Binder1 21 november, 2014

SATURDAY

Sanctity Of Truth

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

Friday, November 21, 2014

/newtelegraph

Vol. 1 No. 276

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

Shell completes $600m stake's sale in OML 24 }6

Kalu, Elumelu join Forbes billionaire list lDangote still Africa's richest Kunle Azeez

C

hairman, Slok Group and Publisher, New Telegraph Newspaper, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, and Nigerian banker,

Mr. Tony Elumelu, have swelled the rank of Nigerians on the Forbes billionaire list.

Kalu and Elumelu joined the elite club with

a tied $1 billion net worth to be 26th richest men in Africa.

Kalu is new to Forbes list of Africa's 50 Richest this year.

NEW TELE

GRAPH

FRIDAY, NOVE

21, 2014 Judith Aud Igroove u goes online wit Radio h 28 MBER

BBHS: Tw ten more o out, left

Entertai nment 27

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Adedeji presents album Ajo

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He is the founder of Slok Group, a $2.5 billion (annual revenues) conglomerate with interests in shipping, banking, oil CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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Pages 21 -26

Best of entertainment inside

Lawmakers in show of shame deji

lFight over Tambuwal as Reps reject emergency rule }2, 14 & 15 lMark shuts National Assembly

Quick Read

Editorial

Good news from the police }19

Jonathan inaugurates Mohammed as CJN }8 Immigration begins training of officers }9

House of Representatives members climbing the gate of the National Assembly to gain entrance after the police barred the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and others from entering the Assembly complex in Abuja... yesterday (more pictures on page 5).

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Seven Ekiti PDP lawmakers sack speaker, deputy

lI am still in charge, says Omirin Adesina Wahab and Wale Elegbede

T

he face-off between Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and the state legislature

took a new twist yesterday as seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of the state House

of Assembly sacked the Speaker, Hon. Adewale Omirin and his deputy, Hon. Taiwo Orisalade

(Ido/Osi Two).

The 26-member legislature comprises 19 APC CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Lawmakers in show of shame Philip Nyam and Chukwu David Abuja

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ational Assembly members yesterday defied a cordon by the police and forced their way into the legislative complex as the crisis over the defection of House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, festered.

The House members, who had been on adjournment since October 28 when Tambuwal defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progress Congress (APC), were reconvening to consider a request by President Goodluck Jonathan for the extension of the state of emergency imposed on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

Tambuwal, who has been having a running battle with the presidency since his defection, leading to the withdrawal of his security aides, had issued a notice on Tuesday reconvening the House to discuss the president's request.

However, while the police allowed some lawmakers, including the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihe-

dioha and the Chief Whip, Hon. Bawa Bwari, easy passage, they prevented the speaker and his entourage from entering the National Assembly.

Tambuwal’s who was in company with lawmakers, including APC caucus leaders such as the Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Abdulrahman Suleiman Kawu; Hon. Solomon Adeola Olamilekan, Hon. Mohammed Zakari, Hon. Samuel Adejare Akinlade, among others, came through the main entrance to the National Assembly Tambuwal's plea to the policemen, led by the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu, an acting Commissioner of Police, to be allowed in went unheeded.

He said: ''Gentlemen, my name is Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and I am the speaker of this House.

I am here as our constitution demands to go in and preside over the sitting of the House.”

The security men kept mute and Tambuwal continued: “Can you identify me as the speaker of this House?”

For about 15 minutes,

the policemen did not oblige the speaker but they later partially opened the pedestrian gate making way for him to walk in.

As soon as the speaker passed through the last gate, the police closed it against lawmakers and his aides who were with him.

The lawmakers protested, shouting “kill us.

We are ready to die."

It was also observed that the security personnel who were on duty, carrying out the checks were totally new and appeared to have taken over security responsibilities from the resident security officers to the National Assembly.

Like Tambuwal, Senate President David Mark was also not allowed easy entry into the complex, as the heavily -security operatives locked the back entrance, which he often uses to enter the Assembly complex.

When Mark, who was seriously taken aback by the heavy presence of security, asked to know who invited them, one of the police officers told him that they were invited by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.

As the speaker was

walking to the chambers, the police fired tear gas canisters at him and the people following him, including journalists.

The lawmakers who were with him had to scale the fence of the gate to join the speaker.

The last batch of tear gas canisters was released as soon as the speaker was virtually smuggled in by his colleagues into the lobby of the National Assembly.

They flung open the doors that were closed by the security men and Tambuwal was taken into the chambers to take his seat.

The entire was filled with smoke affecting senators who had come out to witness the drama that was playing out as well as journalists covering the parliament, staff and visitors.

The House, at the plenary presided over by Tambuwal, however, rejected the president's request to extend the state of emergency in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

The House, which has adjourned plenary till December 3, also declared that the National Assembly was under siege by the police but it must uphold

the provisions of the constitution.

The lower chamber instead advised the president to invoke section 8 of the Armed Forces Act that has empowered him to deploy troops in troubled areas The House took the decision at a closed-door session after the motion sponsored by Deputy House Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, for the consideration of the president’s request was rejected.

Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, told reporters that the president’s powers to deploy troops are also covered by sections 217 (2) (c), 218, 13 and 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 constitution.

He explained that the decision to reject the request for extension of the emergency was anchored on the fact that the previous three extensions they had approved did not address the security breaches in the three states.

He said that the emergency, which elapsed yesterday, would have been renewed within 48 hours if the House was in session or within 10 days if it was out of session, was not upheld for the fourth time as the previous approvals did

not check the proliferation of violence in the states under consideration.

Reacting to the actions of the police, Mohammed condemned the action of the police, saying: "We are not criminals. We are lawmakers. We swore to protect the constitution. And no matter what we will do just that. We condemn the act in its entire entirety."

Earlier, Mark who came to the House to register his solidarity with the members over the development was allegedly booed by the lawmakers, who accused him of being part of the conspiracy to disorganise the House.

Returning to the Senate Chamber for the day's plenary session, the senators quickly passed the votes and proceedings of the previous legislative day.

Then Mark, who was visibly downcast over the chaos that rocked the National Assembly, announced that he had decided to shut down the parliament till Tuesday next week, thereby forcing the Senate to step down all the issues listed for discussion on the Order Paper, including the earlier proposed briefing by the service chiefs and the conCONTINUED ON PAGE 5

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

News

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

5

Mark shuts legislature, Reps reject emergency rule CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal (middle) on his way to the National Assembly in Abuja…yesterday.

sideration of Jonathan's request for the extension of state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

The Senate also invited the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Abba Suleiman, to come on Tuesday and explain the reason for the seeming invasion of the National Assembly by the security operatives.

Meanwhile, House members have resolved to commence impeachment proceedings against Jonathan and Ihedioha.

One of the anchors of the project told newsmen in confidence that already, the lawmakers have collected over 120 signatures from their respective colleagues and are said to be determined in accomplishing their task.

But Ogor denied the claim, saying the House does not have any basis to impeach the president.

However, in defence of the invasion of the National Assembly, the police accused Tambuwal of entering the legislature premises with a "motley crowd" of supporters, and accused them of assault-

ing police officers on duty.

A statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Emmanuel Ojukwu, an acting Commissioner of Police, said the reported blockade, was consequent upon "an intelligent report" suggesting the likely invasion of the complex by political thugs.

It said the police action was, therefore, a preemptive move to forestall the breakdown of law and order.

But the police, in a statement in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said just because he was so desperate to oust Tambuwal, Jonathan ensured that the House could not meet as scheduled.

It added: ''For a President who has severally stated his administration's commitment to the battle against the insurgency in the North-East, is it not a cruel irony that he allowed his personal ego and political desperation to override his sense of propriety, by moving to have Hon. Tambuwal removed instead of having the House of Representatives sit to consider his request?"

Dangote still Africa's richest man CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Some lawmakers running to avoid tear gas cannisters fired at them by the police at National Assembly in Abuja… yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

trading, manufacturing and the media.

Aliko Dangote maintained his lead on the list of Africa’s 50 Richest with a net worth of $21.6 billion.

Twelve other Nigerians, including Kalu, are on the list.

Kalu, Elumelu and King Mohammed VI of Morocco are three new billionaires on the list.

Forbes is an American business magazine owned

by Forbes Inc.

Nigeria leads South Africa with three new billionaires topping the 2014 list. South Africa claims 11 spots, down from 14 in 2013.

According to Forbes, Africa’s 50 richest are, as a whole, wealthier than a year ago with their combined net worth of $110.7 billion, representing a 6.7 per cent mark more than in November 2013.

The minimum net worth needed to join this elite group rose to $510 milCONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Seven Ekiti PDP lawmakers sack speaker, deputy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

lawmakers and seven from the ruling PDP. However, Section 92 of the 1999 Constitution, which prescribes the method of removing a speaker, says in subsection 2(c) that an occupant of the position ceases to hold office "if he is removed from office by a resolution of the House of Assembly by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of the members of the House."

Omirin was replaced

by Hon. Dele Olugbemi (Ikole Constituency Two), who served as the protem speaker during Monday's meeting when the PDP lawmakers sat to ratify Fayose's nominees for caretaker committees for

local government areas and cabinet list.

Orisalade was also replaced by Hon. Abeni Olayinka from Ado Constituency II. Omirin, who spoke from Lagos where he and other APC lawmakers are holing up, rejected his ouster, saying he remains the speaker.

Omirin's impeachment, which is a follow-up to Monday's sitting of the House, boycotted by All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers, who formed the majority, came barely 24 hours after the PDP members had said he remained their speaker.

Unlike Monday's sitting when security was beefed up at the Assembly

complex, the atmosphere yesterday was relaxed, making people, including journalists, not to be aware of what was going on.

Apart from a Toyota bus marked Lagos GGE 431 CK, which had some operatives of the Department of State Security as occupants and which was parked at the entrance of the Assembly complex, there was o visible presence of security operatives on the premises.

Journalists, who were monitoring a group of protesters who converged on Fajuyi Park calling for the removal of Omirin and others, only got to know that the Assembly was sitting when they wanted to monitor the protesters as

they headed for the Assembly complex.

The protesters and their leader, Mr. Bello GaniyuAkande, were stopped on Secretariat Road.

Reporters who went to the Assembly Complex to cover the proceedings when they learnt the members were sitting, were denied entry into the press gallery by a man who identified himself as the Chief Security Officer of the Assembly.

However, after the change of guards had been effected, and the lawmakers started treating other issues, journalists were allowed in.

Ten persons were seen sitting in the chamber of the House.

While reporters and cameramen waited at the entrance of the chamber with the hope of catching a glimpse of the lawmakers, Olugbemi and his group took an alternative door to go to the Office of the Speaker, and before reporters could take the official door to meet up with them, they were already in the speaker's office.

While Olugbemi was briefing newsmen, it was observed that only six other known legislators came in at one time or the other to felicitate with Olugbemi.

They were Abeni, Samuel Ajibola (Ekiti East Two), Adeloye Adeyinka Olubunmi (Ikole One), Ajiboye Israel Olowo (Oye

Two), Adeojo Alexander Ayodele (Ekiti South-West Two) and Ayoka Fatunbi (Moba Two).

By the time Olugbemi finished addressing the press, the lawmakers were already sitting in the Toyota bus and he joined them and the bus drove to an unknown destination.

Olugbemi, however, promised to work harmoniously with Fayose for the development of the state.

However, Omirin, who along with 18 other APC lawmakers were in Lagos when he was removed, rejected his impeachment, vowing that they would dare the alleged threat to their lives by the governor and return to Ado-Ekiti CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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News

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Shell completes $600m OML 24 stake’s sale Adeola Yusuf

R

oyal Dutch Shell has officially completed the sale of its 30 per cent stake in the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 24 to Newcross Exploration and Production for $600 million.

The oil acreage, which is one of the four fields that Shell is divesting from, is located in the Eastern Nigerian onshore licences.

French partner Total and Italy's Eni also sold their respective 10 per cent and five per cent stakes in OML 24 to Newcross, Shell said in a statement yesterday.

The announcement puts to rest the scheming by companies such as Pan Ocean to buy OML 24.

Newcross, a Nigeriabased oil and gas company, will as a result of this transaction, hold a total of 45 per cent stake in the field.

Shell last month said it had signed sale agreements for all the Nigerian oil assets it had put up

for sale as part of a broad global cost-cutting drive, Reuters had reported.

OML 24 produced on average of around 13,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day during the first half of 2014, the Anglo-Dutch oil major said.

In the yearlong course of the bid process, over 100 companies and consortia were involved in the running to buy out the majors in these four producing acreages.

The final submission of bids took place on Febru-

ary 18, 2014 and the current sale is the third of a series of sales of the partners’ stakes in assets located onshore Niger Delta. Shell and other shareholders have sold equities in eight acreages for a total cash of $2.72 billion between 2010 and 2013.

Shell officials have said it will take another year for the entire process to come to closure.

It typically takes the Nigerian Ministry of Petroleum Resources over one year to sign off on the

approval.

The divestment of these four acreages started in June 2013, when Shell discretely intimated some Nigerian indigenous companies of its plans to divest from several unnamed Eastern Nigerian onshore licences.

Last year, Shell put up for sale its 30 per cent shares in four oil blocks in the Niger Delta – Oil Mining Licences (OMLs) 18, 24, 25, 29 – as well as a major pipeline, the Nembe Creek Trunk Line.

The price of the four oilfields and a key pipeline coowned by Shell, France’s Total and Eni of Italy has doubled since initial estimates towards the end of last year and the latest moves by oil and gas major corporations to reduce their onshore oil presence in Nigeria.

Financial Times quoted sources as saying that the sale could amount to $5.2 billion, adding that the figure could still change as the companies negotiated the final details.

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L-R: Mother of the president, Mrs. Eunice Jonathan; President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, at his 57th birthday in Abuja... yesterday.

Photo: timothy ikuomenisan

Ekiti: I am still in charge, says Omirin CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

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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

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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 LAGOS

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

for their constitutional sitting.

Addressing a press conference in Lagos, Omirin reiterated that he remained the speaker of the House, stating that the purported sitting by seven of the 26 members of the House is illegal.

He said: “The state Commissioner of Police is already tired of the incessant crisis rocking the state and we heard he is already seeking a transfer having become helpless.

We are going back to Ekiti; we are not running from the state, it is just that we can’t conduct our business of lawmaking in that atmosphere. What we are doing

here in Lagos is to let the whole world know what is happening in Ekiti."

He described the recent occurrences in the state as an illegality.

"We are going to fight with law; we are not running from Ekiti. We want him to kill one of us.

"If anything should happen to any of us, the whole of attention should focus on Fayose because he has said it severally that by the time three of us are killed, we would all toe his own path," he said.

On his purported impeachment, Omirin said: "I want to tell you I remain the speaker of Ekiti by the mandate given to me by my colleagues in the House.

As a matter of fact, what

they are doing today is an illegality. I can only be removed by 18 members, not 17 and half members. You can see the level of impunity encouraged by Fayose.

You can see the maximum rule going on in Ekiti."

But the governor denied any involvement in the crisis rocking the state legislature.

Fayose's Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, said the governor should not be linked to the happenings in the Assembly.

"It is not only ridiculous, but sheer balderdash to link the executive arm of the government with what is happening in the legislative arm. There is separation of powers

among all tiers of government and Governor Fayose is not a member of the Assembly," he added.

However, with Omirin's purported impeachment, the state government has asked him to hand over government property in his care.

A statement yesterday by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Modupe Alade, in AdoEkiti, said Omirin should hand over the items without any delay.

She advised the rest lawmakers who had gone on 'self-exile' to return to perform what they were elected to do.

The statement also congratulated Olugbemi for emerging the new speaker.

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

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Mahmud sworn in as new CJN, vows to sanction erring judicial officers lEncomiums as Justice Mukhtar bows out Anule Emmanuel and Tunde Oyesina

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday sworn in Justice Mahmud Mohammed as the 14th indigenous Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

The new CJN has already vowed to pursue all reforms initiated by his predecessors particularly the enforcement of discipline to check erring officers in the judicial system.

Speaking before conferring the prestigious honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) on the new CJN, President Jonathan stressed the need for a "constructive and productive engagement" among the three arms of the government to tackle the current security challenges.

He said that while every effort is being made to tackle the challenges, there is need for the three arms of government to join forces in sustainable peace.

President Jonathan noted that Justice Mahmud is assuming office at a time when the nation, including the judiciary, is implementing institutional reforms in order to improve on governance and service delivery.

According to the president, he was confident

that under the new CJN, the judiciary would rise to the challenge and "provide the much-needed support to enable the country overcome the challenges of terrorism and insurgency.

"It is particularly gratifying to know that he (CJN) has been a critical part of these reforms from the onset, of course we heard that from his citation.

"Therefore, he is at a vantage position to superintend over the processes.

I have no doubt that his tenure will witness even greater zeal in reforming and repositioning the judiciary for the effective and efficient discharge of its constitutional mandate."

President Jonathan did not fail to acknowledge the contribution of the outgoing CJN, Aloma Muhktar, in developing the judicial system.

He said: "I note with satisfaction that the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Aloma Mukhtar, made a solemn promise to the nation on assumption of office, to carry out necessary reforms in the judiciary in order to restore public confidence in our courts.

"I'm convinced that she has acquainted herself creditably well in the discharge of that responsibility.

"As Hon. Justice Mohammed braces up to continue from where she left off, he can be assured of our administration's unwavering support and cooperation," he said.

President Jonathan also said that as the 2015 general election draws closely, Nigerians are looking up to the judiciary as an impartial arbiter.

"Nigeria is on the threshold of another general election when politicians and political parties jostle for power. In the midst of these contestations, Nigerians look up to the judiciary as impartial arbiters in the polity.

At the ceremony, the

new CJN assured that he would do his best to ensure a transparent judicial process that guarantees a smooth democratic system.

Justice Mahmud stressed that he will build on the foundation laid by his predecessor particularly the immediate past CJN. Meanwhile, stakeholders in the nation's judiciary showered encomiums on the Nigeria’s first female CJN, Justice Mukhtar, as she officially bowed out of office after attaining the retirement age of 70 years.

Justice Mukhtar retired yesterday after spending 47 years on the bench.

Speaking at a valedictory session held in her honour, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) noted that the first female CJN remained fearless, hardworking and incorruptible throughout her career in the judiciary.

Adoke further said that the daring reforms executed by Justice Mukhtar and which have brought a new era to the nation would forever be cherished.

Also speaking at the occasion, the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Folake Solanke asked judges in the country not to be sub-

servient to anybody in the authority.

President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Austin Alegeh (SAN) commended Justice Mukhtar for total overhauling and re-organisation of the judiciary.

Responding, the retired CJN, charged state governors in Nigeria to learn how to respect and obey court orders in order for democracy to thrive as being witnessed in the advanced world.

She also charged them to ensure the strict adherence to the separation of powers among the three arms of government for the promotion of the rule of laws and natural justice.

China Railway wins $12bn Nigeria deal

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hina Railway Construction Corp has signed a deal worth nearly $12 billion with Nigeria to build a railway along the West African nation's coast, Xinhua, Chinese state news agency, has said.

The announcement comes shortly after Mexico abruptly scrapped a $3.75 billion high-speed rail contract with a consortium led by the Chinese firm over transparency concerns.

China is pushing to win railway construction projects around the world as part of plans to export its high-speed technology and lift its manufacturing sector up the value chain.

Beijing is also pumping money into the sector, with more than $100 billion worth of infrastructure projects approved in late

October and early November in a bid to bolster slowing growth in the world's second largest economy.

"It is a mutually beneficial project," CRCC Chairman Meng Fengchao told Xinhua. He added the railway project will lead to equipment exports from China worth $4 billion, including construction machinery, trains and steel products.

Officials at CRCC could not be immediately reached for comment.

The project will create up to 200,000 local jobs, according to Xinhua, helping Beijing in its soft power push to gain a foothold in resource-rich regions of Africa.

The coastal railway will stretch for 1,402 kilometres, linking Nigeria's economic capital Lagos with Calabar, Xinhua said.

L-R: Former Abia State Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu; former Anambra State Governor, Chief Jim Nwobodo and his wife, Pat, during a condolence visit by Former Governors' Forum to the Nwobodo family over the death of their son, in Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Dangote still Africa's richest man CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

lion, up from $400 million a year ago.

The two new Nigerian business tycoons on the list of Africa’s 50 Richest, Kalu and Elumelu, have made their mark in their respect businesses.

According to Forbes, Kalu got his start in business at age 19. He then took a $35 loan from his mother and started trading commodities like palm oil, rice, sugar, salt and flour.

He diversified into furniture manufacturing and transportation and became a millionaire by the time he was 20. He hit the big time in the early 80s

when the Nigerian military government awarded him lucrative contracts to import and supply arms and ammunition to Nigeria's military and defense forces.

Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, is one of Nigeria’s most successful businessmen.

Elumelu, a Nigerian banker, and founder of African investment firm, Heirs Holdings, joins the rich list with a net worth of $1 billion.

Elumelu owns a controlling stake in Transcorp, a listed Nigerian conglomerate that has interests in insurance, healthcare,

hotels, power production, energy and agriculture.

Elumelu is a proponent of Africapitalism, an economic philosophy that propagates that the African private sector has the power to transform the continent through longterm investments, creating both economic prosperity and social wealth.

He made his fortune when he bought into a struggling Nigerian commercial bank and transformed it into the United Bank for Africa, a leading commercial bank with a presence in 19 African countries.

Behind Dangote at

number one position with a fortune of $21.6 billion, comes South African luxury goods magnate Johann Rupert, number two for the second year in a row, worth an estimated $7.3 billion. His Compagnie Financiere Richemont has a stable of luxury brands including Cartier, Montblanc and fashion house Azzedine Alaia.

Six newcomers join the list of richest Africans, including Ali Wakrim of Morocco and Ahmed Ezz of Egypt.

Mohamed Bensalah of Morocco rejoins the list after dropping off in 2013.

NEW TELEGRAPH friday, november 21, 2014

NEC seeks upward review of taxes, levies Anule Emmanuel

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he National Economic Council (NEC) has called for an upward review of taxes on luxury goods and services.

The council is seeking an amendment in the Nigerian tax law that will accommodate the increment.

If the amendment is approved by the government, the Attorney General will forward a proposed bill to

the National Assembly for passage into law.

At its 57th meeting, which was chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo, NEC directed that Attorneys General from across the six geopolitical zones meet to review the proposed amendment to the Act on the harmonisation of taxes and levies across the federation.

In the face of falling oil prices, Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iwea-

News

national

la as part of the immediate steps to cushion the fall in oil revenue, had proposed an increase in non-oil revenue in the country. She had consequently announced an aggressive tax administration in which, private jets, yachts, Champagne and a list of other luxury goods would be taxed.

Following the presentation of the brief by the Ministerial Implementation Committee (MIC) to the NEC, on the harmo-

nization of taxes and levies across the federation in August 2014, NEC had passed some resolutions and directed the MIC to carry out further activities and present an updated report to the Council.

One of the directives and resolutions given by the NEC is that six Attorneys General representing the six (6) geo-political zones should be invited for a meeting to review the proposed amendment to the Act.

9

Buhari targets N7bn campaign fund Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

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ormer Military Head of State and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) yesterday flagged- off an initiative for campaign funds, targeting N7 billion from supporters across the country.

The amount would be raised from an estimated 70 million party supporters and admirers, who will be expected to contribute a minimum of N100 each.

Addressing the group of young supporters under the aegis of Buhari Support Organisation (BSO), Buhari stated that he decided to buy into the initiative because of the in-built mechanism for ensuring accountability and transparency in its operations.

He said: "What makes it worthy of praise is the

fact that the initiative comes with its in-built mechanism for ensuring acceptability that is also transparency -friendly. If we preach accountability, we should be able to practice it.

"What we are about to witness in the next few moments is the culmination of painstaking effort and dedication and unquenchable zeal to make a difference to the future that lies before us".

Buhari noted that what youth support groups have done is to rally teaming supporters worldwide for a common purpose, to salvage the nation from the brink and put an end to plunder.

He said: "A similar initiative has been used by politicians in the United States of America, like President Barack Obama, who rallied the support of the people around the country to provide funds that enabled him prosecute his election campaign.”

change of nameS

David-Ola

L-R: Senior Partner, Agbakoba and Associate, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba; Founder/CEO, Dunn Loren Merrifield/ Director, Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company Plc, Mr. Sonnie Ayere; Managing Partner, Perchstone and Graeys, Mr. Osaro Eghobamien; Managing Director, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mr. Mustapha Chike-Obi and Director, Africapitalism Institute, Mr. David Rice, at the Legal Business Summit in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Immigration begins training of officers Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

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he Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr David Parradang, has stated that his mission for the Service is to build complete officers in every ramifications.

Parradang stated this at the final of the Inter-Directorate sports competition of the Service that held in Abuja on Wednesday.

The Inter-Directorate sports competition, which started in May this year, was the first sporting event in the service.

Speaking on the need to introduce sports into the curriculum of the service, the CG posited that he noticed a lack of physical ability in the men and women of the Service as they were always at the clinic.

According to him, since the sporting competition began, the number of those that visit the Service Clinic have drastically reduced.

Encouraging officers to make it as a point of duty to participate in sporting activities, he quoted the scripture saying, "They should not despise the days

of little beginning".

Explaining the need for the competition, the CG said, "You would recall that on assumption of office as Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service in June 2013, I constituted a Committee to fashion out a new Blue Print that will guarantee global best practices and efficient service delivery in our operations and activities, with particular focus on Border Security; Internal Monitoring/Control; Application of modern Technology and Staff Welfare/Development (Total Immigration Officer).

"With the cooperation of my management team, officers and men of the Service, as well as the collaboration of all our stakeholders, we have been vigorously pursuing this four – point Agenda.

"In furtherance of our commitment to developing ‘a Total Immigration Officer’, we introduced sporting activities and I am particularly overwhelmed by not just the participation of our officers and men but the tremendous support we have enjoyed from well meaning individuals and corporate organizations".

Amaechi’s comments on 2015 election treasonable, says Okupe Wale Elegbede

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he Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, said yesterday that comments made by Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi on the forthcoming general election is an evidence of the governor’s penchant for lawlessness and anarchy while pursuing power. Okupe, in a statement made available yesterday, said that Amaechi’s statement at a rally organized by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that if the 2015 elections

are “rigged”, his party will not seek redress in court but would rather carry out what he called “civil disobedience” as well as form a “parallel government”.

“This statement is clearly a further evidence of Amaechi’s penchant for lawlessness and anarchy in his unbridled pursuit for power. It is curious and unthinkable that a man who was himself a beneficiary of the court process would disdain the very platform through which he acquired the opportunity to make his reckless and provocative statement."

Obasanjo: I wish to outlast my PVC Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

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ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday received his Permanent Voter's Card (PVC) from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Obasanjo, who received the card from the Ogun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Sam Olumekun, at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, said his fervent prayer to God is to outlast the PVC.

The PVC being issued by the commission are said to have been programmed to last for 10 years.

But in his remarks shortly after Olumekun led top officials of INEC in the state to present him the card, Obasanjo urged Nigerians to always protect their PVCs. The former president expressed delight that he obtained his national identity card from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) few weeks ago.

Former Abijo Oluwakemi Peace now wish to be addressed as David-Ola Oluwakemi Peace. Former documents remain valid.

General public note.

Adenle

Former Ayeni Omowumi Mary now wish to be addressed as Adenle Omowumi Mary. Former documents remain valid.

General public note.

Amoo

Former Adewale Folashade Oluwatosin now wish to be addressed as Amoo Folashade Oluwatosin.

Former documents remain valid. General public note.

Akinade

Former Miss Oreoluwa Blessing Ilori now wish to be addressed as Miss Oreoluwa Blessing Akinade. Former documents remain valid.

General public note

PUBLIC NOTICE

Association of Wellness and Network Marketing Practitioners

The general public is hereby notified that the above named association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part "C" of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

The Trustees are: Barr. Osita Nzomiwu 1 His Excellency, Dr. Shem Zagbayi Nuhu 2 Prof. Joseph Chukwurah Ezigbo 3 Mr. Dennis Umoren-Udom 4 Hon. Jezie Nzomiwu 5 Mrs. Abeke Mercy Adeliyi 6 Dr. Philip Oluleke Ibinaiye 7 Mrs. Jamila Loveth Braide 8 Mr. Dickson Orji 9 Mrs. Oyeyemi Olusanya AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To provide an interactive platform for Network Marketers.

2. To regulate Network Marketing profession.

3. To promote network marketing education.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: SIGNED: Barr. Osita Nzomiwu (Chairman)

PUBLIC NOTICE

FAIR HAVENS APOSTOLIC MINISTRY The general public is hereby notified that the above named MINISTRY has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part "C" of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

The Trustees are: 1. Pastor/Prophet Oyeniyi Abraham Kayode - General Overseer 2 Pastor (Mrs) Oyeniyi Ruth Adenike 3. Evang. Ayantoye Micheal Adeyemi AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To propagate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ all over the world 2. To empower men for success and inherit God’s kingdom at the end.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: TRUSTEES

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

10

Metro Abuja Urban Mass Transport firm embraces e-ticketing

Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

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he Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company Limited (AUMTC) said it had concluded arrangements to migrate from direct selling of tickets to commuters to eticketing.

Its Head of Marketing and Communication, Tunde Akintola, said that the planned eticket would help commuters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially civil servants, to plan ahead.

Akintola, who urged commuters to cooperate with the company on the initiative, said the new means of collecting transport fare would be cheaper compared to the old direct mode of collecting money.

He disclosed that necessary gadgets for the operation had been put in place in almost all the high capacity buses operating in the nation’s capital.

“We will soon start creating awareness on the television, radio and newspapers so as to sensitise and educate people towards using the card so that when we start, people will key into it immediately,” Akintola added.

According to him, about 400 high capacity buses are presently operating in Abuja and its environs.

Akintola also said that the company was working round the clock to build exclusive motor parks for its buses.

He said: “Presently, the FCT Administration is working seriously on our park at Nyanya because where our buses are picking passengers presently is too close to the road and it is not good to continue to be there.

“As soon as the work on the park is completed, we will move there. It is going to be for Abuja Urban Mass transit buses alone”

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Four die in police, cult members’ shootout LAWLESSNESS Daredevil cult groups engage each other in gun battle in Lagos and later teamed up to attack police Taiwo Jimoh

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our persons were feared killed while others were injured during a gun duel between cult groups and police at Oyingbo area of Lagos metropolis yesterday.

The clash between Eiye and Aye snowballed after frightened community members alerted the police who raced to the scene.

Rather than bolt when the cult members saw the policemen, they suddenly teamed up and attacked the police.

According to witnesses, when the police realised that the cult members wanted to kill them, they retaliated.

In the course of the exchange of the gunfire, four persons were said to have been hit by flying bullets.

While some residents said that the four injured men died, another set insisted that only person died, while three oth-

File picture of anti-riot policemen

ers were injured and rushed to the hospital. The four persons that were hit by the bullets were passers-bye.

About 15 suspected cult members stormed the area around 9.30pm, shooting intermittently to scare shop owners and pedestrians. They were also said to have been led by a man known as ‘Small Rainbow.’

It was gathered that the cult members had fomented trouble at old Apapa Road in the afternoon, before retiring to the area in the evening.

When our correspondent visited the area, it was learnt

that one of the deceased, Mr Musa Garba, was a northerner, who worked as a truck driver inside the Kanuri Motor Park at Oyingbo.

It was also gathered that the late Garba was shot on the left side of his neck. Policemen from the Iponri Police Station, earlier in the morning, came to remove the bodies of those who were killed.

A resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the cult groups had been engaged in a battle of supremacy since Monday.

“This is not the first time rival cult groups would engage

one another at Oyingbo. Whenever it happens, we always call on the police to come to our rescue.

“When the cult members saw the policemen, they opened fire on them. The fight lasted for hours. After the dust settled, we discovered that one person was killed, while three others sustained injuries from stray bullets,” a resident said.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Kenneth Nwosu, who confirmed the incident, said three suspected cult members had been arrested in connection to the clash.

Three slump during Imo job recruitment Steve Uzoechi Owerri

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t least three persons collapsed yesterday following a stampede during the collection of civil service application forms at the Imo State Secretariat, Owerri.

Several other people, especially pregnant women and nursing mothers, sustained varying degrees of injury.

The exercise, which started on Monday and expected to end next Monday, has continued to record unprecedented number of jobless youths from various local government areas.

It was gathered that the exercise has been marred by violence, leading to the breaking of windows, doors, chairs and tables, among others, fol-

lowing protests of marginali- Commission officials.

The state Head of Service, sation and favouritism.

One of the job seekers Mr Calistus Ekenze, conwho sustained injury, Collins demned the stampede but Iheme from Isu Local Govern- gave the assurance that the ment Area, blamed the stam- Civil Service Commission pede on the government for handling the exercise had taknot being able to conduct a en steps to ensure a smooth decent exercise. exercise.

Another applicant, Mercy Akuroulo, expressed dismay over the process, saying that if government was serious to provide people with jobs, it ought to have taken measures to ensure a smooth exercise.

She alleged that N2,000 was demanded and collected from each of the applicants, despite the initial assurance that the form was free.

The police was brought in to quell the angry and protesting applicants, who Governor Rochas Okorocha stoned the Civil Service

Metro 11

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

Robbers disarm policemen, Patient stabs nurses, others empty bullion van

The bullion van

Babatope Okeowo Akure

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ike a scene from a Hollywood film, daredevil armed robbers yesterday ambushed a bullion van loaded with cash at Elemesho village in Ondo East Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The operation, which lasted about seven minutes, occurred about 4.50pm in the agrarian community on Ondo-

Akure Road.

The villagers fled into the bush when they heard gunshots.

The driver of the bullion van and another driver vehicle plying the road were injured in the attack.

The bullion van with registration number FST 954 AL and its escort with registration number PF 3444 SPY belonging to UBA were going from Ondo town to Akure when they ran into the robbers.

A villager, who wit-

nessed the incident, said the robbers shot the tyres of the vehicles and forcibly brought them to a halt on the road.

The witness said the robbers disarmed the policemen, shot the bullion van, forced the safe of the van open and emptied the cash in the vehicle.

According to him, the robbers escaped through Ile-Oluji Road.

None of the policemen on the escort could confront the heavily armed

robbers. Those who could not stand being disarmed escaped into the bush.

A commercial driver, who witnessed the incident, said the robbers shot at a red bus with registration number Osun AA 733 FTD in front of the bullion van, forcing it to stop abruptly.

He said the owner of the vehicle, a school proprietor, was coming from Akure, saw the operation and wanted to make a detour but was shot in the eyes by the robbers.

When our correspondent got to the scene, men of the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) were combing the bush around the place. They also pushed the vehicles away from the road to allow for easy passage of motorists.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Isaac Eke, said the policemen were on the trail of the hoodlums.

He, however, said the police were working on conspiracy theory as the policemen on the escort were not from the Operations Department of the Force Headquarters.

Eke added that the police had begun investigation into the incident.

Man falls off moving train Mojeed Alabi

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middle-aged man narrowly escaped death yesterday in Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos when he fell off a moving train.

The man, whose identity could not be ascertained at press time because he was unconscious, was one of the many people who hanged on the train that was moving from Iddo to Agbado area in Lagos.

A witness, who gave his name simply as Gafar, said the incident occurred about 11am.

It drew crowd from nearby stalls who rescued the victim from the scene of the incident.

Gafar said the victim, who was probably from one of the northern states, could not speak for a long time and was not holding any identity card for proper identification.

He said: “It was difficult to know where exactly he was heading to and by the time he was regaining consciousness, the crowd had besieged him. But what was certain was that he was already stabilised when I got there.”

Sympathisers at the scene

Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

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here was commotion at Time Hospital, Owina, near Benin in Edo State when a man on admission allegedly attacked medical personnel and other patients.

The patient, identified as Ikponwosa Omorogbe, was admitted two weeks ago by the hospital.

It was learnt that Omorogbe was admitted along with two others after they sustained bullet wounds during a clash at a political gathering in Egor Local Government Area in the state.

Omorogbe was said to have gone into the wards, broke bottles and threatened all those that came across him that he would kill them.

He allegedly attacked and injured many people.

The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Taiwo Amusan, said Omorogbe and two others were shot at a meeting to nominate those who would represent the area in the state House of Assembly.

He said: “About two weeks ago, the police from Textile Mill Road brought in three persons with bullet wounds. One was shot in the chest and the others in the legs.

They said the incident

happened while there was a political meeting which involved a fracas between two honourable members. One of the honourable members was detained by the court and it was his wife that was responsible for the upkeep of this patient that

wreaked havoc on my hospital.

“It was the police from Textile Mill Road division that brought them in under emergency situation and we commenced treatment on them.

“My nurse called me about 10pm on Wednesday that there was problem in the hospital. The patient’s name is Ikponwosa Omorogbe. He was shot in the chest and was admitted. I was told that the honorable member who was detained by the Magistrates’ Court was released on bail yesterday to go and settle with his opponent.

“The boy, Omorogbe, suddenly went to the wards, broke bottles and threatened all those that came across him that he would kill them.

He kept shouting that he was a killer and not an armed robber. He broke into my office, turned everywhere upside down, took away N350,000 cash that was in my drawer, started spraying the N10 notes all around the hospital complex.

“He broke all the TV sets, chairs, and stabbed some patients. He was dangerously ar med with bottle. In fact, I had some drinks in my office which I was reserving for my celebration having just passed the fellow of Surgeon exams.

“We latter mobilised and were able to overpower him and disarmed him before the police from Evbotubu division came and took him away. You can see for yourself the level of destruction he has done. I am not a politician.”

FRSC takes safety tips to motor parks Camillus Nnaji

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fficers and men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), RS2.23 Mowe, Ogun State, yesterday took public enlightenment on road safety to major motor parks within the corridor.

Officials of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Ni-

geria (RTEAN), Association of Commercial Motorcyclists of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), and commercial bus drivers took part in the exercise.

The RS2.23Unit Commander, Assistant Corps Commander Oludare Ogunjobi, described the exercise as timely and another strategy aimed at taking the principles and practices of road safety tips to the grassroots,

especially during the ‘ember’ months.

He said: “We understand the role of this public enlightenment strategy to preach the gospel of safety on our roads and motor parks. We use the initiative of demonstrative placards like: ‘speed kills, beware,’ ‘avoid distractions while driving,’ ‘avoid wrongful overtaking,’ ‘be lane disciplined,’ among others.

FRSC officials carrying placards with safety inscriptions

12

News

BARRICADE Gov. Mimiko’s defection to PDP is still causing ripples Babatope Okeowo AKURE

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ctivities within the Alagbaka Gover nment Re s e r vat i o n Area of Ondo City, in Ondo State, were brought to a standstill as aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), yesterday barricaded the area in protest of their disqualification by the Screening Committee of the party.

The aspirants, led by the Chairman of the PDP Aspirants’ forum,

SOUTH-WEST

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

PDP aspirants’ protest cripples Akure Chief Femi Adekanmbi, moved from the venue of the screening to the main road and prevented free flow of traffic for about an hour. They also used some of their campaign vehicles to block the major road, thereby bringing about traffic gridlock in the affected area.

Some of the supporters of the aspirants became unruly and harassed perceived political opponents. Reporters

and some of the passersby were not spared as street urchins popularly known as ‘Area Boys’, also harassed them.

The major grouse of the aspirants, according to Adekanmbi, was perceived disappearance of the screening committee led by Kenneth Imasuen and his members from the Sunview Hotel, the venue of the screening exercise without concluding their assignment in the state.

Briefing reporters at the venue, Adekanmbi, flanked by other aspirants including Tolu Babaleye, Thompson Ayegunle and Adedayo Omolafe among others said the Imasuen-led committee disqualified them without following due process of the law.

According to him, the National Assembly Screening Committee began its assignment on Wednesday and supposed

to have completed it yesterday. He said one senate and two House of Representatives aspirants were yet to be cleared as at 2pm yesterday.

However, he said the committee members were nowhere to be found when they got to the venue for the continuation of the exercise.

Some of them, he said have not got their letter of clearance 24 hours after they have undergone

screening exercise.

He however said some of the aspirants who just defected to the PDP have got their clearance certificates leading to their suspicion that they have been disqualified.

Adekanmbi, said some of them had been members of the party in the past 16 years and had remained in the party in the past six years when the party lost power in 2009 to the Labour Party (LP).

Omisore alleges plot to eliminate him Adeolu Adeyemo OSOGBO

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), candidate in the August 9, 2014 governorship election in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, yesterday raised the alarm that leadership of the All progressives Congress (APC), in the state have concluded plans to assassinate him to cover up what he termed the electoral fraud they perpetrated in the election.

Omisore, in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo by his Media aide, Mr. Victor Oriola ,however called on “security agents to increase security around Senator Omisore, to forestall the blood thirsty vampires in the APC from carrying out their evil machinations”.

The release stated that “We are constrained to inform the general public, especially the security agents that we have uncovered plots by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Osun state to assassinate Senator Iyiola Omisore in order to cover up the electoral heist perpetrated on August 9, 2014.”

Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adewale Omirin (middle), flanked by 18 other APC members of the House, after a press briefing by the lawmakers in Lagos …yesterday

Synagogue: Faulty equipment stops coroner’s proceeding Shola Adefuwa and Cynthia Johnson

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ork of the Coroner, probing the September 12 Synagogue building collapse yesterday was disrupted by faulty electronic recorder, leading to further adjournment till today.

Scheduled for appearance on the day before the Coroner Magistrate O.A. Komolafe, were the

Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Lagos State Ministry of Works, the Founder, Synagogue Church Of All Nations, Prophet Temitope Joshua and the contractor that built the collapsed structure.

The proceeding was however halted mid-way into the testimonies of the SON witness, Mr. Bede Obayi, who is the Head, Inspectorate and Compliant Department

Drama as PDP screens Daniel, Kashamu Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

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mild drama ensued yesterday at the Ogun State Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Abeokuta when former governor of the State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and a Chieftain of the party, Prince Buruji Kashamu, appeared before the party’s National Assembly Screening panel.

Daniel and Kashamu, whose political rivalry had hitherto polarised

the PDP are contestants for the Ogun East Senatorial District ticket.

The duo, was treconciled recently when the former governor defected from the Labour Party (LP) alongside his loyalists to the PDP. However, at the party Secretariat yesterday, Kashamu, who is the Chairman, Mobilisation and Organisation Committee of South West PDP, asked Daniel to “step down” for him.

According to him, Daniel had held political

office as governor of the state for two terms and should allow others to contest.

But the ex-governor, who exchanged banters with his rival, urged Kashamu to allow the people of Remo Division to produce a Senator for Ogun East zone in 2015.

Remo Division, has not produced a Senator for Ogun East since the creation of the state, as only the Ijebu Division in the zone, had always elected the senator for the senatorial district.

of the organisation.

Prior to the adjournment, Obayi, an expert in Metallurgical and Material Engineering, had submitted to the Coroner results of three separete tests carried out on samples of the materials used in the construction of the collapsed building.

Introducing the test results, Obayi told the audience at the Coroner, that immediately his

team received the news of the building collapse, they visited the site and collected relevant samples including iron rod and the broken bricks.

According to Obayi, SON’s investigations traced the iron rods used as the reinforcement timbers of the failed building to four different companies.

Obayi, explained that after collecting the samples, the SON submitted them

to three different laboratories, in order to ensure the accuracy of the results.

According to him, one sample was submitted to a neutral steel rolling company, which was not one of the four implicated companies; another set of samples was also sent to the four companies implicated and a third sample was submitted for analysis at the SON laboratory.

2015: Gbolarumi warns against imposition Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

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governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Hasim Gbolarumi has warned the national leadership against imposing anyone of them as the candidate of the party.

He made the declaration in Ibadan yesterday against the background of anxiety over non- release of results of both the ward and state congresses by the party’s national leadership almost three weeks

after its conduct.

His words, “In as much as I am not in position to adduce reasons for the non-release of the results of our party’s congresses, I will only urge all party members to remain calm as we await the results. I know Abuja will be fair to all and will not tinker with the idea of imposing any candidate as the governorship candidate for the election. Let all of us who have shown interest and collected forms take part in the primary, and personally I will support

whatever is the party’s decision on the primaries. I will support whoever emerges at the primaries which I know is going to be me by the grace of God. The former deputy governor said that “PDP is made up of people with integrity and I know Abuja knows that it will never come down to Oyo State to vote for the party’s candidate during governorship election. It is those of us in the state, who will vote for the candidate who emerges at the primaries.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

Tambuwal

Jonathan poses threat to democracy –Atiku

Power tussle

Gbajabiamila: Why we scaled N’Assembly’s fence

Governorship aspirants

14

15

16, 17

13

Acting gov, ex-minister, senator, nine others battle for Suntai’s seat

Politics

Divided by ambitions Clement James Calabar.

T

he crisis raging in the Cross River State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) started like a mild breeze. For those who had followed developments in the party since June this year, the present crisis is not a surprise.

When it became clear that a former top manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Goddy Jerry-Agba was interested in the governorship seat of the state, the position having been zoned to his senatorial district, the party leadership virtually swore that he was not eligible to contest.

It did not matter that some powerful politicians of the state extraction who reside in Abuja had thrown their weight behind the aspirant. The last ward congress election, predictably, prompted a serious crisis which is about to take its toll on the party, if not well managed.

Although the party had, immediately after the ward congress held on November 1 (which has now been cancelled), claimed that all was well and that there were no hitches, events in the last one week have shown that there were, indeed, issues that went beyond mere hitches.

Or how would the party hierarchy in the state accuse members of the panel who were sent by the national leadership to oversee the conduct of the congress of selling them a dummy, and presenting to Abuja a delegates’ list they knew nothing about?

There is no doubt the party has since the congress, split into two camps with the Abuja legislators and their followers digging into their trenches, while the state leadership is doing everything to fence off their chal-

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY EDITOR, PoLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Okon

lenge. As it stands, the national leadership will have to placate or even discipline some aggrieved/ or erring officials of the party if only to bring them together again. But bitterness is clearly being expressed and the fact that interest is at play makes it all the more complicated.

The court case Meanwhile, a law suit has been instituted at the Federal High Court, Calabar division against the PDP and the Cross River State chairman of the party, Ntufam John Okon, as first and second defendants respectively.

The suit number FHC/CA/ CS/91/2014 is challenging the use of caucuses for the screening of aspirants among others that are not known to the constitution of the PDP. The suit has Epass Mgbado and Abeng Emmanuel Egbe as 1st and 2nd plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration and an order of court setting aside the appointment by the John Okon-led leadership of “certain persons as leaders/ chairmen of the 1st defendant’s local government area caucuses as published on pages 1 and 2 of Nigerian Chronicle, 20-26 August, 2014 and House of Assembly caucuses and barring them from presiding over any meeting with a

Ndoma-Egba

The suspended party members have ridiculed the party and have gone against the process.

Some of them in the court, some after inducement, tried to compromise the system

view to selecting and/or electing any consensus candidate.”

Another order of court sought for is to direct: “the defendants to elect candidates for gubernatorial, senatorial, House of Representatives, and State Assembly strictly through the various congresses as stipulated under sections 25(2)(c), 25(5)(a), 25(6) (a) and (b) and 25(7) (a) and (b) of the 1st Defendant’s Constitution, 2012 (as amended) and by no other means.

“An order setting aside the sales by the 2nd Defendant and his State Executive Committee of the ‘administrative/data form, PDP/CRS/GE/2015’ same being unknown to the 1st defendant’s constitution and guidelines.

“An order restraining the 2nd defendant by itself, their agents, privies, staffs, cohorts and other representatives in action from partaking or participating in whatever manner in the forthcoming general election in Cross River State of Nigeria having become bias against certain aspirants including my humble self and the 2nd plaintiff.”

Accusations and counteraccusations On Friday, October 31, a day to the cancelled ward congress, there were apprehension in the Abuja camp that the delegates’

list would be tampered with.

For Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, who is the most senior member of the National Assembly, it was one issue that kept him in Calabar, instead of travelling to his hometown of Akparabong.

In fact, he literarily followed the materials to Ikom, where it was reportedly kept at the Ikom Police station. Like the materials, the Senate Leader arrived very late in Ikom. By Sunday the following day, news of parallel congress filled the air. Yet, the state chairman insisted the process was without any flaw and that everything was done to make the exercise a success.

But a week later, the chairman, speaking with some journalists in his office, alleged that the Abuja panel, made of “very senior persons” brought fake forms to Calabar and eventually submitted strange forms to the secretariat in Abuja. His words: “We had a group of very senior persons who came from Abuja and we received them. When they arrived in November, I took them to our leader. They came here, in fact, there was a briefing in my office and some stakeholders raised issues. We went to the public and they raised issues.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Politics

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES’ CRISIS

Jonathan poses threat to democracy –Atiku Temitope Ogunbanke

F

or mer VicePresident Atiku Abubakar has slammed Presi-

dent Goodluck Jonathan, accusing his administration of using crude methods to harass and humiliate perceived political enemies.

He spoke on the back-

PDP Reps’ leaders meet Sambo Anule Emmanuel Abuja

V

ice-President Namadi Sambo yesterday met with the principal officers of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) behind closed doors.

The meeting came shortly after the pandemonium broke out in the National Assembly when security operatives prevented Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal, from entering the National Assembly.

The principal officers led by the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, included the House Majority Leader, Mulikat Akande, the Deputy Leader, Leo Ogor, and the Chief Whip, Ishaku Bawa

arrived the Presidential Villa at exactly 5p.m.

They proceeded straight to confer with the vice president in his office possibly to discuss issues relating the crisis that have rocked the House.

The meeting between the vice president and the principal officers also came barely an hour after President Jonathan departed for the United Kingdom where he is expected to participate at the meeting of the Honourary International Investment Council (HIIC).

When State House Correspondents approached them to comment on the purpose of the meeting, none of the principal officer accepted to speak.

Ihedioha only waved reporters and wished them happy democracy.

drop of the crisis rocking National Assembly yesterday when heavily armed security operatives prevented Speaker Aminu Tambuwal from gaining access to the House of Representatives to preside over the deliberation on the extension of emergency rule in the North-East.

“This crisis highlights the absolute failure of the current PDP’s idea of government: arrogant, indifferent and incompetent,” Atiku asserted.

The former vice president regretted that abuse of power by using state agents to harass, intimidate and humiliate perceived opponents by the president was not only capable of heating the polity on frightening scale, but also carried

the risks of polarising and politicizing security operatives in the country.

He reminded the president that he was elected to uphold the constitution of the country, and not to use power arbitrarily against political opponents.

The former vice president advised President Jonathan to practice what he preaches by not heating up the polity, an accusation he always directs at opposition politicians.

“What is happening at the National Assembly taken together with what unfolded today (Thursday) at the Ekiti House of Assembly is totally strange. It is not the democracy we fought for; for which many of our compatriots paid for with their lives. These

free-riders should not be allowed to destroy what others built with their sweat and blood.

“It is not too late, however, for President Jonathan to pull the plug on these assaults to our democracy because it is inconceivable that the show of shame at the National Assembly is what he wanted as a birthday present,” Atiku said.

The former vice president said in a statement by his media office that the “siege mentality” of the Jonathan administration poses grave threats to Nigeria’s democracy, the rule of law and the separation of powers as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“Obviously, the emergency rule has failed to stem the unrest. The

Federal Government must work with, rather than against those who understand and have been elected by the people to govern,” Atiku counselled.

According to Atiku, this crude display of power by the president and his agents portends ominous signals for the future of Nigeria’s democracy. He said it was not a surprise as President Jonathan did not participate in the costly struggle that brought our present democracy into being.

He said the behaviour of the PDP-led government towards Tambuwal was not decent and acceptable under a president that has committed himself to uphold the rule of law.

Aliyu apologises to Mark over legislator’s unruly conduct Dan Atori Minna

T

he Governor of Niger State, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, yesterday tendered an unreserved apology to the Senate President, David Mark, over the unruly conduct of Hon. Abdullahi Cheche, a legislator from the state.

Cheche, a member of the House of Representatives, was said to have attacked Mark at the National Assembly premises.

Aliyu, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Israel Ebije, said the Niger State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), government and people of the state are embarrassed by the brazen show of foolery exhibited by the member.

The governor said Cheche’s action was despicable, notorious and dishonourable for a lawmaker.

His words: “I am indeed embarrassed when I watched on television and on social media the dis-

graceful conduct of Hon. Cheche against the Senate President. While such conduct is not expected of a lawmaker, it is even shocking the member had the effrontery to attack the Senate President who was onetime the governor of Niger State.

“I expected him to respect Senator Mark either as Senate President or as a former governor of his state who performed excellently well and has earned the respect of people of Niger state.

“We must understand that leadership comes with maturity and scrupulous disposition to persons or issues. We in Niger State are indeed shocked by his woeful conduct. Let me therefore apologise to the Senate President for the embarrassing conduct of Chache.”

The governor said that the Niger State chapter of the PDP has commenced disciplinary action against the House member, adding that his despicable action must be addressed to serve as deterrent and also to sanitise the party.

Hon. Shehu Bawa at the plenary yesterday.

Group accuses Tambuwal of plan to destabilise House Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

F

ollowing the break down of law and order at the House of Representatives wing of the National Assembly yesterday, The National Democratic Front (NDF) has accused Speaker Aminu Tambuwal of plan to factionalize the National Assembly.

The NDF in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by its National President, Comrade Philip Agbese, said Nigerians should hold the Speaker and the All Progressives Congress (APC) responsible if democracy fails in the country.

He noted that what transpired between the police and some members of the House of Representatives at the National Assembly complex yesterday was orchestrated by the Speaker who he alleged was acting the script of the major opposition party, APC, to form a parallel government at every level.

“It is regrettable, uncivilised and animalistic in all ramifications and could have been aborted if Tambuwal was still in the right frame of mind,” he said Agbese condemned what he called plan by the Speaker and the opposition party to set up a parallel National Assem-

bly, querying the sudden re-convening of the House after Tambuwal had adjourned it till December 3.

Agbese advised Tambuwal to “vacate his seat to prevent further breakdown of law and order if he is actually the patriot he claims”.

He described Nigerian politicians as men lacking in what they say and not what they can offer.

“It is high time our leaders are reminded that just like in other climes politicians must learn to conduct themselves with some level of morality, and it is on this note that we call on Rt. Honourable Aminu Tambuwal to stop making mockery of our democracy by honourably

tendering his resignation letter as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the following days.

“We consider it unjust and immoral for anyone to set standards that he cannot maintain and wonder why those gentlemen that have continued to call on the President to quit on flimsy excuses cannot honourably tender their resignations when their actions are on the other side of the law.

“We therefore unequivocally call on Aminu Tambuwal to stop this level of gangsterism as his present position does not permit such acts that are inimical to the growth and development of the country,” he said.

Politics

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

15

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES’ CRISIS

Gbajabiamila: Why we scaled N’Assembly’s fence Onwuka Nzeshi

lEmbarrassment could have been averted, says Kaze

inority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila condemned the police invasion and described the incident as a siege on the House and democracy in Nigeria.

Gbajabiamila, who was among the legislators that forced their way into the parliament by scaling the iron gates, said nobody in his right senses would

have thought that the presidency or the executive would invade the House the way they did.

He said that the invasion was an act of impunity and disrespect for the legislature but warned that there could be consequences for such actions if they persisted.

On why some lawmakers including him had to jump the locked gates of the National Assembly to walk down the rest of the

M

way on foot, Gbajabiamila said he did so because their colleagues were waiting for them in the chambers and they could not afford to be shut out from the emergency session.

“It is a siege on the House and a siege on democracy. Nobody in his right senses would have thought that the Presidency or the Executive would invade the House the way they did today.

Unfortunately, I did some-

thing that I thought I will never do in my life which is to climb the gate of this institution. But I had to because my members were waiting for me in the House and I had to come in here and take charge.

“I did what I needed to do. I think we have made it very clear to the Presidency; we’ve made it very clear to enemies of democracy that this Speaker is here to stay and nothing is going to happen to him.

That is the point we have made and the message we have sent across,” he said.

Former Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Climate Change, Hon. Bitrus Kaze (PDP/ Plateau) also condemned the action of the security agencies, describing it as an embarrassment to the parliament and democracy in Nigeria.

Kaze said that though the whole episode was directly linked to the defection of Tambuwal to the

APC and his insistence on remaining as the Speaker, there was no justification for the action taken by the police as it amounted to a violation of the independence of the parliament.

He argued that having defected to the APC when there was no crisis in the PDP, Tambuwal ought to have honourably stepped down from the seat of speaker and the whole incident could have been averted.

Count us out –PDP Onyekachi Eze Abuja

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissociated itself and the presidency from yesterday’s show of shame in the National Assembly.

The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, also cautioned the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi from overheating the polity by his utterances.

Metuh described the lawmakers as “responsible adults elected by their constituencies,” and wondered what would have happened if the law enforcement agencies were not there to maintain law and order.

The PDP described the incident as unfortunate and cautioned that the parliament, being the nucleus of democracy, its members should live above board as Nigerians expect the best of behaviour from them.

On the statement by Governor Ameachi that the opposition would form a parallel government if the PDP wins the 2015 general election, the PDP said it was shocked and stunned by the statement especially coming from an elected person.

It cautioned Amaechi against unduly overheating the system and urged him to concentrate on his duties in his state.

Noting the change of attitude of the governor since he defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), PDP noted: “When he was in the PDP, he was much more guarded in his statements. We urge him to desist from utterances capable of derailing our democracy.”

The party, however, restated that it would continue to resist the provocations from the opposition and remain focused in its commitment in consolidating a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Nigeria.

CNPP condemns police action, demands IG’s sack Onwuka Nzeshi

T

he Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has condemned what it termed as the “brigandage and rascality” of the Nigeria Police Force which disrupted normal activities at the National Assembly.

The CNPP’s reaction which came after an emergency meeting described the clash between the police and lawmakers as the desecration of the parliament.

National Publicity Secretary of CNPP, Comrade Osita Okechukwu, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to sack the Inspector General

of Police (IGP), Mr Suleiman Abba, so as to absolve himself from the insinuations gaining ground that the new IGP is his attack-dog.

“CNPP is yet to understand the motive behind the violence unleashed by the Nigeria Police Force to members of the House of Representatives, in utter violation of the core mandate of the police to protect and defend the people and the laws of the land.

“We wish to warn those who wittingly and unwittingly discredit and abuse our hard won democracy, to desist forthwith from such ignoble act,” CNPP said.

Lawmakers locked out of the National Assembly gate, yesterday in Abuja.

Nigeria is falling apart, says APC Onwuka Nzeshi and Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

N

ational Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun yesterday stated that the country is falling with the siege laid to the National Assembly by the security operatives to prevent Speaker Aminu Tambuwal from gaining access into the complex.

Oyegun expressed shock at the incident and said the APC will meet to review it and give a definite response. He said that as a person, he was still shocked and cannot believe that such an incident took place at the National Assembly.

“I am still reeling from shock because when you do everything to get a rational explanation and you cannot find it and you know you are not dumb and you are not stupid then something is seriously wrong. It is

really totally incomprehensible,” he said.

Oyegun noted that the lawmakers reconvened from their recess to consider the request for an extension of the emergency rule in the three states of Adanawa, Borno and Yobe.

He said that what was expected was for lawmakers to review the emergency rule which had been on for 18 months and seek explanations from the security agencies why the insurgency was worsening by the day.

Oyegun lamented that things have gone worse under the emergency rule and there was no guarantee that it would get better even if the parliament extended it for another six months.

He described the policemen who took part in the invasion of the National Assembly as thugs in uniform, stressing that they had no business interfering in the leadership and conduct of activities in the par-

liament.

In another statement issued by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party accused President Goodluck Jonathan of sabotaging his own administration’s war against Boko Haram.

He said: “For a president who has severally stated his administration’s commitment to the battle against the insurgency in the North-East, is it not a cruel irony that he allowed his personal ego and political desperation to override his sense of propriety, by moving to have Rt. Hon. Tambuwal removed instead of having the House of Representatives sit to consider his request?”

APC said because of his meddlesomeness in the affairs of another arm of government, and also his blatant disregard for a court order that the status quo be maintained on the issue of the defection of the Speaker to the APC, the President yesterday suffered a moral

and political defeat that will hunt him for a long time to come.

“The plot was simple: The Presidency decided to use the reconvening of the House as an opportunity to remove the Speaker. While Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha was accorded a presidential ride into the premises of the National Assembly, House Speaker Tambuwal was barred from entry by the hordes of security agents who have been deployed solely for that purpose.

“Their plan was to ensure that, with Tambuwal locked out, Ihedioha would preside over the reconvened House and the Speaker will then be removed. The consideration of the request to extend the state of emergency was not important to the Presidency. The fate of the Nigerians who are suffering from the insurgency, which has displaced 1.5 million people, does not bother the Presidency. All it wanted is to remove Tambuwal.”

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Politics

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

LEADING GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANTS

Acting gov, ex-minister, senator, nine others battle for Suntai’s seat Philip Nyam and Sabiu Mustapha

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few weeks to the primaries of various political parties ahead of the 2015 general election, many aspirants have indicated intention to vie for the Taraba State governorship. And like in many other states, the choice of who becomes governor come 2015 will be determined basically by the people. However, one of the key deciding factors in the Taraba gubernatorial race has been religion.

Christianity is the predominant religion in the state followed by Islam.

The two leading political parties are the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). In most states where the governors are bowing out after a second term, they have anointed successors, but the case of Taraba is different as the governor is ill, while the acting governor has also picked the nomination form for the 2015 contest.

Created from the old Gongola State in 1991, Taraba is made up of many heterogeneous ethnic groups with Jukun as the majority tribe. Other tribes include Mambilla, Fulani, Kona, Kuteb, Tiv, Mumuye, Jenjo, Wurukun and Chamba. So far, only Mumuye (north) and Chamba (central) have tasted the governorship. Incidentally, these two are minority tribes. Even Jukun, the majority tribe has not been able to make it to the Government House. Rev. Jolly Nyame is Mumuye while ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai is Chamba.

The Christians have always had an upper hand until Suntai’s accident paved the way for a Muslim to occupy the seat, though temporarily.

Following this development, some politicians have argued that Taraba does not recognize zoning when it comes to governorship. But the people of Taraba South senatorial zone are making claims to the exalted position having not tasted it since 1999. The north senatorial zone ruled for eight years under Nyame from 1999 to 2007, while the present governor, Suntai, from the central senatorial zone has also won elections twice as governor and would serve out his second term in 2015. In fact, Nyame has ruled for 10 years considering the fact that he had earlier ruled the state for two years under the fomer miilitary president Ibrahim Babangida transition between 1991 and 1993. The acting governor, Garba Umar who has been in the saddle for the past two years is also from the north senatorial zone, meaning, that the north has enjoyed 12 years so far.

The argument of the people of Taraba South is that 2015 should be left for them. Yet, aspirants from other zones are still laying claims to the gubernatorial seat insisting that the previous elections were not contested based on zoning formula. For example, they have submitted that Danbaba did not become governor through zoning because Mr. Danladi Tijos, from the north senatorial zone actually won the PDP primaries in 2007 to succeed Nyame, but it was due to his disqualification at the party’s zonal convention in Bauchi that Suntai from central senatorial zone eventually emerged on the scene.

In spite of this, aspirants from both

Umar

Ishaku

Kente

Alhassan

north and central senatorial zones are not giving up on their ambition to succeed Suntai. The acting governor, Umar, is from the north, yet buoyed by the power of incumbency is very much in the race. So, who wears the crown come 2015? There are quite a lot of aspirants from the two dominant parties.

But just about five of them are serious contenders.

Garba Umar The acting governor is seen by many as a child of destiny. He was outside the state when Suntai invited him to assume the position of deputy governor after his first deputy, Alhaji Sani Danladi, was impeached. Shortly after he was appointed, Suntai was involved in a plane crash he piloted and less than a month after the accident, Umar was empowered by the House of Assembly to assume the status of acting governor.

As the acting governor, he is clearly the man to beat for the PDP’s ticket because of the power of incumbency.

Although he is said to be a gentleman and a good administrator, his alleged efforts to get Suntai impeached because of his failing health has pitched him against many stakeholders in the state.

Suntai is said to be back to the state and if he is capable of reclaiming his

seat before the primaries, then Umar may find it pretty difficult to clinch the party’s ticket. But if Suntai is unable to return, Umar’s chances will be bright.

Strength: As the incumbent acting governor, UTC, as he is fondly called, has a deep purse to buy his way to the party’s ticket. He can deploy his resources to control the party machinery and subsequently use it to walk his way back to the Government House. The acting governor is said to have called the shots during the just concluded ward congresses of the party.

Weakness: He is said to be distant from the people having lived most of his life as a businessman outside the state.

He is believed not to be a grassroots man and may find it difficult to warm his way into the hearts of majority of the electorate. Again, being a Muslim is also a minus for the acting governor because due to the constant skirmishes between Christians and Moslems in the area, elections are often won and lost based on religious inclinations and the Christians who are in the majority may not want to abdicate power at this time.

Umar will also face opposition from his boss, Governor Suntai. Despite the fact that Suntai is ill, as governor, he still has a large chunk of PDP members as supporters who are waiting for

UTC at the party primaries. Suntai’s supporters largely viewed UTC as a betrayal. According to them, he has not shown loyalty and appreciation to Suntai, who single handedly brought him into government. Similarly, the acting governor’s ambition is likely to be undermined by the aspirations of Musa John, Nigeria’s ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago and Obidah James Bitrus, a former chairman of the National Union of Logal Government Employees (NULGE) who hail from the same local government with him.

These aspirants are seen as spoilers to divide the votes of the area so that the acting governor’s votes will be depleted.

Darius Dickson Ishaku The immediate past Minister of State for Niger Delta has been reportedly endorsed by the Southern Taraba caucus of the party. He is also the anointed of one of the richest Nigerians and a power broker in the state, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma. Ishaku who hails from the southern senatorial zone, which has never had a shot at the gubernatorial seat, is contesting on the platform of the PDP and many are beginning to see him as the man to beat. He is relatively new in the state’s politics but has been able to play his cards well thereby grow-

Politics

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

17

LEADING GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANTS gets the party’s ticket, he will definitely attract a chunk of the popular votes.

His large heart will foster his gubernatorial pursuit. Also, being a Christian from the southern senatorial zone is a major advantage. His younger brother, Hon. Josiah Sabo Kente is the current speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly.

Weakness: Kente has never contested any election. Although he has a lot of money to play around with, he is up against entrenched interest such as Ishaku and the acting governor. He may not find it easy cracking the nut of these contenders. He is also considered by many as a philanthropist but not a politician. Kente is said to be operating parallel to the camp of ailing Governor Suntai.

John

Akirikwen

Sam

Sulaiman

ing a huge support base within a short period.

He has been flaunting his achievements as a minister as part of his track record to woo stakeholders in the state.

The former minister started his career as an Architect in 1980 with Inter Design Partnership and would later work with various architectural companies until he opened his own company and thus became the managing director of Excelarc Partners, an architectural, planning and engineering firm. In 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan, appointed him as minister of state for power, he became the acting Minister of power in October, 2012, and later Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, following a minor cabinet reshuffle.

Strength: Ishaku’s endorsement

by T.Y. Danjuma is a major boost to his ambition because the former Minister of Defence is not a man giving to frivolities. A soldier that he is, Danjuma deploys his resources deftly and strategically. So, with a huge financial chest behind him, Ishaku will give the acting governor a run for his money to clinch the PDP ticket. Most importantly, Suntai and his supporters are said to be favourably disposed to the gubernatorial ambition of Ishaku and this may sway votes in his favour even though the governor is no longer active. Again, Ishaku’s religious bent as a Christian will help him because Christians are in the clear majority and would like to maintain their hold on power.

Apart from being a Christian, he is also from the southern senatorial zone that is yet to have a feel of the Jalingo Government House and this will be a major plus for him. Another factor that is likely to advance the cause of

Ishaku’s aspiration is the withdrawal of Senator Emmanuel Bwacha from the gubernatorial race. Bwacha has massive followership and was before now touted to be the anointed candidate of Governor Suntai. But Bwacha has changed his mind and instead wants to return to the Senate. His support for Ishaku will definitely add value to his chances.

Weakness: He is not a veteran in the business of politicking and will have to contend with the power of incumbency as exerted by Garba Umar. Many describe him as a green horn.

David Sabo Kente Chief Kente popularly known as DSK is another aspirant to watch out for in the PDP. His presence has been felt throughout the state courtesy of his philanthropic activities. DSK has floated a Foundation through which he has been able to galvanise support throughout the state via his empowerment programme. He also used the Foundation to indirectly establish structures for his ambition in the 16 local government areas of the state.

He served in the Taraba State Civil Service for many years until he transferred his service to the Federal Civil Service as an assistant director finance and Head of Internal Audit Division with the National Assembly in May 2005. In September of the same year, he became the assistant director of Finance Central Pay Office of the Senate Account and also doubled as Head of Legislative Aides Account Division in the National Assembly in 2006.

Strength: Kente is popular amongst women and youths who have benefitted immensely from his benevolence. If he

Obidah James Bitrus Bitrus was a former state chairman of NULGE, he hails from the same local government area as the acting governor. It is believed that Bitrus is working in cahoots with the Darius camp to forestall the emergence of the acting governor as the party’s torch bearer. He is said not to be serious with the governorship aspiration but was brought in to pick the PDP nomination form as political chess game to undermine the acting governor’s chances in winning the PDP’s primaries.

Strength: As a former NULGE chairman, he is very much on ground and is not new to the politics of the state. He is a grassroots politician and can influence some sections of the society.

Weakness: He is not considered a serious aspirant and would have to contend with the towering political structures of both the acting governor and Ishaku.

Musa John He is the current Nigerian Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. He was onetime Commissioner for Information as well as Commissioner for Water Resources in the state. Like Bitrus, he also hails from the same local government with the acting governor and is believed to have picked the PDP’s governorship nomination form as part of the plot to stop UTC. Strength: He used to be popular amongst his people but with his appointment as ambassador, he has been away most of the time and one wonders if he will be able to pull enough weight.

Weakness: The ambassador does not have enough financial strength to challenge the likes of the acting governor.

Besides, he is from the same local government with Umar and may not find it funny going against the number one man.

Aisha Jummai Alhassan Mrs Alhassan is the senator representing Taraba North in the Senate.

She is outspoken and fearless. The only woman aspirant for the Taraba governorship; she is fondly referred to as the problem solver by her admirers.

A lawyer by training; Alhassan was onetime Taraba State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. She also served as Chief Registrar of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

After her retirement, she went into business before she joined politics.

In the January 2011 PDP primaries, she defeated the then incumbent Senator of Taraba North, former Ambassador Manzo Anthony. It was alleged that she was a protégé of former Governor Nyame who wanted to use her to get the senatorial seat. When she eventually won the PDP primaries, Alhassan ran an energetic electioneering campaign, managing to gain support from the electorate and subsequently won the April

9, 2011 polls with a landslide victory defeating former Governor Nyame of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). But shortly after their inauguration, Alhassan started having problems with Governor Suntai until she decided to dump the PDP for the APC. She is now the leader of the party in Taraba State. When she picked the APC’s nomination form in Jalingo, she said despite her being a female, if elected she will perform better that her male counterparts because “what a man can do, a woman can do better.”

Strength: Senator Alhassan has enough resources to execute her electioneering. She is also the only female in the race and this may attract sympathy votes for her. She has also done well for the people of her senatorial zone and this may be counted as a plus for her gubernatorial ambition. She seems the aspirant to beat in the party’s primaries.

Weakness: She is from the Taraba north senatorial zone which has ruled the state for longer period than any other zone. Given the clamour for power shift to the southern senatorial zone, Alhassan’s aspiration may hit the rocks even if she wins the party’s ticket. It is also not clear if the people of the state are prepared for a woman governor at this time. Besides, Alhassan is a Muslim and the Christian dominance may count against her. Her party, the APC, is not also very strong in the state.

Jonah Wachap Sam Sam, a medical doctor by profession, he worked in various hospitals within and outside Taraba before joining politics during the administration of Nyame, in which he served as Commissioner for Health. Since joining politics, he has been around and is close to the people. But whether closeness would translate to votes is another question entirely. He is not seen as a serious contender. He is contesting on the platform of the APC. Julde Sulaiman A medical doctor by profession, Dr. Julde Sulaimain hails from Jalingo, the state capital. He is also seeking the gubernatorial ticket of the APC. He is not a serious contender and is even from the north senatorial zone.

Ibrahim Tumba Alhaji Tumba who hails from Zing Local Government Area in the northern senatorial district, was the flag bearer of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2011 governorship election. He has since switched over to the APC and has already picked the governorship nomination form.

Yusuf Akirikwen Barrister Akirikwen hails from Takum in the southern senatorial zone.

In 2011, he contested for the House of Representatives seat for Ussa, Takum and Donga federal constituency. He has already picked the APC governorship nomination form preparatory for the party primaries. Though from the south senatorial zone, Akirikwen cannot go far because he does not have any political structure and the financial muscle to push through his electioneering.

Idris Waziri Donga A financial and management consultant, Donga hails from Donga Local Government area in the south senatorial zone. He is considered by analysts as a pretender because he does not have the necessary structures on ground to prosecute a gubernatorial election. He has already bought his nomination form ahead of the primaries.

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion

Pointe Noire, port of noise

Emissary EMEKA OBASI

emobas2003@yahoo.com 08094457557 (sms only)

H

istory never alters much in it’s texture. The French say” plus ca change, c’est le meme chose”[the more things change, the more they remain the same]. Last Saturday in Pointe Noire, Congolese fans relived the past, even without realising it.

In the Nations’ Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles and their Red Devils, home fans repeated history in Ponte Noire, doing exactly what they did 22 years earlier, in a USA ’94 preliminary game.

Six days ago, Nigeria defeated Congo 2-0 to brighten their chances of playing in the 2015 Africa Nations Cup. Watching their darling team go down twice, the fans invaded the pitch, forcing the referee to stop the match while their spleen lasted.

It was my friend and colleague, Simon Ekpe of the Punch newspapers that sent me a text to reminding me of our experience in the Congolese port city in 1992. We were part of the Nigerian contingent.

Let us get down memory lane to learn a little about Pointe Noire. It is French for Black Point. The name came because of the Slave Trade. So many energetic Africans where shipped to Europe and the Americas through the sea port. The name aptly captures the inhumanity that enveloped the environment.

On the road to their Mundial debut in 1994, the Eagles had to contend with Congo. Match Day was December 20, 1992. The Boys, led by Stephen Keshi and managed by Clemens Westerhof, were at the Lagos airport on December 18, to catch a Cameroun Airlines flight through Douala.

The arrangement did not pull through as expected, and the Eagles were going to run into trouble if they missed the game. The NFA was in a deep blue funk, before Vice president, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu came to the rescue.

He ordered his Chief Press Secretary, Nduka Irabor to work out a charter deal with Okada Air. It worked, and in the next 24 hours ,the team took off

from the Presidential Lounge of the Murtala Mohammed Airport. In three hours, the plane was set to touch down at the Agostino Neto Airport , Pointe Noire.

Flight Commander, Capt. A.E.E. Inameti announced that he had contacted the Control Tower on approach and was set to begin descent, when suddenly, communication was lost. He sounded confident, assuring that the bird would hover in the sky for 10 minutes while he awaited further signals.

We were above the ocean and all could feel the power of radiation. Operations officer Lucky Imafidon made sure Air Hostess Yetunde George distributed sweet mint to clear our blocked ears.

Luckily, contact was re-established, the landing was smooth. The Eagles checked into Hotel Zambar Azur, some of the accompanying officials like Irabor and the flight crew chose Hotel M’bou M’voumvou[place where there was a river].

After settling down, the Eagles were ready to go to the stadium to feel the turf. Congolese officials were of no use. There was no vehicle. The team had to go in batches, using taxis. Then, NFA Sole Admnistrator ,Amos Adamu noticed that his suitcase had disappeared.

At the stadium, the fans hailed Keshi and Rashidi Yekini. But the Eagles had to wait. Division Two sides V. Club and Leopards of Dolise were engaged in a decider.

Match Day was bright and sunny. As I arrived the arena with Ekpe, we bumped into Gabonese referee Perre Alain Monguengui. We heard shouts of ‘Monguengui,Monguengui, le Francophonie’ [Monguengui we are French speaking]. That was a message. The ref. must be a brother in the field.

Yekini stunned them with a 24th minute goal. I was sitting in the crowd with Ekpe, far from the others, so we could feel their disappointment. As the game progressed, Keshi appeared to have handled the ball in the box. The referee did not react. The crowd went wild.

The first linesman felt their venom, they poured sand into his eyes. Fans held up the match. Congolese skipper Tsomou Mbele pleaded with them to leave the pitch. Pierre Tchibota and Mounkassa Sylvain joined him. The fans grudgingly withdrew and the game would later end 1-0.

But the madness did not end. Daily Times Sports Editor Sam John received a shower of pebbles, re-

minding him of Ethiopia in 1985, when a trip with the Flying Eagles fetched him the beating of his life, while defender, Kingsley Onye almost lost his head in Addis.

Back to Pointe Noire. Nigerian Ambassador to Congo, George Adetuberu had his official car pelted with stones, shattering the windscreen. Leader of the Nigerian Community in the town, Alhaji Lawal had his store looted while the woman who prepared food for the contingent, Alhaja Adetona was not spared.

We all managed to escape back to our hotels. Ekpe and I first went to M’bou M’voumvou where we overheard Aikhomu ordering Irabor on the phone to send the team back to Lagos with immediate effect. By the time we got back to our hotel ,our luggage had been moved to a waiting vehicle by our colleagues, led by Fan Ndubuoke.

At the airport, I engaged Coach Christian Chukwu in a dialogue. “Nothing compared to Dakar”, Chairman said, referring to 1977, when Enugu Rangers beat Police of Senegal 2-1 in a Mandela Cup match.

Francis Nwosu had told me that Chukwu was stripped to the pants, in that encounter that saw the Flying Antelopes escaping in a Black Maria from the Demba Diop Stadium. General Olusegun Obasanjo sent an aircraft in Six hours after he got a call from the Nigeran Embassy.

In Congo, Chukwu said the experience was better.

Diplomat Jonathan Shamaiki explained that the Congolese acted out of hunger and frustration, as most workers were being owed Six months salary by the regime of Prof. Pascal Lisouba.

We all arrived Lagos late in the night and headed home. As I read Mr . Fabio Lanipekun’s account of the Pointe Noire incident, in the Sunday Tribune of November 16, 2014, I felt we should not mislead our readers. I keep records and I want to prove him wrong.

According to Lanipekun,” Chief S.B. Williams appreciated all the journalists by giving them 200 Dollars each.” This is insulting. I never received any dime from Williams,and I can also speak for Ekpe. We were in Congo to work. And I hope I have been able to prove it. There are things that should not be written.

I am so sure, our colleagues, who travelled to Pointe Noire in 2014, will like to ask Keshi and Ike Shorunmu[he was reserve goalie to Aloy Agu], the difference between Pointe Noire ’92 and Point Noire 2014.

Boko Haram and calls for president’s resignation Law Mefor

T

he war against insurgency in Nigeria has sadly been reduced to Jonathan’s war. Those who could command public opinion to weigh in against the spread of the Boko Haram sect and terrorism in northern Nigeria have ostensibly kept mute or talking in a manner deriding President Goodluck Jonathan and his Government; some are even out-rightly making encouraging remarks to create inertia of social forces that have continued to reinforce the insurgency. This explains the growing lack of synergy amongst the political class in the fight against insurgency in Nigeria. Rather than pull together to defeat insurgency in the land, some sections are directly and indirectly promoting it for political gains.

Many political actors in the current dispensation come across as mere cartoon characters. They live under the illusion that once President Jonathan is forced out, Boko Haram insurgents would leave the Sambisa Forest and climb down from the Adamawa Mountains and embrace peace and reintegrate into the society, like the Niger Delta militants. While this assumption remains to

be seen and most unlikely, it is safer to treat Boko Haram as a terrorist organization that it is, and not as political wing of some power mongers.

Insurgencies all over the world follow a pattern that can no longer be subjected to normal logic. The psychology of terrorism is clear: those who go through its tutelage and brainwashing, are radicalized to give up normal life and form a subculture, which can no longer mesh with the main stream it left. This basic truth vitiates the thinking of those who believe the coming to power of somebody other than Jonathan (perhaps a Muslim Northerner) would stop insurgency. This is an empty dream if the antisocial and anarchistic nature of terrorism is fully considered.

Also, from the deep divisions in the fighting ranks of the Nigerian military, it does appear these selfish Politicians have reached out to their contacts in the military and convinced many of them not to fight and to sabotage the operations of the Nigerian military. This has led to too many desertions and cowardly actions, which have paved the way for Boko Haram to make frightful progress to the point of establishing caliphates here and there. The sect just renamed Gwoza in Borno State, which it captured in July to Darul Hikma

or “House of Wisdom”. Mubi was now Nadinatul Islam, which means the City of Islam and peace. One wonders what is wise or peaceful about their violent takeover of Gwoza and Mubi or the sorrow, tears and blood they have left in their trails all over northern Nigeria.

One question is pertinent here: is Jonathan the problem as some opposition politicians want the world to believe? Let us recall that Boko Haram was incubated by some of these Politicians long before President Jonathan came to power at the center.

What triggered the current escalation of the terrorist conflict - the extrajudicial killing of Mohammed Yusuf, its leader - also happened long before Jonathan.

What this points out is that Boko Haram was not precipitated by the Jonathan Presidency. This does not however mean that he should allow it to fester, and he has n0t. The presidential will to combat Boko Haram insurgencies and defeat it is evidently there also; the military is being equipped and reinforced in manpower and otherwise, to adequately rise to the occasion. If the Nigerian military, once reputed as one of the greatest in Africa, has fallen short of expectations in this all-important fight, it is not because President Jonathan has denied them any vital political will or cover.

The reason the fight against insurgency in Nigeria is witnessing all manner of surprises and reversals is the said sabotage, which may have been inspired by politicians who want the insurgency to persist as a proof that Jonathan is incapable of managing the affairs of Nigeria and by those who promised to make Nigeria ungovernable for reasons we all know. Such actors have made quite some impression on the international community, where vested interests may be denying the President the assistance he naturally deserves to pull the country out of the dilemma.

Curiously, the US of all nations is officially not selling arms to Nigeria and the US Ambassador to Nigerian gave the reason to be that Nigeria’s military has an awful record of human rights abuses. This has forced Nigeria to purchase arms even from black market out of frustration and desperation. More curious is America’s insistence on dialogue with Boko Haram, a brutal sect it has officially criminalized and designated a terrorist organization, even after that country, as a matter of policy, has refused to negotiate with Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations.

• Mefor (lawmefor@gmail.com), Forensic Psychologist and Journalist, is National Coordinator, Transform Nigeria Movement (TNM), Abuja; +234-803-787-2893

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

19

EDITORIAL

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Nigeria’s most authoritative newspaper in politics and business

Good news from the police

he Nigeria Police Force (NPF) recently said it would no longer tolerate the unlawful killing of Nigerians in the name of ‘accidental discharge’. Spokesman of the force, acting CP, Emmanuel Ojukwu, gave the warning at a Forum of Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA) organised by I-Nigerian Initiative.

According to Ojukwu, no police man who shoots at somebody and claims accidental discharge will be spared as all guns have safety mechanisms. “There is nothing like accidental discharge; every gun has a safety mode; so if a policeman fires at somebody and says it is accidental, we deal with him and charge him for murder because he has been trained to handle arms and arms have safety modes. When a gun is fired, it must have been cocked; and before you cock, you must have the intention to fire it. So, if anyone has intention to fire, and he wounds somebody, we will not spare him because we are self-cleansing, we don’t take nonsense; bad eggs don’t survive here and so we throw them out’’.

Over the years, police officers have wantonly and recklessly killed innocent citizens , claiming it is a case of accidental discharge thereby escaping the long arms of the law. Therefore, it is a very

good development for the police to come and state categorically that there is nothing like accidental discharge. In other words, any police officer that kills, will be charged for murder. This is undoubtedly the right way to check the excesses of trigger- happy and powerdrunk police officers. However, we need to take a more holistic look at the challenges confronting the police, and why some officers and men behave the way they do.

Some police officers see themselves as superior human beings and, therefore, above the law. They think that once in police uniform, they can do as they like and the law is therefore an ass. They even refer to the ordinary citizen on the street that they ought to protect, as bloody civilian, and therefore, violate their fundamental human rights with impunity. In fact, some of the reported unrestrained behaviour of the police include allegations of massive fraud and extortion against the highest authorities in the Nigeria Police as well as a recent report that junior officers in a particular Police Command, carried placards to protest the exorbitant returns that were being demanded of them daily; the daily extortion of motorists on our roads at check points and drivers or conductors that have allegedly been shot dead for refusing to pay the illegal toll demanded by gun-toting officers on the road. In

other instances, some unscrupulous police officers loan out arms to armed robbers in exchange for cash. Indeed, over the years, the Police in Nigeria have earned themselves a very negative perception from the citizens, through what they observed as corrupt practices, abuse of power, brutal and partisan approach to issues of politics.

A psycho-analysis of the average policeman, shows a very frustrated human being, who sees in the ordinary citizen a picture of who he ought to have been but which he is not, hence, they vent their spleen on the people. This will be better understood against the backdrop of what a trainee policeman goes through at the police college. They are made to pay and provide for everything. Worse still, they are not treated well, living under horrendous conditions that are not fit for humans. It is not surprising, therefore, in the course of time, they transfer the aggression in them to members of the public.

To this end, it is very important that whenever the police want to recruit, they should do due diligence checks, personnel must be given professional training and treated like human beings. Funds budgeted for must not only be used for the purpose for which they are meant, they must be judiciously applied. Police barracks and training institutions must be revamped

and duly modernised. Also, they must be placed on special salary scale and given all the necessary gadgets with which to function effectively and optimally.

It is so sad that today in the country, it is the policeman that buys his uniforms, shoes, belts and what have you. They are transferred across the country at will, without providing necessary logistics for them and their families, for instance, accommodation and funds to settle down. It is a known fact, that in all the police stations in Nigeria, bail ought to be free, but in reality, it is not free. In fact, bail can be expensive, depending on the case at hand.

All of these taken together evidently show that the NPF is decaying and needs to be urgently rescued before it starts to give rancid odour. To this end, like we pointed out in our earlier editorials, the police must be purged of dead-woods and bad-eggs. The purge must have no ethnic and religious colouration, it must be total and all-encompassing. In the same token, the police are grossly underfunded, and the little that is provided is retained at the upper echelon of the force without trickling down to the rank and file. This is a serious contradiction that is tearing the police apart. All said and done, the police need to be salvaged from this prevailing rottenness.

Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief n Eric Osagie Deputy Managing Directors n Gabriel Akinadewo

Felix Oguejiofor Abugu

Managing Editor n Suleiman Uba Gaya

Editor, Daily n Yemi Ajayi

Editor, Saturday n Laurence Ani

Editor, Sunday n Emeka Madunagu

Deputy Editors, Daily n Emeka Obasi, Ayodele Ojo

Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz

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Ag. Bureau Chief, Abuja n Onwuka Nzeshi

News Editor n Geoffrey Ekenna

Business Development Manager n Taiwo Ahmed

Ag. Sales/Circulation Manager n Uchey Okezie

Head, Graphics n Timothy Akinleye

Head, Admin. n Robinson Ezeh

20

Politics

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

We brought the register.

Some of you were saying the register had disappeared. We gave the register and we gave all the documents and they went to the field. There were challenges and that is in any election. But we were surprised that when we went there, the forms that they gave to us, the form that these gentlemen gave to us from the national and all of us worked hard to achieve, the forms were even signed. When we reached Abuja, we discovered that the forms were basically fraudulent. I think they were

2015: Crisis rocks C’River PDP over congress four of them led by a very senior person.”

He said the issue was being handled by the national leadership and he was sure that justice would be done. By this admission, the party leadership is saying some Abuja politicians may have played a fast one on them, which goes to show that they had pre-empted the action of the state leadership.

Curiously, on Friday, November 7, the state executive council announced the suspension of some prominent mem-

bers of the party, citing court injunction and the fact that they “compromised the system.”

“The suspended party members have ridiculed the party and have gone against the process. Some of them in the court, some after inducement, tried to compromise the system.

So, some people wrote petitions against them and I had to call the state exco, which apart from the elected exco, is made up of council chairman, members of the House of Assembly, National

Assembly members and so on. For the petition, I don’t have the power to sanction. I had to put it to the exco and they said we should suspend them and refer them to the appropriate disciplinary committee, they will make their recommendation and we will look at it. The disciplinary committee is headed by Barr.

Josephine Efiom. But two of them, we don’t have the power to sanction and they are Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and Hon. Chris Etta so they have been referred to

the National secretariat.

Those suspended include Goddy Jeddy-Agba, Dr. Sandy Onor, Mr. Tony Mbam, Dr. Godwin Ejigwe, Kenuth Ndoma-Egba, Ubi Itam Etta, Earnest Irek and Venatius Ikem, among others. Suspension is with immediate effect pending the decision of the disciplinary committee,” the chairman had said.

Reacting, one of the suspended members and Director-General of Ndoma-Egba Campaign Team, Chief Earnest Irek, said: “Section 67,

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subsection 6 and 7 is very clear on how you suspend a member of the party. Nobody has called me to any hearing, I am not an electoral officer, I was not picked by the national office to deliver anybody, I did not write any result. I went as any other party faithful and contested and the result you see there is simply the outcome of what transpired.”

He continued: “They said the elections were free and fair, and we joined them to say so.

Why are they crying foul now? Secondly they are very smart on whatever they said about the leader (Ndoma-Egba) because they would have been in big trouble, though with us they are already in trouble. My suspension is laughable.”

Not done, Irek said; “They have turned themselves to comedians, so let them entertain Cross Riverians. It is the pains of losing out, I know it is painful because they have struck themselves so much and thought that they have everything, but the electorate have spoken, the PDP faithfuls have spoken.”

The Donald Duke factor Before now, the relationship between the former governor, Mr. Donald Duke and his erstwhile friends, which include Governor Liyel Imoke, was assumed to be cordial. Last Thursday, November 6, however provided a different picture as the ex-governor arrived the state with Jeddy-Agba to meet a tumultuous crowd who were on hand to welcome the man considered to be a frontline governorship aspirant (Jeddy-Agba) in the state.

Mounting the rostrum, Duke berated his friend, Imoke, saying he was left out of happenings in the state. He, therefore, presented Jeddy-Agba to the people as the next governor. This action has since generated interest among political watchers as everybody now awaits the response of the governor in particular, and the outcome of the transition in general.

The plot to remove state exco In the meantime, the plot to have the entire state executive council has thickened. With the suspension of the entire ward congress and delegates’ election in the state, those perceived to be against the present leadership in the state have moved the battle to Abuja.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

21

Book

Media

Why PMAN cannot fight piracy, says Mereni

Nigeria has not made conscious effort towards developing tourism, says Olowoporoku

22

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Akran launches Dad Died, Revamping Me

Arts

Tourism

CULTURE

My Husband has not seen any

of my plays, says Atta Simple and unassuming, Sefi Atta, a US-based Nigerian writer is so humble that she will pass for the woman next door, despite her numerous achievements. With many awards to her credit, she had a chat with EBERE AMEH during the premier of her latest play, ‘The Last Stand,’ which was staged in Lagos recently. Excerpts What is ‘The Last Stand’ about?

It is about a father and the conflict within his family over his estate. Down with a terminal illness and on his deathbed, he did not want to give the estate to certain members of the family for so many reasons. He has treated everybody in the family very bad. So he wants to leave his son in charge of his estate and his son did not want anything to do with him.

The son is a doctor, the father is a military man who has killed people in the past and now, he is incapacitated and his son is taking care of him. He has to rely on the son, so what happens? You will find out.

What inspired you to write it?

I don’t know. People ask me but there was a time I was working with a lot of men and funny enough, my friends advised me to be really tough with men. And so, I got tough and I dealt with those men and I had so much male energy. I think that is where the play came. I can’t think of any other thing because there is nothing in my life that connects me to these characters, at all.

Have you always been a playwright?

No. To be honest with you, once I started writing, play was the first thing I wrote. And then I wrote novels next. But

TONY OKUYEME tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

if you mean did I graduate from the university as a playwright I didn’t. I read Accountancy and I worked for over ten years. I was an auditor and I worked in different organizations. But that is not unusual for Nigerians, we do many things. I worked in the Nigerian stock Exchange for a while, worked as a teacher in the primary school and I loved that. I loved the children, I loved teaching them literature. They loved me because I didn’t beat them. It was fulfilling, we acted plays together. Then I worked in NIB for a while and I just saw that those things were not in my blood. The stock exchange, the corporate life, it wasn’t for me. Though I worked mostly abroad, I gave up working when I started writing.

Do you see a future for playwrights and writers generally in Nigeria?

Yes, we have the readership.

Even if you say six percent of Nigerians are reading, that still amount to millions of people.

Distributorship is probably the biggest challenge. And it is an opportunity for an entrepreneur to figure out how to get books to people, by starting of course, with the black market, which exists as well. Once you can do that, you have a huge market.

Did your family insist on your reading accountancy? How do they feel that you retired to write?

Nobody really cared. They don’t really care about what I do. They support me in ways that matters to me. They know if I am writing, they leave me alone. I don’t think my husband has even seen any of my plays. And I have been doing it for a long time. My daughter, only recently, read my book. So they don’t really care. My husband is a medical doctor and he’s saving lives. I don’t go to the hospital to see what he is doing. I don’t go to my daughters school to see what she is doing. In fact just recently when she read one of my

Sefi Atta

books, she was saying ‘you mean you can write?’ And I’ve been doing it 20 years?

Parents discourage their children from reading art related subjects. Do you think they are right, given the nature of our society?

I think in this day and age, people are really letting their children do anything they like. They are allowing their children to go into entertainment. In our time, you are going into entertainment, are you crazy? you are trying to be a model, are you nuts? Trying to be an actor, are you mad? But now I see people pushing their children to do those thing and I think it is great.

The only thing I want to say is that people still have to be manufacturing something. We have to have doctors and lawyers and engineers.

We can’t all be in the entertainment, arts and culture industry. It feels like the younger generation of Nigerians are attracted to that industry. That is my perception though. I will like for some of them to do boring behind the scene jobs that we need in Nigeria to get ahead as a country.

There is nothing you can do, if you don’t have an audience, you have not written a play. So you depend on them as much as you depend on the director and the actors to make a happy occasion

Of all the production companies in Lagos, why Jos Repertory Theatre for the production of ‘The Last Stand’?

I went for Jos Repertory Theatre because the guy is really talented. He is well trained and I worked with him initially, and it was stress free, no wahala.

Sometimes with male directors, it can be difficult, you have to deal with their egos as well.

But he was completely humble, intelligent, done a lot of work and very patient over the years.

So I’m happy that we have this opportunity to work together. He came all the way from Jos, with a young crew, on Thursday, and they truly have performed. I’m not just saying it, I’m so proud of the work they’ve done and what he has done for my play. Because one thing is to write a play, it is another thing for the actors and director to interpret it well and even enhance it. That he has done.

What can be done to improve theatre attendance in Nigeria?

It is a struggle. I reach out to people and good enough, the people come a lot and they keep coming. Whether or not the show is good or bad, they come, because they know me.

For that I am always grateful.

So I have a core group of people that come. Then once in a while, I have other people coming in because they heard about it.

Let me tell you, there is nothing you can do, if you don’t have an audience, you have not written a play. So you depend on them as much as you depend on the director and the actors to make a happy occasion. I don’t use the word happy lightly, the audience actually make actors feel happier. So it is everybody – the audience, the directors, the actors.

The fact is , you can’t force people to do what they don’t want to do. Nigeria is stressful enough. If they come, be grateful. I will say, in a place like Terra, reaching out to people who actually come in the first place, which they do, and convincing them to come back, will help.

The major challenge for me is marketing. I’m lousy at it. So if somebody else can take that stress off me as a playwright and actually bring people in, by reaching out to them regularly, not when you have a show, it will help. Giving the right people the money also goes a long way.

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Arts

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Yinka Akran launches two books A Stories: Tony Okuyeme

The promising Nigerian female writer, who studied English linguistics at the University of Jos, worked as a journalist with Prime People, Expression and Hints

Akran

British Council hosts creative industries expo

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ll is now set for the 2014 edition of the Creative Industries Expo organized by the British Council, Nigeria. The expo which aims to stimulate debate on issues relevant to the growth of Nigeria’s creative industries will hold December 8 and 9, 2014, at Westown Hotel, 7 SheratonOpebi Link Road, Ikeja, Lagos.

The expo also builds a platform for a cross-sectoral exhibition of Nigerian creativity and creates an opportunity for networking between creative entrepreneurs working in Nigeria and the UK. Announcing this, the British Council, in a statement signed by its Project Manager (Arts), Winnie Okpapi stated that theme for this year’s edition of the expo is “Collaboration: The Power of Shared Knowledge and Resources in Building a Creative Ecosystem”.

“With the British Council’s remit to foster international collaborations and dialogue, it has for three years, run a stimulate debate on issues relevant to the growth of Nigeria’s creative industries. After the 2011 expo, the Federal Ministry of Culture organized a National Policy Dialogue to drive stakeholder engagement in develop-

ing a national strategy for the creative industries. In 2012, the focus of the Expo was on developing greater links between the finance and creative industries. The 2013 Expo focused on capacity building in the sector and saw a host of industry leaders and trailblazers from Nigeria and the United Kingdom discuss a number of issues affecting the development of the creative industries, as well as examining current policies and recommending measures to improve training and support for the sector.

“The 2014 Expo will explore the growing worldwide trend of people and businesses choosing to work in creative hubs - shared spaces that foster new, more collaborative ways of working.”

The event will host creative hub founders and managers from the UK, Nigeria and South Africa, who will share with audiences, their successful models and how it has supported creative entrepreneurs and creative communities.

It will also feature a pitching exercise for digital and/or creative start-ups to win free workspaces, mentoring and business advisory services from existing Lagos based hubs.

uthor Yinka Akran is set to launch her latest books: ‘Dad Died’ and ‘Revamping Me. The event is scheduled to hold at De Renaissance Hotel, IkejaLagos, on Saturday, November 29, 2014.

The promising Nigerian female writer, who studied English linguistics at the University of Jos, worked as a journalist with Prime People, Expression and Hints, respectively. She had a stint in the money market as head treasurer at Magnificent Bancshares Limited. Since 1999, Yinka has been her own boss, working as CEO of Scribbles ‘N’ Images.

She launched her first book, ‘A Total You’ on this platform.

Scribble ’N’ Images is in the business of writing books, scripts, business profiles and proposals. Another aspect of the business concerns itself with editing, creating and developing concepts for TV and reality shows, and participating in productions as negoti-

ated.

Dad Died and ‘Revamping Me, Yinka’s second and third books, explore different subjects, but nonetheless find a unity in her passionate treatment of themes and sub-themes. ‘Dad died’ is written from the point of view of an 11 year-old girl who has lost her dad. As she struggles to deal with the loss, she discovers he died from emphysema, a cigarette-related disease. She is shocked!

She is even more scared when she finds out that she, and millions of other children all over the world are endangered as passive smokers, including her uncle’s unborn child whose mother is still smoking.

The other book, ‘Revamping Me’ recounts Yinka’s intimate experiences in a journal format that chronicles her personal experiences as she struggled through a daily living of unfulfilled dreams and hopes. Hers are familiar occurrences that any wife, mum and manager can relate to. It is a book for every woman and the man who seeks to understand his woman.

Live theatre gets A True Christmas Story

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ll is set for the stage production of A True Christmas Story, a hilarious musical play based on the Nativity story. The performance takes place on Sunday, December 7, 2014, at Federal Palace Hotel, Ahmadu Bello Way, Lagos.

Starring Seun Ajayi, Amarachukwu Onoh, Noble Igwe, Cool FM’s Mannie, Omoye Uzamere, Tomiwa Kukoyi, Ben Ogbeiwi, Nedu Ani of Wazobia FM, Kolawole Adewale, Morolayo Fakeye, Opeyemi Dada and Igos, the play is set in our contemporary African setting and exploring themes of love, commitment, devotion and communality. What

would have happened in their village when the news broke that she was expecting a child without being with a man?

A True Christmas Story gives an account of how Mary met Joseph, their respective social, economic and family situations, chronicling the events leading up to immaculate conceptions and the events that unfolded when pregnancy news broke.

The play is directed by Abiodun Kassim and poduced by Adenugba Oluwanishola for Davidhouse Multimedia Limited promoters of the Live Theatre on Sunday.

Belvedere Vodka toasts to Toke Makinwa’s City Chic P

enultimate Saturday, Belvedere, the “world’s original super premium Vodka” hosted radio personality, television host and vlogger, Toke Makinwa to magnificent Sex and the City inspired birthday party.

Held at Oasis MedSpa Ikoyi, it was the cynosure of eyes as the crème de la crème of the entertainment world – media darlings, personalities and film stars turned out in glam force to toast Toke’s 30th.

The fun & frolics filled evening had just about everything – rib-cracking impromptu performance from Julius Agwu, a SATC quiz anchored by Eku Edewor, and a nostalgic game of Musical Chairs anchored by Denrele-Edun.

Guests were treated to themed vodka cocktails – Cosmopolitans & Moscow Mules – courtesy of Belvedere Vodka with other spectacular treats including vodka infused yoghurt.

Canapés were served out of Martini glasses by Chef Eros; the Sex and the City theme didn’t stop there. Guests were treated to a complete Desert Table designed to incorporate the quintessential elements synonymous with the classic HBO series – martini glasses, city skyline, handbags, shoes, designer jewellery etc.

The desserts consisted of cupcakes, macarons and cookies. The cake was a two-tier sponge cake decorated with a pair of Christian Louboutin pumps as its crescendo.

Some of the guests at the event include Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde, Yaw of Wazobia FM, Gideon Okeke, Eku Edewor, Bolanle Olakanni, IK Ogbonna, Iceprince, Ann Ogunsulire, Jude Okoye and many more.

By the end of the night, in true SATC style, Toke and her guests were ‘carried away’.

Arts

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

23

Why PMAN cannot fight piracy, by Mereni

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renowned Music Therapist and Professor of Music, Anthony Mereni, has decried the growing loss of interest Classical Music in Nigeria, even as he berated the Performing Musician Association of Nigeria(PMAN), for brooding pop singers in their nest as members of the Association.

He made these observations in his inaugural lecture titled: Theorising practice and practising theory: A phenomenology of Music in Nigeria. He bemoaned the lack of standard qualification requirement in registering the artistes as members, insisting that that is the reason for the wanton and unrestrained cases of piracy in the industry.

He expressed sadness that PMAN is associated with pop music and ridiculed them as Pop Musician Association of Nigeria. According to him, pop singers write lyrics which is rap or poem, clothed orally with melodic cliché’s, collected from other composers that was recycled and produced in the studio. “They do not have knowledge of having studied music. Several of them The Orchestra performing at the event have told me that they do not know that music is written down.”

The event, which had the Vice Chancellor, represented by his deputy, members of the senate of the University, lecturers, musicians, students and music promoters and enthusiasts in attendance, was held at the main auditorium of the University of Lagos, had the erudite scholar enthrall the audience with film slides and performances of the orchestral on stage to differentiate pop from classical music. He used the opportunity to react to Tee Mac, the former PMAN president’s assertion that “pop music is what sells in Nigeria.”

“Pop music is of limited value for the education, intellectual and Mereni spiritual health of the citizenry,” he said, asking what PMAN is dobecause it was handed over from ing to promote the real music, the one generation to another, “Africlassical or school music. can music are concretizations of “Over the years, intellectual thoughts, manifesting in musiproperty owners have been living cal sound action or music strucin abject penury, feeding pirates on tured sound,” and not when it is where they did not sow. There is no defined, “as a sweet mellifluous how PMAN can combat piracy, so harmonious sound with dancelong as they are pitching tent with inducing rhythmic drumming.” pop singers,” he said.

According to him, the sound The erudite scholar, who joined in the traditional music or oral University of Lagos in 1978 with music is the performance the specialty in Music Theory & Hismusicologists and composers are tory has had essays speeches adopting for further development titled; Nigerian/African Musithrough their own compositions. cology in the global Context, and This aspect of understanding Theorising practice and practising music theory has become a global theory: A phenomenology of Muissue, he stated. sic in Nigeria presented at NnamIn the lecture, which has no di Azikiwe University, Awka, and trace of the origin of music, it Delta State University(DELSU), was explained that music underAbraka , respectively, under the goes four developmental stages aegis of Association of Nigerian from the earliest form to what Musicologists(ANM). we know as classical music. The Mereni, who was the head of natural music, he accepted, is a department of Creative Arts in structured sound and “is known the University of Lagos, uses the in all cultures of the world as a opportunity of the lectures to prolanguage that communicates. It mote the ideals of music and rencommunicates to the mind, evokder handful solutions for healthier ing emotions or feelings in us. It practices of music in our modern can therefore change our mood, time. it can make us feel happy, sad, He cited his predecessor, Prof. moody, awake or bold”.

Lazarus Ekueme and Prof.(Mrs.) “Music is used in all cultures Mosu Obidike as having faulted the of the world to provoke feelings, depreciating state of classical muemotions, a sense of well-being sic in their previous speeches. He or a sense of un-well –ness. These is opposed to those that say that Afeffects of music are the very narican music does not have a theory

African musics are concretisations of thoughts manifesting in musical sound action or music structured sound”, and not when it is defined

ture of music in all cultures of the world - they are universal.”

He said that classical music does not have cultural group in the world but is extracted from the third developmental stage to be used in education aesthetic, moral/ethical and intellectual education. According to him, music was not a European subject, but has been recognized through our traditional music, just like in India, China, Japan and other cultures of the world, which have separate school of study.

And that the fourth developmental stage of music was sifted out by the priest philosophers of Egypt from the third developmental stage sent in the school curriculum and what they are studying in schools/university along with other subjects that was brought to Africa adding that even some countries like Europeans and Americans go to countries like India, China and Japan for research and specialized studies in classical music.

According to him, “music was one of subjects brought into Africa along with other subjects that are now taught formally in our schools, the history of music education started in Egypt and spread to Europe through Greece and Rome.

He argued with the theory that says music is a foreign subject stating that “even in our traditional cultural practice, it was recognized and given due attention as other world cultures gave it in their respective homes,” which he said is the raw natural music.

The history of music, which is music education and other writings, form what is known as theoretical music, and was traced by Prof. Obidike.

Taking music as serious discipline in Nigerian educa-

tion has posed a big challenge as schools lack illustration materials, which are the major instruments for teaching music at all levels, with the exception of the lowest elementary levels, but are short in supply in Nigerian secondary and tertiary institutions.

According to him, it is worse now, hence commercial music and sheer materialism is everywhere, coupled with pop musical instruments, keyboards, different types of electronic instruments and cheap musics that are not relevant for the teaching and learning of music as discipline or school subject.

He mentioned names like Fela Sowande, Ayo Bankole, Sam Akpabot, Akin Euba amongst others as people that have made name for this country on the international academic music scene.

Prof. Mereni is the director of Music , Lagos Archdiocesan Music Commission of the ........ Church, as well as a consultant to Gemma Regis centre for music therapy, Modupe Cole Memorial School for Handicapped children, Lagos and Psychiatric hospital, yaba.

He was a lecturer in Music Therapy at the University of Florence, Italy and has participated in over thirty national and international conferences. He is inspired by renowned music scholars, who have helped him recognize, analyze and streamline his argument on African/Nigeria music.

He is a recipient of many grants, awards, fellowships and distinctions including fellow of the Italian Association for Imaginative Music therapy, and Pillars of Nation Building Award, which was presented to him by the Strategic National Institute for Natural Resources & Human development.

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Tourism

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Nigeria has not made conscious effort towards developing tourism, says Olowoporoku

All the countries who are running successful travel businesses and markets developed them consciously, worked on them consciously, bring in experts, people who love it Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo dancing at Nigeria’s stand during the recently held World Travel Market (WTM) in London. Inset: Olowoporoku

Ayo Olowoporoku is the executive director of HSSL Global, the pioneering indigenous hotel management and consultant outfit. He speaks with Andrew Iro Okungbowa on concerns over the travel industry.

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yo Olowoporoku is certainly not new to the travel industry having earned stripe with the Lagos Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja before moving on with two of his professional colleagues to set up Hotel Support Services Limited (HSSL) and now HSSL Global, where they have over the years helped to shape the direction of hotel management and consultancy by Nigerians, by imposing a standard which today is acknowledged in line with best international practice, knows the curves and what needs to be done to put the tourism industry in Nigeria on the right foot.

He tells you that “the travel industry in Nigeria is very large and lucrative. The travel and tourism industry is a very, very promising and buoyant one.

Nigeria economy is the largest now in Africa, which means a

lot of people will be interested in the industry,” however, it is still at the fledging level because no conscious and calculated effort have been made over the years to develop and promote it.

“All the countries who are running successful travel businesses and markets developed them consciously, worked on them consciously, bring in experts, people who love it, dedicated people from anywhere in the world to help them run an inconclusive travel industry,’’ said the hotel management expert over years have worked with government officials and the private sector trying to put tourism on the right tripod but the result appears abysmal.

“By virtue of the resources in Nigeria, travel and tourism is a major endeavour,” he disclosed even as he made clear that with Nigerian penchant for globetrotting, there is no reason while tourism should

not work in Nigeria. ‘‘Nigerians travel a lot and I am not aware of any human race that travels as much as Nigerians do but travel for what?

Oloworopoku fingered the lack of policy direction by the government as the bane of the industry. ‘‘But we are not well developed and there is no proper government policy directing it. It is probably the worse managed from government point of view. It is the most abused industry and some of the most incompetent people have ran the industry over years and are still running it currently.’’

For him, the hope of getting the industry right back on it foot, appears a furlong one, as he says he is not sure, giving the antecedents of government whether they would ever get it right. ‘‘I am not sure when the government will ever run it well because they have brought in failures to run it and the point

is the government is really not interested in the industry because if it is then it would put round pegs in a round hole.’’

He posited that to get right, the government must look at appointing the right people with the cognate experience and credentials to manage tourism and its related parastatals. ‘‘There are numerous parastatals that you need to put people who are professionally qualified so that they can formulate the appropriate policies for the industry.’’

Also, he is pained by the poor budgetary allocation to the industry, which he said does not even measure up to what some state governors spent on security monthly. ‘‘Tourism budget is spent as security in one month. It is a joke, why should you have such an asset and you are allowing it to waste or rot.’’

Well, it is not all a sad tale,

as he tells you that he harbours a tinge of inspiration in the fact that the industry has bright future and that hopefully, a Messiah may just be around the corner to transform it into a real money spinner. ‘‘I am happy to note that the industry is an industry of the future, an industry that will be very successful, all it needs is someone to tinker with it and give it all that it requires.’’

Another source of worry for Oloworopoku is the attitude of Nigerian investors when it comes to the hospitality sector. He is saddened by the fact that many uncompleted hotel buildings dot the country’s landscape. ‘‘They don’t have the wherewithal to do it and in our experiences we encountered thousands of buildings dotting over Nigeria, uncompleted hotel buildings, because they didn’t have right consultancy before going into it and they always felt that the money is there and that a hotel is the building. ‘‘Yes hotel is a building but a building is not a hotel just because you have a building doesn’t mean that you have a hotel and the confusion that many promoters had was that once they have a building then they have a hotel. No, because that is when you just started. What makes it a hotel are the facilities because putting the facilities is the most important but they don’t have the money and the banks, which lend them the money are run also by ignorant people who lack the proper guidance and expertise.’’

Continuing, he said ‘‘they based their decision primarily on estimate given to them on finishing the building and not finishing the hotel.

That was why we went into it over 20 years ago and we were working with banks and many banks worked with us. ‘‘We had helped many customers in the bank. The beginning was very challenging but interesting to us and it was because of that that many young Nigerians came into that business either by building or running hotels.

Thrills, pomp of Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel golf tournament

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HE mood at Ikoyi Club 1938, Lagos, last Saturday evening was an exciting one and you could see that in the swags of the people milling around. Even the golfers in their all bright and shinning outfit didn’t leave anyone in double that the day’s gathering was not just all about playing to winning but rather savouring the blissful moment.

It was a competition like no other and at the end of the grand event, which was a celebrative one; the quartet of Ted Iwere, Mr. Tim Ayonmike, Esosa Ojomo and Remi Olukoya, claimed the podium to toast to their victory amid pomp and celebration.

The occasion was the 2014 edition of the Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel Golf Day and it

was the fourth edition with over 180 golfers on parade.

The quartet involving Omini Ofem and Tony Okwoju came second after a gruelling round on the course. The 18hole tourney, which employed foursome format of play with the best three scores per hole counting, witnessed a whole gamut of activities with business associates, friends of the hotel, sponsors, golfers and invited guests networking with pleasure.

At a post tournament prize giving cocktail held after the competition, winners in all the categories, including the winning female team for the nearest to the pin and winning team longest drive hole with plaques, were presented with various prize awards.

The general manager of the

hotel, Mark Loxley, in his remark, commended the golfers for their tenacity in completing the all-day competition in spite of the very hot weather recorded.

He reiterated the hotel’s continued commitment to fostering golf as a sporting activity within the community. Appreciating the efforts of the lady golfers, Loxley noted that the “hotel is proud to continue in its dedication to providing a suitable platform for promoting golf as a sport amongst women.”

Captain of the club, Ted Iwere, praised the hotel for sustaining the tournament, adding that he was pleased that this year’s edition was better organized than all past editions with so many golfers and guests in attendance.

L-R: Golf Captain Ikoyi Club 1938, Mr. Ted Iwere; General Manager Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel, Mr. Mark Loxley; Mr. Tim Ayonmike; Engr. Esosa Ojomo; Mr. Remi Olukoya and Mr. Sumanth. B. Hanumanthaiah; First Place winning team at the Southern Sun Golf Tournament 2014 recently held in Lagos.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

Judith Audu goes online with Igroove Radio

BBHS: Two out, ten more left

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Entertainment

Adedeji presents Ajo album

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Oshinowo

Late Night With Nike Oshinowo ready to roll Stories by Sony Neme

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x beauty queen, Nike Oshinowo, is marching words with action as she has commenced the shoot of her entertainment talk show ‘Late Night with Nike Oshinowo’. We reliably gathered that the exciting lady is set to roll as she work towards making the November 27 night a reality with the exciting new entertainment and lifestyle late night talk show that will showcase the best of art, culture, music, politics and pop-culture. And it is set to premiere on Africa Independent Television, AIT.

sony neme

Editor, entertainment sony.neme@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Hosted by Nike Oshinowo, season one of the weekday show is set to debut with a live studio audience; an inhouse celebrity DJ. The former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, MBGN, will be featuring journalist and social commentator, Cheta Nwanze.

Touted to be first of its kind in Nigeria in format and content, ‘Late Night with Nike Oshinowo’ is expected to inject life and fun into the weekday evenings of the viewing audience, bringing a vast array of local and international acts and celebrities from the world of - arts, cinema, music, and politics into the viewer’s living room.

According to her, “The show will also serve as a platform for industry leaders, politicians, celebrities, artists, actors, and musicians alike to connect directly to the people of Nigeria through engaging, candid, interviews.

At long last, Nigerian viewers will be privy to entertaining conversations from the people they most want to hear from. Anyone and everyone who is moving the needle on

Touted to be first of its kind in Nigeria in format and content, ‘Late Night with Nike Oshinowo’ is expected to inject life and fun into the weekday evenings of the viewing audience.

pop culture will be welcome on the ‘Late Night with Nike Oshinowo’ couch.”

A true African icon, enthralling Nike Oshinowo has it as a beauty queen, entrepreneur, international style icon and philanthropist, and she is set to place Nigeria firmly on the cultural world map through a show which is set to fuse Nigeria at its creative best with foremost international talent and creativity.

This is coming two decades after her reign as ‘Most Beautiful’, and Nike is bringing her strong personal brand and influence to the television for the benefit of the African viewing audience. “Nike will be using the show, and her notoriously strong entrepreneurial skills, extensive personal contacts and huge intellectual swagger to drive influencers from the world of arts, entertainment, media, music and politics to support the diverse not-for-profit social causes that have focused her attention for the two decades,” our source further hinted, adding that viewers are welcomed to nights of fun and entertainment with Nike Oshinowo as ‘Late Night with Nike Oshinowo’ melts the affairs of the day into pleasurable evenings of comedy, fashion, music, style and all round entertainment.

bout a year after his stellar performances at the Bayelsa International Jazz festival and NAIJAZZ festivals, Holland based Nigerian International guitar sensation was back in Nigeria to launch and in his words bring closure to his album ‘AJO’ which has had him tour all over Europe playing at various venues.

The event was held at the Ayo Bankole Centre for Arts in Surulere Lagos and the turn out in terms of both fellow musicians and well wishers attested to his popularity as a Jazz musician and his versatility on his chosen instrument – the semi acoustic electric guitar.

Deji who is also a strong vocalist performed most of the songs on his 11 track album accompanied at various intervals with a star studded band of musicians of the Jazz and Highlife genres, these included in his five piece brass section – Segun Atoyebi, Dotun Bankole, Victor Ademofe, Taiwo Clegg and Femi Slide. Biodun kuti and his brother Kehinde kept vigil on the rhythm and bass guitars respectively while Mike Oloyede was present on drums with Samuel Obinna was on percussions/talking drums and Mark on Piano.

The event was supported by The British Council, Inspiro productions, ArtsXII. Deji is currently in the studio working on his next album.

Deji

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Entertainment 27

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

CinemaWatch (Radio/TV/Events Guide) NOV. 21 — NOV. 28 Highlights

DSTV

Big Brother Hotshots: Two out, ten more left

l Nigeria’s Uti Nwachukwu, nine other ex-housemates return

Samantha

Stories by Sony Neme

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fter 42 days in the Big Brother Hotshots house, Mr. 265 (Malawi) and Samantha (South Africa) were evicted on Sunday night.

After their eviction, IK as usual took viewers into the house for a special announcement from Big Brother. Biggie told the housemates that there were to be no nominations after the live show, but that instead, all of them were up for eviction next Sunday. He also announced that ten housemates from previous seasons of Big Brother Africa would be entering the game. Each current Hotshots housemate will have to compete against an exhousemates in order to stay in the game.

At the end of the week the audience will decide whether to keep the Hotshots housemate or to swop them with an

ex-housemate from their country. As the housemates caught their breath, IK informed viewers that Big Brother was playing a prank on the housemates – there is no voting this week, and nobody is in danger of leaving on Sunday. The returning housemates are not eligible for the USD300 000 prize and are in on the prank – but the Hotshots think otherwise as they need to fight for their lives in the game.

At that point IK went back into the house and introduced the returning housemates.

The ‘match-ups’ are: Idris vs Feza from BBA: The Chase; Macky2 vs Sulu from BBA: the Chase; Goitse & Sheillah vs Miss P from BBA Amplified; Sipe vs Natasha from BBA: The Chase; Tayo vs Uti from BBA 3 & All Stars; JJ & Butterphly vs Vimbai from BBA Amplified; M’am Bea vs Elikem from BBA: The Chase; Ellah vs Denzel from BBA: The Chase; Trezagah vs Leonel from BBA Revolution and Nhlanhla vs

Luclay from BBA Amplified.

The returning housemates are back in front of the Big Brother cameras for one week and will enter the Big Brother House on Monday, 17 November at 20h30 CAT right after the conclusion of the nomination show broadcast. With this development, it is surely going to be a tough week for the Hotshots!

Unfortunately for Samantha and Mr. 265, their eviction was no prank and they joined IK on stage after he revealed that they had received the fewest viewer votes this week. Samantha was only in the firing line after being added by Head of House Sipe, who stood and told the housemates that her decision was nothing personal.

The Malawian had said, “I added Samantha because I was looking at the strongest people from the other group because most the people in my group were already up”.

Out on stage with her coevictee, Samantha said that she had a feeling she would be leaving and had even gone as far as packing up all her personal items. Mr. 265 on the other hand said he had mixed feelings about being evicted.

The musical accompaniment to the live show was provided by Zambian duo JK, who kicked off the show with ‘Telemundo’ and Kay Figo who added a bit of spice with ‘Kanyelele’ later on.

Stay in touch with Big Brother Hotshots on social media - follow @bigbroafrica on Twitter, @bigbro_africa on Instagram and on Facebook at facebook.com/bigbrotherafrica. Big Brother Hotshots is produced by Endemol South Africa.

Count down to Eddie Ugbomah’s gala

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arely 30 days to the much publicized Chief Eddie Ugboma’s triple celebration, has the Delta dream seems to be evaporating as fast as the promises came.

It is on record that Chief Ugbomah has 14 years ago single-handedly created two galleries of Movie Makers and Music Makers. Both galleries have also been maintained in a hired flat for the past 12 years.

So it generated a lot of euphoria when news turned in that the galleries are to be moved to Asaba in Delta State, courtesy of the magnanimity of entertainment loving Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan on August 21.

An enthusiastic Ugbomah had also gone to town with the promise, which automatically forecloses any thought of looking elsewhere. That seems to be

Ugbomah

frustrating as Ugbomah is already on plan B of going ahead to host it on his own, as he waits for Uduaghan to fulfill his side of the bargain.

According to the Delta State born, British trained filmmaker, “I am still awaiting my amiable governor to take us to Asaba as he promised. Like you

are aware, Uduaghan made serious commitment on transferring these galleries to Asaba, celebrate 50 years of Chief Eddie Ugbomah on stage and 74th Birthday. It is now 30 days to the celebrations; I am still expecting the promises made to be fulfilled. My worry is that Uduaghan was categorical on his promise while the Lagos State Governor badly represented by his Chief of staff totally ignored his 18 months ago promise.’

Ugbomah further said that, “All the letters to Governor Fashola were received and signed by his Chief of Staff and since February none has been replied. So you can imagine my joy when Uduaghan received me with his entire cabinet on August 21, made the big promise and said for the first time, “A prophet will be celebrated”.

Little Women- LA

Thursday 20 November 2014 20:30 | Vuzu Amp (114) Up-and-coming designers create looks for celebrities in this style-theme reality-competition show helmed by music Randy to the Rescue Sunday 23 November 2014 19:05 | TLC Entertainment (172) Randy to the Rescue features bridal fashion guru Randy Fenoli, former star of Say Yes to the Dress, as he hits the road to make brides’ fantasies come true.

With a truck full of wedding dresses and his signature styling approach, he helps brides to find their perfect wedding look.

Across eight cities, Randy provides a total bridal makeover, from dresses and accessories to hair and makeup.

With his bridal salon on wheels, Randy will dish out his top tips for the upcoming weddings

and introduce the hottest trends for the season.

Along the way, viewers will be introduced to the emotional stories of deserving brides wishing for dramatic makeovers for their big day.

City stops include: San Diego, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Nashville, Cincinnati, Boston and Minneapolis.

But can Randy make the budding brides’ dream days come true? star Rihanna.

Friday 21 November 2014 19:00 | Nat Geo Wild (182) An elite group of men protect people working and living in wilderness areas that are crawling with dangerous animals.

They are experienced outdoorsmen, hunters and trackers, and only carry non-lethal gadgets (air horns, whistling flares, flash bang grenades, and shot gun firecracker shells) with them when dealing with a threatening animal.

GOtv

A scene from Fearless Heart

Telemundo Fearless Heart Monday, 24 November, Bernardo and Stella are celebrating after finally managing to separate Willy and Samantha. Vicente forces himself on Fernanda and rapes her..

Sony Entertainment Crossing Lines Crossing Lines is a unique action-packed global crime drama. The series taps into the charter of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate cross-border crimes and ultimately bring global criminals to justice.

E! Entertainment Keeping up with the Kardashians The ninth season

comes to an end. This month, an overwhelmed Khloe tries to decorate her house, Scott has a hard time coming to terms with the unexpected news of Kourtney’s pregnancy, and finally, after months of planning and speculation, Kim and Kanye take their closest friends and family on an intimate trip from Paris to Italy, leading up to their exquisite wedding. Season finale airs on 30 November at 8pm Disney Junior The Little Mermaid In The Little Mermaid movie, Ariel’s beginning (Sunday 23rd); children will lean the Ariel’s history and hear how the arrival of a pirate ship and the death of her mother affected her life.

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Entertainment

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Music users advised on ‘Operation No Hiding Place’ Stories by Sony Neme

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he Chief Executive Officer of Chocolate City Group, Mr. Audu Maikori, has called on those deploying music in their businesses to respect copyright law by obtaining the appropriate license from the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).

Mr. Maikori, who head one of Nigeria’s biggest music companies made this call while speaking with journalists at the COSON office penultimate week, just as he asserted that it is not acceptable that Nigerian music should be abused.

For the respected intellectual property lawyer, it has become an issue of serious national concern for Nigerians to understand the economic implications of the respect for intellectual property rights.

His words: “It is not acceptable that Nigerian music should be abused, rather organizations should embrace the culture of obtaining the right permit/license for the music they use. That way, not only will they be abiding by the law, they will also be empowering the Nigerian entertainment sector, which last year alone contributed substantially to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).”

He explained that, “The royalty system is designed to ensure that the creators of music benefit from their creativity even after their active years and that the generations after them have something to fall back on. And COSON is at the forefront of

Audu Maikoro

ensuring this. For the first time in so many years, we have seen that Nigerian music creators can actually make money from the use of their works and the nation will benefit from the thousands of jobs that the entertainment industry has the capacity to create”.

On the operations of the copyright society, Maikori, a key member of the Board of COSON, said, “Their regime is based on international best practices in terms of how rights are collected, managed and royalties distributed to right owners.” For clarity, he emphasized that, “COSON remains the only licensed Collective Management Organization, CMO, for music in Nigeria, and I

believe that it in the best interest of the music industry and for the sake of posterity, everyone needs to obey the law that has to do with music licensing.”

He further stressed that the royalties collected by COSON are distributed through a transparent system.

“You can walk into the COSON office anytime and ask for the formula through which the distribution is made and you will get it. Please do not make assumptions based on hearsay, he said, while urging legal practitioners to carry out in-depth research and consult intellectual property experts before making commitments which at the end of the day are inimical to the progress of their clients.

All that Jazz with Adeh, Adedeji and Ademofe

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he Jazzy party thrown to celebrate several literary and cultural icons had come and gone but it continues to resonate across the land. The event curated

by Inspiro productions had three phenomenal NAIJAZZ musicians on parade excited the audience for about three hours with classical, contemporary jazz, highlife and pop tunes.

This came as a refreshing interlude to the intellectual conversations at the recently concluded 16th Lagos Book and Art Festival held at the cultural hotspot Freedom Park, a festival party was organized.

The top scale show spiced up the celebration of Wole Soyinka, Ayo Banjo, and Adegboyega Arulogun as they clocked 80 respectively, as well as El Anatsui at 70, Olatunji Dare, 70 and Ben Tomoloju at 60.

The show had started with guitar sensation, Adeh, who was making his second appearance at the festival. He was a marvel with his contemporary remake of evergreen Juju, highlife and popular classics from living legends like Ebenezer Obey, Dr.

Actor of the Year award excites Aki

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ollywood actor, Chinedu Ikedieze (MFR), popularly called Aki who emerged Best Actor was conspicuously absent at the 2014 edition of Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards, NBMA. Though he was not present at the event held at the Ballroom of the Oriental Hotel, Lagos on Saturday, November 15, but he expressed excitement through a statement made available to New Telegraph by his media company, MIM. Aki had clinched the

Judith Audu goes online with Igroove Radio A

Judith

ctor and blogger, Judith Audu has since last week Saturday, November 15, joined the league of radio presenters. She now presents an hour personality interview programme on Igroove Radio, an online Radio owned) by Tintin Imevbore.

Audu who recently produced a short film, ‘Not Right’ that is receiving critical acclaim

including three best short film nominations says the programme will be known as ‘Meet the Actor with Judith Audu’.

According to her, she jumped at the idea to host a show on radio as she had always dreamt of being a radio presenter.

Her words; “I have always loved my voice and dreamt of doing some form of presenting. that motivated me to speak with Tintin Imevbore a couple of times and

Victor Olaiya and Sir. Victor Uwaifo. His fusion of Naija Hiphop sounds got the crowd dancing.

The tempo changed as touring Holland based Nigerian international acoustic jazz guitarist Adedeji Adetayo who was in the country to launch his latest album made a cameo appearance with two tracks ‘Binanjo’ and ‘Erin Lakatabu’ from the album titled ‘Ajo’.

Deji as he is fondly called added spice to the party with these deep spiritual Yoruba folklore songs that had a recognizable twist of jazz, folk, funk and highlife influences. The musician also exhibited strong vocal prowess as he sang in accompaniment to his acoustic guitar play.

Victor Ademofe, a multi-instrumentalist and composer closed the show with tracks from his debut album ‘Jehovah’ and some of his yet to be released Jazz and highlife pieces.

The musician was in his usual energetic element, moving from his trumpet to percussions with ease and also conducting his 8-man band that includes a three-piece pure brass section.

when he brought up the idea again, I just grabbed it with both arms, and the rest like they say is now history.”

She said the programme comes from a segment of her blog and she is very happy and excited. “I am finally doing something on radio and one that can be listened all over the world. The programme which will run from 1-2 pm every Saturday will feature actors from everywhere in the world.”

Best Actor award in the competitive category for his role interpretation of the character of Efe in Mnet’s sitcom The Johnsons.

While expressing his regret, the diminutive thespian had stated thus, “I am happy I won, I thank the organizers for this honour. I understand that last Saturday’s edition was the fifth, I am happy I won. I assure my fans that I will continue to do my best to win more awards while I bring smiles to their faces”.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

29

Pension

Agric

PenCom enhances partnership with stakeholders

Nigeria’s giant steps towards rice export

US partners Nigeria on food security

31

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34

Business What's news

Registration: Brokers fret over NAICOM’s deadline The issuance of a final notice on re-registration by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) has created an atmosphere of apprehension among the affected brokers.

p.30

Nigeria can generate $18bn from palm oil –Operators

Nigeria stands the chance of generating about $18 billion from a viable palm industry, National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPAN), has said.

p.30

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Godson Ikoro

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dele Alao

Industry & Agric Editor

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

FACEOFF

Meeting to end impasse remain inconclusive Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

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anagement of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may apply ‘no work no pay’ rule should the staff union press ahead with their proposed strike on Monday.

The union operating under the platform of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employee (FCT) chapter had served the management two ultimatums, demanding the implementation of enhanced welfare package. They threatened to embark on strike if their demands are not met.

But a top official of the commission told New Telegraph that management was studying the situation and would respond appropriately “by implementing the rule of engagement to deal with the situation.”

The source, which spoke with our correspondent but pleaded anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, said that management was patiently waiting for the 19th and 25th of this month when workers’ salaries are expected to be paid to see whether the union would dare management by embarking on the proposed strike.

“The management is not joining issues on pages of newspapers with the union.

Let’s wait till between 19th and 25th, the dates that they usually get paid. If they chose to go on strike, the implication is that they won’t get paid. The existence of this union has very dubious origin,” he said.

The union’s ultimatum expires next week Monday.

Meetings aimed at resolving the contentious issues raised

Strike: SEC threatens ‘no work no pay’ by the union held last Tuesday, a source privy to the meeting confided in our correspondent.

He said that little progress was made as the union insisted its demands must be met.

The source listed other contentious issues the union wants management to resolve

to include outstanding promotions, unduly termination of appointment and use of consultant by management.

“There are pending issues in respect of outstanding staff promotion, but the management has evolved new rules on promotion without due con-

sultation with the staff. There was a staff that was summarily dismissed without recourse to proper rule of disengagement and we have engaged management on this, but they are not ready to do the needful.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

L-R: Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha; CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele; Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo and Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Maduekwe, during the signing of MoU on Gas Supply, in Abuja.

Home seekers to access their pension –NMRC Dayo Ayeyemi

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orkers in both the private and public sectors that have contributed to the Pension Fund and are desirous of owning their own houses, would soon be able to do so, Managing Di-

rector, Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), Mr Sonnie Ayere, has said.

Ayere, who disclosed this to our correspondent, said this was part of the considerations for the Pension Reform.

He said that the president, the Ministry of Finance, the Pension Commission and the

Senate have agreed to allow the Pension Reform to allow people take a certain percentage of their money in the pension account to fund their housing needs.

Currently, the nation’s contributory pension stands at CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Abdulwahab Isa Finance Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE October 2014............................8.1% September 2014.....................8.3% August 2014............................8.5%

LENDING RATE InterBank Rate....................11.57% Prime Lending Rate...........16.93% Maximum Lending Rate...25.83%

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parellel As at Nov. 14)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N176 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N278 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N220

l Foreign Reserves – $37.59bn as at 13/11/2014

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Official As at Nov. 14)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N157.39 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N249.82 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N195.64

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Business | News

INTERVENTION

NCRIB is already working to ensure that NAICOM reconsiders its position

Sunday Ojeme

T

he issuance of a final notice on re-registration by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) has created apprehension among the affected brokers.

The growing fear has to do with the attendant penalty of N2.5 million, which they would be mandated to pay in the event that they are unable to meet the November 30, 2014, deadline given by the insurance regulator for certificates renew.

According to the notice posted on the regulator’s website, the brokers are being given the last opportunity to be re-registered with the same name.

The notice said: “The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) hereby informs all insurance brokers whose registration certificates had lapsed in line with the provisions of the Insurance Acts 2003, and are desirous of re-regis-

Registration: Brokers fret over NAICOM’s deadline

tration with their former names, to pick registration requirement forms from the commission.

“The forms must be collected from NAICOM’s office not later than November 30, 2014.

“Please note that this is the last opportunity the commission will grant such insurance brokers to be re-registered with the same name.”

The NCRIB is already working to ensure that NAICOM re-considers its position, especially as the deadline is fast drawing closer.

The intervention by the NCRIB is coming on the heels of NAICOM’s decision to foreclose opportunity for the affected firms to re-register by November 30.

The brokers’ body has subsequently set-up a committee to consider the decision taken by NAICOM and how the affected members would be assisted to regain their position and remain afloat.

Assistant Director, Corporate Affairs of the commission, Salami Rasaaq, had said that the

SEC threatens ‘no work no pay’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

“Use of consultant is a deliberate ploy of wasting the commission’s scarce resources, especially at a period government is mooting implementation of austerity measures by MDAs,” the source told our correspondent.

SEC was said to have been represented at the meeting by Executive Director, Hon. Zakawanu Garba and Mrs Akindele of Human Resources Department. The Tuesday’s meeting was said to be third in series of meetings called by management to avert the strike.

A copy of the strike notice issued by the union to the SEC management obtained by New Telegraph gave 17th November 2014 as the expiry date for the ultimatum.

The notice read in part: “As a union that is embedded in integrity, politeness and which follows due process, a congress meeting was addressed on Friday November 14, 2014, to pacify the agitated workers (who are already anticipating an action expected

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

to commence today November 17, 2014) to allow peace to reign.

“From the look of things, there is no evidence on ground that your management is ready to cooperate with this union in resolution of issues in dispute.”

But Media Adviser to Director-General of SEC, Obi Adindu, said he was not aware of a meeting between the union and management.

Speaking on phone with our correspondent, Adindu explained that he couldn’t be in the picture of the said meeting because a specific office has the responsibility of interfacing with the union.

Commenting on a staff, the union said that her appointment was summarily terminated without due process; he said that the person in question was caught cheating during an examination.

“The person in question was caught red-handed cheating in an examination hall during a test conducted by Financial Training Centre, a reputable examination body.

In your organisation, when such happens, do you celebrate such person?” Adindu asked.

brokerage firms were disciplined for their inability to render returns as at when due to the regulatory agency.

He said: “NAICOM

did not and has not revoked the license of any insurance broker. What the law says is that you (insurance brokers) are given a period of one year

to renew your licences which is 12 months and at the end of the one year, if you did not renew your license, then you will be given a grace of three

months and if at the end of the three months you did not renew it, then it means you can’t do insurance broking in the market.”

L-R: Acting British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Mike Purves; Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited, Mrs Bola Adesola; former Lord Mayor of London, Sir Roger Gifford; Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh and Executive Director, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited, Dr. Remi Oni, at the luncheon by the UK Trade & Investment/Standard Chartered Bank in Lagos.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

LOSS

Nigeria loses $1 billion revenue yearly from neglect Dele Alao

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igeria stands the chance of generating about $18 billion from a viable palm industry, National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPAN), has said.

In a telephone chat with New Telegraph, President, NPAN, Henry Olatunjoye, said the country is also currently losing $1 billion in foreign exchange on importation of crude palm oil annually.

Olatunjoye, who lamented that 2,000 oil palm plantations had been abandoned by smallholder farmers due to importation, called on the Federal Government to address the situation before the smallholders sell off their plantations.

Nigeria can generate $18bn from palm oil –Operators Nigeria has been one of the largest producers and exporters of palm oil, accounting for over 40 per cent of global output in the 1950s.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, had lamented the continued importation of crude palm oil into the country.

According to the minister, the continued importation of crude palm oil is the price the country is paying for the neglect of the sub-sector.

However, as part of efforts to revive the sector, the Federal Government recently distributed nine million sprouted nuts of high quality palm oil seedlings to farmers across the states.

Giving details of the distribution of palm oil seedlings in the South West, he said: “So far we have distributed to all the states in the South West of the coun-

try, a total of 2.6 million of sprouted nuts of palm oil seedlings, which represent 28 per cent of all the sprouted nuts administered across the country. Oyo State received 351,000 sprouted nuts of palm oil seedlings, Ogun State, 600,000; Ondo, 574,000; Ekiti, 219,000 and Osun, 312,000.”

The minister, who expressed optimism that the red oil would soon be a source of great wealth in the country when the investment of the Federal Government starts to yield results, said: “There is no doubt in my mind that agriculture will become Nigeria’s new oil. One day, by the special grace of God, the red oil of palm oil will replace the black crude oil that we see today.”

Meanwhile, there are doubts over the country’s hosting of the annual palm oil conference.

Home seekers to access pension fund C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 9

N4.5 trillion.

He said: “The president, Ministry of Finance through Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwealla with PenCom and the Senate have also come together to allow the Pension Reform to permit people to take a certain percentage of their money in the pension account for the use of funding of their

home.”

Speaking passionately about NMRC’s Uniform Underwriting Standards for mortgage loans in the country, the managing director said that the final document would be published this week.

Ayere said that the uniform underwriting standards adopted was in line with international best practices, adding that the idea

was to make sure that the credit quality of mortgages to be financed by primary mortgage banks are very good and strong.

Besides, he said the idea was to also harmonise the process of standardising mortgages, pointing out that the underwriting standards would change the culture of payment in the country and also improve credits.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

Why we took CBN to court –Pensioners p.32

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Pension

Divorce: Women should insist on pension savings p.32

PenCom enhances partnership with stakeholders

Director-General, PenCom, Chinelo Ahonu-Amazu

Demola Sogunle

s year 2014 draws to a close, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) has tuned up its programme to make more business partners through its quarterly trainings for pension operators and allied stakeholders.

To this end, the Commission has mandated heads of human resources and licensed pension operators to participate in the last quarter training with the topic: “Transforming HR into a business partner.”

New Telegraph recalls that the Commission has for long made it part of its duties to ensure trainings for pension operators, human resources managers, retirees as well as other stakeholders on a regular basis.

It has continued to sensitise members of the public, workers and retirees on the need to key into the Contributory Pension Scheme, a model that has guaranteed the safety of pension assets for retirees in the last 10 years since the Act setting it up was enacted.

ing with workers and retirees in a bid to drum the benefits of the CPS into them.

Officially, the pension operator now reckons with the quarterly meeting with the commission where issues that may hinder the smooth running of the scheme are easily resolved between the regulator, pension operators and head of human resources.

Barely two months after the new Pension Reform Act 2014 was signed into law, the commission once again resolved to engage the operators and heads of human resources in evaluating training programmes that concern the scheme.

In a circular issued for the third quarter Trainiers’ Forum, the commission had a brainstorming session with the stakeholders in a bid to evaluate the series of training.

The quarterly meeting is sequel to the commission’s resolve to ensure that the operators take the training of their workers seriously.

The pension regulator has often reminded other operators of the need to make adequate investment in the training of its employees especially at this stage of the development of the Contributory Pension Scheme where issues of service delivery have become a major focus/concern in the pension industry.

Training partnership The training and sensitisation processes have also been imbibed by the Pension Fund Administrators who have been going across the country meet-

Basic areas of trainings According to one of the circulars to this effect, there is also the need to ensure that adequate measures have been put in place in terms of

PROGRESS

Stakeholders meet to tackle industry challenges Sunday Ojeme

A

training to guarantee smooth succession especially during senior level exit from the business thus contributing to safe guarding the sustainability as well as to bridge skills gap in the pension industry.

While pointing out that PenCom views the issue of staff training as crucial to the growth, development and success of the pension industry, the commission directed the operators to develop a training programme/calendar on a yearly basis indicating the training needs of each employee as well as ensuring that relevant courses are identified for each employee relating to their own areas of operation/ expertise on needs.

The basic areas trainings are to be given concerns new employees who need to get familiarised with the organisation’s mission, vision, rules and regulations, as well as an overview of the Contributory

The quarterly meeting is as a sequel to the commission’s resolve to ensure that the operators take the training of their workers seriously

Managing Director, Premium Pension, Wilson Ideva

Pension Scheme and the role of PenCom. Besides, existing employees should be trained to refresh and enhance their knowledge especially with new development in the organisation and the industry.

PenCom further stressed that operators should ensure that sufficient budgetary allocation is set aside for training yearly, adding that investment in proper training at all levels can only benefit the industry as a whole and the process should be continuous for as long as the organisation is in business.

Specifically, the Conference for Directors of Pension Operators in Nigeria is another training process through which the regulator keeps the directors abreast of developments in the industry.

PFAs’ position On their part, members of the Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) said a minimum of five per cent of their cost was spent on training of staff to boost productivity.

The Managing Director of Legacy Pensions, Misbahu Yola, said, “It is very important for PFAs to embark on continuous enlightenment and sensitisation of human resource and pension desk officers, updating them with any changes or new development in the payment of benefits in line with PenCom regulations and guidelines.

On his part, the Managing Director, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, Dr Demola

Sogunle, said operators generally treated the issue of staff training with paramount importance, He said that PFAs had been making good investment in staff training and would continue to ensure that staff were equipped for improved performance.

He said: “There are many trainings and workshops being organised, either by PenOp in conjunction with PenCom. The point is that we are constantly being trained.

Some PFAs spend at least five per cent of what we call Cost to Company (CTC) on training.

“Note that five per cent is the minimum a company can spend on training. The fact is, because it is an evolving industry, no knowledge is loss; we would continue to train ourselves. Even some of the products that we are yet to bring into the market, some of the PFAs have undergone serious training on them.

“We can never stop training for things would always happen and the world is dynamic, so we would continue to train, we would get to the point where we would say we have trained everybody and there is no need for training again. In the next quarter, we would still see the need to train somebody for a new thing for things are always happening. “So training is taken seriously, and it is from the top to the button.

And PenCom is doing its best and PenOP is also doing a lot in organising event, seminar and conferences to train operators.”

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Business | Pension

SETTLEMENT

Apex bank and pensioners dialogue

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he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) retirees, who recently withdrew their case against the apex bank, said they sued their former employer because of its failure to comply with the harmonisation policy, which they were supposed to benefit from.

The plaintiffs, Mr James Jemilo, Mr Thompson Edun, Mr Jacob Amao and Mr Joachim Ajala had taken the apex bank to court in 1999 on behalf of themselves and other CBN pensioners. The prayed that the court compel the CBN to comply with the Federal Government’s directive on pension harmonisation.

The harmonisation policy was introduced in the public service with effect from January 1, 1997.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Why we took CBN to court –Pensioners According to the pensioners, the policy was designed to eliminate the disparities in the pensions of workers who retired on the same grade, with those who served the same number of years but retired at different times.

According to the plaintiffs, they filed suit number FHC/L/CS524/99 before a Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking an order, compelling the bank to abide.

In its defence, the CBN said that it could only pay the harmonised pension, subject to ‘affordability and sustainability’ of pension funds.

However, in a judgment delivered on May 22, 2000, the court presided by retired Justice Wilson Egbo-Egbo granted the reliefs sought by the pensioners.

The judge had directed CBN to pay the applicants all accrued

pensions with effect from January 1 1997, on emoluments currently earned by their serving counterparts.

Dissatisfied with the Federal High court’s judgment, CBN had appealed its decision before the Court of Appeal, and later the Supreme Court.

Both appellate courts affirmed the decision of the lower court on December 5, 2006, and May 21, 2010 respectively.

However, after the Supreme Court’s judgment, CBN slightly enhanced the pension arrears of about 1,604 pensioners who retired before June

1, 2000, out of 5,000 eligible pensioners.

With the adjustment, the CBN failed to comply with the court’s judgment, inspite of being written several letters by their counsel, and given ample time to regularise.

It was against the backdrop of the alleged refusal by CBN to heed the court’s judgment, that the plaintiffs initiated a contempt proceeding against it in November 2013, before Justice Saliu Saidu.

However, when the case was mentioned, Counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr Tani Molajo

(SAN), informed the court that there was a new development in the suit.

He told the court that he had the instruction of his clients to seek the leave of court to withdraw the present proceedings.

Molajo informed the court that pursuant to the instruction, he had filed a motion on notice dated Oct. 28, seeking leave to withdraw the suit, so that parties may have the opportunity to explore settlement option.

He also told the court that he had served an advance copy of the ap-

plication on the counsel to the contemnors, and prayed the court for leave to move the motion.

Counsel to CBN, Chief Tunde Olojo, confirmed to the court that he was officially served with the processes.

He told the court that the CBN actually invited the plaintiffs for a meeting to dialogue on best ways to resolve the dispute, adding that he had no objection to the motion.

Consequently, Justice Saliu Saidu urged plaintiff ’s counsel to move his motion for withdrawal.

Kebbi pensioners decry government neglect

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ensioners in Kebbi State recently joined their counterparts in some states when they invaded the office of Governor Saidu Dakingari at Birnin Kebbi, to protest unpaid pension arrears and gratuity.

The pensioners, made up of retired teachers and local government workers, said they had become tired of unfulfilled promises.

According to them, the state government failed to pay attention to them each time they demand for their pension and gratuities.

They said: “Whenever

we demand for our funds, the government would plead for more time to pay. Now we are here to demand for our money and nobody is even attending to us.

“The Governor is in the office right now but he did not attend to us or even send a representative. We have had enough of his government. We want our money. Some people have died in the course of waiting for this money and some are really sick and hypertensive; you can see for yourself we are all old people that need to be resting, yet here we are suffering in the sun.”

US pension insurer’s deficit hits record $62bn

T

he deficit run up by the federal agency that insures pensions for about 41 million Americans has nearly doubled, to $62 billion. And the agency says that without changes, its programme for pension plans covering 10 million of those workers will be insolvent within 10 to 15 years.

The Detroit news reported that it was the widest deficit in the 40year history of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., which has now run shortfalls for 12 straight years. The gap has grown wider in recent years because the weak economy triggered more corpo-

rate bankruptcies and failed pension plans. If the trend continues, the agency could need an infusion of taxpayer funds to pay retirees, who are guaranteed their pensions by law.

The PBGC said on Monday that the increased deficit was due to worsening finances of some multi-employer pension plans, which are pension agreements between labor unions and a group of companies, usually in the same industry.

The $62 billion deficit reported for the year ended September 30 compared with $36 billion in the previous fiscal year.

L-R: Executive Secretary, National Primary Health Care Agency, Dr. Muhammed Ado; Dictator, Community Health Services, Dr. Emmanuel Odu and Director, Advocacy, Dr. Nuhu Adamu, at a press briefing on in Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Divorce: Women should insist on pension savings

A

lmost 85 per cent of divorced women are failing to consider pensions as part of their settlement, leaving many at risk of financial hardship in retirement, according to Telegraph UK. Research by pension provider, Scottish Widows, showed that among divorced women, 84 per cent said pensions weren’t discussed, or they don’t remember them being discussed, as part of any settlement.

Women typically save less toward their retirement than men, thanks to lower earnings and the tendency to take time out of the workforce to raise children. Many still rely on their partner or spouse to provide an income in retirement.

But estimates suggest 42 per cent of marriages will end in divorce and couples in their 60s who are nearing or in retirement are increasingly severing the knot.

Analysis by the International Longevity Centre UK found the number of people

aged over 60 getting divorced will increase by more than 40 per cent in just over 30 years.

The estimate, based on current separation rates and demographic projections, means that by 2037 over 60s will account for almost one in every 10 splits.

Divorces after long marriages are often the most financially complex. Women of all ages are vulnerable in the divorce process, as they tend to have smaller pension entitlements or other directly owned assets. Pensions are also frequently undervalued in divorce settlements.

Scottish Widows’ Women and Retirement Report found men are still putting away more than women for retirement each month.

Women typically save £206 a month, approximately 30pc less than men who are saving an average of £298.

This adds up to a difference of £142,000 in terms of the total amount saved for retirement over a working lifetime from age 22 to age 68.

Almost 15 per cent of wom-

en still rely on their spouse or partner’s company pension to provide an income in retirement. This figure increases for older age groups and peaks at 21pc for women aged in their 50s.

Women often have an emotional attachment to the family home, especially when there are children involved. However, taking on the whole mortgage can have disastrous financial consequences if it is not affordable. Women are often better off downsizing to a smaller property and taking a share of their partner’s pension.

Women often agree to split their partner’s total pension pot in half; however, in many cases they will need more than half to receive the same level of income in retirement, especially if they do not have the earning capacity to continue growing their share.

Women should look to take an equal share of the income, which is determined by a number of factors, including a person’s age, health and lifestyle, rather than half the capital.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

FG distributes 9m palm seedlings p.34

33

Agric

Nigeria, Ghana others benefit from N19bn agric research fund p.34

Grains of rice

Nigeria’s giant steps towards rice export Dele Alao

O

ver the years, Nigeria has been a major consumer and net importer of rice.

Since the 1970s, rice has become a critical component of the Nigerian diet and a major consumer of the country’s foreign exchange.

It is estimated that Nigeria is the second importer of rice, which has adversely affected local production constituting a strain on the foreign exchange.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, once disclosed that the country spends over N356 billion on yearly importation of rice, out of which about N1 billion is used per day.

“Nigeria, as I said, is running a prodigal consumption pattern in the sense that we are spending billions of naira everyday importing rice from Thailand and India when we can grow it here. If you go to Sokoto or to Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Kogi, Ofada rice in Ogun State, down to Abakaliki and to the Niger-Delta, we have up-land rice, low-land rice, Fadama rice, all types of rice that can be grown here, yet we are buying rice,” Adesina was quoted to have said.

The challenges According to experts, some of the challenges that have mitigated against the country’s self-sufficiency in rice production include high input costs such as cost of credit, imported equipment, agrochemicals due to taxes, policy summersaults and smuggling.

Others, they said, are high interest rates, near absence of properly-funded research institutes, public extension system and seed certification.

Farmers under the aegis of

produce 15 per cent of all the rice we are importing into Nigeria and will be the largest rice farm in Africa.

We have also sent 50 young graduates from Taraba State to Kenya to be trained in commercial rice farming,” Adesina said.

He said that the Federal Government had distributed 11,000 metric tonnes of high quality rice seeds before the flood and had produced about 690,000 metric tonnes of rice paddy.

Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), had said that the objectives of supporting their members on production, processing and marketing of rice and the possibility of supplying inputs at low prices, have not seen the light of the day if not until recently.

Intervention The Federal Government in 1985, imposed a ban on rice imports in order to facilitate and increase local production of the precious grain and to meet its high demand.

Ten years after, the import ban was lifted, apparently due to the inability of local production to meet demand.

Therefore, lifting of the ban resulted in incessant importations and not being affected by duty hikes by government. However, many other past intervention programmes from the Federal Government such as Operation Feed the Nation and Green Revolution, among others, failed to sustain rice production in the country.

However, President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration seems to be reversing the age-long negative trend.

According to Adesina, on assumption of office, he set out three tasks. The first is to produce more paddy rice, second is to be able to mill that rice at an industrial quality grade to ably substitute imported rice and also to protect local investors.

“So, what we did as soon as I started this job was to scout for investors for rice. We brought in Dominion Farms, the largest American rice farm in Kenya.

Today, they are investing $40 million on a 30,000 hectare area with the T.Y Danjuma Group in Taraba State.

In 18 months, that rice farm will

“Nigeria, as I said, is running a prodigal consumption pattern in the sense that we are spending billions of naira everyday importing rice from Thailand and India when we can grow it here. If you go to Sokoto or to Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Kogi, Ofada rice in Ogun State, down to Abakaliki and to the Niger-Delta, we have up-land rice, low-land rice, Fadama rice, all types of rice that can be grown here, yet we are buying rice,” Adesina was quoted to have said

Tariff increase “We also raised the tariff on brown rice and polished rice because of the need to block corruption. The brown rice attracted five per cent tariff and polished rice had 35 per cent, but people were bringing in polished rice disguised as brown rice and make 30 per cent profit before leaving the ports, thereby milking the economy dry. So we had to raise both tariffs to the same level,” he said.

He added: ‘We want to protect those that are investing in rice production in the country; we have every natural endowment to be a major exporter of rice. And within 12 months of launching that policy by the president, 14 large-scale integrated rice mills sprang up with a total capacity of 240,000 metric tonnes. In just one dry season farming, we had a total production of 1.1 million metric ton of rice while the total demand of the 20 rice mills in the country is 1.2 million metric ton paddy in a year. For the country to be self-sufficient in rice, all the additional rice we need to produce is 3.2 million metric ton of paddy.”

Future Early in the week, President Goodluck Jonathan, at the second Nigeria rice investment summit organised by the New Partnership

for Africa Development (NEPAD) Business Group-Nigeria, in Abuja, said that the country would join the league of rice exporters by 2017.

Jonathan, who was represented by the minister of agriculture and rural development, expressed the hope that Nigeria would soon join Thailand, India and other Asian countries in rice exportation.

The president, who noted that the country’s food imports has been on the downward trend from N1.1 trillion in 2009 to N634 billion in December 2013, attributed the development in the rice sector to his administration’s strong political will, the deployment of science and technology and the massive private sector investment in production and processing in the past four years.

“Between 2011 and 2014, we have added seven million metric tons of paddy rice to our rice production.

Nigeria today has reached about 80 per cent of self-sufficiency in paddy rice production,” he said.

He added: “When we started the rice transformation agenda in 2011, Nigeria was spending a whopping N56 billion importing rice. This was just not accepted economically, politically or physically, because we were spending our scarce foreign exchange buying what we were richly endowed with.”

Reacting to the target date, the president, Rice Dealers Association of Nigeria, Tunji Owoeye, said that the date was realistic. At least, going by what is on ground now.

“It is possible in three years from now going by what has been put in place. It is achievable,” Owoeye said.

But a rice farmer in Oyo State, Rasheed Olagunju, said while he shared in the aspiration of rice export by 2017, the Federal Government should ensure that the country was self-sufficient first before talking about meeting the export demand.

34

Business | Agric

FG distributes 9m palm seedlings

REVENUE Red oil boost Nigeria’s revenue profile Stories by Dele Alao

D

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

etermined to reverse the dwindling palm oil production, the Federal Government said it has distributed nine million sprouted nuts of high quality palm oil seedlings to

farmers across the country.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said this at the commissioning of an ultra-modern edible oil refinery and margarine plant by Rom Oil Mills Limited, a subsidiary of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, at the weekend.

Adesina said it was dis-

heartening for Nigeria that used to be the largest red oil producer in the world to lose the title to Malaysia and Indonesia due to the discovery of black oil.

He added that the Federal Government, through its Agricultural Transformation Agenda, was investing heavily in palm oil to bring back the

lost glory.

Giving details of the distribution of palm oil seedlings in the South West, he said: “So far, we have distributed to all the states in the South West of the country a total of 2.6 million of sprouted nuts of palm oil seedlings, which represent 28 per cent of all the sprouted nuts administered across the

country. Oyo State received 351,000 sprouted nuts of palm oil seedlings, Ogun State, 600,000; Ondo, 574,000; Ekiti, 219,000 and Osun, 312,000.”

He, however, expressed optimism that the red oil would soon be a source of great wealth in the country when the investment of the Federal Government starts to yield results.

US partners Nigeria on food security Mojeed Alabi

A

s part of efforts towards encouraging diversification of Nigeria’s economy, the United States of America (US), has pledged her commitment to the promotion of agriculture as a viable alternative to oil and support the nation’s efforts to improve food security.

The US Agriculture Attaché in Nigeria, Mr Selfart Kurt, made this commitment when he visited TUNS Farms, one of the country’s leading poultry farms, located in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

Kurt, who was on the farm to gather information on the company’s production as part of America’s agricultural policy to ensure food security and safety for the people of Nigeria, said the purpose of his visit was to “collect, analyse and act on information on agriculture, agriculture business, and food security and safety.

“You know, my country and Nigeria share the same agricultural practices. Nigeria wants higher standard and we also want higher standard.

So, in order to ensure maximum food security and safety, we are here to exchange ideas with Tuns Farms.”

Kurt added that the in-

Oil palm seedlings

Nigeria, Ghana others benefit from N19bn research fund SUPPORT Farmers to enjoy improved seed varieties

T

he African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) has spent $110 million dollars (about N19 billion) on agricultural research in West Africa in the last 10 years.

The West African Representative of the foundation, Prof. Prince Addae, said in Abuja, that Nigeria would benefit directly from three of the research projects.

He added: “AATF’s proj-

ects in West Africa include the Pod Borer Resistant cowpea (PBR), Newest Rice, and the Cassava Mechanisation Project. We normally combine all budgets for West Africa projects which are about 10 and we have spent almost 110 million dollars in the last 10 years. Technology is always being developed; we have had insecticides for a long time and this technology has come; all along, we are developing technologies to combat these insects.”

He said that the AATF focuses more on those needs that were beyond the farmer and needed funding in form of research efforts.

Addae said that the Pod Borer Resistant cowpea (beans) was one of the major research products that would be released by 2017 to farmers in Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Malawi.

According to Addae, the research was necessitated by the fact that the pod borer, also known as ‘Maruca’, had continuously become resistant to pesticides and cost the farmer huge resources and yield loss.

He said that it was in realisation of that fact that the Maruca cost farmers 80 per cent yield loss, that the AATF took up the research to aid farmers in the West African countries.

Global voice rises against malnutrition M inisters and top officials from over 170 countries have endorsed political Declaration and Framework for Action to tackle hunger and obesity at Second International Conference on Nutrition The Rome Declaration on Nutrition and a Framework for Action were adopted today at the start of ICN2.

In a major step towards eradicating malnutrition worldwide, over 170 countries have made a number of concrete commitments

and adopted a series of recommendations on policies and investments aimed at ensuring that all people have access to healthier and more sustainable diets.

Ministers and senior officials responsible for health, food or agriculture and other aspects of nutrition adopted the Rome Declaration on Nutrition, and a Framework for Action, which set out recommendations for policies and programmes to address nutrition across multiple sectors.

The move came at the

opening, in Rome, of the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Rome Declaration on Nutrition enshrines the right of everyone to have access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food, and commits governments to preventing malnutrition in all its forms, including hunger, micronutrient deficiencies and obesity.

formation gathered would assist in drafting food security law, which he said his government and Nigeria government would collaborate to enact.

This, according to him, will bring about safety of food consumption for all and sundry.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Managing Director of the Farm, Mr Olalekan Badmus commended the Mr Kurt for the visit to the company.

He said the company, incorporated about 30 years ago, is today among top three producers of broilers in Nigeria.

Badmus lamented the activities of smugglers of poultry products from the neighbouring countries who he said were killing the business and charged the government to urgently address the situation.

On the safety of poultry products, he said, “We are well aware of the importance of the health and wellbeing of our customers, therefore each of our products are produced to the highest quality standards.

“In the last three years, we have undergone four different audits in food safety and quality system which were all passed.

Agricultural Commodity Prices – Grains Commodity Wheat Corn Soybeans Soybean Meal Soybean Oil Oats Rough Rice Hard Red Wheat Spring Wheat

Price 549-4 372-0 1025-0 378.9 32.70 335-0 12.360 594-2 578-0

Change -8-4 -7-2 -19-2 -6.3 -0.38 -4-6 +0.250 -7-2 -7-6

Contract Dec 14 Dec 14 Jan 15 Dec 14 Dec 14 Dec 14 Jan 15 Dec 14 Dec 14

Price 59.98 139.50 199.75 15.94 2890 24.30 1.9600 0.1581 2809.00 0.5997 319.00

Change -0.81 +1.05 +7.50 +0.23 +9 +0.10 +0.0310 +0.0010 -19.00 +0.0116 -1.90

Contract Dec 14 Jan 15 Dec 14 Mar 15 Dec 14 Jan 15 Mar 15 Mar 15 Mar 15 Dec 14 Jan 15

Time(ET) 10:18 10:18 10:18 10:18 10:18 10:06 10:18 10:18 10:17

Softs Commodity Cotton #2 Orange Juice Coffee Sugar #11 Cocoa Sugar #16 CME Coffee CME Sugar #11 CME Cocoa CME Cotton #2 Lumber

Time(ET) 10:18 10:17 10:14 10:18 11/18/14 09:54 07:47 07:37 11/18/14 11/18/14 10:16

Commodities trade on different exchanges with different trading sessions. Change always shows from the previous close price.

Quotes delayed, except where indicated otherwise. All prices in local currency.

Time is ET. Source: Bloomberg

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

35

36

Photo | News

Anambra State Governor, Godswill Akapbio (left), congratulating the newly appointed Mr. Nkereuwem Ekanem, after being sworn-in as Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, at the Exco Chambers of Governor’s office in Uyo.

L-R: Council Manager, Lagos Island Local Government, Olaide Atunrase; Sanitation Officer, Akinwunmi Babatunde; Marketing Director, West Africa, Reckitt Benckiser, Oguzhan Silivrili and Marketing Manager, Home Care, West Africa, Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi Omotola, at the 2014 Harpic World Toilet day in Lagos

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Rubitec Limited, Mr. Balode Soremekun; Marketing Specialist, Spintelligent Clarion, Lida Van Heerden; Head Professor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Jacob Udo-Udo; Member, Spintelligent Clarion, South Africa, Fotoula Fatarous and Chief Executive Officer, Al Grain Nigeria Limited, Mr. Anthony Obidulu, at the Manufacturing Partnerships for African Development (MPAD) Conference, in Lagos.

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

A popular musician and MTN Ambassador, Chidinma (middle), with some students of Rivers State University of Science and Technogy Port Harcourt, during her visit on MTN surprise campaign in Port Harcourt... on Wednesday.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

L-R: Special Assistant to the Chairman, Agric Business Group, Mr. Babu Birma; Consulting Accountant, Mrs. Folusho Olaniyan and former President, Institute of Directors (IOD), Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere, at the maiden edition of Nigeria Agriculture Awards (NAA) in Lagos.

PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (left), receiving his clearance certificate from the Chairman, Screening Committee of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Saleh Ibrahim, shortly after being screened at the party Secretariat, in Minna, Niger State, recently.

L-R: General Secretary, Moshood Akinade; Chairperson, Joint Health Sector Unions, Dr. Ayuba Wabba and the National President, Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals, Faniran Olukayode, during a Conference in Abuja.

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda (left), presenting a souvenir to the Czech Ambassador, Amb. Pavel Mikes, during Mikes’s courtesy visit to Bauchi... recently.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

37

Auto Beat Nissan Altima: Bold, stylish

Paul Ogbuokiri

N

issan Altima continues to be a top choice among family sedans, delivering excellent fuel economy and a rare blend of comfort and agility says foremost American online resource for automotive information, Edmunds. com.

The online resource also described Nissan Altima as stylish, bold and aggressive with long body lines that distinguishes the sedan from close rivals like Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, and Kia Optima.

Meanwhile, Nissan says it’s simply enhancing the Altima’s package with better value proposition to keep it fresh against increasing competent rivals.

It says while many manufacturers are offering different 4-cylinder engines with hybrids and diesels, the 2015 Nissan Altima sedan goes the traditional route by offering a base 4-cylinder and a V6 as the ‘up’ engine.

According to the auto maker, the 2.5-litre ‘four’ for instance is designed for lighter weight and higher efficiency, while the 3.5-litre V6 offers improved fuel economy, adding one kmpg (kilometre per gallon i.e. four litres) to the combined and highway scores.

According to the company, both engine drive Altima’s front wheels

through Nissan’s next generation Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) - the only gearbox offered – which drives engine revs ahead of vehicle speed during strong acceleration and helps both the 4cylinder and impressive V6 to achieve tremendous fuel economy with fixedratio-simulating manual shift paddles on up-level Altima models Popular Mechanics, a United States classic magazine of popular technology attested to this, stating in one of its recent publications that “the new Altima remains one of the most engaging family sedans, and now its

fuel economy approaches 65 kmpg on the highway, and Nissan should have no problem attracting the most frugal family-sedan buyers.”

And if you think you’ve heard the most outstanding remarks ever, Kelley Blue Book (KBB) recent commentary would amaze you. The Irvine, California-based vehicle valuation and automotive research company said: “The 2015 Nissan Altima offers all the ‘best-of ’ with excellent fuel economy.”

Nissan Altima is no doubt a driver’s delight says UK based automotive classified website, AutoTrader. “With its Maxima-like good looks, and unique features such as its NASA-inspired zero-gravity seats, the Altima really does

Mercedes-Benz Vario arrives Nigeria

T

he Mercedes-Benz Vario arrives once again into the Nigerian commercial vehicles market, but in a different variation, says the authorised general distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Nigeria, Weststar Associates Limited.

The Image Maker of the company, Funmi Lawuyi, said Vario is a commercial van which offers a very extensive scope for individualisation as well as the use of special-purpose bodies. .

She said in a statement that the Vario tow-truck is powered by an OM 904 LA four-cylinder Euro three diesel engine at 177 hp. It comes with several equipment like the Anti-lock braking system (ABS), Rear under-ride protection EEC, an under frame reinforced stabilizer rear axle, CD radio, a single-pole battery main switch, a 24 V/starter 24 V Electric equipment, Co-driver’s Cab S23 double

seat and a wide angle exterior mirror on the front passenger side. Other features include a 90—litre main tank, Halogen fog lamps, a left and right revolving yellow flasher on the cab roof, Cruise control for manual transmission, a Linear speed limiter of 90km per hour and a spare lifting device under the end of the frame.

“It comes standard with a skid lift/hydraulic ejector, a hydraulic lifting arm with hydraulic extension and is fully tiltable on load operation. The sub-frame is made of very fine-grained steel, resulting in a very flat lifting arm. A 3.6 ton winch is mounted on the arm, and works with a 2-speed manual freewheel,” she said.

Lawuyi also said that the Vario towtruck has a lot to offer in terms of accessories i.e. side markers with LED technology, a tool box with illumination, and Flyer with two LED work lights mounted on it, to name a few.

According to her, ,more to offer is the impressive hydraulic system which has overload valves, sandwich hydraulic valves, a hydraulic 2-circuit system which includes a dual-circuit pump, and integrated hydraulic filter and tank.

There’s also a separate relay and fuse box for additional power supply and fuse, plus a 12 + 24 V Jump-starting facility and cable.

New Telegraph learnt that the Vario stands out as not only boasting easy handling, and an extremely comfortable workplace, but also the advantages of a Van and the strengths of a light duty truck, which ultimately gives it a special position in the Van segment.

Lawuyi said Weststar has fully equipped workshops and highly skilled technicians to help maintain MercedesBenz vehicles and ensure their longevity in service.

g i v e shoppers a viable alternative to the Camry and Accord.

New Telegraph learnt that Nissan Altima’s key selling point is its driving dynamics. Without giving up any of its mainstream family-car duties, this midsize sedan imparts a measure of driving fun that’s uncommon in the segment.

Its multilink independent suspension and best-in-class continuously variable automatic transmission is a testimony of Nissan engineers’ ingenuity especially when they benchmarked premium sedans like the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series, KBB affirmed.

The powerful 3.5-litre V6 is the obvious enthusiast choice, though the 2.5-litre 4-cylinder is more than adequate for light loads and level roads and so is the unique multifunction rearview camera that performs lookout jobs coupled with NASA-inspired seats - proved as fatigue-reducing.

Stallion NMN, the Nissan sales company in Nigeria says Nissan Altima has no doubt caressed the midsize family sedan market described as the toughest segment in the industry, accounting for a huge number of sales each year like a colossus.

It said not only has Nissan maintained the cool look and sports-carlike handling that made the original Altima such a success, it has done so while thoroughly modernizing the Altima in ways crucial to younger buyers.

For instance, the 65-kmpg fuel economy rating for the (2.5 model) with premium materials used throughout the handsome cabin are some of the outstanding features yet to be surpassed by competitions.

It said its targeted customers are confident individuals, stylish and responsible adults seeking personal and professional fulfilment on their terms.

“This class of people want more out of life and do not want a conservative or dull midsize sedan,” the dealership affirmed.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

38

Feminique

Kehinde George

First in Africa, Nigeria’s No.1 Ever young, elegant, simple and happy are some of the words you could use to describe Mrs. Catherine Kehinde George and you will be perfectly right.

Inducted into the Nigerian Women Hall of Fame as the first female African Town Planner, Catherine is a woman of many firsts who has brought her professional experience to bear in the training of town planners and the planning of many cities. She spoke with EBERE AMEH on her love for the youths, town planning and a host of other issues

A

t 66, Catherine Kehinde George is still strong, hale and hearty. With an intimidating height, which has no plan of bowing to osteoporosis and an infectious cheerful countenance; she radiates contentment and fitness.

To many, it is expected, what with her staggering profile of the first female Town planner in Africa, and by extension, Nigeria; the first female Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP); the first female African Fellow of the Royal Town Planning Institute of Britain (RTPI); the CEO of Spectroplan Konsult Ltd, a flourishing Town Planning practice and a host of other achievements, which space may not allow us to mention. But to her, the secret is the grace of God and the blessing of an amazing family.

“I don’t bear grudges, I exercise, I smile and I pray. I don’t carry anything on my mind, I take all to the Lord in prayer and I keep smiling. Above all, I have a very understanding and supportive husband, wonderful children and amazing grand children who are now more than a football team(laughs). I graduated over forty years ago and I am still strong and able to work because I have peace. For that, I am forever grateful to them,” Catherine said of her secret to youthfulness and cheerfulness.

EBERE AMEH ebere.ameh@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

As we sat under the cool evening breeze, chatting at the Ikeja Country Club, I was wowed by the simplicity and the gracious ambiance of this beautiful sage. With so much wisdom and passion, she talks about education, planning, women and the youths.

From the perspective of a child, a parent, a lecturer, Catherine compares education in her time and now, digging out some reasons for the falling standard in the country.

“As a child, I grew up with my parents monitoring me.

My mother was a retired teacher and had so much interest in me doing my home work. My father was a Licensed S u r ve yo r and was interested in my mathematics and science. On the whole, there was monitoring, both at home, for morals, for all round education and for follow up, which is very im-

“I don’t bear grudges, I exercise, I smile and I pray.

portant.

“As a lecturer in Yaba College of Technology, I noticed that there is a gap now between children and parents. Parents are very busy trying to make a way forward, in earning an income and coping with financial demands that most of them are out of the house most of the time.

So the background foundation, which the children need is missing. Teachers were also more dedicated in my time than now because their needs were simple.

“As a parent, I have come to know that that background foundation is very important, particularly when they are in the primary and secondary schools. When the foundation is right, the child has self esteem, self worth and has a very able foundation to build on.”

A world-class Town Planner, Catherine who graduated in 1972, from The University of Melbourne, Australia, with Honours in Town and Regional Planning said that in Nigeria, town planning is a profession for the future.

“Government is beginning to appreciate what planning is all about. In developed countries, it is a profession that is respected and people who are town planners live well. They live well because the government, the people and the corporate bodies recognize planning. Without planning there is really no focus in the society. Without planning, you don’t have your land use in place, your transportation network will b e

inefficient, you won’t have comfort and you won’t have quality of life.

“I say it is a profession for the future because the government - the federal, state and local governments, all need to give recognition and more priority to planning projects. To plan, to implement and to evaluate continuously,” Catherine admonishes.

“We shouldn’t have town planners only in government, we should have them in every facet of the economy - the military, in educational institutions, in the ministries, in communication, at the airports; we should have them everywhere because there is no area that you don’t need a planning department.”

As the first female Chairman of Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners NITP, and an elected Member of the National Executive Council of NITP, Catherine says that as a regulatory body, NITP is doing a lot in ensuring the proper training of the town planners through adequate monitoring of what is going on in the universities and polytechnics and providing opportunity for the young graduates to be employed.

“To train as a town planner is tedious, to teach planning is tedious and to practice planning is also tedious. If you go through a tedious programme, you should not go through a tedious time trying to get employment.”

Catherine, whose Spectroplan Konsult Ltd consults for oil and gas industries planned a good number of districts in major cities in the country, has received several honours and awards. She is ready to serve her country if called upon and encourages more women to get involved in politics, observing that their Achilles heel is lack of support.

“Women need to be encouraged and supported to get more involved and do well in politics.

They need encouragement at the home front and by their fellow politicians. The politicians should try to have less nocturnal meetings so women who are wives and mothers could attend.

This will help the women to be more active. Coupled with the home front support and encouragement, they will do well.”

A prolific writer, Catherine has authored many books, both professional and otherwise, and has also made numerous presentations at local, national and international professional fora. She is happily married to Arc. Akin.

George FNIA, works a lot with the youths in her community and church, and wants to be remembered as a friend of the youths.

Feminique 39

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

How to prevent women from snatching your husband

F

or every woman, the fear of the so called husband snatchers is the beginning of wisdom. In about 99 percent of the cases, when a woman catches her husband with another woman, she blames everybody except herself. She is the wronged angel. She is the saint. The victim. She is angry and in a killer mood. She feels sad, cheated, disappointed, hurt, and angry. But my dear, have you sat down to honestly ask why? Are you sure that you are not the one that actually drove your husband out of the matrimonial home so to speak? Unfortunately, the woman at home is very ready to blame the husband, the lady, his friends, family members and even witches and wizards.

I am not saying that the man is always totally innocent. Far from it. But with all my interactions with couples as a sex and marriage counselor, both parties are usually guilty. I will talk about the men later, but here is a simple (but incomplete) checklist for women.

1.Sex. This always tops the list. Whether we like it or not. A man who is starved of sex at home, will always go out. Some wives use sex as a weapon of reward or punishment. Some as my friend says, ‘will lie down like a piece of log of wood’ during sex. No action at all. Some will even push their husbands off if they think the guy is taking too long. Can you imagine?

For some they must brush their teeth, put on their hair rollers, face cream etc. Just before sex. Of course the erection will disappear fast.

2.Food. The saying that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach is not a lie. A lot of wives refuse to believe this. They are terrible cooks and refuse to improve themselves. The house thrives on fast food junks and mama-put joints. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are always out. Their children are always on the street with plastic bowls and spoons to buy food from the road side sellers. The best prepared meal at

Ebere Ameh

D

aniel is finally gotten over his jealousy. Men can behave like kids at times. We postponed our outing to this weekend because I needed to convince myself I wasn’t doing anything wrong. Though I gave him a number of reasons that I should be left alone, I needed to be psychologically and emotionally ready for him.

“You know what, I can wait till the weekend and I can assure you, it will be a weekend spent on your terms anyhow and anywhere you like it,” Daniel told me over the phone.

At first, I was racked with indecision and worried about everything.

On the plus side: he is a totally hot guy, an unconsummated affair that would finally be, well, consummated.

On the other side: Is it the right time?

What if we didn’t get along or worse, what if his wife gets to know? I fell in love with him, despite knowing he is not divorced and our lives may never mesh.

In the end, I came to the conclusion that I would probably regret notgoing more than I would regret going, and so I why not?

Is it the freedom to call the shorts, or the mere idea of weeklong time out that is making me so excited? It was the words of gracious Grace, that amazing founder of The New Beginning that calmed me down and helped me decide.

“You are as single and normal as the girl next door. Lead a normal life, stop blaming yourself that it was your fault, find love again, if you want, divorce is not the end of the world!,” Grace said that first day.

As Friday approached, I got my acts together and decided to take the kids to my parents. Thank God, they were excited when I broached the topic. They have been disturbing that they want to visit her. And for

home is bread and blue band margarine.

3.Nagging. All women nag. Take that from me. But some go back to nagging schools to learn more about how to make their husband’s lives terrible at home. Their tongues are sharper than the well known Leventis double edged cutlass. They can literally kill and bury you with their tongues. Some men respond by becoming Mike Tyson at home. Which is wrong.

Others flee the house faster than Usain Bolt. Where they now run to for peace and protection is left to your imagination.

4. Dirty Sloven Habits.

Wives who were so pretty, slim, sophisticated and neat during courtship become something else after a few years of marriage. They become so dirty, fat and disgusting as to become repulsive.

Mouth Odour, body odour, smelly sweat stained armpits and Michellin tyre shapes.

Were they like this before marriage? Definitely No. So

A man who is starved of sex at home, will always go out.

Fadeyi

wives, work, children, house work are definitely no excuse for losing shape.

Yes you will gain a few pounds here and there, no sweat. Just don’t let go completely. Cheers.

Dr. Taiwo Fadeyi is a Western trained medical practitioner and one of the very few certified Sexologists in Nigeria. He is also a marriage counsellor and would be bringing his immense knowledge and experience to bear in writing this column. Make it a date with him every Friday for that expert advice on sex and relationship.

He can be reached on drtaiwofadeyi@ gmail.com or 08033148899 (sms only)

Ego: Diary of a single mom With Danny, the whole weekend is ours

me, what a perfect time to make a visit to grandma.

Danny has called over a dozen times to be sure we are still on course. We agreed that I meet him in his house on Friday evening and together we drive to any hotel of my choice on the island, where we shall spend two uninterrupted nights.

What do I take?, what do I wear? How do I act when I get there? I was anxious but at last I made it.To say that Danny was excited to see me would be to put

it mildly. But in the midst of the happiness is anxiety veiled.

Though he hid it under the coat of masculinity, I could see with the eyes of a woman. He is anxious about giving me the happiest weekend of my whole life, I sensed. Having overcome mine, I need to help him so we could be as carefree as possible and enjoy the amazing weekend we have both longed for.

‘Take it easy Danny. Remember, I call the shots and you obey.

The whole weekend is ours to

frolic and enjoy ourselves on my terms,’ I said jokingly when all he thought of after a short hug and a welcome kiss was assorted drinks and all sorts to entertain me.

“As your ladyship pleases,” he said with his hands up in total surrender.

“But you know, I can’t take my eyes off you. And my hands are itching to feel you ...,” he continued, making towards me with a steady gaze as if to discern my thoughts.

‘This is more like it. Danny, my smooth operator’, I told myself. In no time, and abandoning everything, Daniel began to thoroughly seduce me. It wasn’t his touch or his kiss.

No, what really did it for me was his words, which he presented in the sweetest and loving way. I let go in every way. Imagine a crazy honeymoon sex, coupled with the fortitude of a young and passionate man. Daniel and I did not leave that room for five delicious hours.

When we finally went out to a late dinner, he started to tell me of our plans – reservation in a hotel, theatre ticket and other interesting outings in the least overbearing way so I could make my choice. ‘The idea of a hotel added to the slightly illicit air of the whole escapade’, or so I thought.

“You know what? For me, it is a yes to everything you have on that plan but no to the hotel. We shall shop and cook together tomorrow because your house is cozy enough for me.”

“Whatever you say my love. You call the shots,” he said, squeezing my hand and telling me everything I long to hear.

40

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

41

Crime

2015 elections: Police move to recover illegal arms

Arms and ammunition

Bullets

Juliana Francis

A

s the 2015 election approaches, there has been palpable tension in the air.

The tension has crystalised into pockets of fighting and killings. These are probably pointers to what will happen as political campaigns begin and the 2015 elections finally arrive. The fighting and killings are also indications that there are too many arms and ammunitions in circulation.

Some security experts expressed the opinion that the feared and expected bloodletting may be forestalled if the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Suleiman Abba, take issues of illegal arms seriously, rather than relegate it to window shop discussion.

Within the past few months, the country has witnessed a good number of killings relating to politics.

In September, a former Ekiti State

JULIANA FRANCIS CRIME Editor

juliana.francis@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Abba

The late Asake

Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Omolafe Aderiye was murdered.

Aderiye, a staunch supporter of Governor Ayo Fayose, was killed on September 25 in Ijigbo area of the state capital, Ado-Ekiti.

The police arrested and questioned 19 persons in connection with the murder, but four persons were later charged to court.

Those charged are; Adebayo Aderiye (alias Ojuigo), as well as Sola Durodola, Kayode Ajayi and Farotimi Osho who are members of the union.

No fewer than four persons were killed on Lagos Island on September 20, 2014.

The incident happened as a result of a riot that broke out after a political rally held by the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), at the Tafawa

Balewa Square, Lagos Island.

Eye witnesses claimed that after the PDP rally, one of the most popular politicians on the Island, Otun Azeez Ashake, was killed by some unidentified men suspected to be political thugs.

It was learnt that trouble started after President Goodluck Jonathan and other PDP national leaders had ended the rally.

Some boys, known as Abija gang, attacked and killed Asake. Two of the assailants identified as Olokodana and Ade Lawyer were said to have led the attack on the deceased.

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said Olokodana and Ade Lawyer were supporters of the Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro.

The following day, two PDP youths

were allegedly killed by APC youths in Ebute Ero in retaliation of Asake’s murder.

A governorship aspirant under the APC and 25 others were recently arrested and quizzed by the Lagos State Police Command over the murder of a PDP member.

The slain PDP member, Sikiru Ogboye, an agent of his party, was shot dead allegedly on the orders of a chieftain of the APC by suspected thugs, while he was monitoring the PVC distribution.

Ogboye was killed on November, 9, 2015 at Ibeju-Lekki area of the state.

Police spokesman, Kenneth Nwosu, said that a pump action gun was found inside the governorship aspirant’s car.

Nwosu’s words: “We’ve arrested 26 persons in connection with the killings of the PDP member. Yes, we also arrested a governorship aspirant and recovered a gun from his car. He would now have to explain to the police how he acquired the gun.

He needs to tell us what he was doing with the pump action found in his car and if his explanations are not satisfactory, we’ll charge him to court.”

An eye witness said that the shooting took place around 2pm. PDP chieftains said that Ogboye was monitoring the exercise at the Oriledu Ibeju-Lekki area when he asked to be given the accurate number of those who had so far collected PVCs. “Governor Fashola’s Special Adviser immediately asked his party’s thugs to deal with him, and one of C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4 2

42

Crime

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

‘There should be mechanism to mop up illegal arms’ C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4 1

them produced a gun and shot him point blank,” a PDP chieftain alleged.

Abba does not need a soothsayer to tell him what these killings heralds.

Thus, on Wednesday, he announced that in preparation for political campaigns and the 2015 general election, the Nigeria Police Force had mapped out strategies to mop up illegal arms currently in circulation.

The police also warned thugs to find another legitimate source of livelihood, as the it is combat-ready to ensure that thugs and their sponsors do not have any breathing space during the 2015 elections.

Abba said he wanted to ensure that the 2015 general election was hitch-free.

His words: “The purpose of this gathering is in furtherance of our efforts to make sure the 2015 general election is not only acceptable but also safe. We will make sure it is safely conducted. One of the main issues we will be discussing is the issue of mopping up of arms, zero tolerance for thugs and thuggery and many other issues that are important in having a safe conduct of the 2015 elections.

The mopping up of arms has been a continuous exercise. I want to particularly mention what you have been witnessing in Imo and Zamfara states. Hitherto, efforts were made to arm the vigilante and militia in those states and I recall my directives in writing to them, where we directed every commissioner of police to, not only make a press statement banning the possession of illegal weapons, but also advised members of the public to return those arms to the police.

“Those recovered through our own efforts, as the law provides, will be prosecuted and justice will take its cause.

This is a continuous exercise and we do not intend to stop it. What we are doing now is that we are laying emphasis on it in view of our coming elections and, in particular, the electioneering campaigns which will begin in few days’ time, Abba said.’’

The police commissioner said that he knew that some politicians used to arm their supporters and that sometimes the politicians might not know that their supporters were armed.

“And before you know it, they begin to use it against themselves. We have the responsibility to protect the lives and property of people in Nigeria and for that reason we are mopping up those arms, especially now that elections are ahead. We will restrategise, we will put in more efforts.”

Before Abba made the call, commissioners of police in different states had already done the same.

The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, issued a 14-day ultimatum to politicians, thugs, cult members and supporters of various political parties to surrender all illegal arms in their possession or face the wrath of the law.

Adebanjo, who raised the alarm over massive build-up of arms and ammunition by some unscrupulous politicians and people to cause mayhem ahead of 2015 general elections, said the possession of illegal arms was unauthorised.

The commissioner said that a special squad had been set up to arrest those in possession of illegally-acquired arms and ammunition.

Adebanjo added: “Unconfirmed intelligence at our disposal indicates massive build-up of arms and ammunition by some politicians, hired thugs, violent cult groups and other undesirable individuals to cause mayhem if they do not win the primaries.

“Everyone in the state, irrespective of their status, must surrender to the

The 3rd Eye The critical edge of terrorism (1) Ethelbert Oney

T

Guns

office of the commissioner of police within a period of 14 days all illegallyacquired weapons in their possession.

Failure to adhere to this ultimatum will spell danger for anyone arrested with such illegal weapons.

“The anti-robbery and other special squads have been directed to identify, raid, and confiscate such illegal weapons and prosecute offenders in competent law courts.”

The police chief promised that a reward would be given for any vital information volunteered by anybody towards the recovery of arms and ammunition in the hands of suspects.

He said: “Insecurity is a threat, not only to the fast approaching elections, but to the security and wellbeing of the citizens, as well as business activities in the state. It is my duty and responsibility to tackle it squarely with the active support and participation of other security agencies and the good people of Edo State. Together, we must ensure peace and security and that the 2015 elections are violent free.”

In Lagos State, the story was the same.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, gave two weeks’ ultimatum to owners of unlicenced firearms in the state to surrender their guns to the police.

Aderanti’s directive followed eruption of violence at Isale-Eko area between members of the APC and PDP. At least six people were killed in the three-day confrontation while many others were injured. The commissioner said that he would not allow thuggery to pervade the state and vowed to speak with political leaders concerning their conducts and those of their supporters in the preparation for the 2015 general elections.

He said: “The Isale-Eko situation is what informed my decision in clamping down on proliferation of small arms in the city. We should not encourage thuggery. There should be no violence in the state. Politics should not be a matter of life and death.”

According to him, many people may want to use such guns to commit crime and intimidate innocent people.

The words of the police may just be empty promises, so that they could be seen as working.

It’s highly unlikely that the arms would be surrendered

If the police are waiting tamely for politicians, their supporters and people in the society who are in possessions of illegal arms to come forward like good kids and surrender such guns, then they have a long wait ahead of them. It will be nothing short of a miracle if anybody heeds the call. Clearly, a desperate measure is needed.

Chief Executive Officer, Principal Consultant, Zenith Intelligence and Security Solution Limited, Mr. Ethelbert Oney, said that it was near to impossible for the police to get people to surrender their illegal armswillingly. He described the police call to surrender illegal arms as, ‘mere words.’ He, however, suggested that for such an idea to work, the police should team up with members of various communities.

He said: “A mechanism should be put in place to enforce the mop up of arms in circulation. The only problem that Nigeria has is the enforcement of laws.

There should be a mechanism, where there should be an oversight to make sure, that the submission should be obeyed.”

Oney said that it was almost impossible in a country like Nigeria for the call the police were making to work.

“The words of the police may just be empty promises, so that they could be seen as working. It’s highly unlikely that the arms would be surrendered; whether illegal or not. If there’s no mechanism to get these arms, the words of the police would be meaningless. The mechanism should be for the police to set up a body like community policing, which would go round in the community. But the challenge in community policing is that members of the community do not trust the police. Information about such arms can only come out as information from members of the community. But I feel it’s unlikely, because people don’t like the police. Even if someone gives them such information, they would treat the person as a suspect. The people don’t have confidence in the police.”

One important aspect Abba needs to look at, if he hopes to achieve his lofty dream, is synergy with other security agencies, especially the Nigeria Customs Service.

There should be re-enforcement of personnel at the borders immediately to curtail movement of illegal arms into the country.

The borders are presently a believe of activities as the elections approach.

Security analysts have also pointed out that anybody found with illegal arms, no matter their socio-politcal status, should be made to face the wrath of the law, to serve as deterrent to others.

Most importantly, undercover policemen should begin to monitor politicians and their supporters now.

he Boko Haram violence activities are national epidemic that has become a predominantly geopolitical theme in our country today. Terrorism is a disaster, which is humanly-induced that causes damage to physical, social, psychological or economic structures. Two types of disaster exist: natural and manmade. Manmade disaster, the point of discussion in this piece, has as an example, terrorism. Terrorism is thus a pervasive type of psychological warfare. Our liberal democratic government must understand the response mechanisms in order to be able to withstand the repercussions and vice versa.

Manmade disaster can elicit fear, anger and worry from victims. It can lead to psychological symptoms of anxiety and depression. Research shows that human made disasters have more psychological effects than natural disasters.

Terrorism may be the most pathogenic of all due to its unpredictable and unrestrained nature.

The affairs of our nation are now influenced in important areas by the agenda of Boko Haram sect. The thinking of our policy makers, our law enforcement workforce, military and intelligence agencies are shaped increasingly by the need to respond appropriately to the threats given to us by the Boko Haram organisation. This Boko Haram-induced violence represents a challenge not just to Nigerians, but also to the world at large. These attacks threaten our rule of laws and human rights whilst perpetrators remain enemies to Nigerians.

However, terrorism in one way or another, has been around for a very long time and there is no realistic prospect of it becoming extinct in the foreseeable future. Therefore, those of us concerned with the effective combat, either directly or indirectly, must be prepared for a long haul. It has existed in all ages in some form or the other viz anarchists, revolutionaries, fundamentalists or dissidents against established authorities; although, it has not been as widely spread a phenomenon as it is today, particularly to Nigerians.

The Boko Haram sect aims to intimidate peaceful people, target the innocent and destroy our facilities. What they do is to discredit the Islamic religion, weaken the states, expose it to attacks and sow hatred. There is no doubt that the sect thinks about the harm its attacks will cause, whether to the individual person or group of people that is being targeted.

• Ethelbert Oney is an Intelligence & Security Expert ethelbertoney@zissltd.com (08067764342 SMS only)

Business | Money Line

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

CBN devalues naira as oil concerns drive currency slide That left dollar orders unfilled from importers who had placed exchange rate limits on their transactions, boosting demand on the interbank market.

The fall in the currency accelerated the rate of sell-off in the stock market, which fell as much as 3.8 per cent to a one and a half year low before paring its decline to 2.1 per cent yesterday as foreign investors who have pulled out more than N670 billion in the first 10 months of the year continued to sell equities.

Dealers said the central bank stepped up interbank dollar sales, selling close to $250 million, which failed to quench demand for dollars, mostly from importers.

Nigeria imports around 80 percent of what it consumes but production has stagnated even as rival supplies have climbed.

Nigerian markets have come under intense pressure this month. Investors are increasingly concerned at the swelling Boko Haram Islamist insurgency in the predominantly Muslim north, but the biggest factor has been the slide in oil prices.

This summer the US failed to import crude from Nigeria for the first time since records began in 1973, according to a report by Deutsche Bank this week.

Unlike some other big producers, Nigeria was “badly

MONETARY TIGHENING Banking watchdog should introduce 10% devaluation and lift interest rates 2% points to boost naira Ayodele Aminu

N

igeria’s currency, the naira slid as much as 1.9 per cent to a record low of N177.25 per US dollar yesterday at the interbank market ahead of a crucial Monetary Policy Meeting (MPC) next week, where the onus is on policy makers to come up with something decisive to quell rising concerns of a devaluation.

The naira also depreciated at the official window (Retail Dutch Auction Market) moderated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to close at a new low, culminating in a drop 1.25 percent despite intervention by apex bank.

The banking watchdog unexpectedly sold dollars at N158.41 naira at the window, having earlier auctioned the greenback at 156.59 naira, unnerving dealers worried about the risk of a possible devaluation.

prepared for declining oil revenues”, wrote Oliver Masetti, an analyst at Deutsche Bank.

“Despite elevated oil prices over the last few years, the country did not build strong fiscal and external buffers.”

The CBN has periodically intervened in the currency market during the past two weeks to prevent the weakness from deepening into a rout, but so far with little success and at the cost of depleting its financial backstop.

Foreign currency reserves slipped to just $37.54 billion at Nov. 14, with further declines expected this week.

Local and international analysts are speculating that Nigeria will eventually be forced to devalue, and non-deliverable forwards – contracts that allow investors to bet on future currency movements – imply that fund managers expect the currency to fall to N201.50 to the dollar in 12 months.

The banking watchdog is meeting on November 24-25, and Stuart Culverhouse, chief economist at Exotix, said it was time for a “strong response” from policy makers to steady Nigeria’s financial markets.

“The pressure on the naira poses a significant problem for policy makers, and the timing, ahead of February’s presidential election, could not be worse,” he wrote in a report.

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

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

FX

Bid Spot ($/N) 163.28 THE FIXINGS –NIBOR,NITTY and NIFEX of February 6,2014

Offer 163.38

Ayodele Aminu

T

he Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company Plc (NMRC) needs a minimum capital of N10trillion to make the desired impact, Managing Director, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mustafa Chike-Obi has said.

The AMCON boss disclosed this yesterday at the Legal Business Summit christened ‘Waking up dead capital,’ held in Lagos.

The NMRC was created to provide primary and secondary mortgage markets by raising long-term funds from the domestic capital market as well as foreign markets to provide accessible and affordable housing in the country.

Specifically, Chike-Obi said the huge capital outlay could be raised by the Federal Government through its guarantee of 80 per cent of mortgage loans in the country, with banks and insurance firms taking up 10 per cent each of such loans.

“We want the banks to take the first 10 per cent loss, insurance company 10 per cent and the Federal Government 80 per cent. By so doing, banks will be comfortable that if the mortgages go bad, they can claim at least 80 per cent of that loan from the government,” he said.

This he said would raise the willingness of the lenders to create mortgage loans.

He however, said the government should not guarantee 100 per cent of the loans because doing so could make the lenders to lend irresponsibly.

Chike-Obi said: “There should be government guarantees not government loans.

The NMRC should only buy bad mortgage loans from the banks

Kunle Azeez 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

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80

Nigeria’s mortgage firm needs N10trn capital, says AMCON MD and should not be a direct lender in the mortgage business,” he said.

Noting that it still takes about 10 years for banks to sell properties collected as collateral, he said this discourages banks from lending to the mortgage sector. “The issue of being able to foreclose quickly and efficiently is the biggest problem for banks,” he said.

Chike-Obi said the NMRC should also secure a foreclosure power, similar that of AMCON, which enables it to foreclose any property presented to it as collateral.

Besides, he said the NMRC should not be a lender, but a guarantor, which should also be able to quality for guarantee fees.

Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe, noted that the growth of Nigeria’s mortgage system had remained stunted because there is no legal system that ensures that property is easily transferable.

Noting that Africa and Nigeria need significant capital, he said proper regulatory framework is needed to ensure inflow of capital into the country.

Also, David Rice, a Director at Africapitalism, noted that the cost of regularizing property in Nigeria is too high. “The cost of regularizing property in Nigeria is 20 per cent of the cost of the property, while it is 8 per cent in other countries in Sub Saharan African countries,” he lamented.

But Senior Partner, Olisa Agbakoba & Associates, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), in his remarks, said his desire for Nigeria is to see a mortgage that supports the poor, stressing that the focus of NMRC is too elitist.

Accountants to FG: Diversify economy

Treasury Bills Maturity Date 08-May-14 07-Aug-14 22-Jan-15

43

Open-Buy-Back (OBB) Overnight (O/N)

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

T

he Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has urged the Federal Government to take drastic measures to diversify the economy.

Country Manager, ACCA, Mrs Toyin Ademola, made the call during an interview with New Telegraph, at the third leg of the professional body’s annual ACCA Summit held in Lagos.

The Lagos event followed the Abuja and Port Harcourt editions, which held on November 12 and 14 respectively.

Ademola, who decried the recent decline in the oil prices from $100 per barrel to around $78 per barrel, said that the developed signaled a need for Nigeria to diversify its economy from being a mono-economy.

She explained that the decline in the oil prices is a “serious threat to the economy, which means that we need new leadership thinking to better reposition the nation’s economy, to create to system where we begin to grow successful Small and

Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by young Nigerians which, in turn, provide employment opportunity to the country’s growing number of jobless youths in the country.”

She said: “As we all know it, Nigeria is a mono economy, whose national income largely comes from crude oil sales and in recent years, a number of other countries in Africa have also discovered their oil reserves and even the United States has stopped buying crude oil from Nigeria.

“All these point to the fact that, as a country, we need to focus on agriculture, for instance.

There is a need for us to push for the development of our agricultural sector because agriculture is critical to creating a virile SME industry in the country.”

Meanwhile, Ademola has declared that overall, more than 10, 000 participants took part in event at the three locations this year.

According to her, “While the Abuja and Port Harcourt events recorded 2,000 participants each, over 6, 000 participated in the Lagos leg of the summit.”

Business | Financial Market News

44

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

20-Nov-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

Price

FGN Bonds Issuer

Rating/Agency

NA

NA

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

535.00 563.89 452.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 371.68 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 130.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,675.13

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,470.71

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

Description

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

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

0.42 1.74 2.43 2.68 2.78 3.52 4.61 4.92 7.19 9.31 14.02 14.50 15.00 15.67 19.66

12.61 13.95 13.94 13.96 13.95 13.85 13.72 13.69 13.63 13.73 13.62 13.61 13.59 13.65 13.22

12.22 13.85 13.87 13.89 13.88 13.73 13.64 13.59 13.57 13.67 13.58 13.56 13.53 13.59 13.18

96.53 98.60 102.30 91.01 89.67 91.43 107.55 76.58 112.35 102.40 108.50 93.00 67.75 76.60 92.50

96.68 98.75 102.45 91.16 89.82 91.73 107.85 76.88 112.65 102.70 108.80 93.30 68.05 76.90 92.80

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

24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

24.56 3.00 112.22 116.70 66.49

24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.51 1.24 2.05 2.41 2.63

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

15.89 15.51 16.01 14.99 14.97

92.48 102.11 99.18 96.56 93.68

31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18 14-Feb-19 02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19 10-Oct-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.78 0.62 0.90 0.91 2.41 1.46 3.11 2.29 3.87 2.28 2.28 2.67 2.92 5.01 2.89 3.44 6.02 6.11 3.59 3.63

4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 4.78 1.00 1.00 1.00 2.74 1.00 1.00 1.94 1.44 1.95

17.48 16.40 17.40 16.41 19.58 14.57 15.69 15.80 14.80 15.00 18.78 14.96 14.93 14.69 16.67 14.86 14.64 15.57 15.28 15.78

96.46 98.71 97.23 99.55 82.22 99.10 95.91 96.89 97.65 99.12 91.37 99.10 101.43 99.36 95.81 99.76 95.55 97.75 98.05 98.06

322.97

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

312.05

Sub-National Bonds A+/Agusto A/Agusto A-/Agusto A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR† A-/Agusto A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro A/Agusto A-/GCR

KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN *OSUN LAGOS KOGI *EKITI *NASARAWA

31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11 12-Dec-13 14-Feb-12 02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12 10-Oct-13 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50 14.00 15.50 15.50 14.50 14.75 14.75 13.50 15.00 14.50 15.00

8.50 4.18 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92 25.00 34.14 9.00 14.96 11.13 27.00 16.23 80.00 27.51 11.40 87.50 5.00 4.78 4.79

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Corporate Bonds Aa/Agusto

13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014

GTB µ NGC

Nil

17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto

*UPDC

BB+/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

*FLOURMILLS

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR A-/Agusto

NAHCO

Nil A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR A/Agusto; A/GCR Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR Nil

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r} *TOWER# *TOWER

A/GCR A/GCR

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018 MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

#

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

#{r}

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

UBA

BBB-/GCR

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

FSDH

A/GCR

471.68 451.43

*DANA

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

STANBIC IBTC STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024

18-Dec-09

13.50

13.17

18-Dec-14

0.08

5.21

16.28

99.72

01-Apr-10

17.00

2.00

31-Dec-14

0.11

8.71

19.78

99.55

17-Aug-10

10.00

3.61

17-Aug-15

0.50

4.88

18.13

96.54

09-Dec-10

12.00

13.62

09-Dec-15

0.57

1.00

14.21

98.70

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.60

06-Jan-16

0.65

2.63

15.78

99.29

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

1.86

1.00

14.91

96.96

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.93

1.34

15.30

98.27

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

2.86

1.00

14.94

95.57

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.73

30-Nov-17

1.68

1.88

15.65

104.45 98.10

09-Apr-11

16.00

6.30

09-Apr-18

1.88

3.48

17.41

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.90

09-Sep-18

2.05

5.20

19.21

98.40

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.80

09-Sep-18

2.05

5.06

19.07

101.85

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

3.84

1.35

15.16

96.67

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.40

18-Oct-18

2.16

2.29

16.30

99.24

17-Feb-12

17.00

0.41

17-Feb-19

2.24

6.11

20.11

94.98

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

3.11

2.16

16.06

99.91

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.98

2.76

16.40

95.72

30-Sep-14

11.93

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.86

1.00

14.74

85.55

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.86

1.00

14.74

92.32

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

144.16

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

139.75

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

AfDB

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

3.23

1.00

14.89

88.28

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

4.45

1.00

14.73

89.41

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

24.95 22.17 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

5.50

5.35

106.45

107.29

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.55

4.32

101.89

102.69

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.76

5.65

104.12

104.92

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

1,562.33

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

8.49

8.49

103.30

103.30

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

4.85

4.85

103.75

103.75

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

6.83

6.83

101.00

101.00

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

9.57

8.93

92.23

94.00

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.29

5.96

99.01

100.14

B/Fitch

AFREN PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

9.67

9.67

102.00

102.00

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.51

6.51

99.00

99.00

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

9.28

9.03

98.09

98.98

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

8.11

8.11

99.75

99.75

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

AFREN PLC III

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

8.11

8.11

93.00

93.00

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC II

9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021

24-Jun-14

9.25

400.00

24-Jun-21

9.47

9.21

99.13

100.38

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK LTD

8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

23-Jul-14

8.00

450.00

23-Jul-21

8.45

8.45

96.75

96.75

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

8.43

8.23

100.59

101.62

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,760.00 4,724.37

**Treasury Bills DTM 7 14 21 35 42 49 56 63

FIXINGS Maturity 27-Nov-14 4-Dec-14 11-Dec-14 25-Dec-14 1-Jan-15 8-Jan-15 15-Jan-15 22-Jan-15

Bid Discount (%) 8.10 12.20 11.00 10.72 12.61 12.80 12.50 12.40

Offer Discount (%) 7.85 11.95 10.75 10.47 12.36 12.55 12.25 12.15

Bid Yield (%) 8.11 12.26 11.07 10.83 12.80 13.02 12.74 12.67

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 18.2500 15.5304 15.9749 16.8111

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

14.50

Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

O/N

14.79

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

176.00 171.75 172.02 172.66 173.87 175.08

176.10 171.99 172.33 173.29 175.01 176.75

Tenor Call 1M

REPO

Rate (%) 12.08 13.20

Agency Bonds

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

FMBN ***LCRM

24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

24.56 3.00 112.22 116.70 66.49

24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

15.89 15.51 16.01 14.99 14.97

92.48 102.11 99.18 96.56 93.68

322.97

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

312.05

Sub-National Bonds

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 A+/Agusto KADUNA A/Agusto A-/Agusto A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR† A-/Agusto A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro A/Agusto A-/GCR

0.51 1.24 2.05 2.41 2.63

*EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN *OSUN LAGOS KOGI *EKITI *NASARAWA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11 12-Dec-13 14-Feb-12 02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12 10-Oct-13 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14

12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50 14.00 15.50 15.50 14.50 14.75 14.75 13.50 15.00 14.50 15.00

Business | Financial Market News

8.50 4.18 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92 25.00 34.14 9.00 14.96 11.13 27.00 16.23 80.00 27.51 11.40 87.50 5.00 4.78 4.79

31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18 14-Feb-19 02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19 10-Oct-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.78 0.62 0.90 0.91 2.41 1.46 3.11 2.29 3.87 2.28 2.28 2.67 2.92 5.01 2.89 3.44 6.02 6.11 3.59 3.63

4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 4.78 1.00 1.00 1.00 2.74 1.00 1.00 1.94 1.44 1.95

17.48 16.40 17.40 16.41 19.58 14.57 15.69 15.80 14.80 15.00 18.78 14.96 14.93 14.69 16.67 14.86 14.64 15.57 15.28 15.78

45

96.46 98.71 97.23 99.55 82.22 99.10 95.91 96.89 97.65 99.12 91.37 99.10 101.43 99.36 95.81 99.76 95.55 97.75 98.05 98.06

SEC to shareholders: Be active in governance of your firms BAD MANAGEMENT Passive shareholders allow their firm to be badly managed by their directors

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Chris Ugwu and TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Abdulwahab Isa

S

Corporate Bonds

hareholders GTB have been µ NGC advised to show more Bbb-/Agusto interest in the*UPDC affairs of A-/Agusto *FLOURMILLS their companies rather BB+/GCR *CHELLARAMS than be concerned with the A+/Agusto; A-/GCR NAHCO A-/Agusto immediate gains due to them.

FSDH Aa/Agusto Nil

A/GCR

BBB-/GCR

Director and Secretary to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Edosa Kennedy Aigbekaen made this call yesterday in Abuja.

Speaking on corporate governance framework in Nigeria as it affects companies performance at 2014 Journalists Academy organised by SEC, Aigbekan noted that there was every tendency for companies GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 with 13.50 dominant passive share17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 holders to be ineffective and UPDC 17-AUG-2015 badly10.00 managed by their board 12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 of directors.

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 For instance, he said why 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 there14.25 was no law in place

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

*TOWER#

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

to determine directors and management’s remuneration, shareholders are permitted to set up independent remuneration committee to determine through voting the amount paid as remuneration to directors and top management of companies.

He noted that enforcement of corporate governance varies from country to country, adding18-Dec-09 that Nigeria’s 13.50 code 01-Apr-10 government 17.00 of corporate for 10.00 capital17-Aug-10 market is regulator’s 09-Dec-10 12.00 driven.06-Jan-11 14.00 He said: “Corporate frame29-Sep-11 13.00 25-Oct-13 from country 14.25 work differs to

A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR

AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR A/Agusto; A/GCR

Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR Nil

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

STANBIC IBTC STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

*DANA#{r}

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR A/GCR A/GCR

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024

M

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

2.86

1.00

14.94

95.57

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.73

30-Nov-17

1.68

1.88

15.65

104.45 98.10

09-Apr-11

16.00

6.30

09-Apr-18

1.88

3.48

17.41

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.90

09-Sep-18

2.05

5.20

19.21

98.40

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.80

09-Sep-18

2.05

5.06

19.07

101.85

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.40

14-Aug-21

8.43

8.23

100.59

101.62

22-Sep-18 3.84 1.35 15.16 96.67 banking services sub-sector

by Bloomberg.

18-Oct-18 2.16 2.29 16.30 99.24 dominated in volume terms This has accelerated loss17-Feb-12 17.00 0.41 17-Feb-19 2.24 6.11 20.11 94.98 es on the bourse to about 15.7 with 108.3 million shares 01-Apr-14 4.50 01-Apr-19 3.11 2.16 16.06 99.91 NSE is the 16.00 worst percent14-Nov-20 so far this year. worth N1.09 in 1,300 14-Nov-13 15.25 2.05 5.98 2.76 16.40 billion 95.72 performance 30-Sep-14 11.93 among 0.10 14.74 85.55 was The 30-Sep-24 sustained sell9.86 offs in 1.00 deals. The sub sector 30-Sep-14 9.86 92.32 three trading days 1.00 enhanced14.74 by the activities in 93 primary13.25 indexes 15.44 the last30-Sep-24 144.16 has resulted to a loss of N684 the shares of Sterling Bank tracked by Bloomberg139.75 and Zenith Bank. billion or 6.2 per cent.

Market watchers have conOther financial sub-sec11-Feb-13 10.20 12.00 tinued 11-Feb-18 3.23 bear1.00 14.89 88.28 to attribute the tor boosted by the shares of 10-Jul-14 12.95 ish trends 01-Feb-21 4.45 1.00 89.41 82.1 Chris Ugwu11.25 FBNH Plc14.73 followed with that has pervaded 24.95 the market to uncertainty in million units, worth N755.3 22.17 investment environment foln the 10 months to October million in 811 deals.

2014, offshore portfolio inlowing the approach of 2015 In all, investors exchanged Outstanding Value Issue Date Coupon (%) Maturity Date Bid Yield (%) Offer Yield (%) Price vestors pulled out N101.2 bila total BidofPrice312.4Offer million ($mm) elections and recapitalisation lion ($583.6 million) from the of stock broking firms. shares, worth N4.1 billion in Prices & Yields stock market through sales At the close of trading, 4,421 deals.

07-Oct-11 6.75 500.00 28-Jan-21 5.50 106.45 107.29 transactions or outright liq- 10 stocks appreciated, while 5.35 Meanwhile, foreign inuidation of their portfolio in42 others constituted the vestors increased the 12-Jul-13 5.13 500.00 12-Jul-18 4.55 4.32 101.89 102.69pace vestments, after a drop in the losers’ table. of outflows in August, sell12-Jul-13 6.38 500.00 12-Jul-23 5.76 104.12 104.92 oil price and the naira, data Further analysis of the 5.65 ing out of the relatively liq1,500.00 day’s trading showed that uid banking, consumer and from the local bourse showed.

The investors, which1,562.33 ac- Wapic Insurance Plc topped oil sectors as the price of counted for 87.5 percent of the gainers’ table with 4.62 Brent crude, the benchmark the N1.25 trillion of stock per cent to close at 68 kobo, against which Nigeria’s oil is 01-Feb-11 11.50 450.00 01-Feb-16 8.49 8.49 103.30 103.30 market transactions in the while Anino Nigeria4.85 Plc fol- 4.85 priced, dropped.

19-May-11 7.50 500.00 19-May-16 103.75 103.75 first 10 months of this year, lowed with 4.17 per cent to The plunge in the oil price 25-Jul-12 7.25 350.00 25-Jul-17 6.83 6.83 101.00 101.00 took out some6.88 N676.7 billion N6.25 per share. has put Nigeria’s currency 09-May-13 300.00 close at02-May-18 9.57 8.93 92.23 94.00 On the flip side, Total Ni- 5.96 in that period6.00- 14.9 percent under pressure and100.14 damp08-Nov-13 400.00 08-Nov-18 6.29 99.01 08-Apr-12 10.25invested. 300.00 geria Plc 08-Apr-19 102.00 for assets 102.00 more than they led losers9.67 with a 9.67 ened appetite in Af22-Apr-14 6.25 500.00 99.00 economy 99.00 and Meanwhile, Yesterday, the drop of22-Apr-19 9.57 per cent 6.51 to close 6.51 rica’s biggest 21-May-14 8.75 200.00 21-May-19 9.28 98.09 98.98 NSE All Share Index lost 2.1 at N147.40, while Oando Ni- 9.03 chief oil exporter, prompting 07-Aug-13 8.25 300.00 07-Aug-20 8.11 8.11 99.75 99.75 percent to 33,428.76 in the geria Plc shed 8.90 per cent the Central Bank of Nigeria 09-Dec-13 6.63 360.00 09-Dec-20 8.11 8.11 93.00 93.00 worst performance among at N19.87 per9.47 share. 9.21 (CBN) to intervene repeated24-Jun-14 9.25 400.00 to close24-Jun-21 99.13 100.38 23-Jul-14 8.00 450.00 23-Jul-21 On the activity chart, the 8.45 93 primary indexes tracked ly to try to96.75 prop up the naira.

8.45 96.75

WORST

posted a profit after tax of Chris Ugwu TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE N577.237million during the TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION RS Oil Plc has review period as against posted 84 per cent N91.794 million in the Supranational Bond 10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018 AAA/S&P growth in profit period of af- corresponding IFC 11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021 AfDB terAaa/Moody's; tax for AAA/S&P the third quarter last year.

This indicated a TOTALSeptember OUTSTANDING30, VALUE ended 2014. growth of 84 per cent.

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION The company, in a filing Pre-tax profit grew by 89 with the Nigerian Stock per cent from N129.311 milDescription Rating/Agency Exchange (NSE) said itIssuerlion to N1.247 billion, but turnover dropped marginFGN Eurobonds ally from N69.713 billion to 6.75 JAN 28, 2021 BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P N69.243 billion, amounting BB-/Fitch; to a decrease of 0.67 perJULcent.

FGN 5.13 12, 2018 BB-/S&P Sales revenue had, imBB-/Fitch; 6.38 JUL 12, 2023 BB-/S&P proved marginally by 2.4 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE per cent to N47.16 billion TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION year-on-year at the end of the second quarter.

Corporate Eurobonds According to the report, 11.50 FEB 01, 2016 B/Fitch; B-/S&P AFREN PLC I revenue growth was weak7.50 MAY 19, 2016 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC I ened by a decline of 4.4 per 7.25 JUL 25, 2017 B+/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC cent in the sales of 6.88premiMAY 09, 2018 B/Fitch; B/S&P FIDELITY BANK PLC 6.00 NOV 08, 2018 um motor spirit, which acB+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC 10.25 APR 08, 2019 B/Fitch AFREN PLC II counted for about 71 per cent 6.25 APR 22, 2019 B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P ZENITH BANK PLCof the company’s turnover.

8.75 May 21, 2019 B/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMOND BANK PLC Based on the second8.25 quarter AUG 07, 2020 B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANK PLC growth rate, sales revenue 6.63 DEC 09,is 2020 B-/Fitch; MD, MRSB/S&P Oil Nigeria Plc, AFREN PLC III projected at N95.7 billion for JUN 24, 2021 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 B/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC II Mr.B-/Fitch; Paul Bissohong 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021 B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANK LTD MRS Oil in 2014.

B-/S&P

corporate governance can reduce the risk of financial crisis, which can have devastating economic and social cost and that good corporate governance helps to underpin market confidence and financial stability” Consequently, he said: “Shareholders should pay more attention to monitoring how their companies are managed.

The 5.21 16.28shareholders’ 99.72 8.71 19.78 99.55 association should be more 4.88 18.13 96.54 responsive to ensuring ac1.00 14.21 98.70 countability and effective 2.63 15.78 99.29 management com1.00 14.91of their 96.96 1.34 15.30 98.27 pany.”

Foreign investors pull out N101bn from stock market

MRS grows net earnings by 84% Nil

country. The United States of America’s approach to corporate governance can be characterised as a regulator-led system predominantly enforced through SEC regulations, stock Exchange listing rules and state laws. The US does not have a code of corporate 471.68 governance similar to that of 451.43 Nigeria or United Kingdom, given the federal nature of its constitution.

13.17 18-Dec-14 0.08 2.00 31-Dec-14the frame0.11 “In Nigeria, 3.61 17-Aug-15 0.50 work for corporate gover13.62 09-Dec-15 0.57 nance is the regulator-led ap0.60 06-Jan-16 0.65 proach.

The SEC had in the 15.00 29-Sep-16 1.86 5.53 25-Oct-16 1.93 early 2000 realised that good

I

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

4,760.00 4,724.37

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

20-Nov-14

The FMDQ Daily income securities and instruments inMarket the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to the **Treasury Bills Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, fixed FIXINGS Money Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) FMDQ OTCDTM PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement on www.fmdqotc.com.

Maturity Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount (%) Bid Yield (%) Tenor Rate (%) NIBOR 7 14 21 FGN Bonds 35 42 49 Rating/Agency 56 63 70 77 84 91 98 105 112 126 NA 133 140 147 154 161 168 175 259 287

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

27-Nov-14 4-Dec-14 11-Dec-14 25-Dec-14 1-Jan-15 8-Jan-15 Issuer 15-Jan-15 22-Jan-15 29-Jan-15 5-Feb-15 12-Feb-15 19-Feb-15 26-Feb-15 5-Mar-15 12-Mar-15 26-Mar-15 NA 2-Apr-15 9-Apr-15 16-Apr-15 23-Apr-15 30-Apr-15 7-May-15 14-May-15 6-Aug-15 3-Sep-15

8.10 12.20 11.00 10.72 12.61 12.80 Description 12.50 12.40 4.00 23-APR-2015 11.39 13.05 16-AUG-2016 12.40 15.10 27-APR-2017 12.50 9.85 27-JUL-2017 10.60 10.05 9.35 31-AUG-2017 12.40 10.70 30-MAY-2018 12.45 16.00 29-JUN-2019 10.63 7.00 23-OCT-2019 11.44 16.39 27-JAN-2022 12.50 14.20 14-MAR-2024 12.50 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.00 12.49 22-MAY-2029 11.98 12.10 8.50 20-NOV-2029 12.50 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.15 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 11.60

7.85 11.95 10.75 10.47 12.36 12.55 Issue Date 12.25 12.15 23-Apr-10 11.14 16-Aug-13 12.15 27-Apr-12 12.25 27-Jul-07 10.35 9.80 31-Aug-07 12.15 30-May-08 12.20 29-Jun-12 10.38 23-Oct-09 11.19 27-Jan-12 12.25 14-Mar-14 12.25 28-Nov-08 11.75 22-May-09 11.73 11.85 20-Nov-09 12.25 23-Jul-10 11.90 18-Jul-14 11.35

8.11 12.26 11.07 10.83 12.80 13.02 (%) Coupon 12.74 12.67 4.00 11.64 13.05 12.73 15.10 12.87 9.85 10.89 10.33 9.35 12.86 10.70 12.94 16.00 11.03 7.00 11.94 16.39 13.13 14.20 13.16 15.00 12.64 12.49 12.65 12.81 8.50 13.30 10.00 13.30 12.1493 12.76

Bonds

*for the MARKET Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration TOTAL CAPITALISATION Risk Premium is a combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums **Exclusive of non-trading t.bills

Issuer

Agency Bonds FMBN Modified Duration Buckets

***LCRM

<3 3<5 CAPITALISATION >5 Market

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET

Sub-National Bonds A+/Agusto A/Agusto A-/Agusto A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA

(N'bn)

Value

OBB

Rate (%) 18.2500 15.5304 15.9749 16.8111Date Maturity

535.00 23-Apr-15 NITTY 563.89 16-Aug-16 452.80 27-Apr-17 Tenor Rate (%) 20.00 27-Jul-17 1M 12.6544 2M 12.7679 100.00 31-Aug-17 3M 12.7820 300.00 30-May-18 6M 12.8733 351.30 29-Jun-19 9M 13.0572 233.90 23-Oct-19 12M 13.1210 600.00 27-Jan-22 371.68 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 NIFEX 150.00 22-May-29 Current Price ($/N) 200.00 20-Nov-29 BID($/N) 591.57 176.5000 23-Jul-30 OFFER ($/N) 176.6000 130.00 18-Jul-34

4,675.13

14.50

O/N

14.79

REPO

Tenor TTM (Yrs) Call 1M 0.42 3M 1.74 6M

Rate (%) (%) Bid Yield 12.08 13.20 12.61 14.00 13.95 14.89

Tenor

Spot 7D 14D Offer 1M Yield 2M(%) 3M 12.22 6M 13.85 1Y

2.43 13.94 13.87 2.68 13.96 13.89 2.78 13.95 13.88 :Benchmarks 3.52 13.85 13.73 * :Amortising 4.61Bond 13.72 13.64 µ :Convertible Bond 4.92 13.69 13.59 AMCON: Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria 7.19 13.63 13.57 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria 9.31 Mortgage Bank 13.73 13.67 FMBN: Federal of Nigeria 14.02 Finance Corporation 13.62 13.58 IFC: International 14.50 13.61 Management 13.56 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables NAHCO: Nigerian 15.00 Aviation Handling 13.59Company 13.53 O/N: Overnight 15.67 13.65 13.59 UPDC: UAC Property Development 19.66 13.22Company 13.18 NOTE:

WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company

Bid ($/N)

176.00 171.75 172.02 172.66 Bid Price 173.87 175.08 96.53 178.93 98.60 186.73

Offer ($/N) 176.10

Price 171.99

172.33 173.29 Offer Price 175.01 176.75 96.68 182.45 98.75 194.94

102.30 102.45 91.01 91.16 89.67 89.82 NA :Not Applicable 91.43 91.73 # :Floating Rate Bond 107.55 107.85 ***: Deferred coupon bonds 76.58 76.88 112.35 112.65 †: Bond rating expired 102.70 N/A :Not 102.40 Available 108.50 {r} :Issuer in receivership 108.80 93.00 93.30 NGC: Nigeria-German Company 67.75 68.05 UBA: United Bank for Africa 76.60 76.90 92.50 92.80

4,470.71

#

Rating/Agency

Tenor O/N 1M 3M Outstanding 6M

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Description

Issue Date

0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 Total Outstanding Porfolio Market Value(Bn) 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 Volume(Bn) 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017 1,019.20 1,016.68

24-May-10 03-Apr-12 Weighting by 09-Dec-11 Outstanding 20-Apr-12Vol 06-Jul-12 33.21

0.00 17.25 Weighting

by Mkt 0.00/16.00 Value 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50 33.69

24.56 3.00 112.22 Bucket Weighting 116.70 66.49 0.33

24-May-15 03-Apr-17 % Exposure_ 09-Dec-16 Mod_Duration 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17 14.60

0.51 1.24 2.05 Implied Yield 2.41 2.63 13.94

31.08 35.71 100.00

34.77 31.54 100.00

312.050.36

30.38 55.03 100.00

13.65 13.61 13.67

1,051.92 953.99 3,025.12 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

951.30 1,093.25 3,061.23

Coupon (%)

FMDQ FGN BOND INDEX

31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11

12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00

322.970.31

1.00

8.50 4.18 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92 25.00 34.14 9.00

Maturity Date

31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18

0.78 0.62 0.90 0.91 2.41 1.46 3.11 2.29 3.87

# Risk Premium (%)

2.63 2.27 Implied 2.00 Portfolio1.00 Price 1.00 117.0055

130.0107 98.5185 114.4448 4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

15.89 15.51 16.01 INDEX 14.99 14.97 1,111.31

92.48 102.11 YTD Return 99.18 (%)96.56 93.68 11.1314

1,100.88 1,151.85 1,092.85

10.0881 15.1854 9.2847

17.48 16.40 17.40 16.41 19.58 14.57 15.69 15.80 14.80

96.46 98.71 97.23 99.55 82.22 99.10 95.91 96.89 97.65

Business | Capital Market

46

Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014 Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014 Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002

Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002 Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002 Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014 Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at November 20, 2014

Activity Summary on Board DEBT Activity Summary on Board DEBT Activity Summary on Board DEBT Federal Federal Bond Name Bond Name Federal

14.20% FGN MAR 2024 14.20% FGN MAR 2024 Bond Name Federal Totals Federal Totals 14.20% FGN MAR 2024 DEBT Board Totals Federal Totals DEBT Board Totals

DEBT BoardTotals Totals Bond Activity Bond Activity Totals Bond Activity Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Activity Summary on Board EQTY Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURE Crop Production Crop Production AGRICULTURE FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC Crop Daily Summary asProduction of 20/11/2014 OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. FTN 15:04:02.002 COCOA PROCESSORS PLC Printed 20/11/2014 PRESCO PLC PRESCOOIL PLCPALM PLC. OKOMU Crop Production Totals Crop Production PRESCO PLC Totals

Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Totals

Activity Summary onSpecialties Board EQTY Livestock/Animal Totals

AGRICULTURE Totals AGRICULTURE Totals CONGLOMERATES AGRICULTURE Totals Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. S C O A NIG. PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © OF NIGERIA PLC Published byTRANSNATIONAL The Nigerian StockCORPORATION Exchange © A CNigerian N PLC.Stock Exchange © Published byUThe Diversified Industries Totals

Daily Summary (Bonds) Daily Summary (Bonds) Daily Summary (Bonds)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Symbol Symbol FG112024S1 FG112024S1 Symbol FG112024S1

No. of Deals No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 1 1

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Daily Summary as ofBERGER 20/11/2014 JULIUS NIG. PLC. Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002 Construction Totals Infrastructure/Heavy Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Symbol Symbol FTNCOCOA FTNCOCOA Symbol OKOMUOIL OKOMUOIL FTNCOCOA PRESCO PRESCO OKOMUOIL PRESCO Symbol Symbol LIVESTOCK Symbol

Daily Summary LIVESTOCK LIVESTOCK

Symbol AGLEVENT SCOA TRANSCORP UACN

No. of Deals No. of Deals 4 4 No. of Deals 27 27 4 16 16 27 47 47 16 47 No. of Deals No. of Deals (Equities) 47 47 No. of Deals 47 47

47 94 94

94 No. of Deals 3 1 187 59

250

Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. PREMIER BREWERIES PLC Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014 Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002 Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals

Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY Activity Summary on Board EQTYPLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. CONSUMER GOODS HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC Food Products NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. TC NIG. PLC. Published by U The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Food Products Totals

Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals Household Durables NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. VITAFOAM NIG PLC. VONO PRODUCTS PLC. Household Durables Totals Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014

Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002 Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014Products Totals

Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002 CONSUMER GOODS Totals

FINANCIAL SERVICES GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. Banking SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002 STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Activity Summary on Board EQTY Micro-Finance Banks Totals

FINANCIAL SERVICES Other Financial Institutions Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FBNNigerian HOLDINGS PLC Published by The Stock Exchange © FCMB GROUP PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

26.13

Current Price Current Price 2.10 2.10 Current Price 2.10

Current Price 1.30 4.67 3.80 43.00

Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 1,051,000 1,051,000 Quantity Traded 67,353 67,353 1,051,000 233,785 233,785 67,353 1,352,138 1,352,138 233,785 1,352,138 Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 1,971,699 1,971,699 Quantity Traded 1,971,699 1,971,699

1,971,699 3,323,837 3,323,837

3,323,837 Quantity Traded 48,083 500 Page Page 13,134,588 Page 560,756 13,743,927

ICT Computer Based Systems Computer Based Systems Totals

104,635.08 104,635.08 104,635.08 104,635.08 104,635.08 104,635.08 104,635.08

Value Traded Value Traded 525,500.00 525,500.00 Value Traded 1,693,065.82 1,693,065.82 525,500.00 6,132,616.56 6,132,616.56 1,693,065.82 8,351,182.38 8,351,182.38 6,132,616.56

8,351,182.38 Value Traded Value Traded 4,092,679.19 4,092,679.19 Value Traded 4,092,679.19 4,092,679.19

4,092,679.19 12,443,861.57 12,443,861.57

12,443,861.57 Value Traded 60,103.75 2,220.00 1 of 14 150,045,051.41 of 14 124,154,697.93 of 14

74,262,073.09

13,743,927

74,262,073.09

Current Price 0.89

Quantity Traded 17,521 17,521

Value Traded 14,892.85 14,892.85

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 41 41

Current Price 60.66

Quantity Traded 537,858 537,858

Value Traded 32,943,851.20 32,943,851.20

No. of Deals 34 Daily Summary (Equities) 34

Current Price 11.03

Quantity Traded 133,334 133,334

Value Traded 1,422,407.35 1,422,407.35

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 10.00

Quantity Traded 32,220 32,220

Value Traded 322,200.00 322,200.00

Symbol DUNLOP

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 0.50

Symbol CHAMPION GOLDBREW GUINNESS INTBREW NB PREMBREW

No. of Deals 9 1 52 15 143 3 223

Current Price 9.85 0.92 160.00 29.00 157.15 3.98

Quantity Traded 218,434 1,800 278,498 86,317 1,844,022 2,700 2,431,771

Value Traded 2,182,732.46 1,728.00 44,576,523.24 2,379,802.20 292,396,865.87 10,233.00 341,547,884.77

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 21 21

Current Price 149.00

Quantity Traded 46,383 46,383

Value Traded 6,770,674.90 6,770,674.90

Quantity Traded 2,900 2,891,600 1,205,763 132,861 Quantity 801,732 Traded 10,146 120,000 Page 5,165,002

Value Traded 18,067.00 17,618,512.01 53,479,878.42 426,526.26 Value Traded 5,806,760.10 183,201.00 60,000.00 3 of 14 77,592,944.79

Symbol UAC-PROP

Symbol UPDCREIT

83

720,933

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR Symbol NASCON NNFM UTC

Page Quantity Traded 43,400 43,400

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 22 102 124

Current Price 44.30 855.00

Quantity Traded 194,240 729,127 923,367

Value Traded 8,604,832.00 611,420,290.60 620,025,122.60

Symbol ENAMELWA VITAFOAM VONO

No. of Deals 1 20 5 26

Current Price 32.27 3.70 1.00

Quantity Traded 2,240 263,368 54,903 320,511

Value Traded 68,678.40 983,042.60 57,298.15 1,109,019.15

No. of Deals 93 95 188 (Equities)

Current Price 22.00 33.00

Quantity Traded 1,053,861 1,073,874 2,127,735

Value Traded 22,943,373.25 35,457,732.51 58,401,105.76

11,058,169

1,105,468,451.97

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

Daily Summary

830 Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

DIAMONDBNK ETI FIDELITYBK GUARANTY Symbol SKYEBANK STERLNBANK UBA UBN UNITYBNK WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

84 41 52 356 No. of Deals 64 55 250 57 2 29 231 1,300

5.57 17.00 1.62 23.12 Current Price 2.47 2.33 4.30 8.12 0.50 0.95 21.00

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM NIGERINS STDINSURE WAPIC

No. of Deals 27 9 6 12 22 1 8 54 139

Symbol NPFMCRFBK

Symbol Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals ACCESS 79 Current Price 7.46

Quantity Traded 7,140,411 35,699,001 317,950 20,711,000 1,274,576 20,000 34,000 5,022,714 70,219,652

Value Traded 5,726,444.54 31,785,605.91 913,546.00 10,360,700.00 819,862.34 10,000.00 17,000.00 3,409,038.16 53,042,196.95

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 0.86

Quantity Traded 255,000 Page 255,000

Value Traded 227,700.00 5 227,700.00 of 14

No. of Deals No. of Deals 37 10 643 28 4 36 53 811

Current Price Current Price 3.00 3.83 9.10 3.13 0.50 28.20 1.63

Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 2,490,954 96,668 Page 63,457,071 9,072,709 691,726 4,821,674 1,494,784 82,125,586

Value Traded Value Traded 7,474,043.45 371,191.84 6 of 14 579,900,757.86 29,737,948.36 346,843.00 135,046,226.64 2,444,037.12 755,321,048.27

No. of Deals 1 6 5 8 10 1 31

Current Price 2.20 3.40 52.00 1.50 0.92 7.00

31 Symbol COURTVILLE

No. of Deals 5

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 13,200 78,800 14,514 91,000 77,311 20 274,845

Value Traded 27,588.00 270,170.70 743,075.22 130,200.00 68,855.01 133.00 1,240,021.93

274,845

1,240,021.93

Quantity Traded 138,000

Value Traded 69,000.00

Page

7

of

Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC Computers and Peripherals Totals

Symbol OMATEK

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 200 200

Value Traded 100.00 100.00

Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Processing Systems Totals

Symbol CHAMS

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,000,000 1,000,000

Value Traded 500,000.00 500,000.00

Telecommunications Services MASS TELECOMMUNICATION INNOVATIONS NIGERIA PLC Telecommunications Services Totals

Symbol MTI

No. of Deals 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 200

Value Traded 100.00

ICT Totals Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014 Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002 INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC DN MEYER PLC. INDUSTRIAL GOODS LAFARGE AFRICA Building Materials PLC.

Building Materials Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. on Board EQTY Activity Summary Electronic and Electrical Products Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Packaging/Containers

Paper/Forest Products Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014 THOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002 Paper/Forest Products Totals NATURAL RESOURCES Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services Activity Summary Board EQTY JAPAUL OIL &on MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals OIL AND GAS Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLCStock Exchange © Published by The Nigerian Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals

Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014 Exploration and Production Totals Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002

SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC Advertising Totals Activity Summary on Board EQTY

1

200

100.00

8

1,138,400

569,200.00

Current Price 21.85 8.70 36.00 10.90 180.00 0.87 Current 77.00 Price

Quantity Traded 1,127,841 101,574 194,400 18,934 2,714,420 31,441 3,956,516 Quantity Traded

Value Traded 24,647,838.45 871,869.34 6,999,692.50 209,128.00 474,529,955.14 26,624.85 308,537,852.82 Value Traded

Symbol No. of Deals ASHAKACEM 28 BERGER 7 Daily Summary (Equities) CAP 14 CCNN 6 DANGCEM 190 DNMEYER 2 WAPCO 78 Symbol No. of Deals 325

8,145,126 Page

Daily Summary (Equities)

815,822,961.10 8 of 14

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 1.54

Quantity Traded 372,604 372,604

Value Traded 573,510.16 573,510.16

Symbol AVONCROWN BETAGLAS

No. of Deals 4 1 5

Current Price 1.59 22.05

Quantity Traded 111,243 1,325 112,568

Value Traded 177,506.37 30,673.75 208,180.12

8,630,298

816,604,651.38

340 Symbol ALEX

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 10.43

Quantity Traded 1,583 1,583

Value Traded 15,687.53 15,687.53

Symbol MULTIVERSE

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 200 200

Value Traded 100.00 100.00

Symbol THOMASWY

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.79

Quantity Traded 4,702 4,702

Value Traded 3,573.52 3,573.52

Daily Summary (Equities)

3

6,485 Page

9

19,361.05 of 14

Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 9 9

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 234,600 234,600

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 228 228

Current Price 19.87

Quantity Traded 4,545,373 Page 4,545,373

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL MRS TOTAL

No. of Deals 4 11 60 25 1 39 140

Current Price 49.23 3.14 202.00 156.75 56.00 147.40

Quantity Traded 3,158 324,434 110,086 89,700 200 128,125 655,703

Value Traded 147,699.66 1,020,024.57 21,443,557.02 14,060,475.00 10,640.00 18,970,646.06 55,653,042.31

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 23 23

Current Price 442.00

Quantity Traded 31,613 31,613

Value Traded 13,485,010.02 13,485,010.02

5,467,289

159,794,975.45

OIL AND GAS Totals

400

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price

Value Traded 117,300.00 117,300.00

Value Traded 90,539,623.12 10 of 14 90,539,623.12

AFROMEDIA

1 1

0.50

Quantity Traded 632,500 632,500

Value Traded 316,250.00 316,250.00

Symbol RTBRISCOE Symbol

No. of Deals 17 No. of Deals

Current Price 0.85 Current Price

Quantity Traded Quantity445,021 Traded

Value Traded 380,356.81 Value Traded

Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 6 2 8

Current Price 4.20 1.29

Page Quantity Traded 26,000 2,593 28,593

Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC. Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL TOURIST

No. of Deals 32 1 33

Current Price 3.60 3.51

Quantity Traded 2,034,049 50 2,034,099

Value Traded 7,237,984.15 167.00 7,238,151.15

Media/Entertainment

Symbol DAARCOMM

No. of Deals 8 8

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 24,000 24,000

Value Traded 12,000.00 12,000.00

No. of Deals 1 4 (Equities) 5 (Equities)

Current Price 1.00 1.43

Quantity Traded 50,000 9,050 59,050

Value Traded 50,000.00 13,113.54 63,113.54

No. of Deals 15 15 No. of Deals No. of Deals 2 2 22 22 24 24 No. of Deals No. of Deals 13 13 13 124 124

Current Price 0.60

Quantity Traded 2,344,546 2,344,546 Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 1,500 1,500 1,143,728 Page 1,143,728 1,145,228

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Current Price 0.81 0.89 2.86 0.50 0.64 0.50 0.50 0.68

1,899,490,179.88

Value Traded 69,000.00

Automobile/Auto Part Retailers SERVICES R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

Value Traded Value Traded 16,946,995.73 53,834,813.59 17,469,672.44 4 of 14 7,107,582.70

260,974,728

Quantity Traded 138,000

Mining Services MULTIVERSE PLC Mining Services Totals

596,190,641.73 Value Traded 23,273,185.19 72,929,412.68 44,087,599.56 10,865,657.39 133,425.00 1,095,094.24 246,965,154.41 1,090,899,234.66

2,255

Current Price

NATURAL RESOURCES Metals ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. Metals Totals

25,733,951 Quantity Traded 9,390,397 31,402,724 10,003,338 1,343,254 266,850 1,152,136 11,783,055 108,374,490

Daily Summary (Equities)

Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH NIG-GERMAN

Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 2,304,630 9,666,021 1,036,194 Page 4,291,940

No. of Deals 5

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

2 of 14 Value Traded 21,700.00 21,700.00

6.55 6.11 45.98 3.28 Current Price 7.20 19.00 0.50

Symbol

AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals

34,703,351.40

1 81 117 10 No. of Deals 34 2 1 246

HEALTHCARE Totals ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC

Current Price Current Price 0.50 0.50 Current Price 25.70 25.70 0.50 26.13 26.13 25.70

100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Value Traded Value Traded 104,635.08 104,635.08 Value Traded 104,635.08 104,635.08

No. of Deals 6 6

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

101.85

Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 100 100 Quantity Traded 100 100

Symbol COSTAIN

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

FINANCIAL SERVICES FINANCIAL Banking SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Activity Summary on Board EQTY Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © FIDELITY BANK PLC

Current Price Current Price 101.85 Current101.85 Price

250

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC Automobiles/Auto Parts Totals

1 1 1 1 1 1

Daily Summary (Equities) Daily Summary (Equities) Daily Summary (Equities)

CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014 Daily Summary as 15:04:02.002 of 20/11/2014Totals Media/Entertainment Printed 20/11/2014 Printed 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002 Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. LEARN AFRICA PLC Printing/Publishing Totals

Activity on Board EQTY RoadSummary Transportation Activity Summary on Board EQTYPLC ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY

SERVICES Road Transportation Totals SERVICES Transport-Related Services Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC AIRLINE SERVICES LOGISTICS PLC PLC NIGERIAN AVIATIONAND HANDLING COMPANY NIGERIAN HANDLING Published by The NigerianAVIATION Stock Exchange © COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals Transport-Related Services Totals Support and Logistics Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC Support and Logistics Totals Support and Logistics Totals SERVICES Totals SERVICES Totals

EQTY Board Totals EQTY Board Totals

Daily Summary as of 20/11/2014 Daily Summary as 15:04:02.002 of 20/11/2014 Printed 20/11/2014 Summary on Board ASeM PrintedActivity 20/11/2014 15:04:02.002

Symbol ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA Daily Summary

Daily Summary Symbol ABCTRANS

Symbol Symbol AIRSERVICE AIRSERVICE NAHCO NAHCO Symbol Symbol CAVERTON CAVERTON

17

Current Price Current Price 1.66 1.66 4.47 4.47 Current Price Current Price 3.44 3.44

445,021

380,356.81

1,145,228 Quantity Traded Quantity332,000 Traded 332,000 332,000 7,045,037 7,045,037

312,383,948 312,383,948

4,418

Daily Summary (Equities) 4,418 Daily Summary (Equities)

11 of 14 Value Traded 104,240.00 3,189.39 107,429.39

Value Traded 1,406,637.60 1,406,637.60 Value Traded Value2,390.00 Traded 2,390.00 5,161,588.43 125,161,588.43 of 14 5,163,978.43

5,163,978.43 Value Traded Value Traded 1,143,098.00 1,143,098.00 1,143,098.00 15,831,014.92 15,831,014.92

4,120,427,142.64 4,120,427,142.64

Activity Summary on Board ASeM

CONSUMER GOODS CONSUMER GOODS Food Products Food Products PLC MCNICHOLS MCNICHOLS PLC Food Products Totals Activity on Board ASeM FoodSummary Products Totals Activity Summary onTotals Board ASeM CONSUMER GOODS OIL AND GAS CONSUMER GOODS Totals OILPetroleum AND GAS and Petroleum Products Distributors Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors ANINO INTERNATIONAL PLC. ANINO INTERNATIONAL PLC. CAPITAL OIL PLC CAPITALand OILPetroleum PLC Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © OIL AND GAS Totals OIL AND GAS Totals

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals MCNICHOLS 1 Current Price 1.48 Daily Summary (Equities) MCNICHOLS

Symbol Symbol ANINO ANINO CAPOIL CAPOIL

1 1 1 1 No. of Deals No. of Deals 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2

ASeM Board Totals ASeM Board Totals Equity Activity Totals Equity Activity Totals

Exchange Traded Fund Exchange Traded Fund Name

Name NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) NEWGOLD EXCHANGE VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETFTRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals Exchange Traded Fund Totals

ETF Board Totals ETF Board Totals ETP Activity Totals ETP Activity Totals

1.48

Current Price Current Price 0.25 0.25 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 15,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 50,000 50,000 2,600 2,600 52,600 Page 52,600 Page 52,600 52,600

67,600 67,600 312,451,548 312,451,548

3 3 4,421 4,421

Value Traded Value Traded 21,150.00 21,150.00 21,150.00 21,150.00 21,150.00 Value Traded Value Traded 12,500.00 12,500.00 1,300.00 1,300.00 13,800.00 13 of 14 13,800.00 13 of 14 13,800.00 13,800.00

34,950.00 34,950.00 4,120,462,092.64 4,120,462,092.64

Daily Summary (ETP) Daily Summary (ETP) Symbol Symbol NEWGOLD NEWGOLD VETGRIF30 VETGRIF30

No. of Deals No. of Deals 1 1 2 2 3 3

3 3

3 3

Current Price Current Price 2,017.00 2,017.00 14.98 14.98

Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 11 11 20 20 31 31

Value Traded Value Traded 22,187.00 22,187.00 299.20 299.20 22,486.20 22,486.20

31 31

22,486.20 22,486.20

31 31

22,486.20 22,486.20

14 Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

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NEW TELEGRAPH friday, november 21, 2014

News 47

south — east

We remain in PDP, say 17 Enugu LG chairmen Uwakwe Abugu Enugu

E

nugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the 17 local council chairmen in the state yesterday vowed to remain in the party despite alleged desperate moves by certain elements to create the impression that Governor Sullivan Chime and other party faithful loyal to him, planned to dump the party in the face of the crisis trailing the botched ward congress elections.

In separate statements yesterday in reaction to reports that the governor and some chieftains of the party “might be planning to pitch their tent with the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to further its political ambition,” both the state chapter of the party and the council chairmen dismissed the insinuation as the handiwork of mischief makers, who don’t wish the PDP well.

The party specifically reacted to reports that most campaign posters of members pasted all over Enugu metropolis had no PDP logo on them, but the party’s state Publicity Secretary, Dr. Okey Eze, debunked the allegation.

Monarch bewails environmental degradation Okegwo Kenechukwu

T

he traditional ruler of Atani in Ogbaru Local Government area of Anambra State, Igwe Augustine Azuka Ngoddy, has raised the alarm over the epidemiological and physical challenges facing the Nigerian nation.

Ngoddy, who stated this at a press briefing to mark his first Ofala festival, said the environmental degradation and decay in physical infrastructure plaguing the country could only be addressed if there is peace, unity, and trust among Nigerians.

He said peace and unity are indispensable factors in socio-economic and political development of any nation, adding that the greatest problem facing the black man is inability to love one another and leave enduring legacies.

The royal father said his priority will be to broker peace, love and understanding among the subject as no community, state or country can thrive in the face of anarchy and acrimony.

Anambra State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Sunday Ajayi (middle); Onitsha Unit Commander, Mr. Anthony Metta (second right) and other stakeholders at the launch of the 'Ember Months' campaign in Onitsha…yesterday

Anambra deputy governor may resign POWER

Obiano and Okeke may be going through a cold over and their wives are also getting a piece of the actions Tony Okafor Awka

A

nambra State Deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke, may resign any moment from now if necessary action is not taken to address his grievances.

New Telegraph gathered that Okeke had com-

plained to the leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), traditional rulers, the clergy and other stakeholders are being sidelined in the running of the state.

According to a source, the deputy governor was, upon assumption of office in March this year, banned via a memo from the office of the governor, from addressing the press without official clearance from the governor’s office.

Besides, the source said Okeke was not happy the way the initial blueprint designed to run the state prior to their swearing in was thwarted and jettisoned by Governor Willie Obiano and a different agenda put in place with

impurity and absolutism.

It was also gathered that what may permanently severe the relationship between the governor and his deputy, is the recent altercation between their wives at a church service.

“Trouble started on Sunday, November 16, 2014, after the dedication of the child of the Anglican Bishop of Awka at the Cathedral of St. Faith, Awka.

According to a source, “the wife of the deputy governor had complained to Dr. Alex Ekwueme on how Mrs. Obiano was not carrying her along in whatever she was doing.

“Desirous of brokering peace, Ekwueme’s

Kalu, Oyegun, others condole with Nwobodo Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

F

ormer Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and other members of the Former Governors Forum ( FGF) yesterday commiserated with their colleague, and former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo over the death of his son, Dr Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo.

Other former governors on the condolence delegation included: Oblong Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom) ; Chief Lucky Igbinedion (Edo); Chief Chinwoke Mbadinuju (Anambra); John Odigie Oyegun(Edo);Prince Abubakar Audu (Kogi); Alhaji Mohammed Goni( Gongola); Chief Achike

Udenwa( Imo) and DSP Alamieyeseigha (Bayelsa).

Attah, who led the delegation, described the demise of Nwobodo's son as painful and regrettable but said mortals cannot question God for his actions. Attah prayed that God would give the Nwobodo family the fortitude to bear the loss.

"Whatever blows life offers us, is with total submission to the will of God. It is only God that understands. We are here as former governors to commensurate with you.

Please, the only thing we can do is to pray to God to give you the fortitude to bear the loss. We also pray He grants his soul eternal rest," Attah said.

On his part, Mbaninuju said: "It is a sad moment.

But as Christians, we must

accept it. God told us not to sorrow like people without hope. We are gathered here because of the hope we have in Christ. I have known Jim for a long time.

He made his mark as governor of Anambra State."

Other members of the forum took turns to console the family and asked for divine mercy on the family left behind by the deceased. Oyegun led the group in Christian prayers while Audu led the delegation in a session of Muslim prayers.

In response, Nwobodo expressed appreciation to his colleagues for the visit and narrated how his son was afflicted by cancer, was flown abroad for treatment and had returned home to fully recuperate when the worst happened.

wife, Beatrice accosted Mrs. Obiano and advised her on the need to carry everybody along, especially the wife of the deputy governor.

“At this point, Mrs. Obiano flared up, claiming that the constitution recognises her and not the wife of the deputy.

“It took the intervention of security men to prevent the duo from engaging in a brawl…”

It was gathered that some government officials and the hierarchy of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who witnessed the incident were simply dumbfounded.

But an insider said the deputy governor had told

everybody who would want to listen that he would no longer take such ‘rot’ from anybody.

New Telegraph Okeke, a lecturer in the Department of Economics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, before his recent position, had once resigned as commissioner for finance in the early days of former Governor Peter Obi’s administration, based on principles.

When contacted, Media Assistant to the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Stella Igboka, said the governor and his deputy still maintains cordial relationship, stressing that the story about their purported strain in relation was not true.

PDP clears Orji for senate Igbeaku Orji Umuahia

T

he long silence of Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, over his aspiration to represent Abia Central senatorial district in 2015 was yesterday broken when he appeared before the PDP screening committee at the party’s secretariat in Umuahia.

Until yesterday, Orji had told groups calling on him to contest the position that he will respond at the appropriate time.

Addressing the fourmember committee prior to the confidential screening exercise, the governor said as a law abiding citizen, he had to personally appear before the committee for the screening as required by the party’s guidelines.

“As a citizen of Ni-

geria, I have to obey all laws, even submitting myself for the screening as a governor,” he said.

He said his eight-year tenure as Abia State governor has been characterised by ups and downs, but in the midst of that, he has managed to take the state to another level.

Orji said his appearance at the screening centre was in response to the “request on me on daily basis by the people of the district to represent them based on what they have seen.” He said the party in the state was united.

Chairman of the senators’ screening committee in Abia State, Senator Bello Maitama Yusuf, thanked the governor for submitting himself for screening and assured him that he has scaled through the hurdles of the screening.

48

News

NLNG restates commitment to increased cooking gas supply

N

igeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited yesterday affirmed its commitment to providing the nation with sufficient volume of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), otherwise known as cooking gas, based on its operations from its six facilities in Bonny, Rivers State.

A statement signed by the General Manager, External Relations, Kudo Eresia-Eke, said the company is ready to meet the growing need of consumers in the country as far as gas production is concerned.

Advocating increased investment across the value chain to enable sustained and reliable product availability, NLNG Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Babs Omotowa, said the company, which currently supplies some 80 per cent of the total cooking gas consumed

by Nigerians, has also subsidised the product to the tune of $50million since the intervention began.

These assertions were made yesterday during a presentation titled; ‘NLNG’s Role in Developing the Domestic LPG Market,’ at the Nigerian Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association (NLPGA) conference in Abuja, where the chief executive officer was represented by Nigeria LNG’s Marketing and Development Manager, Mr. Abdulkadir Ahmed.

“NLNG’s intervention in the domestic LPG market began in 2007 with the dedication of some 150, 000 metric tonnes of cooking gas annually, in response to an acute shortage of the product in the market at the time,” among others.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

SOUTH-SOUTH

Oshiomhole lambasts Fayose

l‘Count me out of your political illiteracy’ Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

E

do State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday took his Ekiti State counterpart, Mr. Ayo Fayose, to the cleaners, warning him to buckle up and face the task of governance rather than drag his (Oshiomhole’s) name into political gangsterism.

Oshiomhole said gangsterism has become a peculiar trade that the Ekiti

19.4%

State governor relishes in.

The governor in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria, described as “laughable” and the “height of political childishness,” for Fayose “to hide behind his media aides” to seek to drag his (Oshiomhole’s) name into his (Ayo Fayose’s) “nude gangster tactics.”

According to Oshiomhole in the statement, “We find it utterly laughable and the height of political childishness for

The percentage of households with a computer in Arab States in 2007.

Source: Itu.int

the Ekiti State governor to hide behind his media aides and seek to drag the name of the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, into his crude gangster tactics, which he has re-introduced into Ekiti politics less than two months after assuming office.

He asked Fayose to call his media aides to order while also urging the Etiki State governor not to be “too lazy to read; and too politically illiterate, to know what is hap-

285.3m

The estimated total population of Eastern Africa in 1960.

Source: Un.org

pening in the Edo State House of Assembly.”

He said: “If the Ekiti governor is too lazy to read and too politically illiterate to know what is happening in the Edo State House of Assembly, we expected his media aides to simply shut their loud mouths rather than behave like capering neophytes.

The governor continued: “For the purpose of education, the Ekiti State governor and his media aides should be informed that there is no crisis in

7.6m

The estimated number of deaths caused by cancer (rep. 21% of NCD deaths) in 2008.

Source: Who.int

Edo State House of Assembly. Fifteen members of the 24-member Assembly are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while nine are members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Of the nine PDP members, three are on suspension while the seat of one member has been declared vacant. So, effectively, the PDP has five members in the Edo State House of Assembly,” Oshiomhole added.

N63.8m

The IGR realized from road taxes of Taraba State in 2012.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

L-R: Regional Head, South-South, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Chinedu Ibe; Senior Legal Officer, Consumer Protection Council, Mr. Abeke Nikiomari and Product Manager, Liability Products, Ecobank Nigeria, Mrs. Osinuga Mofoluwaso, at the Ecobank Giant Prize give-away zonal draws in PortHarcourt …recently

Delta EPZ may be relocated to Akwa-Ibom AAU students may miss NYSC orientation Joe Obende Warri

T

he Federal Government is under pressure to relocate the multi-billion dollar Export Processing Zone (EPZ) project in Ogidigben, Delta State to Akwa-Ibom State, following the incessant crises that have greeted the project in the state.

Security sources in Warri told New Telegraph that those behind this move told the Presidency that AkwaIbom State is peaceful and investor-friendly as opposed to Delta State and if in the end, the project is sited in Delta State, youths of the area would remain a thorn in its flesh and that could spell doom for it.

Aside the internal crisis between the Itsekiri and rival Ugborodo community, Warri South-West Local Government area, which for years prevented the take-off of the project, a fresh Ijaw angle has been introduced into it.

The Ijaws are saying as host communities to the $16 billion project, which is envisaged to open up the area and provide jobs for the hordes of Niger Delta youths, particularly in Delta State, they should have a piece of the action too, claiming that they are in the majority.

This development has pitched Ijaw and Itsekiri youths against one another, a development which led to the shelving of the ground-

breaking ceremony of the project by President Goodluck Jonathan last week.

Ijaw youths had promised mayhem if the President had come for the ceremony if the issues of the various interest groups, including theirs, in the project, were not resolved.

Of course, the president shelved the planned visit last week and the crossfire between Ijaw and Itsekiri youths has persisted.

Chairman of Federal Government Interface Peace Committee on the EPZ, Austin Oborogbeyi, said there were no plans to relocate the project. If there was, “I haven’t heard about it,” he told New Telegraph on telephone yesterday.

Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

A

bout 1, 500 graduating students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, may miss this year’s orientation camp of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) due to fire outbreak in the institution.

A mysterious mid-

night fire yesterday gutted the microbiology department of the institution. The cause of the inferno is yet to be established.

Sad as the incident was, vital documents, including academic records of the students, were all completely destroyed in the inferno.

Investigation further

revealed that similar incidents had been recorded in four other departments of the university in the last four years.

Students of the institution are pointing fingers at the management of the university, saying that the management should be held responsible for the recurring fire outbreaks.

Ex-militants seek endorsement of serving senators Gabriel Choba Ughelli

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ver 2, 000 former militants from Bomadi, Patani, Burutu, Warri North and Warri SouthWest Council areas of Delta State have called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling Peoples Democratic Par-

ty (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) to stick to its decision of endorsement for all serving senators on its platform.

The ex-militants said doing so would enable the senators further consolidate the administration’s Transformation Agenda in 2015.

In an address read yes-

terday by their Coordinator, Mr. Preye Ekpebide, the ex-militants said it was a known fact that the PDP senators have brought stability to the polity and ensured that President Jonathan’s transformation agenda goes on unhindered leading to accelerated economic growth in the country.

NEW TELEGRAPH friday, november 21, 2014

betrayal

After sacking Nyako, members think their party has stabbed them in the back Ibrahim Abdul Yola

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wenty three, out of 25 lawmakers of the Adamawa State House of Assembly are set to defect to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, following Tuesday’s dis-

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north

Adamawa lawmakers may dump PDP solution of the state executive of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the national Working Committee of the party.

They are alleging that the sack “was inimical to interest and genuine wishes of the Adamawa electorate,’’ a reliable source close to the state lawmakers has disclosed.

The lawmakers saw the dissolution as a setback. A source said: “The lawmakers are also irked that they have been used

and dumped by the party after restoring the glory by the impeachment of Governor Muritala Nyako and grassroots mobilization of electorate in favour of the party.

“The legislators feel that they deserved a better treatment than they have got, having sacrificed a lot in terms of legislative inputs and resources in rescuing the party, which was virtually dead in Adamawa State before the legislators came to its res-

cue,’’ said another source close to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly.

When contacted, the member representing Michika Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Adamu Kamale, confirmed the development. According to him: “We have become disillusioned with the recent development and are under pressure from our Constituents to reconsider our position in the

party in the present situation, where the party is at variance with the norms of democratic practice, where the interest of the majority should supersede that of an individual or a select group.

“We are studying what is going on, especially the dissolution Of the state executive council, the change in the recent concluded adhoc delegates elections and the appointment of the caretaker committee, which were

done without due consultation with the members and party stakeholders. It is a source of concern,’’ he concluded.

Investigations further revealed that the lawmakers were earlier promised automatic tickets by the sacked executive, for any elective position of their choices in return for the ouster of Nyako, which the presidency was so desperate to achieve as at then.

“But it seems the party in Abuja did not intend to honour the promises made, especially when the high powered political game of who gets what's began last month."

With this development, the Lawmakers are set to dump the party for the APC because it appears to be the party that could accommodate their divergent interests. From the way things are going, it will not take a blind man to know that the burgeoning crisis in the PDP will mar its chances in Adamawa State in 2015.

2015: Umar Nasko declares in Minna Dan Atori Minna

P New Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed taking oath in Abuja…yesterday.

Kwara police to mop-up illegal arms Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

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he police in Kwara State yesterday directed residents in possession of illegal arms to surrender such as it began a mop up of illicit arms in preparation for the 2015 general elections.

It also asked political leaders to ensure their followers do not deface the billboards of their opponents.

Commissioner of Police for the state, Salihu Garba, who gave the directive while addressing men and officers of the ‘A’ Division of the command, as well as members of the Police Public Relations Committee for the division in Ilorin, the state capital, vowed that his administration will not spare anyone found to have flouted the law on the possession of arms.

He said the move became necessary in order to ensure free and fair

elections in the state, adding that the command has identified the possession of arms illegally as a major threat to its drive for a safe election and was determined to deal with such developments.

His words: “All illicit arms in possession of unauthorised persons should be handed over to the law enforcement agents. Arms without licence should equally be handed over as the command in its bid to mopping up arms will not spare anyone found in possession of such arms."

Elections and electioneering activities which include campaigns, primaries, conventions and actual voting is fast approaching and considering the relevance of the Nigeria Police in enhancing free and credible elections, it is pertinent to identify areas and activities that may jeopardise the achievement of the required peace and tranquillity during the elections.

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Adebiyi: Let's seek the supernatural Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

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wara State Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor David Adebiyi yesterday warned against the tendency to tackle some of the challenges confronting the nation currently with ‘natural means’. He warned government at all levels to be sensitive to the reaction of Nigerians to policies and programmes.

Adebiyi, who spoke with newsmen in Ilorin,

the state capital as part of activities heralding a three-day crusade to be held by the General Superintendent of the church, Pastor Williams Kumuyi in the state from next week, said there was the need for supernatural intervention to resolve the myriad of problems confronting the nation and even individuals.

He said there was no reason for Nigerians to fret about the possible outcome of the 2015 elections as the church was

praying for the nation and its government, assuring those who are afraid about a possible break-up of the country that nothing of such would happen.

Assuring would-be participants of adequate provision of transportation and security at the venue of the crusade, Adebiyi said Kumuyi would be visiting the north-central state in order to bring down the desired supernatural intervention that will bring succour to the hopeless in society.

NSGF tells Jonathan to maintain pressure Dan Atori MINNA

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he Chairman Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Niger state Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has urged President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to maintain pressure despite the social political and economical challenges.

Aliyu, in a statement signed by his Chief Press

Secretary, Israel Ebije, congratulated the president on the occasion of his 57th birthday anniversary, urging him to continue on the path of ensuring peace, unity and progress of the country.

The chairman of the forum maintained that leading Nigeria has increasingly become a challenging experience on account of decades of bad leadership experience. He added that over time, Nigerians have

formed negative perception hunting present day leaders.

He, therefore, urged President Jonathan to continue on the path of making Nigeria a better place to live, adding that the task of managing peoples’ negative perception, containing insurgency and providing dividends of democracy are no easy tasks but must be sustained positively to take Nigeria to its desired height.

eoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirant in Niger State, Alhaji Umar Mohammed Nasko, yesterday promised to run an inclusive government if voted into power.

The alleged anointed candidate of the state governor said during his formal declaration at the Bako Kotangora Stadium in Minna that his age cannot be an obstacle but a re-awakening to youths in the state to take advantage of their opportunity to serve the people.

According to him: "I declare for the intent to be the next governor of Niger State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) come 2015. I pledge to run an inclusive government and I will not let you down.

"The time has come for the youth in Niger to stand up and take responsibility.

We can achieve a lot with your unflinching support.

In a country where life expectancy is put to be less than 50 years, a 40 year old could not be too young to serve in the exotic office of the state governor.

"What is important in this journey, is not the age of the contestant, but the quality of the age, and how the individual feels about the age. It lies on the state of mind of the individual."

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WORLD | News

Jonathan: Some politicians don’t deserve immunity Anule Emmanuel

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday decried the attitude of some politicians in the country, which he said are targeted at causing confusion in the system.

The President stated this when he received a delegation of traditional rulers and political stalwarts from his home state, Bayelsa, who visited the presidential villa on the occasion of his 57th birthday.

Jonathan, apparently, may have been referring to a recent statement credited to the Governor of Rivers State Rotimi Amaechi, that any attempt by the

Peoples Democratic Party PDP to rig the 2015 general elections will compel the opposition to form a parallel government.

The delegation was led by the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson.

“Yes, as a nation, we have our challenges. Yes, it is rough. Other nations have passed through such rough roads. I always said that I don’t know whether the State of Isreal has ever known peace for one day but they are moving.

They are developing. Go to America today, most of the millionaires are Jews. But they are always fighting to survive”.

He said: “This country must continue and we I’ll

not give up to blackmail by anybody. We will do our best and Nigeria must survive this temporary setback like Boko Haram and other security challenges.

“If they are people making statements threatening the survival of this country, especially some people, who probably have constitutional immunity and are abusing that privilege, that is why most Nigerians are saying that immunity clause be removed because some people don’t merit it, since they abuse.

Some people are making remarks that are more or less treasonable. Don’t be worried.

Nobody can upturn this country.”

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sri Lanka president seeks third term

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ri Lanka’s Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday he would seek an unprecedented third term as president, prompting one of his lawmakers to join the opposition with a call to curb the presidency’s “draconian powers”.

Rajapaksa, 69, came to power in 2005 and won a second six-year term in 2010 on a wave of popularity after the military defeated Tamil Tiger separatists, ending a 26-year civil war. His poll ratings have fallen sharply since, however,

and critics, including his coalition partners, say Sri Lanka’s “executive presidency” introduced by a 1978 constitution -gives him and his family too much power.

“I am declaring a secret today. I have signed the proclamation calling for the election, for re-election for the third time. That is democracy,” Rajapaksa said, addressing a gathering shown on state television. An Election Commission official said the poll would be held in early January. Hours after the announcement,

ruling party legislator Wasantha Senanayake defected to the main opposition party, saying he wanted to “change the draconian powers of the executive presidency and bring good governance”.

“I believe that all (Sri Lankan) Presidents exercised dictator-like powers to a certain extent,” he added. Senanayake said other legislators might also quit Rajapaksa’s United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) to try to unseat him, although a strong challenger has not yet emerged.

Aviation workers warn against diversion of funds Wole Shadare

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he Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) has raised an alarm over alleged diversion of funds in the aviation agencies by some persons, hinting that the situation could deprive the sector of safety critical infrastructure.

For the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), workers were yet to undergo their yearly

overseas trainings because of paucity of funds.

It would be recalled that most of the agencies are reportedly broke as they could not train workers overseas, while some others like the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is indebted to the tune of N158 billion that was incurred by the time former Aviation Minister left office.

In a letter to the Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka with reference

ATSSSAN/ADM/MOA/ Vol.4/185 dated November 18th, 2014 and signed by Captain Tamongu , Deputy National secretary, the group declared: “We cannot continue to toy with the life of innocent Nigerians and the flying public. You will agree with us that these equipments are very critical to safe takeoff and landing of aircraft and moreso, your avowed commitment to security and safe airspace is a priority”.

Nigerians to pay more for electricity Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

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ndications emerged yesterday that Nigerians may have to pay more for their electricity bills beginning from December 1, 2014 as a result of gas price increase.

A presentation yesterday by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) at the review of basic assumptions for semi-annual review of Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO2)

revealed a $1.00 difference from the assumption and the actual price of gas. The actual price of gas at the moment is $3.30 as against the regulatory authorities assumption of $2.30 NERC stated that based on the changes in some assumption parameters, such as inflation rate, exchange rate, gas price and generation capacity; there may be an upward adjustment to the tariff.

NERC Vice chairman, Muhammad Lawal Bello, who spoke at the event, noted that even though

tariff review is a very sensitive issue to the consumers the way to go is to pay what is due in order to ensure improvement in the sector. “From what I have seen in the initial report not much has changed.

The tariff review is a sensitive issue to the consumer who consider paying higher and not seeing improvement in electricity supply. But there is a general consensus that this is the way to go, by paying what is due this is how the power will begin to improve”, he said.

Okonkwo laments difficulty in obtaining PVCs

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he presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (TREM), Dr. Mike Okonkwo, has expressed regret that few months before the 2015 general elections commences, the Permanent Voters’ Card was still not available for prospective voters to collect.

Okonkwo was lamenting over the politi-

cal atmosphere while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 25th TREM’s Kingdom Life Convention in Lagos.

He noted that lots of things were happening in Nigeria and that the activities of politicians were not helping matters.

He explained that every year, the theme of Kingdom Life Conven-

tion was inspired by God, adding that God only could determine the end from the beginning.

“God knows what nation and individuals will experience in the coming year and He helps us to focus on the prophetic word that enables us to navigate our lives through challenges that faced the nation”.

Supporters of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa hold celebrating following a call for presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Egypt acquits doctor in female genital mutilation

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n Egyptian court yesterday acquitted a doctor charged with committing female genital mutilation that led to a 13-year-old girl’s death in a Nile Delta village, the country’s first trial on charges of breaking the ban on the practice.

The verdict surprised activists against the practice, who had been hoping for a conviction and tough sentence to serve as a deterrent for doctors and families. Egypt has one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation in the world and criminalized the practice in 2008, but it remains widespread.

The court in the Nile Delta Province of Da-

kahliya ruled that the doctor, Raslan Fadl, and the father of Sohair el-Batea, the girl who died, were not guilty on charges of breaking the ban on the practice, said Reda el-Danbouki, a lawyer involved in bringing the case to trial. The judge did not immediately explain the verdict.

The judge also dropped a charge of manslaughter because the family and the doctor had earlier agreed to reconcile, el-Danbouki said. The family was paid 60,000 pounds, or about $8,500, for reconciliation. El-Danbouki said he is coordinating with rights groups to appeal the verdict. Sohair’s family initially filed a police

report saying she died as a result of female genital mutilation, but changed their story after reconciling with the doctor, said lawyer Reda el-Danbouki.

The case came to trial only after significant pressure from rights groups, he added.

Aboul Einein, another lawyer who followed the case, warned that the verdict could open door for any doctor to perform the banned procedure. More than 90 percent of Egyptian women are estimated to have undergone the procedure, which in Egypt generally involves the cutting off of all or part of the clitoris and sometimes the labia.

Wife of Czech ex-PM faces trial for abuse of power

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he wife of former Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas went on trial in Prague on yesterday over a case that brought down his government. Jana Necasova, formerly Jana Nagyova, is charged with abuse of power along with two former heads of the military intelligence agency, Ondrej Palenik and Milan Kovanda and intelligence agent Jan Pohunek.

Necas’ government

collapsed last year in a spectacular whirlwind of corruption and marital infidelity allegations.

State prosecutor Rostislav Bajger said yesterday that Nagyova, then Necas’ chief of staff, ordered the military intelligence agency in 2012 to spy on Necas’ estranged wife, Radka. Presenting the case, Bajger said Nagyova used her position and relation with Necas “to gain personal information” about Necas’ wife. He

said Nagyova had no right to request such activities, which would need court approval or would have to be approved by the government or the president.

The three military agency officials previously denied wrongdoing. Necasova has not commented yet. Judge Helena Kralova adjourned the hearing until January 12 to get an extended approval from the Defence Ministry for the spy agency officials to speak about classified matters.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

Sports News

International Sport

Eagles took South Africa for granted – Keshi

Rooney Arsenal’s biggest problem –Wilshere

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Sport

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53

Did you know?

That the huddle used in football was created by deaf Quarterback Paul D. Hubbard, an American football player, so the other team could not read his hand signals

Nigeria vs South Africa

eagles go clubbing before match Ajibade Olusesan

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ore revelations are emerging following the ouster of the Super Eagles from the Africa Nations Cup qualifier as New Telegraph learnt that several national team players went clubbing on the eve of the match.

Nigeria needed to beat South Africa to book a ticket to the 2015 Africa Nations Cup qualifier in Equatorial Guinea but Eagles laboured to a 2-2 draw against the Bafana Bafana which was not enough to take them to the competition.

The players posted dismal performances in the game and New Telegraph can authoritative-

ly report that the action of some key players who hit the town on the eve of the match to catch fun may be responsible for the poor showing.

A source who is an official of the Nigerian Football Federation exclusively informed our reporter that four of the players that started the match left their Le’Meridien Hotel camp on Tuesday night to a night club.

“I am not surprised that Eagles did not qualify. I complained to camp coordinator and some members of the crew when I saw about five of the players going out late in the night. Can you believe that these players went to club on the eve of that match?

“And one of them who did not go with them went upstairs to his room with two ladies. I don’t know why they had to do that when there was an important match the following day,” the source said.

However, our correspondent was also shocked when he spotted one of the players on the Discovery Airline flight from Lagos to Uyo by 8:30pm on Tuesday night with a lady but the said player sadly played full 90 minutes in the match. New Telegraph reporter incidentally boarded the same flight with the said player and his lady friend from Uyo back to Lagos on Thursday morning.

NFF to disband wobbly Eagles Adekunle Salami

The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Deputy Editor, Sports

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Editor, Sports

Ifeanyi Ibeh Sports Correspondent

Ajibade Olusesan Sports Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sports Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

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he Nigeria Football Federation has concluded plans to disband the current bunch of players in the Super Eagles following Nigeria’s ouster from the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

Super Eagles forced the Bafana Bafana of South Africa to a 2-2 draw at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium on Wednesday night in the last round match of the AFCON qualifiers.

The draw was not enough to see Nigeria through to Equatorial Guinea as Congo defeated Sudan 1-0 in Khartoum to pick the second ticket in Group A with 10 points. Nigeria finished

with eight points while South Africa topped with 12 points. Sudan recorded just three points courtesy of their home victory over the Super Eagles.

New Telegraph however authoritatively learnt that some top officials of the NFF decided in Uyo that there was a need to start afresh with a new coach and largely a new set of players.

In the proposed arrangement, the new handler of the team will be given a free hand to raise a new team from the domestic and foreign leagues.

The players being considered to form the nucleus of the new Eagles are expected to be young enough

to have the possibility of being in the team in the next eight years “Only few of the current players will be retained with the thinking of the federation. It also means the current technical crew will have to go since there are no competitions in the next four to six months,” our source said.

The Amaju Pinnick-led board of the NFF is expected to hold a meeting in Lagos this weekend where the Super Eagles issue will be discussed in details and concrete decisions will be taken. The Annual General Meeting of the football ruling body also holds on Saturday while the Federation Cup final holds on Sunday

at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

“There is a need to start on a clean slate. Cameroun did that and they now have a strong team going for the Nations Cup next year. We have the players both home and abroad but first we need a coach that will understand our vision to come on board and get the results for the followers of the game to be happy again, “a member of the NFF said.

It was further learnt that the NFF will organise series of friendlies for the new team to expose the players and strengthen them for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers expected to start late in 2015.

Powerful Keshi: Chickens finally home to roost p.52

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

NIGERIA V SOUTH AFRICA AFCON FALL-OUTS

Powerful Keshi: Chickens finally home to roost OPINION

Adekunle Salami

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n November 15 when the Super Eagles defeated Congo 2-0 in Pointe Noire, many followers of the game including the Congolese believed the Nigerian team would pick the second available ticket in Group A of the Nations Cup qualifiers.

The decider against the Bafana Bafana was not taken seriously. Perhaps Stephen Keshi assumed that the three points were already in the bag. I remember I wrote in my preview of the match that the encounter was an uphill task for Nigeria especially because the visitors were yet to lose any match away in the series. Eagles were generally poor and could not match the South Africans in almost all departments of the game. And that was after raising the hope of Nigerians four days earlier.

It was however a shock to me that the Nigeria Football Federation few hours after the match took responsibility for the ouster. On record, the Amaju Pinnick board came in after three games were played. The team had lost two matches and drew one. The new regime recorded two wins and one draw with seven points

Keshi

from a possible nine. The country lost eight points in the three earlier games when the football house was engulfed in leadership brouhaha. The NFF was simply playing politics in my view. Trying not to offend Mr. President, who imposed Keshi on the body after he was asked to go. The NFF could also be trying not to apportion blames when it is obvious that the body inherited huge problems in the Eagles.

Those who forced Keshi on the NFF, and many Nigerians who called for his

removal after the team recorded just one point out of possible nine, now know the enormity of the damage they did to Nigerian football. No doubt, Shaibu Amodu would not have embarrassed Nigerians the way Keshi did on Wednesday in Uyo. The NFF named Amodu to prosecute the last three games but some powerful people in the country went to President

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afana Bafana’s twogoal hero Tokelo Rantie says a change in attitude got him fired up for the final AFCON 2015 qualifier against Nigeria.

The former coach of Togo and Mali added that he had to accept the fate that befell the Eagles under his watch.

According to him, Nigeria’s inability to defend the title it won last year in South Africa means that he has failed the country.

On what was responsible for the Super Eagles inabil-

ity to secure the needed win against South Africa, Keshi blamed his players for taking South Africa lightly in a match they needed to win to qualify for the tournament proper.

“May be we took South Africa for granted and we paid dearly for this,” said the coach.

Omeruo ‘s club celebrates Nigeria’s ouster Emmanuel Tobi

The Bournemouth FC striker says he got out of his shell and put a man of the match performance to knock the Super Eagles out of the qualification.

“It is a great feeling which I haven’t had in a very long time.

I think we did well even though I am a little disappointed that we did not win the match.” the striker told safa.net after the match.

“But we gave Nigeria a run for their money. It was a great team effort and had we held on until the end we could be talking a different story altogether but I am proud of my teammates and the coaching staff for a job well done.”

Rantie admitted his disappointment at letting a two goal lead slip. He said: “I am not happy that we gave up our lead but

Omeruo (left) and Karanka

riod.

“It’s good for us that Ken will be available in January and February,” he told the club’s website.

“I think about my team and the club, and thinking selfishly is good for me and the club.

“Ken will be disap-

pointed because it’s important for players to be involved in these kind of major tournaments, but I’m sure he’s going to be happy being here because the team is playing really well and he’s the kind of player who likes to be involved with the team.”

Rantie

as players we did everything the coach asked us to do.”

“The red card to Reneilwe Letsholonyane played a huge role too but it’s part of the game.”

Keshi got it wrong, says Bayelsa Coach

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iddleborough coach, Aitor Karanka, has expressed happiness with the inability of the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2015 Nations Cup saying Kenneth Omeruo’s availability during January and February is a huge boost for the club.

Karanka admits Boro’s on-loan defender will be disappointed to miss out on such a major competition but admitted it was a welcome boost for the club going into the Christmas pe-

toum where Eagles lost 1-0 to Sudan, a team that lost all its games home and away to other teams. Imagine!

Going forward, there is need for a total overhaul of the team. Keshi, whose case is like the chickens finally coming home to roost, is gone with his crew but many of the players should follow. We need young and hungry players in the team.

Those who can run, fight for the ball and play for one another. Those who will be disciplined and will not go clubbing a day to a match.

By starting all over, the huge bonus regime could also be reviewed to suit the purse of the federation. The NFF should go for a grade A foreign manager that will invite young players who will grow to understand one another better in the years ahead. We need a breath of fresh air in the Eagles because the rot, indiscipline and corruption in the current team are enormous. I strongly believe the Eagles will rise again. The time to roll out plans for a new team is now.

We gave Nigeria a run for their money –Rantie

Eagles took South Africa for granted –Keshi

uper Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has revealed why Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations holding in Equatorial Guinea.

Speaking on Thursday, Keshi, who sunned the post-match briefing on Wednesday, said that a coach must take full responsibility for the result of his team.

Jonathan and the decision was reversed. It is a shame we find ourselves in this situation today due to politics and power play. The sentimental disposition of the Big Boss on team selection is awful. Unfit Kenneth Omeruo was in the match against South Africa paired with Azubuike Egwuekwe, who is below average in quality. Aaron Samuel who scored two goals in the last two games was on the bench till the last 18 minutes of the game. Emmanuel Emenike who was off form played all 90 minutes when Emem Eduok was on the bench. Eduok scored the first ever goal at the new stadium in Uyo and could have done well again before his people. One cannot underrate a striker with 20 goals in the league.

Truth is Keshi and many of his boys underrated the South Africans. The match was in Nigeria’s favour when the visitors were a man down but the players did not take advantage.

The ticket to Equatorial Guinea was lost in Khar-

Egwuekwe (right)

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ayelsa United coach Ada Gwegwe has poured out his anger after Nigeria’s 2-2 draw with South Africa in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

“What a game, the Big Boss got it wrong,” said Gwegwe.

“I’m sure he’ll regret his decision to take the job back. He knows the new NFF don’t want him, he

could have left that time.

“Now Nigerians are clamouring for his sacking. That’s a big disgrace for him. It was a sad moment for Nigeria football on Wednesday.”

Gwegwe whose team, Bayelsa United survived the NPFL relegation battle on the last day said that the NFF officials were the major hindrance.

“If we must need a foreign coach then we must need a foreign NFF because that is the problem of Nigeria football,” he added.

“They don’t have the love for the game, they are only interested in what they’ll get.”

“Look at our U-17 to U-23, can we say we have a good developmental programme for them, the answer is no,” Gwegwe said.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

F1: Vettel joins Ferrari as Alonso quits F

our-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has signed a three-year deal with Ferrari following Fernando Alonso’s departure.

The German’s switch from Red Bull was announced minutes after two-time champion Alonso’s exit was confirmed.

“When I was a kid, Michael Schumacher in the red car was my greatest idol and now it’s an incredible honour to finally get the chance to drive a Ferrari,” said Vettel.

Alonso is expected to join McLaren.

The two-time world champion, 33, still had two more years to run on his contract but he and Ferrari have agreed to part company.

“It was a difficult decision to take, but a carefully considered one from start to finish,” said the Spaniard.

“My love for Ferrari was a prime consideration.”

The current season has one m o r e race to run, with Britain’s Lewis Hamilton battling German and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg for the title at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Rooney Grand Prix.

INTERNATIONAL SPORT

Rooney, Arsenal’s biggest problem –Wilshere

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a c k Wilshere admits he is worried Wayne Rooney will give Arsenal a problem when Manchester United visit the Emirates this Saturday.

The England captain is in terrific form having just scored three goals in his last two games for his country taking him within three goals of drawing level with Bobby Charlton’s

scoring record.

And the Gunners midfielder says his side’s makeshift defence will need to be at their best to stop the striker continuing his goal spree.

“He looks sharp and in form. We’ll have to look at how to deal with that on Saturday because he’s going to be a problem for us, especially if he plays in the ten role. Or even if he plays up front,” he said.

“He’s got a few goals this international break and

fter exciting heats in the eight zonal finals of the Akwa Ibom State/ NNPC/MPN Schools Athletics Championships, today it is fireworks galore as over 9,000 students will battle for the 520 spots reserved for the grand finale at the brand new Akwa Ibom International Stadium, early December.

Being sponsored for the 14th consecutive year

by NNPC/MPN Joint Venture, the competition that is considered the prime sport event in Akwa Ibom did not disappoint on Thursday as the students jumped, ran and threw with so much enthusiasm and guts, fired by the news that they will be

availed the opportunity of strutting their stuff on the new tracks of the worldclass stadium.

At Eket Stadium, where the Zonal finals were held, all focus was on petite Ima Effiong who romped convincingly to today’s final in the 100 and 200m. Eket Zone has won eight of the 13 finals held so far and Coach Mary Bassey, the Cooordinator believes this year will not be an exception.

It is a view that is not popular with Veronica Ntekop, who is the Supervisor of the Etinan Zone.

At the Etinan Stadium yesterday, she said from what she had seen this year she was convinced that Etinan

First openly gay NBA player retires

J

ason Collins, the first openly homosexual player to compete in the NBA, has announced his retirement from professional basketball.

The 35-year-old centre became the first openly gay player in North America’s four major team sports when he played for the Brooklyn Nets last season.

But he was not included in the squad for the current campaign and said: “My body was telling me

that it was time.”

Collins made Time magazine’s 100 most influential list this year.

He announced the end of his 13-year NBA career in an article in Sports Illustrated magazine - the publication in which he publicly announced his sexuality in April last year.

“As we speak, I’m watching a college basketball game, but it’s time for me to truly become just a fan and watch from the sidelines,” he said.

I’m sure he’ll be looking to continue that so we’ll have to stop him.”

Wilshere says he admires Rooney’s passion for the game, which underpins his success as a player.

“The main thing about Wazza is his love for the game. He still has that hunger. He’s been playing now for 12 years at the top level and to still have that hunger and the quality that matters, he’s still one of our best players if not the best,” he continued.

“You can see that when we go into games, we’re looking to him to get the goals and he’s still delivering.

“He loves training. He’s always the first out for training.

He’s just a proper footballer.

He’s never in the gym, he just wants to play the game because he loves it. He just wants the ball at his feet and long may that continue for England.”

FIFA whistleblower fears for life

F

IFA whistleblower Phaedra Al-Majid says she will “look over my shoulder for the rest of my life” after making allegations of corruption against Qatar’s successful 2022 World Cup bid.

In a two-year inquiry which cleared Qatar, Al-Majid repeated allegations she made and later retracted in 2011.

She told the BBC her accusations introduced her to “a whole new culture of paranoia, fear and threats”.

In response, Qatar said they “stand by the integrity of their bid”.

They said a series of allegations about their conduct had been “over a period of years, investigated, tested, considered and dismissed”.

Al-Majid worked as an international media officer for the Qatar 2022 bid team before losing her job in 2010.

Her allegations that Qatari bid officials offered to pay for the votes of three Fifa members first came to light in 2011.

T

Action from 2013 Mobil Classsic

Zone would be the Zone to beat, come December.

At the Methodist Boys High School where the Oron finals are holding, 42 schools registered to contest for the 12 sports events in contention.

Al-Majid

Bankers Games: UBA, Skye, First Bank in hot contest

Mobil Schools finals hold in Akwa Ibom

A

53

Predictably, Students of Methodist Boys High Scholl who have taken advantage of their host status to register for all the events and will be involved in most of the finals today.

eams in Group A proved to be the stronger as they took three of the four semi-finals slots when the quarterfinals of the Bankers Games were decided last weekend.

Defending champions, Skye Bank, led the trio after seeing off Sterling Bank 2-1 in one of the last eight fixtures while ECOBANK stopped Fidelity Bank 1-0 and First Bank completed the line-up after over-powering Standard Chartered Bank 1-0 also. It was only UBA that made it from Group B and in convincing fashion as they thumped STANBIC-IBTC 3-0 thanks to goals from Raphael Et-

tah, Emeka Iwu and Emeka Okolie.

The semifinals battle line has now pitched the two Group A survivors, Skye Bank against ECOBANK in what will be a revenge mission for the sub-regional banking powerhouse.

Skye Bank on the other hand would seek to extend their unbeaten run and defend the title they have won three years back to back.

Both sides parade three of the free scoring players of the tournament and again, it is the cup holders that have two of the three in Seun Mohammed with four goals and Ismaila Sani on three goals.

Gumel emerges NOC President

lUbani records landslide victory to retain PRO seat

Charles Ogundiya

F

ormer Nigeria Olympic Committee President, Habu Gumel, has defeated the incumbent, Sani Ndanusa, to emerge the new president of the body in an election held in Asaba, Delta State on Thursday.

Gumel emerged victorious in the hard fought election, defeating his opponent 19-17 for his second opportunity at the

top.

The President of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, Solomon Ogba, was returned unopposed as the First Vice-President.

In another close battle, Tunde Popoola was voted secretary after amassing 17 votes, one vote more than his opponent, Banji Oladapo, who got 16 votes, while Bappa Aliu defeated Tunde Makanjuola 18-17 to emerge the Treasurer.

Meanwhile, for the position

of the PRO, incumbent Tony Ubani recorded a landslide victory, defeating his opponent, Comfort Obot, 31-5 to retain the PRO position in the NOC. Ubani’s victory was never in doubt after bulk of the accredited delegates casted their votes for the Vanguard Newspaper’s Sports Editor.

The newly elected officials will tinker the affairs of the committee for the next four years.

54

SPORT

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

SportL

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/Sport

WITH Tobi Emmanuel

0805 400 5669

princetobby@yahoo.com tobi.emmanuel@newtelegraphonline.com

ifestyle

Best food: Afang Soup and Pounded Yam Best drink: Water

Mfon Udoh

Super Eagles and Enyimba striker

Best colour: Yellow Best city visited: Uyo Best club supported: Manchester United Home town: Ikono LG, Akwa Ibom State Best car: Range Rover Best designer: Versace Best perfume: Terre d’hermes Best music: R and B Best Boot: Nike Best Jersey No: 10 Best competition ever attended: CAF Champions League with Enyimba Worst Match: Enyimba 1-0 loss away to Akwa United in Uyo Best Match: Enyimba 2-1 away win against Nembe in Omoku

AFCON ouster: NFF to re-strategise for U-23 Eagles lF’ Eagles, Golden Eaglets get resumption date

Emmanuel Tobi

S

equel to the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2015 Nations Cup, the Nigeria Football Federation has concluded plans to fortify the U-23 Eagles as they seek qualification for the 20152016 Olympics.

New Te l e g ra p h scooped that the body is ready to monitor Coach Samson Siasia’ programmes with emphasis on invitation of local players which is

expected to form the bulk of the team for easy prosecution of the qualifiers.

Also, efforts are being geared towards securing top friendly matches which will see the team travel round the country as well as playing some neigbouring West African countries to keep the team in proper shape.

Meanwhile, the NFF has approved the resumption dates for the two junior national teams, the Flying Eagles and Golden Eaglets.

The U-20 national team, Flying Eagles, will on 24th November resume camping for a screening exercise, ahead of the 19th African Youth Championship taking place in Senegal, between March 8th and 22nd next year.

Similarly, the Golden Eaglets will resume camping in Abuja on 14th December, 2014 ahead of the 11th African U-17 Championship taking place in Niger Republic between February 15th – March 1st.

Okocha,Western Union tell fans to‘Pass For School’

N

igerian legend Jay-Jay Okocha has teamed up with UEFA Europa League Global Partner Western Union to call on fans to go back to their school days and share their own childhood sports photos.

Every old sports photograph of themselves that fans share via Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #PassForSchool before the end of the day on 21 November 2014 will automatically contribute a pass to the

Western Union PASS initiative.

In collaboration with UNICEF, the campaign converts every pass into funding for better secondary education for disadvantaged children around the world - and raises awareness for global education issues.

All the photos, including those from Western Union ambassadors Okocha, Patrick Vieira and Tim Howard can be seen on www.wu-pass.org/

passforschool.

“The Western Union PASS initiative is a great cause and the #PassForSchool campaign is a fun way of allowing fans to be involved. But most importantly it highlights to everyone how the funds are supporting better education in Nigeria and around the world”, said Okocha, who moved from Nigeria to Germany to play for Borussia Neunkirchen at the age of 17.

Finidi , Okocha, 21 others in NFF technical study group l Amodu, Kanu, others for UK training

Amodu

Charles Ogundiya

R

ising from her third meeting since inauguration, the Nigeria Football Federation executive committee on Wednesday in Uyo set up a technical study group.

According to a communique by the NFF, the duty of the study group will be to focus on getting talented Nigerian players into the developmental Leagues in Europe for the purpose of creating a pool of future Super Eagles’ players.

Also the group has been saddled with the task of getting more Nigeria –born footballers in Europe to commit to representing the country.

The chairman of the group

is former Super Eagles captain, Augustine Okocha, while members are Benedict Akwuegbu, Celestine Babayaro, Mike Obiku, Darlington Omodiagbe, Finidi George, Taribo West, Tijani Babangida, Kashimawo Laloko, Henry Nwosu, Peter Rufai, Dominic Iorfa, Nwankwo Kanu, Dahiru Sadi, Gbenga Ogunbote, Mutiu Adepoju, Florence Omagbemi, Mercy Akide-Udoh, Ann Chiejine, Eucharia Uche, Salisu Yusuf, Alloy Agu and Benedict Iroha.

Meanwhile, in a bold move to improve the quality of coaching, match–reading and backroom analysis in the country, and ultimately to improve the fortunes of the various national teams, the committee has adopted a proposal by its President, Amaju Pinnick, to sponsor 17 persons on a two –week, intensive training programme in the United Kingdom.

They are: John Obuh, Ladan Bosso, Shaibu Amodu, Salisu Yusuf, Paul Aigbogun, Kelechi Emeteole, David Ngodigha, Edema Fuludu, Yisa Sofoluwe, Nwankwo Kanu, Austine Okocha, Garba Lawal, Dahiru Sadi, Siji Lagunju, Ann Chiejine, Florence Omagbemi and Garba Musa.

55

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

How not to mark a president’s birthday Vantage

Point

EMEKA MADUNAGU emeka.madunagu@newtelegraphonline.com

Jonathan

I

was quite glad to felicitate with President Goodluck Jonathan as he marked his 57th birthday yesterday with a message on my BlackBerry and Facebook. It was quite interesting for me since we share the same birth month. I also came across a photograph of the President and his wife, Patience, cutting his birthday cake before he flew to London for an international investors’ conference.

Aside from felicitating with him, I was also eager to see whether he would use the birthday to preach love, peace and good neighbourliness to Nigerians, especially since he was recently in Jerusalem on pilgrimage. I was sincerely hoping against hope that a nagging feeling in my mind would not happen. There was this feeling that the drama in Ekiti State where Governor Ayodele Fayose used soldiers and policemen to prevent the house of assembly from sitting was going to also play out at the federal level. I didn’t miss out on the coincidence. I had the feeling that what played out in Ekiti was a dress rehearsal for a bigger show of shame in Abuja. I was also curious as to why the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, fixed the resumption of the House to consider Jonathan’s request for the extension of the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states for Jonathan’s birthday. Was it a trap?

If it was, would Jonathan play the role of a statesman and ignore the voices of the hawks pushing him to ‘show his hand’ and ‘demonstrate his might as the President’ (as in the opposite of Prof. Wole Soyina’s warning that a tiger should not display tigritude)? I earnestly hoped to see true statesman-

Tambuwal

ship on display.

So, I eagerly posted a message on Facebook and BBM yesterday morning and whispered a prayer for long life, good health and prosperity for Mr. President. Alas! My fears were justified when by noon, reports filtered into Lagos from Abuja that truly, the king had chosen to dance naked. Also, my nagging feeling was proved right that the Ekiti script was being fully played out in Abuja.

Was it a show of shame? Draw your own conclusions. But for a President to have allowed the deployment of soldiers and hooded polciemen to the National Assembly in a democratic dispensation, all because he wanted to stop Tambuwal from presiding over the House of Repesentatives amounted to a coup against the good people of Nigeria! The National Assembly represents the bastion of democratic authority in Nigeria. Under the military, we had the Executive operating in khaki and the judiciary operating without a constitution.

But the National Assembly confers full legitimacy to the democratic system of any country. That is why the National Assembly or the state house of assembly is truly representative of the people because its members stand for the constituencies in the country.

The celebrated Russian constitutional crisis of September 1993 immediately came to my mind. I recalled how President Boris Yeltsin opted to resolve a face-off between him and the Russian Parliament by sending soldiers to invade the Supreme Soviet building. The parliament impeached him and named Vice-President Aleksander Rutskoy as acting president.

Yeltsin, who did not budge, decided to move against the parliament. Knowing that he lacked the power to dissolve the parliament, Yeltsin used the results of the April 1993 referendum, in which Russians passed a vote of confidence in him, to act against the parliament.

The resulting confrontation between soldiers and protesters in October 1993 left 187 people dead. Though he eventually had his way against the parliament, he left in ignominy four years later by resigning without naming a successor.

I also recalled how ex-maximum dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, threw the entire nation into confusion in November 1993, by dissolving the National Assembly and forcing the Head of the Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan, to resign.

Some days ago, soldiers and policemen executed the script in Ekiti, in which they allowed only seven out of 26 members of the state house of assembly to approve some requests from Fayose.

Sadly, Jonathan deployed the same script in Abuja, without thinking about the likely consequences. That some will say this constitutes an impeachable offence is very likely but it’s up to the National Assembly to look into this. One thing I know is that this has set a dangerous precedent.

When ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo introduced this dangerous use of soldiers against democratic institutions, Nigerians thought he was suffering from a hangover from his days in the Nigerian Army. However, for Jonathan to gladly deploy soldiers for every assignment sends a dangerous signal that Nigeria is heading in a wrong direction.

These actions raise the suspicion that some elements in government think the Executive is an absolutist institution, superior to the Legislature and Judiciary. However, the principle of separation of powers doesn’t accommodate any such superiority.

When you recall these words allegedly delivered by King Louis XIV (16381715) in an address to the recalcitrant French Parliament on April 13, 1655: “l’etat c’est moi (I am the state and the state is me) and consider yesterday’s show of shame in Abuja, you are left with the impression that that is the thinking in some quarters.

All over the world, leaders have immense powers to ‘do and undo.’ But the love for the nation and the need to protect the national interest keep them from exercising such powers. Not in Nigeria! Political office-holders believe that power is meant to be used and must be deployed in the crudest form possible.

They even go to extra-legal means to exercise their so-called powers.

All over the world, leaders have immense powers to ‘do and undo.’

But the love for the nation and the need to protect the national interest keep them from exercising such powers

I must appeal to President Jonathan to always be guided by a sense of history. Some of the characters now running around him were also there for Abacha when he was running rough-shod all over the country.

Today, none of them is bold enough to place a remembrance advert every June 8, when the anniversary of Abacha’s death comes up. Some of these chaps have been there since the First Republic, merely moving from one administration to the other shamelessly.

On Obasanjo’s birthday, I thought there would be a deluge of adverts in the newspapers. Sadly, it was not so.

Jonathan’s desperation to remove Tambuwal as the speaker should be considered against the backdrop of the likely consequences for the nation. Many other lawmakers have defected but the nation did not collapse. There is no justification for a sitting President to deploy soldiers and hooded policemen against the symbol of a democracy in a civilian dispensation.

Infact, a court has pronounced the deployment of hooded soldiers, policemen and Directorate of State Security agents in Ekiti and Osun states for their respective governorship election as unconstitutional.

The principle of separation of powers dictates that any dispute between the Executive and the Legislature and/or Judiciary should be settled according to the constitution.

I know the President and his supporters will claim he knew nothing about it. But that’s laughable at best.

We must tread cautiously on this democratic journey. Nigeria is the only country we have. If we destroy it, we will live to regret it. If we preserve our nation, we will enjoy the fruits of our labour. Irrespective of our differences, we must always bear in mind that Nigeria is bigger than any of us.

Shamefully, seven members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party yesterday chose their own speaker while their colleagues from the All Progressives Congress relocated to Lagos with the substantive speaker, Adewale Omirin. The stage has evidently been set for a return to the dark days in Ekiti. It is the same state where judges are afraid to sit on any matter against the governor.

This is a shameful development, coming after photos of Fayose lying on the altar of a church in assumed reverence to the Almighty God. I’m happy that the Holy Bible declares in 1 Corinthians 14:33 that God is not the author of confusion. The confusion we have been witnessing in Ekiti and what played out in Abuja yesterday had nothing to do with God. So, our politicians can continue to deceive themselves with public shows of piety. What Nigerians demand is good governance and respect for the laws of the country. Anything other than that amounts to lawlessness, irrespective of who is involved!!!

BTW: Do our leaders really care about us? When Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, announced that Nigerians should get ready for tougher times, I thought it was a timely warning that called for deep thinking. Instead of that, our leaders have continued with business as usual. The economy is sliding and our leaders are not bothered.

Sanctity of Truth

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Man may have discovered fire, but women discovered how to play with it.

Emeka Madunagu How not to mark a president’s birthday

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After Jonathan’s declaration, what next?

S

ince President Jonathan’s epic Eagle Square declaration to present himself for re-election, Nigeria’s public space has been inundated with all manner of reactions. This declaration expectedly has elicited divergent comments from a cross section of the populace. The discourses mainly focus on the merit or otherwise of the declaration, the timing, the message it conveys, the hope it rekindles, or demolishes, and the direction of the country in the next four-five years. Those in the opposition contend among others, that for the president to go ahead with the declaration barely twenty four hours after, 47 promising young persons were mowed down by a suicide bomber in Government Senior Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe State is the height of insensitivity and callousness. For those in the ruling party, and admirers of the President, postponing the declaration may be kowtowing to the wishes of the entrepreneurs of violence as represented by Boko Haram. Although the arguments for and against the declaration date sound academic now, the ensuing discussions on the speech itself should not be seen as tittle-tattle.

There are however those who are neither for, nor against the declaration, and all that it embodies, who would prefer a position of feelessness as their own hapless way of showing indifference, or lethargy, arising from the stark realisation that their views or even state of life do not matter to the political elite, no matter their persuasion or affiliation. To these centrists, the political choice before Nigerians, talking about two main political parties contesting for presidency are very much like the proverbial two kitchen knives in the homestead of a poor folk, the first knife has a head but is not sharp, while the second, is sharp, but does not have a head or handle. For these folks, the country is faced with tragic choices, and they do not want to drink from the poisoned chalice.

Although I appreciate the middle of the road or centrist position as canvassed above, it seems to me that an attitude of “do nothingness”, no matter how imposed, will worsen an already bad situation and complicate matters.

That is why I think it is both a political duty and moral burden that we critically interrogate Mr. President’s speech against the backdrop of where the nation was before the doctrine of necessity was invoked by Senate to quick march Jonathan into the presidential seat, and what the President has done with the golden opportunity given to him. The crucial question that Nigerians need to ask is; is the country better of today than it was 5 years ago?

The President’s declaration was a grand finale of an ingenious unprecedented nationwide political mobilisation led by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN). The ‘Tanning’ of the entire country resulted in the recruitment of more than eighteen million Nigerians who have freely volunteered to support President Jonathan. Before TAN, Jonathan’s image

Ivory Glory NKEMDILI NNONYELU aunnonyelu@yahoo.co.uk 08122801926 (sms only)

had been considerably decimated by a combination of factors. TAN was more or less on a rescue mission highlighting several areas of the president’s achievement that have been largely underreported or mischievously presented. Before TAN, Jonathan was seen as a hard sell product, and some of the PDP Governors and heavy weights had started angling for Jonathan’s position.

Jonathan was almost being perceived by the populace as an expiring politician who should be counting his days in office. Mr. President appeared reticent and cowed, as circles of intrigues and conspiracy tried to envelop his office. TAN through articulate public advocacy and engagement with a cross section of Nigerians, attracted millions who started enlisting into the TAN Vanguard to support President Jonathan. Seeing the groundswell of activities, serious contenders buried their ambitions, thanks to TAN. The very presidential demeanour and presentation by Jonathan last week during the declaration at Eagle Square, arose in part, from the national feeling of acceptance which has been effectively portrayed by not only the rallies organised by TAN, but its media blitz. It took months before the opposition could respond to the TAN hurricane like movement, trying belatedly to puncture its effusive rendition of Jonathan’s profile. TANs entrance was PDP’s Joker, a master stroke.

Now what do we take home from the President’s speech. My initial reaction is to applaud his commitment to deepen democracy, to encourage freedom of expression, association and the organisation of credible election in 2015. There is no doubt that the President has proved to be the most democratic president that Nigeria has ever produced. The absence of politically motivated killings and assassinations which before Jonathan were rampant particularly under the Obasanjo Presidency, the passage of the Freedom Of Information Bill, the freedom of the press, the improvement in elections organised by INEC, the non-usage of Corruption Agencies as tools to witch hunt political opponents go to present Jonathan as a truly democratic leader.

But the President must not encourage the absurd drama going on in Ekiti where a few members of the House of Assembly under the watch of Federal Police circumvent the law, or even the case in Edo and River States where minority factions of the Houses of Assembly incidentally in the same party as the president are allowed under

Jonathan

Police or “order from above” cover to violate the law. The President may also go further to accept Governor Chibuike Amachi as the authentic Chairman of Nigeria’s Governors forum. Continuing support for Jonah Jang, Plateau State Governor, who clearly failed the election, has cast the President in bad light.

Let votes from Nigerians count in any democratic contest. That is our irreducible demand. The President has lived up to this I commend him for that.

Security seems to me to be the Achilles heels of Jonathan’s governance style. Jonathan’s failure to stop the rampaging Boko Haram from unimaginable activities cannot be glossed over.

His promises on security are sounding increasingly hollow and ritualistic.

While I do not support those who ask the President to resign on account of the terrible security challenges facing Nigeria, I think, however, that the president needs a total change of strategy. He needs to do more than he is doing presently. There is no reason why a band of marauders will pose a problem to a Nigerian army whose exploits in the past are well known, and continue to seize territory after territory, except there is something sinister or underhand going on that Nigerians are yet to understand.

The president’s declaration of state of emergency in the 3 affected states has not yielded any fruit.

A commander in chief must be seen to be what he is – commander. The president needs to take full control of whatever military operations that are

currently taking place in the North East. The president must rise to the demands of his office, and deodorise the foul stench emanating from the activities of Boko Haram in the North East, and restore security of lives, and property. There is nothing that Nigerians want most now than national security or more appropriately citizen security.

The President needs action now, more than words. Security is a desideratum for Nigerians, and must be treated as Number one priority.

Corruption even by the President’s admission is a hydra headed monster, a virus that has eaten deep into the fabric of the entire nation. It seems plausible to argue that much of the problems witnessed in the handling of the war against terror may be traced to institutional corruption. Indeed the literature is replete with cases of corruption in all sectors of Nigeria’s bureaucracy, the military inclusive. What has the president done in this regard. Under Jonathan, the war on terror has witnessed the drafting of the security Czar, General Aliyu Gusau as Defence Minister, the introduction of Col. Sambo Dasuki as the National Security Adviser, and then the sweeping changes of the Defence Chiefs. The problem here, as has been adduced from this security architecture, is a conflation of authority; it has been difficult to know who calls the shot. In simple language, outside the President who is in charge, is difficult to fathom. This delineation of authority is pivotal to military success.

Abuse of office, using position for selfish and personal gains is emblematic of Nigeria’s public life. The president must address this seriously. The President needs to rejig the war against corruption; this can still be achieved even with his much respected democratic credentials. Those who steal our national resources need not find any protection, resting place or cover. The President must smoke them out for the war against corruption to succeed; there shall not be any sacred cows.

The issue of unemployment is one that is at centre of Nigerians current political economy. Every year, hundreds of thousands of university graduates are sent out to swell the rank of the unemployed. Employment is the scarcest commodity that any serious government must think out of the box to provide as it holds the key to reduction of insurgency, national stability and progress. The presidents promise to create 1.9 million jobs is a good start, but of course inadequate. Now that we are facing the looming austerity, as proclaimed by the Finance Minister, Dr. Okonji Iweala, the new committee to be headed by Nigeria’s Vice President, Namadi Sambo needs to swing into action immediately. We need a four-year development plan by this committee to bring back hopes to our youths.

As for the dearth of infrastructure, which is not restricted to the Federal Government, that is a matter for another day. All in all, the President’s speech has raised several issues that Nigerians can use to weigh the options and political choices available to them.

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by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Advert Hotline: 01-8541248, Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: YEMI AJAYI.