Leadership news

27.11.14

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

No. 2,300

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Chibok Diary

THURSDAY

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227

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Chadian Embassy Reschedules > Page 2 BBOG Group's Visit

Jonathan Promoting Corruption –Obasanjo 5

Presidency keeps mum

Primary school pupils boarding a free government school bus in Maiduguri, Borno State, yesterday.

PHOTO BY nan

Drama As IGP Refuses To Recognise Tambuwal As Speaker

By Adesuwa Tsan, Edegbe Odemwingie, Bode Gbadebo and Jonathan Nda-Isaiah,

Abuja

The inspector-general of police (IGP), Suleiman Abba has

insisted that Aminu Tambuwal is no longer the Speaker of the

House of Representatives.

This follows Tambuwal’s

Adamawa PDP Crisis: ‘Madaki Will Mar Party’s Chances’ > Page 53

FG vs LEADERSHIP: Court Rejects Documents From Chief Of Staff To President > Page 8

defection from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 5

Bonga Oil Spill: Reps Directs Shell To Pay N604bn Damages > Page 15

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chibok diary 227

Thursday, November 27, 2014

DAY

Chibok TweeTs

rescueourgirls 226 DAYS since Rejoice Sanki from #Chibok.

Will she ever come home? Never forget. #BringBackOurGirls #NOWANDALIVE @Iwin3 I wonder how the Governor of Borno state, Shettima sleeps at night knowing fully well he lured the #Chibok girls into boko haram trap @Abu_Aaid Let's not forget #OurGirls abducted 226 days ago at their school in #Chibok, Nigeria. #BringBackOurGirls #StopBokoHaram @YNaija I get the best result when I am sad – Asa opens up on her music, childhood and #Chibok girls. @mushefiu For 219 days now 227 girls stil missin from their families, held by boko haram in NE #Nigeria and government has politicized the event #BBOG #Chibok @GaryWmMyers Nigeria Journalist Puts Faces to Girls Kidnapped by Boko Haram #BringBackOurGirls #StopBokoHaram @chikaoduah #BringBackOurGirls #Chibok #Nigeria #women @daintyangell Why can't Nigerian military pull their efforts to at least #rescue our missing #Chibok school girls?

Haven't we cried enough?

Compiled by Tunde Oguntola

Members of #BringBackOurGirls group during a protest to demand the rescue of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls in Abuja. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

Chadian Embassy Reschedules BBOG Group's Visit

BY EjikE EjikE, Abuja

The planned protest of the #BringBackOurGirls group to the Chadian Embassy yesterday was scuttled by the officials of the embassy who said they had security meeting to attend to and, hence, could not find time to meet with the group.

Part of the communique sent to the BBOG by the embassy also requested that the group send a five-man delegation to the embassy for discussion as all the members of the group would not be accommodated in the embassy.

The embassy also requested a later date, preferably on December 3, 2014, for the meeting.

While clarifying the situa-

tion of the new planned date for the meeting with the Chadian officials, the BBOG noted that the planned protest would still hold on Wednesday, December 3, but just as the embassy requested, five of their members would be sent to discuss with the officials of the embassy.

It would be noted that the BBOG had expressed concern with the allegation of involvement of the Chadian president in the Boko Haram insurgency.

While making the case against the Chadian government, the BBOG had listed the botched ceasefire deal, which was celebrated across the country and handled by the Chadian President, Idriss Déby and now the report of of

missiles purchase by Mr Mahamat Bichara Gnoti, a close associate of the Chadian President, as very implicating of the Chadian government.

The group noted that with the ceasefire deal, the Nigeria government and the Nigeria people relaxed and put their trust on the Chadian president, only for the Boko Haram insurgents to capitalise on the lull to launch deadly attacks, capture more towns and fail to release the Chibok girls.

Mr Gnoti was reported to have been apprehended on the Chadian-Sudan border with 19 SAM2 missiles, which he allegedly purchased from the Sudanese army for Boko Haram terrorists, with an online medium, Saharareporters, quoting a Cameroonian inves-

tigative journalist, Bisong Etahoben, via his Twitter, as saying that Mr Gnoti claimed that President Idriss Déby gave him the funds to purchase the weapons, and that he waved a presidential pass issued to him by Mr Deby’s office in order to get past border guards, but was stopped and searched by the guards who found the deadly weapons on him.

A total of 219 out of the 276 school girls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok seven months ago are still missing, and the insurgency seems to be going on unabated.

While the BBOG and the media seem to be advocating their rescue, the government of Nigeria seems to be forgetting about the girls.

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our stand Thursday, November 27, 2014

States’ Assemblies Loyalty War

R

ecent events at some states’ Houses of Assembly are threatening the existence of the legislature as an arm of government in our democratic system. Just last week, the Ekiti State House of Assembly defied the dogmatic mathematical laws of greater than and less than, when seven of its twenty-six members loyal to the state governor, Ayodele Fayose, impeached the speaker of the House, Adewale Omirin. It was the culmination of an agonising political pounding suffered by Speaker Omirin since Governor Fayose was sworn in.

The Ekiti legislators, in abusing their constitutional responsibilities in the removal of their speaker, as provided for by Section 92 (2) (c) of the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, should note that they inadvertently voted to condone future excesses of the executive. Constitutionally, Houses of Assembly are to serve as checks on the executive arm of government; therefore, the independence of the legislature is sacrosanct.

We are worried that the independence of the legislature is gradually being eroded in ways

as strange to democratic tenets as they are embarrassing. This new fad in our polity, where crucial legislative resolutions and actions are not decided by numbers but by executive influence, is eroding the powers of the legislature and making dictators of state governors.

In some states, parallel legislative businesses are being overseen by two factions of the House, while in others the legislature could have as well contracted its responsibilities out to the executive.

It is curious that the operators of the executive arm of government at the state level now willfully manipulate the various state Houses of Assembly for selfish interests. Why, for instance,

Editor Sadiq Abdullateef Deputy Editor Kazeem Akintunde Editorial Board Safiya M. Adamu, Chairman Christian Ochiama, Deputy Chairman Standards ’Lara Olugbemi, Assistant Director

should a state governor lobby the legislators to impeach a speaker simply because the governor feels uncomfortable with that person? Can we talk of genuine democracy when the three arms of government at all levels cannot exercise their independence as enshrined in the constitution?

Perhaps we should remind both the executives and the legislature that the Houses of Assembly are not appendages of the executive arm. The legislature must be cured of that pervasive mentality that makes it view itself as subordinate to the executive.

During the last constitutional amendment, the legislators had the opportunity to insist on financial independence, but they unanimously voted against it and in essence, against legislative independence. This, in our view, was a conscious effort to be perpetually open to executive manipulation.

With a feeble judiciary and a weakened legislature, we are ushering in an era of brazen tyranny and impunity. It is either our politicians don’t appreciate the tenets of democracy or they are simply bent on bastardising the system. Whatever the case, we must rescue our country from heading into the abyss.

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah

Group Managing Director Azubuike Ishiekwene Group Executive Directors Michael Okpere Dr Kazeem Durodoye Divisional Directors Iyobosa Uwugiaren Salisu Alhassan Bichi General Managers Aminu Abubakar Sule Abdulmumin Balogun Zipporah D. Tanko

Leadership Holdings

Managing Director Abraham Nda-Isaiah Executive Director Nnamdi Samuel New York Office Mohammed Bello Shehu London Office Dr Bello Salihu Johannesburg Office Abiodun Oguntuase

VIGILANTE

LEADERSHIP is a national paper symbolically embedded in the nation’s capital.

We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interest of Nigerian people even against their rulers, and we shall raise our pen at all times in defence of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed.

We shall never, ever for any reason forget the noble reason of our coming into being: For God and country!

4 news extra

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo We Have Never Insulted JonathanAPC The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday denied insulting President Goodluck Jonathan but faults his economic policies.

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been consistently accusing the opposition party of insulting the president.

But speaking with journalists at the party national secretariat in Abuja, it’s spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said his party is only out to do its work as opposition party.

“Now has anybody ever insulted Mr. President except talked about his policies. If l say that this government is clueless l am not talking personal. I am only saying that the government has no clear policy of the economy. I am saying that this government cannot tackle insurgency. l am saying that this government has been unable to provide employment . I am stating the facts.

Mohammed recalled how the warnings of the opposition to the government over its economic policies fell into a deaf ear.

“You know, we have always warned about the calamitous economic policies of this government. I don’t know if you remember about two years ago we issued a statement saying that with the introduction of the franking technology that Sheaf oil and gas discovery which have remained largely untapped in the US that it was going threaten our oil and gas market.

“We went further to warn government that cost of production of oil in Nigeria was the highest. We raised alarm also at the organized theft of crude oil,” he added.

By Bayo Oladeji, Abuja

My Presidential Campaign Gaining Grounds Across Nigeria – Kwankwaso Kano State governor and presidential aspirant under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has said that his presidential campaign is making good impact across the country as more people are embracing and supporting him. “ I am comfortable and happy with the aspiration though its my first time to contest for the biggest political office in the country”, Kwankwaso said.

In an interview with selected newsmen in his office, Governor Kwankwaso said that he came out at the right time when Nigerians needed somebody like him who can get them out of the mess the ruling party put them into.

“I have gone round almost all the states in the country and consulted with friends while others have come to my state to assess my projects”, he said.

By Abubakar Salihi, Kano

President Goodluck Jonathan displaying his provisional clearance certificate issued to him by the PDP presidential screenig committee in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY REMI AKUNLEYAN

2015: PDP Screens Jonathan For 1 Hour

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan was yesterday grilled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Screening Committee for one hour.

The committee also screened the son of the former prime minister, Dr. Abduljhail Tafawa Balewa, who arrived the premises at about 4:20pm after the president had left.

The screening is a prerequisite for qualification to aspire for the office of the president on the platform of the the Peoples Democratic Party.

The screening is preparatory to the party’s national convention

scheduled for December 10.

Jonathan arrived the Wadata House and national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party at about 3:15 in company of Vice President Namadi Sambo.

The president who was taken into the National Working Committee hall for the screening was cheered by supporters outside the party secretariat.

Party stalwarts and government functionaries including Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha, Sen Ita Giwa, political adviser to the president Prof. Ahmed Rufai Alkali, were at the premises to wel-

come the president. Also present was the chairman of PDP Governors Forum and Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio.

Speaking to journalists after the screening of Jonathan, national publicity secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh said the president has complied with the processes leading to the primaries and ratification.

PDP NWC Nullifies Disqualification Of Aspirants The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that all aspirants who have been disqualified by different Screening Appeal Panels for the purpose of the primary elections should disregard such purported disqualification

by Screening Appeal Panels.

A statement by the spokesman of the party Olisa Metuh reads “For the avoidance of doubt, the Screening Appeal Panels are neither authorised by our electoral guidelines nor by the constitution of the PDP to disqualify aspirants already cleared by the Screening Committees.

Tafawa Balewa’s Son Withdraws From Presidential Race Son of former prime minister, Dr. Abduljhail Tafawa Balewa, yesterday withdrew his presidential aspiration on the platform of the PDP. He made this known shortly after he met with the Screening Committee of the PDP at the party secretariat.

Buhari Denied Landing Permit At Makurdi Airport

BY SOLOMON AYADO, Makurdi Osa Okhomina,Yenagoa

Aformer head of State and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Gen Muhammadu Buhari was yesterday refused landing permit at the Makurdi Airport and his planned visit to Benue State cancelled.

Buhari, a former head of state was to visit the agrarian state to engage opposition stakeholders, delegates and party supporters ahead of the party’s primaries.

Yesterday, the Makurdi Airport situated in the NAF Base, located along Makurdi-Gboko expressway was crowded by ardent APC supporters who converged at the place to welcome the presidential aspirant.

They had arrived the airport as early as 8.am.

Strangely, after waiting at the airport for several hours, some of the APC officials suddenly informed

the supporters that Buhari will no longer visit the state. They claimed that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had ordered that the flight conveying the opposition leader should not be granted landing permit.

The opposition chieftains and supporters who thronged the airport in their hundreds were disappointed. They angrily dispersed from the place as soon as they heard the news, wearing long faces.

It was alleged that the denial of the landing right as directed by FAAN officials was induced by the ruling PDP and that the action was carried out to prevent him (Buhari) from discussing with Chief Samuel Ortom, who is preparing to dump the PDP. Effort to contact FAAN and PDP officials proved abortive at the time of filing this report.

However, the state chairman of APC, Comrade Abba Yaro who spoke to newsmen yesterday confirmed the

situation. He said “Our presidential aspirant, Buhari was to visit the state to discuss with delegates and party supporters ahead of the primaries.

He actually left Bayelsa for Benue and don’t forget, he was initially granted landing by the airport authorities in the morning, just for them to suddenly deny his flight to land when the supporters were already waiting to receive him.” ...Says PDP Killing Nigeria With Corruption, Insecurity The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari yesterday accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of gradual destruction of the nation with corruption and impunity.

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari,who was speaking yesterday in Yenagoa, during a visit to the Bayelsa State Secretariat of the APC, called on Nigerians to vote out the ruling Peoples Demo-

cratic Party (PDP) and end the era of corruption that has threatened to destroy the nation.

Buhari,who arrived the APC secretariat and was welcomed by a mammoth crowd of supporters and party faithfuls,said the problem with the nation’s democracy is the presence of massive corruption perpetuated by the ruling PDP,”What is wrong with Nigeria?What is wrong is massive corruption!aAnd the commentators have said it and wrote about it,and I believe them,if we don’t kill corruption in Nigeria,corruption will kill us.”

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari,who announced that his visit to Bayelsa State was to interact with the State Delegate of the Party ahead of the December 10 Presidential Primaries of the APC,noted that though the people of Nigeria had made the mistake of voting into power the ruling PDP in the 1999 and are paying dearly for it,such mistakes can be corrected by voting out the PDP in 2015.

NEWS 5

Thursday, November 27, 2014

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Jonathan

Jonathan Promoting Corruption – Obasanjo

By Bode gbadebo, Abuja

Once again, former president Olusegun Obasanjo has accused President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration of promoting corruption and incompetence in the country.

Obasanjo said the government’s open display of corruption constitutes a threat to the economy.

Obasanjo spoke yesterday at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja during the public presentation of two books: “The Story of my two Worlds: Challenges, Experiences” (an autobiography of a former President of the Court of Appeal and pioneer chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Justice Mustapha Akanbi) and “A Life of Service and Grace: Shared Perspectives” (a collection of essays by scholars).

The former president also accused the Jonathan administration and members of the seventh National Assembly of promoting corruption and poor governance in the country. He specifically accused the lawmakers of siphoning public funds through what they call ‘constituency projects’.

“Nigeria cannot continue to indulge in disdain of truth, elevation of corruption and incompetence, reinforcement of failure, condoning of heinous crimes and celebration of mediocrity, tribal bigotry, fomenting violence and anti-democratic practices in the states and National Assembly.

“Like prostitution, corruption is almost as old as man on the surface of the earth.

It is needless to say that, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the combined and complementary efforts of ICPC and EFCC made Nigerians and non-Nigerians know that corruption can be put on check and put to flight. When I came out of prison and I was persuaded to run as president, corruption was one of the priority items I chose to confront.

“Corruption in the National Assembly also includes what they call constituency projects which they give to their agents to execute, but invariably, full payment is made with little, or no job done. In all these, if the Executive is absolutely above board,

the offending members of the National Assembly resort to subtle or open threat, intimidation and blackmail of the executive.

“For quite some time, the covered and hushed up corruption has had its toll on the economy. The non-investment in the oil and gas sector by major international oil companies has added its own deleterious impact. Our continued heavy dependence on one commodity had not adequately prepared us against any shock in that one commodity in the international plane,” he added.

Speaking on the raging insurgency in the North-East, Obasanjo said: “Boko Haram is not simply a menace based on religion or one directed to frustrate anybody’s political ambition; it is essentially a socio-economic problem that is tainted with religion.

It is a gargantuan danger to the nation and to all Nigerians. Initially, President Jonathan’s understanding of Boko Haram phenomenon suffered from wrong reading and wrong imputation. That is what led us to where we are today.”

There was however a mild drama when the Oba of Lagos and chief launcher at the occasion, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, accused Obasanjo of having failed to do what he is now preaching to others.

According to Akiolu, before Obasanjo’s inauguration as president in 1999, he had promised to ensure transparency in the Nigerian oil sector but later reneged on his promise as the oil sector was besieged by “quantum corruption.”

“Obasanjo failed to address the problems with the number of crude oil per barrel produced daily, how many barrels are exported for sale as well as the use of the proceeds,” Akiolu said.

LEADERSHIP recalls that for most of Obasanjo’s eight-year tenure, his office superintended over the petroleum ministry.

But Obasanjo later fired back at the Lagos monarch, saying it was during his tenure that allocations to states became transparent with the publication of monthly revenues to the three tiers of government.

For his part, Justice Akanbi recalled that although there were allegations of witchhunting against the ICPC when he was at the helm of affairs, there was never a time Obasanjo interfered with his job.

Pesticides have been implicated in many illnesses, including infertility, cancer, birth defects, skin irritations and impotence.

Organically reared stock fed on grass (what they’re meant to eat), not grains, and organic produce not only contains substantially more of

the basic nutrients than intensively farmed varieties, but also up to 10,000 secondary nutrients essential for human health. As organic bacon and sausages may still include nitrates (carcinogens), purchase them from sources that guarantee nitrate- free products.

Drama As IGP Refuses To Recognise Tambuwal As Speaker FROM FRONT PAGE

Congress (APC).

Abba, at an investigative hearing convened by the Hon. Usman Kumoled House Committee on Police Affairs over the November 20 police attack on the National Assembly, repeatedly referred to the Speaker as “Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal”, a development that infuriated the lawmakers.

A member of the House Committee, Hon. Muniru Hakeem Abiodun (Lagos/APC), threatened to walk out on the meeting if the IGP insisted on addressing Tambuwal as ‘Alhaji’ instead of his official title. Other members made similar threats.

The investigative hearing was, however, abruptly adjourned indefinitely after the IGP stood his ground. Abba said since the matter of defection was before a law court, it would be subjudice to make further statements.

LEADERSHIP recalls that police press statements released in the aftermath of that attack have repeatedly referred to Tambuwal as ‘Alhaji’ instead of his official title of Speaker.

Meanwhile, Abba in his earlier account before the adjournment suggested that the tear gas canisters shot at Tambuwal and other lawmakers as they made their way into the chambers were accidental explosions and that the incident was being investigated.

The IGP said he was ‘traumatised’ by the violent incidents of February 20 and expressed ‘deep sympathy’ to staff and visitors to the National Assembly that day.

Abba accused Tambuwal of storming the National Assembly with ‘suspected political thugs’ and attacking police officers in their legitimate duty posts.

Abba said trouble started when Tambuwal and his supporters refused to identify themselves to police officers on duty.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the Speaker

was accompanied only by fellow legislators and his aides.‎ Tambuwal went ahead to identify himself as Speaker to the police officers at the locked gates but he was still snubbed.

Curiously, all other National Assembly principal officers, including the deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, were allowed into the chamber unhindered‎.

“Police officers were physically beaten, disobeyed and many other things,” Abba told startled members of the House Committee.

He said the action of the police was in “support of the development of democracy” in the country and to ensure a peaceful political climate in the lead-up to the 2015 elections.

Abba said: “From the day I was appointed acting Inspector General of Police, in my maiden speech, I made a pledge that policing all over the world has gone beyond the issue of arresting suspected criminals, investigating and prosecuting offenders. Policing worldwide and Nigeria inclusive, which I pledge to be part of, now include the support of the development of democracy. I want to state that that pledge was not just for the words, I meant it. Since then all my efforts have been in that direction in addition to other responsibility on my shoulder.

“2015 elections are around the corner and political activities and politicking have heightened. As a result of that, I discussed with my colleagues and told them that we should make all efforts to make our election credible and peaceful.

In the last meeting we had two weeks ago, I told them to be focused on efforts that will enable the police control the activities of political thugs and to mop up arms.

“I told them to do everything within the limit of the provision of the law to ensure that people do not take laws into their hands, so that we can have credible and safe conduct of the 2015 elections.” ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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Thursday, November 27, 2014

Thursday, November 27, 2014

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8 NEWS

Thursday, November 27, 2014

FG vs LEADERSHIP: Court Rejects Documents From Chief Of Staff To President

By Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja

Justice Usman Musale of an Abuja High Court in Kubwa has rejected a document from the office of the Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan.

The federal government had filed an alleged forgery suit against two LEADERSHIP journalists, the Group News Editor of the newspaper Mr. Tony Amokeodo and a senior correspondent with the newspaper, Chibuzor Ukaibe and the newspaper.

In April 2013, the federal government filed an alleged forgery case against them and they

pleaded not guilty to the charges.

When the case came up yesterday, lawyer to the federal government, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), sought to tender a blank letter-head paper from the office of the President through a witness in the case, Mr. Ibrahim Bako, a police officer, to prove that the Bromide published by the newspaper was forged and the not emanate from the President.

In the course of his evidence, Bako had claimed that there was a complaint and that in the course investigation, he went to the presidency and met an assis-

tant director, Abiye White, who gave him a blank letter-head paper from the office of the president.

He further said that their investigation revealed that the bromide and the Coat of Arms did not tally with the document he obtained from the presidency.

At that point Awomolo sought to tender a Certified True Copy of the letter- head paper which the witness said was obtained from the office of the president.

But lawyer to LEADERSHIP journalists, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), objected to the admissibility of the document, say-

ing that what Awomolo sought to tender was a just a blank letter-head paper from the office of the Chief of Staff to the President and not from the office of the president.

Falana said, “What they sought to tender is a blank sheet of paper from the office of the Chief of Staff to the President.

Since the witness has said that he got a CTC from the office of the Chief of Staff, he cannot tender it.

“He cannot seek to tender a letter-headed paper from the office of the Chief of Staff because there is dichotomy between the president and the Chief of Staff.

The document in dispute is from the office of the President and not from the office of the Chief of Staff. I urge the court to reject it in the interest of justice.”

Awomolo, however, disagreed with Falana’s stance, saying it was a misunderstanding of the law.

“It is wrong to expect that the president will certify documents by himself,” Awomolo said.

Justice Musale in his ruling rejected the document, saying it could not be admitted as exhibit against the accused persons.

The case was adjourned till January 21, 2014.

Drama As IGP Refuses To Recognise Tambuwal As Speaker FROM PAGE 5

On the heavy deployment of the police on November 20, Abba said the police received ‘credible information’ of plans to cause ‘mayhem’ and disrupt activities in the National Assembly, INEC and the police headquarters.

The IGP cited similar incidents in Burkina Faso.

“There is the need to understand why the additional deployment was made that day. On the 19th of November, members of a political party, including their leaders and a serving governor conducted a rally at the Eagle Square. They proceeded in a procession to the headquarters of the Nigeria Police and made uncomplimentary statements among which was the fact that what they were doing that afternoon was just a tip of the iceberg of what they will be doing in subsequent days.

“They promised to come back on the 20th to continue the procession with the blockage of the police headquarters, and even promising to extend to other areas including the National Assembly and the headquarters of INEC. “Bearing in mind what happened in the parliament in Burkina Faso on October 30, 2014, security was strengthened and it included that the operational procedures of the security of the National Assembly must be complied with. That is why the arrangement for self-identification were made for members to identify themselves, and that went around and some of the principal officers of the National Assembly complied and that went on until when that was

disrupted on the arrival of Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal who was accompanied by quite a number of suspected thugs, who crossed the fence.”

NASS Police Invasion: IGP under fire as Senate sets up 7-man probe committee ..Say excess of police will lead to death of democracy ..Reps meeting with Abba Suleiman deadlocked In a bid to ensure that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, and other actors in the event that led to last Thursday’s fracas at the National Assembly are given fair hearing, the Senate yesterday constituted a sevenman panel to investigate the siege of the National Assembly by men of the police force on Thursday last week and report back within seven days.

The Senate had, in the wake of the incident, summoned the IGP for a briefing but later changed strategy and set up an ad-hoc committee to probe the incident.

The senators were in agreement that, if not nipped in the bud, the excesses of the police will lead to the death of democracy as impunity by law enforcement officers have started taking a dangerous dimension.

This was sequel to an extensive debate on the incident by the lawmakers who were mostly of the view that the police went beyond its limits to prevent lawmakers from both chambers from entering the premises, as well as using tear gas within the premises of the National Assembly.

The adhoc committee is chaired by Senator Ahmed Makarfi (PDP, Kaduna), with senators Atiku Bagudu (PDP, Kebbi), Victor Lar (PDP

Plateau), Adegbenga Sefiu Kaka (SDP, Ogun), Paulinus Igwe (PDP, Ebonyi), Jibrilla Bindo (APC, Adamawa) and Ehigie Uzamere (PDP, Edo) as members.

The resolution was sequel to a motion sponsored by Senate leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, entitled “Breach of Security at the National Assembly”.

Leading the debate, he recalled that the premises and precinct of the National Assembly was last Thursday barricaded by the police, leading to the prevention of principal members of the National Assembly from gaining entrance.

Recalling that Speaker Tambuwal, Senate president David Mark and other lawmakers were teargased and harassed by the police on that day, Ndoma-Egba called on the Senate to condemn the act in its entirety and set up an adhoc committee to investigate the incident.

In his contribution, the chairman, House Committee on Business and Rules, Sen Ita Enang called for the sergeantat-arms to be allowed to bear arms so that they can protect the National Assembly from attack, especially in the face of insurgency and other terrorist attacks, as is the practice in civilised climes.

Similarly, the deputy leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, while contributing to the debate, likened the invasion of the National Assembly to a coup attempt.

“The Senate president is not a hooligan, neither is the speaker.

This is a clear coup attempt and therefore what the police did is condemnable and the Senate must bring the perpetrators to justice. Anything short of investigating this matter will

Mark

bring down this government in no time”, he warned.

On his part, Senator Kabiru Gaya pointed out that the Legislative Houses Powers and Privileges Act states that before any security agent comes in to arrest lawmaker within the National Assembly, the approval of the Senate president as the chairman of the National Assembly must be obtained, a rule the police breached, Deputy Senate president, Ike Ekwerenmadu, in his contribution, said that the National Assembly, which is the temple of democracy, has been breached.

He insisted that the Senate get to the root of the matter.

“Thursday the 20th of November remains a black day in the history of our nation,” a visibly angry Ekwerenmadu said, adding that drastic measures must be taken.

He lambasted the spokesman

of the president, Doyin Okupe for saying that the police were enforcing a court judgment, dismissing claims that the police acted based on intelligence.

On his part, minority leader, Senator George Akume, described the action as criminal and illegal and insisted on punishing the offenders.

“This is impunity because the speaker was at the gate and even introduced himself to the police.

Even if it is the inspector general or the president, this issue violates the constitution and the consequences is very serious.

This assault is a collective assault on all of us; we must restore the dignity and sanctity of the National Assembly!”

Closing the debate, Mark said he had been communicating with the Speaker since the incident occurred, and that they had decided to put the events of Thursday in the past as part of their sacrifice for democracy.

news extra 9

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Borno: Gov Shettima Launches Free Feeding, Uniforms Scheme For Public Schools Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima had said that giving free food and uniforms for students of public schools in the state will not only promote scholarship but also curtail the menace of of youth involvement in the Boko Haram activities.

Shettima, who said this at the launch of free feeding and uniform scheme in Maiduguri yesterday, also optimised that the educational handouts would go a long way to cushion the hardship of parents and guardians whose wards are currently in public school in the state.

Borno state government had introduced the free feeding and uniforms scheme as a pilot programme in four local governments areas, comprising Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), Jere, Biu and Monguno local governments.

“We are introducing this scheme in an effort to, not only cushion the deep-rooted hardship being faced by parents in the state, but also in our determination to reposition the education sector to what it was in the ‘70s despite the increasing insurgency in the area”, the governor said.

By Kareem Haruna, Maiduguri

Tambuwal, Oyegun In Closed-door Meeting Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal yesterday in Abuja had a closed door meeting with the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Chief John Oyegun at the party’s national secretariat over the crises in the House.

Tambuwal, who arrived the secretariat at about 12noon was received at the office of the Deputy National Chairman, North of APC, Senator Shuibu Lawal in the absence of the national chairman, Mr. John Oyegun for about 2 hours.

Sources close to the deputy chairman however disclosed that the meeting was not unconnected to the crisis recently witness at the National Assembly and to foil any attempt against Mr. Tambuwal.

Though no official reasons were given for the visit, sources at the secretariat said presence at the national office was not unconnected with the crisis at the National Assembly which has assumed a disturbing dimension with the lawmakers in the House raising 50 impeachable offenses against President Goodluck Jonathan.

Another reason, another source said it might has do with the Tambuwal’s governorship ambition in Sokoto State.

By Bayo Oladeji, Abuja

A contingent from Kaduna State during the Abuja Carnival, yesterday.

Court Orders DSS To Unseal APC Data Centre

By Olugbenga Soyele, Lagos

Justice Mohammed Yenusa of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday restrained the Department of State Services (DSS ) from further sealing off the data office of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or taking further steps in connection with the property.

Justice Yunusa also order the DSS to produce the five employees of the party, who were arrested by the security agency

during the raid on the premises in court on friday to explain to the court why they are still being held in custody.

The judge made the interim orders while ruling on a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by the APC through it counsel, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday.

It will be recalled that a combined team of the State Security Service operatives and naval police officers raided the data centre of the All APC in Ikeja,

Lagos, in the early hours of Saturday.

The operatives ransacked the centre and carted away the servers, routers, hard drives from personal computers and the work stations.

The 24 staff on the night shift and another one from her residence were arrested.

But the Department of State Security (DSS) denied the allegation, stating instead that it raided the premises following a petition it received about some

activities of the company.

A text message by the spokesperson of the DSS, Ms. Marilyn Ogar on Sunday, said the petition alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission’s permanent voter’s cards were being cloned at the outfit.

According to Ogar, the petition alleged that the “cloning” of the cards was with the intention of hacking into INEC’s data base, corrupting it and replacing them with the “cloned” data.

2015: Elections Must Hold In Borno, Yobe, Adamawa – PDP

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

The national leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday declared that contrary to speculation, elections must hold in the crisis ridden North-East States of Adamawa, Yobe and Adamawa.

The ruling party noted that there was no reason why elections would not be held in such areas as being agitated in some quarters, stressing that local elections have successfully held in some of those states.

The North East States of Adamawa,Borno and Yobe have been under emergency rule since last year, following increasing attacks by the Boko Haram Sect in the region.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP,Chief Olisa Metuh who spoke during live Radio programme monitored in Abuja said “after all these states which are being controlled by the opposition had successfully conducted Council elections

at the peak of insurgents while bye-elections to the state and National Assemblies were held during the period,so,what are they saying?”.

“If the State Governors in the affected states have been alive to their responsibilities as being done by the PDP controlled Federal Government, the situation would have been brought under control, rather they are busy attacking the President and our Party as responsible for the insecurity and that elections will not hold in the affected states,elections must hold and PDP will spring surprises “,he declared.

“That is a shallow and callous thinking from the opposition,how can the President be sponsoring crisis in a country he is presiding,even the President made it cleared on several occasions that his presidency does not deserve the blood of any Nigeria,President Goodluck Jonathan is a refined gentle man who will never have such a sin-

ister motive against anybody or his father land”.

According to him,”what is regrettable is that those leading members of the main opposition,the All Progressives Congress,APC,that are making unguarded utterances against the President and the PDP were former members of our party who got to where they are today on our platform before they defected,one of then even said that if APC did not win the 2015 Presidential election,they will not go to court but will go and form a parallel government”.

“We have made our position known in our Press statement of yesterday that enough is enough, PDP will no longer tolerate such barbaric attacks again,if any one of them tries again,we will go out in full swing and expose such a character”,Metuh threatened.

The Party also challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to a public debate over the achievements of the PDP led Federal Government since 1999

till date.

Metuh noted that the main opposition has no meaningful programme for Nigeria.

Reacting to APC’s allegation that the police personnel aided thugs to invade the National Assembly last week to harass its law makers’ members, Metuh urged the public to wait for the outcome of the police investigation into the alleged invasion.

He said “What are they trying to say again? National Assembly members belong to different political parties and how can one identify their political parties,to the best of my knowledge they don’t wear uniforms and how did APC come to a conclusion that their members were the target?”

Metuh who urged Nigerians to disregard all the propaganda and blackmail of the APC, stressing that “APC is not a better opposition we need in the country,it is out to derail our growing democracy,we have said before and we are saying it again and we will continue to say it”.

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stories of the Thursday, November 27, 2014

...NEWS WITH A HUMAN FACE

ARRAIGNED: Woman, 77, Others In Court Over Alleged N65m Fraud

by OLUGBENGA SOYELE, Lagos

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned a 77 year-old businesswoman, Alhaja Mulikat Shonekan and two others before an Lagos High Court in Ikeja for allegedly defrauding a company, Kuta Stones Limited of N65 million.

The septgenerian was arraigned by the commission alongside Martins Ogiogwa and her company Mujekanm Petroleum Nig Coy Ltd on a five count charge of stealing and obtaining money by false pretence.

According to the EFCC the defendants on September 2008 fraudulently obtain the sum of N65million from Kuta Stones under the pretence of purchasing 90 acres of land located at Kemta Osun village in Odeda local government area of Abeokuta, Ogun State for the company.

The anti-graft agency also alleged that the defendant collected the money from one of the directors of Kuta Stones Ltd, Mr Danladi Verheijen for the purchase but failed to deliver the property to the company three years after.

Alhaja Shonekan was also alleged to have issued a dud GTBank cheque of N5million through her company as repayment for the alleged N65million she collected from the company.

The offences according to the EFCC are punishable under Sections 390 of the criminal code laws of Lagos State and sections 1(1) of the dishonoured cheque offences act, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, a development which made Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye to granted Alhaja Shonekan bail in the sum of N5million with two sureties in like sum.

According to the judge one of the sureties must be a blood relation resident in Lagos with a three years tax clearance.

A man with chickens in both hands, struggling to cross a high way brick tower at Kwali Area Council, Abuja yesterday. PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH.

DEATH: Gunmen Kill Policeman, Steal Rifle

by OSA Okhomina, Yenagoa

Authorities of the Bayelsa State Police Command have confirmed the killing of a Police Mobile Force corporal along the Akenpai 1 area of the state capital by unidentified gunmen and who also stole his service rifle.

The Acting Police Public Relations Officer

in the state, Mr. Lawrence Eboka, said the deceased was shot dead at about 7am on Monday while on his way to his duty post.

LEADERSHIP gathered from residents of the Akenpai Area that the deceased, who hails from the Ekeremor Local Government Area of the State, was shot dead at a close range.

According to the eyewitness simply iden-

tified as Preye, the unidentified gunmen ambushed the late mobile policeman and caught him off guard. ”He was shot from behind,” he said.

The acting PPRO confirmed the attack, ”Yes, it is true; he was shot dead and his rifle is missing. We are making all efforts to apprehend the killers and recover the stolen weapon.”

ABDUCTION: Ex SSG Son Regains Freedom

ABDUCTION: Kidnappers Demand N100m Ransom For Court Registrar’s Release

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcourt

The son of Chief Patrick Onyeobi, the former Head of Service and Secretary to the Government of the old Bendel State, Emeka, who was kidnapped last Saturday has regained his freedom.

He was released at about 8pm on Monday.

Emeka, 49, was kidnapped at about 5:30p.m at the weekend in a construction site on the Achalla Ibusa Road, Asaba, by a four-man gang suspected to be cattle herdsmen.

Though, Emeka, a father of five, could not be reached yesterday for comments, his father and the Iyase of Asaba, Chief Patrick Onyeobi, confirmed in a telephone interview by our correspondent that he had regained his freedom.

Kidnappers of the Chief Registrar of the Rivers State High Court, Mr. Leonard Adoki, have demanded for a N100 million as ransom before he could be released.

A source close to the Adoki family told LEADERSHIP that the kidnappers made the demand less than 48 hours after the incident when they called the family with the kidnapped Chief Registrar’s personal mobile phone.

Adoki was kidnapped last Sunday at his hometown, Omalem-Abua community in Abua/Odual local government area of Rivers State, where he had gone to attend a harvest thanksgiving service of a church in the community.

Sources in the community said the Chief Registrar, who is also the traditional ruler of the community, had used the opportunity of his visit to the community to inspect one of his ongoing projects when the kidnappers accosted him and took him to an unknown destination en route Ogonokom waterfront, also in Abua.

The sources stated that the criminals had sighted the chief registrar in the community and decided to contact their colleagues in Nembe, a community in Bayelsa State, who came and mounted a mini road block.

They further said as Adoki slowed down his car, the hoodlums forcefully entered his car and drove him alongside

his driver to Ogonokom waterfront but later dropped the driver.

The sources said, “He went to his village, Omalem to attend a harvest thanksgiving service. So in the process he decided to inspect one of his projects not knowing that these bad boys were monitoring him. When they confirmed that he was the one they contacted their colleagues at Nembe, who came and mounted what looked like a road block.

“As he was about to leave the community, on getting to the road block he stopped and so they forcefully entered his car and kidnapped him and his driver and drove to Ogonokom waterside where they took him away but they later dropped his driver.”

STORIES OF THE DAY 11

Thursday, November 27, 2014

day

Photo News

Fertilizer FRAUD: Bizman Gets 7-year Jail Term

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo,

Asaba

An Asaba-based businessman, Johnson Kalashi, 45, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment without an option of fine on a three-count charge of obtaining the sum of N300million under pretence.

The convict was said to have been arrested by the police in Asaba last month following a petition by one Ogbueshi

Onoche over the shady deal.

Expectedly, Johnson and his cohort, now at large, took the victim to Ibadan where he was shown a consignment of fertilizer purportedly awaiting auction by the Nigerian Custom Service, with assurances that the fertilizers will be sold to him.

Consequently, the victim was said to have paid the sum of N3 million to Kalashi who disappeared immediately.

L-R: Ministers: Mrs Akon Etim Eyakenyi, lands and urban development; Lawrencia Laraba Mallam, environment; Alhaji Taminu Turaki, special duties; Abduljelili Oyewale Adesiyan, police affairs, and Senator Idris Audu Umar, transport, during the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY REMI AKUNLEYAN

Rape: Man Remanded For Impregnating 15-yr-old

By Igho Oyoyo, Abuja

A Kuje Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has remanded a 24-year-old mason, Mukailu Ajibe, for impregnating a 15-year-old student.

Ajibe, who resides at Anguwan Gade in Kuje, is facing a two-count charge of abduction and adultery.

The presiding judge, Mr Azubike Okeagwu, remanded Ajibe after he pleaded guilty to the offence and adjourned hearing till Dec.12 for sentence.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Niyiom Ishaya, told the court that the report was lodged at the Kuje Police Station on Oct. 16, by one Mr. Ismaila Jezhi, who resides

at Local Education Authority (L.E.A) in Kuje.

Ishaya said that on the same date the complaint was filed, the complainant had reported that his daughter was missing for a week.

When the complainants’ daughter returned home she said she was with Ajibe at Anguwan Gade Area. She was discovered to be pregnant and said that Ajibe was responsible.

The prosecutor said that during police interrogation, Mukail admitted that he was responsible for the pregnancy.

Ishaya also said the offence contravenes the provision of sections 272 and 387 of the penal code.

L-R: Deputy Inspector-general of Police, DIG Danazumi Doma; Inspector-general of Police, Suleiman Abba, and DIG Araseh Solomon during an investigation into the recent police/lawmakers’ fracas at the National Assembly by the House Committee of Police Affairs, at the National Assembly, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

NABBED: NSCDC Foils Attempt To Kill Pregnant Woman

BY MUH’D ZANGINA KURA, Dutse

Nigerian Civil Defence Corps, Jigawa State Command, has arrested three persons over their alleged conspiracy and attempt to kill a pregnant woman in Gumel local government area of the state.

The suspects include Adamu Usman Barma, 31, Fawas Bala, 28, and Buhari Ahmed, 29.

They were also alleged to be responsible for the pregnancy.

A source said the state commandant of the NSCDC, Dr. Muh’d Gidado revealed

this in Dutse, the state capital.

He said, “the victim identified as Maryam Muhammad, 20, was beaten up in an effort to terminate the eight-month pregnancy by force”.

According to him, after the woman was rescued, she was taken to hospital for medical treatment and the doctor confirmed that the pregnancy was in good condition.

The command said after concluding the investigation, the suspect would be charge to court to face the wrath of the law.

ABDUCTION: How Man Was Chained In Toilet For 4 Days

BY MATTHEW DIKE, Lagos

Three suspected kidnappers have narrated how they chained a Lagos businessman for four days in a toilet.

The suspects kidnapped the victim identified as Hammed Fashola in Egbeda area of Lagos State.

The State police command nabbed Kingsley Chukwuma and two brothers -Kelvin and Victor Igah - for allegedly kidnapping Fashola on November 10, 2014 around 7pm near his residence in Egbeda, Lagos.

Chukwuma, and the Igahs were arrested by policemen attached to the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja at their hideout at Odeniyi Ishola Street, Isheri-Oshun, Lagos.

Fashola was rescued by the squad after four days in captivity.

The suspects were paraded before

newsmen at the command headquarters, Ikeja, yesterday by the State commissioner of police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti.

Aderanti said the police are still trailing the members of the gang.

One of the suspects, Kevin, 39, said two gang members moved Fashola, 55, to the hideout where he was locked up and chained inside a toilet.

“Two gang members, Ike and Odogwu, drove the Alhaji to my house in IsheriOshun. They used my house as the hideout.

I overheard them saying the man owed them some money, and they wanted to make him pay for it,” he said.

“He spent four days with us. I was the one who chained him and detained him in the toilet but I was also bringing food for him to eat throughout the days he spent with us.”

Kelvin said they had demanded a ransom of N20million before they were arrested.

L-R: Minister of state for Federal Capital Territory, Chief Olajumoke Akinjide; governorship aspirant, Niger State, Mr Umaru Nasko and secretary, North Central Zone of Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Johnson Kombote, when the aspirant collected his clearance certificate at the PDP Secretariat in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO

BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

Head of media to the senior special assistant (SSA) to the President on public affairs, Bamidele Salam (middle), flanked by his wife Oluseyi (left), and chairman of the occasion/ SSA to president on public affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, during the reception in honour of Salam during his call to the Nigerian Bar, in Abuja. PHOTO BY JANE OKEKE

12 news north-East, north-west

Thursday, November 27, 2014

APC: Governorship Aspirant Denied Submission Of Form ‘Police stopped me from getting to secretariat’

By Chibuzo UKAIBE, Abuja

The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Alhaji Mala Buni has reportedly said the party has given automatic ticket to all its governors who are eligible for another term.

A governorship aspirant under the platform of the party in Yobe State, Engineer Mustapha Maihaja made this disclosure while speaking with some journalists at the party secretariat yesterday after he was denied submission of

his nomination form.

The aspirant said he had gone to the state secretariat in Yobe on Monday as advised by Senator Osita Izunaso but said he and his supporters were stopped from entering Damanturu from Nguru.

“We were denied entry into Damaturu yesterday (Monday) by the police on the order of the governor. But here I am again nobody is ready to receive the form from me everyone is avoiding telling me why they are doing this to me.”

He recalled how he came to the national secretariat last Friday, some party officials with the National Secretary told him to take

his form back to Damaturu.

According to him, when he wanted to know why he was not allowed to submit his nomination form, the National Secretary , Alhaji Mala Buni he said told him it was the policy of the party that automatic ticket be given to all its sitting governors whose first tenure is about to expire and any aspirant contesting against them would be disqualified.

According to Mahiaja, when he was denied the form by the state chapter of the party, he ran to the National Secretariat at Abuja as directed by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun

who ensured he got the form.

But when he brought back the same form on Thursday to submit to the Director of Organisation of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Jari, who gave him the form, he was told to take the form back to Damaturu for submission.

It was a mild drama as he insisted in submitting his form but a call came from the office of the Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso asking him to join in taking a group photograph with another governorship aspirant for Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor who also came to submit.

Representative of wife of Bauchi State governor, Hajiya Talatu Barwa, vaccinating a child during the launch of 2014 maternal new born and child health week in Bauchi, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN.

short news

UNICEF Commends Adamawa Over Displaced Children’s Education

United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) has commended the Adamawa State government for its prompt intervention in the education of Internal Displaced Persons IDPs in the state.

The commendation was made by the chief field officer of the organization, Abdulai Kaika who said the organization had disbursed a counter-funding to the tune of about N415 million in 2014.

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

I’m Not In Governorship Race- Taraba Ag Gov

By Andrew Ojih, Jalingo

The acting governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Sani Danladi has described as untrue rumours that he would soon dump the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to run for the governorship of the state under another political party’s platform in the 2015 election.

Briefing journalists yesterday in Jalingo, Danladi, through his

spokesman, Sylvanus Giwa, said public should discard the rumours as he had neither interest nor plans to jump into race.

He urged Tarabans to equally treat the rumour of his planned impeachment by the state house of assembly as baseless and false.

Giwa, who called on the people of the state to be constructive in their criticisms, warned those behind the various rumours to desist

from causing confusion in the state, adding his government would take necessary steps to discourage that.

“The acting governor’s interest is to serve the people of the state within this time he has in office” Giwa said, assuring all Tarabans that the acting governor would remain committed to running an open government that would be fair and just to all as he had promised.

YEDC Loses N150m Monthly To Insurgency Cuts power supply to Govt House, Others

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) has said it is losing an average of N150 million monthly due to the Boko Haram insurgency in the three states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.

Speaking to newsmen in Yola, the corporate communications manager of the company, Mr Kingsley Nkemneme, said the insurgency had severely affected the operations of the organization resulting in the dislo-

cation of its businesses in the three affected states by about 50 per cent.

“The insurgency activities have affected the company’s source of revenue by 50 percent. We have 15 business units in Adamawa, Borno, Taraba and Yobe states, but as at now some of the units comprising Maiduguri, Yerwa, Bama, Mubi, Gombi and Michika are out with over 200,000 customers affected”, Nkemneme said.

Nkemneme stated that one of the major constraints of the organization was minimal energy supply from the national grid, adding with the situation, the company was supplied a paltry 34 megawatts against

the 70 megawatts required for the zone which he blamed for the rationing of power among the teeming customers of the company.

In its bid to improve its services, he said the company had commenced the enlightenment of its customers on ways to avoid heavy billing by not wasting energy unnecessarily.

Meanwhile, YEDC has cut power supply to the Adamawa State Government House Yola, Adamawa Specialist Hospital and Adamawa State Secretariat Complex over what was described as consistent failure of the state government to offset their electricity bills, paralysing activities in the various places.

short news Jigawa Poly ASUP Decries Abuse Of Guidelines The Academic Staff Union of Jigawa State Polytechnic has decried what it called the flagrant abuse of the institution’s guidelines with the extension of the tenure of its registrar, Sadisu Buhari Babura.

This is contained in a press statement signed by the chairman of the union, Comrade Husaini Shehu and made available to journalists in the state.

The union said, the decision to extend the tenure of the incumbent registrar of the school contradicted the institution’s condition of service.

By Muh’d Zangina Kura

Northerners In Jonathan’s Govt Collaborate To Plunder Nigeria – ACF The rapid response committee of the apex northern sociocultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) rose from its emergency meeting yesterday in Kaduna, expressing disappointment with northerners serving in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, and accusing them of actively collaborating in plundering the nation’s financial resources.

The forum said it felt highly disgusted and embarrassed by the behaviour of those concerned, adding posterity would judge them.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the secretary-general of the forum, Col. John Ubah (rtd), the organisation again frowned at the deteriorating security situation in the country, calling to question government’s capacity and sincerity in bringing the insurgency to an end.

The communiqué reads in part: “The ACF as umbrella body for the North feels highly disgusted and indeed embarrassed to note that Northerners actively serving in the Federal Government in very high positions not only remain passive, but are collaborating in the misgovernance, ineptitude, financial recklessness and mindless corruption in the country.”

By Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna

DSS Urges Schools To Collaborate With Security Agencies For Safety The director of the State Security Service in Jigawa State, Yusuf Isyaku has charged schools in the state to collaborate with security agencies to boost security measures in their domain for the safety of their staff and students.

He made the call in his keynote address at a conference organized by the Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure with the theme “Rising Security Challenges in Nigeria: The Role of Humanities, Science & Technology”.

The director said some security challenges bedevilling the country were as a result of various factors ranging from feeling of neglect by sections of the society, poverty, unemployment, corruption, extremism, poor parent care among others.

He stressed the need for all and sundry to be vigilant on suspicious movement and also to report any security bridge to the nearest security outfit to avoid any eventuality.

By Muh’d Zangina Kura, Dutse

Thursday, November 27, 2014

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Thursday, November 27, 2014

business

NEWS/BUSINESS 15

350

The oil spillage and harmful chemical pollutants affected 350 coastal communities and satellite villages in the state

Bonga Oil Spill: Reps Directs Shell To Pay N604bn Damages

BY EDEGBE ODEMWINGIE AND BODE GBADEBO, Abuja

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment has directed Shell Nigeria Exploration Company to pay the sum of $3.6 billion (about N604bn) as damages for the Bonga oil spill caused by its equipment failure.

The committee chairman, Hon Uche Ekwunife, gave the directive during an investigative public hearing on the SNEPCo Bonga crude oil spill, which occurred on the December 20, 2011.

The breakdown of the

independent value analysis adopted by the Committee indicated that N63.6bn is to be paid for direct losses, which are irreversible damages, another N103.192bn for loss of income, N85bn for provision of water, while N27.4bn is for forestry and NTFP. For the indirect losses, the oil company is to pay N14.35bn for health hazards; N8million for injurious affection and N302.4bn for punitive damage.

According to the report, the oil spillage and harmful chemical pollutants affected 350 coastal communities and satellite villages

in the state. SNEPCo had in its report agreed “to an oil spill estimate at 40,000 barrels into the marine environment in Bonga on December 2011”.

“The cause of the spill was equipment failure resulting from a snapped loading hose under water,” said the report. Earlier in his submissions, director-general of National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency (NOSDRA), Peter Idabor, who expressed disgust over the high-handedness of SNEPCo management, accused the oil company of frustrating moves to hold the multistakeholders meeting as directed

by the Committee earlier.

He pointed out that at the meeting initiated by SNEPCo, the NOSDRA had disagreed on what he called insincerity on the part of SNEPCo, on the unilateral adoption of different titles like ‘mystery oil spill’ and ‘meeting of SNEPCo palliative’ at different fora.

He added that various stakeholders resolved to withdraw from the meeting and the minister of environment, when briefed on the outcome of the multistakeholders meeting, further directed other parties not to attend any of such meetings again.

BUSINESS QUOTE The difference between a topflight creative man and the hack is his ability to express powerful meanings indirectly.

Vance Packard, writer (1914-96)

Capital Market Capitalisation Appreciates By N155bn

BY Olushola Bello, Lagos

Stock market activities are beginning to shape up as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) concluded the last MPC meeting for the year with new adjustments including the one per cent increase in MPR. The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has sustained the uptrend as the market capitalisation further gained N155billion on Wednesday to close at N11.481 trillion from an opening of N11.263 trillion. Also, the All-Share Index rose by 467.45 points or 1.37 per cent to close at 34,583.29, from the 34,115.84 achieved on Tuesday.

Nestle led the gainers’ chart

by N35.01, to close at N900.01 per share. Mobil gained N7.49 to close at N157.39, while Nigerian

Breweries grew by N3.06 to close at N163.17 per share.

Flourmill appreciated by N2.17 to close at N45.75, while Guinness went up by N2 to close at N160 per share. On the other hand, International Breweries recorded the highest price loss of 60 kobo, to close at N26 per share. Champion Breweries trailed with a loss of 49 kobo to close at N9.36, while UAC Property dipped by 32 kobo to close at N10.53 per share.

Forte Oil lost 21 kobo to close at N203.99, while Ikeja Hotel depreciated by 16 kobo to close at N35.80 per share. Banking stocks led market volume as Zenith Bank traded 149.71 million valued at N3.12 billion. Skye Bank followed with an exchanged of 117.98 million shares valued at N383.64 million.

L-R: President, Angola Capital Market Commission, Archie Manguera and Director-general, Security and Exchange Commission, Aruma Otey during the 4th Annual Capital Market Retreat held in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH.

Naira Devaluation Will Lead To High Cost Of Production – OPS

by Olushola Bello, Lagos

Following the measures taken by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to strengthen the nation’s economy, the Organized Private Sector (OPS) have said that this would push up the operating cost of business enterprises in the Nigerian economy.

Among other measures put in place, the CBN devalued the national currency

by N13 from N155 to $1 to N168 to the $1, moved the benchmark interest rate known as the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 100 basis point from 12 per cent to 13 per cent

and increased private sector’s Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) from 15 per cent to 20 per cent.

Others include widening the band around the mid-point by 200 basis points from +/-3 percent to + -5 percent as well as retained the foreign exchange trading position at one percent.

Reacting to these measures by CBN, the president of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Remi Bello said, “As a result of the import dependent character of the economy the increase in the MPR will push up the operating cost of enterprises in the economy.”

He pointed out that many firms were already feeling the heat across all sectors, remarking that, “in the few weeks, the naira exchange rate has depreciated by about 11 per cent in the interbank market and over 12 per cent in the parallel market. The impact of the depreciation on operating costs is very profound.”

Bello noted that cost push inflation would be pronounced in the next few months as this would be driven by high cost of production and high cost of imported finished goods.

Also speaking, former acting director-

general of Manufacturer Association of Nigeria (MAN), Rasheed Adegbenro noted, “Generally when you devalue your currency, the intention is to reduce import and facilitate export. But unfortunately, the Nigerian economy does not have the productive edge to facilitate export. So, it means that it will decrease import, which cannot be decreased and so the effect will be inflationary. It will lead to inflation in the economy.”

However, he noted that in this present situation the government has only two options, to increase the fuel pump

or increase the MPC, adding that the government will not want to increase the fuel pump because of the forthcoming general elections.

Adegbenro pointed out that “this tells the government that the economy is not well structured and has to be in the future to absorb such reoccurrence, saying that the measures are going to hurt both the business and manufacturing sectors of the economy.”

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/business

16 NEWS/BUSINESS

Thursday, November 27, 2014

N10m Tax Evasion: FIRS Seals Microfinance Bank, 16 other firms

By ACHOR ABIMAJE, Jos

Drama in Jos over the sealed off of the premises of Dadin Kowa Micro finance bank by the tax enforcement team of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and 16 other companies owing taxes amounting to over N110million in Jos north and Jos south local government areas of Plateau State..

The defaulting companies include the State government owned Hill Station hotel, Magnum night club Lamond Hotel, Dadinkowa microfinance bank, H.BC resort and healthy body clinic, Elim top suites and Anderson Drilling Nigeria Limited, a borehole and water engineering company among others.

The task force carried out a two days enforcement in all the companies without hitches except at the Dadinkowa microfinance bank and Hill station hotel where they faced some level of resistance from bank staff and officer of the Special Task Force (STF).

The Microfinance bank, which is allegedly owing more than N20 million, the staff and manager of the bank refused to vacate the premises and were locked up in the bank up by the .FIRS zonal coordinator for north east, Zakari Isa. But in a swift reaction the managing director and CEO of Dadin Kowa Microfinance bank Irmiya Jatau Maman said FIRS locked them inside the offices without allowing them to shut down their computer system.

SEC Task Market Operators On Wealth Creation

By NSE ANTHONy-UKO, Abuja

The Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Arunma Oteh, yesterday urged experts in the nation’s capital market to come up with recommendations that could help in exploring the opportunities availed by the market to create wealth for ordinary Nigerians.

Giving the advice at the Technical Session of the 4th Annual Capital Market Retreat in Abuja, Oteh noted that if properly planned, the stock exchange would become a major investment market for ordinary Nigerians and also serve as a catalytic tool for alleviating poverty in the country.

Describing deep rooted poverty level as one of the challenges Nigeria continued to grapple with despite efforts of government to reduce the incidence through policy reforms, the SEC boss said that decisions taken by the capital market experts on the Nigerian Capital Market Master Plan (2015-2025) which is one of the major issues for deliberations

at the 3-day forum, would offer a leeway on improving SMEs investors’ participation in the market on a sustainable basis.

She said: “Let me say that one of the challenges we face as a country is poverty. The government and all of us as stakeholders are concerned about this and will therefore support all initiatives that can address this problem.

“I hope that through the various issues we will discuss in this session, we can share experiences on how this forum can be used to truly create wealth for ordinary Nigerians”, Oteh added.

The investment expert, who cited the experiences in Malaysia, Kenya and other countries where the launching of their capital market Master Plans had immensely deepened the capitalisation and created opportunities for inclusive growth of their economies, expressed the hope that Nigeria’s 10-year capital market Master Plan would impact positively on the poor and micro enterprises if all stakeholders remain committed to its implementation.

“As Iam talking to you right now we did not know our faith, we were locked inside, there was no any notice before their action.”

He said.

According to him, the bank has over 30 people under its payroll adding that instead for government to encourage them for descongested the

saturated labor market, there were paid back by this embarrassment that cause them reputation al damage.

Earlier, the assistant director, Tax Controller,

Udo Monday Ukana said the exercise was a nationwide enforcement stressing that 16 organizations in Plateau State defaulted in payments of over N110 million

Thursday, November 27, 2014

17

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Thursday, November 27, 2014

REPORT OF THE

TRANSFORMATION

AGENDA

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

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LEADERSHIP in a bid to provide a true and objective picture of the successes and challenges of the Transformation Agenda is publishing THE REPORT OF THE TRANSFORMATION AGENDA as told by the key actors themselves in their own words unedited.

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The Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan has been hailed as successful in several areas like agriculture, power, roads, macro-economic stability, foreign-direct investment inflow, and the health sector, among others. Critics cite poverty, youth unemployment, insecurity and the contracting middle class as evidence that the Transformation Agenda is not working. So who and what do you believe? Welcome to the Situation Report.

Ministries, Paratatals and Agencies who have made impactful contributions to the Transformation Agenda are invited to tell their success stories in the REPORT OF THE TRANSFORMATION AGENDA. Private sector companies and contractors who have successfully executed Transformation Agenda projects are also invited to show and tell their success stories in the historic REPORT OF THE TRANSFORMATION AGENDA.

To participwaithteph:otographs, charts and graphs and call

sation’s achievements alo2,ngHenry Ubimago: 08068640944, ni ga or e th le pi m co y pl Sim 314390 7 Iyobosa Uwugiaren: 08:03 6, Tosin Allen: 0805211670wspaper 76 52 45 06 07 in am nj Be ne Adebayo nt Abuja resident a in m o d e th in it Show and tell

BUSINESS/AGRICULTURE 19

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Nigerian Bread, Another Bright Idea The reality of making Nigeria the largest in value addition to cassava took another great turn last weekat the launch of 10 per cent composite cassava/wheat flour product and commissioning of master bakers’ equipment in Abuja.

The Goodluck Jonathan administration has once again made a point that agriculture in Nigeria can truly be industrialised.

There was a time in Nigeria when cassava used to be looked down upon as an inferior crop.

Not anymore, as the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of Mr. President, started turning the much despised crop into value added commodities. And the world is noticing. The private sector investors from within and outside Nigeria are embracing it. Because of the food value of cassava, it has been recognised as a good substitute for wheat in bread making, in part or entirely.

In some parts of the world, bread is baked with flour from corn, sorghum, yam or rice, depending on the abundance of the commodities. Eating wheat bread is good, but Nigeria can do a lot with substitutes in bread.

The cassava flour, which has been tested and proven, is easily a good substitute for wheat for a number of reasons. Nigeria is the highest producer of cassava in the world with over 40 million metric ton per annum. About 60 per cent of our farmers are involved in cassava production because it is a food security crop.

Paradoxically, Nigeria is the highest importer of wheat in the world, with a whopping sum of N635 billion spent annually on wheat imports alone. Local and international research agencies have worked assiduously over the years and have proved that inclusion of up to 40 per cent cassava flour in wheat for bread and confectioneries is safe for consumption and also improves the nutritional quality of bread by reducing the glycaemic index, a measure associated with a particular type of food that indicates the food’s effect on a person’s blood glucose (blood sugar) level, often used to

identify diabetes.

The launch the first commercial 10 per cent composite cassava/wheat flour product and the commissioning of master bakers’ baking equipment, done last week, was part of an array of supports to master bakers under the Cassava Bread Initiative of the federal government. The actualisation of the 20 per cent high quality cassava flour in wheat for bread and confectioneries is not only a food security decision, it is also a macro-economic decision.

It will save the country about N127 billion annually. Apart from this, about 1.3 million jobs will be created, rural agroindustry would be developed through processing activities.

Our cassava farmers’ livelihood would be highly improved and the nation will surely be better off.

A sum of N9.9 billion was graciously approved by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. To ensure the actualisation of this vision and absolute transparency in the administration of the fund, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has put in place an Oversight Committee on the Cassava Bread Initiative.

The Committee members were drawn from the key stakeholders including the President, Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCGA); the President, National Cassava Processors and Marketers Association (NCAPMA); National President, National Association of Master Bakers and Confectioneries of Nigeria; the Director General, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC).

Others are the Director General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON); Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BOI); Managing Director, Bank of Agriculture (BOA); Representative of Large Bakers; Representative of Large HQCF producers; Director General, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, (FIIRO); President, National Institute of Food Scientists; Director, Federal Department of Agriculture; Director, office of Honourable Minister of

agric focus

BY SONNY S.T. ECHONO

Adesina

Agriculture; the Honourable Minister of State, FMARD; the Permanent Secretary and the Honourable Minister, who is the Chairman.

The Ministry signed memoranda of Understanding with the Banks of Industry and Agriculture to administer the fund to ensure probity, integrity, efficiency and transparency.

The Bank of Agriculture is to oversee the primary production in which small scale farmers would be supported to cultivate 29,500 hectares of cassava for production of 590,000 metric tons of cassava roots targeted towards production of high quality cassava flour (HQCF).

The SMEs in collaboration with the Nigeria Cassava Growers Association have supported farmers to cultivate between two and four hectares each across the cassava producing states to achieve the 29,500 hectares in 2014 planting season. This will ensure sustainable supply of cassava roots to the SMEs at prices that are profitable to the farmers and processors.

The Ministry is also intervening in the area of land

development as we have embarked on clearing of 6,400 hectares of land and contract has been awarded for mechanisation of cassava plantation on 5,000 hectares.

We are doing this to ensure that the use of cassava for bread does not conflict with the customary use of the crop for gari, fufu, elubo, akpu, etc., which is a staple food for our people. We want to ensure we do not create another problem while solving one.

The Bank of Industry on the other hand will render equipment support to the master bakers and SMEs. In addition, the SMEs will receive low interest loans for their working capital. The Bank has completed due diligence on the SMEs and the bakeries and offer letters are currently being distributed to the beneficiaries.

Now, we are witnessing a part of the milestone results.

Cassava Bread Fund is an intervention fund and the process is completely participatory. The master bakers and the SMEs determine the

types of equipment best suited for them; then the BOI finances.

This has removed normal contracts from the process for the beneficiaries to derive maximum benefits from the fund and get value for money. By so doing, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is leading the way in innovative approaches of supporting the private sector to grow.

The Ministry has trained over 2,000 Master Bakers. The training will continue. The target under the cassava bread fund is to train 5,000 master bakers.

The master bakers would be allowed to own the training and there would be further decentralisation of the exercise to local government level to ensure all the bakers have the skill.

It is heart-warming to know that the Flour Millers Association of Nigeria has fully identified with the vision after a recipe-proving exercise was conducted at Silver Spoon Bakery, Mushin, Lagos, on March 27 and 28, 2014. At the end of the exercise, which was suggested by the association, the members were convinced that inclusion of cassava flour in bread is feasible and profitable for Nigeria. The Group Managing Director of Flour Mill Plc was physically present at the venue.

Today, commercial 10 per cent composite cassava/wheat flour is a reality.

Honeywell Group, another big player in the flour milling industry, has also made a point of encouragement by commencing commercial cassava-wheat composite flour.

There are many small and large scale bakers that have adopted the use of cassava/wheat composite flour. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is pushing hard on the actualisation of cassava bread. There is no going back on the cassava Bread project. This is a foundation of Nigerian bread, a new brand in the food industry, and a bright new idea that needs the support of everyone.

—From a speech by Echono at the launch of the cassava-wheat composite flour in Abuja last week.

FG To Implement Legal Framework On GES

BY Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

The Federal Government has said it is initiating a legal framework that will govern the administration and implementation of the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme aimed at consolidating

the GES programme, so that it will survive after the administration.

Speaking at a one day stakeholders meeting on the Draft Bill for the Consolidation of the GES Scheme under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the Federal

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in Abuja yesterday Legal Consultant, Prof.

Yemi George said statistics have revealed that no administration since the commencement of Nigeria has recorded the success recorded in the ministry of agriculture.

According to him, over 15million farmers have been registered already as recorded on the data base. “close to 10million farmers have been receiving agricultural inputs from the federal government with the cooperation of the states through

the minister of agriculture,Dr. Akinwumi Adesina” The Professor in his presentation of the draft bill on the GES scheme, “there is an establishment of the National Agricultural Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (NAGESS)”

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Thursday, November 27, 2014

Thursday, November 27, 2014

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22 News north-central

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Niger Monitors Influx Of IDPs, Decries Rise In Political Crimes

By Abu Nmodu, Minna

Niger State Security Council has put in place plans to monitor the influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to the state even as the council has decried the increase in political related crimes in the state.

Addressing journalists yesterday after the Security Council meeting that took place on Tuesday, the Niger State Commissioner of Police Emmanuel Olusola Amore said that in an effort to obtain first-hand information on the security challenges in some flash points in the state, emirs and districts heads were invited to brief the meeting.

He stated that “local governments and emirate councils to

short news Kwara Urges Implementation Of Grazing Reserve Law The Kwara House of Assembly yesterday asked the state government to fully implement the grazing reserve law in order to put an end to the incessant crisis between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in the state.

The House made the request in its resolution after adopting the report of an ad-hoc committee that investigated a violent clash that erupted between herdsmen and farmers in Onire district of Asa local government area of the state.

The Deputy Speaker, Prof. Gana Yissa, who was the chairman of the ad-hoc committee while presenting the 20 pages report on the crisis, said peace had not fully returned to some of the affected communities.

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

properly strategize on the influx of IDPs coming into their domains from the North Eastern part of the country as a result of security challenges. Proper identification and census of such people must be carried out.”

According to him, the Security Council also reviewed the activities in the political scene and noted an increase in the political related crimes which has necessitated a plea with security agencies to put in place effective measures to curtail the menace of thugs and similarly.

The council advised politicians to tread softly and avoid being flamboyant.

The commissioner cautioned the youths against engaging in thuggery as the state would not take the offence lightly.

Late Chief David Atser For Burial Nov 28 His Royal Highness, Chief David Dyako Atser, Ter Kunav I, who passed away in October this year will finally be laid to rest on November 28, 2014, at the royal ancestral place in his hometown, Vandeikya, Benue State.

A statement made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday by Cletus Mnipr, chairman of the publicity sub-committee, revealed that a re-unification and reflection night will hold in Makurdi on the 26th at Bems Hotel in honour of the late Dyako, who until his death was the chairman of Vandeikya local government traditional council.

His remains will thereafter depart the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, on November 27 (today) for Vandeikya, where a Christian wake will take place at his residence before his interment on the 28th.

His Royal Majesty Orchivirigh Chief Alfred Akawe Torkula, Tor Tiv IV, will be the chief mourner, while Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, will be the special guest of honour at the funeral, the statement said.

By Juliet Alohan, Abuja

short news

ABU Don Appointed IBB Varsity New VC Following the expiration of the the tenure of professor Ibrah im Adamu Kolo as the vice chancellor of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, the Niger State government has approved the appointment of Professor Mohammad Nasirudeen Maiturare as the new vice chancellor.

Announcing this yesterday while presenting the Vice Chancellor to the public, the Commissioner over seeing the Ministry of tertiary Education, Prof Mohammed Kuta Yahaya said he emerged among the three persons who were up for consideration.

The commissioner who presented the letter of appointment to the new VC said the appointment process followed due proBy Abu Nmodu, Minna

Kwara State governor Abdulfatah Ahmed (2nd right) carrying a newly born baby during the commissioning of the rehabilitated Kaiama General Hospital. With him are the chairman, Kaiama LGA, Hon Al-hassan Bagudu (right); secretary to the state government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold (left) and commissioner for health, Alhaji Abdul Kayode Issa.

APC Accuses PDP Of Attack On Ahmed’s Convoy

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

Some youths suspected to be political thugs in Kaiama-Kwara north allegedly attacked the convoy of the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed on Tuesday.

Ahmed had gone to Kaiama to flag off the reconstruction of N7.9billion Kaiama-Kishi road.

The state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has however described the attackers as thugs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The party, in a statement by its publicity secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, described the al-

leged attack on the governor’s convoy as the height of political provocation.

The statement reads: “Apparently bitter and terrified by the rousing reception accorded Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his entourage by APC members and the good people of Kaiama, a member of PDP state Executive Committee (SEC) led his armed thugs to mount ambush on the road around a PDP secretariat which is not far away from the Emir’s palace immediately after the turbaning.

“The armed thugs launched unprovoked attacks on the convoy

of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

Many vehicles were destroyed in the convoy while our party members sustained injuries.”

It further noted that Kwara APC preaches and practices peace, “even though all households in Kwara State are quite familiar with the violent antecedents and tendencies of the PDP. “We cannot fathom why the few armed PDP thugs on rampage in Kaiama on Tuesday would choose to welcome development with violence. We condemn the attack on Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s convoy and APC members. It is the height of political provocation.”

Lawmaker Ends Peace Mission To Crisis-prone Nasarawa Communities

By Donatus Nadi, Lafia

The member representing Nasarawa Eggon East constituency in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly (NSHA), Hon. Mohammed Aga Muluku, has been applauded for the successful completion of his one-week peace and reconciliation tour of some of the communities affected by the recent communal upheavals in the state.

Hon. Muluku, whose conciliatory mission cut across villages in Lafia North, Lafia East Development Areas and Nasarawa-Eggon local

government area, said the move became necessary given the untold hardship visited on residents of affected communities who are mostly peasant farmers who have lived for decades in peace with their neighbours.

Addressing the crowd that turned out to witness the final peace and reconciliation ceremony at the Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) primary school, Arugbadu, in Lafia East Development Area, the lawmaker stressed the need for all warring parties to sheathe their swords

and give peace a chance.

He noted that insistence on revenge only leads to conflagration of more violence which serves no one any good, and charged community leaders to prevail on their subjects to let peace prevail in the state.

“After a tour of the affected villages, my heart bleeds at the level of destruction I have seen both in human lives and property. We cannot continue to live like this and must therefore resolve to return to the status quo when we were our brothers keepers”.

PPP, Vital Tool In Filling Infrastructural Gap – Wada

By Sam Egwu, Lokoja

The Public Private Partnership (PPP) model has been described as a vital tool in addressing the country’s huge infrastructure gap.

Kogi State governor, Captr Idris Wada made the remarks at the World Bank-sponsored workshop on Public Private Partnership, held in Lokoja, yesterday.

Capt Wada described the use of PPP as a win-win situation for government and the private sector, as the infrastructure gap created offers tremendous opportunities to the private sectors to invest in various aspects of infrastructural development while the government serves as facilitator.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Yomi Awoniyi, said that having real-

ized the importance of co-operation between the government and the private sector, the PPP law had been passed with the process of establishing a PPP bureau in the state, adding that a PPP agency would soon be in place soon in the State.

When established, Kogi PPP Bureau would be a one stop business centre for PPPs and devoid of frustrating bureaucratic delays.

education

23

Thursday, November 27, 2014

2014

ANEW programme ends tomorrow

F E AT U R E S N E W S R E P O R T S I N T E R V I E W

New Dawn In Nigeria’s Tertiary Education Federal government’s renewed vigor in the funding of public tertiary institutions to help them fast-track the development of teaching, research and infrastructure, including student hostels, plus the extra-budgetary funding for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education has been seen by many as a step in the right direction ,and a brighter hope for tertiary education in Nigeria. Kuni Tyessi takes a look.

Recall that in the heady days of the prolonged industrial actions, government reached an agreement with ASUU

Professor O.A Bamiro of the Mechanical Engineering of the universty, Ibadan, aptly captured the essence that has enveloped the tertiary education in Nigeria, when he opined that the higher education sector in Nigeria is seen to a large extent, as a sector locked in an iron triangle defined broadly by the vectors of Access, Quality and Cost.

He further observed that increasing demand for higher education has invariable triggered the demand for increased access and the clamor for admission and the establishment of new institutions and/or expanding the existing ones in other to address the growing number of demand The idea of extra-budgetary funding for some institutions was mooted by the administration of late President Musa Yar’Adua, only to be implemented by Jonathan’s administration There is no doubt that the

tertiary education sector has received greater attention and overhauling in the present circumstance especially in the area of infrastructural development ,increase funding and staff training from government .

The various agreements reached between the government and restive industrial unions in the sector, appear to be the turning point as it had succeeded in driving in the needed attention and increased collaboration.

Recall that in the heady days of the prolonged industrial actions, government reached out an agreement with ASUU through the NEEDS assessment fund that threw up more than 400million naira into the universities’ funding system, agreement with ASUP and COEASU on the contentious contra 15 and the issue of dichotomy between polytechnic graduates and that of the universities

The rapprochement between the government and the unions has contributed in not only entrenching industrial harmony but ensuring stability and the rapid transformation of tertiary Education.

In an exclusive interview with the director, tertiary education of the federal ministry of education, Hajiya Hindatu Abdullahi, she attributed the ongoing transformation in tertiary education to the collective resolve by government to get it right this time around. She pointed at the record number of universities that have so far drawn fund from the NEEDS assessment funds and other interventions in the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education as clear indications of the commitment of the government to revamp education She praised the effort of the incumbent education Minister, Ibrahim Shekarau, for sustaining the tempo of development in tertiary institutions when he assumed office. The Katsina born education administrator further assured the nation that it has witnessed the last of the industrial actions by unions in the tertiary education sector, as government is working round the clock to avoid

Abdullahi

a repeat of the past and ensure stability.

Not a few Nigerian appreciate the contributions of Hajiya Hindatu in the development of the education sector, as she had virtually turned into a secretariat of every investigative committees set up to address emerging challenges particularly in the tertiary education.

The intervention by TETFund which a lecturer in curriculum studies at the University of Ilorin in Central Nigeria, Ayo Gbade said would enable tertiary institutions to overcome a major obstacle in the provision of affordable books and

24

24 EDUCATION/NEWS

Thursday, November 27, 2014

How We Employed 4,000 Staff In 5 Years – UNIBEN VC

short news

Learn Africa Plans To Honour Outstanding NECO Candidates

By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City

It was an emotional event for staff and students of the University of Benin when the out-going vice chancellor, Prof. Osayuki Oshodin, reeled out his achievements in the past five years as he briefed the media on the activities marking the 39th/40th convocation and the 44th Founder’s Day ceremony of the institution which kicked kick off yesterday.

As he talked about how his administration employed over four thousand people in the past five years in its determination to fight unemployment, many staff and students present on the occasion became emotional and fought back tears.

He said the need to assist in tackling the unemployment problem in the country spurred him to employ more people in different cadres in both academic and nonacademic duties.

“The beauty of this exercise is that this administration never requested for any budgetary allocation to finance this recruitment.

Many people wonder how, my response is that it is a function of good and transparent management of financial resources,” he said.

He disclosed that during his tenure, a total of 167 staff were promoted to the rank of full professor while 208 were elevated to the position of associate professor.

Apart from infrastructural development in the institution, the out-going VC said the institution from November, 2009 established link with twenty one reputable institutions of world class.

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

Students of Pyramid of Excellence School, Abuja, during the 2014 edition of eNigeria meeting in Abuja. PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH.

FG Commends JICA, Assures Of More Collaboration

By Kuni Tyessi, Abuja

The Federal Government has expressed appreciation to the government and people of Japan for the consistent support to Nigeria’s effort to increase access to education for its citizenry.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Viola Onwuliri conveyed Nigeria’s appreciation when she received the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Seki Tetsou, who paid her a courtesy visit.

Noting with delight the good relationship between Japan and Nigeria, she said Japan’s intervention in the Nigerian education sector was in the right direction, and in line with the

transformation agenda of government which has education as key component.

The minister reiterated the value of education, saying JICA’s interventions had contributed in no small measure to individual empowerment and national development.

“We appreciate the training opportunity you have given to Nigerians, and we will continue to partner with you,” she said.

She said proper impact assessment should be done, apart from the monitoring of the projects, so as to quantify achievements, “to know if we are to continue with the same process or change option for greater success in the terrain”.

The JICA Chief Representative in Nigeria, Seki Tetsou briefed the minister on his

agency’s areas of interventions in the education sector, which he said included the building of classrooms, teacher capacity building through Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education SMASE) and technical support.

While congratulating the minister on her new posting, she said there were noticeable challenges in the execution of the projects, particularly monitoring and suggested that key stakeholders like NTI, UBEC and others be actively involved to achieve greater result.

existing ones in other to address the growing number of demand The idea of extra-budgetary funding for some institutions was mooted by the administration of late President Musa Yar’Adua, only to be implemented by Jonathan’s administration There is no doubt that the tertiary education sector has received greater attention and overhauling in the present circumstance especially in the area of infrastructural development ,increase funding and staff training from government .

The various agreements reached between the government and restive industrial unions in the sector, appear to be the turning point as it had succeeded in

driving in the needed attention and increased collaboration.

Recall that in the heady days of the prolonged industrial actions, government reached out an agreement with ASUU through the NEEDS assessment fund that threw up more than 400million naira into the universities’ funding system, agreement with ASUP and COEASU on the contentious contra 15 and the issue of dichotomy between polytechnic graduates and that of the universities.

The rapprochement between the government and the unions has contributed in not only entrenching industrial harmony but ensuring stability and the rapid transformation of tertiary Education.

New Dawn In Nigeria’s Tertiary Education

23

journals for staff and students and ensure accelerated development of the institutions, remains a major landmark approach in the development of education It is hoped that universities, polytechnic and colleges of education will finally awake from the slumber enforced by their deliberate under-funding by the military regimes that ruled Nigeria during the 1980s and 1990s. Federal government’s renewed vigor in the funding of public tertiary institutions to help them fast-track the development of teaching, research and infrastructure, including student hostels, plus the extrabudgetary funding for universities, polytechnics and colleges of

education has been seen by many as a step in the right direction ,and a brighter hope for tertiary education in Nigeria. Kuni Tyessi takes a look.

Professor O.A Bamiro of the Mechanical Engineering of the university, Ibadan, aptly captured the essence that has enveloped the tertiary education in Nigeria, when he opined that the higher education sector in Nigeria is seen to a large extent, as a sector locked in an iron triangle defined broadly by the vectors of Access, Quality and Cost.

He further observed that increasing demand for higher education has invariable triggered the demand for increased access and the clamor for admission and the establishment of new institutions and/or expanding the

The Learn Africa Education Development Foundation, which is the corporate social responsibility arm of Learn Africa Plc, has concluded plans to honour candidates that posted outstanding performances during the June/July 2014 NECO SSCE, including their teachers and the schools that produced them with various awards of excellence.

The awards will be presented to students, teachers and schools, who have worked hard.

According to the statement from LEARN Africa, the national awards will go to the overall best three candidates: Nder Sesugh Samuel of Vaatia College, Makurdi, Benue State (first position), Adesokan Adediran Sakirudeen of St Francis Catholic Secondary School, Idimu, Lagos State (second position) and Raji Oluwatobi Quadri of St Francis Catholic Secondary School, Idimu, Lagos State (third position).

As part of the national awards, Learn Africa Education Development Foundation will also present prizes to the overall best candidates.

FEATURE/EDUCATION 25

Thursday, November 27, 2014

SCHOOLS REPORTS

Nti Trains 4,070 Primary School Teachers

BY MUH’D ZANGINA KURA, Dutse

Head, corporate communications, Diamond Bank Plc, Ayona Trimnel lecturing students of Millennium School, Karimu Laka Street, during the employee volunteering programme of the bank at Egbeda, Lagos. PHOTO BY GBENGA OLAJOBI

‘Public Institutions Yet To Access N10bn Research Fund’ Kuni Tyessi, Abuja

The Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau has decried the inability of academics in public institutions to fully access the N10 billion provided by the Federal Government and domiciled with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for the revitalisation of research activities in public higher institutions in the country.

The minister made the observation in Abuja when he launched 20 Tetfund-sponsored specialized higher education textbooks, Tetfund guidelines on national research fund as well as Tetfund guidelines on institution-based research.

He said Tetfund had since 2009 allocated the sum of N5.500 billion to public

universities, N2.541 billion to polytechnics and N2.056 billion to the colleges of education, pointing out “the bad news is that over 70 percent of these allocated funds are still not accessed.

“The trend is not acceptable and does not show seriousness on the part of stakeholders responsible to change the fortune of our tertiary institutions,” he added.

He stressed that research work remained the cardinal objective of any tertiary institution world over.

“Lack of funding, rather than dearth of researchable work, generally used to be the complaint and not the other way round,” he said, adding out of the allocation of over N10.052 billion to universities, polytechnics and colleges of

education for institution-based research, the sum of N7. 8 billion was yet to be accessed.

“I want to urged the academics to seize the opportunity presented by the launching of the Tetfund guidelines on institution-based research to expedite efforts at accessing these funds and move our tertiary institutions and the country forward,” the minister said.

The minister also urged Tetfund to ensure that the objectives of setting up the national research fund and the national book development fund are actualised.

Also at the event, the board chairman of the fund, Dr. Musa Babayo said the Federal Government was investing significantly in book development.

‘UBE Success Is A Collective Responsibility’ Kuni Tyessi, Abuja

The Minister of state for Education Prof ViolaOnwuliri has said that the success of UBE programmes depends largely on the collective effort of all stakeholders.

The Minister disclosed this at the national conference on community participation in school governance.

She said it has been observed that there has been a wide gap between well thought out policies and their eventual implementation in the field.

The minister stressed that in order to ensure that this trend does not affect UBE programme, deliberate

effort has been made to ensure that all stakeholders, particularly the beneficiaries of UBE fully understand, accept and support UBEC initiative.

According to her, stakeholders conference is aimed at establishing a wide range of sensitization, advocacy and mobilization activities together support and facilitate the smooth implementation of Basic Education Programmes at the grassroots level.

She called on at all levels to deploy available resources that will ensure the success of the UBE programmes and initiatives; make

people understand that Basic Education is their programme and therefore they should be fully involved, accelerate the drive towards the attainment of the 100% enrolment ,retention and completion targets among others.

In his address, The executive secretary of UBEC Dr Dikko Suleiman said that Mr. Presidents transformation agenda in the Education sector is aimed at refocusing Nigerians’ education system in the areas of access and quality, infrastructure, teacher quality and development, curriculum relevance, funding and planning.

The National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), has commenced training of four thousand and seventy primary school teachers across the nation.

The Director-General of the institution Prof Aminu Sharehu revealed this while speaking at flag off ceremony of the 2014 Millennium Development Goals’ Nationwide Capacity Building Workshop for primary school teachers held in Dutse Jigawa state capital.

He said the aims of the training is to improve the capacity of the teachers on four focal areas for better service delivery.

Mr Sharehu added that, the training was also designed to address the skill gaps of teachers to enable them teach in a modern and perfect method.

The DG stated that the NTI had taken time to select resource persons that were most competent and qualified to facilitate the program.

“Let me assure you that the institute has the capacity to conduct any professional training for the teeming population of teachers in Nigeria today.

“We also have a comparable advantage of sourcing most qualified and competent resource persons for any given workshop for Nigerian teachers,” said Sharehu.

The DG, therefore, urged the participants to strive and make the best use of the opportunity given to them.

Speaking at the occasion,the state minister for State education professor Viola Onwuliri who was represented by the former Jigawa state Governor Barrister Ali sa’ad, reaffirmed the commitment of the federal Government toward improving the general well-being of the education sector for better and brighter future of the nation.

Ekiti Parapo Alumni To Develop College

By Chika Izuora, Lagos

The Alumni Association of the Ekiti Parapo College, in Ekiti State has embarked on the development of infrastructure in the institution following decades of neglect. The infrastructure upgrade also coincides with the institutions 60th anniversary.

At a press briefing in Lagos yesterday, the president of the national association of old students of the college, Ogbeni Lanre Adesuyi lamented the level of decay of infrastructure in the school which he said had made learning very stressful.

He said virtually every facility in the college had collapsed and the school was therefore no longer conducive for academic studies.

Adesuyi said the college which was established in 1954 through community effort had produced prominent Nigerians who had excelled in their various professional fields.

“The college which commenced with 25 pioneer students, the founding principal and two teachers, was formally opened on August 5, 1954, by then Hon. Minister of Education, Western Region, Nigeria, Chief S.O Awokoya. Today Ekiti Parapo has had about 17 principals since its inception” he recalled.

The president who recalled the comment by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the college’s log book said efforts of the founding fathers of the college had been literally wasted.

26 news south-South south-East

Thursday, November 27, 2014

My Administration Ready To Partner UNN – Gov Orji

Tension In Bayelsa Over Speaker’s Comment On Jonathan

Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has said that his administration is willing to partner with University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in any field of interest.

The governor stated this at the Government House, Umuahia, when he met with the vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba and other principal officers of the school who paid him a courtesy visit.

According to him, Abia State government is ready to open up discussions with the school towards a lasting partnership.

He thanked the vice chancellor for being the first from the UNN to visit him and expressed the hope that the visit will open windows of opportunity between the school and Abia State.

By Matthias Nwogu Umuahia

There were signs of tension and strained relationship between members of the State House of Assembly and the speaker,Hon. Kombowei Benson over alleged move to impeach him from office following recent statements attributed to him against the president, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan.

While the impeachment move, according to State House of Assembly source, has received the blessing of the state governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson as a “col-

By Osa Okhomina, Yenagoa

lateral” sacrifice to affirm his loyalty to the president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, loyalists of the speaker, Hon. Kombowei Benson, including the chairman, House Committee on Information, Mr. Iniobiyo Obiene and the media assistant to the speaker, Mr. Preye Kiyaramo, have dismissed the alleged impeachment plot, as a “shocking claim”.

LEADERSHIP gathered that though the Bayelsa speaker had last week recanted on his comment against the alleged interference of the president in the

battle for the seat of the central senatorial district of the state, the lawmakers were said to have expressed their displeasure to the speaker for making what they described as “degrading and inciting” comments against the president.

The angry lawmakers were said to have held series of secret meetings in Yenagoa where they discussed and condemned the speaker’s tirade against President Jonathan in an interview he granted a regional tabloid.

It was learnt that they were

agitated that the speaker made statements suggesting that President Jonathan was plotting to impose candidates on members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state’s party primaries.They were said to have disassociated themselves from the offensive comments saying, “the speaker is on his own”. It was gathered that the aggrieved lawmakers further frowned on the speaker’s verbal tirade against the senator representing central senatorial district, Mr. Emmanuel Paulker.

short news Bad Roads/ Corruption Impede Agric Investment In N/Delta – Don

2015 Guber: C’River Will Not Accept A Novice – Ebri Former governor of Cross River, Mr. Clement Ebri, has advised political parties to look inward and present only experienced persons as candidates in the forthcoming election, warning that the state will not accept a novice as its governor.

Ebri, who spoke during an interview with newsmen yesterday in Calabar, said the call became imperative because the state is in dire need of someone with the required contact to attract investors.

“We can only have one governor and we need a quality governor for Cross River State. They have taken our oil wells; we need a man who can get up to Abuja and approach the authorities.

By Lanre Rotimi, Calabar

Court Strikes Out Suit Against APC Senatorial Aspirant A magistrate court in Benin the Edo State yesterday threw out a suit of disorderly conduct against a leader of the All Progressives Congress [APC] in the state Prince Joe Okojie.

In his ruling Chief Magistrate Peter Edo Asemota, ruled that it has no jurisdiction to hear a case of disorderly behaviour against Prince Joe Okojie, a senatorial aspirant of the APC from Edo central.

The police had arrested Prince Joe Okojie last year during the local government election in Esan North East local government area for an offence bordering on public disorder and unruly behaviour.

By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City

Abia State governor Theodore Orji receiving an address from the Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Udeh Okochukwu during the solidarity visit by Abia North PDP stakeholders in support of the party’s decision to cede the 2015 governorship seat to Abia south zone in Umuahia.

2015: PDP Chieftain Seeks Jonathan’s Intervention Over Imposition In A/Ibom

By Bernard Tolani Dada, Uyo

Ahead of the governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) billed for next month across the country, stakeholders and elders have continued to express fears over the prevailing political tension in Akwa Ibom State.

Their fears, it was learnt, stemmed from Governor Godswill Akpabio’s tight grip on the party’s machinery in his desperate bid to install Mr. Udom

Gabriel Emmanuel, as his successor in 2015.

Currently, the dictatorial tendencies of the governor has led to the defection of the former secretary to the state government (SSG), Mr. Umanah Okon Umanah, to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), along with some local government chairmen, councillors and other political friends.

Worried by this development which has created a big crack in the party

ahead of the polls next year, stakeholders have warned that this anomaly would work against the party if not checked.

In his protest letter made available to our correspondent in Uyo, the state capital, Obong Christopher Ekpenyong, former deputy governor and founding member of the PDP since 1998, attributed the politically charged atmosphere in the state, to greed and fear of the unknown by the current political leaders.

Professor of insurance and management, Prince Mike Ikupolati, has attributed the limited agricultural investment in the Niger Delta region to several factors including bad roads and corruption.

He disclosed this while making a presentation at the Niger Delta Development Forum (NDDF 2014) held in Calabar, yesterday.

Ikupolati, said a peaceful and stable environment will also help investment to thrive in the region.

By Lanre Rotimi, Calabar

APC Not An Islamic Party – Amaechi

By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt

Rivers State governor and chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Mr Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not an Islamic party and do not have the intentions to Islamise Nigeria if it wins the 2015 presidential election.

The governor also exonerated APC presidential aspirant, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) of the rumours, stating that the APC is a party for progressives who mean well for Nigerians and the overall development of Nigeria.

Amaechi, who spoke on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, during an interactive session with students at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education

(IAUOE), said the rumours were the handiwork of mischief makers and opponents of the party.

He said, “APC is not an Islamic party. This is so because, when General Muhammad Buhari (rtd) was Nigeria’s head of state as a young man, he did not Islamise Nigeria, and to do that he needs the endorsement of the National Assembly to debate over the issue. Buhari cannot Islamise Nige-

ria. Don’t be perturbed by what our detractors are saying.

“I am an ardent Catholic Christian and I converse with God a lot. It is not true that APC will Islamise Nigeria. The national chairman of APC, Mr. John Oyegun is a Christian. Bola Tinubu’s wife is also a Christian, Buhari’s cook is a Christian from Igboland, and his driver is also a Christian.

news Lagos 27

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Alleged N224m Theft: SERAP Urges ICPC To Probe Lagos Councils A Lagos-based human rights organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), yesterday asked the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate allegations of corruption in Lagos State councils.

SERAP, in a statement signed by its group’s senior staff counsel, Olukayode Majekodunmi and addressed to the chairman of ICPC, Ekpo Nta, also wants perpetrators of the fraud to be brought to justice.

According to the organisation, the call was sequel to a government audit of 57 local councils in the state which, according to the statement, allegedly indicted eight councils of stealing and mismanaging at least N224 million of public funds on a range of questionable expenditures and unimplemented contracts.

The group expressed serious concern about the content of 2012 government audit report and the inability of the government to fully and effectively address the issues raised by the report.

“This situation can only continue to exacerbate the increasing level of violation of the citizens’ internationally recognised economic and social rights including the right to adequate food, to quality education, to water, and to accessible and adequate health services.

SERAP noted that the allegations also constitute grave breaches of the ICPC Act 2000 and the UN Convention against Corruption which Nigeria has ratified.

Besides, SERAP urged the ICPC boss to ensure that the allegations are fully and transparently investigated, and that the findings of the investigation are made public.

The group stated further that the audit assessment reportedly accused the following local councils of wasting public funds: Agbado Oke– Odo, Surulere, Coker-Aguda, EgbeIdimu, Eredo, Iba, Ikosi-Isheri and Lagos Island East. “The report also established cases of corrupt practices and other cases of financial recklessness in Eti Osa, Mainland and Somolu and some other local councils failed to remit statutory deductions from contracts awarded to the tune of N40.9m.”

“In Surulere, auditors reportedly found that N17.5m as against the agreed N12.8m which was the 30 percent of the mobilisation sum was paid to a contractor for the installation of a Colour Led Display solution screen at Masha Road, Lagos State Water Corporation Junction in the local government.

“Even so, the project has not taken off since February 2011 when the agreement was signed. The report also mentioned spurious expenditure totalling N1.3m was made by staff on behalf of the Local Council.

“At Egbe-Idimu LCDA, a total of N29.1m was unaccounted according to the audit report. The officials at Eredo LCDA also made unauthorised excess expenditure totalling N15m in 2012,” he said.

By Olugbenga Soyele, Lagos

LASU VC Raises The Alarm Over Sales Of Varsity Land GEORGE OKOJIE, and TAIWO OGUNMOLA- OMILANI, Lagos

The vice chancellor of Lagos State University, Professor, John Obafunwa, yesterday raised the alarm over activities of the varsity staff members who had cultivated the dubious habit of selling the institution’s land to members of the public.

The vice chancellor, who expressed displeasure over the trend at an event held at the University auditorium to mark his three years in office, warned the erring staff against the practice or face the wrath of the law.

Obafunwa said the university had obtained Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) to the land, and that an area survey had been conducted to solve problem of encroachments on the land.

He added that with the development, all those who encroached on LASU land have become tenants and would be made to pay ground rent to the university authourity.

“We now have C of O for LASU. There is an area survey of all those who have encroached on LASU, in matter of months will become LASU tenants and a seprate account will be opened

for that purpose.”

Speaking on the crisis created by withdrawal of 19 Ph.D. certificates, he explained that the Senate took the decision to withdraw the certificates after deliberations on the imperative of the action.

He said, “The vice chancellor cannot award a Ph.D. or withdraw a PHD; it is only the university’s Senate. After over three hours of deliberations over their withdrawal, one of our own said you cannot accept the Ph.D. given to me because if I applied for Ph.D. in a particular discipline, you cannot give me Ph.D in another discipline. The situation was

brought to Senate and they check their records and came back with 19 names.”

He said in the last three years, the administration had worked tirelessly at ensuring prompt response to student matters, timely release of results which can be easily accessed on the university’s website.

Obafunwa pointed out that 61 out of the 62 courses offered by the university had been accredited, stressing that management had continued to review its academic programmes to ensure that they are in line with modern trends and are relevant to the needs of the society.

short news

‘Don’t Truncate Nigeria’s Democracy For Selfish Interest‘

L-R: National president, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANALCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu; senior special assistant to the president on Maritime, Mr Oyewole Leke; director-general, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Joseph Odumodu and president, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, Mr Lucky Amiwero, at a stakeholders’ forum on maritime industry in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN

N247m Fraud: Court Refuses AGF’s Application To Withdraw Charge Against Traders

by OLUGBENGA SOYELE, Lagos

An application filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke asking a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja to stop the trial of five former employees of the Lagos Trade Fair Complex for theft was yesterday refused by the court.

The trial judge, Justice Kudirat

Jose, in a ruling held that Section 211 (a) of the 1999 Constitution is very clear on the matter and that it is only the Lagos State Attorney-General and not the AGF that can enter a nolle proseque with respect to this suit.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Bassey Eyamba,

Francis Dajilak, Lazarus Okocha, Barnabas Kolo and Eunice Oka before the court for allegedly stealing N247 million belonging to their employer.

The commission had accused the defendants of fraudulently obtained various sums of money belonging to their employer by renting and selling some plots of land owned by the complex.

The National secretary of Labour Party (LP) Barrister Kayode Ajulo has enjoined Nigerian politicians not to allow ego and selfish interest to blind them from the onerous duty of defending the overriding interest of the people and the nation’s democracy.

Ajulo who made this call in a statement made available to journalists noted that events in the last couple of weeks call for great caution and restraint on the part of political actors in the country.

Ajulo said that the emerging scenarios of carpet-crossing, unprocedural impeachments and sheer lawlessness and brigandage leave much to be desired.

By George Okojie, Lagos

UNIC Creates ‘Orange Street’ To Mark Day On Violence Against Women

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

In celebrating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, UNIC Lagos mobilized over 350 people to ‘orange’ the Ikoyi neighbourhood.

In a statement to Leadership yesterday and signed by

the national information officer Oluseyi Soremekun, it stated that in a carnival-like atmosphere spiced with drums, songs and dances, UNIC Lagos created an ‘Orange Street.’

The rally, tagged ‘the Orange Rally’, he said, was “organized by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos

in collaboration with the Lagos State Government and a network of NGOs, and attended by representatives of 16 government agencies, 15 NGOs and media organisations among others.”

In his message, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon noted that women and girls experience violence in all countries

and neighbourhoods but those crimes often remain unreported and hidden.

“We must end the silence,” he urged. “Everyone has a responsibility to prevent and end violence against women and girls, starting by challenging the culture of discrimination that allows it to continue.”

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Thursday, November 27, 2014

MTN FOUNDATION

ScIeNce & TechNOlOgy SchOlArShIp ScheMe (phASe 5)

T

he MTN Foundation Science and Technology Scholarship (MTNF STS) Scheme, now in its Fifth Phase, was introduced in the 2009/2010 academic session to assist high performing Nigerian students to pursue their academic education in tertiary institutions (Universities, Polytechnics project phase Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Total No. of Awardees Total No. of Scholarship Awards since inception

2009/2010 500

500

and Colleges of Education) across the country. Each award is worth N200, 000 covering tuition, book allowance and pocket allowance every academic year. Subsequently the scholarship is renewed annually on the condition that students maintain the required grades.

Under the MTNF STS Scheme 500 topscoring candidates are selected annually as new beneficiaries following an aptitude test set for 2nd year students who have maintained a 3.5 grade point and above. This year alone, over 7,800 students applied for scholarship with their submissions evaluated; and on verification of academic records,

Academic Session 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 451 393 221 33 483 367 191 65 255 231 162 500 445 500 934 1015 1143 1205

1,500 shortlisted applicants were invited for computer based aptitude tests in 3 locations across the country before final selections were made.

From inception in 2009 to 2014, MTNF would have awarded a total of 4,797 scholarships as detailed in the table below:

Project Phase 2013/2014

2012/2013 Academic Session 2011/2012

2010/2011

2009/2010

Phase 1

4797

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

Phase 5

Students

New AwArDeeS (2014/15 AcADeMIc SeSSION) S/N SUrNAMe

OTher NAMeS

cUrreNT INSTITUTION

S/N SUrNAMe

OTher NAMeS

cUrreNT INSTITUTION

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Abdulmalik Jonathan Bawa Aliyu John Enogela Umar Faisal Shahabudeen Yavini Joshua Musa Ismaila Mogbo Marvellous Izucukwu Collins Elizabeth Tosan Martins Oghenemine Fredrick Chinonso Precious Eghonghon Oghenekevwe Isaac Benard Oghenegare Francis Ikechukwu Onyekachukwu Hycinth Chidiebere Esther Olufunmilayo Elias Samuel Babatunde A Uche Michael Daniel Itunu David Ileriayo Kabir Adewale Daniel Gbenga Oludayo Daniel Abeeb Opeyemi Segun Nuru Dapo Timilehin Ademola Owolabi EbenezeR Damilare Rahman Ajibola Oladele Oludotun Olukunle Micheal Raphael Ayodele Bukunmi Gabriel Solomon BabatunDe Ruth Oluwatobi Ebube Favour Babajide Yusuf Obinna Chukwuemeka Ayorotimi Jubril Ayodeji Felix Michael Segun Hannah Oluwatosin Racheal Oghenetejiri Uzochi Chizurum Nicholas Ejiro Ayodeji Timilehin Precious Oro Temitope Olawale Boluwatife Timothy Deborah Boluwatife Oluwanbo Samuel Somto Johnpaul Adepeju Rukayat Oladayo OluwafEmi Oluwaseun Abisola Oluwabunmi Emmanuel Awal Adava Abayomi Idowu Fatima Bolajoko Simeon Ugochukwu Yaqoub Bamidele Omoniyi Yinka Abdulmujeeb Binta Anwo-Ade Omotayo Eddy Markus Samuel Oyedoyin Luter Lewis Richmond Anghuikwu Ndubuisi Ferdinand Ifeanyi Stephen-Mary Rabiu Muhammed Olamide Mohammed AbDulazim Onoruoiza Victor Onoruoiza James Haliru Idris Nathaniel Munirat Jeremiah Ezinna Yak Dyil Jimoh Matthew Tunde Abd’gafar Chimezie Hilary Elizabeth Udoh Vivian GinikachI Victor Ezinna Ikemba Chike Marvelous Ifechukwude Saviour Chima Miracle Uchenna

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Ahmadu Bello University Ahmadu Bello University Ahmadu Bello University Ahmadu Bello University Ambrose Alli University Anambra State University Delta State University Delta State Polytechnic Delta State University Delta State University Delta State University Delta State University Delta State University Delta State University Enugu State University Of Science And Technology Federal College Of Education (Technical), Akoka Federal College Of Education (Technical), Akoka Federal Polytechnic, Ede Federal Polytechnic, Ede Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University OF Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Federal University Of Petroleum Resources, Effurun Federal University Of Petroleum Resources, Effurun Federal University Of Petroleum Resources, Effurun Federal University Of Petroleum Resources, EfFurun Federal University Of Petroleum Resources, Effurun Federal University Of Technology, Akure Federal University Of Technology, Akure Federal University Of Technology, Akure Federal University Of Technology, Akure Federal University Of Technology, Akure Federal University Of Technology, Akure Federal University Of Technology, Akure Federal University Of Technology, Akure Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna FedEral University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal UnivErsity Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology Minna Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194

Andrew Udochukwu Daniel Odera Michael Chike Chimdindu Victor Chinemerem Maxwellington Chika Hope Goodness Ewoma Effiom Charles Chibuikem Precious Favour MmesOma Chibuike Solomon Daniel Sunday Emeka Innocent Chimdinyelum Johaness Ihechukwu Justice Chibuike Ndubuisi Joshua Nwafor Samuel Uzodinmaa Victoria Chinwendu Bill Enyinnaya Azubuike Emmanuel Chibuike Samuel Lawrence Chigozie Chidi Ikechi Ifeanyi Valentine Judah Victor Chukwudebe Oluebube Chigoziri Uzochukwu Chidinma Tobechi Kachisicho Chidozie Darlington Chinazom Chukwudi Chukwuka Chibueze Ikenna George Onyebuchi Theophilus Uchechukwu Doris Harrison Ifeanyichukwu Prince Peter Chinonso MArvellous Ayodele Adeokiji Olamilekan Waliyullahi Chisom Victory Aonullahi Adewale Gabriel Tosin Bayo John Babatunde Habib AbdUroqeeb Olamide Oluwaseyi Suleman Opeoluwa David Emmauel Ibukun Onnie Clinton Kalu Nnanna Chigoziri Fortune C Chibuike Emenike Daniel Chimdike Canice Chinasa Peters Chinonso Chinonso Cornelius Victor Onyehuruchi Mercy Udoka Gideon Chukwuka Emeka Bright Love Ozioma Tobore Kingsley Chibueze Jamael Chima Innocent Ifenna Ebubechukwu Caleb Chinoso Emmanuel CHukwunonso Anthony Chinecherem Juliana Ndubuisi Ignatius Chigozie Chidiebere Cynthia Tochi Ezinne Martina Damian Ekene Chidebe Chukwujekwu Paschal Chijioke Chukwudi Joseph Chizoba Glory Ukamaka Joy Chizobam Onyinyechi Sunday Iyanu Sanmi Samuel Timothy Oluwasegun Idris Sunday Emeka Samuel Seun Dare Abdul-Kazeem Mayowa Nunayon Chiagozie Victor Kelvin Anthony Abdulfatai Damilare Olalekan John BukunmI Azeez Oluwatobi Afeez

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, OWerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University Of Technology, Owerri Federal University, Oye-Ekiti Federal University, Oye-Ekiti Imo State University Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology Lagos State University, Ojo Lagos State University, Ojo Lagos State University, Ojo Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Michael Okpara University Of AgrIculture Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Nasarawa State University, Keffi Niger Delta University , Wilberforce Island Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Osun State University, Osogbo Osun State University, Osogbo Osun State University, Osogbo Osun State University, Osogbo

Husain Japhet Mustapha Oche Ya’u Abubakar Aji Muktari Shaibu Bamidele Nzegwu Akande Akpore Anikor Enaholo Jeremiah Okoremu Surveyor Umeayo Izueke-Okolo Agboola Kolawole Afolabi Ikpade Adebeshin Adebiyi Adekunle Adeyemi Adeyeye Alabi Animashaun Babarinde Babatunde Bamigbolu Busari Fatoki Kayode Obakhavbaye Odunlami Ogundimu Ojo Okoye Oladunni Opara Owolabi Oyekunle Shokunbi Soyinka Asanimo Basil Ezele Fabusiwa Okoloko Adeniyi Adunmoye Bello Kola-Adelakin Muotoe Mustapha Olaogun Onibi Abati Abdulsalam Adewumi Adigun Aguedu Ahmad Aiyejina Akodudu Aliu Anwo-Ade Bwala Dada Dzeremo Elaigwu Enegide Eze Ibrahim Jamiu Mohammed Momoh Momoh Ndayagi Ogbada Ojotu Osibe Peter Sunday Tiamiyu Ukwueze Umoh Abel Agbamoro Ahuruonye Ajumuka Anozie Awah

Chikwendu Chinwuba Egbuna Ejiogu Eke Elumeziem Esieboma Etim Ezemaduka Gilbert Ihedionanma Inyang Kalu Ndidika Nwachinemere Nwammuo Nwankwo Nwankwo Nwazue Nwokeohuru Obi-Aguocha Obidike Obikaonu Obu OchuLo Ogbuokiri Ogueri-Onyeukwu Okeke Onuegbu Onyeukwu Oparaocha OtuBelu Richard Ubazuonu Uchechukwu Udoh Ugwuoke Ukanwoke Unorji Adewale Raheem Onyenagubo Adebayo Adewole Areola Olalere Salahudeen Agoro Ayoade Koleoso Ahuruonye Amah Arinze Dimojiaku Eme Ifeagwu Ihejirika Jacob Oche Ogbonna Onuegbu Onyedikachi Ukachukwu Ihezukwu Onowode Ahachie Ajah Ajuluchi Alaoma Asomba Ifeabunike Ike Iyiegbu Njoku Nnaam Nnamani Nwaohiri Obalim Odibe Okorie Oranyelu Ozoibekwe Ukwuigwe Ajayi Akinmodun Akinniyi Akinwande Nwokolo Ogungbemi Shamba Tudonu Ughonu Umechukwu Abdulrauf Adeniran Akinniyi Mustapha

S/N SUrNAMe

OTher NAMeS

cUrreNT INSTITUTION

S/N SUrNAMe

OTher NAMeS

cUrreNT INSTITUTION

195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348

Oluwatoye Paul Olamide Rasheedah Sarafa David Onowoakpo Supreme Princewill Keka Ifeanyi Jeremiah Nwohinakachi Emmanuel Samuel Ngozi Opeyemi Olutofarati Samuel Ibukunoluwa Charles Isaac Peace Ufuomanefe Blessing Oghenero Imafidon .O. Precious Ehis Chris Godstand Oyime Jude Lucky Kinz Tega Smart Osinahi Tobenna Victor Raphael Oshobugie Osariemen Felix Eyanye Chukwuka Joseph Anietie Emmanuel Olakunle Stephen Olohije Ihonde Michael Temitope Oluwayomi Ekene Joshua Eromosele Wisdom Ase Wisdom Udochukwu Daniel Oluwasegun Emalereta Delight Nelson Ogbe Olisa Frank Aselaag Jude Comfort Friday Destiny Osasumwen Sunday Osemudiamen Osaumamwen Steven Ebuwa Julia Praise Osamudiabhen Victor Onosedeba Ngozi Joan Naomi OgencHukwu Donenaziba Enock Godstime Ogechiukwu James Kubiri Esther Odiriawodia Paula Miracle Ebuka Peace Ebube Stanley Izunna Ikponmwosa Harrison Eminowo Esther DuMebi Chukwuemeka Nwanze Chukuemeke Precious Uzezi Bright Blessing Izi Collins Nnamdi Onajite Reuben Fedelis Ebruphiyor Precious Oghenenyerhovwo Voke Omokhaphe Ammed Ruth Chiamaka Lucky Eshemomoh Olanrewaju Musbaudeen Oluwatobiloba Deborah Babatunde Idris Ibrahim Oluwaseun Adetoye Henry Gbadegesin Idris John Adedeji Oyedokun Oluyomi Oyesola DeBorah John Odion Boluwatife Belief Oluwatobi Israel Akinyemi Ishola Imam Akintomiwa Sunday Akintunde Esther Motunrayo Dolapo Ibrahim Toyib Babatunde Hassan Ademayokun Titus Oghenefega Ayanyemi Samuel Akintola Kelechi Chinomso Ibukunoluwa Beatrice Ikechukwu Olisaeloka Christian Udoh Matthew Opeyemi Ebenezer Oluwakayode Oluwadamilare Shola Tobi Taiwo Queen Rilwan Omotola Gbolahan Joshua Oyelekan Muyideen Nnamdi Anthony Kehinde Jeffrey Godsfavour Oseremen Chiedozie Desmond Marian Nwanne Olumide Michael Matthew Friday Tolulope Olanrewaju Gideon Oluwatemilorun Odunayo Jude Abdullateef Adekunle Sulaiman Tunbosun Rasaq Grace Ibrahim Opeyemi Samson Kolawole Ifeanyi Emmanuel Oluwafemi Peter Biodun Emmanuel Taiwo Emmanuel Shakirudeen Oluwatosin Adewale David Adedapo Ayodeji Osazemen Marvins Righteousness Jesufemi Oladipo Olukunle OluTosin Tomilayo Ibukun Tunmise Mayowa Idowu Abolaji Aminat Olufemi Joseph Michael Oputa Vincent Uchenna Jeffrey Ajirioghene Adesanya Taiwo Ibrahim Shehu Aliu Ololade Damilola Abraham Oluwaseun Abdulafeez Ayodeji Adeyemi Damilare Iseoluwa Samuel Jamalddeen Ayobami Adisa Yusuff Ahmed Tijani Ebenezer Bamidele Gabriel Oluwaseun Emmanuel Udeme Tolulope Adebusayo

Osun State University, Osogbo Osun State University, Osogbo Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun Rivers State University Of Science And Technology, Port Harcourt Rivers State University Of Science And Technology, Port Harcourt Rivers State University Of Science And Technology, Port Harcourt Rivers State University Of Science And Technology, Port Harcourt Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Rufus Giwa Polytechnic University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin UNiversity Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University OF Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Benin University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University OF Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ibadan University Of Ilorin UniVersity Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin

349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500

Saheed Ishaq Nafisat Adejoke Kehinde Joseph David Olusegun Akeem Adekunle Anjola Oluwaseun Owolabi Afeez Haleem Temitope Damilare Emmanuel Benedict Olushola Ibrahim Ayodeji Adejo Tobechu Francis Babatunde Abdulghazal Saheed Adisa Mary Ifeakachukwu David Abdul-Azeez Remilekun Favour Oluwaseyi Victor Ayodeji Augustine Oloche Daniel Oluseyi Abiodun Oluwasegun Onyekachukwu Ruth Edewende Michael Adepoju Peter Olaide Taofiqat Opeyemi Godwin Tomiwa Olatunbosun Oluchukwu Theophilus Adeiza Abdulganiu Opeyemi Hadassah Gabriel Gbenga Lekan Ridwan Adeyemi Babatunde Ibrahim Alabi Olugbenga(Jnr) Hakeem Muhammed Adeola Olumide Ekundayo Azeez Arisekola Sodiq OLolade Gideon Omotolani Deborah Olaoluwa Oladimeji Joshua Temiloluwa Muheebdeen Ayobami Michael God’slove Rebecca Adedoyin Adeola Oluwasegun David Oluwasanjo Adeola Adeola Rachael Oluyinka Bolutife Emmanuel Anuoluwapo Korede David Taiwo Samuel Olabisi Olakorede Oluwaseun Eunice Oluwadamilare Israel Precious Eka Olakanmi Ruben Olusegun David Choice Modupe Ajike Omosewa Dunsin Doyin Adesola Luqman Richard Adesegun Babatunde Oluwafemi Ridwan Olasunkanmi Victor Oche Timilehin Opeyemi Mumin Olawale Ayoola Clive BabaJide Christiana Akunnaya Hannah Ayindiya Paul Oluwafemi Peter Simon Feyisayo Olamide Olusegun Emmanuel Daniel Adeshina Fuad Ademola Ayomide Abdulquadri Caleb Segun Joseph Martins Augustine Oludolapo Omowunmi Boluwatife Oluwadamilola Anthony Osenele Joy Ohireme Ifeanyichukwu Akochukwu Simisola Amdalat Olaniyi Adedeji Olaposi Titilope Oloche Michael Kelvin Kanayo Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Oladimeji Babatunde Hassan Damilola Oluwatosin David Oluwakorede Daniel Judah Chukwunedum Babatunde Samuel Chibueze Nnamdi Olajide Ayodele Emmanuel Omagbitse Chidozie Josephine Newman Ehiremen Oludayo Oluwatosin Olumide Ayodeji Ifeoluwasimi Stephine Damilola Oluwaseun Ugochukwu Pius Adedamola Babafemi Oluwatosin Temitope Oluwadamilola Hilary Temitope Elizabeth Oluwafemi Precious Isreal Tobi Bosun Abbas Opeyemi Praise Omotolani Peter Damilola Olugbemiro Oluwasemilore Ganiyat Oluwafemi Akintunde Pascal ChikWado Oluwatosin David Obinna Paschal James Chukwuemeka Ugochukwu Julius Johnpaul Chinedu Uwakwe Benson Promise Chibunna Aaron Ndidi Chukwuebuka Kelvin Obinna Kenneth Idoko Dominic Chukwubuikem Chisom Godwin Chukwuemeka Chizoba Edwin Okechukwu Michael Emeka Stephen Samuel Chibuoyim Emmanuel Tochukwu Michael Ike Ebosetale Wisdom Festus Awajioma Goddey David Dumbari Oluchukwu Joshua Ugochukwu Chisom Tamaraebi Ayitope Onochie Obinna

University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin UniversIty Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Ilorin University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos UniversIty Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos UniversiTy Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Lagos University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Nigeria University Of Port Harcourt University Of Port Harcourt University Of Port Harcourt University Of Port Harcourt University Of Port Harcourt University Of Port Harcourt University Of Port Harcourt University Of Port Harcourt University Of Port Harcourt University Of Port Harcourt

Olosunde Zubayr Azeez Isele Benson Okoroma Oleru Otobo Daramola Julius Abu Adjerese Agofure Ahanor AichIenede Aimiuwu Akpologun Alika Anighoro Anozie Anyaezu Aruokhai Asemwota Ashama Asiadiachi Attat Awosika Ayeni Benjamin Boboye Chimodo David Donald Edozie Emuze Erezi Erharuyi Esekea Eshikhogie Frank Idele Idiakose Ighodaro Iguobaro Ihansekhien Imhanguelo Isibor Isibor Josiah Kemele Kubiri Metieh Mordi Ndunigwe Nwadiokwu Nwanekezie Obasuyi Obogakiri Okobi Okonji Oliseyenum Omadoko Orekhie Orji Otokpen Ovwemu Sagbodje Sammukoro Udomoh UwaNdu Yerimah Abidogun Adebisi Adebisi Adedokun Adekoya Adelabu Adeleye Adeoye Aderemi Aihie Ajao Akano Akindele Akinlade Akinola Akinrinde Amusat Aremu Asudemade Avwioroko Ayankoso Buhari-Alade Chidi-Ihuoma Dagunduro Dike Effiong Fabiyi Fadoju Hassan Ifalade Jackson Liadi Mendes Moshood Nwaka Obaitan Obele Obidi Obuseh Odelola Odia Odunola Ogunbiyi Ogundepo Ogundipe Ogungboyega Ogunlana Ogunlowo Oguntola Okemakinde OkwuchI Olapade Olateju Olatunde Olawale Omogunsoye Omotoso Oriakhi Orioke Owolabi Oyesina Raji Sangotade Shodipo Shodunke Tunji-Ekpeti Ugwueze Utomudo Womiloju Abdul Ganiy Abdul Mujib Abioye Adefabi Adeniyi Adeoye Adesanmi Adewola Adewuyi Ahmed Ajayi Akanji Akpan Alade

Alaya Amuda Arogunyo Ayodele Azeez Bajomo Bamidele Dairo Daniel Dauda Dosunmu Edoh Ejieji Eyinfunjowo Ganiyu Isangediok Jacob Lawal Malumi Musa Noah Odushe Ogunkunle Okocha Okolo Olaomi Oloriegbe Olorunshola Omotesho Onunkwo Otuoze Owolabi Oyediran Raheem Abass Abass Abdulai Abdulrazaq Abejide Abiodun Adebiyi Adebowale Adedoyin Adegbite Adelaja Adeleke Ademoye Adenuga Adeosun Aderemi Adesina Adisa Afara Agbaje Ajani Ajasa Ajayi Ajiboye Ajorgba Akande Alamu Alao - Sanni Arowolo Ashaolu Awari Ayoade Bamgbade Bello Bernard Bolaji Braimoh Collins Davies Dalley Ekeopara Emeraghi Enimola Erhue Fadipe Faniyi Gbadebo Goloba Hamzat Henry Ibiyemi Ibong Idowu Ifedayo Ikuenobe Izegaegbe Jeremiah Keye Lamina Lawore Lawrence Mafua Momodu Mustapha Nurudeen Obafemi Obawole Odiachi Odimayo Oguejiofor Ogunboye Ogunlusi Okechukwu Okoh Oludayo Olugbemiro Olusola Oluyemo Onwuta Origbemisoye Osho OsInowo Oyekanmi Oyenowo Oyinloye Roy-Layinde Sunmola Taiwo Taiwo Talabi Tytler Abuchi Adewole Alago Amadi Ameh Aniowo Asogwa Emejuru Esumeh Eze Ezema Idagu Ngwoke Nwangele Ogbonna Okoli Oriaku Uche Abadi Chuku Eigbuluese Felix Fimienye Kabari Njoku Nnamdi Ogosi Onuora

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Thursday, November 27, 2014

MTN FOUNDATION

ScIeNce & TechNOlOgy SchOlArShIp ScheMe (phASe 5) reTUrNINg AwArDeeS S/N

SUrNAMe

OTher NAMeS

cUrreNT INSTITUTION

S/N

SUrNAMe

OTher NAMeS

cUrreNT INSTITUTION

1

Abdul

Kashim Adangara

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

87

Sulaimon

Sodiq Ayinde

Federal University Of Petroleum Resources Effurun

2

Dabo

Sani Bello

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

88

Adebayo

Taiwo Michael

Federal University Of Technology Akure

3

Eniola

James Ayoola

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

89

Adediji

Musefiu Yemi

Federal University Of Technology Akure

4

Jimoh

Folarin Kamaldeen

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

90

Adelani

Ridwanullah Dayo

Federal University Of Technology Akure

5

Lawal

Ibrahim

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

91

Adewuyi

Funso Gabriel

Federal University Of Technology Akure

6

Moses

Job Sule

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

92

Afolabi

Timothy Blessing

Federal University Of Technology Akure

7

Nwafor

Hedges Chukwunonso

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

93

Akinola

Samuel Owolabi

Federal University Of Technology Akure

8

Onogu

Ibrahim

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

94

Akinyemi

Akinkunle Paul

Federal University Of Technology Akure

9

Onuorah

Christian Anthony

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

95

Alao

Olusola Enoch

Federal University Of Technology Akure

10

Oyama

Aisha

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

96

Ayeni

Oluwaseun John

Federal University Of Technology Akure

11

Sulaiman

Muhammad Bashir

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

97

Bolarinwa

Simeon Oluwatobi

Federal University Of Technology Akure

12

Timothy

Isaiah

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

98

Esan

Oladapo Christopher

Federal University Of Technology Akure

13

Olayemi

Olusegun Micheal

Adekunle Ajasin University

99

Falomo

Olaniyi Oluwatosin

Federal University Of Technology Akure

14

Abdulmalik

Farouk Otaru

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

100

Idris

Sulaiman Ayodeji

Federal University Of Technology Akure

15

Abdulmutalib

Abdulhadi

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

101

Ijaola

Ahmed, Olanrewaju

Federal University Of Technology Akure

16

Abolarin

Mutillah. Omogbolade

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

102

Itodo

Emmanuel Samson

Federal University Of Technology Akure

17

Adeshina

Mohammad Awwal

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

103

Joaquim

Olurotimi Akinwande

Federal University Of Technology Akure

18

Afolabi

Abdulrasheed Kolawole

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

104

Kazeem

Kayode Olatunji

Federal University Of Technology Akure Federal University Of Technology Akure

19

Ako

Adams Ako

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

105

Komolafe

Kolawole Bashir

20

Ameh

Enufedo Samuel

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

106

Lasisi

Olayemi Afolabi

Federal University Of Technology Akure

21

Aminu

Usman Kabir

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

107

Longe

Oreoluwa Pelumi

Federal University Of Technology Akure

22

Asimiyu

Saheed Opeyemi

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

108

Olafasakin

Olumide Olabanji

Federal University Of Technology Akure

23

Babalola

Tajudeen Semako

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

109

Olagundoye

Olabisi Doyinmola

Federal University Of Technology Akure

24

Boyi

Bala

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

110

Oloyede

Sinmiloluwa Sunday

Federal University Of Technology Akure

25

Eneh

Emmanuel Ekemezie

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

111

Osegbe

Golden-Joe

Federal University Of Technology Akure

26

Francis

Monday

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

112

Owolabi

Samuel Oluwatosin

Federal University Of Technology Akure

27

Gideon

Temidayo Jude

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

113

Owolala

Felix Olukolade

Federal University Of Technology Akure

28

Idris

Azeez

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

114

Oyedele

Akoke Christiana

Federal University Of Technology Akure

29

Ikape

Francis Onahi

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

115

Oyewole

Tobi Samuel

Federal University Of Technology Akure

30

Ismail

Usman

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

116

Saliu

Rilwan Adebayo

Federal University Of Technology Akure

31

Joseph

Okeh Simon

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

117

Shodipe

Opeyemi Michael

Federal University Of Technology Akure

32

Kassim

Abduljalal Yusha’U

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

118

Somefun

Oluwasegun Ayokunle

Federal University Of Technology Akure

33

Kolade

Emmanuel Bamidele

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

119

Tiamiyu

Abass Babatunde

Federal University Of Technology Akure

34

Mamman

Salihu

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

120

Udorah

Daniel Oraeloka

Federal University Of Technology Akure

35

Olajide

Emmanuel Olajide

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

121

Usman

Muhammed Braimoh

Federal University Of Technology Akure

36

Olofu

John Eneche

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

122

Obi

Innocent Kelvin

Federal University Of Technology Yola

37

Olumuyiwa

Olufemi Daniel

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

123

Abanobi

Ekene Alexander

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

38

Omede

Eneojo Kelvin

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

124

Abbah

Innocent Matthew

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

39

Oyedeji

Ayodeji Nathaniel

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

125

Abdul

Joshua

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

40

Shehu

Yusuf

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

126

Abdulsalam

Dahiru

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

41

Tamunoibelema

Justice Obereneboye

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

127

Abiodun

Oluwafemi David

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

42

Umar

Haruna

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

128

Abubakar

Salihu Mahe

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

43

Umoren

Umoren Iwok

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

129

Adelowo

Kunle Victor

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

44

Zakariyyah

Abdulkareem

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

130

Adeoti

Kehinde Samuel

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

45

Abbas

Najib Wada

Bayero University

131

Adigun

Abdullateef Olaitan

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

46

Abdullahi

Abba Suleiman

Bayero University

132

Adinya

Godwin Ushie

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

47

Abubakar

Aminu Ibrahim

Bayero University

133

Adisa

Ibrahim Oluwajoba

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

48

Ekebuisi

Emmanuel Tochukwu

Bayero University

134

Agi

Damian Tyoor

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

49

Mu’Azu

Adamu Haruna

Bayero University

135

Ahmed

Lawal

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

50

Yusuf

Haris

Bayero University

136

Akande

Thomas Onimisi

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

51

Zango

Mahmud Sani

Bayero University

137

Akor

Jonathan Oneh

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

52

Adebo

Ezra Oloche

Benue State University

138

Aku

Wilson

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

53

Bright Davies

Benjamin

Delta State University

139

Aliu

Mutiu Adeyemi

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

54

Dolor

Oghenerume Joshua

Delta State University

140

Amos

Chigozie

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

55

Okuma

Onome Maxwell

Delta State University

141

Anajama

Ejike Jude

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

56

Ulu

Winifred Ebehiremhen

Delta State University

142

Ayinla

Anuoluwapo Abdulkarim

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

57

Nwabu

Ugochukwu Jonathan

Ebonyi State University

143

Ayinla

Oluwarotimi Adola

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

58

Udu

Amamihechi Joel

Ebonyi State University

144

Damisa

Abdulahi

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

59

Ajayi

Ayodele Emmanuel

Ekiti State University

145

Danjuma

Usman

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

60

Adewunmi

Andrew Adesanmi

Federal Polytechnic Ilaro. Ogun State

146

Ehiozuwa

Joshua Osasu

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

61

Abraham

Oluwafemi

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

147

Ekele

Sunday Francis

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

62

Adebayo

Hammed Opeyemi

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

148

Emmanuel

Samuel Ene-Ojo

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

63

Alli-Balogun

Abubakre Oladimeji

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

149

Enemarie

Daniel Ameh

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

64

Badmus

Adeola Adeniyi

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

150

Etuka

Raphael Onuh

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

65

Bello

Oluwatobi Michael

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

151

Ibraheem

Abdullah Olatunde

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

66

Besidonne

Charles Eyituoyo

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

152

Ibrahim

Abdullahi

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

67

Enyigwe

Emmanuel Uba

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

153

Igbinosun

Edwin Osayuki

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

68

Kareem

Damilola Uthman

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

154

Ilufoye

Taofeeq Mayowa

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

69

Kayode

Oluwaseun David

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

155

Iortsor

Aondokator Joel

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

70

Kazeem

Bolarinwa Seun

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

156

Jurbe

Dokwunna Yilji

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

71

Matti

Opeyemi Saheed

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

157

Kamarudeen

Abduljafar Oladele

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

72

Ogunade

Kehinde Mayokun

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

158

Lokosa

Michael Abiola

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

73

Oke

Joshua Olawale

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

159

Maduka

Emmanuel Chukwudi

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

74

Oke

Olayinka,Adebayo

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

160

Modupe

Samuel Bamidele

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

75

Okpala

Ifeanyi Udodilim

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

161

Muogbo

Chukwuma

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

76

Raji

Ibrahim Bamidele

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

162

Ndonah

Charles Toro

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

77

Sanni

Ibraheem Alabi

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

163

Ntekim

Faith Affiong

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

78

Sodje

Victor Onome

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

164

Nwoko

Godsfavour Chinasu

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

79

Sulaimon

Babatunde Adewale

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

165

Nzekwe

Joel Chineduy

Federal University Of Technology, Minna Federal University Of Technology, Minna

80

Surau

Babatunde Yusuf

Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

166

Odumu

Emmanuel Oche

81

Omogbemi

Adeleke Benjamin

Federal University Of Agriculture Makurdi

167

Ogabiela

Isaac Oche

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

82

Agbas

Ogaga

Federal University Of Petroleum Resources Effurun

168

Ogbechina

Elliot Ikenna

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

83

Akpokiere

Orobome Isabella

Federal University Of Petroleum Resources Effurun

169

Ogunremi

Sesan Joshua

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

84

Gidiagba

Osheyor Joachim

Federal University Of Petroleum Resources Effurun

170

Oladoyin

Pius Olumide

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

85

Lawal

Solomon Adeniyi

Federal University Of Petroleum Resources Effurun

171

Olarewaju

Yahya Daud

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

86

Nwaguru

Ikehukwu Uche

Federal University Of Petroleum Resources Effurun

172

Olatunji

Oluwasogo Isaac

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

1

31

Thursday, November 27, 2014

MTN FOUNDATION

ScIeNce & TechNOlOgy SchOlArShIp ScheMe (phASe 5) cONTINUeD reTUrNINg AwArDeeS S/N

SUrNAMe

OTher NAMeS

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S/N

SUrNAMe

OTher NAMeS

cUrreNT INSTITUTION

173

Olorunsaiye

Oluwafemi

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

262

Omotayo

Adeolu Oriyomi

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

174

Onwuka

Esther Chinomso

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

263

Oshunkunle

Taiwo David

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

175

Oyegbemi

Samuel Adebayo

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

264

Oyewo

Oluwafemi Adesoye

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

176

Reuben

Pambani

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

265

Adebowale

Ahmed Adedayo

Lagos State University

177

Sule

Joseph Onuche

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

266

Daniel

Friday Olanrewaju

Lagos State University

178

Tabat

Meshach Elias

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

267

Mustafa

Nurudeen Opeoluwa

Lagos State University

179

Tarhule

Justin Aondoakaaa

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

268

Oladipupo

Kazeem Olamilekan

Lagos State University

180

Ugwu

Innocent Chukwuebuka

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

269

Omotesho

Temitope Olalekan

Lagos State University

181

Yusuf

Samuel Sunday

Federal University Of Technology, Minna

270

Sobowale

Olamide Adekunle

Lagos State University

182

Adiegwu

Chinedu Emmanuel

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

271

Tijani

Tunde Mufutau

Lagos State University

183

Ajah

Excel Anayo

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

272

Chinedum

Chiemela Godswill

Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Umudike

184

Anya

Kenneth Kenechukwu

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

273

Dike

Nduka Wonderful

Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Umudike

185

Arukwe

Chidozie Jeffrey

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

274

Nwafor

Francis Onyedikachi

Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Umudike

186

Chima

Augustine Nnanna

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

275

Okafor

Chukwuma Charles

Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Umudike

187

Chukwu

Augustus Chinonso

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

276

Peter

Chimdinma Friday

Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Umudike

188

Chukwudi

Percy Chiyem

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

277

Ukah

Samuel Okoro

Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Umudike Nasarawa State University Keffi

189

Dan

Emefon Ekerette

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

278

Abdullazeez

Kabiru

190

Dike

Nnaemeka Azubuike

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

279

Abimaje

Okpanachi Simon

Nasarawa State University Keffi

191

Dike

Osunna Paul

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

280

Elabor

Abubakar Abdulsalam

Nasarawa State University Keffi

192

Ejike

Brian Chukwujekwu

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

281

Nnabude

Christian Uche

Nasarawa State University Keffi

193

Elezua

Emmanuel Obinna

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

282

Obidiegwu

Chukwuemeka Bonaventure

Nasarawa State University Keffi

194

Eze

Wilfred Okwudili

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

283

Ochoche

Ali Peter

Nasarawa State University Keffi

195

Ezeogu

Sandra-Nora Uloma

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

284

Omoake

Paul

Nasarawa State University Keffi

196

Hillary

Nnamdi Evans

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

285

Uzor

Ikechukwu John

Nasarawa State University Keffi Nasarawa State University Keffi

197

Idoko

Nicholas Chinazom

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

286

Yusuf

Tayo Abdulrafiiu

198

Ifediora

Elochukwu Christian

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

287

Eluemuno

Christopher Azubuike

Niger-Delta University Wilberforce Island, Amassoma

199

Igwe

Godswill C

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

288

Popoola

Funmilola Ruth

Nigerian College (University) Of Aviation Tech. Zaria

200

Iloka

Vivian Chiamaka

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

289

Abel

Anna Ogechi

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

201

Kalu

Udo Ottah

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

290

Amaole

Tohi

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

202

Maduakor

Obiora Christian

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

291

Ani

Kenneth Emanuel

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

203

Nchekwube

Binael

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

292

Chioke

Chisom Somtoo

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

204

Ndukwe

Christian Chibuikem

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

293

Chukwudi

Ugwumba

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

205

Ndukwe-Nwoke

Chiziterem

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

294

Ekeh

Vincent Chidiebere

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

206

Ndunwere

Stanley Chukunonso

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

295

Ezeanyanwu.

Stanley Chisom.

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

207

Nnadi

Nkechi Comfort

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

296

Ezenwankwo

Gabriel Kosisochukwu

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

208

Nwachukwu

Anthony Chukwuemeka

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

297

Innocent

Chika

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

209

Nwadike

Osmond Chukwuebuka

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

298

Ndeche

Kevin Chinedu

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

210

Nwaeze

Sopuruchukwu Remigius

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

299

Nkama

Silas Joseph

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

211

Nwankwo

Chijioke Vincent

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

300

Nnodim

Chiebuka

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

212

Obidike

Valentine Izuchukwu

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

301

Nwachukwu

Oluchukwu Maryjane

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

213

Ogbuchi

Nigel Ikechukwu

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

302

Nwakamma

Jeremiah Chidiebere

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

214

Oguike

Chimezie Louis

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

303

Nwankwo

Kenechukwu Emmanuel

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

215

Ogwudire

Boniface Umunna

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

304

Nwankwo

Kingsley John

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

216

Ohakah

Odumegwu Ikennam

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

305

Nwocha

Adimoranma Felix

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

217

Okafor

Theodore Ikechukwu

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

306

Nwosu

Cyprain C.

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

218

Okeke

Arthur Ugochukwu

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

307

Offiah

Chiazor Anthony

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

219

Okezie-Alaukwu

Ebenezar Chukwuemeka

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

308

Ogbo

Chidozie Afamefuna

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

220

Okongwu

Chukwuebuka Great

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

309

Okafor

Chidimma C

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

221

Okonkwo

Odera Okonkwo

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

310

Okafor

Sandra Onyinyechi

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

222

Onu

Monday Emmanuel

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

311

Okafor

William Ebuka

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

223

Onuoha

Chibuike Martins

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

312

Okoli

Gabriel Chukwudi

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

224

Onyeka

Emeka Kelly

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

313

Olori

Onome

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

225

Onyemaeze

Eberechi Kelvin

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

314

Onororakpene

Victory Obakore

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

226

Onyenahazi

Obinna Barnabas

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

315

Onyetube

Collins Chinonso

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

227

Orji

Nnamdi Tamuno

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

316

Orji

Chinonso Desmond

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

228

Osuagwu

Okechi Ucheoma

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

317

Oteleh

Kenechukwu Joseph

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

229

Osuh

Chinedu Alexander

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

318

Oveh

Lucky Avwerosuoghene

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

230

Otuya

Gift Oliseyenum

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

319

Success

Frank Chikwendu Osamagbe

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

231

Owuamalam

Clement Chinaza

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

320

Ugochukwu

Ekene Charity

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

232

Udongwo

Sosohoabasi Akpan Jimmy

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

321

Uzodinma

Ifeanyi Victor

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

233

Ukwueze

Onyedika Israel

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

322

Aareola

Temitope Mariam

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

234

Uzoma

Marvin

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

323

Abbas

Akintonde Olukunle

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

235

Uzor

Michael Chimaeze

Federal University Of Technology, Owerri

324

Abiola

Olawale Emmanuel

236

Nwagha

Chinonso

Imo State University

325

Adebayo

Opeoluwa Omoniyi

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

237

Asie

Chukwuebuka Peter

Kaduna State University

326

Adeboye

Akinloluwa Toluwaleke

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

238

Attans

Kayock Kenneth

Kaduna State University

327

Adedayo

Temitope Kayode

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

239

Danlami

Madoh Makama

Kaduna State University

328

Akamo

Damilola Olayinka

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

240

Ekweani

Chukwudi Emmanuel

Kaduna State University

329

Akano

Timileyin Samuel

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

241

Kabir

Najib Lere

Kaduna State University

330

Akigbogun

Samuel Anuoluwapo

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

242

Salifu

Francis Ugbede

Kaduna State University

331

Akindipe

Joseph

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

243

Adebayo

Olusegun

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

332

Akingbade

Ibikunle Sunday

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

244

Adedejji

Adebowale Peter

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

333

Akinpelu

Akorede David

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

245

Adegbola

Timothy Ayodeji

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

334

Akinrinade

Abimbola Olasumbo

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

246

Adeleke

Rahmatu Folashade

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

335

Akinyemi

Muideen Abiola

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

247

Adenika

Adekunle Ebenezer

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

336

Akinyemi

Temidayo Lucas

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

248

Adesina

Adesola

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

337

Alabi

Abeeb Olayinka

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

249

Ajayi

Olorunferanmi Temidayo

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

338

Alagbe

Ayooluwa Abiola

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

250

Ajayi

Oluwaseun Damilola

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

339

Alagbe

Busayo Daniel

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

251

Ajuwon

Tolulope Olayinka

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

340

Anjorin

Olanrewaju Michael

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

252

Akanji

Abayomi Gideon

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

341

Aremu

Tolulope, Caleb

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

253

Awesu

Oluwatimilehin Joel

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

342

Awe

Philip Temitope

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

254

Kupoluyi

Oluwaseyi Taiwo

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

343

Ayelaboye

Olatunbosun Ojo

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

255

Obaro

Adewale Zakariyahu

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

344

Babayomi

Muyiwa Adeola

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

256

Ogungbile

Abraham Oluwafemi

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

345

Bamidele

Olajide Hezekiah

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

257

Ojeyode

Titilayo Abibat

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

346

Chukwunta

Francis Ugochukwu

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

258

Okediran

Babatunde Adewole

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

347

Egbewunmi

Mayowa Ayo

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

259

Oladapo

Oluwatobiloba Abraham

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

348

Egbeyemi

Oluwadamilola Ifeoluwa

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

260

Olayiwola

Teslim Olakunle

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

349

Ezekikwu

Sunrise Ezeora

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

261

Oloyede

Olukayode Gideon

Ladoke Akintola University Of Science & Tech

350

Imediegwu

Innocent Odinakachi

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

2

32

Thursday, November 27, 2014

MTN FOUNDATION

ScIeNce & TechNOlOgy SchOlArShIp ScheMe (phASe 5) cONTINUeD reTUrNINg AwArDeeS S/N

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351

Iyaomolere

Mobisola Taiwo

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

440

Metu

Tobechukwu Emmanuel

University Of Ibadan

352

Nwabueze

Chukwuemeka Luck

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

441

Nwazuruoke

Jude Chukwuadika

University Of Ibadan

353

Ogunde

Ayodeji Adebambo

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

442

Obiasogu

Valentine

University Of Ibadan

354

Ogundipe

Michael Kolawole

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

443

Obolo

Michael Oluwadamilola

University Of Ibadan

355

Ojedokun

Adedolapo Israel

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

444

Odelanu

Olajide Julius

University Of Ibadan

356

Ojo

Babajide Simeon

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

445

Ogbunando

Ogechi Cynthia

University Of Ibadan

357

Oladepo

Habibullah Opeyemi

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

446

Ojetunde

John Oluwadamilare

University Of Ibadan

358

Olarinmoye

Olaoluwa Emmanuel

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

447

Ojuade

Temilade Esther

University Of Ibadan

359

Olayiwola

Damilare Samuel

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

448

Okedeyi

Abisoye Samson

University Of Ibadan

360

Oloye

Morenikeji Omobolanle

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

449

Okonkwo

Timothy Ekene

University Of Ibadan

361

Oluyomi

Godwin Temidayo

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

450

Oladeji

Ifeoluwa David

University Of Ibadan

362

Omoregie

Mary Osaenoma

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

451

Oladeji

Olamide

University Of Ibadan

363

Onigbinde

Caleb Mofoluwa

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

452

Oladele

Oluwafisayo Emmanuel

University Of Ibadan

364

Onyenanu

Chibuzom Evans

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

453

Olaito

Joshua Olasupo

University Of Ibadan

365

Oriaifo

Ehizojie Vincent

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

454

Olaoye

Oluwafemi Emmanuel

University Of Ibadan

366

Owosakin

Babajide Anthony

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

455

Olarinde

Emmanuel Olanrewaju

University Of Ibadan

367

Salako

Oluwatoyin Omolola

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

456

Olopade

Taiwo Israel

University Of Ibadan

368

Adedara

Bankole Fisayo

Ondo State University Of Science & Tech, Okitipupa

457

Olubanjo

Olugbenga Olufemi

University Of Ibadan

369

Onwunbolu

Onyekachi Steven

Rivers State University Of Science & Tech

458

Omole

Oluwadamilare Akinpelu

University Of Ibadan

370

Agidi

Emmanuel Oghenemaro

University Of Benin

459

Omotosho

Olukayode Ademola

University Of Ibadan

371

Ajayi

Smart Osayuwamen

University Of Benin

460

Onoja

Vincent Adah

University Of Ibadan

372

Akhaze

Matthew

University Of Benin

461

Onwughara

Kelechi Collins

University Of Ibadan

373

Akpojovwo

Emmanuel

University Of Benin

462

Owoseni

Sunday Mathew

University Of Ibadan

374

Aniekwe

Emmanuel Uche

University Of Benin

463

Oyediran

Elijah Olalekan

University Of Ibadan

375

Asimegbe

John Ayeitsoya

University Of Benin

464

Oyewole

Abigail Inioluwa

University Of Ibadan

376

Asiruwa

John Junior

University Of Benin

465

Abdulazeez

Mubarak

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

377

Aworetan

Victor Olusegun

University Of Benin

466

Adebayo

Olayinka Dhikrulah

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

378

Enebeli

Blaise Elvis

University Of Benin

467

Adedamola

Tumilara Samuel

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

379

Etuduhor

Oghenero Ofego

University Of Benin

468

Adedara

Ayodeji Mathew

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

380

Eyiyere

Peter Onoriode

University Of Benin

469

Adeyemi

Samuel Owolabi

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

381

Hoorkwap

Benedict Paul

University Of Benin

470

Adeyemi

Uswat Temitayo

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

382

Igbinovia

Emmanuel Osamudiamen Chukwunonso

471

Afolayan

Gbemisola Blessing

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

383

Irozue

Nicholas Ozuem

University Of Benin

472

Aina

Ebenezer Ayoola

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

384

Isehienrhien

Osawewenze Hart

University Of Benin

473

Ajeigbe

Kehinde Ayodele

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

385

Joseph

Samuel

University Of Benin

474

Akintola

Oluwasanjo, Emmanuel

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

386

Kemefa

Christian Oyinkuro

University Of Benin

475

Alaba

Mustapha Olalekan

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

387

Ogbuagu

Obinna Emmanuel

University Of Benin

476

Alabi

Kamorudeen Bolaji

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

388

Oguns

Henry Monday

University Of Benin

477

Alamu

Joel Oluwafemi

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

389

Oigiangbe

Godstime Omogiate

University Of Benin

478

Archibong

Augustine Ubong

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

390

Okafor

Emmanuel Tochukwu

University Of Benin

479

Aremu

Saheed Olaosebikan

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

391

Okoduwa

Itohan Mercy

University Of Benin

480

Babasola

Oluwatosin Leke

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

392

Okwuidegbe

Chukwuka Dumebi

University Of Benin

481

Bashir

Taiwo Abdul-Azeez

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

393

Salih

Abdulwahab Ebosetale

University Of Benin

482

Eguaosa

Gladness Iyegbekosa

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

394

Ugege

Ofure Perfection

University Of Benin

483

Famobuwa

Oluwatosin Suzan

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

University Of Benin

395

Umoh

Daniel Ime

University Of Calabar

484

Hassan

Semiu Ayomon

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

396

Bamiduro

Olaoluwa Isaiah

University Of Education, Ikere Ekiti

485

Ibrahim

Jamiu Omotola

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

397

Egbeyemi

Idowu

University Of Education, Ikere Ekiti

486

Idowu

Oluwafemi Paul

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

398

Mese

Fayoke Mary

University Of Education, Ikere Ekiti

487

Imam

Mubarak Adeshina

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

399

Ojo

Olaiya Samuel

University Of Education, Ikere Ekiti

488

Johnson

Olawale

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

400

Oke

Yinka Isaac

University Of Education, Ikere Ekiti

489

Jolayemi

Oluwatoyosi

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

401

Oladeji

Victoria Olayemi

University Of Education, Ikere Ekiti

490

Koyi

Omobolaji Oluwajuwon

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

402

Oladipupo

Paul

University Of Education, Ikere Ekiti

491

Lawal

Lukman Adinoyi

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

403

Olajire

Oluwaseun Andrew

University Of Education, Ikere Ekiti

492

Lawal

Oluwatosin Adetayo

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

404

Abia

Kingsley Elochukwu

University Of Ibadan

493

Mabi

Chukwuma Emmanuel

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

405

Adebisi

Waris Adeolu

University Of Ibadan

494

Mojeed

Hammed Adeleye

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

406

Adebowale

Olubunmi Adeola

University Of Ibadan

495

Nnakenyi

Chinenye Assumpta

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

407

Adejumobi

Tosin Emmanuel

University Of Ibadan

496

Ogunyomi

Sunday

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

408

Ademola

Adedasola,Aanu

University Of Ibadan

497

Oladapo

Olayemi Biyike

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

409

Adesoji

Abolaji Damilare

University Of Ibadan

498

Olaniran

Ridwan Oyebayo

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

410

Adesunkanmi

Rahmat, Kemisola, Adeola

University Of Ibadan

499

Olaniyan

Samuel Abiodun

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

411

Adesuyi

Adeekanmi Samuel

University Of Ibadan

500

Olasehinde

Oluwatoyin Ezekiel

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

412

Adio

Abdoulaye Badru

University Of Ibadan

501

Olatunji

Jola David

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

413

Ahmed

Olarewaju Quadri

University Of Ibadan

502

Omeiza

Daniel Amoto

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

414

Ajiboye

Samuel, Ayobamiji

University Of Ibadan

503

Onomerihri

Oride Tejiri

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

415

Akinola

Babatunde Simon

University Of Ibadan

504

Osifeko

Abisoye Dave

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

416

Akinola

Charles Olamide

University Of Ibadan

505

Oyinbo-Oke

Olanrewaju Charles

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

417

Akinsulie

Olalekan Chris

University Of Ibadan

506

Ozioko

Paul Chikadibia

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

418

Akinwale

Oluwatola Emmanuel

University Of Ibadan

507

Saheeds

Owolabi

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

419

Akinwumi

Kayode , Eniola

University Of Ibadan

508

Tanimowo

Fatai Olalekan

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

420

Alawode

Kehinde Joseph

University Of Ibadan

509

Yekini

Moshood Olawale

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

421

Alawonde

Philip Ayooluwa

University Of Ibadan

510

Yusuf

Ayomide Adekunle

University Of Ilorin, Ilorin

422

Amodu

Yusuf Oluwatobi

University Of Ibadan

511

Abdulfattah

Hamzah Atanda

University Of Lagos

423

Atilola

Paul Olayinka

University Of Ibadan

512

Abdulkareem

Abdulfatai Ayodeji

University Of Lagos

424

Awoyemi

Omotola

University Of Ibadan

513

Adebayo

Oluwasegun Joseph

University Of Lagos

425

Ayoade

Adams Babatunde

University Of Ibadan

514

Adefioye

Abdulhakeem Oluwadare

University Of Lagos

426

Ayodabo

Olatunji Charles

University Of Ibadan

515

Adegoke

Ireoluwa Daniel

University Of Lagos

427

Ayoola

Oluwaseyi Olakunle

University Of Ibadan

516

Adegunloye

Adeyinka Oluwakemisola

University Of Lagos

428

Chukwunagolu

Victor Sunday

University Of Ibadan

517

Adekoya

Olushola Oluwatobi

University Of Lagos

429

Dada

Shola Emmanuel

University Of Ibadan

518

Adeleye

Mahmud Olatunde

University Of Lagos University Of Lagos

430

David

Ebuka David

University Of Ibadan

519

Adeoye

Adesoji Joseph

431

Fakorede

Oladayo Samuel

University Of Ibadan

520

Adesanya

Adekunle Olatunde

University Of Lagos

432

Faniyi

Olarotimi Oluwatobi

University Of Ibadan

521

Adesanya

Halimat Adetutu

University Of Lagos

433

Farayola

Praise Ololade

University Of Ibadan

522

Adesina

Oluwaseun Gladys

University Of Lagos

434

Jayeoba

Oluwaseun Opeyemi

University Of Ibadan

523

Adeyemi

Taofeekah Oluwafunmito

University Of Lagos

435

John

Ugbede Victor

University Of Ibadan

524

Afolabi

Olatunji

University Of Lagos

436

Kadri

Olatunde Sheriff

University Of Ibadan

525

Aileru

Tomiwa Ismaeel

University Of Lagos

437

Kolade

Sodiq Adedayo

University Of Ibadan

526

Ajibade

Kehinde James

University Of Lagos

438

Kosile-Palmer

Oluwaseyi Samuel

University Of Ibadan

527

Akinlawon

Abiodun Kayode

University Of Lagos

439

Lawal

Olaitan Ibironke

University Of Ibadan

528

Akinola

James Oluwatoyin

University Of Lagos

3

33

Thursday, November 27, 2014

MTN FOUNDATION

ScIeNce & TechNOlOgy SchOlArShIp ScheMe (phASe 5) cONTINUeD reTUrNINg AwArDeeS S/N

SUrNAMe

OTher NAMeS

cUrreNT INSTITUTION

S/N

SUrNAMe

OTher NAMeS

cUrreNT INSTITUTION

529

Akinse

Fela Buyi

University Of Lagos

617

Oyakhire

Solomon Tolulope

University Of Lagos

530

Akintunde

Ganiu Olalere

University Of Lagos

618

Oyeleye

Sulaiman Eniola

University Of Lagos

531

Akinyemi

Micheal Jesutofunmi

University Of Lagos

619

Oyenekan

Victor Taiwo

University Of Lagos

532

Akuruyejo

Mufutau Ayotunde

University Of Lagos

620

Oyudo

Richard Chidiebube

University Of Lagos

533

Alliyu

Mubarak Gbolahan

University Of Lagos

621

Rasheed

Adebayo Qazeem

University Of Lagos

534

Amuda

Nafisat Adeola

University Of Lagos

622

Rufai

Bisola Adijat

University Of Lagos

535

Amusan

Adeyemi Oluwadamilola

University Of Lagos

623

Saka

Oluwadamilola Ifeoluwa

University Of Lagos

536

Anyanwu

Ikechukwu Anthony

University Of Lagos

624

Salau

Emmanuel Oluwaseun

University Of Lagos

537

Anyanwu

Kelechi Gloria

University Of Lagos

625

Salau

Moshood Afolabi

University Of Lagos

538

Arebi

Idris Chukwuka

University Of Lagos

626

Samuel

Oyinkansola Fiyinfoluwa

University Of Lagos

539

Awojide

Martins Olabisi

University Of Lagos

627

Shittu

Wasiu Sesan

University Of Lagos

540

Ayoola

Folasade Olanrewaju

University Of Lagos

628

Sunday

Chukwuemeka Emmanuel

University Of Lagos

541

Ayoola

John Oluwaseyi

University Of Lagos

629

Taiwo

Ibrahim Abiola

University Of Lagos

542

Balogun

Ibrahim Oladipupo

University Of Lagos

630

Tiamiyu

Nurayn Adewale

University Of Lagos

543

Bamigbade

Abdullahi Kehinde

University Of Lagos

631

Tofade

Oluwatola Oluwafemi

University Of Lagos

544

Bamigbade

Abdullateef Taiwo

University Of Lagos

632

Udoh

Elvis Isong

University Of Lagos

545

Banjoko

Taiwo Temilayo

University Of Lagos

633

Umah

Linus Tyochivir

University Of Lagos

546

Bello

Maryam Adenike

University Of Lagos

634

Uwaoma

Uzochukwu Daniel

University Of Lagos

547

Bodunwa

Temiloluwa Sunmisola

University Of Lagos

635

Yaqub

Zainab Temitope

University Of Lagos

548

Chinewubeze

Victor Oluchukwu

University Of Lagos

636

Ndajem

Shewopeu Nora

University Of Maiduguri

549

Dada

Gbolahan Promise

University Of Lagos

637

Onotu

Victor O.

University Of Maiduguri

550

Eigbe

Eghonghon-Aye

University Of Lagos

638

Yelmis

Makabi Gambo

University Of Maiduguri

551

Ejalonibu

Adewale Hammed

University Of Lagos

639

Zakari

Fatima Abacha

University Of Maiduguri

552

Ejiofor

Chike Bryan

University Of Lagos

640

Agbahia

Chibuzor Rose

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

553

Ekungba

Mubashir Adebanji

University Of Lagos

641

Arji

Emmanuel Ifeanyi

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

554

Elegbede

Awal Oluwaseun

University Of Lagos

642

Azunnaya

Chikwado Wisdom

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

555

Emelogu

Kelechi Victor

University Of Lagos

643

Eze

Kingsley Obinna

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

556

Eneh

Chikaodinaka Ifunanya

University Of Lagos

644

Ezea

Chizoba Perpetua

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

557

Enenim

Asukwo Bassey

University Of Lagos

645

Ezeah

Chidubem Jude

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

558

Ewunuga

Abiola Barakat

University Of Lagos

646

Ezema

Abrahamobinwanne

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

559

Ezeobidi

Emmanuel Izuchukwu

University Of Lagos

647

Meyoho

Lucky David

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

560

Ezeodili

Echezona Ugonna

University Of Lagos

648

Nnadi

Linus Tochukwu

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

561

Famakinde

Olayinka Jamiu

University Of Lagos

649

Nnamdi

Clinton Osinakachi

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

562

Feyintola

Itunu Oluwaseun

University Of Lagos

650

Nsionu

Chukwuebuka Gabriel

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

563

Folivi

Joshua Oluwaseun

University Of Lagos

651

Nwagbara

Ifeanyi Christopher

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

564

Gbadamosi

Farouk Oluwatosin

University Of Lagos

652

Nwonu

Donald Chimobi

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

565

Hambali

Abdulmujeeb Olalekan

University Of Lagos

653

Obetta

Chukwuebuka Jude

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

566

Hameed

Haleem Ayodeji Olakunle

University Of Lagos

654

Obi

David Kenechukwu

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

567

Ibikunle

Oluwaseyi Olasunkanmi

University Of Lagos

655

Odo

Moses Chukwuemeka

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

568

Irabor

Daisy Osarugue

University Of Lagos

656

Oduche

Chiamaka Cynthia

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

569

Irechukwu

Victor Onyedikachi

University Of Lagos

657

Ogbo

Chibuike Uchenna

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

570

Isiogu

Chukwuemeka Arthur

University Of Lagos

658

Ogbonna

Obinna Joseph

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

571

Jeminiwa

Adetomiwa Opemidotun

University Of Lagos

659

Ogbonna

Ogechi Patrick

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

572

Jimoh

Olajuwon Patrick

University Of Lagos

660

Ohanu

Chibuike Peter

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

573

Kehinde

Mosope Olurotimi

University Of Lagos

661

Okonkwo

Chinedu Patrick Victor

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

574

Kowontan

Samuel Babatunde

University Of Lagos

662

Oleribe

Uchechukwu

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

575

Lukman

Isiaka Olaide

University Of Lagos

663

Omeke

Ozioma Mariagoretti

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

576

Mabadeje

Ademide Oluwaferanmi

University Of Lagos

664

Onah

Calistus Chinonso

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

577

Maduka

Ikechukwu Isioma

University Of Lagos

665

Onwuagba

Kenenna Collins

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

578

Malik

Taofeek Olanrewaju

University Of Lagos

666

Onwughalu

Chukwuemeka Glory

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

579

Moneke

Kenechukwu Godson

University Of Lagos

667

Onyenwe

Izuchukwu Kenneth

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

580

Morolari

Titilope Oreoluwa

University Of Lagos

668

Oshevire

Akpome Ogheneovo

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

581

Mufutau

Ramon Adegoke

University Of Lagos

669

Otuosorochi

Michael

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

582

Negedu

Sunday

University Of Lagos

670

Ozagha

Gabriel Osizimete

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

583

Nwaokoro

Nzube Samuel

University Of Lagos

671

Timothy

Okenwa

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

584

Obu

Christian Chukwudi

University Of Lagos

672

Ugwoke

Charles Chinonso

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

585

Ochonma

Prince Ikenna

University Of Lagos

673

Ugwu

Hillary Emeka

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

586

Oderinde

Adebayo Lateef

University Of Lagos

674

Ugwuanyi

Emmanuel Nwachukwu

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

587

Oderinde

Sinmisola Ololade

University Of Lagos

675

Ukaegbu

Uchechi Faithful

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

588

Odiagbe

Omohodion Barnabas

University Of Lagos

676

Ulukwu

Chimeremnma Hope

University Of Nigeria Nsukka

589

Ogabu

Onyinye David

University Of Lagos

677

Akpan

Itoro Inyang

University Of Port-Harcourt

590

Ogunbameru

Muyiwa Abiodun

University Of Lagos

678

Akpan

Etimbok Innocent

University Of Port-Harcourt

591

Ogunniyan

Opeyemi

University Of Lagos

679

Amopho

Ibimo Imenjima

University Of Port-Harcourt

592

Ojikutu

Olayinka Abdul-Mojeed

University Of Lagos

680

Ayalogu

Chukwunwike

University Of Port-Harcourt

593

Ojo

Babatunde Olawale

University Of Lagos

681

Edward

Ucheawaji Felicia

University Of Port-Harcourt

594

Okereke

Chidiebere, Joshua

University Of Lagos

682

Eke

Catherine Ijeoma

University Of Port-Harcourt

595

Okoh

Chukwudumebi John

University Of Lagos

683

Enyinnaya

Nene Udunma

University Of Port-Harcourt

596

Okonkwo

Chigozie Stanley

University Of Lagos

684

Ibe

Ikenna Collins

University Of Port-Harcourt

597

Okwaraeke

Kingsley Chibueze

University Of Lagos

685

Ibok

Emen Samuel

University Of Port-Harcourt

598

Oladele

Taiwo Adeshola

University Of Lagos

686

Isoboye

Manuel Bokoye

University Of Port-Harcourt

599

Olajumoke

Oluwafemi Ezekiel

University Of Lagos

687

Momodu

Excel Shegun

University Of Port-Harcourt

600

Olanipekun

Peter Olamide

University Of Lagos

688

Oboidhe

Blessing

University Of Port-Harcourt

601

Olanrewaju

Abiodun Emmanuel

University Of Lagos

689

Okere

Nnamdi Victory

University Of Port-Harcourt

602

Olatunde

Ibukunoluwa Adedolapo

University Of Lagos

690

Okorie

Idika Onwuka

University Of Port-Harcourt

603

Olowookere

Isaac Olaolu

University Of Lagos

691

Oluji

Chukwunanu

University Of Port-Harcourt

604

Olusina

Tolulope Abisola

University Of Lagos

692

Omoruyi

Osamudiamen

University Of Port-Harcourt

605

Olutunbi

Oluwaseun Israel

University Of Lagos

693

Otodo

Ransome Eli

University Of Port-Harcourt

606

Oluyinka

Adeoluwa Andrew

University Of Lagos

694

Sample

Toruabani Isreal

University Of Port-Harcourt

607

Omojola

Jeremiah Olumayowa

University Of Lagos

695

Ugama

Prince Chinonso

University Of Port-Harcourt

608

Omotuyi

Oyindamola Ajoke

University Of Lagos

696

Ugwu

Ebubechukwu Goodnews

University Of Port-Harcourt

609

Onabule

Lukmon Olalekan

University Of Lagos

697

Momodu

Abdullateef

University Of Science & Tech., Ifaki Ekiti

610

Onome-Irikefe

Kevwe Patricia

University Of Lagos

698

Oyesanmi

Fiyinfoluwa Gboluwaga

University Of Science & Tech., Ifaki Ekiti

611

Onumonu

Onyebuchi Israel

University Of Lagos

699

Petinrin

Olutomilayo Olayemi

University Of Science & Tech., Ifaki Ekiti

612

Onwochei

Ikechukwu Augustine

University Of Lagos

700

Ukorigho

Ovie Isaac

University Of Science & Tech., Ifaki Ekiti

613

Opanubi

Oluwakorede

University Of Lagos

701

Asuquo

Kingsley Bassey

University Of Uyo

614

Orojinmi

Toluwalope Oluwadara

University Of Lagos

702

Asuquo

Uduak Ita

University Of Uyo

615

Osi

Ann Ogechi

University Of Lagos

703

Effiong

Aniedi Felix

University Of Uyo

616

Owolabi

Timilehin Oluwatosin

University Of Lagos

704

Umoh

Uwem Nkereuwem

University Of Uyo

705

William

Ante Okon

University Of Uyo

4

34

Thursday, November 27, 2014

MTN FOUNDATION SchOlArShIp ScheMe FOr BlIND STUDeNTS (phASe 3) In 2012, MTN Foundation extended the scholarship scheme to high performing Blind Students in public tertiary institutions to assist them pursue their academic careers and become empowered to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

project phase

Since inception of the scheme in 2012, MTNF has given a total of 451 scholarship awards to blind students as detailed in the table below:

Total No. of Awardees

New AwArDeeS

S/N SUrNAMe OTher NAMeS

1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 7 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 59 53 54 55 56 57 58 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81

Magaji Anoruo

Academic Session 2011/2012 2012/2013

Phase 1

113

Phase 2

2013/2014

73

21

98

65

Phase 3

Project Phase 2013/2014

2012/2013

81 113

Total No. of Scholarship Awards since inception

171

167

2011/2012

451

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

reTUrNINg AwArDeeS cUrreNT INSTITUTION

Adam Benjamin Chibuike

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri, Affilated to University of Nigeria, Nsukka Akhabue Matthew Osagie Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State Iwuala Chinemere David Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State Otaigbe Eyimearelu Clive Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State Montok Paulinus Akanage College of Education, Akamkpa, Cross River State Abdullahi Mamuda College of Education, Azare, Bauchi State Yusufu Ado Danbayi College of Education, Gindiri, Plateau State Ishaku Yohanna Dangana College of Education, Gindiri, Plateau State Ogbu Mary Ochole College of Education, Oju, Benue State Abe Ayodeji Samuel Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Adekoya Rukayat Anayi Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Adeleke Temitope Joshua Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Afolabi Olakunle Mutalibi Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Ayodele Dorcas Abosede Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Badusi Bankole Oluwole Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Enweremadu Onyinyechi Mercy Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Eze Princewill Newman Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Fatungase Ajibola Olusoga Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Lawal Ayankemi Oluwatoyin Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Owolabi Temitayo Ayodeji Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Owoola Adebukola Jadesola Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Oyinloye Oluwafemi Peter Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Shodeyi Oluwadamilola Monsurudeen Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Echefu Martin A. Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State Ibeawuchi Jecinta Chiamaka Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State Ogbonna Glory Ifunnaya Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State Onyeocha Paschal Chigozie Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State Abubakar Ibrahim Kaduna State University (KASU), Kaduna State Ibrahim Sunday Ogwole Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State Anekwe Confidence Njideka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Ejimofor Chinweze Hyacinth Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Esoge Uzochukwu God’s Time Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, Anambra State George Chile Chigozie Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Igali Anthonia Ngozi Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Uzuegbunam Ugochukwu Enoch Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Ale Tolulope Michael Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State Idowu Ayobami Elizabeth Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State Philip Esther Kwari Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin-Ladi, Plateau State Da’u Adamu Salisu Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano State Aliyu Muhammed Lawan Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano State Garba Mansur Mansur Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano State Idris Aliyu Abdulsalam Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano State Malami Sanusi Shehu Shagari College of Education, Kano State Muhammad Abdulhamid Suleiman Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano State Musa Alhassan Auwal Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano State Tanimu Adda’u Muhammad Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano State Umar Abdullahi Abdullahi Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano State Umar Ahmad Dudu Shehu Shagari College of Education, Kano State Ausugh Christian Aondover University of Calabar, Cross River State Edo Uduak Archibong University of Calabar, Cross River State Udo Nsikak Edet University of Calabar, Cross River State Lawal Farouk Oluwatoyosi Uni. of Ibadan in Affliation with FCE (Special), Oyo Ayoade Sunday Onaolapo University of Ibadan, Oyo State Oladele Samuel University of Ibadan, Oyo State Kekere Lawal Akeem Ayinde University of Ibadan, Oyo State Oluwalana Abidemi Rachel University of Ibadan, Oyo State Onojade Muoghoke Rabome University of Ibadan, Oyo State Salaudeen Taofeek Folarori University of Ibadan, Oyo State Adah Anthony University of Jos, Plateau State Akase James Terungwa University of Jos, Plateau State Hembetso Barnabas Tavershim University of Jos, Plateau State Ortese Terzungwe Gabriel University of Jos, Plateau State Yange Emmanuel Akpamegh University of Jos, Plateau State Onojade Omouvie Akpomeneh University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State Ekienabor Faith Obehi University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State Fatogun Muyiwa Niran University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State Umezinwa Success Lawrence University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State Agwara Christian University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Ayuba Sakiru Opeyemi University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Ejiogu Jennifer Chikodi University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Emenyonu Ekechi Samuel University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Ewa Emmanuel Ajayi University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Eze Joy University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Ihenetu Prisca C. University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Nnopuchi Francis Chidiebere University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Ogbonna Maureen Onyekachi University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Okereke Ugochinyere Angelic University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Onah David Chinweuba University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Etim Ekom Edet University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Udo Udeme Mathias University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

5

S/N SUrNAMe

OTher NAMeS

cUrreNT INSTITUTION

1 2 3 4 5

Ogunmokun Abimiku Adamu Dakup Offor

Olatunbosun Femi Filibus Hadiza Musa James Yakubu Nnake Obongha

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86

Adamolekun Adebayo Adegebo Adejare Adenibuyan Ajao Awotidebe Baoku Bello Egwuma Ijalana Iyanda Lawal Ogunyebi Ojekalu Olatoye Oluajo Ovierian Owodue Oyelola Oyewole Dapil Salisu Okerayi Nwabueze Chude Dike Iloka Nwankpa Okafor Okoro Onukwue Okoro Iyedo Effiong Ekpenyong Akindunjoye Alaka Oyetunji Afolabi Amali Amanyi Amedu Besong Gotom Mele Odoh Paul Sementu Agwudagwu Ajayi Amuda Fadiya Hamzat Kazeem Lawal Ogu Oke Olamijulo Olayemi Olureleke Ossai Rasheed Uche Ogedengbe Abejide Adeshola Akumas Anyim Chukwu Ejiofor Eze Maduakolam Madubuobi Oloninsaye Orji Sefini Ugba Umezinwa Ogoloma Ononokpono

Gbemiga Samuel Isaiah Taiwo Oluwagbemiga Joshua Kazeem Adelakun Monday Success Emmanuel Oluwafemi Deborah Ayomide Olujimi Noah Segun Isaac Naomi Oluwaseun Adebola Abiodun Abraham Titilope Ekundayo Adeyinka Cecilia Johnson Adewale Folashade Racheal Olukunle Atanda Blessing Ose Benjamin John Ayobami Jeremiah Tosin Taibat Samuel Ali Muhammed Sani Saheed Olasunkanmi Chioma Lilian Emmanuel Chukwuebuka Daniel Nzubechi Anthony Ikechukwu Chidinma Grace Chinenye Loveth Nnamdi Felix Chijioke Kelvin Ifeoma Anthonia Beauty Uwem Bassey Ekpenyong Essien Emmanuel Orimisan Omowumi Florence Oyewale Moses Gboyega Ayodeji Anne Onyowo Obaeya Ignasius Victor Ekondu Peter Dakim Obadiah Gorip Ladi Anthony Odigbo Salome Garba Samuel Mhen Ifedi Nduzor Adesola Adedokun Kudirat Ayomide Babatunde Samuel Olalekan Idris Maria Olufunke Temitope Ibrahim Kelechukwu Augustine Afolabi Joseph Olubunmi Feyisayo Olufemi David Omotayo Marian Adibeli Omolara Rukayat Ikenna Mark Benjamin Kayode Ifeoluwa Charles Anuga Esther Uche Kalu Chukwuemeka Justice Chiedozie Felicita Obiageri Gideon Chukwudi Peter Ogechi Helen Ogochukwu Timilehin Segun Gentility Estacy Adekola Christopher Alex Ndubuisi Chineye Mary-jane Samson Nseobong Joe

Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Ondo State College of Education, Akwanga, Nasarawa State College of Education, Gindiri, Plateau State College of Education, Gindiri, Plateau State Crossriver University of Technology (CRUTECH), Cross River State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State Federal College of Edu., Pankshin, Plateau State Federal College of Edu. (Tech.) Bichi, Kano State Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State Nnamdi Azikwe university, Akwa, Anambra State Nnamdi Azikwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Nnamdi Azikwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Nnamdi Azikwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Nnamdi Azikwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Nnamdi Azikwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Nnamdi Azikwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Nnamdi Azikwe University, Akwa, Anambra State Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State University of Benin, Benin-City, Edo State University of Calabar, Cross River State University of Calabar, Cross River State University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State University of Jos, Plateau State University of Jos, Plateau State University of Jos, Plateau State University of Jos, Plateau State University of Jos, Plateau State University of Jos, Plateau State University of Jos, Plateau State University of Jos, Plateau State University of Jos, Plateau State University of Jos, Plateau State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Borno State University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Enugu State University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State University of Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State

Issues 35

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Al-Makura: The Triumph Of Peace Over War (2)

by Yakubu Lamai

Everywhere in the world, government is an instrument of legality and morality and simple logic suggests that if indeed there is proof that a Governor has desecrated his sacred and sacrosanct oath of office by “killing a section of the same citizens who voted for him”, (and whom he has sworn to protect), then you can be certain that all the other tribes and ethnic groups in the state (who are not being killed) will close ranks with the tribe being exterminated and rise up against the governor. (except of course if all the other tribes in the state have willfully, and collectively connived with the governor to wipe out that one particular ethnic group). Also befuddling is the question:”Where are the real Fulani, while “fake imported Fulani” have taken over and keep making nonsense of the good name of being a Fulani herdsman? Shouldn’t the “real Fulani” be enlisted to help catch the “imported Fulani mercenaries?”

It is only logical to believe that the “real Fulani” will not be averse to apply their mastery of the deeper recesses of the forests to apprehend the “imported Fulani mercenaries” (who are impersonating and giving all Fulani a bad name!). As for our Eggon brothers and sisters, I dare say that investigation and the gathering of valid and irrefutable

hard evidence are two critical components to be considered when leveling the accusation of genocide against a sitting governor or any ordinary citizen for that matter. The security agencies are not asleep to their responsibilities in Nasarawa State. I suggest that anyone with new evidence should report to the security forces ( who are being controlled by the federal government and not Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura).

Stakeholders should also enlist the support of traditional rulers whose territories (like Obi, Keana, Wamba etc) are “allegedly” being used to hide mercenaries. For as we all are well aware; “nationhood is not merely established, it must be maintained!” This means that a nation like Nigeria can only persist, precisely because it is flexible enough to adapt to new circumstances of nationhood and shift its historical definition of what it means for an ordinary person to be called “a Nigerian!”

This dynamic perception of citizen activism is what is required in Nasarawa State.

Finally “a government cannot kill her own citizens!”. We have seen despots like Idi Amin and many totalitarian dictatorships planted across the world, but no matter the longevity, authority and audacity of government; it has always been the role of people power that was employed to upset the status quo and establish a

different model of governance built on the principles of representative democracy, human rights and liberal ideals.

After all is said and done, violence is futile. Whether we are talking about the civil rights movement, solidarity, velvet or color revolutions, the Rose Revolution in Georgia, the Orange Revolution in Ukraine and the saffron-colored robes of the Buddhist monks marching through the streets of Rangoon in 2007, all these movements share a decisive presence of non-violent action against such challenges as dictatorial rule, racial discrimination, and foreign military occupation.

History shows us that some attempts at mass civil resistance succeeded in attaining their objectives, even though others failed; but the world today has been shaped significantly by nonviolent political action. And that is what the peacemaker Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura implores the political elite of Nasarawa State to embrace. Because he is silent, Almakura is not a weakling.

Because he applies the rule of law to the letter, does not make him slow. Government Umaru Tanko Almakura sees peace-building and political dialogue as mechanisms of struggle that avoids the use of violence. Naturally Almakura believes that non-violence and restraint involves a great degree of

principle in order to achieve that avoidance of violence. From the Ombatse, Fulani, Alago, Kambari, Tiv, etc; each ethnic association must be completely clear in their minds that their ethnic movements and agenda must avoid the use of violence, because violence is catastrophic and it is the whole society that suffers. Indeed war can never be justified! Some say war is a necessary evil. Others say “war is merely politics dressed in a different garb!” But in truth, war is not the continuation of politics with different means; war and violence constitute the greatest mass-crime perpetrated on any community of men. That is why peace-building is not the product of a victory or a command. Peacebuilding has no finishing line, no final deadline, no fixed definition of achievement. Peace-building is a never-ending process, the work of many decisions. As in the words of Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura during the statewide broadcast which he delivered on 15th November 2014: “We must always think Peace, cultivate Peace, midwife Peace, nurture Peace, chaperone Peace and sustain Peace. There should be no time in our livelihood that should not be for peace!”. In the article “NYANYA BOMB BLAST AND THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM IN NIGERIA” which was written by General Muhammadu Buhari, and published in the April 22nd

Al-Makura

2014 edition of DAILY TRUST, he concurs with Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura, when he said: “No matter our religion or place of birth, we all bleed and are wounded in the same way by injustice” Matthew Gordon wrote in his acclaimed biography AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI that: “The idea of leadership affirms the capacity of individuals to move, inspire, and mobilize masses of people so that they can act together in pursuit of an end!” What Nasarawa State desires in this perilous times is for its political elite to put “State and Country above self interest” and rise to the hallmark of personal example and show character and moral virtue.

– Lamai is chief press secretary to Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura concluded

36 THE NATION’S CAPITAL

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Land Use Contravention: FCTA Seals Defaulting Structures In Mbora District

By Nkechi Isaac

The development control department of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), yesterday, sealed-off some structures for land use contravention in Efab Estate, Mbora District.

Speaking to journalists, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the department, Mr Kalu Emetu, said that land use contravention affects the mapped out plan of an area.

Emetu said, “the department takes the issue of land use act very seriously because from inception, during the planning stage, the government spends a lot of funds mapping out areas that will serve as residential and commercial areas; that is why we emphasise on the issue of infrastructural use because when developers start converting the use of the structure to another one is poses a problem. It affects the entire plan of the area.

“Seeing how important this is to the entire plan of an area, we always urge developers in Abuja to maintain the approval they were given during construction rather than change or convert a residential plot or building to commercial use.”

The departmental spokesman said the exercise is meant to urge the defaulters to convert back to the original land use.

According to him, “what motivated this exercise today is to urge people to convert back to the original land use. So, what we did this morning was part of it. We were sealing off residential houses that were changed to commercial use in the areas.”

He further said that the department is prepared to take legal action against occupants of the sealed premises who forcefully open for business without paying the land use contravention fee.

“We charge a certain fee when people fail to revert back to the original land use. We are not actually after the fee, we insist on making use of the plot for what it was meant for; that is why the contravention fee is quite high just to discourage the act.

“The site officers will continue to monitor activities in the area and when any defaulter forcefully opens up for business, without paying the contravention fee, the last option will be prosecution before a law court.”

Kuje FRSC Gets New Unit Commander

By Igho Oyoyo

The Kuje area council Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has sworn in a new Unit Commander (UC), Mr. Charles Umor, to take over from the outgoing commander, Mr. Samuel Egwuatu.

In his remarks, during the send-forth ceremony for Egwuatu, the new unit commander promised to uphold the legacy of his predecessor.

He assured the Kuje FRSC Command that he will discharge his duties as the new UC and promised to do his best to ensure that road traffic rules are obeyed in the area.

The Kuje Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP. Oyenwenda Echo, in his farewell message to Egwuatu commended him for the good work and synergy during his tenure.

The DPO assured that the police will also extend its hand of partnership to the new UC and will cooperate to ensure that law and order is obeyed in the council.

He also urged Egwuatu to do his best at his new station and continue with the good work and the legacy he is leaving behind in Kuje Command.

In his remarks, the Kuje Divisional Fire Officer (DFO), Mr. Abayomi Adeleke, commended Egwuatu for the good work during his tenure and assured of continuity , synergy and cooperation with the FRSC.

L-R: Mrs Dora Jenewari; a member of a nongovernmental organisation, Optimum Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation, Mr Joseph Ben; chief executive officer of the NGO, Barr Omotese Egbefo and the CEO of Social Welfare for Widows, the Needy and Unemployed (SOWWNU), Mrs Joy Kolawale during a press conference to commemorate UN international day for the elimination of violence against women in Abuja.

Violence Against Women: Foundation To Take Campaign To Communities

By Nkechi Isaac

In commemoration of the United Nations international day for the elimination of violence against women, a nongovernmental organisation, Optimum Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation has revealed its intention to enlighten women in various FCT communities on their rights and privileges.

Addressing a press conference, as part of the foundation’s activities to mark the day, the founder of the NGO, Barr. Omotese Egbefo, said the sensitisation is to encourage women to take a stand and

speak out against violence.

The women right activist said the foundation will talk to women and the general public in the next 15 days to speak up and break the silence so they can be helped.

Egbefo said, “We’re looking at Zaki-biu, Jahi, Kado Kushi, Kurudu axis and other communities within and around the FCT. We will be going to such communities to enlighten women and educate them on their rights which must be recognised, respected and promoted.”

According to her, “The level of violence against women in

the last four years is very high.

Violence against women is recorded everyday in homes, the workplace and offices; it’s so obvious. Gender based violence is the most common violence in the whole world hence the need for women to rise up and speak out against violence.”

She called on the government, civil society organisations, public and private institutions, the media and all Nigerians to join forces with women and reaffirm their commitment in addressing this global pandemic and promote the social, political and economic empowerment of women.

In her goodwill message, the chief executive officer of an Abuja-based nongovernmental organisation, the Social Welfare for Widows, the Needy and Unemployed (SOWWNU), Amb. Mrs Joy Kolawale, urged women to speak up against violence, saying that women understand more about what violence against women entail because they are directly affected by the act.

In her remarks, a social worker, Mrs Evelyn Mensah, said that women have a lot to do in the crusade against violence, saying the ago-long tradition cannot be eliminated in a day.

Insurgency: Why We Relocated Nyanya Labour Camp –FCTA

By Catherine Agbo

Minister of the Federal Caoital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed has disclosed plans by his administration to rekicate the Nyanya Labour Camp to Gidan Daya, a settlement in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

The minister stated that the current security challenges in the country, especially insurgency, have made the relocation of the Nyanya Labour Camp even more compelling. According to him, the FCT administration has taken several measures recently

such as demolition of some buildings to enhance security and environmental sanity in Nyanya but it had been noted that the situation cannot be salvaged without relocation.

He further stated that the decision to relocate the Nyanya Labour Camp is to ensure environmental and security standards as well as make way for the provision of decent housing for the residents of the notorious slum.

Nyanya is one of the most notorious slums in the suburbs of the nation’s capital.

Located less than 10 kilome-

ters from the Abuja city centre, the proximity of the labour camp built about 30 years ago for early construction workers involved in the building of the new Federal Capital City, which has since become a slum, makes it attractive to many low income earners.

According to a statement by the minister’s media adviser, Nosike Ogbuenyi, the minister decried the present condition of Nyanya, which he described as an eyesore and unbefitting, saying the builders of the camp planned it as a temporary camp, hence the

kind of structures that were erected there.

Gidan Daya, the chosen relocation site for Nyanya is a new district along the Karshi axis in AMAC. The statement further said the minister restated the commitment of his administration to the provision of affordable and decent housing for Nigerian workers stressing that the gesture was behind the recent flag off of the construction of 40,000 housing units for workers in Abuja, a gigantic project which covers two districts in Apo Tafyi and Lugbe extension.

politics today Thursday, November 27, 2014

REPORTS ANALYSES REVIEWS INTERVIEWS

Akwa-Ibom 2015: As Umana Joins APC, What Impact Lies Ahead?

Former secretary to the government of Akwa Ibom state and governorship hopeful, Obong Umana Okon Umana has perfected plans to dump the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) for the opposition All Progressives Congress(APC). DONALD OJOGO traces the events leading to this development but askshow far can Umana go?

T

he aphorism that only permanent interests are potent directing principles in politics is at play in Akwa-Ibom, one of the states that prides herself as the strongest base of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the country.

For some reasons, one might be tempted to believe that yes, Akwa Ibom earns the appellation. For one, the state governor, Godswill Akpabio is not just a PDP governor but he is indeed, the chairman of the very influential PDD Governors’ Forum formed in the wake of the crisis generated by the contest between Governors Rotimi Amaechi and Jonah Jang of Rivers and Plateau respectively for the chairmanship of the nowmoribund Nigeria Governors’ Forum(NGF).

Also, owing to her oil wealth as the highest oil-producing state in Nigeria, no political party can claim not to be persuaded by the need to corner it. For the opposition All Progressives Congress(APC), an opportunity appears to have berthed in the mould of the planned defection of former

secretary to government in the state, Obong Umana Okon Umana. Umana has concluded plans to dump his party, the PDP over his exclusion from the governorship race in 2015.

It will be recalled that at the expanded stakeholders’ meeting of the PDP in April this year, the leadership of the party had zoned the 2015 governorship ticket of the PDP to Eket senatorial district. Pundits have averred that the zoning was done to clear the way for Governor Akpabio’s anointed aspirant, Udom Emmanuel who is from the zone. Umana is from Uyo senatorial district.

This perhaps, means that Umana’s decision to join the opposition came after months of pressure, speculations and horse-trading that appear to have tilted the balance of power game against him. Today was billed for the formal declaration but for the inauguration of the Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola which is taking place today in Osogbo, the state capital.

A statement by the Akwa Ibom State APC Chairman, Dr. Amadu Attai, said Umana’s defection from the PDP to APC

Akpabio

Umana

Udom

Etiebet

would be followed by a mass movement of other political leaders and their supporters which is billed for Asan Ibibio Grounds in Uyo, the state capital.

Dignitaries expected at the rally, the APC chairman said, include APC governors, House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and the party’s presidential aspirants.

The statement had read: “Mr. Umana, a former Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government

and leading governorship aspirant is to join the APC. Umana’s switch from the PDP to APC will be followed by a mass movement of other political leaders and their supporters across the state.

“Umana, who started the campaign to actualise his aspiration to lead the state as ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 38

Donald Ojogo, Group Politics Editor ojogodonald@yahoo.com

37

38 POLITICS TODAY

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Akwa-Ibom 2015: As Umana Joins APC, What Impact Lies Ahead?

Attah ➔ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

This perhaps, means that Umana’s decision to join the opposition came after months of pressure, speculations and horsetrading that appear to have tilted the balance of power game against him

governor on the platform of the PDP, said he is dumping PDP following his illegal and unconstitutional exclusion from the party’s governorship primary on the ground that he is from Uyo Senatorial District, a clear breach of the Constitution of the Federal Republic, which forbids discrimination against a Nigerian citizen on the basis of his place of birth.”

Giving insights to Mr. decision, his Umana’s media spokesperson, Iboro Otongaran also told an online medium, Premium Times that Umana’s defection to the APC had nothing to do with Mr. Akpabio’s preference for another aspirant.

“The decision to move does not have anything to do with Governor Akpabio’s declaration about his preference in Udom Emmanuel or anybody,” Mr. Otongaran said. “It does not matter who the governor prefers. As a citizen of the state he has a right to prefer one person over another.”

Mr. Otongaran, however, blamed the decision on the National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP, which recently issued a statement through its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, barring Mr. Umanah and other aspirants from Uyo Senatorial District, except those from Eket Senatorial district, from contesting the governorship elections in the state come

Oyegun

Mu’azu

2015.

In the statement, Metuh, said the NWC had reviewed the decision of the enlarged State Executive Committee, SEC, of Akwa-Ibom State PDP and decided to zone the governorship ticket of the party to Eket Senatorial Zone.

“After a review of the decision of the enlarged State Executive Committee of Akwa-Ibom state, the National Working committee (NWC) has accepted and fully endorsed the decision to zone the Akwa-Ibom state governorship position to Eket Senatorial Zone.

“Accordingly, the NWC expects that only aspirants from Eket Senatorial Zone will present themselves for the governorship primary election in the state.

“In the spirit of internal democracy, the NWC promises that there will be free, fair and transparent congresses.

Aspirants from Eket Senatorial Zone are therefore encouraged to fully participate in the process.”

But the position of the PDP NWC came after series of protests by some party leaders and elders from the state. At a briefing, Akwa Ibom PDP elders, leaders and stakeholders, led by former governor Victor Attah, Chief Don Etiebet and immediate Past National Vice Chairman of the PDP in the South-South, Chief Edet Nkpubre, warned that they would be forced to work for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan and ditch

any governorship candidate imposed by the governor.

Reading a prepared text on behalf of the elders, leaders, stakeholders, women and youth of the PDP in the state, Attah chronicled the various infractions allegedly being undertaken by the governor and the state chapter of the party against majority of the members and called on the NWC to stop them before it was too late.

The former governor claimed that apart from turning the party into his personal property, the governor had hijacked the membership register and taken it to Government House, where it had allegedly been tampered with for the purpose of giving his anointed candidate an edge during the primary election.

The elders said: “In firm support of the position of the National Chairman, the NWC and the President, we wish to restate our resolute stand against the imposition of any candidate. We urge the national leadership of the party to be very firm in ensuring that a level playing field is established for all aspirants and to sanction any NWC member found to be aiding and abetting the imposition of any person or group of persons.

Etiebet and Nkpubre corroborated Attah’s position, adding that tension and violence had already enveloped the state as a result of the move by the governor to install his anointed candidate as successor.

How Far Can Umana Go? It is yet to be seen the magic baton the erstwhile SSG banks on to strut. The reasons are not far-fetched. One, LEADERSHIP learnt that most of the elders of the PDP who had kicked against the anointment of Emmanuel

by Governor Akpabio have distanced themselves from the planned declaration by Umana, for the opposition APC. “The truth is that much as we are not happy with the way and manner Governor Akpabio had carried on with the affairs of the party, it leaves much to be desired that Obong Umana Okon Umana could prefer to pitch his tent with the APC,” a former federal lawmaker who attended the anti-Akpabio conference in Abuja confided in our correspondent.

Also, a leader of the PDP in the state, Dr Andrew Okon Bassey told LEADERSHIP that Umana’s decision to defect was a great political undoing that would take him years to recover.

“As far as some of know, Umana has made a mistake by joining the APC; why not Labour Party? You know we have a governor who is very clever and takes on his political opponents without any inhibition.

“The governor can take the campaign to the remotest parts of the state to demonise Umana and the people will listen that he has brought a party that wants to stop President Jonathan from returning in 2015,” Bassey said.

POLITICS TODAY 39

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Inuwa

‘FG Not Serious About Ending Insurgency’ In this interview, Dr. Mustafa Inuwa, Chairman of Katsina State APC speaks with MU’AZU ELAZEH on the chances of his party come 2015, insurgency in the Northeast and other sundry issues.

Katsina state APC has endorsed General Muhammadu Buhari as its sole candidate for 2015 Presidential election. In the face of challenges posed by other powerful aspirants, how do you think the General stands a chance?

This has been said many times but one thing is very clear, the government is not serious, is not determined or willing to do anything and that is why many people accuse the government of being part of it

As you rightly said, only Katsina state APC has endorsed General Muhammadu Buhari as its sole candidate. It also went ahead to source money from supports to pay for the expression of interest and nomination forms. This is to strengthen the position that, not only had we endorsed him but also sponsored him because people in the country have realised that it is only with Buhari that you can have the mass support and followership including many PDP supporters and even those who do not belong to any political party, because they believe in his capacity and ability to perform.

In the present day Nigeria, it is Buhari who can turn around the aspirations of his people. And it is Buhari who certainly, if he

stands in the election, can stop the normal rigging of the PDP, because people will not like the kind of things that happened before; people are all out now to ensure that Buhari wins the election; so I think he stands an excellent chance to win the ticket.

Is the APC really prepared to wrestle power from the ruling PDP?

Certainly it is ever ready and willing anytime and even if the elections were to hold today, I believe that for the APC, all we want is for the organs responsible for the conduct of the elections; particularly INEC, the security agencies to ensure a levelplaying ground for everybody, ensure peace and transparency in the conduct of the elections.

We have the followership, the supporters, mass supporters from across the country. If you go round the country you see PDP is dead in most places; where you see some semblance of PDP, it is people who are looking for contracts and some

patronages and not supporters, genuine supporters because the PDP has failed everybody, people are disappointed. The situation in the country makes everybody believe PDP cannot tackle these problems especially where insecurity and poverty are concerned. Take the energy sector for instance; how many years? The president lied to the country, to the people of Nigeria that by last year, everybody would have abandoned his generating set but what is the situation now? People are buying more and more generating sets are being imported into the country. So the point is, people have realised that PDP cannot deliver. Things are getting worse by the day, corruption is becoming almost a norm in the PDP government, and this is what is really eating the whole system in Nigeria where things do not work. Public institutions have completely failed; schools are not working, hospitals, power not working and so many things.

So APC stands a very good chance, people really have hope in APC and believe it is the only party that can win election and has the capacity. Take the APC states for instance, it is not just by coincidence where all the governors in APC states you find are doing very well. The people of these states are happy and are seeing the dividends of democracy all over, so I believe APC government is coming by 2015 and by the grace of God things will definitely change for the better.

Then we have the war on insurgency that appears to be with no end in the North, particularly in the Northeast.

Could you comment on the way out of this menacing imbroglio?

This has been said many times but one thing is very clear, the government is not serious, is not determined or willing to do anything and that is why many people accuse the government of being part of it, because if you look at the environment, the place where all these things happen is a porous open land; if you fight and win a war in the Niger Delta area, I wonder who the Nigerian Army cannot stop this insurgency in a matter of weeks. That is why I said people believe strongly that government is either behind this or is nonchallant on because the area does not concern the government – is in the North – so they are not bothered. Take the issue of this Ebola disease, see the kind of seriousness from the government in tackling the issue; it contained the issue with dispatch because people alleged it was recorded in the Southern part of Nigeria. If it were from the Northern parts, maybe the North would not have anything to stop it. So, I think

because it has no moral basis, the government was not elected, so they do things based on ethnic or religious sentiments, otherwise we have no reason to go into the kind of things we have undergone regarding this insurgency. Where do they get the arms, who trains and finances them? where do they get food and so on; they get covered. Some soldiers have said it openly; the Nigerian Army were all put there to be killed, they were not given enough ammunition and sometimes the strategies are leaked out and so on. I think a lot of questions really need to be answered here by the security operatives; nothing is being done seriously about this. It is certainly below expectation and we believe they are complacent in this matter.

Finally, how do you see Nigeria with regard to 2015 elections and the survival of the nation as an entity? Do you buy their theory that the country is poised to break up if we are to go by the current happenings in the polity?

I think things will be ok, only if, like I said earlier if the INEC and the security agencies will allow things to happen normally, to play the game according to the rules but if they decide to do otherwise, may be to support rigging in the election, that is where you cannot guarantee anything here, because people are so determined to ensure that they change this government. So any attempt by the government agencies, INEC in particular and the security agencies, will definitely be faced with challenges; people will definitely not allow what happened in 20011 to repeat itself. Their vote must be counted. The person who is supposed to win, must be allowed to win. I only hope INEC, this time around, will allow elections to hold in a free and fair atmosphere. The military should not be involved.

I think we will resist any attempt by the government to involve military into the election issue; they have no business being there. In other countries, especially in African countries, you see elections holding without a single policeman at the polling unit. In places where there are even wars say Syria and Sierra Leone, they held elections peacefully. In Ghana, they held elections peacefully without any problem, so why should military personnel be all over the place during elections in Nigeria simply because they don’t want to have a situation where people will be allowed to vote. So I think the country will remain united as long as people are allowed to elect who they want and the person who wins the election is allowed to govern in victory, but nothing short of that.

40 DEFENCE FOCUS

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Nigeria’s War On Terror And National Pride

T

oday, the world is faced with an elusive unrelenting enemy.

Acts of terrorism inspired by extreme teaching have been carried out in countries as far apart and different as Thailand, Canada, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Russia, Israel, Iraq and the United States. The pedigree and history of extremist religion inspired terrorism organisations such as ISIS and Al Qaeda has become globally acknowledged. This ugly strain of criminality is threatening lives, peace and freedom around the world. As these terror groups continue to wage a war against democracy and freedom, they have relied on an effective weapon of war, which is more effective than guns and bombs; the weapon of fear. They have also realised and utilized the effectiveness of mass media in spreading their message of hate knowing that fear is best propagated through falsehood.

The strategy of terrorists is to commit acts of violence that draws the attention of the local populace, the government, and the world to their cause. They plan their attack to obtain the greatest publicity, choosing targets that symbolize what they oppose. The effectiveness of a terrorist act lies not in the act itself, but in the public’s or government’s reaction to it.

These are the hallmark of the Boko Haram terrorists insurgency in Nigeria.

Although it prefers to be known formally as Ahlul Sunna Li Daawa Wal Jihad, it is popularly known as Boko Haram. This Sunni jihadist group advocates the Islamisation of law and society, the overthrow of Nigeria’s democratic government, and the creation of an Islamic state based on its own interpretation of Sharia law.

Boko Haram supports a version of Islam that makes it forbidden (haram) for Muslims to participate in any social or political activity associated with Western society, such as voting in elections or receiving a secular education.

Ironically, it is worth noting that Boko Haram does not reject completely the Western and modern world as it has successfully employed the use of mobile phones, video cameras, DVDs, and social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and video sharing sites like YouTube and LiveLeak, to promote its campaign of terror. Even its choice arms and

ammunition are products of western civilization.

The ideology of Boko Haram remains a threat not just to Nigeria and Nigerians but to all free nations and citizens of the world. In 2013, Human Rights Watch estimated that more than 3,000 people had been killed in the Boko Haram terrorists campaign. Its targets have included: civilians, political leaders, government buildings, police barracks, military establishment and personnel, newspaper offices, village markets, schools, churches and mosques. This has made Boko Haram one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world.

State of Emergency. In containing this insurgency, the Federal Government was constrained to declare a State of Emergency on 14 May 2013 in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa States in the North Eastern parts of the country, where the activities of terrorists were most prevalent. Gradually, this translated to a declaration of war. The results of the measure were the substantial containment of the activities of the terrorists within the first few months of the military campaign. Law and order as well as socio-economic activities which had been disrupted was swiftly restored in the affected communities along with a measure of relative peace.

The reported kidnap of over 270 girls from a secondary school in Chibok, a village in Southern Borno, in April 2014, and the subsequent global campaign for government to step up efforts towards their release marked a turning point in the sect’s terrorist activities. The foreign media have latched onto this angle of the story as a result of the dramatic nature of the kidnappings and exposed the activities of the sect to a wider global audience. At the same time the Nigerian government has come under intense scrutiny and criticisms for its seeming failure to restore normalcy to the region and rescue the school girls.

Cashing in on this development also some activists, the media and politicians promoted stories or occurrences that tended to ridicule the military and the government. Perhaps, as they were engrossed in the excitement of this trends and the political mileage it secured for them, the campaigners were oblivious of the fact that their activities only served to

defence focus

By BAYO OLADEJI

Jonathan

In fact there are parallels to be drawn between Boko Haram and ISIS, in their religious bigotry, brutality, and territorial ambition ridicule our nation and dampen the spirit and commitment of our allies. Indeed, it has also continued to have very damaging effect on the morale and commitment of our troops.

While boosting the confidence of the terrorists who now engage in more daring attacks on troops and communities, the mindless and inciting criticism has continued to undermine the discipline, commitment, bravery, and sense of patriotism for which the Nigerian military was highly reputable and respected. The military leadership now contends with the burden of refuting unfounded allegations aimed at questioning its authority to command the troops while it has to ensure that discipline which is the indispensable virtue of the military is upheld; it grapples with curtailing tendencies such as negligence, instigated mutiny, cowardice, desertions and all forms of indiscipline that has surfaced in the military. Those who are orchestrating these campaigns are said to be seeking temporary political gains which observers have linked to the 2015 general elections in Nigeria.

The media in Nigeria seem to subscribe to the idea that re-

Badeh

porting war should be at the expense and detriment of the nation’s image or collective destiny. The sacrifices being made by security agencies to protect the rest of the society from terrorists is often downplayed while occasional lapses are overdramatized with all manner of sensationalism. It appears that responsible reporting is a favour which the military or government hardly ever deserve. Naturally, the foreign media have latched into this disdain for objective reportage in the coverage of military operations in this war against terrorism and proceeded to globalize the unfounded assault on the nation’s military and image.

The terrorists have also mastered the psychology of the international community and they create phantom stories that feed into pre-conceived notions about the military institution.

The fact that their actions violate human rights of hundreds of thousands of people including thousands of children they kidnap, rape and convert to child soldiers using them as human shields in battle with Nigerian soldiers, is now well known.

The lessons the international community can draw from the Nigerian situation include the fact that fighting a terrorist organisation whether ISIS or Boko Haram is an intricate operation.

There is no magic bullet. In fact there are parallels to be drawn between Boko Haram and ISIS, in their religious bigotry, brutality, and territorial ambition.

Although peculiar, the problem we are grappling with today has been long in the mak-

ing but the malaise presented by the fallout of terrorism is not unique to Nigeria. The Nigeria government has never assumed that this is a problem with only a military solution. All sectors of the nation have a role to play in bringing this monster to an end. The Goodluck Jonathan administration has tried to address the problem of insurgency with a multi-prong approach: education, infrastructural development, agriculture, safe school initiative along with the deployment of security operatives, amongst others.

On why Nigeria has, allowed the problem to fester for this long or why has the country failed despite its oil wealth to adequately equip it military to be able to provide internal security and to fend off external aggression, I think the answer is obvious. Like our well-respected Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said at a forum a few days ago, the question has to do with competing needs. Do you invest in military hardware or do you provide bread and butter for your hungry citizens? I think the choices are not easy for any government to make.

Notwithstanding, my job has been made easy by the ongoing military transformation in Nigeria. Apart from radical improvements in the troops and equipment deployments, there is a significant shift in attitudes wherein the military hierarchies allow military information managers to disseminate information about the military actions in the North East towards fostering greater good of the greatest number of the Nigerian people.

However, well-intentioned information dissemination should not be done in a way that evokes fear in the general public and turn the security forces into a big brother. The hard fact as it appears now is that a very vocal number of people in our home audiences want the military spokesman to admit that Boko Haram has superior firepower. But that is ridiculous and untrue. It is utterly baseless and conspiratorial because the fact remains that the Nigerian military is not fighting a conventional warfare as the insurgents fight sporadically and melt back to the social system. *Being excerpts from the speech delivered by Major General Chris Olukolade at the AD King Foundation Award of Excellence in Defence Information Dissemination Held at Atlanta, Georgia, USA on 15 November 2014.

41

Thursday, November 27, 2014

energy news

FG Seeks Timely Realisation Of 450MW Azura IPP

By Juliet Alohan, Abuja

In a bid to ensure the timely realization of the 450 megawatts Azura Independent Power Project (IPP), the minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has inaugurated an InterAgency Delivery Team on the project with a view to ensuring it is realised on scheduled.

Nebo, who urged the team to fast track the completion of the gas fired plant which is located in Edo State, said the project when completed would give foreign investors more confidence to invest in similar power projects in the country and boost power supply to the national grid.

The minister, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Amb. Godknows Igali, stated that Azura project will create a platform and a template for other projects to succeed in view of the seriousness of the packaging of the

project.

The terms of reference handed to the 12 member team include to facilitate all regulatory and commercial issues for the closure of the financing of the project and to monitor its implementation as well as ensure that the high expectations from the project are met Members of the team include the Senior Special Assistant on Gas to the minister, Prof. Frank Edozie, as Team Leader, representatives of Edo State government, ministry of finance, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, ministry of Justice, the World Bank, Azura power, among others.

In his response,the Team Leader, Prof. Frank Edozie, assured that the members will justify the confidence reposed on them by the ministry by working assiduously using the term of reference as its barometers.

He also assured the

Gas Flaring: ‘Marginal Field Operators Biggest Culprit’

By Chika Izuora, Lagos

Marginal Fields operators have been identified as the biggest culprit in flaring of gas in the recent times.

Federal government initiated the marginal field as measure to bring on board indigenous oil firms to invest in the oil and gas sector.

Consequently, oil majors were directed under the scheme to relinquish such fields considered to be commercially unviable to such operators.

But in the cause of their operation, technology and funding have posed major operational challenges to the operators.

In a recent report by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) marginal field operators

were the worst offenders flaring much gas in august.

In the month under review, the operators flared 81.58 percent of their total gas production. Specifically, Marginal Fields produced 1.223 billion SCF of gas, utilized 805.424 million SCF and flared 997.587 million SCF of gas.

Consequently, the country lost about $170.166 million to gas flaring during the month as the entire oil and gas companies flared 39.07 billion Standard Cubic Feet (SCF) of gas.

The oil and gas companies produced a total of 226.255 billion SCF of gas, utilised 187.85 billion SCF and flared 39.070 billion SCF. The quantity flared represents 17.27 percent of the total quantity of gas produced.

Total Initiates Measures To Combat Climate Change, Gas Flare stories By Chika Izuora, Lagos

Total is consolidating its efforts to address climate change by supporting three international initiatives backed by the Global Compact, the World Bank and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).

Total said it will support the United Nations Global Compact’s call for companies to factor an internal carbon price into their investment decisions.

Since 2008, Total has factored a long-term carbon price of €25 per ton into its investment decisions and backed the gradual introduction of policies that incorporate climate considerations into markets without distorting competition and has pledged to join the World Bank’s planned Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 Initiative.

A member of the World Bank’s Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership since 2004, Total has voluntarily reduced routine gas flaring in its production operations by 40 percent since 2005.

In 2000, the Group announced that it would no longer routinely flare associated gas in new oil developments adding that its support for this new global initiative led by the World Bank is therefore aligned with its long-standing policy in this area.

Total is joining the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, which works to more effectively measure, manage and mitigate emissions of methane, a gas whose global warming potential is much higher than carbon dioxide’s.

Since 2005, the company has had an independent auditor to verify its social and environmental indicators,

including methane emissions.

By joining this industry-based partnership promoted by the United Nations Environment Programme and the non-profit Environmental Defense Fund, Total is strengthening its ability to improve its methane emission management and share its expertise in the field.

Giving methane’s high global warming potential and relatively short lifetime in the atmosphere, curbing emissions would significantly improve climate change management.

“Total is fully aware of the role of the oil and gas industry plays in climate change. Our support for these three global initiatives is a logical extension of the work we have undertaken by a number of years to reduce flaring, cut our greenhouse gas emissions and improve the energy efficiency of our facilities.

Niger State governor, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, presented with an award conferred on him by the national president, Association Of Housing Cooperations Of Nigeria, Dr Ifema Chukwujeku, during a courtesy visit to the Government House in Minna, yesterday. PHOTO BY GOVT HOUSE

OPEC Panel Reviews Oil Oversupply Challenges Ahead of meeting of oil ministers today, a panel of national representatives has reviewed OPEC’s oil market outlook for 2015.

According to OPEC sources, the panel was preparing the ground for a policy-setting meeting that will decide how to address a looming oversupply of crude.

The Economic Commission Board concluded a two-day meeting in Vienna last weekend ahead of the gathering of the group’s oil ministers today Nov. 27.

The panel did not however recommend policy to the ministers but it reviewed the supply and

demand forecasts published in the oil exporter group’s monthly market report, which predicted lower demand for OPEC crude in 2015 and oversupply in the market if OPEC maintains its current output.

“It was a general discussion on the 2015 outlook,” one of the OPEC sources said. Oil prices have fallen by 30 percent since June to around $80 a barrel, alarming some OPEC members.

But an agreement on a cut in the group’s output at today’s meeting is by no means certain, not least because top exporter Saudi Arabia has yet to say whether it supports

one.

Delegates expect a difficult meeting, and analysts are split over the outcome.

“This meeting will be probably one of the toughest ever,” one delegate said.

OPEC’s latest oil market report, published on Nov. 12, forecast that demand for OPEC crude next year would fall far below its current output because of the U.S. shale boom.

It pointed to a supply surplus of 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first half of 2015 if OPEC keeps output at the October rate of 30.25 million bpd.

42 commerce/BUSINESS

Thursday, November 27, 2014

commerce REPORTS

Lady Mechanics Urged To Key Into Spare Parts Manufacturing Policy

L-R: Manager, information systems, Addax Petroleum, Mr Shola Sani; vice president and global chief technology officer, EMC Sales, Patricia Florissi; director of information technology, United Bank for Africa , Mr Rasheed Adegoke, and chief executive officer, MainOne, Ms. Funke Opeke, at the 2014 edition of the EMC Forum in Lagos.

Confab Backs Nigeria Financial Intelligence Centre Bill, Others

Stories BY Kingsley Alu, Abuja

As efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s legal framework against corruption gathers momentum, civil society organisations in Nigeria have thrown their weight behind the Proceeds of Crime (POCA) , Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) and Nigeria Financial Intelligence Centre (NFIC) Bills being considered by the present National Assembly.

In a 14-page Communique, issued after a Civil Society Roundtable organised by the Media Initiative Against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC), in Abuja, the activists expressed confidence that the POCA and MLA bills are necessary legislations that would enhance the country’s anti-graft war.

The communique, signed by the chairman, Okechukwu Nwanguma, of Network on Police Reforms (NOPRIN) and Secretary, Debo Adeniran, of the Coalition Against Corrupt

Leaders (CACOL) reviewed the recently passed Nigeria Financial Intelligence Centre (NFIC) Bill and described it as a step in the right direction.

The activists reiterated their preference for a truly independent Nigeria Financial Intelligence Centre (NFIC) for Nigeria and warned that it would resist any attempt to hijack the NFIC about being created.

They commended the National Assembly for passing the NFIC Bill and urged it to make haste to pass the Proceeds of Crime and Mutual Legal Assistance Bills making steady progress at the National Assembly.

They also commended the President Jonathan-led government for his commitment to the passage of the Bills and urged the President to make haste to sign the NFIC Bill into law in the interest of the country’s antigraft, anti-money laundering and counter terrorism war.

“Civil society stakeholders from all parts of Nigeria assembled at the country’s capital, Abuja,

to review the state of anticorruption campaign in Nigeria.

“Stakeholders commended the present National Assembly for the passage of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Centre (NFIC) Bill and urged the lawmakers to hasten to pass other related and complimentary anti-corruption billsthe Proceeds of Crime (POCA) and Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) Bills. Stakeholders however urged the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, to give speedy assent to the NFIC Bill, in order allow the Centre take off immediately.

“Stakeholders critically reviewed the recently-passed NFIC bill and reiterated that the bill is a step in the right direction in the anti-money laundering, anti-corruption and antiterrorism campaign in Nigeria.

“Stakeholders reiterated confidence in the administrative type-FIU, which Nigeria opted for and threw their weight behind its being domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as passed by the National Assembly.”

Stakeholders reiterated confidence in the administrative type-FIU, which Nigeria opted for and threw their weight behind its being domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as passed by the National Assembly

BOI To Provide Business Support Plans For SMEs Operators The Bank of Industry (BOI) has disclosed plans to provide business development support plans for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in order to reduce the incidence of business failure which often leads to non-repayment of loans.

In a presentation at the Senior Executive Course 36 of the Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Jos weekend,managing director of the bank, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, stressed that the business development

support programme would assist in giving necessary direction to any entrepreneur with viable business plans as it would avert business failure responsible for nonrepayment of loans.

While also hinting that the bank would in addition set up a loan monitoring unit and that will address the issue of non-repayment of loans, he denied the allegation that the bank’s loan conditions were unnecessarily cumbersome.

“As a promoter, as an SME operator and as an entrepreneur, I will ask you

only four questions and if you can answer the questions satisfactorily, you can be sure to get support from the BOI. First, what product are you offering, second, who are your target customers, thirdly what is your valuevproposition, that is what you are offering that is so appealing that people are going to buy it.

Fourthly, that value proposition, how are you going to deliver it?

Believe me, if you can answer those questions correctly, BIO will support you.” On the low level of loan performance in the banking sector,

Lady mechanics in the country have been urged to key into the manufacturing policy and the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan(NIRP) of the federal government.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga stated this during the visit of the group managing director of Sandex Car Care (Lady Mechanic Initiative),Mrs Sandra AgueborEKperouh to the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

“You can diversify into spare part manufacturing business based on the fact that, the skills you acquire in the auto industry can be used in so many areas, that is why the auto industry is known to be the beginning of industrialisation,” he said, while assuring that the ministry would provide necessary support to the association through its agencies to train more lady mechanics through the programme of ITF, NAC and SMEDAN. He added that SMEDAN, NAC would be on hand to provide the enabling environment for trainees to have access to loans under 10 per cent and bankable plan that would enable them create more employment and wealth in the country.

RTEAN,NATA Partner On Automotive Sector Development Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN and the Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) have entered into partnership to complement the federal government’s efforts of ensuring the survival and growth of the nation’s automotive industry.

Executive national president of RTEAN, Alhaji Shehu Musa Isiwele, while receiving the leadership of NATA led by its national president, Comrade Michael Ajayi Omonayin in his office over the weekend in Abuja, noted that such partnership would enhance the industry’s contribution to the national economy, especially in the area of transportation.

Isiwele added that it would not only add value to both organisations, but also help the government in creating enabling environment for the manufacturing of local vehicles and spare parts in the country.

He said RTEAN and NATA would through the partnership ease the pains of Nigerians in transporting their goods and services, especially, “now that the federal government has launched the national automotive policy aimed at making the nation self reliant in the manufacturing of Nigerian made vehicles”.

44 BUSINESS/mines & steel

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Sada

mines & steel REPORT Miners at work

Mining: Poor Standards Hamper Nigerian Products In International Market

Poor quality control has been identified as a major challenge militating against the acceptance of locally-mined products among the global mining world. Ruth Tene Natsa writes on Some of the efforts being put in place to ensure that Nigerian products meet International standards.

Stakeholders in the minerals and mining sector have often bemoaned the rejection of their locally mined products even when they think their products are of high and exceptional quality. Poor quality control, poor regulations and the high rate of illegal/ informal mining activities in the sector are critical to the rejection of locally mined products on the international market.

To Mitigate this, the federal government through the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has maintained that to achieve this objective, professionals must comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act,2007, Nigerian Minerals and Mining Regulations 2011 and the Explosives Act of 1964 and the Explosives Regulation 1967 among others.

Another major effort of the federal government towards curtailing this challenge are the efforts being implemented by the Cargo Defence Fund, which has proposed measures to reduce rejection of Nigerian Solid minerals in the international markets through proper certification.

This was revealed by chairman of the fund, Senator Cosmas Niagwan represented by the executive secretary of the fund, Mrs Azuka Ogo, at a oneday workshop, tagged:“NGSA Laboratories Kaduna, Services,

Certification and Relevance to the Mining Industry in Kaduna early in the year.

“The Cargo Defence Fund was established by the federal government to assist Nigerian companies/operators in the pursuit of their claims recoveries and legal remedies in export/ import matters. She disclosed that the fund has handled over 500 complaints relating to short handling of cargoes, non delivery, fraud, theft and illegal charges among others.

“From the nature of problems faced by Nigerian importers/ exporters the committee in a bid to ensure the protection of operators had recommended proper certification of solid minerals for export,” said Ogo. According to Ogo, the arrangement of export insurance for Nigeria solid minerals in export trade amounts to taking steps to redress and ensure problems associated with exports of solid minerals were not repeated as well as synergise with other agencies to ensure policies were favorable to the importers/exporters.

She added that “as a way to ensure the protection of operators, the Fund had categorised challenges of operators into contracts, banking and insurance and has partnered with various trade groups towards adopting International best practices in order to trade successfully.”

Also in the vanguard for quality product in Nigeria is the EU’s 12million Euro to support the development of national quality policy.

This was revealed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Representative to ECOWAS and Nigeria, Dr Patrick Kormawa, who said the 12 million Euro European Union(EU) grant was to support the development of quality control while supporting the trade of made -in- Nigeria products.

The representative, who spoke in an exclusive interview with Leadership said, “The European Union had also made available a grant of 12m Euro to support the development of National Quality Infrastructure comprising various policies and institutions that promote trade of made- inNigeria products.”

He noted that, “One output that had been gotten from the grant is that Nigeria will be able to promulgate a national policy on quality, currently there is no national quality policy and work is currently ongoing on that.

“We will also create the National Accreditation Board,the apex organisation that certifies institutions dealing with quality,because once a board certifies a quality or product,that product becomes acceptable internationally,” Kormawa said.

He noted that “currently most Nigerian products are rejected on the international market and that is a lot of cost to the exporter.”

He further noted that “the 5th function of the fund will be to support the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and other consumer organisations to help consumers demand for products that were of quality.

From the nature of problems faced by Nigerian importers/exporters the committee in a bid to ensure the protection of operators had recommended proper certification of solid minerals for export

COMEG Hampered

By Over N70m Debt – Oyibo

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

The chairman, Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG),Chief Chambers Oyibo, has said that the Council was challenged by the laisser-faire attitude of registered members towards the settlement of practising fees, which has accumulated to over N70 million.

The chairman, who spoke at the induction ceremony of 210 individuals and 15 institutional members in Abuja yesterday said outstanding practicing fees owed by registered members have continued to accumulate despite efforts to contract it.

“The Council has continued to face challenges which will require immediate attention by all stakeholders if COMEG is ever going to live up to its mandate to become the foremost regulator in the Nigerian Extractive Industry.

“Lack of permanent office accommodation where we have to contend with rented facility paid through our lean resources, inability to continue to conduct accreditation programmes,nonchallant attitude of registered members towards settlement of practising fees where over N70million has now accumulated and poor execution of national policies set up by government to support the cause of the council,”said Oyibo.

He added that the council had over the past years made efforts at sustaining professionalism in the Nigerian extractive industry in accordance with global best standards.

The chairman said among the many efforts by the council were the upgrading of COMEG website and database management system, online registration and payment, renewed membership and revenue drive exercise, upgrading of the GEM magazine into a technical journal and the conclusion of arrangements in conjunction with Geoprobe Limited to conduct professional development workshops.

He added that the Council introduced the issuance of practising licences only to duly registered and financially up to date members to be renewed annually.

Other efforts according to the chairman, included the submission of proposed professional scale of fees, need to provide internship training programmes for young geoscientists and mining engineers among others.

Oyibo, through the minister of Mines and Steel Development, Musa Mohammed Sada, also called for the collaborative support of ministers of water resources, environment, science and technology, works and petroleum rdesources towards ensuring that professionals in their sectors complied with the provisions of the COMEG Act.

news NATIONAL 45

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Thousands Flee Gubio Town As Boko Haram Sends Threat Letter

By Kareem Haruna, Maiduguri

Thousands of residents from Gubio town in Borno State yesterday fled to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital after suspected Boko Haram terrorists reportedly sent them a letter threatening an imminent attack.

The fleeing residents, who arrived Maiduguri on lorries, vans and trucks were seen moving towards the direction of the Shehu of Borno’s palace as well as towards the city centre.

One of the displaced residents,

Fannami Abuwar, said “ We have been threatened with letter by the Boko Haram insurgents, saying that they would attack us soon and we all have to flee for our lives having heard of what happened to communities like Damasak and Malumfatori where similar threat were made and carried out”.

A spokesman for the Vigilante Group in Borno State, Muhammed Gava, confirmed the development to LEADERSHIP He said, “We were all disturbed by the development because Gubio, though not too far away from Mai-

duguri, has been very peaceful and calm all this while”.

Officials of the state government and aid workers are yet to respond to the situation even as residents of Maiduguri had begun to worry over the increasing influx of displaced persons in to the state capital that is already choked up by over 100, 000 other IDPs from about 15 local government areas of the state.

Gubio, which is about 96 kilometres away from Maiduguri, is an agrarian town and headquarters of local government of the same name.

Suswam Sacks 23 LG Chairmen In Benue

By Solomon Ayado, Makurdi

Benue State governor Gabriel Suswam yesterday dissolved the 23 local government council chairmen in the state with immediate effect.

This was announced in a statement signed and broadcast by the secretary to the state government, Dr. David Salifu who enjoined all the council leaders to show prompt compliance.

He further directed the sacked executives to quick-

ly hand over the running of the affairs of the council to the director generals of administration (DGSAs) of all the affected local governments to forge with the development initiatives of the areas.

It acknowledged the loyalty, grassroots development and initiation of landmark projects to communities by the exiting chairmen during their period of office, commending them for their sportsmanship and responsive leadership qualities.

Gov Shema Quoted Out of Context – Gambarawa

By Millie Ibe, Abuja

Leader of a coalition of youths clubs and associations in Katsina State, Malam Ayyuba Umar Gambarawa, has urged people to focus on the achievements of Governor Ibrahim Shema in all sectors, instead of succumbing to propaganda of the opposition party.

Gambarawa made this remarks in an exclusive interview with newsmen in Abuja, saying that despite the ongoing furore on Governor Shema’s pronouncement, youths in both modern and domestic sports in the state are solidly behind him.

Saying the governor was quoted out of context, he said the recent outcry is unwarranted, futile and malicious, as it is being capitalised on by members

of the opposition party in their attempts to rubbish his administration’s credentials as the 2015 general elections move closer.

“We are in full support of Governor Ibrahim Shema for his tremendous achievements, democratic credentials, his ability to unite our people and neutralise the opposition in the our state, hence the recent attempted blackmail,’ Ayyuba Gambarawa said.

He expressed dismay on the absence of media reports when some APC supporters of former speaker of House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Masari, allegedly killed a PDP youth in Karofi village recently, describing Governor Shema as political father of all politicians irrespective of party affiliations.

US Commits Over $3.5b To Nigeria HIV/AIDS Response

By Patience Ivie Ihejirika, Abuja

The Embassy of the United States of America yesterday revealed that its government has committed more than $3.5 billion, about N580 billion, to Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS response since 2004.

It said that the United States’ contribution to Nigeria’s national HIV response has maintained a level of close to half a billion U.S. dollars annually from 2012 to 2015, with an expectation to continue at the same level through 2016.

U.S Embassy charge d’ affairs, Maria Brewer, stated this in Abuja at the event held in commemoration of the 2014 World AIDS Day

at the embassy.

She said the embassy was committed to focusing the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) resources programmatically and geographically to reach the people and communities most in need.

Brewer noted that the U.S partnership with the Nigerian government was critical to controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country and to achieving an AIDS-free generation.

According to her, “World AIDS Day is an important time to reflect on PEPFAR’s achievements through our collaboration with the Nigerian government, Global Fund, UN family, private sector, faith-based community, and civil society.”

46 news south-west Violent Attacks Threat To 2015 Elections - APC The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State yesterday blamed the opposition for the violent attacks in the state, warning that it pose fresh threat to the peace and tranquillity of the Pacesetter State as Nigeria approaches the 2015 general elections.

The APC chairman, Chief Akin Oke while addressing newsmen in Ibadan, acknowledged the fact that there had been renewed threat to the reign of peace in Ibadan, the state capital in recent times and the position of the party on the development was that it is totally unacceptable.

While noting that the governor had traversed all the nooks and crannies of the state on an official visit, he said the opposition parties, who were apparently jolted by the wonderful reception accorded Sen. Abiola Ajimobi at each of the 31 local government areas already visited attempted to discredit the tour by sponsoring the mayhem to coincide with the last day of the exercise.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

2015: Nda-Isaiah Holds Closed-door Meeting With Gov Aregbesola By joshua dada Osogbo

Two weeks to the APC presidential primary, the founder of the Leadership Group Limited and a presidential aspirant on the platform of the party, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah yesterday stormed Osogbo the capital of Osun State, where he held a closed door meeting with the governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

A statement by the special assis-

tant to Nda-Isaiah on media, Mr Bashir Ahmed, also disclosed that the meeting was held at Osun State Government House and it lasted more than two hours.

Even though the main centre of the meeting was not made public but it has strong connection with NdaIsaiah’s presidential ambition.

Nda-Isaiah like other presidential aspirants on the platform of the APC has been on a nationwide consulta-

tion drive and visits to get more support from the party leaders and delegates.

The meeting came just after the presidential aspirant paid a similar visit to the governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola and the party leaders in the state.

Nda-Isaiah will today meet Osun APC leaders and delegates before his entourage proceed to Ekiti and Ondo states respectively.

By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

LP Confirms Appointment Of Ondo Acting Chairman The national leadership of the Labour Party, LP, has confirmed the appointment of Kolawole Johnson as acting chairman of the party in Ondo State.

In a letter dated 24th of November, 2014, the LP national chairman, Alhaji A.A. Salam, said the appointment was necessary in view of the need to reorganise the party in the state.

The apex body of the party saddles the new leadership in the state with the responsibility of bringing back the party to reckoning after the exit of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko from the party.

The letter read, “Following the carpet crossing of our only governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and our members in the State Assembly, House of Representatives and the Senate as announced by the governor at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, along with party leaders across the state, it has become imperative for us to rebuild our party in the state having been abandoned and rejected at this critical time by our governor and his followers.

“In view of the foregoing, you are hereby appointed as the acting chairman of the party in the state to co-ordinate and reorganise our party from the ward to the state.

By Tope Fayehun,Akure

L-R: Managing partner West Africa, Ernst and Young, Mr Henry Egbiki; chairman, Honeywell Group, Mr Oba Otudeko and minister of trade and investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, during the presentation of lifetime achievements award to Otudeko

by Ernst and Young in Lagos. PHOTO BY GBENGA OLAJOBI

short news PDP Congress: Ex-NANS Leader Warns Against Impunity, Electoral Fraud The director of Public Affairs, TEAMAKALA 2015, Oludare Ogunlana yesterday warned the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against any attempt to disenfranchise the people of Oyo State of their democratic right to choice their representatives.

The former national president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in a statement in Ibadan said the PDP as the largest party in Nigeria, should lead by example by not encouraging electoral fraud and impunity within the party.

By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

Ekiti Assembly Saga: Stop This Illegality, Osun Speaker Urges Nigerians

BY JOSHUA DADA , Osogbo

The speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Folasayo Salam has called on well-meaning Nigerians to stand against the illegality being perpetrated by a section of the Ekiti State House of Assembly to protect the nation’s nascent democracy.

Speaking at an interactive session with members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly led by the purportedly impeached speaker, Hon. Adewale Omirin, Hon. Salam noted that if what is happening in Ekiti State is left unchallenged, worst situation will be the order of the day in the near future.

The speaker insisted that Osun State

House of Assembly cannot fold its arms and see illegality thrive especially when Ekiti State is a neighbour of Osun State.

It would be recalled that seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of the 26 member Ekiti State House of Assembly last week impeached Hon. Omirin and replaced him.

Speaking earlier, the deputy speaker of Ekiti House of Assembly, Hon. Adetunji Orisalade who narrated the events that led to their purported impeachment insisted that it was illegal for seven members of a 26-member House of Assembly to sit not to talk of impeaching a legally constituted authority of the House.

He insisted that Governor Ayodele Fay-

ose should be held responsible for the illegality adding that he could not exonerate himself from the unfolding event especially when the bus that brought the seven legislators to the House was attached to the state executive council.

Orisalade explained that there was no reason to justify the unfolding events in Ekiti adding that the House under his leadership met twice with Governor Fayose and promised to cooperate with him.

Also speaking, the embattled speaker, Hon. Ominrin who led 17 members of the House to Osun House of Assembly insisted that he remains the speaker of the state.

According to him, all that happened in the state was preconceived.

Oyo Congress: 7 PDP Guber Aspirants Vow To Reject Results Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State yesterday deepened as seven governorship aspirants have vowed to reject the result of the ward congresses held last Monday. The aspirants, former gover-

nor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, former deputy governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi, Femi Babalola, Ayo Demola Adeseun, Dr Isaac Owolabi, Professors Taoheed Adedoja and Soji Adejumo in a three-page statement warned that any attempt to accept one set of the result over the other would lead to more serious cha-

os and conflict.

They said that accepting the committee’s fraudulent result in favour of Senator Teslim Folarin would not augur well for the party in 2015.

According to them, the committee’s result is not the outcome of any election and cannot therefore

be valid.

“Choosing one set of result over the other will lead to more serious chaos and conflict which should be avoided.

“Since no election took place, no result would have been produced by the committee led by Dr Idi Hong.

OPINION 47

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Jonathan’s Siege On National Assembly Is Sacrilegious

By George Akume

For President Jonathan, impunity has become a second nature. On Wednesday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) staged a “Salvation Rally”, deprecating the Presidents’ many acts of impunity. The siege on the National Assembly on Thursday marks the latest addition to President Jonathan’s long litany of assaults on democracy.

The deployment of thousands of police and security personnel to barricade the gates of the National Assembly in their desperate attempt to prevent Speaker Tambuwal’s access to the House of Representatives over which he presides, is sacrilegious.

Mercilessly tear-gassing the Speaker, his colleagues, staff and visitors in and out of their hallowed chambers amounts to travesty of the sanctity and brazen desecration of the hallowed nature of the parliamentary institution.

As a critical part of the tripod upon which constitutional democracy rests, the Presidents assault on the parliament amounts to gross misconduct and constitutional breach of the sacrosanct doctrine of the separation of powers. Mr. Presidents’ insistence on the unlawful removal of Speaker Tambuwal in spite of the courts order for maintenance of status quo is further violation of an extant, valid and subsisting order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

It is particularly sad that whereas, the Hon. Speaker patriotically responded to the Presidents’ call to national duty by summoning his colleagues from recess to consider an executive request for

Jonathan

an extension of emergency rule in the North East of Nigeria, the President had as his primary but private objective, the removal of Mr. Speaker by subterfuge and deceit. This is yet another proof that combating the Boko Haram insurgency was not, has not been, and will likely never be President Jonathan’s priority. This is in spite of his government primary duty to secure the Nigerian State.

Mr. Presidents’ only priority is to retain the title of Commander-inChief without doing the job the title entails! Is it any wonder that Mr. President declared a unilateral cease-fire and pulled out our military, only for the insurgents to capture more territories and slaughter more of our defenceless compatriots? Is it any wonder that when our local hunters chased out the insurgents out of Mubi, the Nigerian security agents arrested the leader of the hunter for daring to blow open PDP’s grand design to allow Boko Haram seize more territory and make holding elections impossible in the North East where opinion polls reveal the President’s outright rejection?

The siege on the National Assembly on Thursday marks the latest addition to President Jonathan’s long litany of assaults on democracy

The police excused their siege on the National Assembly on alleged security report of imminent invasion of the National Assembly by thugs. This claim is not only a laughable tissue of lie, but it was directly contradicted by clear television visual account which showed the police preventing the Speaker and other Honourable members of the House accompanying him from gaining entrance into their ordinary place of business. Is it the Speaker or the Honourable members that have become thugs? Did the police share their information with the National Assembly leadership? Could they not identify the Speaker when he called out to them to open the gate?

The fact remains that by allowing Deputy Speaker Hon. Emeka Ihedioha access to the chambers and preventing Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, the police wanted to give the Speaker the Ekiti treatment where 7 members of the House were selectively allowed to go into the Chambers and impeach the Speaker of the State House of Assembly. While the IGP withdrew the security of Hon. Tambuwal on grounds that he had lost membership of the House because he decamped from the PDP, he did not do the same to the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly and some members of the Assembly who decamped from Labour Party to the PDP. As Parliamentary Opposition Leader and elder statesman, I am a major stakeholder in the Nigerian political enterprise. I will never stop warning Mr. President to look back at history.

–Sen. Akume is Senate Minority Leader

Mitigating Electoral Violence In The 2015 Elections

By Armsfree Ajanaku

Electoral violence is any act of violence or threat of violence directed at individuals or materials related to the electoral process. These acts or threats of violence are usually intended to disrupt an election or influence its outcome. Early Warning Systems encourage early or rapid responses to triggers and incidences of violence in the preelection, election day and postelection processes of an election.

For early warning systems to help prevent or mitigate electionrelated violence, their monitoring and reporting processes have to be effective. Without careful planning, skilled personnel and technology, it will be impossible to put effective violence monitoring and reporting systems in place.

In 2011, Human Rights Watch

reported that 800 Nigerians lost their lives in that year’s postelection violence. Electoral violence remains a major concern in the lead up to the 2015 general elections. In a report titled, “Nigeria’s Dangerous 2015 Elections: Limiting the Violence”, the International Crisis Group (ICG) expressed grave concerns that the 2015 elections may be embroiled in widespread violence.

They identified the growing tensions between Nigeria’s two major political parties, primordial divisions in the country’s politics and apparent bias by security agencies as indicators that the 2015 elections may be violent.

Reporting cases of violence or early indicators that a situation may become violent during the 2015 electoral process and receiving early responses from

relevant authorities is expected to mitigate electoral violence and facilitate peaceful elections next year. Achieving this is at the heart of a partnership between the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), National Democratic Institute (NDI) and Search for Common Ground (SFCG).

TMG will deploy the ‘Quick Count’ methodology to observe the 2015 elections. Since the Quick Count is restricted to providing accurate data on election day processes and vote tallies, TMG’s Quick Count structures in all of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas were given the additional responsibility of observing and reporting on trends in the preelection period.

Quick Count Supervisors trained to identify and report on early warning signs of

electoral violence including gender-based electoral violence commenced the observation of political activities and violence in the pre-election period on November 14, 2014. They are collecting data on a wide range of issues including voter education, political party campaigns, election process violence, political party or candidate violence and statesponsored restrictions on political activities.

The first report from this process is expected to be made public in the first week of December, 2014. For those who have plans to manipulate or disrupt the electoral process, they should be ready to account for their actions. TMG will be documenting them.

–Ajanaku is the media manager of Transition Monitoring Group

Inside Out

KUNLE SOMORIN Feed back: kunlesomorin@yahoo.co.uk 3339626 (SMS only)

Unending Fatalities, Uncanny Politicians

L

ast Tuesday, two teenage girls disguised as market attendees and detonated their parcels of sorrows and tears in the unending drama of “blood-sharing” in the Northeast.

As usual, people who are in government but not in power were busy shuttling from London to Abuja and N’djamena in search of elusive peace. It is sad that leaders whose stooges could “rally” 17.8m to further a re-election bid were found wanting when it came to chiefly commanding our troops to seize the suzerainty from Boko Haram, that group which has firmly established a Caliphate in that axis of the country.

The game they are adept at playing are the more ignoble ones. Hounded out of relevance in Gwoza where the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) trains its officers, the security apparatchiks could muscle enough strength to lock doors against lawmakers in the seemingly intractable bid to pocket the National Assembly and prevent it from performing its oversight responsibility. While this is not an excuse for the dishonourable fence-jumping lawmakers, it seems both sides have lost the moral ground to act and speak for the masses. As the sordid drama was playing out, the other arm of government also turned the euphoria of its seeming independence and activism into ashes in our mouths when a pronouncement was made apparently to point out the sloppiness in our judicial administration system – Aminu Ogwuche, the suspected mastermind of the Nyanya bomb blasts on April 14 and 21, was freed because the police had not been diligent in prosecuting the suspect.

Rather than provide good governance and deradicalisation options, the two major parties – PDP and APC – feast on every celebration of bloodletting by Boko Haram with gleeful recriminations.

The 219 Chibok girls were abducted and nothing (relating to their release) has happened, except haggling over figures and those sponsoring the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners. Territories have been conquered, yet our politicians bicker among themselves in hate. The number of displaced persons has quadrupled since 2011, yet no national strategy has been emplaced beyond budgetary considerations. Still swelling is the rank of apathetic voters, but our politicians are bent on conducting elections, even where corpses litter the streets and caves.

While we still hobnob with President Idris Derby, who shameless contrived a voodoo ceasefire, the Cameroonians who have also been affected by the sinister sect’s activities chose to adopt and detente against Chad. While they are clipping the winds of the barbaric fundamentalist vultures, we record casualties in tens of thousands. The record from everywhere shows that state of emergency has failed. The Senate is reluctant to endorse using the medicine, as it is patently not a panacea for the festering sore on our territorial integrity and internal cohesion. The House of Representatives, without batting an eyelid, threw away the child and the bath water because of its ‘abiku’ nature.

When President Goodluck Jonathan said recently that “over 13,000 people have been killed” in the violent Boko Haram campaign against the Nigerian State, I was both agitated and frustrated at the mindlessness of those we trust with our lives and prosperity.

My stand is that the Federal Government needs to think out of the box. They either surrender to Boko Haram on that axis or go on an all-outbattle against the terrorists and win them. The present team of security chiefs has failed.

48

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Gombe Unresolved Kalare Murder Cases: The Need For Earnest Intervention The cases of human right abuse and politically motivated killings 3. What action had the Inspector General of Police taken on the in Gombe State during the erstwhile regime of Gov. Danjuma Goje matter considering that the deaths in Gombe during the regime stretching from 2003 to 2011, is still lingering without proper in question has outnumbered that of Liberia, where Charles attention from the authoritlies concerned despite the strenuous Taylor was tried and convicted by the International Criminal efforts by relevant bodies and individuals demanding for justice on Court of Justice in Hague? behalf of the affected victims and their families.

4. What is the position and responses of the National Assembly on the lingering issues, especially as the families of the affected It would be recalled that, The International Human Right Commission victims are still demanding for justice?

(IHRC) on full page advertorial in Leadership Newspaper of 6th 5. What is the position of the findings by the human right bodies January, 2014 had acknowledged the receipt of several petitions on the matter? on the extrajudicial killings in Gombe State between 2003-2011, and upon carrying out its private investigation to ascertain the B. OUR DEMANDS. authenticity of the events mentioned in the petition before 1. That the culprits must be brought to book and their patrons be embarking on major fact finding mission, the commission had apprehended. confirmed that the evens had happened.

2. That the Kalare patrons who were still hiding and disguising under towering political clouts and are now perpetrating their Secondly, the Gombe State Elders Forum had after their meeting on devilish act by causing mayhem, ought be cautioned.

19th November, 2006 written a letter to the then Governor Danjuma 3. In order to protect the sanctity of human lives, all the relevant Goje suggesting that, the government must deal decisively with the bodies and authorities concerned must help to bring justice to group as well as its patrons, as failure or refusal by the government the affected victims and their families, and that will serve as a to come to grips with the problem could sooner or later lead to an deterrent to others. It would further forestal escalation of the anarchical situation in the state and the call was surprisingly giving menace especially considering the prevailing insecurity situation a cold rebufff by the then power brokers who were alleged to be the affecting the country. benefactors of the unwholesome activities of the youths.

C. CONCLUSION. Thirdly, another group of concerned individuals through the law The peaceful atmosphere created by the present administration of firm M.M Mailumo & Co. which is based in Gombe, had on 17th Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo through viable programmes January, 2007 written a letter to the Inspector General of Police of engaging these repentant youths into meaningful ventures and appealing to him, to look into the matter and come to the rescue of using the arms of law in dealing decisively with the hardened ones the beleaguered people of Gombe State. should not and must not be abused by the selfish politicians who are taking advantages of the chaotic environment to actualize their In all the instances mentioned above, relevant and signed vampiristice motives. The incidence of having some political giants documents supporting the claims which included the names of the use youths by availing them of all sorts of weapons, is evidently a affected victims and the hospital they were admitted, the respective clear indicator and a pointer to the fact that , some people are bent investigating police officers and their post identification numbers on truncating the peace we are enjoying in Gombe. Considering the were conspicuously attached to further ease detailed investigation bedeviling security challenges that is hitting the north east region, processes. such activities are therefore unacceptable and intolerable. The position of the Governor as the chief security officer of the state must A. OUR QUESTIONS. not be politicized by the opposition and the security agencies must 1. Why did the former government kept quite in all these be allowed to perform their duties of protecting lives and properties unresolved murder cases and equally went scot free despite especially during the upcoming electioneering periods. alleged involvement in the KALARE activities?

2. Why was it that nobody has been taken to court for these Suleiman I Suleiman gruesome killings since 2003?

49

Thursday, November 27, 2014

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OND, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385991 Or send CV to: 399d7@jbng.me

MTN Nigeria, a leader in telecommunications in Nigeria, and a part of a diverse community in Africa and the Middle East, our brand is instantly recognizable. It is through our compelling brand that we are able to attract the right talents who we carefully nurture by continuously improving our employment offerings even beyond reward and recognition.

Sonik Art is in need of a suitable candidate for this position Job description • The Graphic Designer serves as the primary business contact for internal clients in the use of new media and accountable for art / designs of materials for further presentation to clients.

• The Graphic Designer is responsible for creating design solutions that have high visual impact. He/she will work to a brief agreed with the in-house client, develop creative ideas and concepts, choosing the appropriate media and style to meet the objectives.

Qualifications • Minimum Qualification- OND • Required Experience- 1 year

Stock Administrator Shoprite Nigeria, Abuja BSC, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385973 Or Send CV to :399c5@jbng.me The Shoprite Group of Companies, Africa’s largest food retailer, operates 1581 corporate and 367 franchise outlets in 15 countries across Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, and reported turnover of R102,204 billion for the year ended June 2014. The Company’s headquarters are situated in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Shoprite Holdings Ltd is a public company listed on the JSE Limited, with secondary listings on both the Namibian and Zambian Stock Exchanges. Its ownership therefore lies in the hands of its shareholders. The Group is continuing its implementation of a strategic expansion programme to maintain its position as the leading food retailer on the continent.

Job Description • You will maintain an accurate stock ledger through: • Ensuring that all stock movement is accounted for.

• Reporting on and ensuring sufficient in-stock status at all times.

• Analyzing, actioning and reporting on stock reports.

Requirements To qualify, you will need: • A university degree (preferably a Cost Control related qualification).

• Computer literacy (MS Excel).

• Sound numerical skills.

Remuneration • In addition to excellent career opportunities, the Shoprite Group

Job Description • Build relationship between lower and upper levels (i.e. between Authorize distributors and sub dealers), Support Trade partners and Sub dealers and link subs, retailers etc to Trade Partners and help nurture the relationship • Ensure call cycle time of 8-10 visit a day per territory or as business requires • Identify, classify and support all players in channels of distribution and ensure weekly / monthly database update • Ensure MTN product availability in channel is >95% at all times and provide weekly product availability report of all visited outlets during call cycles • Ensure information from Distributor Account Executive on Trade Partners product distribution is confirmed and relevant Sub Dealers followed up and provide weekly / monthly report • Resolve all issues/queries with regards to activations, products and promotions • Direct all channel participants to MTN identified growth area within your territory • Establish consistent channel standards including branding as per channel recommendation.

• Increase brand awareness – Signage, POS distribution and target 65% visibility in the channel of distribution (Trade marketing team will measure) • Support all identified outlets with 100% merchandizing as appropriate and defined.

• Manage stock in channel and provide appropriate reports as follows; • Direct outlets with stock challenges to identified Trade Partners to ensure there is no stock out within assigned territories • Obtain list of SIM distribution by Trade Partners from Distributor Account Executives on an ongoing basis and report weekly • Obtain and record info on stocking from ALL visited outlets in territory (where from, when, price, where to & why still pending >30days) and report weekly / monthly.

• Advice RSMs if there is need for focused activity in territory to help move stock – As appropriate • Provide training on site to Increase product knowledge • Ensure MTN product availability in channel is >95% at all times and provide weekly product availability report of all visited outlets during call

50 cycles Job Condition • Tool of trade vehicle provided • May be required to work extended hours / weekends • Work is carried out mostly in the field • A valid driver license (Extensive local travel) Experience • 4 years working experience which includes two (2) years Sales & Marketing experience in a fast moving consumer goods (FCMG) environment Training • Basic GSM • Basic Telecommunication Fundamentals • Merchandising Training • Selling • In-depth Handset training • Customer care • Coaching for results

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Dear Mother Nigeria Limited is in need of a suitable candidate for this candidate Responsibilities: • A secretary will have to take notes and dictation from the boss for drafting the correspondence or executing the work.

She can either record the dictation and transcribe it later or write it down.

• Will have to keep a record of appointments and ensure that each one is conducted smoothly and on time. Follow up for attendance, venue booking, arranging notepads, pencils, water bottles, glasses, etc. are also the duties of a secretary.

• Handling difficult situations without any assistance is one of the prime duties of a secretary. A secretary might face managerial or administration problems; she has to sort them out on her own without the interference of the senior management.

Job Description • Applicants who are willing to relocate or live in the following locations above are encouraged to apply.

Roles and Responsibilities • Promote and sell our books to all levels of education for which they are meant for • Monitor developments in the educational systems of their territories and advise the company appropriately • Obtain feedback from end users • Carry out regular market intelligence and write report regularly • Willing to travel extensively and possess an outgoing personality

Program Officer Mercy Corps, Abuja

Job Requirements: • Must be fluent in English Language and a computer literate • Required Experience- 2 years

Qualifications, Skills and experiences • To qualify, candidates are to possess the following: • Minimum of a first degree in relevant discipline • Must have minimum of 3 years experience as a salesperson in a publishing outfit • Must have excellent Oral, Written & Communication Skills • Must be computer literate with good working knowledge of presentation packages • Must not be more than 30 years of age

BSC: 5 - 7 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385755 OR Send CV to: 398eb@jbng.me

Marketing Executive IJOBAMI CONSULTS, Abuja

Sales Representative Learn Africa Plc, Gombe

BSC, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385583 OR Send CV to: 3983f@jbng.me

BSC: 3 - 5 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385537 OR Send CV to: 39811@jbng.me

Ijobami Consults is currently hiring for the position of a Business Development Officer

Learn Africa Plc (formerly Longman Nigeria Plc), the foremost learning resource company in Nigeria, is seeking suitable candidate to fill this position

Minimum qualification • BSc

The Program Officer will support the implementation of activities related to capacity building for leaders in negotiation and dispute resolution, facilitation and implementation of joint economic projects between conflicting communities, and the facilitation of events related to advocacy initiatives.

The Program Officer will also provide support to all other activities related to the Inter-Religious Peace building in Northern Nigeria (IPNN) program and will ensure smooth, timely, and compliant implementation. The Program Officer will liaise frequently with community members and represent Mercy Corps to local leaders.

Knowledge And Experience • Fluency in Hausa and English.

• BA/S or equivalent in conflict management, social sciences, international development or other relevant field.

• A minimum of 5 years of experience working in the non-profit sector in conflict management/peacebuilding, community development, or economic and market development.

• Experience working in rural areas in Nigeria, particularly in Plateau State.

• Experience working in a multiorganizational team (international and national partners) is a plus.

• Strong written and oral communication skills in English required, including report development, writing and editing.

• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.

Secretary Dear Mother Nigeria Limited, Kogi BSC: 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385605 OR Send CV to :39855@jbng.me

Qualifications: Minimum Qualification- HND/B.Sc Holders

Responsibilities: • Marketing executives are involved in developing marketing campaigns to promote a product, service or idea. It is a varied role that includes planning, advertising, public relations, event organization, product development, distribution, sponsorship and research.

The work is often challenging and fastpaced.

• Many organizations have marketing departments, meaning that marketing executives can be found in both the private and public sectors, ranging from the financial, retailing and media industries to voluntary and public sector organizations.

• The responsibilities of a marketing executive vary depending on the size of the organization and sector, and whether the focus is on selling a product or service or on raising awareness of an issue that affects the public.

Qualifications: • Minimum Qualification - degree in marketing • Years of Experience - 1 year

Sales Representative Learn Africa Plc, Taraba BSC: 3 - 5 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385537 OR Send CV to: 39811@jbng.me Learn Africa Plc (formerly Longman Nigeria Plc), the foremost learning resource company in Nigeria, is seeking suitable candidate to fill this position

Job Description • Applicants who are willing to relocate or live in the following locations above are encouraged to apply.

Roles and Responsibilities • Promote and sell our books to all levels of education for which they are meant for • Monitor developments in the educational systems of their territories and advise the company appropriately • Obtain feedback from end users • Carry out regular market intelligence and write report regularly • Willing to travel extensively and possess an outgoing personality Qualifications, Skills and experiences • To qualify, candidates are to possess the following: • Minimum of a first degree in relevant discipline • Must have minimum of 3 years experience as a salesperson in a publishing outfit • Must have excellent Oral, Written & Communication Skills • Must be computer literate with good working knowledge of presentation packages • Must not be more than 30 years of age

Marketer Melek Solutions International, Abuja OND: 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385532 3980c@jbng.me

MELEK Solutions Int’l, a Nigerian Based Information Communication and Technology training, service and solution Provision Company aimed at providing clients with sophisticated IT training, solutions and services with long term commercial benefits require qualified candidates to apply for marketing positions with the organizations.

Responsibilities: • The marketer is responsible for meeting the sales targets of the organization.

• As a marketer, you must understand who can perform a particular task in the most effective way.

• As a marketer you should devise strategies and techniques necessary for achieving the sales targets.

• As a marketer you should map out potential customers and generate leads for the organization.

• Be able to look forward to generating new opportunities for the organization.

Qualifications and Requirements: • Should possess OND in a relevant field • 2 years as a marketer • Good communication skill • Must be a go getter and ability to work with little or no supervision • Must be confident • Must be smart

Business Outsourcing Office Inter-Arc Consultants Limited, Nasarawa BSC: 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385362 OR send CV to: 39762@jbng.me Inter-Arc Consultants Limited a management and training consulting firm is seeking to employ suitably qualified candidate to fill this position Responsibilities • Creating proposal requests, • Establishing budgets for projects, and reviewing proposals that are submitted to his company.

• Responsible for approving proposals and monitoring the progress and performance of those hired to handle projects as well.

Job Requirements • Applicant must possess B.SC/HND Social Sciences/Arts.

• Applicant must possess 2 - 3 years experience.

• Track records of previous performance.

• Target Driven.

• Good Interpersonal and Networking Skills.

Area Sales Manager Getz Pharma Nigeria Limited, Abuja Degree: 5 - 7 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385322 OR Send CV to: 3973a@jbng.me Getz Pharma a member company of Getz Group, USA is one of the fastest growing Pharmaceuticals; a major regional player having more than 3,500 employees in over 22 countries and a World Health Organisation (WHO) Pre-qualification Certified Quality Control Laboratory. .

Key Accountabilities • Monitor the performance of the sales team by establishing a system of

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Thursday, November 27, 2014

reports and communications involving Sales reports and Communications involving Sales reports, Regular sales meetings etc to ensure achievement of sales targets.

• Assist in the development of regional and annual sales budget, specifically advising on: realistic forecasts for each product and territory (based on historical data, market trends, competitive activity, promotional strategy and sales effort.

• Develop and implement a specific appraisal system that describe the responsibilities and performance standards for each team member, set individual territory sales and account activation targets.

• Personally observe the performance of medical representatives in the field on a regular basis.

Candidates Profile • Science Graduate or Pharmacist preferably with an MBA and at least 5 years hands on experience in the same capacity in Pharma Sales of ethical products preferably in a MNC

Immunization Officer UNICEF Nigeria, Sokoto Degree, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385215 OR Send CV to: 396cf@jbng.me UNICEF’s mission in Nigeria is to help governments at all levels, organizations, communities and families provide every child with education, health, equality and protection.

UNICEF Nigeria seeks the services of suitable and qualified candidates to fill this position Job Description • UNICEF Nigeria seeks the services of an experienced immunization Officer who will provides professional technical assistance and support for programme/project design, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and administration of programme/project activities, including data analysis, progress reporting, knowledge networking and capacity building, in support of achievement of planned objectives of the work plan, aligned with Health programme goals and strategy.

Qualifications and Competencies required: • University degree in Health, Public Health, Global International Health, Health Policy & Management, Environmental Health, Family Health, Health Research, Biostatistics, Sociomedical Sciences, Epidemiology, Health Education, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Educational interventions in Health Care, Demography, Social Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, or a field relevant to international public health development assistance.

• Two years of professional work experience in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of health programmes.

• Professional work experience in proqramme management function or a technical expert capacity in child survival & health care.

• Commitment to continuous learning

for professional development.

• Initiative, passion and commitment to UNICEF’s mission and professional values.

Lounge/Club Manager Lounge And Karaoke Bar, Abuja BSC: 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385172 OR Send CV to: 396a4@jbng.me Lounge & Karoke Bar is in need of a suitable indicate for this position Responsibilities: • You will be directly responsible for the satisfaction of all guests visiting ensuring standards are maintained as per the Club standards • This diverse, challenging role will be based under Front Office and sets to provide an exclusive and personal experience to all our guests.

• As Club Manager, you will also be responsible for managing and motivating the team.

Qualifications • Qualification-BSC/HND • Must have experience as a Louge/Bar Manager • Must be resident in Abuja • Must have excellent Marketing and Customer Service skills • Required Experience- 2 years Bar/ Lounge management experience

Corporate Account Manager VIRTUSYNC LTD. (NIG) Abuja Degree: 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/350327 Virtusync Limited is a corporate member of the Information Management Society of Great Britain with over 25 years experience and having worked with partners in 55 countries, providing effective business process solutions.

VIRTUSYNC Ltd. a unique service provider with capacity to and capability to deliver any kind of IT solution of small as well as very large scale public sector and private sector institutions.

Job Summary • The Account Manager is responsible for generating sales within their geographic territory from our EXISTING & NEW Clients. This job requires an aggressive hunter with a burning desire to earn top money by selling our industry leading Virtual Information solutions.

• An ideal candidate is a highly motivated sales minded professional with excellent prospecting, problem solving, time management, and forecasting skills. Rigorous sales and technology training programs will set the foundation for your success. Our company has a “promote from within” philosophy with a career path for those that show the ability to consistently achieve goals.

• To be successful at VIRTUSYNC, you have to be a self-driven sales professional with a passion for consistently exceeding sales goals and customer satisfaction. If you are looking for an opportunity to exceed your expectations, then it’s a great job for you. An official car and driver is available to make your calls and

Serviced Apartment will be provided after confirmation.

Responsibilities • Qualify inbound and marketing leads • Cold call prospects to identify new business opportunities • Work with team members in the assigned territories to maximize revenue potential and customers’ satisfaction across all accounts • Meet or exceed quarterly sales target • Manage sales and technical resources to efficiently close business • Preparation of quotations and proposals • Demonstrated leadership in managing sales cycles • Successfully present and deliver VIRTUSYNC Technologies solutions and services.

Qualifications and Requirements • A degree in a relevant field • Few years of successful sales experience; preferably in technology sales, but not a must • Must be competitive • Strong written and verbal skills • Professional sales training is desirable

• • •

•

• • • •

Graduate Trainee Grant Thornton Nigeria, Abuja

•

Visit: http://jbng.me/385020 OR Send CV to: 3960c@jbng.me

•

Grant Thornton Nigeria is a member firm of Grant Thornton International. Grant Thornton is one of the world’s leading organizations of independent Audit & Assurance, Tax and Advisory firms, with offices in over 130 countries.

Position Requirements • Fresh graduates (No experience required) • B.Sc. Graduates of Accountancy, Economics, Banking & Finance, Mathematics, Statistics, Business Administration, Computer Science, Engineering or other related numerate disciplines • Minimum of second class upper division • Good, passionate inter-personal skill and ability to effectively in a team • Excellent oral and written communication skills • Smart intelligent and likeable disposition • Analytical and lateral thinking skills • Passion for research and learning • Not more than 25 years of age

Trade Marketing Consultant MTN Nigeria, Niger 3 - 5 years Visit: http://jbng.me/385881 MTN Nigeria, a leader in telecommunications in Nigeria, and a part of a diverse community in Africa and the Middle East, our brand is instantly recognizable. It is through our compelling brand that we are able to attract the right talents who we carefully nurture by continuously improving our employment offerings even beyond reward and recognition.

Job Description • Build relationship between lower and upper levels (i.e. between Authorize distributors and sub dealers), Support

•

•

•

• • •

Trade partners and Sub dealers and link subs, retailers etc to Trade Partners and help nurture the relationship Ensure call cycle time of 8-10 visit a day per territory or as business requires Identify, classify and support all players in channels of distribution and ensure weekly / monthly database update Ensure MTN product availability in channel is >95% at all times and provide weekly product availability report of all visited outlets during call cycles Ensure information from Distributor Account Executive on Trade Partners product distribution is confirmed and relevant Sub Dealers followed up and provide weekly / monthly report Resolve all issues/queries with regards to activations, products and promotions Direct all channel participants to MTN identified growth area within your territory Establish consistent channel standards including branding as per channel recommendation.

Increase brand awareness – Signage, POS distribution and target 65% visibility in the channel of distribution (Trade marketing team will measure) Support all identified outlets with 100% merchandizing as appropriate and defined.

Manage stock in channel and provide appropriate reports as follows; Direct outlets with stock challenges to identified Trade Partners to ensure there is no stock out within assigned territories Obtain list of SIM distribution by Trade Partners from Distributor Account Executives on an ongoing basis and report weekly Obtain and record info on stocking from ALL visited outlets in territory (where from, when, price, where to & why still pending >30days) and report weekly / monthly.

Advice RSMs if there is need for focused activity in territory to help move stock – As appropriate Provide training on site to Increase product knowledge Ensure MTN product availability in channel is >95% at all times and provide weekly product availability report of all visited outlets during call cycles

Job Condition • Tool of trade vehicle provided • May be required to work extended hours / weekends • Work is carried out mostly in the field • A valid driver license (Extensive local travel) Experience • 4 years working experience which includes two (2) years Sales & Marketing experience in a fast moving • consumer goods (FCMG) environment Training • Basic GSM • Basic Telecommunication Fundamentals • Merchandising Training • Selling • In-depth Handset training • Customer care • Coaching for results Minimum qualification • BSc

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53

Thursday, November 27, 2014

PDP Adamawa Crisis: ‘Madaki ‘ll Mar Party’s Chances

Kebbi Deputy Gov Denies Alleged Plans To Dump PDP For APC

A group of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Adamawa State, Adamawa PDP Patriotic Front has called on the national leadership of the party to take “drastic action to save party from the antics of Chief Joel Madaki and Barr. A. T Shehu” if the party is to maintain discipline ahead of the coming election.

A statement signed by the group’s chairman, Hameed M. Bello and the secretary, Peter H. Nicholas decried Madaki and Shehu’s insistence on staying as chairman of the party in spite of their suspension by the National Working Committee of the party.

The statement, reads in part: “Madaki and A T Shehu are doing what they do because of their personal interest, Shehu having been promised the deputy governorship slot by Gov. Bala Ngilari.

They are now like the proverbial bulls in China shop, ready to mar the party if they cannot have their way.”

The conducts of the suspended chairman and the secretary, according to the group, is a

Kebbi State Deputy Governor Ibrahim Aliyu has denied the media report of his alleged plans and that of 17 members of the state House of Assembly to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.

The deputy governor, who spoke with journalists during a press briefing in his house last night in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, insisted that he never informed anybody of plans to defect from the PDP to another party.

He said, “What happened was that after our screening in Kaduna, about 19 of us from Kebbi , Kaduna

By millie iBe, Abuja

slap on the party’s supremacy and hierarchical order which “has the dangerous implication of eroding morale and discipline in members of the party down at the grassroots”.

In particular, the group condemned the action of Madaki who summoned a meeting of the party in the state where he “derided the party’s leadership and respected leaders in unprintable terms”.

The group wondered in what capacity should the duo summon any meeting of the party. “If indeed the party is to consolidate it’s strength and move for success, there is the urgent need to ensure discipline to the latter.

No one should be made to think he is above the law. The party is supreme and should not be undermined by anyone, more men who are on suspension.”

It would be recalled that the PDP NWC announced the suspension of Madaki and Shehu, on the ground of unauthorised compilation and publication of a purported delegate list by the state executive committee, contrary to the provision of the party’s constitution, among other charges of indiscipline.

By yahya Sarki, Kebbi

,Katsina and Jigawa we had a meeting and reviewed what happened. We commended the national leadership of PDP for sending able team to screen governorship aspirants in northwest zone. Instantly when they screen you they give you your certificate”.

He further explained that after the screening, the aspirants held a meeting and came up with some resolutions , one of which was to draw the attention of PDP leadership not to allow governors impose their candidates in view of the strong opposition so that the party can succeed in the 2015 election.

The deputy governor further said that the development was manipulated to

the effect that he led a revolt, saying that there was no iota of truth in the allegation .

“What we asked for was to allow internal democracy to work in PDP”, saying that he was one of founding members of PDP and would contest the governorship primaries on the platform of the party. “Let people of Kebbi know that I want to contest the primaries even if I will lose”, he added .

When contacted on the matter, the PDP Public Relations Officer , Ibrahim Umar Umai denied that the Deputy Governor is defecting to APC, saying it was all rumours masterminded by the opposition to make noise.

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE

DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS

DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT

Bathsheba Ayuba Bahago

Seth Ayuba Bahago and Sunday Ayuba Bahago C.O.E Akwanga Nasarawa State.

With Crown Agents Nig. Ltd. Who died on the 25th August, 2014.

The brothers of the said deceased.

Col. Abubakar Garba Ahmed Nigerian Army.

Who died on the 21st May, 2014.

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT

Salim Ahmed Abubakar, Alhaji M.C Garba and Bilkisu S. Bagudo House No. 8B Post Service Estate, Kubwa, Abuja.

The son brother and widow of the said deceased.

Insp. Adeyemo Babatunde Nigeria Police Force, Abuja.

Who died on the 2nd October, 2004.

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT

Adeyemo Wale Emmenuel and Adeyemo Aderele Lateef Beside Minister Hill, Zuba, FCT Abuja.

The sons of the said deceased.

Dated at Abuja this 24th November, 2014.

Dated at Abuja this 24th November, 2014.

Dated at Abuja this 24th November, 2014.

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE

DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT

Alex Ogidi Itar and Mrs. Mercy Nuhu Anguwan Shaho Karmo AMAC, FCT Abuja.

DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS

DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS

Mr. Itar Nuhu Ogar Local Education Authority AMAC Abuja.

Who died on the 15th May, 2014.

The son and widow of the said deceased.

Dated at Abuja this 24th November, 2014.

Mr. Ogbu Philip Dei-Dei Timber Shed, FCT Abuja.

Who died on the 19th March, 2014.

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT

Mrs. Ogbu Pauline Philip Guardian to Ogbu John Paul Zauda Village AMAC, FCT Abuja.

The widow and son of the said deceased.

Dated at Abuja this 24th November, 2014.

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE

DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT

Christiana Ugwuanyi guardian to Kingsley Ugwuanyi Opp. New Market Abaji, Abuja.

DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS

Nicolas Ugwuanyi UBEB FCT. Who died on the 9th January, 2014.

The widow and son of the said deceased.

Dated at Abuja this 24th November, 2014.

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT

Victoria Uju Chilote Local Education Authority AMAC.

Christopher Chilote Ogechukwu Chilote No. 6 Mallamre Opp FCE Yola.

Who died on the 24th June, 2014.

The brother and niece of the said deceased.

Dated at Abuja this 24th November, 2014.

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

Mrs. Catherine Chineze Okafor Local Education Authority, AMAC

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT

Chinedu Okafor and Ebele Okafor Area D Block 2/36 Flat 3 Nyanya Abuja.

Who died on the 30th September 2014. The son and daughter of the said

deceased.

Dated at Abuja this 24th November, 2014.

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

3X2 SPACE FOR SALE

54 Business/WORLD NEWS

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Walmart Workers Plan Black Friday Strike

EBOLA: ECOWAS Reaffirms Measures To Eradicate Epidemic

By Raliat Ahmed-yusuf Abuja

Economic Community of West Africa State (ECOWAS) has said that it is deploying a threepronged strategy of prevention, containment and eventual elimination in its response to the Ebola outbreak in the West Africa sub-region.

So far, Ebola has killed over 5,444 people in three Member States of the Community, President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Kadre Desire Ouedraogo has said.

In a speech at the opening of a five-day training workshop for For the third Black Friday running, America’s largest retailer is expected to face labour protests at locations across the country.

Workers and supporters affiliated with the union-backed labour campaign OUR Walmart say this Friday will be their biggest strike yet.

OUR Walmart first burst onto the scene two years ago, when it used Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, to launch an unprecedented, nationwide strike against Walmart. The group originally demanded that Walmart pay all employees a base salary of

at least $25,000 per year, but has since joined with striking fast food workers in demanding at least $15 per hour.

Workers affiliated with OUR Walmart claim the retailer pays so little that some employees don’t even have the means to feed their families. The campaign has also filed legal complaints accusing Walmart of illegally retaliating against strikers, sometimes by firing them.

As with OUR Walmart’s first major action in 2012, this year’s Black Friday protests will not be a typical strike. Many of those

picketing Walmart — perhaps even most — will be outside supporters of the OUR Walmart campaign, not store employees themselves. Those employees who do walk off the job will likely do so for just one day. Yet OUR Walmart has said that their prior work stoppages are legally protected strikes, and the National Labour Relations Board (NLRB) has agreed. Strikes over wages and working conditions, or over an alleged ULP (unfair labour practice), such as illegally retaliating against workers, are protected by federal law.

Oil Price Falls Ahead Of OPEC Meeting

The price of oil has fallen as OPEC oil producers prepare for their meeting on today and data showed crude stocks rose last week.

Inventories of commercial US crude oil increased by 1.9 million barrels from the previous week, according to

the US Energy Information Administration.

Brent crude future’s price slid 0.8 per cent to $77.67 a barrel after the data.

The drop came as Saudi Arabia indicated it would not push for output cuts to help push up oil prices.

The oil market will “stabilise itself eventually”, said Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi.

Saudi Arabia is the largest producer of the 12 members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The oil cartel is split over how to react to the sharp slump in oil prices.

The price of Brent crude has plunged 30% since June, triggered by a sharp rise in US shale oil output and weakening global demand.

There is speculation that on Thursday Opec could announce its first cut in oil production since 2009 in an attempt to support the oil price.

some 150 volunteer health officers from seven of the region’s 15 Member States, the President said the three strategies were designed to respond to the various dimensions of the outbreak and urged the officers to see themselves as soldiers in this regional fight against the disease.

The officers who are from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal, are being trained ahead of their deployment to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to reinforce ongoing national, regional and international efforts to deal with the outbreak in those countries.

L-R: Representatives of the minister of foreign affairs, Amb Usman Baraya; prime minister of St. Christopher and Nevis, Dr Denzil Douglas; deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu and Mrs Tessy Ekpunobi during the official opening of honorary consulate of St. Kitts and Nevis, yesterday. PHOTO BY JANE OKEKE

St. Kitts And Nevis Opens Consulate In Nigeria

BY Oguntola Tunde, Abuja

The Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis yesterday officially declared open its consulate in Nigeria.

The occasion which was described as an historic event for both nations, had in attendance the deputy president of the senate, Sen Ike Ekweremadu, Prime Minister of St. Christopher and Nevis, Dr Denzil Douglas, Amb George Obiozo as the chairman of the event, foreign affairs minister Amb Aminu Wali represented by Amb Usman Baraya, as well as other stakeholders.

In a welcome remark to mark the official opening of the honorary consulate in Abuja, the deputy president of the senate, Sen Ike Ekweremadu said the occasion ‘’Marks a new vista in formal bi-

lateral relations between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis.’’

It can therefore be said that the hoisting of the Flag of St. Christopher and Nevis on the soil of Nigeria and the opening of her honorary consulate here today, symbolise a homecoming. As we cement the formalisation of our relationship today, therefore, I call on the citizens and business concerns of both nations to embrace on another at interpersonal and business relations,’’ he added.

Speaking during the occasion the Prime Minister of St. Christopher and Nevis, Dr Denzil Douglas, said that he is very delighted to be in Nigeria, the power of Africa, and urged that stiffer visa requirement should be waved when its people are in need to travel to Nigeria.

Egypt Sentences 78 Minors To Prison ANTI-TERRORISM: Int’l Stakeholders Boost Prison Staff Capacity Seventy-eight Egyptian minors The 78 minors were arrested

By Tunde Oguntola, Abuja

SECTECH Consulting Services, in conjunction with FARA Security Limited and Europe Security Products Limited- a Czech Republic based security outfit organized an intensive technical training for staff of the Nigerian Prison Services.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the training workshop yesterday in Abuja, the Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Operations Nuhu I. Zuru, re-

marked that the workshop is a kind of “Train the Trainer training,” where the participants are expected to later put other officers of the service through.

“The idea behind the training is not for you to monopolize the knowledge or keep it dormant and mute, the essence is to operationalize it. In the sense that you will form the nucleus of this course, you are supposed to train other trainees.” he said.

“Today is a happy day for us,

we are happy because whenever an opportunity comes up to add value to our job especially when it involves overall security of the Prisons and the nation in general it is something we welcome with all our might.

“We will be on the watch, we will see how you demonstrate the knowledge, we will see how useful this training is to you and those you will impact the knowledge to and that will form the basis for our further cooperation with the trainers,

have been handed sentences of between two and five years in prison by a juvenile court in Alexandria on charges of “belonging to an outlawed group,” according to Egypt’s state news agency.

Heavy security was seen outside the court in Alexandria on Wednesday, where judicial sources said those sentenced were aged between 13 and 17.

The minors’ lawyers were barred from attending the court hearing while their family members were forced to wait outside.

for taking part in protests organised by the Muslim Brotherhood that called for the fall of the government and the return of deposed former president Mohamed Morsi to power.

They were also charged for obstructing traffic and for spreading fear among local residents and store owners.

The minors had denied the charges and said that they were arbitrarily arrested. Nevertheless, the presiding judge handed down combined sentences totalling 340 years.

55

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Anambra Schools Gear Up For U-17 Football Tourney Secondary schools in Anambra are set to battle for maiden Obijackson U17 soccer championship for all the secondary schools in the state. The competition is sponsored by the Obijackson foundation under the supervision of the ministries of Education and Sports, with the football association as technical partners. James Akporero, Manager of the foundation said this while briefing principals of secondary schools and other stakeholders in a meeting at the Women Development cen-

tre in Awka recently.

Akporero who stood in for Chief Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi, the Managing Director of the group, said the competition was the first of its kind in the state, adding that it was part of foundation’s intervention towards sports development. He announced cash reward of N 2 million, N 1.5 million and N 1 million for gold, silver and bronze winning schools respectively. Other incentives announced were N 50,000 each for the highest goal

scorer, most valuable player and best goalkeeper, while the best behaved team would get N100,000 as well as scholarships. He urged principals in the state to enlist their schools and avail their students of the opportunity, adding that the foundation would provide logistics for participating schools for every match. “This championship comes with a lot benefit for student and schools, the cash reward for schools will be utilised to renovate structures and equip laboratories and other facilities.

LMC Says Ratification Of Board Structure Will Bring Stability The ratification of the League Management (LMC) governing structure has been described as a welcome development that will add greater impetus to the reform processes initiated when the body was set up by the immediate past board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The NFF at its Annual General Meeting on Sunday, November 23 approved and adopted the governing structure of the LMC as

presented by the Executive Committee of the NFF which at its inaugural meeting in Abuja had accepted a 7-member Board for the League Management Company (LMC). Commenting on the decision, Harry Iwuala, the LMC’s Head of Special Projects noted that “The ratification by the AGM has addressed the issue of league governance structure and made clear how the league will be operated

and regulated. It has more importantly assured stability and allowed nimbleness in the business operations of the league administration.”

Observers have acclaimed the decision as a major breakthrough in the process of reforming the league which began with the setting up of the then interim body, the League Management Committee by the former NFF Executive Committee led by Aminu Maig-

ari in December 2012. It was pursuant to its mandate to take any decisions and measures it deems appropriate for the successful implementation of the reforms, that the League Management Company was incorporated in March 2013.

“There will be stability in administration of the league, there will be neutrality in decision making and the LMC will be surefooted to go out and speak to potential corNduka Irabor, LMC boss porate partners.

Why Cross River Is Dominating School Sports Festival – Dr Ojeriko Coordinator of Cross River State Sports Integrated Programme, Dr BruceOjeriko has opened up as to why the state has continued to dominate in school sports festivals. Cross River won the National School Sports Festival for the 4thtime with 124 gold, 91 silver and 84 bronze to beat Anambra with 82 gold, 103silver and 119 bronze and Lagos 74 gold,51 silver and 53 bronze to second and third positions respectively.

According to him, apart from the fact that the state governor Liyel Imoke takes the programme seriously he sees the project as his pet project and gives it adequate and quality attention, the Cross River State Sports Integrated Programme is a system carefully designed to birth future champions. He saidalthough is a bit complicated but is yielding undeniable results as can be seen in all their outings during the festivals. “The school sports programme in Cross River State is

School sports action from NSSF Otukpo 2014

a bit complicated but what we do is that we start from the school system where we organize Inter House Sports; take them from there to our local government championships from there we organize state championships and then select the best where we spend time with them with our coaches from overseas recruited specially to come

and transform them from these raw materials that they are now to championship cadre athletes. This is what we do in a nutshell. We take extremely good care of them. We start from U-10, U-13, U-15 and U-17; that is how we categorise our system. We have 8-10 years old who can go to school sports festival and beat under 15 in the country.

Lampard Compares Aguero With Ronaldo, Messi

Aguero

Manchester City midfielder Frank Lampard believes that his teammate Sergio Aguero stands comparison with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo following his stunning Champions League hattrick against Bayern Munich. Having opened the scoring in the 21st minute of Tuesday’s game at the Etihad Stadium, Aguero struck again in the 85th and 91st minutes as City roared back from behind to win 3-2 and keep their hopes of a last-16 place flickering. City will go through if they win away to Roma in their last Group E game on December 10 and CSKA Moscow fail to win away to Bayern, while a draw could also be enough if the Russian

champions lose in Munich. Asked if Aguero, who has scored 17 goals this season, could be likened to Barcelona superstar Messi and Real Madrid’s Ronaldo, Lampard told reporters: “For me, he’s right up there. “It’s a big call to make, but from seeing him at close quarters, ability-wise he’s in that bracket, without doubt. Now he has to carry on this form, keep doing it week in, week out, which he’s doing and he’s done before, and people will talk about him in the same breath.

I haven’t been fortunate enough to play with those two (Messi and Ronaldo). I’ve admired them from afar, but in terms of Aguero, he’s certainly right up there.”

We have 12 and 13 year olds that can beat under 17 in this country, in fact if we produce four athletes in some events they will come first, second, third and fourth to tell you how deep our programme is.”

“Our camping is always very intense, for instance we spent 3 months preparing our athletes before the just concluded 7th edition held in Otukpo, Benue State.

We had identified them a long time ago, organized competitions for them which is the South-South Athletics Championships organized every year including boxing and other sports and then took them into close camping around the August 2 and prepared them for a competition that was supposed to take place September 10-26 but it was postponed and we had no choice but to keep the children in camp and continue to train them all the way through to the festival.”

On the challenge of facilities after

training his athletes in the best tracks in Cross River only to end up having to improvise on something different, he said, “if they had raced on tartan tracks they would have been firing on another cylinder. We had to psychologically prepare them for running on the surface made available in Otukpo even though they had never ran on such surface before in training. We had to psychologically prepare them and make them understand that they can do it and there is nothing too different. A lot of them could not wear their spike shoes because they could not adjust to the surface but we told them go there with your bare feet run because it is the same running that you are going to do on tartan tracks that you will do on this surface. They managed to adjust a little bit but the timings were not very good because of the surface. We wanted them to run better times than they did last year.”

Gov Shema Cup Gets Date Arrangements have been conclud- the screening committee just as it ed by the Youth Sports Federation stated that each team must be acof Nigeria (YSFON) for the kick- companied by three officials, one off of the 4th edition of the annual of which must be a YSFON official.

Governor Shehu Shema U-17 footThe statement further advised ball tournament for boys slated for all teams to arrive Katsina on SatNovember 30 to December 6 in Kat- urday, 29th November, 2014 as sina State. screening of players will commence According to a statement by the December 1, 2014.

Okpavuerhe while commending Secretary-General of the Federation, Patrick Okpavuerhe, partic- the governor and good people of ipating states should ensure that Katsina State for partnering with their teams made up of 20 players YSFON towards grassroots footare under the age of 17 years as at ball development in the country, 15th December, with a body weight appealed to other state governof 60kg and maximum height of ments to emulate Gov Shema to1.78 to avoid disqualification by wards football development.

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/sports

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27.11.14 www.leadership.ng

The Thursday Column

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

No. 2,300

I

If the three arms of government at the federal level have problems in carrying out their constitutional responsibilities and helping to entrench good governance, how about the states?

N150

In This Era Of Crisis, Where Have All The Leaders Gone?

08052407030 (SMS only) abba@leadership.ng

Abba Mahmood n every society, there are those considered as leaders. They may not necessarily be the governors or presidents of countries. They may not even be in any government service. But they are sufficiently influential and have enormous clout. They command the respect of the public, such that when they speak they are not only listened to, but obeyed. They do not control any instrument of power such as the military or security services but they have strong moral authority that is far greater in force than all coercive instruments can confer or anyone else.

When society is drifting they intervene to establish order. Nigeria is in disorder, but where is the establishment?

In every village there are elders.

In every society there are leaders.

But the greatest disaster that can happen to any individual is to not to have anyone who can look at the person in the face and tell him or her the truth, however bitter.

Such is also the role of the establishment in any decent community. Recall that when George W. Bush rigged out Al Gore in Florida during the 2000 US presidential election, America was heading towards constitutional crisis. The American establishment quickly intervened to avert the imminent danger. Nigeria is already in crisis, but where is the establishment?

Ordinary local hunters have become heroes because they fight terrorists in the northeast more than the military. The Nigerian military now run away at the slightest opportunity. The only thing they do is to barricade roads and establish check points, a strategy that has clearly failed as it only causes untold hardship to ordinary citizens while insurgents avoid those places. The Nigerian police has become glorified ruling party thugs. They teargas the hallowed National Assembly chamber with impunity, and harass elected legislators. This is

THURSDAY

w

equivalent to an assault on the country’s democracy because the legislators are representatives of the people. Again, where is the establishment?

But the legislators who are supposed to check the excesses of the executive arm are not alive to their responsibilities, and that may be the reason why the police could assault them so brazenly.

They are either busy travelling all over the world or in most cases embarking on “oversight functions” and endless probes that achieve nothing. To give an instance, they passed a resolution two years ago which sought the sacking of Ms Orunma Oteh, the Director-General (DG) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Since then they have been giving zero budgetary allocation to SEC but Ms Oteh is still SEC DG. All the endless probes they did have resulted in nothing.

It is only now that they are waking up to the fact that the President has been committing impeachable offences. Again, where is the establishment?

The judiciary is supposed to be the last hope of the common man. It is supposed to protect the weak from the excesses of the strong. If the rule of law is the bedrock of any decent society, the role of an impartial judiciary cannot be over emphasized in this regard and, if the judiciary abdicates that responsibility then the societydescends to the rule of the jungle. Until recently when Justice Mariam Mukhtar started some reforms in the judiciary, many judges sell themselves to the highest bidder like the worst whore on the street. Again, where is the establishment?

If the three arms of government at the federal level have problems in carrying out their constitutional responsibilities and helping to entrench good governance, how about the states? The states are not faring better either. Most state gover-

nors are controlling two tiers of government: state and local governments, and are behaving like emperors in their states. Consequently, most local governments have become mere centres of sharing monthly allocations as even road repairs in the local government headquarters are not done like before. As soon as a governor comes into office he is thinking of second term and soon after that he is thinking of being a senator, which is like the retirement house of governors. Again, where is the establishment?

The cumulative effect of all these is that, everything has now been “privatised” since the citizens do not have confidence in the governments and do not trust any government official’s pronouncements any more. Since the public schools, hospitals and even water supply system are mere jokes, people have turned to the private ones for those who can afford. Even security has been privatised as the super rich engage private security outfits to protect them. Who then will protect the poor? Again, where is the establishment?

The ruling party has “endorsed” and “adopted” incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan for the party’s presidential “ticket” to contest the 2015 presidential election, if at all it holds.

Meanwhile, the president himself knows fully well that he has constitutional constraints to contest the next election as it will amount to a third term which is alien to the constitution. It is not even about eligibility, but to compound matters, the government he heads has shown clear indifference to the killings, kidnappings and wanton destruction going on in parts of the country.

He has not shown much concern that terrorists have taken over a large chunk of the county’s territory and are even hoisting their flags there. Again, where is the establishment?

The people will soon wake up to the fact that religion and ethnicity that are used by the elite to divide them are not the problems.

The problem is bad leadership.

And no matter how many moralistic jingles or cheap propaganda the leaders inundate the people with, this fact will not change and the people will continue to aspire to those things they see in the leaders. Already, the confrontation and violence is gradually assuming class dimension. Again, where is the establishment?

The nation is stuck with greedy .and cowardly elite who are afraid to call even their children to order as long as these children are in charge of dispensing patronage.

However, history and life experiences have taught us that moral revolution with economic subservience cannot go together; that spiritual regeneration and poverty do not go hand in hand; that moral rectitude and elite corruption are incompatible; and that it is most improbable and indeed impossible, to realise the objective of moral life in this utterly decadent system. Meanwhile, generations to come will continue to ask: when there was hopelessness where was the establishment?

GHANA MUST GO Senators initiate move to impeach Jonathan — News

They should do it quickly!

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