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Nigeria retains Category One safety status lChidoka seeks America's help for nation's aviation sector Wole Shadare

N

igeria's image in the global aviation industry has been boosted with the country's reten-

tion of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category One Status.

The US aviation agency handed over the certificate

to Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka at a ceremony in Washington on Tuesday.

Chidoka was issued the certificate that shows that

the Nigerian civil aviation meets global standards after Nigeria closed all the open items noticed by the US FAA when its officials visited the country on

March 31.

FAA had carried out intensive internal aviation safety assessment in Nigeria and there were fears CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Chidoka

Bishops knock Oritsejafor lSay involvement in $9.3m arms deal scandalous }3 Quick Read Editorial For a paradigm shift in S'South cooperation }19

I’ll bring terrorists to justice, says Jonathan }4

Plot to stop president thickens }3 APC: Jonathan sole PDP candidature undemocratic }5

No going back on probe of Suntai's health

}49

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof. Joy Ogwu and Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Ade Adefuye, during the arrival of the president in New York... yesterday.

Atiku: Nigeria on auto pilot lDeclare to contest for presidency in 2015 Lateef Ibrahim, Johnchuks Onuanyim and Emmanuel Onani Vice-President Former Atiku Abubakar yester-

day formally threw his hat into the ring with a declaration that his renewed bid to lead Nigeria was informed by his readiness to play a leading role in the

trans-generational efforts to save the country and improve the welfare of its people.

He said the nation has been drifting and it needs a

new leader to steer the ship of state to a safe harbour.

According to him, with the support of Nigerians desirous of change and the hard work by all, his

Military confirms killing of Shekau's impostor }49 LAGOS

All Progressives Congress (APC) shall form the next government.

Atiku, who is gunning for the presidency for the CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Storms

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

NEWS

Thursday, September 25, 2014

3

Catholic bishops knock Oritsejafor lReps probe bribery allegations against PDP lawmakers Ibraheem Musa and Philip Nyam

C

atholic bishops have criticised President, Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, over his alleged involvement in

the $9.3 million arms deal that turned awry in South Africa.

They accused Oritsejafor of smearing the image of the religious body by allowing the use of his aircraft to ferry the $9.3 million that was seized by South African authorities.

The controversy over the cash seizure also reverberated in the House of Representatives were some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers were accused of receiving $20,000 each to scuttle a debate on the motion. The House has directed its Committee on

Ethics and Privileges to probe the claim.

President, Catholic Bishop Conference, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, in an interview with the Hausa Service of BBC, monitored yesterday in Kaduna, described as scandalous, the alleged in-

their counsel, James Ocholi (SAN), leading three other SANs has been assigned to Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed for hearing.

The plaintiffs raised five questions for the court's determination and are seeking seven reliefs, including an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the AGF and INEC from accepting as candidate in the 2015 presidential election anybody caught by "twoprevious-election limit and eight-year term limit."

They asked whether by the provisions of Section 135(1)(2) and (2a) of the constitution, any person holding the office of the president can continue to act in that capacity after eight years from the date he/she first took or deemed in law, to have

bishops had been watching with sadness how Oritsejafor had been hobnobbing with the presidency for long and has been dragging Christianity into the mud.

Kaigama faulted the way and manner Oritsejafor was running CAN and urged the relevant authorities to investigate the issue of the plane and the money found inside it dispassionately and ensure that those found guilty are punished.

"It is not proper; the guilty must be punished.

It is not acceptable for a Christian leader to be seen always with the president.

We in the Catholic have always picked holes in Oritsejafor's style of leadership in CAN and we even wanted to stop attending CAN meeting at the national level," he said.

The Archbishop urged the government to intensify efforts to improve the security situation in troubled parts of Nigeria.

He also expressed worry over the worsening security situation in the North-East which is affecting all Nigerians.

However, Oritsejafor has denied allegations of involvement in the failed arms deal, saying he gave out his aircraft to a company to manage and it was the company that leased out the aircraft to those who ferried the two Nigerians and one Israeli to South Africa where they were caught with the $9.3 million cash.

Also yesterday, the failed arms deal engaged the attention of the House of Representatives, for the second day running.

The House mandated its Committee on Ethics and Privileges to investigate allegations by Hon. Ali Madaki (APC, Kano) that each PDP lawmaker got $20,000 and not $50,000, as earlier claimed, to frustrate investigation into the deal. The committee has two weeks to submit its report.

Madaki may be suspended from the House for two weeks, if found guilty of peddling false allegations.

At the resumed plenary of the House, Chairman, Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa (PDP, Taraba) had raised a point of order bordering on a breach of privilege.

Citing order 8 rule 20 of the House Rules, Sam-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

volvement of Oritsejafor in the botched deal.

He wondered why those involved in the deal could have hired Oritsejafor's plane when there are military aircraft that could be used for the purchase of arms for the country.

Kaigama added that the

L-R: Chairperson, Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mrs. Binta Garuba; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume and Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, at Atiku’s declaration for the 2015 presidency in Abuja‌yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI.

Plot to stop Jonathan thickens

l PDP, APC members ask court to declare president ineligible for re-election Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

E

fforts to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2015 presidential election intensified yesterday as two members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) asked the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, to among others, restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) from allowing him to do so.

In a suit filed by four Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), the plaintiffs argued that by provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the president, having contested the presidential elec-

tion twice, won and taken the oath of office and allegiance twice, he is no longer qualified to run for the office for the third time.

The suit is the second seeking to stop Jonathan from running for a second term in office, after his adoption by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as its sole candidate.

In an earlier suit filed last Friday, the Federal High Court, also sitting in Abuja, was asked to restrain the PDP from fielding the president as its candidate for the February 14, 2015 election.

The plaintiffs, Mase Daphine Acho, Saeeq Umar Sarki, both lawyers, and Murtala Abubakar, also asked the court to stop Vice-President Namadi Sambo from running along with Jonathan be-

cause the duo is ineligible for re-election.

According to court papers on the latest suit, obtained by reporters in Abuja, the plaintiffs are Adejumo Monsuru Ajagbe, a member of the PDP from Lagos State and Olatoye Wahab, an APC member while listed as defendants, among others, are the AGF and INEC. They relied on the provisions of sections 132(1), 135(2) (a) and (b), 137(1) (b), 142(1) and (2) and the Supreme Court's decision in the case of Marwa and Nyako (2012) 6 NWLR (Part 1296) 199 at page 306.

The plaintiffs argued that by the provision of the constitution, the president and vice-president, who were elected in the same election and sworn into office on the same date

and at the same ceremony are, in law, taken to have been elected for one single term of four years notwithstanding the death or even impeachment of the president.

"That being so, the reference to "two previous elections" in Section 137(1) (b) of the Constitution includes two previous oath of allegiance and oath of office as president. It is therefore safe to conclude that a vice-president, who had taken the oath of allegiance and oath of office for two previous terms as president is, in law, deemed to have been elected into the office of president at two previous elections, thereby standing disqualified to contest another election into that office," they said.

The case, filed through

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NEWS

Thursday, September 25, 2014

I’ll bring terrorists to justice, says Jonathan Anule Emmanuel Abuja

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday vowed to crush Boko Haram insurgency in the country, saying he will bring terrorists to justice.

He assured that Nigeria will triumph over terrorism.

The President spoke while delivering Nigeria's annual statement to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Jonathan also challenged world leaders to consider a major reform in the United Nations Security Council as one of the major steps that could assist in addressing global challenges to peace.

On insurgency in Nigeria, the President assured that the Federal Government would continue to do everything possible to rescue the abducted Chibok girls and curb the violent and criminal activities of Boko Haram which has terrorised the country in the past three years.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the countries and organisations that expressed solidarity with us, and have continued to support our determined efforts to free our daughters.

"Although it has been

over three months since they were abducted, we have never relented in our efforts to set them safely free. Together with our partners, we are working assiduously to free our daughters and reunite them with their families.

"Let me underline today, that we shall not waiver until we end this mindless war on the innocent, and bring all the perpetrators to justice. We will triumph over terrorism," Jonathan declared.

He said obstacles to global peace and security have made it imperative for urgent action on the reformation of the Security Council.

He also called for an urgent review of United Nations peacekeeping operations across the world.

President Jonathan noted that the failure of unanimity of action by the Security Council over pressing challenges to global peace and security in Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, and the renewed aggression between Israel and Palestine, have strengthened the case for the reform of the Security Council.

"Today's challenges can only be resolved by a Security Council whose working methods engender transparency, inclusivity, and common ownership through equitable representation of all regions in the decision making process of the Council.

"It is imperative that we take advantage of 2015, which also marks the 50th anniversary of the 1965 reform, to make concrete

progress on the reform of the Council.

"We call for a fasttracked process, in line with the initiative of His Excellency John Ashe, President of the 68th General Assembly, for establishing a working group on reform. Indeed, the Security Council requires the collective resolve of all member states to ensure that 2015 brings decisive progress," Jonathan told the annual gathering of global leaders.

The president said that although the United Nations was established about 70 years ago to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, the world sadly continues to experience conflict and human suffering.

"Today's terrorism is vi-

cious and aimless. Its consequences are extremely agonizing, marked by a tendency to annihilate victims, and completely destroy infrastructure and properties. The involvement of foreign fighters has remained a common feature of terrorist groups - whether Al Qaeda in the Maghreb, Al Shaabab in Somalia, Boko Haram in Nigeria, or the newly emerging Islamic State (I.S).

"The new dimension introduced by I.S. to conquer territory and establish its destructive ideology is a major challenge that must be collectively halted before it becomes the norm.

This refocuses attention on the need to review present tools for United Nations peacekeeping operations," Jonathan said.

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ONITSHA

Ambassador, European Union Delegation to Nigeria, Mr. Michel Arrion (left) and former Governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu, during Arrion’s visit to Tinubu in Lagos...yesterday.

Plot to stop Jonathan thickens CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

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AEROCONTRACTORS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06:50; 13:30; 16:30; 19:45 (SAT/SUN) 12:30; 16:45 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 13:00; 19:00 (SAT) 12:30 (SUN) 15:30

OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS-ILORIN (MON-FRI) 07:15 LAGOS-IBADAN (MON-FRI) 7:00 IBADAN-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:00 IBADAN-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:30 ILORIN –ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30 ILORIN –LAGOS (MON-FRI) 17:00 ABUJA-ASABA (MON-FRI) 10:00 ASABA-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 14:15 ASABA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 11:30 LAGOS-ASABA (MON-FRI) 13:00 ABUJA-ILORIN 16:00 ABUJA-IBADAN 15:00

Partially Cloudy

PORT HARCOURT

FIRST NATION AIRWAYS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06.50; 09:30; 11:45; 16:00 (SAT) 06:50; 11:45 (SUN) 11:45; 16:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 11:30; 13:40;18:30 (SAT) 09:00; 13:40 (SUN) 13:40; 18:30 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 14:45 (SAT) 16:15 (SUN) 14:45 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:50 (SAT) 18:20 (SUN) 16:50

MEDVIEW AIRLINES LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:50; 12:00; 15:30 (SAT) 10:00; 15:00 (SUN) 17:30; 18:30 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 14:00, 15:00; 18:30

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST ABUJA

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

first taken the oath of allegiance, except as provided in Section 135(3).

They also asked whether a general election could be held into the office of the president when the incumbent president will only have spent a cumulative period of six years in office so that his re-election will be for no more than two additional years having regard to the time expressly specified for holding of general election to the office of president under Section 132(2) of the constitution and the maximum term allowed any person under Section 135 of the constitution.

Also, they want the

court to determine whether for the purpose of counting the maximum eight year term limit for a person elected into the office of the president under Section 1(2), 135,136 and 137(1) (b of the constitution, the election and period served by a deceased elected president (who did not exhaust his term on account of death) and the remainder served to complete the unexhausted term by the vice-president (successor) is attributable to the successor for determining the two previous election limit and the maximum term of eight to which the successor is entitled as president under the constitution.

They also asked wheth-

er by an affirmative answer to question three, the AGF can validly advise the INEC to accept as a candidate in the presidential election, an aspirant who is caught by two-previouselection limit and the eight-year term limit in 2015 elections or any subsequent presidential election.

The plaintiffs further want the court to decide whether in view of the provision of Section 137(1) (b) of the constitution, any person can present himself for election as president, having participated as candidate and emerged winner at two previous presidential elections on account of which the

person would have spent a period of eight years in office by the time the winner of the 2015 presidential election will be sworn into office.

They also want the court to declare that general election cannot be due to be held when the incumbent president will only have spent a cumulative period of six years in office so that his re-election will be for no more than two additional years, having regard to the time expressly specified for holding of presidential election under section 132 (2) of the constitution and the maximum term allowed any person under section 135 of the constitution.

ARIK AIR LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 11:00 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00; 20:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 09:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 (SAT) 07:00; 11:00; 15:00 (SUN) 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 09:00; 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 (SAT) 07:30; 11:30; 09:00; 13:00; 17:00 (SUN) 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 ABUJA-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30; 16:50 (SAT/SUN) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30 PORT-HARCOURT-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10; 18:30 (SAT/SUN) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10

NEWS

Thursday, September 25, 2014

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Chidoka seeks America's help for nation's aviation sector CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

that the country might not retain the status it earned in September 2010.

Receiving the certificate, Chidoka promised to reform and strengthen the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) that meets the requirements of the National Transportation Safety Board, (NTSB) for enhance its efficiency.

The minister tasked global aviation regulatory body, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), to commence exchange programmes in air navigation, to deepen knowledge and promote best practices.

The minister, in a statement that was obtained yesterday, said the FAA informed him that Nigeria had continued to meet the safety oversight requirements under the interna-

tional aviation standards.

He added that the retention of Category One Status was hard earned and promised that the government would continue to ensure that the country retains the status and other future safety certifications.

He also said plans were underway to reform the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and align it with other international bodies for efficiency delivery.

He urged the US Department of Transportation to extend its assistance to the Nigerian aviation industry in a bid to improve safety and security components.

The minister requested for hands-on training and exchange programmes between the two agencies that will result in direct and more meaningful transfer of expert knowl-

edge in different aspects of airport security.

The US promised to support the efforts of the Federal Government to enhance airport security and improve the operational performance and intelligence of security agents working in the air transport sector.

The minister also met with operators in the commercial and private sector investment.

In Montreal, Canada, he met with different teams from Air Canada and Bombardier and while in the United States, he discussed extensively with Boeing.

During these meetings, economic regulatory and operational issues relating to the aviation sector were discussed and the national carrier project was also mentioned.

The fear that Nigeria

may lose the rating was heightened by the recurrent air disaster and frequent changes in the leadership of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Had Nigeria lost the Category One rating, the nation's sole carrier to the US, Arik Air, would have been affected as it would have stopped operations to America and forced to lease airplanes from a Category One nation to fly directly to the US. FAA Category 1 retention elevates the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations and granted the country the reputation of nation that is serious with air transport.

Since the passing of ICAO audit and the rating of the country as Category 1 status nation, the number of foreign airlines

A cross-section of the 36 Chibok schoolgirls and Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, when the governor approved their international schools in Maiduguri…yesterday.

APC: Jonathan sole PDP candidature undemocratic Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

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he adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has received knocks from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party described such endorsement by the PDP as “undemocratic and mockery of democracy.”

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP had at its 66th meeting adopted the president as the sole candidate for the February 14, 2015 election.

In a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party

said the endorsement has come at a great price to Nigerians, considering the obvious deals that were struck to make President Jonathan the sole PDP candidate.

The party stated: “Those fellows in the PDP have never heard of the saying that those who must come to equity must come with clean hands.

PDP, where is your own internal democracy now that you have turned your party into a fiefdom controlled by one and only one person only?

“While endorsements are part and parcel of democracy, they are never done to the exclusion of other candidates. This is simply not democratic.

When President Barrack Obama was endorsed

by his party's bigwigs to contest the US Presidency, the party never excluded Hillary Clinton from its primaries. That's how it is done,” APC said.

The party said the price being paid for Jonathan's endorsement by Nigeria is simply too heavy, considering that the PDP governors who spearheaded the endorsement have now secured perpetual immunity from prosecution by anti-graft bodies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC); the automatic tickets for all first-term PDP governors, whether or not they have performed, the automatic tickets for all

PDP governors running for the Senate, as well as the free ride back to the Upper Chamber for Senate President David Mark. ''It is now an Open Sesame for the PDP governors, who have no prying anti-corruption agencies watching over their shoulders. They can now simply see the commonwealth as an extension of their deep pockets.

The endorsement is also a vote of approval for the proceeds of corruption that have been powering the noisy and outrageous Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN),” it said.

APC accused President Jonathan of desecrating the country's democracy because of his desperation for re-election.

flying into the country has doubled.

Besides, after so many years, American airlines have started operations into Nigeria, giving Nigerian travellers direct flight to destinations in the US. The audit of NCAA was predicated on eight critical elements which include primary aviation legislation, which is the Civil Aviation Act; specific operating regulation; civil aviation system and setting oversight function, and technical personnel function and training.

Others were technical guidance material, tools and provision of sensitive critical information; li-

censing, certification, authorisation and approval obligation; surveillance obligation which is monitoring compliance and resolution of safety concerns.

Reacting to Nigeria's retention of its rating, President, Aviation Round Table (ART), Capt. Dele Ore, said it was a big relief for the nation as the loss of the rating would have done incalculable damage to the aviation industry.

Former Commandant, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd,) said the country was seeking extension for the closing of open items the Americans noticed when they came to Nigeria.

Atiku openly declare to contest for presidency in 2015 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

third time since 2007, while officially declaring his interest to vie for the presidential ticket of the APC, assured his supporters that he will never give up on Nigeria.

Atiku declared on a day the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, said the police would liaise with other security agencies to ensure that people with criminal records were not allowed to run for elective offices in 2015.

The former vice-president, in his eight-page declaration speech titled: "Time For Change", said he had been confronted, severally, with the question on why he was so desirous of leading Nigeria.

He said: "My passion for governance is that of a man who wants to do more because there is so much more to be done in fixing Nigeria. This passion continues to grow as long as this government is not really doing the fixing.

"I want to lead a government that will invest in its people because people constitute the wealth of any nation. I want to lead a government that will create a Nigeria for all.

"I have what it takes to bring people together and turn things around for the better. Therefore, I want to play a leading role in the trans-generational efforts to save this country and improve the lives our people."

Atiku, who took a retrospective look on his days in government with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, described his erstwhile principal as a passionate defender of Nigerian unity.

He said: "As vice president of Nigeria from 1999-

2007, I worked closely with my boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is also a passionate defender of Nigerian unity.

"We re-integrated our country into international community following years of isolation; we professionalised our armed forces; we embarked on fundamental economic reforms articulated by an economic team, which I had the honour to chair.

"We focused on macroeconomic stability and transforming critical areas such as banking, insurance, oil and gas, telecommunication, pension and the civil service.

"We created novel institutions that should lay the foundation for good governance and accountability such as the Bureau of Procurement (Due Process), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), SERVICOM, whose golden rule is “Serve others as you would like to be served.” Sadly, most of these institutions are now mere shadows of themselves.

"We also paid off nearly all of our foreign debts, which were crippling the country; we stabilised the exchange rate of the naira as well as interest rates, and reduced inflation.

What needed to follow was for these macro-economic gains to be further translated into improved welfare for our people.

"With the reforms in the telecommunications sector, we increased the number of functioning telephone lines from 200,000 at the inception of our administration to over 70 million by the time we left. Our reforms also led to an increase in the marCONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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NEWS

Thursday, September 25, 2014

2015: PDP govs sacrificed ambitions for Jonathan –Akpabio Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

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kwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, has stated that governors elect-

ed on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sacrificed their ambitions to adopt President Goodluck Jonathan as sole candidate for the February 14, 2015 election.

Akpabio, who is the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, also noted that the opposition is rattled by the ability of PDP stakeholders to rally behind the president who,

he said, has "performed exceedingly well.”

“The idea of him spending presidential time instead of facing insurgency, food insufficiency and other things that may af-

L-R: Abduraham Terabu; Chairperson, House of Representatives' Committee on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa; counsel to Egypt Air, Robert Clarke and Sani Bello, during the hearing on wrongful deportation of a Nigerian student by the airline in Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI.

Atiku openly declare to contest for presidency in 2015 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

ket capitalisation of the Nigerian Stock Exchange from N400 billion to over N8 trillion by 2007 and to nearly N13 trillion by 2008.

"We also handed over well-articulated master plans for the development of multi-modal transportation system, including a contract for the modernisation of the railways. We also commenced the implementation of the gas-topower master plan, with a target of 26,000 megawatts of electricity expected to be delivered by 2015.

"This is the story of the service of an administration, which I am proud to have been a part of. These achievements were made possible because of the vision, commitment and dedication of leadership.

Good leadership is what it takes to make good things happen. Did we resolve all of Nigeria's challenges?

Of course not! But no one would say that there was leadership vacuum or a lack of commitment, plan and execution."

Atiku, however, expressed regrets that since the exit from power of the Obasanjo administration, the story has changed.

He stated that than reducing the nation's debts, borrowings have been increasing despite the fact that the price of oil has remained above $100 per barrel since the inception of the current administration.

Besides, the percentage of the national budget being implemented, he added, has fallen because capital projects are poorly cash-backed.

According to him, under the watch of the present administration, some "major manufacturers have divested from Nigeria and relocated to neighbouring countries while those that remain operate at far below their installed capacity due mainly to poor infrastructure."

"The environment for doing business, and our ranking in world competitiveness index have worsened. Therefore, job opportunities for our teeming youths have become harder to come by. We recall with sadness the avoidable deaths of job seekers during the poorly organised so-called Immigration Service recruitment exam just last year. Up to this moment no one has been held accountable for those needless deaths.

"On human development, our infant and maternal mortality, and poverty and illiteracy levels continue to be embarrassingly high. Thus, while countries such as Ghana, Gabon and Botswana are classified by the UNDP as being at the Medium Human Development Level, Nigeria is grouped with those at the Low Human Development Level.

"This situation reinforces the urgent need for

change. We cannot continue down this path of national decline.

"Resentment, disillusionment and hopelessness are the emotions on which insecurity and disharmony thrive. Our country is more divided today than at any other time since the civil war. There is a disturbing rise in ethnic nationalism and religious bigotry. This is promoting social tension and mutual distrust amongst the people of Nigeria.

"All over the country, there are daily breaches of security resulting in loss of lives and property. Armed robbery, kidnappings and human trafficking continue to ravage many parts of the country. A bunch of extremist insurgents are hoisting strange flags on large areas of our territory that they claim to have conquered. Unspeakable horrors are now being committed daily against our people by anti-social elements in the name of religion and other causes.

"Government has a responsibility to do everything possible to halt the ongoing dehumanisation of Nigerians. Unfortunately, what we have is a serious governance deficit. To put it bluntly, our country seems to be on auto pilot with no one in charge.

"We need a strong, dynamic, decisive, competent and visionary leadership that can halt the current drift of the ship

of state, fight corruption, create jobs, rebuild our infrastructure, provide social services and tackle insecurity in a decisive, robust multi-pronged way.

This is the change we want and deserve and this is the change the APC is primed to offer. And that is why I am a proud member of this platform for change," he added.

However, ahead of the next general election, the IG yesterday warned politicians with criminal records not to bother to run for elective positions.

Addressing top police officers in Abuja, Abba said the police would collaborate with other security agencies, especially the Department of State Service (DSS), which is responsible for the screening of candidates and certain categories of public office holders, to stop such category of politicians.

He assured Nigerians of the readiness of the police to provide security during the electoral process that will culminate in violence-free elections in 2005.

He also said both sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials would be adequately protected to ensure the sanctity of the forthcoming polls.

He, therefore, warned troublemakers to steer clear of the electoral process, as the police will not condone any infraction to the electoral law.

fect the country and begin to campaign for the party ticket when he is already the incumbent president is what we want to avoid.

I think this is a very fantastic model of internal democracy.

“What we only said and did is, let's sacrifice our individual ambition so that Mr. President will have a second term. We are not saying that other people should not contest election, but as PDP governors we want to join hands and support him to win the second term. It does not mean that any person who wants to contest should not contest. We are indeed deepening democracy by sacrificing our own ambition,” Akpabio disclosed.

He described the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) as a well calculated exercise in democracy.

His words: “The adoption by NEC is democracy in action. In America, that we are copying, the incumbent president does not go through primaries. We are not saying that the President will not face the general election," he

stated, adding that the PDP governors by that decision also resolved to stabilise the party and avoid the unfortunate situation that leaves the party fractured after primary elections.

“Instead of fracturing the party at the end of the convention, we want to move as one family to elect the presidential candidate at the convention. And that is democracy in action.

So, I don't think anybody should criticise it. Rather we should be commended for not behaving like past governors who by now, nine or 15 of them would have declared for presidency and then confusion will start in the party. So the people who sacrificed their ambition to support the president, should they be castigated or commended?”

He said the adoption of the president has rattled the opposition. "I think the opposition is rattled. Any time that the PDP makes a move and the opposition is criticizing, then you know that thing is biting them and if they praise you, you should be worried,” the governor stated.

Reps probe bribery allegations against PDP lawmakers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Tsokwa said he was embarrassed by stories in some of the media on the walkout by APC) members at Tuesday’s plenary that PDP lawmakers were given $50,000 each to stall the debate on a motion by Hon. Suleiman Kawu to investigate the $9.3 million arms deal involving two Nigerians and an Israeli.

Sam-Tsokwa said: "As chairman, Committee on Rules and Business, this issue is not to my knowledge. No money was received by any member of my party or me."

Although, he did not mention anybody’s name, he accused a member of the House of levelling the accusation, adding that the report breached his privilege as a member of the House.

He said the protest and subsequent walkout on the House by APC lawmakers were uncalled for and condemnable.

Ruling on the matter, Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, who presided, referred the matter to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges.

He, however, cautioned members to be careful "as circumstances like this could lead to casualty."

Upon the deputy speaker’s ruling, Madaki raised a point of order, thereby creating pandemonium on the floor.

Although Madaki was consistently shouted down by his colleagues, the Minority Whip, Hon. Samson Osagie (Edo, APC), pleaded that he should be allowed to speak.

To the consternation of members, Madaki said he told a journalist that he heard on good authority "that PDP members were given $20,000 each."

He said what he told the journalist over the telephone about the bribe was that he was aware that each of the PDP lawmaker was bribed with $20,000 but not $50,000 as it was reported.

Following Madaki’s confession, the House became rowdy for almost 10 minutes before order was eventually restored.

Meanwhile, the House Committee on Niger Delta has summoned the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Steve Oru, over poor handling of road contracts.

The House also alleged that the ministry has not inaugurated a single project since it was created in 2009.

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Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

apology Nigeria demands apology from Egypt for the maltreatment of a Nigerian Ndubuisi Ugah

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hat could have sparked off a diplomatic row between the governments of Nigeria and Egypt has been averted, following a protest by the Federal Government over an alleged maltreatment of a 17-year-old Nigerian, Joshua AbdulAzeez, by Egypt Air. Consequently, the Minister of State 1, Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, has demanded an unreserved apology from the Egyptian government over the incident.

Onwuliri had summoned the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ashraf Salama, to formally lodge a protest over the treatment meted out

7

Nigeria, Egypt avert diplomatic row over maltreatment of Nigerian  Onwuliri demands apology from govt to Abdul-Azeez by the flag carrier airline of Egypt.

The minister, who said it was “child-abuse” for Egypt Air to have made the Nigerian to stay without food for three days, after wrongly routing his air ticket, said it was unacceptable that Egypt Air had failed to respond to repeated enquiries from the Nigeria Embassy in Cairo on what led to the inhuman treatment of the Nigerian.

The Nigerian authorities had sought explanation from the airline on reports that the Nigerian passport the 17-year-old Nigerian was torn to shreds by a staff of Egypt Air in Istanbul, Turkey.

Onwuliri expressed dismay that the Egyptian ambassador’s initial re-

action to the issue was to question the authenticity of Nigerian media reportage on the Nigerian who was treated like “a common criminal” by Egypt Air. “Egypt and Nigeria are friendly countries and they have built this friendship over the years, but I don’t think we should allow things like this to happen.

“You (the ambassador) are worried about four pages of newspaper report on the issue, but I am surprised that you are not

worried that a Nigerian passport was torn by an official of Egypt Air. “I am surprised that you are not worried that a young boy, a Nigerian citizen, was left without food and water by an airline operated by your government. I am really surprised at you Mr. Ambassador,” she said.

Onwuliri told the ambassador that the Nigerian government would not hesitate to demand compensation for the citizen when it concludes investigation on the matter.

“One Nigerian citizen is important to us and part of our multi-track diplomacy is that every Nigeria everywhere must be fully accounted for. The young boy in questions was going back to school in Ukraine and he complained here that he was issued the wrong ticket.

“Did you (Egypt Air) employ people who cannot read tickets and issue correct codes even after complaints,” the minister queried.

She, therefore, demanded a formal explanation

from the Egyptian government, which had 100 per cent control of Egypt Air. In his defence, the Egyptian ambassador earlier blamed the Nigerian media for escalating a ``small incident” involving a Nigerian passenger and Egypt Air. Salama said a Nigeria newspaper devoted fourpages on the issue.

He said the embassy had contacted the Egypt Air and his home government on the incident but had yet to receive a formal report.

Lobbyists frustrating tobacco bill —Mark Chukwu David Abuja

he President of the TMark, Senate, Senator David yesterday revealed

that very strong interested individuals and groups in the tobacco industry were responsible for the failure of the Presidency to sign the National Tobacco Control Bill passed by the 6th Senate into law.

"But let me remind us also that this bill is not just a Nigerian bill; it is far more important because there are lots of countries that try to debate the issue of total ban on cigarette and smoking. Powerful groups are behind the bill; it is not as straightforward and I remember that a lot of lobbyists were all over the

place when this bill was debated in the 6th Senate.

So, I am not surprised that we eventually didn't sign it but we should have the courage to at least do something", he revealed.

That was as many senators tried in vain to persuade the upper chamber to enact a law to out rightly ban the production, marketing and consumption of tobacco in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the National Tobacco Control Bill 2012, which was represented in the 7th Senate after it failed to receive Presidential assent in the last Senate, passed through second reading as part of efforts by the apex chamber to ensure proper regulation of tobacco production in the country.

States need more money, says Aliyu Dan Atori MINNA

iger State Governor, NAliyu, Dr Muazu Babangida has restated his re-

quest for more money to be made available to state and local governments in the country to enable them tackle numerous challenges facing them.

Aliyu said in Minna yesterday that despite the huge resources available to the Federal Government, its agencies in the states still make requests for financial assistance from the state governments.

The governor made the remarks when he received the New Sector Commander of the Fed-

eral Road Safety Corps, Mr Ugochukwu Ugbonna and the UNICEF Chief of Field, Mr Uptal Moitra, who paid him a courtesy visit at government house.

Insisting that there was the need for the revenue formula to be ‘better situated’, Aliyu said most federal institutions cannot function properly without financial and other forms of support from the state government.

Aliyu, however, said that his administration will continue to do all within its powers to ensure that federal institutions in the state perform up to their optimum since it is the state that will benefit from their services.

L-R: Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Omirin; Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Governor Kayode Fayemi; and Commissioner for Local Government, Mr. Paul Omotosho, during the commissioning of a 5 Kilometre road in Ajoni Local Council Development Area as part of the 4th anniversary celebration of the Fayemi Administration... yesterday

FEC approves programme for Independence Day celebration l Lauds Jonathan's achievements Anule Emmanuel

T

he Federal Executive Council, FEC, has approved a programme for the celebration of the country's 54th Independence anniversary.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku disclosed to state house correspondents after the weekly FEC meeting yesterday at the presidential villa, Abuja that the national celebration would begin with a Jumat prayer by Muslim

faithful to be led by the Vice President at the National Mosque, Abuja, on Friday this week.

Yesterday's FEC meeting was presided by Vice President Namadi Sambo in the absence of President Goodluck Jonathan who is currently attending the United Nations summit in the United State of America.

According to Maku, the independence event would be followed on Sunday by an interdenominational church

service on at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, to be attended by top government officials.

Maku said that the President would perform the investiture of the national awards on deserving Nigerians on September 29 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

He said that President Jonathan would make a nationwide broadcast on Wednesday, October 1 and also preside over the Change of Guard cer-

emony at the four court of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to him, the celebration would end with an Independence anniversary dinner to be hosted by the President at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has called on Nigerians to pray for the continued peace, unity and progress of the country as it prepares for the event.

Lagos Assembly to Fashola: Rename IDH after Adadevoh Muritala Ayinla he Lagos State House Tdirected of Assembly yesterday Governor Baba-

tunde Fashola to rename the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) after the late Medical Consultant of the First Consultant Hospital, Stella Adadevoh.

The lawmakers said

the late medical doctor must be immortalised for her role at ensuring that the Ebola Disease Virus (EVD) was not spread across the state.

This decision was reached on the floor of the House, after a motion was moved by the member representing Mushin Constituency 1, Adefunmilayo Tejuoso, who moved that

the hospital be named after the late Adadevoh in recognition of the doctor's outstanding decision which eventually claimed her life.

The State Assembly, had on Monday called on both the Lagos State and the Federal Government to honour the late Adadevoh, while it further stated that it would not be out of place to name the IDH

after her if the Federal Government refused to honour her.

Tejuoso's motion was supported by another member representing Apapa Constituency 2, Olumuyiwa Jimoh, who said the state government must honoured the late doctor for saving the entire residents from contracting the disease.

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NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Tension in Enugu as Chime, Ekweremadu plot for Jonathan Uwakwe Abugu ENUGU

T

he rivalry between Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, is playing out once again as the governor’s rally in support of President Goodluck Jonathan comes underway today at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

Chime has floated his own home- grown pressure group, drumming support for Jonathan' re-election

next year and the state government has declared today (Thursday) a workfree day to ensure success of the group's maiden rally for the president.

The former senate president is the group's grand patron.

However, fillers indicate that leaders of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) in the state believed to be drawing lifeline from Ekweremadu, have planned strategies to whittle down the effect of the Enugu Movement for the re-election of

• No plan to distrupt rally, says TAN President Goodluck Jonathan, EMJ, rally planned

by Chime and his allies.

As it is now, the governor and his associates are bent on making the EMJ rally a huge success and the chairman of the group and pioneer state Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Charles Egumgbe, a lawyer, told newsmen in Enugu that membership of EMJ cuts across political parties and that its main goal is to ensure that the people of Enugu State would not only re-enact their feat of voting

Lafarge asks court to stop SON from sealing its factory Joseph Onyekwere afarge Cement WAPLasked CO Nigeria Plc, has a Federal High

Court sitting in Lagos, to restrain the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and its agents from closing its business premises pending the hearing and determination of its suit.

This followed SON’s recent directive on product labeling and traceability requirements.

Lafarge, a cement manufacturer, which is challenging the power of SON to pre-approve all advertisement/commercials of the plaintiff ’s as well as certify block makers in Nigeria, is contending that the directive by SON confers unfair advantage to its competitors

and enthroning monopoly in the cement industry.

The company, which is also contending that it has no complaints about the product labelling, also noted that deadline for same was too short, as it required more time to calibrate its machines to achieve same.

The company in an affidavit in support of the suit, averred that SON convened a meeting of stakeholders of the Cement manufacturing sector and at the said meeting, the defendant came up with an action plan termed, "The Standards of Organization of Nigeria's Directives on Product Labelling and Traceability Requirements,” a set of new policies to be observed by cement manufacturers.

Alamieyeseigha carpets northern leaders Joe Obende WARRI

ormer Governor of FDiepreye Bayelsa State, Chief Alamieyesei-

gha, has accused the Northern Caliphate of treating the country, particularly Southern Nigeria, as their conquered territory, bequeathed to them by the late Premier of Northern Nigeria and Saudauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello.

The impeached former governor made this assertion during Awka colloquium of the three-day 53rd annual conference of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) in Warri, Delta State.

The colloquium was anchored by Dr. John Alabi from the Kogi State University, Ayingba, with discussants such as former Minister of Information, Prof. Sam Oyevbaire; Prof. Adeola Adenikinju of Centre for Petroleum; Prof. Benjamin Osisioma of Nnamdi Azikiwe University;

Director, Federal Housing Authority, Adaeze Joy Aguele and Daniel Aluko-Steve, a member of the just-concluded national confab.

Alamieyeseigha revealed that Ahmadu Bello once said three months after independence that his grandfather, late Uthman DanFodio of Sokoto, had told him that Nigeria was his estate and that Southern Nigeria in particular was his conquered territory.

"Just three months after our independence, Ahmadu Bello, former Premier of Northern Nigeria, made a declaration 'that Nigeria, the socalled country Nigeria is an estate of my grandfather. And that the northern minority are willing tool to the caliphate. The entire south is a conquered territory. And I will do everything possible for the status quo to remain’”, Alamieseigha, who was given a presidential pardon by President Goodluck Jonathan last year, stated.

48.63

overwhelmingly for the president as they did in 2011 but to surpass that come 2015.

Egumgbe explained that EMJ is the brainchild of Chime, whose idea is to ensure that the people of the state cast all their votes for Jonathan in view of the intrinsic value of his presidency to the people of the old Eastern Region, who had suffered a debilitating fate after the civil war.

But in a statement

by TAN Enugu, signed

by Mr. Ugulu O. Ugulu, the Publicity Secretary,

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Barbados in 2008.

Source: Itu.int

the group said the allegations were frivolous, baseless and laughable.

The statement said: “It is a global knowledge that TAN is the flagship organisation in the campaign for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan. Yet, it is on record that the Enugu State Government had serially misused police in either scuttling or attempting to scuttle the meetings of TAN in the State.

“It could also be recalled that the Enugu State Government was

$US194.9bn

The nominal GDP of Malaysia (World Bank) in 2009.

Source: Blatantworld.com

the only South East State not officially represented at the first geopolitical zonal rally of TAN held in Awka, Anambra State on August 17 2014.

“Instead, Governor Chime preferred to lead the entire State Executive Council and 17 Local Government Council Chairmen to a birthday party in Umuahia and further directed the State Chairman of the PDP to summon PDP local government executive council meeting by 12 noon the same day of the rally.

66

The life expectancy at birth of men (in years) in Bhutan in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

L-R: President, Coscharis Group Limited, Dr. Cosmas Maduka (left) with Mrs. Oby Igwe, during Maduka’s condolence visit to the family of late Dimgba Igwe, at their residence in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO : GODWIN IREKHE

Dimgba Igwe: Coscharis boss visits widow Mojeed Alabi he President of one of Tmobile Nigeria's leading autocompanies- Cos-

charis Group, Dr. Cosmas Maduka, has commiserated with the family of the late Vice-Chairman of Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Dimgba Igwe, describing his death as one of the secrets God keeps away from man.

Maduka, who said he was shocked to receive the news, told both the wife of the late journal-

ist, Mrs Oby Igwe, and his lifetime friend and business partner, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa, that the beauty in Igwe's death was a life of value he lived. He added that a man might live for more than 100 years, without adding value to human life, " but in the case of Igwe, he lived a purposeful life by being useful to God and man."

The businessman, who paid a courtesy visit to the late Igwe's house in Okota Area of Lagos,

yesterday morning, told Awoyinfa not to question God over his partner's death, but that he should continue to pray for the repose of his soul.

Awoyinfa, while receiving Maduka, said reading obituary of Igwe was like reading his own obituary, and that he had strongly believed that his death was like God signalling the end of the world to him.

He, however, prayed to God to grant him the strength and fortitude to

bear what he described as a very huge loss.

Also, leading the delegation of the Tower of love House Care Fellowship of the Redeemed Christian Church of God on the late Igwe's street- Dele Orisabiyi Street, Okota, in Lagos, Mrs Monisola Oluyemi, described the late journalist as a man of God. She said; "We sympathise with the family and pray that God will grant the family the heart to bear the loss."

Only God can judge my case with Obiano, says Ngige Tony Okafor AWKA

Chis Ngige, Sbraenator representing AnamCentral District,

yesterday condemned the attitude of the kinsmen of the state Governor, Chief Wliie Obiano, who spontaneously took to the streets of Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area in jubilation over the Su-

preme Court judgement on Monday that reaffirmed Obiano's election of November 16.

The demonstrators on the occasion, carried mock coffins purporting the burial of the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Chris Ngige and Tony Nwoye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the poll.

Ngige, who spoke to

New Telegraph on phone said the act was unwarranted, even as he had quickly congratulated the governor on the court judgement and appealed to his followers to support Obiano in the interest of the state.

He maintained that he meant well for the state in every ramification, reminding those who were "intoxicated by the court verdict to rethink, con-

sidering that God's judgement would one day come.

Ngige had earlier in a statement signed by himself stated, “This Supreme Court judgment and other judgments of the various lower courts that upheld an election which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had admitted fell below expectations for me is a verdict of humans”.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

9

Group wants probe of $9.3m cash-for-arms deal Inioluwa Ekeolere group, the Conference Ations of Islamic Organisa(CIO), has asked

Ekiti State Governor-Elect, Mr. Ayo Fayose (left), with his former Deputy Governor, Mrs. Abiodun Olujimi, at a press conference in Lagos… yesterday.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Fayemi, APC can’t stop my inauguration, says Fayose  Fayose is ignorant of the law — APC Wale Elegbede and Adesina Wahab

A

gainst the backdrop of renewed litigation over the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, the GovernorElect, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, yesterday accused Governor Kayode Fayemi and the E-11 Group of scheming to stop his October 16 inauguration through the backdoor.

But he said no one, not even the governor, his party or any other group can stop his inauguration on that day.

Addressing newsmen yesterday at his Lagos residence, the governorelect said the APC and the E-11 Group have hatched a plan to compromise some judicial officers with the intent to truncate his inauguration, adding that he, his party and the people of

apc The ruling party in Oyo is planning ahead, thinking of chances in 2015 and choice of flagbearer Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

A

head of the 2015 elections, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has said that only the best candidates would emerge from the transparent primaries to be conducted next month in the various positions to be contested.

Asserting that all its aspirants would not only contest and defeat candidates of other parties, the party said it would perform creditably in the respective positions throughout their tenure.

Ekiti will not allow their mandate to be stolen.

He said: “The whole scheming in Ekiti State is just about the APC obtaining a judgement through the backdoor after losing the election on June 20, 2014. You will recall that Segun Oni's tenure was truncated through this back door judgement by some judicial officers who compromised their positions.

“Ekiti people have spoken and they have spoken well. I want to state clearly that we will not allow any backdoor judgement to stall my inauguration.

Their target is to install the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, who is an APC member, claiming that Fayose is not qualified to contest.”

Fayose, who absolved his supporters from the fracas that engulfed the

state high court on Monday after hoodlums reportedly chased away the trial judge and beat up litigants during the hearing of the suit filed by the E-11 Group, however, said it is unfortunate that proceedings in the court were disrupted.

“I came back into the country on Tuesday night and I have been briefed on developments in the state.

Certain interests are being represented and some judicial officers are been compromised. I have been elected over three months now and the matter came up weeks before my inauguration. I and my party will not allow that to happen. That will not happen.

We will follow due process.

Meanwhile, the governor-elect yesterday appealed the ruling by an Ado-Ekiti High Court presided over by Justice Oluse-

‘Best candidates'll emerge in Oyo primaries’ The APC through its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, also assured party members that it would soon begin to issue Expression of Interest (EoI) forms to members who nurse ambitions.

The party said the guideline for the smooth conduct of its primaries was almost ready, saying it would be made public any moment from now. It added that; “As a party to beat in any election, APC in Oyo State is mindful of the expectation of the general public, particularly as it affects presentation of competent, credible and promising candidates for the available 32 seats in the state House of Assembly, 14

seats in the House of Representatives, three seats in the senate and the coveted governorship seat.

“In all of these, we can proudly say that our party has more than enough men and women who have the wherewithal to deliver on their respective mandates if entrusted with power.

“In view of this, it is natural that we would be faced with peculiar problems of choice, but nonetheless, the party leadership has put necessary machinery in place to guarantee the emergence of only the best among the pack; and at the same time stem the tide of possible bickering and grievances which might ensue after the conduct of free, fair and transparent."

gun Ogunyemi, which assumed jurisdiction in a suit filed by a group, the E-11 challenging his eligibility to contest the June 21 governorship election.

Also, Fayose appealed the order ex-parte made by the same court, which abridged the time he had to file and serve a counteraffidavit to the originating summons from 30 to seven days.

But the APC yesterday said Fayose is either ignorant of the law governing electoral matters in Nigeria or is deliberately being economical with the truth.

In a release signed by the Director of Publicity and Media of the party in Ekiti State, Segun Dipe, Fayose should always consult his legal advisers before making any statement that will characterise him not only as legally deficient, but a desperado.

the National Assembly to investigate the $9.3 million cash-for-arms deal involving the private jet of the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, which was seized in South Africa last week.

The group said this would allay the fears of Nigerians and Muslims in particular that here was no conspiracy between the Presidency and CAN against a section of the country or Muslims.

It also said: “The National Assembly must also identify the two Nigerians involved, their ethno-religious background; verify and confirm where the money was sourced from?

Is it from the Central Bank of Nigeria or where? Was

it appropriated by the National Assembly or otherwise? Who authorized the transaction? And which arm of the security agencies are the arms meant for?

“Until the outcome of the investigation by the National Assembly is made known, CIO rejects the flimsy arguments given by the Federal Government as well as the lame cover up by CAN. “We are also wondering if the scandalous arms procurement deal associated with the private jet of the President of CAN, and the large sum of cash was not part of the preparation to fully arm and fortify NigerDelta militants, political thugs and ‘snipers,’ which former President Olusegun Obasanjo alleged in his 18-page letter; ‘Before It is Too Late,’ written to President Goodluck Jonathan earlier in the year.”

Kano guber race: Murtala’s son begins consultations Muhammad Kabir Kano

of his preparaAeralhead tion for the 2015 genelections, the surviv-

ing son of the late Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed, Abba Risqua Mohammed, who is eyeing the Kano State Government House, has started holding consultations with notable stakeholders in the state even as he also visited the tomb of his father.

Abba, who was in company of his political associates and supporters, was led by the Chief Imam of the mosque where his father was buried, Sheik Kabiru Badamasi Dantaura, to pray for his father and seek his blessings in the task ahead.

He also visited the tomb

of the late Mallam Aminu Kano, located at Mumbayya House Democratic Centre, saying he did so because he wanted to play the politics of emancipation of the masses just like what the late leader of the Talakawa did.

At the Aminu Kano graveyard, Abba was shown some of the little things the late mallam left behind that includes only one double sitter chair, one radio, one cap, two pairs of shoes, and two pairs of gowns.

Abba, who was shocked by what he saw at the centre, said it is impossible for today’s politicians to live such austere life; but he assured the people that he will do all he could to make sure that he put people ahead of his interests if given the opportunity.

Former Borno commissioner accused of stage-managing assassination threats former Commission- Bwala, is just a playback somebody was threatenABorno er for Information in of an old habit that is ing his life, saying it was State, Mr. Inuwa criminal in nature, but sent by an anonymous Bwala, was yesterday accused of having a criminal record of stage-managing threats to his life.

Isa Gusau, a media associate to Governor Kashim Shettima, said this while reacting to Bwala’s alleged report of threat to his life.

Gusau spoke in reaction to a statement issued by Bwala, published in some national dailies alleging that Governor Shettima was after his life. He described Bwala’s latest claim as a repeat of his known habit.

He said: “The fact of the matter is that the recent claim by Mr. Inuwa

which was discovered by the security in Borno State and this can be verified.

“Sometime in 2012, while he was serving as the Commissioner for Information in Borno State, Mr. Inuwa Bwala was openly having disagreement with the General Manager of the Borno Radio Television and his Permanent Secretary even though both of them were his subordinates.

“One day, he woke up and ran to the headquarters of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Maiduguri, displaying a text message that

person.

According to Gusau, “Bwala said he was suspecting the General Manager of the BRTV and his Permanent Secretary, who were the people he was at loggerheads with.

"He then reported the matter to Governor Kashim Shettima. The governor was so worried that he immediately relocated the two officials Bwala fingered, pending the outcome of investigation by the DSS. "Bwala thought he had achieved his aim since both men were moved out of his ministry," Gusau added.

10

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

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How we became sex slaves, Nigerians tell UK court

Idahosa (left) and Omoruyi

C

ardiff Crown Court has been told how two Nigerian women trafficked into the United Kingdom (UK) sex trade were made to go through rituals to ensure obedience.

Lizzy Idahosa and partner, Jackson Omoruyi, are standing trial for trafficking the women.

The women, in their 20s, said they had to drink dirty water, eat a snake or snail, and had their hair shaved.

It is claimed they worked in brothels to repay co-defendant,

Idahosa, £50,000 for travel and false documents.

But Idahosa, 24, denied seven charges, including trafficking for prostitution and moving criminal property.

Her partner, Omoruyi, 41, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), denied three charges of inciting the women to become prostitutes and transferring criminal property.

The women, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said the “juju” ritual - sometimes known as voodoo or magic -

left them fearing illness, madness, infertility and death.

They genuinely believed the powers would work, the court heard.

One woman explained how she had been living rough in Nigeria after her mother died when she was 10 years old and was offered the chance to go to the UK, where she believed her father was living.

She was helped to get false documents to travel to the UK by a woman she was told was the sister of one of the defendants.

She met up with one of the defendants when she finally arrived in London, and was taken to premises in King Cross where there were lots of women in their underwear.

Idahosa then took her to a similar set-up in Ilford where the witness had sex with a man for money, the court heard.

The court was told the woman often had sex with seven or eight men a day and was moved around a number of brothels in Croydon, Stevenage, Brighton, Swansea and Cardiff.

Sometimes she would meet Idahosa to hand over cash while at other times the defendant would text details of an account for her to pay in money.

The woman told police she could have left the brothels at any time but felt compelled by the juju ceremonies she had been put through, while Idahosa often used violence against her, she said.

The second woman said she was approached in Nigeria by a woman claiming to be the defendant’s mother and asked if she wanted to go to London and work in a shop.

She was also sworn to secrecy through a juju rite, the prosecution alleged.

The ritual involved having to eat a snail and an egg together with dust.

Caroline Rees, prosecuting,

outlined how the woman was told to tell border control at Heathrow she was a lesbian who was fleeing persecution in Nigeria.

After escaping secure immigration accommodation she contacted Idahosa - to be told she owed a debt of £50,000 to the defendant.

Idahosa had threatened her family in Nigeria would be harmed if she spoke out, the court heard.

The prosecution maintained the banks accounts whose details Idahosa texted were owned by Omoruyi and he often then transferred money to his co-defendant.

The two defendants were arrested in April 2014 at a London address where police found a number of phones with texts that matched the bank details, as well as two pages from a newspaper advertising adult services.

Idahosa denied all the charges and said she was a victim of trafficking and she left the sex trade in 2011.

She denied a total of seven charges relating to trafficking two women into and around the UK, inciting them to become prostitutes and transferring criminal property.

Omoruyi denied three charges of inciting the women to become prostitutes and transferring criminal property.

Rustlers kill two herders, steal 323 cows Terrorism: Schools must

protect students, says Ekhomu

Buhari Bello Jos

Juliana Francis

M

iyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) said it had lost two herders and 232 cattle to rustlers in Rengyel village of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The state MACBAN Chairman, Alhaji Haruna Boro Hussaini, said yesterday that the body of one of the herders, Saleh Mohammed, 20, had been recovered by men of the Special Task Force (STF), Sector 6, while the second victim, Aminu Inusa, 25, was still missing and presumed dead.

Hussaini explained that out of the 232 cattle lost by the association, 50 were shot dead while 182 were taken to Vom in Jos South Local Government.

The chairman added that the cattle belonged to Alhaji Ahmed Muazu, Mallam Ruwa Isa and Mallam Dauda Umar.

He said: “We have found the

he President of Association of TOperators Industrial Security and Safety of Nigeria (AISSON),

body of Saleh Mohammed but Aminu Inusa is still missing and we are assuming he was also killed.

“The thieves also killed 50 cattle. We found them all dead from gunshot wounds.

“We have information that the cattle were moved to Vom and the sad part of the incident is that once our cattle are taken to Vom, they don’t come out because even security men are unable to go there and get them.”

Hussaini, however, said they

had witnessed reduction in cattle theft around Riyom and Barkin Ladi after several meetings with community leaders.

The chairman, however, said Jos South was proving to be a challenge despite all the meetings.

He said: “We no longer see any relevance to the meetings we have been holding with the Berom leaders and the chairman of Jos South Local Government since they have refused to put a stop to this.

Dr Ona Ekhomu, has called on authorities of schools to protect students against terror attacks.

Ekhomu said that in the last 90 days, three or more tertiary institutions had been attacked in Kano State.

The security expert was reacting to the double suicide terror attacks at the Federal College of Education, Kano on September 17, resulting in the death of 17 persons and the injury of 35 others.

He said it was the responsibility of the school authorities and security agencies to protect young men and women in various schools throughout the country in order to keep them safe from terror attacks.

Ekhomu said that there was a social contract between parents and the school authorities which.

This, according to him, mandates school authorities to keep students safe while on campus.

He added: “Unfortunately, the schools are failing in this duty and parents are not aware of their rights to seek redress for the negligent deaths of their kids.”

The AISSON president deplored the reactive posture of the school authorities and security agencies in Kano State.

“Those young men and women deserved to live, but their dreams have been terminated permanently. It is shameful that Boko Haram had succeeded in bringing primary, secondary and tertiary education to a halt in Borno and Yobe states as well as parts of Adamawa State.

METRO

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Cheke Emmanuel LAFIA

O

ne of the suspected insurgents who invaded Gidan Gambo village in Lafia East Local Council Development Area of Nasarawa State has been captured by youths in the area.

The suspect, Abadullahi Buldi, 25, was apprehended on Tuesday while trying to escape after the attack.

Gunmen, reported to be Fulani, numbering about 200, invaded Gidan Gambo village in the early hours of Tuesday, killed 10 persons and burnt over 50 houses.

Fielding questions from journalists, Buldi said that he was hired along 200 others by Alago elders to carry out attacks on Eggon settlement in the southern zone of the state.

He said: “I don’t know that it will turn out to be bad for me. About 200 of us were hired from Keana, Azara and Obi to attack the village, kill and burn their houses.

“The Alago people contracted us. They gave our elders N300,000 and when our elders rejected the amount, they added

Youths capture terrorist after attack in Nasarawa

Buldi

N100,000. The money was brought to us at Ipkosogye where we were camping.

“When they gave us the money, they also gave us plenty of ammunition and some new big guns. They also

gave us food and water at the camp.”

Buldi said the camp was at Ikposogye.

He added: “We normally hide under the broken down heavy-duty equipment at

a construction site on Ikposogye-Obi Road.

“Our Fulani elders are the ones telling us to go and fight.

Our elders like Hassan, Russia, Saleh, Buba and Kabiru.

They are from Obi, Keana and Azara.”

Buldi also said that he took part in previous attacks on Logobi, Tudu Adabu and Ipkosogye and Agwan Yakubu communities that led to the death of many people while several houses were burnt.

The National President, Eggon Cultural Development Association (ECDA), (Youth Wing), Comrade Daniel Anyuabaga, who expressed worry over the level of destruction at Gidan Gambo, described the attack as unprovoked and barbaric.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ismaila Umaru Numan, said that he was not aware of the development.

Infrastructure: Odeda LG chair seeks Amosun’s assistance T

he Chairman of Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State, Sulaiman Mukaram Adebayo, has called for the assistance of the state government in the efforts to ensure infrastructural development of the council area.

Adebayo made the appeal during Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s recent assessment tour of the local government.

The chairman, according to a statement issued by the local government’s Director of Information, Tope Oyekan, particularly sought an urgent intervention on the construction of roads leading from Somorin to Kemta Housing Estate and Gbonagun to Bode Olude.

The roads, according to Adebayo, would ease the gridlock usually experi-

enced by motorists on the Adatan-Obantoko-Osiele axis of Abeokuta-Ibadan Road.

The chairman also sought Amosun’s assistance on the construction of rural roads such as Akomoje to Iyana Abibu, Orile Ilugun to Olokemeji, Odeda to Alabata, Odeda to Ogunmakin, Federal University of Agriculture to Alabata, Osiele township roads, etc.

Most of roads, according to Adebayo, are in a deplorable state.

The chairman, however, commended Amosun for executing several projects in the local government.

The projects, according to him, include the Cocoa Plantationa at Alagbagba, Green House vegetable farm at Kotopo as well as State Universal Basic Education Board

Amosun flanked tby he Speaker, House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Suraj Adekunbi (left) and Adebayo, during the tour.

and Millennium Development Goals’ projects.

He then assured the governor of the support of the people of Odeda Local Government to his “rebuilding mission”.

Responding, Amosun assured the people of his administration’s readiness to rehabilitate the road from Abeokuta to Bakatari, while urging them to continue to support his government.

Vendors must register at Lagos airport, says FAAN

Ebonyi moves to reform traditional institution

Camillus Nnaji

Charles Onyekwere

T

he Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) yesterday explained why it chased out newspaper vendors from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA).

The FAAN Chief Security Officer (CSO), Colonel C. D. Onalu, told our correspondent that hawking, including newspapers, at the airport was an eye-sore.

Onalu added that it was also to ensure adequate security at the airport.

According to him, those who want to sell newspapers must register with Corporate Communications Department of the MMIA.

The CSO, therefore, tasked newspaper owners and newspaper agents or vendors to meet with FAAN on how to establish newspaper stands.

He said: “Have you seen any practice across the world where newspaper vendors will be running after a moving vehicle, hitting at its doors to buy papers? Most annoying are those selling food items. Assuming someone is visiting Nigeria for the first time and at the entrance to the airport, he is welcomed to the county by asking him to buy sausage.”

Onalu said that the standard practice across the world must be ensured at the airport, adding that FAAN was serious about that.

ABAKALIKI

G

overnor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State said that his administration had taken steps to reform the traditional institution for effective service delivery to both the government and the people.

Receiving the report on the review of the law of Ebonyi State Traditional Institution in Abakaliki, Elechi said that the decision was informed by the need to make the institution more revered and unique.

He said: “The setting up of the committee was borne out of government’s genuine desire to restore the

dignity and respectability to the traditional institution in Ebonyi as well as improve its welfare.

“Traditional rulers should have befitting status but not when their number is been proliferated through the creation of more autonomous communities.”

According to the governor, traditional rulers should not be employees or agents of government but constitute a revered body that should stand firmly and call government to order when necessary.

“In the defunct Eastern Region, only three traditional rulers existed - the Obi of Onitsha, the Obi of Oguta and Eze Aro.

11

Cholera claims 12 in Jigawa Dahiru Suleiman Dutse

least 12 people, mostly children, Aandthave died of cholera between June September in Jigawa State.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Tafida Abubakar, who disclosed this, said that the state recorded 36,000 cases of cholera within the period.

Abubakar added that within Dutse metropolis alone, over 54 cases were recorded while 36 people were treated.

He promised that all hands were on deck to contain the situation.

According to him, about 12 children between the ages of five and 11 have died, while several others are hospitalised at both Dutse General Hospital and Rasheed Specialist Hospital.

According to investigation, the worst hit is Takur, on the outskirts of Dutse.

Abubakar, however, said that medical experts had been sent to the affected communities.

He said: “We are aware of the unfortunate circumstances, but at the moment, we are on top of the situation.”

Motorist kills cadet Dominic Adewole ASABA

vehicle, with registration Aknocked number EFR 274 XA yesterday down and killed a cadet

attached to Ebrumede Division in Warri, Delta State.

The car, driven by one Peter Bolorunduro Igbekele, 25, of Udumorhe Street, Ugbomro town, killed the cadet who was on a ‘stop-and-search’ duty with three others at the Delta Steel Company (DSC) roundabout, Warri.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Celestina Kalu, confirmed the incident at the police headquarters in Asaba yesterday.

She said: “The cadet died before getting to the hospital.”

According to her, the driver, who claimed to have lost control of the vehicle, has been arrested.

Kalu said the command had commenced investigation into the incident.

The PPRO warned motorists against careless driving. “Anyone caught henceforth will be made to face the full wrath of the law,” she said.

Court sentences two Biodun Oyeleye

Ilorin

being guilty of robbery and Fers,orculpable homicide, among othtwo men have been sentenced

to death by hanging in Iloring, Kwara State.

The two men, Fahad Kamaldeen and Taoheed Lamidi Olayode, according to an Ilorin High Court presided over by Justice I. A. Yusuf, Fahad Kamaldeen, murdered a popular businessman, Mr Basil Nwafor, in the state capital.

The offence, according to the court, is contrary to Section 221 of the Penal Code Law. Kamaldeen is a grandson of the first Mufti of Ilorin, Sheikh Kamaldeen Al-Adabby.

Nwafor was the owner of a popular supermarket in Ilorin, called “B System.

12 NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Kalu disowns presidential posters panic

Kalu's masterstroke within the PDP and his new drive to take the party to greater heights with the game changer and Mr. President is giving pretenders sleepless nights

F

ormer Governor of Abia State and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Orji Kalu, has dissociated himself from posters linking him to presidential candidacy in the 2015 election.

The ludicrous and reprehensible campaign instruments purporting Kalu’s candidature for the plum position are almost ready for circulation

nationwide, according to the grapevine.

In a statement issued by his media advisor, Mr. Ebere Wabara, Kalu debunked and dismissed such brainwave electioneering materials as the handiwork of mischiefmakers, who are committed to causing disaffection between President Goodluck Jonathan and his good self, pointing out that this would not be the first time such seeds of discord would be sown by his vanishing clan of detractors.

“The posters depict him severally in continental and the three major different ethnic attires with a catchphrase that reads ‘Orji Kalu for President’ and declares that ‘it is the turn of Igbo to rule this country.’ Kalu had at no time indicated interest in the 2015 presidential election. His manifest

and massive support for President Jonathan is unequivocal and unalloyed.

The president and other well-meaning Nigerians know this.

“President Jonathan has performed creditably and consequently earned his party’s exclusive nomination to contest the forthcoming presidential poll.

So, for any jester to wake up at this stage and insinuate interest by an incontrovertible party loyalist like Kalu is sheer dementia.

“It is clear to most PDP members and a majority of Nigerians that President Jonathan has carried on excellently with the revolutionary transformation of this country and deserves to be our party’s standard bearer.

In any case, Kalu’s robust support for President Jonathan’s re-election has been unflinching and

unreserved. Almost on a daily basis in local and international arenas, Kalu roots for another chance for President Jonathan to consolidate his reengineering of the country.

Therefore, how can he now in the same breath be printing unrealistic and illogical posters? the release wondered.

Wabara pointed out that not long ago, this same band of anarchists flooded Abia State with multifarious posters and handbills announcing Kalu’s senatorial candidacy on the platform of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA). “When this childish ploy failed, they resorted to the current printing of uncultured posters which claim Kalu’s rabid insistence on Igbo presidency and his passion for it.

“We know the circus

actors behind these malicious, wicked and irresponsible acts. They have reached their wits’ end having exhausted their bags of tricks, deceits and propaganda, the last option now is to futilely pit Kalu against President Jonathan in the ultimate fiasco. Nigerians should disregard such boyish idiocies, clownish stupidities and kindergarten brazenness by imbecilic elements, who thrive in cheap blackmail, mudslinging and character assassination.

“Let it be clear to everyone, especially the tribe of political spoilers, that Kalu is an ardent and unstoppable backer of President Jonathan in all ramifications. Oppositional deviancy cannot vitiate their mutual and cordial relationship, just as no amount of diabol-

ism can weaken Kalu’s convictions about President Jonathan and his inalienable belief in him,” Wabara declared.

Kalu, who used this intervention to further explicate his irrevocable faithfulness to the party’s hierarchy, implored members of the PDP to resolutely respect the party’s choice and not drop names in expression of any inconsequential reservation.

According to him: “President Jonathan’s second presidential victory is a forgone conclusion as we await his inauguration. No theatrical calumniation of Kalu or fanning the embers of disunity can halt the victory train.

Instead of wasting public resources on dubious, deceitful and smear posters such funds should be used for good governance.”

... Hails Ladoja at 70

I

n another development, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has felicitated with a former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, on his 70th birthday.

Kalu described Ladoja as an astute businessman and a consummate politician, who has contributed in different capacities to the social, economic and political development of Nigeria.

In a goodwill message signed by his Special Adviser, Prince Kunle Oyewumi, Kalu said, “I join millions of your well wishers, supporters and loyalists in celebrating your 80th birthday. Your humil-

ity, selflessness and forthrightness have earned you robust goodwill in the society. It is my prayer that Almighty God in His infinite mercy will grant your heart's desires”.

Kalu, while acknowledging the achievements of Ladoja’s administration in Oyo State, called on politicians to imbibe the spirit of selflessness in leadership.

He wished the celebrant a joyous birthday commemoration and prayed God to continue to bless Ladoja with excellent health and wisdom in his service to God and mankind.

‘Awgu didn’t endorse Chime' he people of Awgu whatsoever to act in that Tpurported have denounced their capacity”. adoption The statement read Aspirant decries state of Ohafia/Arochukwu road

L-R: Branch Manager, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Ifaki-Ekiti, Mrs. Olukemi Olumide-Ojo; Branch Manager, Ado-Ekiti, Mr. Mathew Ofulue; Registrar, Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Mr. Daniel Adeyemo; Zonal Head, South-west 2, FCMB, Mr. Adelaja Adeleye and Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, Professor Isaac Asuzu, during FCMB’s visit to the management of the University in Oye Ekiti

of Governor Sullivan Chime for the Senate in the 2015 general election as reported by a national daily.

A statement made available to newsmen in Enugu yesterday by the President of Ugwulesi Autonomous Community Town Union in Awgu, Dr. Dominic Ogbu, said those who visited Chime were “self-appointed political jobbers representing no community from Awgu; hence neither represented the views of their village, let alone those of Awgu people.”

According to Ogbu: “There are three autonomous communities in Awgu town and Chief Stephen Onuoha is not a Traditional Prime Minister to any of the three traditional rulers in Awgu and could not be representing any autonomous community in Awgu town since he has no mandate

in part: “Although we understand the quest for endorsement to be Governor Chime’s desperate reaction to the rising agitation by our people against the age-long marginalization of Awgu in the political equation of the State, it would be illogical and foolhardy for him to believe that we would ever abandon the worthy cause by supporting the senatorial ambition of a governor, who has not only sustained the injustice against our people, but has consistently taken conscious steps to worsen our lots within the Enugu commonwealth” “We, therefore, advise the governor to immediately ask for a refund from his handlers and those political contractors who sold him a false endorsement because they have played a fast one on him.”

Igbeaku Orji

Umuahia

A

n aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bond Ohuche, who wants to represent Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency in 2015, has said that the dilapidated state of the Ohafia/Arochukwu road was one of the manifestations of marginalization of the area. He said that is the reason he wants to go into politics to redress some of the unfair treat-

ment of his people.

Ohuche, who is also the Executive President of Volunteers Against Electoral Violence and Malpractice (VAEVM) told journalists in Umuahia yesterday that the issue of the Ohafia/Arochukwu road is a sore point in the life of every son of Arochukwu, adding that for over two decades, the road has not been motorable in spite of the numerous contracts by the state and Federal Government.

“It was politics of inexplicable bitterness that

Aro refused to be split into autonomous communities. Aro was one of the ancient kingdoms that was trading with Europeans before the invasion of 1901 and 1902.”

“Last year, I was there when the Minister of Works flagged-off the road and as I am talking to you now, the contract of two years, not up to 1km of that road has been done,” he said.

He said that if elected, he would use his position including lobbying, appeals, even forfeiting his

salary to ensure that the road is rehabilitated.

The aspirant is also the chairman of Aro Okeigbo Social Club of Nigeria (AROSCON) Enugu branch, said the road is cardinal to his programme, adding that youths of the area have drifted because of the marginalization the area has suffered over the years.

According to him: “We shall work for the return of President Jonathan so that we can lobby him for the road.”

Ebonyi procures Ebola kits for schools Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

Ebonyi State govTsaidhe ernment yesterday that it has procured kits that would be distributed in public primary

and secondary schools to prevent the spread of Ebola virus disease EVD in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sunday Nwangele, disclosed this to newsmen shortly after

the end of the reconciliation meeting between the state government and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUJ), held at the union secretariat in Abakaliki.

Nwangele appealed

to the leadership of the union to advise all its members to return to work, stressing that it is God that protects human beings and they should not condone any act of sabotage to the exercise.

‘PDP’ll put its best forward to confront Ajimobi’ / PAGE 14 | Anyaso: Nobody’ll impose governor on Abia in 2015 / PAGE 17

POLITICS

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/politics

ayodele Ojo

13

Onovo: No basis to endorse Jonathan for re-election

Deputy Editor, politics

ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

ayodeleojo@yahoo.com

p-15

THURSday, September 25, 2014

Igini: Confab resolutions’ll move Nigeria towards true federalism Mr. Mike Igini is the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Cross Rivers State. A known social critic, Igini shares his thought on the justconcluded National Conference, federalism and implementation of its report, among other issues. WALE ELEGBEDE reports What is your assessment of the just-concluded national conference in the light of reservations that trailed its conception?

My assessment is that against many odds, it went well.

The odds against it were the polarised national political discourse prior to the convocation of the conference and the consequential disputes. Yet, despite these polar political positions, the conferees, including nominees of all state governments were able to attain consensus on many important issues, and surprisingly accepted to defer to the most contentious issues by temporizing decisions on it to a more technically structured decision-making body. At the end of the conference, it is a fitting tribute to the capacity of Nigerians to overcome their differences in the very congenial way the conference ended.

This is a big contrast from some previous conferences in which even the conveners of the conferences ended up dispersing the conferees in very conflicting circumstances like Abacha conference when government agents deflated the tyres of vehicles of delegates. We recall that in one previous conference, the tyres of the vehicles which brought some conferees were ordered to be flattened and many scurried out of the conference through hurriedly discovered exit points.

But more importantly the conference also made significant changes in moving the country forward away from unitarianism and more closely towards federalism, the extent to which their resolutions meet this goal in actual practice, will

Igini

be determined by many factors including the vigilance of Nigerians against structural capture and statute sabotage.

Structural capture will occur if we find the political elites trying to manipulate the process of implementing the resolutions through legislation, and statute sabotage will occur when they try to rephrase the letters of the resolutions from the original intentions and motivations or the spirit of the resolutions otherwise called ‘inelegant drafting’.

To guide against these developments, the Nigerian people should have the draft document widely circulated to them to assess and then affirm or reject resolutions that are not truly in their interest through this referendum to modify by accepting or rejecting them before it is taken for legislative ratification. Failure to do so will make the outcome susceptible to structural capture and statute sabotage. Going forward, we must assess the draft proposals/resolution on the basis that it should have the following usefulness; it should promote

If our people are really serious about federalism, the focus should have been how do we dedicate money from our current revenues to turn these two states into the national revenue earners and highest job generators? reconciliation, economic development and good governance, and hence facilitate political harmony and stability, and help our country manage its diversity by serving as a vehicle for effective dispute resolution between the Nigerian state and the average Nigerian citizen

and among citizens in conflict with themselves. And also, it should help in minimizing the possibility of conflicts through the power it offers the people to freely choose the type of leaders they want periodically.

Even then we should accept that it is only a step forward to the ultimate ideal that we aspire for, a point that we will approach gradually as we compromise with many who are not ready or willing to get there just yet, in order to build a new Nigeria where there will be opportunity for all and responsibility from all.

Should the draft report of the conference be subjected to a referendum or should it be sent to the National Assembly?

In order to strengthen the legitimacy of the process and reduce what in constitutional parlance is referred to as the propensity for “self-dealing”, the draft document should be subjected to a referendum. It is best to minimize the impact of executors particularly those CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

POLITICAL NOTES

National honours as commonplace he Nigerian National T Honours are a set of orders and decorations

conferred on Nigerians and friends of Nigeria every year. They were instituted by the National Honours Act No. 5 of 1964, during the First Republic, to honour those who have rendered service to the benefit of the nation and its people.

However, over the last few years, the government of Nigeria, especially the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, has lowered the value attached to the national honours by dolling it out in droves to associates and friends, both deserving and not. Hence a few shrewd Nigerians have rejected it, so as not to be associated with undeserving awardees.

Recently, government rolled out a list of 305 Nigerians who have been pencilled to receive such awards. A cursory glance at the names therein reveal a list of public office holders, established business personalities, and politicians, a good number regarded by many as questionable.

What exceptional sacrifice do public office holders make by occupying an office for which they collect emoluments and that attracts so many incentives that people fight, and sometimes kill to get into. Will they crave such offices so much if it were devoid of the attractions that go with it, or would they occupy such offices, if they were pro bono?

Is the government telling the world that there is no dignity or sacrifice, in other endeavours, in which people sacrifice their time, energy and lives to ensure that their compatriots are comfortable, or live in relative peace? Soldiers within the rank and file of the military who have been killed, or maimed; policemen who confront the evils around us, firemen who battle to secure lives and property. Ordinary Nigerians, who go out of their usual schedules to perform heroic deeds, or sacrifice their time, and lives without monetary compensation, where are their names within the list?

14 POLITICS Why are you involved in politics?

Some people do ask me just as you have also observed why I decided to partake in Nigerian politics in view of my gentle and humble disposition, and I asked whether I will have to remove my shirt in the open to present myself as a politician. No. Politics is a game of the brain; a game of the mind and not of brigandage. And if there is the commitment, you will want to give back to the society. At the end of the day, we should ensure that our people are not short-changed. That is why I am in politics.

We are participating and everybody is involved. That is the only way we don’t lose the moral right to ask questions. And if we have certain plans and God in His infinite mercy decides to allow our proposition to become acceptable, then we have the opportunity to fire on and see we get the result we want.

What area do you think the present administration has failed?

A particular area is that of education. At the last WAEC exam, Oyo State was No 24 out of 36 states in terms of result rating. We came behind all the states in the South West; all the states in the South South; all the states in the South East. So, we are at the bottom as far as the southern part of the country is concerned. What have they done? How many classrooms in three years did they have? How many teachers did they recruit? And you see, just about two weeks ago, the government had political promotion for the teachers. They had political increment of salary for workers. Why haven’t they done that all this while?

So, for us, we will put on the table what we want to do and we shall follow them to the letter. If we say this is what we are going to do and we don’t do it, challenge us. Ask how we are going to get the money to execute it; how much it is going to take to carry out the project. That is the kind of politics we are after. We are spending a lot of time to appraise issues. From my professional background as an engineer, six feet is six feet; three inches is three inches.

What are your plans for the state?

We have ten-point agenda, but four are critical among them, which we are going to pursue rigorously. When we put those programmes on the table, we are going to tell what we really intend to achieve. It is not when it is two years into the administration that we will be dancing around, saying we have performed.

We will set the benchmark right from the outset and pursue it. If I go back to the debate that preceded the 2011 election, the Ajimobi government has failed. They have departed from their programmes.

We think for any responsible government in Oyo State, agriculture has to come first. That is our own view to reduce poverty. Also, infrastructure. It is not just a matter of tarring a couple of roads or constructing a bridge that will not really have economic impact on the people. Why do I need to spend about a billion naira on a particular spot when the traffic out there before the construction of the bridge is even better than what it is right now?

Makinde How many hours

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

‘PDP’ll put its best forward to confront Ajimobi’

Engr. Seyi Makinde is one of the governorship aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State. In this interview with SOLA ADEYEMO, he bares his mind on the power play in Oyo politics, why he wants to govern the state, his assessment of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government led by Senator Abiola Ajimobi and the 2015 elections. Excerpts: were people spending to cross that Mokola junction before the bridge was constructed, and how many hours are they spending now to cross it? All these and more will be addressed.

How do you think the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will sort out the issue of large number of governorship aspirant?

Well, we do have candidacy issue and this is not the first time. For us as a nation, as far as the democratic experience is concerned, we have had sufficient experience about governance. We had election in 2007 and 2011. For PDP, we lost in 2011 because of lots of internal issues. I also contested for the party’s primary as an aspirant into the Oyo South senatorial seat, but I lost. Life continues and we didn’t leave the party. We stayed within the party and we worked for it. So, there is an antecedent there. But going to 2015, yes there are competing aspirants and I don’t think there is anything we should be afraid of. All of us are aspiring and we are matured minds. I hope and I am praying that we are going to put our best material forward.

What we have now in the PDP is a healthy competition

which I think is good for our democracy.

How do you intend to match people like former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, Senator Teslim Folarin and others for the PDP ticket?

Well, it is very clear within the PDP what method we are going to adopt in choosing our candidate. We have guidelines for choosing our candidate as the constitution prescribes for the party.

On my chances of picking the ticket, I think the chances are quite bright. When one talks about the challenges one is likely to face in this kind of endeavour, it is normal. But on my facing a former governor or a former Senate Leader, I believe the party delegates and party elders are going to determine that. They are going to exploit a wide spectrum of consultation. They are going to pick the best and I am hopeful my team has a very good stand in this direction.

There is no intimidation whatsoever.

How are you going to run your projects if eventually you emerge the choice of PDP and the party wins?

On how w e

All of us are aspiring and we are matured minds.

I hope and I am praying that we are going to put our best material forward are going to run our government or finance our projects, I will tell you that our resources will be directed at areas that will benefit the people. We will reflect on how many farm settlements are to be added to the existing ones.

We will declare emergency in the agriculture sector. We will even guarantee production by private individuals and provide people with money. We will go into public/private initiatives.

Also, we will seek funding through the capital market. But we will put on the table how we are going to pay back such funds. If we rely solely on what is coming from the federation account, plus some wastages, we can only be marginally better than what we have right now. But for us, we think it is better to dream big again. With what we are going to put on the table, we are not going to be so much marginally different, but we are going to dream big and follow our dream. I have done this privately before. At 29, I knew that what I wanted in life was not a fat pay cheque. I can have fat pay cheque and it will be good for me, but I dreamt so big that I am thinking of having up to about 30 people with fat pay cheques.

That is why we started a company. As at this stage, we have even surpassed our target. We have hundreds of it. That is what we hope to replicate in Oyo. Considering the choice of guber candidates fielded in Ekiti and Osun states in the last elections, do you think PDP can choose someone like you?

In those states mentioned, Mr. President really demonstrated that he was impartial. What is there is that people will choose the person they love and want. We want there to be fairness and integrity in the way we are doing things. What President Goodluck Jonathan wants and what should be part of the qualifications for leadership should not be hooliganism. The type of leader people want is the type that can change things for the better because people are really suffering in this state. I believe with the support of people, things could be better.

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW 15

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Former presidential candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) and a member of the Movement for Fundamental Change, Chief Martin Onovo, believes there is no difference between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC). He also speaks on the Goodluck Jonathan administration, 2015 elections and security challenges confronting Nigeria. TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE reports How do you see the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other groups as the sole presidential candidate in 2015?

The endorsement is worthless, corrupt and purchased. Jonathan is yet to declare for presidency, so why is endorsement coming before declaration?

I believe the endorsement is purchased and that shows the level of corruption in the country. People should discard the endorsement. Will the PDP caucus meeting replace the party’s national convention? So, if they are acting logically, why would a sane human being endorse President Jonathan for another term? We should ask ourselves; who are those behind Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and why are they not proud to publish their names?

What is the source of their funding?

The president promised in his presidential chat to set up a forensic audit to trace the missing $20 billion. Where is the report of that forensic auditor? How are we sure that part of the missing $20 billion is not being used to finance TAN activities? How are we sure that part of our missing $20 billion is not been used to finance Boko Haram? The president has not declared for re-election and until he does that there is no basis for any endorsement. In a society where the leader is acting corruptly, his footprint will show. The candidate being endorsed by many people is the most catastrophic failure in governance since 1960, so why would any sane person endorse him. Under him, Nigeria has lost territory and the country has almost one million refugees from the North-East.

Are you insinuating that Jonathan does not deserve second term?

Jonathan is doing his second term; he wants a third term but no sane patriot will endorse him for another term.

Why? Under Jonathan, every developmental index has gone south. The first lady went to Germany for medical care; that is an indication of the state of medical care in Nigeria. If medical care in Nigeria is world class, the first lady would not fly in presidential jet to Germany, wasting our resources to go for medical care. In terms of security, we have never had this level of crime and insecurity since 1960. We have never had this level of cluelessness and directionlessness, where soldiers, doctors and teachers are protesting. That is a signal that this is the worst government and that is why I say no sane patriot will endorse Jonathan for re-election. I cannot envisage anything in government that would be worst than Jonathan. The United Nations has also published that unemployment has grown in Nigeria since 2006 consistently. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is a government agency and it has published that poverty has grown consistently in

Onovo: No basis to endorse Jonathan for re-election an ethical, visionary and competent leadership and that platform cannot be APC. That platform is the third platform, which is the people’s platform, which we are committed to promote.

What is that platform?

The platform is the platform of the Nigerian people, not a platform of corrupt, dubious, shameless political elites. We are canvassing for a coalition of patriotic and progressive politicians in the country.

Onovo

Nigeria in the last few years. Talking about the educational sector, universities were closed for about six months and polytechnics for nearly a year. So, how can you have educational development with that kind of situation? In 1999, before the PDP came to power, cement was about N375; today cement is over N2,000 in the market. Look at the power sector, in 1999 when the military left, public power generation was about 3,000 megawatts, 15 years after, it is still about 3,000 megawatts despite $51billions being spent on power, according to a report by Financial Intelligence.

We have never had it so bad with corruption. So, why would anybody know all these and then endorse President Jonathan?

You have expressed dissatisfaction with

The president promised in his presidential chat to set up a forensic audit to trace the missing $20 billion. Where is the report of that forensic auditor? How are we sure that part of the missing $20 billion is not being used to finance TAN activities?

the PDP-led administration, do you see the All Progressives Congress (APC) as alternative to the ruling party?

How can APC be the major opposition party in Nigeria where there are over 30 registered political parties in the country? Over 80 per cent of Nigerians have rejected both the PDP and the APC. APC cannot be an alternative to the PDP because the APC is worse than the PDP. Why? If you look at both APC and PDP states, it is all the same stories of misgovernance. Look at the scandals surrounding the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos State on account that N60 billion was spent to construct 59 kilometres of an existing road. Benin-Sagamu Expressway has been under construction for more than 10 years under PDP administration. Enugu-Onitsha has been under construction in the last 10 years. So, APC and PDP are two sides of the same coin. And do not forget that in 2011 presidential election, the PDP and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which is the biggest component of APC worked together on the presidency. So, there is no way the APC can be the alternative to the PDP because APC is a fraction of the same corrupt political elites and the difference between APC and PDP are the same difference between six and half a dozen.

So, both APC and PDP are two sides of the same coin.

If we are talking about good governance and the alternative to the PDP, it must be a platform to replace the illegitimate, ineffective and corrupt leadership provided by the PDP with

As a security expert, what is your take on insurgency in Nigeria, especially the ongoing Boko Haram menace in some parts of North-East?

The first thing is that you must deal with the root cause of the problem.

If you deal only with the symptoms, the problem will not go away. The root cause of insurgency in Nigeria are: corruption, impunity, unemployment, poverty and illiteracy. Anybody who has education, employed and busy, will not become an insurgent. So, if we want to deal with insurgency, the path to peace is the path of justice. Since God created Adam, human history has shown that it is very difficult to suppress human communities. The late Pope John Paul II said if you want peace, work for justice because people who are vexed by injustice will use all their God given capacities to defend themselves.

Boko Haram has been with us for more than five years. Former President Umar Yar’Adua’s administration had a strategy to deal with Boko Haram and before his death his government was able to arrest the leader of Boko Haram, Yusuf Mohammed. And instead of protecting Yusuf, a high valued suspect, he was killed extra-judicially and that drove the extremists in his group to the limit. If Yusuf had not been killed, we would have had the opportunity to debrief him thoroughly and to use all investigation and interrogation techniques in the world to get all the information we needed from him.

But he was killed notwithstanding the security implication. And till today that matter was not investigated and government cannot say who killed him. So, in any way you analyse it, it is the fault of government.

What is your take on the controversy trailing the arrest of two Nigerians and an Israeli in South Africa for attempting to bring $9.3million cash into that country with a private jet?

It is the people in government that lack knowledge not the Nigerian people. The whole circumstance surrounding the $9.3 million is corruption and that is why the South African government has confidently taken that position against the Nigerian government.

If you have to buy arms from a foreign country, unless it is a black market, there is no way you will buy arms in South Africa without South African government knowing. Secondly, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is not a government official; he is just a friend to the president. The private jet of Pastor Oritsejafor is not registered for commercial charter, so it is impossible that the private jet was legally available for commercial charter.

The explanation given by the government is clearly false and deceptive and it shows that the highest ranking officials of government were involved in this most unlawful act of money laundering and that is the situation we have today.

16 POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

who will be regulated by the constitution, namely the political elites in the legitimating process. This is why I agree with others advocating for a referendum. As a principal part of the process, we cannot dispense with the legislature in legitimating the process but in this regard the legislature should be mindful that whatever role they play in legitimating the document they should look beyond their immediate comforts and sacrifice for future Nigerian children that we may never know or see, but whose future welfare as compatriots, living at peace with one another, depends on the foundation that this document will lay.

Which are the specific areas of success of the confab that you consider significant in strengthening our federalism?

Some significant areas of successes include the proposal to remove the immunity from prosecution for criminal offences for executive public office holders. This is progressive because experience has shown that many office holders did not display the maturity required to enjoy such immunity, instead they turned it to impunity; the lack of consequences for wrong doing is the number one enemy of Nigeria’s progress.

However, there should be some safeguard to avoid frivolities, so that governance is not grounded by pernicious and frivolous litigation, one way to achieve that is to pass the process through a special judicial procedure that can sieve frivolities. Nonetheless, the removal of the clause in this context was instigated by the failure of the legislature to act as effective checks without necessarily acting as obstructionist to governance, necessitating a judicial re-enforcement.

Other important landmark innovations include the resolution on de-listing local governments from the constitution and making this tier of government purely matters for states, with the liberty to create as many as they desire as long as they can fund them. There is also the resolution on the formation of a Revenue Mobilisation Commission at state level, but this should be empowered by ensuring express fiscal autonomy clause on revenue generation authorities for local governments to the extent that will make them viable.

What is your view on the argument that when there is a sitting parliament, no other body like the confab could sit and make proposals to bring about a new constitution?

It is a fallacy. The agenda setting for the change of any rule governing the affairs of people can emerge from any part of that society, that is how policies begin, the identification of a collective issue which could be a problem or opportunity, can be initiated or brought to the policy-making arena by any interested stakeholders. When an issue gains salience and is properly defined, it then goes through different pathways depending on what it is intended for to take effect, a collective national policy compact becomes a constitution when it is approved through constitutional legitimation. A political policy when approved by the appropriate organs becomes a manifesto, an executive policy when approved by the legislature becomes an Act, Edict and so forth. The difference between a policy and a law depends on the process of approval or legitimation, this is why lawyers are more interested in approved policy, because policy may be what you intend to do or don’t do, so doing nothing can be a policy, but the law is what has been approved as what must be done; they are specific directional guides or prescriptions.

The recognition of this fact explains why the conference separated its resolution to follow different pathways of approval having defined the issues.

The conference has met its remit, because as agenda-setter, Nigerians from different strata identified that we have many unaddressed issues; problems

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Plateau, Nasarawa should be Nigeria’s richest states –Igini No scholarship benefit of any form for our people and you won’t believe that such a place generates wealth from over 25 oil wells for the Nigerian federation.

When will the glory of the king reflect in the life of his subjects if we continue on this path? and opportunities, and the conference articulated and defined these issues into three different policy pathways, approving and legitimating them must now follow specific pathways to make them lawful. So, why can’t the people do so given that they only gave part of their sovereignty to members of the National Assembly and did not surrender sovereignty totally? If that were to be the case then of course there would not have been a clause for recall applicable only to elected members of parliament.

However, the constitution, the highest approved policy of a society or its ground norm unlike other laws, is often safeguarded from frequent and frivolous changes. That is why it is overprotected with cumbersome procedures to secure it from being amended easily, while laws which are subject to frequent changes come under lower hierarchy such as Acts, Edicts etc. But when a society recognises that such a norm is not meeting its collective goal there is nothing constraining members of society from articulating proposals, this is why the proposals of the conference went beyond constitutional changes to other policy arenas.

Proposals can emanate from various sources if they are legitimated, but formalizing through approval and legitimating such proposals into law follows a stringent procedure.

What is your view on the inability of the confab to agree on percentage of derivation before the conference came to an end and what should be done?

My view is that they failed to do so because the debate did not start from how to generate wealth first before sharing.

Regrettably, derivation was seen from the point of revenue sharing rather than sustainable revenue generation.

You see, if you have conducted higher degree research before, you will appreciate the fact that to solve problems effectively you start by proper conceptualisation of the problem you are trying to solve. We failed to solve the problem because they failed to conceptualize it properly or some people frustrated the starting point of conceptualisation. If derivation is conceptualised by the following research question; “what are the best ways to generate revenue from all federating units that will ensure sustainable development of Nigeria in the next 50years and how can everyone be empowered to contribute to this effort and what should they get for their contribution?” Then you will find that they would have solved the problem quite easily.

If the current sources of revenue dry up or become unsustainable due to new technology, let say someone discovers a nuclear fission process that allows you

igini

to turn Silicon from sand into energy, considering the abundance of sand, will petroleum and gas not become redundant as a source of wealth? How then will you fund any rehabilitation and reconstruction? At any rate, they were wise enough to realise that such transcendent thinking that will logically answer the question of derivation is better dealt with outside the arena of emotional interests, hence wisely they sent it for technical review. That is a redeeming decision on their part.

In any case, that question has even been answered by the constitution that derivation should not be less than a minimum 13 per cent and there is no maximum ceiling in the 1999 Constitution. The latter means that the executive through the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission can increase it or adjust the percentage of derivation upward from time to time, without recourse to any amendment of the constitution but cannot reduce derivation below 13 per cent except through an amendment of the constitution.

Why do you think derivation or resource control is such a contentious issue in our national discourse?

It is contentious because of wrong concept framing as I just explained. As the delegates found out from their assessment of Nigeria’s mineral endowments, the richest states in Nigeria in terms of exploitable resource diversity endowment are not in the Niger Delta but Nasarawa and Plateau states, because as the evidence at the Ministry of Solid Minerals shows Nasarawa and Plateau states together have more exploitable minerals than the Asian sub-continent. So, if our people really are serious about federalism, the focus should have been how do we dedicate money from our current revenues to turn these two states into the national revenue earners and highest job generators? If we allow the communities where these minerals are located to retain a significant part

of this earning, and the state a big part, while taxes are paid to the Federal Government, every community and every state will be eager to contribute to the beneficiation of their resources and this will grow the central pool and make our union stronger.

So, when people talk about resource control they are actually talking about strengthening the earning power and job creating abilities of places like towns in Kebbi, Ondo, Zamfara which have gold and should be watching the crest and ebb of the gold prices daily as it swells their state earnings, and towns in states like Yobe, Enugu, Oyo, Niger, Kogi, Kebbi, Katsina, Jigawa, Borno, and Bauchi which all have iron ore.

Resource control is about how we can all earn more to strengthen the federal union. If there is a “biggest winner” for the derivation or resource control discussion in terms of exploitable mineral resources, that winner will not be the Niger Delta, it will be states like Nasarawa and Plateau states. But that conversation should start by asking, how much of our current revenues are we willing to dedicate to beneficiating other resources for our collective good? Still our richest resources should actually be our people, investing in the development of people by allowing them to be the best that they can be. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Aliko Dangote and Carlos Slim did not inherit any oil wells or gold fields, but to think at that level we have to first take people through discussions on what they can see before we even start a discussion on such intangible transcendence. Ironically, this whole debate about oil wealth has no reflection in the lives of some of us from a place like kokori in Ethiope East of Delta with crude oil quality ranked 2nd best in the whole world. No scholarship benefit of any form for our people and you won’t believe that such a place generates wealth from over 25 oil wells for the Nigerian federation. When will the glory of the king reflect in the life of his subjects if we continue on this path?

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW 17

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Chima Anyaso is the chairman, Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) South-East chapter and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State. In this interview with FELIX NWANERI, he speaks on recent political developments in the state and the 2015 elections. Excerpts:

Anyaso: Nobody’ll impose governor on Abia in 2015 like Uche Ogah of Masters Energy, he is also another top technocrat, and that’s why I am saying that this zoning thing is very unfortunate. Are we going to say because he’s not an Ngwa man, he is not qualified. The truth is that both from Ngwa and other areas, we have credible people, so it is left for the party to decide on who flies its flag.

Your state, Abia, clocked 23 recently and the state government rolled out the drums to celebrate. How would you assess the progress made so far by the state?

Abia State is one of the major states in Nigeria when it comes to commerce and industry, but there have been a lot of ups and downs in the last 23 years.

The previous governments in the state did try their best, but like I always say, I’m not particular about the past but the future of the state. So, the focus now is the next government and that is why as a youth leader and South-East chairman of Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF), I have a task to deliver come 2015.

Would you say that Abia State has lived up to the dreams of its founding fathers?

To be honest, I will say no. This is because the state has not been able to achieve the kind of development that is expected of it. But I will not point fingers to any one or government, because different governments have come and gone in the last 23 years and the state is still there. These governments did their beat, but if you want to assess Abia State based on developments in neighbouring states like Enugu, Akwa Ibom and even Lagos State where I reside, the answer is no, and that is the honest truth. But, I’m not going to lay the blame on any particular person or government, it is just the situation that we find ourselves and we have to keep moving. The focus now is the next government that will be coming in 2015.

The politics of who succeeds the incumbent governor is gathering momentum and there is an allegation of a plot by some people to impose a governor on the state come 2015. What is your take on that?

It’s always normal for politicians to run to the governor when an election is approaching for his blessing, but the governor is just one person. Talking about a state with a huge population as Abia, the governor won’t be the one that is going to vote in a candidate. It’s good for a candidate to have the blessing of the incumbent governor but that doesn’t guarantee victory in the election. What we are saying as youths is that we want change and we insist that nobody is going to impose any leader on us anymore. We are going to assess all those aspiring for Abia governorship and vote in the right candidate. The coming election is going to be a clear definition of democracy, where the people will elect their choice candidate. In the past, by this time, you would have seen who the governor has anointed, but there is nothing like that yet. No one has come out to say that he or she is the governor’s candidate. It’s difficult now because people are more informed and are not interested in who anyone anoints. The governor’s choice can only be relevant if it is in line with the wish of the people. Already, Abia youths have resolved that the people’s votes must count in 2015, and that’s why we are all going to be involved to ensure that we support the right candidate.

Who is that right candidate as most of the aspirants for the governorship are people who have been in government for a while, and how will change come with

How are you going to be involved in ensuring that this change you are clamouring for is achieved?

Already, we have started our campaigns, and what we are asking for, is purposeful leadership. For us to have a purposeful leadership, we must have people who are credible, and our focus is to educate the youth, who make up the majority of the electorate as regards the forthcoming elections for them to vote rightly. We are also agitating for 50 per cent inclusion of youths in governance.

How will your group guard against the issue of “stomach infrastructure,” which recently crept into the nation’s polity, as the people of the state get set to elect their next governor?

We will address that by educating the electorate on what to look out for; what are the antecedents of whoever that wants to lead us. They should look at people’s past and assess them based on that.

Anyaso

these same people?

I don’t want to mention names because I am for change and in support of the most qualified candidate. It doesn’t matter who he or she is, or where he or she comes from. What is important is that the person must bring that change the people of Abia desire. I also want to say that for somebody to be around government doesn’t mean he or she is the one who determines government policies. Everyone has his or her personal interest and agenda, but we will rather prefer a technocrat this time; someone who understands genuine development and management of people and resources. That is the kind of change that we are looking at. I am not trying to disqualify anybody; I am only saying that this is what Abia youths are asking for. We need a leader with vision and not just a politician who will play politics with everything; we need someone who will move our state forward.

There is the argument that Abia South, which has never produced a governor since the creation of the state, should be given the chance in 2015. How do you react to that?

At the moment, what Abia needs is change. So for me, it doesn’t really matter where the person that will bring about this change comes from, even though in all fairness it will be good for an Ngwa man to be given the opportunity. But with the kind of development that we are yearning for, we cannot subject ourselves to one person or a particular zone.

Do we now say because it is the turn of Abia South, we then vote in somebody who is not ready to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people? That’s why the contest should be open to all. One party may decide to zone its ticket to the

What we are saying as youths is that we want change and we insist that nobody is going to impose any leader on us anymore South, while others opt for the other two zones, at the end of the day, the people will decide. So, I will advice that the parties come up with candidates who the people will identify with, as any party that imposes a candidate on its members is sure to lose the election.

Don’t you think that in the spirit of fairness that it should be the turn of Abia South?

I have said that in the spirit of fairness, it should be the turn of Abia South, but they should produce a candidate who will be able to make it at the party level and the general election because Abians will not be bias in electing who leads them in 2015. It is only the most credible person that will win no matter the party or zone. So, it is my advice to members of our great party, the PDP, to shun sentiment during the primaries.

We should focus on the people’s choice and I have seen quite a number of people from Ngwa who are credible, for example Dr. Alex Oti. He is a technocrat per excellence; he worked in the biggest bank in Nigeria, First Bank and is currently the group managing director of Diamond Bank. Also, when you look at somebody

In the quest for change, your group is likely to clash with political godfathers in the state, who may want the status quo to remain. How will you navigate your way out of this?

The era of godfatherism is gone, and the truth is that we are not going about our quest for change in a violent way. We are appealing to them because they are our fathers. We are presenting ourselves and what we are capable of doing in a very respectful and logical manner. It is only when they insist that we will resist them, but for now we are being respectful and diplomatic about it. We are appealing to them to give us a chance. We are not saying that they are not good enough, what we are saying is that it is time we are allowed to move the state to the next level. They keep talking about leaders of tomorrow, but I believe we are the leaders of that tomorrow and that tomorrow is now. So, 2015 is the time and that’s why we are insisting that there must be inclusion of more youths in governance. We are not going to make ourselves available to be used as thugs any more.

There is the clamour for you to run for the House of Representatives in 2015; will you give it a try?

I am giving it a very serious thought, and I believe that my response will be to the best interest of both my people and myself. It is not a decision I can take solely by myself, I have a family, kinsmen and elders. Just like the issue we discussed earlier about how to meet the elders to allow us participate; it is the same consultation that I’m doing, trying to let my people know that if given the opportunity, I will do well.

How do you see President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid?

I insist that President Jonathan should come back to complete what he has started. So far, what he has achieved is enormous. We have seen government come and go but Jonathan’ administration is one that has touched all sectors; youths are also been carried along. So, it is not a question whether Jonathan will run, he should and we are insisting on that.

18

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

OPINION Perspectives on Benjamin Adekunle’s heroism (1) Henry Chukwuemeka Onyema

T

he death of Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle, the GOC of the Third Marine Commando Division during the Nigerian Civil War, has adverted my mind to the nature and concept of heroism.

Virtually everyone who has commented since his death has praised the warrior, extolling his heroic qualities on and off the battlefield. He has been commended as a dogged, doughty fighter, a leader of men, a contributor of no mean order to the bid to keep Nigeria united. Undoubtedly, more commendations will come in days to come.

Although I have some reservations about the pedigree and sincerity of some of these praise singers, especially sections of the political and military constituencies who have a record of less than cordial relations with the Brigadier when he was alive, this article is concerned with my perspectives about his heroism.

Was the formidable Brigadier a hero? This is a loaded question. Answering it demands an honest insight into that phase of his life that affected Nigerians and the rest of the world, specifically his military career from the turbulent 1960s to his retirement in 1974. There are lessons to learn from it by all Nigerians, especially in this troubled period of the country’s evolution.

First, it is significant that despite his charisma, leadership qualities and controversial nature, Brigadier Adekunle was uninfected by the coup virus that afflicted the Nigerian army in the 1960s.

No historical evidence, to the best of my knowledge, connects him to the January and July 1966 coups, in spite of his close relationship with some of the actors in both coup dramas. I doubt if his position was because he graduated from Sandhurst Military Academy, that British training ground that ingrained subordination to civil authorities in its graduates. Many coup plotters of that period, Nzeogwu for example, also attended Sandhurst. Some of Adekunle’s contemporaries who emerged on the national military and political scene following

First, it is significant that despite his charisma, leadership qualities and controversial nature, Brigadier Adekunle was uninfected by the coup virus that afflicted the Nigerian army in the 1960s the second coup always feared he would pull a fast one on them, coup-wise, given his immense following in the army. In those dark, tribalism-riddled days of the 1960s, when the Yoruba did not have a commanding height in the army officer corps, a Yoruba soldier of Adekunle’s pedigree would be seen as a threat by the emerging coup merchants.

There is a story, probably apocryphal, that following the confusion of the first coup, Adekunle was brought before General Ironsi who had put down the putsch in Southern Nigeria. Ironsi was unsure of the extremely fluid situation and feeling his way.

Questioned by the General, Adekunle allegedly retorted that if he was involved in the coup he would have dealt decisively with Ironsi since he disliked the General! This unverified story highlights Adekunle’s personality, a straight-shooter who gave it to both friend and foe from the hip.

Among most citizens of the secessionist Republic of Biafra, especially the Igbo, Adekunle understandably was not their flavour of the month. As the commander of the campaign that captured Bonny, effectively cutting off Biafra’s coastal access, and several other operations that systematically overran most of today’s Cross Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, Adekunle dealt a terrible body blow to Biafra. He had a job to do as an officer of the Nigerian

army; he, alongside Colonel Murtala Muhammed, was largely instrumental to rolling back the Biafran tide after the secessionist forces successfully invaded the Mid-West (now Delta and Edo States). It would be unrealistic to expect him to act otherwise.

But some of the pertinent issues that raise question marks about his war record are: 1.

As the GOC of the Third Marine Commandos, did Adekunle have to resort to starvation, arbitrary killing and other measures that could be regarded as brutal and probably beyond the demands of warfare to conquer the Igbo heartland after seizing the non-Igbo areas of Biafra? Lest ethnic sentiments are read into the above question, the Brigadier’s comments in an interview in those heady days of the war are noteworthy.

Adekunle was a key champion of the food blockade to Biafra. In a wartime interview he had with Randolph Baumann of Stern Magazine in Igweocha (PH), published on August 18, 1968, he answered the reporter’s questions in the following exchange: Adekunle: In the section of the front that I rule—and that is the whole south front from Lagos to the border of Kamerun—I do not want to see the Red Cross, Caritas Aid, World Church delegation, Pope, Missionary or UN delegation.

Stern: Does that mean that the many thousands of tons of food that are stored in Lagos will never get to the refugee camps in your section of the country?

Adekunle: You are a sharp one, my friend.

That’s exactly what I am saying.

Stern: But you said yourself that most of the refugees in the part you captured are not Ibos.

Adekunle: But there could be Ibos among them.

I want to avoid feeding a single Ibo as long as this whole people have not given up yet.

Stern: Do you sometimes feel sympathy for the Ibos?

• Henry C. Onyema is a Lagos-based historian and writer. He can be reached on henrykd2009@yahoo.com

Lessons from Scotland Julius Owe

T

he September 18, 2014 referendum on Scotland independence from the United Kingdom is a stinging rebuke to those Nigerians with the mindset of the indivisibility of the nation and spurious concept of divine hands in the creation of Nigeria. It has also proved the lie behind the assumptions that staying together for more than 100 years is a testimony that the union can no longer crack. The Scots, after living together with others in the United Kingdom for about 307 years, felt that they would be better off getting their own country. The politicians in London did not stop the agitation. And so the people spoke with a margin of fifty-five per cent saying that staying in the union with Northern Ireland, Wales and England would serve them better.

At the heart of that campaign was selfdetermination and devolution of power.

For a post imperial Britain, it is a sad reminder that the sun has finally set on the British Empire. It is a strong political message those of us in Nigeria would ignore to our peril.

Throughout the period of campaign, there was no violence or intimidation of those with opposing views. There was no name calling and even more encouraging was the absence of outside interference. If the referendum were to held in Nigeria, those smart diplomats holed up in icy London, Washington, Paris and other western capitals would weave tortoise like stories praising to high heavens what the black race stands to lose should Nigeria disintegrate. It is

The Scots, after living together with others in the United Kingdom for about 307 years, felt that they would be better off getting their own country. The politicians in London did not stop the agitation only hoped that our leaders would learn the civic lessons and depend less on the so-called advice from western powers.

During the voting, there was no single police or military man on duty that is always the case in our elections. The electoral commission successfully gave powers to the local councils and the results were announced by officials of the local councils. That is another reminder to INEC to be above board and stop being manipulated by the political elites. And when the results were announced, those in the `Yes` camp, accepted the verdict of the people. The only political armour against disintegration of a country, any country for that matter, is that the people should be in charge of their affairs under the veneer of devolution of power.

And this much was stressed by the char-

ismatic former president of the United States, Bill Clinton when he argued with passion and intellectual foresight thus: ‘That unity with maximum self-determination sends a powerful message to a world torn by identity conflicts, that it is possible to respect our differences while living and working together`.

This writer is against the fragmentation of the nation but the foundation and structure of the existence must be well spelt out. The just-concluded national conference that was supposed to proffer solutions to our nation was just grandstanding. Instead of tackling the issue of fiscal federalism and devolution of powers to the states, they came out with the outlandish and most absurd reason that the presidency should resolve the issue of fiscal federalism and resource allocation. And to add to the rot of infamy, the members of the CONFAB recommended additional 19 states in a nation where most of the states cannot survive without allocations from the centre. These are issues we can draw insightful lessons from the Scotland referendum. There is too much pretense in the nation and the political elite with their business collaborators are doing that because of what they stand to benefit.

My father died a Nigerian and I would love to die as a Nigerian and wish that for my children too. But I cannot stomach a country where citizens cannot take political and economic decisions about their lives. The central authority must devolve power to the states and the local councils. And the beginning of that is the institutionalization of fiscal federalism. But, if some people continue to

insist that we must remain in the loveless marriage joined together by Lord Lugard whereas his descendants in the UK are given the power to decide their political fate, we are merely building an edifice on a quicksand. That is not how democracy works and there is a term for such disposition and the name is autocracy. The fate of this nation of vast potentials but beggared by poor leadership shall be decided in the womb of time. That day is not far. The onus is on the present political elite to step a bit back from the brink and cement the fault lines in the country. There are too many problems begging for attention but our politicians are so engrossed with the capture of the political space without dispensing the dividends of democracy to the people that they fail to realize the threat to national cohesion by unsolved political problems.

It is not enough to be in political office and amass all the wealth in the world and give peanuts to the electorate under the veneer of empowerment programme as done by our state and national legislators. Time is fast running out and the onus is on the political elite, the civil society groups and other stakeholders to mint ideas about running a viable union.

It should be a union of equals and those who choose to opt out should do that without any side having to fire a shot.

In the alternative, as discovered by the Scots, devolution of power to states and local government areas should be the trademark of our existence.

• Oweh, a journalist, contributed this piece from Asaba, Delta State. 08037768392

19

EDITORIAL

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

For a paradigm shift in South-South cooperation

S

outh-South cooperation, as an important element of international cooperation for development, offers viable opportunities for countries of the South in their individual and collective pursuit of sustained economic growth and sustainable development. During the past decade, its role in development has increasingly been recognized in a number of major international conferences where measures being taken to promote South-South cooperation have been highlighted. In a bid to encourage cooperation among nations and socio-economic development in the southern Hemisphere, the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 58/220 of December 23, 2003, proclaimed the December 19 as the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation. The first such United Nations Day held on December 19, 2004.

The event has since served as a vibrant platform for the international community to celebrate achievements, share development successes, explore new avenues for collaboration, forge innovative and inclusive partnerships and launch concrete collaborative schemes towards achieving international development goals (IADGs), including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), under South-South, East-East, East-South,

public-private, and North-SouthSouth triangular arrangements. In December 2011, the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Second Committee, decided that, beginning in 2012, the observance of the United Nations Day for SouthSouth Cooperation would be changed from December 19 to September 12, to mark the Day. The history of the move to forge economic cooperation among developing nations began in 1978 when the United Nations Conference on Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries adopted the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries.

As some emerging countries of the South grow rapidly and increase in significance, there are growing allegations – mostly to be found in the Northern media but not confined to them – that these countries are increasingly developing a neocolonial relationship with poorer and resource-rich developing countries.

Thus, it is argued that the growing trade and investment links of (particularly) China and India with poorer developing countries seek mainly to exploit the natural resource of these countries, siphoning them off in ways that are ecologically damaging, inherently unequal and of little benefit to the local people.

Moreover, cheaper exports from these semi-industrial countries undermine the competitiveness of local manufactures in the poorer countries, thereby causing further shifts into primary commodity exportation and stunting the development of those poorer countries in the process. So, China is said to be dumping its products in economies across the world, and using the resulting foreign exchange surpluses to invest in and provide aid to authoritarian regimes that allow access to natural resources.

Similarly, Indian corporate investors are said to be engaged in largescale land-grab in North African countries and predatory behaviour elsewhere.

But, the reality is obviously more complex. Even in the worst-case scenario, primary exporting countries are still better off with increased competition among importers, if this allows for better terms of trade. In any case, the rise of these two economies (along with Russia, Brazil, Malaysia and South Africa, for example) creates opportunities for the rest of the developing world, particularly by providing an important source of demand, even as developed countries are increasingly mired in financial crisis and economic stagnation.

Of course, it is true that much of the cross-border economic interaction have been driven by corporate inter-

ests rather than broader interests of the citizenry in general. This explains why so many recent South-South trade and investment agreements (and the resulting processes) have been similar in unfortunate ways to North-South ones, not just in terms of the protection they afford to corporate investors but even in guarding intellectual property rights! To the extent that companies everywhere have similar interests (the pursuit of their own profits), it is not surprising that older North-South patterns are replicated.

To change things in a progressive direction requires a shift in orientation of such South-South interaction.

The focus should be to democratize the interaction itself, to work out the ways in which the patterns of trade and investment flows can be altered to emphasize the creation of decent employment in all these countries.

There are also immense possibilities for technology sharing and even coordinating technology development in a world where intellectual property rights, still largely controlled by Northern multinational companies, have emerged as a major constraint to development.

Nigeria is doing a lot through the Technical Aid Corps scheme, but more can be done in the area of trade and investment, which is an important engine of growth and development.

MANAGING DIRECTOR/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Eric Osagie DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTORS

Gabriel Akinadewo Felix Oguejiofor Abugu MANAGING EDITOR

Suleiman Uba Gaya EDITOR, DAILY

Yemi Ajayi EDITOR, SATURDAY

Laurence Ani EDITOR, SUNDAY

Emeka Madunagu DEPUTY EDITORS, DAILY

Emeka Obasi Ayodele Ojo BUREAU CHIEF, BRUSSELS

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Uchey Okezie HEAD, GRAPHICS

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20 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Jonathan should start preparing his handover note –Makinde Hon. Rotimi Makinde represents Ife Federal Constituency in the National Assembly. In this interview, the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Human Rights speaks on the August 9 gubernatorial election in Osun, human rights record and how to curb oil theft in the country.

WALE ELEGBEDE reports What is the story behind the attack on you on the eve of Osun gubernatorial election?

We have lots of reasons to thank God for the victory of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. I have said it severally that it is not by his or our making that he won that election. I think he happens to be a special person to God and the people of Osun State. It was a victory not for Aregbesola alone but the people of Osun.

Having said that, there were insinuations that Rotimi Makinde was not seen on election day, but I thank God that I am alive today to tell the story because it would have been a different tale.

I was the target of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as far is Ile-Ife is concerned during that election. They tried all within their disposal but God kept me and my supporters. Even before the election, they laid siege for me and I was part of those listed for attack. Don’t forget that I was kidnapped in 2007 and in 2011 my father’s house was attacked during which five innocent souls were gruesomely murdered on a church altar at Ile-Ife. The recent incident during the governorship election clearly shows that these people never regretted their action. They came again at the wee hour of that election for my life but I thank God that I am alive to tell the story. For those who cooked up tales of betrayal due to their not seeing me on election day, I leave them to God. The Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola I know will not believe such story because he is aware of the series of threats and attacks against me. I thank God that I listened to his advice to be conscious and we were together all through the campaign. I leave them to God and I know Ogbeni Aregbesola knows those who are his true lieutenants.

Why are you being sought after?

When you talk about the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ile-Ife today, it is an open secret that I am a force to reckon with.

If there is any greatest wish in the mind of Senator Iyiola Omisore is for that town to be a one-way traffic for him, politically.

Unfortunately as well, his approach is that everybody must fall in but he found me to be someone that has a different approach and ideology; he knows I can’t be bought over so they decided to attack me. But I am sure they know that God lives in me and no harm can touch me. For those who are cooking up a story without common sense, I think they are spotting some measures of potentiality in me and they think the only way to wind down my clock is to malign my character and damage me before God, Aregbesola and the good people of Osun State but God has shamed them. I don’t want to dignify them, I know where the salvo is coming from, they are people who wanted my job and the manner they are going about it is very barbaric.

Are you worried that the APC is losing some

Makinde

of its members to the PDP? Let me tell you, some of these people that are cross-carpeting to the PDP are people who have skeleton in their cupboards and can’t survive in the APC. On the other hand, we are welcoming into our party men of integrity and weight who will bring positive influence into the party. Every right thinking and principle person, as far as Nigeria is concerned today are in APC. If President Goodluck Jonathan himself is a realist, he should be writing his handover note by now. The stakes in the APC are high right now and people are jostling to fly the party’s flag and we know that we will take the country to the next level in 2015.

What is your view on the calls that the National Assembly should set up a commission of enquiry on the revelations by the supposed Boko Haram negotiator?

I read that as well and it is somehow ridiculous to be hearing names flying around on issues as sensitive as the Boko Haram and the government not doing anything concrete on it. We would develop interest in developing the scenario and where need be, we will investigate further. The issue of Boko Haram has become an embarrassment to us as a nation and as a member of the Human Rights Committee; we cannot shy away from such huge allegation.

What is the state of human rights in Nigeria?

If President Goodluck Jonathan himself is a realist, he should be writing his handover note by now. The stakes in the APC are high right now

Before now, this was not the state of our human rights. The House started a lot of re-engineering and transformation on our human rights policy. Human rights are now on the first charge of our national budget and the independence of these groups are guaranteed. We have been working with the National Human Rights Commission as a committee and we are repositioning that commission to ensure that Nigeria abides by the various human rights related charter. To a certain extent, people can now seek redress where their rights have been violated compared to military era. However, we have observed some abuses of power and agencies especially against the press but we will tackle them with time.

Crude oil theft is becoming a major threat to the nation’s economy. As a member of the House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), what is your take on this menace?

As a member of the National Assembly, I have had course to say to members of the executive including the Minister of Finance that no economic policy can triumph in an unsecured environment.

We can curtail oil theft but it is disheartening for us to be making a budget with provisions for oil theft. It is irresponsible for any government to say that oil theft will continue. When the Minister of Finance said we should make provision for oil theft in the budget, I laughed. Being a member of the committee and a former staff of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), I know those who sat down and said this will be the pipeline that will link depots across the country. But today, only five is working because the pipelines cannot link them owing to vandalism.

The way out is for you to use the security agencies within your ambit to secure these pipelines. God and the system have given the president of Nigeria power. But the man seems not to have the liver to confront these vandals, and this is sabotage of the highest order. And

if you can’t do it, the Federal Government should transfer the protection of pipelines to the states, which is easier.

Nobody will come from Akwa Ibom to come and vandalise pipeline in Arepo; it’s not possible. You call someone the governor of a state but he doesn’t know what is happening in his backyard. In a situation where a 65km pipeline from Bonny to Port Harcourt refinery cannot be protected by Rotimi Amaechi is a shame because the Federal Government did not give him any responsibility concerning pipeline.

Give Amaechi the right to protect the pipeline in his state and if he knows that the protection of the pipeline would guarantee his own subvention and more money, he would protect it. If Lagos that has about 187km of pipeline is given responsibility, it will protect it. For me, it is irresponsible of any government to say that they cannot curtail vandalism.

See, Nigerians are not patriotic enough to see protection of the NNPC property as a collective responsibility. It is just like Boko Haram, I don’t believe it’s being politicised. I believe that the government of Jonathan is not bold enough to confront Boko Haram.

He is not proactive enough especially when you see the way they are taking issues coming out from this crime against humanity. Our economy will not grow until we learn to protect pipelines. Those who are living fat on vandalism of pipelines are very minimal but they are not insurmountable. Government must involve people that would see pipelines protection as their baby. We must find a way of amending our constitution and the protection of the NNPC pipeline should be in the hands of the governors. These are some of the things I highlighted in the bill I sponsored which is a bill to amend the Pipeline Act. Let us have a template of all the pipelines in the country, fund them like you fund host communities and through that you will curtail oil theft in this country.

LAW THURSDAY, september 25, 2014

Although the Federal Government has mandated the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to investigate an allegation by Amnesty International (AI) that both the police and the military use torture as a tool to extract information or confessions from suspects, lawyers yesterday concurred with AI, saying the police could not exonerate self from the allegation. foluso Ogunmodede, TUNDE OYESINA and APPOLOS CHRISTIAN report

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21

Guilty as charged!  As lawyers back Amnesty International against police in torture allegation

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awyers were unanimous yesterday that even though torture as a means of extracting information or confessional statement from suspects was unlawful, both the police and the military could not completely extricate themselves from the report which indicted them of the heinous crime.

They specifically berated the use of torture as a ‘tool’ by the police and other security agencies to extract information from suspects, describing it as ‘totally unlawful’.

Even though there are human rights desks in many police stations in the country, police, they said still engage torture as a punishment to extort money or extract ‘confessions’ as a shortcut to solve cases.

“The police, especially are guilty of this”, they said.

Although torture, according to a report is being practiced in more than 90 per cent of all countries in all regions of the world; big or small, dictatorship or democracy, it offends Section 34 of Nigeria's 1999 Constitution which guarantees respect for human dignity.

Specifically, Section 34 (a) says no person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment.

However, Amnesty International (AI), had last week reeled out details of how people were often detained in large dragnet operations and tortured as punishment, to extort money or extract ‘confessions’ as a shortcut to ‘solve’ cases.

Accordingly, AI in its investigation indicted the police and the military, of inhuman treatment of suspects in order to obtain confessional statement from them.

Although the Federal Government has set up an inquiry to unravel the allegation, lawyers including Senior Advocates of Nigeria believe the report by the group was genuine as it would be difficult for the police to really wriggle themselves out of the indictment.

For instance, Mr. Paul Ananaba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria believes that it is time for the National Assembly to rise to their civic responsibility and criminalise torture since there are no known legal provisions empowering the police to subject suspects to such degrading and dehumanizing nature all in the name of obtaining information from them.

Victim of torture

Ananaba said: “It is totally unlawful for any kind of information to be obtained or extracted from anyone by torture or any other coercive means.

There is no any legal provision known to law for any form of coercion to be used to extract information or confession from any suspect, because it will amount to infringing on the fundamental right.

It is because of this kind of situation that many police stations have started having human rights desk, because some people are being deprived of their rights many times in the course of police trying to get information or confession as some police officers become overzealous in their job. There are standard interrogation procedures which police can apply, of which coercing and dehumanizing people in the name of getting confession or information is not part of.

“But in this part of the world, the law enforcement agencies do as they please and in most times get away with it. So, I urge anybody whose rights have been infringed upon in the name of interrogation to litigate and get redressed. I believe that many of our officers that engage in torture or in other form of coercion to extract information or confession are not well trained, which is why we always call on those in charge to adequately train the Nigeria police officers duly because it is shameful what most officers do in the name of interrogation.

"More educated persons should be recruited and trained to understand that the fact that someone is accused does not make the person guilty until the person is really proven, and also know and uphold the human rights of the citizens in order to aid the situation for good because it could be anybody tomorrow. And enough should be enough; the law enforcement agen-

Another torture victim

There are standard interrogation procedures which police can apply, of which coercing and dehumanizing people in the name of getting confession or information is not part of cies and their officers should not turn themselves to courts as all they need is evidence and allow the court to do its job. Stop the inhuman treatment in the name of interrogation.

Ananaba was echoed by Mr. Femi Falana, a silk wig, who simply said obtaining information or confessional statement from suspects does not require force or any form of torture as under whatever guise must be at the suspects’ freewill.

Falana said: “To get information from a suspect is a voluntary thing.

Meaning that for any suspect to give any information to the law enforcement agents however the case may be, it must be on his or her own free will. A suspect even has a constitutional right not to make any statement. If one is arrested and taken to a police station, before a statement is made, a charge paper is usually given and on top of the paper it is boldly written that you are not obliged to make a statement; that whatever you may say may be used as evidence against you in court, which is in line with Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution which guarantees the right to fair hearing.

So, if an arrested person decided not to make a statement, there is no law anywhere that says he or she be subjected to torture to get information from, rather

the police will have to carry out investigation, because torture of any type is prohibited by Section 34 of the Constitution of Nigeria. And if any information gotten or anyone admitted committing a crime by torture and it is proved, such information or confession will not be admitted by any court. And that is why we have trial within trial. Once an accused person or his or her lawyer objects to the tendering of confessional statement, the main trial will be suspended to allow for trial within trial to determine whether or not the statement was obtained under torture, and if the trial court comes to a conclusion that the statement was obtained under torture it will be rejected.

And that is why in Lagos now, you cannot bring a document from the police or whatever station to the court and say it is a confessional statement, because it is now mandatory that if an accused person has to make a confessional statement, it must be video recorded so that it will be clear to the judge and everybody that the statement was voluntarily obtained. So, there is no such place in law that permits torture as a resolution to getting information from a suspect”.

Chief Emeka Ngige, another silk wig corroborated his colleagues, who described torture as unlawful.

Ngige said under no guise should information be obtained from suspects with force.

Apparently miffed by the AI indictment on the police, Ngige tasked the NHRC to look into the matter with a view to applying appropriate sanctions.

He said: “On no circumstance is lawful for information or statement to be extracted from an accused person or persons or a suspect by compulsion. It is unlawful because we don’t have such provision in our law, which means that anyone using torture or any form of CO NTINUED O N PAGE23

22

LAW | interview

How would you look at some of the key issues raised to reposition the NBA by the President, Augustine Alegeh, SAN? Certainly not, because from all circumstances those things he has set to do are things that are realizable. The only one which is subject to approval by the NEC according to what he said was the reduction of Bar Practicing fees by 10 per cent. But for all those other things he listed to do, I think they are actually realizable and achievable within his tenure in office. And as the president elected in a time like this when people are clamouring for change and better welfare, and for things to be in good standing, he will definitely do his best to keep his words.

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Ojibara: NBA has derailed

Mobolaji Idris Ojibara is the Chairman of the Ilorin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). In this interview with APPOLOS CHRISTIAN, Ojibara bares his mind on the politics of the Bar, confab report, agenda for Ilorin branch, judiciary and sundry issues. chambers for eight years and I know what I went through, so without necessarily having patience to learn the work, many of them just want to start making big money and things like that. One you wouldn’t blame any young lawyer who wants to start living comfortably after leaving law school considering the fact that their counterparts; the young medical practitioners are being paid better during their houseman-ship and residency. This, I think is because pupilage, which is the training they undergo at the chambers of senior lawyers before they start practicing should be made in a way that government will pay them some allowances just as doctors are been paid by the government during their residency period. It should be made to be done in government’s establishments like the ministry of justice, other judicial parastatals and in some designated chambers of Senior Advocates. This should really be looked into because their welfare which involves their upkeep during pupilage period has been a thorn in the flesh and people have been discussing it over the years but solution has not been found and I think this will solve the problem.

I dare to say that if we continue like this without the involvement of the government, we might not be able to resolve it and they will continue to suffer because when a young lawyer graduated from law school and come to the chambers of a senior lawyer, without doubt; the person is coming to learn and the person with whom he or she has come to learn from will only say: let me give this young chap allowance, of which no one will pay some huge amount of money to somebody he or she is training. This is the problem and the reason I said that government has to be involved however, and the worst is that the younger lawyers will continue to say that the seniors are not paying them well forgetting they are just undergoing training whatever the case may be. If you look at it very well, the senior lawyers are rather serving us the juniors and still have to pay.

A section of the Bar believed that the NBA lost its voice during the Okey Wali leadership of the Bar, do you share their view?

I have been a member of the NBA for 15years now, and the NBA is seriously growing by the day. For instance, during the NBA conference at Ilorin in 2007, the attendance was less than 5000 but close to 10,000 lawyers attended the just concluded Owerri conference which is a proof that the NBA is really growing indeed. Prior to this fact, there apparently will be more challenges as regards the association; administration and even discipline. So, as the NBA grows in membership so does its challenges grow as well. Just like you mentioned that Baba Mustapha Akanbi said that the Nigeria of yesterday is better than today, and that is because the population has grown and the challenges multiply and people seem more like looking for and are ready to do whatever it takes including engaging in corrupt acts to be relevant and popular.

So, considering this fact, the NBA is really progressing though it might not be as one may expect but it’s moving forward for better.

But it’s just that the NBA used to be more vocal yesteryears and well respected than it is today. Then, when it speaks the government listened but the reverse is the case today. And I will say that the reason it was such a formidable force then was that when it spoke the world listened is because it was an organised and united body that spoke in one voice; which dignified itself and members with honor, dignity, and truth. Nevertheless, the current leadership of the NBA both national and in chapter levels are working hard to ensure that the glories of NBA will shine and gladden our societies as it once did.

You are the current chairman of the Ilorin chapter of the NBA, to what extent have you gone to reposition the Ilorin branch of the association?

You know when you set agenda; you also will need the cooperation of your members to achieve the agenda. So, I had many objectives when I came on board as the chairman of this branch of NBA, but with the realities on ground; the greatest and mega point of my agenda is now to make sure that cooperation and unity reign in Ilorin chapter of the NBA, and I want to be remembered as the man that brought a formidable unity to our branch. And this is because a divided house cannot achieve anything commendable let alone stand the chance of being emulated, and with the cooperation and the unity among us, every other thing will definitely take shape. And we have been striving to meet this goal but unfortunately there are incidences that have been throwing serious challenges in our wheel of progress to ensuring that there is unity in the Ilorin branch of the NBA. These challenges have to do with some of our members particularly in respect to the activities of our immediate past administration, which of course I am doing and will do the required best to resolve and make sure that cooperation and unity reign among us.

So, this challenge notwithstanding, a united Ilorin branch NBA is the most important of what I set to do and I will see to it. This is a priority to me because it is only when we are united that we can be a

Ojibara

formidable force, honoured and respected, and be able to do what is expected of our members especially our junior colleagues and the society as learned men.

Any plans for junior members of your branch?

Every administration always has plans for the younger colleagues which directly or indirectly typically their welfare issue. And I believe they should be given a voice because just as the larger group, if as members of young lawyers’ forum they have a voice; they will be able to achieve a lot. So, as I promised when I was coming on board to institutionalize young lawyers’ forum in our branch because we have it at the national level so that they can come together and share their common problems, make resolutions and fight for their rights. I have institutionalized the forum and also came up with what we called young advocate award of the year, and this I believe will encourage them to work hard in terms of discipline, advocacy and appearance, and be better and best lawyers for Ni-

The current leadership of the NBA both national and the chapter levels are working hard to ensure that the glories of NBA will shine and gladden our society as it once did geria.

Having come from the same ladder, what do you think is the biggest problems of the younger lawyers?

They have a lot of problems but what I think is the biggest problem they have is that they are a kind of in a hurry to make it big and they lack patience to an extent. I was a junior in someone’s

So far, what are the challenges you are being faced in order to realize your objectives or set goals People face challenges when they want to make laudable positive impact.

I have my own challenges and I wouldn’t say they are unusual ones rather I can only say that I am not doing enough. So, my concern about my challenges is to put more effort in order to achieve my objectives. So, I am my greatest challenge because I have to get myself to mind less of whatever that faces me but push myself beyond the limits in order to achieve my goals which is what matters most. But having said I am not doing enough means that I am not relenting neither sleeping on my oars. Rather, I am seeing and saying that I must do more and fight harder to make sure I achieve my goals in the end because I don’t take less and will not no matter the situation.

Besides pushing yourself beyond the limits, what else do you need to do to have your goals achieved?

Basically, what I just need is support, cooperation, and I need to be tolerated because I am so sure that if I get a little bit of support and tolerance from my colleagues both seniors and young ones I will bring to reality everything I have promised to do. I thank God that the elderly ones among us are really doing their best to make sure that we are in unity. I am really getting the support and

LAW | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

‘Police cannot exonerate self from torture allegation'

I strongly support that the confab report be subjected to general referendum than sending it to the National Assemby

CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 1

cooperation of the elders; in fact they have been very fantastic. So, I also beg for more support, cooperation and tolerance. In fact, I beg that we should act more like learned people we are because most of our actions seem more like we are no more the learned people we are.

Now, the idea of a six- year single term is gradually creeping into the nation’s consciousness ahead of 2015 elections. Do you support the single term of six years?

Well, every decision has its advantage and disadvantage and this case is not different. But the major advantage the six-year single term will have in our democratic process is that when people are elected into offices, for the whole period they will concentrate and do the business for which they are being put in the office. We all know that presently in Nigeria, politicians focus their attention on a second term bid after their first two years in the office, that is from governance to politicking which is the reason why they end up not achieving anything meaningful. This second term ideology seriously affects everything because even the appointments they made is to put those that will help to win them votes in their second term bid not the competent hands that will work for the good of the people that elected them.

So, the six-year single term will give us more clear picture of what they really do in the office and help us the electorate to know who and who not to put in the office. And about the idea that it will deprive the electorate the right to vote against who deserves to stay on is incorrect. For instance, if you say someone who has done so well in his first term, should go for a second term, why would people not say the person should also go for third or fourth term? And the same goes in the case of the electorate. So, a six-year single term is a welcome idea for me.

Corruption seems to be more pronounced in the judiciary than other arms of government with lawyers as active players, what is your view?

Good question. But the truth is that most people who go about saying one thing or the other about corruption are mostly what they read in the print and electronic media, not what they truly know about or have directly or indirectly verified. Having been affected by the negative and direct sting of the media in recent time, I do have a clear idea on how some media establishments get their news. Some of them go to different websites, copy their reports and publish, showing that investigative reporting as you are doing now is no more the obtainable instrument. And this is a major problem we are having now in our society, because people are less informed by the media these days. I don’t mean there are no or have not been serious cases of corruption in the Bar and on the Bench, but things are not the way they have been reported.

The media seem to echo the exact situation beyond borders because people are being made to believe that a whole lot of judges and lawyers are corrupt. They go about saying what they truly cannot defend. And again, it seems that government and the media have some sort of agreements on what to report and what not to, because the media tend to report the cases that government are interested in and when it seems that government pull its interest out of any of the cases, we stop reading or hearing about them in radio or television. This, however, brings

23

Ojibara

I don’t mean there are no or have not been serious cases of corruption in the Bar and on the Bench, but things are not the way they have been reported me to say that the level of corruption in any sector in Nigeria can only be determined by the media. And it takes largely the power of the media to deal with corruption and make it go away.

We have some high profile cases of corruption in court, dragging on and on yet no conviction, what do you think is wrong with the system?

The thing is that we have a fundamental problem which unless the problem is solved we will keep wallowing in it. The delay we have in most of these cases is because the government has interest in them. The government here is the executive because it is the executive that has such power to interfere or influence any form of cases, as the judiciary is not independent. Unlike the legislature, the judiciary is not independent from the executive, and unfortunately

enough for the judiciary, most corruption cases involve those in power such as executive positions, who can also be duly prosecuted by the full cooperation of the executive. So, unless the judiciary has financial autonomy, unless the judiciary can run its affairs without being interfered and determines its own pace, the executive will continue to control the affairs of the judiciary and we might not have this issue resolved, which means that corruption cases will continue in the direction it usually goes.

Recommendations by the 2014 national confab have pitted Nigerians against each other. While some believe the recommendations be subjected to a referendum, others are in support of the report being sent to the National Assembly. Which of these categories do you belong to?

My problem with it being sent to the National Assembly is that now in Nigeria anything that goes or comes from the National Assembly must be argued politically, some in line with APC thinking and others in PDP thinking. So, sending the recommendations of the confab to the National Assembly will automatically turn it to another political debate.

So, if in the first place the recommendations are objectively done to cater for the welfare of Nigerians, I strongly support it being put to general referendum than sending it to the National Assembly, because it might not come out from there alive.

coercion to extract confession or any form of information from a suspect or an accused is committing a crime. It’s high time we seriously looked into the inhuman treatments the law enforcement agencies inflict on the citizens by the day in the name of interrogation’.

To Chief Adeniyi Akintola, a Senior Advocate, “the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under human rights makes it clear that no Nigerian should be tortured or subjected to inhuman indignity, and this is also being uphold by the African Charter which Nigeria is signatory to.

“No matter the height of the offence, it is unconstitutional and a crime on its own to subject anybody to torture or any process of such in the name of getting information or confession, even if they are war criminals. So, it is an infringement of rights to use torture to extract or obtain information from a suspect. And the unfortunate thing is that our law enforcement agencies use torture in many forms to obtain information from suspects where sometime people have confessed to crime they know nothing about. Honestly, it’s time something serious about the trend was done before it gets out of hand if it has not already”.

Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mallam Yusuf Ali stated that there was no law that supports torture as a tool of extracting concessionary statement from suspects.

He however described such as act as inhuman and a breach of the fundamental human rights.

"The judges' rule set out step by step that must be followed in interrogating suspects. Such rules states that the suspect must not be handcuffed and it should be explained to the suspect, words of caution.

"Confession must also be voluntary, not by force or under duress. A section of Evidence Act talks about how confession should be taken.

"So, any confession taken by torture if it is brought to the notice of the court will not be acceptable because it contradicts the laid down rules".

The President of Public Interest Lawyers League PILL, Abdul Mahmud in his own submission stated that all statements must be made under caution or oath and it must be voluntarily.

He added that there is no law that empowers anyone to obtain statements through torture.

"The criminal and penal codes are clear on this and S.34 CFRN 1999 abhors torture. The question of confessions-involuntarily made are dealt with by the Evidence Act and case laws. The test of the validity of confession is whether it is voluntary made or it is relevant as the court stated in Akpan v the state.

"However S.29 Evidence Act considers involuntary confession as inadmissible", Mahmud added.

Chief Mike Ahamba, SAN also corroborated that there is law either written or inferred that makes torture a means of obtaining confession from suspect.

He added that such act is against the spirit of the constitution and a breach of fundamental human right.

"Statement should be voluntary, if it established a statement is not voluntary or obtained under duress, such will be rejected by the court or the court may call for what is known as 'trial within trial' so as to ascertain the voluntariness of statement", says Ahamba.

24 JURIST

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Okoro: Special court for electoral He is a war veteran as he participated in the three-year civil war which rocked the nation between 1967 and 1970. Today, Joseph Akujobi Okoro, a titled chief oversees a firm of lawyers with a base in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. Okoro, who also trained as an Accountant and retired as a Director of Finance and Accounts at the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, read Law at the University of Abuja. He speaks on his background, foray into the legal profession, corruption and security challenge in the country.

TUNDE OYESINA met him

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ndaunted by his background, a war veteran who thereafter, trained as a chartered accountant and lawyer, rose to the peak of his career before venturing into law practice.

Joseph Akujobi Okoro, the first of ten children defied all odds to attain the standard set by his late father, Felix Okoro, according to him, had mandated his children to either study engineering, medicine or law so as to become relevant in the nation’s affairs.

Although the junior Okoro’s ambition to attain the feat was almost in ruin as a result of the civil war that broke out in the country, he defied all odds as he engaged in private study to achieve his ambition.

It was not all bed of roses, Okoro enthused.

He told New Telegraph his background and his enlistment into the Nigerian army shortly after his post primary education this way: “I am Joseph Akujobi Okoro, the first male child of 10 children of late the late Felix and Ednand Okoro of Umuchima in Ihiawa in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo state.

Okoro who was born in Lagos, had his elementary education at the United Christian College, Lagos.

He said: “I was born in Lagos where I started my primary education in United Christian College. I also had the privilege of a sound secondary education, after which the civil war broke out. During the civil war, I went over as I fought on the other side a military officer at the signal unit of the Nigerian Army.

I was discharged in I970 by the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.

Shortly after the war in 1970, Okoro, who had already ceased to be a soldier following his discharge from the army, picked the pieces of his life together as he engaged in private studies.

This, according to him took him to the London School of Accountancy, where he regularly obtained his correspondence courses.

His words: “From there I started a personal education development.

I took a correspondence course from the London School of Accountancy and qualified, became a fellow of the Association of Admini s tra-

Okoro

tive Accountant in England. Thereafter, I headed for the Nigeria College of Accountancy in Jos, where I was qualified and subsequently became a member, Association of Accountancy of Nigeria.

Not yet done, Okoro said “my quest for education did not stop at that as I was fired by my father’s desire, who having worked in the public sector before going into private business, said we must read courses that would launch us into active players in Nigeria’s economic development.

As a matter of fact, my father whose experience in public sector had witnessed the roles and contributions by different professionals on the Nigeria’s economic development thought that his children must either become accountants, doctors, engineers or lawyers.

Fortunately, all of us picked all the professions except law. He witnessed my qualification as a chartered accountant but in other to ensure that his desires are fulfilled, I decided to enroll for law at the University of Abuja. I was called to the Nigerian Bar after a year in Law School.

Like my father, I started my work career in the private sector; I worked in most blue chip companies in Nigeria, moved over to the public sector where I rose to become the Director of Finance and Accounts in the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and later the acting DirectorGeneral

I think the loopholes that happened in 2011 are not likely to be witnessed again come 2015. I want to believe that the INEC Chairman has the credibility to conduct a free, fair and credible election from where I retired in 2006”.

Although he is a fulfilled man, Okoro’s only regret is that Nigeria as a country has not attained any appreciable status 54 years after independence. However, Okoro admitted that the country may have made impacts on commerce and educational sectors, but impacts were not total as such impacts were below the expectations of the founding fathers.

Okoro said: “ If we take the Nigerian economy in different sectors, we can say that the country has progressed; one could even say that so far so good, the dream of the founding fathers has not been met, that unity in diversity. Nigeria has remained one in spite of its diversities, to that extent, one can say that it has achieved the desires of the founding fathers.

In educational sector, yes , Nigeria has made tremendous improvement, in area of commerce, yes, Nigeria has progressed, the issue now may not be whether we have progressed in the right direction but how have we as Nigerians faired in keeping these policies that have kept us at the height of our policy level.

If we take that angle of argument, then one would say that we haven't achieved completely the dreams of the founding fathers because technologically, we ought to have advanced more than we are at the moment. If we talk about political sector, yes, to a large extent, political awareness has increased but to my mind, it had increased in the wrong direction because during the early days of the Nigerian politics, the ordinary Nigerian trusted their leaders; when they say go this

way, they believe them because, that way, he too will go. But today, the average Nigerian politician is not trusted.

So, to that extent, I will say we have not achieved politically, hence the aspirations of the founding fathers have not been met.

On the raging knocks on the newly creation of additional 30,000 poling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),Okoro said there was nothing to worry about especially when the INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega had offered good reasons for the newly created poling units.

He said: “To a clean minded individual, one would say there is no cause for alarm having listened to the explanations of the INEC chairman, Prof.

Attahiru Jega and his lieutenants who have been trying to advance arguments in favour of such delineation. One would ordinarily say nothing had gone wrong and there should not be any hue and cry because the whole intent is to ensure that people do not queue on the voting line for too long. That, to me makes sense because the average Nigerian who is more often than not persuaded to go and vote does not want to be kept much longer than necessary while exercising his civic responsibility. The queue for hours, for instance I heard in the cause of the argument that a particular polling booth have 4,000 registered voters and you know how long it takes the INEC official to accredit and vote one candidate.

And to that extent, those 4,000 voters who would have voted, we may just lose their vote as they may not be able to stand for that lengthy time and they may work away and we would have lost that vote.

I think this was the argument behind this matter. But if we look at it from the other divides, some see it as a ploy to give political advantage to some areas of the country. If it were to be as it is placed on the table, where it is just 500 per booth, the candidate comes to vote ordinarily without any rigging and without creating polling booth where it will be impossible to vote and at the end of the day, votes will be registered in favour of the booth. That may be the fear of these persons. I think the argument makes sense, however, if the whole idea is to ensure that there is no rigging, then I as an individual, will support the creation of additional polling booths to reduce the time people will spend on the queue, to ensure eligible voters are not denied of the opportunity to do so because of the length of time to stand under the sun or the rain. What I will plead with INEC and politicians would be to ensure that any polling booth created should not serve as avenues to perpetuate rigging, if that can be guaranteed, then I do not see any problem in the creation of the additional 30,000 polling booths.

On INEC and the 2015 elections, Okoro said there was nothing to fear as the electoral body had demonstrated its readiness to conduct free and fair election as carried-out in Ekiti and Osun States gubernatorial elections.

He said: “2015 is like a pregnant woman but if we take the track record of INEC so far with the last two elections in Ekiti and Osun and hopefully the forthcoming Adamawa State’s election, one would begin to give some credit and begin to say yes. I think the loopholes that happened in 2011 are not likely to be witnessed again come 2015. I want to believe that Prof. Jega still have that credibility to conduct a free, fair and credible election. I will implore Nigerians to give

JURIST

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

25

offences will strengthen justice system Jega that benefit of doubt to conduct a free and fair election. If all parties mobilize the populace through their manifestoes, on the day of voting, let every man vote according to his conscience.

And INEC’s responsibility is simply to count and announce the vote cast. To that extent, I do not see why we cannot conduct a free and credible election. I know that inspire of the present political tension in the country, we shall come out victorious. I am very optimistic that come 2015, the elections are going to be peaceful. I still have my trust in INEC in spite of all doubts expressed by individuals and groups.

On the recommendations by the 2014 national confab, Okoro believes that the resolutions are beyond referendum. Instead, he canvassed for the inputs of the National Assembly in order the document a legal one. Okoro who was one of active participants at the confab, wished the confab’s recommendation be forwarded to the National Assembly rather than the much touted referendum.

He said: “I was privileged to have been in the think tank group that made submissions to the national conference under the Association of Accountancy of Nigeria. I will gladly say that I made inputs and most of my inputs seem to have been considered. On the issue of what happens with the resolution, some have canvassed that there should be referendum, at least to test its acceptability with Nigerians. If we send it to go under referendum to the 36 states, we shall be going back to square one, if National Assembly members remain representatives of these communities, my take will simply be 'send these resolutions to the National Assembly' to amend the areas that affect the Constitution. The Federal Government has said that not all the resolutions that affect the Constitution as some are purely administrative issues which the Federal or state governments should take cognizance of.

The Federal Government should also strive to implement those resolutions that are purely administrative and the state governments to implement those areas that are belong to. And the ones that are to do with the Constitution, I do not think it should go to the states for referendum. Doing that, we may just end up like all past national conferences or whatever name it is called. So, the National Assembly should be honest to look at those resolutions bearing in mind that, these are selected persons in different professional fields put together, to brainstorm and come out with these resolutions. It is for them to bring the expertise in law making to bare on those resolutions in terms of legal drafting.

And let it go through the 36 states as provided for in the 1999 Constitution for any amendment to take place. That I think should be the best approach to it if we genuinely intend to take advantage of the national conference and the amount of money spent in hosting this national conference. My take is that it should go to the National Assembly to enhance the amendment of the Constitution and sent to the 36 states to do what they ought to do as provided for in the Constitution.

Going to referendum will be prolonging and we may never get it through in the next two years.

On the nation’s security challenge, Okoro said “when the insurgence start-

I think confab report should go to the National Assembly to enhance the amendment of the Constitution

The creation of special courts for electoral offences and corruption cases would assist in the crusade to make Nigeria a better place and to increase our foreign business participation ed, it was taken as no issue until over 200 Chibok schoolgirls were abducted.

Yes, we have heard that about 50 schoolgirls have been released, and the government was trying to play a role to ensure that it was contained. Unfortunately, the terrorists have continued to wax stronger and stronger. It became an opportunity for those terrorists outside the country who have been trying to find a way to penetrate; it became an avenue because of our alliance on international issues with other countries. The insurgence is very regrettable and the Federal Government did not play the role it ought to have played at the initial stage as it treated the issue with a kid glove.

“For me, the way out now is because I have a fairly good knowledge of these areas-Michika, Bama, Dambua, Mubi and the rest. At the time the insurgents captured our girls, because of the attitude of the Federal Government which was not decisive, may be apparently trying to reduce casualties; not wanting to create more pains in the community though it could push the insurgents away. But unfortunately the insurgents kept gaining grounds. The Federal Government should act decisively now. For me, I will suggest that the Federal Government should identify schools in the trouble free areas in Adamawa and Borno states and create temporal refugee camps, announce to every inhabitants of these communities to relocate within two weeks to the nearest camp, after which it declares total war on that area. It is now a total war because hitherto, it is like a gorilla war, the terrorists were attacking in a gorilla war system, where you least expected, they hit you there and when you turn around, they disappear. So, it becomes difficult. The military strategy now should be more equipped than ever.

You may now ask, what happens to the Chibok girls who cannot take advantage of what I have suggested to pull out of that place? They are in bondage, so under this circumstance, rather than allowing the insurgents to overrun us, they should go on and whoever among the girls survives, so be it because it is better

than to allow the insurgents to overrun Nigeria. Look at what is happening, in each area they occupy, they hoist their flag, it is no longer internal threat; it is now a war. It is no longer that we do not want western education, it is now a war between a group of people and Nigeria, so to that extent, we should address it as a war and not internal crisis.

Okoro did not hide his disdain on the state of the nation’s judiciary.

He said: “It is poor. I have not been very impressed about the judiciary. In those days when we were growing up, I took great pleasure on Saturdays to go to the nearest Magistrate’s court to my house to listen to cases in court.

Judges and lawyers were determined to conclude their cases. There were no unnecessary adjournments. A case came up, two to three months, it is disposed off. But today, simple matter of stealing, it lingers in our court for a year to two years when the evidence is clear. Why this is so because the lawyers are not prepared to do their work. You know this is a bad case you now begin to take adjournment. And at every adjournment, you make the clients pay for the next visit to the court. The whole interest is not to promote or advance our jurisprudence in but to amass wealth. Look at corruption, in those days, it was very difficult to see a judge, but today, some judges have been found to be corrupt when it is said that the judiciary is the last hope of a common man where justice is uphold and that is why the symbol of a woman blindfolded is used.

So, it gives its decision not minding whose ox is gored. But today, you want to look at the political background of the accused, and begin to weigh how you will circumvent the law in other to come to a soft landing of the accused.

As far as I am concerned, our judges need to do a lot of work. Having said this, however, within the last few years, I think there has been a mark of

Okoro

improvement, the judges themselves have decided to correct themselves. So, I think, they are now doing what they ought to do and because of this , they are now pushing lawyers not to take unnecessary adjournment. I think it is one good thing that has happened that the rate of granting interlocutory injunctions has been reduced. Granting interlocutory injunction is a product of corruption, you see a judge in chambers and the next moment, he grants you your prayers. So, I think within the last few years, there have been some improvements and I think the judiciary will soon come back to its past glory.

On special courts to prosecute electoral offences, Okoro said “I join those clamoring for special courts in view of the number of cases we have in our regular courts. You find that because of what I have mentioned earlier, insensitivity of lawyers in prosecuting their matter, due diligence is no longer the other of the day. That now makes corrupt cases that should be disposed off quickly linger on for years and in that process, justice is tampered. Look at Electoral Offences, the offences that must be decided upon in order to check the system as quickly as possible. Someone commits an electoral offence and it lingers to another election period. I believe that creation of special courts for electoral offences and corruption cases would assist in this fight to make Nigeria a better place and to increase our foreign business participation.

On whether there should be an amendment to pave the way for a part-time legislature, Okoro disagreed. To him, law making which requires a specialized skill, would not sooth the Nigeria’s case, being a developing economy as genuine and experienced persons as contributors in the law making process would not be available.

26 LAW | Opinion

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Privileges of elevation to the silk: Matters arising Michael A. Agbamuche Introduction he award of Queen’s Counsel is for excellence in advocacy in the higher courts. It is made to experienced advocates, both barristers and solicitors, who have rights of audience in the higher courts of England and Wales and have demonstrated the competences in the Competency Framework to add standard of excellence.

In the British legal system, Queen’s Counsel has the privilege of sitting within the Inner Bar of court and wears silk gowns of special design.

The special robes are the reason becoming a queen counsel is referred to as “TAKING SILK”. Taking silk in the Nigeria legal profession has meant different things to many people even as opinion is divided as to the efficacy of the selecting process not to speak of the constitutionality of the rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Essentially, King’s (Queen’s) Counsel are barristers or sergeants who have been called to the Bar and selected to be the King’s (or Queen’s) counsel.

They could not formerly be employed in any case against the crown (example in defending a prisoner) without special license. The above has been the meaning of the rank of Queen’s Counsel from ancient times. Nigeria’s colonial experience informed the structure of the Nigerian legal profession as well as Nigerian laws. It naturally being a British colony meant the wholesale importation of the conventions and practices of the English Bar including the wearing of wigs and gowns.

With the passage of time and attendant growth of the legal profession, the idea took a root of recognizing formally those members of the legal profession who had distinguished themselves through advocacy in the courts. It made sense to adopt the English system and therefore became the aspiration of leading members of the Bar to be conferred with the rank of Queen’s Counsel. As a matter of convention, that meant sitting at the Inner Bar or the front row and the enjoyment of the privilege of calling their cases first and out of order. In modern Nigeria, the privileges and/or entitlements that are attended upon taking silk have been formalized by statutory regulation which today is the Legal Practitioners Act Cap L 11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

All that has happened is that the statute sought to codify what had been inherited from the English legal system.

Section 6 of the Legal Practitioners Act states that privileges that Silks are entitled to, viz: a. Exclusive right to sit in the Inner Bar or, where no facilities exist for

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Agbamuche

It is noteworthy that the most significant privilege that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria enjoys is the right of calling his cases first and out of order an Inner Bar, on the front row of seats available for legal practitioner’s; and b.

Right to mention any motion in which he is appearing or any other cause or matter, which is on the list for mention and not otherwise listed for hearing out of turn on the causelist.

It is noteworthy that the most significant privilege that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria enjoys is the right of calling their cases first and out of order. This privilege has given rise to some unease about the constitutionality of the rank of a Senior Advocate.

It is of course noteworthy that the English system is based on an unwritten constitution supported by vast bodies of conventions, some of which by reason of acceptance and usage over the centuries have taken on the aura of unbreakable laws. The Nigerian system on the other hand is based on a written constitution the most recent of which is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. In the said constitution, in particular, Section 17 (2) (a) it provides that: Every citizen shall have equality of rights, obligations and opportunities before the law.

Such rights and opportunities must include the right to go before a court of law and present for adjudication any questions as to civil rights and obligations or criminal charges. It has been the contention of a sizeable number of commentators that the constitutional provision of equality of citizens is defeated when the richer citizen is able to engage the services of senior advocates who by reason of the privilege of mentioning cases out of turn, sitting at the Inner Bar and wearing a silk gown would appear to be enjoying a favoured status both in the court room at the time of hearing and even outside the court room. Thus, the possession of substantial means enables a litigant to place his poorer opponents at a serious disadvantage in the dispensation of justice entirely unconnected with the merits or demerits of a case before the court. That view appears to have underscored a decision of the High Court in Ghana which led to the abolition of the title “Senior Advocate” of Ghana.

Right to sit at the Inner Bar The language of the Legal Practitioners Act is that ‘Silk” have exclusive rights to sit in the Inner Bar or the front row or seats where no Inner Bar exists. At the English Bar from where the system and /or idea was copied, the judiciary has traditionally given Queens’s Counsel a formal right to address the court before any other advocate.

However, such privileges are connected with sitting in a particular part of the court. Silks are entitled to sit on the front row or the Inner Bar. It is the modern opinion in England that this is a matter of professional etiquette rather than a serious advantage. It is really doubtful in England whether this right or privilege has, any longer, a practical significance.

TO B E CO N T I N U E D

Alegeh and other members of the committee

Alegeh inaugurates committee to review NBA Constitution review NBA is set to amend its Constitution as a 10-member committee is inaugurated Foluso Ogunmodede

F

or about 45 minutes, the President of the lawyers’ umbrella body, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Augustine Alegeh, at the weekend, proffered arguments on why the association’s Constitution must be reviewed to meet global challenges.

Alegeh, a Senior Adevocate of Nigeria insisted that since the Constitution had become inadequate to address some of the NBA’s desires especially fundamental issues germane to members’ overall interest, the need to review and amend some of its obsolete aspects became imperative.

He told members in Abuja while inaugurating a committee set up to look into many areas of the document which had proved inadequate that the review became imperative ‘to address current realities of our time’.

The association had on August 28, at its Annual General Meeting (AGM), endorsed the amendments on some sections considered obsolete.

The amendments, if completed, according to NBA, would take the association to greater heights especially on ‘modern technological developments’.

Topped on the amendment is the delegate election system which would be replaced by e-voting to ensure transparency in NBA future elections.

At the inauguration of the review committee, Alegeh said:‘‘The recent amendments to the NBA Constitution were ratified at the Annual General Meeting [AGM] of the NBA on 28th of August, 2014. The said amendments addressed issues that were topical at the

time and have essentially served their purpose.

“However, there is a further need to amend our Constitution to meet present realities and take advantage of modern technological developments.

The cost of NBA national elections to the association is increasing at an unsustainable rate.

The risk, dangers and inconveniences encountered

by NBA members during these elections is becoming unbearable. The elections are becoming too expensive for NBA members and voter tampering appears to be encouraged when Delegates at National Elections are not provided with accommodation and other logistic requirements by the association.

The resultant effect is that candidates are compelled to provide accommodation and logistic needs for the Delegates in a manner that may compromise the decision-making process of the delegates”.

On e-voting, Alegeh said that there was the need for the NBA Constitution to be amended so as to accommodate electronic voting through the association’s website.

He said: “I believe strongly, that the delegate election system of the NBA needs to be reviewed and that e-voting through the NBA Website should be introduced and this would require a constitutional Amendment.

“The wording of the electoral provisions of our Constitution and several other provisions would need to be reviewed and fine-tuned.

The amendments to our Constitution to introduce e-voting and other changes would be given priority and dealt with speedily with the hope that the system would be operational and members made conversant with its working long before the 2016 National Elections.

In the light of the approval of Uniform Bye Laws for NBA branches, it would be advisable for the provision of e-voting to be contained in the Uniform Bye Laws to afford branches the opportunity to implement e-

voting and be conversant with its operations before the National elections’’.

While pushing for the review of the NBA Constitution, the President charged the committee to among others, review the provisions of NBA Constitution on elections with a view to introducing evoting at all NBA National Elections.

Besides, Alegeh want the committee to look into the provisions of the NBA Constitution on elections and propose such amendments as may be required to make the provisions more definitive and the national elections more rancour free.

Other terms of reference are the review of the NBA branches Unified Bye Laws to bring it in conformity with the amended NBA Constitution.

Specifically, the committee members- Garba Tetengi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (Chairman), Paul Idornigie, ’Mena Ajakpovi, Nelson Ogbuanya, Agada John Elachi, Seni Adio, Balikisu Saidu, Tessy Eghe-Abe, Nkoyo O. Amah and Chidozie Ogunji, were tasked to review the Bye Laws of NBA Sections, fora and Institutes and harmonize same and propose amendments necessary to the provisions of the association’s Constitution as they deem fit.

Alegeh said: A Constitution is the fundamental document that holds an entity together and defines its existence. It encapsulates all the rules and regulations, governing an organization and how the organization should be structured and run with a view to seamless co-ordination and achievement of its aims and aspirations.

“Organizations, like societies, are dynamic and keep evolving. The NBA is not different. The concept of organizational development pre-supposes that organization like the NBA must contemplate change in its fundamental document like the NBA Constitution, especially when the existing Constitution proves inadequate or obsolete to address current realities of our time.

HEALTH THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

MODERATE CONSUMPTION OF HIGH CALORIE DIET WILL CHECK GALL-STONES

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www.newtelegraphonline.com/health

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APPOLONIA ADEYEMI appolonia.adeyemi@newtelegraphonline com appoloniaadeyemi@gmail.com

Seeking health package for Chibok girls, rape victims The ordeal of the Chibok girls in the hands of their abductors and that of victims of rape and incest is highlighted ahead of the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion to be marked on Sunday, September 28. Though, they cannot access this right because of restrictions posed by the 1861 Abortion Law, a total health package as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) must be offered to these girls on their release and other victims, writes APPOLONIA ADEYEMI

W

ith new media reports highlighting plans to release the over 200 abducted Chibok girls in a swap deal with some detained Boko Haram commanders, hope of welcoming the school girls back into society has again been renewed. For the parents, guardians and relations, they can't wait to welcome their daughters and sisters who have been in the abductors' den since April 14. As for the girls, being left off the hook promises to be freedom for a new life where they can live life of dignity that is devoid of the slavery and servitude their terrorist abductors have subjected them to.

However, as concerned families, right activists campaigning for their freedom and the society await their return, the issue of how to meet their immediate health needs has come to the fore. There is no doubt that as victims of abduction, the girls may have been subjected to harrowing rape experience and of course, heartless repeated rape which may have resulted in lacerations. What about possible unplanned and unwanted pregnancies? How about the psychological torture the girls would have been subjected to and the lasting impact of such on their psyche?

Giving an account of one of the three girls who escaped from the camp of the terrorist Boko Haram group, a clergy and expert on counter-terrorism, Oladimeji Thompson, of The Omoluabi Network, who has been working with other groups to assist victims of the abduction overcome their pains said, “One of the girls I interviewed was being raped 15 times by 15 men every day.” The girl was traumatised and confused, he said.

In other account, media report quoted some Chibok girls who escaped as being pregnant. In an interview on the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo said some of the Chiboks girls are pregnant while others may never return again.

For those that have escaped and the more that may ultimately be released, the question that have naturally reoccurred is: what do affected girls do with such pregnancies?

While the father of one of the pregnant girl was quoted as saying he does not want to have anything to do with the pregnancy, the girl herseif said once she is delivered of the baby, she would do away with it. This brings to the fore the hard facts and what to

Pre-exposure prophylaxis is a prevention option for people who are at high risk of getting HIV.

PHOTO www.cdc.gov

Dr.Mabogunje

dohow to address problems resulting from persistent abductions which are now rampant in north eastern states of Nigeria. Although, these issues have been on the front burner, the forthcoming Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion, makes the discuss very relevant. The day to be marked on Sunday, September 28, has been set aside to demand de-criminalisation of abortion. The has its origin in Latin America and the Caribbean where women’s groups have been mobilising around September 28 the last

two decades to demand their governments to decriminalise abortion, to provide access to safe and affordable abortion services and to end stigma and discrimination towards women who choose to have an abortion.

Going by the provisions of the 1861 Abortion Law in Nigeria, women in Nigeria can only procure abortion where the life of the mother is in danger.

Hence, the Chibok girls or those representing them cannot even demand to abort pregnancy arising from some of the rape that occurred during their abductions. Even if the victims choose to terminate the pregnancy, legally, they cannot procure the abortion.

Apart from pregnancies, what about those Chibok girls who had been subjected to rape countless times throughout the period that they were held? What about their injuries, pain, trauma that they are facing presently, among others?

Dr. Nihinlola Mabogunje, country director of Ipas in Nigeria said the focus should shift to how to compensate Chibok girls in terms of meeting their health needs.

According to her, although, the health needs of a rape victim is wide and big; the relevant authority should agree that rape victims should be compensated.

Based on this plan, the Chibok

girls, other abducted girls, rape and incest victims should be given physical, mental and social wellbeing. She said, “You look at her in terms of if she has a vaginal tear which is possible, it will be sutured; if she develops a fistula, she will be cared for; should she be pregnant, she needs to be provided with medications; if she has HIV, she will be provided with prophylaxis.

She added that the problems of these victims must be addressed in a holistic way so as to provide a way out for them.

Hence, for the federal and state governments and other stakeholders, their responsibility towards the Chibok girls and other women who are subjected to rape should be viewed in this light. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Based on this recommendation, the health needs of the Chibok girls must be met.

Already, those girls that escaped have been offered scholarship to pursue their education. It should be noted that if these girls are not healthy, there will be no education to pursue.

“A man who raped a woman should compensate the woman. It is not just enough for the offender to go to one year jail or thereabout, ending it there.

That punishment is not enough. Mobogunje reasoned that in addition to the penalty, the offender should be made to compensate the victim, adding that this should be the new trend. It could reduce incidence of rape in this environment, she said.

Speaking in similar vein, President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Hauwa Shekarau said the 1861 Abortion Law in crimiC O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2 8

Already, those girls that escaped have been offered scholarship to pursue their education.

Tt should be noted that if these girls are not healthy, there will be no education to pursue

28 HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Activists advocate health package for rape, incest victims C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 7

of Women Lawyers, Hauwa Shekarau said the 1861 Abortion Law in criminalising abortion, makes it possible for a mother whose life is in danger only to terminate a pregnancy. The law did not specify who will determine that the life of the mother is in danger.

Shekarau lamented that due to the restrictive nature of the Abortion Law in the country, women and girls who are victims of rape and incest are left to their own devices regarding what to do whenever rape results to pregnancy.

There have been moves three different times in the past to change the existing abortion law in line with modern trends especially in the area to meet the health needs of female victims of rape and incest but “It was

Shekarau

turned down by mostly religious people and some other women who were guided by their religious beliefs,” she said.

Furthermore, the president of the Intern ational Federation of Women Lawyers said a more recent attempt to review the Violent Against Persons Prohibition Bill (VAPP) in the House of Representative before it was passedsimilarly suffered a setback.

A clause inserted in the VAPP Bill to enable victims of rape and incest who get pregnant to have access to safe termination of the pregnancy if they so choose was deleted before passing that bill. She said if that clause had sailed through, it would have provided for victims of rape, incest and women under some health conditions to terminate pregnancy if they choose.

On another front in Imo State where the VAPP Bill was successfully passed with the same clause generated uproar. Consequently, the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha abrogated the law on the basis that there was an outcry by the religious community to the effect that the entire VAPP Bill passed in Imo State House of Assembly was an abortion law.

Having gone through the House of Representative, Shekarau said the VAPP Bill is currently in the Senate. “WE are advocating and lobbying to ensure that they include that clause.”

The journey to review the 1861 Abortion Law may be slow, the stakeholders are not relenting considering that ultimately, and it would be to the benefit of the entire womenfolk. Unsafe abortion contributes 13 percent of maternal mortality.

Lengthen your life by standing up–Researchers Oluwatosin Omoniyi

S

pending less time sitting might increase your lifespan by keeping your DNA young, Swedish researchers have confirmed. More time spent on your feet appears to lengthen bits of DNA called telomeres. Telomeres, which protect the end of chromosomes (like the tips that keep shoelaces from fraying), tend to get shorter and shorter until they can't shorten any more, causing cells to die.

"Our data indicate that lengthening of our telomeres may be one mechanism that induces health benefits after lowering sitting time in elderly people," said lead researcher Per Sjogren, an associate professor in the department of public health and caring sciences at Uppsala University.

"One should, of course, be careful with the conclusions, since our study is rather small and needs to be confirmed in larger trials," Sjogren said.

However, this is the first study describing a possible relationship between physical activity and lengthening of telomeres, according to Sjogren.

"Telomeres have attracted a lot of interest in the last few years because they are situated at the end of our chromosomes and have shown to be important for DNA replication and cell survival.

The interest of whether telomeres may affect health and longevity has increased," Sjogren said.

Telomeres stop chromosomes from

fraying or clumping together and scrambling the genetic codes they contain, the researchers noted. Why spending less time sitting might lengthen telomeres isn't known. "That is a valid question that remains to be resolved," Sjogren said.

Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, said, "There has long been evidence that the more hours we spend sitting every day, the fewer days we are likely to have to spend sitting, or doing anything else for that matter. Hours per day on our backsides correlate with reductions in life expectancy." There has also long been evidence that healthy living, including routine activity, can add years to life, he said. Compelling evidence has already shown that lifestyle changes can alter genes and affect telomere length, said Katz, who was not involved with the study.

"This study adds a missing snippet to that tale by noting a direct correlation between reduced time sitting each day and increased telomere length," he said. "Long telomeres are good -- long hours sitting, not so much," Katz added.

For the study, researchers analysed the length of telomeres in the blood cells of 49 sedentary and overweight people in their late 60s. Blood samples were taken two times, six months apart.

All of the participants took part in an earlier study where they were randomly assigned to an exercise program or asked to keep their usual routine.

with Dr. Ihuoma Uko-Ndukwe

ada.ndukwe@yahoo.com

Healthy diet prevents gall-stones

Gall-stones

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allbladder is a pear shaped organ under the liver that stores bile, a liquid made by the liver to digest fat. When you eat food high in fat, as the body starts to break it down in the stomach/small intestines, the gall bladder releases the bile through a tube called the common bile duct that connects the gallbladder to the liver and small intestine.

Sometimes, when there is blockage to the flow or problems to the common bile duct, it affects the gall bladder and might lead to back up of bile back into the gallbladder. With the bile hardening when there is too much bile and none is being released to the body, it forms a stone, and when next one eats fatty food, the gall bladder squeezes but does not release any bile due to formation of stone which are very painful.

This is called gall bladder attacks.

Risk factors Gallstones are more common in obese people, women, older adults, increases with age especially when is over 40 years, people with family history of gall-stones, women on oral contraceptives, people with prolonged fasting, low level/grade of exercise, pregnancy and too many childbirths (multiple pregnancies).

Some of the factors that encourage the formation of gall stones include food in high calorie diet, excessive intake of refined carbohydrates, low fiber intake, prolonged fasting and rapid weight loss.

Similarly, gall-stones can be asymptomatic and those patients with this type have a very low rate of developing symptoms.

Once symptoms appear, it comes in the form of severe to moderate pain around the area above the belly button and the right upper side of the stomach. This can last for one to five hours and may be accompanied with fever, nausea, vomiting and can lead

Gall-stones

PHOTO FPnotebook

to complications such as gallstones pancreatitis, inflammation as well as infection which can extend to the other parts of the stomach.

Some of the associated conditions are diabetic mellitus, alcoholic abuse, too much estrogen therapy and weight loss surgery.

Most initial treatment especially when there is no pain is careful observation and pain management.

It is best diagnosed with abdominal ultrasound (best initial imaging) but the best diagnostic method is by HIDA scan which is similar to ultrasound but more detailed in viewing all the structures and tissue in the gall bladder.

BEST treatment is surgical removal of the gall bladder. The body can survive without a gall bladder and can make adjustments when it is removed.

Laproscopy removal is the most effective. The removal of gall bladder can be done at any stage of pregnancy but best done by an experienced surgeon.

HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

29

Ebola: Review public health laws –Rivers Commissioner Dr. Sampson Parker is the Commissioner forHealth in Rivers State.

He addresses journalists in Abuja on measures taken by the State government to curb the spread of deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). He says it is not celebration yet for Nigeria despite successes recorded in the fight against the disease. YEKEEN NURUDEEN was there.

Sir, could you tell us the situation of Ebola in Rivers state?

As at today, I can tell you that we have contained the epidemic. The Ministry of Health in Rivers State, the representative of the Federal Ministry of Health and other development partners and non-governmental organisations have put our hands together. I am glad to see that we have taken control of the situation. Right now, as I speak, we do not have any patient at our treatment and isolation centre.

We have started what we call discarding of our contacts. A couple of them are going out of surveillance, having been under surveillance for 21 days.

Given the experience among health workers in Lagos, some of whom were infected with the virus, how would you describe the attitude of health workers in Rivers State to the management of the disease?

The advantage we had in Rivers State was that it did not hit us first. Lagos was unfortunate; it caught them unawares.

Having hit Lagos, we prepared for it.

Lagos is just about 45 minutes flight from Port Harcourt and one night bus drive. So, the two cities are just like two-adjoining cities. We prepared for it. Don’t forget that Rivers State has its health structure build on primary health care and all we needed to do was to mobilise our primary health care system; to put them on alert.

When this thing came, it was easy for us to just switch on the plug. With the support of external and internal experts, we are able to cope with it. We converted one of our primary health centres to become the isolation and treatment centre. We did not need to go and build one for the disease; we had to mobilise the primary health care workers.

At the time the first case came up, we had started training our staff. We got experts from the United States (U.S) to help our staff in training on how to combat the disease and how to protect themselves. Safety was key to me. We brought our personal protective equipment (PPE) before any help came up.

We trained them on how to use the PPE and how to work in the treatment centre.

And, God was on our side that just as we finished most of the training, the case was established; and we just went in. May be that is why we got to where we are today.

What plans do you have on ground now to ensure adequate screening of anyone coming into Rivers State?

We have a very robust set up, not only in treatment but prevention. All the points of entry, coming in by bus, by air, by sea are all covered. We can do just that much. I always say that no matter how careful you are, a bad man is a bad man. Just as the ECOWAS official, Koye Olu-Ibukun who was on surveillance escaped Lagos and came to Port Harcourt. Somebody gave him a room in Port Harcourt. In war, where everywhere is tight, you see people escaping tough gun battle and going to another country. It is like that.

Again, that brings the fact that it is not yet time to celebrate until we sort out the issues in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Those in these countries are human beings and in every human being, the survival instinct is high. If anyone escapes in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the place they will think of is Nigeria.

No matter how tight our security is, some people will find a way to break through. The best way to prevent this disease from coming into Nigeria is for the international community and other West Africa countries as well as Africa, to go to countries with outbreak to solve their Ebola problems. If you do not solve their problems, one way or the other, citizens from there will break through into other countries.

There are cases of contacts in Rivers State that have managed to sneak into other states. How do you address this?

First of all, we have been able to get all contacts. Concerning those that went out, we have been able to get them back.

I tell you one thing, you can do just that much but a bad man is a bad man. Anybody can escape. Some persons will just tell you they will not bring themselves out. There have been some hostile contacts. They will not let anybody come and see them. They will dodge and run away. We do our best to get them.

Right now, in Lagos and in Port Harcourt, let me use the word ‘graduating’.

We are graduating contacts. They are coming out of surveillance. As I speak, I don’t think there is any patient right now in Lagos and in Port Harcourt treatment centres.

Looking at the quarantine law in the country, Sierra Leone and other West African countries with Ebola outbreak are taking more proactive measures to insist that people under surveillance remain. Our own authority is unwavering. What is your view about our outdated quarantine laws?

You have to look at the issue in two ways. First of all, you are to look for contacts. You want to get more contacts. You want them to get the good vibes to convince them to come out. You don’t want to scare anyone as nobody likes to be imprisoned. I am sure none of you would want to be quarantined anywhere.

If you hear that somebody is being quarantined, you will be scared. As a result of this, you have to take the middle course of engaging them, talking with them, educating them while we are doing that and make them relax. That was what we did in Port Harcourt.

We did not go with gun and weapons on our hand and compel them to stay at home. If they had any issue, we try and solve it for them. Even on personal things, we help them out to enable them submit themselves willingly to the instructions we are giving them.

Laws are good but our public health laws are outdated. Some of them were made in the early ‘70s. You see fines like N2 imposed as fine for some offense.

The law is not strong. I think the public health laws of the country and of various states need to be reviewed.

Parker

Don’t you think it is appropriate that the man who took this virus to your state should be tried, considering the fact that he absconded from under surveillance in Lagos State?

Well, it depends on the laws and the lawyers. I am a medical doctor. I will leave that to the lawyers to look at.

How would you describe the atmosphere in Port Harcourt today over this virus compared to what it was when the news of the virus first broke out in the state?

There was palpable fear (when the first case was confirmed in the state) But, with the combination of enlightenment, the social mobilisation team, particularly, I led the team, going round the local government areas, talking with them, educating them, telling them what this disease is all about including what we have done. The Governor himself, too, met with the traditional rulers and the religious leaders and educated them. I think right now, if you ask the average person on the street, they will say they are getting a bit relaxed now. The atmosphere is more relaxed now than it used to be.

How do we handle the challenge of stigmatisation as if relates to this virus?

I think we need to re-educate our people that once this disease is gone, it is gone. Once somebody graduates from quarantine or surveillance, the disease is gone. Once somebody is treated and discharged, the disease is gone. The safest person was the one that was positive and is confirmed negative again. There is no need to stigmatise them. There is no need to run away from them.

It is important for people to boldly come out and educate the public by

Anyone that goes out of his way to punish or victimise somebody that had lived with the disease, I think the law should take its full course

setting up association such as ‘Ebola Ambassadors’ with public figures, associating with them for the public to reintegrate them into the society. The disease, understandably, is curable.

Every person wants to protect himself.

However, it is important that we must continue to enlighten and educate the society. Anyone that goes out of his way to punish or victimise somebody that had lived with the disease, I think the law should take its full course.

How would you describe the cost of managing Ebola, given your experience in Rivers State?

It is costly, looking at the fatality rate, morbidity rate and percentages and comparing it to how much human resources and financial resources you pour into it. It is huge. In fact, I wonder what one would have done if one is like other states that do not have the capacity to mobilise such resources. I think it is because we have not prepared as a country and as a people for medical emergencies.

Even, as individuals in Nigeria, we don’t prepare for medical emergencies.

It is our habit. It is our culture. If you go into government, if it comes, it comes, and we begin to run around to try and tackle it. Otherwise, I can see us, just because we heard that there is an average Liberian in Lagos; that is why we started running around to build Isolation Centre, to man them, to train people afresh for such emergencies. It is then we started buying PPEs; I know PPEs are now big deals now.

I am sure some governments are budgeting for PPEs without knowing what PPEs mean. We have to prepare for these medical emergencies. We have to budget right for health. We are not budgeting right for health. Budget for health is not the buildings. It is not the equipment we buy. Budget for public health is for things like this.

Would you say Nigeria is lucky to have achieved this much in the management of this disease, given her appallingly poor global health ratings arising from her poor health systems?

First of all, let us give glory to God. Let no one take this glory that it is because of what he’s been able to do, no.

God loves Nigeria because it could have been worse. Again, let us congratulate our health workers for rising to the challenge.

30 HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Hour of daily exercise cuts heart failure by 50% Oluwatosin Omoniyi

A

new study has shown that daily exercise may significantly reduce the risk of heart failure.

"The study shows that high levels of physical activity are associated with considerably lower risk of heart failure," Dr. Kasper Andersen, a physician at Uppsala University in Sweden said.

Andersen who is also the study researcher, said physical activity is known to lower the risk of developing high blood pressure, for instance, which is a risk factor for heart failure.

Similarly, the study revealed that exercise lowers the odds of developing obesity and

A heathy heart

diabetes, which boosts the risk of heart failure, he said. Even after adjusting for those risk factors in the study, he said, physical activity still lowered the risk of heart failure.

For the study, the researchers evaluated nearly 40,000 adults of all ages who supplied information on a regular basis to a national Swedish database beginning in 1997.

None had heart failure when they began the study. Andersen's team evaluated their total and leisure time activity and then looked at how it related to their risk of getting heart failure later. By 2010, about four percent had been hospitalised for heart failure due to the heart's inability to pump enough blood and oxygen to the body's other organs. The study findings reinforce recommendations to get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week, according to Andersen.

The bottom line is that, "If preventing heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and premature cardiovascular death were not enough," said Fonarow, "this study provides an additional rationale for all adults to engage in regular physical activity."

Higher-level activity can

Etisalat boosts fight against Ebola N

igeria's fastest growing telecommunications company, Etisalat, last week reaffirmed its commitment to support the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease with the donation of mobile communication devices in Kaduna and Kano States.

Etisalat donated mobile devices, specially configured Closed User Group (CUG) SIM cards and recharge cards worth thousands of Naira to the governments of the North Western States, to improve communication among healthcare providers and facilitate rapid reporting of suspected Ebola cases.

The Director, Brands and Communication at Etisalat Nigeria, Enitan Denloye disclosed that the company views social responsibility as an important way of being actively involved in enhancing the lives of Nigerians by innovatively addressing specific needs.

“Health has always been one of our main areas of focus", Denloye said, adding that "Etisalat will always support initiatives targeted at improving the quality of healthcare delivery in Nigeria. We have therefore decided to identify with the governments of Kaduna and Kano States to accelerate ongoing sensitisation campaigns on the Ebola Virus Disease."

The Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Dr.

Thot Joseph, expressed gratitude to Etisalat for what he described as a life-line in the fight against Ebola. "We will release these dedicated phone numbers to the public so that information gathering can be made easier for our health workers,” he promised.

Joseph also proclaimed that the four suspected cases of the Ebola Virus Disease in Kaduna State were negative and emphasised the importance of early detection and treatment.

In Kano, the permanent secretary of the State Ministry of Health, Alhaji. Dahinu Musa expressed delight at Etisalat's donation and urged other companies in Nigeria to emulate the company's attitude to corporate social responsibility.

Etisalat recently demonstrated its support to the Ebola Containment Trust Fund in partnership with Samsung ElectronicsWest Africa with the donations of Smartphones.

produce additional benefit, he said. The study data didn't include what type of exercise was done. However, Andersen recommended exercise aimed at cardiovascular conditioning, such as jogging or walking. However, any type of activity is better than nothing, he said.

The study also did not address whether starting to exercise at midlife is too late to obtain benefits. However, An-

dersen said, "I think there is good evidence from other research that no matter the age you start to exercise, it has positive effects on your health."

While many studies have looked at the link between exercise and heart disease risk, few have looked at the specific link between exercise and the risk of developing heart failure, said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, professor of cardiology at the University of California, David

Geffen School of Medicine.

Fonarow, who was not involved in the study, agreed with Andersen that exercise has many favorable effects on blood pressure, blood cholesterol and heart muscle health, for instance. "Exercise lowers the risk of heart attack, which in turn can lower the risk of subsequent heart failure," said Fonarow, a spokesman for the American Heart Association.

L-R: Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Waheed Ishola; Director of Social Mobilisation & Communication at the Ebola Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), Prof. Bayo Onajole and Deputy Incident Manager, Ebola Emergency Operation Centre, Dr. Kayode Oguntimehin, during the One Day Workshop by the Ebola Emergency Operation Centre held in Lagos.

Sebeccly set to increase treatment access for cancer patients John Edu

I

In a bid to reduce cancer as well as create awareness about them, Sebeccly Cancer Care & Support Centre is raising fund to help cancer patients access lifesaving treatment The event which would light Lagos pink in the month of October is aimed at increasing access to early cancer care.

Also, it would help more Nigerian women survive breast cancer as well as give them better treatment outcomes about this scourge In a statement from Sebeccly Cancer Care Light Lagos Pink Campaign, project coordinator of Light Pink Campaign, Omosigho Ozor stated that the programmes would allow for any complaint on breast issues.

Those who want to have a clinical breast examination are also urged to participate while donations during this campaign would be channeled to save lives “under our retainer ship program with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and with Gen-

eral Hospital Lagos,” the statement added. Apart from the opening ceremony to be held at the Muri Okunola Park at the Victoria Island in Lagos on October 3, the campaign would feature Decorated Light Lagos Pin Parks at Muri Okunola Park, Moshood Abiola Park, Outer Marina Park and the Ojota Park from October 1 to 31. Similarly, from October 10 to 12, the event would move to the Palm’s Shopping Mall at Lekki in Lagos.

Furthermore, Light Lagos Pink on Fridays would be held at various sites on October 3, 17 and 31.

In addition, there would be Light Lagos Pink and Dealdey. com Radio Talk at the Cool FM Wazobia FM and Naija info.

There would also be Health Talks and screening, stated Ozo. The 2014 Light Lagos Pink campaign program would attract participants from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Environment, Lagos State Parks, Lagos State Advertising Agency, Ndubusi Kalu Park, Muri Okunola Park, M.K.O Abi-

ola Park, Dealdey.com, Elizabeth R, St Nicholas Hospital, Royal Sanderton Estate, among others.

Breast awareness, cancer information and breast cancer services would be made available at every building/park/ monument/ that participate in the Light Lagos Pin campaign.

Health talks and breast cancer screening would be conducted at various sites. Breast awareness education and enquiries are also available through Sebeccly’s social media platform, Ozo stated in the statement.

Sebeccly, a not-for-profit cancer care and advocacy organisation dedicated to the critical issues unique to women living with breast cancer care, works with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, survivors, care givers, patient advocates, journalists and health care professionals who are passionate about cancer advocacy by providing a platform for those affected by cancer to voice their opinions, share their stories, engage with cancer stakeholders and be influential in policy making.

Ebola: Dettol, Ministry of Health partner John Edu

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he race to acquire an Ebola free society heightened recently as Dettol, one of Reckitt Benckiser’s power brands, announced a partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health on a public enlightenment campaign to further stem the epidemic

through personal hygiene.

This partnership was made known at a ministerial media briefing by the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, in Abuja.

The Marketing Director, West Africa, Reckitt Benckiser, Mr. Oguzhan Silivrili while addressing the media

stated: “Over the next couple of weeks, we would launch out pan-Nigeria with the Ebola Public Enlightenment Campaign. Some legs of the campaign include airing an Infomercial by the Minister of Health on Ebola, storming Garages, Neighborhoods, Religious Centers, Schools etc.

educating Nigerians on proper hygiene practices like how to correctly wash their hands, sanitise floors and surfaces amongst others, and by providing up-to date information on ‘All you need to know about Ebola’ through the traditional media and other digital media platforms”, he said.

BUSINESS

31 NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/business

Thursday, September 25, 2014

What's news ‘Nigeria’s independent tower ownership to reach 75%’ With the various tower outsourcing agreements being entered into by major telecoms services providers in Nigeria, the country is on track to become Africa’s first country to hit the global average of 75 per cent ownership of telecoms towers by independent firms, an expert has said.

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Smartphone focus shifting to developing countries –GSMA Smartphone focus is shifting to the developing world which surpassed the developed world in terms of smartphone connections in 2011 and “today accounts for two in every three smartphones on the planet, according to the new study,” GSMA Intelligence, the research arm of the GSM Association, has reported.

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Nigeria spends N300bn on textile importation Following the collapse of Nigeria’s textile industry, the country spends over N300 billion on importation of textile materials, which could have been produced locally.

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Sugar Devt Council to create 115,000 jobs The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has said that it plans to create over 115,000 direct jobs and production of 161 million litres of ethanol from sugarcane.

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BUSINESS CREW AYODELE AMINU, Deputy Editor (Business) Simeon Ogoegbulem, Dep. Business Editor BAYO AKOMOLAFE, Asst. Editor (Maritime) SUNDAY OJEME, Asst. Editor (Insurance) Godson ikoro , Asst. Editor (Money Market) DAYO ADEYEMI, Property Editor ADEOLA YUSUF, Energy Editor WOLE SHADARE, Aviation Editor

INTERNET Nigeria plans to extend fast-speed Internet – broadband - to 30 per cent of the population by 2017

KUNLE AZEEZ, Senior Correspondent Chuks Onuanyin, Energy Nnamdi Amadi, Reporter JOHNSON ADEBAYO, Asst. Production Editor

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ayodele aminu, Deputy Editor, business

ayodele.aminu@newtelegraphonline.com ayodeleaminu@yahoo.com

MTN, Airtel, Mtel renew $285bn licences by 2016

Kunle Azeez

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hree telecoms operators in the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) segment of the Nigeria’s telecoms industry will have their $285 billion operating licences renewed in the next 16 months, New Telegraph has learnt.

It was learnt that the renewal, which will come at significant sum of money, will allow the three operators continue to provide services to the combined over 80 million subscribers on their networks, as well as create another stream of revenue for government.

The affected GSM operators include MTN, Airtel and Mobile Telecommunications Limited, the mobile arm of the Nigerian Telecommunication Limited (NITEL).

The only dormant operator is MTEL, which is part of NITEL property being unbundled through a guided liquidation process of the national carrier by the National Council for Privatisation (NCP).

New Telegraph learnt that each of the operators paid a licensing fee of $285 billion to pick their licences, following the 2001 DML auction, conducted by the country’s telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The licences are valid for a period of 15 years after, while there will be a renewal for another 15 years.

Our correspondent specifically learnt that the three operators picked their licences on February 9, 2001 and these are billed to expire for renewals by February 18, 2016.

Other GSM operators such as Globacom and Etisalat will renew theirs in August, 2017 and March, 2022, respectively.

New Telegraph gathered that the affected operators will begin negotiation in earnest with the regulator on their licence renewals early next year.

Asked to comment on the development, a top official in one of the affected GSM companies said: “We know that we are due

CHRIS UGWU, Capital Market Editor Abdulwahab Isa, Finance Editor

Nigeria’s fresh leap at global ICT stage

L-R: Deputy Editor, Business, New Telegraph newspaper, Mr Ayodele Aminu; Managing Director, Daily Independent newspapers, Mr Ted Iwere; Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Champion newspapers Limited, Mrs Nwadiuto Iheakanwa; Founder/Managing Director, Sustainable Finance Advisory, Carey Bohjanen; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, Mr Ladi Balogun; Group Business Editor, The Nation newspaper, Mr Simeon Ebulu, at the media parley organised by FCMB for media executives in Lagos.

for renewal of our licences in less than two years time. We are mindful of this and we will be ready to fulfill necessary regulatory conditions for us to continue using the licence we have been issued for continuing service provision to our grow-

ing telecoms consumers.”

The source further stated: “In spite of the tough operating environment in Nigeria where we found ourselves from the outside in 2001, we have remained one of the leading operators in the country and we

would not want to do anything to truncate our operations.”

Although, NCC, in a document obtained from its website, clearly indicates that the CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Nigeria needs N10.24bn to develop new cities’ master plan –Report GROWTH The master plan would increase contribution of housing to the nation’s GDP Dayo Ayeyemi

I

f the proposal to develop national master plan for the constellation of new towns for Nigeria in the next 40 years is anything to go by, the Fed-

eral Government will require a budget of about $64 million (N10.24 billion) for its implementation, a document to that effect exclusively obtained by New Telegraph has revealed.

In ’Goal 7’ of the document on Final Draft Roadmap for Land, Housing and Urban Development sector, the goal centered on the need to drive new town development through the preparation and adoption of master plans for collection of new towns around the major cities as well as planning the existing ones to be functional and contribute to social welfare

and economic growth.

The Federal Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development (FMLHUD), which was mentioned in the document christened: “Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive Productive, Safe, Livable, Resilient and Sustainable,” is to be the funding agency.

It estimated that it would require a budget in the region of $64 million for implementation of the goal.

The goal to develop master plan for a national constellaCONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE August 2014............................8.5% July 2014.................................8.3% May 2014.................................8.2%

LENDING RATE

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parallel As at Sept 19)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N169.50 InterBank Rate . . . . . . . . . . 11.57% Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N277 Prime Lending Rate. . . . . 16.93% Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N220 Maximum Lending Rate..25.83% • Foreign Reserves – $39.59bn as at 18/09/2014

EXCHANGE RATE

(Official As at Sept 19)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N156.75 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N255.60 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N201.26 Source: CBN

32

BUSINESS | NEWS

OUTSOURCING African operators face increasing demand for services and growing capital expenditure Kunle Azeez

W

ith the various tower outsourcing agreements being entered into by major telecoms services providers in Nigeria, the country is on track to become Africa’s first country to hit the global average of 75 per cent ownership of telecoms towers by independent firms, an expert has said.

Telecom firms in African nations such as Nigeria are joining their European and North American counterparts by selling off tower infrastructures to private companies.

Selling off the infrastructures help telecoms operators

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

‘Nigeria’s independent tower ownership to reach 75%’ reduce capital expenditure while also opening up leasing opportunities.

Nigeria has been at the forefront of high-profile African tower deals this year, as MTN has sold 9,151 of its base stations in the country to IHS Holding. Etisalat Nigeria has also sold 2,136 of its towers to the same company.

Speaking in an interview with ITWeb Africa, co-founder of infrastructure company, Eaton Towers, Mr Terry Rhodes, said that Nigeria is at the forefront of Africa’s cell towers business.

“Africa is at about 25 per cent independent tower ownership.

In other countries, the trend for independent ownership has

reached 75 per cent plus, and if the announced deals are completed, Nigeria will be at that level,” he said.

“Across Africa, it will not reach 100 per cent but will continue to grow significantly.”

Key factors motivating telecom providers to sell off their tower infrastructure include increasing demand on operators’ infrastructure as well as greater regulatory pressure for better quality of service (QoS), Rhodes said.

“The African operators are all facing increasing demand for their services as the unique customer base is still only 33 per cent and typically, each new customer has lower spending power than the average to

date,” he said.

“In addition, the rollout of smartphones massively increases the demand for data services, which are growing 50-100 per cent, but without revenue growing in line. Facebook has over 100 million customers in Africa, most of who access via mobile phones.

“Regulators require better coverage and quality and, in some cases, have fined or ordered operators to stop selling until quality has improved,” Rhodes added.

QoS is a big issue in Nigeria, where the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in February, sanctioned three major network operators - MTN, Globacom and Airtel - with fines totalling N647.5 million for breaching Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

“So, with all these pressures, operators have to cut costs and

outsourcing their towers is an attractive solution. They can then focus on improving services to customers and rolling out new technologies,” Rhodes said.

“The tower companies offer pure focus and an incentive to develop sharing and efficiency improvements.”

He said that Africa’s economic growth of over five per cent per year along with a bigger middle-class and growing population has made the continent an attractive proposition for companies such as Eaton Towers.

“This translates into increased demand for wireless services and yet, 3G rollout is still under 20 per cent,” he said.

“This growth, combined with the pressures on operators, as described above, means that tower companies find Africa attractive.”

MTN, Airtel, Mtel renew $285bn licences CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

L-R: Director, Federal Ministry of Information, Mr Sunday Baba; President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria (CIPPON), Mr Wahab Mohammed and Managing Director, Tripple Gee Plc, Mr Karim Giwa, at a seminar on ”Printing Regulation-A Vehicle For National Development” in Lagos. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Smartphone focus shifting to developing countries –GSMA ADOPTION By 2020, four out of every five smartphone connections worldwide will come from the developing world Kunle Azeez

S

martphone focus is shifting to the developing world which surpassed the developed world in terms of smartphone connections in 2011 and “today accounts for two in every three smartphones on the planet, according to the new study,” GSMA Intelligence, the research arm of the GSM Association, has reported.

According to the study, it is predicted that by 2020, four out of every five smartphone connections worldwide will come from the developing world.

The study found that smartphones will be the driving force of mobile industry growth over

the next six years, with one billion new smartphone connections expected over the next 18 months alone.

It also said that smartphones will account for two out of every three mobile connections globally.

The new study, “Smartphone forecasts and assumptions, 20072020,” finds that smartphones account for one in three mobile connections today, representing over two billion mobile connections.

It forecasts that the number of smartphone connections will grow three-fold over the next six years, reaching six billion by 2020, accounting for two-thirds of the nine billion mobile connections by that time.

Basic phones, feature phones and data terminals such as tablets, dongles and routers will account for the remaining connections.

The study excludes Machine to Machine (M2M) from the connections totals.

“The smartphone has sparked a wave of global innovation that has brought new services to millions and efficiencies to businesses of every

type,” said Chief Strategy Officer at the GSMA, Hyunmi Yang.

According to him, “as the study released today shows, smartphones will be the driving force of mobile industry growth over the next six years, with one billion new smartphone connections expected over the next 18 months alone.”

Yang further stated that “in the hands of consumers, these devices are improving living standards and changing lives, especially in developing markets, while contributing to growing economies by stimulating entrepreneurship. As the industry evolves, smartphones are becoming lifestyle hubs that are creating opportunities for mobile industry players in vertical markets such as financial services, healthcare, home automation and transport.”

The new GSMA Intelligence report highlights some factors influencing growth in the global smartphone market, including rapid erosion of the Average Selling Price (ASP) of smartphones, which is accelerating user migration from basic and feature phones to smartphones.

three operators will have their licences expired early 2016, sources at NCC, however, said that the “regulator is not, as at yet, thinking towards that direction of DML expiration and renewal for now.”

According to the source, “Before 2016, there are a lot of programmes put in place by the NCC that the regulator is preoccupied with now. For instance, we need to license the two slots of spectrum blocs in the 2.6 gigahertz frequency band as well as issue license to the Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) towards making broadband available to Nigerians.”

Asked what the regulator is likely to demand from the three operators as renewal fee, the source said: “Well, as I said, NCC is not thinking of that for now and I don’t think there are

any document on ground as we speak as a build-up to that. But what I know is that since it is a licence renewal, the amount to be paid will be negotiated and will be below what they paid to get the licence in 2001.”

Nigeria plans to extend fastspeed Internet – broadband - to 30 per cent of the population by 2017. Broadband penetration currently stands at 6 per cent, according to official records.

Last February, the regulator had licensed one slot of 30 megahertz spectrum in the 2.3 gigahertz spectrum band to a single wholesale wireless access service operator, Bitflux Consortium.

Spectrum auction is a major source of revenue from the telecoms sector into government coffers.

As at 2012, the regulator said it had generated over N300 billion into government coffers.

Nigeria needs N10.24bn to develop new cities CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

tion of cities was hinged on the revised National Urban Development Policy, which canvassed the need to plan existing towns to enable them cope with rapid population growth and eradicate slums.

Priority initiatives of the goal centered on the need to conduct feasibility study of locations, development of master plan and the establishment of New Town Development Corporation with appropriate legal backing to manage emerging cities.

It was observed that Nigeria has continued to fall behind in urban planning and development, resulting in the rapid growth of slum settlements in and around most major cities.

To remedy this situation, it is widely believed that the development of the national master plan would give room for the emergence of more dynamic and functional cities that can significantly contribute to the economic growth in towns and

cities in the country.

It is also argued that the master plan would increase the contribution of housing sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and lead to massive reduction in housing deficit.

“There will be more balance population distribution and regional development. There will be increase in contribution of urban economy to national GDP growth,” the housing roadmap document stated.

The goal sets medium and long-term time-frame for strategies to be adopted for the actualisation of the proposed master plan for new towns in the next 40 years.

On the medium term, the document suggested the need to conduct feasibility study of locations for each phase development of master plan and ensure that planning concepts, philosophies, designs and standards meet the needs of Nigerians.

BUSINESS 33

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

INTERVENTION Operators want Textile Intervention Fund raised to N1 trillion

F

ollowing the collapse of Nigeria’s textile industry, the country spends over N300 billion on importation of textile materials, which could have been produced locally.

This was disclosed by the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) when it visited Arewa Textile Mills, Kaduna.

President of the Union, Oladele Hunsu, also said that Nigeria loses over N170 billion Value Added Tax (VAT) annually to smuggling.

While urging the Federal Government to increase the N100 billion Textile Intervention Fund from to N1 trillion if it is serious about reviving the textile and garment industry in the country, Hunsu insisted that the N100 billion approved by President Goodluck Jonathan for the revival

MENACE Smuggling activities unsettles the government

Nigeria spends N300bn on textile importation of the textile sector is a far cry to the amount required to revive the over 35 textile factories that were shut down across the country due to unhealthy business environment.

Hunsu, who led other executive members on the visit, noted that it was the last place of work of the present governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, before he delved into politics.

The company, which used to have over 3,000 workers on its payroll, is about to re-open for production after 11 years of inactivity.

The Union argued that if the Central Bank of Nigeria could inject about six trillion naira to bail out four distressed banks two years ago,

such gesture should be extended to the textile sector that has the second largest workforce and generate huge revenue for the nation.

The union commended the management of Arewa Textiles for the step taken so far to re-open the company and called on the Federal Government to ban importation of textile products, reduce the interest rate of the intervention fund from six per cent to three per cent and also provide adequate power supply to the industrial sector.

Chief Executive Officer of Arewa Textiles Limited, Dr. Nemile Achimugu, expressed optimism on assessing the Federal Government loan in order to bring the company back to life.

Jonathan

Aganga

80% Nigerian gemstone smuggled, says FG

T

he Federal Government has estimated that 80 per cent of the gemstone produced

in Nigeria is being smuggled.

To this end, the Minister of Mines and Steel Develop-

L-R: An organiser of the 2014 Lagos Comic Conference, Mrs Ayodele Elegba; another organiser, M. Babs Abolarin; Brand Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Miss Disha Agarwal and Mr Wole Adesite, also an organiser, at the 2014 Lagos Comic Conference which took place at the Indoor Sports Complex of the University of Lagos.

ment, Musa Sada, said that the Federal Government has commenced discussions with relevant stakeholders to halt the trend.

He said: “One of the biggest problems we have is smuggling. Gemstone is the biggest culprit. 80 per cent of the gemstone being exploited in Nigeria is being smuggled.

And that is worrisome and we thought the best way out of the challenge is to create avenue where people can sell because currently they are not there.

That encourages them, but if we have a place where we are keeping them, then we can apprehend them.”

He attributed the menace to lack of common gemstone selling avenue in the country, noting that if the government does not provide an alternative, the illicit trade would continue to thrive.

The minister, who addressed a delegation from Oyo State government in his office, said that the impact of smuggling activities in the sector has unsettled the Federal Government.

Oyo State Deputy Governor,

Mr Moses Adeyemo, who led the delegation, sought the assistance of the ministry for the building of a gemstone centre in the state.

He told Sada that the state opened discussion to build the centre with the Federal Government through a public private partnership (PPP) in 2005, “but it did not happen and that is why we are here today.”

He also informed the minister that there was a pending plan to build a marble deposit centre in the state.

The Deputy Governor requested the minister to intimate the delegation on the way to accomplish the projects.

Sada admitted that Oyo State is one of the centres of activities in terms of mineral exploitation in Nigeria, stressing that he had visited the state twice since he became minister.

He disclosed that he had raised a technical working group on the issues to review the situation and take the issue forward.

The minister added that the ministry was discussing with the Miners Association of Nigeria.

Agric: Private sector invests $5.6bn in four years

2011 and 2014, the Bedetween agriculture sector attractover $5.6 billion of private sector investments, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has said.

The minister added that private sector investments in fertilizer manufacturing have also expanded, with $5 billion

of private sector investments in fertilizer manufacturing within the past three years.

“To drive this new approach, we decided to focus on promoting investments and development of agricultural value chains. Not only would we produce more food, we would add value to all the commodities, all across the ag-

ricultural value chains,” the minister said.

Adesina who recently launched the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Policy Working Group, said that government had developed the agricultural value chains in other to promote the investments and will continue to develop innovative policies and

institutions that will expand opportunities for the private sector.

The minister said that the group would document the agricultural policies of government and institutionalise it.

Adesina, who noted that government must boldly support farmers through sustainable subsidies, said: “Nigeria

cannot become a museum of poverty. Poverty is not tradable and is not an industry, so we must not grow poverty.

“What is important is to develop ways of effectively targeting support to reach farmers, while ensuring that the private sector, not government, delivers farm inputs to farmers,” he added.

34 BUSINESS | INDUSTRY

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Sugar Devt Council to create 115,000 jobs POWER The sector could contribute 411 megawatts of power to the national grid

T

he National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has said that it plans to create over 115,000 direct jobs and production of 161 million litres of ethanol from sugarcane.

The Council also said that the sugar sector could contribute 411 megawatts of electricity to the national grid, in line with the Federal Government’s quest to boost energy supply in the country.

NSDC’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Lateef Busari, said this in Abuja when he led a delegation of the Council on a visit to the Director General, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii. He said: “Sugarcane is now seen

WTO lowers trade growth forecast to 3.1%

he World Trade OrganisaTreduced tion (WTO) economists have their forecast for world trade growth in 2014 to 3.1 per cent, down from the 4.6 per cent forecast made in April and cut their estimate for 2015 to 4.0 per cent from 5.3 per cent previously.

This comes in response to weaker-than-expected GDP growth and muted import demand in the first half of 2014, particularly in natural resource exporting regions such as South and Central America. Beyond this specific downward revision, risks to the forecast remain predominantly on the downside as global growth remains uneven and geopolitical tensions and risks have risen.

Director-General, WTO, Roberto Azevêdo, said: “International institutions have significantly revised their GDP forecasts after disappointing economic growth in the first half of the year. In light of this, the WTO’s forecasts for trade growth have also been revised downwards for 2014 and 2015.

Uneven growth and continuing geopolitical tensions will remain a risk for both trade and output in the second half of the year. This is a moment to remind ourselves that trade can play a positive role here.

Cutting trade costs and broadening trade opportunities can be a key ingredient to reversing this trend.”

When the last forecast was released in April, conditions for stronger trade growth appeared to be falling into place after a two year slump that saw world merchandise trade grow just 2.2 per cent on average dur-

Azevêdo

ing 2012–13, roughly equal to the rate of growth of world gross domestic product (GDP). Leading indicators at the time pointed to an upturn in developed economies and Europe in particular.

Although growth has strengthened somewhat in 2014, it has remained unsteady. Output fell in the first quarter in the United States (–2.1 per cent, annualised rates) and in the second quarter in Germany (–0.6 per cent), sapping global import demand. China’s GDP growth also slowed from 7.7 per cent in 2013 to 6.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2014 before rebounding in the second. The slow first quarter contributed to weak exports in trading partners.

As a result of these and other factors, global trade stagnated in the first half of 2014, as the gradual recovery of import demand in developed countries was offset by declines in developing countries.

Growth in trade and output is expected to be somewhat stronger in the second half of 2014 as governments and central banks may provide policy support to boost growth, and as idiosyncratic factors that weighted on trade in the first half (e.g. harsh winter weather in the United States, a sales tax rise in Japan, among others) begin to fade.

However, several risk factors on the horizon have the potential to produce worse economic outcomes.

Tensions between the European Union and the United States on the one hand and the Russian Federation on the other over Ukraine have already resulted in trade sanctions on certain agricultural commodities, and the number of products affected could widen if the crisis persists. Conflict in the Middle East is also stoking uncertainty, and could lead to a spike in oil prices if the security of oil supplies is threatened.

Finally, an outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever in West Africa has proven difficult to contain, and any spread of the disease could trigger a broader panic with major economic implications for West Africa, and perhaps even beyond the region. The presence of several such low probability/high cost risk factors has made the trade forecast particularly difficult to gauge this year.

as an energy crop through the production of sugar. The sugar industry will be able to generate electricity and also to produce ethanol which can be used in running vehicles.”

“The new and profitable sugar industry which is set to emerge by 2020 to 2022, will see the creation of over 115,000 direct jobs, the production of 161 million litres of ethanol and production of 411MW of electricity through cogeneration. For every tonne of cane which is processed, approximately 11 units of energy can be extracted from the sugarcane plant. About 70 litres per tonne cane can be fermented into ethanol from the sugar in the cane, representing about 14 per cent of the total energy content. Another 0.33 of methane can be generated per tonne cane via the anaerobic digestion of the liquid by-products

of fermentation, boosting the sugar-juice’s energy contribution up to 17 per cent.

“Expanding sugarcane cultivation for electricity and ethanol production might also provide rural employment opportunities and could help mitigate the exodus of rural workers into the cities,” he added.

The NSDC boss noted that the direct capital investment required for creating new jobs in cane energy was between 10 per cent and 25 per cent of that required in mining or petrochemical.

He said that government has increased local production and utilisation of the commodity.

He said: “Last year, we imported about 1.3 million metric tonnes and it is because the prices were lower, so the refineries that are refining the

raw sugar which we were importing were able to increase their capacity utilisation. Capacity utilisation jumped from 60 per cent to 75 per cent that means they processed more sugar. More people were buying sugar because the price was lower.

“Our priority is simple, to ensure self-sufficiency in sugar production. In other words, it is to ensure that Nigeria is able to produce all the sugar it consumes. We believe that it is an achievable target because we have all that is required to be able to produce sugar.

“We have the human capacity, we have the land, and we have over nine million hectares of land, of which 80 per cent is arable. We have the good weather, we have good soil, sugarcane needs a lot of water and we have a sizeable source of water,” he added.

L-R: Product Support Officer, Dangote Flour Mills, Kunle Adekoya; National Product Support Manager, Kunle Adetona; Marketing Associate Officer, Alozie Samuel and Senior Brand Manager, Dangote Flour Mills, Roseline Abaraonye, during the 2014 Bakery, Catering and Conference EXPO in Lagos.

Electricity: NACCIMA frets over fixed charge CANCELLATION NACCIMA seeks fixed charge reversal

T

he Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) have said that the average fixed charge of between N90,000 and N200,000, based on Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2 Retail Tariffs (commercial/industrial), is too high for the country’s micro, small and medium scales enterprises (MSMEs).

The Chamber, in its 2014 economic review, also noted that in the face of present epileptic power supply in the country, the electricity tariff fixed charge of between N750

and N1,500 based on Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO)2 Retail Tariffs (residential) is too high for the average Nigerian who earn very low income.

It therefore called for the cancellation of the electricity fixed tariff being charged consumers and businesses in the country.

National President of NACCIMA, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, also said that the chamber is still worried that the policy of 24 hours cargo clearance promised by government was yet to become a reality as the issue of cargo congestion has continued unabated at the Nigerian ports.

“This has been compounded with the concerns of PreArrival Assessment Report (PAAR) issuance and wrong computation, huge demur-

rage to shipping companies, gridlock on the access roads to the ports, among others. Indeed, this development does not portend the country as becoming a preferred Trade Hub for cargo destination; hence, we urge government and its agencies to continue to make efforts to find lasting solution to this problem through the option of publicprivate partnership (PPP) arrangement” he said.

Abubakar noted that the Chamber have continued to observe that despite of the enormous spending by governments on transportation infrastructure (roads, railway, waterways and airways) nationwide, the desired positive impact is yet to be felt by the business community and citizens.

BUSINESS | INDUSTRY 35

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

DEAL Both institutions seek to help businesses grow

T

he Mega Trade Fair being organised by SNX Media, has received a boost from Wema Bank Plc, with the financial institution being signed on as the official bank of the 10-day marketing event.

The 2014 Mega Trade Fair will commence next week Friday, at the purpose-built Oyo State Trade Fair Complex (EXPOYO), Samonda, Ibadan.

According to the deal sealed between SNX Media and the bank, Wema Bank will sponsor the event, which runs till October 12 at the Oyo State Permanent Trade Fair Complex.

The sponsorship grants Wema Bank exclusivity as a financial institution during

WEMA Bank, Carmudi partner for Mega trade fair the trade fair while the bank will brand the programme and have exclusive right over the “Making of 10,000 CEOs” component of the programme.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer SNX Media, Delight Owoyemi, said that the choice of Wema Bank as the official bank of the trade fair was strategic in view of the financial institution’s pre-eminence in helping businesses grow.

Also, Carmudi online automobile platform has been signed on as the official automobile marketer for the trade

fair.

According to the deal, Carmudi will coordinate the automobile dealers and mobilise them to the event.

The agreement between Carmudi and the Mega Trade Fair was signed by the public relations manager of Carmudi, Vivian Iweha and Owoyemi.

WhatUpIbadan, another online platform, has been signed as the official Social Media Partner for the Mega Trade Fair.

Owoyemi noted that this year’s Mega Trade Fair would

L-R: Managing Director, Microsoft Mobile Devices & Services (MMDS), West and Central Africa, Mr Nick Imudia; Head of Marketing, MMDS, West & Central Africa, Ms Debbie Shepard; Divisional Director, Retail Business, Mansard Insurance, Mr Yomi Onifade and Senior Product Manager, MMDS, West & Central Africa, Mr Olumide Balogun, during the launch of Lumia 930 Smartphone in Lagos.

Dow Jones index names CocaCola 2014 industry leader C

oca-Cola HBC has been named the industry leader amongst beverage companies in the 2014 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).

This is the seventh consecutive year that Coca-Cola HBC, the parent company of Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited would be included in the indices.

The first year it led both the World and European indices.

It was learnt that CocaCola HBC was ranked first in the beverages sector out of 30 companies in DJSI World and 10 companies in DJSI Europe.

The company’s overall score was 89 per cent, up from 81per cent last year, and it achieved industry-best scores across the environmental and social dimensions, and more specifically in the areas of health and nutrition, supply chain management, environmental policy, environmental

reporting, social reporting, talent attraction and retention, and human capital development.

Dow Jones Sustainability Indices assess over 2,500 of the world’s largest publicly traded companies on financially relevant economic, environmental and social factors.

Following an evaluation, the top 10 per cent of companies within each industry are selected for inclusion.

Coca-Cola HBC Chief Executive Office, Dimitris Lois, said: “We are delighted to be recognised as an industry leader by this renowned benchmark of corporate sustainability performance. Our substantial improvement this year confirms how committed we are to the sustainability agenda.

“It remains a key strategic priority for the business and our focus will be on making

further progress in order to maintain our leadership position.”

He explained that CocaCola HBC’s sustainability programmes were long-term investments, building value over time for the business and communities where it operates.

“Consumer health and wellness is a key issue for the business and its communities as well as minimizing its environmental impact, developing sustainability in its value chain and creating value for its communities,” he added.

NBC was incorporated in November 1951 and is a member of Coca-Cola HBC A.G., an anchor bottler with the franchise to bottle products of The Coca-Cola Company in 28 countries in North, Central and South Europe, Asia and Africa with over 585 million consumers in these markets.

be bigger, brighter and better, as it has the full collaboration of Oyo State overnment, including all the ministries and state agencies, Oyo State Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (OYCCIMA), as well as all the 33 local government areas.

“It offers a unique exposition for manufacturers, suppliers, agencies, associations, buyers

and users of a wide range of goods and services as well as opportunities for investment and trade promotion,” he said.

He added: “The first edition of the Mega Trade Fair which came up in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, between December 6 and 15, last year, at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, was immensely successful.”

Firm sets to introduce products ne of the players in the Fast packaged and formulated to enO(FMCG) Moving Consumer Goods hance the healthy needs of consub-sector, Denna sumers through the provision Rossi Limited, has concluded plans to launch a variety of health products, fruits and still beverages into the market.

Managing Director, Denna Rossi Limited, Dr John Ifeanyi Nwafor, said in a statement that the company is providing its consumers with the most nutritious and delicious fruit experience, adding that the company is proud to launch its new range of juice blends, to provide consumers with more options for great tasting.

Nwafor said that the juices are produced to the best of international standards with the health consciousness of consumers at heart pointing out that the company’s commitment to market only products that enhance family healthcare attracted the company to market wines and cocktail drinks.

He added that the drinks were provided in line with the desire to meet the needs of different age and income groups in the country and that this is the first time that such products would be introduced to the Nigeria market.

Also, the Head of Marketing of the company, Ifeanyi Nihe, said the products have been

of high quality, healthy and refreshing fruit nectars and juices with a view to ensuring customer intimacy, product leadership and service excellence.

While promising Nigerians of the accessibility and availability of the offerings, he said that the products would be readily available at pocket friendly prices and assured its existing and prospective distributors of the company’s support at all times.

The products being produced by the company are the Ivana fruit juice with seven variants; Shappe fruit drinks and Clue vitamin water (which contains about 30 calories per serving) with three variants.

Other products to be distributed by the company, which are basically wines and cocktail drinks, are Domkeller red and white wine, Ibiza cocktail (red and white), Adelisa Champagne and Celine Red Wine.

According to the firm, the juices will offer combinations of the exceptional fruits that are sourced globally and will combine exceptional nutrient richness and antioxidant qualities with great taste to provide extra nourishment that helps boost wellbeing.

EU, Ecuador announce trade pact he European Union (EU) and Tdocuments Ecuador are publishing the of their new Asso-

ciation Agreement, which will see Ecuador joining the EU’s existing accord with Colombia and Peru.

Both the EU and Ecuador are currently carrying out a legal revision of the texts, after which the necessary administrative and legal steps will be taken to approve Ecuador’s accession to, and application of, the Agreement.

Colombia and Peru will also be involved in the approval process by the Trade Committee.

The negotiations for a trade agreement between the EU and the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) were launched in June 2007. After stalling in 2008, the talks continued in 2009 with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

In July of that year Ecuador dropped out of the negotiations.

An agreement was concluded with Colombia and Peru in March 2010 and signed in June 2012. It has been provisionally applied with Peru since 1 March 2013 and with Colombia since 1 August 2013.

Seeing the potential for improving EU-Ecuador trade, as well as for its domestic development objectives, Ecuador returned to the negotiating table in January 2014. An agreement was reached achieved in July.

The agreement will allow Ecuador to benefit from improved access for its main exports to the EU – fisheries, bananas, cut flowers, coffee, cocoa, fruits and nuts. The terms of the new arrangement go beyond the unilateral EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences, for which Ecuador is no longer eligible.

36 BUSINESS

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Nigeria’s fresh leap at global ICT stage Nigeria’s election as the new chair of the Council and Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) has further deepened the recognition of the country as a key player in the global ICT stage, even as industry experts say this did not come as a surprise, reports KUNLE AZEEZ.

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he recent election of Nigeria as the new Chair of the Council and Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) has further elevated the country’s status as a key player in the global Information and Communication Technology market, especially, among the commonwealth nations.

The election took place during the CTO Forum and 54th council meeting, which held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from September 8 through 12, 2014, with member countries well represented.

NCC VC assumes position With the election, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, technically assumed this position on behalf of the West African country. He took over from Director for Human Capital and Administration at the Communications Authority of Kenya, Juma Kandie.

Juwah was previously 1st Vice-Chair of the CTO with over 30 years of experience in the IT and telecommunications sectors, including over 20 years in top management-level positions.

Appointed in July 2010, to his current position at the NCC, the industry, under his watch, has championed many initiatives such as the introduction of emergency communication services, mobile number portability, Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card registrations and broadband access expansion in Nigeria.

Also elected to the eightmember Executive Committee of the CTO are: 1st Vice-Chair -Trinidad & Tobago - held by Cris Seecheran, Chief Executive Officer, Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad & Tobago; 2nd Vice-Chair – Mauritius - held by Vimalen Reddi, Chairman, Information and Communication Technologies Authority, Mauritius; Develop-

L-R: (Seated): Director, Public Affairs, Mr Tony Ojobo; Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Eugene Juwah; Director, Policy Competition and Economic Analysis, Ms Josephine Amua and Secretary, Universal Service Provision Fund, Alh. Abdullahi Maikano; (Standing): Head, Competition and Tarif, Mr A.K. Yakubu; Senior Manager, Policy and Competition, Mr Ibrahim Galadima; Principal Manager, Universal Service Provision Fund, Mr Kelechi Nwankwo;, Special Adviser, Media, EVC, Mr Okoh Aihe; Head, International Affairs, Mrs Nnena Ukoha and Chief of Staff, EVC, Mr Jerry Ugwu, all of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) at the CTO 2014 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

ment Partners’ Representative Telecommunications Regulatory Board of Cameroon - held by Jean Louis Beh Mengue, General Manager, while Abigail Sono of Telkom South Africa will act as International Business Development Manager.

Members of the Executive Committee of the CTO are elected for one year. Kenya remains on the Executive Committee as immediate past chair, together with Prof. Tim Unwin as Secretary-General, both as non-elected members of the committee.

Botswana Telecommunications Corporation remains as the eighth member, as Chair of the Programme for Development and Training, the CTO’s main professional ICT capacity development programme.

The CTO is one point of relationship among Commonwealth countries where issues of technology for development are discussed; where peer review programmes are carried out to ensure that countries don’t reinvent the wheel but learn from the experiences of member countries to extend modern communications technology to their people. The resource-base of the CTO is richly diverse and very supportive of member countries.

Previous edition The penultimate forum and council meeting was hosted in Nigeria before handing over the baton to Bangladesh as the host country for the 2014 edition of the meeting.

Juwah said after the election: “We are delighted and honoured

to be elected to this position and we look forward to working with all members to continue to guide management in its ICT for Development (ICT4D) efforts.”

“We are grateful for the trust members put on us over the past three years as Chair, and we will look forward to playing our role on the Executive Committee as immediate past Chair to support Nigeria,” said Kandie, as he received acclamations from fellow membercountry representatives for the inclusive manner in which he led the Executive Committee.

Nigeria’s rich experience Nigeria has become a country of note in telecoms regulatory transparency, thus enabling the country to achieve high-profile growth in service deployment and investment inflows, which rank it as one of the biggest and fastestgrowing telecoms markets in the world.

According to available re-

Over the years, Nigeria has acquired and accumulated valuable experiences; It has established one of the strongest regulatory agencies in the world

cords, apart from the CTO, Nigeria has been playing prominent role at the global telecoms stage since 1961 when it joined the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and has since been actively participating in all the ITU activities including the annual ITU World, where it sponsors some key programmes.

Over the years, Nigeria has acquired and accumulated valuable experiences; It has established one of the strongest regulatory agencies in the world, it has developed a market that is very robust and highly competitive and has continued to engage in more regulatory activities to further open up the market for more competition and attract more Foreign Direct Investment.

Why Nigeria shined at CTO Rated as the fastest-growing telecoms markets in Africa, Nigeria has grown tremendously, recording a year-onyear growth rate of 30 per cent, according to Minister of Communications Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson.

Meanwhile, Juwah, in a speech delivered at the event, specifically chronicled major developments that are catapulting Nigeria’s telecoms industry onto the global ICT stage.

According to him, the country, which hosted the 2013 CTO Council Meeting in Abuja with the theme ‘Broadband through Innovation,’ has adopted the Open Access Model as the country’s choice of broadband deployment and in line with its National

Broadband Plan, approved by the Presidency early 2013.

In February, an operator was licensed on the 2.3 gigahertz band as a wholesale wireless broadband access provider roll out a network that can provide quality data services across the country. The auction of the 2.3 gigahertz, won

by Bitflux Consortium, has been described by analysts as a transparent process.

Taking into consideration Nigeria’s huge population and landmass, the country has been delineated into regions as a deliberate strategy to achieve rapid rollout of ICT infrastructure for access.

It is instructive that the Juwah-led NCC is in the process of licensing Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) to further serve each geo-political zone in the country in meeting with the demands of Open Access Model.

Spectrum auction In addition, Juwah, in a second speech at the Bangladesh CTO Forum, disclosed that an industry consultation process had also commenced, which will lead to the auctioning of spectrum on the 2.6-gigahertz band for the facilitation of 4G services.

“We hope to complete the licensing process before the end of the year,” he said.

Juwah said that the country was aware of the importance of data in improving the overall wellbeing and also as a C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 7

BUSINESS | ICT 37

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Stories by Kunle Azeez

Ericsson widens operations with new solutions

global Information and Communication Technology, Ericsson, said it is making more investments to extend its television and media leadership in the pay-TV space.

As part of this effort, Ericsson has announced a number of solutions that deliver new television experiences for consumers while providing operators with the tools to increase revenue, build customer loyalty and drive new business.

Ericsson is introducing the latest release of the industryleading IPTV platform, Ericsson Mediaroom.

According to Ericsson, the latest release elevates the TV viewing experience, delivering a host of new consumeroriented capabilities that empower operators to deliver the highest quality live, video on demand (VOD) and time-shifted television experiences.

New features include making “Restart TV” a core experience; unified search functionality that offers consumers unparalleled levels of simplicity when discovering content; an enhanced user interface that maximises full-screen viewing; and a new, more visual channel guide.

Recognising 4K and HEVC as the next major consumer experience expectation, Ericsson said it is bringing 4K and HEVC capabilities to the Ericsson Mediaroom platform.

The new Ericsson Mediaroom client for ARM-based System-on-a-Chip (SoC) set top boxes will be available in the second half of 2015, equipping operators to deliver the best video quality on TV screens.

To extend the Ericsson Mediaroom platform to all screens, Ericsson is also introducing Ericsson Mediaroom Reach, a highly scalable solu-

EXPANSION Firm ups investment to extend leadership in payTV

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tion born out of the company’s acquisition of Azuki Systems earlier this year.

Ericsson Mediaroom Reach cost-effectively enables the deployment of over-the-top video to any device.

With Ericsson Mediaroom Reach, operators can securely deploy Adaptive Bit Rate (ABR) video streams, servicing more customers and more devices and greatly increasing market footprints.

Senior Vice President and Head of Business Unit Support Solutions at Ericsson, Mr Per Borgklint, said: “Ericsson

continues to build upon our position as the leading IPTV platform provider. Through the introduction of integrated software and solutions across the entire TV and media value chain, Ericsson is helping our customers create new, compelling entertainment experiences that span multiple screens and have significant business impact.”

Borgklint added that Ericsson is also leveraging the technology that powers Ericsson Mediaroom Reach to deliver innovative experiences for digital terrestrial, cable and satellite

operators via a connected set top box (STB) with both ABR and Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) hybrid delivery.

“Ericsson has established itself as a leader within the IPTV market with compelling end-to-end TV anywhere solutions,” said Chief Executive Officer of iWedia, HansJürgen Desor. “We are eager to work with them to deploy the powerful IP technology behind Ericsson Mediaroom Reach to new markets in combination with iWedia's Android4TV core technology and Comedia hybrid STB middleware.”

Fresh leap at global ICT stage C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 6

transformation in the developmental process of its people, stressing that the Commission was working hard to ensure that the genre of technology (4G) is properly primed to attract the interest of local and international investors, who will be well protected by the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, which is operated by a regulatory authority that is lauded as one of the best in the world.

New Telegraph also learnt that the stability of the regulatory environment is demonstrated in a highly competitive market that has attracted over $32 billion worth of investment in just over a decade and mobile phone proliferation of 132 million active subscribers from a paltry 400,000 lines at the beginning telecoms liberalisation in 2001.

Even with all these achievements, Juwah said that the regulator “did not claim to have arrived yet at the comfort zone,” while instilling confidence in investors to come and invest in the nation’s telecoms market, which, he said, promises attractive return on investment (RoI).

“This is why we have come here (Bangladesh) with a mind to learn and to solicit more investment from the international community. We have the market. We have the population.

“Our appeal is for investors to take advantage of what the Nigerian market stands to offer by investing in our market. I will add very emphatically that we have the law and market demonstrated independence to protect both the market and the investors,” Juwah said.

Stakeholders’ reactions Meanwhile, as the new Chair of CTO, industry stakeholders have commended the NCC, saying that the election of Nigeria to occupy the new role did not come as surprise.

According to the stakeholders, the good regulatory regime engendered by the regulator and its visibility in playing a frontline role in most global and regional telecoms fora has endeared Nigeria to most countries, which voted the country as the new Chair of CTO. President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr Lanre Ajayi, said that the new role is a deserving one for the country.

“We are delighted about the new position into which Nigeria has been elected and in the new role, it is noteworthy that the country is being represented by her chief telecoms industry regulator,” he said.

Ajayi urged the NCC to utilise the position as another platform to further catapult Nigeria into much higher status while enjoining the commission to continue in the implementation of its various programmes in a manner that will benefit the industry.

Also, National Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr Gbenga Adebayo, said: “NCC has been tenacious in putting in place series of regulatory interventions to put the industry on the path of consistent growth, making telecoms a key enabler of economic development.”

According to Adebayo, the new role is a testimony to Nigeria’s frantic effort as major player in the global telecoms space.

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Tata Consultancy Services, Mr Natarajan Chandrasekaran; Founder, Computer Warehouse Group Plc., Mr Austin Okere and Global Chief Executive Officer and President, Boston Consulting Group, Mr Rich Lesser, during a World Economic Forum held in in Tianjin, China.

Slok phones to debut in Nigeria soon NEW ENTRY Made-in-Nigeria and affordable utility mobile phones, Slok, will be launched before year end

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Nigerian conglomerate, Slok Group, has unveiled plans to launch the firstever brand of indigenously manufactured and affordable smart mobile phone brand into Nigeria’s telecoms market in the next eight weeks.

The phone, branded ‘Slok Phone’ will also be launched

Slok phone

in other African countries, as well as in Asian markets with proposition ‘to redefine how people live, work and play.

Already, the phone manufacturer said it is currently strategizing on how it will take over the market, by making the devices functionally useful and affordably accessible to every Nigerian.

Speaking on the rollout plans, Chairman, Slok Group, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, said: “Very soon, the Slok Group is rolling out the first-ever indigenouslymade mobile phone called Slok Phone.”

According to Kalu, “Slok is a phone brand we have produced to be sold in Nigeria and across Africa. So, we are rolling out the Slok telephone in less than eight weeks’ time.”

He said that Slok phones, which come with rich functionalities, have the lowest end of the mobile phone market and assured that the presence of the phone in the market would meet the yearnings of Nigerians for the type of utility phone they have long desired.

“The Slok telephone has

all the packages of a modern phone; it is going to be a utility phone that Nigerians have been looking for. We are a truly African company, but proudly Nigerian.”

The Slok chairman explained that the phone brand is designed to be a household name among Nigerians within the shortest possible time.

“We are going to roll out the phones in Nigeria, Congo, Guinea, South Africa and other countries,” Kalu said.

The phone was patented in the United States and other countries as well as Europe.

“This is the first time a Nigerian conglomerate will be rolling out a phone to take over the market,” he said.

Nigeria has one of the biggest mobile phone sub-sectors in the African continent with all sorts of phone brands being dumped on the country, resulting in huge capital flight.

However, analysts say with the entry of Slok phones being manufactured in Nigeria, the country will benefit from job-creation potential of such business model.

38 BUSINESS | ICT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Computer Warehouse tasks govts on ICT investment MULTIPLIER EFFECT Broadband will spur growth of other businesses Stories by Kunle Azeez

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igeria’s Information and Communication Technology conglomerate, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) Plc, has called on the governments at all levels to invest in the deployment of critical ICT infrastructure that enables broadband access to homes and offices to further boost inclusive growth in the country.

Chief Executive Officer CWG, Mr Austin Okere, made the call while speaking on the Digital Advantage Panel anchored by Nielsen Bronwyn of CNBC Africa at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting of the New Champi-

ons, in Tianjin, China, earlier this month.

Okere noted that there is a correlation between pervasive broadband access and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of a country.

The Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Columbia Business School (CBS), New York, said that broadband will bring about the growth of other businesses, saying that Africa is the new frontier for business expansion, following saturation in the developed markets.

While cautioning against wholesale importation of western business model templates into the emerging markets because of difference geographies, peoples and cultures, Okere urged local partnerships to explore the immense opportunities in a mutually beneficial manner.

Meanwhile, the CWG boss has hinted that subsequent phases of the transformative Nigeria Research and Education

Network (NgREN) project will cover over 20 million people in the country’s educational sector.

Under the project being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education and supported by the World Bank, CWG is also playing a central role in the provision of necessary Information Technology infrastructures.

Described as the first of its kind in West and Central Africa, the project covers the 27 premier federal universities in Nigeria and their over one million students and staff, providing high definition telepresence capabilities for real-time collaboration, voice over internet protocol (VOIP), shared access to research content and joint experimentation projects.

But according to Okere, “subsequent phases of the project will extend to over 500 other universities, polytechnics and colleges of education and cover over 20 million people.”

The WEF Champions Meeting, which holds annually in

China and also known as the ‘Summer Davos,’ attracted over 2,000 delegates comprising global industry captains, top academia, heads of states and top government functionaries to the city of Tianjin for two days from September 10.

He, however, noted that technological innovations will continue to be ahead of legislations, having to chase rapid innovation in technology.

According to him, in the future, physical stores shall only be for brand enticement and ‘look and feel’, while most purchases shall be made online.

Okere stated that attention to ICT-driven business environment is shifting to business model based on creativity and knowledge value-addition such as software design, big data analytics and e-commerce enablers such as Google and Alibaba.

He added that in today’s world, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) can have access to the hitherto technology advantage enjoyed by larger

companies, by leveraging technology solutions available through cloud computing, and spreading capital costs through subscription payments.

He also noted that the recent launch of the national identity card project in Nigeria will significantly boost financial inclusion in the country, “since the cards, with biometrics and financial transaction capability, in conjunction with MasterCard, shall be carried by over 130 million Nigerians.”

Okere said this targeted number of Nigerians is far more than the subscribers on M-PESA, the mobile money scheme of Kenya, which, he said, stands at about 15 million as at June 2014.

It will be recalled that CWG was named a WEF Global growth Company in May 2014 at the WEF Forum at Abuja, in recognition of its phenomenal growth, global corporate citizenship, executive leadership and impact on the competitive landscape of the ICT industry in Africa.

We’re committed to Nigerian market, says Cyberoam network security appliances nel Manager for Nigeria, Mr Astated provider, Cyberoam, has re- Jimi Falaiye, said: “Cyberoam its commitment to ren- welcomes Mrs Elizabeth. Her

L-R: Etisalat customer, Mr Livingstone Magorimbo, receiving the latest Samsung device from Etisalat Marina Experience Centre Manager, Mr Oluwaseun Ayebiwo, as part of the Etisalat customer loyalty scheme in Lagos.

MTN to promote virtual airtime top-up

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ne of Nigeria’s telecoms networks, MTN, has undertaken a new initiative targeted at promoting the use of electronic means of vending for airtime by its over 56 million subscribers tagged MTN Virtual Top-Up. MTN, in a statement, said it is offering more value to its teeming subscribers who use the MTN VTU service by giving up to 100 per cent bonus on True Talk and Smooth Talk Plus packages after every recharge for as low as N5 up to N200, between 00:30am and 1:59pm daily from Monday to Sunday.

MTN VTU is a convenient service that enables customers to remotely top up airtime on their mobile phones from any part of the world and enjoy multiple services by dialling dedicated short code.

Speaking in a statement, MTN’s Sales and Distribution’s Executive, Mr Omatsola Barrow, said the bonus reward is available to customers for

the following denominations: N5, N10, N20, N50, N100 and N200.

“It rewards customers with 100 per cent bonus airtime immediately the main account is credited through the use of the MTN VTU 100 per cent bonus recharge platform. Subscribers can then enjoy voice calls, SMS and data activities for as low as 40k per second on the bonus airtime while the regular tariff still applies for calls made from the main account,” he said.

According to Barrow, “giving 100 per cent bonus on every VTU recharge is a way of appreciating our customers for making use of the service, while giving them even more value for money. With the additional bonus airtime, subscribers can make more calls, send SMS and do more data activities at no additional cost to them.”

He explained that subscribers must, however, exhaust the airtime in the main account

before enjoying the benefits of the bonus account.

“They will also be unable to perform Share N Sell (Share N Sell is a service that enables a customer dispense airtime credit on his phone to five other beneficiaries of his choice) on both the main and bonus accounts,” he added.

Speaking in the same vein, MTN’s Corporate Services Executive, Mr Akinwale Goodluck, said: “We have pledged to continue to enrich the lives of our subscribers by providing them with a robust bouquet of innovative products and services, which is why we are rewarding our customers with 100 per cent bonus of the face value of every VTU recharge within the stipulated hours.

We will continue to seek new ways of adding value to the lives of our customers.”

He said the MTN VTU Plus is available to both pre-paid and post-paid customers. Customers will be able to view the main and bonus accounts.

dering quality security services to the enterprise-class customer community in Nigeria.

As such, the company has announced the appointment of Mrs Robert Elizabeth Chinedu as its Enterprise Account Manager for Nigeria to boost the company’s operations in the country.

Announcing this in a statement, the company said that the new appointment was a clear indication of its commitment towards achieving higher growth in the network security market.

The company said that over the years, it has also bolstered the networks of many established and emerging enterprises in Nigeria.

The statement further stated that Mrs Robert will be playing an instrumental role in expanding Cyberoam’s client base in the region apart from managing the existing client relations.

“Her primary focus would be on enterprise customers. Mrs Robert is a Microsoft-certified professional with over eight years of experience in the IT business security domain.

“Her core competencies include business development, market planning and positioning, multi-channel product distribution, sales team building and leadership, key account relationship management and new product technology launch.

“She has been involved in most kinds of business development activities related to creating demand, expanding distribution channels, and managing account networks in Nigeria,” it stated.

Commenting on the new appointment, Cyberoam’s Chan-

experience as a product manager in handling critical projects and customers for enterprises, strong grasp on emerging technology trends and thorough understanding of the network security market will be beneficial for Cyberoam.

“With Mrs Robert’s appointment, we expect to meet and deliver as per the expectations and demands of our esteemed clientele in Nigeria, in a timely and streamlined manner. We see tremendous opportunity for growth in the region and we intend to capitalise on the need with more haste.”

In her new role, Mrs Robert will be involved in activities such as meeting with and briefing customers from the enterprise segment about Cyberoam solution, generating opportunities by visiting resellers and following up with inquiries generated by Cyberoam through various events.

Other roles include collaborating with the local marketing team in organising end-customer events, participating in endcustomer events/exhibitions by working in conjunction with different teams and more.

With presence in over 125 countries worldwide, Cyberoam is rated high Unified Threat Management (UTM) market across the globe.

“Cyberoam is a channelcentric company known for its converged and collaborative relationship with partners. With unique capabilities and comprehensive security solutions, Cyberoam is all set to strengthen its existing relationship with channel partners and lead the market as the most preferred UTM solution,” the statement added.

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FG to train 29,600 on digital empowerment EMPLOYMENT Government is leveraging ICT to tackle 25 per cent unemployed youth population Stories by Kunle Azeez

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bout 29,600 unemployed youths in Nigeria are to be trained by the Federal Government on digital job opportunities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The scheme, conceived by the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology, is to be implemented in collabo-

ration with the state governments where 800 unemployed from each state shall be provided with digital empowerment.

At the 2014 National Council of Communication Technology (NCCT) meeting in Bayelsa State which was attended by commissioners, special advisers, Directors-General, directors and officials of ICT, science and technology and other related areas from 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory, stakeholders discussed the way forward.

As such, a resolution in a communiqué issued at the end of the NCCT meeting, advocates “that each state provide a suitable venue with 250 sitting capacity and nominate 800 unemployed youths for the

workshop for training of prospective job seekers on digital job opportunities, an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology.”

Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, Mrs Efem Nkanga, said of the scheme: “Already, the scheme has started in Bayelsa and it is expected that after the training of 800 youth in that state, other states will follow, depending on their readiness to provide the facilities needed to implement the project.”

Available figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) put the current youth unemployment rate at over 25 per cent. The implication is

L-R: Chairman, Board of Trustees, Nigerian Telecom Awards, Chief Alex Akinyele; Secretary-General, Nigerian Telecom Awards, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye; Director, Mike Adenuga Group, Mr Niyi Adewunmi, with the award of the ‘Telecom Investor of the Decade’ he collected for Chairman of Globacom, Dr. Mike Adenuga; and Vice- Chairman, Awards’ Board of Trustees, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, at the 10th anniversary of the telecoms award in Lagos.

Alcatel Mobile targets 20% market share in Nigeria COMEBACK A key player in the early days of GSM in Nigeria is staging a comeback

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global phone manufacturer, Alcatel Mobile, has returned to the market with a target to control 20 per cent of the smartphone market share in the next one year.

Over 10 million smartphones sets are currently sold in Nigeria monthly and about 120 million sold yearly with almost all the phones made in Asia.

Alcatel is coming back with four new android smartphones namely POP Series C9, C7, C5 and Idol Mini phones, which, the company said, will compete in a smartphone market dominated by Asians, especially Chinese phones.

The new smartphones, which will add to the list of jumbo phones that have taken over the phone market in Nigeria, were unveiled at a media briefing in

Lagos.

The joker entrant, Alcatel POP C9 is all about bringing a large screen and quad-core chip in an affordable package. It is a colourful plastic device coming in a range of colours (Bluish Black, Cherry Red, Full White, Hot Pink or Fresh Turquoise) and bearing a surprising similarity to Samsung’s Galaxy S III. The POP C9, C7, C5 and Idol Mini run on Android Jelly Bean 4.2 operating system, 5.5” to 4.5” screens, 13 hours to 20 hours talk time, Bluethooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi direct hotspot and 32GB micro SD car support, 1.3GHz quadcore chip, among others.

According to the company, the POP C9 comes with a 5.5” LCD IPS display with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels. This works out to pixel density of the mediocre 200ppi, meaning text and icon edges will appear jagged.

Operation Director, GIOCAH Ventures, Alcatel major distributor in Nigeria, Mr Ikechukwu Ezeonyeka, said that the phones will be well accepted because of the pricing and all the addi-

tional features of a smartphone embedded in them.

“The battery lives of these phones are long, and the designs are very attractive. I believe Nigerians will be happy with the products we have here,” he added.

He said that the return of Alcatel android mobile phones to Nigeria is due to the key status Nigeria holds in Africa and Middle East mobile phone market.

He said that Alcatel phones were to slug it out with other smartphone market, noting that the phone manufacturer will aim to control 20 per cent of the smartphone market within the next 12 months.

“In our investigation in Nigeria, we found that out of 100 million handsets being used by Nigerians, 60 million are smartphones. We are targeting 10 to 20 per cent of the Nigerian smartphone market. We hope to control a large part of the 10 million phones that are sold in Nigeria monthly. For Alcatel, the brand is known and meeting this target is what we know how to do,” Ezeonyeka said.

that over 25 million of Nigeria’s youth population of about 100 million are unemployed - a situation that is threatening the survival of Nigeria as a nation.

Speaking further on the details of the scheme, Mrs Nkanga said that after the successful launch of the NaijaCloud initiative in Lagos last year by the Minister of Communication Technology, the minister had made the job-creation initiative a priority of the ministry.

She said that it was with this in mind that the ministry kicked off the NaijaCloud project in 2013, which has the objective to create job opportunities, reduce unemployment, reverse the country’s brain drain and create a market for Nigerian Microwork and E-Lancing Companies.

The Lagos launch was done in partnership with the World Bank through the STEP-B project of the Federal Ministry of Education.

“As part of the project, a Microwork for Workers workshop was held to educate and train participants on how to create a user profile and manage their accounts on the various Microwork & E-lancing platforms.

“Participants were given general information and tips on how to source ‘good jobs’ on the platforms, improve their profile of work, work efficiently and get paid effectively.

“About 2,000 Nigerians were trained and within two months of the workshop, several online

platforms started reporting on the increase of Nigerians who have joined their platforms and had started earning income.

Immediate results have been recorded as over 10,000 Nigerians are now earning money on this platform,” she said.

Mrs Nkanga noted that the Rockefeller Foundation was impressed by the ministry’s NaijaCloud initiative and is partnering with it in an attempt to deepen the effect of online job creation and leverage the success of the Lagos launch to hold a workshop in every state of the federation to enable unemployed youths to access online work called Microwork “The partnership will facilitate the rollout of the NaijaCloud Initiative in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” she said.

She explained that “a nationwide campaign commenced in Bayelsa during the National Council on Communication Technology held in Bayelsa State between September 10 and September 17, 2014. The next workshop will be held in the second week of October.

“So, in the scheme, each state government shall contribute two main things to facilitate the workshop: provide a venue that has minimum capacity of 250 seats and provide 800 participants. The participants must have a minimum of OND certificate and be unemployed.”

Phase3 supports secure connectivity for W'Africa hase3 Telecom, West Afri- nesses being connected to a viPinfrastructure ca’s independent fibre optic able network that enable quick provider, has and secure data sharing across introduced Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS), an addition to its growing network.

The MPLS platform enables organisations to access as well as share large amounts of data from multiple locations with maximum security.

In the most remote of locations, the company said the expansion can deliver speeds of 100 megabits per second (mbps) and above and supplements Phase 3’s existing infrastructure and network solutions.

MPLS is a technology for transporting information data/ voice/video between two or more locations. It enables customers with offices in different locations to lease virtual private networks (VPNs) that are effected on routers which sit on the networks of communications providers.

Phase3 Telecom’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Stanley Jegede, explained that “the addition of the MPLS solution further supplements our rapidly evolving network and will further facilitate the provision of broadband connectivity and telecoms services for our increasing client base in the health, education, oil & gas, financial and public sectors across the continent.”

According to him, “the possibilities and benefits of busi-

diverse or remote locations is exponential.

“We’re delivering advanced services that allow our clients to do more, faster and more efficiently, creating a new wave of innovation. We hope to drive rapid economic growth by offering vast and untapped value creation by providing seamless services that allows data sharing on multiple networks.”

While digitising information in electronic databases for easy sharing within a network or across networks is not a recent phenomenon, its application within telecoms across West Africa has been limited.

Phase3 said it has established strong Points of Presence (POP) across West Africa; where reliable communication has been limited or non-existent until now.

Jegede stated that the Points of Presence (PoP) will broaden access to Phase3’s Multi-Protocol Label Switching network capabilities, linking offices and data centres across West Africa (including remote areas) to the rest of the world.

This, he said, will give clients access to knowledge that they can leverage for the benefit of their businesses as they grow in the global knowledge-based economy.

40

FEATURES

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/entrepreneur

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES EDITOR

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com otuntise@yahoo.co.uk

Efut stool: Rancorous selection of a monarch Crisis rocking the selection of a new Munene for the Efut in Calabar seems to have defied solution, writes CLEMENT JAMES

T

he traditional institution has continued to attract the respect and loyalty of the people, especially on the African continent.

Many people see traditional rulers as repository of ancestral wisdom and knowledge. For this reason, the rulers are highly revered and their authority hardly challenged.

Perhaps, it is because of the respect that goes with royalty and the accompanying authority that have heightened the quest to ascend every vacant traditional stool by those who consider themselves “suitable.”

This quest has in turn led to long drawn battles by various interest groups, often leading to loss of lives and destruction of property, as well as prolonged legal wars.

In Cross River State, such battles have always been properly managed whether by the affected communities, court’s decisions or government’s intervention.

However, the crisis dogging the succession to the throne of the Munene of Efut in Calabar South has, for close to five years, defied practical solution.

Instead, it has simmered, with accusations and counter-accusations being exchanged despite court’s intervention.

For those not familiar with Calabar, the Cross River State capital, the city plays host to three tribes, all claiming aboriginal status. They are the Efik, whose traditional ruler, the Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Abasi Out, stands as their symbol; the Qua, whose monarch, Ndidem Ika Ika Oqua, oversees Calabar Municipality and the Efut, whose ruler is the Munene, found mostly in Calabar South.

Genesis of the Efut crisis On September 7, 2009, the immediate past Munene of Efut nation, Munene Ita Okokon Ekpenyong, was overwhelmed by “a traditional illness,” an euphemism for declaring him dead.

Naturally, the search for the next Munene began in earnest. All those involved in the search agreed that the Efut Ukem clan was the next to assume the throne. But that is where the agreement ends.

Going by this agreement, Prof.

Itam Hogan, former pro-chancellor of the Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH) and former provost, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar (UNICAL), was supposed to have assumed office as the next Munene.

Early last year, while speaking with journalists at his Victoria Itam Clinic in Calabar, the professor of Medicine gave two reasons why he was not immediately available to assume the throne.

He said: “Following the demise of the former monarch, it was the turn of Efut Ukem clan, where I come from, to produce the next Munene. But

imoke

because the late Munene passed on suddenly and I was occupying many public positions at that time, I decided to choose Muri Ita Okokon Mesembe from the next clan to stand in for me as a regent pending when I would be ready to take over fully.”

The current occupant of the throne, Muri Efiong Okonkon Mbukpa agreed with Hogan.

He said: “Since it was the turn of Efut Ukem to produce a successor to the throne, the Efut Combined Assembly decided to shelve certain conditions to make for Hogan’s qualification. He rebuffed the offer on the grounds that he was very busy elsewhere and would instead nominate Mesembe.”

This intended substitution, according to Mbukpa, was rejected by the Assembly.

“Due to Hogan’s refusal to take over since it was Efut Ukem’s turn, the Combined Assembly threw the contest open. Those who were finally cleared to contest were Muri E. N. Amamba of Efut Abua, Odukpani and Muri C. A. Edet of Efut Ifako and myself, representing Efut Isu Ekom/Edik Idim in Bakassi. I was later selected the next Munene without contention,” Mbukpa added.

Investigative panel set up Despite this claim, the Munene has not known peace since his purported selection. Hogan later showed up, demanding to be enthroned, thus raising the stakes in the crisis. Perhaps, in an attempt to calm frayed nerves, the state government inaugurated an administrative panel of enquiry on August 9, 2010.

The four-man committee, which was inaugurated by the deputy governor, was chaired by Dr Ambrose Akpanika, a statesman and renowned medical doctor. Others were Chief Effiom Kofon (member), Pastor Nelson Coco Bassey (member) and Mr Michael K. Egim (secretary).

They were given seven terms of reference which were: “To ascertain the traditional institution or organ within the Efut kingdom that has the power

Mbukpa

to select a new Muri Munene at the demise of the incumbent and whether any of the claimants to the throne was selected by the said traditional institution or organ; to ascertain whether there is in existence a generally acceptable procedure or rule for the selection of a successor to the throne of Muri Munene; to examine whether there has been any exception to the general procedure or rule for the selection of a new Muri Munene in the past and what circumstances necessitated the adoption of such exception.”

Others were: “To ascertain the qualifications for the throne of Muri Munene and whether the claimants to the throne possess the required qualification for selection to the throne; to trace the past chronological order of succession to the throne of Muri Munene by persons from the Efut clans and to determine the clan that has the turn to produce a new Muri Munene; to recommend to the state government the right candidate for the succession to the throne of Muri Munene and; to make any other recommendation that would guide against future occurrence of fierce succession tussle in Efut kingdom.”

The committee was thus inaugurated without any time line for the submission of the report.

However, in 2012, Mbukpa approached the state High Court under the watch of Justice Michael Edem and filed suit No HC/MSC/169/2012 asking for an order of mandamus to compel the state government to release the report of the committee.

On April 25, 2012, a fight broke out at the palace of the Munene, with Mbukpa allegedly at the receiving end. He claimed that he was manhandled “by thugs,” and that the invaders wanted to kill him. As a result, 18 people were arrested and charged to court.

Attorney-General drawn into the fray So far, there are about three cases pending in various courts, including the Appeal Court. But, on July 18, Mbukpa raised the alarm at a press briefing in Calabar, accusing the state

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Attah Ochinke, of planning to withdraw the case the state filed against those who were charged in 2012.

The monarch accused the AttorneyGeneral of embarking on “political vendetta” and appealed to Governor Liyel Imoke to intervene. He also wrote a petition to the National Judicial Commission, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Senate President, David Mark and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, among others.

In his reaction, Ochinke explained that government decided to take the matter to court “to calm the tensed atmosphere which pervaded at the time”.

He added that about two years down the line, with government action generating the needed peace, “we decided to file the nolle prosequi to allow other pending cases to go on without government’s intervention”.

The Attorney-General insisted that the intention was in good faith “and if the case is not withdrawn, especially with the purpose having been achieved, it will look as if the state government is on the side of one of the factions to the crisis”.

He was, however, silent on why the report of the committee has not been released.

Interestingly, Mbukpa, who claimed that he had always been officially invited to government functions as the Munene, has not been officially coronated since 2009 and has not been given a staff of office.

The palace has also been under lock and key, forcing him to operate from his private residence. The implication of this is that either the state government is treading cautiously so as not to be seen as meddling too much and leaning towards one side or there is official reservation on the status of Mbukpa.

Observers, however, believe that the present administration should endeavour to resolve the Munene tussle in the interest of peace in the area.

business | MONEY LINE

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

41

World risks spending $250bn to monitor UNDP goals study published on yesterday quoted by Reuters.

The report by Morten Jerven, a development expert at Simon Fraser University in Canada, estimated that each new target would cost $1.5 billion if it were tracked via censuses and surveys of households, living standards and health.

The study said governments should sharply cut a current draft list of targets for 2030 from a current 169 to avoid over-spending on compiling statistics.

A World Bank official contested the study, calling the cost estimates too high.

Reliable data is vital to gauge development needs, he said. In

DATA Sub-Saharan Africa need aid to help improve data collection Godson Ikoro

with agency reports

T

he world risks having to spend about $250 billion just to monitor the United Natons development targets for 2030, diverting cash from goals such as ending poverty or protecting the environment, according to a

April, for instance, Nigeria abruptly overtook South Africa as Africa's largest economy after a revision of statistics almost doubled its gross domestic product.

Gabriel Demombynes, a senior World Bank official, said Jerven's estimate of $1.5 billion per target over-estimated future needs, noting that the United Nations in 2013 urged a "data revolution" to harness new technologies.

And he said national statistics agencies of many middle income nations were more advanced than Jerven estimated.

"The cost to international aid donors of filling remaining survey gaps is manageable

Firm mulls $150m rice deal with Anambra in up-scaling the mill’s current capacity of 18,000 metric tonnes to an initial 100,000 metric tonnes.

This plan also include the development of 14000 hectares of land into irrigated paddy fields and construction of a green energy bio mass power plant in Omor using rice husk as feedstock.

"As part of its long-term strategic objective to ensure sustainability through technology transfer, the company will collaborate with the Confucius Institute, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka to produce Chinese speaking Nigerian students to understudy best rice technology practice," the statement said.

Adeola Yusuf

J

oseph Agro Industries Limited (JAI) has signed a backward Integration Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Anambra State Government to invest an initial $150 million (N25billion) for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Omor Rice Mill under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

Executive Director JAI, Ken Irhiogbe, who disclosed this in a statement, said that the that China Machinery Equipment Corporation (CMEC), one of the leading global EPC providers, has been appointed technical partners to support

Explaining further, Irhiogbe highlighted that JAI’s objective is to produce 167,000 metric tonnes of rice paddies using two cropping seasons while another 15,000 hectares is under negotiation, for development into highly irrigated rice paddy fields In his remarks, Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano commended JAI for their support of the State’s cardinal points and objectives for agriculture through which 10,0000 indigenes are expected to get jobs through the growers’ scheme.

This development, according to the Governor will greatly enhance the economic development of the State and Nigeria.

Economic Indicators As at M2* CPS* INF IBR MPR 91-day NTB DPR PLR Bonny Light Ext Res**

N14,737,618.7m N16,509,472.5m 8 0.0000 12 10.899 7.96 17.01 US$109.9 US$42,604,781,796.6

Description

TTM

4.00% 23-Apr-2015 13.05% 16-Aug-2016 15.10% 27-Apr-2017 16.00% 29-Jun-2019 16.39% 27-Jan-2022 10.00% 23-Jul-2030

1.21 2.53 3.22 5.39 7.98 16.47

Tenor (Days) Call 7 30 60 90 180 365

Rate (%) 11.9167 12.3333 12.6667 12.9167 13.2167 13.5000 13.7500

NIBOR

Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 2/5/2014 1/20/2014 11/6/2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 1/20/2014 2/5/2014 Source:CBN

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

Treasury Bills Maturity Date 08-May-14 07-Aug-14 22-Jan-15

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

FX

Bid Spot ($/N) 163.28 THE FIXINGS –NIBOR,NITTY and NIFEX of February 6,2014

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Offer 163.38

Open-Buy-Back (OBB) Overnight (O/N)

Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

RenCap’s HY 2014 profit rises to $8.7m Godson Ikoro

R

enaissance Capital, one of the leading emerging and frontier markets investment firms, has announced a net profit of $8.7million in the first half of 2014.

This indicates 81 per cent year on-year increase when compared with $4.76 million for 1H’13.

The firm, which said these in a statement, noted that it achieved a 17 percent cost reduction, bringing its operating expenses down to $102million in 1H’14 from $127.6million in 1H’13.

Likewise, its total operating income reached $114.3million, which is in line with the same period in 2013.

“Renaissance Capital’s balance sheet remains strong, with the equity to assets ratio growing to 16.5per cent in 1H’14 from 13.6percent as at December 31, 2013. Total assets and equity stand at $3.59billion and $593.2million, respectively,” the company said.

Commenting on the results, Igor Vayn, Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Capital, said: “In the past six months, Renaissance Capital has continuously demonstrated sustainable business growth. We have shown profitability in three consecutive reporting periods and achieved a significant increase in the bank’s operating profit in 1H 2014, compared with the same period in 2013. “This is complemented by substantial

T

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX

of Jerven's estimates.

World leaders are due to set new sustainable development objectives, such as improving health and ensuring access to energy, when current U.N. Millennium goals for reducing hunger and poverty expire in 2015.

The report by Morten Jerven, a development expert at Simon Fraser University in Canada, estimated that each new target would cost $1.5 billion if it were tracked via censuses and surveys of households, living standards and health.

That would mean a total $254 billion for all 169, or about twice the amount of annual aid donations by developed nations worldwide, he wrote.

operating cost reduction and a healthy equity to assets ratio.”

Besides, he said Renaissance Capital remains strongly committed to its core regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, Russia and Turkey.

He added: “We have continuously strengthened our competitive position and grown our market share across all our geographies. Recently, the Firm has expanded its footprint to include Dubai, where it has applied for and received dealing and advising on securities license. This financial hub represents a key base off which we intend to build a market-leading offering in the Middle East and North Africa space.

“We are pleased with the Firm’s performance results, particularly against the backdrop of a global market slowdown, and are looking forward to new challenges ahead.”

In 2014, Renaissance Capital has acted as advisor and book runner on a number of transactions in Russia and the CIS, including a placement for Georgia’s Bank of Georgia and TBC Bank, among others. In Africa, the Firm has most recently advised on the IPO of the Nairobi Stock Exchange; the IPO of SEPLAT, a leading Independent Oil & Gas exploration and Production Company in Nigeria; and the acquisition of African Development Corporation by Atlas Mara Co-Invest.

Naira hits two-week high on CBN intervention

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80

- on the order of $300 million per year," he and a colleague wrote in a commentary for the Copenhagen Consensus Center.

Suggested UN goals for 2030 include eradicating poverty, with targets to end the worst poverty of below $1.25 a day, and to reduce by at least half the proportion of people living in any form of poverty.

Bjorn Lomborg, director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, said the United Nations should limit targets or risk diverting money from spending on health or fresh water supplies.

"This is a wake-up call to avoid costly demands on the global system," he told Reuters

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

he naira hit a two-week closing high of N162.65 against the dollar yesterday, after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sold greenbacks directly to lenders to prop up the local currency, dealers said.

The local unit according to Reuters, closed 0.76 per cent firmer on the day, a level last seen on September 9, compared with the previous day's close of N163.90. Dealers said the apex bank sold an undisclosed amount of dollars to the

interbank market.

The naira has been falling for the past two weeks, weakened by the impact of the decline in global oil prices and low offshore inflows into the debt and equity markets, dealers said.

Currency traders said Italy's Eni sold $18 million on yesterday while France's Total sold $128 million last Tuesday, as part of their month-end dollar sales, which helped lift the naira.

42 BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

24-Sep-14

The FMDQ Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement on www.fmdqotc.com.

Bonds FGN Bonds

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description 4.00 23-APR-2015 13.05 16-AUG-2016 15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.1493 18-JUL-2034

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

23-Apr-10 16-Aug-13 27-Apr-12 27-Jul-07 31-Aug-07 30-May-08 29-Jun-12 23-Oct-09 27-Jan-12 14-Mar-14 28-Nov-08 22-May-09 20-Nov-09 23-Jul-10 18-Jul-14

4.00 13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.1493

535.00 545.27 452.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 331.35 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 105.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,591.19

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,609.29

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

0.58 1.89 2.59 2.84 2.93 3.68 4.76 5.08 7.34 9.47 14.18 14.66 15.16 15.83 19.81

10.91 11.91 11.91 11.96 11.96 11.98 11.98 12.08 12.38 12.46 12.60 12.60 12.59 12.47 12.40

10.63 11.82 11.85 11.89 11.90 11.88 11.91 11.99 12.33 12.41 12.56 12.55 12.54 12.42 12.35

96.21 101.85 106.90 95.02 93.68 96.23 114.20 81.10 118.90 109.50 115.62 99.25 72.57 83.10 98.15

96.36 102.00 107.05 95.17 93.83 96.53 114.50 81.40 119.20 109.80 115.92 99.55 72.87 83.40 98.45

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

23-Apr-15 16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34

#

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00 0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

978.35 24.56 3.30 112.22 116.70 66.49

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.10 0.66 1.27 2.21 2.57 2.78

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

11.85 13.61 13.73 13.96 12.95 12.96

98.82 91.61 104.32 100.60 98.74 96.14

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

***LCRM

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,301.62

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,284.83

Sub-National Bonds A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014

15-Oct-09

14.00

6.00

15-Oct-14

0.06

3.29

14.10

99.94

A+/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.93

4.44

15.63

97.35

A/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

6.08

30-Sep-15

0.54

3.23

14.11

99.33

A-/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

6.27

30-Jun-16

1.06

4.46

15.74

98.74

A+/Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

7.37

30-Jun-16

1.06

3.48

14.77

101.27

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.57

5.59

17.54

84.89

A-/Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

29.92

30-Jun-17

1.61

1.00

12.72

101.81

A/Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

3.27

1.79

13.76

100.56

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

37.25

30-Sep-18

2.24

1.80

13.76

100.50

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

4.03

1.00

12.99

103.07 103.38

A-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

A/Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

14.96

09-Dec-18

2.44

1.00

12.95

A-/Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

11.13

12-Dec-18

2.44

4.78

16.73

94.93

A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.82

1.00

12.96

103.50

A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*GOMBE

15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019

02-Oct-12

15.50

17.28

02-Oct-19

2.89

1.00

12.96

106.08

Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR

LAGOS

14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019

22-Nov-12

14.50

80.00

22-Nov-19

5.16

1.00

13.10

105.08

A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

12-Dec-12

14.75

27.51

12-Dec-19

3.05

2.74

14.70

100.13

A/Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020

30-Sep-13

14.75

11.40

30-Sep-20

3.57

1.00

12.98

104.79

Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR

LAGOS

13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.00

27-Nov-20

6.18

1.00

13.31

100.73

A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro

KOGI

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

6.27

1.94

14.27

102.89

A/Agusto A-/GCR

*EKITI *NASARAWA

14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

31-Dec-13

14.50

4.78

31-Dec-20

3.75

1.44

13.42

103.15

06-Jan-14

15.00

4.79

06-Jan-21

3.78

1.95

13.94

103.11

99.97

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

483.24 483.18

Corporate Bonds A+/Agusto; AA/GCR Aa/Agusto Nil

LAFARGE WAPCO

11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014

07-Oct-11

11.50

11.80

07-Oct-14

0.04

1.00

11.79

GTB NGC

13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014

18-Dec-09

13.50

13.17

18-Dec-14

0.23

5.21

16.18

99.27

17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014

01-Apr-10

17.00

2.00

31-Dec-14

0.27

8.71

19.68

99.12

µ

Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto

*UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

3.61

17-Aug-15

0.65

4.88

15.85

96.83

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

13.62

09-Dec-15

0.73

1.00

12.03

100.57

BB+/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.60

06-Jan-16

0.81

2.63

13.72

100.88

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

2.01

1.00

12.96

100.06

A-/Agusto

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

2.09

1.34

13.30

101.65

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

3.02

1.00

12.96

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.73

30-Nov-17

1.83

1.88

13.74

108.05

BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR

*C & I LEASING *DANA#

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

7.20

09-Apr-18

1.79

3.48

15.31

101.23

A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.90

09-Sep-18

2.21

5.20

17.16

101.55

AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.80

09-Sep-18

2.21

5.06

17.02

101.68

A/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

4.00

1.35

13.34

101.98

Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.70

18-Oct-18

2.07

2.29

14.25

102.87

BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

17.00

0.41

17-Feb-19

2.40

6.11

18.06

98.27

BBB/GCR

*DANA

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

3.27

2.16

14.13

104.72

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

6.14

2.76

15.06

100.67

11-Feb-18

3.38

1.00

12.97

92.57

Bid Price

Offer Price

A/GCR BBB-/GCR

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

141.62

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

142.78

100.09

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

IFC

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

12.00 11.11

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value ($mm)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

4.82

4.68

110.39

111.20

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.03

3.85

103.79

104.45

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.14

5.03

108.64

109.46

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,614.10

Corporate Eurobonds B/Fitch; B-/S&P

AFREN PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

6.91

6.91

105.75

105.75

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

4.28

4.28

105.04

105.04 101.72

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

6.57

6.57

101.72

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

8.56

8.03

94.83

96.42

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

5.92

5.60

100.28

101.45

B/Fitch

AFREN PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

8.68

8.68

105.75

105.75

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.00

6.00

100.98

100.98

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

8.84

8.60

99.63

100.55

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.43

7.43

103.01

103.01

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

7.70

7.70

94.77

94.77

9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021

24-Jun-14

9.25

400.00

24-Jun-21

8.61

8.47

103.63

104.38

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

AFREN PLC III

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC II

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK LTD

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

23-Jul-14

8.00

450.00

23-Jul-21

7.51

7.51

101.63

101.63

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

8.38

8.16

101.00

102.12

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,760.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,838.61

**Treasury Bills DTM 8 15 22 29 36 43 50 57

Money Market

FIXINGS Maturity 2-Oct-14 9-Oct-14 16-Oct-14 23-Oct-14 30-Oct-14 6-Nov-14 13-Nov-14 20-Nov-14

Bid Discount (%) 10.60 10.55 10.75 10.50 10.55 10.55 10.50 10.30

Offer Discount (%) 10.35 10.30 10.50 10.25 10.30 10.30 10.25 10.05

Bid Yield (%) 10.62 10.60 10.82 10.59 10.66 10.68 10.65 10.47

Tenor

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 10.9000 12.0455 12.9505 13.8989

Rate (%)

OBB

10.50

O/N

10.75

Tenor Call 1M

REPO

Rate (%) 10.58 11.99

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

162.50 162.83 163.09 163.70 164.84 165.98

162.60 163.07 163.40 164.28 165.90 167.57

A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014

15-Oct-09

14.00

6.00

15-Oct-14

0.06

3.29

14.10

99.94

A+/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.93

4.44

15.63

97.35

A/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

6.08

30-Sep-15

0.54

3.23

14.11

99.33

A-/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

6.27

30-Jun-16

1.06

4.46

15.74

98.74

A+/Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

7.37

30-Jun-16

1.06

3.48

14.77

101.27

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.57

5.59

17.54

84.89

A-/Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

29.92

30-Jun-17

1.61

1.00

12.72

101.81

A/Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

3.27

1.79

13.76

100.56

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

37.25

30-Sep-18

2.24

1.80

13.76

100.50

A-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

4.03

1.00

12.99

103.07

A/Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

A-/Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019

02-Oct-12

15.50

14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019

22-Nov-12

14.50

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

12-Dec-12

14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020

13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014 A/Agusto; A-/GCR *ONDO A/Agusto; A-/GCR

Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR NEW ERA A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*GOMBE

09-Dec-18

2.44

1.00

12.95

11.13

12-Dec-18

2.44

4.78

16.73

94.93

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.82

1.00

12.96

103.50

17.28

02-Oct-19

2.89

1.00

12.96

106.08

80.00

22-Nov-19

5.16

1.00

13.10

105.08

14.75

27.51

12-Dec-19

3.05

2.74

14.70

100.13

30-Sep-13

14.75

11.40

30-Sep-20

3.57

1.00

12.98

104.79

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.00

27-Nov-20

6.18

1.00

13.31

100.73

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

6.27

1.94

14.27

102.89

Aig-Imoukhuede is NSE president

LAGOS *OSUN

A/Agusto Change of baton*OSUN at the Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS local bourse A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro KOGI A/Agusto A-/GCR

business | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS 43 14.96

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

*EKITI *NASARAWA

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Stories

by Chris Ugwu TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

T

Corporate Bonds he National

Council of the WAPCO Nigerian StockLAFARGE Exchange Aa/Agusto (NSE) yesterdayµGTB , elected Mr. NGC Nil Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Bbb-/Agusto *UPDC president of the local bourse.

A-/Agusto *FLOURMILLS The National Council also BB+/GCR *CHELLARAMS elected Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, A+/Agusto; A-/GCR NAHCO and Mr. A. B Mahmoud A-/Agusto FSDHas the 1st and 2nd Vice–Presidents respecA/GCR UBA tively , after the Exchange’s 53rd BBB-/GCR *C & I LEASING BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR *DANA# (AGM).

Annual General Meeting # A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR *TOWER Aig-Imoukhuede, the imme# AAA/DataPro†; *TOWER diate past A+/GCR MD/CEO of Access A/Agusto; A/GCR UBAfrom AlhBank Plc, takes over BBB+/GCR *LA CASERA ajiBbb+/Agusto; Aliko Dangote, who stepped BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR *CHELLARAMS# down as president of the NaBBB/GCR *DANA tional Council at the AGM. A+/Agusto; A-/GCR NAHCO Until his election, AigTOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Imoukhuede, has been the first TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Vice President of the National Council of local Supranational Bond bourse since May 2013.

AAA/S&P IFC From 2002 until his retireTOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE ment in 2013, he was the CEO A+/Agusto; AA/GCR

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

of Access Plc. During his 14.50 EKITIBank II 31-DEC-2020 tenure, the lender was trans15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021 formed to rank amongst Nigeria's top five. His distinguished banking career has spanned 25 years of which 10 were spent at 11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014(GTB) Guaranty Trust Bank Plc 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 where he resigned as Executive 17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 Director in March 2002.

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 Aig-Imoukhuede was the 12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 Board Chairman of FMDQ OTC 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 until August 2014, and is the 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 Chairman WAPIC Insurance 14.25 FSDHof 25-OCT-2016 Plc. 13.00 He UBA is a30-SEP-2017 member of the Na18.00Economic C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 tional Management MPR+7.00 9-APR-2018 Team andDANA a foundation Board MPR+7.00 member ofTOWER the9-SEP-2018 Africa Finance MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 Corporation (AFC).

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 Earlier at the AGM, memCASERA 18-OCT-2018 bers15.75 of LAthe Exchange elected MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 Mr. 16.00 Muhammad Daggash, DANA II 1-APR-2019 Finmal Finance Services Lim15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 ited (represented by Mr. Umaru Kwairanga); Greenwich Securities Limited (represented by Mr. Kayode Falowo) and ICMG Securities Limited (represented 10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

by Mr. Michael Osime as members of the National Council.

Also elected are14.50 Meristem 31-Dec-13 Securities (represent06-Jan-14 Limited 15.00 ed by Mr. Oluwole Abegunde); Sigma Securities Limited (represented by Mr. Dunama Balami); and Signet Investment and 07-Oct-11Limited (represented 11.50 Securities 18-Dec-09 13.50

by Mr. Oladipo Aina).

01-Apr-10 17.00 Addressing members at the 17-Aug-10 10.00 AGM,09-Dec-10 Dangote, who will con12.00 tinue06-Jan-11 to serve on the National 14.00 Council as an ex-officio mem29-Sep-11 13.00 ber pursuant to the Exchange's 25-Oct-13 14.25 Articles of Association, said 30-Sep-10 13.00 the NSE believes firmly in the 30-Nov-12 18.00 09-Apr-11 16.00 capital growth of the Nigerian 09-Sep-11 18.00 signifimarket and is making 09-Sep-11 16.00 cant investments to support this 22-Sep-11 14.00 ambition.

15.75 He18-Oct-13 noted that the team at 17-Feb-12 17.00 the Exchange has performed 01-Apr-14 16.00 exceptionally well 15.25 under the 14-Nov-13 leadership of Oscar Onyema, the chief executive officer, to effect this ambition.

“Earlier this year, I informed the Council of the Exchange that 11-Feb-13 10.20 I will be stepping down as President of the Council this year.

by the 4.78 My decision 31-Dec-20is driven 3.75 need for me to have more 4.79 06-Jan-21 3.78 time for the execution of my compa483.24 nies' expansion drive in Nigeria 483.18 and Africa at large. I have confidence in the executive team, as 11.80 0.04 the well as in 07-Oct-14 the Council and 13.17 0.23 members 18-Dec-14 of the Exchange to 2.00 0.27 ensure my31-Dec-14 successor continues 3.61 17-Aug-15 0.65 to move the Nigerian Stock Ex13.62 09-Dec-15 0.73 change and the Nigerian capital 0.60 06-Jan-16 0.81 market forward, towards be15.00 29-Sep-16 2.01 coming a regional force2.09in the 5.53 25-Oct-16 global financial 20.00 30-Sep-17 marketplace.”

3.02 0.73 He explained 30-Nov-17 that during 1.83 the 7.20 09-Apr-18focus remained 1.79 year, the NSE's 2.90 09-Sep-18 2.21 on executing the “five pillars”

103.38

of our transformation 1.44 13.42 103.15strategy, which include targeted busi1.95 13.94 103.11 ness development, enhanced regulatory programmes, 21st century technology strategies, enhanced market structure, and 1.00 11.79 99.97 investor protection initiatives, 5.21 16.18 99.27 buttressed by market develop8.71 19.68 99.12 ment efforts.

4.88 15.85 96.83 He listed critical100.57 success fac1.00 12.03 tors for the Council in the com2.63 13.72 100.88 ing year to facilitating 1.00 12.96include100.06 access to and in its 1.34 13.30 participation 101.65 market, increasing its footprint 1.00 12.96 100.09 on the continent, and deploying 1.88 13.74 108.05 3.48 15.31 101.23 a risk framework to safeguard 5.20 17.16 the market venue. 101.55

0.80

09-Sep-18

2.21

5.06

17.02

101.68

35.00

22-Sep-18

4.00

1.35

13.34

101.98

2.70

18-Oct-18

2.07

2.29

14.25

102.87

0.41

17-Feb-19

2.40

6.11

18.06

98.27

4.50

01-Apr-19

3.27

2.16

14.13

104.72

2.05

14-Nov-20

6.14

2.76

15.06

100.67

EIB invests $29m in W’African solar project

The European Investment cess have seriously hindered Bank says it has agreed to pro- economic growth.

142.78 vide €23 million ($29 million) The 20-year loan agreement to support investment in one for the 30 megawatt facility, of the largest solar power sta- 1.00 to be built outside 92.57 the capital 12.00 11-Feb-18 3.38 12.97 tions in sub-Saharan Africa.

Ouagadougou, was signed at 12.00 The €70.5 million ($90.17 mil- the European Investment Bank 11.11 lion) scheme will be construct- headquarters by Lucien BemedValue at Zagtouli on the outskirts bamba, Minister of Economy Outstanding Issue Date Coupon (%) Maturity Date Yield (%) Offer Yield (%) Bid Price Offer Price ($mm) and Finance for the Republic of Ouagadougou, theBid capital of Burkina Faso and operated by of Burkina Faso and Pim van Prices & Yields national electricity utility, SO- Ballekom, European Invest07-Oct-11 6.75 500.00 4.82 4.68 110.39Vice President 111.20 trading.

NABEL. 28-Jan-21 ment Bank reOther financial services According to Ventures Af- sponsible for lending in Africa, 12-Jul-13 12-Jul-18 4.03 3.85 103.79 104.45 rica, the new plant is expected the Caribbean and Pacific.

Jeansub-sector of the 5.13 financial 500.00 Christophe Ilboudo, Director to act as a reference for future services sector was the most 12-Jul-13 6.38 500.00 12-Jul-23 5.14 5.03 108.64 109.46 active (measured by turnover solar investment across the con- General of Sonabel and Fredvolume); with 174.6 million 1,500.00 tinent. eric Korsaga, Ambassador of shares worth N537.2 million 1,614.10Once operational, the new Burkina Faso to Luxembourg exchanged by investors in 681 solar plant will significantly were also present. deals.

The 20-year loan agreement increase power generation in 01-Feb-11in the sub-sector 11.50 01-Feb-16reduce 6.91 105.75 105.75 InvestVolume was 450.00 was signed at European Burkina Faso, depen- 6.91 19-May-11 7.50 19-May-16 imports 4.28 from 4.28 105.04 105.04 in Luxlargely driven by activity in the 500.00 dence on energy ment Bank headquarter shares of UBA Capital Ivory Coast25-Jul-17 and Ghana and embourg101.72 25-Jul-12 7.25 Plc and 350.00 6.57 help 6.57 101.72 prevent power is esti- 8.03 “The European FBNH Plc. Investment 09-May-13 6.88 300.00 02-May-18cuts. It 8.56 94.83 96.42 Also, insurance sub sector 400.00 mated that08-Nov-18 less than a quarter Bank is 100.28 a strong partner for 08-Nov-13 6.00 5.92 5.60 101.45 08-Apr-12 10.25 08-Apr-19 8.68 8.68 105.75 and this 105.75close coof the country’s inhabitants Burkina Faso of the financial services sec- 300.00 22-Apr-14 by activity 6.25 22-Apr-19 6.00 100.98 tor, boosted in the 500.00 have access to electricity . In re- 6.00 operation100.98 over many years has 21-May-14 8.75 8.84in the 8.60 99.63 100.55 shares of AIICO Insurance Plc, 200.00 cent years,21-May-19 power demand enabled significant investment 07-Aug-13 8.25 07-Aug-20 7.43 7.43 103.01 and energy 103.01 followed with a turnover of 96.8 300.00 country has increased annually in new water infra09-Dec-13 6.63at N79.05 360.00 09-Dec-20 94.77 million shares valued by 10 per cent, however,7.70 power 7.70 structure94.77 that has created jobs 24-Jun-14 400.00 24-Jun-21 electricity 8.61 103.63 billion in 134 deals. 9.25 cuts and limited ac- 8.47 across the country."104.38 141.62

Nigerian stocks gain N90bn Rating/Agency

Description

Issuer

FGN Eurobonds

T

he bulls resurfaced yesterday the Nigerian Stock ExFGN change (NSE), culminating inBB-/Fitch; a gain of N90billion, after the BB-/S&P had closed in the red on market TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Monday and Tuesday .

Consequently , the NSE ASI TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION rose by 0.66 per cent on the back Eurobonds ofCorporate positions taken by bargain B/Fitch; B-/S&P AFREN capitalPLC I hunters on the highly B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC I ised stocks.

The key market parameB+/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC ters, the NSE All Share Index B/Fitch; B/S&P FIDELITY BANK PLC and market B+/Fitch; B+/S&P capitalisation GTBANK PLC had AFREN II 1.1 inB/Fitch the previous day fellPLCby B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P ZENITHactivity BANK PLC per cent, as bearish B/Fitch; B/S&P overall DIAMOND BANK PLC coloured investment B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANK PLC outcomes.

B-/Fitch; PLC III TheB/S&P northwardsAFREN movement B-/Fitch; B/S&P by the activities ACCESS BANK PLC was driven of II BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK LTD

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

6.75 JAN 28,company 2021 cement producing , Guinness Nigeria Plc and Dan5.13 JUL 12, 2018 gote Cement Plc. At the close6.38 of JUL business, the 12, 2023 principal market indices, the NSE ASI and the market capitalisation gained 0.66 per cent each.

Accordingly, the All-Share 11.50 FEBbasis 01, 2016points Index gained 272.12 7.50 MAY 19, to close at 40,809.32 as2016 against 40,537.20 recorded last Tuesday, 7.25 JUL 25, 2017 while the market capitalisation 6.88 MAY 09, 2018 6.00 NOV 08, 2018by N90 of equities appreciated 08, 2019 billion or 0.6610.25 perAPR cent as marAPR 22, 2019 ket sentiments6.25 turned green.

21, 2019 Meanwhile,8.75aMay turnover of AUG 07, 2020worth 427.7 million8.25shares 6.63 DEC 09,deals 2020 N11.9 billion in 4,342 was 9.25/6M USD end LIBOR+7.677 JUNday’s 24, 2021 recorded at the of the 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021 8.75 AUG 14, 2021

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

23-Jul-14

8.00

450.00

23-Jul-21

7.51

7.51

101.63

101.63

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

8.38

8.16

101.00

102.12

4,760.00

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

24-Sep-14

4,838.61

The FMDQ Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to Money Market **Treasury FIXINGS the FMDQ Bills OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement on www.fmdqotc.com.

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

DTM Maturity Bid Discount (%) 8 2-Oct-14 10.60 15 9-Oct-14 10.55 FGN Bonds22 16-Oct-14 10.75 29 23-Oct-14 10.50 36 30-Oct-14 10.55 Rating/Agency Issuer Description 43 6-Nov-14 10.55 50 13-Nov-14 10.50 4.00 23-APR-2015 57 20-Nov-14 10.30 13.05 16-AUG-2016 64 27-Nov-14 10.80 15.10 27-APR-2017 71 4-Dec-14 10.20 9.85 27-JUL-2017 78 11-Dec-14 10.60 9.35 31-AUG-2017 92 25-Dec-14 10.55 10.70 30-MAY-2018 99 1-Jan-15 10.80 16.00 29-JUN-2019 106 8-Jan-15 10.45 7.00 23-OCT-2019 113 15-Jan-15 10.80 16.39 27-JAN-2022 120 22-Jan-15 10.30 14.20 14-MAR-2024 127 29-Jan-15 10.80 15.00 28-NOV-2028 134 5-Feb-15 10.50 12.49 22-MAY-2029 141 12-Feb-15 10.80 8.50 20-NOV-2029 148 19-Feb-15 10.50 162 5-Mar-15 10.50 10.00 23-JUL-2030 197 9-Apr-15 10.25 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 211 23-Apr-15 10.50 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 7-May-15 225 10.10 316 6-Aug-15 10.40 TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 344 3-Sep-15 10.35 *from the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration #

Risk Rating/Agency Premium is a combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums Issuer **Exclusive of non-trading t.bills

Offer Discount (%) 10.35 10.30 10.50 10.25 10.30 Date Issue 10.30 10.25 23-Apr-10 10.05 16-Aug-13 10.55 27-Apr-12 9.95 27-Jul-07 10.35 31-Aug-07 10.30 30-May-08 10.55 29-Jun-12 10.20 23-Oct-09 10.55 27-Jan-12 10.05 14-Mar-14 10.55 28-Nov-08 10.25 22-May-09 10.55 20-Nov-09 10.25 10.25 23-Jul-10 10.00 18-Jul-14 10.25 9.85 10.15 10.10

Description

Bid Yield (%) Tenor Rate (%) NIBOR 10.62 OBB 10.50 Tenor Bid ($/N) Offer ($/N) 10.60 Tenor Rate (%) Price 10.82 O/N 10.9000 Spot 162.50 162.60 O/N 10.75 10.59 1M 12.0455 7D 162.83 163.07 Outstanding Value Offer Yield 10.66 3M 12.9505 163.09Bid Price 163.40Offer Price Coupon (%) Maturity Date TTMREPO (Yrs) Bid Yield (%) 14D (N'bn) (%) 10.68 6M 13.8989 Tenor Rate (%) 1M 163.70 164.28 10.654.00 Call 0.58 10.58 10.91 2M 10.63 164.84 96.21 165.90 96.36 535.00 23-Apr-15 10.47 1M 11.99 3M 165.98 13.05 545.27 16-Aug-16 1.89 11.91 11.82 101.85 167.57 102.00 11.01 3M 2.59 12.70 11.91 6M 11.85 169.64 106.90 173.00 107.05 15.10 452.80NITTY 27-Apr-17 10.41 6M 13.45 1Y 177.02 184.89 9.85 20.00 27-Jul-17 2.84 11.96 11.89 95.02 95.17 10.85 Tenor Rate (%) 9.35 100.00 31-Aug-17 2.93 11.96 11.90 93.68 93.83 10.84 1M 10.4969 10.70 300.00 30-May-18 NOTE: 3.68 11.98 11.88 96.23 96.53 11.13 2M 10.6479 16.00 351.30 29-Jun-19 4.76 11.98 11.91 114.20 114.50 :Benchmarks 10.78 3M 10.8011 NA :Not Applicable 23-Oct-19 * :Amortising Bond 5.08 12.08 11.99 81.10 81.40 11.177.00 6M233.90 10.9006 # :Floating Rate Bond 16.39 27-Jan-22 µ :Convertible Bond 7.34 12.38 12.33 118.90 bonds 119.20 10.66 9M600.00 10.9770 ***: Deferred coupon 14.20 14-Mar-24 AMCON: Asset 9.47 12.46 of Nigeria 12.41 109.50 109.80 Management Corporation 11.22 12M331.35 11.2491 15.00 75.00 28-Nov-28 FGN: Federal Government 14.18 12.60 12.56 115.92 †: Bond rating115.62 expired 10.92 of Nigeria 12.49 150.00 22-May-29 FMBN: Federal14.66 12.60 12.55 99.25 99.55 11.27 Mortgage Bank of Nigeria 200.00 20-Nov-29 IFC: International 15.16 12.59 12.54 72.57 72.87 10.978.50 Finance Corporation NIFEX 11.01 Receivables Management 12.42 10.00 591.57 23-Jul-30 LCRM: Local Contractors 15.83 12.47 83.10 83.40 Current Price ($/N) 18-Jul-34 NAHCO: Nigerian 10.85 Aviation Handling12.40 Company NGC: Nigeria-German 12.1493 105.00 19.81 12.35 98.15 Company 98.45 O/N: Overnight 11.18 BID($/N) 164.0700 UBA: United Bank for Africa 4,591.19 10.77 OFFER ($/N) 164.1700 UPDC: UAC Property Development Company 11.43 WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company 4,609.29 11.47

Bonds

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

***LCRM Modified Duration Buckets

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

<3

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION3<5 >5

Sub-National Bonds

Market

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 Total Outstanding Porfolio Market Value(Bn) 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017Volume(Bn)

28-Dec-11 0.00 24-May-10 0.00 FMDQ FGN BOND 03-Apr-12 17.25 09-Dec-11 0.00/16.00 20-Apr-12 0.00/16.50 Weighting by Weighting

by Mkt 06-Jul-12 0.00/16.50 Outstanding Vol Value

1,039.40

998.07

34.75

34.55

1,114.58

951.30

33.12

37.05

978.35 24.56 INDEX 3.30 112.22 116.70 Bucket Weighting 66.49

1,301.62 0.35

1,284.83 0.33

31-Oct-14 0.10 1.00 24-May-15 0.66 2.63 03-Apr-17 1.27 2.27 09-Dec-16 2.21 2.00 20-Apr-17 2.57 % Exposure_ Implied 1.00 06-Jul-17 Implied Yield 2.78 Portfolio Price 1.00 Mod_Duration

11.85 98.82 13.61 91.61 13.73 104.32 13.96 100.60 12.95 YTD Return 98.74 INDEX 12.96 96.14 (%)

15.80

11.91

118.5738

1,126.21

12.6210

33.37

12.27

133.9169

1,133.96

13.3957

854.42

922.92

32.13

28.40

0.32

12.46

102.9987

1,201.56

20.1563

3,008.41

2,872.29

100.00 15-Oct-09

100.00 14.00

1.00 6.00

100.00 15-Oct-14

12.31 0.06

118.6509 3.29

1,127.06 14.10

12.705799.94

14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014

50.83

A-/GCR

NIGER

A+/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.93

4.44

15.63

97.35

A/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

6.08

30-Sep-15

0.54

3.23

14.11

99.33

A-/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

6.27

30-Jun-16

1.06

4.46

15.74

98.74

A+/Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

7.37

30-Jun-16

1.06

3.48

14.77

101.27

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.57

5.59

17.54

84.89

A-/Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

29.92

30-Jun-17

1.61

1.00

12.72

101.81

A/Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

3.27

1.79

13.76

100.56

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

37.25

30-Sep-18

2.24

1.80

13.76

100.50

A-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

4.03

1.00

12.99

103.07

A/Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

14.96

09-Dec-18

2.44

1.00

12.95

103.38

Daily Summary as of 24/09/2014

Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005

44

business | CAPITAL MARKET

Daily Summary as of 24/09/2014 Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005

Daily Summary (Bonds)

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

No Debt Trading Activity

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at September 24, 2014 Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary (Equities)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

AGRICULTURE Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals

Symbol FTNCOCOA OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 24 32 14 70

Current Price 0.52 34.00 37.50

Quantity Traded 2,639,830 460,499 79,135 3,179,464

Value Traded 1,362,073.00 15,442,812.64 2,946,042.50 19,750,928.14

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 23 23

Current Price 2.98

Quantity Traded 449,816 449,816

Value Traded 1,312,709.21 1,312,709.21

3,629,280

21,063,637.35

Quantity Traded 2,314 11,567,810 134,946 11,705,070

Value Traded 3,077.62 66,923,387.63 7,716,969.41 74,643,434.66

11,705,070

74,643,434.66

AGRICULTURE Totals CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries

Daily Summary as of 24/09/2014 A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005

TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

93 Symbol AGLEVENT TRANSCORP UACN

No. of Deals 2 241 43 286 Daily Summary (Equities)

CONGLOMERATES Totals

Current Price 1.40 5.76 57.10

286

Activity Summary on Board EQTY CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Structure/Completion/Other Published Building

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © COSTAIN (W A) PLC. Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. IT Services Totals Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Daily Summary as of Systems 24/09/2014 Processing Totals Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005 ICT Totals

Current Price 1.00

Quantity Traded Page 265,351 265,351

1Value Traded of 12

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 7 7

Current Price 67.20

Quantity Traded 22,629 22,629

Value Traded 1,449,571.15 1,449,571.15

Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 12 12

Current Price 14.50

Quantity Traded 51,650 51,650

Value Traded 729,416.25 729,416.25

339,630

2,444,136.19

Symbol DUNLOP

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 430 430

Value Traded 215.00 215.00

Symbol CHAMPION GUINNESS INTBREW JOSBREW NB PREMBREW

No. of Deals 8 65 17 2 118 4

Current Price 9.45 180.00 28.50 2.12 174.99 4.63

Quantity Traded 155,762 1,125,663 366,101 100,000 7,213,980 171,765

Value Traded 1,455,218.40 201,972,387.38 10,433,827.53 212,000.00 1,262,337,697.28 795,271.95

Symbol

No. of Deals 214

Current Price

Quantity Traded 9,133,271

Value Traded 1,477,206,402.54

No. of Deals 17 17

Current Price 134.00

Quantity Traded 55,024 55,024

Value Traded 8,121,665.52 8,121,665.52

37

CONSUMER GOODS

Automobiles/Auto Parts Totals

Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Activity Summary on BoardPLC EQTY PREMIER BREWERIES

Daily Summary (Equities)

CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. Food Products Totals Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. Daily Summary as ofNIGERIA 24/09/2014 NESTLE PLC. Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005 Food Products--Diversified Totals Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. VONO PRODUCTS PLC. Household Durables Totals Activity Summary on Board EQTY GOODS PublishedCONSUMER

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

Symbol 7UP

FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © AIICO INSURANCE PLC.

CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. CO (NIG) PLC. Daily SummaryN.E.M as ofINSURANCE 24/09/2014 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005 REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC

Activity Summary on Board EQTY FINANCIAL SERVICES Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Micro-Finance Banks Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Current Price 6.55 8.06 61.00 4.00 0.50 9.01 21.99

Quantity Traded 372,060 709,989 564,431 646,977 200 1,397,116 1,175 3,691,948

Value Traded 2,461,800.50 5,741,597.40 34,506,535.81 2,597,313.16 100.00 12,613,579.47 25,325.00 57,946,251.34

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 37 37 74

Current Price 52.50 1,050.00

Quantity Traded 88,067 36,979 125,046

Value Traded 4,583,244.00 38,823,756.08 43,407,000.08

No. of Deals 10 21 31

Current Price 4.30 1.42

Quantity Traded 314,725 1,364,754 1,679,479

Value Traded 1,300,323.05 1,856,842.86 3,157,165.91

Symbol VITAFOAM VONO

Daily Summary (Equities)

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 33 22 55

Current Price 33.25 48.26

624 Symbol ACCESS DIAMONDBNK ETI FIDELITYBK GUARANTY Daily Summary SKYEBANK STERLNBANK UBA UBN

Quantity Traded 189,759 89,477 279,236 14,964,434

3

of

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Building Materials CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals

12

Value Traded 108,387.50 346,151.58 514,003,283.22 1,316,467,423.32

Current Price 0.99

Quantity Traded 340,000

Symbol INFINITY RESORTSAL UNHOMES

No. of Deals 2 1 1 4

Current Price 1.52 0.50 0.50

Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FBN HOLDINGS PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals 55 9 443 54 7 25 88 681

Current Price 3.18 3.96 13.90 4.20 0.53 31.20 2.05

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals

2,199 Symbol FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER

No. of Deals 45 24 40

Value Traded of 12 34,096,196.65 3,588,702.27 1,566,373.50 111.50 107.50 215.00 5,515.15 922.50 2,762,661.75 692,778.80 22,906,191.80 250,000.00 118.00 615.00 13,183,499.72 79,054,009.14

4

Quantity Traded 3,000 200,000 215 203,215 Quantity Traded 769,151 585,842 13,177,803 5,390,110 216,659 174,969 154,377,703 174,692,237 349,927,477

Current Price 3.39 64.74 1.66

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 13.50

Quantity Traded 20,500 20,500

Value Traded 270,600.00 270,600.00

Symbol CHAMS

No. of Deals 4 4

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,001,290 1,001,290

Value Traded 500,645.00 500,645.00

1,171,790

850,745.00

Quantity Traded 362,584 47,162 158,896

Value Traded 11,706,502.34 397,803.88 6,340,130.16

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price Daily Summary (Equities) ASHAKACEM BERGER CAP

40 7 25

Quantity Traded 3,938,058 202,028 1,262,130 Page

32.80 8.60 39.49

Page Quantity Traded 205,429 15,699,967 11,000 5,150 102,449 16,592,637

7

of 12 Value Traded 2,880,376.53 3,441,944,205.80 16,720.00 26,201.00 13,205,865.40 3,476,517,805.11 Value Traded 44,565.50 44,565.50

Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals

Symbol BETAGLAS

No. of Deals 4 4

Current Price 18.85

Quantity Traded 72,000 72,000

Value Traded 1,329,740.00 1,329,740.00

16,690,103

3,477,892,110.61

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 919,630 919,630

Value Traded 459,815.00 459,815.00

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price

Quantity Traded 11,871,817 11,871,817

Value Traded 296,767,240.48 296,767,240.48

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

207 Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 20 20

OANDO

470 470

Employment Solutions Activity Summary on Board C & I LEASING PLC.

24.97

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL TOTAL

No. of Deals 32 33 54 17 13 149

Current Price 47.99 3.75 219.00 174.00 172.53

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 33 33

Current Price 640.00

Page Quantity Traded 123,337 489,388 133,722 57,667 10,097 814,211

EQTY

SERVICES

Published byEmployment The Nigerian Solutions Stock Exchange ©

8

of 12 Value Traded 5,733,994.28 1,816,830.76 29,268,190.15 10,063,739.96 1,779,154.96 48,661,910.11

Quantity Traded 6,824,980 6,824,980

Value Traded 4,411,746,021.73 4,411,746,021.73

20,430,638

4,757,634,987.32

672

Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Symbol RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 0.97

Quantity Traded 5,992 5,992

Value Traded 5,637.36 5,637.36

Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 2 2 (Equities) 4

Current Price 4.59 1.42

Quantity Traded 11,921 150,000 161,921

Value Traded 53,457.39 213,000.00 266,457.39

No. of Deals 2

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 5,129

Value Traded 2,564.50

Daily Summary Symbol CILEASING

Symbol

No. of Deals 2

Current Price

Quantity Traded Page 5,129

Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC Hospitality Totals

Symbol TANTALIZER

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 150 150

Value Traded 75.00 75.00

Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 1.85

Quantity Traded 423,918 423,918

Value Traded 784,248.30 784,248.30

Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Media/Entertainment Totals

Symbol DAARCOMM

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 500.00 500.00

Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals

Symbol ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA UPL

No. of Deals 8 1 6 15

Current Price 1.40 1.45 4.13

Quantity Traded 637,992 1,000 18,401 657,393

Value Traded 878,370.76 1,440.00 68,857.74 948,668.50

Road Transportation ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Road Transportation Totals

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals 12 12 Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals AIRSERVICE 4

Current Price 0.67

Quantity Traded 746,483 746,483

Value Traded 500,218.10 500,218.10

Current Price 2.01

Quantity Traded 265,567

Value Traded 534,009.67

Employment Solutions Totals

Daily Summary as of 24/09/2014 Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005

Transport-Related Services

SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC Activity AIRLINE Summary on Board EQTY SERVICES Published

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Symbol NAHCO

No. of Deals 25 29

Current Price 5.08

Quantity Traded 295,073 560,640

Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC Support and Logistics Totals

Symbol CAVERTON

No. of Deals 16 16

Current Price 4.97

Quantity Traded 257,612 257,612

SERVICES Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

Traded12 9 Value of 2,564.50

Page

Transport-Related Services NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

EQTY Board Totals

Value Traded 336,600.00

Page 5 of 12 Current Price Quantity Traded 340,000

Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC. Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

Symbol NCR

Quantity Traded 25,466 25,466

12

Quantity Traded 216,775 393,934 21,416,093 77,810,974

No. of Deals 2

Value Traded 79,500.00 79,500.00

Current Price 1.74

SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Daily Summary of 24/09/2014 R T as BRISCOE PLC. Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005 Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

Current Price 0.50 0.89 24.00

Symbol NPFMCRFBK

Quantity Traded 150,000 150,000

OIL AND GAS Totals

No. of Deals 3 26 256 1,378

Quantity Traded Page 42,619,988 3,732,737 3,132,747 223 215 430 10,333 1,845 1,064,175 1,282,920 27,185,639 500,000 236 1,230 17,348,333 96,881,051

Current Price 0.55

No. of Deals 3 3

Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals

Value Traded 543,503.66 49,478,875.41 100,638,681.17 9,271,528.68 544,759,443.47 7,880,899.74 5,663,464.99 80,425,060.16 3,348,143.74

No. of Deals Current Price 14 0.80 17 0.95 9 0.50 1 0.50 1 0.50 1 0.50 4 0.52 3 0.50 16 2.62 8 0.54 25 0.80 2 0.50 1 0.50 3 0.50 29 0.76 Summary (Equities) 134

No. of Deals 7 7

Symbol CUTIX

OIL AND GAS Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

Quantity Traded 56,674 7,980,500 5,584,404 4,750,389 19,305,570 2,966,924 2,653,885 12,129,656 356,170

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST EQUITYASUR GUINEAINS HMARKINS INTENEGINS LASACO MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM NIGERINS REGALINS UNIVINSURE WAPIC

Symbol COURTVILLE

Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals

Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC

Current Price 9.59 6.20 18.02 1.95 28.90 2.66 2.14 6.52 9.32

28,623,169.72

Current Price 14.00 225.00 1.60 5.33 128.50

Integrated Oil and Services Totals Activity Summary onGas Board EQTY

1,600,317,949.36

6,053,576

No. of Deals 18 64 1 2 43 200

Daily Summary of 24/09/2014 OIL AND as GAS Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005 Energy Equipment and Services

Value Traded 6,225,853.55 4,253,395.42 10,479,248.97

Value Traded 664,507.70 249.70 28,623,169.72

Symbol CCNN DANGCEM PAINTCOM PORTPAINT WAPCO

JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals

No. of Deals 16 92 138 58 345 (Equities) 96 26 273 49

Symbol UNITYBNK WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

Daily

Page

No. of Deals 2

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

of

No. of Deals 64 39 55 38 1 33 2 232

Symbol

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC.

2

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR MULTITREX NASCON NNFM

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking Daily Summary as of 24/09/2014 ACCESS BANK PLC. Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005 DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY UNION BANK NIG.PLC.

Page

Quantity Traded 651,250 110 6,053,576

14

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY CAP PLC

265,148.79 265,148.79

Current Price 1.02 2.38

123

ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC Computer Based Systems Totals

No. of Deals 18 18

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals

No. of Deals 12 2 123

HEALTHCARE Totals

Symbol COSTAIN

Daily Summary as of 24/09/2014 Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005

Symbol NEIMETH PHARMDEKO

10

of

12

Value Traded 1,495,138.61 2,029,148.28

Value Traded 1,281,961.64 1,281,961.64

84

2,820,238

5,819,479.07

4,339

427,732,236

11,902,419,391.57

Quantity Traded 30,200 30,200

Value Traded 43,186.00 43,186.00

30,200

43,186.00

Quantity Traded 4,000

Value Traded 2,000.00

Activity Summary on Board ASeM

ValueCONSUMER Traded GOODS Food Products 336,600.00

MCNICHOLS PLC Daily Summary as of 24/09/2014 Food Products Totals Printed 24/09/2014 15:08:05.005

Value Traded CONSUMER 4,680.00 GOODS Totals 100,000.00 OIL AND GAS 107.50 Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors 104,787.50 CAPITAL OIL PLC Activity Summary on Board ASeM

ValueOIL Traded AND GAS Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors 2,483,166.35 Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals 2,320,710.97 OIL AND GAS Totals 180,711,540.30 22,034,769.73 ASeM Board Totals 111,015.95 5,353,988.19 Equity Activity Totals 324,151,730.84 537,166,922.33

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Exchange Traded Fund 1,933,129,742.29

Name NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Traded Exchange Traded Fund Totals

Value 13,231,587.90 ETF Board Totals 12,727,943.23 1,998,881.19 ETP Activity Totals

6

of

Symbol MCNICHOLS

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 1.48

2

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol CAPOIL

Symbol

No. of Deals 1

No. of Deals 1

Current Price 0.50

Current Price

Page

11

Quantity Traded 4,000

of

12

Value Traded 2,000.00

1

4,000

2,000.00

3

34,200

45,186.00

4,342

427,766,436

11,902,464,577.57

Daily Summary (ETP) Symbol NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 1 6 7

Current Price 1,936.00 18.48

Quantity Traded 20 52,930 52,950

Value Traded 38,720.00 978,040.80 1,016,760.80

7

52,950

1,016,760.80

7

52,950

1,016,760.80

12

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Page

12

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NEWS 45

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

N25.7bn theft: Power outage stalls Atuche's trial ower outage at the case to September 26 for PHigh premises of the Ikeja Atuche to continue his Court yesterday testimony. stalled the trial of a former Managing Director of defunct Bank PHB, Francis Atuche.

According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Atuche and his wife, Elizabeth, are standing trial over alleged theft of N25.7 billion belonging to the bank (now Keystone Bank).

They are being prosecuted alongside a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu, before Justice Lateefat Okunnu.

However the proceedings could not go on as scheduled because of power outage which affected some courtrooms at the complex.

One of the generators supplying power to the new court complex where Okunnu's courtroom is situated was said to have developed a fault.

The situation forced the court to adjourn the

Atuche had earlier denied the theft charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The former bank chief had said that he could not engage in theft as a member of Catholic faith.

He also told the court how he grew a mortgage finance company – Pinnacle Investment Ltd and transformed it into Platinum Bank Plc. Atuche said the bank had to merge with Habib Bank following the mandatory N25 billion recapitalisation policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria under the former Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo.

According to him, the merger gave birth to Bank PHB which became one of the strongest banks in Nigeria while he was the Chief Executive Officer.

Ondo LG boss eyes parliamentary seat Babatope Okeowo Akure

F

or mer Chair man of Ondo State Local Government Service Commission, Chief Olabisi Johnson, yesterday joined other aspirants eyeing the House of Representatives seat for Ondo West and East federal constituency.

Johnson who was the first executive Chairman of Ondo West local government said members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo kingdom have adopted him as their sole candidate for the seat.

Speaking with reporters after he obtained his expression of interest form at the PDP party secretariat, the former council boss said he hoped to bring development to the people of Ondo kingdom if given the mandate to represent them at the National Assembly.

He said the monarchs, chiefs and political class irrespective of political affiliation have agreed to send him to the National

Assembly to represent them.

According to him, the transformation of the entire federal constituency is his interest as the kingdom is being marginalised in the scheme of things in the country.

He said he would make sure that the IleIfe/Ondo, Akure/Ondo and Ondo/Kogi roads linking the federal constituency are dualised so that goods and services can be easily moved from one place to another.

The Chairman of the PDP in the state, Hon. Ebenezer Alabi said Johnson and 25 other members of the party have obtained forms to contest the party primaries for House of Representatives seats.

Also, he said nine members have obtained forms for the senate and over 30 forms for the House of Assembly.

Alabi however assured party members that the executive would be free and fair to all aspirants as no party elder would impose candidates on the party.

L-R: Director, Brand Communication and Sponsorship, All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, Matlou Tsotetsi; Executive Producer/CEO, Mike Dada and jury member, Benin Republic, AFRIMA, Oscar Kidjo, during the AFRIMA 2014 nominees unveiling press conference in Lagos… yesterday

Controversy as Obiano’s wife endorses speaker for House of Reps excelllency

Governor's wife may be the real power behind APGA in Awka.

She is the Queen maker Tony Okafor Awka

T

here was controversy in Ogbaru local government area of Anambra state yesterday during the familiarization tour of the wife of the Anambra state governor, Mrs. Eb-

ele Obiano, following her public endorsement of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mrs. Chinwe Nwebili for the Federal House of Representatives next year.

Her pronouncement, which party leaders saw as an embarrassment, threw the crowd into rowdy protestation and name-calling, resulting in a free - for – all battle between supporters of Nwebili and Victor Ogene, the incumbent representative of the area in the House of Representatives.

The protesters con-

tented that the wife of the governor had no capacity in any law to award the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ticket for any elective position to anybody.

About two months ago, Speaker Nwaebili, who is the daughter of the Igwe of Ogbakuba, had prevailed on her father to stop the conferment of a chieftaincy title which the Ogbakuba community had earlier scheduled in honour of Ogene for what they community perceived as his effective representation of the area.

Also, party stakeholders roundly condemned the endorsement, because APGA is yet to conduct its 2015 election primaries where candidates will legitimately emerge.

A source in the APGA national secretariat, who would not want to be named questioned Mrs. Obiano's powers to make such pronouncement.

He enjoined APGA faithfuls in the area to remain calm, assuring that the party would give every contestant a level playing field during its primaries in next year's polls.

Lawmaker expresses optimism on APC Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

A

member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will get a shocker in next year's general elections and that those under-rating the party are doing so at their peril.

Speaking yesterday in Iwaji, Efon Local Government Area of Ekiti State while inaugurating a motorised borehole he donated to the people of the community, Ojo noted that the political setback the party suffered in the June 21 governorship election did not sound a death kernel on the party.

"If what happened in the June 21 governorship

election was a true reflection of the wishes of the people, I want to say emphatically that our party has done a remedial work.

"We have done our homework and our party, I can say, is solidly on ground and enjoys wide acceptability. Also, nationally we are on top.

Those saying we are limited to a particular region would be shocked when we meet on the field," he said.

On why he inaugurated a 20-bed ward at the General Hospital, Aramoko-Ekiti, Ojo, who represents Ekiti Central Constituency 1 in the National Assembly, said it was to bring healthcare to the doorsteps of the people in the rural areas.

He therefore called on

the Federal Government to fully implement its policy of setting up standard hospitals in all the geo-political zones of the country to checkmate untimely deaths and loss of lives of precious Nigerians to treatable ailments.

The Chairman, House Committee on Communications added: “There was a time I came home and I heard a promising young man had an accident in Aramoko-Ekiti and died because the general hospital in the town didn’t have some facilities. The pain actually propelled me to promise to do whatever I can to upgrade the facilities in this hospital.”

Ojo urged the electorate to be alive to their responsibilities by coming

out in large number during elections and reject those that had failed to give them dividends of democracy after being elected into office.

He said the town hall he built in Ipole-Iloro and other projects sited in his constituency were done in consultation with the people to know their areas of preference.

“I am very passionate about the welfare of my people and that is why I have to give back to the people. Before I site all these projects, I consulted with my people on what they wanted and this is the beauty of democracy. You cannot just impose on the people.

You have to put them into confidence before taking any action,” he said.

Crisis looms in Delta, as leaders order total shutdown of NPDC Operation Gabriel Choba, Ughelli the demand Ftheorof neglecting host communities, Nigerian Petroleum

Development Company (NPDC) has been ordered to shutdown oil operations in OML 30 by the leaders

of the aggrieved communities in Delta State.

The action according to them, has become necessary following the continuous flouting and deliberate refusal by the company to accede to their demands.

The community leaders

under the aegis of Forum of Communities Executives of Flow-Stations in OML 30, vowed to take further action if the government fails to call NPDC to order by resolving the burning issues.

In a statement signed by

the Forum Chairman, Mr. Augustine Onovayewhor and Engr. Wilson Kokarhaye, Secretary, they alleged that the journey which culminated in the shutdown order started over 18 months ago.

“When we heard of the

exit of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), we heaved a sigh of relief thinking that we have arrived with the coming of NPDC but they used intrigues and manipulations to heat up the existing peace and tran-

quility prevailing in our oil fields”, they alleged.

The statement further reads: “NPDC also promised proper and better improved packages in the areas of employment, contracts to indigenous contractor."

46 NEWS scholarship

From abduction, 51 Chibok girls who escaped from Boko Haram seclusion are going back to school, outside Borno Ahmed Miringa Maiduguri

B

orno State government yesterday said it will spend N100 million on the escaped students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, abducted

by Boko Haram terrorists on April 14, 2014, to enable them continue their studies at various schools across the country.

Addressing the schoolgirls at the Government House, Maiduguri, yesterday, Gover-

24

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Borno to spend N100m on escaped Chibok girls nor Kashim Shettima said government will be spending N1.4 million each on the schoolgirls annually.

The governor urged the girls to be good ambassadors of the state and dedicate themselves to their studies, so as not only be useful to their families, but to the state in general.

He said the government is sponsoring 51 out of the 57 escaped schoolgirls as the former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has offered scholarship to six of the escaped students to study at ABTI Academy, Yola.

Governor Shettima

The life expectancy (in years) of women at age 60 years in Anguilla in 2000-2002.

Source: Un.org

also promised to sponsor their university education overseas should they come out in flying colours in their studies, adding that the state government has been sponsoring many youths to study abroad and that the Chibok schoolgirls deserve it most, considering the situation they found themselves.

“For the parents, I thank them for having confidence in the government, for entrusting their children in the hands of the government to study outside the state," Shettima said.

The governor later gave the girls a phone set each to enable them

61.04

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Hong Kong, China in 2009.

Source: Itu.int

be in contact with their family members.

Speaking at the occasion, Borno State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman, Rev. Titus Pona, who hails from Chibok, prayed for the girls, urging them to dedicate themselves to their studies and be good ambassadors of Chibok community and the state in general.

It will be recalled that when the girls were brought to the Government House, Maiduguri, on Tuesday, many people thought some of the Chbiok schoolgirls were released, a situation that brought jubilation to the residents.

Glo premium subscribers get special package wo weeks after being public holiday and as such, Tlargest declared the second offered the ideal setting for telecoms opera- guests to relax and soak in tor in the country, Globacom, has announced plans to launch a special recognition and privileges scheme for its top customers.

The scheme, called Glo Prive, will be unveiled at the Grand Ball Room of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Wednesday, October 1.

The company said in a press release in Lagos that the new package was designed to accord premium recognition and offer special privileges to highvalued subscribers on the Glo network.

Globacom said Nigeria’s Independence Day was chosen for the launch event, because it was a

the thrilling offers being unveiled.

Although different packages targeted at premium customers already exist in Nigeria's telecommunications market, Glo Prive is said to be refreshingly different.

“We are set to redefine the top end segment of our market. Prive is meant to celebrate our high-valued prepaid and postpaid subscribers and treat them like kings,” Globacom added in the statement.

Globacom also said top government functionaries, captains of industry and leading entertainers would light up the event and make it a memorable one.

Kwara PDP agrees to $US328.4bn work together eoples Democratic Par- that we can achieve our Paspirants ty (PDP) governorship aim,” he told the gatherin Kwara State ing which included old The nominal GDP of Argentina (World Bank) in 2009.

Source: Blatantworld.com

L-R: Chief Education Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs Olubukola Obafemi; Chairman, Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Lagos Chapter, Ms. Nimota Muili; Chief Education Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr. Luqman Obatula and Chief Education Officer, Mrs. Okikiola Adegoke, during APWEN’s maiden edition of STEM teachers’ training in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

have resolved to close ranks and work together to wrest power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) come 2015.

At a consultative meeting hosted by the Freedom Group in Ilorin, major stakeholders in the party agreed that the people should elect leaders who are competent and capable of running its affairs without prejudice to tribal and religious sentiments.

Chairman of the group, Kunle Sulaiman, described the forum as a platform for the PDP to strategise and snatch victory from the opposition, noting that the Freedom Group exists to complement the efforts of the party in the state.

“Kwara State is in a hurry to develop. We all have a duty to work together, discard religious and ethnic sentiments, so

and serving senators, legislators and other prominent politicians in the PDP. “PDP must shun personal acrimony to win the battle ahead,” he warned, describing the squabble in party office in Ilorin West council as a disgrace to the party.

Sulaiman urged all aspirants to share ideas, because they are all working to ensure victory for the PDP in the coming election. “We belong to the same party, we have a common purpose, and we should not allow ambition to divide us. We are stronger when we plan and work together,” he admonished.

Senator Simeon Ajibola, Kwara South, praised the vision of the Freedom Group and noted that every lover of democracy must share the passion for true freedom.

Aliyu debunks Tambuwal-Amaechi ticket Jonathan’ll soon declare for re-election, says Ali Dan Atori MINNA

C

oncerned over a publication alleging sponsorship of a Tambuwal/Amaechi presidential ticket in the 2015 presidential election, Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has described the report as an action aimed at misleading Nigerians.

Governor Aliyu, who made his position on this known yesterday in a signed statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Israel Ebije, said Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who was fingered to have made the revelation has since denied knowledge of the story and has dis-

tanced himself from the online publication.

Aliyu therefore maintained that the publication, which claimed he and Governor Sule Lamido had deceived Amaechi to leave the PDP for the opposition to pursue his alleged political ambition as vice-president in the next general elections, is spurious.

According to him; “Let me state clearly that Lamido and I never asked Rotimi Amaechi to contest the 2015 presidential election with Tambuwal.

Why should we be the ones to ask him to run for vice-president when he is capable of pursuing any career of his choice without our counsel?

“I believe those behind

the publication have been hired to mislead Nigerians. They intend to engage in wrong claims purposely to satisfy the narrow interest of their paymasters.”

He frowned at the way and manner online media platforms have been taken over by mercantile reporters, adding that they have veered off from the ethical practice associated with traditional journalism.

He therefore called on online editors to desist from rogue journalism, adding that they must imbibe the ethical requirement of verifying claims before circulating information made available to them by enemies of democracy.

Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

ormer National ChairFDemocratic man of the Peoples Party (PDP),

Senator Ahmadu Ali, yesterday said President Goodlock Jonathan has the right to refuse to contest the 2015 presidential election for the first time, but that he would soon declare his interest to contest again.

Ali, who is the chairman of the National Integration Committee, South East zone, made this known while addressing party faithful at the PDP secretariat in Abakaliki. He said President Jonathan will not reject the endorsement

of the party, but that if he refuses, the party can source for another candidate.

According to him; “This National Integration Committee was put together by the national chairman to go round the South East states to ensure there is peace and harmony in the party ahead of next year’s elections.

“Our job in Ebonyi is a very simply one, the administration of Governor Martin Elechi has done very well and favoured the people of the state.

“The party in its wisdom has endorsed President Goodlock Jonathan to contest the 2015 election. Don't be surprised,

it is a custom in the party that a sitting president is given the right of refusal.

If he does not want to contest, then we will go round shopping for a candidate, but if he agrees, then we will support him,” he said.

Meanwhile, the party’s reconciliatory meeting in Ebonyi State witnessed a setback as the former governor of the state, Dr. Sam Egwu; National Assembly members; Senators Chris Nwankwo, Anthony Agbo, Igwe Nwagu, Soni Ogbuoji as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator. Anyim Pius Anyim, tactically boycotted the meeting.

NEWS 47

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Ekiti NBA condemns invasion of court Adesina Wahab ADO-EKITI

he Nigerian Bar AssociaTIkole tion (NBA) in Ado-Ekiti, and Ikere branches

L-R: Royal Father of the day, Prof. Dagogo Fubara; Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Oruye Oruye and Rear Admiral Promise Fingesi, during a Summit of Rivers Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Leaders in Port Harcourt …yesterday

Rivers 2015: Ijaw harp on zoning Emmanuel Masha PORT HARCOURT

T

raditional rulers, elders and chiefs from the Ijaw ethnic extraction in Rivers State have stressed the need for politicians and other stakeholders to stick to the principle of zoning during the 2015 gubernatorial election.

The Rivers Sate chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had announced after its state executive meeting that the party will not zone the governorship to any ethnic group, but would give it to ”any candidate that is qualified within the party.”

As a result, the Ijaw’s declared that they will not support a political party that does not field an Ijaw candidate in 2015.

They made this declaration at a meeting of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Eastern Zone, comprising Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting organized to take a position on the governorship contest, the National Publicity Secretary of INC, Victor Gburobu, said the Ijaw had waited for 16 years to produce the governor, stressing that they have demonstrated in the past that they can be trusted with power and that they did not oppress anybody when they led the state.

He said: ”There is need for the parties in Rivers State to respect the principle of zoning and rotation in picking candidates that will represent them at the 2015 gubernatorial election.

The INC will not work with a political party that will not present an Ijaw as its flagbearer.

“In Rivers State, if you don’t pick an Ijaw man, we will not work with you. In 1999 we willingly relinquished power to others. We have waited for nearly 16 years and

we cannot wait any longer. Ijaw people are responsible with power.”

In a related development, a meeting to reconcile feuding members of the PDP in the SouthSouth did not hold after it was postponed at the last minute.

The national integration committee of the party was supposed to sit at a roundtable with all aggrieved members at the regional secretariat along Circular road in Port Harcourt.

The administrative secretary of the zonal PDP, Mr. Usen Edemekong explained that the meeting was postponed because of an upcoming PDP unity rally in Benin City, Edo State next Saturday, which President Goodluck Jonathan will attend.

Edemekong said that the party has received 32 memoranda from aggrieved members from Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Delta States.

“The meeting is not

cancelled. But the integration committee merely decided to postpone it because President Goodluck Jonathan will be in Benin on Saturday for the unity rally. A new date will be communicated to all concerned members“, he said.

A governorship aspirant in the state, Engr.

Dagogo Jack, who came for the meeting, regretted its sudden postponement, stressing that it was important for them to meet and resolve some salient issues.

He lamented: “I came for the reconciliation meeting but we were surprised to be told at the secretariat that the meeting was postponed.

I think that it is important for us to meet and reconcile our aggrieved members”.

A chieftain of the PDP, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe expressed worry over the postponement even when it has been widely publicized in the media.

Opposition cannot defeat Amosun, says APC he All Progressives TOgun Congress (APC) in state has described

as wishful thinking, the plot by the opposition to defeat it in the coming governorship election.

This is coming against the backdrop of a purported plan by both the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, to merge to confront the ruling party.

President Goodluck Jonathan was reported to have endorsed a work arrangement between the two parties aimed at shoring up the chances of the PDP to produce the next governor of the state.

However APC in a statement by its Publicity Secretary in the state,

Mr. Sola Lawal, scoffed at the plan, saying it would not succeed.

According to the APC, existing chaotic internal dynamics within the two opposition parties would end up frustrating any effort at unholy gang up.

The party further stated that both PDP and LP had always worked together in the state but that such scenario has never produced any worthwhile result for them.

"In 2011, all the present members of PDP and LP in Ogun state were all in PDP with only a sprinkling of them in PPN, yet the defunct ACN, a precursor to APC, trounced them.

"Without the executive power of government in its hands, the APC pum-

meled the combined forces of the opposition.

"Now, consider how much easier it will be with the superlative performance of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun administration to send them to

their electoral grave," APC stated.

The party likened the gang up against Amosun to that between the fraudster and the thief against the owner of the property.

yesterday condemned the invasion of an Ado-Ekiti High Court by hoodlums on Monday while the court was in session.

Briefing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on behalf of his colleagues in Ikere and Ikole, the Ado-Ekiti NBA Chairman, Mr Joseph Adewumi, said what happened was condemnable.

According to him, the attack on the temple of justice was sacrilegious and a wrong signal to the outside world.

Adewumi wondered why Ekiti State should be where criminal acts would be happening under the nose of those who ought to prevent them.

The NBA boss also challenged the police to explain why despite a number of their men being around the High

Court Complex, the invaders still had a field day.

The lawyers recommended that the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola and the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, should liaise and provide adequate security in and around court premises.

They also urged Lakanu to ensure that those arrested in connection with the incident are brought to book.

On the allegation by Governor Kayode Fayemi that some lawyers were involved in the incident, Adewumi said there was no evidence yet to prove that.

"We don't have any evidence that any lawyer was involved in what happened. If anybody has any evidence that a lawyer was involved, let him tell us. As for the allegation of bias against any judge, if there is a case like that, it is the National Judicial Council that will handle such a case.

Lagos RTEAN takes protest to Abuja Yekeen Nurudeen ABUJA

ver 100 Zonal ChairORoad men of Lagos state Transport Employ-

ers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and their members yesterday stormed the National Headquarters of the association in Abuja protesting what they called attempt to impose a candidate by the state government as their overall chairman.

The union leaders and their members who besieged the Zone 7 headquarters of the association with placards bearing different inscriptions alleged that since their former chairman, Chief Adefowoku Olorode died about three months ago, there have been underground scheming by some agents of the state government within the union to install a candidate loyal to the government.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards were: " Surelere Zone supports Musa Muhammed", "We Chairmen said Yoruba has

done it, Delta has done it, Igbo has done it, Now Hausa must do it", No Tribalism in RTEAN", We Chairmen cry for Musa Muhammed" They argued that the current chairman of the union's Care taker Committee, Alhaji Muhammad Musa who has piloted the affairs of the union since the demise of the late Olorode should be allowed to emerge as the chairman of Lagos state chapter of RTEAN. While passing a vote of confidence on the caretaker committee chairman, one of the chairmen who presented the union's grievances before the National President of the Union, Olalekan Amusan said Alhaji Musa has within three months brought stability to the association.

He noted that out of many aspirants jostling for the position, the Kano born transporter remains the only one that is capable of carrying everyone along and protecting the interest of the association.

Dickson: Jonathan’s adoption will promote stability State Governor, Bsonayelsa Hon. Seriake Dicksays, the adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan as the presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), will promot stability in the political system.

He explained that the move was aimed at institutionalizing the right of refusal for an incumbent

President as contained in the Electoral Acts.

According to him, the adoption of President Jonathan by the PDP Governors and the leadership of the Party is not a declaration of sole candidacy as being presented by the opposition groups.

"If President Jonathan refuses, the elective convention will be conducted. But, what we

are going to have in PDP now is a non-elective convention due to the acceptance of the right of first refusal by the President.

This decision is provided for by the electoral law."

Making this known during an interactive session with newsmen in Yenagoa, the Governor said, the decision, aside, putting an end to in-fighting among the po-

litical class during and after the primary, it will also reduce the huge cost of the campaigns.

According to him, the action of the PDP State Governors and the Party leadership, was to institutionalize the right of first refusal for an incumbent President and reduces cases of huge cost and in-fighting within existing political parties.

48 NEWS

worthless

Villifying the party that made them, former Kogi Speakers are dismissed as ingrates Muhammad Bashir Lokoja

C

hairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State, Alhaji Hassan Salau, has described his former party members who defected to the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) as

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Kogi PDP chair lashes out at defectors people with questionable character, whose ambitions were driven by greed and selfishness.

Prominent members of the PDP, including former Chairman of the arty, Chief John Odawn, former speakers of the House of Assembly, Hon. Clarence Olafemi and Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, among others, on Tuesday, decamped to the APC. But the PDP chairman in a press conference yesterday insisted that those who defected were people

after one political position or the other. He stressed that they were not only grateful to the PDP, but were also unfaithful to their creator.

“When you look at these people joining the APC, is Clarence Olafemi, who was a speaker for eight years and acting governor for three months under our party, grateful or is Abdullahi Bello, who was also the speaker under the PDP and a host of others, grateful? And by deciding to leave the

party simply because they are out of office, justified?

Must they join the APC on account of these, I wish them luck, but we have nothing to fear,” he said.

“For benefiting from the PDP and now defecting to APC, I leave them to God and their conscience, if somebody who had only a caftan and a pair slippers and had no means of livelihood, rode through the PDP to become a lawmaker and a speaker, and now felt that because he was no longer getting what he wanted,

eventually called PDP a bad party, I leave him to God. "If somebody who was in AD, a minority party became speaker and acting governor under the platform of PDP now felt the same party that made him is now a bad party, I leave him to God and his conscience."

According to Salau, a genuine politician is someone who believes in the ideals of his party and as well is faithful to that party; “But these so-called politicians, who defected

lack the qualities of a true politicians. Let us see, by tomorrow if they did not get what they are looking for in the APC, probably they will go to APGA or any other party to achieve their selfish ends.”

The decamping ceremony, which attracted the APC leaders at the national level, seems to have sent a wrong signal to the ruling party in the state, particularly, when various speakers at the ceremony vilified the current administration at the federal and state levels.

Attorneys-General condemn shutting of courts’ premises Muritala Ayinla body of AttorneysThashe General in the country condemned the fre-

quent shutting down of court premises to prevent judges, litigants and magistrates from gaining access into the courts, saying such actions portend danger for the system.

They said locking out of judges under the pretext of enforcement of court judgements was bad for Nigerian judicial system.

The Attorneys-General, who said such action, would also deprive awaiting trial detainees access to justice, appealed to the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to reconsider their plan to embark on strike on October 2, 2014.

In a communique

signed by the Chairman, Body of Attorney-General of Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), the commissioners said: “The body of Attorneys-General further reviewed incidents of strike and picketing of the courts by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and decried the practice, where judges, magistrates and litigants are locked out of court under pretext of enforcement of court judgement.

“This practice portends great danger to the entire system of justice administration and has a negative effect of depriving awaiting trial detainees of their liberty and access to justice. JUSUN is enjoined to reconsider its recent notice to resume strike on 2nd of October, 2014.”

Jos Catholic bishop hosts media practitioners Musa Pam Jos

he Catholic Archbishop TCatholic of Jos and President, Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, will today in Jos, play host to Catholic Media Practitioners in the country.

The event which is the fourth Regional Conference of the Catholic Media Practitioner of Nige-

ria has the Sacred Heart Pastoral Centre in Jos, the Plateau State capital as the venue.

Guest speakers expected at the event include the Director, National film Institute, Jos, Dr. Teddy Hanmakugh, Zonal Director FRCN, Kaduna, Mallam Abba Zayyan and the Director of Communications of the Abuja Catholic Diocese, Rev. Dr. Patrick Alumuku.

L-R: Director, Royal Exchange Plc, Alhaji Rabiu Gwarzo; Director, Mr. Anthony Idigbe; Company Secretary, Mrs. Stella Ezeuko and Chairman, Mr. Kenneth Odogwu, during the Company’s 45th Annual General Meeting, in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

Delta youths petition EFCC, others over missing N4.7trn Dominic Adewole ASABA

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ouths under the auspices of the Delta State Youth Forum for Good Governance (DSYFGG) yesterday petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the whereabouts of N4.7 trillion allegedly misappropriated by the state government.

The petitions, which were circulated at the premises of the House of Assembly, were sent to President Goodluck

Jonathan, the state House of Assembly and the two chambers of the National Assembly.

While the group urged the state lawmakers to commence an impeachment procedure within seven days against Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for not accounting for the whopping sum, it explained that the controversial N4.7 trillion did not include Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) garnered in the past seven years.

The President-General of the group, Comrade

Prince Kpokpogiri, in a signed petition titled; “Re: Looting of Delta State Treasury by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan (A Cry for Justice),” dated September 18, 2014, and addressed to President Jonathan and copied the Senate said: “Uduaghan’s impoverish the people of Delta State."

He lamented that from the N4.7 trillion allocated to the state between 2007 to 2014, only N4.5 billion was remitted to the office of the AccountantGeneral, wondering why

nothing reflected in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) collected on monthly basis for years.

He said: “Uduaghan has been running a corrupt government since May 29, 2007. Our team of lawyers petitioned the Accountant-General’s office in Abuja, to furnish us with detailed documents/information as to theDelta State Revenue Allocation from the Federation Account since 2007 till date, which they religiously responded in good faith."

Group charges SSS on detention of journalist ‘Jonathan must investigate governors who endorsed him’ Etaghene Edirin and Tosin Omoniyi

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media advocacy group, Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has called on the State Security Service (SSS) and the Niger State government to immediately charge Tega Oghenedoro, a journalist arrested for allegedly demanding N50 million bribe to a court of competent jurisdiction, if they have actionable evidence against him or allow him to go.

In a statement in Lagos yesterday, MRA’s Deputy Executive Director, Ms. Jennifer Onyejekwe, who contended that Oghene-

doro’s detention without charge is illegal and constitutes a violation of his fundamental rights, also deplored the action of the SSS in parading him before the media, “thereby subjecting him to media trial, instead of taking him before a court of law.”

She noted that “any person accused of any offence is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction and wondered why the security agency and the state government opted to parade him before the media instead of charging him to court, following their

claim of having mounted an elaborate sting operation to ensnare him, which should have given them sufficient evidence with which to try him, if their claims are true.”

Oghenedoro, a staff of the Nigerian Television Authority, Asaba Delta State, was initially declared missing on September 19, 2014, but was paraded by the SSS in Minna on September 22 on an allegation that he demanded a bribe of N50 million to suppress a story about Governor Mua’zu Aliyu of Niger State, allegedly using the pen-name of ‘Fejiro Oliver.’

Dan Atori MINNA

hairman of the Civil CComrade Rights Congress (CRC) Shehu Sani,

yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan, to probe state governors who endorsed him for a second term in office even as he urged him to beware of sycophants who do not mean well for the country.

Sani, who spoke at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Niger State Council Press Week in Minna, with the theme; “Democratic Dispensation in Nigeria: The Way Forward,” said if the 2015

general elections is not free and fair, there will be a revolution in in the country.

The CRC chairman, who was one of those contacted to represent the Federal Government in the dialogue between Boko Haram insurgents and the government, said most of the governors that have endorsed Mr. President do not have even his posters or billboards in their homes.

According to him; “After the endorsement by these governors, I advise President Jonathan to send investigators to the various states where he has been endorsed and

see whether his presence and posters are in their states or even their homes.

Shehu, however, admonished the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure credible free and fair elections in 2015.

“I have to sound this to INEC come 2015, the elections must be different from the previous ones and must be based on developments that will give hope and restore honour and integrity. The commission must ensure a sincere handover to the rightful winners or risk a revolution,” he warned.

NEWS 49

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Glo unveils inclusive partnership with SMEDAN all inclusive plan to plantain and condiments sellers. Shonibare obAthenempower members of Small and Medium served that Globacom’s Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has been unveiled by Globacom .

Head, Corporate Sales, Globacom, Mr. Kamaldeen Shonibare, who stated this recently at a meeting with Chairmen and Secretaries of Business Member Organisations (BMO) and Cluster Development Organisations in Lagos observed that the partnership would change lives by moving citizens from subsistence to affluence.

He said as a proudly Nigerian company Globacom would not repatriate profits but spend it on adding value to the experiences of Nigerians in all walks of life with a view to making life more abundant through a bulk grant that would be distributed among SMEs and those in the Kitchen category comprising

strategic partnership with major stakeholders in critical sectors of the economy had given the company valuable experience, which would stand it in good stead in the SMEDAN empowerment programme.

Welcoming stakeholders to the meeting, Globacom’s acting Coordinator, Business Solutions, Mr. Ike Oraekwuotu, said it was gratifying that Globacom is acknowledged for pioneering innovations and offerings in the country and cited the on- going recruitment of about 10, 000 Glo-Xchange agents across the country as an example of the company’s empowerment drive.

He urged Small and Medium scale Enterprises in the country to tap into the proposed partnership to grow their businesses.

2015: Katsina APC lawmakers endorse Buhari Ibraheem Musa KADUNA

ll Progressive Congress AKatsina (APC) members of the State House have

endorsed the candidature of General Muhammadu Buhari as the presidential flagbearer of the party in the 2015 presidential election.

Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Ibrahim Mahuta, representing Malumfashi constituency who disclosed this while addressing newsmen, also said Buhari should decide who should be the next APC gubernatorial flagbearer in Katsina state.

According to him, allowing Buhari to choose the APC governorship candidate in Katsina state will save the state chapter

from the confusion of deciding who will fly the party’s flag, seeing that there are several aspirants jostling for the post.

“In 2007 and 2011, General Muhammadu Buhari allowed the people to do whatever they wanted and we ended up in struggle, chaos and court cases. We have accepted defeat. We have failed in 2007 and 2011, so General Muhammadu Buhari should intervene to give us direction in 2015. What we are saying now is we don't want to repeat the same thing in 2015”, Mahuta stated.

The Minority Leader also called on his counterparts at the National Assembly, local government and ward executives to endorse Buhari.

No going back on probe of Suntai's health – Speaker Sabiu Mustapha JALINGO

he Speaker, Taraba Tsembly, State House of AsMr. Josiah Sabo

Kente, has vowed to continue with the probe of the health status of Governor Danbaba Suntai.

“The medical panel must continue with their work,” the Speaker said yesterday.

Kente, who spoke with BBC Hausa service, said they were encouraged with the court ruling that declined to restrain the medical panel from going ahead with the investigation of the health status of the ailing governor.

He also refuted alle-

gation that the state assembly was planning to impeach the governor, stressing that they only want to know his health status for further documentation.

The Speaker promised to uphold the report of the panel.

A High Court in Jalingo, the state capital, had on Tuesday ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to restrain the medical panel set up by the House of Assembly to probe Suntai’s health status.

The suit was filed by Suntai's loyalists demanding the court to stop the panel from going ahead with the investigation.

Initiator, Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin (middle) and Nollywood actors at a sensitisation rally on Continuous Voters Registration exercise in Ibadan …yesterday

Military confirms killing of Shekau's impostor l 135 Boko Haram fighters surrender ...Vows to kill impostors Emmanuel Onani

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he Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday said troops engaged in the counter-terrorism war in the North-East, have killed a Boko Haram chief identified as Mohammed Bashir, who had variously acted and posed on videos as Abubakar Shekau, leader of the outlawed sect.

The confirmation ended speculations on whether or not Shekau had been killed.

Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, told reporters in Abuja that "Shekau" was killed between September 12 and 17 during fierce en-

counters between troops and suspected terrorists in Konduga, a town about 35 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Bashir, according to the DDI, went by such sobriquet as, "Bashir Mohammed alias Abubakar Shekau, alias Abacha Abdullahi Geidam alias Damasack."

Olukolade also said a total of 135 terrorists had since surrendered with their weapons in the wake of the renewed onslaught at containing insurgency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.

He stated that apart from Mohammed, several commanders of Boko Haram have either been killed or captured,

thereby leaving the violent sect in disarray.

He stated the resolve of the military to kill whoever assumes the "brand name" of Shekau, pointing out that "Shekau has become a brand name for the terrorists’ leader."

This is the second time that the military, will be announcing the killing of "Shekau"; a development which lends credence to the fact that the name is, indeed, a brand name.

According to Olukolade, the identity of the Boko Haram chief was confirmed by locals, who have been at the receiving end of the sect's terrorist activities.

Of the 135 fighters that surrendered, he

said 88 surrendered at Mairiga/Bun - Yadi, while 45 others, did so around Mubi-Michika, in Adamawa State.

Olukolade also disclosed that the military, was fast recovering most of its weapons and equipment stolen during some of the sect's attacks on military formations and troops.

He reassured Nigerians that all tactical and operational moves were being undertaken to ensure the safe rescue of the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted on April 14.

Pictures of terrorists killed at the battlefield, as well as the insurgents captured, were shown to reporters.

Reps approve Financial Intelligence Centre Philip Nyam ABUJA

he House of RepreTpassed sentatives yesterday a bill for the es-

tablishment of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Centre in Nigeria.

The piece of legislation, titled “a bill for an act to establish the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Centre as the central body in Nigeria responsible for receiving, requesting, analysing and disseminating financial intelligence reports and other information to law enforcement, security and intelligence agencies and other relevant authorities and for other related matters” was approved in a committee of the whole after

a clause by clause consideration presided over by the deputy speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.

The report of the Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes on the bill was presented by the chairman, Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa.

While presenting the report for consideration, Sam-Tsokwa noted that the passage of the bill has become imperative to launch Nigeria into the comity of nation’s complying with the international efforts to contain money laundering.

When signed into law, the national agency will be responsible for the receipt of information from financial institu-

School petitions minister Sola Adeyemo IBADAN

uthorities of Bodija AIbadan International School, has petitioned the

Minister of Police Affairs Mr. Jelili Adesiyan, over alleged trespass occasioned by landing of his helicopter on the playing ground of the school.

tions and designated nonfinancial institutions, analysis of the financial information for the purpose of turning this information into financial intelligence and dissemination of the financial intelligence to all law enforcement agencies.

The bill seeks to make the NFIU a fully autonomous body that will operate independently without any interference in financial intelligence gathering.

The legislation is designed to provide a sustainable and credible legal framework for the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), Nigeria.

The bill also seeks to provide the FIC with operational independence and autonomy, and greater

ability to provide financial intelligence to all relevant authorities in order to strengthen antimoney laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) measures.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Jagaba Adams Jagaba (PDP, Kaduna), described the passage of the bill as a show of commitment of the present House leadership in the war against money laundering, terrorism and corruption in Nigeria.

The Senate had earlier passed the bill.

With the development in the House, a conference committee will be raised to harmonise the different versions for onward transmission to the president for assent.

The Minister landed the helicopter within the premises of the school located at Osuntokun, Bodija on Sunday morning, allegedly damaging some underground drainage pipes of the school.

According to the peti-

tion, a copy of which was obtained by New Telegraph yesterday, the Minister landed on the sports arena of the school at 10.30 am on Sunday without the notification or approval of the school authorities.

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WORLD | NEWS

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Sweden arrests two men on Rwanda genocide suspicion

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Swede of Rwandan origin and a Rwandan national were held in custody yesterday in Sweden under suspicion of involvement in the African country’s 1994 genocide, prosecutors said. “Two men have been arrested and are being questioned. They are suspected of participating in the genocide,” Tora Holst, prosecutor in charge of the probe, told AFP.

“They are the target of two related investigations and both deny the allegations.”

According to the UN, some 800,000 people died in the Rwandan genocide, which began after the assassination of Rwanda’s Hutu President Juvenal Habyarimana 20 years ago. The prosector added that the men, whose identities have not been revealed, have lived in Sweden for “a num-

ber of years”. One of them was born in 1955 and has become a Swedish citizen, while the other, born in 1962, lives in the Nordic country but is a Rwandan national. In June, a Swedish appeal court upheld the first genocide conviction in the country’s history, with a life sentence for a Swede of Rwandan origin Stanislas Mbanenande.

The 55-year-old engineer,

who worked as a teacher in his country, was found guilty of playing a leading role in five massacres committed in western Rwanda. The appeal court said the conviction was based on a large number of reliable testimonies, including interviews with witnesses of some of the massacres. Mbanenande has denied all of the accusations.

Yesterday’s “investigations have nothing to do with this affair,”

Holst clarified to AFP. According to Swedish public radio, one of the suspects was arrested in central Sweden and the other in the north of the country. The prosecutor is expected to decide on their detention by Thursday. Other Rwandans have already been convicted in Canada, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands for their involvement in Rwandan genocide.

Death threats for Saudi pilots after raids on jihadists

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audi pilots who conducted air strikes on jihadists in Syria received online death threats yesterday after photos were published of those involved, among them a son of the crown prince. The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) released photographs of eight airmen it said were involved in Tuesday’s US-led operation, carried out with Gulf allies. In one picture they stood, some smiling, in green flight suits with arms around each other in front of one of their fighter jets.

One of the pilots involved in the raids is a son of Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz himself, according to Saudi newspapers. Dozens of Islamic State group (IS) and Al-Qaeda militants were reported killed in the coalition air raids, sparking jihadist threats online where the Saudi pilots’ photos reappeared. One Twitter user said the air force men were “wanted by IS” while another said their throats “will sooner or later be slit”. A broader threat came from a Twitter post which called for the killing of police as well as military men.

Some Internet users, however, defended the Saudi airmen.

“The Saudi pilots returned safe and sound Tuesday morning after having accomplished their duty in carrying out successful and effective strikes against the Islamic State ex-

tremist organisation in Syria,” SPA said overnight. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Jordan also confirmed their participation. Washington said Qatar was also involved.

“My sons, the pilots, fulfilled their obligation toward their religion, their homeland and their king,” SPA quoted Crown Prince Salman as saying. He was “proud of the professionalism and bravery” of the Saudi air force men, SPA said.

Their combat mission happened to coincide with the kingdom’s 84th national day. Saudi Arabia is dominated by the ultra-conservative Sunni doctrine of Wahabism. The kingdom’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh last month said Al-Qaeda and the IS group “have nothing to do with Islam and (their proponents) are the enemy number one of Islam”.

The country is seeking to deter youths from becoming jihadists but fighters from Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Morocco make up the majority of about 12,000 foreign extremists who have travelled to Syria and Iraq, according to the London-based International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation. The IS group has declared a “caliphate” straddling Iraq and Syria.

Its fighters control swathes of territory where they have committed widespread atrocities including beheadings and crucifixions.

Syrian minister says US-led strikes going in ‘right direction’

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Syrian government minister said U.S.-led air strikes against militants are going in the “right direction” because the government had been informed before they started and they were not hitting civilians or Syrian military targets. Syria is still watching all developments with caution, Ali Haidar, minister for national reconciliation, told Reuters yesterday after U.S. warplanes pounded Islamic State positions in a second day of attacks.

“As for the raids in Syria, I say that what has happened so far is proceeding in the right direction in terms of informing the Syrian government and by not targeting Syrian military installations and not targeting civilians,” he said. “Notification of the Syrian government happened,” he said. “Confirmation that they would not target Syrian military installations, and confirmation they would not target civilians happened.”

The United States said Tuesday that Washington’s envoy to the United Nations had told her Syrian counterpart air strikes would take place, but it has ruled out coordinating with Assad, whom Washington sees as part of the problem.

The Syrian foreign minister said last month that Damascus was ready to cooperate in any international effort to fight Islamic State. Despite welcoming the strikes, Haidar said fighting militants would take more than such military action. “The war on terror does not only come through air strikes, which are not the only means to fight terrorism,” he said, adding that military action could go on for some time.

The Syrian government has described all insurgent groups in Syria as “terrorists”, from the Western-backed rebel opposition to Islamic State fighters who have seized tracts of territory in the country and in neighboring Iraq.

A man who identified himself as Herve Gourdel in between two masked armed gunmen.

Algerian extremists behead French hostage

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lgerian extremists allied with the Islamic State group have decapitated a French hostage after France ignored their demand to stop airstrikes in Iraq, according to a video obtained yesterday by a U.S.-based terrorism watchdog. A group calling itself Jund al-Khilafah, or Soldiers of the Caliphate, had said they would kill French mountaineer Herve Gourdel after abducting him Sunday unless France ended its airstrikes against Islamic State fighters in Iraq within 24 hours. The French government insisted it would not back down.

In the video, masked gunmen from the newly formed group that split away from al-Qaida’s North Africa branch, pledged their allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and said they were fighting his enemies. They criticized the French attacks

in Iraq as well as its intervention against radical Islamists in Mali. Terrorism watchdog SITE Intelligence Group said the video had been posted on social networking site Twitter.

Gourdel, a 55-year-old mountaineering guide from Nice was seized in the Djura Djura mountains of northern Algeria on Sunday during a hiking trip. His Algerian companions were released. Algerian forces unleashed a massive search for him in the remote mountainous region that is one of the last strongholds of Islamic extremists in Algeria. The video resembled those showing the beheadings of two American journalists and a British aid worker in recent weeks, but instead of starting with clips of President Barack Obama speaking; it showed French President Francois Hollande.

France started airstrikes in Iraq on Friday, the first country to join the U.S. military cam-

paign against the Islamic State fighters there. “Our values are at stake,” French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said yesterday after hearing about the video. He would not comment further, but minutes earlier he insisted that France would continue fighting in Iraq as long as necessary. Algeria has been fighting Islamic extremists since the 1990s and in recent years they had been largely confined to a few mountainous areas, where they have concentrated on attacking soldiers and police while leaving civilians alone.

The killing of a hostage represents a departure for radical Islamic groups in Algeria which in the past decade have made millions of ransoming hostages.

The new group split away from al-Qaida’s North Africa branch and declared allegiance to the al-Baghdadi’s group in Iraq and Syria and has apparently adopted their tactic of killing hostages.

ICC opens new Central Africa Republic probe

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he International Criminal Court has opened a formal investigation into an “endless list” of atrocities committed in the Central African Republic, prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said on yesterday.

“My office has gathered and scrupulously analysed relevant information from multiple reliable sources,” Bensouda said in a statement. The move comes after a preliminary ICC investigation earlier this year into the violence that has plagued the country for over 18 months established that there were grounds to

prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity. “My office has gathered and scrupulously analysed relevant information from multiple reliable sources,” Bensouda said in a statement.

“Based on this independent and comprehensive analysis, I have concluded that an investigation is warranted.” The country plunged into conflict after a coup in March 2013 by a mainly Muslim rebel alliance, the Seleka, which overthrew president Francois Bozize and made their own man, Michel Djotodia, head of state. Influential foreign lead-

ers in January forced Djotodia to step down after he proved incapable of preventing widespread atrocities by rogue Seleka fighters. Communities from Central Africa’s mainly Christian majority responded by setting up vigilante forces known as “anti-balaka” (anti-machete) to seek vengeance, mostly targeting Muslim civilians whom they accused of backing Seleka.

Bensouda said there was “a reasonable basis to believe that both the Seleka and the antibalaka groups have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes.”

SPORT

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NEW TELEGRAPH

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AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN GLOBAL SPORT

tHURSday, september 25, 2014

51

That Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player to win the European Golden Shoe in two different leagues - Premier League with Manchester United and La Liga with Real Madrid.

ITF Circuits: Nigeria’s Iloputa causes major upset in Benin Ifeanyi Ibeh

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igeria’s Ikechukwu Iloputa on Wednesday at the ongoing International Tennis Federation West & Central Africa Circuit holding in Benin Republic, caused a major upset when he defeated Thailand’s Palaphoom Kovapitukted in straight sets of 6-4, 6-2 to prog-

ress to the quarterfinals of the boy’s singles event.

Kavapitukted was the tournament’s number eight seed, and Iloputa, ranked 10th, will now take on his compatriot, Mohammed Mohammed, for a place in the last-four following the latter’s 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Connor Yao of Cote d’Ivoire.

Nigeria’s Joseph Ubon also cruised into the last eight after

defeating another Nigerian, Tochukwu Eze, 6-1, 6-2. The thirdseeded Ubon will now face Cote d’Ivoire’s Kouadio Koffi in one of Thursday’s quarterfinals Another Nigeria-Cote d’Ivoire encounter will see fifth-seeded Emmanuel Audu facing boy’s singles number one seed, Gueninle Ouattara.

Audu defeated home boy Stanislas Ekemon-Agu 6-2, 6-4 on

Wednesday, while Ouattara made easy work of Nigeria’s Oche Adehi 6-1, 6-0.

In the girl’s singles, Nigeria’s Elizabeth Garos-Pam, the event’s second seed, easily overcame Ghana’s Franciscan Nyarko 6-2, 6-4.

London-based Garos-Pam, a finalist at this year’s CBN Open in Lagos, will on Thursday take on Benin’s Esperence Follykoue for a place in the semifinals.

Don’t put pressure on Iheanacho – Agu

Ronaldo dismisses Man United rumours }p.53

Osaze celebrates successful surgery with Stoke City win }p.54

SPORTS CREW ADEKUNLE SALAMI, DepUTY Editor, SPORTS EMMANUEL TOBI, Assistant Editor, SPORTS iFEANYI IBEH,

SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Ajibade olusesan, SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

charles ogundiya, SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Charles Ogundiya

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best teams like Brazil, Germany, Spain, Ghana and other great sides. We are not talking about the youth team here.

“Thrusting him into the national team now might work against the growth of the player. Despite his performance for Manchester City in preseason games, he was not pushed into the first team to show that there is need to integrate him gradually into the team.”

Agu said he was not in doubt about the potential of Iheanacho to excel in the national team maybe in the next two years or so but definitely not now.

He added: “The young chap has a great future ahead of him, but we should not kill his career.

If called now and he fails to measure up, his confidence will be affected and it might take years for him to regain it.

“Let’s start moulding him from the U-20s to the U-23s, and then the Super Eagles. If we are so eager to cap him then we can start by using him in friendly matches, but he is one for the future.”

ormer Super Eagles goalkeeper, Alloy Agu, has advised national team handlers to ignore those calling for the inclusion of Kelechi Iheanacho in the Super Eagles. He urged those desperate to see the young lad in the senior team to thread with caution.

Following the Super Eagles’ poor start to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, calls have been made for the inclusion of the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup MVP in the national team ahead of next month’s home and away ties against Sudan.

But Agu is not of that school of thought as he insists Iheanacho is not yet mature enough for the Super Eagles.

“I really want people to thread softly about the call for Iheanacho to be invited to the national team as it might end up being counter-productive and could destroy the player’s budding career,” said Agu, in an interview with New Telegraph.

“We are talking about the Super Eagles, which is the highest level of football in Nigeria. The Super Agu Iheanacho in action for Nigeria Eagles against the

I will consolidate on Maigari’s success –Umeh

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52 SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Countdown to September 30 NFF Elections

I will consolidate on Maigari’s success –Umeh

Ogunjobi preaches peace, due process Adekunle Salami

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presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections into the board of the Nigeria Football Federation, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, has urged all stakeholders in football to embrace peace in the interest of the country.

Ogunjobi said the crisis that enveloped the football scene in the past months has been a big embarrassment to the country and the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan in particular.

He advised aggrieved parties still planning to stop the elections on September 30 in Warri to forget the idea and follow due process.

The former international argued that it would be sad if in the process of seeking positions in the

executive body of the NFF, FIFA bans Nigeria due to the actions of some people in the football family.

Ogunjobi said; “We have to allow this electoral process work for so many reasons. The crisis over the weeks has been so unfortunate. Let us embrace peace and move on. After the Congress in Warri, there is a fresh process and I expect that interested and qualified people should key in.

“President Jonathan has done so much for sports and he is also a lucky President. If the crisis lingers and a ban is imposed, it will affect all of us including the President.

“It is good to allow peace reign while we work out plans to achieve our desires as administrators through a proper channel. “ The former Secretary General noted that many countries look up to Nigeria to show good

Ajibade Olusesan

T Ogunjobi

example in football administration.

He said; “Genuine football lovers should be afraid of the ban. What do we gain if we are banned? The youths love the game and we should ensure they enjoy it rather than make FIFA ban us. The current generation could be tagged as a failure.

“We all should work to avoid a ban. Even in politics, we can be fair. If we are not greedy with our position, there won’t be any problem. Nigeria is highly respected all over the world in football and that’s why many of us are so concerned with the turn of events.”

he Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mike Umeh, has said that he will consolidate on the achievements of his predecessor if elected to lead the new board.

Umeh is one of the seven candidates jostling for the position of president in the NFF election slated to hold on October 30 in Warri, Delta State.

He said that even the critics of the outgoing board admitted that Aminu the Maigari-led board surpassed the achievements of previous administrations and being a key member of that board he was ready to build on the successes if he has the mandate to lead the new charge.

He said he was banking on the experience of working closely with Maigari to get better results when he becomes the president.

“As Vice President of the outgoing board, you will agree with me that we have done well in the last

four years. I plan to leverage on that. My target is to be a goalgetter. To get more results than the outgoing regime, I want to oversee national teams, male and female at all cadres that will win more silverware for the country.

“Among all of those who are aspiring to become the president of NFF I am the most qualified.

I have the experience of the old school, being a former member of the Nigeria Football Association and this new breed and I can use that to take our football to the next level,” he said.

Umeh

Glo NPFL: Salami brace wrecks Dolphins Charles Ogundiya brace from Super EaASalami, gles striker, Gbolahan and another goal from defender, ThankGod Ike, on Wednesday helped Warri Wolves to a 3-1 home win against Dolphins of Port Harcourt at the Warri Stadium.

The game was one of the 10 Week 28 Nigeria Professional Football League matches played across various centres in the country.

League leaders and reigning champions Kano Pillars lost 2-0 to Bayelsa United, but maintained their three-point lead at the top of the table after their closest rivals, Nasarawa United and Enyimba, both lost on Wednesday.

Action from a recent league match between Rangers and Dolphins

Court sets date for hearing of suit against NIS Ifeanyi Ibeh

A

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has fixed October 23, as date for the hearing of the suit brought against the National Institute for Sports by the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes.

The court presided over by Justice Saliu Saidu, adjourned the hearing of the suit at the instance of the applicants’ counsel, Banji Abuloye, who informed the court that he needed time to study and reply the affidavits and other application served on him by the counsel to the respondents.

The Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes, through its chairman, Akinremi Francis, and Ken Omezi, the union’s secretary, had dragged the NIS, along with its director and registrar before the court following their failure to release official documents, records and information to them.

The applicants had in March urged the court to compel the NIS, as a matter of urgency, to release the certified true copies of the demanded documents and information.

However, on June 6, the court ordered the applicants to apply for the order of mandamus,

compelling and directing the NIS to allow the research institute to have access to the sought after information.

The court also granted the research institute leave to apply for an order of mandamus compelling or directing the NIS to release to the applicants all the information sought for.

However, when the matter came up for hearing on Monday, September 22, counsel to the applicant applied for a short adjournment to enable them reply to the affidavit and order documents which he said were served on him at the court by the counsel to the respondent.

Algeria submit bid to host 2017 AFCON

he Algeria football federation Tmitted has announced that it had suban application to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations after initial attempts to bid for the 2019, 2021 and 2023 editions went unsuccessful.

The North African nation will

face competition from more than half a dozen other candidates including Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Egypt.

Libya bowed out from organising the tournament following renewed violence in the country

between rebel factions.

The successful candidate will be announced by Caf early next year.

Cameroon won the right to host the 2019 Afcon while Ivory Coast and Guinea were selected for the 2021 and 2023 editions respectively.

Nasarawa United lost 1-0 to Gombe United; the same score line by which Enyimba lost to Lobi Stars.

On-form striker Joseph Egharevba, who scored a hat-trick at the weekend, opened the scoring for Bayelsa United 15 minutes into the game against Kano Pillars, before second half substitute, Oghogho Oduokpe, sealed victory for the home side on 68 minutes when he tapped in from close range.

In Uyo, a fantastic individual display from Utibe Archibong ensured Akwa United were back to winning ways in the Nigeria Premier League as they inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Giwa FC. Also on Wednesday, Kaduna United, who won 5-0

at home against Crown FC of Ogbomosho on Sunday, were brought down to earth when they were trounced 3-0 by Sharks in Port Harcourt.

Match Day 28 Results Akwa United 2-0 Giwa FC Warri Wolves 3-1 Dolphins Abia Warriors 0-0 Rangers Bayelsa United 2-0 Kano Pillars Gombe United 1-0 Nasarawa FC Taraba 2-2 Sunshine Stars

Crown FC 1-0 El-Kanemi Sharks 3-0 Kaduna United Heartland 2-0 Nembe City Lobi Stars 1-0 Enyimba

Africa U-17 qualifiers: Amuneke solicits Calabar fans’ support

Emmanuel Tobi

G

olden Eaglets’ coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, has called on football fans in Calabar and its environs to come out in large numbers and support the nationa al U-17 team on Saturday when they host Gabon in a decisive African Under-17 Championship qualifier at the U.J Esuene Stadium.

Nigeria lost 2-1 to Gabon in the first leg but Amuneke’s side only need a lone goal victory to progress to next year’s tournament in Niger.

And speaking after his team’s workout on Wednesday evening, the former Barcelona of Spain winger called on Calabar fans to rally behind the Eaglets in their customary way.

“First and foremost, we want to really thank (Cross River State) Governor Liyel

Imoke and the people of Cross River State for their usual support to the Golden Eaglets,” said the 1994 African Footballer of the Year. “Calabar is our home and it is on record we have not lost a game at the U. J Esuene Stadium.”

The U.J Esuene Stadium, currently undergoing renovation ahead of November’s National Sports Festival, was home of the all-conquering 2013 Golden Eaglets side.

Amuneke added: “I’m using this opportunity to call on the fans to come and cheer us to victory on Saturday. We are going to do our best to make them happy on Saturday.”

The former Nigerian international further said it was inappropriate to blame the condition of the U.J Esuene pitch for the Super Eagles’ 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier loss to Congo, saying the Eaglets are battle ready for Gabon.

SPORT | EURO FOOTBALL

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Ronaldo dismisses Man United rumours C

Ronaldo

ristiano Ronaldo poured cold water on a possible return to Manchester United, claiming his future is with Real Madrid.

Ronaldo has openly spoken about his desire to return to Old Trafford in the future, but talk of a move back to Manchester has intensified in recent weeks after Real parted ways with Angel di Maria and Xabi Alonso.

Former United defender Gary Neville also talked up Ronaldo’s potential return, claiming it is a possibility, with Manchester showcasing their financial strength in the transfer market.

However, Ronaldo distanced himself from those rumours after scoring four goals against Elche on Tuesday.

“It’s nothing important, what’s important is Madrid. On a personal level, things are going well and I want to help this shirt,” Ronaldo said post-game. “I don’t see a need to talk about things outside the club.

“It’s all speculation, speaking about my future. My future is Madrid. I’m happy. The season is going well and I’m not talking about my future, it doesn’t make sense.”

Ospina keen on learn after Arsenal debut

rsenal goalkeeper Aadmitted David Ospina has that he is still

learning to adapt to life in England after making his debut for the club in the Capital One Cup last night.

The 26-year-old, who joined Arsenal in the summer, made his first start in Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat to Southampton in the third round of the competition at the Emirates.

“I’m really happy to make my debut and play my first game with Arsenal,” Ospina told the club’s official website. “Unfortunately we didn’t win and the result went against us but I just want to keep working. I’m really tranquil because I did my best.

“The second [Southampton goal] was superb and [Nathaniel] Clyne is a really skilful player. There were a lot of people in the box and when I saw the ball,

Shakira (left) and Pique

anchester United’s M reported pursuit of Gerard Pique is believed

to have been ended by the defender’s partner Shakira.

Recent speculation sug-

F

er nando Torres showed glimpses of his past glories by scoring for AC Milan in his first start for the club.

The Spanish striker, who joined Milan on a twoyear loan deal from Chelsea last month, helped the Rossoneri hit back from a 2-0 deficit to claim a point at Empoli on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old headed home an Ignazio Abate cross to spark his team’s comeback.

“I’m thrilled to have scored,” Torres said to www.acmilan.com. “But I would change that for a win. I’m better physically but I’m not yet 100 per cent, although I am able to play.”

Gotze enjoying life at Bayern

Gotze(right)

ario Gotze has underlined the M enjoyment that he derives from playing for Bayern Munich after Tuesday’s 4-0 win over Paderborn.

Germany’s World Cup final hero opened the scoring after eight minutes at the Allianz Arena and doubled his tally in the second half, easing the frustration of Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Hamburg and extending Bayern’s unbeaten start to the campaign.

And the 22-year-old, who made a big-money switch to the Bundesliga champions from Borussia Dortmund in July last year, is loving life under Pep Guardiola at Bayern.

“It was about time that I scored again - especially after all the chances I had,” he said. “We could definitely have scored one or two more goals. I think we played well - we owed that to ourselves after the game against Hamburg.

Torres arrived in Italy eager to prove he can still perform at the highest level after being out of favour at Chelsea.

“I’m trying to adapt to the demands of the team,” he said. “It’s easier when you have great players around you, like I do at Milan, and now I’m getting to understand how the team plays, what type of rivals you face in Serie A, which is a different league with respect to La Liga and the Premier League.

“I am happy and I’m gaining confidence. Of course, you can always do better.”

AC Milan coach Filippo Inzaghi is hopeful

IFA has been urged to make Fethics public the findings of an investigation into the

bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The call came from Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, a member of FIFA’s executive committee, who pleaded with the game’s world governing body to of-

that Torres can be a big contributor to Milan this season.

“Torres played a good game and scored,” he said.

“I replaced him near the end of the game because he had not played a full match for a long time.”

as Milan’s head coach.

Milan fought back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw at Empoli on Tuesday, leaving them with seven points from their opening four Serie A matches.

The San Siro outfit are looking to banish memories of a disappointing campaign last time out which yielded only an eighth-place finish.

And Essien has backed 41-year-old former striker

it moved and I didn’t have time to react.

“I felt really happy when I went onto the pitch because people were supporting me a lot. I’m learning all the time. The style in England is different because they play really quickly and with a lot of aerial balls.”

Arsenal will now turn their attention to the Premier League when they take on North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

fer full disclosure of its findings.

Prince Ali, the executive committee’s Asian vicepresident, tweeted: “In the interest of full transparency, I believe it is important that the much-anticipated report on the ethics investigation that is crucial to ensuring good governance at FIFA is fully disclosed and open to the public.

“This will only help the football community move ahead in reforming our institutions in the best interest of the sport.

“The entire football family as well as its sponsors and those who follow the game worldwide have a full right to know the contents of the report in the spirit of complete openness.”

Materazzi lands Indian role taly’s World Cup-winning Iazzi defender Marco Materis about to start a new

chapter in his life by working in the inaugural Indian Super League.

The former Inter Milan star joined Indian club Chennaiyin FC earlier this month as a player-managTorres(right) er but his primary aim is to coach.

“If necessary, I’m ready to play but I would like to Inzaghi, who took the reins concentrate on my role as coach,” Materazzi told the in June, to deliver.

“He’s a good person first Gazzetta dello Sport. “We and foremost and is doing a have many good players good job as a coach, too,” the and I’m not the best. We 31-year-old midfielder told have to do our best and try FIFA.com “He’s relatively to win.” young as a full-time Serie A coach but I have no doubt he’ll do well if he carries on in this way.

“It’s not easy to coach and manage football clubs, let alone a great club like Milan, so I have a lot of respect for him for taking up the challenge and he is givMaterazzi ing it everything he has.”

Essien: Inzaghi doing good job ichael Essien is confiM dent that Filippo Inzaghi has what it takes to succeed

Ospina

2018,2022 World Cup: Publish ethics findings, FIFA urged

Shakira to scupper My first Milan goal thrilled me – Torres Pique’s EPL return gested that Pique, who left Old Trafford for Barcelona in 2008, would be open to the prospect of a return to Old Trafford in January because he does not believe that he is a major part of head coach Luis Enrique’s plans.

However, Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, who has been in a relationship with the centre-back since 2010, does not want to leave Spain for Manchester, which is likely to end any chance of the transfer being completed, according to the Daily Mail.

Pique, 27, has made three appearances for the Catalans this season.

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54 SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 25, 2014

I dumped athletics for football – Okunwa Igunbor Charles Ogundiya

“T

he turning point of my career was in 1987 when I dumped athletics for football.

“I was a very good athlete but I lost the motivation to compete after my coach was transferred from Lagos to Anambra.

“He actually asked me to follow him to Anambra, but I just couldn’t as I had, prior to that time, never been outside of Lagos. I was born and brought up in Lagos, so why would I want to leave Lagos for an unknown destination? I was quite young though and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else but Lagos.

“On a particular day, after my training session, I was approached by a man who asked if I was interested in playing football for his team. The man was former Bayelsa Queens coach, Alex Aaron, and I was surprised by the question because up until that moment I thought football was a sport for men, and that there were no football clubs for women.

“But he was able to convince me to

Osaze celebrates successful surgery with Stoke City win Emmanuel Tobi

S

uper Eagles striker, Osaze Odemwingie, who undergone a successful surgery on his injured knee on Tuesday hailed his teammates for their away victory against Sunderland in the Capital One Cup. Marc Muniesa proved the unlikely hero as Stoke came from behind

to record a 2-1 victory at Sunderland to book a place in the Capital One Cup fourth-round draw.

The former Cardiff City forward on his official Twitter praised two-goal hero, Muniesa, while also relishing the success of his surgery.

“Heard we won and Marc Muniesa scored twice! What a day and win!! More good news for us the potters as my

surgery today also went well!” the Stoke City forward tweeted.

Odemwingie injured his knee while in action for Stoke City in a 1-0 win over Manchester City on August 30 playing for only 15 minutes in that game.

He is expected to miss most of the ongoing English Premier League season on account of this injury setback.

leave athletics for football, and that was how I became a footballer. And it didn’t take me that long to come to grips with the sport. It was as if I was born to play football.

“And it is a decision I have never regretted because football has had a huge impact in my life.

“Football has taken me all over the world, bringing me in contact with so many people that ordinarily I would not have met had I not played football.

“I have been to the Women’s World Cup and played at the African Women’s Championship. And the best part of it all was that I was enjoying myself in the process.

“One of the highlights of my career was playing at the 1991 Women’s World Cup. It took place in China, and it was the first time women would be taking part in a global football tournament.

“We didn’t do so well at that World Cup but it felt good being a pioneer member of that Super Falcons side alongside players like Eucharia Uche, Nkiru Okosieme, Florence Omagbemi, Love Omo-Branch and Ann Agumanu.

TURNING POINT

We were the first to represent the country and Africa at the World Cup and that is a fact that can never be erased.

“One moment I will never forget was during the qualifiers for that World Cup, in a match against Ghana in Lagos, where I scored one of the fastest goals to have ever been scored at the National Stadium. The goal came after 26 seconds and I will never ever forget that moment.

“Football has been so good to me. So good that even after my career came to an abrupt end, because of an injury, I was able to get a job with the Police.

Maybe if I wasn’t into football I might still be looking for a means of livelihood.

“And I am happy and grateful to God for achieving all that I have been able to achieve through football, which is why I never hesitate to tell any young footballer I meet to try and give their all in everything they do because they don’t know who might just be watching.”

ICOC football tourney kicks off October 4

T

he 11th edition of International Church of Christ football tournament is set to kick off on Saturday, October 4th, 2014 at the National Institute for Sports Training Ground, National Stadium Lagos.

The announcement was made by the local organising committee at a ceremony recently to unveil the teams and the various team jerseys for the tourney. Also unveiled was the document containing the rules and regulations guiding the competition.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the LOC, Reuben Mbaka, revealed that the tournament which is in its 11th edition will be on a knock-out basis, with four teams qualifying to play in the semi-finals and final. He added that 10 men and 10 women teams have registered for the competition, which will see all the regions presenting teams for the event.

According to Mbaka, the matches

will hold at the NIS training ground and only medically tested and fit players will be allowed to feature in the competition. “We will be looking at the discipline and the general comportment of the players because we believe that sports shape the personality of the individual. So, aside yellow and red cards, any unruly person found in the competition would be issued a black card, which means he will no longer feature in the competition,” said the LOC chairman.

Earlier, the lead evangelist of the Church, Mr. Chris Ogbonnaya, revealed that the church hoped to raise a formidable team from the players in the competition. According to him, “We look forward to a wonderful time of fellowship and a period when we will exercise our bodies and minds. We chose sports because it is one of the things that bond us together as a people and as Nigerians.”

Golf: Afrinvest backs The Nigeria Cup wealth advisory firm, AfrLforeading invest, has announced its support the 2014 edition of The Nigeria Cup, an annual golf tournament taking place at the Ikoyi Club 1938 golf section, Lagos, to commemorate Nigeria’s independence anniversary.

The 8-day golfing extravaganza, which starts on September 27, will feature a kiddies’ competition, ladies’ competition, professionals’ competition, guests and veterans’ competition

Osaze

Extra Joss football tourney starts in Epe coast of season 3, Extra Joss footTasheball competition is getting clearer the football tournament tagged In-

ter- local Government Championship officially kicked- off on Monday at the Epe centre.

Elated chairman Epe Divisional football Association, Segun Osinaike, while thanking the organisers for extending its hands of fellowship to the grassroot football players in Epe, said the competition had became an household name in Epe and its environs where non- league players express

their skills to admiration of football scouts.

In the opening matches played on Monday at the LASU-Epe campus, Olori Omo Ilekewu football club defeated Peckins soccer Academy as the final of Epe centre comes up on Thursday.

In a match played today on Tuesday, Trah Football club beat Onile Football Club by three goals to one.

Tournament’s coordinator, Uthman Ola-Okunnu, who was delighted with the soccer artistry of the players, stressed that subsequent matches of

the Epe Centre in the ongoing inter local government football tournament would be played at Epe Recreational Centre instead of LASU Epe Campus.

He urged the participating teams to abide with the competitions rules and regulations in order not to incur the wrath of match officials.

Meanwhile, the Ikorodu centre will kick-off on Friday at the police Barracks playground, Igbogbo road, Ikorodu after the draws was conducted on Tuesday.

as well as the Nigeria Cup final. There will also be lots of other fun activities, all designed to celebrate Nigeria’s independence.

Announcing the firm’s support, Ike Chioke, Managing Director of Afrinvest, said, “We are pleased to partner with the Ikoyi Club towards the successful hosting of The Nigeria Cup 2014. We identity with the vision of the club to boost the development of golf in Nigeria and also to use the game as an avenue not just for networking but also to raise funds for charity.”

Tony Onwu, Chairman of the Ikoyi Club Organising Committee, while confirming Afrinvest’s sponsorship of this year’s tournament, thanked the firm and all other individual and corporate sponsors who have thrown their weight behind the 2014 event.

In his words, “We are extremely grateful to Afrinvest and all our other sponsors for rallying behind us to make this year’s Nigeria Cup the best yet, and we would like to encourage other well-meaning Nigerians and corporate bodies to support the vision of the Ikoyi Club towards the development of golf in Nigeria and charitable giving.”

Thursday, September 25, 2014

55

World Record

On Marble

Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.

– Coco Chanel

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

w w w. new tel eg rap ho nl i ne. co m

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

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First pregnant man delivered a baby girl in June 2008, Thomas Trace Beatie. He chose to become pregnant because his wife Nancy was infertile, doing so with cryogenic donated sperm.

N150

When will this impunity stop?

TALKING TOUGH GABRIEL AKINADEWO

ecession is never a tea party in any country. It was never easy when Pakistan seceded from India in 1947.

Nor when Bangladesh also seceded from Pakistan in 1971 after the Bangladesh Liberation War. But today, they are three prosperous countries.

Secession can be like a divorce proceeding between husband and wife which can be quite nasty. But one of the parties can fight to keep together a troubled union. The 16th President of the United States (U.S.), Abraham Lincoln, successfully fought a war to keep the country together during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865.

Nigeria also fought a war between 1967 and 1970 to ensure that the country left behind in 1960 by the British was not balkanised.

Even if separation was inevitable, every country would still strive to maintain that balance of stability. In this modern era, there is what is known as referendum to determine the future of a particular entity or the law that will govern a group of people. Once the majority of the people support a particular course of action, that is where everybody will go.

That was why the September 18 Scottish Independence Referendum was held to determine whether that country would continue to remain in the United Kingdom, an alliance that came into being in 1707.

After living together with Northern Ireland, Wales and England in the United Kingdom for 307 years, some elements in Scotland believed they would be better off governing their own country.

The turnout of Scots during voting was about 85 percent. The electorate answered with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, and the ‘No’ side won with 55.3 per cent voting against independence.

Leading the ‘Yes’ voters was a group called “Yes Scotland” while another group, “Better Together” led the ‘No’ group.

Issues such as currency for the new independent Scotland, public expenditure, European Union (EU) membership and North Sea oil were canvassed to sway voters.

In summary, at the heart of the campaign was self determination and devolution of power.

It is instructive to note that throughout the campaign and despite the security implication of such a move by Scotland to secede through referendum, there were no threat, violence, anarchy or intimidation of those with opposing views. There was no name calling. Only issues were discussed.

From London to Edinburgh, all the major speakers tried to galvanise their opinion on the need for Scotland to stay in the union or leave and I didn’t see political thugs or roughnecks storming venues of such deliberations, despite arguments for or against the planned secession.

All the major international news channels such as Cable News Network (CNN), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Al Jazeera and Sky News beamed the voting live and I was surprised that there was no single security agent wielding sophisticated weapon on duty.

gabyfola@hotmail.com - 08023010222 (sms only)

Scene of the fracas in Port Harcourt

The Constitution says the NJC can recommend but it is only the governor who can approve. Does it make a legal sense for the NJC to recommend and approve at the same time without amendment of that section of the Constitution?

Why do we ridicule ourselves in the comity of nations this way?

Results of the referendum were announced by officials of councils, not one ‘big man’ in Edinburgh, the Scottish capital. When the results were fully announced, those who lost immediately accepted the verdict of the people.

The ‘No’ proponents from London had pledged that the Scottish parliament would be given full powers over all matters other than defence and foreign affairs. So, even when it is obvious the ‘Yes’ campaigners could not pull Scotland from the union, they still won, in a way, as they successfully ensured that Scots now control 100 per cent of their political space, resources, taxes and growth.

Obviously, the beauty of democracy

was shown to the world with the way the referendum was conducted peacefully.

Nobody was bribed to vote for either way.

Intimidation was not there. The Scots decided their future and the majority had their way.

What would have happened if the referendum was held in Nigeria?

‘Stomach infrastructure’ would have been the order of the day. Thugs would have taken over venues of campaigns and beaten ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ proponents to stupor, depending on who hired them. During voting, security agents with sophisticated weapons would have displayed their latest skills, preventing perceived opponents of some ‘powers-that-be’ from voting.

It is unfortunate that this is a country where citizens cannot take political and economic decisions about their future.

Devolution of power to states and local governments should be the trademark of the existence of any country but that would have been tantamount to calling for the breakup of Nigeria. Is Nigeria working now? Events of the last few days have really shown that this country is actually not working and the type of democracy we practise is just a guile.

Section 271 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) says: “The appointment of a person to the office of Chief Judge of a State SHALL be made by the Governor of the State on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council subject to confirmation of the appointment by the House of Assembly of the State”.

On Tuesday, hundreds of policemen

forced the gate of the Rivers State High Court premises open to allow the controversial Chief Judge favoured by the National Judicial Council (NJC), Justice Daisy Okocha, access into the premises.

Many residents were beaten up by the security agents and tear gas canisters freely used. Why? A section of the Constitution is being misinterpreted by some ‘learned’ and ‘unlearned’ fellows.

Okocha subsequently held a meeting with about 25 judges in the state in the high court premises. The state judiciary has been in crisis and the workers on strike, following the recommendation of Justice Okocha as the substantive Chief Judge by the NJC. The Constitution says the NJC can recommend but it is only the governor who can approve. Does it make a legal sense for the NJC to recommend and approve at the same time without amendment of that section of the Constitution?

Why do we ridicule ourselves in the comity of nations this way?

Even in a matter as serious and sensitive as secession, Scots were not encumbered during the referendum.

As if it was a war zone, security agents barricaded the road leading to the court premises and the secretariat of the Port Harcourt City Council, in the process, disrupting vehicular movement.

One doesn’t need to be a lawyer to know the implication of breaking into court premises but what was the invasion meant to achieve? For Justice Okocha to start acting as the Chief Judge and assigning cases to judges when the Constitution does not give her the power to do that?

Is NJC the governor of Rivers State?

When will this impunity stop?

On Monday, Justice Segun Ogunyemi of an Ado-Ekiti High Court, Ekiti State was spirited away as some hoodlums invaded the court, forcing lawyers and other workers to scamper for safety.

In the build-up to the 2015 election, Nigerians will witness more drama.

Even during the military, it was not this bad.

OMOBABA

NIGERIA’S FUTURE ‘LL BE BLEAK WITH APC IN POWER – Adeyeye

– Just like epileptic power supply since 1999?

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