Dtn 22 10 15

Ƒ ƅƈƋ Ƈ dƐ ƐƆ Ɗ ƕ ^Ə Ƈê ƊƑƄƑ ƆƓ 9M& ƅ ƈƏ Egena Egena, ƄƑƉ

ÎÎÎThe National Council of State (NCS) on

Wednesday approved the choice of Professor Mahmood Yakubu by President Muhammadu Buhari as the new chairman of the

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This is even as the NCS also commended

former INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Continued on page 2 www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.214

GAINERS

N150

LOSERS

NSE GAINERS AND LOSERS AS AT 16th October 2015.

FO

280

10.00

3.57%

ZENITHBANK

17.51

0.66

3.77%

MOBIL

148

-7.00

-4.73%

TRANSCOHOT

6.42

-0.68

-10.59%

UACN

28.05

1.20

4.28%

GUARANTY

23.51

0.47

2.00%

GUINNESS

150

-1.00

-0.67%

ETI

18.3

-0.55

-3.01%

Saraki: 80 Senators invade tribunal

Ï j ƗƉ ƑƏ ƅ Ɔ Ɛ M ƒê ǀ Andrew Orolua, ƄƑƉ

ÎÎÎIn

a show of solidarity, no

fewer than 80 serving Senators, on Wednesday, stormed the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Jabi Dis-

trict of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja where the trial of the Senate President, Senator Bukola

Saraki, for alleged false assets declaration was to commence in earnest.

The Senators, who took their Continued on page 2

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Boko Haram: G Ɨ ƐƆ g7 MơǀƠƌ Ɛ Ə è ƄƆè Ɨ ƌ Ɠ

News 2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Senators storm tribunal for Saraki Continued from page 1 seats behind Saraki in the court room, were led by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

In company with Senator Saraki, they had rode on four Coaster buses with registration number ‘NASS MGT’ from the National Assembly to the tribunal.

They arrived at the tribunal at about 9:57am with Saraki wearing a cream colour ‘agbada’ with cap to match. They calmly warmed their seats for

about an hour before the tribunal resumed at about 10:46am for the business of the day.

The tribunal sitting, however did not last as it was forced to adjourn to November 5, 2015 following an oral application by the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacob (SAN) who cited the pending judgment of the Court of Appeal as reason for his prayer.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division had on Monday adjourned indefinitely judgment in an appeal filed

by Saraki seeking to stop his trial.

The Federal Government had last month arraigned Saraki before the tribunal on a 13 count charge bothering on false assets declaration.

Saraki, though pleaded not guilty to the charge, but approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision of the tribunal to try him.

After announcing appearance, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, noted that it was proper

and procedural for the accused person who is present in court to stay in the dock while the trial proceeds.

Counsel to accused person, Mahmud Magaji SAN, however opposed the submission but rather urged the tribunal to take judicial notice of the fact that there is a pending appeal before the Court of Appeal, and hence the tribunal lacks the power to continue with the trial.

In a short ruling, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar, held

that the accused person should enter the dock, after which any other application can be made.

It was at this point that the Senate President moved into the dock and was given a chair to sit.

Jacobs however informed the court about the pendency of the judgement at the Court of Appeal, noting that it will be a sign of respect to the appellate court for the prosecution to wait for its judgement before any other thing could be done on the matter.

He therefore prayed the tribunal to adjourn for two weeks.

Magaji however opposed the application for two weeks adjournment, and consequently prayed the tribunal to adjourn sine dine pending the judgement of the Court of Appeal.

Delivering a short ruling, Justice Umar held that the adjournment will be for two weeks.

He ruled: “The fact that

the Court of Appeal adjourned indefinitely cannot make us here to also adjourn indefinitely. If we do so, the defendant may go and relax and we want defendant to be on his toes.

“The tribunal is therefore adjourned till November 5 and 6 for report from Court of Appeal and possibly hearing”.

At the Appeal court, Saraki through his team of lawyers led by J.B Daudu (SAN) contended that that the Code of Conduct Tribunal erred in law by proceeding with the trial with two members instead of mandatory three as provided by the constitution. He argued that the composition of the tribunal during the trial of Saraki violated paragraphs 15(1) of the 1999 constitution by sitting with two members instead of three and asked the court to nullify the CCT proceedings of last month due to lack of quorum.

Continued on page 6

Tasks before the new INEC helmsman Rescue workers at the scene of a three storey-building that collapsed at Odunfa Street, Lagos, Island… on Wednesday.

Photo: BOLAJI OLASUNKANMI

Council of State approves Prof. Yakubu as new INEC chair ...Commends Jega Continued from page 1 Jega, for his outstanding performance while in office.

The new INEC chairman, who was former chairman of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), hails from Bauchi State in the North East.

The council also approved the nomination of four INEC national commissioners including Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari (North West); Dr. Antonia Taiye Okoosi-Simbime (North Central); Dr. Mohammed Mustapha Lekki (South South) and Prince Soyebi Solomon (South West).

With the council’s approval, the President is expected to forward the nominations

to the National Assembly for confirmation.

The national commissioner representing the South East, Ambassador Lawrence Nwuruku, from Ebonyi State is still serving his term.

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, announced the new INEC chair and the commissioners in a media briefing after a meeting of the NCS at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The appointment of Mahmud may have put paid to the controversy sparked off by the appointment of Zakari in an acting capacity following the exit of Prof. Attahiru Jega in June.

Wednesday’s NCS meeting was the first to be presided

over by President Buhari since he was sworn-in on May 29.

The council which has the Vice President, former Presidents and Heads of State; President of the Senate; Speaker of the House of Representatives; former and serving Chief Justices of Nigeria and all state governors, among others as members, is chaired by the President.

The meeting which held inside the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja started at about 11:10am with the arrival of the President.

Four former Nigerian leaders: Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd.); Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.); Gen. Abdusalami

Abubakar (rtd.); and Chief Ernest Shonekan were in attendance; while former Presidents Shehu Shagari, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan were absent.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who appeared before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Wednesday for continuation of his trial over allegations of false declaration of assets was also absent.

State governors, deputy governors and some top presidential aides also attended the meeting.

Tambuwal said the nomination of the new INEC naContinued on page 6

News Analysis Akinjide Akintola

ÎÎÎAnother egghead, Profes-

sor Mamoud Yakubu, was on Wednesday, named new helmsman at the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC). This was sequel to the approval of the nomination of President Muhammadu Buhari by National Council of States at its first meeting since Buhari assumed office on May 29.

The announcement could not have come at a more auspicious time given the heated debate and condemnation that the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari as acting chairman had generated across the land following the non-renewal of the appointment of erstwhile chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega.

Beyond the legal, constitutional and moral reasons raised by the most vociferous opponents of Zakari as acting chairman, the tasks before the new helmsman are onerous but not insurmountable given the intimidating credentials

of Prof. Yakubu.

Of immediate attention is the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states slated for November 21 and December 5, 2015, respectively which is barely four weeks away.

How he is able to successfully conduct these elections in so short a period will determine his fate as chairman of INEC. Thankfully, the erstwhile acting chairman, Zakari was retained as a National Commissioner. Before becoming acting chairman, she had completed her fiveyear term as National Commissioner. In essence, there would be no problem in terms of continuation as Zakari had gone far with the arrangements for the polls.

Other issues begging for attention are the calls for a review of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) as re-echoed recently by Zakari with a view to addressing the shortcomings and improving on the processes of the commission.

Continued on page 6

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

3

Politics Page Three Æ s Editorial Tariff on rice importation

T

wo days ago, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom hinted that the Federal Government plans to raise tariff on rice importation to boost local production and encourage the country’s farmers. He explained that the new policy would not only revamp local rice production but also go a long way to check sharp practices and conserve Nigeria’s foreign exchange. We are totally in support of any policy by the Federal Government to stem the massive importation of rice into the country. This is informed by the fact that Nigeria spends billions of dollars every year importing rice from countries in South East Asia.

Such importation is even more pathetic against the background that Nigeria produces large quantities of rice that are left to waste due to non-purchase by government and other local importers. If the new policy comes into effect, it won’t be the first time that the government would be introducing tariff to boost local rice production. Early this year, the Federal Government increased levy on rice from 20 per cent to 100 per cent, while the duty was pegged at 20 per cent. However, Rice Distributors Association of Nigeria complained that the policy backfired as it encouraged smuggling of rice along the Nigeria-Benin border; even while rice importation by land is prohibited.

In addition, reports indicated the drop in importation to the new price regime, whereas the local production that the new tariff was meant to benefit has remained far below the mark, because the locally produced ones could not compare with the prices of the smuggled ones.

However, that should not discourage

the authorities from raising the tariff on rice. The problem with such exercise is not about its efficiency in protecting local rice producers but the fault lies in the inability of the Customs Service to enforce the ban. Most times, such government efforts have been sabotaged by those whose responsibility is to protect the smuggling of banned rice into the country.

We are therefore calling on the security agencies to do their job without compromise. There has to be visible result of the tariff regime as planned, because so much has been invested in local rice production in the past couple of years. It may sound over ambitious to place outright ban on the importation of rice to give maximum protection to its local production. Nevertheless, such idea or threat sends the right signal to importers and the smugglers alike.

A high rice tariff may initially create scarcity; but it will undoubtedly encourage those who prefer the foreign rice to look inward. Statistics show that Nigerians consume nearly six million metric tonnes of rice annually. On the positive side, figures show that the volume of locally produced rice is increasing due to the incentives to farmers by the Federal Government to achieve the target of reducing the quantity of imported rice by 50 percent before the end of this year. It is also cheering to note that states like Ebonyi, processing Abakiliki rice; Kwara and Kogi among others, are heavily investing in the cultivation and processing of rice. Our borders must, therefore be secured from the activities of smugglers if the new tariff and efforts to increase local production are to yield the desired result.

Chibok school girls: What will cash payment to Boko Haram prove?

Sam Nzeh

ÎÎÎLast

week, President Muhammadu Buhari, declared his willingness and that of his administration to make financial payments to the Boko Haram sect to secure the release of over 200 Chibok school girls abducted by the sect.

He made the disclosure while speaking during an interview on Al Jazeera English’s Upfront programme, adding that the exchange to be made would depend on the negotiations with the sect.

The girls, it would be recalled, were abducted by the terror sect on April 14, 2014 and all efforts made so far to secure their re-

lease have not been successful.

This declaration by President Buhari raises a number of posers: What exactly does Mr. President and his administration want to prove? Did President Buhari think through the implications of such move before making the statement?

Are those pushing him to undertake such plan so desperate to ‘secure’ the release of the school girls that they fail to realise the harm it could bring on Nigeria’s image in the international community? Is the move not be an official endorsement of terrorism and criminal acts? So many questions begging for answers.

Fact is that the move if eventually undertaken will not only set a danger-

Words On Marble :

ous precedent but embolden other groups with extreme socio-political and religious views to unleash terror on Nigerians with hope that in the end they will be rewarded by the Nigerian state with cash among other benefits.

No doubt, President Buhari just like other wellmeaning Nigerians would like to see the abducted school girls regain freedom soonest. However, paying cash to secure their release aside being a dangerous precedent clearly shows desperation on the part of Mr. President and his administration. When governments choose to pay cash to terrorists and criminals to secure favours, then they should be prepared for unending acts of terror and criminality.

STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

Publisher/Editor in Chief – Fidelis Anosike Group Managing Editor Molara Wood

Group Managing Director Noel Anosike

Ag Head Operations Segun Bamigboye

Deputy Editor Sam Nzeh

Technical Adviser To Publisher Innocent Nwankwo 08033072614

News Editor Segun Adio

Group Executive Commercial/ Business Developement Ifeoluwa Isijiola 08086296714

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Goodluck Jonathan

Ike Ekweremadu

Ben Murray-Bruce

“Successful elections will depend on how each stakeholder plays his or her role to ensure a peaceful, inclusive and transparent electoral process.”

““Mutual ethno-sectional and religious suspicions have become so ingrained in our body polity that even the most patriotic and altruistic intentions are almost always interpreted from myopic prisms of such sentiments and interests.”

“We must kill tribalism in Nigeria.

All Nigerians must be at home in any part of Nigeria without being regarded as settlers.”

4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

5

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Akwa Ibom governorship poll: Tribunal orders rerun in 18 LGAs From Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÎÎÎThe Akwa Ibom State

Governorship Election Tribunal on Wednesday in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rerun the governorship election in 18 out of the 31 local government council areas of Akwa Ibom State.

The Local Government Areas were the election was nullified by the tribunal include Etim Ekpo, Uyo, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Atai, Etinan, Ibesikpo, Onna,

Ibeno, and Ikono among others.

The re-run, according to the tribunal, would produce a clear winner of the election conducted on April 11, 2015 between Governor Udom Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Umana Umana of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Sadiq Umar, gave the order while delivery judgment on the election petition filed by Umana Umana.

The tribunal nullified the elections in the affected council areas and Justice Umar said that the petition of the petitioner succeeded in part.

In the judgment that lasted over seven hours, the tribunal agreed with the petitioner that the electorate were disenfranchised as a result of violence, snatching of election materials, irregularities and harassment of INEC staff.

However, the tribunal was silent in the prayer seeking invalidation of

the election of Governor Emmanuel Udom.

Earlier in the judgment, the tribunal had dismissed the forensic report on the grounds that those who generated the report admitted in their witnesses’ statements that they were not forensic experts.

The tribunal also dismissed the press statement issued by INEC on the use of Card reader for the election.

According to Justice Continued on page 21

Agenda for new INEC chair Continued from page 2 The new INEC chairman will need to work in concert with the National Assembly to get the amendments approved in order take care of the lapses and lacunas in some of the clauses requiring amendments.

Another issue that needed to be tackled is the constitution of the INEC appointments which should be made up of 13 national commissioners. At the moment, with the new appointment by President Buhari, the commission has only six commissioners instead of 13, but with this number, would it be legal to conduct the forthcoming polls?

Some of the challenges also facing the commission that needed to be addressed include lack of internal party democracy, challenges in the control and monitoring of party finance and expenditures as well as election-related violence which has been part and parcel of elections in the country.

The unresolved issues

over the Permanent Voters Card and the Electronic Card Reader which was the main challenge in the last general election are other important matters that Prof. Yakubu must address as the countdown to the election draws near.

Besides, the Electronic Voting procedure which has been on the drawing board for some time now would also need his urgent attention. He should not find it too tasking.

Former chairman, Professor Jega, was able to stamp his authority on the electoral process in the last general election which was adjudged credible, free and fair by many local, foreign and international observers.

As Prof. Yakubu comes on board at this decisive moment, Nigerians would expect nothing less from him. He must prove his mettle and not misplace the trust reposed in him by the President who appointed him and the Council of States that approved the appointment.

All eyes are on him; he must not fail!

80 Senators storm tribunal for Saraki Continued from page 2

L-R: Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello; Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Niger State, Mr. Shuaibu Adamu during the governor’s visit to TETFUND in Abuja... on Wednesday Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN

Council of State okays Prof. Yakubu as new INEC chair Continued from page 2 tional commissioners was in conformity with the constitutional provision which stipulated that no fewer than four commissioners would form a quorum.

He noted that eleven of the commissioners had served out their tenure, explaining that the staggered appointment of the new commissioners was informed by the exigencies of the moment.

He said: “As the first Council meeting in the life of this administration, the Council received a memo on the nomination of Chairman and five Commissioners for INEC. This is in conformity with the provisions of the

constitution of Nigeria particularly Sections 154 (1 and 3 and 156 (3) that confers on the President the powers to appoint a chairman and national commissioners of INEC, in consultation with the Council of States.

“The situation in INEC as at today is such that requires for this emergency meeting to approve the nominations

by Mr. President, because the law requires that a minimum of four commissioners should form a quorum in INEC, which is not the case as of today, because the tenures of 11 of national commissioners of INEC had expired.

“In line with this, the Council considered and con-

firmed the appointments of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of INEC, Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari as member representing North West, Dr. Antonia Taiye Okoosi-Simbile as Commissioner North Central, Alhaji Baba Shettima Arfo, from Borno as Commissioner representing North East, Dr, Mohammed Mustapha Lekki from Edo as Commissioner representing South South and Prince Soyebi Adedeji Solomon from Ogun State representing South West.”

Explaining further, Tambuwal said council had agreed that the names of the remaining six commissioners should be submitted in due course for approval to

avert a repeat of all their tenures lapsing at the same time as had recently happened.

“These names have been approved and would be transmitted to the NASS for confirmation.”

Meanwhile, the NCS on Wednesday poured encomiums on former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for his outstanding performance while in office.

The commendation was given at the meeting of the council held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, disclosed this to journalists at the end of the meeting.

The appellant counsel disagreed with the arguments of the Federal Government counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, that the Interpretation Act can be used to resolve the constitutional logjam since the constitution was silent on the quorum for the tribunal membership.

Daudu insisted that the Interpretation Act cannot override the constitution being the supreme law and the Act being inferior to the constitution.

He also argued that the tribunal was wrong in assuming criminal jurisdiction against the Senate President when it was not a superior court of record.

Daudu, who cited several authorities, submitted that the tribunal cannot assume concurrent jurisdiction with the federal high court, adding that the Code of Conduct Tribunal was by law inferior to the federal high court.

He therefore urged the Appeal court to nullify the proceedings of the tribunal against Saraki and to also set aside the criminal charges filed against him by the Federal Government on account of being illegal and unlawful.

However, opposing the submissions of Saraki’s counsel, the Federal Government through its counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, asked that the appeal case be dismissed for lacking merit.

Jacobs told the 3-man appeal court panel that the constitution was silent on the quorum of the tribunal memberships.

He urged the court to invoke the Interpretation Act to resolve the issue in favour of the respondent.

The respondent counsel also submitted that the tribunal has criminal jurisdiction because of the use of words like “guilty” and “punishment” in the law that established the tribunal.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

7 News

Boko Haram: Lagos donates N150m to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa Egena Egena Abuja

ÎÎÎLagos State governor,

Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on Wednesday, announced a donation of N150 million to the three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa that are mostly affected by the activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

The funds are to be channeled towards the mitigation of the plight of victims of the insurgency.

He presented N50 million cheque to each of the states during the first meeting of the National Council of State (NCS) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said that Lagos was

moved by the suffering of victims of Boko Haram terrorist activities affecting not only states in the North East but also other parts of the country.

He said his state saw the insurgent activities as traumatic to the people and sympathised with the three northern states, noting that the donation was just to ameliorate the plight of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the states.

The governor explained: “There is no gainsaying the fact that the emergence of Boko Haram and its devastating activities is a single challenge facing us as a nation. Though, the insurgence is basically limited to the north-eastern part of Nigeria, the

effect is felt everywhere across the states of the federation.

“Recently, at the just concluded 21st National Economic Summit of the National Economic Summit Group (NESG) in Abuja, the Secretary to Government of the Federation presented a graphic and heart-rending report of the extent of damage and social trauma brought about by insurgency in the region.

“Lagos State views insurgency and natural disasters as hardships that leaves traumatic experiences. We commiserate with the three northern states and share the pains and discomfort of our brothers and sisters. We also commend our presi-

dent for the renewed commitment of the Federal government to bringing insurgency to a logical conclusion by the year end. Our security agencies also deserve commendation for their gallantry, courage and resolve to ensure that the directive of Mr. President and indeed the wish of all Nigerians is achieved.

“Notwithstanding the hard times resulting from the current economic situation, we have resolved to show leadership and compassion to the plight of our brothers and sisters in North-Eastern Nigeria.

“It is therefore in demonstration of our commitment towards bringing succour and relief to thousands of the IDPs that

we present this donation of N50 million each to the governments of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

“We use this opportunity to call on all Nigerians including corporate organisations and other public spirited individuals to reach out at this time and alleviate the pains of our compatriots in this part of Nigeria.”

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiary states, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State expressed gratitude for the empathy and support shown by the government and people of Lagos State under the leadership of Ambode “in this our hours of need,” promising that it would be used for the purpose for which it was given.

Passenger collapsed, revived on Lagos-Abuja flight Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÎÎÎThere was a mild dra-

ma, on Wednesday aboard an Air Peace Lagos-Abuja flight when a hungry male passenger collapsed 10 minutes into the flight, but he was later revived by the airline crew and a medical personnel on board.

According to the chief operating officer of Air Peace, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olajide, the cabin attendant on the flight observed that the passenger collapsed ten minutes into the flight after taking off from the Lagos Airport.

She said the pilot in command of the flight made an emergency call to the airport authority to provide an ambulance to revive the passenger on landing in Abuja.

She said the crew and the medical personnel on board were able to revive the passenger by applying first aid and oxygen to stabilise the passenger.

From left: Managing Director, Accion Micro Finance Bank, Mrs Bunmi Lawson and representative of Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Mr Gilbert Nria, at the commissioning of the bank’s complex in Port Harcourt ...on Wednesday.

Lalong

Plateau legislator backs Gov. Lalong on N10b loan Chijioke Kingsley Jos

ÎÎÎThe

Plateau State House of Assembly has approved the request by Governor Simon Lalong to access N10 billion loan from Excess Crude Account (ECA) to be specifically used for developmental projects in the state.

The House however, asked the Committee on Finance to invite the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance and Accountant-General of the State to appear before the Committees to give details of the projects the government intended to use the loans for and report back to it.

While interacting with our correspondent at the close of the sestion, the member representing Mangu South and Committee Chairman Environmental and Solid Mineral, Hon Emmanuel Dakas, said that the state had no choice but to access the loan to enable the completion of the abandon projects by previous administration.

INEC spent N114.058b on 2015 elections Lateef Ibrahim,

Bureau Chief, Abuja

ÎÎÎA sum of

N114 billion was spent on the conduct of the 2015 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This figure was con-

tained in a 232-page report on the conduct of the 2015 general elections presented, on Wednesday, in Abuja.

The breakdown of the sources of the money, according to the report, shows that INEC, under its former Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, got a total sum of

N108, 851, 683, 313. 93 billion through budgetary appropriation in the 2014/2015.

The various development partners however assisted the electoral commission with the sum of a little over N5 billion, with the UNDP/ DGD providing the highest contribution of over N3.

08 billion. The 232-page report also highlighted some of the challenges that confronted the electoral body in the conduct of the elections.

The report read in part, “In spite of the conscious efforts by the commission to address the perennial challenges of logistics and to

ensure that men and materials arrived at polling units (PUs), to allow for opening of polls before or at 8 a.m. across the country, this did not occur in some PUs, especially on March 28, 2015, the date of the presidential and National Assembly elections.

8

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Politics

Æs

Ikpeazu: Reasons I traveled out of the country for weeks Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, last Saturday returned from his trip to the United States and Canada in pursuit of the good of his state. In this interview with Sunday Nwakanma in Umuahia, he disclosed that Abia would be receiving assistance from Georgia, Atlanta on poultry farming as well as medical equipments for the state’s primary health care. Excerpts:

Gov. Ikpeazu

For some time, you have been outside the state, was your journey of any benefit to the state?

I had the privilege of attending the convention of Ndi Abia in USA

and Canada and it was an opportunity for us to give them a rundown of what we have done so far in the state and also present an overview of our economic agenda going forward. I am a firm believer of the concept

that even at the desired foreign investment, the best place to start is to urge or persuade Ndi Abian in Diaspora to show faith in their state by returning some of their investments to their state. Investment could be by

way of cash. It could also by way of repatriating expertise and I told them clearly that for now, the first place to start is to ask your people to show faith. It is only when they do that then that they can convince the Europeans and Americans to come out. But if you continue to complain that you want them to come, they will ask you just a simple question, “Why haven’t you been able to go home and join your people in the development of your state?” So that CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Why PDP is determined to retain Kogi, Bayelsa states

Jonathan

Akinjide Akintola The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is determined to retain the two states of Bayelsa and Kogi, in the governorship elections coming up between November and December this year at all costs.

The plan to retain the states has been perfected and put into operation immediately.

Towards this end, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) set up national campaign committees for the elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, scheduled for November 21 and December 5, 2015 respectively.

The Kogi state campaign com-

Ekweremadu mittee has Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu as Chairman; PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Secretary, Senator Walid Jibril as Deputy Chairman, while the National Legal Adviser of the

Mark party, Barr. Victor Kwon serves as Secretary. The Kogi committee also has the former Senate President, Senator David Mark, seven PDP state governors and other key stakeholders as members.

Haliru Mohammed In the same vein, the Bayelsa State campaign committee has Acting BoT Chairman, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed as Chairman, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives,

Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as Deputy Chairman, while the Deputy National Secretary of the party, Barr. Onwe Solomon Onwe serves CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

The Politics of Alamieyeseigha’s death Akinjide Akintola & Emmanuel Nwaorgu

Alamieyeseigha

Since the sudden death of former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha last October 10, leading politicians especially in the state have been playing the

blame game over who and what was responsible for the demise of the first executive governor of the state, regarded as the Governor-General of the Ijaw nation.

With the election only few months away, prominent politicians are seeking to turn the

events into opportunities for them to make hay while painting their opponents in black in order to garner support ahead of the governorship elections.

Alameiseigha, 62, died of complications from Blood PresCONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

9 Politics

Five months after, Buhari govt still lacks economic blueprint – Group A human rights activist, Comrade Adeniyi Sulaiman has lashed out at the economic situation in the country wondering why after five months of being in the saddle President Muhammadu Buhari’s government still lacked an economic blueprint.

Sulaiman, who is the Chairman of the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) in a statement said President Buhari should know that Nigerians are not going to eat integrity alone but they need good governance with good economic direction that would make life bearable for them.

“Till this present moment, Buhari’s government lacks economic blue print and direction in governance which has led to an uproar in various State of the federation following submission of his ministerial nominees to the Senate”, said adding that this was as a result of the fact that “Buhari lacks cohesion within his ruling party by allowing internal democracy to operate in their folds”.

On the anti-corruption war, Sulaiman declared that the ongoing fight against graft by the present administration was selective and lacks direction, just as he stated that the noise through media propaganda has overriden the core value of the fight against the menace.

Buhari According to him, it would difficult for Buhari led-government to win any war against corruption by targeting only members of

the opposition and political opponents.

He however described the development as parochial, ungodly, undemocratic and un-

constitutional which negates Buhari’s inaugural speech during his swearin-in ceremony as elected President of Nigeria on May 29th, 2015, that “I belong to nobody and I belong to everybody”, insisting that there was no way a government could fight corruption without monitoring its agencies in charge of fighting the cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabrics of the country system.

His words:”This is against the principle of fight against the menace of corruption which has been the bane of the country’s national development and also against the principle of equity, fairness and justice that is against the preamble of the amended 1999 Constitution which Mr. President took an oath to uphold without fear or favour.

“How can President Buhari defend some former All Progressives Congress (APC) governors that have one corrupt allegation or the other on their necks, without asking them to go and clear their names first.

President Buhari goes against his anti-corruption stance by still sending their names to the Senate for screening and confirmation in the name of politics”, he posited.

Sulaiman reiterated that BuCONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Gov. Ikpeazu

Ikpeazu: Why Abians in Diaspora must back their state CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

particular effort to my mind touched their conscience and yielded what I called ‘positive fruits’, especially in the health sector where we were able to make a contact that will supply us with medical equipment for the reactivation of our healthcare delivery system starting from the primary health care units.

You may not know that an Abia today is one of the best Organ Transplant Surgeons in the USA. We also have an Abian that is a cardiologist that is doing the open heart surgery.

All these people have agreed to come back. We are also expecting collaboration between Abia and state of Georgia, Atlanta in terms of agriculture, especially in the area of Green House farming and poultry because Atlanta is the poultry headquarters of the world. Soon, we will be unveiling our initiative in terms CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Politicising Alamieyeseigha’s death CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

sure and Diabetic ailments, on October 10 at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).

Only on Tuesday, the Red Chamber of the National Assembly observed a one minute silence in honour of the former governor describing him as a generous and loving man, whose death was not only a loss to Bayelsa State, the Izon people, the South-South geopolitical zone in particular, but the nation at large.

After a lot of tributes just like numerous others across the country since the death, they sent an eight-man delegation, led by Senator Francis Alimikhena, Peoples Demo-

Alamieyeseigha

Dickson

cratic Party, (PDP), Edo North, to condole with the family of the deceased, the people and the government of Bayelsa State.

The action of the Senate was sequel to a motion, by Senator Forster Ogola, PDP, Bayelsa West, titled: “Demise of Governor DSP Alamieyeseigha,” and co-sponsored by 17 other sena-

Sylva tors, which was considered during the plenary.

While noting that the late Alamieyeseigha was the first democratically elected governor of Bayelsa State, having been elected in May 1999 and re-elected in 2003, the Senate said it appreciated that the deceased, before becoming governor, served the

Saraki nation as a member of the Nigerian Air Force, where he retired as a Squadron Leader.

Contributing to the motion, Senator George Sekibo, PDP, Rivers East, said the late former Bayelsa governor, while alive, fought to ensure that the Ijaw ethnic group, hitherto abandoned, was remembered.

“He fought to ensure that the Ijaw nation is in the map of Nigeria. Today, we remember the good things he did for us by putting the South-South people together. The late DSP, in his humility, picked Dr. Goodluck Jonathon, who was then not a very active politician and brought him to the forefront of politics and exposed him to the whole nation. Today, I join all including his admirers to wish him farewell. Adieu till we meet again,” Sekibo said.

Already, the death has introduced a new dimension ahead of the December 5 governorship election in the state as it is being exploited for political gains as the governorship election approaches.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

The Politicisation of Alamieyeseigha’s death CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

The state governor, Seriake Dickson who is the candidate of PDP, as well as the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been in subtle confrontation over what or who perceptibly aggravated the health crisis which led to the former governor’s death.

While the incumbent governor made veil allusions to the cause of his predecessor’s death, some other groups fuel the believe that the extradition request by United Kingdom (UK) over corruption charges against him may have led to Alamieyeseigha’s death. They blame the APC-led federal government for the development.

But the APC in the state is not taking the accusation lightly as they countered that Alameisiegha was treated shabbily by the incumbent state government, alleging that rather than lend a helping hand to the former governor, he was given conditions to publicly endorse the incumbent governor’s reelection bid before his medical request will be attended to.

Just before he died, it was reported that the UK requested his extradition for alleged money laundering as he had allegedly jumped bail and fled London 10 years ago.

In September 2005, law enforcement agents in UK arrested him after finding more than a million pounds sterling in cash in his home in London.

His mysterious return to Nigeria could not stop an impeachment, which was allegedly backed by then President Olusegun Obasanjo as he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and tried for corruption. On July 26, 2007, the former governor admitted to six counts of corruption and money laundering, and bagged a two-year sentence- the sentences ran concurrently.

Following his impeachment

Dickson his then deputy governor, Goodluck Jonathan, became the governor which eventually prepared the way for him to become president in May 2010.

In March 2013, President Jonathan, in a move to politically rehabilitate his former boss, granted him state pardoned which received wide condemnations across the land.

But Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Comrade Eric Omare, said DSP’s death was avoidable. They alleged that Alamieyeseigha was still very strong, hale and healthy until the politically motivated conspiracy to extradite him to the UK by the Buhari led federal government.

Also a group, Voice of the South-South, queried the purported request for his extradition by the Government of the United Kingdom.

The group, in the statement signed by the state chairman, Barr. Alex Dumbo and the Chairman of the Group’s Board of Trustee, Engr. Mike Ogiasa,

Alamieyeseigha (a former state commissioner under Jonathan) said “we hereby demand from the APC led Federal Government, an immediate answer to these two pertinent questions: which office, other than the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, did the purported “Extradition Notice” emanate from? What is the reaction of the APC led Federal Government to this matter, now that the British High Commission in Nigeria, has strongly refuted the claim?”

Indeed, Alameisiegha was a strong pillar in the state’s PDP and a strong backer of the second term bid of Governor Seriake Dickson before he died which was why Governor Dickson during a state broadcast in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, reflected a huge loss, declaring that Alameiseigha was harassed, left to abandon his planned treatment abroad and died.

Dickson who failed to mention those that “harassed” his predecessor in office, insisted that the anger expressed by the

Sylva people of the State is necessary but that they should maintain the peace, law and order.

But, the state government had earlier admitted that the former governor died after a long battle with kidney disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, few hours before a state-planned sponsorship of his medical treatment abroad.

A medical trip abroad was initiated by the state deputy governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John-Jonah (rtd) after he visited Alamieyeseigha on his sick bed at the hospital in Port Harcourt.

The state commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dan Kikile, also confirmed that the State Deputy Governor, actually spoke with the former governor on phone on Friday but declined further comments.

He also confirmed that Alamieyeseigha died of complications arising from High Blood pressure and Diabetics which affected his kidney.”He had chronic kidney disease which was aggravated by the sudden rise in his blood pressure and the long

diabetics”, he said.

Dickson, days later in the state broadcast alleged that the propaganda and orchestrated harassment from some unidentified quarters led to the untimely death of his predecessor whom he described as a man of peace.

He said “to us as a people at this trying time, this sad incident should serve to unite us and to rededicate ourselves to the ideals that he stood for,” Mr. Dickson said in a broadcast.

“We acknowledge the anger, disappointment and the sense of outrage felt by our people at home and in the diaspora, wellmeaning Nigerians and others around the world for the way and manner he was harassed and forced to abandon his treatment abroad.

“However, this is not a time for recriminations and divisions but rather a time for sober reflections. I therefore call on all and sundry, particularly the youths to remain calm and maintain the peace as we mourn our departed leader,” he stated.

PDP moves to retain Kogi, Bayelsa states CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

as Secretary.

Also on the Bayelsa committee are Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, House Minority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, four PDP state governors and other critical stakeholders The NWC also approved that

all state chairmen, senators and members of the House of Representatives from the respective zones of the two states are automatic members of the committees.

The date for the National flagoff the gubernatorial campaigns in the two states will be announced in due course.

According to a statement by National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, the NWC urged all PDP members, particularly those in the two states to remain committed and continue to work hard for the success of the party in the governorship elections.

The plan to retain the two states is said to be backed by former

President Goodluck Jonathan whose state of Bayelsa is one of the states in contention.

Leaders of the party especially members of the campaign committees have been told to use everything in their powers to ensure that the PDP does not lose Bayelsa State to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next

elections.

A source close to the party said a strong war chest is being put in place to ensure that the party obtains victory at the elections.

Others strategies aimed at energizing the party ahead of the polls are said to be in works and would be unfolded as the elections get closer.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

11 Politics

Meet Professor Mahmood Yakubu, 54, new INEC boss

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Adedeji Sulaiman Another egg head like his predecessor, Professor Attahiru Jega, Yakubu, a professor of political history and international studies, was Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund. He is an expert in guerrilla warfare, terrorism and counter-terrorism, He also teaches War and Society in Pre Colonial Africa. He was Assistant Secretary Finance and Administration of the 2014 National Constitutional Conference.

Birth and education Mahmood Yakubu, a Professor of History was born in Bauchi in 1962 and had his early education at Kobi Primary School from where he proceeded to the Teachers’ college, Toro and later to the University of Sokoto (now Usmanu Danfodiyo University) where he graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in History, a feat which has remained unrivalled and unbroken till date as the first and only person from the whole of Northern Nigeria to have obtained a first class Honours Degree in History.

Yakubu later gained admission to the prestigious University of Oxford where he bagged a Doctor of Philosophy Degree with specialization in Nigerian History at the age of 29 in 1991.

He was a recipient of the Bauchi State Government Scholarship to study at both the Cambridge and Oxford Universities in England and his outstanding intellectual artistry at Cambridge further earned him the Scholarship of the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust.

Professor Mahmood was a three time-time winner of the over Overseas Research Student (ORS) Award by the Lon-

Five months after, Buhari govt still lacks economic blueprint – Group

Ikpeazu: Why Abians in Diaspora must back their state

suming the office he said, “I know that we complain in the corridors of the University that things are very bad, and therefore an opportunity to serve in TETFund, is an opportunity for me to try and make some difference if not all the difference.

And I have always said that I have a personal agenda in TETFund to make the university system better because that’s where am going back”.

A Professor of Political History and International Studies, he is a lecturer at the Nigerian Defence Academy and teaches on War and Society in Pre-Colonial Africa. He was a member of the Oby Ezekwesili Educational Transformation Team. He was the first 1st class graduate of history from the North. He lost his mother, Hajiya Amina, popularly known as Yelwa, on January 17, 2014, after a brief illness.

Mahmood Yakubu don-based Committee of ViceChancellors of United Kingdom (UK) Universities. He was also a proud recipient of the competitive Commonwealth Scholarship by the Association of Commonwealth Universities tenable at the University of Oxford.

In 2007, Professor Mahmood was appointed the Executive Secretary of the Education Trust Fund (ETF) now known as

Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in a bid to reposition its intervention towards achieving greater goals. As the first academic ever to head the funding Agency, Professor Mahmood, was passionately determined to effectively accomplish the overall transformation of the University system in Nigeria.

In his words then while as-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

tion, was lobbying the senate now to clear the controversial personalities because Buhari wants them to be in his government at all cost.

“It is an eye opener and on record that only members of the opposition political parties and political opponents are being invited since June 1st, 2015 to October 20th, 2015 by the anti-graft agencies in the country.

He queried why the anti-graft

hari lacked credible defence in sending the names of those who have been alleged of one corrupt practice or the other, instead of President Buhari to defer their names, pending the provision of satisfactory report on them that exonerate them from the corrupt allegations but the presidency that claimed to be fighting corrup-

I know that we complain in the corridors of the University that things are very bad, and therefore an opportunity to serve in TETFund, is an opportunity for me to try and make some difference if not all the difference.

And I have always said that I have a personal agenda in TETFund to make the university system better because that’s where am going back

agencies, particularly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) refused to investigate the petition forwarded to it by some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in which they raised corrupt allegations against some ministerial nominees? “Is it because they are members of the ruling party in the land? Or they wanted to be the Ministers in Buhari’s government”, he asked.

of poultry farming which we think that the technology and expertise of the Americans will be brought to bear on area. So I am now satisfied that between now and the next three months, we will begin to see the fruits of this our current visit.

While you were away, you submitted 20 names to the state house of assembly as commissioner nominees. What was the criteria used in selecting the people you are going to work with?

The names of the commissioner nominees are open and if you look at their profile, it will be clear that our direction is to make sure that we try to bring people that have vast experience in the various fields of endeavours, professionals to come and help us drive our vision for Abia going forward. The other parameter which I think is key is also to make sure that men and women of integrity, of impeccable character, those that will continue in our reform to make sure that we cut down wastages, to save cost and also to lead out in the area of prudent management of scare resources and trying to achieve maximum benefit for the people of Abia using the scarce resources as much as we can. Of course, there is no gainsaying the fact that we will not tolerate corruption or the commissioner that cut corners. That era is gone. We are going to make sure that we focus on those people of high moral standard. That is what we are trying to do.

While away, Abians commended you on the way you handled the bailout fund. What will be your advice to workers in the state?

My advice to the workers is that the story in Nigeria, not only in Abia today is that we spend 80% or more of our resources on recurrent expenditure. What it means is that 80% of what we get we spend on recurrent expenditures, pay salaries and overheads and then we are left with less than 20% to do infrastructural development and then as long as that ratio remains the way it is, we may not be in a position to develop at the speed we intend to.

Having said that, to whom much is given, much is expected. I expect the workers to reciprocate by reducing the time they spend in frivolities and focus on their work. I really want them to search their conscience every day to see if they have earned an honest day pay and also pledge that I will continue to pay them regularly and make sure that salary will not go into arrears any more.

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Tinubu vs AIT: Court refers parties to pretrial conference Titilope Joseph

ÏÏÏJustice

Iyabo Akinkugbe of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, on Wednesday, admonished the parties involved in the N150 billion libel suit filed by former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, against Daar Communications PLC, owners of Africa Independent Television (AIT) to consider an option of settlement and thereby adjourned the matter till November 16.

Tinubu, who is a former Lagos state governor and National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC),

had instituted the N150 billion suit against AIT for allegedly spreading false accusations against his person in a documentary titled: “Lion of Bourdillon.”

The former governor said the documentary was politically sponsored with the aim of tarnishing his reputation.

At the last hearing on September 30, Justice Akinkugbe adjourned the matter for further directives.

Before that time, the judge had granted an interlocutory injunction restraining AIT from further airing of the documentary, pending the determination

of the libel suit.

However, counsel to Tinubu, Mr. Ayo Adesanmi, on Wednesday informed the court that both parties had exchanged pretrial conference forms and that in view the of circumstances no intention to settle had been shown.

Adesanmi asked that the matter be referred to a trial judge.

Justice Akinkugbe, however, referred the parties to the Case Management Conference (CMC) and that if during the conference the parties still insisted on not settling, the case would be referred to a trial judge.

FOI: Finance ministry sensitises officials on implementation Mathew Dadiya and Halima Bello Abuja

ÏÏÏIn line with the Fed-

Tinubu

eral Government’s desire to ensure a strict compliance with the application of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act of 2011, the Federal Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, organised a one-day enlightenment programme for officers in the ministry on grade level 10 to 14. The Permanent Secretary, Mrs Anastasia Nwokobia Daniel, told the participants that the ministry, being a frontline one, would not leave any stone unturned in implementing the Act to the letters.

In a keynote address at the workshop in Abuja, she noted that the Office of the

Attorney General and Minister of Justice had issued a guideline on the periodic sensitisation on the implementation of the Act in government institutions and agencies.

According to her, the ministry had recorded a remarkable level of implementation of the FOIA as a result of adhering to periodic training and sensitisation of different cadres in the ministry.

“Today we can comfortably say that there is an improvement and better cordial relationship between the ministry and its numerous public, however, there is still room for improvement on the area of information management and dissemination,” she said.

Plateau tribunal upholds Simon Ahile’s election Chijioke Kingsley Jos

ÏÏÏThe House of

Senate President, Bukola Saraki (middle) and some Senators at Code of Conduct Tribunal in solidarity with Saraki in Abuja… on Wednesday. Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN

NUC, Jega harp on quality education in Nigeria Gbenga Sodeinde Ado- Ekiti

ÏÏÏThe

Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, (NUC), Prof.

Julius Okojie, and the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Attahiru Jega, on Wednesday, emphasised good quality in education sector, and called for an educational reform that would involve learning and character in the country Speaking at the 3rd convocation of the Afe Babalola University, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, where 736 students graduated, with 65 in first class honours, the duo warned that quality must

not be compromised in the university system in the country.

Specifically, Okojie said the NUC believed in strong quality assurance in the university system, noting that private university in Nigeria had positively impacted in the challenge of access to quality education.

Jega who praised the founder of Afe Babalola for the giant stride, urged the Federal and State governments to emulate the university’s innovation of education with learning and character, to help the future of the country, saying that “Nigeria’s vision in education is gradually being

achieved through Afe Babalola University. There is a need to set a standard for the growth of education in this country.

“One cannot de-emphasise character of a graduate. Learning and character must go together and when these virtues are exhibited out there, it will surely contribute to the development of our country”.

Governor Ayo Fayose, said there was no alternative to holistic education that would not only impact knowledge, but would imbue graduates with character that could make them make desirable changes in the system.

He said: “Education is

more about life than wealth.

Aside government, Afe Babalola University is the largest employer of labour in Ekiti and that was why my government wants to build an airstrip in Ado-Ekiti, which would become a fullfledged airport later to help in the expansion of this university.

“I am committed to this project and there is no going back on that. There are 12 private universities in Ogun, 6 in Osun, 6 in Lagos, 4 in Ondo and one in Ekiti, which is Afe Babalola University.

So, there is nothing we do to make this university survive that should be seen as too demanding.”

Assembly Elections Tribunal sitting in Plateau State has affirmed the election of Hon. Simon Ahile, Member Representing Rukuba/Irigwe Constituency.

It said Ahile of the People Democratic Party (PDP) validly won the April general election for Rukuba/Irigwe Constituency.

Speaking with our correspondent, Hon. Simon Ahile said he knew he would come

out victorious, knowing that he did not rig election as the electorate voted in their numbers for him.

“I know the people voted me I did not come to the Plateau State Housed of Assembly with a stolen mandate so that gave me the confidence that I will win at the tribunal.”

He hailed the Nigeria judiciary for giving him his mandate and advised Nigerians to have confidence in the judicial arm of government as it was the only path way to justice.

Suspected cable vandal electrocuted in Lagos OpeOluwani Akintayo

ÏÏÏThe Ijora community

of Apapa Local Government Area was thrown into pandemonium on Tuesday when it woke up to find the corpse of an unidentified man by the transformer supplying power to Delta Liaison office located in the area.

Close to the lifeless body of the deceased was a jigsaw.

While the identity of the man remained unknown, some of the people said he must have met his death

while trying to vandalise some electricity cables within the distribution substation.

Confirming the incident, the Head, Corporate Communication of Eko Electricity Distribution Company Mr. Godwin Idemudia, said the man must have gotten to the sub-station and started carrying our his criminal act when there was no power supply but, luck ran out on him when supply was unexpectedly restored and he was instantly electrocuted.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday October 22, 2015

China, Britain sign landmark deals

Queen Elizabeth hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Madame Peng Liyuan at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, London, Oct. 20, 2015.

ÏÏÏ Britain and China signed

billions of dollars in business deals Wednesday, as President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister David Cameron during the secondday of the Chinese leader's state visit to Britain.

The Chinese state-owned National Petroleum Corporation and British oil giant BP are participat-

ing in the development projects.

Speaking to reporters in London after the meeting, Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain and China were signing a deal to finance a nuclear power station in southwest England, a sign that both countries wanted to take their ties to a "new level".

Cameron also said he wanted

to make Britain the "partner of choice" for China. The two sides had also discussed the excess of steel global supply and reached a new deal on tackling cyber espionage, he added. Cameron said Britain needed a strong economic and trade relationship with China for the countries to have frank discussions about other issues, including

human rights. The British government also announced Wednesday that from 2016 new visitor visas for tourists from China will be valid in the country for two years, which will bring "significant benefits to the UK economy," British Prime Minister David Cameron's office said in a press release.

In total, British officials have said they expect $46 billion in deals to be rolled out during Xi's four-day visit.

Tuesday, Xi addressed Britain's parliament and was greeted by Queen Elizabeth during a lavish welcoming ceremony. His trip will also include dinner at Cameron's country retreat and visits to businesses. Human rights advocates are planning protests throughout Xi's visit and calling for Cameron to address China's human rights record with the Chinese leader. A spokeswoman for Cameron said Monday that "nothing is off the table." The group Freedom Now, which represents detained Chinese Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo and his wife Liu Xia, released a letter Tuesday written by 12 fellow Nobel Peace Prize winners urging Cameron to call for China to set the pair free.

Peru president fires prosecutor investigating wife ÏÏÏPeru's

president has fired the public prosecutor in charge of money-laundering investigations after she refused to remain silent on a case involving the country's first lady.

Julia Principe's dismissal was announced on Tuesday in the official el Peruano newspaper. It was signed by President Ollanta Humala and his justice minister, Gustavo Adrianzen.

An uproar over the firing being political retribution prompted Adrianzen to resign later Tuesday Principe had been in the job for six years and won wide respect for facing down a major criminal syndicate that trafficked in stolen real

estate. She oversaw more than 2 000 cases related to drug trafficking, illegal gold mining and other illicit activities.

In August, Principle turned over to prosecutors four diaries that allegedly belonging to First Lady Nadine Heredia, who has played a major role in her husband's administration.

The prosecutor in the case has ordered them examined by handwriting experts to determine whether they were penned by the first lady.

Peruvian media have speculated that various notations in the diaries refer to sums of money.

Heredia denies the diaries are

hers.

She is under investigation for money laundering from 2006-2011 for allegedly unsubstantiated transfers into her personal bank account.

Adrianzen later announced he would seek her dismissal for making public declarations without first seeking permission, as a 2008 law requires. The law is frequently ignored by Peru's public prosecutors, who do not directly try cases.

At no point, Principe told The Associated Press on Tuesday, did she state publicly whether she believed the diaries were authentic. "My declarations have always

Assad, Putin discuss Syria in Moscow ÏÏÏSyrian President Bashar alAssad returned home Wednesday after making a rare trip to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin and discuss the three-week old Russian military campaign backing Assad's army.

Assad is not known to have traveled abroad since 2011, the same year security forces cracked down on peaceful protests and the situation in his country spiraled into a civil war that has left at least 240,000 people dead.

During Tuesday's meeting in Moscow, Assad thanked Putin for Russia's help, saying that without it "terrorism" would have spread to more areas. The Syrian government routinely refers to rebel fighters as "terrorists" and Russia has been criticized by the United States and other countries for targeting rebels and not focusing its airstrikes on Islamic State militants. Meanwhile, Russia's foreign ministry announced Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet

Friday with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Vienna to discuss the situation in Syria, and will be joined by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

The ministry says Kerry and Lavrov spoke in a telephone conversation initiated by the U.S. side, during which they discussed preparations for the Vienna meeting.

Kremlin spokesman Dmity Peskov said Wednesday Putin discussed the situation in Syria during telephone conversations with

been general in character."

Humala's five-year term as president ends in July. His approval rating has dropped beneath 15%.

13 Africa Madagascar faces unique food crisis ÏÏÏAid officials say severe food

shortages are sweeping southern Africa, affecting 27 million people in the region. But in this big swath of Africa, one afflicted country stands apart, Madagascar. Like other southern African nations, the Indian Ocean island is reporting severe food insecurity, mostly due to bad weather that has destroyed or impaired harvests.

But this island nation off Africa’s east coast is known for being different. “Indeed, Madagascar, if you could define it in one word, that would be the word ‘different,’” the World Food Program’s Madagascar country director, Willem Van Milink, told VOA News during a recent sit-down in Johannesburg.

He says this uniqueness should drive the response to Madagascar’s food shortages.

Madagascar is asking donors for just more than $10 million. In all, about one million citizens are food insecure, 400,000 of them, severely so. Madagascar is often called the “eighth continent” for its uniqueness and great biodiversity. It has a global monopoly on the lemur species, with 96 types of the small, impossibly cute tree-dwelling primates that look something like a monkey crossed with a cat crossed with a squirrel.

The island is also home to the majority of the world’s vanilla supply, stunning beaches and a population with diverse roots extending from Indonesia to the Middle East and France.

Hungary denies to open corridor for migrants ÏÏÏHungary has no intention of Humala

Turkey's President President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Arabia's King Salman.

On Tuesday, Russia and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding providing a framework for both countries' aircraft to maintain a "safe distance" from one another while operating over Syria. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook declined to say exactly what that distance is. But he said U.S. crews know exactly what it is.

“It is safe to say that anything that could be deemed as threatening or hostile would be deemed a violation of this agreement.”

opening any corridor for migrants trying to get into the European Union's passport-free Schengen zone from the south, the government says.

Government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs made the remarks after a meeting of Croatian, Slovenian, Austrian and Hungarian police chiefs in Vienna.

Hungary has closed its southern borders with Serbia and Croatia to stem the flow of migrants.

"Hungary has made it abundantly clear...that it does not support any proposal to open corridors on the border sections closed in the south or to provide means of transport for migrants within the Schengen zone," Kovacs told a news conference.

News14

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

UNN tasks engineers on electricity generation Moses Oyediran

Enugu

ÏÏÏThe

University of Nigeria Nsukka, has challenged electrical engineers to find solutions to power crises facing the country.

Speaking during the maiden homecoming of alumni of the Department of Electrical Engineering, the Head of Department (HOD), Prof. Emenike Ejiogu, said there was a need for the alumni to assist in equipping the department to enable it to produce skilled manpower that would help achieve steady power supply.

“Our department feels challenged, want to position itself to provide enabling environment to train skilled manpower that will assist in solving the power crisis in this country.

“We feel that our alumni who

have contributed immensely to national development in various capacities should, as major stakeholders in electrical engineering help reposition the department to an enviable height. We hope that the alumi homecoming will be a veritable forum to articulate needs of the department, as well as find solution to effective power generation and utilisation of electric energy for the benefit of all,” he said.

He said the present situation in the country with over 170 million people sharing about 5,000mw of electrify generation was not enough to stimulate the economy, as well as ensure fast- track technological development.

“We all know the importance of adequate electricity generation, especially in developing economy; with adequate equipment in our laboratories, we will produce

graduates that will boost electricity generation.

“Adequate electricity generation is indeed a bench mark of measure for developed a country since it has multiplier positive effects on other sectors of the economy.

“It’s unfortunate that the country with population of over 170 million people, has electricity generation hovering about 5,000 megawatt, the per capita electric power production is less than 30m, not even enough to light a 40-watt electric bulb, “he said The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Benjamin Ozumba, who was represented by the Dean of Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Samuel Enibe, commended the alumni for honouring the home-coming invitation which, he said, would enable them to know

First daughter of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Rev. Mrs Tola Oyediran (right) welcoming First Lady, Hajia Aishat Buhari (left) during a condolence visit to the late HID Awolowo’s residence at Ikenne, Ogun State… on Wednesday.

With them is, wife of Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo. Photo: DAVID IDOWU

ACPN chieftain lauds Buhari over choice of new INEC chair Tom Okpe Abuja

ÏÏÏPresidential

candidate of the Allied Congress party of Nigeria (ACPN), Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari had done well for appointing Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu, as substantive chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Buhari announced the appointments of Yakubu and five other national commissioners, on Wednesday, at the Council of State Meeting in Abuja.

While reacting to the development in a phone interview, Galadima, said “the appointment is a welcome development. It comes

at a time when there is a lacuna in the INEC federal commissioners.”

He believed that the former acting chairperson, who is now INEC Commissioner representing the North-West, Amina Zakari had been a very good allied for the time she was commissioner.

When asked whether he suspected any motive bearing in mind the forthcoming Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections, Galadima said “Well, you can predict people but what the president has done is his prerogative to appoint national commissioners.

The person to be appointed must not be a partisan politician, but if he meets other requirements, he can be appointed,” he added.

“Prof. Yakubu is not known to me but going by his experience and as a professor of history, you know history has to do with elections, I believe that with his experience and profession he should be able to do well.”

When asked if he was worried that an INEC insider was not appointed, the former Presidential candidate said, “Those that are given public appointments are not better than those that are not given. And I want to say that even those that are not appointed might perform better”.

He pleaded that Nigerians should give Yakubu and other newly appointed commissioners the benefit of the doubt, expressing assurance that they would do well.

where to assist the university.

“Your presence speaks volume for your love for your alma mater and especially the department that made you what you are today.

As I commend your various contributions to your department, be reminded that there are still more to be done to enable your department to be in the same page with electrical department in any part of the world.

“I also urge to continue to be good ambassadors of this university as well as patriotic citizens of this country, ‘he said.

Earlier in a remark, Prof. Ogbonnaya Okoro, Dean College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State, commended the HOD of the department for organising the home-coming.

Climate change: NLC advocates policy shift Akor Ejumene Abuja

ÏÏÏAs many world leaders con-

tinue to express concern over the issue of climate change, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has advocated a policy change by policy-makers to ameliorate the effect of the climate condition on the people.

The president of the congress Ayuba Wabba, who made the call at a workshop on “Trade Unions, Climate Change and the Green

Niger Gov’s wife advises women on breast cancer Pita Chikwem Minna

ÏÏÏ In an effort to curtail breast

cancer cases, in Niger State, the wife of the governor, Dr. Amina Abubakar Bello, on Wednesday, urged women to ensure regular check up to control the menace.

She made this known at the flag off of the awareness campaign organised by the Fifth Chukker Breast Cancer Awareness campaign in Minna, the state capital.

She expressed worries, saying the type of cancer experienced in the country was preventable and every woman needed to do regular check up to ascertain whether they had breast cancer or not.

The governor’s wife assured that the awareness would cut

Ijesa in diaspora backs Osun ministerial nominee Hussenat Ohize

ÏÏÏThe ministerial nomination

of Prof. Isaac Adewole, on Wednesday got the backing of the international body of all Ijesa indigenes, the Ijesa People in the Diaspora (IPID).

The group dispelled the insinuations that Adewole was not an indigene of the state, saying that he was born and bred in Ilesa.

Chairman of the IPID Board of Trustees, Chief Bobaseye Akinyemi Fasakin, in a press statement made available to newsmen, in Osogbo, said Adewole was a full-blooded Ijesa man.

Fasakin said it was unfair to have referred to a worthy and a well-known Ijesa indigene, who had done so much for the Ijesaland as an Ekiti indigene in the name of politics.

Economy”, in Abuja, on Wednesday, said climate change issue affected not only the society, but the workforce in the society, calling for good and workable policy that was favourable to workers.

Wabba said that climate change affected the economy of every nation negatively and should be addressed seriously, in the interest of sustainable human development.

He said that today, workers were faced with the challenges of climate change, maintaining that unless labour developed guideline that was responsive to climate change, workers would continue to suffer the adverse effects of the situation.

across every part of the state.

Accordingly, she said “What we are trying to do is to ensure that every ward in Niger State has at least one family health care centre that will be able to provide 24 hours service for preventive and therapeutic measures.

“We are embarking on a freebreast-cancer screening across the state. All we need to do is to increase the capacity of the family healthcare workers in the state.”

She further advised that, since the prize of cancer treatment was astronomical, women should embrace the preventive measures.

Dr. Amina

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

15 Opinion

President Buhari and $150 billion royalty

I Ken Okoye

t is no more news that a legacy prevails in the land albeit dormant.

The $150 billion couldn’t have had a better time to arrive than the era of revolution that has ushered in many positive changes.

The Invention of an Anti-Corrosive Paint many years ago looks to be the elixir of life our economy that has struggled for many months now needs to strive.

So sought was the Elixir of life that many alchemist pursued it. The fabled elixir was a ticket to immortality. It was also said to be able to create life. In Ancient China, various emperors sought the elixir with varying results of failure. Today in Nigeria, our economy will benefit from such kind of elixir and it comes begging.

The elixir was invented and born for a noble cause on the 5th of August 1999. The Anti Corrosive Special Paint RP13522 invented by Late. Prof.

Emeritus C.J.A Uwemedimo becomes the elixir of life for our dear country Nigeria. Struggling Nigeria could yet survive the plagues of today blowing away the country like wind on sand.

This Invention is being used by our oil multinationals in the operation of drilling, carting away our natural resources and our profits. It is an anti-corrosive paint prevents oil pipelines and other equipment’ from rusting away especially offshore where the salty waters highly corrode metal.

According to the Patent and designs Act, the users or marketers of an invention however applicable must pay royalties to the inventor.

Since the invention of the Anti-corrosive Special Paint, all “infringers” and users of the invention are yet to pay up royalties of more than $150 billion. The user and “infringer” in Chief happen to be Exxon Mobil.

We looked up to our past successive government for so long to bring an end to poverty by bridging the gap between the rich and the poor but the rich kept getting richer and the poor getting poorer. After decades of oil discovery and exploration, Nigeria remains in a sorry state. The masses are still starving, we don’t have quality education yet, our lands are covered with darkness as stable electricity seem alien, employment is light years away considering the

nonchalant attitude of our past leaders, Security was so lax that bomb explosions is now a norm.

Where are the medical facilities deserving of the good people of Nigeria? Road accidents are testament to our deplorable roads full of death traps like military mines. Before we are engraved more into this dystopia, the promising government of the day must look elsewhere and the Patent RP13522 looks to be the Elixir of life that Nigeria needs.

Inventions and innovations during the Industrial Revolution were main contributing factors to the process of acceleration of the industrial development of Great Britain. Its industrial sector benefited from trade protection and other forms of government intervention in the trade flow through the Navigation Act and by means of political power and even military power.

Our Patent and Designs Act has given us an Invention worth more than $150 billion in royalties of which over $45 billion goes to the pocket of the government as tax. The effect of such huge income will have immense benefit on our economy.

This will also strengthen Intellec-

tual Property Rights in Nigeria and encourage our youths to embark on inventive careers.

Unfortunately, for over 14 years, agents of corruption in the Judiciary such as the recently sacked “Injustice” Gladys Olotu and highly corrupt lawyers who are renowned at defending corrupt politicians have prevented Nigeria from getting access to or benefiting from this provision.

At this time of economic stress, our government must act in defense of the Law, our economy and our Intellectual rights against such agents so as to ensure that all hands are on deck to earn Nigeria this fortune and most especially towards quick dispensation of Justice in Case SC/69/2011 before the Supreme Court over payment of $150 billion royalties.

If there ever was a time for the promising government of the day to meet the prevailing revolution with opportunity, to repay the masses for the choice of good over evil, for the battle against backwardness and injustice, for the election of a corruption slayer over a corruption lover, It is now!

UNILORIN: Celebrating 40 years of academic distinction

S

Akorede Shakir

ince the end British colonialism and the early periods of independence, public education in Nigeria has become devoid of an efficacious system that operates a modern standard of curriculum, technical, logistic, administrative and other aspects of premium education in the 21st century.

It will be satisfying to start with the state of education in Nigeria, as captured in the shocking statement of a social-network guru, Japeth J. Omojuwa, who says “it is a thing of generational shame to see Nigerians run to Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, even Sudan, to acquire tertiary education.

There are even Nigerian students in Ghanaian polytechnics. We spend over N200 billion/year on paying school fees in Ghana. Is that not a shame?

It doesn’t need any equation or graphical proofs to show how repugnantly Nigerian education has deteriorated in the recent decades.

However, there continues to be a renewed and re-encouraged optimism that education in Nigeria would still meet the global standard. The 29th Convocation lecturer, Ambassador Walter C. Carrington said at the university of Ilorin auditorium on October 20,2013 that “there is a more optimistic world yearning to be born.”

Lending credence to this, I want to

state that the University of Ilorin has over the journey of 40 years become an “epitome of excellence” in the midst of its senior and second-generation contemporary universities in the country.

The university has never ceased to remain an outstanding institution that builds young potentials with rare brands of excellence and championship in various fields of learning, research and life endeavours. This citadel of learning is the best in the recent age of our country, in terms of standard and overall growth. The truth of the matter is that Unilorin takes the lead among other institutions that keep the hope of those that cannot afford schooling abroad. The numbers of exchange programmes enjoyed by the students, internships, scholarships, leadership training, and the increasing number of international students from across African regions schooling therein will continue to attest to the internationality of the university.

As an affiliate college to the University of Ibadan, Unilorin started in 1975 with 200 students.

Interestingly, a proper academic work started on October 25,1976.

The universities sojourn in tertiary education however started with only three academic faculties of Arts, Science and Education. Today, UNILORIN has become fully-fledged with rapid human, learning and

structural evolvement. It has rose through ranks championing unprecedented milestones in the Nigerian education sector. Her imitable feats have won her, severally and repeatedly, the ‘Number One University in Nigeria’ Award. Now nonetheless, it is quite enthusing as the 40th anniversary of the university brings forth outstanding moments to celebrate its Founder’s Day and other awesome historic events that impel every mind to eulogise The monumental strides of this great citadel of learning.

The excellent innovations by the university, such as: the CBT exam, 15 years of uninterrupted academic calendar, tablet PC for new students, plantations and E-voting at student union level and other first in the history of tertiary institution in Nigeria pose irrefutable justifications for the encomiums showered on her.

As the town and gown of the university look forward to a resounding anniversary, the university is set to host several international icons ranging from giant African leaders; outstanding academics;monarchs; top government officials, to accomplished entrepreneurs, among other dignitaries coming to celebrate during the anniversary and 31st convocation ceremonies. President Muhammadu Buhari and his Ghanaian counterpart, President John Dramani Mahama will make the most-distinguished personalities

to confer great honours on this university, as they both would be present on Friday, October 23, 2015.

As we observe this monumental event, areas of inefficiency and dysfunction in the education sector must be seriously discussed. The challenges facing our education must equally be underscored and worked upon by the governments and all stakeholders.

As a matter of dire need to achieve this, the Buhari administration must be charged to develop and ensure thorough implementation of policies that will resuscitate Nigerian education and reposition it to fit in with the modern class.

Also, matters revolving teachers and students’ welfare should also be looked into with the progressive mind of making education endearing, affordable and absolutely empowering to the citizens. As the nation enters a new era of governance that preaches positive change, measures to fasttrack education development must be made paramount. On a special note however, I once again reiterate my support for the opinion by Chief Dele Momodu that the President should make his government more committed to the youth and students by hosting public events on campuses and engaging them constructively.

Our prayer for the university is to continue to keep championing excellence.

A hearty “congratulations” to the better by far university!

16

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Business Times Æ s Analysts recommend long-term position in bank stocks Stories Friday Atufe Financial analysts have recommended long-term position for investors in banking stocks listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) because they are not very optimistic about their short-term performance.

Analysts at Meristem Securities Limited, a dealing member of the NSE Observed that

Adeshina Oluwaseyi Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) has concluded arrangement to host Builders Congress 2015 early next month at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.

The theme of the congress is, “Nigerian Building Industry and National Economy – Synergies & Opportunities” The upcoming event will comprise of Conference, exhibition and product presentation, technical session, award and induction dinner. Over 3,500 participants from the building profession and other stakeholders in the construction industry are expected to attend this mandatory certificate congress.

The objectives of the congress includes amongst others: To unmask the synergies and opportunities in the building

“While we believe in the long term prospects of the sector, we are guardedly optimistic about the performance expectations for near future financial period, and have reflected these reservations in our short-term growth projections. Hence, we recommend long term position taking in the banking sector given the current levels of prices.”

They noted that the Nigerian financial system had pro-

gressed significantly in recent times, since the financial instability of 2007, remarking that from a handful of financial institutions, competition has strengthened after consolidation across sectors, especially in the banking and insurance spaces.

The analysts said from an average contribution of 1.6 percent to national output between 1981 and 2009, and 2.7 percent from 2010 - 2013 (pre-GDP rebas-

ing exercise), the financial services industry now contributes three percent to GDP, and prospects going forward are rosy given growth potentials inherent in a still relatively underdeveloped segment.

They are of the opinion that, “Metrics such as bond market capitalization to GDP, domestic debt to GDP, bank assets to GDP, credit to the private sector, value of transaction on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, bid-ask

17

spread and interest margins among others, prove the Nigerian financial system to be a bank based economy rather than a market based economy. This also has implications on economic growth, policy directions and firms’ financing choices.”

“However, the gap between “the market” and “the bank” has been narrowing, somewhat lethargically, due to the steeper growth of the market and greater complementarities with the banks. The imminent demutualization of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, bourgeoning OTC market, steady growth of mutual funds, influx of private equity firms are key factors that we expect to further drive the growth of the market,” they noted.

CORBON hosts 2015 Builders Congress in Abuja industry, provide a platform for major public and private sector players in the built sector to harness ideas and solutions for building projects delivery and contribute in repositioning the Nigerian built environment to become a powerful driver for economic development of the country.

Others are to advance the technical know-how of Builders and building trade operatives in project quality management and project health & safety management and provide networking opportunities with the public sector authorities, local and international business organizations and top industry players.

R-L: Mr. Ele Peters, Chief Executive Officer, Clovers Nigeria Limited; Mrs. Mary Akpobome, Executive Director, Heritage Bank Limited; Mr. Ahonsi Unuigbe, Chief Executive Officer, Petralon Energy and Umar A. Mustapha, Chief Executive Officer, Momar Energy Trading Limited, all Heritage Bank guests at the Opening Dinner sponsored by the bank during the just concluded 21st Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), which held in Abuja recently.

Access Bank posts 34% growth in PAT 3rd quarter

Wigwe

Access Bank Plc has recorded a strong performance in its unaudited results for the third quarter (Q3) ended 30 September 2015, showing positive growth in financial indices.

The unaudited Q3 2015 financial results released to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday, showed that Access Bank recorded a gross earnings of N258 billion, representing an increase of 42 percent over the N182 billion recorded in the same period in 2014 with total contribution of interest income at 60 percent and non-interest income

at 40 percent.

The Group posted a profit before tax of N60 billion which showed an increase of 43 percent when compared to the third quarter of 2014 at N42 billion.

Profit after tax was up 34 percent in 2015 to N48 billion compared to N35bn in nine months of 2014.

There were also increases in other financial indices; noninterest income rose 106 percent to N102bn in 2015 from N50bn in 2014; Operating income of N178bn grew by 42 percent in Q3 2015 compared with N126bn in the corresponding period of 2014

and Return on Average Equity (ROAE) of 20.4 percent in 2015, from 18.9 percent in Q3 2014 driven by significant improvement in profitability.

Speaking on the results, the Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe noted that “the bank continues to maintain strong growth in earnings reflecting our commitment to deliver on our objectives for 2015. The group posted a PBT of N60 billion (Sep’14: N42bn), in spite of the significant policy headwinds in the first nine months of the year.”

“We continue to invest in tech-

nology, enhance our processes and improve service delivery whilst reducing cost as we deploy simple and efficient digital solutions to meet the needs of our customers. The recent upgrade of our core banking applications will act as catalyst for the sustainable growth of our retail base and deepen our share in key focus market segments,” he stated.

Access Bank is a full service commercial bank with headquarters in Nigeria and operations across Sub-Saharan Africa and the United Kingdom (UK.)

Maritime 18

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Apapa-Oshodi expressway

that physical examination of goods and scanning at the Tin Can Island Port took longer than at the Apapa Port.

He added that the situation was not limited to imports but also to exports as well.

Bagu said, “We are also into exports; it takes three days to close Customs export entry in Apapa. In Tin Can, it took me three weeks to close the entry.

My goods had already reached their destination and we had to pay heavy demurrage; so, we stopped using them for exports.

“The 48-hour clearance is becoming a dream. The predecessor of the CG was working very hard to achieve the 48 hours’ clearance; I don’t see anybody discussing this again.

“And lastly sir, the scanners are not working in any of the Lagos ports. Please help us look into it.”

A corruption risk assessment report released by the Inde-

pendent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Bureau of Public Procurement, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme, on the Nigerian ports stated that importers or agents required a minimum of 79 signatures of government officials to clear their goods at the nation’s gateways.

The President, MAN, Dr. Frank Jacobs, described the slow clearance of cargo at the ports as one of the issues that had been hampering the manufacturing sector.

In addition to the delay at the ports, Jacobs also bemoaned the late response to complaints raised by members of the association.

In order to address the challenge, he suggested a decentralisation of the complaints unit of the NCS in the six geopolitical zones of the country as opposed to one location.

Lagos State Government blamed the persistent gridlock on the Apapa-Oshodi and LagosAbeokuta expressway partly on the failure of the road as well as the poor design.

The state government stressed that the roads were not designed for the pressure they are presently subjected to.

Also, the state government said litigations and slow pace of work by contractors appointed by the Federal Government were some of the reasons for the delay in execution of pedestrian bridge projects across the state.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Ajibade Bade–Adebowale and the General Manager of the Lagos State Public Works Corporation, LSPWC, Ayo Shodeinde disclosed these while addressing newsmen.

Shodeinde said, “We have two roads that are of major challenges to us. They are Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. ”During the era of President Olusegun Obasanjo, the reconstruction was done by Messer Julius Berger, but the road later failed. The state government, knowing this, has continuously embarked on palliative works on the road. We have discovered that the road had failed even from inception.

“This was also the reason for the persistent gridlock experi-

Two foreign rice importing firms, Stallion Group and Olam International are owing the Federal Government of Nigeria N44 billion as import duties on rice they imported since May 2014.

To this end, the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Rice Waivers, which disclosed this during its sitting, has vowed to recover the money from the companies.

The committee, which is investigating alleged abuses of rice waivers’ policy in the country, insisted that the country must recover the amount from the two firms.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Adamu Aliero, who spoke when top representatives of the companies appeared be-

fore his committee, said, “There is no way the government will ignore this kind of money. We have to ensure that this money is collected and deposited into the federation account. The companies imported rice into the country without paying waivers, off-loaded it into their warehouses only to refuse to pay required duties when asked by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).”

He said when NCS demanded the money from Stallion Group, the company opted to drag it to court.

In a related development, Comptroller-General of Customs, Hammed Ali has dismissed speculations that he in-

tends to embark on mass sack of officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos, Ali said that his mandate to reform and restructure the NCS does not mean doing away with personnel but to ensure that officers adhere strictly to the law.

“We are not threatening officers but stressing the position of the law. My job is not to sack but to make the system work.

Some may decide to leave because we are going to tighten the noose because the right thing must be done.

“Some may feel that the kitchen is too hot for them and they

Deputy Governor, Osun State, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor, Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Corporate Services Executive, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck at the MTN Foundation security support project phase 3 in Osun State.

70 signatures required to clear goods at Tin Can, 40 at Apapa- MAN Stories by Funmi Coker Manufacturers in the country have said that the process of clearing cargo at the two major seaports in Lagos requires a combination of 110 signatures.

According to them, before a manufacturer can get his raw materials out of the Tin Can Island Port, about 70 people will have to inspect the goods and append their signatures to the documents releasing the goods, while about 40 signatures are required for the same process at the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa.

The industrialists made this observation during an interactive session between the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).

Directing a series of questions to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), a manufacturer, who identified himself simply as Bagu, noted

Senate to recover N44bn import duty from Stallion, Olam

ÏAli dismisses

speculation of mass sack in Customs

Apapa -Oshodi expressway not built to standard, says LASG enced by motorists on the ApapaOshodi Expressway. This road is substandard compared to the pressure it is subjected to. The volume of vehicles plying the road daily is massive,” he added.

On the persistent traffic in other axis, LSPWC boss disclosed that some residents often cut the road at night, saying: “this act causes traffic gridlock in the state. And that was why we have asked the Nigerian Police to arrest anyone found cutting road at night.”

He said the litigation by a resident at Cement Bus Stop, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway was responsible for the delay in the completion of the pedestrian bridge across the road.

Nigerian nabbed in Australia with $10m hard drug A 32 year old Nigerian could be jailed in Australia for life for allegedly smuggling $10million worth of methamphetamine into the country inside a gaudy fish statue.

Sydney border force officers found 10kg of the highly addictive drug hidden, also known as ice, inside one of three goldcoloured fish statues destined for a residential address in Kaleen, north of Canberra.

Police were alerted and arrested the Nigerian after he picked up the statues, removed the drugs, and tried to board a bus bound for Sydney.

will opt out and we will be glad to say go and those that will remain must be ready to work in accordance with the parameters set by our own law.

“So the choice of whether to stay or go is for the person to decide. I have no intention to sack officers,” he said.

On the lifting of the ban placed on importation of rice through the land borders, he explained that NCS placed the restriction because of increased rate of smuggling through the land borders but when it felt the restriction was no longer necessary, it decided to lift it so that appropriate duties will be collected to increase government revenue generation.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Brai

Why we endorsed Maltina – Nutrition Society of Nigeria Stories by Godwin Anyebe Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) - the foremost nutrition body in the country -has given reasons why it recently endorsed Maltina, a premium malt brand from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc, with its stamp of quality.

The Vice-President of the Society, Dr. Bartholomew Brai, who doubles as the Chairman of the Scientific and Technical Committee of the Society made this

known soon after the endorsement.

He said because of the products nutrient-rich ingredients the brand custodians approached the society because they were confident of the quality of the products they offer.

“We subjected them to rigorous examinations and laboratory analysis to ascertain the product claims. At the end of the process, we were convinced that what Maltina claims are the same with our results. As

19 Brands and Marketing Chairman of the Scientific and Technical Committee of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, I can say boldly that, aside its numerous nutritional benefits, Maltina is rich in calcium and vitamin A. These are key strong points of the product,” Dr. Brai pointed out that the society is proud to be associated with the Maltina brand due to its richness and vitality for healthy living.

Receiving the endorsement certification behalf of the company, Senior Brand Manager, Maltina, Mr. Adewole Adedeji, said the endorsement is very important to the brand because it’s an attestation to the claim of complete richness. He added that the endorsement was a further validation that the product claims are based on verifiable proofs and testament to the highly beneficial constituents of the Maltina brand which is also the only malt drink in Nigeria that is calcium-enriched, a key nutrient needed for the development of healthy bones and teeth, normal blood clotting, and peak performance of the nervous system.

Speaking further on the impact of the endorsement, Adedeji said: “Anybody can claim to be anything. But when respected bodies like the Nutrition Society of Nigeria go out of their way to formally endorse a brand, then it means your claims are valid and immensely beneficial to the consumers. That way, value propositions are based on actual product truths.”

The endorsement, he stressed, did not come on a platter of gold

because the drink was subjected to series of laboratory tests, physical inspection of the brewery to ascertain the hygiene conditions of the brewing process to ensure that global best practices are carefully observed.

As a result of its proven quality and refreshing richness, Maltina - which is the first locally produced Malt Drink in Nigeria – is now the only Malt Drink endorsed by the NSN. However, Maltina is taking the nutritional challenge headon hence the fortification of the drink with essential nutrients.

For instance, Maltina is heavily fortified with diverse vitamins and nutrients needed by the human body. Vitamin A, a regular ingredient is a fat soluble vitamin, which is essential for normal growth, vision, immune responses and cell differentiation.

It has vitamin A levels in the range of 40.99-49.51mg/l/. Studies have shown that over 34-69% of childhood blindness in Nigeria is caused by corneal opacity, which results mainly from interplay of vitamin A deficiency.

Vitamin C, another ingredient is a powerful water soluble antioxidant that boosts the immune system and helps prevent cancer and heart disease. When there is a shortage of Vitamin C, various problems can arise. Although scurvy is the only disease clinically treated with the Vitamin, a shortage of it may result in haemorrhage under the skin and a tendency to bruise easily, poor wound healing, soft and spongy bleeding gums and loose teeth.

Daikin reiterates importance of Nigeria market in Africa Having officially entered the Nigerian market in October 2013, the leading air conditioner manufacturing firm, Daikin Industries Limited has stated that Nigeria is the most important market to its brand in Africa. This was disclosed during the working visit of Mr. Sano Ryoji, Daikin’s President, Middle East & Africa in Lagos.

The company said it would not take the company a long time to commence manufacturing activity in the country but the Japanese brand is looking at the completely knockdown units (CKU) as the first option.

Ryoji who spoke glowingly about the Nigerian market said that “Nigeria energy consumption is very central in the choice of an air conditioner. Closely related to the inverter advantage, is the fact that Daikin air conditioners have built –in protection against unstable power supply and blackout. This completely eliminates the need for an AVS

device or stabilizer. The built-in voltage protection makes it possible for Daikin to operate as low as 198V and as high as 264V, without compromising cooling comfort.

(The standard voltage operating range is 220V-240V) The company, which also used the occasion to reassure Nigerians of the quality of Daikin airconditioners, stated that Daikin high reliability continues with its auto-restart function which essentially stores all operating settings in the event of a power failure. At the onset of power, the unit restarts operation based on previously set mode, temperature, fan speed and swing.

“Outdoor air has many atmospheric and corrosive pollutants such as dust, humidity, rain, etc., that damage the heat exchanger coils of air conditioners. To guard against damage to the heat exchanger coils, Daikin uses as standard, blue fin protection on the heat exchanger, with high anti-corrosion properties.

This ensures optimal cooling performance in any location,” Mohamed Miraj Mohamed Abbas, Regional Director, Daikin Middle East & Africa added.

According to Abbas the brand takes indoor comfort seriously in the operation of the air conditioner. Superior indoor air quality is guaranteed through the combination of filtration and mould proof operation. Do not be alarmed if you notice the indoor

unit fan still working after the unit has been switched off. This is necessary for the unit to dry any residual condensation to avoid mould formation and subsequent odor. Additional features include turbo mode, sleep mode, all at super whisper operating level.

Daikin in Nigeria has the after sales support from Panaserv Nigeria limited, present in major cities in Nigeria and still growing.

Ozoalo

Undergraduate Wins Car in Gulder Ultimate Chase After two unsuccessful, yet near-win attempts at winning a brand new Hyundai Elantra car in Gulder’s ongoing National Consumer Promotion, 21-year old Charles Ozoalor eventually won the grand prize at the Ibadan leg, held recently.

The Gulder Ultimate Chase is part of the 2015 Gulder National Consumer Promotion which gives consumers the opportunity of winning a brand new Hyundai Elantra car if they are able to locate a chest which has the car keys. Discovering the chest is no mean feat as they have to overcome physical and mental tasking challenges which include running and making sense of the coordinates on a map.

Speaking on his previous Gulder Ultimate Chase experiences, the University of Nigeria law undergraduate said: “We ran from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium to Okpara Square. I was so close to the car and I was the second person that the Gatekeeper handed over the map to. I was able to trace the location of three boxes.

I opened the first two boxes and they were empty; but the guy behind me opened the third box which had the key. That was my experience in Enugu. The very fact that I came close to winning the grand prize made me not to lose hope. I felt that there was something in me that could still lead me to the ultimate prize.”

Charles Ozoalor also stated that he was unlucky in Port Harcourt on October 3. Despite being among the first five contestants to arrive at the Polo Club after the sprint from the Liberation Stadium, he unfortunately read the map upside down which led him to a direction far from the location of the chest which had the keys to the brand new car.

Charles however stated that he did not allow this losing streak to deter him. Instead, it spurred him to attend the Ibadan leg where he eventually emerged the grand prize winner. However, this victory was almost short-lived as he was almost disqualified.

Motoring 20

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Kia Motors Nigeria bags multiple awards

Parvir Singh, Managing Director, flanked by Amit Sharma (r), Head, Sales and Marketing both of Stallion NMN Limited with Manny Philipson, Principal Consultant, Media Advocate Limited, Content and Strategy Consultants to Stallion Motors Limited at the launch of Armoured Nissan Patrol Y62 series and the unveiling of Nissan and Sentra seasons offer in Lagos recently.

NISSAN unveils armoured SUV

Stories Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

Stallion NMN, the authorised Nissan sales company and owners of the Nissan vehicle assembly facility in Lagos, has unveiled the first ever locally armoured premium sport utility vehicle equipped to certify level B6+ CEN armouring. The redesigned 5.6litre V8 Nissan Patrol SUV is armoured in collaboration with foreign experts to certify B6 armouring to protect cabin occupants from ballistic threats up to the 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition as well as explosives up to 2x DM51 hand grenades.

Stallion NMN Limited Managing Director Parvir Singh who gave this hint in Lagos said: “the Nissan armoured Patrol Y62 series is an emerging global leader in discreet armoured vehicles and ideal base unit for

Hyundai Motors Nigeria in partnership with Diamond Bank Plc have inaugurated yet another vehicle finance initiative tagged: ‘Hyundai-Diamond Dream Deal: It’s time to own a brand new Hyundai.’

The unique credit initiative is aimed at helping desiring patrons and fleet managers to access low interest bank credit for the procurement of discounted Hyundai vehicles without necessarily paying commitment and management fees. Both corporations brokered this agreement in Lagos at the launch of the scheme designed to ease challenges associated with accessing bank credit to procure choice cars. Hyundai Motors head of sales and marketing,

diplomatic, humanitarian aid and international organisations operating in harsh terrain and dangerous region throughout the world. ”This adaptation of the Patrol brings to four the numbers of Nissan models that were assembled locally at the multipurpose VON Automobile plant including Nissan Patrol, NP300 Pick-up and Almera sedan, Mr. Singh affirmed.

He said Nissan’s performance since 2013, when it was reinaugurated with the Stallion dealership has been remarkably appealing with key milestones achieved. “We have so far launched seven Nissan models including Almera, Sentra, Altima, Urvan, Pathfinder, X-Trail and Quashqai crossover vehicles,” the Stallion NMN helmsman recalled.

In his presentation, Stallion NMN Limited head of sales and

marketing Amit Sharma described the redesigned Nissan Patrol Y62 series as unprecedented amongst discreet armoured vehicles with inconspicuous exterior appearance that looks like normal vehicle with completely OEM interior upholstery and storage area built to accommodate full seating capacity.

Sharma said: “The Nissan Patrol Y62 platform is longer, wider with more passenger room than the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 series, flaunting more horsepower, luxury and rides like an OEM vehicle. ”Other distinctively attractive features of the armoured Patrol include, all round heavy duty upgraded compensated braking system, antiexplosion exhaust insert; back door configuration manual/electronic egress system; battery armour protection, door restrains, reinforced hinges and run-flat tyre systems.

Kia Motors Nigeria has over the years earned a remarkable reputation in offering the best in class automobiles that continuously set the pace and remains at the fore of innovative products to exceed the expectations of customers at all touch points.

As recognition for its accomplishments in the Nigeria auto industry, the company won the Most Innovative Auto Company for the year while it’s Group Managing Director, Jacky Hathiramani bagged the leadership and Kia Picanto was named the Budget Car of the year in the 2015 Nigeria Auto Award.

It was indeed a remarkable feat for Kia Motors Nigeria to come out on top of all auto companies for its second to none innovative strides in sales and world class accentuated after sales service. “Winning innovative company award like this is testament to the thought that goes into all our strategic planning geared towards giving the best service to our esteemed customers and ensuring we offer not only the most reliable and durable vehicles, but also the most cost-effective top-ofthe-segment models,” said Sandeep Malhotra, Chief Commercial Officer, Kia Motors Nigeria.

The success of the Kia brand in Nigeria is hinged on a team of outstanding professionals and their unalloyed commitments are rooted in positioning the brand as one of the industry leaders with exceptional satis-

Hyundai Motors, Diamond Bank inaugurate vehicle credit facility for customers Jatin Nadkarni said: “The credit scheme is in line with Hyundai strategy and direction of making vehicle acquisition a seamless experience.”

Mr. Nadkarni said: “Successful customers would aside these seamless benefits enjoy series of other offers including free 6 months service including labour and consumables; interest rate as low as 14%;discounted prices; 5-year or 100, 000Km warranty and free Samsung Galaxy tab for every car purchased.

Also noting credit facility has become a common practice in

advanced markets, Hyundai Motors Nigeria sales and marketing helmsman said: “Our goal is to encourage more prospective customers to buy new Hyundai vehicles particularly now that the federal government is committed to the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP).

Hyundai Motors Nigeria listed some of the models that can be procured during this campaign as Automatic Transmission (A/T) powered Accent1.4/1.6litre; Grand Xcent i10 1.2litre; Elantra 1.6/1.8litre; Sonata2.0/2.4litre and Azera 2.4litre cars.

Hathiramani, KIA Motors GMD

faction to customers.

The team led by Jacky Hathiramani, Managing Director, has left no stone unturned to offer tailor-made propositions to customers. Recognized for his leading role in the Nigeria auto industry, Jacky was awarded the prestigious Leadership Award.

He has steered the company to its current status as a leading player and his presence has seen Kia brand increase its turnover manifold in the country.

Admired for its practicality and fun design, the Kia Picanto triumphed among other competing brands to win the budget car of the year. Kia Picanto’s affordability is easy on customers’ budget, fuel efficient and maneuverable in cramped city streets or parking lots without compromising value for a guaranteed exhilarating driving experience. The entry level car has all the practical advantages of a small car as well as a funto-drive personality on the road.

“We earned the awards through our outstanding professionalism and commitment to quality,” said Jacky Hathiramani.

“Our team has continued to work tirelessly in ensuring exemplary standards of performance in sales and service, and most importantly, in satisfying our customers’ needs. We are proud to receive these awards as they are tribute to excellent customer relations in sales and service and we will continue to offer top-notch services for our esteemed customers.”

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

21 News

Revealed: Why Senate suspended sitting on Wednesday Ï dƅƏƆƆ ƈ Ƈ ƌ Ɔƅ ƈ ƋƈƊƆƋƕ Ɛ Ɨ ƕ Ï dƆ ƐƆôƋƋ ƅƏƆƆ ƌƈ ƈ ƐƆƏƈ Ƌ ƌƈ ƆƆ ƓƈƐ ƈ ƾơ Ɠ ƏƊƈ Ɨ ƕ - Ndume Olufemi Samuel, Abuja

ÎÎÎThe

omission by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to concede a principal office of the Senate to an opposition member has started creating impact as the suspension of Senate sitting on Wednesday principally anchored on the need to prevent the Deputy Senate

President, Ike Ekweremadu, from presiding.

However, the screening of ministerial nominees will continue in the Senate today (Thursday), amid the likelihood that the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, will be listed in the Order Paper of the Senate for screening.

Also, the Senate on

Wednesday allayed fear over possible expiration of time lag for screening of ministerial nominees as outlined by the constitution, stating that it was still on schedule under the 21 working days for the exercise to complete.

There have been initial reports that the Senate suspended its sitting on the previous day as part of ploy for

Senators to mobilise support for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, as he appeared before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Wednesday.

Not less than 80 Senators were at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, all mobilised by the Deputy Senate President in show of solidarity with Saraki.

However, Senate leader,

^ƏƆ ƈƗƆ Ɛ LƑ ƌƌ ƗƑ Ƒ Əƈ æƏç ƏƆƅƆƈƒƈ ƋƆƐƐƆƏ ƇƏ ƌ dƍƆƅƈ Ƌ & ƒ ƕ ƇƏ ƌ yƆ ƆƖƑƆƋ ƃyƈƅƆ Lƈ ƈ ƐƆƏ Ƈ 0 ƏƆƈ ƇƇ ƈƏ Ƈ Ə ƇƏƈƅ è LƏê `Ɔƈ ƋƗ Ƌƈƒ Əè Ɛ Ɛ Ɔ ^ƏƆ ƈƗƆ Ɛƈ Ƌ yƈƋƋ ƈ ƄƑƉ êêê zƆƗ Ɔ Ɨ ƕ

Tribunal orders rerun in 18 Akwa Ibom LGAs Continued from page 6 Umar, “the Card reader report is not a conclusive report to ascertain the actual number of accredited voters. That press release concerning the Card reader report is null and void as it offended the provisions of section 49 of the Electoral Act which deals on the process of accreditation in an election.

Justice Umar said that the petitioners have proved beyond reasonable doubt that election was inconclusive in some of the 18 local government areas while in others it did not hold.

He said that there were evidences before the tribunal that the April 11 gover-

norship election actually took place in the rest 13 local government council in the state.

Justice Sadiq Umar had earlier dismissed the preliminary objection filed by Governor Emmanuel for lack of merit.

Reacting to the ruling, the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State, on Wednesday, said it will appeal the judgment.

The state chairman of the party, Dr. Amadu Atai, stated that the party was not satisfied with the tribunal’s nullification of elections in 18 local government areas.

He added that there had been widespread irregularities in the governorship polls in all local gov-

ernment areas of the state, and in some cases, there were no elections at all.

According to him, the decisions of the tribunal, regarding the April 11 governorship election in the state, are inconclusive, saying the APC had begun the process of appeal.

“The tribunal has cancelled the governorship elections in 18 local government areas as it ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct elections in the affected LGAs. But we are going to appeal because we expect cancellation in more local government areas, where discrepancies were pervasive,” he said.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman in

the state, Mr. Paul Ekpo, however, said the judgment was very confusing.

He added that the only good thing about the judgment was that the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, still remained in power.

According to him, PDP will meet to review the decisions of the tribunal.

Ekpo added: “The judgement is very confusing except that my governor, who had won elections overwhelmingly in the state, still remains the governor. The rerun in 18 LGAs, as ordered by the tribunal, as you know, we will win. Besides, we will meet at the party level to look at the judgement.”

Senator Ali Ndume, in a chat with correspondents, disclosed that had the Senate not suspended the sitting, the task of presiding over the screening of ministerial nominees would have been performed by the Deputy Senate President, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He stressed that Saraki should be the one to preside over the Senate during the screening because most of the nominees are APC members.

Ndume added that the screening of ministerial nominees was considered as a national assignment, which, according to him, demands that the Senate President who started the process should complete the task.

Said he: “The Senate President has to be in court 10.00 am (Wednesday). He is the Presiding Officer. And this is an extraordinary time because we are screening ministers that are predominantly APC. So, that was why we said this screening should continue under the Senate President presiding.

“This is not a normal day because we are screening APC nominees of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And there are issues surrounding it that we don’t want any other issue out of it again.

“The Presiding Officer is the Senate President who started the screening and we said we would continue taking a day off and continue tomorrow (today).

Speaking against the right of Ekweremadu to preside even on matters of screening of ministerial nominees, Ndume said even the constitution of Nigeria

does not grant him such express chance.

He said: “It is just like when the President is off, the Vice President does not automatically become the President of Nigeria. He remains the Vice President until a letter is transmitted as such.

“That is what the constitution says. We thought that the court would not even sit today (Wednesday). But when we discovered that the court would sit today (Wednesday) and the Senate President is presiding and we have an issue at hand that the Senate President and that is the screening of ministers, we said let us shift it by one day to enable the Senate President attend the court session. And then we continue tomorrow (today).”

Ndume, however, assured that the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, would be screened.

He said the report of the Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition Committee will not stop Amaechi’s screening because the process would be subjected to the wish of the majority in the Senate.

Said Ndume: “Let me add that the Ethics and Privileges report is not the determinant of Amaechi. It is the Senate. Even if they write their report, it has to be laid before the Senate, which will decide on the report. It is not the report that will decide the fate of Amaechi.

“Whatever the Committee recommends to the Senate, it is the Senate that will decide. And I have told Nigerians several times that this Senate belongs to APC.

Many trapped as three-storey building collapses in Lagos ÎÎÎ

A three-storey building located on Odunfa Street, Lagos Island, collapsed on Wednesday, trapping several persons.

The incident happened around 10am.

As at the time of filing this report, about seven

occupants had been rescued and rushed to Sura Health Centre on the Island for treatment while emergency responders continued their efforts to evacuate those that are still trapped in the rubble.

News 22

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Buhari applauds Akintola Williams' contribution to national growth Olajide Dolapo

ÏÏÏPresident

Muhammadu Buhari has commended renowned doyen of accounting profession in the country, Akintola Williams on the occasion of this year’s Akintola Williams Distinguished Lecture Series.

A statement issued, on Wednesday, by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Buhari applauded the contributions of Williams to national progress and development, even at the grand old age of 96, through the lecture series which were established to promote integrity, professionalism and sound corporate governance in Nigeria.

Ebonyi: Man narrates ordeal in NDLEA net Jacob Ogodo

Abakaliki ÏÏÏA 38-year-old man of Agboride village, Amaizu community Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Emmanuel Oko Uwa, on Wedenesday, told the Federal High Court how he was tortured by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which led to his frequent passing-out blood while urinating.

Uwa was arrested and arraigned by NDLEA in 2012 for being in possession of 1kg Indian hemp.

Uwa said men of the NDLEA numbering 21 invaded his compound at 3a.m., February 5, 2012, and started ransacking his rooms after asking the

Buhari also commended Williams and the organisers of the annual lecture series on their choice of “Leadership Factors And Good Corporate Governance – Key to National Growth and Development” as the theme of this year's lecture.

Buhari believed that it was a very apt and topical theme as he prepared to inaugurate a new Federal Executive Council to drive the implementation of his administration’s agenda for a national renaissance.

Buhari

whereabouts of one Sunday Ogbonnaya who resided in the compound.

He said he had told the NDLEA officials that Ogbonnaya was not in the compound and that they started forcing him to follow them to their office in Afikpo North.

“Because I refused to follow them, they started beating me mercilessly. They later bundled me inside their car and left. They broke my legs and inflicted injuries on my face as can be seen even till now. When they got to their office, they continued the torture to the extent that I started urinating blood each time I want to urinate and that has not stopped.

“They said I should admit that I am a drug dealer, so as to free myself, which I refused, because I am a trader; trade on palm oil not hard drugs. They later forced me to sign a prepared statement which I did to save my life.”

PUBLIC NOTICE OLD NAME: RUACH FIRE MINISTRY NEW NAME: RUACH INTERNATIONAL GOSPEL MINISTRY THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ANNI GIDEON 2. ANNI MARGRETH 3. OMOROGIEVA, GODWIN EDOSA 4. OKDUGH EVELYN EDUWUIKHOFO AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL, TEACH, CAST OUT DEVILS AND HEAL THE SICK IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD. 2. TO TRAIN, ORDAIN, AND LICENSE CANDIDATE FOR THE GOSPEL MINISTRY THROUGH EMPOWERMENT, SEMINARS, SKILL ACQUISITION WORKSHOPS AND LICENSE MARRIAGE. 3. TO PRINT AND PUBLISH RELIGIOUS LITERATURES 4. PROVIDE MORAL COUNSELING, AND CHAPLAINCY SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, LESS PRIVILEGE, FAMILIES, INSTITUTIONS AND COMMUNITIES. 5. TO ESTABLISH BRANCHES OF THE CHURCH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE NIGERIA AND CARRY OUT EVANGELISM AND MISSIONARY WORK IN NIGERIA AND OVERSEAS. 6.TO PROMOTE UNITY AMONG CHRISTIANS AS WELL AS OTHER CITIZENS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARR. ELLIOT ONI

Ekiti APC berates Fayose’s tax policy Gbenga Sodeinde

Ado Ekiti ÏÏÏFollowing the protest that greeted the sealing off of some business premises in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, on Tuesday,

by Governor Ayo Fayose, their refusal to pay tax, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has criticised the action, saying the imposition of outrageous taxes would compound the state’s economic woes.

The closure affected no fewer than 100 shops belonging to Igbo traders, in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, a branch of Zenith Bank and a retail petrol station owned by the Nigerian national Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), effected by officials of the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR), in an operation that commenced at about 9.00 a.m. on Tuesday

The action led to protest in Ado- Ekiti, where scores of Igbo traders having shops along Secretariat Road, Ado Ekiti, decried the government’s action against them, saying the taxes imposed on them was “outrageous” despite the fact that they had entered into agreement with BIR for a tax rate of N5,500, only for the officials of the tax agency to storm their business offices Tuesday morning and start sealing them off, claiming that the agreed tax no longer subsisted.

The party said the Fayose’s action was a wrong signal to investors willing to do businesses in the state and a disincentive to local business operators who struggled to cope with cutthroat taxes being imposed on them.

Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, in a state-

ment in Ado-Ekiti, said the taxes imposed on business owners were too harsh, outrageous and exploitative, describing Fayose administration’s policies as lacking a human face, and that “the prevailing economic situation in the country doesn’t support high taxes.”

He said: “Locking out traders, shop and business owners without allowing them opportunity to remove their valuables is most degrading, wicked, ungodly and inhuman.

The task force men working with some thugs refused the business owners along Bank Road to take the keys to their homes, cash, cheque books, pass books and other documents as they were locked inside, which resulted in Igbo traders that drive the economy of the state to stage a protest.

“Zenith and Diamond banks were illegally and forcefully locked up against the customers and the workers at the banks, thereby causing panic as if it was an armed robbery scene.”

Regretting that the operation was hijacked by suspected hoodlums working for the governor, he said many of the traders were physically harassed and attacked for failure to pay outrageous taxes that were already threatening some of the businesses in the state capital.

Fayose

Niger LG polls’ll hold as planned, says Gov. Bello Pita Chikwem

Minna ÏÏÏAhead of the local government elections in Niger State, the State government, on Wednesday, confirmed that the local government elections scheduled for November 7 would hold as planned.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello who gave the confirmation, in Minna, debunked rumours that the government was making underground moves to shift the polls to January next year because the ruling All Progressive Congress party (APC) was not ready.

Bello who spoke through

his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso, at a stakeholders’ workshop on voter education sensitisation and mobilisation at the Doko Hotels declared that the administration was irrevocably committed to conducting the election.

“Our resolve in Niger State to go ahead to conduct the local government election, apart from being a constitutional responsibility, is premised on our belief that a democratically- elected government, at the local government level, will engender more service delivery to a large number of the people whose welfare

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR FUTURE CITIES AND URBAN TRANSFORMATION This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

The Trustees Are: 1. MOSES OLUBUNMI AJAYI 2.OLUSEGUN BANKOLE YUSSUFF 3.TAIBAT OLAITAN LAWANSON 4.WASIU ABIOLA ANIFOWOSHE 5.CHIKE EJINDU Aims and Objectives: 1. To promote frontline global urban future studies and inspireseconomic and environmental change in cities and communities across Nigeria and beyond.

2. To combines thought leadership, world-class research with policy analysis and innovative communications, education and capacity building towards urban sustainability.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission 420 Tigris Crescent, Off AguiyiIronsi Street, Maitama, and Abuja within 28 days of the publication.

Signed: Secretary

constitutes the major focus of this administration.”

He said that the administration would give the state independent electoral Commission all the needed support to ensure it performed its duties to the satisfaction of all the stakeholders.

The governor however observed that ‘preparing for success in election is not only a function of the adequacy of logistical requirements for the exercise, but a very critical aspect is the capacity of the electorates to freely fulfil their civic responsibilities in an atmosphere free of undue inhibitions and rancour. We must pay due attention to rules and regulations guiding the elections, no matter our party affiliations. We all have responsibilities to ensure free and fair credible elections.” he said.

Bello noted that the or-

ganisation of the workshop was the right step towards providing level playing ground for all actors in the election and charged the electoral commission to be upright in all its activities.

14 political parties are to participate in the election, which the State Independent Electoral Commission said it was ready to conduct.

Bello

IGBOKWE FRANCISCA CHINYERE

MONDAY MAYAKI CHINEDU

I Formerly known as Miss Igwebuike-Chukwu Francisca Chinyere now wish to be address as Mrs Igbokwe Francisca Chinyere. Formal document remain valid, take note.

I formally called Christopher Asuzu Chinedu, now wishes to be known and called Monday Mayaki Chinedu.

Formal document remain valid, take note.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday October 22, 2015

Okorocha slams new Biafra agitators Val Okara Owerri

ÏÏÏ Governor Rochas Okorocha

of Imo State, on Wednesday, distanced the people of the South East geo-political zone from the protest over the arrest of the director of Radio Biafra by security operatives saying that such a protest had no supporter or blessing of the governors and leaders form the zone.

Okorocha who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemedo, in a statement made available to newsmen in

Owerri, regretted that the protest over Radio Biafra and arrest of its director would not add any value to development of the zone and life of the people in the area.

The governors and leaders of the South-East condemn the protests, especially for the manner they were carried out in the name of Biafra. If a section of the people in the South-East or even the whole people in the geopolitical zone protest over the bad shape of the federal roads in the area or protest over the total negligence of the geo-political zone, every governor and leader

in the area would support that.

“The South-East is an integral part of Nigeria and the governors and leaders from the area believe in the unity of the country and would always work towards sustaining the unity. And as far as the governors and leaders of the South-East are concerned, those behind the campaign for Biafra have their ulterior motive, which has nothing to do with corporate interest of Ndi-Igbo in Nigeria of our collective dream”.

According to him, “the concern of the governors and other South-East leaders is to get what

is due for us in our country, and any other quest, especially for Biafra is diversionary”.

Okorocha therefore called on those behind protests on the basis of Biafra to give peace a chance and regretted that some Igbo people could get involved in a protest that whose end- result won’t benefit Ndi-Igbo in any way.

He said that the unity of Nigeria was not negotiable, and that the South-East people strongly believed in the sovereignty of the country and would work assiduously to ensure its sustenance.

Appropriate taxes necessary for growth – Gov. Ahmed Kehinde Akinpelu

23 News Buhari names OyoIta as new HoS Egena Egena

Abuja ÏÏÏPresident Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday approved the appointment of Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita as the new Head of Service of the federation.

Mrs. Oyo-Ita, 51, hails from Cross River State and was before her new appointment, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology.

She attended Queens College Yaba and got her B.Sc in Accounting at the University of Lagos in 1984. She holds a Master’s degree from the Nasarawa State University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

Oyo-Ita was also the Director, Finance and Accounts at the Head of Civil Service of the Federation. Oyo-Ita’s appointment follows the retirement of the former Head of Service, Mr. Danladi Kifasi., on Tuesday.

Ilorin

ÏÏÏKwara

State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, has said that appropriate taxation culture was necessary for the economic growth in Nigeria in the face of dwindling earnings from crude oil.

He said this when the National President of the Chartered Institute of Nigeria (CIT), Dr. (Mrs) Olateju Somorin paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, in Ilorin.

Ahmed said the dwindling monthly fiscal allocations was taking a toll on the economic fortunes of states and the country at large, adding that the states must exploit new forms and areas of taxation in order to stay afloat.

He expressed concern that taxation had not been given the right place in Nigeria, especially in helping to ensure the growth of the local economy “It is imperative that we do not leave things out by ensuring that taxation is given the rightful place and taken to all levels across the nooks and crannies of the country so that people can truly see that the core responsibility goes hand in hand with economic, social and political development”.

“No meaningful development can take place without exploring and exploiting new aspects of taxation because we are at a crossroads with our over reliance on oil as our economic mainstay”, he said.

Somorin commended the state government for establishing the new Kwara State Internal Revenue Service to enhance tax collection in the State, other developmental agenda, particularly the environmental sanitation programme, as well as the peace project.

Nurses abandon Enugu children’s home Moses Oyediran

L-R: CSR Manager, Airtel Nigeria, Chinda Manjor; Assistant CSR Manager, Chioma Okolie; late Dr. Stella Adadevoh’s son, Bankole Cardoso with Director Enterprise, Airtel Nigeria, Tawa Bolarin at the launch of Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh (DRASA) Health Trust held in Lagos… on Wednesday

Wild fire ravages Ondo market, millions goods destroyed ’Tosin Ajuwon Akure

ÏÏÏAn

early morning inferno has destroyed goods worth N10 million at the popular Ikare Junction in Owo Local Government

Mimiko

Area of Ondo state.

Eyewitnesses told journalists that the fire destroyed shops stocked with food stuffs and electronics, among other goods.

Hundreds of sympathisers who gathered at the scene were seen consoling the affected traders who were lamenting about what have befallen them.

Daily Times learnt from some affected traders that a power surge from one the affected shops caused the heavy inferno.

A trader, Mr. Frank Mbaga, said the electricity supplied to the areas had been unstable for some days in the area.

“I think that was the cause of the incident. We have informed

the officials of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) but they refused to turn up to solve that challenges,” he said Another trader, Beatrice Chukuwa, also expressed her disappointment in the fire brigade men stationed in Owo, noting that a distress call to its officers was not responded to.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Femi Joseph, who confirmed the incident said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Owo led some officers to the scene to investigate the incident.

Joseph said although no life was lost, the police would find out the cause of the fire.

Enugu ÏÏÏNurses numbering over ten have abandoned their duty post at the Family Support Programme, (FSP), Medical Centre, Enugu for greener pastures.

Director, Nursing Services, at the Centre, Nneka Anioke, told correspondents who visited the centre, on Wednesday, as part of the activities marking their 2015 Press Week, that formerly it had eighteen staff but now was left with five to cater for the children with and disabilities, adding that it was the love they had for the children and their passion for the job that had made them to stay behind.

Anioke, who disclosed that the inmates were twenty-one in number, said good-spirited individuals and corporate organisations, as well as the Enugu State Government, had been catering for the upkeep of the centre since inception ten years ago.

She however called on the state government to provide it with more staff to meet onerous task of caring for the children.

The journalists, who were led on the visit to the centre by the ViceChairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Enugu State, Mr. Regis Anukwuoji of the Businessday newspaper, presented the management of the centre with various items such as cartons of Indomie noddles, tissue papers and packets of pampers.

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday October 22, 2015

Foundation seeks spiritual, economic revolution for growth Olajide Dolapo

ÏÏÏThe

Sabitiyu Alare Foundation the caring for the organization and to missionaries both Muslim and Christians organization for the established of industrial institution both in agriculture and industrialization project by providing to the both spiritual and economic outfit as a revolution to solution in curbing the persistent of crime in our society Chairman of the group, Primate Ayoola omohigbeyin, maintained that poor value system, poor children up bringing lack of trans-

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Mr. Uche Orji (left); Mr. Obinna Ihedioha and Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja… on Wednesday

10 injured in fresh Ondo NURTW crisis ’Tosin Ajuwon Akure

ÏÏÏMore

than ten people were, on Wednesday, injured in a clash amongst between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo.

The clash was as a result of an attempt by some factional members of the union to hijacked its affairs.

Sources told journalists that the enraged members, who were armed with dangerous weapons, shot re-

peatedly in the air to scared away onlookers, as they attacked one another.

Daily Times gathered that the crisis paralysed business and economic activities in the town as residents scampered for safety.

A source disclosed to our correspondent that the crisis broke out when a man, who was identified as “Jungunnu”, a factional leader, declared himself as its new chairman.

The source who later pleaded for anonymity said the factional leader allegedly led some troublesome

members branded as thugs in the union to Akure car park where they purportedly attacked union members in bid to take over its leadership.

The scuffle, it was learnt, spread to Ehinogbe area of the town where the fight became violent, but for the timely intervention of policemen normalcy was quickly returned.

The branch chairman of the NURTW, Mr. Kolade Jasper, expressed disgust at the incident, adding that he was yet to receive notification letter from the national

leaders indicating the expiration of its tenure.

Jasper added that the man identified as “Jungunnu”, who was parading himself as a factional leader of the union was never a bonafide and registered member.

He, however, pleaded with Governor Olusegun Mimiko to urgently intervene in the crisis rocking the union.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident and noted that the command was investigating it, with an appeal to the warring factions to be peaceful.

Yobe tribunal upholds Gov. Gaidam's election

Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Yobe State Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja yesterday up held the election of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State.

The tribunal dismissed the election petition filed by Alhaji Adamu Waziri the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 11,2015 election for lack of merit.

Waziri had challenged Governor Gaidam election on the grounds of substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, bribery, corrupt practices and irregularities

among others.

Delivering the judgment the Chairman of the tribunal Justice Mojisola Dada said that she has gone through the evidences of 34 witnesses and the exhibits that were tendered and found that the petitioner was unable to prove allegation of substantial non-compliance, corruption.

She said that even though there were irregularities in few polling booths the number of votes cast in such polling units was not sufficient to vitae the overall result of the governorship election.

On the allegation of bribery of INEC resident electoral Commissioner levelled

against the Governor’s AidDe-Camp, the tribunal established that the sum of N8 million was paid into the Diamond bank account of the official and another N7million in his Zenith bank account on 8 April.

The tribunal said it also found that the INEC official directed the banks on 9 April to return the said amount to the payee after he received an alert in his perceived knowledge to correct the anomaly.

The tribunal said that the petitioner had used the incident to harass the INEC official even as he failed to provide link that the lodged sum tilt the result of the

election.

Justice Dada described as weak the threat and allegation of seizure of farm land for any one who voted for PDP. She said that the relieves sought by the petitioner were declarative in nature and could only be granted if allegations were proved beyond reasonable doubt.

Gaidam

Forum of commissioners debunks defection Olajide Dolapo

ÏÏÏThe

Forum of Commissioner under the present the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) administration in Kogi has debunked the report of purported defection of four commissioners and some special advisers,saying it was lie.

The Secretary of Forum and Commissioner for Transport, Honourable Abdulrahman Wuya who disclosed this while adding Journalists at the PDP state Secretariat in Lokoja yesterday,stated that the

LCI organises free eye screening Christian Oparaugo

ÏÏÏThe Lions Clubs Inter-

national (LCI ) has flagged off a campaign for sight preservation, awareness and action journey, by conducting a free eye screening, prescription of glasses and giving medicated glasses for minor eye defect cases to Nigerian citizens.

This campaign started with a rally from Lagos Airport hotel to the Lion club house Ikeja, canvassing for individuals in the community to come have a free eye test. Speaking at the club house, an Optometrist, Dr Grace Awoshope, said,"The eye is the window of the body that shows one the world, the eye is a very essential part of the body

parency and accountability have been show as a major cause of crime. Rather than building trillion value of cathedral and landed properties accusation will pall out pillar of corruption as other vices as society has failed us.

We urge church mosques to established farming project for their congregation People are respecter because of their material rather than and they can the society for the fear of God, people now worship money not god’ the youth with talent now direct it to gambling crime kidnapping ritualist and so on. commissioners and advisers are resolutely behind the candidature of Captain Wada.

Wuya explained that it is easy to understand that desperation on the part of opposition is responsible for this imaginary report in the media,stressing that no commissioner in administration of Captain Idris wada has left or planning to defect from PDP. "Members of the Executive Council are accomplished men and women who have actualised themselves in various sphere og life and they have remained loyal and committed to the effort of His Excellency, Captain Idris Wada in transformation of the state",he stressed . because they are the organs of vision . They detect light and convert it into electrochemical impulses in neurons".

"In higher organisms, the eye is a complex optical system which collects light from the surrounding environment, regulates its intensity through a diaphragm , focuses it through an adjustable assembly of lenses to form an image, converts this image into a set of electrical signals, and transmits these signals to the brain through complex neural pathways that connect the eye via the optic nerve to the visual cortex and other areas of the brain".

Awoshope further stated that "Light is focused primarily by the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye, which acts like a camera lens, the iris of the eye functions like the a camera".

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

25

Features Æ s Nigerians didn’t vote for a sole administrator — Fasheun Factional leader of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress, Dr. Fredrick Fasheun last week addressed a close gathering at the Century Hotel, Okota, Lagos. He touched on the recent kidnap and later release of Afenifere Chieftain, Olu Falae and the selection of President Buhari’s ministers among others. GBUBEMI GOD’S COVENANT SNR reports.

Factional leader of the Oodua Peo¬ple’s Congress (OPC), Dr Fredrick Fase¬hun minced no words as he reacted to the recent kidnap and later release of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Olu Falae.

“Those who kidnapped Olu Falae shall not see old age because Nigeria owes a lot to the septuagenarian; he is a principled person and his way of life is iconic. He doesn’t live lav-

ishly. Occasionally you wonder when you visit Falae and you see the place he lives. He lives in a place he built before he joined the government.

“Falae is member of Afenifere and PRONACO and NADECO for God’s sake; you don’t find many people in leadership position like Olu Falae occupied. To treat him like the way he was recently treated we reject it.

We are using this opportunity to warm those in power that enough is enough.”

Declaring that the herdsmen were working people under cover of their trade, Fasheun said they are not unaware of their sponsors.

“The Fulani helmsmen have been going round and round.

It is not that we have no suspicions of the people financing them. How many of those wretched Fulani herdsmen can have money to buy cows? Cows must belong to the big ones. You cannot be more accommodating than the Yoruba people and

Fasheun

Falae is a leader of the Yoruba people.”

Fasheun also saw a plot to annex some South-Western towns and cities into the hands of the cattle men.

“The opportunity of this crisis is a warning to them. It is not that we have no suspicion of what goes on, we do. But nobody in this country will succeed in annexing one inch of Yoruba land. Let the Obas fight for themselves. Nobody is going to turn any village of the SouthWest into Jos. That is why you see it may sound irregular and annoying to those in power but it is like a pain.

“When you shortchange pain, you try to avoid the cause of that pain. That pain has warned you something more serious may come. So protect yourself. Those

‘‘But if you look at his selection of ministers, you would think decent people are only found in one area of the country. But I tell you that decent people are all over this country.

Okonjo Iweala is an Igbo woman, why are Igbo people not being selected.’’ in power if they are interested in the unity of this country let them take precautions. The farmers of the South West will take their decision very soon.

And whoever tries to violate their territorial integrity will not live to tell the story. Enough is enough.

“We were aware of the in-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Babajide hits Africa with new photographic application CEO of SnapHubr, Oluwaseun Babajide is the brain behind SnapHubr, a brand new concept in photography marketing. In this interview with STEPHEN ADENIRAN, he revealed the passion that motivated him to build a photography application, among others.

One of the main purposes of Snaphubr.com is to create jobs for people in Africa, that is one of my main long and short term goals; and again, it is just a platform where people can upload and sell their images. It is the

first time this is happening in Nigeria, it has never happened before.”

Disclosing on the ‘long term’ part of his vision, Babajide he has his eyes on a photo market hub.

“What we are trying to create is the first ever event photography market place. For example, if you are having a wedding, sometimes, peoples’ pictures are taken and it gets lost, the owners never see it. The idea Snaphubr is selling is that the invitation card will read that all the pictures at this wedding is exclusive to Snaphubr.com so after the wedding, people can visit Snaphubr.com, pick their preferred pictures, download it, pay for it and they get it CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

volvement of ethnic people, even those in power. This type of incident happened in Oke Ogun once.

Nigerians should better make sure that nobody who thought that he has Abraham as his father can tread on the rights of others. This country belongs to all of us. One part belongs

Babajide

Features 26

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

‘We knew carpet crossing will birth confusion’

Falae

Continued from page 25 to you the other part belong to me.”

On Buhari’s Government of Change “Many of us looked forward to his coming because of his shouted pedigree or antecedent. But we didn’t expect what is going on. He came and said nobody belongs to him and he belongs to nobody. We are beginning to think otherwise. See what has been going on.

“Who are those people he has been selecting as ministers? In a country of 170 million people you cannot find 36 decent people. That is an indictment on the Nigerian people.

“To the outside world now, 170 million people have been declared by their leaders as indecent people, crooks, rogues, looters. As a result the country has to wait.”

Is he regretting the result of the election?

“Everybody jubilated when Buhari came in; we thought it was going to be sweet, but it is getting sour. It is too late in the day to be experiencing what we are experiencing.

“But if you look at his selection of ministers, you would think decent people are only found in one area of the country. Decent people but I tell you that decent people are all over this country. Okonjo Iwaela is an Igbo woman, why are Igbo people not being selected?

“We have people like Oby Ezekwesili who has served the country meritoriously and those who have not served but are decent people. The presidential system of government is a beautiful system of government because of the division of labour and our constitution has always stressed the division of labour. That is why the constitution says federal character. And now we have the president but

we have no Executive functions there is no legislature.

“The legislature has been in confusion since Buhari’s election. How do you contribute a check to the excesses of any of these chambers without regard to the constitution? But we are comforted by the fact that the upper legislature is aware of its functions in the scheme of things.

“Can you appoint a high public officer without subjecting such a character to the wish of the senate? Even if such a person appear before the senate to take a bow. And even then those who have been selected have been selected from one area of the country and people have been commenting that this is not fair. The constitution prescribed federal character. Nigerians did not vote for a sole administrator.”

On carpet crossing “I knew it would come when satanic people were joining the angels before the elections. People abandoned their principles, manifestos and party constitution to cross the carpet.

When the conservatives were joining the progressives, we knew it would birth confusion. I personally made that comment several times.

“That satanic people were joining the angels and the angels were crossing carpet and joining the satanic ones.

Who didn’t know that such an amalgamation is a mixture of elements but each of those elements has its own peculiar characteristics and it would not match with the characteristics of another? In order words, political amalgamation is the bane of the Nigerian factor.

JUST HUMAN

11.10am Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos. Photo: God’s Covenant Snr/092

Babajide

This has never happened before in Nigeria - Babajide Continued from page 25 immediately in their email and if they order for print, they get that within 14 days regardless of the location in the world.”

His journey into photography “I am not a professional photographer; I am the guy who likes being photographed! I am the kind of person who you will see everywhere being lively. Also, I take a lot of pictures; I have them everywhere, on Instagram and Facebook. The main purpose for creating this website is for job empowerment, not necessarily because I enjoy photography or I am a professional photographer.”

Can you explain the process a little more “It is very easy, the whole concept has been made very easy.

Anyone can log on onto the website and upload bulk images which can be viewed all over the world. There a lot of categories ranging from award ceremonies, weddings, to night clubs and so on.

“All you have to do is to upload pictures under any category you want and publish, or you can set images privacy. Another purpose that the website serves is to sell these images to their respective owners. So if you set an image as private, a lot of people can see it, but they cannot buy it. Only the people with passwords can buy the image. Once you upload you publish, we already have set prices on all images. So we do the printing, shipping and what the photographers get is 45 percent of the images sold.”

Do you have competitors?

“We have not had competitors, because we cater strictly for events. But in the space of e-commerce in general, we will have a bit of competition.”

Babajide spent some two years working on the application with competent developers that are in charge of its upgrade and maintenance. This, he said, is a long term project and since Snabhubr launched, it has garnered positive reviews.

“This is the first online market that will ever exist exclusively to African photographers and with the plans already in motion, it will be a huge income generator and also create a lot of jobs for people in Africa.”

How would you be able to measure the success of the app?

“There are a lot of metrics in place. For instance, Google analytics that will give us the demographic view. It will enable us to know the countries that use the site regularly. We will also have the opportunity to know what the media has to say about the platform.”

Do you think Africa is ready for Snaphubr?

“Yes. With the feedback we have gotten so far, with the partnership requests and with the interviews we have had I am confident that Africa is ready for this new invention.

This is also true as it is going to create jobs for Africans and empower the photographers by giving them value for their money, I have no doubt that people will embrace Snaphubr.’’

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

27

Crime Æ s

The protesters

Women Arise seeks justice for slain woman

The killer cop being brought to court

Yet another case of trigger happy policemen brutally killing those they are trained and paid to protect, came to the fore at the Ebute Metta Magistrate Court during the week. BABAJIDE OKEOWO reports.

For Godwin Udoh, Wednesday, September 16, 2015 will forever remain indelible in his mind; it was on that day that a trigger happy policeman, Corporal Museliu Aremu, altered the course of his life forever by allegedly killing his beloved wife, Comfort Idongesit, causing him grievous body harm in the process and rendering their four children motherless over a paltry sum of N200.

On the fateful day, Godwin in the company of Idongesit and their four young children were returning from a Church programme at their Mount of Victory Church, located in Orilowo Ejigbo area of Lagos Mainland, in his tricycle, popularly known as Keke Marwa , when Aremu, attached to the Isheri-Oshun police division, flagged him to stop.

It was gathered that Aremu allegedly demanded for N200 from Godwin for plying the road beyond the stipulated time for tricycle. Godwin was said to have explained that he was returning from Church and that the time

was just 8pm.

All pleas by Idongesit, who was carrying the couple’s youngest child, 11-months old Elijah to the policeman to let them go, fell on deaf ears as Aremu insisted on collecting the money from Godwin.

In the ensuing argument, Aremu, as if under a spell, made good his threat of shooting Godwin if he dared attempt to move; only that it was Idongesit who was hit by the bullet meant for her husband.

The bullet pierced through the skull of Idongesit, killing her on the spot before going on to hit Godwin on his jaw, shattering it in the process.

The trigger happy cop and members of his team took to their heels on realising the magnitude of their action but were later arrested on the order of the visibly angry Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni while the Isheri Oshun Divisional Police Officer (DPO) has been issued with a query.

28 year-old Aremu was arraigned before an Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrate’s court on a two count charge of murder and causing grievous body harm.

In his defense, Aremu stated that he never meant to kill the woman, denying also that he demanded money from Godwin.

He said, “We were stationed at Obalagbe when we saw the tricycle coming at about 12 midnight which was against the stipulated time for them to operate. When we stopped him, he refused. Rather, he hit our vehicle while trying to escape. All I did was fired at the tires of the tricycle, but, unfortunately the bullet hit the woman from behind and also hit the man in the jaw. I never meant to kill anybody. It was just a mistake. If he had not run, I would not have fired,” he said In order to ensure that justice is served and the family of the deceased is well compensated, human rights activist and President, Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei Odumakin, led family members of the deceased and protesters to the Ebute Metta Magistrate court where the killer cop was arraigned.

In a statement released by Women Arise, Odumakin acknowledged the efforts of the Police force in arresting the accused, his arraignment and subsequent dismissal from the police force. She however said that is not enough to bring back the deceased.

In a statement made available to Daily Times, Odumakin said “No amount of calls can bring back Comfort back to life, nor can CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

Crime 28

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Landlady, children brutalise 51-year-old mother of three Joy Anyim For Sarah Bakare, 51, a resident of 21 Oluwole Street, Ejigbo, it was a close shave with death as her Landlady identified as Mrs. Lydia Opatola in connivance with her children attack her for reasons best known to them.

The incident which took place at about 10 pm on the 15th of October, 2015, was said to be a display of brutality on the hapless Sarah, who alleged she had only come out of her house to turn on the tap when her landlady and her children pounced on her and beat her to pulp.

Sarah, while narrating her ordeal to Daily Times said her travails started in January 2014 barely two months after she moved into the house.

Hear her story “I moved into this house in January 2014. I paid the sum of N150,000 as rent and another N100,000 for agent and agreement fee and an additional sum of N10,000 as fee for any possible damage. I didn’t know the landlady before, but, my agent who connected me to her agent said they are all members of the same church.

“My agent attested to the fact that the house was good and that the landlady was nice. So I did not bother to investigate any further. But to my surprise, barely two months after I moved in, her sons started giving me trouble.”

“First it was her son Folorunsho, who is about 24- yearsold who was always coming to peep through the window of my bathroom whenever I or my daughter is bathing. It became a continuous occurrence and when I couldn’t stomach it any longer, I reported the matter to my Landlady. To my utmost surprise, she asked me if I did not want her children to walk freely

on their father’s property. I reported to their agent who pleaded with me to be patient that he would talk to them” she said.

Little did Sarah know this was the beginning of a more dangerous experience, she speaks on.

“Shortly after that, they used a big stick to block my pipe where water flows through the house; they also used iron to block my sink from the outside. I reported to the landlady again, yet, she refused to take any action.

“It was at this point that I reported the matter to the Landlords Associations. When the landlords association delegates came to the house to investigate what was going on, her children got violent and almost attacked them,” she disclosed.

She further said the last straw which broke the camel’s back happened on the 15th of October, 2015, in her words; “I went out to fetch water as it was not flowing inside, little did I know that it was a trap. As I made to open the tap, someone hit me from behind with a plank on my back. I fell and became unconscious for a while.

“When I regained consciousness, I saw my Landlady, her seven children and daughter inlaw beating me. I started calling my daughter Toyin for help. My daughter who was in the bathroom rushed out, she too was given the beating of her life. They locked the gate and put on the generator to drown the noise we were making during the scuffle.

“Our saving grace was the intervention of a neighbor who alerted members of the Odua People’s Congress (OPC) in the street who forced open the gate and came to our rescue.

“As soon as they sighted the OPC members, six of her chil-

Sarah, victim of her landlady’s brutality

dren jumped the fence and escaped, the OPC members were only able to apprehend the Landlady, her daughter and daughter in-law. We were taken to the OPC tarmac from where we were taken to the Ejigbo Police division.

“On getting there, we found three of her sons already at the station to complain. After hearing our case, they started beg-

ging to settle the matter out of the station. Neighbours who went with me refused, telling me that I was not the first victim as former tenants there had also experienced similar case.”

Mr. Olarewaju Afolayan who came to the rescue of Sarah also commented on the incident. “I own a shop in the neigbourhood.

But on that day, I heard a noise I

ran to where it was coming from and tried to go in but was warned by a male voice not to come in as they would deal with me if I did. I defied their threat and found my way in to help Madam Sarah. I was given a slap and beaten with a plank too.”

When Daily Times visited the scene of the incident at No 21 Oluwole Street in Ejigbo, neither the Landlady nor her children was available for comment. It was said that the entire family had disappeared after they were released on bail on Friday and told to report to the station on Monday.

Sarah speaks further. “When my Landlady and her children were released on Friday and got back to the compound on Saturday, I was in my room when I heard the children saying I am still here, that they will kill me.

I called the Investigating Police Officer, (IPO) and put it close to what they were saying for her to hear. The Police came to the house on Monday when they did not show up but they were nowhere to be found.

“I have spent over N30, 000 to treat myself at the Isolo General Hospital and I am still spending.

I am therefore calling on the Lagos State commissioner of Police to please call for immediate investigation into this matter.

“I want Justice. If not for God I do not know if I would still be alive to tell my story. The police at Ejigbo are not handling the case as they should. The Opetola’s should be fished out from their hiding and made to dance to the rhythm of the music they chose to play.”

When the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joseph Offor was contacted for comments, there was no response.

If he had not run, I would not have fired - Corporal Aremu Continued from page 27 any amount of compensation erase the traumatic experience of the children and husband who watched the jewel of their family taken by the police.

“No amount of resources can remove the scars on the jaws of Godwin nor return the right hand of Godwin to its original state,” the statement read in part.

Continuing in the same vein, Odumakin on behalf of the family stated that some palliative measures should be put in place to help the family foreclose on the brutal incident.

“In clear terms, on behalf of the Godwin Udoh’s family, we state the under-listed demands to be immediately implemented by the Nigeria Police Force, the Lagos State Government and other relevant government agencies: - Speedy and public prosecution of the accused to serve as deterrent to others.

- Due and reasonable monetary compensation to the family of the deceased.

- Provision of a decent accommodation for the immediate family of the deceased.

- Scholarship grant for the chil-

dren of the deceased up to university level via a trust fund.

- Full and comprehensive check up for Godwin Udoh and a complete health insurance package for the family.

- Provision of adequate security for the family of the deceased.

While praying for the repose of the soul of the deceased, Odumakin reiterated that the conviction of the accused policeman must be speedy and the penalty equal to the crime committed for the judiciary to convince Nigerians that it is on course with the new wind of change in the country.

Odumakin, Godwin Udoh, front row and children, flanked by some of the protesters.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Health Æ s

29

Lakeshore moves to fight cancer in Nigeria Stories by Lara Adejoro With efforts to combat the burden of cancer in Nigeria, Lakeshore Cancer Center has partnered with Roswell Park Cancer Institute, New York, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and PathCare Laboratories.

Cancer is one of the biggest issues in Nigeria as more than 102,000 new cases are diagnosed every year, with more than 70 per cent of patients dying from the disease.

Speaking at a press conference recently, the chief executive officer, Lakeshore Cancer Center, Chukwumere Nwogu, said the companies are coming together with a common passion for providing world-class cancer care and the joint vision of improvement in cancer prevention, early detention, treatment and palliation in Nigeria and throughout West Africa.

Nwogu said the partnership

Osazuwa

Makoko residents get free health care Christian Oparaugo No less than a hundred residents of Makoko, a slum settlement on Lagos mainland, recently benefitted from a free healthcare organised by the Makoko Local Governmnent, George Kerry Life Foundation (GKLF) and US health expert.

The free medical outreach in partnership with US consulate medical team sponsored by J. Kirby Simon Foreign Service Trust and Coca-Cola.

Speaking, Founder of Goerge Kerry Life Foundation, Dr. Maltida Kerry-Osazuwa said, “Health is wealth. People in local communities cannot go through proper health care because most of them can not afford its cost. This is why GKLF joined forces with Makoko Local Government, US consulate medical team and J. Kirby Simon Service Trust to help the people of Makoko community to go through proper health checkup.”

She said her foundation was founded to fight cervical cancer.

She further, “the health screening is not just only women but also for everybody in the community that needs any health service.

A resident of the community, Mr Adegbemi Adekunle, told Daily Times that, “this is a good initiative because the foundation together with our local government council has given us better health chances , we were given free checkup, and free medicine as the case maybe. I beseech the government to introduce this project to other communities if they have not done that.”

Daily Times reports that the residents obtained free medical check for diabetes, breast and cervical cancers, hypertension, blood pressure, among others.

Nwogu

Cardiologist raises alarm over high rate of heart attack, hypertension, others

Waste management expert advocates recycling plant in Africa A former Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and Chief Operating Officer, Globetech Remedial Nigeria Limited, Mr Ola Oresanya, has called for siting of recycling plant in Africa to boost e-waste recycling.

He made the call at a workshop on ‘Enhancing capacities for the environmentally sound management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (e-waste) through the regional delivery in Africa, in Lagos.

Oresanya said, out of 100 electronics produced globally, about 80 per cent ends in Africa after use.

“What we need to do is to make sure that a recycling plant is located in Africa due to the flow of electronics that ends up resting in Africa, after the first user in the West.

“Our focus should be on the action point, the road map that will make us have recycling plant for electronic waste in Africa to develop the human capacities and infrastructure that will handle treatment of ewaste, “ he said.

He further said that proper

management of e-waste will add value to the value chain and help in the development of experts on e-waste with continuous training to enhance their capacity.

“If we can manage our values chain, it will help in training more people in e-waste collection and further creat job opportunities,as Nigeria has the largest chunk of e-waste in Africa,”he said.

He also said, there should be an exchange of capacity of ideas and technology in manufacturing and sorting to enhance proper recovery of e-waste.

Oresanya

came at the right time as there have been crisis in terms of radiation treatment in Nigeria.

He said, “There are about nine radiation centres in Nigeria and in any given time, we may have only two that will be functioning. This is a very difficult problem for a country with over 170 million people.”

He however assured that the partnership will foster a strong base to tackle and control the rising incidence of cancer in Nigeria.

Chief of strategy, business development and outreach, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Thomas Schwaab, said cancer battle can only be won with collaborative cancer care where both private and public health teams can work together.

Schwaab however urged private and public institutions to collaborate with Lakeshore Cancer Center on a comprehensive cancer system for all Nigeria cancer patients.

Worried by the high incidence of cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria, an authority in Medicine has urged Nigerians to know their blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels to avoid sudden cardiac arrest.

Speaking at the inauguration of Tristate Heart and Vascular Centre at the institution’s Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Professor Kamar Adeleke at Babcock University, Ogun State, Dr. Kamar Adeleke said, regular exercise helps increase longevity.

According to him, cardiovascular diseases like heart attack, stroke, hypertension have overtaken infectious diseases such as malaria, adding that, the number one killer in Nigeria is heart disease, followed by

stroke.

“To confirm to you that many Nigerians suffer heart-related crises, we were in UCH, Ibadan sometime ago on medical mission and found out that at least six of the eight patients picked randomly and tested were confirmed to be suffering from chronic heart problems. Such development led to this partnership to care for many Nigerians suffering from cardiovascular diseases,” he said.

Further, Adeleke explained that while the silent killer diseases have been effectively managed medically in America, leading to an average life expectancy of 80 years; in Nigeria, it is 51 to 52 years because there is little or no attention to heartcare.

Continued on page 30

Health 30

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22 2015

Health and wellbeing meet business in Lagos Lara Adejoro Solid expertise, innovative solutions and a knowledgebased economy have enabled Finland to become one of the healthiest, wealthiest and most prosperous countries in the world as Finnish health care system provides a comprehensive high quality service for all ages from primary and newborn health to specialised medical care for senior citizens.

However, On the 3rd of November, 2015, the Embassy of Finland will host an event in Lagos to showcase Finnish expertise, solutions and devices that can go a long way in promoting health

Chowdhury

and wellbeing in Nigeria.

In a statement by the the Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria, Pirjo-Suomela Chowdhury, the event will provide a platform for companies, decision-makers, experts, media and others to network, exchange ideas, and to explore cooperation.

“It will be an occasion for sharing knowledge and experience on health and wellbeing. It will facilitate business opportunities, and will provide a chance to take a first-hand look at some of the products and solutions that Finnish health and well-being companies offer,” she noted.

Adding, she said, the event will sooth all senses, with music

Unilever advises mothers on iron nutrients for their girl-child Mothers have been advised to ensure that the girl child is adequately fortified with iron nutrients most especially vegetables.

Brand building Director (Foods), Unilever Nig. Plc, Mrs. Nsima Ogedi–Alakwe, season gave the advice recently to mark the World Food Day held at Government College, Agege, Lagos, with the theme: ‘Share a meal.’

According to Ogedi–Alakwe, recent report says one out of four children go to bed empty stomach.

“We are targeting the adolescents because of the issue of iron deficiency attributed to them; there is a deliberate action to make sure our adolescent girls get the required iron supplements in their body.

“Mothers are also advised to ensure that the girl child is adequately fortified with iron nutrients most especially vegetables (Ugu), doing this they will be better in the future,” she said.

Alakwe said that iron is important for adolescent girls because it increases their concentration in school and makes them more productive.

“When they have the right level of iron, they pay more attention in school and increase their intelligent quotients. But if it is absent, they may not do well in school,” she said.

Contributing, Mrs Joy Ojeah, the director of Curriculum Services, Lagos State Ministry said the Ministry of Education in Lagos State appreciates the effort of Unilever Nig. Plc. in providing meals for the pupils in the state.

“The ministry in Partnership

Unilever Nig. Plc. is determined to create more awareness on the essence of iron nutrients in our daily meals most especially in girl child.

“As part of the celebration of the World Food Day, we are collaborating with Unilever to feed 5,000 children in the state; the breakdown is 3,000 students in Agege and 2,000 students in Ikeja.

This would go a long way in creating awareness of the importance of food to the children.”

Students for the World Food Day were drawn from the neighbouring schools in Agege to participate in the share a meal programme.

World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October as an action against hunger.

inspired by Finnish nature, and a beautiful fashion show by an award-winning Finnish designer.

“The aim is that guests will leave the event refreshed and replenished, with many new contacts, and full of new ideas on how to promote health and wellbeing, and that they will have a good idea of the kind of things Finland can offer to suport them in these efforts.”

The programme will include messages by the Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Heart Foundation and Vice-president of the World Heart Federation, as well as experts from Finland.

‘Heart attack, hypertension on the rise’ Continued from page 29

Expert cautions people with epilepsy A Consultant Neurosurgeon at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Dr Omotayo Ojo, advised people with epilepsy not to drive without their doctor’s consent.

Ojo said, epilepsy is a neurological disorder which is usually characterised by seizures that caused patients to lose control of their bodies and requires immediate medical attention.

“It may be hard but anybody who has seizures should not drive until the doctor says so,” he said He said, causes of epilepsy were unknown although brain injury, strokes, brain cancer, drug and alcohol abuse are risk factors of the condition.

He said that excessive and abnormal nerve activities in the brain could also result to seizures neurosurgeon said that

although epilepsy could not be cured, up to 70 per cent cases of seizures could be controlled with appropriate medication.

“The treatment of epilepsy would depend on the epileptic classification of the patient. Surgical treatment of epilepsy would depend on what it is. There are some types of seizures that you actually have to divide the brain into two. This is because one side is generating the impulse and sending it to the other one.

“In some cases, you may have to take out part of the brain; in many instances it may not stop the seizures completely. But if somebody is having 12 seizures everyday and after the surgery he’s having two in a month, that’s a very significant improvement in the quality of life,” Ojo said.

He said no fewer than 40 patients with heart diseases have been operated on at Babcock University. “Majority paid little or no money, because some organisations like First Bank have been sponsoring it. ”We have 15 expatriates that have signed a 2-year contract with Babcock University. Part of the agreement is for them to reproduce themselves within these two years. Once we have started, we hope to sustain it, because programmes are not sustained in Nigeria due to lack of competence.”

He noted that while heart surgery in parts of the world cost $75,000, in Babcock it cost just $15,000.

On his part, the Vice Chancellor, Babcock University, Professor Kayode Makinde vowed that no person with heart disease would die due to lack of funds. ”We will locate organisations or somebody in Nigeria who can assist so that nobody will die due to lack of fund. ”We will not manage anything in the course of doing our work for humanity, though equipment for this operations are costly. Development brought close to the people, is the development made relevant,” he said.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

31 Opinion

Why Can’t Delta Pay Salary?

ÏÏÏLast

week, we began an examination of the financial situation of Delta State Government.

I find the argument of one Delta State indigene, Sunny Okoro, very persuasive: “As of May 2015 the total workforce of the state stands at 60,000 personnel, with a monthly wage bill of N7.4Billion.

Let’s assume the total wage bill stands at N8Billion, in 12 months (1 year) that will be N96Billion, and for four years it will be N384Billion. When you subtract N384Billion from N714Billion [Delta’s receipts from federation account in four years], you will have N330Billion.

Therefore, after excluding the entire wage bill of the state for four years from what the state got from FAAC [Federal Account Allocation Committee] in four years, we are left with N330Billion to be spent on developmental projects... So, if Delta State was privilege[d] enough to have collected N714Billion from FAAC within the last four years, and from our calculation after removing our estimated wage bill for four years we still had a balance of

N330Billion excluding a monthly IGR of N2Billion that will amount to N24Billion annually how come the Uduaghan Government was able to spend all of these and still left a surplus debt burden of N700Billion?”

I am sympathetic to Delta citizen Sunny Okoro because he is saying in effect that you cannot invest N1.5 trillion naira in a business as was done in his state and at the end of the day be looking for 0.7% of that investment to pay salary, in the same business. It does not add up. And because it is government business, it becomes truly questionable. If there is any business organisation that should have the best financial thinkers, it is government. Indeed, other businesses ought to take a cue from government business. The only consolation one can offer to Citizen Sunny Okoro might simply be that the past may be difficult to remedy. However, going forward, Delta State truly has to leverage its huge incomes better than it is doing. And if she has a challenge doing that, let her

talk to Lagos State which, without oil and gas to date or rather with only relatively marginal receipts from oil and gas, is still generating IGR five times its federal allocation. And if Lagos does not look enough like Delta, talk to the creators of Dubai.

Public fund is the greatest trust. It must never be handled with anything less than the best brains money can engage.

In addition, Delta has more than oil and gas.

Delta’s human capital is unique. They are world beaters. Some of the best minds globally. Joseph Chike Edozien is Deltan.

Michael Ibru is Deltan.

Philip Asiodu is Deltan.

Sam Amuka-Pemu is Deltan. Ayo Oritsejafor is Deltan. Patrick Okedinachi Utomi is Deltan. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is Deltan.

Jim Ovia is Deltan. Tony Elemelu is Deltan. Bruce Onobrakpeya is Deltan.

James Manager is Deltan. John Obayuwana is Deltan. Sony Odogwu is Deltan. Sam Oyovbaire is Deltan. Ben Okri is Deltan. John Pepper Clark is Deltan. Amaju Pinnick is Deltan, Government Ekpomukpolo is Deltan, Jay Jay Okocha is Deltan. Stephen Okechukwu Keshi is Deltan. Godini Gabriel Darah is Deltan.

Richard Mofe-Damijo is Deltan. Omawumi Megbele is Deltan. O’tega Emerhor is Deltan. Money comes from the mind.

Each of these Delta minds can make one billion naira for Delta State every year, generationally. And, yes, they, each of them, would be happy, would

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Gov. Okowa

feel privileged to do so, for the fatherland, for Delta State. I do not think Delta State is leveraging those minds sufficiently.

Tourism is another unexplored wealth of Delta State. Some of the most scenic and navigable waterways in the world are in Delta State. The same goes for fishery. Nigeria spends not less than 100 billion naira to maintain her fish import habit annually. Nigeria eats three times of the fish it produces. Delta’s waters should be putting that money in Delta’s treasury. That alone would pay all of her wage bills and she would still have some change, every year.

Also, Delta is in the Rain Forest region. That makes her one of the eight larg-

est producers of timber in Nigeria. Systematically harvested, that is, with a clear policy guaranteeing replanting/reproduction, timber would generate unending income for the state. There are of course also food crops that could be promoted seriously for export: rice, yam, cassava, fruits and vegetables (mangoes, pawpaw, pineapples, banana, pepper and tomatoes). And ‘cash’ crops, also for export: rubber, oil palm and palm kernel.

The little point one is making about crops is that Delta must go back to the early 1960s when agribusiness was real business, not mere subsistence farming. This would entail government deliberately, consistently

and aggressively providing farmers and wouldbe farmers the strongest shoulders to lean on.

Government must find as well as create and recreate markets globally for Delta State farmers.

Government must guarantee the purchase of their yield. Government must know every farmer and nudge them towards an immediate move from subsistence farming to commercial farming. And government must provide inputs required to make it happen. No serious farmer should be hampered by financial constrains. And no produce must go to waste. Technology to preserve farm produce is not space technology. Government must promote and back its use state-wide.

And all of these crops can be grown all over Delta except in the mangrove areas. But even the mangroves themselves could be aggressively promoted with the adjoining waterways as irresistible tourist attractions. Delta State “the land of one thousand dances” is beautiful in topography. That beauty should be generating money from the whole wide world.

One sure way to occupy the sometimes justifiably restive youths of Delta is to build the simple initiatives outlined here around them, so that they can be gainfully employed.

Next week, we will gradually bring this study of Delta State to a close with a ‘response’ to our thoughts so far from the immediate past leadership of Delta State.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2015

– X8

VOL. 1. NO.214

POULTER MAKES LATE BID TO SAVE TOUR CARD UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RESULTS

MOURINHO Terry: STILL THE BEST!

Malmoe FF 1 - 0 Shakhtar Donetsk Paris Saint Germain 0 - 0 Real Madrid CSKA Moscow 1 - 1 Man United Wolfsburg 2 - 0 PSV Eindhoven Atletico Madrid 4 - 0 FC Astana Galatasaray 2 - 1 Benfica

Juventus 0 - 0 Borussia M’gladbach

–X6

Manchester City 2 - 1 Sevilla

Price: N150

ENYIMBA STAY TOP AFTER– X3 NASARAWA DRAW

‘NEYMAR FILLING MESSI’S GAP’ – X7

F

IFA has confirmed it is investigating 11 of its own officials, including Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini, Franz Beckenbauer and the head of the Spanish FA, Angel Maria Villar Llona.

Blatter and Platini are currently suspended for 90 days over a deferred payment made between them - a judgement they are appealing - while secretary general Jerome Valcke has also been banned on suspicion of misuse of expenses.

But two new names have now been thrust into the spotlight - the Germany legend Beckenbauer and Spain’s football head Villar - who both refused to co-operate with the investigations into the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Beckenbauer, 68, was on the executive committee which awarded the 2022 finals to Qatar but claimed last year that FIFA’s chief investigator Michael J Garcia had “no power whatsoever” to make him comply with his probe into the controversial 2010 decision.

Beckenbauer also headed the organising committee for the 2006 World Cup in Germany and was forced to reject allegations in his home country on Sunday that a slush fund was set up to buy the votes to host the tournament.

Villar, who has been head of the Spanish FA since 1988, is the second-most powerful man at UEFA behind Platini and replaced the Frenchman on Tuesday as interim chairman of the 2018 World Cup organising committee.

Villa also led the unsuccessful joint-bid between Spain and Portugal to host the World Cup in 2018, which was given to Russia.

A statement on Wednesday confirmed that “proceedings relating to the two officials Angel María Villar Llona and Franz Beckenbauer have already been passed on to the adjudicatory chamber”.

Beckenbauer and Villar Llona had not been publicly named before as under investigation but a change in the ruling on Tuesday means FIFA’s ethics committee can now reveal details of cases that are ongoing.

FIFA also confirmed that “formal investigation proceedings relating to the suspicion of infringements of the FIFA Code of Ethics are among others ongoing against Worawi Makudi, Jeffrey Webb, Ricardo Teixeira, Amos Adamu, Eugenio Figueredo and Nicolas Leoz”.

FIFA INVESTIGATES BECKENBAUER, 10 OFFICIALS

Life&

TIMES Thursday, October 22, 2015

Rocksteady

I’m back in the game to take over

L2

P

Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

2Face is second Abami-Eda of our time...

Mutiat Alli

–Rocksteady

Hypertek RNB/Dancehall star artiste, Ibrahim Olalekan Oboromboro fondly called Rocksteady by his teeming fans is now fully back in the music scene after several years of blowing hot and cold in the industry. He is bent on taking over the music scene with his prowess, dexterity and a renewed vigour.

In this chat, Rocksteady disclosed that he will be treading a path of consistency as he led us into his world of music and other sundry issues. Excerpts:

Life&

T E A M

You have been in the industry for so long but much has not been heard from you lately?

Big things have been happening since I signed a deal with Hypertek music; I have been working underground with other record labels with the likes of Dammy Krane whose project is renown in the industry and currently my project is next in Hypertek music. From now music lovers should expect good stuffs from me. I have just dropped a new single title Opoloko business which is trending now.

Since the release of both the audio and video of Oporoko business, what has been the comment from your fans?

To be candid, the comments have been quite impressive as this is an indication that I still need to do a lot of work and that I can promise my fans of. I am not resting on my oars yet, I have been in the game for so long and I believe this is my time to make it. Music lovers appreciate the Oporoko anthem and we are moving quickly unto the next one.

With Hypertek just focusing on your own music with much attention given to Dammy Krane’s project, is it a trend by record labels to treat label mates at separate time?

Really that’s how it is and I think that is how every recognised record label does, most especially when they have more than one artiste on their label. They take out time to push one of the artistes while others are still doing their things under-

ground and at the end of the day, you discover that every of the artistes get recognised and sorted out.

When do we get to see Rocksteady taking over the music scene?

By the grace of Almighty Allah, before December, Oporoko business should be everywhere; everybody should be calling for Rocksteady Insha Allah. I tend to be in the music game for so long doing quality and mindblowing songs.

It is believed that when an artist is about writing a particular song, they are influenced by alcohol and so on; what is your own source of inspiration, how do you get your own music?

Really and truly, I will tell you my source of inspiration is from God, every other thing is just by the way; sometimes we may take some things to make us go gaga but my ultimate source of music comes from the streets and God Almighty.

What was your experience like performing on stage for the very first time?

The first time I stepped on stage with so many crowds was at bar beach during a particular show, then Baba Fryo was the one reigning then and I was to perform also alongside my label mate then which was Second Avenue (Kessy).

Believe me sincerely, when

Music Correspondent Akintayo Opeoluwani

I got on stage my legs were wobbling because that was my very first time of seeing a large crowd.

What about your voice texture?

The texture of my voice was still okay at first but when my legs continued to wobble on stage, I went off balance but before of the end of my performance I was able to regain my balance and the s h o w went well.

Movie Correspondent Mutiat Alli

Society Correspondent Isaac Oguntoye

Photography Quadri Olowolagba

Graphics Onyemali Kingsley

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

L3 Photos

Fun splash at 2015 Miss Nigeria Pageant auditioning

Music Gists L4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

announces new categories Organizers of the upcoming 2016 edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice awards have added three new categories to the already existing categories.

Three new categories have been added to the already existing AMVCAs categories.

The three new categories for the upcoming edition are ‘the best East African Movie’, ‘the best Southern African Movie’ and ‘the best West African movie.’

The announcement was made at Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, during an event where a panel of representatives from M-

Net West and East Africa discussed preparations for the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) with East African filmmakers and members of the press.

The panel included the Regional Director, M-Net West Africa,Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, the Channel Head, Maisha Magic East,Margaret Mathore and the Public Relations Manager for MultiChoice Tanzania, Barbara Kambogi.

Also at the event, Njoki C. Muhoho was named as the new head judge for the 2016 edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards Wangi (AMVCAs).

john Dumelo

John Dumelo goes gangster in new movie

Ufioma Mc Dermott, Femi Branch and Uru Eke

Femi Branch, Uru Eke star in new TV series Aunty Maria star, Femi Branch will be leading the train of yet another star studded TV series titled ‘Duplicity alongside stars that Ufuoma McDermott, Uru Eke. Duplicity sees Femi Branch as Mustapha - a ruthless billionaire. The series also stars Uru Eke as Lola- the unfaithful wife of Mustapha, and Ufuoma McDermott as Zenum - his rival’s daughter.

The TV series equally starred Uti Nwachukwu, Bucci Francklin, and Anthony Monjaro among others. The series is however directed by George Kurt and produced by Delmuwa Kurt for Del Media.

Bidemi Kosoko

Bidemi Kosoko

“Wanted “son of a gun”,. After the commercial shoot yesterday, it was jmelo fun shoot afterwards...with @johndumelo1 #studio #oldwest #sheriffbill #guns #Ghana #”johndumelo #aftershoot.”

Sean Tizzle makes acting debut

to release debut movie Beautiful actress, Bidemi Kosoko who is one of the daughters of Nollywood legend, Jide Kosoko is set to release her first produced movie.

Titled ‘Shikemi’, The movie stars Femi Adebayo, Damola Olatunji, Adeniyi Johnson and Sola Kosoko. The movie, which was directed by Tunde Kosoko, tells the story of a young girl who got pregnant with her pregnancy leading to controversy over who is responsible.

Ghanaian star John Dumelo has been off the movie scene for a while, but fans can expect something intense from him soon.

The actor took to his official Instagram page to share photos from his recent photo shoot for an upcoming film.

While he revealed almost nothing about the movies, the photos suggest that actor would be playing a very intense character.

Emmanuel Bobbie, the photographer who took the photos, shared the below photo with the caption;

Sean Tissle on set

Sean Tizzle has joined the leagues of musicians who have equally found love in acting with his recent appearance in Iyabo Ojo’s new movie titled ‘ Isina (Astray) where he acted alongside top actors that includes, Muyiwa Ademola, Iyabo Ojo, Ronke Odusanya, Odunlade Adekola amongst others.

However other musicians that have delved into acting Davido, Iyanya, 2face to mention but few.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

L5 Music Gists

Mutiat Alli

AKA, DJ Abrantee others for LoudNproudlive exclusive director Leading agency NMO Management & PR has disclosed exclusively to DailyTimes Life &Times that all hands are on deck towards the success of their much anticipated show tagged ‘LoudNproudlive Series: #The International Edition featuring Mama Award 2015 winner AKA ‘South Africa’s finest super star with friends in a concert billed to hold at the prestigious Grand Ball room, Eko Hotel & Suites, on Thursday 29 October, 2015.

According to Mrs.

RMD, Tiwa Savage others attend 2face’s biography launch

Ngozi Omambala, CEO NMO Management & PR, the unique aspect of the event is that for the very first time ever in Nigeria, AKA will be performing live with his full band.

Other side attractions include special iconic set performance by legendary DJ Jimmy Jatt, UK voice of Afrobeat DJ ABRANTEE (Capital Xtra), UK Star and Nigerian rap sensation AINA MORE performing live her hit single: Girls Killing amongst others.

Top entertainers led by Veteran Nollywood actor turned politician, Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), Mavin Record’s Tiwa Savage and husband, Tunji Balogun were some of the top notch entertainers who graced the official launch of 2face’s biography book packaged by renowned Journalist, Adekunle Ayeni, owner of Black House Media, a leading PR and Advert company.

According to the publisher, Ayeni, who equally doubled as the editor, the book with the titled ‘, A Very Good Bad Guy’ contains an honest account about his encounter with the pop star and also tributes from close relatives of the music act.

The book was reviewed by veteran comedian, Ali Baba while Tee A moderated the event.

Other stars in attendance include, Sound Sultan, Ali Baba, Tee-A, Teju Baby Face, Segun Arinze, Tunde and Wunmi Obe, DJ Spinall, Ubi Franklin, Dare Art-Alade, Klint de Drunk amongst others.

GBT audition returns this October Organisers of the monthly Golden Break through (GBT) competition has announced that entries are now open for aspiring singers, artist with creative and distinctive talent to participate in the October edition of the competition billed to hold on October 22, 2015 at the X-Factor Lounge, Surulere, Lagos.

Also, organisers also disclosed that the official reportage paper of the event is Daily Times Newspaper as juicy news about the event will feature on the entertainment page. This month’s season will equally feature gorgeous Toni Tones as the confirmed celebrity judges of the event.

The GBT winner wins automatic entry to perform on the popular monthly LoudNproudlive stage a full live band solo set as the past winner in the month of September; Prince Jo will be performing at this month edition of the LoudNproudlive at Eko Hotel.

David Oyelowo

British Council celebrates ability in disability Dis Fix project As part of UK/Nigeria 2015–16, the British Council, recently brought together disabled and non-disabled artists for a dance showcase, part of the ‘Dis Fix’ project, at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island.

The performances saw collaborations between three dance companies from Nigeria and the UK. It featured pieces by the participating companies: the UK’s leading physically integrated dance company, Candoco; leading Nigerian dance company, QDance Center which is led by Nigerian choreographer,

Creative industry awards begin with 49 categories

Qudus Onikeku; as well as Ijodee Dance, another leading Nigerian dance company led by Dayo Liadi.

The performance by QDance Center titled ‘Iwalewa’, explored the different concepts of beauty and told the stories of society through the eyes of the disabled dancers. The piece was performed by four disabled dancers and six non-disabled dancers while Candoco Dance Company titled “Studies to C”, was a duet, performed by one disabled and one non-disabled dancer and depicted a couple trapped in a stagnating relationship,

unable to escape the domestic world they inhabit because their reliance on each other has become so strong.

Ojoma Ochai, Director Arts, British Council Nigeria said: “Dis Fix is a brilliant showcase of Nigerian and British creativity. These performances are the culmination of a hugely innovative project that has promoted inclusivity and excellence across the arts; we are glad that the performances lived up to expectations and more importantly, very glad that people came out to see the performances.”

The Creative Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria is calling all creative entrepreneurs to nominate themselves or nominate deserving Nigerians for any of the 49 expanded categories of the 5th edition of the Creative Industries Awards 2016.

Organisers hinted that willing recipients must already be working or running their business in the creative sector with at least two years professional experience. They must be entrepreneurial and have shown their ability and innovative approach to the development of the sector.

They must also demonstrate their potential to be a leader of the creative industry, through their character, drive and abilities.

The event which is expected to hold January 30th, 2016 will reward talent, Creativity and Entrepreneurship across the creative industries, recognising the central role they play in the development of a competitive and sustainable creative economy.

Red Media Africa hosts undergraduates and Young Entrepreneurs It was a c‎ onvergence of mass communication students from six universities across Nigeria as well as a number of young entrepreneurs at the campus edition of The Red Summit and at the SME 100 Master class.

The Master class was the third event organized as part of Red Media Africa’s 10th anniversary. It provided an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to learn public relations strategies that won’t break the bank. These future leaders also had the space to dialogue with media professionals while receiving invaluable insight to shape their career path.

Both events held simultaneously at Landmark Centre, Lekki, Lagos, and the Julius Berger Hall of the University of Lagos.

The event at Landmark focused on young entrepreneurs who were exposed to enlightening insights from successful media entrepreneurs. It featured entrepreneurs such as RED cofounders Chude Jideonwo and Adebola Williams; renowned broadcaster, Agatha Amata; Cordelia Okpei, and the Dean of the School of Media & Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr. Ikechukwu Obiaya as speakers.

Music & Movie Gists L6

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Korede Bello ft. Asa

Olajide Dolapo

Somebody great: Indeed a great experience Mavin Records presents the mega super star”- Korede Bello’s new single titled somebody Great, featuring the sensational POP/ Jazz singer- Asa . The song was produced by his boss Don jazzy, the hit drops on the September 30, 2015.

Korede Bello finally did an outstanding song with one of his beloved mentors in the game and it turned out to be awesome as usual. The young crooner dished out on his music career and how he reached his present state in the industry today. His words are truly inspiring: “I vividly remember listening to donjazzy’s beat with some of my friends and be like jazzy’s surely one of the greatest producers that Africa has produced,’ I also remember buying asa’s music album when it came out, probably the first music CD I ever bought with my money. Listening to her message and her voice thinking to myself I’d love to work with someone as Great”. Now having both ASA and DONJAZZY on the same song makes me feel like I’m on the right path to be becoming #SomebodyGreat by God’s grace. Amen” If you think Korede Bello is quitting anytime soon, then you had better think again. He is definitely here to stay, even amidst the speculations that he will not deliver another impressive tune after his massive hit “Godwin” he has definitely proven himself yet again.

Emelife JP Montage presents an unofficial music video of somebody Great

by Korede Bello and Asa. The video shows korede Bello’s rise to fame, from nobody to somebody. Let me not bore you with talks, I thinks the combination of the voices is just spiritual, it’s what I call extra-ordinary, the intro is just superb, I just specially love Asa’s entry it just seems all natural, from my opinion, I think they did a great job together, and I would rate this song 8/10.

Big kudos.

Hussenat Ohize The maze runner is produced by John Paesano. Some group of boys would be brought by an elevator every month, they can’t know anything about their identity, it would be late in a few days before they get to know their name. They call themselves gladers.

They look for a runner among them to help them find their way in the maze, no one survives overnight in the maze.

The maze runner is about some group of boys who were in a different world, they don’t know how they got there, who brought them there and how they would get out of the unknown world. Thomas (Dylan O’Brien ) was the last boy to enter the unknown world, he was 16 years when he was brought inside, he could not recognise anything, he didn’t even know his name.

The Maze Runner

a must-watch movie

Every month, each boy would be brought there, it is just like a game.

Teresa (Kaya Scodelario) was the first and only female Glader. She was brought there the next month after Thomas; everybody was expecting a male but they could see a female, she could not recognise anything and she didn’t know her name, she only knew Thomas name. Everybody was suspecting Thomas would have an idea of what is going on with them.

Ben (Chris Sheffield) was the runner of the maze, he goes there every morning to find a way out because he was a fast runner, but on his way back, the door was about to close, and

Thomas ran immediately into the maze to save them and everybody realised that Thomas was a good runner and he would be able to help them out of the unknown world.

Thomas and Ben later found out the way out and they saw that Thomas and Theresa knew about what was going on with them. Thomas and Theresa tried everything possible to get everyone out of the maze and they found out that they were among the people that were also in charge of the maze. The Gladers learn that they were part of an experiment studying the way their brains worked as a resistance to the virus.

Everything was solved, the boys went to their various homes, but before they did that, they had to destroy everything concerning them in the lab.

The characters were: Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) the last male to enter the Glade, Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) second in command of the Gladers, Minho (Ki Hong Lee) the keeper of the Runners, Theresa (Kaya Scodelario) the first and only female Glader, Ben (Chis Sheffield) a runner, Zart (Joe Adler).

The background of the movie is a very good one and it makes people to be in suspense which is a very good one, but the characters were too much; the movie looks real; a 1 hour 30 mins movie and I’m rating it 7/10.

Nice movie.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

L7

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, October 22, 2015

Showing on

Showing on

163 MZANSI WETHU Channel

161 Magic World

22:00

22:10

Thu, 22 Oct | 13V

Thu, 22 Oct | 16VNL

A girl wants out of an abusive relationship. She finds the chance when she meets a seemingly righteous man, but great consequences follow her decision. Nolwazi Mfaniswa, Mzamo Zungu. (2013) Mzamo Zungu

101 M-Net

00:00 Hello Ladies: The Movie 01:30 Entertainment Now! 02:00 Crush 04:00 The Voice 05:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 06:00 The Middle 06:30 NCIS: New Orleans 07:30 Chicago PD 08:30 Hercules 10:30 The Goldbergs 11:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 12:00 The Voice 13:00 Carte Blanche 14:00 The Good Wife 15:00 The Big Bang Theory 15:30 The Big Bang Theory 16:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 17:00 Mike & Molly 17:30 The Voice 18:30 My Story 19:30 Hawaii Five-0 20:30 NCIS: New Orleans 21:30 Secrets & Lies 22:30 Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

118 Telemundo

00:30 The Del Monte Dynasty 01:20 The Impostor 02:10 Labour Of Love 03:00 Part Of Me 03:50 Queen Of Hearts 05:20 The Del Monte Dynasty 06:10 Labour Of Love 07:00 Part Of Me 07:50 Queen Of Hearts 08:40 The Impostor 09:30 Forbidden Passions 10:20 Labour Of Love 11:10 Part Of Me 12:00 Queen Of Hearts 12:50 The Impostor 13:40 Forbidden Passions 14:30 Labour Of Love 15:20 Part Of Me 16:10 Queen Of Hearts 17:00 The Impostor 17:50 Forbidden Passions 18:40 Labour Of Love 19:30 Part Of Me 20:20 Queen Of Hearts 21:10 The Impostor 22:00 Forbidden Passions 22:50 Labour Of Love

L8 Television

A witty crime comedy from the writer of Lethal Weapon. Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer are the stylish, but mismatched partners in a bizarre murder investigation. Val Kilmer, Robert Downey Jr., Corbin Bernsen. (2005) Shane Black

120 BBC Entertainment

00:15 Miranda

11:00 My Family

00:45 The Weakest Link

11:30 Hell’s Kitchen USA

01:30 Scott And Bailey

12:20 Top Gear

02:20 Come Dine With Me

13:15 Come Dine With Me

03:05 EastEnders

14:10 Dragons’ Den

03:35 QI

15:10 The Weakest Link

04:05 Top Gear

16:00 EastEnders

05:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series

16:30 Deal Or No Deal

05:25 QI

17:15 QI

05:55 Miranda

17:50 Would I Lie To You?

06:30 EastEnders

18:25 Hell’s Kitchen USA

07:00 Antiques Roadshow

19:15 Open All Hours

07:55 The Weakest Link

19:50 Call The Midwife

08:45 The Cube

20:55 Mrs Brown’s Boys

09:30 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

21:30 Miranda

10:20 Deal Or No Deal

22:05 Live At The Apollo

155 AfricaMagic World

00:30 Star Gist 01:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 02:02 Music Block 03:02 Good Morning Africa 04:01 Music Block 05:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 06:00 Good Morning Africa 07:00 Star Gist 07:25 Life Begins 08:30 Tenant 09:20 Mashariki Mix 10:00 Good Morning Africa 11:00 Tinsel 11:30 Star Gist 12:00 Music Block

00:20 Most Shocking 01:20 Poorman’s Bikini Beach 01:45 Rude Tube 02:15 Poorman’s Bikini Beach 02:45 Jerks With Cameras 03:15 Impractical Jokers 03:45 Most Shocking 04:35 South Beach Tow 05:00 I Bet You Will 05:25 Exposed 05:50 Exposed 06:15 Video Zonkers 06:40 Video Zonkers 07:05 What Went Down 07:35 Caught On Camera 08:35 Hardcore Pawn: Chicago 09:05 South Beach Tow 09:35 Most Shocking 10:35 Most Shocking 11:35 Video Zonkers 12:05 Video Zonkers

154 AfricaMagic Family 00:00 Tinsel

128 SONY MAX

12:35 What Went Down 13:05 Caught On Camera

13:00 At Home With Joselyn Dumas

14:05 Hardcore Pawn: Chicago

14:00 53 Extra

14:35 South Beach Tow

14:30 Comfort Zone

00:00 Music Block

14:00 Star Gist

15:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh

01:00 Good Morning Africa

14:30 Star Gist

02:05 Deal Or No Deal SA

15:00 Star Gist

16:00 Prem

03:00 Music Block

15:30 Lies That Bind

16:30 Tenant

04:10 The Dzigbordi Show

16:00 The Dzigbordi Show

17:30 Mashariki Mix

05:00 Good Morning Africa

17:00 So Wrong So Wright

18:00 Jane And Abel

06:00 The Heart Of A Shepherd

17:30 So Wrong So Wright

18:30 Jane And Abel

07:50 Star Gist

18:00 The Dzigbordi Show

19:00 Tinsel

08:25 Star Gist

19:30 Star Gist

09:00 Good Morning Africa

19:00 Through The Eyes Of An African

20:00 Star Football Superfans

10:00 The Dzigbordi Show

20:30 The Peace Mission

19:30 Through The Eyes Of An African

11:00 Deal Or No Deal

20:00 Revelation

21:30 Poorman’s Bikini Beach

21:40 Family Ties

12:00 Deal Or No Deal

21:00 Bad Omen

22:00 Poorman’s Bikini Beach

22:10 Living With Trisha

13:00 Music Block

22:00 Music Block

22:30 Most Shocking

15:05 Most Shocking 16:05 1000 Ways To Die 16:30 Video Zonkers 17:00 Video Zonkers 17:30 Caught On Camera 18:30 What Went Down 19:00 South Beach Tow 19:30 Hardcore Pawn: Chicago 20:00 The Boondocks 20:30 Rude Tube 21:00 Rude Tube

3SC DOWN HARDFIGHTING TARABAgX3

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Thursday, October 22, 2015

Thursday, October 22, 2015

EXTRATIME

EXTRATIME

Poster!

E.J. AGBONAYINMA g X4,5

Thursday, October 22, 2015

: 5 1 0 2 E L I H C

E K E N U M A lets g a E s u o i r o t c i v s l i ha Dinamo midfielder

ADEMI

MURRAY,

g X7

FAILS DOPE TEST

g X2

PEERS TO g X8 END DOUBLES PARTNERSHIP

X2

Thursday, October 22, 2015

EXTRATIME

WE WERE WASTEFUL AGAINST NIGERIA

Eaglets celebrate one of their five goals against hosts Chile.

—PONCE

C

hile U17 team coach Miguel Ponce has stated that his team played well against champions Nigeria Tuesday night, but lost because they could not put away the chances they created.

World Cup hosts Chile fell 5-1 to Nigeria loss and may now need to win their final group game to advance to the

Tango! Action between Chile and Nigeria at the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup.

knockout stage of the tournament.

Ponce admitted his players found it difficult to cope with the physical presence and the speed of the coach Emmanuel Amuneke-led team.

“I told the kids, Nigeria respected us more than the result shows. They took measures to avoid us playing quickly, they knew how to wait for us and scored after patient plays. They did not keep us in our goal for the whole game,” he said with a tinge of regret.

“It is true there were physical differences, especially when it came to speed, but it is also true we were not able to finish off the situations we created. Against a good team, they don’t forgive you.”

NFF protests shift of CHAN qualifier

T

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have protested to CAF a sudden change on the match date for a return leg CHAN qualifier in Burkina Faso.

Federation Burkinabe de Football have moved the CHAN final qualifying match from Saturday to Sunday.

The Nigeria Football Federation received correspondence from the FBF

on Monday indicating a change in date of the tie, and immediately protested, saying the change was coming less than the 10 days stipulated in the rules.

“We have complained to CAF about this change in date that came only five days to the match, as against a minimum of 10 days enshrined in the regulations,” said NFF general secretary Mohammed Sanusi.

CHILE 2015:

AMUNEKE HAILS VICTORIOUS EAGLETS

G

olden Eaglets coach Emmanuel Amuneke has praised his players for their impressive display in a 5-1 demolition of hosts Chile, which advanced them into the round of 16 of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. He said his players made the hosts uncomfortable in the midfield and forced them out of their style.

“It is true we were effective up front, but we also knew how to block their passing game, forcing them to play uncomfortably in the midfield,” he said.

“My players understood the transition

game that is when to attack, when to defend.

“We also prepared them mentally, it is not easy to play against the host. Chile has a good team, but they lost against the best team. I believe they can qualify for the next round.”

Nigeria play Croatia in their last group game on Friday by 12 midnight Nigerian time.

Meanwhile, Golden Eaglets forward Samuel Chukwueze, who posted a man of the match performance in the game, has disclosed that he gets his inspiration

from Dutch winger Arjen Robben.

The Diamond Academy player said he is trying to emulate the former Chelsea player and look forward to more great performance for Nigeria at the FIFA U-17 World Cup. “I know I did well today, but I still have a lot of work to do to improve,” said Chukwueze, a product of the Diamond Football Academy.

“I try to base my game on that of Arjen Robben, who can run with the ball at speed, score goals and set them up too. I want to be an all-round player like him.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

EXTRATIME

X3

NPFL WITH ANDREW EKEJIUBA

3SC down hardfighting Taraba

S

hooting Stars managed a 1-0 win over strugglers FC Taraba in a Week 34 game of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Wednesday.

Shooting Stars now have 49 points from 34 games, while Taraba are 19th of the 20-team league table with 33 points.

Ibrahim Salawu scored the only goal of the game in the 40th minute with a

stunning free kick from 25 yards.

Sibi Gwar headed over the bar in the 12th minute, before Cletus Itoda had his 39-yard free kick deflected for a corner in the 27th minute.

Goal scorer Ibrahim Salawu made a goal line clearance in the 44 minutes.

On the hour mark, Nojeem Olukokun was denied a goal by Taraba goalkeeper Michael Uzih with a brilliant save.

3SC players celebrate after pipping hard-fighting FC Taraba 1-0.

Omoniwari’s

strike haunts Sharks

H

eartland forward Fortune Omoniwari scored the only goal to help Heartland beat his former club Sharks in a Week 34 game of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Wednesday.

Heartland have 50 points from 34 games, while Sharks are just above the relegation zone with 39 points.

Omoniwari, who wore the captain’s arm band in the game, scored in the third minute and that was enough to hand his team the full three points.

Ebele Obi was in goal for the first time for Heartland this season after he suffered knee injury which kept him out of action for several months.

Enyimba star Kingsley Sokari.

ENYIMBA STAY TOP AFTER NASARAWA DRAW E nyimba moved a step closer to winning a seventh Nigeria league title after they extended their lead on top of the table following a goalless draw at Nasarawa United on Wednesday.

Enyimba thus remained top with

62 points from 34 games, six points clear of second-placed Warri Wolves, whose home game against Akwa United was disrupted by the rain and will be played this morning at the same venue.

Hosts Nasarawa United started

GIWA BACK IN TITLE RACE, AS OKORO EYES CAF TICKET

T

en-man Giwa FC are back in the Nigeria league title race following a 2-1 win at El Kanemi Warriors on Wednesday.

The Jos club now have 57 points from 34 games, just five points adrift of leaders

Enyimba.

Charles Sokoto broke the deadlock in the 45th minute to give Giwa a 1-0 lead.

The hosts El Kanemi equalised through Dauda Eboh just four minutes into the second half.

Ebere Obi (right) back in action for Heartland after knee injury.

Okoro

ASAMOAH’S BRACE SINKS PILLARS

G

hanaian striker Godbless Asamoah was Dolphins hero on Wednesday after they came from behind to beat champions Kano Pillars 2-1 in a Week 34 game of the Nigeria league in Port Harcourt.

Dolphins battling for survival in the top flight now have 38 points from 34 games but remain in the drop zone, while Pillars have 49 points from same number of games.

Wednesday’s clash against Enyimba on a high tempo trying to get the goals to unsettle the visitors, who did well to stand resolute in defence.

The best chance of the game fell to Enyimba midfielder Kingsley Sokari, who missed a sitter in the 42nd minute.

Adamu Hassan scored for Pillars in the 61st minute to silence the home fans.

But super sub Godbless Asamoah restored parity in the game with a 71st minute strike.

He completed a brace with a header in the 90th minute for the winner to send the fans into wild jubilation.

Isiaka Olawale had his 11th minute effort parried away for corner by Pillars goalkeeper Yusuf

Mohammed.

Pillars star Rabiu Ali then forced a save from Rotimi Sunday when he tried to lob the ball over him in the 23rd minute.

Pillars goalkeeper Yusuf Mohammed stopped Chigozie Ihuda’s attempt at goal in the 32nd minute and three minutes later, Wilson Andoh missed a sitter for Dolphins.

Ocheme Edoh restored Giwa’s lead in the 56th minute to seal the win, but the visitors had to battle for their lives thereafter when defender Nojeem Raji was sent off in the 69th minute for a foul.

However, Giwa FC striker Charles Okoro believes his side are on a strong footing to claim their first ever continental ticket after a hard fought away win at El Kanemi Warriors.

Okoro said the goal margin would have been more if they had used the chances that came their way in the keenly contested encounter.

“Of course, we are solidly on course to claim our first ever continental ticket in the ongoing league season.

“The away win at El Kanemi Warriors has put us on solid footing to realising the season’s ambition of a shot at the continent.

“I feel great to have scored as well as assisted in the two goals that nailed the hosts.

“The goal margin would have been wider if we had used all the chances that came our way.

“El Kanemi Warriors created scary moments for us and actually fought hard to even the score but we understood the importance of three points to challenge for the closure of the gap at the summit.

“We will not let up on the throttle in the remaining four matches on the calendar until our dream becomes a reality,” said the former Dolphins marksman.

The victory at El Kanemi Warriors takes Giwa FC’s total earnings to 57 points, five points behind league leaders Enyimba.

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Thursday, October 22, 2015

EXTRATIME

Thursday, October 22, 2015

EXTRATIME

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X6

Thursday, October 22, 2015

EXTRATIME

Terry:

MOURINHO

STILL THE BEST! Mourinho

J

ohn Terry says the Chelsea squad are confident they will turn their season around because they have “the best manager in the world”.

Jose Mourinho has been the subject of ongoing criticism because of Chelsea’s poor start to the campaign and a string of disciplinary charges from the Football Association.

Terry was restored to the centre of defence for last Saturday’s

LVG praises

2-0 defeat of Aston Villa - just a third Premier League win from nine games - and a goalless draw at Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine on Tuesday night.

And he is confident Mourinho will improve the champions’ fortunes and that the hunger is there to be a successful side.

“The win at the weekend felt unbelievable in the dressing room afterwards,” Terry told reporters.

“It had been a few weeks, but when they come about it was nice. We want that feeling week after week again, put ourselves on a run of games and that’s what we’re trying to do.

“We are a great side and we will get there with the hunger and the ambition that is in the

Martial

squad.

“You don’t win trophies year after year without that hunger in the belly. We are collectively together, the players, the manager and the fans and we will be all right.

“When the chips are down, I’d take this squad over any. I know the players very well. I’ve been in this situation before, I’ve seen it happen.

“We’ve got a great squad of players. More importantly we’ve still got the best manager in the world.

“Everyone’s fully behind him. There’s stories and this and that and everything else, but believe me everyone’s together. The fans were unbelievable again at the weekend, so I thank them.

Martial

versatility

M

anchester United manager Louis van Gaal believes Anthony Martial can play in four different attacking positions.

The French forward, who has been used primarily as a centre-forward for United since his £36m move from

Monaco on transfer deadline day, lined up on the left wing in the club’s 3-0 win at Everton on Saturday with Wayne Rooney in the No 9 role.

Van Gaal has confirmed that tactic was deployed to dilute the influence of Everton full-back Seamus Coleman, and also said he feels Martial could

provide cover in other parts of his side’s forward line in the future.

“Martial can play, in my opinion, four positions,” van Gaal said. “He can play at seven - as a right-winger, 11 - the left-winger, the striker’s position and also at 10, I believe. But he has played

in Monaco always in the left-winger position.

“That is why I put him there against Everton and also because of Seamus Coleman. I think he’s a very good right full-back so we could take benefit of the qualities of Martial also.”

KLOPP

blasts FA over Rossiter L

iverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has accused the Football Association of mishandling Jordan Rossiter after the teenage midfielder returned injured from England duty.

Rossiter, 18, suffered a hamstring problem after playing three matches in five days for England’s U-19 side.

It was an incident reminiscent of last season when former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers clashed with Roy Hodgson after Daniel Sturridge sustained a thigh injury during an England training session the day after a match.

And Klopp echoed his predecessor when questioning the way players are handled when on international duty.

“I never heard of an 18-year-old playing three games in five days,” Klopp said.

“That is the problem why he is injured and I don’t think he will be ready until the next international break. I don’t know who I have to talk about this but I will find a way because it is not okay.

Red Devils will rise again, says Arsenal win down

Rooney

Rooney

W

ayne Rooney has backed Manchester United to be a major force both domestically and on the European stage once again.

Rooney is convinced United are growing as a side under manager Louis van Gaal and believes those days are a

thing of the past.

“We want to get back to winning trophies, of course. That is why you play football - to try and be successful, certainly at this club,” Rooney said.

“In the last few years we haven’t been good enough.

“There has been a big change in the

club over the last few years and it’s now starting to settle back down into a good rhythm with what the manager wants from us and we are improving.

“If we keep going the way we are, keep improving the way we are, then we will have a good chance of being successful.”

Although Rooney has won five Premier League titles, two League Cups and the Champions League in 11 full seasons at Old Trafford, he still has unfinished business with Europe’s elite competition.

Rooney turns 30 on Saturday and he does not see this particular landmark as the start of his decline.

“I physically feel good and obviously it’s a big birthday in anyone’s life, your 30th birthday, but in terms of me and football I still feel I am still young enough, and that I have a lot of years ahead of me,” said Rooney.

to team – Cech G

oalkeeper Petr Cech insists Arsenal’s collective team effort rather than his saves was the key to conquering Bayern Munich.

Cech was in supreme form on Tuesday night to keep the Gunners in the game before two late goals secured a 2-0 victory over the Germans to reignite their hopes in the Champions League.

The result could have been very different but for the intervention of Cech, the former Chelsea man producing a fine performance in place of the injured David Ospina, at fault for one of the goals in the 3-2 home defeat by Olympiacos last month.

“Everybody was doing their bit and I was trying to do my bit,” said the 33-year-old, who won the Champions

League with Chelsea in 2012/13.

Cech, making his first Champions League appearance for Arsenal this season after sitting out defeats to Dinamo Zgreb and Olympiakos, made a fine save to deny Thiago Alcantara and then deflected over a close-range shot form Robert Lewandowski before substitute Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil scored in the final 13 minutes.

Cech

Thursday, October 22, 2015

EXTRATIME

EUROPA LEAGUE FIXTURES Today’s Matches

AZ Alkmaar v Augsburg 18:00 Partizan Beograd v Athletic Bilbao 18:00

FK Qabala v B. Dortmund 16:00 Dnipro v Saint-Etienne 18:00

Fenerbahce v Ajax 20:05

Lazio v Rosenborg 18:00

Molde v Celtic 20:05

Lokomotiv Moscow v Besiktas 18:00 Sporting CP v Skenderbeu 18:00 Basel v Belenenses 18:00

Bordeaux v Sion 20:05 Liverpool v Rubin Kazan 20:05 PAOK Thessaloniki v Krasnodar 20:05 FC Midtjylland v SSC Napoli 20:05

Fiorentina v Lech Poznan 18:00

Legia Warszawa v Club Brugge 20:05

Anderlecht v Tottenham 18:00 Monaco v Qarabag FK 18:00 APOEL Nicosia v Asteras Tripolis 18:00 Schalke 04 v Sparta Prague 18:00

Rapid Wien v Viktoria Plzen 20:05 Villarreal v Dinamo Minsk 20:05 Braga v Marseille 20:05 Liberec v FC Groningen 20:05

N

eymar has been hailed as Barcelona’s driving influence in the absence of Lionel Messi, following a string of impressive displays.

Neymar, who this week pledged to sign a new deal at Barcelona, after the club’s director of football Roberto Fernandez said the Catalan giants are working on a deal to keep the 23-yearold for the rest of his career.

The Brazilian, who has eight goals in 10 appearances this season, provided both assists for Ivan Rakitic’s goals in Barcelona’s 2-0 Champions League win over BATE Borisov on Tuesday evening as well as netting four against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga last Saturday.

Messi is facing another month on the sidelines as a result of the third-minute knee injury he suffered during his side’s 2-1 win over Las Palmas in September so the focus is likely to remain on Neymar and his strike partner Luis Suarez.

Luis Enrique’s side have won three out of their four matches since the loss of Messi but Neymar’s team-mates are confident the Brazilian can continue to deal with the added responsibility,

KROOS BACKS

ANCELOTTI for Bayern

R

eal Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has backed Carlo Ancelotti to succeed at Bayern Munich if he were to take over from Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola’s contract expires at the

Ancelotti

end of the season, and reports in Germany and Italy have linked Ancelotti with the Bundesliga champions, with reports claiming they have already been in contact with the Italian in case Guardiola decides to leave.

Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said this week he was “optimistic” the former Barcelona coach would sign a new deal at the Allianz Arena, but speculation continues to mount over his future.

And Kroos, signed from Bayern by Ancelotti when he was in charge at the Bernabeu, believes the Italian would be a good fit for his former club.

“Certainly, a world-class coach like him would only consider one, maybe two clubs in Germany,” he said.

Adeyemi

Neymar

‘NEYMAR

filling Messi’s gap’ particularly with the additional blow of captain Andres Iniesta’s injury-forced absence.

“I think it is the case that Neymar has taken up a roll where he participates more in the build-up of play with Messi not there,” said Barca defender Marc Bartra.

J

hold until the trip to Southampton for the Super Sunday clash, Liverpool will welcome their Russian visitors and the German is fired up to put on a show in front of the home fans.

“I’m really looking forward to this game, it’s by night, by light and a special atmosphere,” Klopp said.

“It’s my first home game and hopefully we can take this special atmosphere and transport it into the game. I want to go there, I want to feel it. That’s what we’re all waiting for, these special moments.

“Of course if somebody wants to surprise us and be louder and wilder than ever in your

“He is playing well and with the quality that we have in attack it is important that players like he and Suarez keep scoring the goals for us.”

It means Neymar, as a result, has needed to pick up the ball in deeper areas of the pitch and add a creative spark to his team alongside scoring goals.

Dinamo midfielder

ADEMI

FAILS DOPE TEST

D

inamo Zagreb have confirmed that midfielder Arijan Ademi’s ‘B’ sample has also failed a doping test, meaning he could face a lengthy suspension.

The 24-year-old failed a routine doping exam following Dinamo’s Champions League victory over Arsenal last month.

Ademi’s ‘B’ sample has since also tested positive for a banned substance, meaning the Macedonia international could face a suspension from UEFA. “The ‘B’ test urine sample taken from

EUROPA LEAGUE: KLOPP FIRED UP FOR ANFIELD DEBUT urgen Klopp cannot wait for Liverpool’s Europa League match against Rubin Kazan today, his first game at Anfield as Reds manager.

The former Borussia Dortmund boss kicked off his Liverpool career with a solid goalless draw for his injury-depleted side at Tottenham on Saturday.

Speaking on Wednesday, Klopp revealed that injured striker Daniel Sturridge would miss the visit of Rubin Kazan, adding that his team’s performance against Spurs had given him hope for the season.

With the Premier League challenges on

X7

life, try to! We have to concentrate but we have to be open for help from outside. If somebody wants to help us then that’s cool.

“This Europa League is quite open. It could be a big step for us in this group. We want to see the next step in our development. We have this experience of the Tottenham game.

It wasn’t perfect but it was a step in the right direction.

“Now this is completely different. Tottenham press hard and that was why the game was so wild. Rubin Kazan have a special style in play. We have to be very careful and concentrate and fight for the second balls because they play long balls.

Arijan Ademi after the Champions League firstround match against Arsenal has also tested positive,” Dinamo confirmed via a statement.

“The UEFA Disciplinary Commission will decide on the case at its meeting on October 27, after which we will know more details.

“According to the rules of UEFA, Dinamo players should not make any comment until the disciplinary process is complete.

While Ademi himself could face a suspension, it is understood Dinamo will not face any punishment from UEFA unless a second player failed a similar doping test.

Speaking on Tuesday about the incident, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: “When I saw that the players of Zagreb were doped - well, when you don’t play at your best and your opponent is doped, it is difficult.

“I was surprised it was Ademi because he didn’t play before he played against us. But we have to wait as well because there is a counter check to see what comes out.

“We have organised World Cups before now with 740 players and zero doping cases, but I don’t know if that is really a fact.”

Dinamo had expressed their shock at the initial results last month, saying: “For years, our players have been regularly subjected to doping controls and nothing like this has ever happened, so we have to say that we are surprised by the result.

X8

Thursday, October 22, 2015

EXTRATIME

EXTRATIME Tennis

MURRAY,

PEERS TO END DOUBLES PARTNERSHIP B

ritain’s Jamie Murray is to end his doubles partnership with John Peers at the end of the season to link up with Brazil’s Bruno Soares.

Murray, 29, and Australian Peers, 27, have won titles in Brisbane and Hamburg this year and were also runners-up at Wimbledon and the US

Rugby

RWC 2015: South Africa retains squad for semis

S

outh Africa have named an unchanged starting line-up for Saturday’s World Cup semifinal against New Zealand.

Lock Lood de Jager and hooker Bismarck du Plessis have both recovered from injuries sustained in the 23-19 quarter-final win against Wales.

In the only change to the squad, lock Victor Matfield is on the bench after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Matfield, 38, will hope to win his 126th Test cap after being preferred to Pieter-Steph du Toit on the bench.

The influential De Jager is fit to start despite suffering a foot injury last weekend, while Du Plessis will play with the hand wound he suffered in the quarter-finals strapped up.

It is the first time since 2007 that the Springboks have not changed their starting XV between successive World Cup matches.

South Africa’s starting line-up have a collective 701 Test caps between them and eight squad members were involved in the 2007 semi-final.

Open.

Their three-year partnership will end after the World Tour Finals in London in November.

Soares, 33, is a former doubles world number three.

The Brazilian has won 11 ATP tour titles with his current partner, Alexander Peya, 35, of Austria.

Football

NFF stops recalling of players from Dream Team

Murray

POULTER

T

makes late bid to save Tour card

Golf

I

an Poulter made a last-minute journey from Florida to Hong Kong in an attempt to save his European Tour card - and perhaps his 2016 Ryder Cup chances.

Poulter, 39, dropped out of the world’s top 50 on Sunday, meaning he would be unable to complete the 13 events required for European Tour membership.

But former US PGA champion Rich Beem gave up his place in the Hong Kong Open to allow Poulter to compete.

Beem, 45, said he “did what any other professional would do”.

Poulter thanked the American on Twitter, writing: “Where would you like me to take you for dinner?”

Englishman Poulter fell to 51st in the world rankings on Monday after Andy Sullivan won the Portugal Masters and Emiliano Grillo was victorious at the Frys.com Open.

That meant he was ineligible for

Poulter

next month’s WGC-HSBC Champions event and would only have played in 12 events this year on the European Tour.

Only players with European Tour membership can be considered for Europe’s Ryder Cup team.

After Beem stepped aside, Poulter flew to Hong Kong, landing at 19:00 local time on Wednesday.

He will tee off at midday today and be assisted by a local caddie, as regular bagman Terry Mundy is on holiday.

he Nigeria Football Federation has notified all clubs whose players are in the U-23 National Team (Dream Team) camp, that from Sunday, October 25, no player will be released from the camp to honour any league match until further notice.

A statement signed by the NFF Deputy General Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme, said the notification has become necessary in view of the fact that the Africa U-23 Nations Cup slated for Senegal is only slightly more than a month from now, adding that this competition will determine the qualification of the Dream Team for the Men’s Football Event of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The statement averred that it is indeed worrisome that due to the regular requests by clubs whose players are in camp, for weekly league matches, the coaches of the Dream Team hardly have up to 10 players to work with at a time, disclosing that this is unacceptable to the NFF. As a result, the rules guiding the release of players from the national camp will be fully applied, meaning rescheduling of league matches (where a team has more than four players in a camp) or two players to be released, and non-release of players where a team has not more than 2 players.

The Dream Team are preparing for the 2nd Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, which will take place in Senegal between November 28 and December 12 this year. The team will square up to Egypt, Algeria and Mali in Group B, with only the three top -placed teams in the competition qualifying to represent Africa in Rio de Janeiro next year.