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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.39

No going back on Feb polls –INEC

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Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Mrs Dayo Keshi (left); Minister of Culture and Tourism, Chief Edem Duke; German innovator, Mr Andre Spice; Director General of NITDA, Mr Peter Olu Jack; and Chief Executive Officer of African Times Network, Mr Fidelis Anosike, at the commissioning of the solar kiosks (right) in Abuja...on Wednesday.

INSIDE Life&

TIMES Thursday February 5, 2015

Harrisong, out with a bang!

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Crop tops, forever trendy!

When trust is lost Music review P-Square’s Shekini

Dan Foster:

all about the gem

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L6

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2015 Budget: Govt slashes capital projects 6

African Times Network, NITDA launch solar kiosks

Three countries repel Boko Haram’s reprisal attack

INSIDE XT Exclusive

Ghana in X3 crunchy tie against hosts

Poster!

Samuel Peter

X4,5 Thursday, February 5, 2015

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6

INTERVIEW

MARTA:

FA probes

Brazilians are bad losers X6

Man Utd

BOSS

RED DEVILS

DE GEA X2

to remain at UNITED X8

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Politics Page Three

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Editorial

Halting senseless political violence

W

e are being constrained for the umpteenth to warn against the spiraling political violence in the country.

This has become imperative, given the recourse to violence against some prominent political figures while on campaign trails. Sadly, such attacks are coming despite the recent accord reached by all presidential candidates to shun violence and any other acts capable of disrupting the peaceful conduct of the general elections this month.

Only two days ago, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP),President Goodluck Jonathan escaped death by a whisker when suspected suicide bombers detonated explosive devices only three minutes after his convoy left Gombe stadium.

Before then, his campaign convoys have been subjected to such humiliating assault in other parts of the country. Also, the All Progressives Congress(APC) has had cause to raise alarm over attacks on some of its candidates by suspected mobs.

We condemn these acts of lawlessness in all its entirety.

It is worth rehashing that politics is all about service to the citizenry and how to harness and apply the resources of the state for the good of the people.

Therefore,politicians and their supporters should look beyond violence and how to grab power at all cost and think more of how to serve

the citizenry.

Even at that, we call on all political parties to rein in their supporters,if only to forestall any catastrophic consequences that may befall the country in the event of any serious injuries or deaths of any candidate.

The present political atmosphere is so highly charged and would take only a careless slip to ignite an inferno. The country can hardly afford a major ethnic or religious upheaval that could result from any avoidable act of political brigandage.

The drumbeats of war are getting louder,especially as some ethnic and religious militias are threatening to take up arms in the event of any their candidates falling victims to politically inspired violence.

With less than two weeks to the presidential poll, it amounts to foolhardiness for any one or group of persons to set out on a mission of wanting to kill any politician for whatever reason.

On the other hand, we do not want to believe that these psychopaths are acting alone. Which is why we are calling on those responsible for recruiting and prodding them on to desist for their own interest and that of the country.

This is why politicians and political parties, including all Nigerians must join hands and say no to political violence.The time has come for the Federal Government to put its feet down and take measures to stem the increasing incidences of violence.

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Much ado about February poll Sam Nzeh

ÎÎÎ

That the 2015 general election, due in few days’ time, is crucial in the political evolution of Nigeria is a fact known locally and globally.

However, what is worrisome is the apprehension that has trailed the buildup to the exercise. And this is due largely to the desperation of politicians and their acolytes who make it look as if Nigeria will ‘burn’ if they don’t have their way.

Just listen to them speak and you will realise the extent people can go to in pursuit of their ambitions, dressing their interest(s) in the garb of the masses’ interest(s).

They make it look as if this is the only and last election ever to be held in Nigeria. They make it look as if Nigeria is going to war, not election. They threaten fire and brimstone if the results don’t go their way.

As they continue their voyage, their acolytes queuing behind them, add ‘salt’ to the threats, insults, etc. On and on, they heat up the polity and apprehension heightens

Words On Marble :

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across the land.

But these politicians and their supporters forget that the February poll is not, and will not be, Nigeria’s last. Nigeria held elections in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and the ‘Heavens didn’t fall. So, February poll will come, go and Nigeria will not ‘burn’.

Therefore, let politicians, their supporters and others who think, speak and act as if the country will be on fire after the poll retrace their steps. The fire they are fanning by their statements and actions is unnecessary. Nigeria and Nigerians will survive the February poll.

STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

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Publisher

Fidelis Anosike

Group Managing Director

Deputy Editors

Sports Editor

Head, Sales & Marketing

Abuja Bureau Chief

Head of Operations

Head ICT (Shared Services)

Group News Editor

Online Editor

Editorial Page Editor

Business Editor

Noel Anosike

Yemi Ogunsola Sam Nzeh

Managing Editor

Bisi Abidoye

Gabriella Osamor

Editor

Yinka Olujimi

Editor, Standard, Archives and Special projects Tunji Okegbola

Segun Adio Okay Osuji

Andrew Ekejiuba Innocent Nwankwo Adetayo Adelaja Emmanuel Ogbonnaya

Moses Ebong

Banjo Ayorinde

Head Graphics King Ododoru

Deputy Head Graphics Afeez Odeseye

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.

Nelson Mandela

Wiston Churchill

Chris Olukolade

To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it did not happen

The mission is on. There is no allowing terrorists anywhere. As many times as they come, it will only give us the opportunity to decimate them

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

5 News

Praises as African Times, NITDA launch solar kiosks Idu Jude Abuja

ÏÏÏNigeria

moved some notches higher in information technology on Wednesday as the African Times Network (ATN) and the Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) launched a solar kiosk project in Abuja.

The solar kiosk is capable of providing wireless internet within a community, as well as powering television sets at viewing centres without electricity for football fans.

At the event, the Minister of Culture and Tourism Development, Chief Edem Duke, called for support for information technology to enable it serve as a pathfinder for sustainable economic development in the country.

Chief Duke said the project would serve as a catalyst to stimulating small scale businesses across Nigerian communities, if given priority.

“For us in Nigeria, this is a kind of project that will provide opportunities for the teeming Nigerian youth in quest of information and knowledge. The solar kiosks will also provide jobs opportunities among Nigerians and keep the youths out of crime.”

According to the minister, the tourism industry will be the most beneficiary of the full energy kiosks.

He said the cultural communities would also benefit as tourists would need the kiosks to stay within any community, stressing that the innovation would bring business opportunities that can free Nigeria from

crimes and criminality.

“Instead of buying guns and keke (tricycles) which can involve youths in accidents, one can buy this kiosk to be used for viewing centers, internet browsing and relaxation areas.

“The energy kiosks can provide better meeting points among youths and that will as well bring giant development. It will also bring micro-business opportunities and, grow new employers and ultimately lead to a greater Nigeria,” the minister enthused.

Speaking earlier, the Director-General of NITDA, Mr. Peter Olu Jack, pointed out that with the emergence of the solar kiosks, Nigeria would start experiencing a great technological innovation that can empower Nigerians within their localities. He said since the

nation has a huge population, providing this kind of innovation has become necessary since power and information technology make any society develop.

In his welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of African Times Network, Mr. Fidelis Anosike, said that the innovation is all about connecting the entire Nigeria to the world, since information technology is a yardstick for knowledge acquisition and provides links to the whole world.

According to him, he has brought the innovation to create employments in the larger Nigerian communities and to provide a practical network to connect every Nigerian to the world.

He said that the initiative is critical to development, which needs the help of power and information.

L-R: Secretary General, Ethnic Minority and Indigenous Right Organization of Africa, Mr. Alfred Ilenre; Executive Director,OOdua Democratic Coalitions (ODC), Mr. Rasaq Oladosu; Special Adviser to the President on Niger-Delta Affairs, Mr. Kingsley Kuku and Conference Chairman, Mr. Kunle Adesokan at the ODC Inter-Ethnic Nationalities Consultative Conference held in Lagos... on Wednesday.

Photo: BOLAJI OLASUNKANMI

Abeokuta

ÏÏÏWith barely one week

to the general election, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said that he reserved his comments until a winner emerges.

He disclosed this on Wednesday at a meeting with royal fathers from Egba Traditional Council, who attended a seminar on how to generate wealth from waste held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State.

“I have spoken enough.

Our efforts start February 14. We should go and vote that day and vote right. I will talk after the election”, he told the distinguished gathering.

According to Obasanjo, he had made enough comments in speech and body language that “if anybody is still looking up to him for comments, the person, probably, has not been around for some time”, adding that “Nigeria is so blessed in both human and material resources that it takes right people and po-

litical will to change things around”.

The former president lamented a situation where teachers and civil servants were being owed salaries for up to six months, specifically, citing the example of Benue State.

He added that “God is kind to Nigeria”, and quoted Shakespeare saying “The fault is not in our stars but in ourselves underneath”.

Recently, Obasanjo had made statements that were considered hurtful to the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The disagreement between them became public in December, 2013 when Obasanjo, in a letter entitled Before It Is Too Late, accused Jonathan of corruption, incompetence and having a hit squad.

Initiator of the Waste-toWealth Seminar, Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, Towulade of Akinale, in a chat with journalists, said the programme was to avail the royal fathers an opportunity to learn new ways of generating wealth so that they, in turn, would educate their subjects.

Many dignitaries graced the occasion, including Chief Femi Ajayi of Petroleum Technology Development Fund and others from the National Agency for Cultural Orientation.

Also at the event was the Special Assistant on Social Media to the President, Mr. Obi Asika who gave praised the initiative of ATN in collaborating with NITDA towards providing better information technology across Nigeria.

Polls: Kuku urges youths to shun violence Joy Ekeke

ÏÏÏAhead of

the February 2015 general election, the Oodua Democratic Coalition (ODC) has called on all Nigerians to know the role they should play to sustain democracy.

Comrade Kingsley Kuku, the special adviser to the President on Niger-Delta Affairs, expressed concerned over Insecurity in the state and also advised youths to shun violence before, during and after the 2015 general election.

Kuku made this known while addressing the Annual Inter Ethnic Confer-

We won’t support unruly govs again –Jonathan

No more comments on Feb polls – Obasanjo Abiodun Taiwo

Mr. Andre Spice, a German innovator, at the event said he held several meetings with Mr. Anosike on the way to making the project dream come through in Nigeria, saying the dream has become a reality with the launching of the innovation in Nigeria.

Mr. Spice said he loves doing business in Nigeria, having seen the country as a fertile ground for businessmen from across the world.

Omon Esene Warri

ÏÏÏPresident

Goodluck Jonathan took his campaign to Benin, Edo State and Asaba, Delta State on Wednesday with a promise to support only governorship candidates within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that would not constitute a problem to the Federal Government.

Jonathan urged the people to vote for only governors that would easily collaborate with the Federal Government to bring development to them.

He vowed to empower the youths and women if re-elected, noting that the citing of the Maritime Uni-

ence which was organised by the Oodua Democratic Coalition held at the Lagos Airport Hotel on Wednesday.

“On the issue of Boko Haram, President Goodluck Jonathan is not the problem of solving insecurity, but it is the people of the north east and the northern Nigerians.

“People say President Jonathan does not have the capacity to handle insecurity as it affects Boko Haram in the north east, but they are liars, they are only politicking and this is a political war but we must be wise”, he said. versity in Delta State was a sign that his administration loves youths. ‘’In the next election, I want you to vote PDP. I will work with the governor because the next governor will be a people’s governor.

If it’s a governor that will be fighting us, good things will not come. ‘’I need a governor that we can tell, go to Ogidigben, go there and he will go. We need a governor that will work with us. Vote PDP in the House of Assembly election, so we can all work together to bring development’’, Jonathan said.

The president boasted that before his administration, no government ever worked with the youths like his, “because this is a modern government and we know where this government is going, that is why we encourage Nigerians to vote for us.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

No shift in election dates –INEC

Govt cuts capital Budget, Utomi disagrees

Lateef Ibrahim & Augustine Aminu, Abuja

Segun Adio

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ÏÏÏThe

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday said shifting the dates for the February general election is currently not under consideration.

This is even as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Wednesday, reaffirmed his party’s commitment to fully participate in the February 14 and 28, 2015 general election, adding that it would not accept any postponement.

The no shift in election dates was made by the electoral umpire in a statement refuting a report in Reuters, a foreign news agency, that the 2015 general election may be delayed if the number of Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, collected by voters is too low.

Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of INEC, Mr. Kayode Idowu, in the rebuttal said: “I write to refute your story in Reuters attributing National Commis-

sioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Amina Zakari, as saying that the 2015 general elections may be delayed if the number of Permanent Voter Cards collected by voters is too low.

“I was at the Situation Room Dialogue with INEC

in Abuja this (Wednesday) morning and I know that the Commissioner spoke in regard of the February 8 deadline for the collection of PVCs, nothing about the schedule of the general elections.

“You said she spoke to you ‘on the sidelines’ of the

event. Well, I have checked with the Commissioner and she denied that the issue discussed was the schedule of the 2015 elections.

“You had during the question-and-answer session at the event asked about the notably low level of collection in some states and the

implication for voter turnout, which the Commission had missed out in her responses. Later ‘on the sidelines’ she explained to you that the number of PVCs already collected rates highly in comparison to the level of Continued on page 8

L-R: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chairman, Lagos State, Capt. Tunji Shelle; PDP, deputy governorship candidate, Alhaja Safurat Abdulkarim; governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje and Convener, Goodluck and Sambo Independent Campaign Group (GSICG), Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro during the GSICG roadshow held in Mile 12, Lagos… on Wednesday.

Photo: OLAWALE ROTIMI

ÏÏÏFrom 23.7 per cent of pro-

jected revenue for 2014, the capital budget for this year is 8.9 percent, a cable news network, Reuters, reported on Wednesday.

Work on the Appropriation Bill has been suspended by the National Assembly apparently until after the coming elections are over.

The figure is less than half of the previous year’s budget, an indication of the shoestring budget that the country may operate this year as the crash in oil prices continues to bite harder.

The government’s plan drew strong reservations from eminent academic and public affairs commentator, Professor Pat Utomi, who told the Daily Times that what needs to be drastically cut is the recurrent budget.

By the planned budget, the executive axed “badly needed infrastructure investment”, according Reuters which claimed on Wednesday to have seen the full Appropriation Bill.

By the plan, the government will shelve projects such Continued on page 8

EFCC declares ex-Gov. Nyako, son wanted

Regional forces repel Boko Haram reprisal attack

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÏÏÏIn an apparent reprais-

ÏÏÏFormer

Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, and his son, Abdul Aziz, have both been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The father and son, an EFCC source said, were being wanted in a case of criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering. This was confirmed to Daily Times by Wilson Uwujaren spokesman for EFCC. Both father and son were also retired naval officers.

The anti-graft agency had alleged massive looting of the treasury by top

officials of Adamawa State government under Nyako, a development that, at the time, led to the arrest and questioning of key officials, including then Secretary to the State Government, the then State Commissioner for Finance, the then Commissioner for Higher Education, the then Accountant General of the State and the then Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Local Government.

According to Uwujaren, “Both are wanted in a case of criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering,” a tense statement signed by Wilson Uwujaren stated.

Murtala Nyako, a retired Rear Admiral and executive governor of the Adamawa

state was impeached from office last year by Adamawa State House of Assembly.

In another development, the trial of Phina Chidi, a former assistant director, Pension Department, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation; Franklin Nwankwo and Pam Investment properties before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court could not proceed on Wednesday, February 4, 2015 due to the absence of counsel to the first accused person, Chris Uche, SAN. At the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday, counsel to the third accused, Godwin Uche informed the court that Uche could not make it to court because he was indisposed.

al, Boko Haram insurgents went on the rampage on Wednesday in the Cameroonian border town of Fotokol, killing civilians and torching a mosque. They were however later repelled by regional forces.

The attack came a day after Chadian troops flushed the jihadists out of the Nigerian town of Gamboru, which lies some 500 metres from Fotokol.

Chad’s army said it had killed over 200 insurgents in the intervention.

But some of the insurgents escaped and slipped back across the border into Fotokol at dawn to make a fresh stand.

“Boko Haram inflicted so much damage here this

morning. They have killed dozens of people,” Umar Babakalli, a resident of Fotokol, told AFP by telephone.

“They burnt houses and killed civilians as well as soldiers,” a source close to security forces said.

Another resident who had fled to another town told AFP he knew of at least 10 people who had been killed.

After several hours of clashes, Cameroonian troops, backed by Chadian forces who hurried back from Nigeria to help guard the town, managed to repel the assault.

“People are coming back little by little to assess the damage. The survivors among the attackers have left the town,” a source close

to the Cameroonian security services said.

No official death toll was immediately available.

On Tuesday, nine Chadian soldiers were killed and 21 injured in Gamboru after about 2,000 troops backed by armoured vehicles poured across the border to take the fight to Boko Haram after days of clashes.

The sound of automatic gunfire could still be heard Wednesday in the town as the troops combed the town for remaining militants.

The intervention came days after the African Union backed plans for a 7,500-strong five-nation regional force to take on the extremists, who control vast swathes of northeast Nigeria.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

FG not plotting Interim National Govt., says PDP Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

ÏÏÏThe

election petition tribunal will, on Friday, deliver judgement on the petition ensuing from the August 9, 2014 governorship election in Osun State.

Secretary of the tribunal, Mr. Adamu Aliyu, confirmed the date to Daily Times in Osogbo on Wednesday.

Aliyu said, “Yes, the judgement is coming up on Friday, February 6, 2014.

Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, had challenged the victory of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola at the tribunal, arguing that Aregbesola did not have majority lawful votes

Contractors seek N3bn damages from oil firm for contract breach ÏÏÏA

Ogun State Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun addressing party supporters at Sabo Ward 5, during his ward-to-ward reelection campaign rally in Sagamu Local Government Area...on Wednesday. by building up seemingly scary scenarios to create tension, cause panic in the polity and incite supporters of his party and well-meaning Nigerians against the Federal Government, President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP. “We wish to state that our party, the PDP and our government, under President Jonathan, do not superintend over electoral processes and elections in this country. “There is an independent election body in place; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) un-

der the chair of Professor Attahiru Jega.

“It is within the purview of INEC to make decisions about the holding and/or postponement of elections.

It is not within the functions of the PDP or the Federal Government.

“We take exception to the fact that they keep on making this allegation, deliberately, to provoke us. When they say that the PDP is controlling INEC, they have become nothing but victims of their own delusions and they are, obviously, suffering from terrible hallucination.

Osun tribunal: Aregbesola, Omisore know fate tomorrow Sodiq Adekunle Osogbo

Briefs

Akam James Yenagoa

ÏÏÏPeoples

Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, (PDPPCO), has dismissed the allegation by the All Progressives Congress, (APC) that the Federal Government is plotting an interim National Government (ING).

The organisation, similarly, faulted the claim by the APC that the Jonathan administration was not ready for the scheduled general election.

Director of Media and Publicity of PDPPCO, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, while addressing journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, declared that the allegations were misleading, unsubstantiated and shameful.

Fani-Kayode, pointedly, declared that the allegations by the APC, rather than elevating the party, had further reduced it to a gang of desperadoes seeking power by all means and simply for the sake of it. “This is because it is common knowledge that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not provide for the Interim National Government contraption that the APC talks about”, he said.

Acording to Fani-Kayode, “APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has taken it upon himself to play the devil’s advocate

7 News

during the August 9, 2014 election in the state.

Omisore had challenged and prayed the tribunal to cancel the results in some wards and units in 17 local government councils of the state.

During the last tribunal sitting, the petitioner (PDP), represented by Alex Izinyon (SAN) asked the tribunal to accept the deduction made by APC, during the presentation of written addresses.

On his part, the first respondent’s counsel explained that the table as shown in EC8A tendered was clear, insisting that Omisore had no case before the tribunal.

Counsel to APC, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, described

“The PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation calls on the Nigerian people to discountenance APC and Lai Mohammed’s petty lies and they can be rest assured that all arms of government are patriotically committed to discharging their constitutionally-prescribed responsibilities and duties.

“We believe that the APC’s unconscionable alarm is part of its characteristic and habitual propaganda through which it has over and over again imposed its skewed agenda on many undiscerning Nigerians.

Don’t drag military into politics – DHQ Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏDefence

Aregbesola the address by the petitioner as being “strange for the law”, adding that PDP failed to prove its case with enough evidence.

INEC’s counsel, who was the third respondent, Mr. Ayotunde Ogunleye, argued that the petition should be dismissed, stating that it was filed out of time.

Headquarters has again warned that attempts by politicians to drag the military into politics or classify it as belonging to a political party is “divisive and aimed at the morale and cohesion in the nation’s Armed Forces.”

Major General Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information, said in a statement that the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) “views, with strong exception, the political campaign advert by a political party which is currently airing on several television channels target-

ing the person and office of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh for denigration.”

He said that it was disappointing that some politicians were yet to understand the need to separate sensitive national security issues from their zealous political activities.

Olukolade said that vile references were made about the CDS’s leadership of the ongoing counter-terrorism operation in some parts of the country.

“The issues raised in the so-called political advert have already been clarified a couple of times by the DHQ and efforts are currently being channelled towards effective prosecution of the fight against terror with a view to reversing the situation in the areas where the terrorists are showing presence.

Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has fixed today (February 5) for hearing of a suit filed by pipeline surveillance contractors against Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) over breach of contract.

The plaintiffs are seeking N3 billion as damages from Agip for opting out of the contract.

The aggrieved contractors, in the suit No. FHC/PH/ CS/293/2014 alleged that Agip reneged on a contractual agreement entered on May 24, 2014.

Their claims state that the contract was for a retainership of surveillance services against oil thieves and pipeline vandals on Agip’s pipeline network within the Obama Operational Area in Okoroma, Bayelsa State.

Feb. 28 poll’ll determine Ogun future – Isiaka ÏÏÏOgun

State governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka has said that the February 28, 2015 election will determine the future of the state and urged the electorate to vote for the best candidate.

He also disclosed that unless the administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun was voted out of office, the state would soon face serious economic challenges because of the “reckless manner” the incumbent administration managed the state’s resources.

Speaking with members of Christian Association of Nigeria, Yewa/Awori zone in Ilaro, Isiaka, he disclosed that contrary to the lies being peddled by the government that none of the roads expanded cost more than N400m per kilometre, he said available records showed that Amosun had been paying nothing less than N1.4b per kilometre on all the expansion works.

News 8

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

‘Amaechi, APC lied over N6bn bribe to pastors’ Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

ÏÏÏThe national leadership

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (right), welcoming Egba obas during their visit to Obasanjo at the Presidential Library Abeokuta, Ogun State… on Wednesday PHOTO: DAVID IDOWU

No shift in election dates –INEC Continued from page 6 voter turnout historically in Nigerian elections.

“Still, she added, INEC has not completely foreclosed the possibility of granting a few days of extension in isolated cases of low percentage of collection after February 8.

“The inference you’ve made for the schedule of elections is entirely yours, and misrepresents the conversation that took place at the event this morning. You will do well to correct the report urgently, please”, the statement said.

Rejecting calls for shift in the election dates at World Press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, reaffirmed his party’s commitment to fully participate in the general elections on February 14 and 28, 2015.

He urged members of the National Council of State who are scheduled to meet today (Thursday) in Abuja to put the higher interest of Nigeria above selfish and other narrow considerations.

Oyegun said the party is aware that the Presidency

may attempt to drag members of the Council into its efforts to postpone the elections.

He said members of the Council of State are Nigerians who are held in very high esteem, and their involvement in a project that damages the democratic process will be a serious disservice to our national assets in leaders.

“Our party is encouraged by the fact that INEC has restated in clear and unambiguous terms its determination and ability to conduct the elections as planned. It is the constitutional prerogative of INEC to set election dates which nonetheless should meet at least the minimum threshold of confidence”.

“We recognise that it had challenges but these are challenges that have been or are being seriously tackled by the Commission, and the engineered clamour for postponement is not helping the situation”.

Oyegun further stated that “attempts to rubbish INEC’s preparations in order to achieve a postponement are being seen for what they are: a desperate ploy by the PDP administration

to avoid certain electoral defeat. Unfortunately, in the process, the polity is being overheated to dangerous levels, with consequences that might be predictable at this stage”.

He said considering the zeal of Nigerians for change and their passion to vote, there should be no excuse to deny Nigerians the right to exercise their franchise.

Meanwhile, placard carrying protesters on Wednesday stormed the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding for a shift in the February 14 and 28 general election for two months.

Yesterday’s protest was the second in the last few days.

The protesters are specifically calling for the postponement of the February 14 Presidential and National Assembly elections as well as the February 28 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.

The protesters hinged their call for the shift of the polls on what they called the “marginalisation of the Southern part of the country” in the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards

(PVC).

They alleged that the distribution of the PVCs has, so far, been skewed against the South and in favour of the North region.

The protesters, who came under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Societies and Concerned Nigerians, pointed out that states in the Northern part of the country have received a total of 73 percent of the PVCs, while the states in the South have merely received a paltry 46 percent of the PVCs. The North-West geo-political zone, the group said, has total registered voters of 18 million and has received 14 million or 75 percent of the distributed PVC, leaving behind 2.6m of voters that are yet to collect their PVCs. It added that in the NorthEast geo-political zone has received 10.4 million registered voters with a 7.4 million of PVC distribution and 2.9 million eligible voters yet to collect their PVCs. The North-Central geo-political zone, according to the group, has total registered voters of 10.5 million, with 5.5 million recorded to have collected their PVCs and 5 million said not to have collected their PVCs.

of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has challenged the Director General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), Governor Chibuike Amaechi, to name the pastors he claimed that it (PDP) offered N6 billion bribe to help President Goodluck Jonathan win the presidential election.

The PDP, which described Amaechi’s claim as absolutely untrue, equally tasked him to name the eight PDP governors whom he said are holding talks with the APC and its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, with a view to joining the opposition party.

The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, threw the challenge at a press conference he addressed on Wednesday in Abuja.

Metuh, who expressed surprise that the APC is trying to bring religion into politics, declared that Amaechi, as a Christian, needs to seek

God’s forgiveness for the “sin” he has committed.

According to him, “Pastors are revered people and to bring their character into disrepute is a sin before God. We do not think anybody, not to talk of somebody who is a Christian, can make such statement.

“We challenge the Director General of APC Campaign Organisation to name the concerned pastors and where the money is coming from.

“This attack is capable of bringing Christians and Muslims into a major disagreement and major dispute. If truly the person who issued this statement is a Catholic as he said, we are asking him to go for confession,” he said.

The PDP spokesperson also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of conniving with APC to deny non-indigenes in Lagos and some APC-controlled states permanent voter’s cards (PVCs).

He said the anomaly has been reported to INEC, adding that in some states, the PVCs of non-indigenes were burnt.

Govt slashes capital projects in 2015 Budget Continued from page 6 as port upgrades and roads, according to the news agency.

The document, seen by Reuters, puts capital expenditure at N387 billion ($2 billion), or 8.9 percent of total spending of N4.357 trillion.

That will be a significant drop from the 2014 spending plans in by the government.

It is also only just over half the N634 billion that the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in her December budget presentation, said would go on capital expenditure and related items.

Budget office director general Bright Okogu was quoted to have said that the reductions were the direct result of the halving in the last six months of the price of crude, which normally accounts for 80 percent of the cash flowing

in to state coffers.

“The capex (capital expenditure) was severely affected by the huge reduction in revenue,” Okogu told Reuters, adding that it was easier to wield the axe on infrastructure projects than the country’s notoriously bloated bureaucracy.

He said wages were difficult to cut and “you cannot reduce staff numbers overnight”.

Despite the overall capital expenditure reduction, spending on military equipment is set to rise slightly, reflecting the need for weapons to counter Boko Haram Islamist militants in the northeast.

The government’s benchmark oil price for this year’s budget is $65 a barrel, a figure the finance ministry says will not be changed despite crude falling as low as $45 a barrel in January.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Two brothers killed in APC rally Kingsley Ndimele

ÏÏÏTwo

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Alhaji Mohammed Abbas; Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission, Dr. Sulaiman Abubakar Olarenwaju and Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, at the Aviation Commits Initiative held in Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday.

Photo: BOLAJI OLASUNKANMI

Cancer Day: UICC, BWS seek increased funding Lara Adejoro

ÏÏÏAs Nigeria joined the rest

of the world to commemorate the World Cancer Day on Wednesday, the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and the Breast without Spot (BWS), have suggested that affordable funding can save three million lives per year from cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by 2030.

Leading global public health experts from the UICC project said that US$18 billion increase in funding per year by the international community could result in a 30 per cent reduction in cancer deaths in LMICs by 2030.

NDE empowers 700

ÏÏÏThe National Directorate of

Employment (NDE) has trained over 700 unemployed graduates across the federation under its Solar Energy Training Scheme (SETS), in the last three months.

The Director General of NDE, Abubakar Mohamed, made this disclosure on Wednesday in Calabar, during the passing out ceremony of 20 unemployed graduates who underwent training in solar energy in Cross River state.

Represented by Mr Joseph Ekpeyong, Director of NDE, South-South Zone, Mohammed said that the 700 graduates were trained in the design, procurement, installation and mainte-

brothers yet to be named, living at Rabiu Ojora area of Alaba, in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, died on Tuesday in All Progressive Congress (APC), political rally. The rally was said to have ended in fisticuff, leaving the party faithful’s with fracas.

Daily Times learnt that trouble started when some of the party big boys were distributing mobile phones freely to party

9 News

members and it was during the melee to catch the phone that one of the brothers was trapped and killed.

Information from a reliable source revealed to DailyTimes, that the second brother, on hearing the demise of his beloved brother, decided to avenge his killing. It was in the process of his bottled anger that he was shot to death.

However, in a bid to receive audience from party faithful’s, our correspondent was cautioned, less he might be lynched.

Investigations further revealed that palpable tension filled the air as information has it that the two brothers whose family house is at Ajegunle Boundary, had wives and children to cater for.

Nsukka people name stadium after Chime Moses Oyediran Enugu

ÏÏÏThe

Government Field, Nsukka has been named after Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State. This was done on Wednesday at the 2015 Gubernatorial, Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly campaign rally in Nsukka Local Government Area, in appreciation of his commitment to ensuring that the governorship position was zoned to Nsukka cultural zone.

Chairman of the Council, Hon. Charles Ugwu, who made the an-

nance of solar energy equipment amongst others.

Mohammed added that the training was to harvest solar energy equipment for electricity generation and to engage unemployed youths in meaningful activities that would make them self-reliant. ``Today, a total number of 700 unemployed graduates across the country had been trained in the design, procurement, installation and maintenance of solar energy equipment. ``The NDE is poised, more than ever before to implement the Federal Government’s employment agenda and programme to its fullest. ``The graduands should not take advantage of the skills acquired only for self-employment, but become vibrant employers of labour that will affect this generation’’ he advised.

nouncement during the People’s Democratic Party’s campaign rally, said the stadium would now be called “Sullivan Chime Stadium”.

He said the development, which was greeted with loud cheers from the crowd, was a show of gratitude to Chime by the people of Nsukka zone.

He said apart from ensuring that the governorship position was zoned to Nsukka, Governor Chime equally endeared himself to the people of the area through his developmental strides and support for the creation of Adada State.

However, the campaign flagoff which was almost caught in a crossfire with a remark from PDP Chairman in Nsukka LGA , Mr. Alphonsus Nweze , who expressed concern over how Chime’s administration had been appointing commissioners and special assistants to those who were not known in the party.

“Some of us have noted with concern how some unknown people in the party are been given appointment instead of those who are assiduously working for the party, “Appointments given to somebody working hard for the party

Chime

will make party stakeholders happy and make them to do more for the party.

JTF confirms abduction of four Agip staff in Bayelsa Akam James Yenagoa

ÏÏÏAuthorities of the Joint Ni-

ger Delta Military Task Force, code named Operation Restore Hope, on Wednesday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, confirmed the abduction of four oil workers by suspected sea pirates along the Ogbinbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

Confirming the incident, the spokesman of Joint Military Task force, Lt. Col. Isa Ado, told our correspondent that the oil workers were kidnapped around

Osisama community and were without security escort.

The four oil workers, according to the JTF, were in the employment of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NOAC).

Daily Times gathered that suspected sea pirates, operating with a speedboat, attacked a boat conveying four employees of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), and abducted them.

We also gathered that the workers were traveling on a speedboat from Amasoma community to Ogoinbiri community, all in Southern Ijaw.

He said: “Reports received by

the command indicates that their speedboat was double-crossed by gun-wielding men who shot in the air to frighten them. The gunmen took them into their boat and zoomed off. Our river is a death trap”, the security source said.

According to him, “workers were kidnapped during an official operation in the area before the sea pirates launched an attack on them. It is regrettable that they were kidnapped and we weren’t informed of their visit maybe we would have provided an escort team to avert the incident”.

News 10

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, Feburary 5, 2015

L-R: Regional Head North, Bank of Industry, Mr.Jack King; Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation, Mrs. Josephine Washima, and Manager, Federal Public Administration Reform Programme, Mr. Ben Orokpo, during a press briefing on job creation report and figures in Abuja... on Wednesday Photo: Temitope Balogun

Why we endorsed Jonathan - Ohanaeze Ndigbo Sunday Nwakanma Umuahia

ÏÏÏ

A socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has explained why it endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term.

The President of the organisation, Chief Gary Nnachi EnwoIgariwey, said the Ohanaeze Ndigbo (worldwide) backed Jonathan, because his administration had embarked on infrastructural development in the South-East and had given the zone a sense of belonging by appointing the sons of the region into important positions in his government.

Such positions, he said, included that of Chief of Army Staff, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and some others, adding, “When you build a bridge, you have

to strengthen it. We built the bridge, in 2010, and, now, we have to consolidate.”

Enwo-Igariwey made this known, in Umuahia, to Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, who is also said the zone’s Co-ordinator of the Goodluck/ Sambo Campaign organisation.

Jonathan, he said, had given a sense of belonging to the SouthSouth zone and the minority tribes of the country, who are the producers of the wealth of the country, and, so a good reason to give him the needed support and a chance for another term.

Orji, who is also the chairman, South East Governors’ Forum, expressed satisfaction with the endorsement, stating that the organisation’s endorsement of Jonathan, in 2010, still stands, promising that he would deliver

the endorsement document directly to the president.

The endorsement, he said, reflected the dream of Ndigbo and enjoined Ndigbo to support the South-South region for equity and justice.

The president, Orji said, should be allowed to complete his second term, stating that the nation belonged to all Nigerians and that Jonathan had all it takes to run the country.

The group used the opportunity to re-state the confidence of Ohanaeze Ndigbo that Gov. Orji would win his senatorial ambition.

In attendance on the occasion were the former governor of Anambra tate, Peter Obi, Sen. Ben Obi, Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs, Eze Cletus Iromunanya, Chairman, South East Traditional Rul-

Footballer jailed two years for drug offence Peter Fowoyo

ÏÏÏA

Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on Wednesday sentenced a Brazil-based, Nigerian footballer, Umeh Henry, to two years imprisonment for drug related offence.

Umeh was arrested by the National Drugs Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on October 6, 2014, during an inward clearance of Emirate Airlines from Brazil via Dubai, at the

Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with 15 grams of cocaine.

He pleaded guilty, last Thursday, to the one-count charge preferred against him by the antidrugs agency.

NDLEA prosecutor, Mr. Vembe Emmanuel, had urged the court to convict the accused as charged, in consonance with section 218 and 285 of the Criminal Procedure Acts (CPA).

However, the convict’s coun-

sel, Chief Benson Ndakara, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his client.

Ndakara told the court that the convict was a Nigeria professional footballer in Brazil, and that the drug he was caught with was for personal use not for commercial purpose.

He also told the court that the convict was introduced into drug usage by his friends.

The convict, who corroborat-

Anambra Pilgrims Board alerts on fake forms, impersonators Okey Chris Awka

ÏÏÏThe

Anambra State Chairman, Christian Pilgrim Welfare Board, Dr. Levi Muonanu, has raised an alarm over the sale of fake pilgrimage forms by some unscrupulous persons parading as agents of the board to deceive the general public.

He told Daily Times, in Awka, that the agency had impounded some of the doctored forms and was currently working towards fishing out the impersonators.

He urged the public not to patronise the hoodlums, adding that the pilgrim’s forms for the year 2015 were not yet out for sale.

Muonanu said that intending pilgrims could obtain genuine forms from the commission, upon payment at the designated banks, with proof of receipt.

Al-Makura vows to sustain good governance Samson Osuo

ÏÏÏNasarawa

Orji ers Council, Eze Eberchi Dick, Chairman, Abia state council of Traditional Rulers Council and his Anambra counterpart, Eze Gibson Nwosu and Nigerian Ambassador to Hungary, Amb. Eddie Onuoha. The Ohanaeze Woman Leader, Adimachukwu calista was also there.

ed his counsel’s plea for mercy, said he used drugs, because of numerous problem he had. And that the quantity he was caught with, while coming to the country, was meant for his personally use.

Justice Mohammed Idris, however, said he was happy that the convict told the court the truth and counselled him of the effect of drug usage no matter the problem he may have. “I like it that you have said the truth and God will forgive you. But don’t take drug anymore, any relieve it gives you is temporary.

State Governor, Tanko Almakura, has promised to abide by the rule of law and ensure effective governance, during his second term in office.

He gave the assurance while addressing thousands of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in Wamba, Headquarters of Wamba Local Government Council in the wake of his campaign tour of the northern Senatorial district of the state. He said his administration would continue to work for the well-being of the people of the area.

He said only the APC administration knew the needs of the people and would provide them accordingly, stressing that his administration would tackle the current security problem in some parts of the state, issues of unemployment and lack of other social amenities.

While soliciting the people’s votes, during the forthcoming election to enable him serve another term in office, Almakura said, upon his re-election, he would give special attention to communities at the grassroots level to enable the people benefit from the dividends of democracy.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

L-R: Former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; former governor of Abia State, Chief Ogbonaya Onu; National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun, during the APC’s press conference on rejection of the postponement of the forthcoming elections held in Abuja… on Wednesday Photo: Temitope Balogun

Police inaugurate team for electoral offences Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏThe

Nigeria Police Force has set up a Special Investigative Team (SIT) to handle electoral offences that may arise from the general election.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba announced

EFCC to arraign syndicate over N115m oil deal Henry Omunu Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Economic and Financial

Crimes Commission, (EFCC), is set to arraign six suspects over an alleged N115million oil deal.

this at a meeting with Commissioners of Police in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that SIT, headed by the Commissioner of Police in charge of Legal/Prosecution Department, has the responsibility to investigate offences emanating from the elections, reiterating that the Force would ensure

free, fair, credible and violencefree elections.

Abba also assured Nigerians and the international community of adequate security of lives and property before, during and after the elections while he appealed to Nigerians to be calm and orderly at the polls because there would be adequate security.

The suspects include the Managing Director, Owoema Resources Limited, Emmanuel Owoicho; Managing Director of Standard Allied Universal Concept Limited, Michael Morowei Oghenemi, and Managing Director, Ann Petroleum Investment Company, Emeka Achielefu Nwangwa.

Others are Managing Director, Alien Logic Ways Unique Services Parbor Wariowei; Managing Director, Unique Energy Systems Limited, Ogboyomi Bartholomew Taiye and Managing Director of Calibrate Inspection Services Limited, Joseph Sunday Odega.

EFCC Head, Media and Publicity,

Wilson Uwujaren, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, said the suspects, operating as a syndicate, allegedly approached Bascom Energy Limited that they had a consignment of Bonny Light crude oil for sale from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC).

Unsuspectingly, Bascom Energy Limited entered into an agreement with the syndicate and, thereafter, the suspects collected N115million for the crude oil but failed to supply the commodity. The EFCC spokesman added that having concluded investigation into the fraud, the commission would soon arraign the suspects in court.

Olejeme optimistic of Jonathan’s victory ÏÏÏDeputy Chairman, Finance

Committee of the Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dr. Ngozi Olejeme has said that Nigeria has witnessed unprecedented development under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Olejeme, also the Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), told reporters in Asaba on Wednesday, that “Nigerians have prospered under Jonathan’s leadership.

They see his re-election as a signal of good things to come for this great country. He will come out victorious in the presidential election”, she said.

Identifying agriculture, education, healthcare delivery, construction of new and rehabilitation of existing roads across the federation, appointment of public officers and the formulation of a sound economic policy as areas where the president performed, Olejeme said the People’s Democratic Party

Abuja

ÏÏÏAs

Nigerians prepare for the forthcoming general election, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in collaboration with the civil society, will today hold a political debate on Public Administration in Nigeria for political party candidates.

The civil society would be represented by African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (CLDS), Action-

Aid, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) among others.

NLC said it was necessary for political parties and their candidates to tell the Nigerians how they would address the challenges of public administration.

The statement, signed by the General Secretary, Peter Ozo-Eson, said that “in Nigeria, there are huge challenges with Public Administration.

The cost of governance is very high. There are huge challeng-

es of policy planning and coordination.

“There is also a huge capacity gap in the public sector and the ministries, departments and agencies are not working optimally. The budgetary process is marked with a lot of challenges and there is hardly any year when the budget had been passed in the first month of the year”, the statement added.Noting that the primary purpose of government was the welfare and security of the people, the Congress said the

(PDP) presidential candidate had enhanced the well-being of Nigerians. She enjoined Nigerians, particularly Deltans, to support the candidature of Jonathan for a rapid development of the country. “President Jonathan will ensure the security of persons, property and investments. He will protect the unity and territorial integrity of Nigeria. He will strengthen rule of law, ensure impartial treatment of citizens, food security, judicious distribution of resources and transparency in government.

“He will create jobs, care for the weak. He will respect constitutional provisions, adhere to the doctrine of separation of powers, lead a government that is consultative, responsive, prudent, transparent, accountable, dedicated to service, law abiding and above all democratic” she said.

“Our job is to deliver the party 100 percent”, she added.

Agidingbi youths caution LASG against imposition of Baale Ebere Obinagwam

ÏÏÏA group, under the umbrella

of Agidingbi Youths, has called on the Lagos state government and stakeholders to prevail on Governor Babatunde Fashola to stop, immediately, the rumoured imposition of a Baale on Agidigbi community.

In a statement made available to newsmen, Mr. Sunday Akinfenwa, the Youth leader of the forum said “It has come to our notice that the prolonged horse-trading going on at trying to desecrate our revered

Election: NLC holds political debate on public administration Akor Ejumene

11 News

major way by which government machinery could be properly work was through public administration.

It maintained that through it, government could manage its activities effectively and efficiently, stating that the major function of public administration was to provide services including health, education, transportation, waste disposal, issuing of licences, providing information, providing internal security, regulation and enforcement of legal duties.

stool of Baale of Agindingbi by one Femi Okunnu, by imposing a candidate, who is not from the ruling houses of Agidingbi on the people.”

Akinfenwa said it was in the best interest of the state government to strictly adhere to the wishes of high chiefs and Agidingbi populace than play politics with the revered stool.

“I don’t want to sound pessimistic but I can gladly tell you that, Agidingbi people will never and won’t tolerate any imposition.

We have made this matter known to Ojodu LCDA, and the case is still with the Lagos House of Assembly, under the chairmanship of Moshood Oshun. We reiterate that playing politics with this stool surely will be resisted”, he said.

Fashola

Africa 12

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

50 injured in Guinea riots ÏÏÏAround

50 people were injured in riots in the town of Labé in northern Guinea when people protesting a shake-up in the civil service clashed with security forces, the government said on Wednesday.

Labé is a stronghold of opposition to President Alpha Condé, who came to power in 2010 as the country’s first democratically elected leader after decades in which the country was ruled by authoritarian figures.

Around 24 members of the security forces and 25 civilians were hurt in the riots that started on Monday and vandals damaged public and private property, government spokesman Damantang Albert Camara said in a statement.

The riots were apparently triggered by a government

17 hacked to death in new DR Congo attack ÏÏÏAt least 17 people have been

hacked to death in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which has been plagued by a spate of massacres blamed on Ugandan rebels, police said on Wednesday.

The attack took place overnight in the city of Beni in the restive North Kivu province.

“We have found 17 bodies. The search is continuing,” a police officer told AFP. “The victims were killed with machetes.”

Beni was hit by a string of massacres from October to December that left over 260 people dead, most of whom were slaughtered with machetes and farm tools.

Congolese authorities, military experts and the UN mission in the country, Monusco, all blame the spate of killing on Ugandan rebels fighting for the Allied Democratic Forces and National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU).

The rebels have terrorised villagers in the region border between DR Congo and Uganda since being driven out of their homeland in 1995.

In mid-December, the UN mission and the DR Congo’s army re-launched an offensive on the rebel group, which is said to include about 400 fighters.

move to shift civil servants entrenched in Labé to locations in other parts of the country.

“The Government believes that the violence, which included the destruction of private and public property in Labe, was out of proportion with the stated demands of the protesters,” the statement said.

Youths burned tyres and the police sent reinforcements to restore calm, said witnesses and a police source who declined to be identified.

Guinea is the world’s biggest exporter of bauxite, the raw material used in aluminium production, and has rich deposits of gold. It is one of three West African countries battling to end an Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 8 500 people.

ÏÏÏSix children and an adult were

Voilent protests have engulfed Guine in recent times

Togo election now set for mid-April Togo’s presidential election will be held in mid-April, a minister said Tuesday, clarifying a constitutional court ruling on the date of the vote.

The cabinet is expected to set the date based on proposals from the national election commission, the minister for territorial administration, Gilbert Balawa, told AFP. A statement from Togo’s constitutional court on Monday was interpreted to mean that voting had to take place no later than 5 March, a timeline that opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre said was “materially impossible to respect”.

But on Tuesday, the court issued a second statement to clarify that in fact only the date of the election had to be set by 5 March.

President Faure Gnassingbe’s government then announced that the vote would be held by midApril.

Gnassingbe has been in power since the 2005 death of his father, general Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled with an iron fist for 38 years.

The opposition has been pushing for a change to the country’s constitution to limit a president to two, five-year terms. There is currently no limit.

Lawmakers are currently debating a constitutional reform bill that would bar the 48-year-old head of state from seeking re-election for a third term. He has not yet declared his candidacy.

A first draft of the bill was rejected in June by parliament, which is dominated by the presi-

dent’s ruling Rally of the Togolese People.

The situation in Togo is slightly different to some other African nations where presidents have tried, and often succeeded, in rewriting their countries’ constitutions to get rid of term limits.

However, it does follow a pattern of resistance in some African countries of allowing their leaders to stay in power indefinitely.

Protests gripped the Democratic Republic of Congo over recent weeks after opposition saw an election law as a way for President Joseph Kabila to extend his term in office.

Burkina Faso’s president Blaise Compaore was chased from power last year when he tried to change the constitution to extend his 27year rule.

Again, Kenneth Kaunda hospitalised ÏÏÏZambia’s

founding president Kenneth Kaunda has been hospitalised for an undisclosed ailment, his family said on Wednesday.

Kaunda, aged 90, was admitted to Lusaka Trust Hospital on Tuesday.

His daughter Cheswa Silwizya confirmed that “the old man is in hospital” declining to reveal the nature of his hospitalisation.

Lightning kills seven in Zimbabwe village

“He is doing well and on the road to recovery,” she told AFP. “I can’t speak about what the problem is. That can only be said by the doctors,” she said.

Kaunda was Zambia’s president for 27 years, after the country gained independence from British colonial rule in 1964.

Initially a popular leader, he became increasingly autocratic and banned all opposition parties, but eventually ceded pow-

er in the first multi-party elections in 1991.

While in power he hosted many of the movements fighting for independence or black equality in other countries around the region, including South Africa’s African National Congress.

Later in life he regained stature as one of Africa’s political giants, helping mediate crises in Zimbabwe and Kenya.

killed by lightning in a remote village in southern Zimbabwe, state TV reported on Tuesday.

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation said on its evening bulletin that the six children were aged between 4 and 11.

The incident happened on Monday afternoon in Mugwinyi village in Bikita district.

The seven were sheltering in two thatched huts when the lightning struck.

Three people have already been killed by lightning in Tsholotsho district, also in southern Zimbabwe, since the rainy season began in December.

Parts of Zimbabwe, including the capital Harare, have been battered by storms and heavy rains this week.

UN concerned about S’Sudan power-sharing deal ÏÏÏThe

United Nations Secretary-General is welcoming the latest cease-fire agreement between South Sudan’s warring sides but regrets that they haven’t agreed on a way to share power.

The spokesperson for Ban Kimoon told reporters on Tuesday that South Sudan will have no peace if President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar don’t put the needs of civilians above their own.

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric says the UN has no information on any new military activity since South Sudan’s rivals signed the latest peace deal early on Monday. At least three previous agreements quickly fell apart in the oilrich east African country.

South Sudan’s government and the rebels have agreed to conclude a comprehensive agreement to end the crisis before 5 March.

Thousands have been killed since fighting broke out December 2013.

Ki-moon

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Jordan executes two convicted jihadists after pilot’s death ÏÏÏJordan has executed two con-

victs, including a female jihadist, following the killing of one of its air force pilots by Islamic State (IS) militants.

The woman, failed suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi, and alQaeda operative Ziyad Karboli both Iraqi nationals - were hanged at dawn, officials said.

The executions came hours after IS posted a video appearing to show pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh being burned alive.

He was seized after crashing during an anti-IS mission over Syria in December.

Jordan had attempted to secure Lt Kasasbeh’s release in a swap involving Rishawi, but IS is believed to have killed him a month ago.

The militants initially sought Rishawi’s release as part of a deal to free captive Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, but later killed him.

Rishawi had been on death row for her role in attacks in Jordan’s capital, Amman, which killed 60 people in 2005. Karboli was convicted in 2008 of killing a Jordanian national.

The two prisoners were execut-

Safi al-Kasasbeh, the pilot’s father, called for the Jordanian government to do “more than just executing prisoners”.

ed at 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT), government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani said on Wednesday morning.

The BBC’s Paul Adams in Amman says talk of an exchange appears to have been a IS tactic

to string Jordan along and foster doubt among Jordanians over its role in the US-led coalition.

Jordan vowed an “earth-shattering” response after IS posted a video online appearing to show the pilot standing in a cage engulfed in

flames.

One of the leading authorities in Sunni Islam condemned the killing, saying the burning to death of Lt Kasasbeh violated Islam’s prohibition on the mutilation of bodies.

Taiwan’s president

N’ Korea rejects further US talks

in Taiwan launched operations to try and rescue survivors from a TransAsia passenger plane that had 58 people on board when it crashed shortly after takeoff from an airport in downtown Taipei.

At least 19 people have been confirmed dead from the crash. Dramatic video footage captured the plane’s rapid descent and crash landing into the shallow Keelung River.

The ATR-72 prop passenger jet crashed Wednesday morning shortly after takeoff from an airport near downtown Taipei after clipping a bridge and hurtling sideways into a river. The flight was on

ÏÏÏNorth Korea on Wednesday

ruled out resuming dialogue with the “gangster-like” United States, and vowed to respond to any US aggression with nuclear strikes and cyber warfare.

The bellicose statement from the country’s top military body, the National Defence Commission (NDC), came after reported moves by Washington and

Top Muslim body calls for crucifixion of ISIS millitants

ÏÏÏAl-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s most prestigious centre of learning, expressed outrage at the Islamic State (ISIS) group for burning to death a captive Jordanian pilot, saying its militants deserve to be killed or crucified.

After a video was released showing the caged fighter pilot, Maaz al-Kassasbeh, dying engulfed in flames, the Cairo-based authority’s head, Ahmed al-Tayib, expressed his “strong dismay at this cowardly act”.

This “requires the punishment mentioned in the Qur’an for these corrupt oppressors who fight against God and his prophet: killing, crucifixion or chopping of the limbs.” “Islam forbids killing of the innocent human soul... It forbids mutilating the human soul by burning or in any other way even during wars against an enemy that attacks you,” Tayib added in a statement.

US to destroy chemical weapons cache ÏÏÏThe

its way to a domestic airport in the outlying Kinmen islands.

Officials say at least 31 of the passengers were tourists from mainland China.

Video captured along a heavily used freeway next to the crash site showed the plane flying sideways as it rapidly lost altitude before hitting a taxi on an elevated freeway in its final seconds in the air. The taxi driver was mildly injured.

Some 165 national defense personnel and fire rescue crews scrambled to pull survivors and bodies from the wreckage.

National defense and fire rescue crews on rubber rafts extricated people from the door of the plane’s

mostly submerged fuselage and took survivors to local hospitals.

Another ATR-72 aircraft operated by the same airline crashed in the Taiwan-controlled Penghu islands last July, killing 48 people.

TransAsia Chief Executive Officer Peter Chen told reporters he did not know why the plane went down. He said the plane was less than a year old and it had undergone scheduled maintenance on January 26.

He said the airline apologizes deeply and that it will do its utmost to help the injured and families of the victims, doing all it can to mobilize people to do work in the crash aftermath.

United States is about to begin destroying its largest remaining stockpile of chemical weapons, marking a milestone in the global campaign to eradicate a debilitating weapon.

The Pueblo Chemical Depot in southern Colorado plans to start neutralising 2 600 tons of aging mustard agent in March.

It’s part of the long-running US effort to comply with a 1997 treaty banning all chemical weapons.

Chemicals still creep into modern warfare. Less than a year ago, chlorine gas killed 13 people in Syria in April 2014. Who was responsible isn’t clear.

Mustard agent can blister the skin, cause scarring on eyes and inflame airways. Pueblo has about 780 000 shells containing the chemical.

Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky also has a stockpile of chemical weapons. Destruction there will start in the next year or two.

Pyongyang to revive long-stalled six-nation talks on denuclearisation.

It also preceded the start in early March of annual joint USSouth Korea military exercises that always presage a sharp spike in military tensions and rhetoric on the divided peninsula. The NDC statement was an apparent reaction to remarks

Barack Obama made regarding the eventual collapse of the regime in North Korea, which the US president called the “most cut-off nation on Earth”.

The NDC statement, which labelled the Obama administration a mud-slinging “cesspool,” said the president’s comments amounted to a threat to engineer the country’s downfall.

“Since the gangster-like US imperialists are blaring that they will ‘bring down’ the DPRK (North Korea)... the army and people of the DPRK cannot but officially notify the Obama administration... that the DPRK has neither need nor willingness to sit at negotiating table with the US any longer,” the NDC said.

19 killed as Taiwan plane crashes into river ÏÏÏAuthorities

13 World

Opinion 14

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

‘Soludo, the solution!’

C

Chuks Iloegbunam

harles Soludo’s contemporaries say that, as an undergraduate, he came up with this rather fine slogan: Soludo is the solution, when he vainly contested for the secretary-generalship of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Students’ Union. In 2010, he again used the Soludo is the solution mantra but disastrously lost the Anambra State governorship election.

This means that Soludo, the serial electoral loser, is fixated with the illusion that he alone constitutes the solution to every imaginable problem on God’s terra firma. Little wonder that his controversial article entitled Buhari vs Jonathan: Beyond the Election was nothing other than a 6000-word tirade.

Soludo cleverly disguised his article to look like an economic disquisition. Since he is acclaimed as a brilliant economist, a professor of Economics, and a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), serious-minded people rushed to read his intervention, believing that, given Soludo’s pedigree, its essence would come down on the side of reason. Instead, it turned out to be an unmistakable

effort at lashing out at perceived opponents, a conceit-ridden epistle in which the self-proclaimed “Iroko tree” of global economics saw his unfortunate victims as ignoramuses and “provincial palace jesters”.

Soludo wrote with condescension, almost in the manner of a primary school teacher labouring beyond the call of duty to impart rudimentary knowledge to numskulls pretending to be pupils.

In the end, informed readers had little positive to say about Soludo’s piece. Fortunately an informed response came from the Federal Ministry of Finance.

It is clear from carefully going through the dubious article that Soludo’s animus was principally against three individuals: President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, and Mr. Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State. He has good reasons for his disdain for the three. Although he was sacked by the President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Soludo believes that Dr. Jonathan, who was then the Vice-President, played a role in his ouster from the Central Bank. In 2010, Soludo was the PDP standard bearer in the Anambra State governorship election. He attributes his electoral defeat to non-

support from President Jonathan.

His grouse against Peter Obi is less for the fact that Obi trounced him in the 2010 gubernatorial ballot and more because, during the 2014 ballot Soludo, who had suddenly transformed into an APGA governorship aspirant, found his ambition truncated by Obi. Therefore, in trying to get back at the former Anambra State Governor, he took liberty in repeatedly calling him a trader and disparaging his administration, not finding it in his heart to give credit to a man that governed a state for eight years without borrowing a single kobo.

What is not so clear is the reason he detests and resents Dr. OkonjoIweala, his benefactor. Sometime in the early 2000, a certain Charles Soludo surfaced at the World Bank in Washington DC and asked to see Dr. Okonjo-Iweala. He had just set up the Enugu-based African Institute for Applied Economics (AIAE) and would want the then Country Director at the World Bank to accept to chair its Governing Council. That was how Dr. Okonjo-Iweala came to know Charles Soludo. When President Obasanjo appointed Okonjo-Iweala his Finance Minister, this same lady recommended Soludo for appointment as Chief Economic

Adviser. Soludo, characteristically has been all over the place denying this version of his past.

That is why Soludo’s invectives against his victims are particularly galling. He went about criticizing the quality of those in the Economic management Team, creating the impression that, unless someone holds a professorship in Economics, they cannot contribute anything to their own growth or to national prosperity.

If all it takes for people to acquit themselves creditably in assignments is multiple degrees in the field of Economics, why did Soludo effect a banking consolidation that left an acrid stench of corruption in its wake, a mess that his successor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, had to clear? Taking this into consideration, someone like Soludo should not be speaking with brashness and a holier-than-thou attitude, especially given the revelations contained in the Finance Ministry’s response to his diatribe.

For two reasons -spite, and the angling for appointment in a Buhari government of his phantom expectation – Chukwuma Charles Soludo decided to abandon the clear path of reason and integrity, to tread a field strewn with the thorns of pointless self-devaluation..

Jonathan and the promise of second term

I

Prof. Jacob Olupona

’m not here to sing the praises of President Goodluck Jonathan but to offer fellow Nigerians my candid views regarding next month’s presidential election. I have, therefore, zeroed in on salient and larger issues beyond Jonathan that Nigerians must take into account rather than on Jonathan’s accomplishments or lack thereof.

There is more to democracy than development programmes and projects.

While the Jonathan administration may or may not have delivered on every single promise made, the important thing is that it is working tooth and nail to deliver on its promises under very difficult circumstances.

However, it’s not enough just to bash the opposition candidate without more.

Democracy can be likened to an egg which is tender and fragile and can easily be broken in the hands of undemocratic, dictatorial and tyrannical elements. After periods of trials and errors, it would appear that democracy has finally come to stay in Nigeria having grossed 16 unbroken years.

Jonathan has demonstrated clear level-headedness, tolerance, focus and completely detribalised disposition that stand him out in African political leadership In and of itself, this is the greatest achievement of all regardless of what naysayers in the opposition would have us believe.

Without democracy there would be no general elections to begin with.

The right to vote and be voted for comes with democracy and that right cannot be taken for granted.

It must be protected at all times. It takes democrats to run and sustain a democracy. At this moment in time, it is fair to say, in spite of

everything, that PDP has delivered on the promise of democracy to Nigerians. It could have been a whole lot worse given the nature of violent opposition in Nigeria.

While the glory belongs to Nigerians and PDP in general however, Jonathan best exemplifies the democratic qualities and disposition necessary to deepen Nigeria’s maturing democracy. He has allowed the opposition a free hand to operate even to a fault with the opposition even inciting the military against his administration.

True democrats have an inherent weakness of political tolerance but in that weakness lies their strength and, by necessary extension, the strength and resilience of democracy itself. Coming from command and control military era, however, it is perfectly understandable why Nigerians might be just a little nostalgic of dictatorship.

Jonathan has demonstrated clear level-headedness, tolerance, focus and completely detribalised disposition that stand him out in African political leadership. He is at home in every part of the country regardless of ethnicity or religion coupled with a sound educational background unmatched

by any previous ruler in the nation except, of course, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Jonathan represents the goal and aspirations of every ethnic nationality in Nigeria whether majority or minority to the Nigerian presidency. Thanks to the PDP, that Nigeria has, once and for all, shattered the seeming political taboo of having a member of minority ethnic group ascend the Nigerian throne. If an unknown, humble school teacher from a small village in Bayelsa State could rise to become the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Africa’s largest nation and biggest economy, it is nothing short of total liberation of not just minorities, but every Nigerian, from the status of second-class citizens in their own country, hitherto denied the right to the presidency.

Jonathan is the torchbearer, symbol and embodiment of our political liberation. And in spite of everything else, Nigerians must not let the flame of freedom go out prematurely by voting in a man who fervently believes in the right to rule dogma. To do so is to betray our hopes and aspirations and turn back the hands of the clock.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

15 Opinion

Ugly sides of Buhari and Jonathan

O

Atedo Peterside

pinion polls commissioned by ANAP Foundation and conducted

by NOI Polls, show that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his main challenger, General Muhammadu Buhari are currently running neck-to-neck in the 2015 Presidential race. The difference between them in terms of potential votes nation wide is statistically insignificant because it is dwarfed considerably by the much larger percentage of voters who remain “undecided”.

This election will therefore not be decided by the loyalists, it will be called by the large number of undecided voters and they have one thing in common – they do not like GEJ, they do not like Buhari either. They want change but see Buhari as the type of change that is both alarming and worrisome.

In such circumstances, efforts by both candidates to sell themselves forcefully to their core constituencies may simultaneously alienate the swing voters.

When Hausa/Fulani elders and/

or retired Generals and Muslim leaders shout forcefully that Buhari must have it, the rest of the nation recoils in horror.

The same thing happens when misguided elements from the South-South zone and Christian leaders insist that their zone (or a Christian) must have two full terms in Aso Rock.

The truth is that the Presidency is not anyone’s birthright and so it is naive and foolish to go down that route. Indeed, some of these bold declarations by core supporters are akin to a kiss of death with swing voters.

Swing voters are moved more by what they do not like about either candidate. At the end of the day,they will vote “against” the candidate that they dislike more and their collecive actions will determine who wins. That is why this article focuses on the ugly side of Buhari and Jonathan. Many of the swing voters are upset. They feel that our two major political parties have “cheated” them by forcing them to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea.

During the course of the 2014 National Conference, I made a contribution to the effect

that past military rulers, who toppled democratically elected governments, should still be tried for treason so as to serve as deterrence to young and ambitious military officers. Buhari dethroned a democratically elected government in order to become a military head of state at the end of 1983. Many of the swing voters are true democrats who abhor authoritarianism.

Buhari was not a benevolent dictator either. Wickedness and callousness are not matters of style and/or fashion they are a reflection of a real personae.

Buhari’s unguarded utterances about him supporting the institution of sharia nationwide and his “famous” statement that Muslims should only vote for Muslims and his threat that the baboon and the dog will be soaked in blood if elections were rigged are all consistent with his unelectable personae.

On the economy, Buhari was a disaster first time around. He was clearly an economic illiterate and thought he could run the complex Nigerian economy by controlling rations as was done in a military cantonment.

He placed everything under

import licence and empowered some individuals under him to prescribe what quantity of every good Nigeria needed.

Ignorance was on display all around and was exploited through massive racketeering by persons in his government who called the shots. That he was deemed to be personally honest became irrelevant and so many of us cheered when soldiers him out of his misery by kicking him out of office in less than 18 months and before he could torture the nation any further.

GEJ is unliked by many because he is seen as being weak and unable to control the excesses of some of his close aides and party chieftains. YES, he eventually stood up to exPresident Obasanjo (who tries to dictate to every serving President), but then who wouldn’t?

All future Presidents (including those unborn) now know how to avoid Obasanjo like a plague.

What manner of ex-President will divulge details of his oneon-one meeting with a serving President to the general public ( in a book), without getting the latter’s prior consent?

No going back on presidential debate

M

Iyoha Darlington

eritocracy is welcomed by many liberal democracies across the globe. Many nations under the sun encourage debates by contenders for any elective post with a view to assessing their mental intelligence and capabilities. The importance of this can not be overemphasised considering the opportunity it offers.

It affords the electorates the chance to know the calibre of people at the helm.

In a rigid class society like Nigeria saddled with many problems, varying from our individual complexity to frustration factor, care must be taken when selecting leaders. Today, the poor and the common wage earners abound while unemployment has become a national phenomenon that promotes crimes particularly violent ones.

However, I remain unshaken in the conviction that the totality of this broad spectrum of our population must be fully mobilised by competent technocrats

and economic managers in a truly nationalistic sense. This is where meritocracy comes in handy.

Descending to pedestrian analysis, meritocracy is the holding of political power in a country by influential class of educated and able people. This is difficult to come by without conducting a debate among aspirants to enable the electorates know those to choose from during elections.

Aspirants who know the peoples’ problems capable of acting as spokesperson for the country on the foreign scene are those Nigerians urgently stand in need of not brainless dolls that will bring shame and disgrace to us.

There has been a hue and cry about presidential debate between the two strong contenders for Nigeria’s plum job, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and incumbent President Jonathan. While the former’s educational qualification and background are under serious contention, the latter’s is not in dispute being a PhD which makes him a cut far above his major opponent.

Debate between them is absolutely necessary to enable us see who will best proffer

solutions to the problems plaguing Nigeria as a nation. In this connection, we must not allow meritocracy be sacrificed on the altar of mediocrity. It is on good authority that the All Progressives Congress(APC) presidential standard bearer is shying away from this all important debate.

Let us see briefly see why this presidential debate is very important. Televised debates have been seen, in hindsight, as crucial to a challenger’s successful campaign.

In liberal democracies, Britain, for instance, there was a televised debate between the contenders preceding the election that brought David Cameron to office.

Recalling, we saw it all on TV before Britons went to the polls and the power of incumbency which Gordon Brown had hoped in did not yield any fruitful dividend to give him an overwhelming victory at the polls.

Nigeria’s case must not be different. Nigerians must insist that the presidential debate be held because what they want to see is a confident, skilled communicator and not a cast of neophyte actors or old brutes that want to subject everyone to their whims and

caprices.

Words are often seen to have more substance capable of convincing voters, men who are strangers to their hearts are not hard to know during crossquestioning. Nigeria has marched past the era of brute force. We are no more under the jackboot of the military where anything goes.

The presidential debate between Buhari and Jonathan will in no small measure enable Nigerians know who among them is a self-interested plutocrat who is unaware or unconcerned by the conditions in which ordinary Nigerians live. History, would be repeating itself calling to mind the disgrace suffered by Alhaji Bashir Tofa when he was trounced by the uncrowned winner of 1993 presidential election, late Chief MKO Abiola in the presidential debate.

I wonder how Buhari, who says he alone could stabilise world oil price – a sheer display of ignorance and mediocrity- could face and possibly do better than Jonathan under whose administration Nigeria rose to become Africa’s largest economy and of course the third fastest growing economy in the world!

16

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Politics Ibrahim Shema

Governor, Katsina state

Northern youth group pledges support for PDP

17

s Alex Momoh, Katsina The coalition of Northern Youth Organisation for credible leadership has reaffirmed its support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pledge to work for the success of the party in Katsina State during this month’s general election.

At a press conference in Katsina, Coordinator of the organ-

isation, Comrade Abubakar Nuhu Ahmed said members of the organisation resolved to support PDP in view of its achievements recorded especially in the state.

“We held several discussions with youth organisations and groups at various wards and Local Government levels and resolved to support PDP in view of its achievements in Katsina State”, said Abubakar.

Comrade Abubakar listed some of the achievements recorded under PDP-led government in Katsina under the leadership of Governor Ibrahim Shema, such as dressing menace of unemployment, create N10million youth development fund and encourage young people into sports by building sport complex among CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

MBADINUJU

Obasanjo hated me for voting Ekwueme Former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju spoke with DORIS NNABUENYI at his country home in Uli Ihiala of Anambra revealing his stormy relationship with former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the state of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the forth coming elections among others. Excerpts: It is more than 10 years since you left office, how has life been?

It was not 10 but 11 years since I left office, not by the will of God, but by the intrigues of man. But I know that whatsoever a man soweth.I was in the PDP right from its inception in 1998, and was in Jos for the first convention of the party. It was no mistake to attach myself close to the former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme whom I served as special assistant in Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s administration.

I took a kind of permission from the then PDP candidate, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, telling him I was too close to Dr

Akume

PDP Must go -Akume insists

Ekwueme and for that reason, I would vote for him and Obasanjo agreed and told me he would do the same thing if he was in my shoes.

This was the beginning of a sour relationship between me and the would- be PresidentObasanjo. The other four South– East governors voted for Chief Obasanjo at the convention and from that time our relationship became frosty.

It was on record also that President Obasanjo did not at all want me as governor because a few months that Anambra was in crisis as to who becomes Speaker and as solution was being proffered, the President instructed the new Speaker of House of Representative, Hon. Salisu Buhari to prepare a bad report to show that Anambra was ungovernable, and to prepare for my impeachment. Unfortunately the Speaker filed a different report and praised my efforts in bringing together some disparate groups fighting unnecessary “wars”. As soon as the favourable report was made available, President Obasanjo

was very furious to the extent that he engineered the sack of the Hon. Speaker, on the basis of certificate forgery.

President Obasanjo tried his best to ensure I was removed from office within four months in office. Apart from the opposition, from money- bags in Anambra State, President Obasanjo constituted himself into a oneman opponent against my government and made sure my Federal Allocation was the poorest.

There was a month I received N200 million from which I was supposed to pay salary of workers which was N583 million per month, but we managed; and by the time the President visited the state, he saw a different thing.

And after inspection of projects he concluded by saying: “I have come, I have seen, I have heard, and I have been heard, all in all I’m satisfied with what I saw on the ground. President Obasanjo I knew was such that if he didn’t see anything on ground when he visited Anambra, he would shout it to high heavens. But

Freddie Adamgbe, Makurdi

good governance that would be provided by Chief Samuel Ortom, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He spoke at Aliade, Gwer Local Government Area, during a rally to flag off the APC campaigns in the Benue North

With less than two weeks to the conduct of 2015 general election, Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, has assured the people of Benue State that God would wipe away their tears through

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

Mbadinuju

West senatorial district popularly called Zone A. Senator Akume who raised a popular Christian song which stressed that the Lord always comforts his people said Chief Ortom and his running mate, Engr. Benson Abounu, were adequately prepared to con-

front the current challenges of the state.

He reiterated at the APC that the former Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, would deploy the experience he acquired in politics and public service from the CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Politics 18

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Ortom is not APC candidate - ex aspirant Freddie Adamgbe, Makurdi Aggrieved governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Emmanuel Jime has vowed to fight on with the court case he and others have instituted to a logical conclusion.

Jime, a former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and two term House of Representatives member along with three others- Prof. Steve Ugbah, Sen. JKN Waku and Mike Iordye, all gubernatorial aspirants during the APC primaries in Benue had approached a Federal High Court in Abuja challenging the alleged unilateral imposition of Chief Samuel Ortom, a former PDP gubernatorial aspirant as APC standard bearer in the state.

Addressing an expanded campaign directorate in Makurdi, Jime insisted that what Sen. Akume did by undermining the delegates, treating them as if they do not matter in the scheme of things and ignoring the party guidelines by imposing a “stranger” on the party is an infamy that must not be allowed to stand.

His words: “Still, we are in court. We have been in court since the 19th of December, 2014. We hold unto hope. We have prayed the court to right the wrongs done. Now that the strike action by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has been called off, we foresee an early reversal of the injustice against us.

“I can only assure you, we are in this together knowing that even if we do not fully recover our mandate, we would have changed our party for the better. Never again would delegates be treated as though they don’t

matter. If we let this be, if we negotiate for less, we would be encouraging impunity. We would have emboldened others to do the same thing to our children tomorrow”, he stressed.

He lamented that, “It is heart breaking and unfortunate how our party leaders at the state level refused charity to reflect at home even after witnessing the credible presidential primaries of our Party - the APC”.

He directed that all his campaign structures across the state be collapsed into that of the APC Presidential Candidate, Gen Mohammadu Buhari, urging his supporters to ensure the victory of the former of head of state who is capable of transforming the nation.

“Never again would delegates be treated as though they don’t matter. If we let this be, if we negotiate for less, we would be encouraging impunity”

Ortom

that time, what he saw simply impressed him and he said so.

Why I’m backing Jonathan – Mbadinuju

You wrote a book on how you governed Anambra State and your several untold stories that seem to show that you were stampeded by some forces? ‘’Yes, these books are free of charge. These are books no one should miss. My books on Anambra are indeed good for reading and practice as according to a

statement by the former National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Turkur. After he praised my effort to produce these books, he said he would encourage every PDP governor to write similar books about his stewardship which he said would make for growth of the party and for the benefit of PDP States. ‘’Well, as I said earlier, my books on Anambra State are not

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

fiction, but truth and reality. It is from the books that one can see that I did not just become governor of Anambra State, rather I was the best of all the aspirants in the contest in 1998 to emerge winner with 96% of the votes cast: No candidate in Nigeria has won in such election, without rigging, and with landslide victory.

Nobody went to court because the thing speaks for itself –Res

Ipsa Loquitor. Having won such an electoral victory, we began by making sure that workers were happy with Government. The three months arrears of salary the Military Administration left unpaid, I quickly paid them off and began to pay workers their salary on 27th of each month.

I also became the first and only governor of Anambra State to pay Christmas bonus to all

workers. Indeed life was good for workers.

And for four years I was the only governor to banish kidnapping, armed robbery and so on.

The propaganda that I closed schools cannot hold because the period opponents were talking about school- closing, students were still taking their final exCONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

19 Politics

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

eleven years I left office. Political opponents are known to talk too much and do so little. I wouldn’t bother much about political opponents, that’s their job.

aminations and passing with distinction, for example there were two students of DMGS Onitsha who came first in that year’s national examination in physics and Chemistry.

Ever since you left office people expected that you would have been given a political appointment as a loyal PDP member?

What people expected in politics are often not what they got because as they say, 2 plus 2 is not always 4. Actually, at a time, I felt bad the way the PDP was treating me during the 2nd term issue.

Almost everything good I labored for were forgotten. I didn’t really join the AD because AD didn’t even want me, and that’s why immediately the election was over I quickly sneaked back to PDP where I truly belong. My movements then were a kind of protest action. And since 2003 when I finished my 4-year term in office, and since I left Awka, there has not been much like PDP in Anambra State even till today.

It was one-man leadership that killed the PDP in Anambra State and it may remain so until those who were responsible take the initiative to restore or resurrect the party they destroyed because of their lust for power and money but progress will continue to elude them. Abuja, which destroyed the PDP at the state level, must take the responsibility to restore that which they destroyed.

But as for political appointments, it is entirely up to the President, it is his constitutional right, prerogative, and privilege. Our party, the PDP, decided to allow the 1st term governors go for 2nd term in a kind of “gentleman’s agreement”. But the agreement did not extend to me. Our party leader stopped me from 2nd term and barred me from any appointment.

Actually, I was not alone, Dr Musa Kwankwaso did not make the 2nd term. In his case he contested and failed, in my own case the powers that be did not even allow me to contest after I won the party primary three times and three times I was disquali-

Suswan

‘Why Benue must vote APC’

What would you say are your regrets as governor while in office?

Governance is like a relay race.

In a relay, the first runner takes off with his baton in his hand.

He hands over to the next runner till the 4th and final race. In this respect, there were good projects for Anambra people which I initiated and built up but which were not completed before I left office.

There are projects like “Zik’s Place” at Awka; they are still standing uncompleted.

The other project was the expansion of the Onitsha Main Market to help the electronic market grow and expand towards Oba. The then Vice President Atiku Abubakar took interest in the project and

Mbadinuju

‘Jonathan, one of the best presidents ever’ fied by the same god. But to compensate me, my name appeared on newspapers for Ambassadorial appointment to Germany. My friend, Mike Ajaegbo (Minaj), also had his name on the same list but before you knew it, the names disappeared from the list.

My friend, Kwankwaso was lucky because the god of PDP decided to appoint him Minister of Defence to cover up, and after four years, the then President gave Kwankwaso the PDP ticket to do his 2nd term which he is now concluding.

But there were chances for Chief Obasanjo to have done to me what he did for Kwankwaso.

After President Obasanjo, the

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

local, state, and national levels particularly at the two ministries where he served to bear on governance in the state for the good of the people.

He said salaries and pensions would be paid on time while all the tertiary institutions in the state that had been shut would be reopened.

“I’m not desperate after eleven years I left office, and I’m still in politics and in PDP”

next President Musa Yar’Adua had chance to have given me an appointment, he was not allowed. Vice President Goodluck Jonathan completed the tenure of President Yar’Adua and went on to become Acting President, and later President by God’s ordination. And for those past years no one remembered me for any appointment.

I am saying these things because I’m being frequently asked why I’m not being given political appointment as others in my category. The same four (4) governors, my colleagues, from SouthEast, kept getting appointments but may be it was because I didn’t vote for Obasanjo at Jos Conven-

tion. I’m not desperate after eleven years I left office, and I’m still in politics and in PDP. Your political opponents claim that you did nothing while in office, what is your defence?

It seems I have got stronger opponents now that I am on the side-line. My shadows still hunt my political opponents and they have tried everything possible to get me out of the way but God delivered me from them all.

If my opponents say I did nothing while in office why have they not been able to install a better governor, or indeed become governors themselves after the

raised funds from banks. He was clearly magnanimous. After the project was nearing completion, the then President Obasanjo did Anambra State proud to come and inaugurate and bless the project.

The electronic market was about to take off when I left office and my successors swore they would not touch the projects or continue from where I stopped. But I’m not the loser, Anambra State was the loser. The same thing was the Oba Air Strip, a project for Air Cargo to assist traders mainly Onitsha Market and environs.

The ceremonies were almost coming to an end when I left office and no governor after me accepted to continue from where I stopped.

He appealed to the people of the state to feel the pulse of the people across the country who have indicated overwhelming desire for change and tag along.

According to him, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declining to an end following mass exodus among its ranks and the determination of Nigerians to end it’s rule at the forthcoming elections.

He listed the provision of water, information and communication technology, skills acquisition centers undergoing completion as some of the projects he had attracted to his constituency.

Former permanent secretary and APC governorship aspirant, Chief Akange Audu, announced his support for Chief Ortom and the donation of all

his offices, vehicles and structures to him.

The APC candidate, pledged to carry the ordinary people along if given the mandate because he rose from humble beginnings and was acquainted with their challenges and had the formula to confront them.

Thousands of PDP supporters decamped into the APC at the rallies.

Politics 20 Chief Amos Olayinka, is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos. In this interview with JONATHAN EZE, he dismissed fears of a post-election violence noting also that Jimi Agbaje will win in Lagos because the people are tired of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s one man show. Excerpts: Barely 10 days to the general election, many are yet to collect their PVC’s. What do you make of this?

If many people are going to be disenfranchised as a result of insufficient PVC’s then the exercise can be shifted to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reach out to all eligible Nigerians. But apart from this, I don’t see any other reason we should postpone the election.

It is just painful our leaders are yet to understand that Nigeria being the largest black population in the world is qualified as a world power and we must reason and do things in that direction.

Have you ever heard election being postponed in the America or any of the developed worlds?

No! Nigeria must wake up and learn how to do things right. It is disheartening to see us as biggest black people going to buy or beg for arms and ammunition to fight insurgency all over the world, including South Africa.

Will the outcome of this elections make or mar Nigeria as a nation?

Well the problems of the country are there and it is not this election that will take them away.

President Goodluck Jonathan has tried; he has really proved some level of maturity and understanding in governance, so I believe he should continue. But I still maintain my position on postponement if the PVC’s is not sufficient.

The opposition is of the opinion that President Jonathan wants postponement because he is afraid of defeat.

What do you think?

I don’t know what gave the APC that confidence it would

Northern youth group charges PDP on credible leadership

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

2015: There won’t be any post-election crisis- Olayinka It is wrong to allow the sitting president, who himself is always interested either as a contestant or an outgoing, who is looking for the right successor, to appoint the chairman of INEC. INEC is a continuous body that does not need any form of appointment from any quarters.

Registration of voters should always be a continuous exercise as each person reaches voting age.

Do you share the feelings there may be violence after the election?

There is not going to be any violence, whichever the result goes. We should forget about that.

Olayinka

“Another issue we must realise is the fact that the election system we operate in Nigeria is faulty. This is not the first election and Jonathan is never the first president but this crisis of election has always been with us”

be any cause for fear. We understand the gimmicks of the APC and we are not perturbed at all.

win the election. I wonder how they came up with such fake and daydreaming assurance. I am not surprised because the party has a well-oiled and organised propaganda machinery but that will not help it in this election.

When the chips are down, the PDP will dust other parties flat.

It was the same noise of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in previous elections but yet the PDP won.

The fact is the APC is only playing on Mr. President’s gentility. He is not a garrulous person otherwise the APC would not have gone this far. But that is not to say that Mr. President doesn’t know what he is doing.

Winning or loosing the election has nothing to do with the suggestion to postpone the election. If the APC is sure it will win the election, any day it is scheduled, then there shouldn’t

Do you think INEC is adequately prepared for this election?

I must first say that those people who were castigating the government over insufficient PVC’s are wrong. As far as I am concerned, the commission has been given everything necessary to conduct the election. He should explain what is wrong instead of passing unnecessary blame on the government. Another issue we must realise is the fact that the election system we operate in Nigeria is faulty.

This is not the first election and Jonathan is never the first president but this crisis of election has always been with us.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

ni of the PDP, in the 2015 general election in the state.

Comrade Abubakar said the choice of Engineer Nashuni is devoid of any bias or sentiment but a popular view among the large portion of the young people in the state.

“We promise to support him en mass to ensure the actualization of his candidature as the next Governor of Katsina

State without fear of any intimidation from any quarters”, he said.

He called on the youth in the state to support Engineer Nashuni so that the young people of today and next generation will be bailed out from the hands of candidates who are immoral and with selfish agenda for their personal aggrandisements.

others.

He said the organisation has set criteria for the qualities it expects a leader should have which include good character, personal capability, privative interpersonal skills and cooperation, saying that the only gubernatorial candidate that met such criteria was Engineer Musa Nashu-

What gives you such confidence vis-a-vis the aftermath of 2011 elections?

Has the country collapsed or divided? Nigerians are knowledgeable enough to know the implications of war and violence and they will never allow such to happen.

Do you think Mr. Jimi Agbaje will win Lagos governorship?

As it were today, the ruling APC has become very unpopular due to its policies that are anti masses. The internal conflict it faced before arriving at its choice of candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, I believe will also work against the party. Another factor is Lagosians are tired of one-man show and godfatherism, which rubber stamps the sitting governor. Lagos is too sophisticated for one man to be calling the shots every time; therefore the people of Lagos are ready to vote out the ruling party in the state. Meanwhile, as the PDP is waxing stronger and moving the ruling party is loosing credibility. I am sure Jimi Agbaje will win the election.

Nashuni

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Features ‘I’ll live with him for ever, even without sight’

Another Ruth has taken a step of blind faith: she defied her parents and married a man blind for life. As you read this, she is nursing her second baby of the marriage. DAN OKPOSIO spent time with the couple at their home and reports.

21

s For a 28 years old Nigerian lady to defy her parents and ignore her Church and marry a blind man with no future speaks volumes, and former Miss Ruth Abayomi, from Egbado village in Yewa Local Government Area of Ogun State just proved again that there is indeed something in a name.

Nursing her second baby at her home with her 39 years old blind husband, Phillip Obanor, at their one bedroom apartment at

the dead end of Oriyomi Ipaiye Street, otherwise known as Sunshine Street, Paiko, Orisunbare in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, Ruth told Daily Times the circumstances that led to her love story.

“I used to see him pass at Orisunbare bus stop and I have noticed he is a very nice guy; well-spoken and handsome too.

“But my first concern for him was that he enters bus and goes CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Obonor

I want to build cars for world market –Okpere Sunday Abiodun Okpere was born on Christmas Day of 1975 at Ebute-Metta (West), Lagos Mainland, to Victoria and Augustine Okpere. His father was a managing director with the old National Electric Power Authority(NEPA) but died when Sunday was only two years old.

No one in his family has been known to be a mechanic or an engineer. But hints of the genius in him became manifest in his early life. While his fellow children were playing with bicycle rims and car tyres, little Sunday was gathering empty beverage cans, iron rods with which to construct toys and miniature vehicles on wheels. Even at that, no one took this engineering obsession seriously.

The third of four children, his chances of education dimmed after his father’s demise. Following this, Sunday opted to go into vocational trade relevant to his passion.

“That led me to Hope Motors in Oyadiran Estate Yaba. I was very young and this made my boss to have a liking for me. My peers called me,‘smallie’.”

For seven years, Sunday went through tutelage of automobile mechanics, panel beaters, electricians and spray painters.

“Although I was attached to the mechanical section which gave me a lot of insight into engines and their operations, I spent time in other depart-

Residents of Lagos Island and environs have for sometime been seeing a rugged red jeep cruising on the highway or parked by the beaches at weekends with the slogan:‘A question of attitude’scrawled on it. Daily Times confirms it is one of its kind in the world and is completely built in Nigeria. GBUBEMI GOD’S COVENANT, SNR visited the builder of the vehicle, Abiodun Okpere in his workshop and filed this report.

The new Rock 2 in the making

ments anytime I was less busy; that was how I learnt everything from wiring, bodyworks to spray painting and finishing. I helped in working on accident vehicles.

That gave me a lot of knowledge into that area.”

At the completion of his apprenticeship, his boss, promptly

employed him.

“He would send me to work for his clients in their companies.

With this, I cultivated a lot of clientele which came in handy when Peugeot and some of the car brands my boss specialised on went out of the market.”

The first attempt to become in-

dependent was scuttled, but the young man was undeterred.

“My boss eventually relocated to Abuja and asked me along but I declined and preferred to stay back and build up my own business. After some disappointments, I took up a job as technical assistant with an American

armoured vehicle maintenance company on Victoria Island.”

Meanwhile, Sunday’s dream of building a vehicle with his name to it became more intense. Between February and CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Features 22

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

It is a 4-wheel drive for Nigerian roads

Young woman who married a man blind for life CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

June 2010, this dream became reality in the small apartment he occupies on Rumens Street, South-West Ikoyi. He christened his creation Rock 1 Auto, as he told Daily Times, it’s built on the Rock that never fails.

The making of Rock 2 “Now, I’m working on something bigger with more local content, but I need money. I want to travel abroad and study more.

I have something to offer Nigeria. I like my country and I desire that the vision be born here and fully Nigerian.”

But the Nigerian factor rose against the vision and passion of the young designer.

“A lot of people encouraged me but without extending financial help. Some even expressed doubt that I will be able to build another car if they lend me money.

Few said if we lend you money now, may be you will run away and we won’t see you again”.

Lack of trust?

“I was surprised people could think this way. Who will have this kind of passion and run away with people’s money?”

The closest he could get to politicians was when he met the

outgoing Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. AdjokeOrelope-Adefulire last year.

“The deputy governor was very impressed with Rock 1, and she promised to get in touch, but I was surprised she didn’t till now.”

Sunday’s manager, Mr. Mark Edonwadagbon gave Daily Times an insight into the problems the young engineer has been facing.

“After the initial effort which

A lot of people encouraged me but without extending financial help. Some even expressed doubt that I will be able to build another car if they lend me money.

Few said if we lend you money now, may be you will run away and we won’t see you again

was widely applauded, Sunday started on another vehicle that could seat more than four passengers and can meet the needs of various aspects of the Nigerian economy.”

Rock 2 has been in the making since 2014, and is designed to take 10 passengers, including driver. It is a 4-wheel drive built for the Nigerian roads. It is an ideal truck for mass transit, especially for movement of goods and people. Rock 2 is a 4 stroke

engine with 5-speed gear.

“Even without a job and money, Sunday is making efforts to purchase components to build an engine. It’s chassis is solid steel bought in the local market and he spends most hours of everyday painstakingly cutting, joining and welding all by himself.

The vehicle is rugged, pure CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

about without help and he was not finding it easy. After watching him for some time, something in me just moved me to reach out to help him one day, and that was how I just decided to help him.”

Ruth disagreed she had married Phillip out of pity.

“It is the will of God,” she said and went further: “I didn’t go to him and say I want to marry him. I started by helping him, then I took him home and also helped to keep his house in order.

“One of the days he proposed to me, and we agreed to pray over his proposal. Then I really went into my closet and prayed until I prayed through.

After that we did a quiet marriage at the Council and the Church blessed us.”

Ruth did not hide the displeasure of her parents. “Yes, my mother was unhappy; she actually challenged me, but I told her I have prayed and that was what I wanted. I liked the man, I love him and I want to be his wife.”

The couple tied the knot at the local Council on August 18th and the baby, Magdalene Oyinoluwa Daniela was born on October 22nd, which means the baby was already in the making before they married.

A fashion designer working from their one room apartment, Ruth explained that she supports her husband with her business. “It is because I cannot afford to rent a shop so I work at home. I am getting some customers by God’s grace but I want to get a shop in an open place so that my business will grow. Now I have two children, I want to work harder.”

Has she considered what future there could be of her marriage? “I am optimistic and I trust that God is going to do a good thing in his life. God is a miracle-working God and I have faith that my husband will use his eyes to see again no matter what doctors have said.”

Now, a look at Philip Obanor will tell you that fate is no respecter of good looks. Tall, fair and handsome, Philip CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

23 Features

Vehicle built to withstand our climate CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

steel It is being built to withstand the heat and wear of our climate and business environment.’’

Mass production “We would want the government to look into Sunday’s plight. There was a time we registered with the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s face book page; I personally wrote that government should think of how to utilise this talented young man’s dream to build a wholly Nigerian vehicle.

“Apart from building motor vehicles, Sunday is a man at home with all types of vehicle engines. He is the only one that would work on your engine and the car will look as good as new.

This reveals that his talent is inherent and not limited to only building of vehicles.”

Mark lamented the lack of government assistance. “If government can step in, or take him to any factory it has built in the quest to manufacture a Nigerian vehicle, Sunday would be happy.

“It is not the foreign motor companies assembling vehicle parts that will give us a fully Nigerian vehicle: if Ford, Nissan or other foreign companies are assembling their own brand of

cars, run by expatriates on partnership with the government, then we have not realised the dream of a wholly made Nigerian car. But even if that is how far government can go, such assembly plants could employ this young man; he has ideas and knows the terrain. He is in a better position to give them a design fit for Nigerian roads.”

Daily Times gathered that Sunday who already holds Olevels wants to be a structural

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

If government can step in, or take him to any factory it has built in the quest to manufacture a Nigerian vehicle, Sunday would be happy

I waited four years for eye surgery CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

would fit admirably into any role in Nollywood, but he fell victim to grave physical and spiritual circumstances in a series of tragedies that caused his night to come in his early youth, when his strength was yet unexpended.

He told our correspondent the incident that caused him his eyes.

“I am the first of eight children born to my father who was a retiree of former National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) in Ondo State.”

Philip was faced with no resources to climb the ladder of

education after his secondary school, but determined not to end up poor like his father, the young man launched himself into buying and selling of building materials with intent to raise money to further his education, but that ladder collapsed when his world sank into darkness at the bubbling age of 24.

“I started well and saved enough for seven years. I was pursuing my admission in 1977; but while I was reading for my exams, I started having problems with my left eye, so I went to see a doctor. After close examination he told me I was suffering from glaucoma and cataract. The

worst part was that he could not operate on the glaucoma; that I have to wait for the cataract to grow before it could be operated.”

Philip whose parents had migrated from Agenebode in Etsako East Local Government Area of Governor Oshiomole’s Edo State to Ondo State where he was born, conceded it was the most painful waiting period of his young life.

“I waited for five years before I was cleared for the operation; but while waiting for my turn at the theatre the following week, my father suddenly fell sick and died CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Features 24

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

I compose, arrange and sing all our songs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

within a few days. I was shocked and confused.”

It is forbidding for a Bini native to be buried outside his village, so the family was faced with a dilemma. The money Philip had saved for his school which he was ready to put into the operation to recover his sight had to be used to transport his father’s corpse to Agenebode and meet other expenses.

“In 2009, my right eye ball began to pain me so much that I had to go to Ikeja General Hospital and begged the doctor there to help me remove the eye ball completely since I am not seeing with it in the first place, and the pain was tormenting me every day, but the doctor said the eye was already spoiled, anyway.

“He also warned me not to bother with the cataract and glaucoma operation in my left eye because both had gone beyond any medical solution. I was devastated.”

But help came knocking as a reverend sister in the neighborhood offered to sponsor Philip to the Nigerian Handcraft School,

air force base, Ikeja, where things began to take shape even for a blind man.

Journey into music “I acquired skills in craft works. I learnt to weave baskets, make belts and shoes and even polythene bags. I also joined the music group and learnt to play the drum sets and talking drums; I then discovered I am good in composing and arranging songs so before I graduated, I organized a band of eight people.

All the people in the band with

I compose, arrange and sing all our songs and I sing in English, Yoruba and my native language Edo and we do get bookings to perform occasionally

me are physically challenged but we play well.”

After graduation, Philip became an active member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and named his band the Triumphant Gospel Voices.

“I compose, arrange and sing all our songs and I sing in English, Yoruba and my native language Edo and we do get bookings to perform occasionally.”

Miracle of his marriage to Ruth Philip God is a miracle working God. “Then one blessed day, a woman who later told me she has been watching me pass Orisunbare roundabout every day with my handcrafts and stick, came

and said she will help me.

“I just heard the woman’s voice and she took my hand and the stick. She guided me all that day and we exchanged numbers.

My happiest day was when she came over to the house to help me wash some clothes and she cooked for me.”

Recalling the moment he proposed to her, Philip said it took some time, but he built up confidence and spoke to her.

“God is wonderful; I began to have a woman visiting me, speaking kindly to me and doing house chores for me. Along the line I built up confidence to tell her I have fallen in love with her and I proposed to her. She suggested we put it in prayer and we did - and

that was how God stamped it for us.”

country. If we have a vehicle that meets our needs and can be manufactured here, it is proper then for government to invest in it and for youths to have access to such vehicles. Don’t forget that other designs will follow. It does

not make sense for Nigerians to continue spending huge sums of money purchasing foreign-made cars.”

Well, here is one young man that has a will, but a way is yet to be seen three years on.

A cry for help Philip also expressed his desire to grow in his business and prayed Nigerians to help his young family.

“My hope for the future is that God should take me to higher ground; help me to get established so I can be able to provide for my family because I don’t want people outside to muck at her that she married a blind man.

I want God to really bless me; but you know that God always blesses someone through other people, so I pray for good people of Nigeria to help me financially to move my business up.

It would take less than N300,00 to build CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

engineer, and Mark says nothing could be better.

“He is a trained mechanic and panel beater; if government can sponsor him to study overseas and enhance the knowledge of what is already inherent in him, when he returns home, he would

be able to build a truly made-in Nigeria car., I think that would be a laudable idea.

“Now politicians are campaigning with the slogan of ‘change. But even the government can also start the change by encouraging young talented individuals, especially the likes of Sunday.”

Thus far, he has spent over than N350,000, and by the time he finishes, we should be looking at N600,000 and this is because the work is being done manually

“Thus far, he has spent over than N350,000, and by the time he finishes, we should be looking at N600,000 and this is because the work is being done manually. If we had a factory where all equipment are in place, this vehicle will not take more than N300,000 to build.”

Bottomline If the dream of building a wholly Nigerian vehicle becomes another politicians’ lie; in other words, if that help fails to come from government, what next?

Mark summed up the answer.

“For that help to come is not necessarily because of Sunday’s passion, but for the good of the

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Chronicle Today in History

25

s

Cartoon from our Archives

Compiled by ‘Tunji Okegbola 1941 Hitler to Mussolini: Fight harder!

On this day in 1941, Adolf Hitler scolded his Axis partner, Benito Mussolini, for his troops’ retreat in the face of British advances in Libya, demanding that the Duce command his forces to resist.

Since 1912, Italy had occupied Libya because of purely economic “expansion” motives. In 1935, Mussolini began sending tens of thousands of Italians to Libya, mostly farmers and other rural workers, in part to relieve overpopulation concerns in Italy. So by the time of the outbreak of the Second World War, Italy had enjoyed a longterm presence in North Africa, and Mussolini began dreaming of expanding that presence-always with an eye toward the same territories that the old “Roman Empire” had counted among its conquests.

Also sitting in North Africa were British troops, which, under a 1936 treaty, were garrisoned in Egypt to protect the Suez Canal and Royal Navy bases at Alexandria and Port Said.

Hitler had offered to aid Mussolini early on in his North African expansion, to send German troops to help fend off a British counterattack. But Mussolini had been rebuffed when he had offered Italian assistance during the Battle of Britain. He now insisted that as a matter of national pride, Italy would have to create a Mediterranean sphere of influence on its own-or risk becoming a “junior” partner of Germany’s.

Daily Times February 5, 1961

1957

The American Invasion begins, as Bill Haley and the Comets storm Britain

1957 The American Invasion begins, as Bill Haley and the Comets storm Britain Back home in the United States, Bill Haley and the Comets were already passé. Their role in launching the rock-and-roll revolution was unquestioned, but it had been almost two years since “Rock Around the Clock” exploded on the scene, and in the meantime, a certain young man from Memphis had come along and changed the rules of the game.

Elvis Presley, with his good looks

and world-altering charisma, had made it nearly impossible for a slightly paunchy 30-year-old like Bill Haley to compete in the youth market in the United States. But Bill Haley and the Comets weren’t in the United States on this day in 1957—they were in England, disembarking from the Queen Elizabeth at Southampton and preparing to launch the first European tour ever by a major American rock-and-roll act.

When Haley and his band reached London’s Waterloo Station later that same day, mayhem ensued.

Thousands of fans formed a crush at the station to greet the group in a raucous display the press dubbed “the Second Battle of Waterloo.” For the generation of war babies just becoming teenagers in Great Britain, Haley’s tour offered the first chance to see a real, live rock-and-roll show.

1994

Beckwith convicted of killing Medgar Evers

1994 Beckwith convicted of killing Medgar Evers On this day in 1994, white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith was convicted in the murder of African-American civil rights leader Medgar Evers, over 30 years after the crime occurred.

Evers was gunned down in the driveway of his Jackson, Mississippi, home on June 12, 1963, while his wife, Myrlie, and the couple’s three small children were inside.

Medgar Wiley Evers was born July 2, 1925, near Decatur, Mississippi, and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. After fighting for his country, he returned home to experience discrimination in the racially divid-

ed South, with its separate public facilities and services for blacks and whites. Evers graduated from Alcorn College in 1952 and began organizing local chapters of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). In 1954, after being rejected for admission to thensegregated University of Mississippi Law School, he became part of an NAACP campaign to desegregate the school. Later that year, Evers was named the NAACP’s first field secretary in Mississippi. He moved with his family to Jackson and worked to dismantle segregation, leading peaceful rallies, economic boycotts and voter registration drives around the state.

26

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Health

s For your feedback: o.adejoro@dailytimes.com.ng

Briefs

Healthy dietary choices, lifestyle can prevent cancer–Experts As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to commemorate the World Cancer Day on Wednesday, February 4, LARA ADEJORO writes on lifestyle choices that may help reduce cancer risks.

Cancer is a complex, lifethreatening condition which can develop in almost any organ or tissue in the body. But be prevented by simple, easilyachievable lifestyle changes.

Avoiding tobacco products and getting regular exercise are important, and so of course is diet. Good nutrition supports your entire

body, and can even positively influence your genes. Research indicates that a well-balanced diet, emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains may prevent as many as one third of cancer deaths.

A report published by World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) on food, nutrition, physical activity, body fatness and prevention of cancer or reduction of cancer risk, attributed roughly one third of the world’s cancer burden to smoking and exposure to tobacco, and roughly another one third to a combination of inappropriate food and nutrition, physical inactivity, and overweight and obesity.

By their nature, these estimates are approximations, but the WCRF Panel judges that, avoidance of tobacco in any form, together with appropriate food and nutrition, physical activity, and body composition, have the potential over time to reduce much and perhaps most of the global burden of cancer.

This is in the context of the general current trends towards decreased physical activity and increased body fatness, and projections of an increasing and ageing global population.

A Professor of Radiology, College of Medicine, University of

Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Ifeoma Okoye, said “the evidence that overweight and obesity increase the risk of a number of cancers is now even more impressive than in the mid-1990s. Since that time, rates of overweight and obesity, in adults as well as in children, have greatly increased in most countries. The evidence that greater body fatness is a cause of cancers of the colorectum, oesophagus (adenocarcinoma), endometrium, pancreas, kidney, and breast (postmenopause) is convincing.

“It is a probable cause of cancer of the gall bladder. Body fatCONTINUED ON PAGE 27

Lagos alerts public on measures against bird flu In the wake of the outbreak of the avian influenza, virus popularly called bird flu or avian flu among chickens and other birds in Lagos, the State has stressed the need for members of the public to ensure and maintain adequate personal and environmental hygiene at all times.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who disclosed this in a statement in Lagos, also advised members of the

public to avoid contact with chickens, ducks or other birds, including their feathers, faeces and other wastes in areas where the disease is known to exist.

He listed other measures that could help halt the spread of the disease to include washing hands with soap and water frequently and thoroughly, particularly after touching any poultry, eggs or bird meat and keeping children away

from sick or dead poultry and birds.

“Please, avoid slaughtering and cooking of sick or already dead poultry or birds; ensure that poultry products and eggs are thoroughly cooked before eating, ensure rearing of poultry far from dwellings and sleeping areas and make sure cooking surfaces are well cleaned before and after preparation of poultry products,” Idris adviced.

Bird Flu experts

New data projects that US$18 billion increase in funding per year by the international community could result in a 30 per cent reduction in cancer deaths in LMICs by 2030 –Union for International Cancer Control

WHO gets first female Africa Regional Director ÏÏÏ The Word Health Organ-

isation (WHO) Executive Board has appointed Dr Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti as the new Regional Director for WHO’s Africa Region.

Moeti is the first woman to hold the post.

She is from the Republic of Botswana.

Speaking after her appointment, Moeti pledged to accord the highest priority to the Ebola Virus disease outbreak in West Africa and help countries in their efforts to make faster progress in reducing deaths among mothers and children and tackling HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and neglected tropical diseases, while working hard to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent non communicable diseases.

‘Girls outperform boys academically around the globe’ ÏÏÏ Girls tend to get better

grades in reading, maths and science than boys, according to a new study that challenges the widely held belief that boys do better in these subjects than girls.

“Even in countries where women’s liberties are severely restricted, we found that girls are outperforming boys in reading, mathematics and science literacy by age 15, regardless of political, economic, social or gender equality issues and policies found in those countries,” study author, David Geary, professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri, said in a university news release.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

27 Health

Osun state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola

Osun health workers resume Sodiq Adekunle, Osogbo Health workers in Osun State returned to work fully on Wednesday.

National Administrative Secclosed the decision in an exclusive interview the previous day, Tuesday.

Health workers, under the Union (JOHESU) had embarked on strike since November 12.

The strike was suspended on Monday, according to an announcement by the National Chairman, Ayuba Wabba.

Ogbonna explained that though the strike had been suspended, there was still need for health workers to hold congresses at local levels to announce the suspension.

He said, “We have suspended the strike since President Goodluck Jonathan intervened and to ensure implementation. Our demands are legitimate and he has pleaded that we should give him time till after the election.

“Osun health workers are in line with the directive and people should be present in their place of work today. We will hold congresses today and after tomorrow. Those who can’t hold their congress today will do that tomorrow.”

L-R: The Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director, Lakeshore Cancer Centre, Dr. Chumy Nwogu; The Director, PRS MOH, Ogun State, Dr. A. E. Ayinde, representing the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Ogun State, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka; the wife of the Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mrs. Abiodun Opeifa representing the First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola and the CEO/MD of Landmark Group, Paul Onwuanibe during the formal launch of Lakeshore Cancer Center in Nigeria in Victoria Island, Lagos, recently

Greater birth weight is a probable cause of premenopausal breast cancer CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

ness probably protects against premenopausal breast cancer, but increases the risk of breast cancer overall. This is because postmenopausal breast cancer is more common. The evidence that abdominal (central) fatness is a cause of cancer of the colorectum is convincing; and it is a probable cause of cancers of the pancreas and endometrium, and of postmenopausal breast cancer. Adult weight gain is a probable cause of postmenopausal breast cancer.

Greater birth weight is a probable cause of premenopausal breast cancer.”

Other factors, in particular infectious agents (like the Human Papilloma Virus in cervical cancer, helicobacter pylori in stomach cancer and hepatitis virus in liver cancer), and also radiation,

Lack of exercise killing more than obesity – Study A 12-year study has revealed that lack of exercise could be killing twice as many people as obesity.

Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Cambridge said, getting everyone to do at least 20 minutes of brisk walking a day would have substantial benefits.

The study, published in the

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, attempted to tease out the relative dangers of inactivity and obesity.

Twenty minutes of physical activity, equivalent to a brisk walk, should be possible for most people to include on their way to or from work, or on lunch breaks, or in the evening instead of watching TV, he said.

industrial chemicals, environmental pollution, and medications, affect the risk of some cancers.

According to her, the consistent intake of white Maggi, wrong oil sources – Nkwobi, Ngwo-ngwo’, pepper soup, salad cream, mayonnaise, vegetable oil, butter, cow milk and thick palm oil. Beef based food, carbohydrate foods, soft drinks can increase the risk of cancer.

Okoye, who is also the Chairperson of Breast Without Spot Initiative advised Nigerians to “take more of vegetables, cabbage, orange, tomatoes, soya, garlic, onions, and sour soup, berries which help to reduce the risk of prostrate, lung, stomach, cervical, breast and pancreas cancers.”

She said soft drinks should be replaced with water and people

Okoye

should avoid early exposure to sex.

Okoye said, “every woman, about 9-10 in their lifetime will develop cancer. Therefore, cancer should be feared just the way malaria is feared but the good news is that 40 per cent of it could be checked by adopting to medical check-ups.”

Continuing, she said, 35 per cent of the major causes of cancer are attributed to diet. While, 30 per cent is caused by tobacco smoking alone, 60 per cent of the damage is on the people who inhale the smoke of the cigarette and the remaining 35 per cent is due to environmental and hereditary factors.

Other known risk factors that can increase the likelihood of developing cancer are: gender, family history, obesity and alcohol consumption.

Genes may increase risk of pre-term births Researchers have found a link between the analyzed the number of copies of certain genes in hundreds of babies and their mothers. There was no link between the number of copies of certain genes in mothers and the risk of preterm birth. A preterm birth is one that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

However, if any of four specific genes were duplicated, or if any of seven specific genes were deleted, the risk of birth before 34 weeks of

pregnancy was two to 11 times higher, according to the researchers.

Birth before 34 weeks of pregnancy is called early pre-term birth.

Differences in the number of copies of the genes may not be what triggers a pre-term birth. Instead, the differences may put a baby at higher risk of infection or other factors that may trigger pre-term birth, study author, Dr. Joseph Biggio of the University of Alabama, said in a March of Dimes news release.

28

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Business Times

s

NIMASA needs to be unbundled – Agbakoba Funmi Coker

Agbakoba

Describing the nation’s apex maritime regulatory body as a “behemoth” that has performed woefully in the execution of the numerous briefs it is saddled with, leading maritime lawyer, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has called for the “unbundling” of the Nigerian Maritime Ad-

ministration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Agbakoba, the Principal Partner of Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL), made the call at a press briefing organised by his chambers in Apapa, Lagos State, to discuss the need to reposition of the maritime sector, which, according to him, could become Nigeria’s major revenue generator in the face of the prevailing

free fall in oil prices.

A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the founding President of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS) and the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), respectively, Agbakoba told his audience that NIMASA had become inefficient because it had taken on too many responsibilities in maritime administration.

CBN announces N300bn real sector support facility Ugochukwu Onyeocha The Central Bank of Nigeria as part of the efforts to unlock the potential of the real sector to engender output growth, value added productivity and job creation, has established a N300 billion Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF).

The Facility will be used to support large enterprises for startups and expansion financing needs of N500 million up to a maximum of N10billion.

The real sector activities targeted by the Facility are manufacturing, agricultural value chain and selected service subsectors.

A statement on the apex bank’s website disclosed that the objectives of the facility are to improve access to finance by Nigerian SMEs to fast-track the development of the manufacturing, agricultural value chain and services sub-sectors of the Nigerian economy.

“Increase output, generate employment, diversify the revenue base, increase foreign exchange earnings and provide inputs for the industrial sector on a sustainable basis,” the statement added.

The day-to-day administration of the Facility will be

overseen by the Development Finance Department of CBN and the activities to be covered under the Facility are new startups and or expansion projects in the following subsectors: Manufacturing that is involved in the production and processing of tangible goods, fabricates,

deploys

plants,

machinery or equipment to deliver goods or provide infrastructure to facilitate economic activity in the real sector; and such entity must not be involved in the financial services industry.

The statement explained that the manufacturers include Small and Medium Scale Enterprise (SMEs) defined as an entities with an asset base (excluding land) of between N5million and N500 million and with labour force of above 11.

Trading activities shall not be accommodated under this Facility the statement said.

In a related development aimed at improving the liquidity in the Bureau De Change, segment of the foreign exchange market, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), announced an intervention of $30,000 to interested BDCs on Friday 06, February 2015, in addition to weekly sales to the operators.

Imagbon pipeline fire caused by oil thieves – NNPC Augustine Aminu The Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has confirmed that the fire outbreak near its pipeline at Imagbon near Arepo in Ogun State was caused by oil thieves who have moved their nefarious activities to the area.

The Corporation in a statement signed by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ohi Alegbe, explained that the fire was sparked off when some oil thieves who were siphoning petroleum products from the pipeline engaged in a shoot-out with security men who were moving in to apprehend them.

“The explosion occurred in the early hours of Sunday and our fire-fighters moved in shortly after the police gave clearance that it was safe to move in. The fire has since been put out and repairs have been completed.

“All the nine vandalised points that were discovered have been repaired, the pipeline has been recovered and pumping operations have commenced.

“We want to assure the Nigerian public that the incident will not affect the distribution and supply of petroleum products in any part of the country.”

The Corporation also enjoined all Nigerians to see the pipelines and other oil and gas assets across the country as their own and protect them as such by reporting any suspicious movement around them to the security agencies.

Emefiele, CBN governor CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

NIGERIAN TREASURY BILLS ISSUE PROGRAMME FIRST QUARTER, 2015 (=N= THOUSAND) DATE 12/18/14 12/25/14 1/1/15 1/8/15 1/15/15 1/22/15 1/29/15 2/5/15 2/12/15 2/19/15 2/26/15 3/5/15 TOTAL

AMOUNT Maturing (91)

230,317,300

AMOUNT Maturing (182)

290,270,932

AMOUNT Maturing (1-year)

697,807,948

NEW Issue (91)

230,927,425

NEW Issue (182)

291,541,999

NEW Issue (1-year)

700,581,415

Alegbe

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

29 Insurance NAICOM to consolidate reforms in 2015

L-R: Nicholas Opara, Director Supervision, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM); George Onekhena, Deputy Commissioner, Finance and Administration NAICOM and Adamu Balanti, Director, Research Strategy and Information Technology, at the 7th annual seminar for Insurance Correspondents recently in Benin City, Edo State.

IFC partners AIICO to deepen insurance penetration Stories by Kayode Adelowokan International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has announced an agreement to provide a $20 million convertible loan to AIICO Insurance Plc, to support its expansion activities across Nigeria.

The expansion of insurance services will help increase economic security, also create the development of new asset pools that can be invested in other to support economic development, including job creation.

The transaction was signed on Wednesday at the AIICO Corporate head office in Lagos.

Edwin Igbiti, Managing Direc-

tor, AIICO Insurance Plc, assured that the company will use the loan facility to increase its agency network and retail centers.

Also, Igbiti said that the loan will help the underwriting firm increase its reach and footprint across the country.

He said, “The facility will also enable AIICO further strengthen its information technology platform to achieve greater efficiency in claims processing and customer services.

“AIICO Insurance Plc offers life and non-life insurance products to individuals, households, and businesses with a focus on value creation.”

The said Managing Director also said that partnering with

IFC will help AIICO expand its activities further to meet the needs of the consumers who require more options. “It will improve AIICO’s operational efficiency and strengthen the economic security and prosperity in Nigeria”, he added.

Meanwhile, Eme Essien Lore, IFC Country Manager for Nigeria, said that IFC’s global insurance strategy is aimed at increasing penetration of insurance in underserved markets, promoting diverse products and developing long-term partnerships with institutions that can help expand its developmental goals.

Lore said, “Availability of insurance coverage is an important enabler of managing economic

risk and promoting security of consumers and private businesses. IFC’s support to AIICO’s expansion reinforces our commitment to improving social stability and economic growth in Nigeria.”

The IFC Country Manager however said that the group encourages diverse range of insurance products, including property, health, agro, life, microinsurance and pensions.

He also said that the group mobilizes additional resources through global and regional insurance companies, other developmental financial institutions, and financial investors.

FBN Insurance, medical doctors sign MoU on group life scheme FBN Insurance Limited and Society of Gynaecology & Obstetrics of Nigeria, Lagos chapter has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide group life assurance scheme and professional indemnity cover for their members.

The Assistant General Manager (Business Development), Supo Sogelola, who signed the document for the company, said that the agreement is to provide group life scheme and professional indemnity cover for their members and the entire members of the society.

Sogelola

According to him, the group life cover provides a N1.5 million cover per medical practitioner and also a professional indemnity cover of N1 million per practitioner.

Sogelola, said that in Nigeria today, there are greater awareness and penetration of insurance, as people are taking advantage of the benefits of insurance, with this agreement we look forward whereby other professional bodies will key into it because there are advantages in every sector buying insurance for their lives and businesses.

He explained that the doctors have seen the advantage and benefits of the cover. “As you heard in the speech, when they lost one of their members, they could do very little, but with the insurance cover they would be able to provide reasonable amount to the family of the deceased member”, he added.

The Assistant General Manager, Business Development however urged other professional bodies in the country to take advantage of the benefits of insurance to insure their lives, property and businesses.

The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) will this year consolidate on reforms initiated in the past seven years, the Commissioner for Insurance, Fola Daniel, has said.

He disclosed this at the 2015 Seminar for Insurance Correspondents, with the theme: Transforming the Nigeria Insurance Sector: the three years agenda, held in Benin City, Edo State recently.

These reforms according to him include, the Microinsurance and Takaful initiatives; No premium, No cover; International Financial Reporting System (IFRS), risk base capitalisation and others.

He noted that these reforms were anchored on the Market Development and Restructuring Initiative (MDRI), which is now transformed into Transforming the Nigeria Insurance Sector; the Three Years Agenda, being driven by the Federal Government through the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Ngozi OkonjoIweala.

He added that the transformation is expected to translate into enforcement of public insurance; delivering more job/skill; building consumers trust and awareness and increasing access to insurance.

He said: ‘‘the enforcement of No Premium No Cover by the Commission which is one of the reforms is the biggest thing that happened to the industry in 2014.

It has helped raised the cash flow of insurance companies and has also helped reduced complaints.’’

Firm awards winners of tertiary essay competition Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc has presented award to the winners at the fourth edition of the yearly essay competition for tertiary institutions in Lagos.

At the presentation, Miss Abiola Atinukeola Gbemisola, of Polytechnic, Ibadan won the first prize and went home with N250,000; Miss Chukwuemeka Nwane-nnaya, from the University of Lagos, came second and won an award of N150,000, while Mr. Olaniyi Beson Opeyene came third with cash award of N100,000. Besides, the first winner gained automatic employment with the company.

Global business 30 GM report exceeds profit estimates despite recall costs

Stevens, GM CFO

General Motors Co (GM.N) on Wednesday posted fourthquarter earnings far above analysts’ expectations as strong sales of high-margin SUVs and trucks in North America helped offset record recall costs there, and its shares rose 3 percent.

Chief Financial Officer Chuck Stevens told reporters that profitability would improve in all geographic markets in 2015 and that the company was “very much on the path to 10 percent margins (in North America) in 2016.”

North American profit margins for 2014 were 6.5 percent. Excluding the additional costs for a record vehicle recall, they would have been 8.9 percent, GM said.

GM said it planned to raise its dividend by 20 percent, a move many shareholders have been pushing the company to do.

Stevens told Reuters that further return of capital to investors could happen later this year, as soon as the company resolves legal issues involving the recall of a defective ignition switch linked to at least 51 deaths.

Excluding special items, the

largest U.S. automaker earned $1.19 per share in the quarter, compared with the analysts’ average estimate of 83 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Net income rose to $1.1 billion, or 66 cents a share, from $900 million, or 57 cents a share, a year earlier.

Without the recall costs, 2014 operating profit of $6.5 billion would have been $2.8 billion higher and net income per share of $1.65 would have been $1.07 higher, GM said.

Once again, North America accounted for almost all of quarterly earnings, which Stevens credited to increased sales of full-sized SUVs and pickup trucks. Profit on these larger vehicles dwarf those of smaller cars.

Operating profit was $2.2 billion for North America, compared with $2.4 billion companywide.

GM will pay annual bonuses of up to $9,000 to each of its U.S.based United Auto Workers union employees, up from $7,500 a year ago. The 2014 bonus is the highest ever given by the company.

Fourth-quarter revenue fell to $39.6 billion from $40.5 billion and missed analysts’ estimates of $40.12 billion.

GM posted a quarterly operating loss of $400 million in Europe, unchanged from a year earlier. Its annual loss in Europe widened to $1.4 billion from $900 million in 2013.

Stevens affirmed GM’s expectations of posting a profit in Europe in 2016.

Shares of GM were up three per cent at $35 in morning trading.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Greece: Germany rejects austerity roll-back policy Greece’s new leftist government appealed to the European Central Bank on Wednesday to keep its banks afloat as it seeks to negotiate debt relief with its euro zone partners, but Germany rejected any roll-back of agreed austerity policies.

Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said after meeting ECB President Mario Draghi in Frankfurt he believed Athens could count on central bank support during the short period it would take to conclude talks with international lenders.

Banking sources told Reuters that two Greek banks have begun to tap emergency liquidity assistance from the Bank of Greece after an outflow of deposits accelerated after the victory of the hard left Syriza party in a general election on Jan. 25.

The Greek government wants that funding to continue because if the ECB were to halt it, Greek

Tsipiras, Greek Prime Minister

banks could collapse, forcing the country out of the euro zone.

Promising to end five years of austerity, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Varoufakis are meeting senior officials across Europe to seek support for a new debt agreement.

However a document prepared

by Germany for a meeting of EU finance officials on Thursday made clear Berlin wants Athens to go back on promises to raise the minimum wage, halt unpopular sales of national assets, rehire fired public sector workers and reinstate a Christmas bonus for poor pensioners.

“The Eurogroup needs a clear and front-loaded commitment by Greece to ensure full implementation of key reform measures necessary to keep the programme on track,” the document, seen by Reuters, said in reference to euro zone finance ministers.

“The aim is the perpetuation of

the agreed reform agenda (no roll back of measures), covering major areas as the revenue administration, taxation, public financial management, privatisation, public administration, health care, pensions, social welfare, education and the fight against corruption.”

The new Greek leaders have had a cautious reception so far, even in left-leaning countries such as France and Italy which Athens had hoped would support its case for debt relief.

French President Francois Hollande said the euro zone’s rules applied to everyone.

European Council President Donald Tusk said after meeting Tsipras in Brussels that any solution must be acceptable to all member states, a veiled reference to Germany, Greece’s biggest creditor which takes the hardest line on fiscal discipline.

Wall Street down as energy drags

Wall Street

U.S. stocks lost ground in early trade on Wednesday, in the wake of a two-day rally for the S&P 500, as oil prices declined and labor market data disappointed.

The ADP National Employment Report showed private employers added 213,000 jobs in January, falling short of the median forecasts of analysts of 225,000 jobs.

Oil prices declined after a fourday rally of nearly 20 percent as a new build in U.S. crude stockpiles put a global glut back in focus. U.S. crude CLc1 was down 3.3 percent to $51.32 and Brent

was off 2.6 percent to $56.43. The S&P energy index .SPNY lost 1.7 percent as the worst performing S&P sector.

“Oil has been the big driver.

We have seen oil moving strongly since last Friday and certainly the energy sector was leading the market higher,” said Peter Jankovskis, co-chief investment officer at OakBrook Investments LLC in Lisle, Illinois.

Merck (MRK.N) shares lost 2.3 percent to $59.63 as one of the biggest drags on the Dow after the drugmaker reported slightly disappointing fourth quarter sales and predicted 2015 earnings be-

low analyst forecasts, citing the stronger dollar.

But fellow Dow component Disney (DIS.N) gained 5.6 percent to $99.36 after quarterly profit topped Wall Street’s estimates.

The S&P 500 gained 2.8 percent over two sessions as oil prices bounced and on hopes of a Greek debt deal, although the index has been a trading range of 1,972 to 2,093 since mid-December and is nearly flat since Dec. 31. Despite the tight range, equities have been more volatile in 2015, with the daily trading range often double its average over the past year.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

I’m confident of market rebound in the next 12-24 months - Dozie Adesola Akindele At the closing gong ceremony of Diamond Bank Plc, on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Tuesday, February 3, 2015, Mr Uzoma Dozie, Group Managing Director/CEO Diamond Bank Plc, revealed his analysis of the fall of share prices and downward movement of the Nigerian economy. Adesola Akindele reports.

On Outlook for 2015 and Consumer Expectations: Despite challenges, and governance uncertainty plagued by the Nigerian Economy most especially the financial sector, part of the major strategies outlined by Diamond Bank Plc, is to diversify by contributing to the growth of small and medium enterprises (SME’S) and to enhance the consolidation of strength in the retail space for the growth of small businesses.

“With the use of Information Technology, we are looking at bringing cost effective solutions that would enhance performance of SME’s, to set up infrastructure that will build customers into the corporate space, where the projected growth of these businesses would lead its attraction to enlist with the NSE, causing a reflection on share prices in the next 12 months and a simultaneous sustainable growth would be achieved. So despite the economic hardships, the market prices are set to rebound in the next 1224 months.”

On recently completed rights issue and the use of proceeds: The recently completed rights

Dozie, CEO, Diamond Bank.

issue, was to raise funds (capital) for the businesses. For bringing banking to people in the extreme corners of Nigeria.

Especially for the future sustainability of over 17 million customers (businesses) operating at low capacity and to enhance corporate growth Also for the investment on digital business for paperless, cashless transactions that will enhance transparency, speed and ease of access and financial transactions for the benefit and attraction of more customers.

Asides the provision of physical branches, the proceeds from the rights issue would be used to increase the footprints in technol-

ogy and also to enhance mobility for these businesses.

Seeing that the small business have been a strong reference point in the area of growth we shall diversify by going into solutions for the Small and Medium Enterprises which would also increase the company’s capital as these businesses progress.

However, asides the provision of financial and advisory services offered to the SME’s, we ensure that they must be in an appropriate state to receive the funds and must be prepared to be saddled with tasks that would enhance their growth.Capital Market Report.

Market capitalisation up by N200bn, notch week’s highest index point Wednesday market capitalisation appreciated with N200 billion to close at N10.12 trillion. NSE All share index also increased by 2.00 per cent or with 599.61 basis points to close at 30617.96 as against Tuesday 30,018.35 basis points.

Investors on the floor of the Nigerian exchange sold 466.05 million shares amounting to N4.75 billion in 4,880 deals, this is in contrast to the 396.8 million shares worth N3.81 billion sold in 4,885 deal on Tuesday.

Leading 29 equity gainers is Dangote Cement which rose from its 7 kobo loss of Tuesday to gain N5, its closing current share price stands at N162. Nigerian Breweries follows in the second leading position by gaining N2.5 to close at N148.5 while UACN PLC gained N1.85 to close at N38.85 per share price. Other

top gainers recorded are Unilever and Zenith Bank Conoil tops the losers chart with a loss of N3.53 to close at N32.68, Guinness also lost N1.44 to close at N128.46 as against its previous closing price of N129.9, Presco likewise closed at N29.99 with a loss of N1.05 from its previous closing price of N31.04. Other top losers recorded are Stanbic and Okomuoil.

Topping trade charts for Wednesday are Oando with a sale of 112.7 million shares worth N2.02 billion, FBNH with a sale of 77.22 million shares worth N541.2 million, UBA with a sale of 44.96 million shares worth N161.78 million, Diamond bank with a sale of 35.93 million shares worth N140.03 million and Access with a sale of 32.68 shares worth n179.45 million naira.

31 Capital market Crude Oil: Nigerian capital market loses N1.63trn in January Statistics from the Nigerian Stock Exchange has revealed that investor’s net worth on the capital market has depreciated by 14.70 per cent for January, from 0.33 per cent growth achieved in December.

The All-Share Index decreased by 5095.08 basis points to close the month at 29,562.07 against 34,657.15 posted in December 2014.

The Market Capitalization also dropped by N1.63 trillion to close at N9.847 trillion compared with a growth of N74 billion achieved in December, having closed at N11.478 trillion.

Again, the volume of shares declined by 32.20 per cent with an exchange of eight billion shares worth N94.87 billion traded in 85,032 deals.

This is against 11.80 billion shares valued at N129.03 billion transacted in 90,989 deals in December.

The Financial Services sector remained the toast of investors during the period, accounting for 5.81 billion shares worth N44.24 billion traded in 48,362 deals.

The Oil & Gas industry came second with an exchange of 975.14 million shares valued at N21.05 billion in 7,692 deals.

It was trailed by Consumer Goods Industry with 452.33 million shares worth N20.26 billion in 13,941 deals.

Some market operators attributed the decline in the market growth, during the period, to political uncertainties surrounding the general elections and the exit of foreign investors due to drop in crude oil price.

They are of the opinion that the development led to selling pressure and redirection of funds from the equities market.

Mr Emeka Madubuike, the President, Association of Stock broking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), said the devaluation of the Naira and tight monetary

policies led to the development in the growth.

He said that political and security uncertainties and continuous drop in crude oil price at the international market, which led to exit of portfolio investors, contributed to unimpressive market performance.

Madubuike said that the market direction would be determined by free and fair elections and that the trend would likely continue till March.

Mr Olaleye Williams, the Managing Director, GlobalView Consult & Investments Ltd., said the exit of foreign investors from the equities market to due foreign exchange pressure was the major reason for dismal performance.

He noted that market operators and regulators should seek ways aimed at improving domestic investors’ participation to reduce overbearing effect of foreign investors.

He said that government should encourage participation of pension fund administrators in the stock market.

Williams noted that the Sovereign Wealth Fund should be invested in the market to reduce share glut.

Madubuike

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Features ‘I’ll live with him for ever, even without sight’

Health

21

s

Another Ruth has taken a step of blind faith: she defied her parents and married a man blind for life. As you read this, she is nursing her second baby of the marriage. DAN OKPOSIO spent time with the couple at their home and reports.

For a 28 years old Nigerian lady to defy her parents and ignore her Church and marry a blind man with no future speaks volumes, and former Miss Ruth Abayomi, from Egbado village in Yewa Local Government Area of Ogun State just proved again that there is indeed something in a name.

Nursing her second baby at her home with her 39 years old blind husband, Phillip Obanor, at their one bedroom apartment at

the dead end of Oriyomi Ipaiye Street, otherwise known as Sunshine Street, Paiko, Orisunbare in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, Ruth told Daily Times the circumstances that led to her love story.

“I used to see him pass at Orisunbare bus stop and I have noticed he is a very nice guy; well-spoken and handsome too.

“But my first concern for him was that he enters bus and goes

Features CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Obonor

News

Politics 18

Politics

Healthy dietary I want to build Ortom is not 50 injured in I want tocars build cars for Africa 12 for world choices, APC candidate Guinea riots L26 Ortom is not APC market –Okpere world market –Okpere - ex aspirant lifestyle can candidate - exLightning aspirantP 17 50 injured in Guinea riots 21 kills seven in P12 prevent cancer Zimbabwe village –Expert Daily Times Nigeria

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria

Thursday, February 5, 2015

26

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, February 5, 2015

Health

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015

VOL. 1. NO.39

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Sunday Abiodun Okpere was born on Christmas Day of 1975 at Ebute-Metta (West), Lagos Mainland, to Victoria and Augustine Okpere. His father was a managing director with the old National Electric Power Authority(NEPA) but died when Sunday was only two years old.

No one in his family has been known to be a mechanic or an engineer. But hints of the genius in him became manifest in his early life. While his fellow children were playing with bicycle rims and car tyres, little Sunday was gathering empty beverage cans, iron rods with which to construct toys and miniature vehicles on wheels. Even at that, no one took this engineering obsession seriously.

The third of four children, his chances of education dimmed after his father’s demise. Following this, Sunday opted to go into vocational trade relevant to his passion.

“That led me to Hope Motors in Oyadiran Estate Yaba. I was very young and this made my boss to have a liking for me. My peers called me,‘smallie’.”

For seven years, Sunday went through tutelage of automobile mechanics, panel beaters, electricians and spray painters.

“Although I was attached to the mechanical section which gave me a lot of insight into engines and their operations, I spent time in other depart-

Healthy dietary choices, lifestyle can prevent cancer–Experts

dailytimesng

Residents of Lagos Island and environs have for sometime been seeing a rugged red jeep cruising on the highway or parked by the beaches at weekends with the slogan:‘A question of attitude’scrawled on it. Daily Times confirms it is one of its kind in the world and is completely built in Nigeria. GBUBEMI GOD’S COVENANT, SNR visited the builder of the vehicle, Abiodun Freddie Adamgbe, Makurdi Okpere in his workshop and filed this report.

ÏÏÏAround

matter. If we let this be, if we negotiate for less, we would be Aggrieved governorship encouraging impunity. We would aspirant of the All Progres- have emboldened others to do the sives Congress (APC), Hon. same thing to our children toEmmanuel Jime has vowed to morrow”, he stressed.

Six children and an adult were He lamented that, “It is heart fight on with the court case he killed by lightning in a remote viland others have instituted to a breaking and unfortunate how lage in southern Zimbabwe, state our party leaders at the state logical conclusion.

TV reported on Tuesday.

Jime, a former Speaker of the level refused charity to reflect at Benue State House of Assembly home even after witnessing the The Zimbabwe Broadcasting and two term House of Represen- credible presidential primaries Corporation said on its evening tatives member along with three of our Party - the APC”. bulletin that the six children were He directed that all his camothers- Prof. Steve Ugbah, Sen. aged between 4 and 11.

JKN Waku and Mike Iordye, all paign structures across the state The incident happened on Mongubernatorial aspirants during be collapsed into that of the APC day afternoon in Mugwinyi village the APC primaries in Benue had Presidential Candidate, Gen Moapproached a Federal High Court hammadu Buhari, urging his in Bikita district. in Abuja challenging the alleged supporters to ensure the victory The seven were sheltering in of the former of head of state unilateral imposition of Chief two thatched huts when the lightSamuel Ortom, a former PDP who is capable of transforming ning struck. gubernatorial aspirant as APC the nation.

Three people have already been standard bearer in the state.

Addressing an expanded camkilled by lightning in Tsholotsho paign directorate in Makurdi, district, also in southern ZimbaJime insisted that what Sen. bwe, since the rainy season began Akume did by undermining the in December. delegates, treating them as if Parts of Zimbabwe, including they do not matter in the scheme of things and ignoring the party the capital Harare, have been batVoilent protests have engulfed Guine in recent times guidelines by imposing a “strangtered by storms and heavy rains er” on the party is an infamy that this week. dependent was scuttled, but the armoured vehicle mustmaintenance not be allowed to stand. young man was undeterred. company on Victoria His Island.” words: “Still, we are in “My boss eventually relocated Meanwhile, court.

Sunday’s dream We have been in court since to Abuja and asked me along of building a the vehicle his 19th with of December, 2014. We but I declined and preferred to name to it became more hold unto hope.inWe have prayed stay back and build up my own tense. Between theFebruary court to and right the wrongs business. After some disappointdone. Now that the strike action ments, I took up a job as techniby the ON Judiciary CONTINUED PAGE 22Staff Union of cal assistant with an American Nigeria (JUSUN) has been called dent’s ruling Rally of the Togolese Togo’s presidential election will President Faure Gnassingbe’s off, we foresee an early reversal be held in mid-April, a minister government then announced that People. of the injustice against us. said Tuesday, clarifying a consti- the vote would be held by midThe situation in Togo is slightly “I can only assure you, we are tutional court ruling on the date April. in this together knowing that different to some other African naof the vote.

Gnassingbe been power even if has we do not in fully recover tions where presidents have tried, The United Nations Secreour mandate, would have and often succeeded, in rewriting The cabinet is expected to set since the 2005 death ofwehis father, tary-General is welcoming the latour party for the bet- their countries’ constitutions to the date based on proposals from general changed Gnassingbe Eyadema, ter. Never again would delegates est cease-fire agreement between the national election commis- who ruled with an iron fist for 38 get rid of term limits. be treated as though they don’t OrtomSouth Sudan’s warring sides but

50 people were injured in riots in the town of Labé in northern Guinea when people protesting a shake-up in civil service clashed with For yourthe feedback: security forces, the government o.adejoro@dailytimes.com.ng said on Wednesday.

Labé is a stronghold of opposition to President Alpha Condé, who came to power in 2010 as the country’s first democratNew data projects that leader US$18ically billionelected increase in after decades in which the country was fundingruled per by year by the figures. authoritarian international community Around 24 members of the security forces and 25 civilcould result in a 30 per cent iansinwere hurtdeaths in the riots that reduction cancer started on Monday and vandals in LMICs by 2030 damaged public and private –Unionproperty, for International government spokesDamantang Albert CamaCancer man Control ra said in a statement.

The riots were apparently triggered by a government The new Rock 2 in the making

move to shift civil servants entrenched in Labé to locations in other parts of the country.

“The Government believes that the violence, which included the destruction of private and public property in Labe, was out of proportion with the stated demands of the protesters,” the statement said.

Youths burned tyres and the police sent reinforcements to restore calm, said witnesses and a police source who declined to be identified.

Guinea is the world’s biggest exporter of bauxite, the raw material used in aluminium production, and has rich deposits of gold. It is one of three West African countries battling to end an Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 8 500 people.

ments anytime I was less busy; employed him. that was how I learnt everything “He would send me to work for from wiring, bodyworks to spray his clients in their companies. painting and finishing. I helped With this, I cultivated a lot of ÏÏÏ The Word Health Organin working on accident vehicles. clientele which came in handy (WHO) Executive That gave me a lotisation of knowledge when Peugeot and some of the into that area.” Board has appointed car brands Dr my Matboss specialised At the completion of hisRebecca ap- on went out ofas thethe market.” shidiso Moeti prenticeship, his boss, promptly The first attempt to become in-

Togo election now set for mid-April

Briefs

WHO gets first female Africa Regional Director

17 hacked to death in new DR Congo attack

new Regional Director for WHO’s Africa Region.

Moeti is the first woman to hold the post.

She is from the Republic of Botswana. ÏÏÏafter At least 17 people have been Speaking her appointhacked to death in the eastern ment, Moeti pledged to accord Democratic of Congo, the highest priorityRepublic to the Ebwhich has outbreak been plagued ola Virus disease in by a spateand of help massacres blamed on West Africa countries in theirUgandan efforts torebels, makepolice fastersaid on Wednesday. progress in reducing deaths The attack place overamong mothers and took children night inHIV/AIDS, the city of Beni and tackling TB, in the North Kivutropiprovince. malariarestive and neglected “We have found 17 bodies. The cal diseases, while working is continuing,” hard tosearch promote healthy life-a police officer told AFP. styles and prevent non “The com- victims municable werediseases. killed with machetes.”

Beni was hit by a string of massacres from October to December that left over 260 people dead, most of whom were slaughtered with machetes and farm tools.

Congolese authorities, military experts and the UN misÏÏÏ Girls tend to get better sion in the country, Monusco, grades in reading, maths and all blame the spate of killing on science than boys, according Ugandan rebels fighting for the to a new studyDemocratic that challengAllied Forces and es the widely held belief National Army for that the Liberaboys dotion better in these subof Uganda (ADF-NALU). jects thanThe girls. rebels have terrorised “Evenvillagers in countries in the where region border between DR are Congo and Uganda women’s liberties severesince being driven out ly restricted, we found thatof their homeland in 1995. boys girls are outperforming In mid-December, the UN misin reading, mathematics sion and the DRby Congo’s and science literacy age army re-launched offensive on the 15, regardless of anpolitical, rebel group, which is said to ineconomic, social or gender clude about 400 fighters. equality issues and policies found in those countries,” study author, David Geary, professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri, said in a university news release.

ÏÏÏ

“Never again would delegates be treated as though they don’t matter. If we let this be, if we negotiate for less, we would be encouraging impunity”

2015 elections: The devil’s alternative As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to commemorate the World Cancer Day on Wednesday, February 4, LARA ADEJORO writes on lifestyle choices that may help reduce cancer risks.

Cancer is a complex, lifethreatening condition which can develop in almost any organ or tissue in the body. But be prevented by simple, easilyachievable lifestyle changes.

Avoiding tobacco products and getting regular exercise are important, and so of course is diet. Good nutrition supports your entire

Sunny Ikhioya

body, and can even positively influence your genes. Research indicates that a well-balanced diet, emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains may prevent as many as one third of cancer deaths.

A report published by World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) on food, nutrition, physical activity, body fatness and prevention of cancer or reduction of cancer risk, attributed roughly one third of the world’s cancer burden to smoking and exposure to tobacco, and roughly another one third to a combination of inappropriate food and nutrition, physical inactivity, and overweight and obesity.

By their nature, these estimates are approximations, but the WCRF Panel judges that, avoidance of tobacco in any form, together with appropriate food and nutrition, physical activity, and body composition, have the potential over time to reduce much and perhaps most of the global burden of cancer.

This is in the context of the general current trends towards decreased physical activity and increased body fatness, and projections of an increasing and ageing global population.

A Professor of Radiology, College of Medicine, University of

Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Ifeoma Okoye, said “the evidence that overweight and obesity increase the risk of a number of cancers is now even more impressive than in the mid-1990s. Since that time, rates of overweight and obesity, in adults as well as in children, have greatly increased in most countries. The evidence that greater body fatness is a cause of cancers of the colorectum, oesophagus (adenocarcinoma), endometrium, pancreas, kidney, and breast (postmenopause) is convincing.

“It is a probable cause of cancer of the gall bladder. Body fat-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

Lagos alerts public on measures against bird flu

ÎÎÎA country with a very

vibrant opposition is a blessed one. Man has not been able to master power the way it was purposed.

Societies that have therefore succeeded in putting checks and balances to power excesses are the ones moving their democracy ahead. ‘Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’, we have seen it in our parties and in government that is why the APC’s current posture against the PDP in the coming election is a good development for Nigeria.

For once, nobody is sure of where the pendulum will swing, real canvassing is taking place and the activities of the incumbent government is being subjected to both intensive and extensive scrutiny. If

the elections come, everything goes well and all parties accept the outcome, it will be a big step forward for the growth of our nation’s democratic practices.

The opposition has exposed the underbelly of the incumbent government and forced those in authority to sit up. Because it offers a viable alternative, the so called untouchables have been forced to come down from their high horses to solicit for votes amongst ordinary citizens.

With the intense and passionate campaigns on the political turf, it is a field day for the citizenry who are now enjoying the role of the beautiful bride, Unfortunately, with each passing day, the electorate is becoming more confused; Jonathan has not performed to expectations

In the wake of the outbreak of the avian influenza, virus popularly called bird flu or avian flu among chickens and other birds in Lagos, the State has stressed the need for members of the public to ensure and maintain adequate personal and environmental hygiene at all times.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who disclosed this in a statement in Lagos, also advised members of the

public to avoid contact with chickens, ducks or other birds, including their feathers, faeces and other wastes in areas where the disease is known to exist.

He listed other measures that could help halt the spread of the disease to include washing hands with soap and water frequently and thoroughly, particularly after touching any poultry, eggs or bird meat and keeping children away

and Buhari is not the right substitute, that is the dilemma we are faced with.

It is a choice of whether to go with the devil or face the deep blue sea.

There is no third option.

It is simply the devil’s alternative. Both contestants have been privileged to govern this country before. We can objectively use their performance to judge them. In this instance, we must take into consideration, the circumstances under which they performed, whether military or civil rule and given other circumstances, would they have performed better?

If at the end of the February presidential election, the APC loses the presidency to the PDP, they should not look far for the cause of the failure but themselves.

In a party where talents

from sick or dead poultry and birds.

“Please, avoid slaughtering and cooking of sick or already dead poultry or birds; ensure that poultry products and eggs are thoroughly cooked before eating, ensure rearing of poultry far from dwellings and sleeping areas and make sure cooking surfaces are well cleaned before and after preparation of poultry products,” Idris adviced.

‘Girls outperform boys academically around the globe’

abound, it is a shame that they have chosen the recycled route.

The whole phantom the Gen Buhari has become is the creation of the APC’s propaganda machinery- we must give it to them, they are good. We have seen Buhari and we know his antecedents; stubborn, pragmatic and fundamentalist.

I give you an example of what happened recently in the APC after Buhari won the primaries; he made attempts – at least by his body language to make Tinubu his running mate but for the resistance of people in other camps of the APC. This is despite the protestation of a group in the party and media reports against this arrangement.

In fact, some left the party because of the rumoured Buhari/Tinubu muslimmuslim ticket. He finally settled for a Tinubu nominee, that is a glimpse of the character trait of Buhari, only his type will attempt to take such risk in this 21st century era, old habits never die, not even at the age of Bird Flu experts

sion, the minister for territorial administration, Gilbert Balawa, told AFP. A statement from Togo’s constitutional court on Monday was interpreted to mean that voting had to take place no later than 5 March, a timeline that opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre said was “materially impossible to respect”.

But on Tuesday, the court issued a second statement to clarify that in fact only the date of the election had to be set by 5 March.

UN concerned about S’Sudan power-sharing deal ÏÏÏ

years.

However, it does follow a patregrets that they haven’t agreed The opposition has been push- tern of resistance in some African on a way to share power. ing for a change to the country’s countries of allowing their leadThe spokesperson for Ban Kiconstitution to limit a president to ers to stay in power indefinitely.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 moon told reporters on Tuesday two, five-year terms. There is curProtests gripped the Democratthat South Sudan will have no time, what he saw simply ic Republic of Congo over recent rently nothat limit. impressed him and he said so. peace if President Salva Kiir and Lawmakers are currently de- weeks after opposition saw an statement by the former National fiction, but truth andRiek realityMachar . It is Ipsa Loquitor. Having won such rebel leader don’t bating a You constitutional reform lawofasPDP a way forBamanPresidentfrom the books wrote a book on how election Chairman , Alhaji that one see anabove electoral victory, we began by the needs of can civilians bill that you would bar theAnambra 48-year-old Kabila to he extend hismy termthat Iput governed State Joseph ga Turkur.

After praised did not just become gover- making sure that workers were their own. and your to produce these books, he nor of Anambra State, rather I happy with Government. The head of state fromseveral seekinguntold re-elec-sto- ineffort office. thatterm. seem He to has shownot that said he would encourage every best of all theStephane aspirants Dujarric three months arrears of salary tion for ries a third Burkina Faso’s president Blaisewas theSpokesman says theinUN has no information you were stampeded by some PDP governor to write similar in the contest 1998 to emerge the Military Administration left yet declared his candidacy.

Compaore was chased from power forces? books about his stewardship winner with new 96% military of the votes unpaid, on any activity sinceI quickly paid them off A first ‘’Yes, draftthese of books the bill yearhe when tried to change are was free of last which said he would make for cast: South No candidate in Nigeria and began Sudan’s rivalshas signed the to pay workers their rejected charge. in June byare parliament, constitution to extend These books no one the growth of the party and for his the 27won in such election, without rig- salary on 27th of each month. latest peace deal early on IMonmiss. My Anam- year which isshould dominated bybooks the on presirule. benefit of PDP States. ging, and with landslide victory. also became the first and day.went At least threebecause previousonly agreebra are indeed good for reading ‘’Well, as I said earlier, my Nobody to court governor of Anambra State ments quickly fell apart thepay oil-Christmas bonus to all and practice as according to a books on Anambra State are not the thing speaks for itself –Res into rich east African country.

South Sudan’s government and the rebels have agreed to conclude a comprehensive agreement to end the crisis before 5 March.

Thousands have been killed “He is doing well and on the er in the first multi-party elecsince fighting broke out Decemroad to recovery,” she told AFP. tions in 1991. ber 2013.

“I can’t speak about what the While in power he hosted problem is. That can only be many of the movements fightsaid by the doctors,” she said. ing for independence or black Kaunda was Zambia’s presi- equality in other countries dent for 27 years, after the coun- around the region, including try gained independence from South Africa’s African NationBritish colonial rule in 1964. al Congress.

Initially a popular leader, he Later in life he regained statbecame increasingly autocratic ure as one of Africa’s political and banned all opposition par- giants, helping mediate crises ties, but eventually ceded pow- in Zimbabwe and Kenya.

Ki-moon

Why I’m backing Jonathan – Mbadinuju workers. Indeed life was good for workers.

And for four years I was the only governor to banish kidnapping, armed robbery and so on.

The propaganda that I closed schools cannot hold because the period opponents were talking about school- closing, students were still taking their final exCONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Again, Kenneth Kaunda hospitalised

ÏÏÏZambia’s founding president Kenneth Kaunda has been hospitalised for an undisclosed ailment, his family said on Wednesday.

Kaunda, aged 90, was admitted to Lusaka Trust Hospital on Tuesday.

His daughter Cheswa Silwizya confirmed that “the old man is in hospital” declining to reveal the nature of his hospitalisation.

seventy three.

The APC have run their campaigns as if it is a war.

They do not mind if the whole country is brought down in the process. The country is very fortunate to have a man with Jonathan’s disposition at the helm of affairs at this point in time. His intentions are honest. He has openly admitted that they have failed the nation. He wanted to satisfy everybody but ended up satisfying no one. If you look at the appointments profile, the north against the south, the north has been highly favoured.

Why should the north and south, muslim versus christian be an issue in the Nigerian election of 2015? Why must somebody say power must shift to the north as the only reason we should vote his candidate into power. Many of us in the south take this for granted. But in the north, it is a serious business, they are threatening the lives of those in support of Goodluck Jonathan. Buhari has campaigned in Jonathan’s

home state and all PDP controlled states in the south without any form of intimidation or harassment but the President cannot campaign in the north freely and fairly, this is generating orgasm amongst the opposition APC and they will regard this as a fair campaign.

All those politicians, especially from northern extraction who advised Jonathan to thread softly with Boko Haram are the ones calling him weak now. All those who went abroad- US, UK – to lobby against taking action are now singing a different tune.

If we bring in Buhari because of Boko Haram, we have, indirectly, succumbed to the Islamic militants intentions. According to Sule Lamido, people are prodding Buhari because of their selfish intentions.

Let nobody be deceived, Jonathan’s government has been steadily sabotaged from beginning, although he knowingly and unknowingly fell into the holes dug for him.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR THURSDAY 5-02-2015

adjournment

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Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. website: www.dailytimes.com.ng; email: info@dailytimes.com.ng. Tel: 018447948. EDITOR: YINKA OLUJIMI News Hotlines: 08138773277, 08173901838. Advert Hotlines: 08169118913, 08075038528

Life&

TIMES Thursday February 5, 2015

Harrisong, out with a bang!

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Crop tops, forever trendy!

When trust is lost Music review P-Square’s Shekini

Dan Foster:

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all about the gem

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Profile L2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday February 5, 2015

A-z of Dan Foster Opeoluwani Akintayo Daniel ‘Dan’ Foster popularly known as The Big Dawg and Top Dawg is a Nigerian-based American radio presenter.

He’s the first of four other siblings by his parents, brought up in Washington by their father because they lost their mother his when he was ten.

Partly raised in Baltimore by his grandmother, as a teenager, he was a rebellious young man as he got into all manner of bad habits like keeping bad friends, smoking marijuana and later on, he got a girl pregnant . This made him fall out with his man, but soon joined the Marines where he served in North Carolina, California, Florida, Japan as a float.

When he was in the Marine Corp they had some radio equipment which he used to develop himself.

Along the line, he bought so much stereo equipment which got him into trouble during locker inspection. Then he got mock commercials where he read adverts on magazines and put some music behind it. After realizing his enormous talent for the radio, he opted out of the Marines and went to Morgan State University where he studied Broadcasting and Drama.

Foster worked with

numerous radio stations including Cathy Hughes Radio One, Mix 106.5 both in America, and Virgin Island based WTBN before moving to Nigeria in 2000 where he joined Cool FM Lagos, quickly becoming popular with Nigerian listeners, although he was constantly criticised for his constant use of the word “Ikebe” .

A year later, he received an award for Best Radio Presenter of the year. He also won the 2003, 2004, and 2005 Nigeria Media Merit Awards for ‘Best Radio Personality’, other wards followed in subsequent years.

His

number of years on Nigerian radio totals 14 years- nine years with Cool FM, four and half with Inspiration FM, now with City FM. In September 2009, Foster left Cool FM for a new radio station Inspiration FM. After working with them for four and half years, he left there amidst controversy. Explaining the reason why left, Foster said it was time to move on to bigger things as he felt stagnated.

While he was with Inspiration FM, he earned a whooping N1.6 million every month because he was doing some other duties like programming, marketing, business development, he was in charge of the

events aside being an On Air Personality.

Back in America, he had a wife who had a son, Joshua now 14 years old. In search of a greener pasture, he first came to Nigeria and was later joined by his wife and son. However, his wife didn’t like Nigeria. She soon left with their son back to America.

She soon remarried.

After his wife left him for another man, he had flings with the likes of popular blogger, Linda Ikeji. Their affair blossomed but didn’t make it into marriage.

He met his current wife, Lovina in the theatre, at the Silverbird Galleria, about six years ago (2008) at about 11.00am. They soon became close and got married a year after. The union has since produced three children.

Foster was selected as a judge on West African Idol in 2007 with Dele and Abrewa Nana which produced super talents like Timi Dakolo, J’odie, Omawumi and others.

Later, he moved to Nigeria’s Got Talent as a judge alongside the likes of Kate Henshaw and Yibo Koko. The show is now in its third season.

He’s presently working on a new one-hour show, ‘Let’s go Naija’ to air on seven to eight radio stations through Nigeria.

Foster plans on relocating to the US in the future while his businesses will still be in Nigeria.

!

Whats On

Kefee’s memorial holds today Mutiat Alli

Fans and friends across nigeria and Africa will gather at the Daystar Christian Centre, Lagos for the first memorial concert in honour of the late Branama Queen, Kefee DonMomoh.

Speaking on the event, Kefee’s husband, Teddy Don-Momoh , noted that the choice of the Day star audiorium venue as the church was willing to host her memorial concert cum post humourous birthday and celebrate one of their own.

Dan Foster The late Kefee

Daily Times Nigeria

Thursday February 5, 2015

L3 Music Review

P-Square’s Shekini: A bang!

Opeoluwani Akintayo o.ogunjimi@dailytimes.com.ng Shekini, another video from music duo, P-Square, as at press time had hit 3, 974, 072 views on You Tube. It was published just last November 17, 2014. That’s an outstanding accomplishment on its own within a very short time.

So, for the fact that this song came tops on airplay and on Life & Times chart, engendered this review.

This is the second video to one of the singles off their recently released 6th studio album, Double Trouble.

Shekini’s video is energetic and picturesque, with the artistes supported by youthful dancers, performed electrifying dance moves.

Directed by Clarence Peters and produced by Vtex, the video had shots ranging from garages to underground scenes, truck tyres, dusty floor and dirty space make it a true street song.

The video opens with a static scene --- everyone was at an attention and then that voice comes through, ushering in the energetic beat which gets everyone

grooving hard. That first move is quite impressive and capable of restoring life to a bored soul.

The three girls shown at the beginning of the video -- that short move by them killed it. And those young identical boys were the bomb! They are energetic, which is what the song is all about. The choice of beat was cool, something Nigerian youths like and it’s nice the duo was able to know all what the youths want is to dance hard.

The images employed were fantastic-- the burning balls, the plastic drums, caution tapes, welding lights, the dancers and choreography were on point with the beat.

The costumier was good -- they were all draped in ready-to-groove wears, a plus for the video.

The lighting of the arena was okay, just enough to create the needed effect for the scenes.

The team also had a good stage management, there was no part of the stage left unused. The carriage of everyone was also on point. The song is a happy one, as evident on the faces of the cast.

The song started with action. It ended same way.

Overall, a good song. 9/10.

Harrysong’s Ofeshe Harrysong is back with a new video!

Squareball - directed visual for Harrysong’s sleeper hit, Ofeshe.

The Amir-produced tune gets a dance-oriented video concept with cameo appearances from Skibii, VJ Adams, Bryan Okpara and a handful of others.

Fashion L4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday February 5, 2015

Forever Crop Top

!

Opeoluwani Akintayo Crop top is the fashion in vogue for ladies. For every gig you attend, five out of 10 girls show off some belly flesh in their hot crop tops.

Crop tops, which could either be fitted or loose, can be worn with bum shorts, either long, short or miniskirts or even trousers ranging from your regular jeans to the normal pant trousers.

However, it’s inappropriate to rock them to professional outings, but, feel free to wear them to your beach party, birthdays, dinner, hangouts and all.

Whether you are on the fat or slim side, as long as your tummy is clean and toned enough to be flaunted, you are welcome to it!

Have trouble knotting?

Austine Agbovi Have you ever tried to knot a tie only to end up with a horrible tangled tie?

Starting with these instructions- a sharplooking tie, a mirror and some patience, you too can become an expert at knotting a fabulous tie. There are several different ways to tie a tie. I have listed several methods, starting with the easiest method of tie knotting.

Four-in-hand knot Stand in front of the mirror. Your collar should be up, your shirt buttoned all the way to the top, and the tie around your neck. The wide end of the tie should be on the side of your dominant hand. So if you’re righthanded, the wider end should be hanging on your right side. If you’re left-handed, the wider end should be hanging on your left side.

1.

2. Look for a seam on the front of the

narrow end of the tie.

3. Move the wide end over the narrow end so they cross each other on the seam.

4. Pull the wide end behind the narrow end.

5. Bring the wide end around. It should be facing off to your left.

6. Bring the wide end under the narrow end again.

7. Pull the wide end of the tie under the loop 1

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around your neck.

8. Pull the wide end down through the knot at the front of the tie.

9. Tighten the knot by sliding it up the

narrow end. Make sure your tie is straight and the length is appropriate.

The four-in-hand knot is a little asymmetrical at the neck. Don’t worry about this; it is normal.

Many men with shorter necks prefer the four-in-hand, because the knot at top is very narrow and has a slimming effect on the rest of the neck.

As you start everyday looking elegant and bold, kindly check back in the next edition to read on another way you can knot your tie.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday February 5, 2015

L5 Unwind

Solution to last week’s game CROSSWORD

Test your knowledge of world capital cities with this crossword.

Arrow Crossword 01

Across 1. Vietnam (5) 5. The Philippines (6) 7. Italy (4) 9. Bulgaria (5) 10. Turkey (6) 12. Nepal (9) 14. Colombia (6) 15. Jordan (5) 16. Togo (4) 17. Venezuela (7) 19. Fiji (4) 20. Pakistan (9) 22. Ecuador (5) 23. Maldives (4) Down 1. Zimbabwe (6) 2. Portugal (6) 3. Iraq (7) 4. Iceland (9) 6. Samoa (4) 8. Oman (6) 10. Ethiopia (5,5) 11. Indonesia (7) 12. Afghanistan (5) 13. Uganda (7) 17. Egypt (5) 18. Liechtenstein (5) 19. South Korea (5) 21. Peru (4)

TODAY’S GAMES WORD SEARCH GOFFERS Celebrity

Arrow Crossword 01

Can you find the hidden golfers?

They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards

Adam Scott Brandt Snedeker Bubba Watson Charl Schwartzel Dustin Johnson Graeme McDowell,

Henrik Stenson Ian Poulter Jason Day Jason Dufner Jim Furyk Jimmy Walker,

Jordan Spieth Justin Rose Keegan Bradley Matt Kuchar Phil Mickelson Rory McIlroy

Sergio Garcia Steve Stricker Tiger Woods Zach Johnson

SODOKU

Relationship & Us L6

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday February 5, 2015

Trust” “Dysfunctional

!” h t u o S s e o g t s “When Tru

Ngozi Ndubisi

ngozindubisi@yahoo.com

Having trust issues is devastating in any relationship and worse off when it concerns a husband and wife relationship.

Dysfunctional trust shows up as suspicion that quickly leads to outright dread. Distrust problem can destroy relationships, and also affects every aspect of one’s life (it steals your peace, joy and happiness).

What is trust?

According to the dictionary, Trust is a “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something.”

Accepting without evidence or investigating.

In other words, trust should be an inherent mechanism that needs you to be “unquestioning” even if the facts are missing; swallow it ‘hook, line and sinker.’ I know this is a hard pill to ingest, but that’s what is expected

Tips for the Healing of Distrust

1

of spouses to engender true love. Dysfunctional trust kills respect and intimacy on which harmonious relationships are built. It destroys safety and connection; their absence, breed discontentment and axes the ability to be spontaneous and playful.

The question is how many of our married couples really have trust in their marriage? Only recently, I received the news of the death of a wife who was neglected by her husband as a result of distrust. This, as far as I know, is now a dead end; yours should not also end like that.

Do not allow anyone to rob you of your happiness, so learn to identify, understand, and heal negative relationship patterns.

If you have the courage to look at this negative distrust pattern and are willing to change and put your relationship first, the first thing to do is to admit your own role in the distrust issue, and proffer solution(s) that will

Joke

Patience: You need all the patience here and hereafter, to handle situations, amicably. Always see things through the other’s eyes and try to understand where they are coming from.

3

Avoid Suggestive Behaviour: It might look, feel and be innocent to you, what about to your spouse?

Tips for spicing up your marriage

a. Send love texts: To each other, tell yourselves why you love each and what you appreciate in each other (one per love text)

2

Set Rules: This helps spouses to discuss, understand, accept and correct behaviours that cause mistrust/distrust. Like late night calls from the opposite sex, going out without explanations, staying out late without warning, etc. These promote security and confidence.

solve your ‘most difficult’ relationship problems.

Why We Distrust Instead of marrying for common values, some marry their spouses for what is missing in their own lives. When one or both spouses grow in confidence, or have a change in their needs, this makes them less willing to put up with the differences in their values.

Things, gradually, come to a halt. First, suspicion; then jealousy, which develop into personal insecurity that allows the fear of abandonment to creep in, on one hand.

On the other hand, distrust can be from spouses who have been abused as children or hurt in previous relationships or even by their current spouse. These spouses will find it difficult to trust and or let themselves be open to a partner’s love for fear of being hurt again.

These situations lead to (if not checked) downright destruction of each other and when spouses cannot discuss their fears openly; it erodes feelings of trust and safety, eventually, leading to a dysfunctional marriage.

b. Be spontaneous: Just stop and kiss your

passionately ones a while. It doesn’t need to lead to anything else, but if it does go with it.

4

Talks: Discuss how you feel about your relationship on a regular basis. Talk about your fears and emotional needs. Put your other half in your position with ease for better understanding. This promotes camaraderie between spouses.

A man home from church and lifted his wife up.

5

Be Extra Nice: Do things that will make life a little more bearable for your spouse. Do things you don’t expect reward or praise for. Let it become a habit and see love rekindled and glowing in your spouse.

Wife: (in amazement) “Honey, this is new and wonderful. If this is your way saying you are sorry, I accept and don’t stop.”

Husband: yes honey sorry…, our pastor says we should lift our problems to God

c. Give quick massages: Just before bed offer a quick

foot massage or body rub to relieve his/her tension from the day.

d. Pillow Talk: Spend time to reminisce on some of your favorite and wonderful moments together.

e. Have Laughs: Share secret jokes at odd places, let something, someone or some words make you laugh spontaneously.

f. Go on Dates: Ones in a while, drop all things and just yourselves out and behave like new love birds

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday February 5, 2015

L7 Nutrition

!

Quit smoking with these

Judith Frank-Edet One of the best defences against smoking is, actually, sitting in your refrigerator! Yes, you guessed right, it is food. Certain food textures can help smokers fight the craving to smoke, especially, when you have decided to quit smoking. Although, there are other things that should be done, eating the right foods can be a life saver.

Chew on it Give your mouth something to do to fight a tobacco craving.

Chew on gum or peppermint, or munch raw carrots, apples, chips, groundnuts; something crunchy and satisfying, it just distracts your mouth from smoking. Some may not be too healthy but the main target is that it takes away the tobacco craving.

Foods Rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids Omega 3 fatty acids have also been associated with decreasing the negative effects of smoking. Recently, researchers presented data showing that short-term treatment with omega-3 fatty acids improved arterial stiffness and decreased the acute smoking-induced vascular damage. Great sources of Omega-3 include salmon, tuna and soybean.

Water Water helps to stop the craving for nicotine quickly.

It lessens the desire to smoke and helps the body forget the euphoria it experienced with nicotine. Drinking about six to eight glasses of water each day will help

reduce nicotine cravings.

Fruits and Vegetables These are the ultimate. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables decreases the smoker’s urge to smoke.

Studies have shown that fruits and vegetables, actually, make the taste of cigarettes worse. So you can go on a vegetable therapy, eat more green foods, pick

oranges because Vitamin C is a strong enemy of cigarettes.

Tomatoes Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopenes. They are nutrients in the carotenoid family that prevent lung cancer.

Foods to Avoid Coffee, alcoholic beverages and meat are foods that make the taste of cigarette enticing (avoid them).

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday February 5, 2015

Showing on

Showing on

106 Movies /Action

CBS Action

11:30

12:30

A group of American soldiers face impossible odds in this intense World War II drama. A deadly weapons programme threatens the fate of the world, unless one daring soldier stops it.

A woman is asked to help an old lover discover his would-be murderer.

Morgan Fairchild, William Shatner, Roddy McDowall, Barbara Eden, Traci Lords. (1996) Peter H Hunt.

Thu, 5 Feb | PG 13

Thu, 5 Feb| 16 VL

101 M-Net

00:00 The Mentalist 00:30 Mind Games 01:30 Before Midnight 03:30 About A Boy 04:00 The Sapphires 06:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 07:00 Masterchef Junior USA 08:00 The Middle 08:30 The Real Housewives Of Atlanta 09:30 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 10:30 Life's A Breeze 12:30 Mom 13:00 Masterchef Junior USA 14:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:00 Modern Family 15:30 The Millers 16:00 Suits 17:00 The Fixer 18:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 19:00 About A Boy 19:30 Masterchef Junior USA 20:30 The Fixer 21:30 Blue Bloods 22:30 The Mentalist

118 Telemundo 00:00 The Queen Of The South 00:30 Aurora 01:20 Fearless Heart 02:10 The Queen Of The South 03:00 My Heart Beats For Lola 03:50 Broken Angel 05:20 Where Is Elisa?

06:10 Aurora 07:00 Fearless Heart 07:50 My Heart Beats For Lola 08:40 Broken Angel 09:30 Where Is Elisa?

10:20 Aurora 11:10 Fearless Heart 12:00 My Heart Beats For Lola 12:50 Broken Angel 13:40 Where Is Elisa?

14:30 Aurora 15:20 Fearless Heart 16:10 My Heart Beats For Lola 17:00 Broken Angel 17:50 Where Is Elisa?

18:40 Aurora 19:30 Fearless Heart 20:20 My Heart Beats For Lola 21:10 The Queen Of The South 22:00 Broken Angel 22:50 Where Is Elisa?

120 BBC Entertainment

07:00 So Wrong So Wright 07:30 Buffon 08:30 53 Extra 09:00 Meet The Adebanjos 09:30 The Dzigbordi Show 10:30 Katemba Mu Kkooti 11:00 Prem 11:30 Lies That Bind 12:00 Trouble Waters 12:30 Channel O: Volt 13:00 Mashariki Mix 13:30 Tinsel 14:00 Kakibe Ki 14:30 Foot Prints 15:00 The Dzigbordi Show 16:00 Deception 16:30 Jara 17:00 The Johnsons 17:30 Lies That Bind 18:00 Affections 18:30 Foot Prints 19:00 Fashion Coast 19:30 Tinsel

128 SONY MAX Television

00:00 My Family 00:25 Top Gear 01:15 Scott And Bailey 02:05 Come Dine With Me

00:00 Cheaters

02:55 EastEnders

00:15 Unbeatable Banzuke

03:25 The Weakest Link

00:40 Unbeatable Banzuke

04:10 Top Gear

01:05 Rude Tube

05:00 Outnumbered

01:30 Poorman's Bikini Beach

05:30 QI

01:55 The Disciples

06:05 Friday Night Dinner

03:15 The Smoking Gun Presents: World's...

06:30 EastEnders

04:05 Unbeatable Banzuke

07:00 Antiques Roadshow

04:30 Unbeatable Banzuke

07:55 The Weakest Link

05:00 Shadowguard

08:40 The Cube

06:20 Cheaters

09:30 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

07:05 The Smoking Gun Presents: World's...

10:20 Deal Or No Deal

16:00 EastEnders

10:55 My Family

16:30 Deal Or No Deal

11:30 Hell's Kitchen USA

17:15 QI

12:15 Top Gear

17:50 Would I Lie To You?

13:10 Come Dine With Me

18:25 Hell's Kitchen USA

14:00 Top Gear

19:15 Downton Abbey

15:10 The Weakest Link

20:15 The Michael McIntyre Chat Show

07:55 World's Wildest Police Videos 08:50 I Bet You Will 09:15 Most Shocking 10:10 The Smoking Gun Presents: World's...

11:05 The Smoking Gun Presents: World's...

12:00 Cheaters 12:50 World's Most Amazing Videos 13:45 World's Wildest Police Videos

252 Silverbird

154 AfricaMagic Family

00:00 The Johnsons 00:30 Lies That Bind 01:00 Trouble Waters 01:30 Foot Prints 02:00 Mary Slessor 02:30 Tinsel 03:00 The Johnsons 03:30 Katemba Mu Kkooti 04:00 53 Extra 04:30 Tinsel 05:00 Just A Maid 06:00 Good Morning Africa

L8 Television

00:00 Princess Halliday Show

10:30 STV Sports Café

17:30 Video Wheels Lifestyle

18:00 Affections

11:00 E.O.M Business

18:02 MTV Base

18:30 Foot Prints

02:00 Boom Town

11:30 Almond Finance & Wealth Show

19:00 STV News @ 7

19:00 Kings Of Segou

02:30 STV Sports Café

12:05 Music Africa

19:30 Taste of Love

19:30 Tinsel

03:00 Local Movie

14:05 Circle Of Interest

20:00 Delta In And Out

20:00 The 5 Brides

05:00 Symphony

14:30 Seekers

20:30 Katemba Mu Kkooti

06:30 Insights For Living

15:00 Dormitory 8

20:30 Uncommon Transformation Of Akwa Ibom

07:00 STV AM News

15:30 Brights

07:30 Today On Stv

16:05 Nickelodeon

09:30 Heart Of The Matter

17:00 The KKB Show

01:00 Music Africa

21:00 Ay's Show 21:30 Security File 22:00 STV News @ 10

21:00 Jara 21:30 Tinsel 22:00 The Dzigbordi Show

XT Exclusive

Ghana in X3 crunchy tie against hosts

Poster!

Samuel Peter

X4,5 Thursday, February 5, 2015

INTERVIEW

MARTA:

s e b o r FA p

Brazilians are bad losers X6

d t U n Ma

BOSS

RED DEVILS

DE GEA X2

to remain at UNITED X8

X2

Thursday, February 5, 2015

EXTRATIME

Briefs

FIFA fines West Ham over

Sakho

Sakho West Ham have been fined £71,000 for fielding Diafra Sakho in the FA Cup win over Bristol City despite telling Senegal the striker was unfit. The club have also been reprimanded but they will be allowed to continue to play in this year’s competition.

Udoh

denies signing for foreign clubs

FA probes

Van Gaal over comments

M

anchester United manager Louis van Gaal has been charged by the Football Association for Nigeria Professional Football League comments he made following top scorer, Mfon Udoh, has denied his side’s 0-0 FA Cup draw at claims by his club, Enyimba, that he has Cambridge United last month. signed for a Belarusian club.

Van Gaal’s men were held to a The 22-year-old has also denied re- 0-0 draw by their League Two opports that he has signed for Egyptian club, Ismaily, and said that he is yet to sign a contract with any club abroad.

Enyimba coach, Kadiri Ikhana had on Monday said in a radio interview that Udoh had signed for an unnamed club in Belarus, and efforts to get a confirmation from Udoh on Monday proved abortive.

Rummenigge pays tribute to late Lattek Bayern Munich executive chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge led tributes on Wednesday after the death of legendary former coach Udo Lattek was announced.

Germany’s most successful club coach in terms of league title wins, Lattek was responsible for overseeing a golden period in Bayern’s history, which saw them claim three successive Bundesliga crowns and the 1974 European Cup. He went on to enjoy further success with Borussia Monchengladbach and Barcelona before returning to Bayern

ponents on January 23, prompting a replay on Tuesday that Manchester United won 3-0.

After the stalemate at the Abbey Stadium, Van Gaal told reporters: “Every aspect of the match is against us - the pitch, the referee. Everything that you can think about this is against

you.”

An FA statement on Wednesday read: “Louis van Gaal has been charged by The FA for media comments he made after Manchester United’s FA Cup fourth-round match against Cambridge United on Friday, January 23, 2015.

F l Estori move excites u s a p m a Al Mike Otanwa

lying Eagles goal tender Dele Alampasu has expressed delight at his first professional deal abroad.

It was gathered that the former Golden Eagles starlet joined Portuguese top flight outfit GD Estoril Praia on a four-year deal on transfer deadline day.

The 18-year-old is believed to have signed on undisclosed terms, but sources say the deal is good for his development.

The Oladimeji Football Academy product is delighted to join Estoril Praia and said: “It’s a dream to sign

“It is alleged that the Manchester United manager’s comments allege and/or imply bias on the part of the match referee and/or bring the game into disrepute.

“He has until 6pm on Monday February 9, 2015 to respond to the charge.”

for a good European team, and one that has ambition.

“My first professional contract is for four years. I must admit that I’m so happy with the terms and conditions of the deal. The club officials received me well. I’m looking forward to having a good time in the city of Estoril.”

The keeper will be allowed to represent Nigeria in the forthcoming Africa Youth Championship in Senegal, where the Flying Eagles will campaign for glory in Group A together with hosts, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Congo.

The group winners and runners-up will qualify for the quadrennial football fiesta in New Zealand.

Alampasu

Thursday, February 5, 2015

EXTRATIME

AFCON 2015

CAF Action recorded during the controversial Equatorial Guinea, Tunisia quarterfinal match and today the hosts have an uphill task against Black Stars of Ghana in a semifinal cracker in Malabo.

GHANA IN MAKE OR

BREAK

CLASH AGAINST HOSTS

Mike Otanwa

I

t’s going to be a make-or-break clash for Black Stars of Ghana as they battle Equatorial Guinea in the semifinal of the AFCON 2015 today, in Malabo.

The Black Stars are making a fifth successive semi-finals appearance at the biannual gathering for Africa’s best 16 teams.

Ghana made it through the ‘group of death’, and it wasn’t an easy task for them as they lost against Senegal in their opener, before garnering the 3 points from Algeria in the second game

with an impressive late goal from Asamoah Gyan.

They also they defeated the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in their last game, before cleanly beating the Guineans in the quarterfinals with a 3-0 whitewash.

Before the tournament, Ghana sensationally left some famous names behind the side, but youthful energy and talent are leading the team to seemingly another final. The further the tournament is developing, the better the Ghanaians are playing, and the presence of all in-form Atsu, Andre Ayew, and

X3

Gyan in their attack virtually guarantees the side goals against any opposition in any match.

Equatorial Guinea should have never reached the semifinals had they not been gifted a penalty in the stoppage time dying minutes. A penalty, which was never a penalty by any means! However, a cheating referee from Mauritius saved a day for the local fans by pointing to the penalty spot in a game Tunisia were never going to lose, and another brilliant goal from a set piece during the extra time sent Equatorial Guinea through.

Suspended Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn.

T

unisia Football Federation has been fined $50, 000 and threatened with a ban, while Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn has been sent home and suspended for six months in the fallout from the Tunisia’s chaotic Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal loss to host Equatorial Guinea.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced its decisions after disciplinary meetings on Monday and Tuesday about the on-field clashes involving players, coaches and officials

fines Tunisia, suspends Mauritian ref

at Saturday’s game.

CAF said Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn had been suspended for “poor refereeing” after his decision to award Equatorial Guinea a contentious penalty in the last minute of normal time which sparked the trouble.

Tunisia players were guilty of insulting and trying to assault the referee after the game.

CAF said the country’s national Federation President even went onto the field to confront Seechurn.

Gyan

Gyan

ruled out of Ghana, Equatorial Guinea clash

G

hana captain Asamoah Gyan has been ruled out of today’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash against Equatorial Guinea after suffering a serious injury in their quarter-final win over Guinea.

The Ghanaian talisman was on the receiving end of a dangerous challenge from Naby Yattara during the closing stages of the Black Stars’ 3-0 victory in Malabo on Sunday, with the Guinea goalkeeper receiving a straight red card.

Gyan has since flown out to Mongomo to undergo scans and Ghana’s team doctors have

seemingly confirmed the Al Ain striker will be unable to feature against the host nation today.

“The MRI scan doesn’t look good and it’s sad he cannot play on Thursday in the semifinals,” a member of the Black Stars management committee said on condition of anonymity.

“It’s going to be a big blow for the entire team because he is the team captain and they take inspiration from him.

“Although he can walk on his own, he cannot train, he couldn’t train on Tuesday and Wednesday too, so automatically he is ruled out of the game.”

X4

Thursday, February 5, 2015

EXTRATIME

Philosophy: Samuel Okon Peter (Born September 6, 1980 in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria), nicknamed “The Nigerian Nightmare,” is a professional heavyweight boxer and the former WBC heavyweight champion (He lost that title in his first defence, against Vitali Klitschko).

Peter rose to prominence as a professional fighter following a string of spectacular knockout wins in his early career, at a time when the division was fragmented. He has won a portion of the heavyweight crown and scored notable wins over James Toney and Oleg Maskaev. Samuel Peter is also the only man to have been defeated by both Klitschko brothers (losing a total of three bouts against them). Samuel is currently being trained by his former assistant coach Ibn Cason.

“

QUOTES ON

SAMUEL PETER I have to stay focused because I am coming into my time, the time that I have been waiting for in my career. Now, I am the Heavyweight Champion of the World. I will fight anyone who comes my way.

It doesn’t matter who I fight. McCline is a good fighter, a good boxer and good champion, but it doesn’t matter. I’ll adjust to any style (McCline is considerably bigger in stature than Maskaev). I am the Heavyweight World Champion and I’ll do whatever it takes to defend my title.

—Samuel Peter

”

SAMUEL OKON

PETER

ER

Thursday, February 5, 2015

EXTRATIME

PERSONAL

INFORMATION

Real name: Nickname: Rated at: Height: Reach: Nationality: Born: Place of birth: Stance:

Samuel Okon Peter “The Nigerian Nightmare” Heavyweight 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 77 in (196 cm) Nigerian September 6, 1980 (age 34) Akwa Ibom, Nigeria Orthodox

Boxing record Total fights: Wins: Wins by KO: Losses: Draws: No contests:

40 35 27 5 0 0

“We’ve been residing for the last three weeks in Freiburg, Germany in Schwarzwald, which is the Black Forest. I can tell you for the past eight years that I’ve spent with Samuel, for every one of his fights, this is by far his best preparation.

This is going to be the best Samuel Peter ever.

I can’t wait. I’m so excited. This has been a tremendous camp for us, and I’m so proud of Samuel and Team Peter for doing their job and staying diligent to their work.”

–Ivaylo Gotzev

X5

X6

Thursday, February 5, 2015

EXTRATIME

Interview

MARTA: S N A I L I Z A BR E K A T T ’ N O D !

L L E W T A DEFE Such is her stature in the women’s game that Marta Vieira da Silva has found herself on a plane to Switzerland every winter for the last ten years. A serial attendee of the FIFA Ballon d’Or, her invitation is by no means just a courtesy. Indeed, the Brazilian No10 has finished in the top three of the Women’s World Player category every year for the past decade, scooping the main prize herself at five consecutive Galas (2006-2010). Always amenable and available for a chat with FIFA.com, the 28-year-old naturally cuts a more mature and composed figure these days than on her early visits to Zurich. Yet she has not lost her spark, sense of fun nor burning desire to continue to push the growth of women’s football in Brazil. On the agenda for the conversation this time around were her high and lowlights of 2014 and, of course, A Canarinha’s major challenge ahead of FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada. Excerpts:

You’ve not missed a Gala since 2004. Does it still feel like a special occasion?

It’s fantastic! In a way, you end up setting this, being here, as one of your goals. This is proof that you’ve been playing at a very competitive level for a long time. That’s why, when the season finishes, you’re already hoping to come back and get your dose of Zurich! (Laughs) The first time I came here I was very shy, but I’m much more relaxed in these situations now.

Let’s talk about A Selecao. There’s not long to go until the Women’s World Cup in Canada. How are the players preparing for the challenge ahead? Are Brazil not as strong as they once were?

That’s a fact. We’re now eighth in the FIFA

Ranking, while we’ve been higher in the past…

What’s gone wrong? Well, from my point of view, we hit a high standard in 2004, 2007 and 2008 when finishing runners-up at the Athens Olympics, Women’s World Cup China and Beijing Olympics respectively… From that point on we’ve kept a core of players together, but some new ones have come in and others hung up their boots. We weren’t able to properly replace the players that left though, so we’ve had to start afresh with a new generation.

We’ve got a league championship in Brazil now, though it’s still not very competitive or popular. A few years back we didn’t even have that and the national coach faced enormous difficulties in finding quality players, because he couldn’t get to see them… We wasted a lot of time and we didn’t manage to take full advantage of the generation that burst onto the scene in 2004. There should have been a more consistent, long-term project put in place, to develop promising players to a high enough standard to adequately replace the ones who moved on. So we started from zero again. And we have to be very thorough this time too, because us veteran players, like me, Cristiane, Formiga and Andreia Suntaque won’t be around forever. Only through consistent hard work can we keep the national team strong.

Realistically, what are Brazil’s chances at Canada 2015?

I think that we’ve got the ability to do very well, to battle it out with the heavyweights like Germany, USA, France, Sweden, Japan, Canada, England…

That said, our current status doesn’t reflect that, because we’ve fallen down the Ranking. If we want to be compared to those past Brazil teams, we have

to prove it out on the pitch. The World Cup is coming up, the Olympic Games are next year… it’s crunch time now. New coach Vadao Oswaldo Alvarez is doing a very good job, he’s giving all the girls a chance; he’s training with the Brazil-based players every day… That’s hugely important if we want to get the best possible team together and do well at these competitions.

much but by the manner of it. I’ve tried to find an answer for it, but to this day I can’t fully understand what happened. As I said, Germany had a very strong team ethic but we weren’t expecting to lose like that. As a sportswoman I’ve been through difficult situations, such as when you see your team is slipping out of a match and needs to get going again, but there’s not enough time.

What’s the new coach’s biggest strength?

His straightforwardness. He’s a very friendly guy and the girls feel comfortable with him. If there’s something that needs saying he’ll say it, but without going over the top. That’s to say, before we were a bit more restricted, told not to do this or that, but now we’re given more freedom and it helps. The girls join up with the national squad happy, with smiles on their faces, knowing that things are going smoothly.

The whole squad are chasing the same goal and nobody thinks they’re better than anyone else.

Things happen very fast. I could sense that in that match: the goals were flying in so fast that the Brazil players couldn’t react, couldn’t say to themselves, ‘Let’s sort ourselves out; let’s do something different. We might lose but not like this.’ They didn’t even have time for that: it was a situation I’d never seen before and one that I don’t think will ever happen again to Brazil.

Taking a brief look back at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, which you attended firsthand, what’s the main lesson you drew from that tournament?

Germany’s teamwork. They didn’t have just one standout player, a superstar, but their teamwork was vital in them winning the title. It shone through in all their games and it was what impressed me most.

And what was your view on their 7-1 defeat of Brazil? Where did you watch it?

I was in the stadium. As a Brazil fan I was devastated, very sad… Not about the defeat so

How did you feel after the game?

I felt a bit apprehensive. There were so many people in the stadium, on the streets and we’d just lost 7-1… Brazilians don’t take defeat well. In fact, I decided to slip out of the stadium about ten minutes before the end.

The result appears to have led to some major changes in working methods in Brazilian football.

What’s your view on the fallout of that result?

I’ve not followed it too closely because I’ve been living abroad for so long, but I read the news, the players’ comments… Of course, that defeat meant that everybody started looking for scapegoats.

But when things aren’t working, what you need to do is look for solutions to your problems, not for someone to blame.

I felt a bit apprehensive.

There were so many people in the stadium, on the streets and we’d just lost 7-1… Brazilians don’t take defeat well. In fact, I decided to slip out of the stadium about 10 minutes before the end

Marta

Thursday, February 5, 2015

EXTRATIME

GEBRSELASSIE

heads to Cape Town

Gebrselassie

GOLF

MCILROY’s court case adjourned for negotiations Rory McIlroy’s legal action against his former agent was adjourned for a day so that the two sides could continue negotiations. The four-time Major winner terminated his contract with Horizon

e h t s r a e l c c i v o k Djo d u e f s ’ y a r r u M n air o

TENNIS

ATHLETICS

South Africa has announced that the greatest distance runner of all time and multiple world record holder, Haile Gebrselassie, will be in Cape Town in April to support the 2015 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon participants and engage with the local running community.

Though he will not be running, but he looks look forward to meeting the South African running community and cheering them on.

N

ovak Djokovic is prepared to talk to Andy Murray to try to assure him that there was no sharp n Open practice going on in the Australia . final As the world No. 1 did his obligatory of how posing with the trophy, he spoke ray Mur with hip ions relat he hoped his cliious fract the after ged chan not has .

Slam d max to the season’s first Gran the “From my perspective, not,” said lead huge a up ed open has Serb, 27,who match at the top of the rankings after a get to elf that saw Murray allow hims e rativ onst dem ’s distracted by the Serb he’s if ce, chan a is there “If . physical lows ing to willing to talk, I’ll talk. I have noth preis who hide. I’m not the sort of guy g ethin som do to g tending, who is tryin bad g sayin is or back ne’s behind anyo about things about anybody, especially

CRICKET

long term solution for the team,” Geoff Rowley, joint administrator and partner at FRP Advisory, said in a statement on Wednesday.”We can confirm that negotiations continue towards a longer term viable solution for the business and participation of a team in the 2015 season.”

Clarke on track for World Cup –Lehmann

B

Djokovic

Fury

New hope for troubled F1 Team Marussia

risbane - Coach Darren Lehmann says Michael Clarke is ahead of schedule in his recovery from hamstring surgery and will captain Australia at next month’s Cricket World Cup. Lehmann gave Clarke his backing Wednesday, saying he was “sick” of speculation about Clarke’s likely participation in the World Cup and his future as Australia captain.

Clarke will take a major step forward today when he plays for a Cricket Australia XI against Bangladesh in a one-day warmup match at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field.

Cricket Australia has given Clarke until

a long him, someone I have known for him. for time. I have respect “We have a good and very fair relar at tionship. I don’t want to point a finge be t migh him or the media or whoever cesunne of kind e trying to cause som sary tension.”

The new rankings look a lot healthier Rafael for Murray now. He is close behind . spot 4 No Nadal in the world He could be Djokovic’s biggest chalchamlenger this year, which is why the be as to hard pion explained that it is . were close as they once “We are rivals and of course you can’t chat really sit down and have dinners and touse beca s, about some intimate thing t cour the on be to g morrow you’re goin at So hies. trop est bigg the for fighting intithis point of our careers maybe that ible.” mate relationship is not poss

Sports Management in September 2013 to form his own company, prompting a protracted dispute which forced McIlroy to take time away from the golf course to prepare for the case.

MOTORSPORT

Troubled Formula One Team Marussia could yet start the new season after administrators said discussions were under way to secure its financial future.

“Since the appointment of administrators negotiations have taken place with a number of parties to try and secure a

X7

Australia’s second World Cup pool match against Bangladesh on February 21 to prove his fitness or be replaced.

Australian media have reported Clarke’s prolonged rehabilitation has caused a rift with teammates and speculation he may lose the captaincy to Steve Smith.

Clarke

BOXING Fury’s camp confident of KLITSCHKO’s fight T D

yson Fury’s co-promoter Mick Hennessy expects the Manchester heavyweight to fight Wladimir Klitschko this year. espite American Shannon Briggs telling ESPN that he will face world No.1 Klitschko in September after the Ukrainian’s next fight on April 25, Hennessy is confident Fury remains front of the queue.

WBA-IBF-WBO world heavyweight champion Klitschko, 38, defends his belts against American Bryant Jennings in New York on April 25 and Hennessy says - providing he wins - Klitschko will then start talks about fighting Fury next.

Fury, 26, is mandatory challenger for Klitsch-

ko’s WBO belt and also has an interim fight against Germany-based Chrstian Hammer at the O2 Arena on February 28.

Hennessy believes there is even a chance of Klitschko - a world champion for nine years - fighting in the UK for the second time in his professional career following a win over Monte Barrett on the undercard of Lennox Lewis-Frans Botha in 2000.

“I believe the fight against Wladimir will happen this year,” Hennessy said. “Tyson wants it in a big way and Wladimir’s team like the idea of the fight because it’s the biggest one out there for them.

“It will happen where ever it commercially makes sense and that could mean over here.

Team Klitschko are open to coming to the UK if the economics are right.

“Promoter, Frank Warren touched on it recently when he said it had been talked about Wladimir fighting Tyson over here on April 25 when they were having problems with making the fight with Bryant Jennings. I would like to think it could happen in the summer.

“Tyson is in the WBO mandatory position for Wladimir, so after Klitschko’s next fight we will be doing some serious negotiations, otherwise it will end up going to purse bids.”

Thursday, February 5, 2015

X8

EXTRATIME

EXTRATIME FERGIE IS IRREPLACEABLE, SAYS MENDES J

orge Mendes believes Manchester United can never properly replace Alex Ferguson despite their recent signs of improvement under manager Louis van Gaal.

Ferguson retired from football in May 2013, with Scottish compatriot David Moyes coming in as his successor.

Moyes - now at Real Sociedad was sacked in April last year towards

the end of a season that saw United miss out on European qualification as they finished a disappointing seventh in the Premier League.

Former Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Ajax and Netherlands boss Van Gaal has enjoyed better fortune in his maiden season at Old Trafford, with United sitting third in the Premier League and progressing to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

However, agent Mendes - who represents United duo of Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria, as well as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa - insists they would be doing much better with Ferguson still at the helm.

“It’s completely impossible to find someone like Sir Alex Ferguson because he’s a god, he’s a genius and to find a genius is very difficult,” Mendes stressed.

van eyes FA Cup glory Gaal Ferguson

M

anchester United will go all finishing been more clinical.

Van Gaal felt his side could have out to win the FA Cup this d of the League Two side with dispose Gaal van season as Louis comfort, but was pleased to greater win to chance” “best declares it is the ition that he has a trophy after they beat Cambridge progress in a compet the second half for to given top priority United on Tuesday. .

After a goalless draw last month, the of the season “We have done what we had to,” he Premier League side made no mistake d. “Every club in the FA Cup enthuse in their fourth-round replay as goals win, we also. to wants and from Juan Mata, Marcos Rojo to beat Preston and that have “We with meeting a James Wilson booked they won away against easy, be not will Preston North End. d United, so it Manchester United controlled a cup fighter like Sheffiel in Preston win to us for proceedings at Old Trafford and could will be difficult have won by a greater margin had their North End.

Van Gaal

to stay at

J

Red

d e t i n U

orge Mendes anticipates Spain goalkeeper David de Gea will remain at Manchester United despite speculation of interest from UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid.

De Gea has been in sparkling form for Louis van Gaal’s side this season, keeping eight clean sheets in all competitions.

With a year remaining on his contract, De Gea’s performances have led to talk of a big-money return to the Spanish capital.

However, the former Atletico Madrid man’s representative is confident De Gea

will reaffirm his commitment to United.

“De Gea has one year left on his contract and I think that he will stay in Manchester,” Mendes affirmed.

“The player will decide, but he’s happy there, at the moment.”

But Mendes is unsure of the United future of another of his clients, striker Radamel Falcao.

Falcao has made just nine Premier League starts since joining on loan from Monaco, although Mendes expects the Colombian to sign with a top European club if he does not make his switch to Old Trafford permanent.

“For the club, the fans and the coach and my staff, we want to win a title this year. The biggest chance is the FA Cup, but we still have to win four games to do that.”

Cambridge boss Richard Money left Manchester in positive mood after his side produced two encouraging performances, albeit while lacking the decisive touch to pull off a remarkable upset.

Things could have been much different had Tom Elliott’s effort for Cambridge not struck the post in the opening minute, but Money was nevertheless proud with the effort from his side.

KELLET: M

De Gea De Gea

Red Devils

Devils’

new

anchester United caused plenty of head scratching when they bolstered their defence on transfer deadline day with a left wing-back signing of Andy Kellett who has spent the majority of this season playing in the fourth tier of English football on loan at Plymouth.

But perhaps the Red Devils scouts saw Kellett’s wondergoal against Northampton Town in December, when he darted through half a dozen players before dinking the ball into the bottom corner!

The goal is reminiscent of the kind of efforts scored by Old Trafford legend Ryan Giggs and United boss Louis van Gaal will be hoping the 21-year-old can harness some of that attacking magic should he get a first-team chance for United.

‘Giggs’ Kellet