Monday, march 30, 2015 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Election results ready today 窶的NEC Security forces on red alert APC raises alarm on plot to manipulate polls

Mimiko loses Ondo Central seat, Aliyu defeated in Senate bid

Vol. 5 N0. 1079

Monday, March 30, 2015

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Buhari leads in Kano Mu'azu fails

Jonathan, loses unit to APC P.2,52

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Monday, March 30, 2015

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Election results ready today –INEC OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU, ABIODUN NEJO, OMEIZA AJAYI, UBONG UKPONG, BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA, THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN AND ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI

he Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has expressed optimism that results of the presidential and National Assembly elections would be announced on a national level today. Accordingly, final collation of the results would start by 12pm at the National Collation Centre in Abuja. INEC said it will only declare results when they have been collated from the states. According to the commission, in spite of the several glitches that marred the exercise in some parts of the country, most results had been collated and were being expected at the commission’s headquarters last night. Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega stated this last night in Abuja when he gave a preliminary assessment of the polls. Several challenges, including the late commencement of elections, accreditation issues and security breaches forced the postponement of the polls in 387 polling units spread across the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Lagos, Kebbi, Niger, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Jigawa and Taraba states. While the elections in the affected polling units were concluded yesterday, collation was still being done at the local government level as at the time of filing this report. This came even as the INEC boss vowed to identify and sanction one of its Presiding Officers in Taraba State, who allegedly allowed under-age voting in his polling unit during Saturday’s elections. On the Taraba incident, Jega said under-age voting is against the law. “We are investigating the reports and we will take measures once this is done. “There was one clip that has been in circulation since yesterday (Saturday) afternoon about an underage voter said to be from Taraba

and we have mandated our Resident Electoral Commissioner to investigate it thoroughly and identify where this happened and to also identify the polling official who did it because it is clearly illegal to allow and underaged person. “There were a few other reported cases in which some observers said they have seen under aged voting, we are yet to see details which would have enable us to investigate these malpractices,” he said. On the challenges encountered in Rivers State, the INEC boss said All Progressives Congress, APC, wrote the commission yes-

terday, calling for the cancellation of the polls. The INEC boss also dismissed concerns that the commission was under intense pressure to declare inconclusive elections. While he said the failure of the card readers was a big shock to him, he added that it was very probable that many of the electoral officials had not been trained in handling the device. He also evaluated the situation in Delta State and said the commission has received reports that its ad hoc staff were substituted but that investigations were already ongoing to ascertain the veracity of the claims.

On claims by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that it was leading in 23 states, Jega said he would not know where the party got its own results. “I do not know where the PDP spokesman got his source, but we have not collated results in 23 states,” he said. Jega called on Nigerians to disregard any result that does not emanate from the commission. He urged Nigerians to avoid listening to such announcements from people that are clearly partisan. “The Commission warns strongly against unofficial announcements and decla-

ration of results by unauthorised persons and channels, particularly online sites. Only INEC is empowered by law to announce results and it is an offence for anyone to preempt the Commission”. He said the Commission has taken notice of hitches that were experienced during the election ranging from difficulty in using the card readers to late arrival of INEC officials to the polling units and security challenges, adding that efforts would be made to avert such in future elections. In another development, Nigerians and the international community were

yesterday alerted by APC of alleged ongoing plans by the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan to tamper with the results of Saturday’s elections and circumvent the people’s will. Speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement issued in Lagos yesterday, APC said it has information to the effect that some clandestine meetings were being held with the sole aim of changing the result of the election. “The information that we have received since we issued our last statement is to the effect that the Jonathan CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Associate Priest of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Gwagwalada, Rev. Fr. Lawrence Abanobi (right) blessing palms during Palm Sunday celebration at the Church in Gwagwalada, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

72% telecom subscribers rate services poor – Survey ISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN

espite surpassing the tele-density target, investigations indicate that telecommunication operators in the country have failed in the key area of quality service delivery on an industry-wide scale. An industry survey conducted by the Consumers Affairs Bureau of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, revealed that 101,122,000 subscribers, representing 72.23 per cent of the total 140,822,483, were not satisfied with the operator’s services.

Only 21.05 per cent believed the services were satisfactory, while 6.72 per cent simply could not rate the performance of the operators The results of the survey appeared to have confirmed a latest report on the Key Performance Indicators, KPI, for the service providers, which scored the operators low in terms of the quality of services they rendered to the consumers. The KPI for the telecoms industry in Nigeria, which was jointly agreed by the NCC and the service providers is a business metric used to evaluate factors that are crucial

to the quality of services from all the service providers. The survey further revealed that the operators were currently struggling to achieve the metrics, which are indicated by the Call Set-Up Success Rate, CSSR, Drop Call Rate, DCR, Traffic Channel Congestion, TCH CONG and Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel Congestion, SDCCH despite increased tele-density as was announced recently by the NCC. In addition, the survey findings indicated that each of the metrics has a set target for achievement, which all operators

must meet to avoid sanctions from the Commission. For the Call Set-Up Success Rate, Drop Call Rate, Traffic Channel Congestion, and Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel Congestion operators must hit the target of 98, 1, 0.20 and 2 per cent respectively. So far, the result of the survey also indicated that only the new entrant into the sector, Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services, EMTS, going with the brand name, Etisalat surpassed the target mark while others could not meet it. For instance, Etisalat

surpassed the 98 per cent mark for Call Set-Up Success Rate hitting over 99 per cent while Airtel, Glo and MTN trailed behind scoring 97, 96.70 and 96.80 per cent. By the record, it means that Etisalat subscribers find it easy calling from their network. On the Drop Call Rate, a metric which has often topped the complaint list of subscribers at the quarterly Consumer Parliament organised by the Consumer Affairs Bureau, Etisalat also recorded the lowest score with a 0.40 per cent, while MTN and Glo over-run the CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

FRANKA OSAKWE

f you slept longer than eight hours before work this morning, and have made this your regular habit, you may be increasing your chances of developing stroke - a life-threatening condition that cuts off blood supply to some parts of the brain. Stroke has become the second leading cause of death globally, with about 5.5 million people dying from the disease annually. However, experts recently discovered that the upsurge in the disease could actually be caused by excessive sleep. Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that those who regularly slept longer than eight hours a night were twice as likely to suffer a stroke compared with average sleepers. They also found out that people who switch from sleeping less than six hours a night to more than eight hours were four times likely to suffer the dreaded disease. The researchers, followed about 10,000 people aged 42 to 81 over nearly 10 years. They started collecting data by asking participants how long they slept on an average day and checked their patterns four years later and then six years after that. Most reported sleeping between six and eight hours a day while one in 10 slept for more than eight hours a day. Over the course of the study, 346 participants suffered a stroke including some fatalities. After taking into account other factors, including age and sex, the team concluded that people who slept longer than eight hours a day were at 46 per cent greater risk of stroke than average. The study, supported by the Medical Research Council and Cancer Research UK, further said the risk doubled for those who slept longer over the entire duration of the study. Initial findings have been that people who slept less than six hours a day were at an 18 per cent increased risk of having coronary heart disease and stroke. But now this new findings revealed that sleeping more than eight hours were at a staggering 46 per cent greater risk of stroke than those who slept an average six to eight hours.

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Monday, March 30, 2015

Good Health Watch! Excessive sleeping could cause stroke

The study also found that the risk of strokes doubled in elderly women. The scientists said the reasons for the link were unclear and more research needs to be carried out to establish why too much sleep could be a killer. Yue Leng, from the university, said sleeping more was unlikely in itself to directly cause a stroke. But she said an increased amount of sleep could be a key sign that someone was more likely to suffer from one. “It’s apparent both from our own participants and the wealth of international data that there’s a link between sleeping longer than average and a greater risk of stroke. “What is far less clear, however, is the direction of this link, whether longer sleep is a symptom, an early marker or a cause of cardiovascular problems’, she said. Dr Madina Kara, Research Manager at

EATING HEALTHILY, GETTING ACTIVE AND QUITTING SMOKING CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN REDUCING YOUR RISK OF STROKE the Stroke Association, explained that in the past, oversleeping has been linked to a host of health problems, including diabetes and obesity. “The results of this latest research suggest that sleeping for longer could be a sign that you’re at increased risk of stroke, par-

ticularly among older people. However, there is no scientific proof yet that sleeping for longer is a risk factor for stroke, the data presented in this research does not provide sufficient evidence to prove that this is of concern. The researchers have highlighted that the reasons behind the suggested link between sleeping for prolonged periods and stroke are still not known. “Longer sleep could be a symptom, or a cause, of cardiovascular problems. “The known stroke risk factors include high blood pressure, smoking and lack of exercise. “Eating healthily, getting active and quitting smoking can make a big difference in reducing your risk of stroke. “Anyone concerned about their health should have a chat with their GP”, Dr. Kara said.

DID YOU KNOW?

Green tea promotes brain function

good cup of tea can clear your head and help you think more clearly. Researchers at the University of Cali-

fornia, Davis, have been studying how green tea influences brain function and boosts memory. Now Chinese researchers have confirmed findings that Green tea favorably affects the generation of brain cells and provides benefits for memory and spatial learning. The main ingredient in green tea responsible for the benefits is a chemical called epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG). It’s an antioxidant that improves cognitive function by promoting neuron (nerve) cells in the brain. In addition, green tea helps combat degenerative diseases related to aging, as well as memory loss.

Regular alcohol intake increases liver damage

rinking every day appears to add significantly to the danger of developing alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, researchers claim. Until now scientists had thought that the disease is mainly caused by taking excessive amount of alcohol. But the Danish study of 56,000 peo-

ple, aged between 50 and 64, is the first to reveal the difference in risk between drinking daily and drinking on five or six days a week. The results are published in the Journal of Hepatology. Lead investigator Dr Gro Askgaard, from Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark, said: “The details of alcohol induced liver injury are unknown. “We can only speculate the reason may be that daily alcohol exposure worsens liver damage or inhibits regeneration of the liver.”

Photo News

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Group Managing Director, UACN Plc, Mr. Larry Ettah; Managing Director, Chemical and Allied Products (CAP) Plc, Mrs. Omolara Elemide; Executive Director, Corporate Services, UACN Plc, Mr. Joe Dada and Chief Finance Officer, Mr. Abdul Bello, during the unveiling of the 2015 Dulux Colour of the Year in Lagos at the weekend.

L-R: Supply Chain Director, Guinness Nigeria, Cephas Afebuameh, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema; Managing Director/CEO, Guinness Nigeria, John O’Keeffe and Executive Director, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Ade Bajomo, during Guinness Nigeria Plc close of business bell ringing ceremony, recently.

L-R: Head, Operations, Central Securities Clearing System Plc, Mr. Joseph Mekiliuwa; Head, Product Management, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Dipo Omotoso and Head, Global Markets, Stanbic IBTC, Mr. Sam Ocheho, during a workshop on retail bonds organised by Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers in Lagos, at the weekend.

L-R: Newly conferred fellows/commercial Director, Promasidor, Kachi Onugbogu; Vice President, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, Rotimi Olaniyan; West Africa Managing Director, Kimberly Clark, Mrs. Lola Daniels and Managing Director, PZ-Healthcare, Mr. Alex Goma, during a function in Lagos, recently.

National News

Ngige wants poll cancelled in Anambra Francis Ekpone ONITSHA

ll Progressives Congress, APC, in Anambra State has rejected Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly election over alleged massive rigging and late arrival of materials in some voting centres. The party therefore, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to cancel the election and choose a new date for a fresh one that would be guided by the smart card reader. Anambra Central Senatorial candidate of APC, Dr. Chris Ngige, while briefing newsmen in Awka, said the card reader sent to Anambra State was programmed into an invalid date with the intention of resorting to manual accreditation system that would pave way for rigging. Ngige explained that he did not vote in his

...uncovers rigging centres in Nnewi, Nkpor

constituency because the manual accreditation was against the electoral law and will give room for an open ended system that will allow rigging. “We initially allowed the manual accreditation system, which is unknown to electoral manual as law-abiding citizens but at a point, we suspected foul play as nobody’s finger was tipped with indelible ink and no ticking of voters in the accreditation form in the voter’s register and lastly, they were writing names of accredited persons on fresh sheets of papers. We are protesting because it did not conform with the manual accreditation.” Ngige, who was flanked by APC National Assembly candidates and party executives, also noted that INEC did not announce the number of voters accredited, noting

that, “it was an all comers affair and people voted as many times as possible in all the polling centres in the state.” He also alleged that INEC in Anambra State withdrew the card readers and gave them to PDP for rigging of the election, even as he added that PDP collaborated

with security agencies to rig election in some places in Anambra. “As I speak to you now, over 200 Nigeria Police Force cordoned off Nnewi South Local Government Area where supervising polling officers and ward collection officers were quartered. Fresh sheets were provided to produce

results and in the council area, some prominent PDP members were there forcing INEC officials to sign a blank result sheet at gun point. We therefore, call for those who were held hostage to be released and the election cancelled while a fresh date be fixed,” he said.

Ngige presented a copy of result sheet from Nkpor, Ilo Obiofia polling unit in Idemili North Local Government Area, where 684 voters were registered and 187 accredited, but in the result sheet, 481 votes were cast, even as he wondered why INEC should be deceiving itself.”

munity, off Sapele road in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area. According to the APC agent in Ward 11, Mr Sunny Osagiede, trouble started when the said Osamede Edorodion, who according to him, is not from the community, allegedly stormed the area with thugs demanding to be accredited long after accreditation had closed and voting had commenced. According to Osagiede, “Edorodion’s efforts to get

accreditation were rebuffed by the Presiding Officer who told him that voting had already commenced. He was then prevailed upon by the policeman on duty at the unit to leave the area.” Osagiede said trouble later escalated when the said Edorodion received a phone call later from the PDP and SDP agents in the ward that the PDP was losing. “He returned to the ward after the calls with his boys and scattered the ballot boxes and

tore the ballot papers into shreds. “In an attempt to resist them, the APC youth leader, Igie Osagiede, was attacked by the thugs and clubbed to death. His body was also set ablaze. My Mercedes Benz 190 was damaged and the Youth leader’s Mercedes Benz ML 350 4Matic was also set ablaze.” He said the body of the deceased youth leader had since been deposited at a morgue.

APC youth leader clubbed to death in Edo

youth leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was on Saturday clubbed to death and his body set ablaze by thugs believed to belong to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. The youth leader, Igie Osayande, met his untimely death when thugs led by one Osamede Edorodion, invaded Ward 9, Units 9, 10 and 11 in Obagienevbosa com-

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Monday, March 30, 2015

72% telecom subscribers rate services poor –Survey CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

set target of 1per cent, hitting 1.20 while Airtel scored 0.82 per cent.

One major reason while subscribers rated the operators so poorly in quality services poll was the high level of conges-

tions on the networks, despite huge claim of investment on expansion. Traffic Channel Congestion report indicated

that Etisalat also recorded the least congestion rate falling far below the target of 2 per cent, with a metric score of 0 per cent,

L-R: Aso Villa Chapel Chaplain, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba; President Goodluck Jonathan; Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Jones Arogbofa and Executive Secretary, Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr. JohnKennedy Opara, during Palm Sunday service in Abuja, yesterday.

meaning that subscribers on the Etisalat did not experience congestion. Unfortunately, for the same metric, Airtel and Glo recorded over 0.50 per cent, while MTN recorded below 0.50 per cent of the Traffic Channel Congestion rating. Similarly, on the Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel Congestion with a metric of 0.20, while Glo and Airtel recorded 0.60 and 0.40 per cent respectively, Etisalat and MTN were on 0.10 and 0.80. It would be recalled that the Commission had endured a period of 18 months during which it reduced the KPIs for the operators. It however regretted that there has been no significant improvement from the three operators; MTN, Glo and Airtel as they promised. Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah on the sidelines

of the just concluded Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, said the Commission had to take a more drastic action to improve user experience in respect of issues with capacity of the networks and that it would appear that the service providers load up the network as soon as there is some expansion. He said the Commission reached understanding with all the service providers that the KPI’s upon which they were sanctioned in 2012 should be reduced over a period of 18 months during which they were to make significant improvement through provision of more infrastructures and achieve a progressive improvement in quality of service. However, the latest report may have suggested that the operators have not braced up with the agreement on the KPI.

where he polled 176,474 votes to beat the APC candidate, who garnered 120,332 votes. Buhari is coasting to victory in Kano after results from 20 local governments were released. The APC candidate secured the large chunk of the results from the 20 local governments announced at the state INEC headquarters, on Hajj Camp road. The returning officers from the 20 local governments took turn to present the results to the state collation officer, Prof. Muhammadu Hamisu, with party agents and observers in attendance. The local governments, which results were announced are, Kibiya, Gabasawa, Albasu, Bagwai, Kunchi, Tsanyawa, Gaya, Tofa, Rano, Wudil, Bunkure, Makoda, Gezawa, Garun Mallam, Kura, Kumbotso, Dawakin Tofa, Ajingi, Madobi and Kabo. The results showed that 798, 821 people voted on Saturday, with Buhari, securing 686, 981 votes, while Jonathan scored 91, 687 votes. About 16, 997 votes were declared invalid. PDP won all the three senatorial and the six House of Representatives seats in Ekiti.

With the development, two APC senators seeking re-election, Senators Olu Adetumbi (Ekiti North) and Anthony Adeniyi (Ekiti South) lost their bids as well as their House of Representatives counterparts: Hons Bimbo Daramola, Oyetunde Ojo, Robinson Ajiboye, Bamidele Faparusi, and Ife Arowosoge. In Ogun East, Prince Buruji Kashamu of the PDP was declared winner with 99, 540 votes to beat his APC challenger, who polled 84, 001, while the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP scored 12, 972 In Ogun Central, APC candidate, Prince Lanre Tejuoso is leading. Senator Sola Adeyeye, APC, won the Osun Central Senatorial District with 137,379 to PDP’s candidate, who scored 82,529 In Lagos, INEC has declared the candidates of APC, winners of Lagos Island Federal Constituencies 1 and 2. Mrs. Martha Amadi, the Returning Officer for the Lagos Island Federal Constituency 1, said that Mr. Enitan Badru of the APC polled 15,389 votes to beat Mr. Lukman Oladipo of the PDP who secured 5,732 votes. CONTINUED ON PAGE 51>>

Election results ready today –INEC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

administration is holding clandestine meetings with security chiefs and others with the sole aim of altering or scuttling the results, which they consider to be highly embarrassing and unpalatable, using malleable Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs,” Mohammed said. Warning that nothing but the authentic results held by the party’s agents and all other stakeholders will be acceptable, and that whoever is planning to do otherwise should weigh its implication on the survival of the nation’s democracy, APC said the moves to manipulate the results are also being replicated in some states, including Bauchi, where everything is being done to reverse the outcome, and Imo, where many aides of Governor Rochas Okorocha are being brutalised and arrested in hordes. Mohammed said: “We know they are stunned dizzy by the crushing defeat which has been inflicted on them across the nation, going by the results in the hands of our agents. “We know they have activated their paid media channels to seek to confuse Nige-

rians by making outlandish claims that their presidential candidate is leading in the elections. “We know they are counting on malleable RECs to thwart the will of the people, and we know they have no qualms about plunging the nation into crisis just because of narrow interests. “This is why we are putting on red alert all the good people of Nigeria who trooped out in large numbers, defying the sun and the rain and against all odds, to vote for change. “We are also by this statement calling on the international community to urgently prevail on the Nigerian authorities not to tamper with the results of the elections as expressed by Nigerians. “As we have said many times, we will accept the outcome of the elections if they are free and fair. What we will not accept is the manipulated outcome of the polls.” In a related development, security forces have been deployed in readiness for any attempts to breach the peace across the country, after the announcement of the results of the presidential elections today. Our correspondent learnt

from top security sources that more operatives have been drafted by various agencies to reinforce operations in any eventual attempt by miscreants to break the law. The source said that security chiefs were not taking chances over the result announcement and as such, were battle-ready. It was learnt that the security chiefs have already advised that curfew must be imposed with immediate effect in any state where there is imminent breakdown of law and order. The source said that State of Emergency across the country was not ruled out in view of the alleegd desperation and agitation that have characterised the electioneering processes. Already in Abuja and environs, there has been massive deployment of security, both on the highways and within the city as well as the hinterlands. Soldiers and police operatives were sighted intensifying road blocks on the highways into Abuja, delaying commuters to ascertain their movements. Checks have been intensified along the Keffi-Abuja roads, Kaduna-Abuja, Lokoja-Abuja roads, as well as

any known routes leading into the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Equally, military and police operatives are carrying out surveillance in notable black spots in the territory and environs as well as in the hinterlands where miscreants have been identified. Our correspondents learnt that plain clothed security operatives, including operatives of Department of State Services, DSS and Directorate of Military Intelligence, DMI, have been deployed to fish out all categories of trouble makers for immediate arrest. Defence Headquarters, DHQ, has said that citizens need not fear as security forces will ensure that lives and property are protected. In a tweet on its twitter handle, the DHQ said that it was prepared to safeguard democracy, indicating that it would go after all trouble makers. Meanwhile, results coming in showed Gen. Muhammadu Buhari still leading President Goodluck Jonathan in the presidential race. In Osun, Ogun, Oyo and Kano states, results so far released showed Buhari leading, while President Jonathan cleared Ekiti State,

News

Monday, March 30, 2015

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Women group backs trial of election riggers OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

L-R: INEC Commissioner, Engr. Nuhu Yakubu; Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega and INEC Commissioner, Dr. Chris Iyimoga, during a press conference commending Nigerians for their large turnout and peaceful conduct during the presidential and National Assembly elections in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

UN scribe congratulates Nigerians over polls

N Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, has congratulated Nigeria on the largely peaceful and orderly conduct of the presidential and parliamentary elections. Ban, in a statement issued on Saturday night in New York, encouraged all Nigerians to continue

to maintain the peace and to exercise patience throughout the ongoing voting process and the announcement of the final results. He condemned attacks reportedly carried out by Boko Haram in parts of the country and attempts by hoodlums to disrupt polling in some areas.

The UN chief said he was encouraged by the determination and resilience shown by Nigerians in pressing forward and exercising their civic duties. The Secretary-General called on all actors to channel any complaints that might arise from the elections

through the established dispute resolution mechanisms. The Secretary-General said he believed that the successful conclusion of the electoral process would mark an important step forward in further consolidating democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria.

Nigeria will not break-up –Oritsejafor OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

hristian Association of Nigeria president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has again lashed out at those who predicted that the 2015 elections will lead to break-up of the country, insisting that on the contrary, “Nigeria will remain.” Oristsejafor, in a statement obtained yesterday in Abuja, said the destiny of the country was not tied to a particular date as some agents of doom had predicted. He said, “Everyday defines who we are and the future of this country is not tied to a particular date. A lot of people have reasoned that the 2015 general election will define the unity and existence of Nigeria. “But we say, No! Elections will come and go, but Nigeria will remain.

Those who believe that Nigeria will break will be disappointed because this is our country. We urge the citizenry to take their minds away from the thinking that Nigeria is going to break in 2015.” However, in order to continue to maintain the corporate existence of the nation, the minister of God enjoined all citizens irrespective of their religious, ethnic and political affiliations to embrace peace and ensure the safety of one another before, during and after the elections. Oritsejafor, who warned that Nigeria could not afford a repeat of the post-election violence of 2011, stated that the dictate of the Holy Bible and Koran was for all Nigerians to live in harmony together. The statement reads in part, “While rights of individuals should be respected, CAN believes

that Nigerians must be given their rights to vote for whoever they want. We call on Nigerians to vote according to their conscience in line with democratic principles and not through coercion. “Our advice is vote and protect your votes but avoid acts of violence that could threaten a credible electoral exercise. “Nigerians must eschew violence and assist the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure a transparent and credible exercise because democracy does not express itself through violence. “If Nigeria must get it right again and replicate the experience of 2011 general elections, we must have confidence in each other. Christians and Muslims must resolve to protect each other. We must ensure that Christians are safe in Muslim areas and vice

versa. “Nobody must be victimised on the basis of religion or ethnicity. Everyone must be able to go out and vote for whoever they want; this commitment is necessary. The security agencies must ensure the protection of the lives and properties of citizens.”

group under the aegis of Nigerian Women’s Platform for Peaceful Election has thrown its weight behind the International Criminal Court, ICC’s resolve to prosecute anyone fingered in electoral violence. This is even as the group, which is an offshoot of the Women’s Situation Room, also threatened to hold politicians accountable for any breach of peace during and after the election. Women’s Situation Room is a wholly women organisation with membership drawn from Africa; it engages women in collaboration with youths and key stakeholders to actively support their call for peaceful elections. Addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, National Coordinator, WSR-Nigeria, Mrs. Joy Onyesoh, said the militarisation of the election by the security forces was capable of creating an atmosphere of intimidation to the electorate, especially the Nigerian women. She said: “We welcome ICC’s statement that any person fingered in electoral violence will face the wrath of the law. With the multiplicity of security, forces including the military deployed to cover the elections, the question again arises as to who is in charge (is it INEC, the police or military?). “For the women is important for them to know the command structure with regards to who is in charge and who to report to when there are problems.

This will lead to confidence building in the process.” Onyesoh noted that the group derived its mandate from the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 which reaffirms the role of women in peace processes and peace building. To participate in the election, she said an allwomen observer physical Situation Room had been created at the nation’s capital in Abuja to collate information from the over 300 all-women election monitoring team. According to her, the key issues in the election for the group include security, inclusiveness and participation. She insisted that beyond the peace accord signed by the candidates and the media messages, security should be provided at the polling units to prevent violence erupting. Explaining the group’s proactiveness in this election, Onyesoh added, “Anytime violence erupts, women and children suffer most. The law enforcement agencies should, apart from providing security at the polling booths, deal with situations of breakdown of law and order promptly and prosecute offenders.” Also, Yemisi RansomeKuti deplored the nation’s political space which not only limited women participation in politics, but also made women vulnerable in the advent of political violence. She however counseled women to be actively involved in politics and be ready to slug it out with the men, no matter how highly placed.

FG orders NIS to reopen land borders

igeria Immigration Service, NIS, has been directed by the Federal Government to re-open the land borders by noon on Sunday, Mr David Parradang, ComptrollerGeneral of Immigration, said. Parradang disclosed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja on Sunday. He said the directive was given to the service late on Saturday as the country needed to resume activities within and across its land

borders, which had been closed since Wednesday. Parradang said although INEC had extended the voting time in some polling centres to Sunday, the government gave the directive with the view that voting in those areas would be rounding off or end by 12 noon. He said the opening of the land borders would not in any way affect the voting process, considering that officers of the service were on a 24-hour surveillance of areas within and around the borders.

Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, also confirmed the directive when he spoke with NAN by telephone. He said the directive was given considering the smooth nature in which voting was conducted in most states as well as the effort of INEC to ensure the process was concluded as soon as possible. The NIS had in a statement signed by its spokesman, Mr Chukwuemeka Obua, on Sunday said the Federal Government had given a directive to open the land borders by 12 noon.

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Election Photo News

Monday, March 30, 2015

Nigerian soldiers on standby against hoodlumsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unruly attitude at Oshodi in Lagos, yesterday.

Voting at Alimosho in Lagos during extension of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, yesterday.

A nursing mother (right) with her voterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s card taking time to attend to her thirsty child as voters queue at Ward 1 Unit 29 inside Muslim College in Oworonsoki, Lagos, during the presidential and National Assembly elections, yesterday.

Voters reacting during collation of presidential and National Assembly election results at Ward 4 Unit 5, Oke-Meta Memorial Primary School, Bajulaiye road in Somolu, Lagos, yesterday.

Foreign observers during the presidential election in Lagos on Saturday. Observers from the National Democratic Institute (NDI).

APC vice presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo casting his vote at polling boot 033, during the presidential and National Assembly elections at Victoria Garden City, Lekki, in Lagos on Saturday. PHOTO: NAN

Security check on Lekki Epe expressway during the presidential election in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTOS BY ADEMOLA AKINLABI, YINKA ADEPARUSI, ROTIMI OSASONA AND SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

South West

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

MURIC warns against repeat of June 12 debacle Sekinah L awal

L-R: Oba of Lagos,Oba Rilwan Akiolu; Sen. Oluremi Tinubu; Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun; National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Funsho Amosun and Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, during the 63th birthday prayer of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at his residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday.

Epe monarch’s son, 8 others drown after voting Dare Akogun

en persons, including the crown prince of Epe, Kunle Adewale, reportedly drowned on Saturday in Lagos after a boat conveying them capsized shortly after going across the lagoon to cast their votes. Kunle is the first son of the Olu of Epe, Oba Shefiu Adewale, and was a deputy director in the state’s Ministry of

Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. The All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for Epe local council, Muiz Bello, also died in the boat mishap, which the state APC Chairman, Henry Ajomale, described as unfortunate. Adewale’s wife, however, survived as she was rescued on time. According to eyewitnesses at the accident scene, Adewale was travelling along with Bello,

his wife, and personal assistant and others when the boat capsized. They were on their way to Mausa village, across the lagoon. Confirming the incident, National Emergencies Management Authority, NEMA, Southwest zone spokesperson, Ibrahim Farinloye, stated that Bello’s wife, who registered in Mausa had wanted to go and vote, while the husband insisted on following her.

“Bello’s wife registered across the sea and wanted to go and participate in the electoral process, while the husband insisted he would not allow her to go alone. “It took rescuers a long time to find the bodies of Bello and his personal assistant. The corpse of Prince Adewale has also been recovered and buried in his house, while Bello’s wife, who was rushed to a general hospital, is responding to treatment,” Farinloye said.

APC accuses PDP candidate of attacking Electoral Officer S enatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osun State, Francis Fadahunsi, has been accused of orchestrating an attack on the Electoral Officer for Ife Central Local Government Area, in order to falsify results of the entire senatorial district in the state. In a statement issued by Media Assistant in the Election Situation

Room of the party, Kunle Owolabi, the party stated that the Electoral Officer whose name was listed as Mr. Awolusi, was originally considered to have made away with the results on his own when he did not show up at the final collation centre where results of the poll in the senatorial district would have been announced. Awolusi, according to the APC Election Situa-

tion Room, reappeared few hours later, claiming that some unknown gunmen attacked him on his way to the collation centre and took away the result sheet from him and destroyed it. The Situation Room stated, “This has held up announcement of the result for the district, but we know their plan. It is all to falsify the result in order to give victory to Fadahunsi, who has been roundly

defeated by our candidate, incumbent Senator Jide Omoworare. “The action and plot by Fadahunsi is an effort in futility. Our party has won and the result is out and it cannot be changed.” The development has created tension in the state especially in the senatorial district, as supporters of the APC candidate, Mr. Jide Omoworare, are already celebrating.

uslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has commended Nigerians for manifesting highlevel patriotism by coming out en masse to exercise their franchise, and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to repeat the June 12 palaver. The organisation also urged politicians to continuously appeal to their supporters to avoid violence before and after announcement of the results, and also charged INEC to treat the results with dispatch. “INEC is advised to avoid unnecessary delay because this is capable of generating tension. We call on the Federal Government and the security agencies to fully respect INEC’s independence. Breathing down INEC’s neck or arm-twisting it at this crucial period should

not be contemplated,” said MURIC’s spokesperson, Prof. Ishaq Akintola. The organisation also called Federal Government’s attention to the June 12, 1993 debacle, saying the general election, widely believed to have been won by Chief M. K.O. Abiola, was the most free, fair and peaceful in Nigeria’s political history. It lamented though that the results were most criminally and callously annulled by the then military government. “We all know what followed. There was widespread civil disobedience. Sanctions were imposed on Nigeria by Western powers. Life became unbearable and we are yet to fully recover from its impact 22 years later. Nigeria must not repeat the June 12 conundrum,” MURIC said. It also appealed to stakeholders to let INEC do its work without any hindrance.

NSCDC lauds large turnout of voters Dare Akogun

agos Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Gabriel Abafi, has commended Nigerians for coming out en masse to participate in Saturday’s election. Abafi, who spoke while monitoring voting activities around the state, lauded the electorate for coming out to participate in the electoral process despite the clamour about voters’ safety and security concerns in the nation. He said those having the nation’s interest at heart are more than the “saboteurs hell-bent on dragging the fortunes of the country backwards.” He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for ensuring the sanctity of the electoral process, urging them to ensure the little hitches noticed in many polling units about the operations of the card readers are addressed against the next round of elections.

Meanwhile, some residents of Lagos on Sunday lauded the efforts of INEC in conducting free and fair elections in the country. The residents, who hailed the electoral umpire, said the elections went on smoothly, even when postponed till Sunday in some places where materials arrived late. A Health and Safety professional, Mr. Vincent Fagbolagun, said the introduction of the card reader also improved the electoral process. “If we study the lapses very well and we improve on the gaps identified, I am sure it will take our elections to the next level, which is a free and fair one to start with. “Free and fair elections will take away violence and we will begin to trust ourselves knowing that when any government comes in place, they have to deliver to the masses,’’ Fagbolagun said. He said the conduct of the elections would challenge elected officers to deliver the dividends of democracy to the masses.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Monday, March 30, 2015

Lagos APC thanks Lagosians, urges vigilance …residents commend INEC over election

agos chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday expressed gratitude to Lagosians for trooping out on Saturday to cast their votes peacefully during the presidential and National Assembly elections. The party, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe, also said that voting took place yesterday in about 110 units in five local governments in the state. The statement said: “Lagos APC thanks Lagosians for trooping out in large numbers to cast their votes yesterday in a peaceful manner despite some little challenges during the exercise. “APC is equally happy with our teeming supporters for voting to retain the covenant and social contract they have with APC and the promise is that our party will continue to make the welfare of Lagosians our top priority. “We are very proud of Lagosians that despite President Jonathan’s attempt to use dollars, pounds sterling, our local currency, rice, indomie, ankara, oil blocks, positions, etc. to woo Lagosians, our people showed love, commitment and dedication to our great party. “As we write this, elections are continuing in about 110 units in five local government areas out of more than 12,000 polling units in Lagos State. “They ar Alimosho (30 units), Shomolu (15 units), Eti Osa (units), Kosofe (57 units) and Oshodi/Isolo (5 units). In the same vein, some residents yesterday lauded the efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in conducting free and fair elections in the country. The residents said the elections went smoothly. A health and safety professional, Mr Vincent Fagbolagun, said the introduction of the Card Reader also improved the electoral process. He said the conduct of the elections would challenge elected officers to

deliver dividends of democracy to the masses. Mr Nwere Chidi, a local area representative of the Nigeria Breweries, said that though there was violence in some areas during the election, but the situation was managed. Another resident, Mr Michael Okosis, a photographer, said that it took him five minutes to be accredited, adding that the process was smooth and fast. “These elections have shown that Nigerians are beginning to understand the democratic system of government because people really came out to vote for their choices,” Okosis said. A trader, Mrs Ayantoye Iyabo, said that in her area at Railway Line, EbueMeta, Lagos, the elections was peaceful, saying that she voted before 4 p.m. “We want government to provide stable power supply and government should also improve on health facilities,’’ Ayantoye said. A businessman, Mr Tunde Akanni, said he was unable to vote because he could not get his PVC.

Archbishop of Ibadan Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin (left) leading the procession of St. Mary Catholic Church, Okepade, Ibadan, to mark the 2015 Palm Sunday in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Shooting: APC wants Ekiti deputy gov prosecuted A ll Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to charge Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kolapo Olusola, with election violence. APC’s call followed his alleged directive to his security aide to shoot an APC member, Jide Owolabi, in Ikere-Ekiti, during Saturday’s presidential and Na-

tional Assembly elections. It also asked the INEC to cancel the election result in Ire-Ekiti over allegation of violence and ballot snatching. Reacting to the two incidents, Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, in a statement said the two incidents were well plotted by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to have undue advantage to win the ballot.

He alleged that the deputy governor’s action in Ikere-Ekiti was a reckless display of lawlessness and flagrant abuse of power to intimidate the opposition to gain advantage at the poll. He said: “What happened in Ikere-Ekiti was a pre-meditated incident to cow the opposition to submission. We had earlier raised the alarm to plan by top officials of Governor

Osun residents hail INEC for peaceful polls

ome residents of Osogbo, Osun State capital, on Sunday, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over the conduct of Saturday’s election. The residents told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that the polls were generally peaceful. Mrs Jumoke Ajenifuja, a resident of Dada Estate area of the town, said the introduction of the smart

card reader gave more credibility to the process in spite of its inherent hiccups. She said: “Kudos should be given to the election management body for its courage to conduct credible and peaceful polls. “I am convinced that the introduction of the card reader made the exercise more transparent and less chaotic as the various challenges that

came with the functionality of the device are surmountable.’’ In the same vein, Mr Chris Uche, who lives at Ogo-Oluwa area of the metropolis said Nigerians and INEC should be congratulated for the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s elections. According to him, Nigerians all over the country exhibited a rare attribute by comporting themselves in an orderly

manner. Another resident of the town, Mr Rotimi Alayande, commended INEC for strengthening democracy in Nigeria, ``and its innovative idea in ensuring credible polls.’’ He, however, urged the electoral body to improve on some of the electoral process and to prevent hiccups in the usage of different devices that could be deployed in future elections.

INEC official arrested for mutilating result sheets Ojo Oyewamide AKURE

ne of the collation officers in Ondo State has been handed over to the police over the alleged mutilation of Collation Forms in

Idanre Local Government of Area of the state. State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Segun Agbaje, made the disclosure yesterday in Akure while addressing journalists. The collation officer allegedly tampered with

the original result sheets submitted to him after the voting exercise. The attempt to alter the outcome of the election threw the entire Idanre community into confusion in the early hours of yesterday. Agbaje said the man

had been taken to the police headquarters in Akure for interrogation. The commissioner said the delay in release of results would soon be sorted out, assuring people of the state that the collation process would not be manipulated.

Ayodele Fayose’s administration to employ violence and intimidation to cow our members to enable them manipulate the electoral process. We wrote the security agencies, including both local and international human rights organs, about PDP’s plan. Yesterday’s incident was just a manifestation of the fears we raised. “The deputy governor cannot claim ignorance of the provisions of the Electoral Act, which prohibits movement of government officials from one unit to the other on election day. He can’t claim ignorance of the law that disallows government officials’ security men to carry weapons during election. It is clear that the deputy governor was not accredited to carry out any election duty, including providing or restoring order where there is violence. “But he deliberately exercised a reckless abuse of power by leaving his unit with his armed security, who he ordered to shoot our member for complaining that his interference in other polling units outside his unit was a breach of the law,” Olatunbosun said. The APC spokesman said INEC and security agencies should not allow this attempted murderto go uninvestigated, while also asking INEC to charge the deputy governor with electoral violence.

South East

Okorocha, Ihedioha worry over card reader

overnor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, have expressed reservations over the use of Card Readers by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the ongoing elections in Nigeria. Okorocha is the candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, while Ihedioha is Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s standard bearer. The duo spoke with newsmen in separate interviews in Owerri on Sunday. Okorocha said the card reader was not functioning well and advised that people should be allowed to vote with their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs. On conduct of the election, Okorocha noted that the election went on okay until later when some people tried to scuttle it. “So far, so good, aside the unwarranted arrests,’’ he said. The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that it took some minutes before the card reader could identify the governor during the accreditation exercise on Saturday. Also reacting to the use of the machine, Ihedioha through his Public Relations Officer, Mr Chibuike Onyeukwu, said it was not successful in some parts of the state. “It’s obvious that because of our technologi-

cal difficulties, we are not yet there. “Because you can see that the accreditation time is lagging. It is not as efficient as it should be. “I thought it should have been done on a very micro scale to try the card reader process; but interestingly we hear about the incidences of malfunctions,” he said. Ihedioha pointed out that the card reader will not give Nigerians what they wanted. He called on INEC to combine the manual accreditation with the electronic voting in subsequent elections. “Meanwhile, the turnout for the election is very satisfactory and encouraging,” he said.

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmir-

Tension as DSS arrests 136 youths in Imo Chris Njoku OWERRI

nxiety is mounting in Imo State Government Quarters over the condition of 136 youths arrested by the Department of State Security, DSS, during the presidential election on Saturday. The youths, who were apprehended at Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Foundation at Ogboko in Ideato South Local Government Area, were said to be in possession of valid and cloned Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs. National Mirror gathered that the state government intends to lodge complaint to the United Nations over what they described as “inhuman condition the youths are subjected to” particularly the environment where they are de-

tained. Governor Okorocha shortly after casting his vote at Ogboko ward 2 in Ideato South, alleged that the security operatives were acting the script of the Presidency, which he said was to intimidate members of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC. He said 500 of those arrested were APC supporters, adding that they were detained at an emergency cell set up for that purpose. According to him, “I think there was a clear cut directive by the Presidency to arrest APC supporters. I have made attempt to secure the release of the people, but the security operatives have been dribbling me. I will take up this matter to any extent to prove that this is unfair.” When our correspondent visited the temporary

cell where the students were kept, there was heavy presence of security operatives, who denied journalists access to the detained students. Reacting, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Andrew Ewerem, described the governor’s comment as “full of lies,” adding that all those arrested had violated the electoral laws. “Even those we first paraded, for instance, were discovered to have stockpiled various dangerous rifles and ammunition that are not double barrel, as the governor alleged. The suspects could not have been arrested without them committing the offence for which they were apprehended,” he stated. Also, state Director of DSS, Olusegun Adegboye, explained that the people arrested were under-aged,

adding that some of them came from outside the state with cloned PVCs. Adegboye said the accused have given useful information that would aid them in their investigation. Meanwhile, journalists who were anxious yesterday to get the result of the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives elections were barred from entering both the INEC and Owerri Municipal Council collation centre. Stern looking soldiers ordered the journalists to go back, saying, “We were directed not to allow anybody to enter the premises.” Also the roads leading to the INEC office and collation centres were barricaded, thereby causing heavy traffic gridlock which forced motorists and passersby to unintended diversions.

Commanding Officer, Naval Base, Onitsha, Navy Capt. Mike Oamen (middle front row); Commander, Onitsha Military Cantonment, Col. Mohammed Bello (left) and the Commanding Officer, 14 Field Engineer Regiment, Onitsha, Lt.-Col. Sherif Aremu (right), during Anambra Joint Security Task-Force meeting on the 2015 general elections in Onitsha, Anambra State, recently. PHOTO: NAN

Polls: Anambra monarch hails voters’ maturity

hairman of Anambra Central Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Chukwuemeka Ilouno, has commended voters in the state for their comportment and maturity in Saturday’s elections. “From what we saw yesterday and this morning, our people, the electorate, have moved a huge step forward in election maturity,’’ he said. Ilouno, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Onitsha, said he observed people sitting and waiting long hours without anyone stirring up trouble. “What happened yesterday and this morning was interesting. For the first

time, nobody in a crowd was complaining or murmuring about time wasting or being under the heat of the sun. “They waited so patiently, quietly and with high hopes from 8am to about 7pm and 7:30pm, in most polling units across the state. “I think the latest development shows that the electorate is growing, and it is good for our democracy. Its overall benefit would be seen on our socio-economic status as a nation. “With this, local and foreign investors can trust Nigeria for a peaceful electoral transition and they will not panic over their investments any longer,’’ he said. He added that even the aged waited to see the con-

clusion of the exercise in their polling units. “My mother left home at 8 a.m. yesterday and I only got to see her at about 6.30p.m. after she had cast her vote,’’ he said. The monarch, however, said officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC performed below expectations. “Most of INEC staff did not master how the card readers function in the first place, which created a lot of confusion and time wasting. “Secondly, the electoral body did not provide electricity or light for polling centres, where the exercise continued into the dark hours of the night,” he said.

Chris Njoku OWERRI

ore than 2,000 supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who came to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, headquarters in Imo State to protest alleged diversion of ballot boxes to unknown destination, were yesterday teargassed by a combined team of security agencies. The protesters, who hit the street after being briefed by some state government officials at the International Civic Centre, ICC, Owerri, marched to the INEC office at Port Har-

court-Owerri Road to lodge their complaints. They complained that INEC officials instead of collating and announcing results at the designated ward centres, insisted that the results would be sent to INEC office in the state where it would be announced. According to them, “it is a breach of the Electoral Act, which stipulates that every result must be announced at the polling booths and that the total results must be collated at the ward centres and then forwarded to INEC headquarters.” They maintained that they were not allowed to

register their protest, adding that they were teargassed by masked policemen. As the protesters led by Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Kenneth Emelu, visited INEC office, the combined team of security agencies stationed about 30 metres away from the commission’s office, allegedly tear-gassed the crowd to disperse them. However, some journalists that were anxiously awaiting results at the INEC office, were asked by the Civil Defence officers to lie on the floor in case of stray bullets, as the angry protesters approached.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Monday, March 30, 2015

Int’l observers allege irregularities in Rivers …APC protests, shuts down Port Harcourt

Dennis Naku

PORT HARCOURT

group of international observers, Contact Project, CP, on Sunday alleged irregularities and violence during last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections in Rivers State. Also, the observers alleged severe challenges due to non-functionality of electronic card readers, causing lengthy delays and reporting irregularities. Leader of the group, Jennifer Lynne, further said tampering with election materials, questions of security concerns and reports of misconduct of election officials and candidates were some of the challenges noticed in most parts of the state during the polls. According to Lynne:

“during the process yesterday (Saturday) we had the opportunity to travel around Rivers State, observing many polling units and in conjunction with additional support from our colleagues, received feedback on the broader electoral process in Rivers State. “As many have reported, we would confirm the difficulties of availability and security of result sheets. Ranging from distribution to collection, many stations were compromised due to handling of these materials. “In addition, as widely reported, we observed severe challenges due to dysfunctional card readers, causing lengthy delays, voter denial and reporting irregularities. Further concerns include the tampering with election materials, questions of security

concerns, and reports of misconduct by election officials and candidates. “Areas affected includes, but not limited to Omuma, Tai, Ahoada-East, Ogu/ Bolo, Bonny and Khana. The documentation of these events would lead us to question the validity of the results with Rivers State,” she said. Lynne stated that the group would be making a full report to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as part of the larger observation feedback provided by organisations within Nigeria. Meanwhile, chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State,

yesterday, led their members and supporters to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, protesting against the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state on Saturday. Governorship candidate of the APC, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, his deputy, Honourable Asita Okorie, Senator Magnus Abe, Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Tony Okocha, commissioners, federal and state lawmakers, as well as their teeming supporters, called for the cancellation of the poll in the state. Dakuku and supporters of the party insisted that APC members did not vote

in that election, and called for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Gesila Khan. The angry protesters defiled heavy security mounted from the popular Waterlines Junction and marched to INEC gate, chanting “We no go gree o”. The protesters displayed placards with inscriptions such as ‘INEC in Rivers is an arm of PDP’, ‘PDP members accredited as INEC Ad hoc staff ’, ‘Change INEC REC now, Jega’, ‘Rivers INEC, where is our vote?’, and ‘Electoral officers in Rivers State compromising with PDP’. Dakuku and other stalwarts made attempts to

access the INEC office to register their grievances to the commission, but were stopped by security agents. But ‎for some 30 minutes, the demonstrators, who have been calm, remained at the gate of the commission, even as ‎more troops of security operatives arrived the INEC office to forestall a breach of the peace. Addressing newsmen Senator Magnus Abe, alleged that he was manhandled in his hometown in Gokana Local Government Area, during the election, adding that neither himself nor anyone else voted in his senatorial district, the Rivers South East.

Police arrest Bayelsa APC members Osahon Julius YENAGOA

acts emerged yesterday of how a candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the April 11 House of Assembly election, Mr. Tare Ekati, was brutalised and arrested by police on the order of a House of Representatives candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa State. Ekati, who is contesting the seat of Kolokuma-Opokuma Constituency 1, was reportedly manhandled by policemen alongside one of his supporters, identified as Odiowei Imomoemi. They were apprehended after they kicked against alleged malpractices perpetrated by supporters of PDP at the wards in Isampou area of the council during Saturday’s Presidential election. They were later dumped at a police station in the area. Some policemen at the station, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they did not understand why the party members were being detained. “They just brought

them and dumped them in our station. We don’t understand their offences,” one of them said. A chieftain of APC, Mr. Christopher Abarowei, said the arrest of the party members was the handiwork of PDP. He said: “Our members were arrested because they opposed multiple thump printing in the area. The candidate of the PDP ordered their arrest. “They were beaten and taken to the Area A Command in Yenagoa. We visited them there and a policeman we met there said they did not know the offence they committed.” When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Buswatt Asinim, promised to find out the circumstances behind the arrest of the party members. But a police officer, who spoke in confidence, said the detention of the party members in Yenagoa was wrong and illegal. “It is wrong to arrest people in Isampou in Kolokuma-Opokuma and bring them to Yenagoa Local Government Area for detention. They should have been taken them to Kaiama police division in their area of arrest,” he said.

Rivers State APC members protesting irregularities during the presidential and National Assembly elections in Port Harcourt, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Apathy, poor logistic, mar Delta’s rescheduled poll Theophilus Onojeghen WARRI

escheduled presidential and National Assembly elections for Udu Local Government Council in Delta State were on Sunday marred by late arrival of materials and low turnout of voters for the exercise. Our correspondent, who monitored the exercise in the area reports that there was scuffle in Aladja town as angry voters tore electoral materials meant for the ward over incomplete disbursement of materials to the area. It was gathered that trouble started when elec-

toral materials sent to the ward were discovered to have run short for all the units, this led aggrieved voters to scuttle the exercise. To ensure the over 13,000 votes from Aladja were not wasted, AC Mu’Azu prevailed on the Electoral Officer and her team to mobilise fresh materials to the area. The materials and INEC officials were led back to Aladja at the time of filing this report. The ward representative, one Onyo Leo, in charge of Aladja ward 10, told police officials at Otor-Udu, administrative headquarters of the council, that materials for both Presidential and National

Assembly were destroyed over non-availability of materials for House of Representatives’ election. Disturbed by the development at Aladja, Hafiz and Mu’Azu Mohammed, both Assistant Commissioners of Police, who were on ground at the Otor-Udu INEC distribution centre, confronted Mrs. C. Dibosa, Electoral Officer (EO) for Udu area. The Electoral Officer incharge of the council, Mrs. C. Debosa, said she was aware of the shortfalls recorded in the distribution of materials, explaining that it was occasioned by her subordinates during the sharing of materials. At about 3:30pm voting

was still ongoing in Udu ward 1 while in some other areas accreditation was still on at the time of filing this report. Meanwhile, men of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Ughelli zonal office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday assaulted and stopped journalists from monitoring the collation of result of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections. The journalists are Brisibe Perez, a reporter with Vanguard newspapers, and Mr. Shedrach Onitsha, publisher of The Advocate, a local weekly tabloid in Delta State.

North

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Yobe: Insecurity, logistics mar elections in 36 units INUSA NDAHI DAMATURU

esident Electoral Commissioner in Yobe State, Mr. Habu Zarma, said elec-

tion could not be held in 18 wards in Gaidam Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking with newsmen yesterday in

INEC official in police net over fraud JUSTIN TYOPUUSU JALINGO

lectoral Officer in charge of Ibi Local Government Area of Taraba State is currently in police detention over alleged electoral malpractice during Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly polls. Police spokesman, ASP Joseph Kwaji, who confirmed the arrest, explained that during the election, voters in the area discovered that ballot papers meant for House of Representatives were tampered with. “Following the development, some aggrieved voters, who suspected foul play, swoop on the electoral officer and almost lynched him before police came to his rescue,” he said. Kwaji said investiga-

tion was ongoing into the matter to ascertain what actually transpired in the area. National Mirror gathered from electorates in Nwonyo II ward where the incident occurred that the Electoral Officer confessed to the mob, who attacked him that he was induced by one of the candidates for the House of Representatives seat to the tune of N20 million to skew ballot papers in his favour. He was alleged to have sold the ballot papers meant for some registration areas in Ibi to the said candidate after collecting the money from him. When contacted, Resident Electoral Commissioner in Taraba, Alhaji Ahmad Makama, who also confirmed the incident, said the concerned officer has been removed from Ibi and is now with the police in Jalingo.

Mob attacks Jos private radio, vandalise cars JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

ngry youths from Anguwan Rogo and Zinaria community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State yesterday attacked a private radio station, Unity FM, and journalists in Jos, the state capital, including a Daily Trust correspondent.

The youths were after a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, Muhammed Adam, for making what they termed an inciting statement on a live programme, which was aired on the private radio station. Adam allegedly tagged a religious scholar and youths, who had stoned him the previous day as Boko Haram members during a live chat with journalists at Unity FM.

He had made the instigating remark before he was hurried out of the station accompanied by security operative. However, the irate youths gathered before journalists could leave the building. They threw stones at the journalists, demanding the hand-over of Adam and threatened to burn the Radio House. They damaged five cars and injured a youth leader from Zinaria community, who tried to calm them. The youths also burnt the politician’s family home and his brother’s house at Anguwan Rogo after his family had been evacuated. Eyewitness account alleged that one person was killed when the Special Task Force stormed the area to disperse the youths.

Damaturu, Yobe State capital, Mr. Zarma said insecurity was responsible for the lack of election in the affected polling units. The electoral officers posted to the affected wards, according to him, were advised not to go for the election on

security ground. He also revealed that non-arrival of electoral materials in 18 polling units in Fika, Potiskum and Yunusari Local Government Areas also thwarted the conduct of the exercise as arranged. The extension of the

election, according to him, affected 10 units of Fika Local Government Area as well as four units each in Potiskum and Yunusari local government areas. With the arrival of electoral materials, according to him, elections are currently go-

ing on in the affected units of Potiskum, Fika and Yunusari local government areas. The commission according to him will meet to consider the position of the affected units in Geidam Local Government Area of the state.

Kebbi NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Abdullahi Baba (left) representing quarterly NYSC magazine to Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Mera, during a visit to the Emir in Argungu, at the weekend.

Nasarawa IDPs protest disenfranchisement IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

housands of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, from Assakio ward in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State yesterday protested their exclusion from the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections. The displaced persons in a peaceful protest marched through the streets of Lafia around Bukan Sidi part of the metropolis, calling on the federal and state governments to address the situation. Speaking with journalists during the protest, spokesman for the displaced persons, Attah Isua, said: “We are more than 15,000 registered voters from Assakio ward with 19 polling units. “We had earlier written a letter to that effect and served the authorities concerned in order to

deploy security personnel to the volatile area to enable us cast our votes, which was the place we obtained our Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, with no avail.” He said they had hoped the authorities would allow them to vote at Lafia township stadium, which serves as centre for the displaced persons from Assakio, but unfortunately, they took the election materials to Assakio on the day of election.

“Therefore, we cannot go there because some of our community members were killed when they went there to renovate their houses as directed by the state government that all displaced persons should go back to their ancestral homes. Right now, the Eggon and Tiv people are no longer there since the advent of the crisis that engulfed our area; we even appealed to the authorities concerned to bring

the voting materials to Lafia township stadium to enable us exercise our civic right instead of Assakio, which is volatile to both the Eggons and Tivs, but no response came to us,” Isua claimed. Efforts by our correspondent to get reaction for the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abdullahi Umar Danyaya, was unsuccessful as his mobile phone was switched off at the time of filing this report.

2 dead, 10 suspects arrested in Osun –Police B OLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

sun State Police Command yesterday confirmed the death of two men following violence in Ikirun, headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government Area, and Olomu village of Ife South Local Government during the presidential and National Assembly elec-

tions. Speaking with newsmen in Osogbo, Commissioner of Police in charge of election in the state, Mr. Sam Okaula, explained that 10 suspects have been arrested in connection with the incidents. He added that preliminary investigations indicated that the deceased were involved in clashes between two political

parties, which eventually led to their death. He assured that the police would not allow further breakdown of law and order in any part of the state. Okaula further disclosed that investigation was ongoing to get to the root of the matter, adding that anyone found fomenting trouble would be made to face the full wrath of law.

Monday, March 30, 2015

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Politics

We’ll challenge polls’ conduct in Kwara –Minister Wole Adedeji ILORIN

inister of National Planning, Dr. Suleiman Abubakar, yesterday in Ilorin, kicked against the conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections in Kwara State last Saturday. In a chat with newsmen, Abubakar decried that the exercise was “more of an electoral tragedy, which is not acceptable, and which to large extent has signifi-

cant negative implications on our electoral future if not addressed.” The apparently enraged minister complained that “the process of accreditation was faulty, the card reader in most cases were not working, hence the recourse to the manual. “Using manual method for accreditation attest to what we have been saying in PDP that the card reader introduction by Attahiru Jega at this point in time is a misplaced priority.” His words: “It is obvious

to Nigerians now that the card reader usage in this election did not really work and as such created room for a lot of irregularities in accreditation process. “I saw a connivance of the security agencies in Kwara State, to be specific, with the opposition party. It does not tally with sense, for instance, where you have about 1,800 potential voters to one policeman without any arms. How will he contain the crowd? And you see the policeman eating left and right, being

invited upstairs for one thing or the other. “When there were disorderliness and you see policemen laughing, trivialising issues. This country has a long way to go. Security men were inadequate and in some cases, they were not there at all.” He complained that he reported to security agents about thugs and need to check them but nothing was done, adding that when he personally complained to Independent National Electoral Commission,

INEC, chairman, Attahiru Jega, about the use of private residences being used as polling units in contravention of the Electoral Act, Jega told him that it was too late and that they cannot do anything about it. He added: “When I insisted that it was a violation of the law, he promised to get back to me. He did not get back to me; he did not do anything about it. Many of these houses were used as electoral fraud havens by the ruling party in Kwara State to rig election yesterday. Where I voted, at Opobiyi, was the residence of an All progressives Congress, APC, chieftain. “Going by the declared

votes, the vote declare for Mr. President, especially for the opposition, outweighed the PVCs collected. It is a case of electoral tragedy.” He added that a local government boss was arrested who specifically accused the Commissioner of Police in Kwara; Alhaji Salihu Garba, of “aiding and abetting electoral malpractices”. He concluded: “While we await other results and other reactions, what we saw yesterday was no election. It was indeed a mockery of democracy; I want to assure you that it will not last. Any house that was built on mere sands will not stand the test of time.”

My victory belongs to God, the people –Senator Adeleke Ebere Ndukwu

T American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle (left) with INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for FCT, Prof. Jacob Jatau (right), during Entwistle’s visit to the Commissioner for the presidential election in Abuja on Saturday.

Nick Uweru and Ebere Ndukwu

lectorate at polling units 057 and 058 Ward 1, Shasha Alimosho Lagos, where elections were extended until yesterday, said they were happy with the process despite casting their vote a day after the initial scheduled date, saying it would have been very bad to disenfranchised them. This was just as voters who returned to their various polling units in some parts of Eti-Osa Local Government of Lagos State to vote in compliance with Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, directive were mostly disappointed, yesterday. As a result of election glitches that marred the use of the smart card read-

Voting extension: Lagos electorate happy not being disenfranchised •As INEC officials missing at polling units in Eti-Osa ers, SCRs, for the voting exercise on Saturday, voters were told to return yesterday to continue voting. According to Abdullahi Inuwa, a voter who claimed that officials at his 031 polling unit at Victoria Island, Lagos asked those who could not vote on Saturday to return yesterday said no election took place at the unit. He said: “I was disappointed. We were told that voting would continue today but I came here and found nobody.” It was also learnt that apart from 031, unit 021, too, was expected to continue with voting yesterday but could not.

When National Mirror visited the affected polling units in Alimoso Local Government by 3:00pm yesterday, elections were still ongoing in a very harmonious and peaceful atmosphere. Electorate at Polling Unit 057, despite waiting on Saturday for Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials who never showed up, while casting their votes yesterday, expressed happiness at the conduct of the election, saying though it was disappointing after waiting for very long hours without INEC officials showing up on Saturday, “we are happy at the smooth process of the exercise.”

Unlike in unit 057 where there was absence of INEC officials on Saturday, there were electoral officials at Unit 58 only that they came in the evening hours and were still on accreditation when night falls. And because they could not continue in darkness, since there was no power in the area, stopped to continue the next day. According to electorate at the unit, INEC officials returned early morning yesterday continued accreditation till 12, before commencing voting by 1:30. It was also a tale of excitement by the electorate as they expressed happiness at the smooth conduct of the exercise.

he first civilian governor of Osun State and All Progressives Congress, APC, senatorial candidate for Osun West, Asiwaju Isiaka Adeleke, who emerged victorious at last Saturday election, has called on politicians, either elected or appointed, to strive and serve the electorate with sincerity and dedication, so as to be able to hold their heads high after leaving office. Adeleke who stated this in a post-victory press release, by his Special Adviser, Media and public Affairs, Olumide Lawal, said offices of whatever nature, call for serious-minded people, who are dedicated and absolutely transparent in their dealings with the people they were meant to serve. The newly-elected senator, who is returning to the Senate for the second time, having won convincingly in all the 10 local government areas of Osun West senatorial district, said he was prepared, more than ever before, to render selfless service to the people of his senatorial district, saying he

was not out to push personal agenda. Adeleke said his focus would be on the welfare of the teeming voiceless, helpless and downtrodden masses of the people in the district, who despite all hurdles placed on their ways, turned out in their thousands to vote for him, to record a landslide victory. Thanking members of APC in all the 10 local government areas of Osun West senatorial district, for their perseverance, loyalty, love and magnanimity, during the campaigns and election proper, Adeleke promised not to let them down, adding that the victory is not personal to him, but to God and all those who stood solidly behind him, even when he has nothing to offer them as pecuniary gains. Adeleke then called for unalloyed support of Osun people for Governor Rauf Aregbesola at this crucial time of economic downturn, stressing that, tough times do not last, but tough people do, adding: “All hands shall be put on deck to ensure, that workers’ salaries and pensioners allowances are paid as and when due.”

Politics

Monday, March 30, 2015

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Polls: INEC ad-hoc staff replaced in Katsina James Danjuma KATSINA

llegations of malfeanse rocked Katsina State yesterday as several ad-hoc staff recruited by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for conduct of Saturday’s

election were replaced hours to the polls with new hands. Many of the new hands were said to be inexperienced in handling the card readers which led to slow accreditation and election process in several parts of the state. The situation, it was

learnt, had led Saturday’s election in some parts of the state to drag on to yesterday as not a few of the new ad-hoc staff fumbled in the process of operating the card readers. The allegations were drawn from investigation carried out during the election and some of

the sidelined ad-hoc staff members that spoke on the issue. In several polling units in Funtua, Katsina, Bakori, Mashi, Sandamu and other council areas, accreditation was delayed by hours as ad-hoc staff members made efforts to operate the card readers

to no avail. When confronted, some of them confessed that they did not participate in any INEC training for the position but were called few hours to the polls to serve as electoral workers. Some of those trained by INEC but sidelined, lamented that they resumed for work early on Election Day, only to be told that their names had been replaced with others. Speaking on the issue, the state former Commissioner for Agriculture, Musa Adamu, said his polling unit in Funtua council area, among other

polling units, witnessed a number of inexperienced card reader operators. Adamu said some of them could hardly understand how to operate the card readers, and that the development resulted in delays in voters’ accreditation and election process. He however called on INEC to ensure the situation did not repeat itself in the April 11 polls. Efforts to get state INEC’s reaction however proved abortive, as its state spokesman, Mukhtar Abuh, did not respond to call and text messages to his mobile line.

Presidential poll: Cancel results where result sheets went missing before voting –Emerhor Olajide Omojolomoju

D Collation of presidential and National Assembly results at the Lagos Mainland Local Government collation Centre, Sabo Yaba, in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Ebere Ndukwu

irector, Media and Publicity, Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDPCO, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has denied that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lost election in his polling unit, describing election results being circulated by some media houses as fake and misleading, as he calls on the general public to disregard them. Disclosing this in a press conference yesterday, he said: “We are deeply concerned by the level of disinformation and falsehood that is being peddled around by the friends of the opposition in the media and particularly their paid agents and associates on the social media about the results of Saturday’s elections. Since yesterday afternoon they have been releasing fake results and they have been attempting to mislead the Nigerian people and our friends in the international

Fani-Kayode denies losing his PU to APC, claims victory in 23 states •You lied –APC community. “The public have been inundated with lie after lie about the All Progressives Congress, APC’s, so-called victories in virtually every single polling booth, ward, local government area and state in the country. This is not only nonsensical but it is also farfetched, absurd and childish. “The dirty lies that these two media houses have told is just one example of the gross and irresponsible mendacities and falsehood that the agents and associates of the APC habitually enjoy peddling. As we have always said, they are a party of liars that are led and inspired by a small cabalistic cult of shameful deceivers, liars and cheap propaganda merchants. In them there is no truth and lying is their second nature and natural habitat. “As we speak now, we are winning in 23 states and we

have 64 per cent while the APC is winning in 14 states and has 36 percent. These results are subject to confirmation by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. However, we are certain of what we are saying because we have information from our agents in every polling unit nationwide. No one must test our will by attempting to change these results and the APC should desist from pushing this nation to the brink of fire, chaos and destruction with their dirty lies and propaganda.” “We use this medium to call on our friends in the social media, the party faithful and all President Goodluck Joanthan support groups not to remain silent in the face of these shenanigans. They should speak out on what they know about the propaganda and falsehood of the opposition APC. They should not be intimidated at

all by the opposition’s desperate and reprehensible antics. They should set the record straight and not allow themselves to be robbed of a well-earned victory.” But reacting to Fani-Kayode’s claim, APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, faulted the claim citing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega’s statement where he denied knowledge of the source of the claim, when he was asked to respond shortly after FaniKayode made the claim. Mohammed quoted Jega as responding thus: “(that the PDP is leading in 23 states). The results have not been collated in 23 states. Fairly very few states have actually collated. In fact, only two states have been collated…. There is the need to be careful about the information being put there by people who are clearly partisan.”

elta State All Progressives Congress, APC, gubernatorial candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega to cancel results in all electoral units where original copies of INEC result sheets were missing before voters exercised their franchise. Emerhor in a statement by his Director of Media and Political Communication, Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, said the rigging process starts automatically in a situation where original copies of INEC results sheets get missing before voting commences, adding that in most of the polling units across the country, particularly in Delta State, the original copies of the result sheets were nowhere near the polling units. He said the units result sheets ought to be recorded and signed by INEC officials and agents of political parties after votes were counted so as to ensure the genuineness of the process. The APC gubernatorial candidate disclosed that most polling units in the three senatorial districts in Delta State had

no INEC original result sheets, which implies that election riggers hijacked the process in collaboration with some unscrupulous INEC officials to rig the elections in favour of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Labour Party, LP. The ideal thing, according to Emerhor, is for the original copy of the result sheet per polling unit be displayed for voters to see before accreditation commences, pointing out that voting becomes absolutely useless where the original copies of election results sheets have been stolen by riggers who secretly fill in figures in their favour for INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, to announce as final results. Dr. Oghenesivbe quoted Emerhor as saying that unless INEC authorities rejects the results of polling units that had no original copies of the INEC result sheets before votes were counted, Nigerians and indeed Deltans will stay away from the gubernatorial elections slated for April 11. It will be recalled that there were several reports in the social and electronic media across the country that INEC result sheets were missing before voting commenced, a development which makes the entire process vulnerable to sophisticated rigging, the statement added.

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Monday, March 30, 2015

Of Nigeria’s equalitarian politics Mirror of the moment ABDUL-WAREES A SOLANKE korewarith@yahoo.com, 08090585723 (SMS only)

s I was writing this piece, Nigeria was in the last days of preparing for last Saturday’s polls. But I convinced myself that whatever would be its outcome, all of us are winners. The elections holding in spite of the misgivings was enough a victory for the nation. Whatever was the tenor of the campaigns that preceded the polls I assumed was borne out of the patriotic instincts to get the best for the job of running Nigeria. After all in the lexicon of development, transformation and change are interchangeably used. So, all are committed to developing the country. My views today were actually germinated around the time a controversy erupted over the creation of additional 30,000 polling units by INEC. Studying the tone and direction of the controversy, it will not be difficult to realize that a large majority of Nigerians has either accepted or is clamoring for what I describe as equalitarianism. I never knew the word existed before. I just reasoned that if there is the notion of equal-

ity, then there should be an ideal called equalitarianism. My dictionary check revealed that it is a political doctrine that holds that all people in a society should have equal rights from birth. In the context I was to use the terminology I had noted that there is an entrenched consciousness in the country that population size, need or merit cannot be the only determinants of representation and distribution of power and resources in the country as there is a growing awareness that no part of the country should be taken as superior in need or size than the other under any guise. This awareness has been at the root of different agitations in the country, and has informed some of the policies in place. Across Nigeria, people now canvass for equal length of tenure of office among the six geopolitical zones. We have accepted that there should be equal number of representation both in government and in the parliament in a way that no region will have undue advantage over the other, and that we should have equal share of resources. In my understanding of our equalitarian politics, however, we must accept equal burden of neglect in every part of the country, equal blame for failure in governance, and also equal responsibility for the wastage of opportunities and advantages we have had. In essence, we can generalize the no-

ACROSS NIGERIA, PEOPLE NOW CANVASS FOR EQUAL LENGTH OF TENURE OF OFFICE AMONG THE SIX GEOPOLITICAL ZONES tions of the minority, the marginalized and the disadvantaged to embody all the regions. When a policy or programme seems to address the existing need of the real disadvantaged or marginalized, the culture in Nigeria is for the dominant group to feel threatened. And we are back to the metaphor of the “marginalization of the majority”. When a policy seems to take care of the future needs of a seemingly advantaged group, it is seen by those who do not have such need at all as the “consolidation of the advantaged”. Navigating through this complexity requires some strategic skills and sensitivity to the national mood. We seem to have achieved a consensus on the number of geopolitical zones in the country and believe that a readjustment of the states in each region should reflect the equality. The implication is that we are also likely to canvass for equal distribution of local government areas among the regions. Many agitations and demands by the respective

groups in the country are reasonable and many policy initiatives to address them are profoundly scientific and rational, but mostly misunderstood by those that are supposed to benefit from them. The only reason is that the necessary political explanation and public engagement are lacking. In the Nigerian equalitarian politics, the belief is that what you give A, B must also have regardless of whether B has a need for it or not. The metaphor of the national cake is illustrative of this phenomenon. Many states will actually prefer that the proverbial cake is sliced into 36 equal parts but none may ask if the equal share is the right or sufficient share for each state. Let each manage its own share is likely to be the refrain even when the so called equal slice might be too much or too little for some. The problem here is that over the years, we pursue equality without its concomitant utility, which is the reason for waste or underutilization of material and human resources in some cases and under-qualification or over-representation in others. The lessons are many for us as the Fourth Republic enters Phase Five. How do we manage our diversity and its associated challenges in a manner that when addressing the peculiarities of specific regions or parts of the country, we have mutual understanding that it is not conferring undue advantages over some regions or holding the other regions back?

Managing love or relationship addiction SANDRA AKUOMA

earning to love oneself is the greatest love of all. Most of us go into co-dependent, addictive relationship because we have low self-esteem and believe that someone out there will make us feel whole. Truth is that person is not out there. No one can meet our deepest needs, no one can feel that hole, and no one can feel the ache in our hearts, no matter how hard they try. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. Learn to love yourself by treating yourself like your own best friend; be the lover you have butterfly feelings for; give yourself hugs; embrace your pain, do not run away from it, and cry if you have to. Look after your body, it is a sacred temple and a car to use on mother earth, there are no spares; exercise, eat healthy. Steer clear of toxic negative people in your life. That gaping hole we constantly walk around with and looking for someone to fill it can only be plugged by a higher power - God/higher self/Allah. An intimate relationship with this higher power will provide solace, comfort and guidance because he wants the best for us. It is an important step towards being intimate with others. Feed your soul with spiritual practices like worship, prayer, scripture reading. They make us to be at peace with ourselves. Have realistic expectations. From

FOCUSING ON A NEW TASK OR PROJECT IS A GREAT WAY TO WARD OFF INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS childhood, mostly in our teenage years, we are guided by the media, especially Hollywood films and romantic novels, and mills and boons on what an ideal relationship is supposed to be like. So we go about expecting one person to be completely at our disposal and expect more from a relationship than a relationship can deliver - we fall for the Hollywood and romantic novel fantasy that the perfect lover should love us no matter what. Then when our partners fail to meet these expectations, we feel betrayed, frustrated, angry; and eventually form a conclusion that the expectations aren’t being met because we have done something wrong -we turn it on ourselves. Learn to understand what it means to be in a healthy relationship: A relationship does not define you, it should be a bonus in your life. Healthy relationships are based on communication (having a deep understanding and connection with each other, like treating each other with respect) and setting boundaries in that we should be able to express to our partners what we are and issues we are not comfortable with - sex, finance,

family ties and friends, and personal space and time. Get in touch with negative thoughts that may be affecting you: From childhood we might have formed some negative thoughts about ourselves which now live in the subconscious mind and has now formed part of our belief system. They include thoughts like “I’m not loveable”; “I’m not important”; or “I’m ugly”. This normally affects what we attract into our lives. Spend time by paying attention to those thoughts, write them down and replace them with positive thoughts. Like “I am loveable”, “I am valuable”, etc. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. King Solomon, who has been acknowledged the wisest man in the Bible, made that statement. We all have an emotional desire to love and be loved. The desire is strongest when we are coming out of a broken relationship. But we should be very careful; emotionally, our hearts are extremely fragile and can be easily hurt, therefore, sending us in the wrong direction of life. Many of us simply throw our hearts away, allowing ourselves to be repeatedly hurt while trying to soothe our broken heart. We go from one relationship to another to another to another on the treadmill of tragedy. Before long, our whole life is ruined. There is more to life than having a partner. To have them playing god is too much to ask. Address the problem and

take time to heal it. If you don’t, it could be worse and you could lose everything plus more. If you don’t guard your heart, you could end up losing what’s most important in life – love. Don’t be scared of being alone: When you’re feeling alone or scared, find opportunities to spend time with others in a healthy environment. This may include volunteer work or participating in support groups. Remember that being alone does not mean you are worthless or undeserving of love. Find ways to fill your time by making time to focus on something you are passionate about, or something that gives you a strong sense of purpose. Learn something new that you enjoy. Focusing on a new task or project is a great way to ward off intrusive thoughts. Food for thought So where does the healing for love addiction begin? It begins by admitting our hearts are priceless. We must make a commitment to protect our hearts and not just throw them away looking for love in people and places where love cannot be found. Let us all respect our own hearts.

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, March 30, 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

On true federalism and Jonathan’s promise

here have been strident agitations by eminent Nigerians - political leaders, statesmen and scholars for true federalism, though interpreted from different ethnic perspectives and interests. One of such calls came lately from the former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark. When such matters arise, however, they are often politicised or sentimentalized. The development has remained one of the major factors responsible for Nigeria’s under-development and her almost total reliance on petro-dollars to sustain the nation’s economy. In the process, non-oil producing states neglect their natural endowments without qualms and depend on revenue allocation from the central government, indeed, a unitary system of government hypocritically veiled as a federal structure. The 1960 Independence Constitutions of Nigeria, as well as the Republican Constitution of 1963, and other subsequent ones that followed in 1979 and 1999, all defined Nigeria as a federal state. The 1999 Constitution (as altered) which is the latest, in Section 2 (1), avers, for instance, that Nigeria is one indivisible sovereign state to be known as the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with federating units (states) and a Federal Capital Territory

(FCT). But whereas the said Constitution mouths federalism, ostensibly in the spirit and letters of what Nigeria inherited from the British in the First Republic, the country’s federal system as operated after the first military coup of January 15, 1966, till date has been an aberration, indeed, a mockery of virtually all the known principles of true federalism. In place of thriving and selfreliant federating units competing for development and progress; and a less attractive centre that serves as a co-coordinating shield and clearing house for the units, Nigeria parades a very strong centre that arrogates excessive power, responsibilities and resources to itself. The lopsidedness is at the heart of what most agitators for true federalism call the National Question – the sharing of power, responsibilities and revenues. During the First Republic, when true federalism flourished, the regions controlled 50 percent of their resources and contributed just 20 percent to the central government. The remaining 30 percent was set aside as special fund for the purpose of addressing extreme situations. The fiscal federalism practised then accounted for the rapid pace of development experienced in the then Western, Eastern, Northern and Mid West Regions. Depending on each region’s

NIGERIA’S PRESENT FEDERAL STRUCTURE IS PATENTLY DEFECTIVE.

IT IS SICK AND NEEDS URGENT AND HONEST SURGERY

area of comparative advantage, cash crops like cocoa, ground nut, palm oil, cotton, et cetera were bountifully produced and exported to earn foreign exchange needed for industrial, infrastructural and human development. Apart from the fact that such level of economic self-reliance encouraged individual regions to be productive and resourceful, it made less attractive the urge and rush for political contest at the centre. But because of Nigeria’s federalist hypocrisy today, occasioned by the concentration of power and resources at the centre, competition for the post of president and other political offices, seen as national cakes, is feverish, on the one hand. On the other, many states cannot survive without the monthly handout from the Federation Account. In addition, the vagaries of oil prices in the international market have direct crippling effects on the capacities of both the federal and state governments to function and meet their finan-

ON THIS DAY March 30, 1976 The first ‘Land Day’ protests were held in Israel/ Palestine. Land Day is an annual day of commemoration for Palestinians of the events of that date in 1976. In response to the Israeli government’s announcement of a plan to expropriate thousands of dunams of land for security and settlement purposes, a general strike and marches were organized in Arab towns from the Galilee to the Negev.

Letters tothe theEditor Editor Letters to

March 30, 1981 United States’ President Ronald Reagan and three others were shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C. hotel by John Hinckley, Jr. Two people were wounded, but there were no fatalities immediately. White House Press Secretary, James Brady, who was left paralyzed from a gunshot wound related to the shooting died in 2014, while Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

cial obligations, as is presently the case; crude oil proceeds being the mainstay of the Nigerian economy. There have been countless confrontations between the Federal Government and some states on issues bordering on the National Question, such as state creation, revenue allocation formula, resource control, political appointments vis-a-vis- federal character, neglect in infrastructure development, and the like. All these point to the fact Nigeria’s present federal structure is patently defective. It is sick and needs urgent and honest surgery. That is why President Goodluck Jonathan’s promise to implement the report of the National Conference he convened last year, which addressed some of the contentious issues involved, appears attractive. Unfortunately, however, the President made the promise at the peak of his campaign for re-election; and most probably without liaison with the National Assembly, which has power to effect the changes through constitutional amendment in the absence of a plebiscite or referendum. This will help explain why many view the president’s promise with suspicion, until he demonstrates his commitment to the implementation of the report in the event of his being re-elected as President on Saturday, March 28, 2015.

x March 30, 2009 Twelve gunmen attacked the Manawan Police Academy in Lahore, Pakistan. They took over the main building during a morning parade when 750 unarmed police recruits were present on the compound’s parade ground. Security forces arrived 90 minutes later and were able to take back the building by 3.30 pm. Five trainees, two instructors and a passer-by were killed. A suspect was captured alive in a field near the school.

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N22Obn MSMEs Fund:

Can MFBs give DMBs good run on disbursement? As the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, reviews downward the requirement for accessing and disbursing the N220bn Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund, MSMEDF, analysts say the move might renew Microfinance Banks, MFBs, and other Primary Financing Institutions, PFIs, operators’ interest in the Fund and how best to deploy it to micro entrepreneurs for economic growth in the years ahead.UDO ONYEKA reports

hen President Goodluck Jonathan launched the N220bn Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund, MSMEDF, about a year ago amid fanfare and high expectations that the end to decades of lack of access to credit by micro enterprises will end. It was most unthinkable that one year after the target beneficiaries will still be suffering from financial asphyxiation. But then and quite characteristically with such similar past initiatives targeted at boosting the performance of the micro economy, the Microfinance Banks, MFBs, are not positioned to access the fund and embark on its disbursement due to a combination of factors, particularly what analysts termed CBN’s under-estimation of the complexities of the micro financing sub-sector. Although seen largely by stakeholders as a desirable intervention for the MSMEs when analysed within the context of the capital adequacy position of

the past, analysts believe that MFBs and Microfinance Institutions; MFIs, were discouraged from accessing the fund by the stringent ‘conditionalities’ attached to warehousing and disbursing of the Fund. For instance, though the CBN has reviewed the criteria across board to make the fund more accessible, many operators are no longer excited over the fund and have therefore distanced themselves from accessing it to support micro entrepreneurial activities. Apart from the above, the MFBs had thought initially and in line with the President’s assurances that the development fund would be warehoused and disbursed by them and MFIs, since they deal directly with the MSMEs. The recently announced involvement of the Deposit Money Banks, DMBS, in the disbursement of the fund did not only jolt MFB operators but also engendered misgivings within the rank and file of the micro financing institutions as they know this policy stance by the Bankers

Emefiele

Committee of the CBN would naturally put them at disadvantaged position based on the financial clout and stronger links of the DMBS with the CBN. Before the recent turn of events, the Participating Finance Institutions PFIs, especially MFBs had raised alarm

over the collateral required to access the funds. However at a workshop penultimate week in Lagos CBN Head of Relationship Management, MSME Development Finance Department, Tobin Jonathan, disclosed that complaints from the MSME operators sug-

gesting that the criteria were too strict and difficult to meet, had UDO ONYEKA, CO-ORDINATOR BUSINESS COURAGE udonyeka@gmail.com c

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Akun

led to relaxing the criteria across board to make the funds more accessible According to him, the PFIs said that the collateral required to access the funds was an issue and the CBN had reduced it significantly, stressing that with that reduction there have been some improvement in the application level. He said the CBN has also addressed all other complaints raised by PFIs including the spread of profit to cover their cost of operations. “So they can collect the forms at 2 per cent and give it out at 5 per cent. So they have 7 per cent spread which is good enough. That has encouraged so many of them to begin to apply,” said Jonathan. Business Courage gathered that many operators of MFB became un interested, because of the stringent criteria and has distanced themselves from the fund since it does not make sense to engage in a business that would not yield any profit according tom them. The inclusion of DMBs as institutions’ that are qualified to partake in disbursing the fund initially did not go down well with MFBs and MFIs for fear of being crowded out due to their financial strength. Managing Director, Ojokoro Microfinance Bank, Mr. Taiwo Peters had told Business Courage many months ago that the funds have no business going through DMBs, since it was meant for SMEs and microbusinesses. “The funds were supposed to be channelled through the MFBs. The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is aware we do not have enough fund to service our clients. DMBs have ways of making their money. Even though this is a fund, many MFBs should have used the little money they would have made to revive their businesses. According to Peters, a large number of un-served and under-served clients exist in the Nigerian MSME sub-sector and

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Monday, March 30, 2015

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it is the MFBs that would serve them better because MFBs are closer to them than the commercial banks, adding that “primarily fund was set up to provide for the wholesale funding requirements of MFBs/MFIs.” Though many say that the disbursement was very slow due the harsh conditions attached to its disbursement, Jonathan informed that MSMEs are beginning to access the fund. He informed that the CBN has disbursed a total of N40.3bn out of the N220bn MSME, development fund lunched in 2013, with microfinance banks accessing over N2bn from the funds. The Head, Relationship Management of MSMED fund, said that deposit money banks have accessed about N814m, microfinance institutions N100m and some state governments have accessed N2 billion mark while some accessed N1bn as first tranche few months back. “We are holding meetings and discussions with them to facilitate access of this N220bn by entrepreneurs. CBN is doing a lot of discussion, collaborations to ensure that this fund gets out of CBN and then people will begin to do business with this fund,” he said. The CBN said it has reviewed the guidelines for the fund to enable many more PFIs access the fund for lending to MSMEs. According to the apex bank the collateral required for accessing the fund has been reduced to 50 percent from 75 percent, while the interest rates have been brought down to 2-9 percent from 3-9 percent. “We have reviewed the guidelines; for example, formerly you have to present two years exam report, now we have reduced it to one year, making easy. We are toning down the guidelines to ensure that many more MFBs access the fund”, he said. Many have said that the relaxing the criteria is capable encourage many operators to develop interest in the fund. This is because currently a lot of

MFBs operators are not ken in the fund. Managing Director, Glory Microfinance Bank, Lagos, Moses Ajao, told Business Courage that he has never bothered to assess the fund, perhaps because of the initial unrealistic condition for interested operators. He said that even though not was not officially stated but a close watch at events indicate that the CBN are more disposed to banks assessing the fund, allegation which Goodluck early debunked. In fact according to Goodluck many MFBs have accessed the fund and many more are eager to be part of the project. But Managing Director, FinaTrust Microfinance Bank Deji Popoola, said the banks inclusion in the Fund has not adversely affected MFBs. According to banks and MFBs have different business model. MFBs are not competing with banks. “It may be difficult for instance for a small business person looking for N2m to go the DMBs.” However Popoola said the 300 points interest gap was not encouraging and could not take care of administrative and other expenses. President of the Association of Micro Finance Banks of Nigeria, Jethro Akun, said what

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Wachuku

this fund hopes to achieve is to provide wholesale finance to the MFBs. Akun said the fund is aimed at transforming the lives of the rural people financially. “It is the beginning of unlocking the untapped potentials and opportunities in the microfinance industry”, he said. A senior manager in one of the DMBs, who did not want his name in print, said there was no way the banks, would be exempted from being part of the MSMEDF since we are talking about financial inclusion. He noted that DMBs service a lot of SMEs and microbusinesses. “Many SMEs and micro business owners prefer to deal with the banks for reasons best known to them. So if banks are exempted from this fund, it then means you have excluded such group of persons,” he said. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, had also said the slashing of the requirements was to encourage access to the fund. He said the decision was taken based on the recommendations of a sub-committee chaired by the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Suleiman Abubakar, and contribution made by the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele. “Based on the comments of the CBN governor, the council took certain decisions. The first is that access to collateral requirement, which was initially 75 per cent and made it difficult for some commercial banks to be able to access, has been reduced to 50 per cent. “All inclusive interest rate must not exceed nine per cent. That has always been the directive of the CBN and we have stuck to that. However, the CBN is disbursing to these banks and the financial institutions and others at two per cent from the original interest rate of three per cent.” The minister added that on the need for women to have access to the fund, President Jonathan had directed that about

60 per cent of the fund should be made available to women. Aganga said men and women with disabilities had also been prioritised in the disbursement of the fund. According to Abubakar, the council had approved that the collateral requirement of 50 per cent for micro finance banks be progressively reduced by period of six to nine based on the ratings of the MFBs. “We also approved in council that special focus be given to the banks with the strongest infrastructure and capacity for lending to the MSME sub-sector in the CBN strategy. Council also approved that the loan tenor for micro loans across the agriculture value chain be determined on a case-by-case basis based on the gestation period. National President of NASSI, Chief Chuku Wachuku said putting such funds directly into private sector organisations, or development finance institutions, would mean getting the fund as quickly as possible without too many bottlenecks. He said this would be done by working with members of the Organised Private Sector, OPS, who would translate the interventions into real industrial growth. “I am using this opportunity to call on the Presidency to re-evaluate these huge sums of money pumped into public sector agencies and put them directly into private sector organisations,” he stated. In the same vein Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ECCIMA, Director-General, Mr. Emeka Okereke, also corroborated Wachuku. He said since the fund is a developmental initiative, OPS members should be involved in its administration. According to him, this would allow ECCIMA and other private sector organisations vouch for the integrity of their members wishing to access the fund and this would go a long way in reducing incidents of loan default. BC

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News Banks won’t charge customers for BVN cards –NIBSS By Udo Onyeka

s banks’ customers intensify efforts to enroll for the Bank Verification Number, BVN, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System, NIBSS, Mr. Ade Shonubi, has said that they would not be charged for the BVN cards that would be issued to them after they have completed their registration. The BVN is an initiative aimed at protecting bank customers and further strengthening the Nigerian banking system. It is an initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in conjunction with the Bankers’ Committee meant to address the safety of customers’ funds, avoids losses through compromise of personal identification numbers and other criminal activities in the industry. The NIBSS boss, who is responsible for the implementation of the BVN said: “We are giving the BVN cards out for free. The cost is borne by the Bankers’ Committee, which considers the whole biometric project very important. They have been bearing the cost; the cost of the cards, cost of almost everything else that has to do with the BVN.” Shonubi, who stated that the number of bank customers that have so far obtained their BVN has been quite encouraging, said that going by the current high level of compliance by customers, he was optimistic that banks will achieve their targets of customer registration. He said that lenders would soon commence the distribution of the BVN cards, stressing that the cards are ready and are with the banks awaiting collection by customers. “I have gotten my BVN card. I would encourage banks’ customers to talk to their banks as well. They have been printing them and sending them to the banks to distribute to the branches where you have enrolled, you would be sent an SMS. For those that have given

Shonubi

L-R: CEO, Spotone Global Solution, Senegal and Member, Selection Committee, Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP), Mariéme Jamme; Director, TEEP, Parminder Vir; Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Tony O. Elumelu; CEO, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Reid Whitlock; CEO and Founder of Java Foods, Zambia and Member, Selection Committee, TEEP, Monica Musonda; Founder and Chair of Believe in Africa, Cameroon and Member, Selection Committee, Angelle Kwemo during the official announcement of the selection of the first 1,000 African entrepreneurs for the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP) in Lagos

email address, they would be notified through their emails,” he said. As part of efforts to encourage enrolment on the BVN, the CBN directed banks to only honour transactions over N100m from customers with BVN from March 2015. Such transactions according to the apex bank include but not limited to, money transfers, loans, and contingencies, among others. The regulator also urged all bank customers to register for their BVN by June 2015, warning that any bank customer without a BVN would be deemed to have inadequate know-your-customers, KYC, by that date. BVN involves the registration of customers in the financial system using biometric technology making accounts more secure using unique identifiers such as fingerprints. Analysts have also described the BVN as a ‘silver-bullet solution’ to many of the challenges in the banking industry. The BVN is a unique identifier for each bank customer across the financial industry, making it possible to build and track customer financial history and activity. This will allow banks access to more reliable information that could inform decisions on customer loan and credit applications and other complex transactions. The initiative, which was launched on February 14, 2014, will also encourage financial inclusion as those who have typically stayed away from mainstream banking due to low literacy levels will be able to open and access their bank accounts using their biometric information rather than traditional identification methods. The NIBSS which is owned by the CBN and all licensed banks in the country provides the infrastructure for automat-

ed processing of data, such as customers ’biometric information, settlement of payments and fund transfer instructions between banks, Discount Houses and card companies in Nigeria.

Ilona

HarvestPlus meets partners, sets agenda for 2015

n pursuit of its delivery agenda for Vitamin A Cassava initiative and preparation for the 2015 planting season, HarvestPlus Nigeria has held a three-day work-planning/ review meeting with its 16 partners from four target states of Imo, Benue, Akwa-Ibom and Oyo as well as stakeholders in the agricultural sector in Owerri recently. According to Country Manager, HarvestPlus Nigeria, Paul Ilona,“Part of the agenda for this year includes: dissemination of improved vitamin A cassava stems to over 700,000 farmers; establishment of over 300 processing centres for vitamin A cassava; establishment of over 300 points of sale for vitamin A cassava food products and confectionery; ensuring that at least three million Nigerians consume vitamin A cassava products this year; and, reaching out to over 50 million

Nigerians with information on vitamin A cassava initiative. Commissioner for Agriculture, Imo State, Chief Frank Ibezim, while declaring the work-planning session and Vitamin A Cassava products exhibition open, said, “Imo State is happy to host HarvestPlus and its partners. We will support you in your drive to ensure that Nigerians have access to healthier and more nutritious foods using the vitamin A cassava initiative.” He called on HarvestPlus and partners to sustain the fight against hidden hunger, poverty reduction and empowerment of small and medium enterprises, SMEs.

Keystone Bank unveils ‘Pink Network’ to empower women

omen participation in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, SMEs, in Nigeria has received an inspiring and creative boost from Keystone Bank Limited, as the Bank recently unveiled The Pink Network, an initiative for women entrepreneurs and professionals to share business ideas and interact. Speaking recently during the premiere interactive session Lagos, Otunba (Mrs.) ‘Debola Osibogun, President/ Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers, CIBN, said “Keystone Bank Limited has creatively set up this platform to cater for the dreams and aspirations of women SMEs and the professional working class women.” While commending the Bank, the CIBN President also said “This initiative, beyond supporting the Central Bank’s Financial Inclusion Policy, would also solve some of the challenges built around mar-

kets and infrastructure that SMEs face.” The Managing Director/ CEO, Keystone Bank, Mr. Philip Ikeazor spoke about the possibilities that partnering with Keystone Bank Pink Network offers to include financing of ventures in “agriculture, technology, education, hospitality and tourism, media and entertainment, professional services and advisory. Once it is a Small and Medium Scale venture, the possibilities are endless.” According to the Chief Executive, a lot has been written about women, from girls in their teens, to women in middle ages, from student entrepreneurs, to mom entrepreneurs, from women who quit their job to start a business, to women who were made redundant and so started a business, “I strongly believe that the Pink Network can offer a platform for the success story that every woman entrepreneur needs to make an impact to family, friends and the community at large. We want that when you tell your success story as a creator, a businesswoman, an entrepreneur and that it is a PINK story.” Keystone Bank’s Executive Director in charge of Operations and Technology, Mrs. Yvonne Isichei spoke about the motive behind starting the Pink Network: “We were inspired to build this platform for women from our vision of creating utmost value for our stakeholders and our mission of being the preferred partner. “The Pink Network Interactive evening is an evening for us to rub minds as women and introduce to you the unique features of the Pink Network Platform.”

NIPP lauds Jonathan on Olorunsogo II project commission By Gbenga Odogun

he National Integrated Power project NIPP has refuted reports that the recently commissioned 750mw NIPP Olorunsogo II power plants had earlier been commissioned by former president Olusegun Obasanjo A statement by the company’s General Manager Communications and Public Relations, Yakubu Lawal said that the completion and commissioning of the project was another manifestation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment to deliver on his promises to complete inherited projects. lawal said that the phase II is a combined circle plant consisting of 4No GE made Gas turbines,4NO Heat Recovery steam Generators and 2NO

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Steam turbine units each turbine unit of 125mw capacity. The power plant thus has the capacity to generate 750 mw, a positive development over the phase I plant commissioned by the Obasanjo regime which has 8 turbine units each of 42MW with a total of 335 MW. He also disclosed that the Olorunsogo II project was built by the NIPP, as a joint investment of the three tiers of government of Nigeria while Olorunsogo I project was basically a Federal project. Both projects he said were built by SEPCOIII of China under distinct and separate contracts with both sitting adjacent to one another but on a defined and distinct survey coordinates. “NIPP was conceived in 2004 by the then president Olusegun Obasanjo as a major fast track initiative to add significant new capacities in power generation, transmission and distribution to Nigeria’s electricity supply chain but that Jonathan’s commitment, first as the steering chairman of NIPP and later pioneering chairman, Board of directors of Niger Delta power Holding company NDPHC actually gave life to the success stories of today” he said.

Lagos set to commence allocation of license to taxi operators By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

he Lagos State Government is set to commence the issuance of the provisional Taxi License Allocation Letter and badge to operators in the State with effect fromTuesday, 31st March, 2015 at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja. In a statement signed by Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa the provisional allocation letter will be issued only to taxi cab operators who had earlier accredited with the State Government through the Vehicle Inspection Service ,VIS, offices and captured on the data base of the Lagos State Public Transport Management System.

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was among a cluster of electrification projects initiated by the Delta Government but taken over by the commission in 2011. He said that other major electrification and substation projects embarked upon by the commission were currently in different stages of completion. “The substations include the Omotosho to Okitipupa 132KV 56 kilometre transmission line and two 30MVA 132/33KV substations at Okitipupa, Ondo State.

WAEMU states record 6.1 per cent growth in 2014, says IMF President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in a handshake with Rodemade Oluwasegun Ayomide a graduate and beneficiary of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) an initiative of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) during an interactive session with Young Professionals in Lagos on Sunday

Opeifa noted that the issuance of the allocation letter is in line with the agreement reached by the taxi cab operators in the State with Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, during a stakeholder meeting held at the Blue Roof, LTV on Thursday 26th February, 2015. The provisional allocation letter would enable the taxi cab operators be fully integrated with the New Lagos Taxi System via the collection of the OK paper from the VIS following which a Permanent Taxi Cab License would be issued.

SURE-P trains 50 unemployed graduates on entrepreneurial skills Fashola

Business Courage

Monday, March 30, 2015

he Graduate Internship Scheme, GIS, of the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SUREP) has trained 50 unemployed graduates on sourcing and sustaining funds for small and medium scale business, a consultant said on Friday. Dr Nazifi Abdullahi, the Lead Consultant, Econometrical Consultants Ltd., told the News Agency of Nigeria ,NAN, in Akure that the training was to provide entrepreneurship skills to interns for 12 months. Abdullahi said SURE-P assigned his company the responsibility to undertake training for GIS interns in Ondo State. “The 50 graduate youths were taught skills and to have experience relevant to the labour market and enhance their employability. “Also, they were provided entrepreneurial skills and training sufficient to make them employers of labour, rather than being employees of organisations.

“We trained them on skills for small-scale business, financial management, accessing loans from various financial institutions, remaining steadfast and partnering with each other for national growth. “We also gave them sufficient information to access micro-credit facility available in the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, as well as the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency ,SMEDAN.’’ Abdullahi said he was very impressed by the interns’ attentiveness and compliance throughout the training programme. He encouraged unemployed graduates in Ondo State who had yet to benefit from the GIS to grab the opportunity by uploading their Curriculum Vitae ,CV, online and submitting other necessary information on SURE-P website. The consultant said the orientation programme was done in batches with interns, who were drawn from all 18 local government areas of the state. Commending the initiative, a beneficiary, Miss Olafunmi Sefunmi, said she had been able to learn about sourcing and raising funds to start a business, writing a good CV, planning for business and knowing interview tips. ``GIS is real and not political,’’ she added.

tion in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta. The spokesman of the commission, Mr Toye Abosede, said this in a statement on Friday in Port Harcourt. The statement quoted the NDDC Managing Director, Mr Bassey Dan-Abia, as saying the “multi-billion naira project would boost the Federal Government’s bid to provide constant electricity supply to Nigerians’’. “With the completion of this project, the constant power available at the Benin-Ugheli 132 transmission line will be stepped down to 33KV to power the injection substation at Oghara,” he said. Dan-Abia said Oghara and its environs had been experiencing poor electricity supply because the area’s transmission line lacked “step down” structure to connect to Sapele and Ugheli substations. “This project ensures that a step down from 132KV to 33KV has been achieved, thereby improving electricity supply in the whole of Ethiope West and in the state in general. “This project will have direct benefit to small and medium scale enterprises and impact positively to economic activities in the state,” he said. Dan-Abia, according to the statement, said the substation

NDDC completes 33KV substation, transmission line in Delta

he Niger Delta Development Commission ,NDDC, said it completed and inaugurated a 132KV transmission line and two 30MVA-132/33KV substa-

Dan Abia

he International Monetary Fund has said that West African Economic and Monetary Union, WAEMU, member states recorded 6.1 per cent growth in 2014. This is contained in a report issued by the Executive Board of the Fund at the end of its 2015 Article IV consultation with WAEMU. “In spite of fragile political and security situation in some member countries, growth reached 6.1 per cent in 2014. “This was driven by continued high growth in Côte d’Ivoire and a favourable agricultural season in many countries,” IMF said in the report. It further said that rising public infrastructure investment also stimulated economic activity. “Consumer price and underlying inflation were close to zero in 2014. In the medium term, growth should remain above 6 per cent due to continued buoyant public and private sector investment. “The overall budget deficit increased to 4.6 per cent of GDP in 2014, up from 3.1 per cent in 2013, due to rising public investment to address infrastructure gap, it said. It said that WAEMU member states tapped the regional finance market as tax revenue remained broadly unchanged at 16 per cent of GDP. “Though fiscal pressures persisted, the current account deficit, including grants, declined to 7.3 per cent of GDP in 2014 mainly reflecting the drop in international oil prices. “After declining for three consecutive years, the international reserves of the Central Bank of West African States ,BCEAO, rose slightly in 2014 covering 4.6 months of imports, the report said”, the report said. It said the BCEAO had kept its key interest rate unchanged since September 2013, adding, “Credit to the economy has continued to grow at robust rates.’’ BC

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Heritage Bank charges students on money management By Udo Onyeka

eritage Bank has advised students to take full advantage of the financial literacy campaign being championed through partnership between the Central Bank of Nigeria and other banks in the country to become adept at growing and managing wealth from their formative ages. According to the bank, the emerging global economic realities have made it imperative for the leaders of tomorrow to have unparalleled skills in money management matters. Speaking to senior students of the National Comprehensive secondary school in Aba, Abia State during the recently held 2015 Financial Literacy Campaign as part of the Global Money Week activities, the Bank’s Customer Experience and Analytical Officer, Kikanwa Akpenyi, said the intention of CBN in launching the Financial Literacy campaign is to teach children and young adults financial responsibility as well as create a more enabling environment where students can understand what happens in banks where their deposits are lodged. “The need to be prudent has never become more important than now. The young generation need to learn, as a matter

Ifie Sekibo, Heritage Bank CEO

of compulsion, why it is important to be knowledgeable about where they keep their funds. So financial management, money management, savings, how to spend, how to be prudent are basically the things that are needed to be able to live a successful and fulfilled life as an adult; these are the things that are taught during the financial literacy sessions”. Mr. Oturu Emmanuel of Junior Achievers of Nigeria, an NGO that partners with the CBN for the 2015 Literacy Day, said, “The efforts of Heritage Bank and others in taking financial literacy to the students deserve commendation because the future of every country is in the hands of the youths and we have to move from a job seeking

generation to a job creating generation. Our vision as a country to build business conscientious leaders with work readiness and entrepreneurship acumen will be greatly boosted by this campaign”. Also Experience Centre Manager at Heritage Bank’s Port Harcourt Branch, Mr. Figbene Briggs, noted that the outing was impressive as the students and teachers who took part in the exercise displaced hunger for information and knowledge on money management and wealth preservation. “The commitment of the students and teachers, in terms of their eagerness to have the knowledge we bring to bear, goes a long way to show that they have interest in being successful as they grow up. As a Bank, we intend to create more awareness among the Nigerian youths on the need to be hard working and financially disciplined so that they will make less mistakes in financial matters and excel in their chosen career”, he said. The principal of the school, Mr Stanley Nwigwe and the teachers all expressed happiness for the programme. They also appealed to the bank to continue to strengthen its commitment and relationship with the school.BC

Arik, CFM partner on indigenous skills in aircraft maintenance

ircraft engine manufacturer, CFM International and Arik Air have commenced discussion on the training of Nigerians on aircraft engine maintenance and repairs. According to the airline, this is in line with the federal government’s local content development policy. As discussion progresses, it is expected that Arik will select intelligent, bright and young Nigerians that would be trained by CFM, which is the manufacturer of Arik Air Boeing 737 New Generation (NG) engines. The collaboration was a fallout of last Monday’s visit of the President of CFM, Jean-Paul Ebanga to the headquarters of Arik Air at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos to affirm the importance of the airline to the company and also show commitment to the planned partnership. Ebanga who toured Arik Air’s facilities at its headquarters said he was impressed by the progress the airline has recorded in just eight years of its commercial operations, adding that Arik would soon be one of the leading airlines in Africa. “What the Chairman of Arik Air, Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide is

doing right now is to do, not to talk. He is bringing the needed change in air transport in Nigeria. In three to four years from now Africa will be the most populated continent with growing middle class. We have CFM engines in many aircraft operating in Africa. So we grow with Africa’s economy as the middle class becomes empowered by the on-going economic growth. I think the population of CFM engines in Africa is the biggest one. I think we have about 900 engines flying all over Africa and the engines are behaving very well,” Ebanga said. The President of CFM also observed that for African airlines to be competitive they have to operate new and modern equipment as Arik Air is doing, engage the services of skilled manpower and operate modern system that would dovetail with operators in other parts of the world because every airline in the world is competing at the same level because all have access to the same market. “I think one of the challenges of Africa is that Africa is now part of the global economy and African airlines are competing with all the other airlines in the world. I think African airlines

will have to keep up with the skills, organisational efficiency to be able to compare with the best airlines in the world. This is what is already in progress. Arik is one of such airlines in Africa. They are using the top notch aircraft like other companies in the world. Of course, there are challenges but the leaders of these airlines in Africa understand those challenges,” the CFM President said. Chairman of Arik Air, Arumemi-Ikhide explained that the airline and CFM International talked about partnership, the development of indigenous manpower and technical support of the company to the airline. “We set up two working groups made up of people from their side and our side and we are looking at issues of Harmattan on our engines and you know we are going to build MRO. They are going to let us know what role they will play there. We are going to start a lot of work locally but they must have to be of international standard. Nigerians are well trained. We have skilled people all over the world. Like he said, it is one step after the other but government must support. Without government’s support, we cannot do anything,” he said. BC

Cadbury profit before tax drops by 80%

adbury Nigeria Plc has recorded dismal results in all performance indicators for the financial year ended Dec. 31, 2014. News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the company’s profit-before-tax dipped by 80 per cent to N1.47bn from N7.42bn achieved in the corresponding period of 2013. The report is contained in the company’s audited result released by the Nigerian Stock Exchange ,NSE, on Friday in Lagos. Its profit after tax dropped by N4.51bn or 74.89 per cent to N1.51bn from N6.02bn posted in the comparative period of 2013. Also, revenue stood at N30.52bn against N35.70bn recorded in the preceding period of 2013, a decrease of 15 per cent. The company’s total current liabilities stood at N14.04bn compared with N14.39bn declared in 2013.

Total current assets stood at N12.34bn from N26.231bn achieved in the preceding year of 2013. The company’s net assets decreased by 52 per cent to N11.54bn from N23.994bn achieved in the comparable period of 2013. The company has proposed a dividend payout of 65k to all shareholders whose name appears on the register between May 11 and May 15. BC

Emil Moskofian, MD Cadbury Plc

Microsoft, PIN pledge more capacity devt for NGO By Isaiah Erhiawarien

icrosoft Nigeria and Paradigm Initiative Nigeria, PIN has pledged to seek for further collaboration that will provide capacity building for non-governmental organisations, NGO, particularly in the area of ICT. The pledge was made at a training organised by both organization for NGO in Lagos. The event, which has been running for five years had in attendance over 80 non-governmental organisations from Lagos and neighboring states and covers trainings on Research tools and Report Publishing, Internet Safety and Security, Social Media Tools, and Office 365 for NGO. Managing Director, Microsoft Nigeria, Kabelo Makwane emphasised that Microsoft is committed to youth education and empowering of young

Makwane

people with the right tools and partnerships to create new businesses that will help the country thrive and grow stating that Microsoft is shaping the future of Nigeria and providing a foundation for its stability and growth. Chief Operating Officer, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria, Tope Ogundipe said NGOs need to be equipped with the applicable technologies required to make their work relevant to and effective in the 21st century saying that Microsoft through the NGO Connection Day supports our organization to provide free training to NGOs based on the Digital Literacy Standard Curriculum. Participants expressed deep satisfaction at the event, and recommended that the numbers of days for the training be increased in order to give time for more detailed training and for questions to be taken. According to Olufemi Omotayo of Young Start up Network, the event was worth every minute of my time adding that knowing how to use technology efficiently for one’s work can be potentially game-changing. Keji Ajakaiye of Irede Foundation said lessons learnt are very fundamental and quite inexhaustible saying “we have not committed so much time and resources to research in our organisation before now but the session on Research Tools and Report Publishing helped me see how valuable research is to our work.” BC

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Companies & Markets

UBA’s loan book hits N1trn in 2014 By Johnson Okanlawon

nited Bank for Africa loan to customers has crossed N1trn mark for the financial year ended December 31, 2014. The bank which showed a14 per cent increase in the book year-on-year now has non performing loan ratio of 1.55 per cent well below the Central Bank of Nigeria maximum of five per cent. A statement from the bank attributed the growth to loyal customers in the corporate, commercial and retail segments of

the African markets, adding that the bank continues to grow loan portfolio in a responsible manner that ensures the quality of the assets and sustainability of its earnings. The statement quoted the Group Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, as saying that the bank expanded loan book without compromising its focus on asset quality. According to him, the bank focuses its lending on emerging growth sectors across the African markets; agriculture, manufacturing, resource-based sectors such as oil and gas and mining,

Oduoza

information and communication technology, power and infra-

NAHCO declares dividend, bonus for shareholders By Johnson Okanlawon

he Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO aviance plc ,has put smiles on the faces of its shareholders following the declaration of a cash dividend of 20 kobo and a bonus of one new share for every 10 shares already held for the 2014 financial year. Shareholders of the company are getting this double return on investment even as the company is set to benefit from its free trade zone subsidiary,NAHCO FTZ,which commenced operations last quarter of 2014 and is expected to begin to reap profits soon after significant investments in its development the past two years. NAHCO ended 2014 with a marginal increase in revenues of N8.13bn and a profit after tax of N568m, compared to N8.09bn and N817m recorded in 2013 respectively. The company’s bottom line was affected by the three months Ebola virus scare which reduced the movement of passengers and cargo flights across West African airports by major international carriers, Nahco’s core customers. Also, the company’s ratios withered the general high cost of operations, the slowdown in the economy major macroeconomic volatility preceding the 2015 elections.

The 2014 group results released and approved by the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Friday was most impacted by pre-operating expenses and sunk cost made in its free trade zone subsidiary reducing its overall profitability and performance relative to 2013 results. However, the Managing Director of the Nahco, Mr Norbert Biedermann noted in a statement that inspite of the unplanned difficulties and the several health and safety flight cancellations and limitations in travels and travel warning coupled with the warehouse closure, the company achieved marginal growth of two per cent in a very difficult year, and expressed optimism that the Nahco Group is on course to deliver its strategic medium term growth and profitability objec-

Yahyah

tives for 2015 and beyond as activities have since stabilized. According to him, there are improvements income streams from subsidiaries and efficiency improvements in the core business and new routings demand for the second quarter that will gradually add upto group performance. He confirmed that while investments in the FTZ will continue apace in 2015/2016 the company will begin to reap the fruits of such investments. Nahcos bonus declaration plus a cash dividend is the first double corporate action by a listed company this year on the Exchange and it reflects the company’s continuing strategy for cash retention as development and diversification. Nahco’s Group Chairman, Mr Suleiman Yahyah had told shareholders in Abuja last May, that a 25-year master plan was being developed for implementation by NAHCO FTZ which will triple its cargo handling capacity in the short term and create a long term pipeline for both its expansion of revenues and consolidate its diversification strategy while supporting Nigeria’s exports earnings and transshipments capabilities across the west Africa sub region- The FTZ is projected to attract over $500m in new investments in next 5 years. BC

structure. He explained that the bank is considered by businesses on the African continent as a well positioned partner for multinational corporates seeking opportunities in the diverse African markets. He said, “UBA’s high level liquidity and strong capital base make it the bank of choice Bank for big-ticket transactions in the emerging African markets, where it continues to offer unique financial solutions to businesses and governments.” The bank’s Group Chief Financial Officer, Ugo Nwaghodoh said that the bank will continue to support Africa-focused businesses and governments, given its strong belief in the continent’s prospect. “ We believe the opportunities

in Africa far outweigh the risks, given our on-the-ground experience in these markets. “We however do not compromise our risk management criteria and selective approach to lending across all our target markets, as we focus on quality and profitable risk assets that fit into our sustainable growth principles and objectives,” he added. Also, the Group Chief Risk Officer, Uche Ike explained the growth in the bank’s loan book, is in line with it moderate risk appetite in the year 2014. He also said that the bank is pleased with the quality of the risk assets created, as reflected in the low 1.55 per cent non perfoming ratio and moderated 0.7 per cent cost of risk. BC

GOtv promises to engage kids in April By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

Otv has promised to keep children absorbed with exciting and educative programming over the Easter weekend and through the month of April. According to GOtv’s general manager, Elizabeth Amkpa, the variety of children’s channels on GOtv entertains its younger audiences and also enable them channel their energies to learning. “From the Kids’ Choice Awards on Nickelodeon which will air on the 1st of April to loads of movies at Easter, and other great shows, kids are in for an unbelievable viewing experience this month”. “Kids will also be enchanted by the famous fairy tale princess, Cinderella on Disney Junior. Airing of the three-part movie will begin on 12 April. Cinderella 2: Dreams Come Truewill follow on 19April and finally, Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time on 26 April”, she pointed out. With over 40 channels con-

Amkpa

taining news, music, movies, sports, religious and children’s programming,GOtv caters to a variety of viewing tastes within the family. The children’s channels on GOtv bouquets are; Channel ED, Disney Junior, JimJam and Nickelodeon.Channel ED gives children aged 15 to 18 years, access to an exciting knowledge portal by offering a combination of global high-end documentaries and new locally produced content that aim to inspire audiences to remain curious. It covers a range of subject matter from physics tofinance, culture, chemistry, and more. BC

Etisalat Nigeria names two vice presidents By Isaiah Erhiawarien

tisalat Nigeria appointed Ibrahim Dikko as Vice President, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, and Ken Ogujiofor as Vice President Consumer Sales and Service. The appointments aim to further support the organisation and delivery of innovative products, services and to meet the demands of its customers. Dikko was the Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs

where he was responsible for regulation, community and environmental issues. In his new role, he will be leading the Corporate and Regulatory Affairs teams in an integrated approach to achieve the company’s strategic plan of forging and maintaining valuable partnerships among all its stakeholders. Ogujiofor was the Director, Channel Sales at Etisalat Nigeria where he was responsible for identifying Channel Partners across Corporate, Distri-

bution and Alternate channels for sales of Etisalat’s products and services. As Vice President Consumer Sales and Service, he will play a major role in synergizing the mix between direct and indirect sales as well as ensuring quality services across all Etisalat’s touch points. Matthew Willsher, Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Nigeria explained that the appointments reflect the level and scope of responsibility of the

two executives adding that it is also to sharpen the organisation’s focus on the customer, drive operational efficiency, and improved results through better alignment of functions with similar priorities. According to him, Etisalat is committed to empowering individuals and our communities to empower the nation; therefore we look forward to the benefits of the transforming leadership that will follow these new appointments. BC

Willsher

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Business Courage

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Global News Eskom’s spokesman Khulu Phasiwe told Reuters the workers received text messages asking them not to report to work.

U.S. House committee advances ‘threatsharing’ cybersecurity bill Matona

South Africa’s Eskom fires 1,000 workers as crisis deepens

outh African utility Eskom [ESCJ.UL] fired 1,000 workers at a power plant on Friday and its chief executive failed to overturn his suspension, worsening the turmoil at the company. Africa’s most advanced economy is suffering its most severe power shortage since 2008 as state-owned Eskom struggles to keep the lights on. A union threatened a new walkout after the workers were told of their dismissal via text message. They had been accused of vandalism at Eskom’s new Medupi plant during a strike this week. Eskom is also in conflict with its senior management, having suspended CEO Tshediso Matona and three of his fellow executives this month while an inquiry is held into the operations of the troubled utility. A labor court in Johannesburg dismissed an attempt by Matona to overturn his suspension. “The application is struck from the roll,” Judge Benita Whitchers said, adding that the challenge by Matona would be decided by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration - an independent labor arbitrator. Standard and Poor’s last week cut Eskom’s credit status to junk, saying the suspensions had led to a loss of confidence in the company’s corporate governance. Eskom has suffered from years of underfunding and investment in new plants has failed to keep up with demand. Labor disruption and technical faults have delayed construction of Medupi for years, increasing costs at the coal-fired plant. Medupi is expected to start partial operations by July, generating 800 megawatts of extra electricity for the strained power grid. In this week’s strike, about 21,000 contract workers, not directly employed Eskom but by firms contracted to build the plant, were protesting against poor living conditions and seeking higher pay.

he U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee has voted unanimously to advance a long-awaited bill that would make it easier for companies to share information about cybersecurity threats with the government without the fear of lawsuits. A committee spokesman said the panel approved the measure unanimously, by voice vote, during a closed meeting. The legislation is expected to come before the full House as soon as late April, after lawmakers return from a two-week early April recess. Similar legislation is making its way through the U.S. Senate and backers of both bills say they have a good chance of passing after repeated setbacks. The House bill has been in the works for five years, and previous versions have stalled before becoming law, largely due to concerns by privacy advocates worried that they could lead to more surveillance. The measure offers corporations liability protection if they share information through a civilian portal, most likely to be run by the Department of Homeland Security. Data handed over also would be “scrubbed” twice to remove personal information. U.S. corporations have been clamoring for more protection against cyberattacks, but they also worry about potential lawsuits if they hand information over to government investigators. Private industry is alarmed by the frequency of attacks on corporate networks, such as recent assaults on Sony Pictures Entertainment and Home Depot. Many Americans, meanwhile, have become hugely concerned about the government’s access to their private

Obama

data, particularly since 2013 disclosures by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden about the bulk collection of citizens’ telephone records.

U.S. economic growth slows in Q4; corporate profits fall

.S. economic growth cooled in the fourth quarter as previously reported and aftertax corporate profits took a hit from a strong dollar, which could undermine future business spending. Gross domestic product expanded at a 2.2 percent annual rate, the Commerce Department said on Friday in its third estimate of GDP. That was unrevised from the forecast the government published last month. Businesses throttled back on inventory and equipment investment, but robust consumer spending limited the slowdown in the pace of activity. The economy grew at a 5 percent rate in the third quarter. After-tax corporate profits declined at a 1.6 percent rate last quarter after increasing at a 4.7 percent pace in the third quarter. Corporate profits from outside the United States fell at an 8.8 percent rate, the steepest decline since the 2007-2009 recession. “Slower profit growth could mean slower investment in the coming months,” said Thomas Costerg, an economist at Standard Chartered in New York. Multinationals such as technology giant IBM, semiconductor maker Intel Corp, industrial conglomerate Honeywell and Procter & Gamble, the world’s largest household products maker, have warned that the dollar will hurt their profits this year. The dollar gained 7.8 percent against the currencies of the main U.S. trading partners between June and December. For all of 2014, after-tax corporate profits fell 8.3 percent, the largest annual drop since 2008. Economists had expected fourth-quarter GDP growth would be revised up to a 2.4 percent rate and after-tax corporate profits would rise at a 1 percent pace. U.S. stocks were trading marginally higher, as investors bet that the weak growth data would delay a Federal Reserve interest rate increase until later in 2015. The dollar dipped against a basket of currencies, while prices for U.S. Treasuries rose. DOLLAR HEADWIND A separate report showed consumer sentiment slipped in March, adding to signs that

the moderate pace of economic expansion persisted through the first quarter. The University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index fell to 93 this month from a reading of 95.4 in February. The sturdy dollar, lingering weakness in Europe and Asia, harsh winter weather in the United States and a now-settled labor dispute at busy U.S. West Coast ports dampened activity in the first two months of the year. With temperatures rising, there are signs of some pick-up in activity. But the dollar will likely provide a challenge for domestic manufacturers. Firstquarter growth estimates range between a 0.9 percent and 1.4 percent rate. “The impact of dollar strength and energy price declines may prove too much for GDP to hit the long-awaited 3 percent threshold in 2015, leaving another year of mid-2 percent growth in its wake,” said Jay Morelock, an economist at FTN Financial in New York. Businesses accumulated $80 billion worth of inventory in the fourth quarter, less than the $88.4 billion the government had estimated last month. As a result, inventories subtracted 0.10 percentage point from GDP growth in the fourth quarter. Restocking was previously reported to have added 0.1 percentage point to output. The weak pace of restocking, however, removes the threat of an inventory overhang, giving businesses scope to place more orders for goods, which should help to stimulate manufacturing. Business investment on equipment was revised to show it rising at a 0.6 percent rate instead of the previously reported 0.9 percent pace, likely reflecting the impact of the strong dollar and lower crude oil prices, which have caused a drop in drilling and exploration activity. But consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, increased at a 4.4 percent rate in the fourth quarter instead of the 4.2 percent rate reported last month. It was the fastest pace since the first quarter of 2006.

Ford CEO Fields received $18.6m in 2014 compensation

ord Motor Co (F.N) Chief Executive Officer Mark Fields made $18.6 million in salary and other compensation last year, below the $23.2 million that predecessor Alan Mulally received in 2013, the company said on Friday. Last year’s compensation for Fields, 54, was for half the year

Fields

as CEO and half as chief operating officer. For 2013, he made $10.2 million as COO. Mulally, who was replaced by Fields on July 1, made $22 million in salary and other compensation for 2014. Ford’s board decided he deserved a full year’s worth of stock awards because the company felt his impact for the full year, a spokesman said. Earlier this month, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCHA.MI) (FCAU.N) said its CEO, Sergio Marchionne, received 31.3 million euros (about $38 million at end-2014 exchange rates). General Motors Co (GM.N) has said its CEO, Mary Barra, would make about $14.4 million for 2014. The company has not yet disclosed her specific 2014 compensation. Fields, Marchionne and Barra will have their compensation compared with that of unionized assembly line workers ahead of and during this summer’s labor talks with the United Auto Workers. The Center for Automotive Research last week estimated that Ford labor costs for each of its U.S. union workers averaged $57 per hour, including benefits. Hourly pay is between $15.78 and $28.50 for Ford line workers. Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford made $15.1 million in 2014, up from $12 million in 2013. “We remain absolutely committed to aligning executive compensation with the company’s business performance and to tying a significant portion of executive compensation to long-term shareholder value,” the company said in a statement. Ford executives are compensated in part on meeting performance targets. The company achieved 91 percent of the targets last year, compared with 112 percent in 2013. It surpassed targets for automotive cash flow, Ford Credit earnings and quality, but missed on automotive revenue and operating profit margin. The company’s pretax profit in 2014 was $6.3 billion, down from $8.6 billion the previous year, while net income fell to $3.2 billion from $7.2 billion. North American pretax profit in 2014 was $6.9 billion. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, March 30, 2015

A9 25

Brand Watch

Stakeholders task APCON on redeeming ad industry By David Audu

he appointment of Udeme Ufot as Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON chairman is seen by many as a move in the right direction in the search to reform advertising sub sector. According to industry watchers for nearly two years, Nigeria’s the apex advertising regulatory agency, was somewhat in limbo, without a substantive chairman and recognised council, adding that Udeme as new APCON chairman is expected k to salvage the multibillion naira industry. Having been inaugurated in a formal ceremony in Lagos by the former supervising Minister of Information, Mr. Edem Duke, the new council was charged on the need to bring on board positive changes in the practice, and bestow on the profession a new lease of life. He reminded them that as people on top of the industry regulatory activities they have a chance and the duty to redeem the industry image and save the advertising profession. The new APCON chairman, a respected professional who manages one of the top advertising agencies in Nigeria, SO&U

however realised the enormity of the task when in his inaugural speech drew attention to the facts that having been in limbo for almost 18 months, a lot of work need to be done to get APCON back to effectively play its regulatory role. Prominent on his agenda is the need to strengthen the enforcement capacity of APCON through adequate legal backing for the Advertising PractitionersInvestigation Panel, APIP, and the Advertising Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, APDC, promising that members of these committees would be restructured to entrench the principle of fair hearing. In today’s fast paced high tech driven industry, the acquisition of appropriate gadgets and equipment that will enhance the capacity for monitoring the media space across Nigeria will be a priority and, Udeme, understanding the interface these will play if APCON is to relevant, urged government for adequate funding. “We urge government to continue to see APCON more as a regulator that it is, and therefore empower and adequately fund it to perform its statutory duties effectively”. Still on the need for a strong

Ufot

regulatory agency, Udeme noted that the stronger, more viable the sectorial groups are the stronger the industry, hence he vowed that APCON will strive to maintain its mandate of sanitizing the industry, working closely with the heads of sectoral groups, HASG, but will require the cooperation of all stakehold-

PRCAN set to enforce law regulating PR Consulting By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

ublic Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria, PRCAN, the body charged with the responsibility of regulating public relations consulting business in Nigeria has affirmed its readiness to work with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations to enforce the law regulating PR consulting business in Nigeria. The association rose from its Extraordinary General Meeting held recently with a clear mandate given to its Executive Committee to work with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR and relevant security agencies to take all legal means necessary to enforce the provisions of the Bye Law No. 3 of 1993 which empowers PRCAN to regulate PR consulting business in Nigeria. While presenting his presidential roadmap for PRCAN in 2015 during the first quarter extraordinary general meeting, President, Mr. John Ehiguese bemoaned the manner, in which foreign PR agencies come into the country to set up their agencies without the knowledge of regulatory bodies in the industry. “The public relations consulting business is one that is regulated by law. Before any foreign agency can set up in Nigeria there are conditions

to be met as in other jurisdictions too. You cannot just go into South Africa and set up an agency. You will not be allowed, because the laws are there. Nigeria cannot be a country of anything goes.” He added that, “Public Relations consultants in Nigeria can compete favourably with their counterparts in other African climes like South Africa and other countries with highly developed Public Relations industry but one thing we need to work on is the coordination of the industry in terms of reforms.” “Before a foreign PR agency can set up in Nigeria, there are conditions to be met; 75 per cent of the company shares must be owned by Nigerians,

Eheguise

the company must be a financial member of PRCAN, senior executives of the of the company must be members of NIPR and certified to practice PR” he added. Also speaking at the meeting, the Vice President, PRCAN, Mr. Muyiwa Akintunde said “membership of PRCAN is a legal requirement for firms wishing to offer public relations consultancy services in Nigeria. It is illegal for any PR agency foreign or local not registered with PRCAN to offer public relations consultancy services in Nigeria. Public and private sector clients who offer consultancy businesses to such agencies are also accessories to the crime”. He added that apart from the responsibility of promoting the practice of professional public relations consultancy in Nigeria, PRCAN also has the mandate to provide institutional, intellectual and other productive support to professional public relations consultants within Nigeria and to help establish a pool of material resources to enhance their capacities. Ehiguese added that PRCAN is ready to sanitise the industry by ensuring that both foreign and local players follow due process and this will be done in partnership with NIPR and the relevant security agencies to bring the full weight of the law on erring agencies. BC

ers, especially, the government. He appealed to the government to ensure that in the deployment of government communications, round pegs are placed in round holes. “Government cannot have at its disposal some of the finest marketing communicators within the registered members of APCON, yet choose to appoint foreign consultants or quacks to handle its communications”. Reinforcing his believe for a vibrant and robust contributions of the marketing commu-

nications industry to the economy, the APCON chairman, highlighted the value chain of marketers, creative agencies, media agencies, outdoors, film production companies among others and the potential for employment for the youth these sectors hold for Nigeria. To realise these employments potential, Udeme promised that the council under his tenure will engage with universities and polytechnics offering advertising and related courses to grow manpower for the industry. “Our biggest potential is our people, especially our youths, 54 per cent of whom are unemployed. If we can adopt and drive a policy of local content in a highly technical sector like the oil industry, then it should be obvious that the highly labour intensive and talent driven creative services industries deserve some encouragement through appropriate policies. “Advertising and its related service industries can be a veritable avenue for the reduction of youth unemployment and contribute to the growth of the Gross Domestic Products, GDP. The APCON boss also used the occasion to impress it on the media as gatekeepers to discharge their duties in a responsible manner, reminding them that no desperation for revenues should motivate the urge to expose uncertified advertisement. BC

Blackberry posts profit for fourth quarter

anadian mobile phone firm Blackberry has posted better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings, but its revenues showed a larger-than-expected drop. It reported net profit of $28m ,£18.8m, against a loss of $148m a year earlier. It was the second quarter running the company had posted a surprise profit. However, revenue slid to $660m from $793m, below Chen analysts’ expectations. For the year, Blackberry reported that its loss had narrowed to $304m. “Our focus this past year was on getting our financial house in order while creating a multi-year growth strategy and investing in our product portfolio. We now have a very good handle on our margins and our product roadmaps have been well received,’’ chief executive John Chen said in a statement. “The second half of our turnaround focuses on stabilisation of revenue with sustainable

profitability and cash generation.” The firm reported a positive cash flow of $76m, compared with a cash burn of $784m a year previously. “Blackberry continues to do a good job controlling operating expenses and eliminating its cash burn during its business transition, but the total revenue was still a big miss and we still have concerns about the demand side of the equation,” said Morningstar analyst Brian Colello. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Energy Review

Power: Nigerians await dividend of privatisation By Gbenga Odogun

he transfer of generation and distribution rights of electricity on October 1, 2013 to private investors marked a turning point in the history of electricity supply in the country. On this day, ten distribution companies; Abuja Electricity Distribution Company,, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Jos Electricity Distribution Company, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, Kano Electricity Distribution Company, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, and Yola Electricity Distribution Company, were privatized and handed over to new owners. This exercise, which started during the last administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo after the passage of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, was completed by the present administration under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan to give impetus to government’s transformation agenda. After the initial battle with the staff of the now defunct

Power distribution transformer

Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, leading to the disengagement of some essential employees of PHCN for a period of six months, the stage was set in April 2014 for the full takeover of the distribution network by the new owners. Prior to the takeover, actual electricity generation stood at 3,405 megawatts. However 7 months into the exercise, electricity generation stands at 3,600MW as against the needed 15,000mw. On the part of distribution companies with a combined capacity to distribute 15,000MW, just 3,600MW is available for distribution. So Nigerians are still grappling with inadequate or

rather epileptic power supply. Even Abuja the seat of government is not left behind in the wave of power outages. A survey on power supply in the country released by NOI polls, an indigenous survey company revealed that 63 per cent of Nigerians experienced no improvement in electricity supply since the privatisation of the sector. Specifically the survey stated that in the first quarter of this year, 43 per cent of Nigerians experienced worsened electricity supply while 20 per cent saw no difference at all in the privatized sector compared to when it was run by the defunct PHCN .The survey further revealed that six out of 10

Nigerian households received less than five hours of power supply in the first quarter of this year. “When we heard about the privatisation, we thought that power supply would have been stabilized by now but the reverse is the case, in fact it is even worse” said a Lagos resident. ‘Suit vogue’ is a cloth retail outlet in the Magodo area of Lagos, the retail outlet manager, Foluke, says she has opted out of getting electricity from public power supply and instead has resorted to the use of generators to power her shop. For her, the outrageous bill being forced on her on a monthly basis was responsible for the decision. She prefers fuelling her generator on daily basis as it’ is more cost effective than paying a huge bill for electricity she did not consume. Pekun Adeyanju, the assistant general manager, public affairs, Ikeja electricity distribution company, IKEDC, explains that while 1200MW is required for stable supply to areas within the company’s jurisdiction, only 350MW is being allocated to it daily. According to him, there is a whole lot of activities involved before electricity can get to the consumers. First, enough power

Subsidy payment major challenge for marketers says Nipco boss

he Managing Director of the Nigerian independent Petroleum Company Plc, NIPCO, Mr Venkataraman Venkatapathy has observed that one of the main challenges that plagued the downstream sector is the issue of subsidy payment to marketers on Premium Motor Spirit imports. Venkatapathy made the observation while speaking on the sidelines at the company’s 11thAnnual General Meeting held at the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja ``The outstanding payments with regards to premium motor spirit ,PMS, importations by marketers is seriously eroding into the operating results of the companies in the sector:”,he declared The MD said that the Petroleum industry which remains the mainstay of the nation’s economy and the highest contributor to national revenue have had its fortunes marred by plethora of challenges. According to him, there are also concerns about the effects of shale oil on the falling Crude Oil prices which also have its negative effects on the value of the national currency. He noted that despite the challenges, the company was able to put a transformation agenda in place to ensure that organization remains commit-

2015 will bring its own challenges but we shall remain focussed to the vision and work to make the best out of the year. “ We will continue to lay emphasis on what we can control ;providing our customers with the best in the market ;managing our costs ;strengthening our brand and doing our part to move the economy forward ” ,he declared Mr Venkatapathy asserted that the company’s operations

will continue to be in tandem with international best practices with our integrity intact and unassailable stressing that this focus will no doubt ,propel her to exceptional performance in 2015 . He appreciated the company’s shareholders for their unqualified support which had given the firm great impetus to aim high and work harder in the quest to take the organization to greater heights. BC

has to be generated by generation companies, while the transmission system must also be solid enough to wheel the electricity generated before it will be available to the distribution companies for supply to consumers. He explains that consumers will start to experience significant improvement when generation improves. On metering, Adeyanju discloses that a mass metering exercise will commence before the end of the year. To this end, more than 300 meters are now available for distribution to the areas being covered by, IKEDC. He pleads with consumers to exercise a little more patience adding that the delay is because the Sahara Group, which owns, IKEDC, is “only being meticulous so as not to make mistakes.” In line with high standard of ethics of the group, he says that core areas of operations will be attended to first According to him, when this issue of metering is addressed as it is currently being done, the complaints of outrageous bills will stop. Also the issue of outrageous bills has attracted the attention of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC. At a stakeholders’ forum recently in Abuja, NERC directed that the fixed charges paid by consumers as service charges be stopped to be paid only if the distribution companies could supply electricity for an average of 15 days a month. NERC is the regulator of the power sector; it was created to ensure that all participants in the industry play according to the rules; however whether the distribution companies will implement the directive remains to be seen. Nigerians in the meantime wait earnestly for the much trumpeted dividend of privatisation. BC

Venkatapathy

ted to meeting the needs of its stakeholders. “ Our services are second to none as we continue to store petroleum products in an environment that is friendly ,safe and dignifying in line with our corporate vision “ ,Venkatapathy stated . The company ,he said improved on its operational efficiency ,optimum capacity utilization and enhanced sales even as new business lines and processes were developed . According to him, Nipco’s passion for safety continued to pay off and earned her scores of recognitions ,the most recent being Nigerian Ports Authority ,NPA, Best HSE compliant terminal award for the fourth consecutive year. The Nipco CEO asserted that

Non-perfomimg marginal oil fields may be given more time – DPR

on performing marginal oil fields may be given more times to source for funds and technical competence needed for their operations. This is as a result of the unwillingness of the Federal Government to implement the recommendations of the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, to the effect that the licences of non performing marginal oil fields be revoked and the oil filed recovered by March this year. Industry sources attributed this to the current political atmosphere in the country which does not favour such decision. DPR had given the marginal fields owners up till March ending to develop the fields or have them taken away from them.

George Osahon, Director, DPR

In spite of this warning however,21 out of the 30 marginal oil fields allocated in 2003 remained dormant as a result of what industry watchers attributed to lack of funds and technical know- how needed to develop them. Among them are;Asaramotu

in OML 11(swamp), owned by Prime Energy and Suffolk petroleum; Eremor-OML 46 Owned by Excel E&p Ofa-OML 30 (Onshore) owned by Independent Energy and Atala OML 46,swamp, promoted by Bayelsa oil and Gas. Others are Millenium oil and Gas, Network E&P, Universal Energy Resources, Stubb Creek, and Tom Shot Bank Field among others. Sources close to the department however hinted that government might have a look at them after the election but might not be immediate adding that the wise ones among them will leverage on the extended time to adjust in terms of sourcing for fund and technical competence they need to develop them. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, March 30, 2015

Submarine fibre -optic cables

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Johnson

Phase3 Telecom deploys fiber-optic cable in Nigeria, others By Isaiah Erhiawarien

est Africa’s largest independent fibre optic infrastructure and telecommunications services provider - Phase3 Telecom has said it plans to deploy aerial fiber optic infrastructure from Kano in Nigeria to Gazaoua in the Republic of Niger. The network, which will run from Kano state through Katsina state before arriving at Gazaoua will be 228 km long and is expected to be completed in the coming months. The Republic of Niger is a landlocked country that borders seven countries; Algeria, Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, and Nigeria. The lack of backbone infrastructure between the Republic of Niger and its neighbours leaves Niger unable to fully enjoy the broadband advantage to its fullest. With one of the lowest internet penetration rates in West Africa, Republic of Niger will now have the opportunity to leverage on the huge bandwidth capacity which is available at the Nigerian coast in Lagos through the Phase3 telecom aerial fiber network. This development will also widen the market for under-sea cable owners in Nigeria while enhancing broadband development in the Republic of Niger. This project will further enhance and solidify the objec-

Jegede

tives behind the Nigeria - Niger Joint Commission, NNJC, and the partnership/relationship between the two countries. Chief Executive Officer, Phase3 Telecom, Stanley Jegede while commenting on the project said the opportunities that the internet delivers are critical to the acceleration of sustainable socio-economic inclusion and growth for the Republic of Niger. As this will open doors to new opportunities for residents to enjoy the benefits of the internet such as being able to work from the comforts of their home or study online. Businesses in this region will also be better positioned to use the internet to

boost productivity, offer better service, connect with customers faster and work anywhere at reduced costs. Today, easier and reliable access to information from anywhere drives development thus; This deployment is part of our wider West Africa roll out plan to deliver regional connectivity through a single network across the region. It is a confirmation of our commitment to ensure that the digital divide diminishes, delivering connectivity to new urban and rural areas”. “I believe that this mile stone is a positive step towards sustainable economic development in West Africa. With the support we have received thus far from

both the governments of the Republic of Niger and Nigeria; we are confident that this will mark the first phase in a long term partnership and we look forward to the dividends West Africa as a whole and in particular the Republic of Niger will benefit from the integration of this telecommunication infrastructure”, Jegede concluded. Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson said “Africa’s true economic potential will be harnessed by increasing the level of internet connectivity we currently have. This is one of the many ways to tap into the economic and social benefits Africa has the potential to deliver. The Ministry of Communication Technology and the Federal Government of Nigeria have worked very hard and closely with the Republic of Niger on integrating both countries under a single telecommunications infrastructure and projects like this that will deliver the infrastructure to connect us to our neighbours and the rest of the world is the first step in realizing that vision. Establishing strong and sustainable partnerships across the sub-region will deliver benefits for us all. I am delighted that Phase3 Telecom has the capacity and is delivering a homegrown solution that will deliver significant long term value”. She explained that the project is being facilitated by the Universal Service Provision Fund, USPF through the extension of

the Backbone Transmission Infrastructure Program (BTRAIN) programme to Niger. The Phase3 Telecom fiber network is delivered through aerial deployment on high voltage transmission lines along Nigeria-Niger transmission pylons. This will also increase the existing power sharing infrastructure that is already in place between both countries. Phase3 telecom’s, aerial fibre is more reliable than its terrestrial equivalent, and with over 7000km of existing fiber infrastructure in Nigeria alone, Phase3 is ideally positioned to deliver a wider regional solution. Meanwhile, a survey from FTTH Council Africa in partnership with Africa Bandwidth Maps revealed that 52 African countries are now connected to submarine cables, either directly or by terrestrial cross-border fibre optic networks. 44 per cent of Africans live within a 25-km reach of a fibre node. According to the latest research by Africa Bandwidth Maps, Africa’s total inventory of transmission network edges towards 1 million route kilometres, the continent had a total of 586,707-km of operational fibre optic network by December 2014. This comprises of longhaul, metropolitan and FTTH/B (fibre-to-the-home/building) terrestrial fibre optic networks. Of this inventory of 586,707– km of operational terrestrial fibre, at least 91,182-km was Continued on pg A12

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Business Courage

within cities: metropolitan fibre rings and FTTH/B networks. The metro rings distribute bandwidth from fibre optic nodes to districts and suburbs around each city. The FTTH/B networks provide the last mile access, delivering the bandwidth right to the door. This network expansion has brought dozens of new towns, cities and countries within reach of high capacity national and international fibre backbone networks for the first time. Over the last five years, more than 150 million more Africans live within reach of fibre networks. By June 2014, 44 per cent of the population of sub-Saharan Africa (410 million) lived within a 25-km range of an operational fibre optic network node. This compared to 41.8 per cent of the population (371 million) in 2013, 40.0 per cent (345 million) in 2012, 36.3 per cent (313 million) in 2011, and 30.8 per cent (259 million) in 2010. The number of people within

reach of a broadband service provided by fibre depends on the range of the fixed or wireless broadband access network used from the fibre node. In December 2014, 65.1 per cent of the population (606 million people) lived within a 50-km range of an operational fibre optic network node. This distance of 50-km is the maximum theoretical range of a WiMAX network. 44.0 per cent of the population (410 million) lived within a 25-km range, and 22.3 per cent of the population (207 million) lived within a 10-km range of an operational fibre network node. The new measurements now are how many people are within a zero kilometre reach of a fibre backbone. How many homes, public and commercial buildings are plugged directly into the fibre optic backbone? The FTTH Council Africa, in partnership with Africa Bandwidth Maps, announces its intention to conduct annual research to track FTTH/B pen-

Monday, March 30, 2015

etration. Measuring penetration is critical to understand how the industry is progressing. The research will take place in the form of a short survey and will attempt to document as many metro and FTTH/B networks as possible. The aim is to determine network reach and ultimately understand how many homes, public and commercial buildings are connected and the rate at which this is growing. If we know this we will better understand what still needs to be done. We would like to see all African operators participate to ensure technical accuracy of the data. The results will, over time, also establish trends and this information is important for the industry. The survey is now open for network operators to add their network locations on to the map, and to update details on the progress of their FTTH roll-out. The results for Q1 2015 will be compiled in April 2015. BC

Technology earns $7.2bn for Nollywood By Isaiah Erhiawarien

he $7.2bn GDP, which the Nigeria’s film industry generated in the 2014 is attributed to the application of technology. A study, from the Oxford Business Group describing the industry as the second-largest in the world in terms of number of films produced said that the spread of digital technology will be a major driving force for the film industry in the years to come, as domestic consumption increases. Higher levels of internet access, increased penetration rates for smartphones and improved bandwidth are all expected to help generate a production boom. An increase in demand for programming is also likely to generate new opportunities for content producers. According to a PwC report, Nigeria’s entertainment and media revenues will more than double to reach an estimated $8.5bn in 2018, from $4bn in 2013, with internet one of the key drivers. Mobile internet subscribers are forecast to surge to 50.4m in 2018 from 7.7m in 2013, according to the report. Likewise, pay-TV penetration is forecast to reach 24.4 per cent by 2018, with competition amongst digital terrestrial television operators set to grow after Nigeria migrates to digital. However, doubts remain over whether the country will be able to meet the June 2015 digital switchover deadline – set by a 2006 agreement brokered by the UN’s International Telecommunication Union. According the report, the need for homegrown content remains crucial to the development of the industry, quoting Charles Igwe, filmmaker and Chief Executive Officer of pro-

Igwe

duction firm, Nollywood Global. “All content is going digital, there is an explosion of film content, in all forms,” said Igwe, speaking at a conference in January. “Big telecoms companies will have to improve delivery creating the capacity to make content is imperative if we are going to exist in this space,” he added. The report said that platforms like Nigeria’s iROKOtv are providing new distribution channels for Nollywood films, which number more than 2000 produced annually. The tech company, which pays filmmakers about $10,000 to $25,000 for the digital rights to stream their content for a period of time, claims to be the world’s largest online distributor of African content with a catalogue of 5000 Nollywood films, report revealed. The Oxford Business Group in its study observed some challenges in the industry. It said that despite standing to benefit from the increasing number of distribution options, Nollywood producers still face significant challenges. “While Nigeria’s films are often produced for relatively modest amounts of money, funding and financing continue

to be a challenge for filmmakers, and gaps in infrastructure and coverage plus an unreliable electricity supply limit digital distribution channels in the shorter term”, the study said. It added: “Piracy remains another issue with the illegal copying, distributing and unauthorised broadcasting of movies eating into box office earnings. While efforts have been made to strengthen intellectual property rights, including a N2bn ,$9.85m, state fund to improve Nigeria’s content distribution network announced in late January, illegal downloads and bootleg DVDs look likely to continue undercutting revenue.” The study said despite the challenges, that Nollywood’s contribution to GDP is on track to rise during 2015 saying that in late December, the IMF said it expected Nigeria’s economic expansion to ease somewhat this year, with GDP on course to increase by 5 per cent, having slowed to 5.9 per cent year-onyear in the fourth quarter of 2014. “However, the IMF noted that the non-oil sector was to be less affected by slower growth, setting the scene for newly recognised segments, like Nollywood, to continue their expansion”, it added. The Nigerian film industry, known as Nollywood, is a key contributor to the increase. Under the rebasing conducted by the state statistics agency, the film industry accounted for more than 1.4 per cent of GDP – or $7.2bn of Nigeria’s economy. With an estimated 1m people directly or indirectly working in the industry, the making, distributing and screening of moving pictures has become the country’s second-biggest source of employment after agriculture. BC

Technotalk

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

Transforming the way you work using an online collaboration tool

eamwork is one of the most important aspects of the modern workplace. However, with the widespread of Internet availability, members of a team could be anywhere in the world. For teamwork to be effective, it is important for companies to adopt modern work practices and technologies that help co-workers, wherever they are, share their work in a simple and efficient way. This is where a good online collaboration tool comes in. Online collaboration allows a group of people work together in real-time over the Internet. Those engaged in online collaboration can work together on word processor documents, Power Point presentations and even for brainstorming, all without needing to be in the same room at the same time. There are many great online collaboration tools available, which can help your team accomplish its goals. However listed below are benefits of online collaboration that will help you and your organisation make a decision on this useful technology. 1. It is easy to keep track of projects - Online collaboration tools have a variety of project tracking capabilities that make it easy for team members to see the evolution of a project from day one. From tracking who made the latest changes to a document, to how the document was before the changes, to tagging a colleague to review the document. 2. Team members can be anywhere - As long as they have an Internet connection, team members can be working remotely from anywhere in the world. This means that it’s possible for a team to be completely dispersed, while still working in an organized way. Co-workers in different states or countries can easily work together on the same project, which helps organizations put together the best possible team for a project, It also means that while employees are away from the office on a business trip, they don’t need to be disconnected from the project, and can contribute to it as if they were on their desks. 3. Ease of reporting - Nearly all work projects have some kind of reporting associated with them, and report time is usually stressful. Sometimes, you can lose track of some of the activities that have been done for a certain project, especially when you are working with a large team. However, by using a good online collaboration tool, you can quickly generate detailed reports that include all of the activities associated with a certain project, giving team members more time to work on result-generating activities. 4. Actions are done quickly - With a good online collaboration tool, you don’t have to arrange a meeting or phone call in order to review documents. Documents can be uploaded into the tool, and reviewers can be automatically notified via email that documents have been uploaded. Reviewers can then annotate the document and make any necessary changes and notify all team members that the document has been reviewed and is ready. This makes it much easier to keep a steady and organized work flow on a project, with team members promptly contributing when necessary. 5. Documents are all stored in a single place - This makes it easy for all team members to have access to all necessary documents, regardless of their location and any updates to a document are seen immediately. Finally, online collaboration is good for organisations of any size, as long as there is interest in working together over the Internet to achieve same result. Not only is online collaboration great for working with your colleagues, but it’s also good when working on documents with client as it create a sense of teamwork and transparency and improves client relationships. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, March 30, 2015

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Yemi Adesokan:

A rare gem He had deep admiration for the U.S. military and had desired to join the US Marine Corps when he got into the United States of America at the age of 18. But that ambition did not materialise as fate thrust on him, another greater job that was to later throw him up among great men of ideas and innovation. This is the story of 39-year old Yemi Adesokan, whose exploit in the field of scientific research has placed Nigeria’s name conspicuously on world map

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

reat men are noted to have always gone the extra miles to achieve success in their respective endeavours. And just like such great men abounds across the globe, Nigeria, the self-acclaimed Giant of Africa has its own fair share of these great minds who have continued to excel in their various fields of endeavour, at home and in the Diaspora. Yemi Adesokan, the 39 yearold award-winning, Harvard trained US- based Nigerian born-scientist cum researcher belong, to this exclusive group. As a scientist and entrepreneur with experience in the development and optimization of multiplex capture and highthroughput genome sequencing technologies, it was this Nigerian youngster’s company, Pathogenica, that invented DNA sequencing technologies for medical tests. According to experts, Yemi’s discovery has potential to change the way mankind responds to disease pathogens and has the capacity to eradicate the era of increased burden of drug resistance in the world particularly, in the sub Saharan Africa. Yemi grew up in Okupe Estate Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos and attended Maryland Convent Private School for his Senior Secondary School Certificate in

1989 which he later completed in 1994 at the Command Day Secondary School, Ikeja. He left the shores of Nigeria at age of 18 in 1996 for the United States of America where he later became a citizen. When he moved to United States, little did the young Yemi realise that he was was merely preparing the ground for a lifetime achievement that will make him rub shoulders with some of the greatest names in scientific technology. Today, Yemi is an industry consultant with extensive experience in providing strategic advisory services to Fortune 500 life-science companies. He holds a B.Sc degree in Biology from the University of Houston and PhD in theoretical chemistry from the University of California, Irvine. In 2009, as a post-doctoral researcher in the prestigious Harvard University in the United States, Yemi collaborated with an American molecular geneticist, George Church to invent a diagnostic application which they called Pathogenica to boost DNA sequencing technologies. Prior to that, he had pioneered the development and implementation of the BioWeatherMap project, an initiative that collects real-time assays and uses them to track and limit viral outbreaks and antibiotic resistance in the developing world. Yemi started Pathogenica, chiefly because he saw a unique commercial opportunity where-

Adesokan

by he could provide physicians with a diagnostic tool that will enable the provision of better patient care. Pathogenica’s test kits are able to identify the presence, allowing for physicians to screen for multiple diseases with accurate results and a rapid turnaround. “I founded pathogenica with genomics pioneer and Harvard Prof George Church in 2009 in order to commercialise applications of pathogen sequencing,” Yemi said in a recent interview. Yemi’s Pathogenica’s technology is quite significant especially to clinical diagnostics as its great impact on the global healthcare industry cannot be underestimated. Diagnostic tests, as being developed by Yemi and his company, could let physicians quickly and cheaply pinpoint features of a patient’s infection, such as whether it is resistant to certain antibiotics, and prescribe the most effective treatment. In essence, when a patient goes to the hospital because of a bad cold or flu, sometimes, the drugs might not work because of the presence of “resistance mutations”. Pathogenica technology can detect not only the presence of the disease-causing organism, but also the presence of mutations. The doctor can then give the patient the right medica-

tion that will work even with the presence of mutations. The utility of the innovation in clinical practice lies in the low error rate, thereby reducing the number of inaccurate diagnoses due to false positives or the emergence of drug resistance mutations undetected by current methods. This, Business Courage gathered, reduces the occurrence of patient mortality (death) due to misdiagnosed infections. With the coming of the Pathogenica technology, the cost of DNA sequencing has dropped more than 40, 000-fold since that time to just $5,000 today. And the price has continued to drop. “We are applying this fast, inexpensive technology in a unique way to improve routine clinical diagnostics. The utility of the innovation in clinical practice lies in the low error rate, thereby reducing the number of inaccurate diagnoses due to false positives or the emergence of drug resistance mutations undetected by current methods. This reduces the occurrence of patient mortality (death) due to misdiagnosed infections. In addition, the technology does not require cultures as samples. TB samples can take over one week to culture. We can demonstrate diagnostic results in a single

day. This would reduce the spread of TB. In the case of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus), which causes cervical cancer and other types of cancers, this technology can be used for detection with a very low occurrence of error,”he noted. Of course, Yemi teamed up with a right person Professor Church who has greatly influenced the Nigerian youngster,. In real fact, Church seemed to have been the best choice for Yemi to work with, because it was Church who, in 1984, with another scientist, Walter Gilbert that developed the first ever direct genomic sequencing method and also helped to initiate the Human Genome Project as a Research Scientist at the then newly-formed Biogen Incorporation in the US. Church is also the man who invented the broadly-applied concepts of molecular multiplexing and tags, homologous recombination methods and DNA array synthesisers, among many other inventions to his credit. This, coupled with their invention on clinical diagnostics had brought a great breakthrough to the science world, especially the medical field. Pathogenica’s initial efforts Continued on pg A14

Business Courage

had focused on detecting the microbes that cause urinarytract infections. Its researchers are also developing tests to analyze how microbe populations change when someone is treated with new antibiotics or antivirals. Because the technology can detect small changes in DNA, it may be able to reveal early on if a population of microbes is developing resistance to a drug. However, Yemi did not just start this wizardry after his encounter with Church. The initiative indeed started during his undergraduate days. Then, as a Biology undergraduate researcher at the University of Houston, US in 2001, he had predicted the first HIV-Integrase/Viral DNA binding pattern. Then later, as part of his doctoral thesis in theoretical chemistry at the University of California, US, Yemi worked on the development of new force-fields for bimolecular modelling. There, he spearheaded the genomic centres of excellence programme, which included the multi-drug resistant TB analysis and capacity-building initiatives funded by a Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Exploration grant. “To identify these pathogens today, scientists must use expensive DNA tests or grow the microbes from a sample—a slow process that doesn’t work for many bacteria. And both methods often fail to detect small differences in DNA that can have a huge impact on the organism’s virulence and resistance to drugs. Pathogenica’s technology can pick out specific regions of a pathogen’s genome, such as the genes involved in its ability to infect its host, and sequence many of these regions simultaneously. It minimizes the amount of sequencing, so Pathogenica’s approach will be cheaper, faster, and more precise than existing tests”, says Yemi. Pathogenica’s two-dimensional multiplexing method provides the only effective means to screen thousands of samples and hundreds of unique pathogens in a single day. It also discriminates between pathogen and non-virulent “near neighbour” species with negligible false positive rate. While it adapts to emerging polymorphisms and unknown pathogen variants, it also delivers diagnostic assays for medicine and industry at a fraction of a dollar per pathogen. By his own admission, Yemi’s journey in the field of Biotechnology thus far has been both exciting and challenging. “My doctorate is in theoretical chemistry, so switching to genomics as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard was frightening for a fleeting second. However, having an advisor like George Church, plain hard work and God’s mercies got me over the initial hump. Biotechnology and genomics, in particular, has been a driver of the healthcare industry over the past decade,

Monday, March 30, 2015

Adesokan

‘

We are applying this fast, inexpensive technology in a unique way to improve routine clinical diagnostics. The utility of the innovation in clinical practice lies in the low error rate, thereby reducing the number of inaccurate diagnoses due to false positives or the emergence of drug resistance mutations undetected by current methods

especially with the completion of the human genome project which has catalyzed the emergence of the field of personalized medicine. I and the Pathogenica team feel very fortunate to be at the fore front of the genomics revolution,” he said. Recognised for his excellent track record in predicting innovative technologies, and based on his work on the development of fast DNA sequencing technologies for clinical diagnostics, recently, Technology Review selected him in the TR35, MIT Technology Review’s annual list of 35 top innovators under the age of 35. The TR35 award is presented each year to 35 innovators under the age of 35 whose “accomplishments are poised to have a dramatic impact on the world.” The TR35 recognises the world’s top innovators, spanning energy, medicine, computing, communications, nanotechnology, and other emerging fields.

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Past recipients have included Sergey Brin (Google), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), and Konstantin Novoselev (a Nobel Laureate in Physics). Of course, Yemi could not but felt honoured and excited to have been named among the world’s top 35 innovators. “When I googled TR35 to review the list of individuals such as Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Sergey Brin (Google) and Konstantin Novoselov (Nobel Prize Winner in Physics) that have made the cut over the last five years, I felt honoured and humbled to be considered among such greats. The successes of the TR35 innovators over the last few years show that the MIT Tech Review has a pretty solid track record of predicting emerging technologies and innovators,” he said. Bolstered by the honour, Yemi says his dream is to continue to work as fast and as hard as ever before to commercialize the technology globally as he noted

that “this is no time to rest on our oars.” Yemi is not thinking of advancing medicine and technology in the US and Europe alone. The Nigerian blood still flows passionately in him as he has expressed his resolve to make impact in Nigeria as well.“I would love to have our products in Nigeria. Please be on the lookout for Pathogenica’s sequence-based tests for HIV diagnostics. We are in talks with various groups in Nigeria to implement this. It will be in place very soon,”he noted. Health experts who spoke with Business Courage on the possibility of adapting Yemi’s invention said it will help address one of the major issues in the health sector in Nigeria today. According to them, the fears that some of the sterilised water being used for many patients might really have contained harmful pathogens would be addressed by the Pathogenica technology which is said to be useful in screening a range of pathogens in water, livestock (poultry, etc.), and in food manufacturing. Yemi is looking forward to partnering with the Nigerian private and public sectors, particularly in the area of Tuberculosis which is not an issue in the US market. “We plan to visit Nigeria soon to give some presentations on the utility of our technology, particularly in the case of drugresistant infections,” he said. Yemi believes that the Nigerian government can still do more in terms of encouraging young innovators embarking on various ground-breaking researches, noting that the establishment of technology incubators to nurture and fund young companies would be a good starting point. “There is need for the government to send science and technology representatives to scout out new innovations worldwide, and encourage private sector venture capitalists to invest in local technology innovation,” he noted. Significantly, Yemi’s pathogen sequencing analysis company, Pathogenica is already spreading its tentacles wide beyond the US market. The company recently announced its first product, a hospital acquired infection (HAI) BioDetection Kit and has also signed an agreement with Life Technologies, Japan to launch and distribute it in that country on the Ion Torrent platform. The kit is based on Pathogenica’s DxSeq technology platform, a DNA sequencing analysis product that can identify infectious disease with high accuracy, at high specific strain resolution and at a scale that makes hospital-wide testing practical. The kit can test more than 12 different pathogens and 15 resistance gene families in a single assay; and up to 12 patient samples can be tested per sequencing, enabling dozens of samples to be

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tested in one day. The kit is marked for research use only and works with any DNA sequencing platform and not to diagnose hospital patients.“Current methods for detecting causative organisms can take up to two days for results and are limited in their ability to discriminate between hospital- and community-acquired infection or to identify organisms beyond a small group of common pathogens,” Yemi, CEO of Pathogenica, said. Yemi said that “For effective surveillance and control of HAIs, it is necessary to identify the causative organism, while also providing high-resolution sequence data that includes strain identity and resistance genes. We have developed a low-cost sequencing assay that can address both these needs and deliver results in less than 12 hours.” According to Yemi, “Pathogenica’s bio-detection system for hospital acquired infections has the potential to radically improve HAI management, rendering traditional testing methods obsolete,” The reduction of mortality rate, and economic burden, of HAIs could be significant.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year in the United States, about one in 20 hospitalized patients will contract an HAI, leading to 100,000 deaths and adding $4.5 billion in healthcare costs. The Pathogenica kit has reagents for identifying pathogens and drug resistance markers per sample including: Acinetobacter baumannii, Clostridium difficile, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Coagulase negative staph (epidermis, saprophyticus), Staphylococcus aureus, and common beta-lactamase resistance genes, mecA, and the vanA gene family. “Making hospital care safer is a global priority,” added Adesokan. “Our partnership with Life Technologies provides access to many hospitals in Japan where together we can help to begin controlling the spread of infection very quickly.” Pathogenica is not a labour intensive endeavour as it only has about 20 employees in its payroll and it recently moved to its new 5,000-square-foot space in the Boston Design Centre. Though Yemi would not be drawn into disclosing his net worth, investigations have revealed that the Harvard-trained scientist currently worth several millions of dollars. However, like every business, Yemi was also confronted with the challenge of funding, a major killer of many start-ups but he admitted that the never say die spirit and the environment where he started from (US), helped his course tremendously. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, March 30, 2015

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ThebuddingEntrepreneurs BUSINESS

Energy, work and initiative age

KLINIC

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.

man found a cocoon for a butterfly. One day, a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared stuck. The man decided to help the butterfly, and with a pair of scissors, he cut open the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But something was strange. The butterfly had a swollen body and shriveled wings. The man watched the butterfly, expecting it to take on its correct proportions. However, nothing changed. The butterfly stayed the same. It was never able to fly. In his kindness and haste, the man did not realise that the butterfly’s great effort to walk through the small cocoon is a systematic process of forcing fluids from the body of the butterfly into the wings so that it would be ready for flight. The quick fix limits the potential of the butterfly to go on first flight. Dear friend, at times, you need to, humbly tell people who are afraid of your failure to allow you do your work. This is because, the process of daily work develop your potential in the enterprise. It is important to respect work system processes as it helps people become original when drawing out their innate abilities through responsibility. Every responsibility requires vigor or energy and that could be in form of internal or external motivation. We all need energy, especially from words of encouragement known as verbal energy. Energy, by the definition of physical science, is the ability to work. Every entrepreneur needs energy that comes from conviction, vigor, liveliness, motivation, support of team members to keep working. Also, no physical system can change without introducing the required energy into it. Actually, the crises on earth are energy-interest motivated. Every nation needs different form of energy to work and aims to become a developed nation. “In 1979, United States President, Jimmy Carter, addressed the nation to declare that the country was suffering from an energy crisis, as well as a deeper and more general cri-

sis of confidence. Some of the most visible effects of the energy crisis in the United States were high gasoline prices and long wait to fill up at gas stations. Carter saw working to solve the energy crisis and decreasing the country’s dependence on imported oil as the first step in uniting people behind a common cause and renewing their faith in the nation.” Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. Consequently, the physical world or earth is a system and requires energy to be developed. Without energy, no nation can develop and evidently, every economy depends on energy to grow. All policy for job creation is only achievable when energy policy is favourable for businesses. In the same thinkig, every entrepreneur require energy for successful business operation. Either energy for her body or emotional energy should never be lacking among people working as business team. Without energy, business team members cannot create wealth. The biggest crisis in the world today is because of people desperate desire to get energy. Our world is a system that can only sustain us by access to energy. Since the creation of the earth, the most important factor for both business and society system development is the energy. Energy is the ability to do your responsibility. Energy is the ability to move forward. Energy is the ability to exercise dominion. Energy is the ability

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Since the creation of the earth, the most important factor for both business and society system development is the energy. Energy is the ability to do your responsibility. Energy is the ability to move forward. Energy is the ability to exercise dominion. Energy is the ability to get wealth. Energy is the ability to lead effectively. Energy is the ability to destroy the resistance of enemy in battle

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e-mail: olusegunmamora@gmail.com

to get wealth. Energy is the ability to lead effectively. Energy is the ability to destroy the resistance of enemy in battle. Energy is the ability to win race. You need energy to work in your enterprise system. What is work? Work is who you become by the discovery, training and application of dormant ability in you. If you respond to your music talentbecause you discovered it and sing, daily and over a period, you will become a musician. However, what you hear and see generate energy; and without energy, you cannot work. Verbal-energy is articulated words that stimulate your soul and body for your potential to keep stretching and creating more values. There are two fundamental principles that guide

work. The principle one: without a system you cannot work. Human being can only express his ability within an environment called system. All effective and successful entrepreneur work within a system they created and in organised society. Without good system, potential is dormant, because it is within system that energy can be converted and conserved. Make sure your business operation dont waste workers energy and efforts. Be organised by creating good system. The principle two: Work is for the benefit of people. Every opportunity to work is an opportunity to increase influence, grow people potential for management, and exercise mastery over the system. One of the benefits is that people perspective to life and leadership is shape at the work place. Work place provides opportunity for people to respond to their abilities. If people are not becoming better in your enterprise then perhaps they are not working or the leader is not working. From the beginning of creation of earth, the people have worked only in three different economic systems and have become three different types of business perspective people. I will quickly explain these. The first economic system was “agriculture dominant” business society. In agriculture dominance age, land cultivation was the

Motivational Business Quotes

he man who will use his skill and constructive imagination to see how much he can give for a dollar, instead of how little he can give for a dollar, is bound to succeed. – Henry Ford

makes the view from the top so exhilarating. – Denis Waitley

It’s through curiosity and looking at opportunities in new ways that we’ve always mapped our path at Dell. There’s always an opportunity to make a difference. – Michael Dell

Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it. – Dwight D. Eisenhower

If you work just for money, you’ll never make it, but if you love what you’re doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours. – Ray Kroc Winners take time to relish their work, knowing that scaling the mountain is what

Management is nothing more than motivating other people. – Le Iacocca

The most serious mistakes are not being made as a result of wrong answers. The truly dangerous thing is asking the wrong question. – Peter Drucker Why did I want to win? Because I didn’t want to lose! – Max Schmelling

first recognised business that people engaged in and it was all about growing crops. This work of growing crops became a dominant culture and the language of man was all about growing up. Today, we expect our businesses to grow just as the planted seeds grow. People who lived in the pre-industrial period became “growers” because of the prevalent work culture in the economic system. The second economic system was “manufacturing dominant” business society. Factory sprang up after the discovery of iron ore, coal, and crude oil in the earth core. The discoveries of natural energy and its productivity capacity motivated people to move from farm into factories and the prevalent culture of growers subsided to the new culture of manufacturing. Many people became “makers” because a new system gave them the opportunity to express abilities they never knew that existed within. “Made in China” or “Manufactured in China” is an expression of manufacturing dominant culture. The third economic system is the present “initiative dominant” business society. In this generation, every enterprise system that leads and desire to lead in his product and service category have an expectation from every employee and it is to take initiative. In the present economic system, you can develop enterprise by the quality of your thinking. Today, people think more than previously mentioned people were in the last two economic systems. Microsoft, Oracle, Apple, Facebook, Google, Samsung, Wal-Mart, Toyota are examples of business systems that are relevant because of quality of thinkers involved in products and services development processes. Toyota says “Good thinking, Good product”. “As a man think, so is he, - Holy Bible.” Dear entrepreneur, when you understand that in the present age energy, work and productive thinking are major drivers of global economic system, then it is easier to work and be relevant. This is when you truly work as an entrepreneur. Cheer up, you will fulfill your dream because the potential is in you. BC

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ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

The accountant – turned rice farmer When he decided to venture into farming, it was only natural that those around him should discourage him because he had neither the requisite training nor experience. Having graduated from the University of Ilorin as a trained accountant, Alabi-Ojolowo was bracing for the unknown when he took a leap of faith plunging himself completely into the world of agri-business that has today earned him so much recognition in agro entrepreneurship

bdul-Ghaniyy AlabiOjolowo, is the Managing Director of Resofam Foods and the secretary of Commercial Agriculture Development Association CADA, Lagos State chapter, where he has been deservedly identified as a lead farmer in the rice project. Given his success today anyone could be swayed into believing that he was born on the farm. The reality is that AbdulGhaniyy is no different from most Nigerian youths who see little or no reason to embark on agriculture as a sustainable means of livelihood after formal education. True to type, after graduation he started out with a paid employment, which he quit after a while when he discovered that his employer was only out to exploit his abilities without adequate compensation for his efforts. With that sour experience he launched his entrepreneurial adventure, armed only with ideas of what kinds of business activities he wanted to engage himself in namely being a product distributor or a manufacturer’s representative. In the meantime before he could realise his dreams, he took up a teaching job in a private secondary school where he taught the students Further Mathematics and Economics, at the same time preparing himself to write the final stage of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria ICAN Certificate test. Fuelled by his passion for entrepreneurship and his desire to be self employed, Abdul-Ghaniyy recounts that he made it a duty to visit every fair and exhibition that took place in Lagos even if he had no money to shop for items. “There is hardly a fair or exhibition that I don’t attend

except I did not hear or see the advertisement. I will strive to be there, because I believed it was a place to meet manufacturers since I had the desire to be a product distributor or manufacturer’s representative.”, he said. He also recalled that a major deterrent for him to getting a dealership from the manufacturers was the requirement of capital and storage facilities. “I got discouraged when I discovered that these conditions ran into millions of naira and large warehouses.” So he decided to start small by getting a shop after which he successfully secured a dealership with a manufacturer that made rice flour and yam flour. However he later discovered that frequent upward price adjustments by the manufacturers which were usually without notice was creating problems for him with his customers who were unable to adapt to the price changes. He was soon to be introduced into farming by a chance meeting with Mrs. Adeoye, the chairperson of rice farmers association Lagos state at one of such fairs where she was showcasing Nigeria’s local ‘ofada’ rice after making a purchase from her, he sought to be introduced to the growers because he felt there might just be a marketing opportunity in it. Incidentally it was during that time in 2009 that former President Olusegun Obasnjo initiated the presidential initiative on rice production and export to boost local rice production and after Abdul-Ghaniyy was privileged to see a copy of the document that was adopted by the initiative’s committee he started dreaming farming as a veritable platform to actualise his entrepreneurial ambition. “It was that document that

Alabi-Ojolowo

gave me the theoretical idea in terms of the prospects in the rice value chain, but despite being armed with a sound theoretical background it was the practice on the job that has really deep-

ened my wealth of expertise in the field besides exposing me to making contact with major stakeholders who have impacted my venture into agribusiness so far,” he said.

Initially he was only interested in being involved at the value chain level as either a processor or marketer, but Mrs. Adeoye impressed it on him to be a producer and after giving it

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

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ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

Rice farm

some thought he went to the farms just to observe how rice was grown he was convinced that he could do it and so he took the bold step starting with two hectares of land which has more than doubled five times today to a minimum of 10 hectares barely five years after he started. He points out that he has only been able to achieve the feat because of his quick adaptation to mechanisation and the opportunity to have access to modern farm machineries and processing facilities provided by the Lagos state government under its rice for job initiative. According to him, “the intervention of the project encouraged me to expand my farmland because no farmer in his/her right mind will ever plant on more than two hectares of land with the old manual method of production process right from the stress of land preparation to planting, weeding, application of fertilizers and insecticides etc all the way to manual

harvesting method not to think of threshing. But with the project intervention,” he said. He did not take a loan to start according to him, he managed with the little that he had but he got a lot of support from the local farmers that helped him through the early stages. Today he not only produces but has extended his entrepreneurship to processing and marketing and he has a very good business reason for doing that. “When I was only producing, I noticed that people came to buy off our harvests at a very cheap and ridiculous price because we had no facility for storage. So I sat down to see how we can be adding value to our crops so that we can also attract premium,” he said. That was how he decided to start processing and storage of his harvest and later on packaging them to supply to eateries directly instead of waiting for people to come to the farm gate to

make it count! Here three ways to create an awesome one-line benefit 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

buy at ridiculous prices. At the end of every harvest season he gets about three tonnes of improved variety and 2.5 tonnes of the local variety per hectare. He humbly attributes his success today to his wife who was patient with him and supportive over his decision to quit a paid job for entrepreneurship; those who were willing to teach him what he did not know about rice farming; federal and Lagos state government Agriculture ministry officials and CADP officials who helped him in no small measure in obtaining necessary training, farm input, interest free grants and capacity enhancement both here and abroad. “The cluster of farmers around Itoikin, Ise, Igbogun have been doing our businesses under an umbrella of an association called Resofam with more than 200 members dealing with rice production, processing and marketing, but when CADP came up, those of us in the same interest line came together as a group and formed a Commodity Interest Group (CIG) under the project; each CIG with 10 members consisting of eight males and two females,” he said. He pointed out that before the intervention; the highest yield recorded was 950kg representing 23.7 per cent of target per hectare which when packaged does not give up to 10 bags of paddy rice. “But now with the intervention, we are proud of harvesting 2.5 tonnes representing 62 per cent of target per hectares which is three times what we used to produce before the intervention and when bagged gives us nothing less than 50 bags per hectares. So the intervention has been a great blessing to farmers generally we have benefitted a tractor; Gas gun to scare birds away ; a combine harvester besides inputs like fertilisers, seeds, herbicides and insecticides,” he said. He aspires to increase production capacity by four tonnes which is 100 percent at the end of each year and a better irrigation management practice as they currently have no irrigation facilities that could aid in all season planting rather than waiting on rain fall before planting. Today in a country where many youths especially graduates are seeking for what to do Abdul-Ghaniyy sees himself as a contented successful employment provider who has in his own little way helped to create means of livelihoods for himself, his family and few other Nigerians. “Definitely some people have to do the ‘paid office job’ too, if not, who do we employ; but my additional view is that we all cannot get paid office jobs, hence the need for those of us left behind to be looking in the direction of wealth creation while the government at all levels should help to build the necessary infrastructures for such ideas to easily fly,” he said. BC

Personal Finance

Ways of making your business grow

veryone wants their business to succeed. You want your business to be around next year and the following year, don’t you? The question is, how many customers do you need to be successful and, more importantly, sustainable? Here are four tips for preparing your business for growth. 1. Treat your business like a restaurant. Do you have enough capacity to accommodate an increase in your customer base? Before you decide to acquire more customers determine whether that strategy is realistic. Take inventory of whether your production and assembly facility can handle an increase of even 10 percent more customers. Everyone dreams of their business being wildly successful. The reality of growth without preparation is like giving a party where everyone shows up -- at the same time. Can you feasiblly and successfully serve everyone? 2. Build your growth strategy around a loyal and retained customer base. If you are constantly replacing customers you lose, that’s no growth strategy at all. A loyal and retained customer base is comprised of your early-adopters and continuous ambassadors. These folks become the fulcrum for leveraging improvements, new product introductions, enhanced and expanded services and referral business. They are gold. Identify who they are early on and make them the focus of your attention over the long haul. 3. Acknowledge customer growth angst. Your early customers can become anxious as your business grows. Some early adopters will perceive that you have become “too big and famous” to meet their ongoing needs. Create a strategy for maintaining contact with and reassuring your first customers that your success is founded on their belief in you. Realistically, your growth strategy should include how to transition smaller accounts to other companies better able to meet their needs. Some original customers won’t want to increase their job size to meet your need for a customer base seeking increased capacity and complexity -- especially in the case of manufacturers. 4. Differentiate yourself and your business via continuous customer touches. Build your business on the basis of customer experience: The sum total of what each customer experiences when working with you and your company over the lifetime of your relationship. Think about it like a restaurant: You won’t maintain a loyal customer base if you are running around your overcrowded restaurant trying to serve new customers while your original customers wait outside in the rain. If you need to make changes, be transparent. Communicate with your customers and prepare them for changes you are making. It’s better to offer to transition them to other suppliers (in advance) than to disappoint them with your lack of attention and have them voice their feelings to the community BC

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Behind d Wheels This page is open to sponsorship

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

he Mercedes-Benz F 015 is not a typical concept car, some lightly disguised version of next year’s sedan complete with zippy entertainment electronics and snappy taillights. Instead, this Mercedes is a leap into the future, a car so different and provocative that it leaves you feeling woozy, as if you had taken a ride in Doc Brown’s time-traveling DeLorean DMC-12. It has to be admitted that trundling around a deserted aircraft runway in the Mercedes-Benz F 015 is not exactly a futuristic experience. Even so, it did help to understand that this concept car introduced at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show is about more than just the latest technology for autonomous driving. Instead, it is a demonstration of what the future will feel like and why autonomous driving will seem like a very good idea in 2030, no matter what you might think about it now.

Shaping the future At the 2011 Tokyo auto show, a group of future-oriented designers came together at the request of Holger Hutzenlaub, the leader of Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design in Sindelfingen, not far from the headquarters of Mercedes in Stuttgart, Germany. As Hutzenlaub explained, he was looking for more than just the usual thinking about new cars. Instead, he wanted to understand the cultural d then trends of our time and o a car bring them together into es into that could take Mercedes the future. The result is more like a carriage than a rockett ship. e MerPassengers “inhabit” the cedes-Benz F 015 ratherr than or has drive it, and the interior hysical the visual cues and physical fice features of a mobile offi rather than the usuall jet-fighter cockpit. The message here is comfort and well-being, not excitement and motion. Indeed the vehicle is focused inward, even as it comtmunicates with the outy of side world with an array

sophisticated electronics. It looks like an electronic product, and its license plate even carries a QR code. When Hutzenlaub presented the proposal to build the F 015 concept car to the Mercedes board of management, it was part of a complete report, “The City of the Future 2030+.” He recalls that the whole board unexpectedly seemed to respond to his plan with a sigh of relief. He says, “It was like they were pleased to know that there were people at Mercedes who were thinking about the future of the company.” The world will be spinning faster It should be no surprise that Mercedes believes that the world will be spinning faster in 2030 as life becomes more crowded and complex, yet the scenario is far from the dysto-

pian vision you might expect. It’s true that urban centers will grow, but Eric Larsen of Mercedes-Benz R&D in Sunnyvale, California, points out that a baby boom looms ahead as the millennial generation matures. In the U.S., this generation will turn to America’s large areas of suburban space to raise their families. And in the world of 2030 just as in the world of 1955, the automobile is the key instrument that makes the suburb possible. Not that the world of 2030 will look familiar. Alexander Mankowsky, the Mercedes specialist in future studies, says that the limited spaces and bustling crowds of the future will make it foolish to continue the use of a forest of traffic signs to maintain a strict separation of cars and people.

Instead, he says, cars must learn to coexist with humans in shared spaces, not only recognizing humans but also communicating with them. And in these circumstances, a car’s ability to deliver autonomous driving will be crucial. Motoring into the future Peter Lehmann, who leads the 100 people at Mercedes Advanced Design in Sindelfingen that engineer and craft prototype cars, cheerfully invites media men into the F 015. At the push of a button, the four doors swing outward by 90 degrees, and then four seats swivel outward to make it easier to cross the wide doorsill. The car is about the size of a Mercedes S-Class, although its long 142.1inch wheelbase and 26-inch wheels make

it look much larger. The platform carries its fuel cell up front, while the carbon-fiber tanks of hydrogen are hidden beneath the floor. The twin electric motors and the battery are in the rear. The lightweight body is built from steel, aluminum and carbon fiber. Lehman motors the Mercedes-Benz F 015 around with a futuristic steering wheel, and the various controls on the instrument panel in front of him are meant to be operated with gestures. Then he engages automated mode so the car will follow a programmed loop around the vacant runway here on the site of the former Naval Air Station Alameda, and he swivels his seat around so we’re all facing one another as if we were in a kind of booth at a very futuristic bar. The windows of the cabin present a view of our s u r -

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Behind d Wheels This page is open to sponsorship

Autocare Ways to proactively protect your engine (1)

roundings, only at a very subdued intensity. Meanwhile the door panels incorporate electronic screens that display an interface to control telephone and computer communication, some basic vehicle functions and even screen-saver graphics. As Lehman points out, the great luxury in the future will be free time. And when your vehicle might be caught up in traffic during a trip, it will be a great luxury to devote yourself to work, entertainment or relaxation, and leave the car to its own devices. An autonomous vehicle like the Mercedes-Benz F 015 will get you to your destination thanks to a programmed route, an array of sensors, an ability to communicate with pedestrians and other vehicles with a system of external LED lights front and rear, and an incredibly powerful and fast-acting on-board computer. The technology for autonomous driving is already here The Mercedes-Benz F 015 is actually more like a rolling proof of concept than a research vehicle for autonomous driving, and it rumbles around like a science experiment instead of a car. Now, it

is not actually much of an autonomous car, although testing continues on a dedicated research platform at a facility in Northern California dedicated to this purpose by the state government. Of course, the surprise is the fact that almost all the technology for the autonomous driving car is already on the road. In August 2013, a preproduction Mercedes S-Class autonomously drove the same 100-km route from Mannheim to Pforzheim taken by Bertha Benz in 1888 when she carjacked her husband’s threewheeled science project without his knowledge and took their kids to see her mother. And now the Mercedes-Benz S550 you can buy incorporates precisely the array of radar- and optic-controlled sensors and systems required for fully autonomous driving. Of course, it is presently understandable that these systems as slightly prosaic features that give us adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, emergency braking, front-and-rear collision avoidance (both with cars and pedestrians), blind-spot warning and collision avoidance, and even active parking assistance. At the moment,

Mercedes-Benz is also working on “Highway Pilot,” which allows automated driving at higher speed. The real leap into the future of autonomous driving will come only when the vehicle can recognize and respond to pedestrians in a compact environment, and this will take some serious computing power, not to mention sophisticated algorithms. In effect, Mercedes must teach the automobile to speak the same language as humans, and this will not be a simple process. Driving into the future The Mercedes-Benz F 015 is about the future, not just autonomous driving. It sees a time when humans and automobiles must share space, and this will call for new thinking when it comes to personal mobility. As it turns out, autonomous driving seems like the right response, since it leads the way to interaction between humans and automobiles that is safe, efficient, and even potentially rewarding in terms of taking road rage out of the driving equation. The key here is an intelligent partnership between driver and car, which is something that driving enthusiasts can understand. In the world that Mercedes-Benz envisions, there will be times and places when you let the car take care of its occupants, just as there is now. Other times and places, you will determine the car’s speed and direction, just as you do now. As long as the partnership between man and machine remains natural and enjoyable, Mercedes believes there will be little to fear from the forthcoming mobility revolution. BC

ajority of the time, most of us don’t spend a lot of time thinking about our engines. We hop into the car, turn the key and head out to wherever we’re going. When we do notice the engine, however, it’s usually when we hear it making sounds we’re not accustomed to hearing or when the car feels a little different than it did before. Engines need to be looked after. They need a check-up every now and then, and they also require some regular maintenance to keep them in good running condition. To help you take proper care of your engine and to keep it from creating serious problems, we’ve put together this list of 10 ways to proactively protect your engine. For your engine to run better, last longer and keep you from shelling out more cash later on down the road, here are top suggestions you must follow: 1. Change the oil regularly Changing the oil regularly is one of the most important things you can do for your engine. If don’t read any of the other ways to protect your engine (but we really hope you do) make sure to do this one. Oil keeps vital engine parts well lubricated so that they won’t overheat. Your engine can’t function without it and if you go too long between oil changes it can cause permanent damage to your engine over time. Suggestions for when you should change your oil will vary, but the most recent standard for modern cars is to change the oil every 5,000 miles (8,047 kilometers) [source: Cars. com]. Some engines can go longer while some older engines may need it sooner than that. Since we’re talking about proactively protecting your engine, make sure to look up what your car’s manufacturer suggests for your specific vehicle’s oil change interval. If you can’t find your car’s manual, do a quick search online to find out when it should be changed. We can’t mention changing the oil without also stressing that the oil filter needs to be replaced at the same time. The oil filter catches all the dirt and debris floating around inside of your engine and keeps the junk from circulating back through engine. With a new filter and new oil, your engine will run smoothly, and most importantly, it’ll keep all the internal parts of the engine cool and well lubricated. 2. Keep the cooling system working In addition to changing the oil, there’s another part of keeping the engine cool that you can’t overlook -- the cooling system itself. The cooling system includes the radiator, thermostat, water pump and coolant. The easiest way to protect your engine from overheating is by making sure you have the proper amount of coolant (radiator fluid) circulating throughout your engine. The coolant circulates through your engine when the thermostat determines that the engine is getting hot and needs to be cooled down. The water pump then pulls coolant from the radiator, sends it into the engine block and then back out to the radiator to be cooled back down. To check the coolant level, lift the hood and look at your coolant tank. It’s a clear tank with a green or orange colored liquid in it. Make sure the coolant is above the minimum mark but below the maximum mark. If you notice that your car is overheating and you know that there’s enough coolant, take your car to a mechanic and have them run a cooling system check. The cost to find and replace a problem with the cooling system ahead of time will far outweigh the damage done to your engine if it ever overheats. BC To be continued next week

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REGULATORS

Nigeria’s import cargo volume grows 7% on improved infrastructure By Francis Ezem

he Nigerian Ports Authority has said that the 13 per cent growth recorded in the volume of cargo imported into the country is attributable to the current efforts of the authority at improving infrastructure, which made the ports use-friendly and thus increased patronage. Report of port activities for the fiscal year ended December 2014 shows that the cargo throughput stood at a total of total of 86.6 million metric tonnes of cargo were handled at the nation’s various seaports, showing an increase of 12.6 per cent when compared with the 76.9 million metric tonnes recorded in the comparative period of 2013. The cargo throughput represents the total volume of cargo comprising both inward and outward handled in all the port locations during the period under review, excluding crude oil terminals. Details of the report shows that Laden container throughput stood 1.1 million Twenty Equivalent Units ,TEUs, repre-

Abdullahi

senting a growth rate of 5.2 percent when compared with the 1.0 million TEUs recorded in the comparative period of 2013. Meanwhile, the general cargo trade segment also recorded a strong growth pattern, as a total of 14.5 million metric tonnes of cargo were imported in the review period, which represents an increase of 21.2 percent compared with the 11.9 million metric tonnes recorded in the comparative period of 2013. Further details show that dry bulk cargo stood at 9. 9 million metric tonnes as against the 9.5 million recorded in the previous year, shows an increase of 3.2

percent. over 9,537,442 metric tons achieved in 2013. Empty container throughput stood at 790,586 TEUs, showing an increase of 10.3 percent over the 717,011 TEUs recorded in 2013. Also, 20.7 million metric tonnes of refined petroleum products were imported in the year under review as against the 19.4 million metric tonnes achieved in the previous year, representing an increase of 6.8 per cent Managing Director of the NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi, who commented on the port performance, attributed it to improved infrastructure. According to him, the current management has taken definite steps towards improving the port infrastructure, which is the bedrock of any efficient port system. “The management would continued to pay attention to first and foremost, improving existing port infrastructure in the areas of rehabilitation of port quay walls and aprons, deepening of the channels, upgrading of common user facilities and wreck removal from the

MDAs bemoan mopping up of operational accounts by CBN

any Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAS, have complained of their inability to access funds from their operational accounts domiciled in First Bank PLC. News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, learnt in Abuja on Friday that some of the MDAs could not carry out their businesses because no money was left in the accounts. An employee of First Bank, who spoke to NAN on condition of anonymity, said the Central Bank of Nigeria cleared the accounts by removing monies in them. But Alhaji Ibrahim Mu’azu, the CBN Director of Communication, said that the MDAs were

Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor

making false allegations. He said that apart from the reserve, the apex bank would not mop up MDAs accounts for any reason. “I know that what we are trying to follow now is the new government policy on Treasury Single Account, TSA, which gears towards ensuring the safety of all government revenue. “All monies that belong to government under this policy will be easily accessed by government,’’ he said. However, another reliable source from the apex bank said that MDAs would from April access their operational accounts through CBN. “From April 1, all operational accounts of MDAs will be accessed through the CBN; right now most of the MDAs may not be able to access their funds because we have started the process. “This is part of the e-banking scheme introduced to help management of government revenues, so henceforth, no Deposit Money Bank ,DMB, will house operational accounts of the MDAs,’’ he said According to him, most MDAs are aware of the situation and the process. BC

nation’s water channels” He argued that the resultant effect of this is that bigger vessels such as West Africa ,WAFMAX, with a length overall 232.33 meters and capacity of 4,500 TEUS requiring draught of 13.5 meters would continue to visit the Nigerian seaports due to consistent dredging campaign undertaken by the authority. On the substantial growth of the container throughput, the NPA-boss noted that the 10.3 percent growth shows that Nigeria remains a significant hub of containerised goods in the West and Central African sub-region. The Federal Government had in the course of the port reform programme, which brought private terminal operators stripped NPA of its cargo handling functions, which are now performed by the terminal operators. In exchange, the authority was vested with technical regulation functions as well as harbor-related duties such as pilotage services, wreck removal and general channel management, which it also outsourced to private firms to enhance efficiency. Meanwhile efforts of the

Federal Government at increasing export products other than crude oil is currently yielding the desired results, as the Liquefied Natural Gas Limited NLNG, recorded a total of 21.7 million metric tonnes. The NLNG is joint venture partnership between the Nigerian government as represented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, Shell, Total Nigeria Limited and Eni International. A total of 21.7 million metric tonnes of gas was exported within the year, which represents 12.1 percent when compared with the 19.3 million metric tonnes recorded in the comparative period of 2013. This increase has been attributed to the fact that the NLNG has maintained its reputation as a reliable and secure supplier of LNG . Other export records also show that that the nation’s crude oil shipments within the period also recorded a marginal growth rate of 0.2 percent from the 107.7 million metric tonnes recorded in 2013 to the 107.9 million metric tonnes recorded in 2014. BC

Electricity tariff cut not for residential consumers – NERC

Amadi

he Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has said that most residential customers would not enjoy the benefits of the recent cut in electricity tariff. According to the commission, most residential electricity consumers in the R1 and R2 categories did not experience any increase in tariff when electricity rates were hiked on January 1, 2015. It said the increase on the first day of the year only affected industrial, commercial and high-end residential consumers, stressing that most people in the R1 and R2 categories would begin to pay increased tariffs from July 1, 2015. The Chairman, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, made this known at a meeting with members of the Electricity Consumer Association of Nigeria. “Majority of the residential

customers in the R2 and R1 categories did not experience the January 1, 2015 increase in tariff. They will not also see any reversal or reduction in tariff as the industrial, commercial and high-end residential consumers whose tariff were increased. “It was a reduction based on the impact collection loss had on the tariff,” he said. NERC had two weeks ago announced the reduction in tariff by 50 per cent following what it called “bombardment of complaints” from customers who decried the increase that was announced earlier this year. The NERC boss stated that the tariff reduction for the industrial, commercial and highend residential electricity customers ,R3 consumers, would become effective from this month. “We have always tried to listen to complaints from consumers and operators alike and we carry out tariff reviews when necessary. We are a responsive and accountable regulator,” he said. According to Amadi, the reduction in tariff was a decision reached in line with the commission’s business rules after consideration was given to pro-

tests from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria on the implication of the January 1, 2015 increase on their businesses. He stressed that NERC took the action because it saw that there was merit in the argument put forward by MAN that the increase would impact their businesses. The President, ECAN, Mr. Chijioke James, said the group was at the commission to endorse the recent tariff reduction for some classes of electricity consumers. “We have been very critical of NERC to see that consumers enjoy power supply, but it will be bad to see that a government agency has done something right and we fail to commend it openly,” he said. James observed that ECAN needed the support of agencies like NERC and the Consumer Protection Council, among others, to enlighten consumers on the dangers of patronising sellers of fake electrical equipment as well as the need to imbibe energy conservation practices. He stated that consumers expected improvement in response rate to complaints from service providers like the electricity distribution companies. BC

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Monday, March 30, 2015

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Stock market last week

turnover of 2.509 billion shares worth N24.115 billion in 19,971 deals were traded last week by investors on the floor of The Exchange in contrast to a total of 1.382 billion shares valued at N12.053b billion that exchanged hands last week in 16,877 deals. The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 2.198 billion shares valued at N14.144 billion traded in 12,589 deals; thus contributing 87.60 per cent and 58.65 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The Conglomerates Industry followed with a turnover of 161.705 million shares worth N1.095 billion in 1,223 deals. The third place was occupied by the Consumer Goods Industry with 67.492 million shares worth N7.157 billion in 2,516

deals. Trading in the Top Three Equities namely- United Bank for Africa Plc, Mansard Insurance Plc and FBN Holdings Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 1.223 billion shares worth N5.403 billion in 4,715 deals, contributing 48.76 per cent and 22.40 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. ETPs Also traded during the week were a total of 572,478 units of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) valued at N8.255 million executed in 22 deals compared with a total of 105,162 units valued at N1.504 million transacted previous week in 20 deals. INDEX MOVEMENT The NSE All-Share Index and Market Capitalization ap-

preciated by 4.19 per cent and 5.41 per cent respectively to close on Friday at 30,562.93 and N10.319 trillion. Similarly, all Indices finished higher during the week. RETAIL BONDS A total of 210 units of FGN Bonds valued at N221,637.88 were traded in three deals this week. There was no trade recorded on bonds last week. SUMMARY OF PRICE CHANGES Fifty equities appreciated in price during the week, higher than 11 equities of the preceding week. Twenty-one equities depreciated in price, lower than 53 equities of the preceding week, while 125 equities remained unchanged, lower than 132 equities recorded in the preceding week. BC

“Last year for Africa we see that the rate of infection is pretty much the same with the rates in Asia,” said Kertsenbaum, adding that this was based on similar uptake of technology in the two continents. Kertsenbaum continued saying that in Kenya, in February, the Company saw 55,000 of their customers infected with one malware or another. He said that almost 18 percent of their users are infected with malware. Web threats account for an infection rate of 10 percent, while network attacks are responsible for just two percent of their infected customers. Kertsenbaum said that there is not much information on the ground on how people can pro-

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

tect themselves from infection. Kaspersky Lab wants to introduce corporate training in Africa to sensitise businesses and government to the growth of internet threats. Mikhail Nagorny, head of business development, Security Intelligence Services at Kaspersky Lab said that education is the greatest tool in fighting security, but this is lacking in emerging markets. “One of my jobs is to conduct education in creating awareness of the threats and also conduct professional training,” Nagorny said. This, he said, would help organisations be sensitive to potential loopholes in their security. BC

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC

2.90

3.70

27.59

CHAMPION BREWERIES PLC

5.16

6.39

23.84

190.05

224.89

18.33

1.29

1.50

16.28

UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC

33.99

39.35

15.77

ZENITH INTL BANK PLC

14.61

FORTE OIL PLC FIDELITY BANK PLC

16.49

18.90

TRANS NATIONWIDE EXP PLC

0.97

1.11

14.43

FBN HOLDINGS PLC

7.70

8.80

14.29

0.64

0.73

14.06

140.00

158.74

13.39

PFIZER PRODUCTS PLC

Internet growth opens Nigeria to security threats

nline threats in Africa including Nigeria are becoming similar to those in the rest of the world according to experts from Kaspersky Lab. The great adoption of the internet across the continent is a breeding ground for targeted attack and general infections. “Cyber criminals now don’t care about the industry and the country where they are targeting,” Kirill Kertsenbaum, head of presales management said. According to their statistics the majority of infections in Kenya are caused locally, meaning that the use of USB sticks between computers continues to perpetuate virus infection across the country.

Market Indicators for Week Ended 27-03-15 All-Share Index 29,243.91 Basis Points Market Capitalization 10,327,088,265,975.08

TOTALFINAELF NIGERIA PLC

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

UBA CAPITAL PLC

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

1.65

1.29

-21.82

UAC OF NIGERIA PLC

36.00

32.05

-10.97

STERLING BANK PLC

2.29

2.10

-8.30

CEMENT CO OF NORT NIG PLC 11.80

10.99

-6.86

CAP PLC

34.00

-6.31

36.29

VAN LEER CONT (NIG.) PLC

12.08

11.48

-4.97

CADBURY NIGERIA PLC

41.28

39.23

-4.97

RED STAR EXPRESS PLC PRESCO PLC

3.94

3.75

-4.82

27.78

26.47

-4.72

0.64

0.61

-4.69

COSTAIN (WEST AFRICA) PLC

Treasury Bills Maturity date

Bid

Offer

25-Jun-15

14.40

14.94

24-Sep-15

14.67

15.83

17-Mar-16

13.62

15.71

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%) 9.95

DATE

91-Day

21538.34

7-Mar-15

182-Day

33783.25

10.1

14-Mar-15

364-Day

59081.14

10.35

14-Mar-15

A22 38

Business Courage

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Guaranty Trust Bank: Delivering value to long term investors By Johnson Okanlawon

uaranty Trust Bank performance for the financial year ended December 31, 2014 was boosted by non-interest income, despite the declining oil prices and the naira devaluation which have affected the profit margins of many lenders. The bank thrives through the year 2014 having enjoyed investors’ better price approval and trend as high as N31.60 by the seven month of the year. Profitability The bank’s profit after tax rose 10 per cent year-on-year, from N90.024bn in 2013 to N98.695bn in 2014. Also, its basic earnings per share and fully diluted earnings per share appreciated 10 per cent to N3.47 in the review period from N3.17 in 2013. Analysis of the bank’s stock between 2010 and 2014 showed an improvement in share price from the 2010 opening price of N15.50 to low of N12.30 in 2011 as at October 7, and then all high of N31.80 in June 2014 but now trading N22.90 after adjustment for the final dividend of N1.50 for the financial year ended Dec. 31, 2014. Its earnings per share for the period was up as a result of great cost and risk management of the bank regardless of increase in its non-performing loan. The earnings power grew from N1.63 in 2010 to N3.35 in 2014 representing an increase of 106 per cent. The bank latest earnings revealed better performance than the past considering 2014 challenges experienced by the banking industry. The bank profit margin has been sliding down to reflect operational cost increment as the bank managed increasing customers’ base and control cost to create value for its customers and shareholders with improved innovative banking products. The bank seems to have led the industry unchallenged by any other bank except Zenith Bank .Critically, looking at the bank’s performance for the last five years showed that the bank has consistently en-

hanced its performance as reflected in its profitability ratio within the review period. Its gross income during the period grew by 81.06 per cent from N153.9bn in 2010 to N278.7bn. The profitability level has steadily grown to support share price placing the bank among the top three banks in terms of profitability, asset, margin, service delivery and risk management in the industry today. Under the period of five years, the risk and cost management of the bank had improved tremendously as shown in its profit margin that moved from 24.91 per cent in 2010 to 35.44 per cent after it had hit 38.21 per cent in 2012. In the year under review, the bank gave out more loans with loans and advances hitting N1.281tn, up by 27 per cent from the N1.008tn it gave out the previous year. The total dividend of N51.504bn for the 2014 financial year was, however, 2.94 per cent higher than the N50.033bn it paid in the preceding year. Prospect in the bank The expected relative stable macroeconomic outlook after election may favour the bank as volume of transactions has increased with the cashless economy due to its IT driven banking products. Its recent International Finance Corporation loan to boost lending to its tilling customer as its retail banking service has complemented other bank-

ing products and service mix to enhanced profitability and drive share price. The bank ranking among top 500 banks in the world is a plus, and customer’s choice due to its professionalism and prompt customer service delivery had made the bank the choice of the banking public. Also, Its strong alliances with international financial institutions as an international bank with branches in many countries of the world, good knowledge and expertise of domestic markets would boost the bank’s future operations. Business Strategy Its brand name and good succession plan of the bank assures continuity and the recent re-introduction of ATM transaction fee of N65 are factors that will make the bank thick. Other positive factors are robust risk management framework, increased opportunities in retail banking and infrastructure financing, good track record, good corporate social responsibility initiative and huge financing opportunities in the country especially in the power sector, infrastructure and agriculture. Weaknesses and threats Over regulation of the industry will be the major threat the bank would confront going forward. Also, high operational cost due to infrastructure challenge and high investment

Segun Agbaje, MD, GTB

in products and services to satisfy its sophisticated customers would be another factor the bank would contend with. Other factors that will put pressure on the bank’s profitability are policy inconsistency, regular increase in cash requirement ratio of the public, private funds, high MPR, tight liquidity, falling naira value, dwindling crude oil price which is affecting the external reserve and the exchange rate. Background Guaranty Trust Bank is a foremost Nigerian financial institution with vast business outlays spanning Anglophone West Africa and the United Kingdom. It was incorporated as a limited liability company licensed to provide commercial and other banking services to the Nigerian public in 1990. It commenced opera-

tions in February 1991 and undertook its second share offering in 2004 and successfully gathered over N11 billion from Nigerian Investors to expand its operations. The bank made a strategic decision to actively pursue retail banking and it embarked on a major rebranding exercise in June 2005, which saw the bank emerge with improved service offerings, an aggressive expansion strategy and its vibrant orange identity. The bank remained tall through all regulations that put the banking sector at its current position in Nigeria. The bank is listed on the London and Nigerian Stock Exchange. Analysts opinion FBN Capital Research noted that the bank’s profit and the dividend beat its estimate. It said, “On a full year basis, GT Bank’s PBT of N116.4bn came in ahead of management’s full year guidance of N110bn. The PBT also came in ahead of consensus full year PBT forecast of N109bn. “We believe that GT Bank will fare better than most banks and should be viewed as a core holding for investors through the challenging times ahead. “However, we also acknowledge that growth, particularly for risk assets, is bound to slow down in 2015. GT Bank’s exposure to the oil and gas sector at over 20 per cent of its loan book is a slight concern also.” BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, March 30, 2015

A23 39

STOCKWATCH Stock Exchange weekly equities summary as at Friday, March 27, 2015 SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC 0.50 OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. 28.42 PRESCO PLC 26.47 Fishing/Hunting/Trapping ELLAH LAKES PLC. 4.26 Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. 2.19 CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. 1.24 CHELLARAMS PLC. 3.95 JOHN HOLT PLC. 0.94 SCOA NIG PLC 4.44 TRANSNATIONAL CORP. OF NIG.PLC 3.00 U A C N PLC. 32.05 CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. 5.30 CAPPA & D’ALBERTO PLC. NT Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. 0.61 G CAPPA PLC 14.46 Non--Building/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. 41.81 ROADS NIG PLC. 6.29 Real Estate Development PINNACLE POINT GROUP PLC NT UACN PROPERTY DEV 9.17 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. 6.39 GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. 0.89 GUINNESS NIG PLC 127.00 INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. 18.00 JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. 2.02 NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. 141.19 PREMIER BREWERIES PLC 3.61 Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. 156.00 Food Products BIG TREAT PLC NT DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC 3.70 DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC 6.68 FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. 33.60 HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC 3.00 MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC 0.50 N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. 18.05 NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC 6.80 P S MANDRIDES & CO PLC. 5.35 U T C NIG. PLC. 0.50 UNION DICON SALT PLC. 12.46 Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. 39.23 NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. 800.54 Household Durables BETA GLASS CO PLC. NT NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. 31.82 VITAFOAM NIG PLC. 3.80 VONO PRODUCTS PLC. 0.93 Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. 26.82 UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. 39.35 Textiles/Apparel UNITED NIG. TEXTILES PLC. NT FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. 5.89 DIAMOND BANK PLC 4.00 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INC. 18.00 FIDELITY BANK PLC 1.50 FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC. NT GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. 24.36 INTERCONTINENTAL BANK 13.50 SKYE BANK PLC 2.41 STERLING BANK PLC. 2.10 U B A PLC 3.79 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. 10.16 UNITY BANK PLC 0.50 WEMA BANK PLC. 0.96 ZENITH BANK PLC 18.90 Insurance Carriers, Brokers & Services AFRICAN ALLIANCE INS. COY. PLC 0.50 AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 0.87 CONFIDENCE INSURANCE PLC NT CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INS. PLC 0.50 CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 0.88 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 0.54 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. 0.63 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 0.50 Micro Finance Banks FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC 5.42 NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC 0.99 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 2.49 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INS. PLC 3.83 CRUSADER ( NIG) PLC. NT DEAP CAPITAL MGT & TRUST PLC 0.67 FBN HOLDINGS PLC 8.80 FCMB GROUP PLC 2.81 ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. 0.50 STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC 28.00 SIM CAPITAL ALLIANCE VALUE FUND 103.24 NIGERIA ENERGY SECTOR FUND 552.20 UBA CAPITAL PLC 1.29 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 27-03-15

QUANTITY

52 WK HIGH

52 WK LOW

9,140 261,540 107,996

0.64 107.81 41.14

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 -0.28 -4.72

0.50 28.50 27.78

4.26

60,000,000

0.00

N/A

4.26

1,249,104

7.18

0.68

1,199,549,736

0.07

8.42

2.02

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

0.00 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 0.96 4.44 2.67 36.00

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

0.64 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

0.00 N/A

41.81 6.29

NT 324,368

7.28 20.90

7.28 8.82

1,375,000,000

0.00 2.20

N/A 0.22

NT 9.15

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 0.79 N/A N/A 7.37 N/A

5.16 0.89 126.00 17.20 2.02 131.50 3.61

24,150

75.90

38.12

640,590,362

4.46

N/A

156.01

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 27.59 9.51 2.85 0.00 N/A N/A 4.29 N/A 0.00 N/A

NT 2.90 6.10 32.67 3.00 0.50 18.05 6.52 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

-4.97 -3.49

41.28 829.50

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 7.04 N/A

NT 31.82 3.55 0.93

156,973 119,119

56.00 76.00

21.02 27.60

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

1.34 1.42

9.78 15.77

24.43 33.99

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

0.34 10.50 4.05 16.28 #VALUE! 6.38

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

4.78 -8.30 7.37 12.76 0.00 0.00 14.61

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 1.67 N/A 6.78 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

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

0.00 0.15 2.45 1.23 0.13 1.53

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

0.50 0.90 NT 0.50 0.86 0.50 NT 0.50 0.53 0.50 0.50 NT 0.50 0.5 0.50 0.50 0.50 3.00 0.50 0.59 0.50 NT 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 5.42 0.95

0.63

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

5.87 3.62 17.30 1.29 NT 22.90 13.50 2.30 2.29 3.53 9.01 0.50 0.96 16.49

N/A N/A 14.29 N/A 7.69

0.29

1.30 0.50 1.45 0.50 0.5 2.4 3.75 NT 0.67 7.70 2.57 0.50 26.00 103.24 552.20 1.65

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. 2.05 FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC 3.29 GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER PLC 42.00 MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. 1.59 NEIMETH INT PHARM PLC 0.73 NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. 6.32 PHARMA-DEKO PLC. 2.24 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 18.33 BERGER PAINTS PLC 8.00 CAP PLC 34.00 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC 10.99 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 153.00 DN MEYER PLC. 0.83 FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC 0.50 IPWA PLC 0.50 PREMIER PAINTS 10.93 LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. 84.00 PAINTS & COATINGS MANFACT.PLC 1.40 PORTLAND PAINTS & PRDT NIG. PLC 3.30 Electronic and Electrical Products AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC 2.09 CUTIX PLC. 1.45 NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. 0.50 Packaging/Containers ABPLAST PRODUCTS PLC. NT AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS 1.59 BETA GLASS CO PLC. 22.57 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 13.40 Petroleum &Petroleum Products Distributors BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC 0.5 CONOIL PLC 33.91 ETERNA PLC. 2.84 FORTE OIL PLC. 224.89 MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. 147.95 MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. 50.54 TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. 158.74 Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVT. CO, LTD. 399.00 SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC 0.50 Apparel Retailers LENNARDS (NIG) PLC. 3.15 Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. 0.73 Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC 3.75 TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. 1.11 Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. 0.50 Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC 0.50 Hotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL 4.28 IKEJA HOTEL PLC 4.50 TOURIST COY NIG PLC 3.51 TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC 10.00 Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC 0.50 Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS 1.06 LEARN AFRICA PLC 1.07 STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. 2.30 UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. 4.63 Road Transportation ABC TRANSPORT PLCPLC 0.55 Specialty INTERLINKED TECHNOLOGIES PLC 4.66 SECURE ELECTRONIC TECH.PLC 0.5 Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC 1.70 NIG. AVIATION HANDLING COY PLC 5.04 SUPPORT AND LOGISTICS CAVERTON OFFSHORE GROUP PLC 3 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

0.00 9.67 0.00 2.58 14.06 N/A N/A

2.05 3.00 42.00 1.55 0.64 6.32 2.24

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 0.00 -0.74 -6.31 -6.86 0.66 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

4.48 N/A N/A

2.72 18.33 8.06 36.29 11.80 152.00 0.83 0.50 0.50 10.93 80.40 1.42 3.30

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 -4.61 N/A

2.09 1.52 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 22.57 12.08 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

0.00

13.40

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

4.98 7.17 18.33 2.03 N/A 13.39

0.5 32.30 2.65 190.05 145.00 50.54 140.00

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

4,035,497,307

388.08

0.00

N/A

0.50 3.15

980,294,400

0.00

8.96

0.67

589,496,310 198,819,763

0.52 0.00

-4.82 N/A

3.94 0.97

4,059,547

1.64

0.85

865,808,912

0.00

N/A

0.50

1,500

0.75

0.50

3,211,627,907

0.00

N/A

0.50

100 599,750 1,000 2,800

1.72 3.88 10.00

0.64 3.51 10.00

2,078,796,396

0.00

4.28 4.50 3.51 10.00

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 0.00

1.06 1.12 2.30 4.63

955,140

1.29

0.50

1,507,000,000

0.21

N/A

0.53

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 1.00

1.72 4.99

189044

2.98

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, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com

It will be depriving the citizens of the rights of action legitimately due to him, if the only remedy he gets is the quashing of the illegal order constituting the infringement

— Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, Retired Justice Of The Supreme Court xx

We need special court to handle corruption cases —Ikokwu 42 President, Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa

INEC Chairman, Prof; Attahiru Jega

Don’t compromise rule of law, lawyers tell election tribunals How Privy Council ruled on Oluwa family land tussle 45

US judge orders seizure of Chinese firm’s foreign domains 46

Participants in the electoral process should be aware that the election tribunal exists as the only judicious mechanism for them to resolve their grievances in post-election disputes. For the petitioners to have faith and belief in the election disputes resolution-process, th e tribunal should be fair and allow equal access to all, writes FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Head, Judiciary.

he 1999 Constitution provides for the establishment of electoral tribunals to resolve disputes arising from the elections. Specifically, Section 285 sub-sections (1) and (2) provide for the establishment of the National Assembly Elections Tribunal and the Governorship and Legislative Houses Election Tribunals, respectively. Members of the tribunals were appointed by the President of the Court of Appeal in consultation with the Chief Judge of a state, the Grand Khadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the state or President of the Customary Court of Appeal of the state, as the case may be. By Section 285 (4) of the 1999 Constitution, the quorum of an election tribunal is properly constituted with the chairman and two other members. By Section 239 (2), the Appeal Court panel is properly constituted with at least three Justices to hear and determine original petitions arising from the conduct

of presidential poll. By Section 234 of the constitution, the Supreme Court panel is properly constituted with not less than five Justices of the Court to hear and determine presidential and governorship appeals brought before it. Other notable statutory provisions, among others, are that an Election petition must be filed within twenty-one (21) days after the date of the declaration of the final result of the Election and an Election Tribunal must deliver its judgment in writing within 180 days from the date of the filing of the petition. Besides, an appeal from the decision of an Election Tribunal or Court of Appeal in an election matter must be heard and

disposed of within 60 days from the date of the delivery of judgment of the Tribunal or Court of Appeal. Moreover, the court in all final appeals from election matters may adopt the practice of first giving its decision and reserving the reasons to a later date. Electoral cases are said to be sui generis (“of its own kind’’ or class; unique or peculiar). Accordingly the rules that govern them are most of the time different from rules that govern other civil actions. In the event the peculiar nature of such cases admits two parallel interpretations - that such cases should not be defeated by ordinary technical hitches that can mar mere civil actions or that where

AN ELECTION PETITION MUST BE FILED WITHIN TWENTY-ONE (21) DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF THE DECLARATION OF THE FINAL RESULT OF THE ELECTION.

the procedures of the tribunal are not followed in any material particular, the petition is defeated. A Lagos Lawyer, Mr. Basil Ugochukwu, in his article, “Reforming Nigeria’s Election Tribunals’’, while raising the poser, — Election Tribunals: Has Anything Changed? Said In Uche Nwole V Amah Iwuagwu, the Court of Appeal held that “Election petitions are by their very nature peculiar from other proceedings and are very important from point of view of public policy. It is the duty of the courts therefore to hear them without allowing technicalities to unduly fetter their jurisdiction. In the instant case, the tribunal allowed the issue of technicality to prevail in a case where very serious and even scandalous allegations were made. The trial tribunal should have allowed the case to go on and to die a natural death if need be instead of shutting out the opponent (sic) through the use technicalities. Once there are other areas worth looking into ,it behoves on a tribunal to do so and if the petition has to fail after applying the stipulated legal tests, then it is welcome to CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Law & Justice

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

We need special court to handle Chief Guy Ike Ikokwu belongs to the old generation of practising lawyers in the country, having been called to the Bar 53 years ago. In this interview with WALE IGBINTADE, the London University-trained attorney speaks on the appointment of judges and the need to reduce the work load of the Supreme Court, among others. Excerpts. Nearly eight years after he was first arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Supreme Court recently ordered a former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye, to submit himself for trial on corruption and money laundering charges before the High Court. What does this portend for our judicial system? It portends that too much time is being spent in the judiciary. It is either we don’t have enough judges or there should be divisions of certain kinds of cases. There should be a special court to handle corruption cases and there should be a constitutional court. Presently, it’s only in election petitions matters that the constitution has prescribed how long the election tribunal can sit, otherwise election petitions can go on for four years. The judicial system is not fast in Nigeria. There are cases that EFCC has being handling for years but immediately the case reaches the London court, it was disposed within 3 months. Our judicial system needs thorough re-organisation. There should be speedy dispensation of justice. If there is no speedy dispensation of justice things will go astray. I still have cases that have lasted for 20 years in Lagos High Court. Some of my children refused to be lawyers when they see on my table case files of such cases that I was handling when they were in primary and secondary schools. Sometimes, files get lost in our courts and you spend money and time to locate them. This might take another two years. In the process, witnesses die and litigants get disappointed. So, there must be quick dispensation of justice so that people do not take laws into their own hands, so that the rule of law will start to prevail and not the rule of anarchy. Do you think the Supreme Court is overburdened? Even though, not all cases go to the Supreme Court but the number of cases going to the apex court over-burdens the court. And that is why we are saying there should be specialised courts to handle certain cases. There are judges you appear before them, they don’t even know what you’re talking about. That is why I am advocating that a Judge should not be appointed from the civil service. Eighty-five (85) percent of our judges today in the country were appointed from the civil service. They were State counsel before they were appointed.

Ikokwu When you are a State counsel, you just practice one branch of the law and when you are told to incorporate a company, you don’t know what to do. A judge who comes from the Bar and is in active legal practice has varieties of legal experience and can appreciate addresses from the Bar and will not get annoyed. Some of our judges get annoyed when you start teaching them the law. Instead of writing a ruling on a motion same day, it takes them three to four weeks. A simple ex-parte motion, some judges will adjourn it for three or four weeks. That is why you have the delays. The Supreme Court at the moment can only hears cases filed eight years ago. As a senior member of the Bar, how would you assess the standard of the legal profession in Nigeria? To some extent it has improved because we have more technical resources because of the use of internet. Now, you don’t need a whole library to research your law. You don’t need a law report of 10, 000 pages to read, you can easily programme it into you legal disk. It is faster now to research cases than before when everything have to be done manually. But those who are using them are those who are already experienced and who can afford it. The younger member of the Bar cannot afford this technology, price wise. Some of these disks cost about N100, 000. So, to that extend the practice of law has been revolutionalized but for the younger generation of lawyers to benefit from the system, I think the system

of education should be strengthened. However, there are some of these young lawyers who are doing very well and are able to come up with very good judicial prepositions. How can law be used to develop the country? I have been very much interested in the affairs of Nigeria and see how we can change Nigeria for the better, so that we will have more development and progress in the country. The Ghanaians have been able to live up to standard because of the history they went through. They have to go through a revolution but we have not gone through a revolution. Now we have a constitution which most Nigerians disagree with which was imposed by the military. In actual fact, in the last 40 years the military has been ruling in Nigeria and have been able to manipulate the constitutional system in the country and gives us a constitution which is more suited to the military than the civilians. If you look at the constitution we have today, the 1999 constitution which was drafted by the military, is tailored towards the military line. In the military, only one person is in charge at the top and every other person below obeys his command. Civilians are no brought up that way and that is why we have problems in the constitution and that is why we have problems in the polity. How will you react to several court judgments that restricted the Federal Gov-

THERE ARE JUDGES YOU APPEAR BEFORE THEM, WHO DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING

ABOUT.

THAT IS WHY

I AM ADVOCATING THAT A JUDGE SHOULD NOT BE

APPOINTED FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE.

ernment from deploying soldiers for the ongoing elections? There has to be a differentiation, the military is just one of the security forces but we have other security agents that use weapons. Without security most of the adhoc staff of INEC, most of the sensitive materials of the Commission cannot be protected. In the past we have had cases of snatching of ballot boxes, so that the votes will not be counted. They can steal the Card Reader, so there are genuine reasons to secure INEC staff. However, it is a different thing for security agents to guide election materials but it is another thing for them to be involved in the actual voting.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, March 30, 2015

corruption cases —Ikokwu Several months after Judges were attacked in Ekiti state, no one has been charged before the court by the Police. How do you see this development? The judiciary is yet to resolve the matter. It is difficult for one to point accusing finger on who did it or lay the blame on a particular person, when those who are charged with investigating the matter, using the resources available to them are yet to get to the bottom of the matter. But, I do not think the judiciary itself has resolved the matter to its logical conclusion. Has there been a precedent in the past where judges were attacked? Litigants that are drunk do it and that is why even in the court premises you have security men. Even when a lawyer goes to the court and sees security guards around judges, he would mind his language. He does not talk anyhow to the judge because if he does he could be charged with contempt and the security guard will take him in. So, there should enough security around judges and in the court premises. That is why the judiciary is being bastardized in many areas by the use of money. At the judges’ conference, the Chief Judges and the Judicial Commissions agreed that corruption has entered into the judiciary. I am a lawyer and I can tell you that there are perceived cases where it is terrible. Court clerks and registrars are being bribed openly. If you want your case file to be lost, produce the money and the registrar will help you hide the file. Isn’t that bad? Most of what is happening is based on militaristic nature of our present constitution. Many people shy away from the fact that Nigeria is not yet a democratic State yet. We are operating a military constitution and not people’s constitution. That is why some of us agreed with the convoca-

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD RETAIN JUST ABOUT

40 PERCENT OF

ITS PRESENT POWERS WHILE THE OTHER POWERS SHOULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE

STATES. tion of the last National Conference held in Abuja. But, some political parties refused to participate in that conference. We know that the National Assembly as presently constituted will not pass the resolutions and recommendations of the national conference and that is why its implementation is still in abeyance. Nigeria has to be restructured for us to get going. Lagos, especially the western part of the country have significant role to play because you have a lot of educated people. People who are economically buoyant in Lagos are in the western zone. I am happy that most people in the western zone have said the only condition they will support anybody for the presidency is that they agree that the decisions of the national conference should be implemented within their first year in office. This means they have placed their demands on issues and not on personalities. Nigeria should be restored to a federation, we should have fiscal federalism.

Why do you say Nigeria is not a federating state? What we call the Federal Government is a unitary government. The Federal Government has so many powers. The Federal Government deals with agriculture, it deals with basic education, it deals with maternal care and electricity. Is that the job of a federal government? Why should the federal government have such monopoly? A lot of things in the exclusive list should be whittled-down by about 60 percent. The FG should have just about 40 percent of its present powers while the other powers should be distributed to the States. Nigerian can be one of the dominant countries not only in Africa but in the world provided we are structurally orientated. The problem in the country is caused by the military. The military sets Nigeria back by more than 30 years because they are not supposed to rule, they don’t know anything about governance. Our cultures are not autocratic, so why should our constitution be autocratic? Since June last year, the judiciary in Rivers State has not been working due to the crisis over appointment of the state’s Chief Judge. How will you react to this? Why should the judiciary be locked up in Rivers State till now. It is because the state government knows that there has been no restructuring in the judiciary. The state government can do what it wants under the ambit of the law. But, at the moment, the National Judicial Council has more constitutional say in the appointments of judges. In other States, they listen and apply the advice and recommendations of the National Judicial Council, so, why should Rivers State be an exception? That is why I am advocating for the restructuring of the constitution, once there is restructuring certain things will progress.

Do you support the removal of immunity clause from the constitution? The immunity clause should go. To some extent it would initially be difficult, but after some years people who get into office will know that they cannot go scot-free. We should look at India and other countries and see how they have amended the immunity clause to suit the development of their country. The present system of governance in Nigeria plus immunity is more or less a way of welcoming corruption. Tell me one governor that EFCC has not brought charges of corruption against, but also tell me which of these governors EFCC has successfully prosecuted. If you check the governors whose cases are still hanging, most of them are on bail. Some of them are even members of the Senate. I can name so many of them in the South- East, SouthSouth, and South- West and in the NorthEast. In every of the six zones you have former governors who have been charged. Some of them have had their illegal assets taken away from them. But that is not the same as convicting them. Because when you convict them, you deprive them of holding political office for life. What advice will you give to young lawyers? They must get the support of members of their families. They must also attach themselves to senior lawyers where for the first three years they are to learn and if they are financially handicapped they should bear it. After three years of learning they would have had sufficient basis to establish on their own or to continue in that chambers with increased benefits? If they don’t and they just because of money established a law firm of their own they would lose a lot. If they don’t have anybody in their family to support them, they should go into legal service of a State.

Law & Justice

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘180 days’ time-frame, challenge before tribunals’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 such an eventual end”. On the contrary, Justice Samson Uwaifo of the Supreme Court in the case of Buhari V Dikko Yusuf observed that “An election petition is heard and determined by an appropriate election tribunal as usually provided by the constitution. In the 1999 Constitution, such provision is made under section 285 and the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution. The procedure is largely governed by a law made specifically to regulate the proceedings. The jurisdiction of an election tribunal to deal with election petitions is of a very special nature different from that in an ordinary civil case. It is plain that the proceedings are special for which special provisions are made under the constitution. Election petitions are distinct from the ordinary civil proceedings. It is such that in certain circumstances the slightest default in complying with a procedural step which otherwise could be cured or waived in ordinary civil proceedings could result in fatal consequences to the petition”. National Mirror in separate interviews with lawyers highlighted their expectations election tribunal. The Second Vice- President, Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA), Mr. Taiwo Obayemi Taiwo said ‘’ I expect the election tribunals to be up to their oaths of office. The enormity of the responsibilities which the democratic governance has placed on the Judiciary demands that they must rise to their constitutional responsibilities. Members of the tribunals are men of integrity and proven records. I am sure we will get the best from them. ‘’My only advice to politicians is that, they should leave the judges alone and allow them to do their work. Whatever judgement that is delivered they should abide by it and if they are not satisfied they should appeal. ‘’ he added.

Bar

Jokes

The Lawyer and effect of surgery There was a lawyer and he was just waking up from anesthesia after surgery, and his wife was sitting by his side. His eyes fluttered open and he said: “You’re beautiful!” and then he fell asleep again. His wife had never heard him say that so she stayed by his side. A couple of minutes later, his eyes fluttered open and he said: “You’re cute!” Well, the wife was disappointed because instead of “beautiful” it was “cute.” She said: “What happened to ‘beautiful’?” He replied: “The drugs are wearing off!”

A man and the devil

Taiwo

Segun Fatoki

Ajayi Fatoki

MY ONLY ADVICE TO POLITICIANS IS THAT THEY SHOULD LEAVE THE JUDGES ALONE AND ALLOW THEM TO DO THEIR WORK.

The Publicity Secretary, NBA, Ikeja Branch, Mr. Samson Omodara, said that he expected the election petition tribunals to turn out justice according to the details of fact of the petition before them adding that,’’ there would be fewer litigations because of the Independent Electoral Commission’s ability to reduce election fraudulent activities via the introduction of card reader. ‘’ Omodara also advised that all election matters should be resolved before the declared winner of an election is sworn-in. He, however said that, it might be difficult to have conclusive election matters within stipulated days. He said that “it will surprise you that the stipulated days to conclude election petition matters may be difficult because the person declared as winner might put clogs in the way of justice for the other party to make sure that justice is not met within the 180 days and it is not good for the society at large”. Mr. Segun Fatoki said that his expectaall eternity, and that lawyer gets to spend it with a beautiful woman.” “Shut up”, barked the devil, jabbing the man with his pitchfork. “Who are you to question that woman’s punishment?”

Lawyers take everything A reporter outside of a courtroom asked a defendant clad only in a barrel: “Oh, I see your attorney lost the case!” The defendant answered, “No, we won.”

Only two bullets You find yourself stuck in a hole with a murderer, a rapist, and a lawyer. You’re armed but you only have two bullets left, what do you do?

Free advice at social affairs? A doctor and a lawyer were attending a cocktail party when the doctor was approached by a man who asked advice on how to handle his ulcer. The doctor mumbled some medical advice, then turned to the lawyer and remarked, “I never know how to handle the situation when I’m asked for medical advice during a social function. Is it acceptable to send a bill for such advice?” The lawyer replied that it was certainly acceptable to do so.

A man died and was taken to his place of eternal torment by the devil. As he passed sulphurous pits and shrieking sinners, he saw a man he recognized as a lawyer snuggling up to a beautiful woman. Culled from Funny Lawyers Jokes.com “That’s unfair!” he cried. “I have to roast for

tions are not far from what many Nigerians are expecting. According to him, ‘’We are expecting fairness and possible quick determination of the election petitions matters to avoid a situation where one would have almost completed the term before the decision of the election tribunal would turn against him. The tribunal should display their political wills by displaying fairness and boldness to hit the nail of the matter at the head without any compromise” “I don’t think Nigerian should be worried about the election petition matters again because a lot of precedents established which will aid possible and quick work of election petition“. Another lawyer Mr. Ojo Akinwale said’’I believe members of election tribunals will do their best provided we do not have too much petitions. The time specification to hear and determine election petitions will surely work against them because they will not have time to scruti-

nize and analyse the entire evidence that will be presented before them. This may affect the quality of their judgements except where there is a clear-cut victory by any of the parties. We have capable judges in Nigeria and if they are selected I have no doubt that we will get very good judgements from the tribunals. On falsification of election documents, he said ‘’ the jurisdiction of election tribunal does not cover criminal matters. The tribunal will concentrate on who should be declared as winner of an election. In election petition you may have allegation of crime. Mr. Ajayi Fatoki also stated that the tribunals have heavy responsibilities on their shoulders. ‘’They should remember that the continued relevance of the judiciary depends on public confidence. They must avoid anything that will compromise the preservation of the rule of law. They will surely play a very important role in the determination of election conflicts. However, I do not see election tribunal derailing. When you look at the judges that will preside over election matters, there are no doubts that they are highly experienced judges.

LEGAL TIPS

Service of court process under Nigerian law The service of writ of summons or originating summons is very fundamental to the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the claim. *Where a party is not served he will have no knowledge of the claim against him. He can therefore bring an application to strike out the action for improper service. The essence of the service is to enable the defendant become aware of the suit against him in court and be able to put up a defence if he intends to do so. •Service is usually done

by the Bailiffs or Sheriffs or other officers of the court.

•There are two types of service (a ) Personal Service and (b ) Substituted Service. •Personal service is one that is served personally on the defendant whereas Substituted service is one that is effected by other means other than personal service. •For instance, by advert in newspapers or in a gazette or by pasting in the last known address of the defendant.

Time of Service

•Service can be done on any day except Sunday and public holidays between 6.00 am and 6.00 pm. •Note that service outside jurisdiction connotes two things(a) Service outside the state of issue and (b) Service outside Nigeria. Written by Francis Famoroti, Head, Judiciary. We welcome feedback and reactions from readers via our e-mail: nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com.

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Law & Justice

Monday, March 30, 2015

How Privy Council ruled on Oluwa family land tussle FAMOUS CASES

Amodu Tijani was the Head Chief of the famous Oluwa family of Lagos in the 1920s. He was engaged in a fierce legal battle with the colonial government at the Privy Council in 1921 over the payment of compensation for land purportedly acquired from his family in Apapa, Lagos. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Head, Judiciary reports.

he vexed issue of land acquisition is not new in Nigeria; likewise the problems relating to the payment of compensation by the government. These have been in existence far back 94 years ago and they became serious legal issues decided by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1921. In this case the question raised was the basis for calculation of the compensation payable to Amodu Tijani, the Oluwa of Lagos. He had in his capacity as the head of Oluwa landowning family of Lagos lodged an appeal to the Privy Council against the decision of the Supreme Court which favoured the Colonial Secretary, Southern Provinces of Nigeria. In his appeal, he made claims for the takeover by the Government of the Colony of Southern Nigeria of his family land in Apapa, Lagos for public purpose. The Public Lands Ordinance of 1903 of the Colony provides ‘’that the Governor may take any lands required for public purposes for an estate in fee simple or for a less estate, on paying compensation to be agreed on or determined by the Supreme Court of the Colony. ‘’The Governor is to give notice to all the persons interested in the land, or to the persons authorised by the Ordinance to sell and convey it. Where the land required is the property of a native community, the Head Chief of the community may sell and convey it in fee simple, any native law or custom to the contrary notwithstanding. There is to be no compensation for land unoccupied unless it is proved that, for at least six months during the ten years preceding any notice, certain kinds of beneficial use have been made of it.’’ Besides, the enabling ordinance states that in other cases the court should assess the compensation according to the value at the time when the notice was served, inclusive of damage done by severance. The Oluwa family was dissatisfied with the decision of the Supreme Court and it lodged an appeal to the Privy Council. At the hearing of the appeal before the Privy Council, Viscount Haldane, Lord Atkinson, and Lord Phillimore sat on the panel. Delivering judgment on Monday, July 11, 1921, Lord Haldane declared that ‘’The land in question is at Apapa, on the mainland and within the Colony. The appellant is the Head Chief of the Oluwa family or community, and is one of the Idejos or landowning white cap chiefs of Lagos and the land is occupied by persons some of whom pay rent or tribute to him. Apart from any family or private land which the Chief may possess or may have allotted to members of his own family, he has in a representative or official capacity control by custom over the tracts within his Chieftaincy, including, as Chief Justice Speed points out in his judgment in

Late Oluwa of Lagos, Tijani.

THE NOTION OF INDIVIDUAL OWNERSHIP IS QUITE FOREIGN TO NATIVE

IDEAS.

LAND BELONGS TO THE COMMUNITY,

THE VILLAGE OR THE

FAMILY, NEVER TO THE INDIVIDUAL.

this case, power of allotment and of exacting a small tribute or rent in acknowledgment of his position as Head. ‘’But when in the present proceedings he claimed for the whole value of the land in question, as being land which he was empowered by the Ordinance to sell, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court held that, although he had a right which must be recognised and paid for, this right was: “merely a seigneurial right giving the holder ordinary rights of control and management of the land in accordance with the well-known principles of native law and custom, including the right to receive payment of the nominal rent or tribute payable by the occupiers, and that compensation should be calculated on that basis, and not on the basis of absolute ownership of

the land.” In the judgment, the question which their Lordships decided among others was the real character of the native title to the land. Lord Haldane said ‘’In the instance of Lagos, the character of the tenure of the land among the native communities is described by Chief Justice Rayner in the Report on Land Tenure in West Africa, which that learned Judge made in 1898, in language which their Lordships think is substantially borne out by the preponderance of authority. “The next fact which it is important to bear in mind in order to understand the native land law is that the notion of individual ownership is quite foreign to native ideas. Land belongs to the community, the village or the family, never to the individual. All the members of the community, village or, family have an equal right to the land, but in every case the Chief or Headman of the community or village, or head of the family, has charge of the land, anti in loose mode of speech is sometimes called the owner. He is to some extent in the position of a trustee, and as such holds the land for the use of the community or family. He has control of it, and any member who wants a piece of it to cultivate or build a house upon, goes to him for it. But the land so given still remains the property of the

community or family. He cannot make any important disposition of the land without consulting the elders of the community or family, and their consent must in all cases be given before a grant can be made to a stranger. ‘’This is a pure native custom along the whole length of this coast, and wherever we find, as in Lagos, individual owners, this is again due to the introduction of English ideas. But the native idea still has a firm hold on the people, and in most cases, even in Lagos, land is held by the family. ‘’The history of the relations of the Chiefs to the British Crown in Lagos and the vicinity bears out this conclusion. About the beginning of the 18th century the Island of Lagos was held by a Chief called Olofin. He had parcelled out the Island and part of the adjoining mainland among some 16 subordinate Chiefs, called” Whitecap” in recognition of their domination over the portions parcelled out to them. About 1790, Lagos was successfully invaded by the neighbouring Benins. They did not remain in occupation, but left a representative as ruler whose title was the “Eleko.” The successive Elekos in the end became the Kings of Lagos, although for a long time they acknowledged the sovereignty of the King of the Benins, and paid tribute to him. The Benins appear to have interfered but little with the customs and arrangements in the island. About the year 1850 payment of tribute was refused, and the King of Lagos asserted his independence. At this period Lagos had become a centre of the slave trade, and the British Government determined to suppress it. Their Lordships accordingly humbly advised His Majesty that the judgment of the courts’ below should be reversed, and that declaration should be made: * That the appellant, for the purposes of the Public Lands Ordinance No.5 of 1903 was s entitled to claim compensation on the footing that he is transferring to the Governor the land in question in full ownership, excepting in so far as such land is unoccupied, along with his own title to receive rent or tribute; * That the consideration or compensation awarded was to be distributed, under the direction of the Native Council of the District with the sanction of the Governor, among the members of the community represented by the appellant as its Head Chief in such proportions and in such manner as such Council, with the sanction of the Governor, may determine. The Privy Council also directed that the case be sent back to the Supreme Court of Nigeria (Southern Provinces) to secure that effect was given to these declarations. The appellant was entitled to his costs of this appeal and of the appeal to the full court.

Law & Justice

Indonesia’s S’Court rejects appeal of Filipina on death row INDONESIA

Indonesian President, Joko Widodo

be contacted for comment.

NEW YORK federal judge in New York has ordered dozens of global domains owned by the Chinese company Fengtao Software to be seized, for its social media accounts to be blocked, and for payment processors to cut off their services to the company. A report by ABC says the order was as a result of legal action by the decryption licensing body AACS, founded by companies such as Microsoft and Walt Disney. Last year AACS won a preliminary injunction against Fengtao Software, which sells the popular DVD-ripping software DVDFab. Initially, Fengtao failed to respond to the court, which caused the injunction to be granted by default. Later, the Chinese company asked

for the decision to be reviewed, arguing that the order was too broad because it affected the company globally, while the relevant copyright law applied by the judge was US-specific. But the judge confirmed that he wanted Fengtao to cease using dozens of domain names around the world adding many new ones to those specified in the preliminary injunction as well as several associated social networking accounts. The court ordered that “defendants shall not conduct or participate in any of the Circumventing Activities through any website, social media or social networking site or service, or other online service or platform, or through any offline means.” The judge extended his order to “main name registries, including but not limited to VeriSign, Inc., NeuStar, Inc., Public Interest Regis-

he Supreme Court is set to rule on whether Prince Charles’s letters to government should be made public. The UK’s highest court has been asked to judge whether the AttorneyGeneral’s office acted unlawfully when it prevented their publication in 2012. The Guardian newspaper is seeking the disclosure of the letters written to government departments between 2004-5. A report by BBC says that it has been argued that releasing the socalled “black spider memos” would undermine the prince. The Guardian said it had been “pressing the government” for 10 years to see the letters, written by the Prince of Wales to

US President Barack Obama

try, Japan Registry Service Co., Ltd. (JPRS), DENIC Verwaltungs- und Betriebsgesellschaft eG (DENIC), China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) and the individual registrars holding.

Indian court declares ‘Facebook’ arrest law unconstitutional INDIA

ndia’s Supreme Court has struck down a controversial law which allowed police to arrest people for comments on social networks and other internet sites. A BBC report says the court ruled that the controversial Section 66A of the Information Technology Act was unconstitutional. In recent years, several

India Prime Minister, Narendra Modi

people have been arrested for their comments on Facebook or Twitter, sparking outrage.

The government had defended the law, saying it was meant to deter people from uploading offensive material. The court order was delivered by a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court on petitions filed by civil rights groups and a law student who argued that Section 66A violated people’s fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. “Section 66A is uncon-

S’Court to rule on Prince Charles’ letters UNITED KINGDOM

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US judge orders seizure of Chinese firm’s foreign domains A

ndonesia’s Supreme Court has rejected an application by a Filipina on death row for a judicial review of her case, taking her a step closer to being executed along with several other foreign drug convicts. According to AFP report, the Filipina, Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, two high-profile Australian inmates and convicts from France, Brazil, Ghana and Nigeria are set to face the firing squad after they recently had requests for presidential clemency rejected. In her application for a judicial review, Veloso’s lawyers had reportedly argued that she was not provided with a capable translator during her first trial. But the Supreme Court’s website said that judges rejected Veloso’s application for a review of her sentence. It did not provide details about the ruling and a court spokesman could not immediately

Monday, March 30, 2015

seven government departments. He is heir to the throne and, as the royal family’s own website explains, it is central to the British Constitution that the reigning monarch should remain politically neutral. The former Attorney -General Dominic Grieve has said that any perception the prince had disagreed with the then Labour government in 2004-5 “would be seriously damaging to his role as future monarch because if he forfeits his position of political neutrality as heir to the throne, he cannot easily recover it when he is king”. The letters were coined the black spider memos in reference to the prince’s handwriting After 10 years, several court cases, and a cost to the taxpayer of hundreds of thousands of pounds,

an end appears to be in sight for this dogged pursuit of Prince Charles’s black spider memos. A final resolution will only be delayed if there’s a referral on an issue of European law to the Court of Justice in Luxembourg. If not, the prince’s private letters will either remain confidential, as the sender intended, or they’ll be exposed to a large and inquisitive audience.

British Prime Minister David Cameron

stitutional and we have no hesitation in striking it down,” news agency AFP quoted Justice RF Nariman as saying in court. The public’s right to know is directly affected by section 66A,” he added. Section 66A was sweeping in its powers - it could send a person to jail for

three years for sending an email or other electronic message that “causes annoyance or inconvenience”. The law was first challenged by a law student after two young women were arrested in November 2012 in Mumbai for comments on Facebook following the death of politician Bal Thackeray.

Greece ex-minister guilty of tampering with tax list GREECE

ormer Greece Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou has been found guilty of removing relatives’ names from a list of potential Greek tax evaders. But the charge was reduced to a misdemeanour, and he received a one-year suspended prison sentence, escaping a longer term. According to BBC report, he was acquitted of a second charge of breach of

trust. The “Lagarde list” of HSBC bank account holders caused outrage in Greece as it faced its economic crisis. Greek governments have been accused of not fully investigating the list, which was given to Athens in 2010 by the then French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde. It is an extract of a list of account holders at a Geneva branch of HSBC leaked by former bank employee Herve Falciani.

I exercised little boldness —Adegunle

y first appearance was before Justice Beckley at Lagos High Court, Ikeja, though I could not remember what the matter was all about but I knew there was vehement opposition from the other counsel because she was an experienced and a famous lawyer then. I tried to exercise little boldness before the judge

and after a long argument the judge decided in my favour. Since that day, I had confidence to appear before any judge even at the Appeal Court. I had confronted many Senior Advocates of Nigeria in different matters and I won the cases. The law is all about knowing the onions surrounding a particular case.

Bisi Adegunle

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, March 30, 2015

Projecting African women in law T

he International Bar Association (IBA) seeks to affirm an African dimension to women working, and succeeding, in law as it is billed to hold a conference for female African commercial lawyers in Zambia next month. Shortly after the achievements of women have been rightly celebrated internationally during International Women’s Day, on March 8, 2015, the IBA announced it would hold a conference for female African commercial lawyers, under the aegis of the IBA’s Legal Practice Division’s Women Business Lawyers’ Initiative. The event, entitled ‘African Women in Law Rising’ is the second of its kind, following the inaugural event held in Dubai in March 2014. The Initiative will take place in Livingstone, Zambia, from April 21-22 2015, in partnership with the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ). The Initiative programme was conceived by Sylvia Khatcherian, head of IP and IT law at New York bank, Morgan Stanley, and an IBA council member. It aims to provide women lawyers with resources to enhance their international commercial law practices by strengthening their knowledge base of international commercial law; and in developing their international practices and enhancing their awareness of global standards and trends in commercial practice. Of greatest interest to the speakers, following a welcome address by George Kangwa Musole Chisanga, president of the Law Association of Zambia, will be an address by Dr Tukiya Kankasa-Mabula deputy governor at the Bank of Zambia, and winner of the IBA 2014 Woman Lawyer of the Year Award. Kankasa-Mabula commented, in a statement, she was “honoured to have been asked to deliver the keynote speech for this unique event. We should continue striving to advance opportunities for women within the legal profession through such initia-

IBA President, David Rivkin

Former President, Commonwealth Lawyers Association, Mrs. Ozobia

tives and I look forward to sharing my own experiences and learning from the other speakers and delegates present.” Kankasa-Mabula’s own track record in supporting women in business was one of the principle reasons she received the prestigious award; having been educated at London and Harvard, her nomination recorded that she had “selflessly… educated local law students at the University of Zambia (the country’s only law school at the time) for 18 years” before she taking up in-house practice. She has held a wide variety of voluntary roles in government, including in mentoring young businesswomen, in child human rights, and in the law reform arena, where, as a commissioner of the Law Development Commission, where she contributed to the amendment of laws that disadvantaged women. Kankasa-Mabula also previously acted as secretary to the Bank of Zambia (1998-

2007) which combined the functions of general counsel, secretary to the board, and director in charge of public relations. She was promoted to deputy governor, in charge of administration, in 2007. Kankasa-Mabula said that she is using her current position to “engender the financial sector by promoting financial inclusion of women and the participation of women in senior decision making positions in the financial sector”. One source called her “a source of inspiration to many female lawyers in the country both as an academic and a career woman. I cannot think of a more deserving candidate for this prestigious award”. A chief aim of the event is to highlight issues of particular relevance to women lawyers, including questions such as whether the concept of risk avoidance influences female lawyers’ decision-making in relation to career paths and practice areas. It will also assess whether there are

National Industrial Court establishes ADR MATTHEW IRINOYE

etermined to fast-track resolution of industrial and labour related cases in the country, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NIC) has concluded plans to establish Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) centre within the court premises. This was disclosed by President of the court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, during a valedictory court session in honour of retired Justice Oluseun Adefolake Shogbola of the Abuja division. Adejumo said the establishment of ADR was not negotiable in the dispensation of justice since about 30 years ago. The NIC President said that the establishment of ADR was historic in many respect, adding that the constitution empowers the court to establish an ADR centre. According to him “It is the first time any court in Nigeria will receive a constitutional mandate to establish and apply ADR for the resolution of matters over which it has

jurisdiction. “ADR development and usage will definitely receive a huge boost in this regard.”Mediation is fast becoming a feature of courts in countries like the United States of America, Germany, South Africa to mention but a few” he said . The President also noted that the development would certainly aid and fasten the resolution of cases with a view to voiding the usual problem of over-filled dockets and delayed in justice delivery, adding that ‘’it will also help in settling disputes without bitterness and rancour. According to the statement, ‘’Machinery has been set in motion towards the realization of this significant constitutional mandate. Efforts are on to designate certain office accommodation within some Judicial Division of the NICN as ADR centers. The ADR centre of the court will be situated at the Headquarters in Abuja with branches in each of the six geo-political zones across the country. ‘’ It said the ADR centre would be saddled with the responsibility of settling disputes referred to it by any judge of the court us-

ing mediation, conciliation, pointing out that the relevance of mediation and conciliation is to make amicable settlement of disputes.” “The Court officers to work at the centers have been trained at home and abroad to acquire cutting-edge skills in mediation and other ADR processes. The types of cases that may be referred to the centre, the stage at which cases could be referred, the mediation process, roles and responsibilities of parties, counsel and mediator(s) before, during and after mediation will soon be published for public consumption” He further charged the bar and other stake holders with a view of ensuring mediation as a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. Adejumo said that ADR mechanism which was a major instrument of modern dispute resolution would be useful particularly in labour and industrial arena. He added that, the cost effectiveness, speed and accuracy and retention of business relation by the parties would impact the economy positively.

practice areas that can be considered as male-dominated or dangerous for female practitioners, resulting in fewer women lawyers getting involved; why there are so few women advocates; and how both sexes can overcome gender roles and stereotypes to network effectively with both men and women. The event will also focus on capacity building topics on advocacy, marketing and branding, plus an overview of practice areas increasing in importance and creating a demand for experienced legal practitioners. To encourage the women of the future, the event also holds a session on how to develop and retain associates, while advising African lawyers on what to do to move from being a locally recognised firm to an internationally recognised firm. Two such methods are merger and lateral hires, ALB has seen a number of both such moves recently, not least between firms in South Africa as demand for the continent’s top lawyers, including female ones heats up. Supported by the IBA African Regional Forum, the event has attracted high-level speakers across Africa including, the host nation, Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. For example, Linda Kasonde, the LAZ’s vice-president will speak; she is a name partner at Mulenga Mundashi Kasonde (MMK), and will be appearing alongside Nigerian lawyer, Boma Ozobia, head of public law, Sterling Partnership, mining lawyer; Tabitha Maro, partner at Tanzanian firm, Rex Attorneys; Ngosa Simachela, of Nchito & Nchito, in Lusaka, Zambia; and international disputes lawyer, Olufunmi Oluyede, of Nigerian business law firm, TRLPLAW. The Forum’s chair, Sternford Moyo, a former president of the Law Society of Zimbabwe, who will also address the event, commented: “It is critical that from the local, to the regional, to the global level that the position of women lawyers is strengthened.” He added: “In this respect, the IBA’s Women Business Lawyers Initiative provides a forum for women, and men, to work towards building capacity central to benefitting the legal profession as a whole, and raising the consciousness of society on gender equality.” He added: “With lawyers attending from all parts of Africa, from key firms, industry and the judiciary, this event promises also to provide valuable networking, which can only amplify action towards equal opportunities.” Kasonde said: “The Law Association of Zambia is proud to host the first African edition of this valuable IBA Initiative in Livingstone and we look forward to welcoming both male and female legal practitioners.” She added: “This important event aims to empower and educate female commercial lawyers, as well as raise awareness and understanding of issues commonly faced by women practitioners. It will be a fascinating dialogue and a career-enhancing experience.”

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror We have made rigging impossible for them as there is no how the total number of votes cast at the polling unit should exceed the number of accredited persons. INEC Chairman – Prof. Attahiru Jega

11-year-old boy accused of stealing N200, commits suicide

chusa, a small village in Makurdi local government of Benue State has been thrown into confusion after an 11-yearold boy identified as Terkula Botwer committed suicide by hanging himself on a tree. Tekula, who was accused of stealing N200 by his guardian, allegedly committed suicide to prove his innocence. An eyewitness who pleaded anonymity noted that, “It all happened on Sunday morning when Mrs. Nadoo Hember, the boy’s guardian, was alleged to have complained that her only N200 was missing in the house she lived with the late boy. “She confronted Terkula who denied taking the money, but as she was leaving for church, she allegedly warned the boy that if the money was not found, she would be forced to return him back to his par-

Federal House of Representatives, Candidate in Ajeromi/Ifelodun, Ajegunle, Lagos, Federal Constituency Honourable Barrister Rita Odichinma Orji; meeting with the Market women, during the distribution of gifts to the people, in Lagos.

ents in the village. “Unfortunately, when she got back from church later

in the day, she got into the house and discovered that the boy was nowhere to be found.

But after a search, the lifeless body of the boy was seen hanging on a tree at the back

of the house. “It was at that point that she raised alarm that attracted neighbours who gathered at the scene to rescue the boy who was already dead.” Confirming the incident the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, ASP Austin Ezeani disclosed that the incident was reported on Sunday at the ‘B Division’ police station in the State. Ezeani further stated that officers attached to the Division were dispatched to the scene where the body was recovered and deposited at the Makurdi Federal Medical Centre. The PPRO further stated “we are carrying out serious investigations into the matter in order to unravel the mystery of the bizarre death,” though no arrest has been made.

Women fleeing from insurgents give birth in bush

wo pregnant women gave birth to babies in the bush Sunday morning while fleeing from suspected Boko Haram insurgents that attacked Gunti Gumi village of Alkaleri Local Government area in Bauchi state. An eye witness, Malam Bala Kurba, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the insurgents stormed the village, forcing the residents to take to their heels. “The pregnant women were among those who fled the village. I was also in the bush when I saw a group of women battling to assist the two pregnant women deliver their babies. “The women gave birth successfully and were taken to a nearby community, where they were kept,” said Kurba, who is the Manager of the Bauchi State governmentowned Community FM Radio station in Alkaleri. Bauchi Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the attack in a statement issued on Sunday. He said that some unknown gunmen in a convoy of 10 ve-

hicles attacked some towns in Alkaleri and Kirfi Local Government Areas. “Today 29/3/2015 at about 12.25 am, unspecified numbers of unknown gunmen in a convoy of over ten vehicles,

stormed many polling units in Kirfi and Alkaleri Local Government areas, destroying many election materials. “The hoodlums further attacked Kirfi and Alkaleri Divisional Police Headquarters,

but were repelled and pursued towards Dindima Town along Bauchi Gombe Road. “Meanwhile, operations are still on-going .The entire surroundings have been cordoned-off by combined secu-

rity forces and effort is being intensified to restore normalcy in the area. “Members of the public are urged to remain calm and disregard rumour from mischief makers,” he said

Ex-LG chairman applaud Nigerians for massive turnout at polls

ormer Chairman of Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Isa Dara, has applauded the impressive turnout of Nigerians in Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections. Dara told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bwari on Sunday that the large turnout of voters, especially in the council area, was a complete deviation from the past. Dara, who is seeking to represent Bwari/Amac in the FCT, at the National Assembly under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), described the peaceful election as an improvement of the democratic process. What I have seen today is impressive; people are really yearning for a change, because the turn-out I saw is encouraging, so I think it’s a welcome idea. ``Which means people are ready and that shows they really

want government to be closer to them? ``People have started to know why there is government and where government should exist and why they should choose the right person they want. ``Nigeria is growing, like before, we see many people going to farms, when there are businesses, you will see shops open. Now the shops are closed, every farmer is at home, just wait-

ing to go and cast his vote, to vote the person he wants, so, Nigeria is progressing. So thats why this time up, people want change, people are really ready for a change, nothing more than that.’’ He, however, decried the attitude by some people in some parts of the country who indulged in violence as a means to express their grievances, adding that the habit portrayed Nigeria’s

democracy in bad light Dara recalled that past incidences of electoral crisis occurred mostly after the conduct of election, especially in the North, noting that such could hinder the peace and progress of democracy. He stressed the need for Nigerians to always seek peace and embrace the will of God in the cause of choosing leaders to promote meaningful democratic growth.

Emir, LG boss laud peaceful conduct of voters

he Emir of Kanam, Alhaji Babangida Mu’azu and the Chairman, Panskhin Local Government of Plateau, Mr. Samuel Goar, on Saturday commended the peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections. They both commended the electorate in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria

(NAN) in Kanam and Pankshin Local Government Areas for their peaceful conduct. While describing the election as ``a success” despite the hitches in the accreditation of voters, Mu’azu said the maintenance of peace was ``paramount and laudable.” ``We have every reason to thank the Almighty God for the way and

manner we as Nigerians in this part of the country went about the election. ``It is my hope that we shall all accept the result of this general election because power is only given by God,” the monarch said. The royal father stressed the need for politicians to eschew violence whenever the results of the election are declared by INEC.

Monday, March 30, 2015

German plane crash: ‘Co-pilot may have had detached retina’

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World News

The dangerous accord which is being negotiated in Lausanne (Switzerland) confirms our concerns and even worse. –ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU

Guinean president declares 45-day Ebola emergency in five regions Paul Arhewe

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

uinean President Alpha Conde has declared a 45day “health emergency” in five regions of the Ebolahit nation in a bid to stem the spread of the deadly disease. The focus of the virus “has shifted to our country’s coastal areas”, the president said in a statement published in national media. “That is why I am declaring a reinforced health emergency for a period of 45 days in the prefectures of Forecariah, Coyah, Dubreka, Boffa and Kindia,” he said. The regions affected are in the west and southwest of the country. In the capital Conakry, “strict measures will be taken to increase vigilance in communities,” the president added. Since the Ebola outbreak began in Guinea in December 2013, more than 24,000 people in nine

countries have been infected with the virus, and over 10,000 of them have died. All but a handful of those deaths have occurred in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Conde announced a series of measures on Saturday, including the temporary closure of hospitals and clinics where there have been cases of Ebola. “Anyone who hides the sick or moves bodies from one locality to another will be prosecuted according to the law for endangering the lives of others,” Conde warned. He called for a continued “unwavering commitment” to the fight against Ebola. The World Health Organization declared in January that the epidemic was finally declining in west Africa after the three countries at the epicentre recorded a steady drop in cases. But renewed concern has been triggered by fresh setbacks in the worst-hit nations. Liberia on Saturday an-

Guinean President, Alpha Conde

nounced the death of a woman who last week became the country’s first new Ebola patient in more than a month. Health officials also said two new suspected cases had been identified. Liberia has recorded more than 4,300 Ebola deaths but was at an advanced stage of recovery, expecting to be declared Ebola-

Yemen airstrikes to go on until rebels withdraw –Arab summit

audi-led airstrikes in Yemen will continue until Shiite rebels there “withdraw and surrender their weapons,” a summit of Arab leaders decided yesterday, as they also agreed in principle to forming a joint military force. The decision by the Arab League puts it on a path to more aggressively challenge Shiite power Iran, which is backing the Yemeni rebels, known as Houthis. A Saudi-led coalition began bombing Yemen on Thursday, say-

ing it was targeting the Houthis and their allies, which include forces loyal to Yemen’s former leader, Ali Abdullah Saleh. Current and former Yemeni military officials have said the campaign could pave the way for a possible ground invasion. At the summit, held in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm elSheikh, Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby read a final communique outlining the leaders’ views. “Yemen was on the brink of the abyss, requiring effective

Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, wearing an army uniform, ride on an armed truck to patrol the international airport in Sanaa, Yemen, on Saturday.

Arab and international moves after all means of reaching a peaceful resolution have been exhausted to end the Houthi coup and restore legitimacy,” Elaraby said. The Houthis swept down from their northern strongholds last year and captured the capital Sanaa in September. Embattled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, a close U.S. ally against a powerful local al-Qaida affiliate, fled first to the southern city of Aden and left the country last week. Speaking at the summit Saturday, Hadi directly accused Iran of being behind the Houthi offensive, raising the specter of a regional conflict. Iran and the Houthis deny that Tehran arms the rebel movement, though the Islamic Republic has provided humanitarian and other aid. Asked at a news conference to explain vague references to “foreign powers” being behind conflicts in different Arab nations, Elaraby said: “I will answer this question indirectly. There is meddling by some neighbors, Israel on one side, Turkey and Iranian interference in several countries.”

free by mid-April before the latest case in the capital Monrovia. And Sierra Leone on Friday began a new three-day nationwide lockdown sparked by fears that the virus was making a comeback in certain parts of the country. The country’s six million people, with the exception of health workers, were to remain indoors from 0600 GMT Friday to 1800 GMT Sunday on orders from President Ernest Bai Koroma.

Greece seeks happy ending as creditors mull loan deal Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in remarks published yesterday he hoped key talks with international creditors would yield a “happy ending” in the standoff over the country’s crippling debt crisis. Athens is set to present a list of economic reform proposals to international creditors this week in a bid to unblock a new 7.2 billion euro ($7.8 billion) tranche of EU-IMF loans and avoid a debt default. “I am confident there will be a happy ending soon to this first phase of the negotiations, and to normalising the situation,” said Tsipras, whose anti-austerity Syriza party took power two months ago. Tsipras’ remarks came after Germany’s Bundesbank chief Jens Weidmann said Friday he opposed giving Greece any more emergency loans, accusing it of frittering away trust. European paymaster Germany has been leading the push for austerity in Europe, with Greece complaining that the punishing budget cuts demanded were damaging its economy and threatening to force it out of the eurozone.

WORLD BULLETIN Leading suspect in Tunisia museum attack killed Tunisia’s prime minister said yesterday a leading suspect in a deadly museum attack on foreign tourists has been killed in anti-terrorist operations, as tens of thousands of Tunisians marched through the capital to denounce extremist violence. Chaieb is believed a prominent Algerian militant in al-Qaida’s North African arm, and suspected of leading or helping lead the March 18 attack on the National Bardo Museum. Twenty-two people, mainly foreigners, and two gunmen were killed in the March 18 attack on the National Bardo Museum. French President Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and several foreign ministers and legislators from other countries are joining an anti-terrorism ceremony in Tunis after the march. The Tunisian government called on all major political parties to join the march from the seat of government at Bab Es-Saadoun to the museum. The international visitors are showing solidarity with Tunisia, whose fragile new democracy was deeply shaken by the museum attack, for which the Islamic State group claimed responsibility.

Dangerous accord with Iran worse than Israel Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday denounced as “dangerous” a nuclear accord that world powers are negotiating with Iran, saying it goes beyond what his government had feared. “The dangerous accord which is being negotiated in Lausanne (Switzerland) confirms our concerns and even worse,” Netanyahu said in remarks at a meeting of his cabinet broadcast on public radio. Netanyahu denounced the “Iran-Lausanne-Yemen axis which is dangerous for all of humanity and which must be stopped,” making a reference to the Swiss city where the talks are taking place. The premier warned that Iran could be in a position to “conquer” the Middle East through what he called the “axis” of control it has over the capitals of Iraq, Lebanon and Syria. The Israeli leader also said that his country had “strong, bipartisan support” from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the United States. Netanyahu angered the White House when he addressed a joint session of the Congress to warn against a nuclear deal with Iran in the lead-up to Israel’s March 17 general election.

World News

WORLD BULLETIN

Uzbekistan’s poll records 91 percent turnout Uzbekistan’s election commission said 91 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in Sunday’s presidential election, where victory by long time authoritarian leader Islam Karimov is a foregone conclusion. The 77-year-old Karimov has led the former Soviet republic in Central Asia since the late 1980s and ruthlessly quashed all opposition to his rule. While Uzbekistan is untroubled by any immediate signs of unrest, the future of the country of 30 million people is coloured with uncertainty amid a troubled security situation in neighbouring Afghanistan and the lack of a clear succession plan should Karimov suddenly leave office. Economic woes could also be in store as a knock-on effect of the looming recession in Russia, where around 3 million Uzbeks live and work. Russian news agencies, citing the Uzbek Central Election Commission, said turnout was 91 percent. Results will be released Monday. Karimov faced three purely nominal rivals. In the previous election in 2007, he won 91 percent of the vote.

‘Conservative win French local elections’ France’s conservative UMP Party and its allies appear to have won well in the final round of departmental elections. The UMP, led by former President Nicolas Sarkozy, came first and appeared set to secure more than 60 local councils, exit polls suggested. Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Front also appeared to have made gains, while the ruling Socialists and their allies lost about 30 departments. These elections are seen as a test case ahead of 2017’s presidential election. Paris and Lyon, France’s two biggest cities, were excluded from Sunday’s election.

Hollande

Monday, March 30, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

German plane crash: ‘Co-pilot may have had detached retina’ T he co-pilot suspected of crashing a passenger jet in the Alps may have been suffering from a detached retina but investigators are unsure whether his vision problems had physical or psychological causes, a German newspaper said yesterday. Bild am Sonntag also reported how the captain of the Germanwings Airbus had screamed “open the damn door!” to the co-pilot as he tried to get back into the locked cockpit before the jet crashed last Tuesday, killing all 150 on board. Another German newspaper, Welt am Sonntag, quoted a senior investigator as saying the 27-year-old co-pilot Andreas Lubitz “was treated by several neurologists and psychiatrists” and that a number of medications had been found in his apartment. Police also discovered personal notes that showed Lubitz suffered from “severe subjective overstress symptoms”, he added.

Lubitz

Lufthansa, the parent company of the budget airline, said the carrier was unaware of a psychosomatic or any other illness affecting Lubitz. “We have no information of our own on that,” a Lufthansa spokesman said. A spokesman for state

prosecutors in Duesseldorf declined to comment on Sunday on the various media reports, adding there would be no official statement before Monday. The mass circulation Bild am Sonntag said investigators had found evidence that Lubitz feared losing his eyesight,

apparently because of a detached retina. However, it was unclear whether this was due to an organic failure or psychosomatic illness, when physical problems are thought to be caused or aggravated by psychological factors such as stress.

Air Canada flight slides off runway, injuring passengers

n Air Canada plane slid off a runway and suffered heavy damage while landing in the east coast city of Halifax yesterday, sending more than 20 passengers and crew to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The incident happened shortly after midnight. The airline said in an update on Sunday afternoon that all but one of those admitted to hospitals had now been released. “We at Air Canada are greatly relieved that no one was critically injured. Yet we fully appreciate this has been a very unsettling experience,” Air Canada Chief Operating Officer Klaus Goersch said in a statement. Air Canada said the Airbus A320 flying from Toronto was carrying 133 passengers and five crew members. The airline did not give the cause of the accident but said it was cooperating fully with investigators. It was snowing heavily at the airport at the time of the accident. Passengers interviewed by local media described a “big flash” before landing and speculated the flight may have struck a power line, but this was not confirmed by the authorities. Peter Spurway, a spokesman

An Air Canada Airbus A-320 at Halifax International Airport after making an “abrupt” landing and skidding off the runway in bad weather, yesterday.

for the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, told local

media that power was out at the airport around the time of the

crash but did not give the cause. Power has since been restored.

Afghan court sentences photojournalist’s killer to 20 years in jail

n Afghan police officer who shot and killed a veteran Associated Press photographer during the country’s 2014 presidential election has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, a Supreme Court official told Reuters yesterday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he

was not authorized to give statements to the press. A second AP reporter was injured in the attack, which took place in eastern Khost province while they were sitting in their car inside a government compound. Anja Niedringhaus, 48, a German national, was killed in-

stantly while Canadian reporter Kathy Gannon who had covered conflict in Afghanistan for 30 years survived the shooting. The police officer had initially been sentenced to death, but that decision was overturned by an appeals court and the Supreme Court upheld that ruling, the court official said.

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News

Monday, March 30, 2015

Aliyu loses Niger East Senatorial seat PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

overnor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has lost his senatorial bid to his rival and All Progressives Congress, APC candidate, Mr. David Umaru

in the Niger East senatorial district. Umaru won in five out of the nine local governments that make up the zone. Aliyu was defeated in all the wards of the five local governments as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission,

INEC. While, the governor scored 46,459 votes, Umar polled 149,443. Declaring the results of the five councils, the Returning Officer, Prof. Ali Audu Jiigam told journalists that the APC candidate polled 49,519 votes in

Chanchaga, the council of the governor who recorded 17,209 votes. Aliyu scored 6,520 votes as against the APC candidate’s 18,887 votes in Gurara local government, while in Shiroro, Umaru led with 27,191 votes Aliyu’s 7,519 vote

Also, the APC candidate beat Aliyu in Tafa local government with 17,596 votes as against 8, 151 votes, while in Bosso local government, APC got 36,250 and PDP, 7,060 votes. At the time of filing this report, results four local governments of

Suleja, Paikoro, Munya and Rafi were yet to arrive at the collation centre. With the results from the five local governments, APC supporters have started jubilating over the successful outing of the party and its candidate.

ECOWAS declares Nigeria’s presidential elections acceptable

he ECOWAS Observer Mission, EOM, has declared that Saturday’s Presidential election is acceptable and meets the criteria of being free and transparent. The declaration was made by the mission’s head and former President of Ghana, John Kuffour, in Abuja yesterday. Kuffour expressed satisfaction with the commitment made by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, political parties, security agencies and various entities on the electoral process. He observed that the turnout of voters was generally high with a laudable participation of women and young people who displayed commendable level of patience and discipline. “Security agents were present at most of the polling stations and on patrols in and around the cities as peaceful atmosphere prevailed in most parts of the country,” he said. The mission also noted that INEC officials demonstrated good knowledge and compliance with voting procedures. He also noted that agents of the major political parties, including All Progressives Congress, Labour Party and the People Democratic Party, were in attendance in most polling units. “The process of counting at the polling stations and the subsequent collations at designated centres were successful and in accordance with the Electoral Act. “Some of the challenges the mission observed during the exercise included the late arrival of INEC officials in many polling stations and malfunctioning of Card Readers across the country,” he said. Kuffour further said the elections were still ongo-

ing in some affected polling units were elections had been extended by one day. He said the mission also observed that there was insufficient and/or non-availability of electoral materials in some polling units, which led to delay in accreditation and voting processes. “Cases of attempt to snatch ballot papers were reported in some polling stations leading to instances of uproar, shootings and sporadic violence in the affected polling stations. “Despite efforts by the relevant agencies to secure the electoral exercise, explosions were also recorded in some parts of the country,” he added. EOM is part of the ECOWAS sustained efforts to support the consolidation of democracy and good governance in Nigeria. The mission is also in line with ECOWAS guidelines on election-monitoring.

L-R: President, Genotype Foundation, Mrs. Doris Gbemiloye; Former Acting Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, Prof. Yemi Olatunji Bello and representative of Commissioner of Health, Dr. Olajumoke Oyenuga during Sensitization on Sickle Cell Disorder, Blood Group and Genotype in Lagos, at the weekend.

Elections: We made arrests in Lagos, says CP

ommissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr. Kayode Aderanti,

Election results ready today –INEC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

The Returning Officer for Lagos Island Federal Constituency 2, Mr. Adekunle Salvador, said that Mr. Yakubu Balogun of the APC got 16,437 votes while Mr. Rahman Salawe of the PDP secured 7,305 votes. The Returning Officer for Lagos Central senatorial election, Mr. Adebisi Adegbola, told journalists that the election was inconclusive on Saturday in one council area. In Delta State, Deputy Leader, House of Representatives, Leo Okuweh Ogor was declared winner of Isoko Federal Constituency election. Ogor who is being reelected for the fourth term on the platform of PDP defeated three other contenders.

While declaring the result, the Returning Officer for Isoko Federal Constituency, Dr Omosode Osafile said Ogor polled 79,052 to defeat his closest rival, Mr. Daniel Oyovwe of the APC, who polled 6,626 votes, while the candidate of SDP came third with 4,257 votes. Meanwhile, reports from Ondo State indicated that Governor Olusegun Mimiko lost the state Central Senate seat to the opposition candidate. The result which gave the APC candidate the advantage further confirms the inability of the governor to deliver the state to President Goodluck Jonathan even as the coordinator of his campaign in the South-West.

yesterday said some persons were arrested in the state on Saturday for being in possession of some election materials. Aderanti disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, while monitoring the election in Oworonsoki area of Lagos yesterday. He, however, did not mention the number of arrests made and the areas where they were made, but said that the suspects were under investigation. The commissioner described the two-day exercise as peaceful, assuring that other elections in the state would be better. “We are going to have the best election after now in Lagos where everybody will vote and go home because there would be no issue anywhere,” he said. Aderanti said he had been monitoring the elections together with some sister security agencies, including the army, navy and State Security Service on land, air and on water.

On the drowning of some persons at Epe on Saturday during election, the commissioner said they were looking into the incident. NAN reports that there was a large turnout of voters in the Oworonsoki area as many defied the rain to cast their ballot. As at 4.30pm, voting had ended at polling unit 016, Miyaki area and was followed by counting of votes. NAN reports that the exercise was peaceful with the police and civil defence on ground to provide security. Meanwhile, the police on electoral patrol yesterday arrested two hoodlums, who tried to truncate the voting process at Jabi Sarki Primary School polling unit with code 014 in Abuja. An officer, who spoke to NAN on the condition of anonymity said that the hoodlums came from Bwari Area Council to cause chaos at the polling unit. He said police arrested the two because their action was capable of causing tension that could lead to

violence and mar the voting process. He also said that a handcuff and other things were found in possession of one of the suspects who claimed to be a staff of the Security and Civil Defence Corps. Meanwhile, Alhaji Garba Sokoto, a 64-year-old farmer, said that he had exercised his civic duty and was waiting to hear the outcome of the result. Sokoto also confirmed that he saw police officers arresting two men who were taken in a marked Hilux van to the police station. He commended the police for the prompt response in bringing calmness to the polling unit as it was very rowdy a day before with hoodlums trying to truncate the process. Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Presiding Officer at the polling unit, Mr. Abdullahi Abduramah, said the hoodlums were forcing the electoral officials to accredit them and allow them to cast their votes.

North

Monday, March 30, 2015

Mu’azu fails Jonathan, loses unit to APC EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

esults so far released of the Presidential and National Assembly elections held yesterday showed the National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, failed to deliver his ward to President Goodluck Jonathan. In Mu’azu’s hometown, PDP’s presidential candidate, President Jonathan, got only 98 votes while presidential candidate of the opposition party, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, got 2,993 in Kardam B, Boto Ward in Tafawa Balewa council area of the state. The Senate result also released showed that the senatorial candidate of

the opposition APC, Mallam Ali Wakili, won with a total of 2,300 votes, while PDP senatorial candidate and Bauchi Governor, Isa Yuguda, also lost in the same ward with a total vote of 1,600. Barrister Dogara Yakubu of APC also won the House of Representatives elections with 2,347 to beat PDP candidate, who got 1,782 votes. The PDP national chairman had in an interview with journalists yesterday shortly after being accredited, said he was optimistic the PDP would win the elections. According to him, “more than ever before, I am more than confident that PDP would lead despite speculations and animosities.”

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Displaced persons, soldiers vote against Jonathan in Borno …early results favour Buhari INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

housands of internally displaced persons, IDPs, and soldiers at various barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State, yesterday voted for candidates of All Progressives Congress, APC. People from 16 of the 27 local government areas of

the state cast their votes in Maiduguri, where they are camped since they were dislodged from their homes by Boko Haram. Camps visited by our correspondent where the IDPs cast their votes included the Teacher’s Village at Pompomari Estate, NYSC camp, Arabic Teachers College, Yerwa Government Girls College,

Government College, Maiduguri, Bakkasi Housing Estate and Women Teachers College, WTC. At polling unit 017 where displaced Gwoza residents cast their votes, APC scored 276 votes against PDP’s 28 in the presidential election. The situation was the same at Teacher’s Village where APC scored 315 against

PDP’s 41 and 297 against 33 votes in two separate polling stations. At Government House polling unit 1 in Maiduguri, APC scored 218, while PDP got 28. Similarly, at polling unit O29, APC polled 66 votes against PDP’s 24. At polling unit 30, APC polled 41 votes, while PDP clinched 21.

PDP supporter dies in Kogi violence WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP member, Alhaji Megeudi, 35, fell victim to election violence and was killed by suspected rival gang on Saturday at Iyale in Dekina Local GovernCHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as BRAIMOH SILIFATU JENNIFER, Now wish to be known and addressed as BRAIMOH VICTORY JENNIFER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ment Area of Kogi State. The PDP supporter was reportedly killed by a rival opposition gang over struggle to take possession of electoral materials for their political parties. The youths, who invaded the polling unit from different directions at about 9am, were attempting to cart away election materials and card reader. The struggle to out-do each other degenerated into violence and led to Megeudi’s death.

Palm Sunday procession by members of St. Michael Anglican Church, in Kaduna, yesterday.

Attacks have no bearing on election results

esident Electoral Commissionerin Bauchi State, Prof. Hamman Tukur, has said Saturday’s attacks on some polling units in Darazo, Kirfi and Alkaleri

towns would have no effect on election results. Reacting yesterday to the reported attacks by unknown gunmen, Tukur noted that the attacks occurred when polls had

closed in Kirfi and Alkaleri, though ongoing in Darazo. Tukur said INEC was informed in good time about the attacks, and that it reported the mat-

ter to security agencies, which responded promptly. According to him, no life was lost, and no serious damage done to materials.

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PHOTO: NAN

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Monday, March 30, 2015

As to whether I will rescind my decision to quit the Togo team, I think we have to still wait and see

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Sport

Bale shakes off critics

–TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STRIKER, EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR

Bafana force

Eagles to 1-1 draw A

93rd minute goal from Bongani Zungu saved the Bafana Bafana of South Africa from home defeat yesterday against the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Thus, the international friendly match ended 1-1 draw at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. Bafana dominated most of the game with Andile Jali denied from the spot by Nigeria’s keeper, Daniel Akpeyi. Stand-in captain, Ahmed Musa, looked to have provided the sucker punch with five minutes remaining, but Zungu popped up with virtually the last kick of the game to earn a draw for the home side. Musa cut in from the left flank before curling an unstoppable effort past Bafana goalkeeper, Itumeleng Khune, from the edge of the area

in the 85th minute. With time running out the Super Eagles looked to have won it but Zungu pounced after Akpeyi parried Thuso Phala’s close range effort in the third minute of stoppage time to score the equalizer. Aaron Samuel forced Khune into an early save. The burly forward dusted himself off after being fouled by Erick Mathoho before firing his left-footed free-kick from 25 yards straight at the South African stopper who was up to the task. The hosts conjured up their first chance with six minutes on the clock. A well worked one-two between Bongani Zungu and Thulani Hlatshwayo culminated in a first time effort by the Sundowns man who was denied by a leaping Akpeyi in the Nigerian goals.

Ahmed Musa

AAG Lusaka battle: Siasia relies on Manu Garba players Joel Ajayi ABUJA

nder-23 Team Coach, Samson Siasia, has bowed to the yearnings of many Nigerians by inviting five key members of the Manu Garba-led victorious 2015 Africa Youth Championship (AYC) Flying Eagles to camp ahead of second leg of the All

Africa Games (AAG) qualifier against Zambia in Lusaka in a fortnight. The players include: captain Musa Muhamed, Taiwo Awoniyi, Sunday Alampasu, Bernard Bulbwa and Mustapha Abdullahi. Siasia had insisted that no amount of pressure would make him to abandon his players and look elsewhere for assistance, despite his team’s failure

to get the maximum three point in the first leg played in Abuja. The U-23 team coach had told National Mirror in Abuja that a goalless draw by his side would not spell doom for Nigeria’s quest to grab Congo BrazzavilleAAG ticket come April 11 when the reversed fixture will be played. According to him, “It doesn’t mean that because we played draw here they

would not allow us to win over there. We just have to get our acts together and make sure we prepare better in front of goal before going into second leg. “There is no need to think of bringing in other players. All we need is to work with the ones we have in camp now so we could perfect our strategies ahead of the second leg.”

Sports

Monday, March 30, 2015

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Raphael Varane

Kane

Chelsea increases Varane-crazy tempo

‘Kane,

role model for youth’ E

Bale shakes off critics

ales forward, Gareth Bale, insists he has nothing to prove to anybody after playing a starring role in a vital victory for Wales in Saturday’s European Qualifier in Israel. The Real Madrid winger came into the match under scrutiny, having been criticised for his recent club form by the Spanish club’s supporters and the media. His car was attacked by fans after last week’s 2-1 loss to Barcelona, but he responded with a fantastic performance in Haifa, setting up Aaron Ramsey’s opener and then scoring twice in the second-half. “I don’t need to answer the critics,” Bale said after the match. “There are ups and downs in football. You have to take it with a pinch of salt and all you can do is respond with your performances on the pitch, like that. “I don’t feel I need to prove anyone wrong or right, I just need to play my football. “I love playing for Wales. It’s a big honour and the most important thing is I focus on my football and I don’t listen to anyone else. Wales now has a great chance of reaching Euro 2016, the win having taken the side to the top of Group B.

Bale

ngland striker Harry Kane is a fantastic example for other young players, according to various analysts in England. The 21-year-old took less than two minutes to score his first international goal as he made his debut in England’s 4-0 win over Lithuania on Friday night and has been in phenomenal form for Tottenham Hotspur since establishing himself in the starting lineup. However, things have not always gone so smoothly for Kane and renowned analyst, Henry Winter, believes it is his application as much as his ability that have enabled his meteoric rise this season. “Everyone you talk to at Spurs, they just rave about Harry Kane as a person and as a footballer,” Winter said yesterday. “They admire the way he has fought back, they saw him come through the ranks, he was very good with the U18s and then he went out on loan,” he added. “One of the reasons why it has struck a chord, maybe to kids generally but particularly to the younger generation of footballers, is that he has shown that a pathway can develop if you push for it.” Another analyst, Andy Dunn, says Kane has improved his game to overcome certain limitations. “If you speak to people who coached him through all those developmental years, everyone always used to say he lacked half a yard of pace and he’s worked on that,” Dunn explained. “He’s adapted his game and the coaches have adapted his game and he is a good striker and finisher. That is why I think he is a great prospect, but I do think we all need to calm down a bit.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Monday, March 30, 2015

olden Eaglets yesterday failed to finish third at the CAF U-17 Championship after they lost 3-1 to Guinea. Both nations will feature at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile in October. The Eaglets scored first in the 28th minute through Victor Osimhen, his fourth goal of the tournament. However, Guinea drew level through Aboubacar Toure in the 34th minute. Abdoulaye Jules Keita then grabbed a brace in the 39th and 53rd minute to kill off the game for the Guineans who continued to search for more goals thereafter. Nigeria and Guinea played out a 1-1 draw when they clashed in the group phase of the competition.

Friendlies:

Chipolopolo bombs Rwanda in Lusaka

Rainford Kalaba

…Tanzania, Malawi share spoils

aifa Stars and Flames of Malawi played to a 1-1 draw in their international friendly at the CCM Kirumba in Mwanza, Tanzania yesterday. The Flames claimed an early lead through Mucium Mhone, who netted in the third minute

from a corner kick to put the visitors ahead. The teams exchanged scoring chances through the remainder of the first half, but the break arrived with Malawi 1-0 to the good. The second half continued in much the same manner, but this time it was the Taifa Stars’

Mbwana Samatta who got his name on the score sheet midway through the stanza to level the scores at 1-1. The hosts pushed hard for a winner in the latter stages, but were unable to further trouble Malawi and the match ended in a stalemate.

NBBF hails D’Tigers’ feat Joel Ajayi ABUJA

resident of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Alhaji Tijani Umar, has commended the strong-willed spirit of the D’ Tigers in the past weeks which gave Nigeria the 2015 Afrobasket and All Africa Games tickets. “The team has done well and it shows that we as a people can achieve whatever

we want to achieve,” Umar told National Mirror yesterday. “We just have to ensure adequate preparation ahead of the continental basketball competition later in the year,” the NBBF boss added. Nigeria sealed qualification to the 2015 FIBA Africa Basketball championship in Tunisia and the All African Games in Congo with a 63-50 victory over Burkina Faso after the second leg of the qualifiers in

Lagos last week. D’Tigers have now joined Angola, Egypt, Cote d’ Ivoire, Cameroon, Mali, Morocco, Uganda, Cape Verde, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Gabon, Congo and host Tunisia for a 17th appearance at FIBA Africa Championship built for the cities of Nabuel and Hammamet, Tunisia between August 20 and 30 as well as the 11th AAG scheduled for September 4 to 19 in Congo Brazzaville.

Team Ijaw wins Ethnic Cup T he month-long 2015 Ethnic Unity Cup Championship ended at the Naval Playing Ground, Apapa last weekend with Team Ijaw carting away the trophy. At the final witnessed by a representative of Governor Babatunde Fashola, Prince Wale Oladunjoye, who is also the Principal Special Assistant on Grassroots Sports Development to the Governor, Team Ijaw beat Team Isoko 2-1 to emerge winner. The third place match was won by Team Ukwuani

via 5-4 penalty against Team Isale Eko after a 2-2 draw at regulation time. Prince Oladunjoye commended the organisers for organising what he called a great tournament which surpassed the last edition. Chief Coordinator, Anthony Ilkhator, thanked the Lagos State government for its support while urging the government to encourage competitions that would foster harmonious relationship among ethnic groups in Lagos State. Prizes and trophies were

given to the winner and runners-up, while individual and team awards of Best Goalkeeper, Best Defender, Best Midfielder, Highest Goal scorer and Best Coach also went to deserved winners. Other dignitaries who graced the final were Olawale Faola JP, Ewa Henshaw of the Office of Grassroots Sports Development, Governor Office, former Nigeria international, Ifeanyi Udeze; Efemena Elutabe, Hon. Jamal Oyebo and Fred Odita, among others.

Fashola

Ibile Games Awards:

Lagos hails ex-Olympian, Olowu

agos State government has commended former athlete and Nigeria’s team captain to the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games, Alhaji Karim Babalola Olowu, OON, for instituting the annual best long jump athletes award. Olowu represented Nigeria at the British Empire Games in 1950 and two Olympic Games in 1952 and 1956 as well as three Commonwealth Games where he won two silver medals. The K.A.B Olowu Awards, which will be given to the best three long jump athletes in Lagos State, saw the first set of recipients honored during the prize giving ceremony for outstanding performance at the recent Lagos State Secondary Schools Sports Festival tagged IBILE Games 2015. Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Barrister Wahid Enitan Oshodi, who was represented on the occasion by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Sports, Mr. Sowe-

do Oluseyi Whenu, described the gesture by the legendary long jumper, saying it would encourage upcoming athletes to give their best. “He’s a role model for us all and we appreciate his magnanimity for donating trophies and cash awards for the athletes,” Whenu said. A student of Federal College of Science and Technology, Yaba, Kake Tope, who leaped 6.26 metre at the Lagos Secondary Schools Sports Festival, won the award in addition to cash prize of N100, 000. Second placed Idowu Timelehin of International School, Akoka, Lagos with the jump of 6.21 metre was rewarded with N75, 000, while Agbo Olisa of White Sands Schools, Lekki with the record, 6.19 metre received N50, 000. Three schools each in the in junior and senior secondary school categories at the 2015 Ibile Games also got equipment and facilities in various sports.

WORLD RECORD Largest handsfi-reman’s living person Fastest mile carry

Vol. 05 No. 1079 Monday, March 30, 2015

T h e l a r g e s t h a n d s o n a l i v i n g p e r s o n b e l o n g t o S u l t a n Kö s e n ( T u r k e y, b o r n 1 0 D e c e m b e r 1 9 8 2 ) w h o h a d h a n d s m e a s u r i n g 2 8 . 5 c m ( 1 1 . 2 2 i n ) f r o m t h e w r i s t t o t h e t i p o f t h e m i d d l e f i n g e r.

N150

2015 elections: Triumph over pessimism

p to the eve of last Saturday presidential and National Assembly elections, the impression created in a section of the national media was that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party could still spring some surprises that would put paid to the ambition of General Muhammadu Buhari, the APC standard bearer in the presidential election. One of the front page stories in most of the national dailies of last Wednesday was to the effect that the PDP had procured a court judgement to disqualify Buhari. Adding to the tension of a likely Buhari disqualification was the awaited ruling of an Abuja High Court in a case filed by one Barrister Chinwike Okafor seeking for the disqualification of the APC presidential candidate. It was one of the series of cases seeking to stop General Buhari on the grounds of alleged perjury over his

HeartBeat Callistus Oke

Callistusoke@nationalmirroronline.net 08054103275 (SMS ONLY) anthonykila@mail.com affidavit on his certificates claims. For me, the last Wednesday ruling by the trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, which technically cleared the general to contest, was a triumph of social justice over legal activism. The nation was on the edge while waiting for the ruling. And when it came, there was no doubt it was a strong political sedative administered on a nation whose political temperature was on the critical point. With that ruling all imaginable obstacles were cleared for Saturday polls. Talking of fidelity to commitment to make the exercise a success, the Federal Government manifestly demonstrated a strong resolve, including overzealousness! I saw this in the initial closing of all the nation’s land and sea borders only for it to reverse itself on the closure of the sea borders, when it was reported that ‘experts’ advised that such move would harm the economy. You will also recall that the FG preferred to err on the side of the law when it defiantly deployed soldiers for overt security duties during the elections instead of exposing the entire nation, including the voters, INEC personnel, election monitors and even parties chiefs to security risks. I have always seen the politically motivated contestation over the deployment of the military for limited electoral duties by the parties as normal reaction from a sordid history of state manipulation of security agencies during general elections.

CARD READER FAILURE WAS NOT THE ONLY

LOW POINT OF INEC’S PREPARATIONS FOR THE ELECTIONS As tenuous as the legal-constitutional arguments against such deployment might be, there is no denying the fact that the political grounds leading to the opposition are very solid. However, for this year’s general elections, any arguments against the deployment of the military given the palpable state of insecurity in parts of the country and our ugly history of electioninduced violence would remain at best histrionics. That the March 28 elections held in spite of both the rabble rousing and sabre rattling of the APC and PDP show the resilience of the nation. It is a different ball game altogether when INEC erects a super structural edifice far more sophisticated that the nation’s substructure. This is the context I see the failure of the apex electoral body’s technological innovation that is smart card reader. The device, which is expected to scan biometric identity card (PVC) to authenticate the voter, is a measure meant to cut electoral fraud to the barest minimum, if not to totally eliminate it. The deployment proved to be INEC’s Achilles’ heel. President Goodluck Jonathan was the most high-profile victim

of the glitches occasioned by the deployment of the technology. At a stage INEC buried its pride as it directed it field staff to do ‘manual accreditation’ to save the day. Card reader failure was not the only low point of INEC’s preparations for the elections. Nationwide, there was late and even non-arrival of election officials in some places. And in many states also, critical electoral materials like result sheets were not supplied to polling units. About 300 of the over 120, 000 polling were said to have been affected, and INEC’s response to these reported glitches was extending polling into Sunday. The shortfall of sensitive materials also led to the postponement of election into the House of Representatives in 11 federal constituencies in Jigawa State. A painful backlash of this development is the politicization of the failure of INEC. Quite unfortunately, the PDP, which never sanctioned the deployment of card readers, characteristically made Professor Attahiru Jega, INEC boss, the fall guy. In contrast, the APC showed more understanding in its reaction to the hitches, calling on its supporters to remain calm. The deployment of the military could not stop Boko Haram from striking in selected areas in the North East; parts of Rivers State were turned into battle grounds; there were incidents of ballot boxes and smart cards snatching, among other political malfeasance. Jega did not cause them. Rather they are a portrayal of a nation still steeped in dirty politics. The nation needs more than a reformation of the electoral process or political reengineering to entrench and sustain clean political culture. Nigerians need renewal of the mind as well. Whatever anyone says to the contrary, last Saturday polls were a huge success. That the elections held in the North East region was a national triumph over terrorism; and that the turnout was high nationwide was a reconfirmation of the confidence of Nigerians in the unity of the country.

Sport Extra

Tennis: Serena shines in Miami opening game

orld number one, Serena Williams, showed no sign of a recent knee injury in her opening match of the Maimi Open early yesterday as

she easily defeated Romanian Monica Niculescu 6-3, 6-1. The match was the first for Williams since she withdrew before the semifinals at Indian

Wells last week, citing a right knee problem. “It was a little sore in practice, but it was OK today,” the younger of the Williams sisters said after the match.

Although Williams had also defeated Niculescu two weeks ago, she struggled at the start with her opponent’s unorthodox game, which includes a squash-style slice fore-

hand that creates lots of spin. “I was clearly frustrated but I just try not to explode, which is hard because I’m really passionate,” she added.

Serena

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