Daily Times of Nigeria Newspaper - Tuesday, 24th of February 2015

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.52

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ÏÏÏTHE

controversy over the whereabouts of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari has continued unabated.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose,

INSIDE

Life&

TIMES Tuesday February 24, 2015

Onikan beckons

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Chioma Akpotha on keeping her marriage private Men’s Trend

Be stylish with a Fedora

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on Monday faulted claims by the APC that Buhari granted a studio interview with a television station in the United Kingdom at the weekend.

He took journalists into a room in Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, which bears uncanny resemblance to the photograph presented CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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S P O T

T H E

D I F F E R E N C E

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Photo: JIMMY JOHN BABA

APC asks FG to publish full report of NNPC audit 4

Chatam House confirms Buhari’s speaking engagement

4

INSIDE MESSI:

BARCA must be wary of CITY X8

Poster!

YOHAN BLAKE

X4,5 Tuesday, February 24, 2015

INTERVIEW

ZHANG: RELISHES CHINESE FOOD X6

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:

ARSENAL, MONACO

TEST MIGHT

OTENIGBAGBE tips homebased D’Tigers for greatness X2

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Politics Page Three

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Editorial

Curbing road carnage

T

he recent tragic auto-crash that claimed the lives of 13 women in Bayelsa State has once again brought to the fore the sorry state of road infrastructure in Nigeria.

The victims, who were members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had paid a courtesy visit to the First Lady, Dame Jonathan in Okrika, Rivers State and were returning to Yenagoa when the accident occurred.

According to reports, the accident resulted from a burst tyre of the vehicle in front causing those behind to ram into it. Definitely, this incident has added to the growing statistics of largely avoidable crashes that occur on our roads everyday.

We commiserate with the bereaved families, their party and the state.

We also, however, find it expedient to call attention to the breakneck speed in which many government-owned vehicles are drivers on the highways in Nigeria.

The excessive speeding, especially when in official convoys, is a clear disregard for traffic regulations, and is known to be a major cause of road accidents.

It is imperative to note that our highways and urban roads lack functioning traffic lights, close circuit television cameras and proper road infrastructure to guide the conduct of drivers and other commuters.

In the absence of such infrastructure, the tendency is for some of them to drive in a manner that

constitutes nuisance and dangers to other road users.

While not discountenancing the possibility of other factors for the accident in Bayelsa, we know that many similar crashes in the country could have been avoided. Incidentally, many vehicles on our roads drive on imported, used, tyres. In wanting to cut corners, many drivers are given to buying and out-fitting their vehicles with old and worn out-tyres, which are prone to rapid deterioration.

We call on all agencies charged with roads safety to explore more modern ways to achieve their objectives. They should deploy technology in ensuring that vehicles plying the nation’s roads are always worthy.

Also, they must strictly enforce all rules of safe driving in order to reduce the alarming rate of accidents on the roads. We also task the National Assembly to explore the time-tested method of setting up a special fund, road tax payable by vehicle owners, for the maintenance of our roads instead of ceding the entire responsibility for road construction and maintenance to the government.

Curiously, many drivers plying the country’s roads barely know the highway codes, given that they do not pass through conventional motoring institutes. In the end, the country is saddled with a sea of those who are deficient in the art of driving.

The country can least afford to be losing its citizens to avoidable road accidents.

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Shredding party cards, a new fad?

Sam Nzeh ÏÏÏThe shredding of mem-

bership cards of political parties appears to be the new fad in town, no thanks to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The former president, it would be recalled, on Monday last week, announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and directed the party’s chairman in his ward to tear his membership card in the full glare of newsmen and others, an action that drew condemnation from the PDP and a cross section

of the populace.

A day after the former president’s action, the Special Assistant on Security Matters to Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State and Secretary, Security Advisory Team, Abdullahi Babangida Muhammad, toed the line.

He not only resigned his appointment but also openly tore his PDP membership card in the state capital, Gombe.

As it is with things in the country, it will not be a surprise if other politicians embrace this trend particularly as frustration and desperation reach a peak among politicians as the rescheduled general election inches closer.

It may not also be out of

Words On Marble :

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line if, in an attempt to take the trend a bit higher, other politicians decide to strip themselves naked.

Such are the ways of Nigerian politicians. They lack principles, and can do anything to acquire power. They are specialists in jumping ship once they don’t have their way (s).

They blackmail others to get to the top and don’t mind burning the bridge once they cross it. They mask their interests as the interests of the masses. They are a selfish, greedy lot.

So, as the rescheduled poll draws closer, Nigerians await what more tricks politicians will pull out of their sleeves in expressing their frustrations and desperation.

STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

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Publisher

Fidelis Anosike

Group Managing Director

Editor, Standard, Archives and Special projects

Chief Commercial Officer

Deputy Editors

Noel Anosike

Doyin Awomosu

Group Managing Editor Gabriella Osamor

Editor

Yinka Olujimi

Tunji Okegbola

Yemi Ogunsola Sam Nzeh

Bureau Chief, Northern Operations Celestine Okafor

Group News Editor

Online Editor

Editorial Page Editor

Business Editor

Sports Editor

Head ICT (Shared Services)

Segun Adio Okay Osuji

Andrew Ekejiuba

Head of Operations Innocent Nwankwo

Adetayo Adelaja Emmanuel Ogbonnaya

Banjo Ayorinde

Head Graphics King Ododoru

The opinions expressed in the articles published in this newspaper are solely those of the authors. Articles may be reproduced, provided that the original source is indicated.

JF kennedy

Mahatma Ghandi

Albert Einstein

If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others

The world is a dangerous place not because of those who do evil but because of those who look on and do nothing

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Posers over Buhari’s TV chat in UK Army kills Continued from page 1 by the APC at the weekend as the studio where the alleged interview was conducted.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) joined in the controversy, accusing the APC of telling barefaced lies, wondering how many other alleged lies the opposition party might have told Nigerians.

Fayose insisted that Buhari, 72, is ill and is physically unfit to lead the country.

The APC’s campaign spokesman, Alhaji Garba Shehu, told the Daily Times that he was not

prepared to trade words with Fayose.

It was, however, confirmed that Buhari will address the Chatam House in London on Thursday this week, as disclosed by the APC before Buhari travelled out of the country.

Fears over Buhari’s health were further heightened when the former military ruler did not attend a well-advertised meetthe-people event in London last Saturday but was represented by his wife, Aishat.

Fayose on Monday described the interview Buhari purportedly had with a television station

in the UK, “All Eyes on African TV”, as a fluke and deceitful.

Fayose also declared that President Goodluck Jonathan has already won the yet to be held March 28 presidential election.

He said Jonathan has performed excellently and that victory is sure for the incumbent.

The Governor spoke at a crowded press conference in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

He accused both Buhari and the APC of cutting corners and engaging in massive propaganda over the said interview.

The APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, had last Sat-

urday circulated a picture of Buhari which he purportedly had during the said interview with one Kemi Fadojutimi in the UK. However the Governor maintained that the picture was taken at Room 880 at Transcorp Hilton hotel in Abuja.

Fayose’s yesterday press conference, similarly, took place in the same room 880.

The Governor, at the press conference said: “This is height of desperation, it is misleading.

This is the character of a man who wants to be the president of Nigeria.

“General Buhari was in Transcorp (Hilton hotel) telling Nigerians he was in London. He should stop deceiving Nigerians”, he said.

The governor maintained that the settings in the room, the chairs where the interview and the interviewee sat, the table, flower and table light were similar to those in the picture shown to Nigerians after the purported UK interview.

He said: “I am here to present to you fact. Fact speaks for itself.

APC knows Buhari is not holding any meeting in London.

“General Buhari is not well, he is sick in the hospital. This is not personal. I am not against the North, I am not against the South. Our leaders should show us their medical records.

“I am saying that Nigeria needs a healthy leader, who will be able to address the problems of this country.

L-R: President Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso; President Goodluck Jonathan and President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Ngueme Mbasogo during their visit to Jonathan in Abuja… on Monday

Continued on page 6

30 rustlers in Niger Pita Chikwem Minna

ÏÏÏNo fewer than 30 rustlers

have been reported killed by soldiers deployed to flush out gunmen who had laid siege to some communities in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State last week.

The Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Israel Ebije, on Monday confirmed to our correspondent in Minna that the death toll in the operation had risen to 30.

About 11 of the gunmen were reported killed last week when the soldiers where first deployed to the area in the wake of consistent attacks on villagers by the gunmen.

Ebije said the gunmen were confirmed armed rustlers and that the security has successfully flushed them from the communities.

“The security agencies have done a very good job and we want to thank them for restoring peace to the area. We appreciate the efforts of our security agencies in this regard” he said.

Over 45 armed bandits were reported to have attacked Aza and Kintako communities before the deployment of soldiers to contain the menace.

Chatam House confirms Buhari’s speaking Publish forensic audit report of missing $20bn in NNPC engagement on Thursday ÏÏÏThe

Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA) better known as Chatam House has confirmed that presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari will be speaking at its event billed for Thursday, February 26, 2015 in London.

A post on the website of Chatam on Monday disclosed that General Buhari who is on a working visit to the United Kingdom will be speaking on the topic “Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s Transition.”

The programme to be chaired

by Sir Richard Gozney, former British High Commissioner to Nigeria will commence at 10am London time and last for just one hour.

“The postponement of Nigeria’s fifth election since its return to civilian rule in 1999, together with fierce political competition, a security crisis and severe economic challenges linked to the drop in oil price, have thrown into sharp relief the challenges of conducting this essential process in such a complex environment. While there is widespread speculation as to the reasons for the delay, there is also widespread acknowledgment of the necessity that national elections do now take place as scheduled on 28 March,” Chatam House said in its website while announcing the programme on Monday.

According to Chatam House, “General Muhammadu Buhari, former military ruler (1983-85)

and now opposition presidential candidate, will discuss the importance of democracy for Africa’s future, and in particular why delivering dividends of elected government matter both to Nigeria and internationally.”

There will be a live streaming of the event commencing at 10am GMT and all those wishing to pose a question to General Buhari are advised to do so via Twitter using the hash tag #CHAfrica.

All prospective attendees are encouraged to apply to attend on or before midnight of Tuesday, 24 February.

General Buhari had left Nigeria last week for United Kingdom as part of the international engagements of his presidential campaign.

– APC Campaign ÏÏÏThe

All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan, and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to accede to the request of the National Assembly that the government submit the forensic audit report on the alleged missing $20 billion.

The opposition party tasked the government to go ahead to publish the report in mainstream newspapers “for Nigerians to assess or query the degree of transparency involved in the controversial transaction.”

The APC, in a statement by the spokesman of its campaign

organization, Malam Garba Shehu, queried: “Why should the President and the PDP develop the feet of clay like an immovable Colossus when the representatives of the people in the National Assembly asked for copies of the forensic audit report, which public outcry forced the government to procure in the first place?”

He added: “So many respected experts on the national economy have condemned the wanton waste of the country’s hard currency earnings at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Worse still, those Continued on page 6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

5 News

Boko Haram: Central African leaders to support Nigeria Monday Agu Jnr Abuja

ÏÏÏCentral

African leaders, under the aegis of the Economic Community of Central African Countries (ECCAC), have expressed willingness to join hands with Nigeria and other West African countries in the battle against the Boko Haram sect.

President Denis Sassou N’Guesso of the Republic of Congo and his Republic of Equatorial Guinea counterpart, Obi-

ang Nguema Mbasogo, made this known on Monday, when they met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, President N’Guesso said leaders of the sub regional group were also concerned about the Ebola disease in parts of Africa.

He said: “As we know, Africa is confronting two challenges. Significantly, Ebola is affecting basically countries in West Africa. These

countries are: Liberia, Guinea and Serra Leone. Also, the operations of the terrorists generally affecting countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa and in northern Africa, particularly Boko Haram, which has been affecting Nigeria, Chad and Cameroun.

“Like you know, at the last meeting of the Africa Union, the Heads of State took some very important decisions principally to check the Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroun and Chad. Following the meeting of the African

Union, the Economic Community of Central African Countries, had a meeting recently in Yaoundé to address particularly the Boko Haram challenge in Africa and to see the possibility of ameliorating the grave situation. It’s on that platform that we met with our friend, President Jonathan of Nigeria.”

He continued, “We are here because we have been mandated by the Heads of State of the Central African Community to bring here, and show our solidarity to the people of Nigeria and the government

of Nigeria, and to our brother and friend, President Jonathan.”

N’Guesso hinted that they would head to Accra, Ghana, to meet with President John Mahama, who is the Chairman of ECOWAS. “We will study the situation together and put in place a security architecture to see how we can coordinate all our actions to put out and eradicate the Boko Haram, which has been spreading in a very grave manner. We look forward to peace, security and development in Africa,” he disclosed.

INEC to women: Don’t use ‘lalle’ two weeks to polls Daniel Jolly Bauchi

ÏÏÏThe Bauchi State Resident

Electoral Commissioner, Professor Hamman Saad Tukur, has said that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is out to enlighten the people on the “Card Readers”.

Prof Tukur also called on husbands to educate their wives not to put on henna, popularly known as “lalle” in Hausa, (which is used by women in the North to decorate themselves for beauty), two weeks before election to enable easy finger print

capture.

He observed that with henna in their hands, the card reader will not capture the finger print, thereby wasting the electorate time and the chance of voting for the candidate of their choice.

He explained that the card readers, when charged, will last for the duration of 24 hours while the election is only for 13 hours.

The commissioner therefore assured the gathering that the commission is ever ready to conduct free, fair and credible election in the upcoming general election.

L-R: Chieftain, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Tony Momoh; Former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Chinwoke Mbadinuju and Chieftain, (APC ), Chief Ogbonnaya Onu during the defection of Mbadinuju from PDP to APC in Abuja… on Monday PHOTO: TEMITOPE BALOGUN

Obasanjo disowns social media account Abiodun Taiwo Abeokuta

ÏÏÏFormer

President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has dissociated himself from a social media account being operated in his name.

The former President maintained that there was no official account on any social media being operated by him.

A twitter account, @newsvergeonline had, Monday, posted a tweet, claiming that the former President described the Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO), Femi Fani-Kayode, as a “democracy wrecker.”

Checks revealed that the tweet account with name, Olusegun A.

Obasanjo posted the story with caption: “Fani-Kayode is a democracy wrecker, who’s very fluent in stupidity. Give him food, and he will sing and do “shoki” dance for you.”

But, Obasanjo yesterday, dismissed the account, declaring that all his previous accounts on either Facebook or Twitter had long been blocked.

When he was approached with the twitter account, Obasanjo said: “I don’t know where this comes from. I don’t have any account on either the Facebook or Twitter again.”

Obasanjo used the opportunity to caution those using his name to operate illegal social media accounts, warning that the security agencies have been placed on alert to fish out the perpetrators.

Obasanjo

“Let me say that, Nemesis will catch up with anyone doing this.

It is illegal and criminal. If I have to pass any message to the good people of Nigeria, I know how to go about it with no controversy,” he said.

As at the time of this report, the impostor had posted about 20 messages, while Obasanjo was playing the traditional “ayo” gone with his friends at his residence.

Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏA

Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, adjourned to March 19, 2015, to hear eight separate suits challenging the eligibility of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to contest the March 28 presidential election.

Although, the court is yet to consolidate the suits, some of which look similar, the presiding judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi, hinted at the resumed hearing on Monday that two of the suits may be taken so that the decision reached would be binding on others. The court mentioned the suits filed by Chukwuneike Okafor and Donald Daunamigba.

Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the counsel to Okafor, told a crowded court that he was will-

Court hears Buhari’s eligibility suits March 19 ing to commence his argument in the matter, but could not as he has not been served with all the processes.

He was eventually served with the processes in court and he asked the court for a short adjournment to enable him respond to the motion.

Ozekhome further asked the court for accelerated hearing of the suits.

But the defence counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN) and Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who represented Major General Buhari (rtd) and the APC said they had filed preliminary objection praying for an order of the court to set aside the totality of the suit.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Posers over Buhari’s TV chat in London Continued from page 4 “Even in advanced countries those wishing to lead present their medical records because they know the amount of energy to be deployed”, he stated.

Fayose equally denied that he sent people to trail the APC presidential candidate during his working visit in London.

He said such claim was nothing but petty.

The Governor pointed out that at Buhari’s age, he (Fayose) doesn’t need to run after him, saying, “My prayer is that he lives long”.

He added, “Buhari is (too) old even to govern a state. He is frail, old and not strong to run the affairs of this country”.

The Director, Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Malam Garba Shehu, declined comments on Fayose’s allegation.

He told Daily Times: “We are not going to join issues with him, we have issues of security, stolen money and unemployment in the country. Those are the challenges facing Nigerians and that is what we want to talk about”.

The PDP’s Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO) also on Monday said the “revelation” that the APC lied about the location of General Buhari’s interview for the TV show ‘ was proof that it is a party founded and built on deceit.

The PDPPCO, in a statement yesterday in Abuja by its Director of Media and Publicity, Femi

Fani-Kayode said it is now an open thing that the APC lied about the location of General Buhari’s interview with Kemi Fadojutimi of the USA-based TV show ‘All Eyes on Africa’.

According to Chief Fani-Kayode, “It has come to light that the All Progressives Congress lied about the location of General Buhari’s interview with Kemi Fadojutimi of the USA-based TV show ‘All Eyes on Africa’.

“While the APC had earlier claimed that the interview was conducted in London, UK, Mr Mukhtar Dan’Iyan has proven through his Twitter handle, @ AyeDee, that the interview was actually conducted in the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

“This revelation proves the point we have made at various

times in the past that the APC is a party founded and built on deceit.

“As many Nigerians are now aware, in 41 tweets posted on his timeline on Sunday, 22nd February, 2015, Mr Dan’Iyan (@ AyeDee), proved to the whole world that the interview under review, which the APC led Nigerians to believe was conducted in faraway London, United Kingdom, was actually carried out here in Abuja at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

“Moreover, despite desperate attempts by the APC propaganda machinery to coerce newspapers from retracting the fraudulent picture of Buhari’s purported London interview, The Guardian, one of the newspapers that printed the picture on its front page of Sunday, 22nd February, 2015, was quick to publish a regretful retraction on page 2 of the newspaper’s Monday, 23rd February, 2015 edition.

“In the retraction, The Guardian wrote, and I quote, ‘The front page picture of yesterday in The Guardian on Sunday was not taken during the visit of Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) to London as we erroneously stated. The picture was actually taken in Abuja when he was being interviewed by a journalist.

The error is regretted.’

“We want to be very clear about this: Nobody here wishes General Buhari anything other than good health. If the General is unwell, it is only right for him to seek medical attention wherever he chooses.

“Anybody can fall ill at any

time. It is God that keeps us all.

And we wish General Buhari good health so that he can spend quality time with his family in his retirement.

“The issue at stake here is the credibility crisis the APC has brought upon itself with these pointless lies.

“As many Nigerians are now asking: If the APC can lie about the location of an ordinary interview, what else has the party been lying about?

“Was the APC lying when the party said it had not cloned Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs)?

“Was the APC lying when the party said it had no plans to hack into Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) server even after hacking videos were found on its computers by the State Security Service (SSS)?

“Has the APC been lying all along every time it has promised Nigerians ‘change’ in its ceaseless propaganda? Of the utmost importance, is it possible that every single thing about the APC is a lie since the party itself was founded and built on lies?

“We invite Nigerians to assess the situation for themselves.

“Let me conclude by reminding Nigerians that, irrespective of the number of lies that the APC decides to cover itself in, we in the PDP, and our presidential candidate, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, remain committed to implementing our party manifestoes, touching the lives of Nigerians, transforming our nation and bequeathing a legacy of development to future generations”, he said.

Former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan in a handshake with His Highness, Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi on Monday after commissioning of Bandirawo City built by the Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso administration.

APC asks FG to publish full Budget: NCC’s Capital Expenditure Increases by 30% report of NNPC audit Sunday Isuwa Abuja

ÏÏÏCapital

budget expenditure proposal for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in 2015, has increased to about 30 percent, the Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Eugene Juwah, said while defending the Budget estimates on Monday.

According to him, while the capital budget expenditure profile of the agency for the year 2014 was N15billion, its 2015 capital budget proposal is N21.1 billion.

He however said that estimated budget expenditure for special projects by the communications

agency for the year 2015 is N2.1 billion as opposed to N3.4 billion expended in 2014.

He disclosed that a very key capital project the agency would be embarking upon this year is the broadband projects which has made the agency to award licences for Lagos and Abuja for provision of metropolitan fibre network.

He said: “Our broadband initiative has started. We have actually awarded two licences, one for Lagos and one for North Central including Abuja. These are licenses for the provision of metropolitan fibre network.

“The problem of the allocation is that we normally do not get our budget passed on time, so we have

accrued money since this project started from the last budgets we have, so we have looked at our budget requirement and as the project is ongoing, we feel that we have enough funds to cover the project.

This project has started for quite some time now and it has been running”.

The NCC Chief Executive, also disclosed that the commission is coming up with a bill on Telecom Critical Infrastructure that will enhance quality service delivery in the communication sector in Nigeria.

“The other major focus that we have for 2015 is the issue of quality of ‘Service-Quality of service’, is made up mainly of two parts.

Continued from page 4 in charge have treated Nigerians with impunity by hiding the facts relating to petro-dollar trade from the taxpayers. Some of them have been gallivanting and globe-trotting around the world in luxury while their compatriots languish in poverty and squalor.”

Shehu questioned the audacity of the President, PDP and NNPC in disobeying the NASS request to scrutinise the “audit of an alleged grossly corrupt government agency (NNPC).”

“Is the NNPC a sacred cow?

And should the President be an

umpire in a game to which he’s a contender, or a judge in his own case?” Shehu queried.

He added:”Is the President and his Petroleum Minister telling Nigerians that no wrong has been done in terms of stealing of public funds? If corruption was established in any form, is anyone listed for punishment?

It is pertinent to put all these information in the public domain for third party verification. The report funded by taxpayer’s money is itself a public property.

And until this is done, the NNPC under Jonathan shall remain in public consciousness the abattoir for corruption, immodesty, dishonesty and impunity.”

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

7 News

Nigeria’s HIV prevalence rate drops to 3.4% Eno-Obong Okon Uyo

ÏÏÏThe National Agency for the

Flood on Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos …on Monday. Photo: TAOFEEK BABAJIDE

Jonathan, greatest gift of God to Nigeria - Moro Akor Ejumene Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, has said that the emergence of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as the President of Nigeria was a great blessing to the country.

Moro, who made the remark in an interview in Abuja, said Jonathan, effectively, used the Transformation Agenda as a vehicle to launch Nigeria on the path of progress.

“Let me tell you that the greatest gift that God has given to the country today is Mr. President, Dr. Jonathan Ebele Jonathan. He inherited, from past administrations, moribund social infrastructure. Our roads were impassable.

Our hospitals, as they say, were mere consulting units. At a point, some of them were not even qualified to be consulting institutions.

“Our schools lacked direction.

At a point, the standard of education was nose-diving, at a very alarming rate. Our airports were an eyesore. Our drive towards providing sustainable clean potable water for the people was non-existent. Our agriculture was nose-diving to a level that food insecurity threatened the nation. I can go on and on and on,” he said.

He, however, noted that the situation had changed for the better, with the impact of the Transformation Agenda fully felt in all the sectors of the economy, ranging from power, water, agriculture, and roads to education.

In enumerating the efforts of the Jonathan administration towards making life better for the citizens of the country, he said: “I, therefore, can conclude that, through the instrumentality of the Transformation Agenda of Mr. President, a solid foundation for the reconstruction of Nigeria had been laid and, therefore, what

Edo PDP desperate - Afegbua Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏThe Special Adviser on Me-

dia to the Edo State Governor, Kassim Afegbua, has described the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the state, led by Dan Orbih as “desperadoes who are looking for relevance.

They are also individuals who do not have the intellectual capacity to understand the dynamics of

governance.”

He said that Orbih “is, at best, a dramatist, a very bad one at that, who is trying, effortlessly, to make an impression in a state where it (PDP) had lost relevance, while he accused the PDP of squandering the resources of the state during its ten-year reign in the state.

“So, if they now woke up suddenly and they see the monumental achievements of a comrade governor in a state that was, hith-

is just, simply, required, is the cooperation of the Nigerian people to capitalise on this launch pad to development, that the Transformation Agenda has provided for Nigeria.”

He expressed total confidence that Jonathan would win the forthcoming presidential election, noting that the candidate of the main opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) lacked the capacity to stage any major upset on the way of Jonathan’s victory.

According to him, “This election is about issues and facts.

This election is about record. And luckily Muhammadu Buhari had been one-time (President) of this country. And Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is the President of this country. And, so, these two candidates of the two main political parties, have records on the basis of which to judge.

erto, called a poor state, when they were calling the shots, you can understand their anger,” he stressed.

“They are angry that we have put a lie on the long-held notion that the state has no money to develop itself. But there are verifiable evidence that, since the intervention of the comrade governor in the state, he had been able to alter the narrative of under-development to a positive narrative of development and wonderful achievements. So, we have no apology to render to the PDP chairman and his bandwagon”, Afegbua added.

Control of AIDS (NACA), has said that HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Nigeria has dropped from 5.1 per cent to 3.4 per cent.

Director General, NACA, Prof.

John Idoko, on Monday attributed the decrease to extensive awareness of the virus by Nigerians.

Idoko, represented by the Chief Programme Officer, NACA, Mr. Ali Ade-Yusuf, at the four-day free medical treatment, organised by NACA-Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme in Essien Udim and Ika Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State, said the programme targeted 10,000 persons at each point.

He stated that the HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Bill, which President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law in 2014, gave hope to those living with the virus as they would not be stigmatised be-

Taraba College matriculates 2, 000 Okerafor Athanatius jalingo

ÏÏÏThe College of Agriculture,

Jalingo (COAJ), Taraba State has matriculated over 2,000 students for the 2014/2015 academic session.

Addressing guests and students at the College’s sports ground, venue of the ceremony, Provost of the College, Dr. (Mrs.) Elizabeth Wachap, disclosed the essence of the event as to integrate the new students into the academic environment and acquaint them with rules and regulations of the school.

Wachap, who portrayed the

FAAN denies owing IKEDC Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÏÏÏThe

Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said that it is not indebted to the Ikeja Distribution Company (IKEDC) for power supply to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, Mr Yakubu Dati who disclosed this on Monday, said the airport authority continued to carry out its

cause of their status.

According to him, HIV/AIDS was no longer a life-threatening disease since people living with the disease could still live their normal lives for a long period through the anti-retroviral treatment. A patient at Ukana, Mrs. Gloria Ekong, commended President Goodluck Jonathan for initiating the free medical programmes for the indigent populace, who could not afford medical treatment for themselves.

idoko

College as a technical/vocational institution, whose vision is to be one of the world’s leading colleges, added that the feat would, easily, be achieved with the provision of courses of study, training and research in all branches of agriculture as well as providing exceptional leadership in the management of Agricultural and natural ecosystem, which according to her will improve the lives of individuals and communities.

“Our mission is to be committed to teaching, training, research and extension that make an important difference in the lives of our stakeholders in Taraba, Nigeria and the world”, she said.

While calling on the students to make the best use of the opportunities given them, the Provost charged them to eschew all forms of vices such as examination malpractices, cultism and other antisocial behaviours. obligation to the power distribution company to enable it serve its teeming clients at the airport, which require power supply for its passenger, cargo and other operations .

He said information making the rounds that the power company was planning to cut electricity supply to the airport, was part of the plot by some of FAAN debtors to blackmail the authority.

Dati urged users of the airport and other stakeholders to discountenance any information suggesting that there would be power outage at the Lagos Airport on account of the alleged debts.

News

8

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Troops arrest terrorists disguised as women in Baga Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Defence Headquarters

has said that the ongoing operations in Baga, Borno State, particularly, the cordon-and-search operation has revealed some terrorists disguisied as women.

“The searches are also yielding more discoveries of arms, especially, bombs hidden in various locations, especially, Baga town, the Director, Defence Information, Major General Chris Olu-

kolade, said in a statement on Monday.

He said that, apart from those terrorists that were captured in the course of fighting, many others who hid in the town were being arrested and investigated by the troops.

Meanwhile, in furtherance of the mission to dislodge terrorists from their enclaves by the military, the Nigerian Air Force had stepped up its air bombardment of identified targets in Gwoza, Bama and Sambisa forest, prepa-

ratory to other phases of the mission.

“The air strikes have been highly successful, as they hit vital targets with required precision.

Terrorists are now in disarray as they scamper to escape the incessant air bombardment of their locations in the forest”, he added.

He said that having successfully liberated Baga, where the terrorists have been pillaging, the advancing troops are focused on the security of the area to pave way for the return of the people.

Olukolade

L-R: Dr Ola Olateju; National Secretary, Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi Sokoto; UPN deputy governorship candidate for Ogun State, Alhaja Aminat Olamide Olatubosun; governorship candidate UPN Ogun State, Prince Olatunde Rotimi Paseda and Special Guest of Honour, Prof Tunji Oyeneye at the fund-raising dinner for Paseda in Lagos recently

Kwara Hausa leader tasks members on PVCs Ola Yekeen Ilorin

ÏÏÏThe Chairman of the Hausa

Community in Kwara State, Alhaji Mukhtar Aliyu Tawakalitu, has called on the Hausa in the state to use the shift in election dates to collect their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVC).

He made the call on Monday while speaking at a forum to sensitise members of the community on the need to get their cards.

Tawakalitu, therefore, appealed to the people of the state to put religious sentiment apart and vote for Simeon Ajibola, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate. “APC government has refused to recognise Hausa as part and parcel of Kwara, they did not consider us for any empowerment and jobs”, he said.

He lamented that the four-year administration of Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed had not produced any visible development, except the white elephant projects that have no direct bearing on the masses.

NACA, SURE-P commence free medicare in Benue Freddie Adamgbe Makurdi

Two killed as rice smugglers, Customs clash in Ogun Abiodun Taiwo Abeokuta

ÏÏÏPandemonium broke out on Monday in Sango area of AdoOdo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State when two persons were killed in a shoot-out between Customs officers and rice smugglers.

One other person, reportedly, sustained gunshot wounds.

Daily Times gathered that the incident occurred when Customs operatives from the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Ikeja, Lagos, apprehended a convoy of ten vehicles, laden with bags of rice at Joju Junction in Sango.

Eye witnesses said that while the

seized vehicles and the smuggled goods were being led away by the armed Customs men, some of the suspected smugglers attempted to escape, which resulted in the shoot-out that recorded three casualties.

One of the victims was said to have died on the spot while the other died on the way to the hospital. The third victim, who sustained serious gunshot injuries, was said to be receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command of the Customs, Abubakar Usman, said that the operatives involved in the clash with the rice smugglers were not from the state, but, the Federal Operations Unit in Ikeja, Lagos.

According to him, “What happened was that there was a clash between our men and some smugglers. They were not even from the Ogun Area Command, they were from the Federal Operations Unit.”

APC alerts of FG’s alleged plot to create fake Shekau Augustine Aminu Abuja

ÏÏÏThe APC Presidential Cam-

paign Organisation (APCPCO), has raised the alarm about reports of a fake Shekau to be presented before Nigerians by the Federal Government in order to be seen as winning the war on terrorism.

Beyond this, credible sources alerted the All Progressives Congress (APC), that the fake Shekau might become a tool to blackmail members of the opposition by coaching him to implicate the opposition party presidential candidate, General

ÏÏÏA Muhammadu Buhari, in order to link him to terrorism as it had earlier attempted, but, failed in the past.

A statement issued by the Director of Media and Publicity of the APCPCO, signed by Malam Garba Shehu, wondered where the ‘new Shekau’ will come from, after government, at several times in the past, announced that they had killed the insurgent leader.

“The charge to the military, that they should catch Shekau alive by the President in the last 24 hours lends credence to the report that, indeed, a fake Shekau is about being created”, he added.

Quoting President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent confession, that he under-estimated Boko Haram, the APC presidential campaign team said the admission was a direct evidence that the PDP President had nothing to offer and must bow to the wind of change.

free four-day medical services has been kicked off in Akpagher, Mbatyiav Community of Benue State by the National Agency for the Control of HIV/ AIDS (NACA), in collaboration with the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (Sure-P).

The two agencies, which selected two communities including, Ipav and Mbatyiav in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue North-West senatorial zone said the programme was targeted at the rural areas, especially women, children and the aged adding that the exercise involved free blood pressure checks, blood sugar checks and free quality drugs including HIV/ AIDS testing and counselling for the rural populace.

Coordinator and team leader, Dr. Daniel Ndukwe, speaking during the flag-off in Akpagher, stated that the programme was designed to ensure that those infected would be taught how to live a normal life.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

9 News

Ex- Anambra gov, Nbadinuju joins APC Celestine Okafor, Sunday Isuwa & Augustine Aminu Abuja

ÏÏÏA

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (2nd right); handing over an award won by the state security outfit ‘Operation Doo Akpor’ as the Best Crime Bursting Security Squad in West Africa, by the Security Watch Africa, to the Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Paul Okafor (right); while Special Adviser on Security, Mr. Boma Spero-Jack (left); Lt. Col. Bernard Kenebai (2nd left), applauds, in Government House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa…on Monday

former Anambra State governor, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Monday, defected from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Nbadinuju, a former Editor and Managing Director of Daily Times newspaper cited injustice, indiscipline and corruption as some of his reasons for leaving the PDP. Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, Mbadinuju publicly withdrew his membership of the PDP and registered himself into

APC. According to him, “Giving my unflinching support to the candidacy of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), for the office of President, Federal Republic of Nigeria; giving my total support to all APC candidates in Anambra State and across the entire country, I am calling on all wellmeaning people of Anambra State and of the country to cast their votes only for the APC in the forthcoming general elections,” Nbadinuju said.

The former Anambra governor said some of the reasons he decided to join the APC was his first encounter with Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

Don’t protect anyone’s tenure, Oshiomhole warns Army Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏGovernor

Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said that the Nigerian Army must remain loyal to the nation rather than to an individual.

Oshiomhole said presidents and governors will come and go, but the Nigerian nation will re-

ONDO NSCDC goes tough on illegal private security firms Tosin Ajuwon Akure

ÏÏÏThe Ondo State Command

of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has threatened to clamp down on operative of illegal private security guard in the state.

State Commandant of the Corps, Mr. Claudius Danladi Yakubu, gave the threat at a stakeholders meeting held on Monday, with members of the

FCDA set to remove Abuja mega station for rail project

main.

Speaking in his office while receiving the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major General Sanusi Muazu, the governor said no political office holder should get so desperate and try to use the military to boost personal ambition.

According to him, “the reason

why this has become an issue is because of the nature of our politics and the way political actors have put their personal interest over and above the national interest. Presidents would come and go, governors would come and go, whether they are good or bad. Even the Armed Forces commander would come and go but the institution of the Nige-

representatives of security outfits and private guards companies in Akure.

Yakubu, who said there was need to curb the excessive activities of illegal private security guards in the state added that the action is to rid the state of swindlers.

“You all know the law that any private security agency in the state should register by passing the legislative act of the NSCDC. “Anyone that operate illegally shall be prosecuted and fined before taken to the court of law”, he said.

He called on private security outfits in the state to redouble their efforts and improve on the welfare of their personnel in order to boost their morale.

He reinstated the commitment of the command to continually provide training for private security guards in the state.

Reader machine suit: Court joins Buhari, APC, PDP, as respondents

Idu Jude Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Federal Capital Territory

Administration (FCTA), has announced December 2015, as the deadline for the kick- off of rail

Andrew Orolua

ria Armed Forces would remain.

Once we can distinguish between the person and the office, the institutions and the player, we may not have crisis.

“I believe that the forthcoming election, with all the tension that people are raising, with all the speculation that Nigeria would have crisis, to me, I have seen all these before and the God that cre-

Oshiomhole

ated this country would ensure that after all the fog, the weather would be clear. Nigeria would stay”, he said.

Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, on Monday, joined the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the APC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Incorporated Trustees for Fiscal and Civil Enlightenment Foundation, as corespondents in a suit seeking to stop the use of card reader machines during the March 28 and April 11 general election.

The new co-respondents

will work, although separately, with Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), who were the original respondents to the suit filed by Society for Advancement and Protection of Public Rights.

The order was granted by the presiding judge, Justice Abdul Kafaranti, following applications from Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Dr. I. A. Adedipe (SAN), and M. S. Ibrahim, who announced appearances for Gen. Buhari, APC, PDP and Incorporated Trustees for Fiscal and Civil Enlightenment

Foundation respectively.

The counsel, in their respective oral addresses, stated that they wanted to be joined as interested parties as the decision of the court will affect them.

The plaintiff ’s counsel Osita Nnadi (SAN), and the other two respondents’ counsel Ameachi Ikpeazu (SAN) for INEC and N. S. Olusola, who appeared for the AGF, did not oppose the applications.

In granting the joinder’s applications, Justice Kafaranti ordered the plaintiff to amend the originating summons to reflect the four new parties as co-respondents.

transportation in Abuja and its readiness to give the city a facelift to meet up with international standards.

This was disclosed by the Head of Public Relations, Transport Sec-

retariat of the Ministry of the FCT, Barrister Ifeanyi Ughamadu, in an exclusive interview with Daily Times.

Barrister Ughamadu, said that the lots 1A and three rail projects in

the FCT, covers a total of 45.2545km and is about 59 per cent completed.

According to him, the FCT administration, is however facing some challenges which will soon be a thing of the past.

Abuja

ÏÏÏA

News 10

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, Feburary 24, 2015

Group wants health screening of Oyo guber candidates

ÏÏÏSocio-cultural organisation,

Oyo Patriotic Front, has called on the three leading candidates for the April 11 governorship election in the state to submit themselves for health checks so as to determine their fitness.

Specifically, the group challenged Senator Abiola Ajimobi, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Rashidi Ladoja of Accord and Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala of Labour Party to submit themselves to a group of medical experts before the election.

In a statement issued in Ibadan on Monday, by its chairman, Chief Jare Adepoju, it said that the experts should include consultant cardiologists, psychiatrists, neu-

rologists and ophthalmologists, among others from the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

According to the group, this became necessary in view of the daunting challenges required by the Office of the Governor in the successful running of the affairs of the state.

It said that this ought to be a constitutional provision that would guard against the emergence of political office holders with debilitating health challenges that might hinder the effective performance of their responsibilities.

For instance, it said it had it on good authority that “Ajimobi is a workaholic who stays till late in the night, on a daily basis with-

out showing any visible sign of stress”, but insisted that this was not an indication of a clean bill of health.

It, therefore, said that the governor should also undergo medical examination to determine his state of health, having functioned in the office of the governor, with its attendant tasking responsibilities for almost four years.

According to the front, it heard from a source close to Ladoja that the Accord Party candidate was diagnosed with a terminal ailment a couple of years back and recently went to the United Kingdom because of his health challenge, a situation which the group said might make it difficult for him to perform optimally in

All Progressives Congress (APC), gubernatorial candidate for Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (right) exchanging pleasantries with Senior citizens and pensioners during an interactive session at the Blue Roof, Agindigbi, Ikeja… on Monday

office.

For Alao-Akala, it said that at the risk of concluding that he is medically unfit, the former governor’s physical appearance at campaign grounds suggested that he was battling serious ailments, as exemplified by his ever swollen legs.

Besides, the group also observed that the Labour Party candidate appeared to have difficulty in breathing, throughout a recent live governorship debate organised by a private radio station in Ibadan. ``This is a patriotic call by concerned citizens of Oyo State and should not be misconstrued as an attempt to rubbish any of the candidates or diminish their status,

having ruled the state before. ``The social and economic challenges confronting the country require leaders with physical and mental capabilities and Oyo State cannot afford to lag behind in the quest to bring development and put the economy on a sound footing.

Imo PPA guber candidate promises 250, 000 jobs

Regulatory body to sanction debtor freight forwarders

Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

ÏÏÏThe governorship candidate

of the Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA) in Imo State, Mazi Eninnaya Amadikwa has promised to create 250,000 jobs within 24 months in office, if elected as the next governor.

Amadikwa also promised to build 27 factories, with one in each of the 27 local government areas of the state that would be energy-sufficient.

The PPA governorship candidate, who stated these in Abuja on Monday, also assured the people of the state that he would turn it into an industrial hub of the South Eastern part of the country.

Union urges INEC to stick to schedule

Delta FRSC convicts 45 traffic offenders

Eberechi Obinagwam

Monday Osayande

ÏÏÏThe National Union of

Textile, Garment, Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, (NUTGTWN), has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stick to the scheduled timetable for the general election and avoid partiality.

Secretary General of NUTGTWN, Issa Aremu, speaking at the one-day interactive session organised by the union, in conjuction with INEC, said, that he had no doubt that the coming election slated for March, 28, will be free and fair, but stressed that INEC must be independent and stick to

the timetable.

Speaking also on the occasion, INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who was represented by Abubakar Momor, assured Nigerians that the forthcoming election would be the most credible election because Jega, according to him, had vowed to be patriotic in discharging his duties.

Speaking further, he said, there was no going back on the Permanent Voter’s Card distribution because Jega had insisted on it.

He also told the crowd that the PVC is an authentic one that cannot be stolen, adding that the stolen PVC has been returned back to INEC, as it was useless for them.

Asaba

ÏÏÏDelta

State command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC) has said that of the 47 traffic offenders arraigned before the mobile court last year, 45 of them were convicted.

Sector Commander, Mr. Rindom Kumven, who disclosed this to Daily Times in Asaba on Monday, said one of the offenders was, however, discharged and acquitted for lack of evidence, while the others were remanded in prison custody.

Kumven added that they were prosecuted at the mobile court sit-

ting in Asaba, for various traffic offences including overloading, dangerous driving, non-usage of seat belts, number plate, caution sign and worn-out tyre violations.

He said, despite these, road crashes had reduced, tremendously, in the state, with only six cases recorded last year.

The Sector Commander pointed out that of the six road crashes, two were fatal with loss of lives, while others had injuries of various degrees. On the issue of driver’s licence, Kuvmen cautioned Nigerians to take time to go through all the processes of obtaining it, saying “anything good does not come easily”.

Ajimobi

Funmi Coker

ÏÏÏThe Registrar of

the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Sir Mike Jukwe, has said that the council might deregister any freight forwarder or freight forwarding association, that fails to pay its practising or subscription fee.

The Registrar disclosed this at a press conference tagged ‘Freight Forwarding Reforms’ at the council’s secretariat in Apapa, Lagos.

He said, “I am assuring you that they will pay because if the monies are not paid, there are sanctions and we will apply the sanctions accordingly.

“Part of the sanctions is to deregister anyone who doesn’t pay what he is supposed to pay to the council. We can also come up with other sanctions which may be not having some of the benefit they are entitled to such as the group insurance scheme.

You will not be part of the pension scheme if you are not paying the statutory fee.”

Jukwe said CRFFN was not the only regulatory body asking its members to pay statutory fees but that payment of the fee would make the members of the council loyal to its cause.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

11 News

Don lists panacea to insecurity

Ekiti police arrest 110 escapee inmates, 30 robbery suspects

Freddie Adamgbe

Gbenga Sodeinde

Makurdi

Ado Ekiti

Following new strategies ÏÏÏDeputy Vice Chancellor, Ad- ÏÏÏ put in place to shore-up security ministration, of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Prof Nicholas Akise Adah, has stated that injustice and the widening gaps between the rich and the poor are the major causes of insecurity in the society.

Prof Adah, who said this recently in Makurdi while recieving a Merit Award for Peace from the National Peace Summit Group, observed that a focus on the school system to discuss and promote peace would guarantee security. He added that educated people are more likely to contribute better on the issue of security.

The former dean of Students Affairs of the university linked school drop outs to one of the causes of insecurity, and applauded the intervention of government on youth empowerment, through the appointments of Special Assistants, among others, saying it has enabled them to settle down.

INEC to sensitise public on card reader machines Freddie Adamgbe Makurdi

ÏÏÏThe

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benue State has said that it has concluded arrangements for a special sensitisation of the electorate on the need for them to collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) before the March 28 and April 11, 2015 general election.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof Istafanus Dafwang, who disclosed this while briefing stakeholders on the level of preparedness of the commission towards the forthcoming polls, noted that the commission has outlined public places such as markets, to demonstrate how effective the Card Reader machines work.

Prof Dafwang assured the stakeholders that INEC has put in place improved measures to forestall rigging and other related electoral malpractices. He called for the cooperation and support of all to conduct free, fair, credible and violence free election.

in Ekiti State, the state’s Police Command has arrested over 30 suspected armed robbers and 110 escapees from the Ekiti State Prisons since the beginning of the year.

A statement in Ado Ekiti on Monday by the command’s Police Commissioner, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, said the police has set up various structures that have

given room for constant patrols and clampdown on hideouts of criminals.

Lakanu, in the statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Albert Adeyemi, added that the resultant effects of the new efforts gave rise to the high level of arrests of suspected criminals and escapee inmates.

He commended the state government and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, for donating patrol vans to the cops, saying it has helped in stemming the tides of robbery and oth-

er associated crimes in the state.

The CP added that the command would make its hotlines available to all residents in the state, which they can call while in distress. He revealed that this forms parts of the strategies put in place to rid the state of crime.

The Police boss added that security patrol operations have been intensified in some satellite towns within Ado Ekiti metropolis and some remote areas that are not motorable by road, to complement the 24-hour patrol on highways and inner cities by his men.

He said: “We are determined to tackle crime and criminality headlong in the state. We have put in place many strategies, which include ensuring that the residents arm themselves with the CP’s phone numbers and that of other personnel to enable quick reach when in distress.

“All these techniques have resulted in various arrests of armed robbers, burglars and other miscreants, and the police cells are brimming to the seams with the number of the arrests so far made,” he said.

Ag gov: Ex-rep faults Aliyu’s choice Saka Bolaji Minna

ÏÏÏFormer

A cross section of Committee for the Defense of Human-Rights (CDHR) Ogun State Chapter during their protest on Scarcity of Permanent Voter’s Card at Kuto, Abeokuta Ogun State… on Monday PHOTO: DAVID IDOWU

Shonekan calls for unity in Nigeria Yakubu Salisu

ÏÏÏFormer

interim Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan, on Monday during the commissioning of a newly completed city built by the Kwankwaso administration in Kano, called for unity in Nigeria.

The Bandarawo city, which is one of the three new cities, also received important dignitaries during its commissioning, just as former head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Gen. T. Y. Danjuma commissioned the Kwankwasiya and Amana cities, respectively.

Also present at the occasion was the Emir of Kano, Alh. Muhammad Sanusi II (represented), who sent his well wishes to the governor and the entire people of the state.

In his remarks, Shonekan said Kwankwaso is worthy of emulation by every governor who has the interests and wellbeing of his

people and state at heart. He said he has followed closely all the achievements of the governor since the past three years.

According to him, inviting him (Shonekan) a non-indigene of the state, as well as Danjuma and Gowon, is a clear indication that we are one and that Kwankwaso is among those who promote the oneness of Nigeria, despite our differences in ethnicity and religious backgrounds.

He said such practice must be encouraged at all levels. “For any meaningful development to be achieved Nigerians must learn to be brothers and sisters, no matter the situation, as the only force or strength of the country’s existence is unity.

He added that “it is an honor to be part of celebration of achievement, and not the other way round, and urged the people of the state to continue to support their governor for better things

Shonekan

to come.

In his speech, Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso said his government deemed it necessary to build more new cities in order to decongest the ancient city of Kano of its over populated inhabitants. He said the new cities have over 2,000 houses in them, with modern facilities, as well as schools, police stations, markets, fire service, sporting arenas, amusement parks, as well as a China town in one of the cities.

two term chief whip of the House of Representatives, Abubakar Bawa Bwari, has said the Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has committed an impeachable offence for handing over the reins of leadership to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, instead of his Deputy, Ahmed Musa Ibeto.

Faulting Governor Aliyu’s action, Bwari, who was the chief whip of the House Representatives from 1999 to 2007, in a signed press statement made available to the Press, said the action contravenes Section 190 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He said: “Section 190 of the Constitution clearly states that in the event that a governor is not available to perform his functions, the power to act in his stead automatically rests on the deputy governor of that state.

“The section clearly sets down the processes which, in sum, directs the governor to transmit a letter to the Speaker of the state House that he would not be available for a specified period of time. And immediately such a letter is received by the Speaker, the deputy governor automatically assumes responsibilities, until the governor transmits another letter to the Speaker that he was available and ready to resume his duties.

Africa 12

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Liberia lifts Ebola curfew, reopens borders ÏÏÏA Liberian health ministry

official had said that the country will continue to observe all Ebola preventive protocols and regulations until it achieves “zero infections.”

This came as President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Sunday ordered the lifting of the nationwide Ebola curfew put in place in August to prevent the further spread of the virus.

Sirleaf also ordered the opening of the country’s borders with its West African neighbors.

Tolbert Nyenswah, the assistant minister of health for preventive services and head of the country’s Ebola response, said Liberia is returning to a more normal state in light of the recent decline in the number of Ebola cases and the reopening of schools.

“We are seeing some light after the massive Ebola crisis here.

Things are improving. And so, the economy of the country has to restart, the president has lifted the curfew, and kids have to go back to school. And so, these are all activities that indicate [we’re] moving toward normality,” he said.

Nyenswah said that if Liberia is reporting even a single case of Ebola per day, that means the disease is still in the country.

African youths urge EU to lift travel ban on Mugabe Mathew Dadiya

ÏÏÏA

group, West African Youths, has called on the European Union to lift the travel ban sanction imposed on Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe ad his wife, Grace, to enable him to explore new development frontiers for Zimbabwe, which would also add to the development indices of the African continent.

The group, in a communiqué jointly signed by its Global President, Baruga Abdullahi and Ibrahim Dunni Ericson-Aminu, Director Mobilization and Diaspora Affairs and made available to Daily Times at the weekend, stated that they were equally concerned on the political situation in The Gambia and the forthcoming general elections in

But, he added that unlike in the past, there has been a significant improvement in the response to new cases.

“Every single case that is reported in Liberia now is on the contact list. In the past 21 days, we’ve seen only 14 Ebola cases as compared to 70 to 100 cases in the month of August.

Our team is robust in the response together with our international partners, including the US government. So, we are optimistic we will get to zero [cases] soon,” Nyenswah said.

Sirleaf also ordered the opening of Liberia’s borders, even as neighboring countries like Sierra Leone continue to report moderate to high infections.

“Our county health teams in Liberia are more vigilant with cross-border surveillance. All of our border counties have been freed of Ebola either in the last 35 to 42 days, including Grand Cape Mounty, Gbarpolu, Lofa, and Nimba. These counties bordering Sierra Leone and Guinea have been Ebola free over 42 days now,” Nyenswah said.

Liberian schools reopened February 16 after they had been shut down since last year.

Nigeria.

They appealed to EU to use the occasion of Mugabe’s 91st birthday by lifting all sanctions and travel ban against him, stating “as long as the AU Chairman remains under sanctions, our relations will remain poisoned and unproductive with EU and the West.”

“We are equally concerned on the travel ban on President Robert Mugabe by EU, although the recent financial aid to Zimbabwe to encourage political reform has gradually eased biting sanctions on Zimbabwe.”

Since imposing sanctions in 2002 over electoral fraud and human rights abuses, the EU has eased measures to encourage political reform in Zimbabwe, but it has renewed its ban on Mugabe and his wife Grace, as well as an arms embargo just as he marked his 91st birthday.

Meanwhile, the group also advised that “the way forward for the President and the patriotic people of The Gambia Republic is to ensure unity of purpose.

Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, speaking on the progress made on the Ebola Virus disease

Nyenswah said the government has been distributing Ebola prevention materials to thousands of schools across the country.

“We delivered Ebola prevention materials to 4,000-plus schools in Liberia covering about one-million school-going

children. These materials include temperature check devices, chlorine, and hand-washing equipment like buckets. We continue to carry on assessment to make sure that the rest of the schools in Liberia get those materials,” Nyenswah said.

Protest as trial of Gbagbo’s wife begins

ber 2010.

The defeated regime allegedly used brutal militias to attack supporters of the declared winner of the poll, Alassane Ouattara, but some of his backers are equally accused of atrocities, at a total cost of more than 3 000 lives.

The Gbagbos were arrested in April 2011, with Simone taken into custody in the north of the west African country while her husband was eventually turned over to the ICC. The Ivorian judiciary has adamantly ignored calls for Simone Gbagbo to be transferred to The Hague as well, insisting that the onetime “Iron Lady” and other key players should be tried in their homeland.

Gbagbo, 65, had still not made her appearance in court by early afternoon. “We are here for justice to be done. We expect [Simone Gbagbo] to ask for forgiveness. We refuse to believe that she did nothing,” Fanta Soumahoro, a woman who described herself as the niece of a victim in her 40s, told AFP outside the court.

ÏÏÏ

Ivory Coast’s former first lady, Simone Gbagbo, was due to appear in court on Monday to answer to a charge of undermining state security in a high-profile trial that led to scuffles outside the courtroom.

Police moved in to separate opponents of Gbagbo, who yelled “Murderers!”, referring to postelectoral bloodshed in 2010-11, that led to charges against her and 82 fellow defendants, while supporters, shouted back “Liars”.

The wife of former president Laurent Gbagbo, who faces trial in July for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, is accused, along with other figures in his regime, of roles in violence that broke out in Abidjan when he refused to admit defeat in a presidential election in Decem-

Egypt shuts Yemeni Embassy ÏÏÏEgypt shut its embassy in

Sanaa and recalled all its staff on Monday due to deteriorating security, state media said, joining a diplomatic exodus since Shiite militia seized the Yemeni capital.

Long on the front line of the US war against al-Qaeda, Yemen has descended into chaos since the Shiite Huthi militia swept into Sanaa from their mountainous northern stronghold last year.

“The Egyptian diplomatic mission in Sanaa headed by Ambassador Youssef al-Sharqawi returned to Cairo on Monday due to the bad security situation in Yemen,” the official MENA news agency reported.

“The Egyptian embassy in Sanaa was closed after the departure of the mission,” it added.

The Huthis overran Sanaa in September and installed a “presidential council” last month in a move widely condemned as a “coup”.

Since then, Saudi Arabia, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Japan and Turkey have all shut their embassies in Sanaa.

S’Sudan peace mediator shows frustrations in talks ÏÏÏThe

Ethiopian mediator of the South Sudan peace talks has said he is distressed by the violation of a truce signed earlier this month.

Seyoum Mesfin of the regional bloc known as IGAD spoke during the resumption of peace talks in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, amid reports of continuing sporadic violence in South Sudan.

He said a monitoring and evaluation team from the regional body has confirmed the violation of the agreement signed on 1 February by South Sudan President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar.

Both sides have accused each other of violating multiple agreements which have failed to end the violence which erupted in the world’s newest nation in December 2013.

Mediators are urging both sides to reach a decisive peace agreement by 5 March.

Kiir

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Thai activists convicted of insulting monarch

Patiwat Saraiyaem (C) and Pornthip Munkong (not pictured) have been in custody since their arrest in 2013

ÏÏÏA court in Thailand on Monday sentenced two theatre activists charged with insulting Thailand’s monarchy to two and a half years in prison each.

The pair was involved in pro-

ducing a play called “The Wolf Bride” about a fictional monarch and his adviser. It was performed at Bangkok’s Thammasat University in 2013 to mark the anniversary of a successful 1973 anti-dicta-

torship uprising led by students.

Thailand’s lese majeste law is the world’s harshest, carrying a punishment of three to 15 years in jail for anyone who defames, insults, or threatens the monarchy.

Anyone can file a lese majeste complaint with police, and the charge has frequently been used as a weapon to harass political enemies. In this case, a group calling itself the Royal Monarch Alert Protection Network filed the complaint.

The pair, a university student and a recent graduate who are both in their 20s, had been in jail since last August and their bail requests were repeatedly turned down by a Bangkok court. Both had pleaded guilty, a common practice in lese majeste cases, in December. In announcing the verdict, a Bangkok Criminal Court judge said the play contained content that insulted and defamed the monarchy and was shown in front of a large number of spectators.

Pawinee Chumsri, the pair’s lawyer, told reporters the pair was not likely to appeal.

The military-installed government that seized power from an elected administration in last May’s coup has made defending the monarchy a priority in an effort to ensure stability toward the end of 87-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s reign.

Ebola: N’Korea bans foreigners from marathon ÏÏÏNorth Korea has barred for-

eign runners from participating in an international marathon scheduled to be held in the capital in April, citing fears about the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, a Beijing-based travel agency said on Monday.

North Korea is thousands of miles from the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and has reported no cases of the virus, which has killed more than

9 000 people.

Nonetheless, its borders have remained closed to foreign tourists since last October, for fear the virus might spread, and it imposes a strict 21-day quarantine for foreign aid workers and diplomats, who have been told to stay in embassy compounds.

“Our North Korean partners in Pyongyang contacted us this morning with news that the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon has - as of

today - been closed to amateur and professional foreign runners,” Nick Bonner, director of Koryo Tours, told Reuters in an emailed statement.

Pyongyang, the isolated and secretive country’s capital, has held an international marathon most years since 1981 but last year was the first time foreigners had been allowed to compete.

“We were told that this is due to the ongoing precautions that the

country has put in place in relation to fears held there over the Ebola virus,” said Bonner. He said his group had expected to take up to 500 tourists to North Korea this year.

“It is still unclear when the borders will be reopened, but we were also advised not to cancel our March tours, and to expect an update on the border situation at the end of February,” said Bonner.

France deploys aircraft carrier in Gulf for IS fight ÏÏÏFrance deployed an aircraft

carrier in the Gulf on Monday as part of the US-led military campaign against the Islamic State jihadist group in Iraq, a defence ministry official said.

“The integration of the Charles de Gaulle in the operation... (in Iraq) begins this morning,” a member of Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian’s staff

told AFP as his entourage made its way to the carrier.

The first Rafale fighter jet took off in the morning from the Charles de Gaulle as it sailed about 200 kilometres off the coast north of Bahrain in the direction of Iraq.

The warship’s deployment will cut in half the time it takes for the planes to reach Iraq for

strikes against IS from their base in the United Arab Emirates.

France launched Operation Chammal in support of the USled coalition against IS in September.

It has nine Rafale and six Mirage fighters operating in Iraq from bases in Jordan and the UAE, along with a maritime patrol and a refuelling aircraft.

Hollande

13 World 10 burnt to death in Pakistan bus crash ÏÏÏAt

least 10 people burnt to death and nine others were injured when a passenger van overturned and caught fire in southern Pakistan, officials said on Monday.

The accident took place overnight in the southern town of Noori Abad, around 100km northeast of Karachi.

“At least 10 people were killed in the accident, seven bodies were burnt so badly that they could not be identified,” senior police official Naeem Shaikh told AFP. “Three women, two children and four men were wounded, while, three passengers remained unharmed.”

The van was overloaded and veered off the road after suffering a burst tyre, he said.

Pakistan has an appalling record of fatal traffic accidents due to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.

Last month, 62 people including women and children were killed in southern Pakistan when their bus collided with an oil tanker, starting a fierce blaze which left victims burnt beyond recognition.

Syria: 1, 600 killed in US-led strikes over five months ÏÏÏ US-led air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria have killed more than 1, 600 people, mainly jihadists, since they began five months ago, a monitor said on Monday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said almost all of those killed were jihadists from ISIS and al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate al-Nusra Front, though it also documented the deaths of 62 civilians.

The Britain-based monitor said the strikes that began on 23 September had killed 1 465 members of the Islamic State group, most of them non-Syrians.

Another 73 fighters from alNusra Front were killed, along with a man from a rebel group being held prisoner by ISIS in the group’s de facto capital Raqa.

Washington and a small coalition of Arab countries began strikes against ISIS in Syria last year, expanding US-led operations with a broader coalition already underway against ISIS in Iraq.

ISIS emerged in Syria in 2013, growing from al-Qaeda’s former Iraqi affiliate.

Opinion 14

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

When society and politics go insane “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies.” —Groucho Marx

T

Akintokunbo Adejumo

he insanity is palpable the moment you step out of the airports, be it Abuja or Lagos or Port Harcourt. It smacks you right in the face, oppressive and dominating, even causing fear because you don’t know when it will explode into violence.

Even if you are apolitical and neutral, you have that feeling that it is better not to utter a sound in favour of any political party or candidate. Because the Federal Government owns the airports, the likelihood is that you will only see political campaign posters and other adverts of the incumbent president, and none of the opposition.

This intolerance is of course replicated in the states, irrespective of the ruling party. The states are even worse; some governors either subtly or openly direct their state-owned radio and television stations not to accept or broadcast or publish opposition campaign adverts and jingles.

So, on my way to Lagos metropolisb from Muritala Muhammed Airport, I noticed that many BRT buses (owned by the Lagos State Government) had Akinwunmi Ambode’s (the ruling APC gu-

bernatorial candidate) campaign posters. I did not see any for Jimi Agbaje of the PDP and others, I asked myself if Jimi Agbaje and the other contestants didn’t approach the management of BRT to pay for and use the buses to also run their campaigns. Were they refused? If they were, does that not show that the government of Lagos State, is intolerant, undemocratic and partial?

Did the Government of Lagos State buy those buses with taxpayers money or the funds of the APC? I later read that Jimi Agbaje alleged that his posters (that a private advertising agency placed on poles on the Highways and bridges built by the Federal Government were pulled down

by Lagos State Signage Agency (LASSA) and that that all attempts to get the permits to place these posters were rebuffed! The agency has not denied this story.

Again this is replicated in all the states of the Federation.

It is the season of insanity and insensitivity, selfishness and greed. In most states of the federation, the civil servants have not been paid salaries, some for up to six months. Yet, there is billions of naira being spent by politicians and governors seeking second terms, or departing ones seeking

to install their proxies.

Can we relate to this? And yet, the unpaid civil servants and teachers, who have their own financial needs to take care of their families, have not taken to the streets, but are instead praying hard for a better governor or better Nigeria, without wanting to lift a finger.

Perhaps they are just being patient and hoping to exercise their voting rights and seek revenge on the governors who are not paying their salaries.

There is hardly any secondterm seeking governor, senator, Member of the House (federal or state) that is using his/her own money or even donations from the public to fund their election or re-election campaigns. They are using state funds.

Of course, we have passed the crazy height of the carpet crossing and defection from one party to the other.

Politicians all over the world are certified insane, but Nigerian politicians are even more insane, and this should be of concern to us, because they are more dangerous, murderous and absurd than their counterparts’ elsewhere.

They are simply there for the money and power. Nothing else!

And they do not care how they get there; how many dead bodies

are left in their wake; how many lives they ruin on their way up; how many lies they tell to the people; how many fake promises they make; how they tread on the Constitution, etc.

Posters, fliers and billboards everywhere; some obscuring traffic! You wonder how these people get the money for these political adverts, while the public goes hungry and desolate.

For over six months now, governments all over the federation and governance have shut down.

Maybe that’s the rationale for not paying the civil servants; after all they are not doing anything in the ministries. Governors seeking for re-election do not even bother to call weekly executive council meetings. How could they, when they are on the campaign trail, distributing money, wasting resources?

Politics in Nigeria often bring out the worst and the primordial in us. The people are intolerant of each other’s political convictions for one reason or the other – tribal, religious, self-interest and selfishness. If you are making money or deriving some favour from one political candidate or party, then of course, you never see their flaws and sins, despite the obvious lapses, poor governance or lack of sincerity.

The cost of a truncated democratic process

A

Japheth Omojuwa

lot has been said about Nigeria’s ability to bounce back from every adversity. We have survived tough times over the last half-century. We went through the Western Nigeria political crisis of the early 60s; through a bloody civil war, survived countless coups, ethnic and religious crisis, election-related violence and several colours of violence over the years. Through it all, we are still here; learning the ropes and tenets of democracy and looking to survive the times. 2015 brings us to yet another critical point.

The 2015 elections will determine the future of this country in more ways than one. Those muting and testing the public reception to a possible Interim National Government (ING) would be asking too much of our people’s patience.

There is no reason whatsoever for

such an undemocratic end to what is an upgrade on our democratic process over the last 15 years or so. What is the point of an ING if we are already going to the polls to elect our president? Two things are possible; Nigerians either re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan or elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

An ING is an indication of chaos and confusion; it should never have been part of the conversation and it must be stated, it is not an option.

Mind you, an ING headed by a civilian would not mean the process has not been truncated. It does not have to be a military officer at the helm for it to be considered an affront on the people’s democratic rights. Let us not cloud a clear sky; our people are willing and ready to vote, the politicians and, increasingly, the military must let them.

Anything short of making their votes count will plunge this nation into the worst violence unimaginable since the beginning of the

civil war.

If anyone or group attempts to subvert the will of the Nigerian people through election rigging or an illegal ING, the people will arise against such injustice. This is avoidable; as all we all need to do is let the will of the people prevail.

It prevailed in April 2010 when Nigerians rose in their numbers to have the National Assembly make the then vice president, Goodluck Jonathan to become the acting president, in the wake of late President Yar’Adua’s illness. Desperation on the part of those who want to cling to power could be their greatest undoing if they employ means other than the democratic process to achieve the same.

This government expended all that is left in its already depleted bank of credibility when it postponed the presidential elections to the 28th of March. No further postponement would be tolerated without being considered an attempt to provoke the Nigerian

people to go on rampage.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has its work cut out. The Nigerian military couldn’t have been deaf to the mentions of “coup” in the wake of their telling role in the earlier postponement. If what happened on February 7– the military induced postponement – happens ag ain, it would be considered a coup.

That would open up the possibility of International intervention and would subject Nigeria to the possible control of foreign elements.

We don’t need that but that future remains in our hands except we want to travel through the road Iraq, Syria, Libya and the likes are travelling through right now. We must do the right thing.

The Nigerian people must stay vigilant. This is not the time to trust the politicians or even the government to do the right thing; this is the time we must ensure they do the right thing and see that the right thing has been done.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

15 Opinion

2015 Elections: Marching to success

T

Fr. Amobi Chukwuma

here are 12 months in the Lunar Calendar. In other words, the world has twelve children namely January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. The most senior is January, while the most junior is December. The first eight children are females while the ember months are males.

Fortunately, the month of April is a fool; but she is a good fool. There are two types of fools: wise fools and unwise fools. I was born on 1st April. Indeed I consider myself a wise fool. Foolishness can be positive or negative. The Holy Bible makes it explicit that the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom (1 Cor. 1:25). The Greeks believe that it is a foolish act for God to allow his only Son to die on the cross.

Furthermore, all these months are complete except February.

Therefore, if you were born in the month of February then you are an incomplete man or woman. If I am wrong, prove your case in the High Court. Those born on 29 February celebrate their birthday

every other year. In this year 2015 the month of February ends on 28th. Hence, there is no birthday celebration for those born on the 29th. It is a pity!

In my last article I dealt on the Theory of Postponement as it concerns the 2015 Elections.

The Presidential and National Assembly elections were fixed on 14 February 2015, while the gubernatorial and state House of Assembly elections were billed to hold on 28 February. But due to certain reasons the elections were postponed till 28 March and 11 April 2015, respectively. One of the reasons is the insecurity situation in the country as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast. Secondly, about 34 percent of eligible voters have not received their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC). If the elections were allowed to hold, many Nigerians would be disenfranchised. Consequently, they would have suffered from the cancer of disenfranchisement.

Thirdly, the Independent National Electoral Commission had the problem of logistics. Everything necessary for the conduct of free, fair and credible election was not ready. A hazard election is dangerous. It is better not to be

done than done.

Another cogent reason hinged on the fact that the month of February is an incomplete month.

Because of the insurgency in the country, it would have been difficult to conduct elections in those areas and this would have led to inclusive elections. Since the month of February is incomplete, the elections might not have been completed. Therefore, incompleteness would have given rise to inclusiveness. An inconclusive election can never be successful.

Before the end of 2014, faithful Nigerians of different religions have already begun praying for successful elections in 2015. God is the highest electoral officer.

Without Him nothing can work.

This is because if God does not watch over the city, the efforts of watchmen are in vain. Those keeping watch during the day or night must call on God’s assistance. There was a story of a night watchman who was arrogant and boastful. He depended on occult powers. For him, God is not important. One night his occult power failed him. The armed robbers attacked the factory where he was working as a guard in Enugu. He was deep asleep by then. The robbers just bundled

him into an empty rice bag and tied the mouth of the bag. Those men carried him from Enugu and dropped him beside River Niger in Onitsha. He continued sleeping inside the bag until his breath choked him. A fisherman came to his rescue and untied the bag of man. He jumped up and shouted, “Where am I? How did I come here? Thank you, Mr. Fisherman for rescuing me. God, you are the most powerful God!” From that day, the Church became his first home.

God heard the prayers of Nigerians and caused the elections to be postponed. God does things at his own time and pace. The elections would not have been successful if done in February as scheduled. Those crying wolf for the postponement should shout for joy. The postponement is for good. Why are we always in haste? A bachelor who is making an inordinate haste to get a wife today or tomorrow, with whom was he living before now? I foresee that the postponed elections will be successful. Fortunately we are marching into the month of March. We are really marching to victory in the elections. In the Name of Jesus Christ we shall succeed.

INEC: Card reader and the voters

I

Nwokedi Nworisara

am one of the biggest supporters of the INEC new innovation,the Card Reader. In any case this is what makes sense of the huge government investments in the PVC. The Card Reader verifies immediately who indeed is carrying the card even when the faces look the same or when names are duplicated. I cannot wait to experience this giant leap of democracy in Nigeria. A fortnight ago I registered my complaint that considering the nearness of the elections then scheduled for February 14, and having then been unable to obtain my PVC that I would consider voting with my TVC. It seemed to sound like a joke then.

As you know the elections was rescheduled for March 28,2015.

Six additional weeks to enable me get my TVC was good enough I thought. Even though there is still another two weeks as I write to the election I am now getting a bit worried because I am yet to lay hands on my TVC. I have made efforts to locate it online and was directed to a primary school. On enquiries it was con-

cluded that the cards were yet to arrive. Later on we got hints that they have arrived but nowhere to be seen. Yet some people have collected theirs.

The irony is that INEC records my card as having been supplied and “maybe” collected since the percentage of collection for my area keeps shooting up by the day.

All that mix up did not worry me at first. I had implicit confidence on the Card reader. But now I am not so sure again. I began to lose confidence when I start hearing rumours of massive card purchases. There are all around whispers of political parties interests contacting people in similar situation to help them make up their mind who hey will be voting for before helping to locate their cards. Well, I told my self that is fair enough campaign strategy. But, why would people hoard cards belonging to others or indeed if you are not voting for their party what happens to your card with them? Well once again I would perish these thoughts because of the Card Reader.

Yes the card reader cannot allow them to vote with my card but who is going to stop them? It

was at this point I began to panic.

Why not also introduce the card reader at the point of collection of these cards too. Yes that would be a way to ensure that these cards get into the right hands. Is INEC listening? You can imagine the effect of such a simple step.

Those Emirs or Chiefs or rather party big whigs that I now have to go to their houses to check my cards will end up collecting only their own cards and no more.

You may surmise that the above idea is coming very late in the day. I am thinking in this way too. But then what other help will the Card Reader render to us during the elections? I kept ruminating over and over. Let me concentrate my efforts now in fighting to obtain my PVC. There is still time for me to get a green light where my card is but if it does not happen,then armed with my TVC once again I do intend to stay at the polling booth to see who will come forward to vote with my PVC. Such abnormality could be dangerous indeed going by the rising specter of geo- political violence in certain parts of the country.

Would one risk his skin just to

discover who comes to a machine to vote in his name? Can any one raise a protest if and when the strange machine blanks out just when the fingerprints are to be read? Is it not a Nigerian that will give a nod that the fingerprints match or not? If the card reader operator’s life is at stake would he not swear that the other man is the real holder while I am something else?

Little wonder there persists a near deliberate attempt by political interests to reduce each geographical zone to some homogeneous voting block? So not even the machine will complain if all the handlers are in agreement. That must be the sense in razing down opposing party offices and billboards and sending terror messages that some people should not come out to vote!

I may need to change my plans a bit now. The card reader cannot protect any one or me if it does not ensure that the real owners of these cards possess it. The big investment in the PVC may have missed its target. It is still mass disenfranchisement despite rising ” collection” reported by INEC.

16

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Politics

Oba of Benin

Anxiety in Benin palace over Jonathan, Buhari

17

s Ahead of next month’s election, there is intrigue, tension and in-house fighting in Benin Kingdom over endorsement of a Presidential candidate.

TITUS AKHIGBE reports.

It’s no longer news that the General elections had been rescheduled for March 28 and April 11, 2015 respectively. It is also a known fact that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and Gener-

al Mohammadu Buhari of the opposition All Progressives Congress, (APC) are the main presidential candidates but the tacit endorsement of the latter by a prominent Chief in Benin Kingdom is tearing the state apart.

Trouble started recently when Chief David Edebiri, the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, who doubles as the Chairman of Benin Forum, (BF), a popular socio-political group suddenly declared that the Bi-

nis will not vote for President Jonathan because of alleged marginalization.

Benin Forum is a steering committee put in place by the Benin traditional ruler (Oba of Benin) for the welfare and the development of the Benin Kingdom. Whatever pronouncement from Benin Forum carries so much weight because it is believed to be the wish of the highly respected Oba of Benin.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

PDP’s fall from Olympus in House of Reps The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been in control of the two chambers of the National Assembly since 1999. But, the PDP’s stranglehold on the legislature is about to come to an end as the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) now constitutes the majority in the House of Representatives. HENRY OMUNU & AUGUSTINE AMINU in this piece looks at the implications of this power shift in the legislature.

Since 1999 when the country reverted to democratic governance after the administration of then Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has controlled executive and legislative branches at the federal level. This has made the PDP the dominant political force in the country for the past 16 years.

Attempts by other parties to break the PDP’s stranglehold on political power have met with little success in the past. But the feel good syndrome of being untouchable or catch me if you can of the PDP in the legislature is about to come to an abrupt and unan-

Ajimobi

“At the last count, following the gale of defections that has hit the PDP, the party now has 153 lawmakers in the House as against the 181 House members in the camp of the APC” ticipated end. With the coming together of some of the opposition parties to form the formidable All Progressives Congress (APC), the fairy tale dominance of the PDP in the National Assembly is being challenged and could be demystified any moment from now.

While the PDP could still boast of having the majority in the Senate, the party cannot understand how it has suddenly gone from being the majority party in the House of Representatives to playing second fiddle to the APC.

Dont trade off your PVC, pro-Ajimobi group urges voters

At the last count, following the gale of defections that has hit the PDP, the party now has 153 lawmakers in the House as against the 181 House members in the camp of the APC. That the APC has been able to record such a political coup within a spate of one year brings home the significance of the quick sand nature of Nigeria’s politics.

Consider this, before the fall in fortunes the PDP had 208 lawmakers in the House. With such an unassailable majority, the PDP had the benefit and privilege of electing who became the speaker of the House, the deputy speaker, including the other principal officers. It was this absolute majority that the PDP enjoyed in the House that led to lawmakers elected on the party’s platform upturning the zoning arrangement of the PDP in the eventual election of Hon. Aminu Tambuwal from Sokoto State as speaker as against a lawmaker from the South-West, where the position had been zoned to.

Hon. Tambuwal became speaker by defeating the anointed canCONTINUED ON PAGE 19

The Re-Elect Ajimobi 2015 Movement has called on all eligible voters in Oyo State, to ensure that they do everything humanly possible to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) before the expiration of the new deadline for collection announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission

Tambuwal

(INEC).

This call, according to the movement in a statement by its spokesman, Lekan Alli, became necessary in view of the ongoing hardships being encountered across the state by prospective voters.

“It is very important that as patriotic citizens, we must all

ensure that those who by their acts of omission or commission wanted to disenfranchise us do not succeed”, the movement said, adding:”the only way out is to persevere and ensure that we overcome all obstacles to collect our PVCs and perform our civic duty by voting candidates and CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Politics 18

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Jonathan vs Buhari: Tension in Benin Kingdom CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

But the unilateral endorsement of the presidential candidate of the APC in the upcoming general election by Edebiri seems to have met a brick wall, as a number of members of the Forum insist that the Esogban of Benin can only speak for himself, household and not the palace.

It was gathered that some members of the embattled forum have already passed a vote of no confidence on Edebiri for his alleged inability to properly manage the affairs of the forum in accordance with its constitution.

There are indications that the Esogban has been asked to step down as Chairman of the forum within 72 hours for misleading the people of Benin Kingdom, contrary to the position and direction of the Benin Monarch.

The deepening crisis came to a head on Tuesday, February, 17, when another prominent Benin Chief, Chief Amos Osunbor, the Eson of Benin kingdom at a press conference countered Edebiri over his earlier declaration that the Binis will not vote for President Jonathan.

According to Osunbor, “I call you here today to speak and correct an erroneous misinformation that was recently peddled by Chief Edebiri, the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, that the Binis will not vote for President Jonathan because of what he (Edebiri) perceived as marginalisation of the Binis.

“My first reaction was to ignore him and the very vexations remarks he made, but I thought otherwise because of the inherent danger that such unguarded statement portends for our people. So, I have decided to call him to order in my capacity as the Eson of Benin kingdom (3rd in hierarchy of chiefs in Benin kingdom), I

wish to stress the fact that Esogban is not the highest ranking chief, rather it is the Iyase of Benin kingdom, who is the Prime Minister,” he added.

Continuing, the Eson of Benin said: “I am speaking from my dignified palace position to call on Chief Edebiri to desist from dragging the honour of the palace and that of the Bini people to murky political waters. He should stop staking the commonwealth of Binis for his personal aspiration. No one else, except the monarch has a right to speak for the Binis.

“I wish to profoundly state categorically that the Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, through our revered Crown Prince Ehenede had already expressed his desire to have President Jonathan serve a second term, to enable him complete the transformation programmes that he has already started”, adding: “Edebiri is a subject of the Oba and the Crown Prince and he cannot be seen or heard to be challenging their authority”.

Interestingly, Edo Youths Organization, an umbrella body of youths in Edo State has warned those criticizing Edebiri to stop or face the risk of being banished from Benin Kingdom. In a terse statement signed by its president, Derick Uhunmwango, the group described the criticisms as unconstructive, while challenging the critics to dispute whether the issues raised by the Esogban of Benin were true or false.

According to Uhunmwango, “Chief Edebiri is one of our respected royal fathers in Benin Kingdom and that is why we pity those criticising his comments because they don’t know the consequences of being banished. How can they say Jonathan will get votes in Edo land when even recently, the wife of one of our brothers, Prof.

Omorogbe, who was Perma-

“It was gathered that some members of the embattled forum have already passed a vote of no confidence on Edebiri for his alleged inability to properly manage the affairs of the forum in accordance with its constitution”

Jonathan

“It was however gathered that the palace hierarchy is not happy with the on-going battle of wits among top chiefs in the kingdom over the endorsement of a presidential candidate”

nent Secretary/Legal Adviser to NNPC was sacked”.

It was however gathered that the palace hierarchy is not happy with the on-going battle of wits among top chiefs in the kingdom over the endorsement of a presidential candidate.

A palace source told this reporter in confidence that the warring chiefs have been warned to desist from dragging the name of the palace into partisan politics, as the Benin

monarch remains a father to the two leading presidential candidates.

Already, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has decided to adopt a siddonlook, as the battle of chiefs in Benin kingdom rages unabated.

The question on the lips of people is: who gets the endorsement of the palace between Jonathan and Buhari? Only time will tell.

“The deepening crisis came to a head on Tuesday, February, 17, when another prominent Benin Chief, Chief Amos Osunbor, the Eson of Benin kingdom at a press conference countered Edebiri over his earlier declaration that the Binis will not vote for President Jonathan”

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

didate of the PDP, Hon. Mulikat Akande, by garnering the support of fellow PDP lawmakers from other geo-political zones as well as securing the mandate of opposition lawmakers.

However, by the last quarter of 2013, specifically on December 18, the PDP dominance of affairs of the House began to fall apart like a pack of cards when 37 lawmakers under the aegis of the new PDP defected to the APC. Based on the numerical advantage of the APC with 175 members, the party only needed six more members to take control of the House leadership.

With its back to the wall, the PDP regrouped and succeeded in wooing back to its fold five defecting lawmakers. This further changed the political configuration in the House in favour of the PDP. Faced with the grim prospect of losing its leadership of the House, PDP lawmakers entered into alliance with other parties and formed the National Unity Group in the House of Representatives. The group was led by Hon. Bitrus Kaze (PDP/ Plateau) and Hon. Pat Asadu (PDP/Enugu).

Then like a thunderbolt from the blue, on October 28, 2014, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal announced his defection from the PDP to the APC. He thereafter adjourned House plenary till December 3, 2014, in a calculated move to stem the brouhaha that would follow his defection.

On November 18, 2014, the House reconvened plenary to consider the request of President Goodluck Jonathan to extend the state of emergency declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Feeling betrayed by Tambuwal, the PDP instituted a legal action against him asking that he vacates his seat as speaker. Subsequently, the government withdrew the security detail attached

19 Politics

House of Reps: Declining fortune of PDP

Ihedioha to the then embattled speaker.

To ensure Hon. Tambuwal doesn’t preside over the House plenary on that fateful day, security men acting on orders from above barricaded the gates of the National Assembly, in an apparent move to prevent Tambuwal, who was accompanied by a large delegation of APC lawmakers from gaining entry into the assembly complex.

But APC lawmakers forced their way into the green chambers after confronting the security men manning the gates. As

a result of the rancour generated by this singular action, Tambuwal again adjourned plenary to December 16, 2014, before the lawmakers proceeded on their Christmas recess.

When the House resumed from recess on January 13, 2015, the gale of defection within the PDP continued as the party lost seven more members to the APC, two members to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and one member each to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) re-

spectively.

Again, on February 17, Speaker Tambuwal announced the defection of six more lawmakers from the PDP to other parties with two of the House members joining the APC. The defecting lawmakers were Hon. Micah Umoh to Accord Party; Hon. Peter Ali to Labour Party; Hon. Chinneye Ike to APGA; Hon. Ibrahim Mohammed Garba to APC, Hon. Chukwuemeka Ogbaru to Labour Party and Hon. Robinson Uwak to the APC. Buoyed by its new found numerical strength, the APC House

caucus resolved to effect a change in the leadership of the House.

The arrow head of this plan was Hon. Suleiman Kawu (APC/ Kano), who raised a point of order relying on Order 6, rule 19 and Order 7, rule 27 respectively, and drew the speaker’s attention to the fact that the APC was now in the majority in the House, arguing further that the party ought to in a position to appoint the principal officers of the House.

Hon. Kawu therefore, requested that the leadership of the House should change to reflect the current reality, asserting that the rules of the House require that only the party with the majority of members can produce leaders of the House; meaning the APC should produce the deputy speaker, House majority leader, deputy House majority leader, the chief whip and the deputy chief whip respectively. Such a change in the principal officers of the House would’ve meant that the current Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha; House Majority Leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande; her deputy, Hon. Leo Ogor; Chief Whip, Hon. Ishaku Bawa and Hon. Ahmed Muktar Mohammed, deputy chief whip who are all PDP members and staunch supporters of Tambuwal before the parting of ways would’ve lost their position to the APC. Aware to the fate that would befall his friends and loyalists in the PDP, Tambuwal tactically ruled that the House cannot for now effect a change in its leadership because of the pending law suits CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

‘PVC useful for other businesses’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

parties of our choices in the rescheduled general elections:”.

Rather than complaining all day, the movement appealed to all those who are yet to collect their new cards to take the right step by creating time to visit the local INEC offices that control their registration centers.

“This call becomes necessary in view of the fact that it has been discovered that thousands of PVCs are awaiting collection at various INEC offices across Oyo State, a situation which we

must all address and ensure we are ready for the rescheduled elections”, it said, adding: “It is by so doing, that we could effectively mobilize and position ourselves as voters and major stakeholders in the Nigeria project. “Besides, our votes will determine our relevance in our areas of domicile and the type of quality representation that we deserve, in Oyo State noting: “good governance does not happen by chance, except by concerted efforts of determined and politically conscious elec-

torate who are always on top of their game”.

According to the movement, the PVC is not about 2015 General Elections alone, but a multi-purpose identification card that is, renewable and useful for important business and related transactions for years to come, saying for these reasons, owners of PVCs should resist all those who are approaching them to exchange the cards for money or bags of rice.

This advice, Ali said became necessary in view of anti-dem-

ocratic acts of some desperate politicians in the state who have been approaching unsuspected electorates to exchange their PVCs for pecuniary gains and appealed to the electorate in the state to ensure that all hands are on deck to collect their PVCs and refuse to trade them off.

The movement urged the electorate across the state to vote rightly by voting en-mass for Governor Ajimobi, to consolidate on his numerous achievements in the last three and a half years and still do more in the years to come.

Jega

Politics 20

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Rigging tape spurs disquiet over Osun election credibility At a point when many are almost coming to the conclusion that Governor Rauf Aregbesola is the true winner of August 9, 2014 election in Osun State, another controversial video resurfaces, writes SODIQ ADEKUNLE from Osogbo.

When the election tribunal looking into the August 2014 governorship election in Osun State upheld the victory of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the All Progressives Congress (APC) might have thought the legal battle was over. But that seems not to be so. Not only has the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Osun State Chapter and its candidate appealed the judgment, another video has been released claiming that the election was rigged.

The yet to be confirmed video, reportedly released by Femi Fani-Kayode and PDP, showed some hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons, thumbprinting ballot papers in favour of the APC. The video has, in a short time, generated a lot of reactions from parties and their supporters.

For the APC, the purported rigging video was to confuse Nigerians and distract attention from PDP’s usual attempt to manipulate the electoral process. The Chairman of the party, Gboyega Famodun, revealed that attempt to discredit the victory of its candidate had earlier been reported to the Directorate of State Security (DSS) and the Nigerian Police since November, 17 2014 when we got hold of the evil tape scripted by the PDP. He said: “Immediately, our party got a copy of the fake

“The yet to be confirmed video, reportedly released by Femi Fani-Kayode and PDP, showed some hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons, thumb-printing ballot papers in favour of the APC” video recording did a petition to the DSS through our lawyer, Barr Daud Akinloye in which we demanded an investigation into the matter, the outcome of which nobody briefed us till date. Also, print-out of culled shots of characters in the tendentious video is also being made available so that they may be apprehended by security operatives who have refused to carry out their responsibilities to act on the video containing the images of these characters since November last year “For the avoidance of doubt, our party, through its lawyer, alerted the Nigeria Police and the DSS as far back as November, 2014 as follows: that our client have in their possession which is hereby annexed the videotapes which was purportedly recorded showing that Governorship election that was conducted on 9th August, 2104 were rigged in favour and on behalf of our client and the Governor.

Aregbesola “In the video, tape it was falsely represented that our client and the Governor- elect agents in collaboration with some arranged persons that were armed are thumb printing ballot papers allegedly used for the election for and on behalf of our client.

“That this is an attempt to blackmail our client that the said election were rigged in favour of APC and Ogbeni Rauf

Aregbesola in their mischievous and clandestine bid to use same to proof (sic) by evidence and show before the Tribunal and the public at large that the election that was acknowledged as the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria was rigged by the APC to earn victory. The tape is hereby attached for your perusal and investigation.”

He also explained that the

House of Reps: PDP’s loss, APC’s gain CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

in courts.

He advised that the issue be suspended until all the legal matters are determined and disposed off. He argued that it would subjudice for the House to debate an issue that is before the courts for determination.

With the power configuration favouring the APC which has 181 members; PDP (156 members); SDP (10 members); Labour Party (five members); APGA (four members); PDM (two members) and Accord Party (two members) respectively, a public affairs analyst

and Head of Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), Emmanuel Onwubiko believes that because for now, the parliamentarians are engaged in electioneering campaigns, their energies are focused towards selfpreservation which according to him, is the first law of nature.

Onwubiko noted that “but beyond the immediate issue of electioneering campaign, I think leadership change may be tough given that the speaker moved from his party to another without relinquishing his hold on the office in line with unwritten democratic

ethos that the party with the majority produces the leadership.

So morally speaking, the new majority lacks the locus to canvass change in leadership now that it favours them because they were all the time in clear breach of this time honoured and time tested practice. He who goes to equity must go with clean hands”.

Moreover, he stated that the “hands of the APC is soiled in the House of Representatives, so arguing any case of change of leadership will be challenged vehemently and since the majority they have isn’t overwhelming, I doubt if they

can muster good enough votes to realize this aspiration.

“Secondly, I think majority of them don’t have tickets to seek to return to the House, so they may not be keen to upstage the status quo so as to retire home in peace with the outrageous retirement benefits which would have to be disbursed by a PDP led Federal Government. It is said that in Africa he who is eating does not talk whilst the festivity is on before he spits out the food.

“Most of these members are aware of the vindictive nature of Nigeria’s political terrain, so I’m

ballot paper used in the rigging tape were not original, insisting that the over 300,000 of the ballot papers from which it scanned as permitted by the election tribunal was distinct from from the fake ballot papers in the “tendentious” video.

The APC chairman said, “All ballot papers used during the election carries INEC name on top, with a colour bar/code for each local government followed by the name of election and a serial number all these are absent from the PDP ballot paper shown on the television. Also for thumb printing, INEC used black Indelible ink and not blue as seen in their fake ballot. Looking at the arrangement of the parties on their ballot paper, it is clearly different from that used for our election; immediately following APC on the original INEC ballot is APGA while their own paper reflects another party and a total of four parties were missing from the fake ballot.”

It is not only APC that is racking in its favour. PDP’s governorship candidate in the election, Senator Iyiola Omisore, also said the purported video which was made available to the public is an evidence that the APC rigged the governorship election in the state.

Omisore through his media aide, Mr. Victor Oriola said: “The whole world will know that we were not making frivolous allegations. The election was massively rigged and that was why Senator Omisore went to the tribunal. What is shown in the video is a confirmation that the election was rigged. It is there for everybody to see.”

sure they will behave themselves and maintain the status quo for the sake of self preservation”, he added.

The PDP has lost its majority simply based on the fact that many disgruntled House members in its rank having lost the primary election of the party, opted to pitch their tent elsewhere.

What however, remains unclear is to what extent this gale of defection will affect the fortunes of the PDP in the forthcoming elections.

Also unclear is the level of political goodwill the defecting lawmakers will attract to their new parties during the polls.

Tech Future

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

s

21

Inye Kemabonta, Editor, TECH FUTURE inye@technologylaw.com.ng

The Power of NITDA (2)

Peter Jack

It is now trite to say that IT is so pervasive that our lives depend on it.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Act of 2007 is one of the most important pieces of legislation in Nigeria today. It may be a poorly cobbled legislation but its potential effect is unassailable and second to none! These are bold statements, seemingly outlandish, but they are true. It is the only Information Technology (IT)

law in Nigeria today. Apart from being a framework law, it established NITDA and a Technology Development Fund (NITDEF) for Nigeria at a time the world economy is driven by Information Technology. It also grants specific powers of subsidiary legislation to NITDA. The power and ultimate importance of NITDA must therefore be seen in the context of a

technology fund that can catalyze national development and the powers of subsidiary legislation granted by law to the Agency to make regulations for IT governance in the country. It is now trite to say that IT is so pervasive that our lives depend on it. But NITDA is so fortunate to sit on top of this pervasive ‘life-force’. Section 6 of the Act grants NITDA that power in its

Thoughts of a Nigerian Technology Genius (1)

Jelani Aliyu, MFR is not very well known in Nigeria. But he is a celebrity in Detroit, United States. He stands as Nigeria’s contribution to the class of the world’s great innovators of all time.

As General Motors’ Lead Exterior Designer, he produced “GM’s most electrifying advanced technology vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt concept. I spoke with him in Abuja on November 18, 2014 just before he addressed an ICT colloquium

hosted by NITDA. But I found his paper even more captivating than our brief chat. TECH FUTURE, in its growing tradition to highlight Nigerian innovation wherever they may be, has chosen to publish an edited excerpts of his thoughts on that day in two parts…

- Inye Kemabonta, Editor, TECH FUTURE His thoughts about the Place of NITDA as Nigeria’s IT Agency

omnibus clause: Create a frame work for the planning, research, development, standardization, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of Information Technology practices, activities and systems in Nigeria and all matters related thereto and for that purpose, and without detracting from the generality of the foregoing shall include providing universal access for Information Technology and systems penetration… (emphasis mine).

Never in the history of Nigeria has so much wide powers been given to any institution in charge of any aspect of Information Technology! It means that NITDA can do just about anything, make just about any regulation it considers relevant to Information Technology without recourse to the National Assembly!

Indeed the combined effect of Sections 32, 6 ( a-i), 17 (4) and 18 (1)and(2) of the Act is that regulations made by NITDA shall have the force of law as if they were made in fact by the National Assembly! The law makes it a criminal offense to flout regulations and guidelines made by NITDA. The import of that law is that it has truly laid the foundation for technological development in Nigeria. It creates an Agency, gives it very wide regulatory powers and establishes a development fund under it.

One of the effects of the Act is also that it makes the NITDA DG not only the CIO (Chief Information Officer) but also the CTO (Chief Technology Offi-

In the realm of advanced living organisms, consciousness is the thread that binds all together and dictates realities, likewise with the ever growing sophistication of modern technology, ICT is the force that unifies and energizes all the various concepts and systems, creating the efficacy and synergy for the success of humanity as a civilization.

We are now at a very exciting and decisive moment in our CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

cer) of Corporate Nigeria. The Act does not use those words in particular but the duties and powers it ascribes to NITDA in section 6 can only be exercised under the leadership of someone in the mold of a CTO. The NITDA DG therefore is the de facto CTO and CIO or better still, the CITO (Chief Information Technology Officer) for Nigeria. Only a President can be more influential than a country’s CTO in today’s world! By the way, the “Information” referred to here is not the kind in “Radio House” but much more and in relation to knowledge. So the expression “Chief Information Officer” (CIO) is in relation to technology, knowledge and its power.

Section 6(b) of the Act gives NITDA more specific powers in relation to infrastructure for e-commerce and other IT practices. As the Chief Technology Officer for Nigeria, the DirectorGeneral of NITDA can cause to be prescribed the rules governing how, when, where and what specs of infrastructure should be deployed (in the presidency, in banks, in telecommunications and oil and gas, in education, in health, and in agriculture, among others)!

For NITDA to actualize the above potentials and help the nation to attain technological advancement, a strategic vision is critical! This is why the strategic plan being championed by the current DG and indeed the Honorable Minister of Communication is very commendable and should have the total CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Aliyu, MFR Detroit, U.S.A

Tech Future 22

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Tech genius speaks on secrets of success

Challenges Before NITDA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

nation’s history, and the importance of NITDA in charting and enabling this encompassing catalyst that is so necessary for the enlightenment, empowerment and development of all our societies is immeasurable.

Peter Jack CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

support of the industry. As part of that vision, NITDA needs to develop a thoughtful blueprint on how to apply the technology fund and have a periodic review of its impact. The ICT industry is in three broad categories, namely: services, software and hardware. NITDA needs to decide how to catalyze real and indigenous development in each category and create wealth, create jobs.

The Agency also needs to very quickly begin to close the IT regulatory and certification gaps

in the industry. For instance, no Nigerian company has ever attained level 3 of the Capacity Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI) certification, a process improvement international certification. Such a certification would instantly put Nigerian companies in the technology world map and make them globally competitive.

Also, a regulation hinged on access to information as a fundamental human right is long overdue in a knowledge economy. NITDA’s law requires it to make regulation in aid of universal access to Information

Technology. Apart from the continual apply of the technology fund to stimulate innovation and technological development, NITDA will serve the country exceedingly well if she is able to make developmental regulations. These two key roles define the developmental role of Nigeria’s IT Agency. But the real and clever path open to the Agency is to create the regulatory frameworks that would encourage and incentivize the 170 million Nigerians to contribute to IT development by their acts, interests, uses, investments, etc.

Infinix partners TD-mobile to increase market share Tony Nwakaegho Nigeria’s fast growing mobile phone brand Infinix Mobile has signed a major partnership distribution agreement with TDMobile that will see Infinix leverage on TD-Mobile’s nationwide network to increase the market share of its array of smart phones in Nigeria’s mobile devices market.

TD-Mobile, a subsidiary of Technology Distributions Ltd, will add Infinix to wide products collections such as phablets, tablets and smart phones from renowned brands such as HP, Lenovo, Dell, Zinox, Nokia and Toshiba, among others.

Speaking on the development, Managing Director of TD-Mobile, Mrs. Gozy Ijogun, said “We are delighted to add Infinix to the extensive list of Original Equipment Manufacturers whose products

Ijogun, MD, TD-Mobile

are presently being distributed by us on the continent. TD-Mobile has been in the fore-front of driving technological revolution in Africa by bridging the digital divide with affordable smart devices which offer a unique user experience. The new partnership agreement with Infinix will go a long way in helping us expand

the frontiers of access to quality and pocket-friendly smart devices for many.

“As we have done with other major brands we distribute, we will leverage on our excellent distribution network and presence in major cities to make Infinix products readily available and accessible to the customer, thereby ensuring that more people can benefit from the wide range of quality devices Infinix has to offer.”

Infinix Mobile gadgets are products from a Hong-Kong based joint venture between Mobiwire (formerly Sagem Wireless) and Earningway. Infinix smart phones such as the Infinix Zero, Race Lite and Infinix Hot X507, among others, have become increasingly more popular in Nigeria owing to the additional functionality of power banks which offers the user longer battery life.

Aliyu’s thoughts about Nigeria We must never underestimate the amazing power of human imagination, the ability to envision a dramatically positive and dynamic future. Every great city, every monument, every historic feat, as it stands for all the world to see, was once pure thought, pure imagination acted upon and brought into reality. To imagine is to dream, to dream is to tune in to the ever amazing possibilities of the future. And when we do dream, it must be big, because to dream small is to totally underestimate the amazing capabilities that lie within each and every one of us.

Our own country, Nigeria, from the Atlantic shoreline in the South, through the grasslands of the Middle-Belt, all the way to the rolling hills and bright blue skies of the North, Nigeria is truly a magnificent and blessed country. Yes, we have crude oil, yes, we have natural gas and a wide variety of raw materials, and yes, we have fertile soil that could be cultivated to feed hundreds of millions, but above all, what we have is our humanity, that magical inner spirit that glows from within, that magical inner spirit that makes us an integral and crucial part of the human civilization. And so, we must see ourselves not just as Nigerians, but as members of a global community, sharing constructive ideas, sharing inspirations, and together coming up with solutions for the betterment of humanity worldwide.

We as Nigerians must not be afraid of success, but we must face the future with courage, we must individually and collectively focus on progressive opportunities and solutions.

Those powerful capabilities that reside within each and every one of us must be reawakened, and it all starts in the mind, if you can imagine it and clearly see it in your mind then you are half way there, you can then easily strategize, jump into action and bring it into reality.

Aliyu, MFR Detroit, U.S.A

We must not be defined by our current problems, they are not who we are, we are bigger than them, we must be defined by our dreams and aspirations, we must be defined by what we can achieve, we must be defined by a better tomorrow. Nothing is impossible, there are no impossibilities; there is only a better Nigeria to build.

Our great country, Nigeria, Land of the Niger crocodile, Land of the Baobab tree, Nigeria, Where smiles are free, Like the bright blue sky, And the beautiful stars of the night.

His Childhood and Early Education I grew up in Sokoto, land of the midday sun. My parents came from Dogondaji, which is a town about an hour southwest of Sokoto. Growing up was a fascinating experience, the wide open spaces, the bright blue skies and the very closely knit family. They were very exciting times. I attended Capital School and FGC Sokoto, where I met a lot of friends and teachers from many parts of Nigeria, and from Asia, and Europe.

I have always been fascinated by automobiles and decided to CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

23 Tech Future

ICT, way forward for Nigeria, says tech genius CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

be a car designer very early on.

While growing up we had a lot of books, magazines and select educational TV shows that opened up our world beyond Sokoto and beyond Nigeria.

Through all that content and with information from our dad and elder brother who travelled a lot, we learnt of how big the world is and of all the incredible potential and opportunity out there. Our father had a library where we read about great inventions, ideas and amazing places, I drew a lot and saw art as a language, through which one can conceptualize and develop ideas. I got a lot of support and encouragement from my family and a family friend.

I found imagination especially fascinating as I often engaged in it to envision futuristic products, systems and positive scenarios.

After FGC Sokoto, I had a number of admissions and the opportunity to study at a number of universities in the country, but I chose to study Architecture at the Birnin-Kebbi Polytechnic, because my priority was to immediately engage in hands on practical design, which the polytechnic offered, and to prepare myself for Automotive Design. At Birnin-Kebbi I did studies in sustainable home designs that were in tune with the Nigerian climate, buildings that passively kept cool without the need for air conditioners or other external energy sources.

After Birnin-Kebbi I concentrated on going into Automotive Design itself. I got a book from

a cousin of mine that listed all the American colleges and universities, in there I learnt of the College for Creative Studies in Michigan. I sent them the portfolio of designs I had done and secured admission. Sokoto State Scholarship Board offered me a full scholarship to study at the college.

On His Career Automotive design is part of Industrial design, which is a fascinating field, in its purest and most useful form it is a tool for survival and economic growth, dealing with the challenges that people face every day and coming up with solutions to them, which are for the most part physical products or systems that empower people and make life easier, they also enhance relationships and interactions within humanity and between humanity and the environment.

I strongly believe that no other man made product that is so attainable by billions of people has as much magic and enchantment as the automobile.

In its most basic form it is a phenomenon that accentuates and amplifies human strength and capabilities, automobiles have become an integral part of modern life and are for the most part taken for granted, but technically and philosophically what they have done is made us a civilization of super humans, with the freedom to individually go anywhere at speed cocooned in our own microclimate. Automobiles in a way also give you an exo-skeleton that is not only physically protective but can

be emotionally assertive and captivating. Altogether, an excellent automobile is physically indispensable and emotionally irresistible. And now with ICT, the automobile is evolving to be an even more exciting machine with untethered connectivity, autonomy and Artificial Intelligence, it is transforming into a new transportation genre: without the need for a driver, whole passengers would soon be able to do whatever they want while in transit, working, surfing the internet, cooking or sleeping.

After graduation I got a job with General Motors, after about three years in Detroit I went on an international assignment to Germany for about two years to design Opels. When I came back to the Tech Center I worked on the Pontiac G6, then I transferred to the company’s Advanced Design Studio, there I developed the design concept of the Chevrolet Volt Electric Car, the vehicle would go on to usher in a new era not just for GM but for the whole industry and world in general.

The Chevrolet Volt project started with a brief by the then Vice President of product development on the need to develop a highly advanced vehicle concept that would take the company forward into the future. Three advanced studios were engaged in the competition, the one in California, one in the United Kingdom and the Michigan Advanced Studio where I was. Together there were hundreds of

Aliyu, MFR Detroit, U.S.A

‘‘I strongly believe that no other man made product that is so attainable by billions of people has as much magic and enchantment as the automobile’’

entries.

Out of those hundreds, five were chosen for the final round.

At the final selection my proposal was chosen to go forward as the Volt. I conceptualized the design of the Volt to be very advanced and to capture the spirit of the African wilderness and also that of the magnificence of the marine life off the African Atlantic shores: like a cheetah poised for an attack, like a shark swimming with powerful grace and focus.

To be continued as part 2 next week

ITU partners ARTCI to launch first IPV6 test bed in Africa Tony Nwakaegho The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is partnering with L’Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications de Côte d’Ivoire (ARTCI) to launch and implement the first Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPV6) test bed in Africa.

This is the first time that an IPv6 test bed has been installed in Africa by the ITU as two similar test beds are scheduled to be implemented this year in East and

Southern Africa.

The launch of the IPv6 test bed was preceded by a week-long training session organized by ITU for telecommunication engineers drawn from Côte d’Ivoire’s telecom operators, internet service providers, academia, ARTCI and the Ministry of Posts and Information Communication Technologies (ICTs).

The test bed allows engineers to undertake IPv6 networks simulations to verify the quality of service and interoperability in

Zhao, Sec. Gen. ITU

different environments before deployment in corporate networks.

It was launched in December 2014 at ARTCI headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, presided over by ARTCI Director General, Mr Bilé Diéméléou in the presence of Mr. Ali Drissa Badiel, ITU Representative for West Africa, and Mr. André Apété, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Posts and ICTs. Commenting on the launch, Mr. Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU’s Telecommunication De-

velopment Bureau said the Union is committed to facilitating member states and sector members to undertake a smooth transition to the new IP address system.

IPv6 is the latest and most advanced internet addressing system. It is expected to replace the current Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) system whose capacity of four billion IP addresses is almost exhausted. IPv6 has a capacity that exceeds 340 trillion, trillion, trillion (or 340 undecillion addresses).

Tech Future 24

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

IDC, Egypt ICT host ‘Africa together’ Stories by Tony Nwakaegho

Lalchandani

Africa Together’ to foster greater collaboration between Egyptian ICT companies and their counterparts from East and West Africa

British Telecom set to host Commonwealth Cybersecurity Forum 2015 Indication has emerged that the British Telecoms (BT) is set to host the Commonwealth Cybersecurity Forum 2015, being organised by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO).

The Secretary-General of the CTO, Professor Tim Unwin, said in a press statement said that Commonwealth Cybersecurity Forum 2015 which is dubbed “Securing Cyberspace for Social and Economic Development” will take place in London between April 22 and 24, 2015 at BT’s headquarters in London, adding that they were delighted that BT has agreed to partner for the second consecutive year for this important event.

“Over the last few years, cybersecurity has rapidly become a key issue for governments across the world, requiring them to take action to protect citizens,

infrastructure, intellectual property and cyberspace from cyberthreats. This event will contribute to building capacity among key decision makers from across the Commonwealth and beyond to tackle cybercrime in a holistic and concerted manner.” Prof. Unwin said.

On his part, the President of British Telecom Security, Mark Hughes said in a press statement that “Cybersecurity is critically important and BT is pleased to be hosting the Commonwealth Cybersecurity Forum 2015. As the threat landscape continues to evolve at pace, it is important that governments and companies invest in cybersecurity and educate their people in the IT department and beyond. The stakes are too high for cybersecurity to be pushed to the bottom of the pile.

This is why we see conferences like this as critical.”

International Data Corporation (IDC), a global IT advisory services firm, with Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) hosted an IT event tagged ‘Africa Together’ to foster greater collaboration between Egyptian ICT companies and their counterparts from East and West Africa.

The ‘Africa Together’ event took place at Nairobi’s Safari Park Hotel and brought together senior IT professionals from Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Zambia for a day of intensive executivelevel networking.

The event which was held under the tutelage of Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, with Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and Technology, Dr. Fred O. Matiang’i, attending as the guest of honour offered the delegates a unique platform for discovering the latest global ICT trends and learning from the experiences of their peers across the African continent.

IDC, during the course of the day facilitated a series of one-onone matchmaking activities that enabled Egyptian ICT providers to hold in-depth discussions

with a wide variety of channels and end-user organizations and explore the potential for developing mutually beneficial business partnerships in new markets across East and West Africa.

It is said that economic growth, digital transformation, and foreign investment are increasing across the African continent, with the region’s IT spending growth outpacing the worldwide average by a considerable margin, but with own challenges.

The challenges stem from the fact that most of these markets face critical shortages in terms of technology skills, and only a handful of domestic African IT companies can scale sufficiently to support very large, transformative projects.

Egypt, by contrast, boasts an abundant and diverse talent pool, cost-effective skills and solutions, and is increasingly being considered as a global player and competitive sourcing destination for the world’s leading corporations.

According to Vice President and Managing Director at IDC Middle East, Turkey, and Africa Jyoti Lalchandani, “By combining IDC’s unrivalled ability to track the latest market developments with ITIDA’s mission to enhance Egypt’s reputation as a global ICT sourcing hub, our joint ‘Africa Together’ initiative is

uniquely positioned to facilitate profitable partnerships between Egyptian ICT companies and their counterparts across East and West Africa.

“The overwhelming success of the ‘Go to GCC’ program in 2010 highlights our proven track record in this regard, and our joint efforts here today have enabled more than 50 handpicked African ICT solution providers and decision makers to bridge the skills and solutions gaps that exist in their own markets.”

Egypt, now known as one of the fastest growing global outsourcing and offshoring markets has seen its local ICT capabilities expand rapidly over recent years, driven by the government’s protechnology stance, investments by multinational ICT solution providers looking to use Egypt as an offshore IT services delivery hub, and growing demand for the latest information technologies from a wide range of private sector entities.

The country’s evolution into a global ICT sourcing destination hinges on the proven ability of Egyptian ICT companies to embrace a solution-oriented approach to their engagements and introduce innovative, cost-effective, and relevant IT solutions that cater directly to the particular needs of their clients.

Nigeria: Airtel, UNAIDS partner to support NACA tackle mother -to -child HIV transmission Airtel Nigeria, a leading telecommunications services provider and the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) have partnered to support the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) to tackle mother -to -child HIV transmission in Nigeria.

The partnership deal between Airtel and UNAIDS was sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed, that will allow the Telco’s subscribers to benefit from information on how and where to access prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services in Nigeria.

The initiative is to ensure that no child is born with HIV in Nigeria and the information on the initiative shall be disseminated through innovative and regular text messages.

United Nations General As-

sembly Meeting on AIDS on July 2011 launched a global plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive.

In the vein, Nigeria unveiled a National Operational Plan in 2014 focused on eliminating motherto-child transmission of HIV and accelerating the implementation

of similar efforts in the country.

The Airtel Nigeria partnership with UNAIDS reinforced the Telco’s existing partnership with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), other government departments and the Civil Society to boost Nigeria’s efforts at eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

L-R: Gbenga Rotimi, Legal Director & Company Secretary, Segun Ogunsanya, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, both of Airtel Nigeria, and Dr. Bilali Camara, Country Director, UNAIDS, during the signing ceremony of MOU between UNAIDS and Airtel at the Corporate Headquarters of Airtel Nigeria, in Lagos, recently.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Chronicle

25

s Today in History

Cartoon from our Archives

Compiled by ‘Tunji Okegbola Today is Monday February 24, 2015 the 55th day and 8th week of 2015, there are 310 days and 44 weeks left in the year. Highlights of world history on this day

1868 President Andrew Johnson impeached ÏÏÏThe

U.S. House of Representatives voted 11 articles of impeachment against President Andrew Johnson, nine of which cite Johnson’s removal of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, a violation of the Tenure of Office Act. The House vote made President Johnson the first president to be impeached in U.S. history.

At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Andrew Johnson, a senator from Tennessee, was the only U.S. senator from a seceding state who remained loyal to the Union. In

1938 Variety announces big news

1946 Peron elected in

ÏÏÏOn this day in 1938, the

ÏÏÏJuan Domingo Peron,

about The Wizard of Oz entertainment trade newspaper Variety reported that the film studio Metro-GoldwynMayer (MGM) had bought the rights to adapt L. Frank Baum’s beloved children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for the screen, and that the studio has cast 16-year-old Judy Garland in the film’s central role, Dorothy Gale.

Born Frances Gumm on June 10, 1922, Garland was the daughter of former vaudeville performers. As a child, she toured with her older sisters in a musical act called the Gumm Sisters. In 1935, she signed a contract with MGM using her new stage name, Judy Garland.

After some early film work, she co-starred with Mickey Rooney in a string of popu-

lar movies, beginning with Thoroughbreds Don’t Cry (1937) and Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938). At the age of 16, she won the role that would make her a star: Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz. Production of The Wizard of Oz was beset by challenges from the beginning. The script went through numerous rewrites, and by filming’s end no fewer than four directors (Richard Thorpe, George Cukor, Victor Fleming and King Vidor) had worked on the movie. Casting the film produced its own unique problems. By the time that Variety announced Garland’s casting, Ray Bolger had already been assigned the role of the Tin Man, and Buddy Ebsen had been picked to play the Scarecrow. At Bol-

ger’s insistence, he and Ebsen soon swapped parts. Just nine days after filming began, however, Ebsen dropped out of the production after he suffered a near-fatal allergic reaction to the aluminium dust used in his Tinman makeup. Jack Haley replaced him. The all-important role of the Wicked Witch of the West was also recast, as the original actress, Gale Sondergaard, objected to playing such an ugly, evil character; Margaret Hamilton replaced her.

In the end, The Wizard of Oz emerged from these challenges as one of history’s most enduring and best-loved films, ranking sixth on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 greatest films of all time (compiled in 1999).

Argentina

the controversial former vice president of Argentina, was elected president.

In 1943, as an army officer, he joined a military coup against Argentina’s ineffectual civilian government. Appointed secretary of labour, his influence grew and in 1944 he also became vice president and minister of war. In October 1945, Peron was ousted from his positions by a coup of constitutionally minded civilians and officers and imprisoned, but appeals from workers and his charismatic mistress, Eva Duarte, soon forced his release. The night of his release, October 17, he addressed a crowd of

some 300,000 people from the balcony of the presidential palace, and promised to lead the people to victory in the coming presidential election. Four days later, Peron, a widower, married Eva Duarte, or “Evita,” as she became affectionately known.

As president, Peron constructed an impressive populist alliance, and his vision of self-sufficiency for Argentina won him wide support. However, he also became increasingly authoritarian, jailing political opponents and restricting freedom of the press. In 1952, his greatest political resource, Evita, died, and support for him dissolved.

1862, President Abraham Lincoln appointed him military governor of Tennessee, and in 1864 he was elected vice president of the United States. Sworn in as president after Lincoln’s assassination in April 1865, President Johnson enacted a lenient Reconstruction policy for the defeated South, including almost total amnesty to ex-Confederates, a program of rapid restoration of U.S.-state status for the seceded states, and the approval of new, local Southern governments, which were able to legislate “Black Codes” that preserved the system of slavery in all but its name.

The Republican-dominated Congress greatly opposed Johnson’s Reconstruction program and in March 1867 passed the Tenure of Office Act over the president’s veto.

The bill prohibited the president from removing officials confirmed by the Senate without senatorial approval and was designed to shield members of Johnson’s Cabinet like Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, who had been a leading Republican radical in the Lincoln administration. In the fall of 1867, President Johnson attempted to test the constitutionality of the act by replacing Stanton with General Ulysses S. Grant. However, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to rule on the case, and Grant turned the office back to Stanton after the Senate passed a measure in protest of the dismissal.

26

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Law

s

We are expanding democratic space through litigation -Falana Mr. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a former President, West African Bar Association (WABA), in this interview with PETER FOWOYO, bares his mind on the mode of appointing judges, human rights activism in Nigeria, corruption in the system and other sundry issues.

Besides you, and, probably, a few vibrant activists, human rights activism seems to be dwindling under this democratic dispensation.

What is responsible for this?

Your analysis is faulty. You cannot compare the struggle for human rights under a military dictatorship with a democratic dispensation. Whereas, under the defunct military junta, the jurisdiction of the court was ousted, virtually, in all stations, human rights were in abeyance, the courts were rendered impotent, and the writ of habeas corpus was suspended. Today, you can litigate on any point in the court now.

The information we could not ob-

tain under the defunct military dictatorship, I can, simply, write a letter now under the Freedom of Information Act and I will have the information within seven days and if I am not given, I will go to court to ask for mandamus compelling the public institution to give me the information. Now, we have a National Human Rights Commission, which addresses the complaints of victims of human rights violation. I can mobilise people to go to the streets to protest, as you witnessed in January, 2012, when all of us were on the streets. Only a few of us could do that under the military dictators.

Following the annulment of the June 12 elections, the Babangida junta captured the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the late Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti and myself and took us to Abuja. We were charged with inciting the public against the regime and clamped in Kuje prison in 1993. In 1994, we were also taken to a Gwagwalada Chief Magistrate’s Court, where we were charged with treasonable felony, in other words, that we wanted to overthrow the military dictator. There were quite a number of people that were killed, through bombing, assassination and poisoning. It’s a different atmosphere completely, totally different, now.

Some weeks ago, I wrote a letter to the Minister of Finance, to ask for information on the $1billion loan which was approved by the National Assembly to procure military hardware. I, merely, sent an e-mail to her, the following day, she replied and also called me to direct my request to the Minister of Defence or the National Security Adviser and I am taking it up. Recently, I wrote to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), within 2010 and 2013, the board made N24billion from the sale of forms to applicants, seeking admission into the universities, what happened to the funds?

The Senate Committee had to conduct an inquiry into my request, although, I am going to challenge the report, because I was told in those four years, the money appropriated for JAMB was not released, so is that a basis to spend money that should have been remitted to the Federation Account?

So, we are taking advantage of the provision of the law, under a democratic dispensation to advance and institutionalise human rights. Last year, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, obtained a judgment, which recognised financial autonomy for the judiciary. Some weeks ago, he obtained another

It was never part of our culture for a person to rise to the office of a Solicitor-General, or Director of Public Prosecution or Chief Registrar of the state, only to be told that he or she is not qualified to be a judge in Lagos State, it is unconstitutional, it is illegal judgement that the quota system in admission into unity schools, is illegal. That imposes a duty on the state to create opportunity for all students who are qualified.

Last year, I got a judgement to the effect that the People’s Bank of Nigeria, which was scrapped in 1992 be restored. I also just got another judgment that the Nigeria Education Bank, which was never

established, should be established to give loans to indigent students.

We are going to ensure that these judgements, and many others, are enforced.

Our late friend, Bamidele Aturu, obtained a judgement in 2013, to the effect that it was illegal to leave the fixing of prices of petroleum products to market forces, that the Minister of Petroleum should fix the prices, in line with section 6 of the Petroleum Act and section 4 of the Price Control.

A colleague had just obtained a judgement at the Federal High Court, Benin, I think this was delivered by Justice Liman that prisoners can vote in Nigeria, and so, we are expanding the democratic space through litigation.

In December, 2007, I got a judgement that you don’t need a police permit to demonstrate. So, I don’t agree with you that the vibrancy has subsided. But, if you think, we are no longer on the streets, as we used to be, it is because if there are other alternative avenues now, to wage a struggle, why do you want to go to the streets?

That is not to say that we are not on the streets, if, and when, it is necessary.

There was a recent outburst CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

27 Law

EFCC, others can’t fight corruption under this govt - Falana CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

by the Governor of Lagos State to the effect that he did not know why only four names, out of the seven sent to the National Judicial Council, (NJC) were approved? He, therefore, called for the amendment of the constitution in this regard.

Do you subscribe to his view?

Again, I expected the Lagos State Governor to have inquired from the NJC why all the seven names forwarded to Abuja did not scale through. When the State Judicial Service Commission send names to Abuja, they have to verify, investigation has to be conducted, there has to be character check and so on. In some instances, there are petitions against candidates nominated by the State, such petitions have to be investigated and until the NJC is satisfied that candidates, whose names have been forwarded to them have scaled through their own investigation, the names of such candidates would not be forwarded.

I am happy you raised the issue of appointment of judges in Lagos State. I am sure Governor (Babatunde Raji) Fashola is not unaware of the fact that one of the problems, in respect of appointments made under his administration, is the deliberate exclusion of non-Lagosians as judges in the state. It was never part of our culture for a person to rise to the office of a SolicitorGeneral, or Director of Public Prosecution or Chief Registrar of the state, only to be told that he or she is not qualified to be a judge in Lagos State, it is unconstitutional, it is illegal, it is primitive and I never expected a cosmopolitan state, like Lagos, to descend to the primitive level of state-of-origin syndrome and carry it to a ridiculous extent where merit is thrown overboard. Some of the judges produced by this state, that have done the state, and the country proud, were not from Lagos State, strictly speaking, that is not to say that Lagos State has not produced fantastic judges.

Several months ago, judges were attacked in Ekiti State, not a single person had been brought forward by the police as a suspect, how do you see this development?

We operate in an atmosphere of impunity, where criminals even get away with murder, very regularly. For now, those who attacked judges in Ekiti State have had im-

munity conferred on them by the Police, neither the NJC nor the NBA, that made some statements over that incident, have bothered themselves to insist that justice be done.

But will this not embolden people to carry on this way?

Is it not why you have political violence all over the place? Even the President of a country had been pelted with stones at a campaign rally. Why are you bothered?

In October, 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan, at a campaign rally in Yenegoa, in Bayelsa State, said he was not backing Timipre Silva, because he had not performed, hence he was pelted with stones. With profound respect, the President did not understand the implication of that statement, that that was an official endorsement of the criminal act of stoning a governor. Right now, public officers are using official vehicles, jets and other instruments of the State to campaign, contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act. During the political party primaries and congresses, some people were killed and nobody was brought to book, party secretariats have been burnt or bombed, nobody was brought to book, political rallies have been disrupted violently, nobody was brought to book. In those rallies, including where the President was pelted with stones, the state apparatus was there, policemen, soldiers and all of them, were there, so, we are dealing with a state of anarchy, where anybody can commit any criminal offence.

In 2007, hundreds of criminal suspects were arrested by the police and charged to court for various electoral offences, those cases were either terminated by the Attorneys-General, who filed a nolle prosecute or they were struck out for want of diligent prosecution.

When you do that in a country that pretends to operate under the rule of law, you’re institutionalising anarchy and chaos. Even, when people talk about corruption, which has taken a centre stage, corruption is a manifestation of impunity. When the budget of a country is passed by the National Assembly, it becomes a law i.e. the Appropriation Act. When funds allocated or funds earmarked for schools, roads, hospitals and the rest of that, are diverted and cornered, that is impunity. So we are dealing with a ruling class that does not appreciate what the rule of law entails.

Hence, we are now in a state of

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), the independent Corrupt Practices Commission, (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau and the Special Fraud Unit of the Police, all these anti-graft agencies operate under a political dispensation, that has contempt for the fight against corruption.

anarchy and chaos.

Notwithstanding the criminal matters brought against some political office holders, in various courts across the country, some of them are vying for elective positions in the forthcoming elections. What is your take on this?

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), the independent Corrupt Practices Commission, (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau and the Special Fraud Unit of the Police, all these anti-graft agencies operate under a political dispensation, that has contempt for the fight against cor-

ruption. The prosecutors, judges and witnesses are not encouraged to fight corruption, as it was the case in the past. In the recent past, for instance, the Federal High Court issued a Practice Direction in 2013, which provides that cases pertaining to corruption and terrorism, shall be heard day in, day out, but, nobody followed that direction. It is a question of if a government cannot muster the political will to fight corruption and judges are aware of this, why should you bother yourself ? As a matter of fact, if you convict and sentence somebody for grave offences, how are you sure they are not going to be pardoned?

Some lawyers have argued over the timeframe given to hear all election petition matters, saying the 180-day period is not enough, others believe it is more than sufficient. What is your view?

The 180 days, that is, six months, prescribed by section 285 of the constitution, for dealing with election petitions are okay. What is objectionable is the skewed interpretation given to that section by the Supreme Court. The mischief that the law set out to cure was the protracted witness in election petition tribunal, whereby a man, who was never elected, spent 36months in office, out of a total period of 48 months, stakeholders believe that this situation cannot

continue. These was the basis for that section, unfortunately, that section had been interpreted to the advantage of riggers of election.

A situation, whereby, an election petition is filed, you have six months to conduct the trial, but the respondent, usually the rigger of election, raises an objection and a ruling is given, the ruling is taken to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, by the time you finish at the Supreme Court, six months are over the Supreme Court says: “Justice is done”. No, it is not possible, that is not the purport of the law, that law never envisaged an interlocutory appeal in an election petition, that period is for the trial of the petition. I took part in one of the cases at the Supreme Court, we were asked to go back to the lower court, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? What technicality are you talking about? Go back and have the case heard on merit.

We rushed back to the election petition tribunal, while we were there, the Supreme Court gave another judgment, that any petition beyond 180 days, is likely to be struck out and so we were confronted with this, confidently, we rushed back to file an appeal, through the Court of Appeal, ‘You asked us to go back Sirs, what happened? They said: “Well, too bad, you can no longer get justice”. I’ve argued it before, that was not the position envisaged by the law, it is not the section that is bad, it is the interpretation of the section.

What then will you suggest as the way forward?

The way forward is to urge the Supreme Court to have another look at that section. A few of us attempted by asking for a judicial review, the Supreme Court was so annoyed with us, that we were fined N2million per lawyer.

As far as I’m concerned, there is no amount of time that will be sufficient, what we should all demand is to strengthen the INEC to conduct credible elections, if elections are properly conducted; losers of elections will congratulate the winners. I have pleaded with the stakeholders in Nigeria to stop the involvement of the judiciary in the election of political leaders, unfortunately, we had a conference in Abuja, last week, where I urged some African countries not to follow the very dangerous example of Nigeria, where judges now have to decide who wins an election, which is not right.

28

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Business Times

FG pledges to open more inland ports Funmi Coker President Goodluck Jonathan said at a meeting with the Igbo Market Leaders in Lagos recently that the Federal Government would open more inland ports in the country for easy clearance of imports.

He stated this at the State House, Marina, when a delegation of the Igbo market traders in Lagos visited him.

Jonathan said the Federal Government had already approved an inland port in Aba, Abia State, and explained that the intention of the ports was to decongest Lagos ports and expand business activities to other parts of the country.

The president thanked the traders for standing by him in his reelection bid and acknowledged that he could not compensate the Igbos enough for their support for

Business Images

his administration. ``In my political career, since I became the Vice President and later President, my strongest support base has been the South East,’’ he said.

He told the visitors that the fortune of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in the 2015 general elections remained very bright and urged them to support the party until victory was achieved.

Bumper harvest: Cashew growers to earn N42 billion in 2015 Emmanuel Ogbonnaya Growers of cashew crop in the country are set to earn about N42 billion from this year’s harvest, statistics from the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has revealed.

However NCAN believes that if allotted more land for cashew cultivation, national average in terms of yield per hectare which is around 400 - 600kg/ha can double to at least 1,000 -1,500kg/ ha, with income from cashew capable of hitting N100 billion per annum.

Making a case for the development of Cashew in Nigeria, National Secretary of NCAN, Mr. Sotonye Anga, speaking at the Export Platform Business Luncheon in Lagos, requested that cashew seedlings be added to the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES), as part of the inputs farmers can get from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

“Nigeria needs to consolidate its place in the cashew world by increasing its cashew production and processing, considering the growing demand for cashew globally and the rising consumer appetite for the crop,” he said.

Anga announced on behalf of the national executive council of NCAN that February 20, officially flagged off the 2015 national cashew season. “Cashew will contribute 42 billion Naira to

s

L-R: Mr. Usoro Udo, vice president, PAL Pension; Mr. Yusuf Nurudeen of National Institute of Export; Mr. Satonye Anga, National Secreatry, Cashewnut Association of Nigeria with the microphone answering questions and Mr. Titiolukayode, MD/CEO, Export Platform Limited, at a business luncheon organised by Export Platform Limited recently.

L-R: Channel Development Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Funke Ayoola; Key Distributor, Mrs. Stella Olaosebikan; Regional Sales Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seyi Odubena; a customer, Mrs. Vivian Ezeokoli and Channel Development Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seyi Fasetire, during the unveiling/Retail Forum of Three Crowns 380g Powder in Lagos…recently. PHOTO: TAOFEEK BABAJIDE

Pastor Gbola Shokoya, Pastor Tosin Oluwatuage, the Author 21st Century Business Principles, Isioma Okowkoko and Pastor Gbenga Majekodumi at the book lunch titled 21st Century Business Principles in Lagos recently.

Anga, National Secretary, NCAN

Nigeria’s economy in 2015 and we want every one of you to get your fair share of this cashew wealth,” Anga said.

He reiterated the need for the establishment of a national cashew seed programme; improving farm level productivity by planting improved disease resistant high yielding cashew seedlings and rejuvenation of old cashew farms and capacity build-

ing for cashew farmers.

He pointed out that in the 1980s Vietnam’s cashew production was same as Nigeria’s, however, by 1990 Vietnam began processing their cashew and 16 years after they had become the largest processor and exporter of cashew kernels in the world and by 2013 Vietnam earned $1.8 Billion USD from cashew kernel exports to over 80 countries.

L-R. Commissioner for Transport Lagos State, Mr Kayode Opeifa; ; Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatude Raji Fashola and Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Orelope Adefulure at the official lunching of 100 Air-Conditioned buses in Lagos recently. Photo: OLAWALE ROTIMI

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

29 Aviation

FAAN inaugurates SERVICOM integrated charter committee

Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport

Nigeria boosts bilateral ties with Cote d’Ivoire Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire, Mrs. Ifeoma Akabogu-Chinwuba, has stressed the need for the country to deepen its relations with countries in East, West and Central Africa, adding that the actualisation of Bi-National Commission with Abidjan would strengthen the pact between both nations.

The Ambassador made the disclosure at Félix HouphouëtBoigny International Airport, Abidjan, when Arik Air commenced flight operations to the French speaking West African country.

Going by 2013 figures, Akabogu-Chinwuba disclosed that trade volume between both nations stood at CFA 300 billion ($52.1 million), noting, “they import our crude, refine and export back. So, where crude oil is involved, a lot of dollars also enters into the economy”.

She said Arik’s commencement of flight services to the country was part of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) which was negotiated January 13, 2013, stressing the

cooperation would bring closeness to the two nations in terms of people’s movement and movement of goods and services.

She also noted that Air Cote d’Ivoire had activated its own part of BASA by operating to Lagos with four frequencies.

Akabogu-Chinwuba said that the development would strengthen business interactions among businessmen and companies from the two nations.

She said: “Air Cote d’Ivoire already goes to Nigeria. Now, we have Arik, ASKY Airlines goes to Nigeria. The implication is that we now have choices. It is a good omen. We have over three million Nigerians. They have families and they have lived here for many years.”

“You know we are already into ECOWAS. There is an already economic tie between Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. There is perennial problem of fake products and having different colonial masters, facing different directions, these are problems, otherwise; there are a lot of bilateral and economic activities between Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire, mainly from Nigeria to this side. Many Nigerians have

investments here. We have United Bank for Africa (UBA), Guarantee Trust Bank, Diamond Bank, hotels, school, churches and Sahara Oil.” Also speaking, Arik’s VicePresident for West and Central Africa, Tola Gbadamosi, said the development was part of the company’s resolve to expand its operations.

His words: “We are the largest airline in Africa. We are present in many countries. This development is just part of our resolve to continuously extend our services”.

He pledged that the airline would continue to ensure optimal services to its passengers, saying, “Our policy of ensuring the best of services will be brought to bear in our operations here”.

Mrs. Ifeoma Akabogu-Chinwuba

The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Engr. Saleh Dunoma, has inaugurated a committee to review the Authority’s SERVICOM integrated charter.

According to Mr. Yakubu Dati, the General Manager, Corporate Communications of FAAN, the review was in line with the determination of the Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, to improve upon service delivery through the recently launched Aviation Commits Initiative aimed at repackaging, rebranding and redirecting the Aviation Industry in Nigeria towards enhanced service delivery and customer satisfaction.

Dati in a statement quoted Engr. Dunoma who was represented by the Director of Maintenance and Engineering, Mr. Femi Ogunode, as stressing the Minister’s consistency in promoting customer service in the aviation sector.

He pointed out that the Minister in his bid to ensure quality service delivery has launched the Aviation Portal Service and

Dunoma, FAAN, MD

Aviation Helpline, a single platform where passengers can access real time information about airline operations and services at the Nigerian airports.

Engr. Dunoma explained that the review of the FAAN SERVICOM Charter was intended “to display the promises upon which customers can expect quality service delivery; demand their rights to good service; have recourse when service delivery fails and actively be involved in the service deliv-

Expert flays Ethiopian Airlines proposed African Single Sky A Lagos-based Aviation Consultant and the former President, National Cabin Crew Association of Nigeria, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, has warned that the current African single sky proposed by Ethiopian Airlines would further make Nigeria a redundant giant of Africa.

He gave the warning in his paper titled, “Aviation Commits: Implementation and Sustainability are Key to Delivery” made available in Lagos.

Ohunayo argued that Nigeria signed Open Skies agreement with the United States with a five year head start but that up till date Nigerian government did not take advantage of the agreement because there was no Nigerian carrier to use the window.

The Aviation Analyst warned that the present Africa single sky championed by Ethiopian Airlines will not do Nigerian any good as it would only allow Ethiopian Airlines to fly from the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos and the

Nnamdi Azikwe Airport (NAA), Abuja to Europe and other parts of the world.

He said: “We signed open skies with the US and had a five year head start which we fritter away till this moment because the decision was hasty with no carrier(s) to capitalise on it.

The African single sky being proposed is a baby of Ethiopia airlines (ET) and government and the target is to operate to Europe, Far East and America from Lagos and Abuja. It’s a subtle cabotage that we will make us the usual sitting giant.”

Ohunayo

Interview 30

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Discos deliberately delaying supply of pre-paid meters – Ogunbanjo The refusal of Distribution Companies (Discos) to patronise local prepaid meter manufacturers and on the other hand their reluctance in issuing out the meters to consumers, has continued to escalate criticisms against them. The situation is made even worse when ‘crazy bills’ are forced on the hapless consumers who seemingly have nowhere to turn to for redress. Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, President, Consumer Rights Advancement Organisation, (CREDO) in this exclusive interview with Tony Nwakaegho, the CREDO boss says crazy billing is deliberate on the part of the Discos, just as he x-rays the hiccups of the privatization exercise and offers pragmatic suggestions to get back on the right track.

Excerpts:

‘‘The power subscribers are suffering and the Discos are ensuring that they don’t supply the meters.

Currently I can assure you that we are fighting this through the Ministry of Trade and Investment’’

What is your assessment of the power sector in Nigeria?

First and foremost let me thank the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for having the courage to start a privatisation process of the power sector in Nigeria. It takes a lot of courage to do that. However, a lot of things still need to be done by the players. I must say that the Discos and Gencos are still transiting.

Unfortunately, the Nigerian consumers are suffering particularly the 80 to 90 per cent that don’t have pre- paid meters and that is a lot of consumers suffering crazy billing and estimated billings. What we are saying is that the Discos are directly ripping off and cheating consumers.

What they should do is to give us prepaid meters, but what is happening now is that they just give crazy bills sometimes N15,

000 and some as much as N25, 000.

This is unfortunate for somebody who will not be using more than N2, 000 per month when he is using a prepaid meter.

What advocacy efforts has CREDO made in order to obtain redress for the affected consumers?

We went to them (Discos), NERC, Ministry of Trade and Investment, and the Ministry of Trade and Investment organised three fora in Lagos and two in Abuja which NATCOMS attended. The last one was attended by the meter manufacturers and they informed the stakeholders that they have over two million meters on stock and so the Discos don’t need to go abroad to buy.

In any case, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has put a seal of quality on the prepaid meters that are manufactured in Nigeria. It’s just like

Prepaid meters can’t checkmate electricity theft, operators cry out

Tony Nwakaegho There appears no end in sight for electricity consumers in Nigeria who have been groaning over estimated billing as the generating companies (GENCOs) and distribution companies (DISCOs) as operators have lamented the inability of the prepaid meters evaluating the use of electricity by consumers.

the cables that are manufactured in Nigeria; it is even superior to those that we import. SON announced that the meters that are manufactured in Nigeria are also good and stamped okay.

While the meters are available in Nigeria, the Discos are just deliberately delaying the supply. I can tell you that out of the seven manufacturers in Nigeria, five of them have stock. I know there is MOMAS or Momas Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company, (MEMMCOL), they are around Ibafo, MOJEK International at Oshodi/ Islo express way, UniStar in Ojota and so on.

The power subscribers are suffering and the Discos are ensuring that they don’t supply the meters. Currently I can assure you that we are fighting this through the Ministry of Trade and Investment. In one of the fora, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, said that there is no need for anybody to bring meters from outside Nigeria.

What is your take on government continuous funding of the Electricity companies after the sector has been privatised?

The power sector is different from telecoms. Sincerely, when it was privatized, telecoms infrastructure was just there, and they could do their Base Transceiver Station (BTS) and start business.

But in the case of power, they need to generate, transmit and distribute. So it is a different ball game. They now have this embedded generation system which can for instance make states to generate their own power and push alongside the national grid and now enjoy in that state.

The Power Minister recently said that it’s not possible to provide power 24/7 in Nigeria in the

This situation was made known by the Chairman of Egbin Power Plc, Mr. Kola Adesina, during an interaction with journalists, adding that the reasons adduced by Gencos, and Discos for shunning such metering model is that no operator can install meters that cannot evaluate the use of electricity by consumers.

He said: “As regards metering, the model that most people are

Ogunbanjo

nearest future. What is your take on this assertion?

It now depends on government to redouble their effort and encourage generation and as many companies and states that could be generating power.

He could encourage many companies that could be invited from abroad, because some countries really want to invest in our power sector, so that in the next three years or maximum five years, there is no reason why we shouldn’t hit 10,000MW, because we have the market, the industrial climate and the population.

suggesting has failed. You don’t just install meter that cannot speak to the various infrastructure relevant for monitoring and evaluating how electricity is taken and how it is being used by the consumers. As it is, we have a lot of free riders in the system, free riders that will naturally connect to the pole, use electricity and not pay for them.”

Why has government not succeeded in introducing alternative sources to boost power in Nigeria?

The last time I listened to the minister of power, he was also looking at developing energy with coal and solar. All these things I think are in the pipeline, what they should be looking at is fast-tracking the process so that it turns to reality to the average consumer. They must ensure that they fast-track the process so that the investors are here to bring a lot of investment into renewable energy such as solar and coal.

prepaid-meters

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, February 24, 2015

31 Global business

West Coast ports

Five-year labour deal averts shutdown of West Coast ports West Coast dockworkers and their employers ended their nine-month standoff with a five-year contract deal, averting a shutdown of 29 ports that could have cost the U.S. economy $2 billion a day.

“This is now in the rear-view mirror,” Labour Secretary Tom Perez told reporters late Friday outside the San Francisco headquarters of the Pacific Maritime Association, which had been locked in the contract battle with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. “A significant potential headwind for this economic recovery has been removed.”

Perez brokered a compromise

on the issue of whether the union could fire arbitrators in workplace disputes, which had held up settlement on a contract after the sides agreed on other terms.

Instead of a single arbitrator, a panel now will hear grievances, union President Robert McEllrath told reporters.

The labour standoff had reduced productivity at West Coast ports by as much as half since November. California citrus fruit bound for Asia spoiled on the docks, while Mardi Gras beads destined for New Orleans instead languished on cargo ships off the Southern California coast. Carmakers flew in vital components at more than 10 times the cost of

shipping them, while Japanese McDonald’s restaurants rationed french fries because of a shortage of Idaho potatoes.

Perez had arrived in San Francisco on Feb. 17, dispatched by President Barack Obama after a federal mediator failed to bridge the gap between the two sides.

“This is great news for the parties involved in the negotiation and a huge relief for our economy -– particularly the countless American workers, farmers, and businesses that have been affected by the dispute and those facing even greater disruption and costs with further delays,” the Obama administration said late Friday in a prepared statement.

Gulliver didn’t evade taxes after opening Swiss account - HSBC HSBC Holdings Plc, struggling to contain a political storm over the bank’s facilitation of tax evasion through its Swiss unit, said Chief Executive Officer Stuart Gulliver paid taxes after setting up his own Swiss account and keeping his legal residence in Hong Kong.

The bank, reacting to an article in the Guardian late Sunday, said in an e-mailed statement that Gulliver opened the account in 1998 to hold bonus payments while working in Hong Kong. He paid Hong Kong taxes on the bonuses there, and since moving to

Gulliver, CEO, HSBC

the U.K. in 2003, he has paid U.K. taxes on his earnings globally, it said.

“Mr. Gulliver voluntarily declared his Swiss account to U.K.

tax authorities for a number of years,” HSBC said, without specifying when that began. A company spokesman declined to elaborate. The bank is set to report earnings Monday in London.

HSBC has come under political fire after the publication of a report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists this month showed details of how its Swiss unit handled accounts for tax evaders and criminals in past years. Gulliver, 55, offered the company’s “sincerest apologies” in full-page ads in British newspapers last week.

Timing of U.S Fed rate bump under scrutiny

Yellen, U.S. Federal Reserve Chair

Greece’s struggles with its euro zone creditors may have grabbed much of the world’s attention, but U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is likely to reclaim the spotlight this week with testimony on a long-anticipated shift in policy.

If the Fed sticks to mid-year for its first interest rate rise in a decade, it will be perceived as a reflection of the world economy’s growing resilience.

U.S. core CPI inflation data due this week will also give some idea of just how much the collapse in oil prices which has tamped down inflation globally will work as a counterweight to the Fed’s apparent comfort so far with higher rates in June.

But the fretting over Greece -which makes up less than half of one percent of world GDP -- has underscored the impression that

for all of the piles of monetary stimulus over the past few years, much of the troubles remain the same.

While purchasing managers’ data for the euro zone in February are pointing in the right direction, Europe is still struggling to create meaningful growth that would generate the kind of strong hiring that might in turn push up wage inflation.

China is grappling with a property market and debt overhang as it tries to rebalance its slowing economy and a purchasing managers’ index due on Wednesday is expected to show persistent stagnation in its once-booming manufacturing industry.

Much of Latin America, particularly Brazil, has slipped back even further from a past position of strength and has very little to offer a world economy that the World Bank warns is now running on one engine, made in America.

Minutes to the Fed’s latest policy-setting meeting suggested to some analysts that policymakers might be backing off a June rate rise. But the strongest set of jobs data in many years were published after that late January Fed meeting took place.

“If unemployment keeps falling, the laws of supply and demand have not been repealed, we will get inflation out of this,” said Jim O’Sullivan, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics in Valhalla, New York.

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Law

We are expanding democratic space through litigation 26 -Falana

News

Bumper harvest: P 28 Cashew growers to earn N42 billion in 2015

Thai activists convicted of insulting monarch P13

complaint with police, and the charge has frequently been used as a weapon to harass political en emies. In this case, a group calling itself the Royal Monarch Alert

Growers of cashew cropNetwork in Protection filed the com the country are plaint. set to earn about N42 billion from this and a recent graduate who are year’s harvest, statistics from the both in their 20s, had been in jail National Cashew Association of since last August and their bail

expanding democratic

dailytimesng

Business

requests were repeatedly turned down by a Bangkok court. Both However NCAN believes that had pleaded guilty, a common if allotted more landpractice for cashew in cultivation, national December. averageInin announcing the ver dict, a which Bangkok Criminal Court terms of yield per hectare judge said the play contained con is around 400 - 600kg/ha can tent that insulted and defamed the double to at least 1,000 -1,500kg/ monarchy and was shown in front ha, with income fromofcashew ca- of spectators. a large number pable of hitting N100 billion per lawyer, told reporters the pair was not likely to appeal.

Making a case for the development that Naseized ment of Cashew in Nigeria,

Patiwat Saraiyaem (C) and Pornthip Munkong (not pictured) have been in custody since their arrest in 2013

power from an

2015 Elections: There may be another country ÎÎÎThe

Nnaemeka Oruh

Fear is the lord of our land now.

Many have decided that staying clear of anything that concerns the elections is the only guaranty of safety

tension is palpable. Naked fear stalks through the land unchallenged, waylaying people at every turn. While a deadly group of religious bigots has laid siege to our land and seem not to be letting go of its asphyxiating hold on us, it was not the major reason for the fear that now roams the streets of our land. After all, the deadly group has for now confined its activities to a particular part of our land. This fear is one born out of something else. Something that defies geographical boundaries. Something that is omnipresent. It reaches out to all of us, through mobile phones, word of mouth, television stations, radio stations, and even the print media.

This fear was born out of the gospel of hatred.

At one side, some chant change. At the other, the chant of transformation rends the air. But they do not stop at that. The campaign of calumny increases daily. This camp calls out the other camp.

The other retaliates. Lies are spread, minds are poisoned and when you step back and watch, you realise that if a truce is not called, mortal enemies are being created. Families have been split right through the middle with poisonous hatred shrouding each half. There is no longer any common ground. You place a fin-

ger on the pulse of Nigeria and you can feel the sickness engulfing her.

Take a trip to the social media and see the insults hurled; the threats meted out, and you suddenly realise that if we survive the 2015 elections, a lot of time will be spent trying to heal this nation. It does not seem like any camp is willing to accept defeat.

Pointers only show that whoever wins, the other camp (with or without the support of its leader) will revolt and blood may flow.

Ironically, the elders who should help mitigate this crackling hate fan its embers. Words that even young people dare not say, come from the mouths of elders. Words that incite more hatred and threaten to tear us apart. The only thing is, when the uprising starts, the elders will not be on the streets to fight. Those

voices(activists all) from London, tightly gripping the social media and inciting hate will be in London or the USA, acting as our mouthpiece, ‘agitating’ for international support under the cosy atmosphere of foreign peace. You know who the victims will be.

The victims will be you and I, who have no access to visas that will enable us escape once the fight starts. We will be stuck here, one poor man killing the other poor man.

Our children? They will suffer the most. The children of the others will be in faraway countries, still eating bacon and coffee for breakfast. My children and yours will be happy if their mothers find enough cassava leaves to prepare saltless soup.

This is not a fight for change or transformation. It is a power strug-

gle between people who feel they are losing control of power and relevance and those who are fighting back to maintain their relevance.

It is a power struggle blown out of proportion by feeding the media with lies, half-truths and promises bordering on utopia. Disciples have been made and encouraged to help spread the hate. And the gullible disciples, unthinking of the overall future of the nation are fanatically at work, most of them for free. The idea of doing it for free gives them a certain moral justification that they are fighting for something noble.

Yet, whoever claims to be fighting for the good of our nation would always stop and ask; “Will the current trend help Nigeria grow, or will it harm it more?” In implementing plans, it is always

pertinent to see how your proximal goals will affect your distal goals.

If the good of the nation is your distal goal, take a pause and ask how your current spread of hatred will benefit Nigeria in the long run.

Fear is the lord of our land now. Many have decided that staying clear of anything that concerns the elections is the only guaranty of safety.

Mother has called and warned me to stay clear.

I rush through social media these days without paying attention to political posts. The spread of hatred is sickening.

Recently, I re-visited Chinua Achebe’s There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra.

There are glaring similarities between the state of things now and the ones that led to the civil war. Only this time, the actors have changed.

ABA

AKURE

SOKOTO

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Life&

TIMES Tuesday February 24, 2015

Onikan beckons

L3

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Chioma Akpotha on keeping her marriage private Men’s Trend

Be stylish with a Fedora

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L2

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Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday February 24, 2015

I am not as arrogant as presumed…..

Chioma Akpotha Mutiat Alli

She is one of the few thespians who since her inception into the make believe world with her debut movie, The Handkerchief, in the year 2000, has gone on to become one of the most sought after actresses in the movie industry. Considered bankable going by the number of endorsement deals under her belt, some of which are with telecommunication company, Globacom, Reckitt Benckisers and several others, the beautiful actress, wife and mother of two has so far featured in over 80 movies. In this chat, Chioma akpotha, reveals why she guards her privacy with utmost jealousy, quite unlike her ilks including sundry issues.

You are well known as an actress but you recently ventured into the

production world with only one movie so far, On bended knees. What is responsible for your sudden decision to become a producer?

I want to correct that impression of me turning into a producer over night simply because I have been in the industry for quite some time now and for me to produce a movie of my own is just to let the world know the fact that even though I have been an actress, I have silently been learning the ropes of movie production which has always been a lifelong dream. I think I turned out to be a fantastic producer. The movie which is quite dear to my heart was directed by a professional who is a veteran in the industry, Lancelot Imasuen and it came out under the stables of Emem Isong’s production company, Royal Arts Academy.

What formed your choice of selection?

I felt they both understood what I was looking out for in the production of the movie. It was one of the greatest things to have happened to

me because they both believed in my dream.

Even when I got to a point of giving up, they were there to encourage me and at end of it all, I produced a fantastic movie.

What is the movie all about?

It’s a captivating story of a young and vibrant man who relegated his duties as a husband and the man of the house to the background. His wife, ignored and lonely, finds comfort in the company of her boss whom she began having an affair with and from there, things take a twist. Most Nigerians can easily relate to this story because it happens every day even in the midst of seemingly perfect relationships. It’s a movie everyone should watch.

Considering when you started out in the industry, what is your view on the standard of movies been produced in Nigeria presently?

Well professionally, I started acting in the year 2000 and there is a clear difference between the kind of films produced now and those produced back then. I can authoritatively say it loud and clear that the Nigerian Movie Industry has improved tremendously and we are almost at par with international standards notwithstanding the kind of equipments we use in shooting our movies. I believe the sky is our starting point and definitely not our limit.

That is about 15 years ago. Most of your colleagues had drifted into movie directing and production. Why did it take so long for you to release your first movie?

I was doing some underground work, studying the tearrain. I didn’t just want to do a movie because people felt it was time for me to do a movie, I felt that if I had to produce a movie it would be at my own time and on my own terms. Quite frankly,

when it was time for me to do it, I had a bit of challenge but I guess I was able to overcome because I believe it was the set time. Whatever challenge that came whilst I was filming and doing the post production was easily handled.

You have maintained an almost scandal-free reputation. What is the magic?

I feel it has been the grace of God because we all are not created perfect and as such we just manage to be our self and be of the best behavior. I just feel being an actor opens you up to controversies, scandals and all that. Maybe I’ve just been lucky.

You will soon be 35. Looking ahead, what do you hope to have achieved before then that time?

I hope that by then, I would have done another movie and grown from this level.

There is no stagnancy in the industry. If you don’t see an actor for a period of time in movies, it doesn’t mean they are not doing something. Some are directing, some are producing, some are rebranding. There is no dry moment. For me, I want to move to another level by my next birthday.

As a married woman, what has marriage taught you?

I have learnt a lot from been a married woman because it only takes the Grace of God for two people who are completely different to stay together for the rest of their lives. One major thing I have learnt is patience and perseverance; one needs to tolerate one another. My husband and I do not just see ourselves as a married couple, we are first and foremost, friends.

Not much is known about your husband.

How will you describe him and why is it so difficult to see both of you together?

I have got the best husband as a friend and the father of my children. He is loving, caring and has been supportive of my career.

And for not seeing much of him around me, it is our mutual agreement to keep our marriage private. We are happy and our source of joy has been our children.

What is that one impression many have about you that you want to correct?

That has to be me as an

arrogant person which I am not, I strongly believe in the saying that you don’t judge a book by its cover. I guess people who have that impression of me are people who don’t know me or aren’t close to me. I am not arrogant at all.

7

facts you didn’t know about

Chioma Akpotha

1. She is a graduate of Banking and Finance from the Lagos State University 2. She recently bagged an endorsement deal with Unilever to be the face of omo detergent.

3. She is an introvert and doesn’t attend red carpet events frivolously.

4. She is an Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA) winner. She bagged an award for the best actress in a leading role at the 2007 edition of the awards ceremony which took place in Bayelsa State.

5. She is from Oraifite in Anambra State 6. She originally got into the movie industry in 1998 but had to wait for two years to get her parent’s consent to began acting fully.

7. She used to be gospel singer, Sammie Okposo’s backup singer

Daily Times Nigeria

Tuesday February 24, 2015

L3 Travel & Recreation

Muson centre

Entrance of TBS

Echoes of history in

Onikan Vanessa Obioha

In less than a week, Shakespeare’s Globe to Globe train will berth in Lagos to perform the stage play ‘Hamlet’. Led by Globe’s Artistic Director, Dominic Dromgoole, this UK theatre production is presenting Nigerian

actor, Ladi Emeruwa, in the shared role of Hamlet, together with an impressive international cast and crew of seventeen.

The group will tour 205 countries for two years to commemorate the 450th birth anniversary of the legendary playwright William Shakespeare. Hamlet is scheduled

to hold in Muson Centre, Onikan and St. Saviours School, Ikoyi. Hamlet is an intriguing tale that provides insights to human consciousness and morality of societies.

Nigeria being the 79th country to host the stellar cast, it is welcoming that the play would be set in a historical site, Onikan.

Lagos Island is steeped in history of the colonial reign in Nigeria. From Tinubu Square to Onikan, the fingerprints of the colonials are still present to this day. Onikan is one of the places that boasts of historical landmarks, one of them being the Muson centre where the Hamlet would be staged. Back in the colonial days, Onikan pooled the elites to its environment with its beautiful recreation parks and scenery. In addition, it created an enabling ambience for human socialization to thrive. Situated in the heartbeat of Lagos and close to the commercial hub of the city, Onikan is laced with historical facts of the country in the colonial era.

Popularly known as TBS or Race Course today, Onikan still retains some of its attractions it had in the day. For instance,

the monumental Tafawa Balewa Square which was formerly a race course where the elites held their horse racing and other track and field activities. Enriched with a vast grassland surrounded by the circular horse racing track that is delimited by two white painted concentric wooden fences, the weekends were always a date to keep for the elites. Besides the horse racing, the open space provided a field for the children then to play football. Race Course boasts of a panoramic view of the Marina water front back in the day.

It is also at this estimated 14.5 hectares of land that the green white green flag of Nigeria was hoisted while the Union Jack Flag was lowered to usher in the independent era in Nigeria in 1960. The place was renamed Tafawa Balewa Square as it was in this place that the first Prime Minister of Nigeria gave his independent speech.

TBS is at the heart of other notable landmarks in the country such as The High court, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Defence, and Kings College. Today, it is flanked by the City Mall which share the same ground with the National Museum to the right and on the left by a new extension of the massive land known as the TBS Banquet hall. It is also close to the Western House, known as the tallest building in the day. The Muson Centre stands opposite it.

While what is left of the land which housed the National Assembly in the past is less appealing, the intricate designs of the entrance of the square is still untouched.

The four white giant horses suspended above the gate and and 7 red eagles are still evident. They symbolised the strength and dignity as represented in the coat of arms. In 2008, the edifice was concessioned to BHS international firm to transform the square into a world-class city centre.

Although, the square is seemingly going through a slow revamp, it is still a sought-

Fact file about Onikan 1. It is situated in Lagos Island area of Lagos state 2. Onikan is popularly called TBS or Race Course 3. It boasts of notable monuments in the country.

4. TBS is named after the first Prime Minister in Nigeria, Tafewa Balewa.

5. It was formerly a Race Course for horseracing in the colonial days.

The Love Garden

6. The Muson centre and National Museum are sitauted in Onikan.

after venue for carnivals, concerts and other festivals.

For instance, the annual gospel concert the Experience holds here. TBS betrays not a single hint of the elegance it had in the past except for the open space. In fact, its entrance and exit gates are used as a short cut by pedestrians to connect to the other side of the road. Spaces underneath the sleeping area have turned to a sleeping ground for the homeless and vagrants while commercial activities thrive on both sides of the square. The three buildings in the square boast of business offices, particularly travel agencies. Commercial bus drivers have turned the front area of the square to a mini garage for their passengers.

Moving on to the right of TBS is the City Mall which is one of the attractions of the area. Close to it is the Onikan museum where the history of Nigeria is highly preserved. The museum displays a gallery of artifacts used in the ancient days. From the wooden tray used for childbirth to the different deities and masquerade peculiar to diverse cultures in the country. Stored in this complex of history is the famous car where Muritala Mohammed was murdered.

Besides the apparent daily cleaning of the car to keep it dust free, the marks of the assassination is still evident in the car. The windscreen still bears holes of the bullet penetration. Perhaps, to keep the car balance, the punctured tyres were replaced by new ones and kept in the booth of the car. In this mini garage where the car is kept, pictures of past to present rulers in the country line up the walls.

It is in this museum that one can get a good glimpse of what the old Lagos looks like. Pictures of the Ikorodu road which is now tarred and lined up with skyscrapers and architectural designs was once a winding path adorned with bushes. There is also a picture of Ikoyi park as a playground for children which is present day Parkview Estate- a luxurious community of the elite.

The Muson centre also has its image in the gallery. Before it was decorated with beautiful edifices, the Muson centre was a garden for lovers called the Love Garden. It was here that the colonial masters and the elites bring their loved ones to and serenade them with poetry and love letters. The central park of Lagos then providd a serene haven from the hustle andbustlemof thecity.

Its serene environment was complemented

by King George V swimming pool in its recess. Maybe, it is not out of place that the park was transformed to an institution of classical music. Today, the nusic society of Nigeria boasts of students with impressive excellence in opera, classical music and theatrical performances. Therefore, it is no wonder that it is the preferred choice to host the Shakespeare’s train.

Men’s Trend L4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday February 24, 2015

Fedora The

hat:

The stylish alternative Nkarenyi Ukonu If you’re looking for something to make you really stand out, look no further as the fedora hat is one item of clothing you can use to spice things up. It is a great alternative to say a bowler hat or a newsboy cap as they are classy, trendy and in style besides, they can give you a few extra inches in height in an instant. What more can you ask for?

But to ensure you are really grabbing attention positively with your hat, be sure that you: Find your size The circumference of your fedora should be approximately 1/2 inch larger than that of your head and shouldn’t fall down over your ears or feel too tight around your forehead.

Crease your classic fedora One of the things that separates a classic fedora from other dress hats is the crease in the crown. However, while some come with a crease, others do not. To create a crease in the absence of one, grab the sides of the crown in front with one hand as you push down the top with your index finger. Pinch the felt lightly to form a center crease with dents near the front.

You can set it apart with embellishments Embellish your classic fedora with a feather and a hat pin. A brown fedora looks good with a yellow feather and gold pin. A black or charcoal gray fedora looks good with a red feather and a silver or pearl pin.

DJ Jimmy Jatt

To keep it in shape Timi Dakolo

Find your style A classic fedora looks best cocked slightly to one side and titled forward a bit, making sure it sits just above the ear and resting right above your eyebrow.

Dress to complement your fedora Some people have different fedoras for individual outfits or suits.

Try different things until you find the fashion combinations that you feel most comfortable with.

Chidi Mokeme

Ï dƋƍ Ɠ Ɠ Əƍ ƅƄƕ ƍ ƑƆƎ ƆƉƆƃ Ǝ Ƌƍ ƎƄƃƎ ƍ Ǝ Ɗ ƈƄ ƆƎ more weather resistant and allow to dry before wearing. Ï dƋ Ǝ ƃƉƄ Ɠ Əƍ ƅƄƕ ƍ ƑƆƎ ƉƆ ƎƉƓ ƕ ƊƋ ƃ ƎƎ Ƃ ƍ towel. Be careful not to rub too hard or you will remove some of the felt. Use a lint brush to remove any debris.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday February 24, 2015

L5 Men’s Trend

men

Decoding dress codes

SODOKU

for

Eyola

Black tie (a.k.a. formal) Time to razzle dazzle, network or possibly meet the woman of your dreams. Of course none of this would be possible without the suitable attire. A tuxedo with a bow-tie is the golden ticket.

Avoid bright vests and opt for a dark coloured suit. Skinny ties are the way to go. Don’t forget to have the perfect balance of confidence, avoiding being too cocky.

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Kevin Hart

White tie (a.k.a. ultra-formal) If you have a social calendar that includes fundraisers, debutant dances, galas and diplomatic balls, then a white-tie affair will be familiar to you. This dress code requires full dress which entails a freshly laundered white wing collar pique shirt, crisp white pique vest and white pique tie. A classic pair of black trousers with a formal satin stripe is mandatory. So is a traditional black tailcoat, black patent shoes and cufflinks.

Cocktail (a.k.a. semi-formal, after-five) Think dashing and timeless. Wear a dark suit that is well-fitted and a toned-down version of a tuxedo.

While bespoke suits offer the most flattering fits, they come at a hefty price tag, especially if purchased from the Mecca of men’s tailoring, Savile Row street in London. If your budget does not allow for this, buying off the peg can be an inexpensive alternative; but it is imperative that you spend a small fortune on aftertailoring. With a few alterations you will notice the transformation in the look and feel of your suit.

Common

Business formal (a.k.a. professional) Embrace and empower the power suit. Pinstripe, navy blue and charcoal grey suits are best for business attire. Dark coloured, solid or a subtle pinstripe are more appropriate. Ties should reach your belt line and should be conservative in solid stripes or small patterns.

Wear a minimum of one pattern

and two solids between your suit, shirt and tie. A conservative hairstyle is a good idea. Do not put pens in your shirt pockets, it is more professional to put them in your suit jacket pocket instead. Socks should always match your suit and cover up all possible signs of skin. Invest in sock suspenders from Eyola’s SMA collection available at Eyola’s Private Showroom (Lekki, Lagos). Avoid black suits as they may appear sombre and flashy belts with flashy buckles.

Two sets of black and brown belts form the basis of your professional wardrobe. Shoes must be polished and a tie is mandatory. For shirts, white buttoned-up is always the classic choice.

Business casual (a.k.a. casual but office appropriate) Avoid bright prints and casual sport trousers and stay away from athletic shoes. Similar to professional attire, dark colours are more appropriate. Long sleeve polo, turtleneck sweaters and buttondown shirts are great choices. Make sure to wear classy well-polished shoes and match them with your belt.

Smart casual (a.k.a. dressy casual) Step out of your gym wear and beat-up trainers. The just-rolled-outof-bed look is an ultimate no-no.

Leave worn out clothes, loungewear and sportswear where they belong – confined to the walls of your home or your gym. A buttoned down shirt with jeans always works a treat.

Choose espadrilles, loafers, chinos or well-kept sneakers or converse to stylishly elevate your total look.

You never know who you are going to meet at such events, so don’t lose out on winning the heart of a potential date or a business opportunity whilst networking. Make sure clothes are in good condition, clean and well-ironed. Simply slip on a blazer jacket to instantly polish up your look. Blazers are always a great cover-up and you can go wild with colour and fabrics.

Dress codes for male wedding guests

» So you’ve been invited to a wedding, but there isn’t an instruction manual attached to the invitation advising you on what

to wear. Dressing up for wedding season can sometimes be a tedious task, therefore: » Consider the season and the location before selecting what to wear. Is it a colder or warmer climate? Is the ceremony held in a Church, city hall or a beachside venue? In most cases a high quality suit in black, dark blue or charcoal is the never-go-wrong option. Similarly opt for ties in classic colours to uphold a similar level of formality; they certainly do not need to match you suit. You will never go wrong in traditional colours for ties: black, white, silver charcoal, navy, hounds tooth, darker check patterns. » For a high society wedding in a colder climate opt for a wool suit and choose linen for warmer climates. Under no circumstances should you wear white. Silk bow ties, elegant silver cuffs and brogues complete the gentleman’s look. A single breasted tailored suit with a peak lapel and jet pockets is a winwin choice. To complete the look, the must-have accessory of a quality timepiece is essential. To stand out from the crowd, a bright, bold statement pocket square is advised. » For a beach wedding, a linen suit is recommended in cream or a bright blue for a dashing laidback look. For this type of ceremony, it is up to you how casual you would like to style your suit. However please avoid a tropical shirt, beach shorts, clip-on ties, statement patterned socks, brightly coloured ties and sneakers. Have some respect for the bride and groom. To freshen up the look and make it more beachsetting-worthy opt for accessories such as tan loafers, stylish braces, sunglasses and a colourful pocket square. Shirts should be well tailored and in either white or a blue solid colour, no prints or bright colours. » Keep it classy. Your outfit matters and will be forever remembered in wedding photos.

Party etiquette for male guests

Ï `dy^ ƍƄ Ɗ ƕ Ǝ ƍƓê Reply within two days of receiving an invitation. It is polite to confirm whether or not you will be attending the social event. You might also want to send a small thoughtful gift along with your regrets if you are unable to attend.

Ï 1ƍ ƊƆ ê j Ƅ ƋƋƄ Ɖ of a well-groomed man is timeless, attracting women with little to no effort. It is never too late to develop a grooming regime. Pay special attention to your skin, hair, lips, nails, scent and teeth. Hydrate your skin by drinking plenty of water and applying moisturiser every day to prevent your skin from aging prematurely. A smooth shave and trimming excess hair in ears, nostrils and eyebrows is always attractive.

Keep your hair clean and tidy for a professional and dapper appearance.

Keep teeth stain-free and your breath fresh. The perfect amount of aftershave can command attention and confidence, making you appear more attractive. To go the extra mile and to complete the grooming cycle, do not neglect your nails. Invest in regular manicures and pedicures to keep nails short, trimmed and dirt free. One of the biggest turn offs is chapped lips and hands, so keep a good moisturiser and lip balm handy at all times. Ï Ƅ ƋƏ ƃƎƏ Ɖê z ƄƎ Ƅƍ you are a business-savvy man or a singleton, being punctual has a lot of benefits. You never know who you might meet or bump into. Ï L ƄƍƆ Ɗ ƕ etiquette are important. Always be respectful to anyone who ƋƋƍ ƃ Ƅ Ɠ Əê 1ƍƄƄƎ ƕ Ǝ ƈ Ǝ Ƅ Ǝ ƍƍƆƐ Ɖ ƕ ƕƄƋ ƍƎƏƍƄê 1ƆƅƎ the host as a sign of appreciation. Ï Ƅ Ƅ ƎƉƄƊ ê Open doors for women. Believe it or not women still highly rate a ƑƄƉƉéƊ ƄƍƄƕ Ƅ ƎƉƄƊ ê 1 ƕ manners, good grooming and a dapper dress sense are key factors women rate men on. So whether you are prince charming or not, you are sure to catch that special woman’s attention by being wellgroomed, well-dressed and well mannered.

Eyola’s Private Showroom Lekki, Lagos 0809 505 5555, info@eyola.com or Visit our website: www.eyola.com

Music & Movie Charts L6 Movie

Mutiat Alli

DTN Movie chart English

in Atlanta 1 30 Days st 2. October 1 by a B r 3 Ancho mplicated rried and Co a M , le g in S 4 For Me 5 Don’t Cry 6 Silence d Knees 7 On Bende s ope 8 Holding H y erc 9 Finding M ht to Abuja 10 Last Flig

DTN Movie chart Yoruba e 1 Saworoid a 2 Jenif bu 3 Kofo Tinu 4 Aroba 5 Bella oge Benin 6 Osas Om 7 Komfo 8 Oyenusi sha Oko 9 Mufu Olo ore 10 Arinnok

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday February 24, 2015

Music Opeoluwa Toluwani DTN weekly music chart P-Square’s Shekini maintains the number one position with a whooping number of 5,503,265 views while Timaya’s Shanko stays in the second place with 2,204,046 views.

This week, Wizkid’s Ojuelegba which ranked sixth last week, now comes to the third position after hitting 641,365 views on Youtube. Ojuelegba displaces Marry me

by Falz which features Yemi Alade. The song with 571,725 views was pushed to the forth position.

In the same vein, Iyanya’s Finito drops to the fifth position, while Kiss Daniel’s Woju takes the sixth place.

Top 10 music chart

Nigeria

1 P-Square- Shekini 2 Timaya – Sanko 3 Wizkid-Ojuelegba 4 Falz Ft. Yemi Alade- Marry Me 5 Iyanya- Finito 6 Kiss Daniel – Woju 7 Dammy Krane- Amin 8 Sean Tizzle- Loke Loke 9 M.I ft Moti Cakes- Bad Belle 10 Skuki- Peteru

Top 10 music chart

International

DTN Movie chart Foreign 1. Selma n Sniper 2. America man ea 3. Think lik s of Future Past ay D : 4. X men r Mock5. Equalize r Games: e g n u H e 6. Th 1 ingjay part Ringer g in 7. Wedd 8. Fury 9. Flight America 10. Captain

1 Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do 2 Mark Ronson Feat. Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk 3 Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud 4 Rihanna, Kanye West & Paul McCartney - FourFiveSeconds 5 Hozier - Take Me To Church 6 Taylor Swift - Blank Space 7 Maroon 5 - Sugar 8 The Weekend - Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey) 9 Meghan Trainor - Lips Are Moving 10 Sam Smith - Stay With Me

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday February 24, 2015

L7

L8 Television

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday February 24, 2015

Showing on

Showing on

117 Universal Channel

154 African Magic Family

02:40

09:00

Tue, 24 Feb | PG

Tue, 24 Feb

‘S1/E10 - Bridges’. Kate mediates a dispute between two brothers and also has to prevent an international incident. Kate has another run-in with Judge Nicastro.

Virginia Williams, Sarah Shahi, Michael Trucco, Baron Vaughn.

(2011) Peter Markle.

‘S2/E22 - Technology Ban’. Bayo sets Tobi a challenge to last 24 hours without technology. Funke sets up a local business in the café, selling Nollywood DVDs.

101 M-Net

118 Telemundo

120 BBC Entertainment

128 SONY MAX Television

00:00 Total Wipeout UK 00:22 Top Gear 01:16 Scott And Bailey

00:00 CSI 00:30 The Real Housewives Of Atlanta 01:30 Carrie 03:05 Stoker 04:45 Scooby Doo! Mask Of The Blue Falcon 06:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 07:00 MasterChef Australia 08:00 Two And A Half Men 08:30 Mind Games 09:30 Celebrity Masterchef South Africa 10:30 Admission 12:30 The Middle 13:00 MasterChef Australia 14:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:00 Wipeout (USA) 16:00 Blue Bloods 17:00 The Lottery 18:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 19:00 2 Broke Girls

00:00 Fearless Heart 00:30 The Del Monte Dynasty 01:20 The Impostor 02:10 Aurora 03:00 Fearless Heart 03:50 Labour Of Love 05:20 The Del Monte Dynasty 06:10 Aurora 07:00 Fearless Heart 07:50 Labour Of Love 08:40 The Impostor 09:30 Forbidden Passions 10:20 Aurora 11:10 Fearless Heart 12:00 Labour Of Love 12:50 The Impostor 13:40 Forbidden Passions 14:30 Aurora 15:20 Fearless Heart 16:10 Labour Of Love 17:00 The Impostor 17:50 Forbidden Passions 18:40 Aurora 19:30 Fearless Heart

02:02 Come Dine With Me 02:51 EastEnders 03:21 The Weakest Link 04:06 Top Gear 05:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series

00:00 Real Husbands Of Hollywood 00:30 Real Husbands Of Hollywood 01:00 Shuga 01:30 Shuga 02:00 The Real 03:00 BET Now 03:30 BET Now 04:00 Late Night Heat 06:00 Soul Sessions 07:00 Soul Sessions 08:00 Soul Sessions 09:00 106 & Park

00:15 Unbeatable Banzuke

05:55 Count Arthur Strong

00:40 Unbeatable Banzuke

06:30 EastEnders

01:05 LFL USA 2013

07:00 Antiques Roadshow

02:15 How High

07:55 The Weakest Link

03:45 The Smoking Gun Presents: World's...

08:45 The Cube

04:30 Unbeatable Banzuke

09:35 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

05:00 What Price Honesty

10:20 Deal Or No Deal

06:25 Cheaters

11:00 My Family

07:10 The Smoking Gun Presents: World's...

11:30 Hell's Kitchen USA

07:55 World's Wildest Police Videos

12:20 Top Gear

08:50 I Bet You Will

13:15 Come Dine With Me

09:15 Most Shocking

14:10 Total Wipeout UK

10:10 The Smoking Gun Presents: World's...

15:10 The Weakest Link

11:05 The Smoking Gun Presents: World's...

16:30 Deal Or No Deal

16:00 EastEnders

252 Silverbird

135 BET 10:00 Hell Date 10:30 Hell Date 11:00 The Wendy Williams Show 12:00 Keyshia & Daniel: Family First 12:30 Keyshia & Daniel: Family First 13:00 Real Husbands Of Hollywood 13:30 Real Husbands Of Hollywood 14:00 The Sheards 15:00 The Wendy Williams Show 16:00 Keyshia & Daniel: Family First 16:30 Keyshia & Daniel: Family First 17:00 Real Husbands Of Hollywood 17:30 Real Husbands Of Hollywood 18:00 The Wendy Williams Show 19:00 106 & Park 20:00 Hell Date 20:30 Hell Date 21:00 Centric Comedy All Stars 22:00 The Wendy Williams Show 20:00 The 5 Brides 20:30 Adam's Apples 21:00 Jara 21:30 Tinsel

00:00 Cheaters

05:25 QI

Life& T

E

A

M

Editor Nkarenyi Ukonu murielukonu@gmail.com 08029030427

252 Silverbird

09:00 Magic Morning

00:00 Boom Town

10:00 Mr. Nigeria

01:00 Music Africa

10:30 Video Vault

02:00 Boom Town

11:00 Rhythm Of The City

02:30 STV Sports Café

11:30 SB Lifestyle

03:00 Local Movie

12:00 Nigeria Decides

05:00 Symphony

13:00 Music Africa

06:30 Insights For Living

14:05 Good Life

07:00 STV AM News

14:30 So Wrong So Wright

07:30 Today On Stv

15:00 Together

Akintayo Opeoluwani a_opeson2@yahoo.com 08126223784 Mutiat Alli Allimutiat@yahoo.com 08115557378 Isaac Ogundoye i.ogundoye@dailytimes.com.ng 08069489893 Graphics Austine Agbovi

MESSI:

BARCA must be wary of CITY X8

Poster!

YOHAN BLAKE

X4,5 Tuesday, February 24, 2015

INTERVIEW

ZHANG: RELISHES CHINESE FOOD X6

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:

ARSENAL, MONACO

TEST MIGHT

OTENIGBAGBE tips homebased D’Tigers for greatness X2

X7

X2

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

EXTRATIME

Wenger

UCL:

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger feels his side have “come up a level” in recent weeks but is wary of Monaco, warning that there is plenty of hard work ahead if they are to get past Monaco and reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League (UCL).

The Gunners moved back into the top four of the English Premier League (EPL) on Saturday with a hard-earned 2-1 win at Crystal Palace, where they survived a late onslaught and saw a header from substitute Glenn Murray come back off the post in the dying moments of stoppage time.

Arsenal, who stand third after Southampton lost 2-0 to Liverpool in Sunday’s late game following on from Saturday’s defeat for Manchester United at Swansea, have little time to recover energy levels before lifting themselves ahead of the European tie against Monaco; the first leg of which is at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.

Wenger is confident his squad are now showing flashes of improvement on all fronts.

“The spirit is there and we want to keep that as a very strong basis, the team has come up a level and we will see that with the results,” said Wenger.

The Arsenal manager warned there can be no sense of complacency when they tackle Monaco, who topped Champions’ League Group C and won 1-0 at Nice on Friday night to maintain their own domestic topfour challenge.

Wenger wary of Monaco test TO TAKE OVER EAGLES’ TOP JOB

A

s prepositions to offer a new contract to Stephen Keshi drags on, there are indications that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) led by Amaju Pinnick is not likely to renew Keshi’s contract.

A reliable source at the NFF Glass House told Extra Time that former Super Eagles handler, Shuaibu Amodu, is warming up for the plum job, if Keshi refuses the terms and conditions of service which NFF may offer at the end.

The source revealed that NFF

is in constant talk with the Beninbased coach.

“We do not need a prophet to tell us that Stephen Keshi is no longer needed in the NFF, so he should know that these people do not want his services any more.

“The Super Eagles have been without a coach since November last year, and the NFF has not announced his replacement. That alone will tell you that they are up to something.

“Keshi’s issue has raised a lot of dust among some of us and we are just trying to play along to avoid further crisis in the NFF.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has picked NFF Executive Committee member Yusuf Ahmed Fresh as head of its Technical Study Group for the M’Bour Centre at the 19th African Youth Championship finals in Senegal next month. He will head the group that will work at Caroline Faye Stadium, M’Bour (50 kilometres outside Dakar), in Group B of the tournament that will see Ghana, South Africa, Mali and Zambia contest for places at the FIFA U-20 World Cup finals in New Zealand this summer.

Amodu “As stakeholders in this business, I want the best for our football, if the board wants to employ a new Super Eagles manager, they should come out open, after all millions of Nigerians do not want Keshi back as Eagles coach after we lost the 2015 AFCON ticket,” the source said.

Ahmed

Zambia confirm for Dream Team Zambia’s U-23 side will be the Dream Team’s next opponents in the race to the 11th All Africa Games after they must have seen off Gabon, following the withdrawal of Madagascar. Siasia’s wards lashed the Gabonese 4-1 in Libreville on Saturday with the return leg set for Abuja on March 7. The winner of the two-leg fixture is billed to play the winner between Zambia and Madagascar, but the Indian Ocean islanders withdrew from the race, handing an automatic final round ticket to the Zambians.

Ibe

Ibe gets Henry’s accolade

A

AMODU

Ojieva Ehiosun

CAF picks Fresh for U-20 duty

rsenal legend Thierry Henry has hailed Jordon Ibe after he inspired Liverpool to victory over Southampton.

The 19-year-old was again deployed as a right wing-back and he helped the Reds keep their fifth successive clean sheet away from home in the Premier League.

Liverpool haven’t lost in the six games Ibe has played since he returned from a loan spell at Derby.

Henry said: “It was an amazing performance. “It wasn’t the step overs and nutmegs but he showed maturity in a game like that at an early age, it’s his maturity to understand the game.

“The way he was tucking in to show he can cover his back three and the midfielders, he never gave up.

“He worked hard for his teammates and that’s how you gain the respect of team-mates. That is why he is playing for Liverpool.”

MALI set to battle Super Falcons Mali will be the Super Falcons’ opponents in the final round of qualifiers for the Women’s Football Tournament of the 11th All Africa Games, following the withdrawal of Gabon. Nigeria’s Falcons, champions of Africa, have returned to camp in Abuja at the weekend and will also be preparing for the qualifiers of the Women’s Football Tournament of the 2016 Olympic Games, against the same Malians, as well as the 7th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Canada this summer.

UEFA

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES TODAY’S MATCHES Man City v Barcelona 20: 45 Juventus v Borussia Dortmund 20: 45

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

EXTRATIME

X3

FLYING EAGLES name final AYC squad Andrew Ekejiuba

N

igeria’s Flying Eagles have to submit a final 21man squad for the 2015 African Youth Championship (AYC) to CAF by midnight of Thursday, officials have disclosed.

The Nigeria U-20 currently have a 28-man provisional squad that includes Belgium-based defender Wilfred Ndidi and Dolphins FC new signing Christian Pyagbara.

Pyagbara joined the Flying Eagles training camp in Abuja on their return from two warm-up matches

GARBA targets AYC trophy

Golden Eaglets’ players celebrate after booking their semifinal ticket at the ongoing CAF U-17 Championship in Niger.

CAF U-17: F

EAGLETS PLOT SOUTH AFRICA’S FALL Andrew Ekejiuba

G

olden Eaglets have intensified training, as they plot South Africa’s fall at the semi-final stage of the ongoing CAF U-17 Championship in Niger.

Coach Emmanuel Amuneke affirmed that the team will not have respite until the trophy rests in Nigeria, as the squad returned to training Sunday morning at the Stade Municipal in Niamey.

“We have to thank God that He has helped us so far, but we must continue to work hard until the journey is over,” Amuneke told the players. “We have two more races to do; the semifinal clash against South Africa on Wednesday and then we can begin to talk about the final.”

Nigeria stormed into the semifinals of the competition after finishing first in Group ‘A’. They beat Zambia 3-1 at the Stade Municipal on Saturday to finish on seven points.

Speaking moments after Saturday’s convincing 3-1 defeat

in Ghana, while the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are waiting on Belgian club Genk over the release of Ndidi for the AYC. In the meantime, the results of the scans on Musa Yahaya and Zaharadeen Bello are expected to be made known during the week.

Yahaya suffered a knee injury during the Flying Eagles second test match against Ghana in Tema, while Bello is nursing a swollen calf.

The Nigeria U-20s are due to fly out for a training tour ahead of the 19th AYC, which kicks off March 8 in Dakar, Senegal.

of Zambia, which ensured firstplace finish for Nigeria in Group A and an automatic ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup finals in Chile later in the year, Amuneke said his boys fought hard on the day.

“I’m grateful to the players because they fought so hard today.

The condition of the pitch also enabled us to express ourselves much better, but we are grateful to God that we have qualified for the semifinal and also secured our ticket to the World Cup in Chile.

“We would enjoy the moment and focus on the next match,” he said.

Also, to ensure his boys are not carried away with the result, Amuneke added: “We enjoy the moment and the moment we get back to our hotel, it is finished.

The boys themselves have realized what we have been telling them and they have realized that to achieve in life, you must be humble and disciplined.

“We will continue to talk to them because we are like fathers to them and we would continue to inspire them to build upon it.”

CAF U-17 SEMI-FINAL FIXTURES Feb 25: Nigeria vs South Africa Feb26: Mali vs Guinea

Phillips Tayo

Garba in training with Flying Eagles.

lying Eagles coach, Manu Garba, has revealed exclusively that the team is set on making Nigeria proud by capturing the African Youth Championship trophy.

He further affirmed that 7 players will be dropped from the squad after the team undergoes final camping in Gambia before their departure to Dakar, Senegal for the AYC which kicks off on March 8.

Speaking in a telephone interview with Extra Time, Garba confirmed the readiness of the technical crew to tinker the team to victory.

“The players are in high spirit because they know we’re in the final phase of the camping programme.

And for now, nobody is guaranteed a shirt both foreign and home-based.

“To the coaching crew, what

matters to us is the ability of the players to deliver the trophy to Nigeria by emerging tops at the AYC finals,” he said.

Manu posited that 7 players will be dropped from the 28 players already in the final phase of camping in Abuja, admitting that such players will be dropped within early days of the purported Gambia final camping so that the lucky players will use the remaining days to blend ahead of the AYC finals “We’re likely travelling on Wednesday this week to Gambia for final phase of camping. The situation report is that we’ll drop 7 players out of the 28 players in camp. As of now, we’re not inviting new players for whatever reasons. The next phase is to pick the final team to represent Nigeria at the AYC,” Garba concluded.

GLO LAUNCHES INFORMATION PLATFORM FOR EPL Andrew Ekejiuba

G

lobacom has launched a service that will enable fans and followers of the world’s most entertaining football league, the English Premier League (EPL) in Nigeria to access whatever information they want about the league through their Glo lines.

Known as the EPL Content Service, followers of the league who are on the Glo Mobile network will be able to download current and past information pertaining to anything or anyone

that has anything to do with the EPL. Information that could be accessed include historical facts, club facts and records, including frequently asked questions, players’ profiles, players and ex-players’ information such as nick names, hair cut styles and other exciting details, whether serious or trivial.

For example, the subscriber, by interacting with the platform, could discover that Manchester United has won the highest number of League titles (20), the last of which was won in the 2013-14 season when Sir Alex

Ferguson retired as a manager and that Bryan Robson was the captain of Manchester United for 12 years, longer than any other player.

EPL fans could also find out that George Best was known as the “fifth Beatle” for his iconic haircut and was the first footballer to significantly develop an off-the-field media profile; and that Sir Alex Ferguson is Manchester United’s longest-serving manager (26 years, 194 days), and that he presided over 1,500 club matches from November 6, 1986 to May 19, 2013.

X4

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

EXTRATIME

Yohan Blak achieveme Personal best:

MEDAL RECORD Olympic Games: Gold 2012 L Silver 2012 L Silver 2012 L

World Champions Gold 2011 D Gold 2011 D

YOHAN

BLAKE

World Relays: Gold 2014 B Gold 2014 B

World Junior Cham Gold 2006 B Silver 2008 B Bronze 2006 B

Pan American Jun Silver 2007 S Bronze 2007 S

CAC Junior Champ Gold 2006 P Gold 2006 P Gold 2006 P

CARIFTA Games (J Gold 2006 L Gold 2006 L Gold 2007 P Gold 2007 P Gold 2008 B

CARIFTA Games (Y Gold 2005 B Gold 2005 B

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

EXTRATIME

ke’s ents and Titles 100 m: 9.69 (Lausanne 2012) 200 m: 19.26 (Brussels 2011) 400 m: 46.49 (Kingston 2012)

London London London

4×100 m relay 100 m 200 m

ships: Daegu Daegu

100 m 4×100 m relay

Bahamas Bahamas

4 x 100 m 4 x 200 m

mpionships: Beijing Bydgoszcz Beijing

4×100 m relay 4×100 m relay 100 m

nior Championships: São Paulo 100 m São Paulo 4×400 m relay

pionships (U20): Port of Spain 100 m Port of Spain 200 m Port of Spain 4x100 m relay

Junior): Les Abymes Les Abymes Providenciales Providenciales Basseterre

200 m 4×100 m relay 100 m 4×100 m relay 100 m

Youth): Bacolet Bacolet

100 m 200 m

PERSONAL INFORMATION FULL NAME: NICKNAME: NATIONALITY: BORN: PLACE OF BIRTH: HEIGHT: WEIGHT: SPORT: EVENTS: CLUB: COACHED BY:

Yohan BLAKE The Beast Jamaica December 26, 1989 (age 25) St. James, Jamaica 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 76 kg (168 lb) Track & Field 100 m, 200 m Racers Track Club Glen Mills

QUOTE

–Yohan Blake

“I wasn’t born with a golden spoon in my mouth. It was a really tough life.”

“If you can come to the Olympic Games and leave with a medal then that is alright.”

“I’m like a beast. I just take it out on the track.”

“The 100m taught me a lot and it’s given me confidence.”

“I don’t need to scare the other athletes. When I’m running, I will scare them.”

X5

X6

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

EXTRATIME

INTERVIEW

ZHANG:

I MISS CHINESE FOOD AT WOLFSBURG! Last year an average of almost 35 million people watched the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final on television in Germany, cheering on their team en route to a fourth title in Rio de Janeiro. The match set record domestic viewing figures in Germany that are unlikely to ever be beaten. Yet that tally is dwarfed by the 44 million people in China PR who tuned in to a different televised event, perhaps an unsurprising number of viewers, given that the Asian country’s population is almost 15 times that of Germany’s. The most remarkable thing about that occasion was the event itself; it was not a major sports tournament or political rally but ‘merely’ the unveiling of a Chinese footballer at his new club. The player in question is Xizhe Zhang, whose first press conference at Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg after joining from Beijing Guoan a few weeks ago was broadcast live on Chinese state television. The 24-year-old midfielder is the 11th Chinese player to move to the Bundesliga, following in the footsteps of his trailblazing compatriot Gu Guangming, who signed for Darmstadt 98 in 1987. He hit 24 goals in 115 appearances in the Chinese Super League and earned ten caps to date for the Chinese national team, scoring twice. In an exclusive interview with FIFA.com, Zhang speaks about his adventure in Europe, his role as a national ambassador and the first few weeks in his new home. Excerpts: You have been in Wolfsburg for approximately two months now.

What are your first impressions overall?

My first impressions have been very, very good. The team welcomed me really well; my team-mates are very friendly and helpful and give me a lot of tips. Of course, compared to Beijing, Wolfsburg is a lot smaller, but it has lots of nice areas. Above all, I can focus on football in peace here and work intensively on learning German.

Unfortunately I haven’t experienced much of the rest of Germany because straight after my arrival we started preparing for the second half of the season, but I’ll definitely catch up on that later. The people here are all very friendly and courteous.

What do you miss from your homeland?

I miss my family and friends mainly, but I miss Chinese food too [laughs].

What is it like training alongside numerous big stars from the world of football? Did you have to get used to playing at a higher level?

Absolutely. The pace of the game in the Bundesliga is a lot faster than

it is in China, and you need greater athleticism here too. But I’m happy to play alongside such great players and to learn a lot every day.

Some critics say you were only signed for marketing purposes. Do statements like that annoy you? How do you react to them?

Of course it’s unpleasant to hear or read things like that, but I don’t get annoyed by it because I know it’s not true. If that had been the case I wouldn’t have joined Wolfsburg in the first place. From the conversations I’ve had with head coach Dieter Hecking and sporting director Klaus Allofs, I know they believe in me and that they’re convinced I’ll be able to help the club out on the pitch one day. Besides, I’m sure any critics will be silenced when I show what I can do on the field.

Your transfer caused a great deal of hype: your presentation was broadcast live on television in China and now there is a Chinese version of Wolfsburg’s website. How do you deal with such attention?

I wasn’t surprised that my signing generated such interest. China is a huge country and has a lot of football

fans. As I’m currently the only Chinese player at a big club in one of the major European leagues, it was clear that my presentation would be shown back home.

To what extent are you also an ambassador for your country?

I do see myself as a bit of an ambassador, but only in terms of football. I can show that good football is played in China too. On top of that, I hope that if I can establish myself at Wolfsburg then even more children in China will want to play football, and will view me as proof that it is possible to make it in Europe as a Chinese player. That would be good for the development of our game.

What are your strengths? What is your favourite position?

I prefer to play in attacking midfield.

In the last two years I’ve done that mainly from the left wing, but I can also play in the middle or on the right. Other people are better placed to judge what my strengths are, but I think I’m pretty good at playing the final ball.

Do you have a role model?

Mesut Ozil. I really like the way he plays. He plays in a similar position

to me and is very good at finding the decisive final ball to set up goals.

You have already made several international appearances for China but you did not go to the AFC Asian Cup. Why was that?

Our national team coach Alain Perrin has a lot of good players to choose from in my position, so it’s normal for one or two people to be left our occasionally. Furthermore, the Asian Cup took place in January, so it was at exactly the same time as when I was just getting started at Wolfsburg. It wouldn’t have helped my integration if I’d missed the entire preparation for the second half of the season with my new club.

Do you hope to be called up again soon?

I definitely want to be in the national set-up again as soon as possible and to play for my country. I speak to the coach regularly and he always asks how I’m getting on in Wolfsburg.

China finished in ninth place at Asian Cup. What are the team capable of achieving in the future?

Of course you always want to finish top, but our football is still in the

Zhang

“It would be significant for our progress if more Chinese players came to Europe.

That would improve the level of our national team.” early stages of its development, so our performance at that tournament was another step forward. It would be significant for our progress if more Chinese players came to Europe. That would improve the level of our national team.

Did you follow European football back in China?

Of course! I watched the Bundesliga regularly on television, as well as the English Premier League and Spanish Primera Division. My friends and family now watch the Bundesliga even more closely because Wolfsburg’s games are shown on CCTV every week.

What personal aims have you set for yourself this season and the future?

I want to completely integrate myself into the team as quickly as possible and to learn and understand German. I haven’t set myself an exact timeframe of when I’d like to be included in Wolfsburg’s squad for a competitive match for the first time, but I’ll give everything to make the most of this opportunity and to don the Wolfsburg shirt as soon as possible.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

EXTRATIME

BASKETBALL EXTRA

X7

With Phillips Tayo

V

Mohammed Tangara of Mali (middle) in action for his country.

Mali, Senegal eye AfroBasket

T

wo years ago, Mali needed a wild card invitation to compete at AfroBasket 2013. This year, they hope to earn their place at this summer’s continental championship in Tunisia by overcoming Senegal in a two-game FIBA Africa Zone 2, Group B qualifier.

The first-leg game took place last Saturday at Sports Palace in the Malian capital city of Bamako, with the second-leg to be played in Dakar, Senegal, this weekend.

For Mali, it is all about doing well in front of their fans and maintaining a winning mindset for the return game in Dakar.

Mohamed Tangara is back with the team, and has pledged he’ll do everything in his power to play in a third consecutive African Championship. But he is cautious about Senegal, a team that will

show up in Bamako with a squad made up mostly of local players.

“Our goal is to give the best we can,” said Mali’s captain who averaged 9.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire two years ago, as Mali finished 14th out 16.

The country’s basketball federation made some adjustments in the coaching position.

Frenchman Sylvain Lautie replaced Jose Ruiz, who led the team to a 1-4 two years ago.

Lautie is not new to Mali basketball as he guided the country to a 3-5 record at AfroBasket 2005 in Algiers, Algeria.

The new tactician says his team will face a battle of experience against his young team.

NBBF unsure of AfroBasket qualifier against Burkina Faso

N

BBF League Management Committee chairman, Agboola Pinheiro, has hinted that there is a likely uncertainty over the much-anticipated 2015 Tunisia AfroBasket Championship qualifier against Burkina Faso.

Burkina Faso are alleged to be contravening the official FIBA statutes by refusing to communicate the necessary details of the games’ arrangement to their opponent, Nigeria, ahead of this weekend’s fixture.

Speaking to Extra Time over the

weekend, Pinheiro maintained that the NBBF are in the dark over the vital travelling and venue details from their hosts, Burkina Faso.

“Seriously, Burkina-Faso are acting funny. They’ve refused to maintain communication with us as regards details of the hotel and venue. We’ll continue to contact them maybe by Wednesday, we’ll report them to FIBA Africa,” he said.

NBBF remains hopeful that the first leg will hold in Ouagadougou, while the second leg will be played in Lagos in March.

eteran basketball coach, Ganiu Otenigbagbe, has revealed that the present crop of DSTV League players can be tutored to play all the regional qualifiers for the FIBA Africa Men’s Championship holding in Tunisia.

Speaking in a telephone interview with Extra Time, Otenigbagbe who was often credited with discovering and nurturing the legendary NBA star, Akeem Olajuwon, during his early days in Nigeria asserted that its high time local players form the crux of the national team.

“If it’s for the zonal qualifiers, there’s is no justification for not allowing the best of the league players play all the qualifiers. With the right condition and incentives, these players have delivered for us in the past, but this time, they can be taken for FIBA Africa Afrobasket Championship,” he said.

While commenting on the choice of the new technical crew helmsman, Otenigbagbe who had a rich resume of having managed proclubsides and national teams advocates for an experienced handler whom he insist should be allowed to pick his assistants.

D’Tigers Ike Diogu with the ball during the match with US during London 2012 Olympics.

HOME-BASED

D’TIGERS

RIPE FOR FIBA QUALIFIERS – OTENIGBAGBE

ANTIGUA

resigns as Dominican

Rep coach D

ominican Republic Basketball Federation has announced that Orlando Antigua has stepped down as national team boss because of his commitments as coach of the South Florida Bulls in American college basketball.

Antigua, in his first season as head coach of the university team, will this summer take his South Florida players abroad, something

Antigua college coaches can do once every four years.

He will therefore not have the time to prepare the Dominicans for the FIBA Americas Championship taking place in Monterrey, Mexico from August 25 to September 6.

Promoted from his role as assistant coach under former Dominican head coach John Calipari, Antigua steered the team to a fourth-place finish at the 2013

FIBA Americas Championship in Venezuela.

The President of the Dominican Basketball Federation, Rafael Uribe, said in a statement: “Antigua has been an important part of the progress that our basketball has had in recent years.

“His principle legacy was to teach our young players that, with effort and dedication, they can achieve great things.”

X8

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

EXTRATIME

EXTRATIME

BARCA

REVEALED! BARCA MUST BE CREATIVE TO BATTLE CITY

–MESSI

B

arcelona will need to find more invention and attacking intent in Manchester City today than they were able to show in their 1-0 home defeat to Malaga on Saturday.

A well-organised Malaga comfortably held Barca at bay for a shock away win and, in doing so, showed the way for other teams to do the same.

Luis Enrique summed up the Barca performance after the game by claiming his side did not attack enough down the flanks, thus making it too easy for Malaga to defend against his side.

“We tried to attack too much through the centre and this is now a damaging result for us,” the manager said. “We found it difficult to create chances and we were too disorganised. It is crucial to keep your order if you want to win games.”

A very young Malaga side defended deeply and broke at pace, but that was not the whole story, for Barca were not set up to break their opponent down once the early goal was scored.

With none of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez or Neymar showing glimpses of the magic that had led the side to 11 straight wins, the Camp Nou club had to rely on some creation from elsewhere on the pitch, and it was not forthcoming.

BARCA

never wanted to sell

TOURE –BUSQUETS S ergio Busquets is of the belief that Barcelona never wanted to offload Yaya

Messi

Toure.

The Catalan giants sold the Ivory Coast midfielder to Manchester City for around £24million in July 2010, but it was not that they wanted to sell him according to Busquets who stepped into the role vacated by his old colleague.

Y R BARCA, CIT OT FEA DO N

Y N A P M O K S Y SA

M

anchester City captain Vincent Kompany insisted the Premier League champions do not fear Barcelona as the two teams prepare to face each other today in the opening leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 tie.

City renew hostilities with Barca at Etihad Stadium, having bowed out to the Spanish giants 4-1 on

Toure

Kompany

aggregate at the same stage of the tournament last season.

Manuel Pellegrini’s City, however, head into the match on the back of two resounding league victories a 4-1 win at Stoke City and a 5-0 drubbing of Newcastle United.

Kompany, though, said City’s defenders have no reason to worry.

“The next game is a massive one now and it’s one of those - if you

have a good day it can be a special night,” Kompany said.

“So we have to prepare and I think everyone is ready for it. We don’t fear them. You don’t go in at this level fearing strikers.

“We want to play against them.

It’s the fourth time in a year now.

There’s nothing new to worry us, it’s a case of having the whole team at a very high level.”

Ahead of today’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg at the Etihad Stadium, Spain international Busquets spoke of Toure’s exit a little over four years ago saying that the 31-year old ‘chose his destiny’.

“People were surprised because Toure was one of our best players, but I knew what was going through his mind,” Busquets said.

“Ultimately, players choose their

destiny and he chose to leave. He could have stayed, but I’m sure City told him he’d to play more and earn more; it wasn’t that Barcelona wanted to sell.”

Since his departure from Camp Nou, Toure has won two Premier League titles with City, as well as the 2011 FA Cup and last season’s Capital One Cup. He is suspended for the Round of 16 first leg this week.

ANCELOTTI PLAYS DOWN LEAD OVER BARCA R eal Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti played down the significance of holding a four-point lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga following their 2-0 win at Elche on Sunday.

Ancelotti’s men capitalised on a rare slip-up from Barca, who lost 1-0 at home to Malaga on Saturday, with a routine victory at the Martinez Valero in the Italian’s 100th game in charge of Real.

Karim Benzema - who had earlier seen an acrobatic effort wrongly disallowed for offside - opened the scoring with his 18th goal of the season from close range in the 56th minute.

Cristiano Ronaldo then headed home a second 13 minutes later to secure a result that cemented Real’s

grip on top spot.

Despite their advantage, though, Ancelotti is refusing to get complacent about Real’s title prospects.

“It was an important game after what happened on Saturday, above all to take a distance over Barcelona,” Ancelotti said.

“It is clear that Saturday’s defeat surprised everyone, as Barca had been in very good form, playing very well.

“It is clear we have a lead now, but as I have said many times this title will be decided on the last day of the season.”

Ancelotti’s time in charge at The Santiago Bernabeu has seen him win the UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Super Cup.