Leadership news

08.12.14

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

No. 2,305

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Upsets, Parallel Elections Rock PDP NASS Primaries Nationwide By our correspondents

Dramatic upsets and a gale of parallel elections rocked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries held yesterday to elect candidates to contest for countrywide

Ndoma-Egba, Etuk out; Akpabio, Aliyu, Jang in

senatorial seats in the 2015 elections.

Parallel primaries were held in different locations in Anambra, Bayelsa, Ebonyi and Enugu states.

Also, Senate Leader

Victor Ndoma-Egba another, Aloysius Akpan (SAN) and Uche Etok lost his bid to return Chukwumerije, both to the Senate after his three-term senators, led dramatic last minute the pack of high profile withdrawal to pave the incumbents that lost way for Akwa Ibom State out in the primaries. In ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 15, 16

CHIBOK DIARY Day 238: ‘BBOG Group Will Not Give Up On Chibok Girls’ > Page 2

Person Of The Year 2014 For his patriotic and defining interventions in public affairs when the country needed a statesman to speak up and speak right... 3

Others:

governor Of The Year Politician of the year banker of the year business person of the year public officer of the year chief executive officer of the year product of the year company of the year GOvernment agency of the year microfinance bank of the year bank of the year brand of the year young persons of the year artiste of the year sports person of the year

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chibok diary 238

Monday, December 8, 2014

DAY

Chibok TweeTs

@keziah1605 #BringBackOurGirls We must not forget our sisters and daughters. @SeunAfuwape We now all talk of who wins and who loses primary elections.

Let's not forget it is 237days for the #ChibokGirls. Demand #BringBackOurGirls @omojuwa It is 236 Days since the #ChibokGirls were abducted. None can say w/out a doubt that there is a rescue operation in place #BringBackOurGirls @BBOG_Nigeria Day 237: #WeAreHere In 3 days it will be 8 months since our girls were abducted #BringBackOurGirls @SayMama1 "Almost Christmas and still no girls. How utterly shameful is this? #BringBackOurGirls" @JibrinIbrahim17 As Christmas approaches intensify advocacy for the search and rescue of the #ChibokGirls 219 of them still in captivity. #BringBackOurGirls @Bukkyshonibare Day 237 of abduction 18 days to Christmas 25 days to New Year #BringBackOurGirls @Bukkyshonibare My heart goes out to every parent who permits and encourages their children/wards school in the North East: may their faith never fail them.

Compiled by Tunde Oguntola

Members of #BringBackOurGirls group advocating for the rescue of the abducted schoolgirls during one of their protest rally Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO

BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

We'll Not Give Up On Chibok Girls-BBOG

BY EjikE EjikE, Abuja

The #BringBackOurGirls group has reaffirmed its commitment to continue to advocate the rescue of the Chibok girls and all other persons abducted by the Boko Haram sect not minding how long the advocacy will take.

Part of the statement sent to LEADERSHIP by one of the spokespersons of the group, Rotimi Olawale, read: “The Abuja BringBackOurGirls family is determined to continue to mount pressure on the Nigerian government and other relevant stakeholders to prioritise the rescue of the 219 Chibok girls, as well as all

other Nigerians abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents.

“The Abuja family also intends to take all legitimate steps, within their capacity, to bring to an end the ongoing insurgency, which has claimed numerous lives and disrupted societal cohesion, especially in the north eastern part of Nigeria,” The statement also said the BBOG was determined to mobilise Nigerians of all works of life in order to press home their demand for government’s sincere efforts to end insurgency in the northeast and rescue all the innocent citizens of this country abducted by the sect.

“We shall not cease to mobilize our citizens to compel the FG to take adequate steps to end the ongoing insurgency, which has claimed numerous lives and disrupted societal cohesion in Nigeria, especially the north east,” the group further pointed out.

It would be recalled that the BBOG group had on December 3, staged a protest to the Chadian Embassy in continuation of its long drawn advocacy to seek he rescue of the 219 Chibok girls still in Boko Haram custody.

However, not satisfied with the response of the Ambassador of Chad to crucial questions bordering on the status

of the negotiations to release the Chibok girls, purportedly brokered by the Chadian government, including the whereabouts of the girls and various media reports suggesting that some of the girls might actually be in Chad, the BBOG resolved to write to the president of Chad, Idriss Deby, through the Embassy of Chad in Nigeria, in order to ascertain responses to the sundry questions that remain unanswered.

It would be noted that a total of 219 out of the 276 school girls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok for almost eight months ago are still missing; and the

Members of #BringBackOurGirls group (BBOG) in a village square meeting at the Unity Fountain in Abuja. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

leadershIP award 3

Monday, December 8, 2014 ConTInUed froM P PaGe 1

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the

Person of The Year 2014

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ur choice of Obasanjo was a difficult one, but we were compelled by the need to focus on the message rather than the messenger.

We are not unmindful of the fact that his choice would come to many of our readers as a surprise, if not disappointment. Yet it is precisely because we have held his feet to the fire whenever we deemed it necessary that we have the courage to acknowledge his message.

We know that the former president was the architect of a number of the current problems facing the country; yet his persistence in speaking up when other statesmen preferred to play the ostrich by burying their heads in the sand make it difficult to ignore him.

From his famous exchange of letters to his direct challenge on President Goodluck Jonathan’s government to curb corruption and save the country from insecurity, Obasanjo spoke up for millions of Nigerians who may not like him but who cannot deny that he said what needed to be said and has stayed on the message.

If he had been silent like the rest who want to be esteemed publicly but prefer to claim privileged access to the powers that be when their voices should have been heard, it is almost certain that things might have been worse than they are today.

Military life In his two decades in the military, Obasanjo advanced steadily through the ranks. From 1958 to 1959, he served in the 5th Battalion in Kaduna and the Cameroons. In 1959, he was commissioned a second lieutenant. The following year, he was promoted to lieutenant and served in the Nigerian contingent of the UN Force in the Congo. In 1963, he became commander of the only engineering unit of the Nigerian Army. The same year, he was promoted to captain. He became a major in 1965, lieutenant-colonel in 1967, and colonel in 1969.

In his autobiographical work, My Command: An Account of the Nigerian Civil War, Obasanjo wrote this of that tumultuous period in Nigeria’s history: “Within a space of six months, I turned a situation of low morale, desertion and distrust within my division and within the Army into one of high morale, confidence, cooperation and success for my division and for the Army....A nation almost torn asunder and on the brink of total disintegration was reunited and the wound healed.”

Life after the war Following the war, Obasanjo returned to his former position as chief of army engineers. After he was promoted to brigadier-general in 1972, he enrolled in an advanced training course at the Royal College of Defence Studies in London. Two years later, he returned to Nigeria and was appointed federal commissioner for works and housing.

Military head of state During his time in office, Obasanjo proved himself to be a tough leader, unafraid to stand up to colonial powers. At one point, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher refused to restore British authority in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) after the country’s white population usurped power. In response, Obasanjo nationalised British Petroleum’s interests in Nigeria, those of Barclays Bank and threatened to boycott British imports. Thatcher eventually relented, and began the process that led to free elections and majority rule in Zimbabwe.

Hand over to civilians In 1979, after three years as Nigeria’s leader, Obasanjo handed power to elected president Shehu Shagari. In doing so, he became the only military ruler in Nigeria’s history, albeit, in Africa, to voluntarily step down in favour of a democratically-elected government.

While in office, Obasanjo oversaw the creation of a new constitution for Nigeria, and implemented a wide range of governmental reforms. ➔ ConTInUes on PaGe 4

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Person Of The Year 2014

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo FROM PAGE 3

Obasanjo the farmer Having retired from the armed forces as a general in 1979, Obasanjo started a company called Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Ltd., in Otta, Ogun State.

According to Jonathan Power, writing in the Los Angeles Times, “Obasanjo was so obsessed by his countrymen’s refusal to come to terms with economic chaos, not least the running down of the country’s precious agricultural base, that he decided to show what could be done with the land.” He supervised the construction of the farm closely, often choosing to spend the night in the half-built structures. “I call myself a chicken farmer,” he told Rushworth M. Kidder of the Christian Science Monitor.

“Some of my friends don’t like that, but some do!”

Life as a writer Obasanjo also became a fellow at the University of Ibadan’s Institute of African Studies.

During the 1980s and 1990s, he wrote prolifically, publishing My Command and numerous books and articles on Africa’s development. He served on a variety of policy research and advisory committees concerned with the future of African countries. “Democracy, farming, and disarmament are Obasanjo’s passions,” Jonathan Power wrote in the Los Angeles Times, “and he has relentlessly promulgated them.”

Obasanjo was quoted as saying in the Los Angeles Times: “The improvement of living standards and the wealth of nations are more of a journey and less of a destination.”

In his view, it would take three or four generations for Africa to transform its centuries-old culture to fit with the demands of the global marketplace, but at the same time African culture should not be devalued.

“What, for example, is wrong with our traditional society, which respects age, experience, and authority?” he was quoted as saying in the Los Angeles Times.

“Or the norm that everybody is his brother’s keeper? Or the practice of stigmatising and ostracising evil doers and the indolent?”

June 12 In 1993, a civil election was held in Nigeria, but the country’s military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, refused to hand over

power to the winner.

“We demand that the Babangida administration be terminated forthwith,” Obasanjo was quoted as saying in the Boston Globe.

In protest, the European Community suspended aid to Nigeria, but the military government held on.

Phantom coup By 1995, leadership had passed to General Sani Abacha, who jailed Obasanjo and other military officers on charges of plotting a coup. Obasanjo strongly denied the charges, and after international pressure was applied, he was soon released from prison, although he was restricted to his hometown indefinitely.

Abacha and Abdulsalami In the summer of 1998, Abacha, whom the Economist once called “the worst ruler Nigeria has ever” had died suddenly - whether from natural or unnatural causes is still uncertain. In his place came General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who quickly announced his intention to restore Nigeria to civilian rule after 15 years of army dictatorship. He released a number of political prisoners, including Obasanjo. Almost immediately, rumours began circulating that he would run for office. In November of 1998, Obasanjo confirmed the rumours, arousing both interest and controversy.

“More than issues, however, the election is about the complex balancing of hundreds of ethnic interests. However, his years spent in house arrest were a definite asset for his campaign: Mr Obasanjo’s aura as a political martyr is expected to help him to overcome the handicap of his uniform,” La Guardia observed.

Why I came back He told the Daily Telegraph that he had to return to power to “bring Nigeria out of the mess it has been put into by a succession of corrupt army dictators. I believe I have something to offer. If someone has something to offer, he should say so and let the electorate decide.”

Awards Selected Awards: Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1980; Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger, 1990; several honorary degrees.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Governor Of The Year 2014

Alhaji Kashim Shettima For his steadfastness and abiding faith in his people in the face of terrorism and for being a true servant and comforter despite the terrifying odds, Governor Kashim Shettima is LEADERSHIP Governor of the Year 2014.

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is state was and still is the hotbed of the Boko Haram insurgency that has brought tears, blood and wanton destruction in its wake. That unfortunate situation thrust him in the eye of the storm and has marked a defining moment in the affairs of that state that held a lot of promise for rural development. In spite of this, the governor has not only identified with the people that voted him into office, but has remained steadfast in his pursuit of the common good (even as the crisis gains a crescendo almost on a daily basis) based on the courage of his conviction - that moments of trials and tribulation and one’s approach to them make the difference between one leader and another. But as the crisis continued to take its toll in a manner that tasked the resolve of even the most committed and gifted leader, Shettima, possibly in exasperation -after the apparent helplessness of the security forces - admitted publicly that leadership at all levels had failed the people as far as resolving the Boko Haram issue was concerned. The matter-of- fact manner in which he uttered his regret, particularly after the abduction of the Chibok girls, and his general candour and humility were touching and fully conveyed the feelings of the people. Shettima has remained admirably unrelenting in his pursuit of measures geared towards the elimination of insurgency in the state even as he continues to provide quality leadership to a people struggling to make a meaning out of the whole mess.

Boko Haram This insurgent group has continued to pose the greatest challenge to Governor Shettima’s administration. The abduction of the Chibok girls, in real terms, placed him in the eye of the storm, with the state attracting global attention. But he has not let his people down as he has stuck with them in their moments of grief in a practical display of what it

takes to be a leader.

The man Kashim Shettima was born on September 2, 1966, in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

He studied Agricultural Science at the University of Maiduguri and graduated in 1989 and did his national service in Calabar with the Nigerian Agricultural Cooperative Bank (NACB) from 1989 to 1990. He enrolled for his Master’s Degree in Agricultural Economics the following year. His career in banking can be traced to 1989 -1990 when he served as youth corps member with the NACB in Calabar.

His career After a stint as Lecturer 11 with the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Maiduguri, from 1991 to 1993, he joined Commercial Bank of Africa Ltd as its officer and head of Accounts Unit at its Ikeja Office in Lagos State from 1993 to 1997.

In 1997, he secured appointment with African International Bank Ltd, Kaduna branch, as deputy manager and later rose to be manager between 1997 and 2001.

In 2001, he was appointed deputy manager/branch head of Zenith Bank Plc, Maiduguri Office. In five years, he had occupied various positions in Zenith Bank’s management cadre.

Kashim Shettima’s exemplary qualities made the then outgoing Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff to invite him to continue the development of the state with his experience as a financial guru.

Can-do man Consequently, Kashim Shettima contested the gubernatorial polls in the state on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in the April 2011 general election and won.

The can-do approach to governance by the Kashim Shettima administration in Borno State serves as a tonic to ginger the people into action and work toward making the state achieve meaningful development in all spheres of life.

The Borno State government is currently showing its com-

mitment to act fast and close the gap in human development as well as in the provision of infrastructure.

Governor Kashim Shettima has directly taken on the task by using a multiple approach strategy because of the urgency required in confronting the challenges posed by the developmental needs of Borno State.

The intervention by his government to eliminate unemployment is a policy designed to

create equilibrium so as to ensure that the income generated by the state and the products it produces are consistent with the full employment potentialities of its labour force. It is in realisation of this objective that his administration believes that government intervention in developing agricultural sector has become necessary in its desire to move towards achieving full employment and economic wellbeing for the people of the state.

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Politician Of The Year 2014

Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura For surviving a malicious political onslaught, resisting a vicious attempt to undermine the will of the people and expanding the frontiers of the rule of law, Governor Tanko Al-Makura is LEADERSHIP Politician of the Year 2014.

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gainst all odds, he was elected governor on the platform of the Congress for Progress Change (CPC) in a PDP dominated state.

Ever since, it has been for him a walk in a minefield.

The situation was not helped even with the fusion of the party into the All Progressive Congress (APC); instead of the turf war between him and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) creating undue anxiety and helplessness, the political struggle toughened him and has brought out the best in this quintessential politician. Al-Makura has deftly manoeuvred, and survived, the banana peels in the Nasarawa House of Assembly placed in his path by the dominant PDP. With all the cards stacked

against him, and everyone believing that his exit was just a matter of time, Al-Makura weathered an impeachment plot mainly because he allegedly did business with the PDP leadership in Abuja, made easy by the resolve of the people to make the state ungovernable if he was removed. Political expediency prevailed and good sense won the day. As an apostle of realpolitik, he stooped and he conquered.

Political career In 1980, Al-Makura became the youth leader of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the old Plateau State. He was elected to the Constituent Assembly of 1988–89, representing the Lafia–Obi Federal Constituency of what is now Nasarawa State. Al-makura was a founding member of the

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State in 1998.

He defected from the PDP after losing the primary elections for the governorship and was elected governor of Nasarawa State on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) on April 26, 2011.

Born in 1952, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura was businessman before his election as governor Impeachment struggle On July 14, 2014, the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly gave a notice of impeachment to the Clerk of the House to serve on Tanko Al-Makura.

The document contained allegations of gross misconduct and was signed by 20 of the 24 Assembly members. Four APC members opposed it. Youths

from the state took to the state to protest the move by the lawmakers, even vowing to start recall processes for them if they continued with the impeachment process.

On July 20, 2014, it was reported that Nasarawa traditional rulers had called on both sides to refrain from holding rallies for or against the impeachment so as to avoid violence. On July 23, four members of the Assembly tried to seize the speaker’s mace to delay a motion to ask the Chief Judge of the state to set up a seven-person panel to review the allegations of gross misconduct. The members of the House met 20 minutes later and passed the motion by 20 votes against four. Even with this, the governor was eventually acquitted of all counts.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Banker Of The Year 2014

Henry James Semenitari (MD/CEO, Unity Bank Plc)

From rallying the bank from a shrinking asset base to the position of seventh largest bank in Nigeria, with shareholder’s fund at N51.2 billion, Henry James Semenitari is LEADERSHIP Banker of the Year 2014.

When James Semenitari took the reins of management at Unity Bank Plc in 2011, it was evident that he had his job cut out for him. At the time, Unity Bank was still consolidating its hold on the Nigerian banking space after emerging from the largest merger and consolidation in Nigeria’s banking industry.

Semenitari, however, came ready for the job; he proved himself a marketer who knew his onions beyond rhetoric.

He went to work, chiseling

away every impediment to the emergence of Unity Bank as one of Nigeria’s leading banks.

He also brought to bear on Unity Bank his more than two decades banking experience and the result is exciting to both customers and shareholders.

However, Semenitari was not done with repositioning Unity Bank; he took the bank to the next level in the consolidation ladder through rights issue and private placement of N39.224 billion. Perhaps, Semenitari did

not bargain for the outcome of the issue; the N39.224billion offer was oversubscribed.

Prior to assuming the position of MD/CEO in 2011, Semenitari served as executive director, Public Sector and Government, First City Monument Bank Plc . He has valuable and consistent banking experience in Operations, Internal Control, Commercial and Retail Banking, Consumer Banking, Corporate Banking (Energy), etc., acquired from various

banks over a 22-year career at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Zenith Bank, Diamond Bank, United Bank for Africa, ACB International Bank and Continental Trust Bank.

Mr. Semenitari holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Lagos (1987) and an MBA from University of Navarra (I.E.S.E.), Barcelona, Spain (2000). He is also an alumnus of both the Harvard and the Cambridge Judge Business Schools.

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business person Of The Year 2014

Adewale Jubril Tinubu For turning Oando into a global brand and creating wealth that has impacted scores of businesses and thousands of lives, Wale Tinubu is LEADERSHIP Business Person of the Year 2014.

Forbes Africa magazine described the Chief Executive Officer of Oando plc, Mr Wale Tinubu, as “the Nigerian Oil Baron Buying up America”.

His successful spearheading of the Conoco-Phillips deal marked him out as one of a kind in the corporate world. Oando, which he heads, started 20 years ago with no money and today are probably an enterprise of $3.5 to $4 billion. By the time it completed its last acquisition, Oando has a valuation of USD $6 billion with zero equity. Explaining the success of his enterprise, the oil chief said he had relied essentially on the minds and intellectual prowess of his workforce.

However, Wale believes that it is one thing to have an idea, or a team that can execute it and it’s another thing to raise the capital for it and noted that most of the time, the capital for business in Nigeria is unconventional and said that his first loan was at 10 per cent per month in interest and paid back at 120 per cent a year. Wale is excited

by the rise of the indigenous entrepreneur who enable capital to flow into the continent and effectively bridge the economic gap by pulling in global sources, technology and knowledge. He attributes the success of Oando to the emphasis on people who are not only intellectually superior but people who have a curiosity and aspiration to understand how things are doing in other markets. In particular, having a “first world” mentality helps in the process of implementing and executing on things and in a manner that you can extract a valuable return. More importantly, he not only works hard but also works smart and has been able to attract to his organisation the super smart, people with a certain intellectual capacity, who are able to deal with problems and challenges.

“In my experience, I found that the only way you are going to get someone to lead is if they are very knowledgeable in their area of expertise, they are confident and they have a sense of right

and wrong.” That is our Business Person of the Year.

Career: Wale Tinubu started his career with the family law firm, K. O. Tinubu and Co, where he was responsible for corporate and petroleum law. In 1994, he partnered to found Ocean and Oil Limited, an indigenous oil company, to supply and trade petroleum products globally. He also co-founded Oando PLC, and guided its strategic development leading to the acquisition of Unipetrol during the Federal Government of Nigeria’s privatisation exercise in 2001.

Beginning of Acquisition: In 2002, Tinubu led the largest ever acquisition of a quoted Nigerian company, with the acquisition of Agip by Unipetrol through an international bid conducted by Agip Petroli International B.V. In 2003, he oversaw the merger of Unipetrol and Agip Nigeria to birth Oando.

Oando Heads for the Skies: Oando is the first African company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of more than three billion South African Rand. This is considered to be the biggest single listing since telecommunications giant Telkom came to the South African market a few years ago. Oando also became the first Nigerian company to achieve a crossborder listing.

Wale Tinubu is widely recognised for his role in the successful transformation of Oando from a petroleum marketing company to an integrated energy group, adding international supply & trading, gas & power, energy services and exploration and production. Presently, Oando PLC has investments across the energy value chain, and is one of sub-Saharan Africa’s foremost indigenous integrated energy solutions group providing employment to over 15,000 direct and indirect employees.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Public Officer Of The Year 2014

Gimba Ya’u Kumo

(MD/CEO, Federal Mortgage Bank Of Nigeria, FMBN) For making housing finance a central issue in the nation’s economic development, helping to expand access to mortgage finance and improving the coverage rate from 25 percent to 40 percent in three years, Gimba Ya’u Kumo is LEADERSHIP Public Officer of the Year 2014.

In arriving at the decision, the editors recalled that in the last three years, Kumo through his well thought out initiatives as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank Of Nigeria (FMBN), has been able to prove that housing and housing finance are key drivers of economic development, political stability and contribute a huge part to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). To appreciate the good work Kumo is doing at FMBN, it is interesting to note that before now the

home ownership rate was a paltry 25 per cent. But that has improved to 40 per cent. Kumo was born on November 5, 1959 in Gombe, Gombe State. He holds a B.sc in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1983 and a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Management (MBA) from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi in 1999.

He is a member, Nigeria institute of Management (NIM); Fellow, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCITN)

; Fellow, African Business School (ABS); Fellow, Institute of Research & Leadership Technology (IRLT) Member, Institute of Management Executive & Administration of Nigeria (MIMEA), Member, Nigeria Institute of Certified Credit Administrators (AICCA).

Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo was appointed MD/CEO of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria on December 4, 2010. He is married with children. He was conferred with the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

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CEO Of The Year 2014

Benedict Peters (Founder, Aiteo Group)

For a path-breaking deal that deepens the country’s capacity to manage its oil assets and one that will create local content valued at $2.7billion, Benedict Peters is LEADERSHIP CEO of the Year 2014.

Mr. Peters is the founder of Aiteo Group and is responsible for managing the company in terms of strategic development, policy formulation and execution.

A graduate of Geography and Regional Planning from the University of Benin, Peters has over 14 years of strategic experience in energy trading, commodity trading and banking. Six of his seven years in energy trading were in senior and top executive positions where he gained invaluable industry knowledge serving at top Nigerian energy trading companies that include Ocean and Oil Limited, MRS Oil and Gas (Managing Director) and

OUR GROUP (Group Vice President).

Under him, Aiteo Group has grown rapidly within the last decade, becoming a significant player in the Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria. Its latest feat is the acquisition of 85 per cent equity in Oil Mining Lease, OML 29, being divested by the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC. The purchase of the asset, reputed as one of Shell’s most prolific oil block makes it Aiteo’s largest asset in Africa from local content point of view. Peters and Aiteo sealed the deal worth $2.7billion, which also includes the Nembe Creek pipelines.

Product Of The Year 2014

For his entrepreneurial exertions and single-minded commitment to create a truly Nigerian automobile brand symbolised by the Innoson 4-wheel drive, Innoson Is LEADERSHIP Product of the Year 2014.

On October 15, 2010, President Goodluck Jonathan officially commissioned Innoson Motors range of products which comprise 17 and 43 seater buses (luxury buses, midi-buses and minibuses), pick-up vans and sports utility vehicles.

Made in Nigeria Cars: Recently, cars were added to the Innoson Motors range.

The vehicles are about 80 to 90 percent made in Nigeria as all the components are designed and moulded by the company

while other parts are sourced from several automotive parts companies in Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. Innoson Group Nigeria Limited, a Nigerian Automobile Company which manufactures the vehicles dates back to 1986 when it started with the importation of motorcycle parts into the country.

How it all began: By early 2000s the company decided to start the local production of motorcycle parts and its assembling in Nnewi in

order to reduce the price of motorcycles in Nigeria. The success of this motivated Innoson to go for the bigger picture which is the manufacturing of vehicles.

THE House of Representatives Committee on local content, in appreciation of the effort, has approved the use of Innoson vehicles for its official activities. The approval was endorsed by the law makers after visiting the motor plant at Nnewi, Anambra State.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Company Of The Year 2014

Stallion Group

For its consumer-focused approach, commitment to expansion and quality, and for giving a truly Nigerian face to a global brand in spite of the daunting odds, Stallion Group is LEADERSHIP Company of the Year 2014.

The LEADERSHIP Board of Editors in arriving at this decision considered the company’s contribution to the nation’s business and economy.

Stallion is a 40-year-old business enterprise that has grown from its modest start in West Africa into a fledgling multibusiness conglomerate, one of the largest in the sub region.

Today Stallion has a multinational presence in 18 countries involved in commodities, agri-business, food, industries, automobiles and services. It draws its strength from

its high calibre and experienced human resources with extensive operational expertise in the complex African markets. It targets to be Africa’s leading company through pioneering global best practices and playing an integral role in achieving Africa’s unlimited potential. Recently, the Nigerian government listed it among the 100 top businesses in the country. From the very beginning, Stallion’s approach to business was highly consumer oriented – delivering the best quality product

at the most economic pricing.

Sensing the growing demand for quality products,

Stallion invested heavily in infrastructure comprising warehousing, cold storages, factories, office buildings, showrooms, workshops, logistics equipment and transportation. Stallion established a stable infrastructure that supported optimal distribution of products at the most economic terms to its customers.

Stallion also employed several thousand local staff and invested in their development through education, training and experience across industries.

Government Agency Of The Year 2014

SMEDAN

(Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency Of Nigeria) For its outstanding contributions in core mandate areas of focusing on skills acquisition, entrepreneurship training and access to finance, SMEDAN is LEADERSHIP Government Agency of the Year 2014.

The LEADERSHIP Newspapers Board of Editors in voting the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) as the Government Agency of The Year 2014, considered its policy of tackling the challenges of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria in a holistic manner.

With the introduction of the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP),

the agency set out to generate 3.5 million jobs and an estimated five million direct and indirect jobs between 2013 and 2015. It is also focusing on Skills Acquisition, Entrepreneurship Training/Business Development Service (BDS) and Access to Finance.

The entrepreneurship training component of NEDEP is being executed under the One Local Government One Product (OLOP) platform.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Microfinance Bank of The Year 2014

Fortis Microfinance Bank Plc For its sterling and robust record in providing micro-credit to vibrant but disadvantaged economic groups, including hundreds of women and young graduates, Fortis is LEADERSHIP Microfinance Bank of the Year 2014.

The LEADERSHIP Board of Editors has voted Fortis Microfinance Bank Plc as the Microfinance Bank of the Year 2014. It was a unanimous vote powered by the bank’s track record of performance over the years especially in the small and medium enterprises sector.

Fortis is a leading Nigerian financial institution licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2007 and listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange as the first private sector led Microfinance Bank in 2012. The bank provides flexible banking solutions to support the development

of entrepreneurship and empowerment of the economically disadvantaged micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSME) as well as individual.

Fortis runs a viable business model that provides access and financial empowerment to those at the base of the economic pyramid that constitute over 80 per cent of the about 160 million Nigerians and also provide huge returns on investments.

The bank currently has a growing customer base, made up of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), individuals and groups who

have benefited from Fortis loans and other value added services Its microcredit scheme is created to encourage women who engage in petty trading and other economic regenerative activities to grow their businesses and eventually become economically independent. These women are organised into small self-select groups (5 to 8) and are coached through a mentorship programme to determine their suitability for the microcredit. As part of its contribution towards poverty reduction, wealth creation and promotion of

entrepreneurship, it engages in strategic partnerships with relevant public agencies including the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), Development Finance Department of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) and the National Directorate of Employment (NDE). Through these relationships, it disburses credits, build capacity, promote entrepreneurship among youths, and individuals.

Bank of The Year 2014

For rapidly growing its asset base in spite of the difficult circumstances of its initial take off, expanding liquidity enjoying the confidence and patronage of wide customer base, including many circular depositors and businesses, Jaiz Bank is LEADERSHIP Bank of the Year 2014.

Jaiz Bank Plc emerged as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) from former Jaiz International Bank Plc with the aim of establishing Nigeria’s first non-interest bank. By noninterest banking, Jaiz seeks to offer almost all the services offered by conventional banks except that they do not give or receive interest, nor finance anything that could cause harm to society like alcohol, tobacco and gambling. In 2011, it sought a regional banking

licence to operate in the Nigerian banking space and has since proved its viability as the country’s premier non-interest bank. Its banking principle is based on the ethical principle of fairness, transparency and objectivity.

Its non-interest banking model has also elicited wide interest among Nigerians.

When it went to the market for its Initial Public Offer (IPO), it was oversubscribed by 120% because of the huge demand

for interest-free banking in Nigeria.

Beyond interest-free banking, Jaiz Bank has also proved its competence in products development with innovative banking products that cater for a wide gamut of Nigerians. The Jaiz Auto Financing (JAF) designed for salary account holders in public, private and other reputed organisations has made it easy for Nigerians to purchase brand new cars. The

bank has also taken the lead in mobile banking. It recently entered into partnership with Teasy Mobile on mobile money services with the aim of implementing financial services inclusion to meet the needs of the unbanked in the society.

Jaiz also recently applied to the CBN for a national banking licence to operate in every nook and cranny of Nigeria, an indication that interest-free banking has been profitable.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Brand Of The Year 2014 Real Estate Development Infrastructure

For emerging as one of the fastest growing real estate firms in Nigeria with over 600 housing units in Abuja and for setting up the first fully dedicated customer service department in the real estate sector, Brains & Hammers is LEADERSHIP Brand of the Year 2014.

Brains & Hammers, a real estate firm, has been voted Leadership Newspapers Board of Editors’ Brand of the Year 2014. The company is one of the fastest growing Nigerian real estate development and management companies in the Federal Capital Territory. In a sector that is generally fraught with poor construction and finishing of buildings, it has stood out as one with a knack for high grade buildings, finished with quality fittings. Since its entry into the

real estate sector of the nation’s capital city about five years ago, the company owned and managed by a group of young enterprising Nigerians has become one to be reckoned with.

This is in terms of the quality of its projects and general service delivery.

Brains and hammers started operations in 2011 and has risen to become one of the fastest growing real estate firms in Nigeria with a focus on the mid luxury range. By maintaining

control throughout the design and construction process, the company ensures that each of its estates is built to the highest quality standards, with utmost attention to detail.

The budding company has built over 600 housing units in Abuja.

Good customer service is at the core of the company’s business.

Brains & Hammers is actually the first company that started a dedicated customer service department in real estate in Abuja.

Brains & Hammers has also distinguished itself by adding value in all the areas where it finds itself through the provision of access roads, bridges and culverts as well as street lights which serve other residents of the areas. As a direct consequence of its provision of infrastructure which is a responsibility of the government, such areas open up and the value of property in the areas appreciates. This is one of the qualities that stand it out as our brand of the year.

Young Persons Of The Year 2014

Chibok Girls

For their fortitude under the most inhuman conditions and their place as the rallying point in the struggle against terrorism the Chibok girls are LEADERSHIP Young Persons of the Year 2014.

On the night of April 14, 2014, 276 female students were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria.

Responsibility for the kidnappings was claimed by Boko Haram, an Islamic Jihadist and terrorist organisation based in northeast Nigeria. Ever since, and typical of most things Nigerian, the fate of those unfortunate girls has become like a pun on the nation’s political chessboard. Their continued detention by those purveyors of evil has continued to generate outrage around the country and internationally. The anguish of their parents is unimaginable and we empathise with them. Our hearts are always with those lovely girls who are suffering for daring to take their destiny in their own hands by going to school.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Artiste Of The Year 2014

Ali Nuhu

For his talent, versatility and genuine role model qualities, Ali Nuhu is LEADERSHIP Artiste of the Year 2014.

Handsome, Kano based actor, Ali Nuhu, is Leadership Newspapers Board of Editors’ Artiste of the Year 2014. He is perceived one of the most celebrated stars of the Hausa movie industry, who bestrides the North/South divide like a colossus he really is. Born on the Ides of March, (March 15) 1974, his father hails from Balanga town of Gombe State while his mother is from Bama town of Borno State.

A graduate of University of Jos, Ali Sarki as he is fondly called by his fans, he holds a B.Sc degree in Geography and has to his credit over 160 Hausa movies, plus over 65 English movies. He has become the goto-actor for Nollywood movie

producers who want to market their movie in northern Nigeria.

Over time, Ali became a trendsetter being the only one to have successfully cut across the Northern and Southern axis of Nigeria as a multiple award actor. Many in Nigeria’s movie world call him a king with two palaces. He is presently one of the brand ambassadors to Nigeria’s leading Indigenous Telecom Network Company, GLOBACOM, Omo detergent (Unilever Plc) and Samsung Mobile Nigeria.

He got it all in managing his fame and stardom; the triumphant actor is regarded as one of the most successful artistes in the motion picture industry in Nigeria today.

Sports Person Of The Year 2014

Asisat Oshoala

For inspiring the Falconets, Super Falcons and her club Rivers Angels to the finals of global and regional championships and winning gold medals in all of them Asisat Lamina Oshoala (MON) is LEADERSHIP Sports Person of the Year 2014.

Born on October 9, 1994, the Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt was the best player and highest goal scorer at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Asisat was a delight to watch at world stage and got crowned as the best player and second top goals scorer with Nigeria’s women’s senior team the Super Falcons who won the 2014 African Women’s Championship. Although originally an attacking midfielder in the national teams, Oshoala has continued to find success as a forward. In September 2014, Oshoala was made a Member of the Order of the Niger by President Goodluck Jonathan. To pursue her

dream as a footballer, Oshoala incurred the wrath of her parents when she dropped out of school to take to football as a career. The 20 year old, born in Lagos, started her career at FC Robo in Mushin in Lagos State before moving to join the Rivers Angels. Asisat won both the Adidas Golden Ball and Adidas Golden Boot awards at the FIFA World Cup, scored the second-fastest goal in the history of the U-20 football World Cup of Women and helped Nigeria against the North Korean’s U-20, with a hat-trick. Overjoyed with the honour as MON, she dedicated it to her parents and team mates in both the Falconets and Super Falcons.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Upsets, Parallel Elections Rock PDP NASS Primaries Nationwide FROM FRONT PAGE

governor Godswill Akpabio. Another senator losing out is Nenadi Usman who also lost her seat to represent Kaduna South in the Senate.

However, it was a sweeter tale for other Senate bigwigs: Senate President David Mark, his deputy Ike Ekweremmadu and deputy Senate Leader Abdul Ningi all won their respective primaries.

As expected, all PDP governors eyeing Senate seats won at yesterday’s primaries.

They are: Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Theodore Orji (Abia) and Jonah Jang (Plateau).

Recall that the governors of Delta and Enugu states, Emmanuel Uduaghan and Sullivan Chime, dropped their bids to come to the Senate in 2015.

ENUGU The deputy Senate president Ike Ekweremadu yesterday emerged the PDP candidate for Enugu West senatorial district for the 2015 election.

He was returned unopposed after polling a total of 294 out of the 299 votes cast by the accredited delegates.

Ekweremadu became PDP’s sole aspirant after the state governor, Sullivan Chime, withdrew from the race. In his acceptance speech, the deputy Senate president dedicated the victory to Governor Chime, describing his victory as an act of God. Meanwhile, three parallel primaries were yesterday held in Enugu East senatorial district.

While Gilbert Nnaji, the senator currently representing Enugu East, emerged victorious in the primary conducted at Nkwo Nike in Enugu East local government area, the former chief of staff, Enugu Government House, Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo, emerged victorious in the primary election held at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.

Former minister of information Mr Frank Nweke jnr emerged victorious in another primary conducted at a different location in the state.

The result of the primary held to elect the senatorial candidate in Enugu North was still being awaited at press time yesterday.

BAYELSA In President Goodluck Jonathan’s home state, Bayelsa, drama played out with parallel PDP Senate primaries taking place.

The chairman, Senate Committee on Oil and Gas, Downstream Sector, Senator Emmanuel Paulker, and former directorgeneral, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mr Ben Murray Bruce, emerged PDP flag bearers for Bayelsa Central and Bayelsa East senatorial districts in the 2015 general election.

Senator Heneiken Lokpobiri and Dr Foster Oguola emerged in separate primaries at the Bayelsa West senatorial district.

This was contained in the result declared by the chief returning officers in the three

senatorial districts and coordinated by the chairman, Bayelsa State National Assembly Primaries Electoral Committee, General Idi Adamu (rtd).

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NIGER Niger State governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and Senator Zainab Kure have picked the PDP senatorial tickets of Niger East and Niger South respectively while Hon. Halidu Abba was returned unopposed for Niger North.

For Niger East, Aliyu defeated Alhaji Adamu Idris Kuta with 281 votes against 86 votes to pick the ticket yesterday in Minna. In Bida, Senator Kure defeated the Immediate past chairman of PDP in the state Hon Abduraman Mahmud Enagi with 328 votes to 8 votes to clinch the ticket for Niger South.

There was no contest in Niger North Akintan – zero votes .

Meanwhile, the primary for Ogun as Hon Halidu was the only candidate Central was postponed. of the party. He was just affirmed by the delegates at Kotagora, the headquarters PLATEAU of the zone.

Plateau State governor Jonah Jang was declared winner of the Plateau North NASARAWA Senator Suleiman Adokwe secured senatorial primaries of the PDP held at PDP’s senatorial ticket for Nasarawa Treasure Inn Hotel, Rayfield, Jos. Jang polled 73 votes to defeat his South Zone. He scored 163 votes to defeat closest and only opponent, Ambassador Alhaji BalaZakari who scored 46.

Ibrahim Kassai, who polled 18 votes.

Hon. Philip Gyunka is set to replace Former governor of Plateau State and Sen. Solomon Ewuga in the Senate after defeating four other contestants the Senator representing Plateau Central for Nasarawa North in the primaries Senatorial Zone, Chief Joshua Dariye, conducted in Akwanga yesterday. He won the ticket of the PDP for the Plateau polled 89 votes to beat Prof Onje Gye- Central zone.

Dariye got 104 votes to beat Alexander Wado, a former deputy governor, who Molwus who received 84 votes, Satty got 55.

Gogwin who had 12 votes, as well as Two other contestants, Ezekiel Maichibi Emmanuel Go’ar and Andrew Abbas who and Sen. John Damboyi, scored zero votes while the fifth contestant, Musa Umaru, got 14 votes each.

The PDP senatorial primaries in the withdrew at the last minute.

Maichibi and Sen. Danboyi, however, Plateau South Senatorial Zone was still filed a petition before the electoral ongoing by the time of filing this story at committee and left the premises of the 7 pm yesterday. election.

EDO Senator Odion Ugbesia of Edo Central KATSINA Speaker of Katsina State House of and a diehard loyalist of the chairman, Assembly, Yau Umar Gwajo-Gwajo, PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony yesterday emerged the PDP senatorial Anenih, yesterday scored 62 votes against Clifford Ordia who polled 141 voted to flag bearer for Daura zone.

The speaker was the consensus stop the incumbent lawmaker’s return bid candidate and received the endorsement to the red chamber in a freely contested of over 2,000 delegates who affirmed his primaries. candidacy in line with the provisions of EBONYI the electoral law.

Former Ebonyi State governor Dr Sam Egwu, former state PDP chairman Chief KWARA Former special adviser on Security Obinna Ogba, the embattled Speaker Matters to former Kwara State governor of the state House of Assembly Hon Bukola Saraki, Yinka Aluko, yesterday Chukwuma Nwazunku and the defunct emerged the winner of the PDP primaries chairman of Ezza South local government for Kwara Central, after polling 83 votes area Chief Laz Ogbe emerged PDP Senate candidates in the Chief Joseph Onwe-led to defeat AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq. faction of the primaries.

Others who emerged at the primaries OGUN The chairman, Mobilisation and include the senator representing Ebonyi Organisation of the PDP in the South South Sunny Ogbuoji, the younger West, Buruji Kashamu, has been elected brother to the national president of as senatorial candidate for Ogun East Ohanaeze Ndigbo and former chairman of Afikpo North LGA Chief Idu Igariye, senatorial district in the 2015 election.

At Ijebu Ode, venue for the, Kashamu the member representing Ohanaivo garnered 365 to beat two other aspirants, federal constituency Hon Linus Okorie, Dayo Oriola - four votes, and Taiwo and the member representing Abakaliki/ Izzi federal constituency Hon. Sylvester

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Ogbaga among others.

The primaries which were conducted amidst tight security witnessed low turnout of party faithful following a court injunction restraining the INEC from recognizing any primaries conducted by the state deputy chairman of the party, Chief Joseph Onwe.

OSUN Senators Adetunji Adeleke, Babajide Omoworare and Sola Adeyeye emerged All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates for the February 2015 senatorial elections for Osun West, East and Central senatorial seats.

Also, Chief Francis Adenigbagbe Fadahunsi, a retired deputy comptrollergeneral of Nigeria Custom Service, and former minister of Youth Affairs, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, emerged the senatorial candidates for the PDP in Osun East and West senatorial districts respectively.

Fadahunsi defeated former National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) boss, Chief (Mrs.) Remi Olowu with 265 votes to 116 to clinch the PDP ticket for Osun East at yesterday’s poll.

The other two Senatorial candidates of the APC had earlier emerged. Senator Babajide Omoworare and Professor Sola Adeyeye were returned as the candidates of the party for Osun East and Osun Central senatorial districts.

The result of PDP senatorial primaries for Osun Central was still being expected at the time of filing this report.

Chief Kunle Alao and Dr Daisi Aina are the two aspirants seeking the party’s nod to contest 2015 senatorial election in the district.

CROSS RIVER In a keenly contested primary held in Ikom, Hon John Enoh of the House of Representatives defeated the Senate leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, and one other candidate to clinch PDP’s ticket for Cross River Central.

Out of the 276 total votes cast, Enoh, according to the returning officer, Mr. Oko Enagu, polled 217 votes while NdomaEgba had 37. ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Dabiri-Erewa Bows Out Of Reps When the House of Representatives opens for business in the next dispensation, one of its most vociferous voices and most influential personalities will be missing from the crowd.

After spending 12 productive years in the House of Representative, Hon. Abike Kafayat Oluwatoyin Dabiri-Erewa (Lagos/

APC) has decided to take a bow. She will not be returning to the House in the next dispensation.

According to sources in her camp, having paid her dues, Dabiri-Erewa believes it is time to give others the opportunity to serve as well.

Dabiri-Erewa, 52, is a third term

member of the House of Representatives at the National Assembly. As the Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Affair, Dabiri-Erewa is known to have the widest network of Nigerians in the diaspora.

Fondly called “Mother Teresa of the tube”, she prides herself in her

outstanding career as a broadcaster.

She spent 15 years of distinguished and meritorious service at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

A wife and mother of two, she has continued to play her motherly role in her constituency, Lagos, Nigeria and All Progressive Congress (APC).

Upsets, Parallel Elections Rock PDP NASS Primaries Nationwide FROM PAGE 15

ABIA Governor Theodore Orji at the Umuahia Township Stadium clinched the PDP senatorial ticket for Abia Central. He was the sole candidate and polled 221 votes in an open secret ballot system that recorded only one void vote At the Enyimba Stadium, Senate spokesman Enyinnaya Abaribe recorded a land slide victory with 169 votes to pick the ticket to represent Abia Central for a third term.

His only rival Chief Prince Ojeh got only 2 votes. The primaries which was peaceful and transparent recorded six void votes Similarly, in the primary held at the Ohafia local government secretariat, Mao Ohuabunwa beat his closet rival, Chief David Ogba Onuoha, by 103 to 67 votes while the incumbent, Senator Uche Chukwumereije, came a distant third with 21 votes.

IMO Chief Hope Uzodinma, incumbent senator representing Orlu, Imo State clinched the PDP ticket in the senatorial primary election held in the state yesterday. He defeated his closest rival with 200 votes.

KADUNA A retired deputy director with Pension Office, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mr Danjuma La’ah, yesterday defeated the incumbent senator representing Kaduna South Senatorial district, Sen. Nenadi Usman, at the primaries.

La’ah defeated the senator and former minister of finance with a six votes, polling 129 votes to Nenadi’s 123 votes.

Senator Ahmed Makarfi, representing Kaduna North, won the primary unopposed. He is to face either Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed or Suleiman Hunkuyi of the APC in next year’s election.

The Kaduna Central senatorial seat, which is currently occupied by APC’s chieftain Sani Saleh, a one-time senator, Ahmed Mukhtar Aruwa, is the flag bearer of the PDP. Aruwa polled 156 votes to defeat two other aspirants, Ahmadu Inuwa and Talatu Shehu, who scored 113 and 28 votes respectively.

DELTA The incumbent, Senator James Manager, clinched the PDP slot to contest for Delta South. He beat a relatively unknown aspirant, Mr. Okorodudu.

However, the senatorial primaries of the party in the two other senatorial districts of Delta State were ongoing at the time of filing this report.

Voting was ongoing at the Ughelli Township Stadium where Chief

Ighoyota Amori and Senator Emmanuel Aguriavwodo were slugging out for the Delta Central ticket.

Former chairman of the party in the state, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi and the wife of former PDP national chairman Ahmadu Ali, Mariam, were vying for Delta North ticket.

BENUE Senate President David Mark, Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and Chief Mike Mku yesterday won the senatorial tickets of the PDP primaries in the state.

Mark polled 384 out of 389 delegates accredited. Governor Suswam won the ticket with 312 out of 321 delegates while Chief Mku had 168 votes. Suswam and Mark won through affirmation voting, as they had no opponents while Mku defeated Laha Dzever and Terseer Tsumba, a former speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly.

Mark seeks to represent Benue South for the fifth time, Suswam seeks to replace former PDP national chairman Barnabas Gemade for Benue North East while Mku aims to represent Benue North West respectively.

KANO The Senate Chief Whip, Senator Bello Hayatu Gwarzo, was endorsed and ratified by 513 delegates from the 13 local government areas of the senatorial.

ADAMAWA Major upsets emerged yesterday at the Adamawa State Senatorial primaries in Abuja, as former political adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan Barr.

Ahmed Gulak, former minister of health Dr Idi Hong and Sen. Silas Zwingina emerged candidates for Adamawa North, Central and South senatorial zones.

In Adamawa Southern Zone, Sen. Silas Zwingina scored 274, while Sen. Ahmed Barata got 39 votes. In Adamawa Central, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong scored 242 votes to beat Hon. Aishatu Biyani with two votes.

For Adamawa North, Gulak got 184 votes while all other contestants scored zero. One invalid vote was recorded.

BAUCHI The deputy Senate leader, Senator Abdul Ningi was unanimously returned unopposed during the senatorial elections for Bauchi Central senatorial district.

ANAMBRA The immediate past minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, won the PDP ticket for Anambra North senatorial seat.

In a result announced in Nteje, Anambra State, Ms Oduah polled 259 votes to defeat Margery Okadigbo, the incumbent and wife of former Senate president Chuba Okadigbo. Mrs Okadigbo got eight votes.

Other contestants for the ticket

Mu’azu

included Sam Ikefuna, 10 votes, and John Emeka, 15 votes.

It emerged that five parallel PDP senatorial primaries were held in Anambra yesterday. Stella Oduah won in Anambra North, Uche Ekwunife won in Anambra Central, Annie Okonkwo also won in Anambra Central, Andy Uba won in Anambra South, his brother Chris Uba also won in Anambra South.

PDP picks Reps candidates In Kogi, the vice chairman, House of Committee on Information & Communication Technology (ICT), Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf on Saturday won PDP primary to represent Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency of Kogi State for second term.

The lawmaker polled 51 votes to beat two other candidates, Hon. Jethro Funsho and Omolade Ibikunle, who scored 37 and 23 votes respectively.

In Imo, three House of Reps members at the weekend lost their return bids.

The affected lawmakers are Hons.

Gerald Ironna representing Ohaji/ Egbema, Jerry Alagboso representing Orlu/Orsu and Oru East and Chudi Uwazuruike representing Okigwe West.

In Cross River, amidst sporadic gunfire, Hon. Bassey Ewa scored 88 votes to beat his main rival Alex Egbona and others to grab the PDP ticket for Abi/Yakurr federal constituency. Frank Eta got one vote while Egbona (Governor Liyel Imoke’s former chief of staff) and Patrick Okomisi had zero votes respectively.

For the Calabar/Odukpani Federal Constituency, the immediate past

chairman of Calabar Municipal Council, Hon. Eta Mbora, defeated the incumbent, Hon. Nkoyo Toyo, to grab the party’s ticket.

Mbora, a former chairman of Appropriation Committee in the State House of Assembly, polled 48 votes against Toyo’s 40 votes.

Also, incumbent member for Calabar South/Akpabuyo/Bakassi Federal constituency, Hon. Essien Ayi, dealt a blow to popular actress and major rival, Kate Henshaw, to pick the party’s ticket for another slot.

For Ogoja/Yala federal constituency, SURE-P helmsman in the state, Jarigbe Agom, defeated the incumbent Hon Rose Oko to obtain the party’s ticket.

APC elects NASS candidates The speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Barr. Razak Atunwa and former minister of state for Health, Princess Funke Adedoyin were among those elected as APC flag bearers for the House of Representatives elections next year.

Atunwa will vie for Asa\Ilorin West Federal constituency seat while Adedoyin will contest election in Irepodun,Isin, Oke-Ero federal constituency.

Other candidates that emerged at the APC primaries are Dr Abubakar Kaninke (Ilorin East\Ilorin South federal constituency), Hon. Tope Olayonu (Offa,Oyun\Ifelodun), Hon. Zakari Muhammed (Kaima\Baruten), and Hon. Ahman Patigi (Edu,Patigi\Moro constituency).

All the elections were mere formality as all the six candidates presented won.

chibok diary 238 Monday, December 8, 2014

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Chibok TweeTs

@keziah1605 #BringBackOurGirls We must not forget our sisters and daughters. @SeunAfuwape We now all talk of who wins and who loses primary elections.

Let's not forget it is 237days for the #ChibokGirls. Demand #BringBackOurGirls @omojuwa It is 236 Days since the #ChibokGirls were abducted. None can say w/out a doubt that there is a rescue operation in place #BringBackOurGirls @BBOG_Nigeria Day 237: #WeAreHere In 3 days it will be 8 months since our girls were abducted #BringBackOurGirls @SayMama1 "Almost Christmas and still no girls. How utterly shameful is this? #BringBackOurGirls" @JibrinIbrahim17 As Christmas approaches intensify advocacy for the search and rescue of the #ChibokGirls 219 of them still in captivity. #BringBackOurGirls @Bukkyshonibare Day 237 of abduction 18 days to Christmas 25 days to New Year #BringBackOurGirls @Bukkyshonibare My heart goes out to every parent who permits and encourages their children/wards school in the North East: may their faith never fail them.

Compiled by Tunde Oguntola

Members of #BringBackOurGirls group advocating for the rescue of the abducted schoolgirls during one of their protest rally Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO

BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

We'll Not Give Up On Chibok Girls-BBOG

BY EjikE EjikE, Abuja

The #BringBackOurGirls group has reaffirmed its commitment to continue to advocate the rescue of the Chibok girls and all other persons abducted by the Boko Haram sect not minding how long the advocacy will take.

Part of the statement sent to LEADERSHIP by one of the spokespersons of the group, Rotimi Olawale, read: “The Abuja BringBackOurGirls family is determined to continue to mount pressure on the Nigerian government and other relevant stakeholders to prioritise the rescue of the 219 Chibok girls, as well as all

other Nigerians abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents.

“The Abuja family also intends to take all legitimate steps, within their capacity, to bring to an end the ongoing insurgency, which has claimed numerous lives and disrupted societal cohesion, especially in the north eastern part of Nigeria,” The statement also said the BBOG was determined to mobilise Nigerians of all works of life in order to press home their demand for government’s sincere efforts to end insurgency in the northeast and rescue all the innocent citizens of this country abducted by the sect.

“We shall not cease to mobilize our citizens to compel the FG to take adequate steps to end the ongoing insurgency, which has claimed numerous lives and disrupted societal cohesion in Nigeria, especially the north east,” the group further pointed out.

It would be recalled that the BBOG group had on December 3, staged a protest to the Chadian Embassy in continuation of its long drawn advocacy to seek he rescue of the 219 Chibok girls still in Boko Haram custody.

However, not satisfied with the response of the Ambassador of Chad to crucial questions bordering on the status

of the negotiations to release the Chibok girls, purportedly brokered by the Chadian government, including the whereabouts of the girls and various media reports suggesting that some of the girls might actually be in Chad, the BBOG resolved to write to the president of Chad, Idriss Deby, through the Embassy of Chad in Nigeria, in order to ascertain responses to the sundry questions that remain unanswered.

It would be noted that a total of 219 out of the 276 school girls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok for almost eight months ago are still missing; and the

Members of #BringBackOurGirls group (BBOG) in a village square meeting at the Unity Fountain in Abuja. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

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Monday, December 8, 2014

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stories of the Monday, December 8, 2014

...NEWS WITH A HUMAN FACE

ROBBERY: Police Kill 1, Arrest 3 Suspects OSA Okhomina, Yenagoa

The police anti-robbery operatives in Bayelsa State at the weekend confirmed the killing of an armed robbery suspect and the arrest of three members of a six-man robbery gang during a gun duel with the bandits in the state.

According to the Police, the six-man robbery gang were arrested following a robbery attack on the younger brother to the late executive secretary of the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission(BSIEC), Jacob Akpane, and stole the sum of N688,000 from him on December 3, 2014, along the Elbethel Road by Otiotio area of Yenagoa metropolis.

Parading the suspects at the state Police Command on Friday, the commissioner of police, Mr Valentine Ntomchukwu, gave more insights on the incident.

Ntomchukwu said Akpane had on the fateful day left the bank and drove to Elbethel Road at Otitio and parked his Mercedes V-Boot car with the money under his seat and entered his house.

“He did not know that two other cars, Toyota Camry and Mercedes Benz 190 trailed him from the bank to where he parked his vehicle. As he entered his house, he heard a bang on his vehicle which prompted him to come back.

“As he came out, he saw one Akpos Eboro break the passenger’s side glass of his vehicle, collected the money and he held him. One other armed robber from the Mercedes Benz car pointed a gun on him and he quickly left the man, who jumped into the car.”

The commissioner said as the Mercedes car sped off on the rough street, entered a pothole, the bottom plate to break and engine oil started pouring out.

Ntomchukwu, who said the Toyoto Camry escorted the Mercedes Benz, said that the victim was observant and recognised the plate number of the Benz, which he gave to the police as Lagos JJ 715 AAA. He added, “At 11am on Thursday, the 190 Mercedes Benz car was spotted at a mechanic workshop and the police laid ambush for the robbers. As they attempted to carry the vehicle, the detectives challenged them.

“In the process, one of the armed robbers opened fire on the police who responded and shot him. The police, thereafter, arrested three others.”

The police boss seized the opportunity to advise members of the public to be at alert whenever they go to the bank to withdraw money, especially during this Christmas season.

Members of the Ohafia world cultural dancers entertaining crowds during a public function in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH

Murder: Man Stabs Father To Death With Scissors

BY MATTHEW DIKE, Lagos

Tears flowed freely from residents of Amuwo -Odofin area of Lagos State, at the weekend when a middle-aged-man stabbed his father to death with a pair of scissors.

Detectives at the homicide department at the State Criminal Investigative Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, have arrested the suspect identified as Ropo Tifase.

LEADERSHIP investigation revealed that Ropo had been quarelling with his father,

over his (Ropo’s) unruly behavior which his father was not happy about.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ken Nwosu , said Ropo and his father had a sour relationship due to his unruly behaviour in the area which later degenerated into this ugly incident.

“They have not been in good terms but on that fateful day, the victim and his father engaged each other in a serious argument and he angrily picked up a scissors and stabbed his father on the neck.”

Nwosu explained that when policemen attached to the Festac police station visited the scene of the incident, the corpse of the man was still lying in a pool of blood and the scissor suspected to have been used in committing the dastardly act was recovered.

He said the widow of the deceased and the daughter were invited with the principal suspect to the station and that the case had been transferred to the state Criminal Investigative Department (CID), Panti, Yaba, for further investigation.

FRAUD: 3 In Court For Currency Counterfeiting By ejike ejike, Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the duo of Sunday Kogi and James Gideon before Justice Abdul Kafarati of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on a three count charge bordering on currency counterfeiting.

The accused persons are alleged to be members of a syndicate which specialises on counterfeiting foreign currencies and duping unsuspecting members of the public.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.

The first count charge read: “That you Sunday Kogi and James Gideon on or at about the 19th day of May, 2014, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired to be in possession of one hundred and ninety eight (198) pieces of 100 counterfeit dollar notes amounting to the sum of $19,800, and thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 6(1)(b) of the Counterfeit Currency, Special Provisions Act, CAP C35 LFN 2004 and punishable under section 5(1) of the same Act.” Based on the plea of the accused persons, the counsel to the EFCC, Samuel

A. Ugwuegbulam, asked the court to fix a date for hearing.

However, the counsel to the first accused, Mike Enahoro Ebah, told the court that his client had a ruptured appendix and sued to be allowed to move the bail application orally, a request that was opposed by the EFCC counsel.

Justice Kafarati ordered the defence counsel to file a formal application for bail and adjourned the case to January 29, 2015, for hearing. He also directed that the accused persons be remanded in the EFCC custody pending the determination of the bail application.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

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Photo News

ATTEMPTED MURDER: Man, 29, Remanded For Poisoning Court Clerk’s Wife

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

An Ilorin Magistrate court has remanded one Emmanuel Igbuku for allegedly poisoning one Yetunde Apalando, wife of a court clerk, Mr. Kayode Apalando.

The suspect was arraigned on a one count charge of attempted culpable homicide contrary to section229 of the penal code law.

The Police First Information Report (FIR) said Apalando had reported at the police station that his wife was cooking rice when the suspect allegedly sneaked into the kitchen and poured insecticide (poison) into the food.

The complainant, according to the FIR, said when his wife tasted the poisoned food, she fell down and became unconscious and was rushed to the hospital where she was revived.

“Police investigation revealed that you, Emmanuel Igbuku, criminally and callously

poisoned the cooked rice of one Yetunde Apalando with intention of killing her in which the victim ate and eventually became unconscious for 10 hours. You hereby committed the above offence,” the FIR stated.

The accused told the court that he carried out the act unintentionally and pleaded for the court’s mercy.

But, Magistrate M.A Ndakene held that “I shall not take the plea of the accused person because the court lacks the power to try the case”.

The police prosecutor, Oderinde Abideen, who held the brief of Inspector David Wodi urged the court to remand the suspect considering the fact that the police investigation on the matter has not been concluded.

He argued that the offence for which the suspect was arraigned was capital in nature and if granted bail, he could tamper with the ongoing investigation.

MURDER: Court Remands Herdsman For Culpable Homicide

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

A herdsman,Sanni Abubakar Demo, 40, of Fulani camp, Tabera village via Okuta in Baruten local government area of Kwara state has been remanded by an Ilorin Magistrate court for culpable homicide.

The suspect was arraigned for culpable homicide contrary to section 221 of the penal code law.

The Police First. nformation Report (FIR) said one Kadir Boni of Yakiru, Fulani camp had reported at police headquarters in Okuta that he was informed that his daughter, Alice Kadir fell-ill and died.

The FIR said, the complainant alleged that he later got to know that his daughter “was killed and buried by Sanin Abuba-

kar Demo and your co-perpetrator in crime now at large”.

“The police investigation conducted at the department of criminal investigation revealed that you, Sanin Abubakar Demo callously and gruesomely killed your wife, Alice Kadir, because the deceased was correcting her daughter named Bonna, who poured the soup away,” the police said.

The prosecutor, Oderinde Abideen told the court that investigation on the matter has not been concluded and urged the court to remand the suspect in prison custody.

In her ruling,Magistrate M.F. Adebola ordered that the suspect should be remanded at Oke-Kura prison custody’ Ilorin and adjourned the case till December 12, for mention.

L-R: Representative of the Comptroller-general Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr Raymond Akrah-Jaja; representative of Plateau State governor, Dr Paul Waye, and president of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Kayode Obembe, at the closing ceremony of national executive council meeting of NMA in Jos, yesterday. Photo By Nan

R-L: Senate President David Mark (right) being congratulated by his opponent Mike Okibe Onoja (left) who endorsed him during the PDP primaries for the Benue South Senatorial District. With them is Benue State deputy governor Steven Lawani (middle) in Otukpo, Benue State.

Executive director, administration, Julius Berger Nigeria (JBN), Zubairu Bayi (left); executive director, finance, Wolfang Kollermann (right); recipient of 45-year Long Service Award, Shoga Felix (second left) and his wife , Blessing, during the awards presentation to staff of Julius Berger in Abuja, at the weekend . PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

Author of the book, ‘Winning the Office Battle’, Pastor John John Uket, with Mr. Jonah Whyte, director, Leadership Succession and Management Planning, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, during the presentation of free copies of the book.

L-R: Engr Emmanuel Mbaka; his wife Ngozi; and chairman, St. Peter’s Igbo Catholic Church, Gwarimpa, Abuja, Prince Obinna Okwuaka, during the thanksgiving mass in honour of Engr Mbaka for his numerous contributions to Catholic community and society in general, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH.

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Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo Nigeria Should Produce Chocolates Instead Of Exporting Raw Beans – Adesina Says cocoa factories generate $400m annually Minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has disclosed that cocoa processing factories in the country generate between $90 million and $400 million annually even at their low capacity rates.

Accordingly, he urged Nigerians to give more priority to cocoa processing instead of exportation of cocoa beans, adding that a special cocoa intervention fund will also be established to support cocoa processors for asset acquisition and working capital.

The minister who stated this in his keynote speech at the 50th anniversary of the Cocoa Research Institute, Ibadan was apparently allaying fears that the oil-dependent economy of Nigeria might suffer serious setback if not diversified.

He noted that, while the decline in the price of crude oil is a wake-up call, “agriculture must become Nigeria’s new oil. Nigeria must now invest even more in the agriculture sector to diversify the economy and build economic resilience”.

Underscoring the impact of federal government’s transformation in agriculture, Dr. Adesina observed that “Nigeria’s food import bill declined from $6.9 billion in 2009 to $4.34 billion by the end of 2013, thus trimming foreign exchange deficit”.

Adesina noted in the address read on his behalf by a director in the ministry, Mr. Damilola Eniaiyeju that “The Export Expansion Grant (EEG) has helped to expand incentives for commodity exports but has stifled development of local grinding and processing, as focus was on exporting raw beans.

“Nigeria will move beyond exporting raw cocoa beans. Currently, Nigeria has eight functioning cocoa processing factories, with a total installed capacity of 157,000 metric tons of cocoa beans.

“These companies have collectively made investments of US$ 267 million. Despite challenges, these cocoa processing factories, even at their low capacity rates, generate between US$90 million and US$ 400 million annually.

“As we improve the enabling environment, they will have the capacity to each generate US $500 million per year”, he noted, adding, that “this requires investments in chocolate manufacturing companies. and transforming the EEG to Value Addition Expansion Grant to boost industrial processing of cocoa into cocoa liquor, cocoa cakes, cocoa powder, cocoa butter and chocolates.”

By Ruth Tene, Abuja

L-R: Minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina and executive director, Forum For Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, during the presentation of FARA award to Adesina at the 15th anniversary of FARA in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Convention: 8,000 Delegates Pick APC Presidential Flagbearer Thursday As Nda-Isaiah, Buhari, Atiku Others Jostle For Ticket

By George Okojie, Bukola Idowu and Samson Echenum, Lagos

No fewer than 8000 delegates are expected in the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Convention organised by the party to elect its presidential flag bearer for 2015 general elections.

The national publicity secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who disclosed this at a press conference on the National Convention of the party in Lagos said the national convention of the party is billed for December 10 and 11, 2014 in Lagos.

He said , “As you are all aware, our dear country is in dire need of change. The All Progressives Congress (APC) is determined to bring that change. The process of effecting that change has

commenced with the effective mobilisation of Nigerians to demand the change in the 2015 general elections.

“The APC as a party that is committed to seeing Nigeria leave its present sorry state and take its rightful position in the comity of nations, is set to ensure this change by presenting for election, credible and purpose-driven candidates that would drive the change at various levels of government.

“The party’s congresses and election of candidates for the various positions that commenced earlier in the month will climax in the election of the APC presidential flag bearer in the February 2015 presidential election.”

The party scribe added that the national convention of the party is scheduled to hold at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere , Lagos between December 10 and 11, 2014.

According to him, “No fewer than 8,000 delegates drawn

from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are expected to participate in the convention and the presidential primaries that would elect the party’s flag bearer out of the five presidential aspirants of the party.

“The five aspirants of the party are eminent citizens with proven credentials. It is our belief that at the exercise one of them would emerge the presidential flag bearer of our dear party in the coming election.

“The aspirants include: a former head of state, General Mohammadu Buhari; a former Vice President of the country, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Governor of Kano State; Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and Publisher of Leadership Newspaper Group, Sam Nda-Isaiah.”

He said the five aspirants would address the delegates, stressing their programmes before the commencement of vot-

ing, which will be by secret ballot.

He said that adequate arrangements have been made by the National Convention Committee (NCC), headed by former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi for a hitch-free convention while the various subcommittees are working round the clock to ensure that the convention succeeds and become a reference point in the political history of the country.

“We are also collaborating with relevant agencies to ensure effective security, crowd control, traffic management, medical attention among others.”

He said arrangements have been made for the live coverage of the entire process by some radio and TV stations.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, you are cordially invited to join us to witness and be part of history. You remain our invaluable partners in this drive for a change in our dear country.

Minna Jailbreak: 211 Inmates At Large, 64 Recaptured – Prison Boss “No Boko Haram link”

By Abu Nmodu, Minna

No fewer than 64 of the inmates who escaped from Minna Medium Security Prison after gunmen attacked the prison over the weekend have been recaptured, while 211 are still at large even as attack has no link with Boko

Haram.

The comptroller general, Prison Service, Dr Peter Ekpendu Ezenwa made the disclosure yesterday while speaking with journalists after inspecting the prison following the invasion by some gunmen who freed the inmates on Saturday evening.

He confirmed that 275 inmates escaped from the prison and 65 of those who escaped have been

recaptured while 48 of the inmates in the prison refused to run despite the prison break.

The prison service boss said 211 of the inmates of the prison were still at large and at present the prison has only 112 inmates in total adding that no life was lost in the attack.

He said, “I wish to state categorically that the incident which took place less than 24 hours af-

ter handing and taking over between me and my predecessor is very unfortunate. It is completely unacceptable. We have to say any officer found culpable or wanting will face the full wrath of the law”.

“Meanwhile I have ordered the immediate transfer of 55 officers of the state and zonal headquarters in the state to report at this prison and the old prison Minna to beef up security”, he added.”

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Monday, December 8, 2014

KHALIFA MOHAMMED IMAM SOLIDARITY GROUP No 15, Bama road, opposite UMTH main gate, off Gwange, Maiduguri, Borno State. E-mail: sai_khalifa2015@yahoo.com.

Tel: 0817068258

Congratulations

To Alhaji Mohammed Imam (Khalifa) On Your Adoption As PDP Consensus Governorship Candidate In Borno

Alhaji Mohammed Imam

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff

W

e are happy to congratulate our amiable khalifa, Alhaji Mohammed Imam for his choice by stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as consensus candidate in Borno State for the 2015 Governorship elections.

We have no doubt in our minds that Khalifa Mohammed Imam will remain absolutely loyal to our mentor, the Grand Commander of politics in Borno State and northern Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator (Dr) Ali Modu Sheriff after all, Imam has been with SAS for over twenty years as his trusted boy. We are very sure that with his charisma, fearlessness to challenge anyone, ability to manipulate all situations, high level contact and association with past and present leaders in Nigeria, his experience as one time State chairman of the ANPP, his family background and network of friends, Alhaji Mohammed Imam is the right person to step into the shoes of our mentor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as his Khalifa and new face of Borno politics. Khalifa Imam will also carry all the old PDP members in Borno State along and he will make Borno better. For us the new We therefore call on stakeholders of the PDP not to listen to unscrupulous elements putting pressures on them to reverse their decision. We call on the stakeholders to rather make their decision public and start campaigns for the Governorship elections and all other positions.

We seize this opportunity to express our profound appreciation to other Governorship aspirants for stepping down for Khalifa Mohammed Imam. In particular, we thank Matawalle Kashim Imam, Alhaji Mala Sheriff, Alhaji Gambo Lawan, Barister Umara Kumalia, Engineer Kyari Gujbawu. Engineer Ibrahim Abuna among others for their personal sacrifices in putting the PDP ahead of their individual political interest. They have shown great courage and sportsmanship for acknowledging the known fact that only Khalifa Mohammed Imam can deliver Borno to the PDP and also deliver the required votes for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s re-election. Without Imam, President Jonathan will not have 5% votes not to talk of 25% that he atleast needs.

We are very grateful to all the Governorship aspirants once again and we once again thank our PDP stakeholders most especially the elders of our party in Borno, too numerous to mention.

Long live Khalifa Mohammed Imam!

Long live Our Mentor, Senator Ali Sheriff!!

Long live PDP!!!

Long live Borno!!!!

Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!!!

Signed:

KHALIFA MOHAMMED IMAM SOLIDARITY GROUP

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Intercepted Aircraft Belongs To Us – Russia • ‘Arms belong to France’ • We are investigating – DHQ Following the interception of a Russian-made cargo aircraft carrying arms by security operatives at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano state on Saturday, the Russian embassy in Abuja has made a move to clear the air, stating that though the intercepted plane is Russian, the arms on board did not belong to Russia.

According to a statement released yesterday by the embassy, the plane, with registration number RA H20 38, was carrying the cargo of the French peacekeeping mission in Chad routing from Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic to N’Djamena when it was forced to make an emergency landing in the Kano International Airport.

The statement read, “On Saturday, December, 6th 2014, the Russian plane with the cargo of the French peacekeeping mission in Chad on board routing from Bangui to N`Djamena made an emergency landing in the Kano International Airport. At present time the Russian and French Embassies in Abuja are taking measures to provide immediate take-off of the plane. Nigerian authorities demonstrated full understanding of the situation and have no claims to the cargo and to the crew members.”

The embassy likened the situation to the instance when a plane belonging to Ayo Oritsejafor, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, which he had leased to another party was seized by South African authorities with a stack of $10 million in cash meant for arms purchase.

Oritsejafor’s church had confirmed the ownership of the plane and was quoted to have said the pastor has a “residual interest” in Eagle Air, a company that manages the aircraft.

LEADERSHIP Sunday had earlier reported that the aircraft, which was under the command of a crew of five Ukrainians, was said to be heading for Ndjamena, the Chadian capital, but landed at the Kano airport at exactly 10:00am.

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said that relevant security agencies are investigating the seized Antonov cargo aircraft carrying some military hardware at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

This was disclosed by the DHQ yesterday through a social mediaTweeter.

It said, “Investigation is ongoing to determine the content and origin of the aircraft. Further details will be made as soon as the investigation is completed.”

By Raliat Ahmed and Bayo Oladeji Abuja

The corpse of former minister of foreign affairs, the late Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru during its arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos yesterday.

TI Ranking, Testimony Of Jonathan’s Corruption Fight – Presidency

By George Agba, Abuja

The latest report by Transparency International (TI) which ranked Nigeria 136th among countries on the list of its corruption perception index (CPI) is a testimony of President Goodluck Jonathan’s determination in tackling corruption head on, the presidency said yesterday.

According to TI’s CPI which was released last Wednesday, out of 174 countries evaluated for corruption, Nigeria ranked 136th alongside Russia, Cameroon, Iran, Kyrgyzstan and Lebanon as the least transparent.

Some analysts had claimed that TI’s ranking showed that Nigeria only performed marginally better than its 2013 rating, since it meant that the six countries, Nigeria inclusive are the 15th most corrupt in the world.

But senior special assistant to the president on public affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe argued that TI’s latest ranking was proof that Jonathan’s effort in the fight against corruption was yielding

positive results.

In a statement he issued yesterday, Okupe said it was not in doubt that since Jonathan came on board as president, “the fight against corruption has been taken several notches higher.

“Unlike any previous administration in the country‘s history, the present administration has instituted institutional reforms aimed at giving fillip to the anticorruption war”, he added.

Okupe named the agriculture sector as one of the major areas the anti corruption war had been visible, saying the administration’s carefully articulated and executed Agricultural Transformation Agenda(ATA) ended forty years of corruption in the distribution of fertilizers to farmers.

He said the same thing was applicable to the reforms in ports where the Jonathan administration “successfully plugged many loopholes which some corrupt officials had exploited to delay genuine business transactions and harm the Nigerian economy.

“The old corrupt system of government direct procurement and distribution of fertiliser as well as the operations in the various ports and government agencies contributed in no small measure to the negative rating of Nigeria by the Transparency International and other global watchdogs”, the presidential aide noted.

He observed that, as a result of President Jonathan’s determination to tackle corruption head on, the federal government took “some other far reaching steps like the cleaning up of the import waiver system, which before his coming was fraught with corruption, nepotism, arbitrariness and other irregularities.

“As a result of this, billions of Naira were lost to the economy as the real business people failed to benefit”.

The statement made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday further stated: “While it is important for suspects involved in corruption cases to be tried and if found guilty sent to jail, what is

more important is for the development of mechanisms, the institution of structures and the enactment of policies that would plug loopholes and foster transparency such that the propensity for corruption is made more difficult and eliminated completely.

“This is what the Jonathan administration has been doing and this is the template adopted by countries like Denmark and New Zealand, which are at the top of the TI index. Like New Zealand, the Jonathan administration is adroitly deploying Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to tackle corruption head on.

“Key reforms instituted by the administration like the electronic payment system and the IPPS system have helped reduce corruption in the system. Of particular importance is the fact that through these institutional reforms, the Federal Government has been able to weed out as many as 50,000 ghost workers and saved the country billions of naira in the process.”

Tanzania’s Idris Wins Big Brother Hotshots 2014 As Nigerian Tayo loses out

BY Olusola Olujide, Abuja

A contestant from Tanzania, Idris, is now $300,000 richer as he defeated Nigeria’s Tayo to win the 7th edition of Africa’s biggest reality show, Big Brother Africa (BBA).

It was indeed a long day for the remaining eight final contestants as

they nervously waited in the BBA house to know their fate.

In his usual manner, the show presenter, the exquisite IK raised the apprehension in the house as he often brought on music stars like D’banj and the One Africa Artistes to perform.

Shortly after, the results were presented to IK where he announced that 6 of the contestants were going to be evicted.

At this point, the level of fear, apprehension, suspense, uncertainty were increased to an unimaginable point.

The moment came and Butterfly alongside M’am Bea were evicted. Shortly after, JJ and Sipe joined them.

As expected, IK mentioned the next two to leave the house in the persons of Nhlanhla and Macky2.

The stage was left for Idriss and

Tayo, who were driven to the studio in a limousine from the house to the studio, to clinch the top prize of $300,000 .

After much suspense, Idriss was announced the winner of the Big Brother Hotshots with Tayo, the Nigerian representative losing out by coming second.

Nigeria has won the show a record three times, while it is a first time achievement for Tanzania.

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business

N65

N65 charge was introduced on September 1, 2014 as on remote-on-us ATM withdrawal charge

FG, Senate Not Interested In PIB Passage – Goje

By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, Abuja

The vice-chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Danjuma Goje, has expressed strong fears that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) might not be passed by the 7th National Assembly due to the lack of commitment shown so far by the federal government and the leadership of the senate Goje, who made this disclosure

during an interview with senate correspondents, accused the leadership of the senate of starving the committee of fund.

As the vice-chairman of the committee, he said he is deeply involved in the whole exercise.

“It is like the federal government does not want this bill to be passed. I am also of the view that the leadership of the senate does not want this PIB to be passed.

“I am saying this because the joint committee of the two

senate committees on Petroleum resources (upstream and downstream), and that of the judiciary was expected to hold public hearings. Initially, we wanted to go abroad to see how other countries overcame their own problems, especially those who faced similar problems with Nigeria but were not given the facilities to.

“We even wanted to conduct public hearings in the six geopolitical zones to get the feelings

of Nigeria on the PIB but we were not given the funds to do that. In fact we are being starved of funds in the joint committee. We are not being encouraged as the facilities to do the work are not available.

“That is why in the senate it looks like some people somewhere are not interested in getting this bill passed. It may pass, if and only if, some miracles happen between now and the end of the current legislative year,” the legislator stated.

BUSINESS QUOTE There are are three ways to make a living in this business: Be first, be smarter, or cheat.

John Tuld, Character in margin Call (feature film, 2011)

Address Stock Market Challenges – Experts

by Bukola Idowu and Olushola Bello, Lagos

The upcoming general elections as well as the effects of the declining oil price have been identified as challenges that must be addressed in the Nigerian capital market in other to sustain the market recovery.

The group chief executive officer of UBA Capital, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sanni, highlighted these challenges while delivering a paper titled “Sustaining Capital Market Recovery” at the Capital Market Correspondent Association of Nigeria (CAMCAN) workshop over the weekend L-R: Managing director, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Anglophone West Africa, Mr Lekan Asuni; CEO, Private Sector in Lagos.

Health Alliance of Nigeria, Dr Muntanqa Umar-Sadiq; GMD, Access Bank Plc/chair, Nigeria Health Innovation Marketplace Sanni attributed the onSteering Committee, Mr Herbert Wigwe; founder/CEO, Healthplux, Bukky George and senior health specialist, The World going investors withdrawal Bank, Dr Oluwole Odutolu at the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria conference in Lagos at the weekend. PHOTO BY from the market to the GBENGA OLAJOBI.

2015 general election, saying, “Some international and local investors have withdrawn their investments in anticipation of the outcome of the election.”

Sanni noted that the drop in oil price and perceived policy inadequacies also affected the international investors confidence, adding that relatively low daily traded values and low turnover velocity are still a hindrance to large investors.

She added that the Nigerian economy is greatly exposed to geopolitical, geoeconomic and currency risk which is forcing foreigners to withdraw from investing, and stressed that the insecurity in the country is also a challenge to the Nigerian capital market recovery.

Group Calls For Passage Of Devt Planning Bill

By Bukola Idowu and Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani, Lagos

The Business Club Ikeja (BCI) has urged the National Assembly to ensure quick passage of the Development Planning and Project Continuity Bill to meet the infrastructur deficit in the country .

BCI’s president, Mr. Sulaimon Tella speaking at the 22nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club in Lagos recently stressed the need for the

federal government to inject fund into infrastructural facilities to save the nation’s economic shocks, especially at the current austerity measures.

“We are worried over the recent World Bank estimate that African Government s face infrastructural investment deficit of $93b yearly, and therefore called for the quick passage of the Development Planning and Project Continuity Bill presently before NASS as the Bill when signed into law will make it mandatory

for every Government in Nigeria to continue the implementation of projects initiated by the past administrations.

“The Bill when signed into law will also make development planning compulsory for all tiers of Government in the country,” he said.

Tella who noted that the BCI has presented position papers on how Government should make life meaningful for the citizenly by ensuring that they provide basic

infrastructure in all parts of the country, said “multiplier effects of availability of infrastructural facilities will be enormous as manufacturers in the sector of the economy would have an enabling environment to be used in the developmental efforts thereby keeping their factories running. “A lot of jobs will also be created by them for young men and women,” he added.

The industrialist who argued that the liquidity problems experienced

in the economy by BCI’s members, other manufacturers in other sectors and the public in the fourth quarter of 2013, which continued in early 2014 is still being experienced, said “We call on Government to inject more funds into system so that the much needed infrastructural development is given better attention across the federation.”

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/business

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Monday, December 8, 2014

‘Research, Panacea To Poor Policy Implementation’ OER Umugini Pipeline Faces Crude Oil Evacuation After Completion by oluchi nnaomah, Abuja

By Chika Izuora, Lagos

Oando Energy Resources (OER), which focuses on oil and gas exploration and production in Nigeria, has announced the completion of its 45,000 barrels daily (bbls/d) 51 kilometre (km) Umugini pipeline.

The pipeline is designed to provide an alternative evacuation route for crude oil produced from the Ebendo Field through the Trans Forcados export pipeline.

Following the successful drilling of Ebendo wells 5, 6, and 7 over the past, oil production capacity within the OML 56 has grown to 7,140 barrels of oil equivalent daily (boepd) gross for the OER and Energia Limited, the operator of the asset.

However, export had been constrained at 3,093boepd (1,322boepd OER share) via the Agip operated Kwale-Brass Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC/JV) infrastructure, in which the OER currently has a 20 per cent interest through the

recent $1.5 billion acquisition of ConocoPhillips Nigerian Oil & Gas Business.

The completion and commencement of operations on the Umugini pipeline ensures that the Ebendo field can now produce at its full capacity.

Commenting on the development, the chief executive officer (CEO), OER, Pade Durotoye, said, “The completion of the Umugini pipeline now allows us to maximise the value of our investments to date on the asset and provides the latitude for further profitable development of prospects and resources identified in Ebendo.”

Ebendo is located onshore, in the central Niger Delta, approximately 100 km northwest of Port Harcourt and covers an area of 65 km2 (16,062 acres).

The licence includes two fields, Ebendo (producing) and the Obodeti field (undeveloped). OER holds a 42.75 per cent working interest on the field.

Ghana’s Economy Faces Stress As Nigeria’s Gas Supply Dips BY by Chika Izuora, Lagos

Ghana’s economy is facing fresh challenge as its current power generation is severely challenged following inadequate gas supply from Nigeria.

The country’s thermal power station relies heavily on Nigeria’s gas supply which has significantly reduced over time, causing electricity fluctuation in Ghana.

The situation has not only led to a power crisis but eroded whatever reserve margin the country could fall back on in terms of emergency cover.

Demand for electricity in Ghana increased by an alltime high of 12.38 per cent in 2013, growing from the 2012 peak of 1,728.9megawatts (mw) to 1,942.9mw at the close of last year.

Ghanaweb reported that over the last four years the average year-to-year growth in demand for electricity has been about 10 per cent and the estimated demand is growing and current projections indicate that the country’s requirements for electricity will hit 2,764.2mw in 2015.

The current industrial load-shedding scheduled to last till December 31, according to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), should create a makeshift reserve margin that can be fallen on when there’s an emergency situation.

The executive director of the Dangote Group, Mansur Ahmed, has identified poor policy and failure to implement research findings from institutions as the bane of the Nigerian economy.

Ahmed was spoke weekend, as chairman of the public presentation of a book, ‘Using Research to Influence Public Policy: What Works and How,’ by Prof.

Eric Chiedum Eboh, averred that most of the times, policies were designed on either of political considerations or the preferences of key policy makers.

“If you do not conduct the

research necessary to evaluate and assess the impact of those policies, you may end up having policies that have impact or outcome that you do not intend in the first place,” he said.

Speaking on the motive for the book, Prof Eboh noted that he was inspired by the knowledge and realisation that great impact cannot be made on any society if research is not brought to bear on policy making.

“The essence of policies and the central goal of development is to improve developmental outcomes in terms of living standards, employment, human conditions and prosperity, economic and

social wellbeing of the public, if policies have to focus on those outcomes, it must be based on the inputs and processes that will lead to those outcomes,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the publisher of the book, the Institute for Public Policy Analysis and Management (IPPAM), the project manager, Mr Oteikwu Oteikwu, called on all stakeholder to be ready to partner with the IPPAM for sound analysis and research.

The book advocates the generation and use of hard core facts, assessed through research and analysis, in the process policy implementation in governance, especially by policy makers.

L-R: Chairman, Nigeria-American Chamber Of Commerce, Kaduna State chapter, Alhaji Sheriff Balogun; special adviser to the Kaduna State governor on Trade and Investment, Alhaji Muhammed Lere and guest of honour, Alhaji Abidu Yazid at the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce Annual Award in Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTO

BY NAN

Falling Oil Prices: $150bn Oil, Gas Projects May Suffer In 2015

By Chika Izuora, Lagos

Analysts have hinted at a possible significant abandonment of key oil and projects across the world in 2015 following declining oil prices.

The outlook for both onshore and offshore developments is looking increasingly uncertain with prices plunging by more than 40 per cent to about $70 a barrel amid a glut of supply.

Decisions on projects worth $500 billion are set to be made next year, the equivalent of almost 60 billion

barrels of oil but with prices low, with at least a third likely to be cut, according to the Norwegian consultancy, Rystad Energy.

“At $70 a barrel, half of the overall volumes are at risk,” said the head of analysis, Per Magnus Nysveen.

Analysts believed this could lead to tighter supplies by the end of the decade. New oil fields typically require four to five years to be developed and billions spent before the first drop of oil is produced. Last month, oil prices tumbled to a four-year low after Saudi Arabia blocked calls to cut

production.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) accounts for around a third of global oil sales but is dominated by Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are able to weather lower prices longer than the likes of Venezuela and Nigeria, which need higher oil prices to support their public finances while Algeria was also said to be in favour of a cut.

The OPEC’s next meeting is slated for June 2015 even though members could call an interim meeting if the crude price continues to fall.

Monday, December 8, 2014

money market/BUSINESS 27 money MARKET REPORTS

ETI Appoints 4 Nonexecutive Board Members

L-R: Deputy manager, Corporate and Investment Banking Division, Access Bank Plc, Charles Odum; manager, Commercial Banking Division Access Bank Plc, Olufemi Odukoya and financial secretary, Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Mrs Edith Akwaeke at the presentation of the 2014 Financial Institution of the Year Award to the bank during the Oil Industry Awards organised by PETAN in Port Harcourt, recently.

Super Agents Get N50m Minimum Shareholders Fund Stories By Bukola Idowu, Lagos

Financial institutions will be responsible for setting up dispute resolution mechanism for their agents to facilitate resolution of customers’ complaints and is expected to treat and resolve any customer related issues within 72 hours

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has released the framework for licencing super agents in the country, stipulating a minimum shareholders fund of N50 million for the super agent to be licenced.

A super agent is functional under the agent banking system introduced in 2012.

The super agent is contracted by the financial institutions to sub-contract to other agents in a network while retaining overall responsibility for the agency relationship.

Agent banking had been introduced as part of measures to increase Nigeria’s level of financial inclusion and ensure that banking services are extended to everyone in the country no matter where they are.

Introduced with intent on complementing the unbalanced branch network of banks in the country, agent banking was supposed to have kicked off in 2013. Agents, who also serve as mobile money agents, operate in simple ways such that they can be operated by supermarkets, gas stations, stores and the likes as they are not full-fledged banks.

According to the exposure draft framework released by the apex bank, super agents who will serve as coordinators of the agents must be an existing business that has been operational for at least 12 months and registered with the Corporate AffAirs Commission (CAC) and must have at least 50 agents registered under it. On fees and charges, the framework stipulates a minimum of N50

and a maximum of N100 for cash out transactions which will be shared among all parties including the Nigeria Inter Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), the issuing and acquiring institutions, super agent and agent.

According to the framework, minimum interchange fee for inter-scheme cash-out transactions shall be N50.

“However, the financial institution could charge up to a maximum of N100. The additional N50 is to give the FI room to further incentivise its agents,” read the framework.

“Cash-in transactions shall be free to the customer for intrascheme payments to encourage usage and savings. The minimum interchange fee for inter-scheme cash-in transactions shall be N35. The issuer will cover the interchange cost. The maximum balance that can be held by an agent shall be N1 million subject to categorisation and risk profiling of the agent by the financial institution,” the framework further stated.

The framework also stipulates that super-agents’ platform will be for the management and monitoring of the activities of their agents only “and shall not hold electronic money value, whereas, the financial institution shall provide and operate the mobile money platform and hold electronic money value.

“All mobile money operators (MMOs) platforms must likewise be up to date, inclusive of mandatory integration to NIBSS, tested and active to ensure interoperability between MMOs. All licenced MMOs shall ensure that their platforms are upgraded as needed, tested and

active within 30 days from the release of this document CICO (cash-in cash-out) services for inter-scheme payments shall be a basic function at all agent locations.”

On dispute resolution, the super agents can hold funds not withdrawn by a receiving customer up to 30 days after which the fund is reversed to the sender. However, financial institutions will be responsible for setting up dispute resolution mechanism for their agents to facilitate resolution of customers’ complaints and is expected to treat and resolve any customer related issues within 72 hours, while the super-agent facilitates the resolution of customer related issues. To ensure compliance with all stipulated rules, the CBN said it would carry out spot or scheduled inspection of the books and premises of the agent and will direct the termination of the agency contract as the CBN may find necessary.

It could also “direct the financial institution to take such actions against or on behalf of the agent as the CBN may find appropriate” and direct it to take such “remedial action arising from the conduct of an agent as it may deem fit.”

In addition to the remedial measures, the CBN could also prohibit a super agent from engaging in any further agent banking business, from contracting new agents. Asides this, it could also revoke the super agent’s agent banking approval. Other sanctions could include termination of agent banking contract, withholding corporate approvals and financial penalties.

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) has announced the appointment of four new nonexecutive directors to its 15-member board, and the retirement of one non-executive director.

The bank in a statement at the weekend named the new board members as Dolika Banda of Zambia, Graham Dempster of South Africa, Sheila Mmbijjewe of Kenya, and Alain Nkontchou of Cameroon.

These new board members, the bank noted, will collectively bring 120 years of experience in banking and finance to the leadership of the world’s largest pan-African bank.

Speaking on the new appointments, the ETI Board Chair, Emmanuel Ikazoboh, said, “Our Board has been strengthened tremendously by the collective experience of our new members who join us in our resolve to deliver on our dual objective of making Ecobank a world-class Pan-African Bank and one that relentlessly contributes to the economic development and financial integration of Africa.”

First Bank, FBN Insurance Wins World Finance Awards

World Finance has named First Bank and FBN Insurance, the banking and Insurance subsidiaries of FBN Holdings Plc as the 2014 Best Private Bank in Nigeria and Best Life Insurance Company for the Nigerian market respectively.

The awards are part of World Finance series of Award competition which rate companies that demonstrate innovative risk management strategies and client services.

According to the organisers of World Finance Awards, First Bank was adjudged winner based on its attention to client services and it’s ‘Best in Class’ private banking hubs located in Abuja, Lagos, and Port Harcourt as well as the accelerated speed in growing its market share and registering a 39 per cent in revenues within a short span of operation.

Also the choice of FBN Insurance for the award is in recognition of its innovative deployment of risk management solutions and operational standards such as good global insurance best practices, strong and decisive management, financial figures/performance, operational efficiency and effectiveness, quality employee management and good customer retention rate.

“These, coupled with multinational support on risk solutions through an unequalled global network of the Sanlam Group of South Africa gave FBN Insurance commendable all-round industry recognition,” organisers said.

Sterling Bank Flags off Shopping Dash for Account Holders Sterling Bank Plc has flagged off the ‘Shopping Dash’ programme for children customers’ with ‘I Can Save accounts.’

The programme which is expected to run in four states in the country this December kicked off at the weekend at the Shoprite, Adeniran Ogunsanya Shopping Centre, Surulere.

The bank in a statement said it is running the programme in partnership with top shopping malls in the country as the train moves through Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Abuja.

The programme affords lucky children the opportunity to do a one-minute shopping dash and pick items of their choice at shopping malls selected for the programme.

The programme is meant to reward existing ‘I Can Save’ Accounts holders; an account for children and those willing to open the account during the programme at the stated locations.

It is strictly for children between the ages of 4 and 8.

28 BUSINESS/insurance

Monday, December 8, 2014 T

insurance REPORTS

FUG Pension Assets Hits N30bn

L-R: Director-general, National Information Technology Development Agency, Peter Jack; managing director, Galaxy Backbone, Yusuf Kazaure and ag managing director, Nigerian Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), Abimbola Alale at the Ministerial Strategy Retreat organised by the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology at the weekend.

Mutual Benefits Targets N1bn From Retail Insurance Stories By Chika Izuora, Lagos

Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc is taking a bold step to promote retail insurance in the country by de-emphasising promotion of conventional insurance, which it said, is difficult to accept by the citizenry.

The company last week inaugurated the first ever insurance franchise to drive the initiative with an aim to earn N1billion monthly premium from the initiative.

The General Manager retail of Mutual Benefits, Ademola Ifagbayi at the unveiling ceremony in Lagos said that the company was targeting a

minimum of N1billion monthly which would translate to N12billion premium per annum, adding that the initiative will create 50,000 jobs across the country.

In his address , managing director and chief executive of the company, Mr. Akin Ogunbiyi said that the company now places emphasis on retail insurance as a way of growing its business and provide insurance cover to the rural communities.

“Conventional insurance has not taken the industry anywhere, over ninety years of insurance in Nigeria, the industry has targeted the elites but with about 170 million

people if we concentrate energy on retail market we will certainly grow above what we contribute to the GDP,” Ogunbiyi explained.

He regretted that despite the size of the population, less than one percent of Nigeria’s adult population has one form of insurance or nother while the sector contributes 0.5 percent to the GDP. He called on other companies to emulate Mutual Benefits and design affordable and accessible products for the rural populace.

Ogunbiyi revealed that his company offers insurance that is as low as N10 and N50 for the benefit of low income segment of the society.

Insecurity: NCRIB Counsels On Survival Strategy In Northern Nigeria Insurance Brokers in northern Nigeria have been counselled to be more creative in product marketing to survive the ongoing security challenge in that part of the country.

The president of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers’ (NCRIB), Mr Ayodapo Shoderu, gave this counsel to insurance brokers at the investiture of new executives of the Kano Chapter of the council recently.

Shoderu lamented the challenges posed to insurance and the economy, generally in the

north following security challenges in the region.

He specifically told brokers, who are professional intermediaries in the insurance value chain, to study their environment as well as the public need and develop insurance products to meet their needs.

In the same token, the NCRIB president also implored government in the region to fine-tune strategies to combat insecurity in the region so that the economy of the area could be afoot again.

According to him, the importance of the north

to the nation’s economic growth cannot be undermined going by its antecedents. He explained that the northern part of Nigeria constituted the industrial hub of the nation, considering the existence of large industries sited there.

“Permit me to state that in spite of all odds, if you are doggedly determined, the sky can only be your starting point. This is definitely an auspicious moment to admonish all my professional colleagues to brace up to the challenges confronting our practice and strive at all times to be ingenious.

“My take is that if other professions and trades are thriving in Kano State in spite of the present challenges, insurance brokers can also thrive, if you brace up and evolve products that will naturally meet customer’s needs and aspirations,” Shaderu said.

In his acceptance speech, the newly elected chairman of Kano Chapter, Mr Olalekan Olaniran, sought the support and cooperation of members, stressing the need for insurance brokers in the northern market to wake up to fully participate in the activities of the nation’s economy.

Pensioners under the Future Unity Glanvills Pensions Limited, at the recent retiree forum organised by the company in Lagos, have commended the company for reshaping their lives after retirement.

Acknowledging the impact of various preretirement sensitisation workshops organised by the pension fund administrator (PFA) on how to utilise their pension monies during retirement, they confessed that the programmes have tutored them on how to continue to live meaningful lives with their pension.

They commended the effort of the company in ensuring that their monthly pension was regular and prompt, even as it continually serves them better.

The acting chairman, FUG Pension, Adeyinka Shogunle said at the forum that pension assets, under the management of FUG Pensions Limited, have hit N30 billion. According to him, total payment made to retirees since inception till date has grown to N3 billion, while retirement savings account holder (RSA) unit price has cumulatively grown from N1 to N1.82 kobo, noting that the unit price will soon hit a N2 mark.

Pensioners Tackle Premium Pensions On Annuity Tango Retirees under the contributory pension scheme (CPS) have complained over alleged delay in transfer of pension funds meant for purchase of annuity to life insurance company.

The complainants said they have appealed to their pension fund administrator (PFA), Premium Pensions Limited, to transfer their money to an insurance company of their choice for the purchase of life annuity.

Briefing journalists on the issue, they alleged that the PFA was depriving them the right to choose between the available options provided in the Pension Reform Act 2014 (Amended) by forcefully imposing a programmed withdrawal on them against their choice of annuity for life.

They added that for several months they had written to the company to effect transfer but to date nothing has been done about it and that all efforts to persuade it to effect the transfer have not yielded any fruit as it continue to pay them stipend at the end of the month.

France AXA Acquires Mansard Insurance For N46bn The France-based AXA has signed an agreement to acquire 100 per cent stake in Assur Africa Holdings (AAH) for about EU198 million (N45.5 billion).

The AAH owns 77 per cent interest in the Nigeriabased composite insurance company Mansard Insurance.

The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The AXA deputy chief executive officer (CEO), Denis Duverne, commenting on the development said, “This acquisition is a unique opportunity for AXA to enter the largest African economy with leading positions in all business lines and to get exposure to the fast-growing Nigerian retail insurance market.” He emphasised that “the AXA will benefit locally from the knowledge of an experienced and successful management team and from a profitable platform.”

The deal will allow the AXA to enter the Nigerian market while Mansard will benefit from it through the former’s extended distribution knowledge and product skills to accelerate its development and leverage its competitive advantages.

INTERVIEW /BUSINESS 29

Monday, December 8, 2014

Government Should Be More Committed To Tourism – Akpabio ➔ continued FROM LAST WEEK

Now that crude oil-our main source of income- is fast losing value in the international market, is it not high time that the government developed our tourism sector?

We must not only focus on wildlife tourism. Tourism must not be reduced to Yankari Games Reserve because I have never heard someone say I am going to London to see a zoo or that I will go outside to see their animals. But people are saying I’m going to London to see Madam Tutso, or the London Museum.

We can do a waterfall that is so massive that people will come from the whole of West Africa to see. Where we have excelled is just by accident, an example is religious tourism. When we had the problem at T.B Joshua Church, how many us knew that over 75 South Africans were living inside the building that collapsed. Those South Africans brought money from their country, stayed in a hotel in Lagos, changed Rand to Naira; that is tourism. T.B. Joshua’s Synagogue of all Nation was not created by nature but by man. That is what we are saying; government should create things that will attract people.

Tourism is one of the things that we can develop; that will ensure that the welfare of people is improved. Now you can see that there some oil rich states in Nigeria but the money is owned by a few people, the rest of the people are poor. It is the same thing even in Nigeria as a whole because we deal a lot with oil. But tourism equalizes everybody. I will give an example; people are very rich in Calabar town. The people on the streets of Calabar town are richer than the people on the streets of Uyo but you cannot compare the money Akwa Ibom has from oil with the money Cross River has from oil. Akwa Ibom has more money but the people on the streets are poor. Cross River has less money but the people on the streets are rich because in Cross River, even if you are selling sachet water, tourism has brought people you can sell your water to.

If you are selling handicraft, new people come into Calabar every day and they will buy it. That is how tourism spreads; it equalizes and makes sure that everybody is taken care off. If we focus more on tourism, the standard of living of the people will improve.

Do we have sufficient enabling laws in Nigeria to elicit and back up the needed in-

novations and equally put all stakeholders in line to ensure proper positioning of the industry?

The answer is no; the laws that set-up the NTDC is obsolete and in 2006 we had the National Tourism Policy of Nigeria and after it was done in 2006, it has not been functioning. Just like I have said, we have people in positions who are not supposed to be there and they cannot assist us to have enabling laws to guide the industry. Sometimes, we have got Directors-General, who do signposts on the streets of the cities. That is not the job of NTDC, but it could improve the job of NTDC it included giving guidelines to the operators.

So we don’t have enough enabling laws. Our hospitality and tourism industry is an allcomer affair. You will see from all sorts of discipline operating in the hospitality industry. There are some countries that if you are not a fully qualified hotelier, you cannot operate a hotel. What that means is that when you come to a hotel that is run by an hotelier, it will be reflective of standard hotel which is line with global standard for a hotel. That is not the case in Nigeria; there are no guidelines. Even if you want to operate a night club, you can do

T

H

it only one entrance and exit door and God forbid, the day comes in the place, and everybody would probably die. We have not also been able to enforce it either by law or pressure group approach to stop the federal and state governments from putting in the wrong persons to into positions. You cannot carry somebody, who is not a medical doctor to head a hospital. We need to sanitize our industry so that competent hands would be there for us to move forward. New law would have to be enacted and a review of laws establishing bodies like the NTDC so that they can be repositioned.

We have other extraneous legal hurdle to overcome. The one that comes to my mind is the multiple taxation issues. When you operate a hotel or a hospitality outfit, you have so many people coming to levy you. There must be legislation on exactly what tax to be paid and to whom.

The fallen prices of oil in the international market are a warning signs that unless we diversify our economy, the country may break down commercially and financially.

The time to do that is now, in fact yesterday. Government should have the focus to understand that tourism and other sources of revenue must be developed as alternatives as to dependence on

Akpabio

oil revenue. One hundred seventy million Nigerians would create huge refugee problem for West Africa and Africa in general if we have any problem arising from the lack of strategic plans by our current and past leaders. When you talk of war and civil riots, most of them are poverty induced and poverty comes from inability to contain and plan very well.

Government should plan very well and look for the right people to assist them. Just like we have the shining star in the ministry of agriculture, we should have in culture and tourism and that would help the economy to grow. cONCLUDED

E

KUKAH C E N T R E FAITH

.

LEADERSHIP

.

PUBLIC POLICY

Invites

the public to her Time: 12 Noon Prompt Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2014 Venue: Auditorium, Merit House, 22 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja Chairman

Special Guest of Honour (President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria)

Guests of Honour

Chief Host (Founder, The Kukah Centre)

R

S

V

P

Dr. Arthur-Martins Aginam

Ag. Director, The Kukah Centre

arthurmartinsaginam@gmail.com 081 46937133, 081028963626

Guests should be seated by 11:30am

30 CAPITAL MARKET/BUSINESS

Monday, December 8, 2014

CAPITAL MARKET REPORTS

Afrinvest To Grow NASD OTC Portfolio

A broker/dealer admitted by the NASD Plc, Afrinvest Securities Limited (ASL), said it is implementing a plan to grow its NASD OTC portfolio.

The firm said in a statement over the weekend that the move was influenced by the increasing volume of transaction on the NASD OTC trading platform and the positive projections for the market.

In line with the move, Afrinvest has asked its existing clients to come forward with their share certificates for dematerialisation.

The managing director, Afrinvest Securities, Mr Charles Egbunonwo, said, “With our over 15 years membership of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), we are well-positioned to support our clients’ understanding of the workings and intricacies of the NASD Over-the-Counter trading platform.”

Honeywell Posts N1.36bn Profit In Q2

Highly Priced Stocks Depreciate On NSE Stories By OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

Following the decline in the equities market indicators, 13 most highly priced stocks have witnessed weakening performance in the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

In 2012, with the roll out of market making, the NSE introduced a pilot programme under which stockbrokers could move prices of highly priced stocks with 10,000 shares and these stocks must have traded an average of N100 or more per share in four out of the last six months period.

The withdrawal of foreign investors in recent weeks have signalled sell-off in NSE’s most highly capitalised stocks, bringing the NSE All-Share Index to 33,228.29 basis points, shedding 19.60 per cent from 41,329.19 basis points it opened this year.

The Nigerian bourse had listed Dangote Cement Plc, Guinness Plc, Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, Total Plc, Nestle Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, SIM Capital Fund, Skye Shelter Fund, and Nigerian Energy Sector Fund (NESF) as highly traded stocks. Others include Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc and Forte Oil Plc. Stockbrokers said that most of the highly traded stocks are multinational companies with foreign investors’ interest and slim numbers of domestic investors holding their stocks for long-term investment. For

example, the share price of Dangote Cement Plc closed on December 5, 2014, at N170.00 per share after attaining a price of N250.02 this year. Investors had thrown caution to the wind following a 41-per cent reduction in the prices of Dangote cement, with the different grades of the essential commodity now selling for between N1,000 and N1,150, exclusive of value added tax (VAT).

Investors, this year, had bought Guinness Plc shares at N260.00 per share which closed on December 5, 2014, at N149.06 per share.

Two petroleum marketing companies, Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc and Total Nigeria closed last week at N165.00 and N162.00 respectively, a decline of 9.3 per cent and N17 per cent from N182 and N195.5 highest price traded so far in 2014.

Nestle Plc, food products company with the high share price at the Nigerian equities market dropped to N800.01 from N1,200.00 per share while Nigerian Breweries Plc share price stood at N170.99 as against N189.00 high price traded this year.

SIM Capital Fund remained stable at N103.24 per share, while Skye Shelter Fund and Nigerian Energy Sector Fund also maintained year high at N100.00 and N552.20 respectively.

Further investigation indicated that Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc share price rose to N188.52 high as against N 152.70 it close on December

5,2014. The same decline in share price was recorded in Lafarge Africa Plc from N136.73 per share high to N78.00 in the period under review. As the crude oil price at the international market continued to drop, the share price of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Ltd has dropped to N380.00 per share, N720.50 per share high traded this year. Furthermore, the share price of Forte Oil Plc had recorded N259.94 high in 52week trading at the NSE, closing on the December 5, 2014, at N223.99 per share.

According to a broker with Calyex Securities Limited, Mr Tunde Oyediran, the high priced stock dominant market activities and any swing in their prices determines the direction of the market in a particular trading.

“With particular reference to Dangote Cement, any changes in price of the stocks affect the direction of the market. That is why sometimes you have many price gainers but if Dangote Cement or many of the other companies are among the losers, the market will close negatively,” Oyediran said.

A shareholder, Mr Akinfemiwa Dayo, said, “With all indications, companies trading at high price will continue to drop as foreign investors are staying away from the capital market following the 2015 general elections.

“As you know, most of the domestic investors cannot avoid to buy those shares right now because of festive period and other development in the country right now.”

Honeywell Flour Mills Plc has posted N1.36 billion profit before tax for the half-year period ended September 30, 2014.

The profit before tax went up by three per cent from N1.32 billion in 2013 to N1.36 billion under the period review.

According to a statement released by the company, revenue declined to N26.9 billion from N27.8 billion reported a year earlier.

The slight decline in revenue is attributed to a high raw material cost and an effect of the current state of insecurity in the North-East part of the country which has affected the company’s ability to effectively distribute its products in the affected region.

Its total assets rose by 11 per cent to N63.62 billion from N57.14 billion in 2013. The company attributed the growth to asset growth which was largely driven by on-going facility expansion projects.

According to the managing director, Honeywell, Lanre Jaiyeola, the company, as most manufacturing companies in the country, has had to contend with various challenges arising from the security issues beleaguering the North Eastern part of the country and the poor access road and traffic log jam to its Tincan Island factory.

Speculative Trading To Dominate Stock Market Activities – Meristem

With all indications, companies trading at high price will continue to drop as foreign investors are staying away from the capital market

A dealing member on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Meristem Securities Limited, has predicted that the stock market may witness cautious trading as speculative trading is expected to dominate market activities in December.

In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP, it noted that in the face of current challenges and risk of insurgence and election threat amongst others, “we imagine a cautious outing as speculative trading is expected to dominate activities in the market in December.”

Analysts at Meristem noted that the fourth quarter of 2014 began on a rather unpleasant note; free falling oil prices and sustained instability in the global space, rapid decline in foreign reserves and accompanying huge sell offs in both equities and fixed income market as pressure on Foreign Exchange (FX) rate and possible devaluation triggered panic in the market.

They said that in response to the above, both the monetary and fiscal authorities have put in measures to stabilise the economy.

Monday, December 8, 2014

31

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Monday, December 8, 2014

IT’S TIME FOR

BIG IDEAS CHANGE

SAM NDA-ISAIAH

for PRESIDENT

2015

Share your own Big Ideas through the following channels

www.facebook.com/sam4nigeria

@sam4nigeria

@samndaisaiah

# It’sTimeForBigIdeas

34

Monday, December 8, 2014

Monday, December 8, 2014

news north-East, north-west 35 Dame Jonathan Flags Off Fertiliser agriculture sector will be given ed.

Distribution To Female He said council areas are cur- priority attention, with modern Farmers In Kebbi rently not functioning as they farming input made available to

We’ll Unchain Local Councils – Aminu Masari

By Muazu Elazeh, Katsina

Former speaker of the House of Representatives and APC gubernatorial candidate in Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari has pledged to free council areas from excessive control of the governor, if elected.

Addressing newsmen shortly after he was declared winner of the APC guber primaries in the state, Masari said council areas under the APC government would be allowed to operate freely and perform their

functions as third tier of government.

“That joint account law is among the first things that we are going to look into. We will free the local government and assume our role of monitoring and supervising the activities of local government.

“The House of Assembly will be empowered - as provided in the constitution - to approve budget for the local government and provide oversight while we give the councila a free hand to operate effectively,” Masari add-

should because they are subjected to excessive control and are not allowed to operate as the third tier of government.

The former speaker also stated that if elected, his priority would be to revamp agriculture and reposition the education sectors in the state, assuring that office holders would be compelled to send their children to public schools.

Masari further pledged that

ensure massive food production.

According to him, mechanized farming through effective distribution of farm inputs will be made available as part of the commitment towards creating job opportunities and food security.

He said the major challenge of the state was the absence of responsible leadership, a factor an APC government will provide.

ll

First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan has flagged off free distribution of fertilizer to female farmers in all 21 local government in Kebbi State.

The first lady, who was represented by the North-West PDP Women Leader, Hajiya Mariya Waziri at the flag off ceremony in Suru, Suru Local Government of Kebbi State, said the programme was one of her efforts to support Nigerian women in agriculture from her pet programme, Women Empowerment Programme (WEP).

“The distribution is one of the programmes designed by her office to encourage women to go into farming such as poultry fish farming, hide and skin, animal fattening.

“Women in farming are feeding the nation as a whole; therefore, I recognize the important role women are playing in contributing to family upkeep through farming in Kebbi State,”she said.

R-L: Kaduna APC governorship aspirant, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai with his campaign group’s directorgeneral (Media), Ashiru Zuntu, at a press briefing in Kaduna. PHOTO BY GBENGA ABIOLA

short news Hospital Launches N700m Endowment Fund Spinal Centre Following the increasing cases of spinal illnesses and demands for medical care, the Chief Medical Director, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, Kano, Surgeon, Dr. Muhammad Salihu has said there is going to be a N700 million endowment fund for the establishment of spinal centre.

He revealed this at the event to mark the 55th anniversary of the hospital.

By Abubakar Salihi, Kano

Shi’ite Cleric Raises Concern Over Alleged Threat To Kill El-Zakzaky

By Abubakar Salihi, Kano

The Shi’ite sect leader, Malam Muhammad Mahmoud Turi, has expressed concern over what he described as a grand conspiracy to kill their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

He revealed that it was known to all that soldiers killed three of El-Zakzaky’s children in broad daylight as they were exercising their fundamental human right of association and assembly.

The Shi’ite leader made this comment to newsmen at NUJ, Kano Secretariat, as they were to embark on an endurance trek from Kano to Zaria in commemoration of the sufferings of the grandson of the Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad 1,375 years ago.

However, in response to the statement accredited to Vice President Namadi Sambo, the leader of the Shi’ite sect in the north western region, Malam Turi claimed that federal government was responsible for the killings in the north west and north

east of Nigeria.

“I cannot agree with anybody exonerating federal government as having a hand in the activities of Boko Haram,” he said, arguing that the militants got some of their weapons from government agents.

Malam Turi explained that security situation in the northern region required them to inform the general public about their ‘Arbaeen trek’ in order to avoid what happened four month ago when soldiers killed about 40 members of their sect.

APC Primaries: Buhari Youths Urge Delegates To Shun Politics Of Money

By Midat Joseph, Kaduna

As the presidential primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) draws nearer, a group known as Buhari Youth Congress for Change has cautioned delegates participating in the primary election to shun any aspirant who attempts to induce them with money.

This was contained in a press statement jointly signed by the leaders of

the youth group in the North-Easth Zone - Alhaji Adamu Nguru, NorthWest - Bashir Isiyaku Hotoro and Baffan Buba Gombe and made available to newsmen in Kaduna yesterday.

The group said it would portend great danger for the country if the APC leaders fail to resist the temptation of financial inducement which some aspirants might bring their way.

“We are calling on APC leaders to resist the temptation of financial in-

ducement that some aspirants are likely bring to them, and also make sure they discourage and block every avenue that could useless the APC primary by not allowing money for votes, which a particular aspirant intends to do.

The group remarked that “a particular aspirant has been going around from state to state to buy up the party’s delegates, which is against the rules.”

short news Shema Collects PVC, Calls For Extension Katsina State governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema, yesterday received his voter card with a call on INEC to extend the distribution of permanent voter card to seven days instead of the initial three days.

Shema also enjoined the commission to address all hitches associated with the exercise.

Shema said the call became necessary in view of the fact that the exercise is facing some hiccups and challenges in the state.

By Muazu Elazeh Katsina

By Yahya Sarki, Kebbi

Leadership Tussle Engulfs Vigilante Group Of Nigeria It is certainly not the best of times for the Vigilante Group of Nigeria which is assisting security agents in providing information and identifying criminal suspects as it is facing an internal crisis as two members are claiming to be its commander-general.

The first commander-general Alhaji Ali Sokoto told journalists in Kaduna that he registered the group with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and had being managing the affairs of the organization with the assistance of his lieutenants.

According to him, the organization maintained its status January 31, 2009 when a group led by Usman Mohammed Jahun held a Kangaroo meeting in Abuja, where they purportedly passed a vote of no confidence on him and thereby declared Jahun as national chairman and commander-general of the group.

Alhaji Ali Sokoto insisted that remained the commander-general of the group until the court declares otherwise.

However, Alhaji Usman Mohammed Jahun told newsmen in Kaduna that he was elected by the 36 states commanders and FCT to serve as the commandergeneral and that he did not impose himself on the group.

By Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna

36 news south-west 2015: Play The Game According To Rules, NOA Urges Stakeholders Ahead of the 2015 general elections, politicians and other stakeholders have been enjoined to play the game according to the rules in order to sustain the nation’s nascent democracy.

At a sensitization programme on voter education, security awareness and environmental sustainability organized by the Osun State Directorate of National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Osogbo, the state director of NOA, Dr. Lawrence Olugbenga Martinsalso and other speakers urged the political class to abide by the Electoral Act and shun any act capable of leading to a breach of public peace and ensure the general elections would be hitch-free and credible in all ramifications.

By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

Monday, December 8, 2014

We Signed Jonathan’s Impeachment Notice Out Of Anger – Rep

By Alo Abiola, Ado-Ekiti

A member of House of Representatives, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo has expressed reservation over the move to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan saying the members of the National Assembly signed the president’s impeachment notice out of provocation and anger.

Ojo who is seeking re-election as the member representing Ekiti central federal constituency II on the platform of the

All Progressives’ Congress (APC) said his colleagues hurriedly signed the impeachment notice to register their displeasure at the security agents’ harrassment on them at the National Assembly’s gate.

Speaking with journalists yesterday in Aramoko-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti West Local Government of Ekiti State, he said “to be honest with you, although we were recalled to the house that day because of the emergency situation in the North-East, we have only sat once since

the recess, the impeachment notice was signed in anger by us. You remember that we were tear-gassed that day, both members of the two houses.

The lawmaker said the issue had gone beyond the House and had to do with the survival of our democracy. “The impeachment notice was signed by members, we will look into it, but to the best of my knowledge, I do not think there is a serious level of impeachment of the president now, until we resume at the House.”

SURE-P Boss Urges Support For Fayose The Coordinator of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SUREP) in Ekiti State, Chief Femi Akinyemi, has urged members of the opposition to join hands with Governor Ayo Fayose to develop the state.

Speaking with reporters yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, Akinyemi advised the opposition politicians especially those in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop distracting the governor so he can deliver on his promises to the electorate Describing the opposition as an important part of democracy, Akinyemi appealed to the APC to criticize constructively and offer useful advice on ways to move Ekiti forward .

By Alo Abiola, Ado-Ekiti

Bankole Not Guber Aspirant For Ogun – Bayo Dayo Ogun State chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Engr. Bayo Dayo, has said former speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, is not an aspirant in today’s gubernatorial primary election in the state.

The party chieftain told newsmen at the party secretariat that Bankole neither obtained expression of interest form nor officially notified the party in the state of his aspiration.

Bayo accused Bankole of deserting the party since 2011 saying he was unaware of any plan in Abuja to force the former speaker on the party.

He said Bankole is looking for a shot cut to power which does not exist.

By Gbenga Adeboye, Abeokuta

L-R: Fuji musician, Sefiu Alao; theatre practitioner, Bolaji Amusan; Fuji masetro, Wasiu Ayinde; Ogun State governor Ibikunle Amosun; his wife, Olufunso and renowned Juju musician, Sunny Ade, at the 4th Annual Lecture on health enlightenment programme organised by Latin Foundation in Abeokuta.

2015: Nigerians Should Not Choose President On Tribal, Religious Sentiment – Okorocha

By Tope Fayehun, Akure

A presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha has called on Nigerians to eschew politics of tribe and religion at 2015 general elections.

He said he time was ripe for the country to think outside the box and look at quality rather than religion or look out for a leader rather than a tribe for the betterment of the country.

He stated this at the weekend in Akure, the Ondo State capital in a chat with journalists after his meeting with the state delegates at the party secretariat, in preparation for the forthcoming primary election of the party.

He said it was high time Nigerians thought deeply in choosing whoever was going to be their leader, noting that using tribal or religious sentiment to choose the country’s leader would not take the country to the promise land.

“There is no longer choosing the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the basis of tribal or religious sentiment, let the person that has the love of this country, that can unite the country, put food on the table of the common man, be the president irrespective of his religious or ethnic background because for so many years, we have been dependent on religion and tribe and we have not been able to produce who we have been looking for.

short news Book On Ogun State’s Golden Years For Thursday The Golden Years, a book on the achievements of the Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun administration, will be unveiled to the public on Thursday, at DLK Events Centre, Abiola Way, Abeokuta by 11am.

According to a statement by its author, who is also special assistant on media to the governor, the public presentation will bring together former heads of state, state Ggovernors, leaders, captains of industry, Ppolitical office holders in Ogun State, elder statesmen, bureaucrats, diplomats, academics, media executives, among others.

The president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr Femi Adesina, will be the reviewer.

“The book is a panorama of contemporary Ogun State. It is as much about the sterling successes of the Amosun government in the last three years as the current socioeconomic and political situation in the country,” a statement on the event pointed out.

By Gbenga Adeboye, Abeokuta

Monarch Advocates Community Collaboration With Govt On Infrastructural Development

By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

The Timi of Edeland, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal has made a clarion call for community participation in infrastructural development as government alone cannot meet the demands of every community.

Speaking at the 21st anniversary of Ede Mapo Arogun Day celebration at Ede, Osun State at the

weekend, the monarch said the challenges of social and infrastructural development facing government called for close collaboration between the government and the people towards addressing infrastructural development of their communities.

The Federal Council of Ede Descendants Union (FCEDU), an umbrella body for all social cultural groups in Ede used the event

to urge Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola to find a lasting solution to the land dispute between Ede and Osogbo, the state capital.

The president of Federal Council of Ede Descendants Union, Barr.

Dele Adeyemi said it had become very imperative for communities surrounding Ede to know their boundaries to avoid incessant clash over boundaries.

He also urged the governor to look into the report of a commission set up by former Governor Oyinlola on boundary demarcation which identified the boundary of Ede and its neighbouring towns including Ofatedo and Ido-Osun.

Adeyemi used the occasion to advise youths who usually cause unrest in the town to desist from such act and allow peace to reign in Ede and Osun State as a whole.

politics today Monday, December 8, 2014

REPORTS ANALYSES REVIEWS INTERVIEWS

As Borno PDP Decides For the fifth time since 1998, delegates of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State will be choosing yet another flag bearer that would lead them into another general election with hopes to form a state government for the first time, Kareem Haruna writes.

J

Unlike the past primaries, Borno PDP is going into the 2015 elections with superlative hopes of winning because the man that stood as their electoral albatross, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the former governor of Borno State, has now joined their fold

ust like any of the previous years, the stakes are high as the contest is dotted with a slate of eminent politicians who strongly believe that their respective candidatures are the he best thing that would ever happen to Borno state.

But much unlike the past primaries, Borno PDP is going into the 2015 elections with superlative hopes of winning because the man that stood as their electoral albatross, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the former governor of Borno State, has now joined their fold and is ready to wrest power from the strong grip of incumbent Governor Kashim Shettima, the man he singlehandedly installed as Borno’s chief executive about three years ago.

In tomorrow’s PDP gubernatorial primary election, both old and new players would be slugging it out in the grand battle to clinch the ticket that would posit one of them as challenger of Governor Kashim Shettima of the APC. In no particular order, Honourable Muhammed Abuna came into political limelight when he opted to contest for a House of Reps seat in 2011 under the the defunt ruling ANPP, before he was encouraged to step down with a promise to make him a commissioner. After the elections that saw incumbent governor, Kashim Shettima emerging as governor, Abuna was appointed the commissioner for Works, an office he served in for more than three years before the governor dissolved his cabinet some three months ago.

Hon Abuna immediately exited the ruling APC in what was seemed as a slight on Shettima, to whom he was said to have accorded less respect even when he was serving as a cabinet member. When he left the APC, his ambition was to vie for the Senate seat of Borno Central.

Hon Abba Jatau is another aspirant whose decision to join the race is being viewed as a gamble because his major outing on the political limelight of the state was in 2011 when he contested and won Bama Central House of Assembly seat.

House of Rep member, Kaka Kyari

Gujbawu, is also one of the aspirants that may not be taken seriously in tomorrow’s contest because many believe that he still lacks the political carriage to galvanise support of delegates to win the primaries because his first and major political feat was when he luckily won the House of Reps seat, beating a very popular ANPP candidate, Alhaji Muhammed Imam, by riding on the popularity of the then PDP septuagenarian governorship candidate, Pa Muhammed Goni.

Many view his aspiration as one conceived for the purpose of bargain to allow him retain his House of Reps seat beyond 2015.

Alhaji Gambo Lawan is one of the formidable politicians and an aspirant in the race because of his pedigree as a national politician who once aspired for the same office in 2003 but was defeated by Kashim Imam. Many feel top politicians like Senator Sheriff may be backing his candidature but he may face some challenges even if he eventually clinches the ticket because of his low profile in the eyes of the Borno public because since his last outing in 2003 when he aspired for the same office, he has not been visible in the state for either social or political functions.

Alhaji Mala Sheriff is the younger sibling of ex-governor Sheriff. He is regarded as a core politician and his pedigree as one who comes from a political home and who had served as commissioner in the state gives him an ambience of popularity. He was touted to succeed his brother in 2011, before his brother stamped his preference for a non-Sheriff successor. Many felt he may have been encouraged by his elder brother to join the race, even though it was said the latter had denied such claims. It is not certain if his candidature would be welcomed by the generality of Borno voters who may translate his emergence as Sheriff agenda.

Alhaji Muhammed Makinta, a former commissioner for Health and a House of Reps aspirant in 2011, is regarded as a lightweight politician in the contest. Since his exit at the end of the Mala Kachalla administration, Makinta seemed to have been out of circulation politically. His chances in tomorrow’s

Mu’azu

contest appears very slim.

Alhaji Muhammed Bulama, the Shettima Kwama of Borno and former chief executive of the defunct Bank of the North is regarded as one of the new entrants into the political sphere of Borno state. Though he is still very much respected as one of the few Borno personalities that used their offices in the private sector to touch the lives of many persons in the state, he has not been able to hold any other public office since after his controversial exit from the apex office of the Bank of the North. But despite the dent in his image as a banker that was once jailed for alleged corruption, many party politicians feel he could do better than many of his coaspirants and even those that had served as governors in the state. If the Borno public would forget about what informed his last days in the Bank of the North, the Shettima Kwama of Borno might give the sitting governor a run for his cash, even though they both share similar background as bankers.

Honourable Muhammed Imam is one of the top rated aspirants whose chances are as bright as that of Bulama. He rose to political prominence in 2003 when he emerged chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, an office that made him so popular and endeared him to the youth of the state.

He became the party chairman of ANPP who midwifed the second coming of Sheriff in 2007. He later held several cabinet appointment as commissioner. By 2011, Muhammed Imam was being tipped as one of the likely successors of Sheriff alongside the likes of Honourable Abubakar Kyari, the current chief of staff to Governor Shettima, before Sheriff announced his preference for Late Modu Fannami Gubio, who was assassinated a month after.

Muhammed Imam later dropped his ambition to contest the House

of Reps of Maiduguri Metropolitan Federal Constituency but was not lucky. If he turns out winner of the primaries tomorrow, Muhammed Imam would definitely give the incumbent APC candidate a tough time because his popularity still cuts across the entire state.

Alhaji Kashim Imam, the Mutawalli of Borno Emirate, is obviously the most formidable aspirant in the entire contest. His ability to clinch the PDP ticket back to back in 2003 and 2007 and his attempt in 2011 gave him an edge of experience above all other aspirants. He is a politician with the carriage that could only be equalled with that of Ali Sheriff as well as the incumbency of sitting governor Kashim Shettima. Mutawalli was credited to have singlehandedly managed the affairs of the PDP from his pocket between 2003 and 2007. When he was denied the ticket in 2011, Imam who was berated as not influential in the party, proved his popularity to the party by pulling out his support and by so doing, dealt the PDP a major blow on the only chance it had to take over the government house in Maiduguri.

Out of his political dexterity, he was able to strike an uncommon deal with ex-governor Sheriff by fielding the incumbent deputy governor of Borno State, Zannah Mustapha to run with incumbent Governor Shettima in 2011. That political alliance actually saved the face of ANPP and Sheriff in 2011.

His chances in tomorrow’s primaries are high and his failure is also highly dangerous to the party’s future.

However, it is assumed that many of those who were in the race as light weight aspirants may eventually step down for some key contenders.

Donald Ojogo, Group Politics Editor ojogodonald@yahoo.com

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38 POLITICS TODAY

Monday, December 8, 2014

How would you assess representation of Ihiala federal constituency at the National Assembly over the years?

cooperative societies for easy access to loans by my constituents.

These programmes will be achievable because I intend to access all the available funds earmarked for constituency projects in the MDG department of all ministries and relevant federal government parastatals.

Besides, as a God-fearing, sincere and charismatic lawmaker that will be thriving within the ambits of the law, I will have unfettered access to global leaders and industrialists to achieve my mission.

I am a grassroots person and having interacted with my people over time, I know their needs. Our constituency has suffered from a lack of qualitative and effective representation in the Federal House and our people are yearning for a change which I intend to bring.

We have abundant untapped human and material resources in the constituency but these have not been explored, resulting in massive unemployment in the area. The resultant effect is high level of frustration and indifference to governance by the people, especially the teeming unemployed youths. If given the chance, I will synergise with relevant government agencies and global donors to change things for the better for my people.

Is the ruling party (APGA) in Anambra State not a threat to your ambition?

How do you intend to achieve this?

Our constituency has suffered from a lack of qualitative and effective representation in the Federal House and our people are yearning for a change

Through change and transformation. The focus is to develop two core sectors of the economy (agriculture & manufacturing), utilising the private public partnership (PPP) model in line with the President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda. For instance, we have large deposits of kaolin, which is vital in pharmaceutical industry.

Through PPP, I will initiate large scale industrialisation to attract infrastructural development.

With this and the revamping of the now comatose Nigeria Starch Mill, about 60 percent jobs would be created for our unemployed youth.

I intend to establish constituency offices in all the wards of my constituency to identify the priority needs of the people and streamline them for implementation.

Each of these offices will operate independently. I will initiate the refurbishing of the Ihiala Water scheme and the establishment of a new one so that my constituents can have access to pipe borne water in their homes. Sincerely, I am not a fan of borehole scheme.

For me, it is retrogressive.

Also, I will establish a databank to monitor the intellectual proficiency of students from my constituency to attract scholarship for them from relevant agencies and to assist the indigenes in the constituency.

This databank will also help in monitoring constantly, recruitment in the military, para-military and other federal

Obidiaso

Ihiala Lacks Effective Representation In NASS – Barr Obidiaso Barrister Tagbo Paul Obidiaso is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives aspirant for for Ihiala federal constituency in Anambra State. A lawyer by profession, Obidiaso spoke with select journalists in Abuja about poor representation of his constituency,his political aspiration and other sundry issues. JONATHAN NDA- ISAIAH was there for Leadership. government agencies to ensure that my people are not shortchanged during recruitment in these organisations nor face any type of injustice in their place of work.

In addition, I intend to

pursue the establishment of ultra-modern health centres in all the zones, establishment of effective skill acquisition centres in the four zones of the constituency and the establishment of strong

What my people want is someone who can give them effective representation and deliver on his/her goals to bring about democratic dividends to them. They are not concerned with which party such a person belongs to. Besides, my party, PDP, is doing well at the centre and my people believe that the good works of the central government led by President Goodluck Jonathan, can be replicated in the constituency.

Again, it depends on the manifesto an aspirant has and I believe in my manifesto. Recall that the present occupier of the seat is a member of PDP. How can you assess the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP?

The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) is made up of people of strong character who are determined to ensure a level- playing field for all the aspirants. Unlike what happens in other parties where candidates are simply adopted, the NWC of the PDP is giving equal opportunities to all aspirants and in the end the best candidate will emerge. Our representative in the NWC, Chief Olisa Metuh, is an apostle of this, knowing that the PDP will lose the election to APGA if candidates are imposed, especially those with no electoral value.

What is your advice to other aspirants within your constituency?

Well, we are six contesting for one position and I believe that we all know that only one candidate can emerge and remembering that we are all brothers and a sister, there should be no need for do or die politics because I believe that it is only God that chooses candidates since the candidate will be deciding the fate of so many people.

POLITICS TODAY 39

Monday, December 8, 2014

Primary: PDP Jettisons Oyo Ward Congress Results

by Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday jettisoned the results of two ward congresses conducted in Oyo State and adopted the statutory delegates for the conduct of the governorship primary.

To this end, the party’s governorship primary election would hold today (Monday) at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (former Liberty Stadium), OkeAdo, Ibadan..

LEADERSHIP learnt in Ibadan on Sunday that delegates are members of the state executive council of the party, local government executive council members, including chairman, secretary, treasurer, youth leader and woman leader, the two members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), members of the state and national assembly.

The decision put paid to the two conflicting court injunctions obtained by some members of the party from the same judge of an Abuja Federal High Court on which of the results of the ward congresses should be used by the party for its primary elections.

With this development, the three delegates from each of the 351 wards across the 33 local government council areas of the state, who would have participated in the primary election, have been dropped.

It would be recalled that the results of the ward congresses held in the state, along other states of the federation on the 1st of November this year, led to controversies, following which a re-run was ordered on the 24th of the same month after which no acceptable result could be produced.

What however looked like a breakthrough from the impending logjam was the court ruling by E.S Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday which ordered that a particular list of delegates elected at the controversial re-run ward congress of 24th November be adopted for usage for the party’s primary elections.

A spanner was however thrown into whatever might have been the success of the court ruling as another ruling preceding that one obtained by another member of the party ordering that only delegates’ list signed by the Yinka Taiwo-led executive of the party should be upheld was made public through the media barely 24 hours after the Friday ruling.

Curiously, the said earlier ruling, which was actually obtained as far back as 29th October this year, barely three days to the ward congress of the 1st November was given by the same judge, E.S. Chukwu and going by it, there wouldn’t have been any legal backing for the list being ordered for usage because it was not signed

by Yinka Taiwo-led executive council of the party as earlier ruled by the same judge.

El-Rufai

Mu’azu

Uduaghan

Delta 2015: Uduaghan Dumps Obuh, Picks Edevbie As Successor BY chibuzo ukaibe, Abuja

In a last minute move, governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has withdrawn support for his erstwhile anointed candidate, Anthony Obuh, and has chosen a new candidate,

David Edevbie as his successor.

Edevbie was commissioner for Finance under Ibori and was later appointed as principal private secretary to late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

As the permutations continue with a glaring picture that

Delta North has lost out in the governorship race, there are strong indications that Obuh may emerge Edevbie’s running mate.

Edevbie, an Urhobo, hails from Ughelli in Delta central senatorial district of Delta State.

Edevbie will now contend with

candidates from Delta North, including Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, speaker of the state assembly, Hon. Victor Ochei and chairman of House of Representatives committee on Health, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu for the PDP Delta governorship ticket today.

Abuja Demolition: I Will Replicate Same In Kaduna If...el-Rufai

BY ISAIAH BENJAMIN, Kaduna

Former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Kaduna State governorship flagbearer of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has disclosed he has no regrets for the demolition exercise he carried out in Abuja and will repeat same in Kaduna if elected governor.

He said he demolished the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Abuja because it was a brothel at night and was illegally

occupied, stressing, “I have no regret doing so and will do same here in Kaduna for any illegal structures.”

Mallam el-Rufai who stated this when he paid a visit to members of the correspondent chapel of the NUJ, Kaduna Council, described the present leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as criminals who should be voted out of power in 2015.

He reiterated, “Once I am given a job and I agree to do it, I do it with all my heart and as minister of FCT, which is one of

the most difficult jobs, I did my job to the best of my ability.

“I do not think that the issue is whether I was controversial or not. The issue is whether I left Abuja better than I met it. And I think most people in Abuja will say I did. That is what matters.

“Kaduna is different from Abuja in many respects. So, there is work to be done here.

Not everything to be done here will be loved by the people. A lot of it will be embraced by the people but if there is a job to be done and I undertake to do it, if the people of Kaduna State

elect me, it is because they want change.

“They do not want this place to be a state of bill boards and no action. They want schools to be better than what they are now; they want our health care system to cater for everybody, not the friends of the government that get sponsored to go to Egypt.

“They want agriculture to flourish and they want the state of insecurity to be addressed.

Currently, these things are not being done. In the process of doing them, some people would say I am controversial”.

Ebonyi Community Leaders Berate Jonathan, Mua’zu Over Lingering Pdp Crisis

by Obinna Ogbonnaya, Abakaliki

The crisis rocking Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yin Ebonyi State yesterday took another dimension as community leaders and other leaders of thought in the 13 local government areas of the state yesterday berated President Goodluck Jonathan, the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu, the Board of Trustee chairman, Chief Anthony Anenih and other leaders of the party for not bringing the lingering crisis threatening the soul, corporate existence and brotherly love that have existed in the state since its creation to an end.

The community leaders under the auspices of Ebonyi Forum of

Leaders of Thought regretted that in the last 2 months, the state has witnessed unprecedented political crisis that would have led to the death of hundreds of people in the state without an end in sight and wondered why the president and commander in chief of the Federal Republic and national leader of the PDP, President Jonathan and his team have been unable to resolve the crisis in the state.

Briefing journalists in Abakaliki, the group through its spokesperson, Chief Joseph Anyigor, described as unfortunate, the bad and negative media reports the once peaceful state has received in the last one month and attributed it to the desperation being exhibited by some younger

politicians in the state. he added that if not properly checked, the state would be thrown into a war zone.

He said, “we are not partisan politicians, we are leaders of various communities that has given our support to President Jonathan and other leaders, both in the state and at the national levels. The state, since its creation and the inception of democratic governance has enjoyed peaceful transition but we have watched with keen interest, the unfolding situation in the state.

We had expected that the president and the national leadership of the PDP would have resolved the crisis by now but it seems that the problem is overwhelming them”.

“We don’t want to believe that

the president is incompetent in resolving the crisis. Our major worry and concern is that those who never participated in the struggle for the creation of our dear state and the legacies of the founding fathers are destroying what we collectively built, those of them threatening to destroy the state if they are not given the mandate, we ask, where were they when the struggle for the creation of the state was carried out? It took 39 years to achieve the struggle and money bags now believe that they can come into the state and buy over the state with the support of their compatriots in Anambra State”.

“Ebonyi state is a young state that is in dear need of transformation”.

40

Monday, December 8, 2014

It’s time such as this that we really miss your presence in our polity.

Times such as this when Nigeria is in search of a leader with strength of character and unwavering dedication and commitment to responsible and selfless service to the people and nothing but.

Times such as this when Nigeria needs a leader with vision to inspire and unite the people towards one goal: justice, peace and progress.

Dear beloved leader, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, be assured that we shall continually be guided by your thoughts, words and deeds.

Our prayer is that you keep resting in al-Jannah.

ATIKU ABUBAKAR,

GCON TURAKI ADAMAWA VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA (1999-2007)

MAJOR-GENERAL

SHEHU MUSA YAR’ADUA 5 MARCH 1943 - 8 DECEMBER 1997

Monday, December 8, 2014

41

42 THE NATION’S CAPITAL

Monday, December 8, 2014

Insurgency: Religious Leaders Preach Peace

By Igho Oyoyo

Youth in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and entire Nigerians have called to embrace peace and shun violence irrespective of cultural, ethnic and religious differences.

The Vice Chancellor of PAN African Bible Seminary, College of Clergies and Management Studies in Nigeria, Bishop Fedrick Akapo who made this call at the Matriculation and convocation of students of the institute in Abuja, said insurgency in Nigeria can be brought to a halt if all Nigerians put away religious and cultural difference and work together as one.

According to Akapo, Nigeria is a great and promising nation and can succeed in ending insurgency and insecurity, if Nigerians will stop looking at their differences and embrace peace and harmony in working together, that by so doing the nation can attain any height it wants to.

He called on leaders at all levels to foster unity and peace, by avoiding any form of violence or instigating followers as instrument of violence during and after the 2015 general election.

“The way politics is practice in Nigeria is not supposed to be so, politics is a matter of acceptance, not by enforcing yourself on people. I hope and believe that the 2015 election will be a free and fair one and we also pray that there will not be any form of violence.

That is why we are calling on all Nigerians whether at the herm of affairs or not, to embrace peace and see everybody as one and not as different entity,” he said.

The Provost of the PAN African Seminary, Rev. Bamidele Akinlolu, while speaking at the event, also said the cause of insurgency and other problems in Nigeria can be attributed to poor religious training, that leaders should not give room for more crises in Nigeria.

He further admonished the matriculating and graduating students of the institute to be good ambassadors of all the institution and strive to be agents of positive change in the society.

2015: FCT Youth Declare Support For Atiku

By Igho Oyoyo

Some youth in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under the auspices of Atiku Youth Progressives Forum (AYPF) has declared support for former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to clinch the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the party’s national convention in Lagos State.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, AYPF Coordinator, Zakari Babale said the youth has held useful discussions with APC delegates from FCT and that they have obtained their commitment to vote for Atiku during the national convention in Lagos.

According to Babale, “Atiku has the unflinching political will to rebuild Nigeria, as can be seen in the inclusive policy strategy published in national dailies. The policy will achieve the creation of a new Nigeria and a robust economy that will ensure competitive services and stimulate the growth of a private sector-driven economy.”

He further said, “we believe that Atiku will help FCT to get a mayoralty and open up the democratic space for more participation of our people in governance. He will ensure the creation of more senatorial districts and federal constituencies in Abuja. Our rights will be restored and FCT original inhabitants will be empowered if Atiku emerges President of Nigeria.

“All we are now doing is to help the former vice president to canvass for delegates and we are confident that he will win the primaries. Atiku is one of the largest employers of labour in Nigeria and we feel that he has the capacity to provide jobs for the teeming number of the unemployed in our country.”

Coordinator, Access to Healthcare for All, Mrs Bummi Aiyedun (middle) sensitising women on health at Wuse market in Abuja.

PHOTO BY Igho Oyoyo

FCT PDP Primaries: Zhin Beats Dobi To NASS Ticket

By Igho Oyoyo

Former Chairman of Kuje area council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Danladi Zhin, has defeated the incumbent House of Representatives member, Hon. Isah Dobi to emerge winner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primary election for the House of Representatives position for Abuja South federal constituency.

The primary election, which was held on Saturday, amidst tight security at Kwali town hall, was keenly contested among three aspirants, in which Hon. Danladi Zhin pulled 68 votes, to defeat the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Isah Dobi, who scored 51 votes, while former chairman of Abaji area council, Alhaji Musa Yahaya Muhammad, got 33 votes.

The Independent National Electoral

Commission Chief returning officer, who announced the results, said 162 delegates were accredited, which 154 casted their votes, while eight delegates were absent and two votes were invalid.

However, before the commencement of the election, roads linking to the venue of the exercise from Kwali market and Unity Bank junctions were barricaded by the combined team of police, civil defence corps, soldiers, Prisons and men of the Department of State Security Service (DSSS).

The chairmen of Kwali, Abaji and Kuje area councils, who are among the delegates, were compelled to trek a distance of about 500 meters to the venue of the exercise after they were thoroughly screened, while delegates were asked to switched off their handsets by security agents before entering the hall.

It was observed that some party supporters barricaded the Kwali market with heavy logs of woods, Iron metal, while fire was set at the centre of the road, leading to the venue of the exercise, until at about 5:45 pm when the result was announced.

Speaking to journalists after the primaries, former Kuje council Chairman, Mr. Danladi Zhin, has dedicated his victory to God. Zhin promised to carry everybody along for the success of PDP in the forthcoming general elections, while he called on the losers to give him necessary support and cooperation.

The former chairman of Abaji area council, Alhaji Yahaya Muhammad, who came 3rd, promised not to leave any stone unturned to see that the party retains its seat to continue to give good representation to the people of Abuja South federal constituency.

Dukwal Community Demand Good Roads

By Ruth Tene Natsa

Residents of Dukwal Community in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) have called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to support the community with the construction of accessible roads to enable residents move their farm produce to the markets easily.

The village head of the community, Mallam Dauda Sam made this call when he received a delegation of female media professionals under the auspices of Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWoJ) and the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), during the Strengthening Women’s Empowerment to Deepen Girl Child Education (SWEDGE) project organised by the Society For Community Development (SCD) in

collaboration with Action Aide Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday.

Sam who lamented the absence of access roads in the community for residents who are predominantly farmers to transport their produce to markets around the area, said it has made life difficult for the people.

He also revealed that members of his community were yet to benefit from the federal government’s fertiliser scheme and seed distribution plan since its inception, after collecting and filling the forms for the 2013/2014 farming season.

He said, “We have never benefited from the federal government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) or the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES), even though we are a farming community with a population of almost 1million inhabitants.

“The greatest challenge of the community is the poor road infrastructure which does not allow farmers easy access to markets after harvest, lack of a secondary school which denies the children better education and the lack of power supply to pump the only working borehole in the community provided

by AMAC.” Also speaking, a member of the MWAN, Dr Chioma Iheanacho, said the service was for the community to see the essence of educating the girl child while also offering their services as women professionals.

“As a woman medical doctor, when they see me rendering this service, they know their children can also be educated to better their lives and that of their communities,” she pointed out.

News north-central 43

Monday, December 8, 2014

I Am Ready To Govern Niger – Abu Bello

BY Abu Nmodu, Minna

The newly elected governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Alhaji Abu Sani Bello said he worked tirelessly to emerge victorious and would repeat the same feat in the governorship election in the state with the support of the people who he said were solidly behind him.

Abu Bello spoke to journalists on Friday after he was declared the winner of the governorship primary of the APC with a score of 3829 votes to defeat Senator Ibrahim Musa who got 61 votes and Mohammed Salihu who polled 24 votes to clinch the APC ticket.

He said “between myself and my campaign team, we worked tirelessly day and night to come out victorious, I believe with my winning the primary election, we have to prepare for the general elections. It is all about hard work, dedication and commit-

short news

Group Faults Electoral Violence As 2015 general elections draw closer, a non-governmental organization called Concerned Nigerian Youth Development Organization (CNYDO), yesterday, has concluded plans to step up campaign against electoral violence and peaceful youth conduct before, during and after the elections.

The national coordinator, CNYDO, Mr. Joel Edegba, made this known when briefed the media on recent developments in the polity, saying the organization had come up with more strategies that would strengthen the nationwide campaign against electoral violence and other vices.

Edegba exBy Ebriku John Friday, Abuja

ment, within one week we went through the whole local government areas in the state to carry everybody along”.

According to him, “it was very challenging, but we were able to go down to the grassroots. It is all about planning and organization, we were able to talk to them, we were able to let them feel us, we were able to know their situation”.

He stated that the only way to sustain the victory of the primary election was for all party men and women to remain unified, pointing out that he had accepted to run despite the daunting challenges associated with politics because of the desire to help the less-privileged people of Niger State who reside in remote areas of the state.

According to him, to be able to achieve his goals, he will make sure that no party member is cut off from his campaign because they are all part of his emergence as the flag bearer of the party.

‘Persons Seeking Elective Offices Should Show Mental Health Certificate’ The Nigerian Medical Association has urged Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that all those seeking elective offices in future elections provide their mental health certificate before the elections.

It said INEC should make it a condition for political office seekers to make available their mental health status as a way of ascertaining the state of their mental health, in addition to being physically fit for the demands of the offices the would be contesting.

In a communique at the end of it National Executive Council (NEC) meeting with the theme ‘Efficient Healthcare Delivery: An indicator of good governance’ called NMA Jos Declaration, the association urged Nigerians of voting age to participate fully in the voting process to elect their leaders come 2015.

“Nigeria cannot afford any form of failure either in the build -up or the elections proper, in this regard, INEC, as an unbiased umpire, should do all within her statutory powers to ensure a credible, free and fair election in 2015.

The communique further said NMA had accepted to partner INEC towards the realisation of

By Achor Abimaje,Abuja Jos

By Ebriku John Friday,

short news Niger APC Reps Primaries Postponed In Suleja, Bida The House Representative Primary of All Progressive Congress in Niger state has been prosponed for today Monday while some were ru nning into night due to late arrival of officials and materials.

The exercise in Suleja/tafa/Gurara and Bida/Kacha/ Gbako Federal Constituency has been Postponed while some areas like Agaie/Lapai Constituency it was an affirmation of the aspirant Mahmaud A Mahmud who was unopposed.

The elections in some constituency in Niger north and Niger east were still going on as at the time of filing this report while in Niger south most of the constituencies were through affirmation.

By Abu Nmodu, Minna

THE Comptroller-general of Prisons, Dr Peter Ezenwa Epkendu (left) briefing the Niger State governor Babangida Aliyu (right) on the jail break that occurred in Minna at the weekend. PHOTO BY GBENGA OLAJOBI

NASS Invasion: Lawmakers Call For IG’s Dismissal

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilori

The Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Barr. Razak Atunwa and the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Justice, Dr Ali Ahmad, have called for the dismissal of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, over his role in the recent police invasion of the National Assembly .

Atunwa and Ahmad said the ugly incident showed that Abba was not ethically and morally fit to police the 2015 general elections.

The duo spoke at the First PanAfrican Students’ Parliamentary Conference convened by the University of Ilorin senate council, an arm of the student union, in honour of Dr Ali Ahmad.

Atunwa described as absolute insanity, the policemen’s invasion of the national assembly.

He described the lawmakers who scaled gates into the chamber of the House of Representatives as heroes and patriots.

He said insecurity pervades the country because the IGP concentrates on dealing with political matters rather than facing secu-

rity matters.

The Speaker said the government must seek way of tackling insecurity owing to mind boggling series of attacks across the country.

“I think the best thing that can happen for this country is for this IG to be removed. Simply because this IG has been partisan, it shows he is rash to judgement, he jumps before he can work. And I think for me, the sooner he is removed, the better. But failing that, if he can be cautioned to ensure that he follows the rule of law and due process”, he said.

Mark Congratulates Winners of PDP Reps Primaries In Benue

BY Adesuwa Osunde, Abuja

President of the Senate, Chief David Mark, has congratulated winners of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives primaries in his constituency, Benue South.

In a press statement signed and issued by the Senate president’s chief press secretary, Mr Paul Mumeh yesterday, Mark maintained that the party was not threatened by the gathering of opposition parties ahead of the 2015 polls.

While congratulating four House

of Representatives’ members elected as flag bearers of the party in his Benue South Senatorial zone, he urged his constituents to remain steadfast in their faith in PDP, which he said remained the party without sentiments. “We should renew faith in the PDP . It remains the party for the people of Nigeria devoid of any religious or ethnic sentiments . It is a national party that accommodates all and promotes peace and unity”, Mark said.

The four elected PDP flag bearers for 2015 House of Representatives in his constituency are

Samson Okwu ( Obi/Oju), Ezekiel Adaji (Otukpo /Ohimini), Adamu Entonu (Agatu/Apa) and Chris Abah (Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo).

While congratulating them, the Senate president said it was their integrity, experience and track records of achievements that earned them the mandate of the delegates.

He however enjoined them to extend the olive branch to those who lost in the elections so that everybody would be on board on the PDP sailing ship to victory in 2015.

Mark implored his constituents to remain steadfast with the PDP as the ideal vehicle.

Mutiny: Falana Asks COAS To Free 12 Condemned Soldiers

By George Agba, Abuja

Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Femi Falana (SAN) has written to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Kenneth Minimah, seeking full pardon for 12 soldiers who were convicted and sentenced to death on September 15, 2014 by the General Court Martial in Abuja.

He is contending that the sentence of the soldiers who were tried and condemned for mutiny under section 52 (1) of the Armed Forces Act cannot stand on grounds that

the judgement of the general court marshal was characterised by grave errors of law which occasioned miscarriage of justice.

The soldiers had on May 14, 2014 staged a protest over the killing of 10 of their colleagues by the Boko Haram sect which coincided with the visit of the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Major General Ahmed Mohammed to the Maimalari Cantonment.

This led to the shooting of the car of the GOC. Although he was not injured, Mohammed was removed as GOC and retired from the Army

for not attending to the grievances of the soldiers.

18 of the soldiers were tried by the court martial presided over by Brigadier-General Chukwuemeka Okonkwo which acquitted five of them, convicted and sentenced 12 to death and jailed one for 28 days with hard labour.

But in a petition dated December 5, 2014 and addressed to the Chief of Army Staff, Falana contended that by virtue of Section 52 (1) of the Armed Forces Act, the 12 soldier did not commit the offence of “mutiny” as held by the court martial.

44 news south-South south-East Community Decries Poor Quality Service From Telecoms Firms Against the backdrop of mounting complaints by mobile phone subscribers about poor services, the people of Ifa Atai in Uyo local government area of Akwa Ibom State have decried the poor telecoms service from MTN and Etisalat in their community.

Speaking with our correspondent yesterday, a community leader in the area, Obong Michael Otong said that the people of Ifa-Atai have been bedeviled by incessant network failure from the two telecommunication companies for quite some time now.

He condemned the poor quality of services from the mobile service providers and urged them to work hard at expanding their networks to solve the problem.

While explaining that the entire community has found it very difficult to communicate with their kit and kins in other areas he explained that the absence of mast stations within the community has contributed to the incessant network failure.

Similarly a youth leader in the area, Mr Sunday Forward said that it is sad to note that some communities in the country could still be grappling with poor service quality.

He said that it is worrisome that network operators lack the capacity to cope with the increasing traffic generated by subscribers in the country.

He therefore enjoined the operators to increase the number of installed infrastructure so as to address the issue of poor service quality.

By Bernard Tolani Dada Uyo

Ex-NNPC Official, Ochicha Takes APC’s Governorship Ticket In C’River A former employee of Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) Mr. Odey Ochicha, yesterday emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Cross River State.

In a keenly contested exercise on Saturday in Calabar, Ochicha gulped 1,177 votes out of the total number of 1,394 votes.

His closest rival, Mr. Lazarus Undie, had 168 votes while Dr. Mike Ogar got 40 votes only.

According to the chairman of the electoral panel, Mr. Duro Olawoyin, a total of 1,513 delegates were accredited for the exercise, 119 abstained while nine invalid votes were recorded.

The exercise which started behind schedule was relatively peaceful.

By Lanre Arotimi, Calabar

Monday, December 8, 2014

APC Presidential Primary: Atiku, Kwankwaso Seek Votes Of Rivers Delegates

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcout

Two presidential aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, have canvassed for votes from the party’s delegates in Rivers State ahead of next week’s presidential primary election.

Abubakar, who is a former vice president, told the delegates that he is the most experienced person in democratic governance amongst his rivals to be the presidential flag bearer of APC for the 2015 general elections; while Kwankwaso, who is Kano State governor, described himself as having the capacity to lead and transform Nigeria if elected president next year.

Addressing the delegates at the Government House, Port Harcourt, weekend, the former vice president expressed absolute

commitment to support the APC achieve its desired results in 2015, stating that he will ensure the party maintains its internal democracy and promote due process.

He said, “Rivers State is my home because I have an investment which employs over 20,000 persons and that is why I have come to seek the support of the delegates to win the APC presidential primary election holding next week.

“We are prepared to bring the needed change this nation deserves, and among APC presidential aspirants, I think, I am better prepared. None of them have the experience of democratic governance. But, I have served as a democratically elected vice president for eight years. I have better blueprint for Niger Delta.”

Abubakar urged Rivers State Governor and APC leader in the state, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amae-

chi to ensure a level playing field, saying, “So we can produce a credible candidate for APC. I promise to take APC to greater heights.”

Addressing the APC delegates earlier, Kwankwaso said he would be the best choice to fly the APC’s flag for the 2015 presidential election, saying, “I am here to see my brother, the leader of APC here in Rivers State and all other delegates so that we can see face to face, we can interact, we can understand ourselves, so that by the 10th of this month, God willing, in Lagos, everybody will go and vote Jonathan out of Villa in 2015.

“Let me say that I believe, not because I am Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso but I very much believe that Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso under the present situation is the best candidate for our party, the APC...

Many people under this our circumstances, even this bad situation, tend to bring in their person-

al interests.

“Even the worst critic of Kwankwaso cannot say he is not capable. You can say anything, but they will tell you I have the capacity to do it, and the commitment; and that is what we need now – capacity – and that is what they lack in Abuja. They do not have the capacity. They cannot do the job.

“They know Rochas (Okorocha), they know Amaechi, they know the governor of Sokoto, they know all others that were in PDP and we decided to move to APC, but there are two people that they fear most, the Rotimi of Rivers and the Rotimi of Kano.

“When they mention our names there, they are shivering. They know we are very serious people.

They don’t joke with us and that is why now we have one of the Rotimis in the ring. He is the last person they want to see as a candidate of APC.

L-R: Rivers State governor Rotimi Ameachi and his Kano State counterpart who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Gov Rabiu Kwankwaso during the latter’s courtesy visit to Amaechi at the Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Rivers Guber: I’ve Been Endorsed By PDP Delegates – Wike

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcout

Former minister of state for education and governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, has declared that the party’s delegates from the 23 local government areas of the state have already endorsed him ahead of the governorship primary.

At the PDP governorship primary scheduled to hold today, Monday, December 8, 2014, in Port Harcourt, the state capital, the former minister is expected to face more than 18 other governorship aspirants on the platform of the party.

The governorship aspirants include former vice-chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Don Baridam; Hon. Oseleye Dennis Ojuka, Mrs. Abietedoghu Bob-Abbey Hart, Hon. Gabriel Pi-

domson, Hon. Atamuno Atamuno, and Dr. Silver Opusunju, Chief Sampson Ngerebara, Major Lancelot Anyanya, Mr. Emmanuel Georgewill, and Hon. Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja.

Others are former senator representing Rivers South-East senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Lee Maeba, and former commissioner for works, Pawariso Samuel Horsfall, Captain Sunny Nwankwo, Hon. Bernard Mikko and Ibinabo MichaelWest.

Also in the race to pick the PDP governorship ticket are, Prince Tonye Princewill, Hon. Nimi Walson-Jack, Engr. Bekinbo Dagogo-Jack, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, and former minister of state for foreign affairs, Hon. Odein Ajumogobia.

Wike, who spoke while commissioning his New Rivers Vision campaign office in Port Har-

court, said the endorsement is an indication that the people of the state are ready to accommodate the New Rivers Vision. , with a view to returning the state to the path of sustained development for the benefit of all people of the state.

He thanked all delegates, stakeholders, leaders, and members of the PDP across the state who graciously received him in their local government areas during his meet the PDP delegates tour, which took him to all the local government area in the state.

The governorship hopeful stated that his tour of the state also revealed to him that the people, irrespective of their ethnicity and location, support him because he has remained committed to the development of all areas of the state and has the capacity to deliver in key areas where the outgoing administration and her associates have failed.

news Lagos 45

Monday, December 8, 2014

Mushin, Ifako/Ijaiye Primaries Record Violence The All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections into the House of Representatives yesterday recorded violence in Mushin and Ifako/Ijaiye areas of the state.

In Mushin, suspected thugs went on rampage when the voting commenced and in the process, damaged property and also smashed vehicles’ windshield, that were parked close to APC Secretariat, Layi Oyekanmi in Mushin, venue of the election.

LEADERSHIP gathered that violence started when some thugs outside the venue, allegedly got information that voting was not going in favour of a particular aspirant.

A source who spoke to our reporter from the venue, disclosed that the thugs went on rampage with the intention of disrupting the voting. “Some of the thugs just stormed the venue and started harassing people. They went to the extent of smashing vehicles’ windscreen.

“The situation later returned to normalcy after men of the Department of State Security (DSS) came in, they were able to disperse the thugs and the election was held peacefully but cars and property were damaged,” the source said.

Fashola To Lagosians: Vote For Ambode In 2015

By GEORGE OKOJIE, Lagos

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has appealed to Lagos residents to vote the newly elected All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the forthcoming 2015 general election Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

Fashola, who spoke in Lagos at the Lagos Sea Food Festival 2014 at the Bar Beach, Victoria Island and another event at the weekend, doused insinuation in some quarters that he would work against the candidate in view of his emergence.

According to Fashola, the appeal

becomes necessary in order to sustain the programmes of his administration.

He said, “I urge you all to support the new APC governorship candidate; support him, support the party and make sure that the festival continues. If you want this to continue, you have a role to play; you have to register and you have to collect your Permanent Voters’ Card and then you can use your vote to choose what you want.

“So, if you want this Sea Food Festival to be here next year, if you want to be here next year, if you want Beach Soccer to be here next year, the only way you can get them

is to vote the government which is providing these activities in Lagos, the All Progressives Congress Party.

So, if you want to keep them, you must do your part. Vote APC.” Fashola also reiterated that he would support any of the candidates produced by the party primaries, adding that being product of the Lagos State public service system, any of the candidates who emerged would be able to carry on the task of sustaining the rapid development going on in the state.

Fashola said supporting the new candidate and the party would also ensure that the

state would continue to enjoy the good governance and high performance attributes of the party demonstrated in all the states under its control.

He noted that the 2014 Annual Seafood Festival would mark his last as the governor of the state.

Fashola, who lauded all the fishermen and women from across the riverine areas of the state: Epe, Badagry, Bariga, Eti-Osa and others, said what his administration tried to do in instituting the festival was to bring the rural fishermen and women into the city once every year as the build-up to end of year activities begin.

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

PDP Has No Place In Lagos – Jimoh The immediate past chairman of Yaba local council development area, Jide Jimoh, who won APC primary election for the House of Representatives in the Lagos Mainland has declared that his party would defeat the PDP in all the elections to hold in 2015 in Lagos State.

Jimoh, popularly called JJ, won by scoring 494 votes out of a total of 501 votes cast at the exercise that held at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Alagomeji area of Yaba LCDA in the state. Seven votes were voided in the election.

A former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adekunle Ademoye, who was supposed to contest the position with Jimoh, stepped down minutes after he was booed by the delegates.

Ademoye later told the delegates that he expected them to boo at him adding that he would have been surprised if they sang his praise. He told them that he had decided to contest for the seat after wide consultation but that he had decided to step down.

This announcement resulted in wild jubilation as the delegates danced and chanted songs praising him. Jimoh, who attributed his victory to God, members of his party and the people of the constituency, said the coast had become cleared for the election proper.

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

L-R: Lagos commissioner for agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal; Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola and permanent secretary, ministry of agriculture and cooperatives, Dr Yakub Olajide at the 2014 Lagos Sea Food Festival in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN

Austerity Measure: Xmas May Not Be Smiling Season For Nigerians – NLC

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has disclosed that this year’s Christmas might not be a smiling season for Nigerians as a result of austerity measures put in place by the federal government on the 16th of November designed to mitigate the negative impact of lower global oil prices on the Nigerian economy.

Speaking with newsmen over the weekend, the general secretary of NLC, Dr. Ozo-Eson said, “This Chrismas would not be a smiling season for Nigerians,” stressing that price of goods will go up as a result of austerity.

Ozo-Ezon said that the NLC is worried over the economic situation and the insecurity in the northern part of the country, adding that the body language of

the leaders does not show that the country is at war.

It would be recalled that finance minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who unveiled the measures, explained that the belt tightening initiative is one of the policies that the government intends to implement if the fall in oil prices persist. Also, oil prices have declined by more than 30 per cent since mid-June

this year.

He assured that NLC would resist any attempt to retrench Nigerian workers, saying that they are expectant that something of such will not happen.

Meanwhile, the new general secretary promised to foster unity in the union secretariat, and also relate with the industrial unions and the state council.

First Bank Wants Court To Compel Customer To Pay N750m Debt

by OLUGBENGA SOYELE, Lagos

First Bank of Nigeria Plc has prayed a Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos to compel one of its customers, Chidi Ajaegbu to pay an alleged N750 million facility the bank granted to him in 2008.

The dispute between the bank and Ajaegbu arose out of a loan agreement in which the bank borrowed Ajaegbu the sum of $5million to purchase 203,500 Linked Units shares

of MTN Nigeria Limited through private placement.

Ajaegbu instituted the suit against the First bank (the first defendant) and Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited, urging the court to stop the defendants from selling his Linked Units shares in MTN Nigeria Limited among other reliefs being sought in court.

However, First bank in a 77-paragraph statement of defence and counter-claim, among others con-

tended that the claimant in a letter dated January23, 2008 sent to MTN Nigeria Limited and copied to it the claimant irrevocably authorised MTN to place his MTN Linked Units shares on lien in favour of First bank.

The bank also maintained that the loan facility was secured for the Linked Units shares in MTN, in addition to the shares of CTC Global Ventures Limited and Rehoboth Assets Limited, two companies where the

claimant has substantial and controlling interest.

By the terms of the contract, the first defendant further averred that the expiration date for the repayment of the loan facility was January 31, 201.

It was the contention of the first defendant that the claimant has defaulted in its obligation under the contract having failed to liquidate the loan before the expiration of the agreed date.

46 news NATIONAL Court Stops Obasanjo From Publishing

By Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja Autobiography The chief justice of Nigeria (CJN)

Monday, December 8, 2014

You Aid, Abet Corrupt Judges, CJN Tells Lawyers

Justice Valentine Ashi of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has stopped former President Olusegun Obasanjo from proceeding with plans to publish or have someone publish on his behalf, a new autobiography titled, “My watch”.

The court, sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, made the order last Friday after listening to Alex Iziyon’s (SAN) argument on a motion ex-parte brought on behalf of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Buruji Kashamu.

The motion is marked: FCT/ HC/M/2392/2014.

Iziyon had argued that the content of the book relates to issues contained in Obasanjo’s December 2, 2013 letter to President Goodluck Jonathan and former PDP national chairman, Bamanga Tukur, where he (Obasanjo) claimed that Kashamu was allegedly a fugitive, wanted in the United States.

He contended that since the content of the letter was the subject of the libel suit his client filed against Obsanjo, which is still pending before the court, it was wrong for the ex-president to be allowed to proceed to comment on, write books about or make publications on the issue.

By Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja

Glo Roaming Subscribers To Receive Free Calls For 15 Days Subscribers of Glo network who are roaming outside the country will be able to receive calls on their lines free for 15 days in 27 selected countries. It was part of the multiple promo package unveiled by Globacom to excite and reward its customers for choosing the network.

National telecommunications operator, Globacom, confirmed this in a press release on Friday.

Tagged “Glo Unlimited Roaming”, the company said this promo will enable its subscribers who travel outside the country to receive calls on their lines free for 15 days.

Globacom’s Head of Glo Gateway Steve Stretch, said the offer comes with a subscription fee of N2,500 for a validity period of 15 days. He explained that subscribers are to dial **0905#* to enjoy up to 60 minutes of outgoing calls at a competitive rate of N100 per minute. The offer includes 15 free SMS and ability to browse the internet at 15 kobo per kb.

He said that the roaming plan is currently available in 27 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Netherland, South Africa, UAE, Sweden, India, Spain, Switzerland.

By Christiana Nwaogu, Abuja

Justice Mahmud Mohammed at the weekend accused lawyers of aiding and abetting corruption on the bench.

While receiving the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) led by its president, Chief Augustine Alegeh (SAN) Justice Mahmud, in company of some Supreme Court Justices vowed to continue from where his predecessors stopped in the cleansing

of the judiciary.

He said that the same lawyers, both old and young who decried the rots on the bench are the first to jump to seek a court order to stop the National Judicial Council (NJC) from investigating judges alleged to have acted wrongly.

“I want to use this opportunity to urge the bar to put the interest of the system far and above the individuals. Imagine this scenario; you in the bar decry the ‘rots’ on the bench, calling for disciplining and cleansing of the judiciary by weed-

ing out the bad eggs on the bench, yet, you are the first to jump to the court to seek restraining order on NJC to stop it from the investigation and trial of a judge based on a petition brought against the judge before the council. How then is the principle of fair hearing sustained”?

He also called on lawyers to find solution to the situation in Rivers State judiciary.

“The perpetual closure of court in River state is unacceptable. NJC has never said governors can’t appoint State Chief Judges.

“But the violation of the principle of checks and balances by state governors in Rivers State as enshrined in the constitution for the appointment and disciplining of erring Chief Judges or Judges is equally unacceptable. Seniority is part and parcel of the legal profession.

“To just appoint a chief judge from any position without recourse to seniority arrangement is an invitation to anarchy in the system just as we are now witnessing in Rivers State”, the CJN said.

A cross-section of accredited delegates waiting to vote at the Eagles Square, venue of the Adamawa State National Assembly primaries in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO.

Nigeria Needs A Better Commander-In-Chief – Kwankwaso Well wishers donate billions for his presidential ambition

By Bayo Oladeji, Abuja

Kano State governor and presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for 2015 presidential elections, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso has again condemned the leadership style of President Goodluck Jonathan and his government’s handling of the problems of insecurity and corruption.

He urged Nigerians to vote in

a better president in 2015 who would provide effective leadership needed to arrest the menace of the terrorism threatening the country.

He made this call at the weekend when he spoke at a fund raising dinner held in his honour and in pursuit of his presidential ambition where about N2 billion was raised.

The donations came in from his friends, family members, political associates, well wishers and many other Nigerians who graced the fund raising ceremony at Sheraton Hotel in Abuja on Saturday night.

The presidential primary elections of the APC holds on Wednesday in Lagos where Kwankwaso would run against former head of state, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, the publisher of LEADERSHIP newspapers, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah and Imo State governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha.

Kwankwaso said, “I always feel terribly bad as a member of the extended family of the military in this country that today we cannot protect ourselves. I always remember those days when our military was in Liberia, Sierria

Leone, Dafur and other parts of Africa. These were soldiers that did extremely well by even the world standard. Those days, we were not even talking of protecting ourselves. We were protecting others on this continent.

“Many years before then, this country had the capacity to support other African countries to even remove them out of apartheid and other serious international issues but today we have seen a situation where countries that were coming to beg for one thing or the other, now we have to go and beg them to help us protect our lives and properties.”

ICPC Launches War Against Corruption At Airports

BY Ejike Ejike, Abuja

The operatives of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) will henceforth monitor international airports across the country to check corrupt practices by both air travellers and workers at the nation’s airports.

ICPC chairman, Ekpo Nta,

disclosed this on AIT live programme, FOCUS, where he posited that the era of impunity and other sharp practices at the nation’s international airports is over.

He warned that any offender engaged in giving or receiving or soliciting bribe would be arrested and prosecuted and could face a five-year jail term and noted

that giving airport staff tips, other than for payment for receipted services, would be treated as solicitation and attract sanctions.

Nta also disclosed that notices would be prominently displayed at strategic locations at the various airports to educate all travellers entering or leaving Nigeria on the zero tolerance for corrupt practices like offering bribes

whether solicited or unsolicited.

“Ethics and integrity training would be arranged for all airport staff by ICPC in addition to subscription to an airport code of professional conduct,” he declared.

Nta also revealed that his agency had undertaken a similar Corruption Risk Assessment exercise at selected seaports.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Notice of the Annual General Meeting of BGL Plc

Notice of the Annual General Meeting of BGL Plc

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 17th Annual General Meeting of BGL PLC will hold at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on the 30th day of December, 2014 at 10am to transact the following business:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 18th Annual General Meeting of BGL PLC will hold at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on the 30th day of December, 2014 at 11am to transact the following business:

ORDINARY BUSINESS

ORDINARY BUSINESS

1. To receive and consider the report of the Directors, the Balance Sheet, together with the Group Profit and Loss Account and the Auditors' Report thereon, for the period ended December 31, 2012

1. To receive and consider the report of the Directors, the Balance Sheet, together with the Group Profit and Loss Account and the Auditors' Report thereon, for the period ended December 31, 2013

2. To re-elect Directors

2. To re-elect Directors

3. To approve the remuneration of the Directors

3. To approve the remuneration of the Directors

4. To authorize the Directors to fix the remuneration of the Auditors

4. To authorize the Directors to fix the remuneration of the Auditors

5. To re-elect members of the Audit Committee

5. To re-elect members of the Audit Committee

Dated this 25th day of November, 2014

Dated this 25th day of November, 2014

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD

12A, Catholic Mission Street Lagos

12A, Catholic Mission Street Lagos

Ishmael Ebhodaghe General Counsel/Company Secretary

Ishmael Ebhodaghe General Counsel/Company Secretary

NOTES

NOTES

(A) Proxy A member entitled to attend and vote at the General Meeting is entitled to appoint one or more proxies to attend the meeting and vote in his/her stead. A proxy need not to be a member of BGL PLC. A proxy form is attached to the Notice of the Meeting posted to the shareholders. To be valid , a proxy form must be completed, stamped at the Stamp Duties Office and deposited at the registered office of the Company, 12A Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island, Lagos, not later than 48 hours before the time for holding the meeting.

(A) Proxy A member entitled to attend and vote at the General Meeting is entitled to appoint one or more proxies to attend the meeting and vote in his/her stead. A proxy need not to be a member of BGL PLC. A proxy form is attached to the Notice of the Meeting posted to the shareholders. To be valid , a proxy form must be completed, stamped at the Stamp Duties Office and deposited at the registered office of the Company, 12A Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island, Lagos, not later than 48 hours before the time for holding the meeting.

(B) Audit Committee Any member may nominate a shareholder for election as a member of the Audit Committee by giving notice in writing of such nomination to the Company Secretary at least 21 days before the Annual General Meeting.

(B) Audit Committee Any member may nominate a shareholder for election as a member of the Audit Committee by giving notice in writing of such nomination to the Company Secretary at least 21 days before the Annual General Meeting.

(C) Closure of Register and Transfer Books Notice is hereby given that, the Register of Members and st Transfer Books will be closed on 1 December, 2012

(C) Closure of Register and Transfer Books Notice is hereby given that, the Register of Members and st Transfer Books will be closed on 1 December, 2013

48 ISSUES

Monday, December 8, 2014

2015: Kwankwaso As A Choice

By Dr. Sani Lawal Malumfashi

The event of Dec, 10th 2014 will be a determining factor in shaping the political future of Nigeria.

On that day the delegates of All Progressives Party (APC) will exercise their expected role of electing the party’s Presidential flag bearer. The said delegates therefore need not be told that Nigerians are in desperate need for change; they need not be informed that their decision on that day could make or mar the much anticipated positive change. They must however be admonished that while exercising their responsibilities, national interest must be over and above any particularistic or materialistic one. The future of this country evidently lies in their hands and mistakes of the past must not be repeated. They must be sensitive to the plight and wishes of the largely deprived and traumatised citizens of the country.

Their focus must be on a candidate who is a grass root politician per excellence; a candidate who speaks the language and play the game of politics perfectly and a candidate who is capable of demystifying incumbency factor. From my objective and dispassionate analysis, Kwankwaso fits that characterisation.

For one thing Kwankwaso is revered grass root politician and posses the political skills and administrative dexterity to re-pattern the country to a desired end. His performance as the Governor of Kano State is magnificent! He met Kano in a state of utter confusion and social disorganisation and in less than four years the face of Kano is positively lifted. Kano is at present undergoing a dramatic transformation.

In the area of education, Kano State recorded unprecedented achievements. Within two years over 2000 blocks of class rooms were built at primary schools level, secondary schools were massively equipped and renovated, over 1000 teachers were employed in addition to the 400 housing units for secondary schools’ teachers, tertiary institutions of the state were structurally repositioned and face lifted, more than 1000 additional lecturers were employed, salaries of lecturers increased by 10%, 5601 students were at once sponsored abroad on scholarship, 200 more students were sent to maritime and aviation oriented schools abroad, yet 100 students sent to study medicine, a whole new university ( North West University) was established at a time when some States find

it hard to pay salaries. Three billion naira was earmarked for the 2013 successful takeoffs of the University notwithstanding the structural transformation of another university (Kano State University of Science and Technology KUST). Eighteen more specialized institutes ranging from Kano Reformatory Institute, Kano State Informatics, Sport Academy, Security Academy, Lives Stock institute, Farm Mechanization, Hospitality and Tourism Institute, Institute of Entrepreneur Studies, Schools of Nursing and Midwifery to mention a few were established within two years. Education (from Primary – University levels) is free in Kano; the State Government cater for all charges whether indigenes study in Nigeria or abroad.

The State’s health sector is impressively transformed with reference to both preventive and curative medicines. In the cycle of preventive medicine sanitary inspection was revisited and revitalised, monthly sanitation exercise reintroduce, child immunizations were more prompt and consistent, sales of drugs had been sanitized where the State Government boldly banned unauthorized drugs hawking and herbs trading. Before the advent of Kwankwaso’s administration drugs in Kano were hawked and measured in open market like groundnuts and consequently the people health had been subjected to immeasurable risks. In addition, more waste clearance vans were purchased; waste management practice compared to 2010 era was more scientific, efficient and proactive. When it comes to curative medicine the State’s hospital and health posts were renovated and further equipped.

They now look more of hospital than ‘waiting for death’ centres of those days. The Kwankwasiyya administration is undoubtedly the administration for the youths, women, the down trodden and those who are generously rich.

Youth empowerment is typical of Kwankwasiyya philosophy.

The economic condition of Kano youths was positively touched.

Within two years of Kwankwaso’s administration over 20000 youths were economically empowered to run pharmaceutical and livestock businesses; the Kwankwasiyya transport initiative was spectacular where taxes were impartially distributed on loan basis to one thousand youths and over one thousand luxurious Toyota limousines were distributed to service ‘high taste’ passengers.

–Dr. Sani Lawal wrote from Kano State

Monday, December 8, 2014

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PDP SPECIAL NATIONAL CONVENTION 2014 List of Chairmen and Members of Convention Sub-Committees ELECTORAL COMMITTEE 1.

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H.E. Sen. Ken Nnamani Chief Tom Ikimi Governor Suswan Barr. Victor Kwon H.E. Adamu Alero Sen. Joy Emodi Nuhu Ribadu Funmi Falade Sen. Muhamadu Ibrahim Kirikasama Sen. Ita Giwa Alh. Aliyu Sani Mohammed H.E. Engr. A. Kure Sen. Hope Uzodinmma Sen. James Manager Hon. Leo Orgar Sen. Lee Maeba Chief Mrs Adebiyi Sherifat Adewale Mrs Adeyemi Onadipe Cecilia Udie Hon. Nkoye Toyo Mrs. Teringuwusen Koholl Hajiya Yelwa Sani Amb. Abdullahi Bage Hajiya Hauwa Ibrah Gana Sheikh. Halliru Abdullahi Maraya Auwal Salihu Malami Alh. Isyaka H. Nagode Princess Mary Eze-Ekwue Alh. Tanimu Scan Scan Alh. Bala Abdullahi M. Mrs. Julie Coker H.E. Celestine Omehia Hajiya Aisha Nana Saulawu Sen. Chris Adighije Hon. Abba Sadiq Comrade Jude Imagwe Barr. Ehilebo Anthony Hon. SamiuAdabanija Austin Okha Biyi Goroye Abba Bello Mohammed Mr. Francis Onah Dr.Nkem O. Jambo-offo Hon. Ifeanyi Nnaji Mr. Manny Ofodile Mubarrake Gambo Barr. Mba Nkechi Isyaku Ilalla Dr. Kabiru Illela Akin Oyegoke Mba Nkechi (Barr.)

Yemi Tadema Alh. Ahmed Kaura

- Chairman - Dep. Chairman - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Secretary

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PUBLICITY SUB-COMMITEE Chief Olisa Metuh Sen. AnietieOkon H.E. Dr. Peter Obi Barr. Ibrahim Jalo Hon. Frank Nweke Mike Omeri Chief Raymond Dokpesi Hon. Nurudeen Mohammed Mallam Abba Dabo Alhaji Umar Sani Dr. Reuben Abati Hon. DoyinOkupe -

Chairman Vice Chairman Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member

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Prof. Nnaji Godswill Ike Abonyi Hon. Emma Oguaju Hon. Tunde Akogun Ibrahim Dikko Ahmed Hon. Sani Toro Dr. Bilkisu Magoro Comfort Obi Chief George Igbo Moji Makanjoola Dr. Ronke Bello Mubarak Gambo Alhaji A.Y. Gombe Dr. Okey Ikechukwu Chief Femi Fani-Kayode Dr. Eddy Olafeso Sen. Nicholas Y. Ugbane Andy Agbaji Hon. Mrs. Carol Osigwelen Mr. Simon Onyife Mr. Sunny Enewari Otumba Yinka Akerele Chief Okey Ezenwa Okey Otibiaku Mrs. Obianuju Ogoko Chief Mrs. Joy Okocha Alh. Abubakar Dasuki Inusa Susha Halima Labo Yusuf Shehu Makarfi Bala Gazara Chief TonnyAmadi Alh. Ado Sura Alh. Danlami A. Durumi Alh. Isa Morno Alh. Yusuf GarbaAlkaleri Mrs. Shade Balogun Mrs. HadizaSambo Alh. FarukGamboJahun Alh. Kabir S/Ruwa Alh. TambariSakwa Alh. AminuMakama Alh. Adamu Circular Alh. Inuwa Malamin Kasuwa Paul Mumeh Alh. Saidu Sulaiman Dorazo Mrs. Offiong Akpabio Chief Emma Okafor Abukakar Usman Tanko Ferdinand Agu Richard Ihediwa Victor Uwaje Dr. Uzochukwu Comr. Kunle Adebayo Sam Ogunmusi Mrs. Chinwe Nnorom- Onuoha

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Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Secretary

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Chief Mike Okiro, IGP (Rtd) H.E. Jolly Nyame Hon. Abduljalili Adeshiyan Gen. A. B. Mamman, (Rtd) Hon. Bitrus Kaze Elder Bulus Bareng Col. Aminu Isah Kontagora (Rtd) Mrs. Roli Bode George Alh. Mohammed Murtala Abbas Gen. A.T. Ibrahim, (Rtd)

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Alh. Isa Tafida Mafindi Hon. Gesiye Isowo Sen. Abubakar Sodangi Hon. Aliyu Bindawa Hon. Adetokunbo Kayode Hajiya Mario Habib Hon. Abubakar Musa Gen. Charles Airhiavbere Barr. Salulu Mamama Habu Mu’azu Hon. Julius Oputu Ade Tokunbo Modupe Mr. Ahmed Yaro Alh. Abba Madaki Bashir Sufi Victor Nwafor Mr. Ben Wilcox Mr. Onyebuchi Barr. Mrs. Nkechi Mba Dr. Sola Oledehinde Prince Ken Nwakyi Mrs. Ahmadu Ali Amb. (Dr) Wale Okoroafor Dr. (Mrs.) Bekky Igwe Mr. Emmanuel OwanTawo Hon. (Deacon) Collins Agbo Alh. Sauha Adegunwa Mrs. Annah Dadoh Hon. JoiceRamnap Gen .T. Teidi Alh. Muhammadu A. Bunza Comrade Smart Edward Sen. JIbrin Wowo Hon. Sulaiman Nakowa Alh. Maikudi Tela Alh. Likita Ibrahim Mr. Douglas Jeb-Weiya Dogo Mr. Blossom Apoluma Alh. Mahmood A. S/Kofa Alh. Musa Abdullahi Alh. Musa Liman Alh. Ibrahim Biu Alh. Maigari Yerima Alh. Abdullahi Balh Alh. Munnir Umaru Hajiya Hasana Abdullahi Toks Akerele Alh. Dandada Tafawa Balewa Alh. Audu Hassan Air Cmdr Labaran Halliru (RTD) Gen IdadaIkponmwen Ali. Shehu Turaki Alhaji Aliyu Maula Prince G. Lombin Alh. Mahmud Balarabe Alh. Abdul-Hamid Usman Amadu Umaru Gwawon Barr. Yinka Orokoto Pastor Godwin Akpovie Barr. Shehu Garba

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Amb. Dr. Kema Chikwe Dr. Agbo Emmanuel Alhaji Buhari Bala H. E. Hajiya Salimot Badru Ms. Juliet Ango Jide Adelugba

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Jide Ogbolo Chief Alaba Isijola Hajiya Zainab Maina Dr. Nimota Akanbi Barr. Halima Alfa Chief Jide Ipinsagba Gen. Idada Ekponwen (rtd) H. E. Erelu Olusola Obada H. E. Joshua Dariye Yeye Bolanle Dare Sen. Saidu Kumo Mohammed Abdu Bunza Sen. Ita Giwa Hon. Iquo Minima Dr. Bauku Sani Mohammed Abdu Bunza Jakpara Edwin (Okpolo) Tony Onu (Austen Papa) Pan Nkpanam Zainab Ibrahim Gamawa Hon. Mrs. Monica Gwon Mrs. Dolap Omomu Kuyo Hajiya Hafsat Yahaya Hon. Zainab G. Abdulmalik Pastor Josephine Ejeh Dr. Banji Ajaka Maimuna Johnson Yusuf Suleiman Jibiya Lawal Usman Futua Ado Dan Turai Chief Elizabeth Aro Muhammad Guto Mrs. Ola-irinyemi Hon. Nwachukwu Steve Alhaji Tanko Baba Alh. Danjuma Daddere Barr. Salihu Namama Akeem Jimoh Reuben Akpah Barr. Darlington Fatima Ibrahim Hon. Toyin Omoyele Engr. J. A. Adeyemi

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Elder Bolaji Anani Alh. Fatai Adewale Adeyanju Alhaji Buhari Bala Sen. A. Agboola Sen. Ahmed Makarfi Hon. Ghali Umar Na’aba Amb. Hassan Adamu Hon. Chidubem Nwuche Alh. Dahiru Maigal Alh. Sani Dauda Alh. Abubakar Garinmalam Hon. Saudatu Sani Chief IfeanyiUbah Sen. Ben Collins Ndu Chief Ogban Ebok Barr. Chika Ogbe Rufai Adam Ayodeji Rita Mba Mohammed Arzika Dakingari Amb. Adamu Aliyu Hon. Austine Opara Eng. Orus Tim Mike Williams Boma Iyalla Azubuike Eze Barr. (Mrs) Modupe Sasore Chief Layi Ogunrinade Dr. (Mrs.) Angela Mba Barr. Tony Ceasar Okeke Amb. Fidelis Njeze Mrs. Edith Usoh Sen. Emmanuel Iboh Essien Barr. Collins Alu Ogar Otunba Tola Odulaja Chief Bisi Johnson Elder Yemi Akinwunmi Barr. Simon Joks Hon. Hari Sulaiman Chief Okeagu Ogadah Hon. Okongwu Ogbonna Alh. Bello Danfari Prof. G. Lombin

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Alh. Mahmud Ahmed Dabban Hon. Aminu Suleiman Gwada Hon. Rabiu Bello Hon. Suleiman Lawal Kaura Dr.Basheer Balarabe Alh. Danladi Maiauduga Umaru Dan Abba Alh. Bashir Bukar Alh. Ado Sura Alh. Abubakar Shehu Alh. Kabiru Sarkin Ruwa Hajiya Amina Bature Haijiya Baba Tela Alh. InuwaMalaiminKasuwa Hon. Lepe Pius TimiOlowotoyekun Amb. Dr. Hassan Adama CON Sen. Umaru Ibrahim Tsauri Dan Ochu-Baiye Hon. O. E. Alabi Osasu Igbinedion Chief Alaba Isijola Dr J.O Omuya

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Chief Olajumoke Akinjide Alh. Inua Baba Hon. Iquo Minima Chief Olusola Oke H.E. Ibrahim Kazaure H.E. Biodun Olujimi Sen. Solomon Adokwe Alh. Hassan Sale Hon. Tony Nwoye Alh. Bala Karia Hon. Val Elosiuba Mr. Chuka Ugoagwa Mr. Jude Ememandu Mrs. Helga Nosiri Peter Tsava Mrs. Chizoba Onyia Chief Mrs. Ada Dozy Hajia Talatu Kano Chief Mrs Monica Ukasanya Mrs. Kemi Adewumi Gabriel Onwe Mr Daniel Kure Chief Chris Agbobu Amb. Eddy Unuoha Gaddalu Enwezor Maria Ojello Doris Onyia Alh. Nasiru Aliyu Usman Aliyu Gari Hajiya Rabi Gimbia Hussiani Umar Mohammed Garba Buba Umaru Ahmed Ziko Mr. Bola Oguntuga Mr Johnson Adeshuda Shamalli Bello Kawimi Alh. Mohammed Magaji Mohammed Tulde Umar Alh. Babangida Danja Kumo Alh. Garba Sakwa Salisu Mohammed S/Kasinawa Barr. Ann Eyo Ahmed Saeed Babayo Katuken Misay Musa Galadima Gora Alh. Surafuddeen Mahmoud Abdullahi Musa Toro Mohammed Hassan Katagum Abdullahi Ali Vono Aminu Kurbi Balele Ms. Uzoamaka Obiajunwa Dr. Zimako O Zimako Hon. Toyin Omoyele Hon. Alfa Ebijimi Bello Mohamud Jama’are Ngozi Nzeh Mammy Balame Hussaini Umar Chief Bernard Ifeanyi Maurice Oripanye Musogboriwon Ade Aisha Aliyu

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Ajia Ogugua Femi Bello Okuntade Glory Momoh Jacob Deacon Ayo Fayefunmi Hon. Idowu Leke Ayo Fadaka Hon. Malachy Ugwu

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Alh. Bala Buhari Gov. Achike Udenwa Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju Alh. Lado Kankia Victor Elenwa Hon. Bello Mohammed Jibrill A.A. Duhi Yusuf Alhassan Gwagwa Babangida Sarkin Magena Mustapha Yar’adua Modibbo Pariya Ahmed Modibbo Sen. Abubakar Danso Sodangi Bob Odumegwu Dr. Sam Amadi Chief Handel Okoh Hon.Osita Chidoka Dr. Udenta O. Udenta Oroto Douglas Aisha Aliyu Lemu Sen. Umaru Ibrahim Hon. Salisu Dabo Mrs Chinyere Chiaka Millicent Jack Mrs Genevive Edu Chi-Chi Rosemary Ajoku Eng. Ebele Okeke Ngozi Agudozi Nona Adimorah Alh. Lawal D. Anche Mr. Rich-Arisco Osemwenge Hon. Udo Ekpenyong Joel Okedi Alh M.K.O Olaoluwa Sunday Adewale Alh Bello Gololo Alh. Abubakar A. Chiroma Alh. AliyuAminuGaru Alh Ibrahim Baba Balawa Alh. Gida Yelwande Dr Tony OKam Ms. Tonia Ukanwoke Comdr. Alaba Ijisola Prince Idowu Leke Hon. Boma Iyaye Sen. Hosea Agboola Tommy Levi Horsefall Yusuff Kunle, MON Sa’adatu Abdullahi Jimeta Mr. Blossom Akpuluma Henry Johnson Alh. Ado Sura Usman Aliyu Hashimu Idris Kabir Usman Alh. Nasim Baram Chief Geofrey Mgbada Patrick Aiden Diwa (Sec) Aminu Yadima Hon. Steve O. Nwachukwu Chief Bisi Johnson Hon. Tunde Ayemo John Okunoghe Dr. Talatu Nasir Dr. Zimako O. Zimako Debo Ikuesan Mrs. Dunni Odu

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TRANSPORTATION SUB COMMITTEE 1.

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Alh. Abdullahi Mai Basira H.E. Ibrahim M. Kazaure Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju Chief (Mrs). Remi Adiukwu Bakare Deputy Treasurer Comrade Jude Gabriel Imagwe Hon. Sam Ikon Chief Maxwell Okudoh

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Dr. Aderemi Olusegun Alh. Nma Kolo Chief Satyi Ladan Bida H.E Aliyu Abduljalili Adeshine Dr. Christy Silas Hajiya Hauwa Musa Kida Barr. Eriwela Frank Sam Nwabosi Alhaji Lamidoumar Chikaire Prof. Femi Otubanjo Dr Mohammed Shata Sen. Paul Wampana Ado Datti Sen. Musa Adede Engr. Jonathan Ivoke Dr. Musa A. Musa Chief Kyiari Gadzama SAN Chief Ben Onyekwe Mr. Akin Oshuntokun Chief Frank Ogbuewu Kabir Mohammed Sama Capt. Shehu Iyal Prince Andy Igwe Chief Mrs Remi Adiukwu-Bakare Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju Engr. Manachison Hajiya Amina Bambado Alhaji Abu Rimi Tommy Levi Horsefall Yusuff Kunle Sa’adatu Abdullahi Jimeta Prince Tony Nwoye Hon. Chinonyen Agogbuo Hon. Gani Mohammed Hon. Olusola Oludipe Funmileyi Omogbemi Chief Olajide Ajana Hon. Victor Olabinta Dr. Banbi Ajador Hon. Tunde Ayemo Dr. Godson Nnaka Hon. Segun Odidi Hon. (Pstr) Gilbert Ente Dr. Olu Agunloye Isijola Rasaq Barr. Olusola Oke Hon. Ola Oguntimehin Comfort Ede Nike Madaki Mr. Umaru Shehu Comrade Bekes Akpere Barr. Anthony Ehilebo Idris Masaga Abdullahi Ali Kano Ngozi Bayelsa Prince Ayuk Alh. Dauda Adewale

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VENUE SUB COMMITTEE Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed Sen. Stella Omu Dr. Aliyu Modibbo H.E. Jolly Nyame H.E. Salimot Badru Darlington Agogbu Am. (Dr.) Hassan Adamu, CON Chief Grace Akanwa Pastor Osagie Ise Oyamu Sen. Emma Anosike Dr. Chaliya Lar Chief Bekeakpo Etifa Ms. Mariam Mattar Hajiya Amina Jambo Chief William Makinde Mrs. Chinyere Ogugua Iyom Josephine Anenih Hon. Tola Alabere Alheri Yusuf Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar Hon. Sera Adetungbogbo Sen. Joy Emodi Engr. Ismaila Adamu Hon. Akinwade Moruf Hon. Ezeobi Okpara Laila Buhari Barr. Jude Dandison Ositah Egbuche Paul Ayagwung -

Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Secretary Chairman Vice Chairman Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member

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Otunba Adekunle Sunday Mbah Mrs. Regina Adaodi 33. Hajiya Mairo Tafida 34. Hajiya Rabi Mukhtar 35. Mrs. Lami John 36. Hon. Sabinus Nwankwegu 37. Solomon Eze Ali J. O. Mafor Amb. Abubakar Shehu Gumi Hon. Umaru Ajilo Rabiu Birnin Gwari Hon. Chris Iroegbu Dr. Kabiru Iilela Alh. LallaIsyaku Alh. Sani Musa Karama Alh. Mohammed Soja Ibrahim Aminu Ibrahim Hassan Baba Nafawu Alh. Uba Garba Sagir Kwanche Kura Rabiu Dan Kyarana Abubakar Billy Balewa Engr. Olu Temishe Yusuf Alhassan Kanoma Alh. Abubakar Shehu Alh. AuwaluShehu Alh. Babayo Udubo Hon. (Mrs)Sera Adetungbogbu Alh. Abduhassan Sarkin Sudan (BH) Engr. Munachi Chukwu Engr. Ajewale Oke Bar. O. K. Akuiyibo Engr. Humphery Ohapora Bashorun Ade Kukute Mrs. Anthonia Okorie Hon. Nosiru Akinromale Barr. Onwe S. Onwe 68. Umelo Uzodinma 69. Mr. Chuks Akwitti

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Alh. Abubakar Mustapha, MFR, mni Amb. Sani .S. Bala Barr. Onwe S. Onwe Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju Elder Bolaji Anani Amb. Dr. Kema Chikwe Hajiya Zainab Maina Mr. Jude Gabriel Imagwe Femi Olaleye Hon. Okey Nnadozie Hon. Micah Yohana Jiba Hon. Margaret Ichien Chief Mrs. Nkechi Mba Dr. Udenta Udenta Solomon Ogba Hon. Kudi Obayan Engr. E. Akinbobola Barr. Jerry Eneh Chief Ben Chuks Nwosu Yuccee O. Uwah Barr. Abba Mohammed Hon. Mohammed Kumalia All National Vice Chairman (PDP) Dr. Mrs. Nimota Nihinola Akonbi Alh. Bello Doya Musa Ibrahim Daniellera Rex Onyeabo Sen. SaiduU. Kumo Mr. Dema Iyalla Barr. Nnamdi Anosike Chief (Mrs) Uzo Nwandu Mrs. Funmi Odunsi Otunba Bami Akinyola Chief Okey Ezenwa Sen. Joy Emodi Hannatu Ullum Pastor Dr. Ojong Okongor Barr. Idi Baba Yakubu Mrs. Bimbo Balogun Mrs. Wurrola Arojo Emmanuel Bassy Ekpe Engr. Fidelis Okuonko Hon. Yiljab Abraham

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Hon. Sam Karuri Alh. Bello Alkali Alh. Mahmond Balarabe Comrade Sadiq Bisalla Comrade Tony Nwonye Rilwanu Shehu Mahmoud Bichi Prof. Jerry Agada Umaru Dahiru Sen. Abubakar Maikafi Haruna Alfa Ahmed Madaki Hamma Bar. Richard Alomore Bala Sulaiman Murtala Ladan (Byda) Sanusi Baban Takko Hon. Sani Ahmed Toro National Vice Chairman south-south National Vice Chairman south-east National Vice Chairman south-west National Vice Chairman north-west National Vice Chairman north-east National Vice Chairman north-central Aisha Kaita Hon. Vin Atuigwe Alh. Sani Musa Chief Adewale Fatona

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Prof. Wale Oladipo Kashim Imam Dr. Aboki Zahwa Hassan Ali Musleh Hon. Nnaemeka Madugun Josephine Ejeh Mainuna Johnson Samaila Nababa (Hon) Hashimu Idris Sandra Arokoyo Adebayo D. Ogunlowo Edeh Ndidiamaka Michael Aniakor Gode Chaphas Bola Ajakaye Chioma Eke Elisha Okoh Mercy Onah Humphrey Ohagwa Kabiru Magaji Nasiru Yahaya Florence Adeyemi Nanchang Ndam Hamza Jaji Scholarstical Kanebi Hon. Imafidon Samson Baba Mohammed Becky Ekine Elizabeth Buter Maria Adeyemi Cordelia Nsofor Amadi F. Chika Prince Nnnanna Agogbuo Ap. Henry Zeblon Nosiru Abinromade Chief Innocent Oparadike Mr. Francis Ogbodo Eyibobola Obagbemi Ononiwu Sylvaline Ngozi Alh. Usman Mohammed Agwara Alh. Alhadan Kpakiko Hon. Aminu Yandayi Mal. Idris Ibrahim Ibrahim Dikko Ahmed Princess Caroline Olubitan.

Chief Hilary Otsu Chief Evelyn Igbafe-Omokhodion Chief Okeagu Ogadah Chief Anicho Okoro

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Chairman Vice Chairman Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Secretary

All members of the above sub-committees are invited to a meeting on Monday, December 8, 2014 at the National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja at 4pm prompt.

Signed:

Chief Olusola Oke

Secretary, Special Convention Planning Committee

3

NEWS /HEALTH 53

Monday, December 8, 2014

Cross section of U.S Medical team, National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America/ Canada(NANNNA),in partnership with Kogi state first lady, dispensing drugs to a beneficiary at Adavi,during the 3-day free medical exercise held in the state, yesterday.

PHOTO BY GOVT HOUSE

HRORBN Inducts Over 900 Graduate Health Records Officers

BY VICTOR OKEKE, Abuja

The Health Records Officers Registration Board of Nigerian (HRORBN) has inducted over 900 qualified health records officers and technicians at its maiden induction event.

According to the Supervising Minister of Health who was represented at the occasion by the permanent secretary the ministry, Mr Linus Awute, the induction ceremo-

ny was historic being the first of its kind since the establishment of the board in 1989.

“As the gateway way to health, record officers chronicle the implementation of the National Strategic Health Development Plan right from the health facility attendance by patients, investigations, diagnosis and management of cases especially data collection, storage and retrieval,” the Minister said.

He charged the inductees not to

betray the confidence reposed on them by the public while assuring them of government’s commitment at ensuring that unlicensed persons do not occupy health records offices nationwide.

Earlier, the chairman of the board, Hon. Ibrahim Jubrin Sokoto stated that the profession has suffered identity crises in the health sector for a very long time while stressing that gone are the days when other professionals looked down on them as

just card issuers.

“On our part, we have taken a number of steps at the policy level which will go a long way to transform the profession in particular and health sector in general,” Sokoto said.

Responding, the registrar of the board Mohammed Ibrahim Mami reminded the inductees of their need to migrate from paper record keeping to electronic health record keeping as that is where the trend of the profession is moving.

NGO Takes Drug, Sexual Abuse Awareness Campaign To Schools

BY VICTOR OKEKE, Abuja

A non-profit organization, Reconnect Health Development Initiative (HDI), said it is to embark on several community programmeds that target children and young adults to educate and create awareness on drug and sexual abuse.

This initiative is an off- shoot of Synapse Services; a centre for psychological medicine, providing in and out patient psychological intervention and drug rehabilitation services in Nigeria.

The Medical Director of the centre, Dr Vincent Udenze, said the aim is to eradicate stigma, tackle drug abuse problems and support access to curative and pre-

ventive services.

Speaking in an event which had principals/heads of schools and chairpersons of PTA, representatives from the Junior and Senior Secondary Education board and also from the Federal Ministry of Education in attendance, recently in Abuja, he said the organisation was currently setting up free school based clubs for raising awareness about illicit drug use in secondary schools According to him “The number of young people who abuse drugs and other illegal substances are gradually on the rise, as most of them are between the ages of 12 – 14years.”

He said, “the age of first-time illicit

drug use has since dropped to 12 years, and the World Federation of Mental Health show a significant number of mental ill health to be mediated by drug addiction.”

Udenze, a mental health expert, said these substances range from common over-the-counter drugs such as Panadol or cough syrup to hard drugs such as cannabis.

“The issue of illicit drug use has become endemic within educational institutions; Universities, secondary schools and even primary schools. In our facility for instance, we have admitted over 80 young adults from well-established secondary Institutions;”

FG Launches Mobile Cash Incentive For Pregnant Woman

By Patience Ivie Ihejirika, Abuja

In order to strength the demand for Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services in the country, the federal government has launched the first mobile Conditional Cash Transfer (mCCT) at Dobi Primary Health Care in Gwagwalada.

At the event, the Executive Director of the Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Ado Muhammed said “What we are doing is to further strength the demand for MCH services.”

“We observed 75 per cent drop in actual delivery in hospitals. Women actu-

ally access antenatal services but there is a sharp decrease in delivery at hospital which that quiet a number of these women are not attended to by skilled birth attendants which increases their chances of complications and diseases,” Muhammed said.

He said that the mCCT was introduced to encourage these rural women to deliver at clinics where they would be attended to by qualified birth attendants adding that of the 550 women who have enrolled in the programme, 428 are from Dobi community.

According the Project Director, SURE-

P MCH Project Implementation, Dr Ugo Okoli, ‘’The beneficiaries of the mCCT programme are pregnant women and traditional birth attendants who identify women and refer them to Primary Health Centres (PHC)to be enrolled in the programme, antenatal care, and delivery in the presence of skilled birth attendant.”

Dr Okoli said the programme has successfully enrolled 42,017 women across the pilot states and over 26,461 women have received cash transfers following their enrollment totally over N69,697,935 in eight states.

What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself, causing chronic joint inflammation. While it primarily affects joints, it can also cause inflammation of organs as the disease progresses. People with RA may experience an increase in symptoms –called flares – that can last for days or weeks. They may also have periods of remission where they have few or no symptoms. There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but medications can slow the progression of the disease and ease symptoms.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1.5 million people in the U.S. Women develop RA two to three times more often than men, and symptoms in women tend to appear between the ages of 30 and 60, while symptoms usually develop later in life for men. There may also be a genetic basis for the disease. Cigarette smoking is also a risk factor, as are certain infections.

The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis remains unknown, but several risk factors have been identified. Women are diagnosed with RA more often, and it is suspected estrogen may play a role.

Muscle Cramps

5

The number of states with the highest burden of diarrhoea in the country according to the NPHCDA

426

The number of women who have already for the SURE-P mobile conditional cash transfer

50%

The percentage of women affected by menstrual cramps

A muscle cramp is an involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax. Almost everyone experiences a muscle cramp at some time in their life.

There are a variety of types and causes of muscle cramps. Numerous medicines can cause muscle cramps. Most muscle cramps can be stopped if the muscle can be stretched. Muscle cramps can often be prevented by measures such as adequate nutrition and hydration, attention to safety when exercising, and attention to ergonomic factors.

When we use the muscles that can be controlled voluntarily, such as those of our arms and legs, they alternately contract and relax as we move our limbs.

Muscles that support our head, neck, and trunk contract similarly in a synchronized fashion to maintain our posture. A muscle (or even a few fibers of a muscle) that involuntarily (without consciously willing it) contracts is in a “spasm.” If the spasm is force-

54 NEWS /HEALTH

Monday, December 8, 2014 with the people, we’re happy with the system. We have never gotten a single negative response from our publics. Rather, they call to thank and praise us. The feedback is really encouraging. So the cost has not actually discouraged us.

Instead, we want to invest more and more. Our goal is to be the best hospital in Africa, so that people will stop going abroad for health reasons.

One of the reasons health seekers travel overseas is kidney transplant. Why is that a challenge with hospitals here?

Ibeh

We Handle All Medical Cases At Turkish Hospital - Ahsen Nigerian-Turkish Nizamiye Hospital, Abuja was commissioned last yearamidst pomp and celebration. On that occasion, a highly impressed President Goodluck Jonathan declared the era of people going abroad on medical tourism was over with the state-of-the-art equipment in the hospital. One year on, themedical director of the hospital, Dr. Mustafa Ahsen, says the hospital has not disappointed as it can handle all medical cases. VICTOR OKEKE reports.

For decades, your group has been associated with the education sector in Nigeria. Why veer into the health sector now?

Education is at the centre of all human developments. So we started with education and then later veered into health, using your words. We went into health sector because health rivals education.

True, there is no health without education. But there can’t be any meaningful education without good health. That’s why we went into education. And we started in Turkey with seven hospitals.

In time, we decided to share our experience here, and thus started this hospital last year.

short BIO OF

Dr Mustafa Ahsen

Ahsen is a general surgeon and specialist at laparoscopic surgeries with 2-3 hole.

What are the prominent services you offer in your hospital?

First of all, we are unique with all the departments we started here. Particularly, we are foremost hospital in kneecap and hip joints replacement, open heart surgery and laparoscopy; where we operate on a patient without cutting him or opening his body. We are unique with that. We will continue to invest in higher technology.

Talking of investment, how much have you invested in your hospital?

We’ve invested over $20 million. That’s over N3 billion.

But for a world-class hospital, that shouldn’t be a ceiling; it has to progressively continue. So in the next five months, we will be investing another $2 million. Our plan is not to invest too massively and become passive afterwards.

We want to continue to invest.

As we speak, additional advance medical equipments are arriving Nigeria from Holiday for us. The equipments will help prevent heart attacks and other serious ailments. With that equipment, which is first of its kinds, we can actually forestall a heart attack.

The maintenance of facilities is quite a challenge, although we’re doing very well in this respect. The thing is, we send our facilities to Turkey for regular maintenance.

They fix them and send them back to us. This has seriously increased the cost of service delivery. Yet, we insulate our patients from this, as our cost is standard, irrespective of the huge cost we incur. We really spend a lot on maintenance. But we don’t transfer the burden to our clients. Our price policy is standard.

But the support and appreciation we get seem to compensate for this. We’re happy

To start with, you must run detailed and sensitive tests before the surgery, because sometimes the patient’s body would reject the donated kidney. So there are advance tests that are carried out to check for compatibility. The challenge is to readily find the facilities for these tests in Nigeria.

I am not aware of any hospital, apart from our hospital, which has got that capacity. I really don’t know.

Secondly, kidney transplantation requires a lot of care in post-surgery management. This is because the body sees the transplanted kidney as a foreign object and it’s inclined to reject it. Thus the immune system sets out to attack it. After the surgery, you really have to give a robust medication. The first challenge in this regard is to ensure you put the patient in a wellsterilized environment for quite some time. The reason is that the immune system would have been lowered after the transplantation, which leaves the patient very open to very dangerous infections.

Otherwise, the immune system will work against the kidney. In a very tropical area like this country replete with diseases, deliberately weakening the immune system requires more than what is being done in the West and other places.

It is much more difficult to achieve this here than other places. This is a major huddle for any Nigerian hospital.

Not to be taken lightly is also the difficulty in getting donors.

How many people are ready to give their kidney up, even at death?

Again, what factor determines who gets the kidney, because there is usually a queue? Will it be based on financial capability? Or will it be on first-come-first-service basis?

This is important. Even getting the organ transferred from where it was donated to where it is needed is not an easy task. You need to apply advance solutions to achieve that.

And lastly, there must be effective regulation, both in framework and implementation. Nigeria is trying in many areas, but this area needs more attention. For us at NigeriaTurkish Hospital, this is our only challenge. More than any other hospital in this country, we are staff-prepared and facility-ready to undertake kidney transplant. But first, the regulatory framework got to be in place.

Surgeon’s Turf Dr Biodun Ogungbo MBBS, FRCS, FRCSEd, MSc. Consultant Neurosurgeon

08122221616 (SMS only)

What Makes Teeth Fall Off? My paternal grandmother, since I was old enough to know her, didn’t have a single tooth in her mouth. I grew up believing that was the norm. I waited patiently for my better educated second grandma to lose all of her teeth as she grew older but to my annoyance she died at the ripe age of 83 years old with her full complement of teeth! It got my little mind confused.

It took me many years, dental school to be precise, before the confusion of almost 2 decades was solved with one word, Periodontitis!

Periodontitis (peri-odon-ti-tis) Periodontitis is a serious gum infection that damages the gum and destroys the bone that supports your teeth. Periodontitis, if left unchecked will either cause tooth loss or worse, an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious health problems. Periodontitis is the main reason why most old people lose their teeth at the later stages of their life.

Periodontitis is common but largely preventable. Periodontitis is usually the result of poor oral hygiene and neglect. Brushing at least twice a day, flossing daily and getting regular dental checkups can greatly reduce your chances of periodontitis.

Healthy gums are firm and pale pink in colour. If your gums are puffy, dusky red and bleed easily, or show other signs or symptoms of periodontitis, see your dentist immediately. The sooner you seek care, the better your chances of reversing damage from periodontitis and potentially preventing other serious health problems.

Periodontitis can even be diagnosed at home. These are the signs to look out for: Swollen gums Bright red or purplish gums Gums that feel tender when touched Pus discharge between teeth and mouth Unexplained teeth movement Elongated teeth as a result of gum recession New spaces developing between your teeth Bad breath Shaking teeth Bad taste in your mouth Bleeding gums while brushing There are different types, or classes, of periodontitis with the most common one being chronic periodontitis. It affects mostly adults, though children can also be affected. Aggressive periodontitis (another type) usually begins in childhood or early adulthood and affects only a small number of people.

How does periodontitis start?

Studies show that periodontitis begins with plaque formation. Plaque simply put, is a sticky film on the teeth which is composed mainly of bacteria (germs). It is adherent on your teeth when starches and sugars in food interact with bacteria normally found in your mouth. Brushing and flossing your teeth will remove plaque.

But plaque re-forms quickly, usually within 24 hours which is the reason why it is advisable to brush twice daily.

Plaque that stays on your teeth longer than two to three days will harden on your teeth and also under the gums into what is called calculus or tartar. Calculus also may form as a result of the action of the mineral content of your saliva. It is believed that the calcium in the saliva causes plaque to harden into calculus. Calculus makes plaque more difficult to remove and acts as a reservoir for bacteria. You can’t get rid of tartar by brushing and flossing, you need professional dental scaling and polishing to remove it.

Monday, December 8, 2014

zonal watch

55

EDO DELTA BAYELSA RIVERS AKWA IBOM CROSS RIVER

Group To FG: Don’t Renege On Commitment To Amnesty Programme

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcourt

A group, the Association for Non-violence in the Niger Delta (ANND) has called on the federal government not to renege in its commitment in the ongoing presidential amnesty programme, being enjoyed by some youths of the Niger Delta region, especially

as the 2015 general elections draws near.

ANND president, Mr. Kennedy West, made the appeal while speaking at a one-day voters’ sensitisation seminar organised by the association for young voters in Bakana community, Degema local government area of Rivers State.

West observed that some desperate politicians may take advantage of the idleness of some youths in the region to achieve their political aims, if the federal government fails to implement it amnesty programme to an acceptable standard.

He said, “We are using this medium to call on the federal

government to ensure prompt payment of amnesty stipends and training. As it is, the boys are roaming the streets.

“The federal government should ensure that they disburse enough money to the amnesty committee so that all of those youths who have been sent to one vendor or the other can immediately go on

Taxation: FIRS Goes After Tax Defaulters In Rivers

Heads

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcourt

FROM tHe ZONe

➔ dr. emmanuel Uduaghan.

Governor of delta state, last week withdrew from the race for delta south senatorial district in the 2015 elections.

➔ Chief ezebunwo Nyesom a governorship aspirant on the platform of the PdP in Rivers state, Nyesom Wike last weekend concluded his tour of the 23 local government areas in the state, where he solicited for the votes of the party’s delegates.

➔Mr. Henry Odein ajumogobia a governorship aspirant on the platform of the PdP in Rivers state, Henry Odein ajumogobia, is asking a court in abuja to nullify the just concluded congress of the party.

their training.

“An idol mind is the devil’s workshop. These youths are the youths who have participated in the non-violence workshop.

As a matter of fact they have a beautiful dream now because most of their friends are now in Dubai, London and other foreign countries.

L-R: Rivers State governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and APC governorship candidate in the state, Hon. Dakuku Peterside, during the party’s gubernatorial primaries in Port Harcourt.

2015: Group Launches Peace advocacy Campaign In N/delta

BY OSA OKHOMINA, Yenagoa

A United Kingdom based nongovernmental organisation, the Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN) has begun a campaign against violence amongst youths of the Niger Delta.

The group, currently working across three states – Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta, recently organised a road walk, tagged, ‘Dawn in the Creek’ to sensitise the youth to the significance of peace in nation building.

The assistant programme manager of the SDN, Mrs. Brenda Bepeh, while speaking at Sagabama, headquarters of Sagbama local government area of Bayelsa State, said the

show was part of the group’s campaign against violence and training of 21 youths from the three states on community film making.

Bepeh stated that the gesture was to change the negative narrative that youths of the region were synonymous with violence, kidnapping, sea piracy, pipeline vandalism and other social vices through community film-making.

She advised youths of the Niger Delta to channel their energies and resources toward positive thinking on how to resolve conflicts through nonviolent means, shun negative influence during and after the 2015 polls.

One of the trained film

makers, who is from Nembe Ogbolomabiri, in Nembe local government area of Bayelsa State, Jim Nengimote, commended the group for impacting positively on the youth.

Nengimote was trained as a script writer. recalled that he had been a graduate for years without a job, saying his encounter with the group had rekindled his hope in life.

The ‘Dawn in the Creek’ road show was attended by large number of youths, including men and women.

The show featured film/music festival, wrestling competition, interactive session and seminars.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has embarked on aggressive tax enforcement drive on ‘traditional tax defaulters’, made up of companies, firms, and individuals in Rivers State.

FIRS said it decided to embark on the enforcement drive after series of friendly approaches, pleadings and conventional discussions to exercise tax compliance failed.

Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, leader of the enforcement team, Mr. Edward Adeosun, said the team, working with security operatives from the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigeria Police, has arrested top management staff of some tax-defaulting companies and firms.

Adeosun, who is also the tax controller in-charge of Rumukurushi-Port Harcourt office of FIRS, stated that most of the companies and firms have been defaulting in filing tax returns, and effect any reasonable payment for close to eight years now, despite series of sensitisation programmes to create awareness of tax payment. He said despite the fact that tax evasion is a criminal offence against the state; many of the companies in Rivers State turned themselves to traditional tax defaulters.

Akpabio Tasks NERC On Quality Service Delivery

BY BERNARD TOLANI DADA, Uyo

Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, has tasked Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to enforce quality service delivery and regulate efficient pricing across the states.

Akpabio made the charge in Uyo during the opening of the third seminar on regulation in the electricity power sector for judges by Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission in collaboration with National Judiciary Institute (NJI) with the theme, “Enhancing Judiciary Capacity in Resolution of Current Legal Issues in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry”.

He also called on NERC to support the efforts of Akwa Ibom in making the state a model for steady power supply in Nigeria and the judiciary to use their potentials to help create an investor-friendly climate through informed dispute resolutions in Nigeria power sector.

The governor said, “As members of the judiciary, your role as upholders of the constitution and interpreters of the law is crucial. The judiciary has great potentials to help create an investor- friendly climate through informed dispute resolutions in Nigeria’s power sector.”

Akpabio described the seminar, as a turning point in the electricity and power sector, pointing out that the seminar shows their dedication and passion.

56 zonal watch (South-South)

Monday, December 8, 2014

news behind the news

Peterside: As Rivers Apc Gets Set For 2015 Guber Election

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcourt

On Thursday, December 4, 2015, the All Progressives Congress (APC) held its governorship primaries in more than 30 states in Nigeria. The party’s governorship primaries in Rivers State, held at the Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, could be described as mere gathering of 4,574 delegates to ratify the endorsement of a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dakuku Adophus Peterside, as the party’s consensus governorship candidate.

Few days earlier, stakeholders of the APC in the state met at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Port Harcourt, where they endorsed Peterside, who represents Andoni/Opobo/ Nkoro federal constituency in the National Assembly, as the party’s consensus gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 general elections.

The emergence of the Opoboborn former commissioner for works did not go down well with a section of the people of Ogoni ethnic nationality of the state, who believed that the governorship slot should have been given to one of their own, and senator representing Rivers South East district in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe. To this end, Abe, and his loyalists, especially, members of the House of Representatives and the Rivers State House of Assembly, mostly of Ogoni extraction stayed away from the governorship primaries, an indication that all may not be well with the APC, as a result of the choice of the consensus governorship candidate.

Speaking at the event, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi stated that the choice of Peterside, who is also the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), was not his, but that of the APC caucus in the Rivers South-East senatorial district of the state.

Amaechi said, “The flag bearer of the party today, by the grace of God and by your grace will be Dakuku Peterside. That is because we sat and agreed on that. That does not mean that my good friend, Senator Magnus Abe is not qualified to be the governor. He is eminently qualified; I respect him a lot; he is a very intelligent man.

“There are two Nigerians from Rivers State that I respect their level of intellect. The two Nigerians are; Senator Magnus Abe and Odein Ajumogobia. Don’t worry that Odein is in the other party;

Peterside

he will not win the primaries; don’t worry. They won’t let him win primaries; they will rig him out.

“Now, I told Magnus, the same way I told my deputy (Tele Ikuru) that he is eminently qualified to be a governor. I hope all of you remember that in my absence, my deputy had led all of you to war.

Remember when we were fighting; when they wanted to remove us. If I didn’t trust him, I wouldn’t have left the state for him. One thing my parents taught is to please, always watch your back, but, with my deputy, I never watched my back.

“There were other people who are from others zones that were qualified to be governor, but I said now, the Rivers West senatorial zone produced my former boss, Dr. Peter Odili, and my zone, Rivers East produced me. So, equity demands that it should go to the Rivers South-East senatorial zone. In the South-East zone, the caucus met and decided that we should present Adolphus Dakuku Peterside. Presenting him does not mean that he is more qualified than the rest.”

In his acceptance speech after a total of 3914, out of the 4,574 delegates, the APC governorship candidate, Peterside said his desire to be governor of the state in 2015 is a product of deep commitment to serve and a passion to expand the economic opportunities of the people of the state.

He said, “May, I crave your indulgence to specially acknowledge the sacrifice and commitment of some of our leaders. My elder brother, friend and a distinguished patriot,

The flag bearer of the party today, by the grace of God and by your grace will be Dakuku Peterside. That is because we sat and agreed on that. That does not mean that my good friend, Senator Magnus Abe is not qualified

Senator Magnus Abe as well as my boss and friend, His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Engr Tele Ikuru, FNSE; two men whose loyalty to the party and Rivers State is unequivocal.

“They are men whose honour and integrity are worthy of commendation and emulation.

I shall be relying on them more and more in the coming days, months, and years. May, I also reassure these patriots, and fellow party men and women that your sacrifices will not be in vain.

“My desire to be the governor of our dear state is a product of deep commitment to serve and a passion to expand economic opportunities for all our people.

My aspiration is not about the pomp, perks and privileges of office, but out of a desire to make Rivers State greater. I have had the privilege of political tutelage under our leader and I have seen his passion for excellence and a new and better Rivers State. I have been challenged by this passion and believe that a greater Rivers State is possible if we all join hands.

“Together I believe we can provide leadership that will accelerate the actualisation of a greater Rivers dream of improved middle class, first class safe environment, equal and more socio-economic opportunities and create a greater sense of community, a Rivers State that will be the pride of Africa.”

Recall that immediately after his endorsement by the APC caucus, the governorship hopeful headed to the state secretariat of APC in Port Harcourt, where he picked nomination form and expression form to contest the governorship election under the platform of the party.

Speaking immediately after picking the forms, the consensus governorship candidate, assured that he will not disappoint the people of the state, if elected governor during the general election, and commended the people of the state for the outpouring of love in appreciation of his endorsement.

He said, “We will take Rivers State to the next level. We will soon unveil our roadmap to prosperity.

Rivers people’s support for me is overwhelming. I really appreciate the outpouring of love. I thank all Rivers people. I will not disappoint you.

“I will continue to rely on God. I do not depend on my strength or ability. I will ensure unity in Rivers State. All Rivers people will have roles to play in my administration.

Amaechi

News Behind The News

Rivers Arrest Of 9: Apc, PDP, Police Sing Different Tunes

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Police Command, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seem to be singing different tunes in respect of nine youths, including two females who were arrested at a hotel in Elele Town, Ikwerre local government area of the state.

The hotel, known as Okabique is owned by a chieftain of the PDP, Chief Okechukwu Okah, who is alleged to be a staunch supporter of the immediate past minister of state for education and governorship aspirant on the platform of the PDP in the state, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike.

While the state Police Command is insisting that the youths, who were arrested late Thursday night, were internet scammers, who were trying to break into a code, the APC is insisting that the suspects were in the hotel to carry out illegal registration of voters for the 2015 general elections in the state.

The PDP, on its own, denied involvement in any illegal registration that led to the arrest of some boys with machines and registration materials, belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) registering people in a hotel in Elele.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ahmad Muhammed, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, said, “Following a tip off that some persons with questionable characters were seen entering a hotel at Elele with concealed items in a carton, the Police immediately raided the hotel and arrested nine suspected youths, who admitted that they were a syndicate of internet scammers trying to break into a code. Meanwhile, investigation has commenced to unravel the true position.”

A chieftain of APC in the Elele Town, Elder Chidi Wihioka had told journalists in Port Harcourt that the suspects were in possession of three registration machines and other sensitive items belonging to INEC as at the time of their arrest.

Wihioka, who is also aspiring to represent Ikwerre/Emohua federal constituency in the House of Representatives on the platform of the APC, said, “At about 7.30 pm on Thursday, we started hearing rumours that some people have INEC machine in a hotel in Elele where they are registering voters’ cards, using people’s photographs. We took it as a joke, but the calls continued. At the point, I didn’t know what to do because to be sincere, I was afraid of the Nigerian Police.

Monday, December 8, 2014

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58 OPINION

Monday, December 8, 2014

Dwindling Oil Price: A Blessing In Disguise

By Nwobodo Chidiebere

As at the time of writing this article, crude oil price has hit its four-year low record of $72 per barrel, less than 24 hours after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, ended its 166th meeting, with a resolution to keep the production quotas unchanged. Oil price dipped further, surpassing a new benchmark proposed by the Nigerian government.

The federal government proposed a new benchmark for crude oil at $73 per barrel, from $77.5 approved in the 2014 budget.

The latest crash indicates the $73 benchmark may not be realistic, a concern earlier pointed out by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, who had at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja, described the new oil benchmark as “overly optimistic”.

The coordinating minister of the economy, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, while reacting to the dwindling oil price in the international market said, “our scenario-based approach to managing the impact of the oil price drop is proactive and comprehensive. Even if the price drops to 60 dollars we are ready. Panic is not a strategy. We are managing the situation to keep the economy on a stable sustainable

Alison-Madueke

course and we will not listen to those who want us to throw up our hands in despair and give up”, she stressed.

While some pessimists are busy focusing on the negative impact this crash would portend for the nation’s economy, this writer is one person who sees the nose diving of oil price as a blessing in disguise for Nigeria, irrespective of the temporal challenges the economy may experience.

The unexpected fall of crude oil price would not only awaken our politicians from the slumber of complacency to diversify the nation’s economy from oil, and resuscitate non-oil sectors

No serious progressiveminded nation spends 74 percent of her annual budget on recurrent expenditure

like agriculture, solid minerals, tourism, textiles and steel industries, etc, but will exert pressure on Nigeria’s political leadership to restructure the economy by reducing the bogus size of government.

The present political structure as constituted, made up of 36 states plus FCT, 774 LGAs, 36 state governors, 42 ministers, 469 National Assembly members, 541 MDAs, etc, is not sustainable. No serious progressive-minded nation spends 74 percent of her annual budget on recurrent expenditure, while devoting only 26 percent of the same budget for capital projects.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, not too long ago attributed the high recurrent expenditure in the 2014 budget to increasing wage bill of workers and political office holders.The present administration worked hard to reduce this ration from 74.4 percent in 2011 to 71.5 percent in 2012 and further to 67.5 percent in 2013, but has risen again to 74 percent in 2014.

In addition to high wage bill, there are pension arrears, which needed to be incorporated in budgets in the future. It has become pertinent to strike a balance between a growing wage bill for the public sector and investing more on infrastructure.

– Chidiebere wrote in from Abuja

High Cost Of Nomination Forms: Between Debtors And Donors By victor emejuiwe

The cost of governance is known to be incredibly high with large sums of tax payers’ money thrown around public officers and other political appointees. Well-meaning Nigerians have shown concern on this worrisome issue; which has left 70% of our national budget to funding of public offices and a little left for capital budget.

Despite several discussions on this issue and the setting up of a panel led by Oransanye, the cost of governance in the country continues to increase.

The few percentages of very rich Nigerians steadily outweigh 90% of the population which live below $2 per day. As we approach 2015 election, it is easy for us to figure out the root causes of high cost of governance.

High cost of governance sbegins with the electioneering

process. The process through which candidates emerge into public offices indicates the quantum of resources that would be stolen from such offices. This is justifiable because such candidates would seek to recoup all that was spent and if possible acquire more than necessary to fund subsequent elections.

Undoubtedly, it is obvious that addressing the high cost of governance depends fully on the platforms though which candidates emerge into office. The idealical structures of the two major political parties in Nigeria, namely the PDP and the APC are considerable factors that can determine if Nigeria would continue in the path of high cost of governance or not. This would be largely determined based on the amount of money the party and its candidates spend before getting into office.

Unfortunately such ideals are lacking from the current costs of obtaining nomination form imposed by the two political parties. This has already cast doubts in the mind of the people that the reduction of the cost of governance is on the agenda of the two political parties.

The outrageous amount on nomination form has attracted both debtors and donors amongst the candidates seeking political office.

The implication of imposing high cost of nomination form has given birth to some of the candidates becoming debtors and large group of attention seekers becoming donors.

This has become a subject of discussion in the circles of political finance.

Gen. Buhari, made it known that he borrowed money from the bank to obtain the APC presidential form and on the other hand, several interest

groups donated 102 million Naira for the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party.

There are several syllogisms to this scenario. For the General to borrow money from the bank in order to obtain his nomination forms shows that the price tag placed by the All Progressives Party is unnecessarily expensive. It also shows that the General falls under the bracket of middle class citizens aiming for a position reserved for aristocrats.

Also if the APC which has continually branded itself as a progressive party can startoff with an unimpressionable price tag of N27million for mere nomination form, what is the rationale that they understand the concerns for the reduction of the cost in governance?

– Emejuiwe is of the Center for Social Justice, Abuja

Guest Columnist

By Philip Agbese

Democracy: Far Better Deal Than Military Rule “And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost.” J.R.R. Tolkien in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ hen loosely applied, the quote taken from Tolkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is apt for the Nigerian situation. Apparently, we have not only forgotten our recent history but we are on the way to being lost and losing our dear nation if nothing is done to stop the constant call to anarchy by some politicians who should, by all standards, know better. Statements which were once dismissed as “empty threats” from bad losers have been translated into concrete actions that are, today, eroding the very foundations of this country.

Democratic dispensation was ushered into Nigeria in 1999, leading to the emergence of the Fourth Republic. This came after a long time of despotic military rule in the country. Democracy was highly embraced by all with expected hope that it will deliver good dividends and socio-economic development.

Sadly, not long into this system of governance which we have long awaited, the Nigerian polity has become heated with almost more than a fair share of challenges, namely: corruption, electoral abnormalities, politics of godfatherism and mudslinging, incessant poverty reinforced by mass unemployment, insecurity and a host of others which are boldly threatening to truncate democratic stability and consolidation.

It is almost as if we have not travelled far from where we were prior to 1999; just because a few politicians think that we do not deserve to be happy; because they have been ‘wronged’ by not being entrenched in office or the fact that their political party is not in office.

Sadly and unfortunately, by protecting these new, strange ideas, we evolved a ‘Nigerian Democracy’, one which the rest of the world looks at with such strangeness that, in saner climes, what we call ‘democracy’ will have no name, colour or brand. Just that. ‘Anywhere-bele-face-democracy’.

In fact, the impediments to the nation’s unending desire for a true democracy seem to assume a more perilous proportion by the day.

Have the men who hold sway in our democracy – politicians – been able to help the situation? Hardly.

They have set themselves against the nation and the government which they should be looking out for.

To put it right, they have shot themselves in the leg and they do not mind; as far as they can hobble on.

As a result of the boundless madness, impunity, abuse of the law, ethnocentric yearnings, political regionalisation and a security situation which has been long ignored for too long, as well as other issues which have become synonymous with our ‘personalised’ brand of democracy, many have even dared to yearn for the return of the military.

The people we have as politicians are so clueless that some of them, witlessly, have continued to lead this nation down the lane of destruction with their remarks, approach to this brand of politics and love of self above all.

Many of these ‘politicians’ who have no idea of what is fair and just, clamour day and night, doing all they can, at any cost, to become our leaders – even when they have a history of stealing the nation blind at any given opportunity.

Should we be worried? Yes, we should be. Anyone who is not genuinely mortified by the unfolding nightmare being brewed by the some ‘party’ leaders and chieftains is guilty by consenting.

How is it that we have failed to see that Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the opposition leader, only launches his verbal missiles when he is not allowed to have his selfish ways? He has recently recruited his erstwhile nemesis, former president Olusegun Obasanjo to execute such attacks by proxy with the sole aim of destabilising a government that has refused to enslave Nigerians for them and their selfish interest.

W

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Monday, December 8, 2014

SCHOOLS, EDUCATION, & FAITH PLATFORM

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

SPECIALISED CLASSIFIEDS PAGES ISEYIN CITIZENS AFRICAN WOVEN FABRICS AND SKILL

ABIGBAMI ETHICS, SKILL AND SOCIAL WELFARE INITIATIVE

The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied -to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for the registration under part “C” of the Companies and .Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named Initiative has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for the registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

OYETORO HAFIZ ADEBIMPE 2.

YUSUFF SAHEED ADEJARE 3.

KOLAWOLE AKEEM ALANI 4.

AJAO YEKINNI KOlAWOLE 5.

SALAU GANIYU 6.

ALABI-SEPO IWALESO JACOB 7.

OKUNOLA MATTHEW ADEOLA

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

OYETORO HAFIZ ADEBIMPE 2.

ODEYEMI ADEMOLA A YODEJI 3.

OLAIDE DOSUMU 4.

WINDAPO OLUWAKEMI YETUNDE

Aims and Objectives : 1. To provide skill acquisition in African woven fabric for Iseyin Citizens

Aims and Objectives : 1. To provide social stability, personal and capital development, and economic empowerment to the youths in our society

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED:

SIGNED:

08062313818

08062313818

Barr. Chinenye AIi

UMMUL MUMINEEN FOUNDATION The general public is hereby notified that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for the registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

ALH. AHMED HARUNA 2.

BARR. ABDULKADIR HABIB MAUDE 3.

MR. AREMU ABIODUN SAHEED 4.

MUKT AR HABIB MAUDE 5.

BA BA All IBRAHIM 6.

BASHIR MUSA AMA 7.

ABUBAKAR ABUBAKAR ILORI 8.

KABIRU IBRAHIM ME SHADDA 9.

IBRAHIM GARBAN T AFIDA Aims and Objectives : 1.

To cater for the welfare of the members.

2.

To protect the peace and unity of the members.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED:

BARR. MUSA SAlEH AHMED

Barr. Chinenye AIi

CALVARY LIFE LINK MISSION

GLOBAL RIGHTS ADVOCATES FOR SUSTAINABLE JUSTICE

LIFESHIELD DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

This is to notify the general public that the above named Mission has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part ‘C’ of Companies and Allied Matters Act.of 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named NGO has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for the registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named INITIATIVE has applied for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

Rev. Dr. Moses Ibanga Akpabio 2.

Pastor Mrs. Akon Moses Akpabio 3.

Enwono Moses Akpabio 4.

Edikan Rex Akpabio 5.

Emmanuel Fabian Matthew 6.

Evangelist Iboro peter

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

ABIODUN BAIYEWU 2.

MEGAN CHAPMAN 3.

OLAKUNLE AJAGBE 4.

CHIDI ODINKALU

- President - Secretary

Aims and Objectives : 1.

Provision of probono legal services for individuals and NGOS. 2.

Provision of support to National, International and Regional organizations in defense of human rights.

3.

To organize conferences, seminars, meetings and provide publication in promotion of human rights.

AIMS/OBJECTIVES: 1. To win souls for Christ through the gospel of salvation.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

PRINCESS KAIMA MOZIE 2.

EMMANUEL SUNDAY OKAFOR 3.

ANUEYIAGU IKECHUKWU COLLINS 4.

IDRIS DANTANIGIWA GIWA 5.

EZEAKAJE CHIKA GLORIA 6.

BARR. EMEKA CHRISTIAN UDEONU 7.

COLNEL FRANK OFODILE RTD 8.

OJEN EASTMOND 9.

PROF. MARGARET ELUWA AIMS & OBJECTIVES: 1.

Creating awareness on environmental pollutions.

2.

Advocating environmental air pollution decongestion.

3.

Advocating on healthy environmental impact.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this Publication.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Rev. Dr. Moses Ibanga Akpabio (President)

SIGNED FRANK TIETIE, ESQ. 08036286435, 08030531349

Signed by: Virzin & Co. Barr. Kingsley o. Ameh Tel: 08033712835

CAPITTAL CLUB WEST AFRICA

APO UNITED GLOBAL CLUB ABUJA

EMMANUEL SAMDAVID FOUNDATION

The general public is hereby notified that the above named CLUB has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named CLUB has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

This general public is hereby notified that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja, for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2014.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

Jean Claude Meyer 2.

Matcham Russell Kay 3.

Daniel Forster 4.

Ashok Gopinath

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

Samunel S. Nwachukwu 2.

Uche Onyema Okereke 3.

Ganius Olaleye 4.

Ikechukwu Ochuba 5.

Uche Ulanta

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita 2.

Emmanuel Orok Oyo-Ita 3.

Samuel Orok Oyo-Ita 4.

David Orok Oyo-Ita 5.

Mary Ikum Osam 6.

Esther Joseph Udoh 7.

Osamuede Uwaifo 8.

Emmanuel Ayisa Musa

Aims and Objectives : 1. Provide a forum for members to network.

2. To host social and business events for its members.

3. To encourage various opportunities such as arts, culture, media, travel etc for members.

Aims and Objectives : 1. To be our brother keepers.

2. To promote the welfare of members 3. To promote and protect the interest of members

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: Secretary

SIGNED: Barr. Phillip 08180015016

-

Chairman Member Member Member Member Member Member Secretary

Aims and Objectives : 1. Mobilization of local community into useful agro projects that would empower the members.

2. Promote product post-harvest technologies for export and local consumptiion.

Any objection to this Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Ataboh & Co. Suite 212 Anbeer Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja

AJAYI OLU-TOYIN FOUNDATIONE

IWEROKO AND AMENREN UGOGOMEJE FAMILY TRUST, KOKO

ROOT OF DAVID PRAYER TEMPLE

This is to inform the general public that the above named FOUNDATION has applied for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named ORGANIZATION has applied for change of trustees under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named MINISTRY has applied for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Adewale Ibrahim 2. Ajayi Olu-Toyin 3. Agnes Omowumi Ajayi 4. Olumuyiwa Ilesanmi 5. Emmanuel Damilola Ajayi 6. Samuel Adebayo Aims and Objectives : 1. To support educational development 2. To initiate programmes for women and youth empowerment 3. To promote rural empowerment and community development

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

Chief Victor Nanna 2.

Mr. Tonukanrin Ajofodin 3.

Pa Jacob Everett 4.

Mr. Partick Ololo 5.

Mr. Adeoye Akpiri 6.

Pa Samuel Itor 7.

Mr. Ralph Kodjoe-Asmah 8.

Pa Richard Amorighoye 9.

Mr. Omatimeyin Nanna 10. Mr. Edward Omamofe Daibo 11. Mr. Pax Oritseweyinmi Asmah 12. Mr. Thompson Okotie 13. Hon. Olayimi Johnson Nanna

-

Retained Retained Retained Retained Retained Retained Remove (Old) Remove (Old) Remove (Old) Appointed (New) Appointed (New) Appointed (New) Appointed (New)

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

Pastor Christopher Oseyili Iyobhebhe 2.

Evangelist Mrs. Beatrice Adunni Iyobhebhe 3.

Hon. Mrs. Onaiwu Giwa-Osagie 4.

Evangelist Joshua Oseyili Iyobhebhe

Aims and Objectives remains the same

Any objection to this Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection to this change of trustees should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Ajayi Olu-Toyin

SIGNED: Secretary

For booking or inquiry call

> HENRY UBIMAGO 08068640944

> AUGUSTINE 08061602706

> GLORIA OKWUM 08038722368

> ABIGAIL SAMBO 08064382438

Aims and Objectives : 1. To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2. To establish bible training schools.

3. To assist the poor and needy.

Any objection to this Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Yahaya Jerry Enwubo.

> GLORIA RAPHAEL 08061356519

> GLORIA ODIO 08034285851

> GRACE OJO 08035054444

60

Monday, December 8, 2014

HIS GRACE SEMINARY

NIGERIAN MUSLIM FORUM

GAMJI YOUTH & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE

This is to inform the general public that the above named SEMINARY has applied for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named FORUM has applied for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named FOUNDATION has applied for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Dr Umar Farouq Ibrahim 2. Dr Ibrahim Khalil Adam 3. Oluyinka Abdulhakim Iyiola 4. Alhaji Inuwa Hassan 5. Dr Sani Yahaya 6. Salisu Muhammad Gumel 7. Dr Tafida Abubakar

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

Comrade Zubairu Mukhtar A.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Joshua Oluseye Olayiwola 2. Felicia Abidemi olayiwola 3. Beatrice Tolani Olayiwola 4. Ajala Dorcas Ayomi Aims and Objectives : 1. To promote intellectual knowledge of the word of God. 2. To diffuse unwarranted religion tension by understanding the word of God. 3. Preparing ministers to be conscious of rapture.

4. To train, license, ordain ministers for the furtherance of the work of the seminary and to prepare the saints for rapture.

Any objection to this Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED:

Trustee

Aims and Objectives : 1 . To propagate the teaching of Islam for peaceful coexistence 2. To assist orphans and disable persons in their education career 3. To enlight people to seek Islamic Education 4. To assist the less privilege persons in acquiring Islamic education 5. To collaborate with other non governmental organization in attainment of its aims Any objection to this Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Aims and Objectives : 1) To help less privileged women and youths in the society 2) Empowerment of women and youths to be financially and economically independent 3) To help in rehabilitation of youths who need such 4) Assisting less privileged and indigent patients in hospitals 5) To sensitize the general public on government policies and programmes as it affects Nigerians 6) To promote peaceful co-existence and the need for peace amongst Nigerian Youths.

7) To revive and maintain moral values among Nigerian youths and to encourage intellectual activities.

8) To assist in the provision of succor and relieve materials to displaced persons due to disaster.

9) To provide all necessary assistance needed by youths and women in the society Any objection to this Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

SIGNED: Chairman

THE TRIUMPH IN CHRIST GOSPEL MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL

BONNY PROFESSIONALS FOUNDATION

ASSOCIATION OF CORN MILLERS PEPPER AND PALM KERNEL GRINDERS OF EDE LAND

This is to inform the general public that the above named MINISTRY has applied for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named FOUNDATION has applied for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named ASSOCIATION has applied for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR OWONIFAARI TAIWO EBENEZER 2. MR AYORINDE SOLOMON 3. MR OMODARATAN RICHARD DARE 4. PASTOR MRS OWONIFAARI JULIANAH FUNMILAYO 5. MRS KOLAWOLE OLUFUNKE 6.

Aims and Objectives : 1. TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD 2. TO EVANGELIZE THE WORLD FOR GOD

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1 BROWN RANDOLPH IWO ORVENE 2 GIFT ALEX HART 3 CHARLES DAN JUMBO

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. RAJI SAIDU AMOBI 2. JIMOH KAZEEM AKOFE 3. ALIMI RAMONI ALANI 4. LAWAL RASHEED OREMETA 5. IAOKE SAKA AJAO 6. ALARAPE SAKA

Any objection to this Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

Aims and Objectives : TO FOSTER UNITY AMONG MEMBERS Any objection to this Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

JAMILAH

OLABISI

ZAHRA

I formerly known as NWEKE IFEOMA now wish to be known as JAMILAH ABDULLAHI GWALAH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known as Mrs HASSAN RASHIDAT OLABISI now wish to be known as MISS OLADUNJOYE RASHIDAT OLABISI. All former documents remain valid. The general public to please note.

I formerly known as JIBRIN ZAHRA ABDULMAJID now wish to be known as BABADUNA ZAHRA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

TINA

CHINEDU

OBIOMA

I formerly known as MISS OBIOMA NKIRUKA OKEZIE now wish to be known as MRS OBIOMA NKIRUKA IBUDE. All former documents remain valid.

The Citizenship and leadership Training Centre Gudu Abuja and the general public should please take note.

THANNI

PAULINE

I formerly known as MISS PAULINE UKACHUKWU .C. now wish to be known as MRS EMEDIKE PAULINE C. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Any objection to this Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

I formerly known as MRS. TINA NGOZI SWEET now wish to be known as MRS. TINA IJEOMA SWEET. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known as IWUOHA CHINEDU JEFF now wish to be known as GOZIE CHINEDU JEFF. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Aims and Objectives : 1. To protect the interest of all members 2. To promote peace and unity among all members.

3. To encourage members to carry out their duties to the community without prejudice.

4. To ensure that members comply with the association rules

I formerly known as SHOLA DAPPA now wish to be known as ELIZABETH GBEMISOLA THANNI. All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank and the general public should please take note.

OLUWATOSIN

I formerly known as OKUWOBI OLUWATOSIN ADETOLA now wish to be known as ADTOLA OLUWATOSIN OPEOLUWA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

GEORGE

grace

I formerly known as AJAEGBU EKELECHI GRACE now wish to be known as MACAULAY EKELECHI GRACE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

I formerly known as YESUFU KEHINDE GEORGE now wish to be known as PETER KEHINDE GEORGE All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

KURA

I formerly known as ALIYU ABDURRAZAK MUKHTAR now wish to be known as SAGIRU ABDULLAHI KURA. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note

LEGAL NOTICE

PEACE & DEVELOPMENT ADVOCACY CENTRE FOR RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

The general public is hereby notified that the above named CENTRE has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for the registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

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 HELEN HUNG YIM Gold light international limited Who died on 6th September 2009.

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT

YEUNG SHUET CHUNG ILYASU KOFAR BAI Plot 310 Amve Apo ext. Gudu district The son and widower of the said deceased

DATED AT ABUJA THIS 5th DAY OF DECEMBER, 2014 .

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

IBRAHIM DAN HALlLU 2.

MOHAMMED LAWAL SALlSU 3.

YUNUSA MOH’D MAKARFI 4.

DR. HAUWAU EVELYN YUSUF 5.

QUEENETH TAIWO 6.

IBRAHIM USMAN 7.

BARRISTER SADAU GARBA Aims and Objectives : To promote religious tolerance in Nigeria and Africa through mobilization.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED SECRETARY

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 DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS MR NDUKWUEGBULAM GEORGE OPARAKU National Bureau of Statistic Who died on 15th September 2014

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT

MRS.OPARAKU LOVEGEORGE UKACHI AND OPARAKU AJABA KELVIN Flat 4 Phamatobs Estate Jikwo, Abuja.

The widow and son of the said deceased

DATED AT ABUJA THIS 5th DAY OF DECEMBER, 2014 SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

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

REHAB SAMBO AND PEACE DAVID SAMBO

DAVID SAMBO NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE

KUDANSA MARABAN RIDO, KADUNA STATE

DIED ON 27TH JUNE, 2014

WIDOW AND DAUGHTER

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

IDAH MICHAEL DAPPA AND DATTOO DAPPA PORTHACOURT, RIVERS STATE

MR MICHAEL DAPPA NIGERIAN ARMY DIED ON 18TH SEPTEMBER, 2014

SONS.

DATED AT ABUJA THIS 5th DAY OF DECEMBER, 2014

DATED AT ABUJA THIS 5th DAY OF DECEMBER, 2014

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

Business/WORLD NEWS 61

Monday, December 8, 2014

Typhoon Hagupit Sweeps Across Philippines

A man retreating to safety to the roof of his house

Typhoon Hagupit is sweeping across the Philippines, toppling trees and power lines and threatening areas with heavy rain, flooding and mudslides.

About a million people have fled their homes for shelter. The storm has killed at least three people, officials say.

In Tacloban, where thousands were killed by typhoon Haiyan last year, roofs have been blown away

and streets are flooded.

But Hagupit does not appear to have been as severe as many had feared.

Hagupit, known locally as Ruby, weakened on Sunday as it continued to move slowly across the Philippines.

It was packing maximum sustained winds of 140km/h (90mph) and gusts of 170km/h (105 mph) at 17:00 local time

(0900 GMT), government forecaster Pagasa said.

The authorities believed they were well prepared this time, he adds, but it could be some time before the extent of damage in more remote areas becomes clear.

Correspondents say the Philippines has undergone its largest peacetime evacuation in history.

Officials say at least three people have been killed by Hagupit. One person was killed by a falling tree in the eastern town of Dolores.

Another two people in the central province of Iloilo reportedly died from hypothermia.

“The devastation in homes is huge because of the strong winds,” Philippine Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas told local radio DzBB. “Many people voluntarily returned to evacuate centres tonight... because they do not have homes anymore.”

—BBC

Merkel Condemns Russia ‘Interfering’ In Eastern Europe

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has accused Russia of interfering in the affairs of Eastern European countries seeking closer ties with the EU. In an interview in Die Welt am Sonntag newspaper (in German), Mrs Merkel said Russia was “creating problems” for Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine.

Russia’s violation of “the territorial integrity... of Ukraine must not be allowed to stand”, she added.

Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine have signed trade deals with the EU. Russia is suspicious of these association agreements - it is trying to draw republics which were once part of the Soviet Union into its own customs union.

“Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine are three countries in our eastern neighbourhood that have taken sovereign decisions to sign an association agreement with the EU,” Mrs Merkel told Germany’s Die Welt am Sonntag.

“Russia is creating problems for all three of these countries,” she said, pointing to frozen conflicts in breakaway regions like Trans-Dniester, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as Russian actions in eastern Ukraine.

Last month Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a “strategic partnership” agreement with Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia, drawing strong criticism from Nato and the EU. In the interview, Mrs Merkel also accused Moscow of trying to make countries in the western Balkans economically and politically dependent on Russia in order to gain influence there.

She said she was “convinced” that the “common European response to Russia’s actions is correct”.

The Ukraine crisis began a year ago, when then-President Viktor Yanukovych abandoned an agreement on strengthening trade ties with EU in favour of closer co-operation with Russia.

This decision sparked pro-EU protests in the capital Kiev, eventually toppling Mr Yanukovych in February.

—BBC

‘US Oil Output Growth To Slow As Global Prices Sink’ The United States will continue to boost oil production but falling global prices will slow down the pace, President Barack Obama’s chief economic adviser said yesterday.

“Even at a lower price of oil we are going to continue to see an increase in the production of oil. It will just increase at a lower rate than it otherwise would have,” Jason Furman told Reuters on the sidelines of a business conference in Israel.

After Saudi Arabia on Nov. 27 blocked calls from poorer members of the OPEC oil exporter group for production cuts to halt a slide in global prices, some analysts speculated the Saudis might be willing to live with lower prices to stop U.S.

oil production efforts.

Brent crude slipped below $69 a barrel on Friday, to finish the week below $70 a barrel for the first time since 2010, as cuts to official selling prices from Saudi Arabia added to recent pressure.

“The low price of oil is a big tax cut for consumers which helps consumer spending,” Furman said. “All modeling shows on net it is a positive for the U.S. economy, which is consistent with the fact that the United States is still a net importer of oil.”

When asked when the president aimed to fill two open Federal Reserve governor seats, Furman said: “We are moving to fill those seats.”

But he declined to elaborate.

In a speech at the conference,

Furman said that while the U.S. economy was strong, with job growth its most robust in 15 years, Europe, Japan and other areas needed more stimulus due to weak demand and low purchasing power.

He called on Germany’s government to spend more to boost demand, especially since near-zero inflation indicated weak demand.

“Germany has the world’s largest current account surplus ... There is a lot of space to expand domestic demand,” Furman said.

The United States has ratcheted up pressure on Europe in recent months to act decisively to help its economy, which Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has said faces a “lost decade” of low growth.

—Reuters

Teacher Pierre Korkie (right) was abducted in Yemen in May 2013.

RESCUE MISSION:13 killed In US Attempt To Rescue Hostages In Yemen A woman, a 10-year-old boy and a local al Qaeda leader were among at least 11 people killed alongside two Western hostages when U.S.led forces fought Islamist militants in a failed rescue mission in Yemen, residents said on Sunday.

US special forces raided the village of Dafaar in Shabwa province, a militant stronghold in southern Yemen, shortly after midnight on Saturday, killing several members of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

American journalist Luke Som-

ers, 33, and South African teacher Pierre Korkie, 56, were shot and killed by their captors during the raid intended to free them, U.S. officials said.

US Special Forces who tried to rescue photojournalist Luke Somers from al-Qaeda in Yemen were not aware of the identity of the other hostage held with him, a US official has told the media.

Both South African teacher Pierre Korkie and Mr Somers were shot by the militants during the raid, US officials say, and died as a result.

charity: Ambassadors’ Wives Offer Hope To 100 Orphans

By Ugochukwu Iroka, Abuja

The Association of Spouse of Head of Missions (ASOHOM) hosted over 100 children from orphanage homes as part its own way of giving back to the society, as well as giving hope and sense of belonging to the less privileged in the society.

Speaking during the charity occasion at Wonderland amusement park in Abuja, where the association hosted children from Hope for survival orphanage Gishiri, among other orphanage homes in the FCT, the president of the association Mai Ahn Shoji, the wife of the Japanese ambassador to Nigeria, represented by Verena Hodel, the wife of the Swiss ambassador

to Nigeria said that, If we truly desire to have a kind heart, we will always be seeking to help out those that are not as fortunate or blessed as we are.

According to her, ‘’I am so happy that ASOHOM and Wonderland amusement park partner to put a smile on the faces on the orphans. It doesn’t matter what income level you are at, there will always be people that are needier than we are.”

Also speaking during the occasion, the Manager of Amigo supermarket Dr Nassir Fawaz said that Wonderland always welcome charity ideas and is always delighted to put smile and joy on the faces of children.

int’l relations: ’Japan Is Eager To Work With Nigeria On Security, Democracy’

By Tunde Oguntola, Abuja

The Japanese ambassadorto Nigeria, Mr Ryuichi Shoji, has expressed that Japan is eager to work with Nigeria on issues of security, regional and world peace, the advancement of fundamental values like human rights, democracy, the rule of law, as well as a better management of international organisations.

According to him, the relationship between Japan and Nigeria has been vigorous and robust in various ways. Japan pursues expanding its economic relations with Nigeria on the basis of a win-win

strategy; fostering deeper understanding between our two peoples; and developing a closer political cooperation to promote the common good of the international community. Nigeria being a leading country in Africa, our relationship goes beyond a bilateral one.

Shoji, who was speaking during a reception marking Japanese monarch, Emperor Akihito’s birthday reception in Abuja said ‘’Japan is keen to work with the Nigerian people to strengthen the bond of friendship and mutual understanding at a people-to-people level. Under the JICA scheme.

62

Monday, December 8, 2014

250 Glo Lucky Customers To Grace CAF Awards At least 250 Globacom customers will be delighted with invitation as special guests at the 2014 Glo-CAF Awards gala nite scheduled to hold at the prestigious Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos on January 8, 2015. The lucky customers will be drawn from among those that recharge with up to a total of N5,000 in ecember 2014 in the “Reserve Your Seat at the Event Promo” launched by the telecoms company ahead of the awards. Globacom, title sponsor of the annu-

al Glo-CAF Awards said the promo was designed to bring as many customers as possible to join other political, business and showbiz icons to celebrate Africa’s most successful football stars. Apart from subscribers who recharge up to a total of N5, 000 or more in December 2014, other Glo subscribers who will have an opportunity to book a seat as one of the company’s special guests at the event, are those who buy a smart phone from any Gloworld Shop.

Globacom said it has lined up a series of world-class entertainment to delight guests at the Gala night where they will meet and interact with the crème d e la crème of African football in Lagos, on January 8, 2015. Whoever secures an invite to the event will enjoy every moment of the night.

Globacom did not stop at honouring 250 of its customers from across the country with invitation to attend the event through the Reserve Your Seat at the Event Promo.

LMC Pays Financial Merit Awards, TV Coverage Incentive To Clubs

By Ishaku Kigbu, Abuja

The League Management Company has paid all 20 Clubs that participated in the recently ended 2013/14 Glo Premier League season the Financial Merit Award as well as remitted their television coverage incentive. Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the League Management Company (LMC), Salihu Abubakar confirmed that remittance of the N75m set aside for the season’s Merit Award to the clubs have been completed last

week. The LMC had increased by 50% the Glo Premier League annual Merit Distribution Award.

It raised the total amount to be shared by the 20 clubs from N50m in the 2012/13 season to N75m in the last season. “Payment to the clubs was approved by the LMC Management during the last week and we have made the remittance to the clubs’ bank accounts based on their standing on the league table with Kano Pillars earning the highest amount of N15m while the lowest earning of N1.5m was

by Nembe City. The merit award represents cash earnings shared to the 20 clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) sponsored by Globacom Limited relative to their placing on the final league table ratified by the league body. LMC Chairman, Hon. Nduka Irabor had weeks ago announced the new award value which meant clubs earned 50% higher than what was paid for particular positions on the table. Abubakar said television coverage incentive was also introduced at the start of the

season to encourage the Clubs activate programs that will draw fans to the stadium and build good spectacle and television friendly ambience during live broadcasts.

“The television broadcast incentive seeks to support clubs increase match attendance through fan activation programs that will create the right football spectacle on live broadcast match days. It was also meant to discourage the hostile reception to broadcast partners by the home teams”, explained Abubakar.

The LMC said revenue distribution amongst clubs would continue to increase as the league continues to enjoy friction free and stable seasons and described the 2013/14 season as relatively stable compared to the previous season that was bedeviled by fixture disruptions. Observers believe that it is only under a stable atmosphere that the league can attract potential sponsors from businesses in and outside Nigeria that would exploit the huge investment market inherent in the league.

Danagogo, Ndanusa Hail NPA Over Tennis Sponsorship

By Salifu Usman, Abuja

Sports Minister and chairman National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr Tammy Danagogo and president Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), Sani Ndanusa have applauded the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) for the sponsorship of the inaugural NPA Tennis Open Championship that was rounded off at the Package B of the Abuja National Stadium. In the men’s explosive finals, Clifford Enoch won by 6-1, 6-4 carting home N300,000 for his efforts. In the ladies single, Christie Aguguo beat Osarimen Airhunmwunde 6-3, 6-1 after losing the first set 3-6 and also carted home N300,000.

The minister who was repre-

Danagogo

sented by a deputy director, The Federation and Elites Athletes De-

partment (FEAD) of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Ca-

leb Gidado was excited that NPA chose to single handedly sponsor the tournament annually, saying NPA has rekindled the hope of the game in the country. “The Honourable Minister was excited and very happy on hearing that the Nigerian Ports Authority under the leadership of the managing Director, Mallam Habib Abdullahi took the decision to sponsor this tournament annually. He said that the NPA has by this singular gesture rekindled the hope of tennis in Nigeria. The minister hopes that the players that won this year’s competition both in the singles and mix-doubles categories would be medal prospects in next year’s All African Games and the 2016 Olympics through the backings of

the NPA”, Gidado who spoke on behalf of the minister said.

NTF President, Sani Ndanusa was also full of smiles during the medals presentation and hailed the Managing Director of NPA Mallam Habib Abdullahi for coming to the aid of the Nigeria Tennis Federation in the sponsorship of the competition. “This is surely the turning point of (Lawn) Tennis in Nigeria. It took the MD of the Nigerian Ports Authority only two minutes to approve the sponsorship of this competition for the next four years. We are most grateful to him and the NPA for this great gesture and positive partnership with the Nigeria Tennis Federation”, Ndanusa disclosed.

CAF Will Miss Nigeria In AFCON - Hayatou

By TAOFEEK LAWAL, Abuja

Hayatou

President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou has revealed that the continent will miss Nigeria at the competition in January. He affirmed that Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 30th Africa Cup of Nations will not diminish the country’s importance to the entire structure of African football.

The CAF boss who was speaking in chat with President of Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick after the Draw Ceremony for the championship in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea last week admitted that the entire African football family will miss the

Super Eagles at next year’s finals.

“The whole of Africa will miss Nigeria in Equatorial Guinea. But the absence will not in any way diminish your stature as a very big and influential nation in the African game. It would have been good to have the defending champions here. Nigeria brings so much value to the Africa Cup of Nations. However, we know that you will come back much stronger, as you did in winning the Cup in South Africa last year after missing out of the 2012 championship.”

He expressed his happiness at having Amaju Pinnick as the man at

the helm of affairs in Nigeria’s football administration while formally welcoming him to the African football family. “I am happy to see someone like you take charge of Nigeria football. I have always known you right from Nigeria ’99 World Youth Championship to the African Women Championship finals in Delta State in 2002 and 2006. I know your dynamism and capacity and I believe you will deliver for Nigeria football. There is so much promise for the future.” Pinnick was the youngest head of National Association at the Draw Ceremony held in Malabo on Wednesday.

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/sports

sports 63

Monday, December 8, 2014

Aguero To Miss Roma Clash Sergio Aguero is almost certainly out of Manchester City’s crucial Champions League match with Roma after injuring knee ligaments against Everton.

The Argentine, 26, was injured in a challenge with Muhamed Besic in the third minute of Saturday’s match and left the pitch in tears.

City must win Wednesday’s game in Rome to have any chance of reaching the last 16 and Aguero’s absence is a big blow.

“Probably he’ll miss the game. It is a big problem. It is very difficult when you have trouble with

your ligament to recover in three days”, City manager, Manuel Pellegrini said.

Aguero, the Premier League’s top scorer with 14 goals, is set to learn the extent of the damage on Sunday, with Pellegrini refusing to speculate on how long he may face on the sidelines before then.

Aguero has scored 19 goals in 21 appearances in all competitions for Man City this season.

The Premier league champions will be without Yaya Toure for the Roma game due to suspension.

NFF Assures Super Falcon Of Adequate Preparation

By Taofeek Lawal, Abuja

President of Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick has reassured the Super Falcons of high –level preparations ahead of the 7th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Canada next year summer. The NFF supremo spoke on Saturday night, hours after the African champions were drawn in the same group with United States of America, Australia and Sweden at the finals taking place 6th June – 5th July, 2015 across six Canadian cities. “It is a tough group. You can see that even the Americans are calling it the most difficult group in the competition. However, our pledge to give the Super Falcons the best high –performance preparation possible is intact. They will go to a very good environment for their final camping programme and

be engaged in quality friendly matches before the finals,” Pinnick reassured.

Nigeria’s senior women’s team won a seventh African title in Namibia in October and will be expected to fly Africa’s flag high in North America. “It is important that we exceed our previous best performance of a quarter – final berth. Having dominated Africa ceaselessly, it is time that we begin to dominate the world. We certainly have the players who can stand up to the best in the universe, as shown by the U-20 girls in the same Canadian nation in August this year.

What the team needs now are matches against some of the best teams in the world and exposure to the best tactical and training programmes available.”

Super Falcons’ Head Coach, Edwin Okon and others were at the ceremony held in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city.

NFF Board Member Hails Nigerian Refs Attitude In London

By Taofeek Lawal, Abuja

Chairman of the Referees Committee of Nigeria Football Federation, Yusuf Ahmed Fresh yesterday praised the general attitude and commitment of Nigeria’s elite referees who are presently on a two –week capacity enhancing programme in the United Kingdom. Fresh, also a Member of the NFF Executive Committee, is also the leader of delegation at the programme. “I am enamoured by the spirit that the referees have brought to this programme. They have shown total dedication and I am very proud to be leading this group of worthy ambassadors,” Fresh said on telephone from London.

The contingent, also including the President of Nigeria Referees Association, Alhaji Ahmed Maude, arrived in London on Wednesday evening after flying from Lagos. On Thursday, the 11 referees had their first training session at Wembley Stadium, where Mr. Ian Blanchard, head of refereeing at The Football Association, lectured them for three hours on structure of refereeing, laws of the game and

FEYISOLA

I formerly known as OLUWATOMINIYI, FEYISOLA JANET now wish to be known as URUAKPA, FEYISOLA JANET. All former documents remain valid. The University of Ilorin and general public please take note.

KHADIJA

I formerly known as NANA KHADIJA NASIDI now wish to be known as KHADIJA SANUSI YOLA. All former documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

between Manchester City and Everton, which City won 1-0.

They wrote a report of the refereeing aspect immediately after the match. The referees will this week embark on a tour of Arsenal FC’s Emirates Stadium, be involved in analyzing weekend Premier League matches, visit The FA’s High Performance training facility at St. George’s Park and be at a referees’ training organisation’s ground to give talk on fitness and conditioning.

The President of NIPOGA Council, Engineer Abdullahi Sule has threatened to deal with athletes who cheat during the polytechnic games. He implored on them to desist from acts that could derail their success. Stating this during the opening ceremony of the 18th Nigeria polytechnic game being hosted by Federal Polytechnic Bida, he urged athletes to shun banned drugs and emulate the

lifestyle of muhammed Ali, Chioma Ajunwa, Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Mary Onyali and other sports icons who by sheer determination and hardwork became international stars. “I want to charge you to always demonstrate you physical abilities in a positive form. Gone are the days where sports people are regarded as school dropout. Today all our sporting heroes are graduates in their chosen

Enyimba Set To Dump Ikhana

Ikhana

field. They have successfully combine sport and academics to arrive where they are now. You need to emulate their deeds and follow their cause so that you can become Olympic and world champion in future. I expect you all to observe the rules of the games and win honourably or lose gallantly.”

The NIPOGA boss said schools caught using mercenaries will be dealt with. “This game is for only

But it now seems Enyimba want more especially as they will feature in the CAF Champions League next year.

“Enyimba have contacted Yusuf’s agent and want him to return to the club,” a top source informed AfricanFootball.com “They want him back as the coach and are willing to offset the four million Naira they owe him from his first stint at the club.”

Ronaldo Breaks Hat-Trick Record

Super Falcons

NGOZI

players/coaches/referees’ relationship. On Friday, the referees were at Southampton’s St. Mary’s ground to watch a match between the U-18 teams of Southampton and West Brom, after which they were engaged in a two-hour question-and-answer session with Mr. Albert, head of refereeing at Southampton.

On Saturday, Nigeria’s leading arbiters were at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester to watch the English Premiership match

NIPOGA Boss Threatens Mercenaries In Poly Games

AfricanFootball.com has exclusively gathered that Enyimba have initiated moves to replace coach Kadiri Ikhana with his former assistant Salisu Yusuf.

This past season, Ikhana returned to the Aba club to lead them to retain the Federation Cup and also finish runners-up in the league.

And the former Nigeria international defender has said he will want to continue at the club.

I formerly known as NLEWEM VIVIAN NGOZI now wish to be known as NWACHUKWU VIVIAN NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Amaju Pinnick, NFF President

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Cristiano Ronaldo netted a record 23rd hat-trick in La Liga and his 200th goal in the Spanish top flight as Real Madrid equalled the Spanish record of 18 consecutive wins in all competitions on Saturday.

Ronaldo scored all of his side’s goals in a 3-0 win over Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu to pass the hat-trick record of Telmo Zarra, whose record as La Liga’s all-time top goalscorer was recently usurped by Lionel Messi, and the late Madrid legend Alfredo di Ste-

fano, who both scored 22 hat-tricks. And his third goal on the night saw him reach his double century of La Liga goals in just 179 games.

With 18 straight wins, Carlo Ancelotti’s side have now matched the record set by Frank Rijkaard’s Barcelona team in the 2005/06 season, and will have their chance to create more history on Tuesday when they face Ludogorets Razgrad in their final Champions League group game.

Ronaldo

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Guest Sam Nda-Isaiah’s Columnist Big Ideas

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No one seems to talk about it but the major missing link in our national development is that ideas no longer count in our country

By Dan Agbese

n my way from the Abuja International Airport sometime last year, I saw a small billboard with the photograph of Sam Nda-Isaiah with a simple message: It’s time for the Big Ideas. Sam is the founder of the Leadership Group of newspapers published in Abuja. I have been fascinated by his successful replication of the success story of the Daily Trust group. He and Kabiru Yusuf, chairman of the latter group, gave a lie to the hollow view that the soil of northern Nigeria was unhealthy for the survival of the print media industry. Other publishing entrepreneurs have similarly replicated their success stories. The Peoples Daily and Blueprint newspapers have done so. And thanks to them, Abuja is now home to a host of less known weekly and monthly newspapers and magazines.

His billboard was not about newspapering. It was about his political ambition. To be sure, Sam is not the first well-heeled journalist in the country to root for the presidency.

Dele Momodu, publisher of the society magazine, Ovation, beat him to it. Still, it came as no small surprise to many, including yours sincerely, that Sam had set his sights on Aso Rock, determined to send the incumbent to his village. The terse message on the billboard introduced a welcome dimension to our dull and uninspiring game of politics in which the contents of one’s pocket trump the contents of one’s brain and heart. Perhaps, not many people at first took him seriously. Perhaps, some believed he was trying to be noticed. The number one political position in the country is traditionally seen as the exclusive preserve of the big men – rich and well connected; men who had gone through the drill as actors at various levels of our national politics.

His party, APC, is full of such towering aspirants – Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, former head of state and by Sam’s admission, his “role model and political boss”; Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president and one of the smoothest political operators in the country; Dr.

Rabiu Kwankwaso, governor of Kano State and Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo State. Would Sam stand a chance against these towering figures, all of whom are practised hands in the election business? The prospects are truly frightening.

It takes raw courage and a dollop of a sense of personal destiny for a young man such as he to take on his ‘masters.’ These men all turned up at Sam’s formal declaration in Minna, the capital of his home state, Niger, last month. They were not there to humour him. My take is that they were there to demonstrate a sense of political accommodation. If they wanted to show that in APC there is room for the young and the old as well as the rich and the not so rich, then they got it right. I find that refreshing in a country in which the stifling of political ambitions is the norm characterised by the Tony Anenih doctrine: there is no vacancy.

I do not know what Sam’s chances of becoming the presidential candidate of his party are but his presidential ambition throws up some potentially interesting developments in our national politics. It could draw the line in the sand between yesterday’s men and today’s men. It could serve notice that there comes a time in the life of all nations when the old order dies and gives way to the new.

It could signal the beginning of politics of personal conviction not subject to the whims and the caprices of the obnoxious political godfathers.

Politics is not averse to tectonic generational shifts. I place some weight on his formal declaration and the presence of the high and the high to hear him out. As we say in Agila, if a boy washes his hands well, he can dine with his elders.

I have read and re-read his declaration speech several times. I am impressed by the depth of his understanding of what our country is up against in every aspect of our national life. He is nostalgic about the past but does not necessarily romanticize it. He said: “I have seen Nigeria when our country’s schools and universities were among the best in the world and foreigners from all over the world trooped into this country

to acquire world-class education.”

It is all in the game of politics that Sam holds the PDP and its central government responsible for the comprehensive decay in our national life. Fact is, the rot began as a gradual process and reached its present nauseous level because we prefer to live the lie. I find Sam’s emphasis on the big ideas intriguing. He said: “I come to you waving the scroll of BIG IDEAS – big and bold ideas that will move our beleaguered country into the league of First World nations.”

I like his self-deprecating humour.

Does he have enough experience to be president? He said: “I find my lack of experience in government a strength.. because I have not been part of the rot of the past.”

And his dig at Jonathan? “..you cannot have more experience than President Jonathan. He has been a deputy governor, a governor, a vicepresident, and an acting president before becoming president and see what this huge experience has done to our dear country.”

No one seems to talk about it but the major missing link in our national development is that ideas no longer count in our country. We have a nation of all-knowing men at all levels of government. Their monopoly of political wisdom robs our nation of an important ingredient in nation building: ideas as stimulators of meaningful public discourse. We are all marginalised. In politics, ideas are about dreams for one’s country.

And big ideas are about big dreams for one’s country. Public discourse helps in refining and implementing ideas critical to national development.

Not all ideas, no matter how big, are necessarily worth anything.

Some big ideas are dumb and foolish. The idea to have a federal university in every state was a politically correct big idea; in truth, it was a foolish idea. The idea to remedy the mass failure in the WAEC by limiting the children to the five subjects they need to enter the university was a big idea in response to the embarrassing failure rate every year but it was a patently dumb idea. A big idea is a sensible approach to a messy problem.

As important as they are, big ideas will work no magic in freeing our country from its arrested development and set it back on a course to recover its lost glory. But ideas, the size Sam is talking about, are important sources of national discourse in the true sense of participatory democracy. Big ideas will smother petty ideas rooted in ethnic and sectional political, economic and other interests. Our country has for long been a victim of smallmindedness. Ideas, big or small, do not thrive in such an environment.

Does anyone notice that there is so little talk about the Nigerian nation and so much talk about the political rights of our ethnic groups? This is the consequence of the absence of ideas and dreams for our country and its people.

I am a sucker for ideas because they are products of deep and reflective thoughts. I am all for those who think we deserve much more than the somnolent routine into which our national politics has sunk. I welcome Sam’s decision to preach the virtues of big ideas and hope that when all this is done, our nation will find it increasingly hard to regress into the politics of empty promises, devoid of deep and reflective thoughts.

Goodluck, Sam. – Agbese is former managing director of Newswatch.

GHANA MUST GO Jonathan avoiding governors on dwindling revenue — Gov Okorocha

Report him to the militants!

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