres in universities of Sokoto, Nsukka, Lagos, Illorin, Bauchi and Benin. Bala said that the universities of Lagos had been carrying out research and development on energy efficiency and conservation; Benin on energy and

environment; Illorin on hydropower plant and Bauchi on hydrocarbon. He said the basic research products of the commission included solar water heater, solar crop dryers, pilot wind electricity machines and bio-gas digesters from its research centres for commercialisation. “We ultilise the biomass or sun to produce direct process heat through conversion of sun to heat, using solar water heater or solar crop dryer to convert the sun into electricity-using solar panels. “We produce prototype solar water heater in our research centres. Some have been installed, particularly in Usman Danfodio Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, and they are now helping in the production of warn water for use in the hospital.’’ He said the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology had established NBTI, to harness all the research and development

products for commercialisation. “Now, this board provides an avenue where research and development outputs from these research centres are incubated. NBTI brings in private sector to see the products during the incubation. “This will enable the investors to key in and get them adopted for mass production and convert

Bala

them into businesses,’’ he said. Bala said the commission had been planning to bring in private investors, entrepreneurs and research institutions on how they could key in to convert the products into businesses. Bala said the agency had to collaborate with NBIT to attract investors to invest in the development of the products for sale

and job creation. He said the conversion of the products for mass production required an expert with special knowledge to get the products into the market. The D-G said the commission had been promoting the use of wind energy for power generation and the sun energy not only for production of electricity but also solar water heaters. “We have also been able to promote small hydropower plants. We collaborate with UNIDO on capacity building and also on promotion of pilot project He said the National Energy Master plan, NEM, which was still at draft forms had been reviewed in 2013 and would be taken to the FEC for approval alongside with NEP and later to the national assembly. Prof Bala said the master plan would be roadmap for the implementation of the renewable energy component of the National Energy policy. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

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Nigerian IT spending to rise as global operators slash budget By Isaiah Erhiawarien

lthough predictions have revealed that worldwide IT spending is expected to shrink to $3.66 trillion in 2015, by a 1.3 percent decrease from 2014, yet there are indications that telecoms companies in Nigeria may be spending more this year, particularly on spectrum purchase and other telecoms infrastructure. According to the latest forecast by Gartner, Incorporated the rising dollar is chiefly responsible for the slowdown. Since 2001, In addition, Nigerian operators have paid close to $4 billion (N640bn) in license and spectrum fees since 2001. Further, 3 to 5 percent of Nigerian telecoms services revenues are paid out in wages and benefits for some of the highest skilled jobs in the economy. Other contributions to the economy include payments to contractors, corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and dividends to shareholders. CSR programmes have been of particular significance, with many operators investing a material portion of their revenue on such programmes despite not breaking even on their investments. Research Vice President at Gartner, John-David Lovelock said that the study forecast U.S.-dollar-valued worldwide IT spending in 2015 to shrink by 1.3 percent, down from 2.4 percent growth forecast in last quarter’s update. However, he said that the shrink is not a crash, even if it looks like one saying that the recent rapid rise in the value of the U.S. dollar against most currencies has put a currency shock into the global IT market. He said, “Taking out the impact of exchange rate movements, the corresponding constant-currency growth figure is 3.1 percent, only off 0.6 percent from last quarter’s update. Such are the illusions that large swings in the value of the dollar versus other currencies can create.” He noted that this illusion masks a bigger issue that has real implications stressing that every product or service that has a U.S. dollar-based component must have those costs covered at the lower exchange rate. “The simple implication is that there will be price rises. However, there are many other market forces at work protecting U.S. dollar profits will re-

Lovelock

quire a nuanced and multifaceted approach involving pricing, partners and product management,” said Lovelock. The Gartner Worldwide IT Spending Forecast is the leading indicator of major technology trends across the hardware, software, IT services and telecom markets globally. For more than a decade, global IT and business executives have been using these highly anticipated quarterly reports to recognise market opportunities and challenges, and base their critical business decisions on proven methodologies rather than guesswork. For stance, the U.S. dollar spending on devices (including PCs, ultra-mobiles, mobile phones, tablets and printers) for 2015 is forecast to decline 1.2 percent to $685 billion. Spending for all devices in 2015 was revised down partly due to a slowdown in PC purchases in Western Europe, Russia and Japan, countries where local currency has devalued against the dollar. Although the mobile phone market is not as affected by the currency shifts, yet the study observed that substantial change in the phone mix in emerging markets toward lower-priced smartphones negates price increases of premium phones, resulting in flat phone average selling prices between 2014 and 2015. The study captured data center system spending, which is projected to reach $142 billion in 2015, an increase of just 0.4 percent from 2014 while external controller-based storage, enterprise network equipment and servers have all been impacted by the depreciation of

IT improvement

some local currencies against the U.S. dollar, but the server segment has seen the biggest impact due to the greater pricing pressure that server vendors are exposed to, due to their relatively lower margins. Gartner said that the spending in the enterprise software market is on pace to total $320 billion in 2015, a 2.3 percent increase from 2014 saying that this is a downward revision from the last forecast and is the result of a substantial reduction in the forecast for office suite spending, reflecting the acceleration of Office 365 adoption. The study revealed that Of-

fice 365 is disrupting traditional revenue flows stating that its cost is prorated over the life of the subscription, resulting in significantly lower revenue growth as user’s transition away from the on-premises model. “IT services spending will contract slightly to $942 billion in 2015, down from $948 billion in 2014. The largest reductions were made in implementation services, particularly in the U.S. Although the oil and gas industry is only one percent of the IT services market, oil and gas buyers historically react quickly when their prices drop, often cutting back on spending

20 percent or more”, the study noted. The Gartner noted that because the U.S. is a large oil producer and a large market for IT services, the largest spending reductions on services is expected to take place in the U.S. through 2015 and 2016, with an early impact on implementation services. Among the more prominent changes affecting multiple regions were reductions in total connections for developed markets such as the U.S. and several Western European nations, as growth in data-only connected devices and multi-SIM connections were not as high as previously expected. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

Telecoms firms back campaign for girls ICT education By Isaiah Erhiawarien

ore private sector organisations have indicated their interest to support commitment towards enhancing development in ICT education. Vodacom Business and MainOne Cable Company and FPG Technologies, j MTN Nigeria and Huawei Technologies have indicated interest in partnering with eBusiness Life magazine on the campaign by celebrating the International Girls in ICT Day under auspices of eBusiness Life magazine published by eBusiness Life Communication Limited. According to MainOne Cable Company, it is partnering with eBusiness Life in this year’s event because of the successes of previous partnerships between as well as the impact of the event on young girls. MainOne has been a partner in this campaign from the maiden edition in 2012. Also Vodacom Business, in a statement noted that the campaign to groom young girls and empower them technologically for the future is in line with the company’s vision and Corporate Social Responsible. It further stated that partnering with eBusiness Life has created an extended platform to realise this objective in Nigeria. The event, which is billed to take place at the Oriental Hotels in Lagos is part of the International Telecommunication Union campaign to sensitise young girls and encourage them to take up Information and Communication Technology as a career. While encouraging all its members to be part of the cam-

paign, the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) commended the efforts of eBusiness Life in bringing this campaign to life in Nigeria. In a letter signed by the ATCON’s Executive Secretary, Ajibola Olude, the Association stated: “Please accept the commendation and endorsement of our Association on this laudable initiative”. International Girls’ in ICT Day is an initiative launched through ITU Resolution 70 with the idea of creating a global environment that will empower and encourage girls and young women to consider careers in the field of information and communication technologies. The ITU declared the 4th Thursday of April every year as a day of encouragement to girls and young women to consider careers in ICT, while other stakeholders are reminded to support them in their choice. Supporting the global Girls in ICT movement empowers girls and young women, giving them the confidence to pursue ICT studies and careers. Girls and young women have the potential not only to become ICT users, but also to become ICT creators. The event, which will be chaired by the Managing Director, Edo State Information Communications and Technology Agency, Mrs. Olayemi Wonuola Keri will feature Blogging and Quiz competitions amongst students from select secondary schools, roundtable discussions, interactive and motivational talk from renowned women ICT professionals, amongst others. Awards to deserving female ICT practitio-

ners will also form part of the celebration. The Nigerian Communications Commission, the Ministry of Communications Technology and the National Information Technology Development Agency had been partners in this campaign. e-Business Life Magazine is a monthly Information and Communications Technology Magazine incorporated to bring better information that would link users and service providers as well as enable Nigeria take its pride of place among the comity of nations in the new global economy. The mission at e-Business Life Magazine is to inform and educate ICT users on trends and developments both locally and internationally; to provide a platform on which to build ICTs in Nigeria and also to be a voice for ICT consumers in the country. In addition, it is poised to create a world where Nigerian youths have a better understanding of modern technologies and can easily deploy these technologies in developing their communities. BC

ytera, a leading professional mobile communications solution provider, showcases its latest digital two-way radio portfolio at Securex West Africa 2015 in the Eko Convention Centre. Hytera solution has been globally and locally in Nigeria, adopted by government and public security, utility, transport, and enterprises, which receive benefits of higher operational efficiency and security due to the advanced voice and data features. Speaking at the exhibition in Lagos, the Regional Marketing Manager, Overseas Marketing Department, Hytera Communications Corporation Limited, Mr. Jimmy Jin said the company offers the most complete

DMR portfolio, including portable two-way radio, mobile radio, repeater, infrastructure and applications. He said that the company have other products including cost-effective radios like PD3, PD5& PD6 series, to high-end radios, such as PD705/PD785, which can support DMR trunking mode, smallest DMR radios X1p/X1e, intrinsically safe DMR radio PD795 Ex for oil and gas industry. He added that the company also produces full series of TETRA radios, including portable, mobile, infrastructure and applications. “Besides the PT580H portable radio and MT680 mobile radio, in this year, we take a new Tetra portable radio in this expo, the smallest and most beautiful Tetra radio Z1p.

with Esther Ozue (ozueesther@nationalmirroronline.net) 08059234648 (sms only)

Counting multitasking costs on you, your entreprise

ultitasking reduces your efficiency and performance because your brain works best when it focus on one thing at a time. When you try to do two things at once, your brain lacks the capacity to perform both tasks successfully. Multitasking is an illusion. Your brain shifts each time you introduce a new task to juggle. Here are few effects of multitasking: 1. Multitasking might damage your brain. Do you read while watching TV or sitting in on a conference call? Listening to the chatter in the open office? You’re asking your brain to split its attention and it can’t do that. Scientific researchers have shown that our brains are not capable of focusing on multiple tasks at once. We think they are, but what’s happening is the brain is jumping back and forth between the tasks, focusing briefly one at a time and not only can our brains not make it happen, but they get damaged when we try to force them. 2. Multitasking makes you less productive. It takes more time to switch tasks than stick with them until you finish. We think because we’re good at switching from one task to another that that makes us good at multitasking. But then, having a great ability to lose focus isn’t admirable. If you’re convinced that multitasking makes you superproductive, you’re super wrong. It just means you backtrack a lot, because every time you switch tasks, you have to repeat a bit to find out where you last left off. How many times have you had to re-read your blog post drafts because you can’t remember what you wrote since your last attempt? 3. Multitasking makes you prone to cheat. Cheating (intentional or not) happens when you make sloppy mistakes you otherwise would not make. Multitasking itself won’t make you dishonest and turn you into a content crook, but being pressed for time (which is what multitasking ultimately leads to) makes you cut corners. And that’s when sloppy things happen that can get you into trouble. Sloppy things like using images you don’t have permission to use, or plagiarizing or lifting content a little too heavily.

Funke Opeke, CEO, MainOne Cable Co.

Hytera participates in Securex West Africa 2015 By Johnson Okanlawon

Technotalk

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

“Bringing infrastructure and terminals of both DMR and Tetra solutions, Hytera highlights emergency communication system, smart dispatch system in Securex 2015,” he said. Jin, who noted that Nigeria is a very important market for Hytera, stressed that the company clients adopt both digital technologies DMR and TETRA well. He said, “Hytera is one of the few radio communication providers who can provide complete solutions for public safety & security, transportation, oil and gas industries and companies.” The Marketing Director of Hytera, Mr. Dylan Liu, said, “We want our customers to know who we are and prove that Hytera is a top brand in professional mobile radio field.” BC

4. Multitasking lowers the quality of your work. Multitasking reduces worker performance, makes projects last longer and creates that panic-inducing backlog because your to-do list isn’t getting done. What you should do about it? Time management is the key. Learn how to manage your time very well. However, here are a few things you can do to combat the problem of multitasking: 1. Mix Your Activities Correctly: If you must do two things at once, then go about it with the right mix of complexity and simplicity. They key is to match high cognitive activities (like writing or anything that involves complex thinking and judgment), with physical tasks your brain’s autopilot (the cerebellum) can handle. 2. Choose Better Tools: Find the best distraction-free writing tools you can so you can focus on writing and nothing else until you are done. 3. Break the habit: Multitasking is a terrible habit to get into. It becomes pure distraction without the pretence of even “tasking” after a while. 4. Go with No: Learn to say “no” so that you can weed out the projects that bore you that drive you to facebook and candy crush. 5. Turn Things Off: Turn off your phone so the pavlovian beeps don’t distract you. Turn off browser notifications. Turn off email notifications. You can attend to all of those things later. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

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Owolabi Kapo:

The jewellery

merchant

His entry into the entrepreneurial world was accidental. He got into the jewellery industry at the age of 17, after helping out at a jewellery shop that was short-staffed. But 35 years down the lane in the jewellery trade, having worked and did commissioned work for over 17 companies around the world, Thomas Owolabi Kapo is today not just an ordinary jeweler, he is a successful industrial icon, a quintessential entrepreneur and a master in the art of (model making and diamond mounting). Evidently, his story no doubt provides a motivational pull for aspiring entrepreneurs Kapo

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

orn to Nigerian parents whose roots are from Badagry, Lagos state, South-Africa based Thomas Owolabi Kapo, a renowned jeweler, teacher, founder and chief executive officer of Hyde Park, Johannesburg based Akapo Jewels Ltd, has emerged, in the last 38 years, a shining example of a classic entrepreneur who through sheer creativity, determination, hard work, restlessness spirit, clear head and far-sighted business strategies raised his company from ground level to an enviable international status. Born in May 1958, Labi is a gifted and artistic jeweler who has been all over the world and has worked with renowned jewelers such as Andrew Grima (Queens Court Jewelers), Universal Gem Trade and Alexis Jewelry Limited gaining the experience that has made him into the master craftsman he is today. Originally, his surname

was Akapo, a name in Yoruba clan, which literarily means treasurer, or keeper of money, but his father had had to remove first letter when he got to Europe to study. Labi kapo has never been afraid of taking risks and perhaps it has led him to a successful career in a field not too difficult for people with his background. He is the first black man of the executive board of the jury of manufacturer association and jury council of pan African. He has made customized hand craft jewelry to most of the top jewelry houses like Christies and Sotheby’s all over the world. Most of his clients buy his products worth of tens of thousand dollars Imbued with humility and aggressiveness, popularly known as Labi Kapo, he has managed to beat all odds to survive in a turf mostly seen as the preserved of the Western companies. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, young Kapo was barely 10 months old when he left the shores of Nigeria when his parents decided to further

their studies in Geneva. From there they moved to London where he grew up and received his education. Kapo had his primary school education at St. Mary and St. Peters Primary school, Teddington, Middlesex while he later moved to Teddington Secondary Boys School still in Teddington, Middlesex for his high school education. Being a gifted boy, while right from childhood, he was discovered to have been very good at handcraft and hand skills, winning awards, unexpected circumstances had led him to such an expected career. His journey into the jewellery industry at the age of 17 was rather accidental, an act he described as being by chance and luck. He fell into the jewellery industry after helping out at a jewellery shop that was shortstaffed. “My chance came in the jewellery industry when I purchased an expensive beautifully-crafted watch from a friend who worked in a jewellery shop in Knightsbridge, London. I didn’t have

enough money to buy the watch outright so I made arrangements with my friend through his employer to pay in installments. “On making the final payment, my friend was no longer in their employment. The directors of the jewellery shop, Mr and Mrs Peera, then asked me to help them in the shop. That was the beginning of my entry into the jewellery industry 38 years ago, in 1976. I specialise in bespoke and handmade jewellery, made to order.” He had explained. Incidentally, after spending some time decided to further his education as he got a qualification in mechanical engineering, and so enlisted at Sir John Cass College in Aldgate, to begin to learn his craft. Having been trained by a firm of goldsmiths in Hatton Gardens, the diamond centre of the United Kingdom and jewellery centre of London, he later moved on to work for top London goldsmiths, Barry Stern Jewellery Limited. “At that time I would have been one of the first Africans to

work in the jewellery industry. That’s going back to 1975 or 1 976,” said Labi. Another renowned jeweller whom Labi worked for was Andrew Grima, a Court Jeweller for the Queen of England, who won a number of prestigious Diamonds International Awards for jewellery design. Kapo subsequently joined the industry, doing commissions for private diamond companies within London, including Christie’s and Sotheby’s. However, having spent some years on the job as an employee, it was not surprising when Labi decided that he was convinced he could stand on his own. He decided to take a plunge as he established Akapo Jewels Ltd. Akapo Jewels serves the high end of the jewettery trade with specialised, hand-crafted work in 18-carat yellow and white gold, and platinum. Kapo is a master goldsmith, having learned the trade from goldsmiths in the jewellery centre of London. Akapo Jewels, according to Continued on pg A14

Business Courage

Kapo is the only black or African company producing high-end jewellery at the moment producing fine, hand-crafted jewelery in avant-garde, antique and modern or cotemporary designs. The reality with the formation of Akapo Jewels in Johannesburg has offered him the opportunity to produce jewelry for top-end clients and also allowed him the space to train people from the continent to become top manufacturers. He considers himself fortunate to have worked with the likes of Andrewand Svetla Stevens of Greig and Stevens, leading producers of fine design jewellery. Since mid-2003 he had also produced handwork for the higher end of the market for Charles Greig Jewellers shops and designer jewellers Jenna Clifford. He had produced a range of jewellery for fie 2004 African Mining Indaba. The range was also displayed at fie opening of fie new wing at 0R Thambo Intemational Airport, and fien at First World African Jewellery in Rosebank. As he confessed however, he did not find it quite as easy as he had thought. “It wasn’t easy coming up through the ranks in London. In the 80s, I was able to do a tour of the workshops where I got to meet many elders with years of experience, in order to gain expertise. On some occasions I had to take a pay cut in order to acquire new skills.” In 2002, after 25 years in the jewellery trade in London, the African goldsmith returned to the continent with his wife, Wumba, to pursue a common dream and open his own highend jewellery manufacturing business in Hyde Park, Johannesburg, a business that could train talented youngsters from Africa to become goldsmiths as good as the best London could offer. Then, a colleague of his who he was teaching in London went to South Africa first, and then asked if he would be interested in coming down too, to look at the prospects of doing business together. “We spent three months here, but during the last two weeks of my stay I invited my wife down to have a look at opening a business. That was in 2002. I then returned alone in November 2002 to set up this business. My wife joined me with our children in December 2002.” Getting to South Africa, he went ahead to set up a top shop in a plush suburb of Johannesburg. Within few years after establishing his feet in South Africa thus becoming a master of the craft and having dazzled millions of people all over the world with his work, the master craftsman decided to focus on on teaching the next generation Africans on how to benefit from the continent’s precious resources. “I have a passion for arts and craft I don’t know how to describe it. What I have learnt

and being told as well as what I have known all over the years is that it is quite disservice hoarding information. There is need to pass information across to the next generations.” However, while admitting, it was not a bed of roses for him like every entrepreneur, he had little problem with start-up capital, he noted there was not any major difficulties as such. “There was no much problem setting up our company here in Hyde Park, because we cater for private clients as well as teaching and training. We run a college with full accreditation. Skills transfer is vital for African development.” Being one of the few black goldsmiths in the industry, he admitted that there challenges. “Being one of the few black goldsmiths in the industry comes with its own challenges. There have been challenges from as far back as I can remember when I first started training to become a goldsmith in London. The challenges here in South Africa are very similar to those in London.” ‘The beneficiation industry is small and can be very secretive. When we set up our company here, initially we were warmly welcomed. But when we got involved in transferring skills, we began to notice a change in attitude towards us. “One time a white colleague

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Monday, April 13, 2015

approached me and asked what I was teaching. I went through a list of different projects to express where we need to take the young people to become good goldsmiths. I was shocked to hear him say that some of the programmes I was teaching were a bit too advanced for black Africans. “Aren’t they?”, he asked. “What he wasn’t aware of was that I had been teaching a “rainbow nation” in my workshop and at the universities from the day I began teaching here in South Africa, and I always told my students that I was teaching them to be better than me, and to be free of me, not the same as me, otherwise there would be no progress. I do not discriminate. Limitations in terms of skills cut across race, even though in South Africa blacks were deliberately excluded and need to be given more exposure. The important thing is the opportunity to learn and train. This is why education is extremely important.” Kapo explained. As a teacher of crafts, Kapo’s students are all over the globe. He lectures, on a part-time basis, in the manufacture of platinum jewellery at the University of Johannesburg and the Central University of Technology in the province of Free State. Anglo Platinumalso sponsors the annual platAfrica Competi-

I have a passion for arts and craft I don’t know how to describe it. What I have learnt and being told as well as what I have known all over the years is that it is quite disservice hoarding information. There is need to pass information across to the next generations

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tion for professional and jewellery design students. The objective remains to stimulate the jewellery industry by driving customer demand and then supporting the design and manufacturing, so that there are local people and industries that can meet that demand. Andrew Stevens of Greig and Stevens attests to the highly specialised nature of producing hand-crafted work serving the high end of the jewellery market. He estimates there to be,’less than 100 individuals” in South Africa capable of such work. Kapo is a member of the London Assay Office, the body charged with testing and hallmarking precious metals in the United Kingdom, and he is also involved with the University of Johannesburg where he is a lecturer in its Jewellery faculty. He played a prominent role when staff and students from the University’s Jewellery Design Department helped raise R230 000 for the Nelson Mandela Foundation in July 2010 through an Anglo Platinum initiative. Kapo’s broach, which auctioned for R100,000, expressed freedom and was entitled Ibhabhathane (butterfly). The project was aimed at raising funds and contributing to the long-term sustainability of the foundation as well as an opportunity to celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela. Until recently, he was the only black person on South Africa’s Jewellery Manufacturers Association. Having seen the potentials deposited in him, in 2010, late former chairman, Alan Mair had invited him to become a member of the executive committee of the Jewellery Manufacturers’ Association of South Africa, a branch of the Jewellery Council. He had become a member of the association not long after he made a very detailed butterfly in platinum, which was auctioned at a charity event. The proceeds went to the Nelson Mandela

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Foundation. The butterfly was set with diamonds, rubies and sapphires. He called the butterfly Ibhabhathane. Last year, another black African was invited to join on the board of directors of the Jewellery Council. He is member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen Membership No A079751 member since January 1999, member of the London Assay Office Account No 29254 member since May 1980 all pieces made by him are struck by the Assay office with his mark TLK, (Thomas Labi Kapo) in the United Kingdom. He is also a member of the National Steering Committee of Jewellery, put together by the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) and the Jewellery Council, member of the Executive Committee of the Jewellery Manufactures Association of South Africa, member of the ETQA Quality Assurance Sub Committee (MQA) Subject Matter Expert and Member of African Designers & Jewellery Organisation Steering Committee (ADJO). To Kapo, Africa is blessed with many resources especially metals and stones, which can be used to catalyse African development. “I am a goldsmith so I work with gold, platinum, silver, diamonds and all precious and semi-precious stones. Africa has truly been blessed. All the stones from the rubies, emerald, sapphires, tanzanite, etc, are spread throughout the whole continent. What Africans are missing is in the value chain. There is an urgent need for beneficiation. The real benefit does not go to Africans.” He believes that at the highend of the jewellery industry, namely the handmade and what is internationally acceptable, it is without a doubt the whites run the show. “They have had a long head start, as black Africans could not enter the industry and were not taught skills at the high-end of jewellery design and manufacture in the old apartheid dispensation. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

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ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

Service improvement by subtraction BUSINESS

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With Mamora Victor Mamora is a system thinker and advisor whose belief and activator leadership strengths are directed towards improving workers perspective for city and enterprise development.

e-mail: olusegunmamora@gmail.com

usiness leaders and her team that improve services usually don’t take the path of the norm which is the easiest decision of “do more work and add more people”. The path of leaders and team who have successfully improved business services is to first take the merciless path by spotting and removing poor quality or useless business rules, tools, and fools (people who are always saying it is impossible), that congest the business processes and cloud the business team mind with false fable. While I was reading the Sutton and Rao title, I found the old story of how Steve Job, founder of Apple computer, improved services by subtraction too. In the year 1980s, Apple hired Kelly’s innovation firm to help design their first mouse. Kelly designers were on hand when Steve Jobs decided the mouse would have one button rather than two. Apples engineers argue vehemently for two buttons because users could do more things than with one. Eventually Steve Jobs heart was persuaded with a technical writer, who was probably the lowest paid person in the room. She said “it would be a lot easier to write a simple instruction manual if the mouse had just one button-and far easier for customer to learn and use”. The input of the technical writer resonated with Steve Jobs life long quest to cut cognitive load and simplify experiences for Apples customers and employees- a mindset that endures at Apples computer and i-products designs. Dear entrepreneur, I will suggest that you clear off the issues and processes that stand in the way of business excellence. Sometime the people who show up at work and creating confusion and crisis because of sentiment sold to you by friends and family to employ them should be subtracted from the team. You must question and get answer on relevant value that your business processes, people, policy, products pack-

aging and place add to both customers and enterprise and be courageous to subtracts the features that threaten the future of the enterprise and customer loyalty. In the year 2012, Adobe company executive experimented with service improvement by substraction. This time the executive of Adobe subtracted a policy they felt will not help the long term goal of the business. I use Adobe software products often and I enjoy them. Products such as Acrobat, PDF reader, Photoshop are key tools for many entrepreneurs. Yes! Entrepreneurs are well serviced by Adobe company tools and look forward to the company’s growth and innovative products. In the year 2012, Adobe subtracted one of the most sacred cows in corporate policies of many organisation: “business yearly performance review”. Adobe company could not find the value in yearly performance review to their business therefore, they killed the tradition. Adobe Company decided to put in place frequent “Ckeck-ins” policy where managers provide employees targeted coaching an advice. The managers simply have regular

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KLINIC

An entrepreneur must be committed to continuous improvement. Excellent is not a destination, so innovation and improvement must be worked on consistently

check-ins to convey what is expected of employees, give and get feedback, and help employees with their growth and development plans. Both Apple and Adobe Company decisions align

with principles that guide service improvement. So what are the guiding principles for service improvement by subtraction? The first principle is the “Law of Love” In the previous edition, I mentioned the Law of love and now it is the first mention. This is because it is always about the best interest of the people who use your products and services and people who works to improve the products and services. In the Steve Jobs story shared earlier in this article it will be noted that his business process decision making and especially in the design of the Apple computer mouse is people good experience driven. The law of love says you cannot give your best except to people you love with what you love to do. The law of love drove Henry Ford to design T-Mobile automobiles that an average

The golden rule for every business man is this: “Put yourself in your customer’s place. – Orison Swett Marden I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them! – C.J. Walker The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it. – Debbi Fields

The second principle is the Law of Courage The law of courage state that ability to make decision and to act boldly determines the level of success in business. Leadership in business will always requires that one break new ground, do away with unproductive processes and tools and this could be quite fearful, but entrepreneur has to face her fears and act boldly to subtract bad tradition, unworkable tools, bad experiences, and parasitic part of business processes to achieve their goals of service improvement for customers. The Adobe company case of subtracting traditional yearly performance review was a courageous decision of the management executive. It was a courageous move against popular tradition. They succeeded at doing that and have gone ahead to improve services since 2012 they experimented that decision. The third principle is the Law of Excellence An entrepreneur must be committed to continuous improvement. Excellent is not a destination, so innovation and improvement must be worked on consistently. In addition, excellent is not only a question of additional feature but also a question of what feature should be subtracted to have a better service and improve customers experience.

Motivational Business Quotes

eadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy. – Norman Schwarzkopf

Americans can afford and ease the burden of mobility. That is an expression of love. I strongly doubt the success of an entrepreneur who does not align with the law of love.

Life is too complicated not to be orderly. – Martha Stewart The winners in life think constantly in terms of I can, I will, and I am. Losers, on the other hand, concentrate their waking thoughts on what they should have or would have done, or what they can’t do. – Dennis Waitley Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming. – Richard Branson Leadership is doing what is right when no one is watching. – George Van Valkenburg Business is more exciting than any game. – Lord Beaverbrook BC

The fourth principle is the law of Flexibility The law of flexibility says success is possible when the goal is definite, but the process is flexible. Be willing to experiment, as Adobe Company did new things for the achievement of the goals. The goal should be fixed, but the business processes should be flexible. My encouragement for you today is that no matter how strong your opinion is be open to other members of your business team views. When you realised your opinion to be counterproductive to the business goal in the long term, be humble to subtract it from the business process. After all, you hired people to bring in ideas for services improvement. It is your season of business expansion, be courageous to maximise the opportunity. BC

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ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

The dotcom

merchant Despite being a computer prodigy, Sim Shagaya still had to wade through the friendless isle of ecommerce entrepreneurship failures to arrive at the enviable state of prestigious success in the world of astute business leaders who have immensely impacted their sphere of influence

imdul Shagaya is a very humble man with noble and innovative aspirations whose mercurial success in the entrepreneurial realm is driven by the understanding that one ought to use what one has to make the best of where one is. According to him “We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” He is the Chief Executive Officer CEO of online shopping website, Konga.com who won the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year 2013 Award in the CNBC/All Africa Business Leaders Award in West Africa. An indigene of Plateau state in NorthCentral Nigeria, Sim schooled in the United States, worked in South Africa and set up shop at home here in Nigeria. “I have not for a second regretted coming back to Nigeria to start my own business. You’ll find that Nigeria is an amazing economic environment to do business; the margins are generally better than other parts of the world,” he revealed. At age 10, Shagaya began writing computer codes. At Christmas, he would program his basic computer, run syn-

taxes, and connect it to a TV set to display ‘Merry Christmas’ and a digital xmas tree. Many years later, upon graduating as an Electrical Engineer from George Washington University, and bagging his MBA at Harvard Business School, he became the Vice President of Rand Merchant Bank (West Africa), before moving back to Nigeria as Google Africa head. Over the years, he has founded several tech start-ups: iNollywood, E-motion, DealDey, and Konga the latest of which is Konga.com, a Nigerian online shopping mall launched July 2012 with only seven workers but currently has grown to 130. Konga has its central distribution centre in Lagos warehousing its entire inventory, with two sorting centres in Abuja and Port Harcourt which act as regional depots. From Lagos, products are transported to the sorting centres to meet orders coming in from around the regions, before being delivered to consumers. Konga, DealDay and emotion were successes in his entrepreneurship adventures; however Sim has had his share of failures as well. He had started a dating site called Alarena which didn’t quite take off followed by a job portal, JobClan that didn’t fly, undeterred he kept searching for the right success formula and proceeded to develop a classified posting site known as Gbogbo but unfortunately for him it also flopped, at this point most people would have concluded that entrepreneurship was not for them but courageously Sim trudged on firmly fixed in his belief that success was just around the corner. Albeit through his ingenuity he developed an iNollywood content streaming service and wait for it, it failed again; not because of lack of creativity and service offerings but due to the fact that the idea was way ahead of the trend in the Nigerian entertainment industry at the time of its inception. Sim never gave up his quest to be a successful online entrepreneur and so with tenacity and a quiet resolve to succeed he founded E-Motion Advertising which became a successful, fast growing and leading Out-

Shagaya

of-Home advertising company in Nigeria. Following up on that success he built two very dynamic and successful ecommerce businesses: DealDey Limited in 2011, one of the foremost and now the most prominent group

buying website in Nigeria, which offers amazing services and products at discounted prices. And Konga Online Shopping Limited (Konga.com) in July 2012 now one of the leading one stop shop online retail company in Nigeria.

“Konga is an online retail that allows Nigerians to order something; anything they want from anywhere in the country where we will be able to get it to them in as little as 24 hours at most three days. That is our promise to them,” he enthused. Surprisingly for someone who had experienced failures before hitting it big, Sim still ascribes his success today to good luck besides risk taking, hard work and a willingness to do the mundane things. And his message to Africa’s young aspiring business people and entrepreneurs is simply to work hard and build success by helping others be successful. Sim credits the CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leader Award to Konga’s audaciousness, tenacity and innovativeness in online shopping in Nigeria and he dedicates it to the team and investors of Konga. He believes that the internet today is a more profound force to attaining to aggregating human advancement than what the printing press and the steam engine achieved and that it also represents a shift in the way society is structured and commerce is done. “I got to participate in what I guess people call the dotcom and doing a lot of work there for online companies. The internet was really just changing the way people where doing business and even the way the society was structured and I think that influenced me greatly,” he said.

Management Principles

The secret to selling your brand with one sentence

ou believe in the importance of your vision, but how do you get others to stop and listen to you? There will be many instances when you don’t have a lot of time to grab someone’s attention, be it a potential investor or a licensee. That’s why you need to be able to summarize the benefit of your business idea in a single, powerful sentence - a sentence that is so direct and compelling; it stops whoever reads or hears it dead in their tracks. A good one-line benefit statement should make someone think: “I want to know more about that.” On the day the iPod launched, Steve Jobs called it “a thousand songs in your pocket.” Wow. That’s captivating. He didn’t have to explain any further. We wanted it already! People don’t care about how something works. They want to know what it’s going to do for them. Newspapers, tabloids, and these days, Twitter has been making use of the headline for years. How often do you find yourself on a webpage you never intended to visit, all because a headline was so tempting, you had to click on it? Creating excellent one-line benefit statements isn’t an easy skill, but it’s an important one, because it can be used to explain your idea in so many different kinds of situations in an attractive, successful way. Sometimes, you only get one chance to make an impression. Cut through the clutter to make it count! Here three ways to create an awesome one-line benefit

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ThebuddingEntrepreneurs Despite being a successful business man on the ecommerce platform Sim will tell you that the key to enterprise success isn’t necessarily superior technological solution but people and relationships. “Business is transaction with individuals not machines or assets. Business is people.” He stresses that the immediate objective is to give the Nigerian customer the best price; the best convenience; the best selection of goods than anybody else can give them in Nigeria whether they are online or offline. “If you order anything on Konga.com we call you to verify it because also in this part of the world people want that human contact, you need to build trust with people.” “In Nigeria we don’t have a functional postal system in any real sense of the word so Konga’s greatest challenge has been to create that from the scratch; a fleet of motorbikes and delivery men we had to build up our system to make sure that goods will get to anywhere in Lagos within 24 hours and anywhere in Nigeria within 72 hours or less and that is a huge challenge,” he said. Leveraging on its generated traffic and logistics infrastructure Konga also launched an online marketplace in Nigeria, a platform that enables local retailers to build their own stores online and connect with prospective buyers called Konga Mall. It is a place where third-party sellers can list their products and sell directly to customers via Konga platform; Seller bring the mer-

chandise to Konga’s warehouse, and then Konga can open up the retailers’ merchandise nationwide, and take a commission on sales. “Over the next five years we are going to see Africa’s income levels rise the same way they rose in the early part of the 20th century in the United States and we want to be part of that, we want to spread our wings and ride that wind,” he enthused. Konga’s efficienShagaya cy at logistics systems and focus on consumer experience had helped the retailer garner customer loyalty and brand equity. Unknown to Sim and his team, while foreign investors turned down Konga’s investment proposal, South Africa’s media giant Naspers MIH Internet Africa, came across several tweets and blog posts testifying of Konga’s good customer service. The testimonials were so overwhelming that they engaged the South African media giant’s attention. Two years earlier, Naspers MIH had operated an e-commerce business in Nigeria, Kalahari. com.ng. But a discouraging performance and inability to make near-term profit forced the multinational to shut down operations. Konga’s impressive performance

statement: 1. Make it emotional. Why should people care about what you have to say? Grab them with something they can relate to. Benefits sell ideas, not facts. What is your idea going to do for the consumer or the world? Don’t be afraid to use emotion. People are motivated by their emotions more often than they are motivated by reason. Emotion also evokes visual imagery - if people can begin to see your idea, that’s a good thing. Some emotional words include: “free”, “incredible” and “unbelievable.” 2. Keep it short Like - really short. I’m talking no more than 10 to 12 words, ideally less. Remember, you don’t have much time. If your statement is too long, people may move on before they’ve even finished reading or hearing it. Don’t be intimidated by using fewer words. This is a really good exercise in general. Too often, I ask an inventor or entrepreneur to tell me about his or her idea and I’m overwhelmed with a five-minute speech. “What is he talking about again?” I find myself thinking. I’m not even sure. Brevity forces clarity. 3. Use numbers Numbers convey specificity. Look around you. Headlines with numbers dominate our world. One has only to look at Buzzfeed to understand the power of numbers. BC

Personal Finance Preparing yourself for the challenges of raising capital

however presented Naspers MIH an opportunity for a comeback into Africa’s largest market. “We think they Naspers MIH did some test orders at Konga.com that went well but they wouldn’t admit to it,” Sim jokes. Eventually, Naspers invested cash for equity in Konga under a non-disclosure term that makes it illegal for both parties to reveal specific facts about the deal. Reports have inaccurately put the size of equity acquired by Naspers at 50 per cent. Sim discloses that it is “significantly less.” What is not in doubt is that the serial South African online business investor poured eight-digit million dollar cash into Konga. With Naspers’ investment, the retailer plans to engage in a plethora of offline marketing, improve logistics systems with better people, IT and working capital, and push out more sorting centres across Nigeria to deliver orders faster and more precisely. “And this is the super-complex part. The decisions of what these distribution centres would look like in 2016, have to be taken now. Also you don’t want to stock a mobile phone the market wouldn’t want, in 6 months.” Konga recently moved to a 20,000 square feet warehouse which is reportedly the biggest ecommerce distribution centre in Africa. According to Shagaya, the move was to meet the company’s current and long term retail goals and power Nigerian businesses. “We were under no illusion that this was a one, two or three year’s journey, we knew that this was going to be a long road to build out this system that we feel we owe it to Nigerians to build out, to allow them consume with dignity and sustainability,” he said. According to him his enterprise vision is not altruistic by any means, as he says; “we are in business but I think also what we are doing is building our country.” BC

ccording to Robert Kiyosaki, “Getting rich begins with the right mindset, the right words and the right plan.” Raising capital for your startup or funds for your small business expansion plans is no doubt one of the most challenging aspects of starting or growing a business. This is why you must be adequately prepared for the task. Seriously, raising money for your business is not a piece of cake; as you almost have to practically beg and convince potential investors or lenders to trust you with their hard earned money. There are morethan-countable stories of entrepreneurs and small business owners becoming discouraged and frustrated by the harsh challenges they are faced with while trying to raise funds for their businesses. These challenges include the amount of time it takes to secure the required funds, the crippling terms and conditions, the paper work involved, the rejections, and the lack of linearity and progress checkpoints over the course of the fund raising process. Now, let us go into more detail on some of the commonest challenges entrepreneurs face during the fund raising process. “Never worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow, you might inherit a million dollars or be run over by a truck. Or inherit a million dollars and be run over by a truck.” – The Mafia Manager 1. The “maybe” situation It is very common for a prospective investor, either an individual or a venture firm to show great interest in an entrepreneur’s idea after the initial review, only to leave the entrepreneur guessing afterwards by not giving any definitive feedback (positive or negative) on the investment proposition. No entrepreneur would find this an easy experience. Because they “have the gold” and “make the rules,” investors demand that you, being the entrepreneur, provide a very specific timeline in regards to growth metrics and return on their prospective investment. But they usually don’t reciprocate this by making quick and specific investment decisions. Why should they be hasty about investing in your business, when there are other promising business opportunities out there. 2. Lack of urgency Another great challenge in raising funds for a new or existing business is the lack of natural urgency. This is usually because the number of entrepreneurs seeking to market their ideas by far exceeds that of ready investors. And so, investors have their tables filled with several investment proposals and usually need enough time to go through them and scrutinize the opportunities that each one presents. “The rich invest in time, the poor invest in money.” – Warren Buffett Also, most investors / lenders are busy individuals with many corporate and personal issues to attend to; thus leaving them with less time to go through the numerous business plan they receive daily. So get their attention, your business plan and email pitch must be exceptional and attention grabbing. BC

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Behind d Wheels This page is open to sponsorship

alled the “most radical redesign of the Civic in its history” and “a Civic that Mr. Honda would be proud of,” a concept car very close to the production tenthgeneration Civic coupe hit the auto-show stage in New York in a hailstorm of corporate hyperbole. Sadly, all Civic fans get at this point is this lime-green concept on 20-inch rims, which lacks both an engine and an interior. Besides the customary sedan and coupe, the U.S. will get its first five-door Civic hatchback in history. The next Civic also will introduce a new family of twin-cam VTEC engines, starting with a 2.0-liter four as the base powerplant and a 1.5-liter turbo as the upgrade. A six-speed manual and a CVT will be the transmission choices for regular-grade cars. It is regarded as “regulargrade” because American Honda Motor also confirmed that the Type R is finally coming to the U.S., although it could be up to two years away. Informed speculation says the next-generation Type R likely will use the freshly unveiled current car’s 2.0-liter turbo engine with around 300 horsepower, to match other hot hatchbacks in the segment, and offer only a six-speed manual. It is also

learnt that the Civic five-door will come last in the launch rotation, after the new sedan this fall, the coupe next winter, and the Si models shortly after that. The New York concept was described as the most aggressive take on the next-gen Civic’s styling, and thus it could be a preview of what the Type R will look like. Apparently, some new car somewhere bombed because the automaker released the suspension particulars six months in advance of the launch, so Honda is being particularly stingy with the details. It refuses to divulge the horsepower, body materials, suspension architecture, or even confirm exactly when the new Civic will go on sale. Thus, all we have to go on at this point are assurances that this will be a return to the sporty Civics of beloved memory, establishing new high points of handling and refinement for the model. The new Civic will be a little longer and a little wider than the current model, with a shorter front overhang and A-pillars

that are pulled back to give it a sexier profile. The concept coupe sports curvier front fenders and a very fast roofline that ends in a notchback trunk. Front and rear LED lighting strongly link the concept to the current Civic as well as the rest of the Honda lineup. No real risk-taking to be seen there, although it’s not clear if the racy band of LEDs across the trunk lid that connects the taillight clusters

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Behind d Wheels This page is open to sponsorship

Autocare Ways to proactively protect your engine (3) 6.

Keep your belts on: o. We are not talking about dressing etiquette. We’re talking about the rubber belts on your engine that run all sorts of vital components. The function of a belt can vary from car to car, but some of their main responsibilities are running the fan, water pump, alternator and air conditioner. You don’t need to know what all those things are, but you do need to know that the belts on your engine run at least some of them. If your engine is on then your belts are running. In other words, they get a lot of use. They typically last a very long time, but eventually they will start to show signs of wear and begin to crack. If your belt breaks while you’re driving it can cause major damage to the engine. Check your belts by turning them over slightly to see if they have any visible cracks in them. A squealing or spinning belt may also indicate that it needs to be adjusted or replaced. Stay on top of your belts and you’ll ensure your car runs a whole lot smoother -- and longer.

will remain for production. The new Civic is largely a North American project, with final styling done in Honda’s Los Angeles studio. Sedan and coupe production are slated for the current Civic factory sites in Alliston, Ontario, Canada, and Greensburg, Indiana. Engines will come from Honda’s plant in Anna, Ohio. In a repeat of history, when Civic Si hatchbacks were imported from England from 2002 to 2005, the five-doors— and thus the Type R—will be built in Honda’s U.K. plant in Swindon. BC

NEWS

New headlight shines where you look

pel is developing a new type of headlight that tracks the movement of your eyes and then shines in the direction you are looking at. The high-tech feature will form part of Opel’s adaptive headlights in the near future and will probably be extended across the General Motors family eventually. The system employs a camera to read the driver’s face more than 50 times a second, detecting the movements of the eyes and nose to

determine the driver’s line of sight. The system translates this information into data commands for electronically-controlled actuators that align the vehicle’s headlights. The tricky part was dealing with the fact that a driver’s eyes tend to constantly jump from one focal point to another during normal driving, meaning that the headlights would move erratically if they followed the driver’s eye movements exactly. Opel’s engineers solved this by using a delay algorithm to ensure a natural movement for the light path. The headlights will automatically point in the direction of the vehicle if the driver takes their eyes off the road. Opel has yet to confirm when these eyetracking headlights will be launched, but the German firm already has some clever technology in its third-generation adaptive headlight system available now. Called AFL+, these “intelligent” headlamps include a cornering function and can adjust their direction and intensity depending on the road situation. A forward-facing camera detects other cars ahead and automatically dims the high beams. Opel is also planning to introduce matrix LED headlights, as already used in some luxury marques, that can “curve” around other vehicles, ie. that don’t blind other road users while still brightly illuminating the rest of the road. BC

7. Follow-up when automotive warning lights come on This may seem like an obvious one, but if you neglect to get your car checked when any of the automotive warning lights come on you could be neglecting a serious problem. The check engine light, and other warning lights, can come on for a number of reasons. The good news is that all of them aren’t necessarily going to be a major issue. But you won’t know until you get it checked out. In addition to the typical check engine light, many cars have several other lights that come on to indicate a problem. They can warn about problems with the alternator, battery, engine temperature or other areas surrounding the engine that are monitored. To protect your engine, either run a diagnostics check when the light comes on and then fix the problem yourself, or take it to a mechanic so they can run the test and perform the work. If you wait too long after the light comes on you could allow a small problem to develop into a big one. 8. Replace the fuel filter We mentioned earlier about how the fuel filter protects your engine from harmful sediment and particles in the gas. The fuel filter catches any particles or debris that would be harmful to the engine and keeps it trapped in a canister, much like your oil filter does. If the filter hasn’t been replaced in a while, then it’s a good idea to change it to keep the engine running smoothly. If your filter is easily accessible, this repair won’t be too difficult, but some filters may be hard to reach. If you can’t access your car’s fuel filter, take it to a mechanic to be replaced. A new fuel filter will keep the gas flowing into your engine clean. Your engine will have less build-up inside of it and will last longer if it’s not working as hard to burn the fuel it’s getting. 9. Go easy on the start and stop driving Your engine is built to run, but it runs much better and tends to last longer when it’s run at a continuous speed. Imagine running in a race where you constantly went from a full sprint to a dead stop every few minutes. You’d wear yourself out by picking up speed only to force yourself to slow down to a standstill every few minutes. Your engine gets worn down in the same way. Constant stops and starts, like those that you can experience in city driving, are really hard on your car’s engine. If it is possible, stick to the highway and keep your speed and RPMs at a consistent level. You’ll notice better gas mileage and your engine will likely last longer if your driving habits allow it to run at a fairly consistent rate. The more stops and starts you throw into the mix the more your engine has to work. 10. Change the spark plugs and wires One simple way to proactively protect your engine is by changing the spark plugs and wires. The wires running from your distributor send an electrical current to the spark plugs which then generate a spark to ignite the fuel and air mixture in your cylinders. They get a lot of use and they can cause your engine to run really rough if they get too old. BC

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REGULATORS

Only 20% of N220bn MSME fund disbursed – CBN By UDO ONYEKA

he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and the Bankers Committee have disclosed that only 20 per cent of the N220bn for the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, MSME, development fund have been given out. This was made known on Thursday by the Managing Director, Standard Chartered Bank Limited, Bola Adesola, after the Bankers Committee meeting in Lagos. “20 per cent of MSME funds disbursed so far. You know the fund is disbursed through states, DMBs as well and currently we have close to 20 per cent disbursed. To increase that figure, we have put in a lot of measures and capacity building and market awareness”, she said. Director, Banking Supervision, CBN, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, said the CBN has managed to keep the banking industry safe and sound in collaboration of all members of the Bankers’ Committee, adding that the committee also agreed to name and shame these debtors. According to her the data showing increasing rate of loan default was not acceptable to the committee. She it was therefore decided that going forward; loan defaulters would have access to foreign exchange. ” One thing that we may do is to stop them from getting access

Godwin Emefiele, CBN boss

to foreign exchange. Another thing that we also considered going forward is to publish the names of the borrowers that refuse to pay up. All these are to ensure the continuous safety and soundness of the banking industry. “It is not all debtors, it is the bad and chronic debtors, those ones that have deliberately refused to pay, those are the ones we are talking about. Now, in the industry we have a standard, we don’t want Non Performing Loans, NPLs to be more than five per cent of total loans in the industry. Total loans in the industry are in the region of N13trn”, she said. Martins said that even though banks have not reached the upper limit of five per cent, they would not be allowed to get there, adding that that was

what to the introduction of these measures. “Currently the industry average is at 3.3 per cent NPLs and we don’t want to get to five per cent that was why we came up with this measure. “There is no way we can stop the bank debtors from purchasing at the parallel market, but that will come to them at a cost because it is more expensive there. What we are more concerned with is the official market”, she said. Martins said we should remember how much AMCON spent to clear up toxic loans, adding that we should make sure we don’t go back to such horrible situation. She said there was a time we had NPLs at 2.5 per cent and 3 per cent, 3.3 per cent and so it is important that we take action now and not wait till it is too late. On stability of the exchange rate market, Managing Director Union Bank plc, Emeka Emuwa said one thing that was agreed was around the use of the naira debit cards “We did find that in a number of cases people were using the cards in manners that were not expected. So, in order to sustain stability, what was agreed by the committee was that the limits for the use of the naira debit cards would be reduced. As customers, if you have a dollar account, you will still have unfettered access to it, but for naira debit accounts, the limits would be reduced to more

judicious levels”, he said. Emuwa said these abuses are draining foreign resources that would have been used for the growth of the economy. “This specifically refers to the use of these banks abroad because when they are used abroad, the merchants have to be settled. Even if it is ATMs, the service provider, Visa or MasterCard has to settle in foreign currency and we find that it is a drain on the foreign resources available to finance our industries. So, there is going to be a reduction in the annual allowable draw down using naira debit cards abroad. “The limit currently is $150,000 per annum, but this would come down to a more practical level. But the usage, whether you are using domestically or internationally will not be affected”, he said. On his own Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Citibank Nigeria, Omar Hafeez , informed that the issue of BVN was discussed and that clients and account holders are advised to get their BVN from the banks because it will be difficult for them to access credits if they don’t do that. “We advise all account holders to focus on coming to the banks and register. Banks would do enlightenment campaigns on BVN because we are very keen that every bank customer has a BVN. We are working towards the solutions on a very proactive manner”, he said. BC

NDIC tasks Aso Savings and Loans on good corporate governance

lhaji Umaru Ibrahim, Managing-Director, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, has advised Aso Savings and Loans Plc to always ensure good corporate governance. This is contained in a statement by the Head, Communications and Public Affairs of the Corporation, Mr Hadi Birchi. According to the statement, Ibrahim made the remark when the management of the bank visited him after taking over Union Homes Savings and Loans ,UHSL, Plc. It quoted Ibrahim as saying that `` the initiative will not only give all depositors and staff of UHSL a new lease of life but promote public confidence in the banking system. “The task before the management is to maintain the confidence reposed on it by the board, shareholders and the supervisory authorities by ensuring higher performance and quality service’’.

Ibrahim enjoined the mortgage bank to embark on a process of effective communication of its turnaround plan, to promote confidence and trust of its depositors. He also advised them to establish a toll free Help Desk and other effective communication channels such as radio and television jingles to reach out to existing and prospective customers. “This is in order to overcome potential risks of rumours which may trigger a run on both Aso Savings and Union Homes,’’ it quoted Ibrahim as saying. The statement also stated that Mr Hassa Usman, the Managing Director of Aso Savings and Loans Plc, in his response, expressed appreciation to the corporation for its usual support. Usman assured NDIC of full implementation of the recommendations of the supervisory authorities, to ensure sound management of both institutions. BC

Ibrahim

Folarin

Council urges incoming govt to reposition maritime sector

he Chairman of Nigerian Port Consultative Council, PCC, Chief Kunle Folarin, has urged the incoming government to reposition the maritime sector to make it more competitive. Folarin, who gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos, said that the advice became necessary because a competitive maritime sector could grow the economy. “To grow the economy from the maritime contribution; to re-engineer the whole maritime sector to be competitive in the region. “To make sure that all the potentials and the reforms that have been carried out over the years within the maritime sector, in particular the port industry, are optimised. “A point in case of the concessioning regime, customs reform and so many other reforms that are taking place in the maritime sector to position the country to be the leader in the region. “The maritime sector wants to be the apex contributor to the economy; the core of the potential is there. “The programmes and the projects that will deliver on this particular expectation are there. “So we will write the government to give priority attention has been given to the oil and gas sector to the maritime sector”, he said. He added that a competitive maritime sector would offer job opportunities and create wealth for Nigerians. Folarin said that the new government could achieve so much if it focused more on the sector. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

A21 37

Stock market last week EQUITIES t was another brief trading week as the market opened for four days, having observed Monday 6th of April, 2015 as Public Holiday declared by the Federal Government of Nigeria to mark “Easter” celebrations. Meanwhile, a turnover of 3.511 billion shares worth N25.196 billion in 26,836 deals were traded this week by investors on the floor of The Exchange in contrast to a total of 2.632 billion shares valued at N36.583 billion that exchanged hands last week in 21,393 deals. The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 3.000 billion shares valued at N18.262 billion traded in 16,356 deals; thus contributing 85.44 per cent and 72.48 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The Conglomerates Industry followed with a turnover of 259.080 million shares worth N1.120 billion in 1,650

deals. The third place was occupied by the Consumer Goods Industry with 89.843 million shares worth N3.103 billion in 3,768 deals. Trading in the Top Three Equities namely- Diamond Bank Plc, Standard Alliance Insurance Plc and Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 1.773 billion shares worth N4.964 billion in 1,589 deals, contributing 50.49 per cent and 19.70 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. ETPs Also traded during the week were a total of 25,721 units of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) valued at N1.838 million executed in 23 deals compared with a total of 27,730 units valued at N533,087.50 thousands transacted last week in 22 deals. RETAIL BONDS There was no bond traded this week. However, a total of 16,500 units of Bonds (Cor-

porate bond 12,000 units and State bond 4,500 units) valued at N17.370 million were traded last week in 6 deals. INDEX MOVEMENT The NSE All-Share Index and Market Capitalization depreciated by 2.23 per cent and 1.92 per cent respectively to close on Friday at 34,930.02 and N11.903 trillion. Similarly, all the Indices finished lower during the week with the exception of the NSE Consumer Goods and NSE Lotus II indices that chalked up by 1.04 per cent and 0.34 per cent respectively. However, the NSE ASeM Index that closed flat.

Market Indicators for Week Ended 03-04-15 All-Share Index 34,520.14 points Market Capitalization 11,911,188,375,065.33 Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

SUMMARY OF PRICE CHANGES Twenty-five equities appreciated in price during the week, lower than 72 equities of the preceding week. Fifty-three equities depreciated in price, higher than six equities of the preceding week, while 118 equities remained unchanged, the same with the preceding week. BC

OPENING PRICE

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

BETAGLAS

23.69

26.11

10.22

OANDO

15.75

17.00

7.94

FCMB

3.37

3.61

7.12

SKYEBANK

2.50

2.64

5.60

NPFMCRFBK

1.00

1.05

5.00

SEPLAT

370.00

388.50

5.00

155.98

163.76

4.99

NAHCO

5.84

6.13

4.97

DANGFLOUR

4.67

4.90

4.93

133.46

140.00

4.90

GUINNESS

LOSERS

W/African crude oil exports to Asia rise by 2.34m bpd

est Africa Crude Oil export to Asia are set to rise by 30 per cent to 2.34 million barrels per day in April. The figure is up from 1.78 million bpd initially planned for March, according to a Reuters survey of traders and shiptracking data last week . The data indicated that a flurry of buying from Indian refiners, led by state-run IOC, was the primary source of the increase. It indicated that Indian refiners booked a total of 34 lots of West Africa crude to sail in roughly 21 April-loading vessels. The amount doubles Indian buying compared with March, when refiners in the country booked about 16 West African

cargoes. Tenders from state-owned firms, led by IOC, accounted for the bulk of the buying, which included Nigeria’s Brass River, Bonny Light, Agbami, Forcados and Qua Iboe, Angola’s Pazflor and Girassol and Equatorial Guinea’s Zafiro. The data also showed that privately held Reliance also booked five Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) to load in West Africa in April. The buying came as the companies sought to restock with the cheapest oil available after the end of the financial year, pressing differentials for West African crudes to eightmonth highs. In spite of this development, India shunned West Africa for Iraq’s Basrah

Light when it purchased the first cargo destined for its recently opened strategic petroleum reserve. Several of India’s refineries are set to enter seasonal maintenance, which will also lower crude consumption. The number of cargoes going to China slipped from March but the country remained an important destination, particularly for Angolan grades such as Cabinda, Saturno and Pazflor. Companies booked at least 30 lots of West African to sail in about 16 VLCC crude oil carriers. Chinese buying for May loading is also in question, as sources said the country’s strategic petroleum reserve has little space remaining. BC

COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

PRESCO

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

28.50

26.70

-6.32

8.15

7.76

-4.79

20.58

19.65

-4.52

INTENEGINS

0.53

0.51

-3.77

WAPIC

0.55

0.53

-3.64

CONTINSURE

0.89

0.86

-3.37

CAVERTON

3.00

2.90

-3.33

UNILEVER

CHAMPION INTBREW

43.00

41.72

-2.98

NEM

0.69

0.67

-2.90

FIDELITYBK

2.07

2.02

-2.42

Treasury Bills Maturity date

Bid

Offer

16-Jul-15

13.41

15-Oct-15

12.94

13.91 13.86

24-Mar-16

13.43

15.42

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

91-Day

21538.34

182-Day 364-Day

RATE (%)

DATE

9.95

14-Mar-15

33783.25

10.1

27-Mar-15

59081.14

10.35

27-Mar-15

A22 38

Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Zenith Bank: Good corporate governance drives earnings By Johnson Okanlawon

or investors that want regular flow into their account, Zenith bank seems to be offering attractive income considering its performance for the financial year ended December 31, 2014. Just last week, the bank share price led other 40 stocks, gaining 17.3 per cent as at Friday to close at N20.94 per share, from the opening price of N17.85 per share on March 2, 2015. The stock is trading at 8.15 times earnings with a dividend yield of 9.51 per cent. The bank declared dividend of N1.75 per share. The bank has, over the past 24 years, grown to be one of the biggest and most profitable banks in the country as it maintains steady growth. As at December, gross earnings and profit after tax increased by 14.7 per cent and 4.34 per cent respectively, while quarter-onquarter, gross earnings and profit after tax improved also by 45.1 per cent and 20.4 per cent each.

Profitability The bank declared a profit after tax of N99.6bn, an increase of 4.34 per cent when compared to N95.3bn recorded in the same period of 2013, while profit before tax rose from N110.6bn to N119.8bn in the review period. This followed a 14.7 per cent year-onyear growth in gross earnings, which rose from N351.5bn in 2013 to N403.3bn. The financials for 2014 further strengthened the performance outlook of the bank despite the regulatory headwinds, which had affected profits and dividends of many of the banks. Analysts at FBN Capital Research said, “All in all, the results were ahead of expectations. Zenith delivered an return on average equity of 19 per cent for 2014. We would expect consensus estimates for 2015 to move up slightly. “On the back of the results, we would expect the market to react positively, with the caveat that concerns about the impact of the fallout from the decline in oil prices are likely to linger a bit. Zenith shares have outperformed the index this year, gaining 3.2 per cent

compared with a loss of -12.4 per cent for the ASI. We rate Zenith Bank shares Neutral. Our estimates are under review.” Liquidity Zenith Bank’s liquidity profile remains very strong (being a consistent net placer of funds in the interbank market) and its risk management practices give assurance that this profile will be maintained. The bank has a sound and robust liquidity risk management framework that ensures it maintains sufficient liquidity, including a cushion of unencumbered, high-quality liquid assets at all times. The bank’s assets appreciated 19.5 per cent to N3.76trn in 2014, from N3.14trn recorded in the same period of 2013, while its total liabilities stood at N3.20trn, from N2.63trn in the corresponding period of 2013. The bank’s debt securities issued and the borrowing lifted the value of liabilities in the review period. A vote of confidence Exotix Partners LLP, a global finance and investment firm with offices in major global financial centres and significant imprints in Africa, said Zenith Bank has potential return of 72.9 per cent over a 12-month period. Exotix coordinates its global operations through five major offices in London, New York, Lagos, Dubai and Nairobi. Exotix stated that Zenith Bank’s share price could reach N28.6 per share with a possible dividend yield of 6.6 per cent, within the highest bracket in the banking industry. While analysts at Exotix said the devaluation of Naira would put pressure on banks’ earnings, they noted that Zenith Bank is one of the two banks that are favoured to weather the headwinds. According to analysts, the devaluation could lead to lower foreign exchange trading volumes and increasing cost of risk, which could negatively impact the earnings of banks. However, the devaluation also holds possible silver linings for Zenith Bank. Analysts said devaluation could lead to higher inflation, which could subsequently push up inter-

Ovia

est rates on government securities and thus lead to higher net interest margins (NIMs) for banks with high liquidity ratios and strong deposit-taking franchises such as Zenith Bank. According to analysts, given its strong deposit-takingfranchise, Zenith Bank could offset any possible decline in forex revenue by increasing margins. Exotix also stated that the bank’s strong risk management track record should enable it to maintain a below average cost of risk and thus earn higher than average profitability. So, the devaluation will have almost no negative impact on the bank. Looking forward Zenith Bank has benefitted from stable board and management. With the assumption of the chairmanship of the bank by its founding Managing Director, Mr. Jim Ovia and the appointment of Mr. Peter Amangbo, who has spent more than two decades with the bank, as managing director, Zenith Bank has further strengthened its managerial edge. Amangbo experience with Zenith Bank which cuts across corporate finance and investment banking, business development, credit and marketing, financial control, strategic planning and operations. He was a pioneer non

executive director of Zenith Bank UK. According to the management of the bank, the overall vision is to build the Zenith Bank brand into a reputable international financial institution recognised for innovation, superior performance while creating premium value for all stakeholders. The strategic objectives thus include the continuous improvement of its capacity to meet the customer’s increasing and dynamic banking needs as well as sustain high quality growth in a volatile business environment through: continuous investment in branch network expansion and thus bringing quality banking services closer to our teeming existing and potential customers; continuous investment and deployment of up to date and state of the art technology; continuous employment of the best people available and motivating them; continuous investment in training and re-training of our personnel; maintaining and reinforcing our core customer service delivery charter. “At Zenith Bank, we do not just see our organisation as an entity solely concerned with wealth creation for the shareholders. Our strategic alliance with the various stakeholders, government

and non-governmental agencies centre round institutional building and capacity development in the following areas: Strong commitment to the support of Small and Medium Enterprises as well as development of indigenous industries. Entrepreneurship incubation for the youths through sustained funding of institutions responsible for entrepreneurial development. Development of the real sectors of the economy through provision of funds to industry players at competitive costs,” the bank stated. The bank envisions that as Nigeria’s information technology infrastructure improves, its leading edge in information technology will keep it well positioned in the global banking community to sustain its offering of exceptional e-banking services. This will continue to be complemented by the bank’s risk management system that creates a blend that not only grows customers’ businesses but also strengthens them. Corporate Profile Zenith Bank Plc was established in May 1990, and commenced operations in July of the same year as a commercial bank. The Bank became a public limited company on June 17, 2004 and was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on October 21, 2004 following a highly successful Initial Public Offering (IPO). The bank has a shareholder base of about one million and is Nigeria’s biggest bank by tier-1 capital. In 2013, Zenith Bank listed $850m worth of its shares on the London Stock Exchange. The bank has over 500 branches and business offices in all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In March 2007, Zenith Bank was licensed by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of the United Kingdom to establish Zenith Bank (UK) Limited as the United Kingdom subsidiary of Zenith Bank Plc. Zenith Bank also has subsidiaries in Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Gambia. The bank also has representative offices in South Africa and The People’s Republic of China. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

A23 39

STOCKWATCH Stock Exchange weekly equities summary as at Friday, April 10, 2015 SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC 0.50 OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. 26.01 PRESCO PLC 26.70 Fishing/Hunting/Trapping ELLAH LAKES PLC. 4.26 Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. 2.27 CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. 1.36 CHELLARAMS PLC. 3.95 JOHN HOLT PLC. 0.94 SCOA NIG PLC 4.44 TRANSNATIONAL CORP. OF NIG.PLC 3.18 U A C N PLC. 37.30 CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. 5.30 CAPPA & D’ALBERTO PLC. NT Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. 0.94 G CAPPA PLC 14.46 Non--Building/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. 51.00 ROADS NIG PLC. 6.29 Real Estate Development PINNACLE POINT GROUP PLC NT UACN PROPERTY DEV 11.05 Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC 100.00 UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INV 45.22 UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST 10.00 CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC 0.50 Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. 7.76 GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. 0.89 GUINNESS NIG PLC 140.00 INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. 19.65 JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. 2.02 NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. 163.76 PREMIER BREWERIES PLC 3.61 Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. 160.00 Food Products BIG TREAT PLC NT DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC 4.90 DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC 7.30 FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. 34.00 HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC 3.06 MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC 0.50 N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. 18.05 NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC 8.38 P S MANDRIDES & CO PLC. 5.35 U T C NIG. PLC. 0.50 UNION DICON SALT PLC. 11.84 Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. 41.52 NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. 1,044.05 Household Durables BETA GLASS CO PLC. NT NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. 31.82 VITAFOAM NIG PLC. 4.15 VONO PRODUCTS PLC. 0.85 Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. 27.20 UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. 41.72 Textiles/Apparel UNITED NIG. TEXTILES PLC. NT FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. 6.50 DIAMOND BANK PLC 4.47 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INC. 19.46 FIDELITY BANK PLC 2.02 FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC. NT GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. 28.01 INTERCONTINENTAL BANK 13.50 SKYE BANK PLC 2.64 STERLING BANK PLC. 2.30 U B A PLC 4.80 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. 11.00 UNITY BANK PLC 0.50 WEMA BANK PLC. 0.95 ZENITH BANK PLC 23.52 Insurance Carriers, Brokers & Services AFRICAN ALLIANCE INS. COY. PLC 0.50 AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 1.00 CONFIDENCE INSURANCE PLC NT CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INS. PLC 0.50 CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 0.86 CORNERSTONE INS. COY. PLC. 0.50 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INS. PLC NT EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. 0.50 GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC 0.53 GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC 0.50 GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. 0.50 INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INS. PLC NT INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INS. PLC 0.51 INVESTMENT AND ALLIED ARN. 0.5 LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. 0.50 LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. 0.50 LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC 0.50 MANSARD INSURANCE PLC 3.05 MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. 0.50 N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. 0.67 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. 0.50 OASIS INSURANCE PLC NT PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. 0.50 REGENCY ALLIANCE INS. COY PLC 0.50 SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC 0.50 STANDARD TRUSTASSURANCE PLC 0.50 STANDARD ALLIANCE INS. PLC. 0.50 UNIC INSURANCE PLC. 0.50 UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC 0.50 UNIVERSAL INS. COMPANY PLC 0.50 WAPIC INSURANCE PLC 0.53 Micro Finance Banks FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC 5.42 NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC 1.05 Mortgage Carriers, Brokers &Services ABBEY MORTGAGE BANK PLC 1.30 ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC 0.50 INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC 1.45 RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC 0.50 UNION HOMES SAVINGS&LOANS PLC 0.5 Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS 2.74 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INS. PLC 4.15 CRUSADER ( NIG) PLC. NT DEAP CAPITAL MGT & TRUST PLC 0.67 FBN HOLDINGS PLC 9.51 FCMB GROUP PLC 3.61 ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. 0.55 STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC 30.00 SIM CAPITAL ALLIANCE VALUE FUND 103.24 NIGERIA ENERGY SECTOR FUND 552.20 UBA CAPITAL PLC 1.45 HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. 3.72 UNION DIAGNOSTIC &CLINICAL PLC 0.50 Medical Supplies MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. 1.82 Pharmaceuticals

NOTE NT=Not Traded on 10-04-15

QUANTITY

9,140 261,540 107,996

52 WK HIGH

0.64 107.81 41.14

52 WK LOW

0.50 20.92 8.24

SHARES OUTSTANDING

EPS

2,200,000,000 476,955,000 1,000,000,000

0.10 2.29 7.55

MOV. (%)

N/A -8.06 -6.32

0.50 28.29 28.50

4.26

60,000,000

0.00

N/A

4.26

1,249,104

7.18

0.68

1,199,549,736

0.07

-8.47

2.48

100,150 300 17,558 512 6,693,406 2,658,148

2.08 6.43 5.89

0.71 4.15 1.07

2,191,895,983 963,900,300 389,151,408

0.11 0.16 1.09

9.68 N/A N/A

5.89 71.10

0.50 28.00

821,666,666 1,600,720,323

0.09 4.38

N/A N/A

1.24 3.95 0.94 4.44 3.59 36.02

375 3

26.00 95.49

5.05 95.49

148,500,000 196,876,000

0.33 4.50

N/A N/A

5.30 NT

807,550 217

2.66 14.46

0.72 14.46

920,573,765 125,000,000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

0.70 14.46

27,437 1,832

83.75 10.60

19.86 6.61

1,200,000,000 20,000,000

6.74 1.69

1.47 N/A

50.26 6.29

NT 324,368

7.28 20.90

7.28 8.82

1,375,000,000

0.00 2.20

N/A -3.07

NT 11.40

93 100 6,350

100.00 50.00 10.50

100.00 50.00 0.00

20,000,000 250,019,781

5.82 0.19

N/A N/A

100.00 45.22 10.00

5,016

0.50

4,772,528,415

0.00

N/A

0.50

54,992 8,132 28,374 172,515 50,000 1,808,302 513,550

19.48 0.68 297.41 30.00 9.09 179.40 0.97

3.13 0.68 209.10 5.34 0.81 91.10 0.93

900,000,000 272,160,000 1,474,925,519 2,112,914,681 562,000,000 7,562,562,340 126,000,000

0.00 0.00 8.66 0.63 0.00 5.03 0.00

N/A N/A 0.72 N/A N/A -1.50 N/A

7.38 0.89 139.00 22.87 2.02 166.25 3.61

24,150

75.90

38.12

640,590,362

4.46

N/A

161.00

NT 224,970 1,588,435 187,271 952,850 53,816 159,011 2,835,920 2.08 124,000 50 100

0.50 10.68 12.85 109.24 4.11 1.21 29.70 14.00 5.94 0.93 13.31

0.50 3.85 3.26 50.00 1.83 0.50 17.51 3.65 5.35 0.50 4.22

2,000,000,000 5,000,000,000 12,000,000,000 1,879,210,666 7,930,197,658 3,722,493,620 178,200,000 40,000,000 1,233,375,004 360,000,000

0.00 0.00 0.81 3.38 0.34 0.00 0.00 1.05 0.08 1.13 0.00

N/A 14.75 -5.44 -7.66 -7.27 N/A N/A 2.32 N/A 0.00 N/A

NT 4.27 7.72 36.82 3.30 0.50 18.05 8.19 5.35 0.50 12.46

5,725 390,319

64.53 1250.00

8.33 400.00

3,129,188,160 792,656,250

1.57 28.34

3.80 11.47

40.00 936.60

25,333 100 187,845 15,000

15.58 36.19 5.54 2.88

10.03 32.27 2.91 0.57

63,360,000 819,000,000 300,000,001

3.90 13.92 0.71 0.00

N/A N/A 0.73 N/A

NT 31.82 4.12 0.89

156,973 119,119

56.00 76.00

21.02 27.60

3,176,381,636 3,783,296,250

1.34 1.42

-6.82 -6.14

29.19 44.45

0.97

0.57

843,284,027

0.00

N/A

20,610,779 1,358,484 5,746,153 4,669,271 NT 11,491,149

12.39 7.85 17.51 3.47 8.30 29.99

4.70 1.92 9.90 1.13 3.04 13.02

17,888,251,479 14,475,243,105 9,873,614,567 28,974,797,023 16,271,192,202 29,146,482,209

1.61 1.71 3.67 0.68 0.60 3.08

-2.55 0.45 -0.26 -2.42 #VALUE! -12.14

5,074,965 2,601,379 11,173,106 1,469,943 359,359 1,128,531 9,778,427

7.05 3.05 9.60 15.30 1.16 1.88 27.40

2.65 0.80 1.64 2.34 0.50 0.50 11.96

13,219,334,676 12,563,091,545 32,334,693,693 13,509,726,273 33,675,576,085 12,821,249,880 31,396,493,790

0.97 0.63 1.70 0.44 0.18 0.00 3.30

0.00 -3.77 -2.44 0.00 0.00 -14.41 -6.11

200 1,627,718 NT 9,140 1,882,960 62,000 9,054,578 4,754 NT 42,003 165,731 NT 698,304 NT 14,710 100 220 23,600 1,319,465 10,579,013 52,100 1,654,611 27,973 5,028 100 1,650 161,547,689 25,000 200 518,140 1,368,084

0.50 1.42 0.64 0.52 1.45 0.72 2.44 0.50 0.69 0.60 0.50 2.50 2.50 0.50 0.50 0.61 0.50 2.87 0.63 1.01 1.11 0.50 1.24 0.53 0.59

0.50 0.50 0.61 0.50 0.58 0.50 1.08 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.06 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

20,585,000,000 7,809,391,256 211,626,000 6,000,000,000 10,372,624,157 8,820,010,363 5,100,846,808 8,847,298,420 4,549,947,000 3,827,485,380 720,000,000 5,061,804,000 6,420,427,449 28,000,000,000 7,323,313,227 3,437,330,500 4,083,713,569 10,000,000,000 7,998,705,336 5,332,830,881 5,649,693,923 5,003,506,791 2,508,315,436 6,668,750,000 5,203,757,266

0.00 0.19 0.00 0.05 0.15 0.02 0.24 0.01 0.00 0.03 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.25 0.00 0.37 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.04 0.09

N/A 0.00 N/A N/A 0.00 0.00 0.00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.00 N/A N/A N/A 0.00 0.00 N/A -10.67 N/A N/A 0.00 N/A 0.00

0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.55

0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

8,493,173,450 2,581,733,505 13,000,000,000 16,000,000,000

0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.07

N/A N/A N/A N/A

10,000,000 584,766

6.60 1.22

0.00 0.72

500 500 500 220,000 4,570

1.65 0.50

1.37 0.50

4,200,000,000 8,679,148,676

0.03 0.02

N/A N/A

0.50 0.99

0.50 0.50

13,175,732,404 7,812,500,000

0.30 0.00

N/A N/A

313,164 369,250 500 5,000 8,812,914 27045923 1,050,953 3,807,836 465 100 1,926,013

2.1

0.5

0.61 2.02 21.50 5.70 1.33 20.72 103.24

0.50 2.02 8.57 2.90 0.50 10.64 98.33

1.70

0.00

1.18 0.19

3,608,657,661 18,750,000,000

0.00 0.15 2.45 1.23 0.13 1.53

0.50 1.02 NT 0.50 0.94 0.50 NT 0.50 0.53 0.50 0.50 NT 0.55 0.5 0.50 0.50 0.50 3.05 0.50 0.75 0.50 NT 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.58 5.42 1.06

0.63 3,778,005,975 1,333,333,333 32,632,084,358

6.67 4.45 19.51 2.07 NT 31.88 13.50 2.64 2.39 4.92 11.00 0.50 1.11 25.05

N/A N/A -0.31 N/A -3.23

0.29

1.30 0.50 1.45 0.50 0.5 2.84 4.16 NT 0.67 9.54 3.18 0.54 31.00 103.24 552.20 1.53

170 40,000

5.05 0.50

4.32 0.50

498,600,908 3,553,138,528

0.13 0.00

N/A N/A

3.72 0.50

100

10.54

7.39

152,178,750

0.00

N/A

1.82

N/A=Not Avialable

SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

EVANS MEDICAL PLC. 2.09 FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC 3.30 GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER PLC 56.26 MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. 1.74 NEIMETH INT PHARM PLC 0.87 NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. 6.32 PHARMA-DEKO PLC. 2.13 ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SLN PLC 0.50 Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC 0.50 Electronic Communications Services MTECH COMMUNICATIONS PLC 0.91 IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC 4 NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. 12.19 TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. 1.77 Processing Systems CHAMS PLC 0.50 E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC 3.39 Telecommunications Services IHS 3.8 HIS NIGERIA PLC 2 2.25 HIS NIGERIA PLC 1 3.08 MTI PLC 0.5 INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials AFRICAN PAINTS (NIGERIA) PLC. 2.72 ASHAKA CEM PLC 19.32 BERGER PAINTS PLC 9.49 CAP PLC 35.66 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC 11.74 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 180.00 DN MEYER PLC. 0.83 FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC 0.50 IPWA PLC 0.50 PREMIER PAINTS 10.93 LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. 90.01 PAINTS & COATINGS MANFACT.PLC 1.40 PORTLAND PAINTS & PRDT NIG. PLC 3.50 Electronic and Electrical Products AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC 2.09 CUTIX PLC. 1.58 NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. 0.50 Packaging/Containers ABPLAST PRODUCTS PLC. NT AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS 1.59 BETA GLASS CO PLC. 26.11 GREIF NIGERIA PLC 11.48 NIG. BAGS MANFACT. COY PLC NT POLY PRODUCTS (NIG) PLC. NT W A GLASS IND. PLC. 0.63 Tools and Machinery NIGERIAN ROPES PLC 7.46 NIG SEW MACH. MAN. CO PLC. 0.15 STOKVIS NIG PLC. 0.14 NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. 5.21 Metals ALUMACO PLC 7.75 ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. 10.43 MINING SERVICES MULTIVERSE PLC 0.50 Paper/Forest Products HALLMARK PAPER PRODUCTS PLC. NT THOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. 0.73 OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SER. PLC 0.50 Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC 17.00 Petroleum &Petroleum Products Distributors BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC 0.5 CONOIL PLC 39.50 ETERNA PLC. 3.05 FORTE OIL PLC. 207.50 MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. 158.00 MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. 50.54 TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. 180.00 Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVT. CO, LTD. 388.50 SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC 0.50 Apparel Retailers LENNARDS (NIG) PLC. 3.15 Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. 0.81 Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC 3.60 TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. 1.23 Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. 0.50 Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC 0.50 Hotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL 4.28 IKEJA HOTEL PLC 4.85 TOURIST COY NIG PLC 3.51 TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC 9.63 Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC 0.50 Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS 1.06 LEARN AFRICA PLC 1.51 STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. 2.30 UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. 4.47 Road Transportation ABC TRANSPORT PLCPLC 0.57 Specialty INTERLINKED TECHNOLOGIES PLC 4.66 SECURE ELECTRONIC TECH.PLC 0.5 Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC 1.95 NIG. AVIATION HANDLING COY PLC 6.13 SUPPORT AND LOGISTICS CAVERTON OFFSHORE GROUP PLC 2.9 ASeM CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Property Management SMART PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC NT CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC NT OIL AND GAS CAPITAL OIL PLC NT NAVITUS ENERGY PLC NT Personal/Household Products ROKANA INDUSTRIES PLC. NT HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals AFRIK PHARMACEUTICALS PLC. NT INDUSTRIAL GOODS Electronic and Electrical Products NT ADSWITCH PLC. NT NATURAL RESOURCES Metals W.A. ALUM. PRODUCTS PLC. NT Food/Drug Retailers and Wholesalers NT JULI PLC. NT ETF’s Sector ETF LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF NT NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND NT VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF NT

QUANTITY

52 WK HIGH

52 WK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

EPS

MOV. (%)

74,488 1,444,640 66,411 163,454 251,300 100 572,185

4.80 2.50 69.00 3.38 1.76 8.59 3.50

0.50 0.61 18.97 1.23 0.58 7.36 1.83

486,473,856 1,500,000,000 956,701,192 980,000,000 1,925,717,268 153,786,012 100,000,000

0.58 0.24 3.07 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00

-5.00 -3.23 10.23 4.82 19.18 N/A N/A

Previous 2.20 3.41 51.04 1.66 0.73 6.32 2.13

37,000

0.96

0.50

2,960,000,000

0.11

0.00

0.50

100

0.50

2,941,789,472

0.00

N/A

0.50

0.91

4,966,666,668

0.00

N/A

0.91

400 100 5,460

18.70 2.94

13.12 2.07

108,000,000 492,825,600

0.00 0.03

N/A N/A

4 12.19 1.77

27,420 1,080

0.50 4.97

0.50 3.13

4,620,600,000 4,200,000,000

0.04 0.04

N/A N/A

0.50 3.39 3.8 2.25 3.08 0.5

100

0.50

4,893,594,400

0.00

N/A

2,000 1,557,197 40,673 20,474 1,514,719 1,167,463 40,890 600 6,000 60 109,667 50,000 72,650

2.86 29.98 12.20 67.50 12.99 210.01 3.54 0.75 1.34

2.86 8.01 6.82 13.78 4.00 102.00 0.50 0.50 0.50

260,000,000 2,239,453,125 217,367,585 560,000,000 1,241,548,285 15,494,019,668 242,908,200 2,109,928,275 513,696,000

0.07 0.80 0.91 1.66 1.12 5.77 0.06 0.00 0.00

N/A -9.72 4.75 4.88 -6.83 -1.10 N/A N/A N/A

110.00 2.41 7.22

39.80 0.50 2.27

3,001,600,004 792,914,256 400,000,000

6.83 0.36 0.43

-3.22 N/A N/A

2.72 21.40 9.06 34.00 12.60 182.00 0.83 0.50 0.50 10.93 93.00 1.40 3.46

100 220,132 100

2.00 2.39 0.73

2.00 1.20 0.50

510,396,608 2,220,000,000

0.05 0.19 0.00

N/A -4.82 N/A

2.09 1.66 0.50

NT 561 1,361 100 NT NT NT

3.98 5.94 13.18 13.28 3.60 1.86 0.63

3.98 1.71 9.04 12.68 1.60 1.05 0.63

N/A N/A

42,640,000 6,215,000,000 240,000,000 199,066,550

0.00 0.00 3.23 0.90 0.24 0.22 0.00

N/A #VALUE! N/A N/A

NT 1.59 23.69 11.48 NT NT 0.63

100 200 NT

8.69

8.26

265,409,280

0.00

N/A

0.14

2,918,000

0.00

N/A

25,000,000 683,974,528

7.46 0.15 0.14

10,000

9.35

5.68

393,120,000

0.76

0.00

5.21

320 100

7.75 12.39

7.75 10.55

75,600,000 100,000,000

0.00 0.24

N/A N/A

7.75 10.43

100

0.50

4,058,989,226

0.01

N/A

0.50

NT 4,050

3.22 1.38

3.22 0.67

50,000,000 220,000,000

0.04 0.00

N/A N/A

NT 0.73

1,408,720

1.02

0.50

6,262,701,716

0.00

0.50

4,924,248

24.80

9.32

2,262,711,568

1.24

-3.41

17.60

10000 2,577,516 2,541,040 412,758 22,164 167,074 43,476

76.00 4.87 115.64 146.00 59.00 190.01

16.96 1.32 7.73 106.00 16.20 118.75

693,952,117 1,249,162,828 1,080,280,628 300,496,051 253,988,672 339,521,837

2.69 0.61 1.43 9.93 1.04 12.91

0.00 -4.69 -3.49 -9.71 N/A 0.00

0.5 39.50 3.20 215.00 175.00 50.54 180.00

306,355

28,677,671

200

0.72

0.50

100

3.48

209,933

2.45

1.00

2,572,000 3,000

5.10 3.45

2.19 0.73

4,059,547

1.64

1,500

0.75

100 599,750 1,000 2,800

4,035,497,307

443.99

0.00

N/A

0.50 3.15

980,294,400

0.00

2.53

0.79

589,496,310 198,819,763

0.52 0.00

0.00 N/A

3.60 1.24

0.85

865,808,912

0.00

N/A

0.50

3,211,627,907

0.00

N/A

0.50

1.72 3.88 10.00

0.64 3.51 10.00

2,078,796,396

0.00

-5.46

4.28 5.13 3.51 9.63

1,000

0.51

0.50

8,000,000,000

0.43

N/A

0.50

16500 224,498 20 20,800

3.09 2.78 5.77

1.39 2.52 3.00

771,450,000 425,641,111

0.00 0.00 0.61

N/A N/A -4.89

1.06 1.27 2.30 4.70

955,140

1.29

0.50

1,507,000,000

0.21

N/A

0.59

6 40,000,700

5.15 1.88

4.90 0.80

236,699,511 5,631,539,736

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

4.66 0.5

111,000 246,274

5.90 8.81

1.27 5.08

634,000,000 1,230,468,750

0.50 0.43

N/A -9.19

1.70 6.75

189044

3.3

1.43

1.04

45,000,000

0.12

N/A

100

2.26

1.02

201,885,335

0.00

N/A

100000 1000

NT NT

0.60

30,000,000

0.00

N/A

0.50

24,898,850

0.00

N/A

NT NT

1.88

1.63

125,005,250

0.00

N/A

NT NT

NT NT 1,000

0.50

6,650,000

0.00

N/A

3.05

2.76

194,700,000

0.00

N/A

2,706

2,003

41 10

#VALUE! 49467

NT NT NT

A24 40

Business Courage

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com

‘’Freedom of religious belief and to act in the exercise of such belief cannot override the interest of peace, order or moral of the society’’ — Justice Niki Tobi, retired Justice, Supreme Court of Nigeria

Electoral offenders are left unpunished, says Adetola–Kaseem

NBA President, Augustine Alegeh, SAN

CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed

Rumbles at the Bar over payment of practising fees ...As bank shuts door to lawyers before time lapse

Ibori’s march to UK prison two years ago 45

China’s exsecurity chief charged with bribery 46

Rule nine of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (2007) provides that a lawyer shall pay his annual practising fees not later than 31st March of every year. However, a number of practising lawyers could not comply with this directive when the designated receiving bank shuts its door abruptly at 12 noon to all its customers, including lawyers due to announcement of election results . WALE IGBINTADE reports.

ection 3(2) (a) (ii) of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA Constitution provides that a lawyer shall pay his annual practising fees not later than 31st March in every year. The fees are paid yearly into the account of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, where every lawyer enrolled to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. The constitution further stipulates that ‘’any member who fails or neglects to pay the prescribed Annual Practicing Fees before the end of March each year shall, as long as he/she remains in default, have no right: (a) Of audience in court, (b) To prepare, authenticate or frank any legal document, including Memorandum and Articles of the Association, (c) A failure or neglect to pay the Annual Practicing Fees, as and when due, shall be deemed to be an act of professional misconduct’’. Aside being called to Bar, prompt payment of practising fee is what gives the legal practitioner

the licence to act as one. It is imperative to note that any lawyer who defaults risks forfeiture of every right a legal practitioner enjoys in court, corporate practice or an in-house counsel and loss of other rights and privileges generally. All these go to show the essence of payment of practising fees in the noble profession. In addition, lawyers are expected to pay their branch dues in their various NBA branches and such dues are used by the NBA to finance all its numerous projects. Some of these projects include capacity building; professionalisation initiatives of the NBA Secretariat; human capacity building at national level; institutional syner-

gy with regional and international organisations; human rights programme; anti-corruption crusade and other initiatives aimed at uplifting the legal profession standards. Penultimate week, the NBA in a paid advertisement recently informed its entire members that payment for the annual Bar practising fee that commenced from January 1, 2015, would end on March 31, 2015. The advertorial went further to state that all legal practitioners enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, whether in private, public or corporate practice are required to pay their practising fees on or before the end of March 2015.

ACCESS BANK SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED THE NBA IN ADVANCE ON MARCH 30, 2015, OF ITS INTENTION TO SHUT ITS DOOR TO CUSTOMERS BY 12 NOON THE FOLLOWING DAY, MARCH 31

The schedule of fees is as follows; *Senior Advocates of Nigeria and Honourable Benchers, N50, 000. *Legal practitioners of 15 years or more standing post call, N25, 000. *Legal practitioners of 10 years or more standing, but less than 15 years post call, N17,500. *Legal practitioners of 5 years or more standing, but less than 10 years post call, N10,000. *Legal practitioners of less than 5 years standing post call, N5, 000.

Stamp and Seal Project The NBA at a National Worksshop on the countdown to the 22015 general elections held in Abuja, signed a strategic partnerA sship agreement with Strateflex Nigeria Limited for the producN ttion of adhesive paper stamps for llawyers. The NBA stamp policy rrequires that lawyers affix their CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Law & Justice

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Electoral offenders are left Chief Gani Adetola-Kaseem is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, with 35 years post-call experience. The lawyer, who became a member of the inner bar in September 2002, in this interview with WALE IGBINTADE, speaks on the volume of cases before the Supreme Court and the election tribunals, among others. Excerpts.

Considering the volume of appeals pending before the Supreme Court, do you share the view that the apex court is overburdened? It is neither here or there, people have advocated for the creation of constitutional court. I am handling a case as to whether the decisions of the National Industrial Court should be appealable and if appealable, should they end at the Court of Appeal? There is a school of opinion that says it’s better for the apex court to hear appeals from the National Industrial Court so that the law will be more certain. However, there are others who say employment matters should not be allowed to linger too long in court. They argued that people should be able to know their fate early and move on with their life. Today, cases stay long in court that litigants become so frustrated and many of them died and do not reap the benefits of the case. There are some matters that are so personal and when the litigant dies the matter dies with them. There are some cases such that when the litigant dies, another person can be substituted for him. It is a very serious jurisprudential discussion as to in what circumstances should appeal be allowed to proceed to the apex court and in what circumstances should it be stopped at a certain point. For instance, I started a chieftaincy matter in Ogun State High Court in 1994 and it was recently determined against us by the Supreme Court. However, I did not think the matter ought to have been determined against. Unfortunately, at the time the matter was determined by the apex court, all the litigants but one had died. Even the lawyer who was defending the case from the beginning died before the matter got to the Supreme Court. When you look at that type of scenario you find that, it is not a pleasant thing for cases to last so long in court. So, there must be a way of reviewing such cases that they can be taken quickly in court. Will you advocate for regional divisions of the Supreme Court? It may be the workload and it maybe that the Supreme Court needs reorganisation. But, I do not support the idea that we should have various divisions of the Supreme Court. We cannot afford to have conflicting decisions from the apex court, it will lead to chaos. We had that experience from the Court of Appeal when dif-

Adetola-Kaseem ferent divisions of the appellate court gave conflicting decisions on the same subject -matter. It’s a matter of reorganising these courts to make them work speedily. There is need to appoint more judges and equip the court with modern facilities. Eight years after he was arraigned, the Supreme Court recently ordered a former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye, to submit himself for trial on corruption and money laundering charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. What does this portend for our judicial system? Such a thing should not be encouraged, because it could lead to delay in justice. Justice delay is justice denied. We should be able to embed it in our rules that interlocutory appeals should not be allowed to stop hearing of the substantial suit. Criminal matters should be disposed off speedily. How will you react to a judgement delivered by a Federal High Court, which declared restriction of people’s movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Lagos State unlawful?

I DO NOT SUPPORT THE IDEA OF HAVING VARIOUS DIVISIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE CONFLICTING DECISIONS FROM THE APEX COURT, IT WILL LEAD TO CHAOS

I have not read the judgement and cannot comment on the judgement intelligently. It is a carryover from the military era. In our younger days, there is what we called Wolewole (Sanitary Inspectors) that inspect houses. If they find any filth in your environment you will be charged to court. From my point of view, it is not right for the State to make it mandatory for people to clean their surroundings and keep people indoors for three hours against their will. In my premises, mu gutter flows and it is cleaned almost every day. My environment is well- cleaned and yet you say I should not go out for three hours. I think we should move away from military mentality. Unfortunately, in Nigeria nobody does something unless he is compelled to do it. It ought not to be so. It is a question of re-orienting the society for us to do things willingly. Nigerians

have to learn how to do things without compulsion. I am sorry for your generation because you have not seen better days and you think what is happening now is normal. In those days, if you are a civil servant, you dare not dress beyond you income. If you ride a motorcycle when you have not taken motorcycle loan, people will ask you where you got it from. Civil service regulations are there, they have not changed much. Today civil servants are building mansions without taking loans. It is wrong. How will you assess the quality of judgments from our courts? The quality of judgments you get from the judiciary is a reflection of what you get from the presentations from the Bar. Nobody is expected to know all the law. Although, we often say to judges that the law

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, April 13, 2015

unpunished, says Adetola–Kaseem resides in their bosoms, but the truth is that a judge is not expected to know all the laws. He must be assisted by the presentations of lawyers. So, if the presentations coming from the Bar are poor, unless the judge is extremely lucid and industrious he may also turn out a watery judgement. Having said that, it would not be fair to our judicial system to condemn wholesale judgments from our courts. We have seen cases where the court of first instance will come to a decision; the decision will be affirmed by the Court of Appeal but upturned by the Supreme Court. This does not necessarily mean that the court of first instance and the Court of Appeal Justices are not learned, it is just their perception of the case. We have also had cases where a high court will decide a matter and Court of Appeal will disagree but the Supreme Court will affirm the judgement of the high court. However, we have to look at the length of time cases stay in court. A lot of cases should be subjected to Alternative Dispute Resolution rather than litigation. Not all matters ought to go through process of litigation. For instance, commercial cases from my experience are better resolved through arbitration or mediation than litigation. What is the way forward on the crisis bedeviling the Rivers state judiciary? I don’t want to be judgmental in my view and the matter is in court. There is a little bit of ego between the politicians and the judicial authorities. If the issue of ego had not been there the matter ought not to have degenerated to this level. The constitution is very clear, both the governor and NJC have roles to play in the appointment of judges. To understand the issue you need to look at the history before the National Judicial Council, NJC, evolved. Ordinarily, in most federal systems you won’t find an authority at the federal level interfering with the appointment of judicial officers at the State level. That didn’t happen during the First Republic but it is a lesson from the First republic that brought this about. The essence of setting up the NJC is to insulate judicial officers from political manipulations. NJC is meant to protect judicial officers from states’ and federal chief executives. We want to be sure that those who are appointed in the third organ of government are free of political influence. If there is a recommendation from the States’ Judicial Service Commission, it is the responsibility of the NJC to screen the candidates and satisfy itself that the appointments had no political colouration. In Rivers State judiciary, there have been issues on who should and who should not be appointed as the Chief Judge. The governor has a say in the matter, he would approve whatever the State Judicial Commissions brought to him for approval but the final approval is done by the NJC. If the NJC in its wisdom finds that there is something fishy in the appointment, it could act as checks and balances. That may be what has happened.

It is a matter of style, if the governor had been advised properly; there are better ways to handle it. I do hope that before long the cases that are in court over this issue will be disposed off and everybody will be in peace. Some have said the powers of CJN should be whittled-down. Do you agree? Some have said the CJN is becoming too powerful; the only thing that can be done to whittle-down the powers of CJN is to ensure that most members of NJC are not his appointees, so that the Council is not dominated by those who the CJN appointed. Once that is done, the NJC will be able to come up with some balanced decisions. Several months after judges were attacked in Ekiti State, no suspect has been brought to court by the police. How will you react to this? A situation where you have impunity at whatever level is dangerous for any system. Can you imagine a judge sitting in court and not feeling secured? He is not having confidence that he can make pronouncement without having to look over his back. It’s unfortunate and it tells a lot about our political system. Judges needs protection. I sympathised with judges. I did not accept judicial appointment when I was offered some 25 years ago for many reasons. For every case a judge decides he makes an enemy. The executive controls the law enforcement agents. The Federal Government in particular controls the Police. Even at the State level, Police Commissioner has minimal commitment to the state government. A situation where a State governor and the President are in linked, they can manipulate the security system to suit their purpose. If the Governor of Ekiti was not in the same party with the President, would he have done what he did and nothing would have happened? It is barbaric, there is no two ways to describe it, when people misuse security machinery for their political advantage. They forget that they are in office today; they may not be there tomorrow. Some of us are not matured enough to distinguish between State interest and personal interest. So, it is better to build strong institutions, institutions that work where everyone will be secured. What are you expectations from the election tribunals? The law has placed responsibility on the CJN to set up election tribunals ahead of the elections. Members of these tribunals have been duly warned to perform their duty according to law and with fear of God. Nigeria is one of the most religious countries in the world, whether as Muslims or Christians. But, in terms of the fear of God we are one of the worst in the world. But, we don’t have the fear of God. Both leaders and followers, people act with impunity and do not care what the law says. If you get into a lifestyle that you cannot sustain after leaving office, what is the essence? You need to steal so

A JUDGE IS NOT EXPECTED TO KNOW ALL THE LAWS. IF THE PRESENTATIONS FROM THE

BAR ARE POOR,

UNLESS THE JUDGE IS EXTREMELY LUCID AND INDUSTRIOUS, HE MAY ALSO TURN OUT A WATERY JUDGEMENT must to be able to sustain it it. People will be remembered for their service, for leaving the world a little better than they met it and not how much wealth they are able to accumulate to themselves and their cohorts. We still remember some names and we revere them for the little they were able to do to change the society. In the Western part of Nigeria, we remember Chief Obafemi Awolowo. I am a pioneer beneficiary of the free education. The system started on January 17, 1955 and I was one of the students in that system. Even as late as the Second Republic, what Jakande did in Lagos State is commendable. What Jakande did in four years is more than what Bola Tinubu and Fashola did in 16 years. I can say it with all boldness. In the North they remember

the Sardauna of Sokoto. In the East, they remember Michael Okpara and many others. But, today people are not thinking about that, they focus on personal aggrandizement. What is your take on the 180 days time frame to conclude election petition matters? It is a balance between two devils. We know 180 days’ is difficult to meet especially when the burden of proof is placed on the petitioner. The petitioner must prove that the election has not substantially complied with electoral law. The burden is too much. Still, I cannot blame the framers of electoral law. The constitution says he who asserts must prove. But, there should be a way to balance this. The law could make it mandatory on electoral umpire to bring evidence before the tribunal so that the burden on the petitioner would be less. So long as the respondent has very little burden to discharge and he knows that the petitioner has so much to prove within 180 days, he will put every pegs at his way. The respondent would make sure that you will be talking about procedural matters for four to five months. It is difficult to conclude election petitions within 180 days. Yet, we do not want a situation where someone who lost election would be in office and enjoying the benefit of the office. Unless there is penal measure that says; if you are declared a non-winner, all the money and benefits you have taken will be refunded. If we can incorporate this into our law perhaps people will be more discouraged to rig themselves into office. The decay is due to the fact that people are not being punished for electoral offences.

Law & Justice

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Stamp and seal project ‘ll eradicate touts’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41

numbered stamp on every document endorsed by or emanating from them. Connected with the payment of practising fees is the introduction of ‘’Stamps for Lawyers’’, which required practising lawyers to affix their STAMPS on every legal document prepared and/or endorsed in accordance with law. According to the NBA, the use of the stamps shall become mandatory from the April 1, 2015. A packet of 120 stamps according to the NBA costs N4, 000 and payment should be made into NBA account with Access Bank Plc. However, National Mirror gathered that quite a large number of practising lawyers were unable to comply with the directive of NBA and could not pay their practising fees as at March 31 because the designated bank, Access Bank unexpectedly shut its doors to customers at 12 noon on March 31, 2015 due to possible fear of breakdown of law and order when the results of the March 28 presidential elections were being announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Hence, many lawyers, who went to various branches of the bank between 12. 01 pm and 4 pm on March 31 could not pay. A Lagos based- lawyer, Mr. Ibukun Oyeyipo told the National Mirror, ‘’ I tried my best to pay my practising fee but I could not. The bank closed at 12 o’clock as against the mandatory time of 4.00 pm. I later gathered that it was due to the apprehension over the just- concluded presidential election. He lamented that ‘’ Unfortunately, junior lawyers do not have anybody to fight for them since the death of human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi of blessed memory. ‘’ Like Oyeyipo several lawyers across the country were caught in this web last March 31. A lawyer who preferred anonymity shared Oyeyipo’s view saying that the Access Bank should have notified the NBA in advance on March 30 of its intention to shut its doors to customers by 12 noon on March

Bar

Jokes

Pickpocket in court

A pick pocket was in court for a series of petty crimes. The judge said, “Mr. Banks, you are hereby fined $100.” The lawyer stood up and said “Thanks, my lord, however, my client only has $75 on him at this time, but if you’d allow him a few minutes in the crowd. . .”

Lawyer’s funeral A man is at his lawyer’s funeral and is surprised by the turnout for this one man. He turns to the people around him. “Why are you all at this man’s funeral?” A man turns towards him and says, “We’re all clients.” “And you ALL came to pay your respects? How touching.” “No, we came to make sure he was dead.”

Accused arm.

A lawyer defending a man accused of burglary tried this creative defense: “My client merely inserted his arm into the window and removed a few trifling articles. His arm is not himself, and I fail to see how you can punish the whole individual for

Chairman, NBA Ikeja branch, Mr. Farounbi

Chairman NBA, Lagos branch, Mr. Alex Muoka

IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR NOTARY PUBLIC

your practising fee as at 31st of March, that will automatically disqualify you even if you pay after the stipulated period. Contacted, the Chairman NBA, Ikeja Branch, Mr. Yinka Farounbi said the payment of practising fees is statutory and the option opened to lawyers at that time was to pay the fees on-line to Supreme Court. Concerning the Stamp and Seal issue, if you did not pay within time, then you should blame yourself. It is only Access bank that NBA has chosen because the association has arrangement with the bank. You cannot say Access Bank is not spread across Nigeria. Even if the date is extended some lawyers will still not pay while others will continue to procrastinate’’. In his view, Mr. Friday Oshomagbe said ‘’ the constitutional directive is in order in regulations of our association’s activities and all lawyers are encouraged to comply with the directive. I don’t think there is need for extension of time to allow those have not done do. However, members are looking for a better organised association where inter-

AND YOU HAVE NOT PAID YOUR PRACTISING FEE AS AT 31ST OF

MARCH, THAT WILL AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFY YOU 31. Another lawyer, Mr. Ademola Adewale said ‘’every lawyer knows that between January and March 31, he is supposed to have paid his practising fee and if you failed to pay, we all know the consequences. There are some privileges that such a lawyer will not enjoy if he failed to pay within the stipulated date. For instance, if you are applying for Notary Public and you have not paid an offence committed by his limb.” “Well put,” the judge replied. “Using your logic, I sentence the defendant’s arm to one year’s imprisonment. He can accompany it or not, as he chooses.” The defendant smiled. With his lawyer’s assistance he detached his artificial limb, laid it on the bench, and walked out.

My daddy’s a lawyer Two small boys, not yet old enough to be in school, were overheard talking at the zoo one day. “My name is Billy. What’s yours?” asked the first boy. “Tommy,” replied the second. “My Daddy’s an accountant. What does your Daddy do for a living?” asked Billy. Tommy replied, “My Daddy’s a lawyer.” “Honest?” asked Billy. “No, just the regular kind”, replied Tommy.

I am a divorce lawyer A guy walks into a post office one day to see a middle-aged, balding man standing at the counter methodically placing “Love” stamps on bright pink envelopes with hearts all over them. He then takes out a perfume bottle and starts spraying scent all over them. His curiosity getting the better of him, he goes up to the balding man and asks him what he is doing. The man says “I’m sending out 1,000 Valentine cards signed, ‘Guess who?’” “But why?” asks the man. Culled from lots of jokes.com and lawyers jokes.com

est of junior lawyers will be protected. Oshomagbe however commended the NBA executives for the introduction of stamp for lawyers adding that ‘’it will eradicate touts from the legal profession.’’ He however raised objection over the N2, 000 administrative costs saying ‘’ the intention is good if well implemented to minimize but charges is not necessary having paid the annual dues. In his opinion, James Ode Abah said ‘’the law is clear without peradventure that generally a legal practitioner has the right of audience in all courts of law sitting in Nigeria. This position has been asserted in a number of decided cases by the Apex Court’’. ‘’In the case of Ajakaiye .v F.R.N (2010) 11 NWLR PT 1206 AT 500 PP PG 523 PARAS F-H the court held that a person who is qualified as a legal practitioner within the meaning of the Legal Practitioners’ Act is entitled and has absolute right and privileges to appear and be accorded audience in any court of law or tribunal throughout the country. However one major exception to this general rule of the right of audience of lawyers in all courts in Nigeria is clearly stated in Section 8 (2) The Legal Practitioners Act (Cap L11) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. The practice of lawyers paying practising fees is clearly rooted in the provisions of Section 8 (2) of The Legal Practitioners Act (Cap L11) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 which clearly states that no legal practitioner shall be accorded the right of audience in any court in Nigeria in any year, unless he has paid to the Registrar in respect of that year, a practising fee as from time to time prescribed by the Attorney- General of the Federation after consultation with the association ( Nigerian Bar Association). However it is important to note that the provisions of the Legal Practitioners’ Act are statutory and therefore matters of substantive law which cannot be waived.

LEGAL TIPS Garnishee proceedings in Nigeria

garnishee proceeding is a judicial process whereby a judgement creditor, who is armed with the judgement of a court, may recover such debt owed by judgement debtor from a third party who in turn has an obligation to the judgement debtor. *Thus, there are three parties in garnishee proceedings; the garnishor, who is the judgement creditor, the garnishee, who is the third party and the judgement debtor. *For instance, if Mr. A gets a monetary judgement in court

against Mr. B and Mr. B has refused to pay, Mr. A can ask the court to help collect Mr. B’s money from Mr. C, who in turn owes Mr. B money. The third person indebted to the judgement debtor is called the garnishee, while the judgement creditor is also referred to as the garnishor. *The law governing garnishee proceedings can be found in Rules of Court, the Sheriff and Civil Process Act (SCPA) Cap 407, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and case laws. *Any debt owing to a judgement debtor

from any other person within the jurisdiction of the court can be recovered by the judgement – creditor towards the satisfaction of his judgement by attachment of debts via a garnishee order. *For a debt that is on attachment, it must be due or accruing to the judgement debtor. It must also be a sum certain, examples are, salaries, money in bank account and rent. Written by Francis Famoroti, Head, Judiciary. We welcome feedback and reactions from readers via our e-mail: nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, April 13, 2015

Ibori’s march to UK prison two years ago FAMOUS CASES

ames Ibori was convicted and sentenced to 13 years jail term at about 3.20p.m on April 17, 2012 by Judge Anthony Pitts of the Southwark Crown Court in the UK. His conviction was sequel to a guilty plea he made to a number of corruption and money laundering charges preferred against him. These charges were put at about $250million and included the V-Mobile and Bombardaire scams which amounted to $50million. Prior to his conviction in the UK, he had been indicted for corrupt practices after his two-term tenure as the Delta State Governor. Besides, he had also faced accusation of being an ex-convict to which his legal team and himself variously denied. It was therefore not surprising that two Delta State indigenes, Engineer Goodnews Agbi and Anthony Alabi headed for an Abuja High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and sought a declaration to stop Ibori from seeking re-election as the state governor in 2003. The plaintiffs had told the court that by virtue of Ibori’s previous conviction at the Bwari Upper Area Court, he was not qualified to contest election as the People’s Democratic Party‘s (PDP’s ) gubernatorial candidate for the 2003 Delta State governorship election. They also claimed injunctive reliefs aimed at restraining the then PDP National Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh, another PDP Chieftain, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from presenting Ibori to the INEC as their candidate for the said elections. After the addresses of the lawyers, the trial judge, Justice Mukhtar, in his ruling delivered on March 24, 2003, ruled that there was “no conviction against the accused in that case”, and dismissed the claims of the plaintiffs. Agbi and Alabi appealed against the ruling. The Court of Appeal after criticising the procedure adopted by the trial judge held that on the face of Exhibit A, there was a conviction of the person therein named as the accused. The court however held that in order to determine the identity of the person convicted, it was imperative to remit the case to the High Court for trial de novo. This would enable the court to establish the identity of the convicted person. Indeed, the facts of the case are that on September 28, 1995, the Upper Area Court Bwari in FCT in a criminal case No CR-81-95 convicted one James Onanefe Ibori for the offences of negligent conduct and criminal breach of

Two years ago, former Governor of Delta State, James Onanefe Ibori, was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment by a Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom (UK). FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Head, Judiciary reflects on the various legal battles Ibori had, beginning from his ex-convict saga at the Bwari Upper Area Court about 20 years ago. trust under Summary Trial Procedure under the provisions of Section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the former Northern Region of Nigeria, applicable to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The said convict was sentenced to a fine of N1000 or one year imprisonment on the information. As far as Agbi and Alabi were concerned, the identity of the convict remained the same Ibori. Ibori however felt dissatisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal and appealed to the Supreme Court. The appellants were also aggrieved with the verdict and they also cross-appealed. In its judgment, the Supreme Court on February 6, 2004, dismissed both the appeal and the cross-appeal and affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal. The court equally sent the case to the High Court for trial de novo. The Supreme Court had also unequivocally held that the issue of the conviction of one James Onanefe Ibori was settled beyond any dispute, and ‘’ what remains in dispute was whether the 4th respondent was in fact the person convicted in Exhibit A in CR/81/95, C.O.P. vs. James Ibori.’’ The trial de novo came before Justice Hussein Mukhtar who ordered pleadings as directed by the Supreme Court. At the end of the testimonies and after the written addresses, the judge on November 8, 2004 delivered his judgment dismissing the plaintiffs’ claims and granted partially Ibori’s claims in his counter-claim. Insisting that they were sure of their facts, the men accordingly appealed to the Court of Appeal but the appellate court on May 21, 2005 dismissed the plaintiffs’ claims. Dissatisfied with the decision again, Agbi and Alabi pursued the case at the Court of Appeal. The Notice of appeal contains 10 grounds of appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal. Now in this judgment, the plaintiffs shall be referred to as the appellants, and the defendants as the respondents. Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) argued the appeal on behalf of Agbi and Alabi while Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN) represented Ibori. The panel of the Supreme Court justices that heard the appeal were, Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore, Idris Legbo Kutigi, Umaru Atu Kalgo, Dahiru Musdapher, Sunday Akinola Akintan, Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, and Ikechi Francis Ogbuagu. In its lead judgment delivered on Friday, May 19, 2006, the Supreme Court unanimously declared that appeal brought by the men was unmeritorious.

Ibori

PRIOR TO HIS CONVICTION IN THE

UK, JAMES IBORI HAD BEEN INDICTED FOR CORRUPT PRACTICES

AFTER HIS TWO-TERM TENURE AS

DELTA

STATE GOVERNOR

Justice Musdapher who read the lead verdict accordingly dismissed this appeal and affirmed the decisions of the lower courts. According to him, ‘’ In attempting to prove their case, the appellants called P.W.1, Alhaji. Awwal Yusuf the presiding judge of the Upper Area Court. He gave his evidence which was not believed by the trial court and the Court of Appeal. He said ‘’ The appellants unfortunately led no evidence in proof of these averments. The appellants also failed to call any other witness beside P.W. 1 to establish the identity of the convict. Under the circumstances, it is obvious that issues 1, 3 and 4 are not made out. I re-

solve them against the appellants. Both the lower courts considered the pleadings and the evidence led by the plaintiffs and rightly came to the conclusion that they failed to prove, the identity of the convict aforesaid.’’ Six other justices concurred with the lead judgment that the judge found contradictions and inconsistencies in the evidence of trial Upper Area Court judge, Awwal Yusuf (PW1) whereby he disbelieved the latter that it was Ibori that he tried. By the apex court decision, Ibori escaped being stopped from seeking reelection into the Delta State Government House. About six years after this verdict, Ibori was charged with money laundering before a UK court, which eventually found him guilty and sentenced him to 13 years jail term in April 2013. Five months after his conviction, Ibori, appealed in September 2012 against his conviction by a Southwark Crown Court for money laundering. He eventually lost his appeal and would serve his sentences. The jailed former Governor lost his appeal against the 13-year prison sentence for embezzling £50m in one of Britain’s biggest money-laundering cases.

Law & Justice

Court sentences ex-mayor to 15 years jail for graft BEIJING

former mayor of major eastern Chinese city of Nanjing has been sentenced to 15 years in prison on corruption charges, as President Xi Jinping’s anti-graft crackdown continues to gather steam. According to Associated Press, AP, Ji Jianye also was fined 2 million yuan ($323,000) for taking bribes in exchange for doling out public works contracts and arranging job transfers.. Ji’s decision not to fight the charges likely resulted in his relatively light sentence, handed down by In-

termediate People’s Court in the eastern city of Yantai. The China Daily newspaper and other state media put the amount of bribes Ji was accused of receiving at 11.32 million ($1.8 million). His former position is equivalent to that of a vice minister, making him one of the highest-ranking officials brought down by the anti-corruption drive launched shortly after Xi was installed as ruling Communist Party chief in 2012. Xi has vowed to go after officials at all levels, and thousands have been investigated the party’s anti-corruption body.

Australian court orders internet firms to divulge data AUSTRALIA

n Australian court has ordered internet service providers (ISPs) to hand over details of customers accused of illegally downloading a US movie. In a landmark move, the Federal Court told six firms to divulge names and addresses of those who downloaded The Dallas Buyers Club. The case was lodged by the US company that owns the rights to the 2013 movie. According ABC report, the court said the data could only be used to secure “compensation for the infringements” of copyright. In the case, which was heard in February, the applicants said they had identified 4,726 unique IP addresses from which their film was shared online using BitTorrent, a peer-topeer file sharing network. They said this had been done without their permission. Once they received the names of account holders, the company would then have to prove copyright infringement had taken place. The judgment comes amidst a crackdown by the Australian government on

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

China’s ex-security chief charged with bribery BEIJING

hinese prosecutors have charged former domestic Security Chief Zhou Yongkang with bribery, abuse of power and intentional disclosure of state secrets. A report by Reuters says that Zhou, 72, is the most senior Chinese official to be ensnared in a graft scandal since the party swept to power in 1949. The decision to prosecute Zhou underscores President Xi Jinping’s commitment to fighting graft at the highest levels. The indictment accused Zhou of “taking advantage of his position to seek benefits for others”, “illegally accepting other people’s huge assets”, “abuse of power” and “causing heavy losses to public property. Zhou’s alleged crimes took place over decades, including when he was deputy general manager of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), party boss in southwestern Sichuan province, minister of public security and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, the statement said. Zhou had been informed of his legal rights and listened to the views of his lawyer, the statement added, without saying where Zhou, who has not been seen in public since October 2013, was being detained.

Chinese President Xi Jinping

No date was given for Zhou’s trial, but state media said last month that China would hold an “open trial” in an attempt to show transparency. Legal experts say, however, the party runs the risk of Zhou threatening to reveal state secrets. Zhou was a member of the Politburo Standing Committee - China’s apex of power - and held the post of security tsar until he retired in 2012. He also built an extensive power base at oil giant CNPC, as he rose to the top of the company in the 1990s. At least a dozen former top managers at CNPC have been arrested as part of the crackdown on graft. Last year, China said it had arrested Zhou and expelled him from the party,

accusing him of crimes ranging from accepting bribes to leaking state secrets. In ordering the investigation, Xi has broken with an unwritten understanding that members of the Politburo Standing Committee would not come under such scrutiny after retirement. The move suggests Xi’s anti-corruption crackdown - he has promised to go after “tigers”, or senior officials, as well as those of lower rank - has much further to run. The government’s corruption fight has extended to almost every corner of the country, including powerful stateowned companies which dominate sectors of the economy such as energy, banking and telecommunications.

Indian court convicts former IT chief in fraud case Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott

internet piracy. Australians are among the world’s most regular illegal downloaders of digital content. The delay in release dates for new films and TV shows, and higher prices in Australia for digital content, have prompted many Australians to find surreptitious ways to watch new shows. The ISPs involved in the case, including Australia’s second-largest provider iiNet, said releasing customer information would be a breach of privacy and lead to what is known in the US as “speculative invoicing”. This is where account holders are threatened with court cases that could result in large damages unless smaller settlement fees are paid.

INDIA

n Indian court has convicted the founder of one of the country’s biggest IT companies as well as nine others of fraud. This comes six years after Ramalinga Raju confessed to investors that he had cooked the books. A court in Hyderabad, the capital of India’s southern Andhra Pradesh state found Byrraju Ramalinga Raju and nine others, including one of his brothers guilty of manipulating the

books of Satyam Computer Services Ltd during India’s information technology boom in 2009. “All the accused have been convicted of almost all charges,” prosecutor K. Surender told reporters outside the court in Hyderabad. The court had charged Raju with criminal conspiracy, cheating, and breach of public trust in connection with the case, which prosecutors said had caused 140 billion rupees (2.09 billion euros, $2.25 billion) in losses to the company’s sharehold-

ers. Satyam Computer Services, which was once India’s fourth-largest software company was plunged into turmoil after Raju admitted in a letter to shareholders in early 2009 that he had fraudulently hugely inflated the company’s profits on paper for years. Several weeks later, Tech Mahindra, a unity of vehicle and farm equipment maker Mahindra, bought a majority stake in Satyam, saving it from almost certain collapse.

My friends in practice encouraged me –Sagay

t will interest you to know that I had obtained my Ph.D when I made my first appearance before a judge; I did not want to

practice by myself because I have never been in court and I know that anyone can read out the law, but procedure and handling of evidences need experience. My friends in practice then encouraged me to start anyhow because I was already above pupilage, but I knew I do not know anything about procedure and handling of evidence so, I identified a judge whose judgement I respected, for three months I was listening and

taking notes of the proceeding just like a law student. I had my first case at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, I studied the matter I was going to handle thoroughly, when the matter was called I stood up and I was to move a preliminary objection. It was a case between two parties who had agreed to go to arbitration whenever they have a dispute and not to go to litigation so, I prepared an affidavit and raised the motion to strike out the case

Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN

because it should not have come before the court, but arbitration. I moved the application and succeeded.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, April 13, 2015

Court stops RCCG from building on disputed land PROPERTY LAW WALE IGBINTADE

n Ogun State High Court in Sagamu has granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG), it agents or representatives from carrying out any form of construction on a landed property situated at Ewu Odofin Village, in Sagamu Local Government area of Ogun State. Justice E .O Osinuga , gave the order in a suit filed by United Bank of Africa, UBA, Co-operative Multipurpose Society Limited against the Registered Trustee of RCCG over the disputed land measuring about 30.7 acres. The judge in her ruling observed that the respondent (RCCG) was duly served with all court processes, but it (Church) however failed/refused to file any counter affidavit to same. ‘’it is trite that in an application of this nature, the court would not look

into the merit of the substantive suit, but whether from the content of the Affidavit, the claimant is deserving of an interlocutory order of the court to preserve the Res (subject-matter). In the instant case where there is no counter affidavit to the deposition, the court cannot but rely on same as the truth of the matter’’, the court held. Consequently, the court granted the application of the claimant and ordered the claimant to enter into an undertaking in the sum of N500, 000 should the order ought not to have been granted. The claimant had in its Motion on Notice filed by its lawyer, Yemi Omodele sought for a declaration that it is the legitimate owner of the expanse of land covered by Survey Plan NoOG/854/2013 dated October 31, 2013. The claimant further urged the court to declare that the alleged invasion/ destruction of the fence, gate, security house, buildings, boreholes and other building materials on the land by agent of the RCCG on November 28, 2014 was illegal and unconstitutional. In a 38-praragraph affidavit in sup-

port of the Motion of Notice deposed to by one Sylvester Oyaminelen, secretary to the claimant, he stated that the claimant purchased the disputed land from the Olowoto-Olisa chieftancy family of Ewu-Odofin village and immediately took possession and started construction. The claimant added that it fenced the land and dogged bore holes with industrial water tanks at a cost of N50 million. The deponent stated that on November 28, 2014, the defendant through its agents allegedly destroyed the fence and other buildings erected on the land and started constructing its own buildings. The deponent added that unless the defendant is restrained, it will continue to build on the land and thereby jeopardise the suit and it will suffer irreparable loss. Consequently, it urged the court for to award the sum of N50 million as general damages against the defendant. Justice Osinuga has adjourned the suit till May 18 for mention.

Ogun State CJ, Justice Olatokunbo Olopade

Sterling Bank sues two companies over unpaid N367m debts COMMERCIAL LAW WALE IGBINTADE

terling Bank Plc has dragged two limited liability companies; Gem Global Market Limited and Treasure Capital and Trust Limited, before a Federal high court in Lagos over unpaid N367, 903,489.93 million debts. The bank, in its affidavit in support of the suit deposed to by its debt recovery Manager, Segun Babatunde, averred that the two companies appointed the bank as their settlement bank for their security dealings and trading transactions. The bank contended that by a letter dated June 30, 2011, Gem Global market Limited intimated the bank with its desire

and request that all its outstanding and going bond market transactions be settled through the Treasure Capital and Trust Limited account and that the bond purchase and sale on behalf of the company will be made by Gem Global market limited Babatunde also averred that the defendants through Gem Global market Limited made an application to Sterling Bank sometimes in July 2013, for credit facility to purchase a Federal Government Bond (REPO Trades transaction of N1, 518, 472, 602.74) and the facility was granted and the bond purchased and transaction consummated on July 25, 2013, with a maturity/settlement dated of October 21, 2013. It was agreed that the facility shall attract interest rate at the Central Bank of Nigeria’s prime lending rate. However upon the maturity date, October 21, 2013, the defendants failed to fund their accounts or disposed of the bond. The deponent further stated that he knew

as a fact that by its bond sale instruction’s letter dated October 30, 2013, to the bank, the two companies working in tandem with each other directed the bank to dispose of the bond at the prevailing market rate, and that the transaction be settled through the first defendant’s account. He stated further that on December 2, 2013, the bank sold the bond in line with the instruction of the defendants, and on the same day credited the first defendant’s account with the proceeds as the bond was eventually sold at N1, 3336,343, 409. 59 million, leaving a shortfall to be paid by the defendants to liquidate the credit facility granted. On 2nd of December 2, 2013, the first defendant’s account was debited with the bond purchase transaction and also properly valued to the original settlement date of October, 2013. Babatunde averred further that as at July 14, 2014, the total sum due and pay-

Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Funmilayo Atilade

able to the bank from the defendants stood at N367, 903,489.93 million, and that series of letter have been written to the defendants to liquidate their indebtedness but to no avail.

Igbo lawyers’ group lauds Buhari, Osinbajo MATTHEW IRINOYE

he Otu Oka-Iwu, under the umbrella association of Igbo lawyers, has congratulated the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) for winning the presidential elections. The group also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for sacrificing personal ambition on the altar of national unity, peace and development adding that, Jonathan would go down in history by keeping faith with his commitment to deepen Nigeria’s electoral process and nascent democracy The group lauded the President for his

uncommon display of statesmanship for congratulating the president-elect even before the final results were declared, it added that the action is responsible for the absence of post-election violence in the country. In a statement by its President and Publicity Secretary Mr. Zik Obi II and Mr. Emeka Nwadioke, respectively, the association also congratulated the Vice President-elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) describing him as “one of our own.” While lauding Buhari’s steadfastness in seeking a presidential mandate, the association said that the president-elect should be committed to make a difference in the lives of fellow Nigerians, adding that his

administration should promote democracy and the rule of law. “His pledge towards just and principled governance where no-one is oppressed due to favouritism based on ethnicity, religion, region, gender or social status is eminently refreshing.” “We urge the incoming administration to speedily initiate reforms that will curb the plethora of ills facing the justice sector” The association also enjoins Buhari’s administration to create a level playing field in the area of law enforcement, such that Nigerians of all social strata are equal before the law. “We further urge General Buhari to

combat the twin evils of terrorism and corruption, corruption has long been identified as perhaps Nigeria’s most irksome drawback. We support all efforts to rout these challenges in order to put Nigeria on an irreversible march to greatness.” The association said. The association however, described Mr. Osinbajo as one of Nigeria’s finest legal minds, adding that his tour of duty as Lagos State Attorney-General remains indelible in the annals of Nigeria’s justice sector. “We are confident that his reform-minded predilection will greatly complement General Buhari’s acclaimed commitment to good governance.” The association said.

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Monday, April 13, 2015

Community Mirror PDP has kept the federal power consistently for 16 years. We shall continue to remain in PDP because it is the only party that recognized us. Bayelsa State Governor – Seriake Dickson

Vigilante group nabs child trafficker Two docked over stealing in Cross River, rescues 2 boys Olanrewaju Olatunbosun

Richard Ndoma CALABAR

ross River Command of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria has arrested a man suspected to be child trafficker and rescued two boys in Abana community of Bakassi Local Government area of Cross River state. Briefing journalists in Calabar, the State Commander, Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Rev. (Dr.) Mercy Effiom disclosed that the Group achieved the feat following a tip off which the Divisional Vigilante Officer in Bakassi received concerning the trafficker, and she directed the DVO to ensure the suspect is arrested.

Effiom stated that following her directive Mr. Godknows Okon Edem a fisherman and a native of Ikot Obio Okon in Essien Udim Local Government area of Akwa Ibom residing at Abana was arrested by men of Vigilante Group of Nigeria. According to her, “My Divisional Vigilante Officer (DVO), Bakassi gave me information about kidnapping of children on March 18, 2015 and I ordered my Ikang Divisional Vigilante Officer to go back and make sure the suspect is arrested and brought to me for onward handing over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.” The Commander revealed that after serious interrogation,

the suspect said that there is a particular woman who usually brings children to him and others who have need for children adding that he pays the woman N10, 000 monthly. The suspect, Mr. Godknows Okon Edem who claimed to be 31 years old, disclosed that he requested for a house-help and somebody brought the boys to him adding that the eldest of them has escaped, he denied being a child trafficker. “I asked the lady who brought the children to me about their mother and she told me that the children belong to her sister and that they don’t like going to school” he said.

wo men, Abdulahi Abubakar and Mojeed Jamiu have been arraigned before an Ebute Metta Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing industrial printing machine valued N1.8 million. The alleged stolen printing machine was said to belong to Louis Valentino Nigeria limited. Police Prosecutor, Ejeaji Emmanuel told the court that the defendant unlawfully entered into the warehouse of Louis Valentino Ltd and stole the printer. He said the defendant committed the alleged offence on March 29, 2015 at 271 Moshood Abiola way Iganmu Lagos. According to police pros-

ecutor, the defendant committed punishable offence under section, 409,308 and 285 of criminal Law of Lagos state Nigeria 2011 When the charge was read to them, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the accusation levied against them. Defence Lawyer, Mr. O. B Otighi urged the court to grant his client bail in most libral term. In her ruling, Magistrate Ogunkunmi admitted the defendants to be bail in the sum of 100.000 with two credible sureties in like sum. The sureties must be working in Lagos, and one of them must be blood relation to the defendants. Besides, the court directed that their addresses should be verify and adjourned the matter till April 22 for mention.

Community leader lauds INEC on peaceful elections Dare Akogun

Scene of an accident that claimed the driver’s Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ilorin, Kwara State, over the weekend. PHOTO: DARE AKOGUN

community leader in Igbaja, Ifelodun Local Governent Area of Kwara State Barrister Wasiu Ajiboye has applauded the peaceful conduct of the electorate in the area throughout the 2015 polls. Ajiboye made the commendation while speaking to newsmen in Igbaja on Sunday to congratulate the Governor of the state Abdul Fatai Ahmed on his re election. He described the victory of the governor at the polls as a

Group urges Buhari to reduce cost of governance

dvocacy for Advancement of Peace and Harmony in Africa Initiative, ADAPAHI, has urged the President-elect, Gen. Muhammad Buhari, to reduce the cost of governance on assumption of office. ADAPAHI’s Executive Director, Mr. Ajibola Olaniyi, made the call at a news conference in Osogbo where he decried what he described as ‘governance –in-

duced poverty in Nigeria.’ Olaniyi said that making politics and cost of governance less expensive should be one of the priorities of the incoming government. “The incoming administration must get it right in terms of good governance. “The basis of the economic travails of the common man in Nigeria is the bogus salaries and allowances of elective of-

ficeholders and political appointees. “Gen. Buhari has a very important and urgent anomaly to correct in the Nigerian political system, if he truly wants to win the war against corruption. “The president –elect must quickly make government less attractive by slashing the jumbo pay of the elective office holders and political appointees immediately he assumes office,’’ he

said. The director said that once this was corrected, there would be improvement in infrastructural development and the standard of living of Nigerians. “It is inhumane and callous for the National Assembly that accommodates less than fivehundred members to be taking over 25 per cent of the total expenditure of the country,’’ he said.

testament to the fact that he delivered on the election promise to the state during his first tenure. He urged all Kwarans to support the state governor in his quest to take the state to a greater height. Ajiboye who was until recently was a member of the PDP but have defected to the All Progressive Congress noted that the community needs to align with the federal government in other to enjoy the dividends of democracy. He equally commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for the introduction of Smart Card Readers in the 2015 general elections, urging them to consolidate on its achievements in terms of distribution of electoral materials as well as distribution of the Permanent Voters Cards. He however urged INEC to tackle the challenges experienced in the handling of the card readers in the subsequent election. He said, “The 2015 elections have exposed the people to the fact that electorate has the power to effect a change of government in the country and that power belongs to them”.

Monday, April 13, 2015

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Police arrest hoodlums over electoral offences in Lagos Dare Akogun

agos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, over the weekend said some hoodlums were arrested for allegedly disrupting the electoral process during the Governorship and House of Assembly polls in the state.

Aderanti disclosed this while addressing journalists during a visit to Mr Akin Orebiyii, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos. He, however, declined to give the number of the arrests made, but simply said that the police had commenced interrogation of the suspects. Aderanti said that the arrested

individuals were involved in electoral offences. “We have made some arrests; we are trying to look into it. To me, the election is reasonably good, if compared with what has been happening in the past, we have started interrogating the suspects,’’ he said. He noted that the police had not recorded any fatality in the elec-

tions. Aderanti commended the officers of the command, INEC and also the people of the state for their peaceful conduct. He said that the comportment of the politicians was above average. Meanwhile three people have been reported killed in Ojota area of Lagos in a clash when some political thurgs clashed on Sunday.

An anonymous source revealed to our reporter that the hoodlums were on a revenge mission to avenge the death of their member who was killed on Saturday. Efforts to get in touch with the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer DSP Keneth Nwosu, was abortive as his numbers were not reachable as at the time of filling this report.

Legislator commends constituents on electoral victory

Children fetching water from a public tap during governorship and House of Assembly election in Suleja on Saturday. PHOTO: NAN

Police arrest rape suspects in Enugu

he police in Enugu State have arrested seven suspects accused of raping a Reverend Sister, in addition to the kidnap of over 10 Rev. Fathers, pastors, politicians and passengers. The suspects were arrested at Ugwuaji forest, Enugu State by men of the state police anti-kidnapping squad after abducting several victims along Enugu/ Port Harcourt road. The men of the underworld were also said to operate a camp in Akwuke forest where they keep some of their victims. They were also accused of operating at Ndude Seminary where they have allegedly kidnapped over 10 Rev. Fathers, who were taken to their Ugwaji forest camp. The suspects in custody include Haruna Ibrahim (27), Abubakar Abdullahi (37), Sunday Selbon Melven (27), Onyedika Okafor (25), Lawal Sule (28), Bello Mohammed (29), Bello Musa Shehu (25). They were said to hail from Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Plateau and Enugu State. “Based on several petitions

on the activities of the suspects, I had to order the commander anti-kidnapping squad, Supol Alex Akinlalu who led his men to round up the kidnappers on March 19, at the Ugwuaji forest. One of the suspects, Haruna Ibrahim told Saturday Sun: “We have two groups in Enugu State. We only collect ransom from the family of our victims, we don’t kill people.” Speaking further on their exploits, the suspect said “We have kidnapped a Rev Father at 9th mile and took him to Ugwuaji

forest where he spent just two days after we collected N250, 000 from him. Also, we kidnapped a pastor at Obiorre Udi old road and collected a ransom of N150, 000. Another suspect, Bello Mohammed stated: “Our Owu group took a bus passenger into Ugwuaji forest and collected N200,000 from him before we released him.” The state police commissioner, CP Adamu assured that the suspects will soon be charged to court.

r. Chinedu Nwamba, a member of Enugu State House of Assembly, has commended the electorate in his Nsukka East constituency for re-electing him. Nwamba, a member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was announced winner of Saturday’s election in the area by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to result announced on Sunday by Prof. Edwin Igbokwe, INEC’s Collating Officer for Nsukka constituency, Nwamba polled 20,000 votes to defeat his All Progressives Congress (APC) opponent, Mr Osita Eze, who scored 3,408 votes. Nwamba told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) shortly after the result was announced that by the massive votes he polled, his constituents had re-affirmed the confidence they reposed on him as their representative. “I am happy, excited and overwhelmed by the solidarity of voters from my constituency who massively voted for me during last Saturday House of Assembly election in the country. “From the result announced by INEC, my constituency demonstrated in unmistakable term that they love me and are comfortable

with my achievements in the past three years. “I thank my people for their votes as well as for conducting themselves peacefully during the election,” he said. Nwamba said that he would continue to do his best to offer effective representation to the constituency by ensuring that every part of the area was developed. “I will ensure that basic amenities and infrastructure that will bring more development to the constituency are included in state budget. “Within the limit of resources, I will also ensure that youths in the area are empowered so as to compete favourably with their counterpart in any part of the world,“ he said. The legislator commended INEC for free and fair election in the state, adding that conduct of the general elections across the country had showed that democracy had gained root in the polity. “INEC has done well but should do more on the card reader so that in 2019 general elections, it will record 100 per cent in terms of functionality. “I also hail security agents for providing the conducive environment for INEC to conduct credible elections,“ he added.

Monarch urges govt to improve security in Nigeria

istrict Head of Wamakko in Sokoto State Alhaji Salihu Barade, who was recently kidnapped and released by his abductors, has urged government to enhance security in the country. He made the call in an interview with newsmen on Saturday in Wamakko, headquarters of Wamakko Local Government Area of the

state. It will be recalled that Barade was kidnapped on April 8 at his livestock farm in Wamakko at about 7.00 p.m. by four gunmen. Barade was however released by his abductors on April 10, near the farm of the Emir of Gummi in Zamfara. “There is the need for the improvement of security in Nigeria and not only around

the traditional rulers,” he said. Barade, who is also the younger brother of Gov. Aliyu Wamakko, expressed gratitude to God for securing his safe release. He urged Nigerians to sustain fervent prayers for peace and unity in the country, describing his abduction as a fall-out of the “general insecurity in Nige-

ria”. “I cannot, however, tell you whether a ransom was paid or not as they seized all my telephone sets. “I am, however, hale and hearty, but we were starving with my abductors as they took me to a forest. “We had no food for two days and I could not pray as there was no water in the place they took me to.”

Monday, April 13, 2015

World News India orders 36 Rafale fighter jets from France

“I think people need to hold their fire and let us negotiate without interference and be able to complete the job over the course of the two-and-a-half months” –UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY,

Campus stampede: Kenyan student dies, more than 100 injured PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

Kenyan student died and more than 100 others were injured as they fled after a electrical explosion triggered fears that their campus was being attacked before dawn yesterday, officials said. Students jumped from windows at their University of Nairobi residence halls or rushed out in a stampede that underlined growing tensions just over a week after Islamist gunmen stormed another university campus, killing 148 people. “I could see the students jumping and one of them landed on his head,” said third-year student Felix Muriuki. Others said there were three loud blasts, plunging the dormitory into darkness, which heightened the panic among the students. “We thought it was another al Shabaab attack,” said Eddy Capella, a first-year student. The dead student was among others who had tried to jump to safety at the Kikuyu campus, university vice chancellor Peter Mbithi told Reuters. “We have lost one male student who fell from fifth floor,” Mbithi said outside the emergency section of the country’s main public hospital, Kenyatta National.

Felix Muriuki, a student at the University of Nairobi, holds his blood stained vest inside his room after he saved students who jumped from the windows

Kenya Power, the country’s main electricity distributor, said the explosion was caused by overloaded underground cable. Initial witness accounts had said a transformer exploded. Kikuyu students called on the government to do more to secure all universities. “I’m not feeling 100 percent safe on campus but I will continue with my studies,” Muriuki said. Witnesses said the explosion occurred at about 4.30 am (9.30 p.m. EDT), setting off terrified

screams from the women’s wing of a dormitory. The panic spread to the men’s wing, where students woke up and scrambled to get out. Students said the incident evoked memories of the April 2 attack on Garissa University College, about 200 km (120 miles) from the Somali border. Somalia’s al Qaeda-aligned group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for that raid, which also came before dawn. The tragedy befell Kenya while it was still grieving over the stu-

dents killed in Garissa, with funerals taking place around the country. Al Shabaab has killed more than 400 people on Kenyan soil in the last two years, including 67 during a siege at Nairobi’s Westgate mall in 2013, damaging tourism and inward investment. Kenya responded to the latest attack with airstrikes on al Shabaab targets in Somalia and closure of informal financial firms suspected of involvement in the funding of the militants.

Bomb attacks in Egypt’s Sinai kill 13, wound dozens

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wo separate bomb attacks targeting security forces in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula killed at least 13 people and wounded dozens yesterday, the latest in a wave of violence in a region hit by an Islamist insurgency. Egypt’s military said a roadside bomb detonated by militants killed six soldiers and wounded two others in an attack on an armoured military vehicle in the town of Sheikh Zuweid. Two of those killed were officers, it said. The army said in a statement that “terrorist and extremist elements” were behind the blast and that two of those killed were officers. A Twitter feed that describes itself as the official account for

Sinai Province, a militant group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the attack. North Sinai is the epicenter of an insurgency that has killed hundreds of members of the security services since mid-2013, when then-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi after mass protests against his rule. Sisi was overwhelmingly elected president last year. Later on Sunday, a car bomb targeting a police station in the city of al-Arish, the capital of the North Sinai governorate, killed at least seven people and wounded 44 others, medical sources said, adding that both civilians and members of the security ser-

WORLD BULLETIN South African opposition leader steps down The leader of South Africa’s opposition, the Democratic Alliance, has said she will not stand for re-election at the party’s congress next month. Helen Zille said the “time was right” for her to step aside, adding that the DA would benefit from fresh blood. She will remain as premier of Western Cape province until 2019. Ms Zille, a former journalist and anti-apartheid campaigner, has led the party since 2007. “These kinds of decisions are a long time coming, but in the end they are made suddenly,” she said. Ms Zille was born in 1951 to German immigrants. She has been a staunch defender of South Africa’s liberal constitution, keeping a check on the leading ANC party’s overwhelming power. In the past, she has openly criticised President Jacob Zuma and led a campaign to bring him before the courts to face allegations of bribery.

Shark kills surfer, 13, off Reunion in Indian Ocean A 13-year-old boy has been killed by a shark off the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion. The teenager, named as Elio, was surfing in an off-limits section of water off the west coast, when he was attacked on yesterday. In a statement, local authorities said they had deployed specialist boats in an attempt to locate the shark. There have been 16 such attacks on the island since 2007. Seven people have died. The young victim was said to have been a promising surfer. Rescuers arrived at the scene quickly but were unable to save him. In February, after a non-fatal shark attack, a ban was imposed on all water activities outside areas monitored by lifeguards.

Philippine police: Two Chinese dead in cargo ship violence

A huge crater opened up following the deadly blast in El-Arish

vices were among the casualties. The Interior Ministry said five police officers and one civilian were killed in the explosion, which it described on its official Facebook page as a suicide attack.

The explosion caused heavy material damage, blowing in windows and doors, sources in the city said, adding military helicopters were flying over the area.

Two Chinese men were stabbed to death and another was injured in violence among crew members of a cargo ship that radioed Filipino authorities for medical help, Philippine police said yesterday. Philippine authorities boarded MV Qing May after it docked and brought an injured Chinese crewman to a hospital in southern Zamboanga city early Sunday with the permission of the ship’s skipper, Zamboanga police director Angelito Casimiro said. The bodies of two other Chinese crewmen, which had stab wounds, were kept on board the ship. The Liberian-flagged ship with a crew of 25 Chinese was en route to China from Australia with a cargo of iron ore when it radioed for help while passing near the southern Philippines.

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WORLD BULLETIN Obama meets Castro in highestlevel US-Cuba talks in decades President Barack Obama met Cuban President Raul Castro in the highest-level talks between the two countries in nearly 60 years, and the two men agreed to push ahead on improving relations after decades of hostility. Describing their private meeting as “historic,” Obama said the two countries can now end the antagonism of the Cold War era, although he said he would continue to pressure the communistled country on democracy and human rights. “Obviously there are still going to be deep and significant differences between our two governments,” Obama told Castro as they met in Panama, where they both attended a summit of leaders from across the Americas. The U.S. president said he believed both sides could raise their concerns about the other’s policies yet still work together to boost commercial, travel and diplomatic ties. “The Cold War is over ... Cuba is not a threat to the United States,” Obama later told reporters, pointing out that at 53, he wasn’t even born when Castro and his brother Fidel seized power in the 1959 Cuban revolution. CHANGE OF NAME

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India orders 36 Rafale fighter jets from France

ndia’s prime minister announced Friday that New Delhi had ordered 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in a multi-billion-euro agreement that has been years in the making. Standing alongside his counterpart Francois Hollande on a visit to France -- the first leg of his maiden trip to Europe -- Narendra Modi finally relieved the frantic speculation over whether tortuous, years-long negotiations on buying the jets would ever bear fruit. “I asked the president (Hollande) to supply us with 36 Rafale jet fighter planes, the ready-to-fly models,” Modi said at a joint news conference at the Elysee Palace. While long-blocked exclusive negotiations between the two sides had initially focused on 126 French Rafales, the 36-jet order is manufacturer Dassault’s biggest yet abroad -- estimated to be worth nearly four billion euros ($4.2 billion). Paris sold 24 Rafale jets to Egypt earlier this year. Negotiations to buy the CHANGE OF NAME

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French President Francois Hollande (R) shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a joint statement at the Elysee palace, recently

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Formerly known and addressed as Miss Obafemi Funmilayo Yetunde, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Kolipe Funmilayo Yetunde. All former documents remain valid. Ogun State SUBEB and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Folorunso Mariam Aderonke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ibrahim Mariam Aderonke. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Anyanwu Nkechi Bertha, now wish to be known and addressed as Odom Nkechi Bertha. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Obi Ngozika, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eze Ngozika Esther. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

blacklisted by the European Union for years, accused of encouraging deadly communal riots in 2002 in the western state of Gujarat, which he governed for over a decade. CHANGE OF NAME

AMAM: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Amam Oluchi Faith, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ihechukwu Oluchi Faith. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Mrs Olotu Mercy Omobola now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Sobowale Bella Omobola Mercy. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Okeronbi Oluwaponmile Abiola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Bello Oluwaponmile Abiola. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Owolabi Titilola Muyinat, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Lawal Titilola Muyinat. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Okafor Adaeze Anttonia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Elemuwa Adaeze Anttomia. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE THE GREATER LIGHT OF GOD WORLDWIDE RC NO: 9982

The general public is hereby notified that the above named organization has applied for change and appointment of additional trustees under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990. By the change/appointment of the following underlisted trustees

OLD TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Baba Aladura Patrick A.Akinboboye 3 Apostle Jimoh A. Ogunaike 5 Senior Apostle Rufus A.Fadojutimi

2. Gen.Evangelist Solomon O.Ogunjimi 4. Senior –Mother In Israel Grace Adebogun

NEW TRUSTEES ARE:

B. That The Following Persons Be Appointed/Reappointed As Trustees 1. Senior Apostle Rufus A.Fadojutimi 2. Apostle Dickson Oluwasiji Adegbesan 3. Gen.Evangelist James Sunday Idowu Adenuga 4. Most Senior Mother In Israel Iyabo Ogunaike 5. Most Special Apostle. Bello Aina Peters 6. Special Apostle Prophet Isaac Ogunjimi 7. Special Apostle Prophet Joseph Akinosi 8. Senior Apostle Prophet Olabisi Michael Akinlajuwon 9. Apostle.Pro. Oluwadare Cornelius Idowu 10. Captain Mother In Israel Akinboboye Ajibike Susannah

Any objection to this change should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 565 Ndola Square, Wuse Zone 5 Abuja within 28days of this publication.

SIGNED: ODESEYE ADEDAYO 86 ALLEN AVENUE, IKEJA, LAGOS.

North

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Police arrest hoodlums protesting election results WOLE A DEDEJI ILORIN

L-R: INEC Administrative Secretary for Bauchi State, Mr. Emmanuel Umegheh; Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Tukur Sa’ad and Collation Officer for the state, Prof. Mohammed Faruk, during the announcement of results of governorship and House of Assembly elections in Bauchi, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

EU tasks Buhari on progressive taxation, Boko Haram WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

or Nigeria to be among the biggest economies of the world, the incoming administration of General Muhammadu Buhari needs to introduce a new tax regime that would compel the rich to pay tax according to their resources. Head of European Union delegation, EU, to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Ambassador Michel Arrion, said this, adding that the incoming

government, as a matter of urgency, “should deradicalise” Boko Harram prisoners in order to permanently end insurgency that ravaged the North East of Nigeria. Arrion, who spoke with journalists in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, said the current tax regime where everyone pays the same percentage on Value Added Tax, VAT, was to the disadvantage of the masses, which will not allow the economy to grow to the advantage of the poor. The Ambassador, who was in Kwara State for a

two-day visit as part of his ongoing mission of discovering Nigeria, also recommended that “the future of Kwara State be based on agriculture” while that of Nigeria be based on “diversification of the economy”. He said though Nigeria was adjudged the biggest economy in Africa, its economy was still very small when compared to other countries in Europe. While answering questions on the outcome of Nigeria’s 2015 general elections, Arrion said Nigeria was faring well, “showing a good example” to the rest of Africa, especially with

the action of President Goodluck Jonathan who, according to him, acted in a rare demonstration of sportsmanship by African leaders to concede defeat to his challenger at the presidential elections even as a sitting president and before the result was finally announced. He urged Africans to “invent its own democracy” and leverage on the opportunities provided by ECOWAS to boost the economy of its member countries. He said the EU was still building peace, emphasising that the country must continue to toe the line of peace.

Ambode, Umahi, Tambuwal, Udom, Masari, el-Rufai win Continued from page 5 candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has conceded defeat half way into the collation of the election results Ribadu in a statement issued by his spokesman, Malam AbdulAziz Ahmad, said he had accepted the outcome of the election in good faith. “I came into this race with lofty dreams and clear vision for our dear state, but the voice of the majority has not given me this chance. I take this in good faith. “I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the winner and pray that at the end of it all our dear state will witness the needed progress and

development it so much desires,” Ribadu said. Ribadu lauded the support he got from President Goodluck Jonathan, party leaders and the people of Adamawa in general. Ribadu’s concession statement was made shortly after the announcement of the result of 12 out of the 21 Local Government Areas of the state by INEC, which shows the APC candidate leading. Governor Abduaziz Yari of Zamfara State, who won the governorship election on the platform of APC urged people in the state to celebrate the outcome of the governorship and House of Assembly election within the ambits of the law.

Yari made the call yesterday in Talata-Mafara while speaking with journalists, and warned that celebrating political victory should not be used to disrupt existing peace and stability in the state. He urged the people to accept the outcome of the elections in good faith, saying that government would not fold its arms to allow people to take the law into their hands. Yari commended the electorate in the state for their orderly and peaceful conduct during the Presidential and National Assembly as well as Saturday’s gubernatorial and state legislature elections. In Delta State, results from 18 local governments so far declared showed

that Stanley Okowa of the PDP has won 15, Labour Party, 3 while APC is yet to win any. APC candidate in Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom is leading with just result for one more local government area out of 23 local government areas yet to be declared. Ortom is leading PDP’s Terhemen Tarzoor with over 91,000 votes. APC has 394,047 votes while PDP scored 302,324. APC has also won in 12 local governments, while the PDP won in 10. Results from Buruku were still being awaited at the time of filing this report. APC is also on the way to winning in Borno and Yobe states as at the time of going to press.

wara State Police Command has arrested eight persons allegedly disrupting public peace in Ilorin, the state capital, on Sunday. The suspects, who were mainly youths, police sources said, were nabbed with dangerous weapons including guns, knives and charms, while going round the metropolis shooting spordically to intimidate and harass innocent citizens. It was gathered that trouble started when

news of the governorship election victory of All Progressives Congress, APC, filtered into some parts of the town about noon on Sunday. It was further gathered that the youths, who were believed to have sympathy for other opposition parties from Niger, Ikokoro and Taiwo Isale streets, trooped out to protest the result of the election. Eyewitnesses who spoke with National Mirror said several people sustained injuries as they ran for dear life while the shooting lasted.

No tariff reduction for residential customers –AEDC

buja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, on Sunday said the 50 per cent reduction in electricity tariff by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, does not affect residential consumers under R1 and R2 tariff categories. This clarification was contained in a statement issued by Head, Public Affairs of the company, Malam Ahmed Shekarau, in Abuja. The statement said the clarification became necessary in view of misconceptions by some of its customers that the recent reduction by NERC was for all categories of electricity consumers. It said the misconception had made some customers to resist payment of their electricity bills.

According to the statement, the tariff for customers in the R1 and R2 tariff class was not adjusted in the last tariff exercise by NERC. It said the reduction announced by NERC was meant for commercial and industrial customers only. NERC had said that residential customers under R1 and R2 would not also benefit from any reversal or reduction in tariff as the industrial, commercial and high-end residential consumers whose tariff was increased. It would be recalled that NERC had said earlier that the increase in tariff for residential consumers was frozen until June this year. The statement said the company would ensure total compliance with NERC directives on tariffs and sundry issues.

Election victory: Yari warns against excessive celebration

overnor Abduaziz Yari of Zamfara State has advised people in the state to celebrate outcome of the governorship and House of Assembly election within the ambits of the law. Yari made the call on Sunday in Talata-Mafara while speaking with journalists, and warned that celebrating political victory should not be used to disrupt existing peace and

stability in the state. “As good Nigerians, whether celebrating or not, we have to ensure total adherence to the provisions of the law. “As politicians, irrespective of any political party we belong, we have to put the development of our dear state and the country in general in the frontline than our personal or political interest,” he said.

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

I look back at my years in Anfield with so much pride and satisfaction. Honestly, I have no regrets

AAG: Glo salues Falcons, Dream Team 55

–LIVERPOOL CAPTAIN, STEVEN GERRARD

Seyche lles

2015:

Nigeria face ho set to s ts

Taiwo Awoniyi

he Supersand Eagles team has arrived in Victoria, Seychelles and already preparing for the African Beach Soccer Championship opener against host nation Seychelles tomorrow. There will be four matches tomorrow, with the Nigerians up against Seychelles and Egypt tackling Cote d’Ivoire in Group A. In Group B, Senegal will take on Morocco and Ghana will be up against Madagascar. Champions in 2007 and 2009, and quarter-finalists at the World Cup four years ago, the Supersand Eagles will play Egypt on Wednesday and then round off their group phase campaign against Cote

d’Ivoire on Thursday. The top two teams in each of the two groups qualify for the semi finals on Saturday, with the finalists, who battle for the trophy on Sunday, qualifying to represent Africa at the 2015 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Portugal in July. Captain Isiaka Olawale will lead a squad that also includes fellow veterans Abu Azeez, Oladipo Olalekan, Bartholomew Ibenegbu and Victor Tale, as well as Festus Ehibhi, Emeka Ogbonna, Jamal Akewusola, Adams Taiwo, Lokosa Junior, Emmanuel Ohweferi and Igudia Godspower.

AAG 2015:

Awoniyi’s brace secure Dream Team ticket ...as Nigeria beats Zambia 2-1

brace by striker Taiwo Awoniyi yesterday qualified Nigeria to the football event of the 2015 All Africa Games on Sunday as the Dream Team beat host Zambia 2-1. Both teams played goalless in Abuja three weeks ago and the Nigerians needed a clear win in Lusaka to qualify for the Congo Brazzaville games. Zambia attacked from the onset and carved several chances, but it was 17-year-old Awoniyi, drafted into the team for this return match, who put

the visitors ahead on 34 minutes. Zambia continued to pile on the pressure and they were rewarded in the 76th with the equaliser through substitute Friday Samu from close range after he was set up by Shederack Malambo. However, Awoniyi put this encounter beyond the Zambians with just minutes to spare with his second strike. Two minutes after Awoniyi’s winner, goalkeeper Daniel denied Zambia a second equaliser as he tipped Mo-

ses Phiri’s effort over the bar for a corner. Mukuka Mulenga and Malambo were torn in Nigeria’s flesh and within the first 20 minutes they forced two corner kicks and several goal attempts. In the 22nd minute, Sodiq Atanda Ololade almost put Nigeria ahead when his header off a corner kick flew wide. Nigeria, who failed to qualify for the last AAG, will now join Burkina Faso and Sudan in the eight-team competition in September.

Emmanuel Ohweferi

Sports

Monday, April 13, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

EPL results QPR

Chelsea

Man Utd

Man City

Manchester United players celebrating their win over Manchester City at Old Trafford yesterday

Red Devils

maul City at Old Trafford Fabregas

Fabregas inches Chelsea to title C

Cech

Cech tipped for Blues’ exit

helsea could be willing to let Petr Cech join rival Arsenal this summer, according to media analyses yesterday. Cech has fallen behind Thibaut Courtois in the pecking order at Chelsea this season but, at 32, he remains one of the Premier League’s top ‘keepers and has made it clear he will seek a transfer in the summer rather than spend another year

as an understudy. When asked if Arsenal is interested in the Chelsea star, one analyst responded: “Yes, they definitely want him. They’ve had a look at him and enquired about him last summer when they saw Thibaut Courtois was coming back.” David Ospina has ousted Wojciech Szczesny as Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper recently and turned in a number of im-

pressive displays. But Cech is seen as a class above the Colombian. “It would be a really big signing because I don’t think they’ve got a top-quality goalkeeper which sides that generally win the title normally have,” the analyst said, adding, “Ospina has been better than I thought he would be but I don’t think he’s a top-quality ‘keeper for a whole season.”

esc Fabregas’ 88th-minute strike yesterday dealt a significant blow to Queens Park Rangers’ survival hopes as Chelsea moved to within 12 points of the title with a 1-0 win at Loftus Road. With the game destined for a goalless draw after a spirited display from Rangers against the below-par league leaders, Fabregas converted Eden Hazard’s cross to shatter the home side and restore the Blues’ sevenpoint lead at the top of the table. Willian struck the woodwork in the opening exchanges, while Charlie Austin and Matt Phillips drew Chelsea ‘keeper Thibaut Courtois into fine saves in each half, before Fabregas decided the outcome of the game. Chelsea now requires just four wins from their remaining games to win a fourth Premier League crown while Rangers remain in the bottom three, two

points from safety. Jose Mourinho handed Didier Drogba his first start since February’s win at Aston Villa after Loic Remy – who was expected to deputise for the injured Diego Costa - was ruled out of a reunion with his former club through injury. In a first half of few chances, Chelsea inadvertently went closest to opening the scoring eight minutes in when Willian’s crosscome shot almost caught Rob Green out but cannoned against the post. Mourinho brought on Oscar as he looked to shift the game in his side’s favour, and the change did have an impact as the visitors took a real grip. A sliced clearance fell kindly to Hazard who danced in off the left flank and laid the ball into the path of the Spaniard at the edge of the area who scored Chelsea’s 100th goal in all competitions this season.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Monday, April 13, 2015

AFCON 2017:

Pharaohs can’t stop Eagles –Eguavoen

Oshoala

MERCY JACOB

AAG:

Glo salutes Falcons, Dream Team N

igeria’s biggest corporate supporter of football, Globacom, has congratulated the Super Falcons and national U-23 team on their elaborate victories over Mali and Zambia and subsequent qualification for the 2015 All Africa Games football event. The Falcons defeated their Malian counterparts 8-0 in the second leg final round of the AAG qualifier in Abuja last Friday while the Dream Team beat Zambia 2-1 in Lusaka yesterday after playing goalless in Abuja three weeks earlier. In a press statement in Lagos on Sunday, Globacom com-

mended both teams for their feats, saying they had highlighted Nigeria’s potential on the continent of Africa, “The Super Falcons should leave no stone unturned as they work toward a good outing in the All African Games and ensure that they emerge victorious, thus consolidating their position as the number one women team in Africa,” the statement said. “The Dream Team also demonstrated their quality at edging Zambia at home and we believe they can carry this pedigree all the way to the Congo Brazzaville venue of the Af-

rica Games scheduled for September 3 to 18 to excel in the football event,” the statement added. Globacom commended the technical crews of both team for fashioning the right winning formula to hand the hand the emphatic victories to Nigeria. “We salute the doggedness of the coaches and wish them and the teams the very best as they move forward,” the statement concluded. Globacom is the major partner of the Nigeria Football Federation and official sponsor of Nigerian national teams.

espite Super Eagles poor run in most recent times, former coach Austin Eguavoen insists the national team will qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted by Gabon, saying Egypt will not the Eagles from securing the group’s lone ticket. Nigeria is drawn in Group G of the qualifiers with Egypt, Tanzania and Chad. Eguavoen believes Nigeria had learned from the 2015 AFCON miss and will easily qualify this term. “I am sure the players who are the principal actors are feeling the pain of missing out of the last AFCON more than every other person,” Eguavoen said yesterday. “So I expect them to give their best when the qualifiers begin in June. There shouldn’t be any form of distractions as it happened the last time,” the Gombe United Coach added. On the coaching contract impasse afflicting the Eagles,

Olumudi had earlier won women’s silver and bronze medals at the March 14 fifth Longview Marathon and the 21st March 13th Bearathon Marathon races both in USA respectively. “I am ready to race at the Okpekpe race and I am ready to be the first Nigeria to win the race,” she said. “My target is to perform well at the Lake Minneola Half Mar-

athon billed for April 25, and hopefully take the form to Nigeria for Okpekpe,” she added. The Okpekpe 10km road race is organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing in conjunction with the AFN and Edo state government. Previous editions were dominated by East Africans with Kenya’s with Nigeria athletes yet to finish top five of the race.

Eguavoen

Rio 2016: NBBF to outline blueprint PAUL EREWUBA

resident of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Tijani Umar, has disclosed that the federation is set to present its Olympic qualification blue print after D’Tigers’ qualification for the All Africa Games. “We’ve set a huge precedence in qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics,” Umar said yesterday.

Olumudi ready for Okpekpe

igeria rave of the moment in long distance race, Aderonke Olumudi, yesterday confirmed her readiness to participate in the 3rd annual Okpekpe 10km Road Race. The Kogi-born athlete has been in top form since moving to the United States of America where she recently won the 10km Women’s category of the third GE Irving Marathon race.

Eguavoen said: “The NFF should decide quickly on the new coach so that the team can start preparation towards the 2017 qualifiers in earnest. “I have confidence that Nigeria will go through. All the coaches need is to mix the experienced players with the youth players and blend them to a perfect team”.

Umar

“We qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games in London and we want to repeat that experience in Rio de Janeiro next year. “We have outlined programmes that will ensure that the men and women national teams are well prepared to compete at the 2015 FIBA Africa championships so that we can qualify for the Olympics Games.” Umar disclosed that the federation had constituted a twoman-task force that will travel to the United States to meet with the Nigerian players in view of the programmes. “We have so much talent pool that can serve the national team at home and abroad, so we have decided that we will present two national teams that will persecute the Afrobasket and All Africa Games so we can always have the best talents available at every point,” he concluded.

WORLD RECORD Longest metal coil passed through the nose and out of the mouth Fastest mile fireman’s carry

Vol. 05 No. 1089 Monday, April 13, 2015

N150

The longest metal coil passed through the nose and out of the mouth measured 3.63 m (11 ft 10.91 in) in length and was a c h i eve d b y A n d r e w S t a n t o n ( U S A )

Of defection and the pangs of change

“S

uccess has many fathers, but failure is an orphan”. This wisecrack by Michael Joseph Harrington Sr., a Massachusetts politician and entrepreneur, best captures the over glorification of the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, in the March 28 presidential election over the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan. I concede the upset as an epochal event, a political threshold, so to say; so is the uncommon manifest altruism of an incumbent in accepting defeat, especially in a Third World setting where power is an end in itself. The grace, élan and sublimity of that enormous sacrifice by President Jonathan is underscored by the fact that General Buhari’s thrice failed bids for the exalted presidential trophy before the deserved victory in

HeartBeat Callistus Oke

Callistusoke@nationalmirroronline.net 08054103275 (SMS ONLY) anthonykila@mail.com the fourth attempt were vigorously contested. It took the pronouncement of the Supreme Court for him to drop the gauntlet! However, the action General Buhari took to invalidate the victory of his traducers in the three previous attempts does not detract from the import and substance of his victory in his fourth successful attempt. Putting his victory in perspective, certain disturbing facts assault the sensibilities of discerning Nigerians. First, the General’s victory is the product of the alliance of two of the old regions in which Nigeria was divided – Northern Nigeria and Western Nigeria. Eastern Nigeria (South East and South South minus Edo and Delta states geopolitical zones) had thrown its lot with President Jonathan. In a strict political sense, therefore, the East could be said to have worked against the presidency of General Buhari. The implication is that the region is now at the mercy of the new man of power. Second, Eastern Nigeria would most likely suffer the fate of Western Nigeria when in the seventh National Assembly, it was consigned to irreverent status in national politics having failed to secure any position of worth in the two chambers of the National Assembly and so was a peripheral player in the nation’s centre politics. Proof ? The North got both the Senate presidency and House speakership (secured the Vice Presidency to boot), while the East produced the number two in the two chambers of the national legislature (in addition

ALREADY, THE CRASH OF THE PDP FROM POWER IS SPEWING TROUBLING DYSFUNCTIONAL RESPONSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY to the plum job of the presidency). And third, in the wheeling and dealing leading to the appointment of members of the federal cabinet and boards of the parastatals, the East should be ready to settle for crumbs for it lacks strong bargaining chips. This is the objective reality. But this reality could be circumvented by the readiness of some of the PDP federal legislators in the about to be inaugurated 8th National Assembly to dump the party for the APC in the spirit of no morality in politics. This is a negotiable prospect and the only way out now for a region that needs the federal might for survival. A coalition of the North and West at the centre, if well managed, will constitute a balance of terror in the polity. Already, the crash of the PDP from power is spewing troubling dysfunctional responses across the country. Like predicted, APC’s stunning successes at the centre and the unavoidable bandwagon effects it would have on last weekend governorship and state legislative elections, have caused political hysteria leading to mass defection

of some of its members to APC, the new ruling party. The media were replete last week with stories of consummated defections and orchestrated plans for defection by several members of the PDP to the APC. Last week, I got several calls on the development, with many denigrating the politicians, using unprintable expletives. What I found disturbing in the approach of many to the development is lack of realistic explanatory perspective. To burrow through the maze of enveloping confusion over the phenomenon, let us answer this simple question: What attract Nigerians into politics? And the simple answer is payoff! Some eggheads call it politics of the belly. As I espouse this rationalization, I remember a friend dismissing the observable trend of defection in our politics as crass opportunism, political prostitution, and a manifestation of the dysfunctionality of the system. Many believe that defection depicts the fluidity of the nation’s political terrain, which is explained away as a product of the absence of clear cut ideology of the political parties. I have heard many dismissed our existing political parties as mere political contraptions for winning elections. Positions as these are influenced more by the experience of western democracy and the received knowledge of the classical definition of a political party. The puerility of a dismissive position as this is better appreciated by the fact that in both the first and second republics when Nigerian political parties had ideological clarity, defection or cross carpeting was a tolerable aspect of our political culture. I have heard that anti-defection law should be enacted. As long as there will be excuses for defection, such a law would be at best vacuous. Even the 1999 Constitution (as amended) allows room for defection by spelling out conditions under which it could occur. Wait a minute! Is the APC not a product of defection? What example of functionality of defection do we need? Let the party manage very well its successes and Nigeria’s greatness will be assured.

Sport Extra

Boxing: ‘Pacquiao will destroy Mayweather’

rainer of Filipino pugilist, Manny Pacquiao, Freddie Roach, says the former has been focusing on his left hand, leaving challenger Floyd Mayweather with no

chance in their May 2 bout in Las Vegas, USA. Pacquiao has stopped more than half of his opponents with his left and he says it will be a big advantage when he gets in

the ring with Mayweather. Roach insists he has always had a game plan on how to beat the world’s pound-for-pound best and made it clear that the Pacquiao’s sharpness is cru-

cial. “We did 12 rounds of left hand only and the right hand was never used,” the trainer said yesterday. “It’s all about muscle memory and both will be

equal at some point in the bout,” he added. Roach also warned Mayweather that there will be nowhere to hide, with Pacquiao’s ringmanship back to its best.

Pacquiao

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