Binder1 thursday april 10, 2014

Sanctity of Truth Facebook.com/newtelegraph

Thursday, April 10, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 51

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lReps in a stormy meeting, to pass budget today

T

he Senate yesterday passed the 2014 Ap-

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Nigeria’s most authoritative newspaper in politics and business

Senate passes N4.7trn 2014 Budget

Chukwu David and Philip Nyam

www.newtelegraphonline.com

propriation Bill of N4,695,190,000,000 four months after it was presented to the National As-

sembly by the Executive.

The House of Representatives will today follow C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2

HIGHLIGHTS Statutory Transfers - N408.7bn Debts Service - N712bn Recurrent Expenditure - N2.45trn Capital Expenditure - N1,12trn

Inside

national CONFERENCE lOsoba, Oyebode, Ozekhome, Okon endorse power devolution lSix mistakes that derail Nigeria–Atedo Peterside lBraithwaite advocates confederation

Page } 10

200 bandits storm Jigawa, kill seven policemen, guard

lBank, court, council secretariat, police station razed lTwo killed in Niger lFulani, farmers’ clash won’t stop, says Nasarawa governor Muhammad Kabir, Dan Atori and Cheke Emmanuel

B

andits numbering 200 yesterday attacked a police station, a bank and a Sharia Court, killing seven policemen and one

civilian in Gwaram town, Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

The gunmen burnt down the Gwaram Divisional Police Station and the local government secretariat.

The incident happened while the Peoples Demo-

cratic Party (PDP) governors were holding their meeting, boasting that Jigawa has been peaceful unlike the North-East states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

Residents said the gunmen attacked the town in a convoy of cars for about four hours and left Gwaram unhindered.

An eyewitness, who hid in the bush, said the ban-

dits threatened to come back if the residents fail to stop sending their wards to school and accepting polio vaccination.

Over 100 people were also killed in Zamfara at

the weekend.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 1, Mr Tambari Muhammed, confirmed the attack while speaking C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3

Politicians instigated all coups –Gen Omu lYou’re twisting history - Osoba lBraithwaite: Coup plotters should exit Council of States Louis Achi and Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

D

elegates to the ongoing national conference were yesterday treated to some controversial records in the political history of Nigeria as a former Military Governor of the defunct South-Eastern

State (now Cross River State), General Paul Omu disclosed that all military coups in Nigeria were instigated by politicians.

Omu also blamed politicians for all wars, including the Nigerian Civil War which lasted three years and claimed millions of lives.

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3

L-R: Governors Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Peoples Democratic Party National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu; and Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, during PDP governors’ meeting in Dutse, Jigawa State…yesterday

AT A GLANCE

INSIDE

METRO

POLITICS

BUSINESS

Lagos shuts illegal orphanage, rescues five children Page 12

SPORTS

I’ve no fears about my job, says Interior Minister, Abba Moro Page 13

Indian buyers’ demand for Nigeria’s crude drops Page 29

Chelsea include Mikel in Falcao Deal Page 53

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NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Okorocha must go, Ihedioha insists He’s hallucinating, says government Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

T

he Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, yesterday insisted that the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, must go in 2015.

Ihedioha insisted that the process of sacking the governor from office was fully on course.

The declaration was contained in a statement issued yesterday in Owerri by his media aide, Chibuike Onyeukwu, following Ihedioha’s consultative visit to Okigwe Council Area of the state ahead of the 2015 governorship polls.

Governor Okorocha had during the week, put a dent on Ihedioha’s governorship ambition, saying that the Deputy Speaker lacked the credentials and competence to succeed him in office.

But Ihedioha appealed to loyalists of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST PORT HARCOURT

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encumbrances that will hinder him from putting the state back on track, the Deputy Speaker said: “I will not use my position to enrich myself. I am not owing any bank anywhere in the country. I will put in place projects of high standards.

“I will restore democratic and relevant institutions in our state.

Youths will receive very meaningful attention for sustainable empowerment. I will not sell our industries, but will reac-

“The testimonies of the people are totally different from his claims. Right in his village, a few days ago, his kinsmen paid glowing tribute to the Okorocha administration, reeling out countless infrastructural needs met by this administration.

“As for reclaiming Imo and removing Okorocha from office, he lacks the capacity to even make such wild claims as he has not yet secured his party’s governorship ticket yet. He is merely an aspirant and clearly lacks the credentials to unseat Okorocha.”

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 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 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

L-R: Senator Emmanuel Onwe; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu and former Governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, during Kalu’s visit to Fayemi in Ado Ekiti...yesterday

Senate passes N4.7trn 2014 Budget CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

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in Okigwe Local Government Area of the state to remain steadfast in the party as “the process of reclaiming Imo and sacking Okorocha was fully on course and could not be altered.”

Promising to do everything to make Imo the best state in the country, Ihedioha reminded the party stalwarts that he was the only person that can show Okorocha the way out and recover the Government House for the people.

Stressing that he has no

tivate and build new ones to employ and empower our people.”

Reacting to the statement yesterday, Imo State Commissioner for Information, Chief Theodore Ekechi, described Ihedioha’s claims as products of hallucination.

He said: “It’s regrettable that a public officer of his status goes about standing truth on its head.

Well, if indeed he made these assertions, then he is totally detached from reality and disconnected from the people he seeks to govern.

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

suit in the passage of the budget.

The Senate, however, increased the initial executive proposals by N52.2 billion. The Executive had proposed N4.642,960,000,000, but the Senate approved N4.695,190,000,000.

No explanation was given for the increment.

President Goodluck Jonathan had on December 19, 2013, through the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala laid before both Chambers of the National Assembly, the 2014 Appropriation Bill, containing the estimates of revenue and expenditure of the Federation for the 2014 fiscal year.

The budget was tagged, “Budget of Fiscal Con-

solidation and Inclusive Growth.”

The budget is also predicated on a GDP growth rate of 6.75 per cent, inflation rate of 9.5 per cent and an exchange rate of N160 to one Dollar.

A breakdown of the appropriation figures as presented by the Executive shows that a total sum of N399,687,801,891 is for statutory transfers, while N712,000,000,000 is for debt service. N2,430,665,361,597 is for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, while the balance of N1,100,606,836,512 is for contribution to the development fund for capital expenditure for the year ending on the December 31, 2014.

However, there is a Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) component of the budget to the tune of N268,370,000,000 for

the year 2014.

But the amount did not form part of the aggregate budget figure of N4,642,960,000,000 contained in the Bill, laid before the National Assembly. This has, however, been captured in the final compilation of the Bill.

In the final approval however, the Senate approved the total sum of N4,695,190,000,000 of which N408,687,801,891 is for statutory transfers while N712,000,000,000 is for debt service.

N2,454,887,566,702 is for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure while the balance of 1,119,614,631,407 is for contribution to the development fund for capital expenditure for the year ending December 31, 2014.

The highest sectoral allocation in the budget is Education with N424.3

billion, while Defence follows with an allocation of N349.7 billion.

The Senate debated the general principles of the Bill and read it the second time on January 23, 2014 and consequently referred it to the Committees on Appropriations and Finance for further legislative action.

The committee subsequently referred the schedules of the bill to the appropriate Standing Committees on money bills in line with Order 92(4) of the Senate Standing Order.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Ahmad Maccido, who led the debate on the budget report, explained that the committee drew up a work plan which gave Standing C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4

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 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

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Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Bank, court, council secretariat, police station razed CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

with newsmen in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, yesterday.

Muhammed said that four mobile policemen, three conventional policemen and one civilian guard, were killed in the attack.

According to him,

about 200 attackers entered the town with motorcycles and cars at about 1a.m.

The AIG described the situation as unfortunate “in a state that has been enjoying peace for long.”

He added that from the information made available to him, the bandits

used explosives to attack the branch of Unity Bank, police station, council secretariat and court.

Muhammed said that no arrest had been made but more armed policemen had been deployed to the area.

Also, gunmen killed two people in Shadna, Bosso

Local Government, Niger State during a monthly traditional dance event.

Three other persons suffered bullet injuries during the invasion.

The gunmen were said to have invaded the village on motorcycles.

It was learnt that the gunmen started shooting

L-R: Partner, Mckinsey Company/Lead Speaker, Mr. Scott Desmarais; Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ben Akabueze; Co-Founder/Executive Director, Falcon Petroleum/Panelist, Mrs. Audrey Joe-Ezigbo; Chairman, Afren Plc/Session Chair, Mr. Egbert Imomoh; and General Manager, Downstream Gas, Chevron Nigeria/Panelist, Mr. Lanre Kalejaiye, during a breakout session of the Lagos Economic Summit in Lagos…yesterday

N42.6bn

The IGR realized from PAYE (taxes) of Delta State in 2012.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

913m

The number of individuals using the internet in developed countries in 2012.

Source: Itu.int

62.5m

The total number of internet users in Germany in 2008.

Source: Blatantworld.com

sporadically into the air and stray bullets hit two of the villagers killing them and causing serious injuries to three other persons.

The injured persons were rushed to an undisclosed hospital while the bodies of the deceased have been buried, according to Islamic rites.

Niger State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Richard Adamu Oguche, who confirmed the report, explained that the command has intensified its patrol in the community to forestall further attack.

He urged members of the community to remain calm and assist the police with useful information on strange movements in their area for prompt action.

Meanwhile, Governor Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa State has said that the clash between farmers and herdsmen in the North-Central states would not end “so long as herdsmen continue to migrate from the sahara down to the Benue valley in search of pasture.”

Al-makura told United States (U.S.) Ambassador to Nigeria, James F. Enwhistle, during a cour-

tesy visit yesterday at the Government House, Lafia that unless stakeholders, traditional rulers and the governments of Benue and Nasarawa states put heads together to fine tune ways of bringing a lasting peace, the clash will continue.

He stated that the dry nature of the Sahara in the far North has forced Fulani herdsmen to migrate in large number to the North Central in search of greener pasture leading to clashes.

The governor noted that he has made frantic efforts along with his Benue counterpart, Gabriel Suswam, to nip the crisis in the bud but to no avail.

He urged the U.S. Embassy to intervene in the situation to bring an end to the clash.

Enwhistle told the governor that they were in the state to strengthen collaboration in the areas of HIV/AIDS, Education and Democracy.

Enwhistle said that the U.S. Embassy was worried over the current spate of violent crisis in the country, especially the clash between farmers and herdsmen in Nasarawa and Benue states.

Braithwaite: Coup plotters should exit Council of States CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Although, the retired military officer said he had his facts on both accusations, his claims were countered by a veteran journalist and former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba as well as Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, a former presidential candidate of the Nigeria Advanced Party (NAP) during the Second Republic.

Omu, who was commenting on the inaugural speech of President Goodluck Jonathan to the conference, took time off to respond to the blames heaped on the Nigeria Armed Forces over the political woes of the country. Several delegates had castigated the military for their incessant interventions in the governance of Nigeria and attributed most of the problems of poverty, corruption and

underdevelopment to the military incursion in politics.

In defending the military, Omu said that apart from luring the military to take over governance, the civilians were usually the deck hands in any military government.

“The military have been battered from left, right and centre but I stand to be challenged.

All military coups are instigated by politicians and civilians. I have my facts.

I will also like to add that all wars that are fought by soldiers are started by politicians and civilians.

General Alani Akinrinade made a statement some few days ago and people tried to shout him down. Civilians constitute 90 per cent participation in running the affairs of a military government,” Omu said.

However, when it came to the turn of Osoba to make his contributions to the debate on Jonathan’s address, he seized the opportunity to give his own account of the history.

“If you talk of coups, I disagree. Only two coups were held against civilians; the 1966 and 1983.

All the other coups were military against military, sponsored by their own contractors not we civilians; point of correction.

We are here today to decide whether we want to go the way of Serbia, Bosnia, USSR or Yugoslavia,” he said.

Elder statesman, Braithwaite also dismissed the account rendered by Omu and his comrades in the military as untruths.

He expressed dismay at the outcome of military interventions in the

polity and said it was not enough to ask the military to apologise but to take some drastic actions that could discourage soldiers from interrupting the democratic system of governance.

Braithwaite said all former Heads of State who came into office through undemocratic means should not have the honour of sitting at the National Council of States.

“I heard it. I laughed at it because they are just self-serving untruths.

But I am glad that someone countered such views by saying that out of the many military coups only one or two were against civilian governments; majority of the coups were against themselves. I believe that Nigerians know that some of the worst opportunistic military takeovers and the personae

involved know too. I don’t agree that they should apologise. I think they should be barred from public office. For instance, take the so-called National Council of States, I would want it scrapped and if it is not scrapped, those who took government by unconstitutional means should have no place there,” Braithwaite said.

It will be recalled that last week, a delegate and former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, absolved the military of blame over the nation’s first military coup on January 15, 1966.

George, an ex-Navy Commodore, claimed that the problems in defunct Western Nigeria went out of control and the military stepped in at the invitation of the civil

authority.

“The problems we had in the South-West that was not contained expanded beyond our control and engulfed this country. Can we sit back and recall, I think it was the deputy chair of the Senate at that time who invited the military to step in.

“The military did not just wake up from their barracks and head out to take power. Let us tell ourselves the truth so that we can learn from the truth and prevent such occurrence in the future,” George declared.

The then Senate President, Dr. Nwafor Orizu, handed over power to Major-General J.T.U. Aguiyi-Ironsi, following the uncertainties trailing the failure of the initial putsch by the five majors led by Major Chukwuma C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4

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Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Boko Haram: North-East govs counsel INEC on 2015 polls

Jega promises most credible polls ever Ibraheem Musa and Ahmed Mringa

G

overnors Kashim Shettima (Borno), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe) yesterday urged the Inde-

pendent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to postpone the 2015 general elections in their states.

The call is contained in a statement jointly issued in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, by their spokespersons – Ahmad

Sajoh for Nyako, Abdullahi Bego for Gaidam and Isa Gusau for Shettima.

Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states are facing the challenges of Boko Haram insurgency.

The statement urged INEC to disregard calls

by some politicians for the postponement of the elections due to the security situation in the states.

It urged INEC to take a cue from war-ravaged Afghanistan where elections were recently held, in spite of threat of attacks by the

L-R: Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Director-General, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Dr. Precious Kalamba Gbeno; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina; Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Prof. Slyvester Monye and Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Sam Ortom, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja...yesterday

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN.

Senate passes N4.7trn 2014 Budget CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Committees a timeline within which to submit their reports, noting that the time was extended to the end of March 2014 to conclude engagement with Ministries/Departments/ Agencies and report back to the committee.

It was also observed that the Upper Chamber adopted a benchmark price of $77.50 per barrel of crude oil as against the $74 per barrel as initially proposed by the executive.

Also, the Senate adopted the Executive proposal of crude oil production of 2.3883 million barrels per day (mbpd) and an exchange rate of N160 to $1.

The Senate further retained executive proposal of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate 6.75% as well as inflation rate of 9.5%.

Commending the senators for their cooperation in passing the budget, the President of the Senate, David Mark, urged the executive to emulate the patriotic gesture of the

parliamentarians by ensuring prompt and judicious implementation of the budget.

Mark appealed to the executive to follow in the footsteps of the legislature and ensure optimal implementation of the budget.

“Whilst we have done so much to pass it, I hope that the Executive will equally work as hard to implement it,” he said.

Briefing journalists after the passage of the budget, Maccido, expressed optimism that, if properly implemented, the budget would bring about tremendous transformation in the system, stressing that it would boost employment opportunities in the country.

Meanwhile, intrigues over the 2014 Appropriation Bill continued yesterday in the House of Representatives as the lower chamber held a stormy meeting ahead of today’s commencement of the consideration of the proposed budget.

New Telegraph, how-

ever, reliably learnt that the House would approve the budget as it has agreed to expedite actions on the money bill.

At yesterday’s plenary, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, John Enoh (PDP, Cross River) presented the report of the committee on Appropriation and Finance on the N4,642 trillion budget proposal.

While accepting the report, Speaker of the House, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, urged the lawmakers to be prepared ahead of the debate today.

He said: “Honourable members, make sure you come to the chambers tomorrow at the Committee of the Whole for the commencement of the consideration of the 2014 budget.

This is very important so every member should come prepared.”

Before the plenary, the House had met for about two hours behind closed doors at the Conference Room 0.28, New Building Our correspondent

gathered that the lawmakers used the meeting to sort out their differences on the budget to pave way for a smooth passage today. Sources at the meeting disclosed that since the Thursday plenary is often given live Television coverage, the leadership of the House wanted to avoid a situation whereby members may be seeing fighting or disagreeing openly on the budget.

According to the source, although it was a stormy session, the lawmakers were able to resolve their differences amicably.

Members particularly expressed concerns about the poor implementation of the 2013 budget and constituency projects.

It will be recalled that the House had on February 2nd, referred the budget to the Committees on Appropriation and Finance for further legislative action.

The House is likely to jack up the budget by at least N50 billion.

Taliban terrorist group.

“INEC should take a cue from Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission which courageously held the country’s presidential and provincial election last Saturday despite strong threats issued by the Taliban.

“Afghanistan was celebrated worldwide for liberating herself from the scourge of fear, thereby sending a strong signal that no threat would prevent them from choosing their leaders through democratic processes,” it said.

The statement further pointed out that the Afghan government provided adequate security for the conduct of the polls, urging the Federal Government to do same.

“We all know that the unfortunate insurgency affecting this country has a similar attribute to the Taliban doctrine in Afghanistan even though ours is now assuming a very complicated character. The INEC should as a matter of counter-insurgency approach, ensure that no part of Nigeria is excluded from the 2015 general elections.”

It was also reported that there was a 53 percent voter turn-out during the elections and it went on peacefully in most places.

In Kaduna, the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has promised that 2015 elections will be the most credible in the history of Nigeria, considering the commission’s level

of preparedness.

Jega made this known yesterday in Kaduna during the opening ceremony of INEC/State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECs) Experience Sharing Conference organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The chairman also said that the commission had concluded plans to commence voter registration across the federation next month.

“INEC will create more polling units in order to decongest large polling units during the coming general elections,” he said.

According to him, “the continuous registration exercise is to ensure those that have turned 18 years between 2011 and now are registered before the 2015 general elections. Also those that were 18 and above but were unable to register for one reason or the other will be given opportunity to register.”

He, however, reiterated the imperative of close synergy between INEC and SIEC, saying that, the conference was timely towards ensuring free, fair, peaceful and credible elections in the future.

He also called on the state governments to ensure absolute independence of SIECs to ensure credible elections at the grassroots level, arguing that there cannot be credible polls at national level when the foundation is faulty.

Politicians instigated all coups –Gen Omu CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Nzeogwu in 1966. George, who took exception to the incessant flaks against the military who are being blamed for the woes of the country, said the military incursion into politics was not responsible for the problems of the nation’s development.

His words: “The military incursion into Nigerian politics is not the problem that we are facing today. Those facts have been half-truths.

Let us tell the younger generation what hap-

pened.”

According to the PDP chieftain, “I have listened carefully here to a lot of people who have spoken.

Some comments have been extremely good and very educative. Some have some half-truths in them. Some are blatant lies. But that is the essence of democracy. We must all be allowed to have a very robust debate.

But what I want to plead is that as we are here, when you are bringing out your facts, please recheck them.”

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

STATISM It is no more Eko for all as descendants kick against one Nigeria Ndubuisi Ugah

A

s the jostling for the governorship seat in Lagos State intensifies ahead of 2015 general elections, a group, Eko Descendants, has warned against the imposition of a nonindigenes as the next governor of the state.

The group in a statement yesterday said that it would amount to in-

2015: Lagosians warn against imposition of non-indigene justice and a slap on the faces of Lagosians to have a non-indigene rule them as governor come 2015.

It noted that since 1999, Lagos State has had so many non-indigenes occupying leadership positions both in the political and administrative cadres which, it said, was not in the best interest of the indigenes.

The statement signed

by Alhaji Abass Adedeji,

reads in part: “From media reports and deliberate efforts to verify the claims making the rounds in different political formations, it would appear that there is a grand plan to have a non-indigene to succeed Governor Babatunde Fashola at the expiration of his tenure.

“Obviously, this would be an injustice against the indigenes of the state, which will be resisted.

N7.1bn

US will not dictate to Nigeria, says Ambassador Muhammad Ahmad Lafia

U

nited States Ambassador to Nigeria, Entwistle James, yesterday said the United States government would not dictate to Nigeria on the outcome of the 2015 general elections.

Speaking during a courtesy call on Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko AlMakura, at the Government House, Lafia, Entwistle said the Washington would only lend its support to Nigeria’s effort.

Entwistle said the 2015 general elections will be an important test for Nigerian politicians and other critical

5

stakeholders.

“The 2015 elections will be an important test for Nigeria, where politicians, the media and individuals will play a critical role in ensuring its success.”

He urged Nigerians to make a commitment towards a crisis free election that would stand the test of time.

“Individual Nigerians should make a pledge that they will not advocate, support or condone violence before, during or after the elections.”

The ambassador said he was in the North-Central to interact with people and learn more about the security situation in the region.

“Be he or she a Muslim or Christian, the next governor of our dear state must be an indigene and anything short of this will simply be unacceptable.

“We members of the Eko Descendants at home and in the diaspora are opposed to any arrangement that subjugates us, any plan that will continue to render us second class citizens in our own

The IGR realized from PAYE (taxes) of Kaduna State in 2012.

Source: National bureau of Statistics

state.

“In particular, we want to draw the attention of all Lagos indigenes to the newspaper report at the weekend which claimed authoritatively that the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has already endorsed Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode as Fashola’s successor.

“This move, we believe, is against the interest of

291,300

The total number of internet users in Libya in 2007.

Source: Blatantworld.com

Lagos indigenes because Ambode is not from Lagos State and cannot claim to be a Lagosian for political expediency.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Mr. Ambode is from Ilaje in Ondo State.

His father only came to Epe as a teacher and worked there until he died and his remains were taken to his roots in Ilaje in Ondo State where he was buried."

12m

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions in Africa region in 2010.

Source: Itu.int

L-R: Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama; Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Speaker, state House of Assembly, Peter Onwusanya, during a security meeting held at the Government House Annex, Warri…yesterday

Princewill joins Rivers governorship race

Ogun LP carpets APC over PDP chieftain sets up mobilisation group for Fayose ward congress

Joe Ezuma

Kunle Olayeni

Port Harcourt

F

ormer political ally of Rivers State governor and Kalabari Prince Tonye Princewill,yesterdaybecame the latest governorship aspirant in the build up to the 2015 governorship election in Rivers State.

Princewill announced his entry in to the race for the Rivers State Government House yesterday, setting up a committee to oversee his interests.

While declaring his intention, he said he would be promotingawelfaristagendathat would give equal opportunity

toall,ifvotedin. Headdedthat politicsisthesurestwaytoimprovethelivesof thepeopleof the state.

Princewillsaidhewouldbe anchoringhisprogrammeon four basic template of transformationintransport,educational,healthcareandsustainable social service delivery.

He also hinted that he would stimulate growth by promoting micro-economic ideals and by divesting government interests from Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, since according to him, the strata of the domestic economy should be the biggest employer of labour and not the government.

Abeokuta

T

he Labour Party (LP) in Ogun State yesterday reacted to the controversy trailing the ward congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, describing the exercise as a charade.

In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Deji Kalejaiye,theLPalsoaccused therulingpartyinthestateof settingadangerousprecedent for the 2015 general elections.

ThepartyberatedtheAPC for the pandemonium that erupted during and after the conduct of its ward congress-

es on Saturday across the 236 wards of the state.

LP said “The violence and civil disturbance that erupted during and after the congress with a lot of party members sustaining varying degrees of injuries, has further exposed the APC to be a conglomeration of greedy politicians, who are hell bent on acquiring power at all means.

“If at ordinary ward congress blood-letting and maiming could be the order of the day, one wonders what we are to expect in the remaining party congresses not to talk of the general elections.”

Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

A

stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Chief Bisi Aloba, has set up a mobilisation committee to project the party’s candidate in the June 21 governorship election, Mr. Ayo Fayose.

Inaugurating the group in Ikere-Ekiti yesterday, Aloba said the group would complement the efforts of the state campaign committee set up by the party.

He gave the assurance that the 12-man committee would sell the party and its candidate throughout

Ikere Local Government Area and other towns.

He also said that seven other sub-committees would be set up to help propagate the party across Ekiti South Senatorial District.

“I believe in the PDP and I am an optimist that our party will emerge victorious in the coming election. Our candidate is a man of the people and we are working together to ensure that we win the poll.

“The people of the state are fed up with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and their politics of deception.

6

NEWS

Thursday, April 10, 2014

photo news

Kalu drums support for Fayemi’s re-election, preaches unity

F

L-R: Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio; Liyel Imoke of Cross River and Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State, after their meeting with the PDP Chairman, in Dutse, Jigawa State…yesterday

ormer Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzo Kalu, has urged the people of Ekiti State to support the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s re-election, saying that he has been able to deliver on the promises he made to the people.

The former governor, who addressed journalists shortly after a visit to Governor Fayemi at his official residence, said he is on tour of the country to preach national unity.

This was as the former Abia State governor lauded the present administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko in Ondo State, saying

that he has prioritised the basic necessities of life in the state.

Kalu also eulogised Fayemi for providing the people of Ekiti access to good roads, quality education and health care, among others, in his developmental agenda for the state.

The former governor said he was impressed by the diligence and commitment with which Fayemi delivered the dividends of democracy to the people, adding that he has received reports from the people that the governor was doing well.

Meanwhile, Dr. Kalu said he was impressed with the performance

of Governor Olusegun Mimiko in Ondo State.

The business mogul spoke with newsmen on Tuesday, shortly after his inspection tour of some people-oriented facilities put in place by the Mimiko administration in Akure, the state capital and in Ondo town.

The former governor and chairman of The Sun newspapers was led

by Governor Mimiko to the Caring Heart Market at NEPA in Akure, St. Patrick Mega School, the Mother and Child Hospital, Truama Centre, Doctors’ Quarters and Dialysis Centre all in Ondo town.

Fayemi promises water, roads for Ekiti East people Adesina Wahab L-R: Chairman, Hygeia HMO Limited, Mrs. Fola Laoye; Human Resources Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Mr. Victor Famuyibo; , Chief Executive Officer, Hygeia Foundation/Hygeia Community Healthcare, Dr. Peju Adenusi; Chief Executive Officer, Hygeia HMO, Ramesh Kurup, and Chief Operating Officer, Lagoon Hospitals Nigeria. Dr. Mohammed Naseem, at the launch of Hygeia enhanced plans in Lagos.

L-R: Attorney General and Lagos State Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye; Deputy Governor, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and the state Permanent Secretary and Solitor-General, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), during a sign-on meeting on building a culture of PRO BONO in Nigeria held in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO:GODWIN IREKHE

Ado-Ekiti

E

kiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has said that his administration will complete all ongoing road and water projects across the various communities in Ekiti East Local Government Area of the state.

Fayemi, who is the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 21 election, stated this yesterday while addressing supporters in Isinbode-Ekiti and other

executed a number of projects here and in all the communities across the state.

“The road linking this place with Omuo-Ekiti will be completed soon and we are making efforts at solving once and for all, the problem of drinkable water here, by completing the water scheme and we have renovated all secondary schools across the state, among many other projects,” he said.

The governor solicited the support of the people in his re-election bid.

PDP moves to reconcile aggrieved aspirants in Ekiti Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

T L-R: National Chairman, Labour Party, Mr Dan Nwanyanwu; Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State and Oyo State co-Chairman of the party, Mr. Gbenga Olayemi, inaugurating the party's Secretariat in Ibadan …yesterday

communities in the area.

The governor, who said the provision of social amenities for the people of the state was a top priority of his administration, added that he would not relent in that regard.

He also ordered the extension of water pipes from Omuo-Ekiti to Isinbode, giving assurance that the Isinbode-Omuo road would be completed before the rains set in.

“We have never taken the welfare of our people for granted and we will not do so now. We have

he leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday held a four-hour meeting with the leadership of the party from Ekiti State and its governorship candidate.

Present at the meeting were the governorship candidate for the June 21 election in Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, the state Chairman of the party,

Mr. Makunjola Ogundipe and one of the aspirants, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye.

The meeting, which was presided over by the PDP Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, New Telegraph gathered, was centred on how to calm frayed nerves arising from last month’s party primary that produced Fayose as the candidate of the party, as well as plans for the flag-off of the campaign for the election.

Ogundipe was absent at the presentation of Certificate of Return to the party’s candidate.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Fayose said the crux of the meeting centred on the selection of the governorship running mate.

He said his running mate will come from Ekiti South senatorial zone.

“Definitely, my running mate will come from the South Senatorial District."

NEWS

Thursday, April 10, 2014

7

Conservative politics not good for Yoruba – Aregbesola Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

O

sun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday said conservative politics has never favoured the Yoruba, saying that it has always brought backwardness to the region rather than the needed development.

Governor Aregbesola made the remark at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, during his investiture as the Life Patron of the Nigeria Union of Tailors (NUT).

The occasion also served as a platform for endorsing his second term bid.

He said: “The tenure of conservative politicians has never favoured the people of Yorubaland since the inception of Nigeria.

“The various conservative political platforms that preceded the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have always been associ-

3.9%

The population percentage of Oceania to the world’s population in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

ated with agony, oppression, corruption and under-development.

“I thank God that our people recognised the bold steps we are taking as a government, it is beyond human wisdom, I always laugh at them, whenever they say their (PDP) seven and a half years in office in Osun state was a mistake; and that they want to correct it now, it was not a mistake, it has always been in their character.

“Should they be in power even for just five months, there will be crisis, corruption and insecurity. That was our experience during their seven and half years in Osun.

“In our three and a half years, there is no community or family that has not benefited from our programmes, that is the difference. Our government is the government of the people."

348m

The number of mobile-cellular subscriptions of Arab States in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

Group wants Imo SURE-P coordinator sanctioned Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan and the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been urged to call to order the Coordinator of SURE-P in Imo State, Chief Longers Anyanwu.

The coordinator has been accused of working against the interest of the President by supporting a governorship aspirant “that has consistently engaged in anti-party activities and brazenly maligned the interest and person of the President.”

In a statement by the President-General of South-East Youth Movement, Evangelist Peter Obi and the Secretary, Comrade John Okehi, in Owerri yesterday, the

group alleged that Anyanwu “has joined forces with anti-PDP elements to the detriment of the party and Mr. President.”

“We condemn in unequivocal terms the unholy role Chief Anyanwu is playing in Imo politics.

He is working with an aspirant who moved against PDP directives in the past and who has joined forces with the opposition not only to disobey a court ruling, but has gone ahead to appeal it,” the group noted.

They maintain that the Imo State SURE-P coordinator should be made to understand “that Mr. President is the leader and father of the PDP and his local representatives should be seen not only as being non-partisan, but in most cases working to advance the agenda of the party and the President.”

Members from Apapa, Ikeja, Somolu, Ifako Ijaiye, Ojota and other parts of Lagos protesting the outcome of last Saturday's Ward Congress elections and the imposition of candidates on them by APC executives in Lagos State held at Acme Road Ogba…yesterday. PHOTO:TONY EGUAYE

AGF withdraws N10.2bn libel suit against Dino Melaye SETTLEMENT

Justice Minister Mohammed Adoke and former member of the Federal House, Dino Melaye in out of court agreement Tunde Oyesina Abuja

A

ttorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, yesterday withdrew the N10.2 billion libel suit he filed against former House of Representatives member, Dino Melaye, before an Abuja High Court.

Counsel to Adoke, Zekeri Garba, did not tell the

court the reason behind the withdrawal.

He only told the presiding judge, Justice Olasimbo Goodluck, that he was only instructed by his client to withdraw the case and applied that it be struck out.

Defence counsel, Moses Ideh, did not object to the plaintiff’s application.

The judge subsequently struck out the case.

New Telegraph recalls that Adoke had in May 2013, sued the Registered Trustees of Anti-Corruption Network (ACN), where Melaye serves as the Executive Secretary, alleging among others, to have been defamed in some claims made about him by the group in its petition to

President Goodluck Jonathan.

The AGF particularly accused Melaye of damaging his reputation in a publication of April 12 where he accused him (Adoke) of corrupt practices, obstruction of justice for corrupt elements and abuse of his office as the minister of justice.

Melaye had, in the petition he authored on behalf of his group, raised seven allegations bordering on abuse of office against Adoke, including the controversial cases on the N150 billion recovered from former Oceanic Bank Managing Director, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, the $180 million Halliburton scandal and the return of the Vaswani

brothers to Nigeria after an alleged N2.5 billion tax evasion.

He also alleged that the AGF raised a memo on the case of the Vaswani brothers, who were deported for the second time in April 2009, for an alleged N2.5 billion tax evasion that they should be allowed to return to Nigeria.

Melaye further accused the minister of dereliction of duty by not re-filing the dismissal by Justice Archibong of the Federal High Court of the N10 billion money laundering charge preferred against a former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc; Erastus Akingbola, on the grounds of shoddy prosecution.

JAMB: Ojerinde indicts Federal Universities Emeldah Ogene Abuja

T

he Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, yesterday said admission spaces in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions are not properly utilised.

He said this yesterday at a press briefing in Abuja. He blamed the poor admission placement on the management of the various institutions for

their inability to utilise the prescribed carrying capacities.

To buttress his assertions, he said out of the 1, 735, 892 candidates who sat for the 2013 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), only 35 per cent of the overall number gained admissions into the nation’s higher institutions.

Ojerinde said most federal universities do not admit up to their carrying capacities. “Gov-

ernment has opened up accesses, but that the management of the institutions do not utilise the spaces available to them.

For instance, some departments may have space for 250 students, but the school may admit only 180 thereby denying admission to 70 candidates.”

“I have spoken to most of these institutions, but if I am pushed to the wall, I will not hesitate to publish their names

in the national dailies,” he threatened.

Speaking further, he said this year’s examination will be in three modes - Computer Based Test (CBT), Dual Based Test (DBT) and Paper Pencil Test (PPT).

While insisting on the 2015 deadline for PPT, he said the board has concluded arrangements to ensure that only CBT examination will be conducted all over the country from 2015.

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NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Ondo

EKITI

Akure

ADO-EKITI

One dies at APC congress One person was shot dead while sporadic gunshots boomed at the All Progressive Congress (APC) congress held in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The middle-age man simply identified as Bosun Adegorola was shot on the head at Ajipowo in Ward II area of the state capital as two factions fought over the control of the structures of the party at grassroots level.

An eye witness said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) representatives had arrived for the congress while the accreditation was on-going before the sporadic gunshots boomed from a faction seeking to control the party.

The Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) Mr Wole Ogodo confirmed the death of Bosun at the APC congress.

DELTA ASABA

Uduaghan sets up task force on herdsmen Confronted by the acts of killing and maiming by armed Fulani herdsmen nationwide, the Delta State Government has constituted a task force to tackle the menace in the state.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan made this

disclosure yesterday in Warri after a special session of the state security council meeting in which royal fathers and other traditional rulers, security chiefs, Fulani/ Hausa representatives resident in the state, religious leaders, women, farmers and others attended.

Fayemi promises more jobs Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has promised to create more jobs for the citizens of the state if he is re-elected in the June 21 gubernatorial poll.

The governor, who made the pledge yesterday, when his campaign train hit Ilejemeje Local Government Area, said creation of more jobs was

paramount in his administration's agenda if he succeeds in securing a second term.

Fayemi addressed rallies to drum support for his re-election in communities like Ipere, Ijaro, Eda-Oniyo, Iludun, Obada, Iye, Ijesamodu and Ewu, where he charged voters to use their votes to ensure continuity of good governance being witnessed in the state.

CROSS RIVER Calabar

Akpabuyo LG proposes N2.8bn for 2014 fiscal year Chairman of Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, Dr. Patrick Ene Okon, has presented the council’s 2014 budget estimate of N2, 883, 476, 452 to the legislature for consideration.

While making the presentation, held at the council’s legislative chamber on

Tuesday at Ikot Nakanda, headquarter of the council, the chairman said the budget aims at rekindling the “Can do spirit of the people of Akpabuyo.”

He said: “The 2014 budget is aimed at rekindling the ‘Can do spirit in our people;’ geared towards restoring hope and the transformation of Akpabuyo through the exploration of new grounds.

NASARAWA

ANAMBRA

LAFIA

AWKA

Fulani/farmers clash will not end--Al-Makura

Anambra seals two banks over land use charge

Nasarawa State Governor,Tanko Al-makura has said that the clash between farmers and herdsmen in the Northern Central states would not end soon. He said this was as long as herdsmen continue to migrate from the Sahara down to the Benue valley in search of pasture.

Al-makura told the Ambassador of the United States of America, James F. Enwhistle, yesterday at the government house that unless stakeholders, traditional rulers and the governments of Benue and Nasarawa states genuinely put heads together to fine tune ways of bringing lasting peace, the clash could continue.

Following an order made by an Awka Magistrate’s Court, the Anambra State government yesterday sealed two commercial banks for failure to pay land use charges in the state.

The sealed banks, both located in Awka, the state capital, were branches of Ecobank Plc and Skye Bank Plc. Briefing journalists shortly after the closure, Head, Human Resources and Administration, Anambra State Property and Land Use Act (APLUC), Chinenye Okafor, said the banks as well as a residential building owed the state government over N600,000.

Abia Umuahia

Kidnapped lawyer regains freedom An Aba based legal, Barr. Kenneth Nwakanma, regained his freedom yesterday evening, a day after being kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the commercial nerve center of Abia State.

Alhough, it was not yet clear whether the legal practitioner’s family paid any ransom for his release, it was gathered that the gun-

men abandoned him at an undisclosed location at the outskirts of the commercial town after police officers from the Aba Area Command launched a manhunt on the abductors.

Sources said that Nwakanma was abducted by the kidnappers in front of his house at Immaculate Avenue by Egbelu Street, Aba on Tuesday night at about 8:15pm while he was returning from a court sitting at Owerri Imo State.

Confab: DSS detains, releases The Sun editor L-R: Former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu; Chukwu Wachukwu; former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara and former Minister of Health, Ikechukwu Madubuike, at the on-going National Conference in Abuja…yesterday

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Corruption: Appeal Court orders Igbinedion to stand fresh trial Emmanuel Onani Abuja

T

he Benin Division of the Court of Appeal yesterday, ordered a former governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, to stand fresh trial on allegations of financial impropriety levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

A statement by the spokesman of the EFCC,

Wilson Uwujaren, said the anti-graft agency, had approached the appellate court to challenge the judgment of a Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, which had dismissed a fresh charge of money laundering preferred against the former governor.

The statement said the court, presided over by Justice Adamu Hobon, had dismissed the fresh charges on the grounds that "Igbinedion entered a plea bargain

with the EFCC and was convicted; that the fresh charge brought against him amounts to double jeopardy."

While upturning the trial court's verdict, in a unanimous decision, "the panel of three justices led by Justice Helen M. Ogunwunmiju ruled that the former governor should return the Federal High Court to face trial for money laundering, misappropriation of fund and abuse of office."

The statement listed the other justices as: Justice M. M. Saulawa and Justice A. O. Lokulo-Sodipe.

It added that "The appellate court in upholding the appeal of the EFCC ruled that there was no agreement between Igbinedion and the EFCC that he would not face trial on fresh allegations and revelations and therefore ruled that Igbinedion returns to the High Court to face trial for money laundering and misappropriation of funds."

Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

O

peratives of the Department of State Security (DSS) yesterday arrested and briefly detained Mr Iheanacho Nwosu, a deputy editor with The Sun Newspapers, Abuja.

This followed a story published by The Sun on Wednesday over a scuffle between an operative of the Department of State Service (DSS) and a policeman at the venue of the ongoing National Conference the previous day.

Nwosu, who was picked up from the conference

hall was taken away to the DSS base at the Administration Block of the National Judicial Institute. He was however set free about an hour later after security operatives had quizzed him on the authenticity of the story.

A defiant Nwosu reportedly defended the story as an accurate report and produced relevant evidence to buttress it.

Sensing that the newspaper may have caught the incident on camera, Nwosu was let off the hook and asked to be cautious in the reportage of security matters.

NEWS

Thursday, April 10, 2014

9

PDP will soon recapture lost states - Muazu DEVELOPMENT

Performing governors are only in the PDP, Muazu boasts

Kabir Kano

T

he National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Muazu has said that the party will regain all the states it has lost to the APC in 2015.

Muazu was speaking in Dutse yesterday shortly after meeting with PDP governors. He said, " Performing governors are only in the PDP", because it is the ruling party that controls states where you see new airports, states owned universities and many developmental projects. " Governors of PDP are different because they are performing governors, they believe in the well being of their people and their development. By this, we are moving to retake

the states lost to so called APC.” The National Chairman vowed that " Our great party, PDP will recapture the states that left us. We have made a strategy to ensure our victory in 2015".

"You can't compare Dutse today with Damaturu, because there is sign of democratic dividends in Dutse because the state is PDP state".

Muazu pointed out that " I am appealing to people to see reasons why our party be re-elected in 2015. It is

a fact that PDP is working.

"I implore Nigerians to continue to pray so as to continue enjoying peaceful co-existence and also to pray to God to bring end to insurgency in some parts of the country".

The PDP National Chairman appealed to people to cooperate with their state governors to continue performing better.

Speaking also, the Chairman of the PDP Governors' Forum, Godswill Akpabio noted that his

party and government are disturbed over the killings of innocent people, and

they are doing everything humanly possible to nip it in the bud.

Factional crisis hits Ondo APC Babatope Okeowo Akure

T

he factional crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in some parts of the country reared its head in Ondo State yesterday as a faction of the party boycotted the congress of the party.

The ward congress of the party which held in different parts of the country on Saturday was postponed to yesterday because of the Ilaje/Eseodo Federal Constituency which took place on the same day.

But some members of the party in the state yesterday dissociated themselves from the ongoing ward congress of the party in the state.

The major grouse of the members, including Mr. Demola Ariyo, a board of trustees member of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Chief Yemisi Aladesaye; ANPP state chairman, Mr Olalekan Obolo, state chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive change (CPC) and Soji Ehinlanwo, the governorship candidate of the party is the alleged marginalization of members of legacy political parties that formed the APC. The aggrieved members further alleged that the ward congress of the party was deliberately planned to install some people as executives of the party without recourse to majority members of the party.

Confab: AGF advises SGF to recognise Okwu as APGA chair L-R: Former British Ambassador to Uganda/Chairman, Orient Bank, Michael Cook; Governor, Bank of Uganda, Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile; Group Managing Director, Philip Ikeazor; Nigeria's High Commissioner to Uganda, Ambassador Cornelius Omolade Oluwateru, at Orient Bank’s Customers' Forum in Uganda.

83.2%

The female percentage of internet users in United Arab Emirates in 2012.

Source: Itu.int

DENIAL

Interior Minister, in a statement explains that contract was awarded in 2007 Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

T

he Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, yesterday distanced himself and the ministry from the award of e-passport booklet contract and the monies that accrue from issuing of Passports.

Reacting to media reports alleging his involvement in the award of the contract and refusing to pay contractors for previous supplies, the minister said the allegations were

N10.7bn

The internally generated revenue of Edo State in 2010.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

2m

The number of fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions of Africa in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

We are not involved in e-passport booklet contract - Moro mischievous.

In a statement from his Special Assistant on Immigration, Chief Superintendent of Immigration, Mr. Ime Nta, the minister explained that contract for supply of e-passport booklets was awarded in 2007 and that all monies made from issuing of passports go to J.P. Morgan’s account, which is designated by the Federal Government.

Nta in his statement said, "Our attention has been drawn to a publication in a national newspaper with the caption: ‘Immigration hit by passport

shortage.’

"In the said publication, it was alluded that the Minister, ‘Abba Moro and his ministry have not paid some of the fees requested by the Malaysian authorities to facilitate the product’s release.”

"For the records, the agreement to produce the Nigerian e-passport is with a Nigerian company, Iris Technologies Limited and not a Malaysian authority. The agreement was entered into in 2007, way before Comrade Abba Moro became Minister of Interior.

"The minister is not

aware that materials for producing the passport were being imported from Germany and therefore, the question of pressure being mounted on the minister to reverse the contract does not arise at all.

"Monies realized from sale of passport booklets are paid into the account of J.P.Morgan, the designated bank collector for the Federal Government to which the Ministry of Interior is not a signatory, neither does the ministry have access to the funds so collected and paid.

Leo Sobechi

T

he confusion as to who, between Chief Victor Umeh and Chief Maxi Okwu, should nominate delegates to the National Conference for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has been settled by the advice of the Attorney General of the Federation, (AGF) Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke The office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) had met a brick wall over which of the two was the authentic national chairman of APGA. Though the Maxi Okwu leadership had cited a validly held national convention as basis for its authenticity, Umeh’s petition to the office of the SGF made it to seek legal interpretation and directives.

Consequently, in a letter dated April 2, 2014 with reference number HAGF/SGF/2014/Vol 1) captioned, “Re: Nomination of All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA)

delegates for the National Conference”, the Attorney General of the Federation, (AGF) advised the SGF to deal with Okwu leadership as the duly elected leaders of APGA. The letter read in part: “Please refer to your letter with reference number SGF/30/S.3/iii/952 dated March 27, 2014 requesting for my opinion in respect of the above subject matter. I have examined the decision of the High Court of Anambra State in Suit No. A/126/2013, Onwudinjo V. Maxi Okwu and Ors and that of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. A/126/2013-Onwudinjo V. Maxi Okwu and Ors which validated the National Convention of APGA held on April 8, 2013.

change of name

FLORENCE MEDICAL DPS MEDICAL CONSULTANTS, 38, Shonola Street, Aguda, Ogba, Lagos now wish to be known and addressed as FLORENCE MEDICAL CONSULTANTS of same address. NDLEA, NAFDAC, Hospitals, Food Industries please note. Management: Evangelist D.O. Peters

10 NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE Louis Achi and Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

M

ore delegates at the national conference yesterday threw their weight behind the bid to restructure Nigeria, devolve power to the component units and enthrone fiscal federalism in the country. They, however, differed in their approaches to achieving the change. A good number of them were unanimous in demanding a return to regionalism based on the exiting six zones, parliamentary system of government and fiscal federalism.

Among those advocating restructuring were the former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun

Osoba, Oyebode, Ozekhome, Okon others endorse power devolution lTunji Braithwaite advocates confederation Osoba; former Peoples Democratic Party, National Publicity Secretary, Senator Anietie Okon; erudite scholar Prof. Akin Oyebode; human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome and prodemocracy activist, Dr Isaac Osuoka.

But one of the advocates of change, Dr Tunji Braithwaite said the restructuring of the polity must go beyond cosmetics and sloganeering. Braithwaite said Nigeria has to go the whole hog to enthrone

a confederal system - a loose federation where the zones have reasonable autonomy that will give them the latitude to take their destiny in their hands and develop at their own pace.

According to Braithwate, Nigeria has not been running a federal system of government since the military struck in January 1966 and established a unitary system of government that took away power from the people.

“What this country is running now is not even

federalism. It is some kind of backward, ill defined federal system of government. To say that we should have a true federal system now, I don’t know whether the circumstances and the make-up of Nigeria is suitable for federalism.

I don’t think so.

“I will go even further than just restructuring. I will go for the reconfiguration of this country. They are lying to themselves when they say that we can be one indivisible nation.

L-R: Delegate members; Mrs. Josephine Anineh; Erelu Olusola Obada and Prof. Jubril Aminu, at the National Conference in Abuja...yesterday.

Six mistakes that derailed Nigeria, by Atedo Peterside Louis Achi and Onwuka Nzeshi Abuja

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delegate to the national conference, Atedo Peterside yesterday listed six mistakes he believes led to the stunting of Nigeria’s development.

According to Peterside, who is the chairman of Stanbic IBTC Bank, some of the mistakes by the nation’s leadership include: inability of political leaders to rein in their followers, permission of the 1966 coup, duplicity by prominent Nigerians after the coup, bringing religion into

politics, lack of application of well-established corporate governance rules to solve those problems, and enthronement of injustice and negative incentive.

His words: “Some mentioned that the first mistake was in 1955 but what was the mistake in 1965? It was because the political leadership did not know how to rein in their followers.

“Then second mistake; we organised ourselves in a way that some young military officers could launch an audacious attempt to take over Nigeria and its army.

“Then mistake number

three; after those young military leaders destroyed the structures as we knew it, the elders and everybody else started to compete to take advantage of their naivety.

Digging further into his x-ray of how the nation derailed, Peterside held that “Mistake number four; we brought religion into politics.

Mistake number five; we refused to apply well established corporate governance rules to solve those problems. The next mistake we made was that we destroyed the civil service. We then started to enthrone injustice. The next mistake

was that we enthroned negative incentive.”

Tying together his thesis he observed that “I have listened to all the delegates very carefully over the last few days and I noticed there some convergence in thoughts because it looks like the earlier speakers have influenced the later speakers.

“This is a good sign.

The president said in his speech that we cannot continue to proffer yesterday’s solution for today’s problems. Why do we continue to do this?

Perhaps, it is because we have not fully understood some of the mistakes of yesterday.”

While one is not advocating secession, the people out there, the majority of the people in different zones would like to run their affairs in their own way, by their culture, by their own practices.

“They do not object to having the same nationality just for the sake of belonging to a country but in terms of doing things together, I know that that the peoples of Nigeria would prefer to do things their own way.

In other words, they would prefer a loose federation or a confederation if you like. All these talks of fiscal federalism are...

“For some of us who are over 80 years, this is a great sacrifice and for us to have made that sacrifice, underscores the level of our commitment for the well-being of your generation. Loose federation will be most suitable in our situation.

“We can increase the number of zones for instance. It is now six. We can increase not in excess but to about ten. You have clusters of ethnic nationalities for zones.

You can then free them to go their ways. Free them and with that we would have development simultaneously going on in every part of the country that would make the young generations attain their potentials, “ he said.

In a separate presentation, Osoba lamented that the present state structure was skewed in favour of a section of the country and advocated a return to regionalism.

He also expressed frustration at the disparity in the number of local councils in Lagos and Kano states, stressing that a return to the regions was necessary so that each region could determine the number of local councils to create based on its own peculiarities and financial muscle.

Senator Anietie Okon who also spoke along similar lines urged delegates not to dash the hopes of Nigerians who were waiting for a change.

Ozekhome who preached against religious bigotry and discrimination in the country said that much as Muslims and Christians must coexist under one country, Nigeria must return to fiscal federalism and devolve powers to the component units if it must make progress in the next century.

CONFAB quotes “Through history, inventors invent political systems that are new, that change everything.

If you remember, when the great inventor in the US invented a device, his Israeli counterparts called him to be president of Israel. That is history.

So inventors have a lot to with politics.”

- Engr. Ezekiel Izuogu “The National Assembly is not competent to give us a new constitution because when the members-of the House of Representatives and Senate-were seeking election, they did not seek for constituent powers to enable them make a constitution. They only were given legislative powers to amend the constitution, make laws and pass the budget.”

- Chief Olu Falae “Someone told me since you came here as a state delegate you must belong to APC. I belong to no party at all. I even asked my governor why did you choose me? My wife said something to me; you are not a team player. I said to her after having four children with you what other proof do you need that am a team player” - Bob Njemanze delegate from Imo State

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

11

Ohanaeze youths deny dictation from opposition Leo Sobech

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hanaeze Nd’Igbo Youth Council, (OYC) has denied any hijack by the opposition, stressing that contrary to speculations by political jobbers, their support for the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Forum of South East Governors remains steadfast The OYC position was contained in a statement yesterday, signed by the leader, Okechukwu Isiguzoro and made available to journalists in Enugu.

While reassuring President Jonathan of the cooperation of Igbo youths, the

OYC leader disclosed that the election that produced the current OYC executive which held last Saturday at the Ohanaeze National Secretariat in Enugu was supervised by an election committee set up by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership.

He therefore stated that it was erroneous for politicians to misinterpret the concerns of youths for the socio-cultural uplift of Ndigbo, adding that Igbo youths are on the same page with all Ndigbo to give President Jonathan a warm reception in Enugu on Friday during the South East zonal rally.

Nigeria’s economy not growing – LCC Siaka Momoh

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n spite of the positive GDP growth recorded by Nigeria in the last few years, the country has not made much progress on the key fundamentals of development. That is the view of the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Remi Bello. He spoke at the first quarterly briefing of the chamber in Lagos yesterday.

He explained, “Economic growth, measured by the performance of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) showed a positive outlook for the first quarter at 7.7

per cent. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), GDP growth was 7.72 per cent in the last quarter of 2013 compared with 6.81 per cent recorded in the third quarter of the same year. This implies that the high growth performance of last year has been sustained.

“But let me repeat our position on these growth numbers. We welcome the remarkable trend in the figures; but we are concerned about the impact of the growth on private sector performance and the welfare of the Nigerian people.

L-R: Group Chief Executive Officer/President, Arik Air, Dr. Michael Arumemi-Ikhide; Managing Director, Mr. Chris Ndulue, and Vice President, Global Sales and Distribution, Mr. Trevor Henry , during the birthday celebration of Ndulue at the company's boardroom in Lagos …yesterday.

PHOTO: ADEYANJU OLOWOJOBA

Lagos shuts 651 substandard hospitals in 8 years sanction

Lagos seals up hospitals with poor facilities

Muritala Ayinla

N

o fewer than 651 substandard medical facilities have been shut by the Lagos State in eight years.

According to the statistics of closed illegal and substandard clinics, chemists and health centres exclusively obtained by New Telegraph, the facili-

Joe Ezuma Port Harcourt

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he Ijaw in Rivers State are aiming to win back the governorship in 2015.

The group, whose dominance of the state’s politics nosedived since the creation of Bayelsa State have moved to regain the lost kingdom. They are demanding a governor of the state from the Riverine area of the state in 2015.

The Niger Delta Region was divided into the Eastern Niger Delta ,comprising Okrika, Bonny, Kalabari, Opobo and their satellite neighbours and trading partner communities or clients while the western Niger Delta is the Area now occupied

by Delta, Part of Bayelsa state just as the central Niger Delta also comprise areas such as Aboh , Isoko and parts of the present Delta.

sealed in 2010 while the agency shut 42 in 2011. But there was increase in the number of substandard facilities in the state in 2012 as HEFAMAA shut 61 medical homes, while only 33 of such facilities were sealed from 2013 till date.

Speaking yesterday at the 4th HEFAMAA stakeholders meeting held at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, the Chairman of HEFAAMA, Dr Tayo Bello, who was represented by Professor Kola Oyedeji, said the frequent closure of substandard medical homes was not

aimed at discouraging the medical practitioners, but was to ensure that they observe best safe practices. He added that the state government must ensure safety of lives of the residents by regulating the practices of the operators of the medical homes.

Bello said it was dangerous to leave owners of health facilities to do whatever they liked. He also noted that the agency had also arrested scores of unbaked and half-baked doctors parading themselves as medical experts.

LP, the real progressive party - Mimiko Sola Adeyemo

2015: Ijaw moves to regain Rivers governorship

ties were shut for reasons ranging from unethical practices and unsafe medical practices.

The state regulatory agency, Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), shut a total of 113 hospitals for contravening the standard safety and healthy ethics while 115 hospitals were shut in 2007.

In 2008, no fewer than 74 hospitals were closed down while in 2009, 135 were closed for unsafe practices.

According to the record, 78 medical facilities were

Ibadan

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overnor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, on Wednesday in Ibadan declared that Labour Party is the real progressive party in the country. He said that was going by its genuine masses welfare programmes compared to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The governor said this when he inaugurated the party office at Oke Ado, and presented the executives of the party in the state.

Welcomed by a tu-

multuous crowd of party defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party, APC, Accord, and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Mimiko, who urged the people to ensure LP wins Oyo by 2015, nevertheless cautioned that they should not begrudge the Federal Government or fight President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mimiko, whose train arrived Ibadan around 1 p.m and moved to the palace of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade at Monatan, to pay homage to the monarch and

felicitate with him on his centenary anniversary celebration. He stressed that his coming to Ibadan was not for campaign purposes, but mere inauguration of the party secretariat.

He said that campaign ahead of the next election would commence once the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifts the ban.

Mimiko, who rode in an open-roof car, dancing and waiving to the cheering crowd in a very long convoy of vehicles, was accompanied by the National Chairman

of the party, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu; Deputy National Chairman, Hon. Diran Akinlaja; National Secretary Dr Abdulsalam; Hon Depo Ologunagba, and Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, Osun state aspirant.

The team was received by Comrades Basiru Apapa and Gbenga Olayemi (co-Chairmen), Hon. Yemi Aderibigbe, Hon. Kazeem Adedeji (Publicity Secretary), Chief Sarafadeen Alli, Hon Akinyo, Hon Peter Odetomi, Hon. Rasaq Folorunso- all former supporters of Ajimobi, among others.

metr

NEW TELEGRAPH

Lagos shu ABIODUN BELLO

Muritala Ayinla

FEATURES Editor

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abiodun. bello@newtelegraphonline.com

THURSday, APRIL 10, 2014

0802 393 8212

Wreckage of the Honda SUV

Mob attacks FRSC officials over fatal accident Tony Anichebe Uyo

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n angry mob descended on officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, following alleged negligence which resulted in a fatal accident on Tuesday night.

The driver of a Honda Pilot SUV, which rammed into a broken down MAC truck died as a result of the accident.

A witness, who gave his name as Uforo Etim Udoka, said medical personnel at the University of Teaching Hospital (UUTH) battled to save his life, after being taken to the hospital in an unconscious state.

He said: “When the truck broke down at the foot of the bridge, we sensed it could lead to a very serious accident. An upcoming vehicle would not know what lies in front of him because the truck broke down on the fast lane.

“As a result of that, some people made distressed calls to the FRSC to send its men to control traffic or put some indications, warning other

road users of the danger ahead.”

Another witness, Jonathan Emmanuel, said he had sent similar calls to the FRSC Public Relations Officer, Godspower Uwen, urging him to send his men to

that spot on Abak Road, to avert the accident.

He said: “This truck broke down here about 5pm when I drove pass and I called the FRSC PRO, Godspower Uwen, he did not pick the calls, but instead asked me to

PATRIOTISM A team of policemen rejects a tempting bribe from suspects who want to evade arrest

Juliana Francis

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medical doctor simply identified as Onuora, Economics graduate and four others have been arrested for kidnapping in Imo State.

The suspects were apprehended by the Inspector General of Police Task Force on Terrorism at their hideouts.

The suspects were said to have killed, maimed and robbed several people in the three geo-political zones of the country.

It was gathered that after receiving information from an anonymous source about the suspects criminal activities, the task force

Thursday, A

www.newtelegraphonline.com/metro

send text, which I did, asking him to please send his men to that spot.

“He did not send his people in time, but delayed till the accident happened about 9pm, meaning the accident could have been avoided if he

had responded immediately to that distressed calls.”

Confirming the incident, the FRSC Head of Operations (HoP), Mr Emmanuel Onuoha, blamed the accident on lack of logistics, such as patrol vehicles and heavy duty tow-truck.

He said several requests for assistance to the state government for facilities including tow-truck and operational vehicles were not met.

Besides, Onuoha said the arrangement the commission had with some construction firms in the state, including Julius Berger, could no longer hold because of litigations by owners of abandoned trucks.

Onuoha admitted that the mob attacked his men when they arrived the scene late, saying his command was handicapped in the areas of facilities and logistics.

Another FRSC chief, S. I. B. Alonge, said the mob action would have resulted in the death of some of the commission’s officials if not for the timely intervention of the police.

He added that the irate mob chased them to the FRSC office on Ben Udo Street, Uyo.

fficials of the Of Youth and Social D ment and the Lago Task Force on Enviro and Special Offences E ment unit have rescu children from an ille phanage home.

The home, Stream of and Love for Humanity located at Ilapo Villag bado area of Lagos, w shut for not seeking a from the state governm fore setting up the hom The children rescue within the age range o eight years while the ca was later arrested.

The owner, Mrs Gl enezer, was not aroun the officials stormed phanage.

Seven children found premises were initiall way on the grounds th were not safe in the cus the caregiver.

Two of the childre later released to the ow It was gathered th owner’s efforts to regi phanage about two ye were frustrated, after she began to operate th It was also learnt tha proached the state gove for registration on De 23, 2013 but was turne since it did not meet quirement for registrat But the centre ha operating three years it sought registration

Robbery: Police shun N5m bribe, hold doctor, others Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Baba Umar Garba, drafted a team of operatives led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Ogwenu Edwin, to Oru Local Government area of Imo State where the doctor, the graduate, a notorious receiver of stolen goods and three others were arrested.

Members of the gang have been terrorising residents of Abia, Anambra, Imo, Lagos and Ogun states in recent time.

The six suspects allegedly confessed to have killed a police inspector, a community leader, Chief Henry Okafor, a businesswoman, Mrs Lillian Duru, whose Toyota Camry car was also stolen.

The police recovered an AK47

rifle, a pump action gun, two jeeps, a Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and five live cartridges from the suspects.

A source said that when the police arrested the man who used to buy the snatched cars from the suspects, he promised to give them N5 million, to set him free.

But they turned down the bribe.

A police officer, who does not want his name in print, said that with the arrest of the suspects, arm banditry in Abia, Imo, Lagos and Ogun states had been reduced.

In another development, the police in Cross River State foiled an attempt by two persons to kidnap a medical doctor.

The state Police Public Relations

Officer (PPRO), an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Hogan Bassey, who confirmed the incident, said that about 16 suspects were arrested for robbery, kidnapping and murder.

According to Bassey, the Commissioner of Police, Kola Shodipo, received a distress call that the doctor had been kidnapped.

The PPRO said the commissioner raised a rescue team which raced to the scene where the victim and combed the area.

He said: “On sighting the police, the two suspects fled and abandoned the doctor and his car. If not for the quick intervention of the police, nobody knows what could have happened to the doctor.”

‘Resource control is about restructuring’ / PAGE 14 | ‘threat of secession personal’ / PAGE 15

POLITICS

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/politics

ayodele Ojo

Deputy Editor, politics

Good governance not about ethnicity –Okowa

ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

ayodeleojo@yahoo.com

THURSday, April 10, 2014

p-16

Immigration recruitment tragedy

I’ve no fears about my job –Moro

Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Patrick Moro, says the call for his resignation because of the tragic incident that happened during the recruitment exercise of the Nigeria Immigration Service is not necessary since his intention for the exercise was a noble one. In this interview with journalists, he opens up on the roles he played, based on the efforts to correct past mistakes and why he must continue in office to unravel the truth. Johnchuks Onuanyim brings the excerpts.

What message do you have for Nigerians, most especially the affected families in the recent tragic immigration recruitment?

I think that I will ordinarily ask Nigerians for understanding in this matter. Understanding the intention, understanding the motive behind the whole thing for an open, transparent recruitment exercise that is the first of its kind into the services of the Interior Ministry, which was intended primarily to give employment to Nigerians irrespective of their background, connections, contacts in government or the business circle. An exercise that was coming from the background of the services in the ministry of Interior being accused of job racketeering, bribery for job. There were instances where many people have been duped of money worth N500.000 for a slot of job and so the exercise of March 15th, 2014 was intended to correct all the ills of the past and give everybody an opportunity, but unfortunately, like I did say the outcome of the endeavours of this nature have never met the usual expectation and so we had this tragic incident in our hands in which young Nigerians loss their lives.

For me, it is a personal loss because the exercise in the first place took place within the ministry of interior, organised by the ministry and its services and so whatever consequences -positive or negative that have come and in this instance, the negative that came out of it; I, as the Minister of that ministry

under whose purview this exercise took place where people lost their lives, certainly take full responsibility. And I want to say repeatedly that the death of these young Nigerians who would have added value to the human resource asset of this nation is highly regrettable, and for the families, I insist that my heart goes out for them because I am a father and l know how it feels to lose a child. If I have the capacity to turn the clock back, I will certainly do it and those children will be alive today. So, I crave the highest level of understanding of Nigerians to know that my intention was very noble but unfortunately it turned tragic and I still want to say that the death of those young Nigerians is highly regrettable and if we have foreseen what was going to happen, certainly we would have stopped the exercise.

Nigerians will also like to know the cause of various public denials by some stakeholders involved in this exercise?

Let me say that denying an event in which you participated

Moro

in does not eliminate the truth.

I have said and for the records, I want to say it again, this exercise that we embarked on March 15, was an end result of a botched exercise in December

2012, and from December 2012 to March 15, series of meeting were held. The Board met severally. First, to consider and approve the approval of the ministry’s tender’s board that

CROSSFIRE They don’t understand what happened during Fayose’s tenure. This guy was impeached.

I don’t know where this whole game of pushing the PDP for alienation is coming from. I believe the President will take the appropriate decision -Gbenga Aluko

If I was impeached then, I am cleared now. This means that whatever they did that time is a nullity. I contested for the Senate last time and I was cleared. This one also, I have been cleared.

Impeachment is not part of the qualification to be a governor -Ayo Fayose

assesed the proposal for the engagement of a consultant for erecruitment. Subsequently, the board met and approved the template for the recruitment of officers into the Immigration Service and these meetings after the signing of an agreement with consultant which is on record, the board directed that the secretariat of the board should liaise with the legal officer to the ministry and the consultant to implement that agreement of erecruitment. It is on record that from the January 30 to February 7, that series of meetings were held by the steering committee that was made up of officials of the ministry, Board members and the officials of Nigerian Immigration Service where decisions about the procedures and mechanism for conducting the exercise of March 15 were taken and if these meetings were held and board members, Immigration officials, ministry officials were in attendance and somebody is saying they were not aware of the procedures leading to this exercise, I think you can be the better judge here.

But what I can say here is that there were minutes of all the meetings that were held and the recommendations to why they want to use the stadia across the country which is simply because of the large number of people that were going to attend and the short-listing that was done; the list that was brought and the ratio of people according to their choice of where they wanted to write the examinations. All these were issues that were canvassed in the steering committee meeting, where Immigration Comptroller General, Secretary of the Board and some Board members were in attendance. Staff of the Minister of Interior were not members but all the recommendations of the steering committee were communicated to me and I approved them because I saw them as okay and I can tell you that officials of Immigration Service had also consistently had interfaces with the press to also say that this exercise was CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

14

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW

Thursday, April 10, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE The national conference has commenced with the various geo-political zones insisting on their respective agenda. Do you see the confab coming up with something credible at the end of its sitting?

I think the credibility or otherwise of the conference lies in the hands of Nigerians. If we look at the pains that we have gone through, believing that we were forcefully conscripted as a nation without consulting the various ethnic nationalities, and owing to the fact that security, economic and political challenges have bedevilled the country for some time and everybody keep blaming the manner at which we were brought together; I think the conference is an opportunity to rewrite our history. I want Nigerians to take advantage of the opportunity created by the President to see how they can agree on the terms that will ensure that they continue to live together.

So, the conference will succeed if Nigerians believe that it will right the ills that have bedevilled this country for long.

Top on the agenda of the Niger Delta at the conference is resource control; do you see the other zones yielding to such demand?

Yes, that has been our position. For over 50 years, we have agitated for self-determination and resource control, but we have watered it down to fiscal federalism because self-determination is too harsh.

The belief we have in Nigeria has forced us to consolidate our position to say that we have to go back to regionalism for this country to move forward. We must strengthen Nigeria to ensure healthy competition among the various zones. Regionalism will bring out the best in our leaders; if we have been doing something for over 50 years and not getting the desired result, I think that common sense should tell us that we need a change. So, true federalism i s

Resource control is about Nigeria’s restructuring –Eradiri President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Mr. Udengs Eradiri, in this interview with FELIX NWANERI, speaks on the agenda of the South-South at the ongoing National Conference, insisting that the agitation by the region for resource control is not about oil, but engendering a healthy competition among the various zones that make up the country. Excerpts: what we stand on and I am sure that no delegate from the Niger Delta will canvass a contrary position at the conference, and that is why some of us prefer to be outside the conference so that we can be taking the issues week by week and mobilising civil societies to put pressure on the delegates to chart a new course for Nigeria.

Some people are of the view that the same old brigade politicians who are responsible for the nation’s problems are in the majority at the conference. Do you see these same past leaders righting the wrongs of the past?

A careful analysis of the composition of the confab’s delegates will show you that a majority of them are octogenarians, who were part of our problems in the first place. However, all we need to do this time is to continue to prick the conscience of the delegates; urging them to sit up and correct the ills that have bedevilled the country. Over the years, the youths of this nation have been relegated to the background, but as young people, we have to keep mobilising ourselves, monitoring events as they unfold and putting pressure on these people who put us where we are, so that we can right the wrongs of the past. We should monitor this conference day by day and week by week.

Against the backdrop of the claim by a member of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi that the oil in the Niger Delta belongs to the North, as the region has more than 70 per cent of the nation’s landmass, how do you

Eradiri

see other zones yielding to the demand by your people for resource control?

I don’t want to join issues with people who specialise in causing stirs in the media to get cheap popularity.

If it is true that the oil in the Niger Delta has its source in the North; the oil in Sudan should have its source, may be in South Africa. When you react to issues raised by some of these people, you make them feel relevant.

We have been insulted enough, so there is no need continuing to accord them relevance. But one thing is clear; the issue of resource control is not about oil alone; it is about using what you have to create wealth. Ninety per cent of what we eat in this country is from the North, so if we take the statistics of what the rest of Nigeria spend on food items coming from that region, we will find out that the North may even be richer than we think.

There are lots of minerals in the North waiting to be exploited. The same is applicable to the South-East and South-West. So, if I were the president, I will shut down oil exploration for 50, years so that people can think and come up with better alternatives to wealth creation. The oil that we talk about is also a problem to us in the Niger Delta. So, when we talk about resource control, it is not about oil alone; if we have rivers flowing in the Middle Belt, the question should be: how do we exploit these rivers to create wealth; the forest that we have in the South-West, how do we use it to create wealth? The human capital that we have in the South-West, how do we use it to create wealth? That is the resource control that I am talking about.

I don’t even want to talk about oil because it has brought curse to our people, laziness and the quest for quick wealth. So, I don’t believe that the resource control that we are pushing is for the benefit of our region alone because if you look at the ladder, you will see that we are below other zones. Look

The issue of resource control is not about oil alone; it is about using what you have to create wealth

at where Lagos is today. I believe that the state is not making the desired progress because it is being held back by the Federal Government as a result of our pseudo-federalism. Lagos should have been miles apart from other states if we had allowed true federalism. So, it is not about oil politics but restructuring Nigeria, so that the various states or regions will realise their potential.

The build-up to the 2015 elections have commenced with some Northern political leaders insisting that President Goodluck Jonathan should jettison his second term ambition. Some have even gone to court to stop him on the ground that he is on his second term. What is your take on that?

They are wasting their time because the constitution of Nigeria guarantees the president the right to contest for a second term and there are no questions about President Jonathan winning the election.

Even with the pressure being mounted by the opposition?

Where is the opposition? There is no opposition for now. What the other political parties are doing is to negotiate, so that it can retain their states, but if it is not careful, it will lose Lagos, which is its stronghold because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is also gearing up for a fight. Are you taking an opposition that is comprised of disgruntled PDP members, serious? If you are talking about the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), I will say that there was some measure of credibility, but not this present All Progressives Congress (APC), which has adulterated itself with strange bed fellows; people who cannot even convince their fellow party members to support them in the PDP. Is the IYC not worried about the president’s safety given the opposition against his ambition?

That is why I am advocating for devolution of power, so that the centre would be weakened and save us the problem of do-or-die politics. The president’s safety is our concern although there are certain things we cannot comment on. But whether opposition or not, I want our leaders to come together and ensure that whatever recommendations that the national conference will come up with would be implemented to the letter, so that Nigeria will move forward.

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW 15

Thursday, April 10, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE President Goodluck Jonathan’s inaugural speech didn’t raise the issue of insecurity which is the greatest national challenge at this time. As a delegate from the North where security has become the topmost priority of the people, what do you make of this oversight?

Well, in the first place I would like to say that many of us at the conference have commended Mr. President’s speech, the way it tried to unify the country, the way it called for general consensus on all issues at the conference. And we felt it shows a president who is all out to ensure that this country remains united. All the same, many people have also observed a number of issues that didn’t feature in the speech, particularly the issue of security which you mentioned. This was raised by a number of delegates and we felt that he should have raised it even in a sentence because of its importance to the peaceful coexistence of this country.

The issue is not just a northern problem but there is insecurity everywhere in this country. You have kidnapping in the South-East and South-South and security challenges in almost all zones. Insecurity should have been mentioned in the president’s speech. We would like to believe that it was just an oversight because we must address the issue of security in this country. Youths between the ages of 10 and 18 years are the most vulnerable.

Most of them are not employed; some of them are not even employable. So, there is need for government to come up with policies and programmes that will create jobs, particularly investments should be made in the agricultural sector, where most of these youths will be gainfully employed.

Another oversight in the President’s speech is the issue of corruption. He did not mention it.

Yes, this has been featuring in most of delegates’ comments in the debate. Many people have observed that this issue is also important and that it shouldn’t have been forgotten in the address. Either by omission or commission, the president did not mentioned it. Whether it was mentioned or not, we are going to discuss it and we are going to ensure that mechanisms are put in place to minimise the issue of corruption in this country. There is corruption everywhere in the world but we feel it is more prominent in this country and this is one of the reasons we have most of our problems. The wealth of this country is being cornered by a few hands and many want their own share and so they resort to violence. We need to make sure that the resources of this country are properly channelled in such a way that they will get to every person that they are supposed to reach.

Although the matter has been settled, why did you think that the issue of a voting mode was opened for debate when the president had already pegged 75 per cent as the benchmark for arriving at decisions where consensus fails?

Lamido’s threat of secession personal –Dingyadi Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, former Secretary to Sokoto State Government (SSG) and delegate to the National Conference, in this interview with IBRAHEEM MUSA speaks on the issues that President Goodluck Jonathan omitted in his inaugural address and the recent outburst by the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammad Barkindo Mustapha’s at the confab.

Dingyadi

You see, the whole thing originated from the way the conference was set up.

We did not know and Mr. President did not tell us why he decided to go against the history of formation of conferences in this country. All the while, the issues of population, landmass and just representation have always featured, so that every part of this country will feel fairly represented. Because some people felt that they are the new majority in the conference, they felt that they can handle issues the way they want. We felt that cognisance should be given to the way and manner that this conference was brought about. Some people have sacrificed their positions and decided to participate in the confab in spite of the fact that they felt marginalised. We thought that things should be done in such a way that all these things are reflected and decisions would be arrived at with the consensus of all parties. But some people didn’t want that and that was why the first two days, a lot of dust was raised.

Fortunately, and God so kind, the chairman in his wisdom came up with the idea of selecting 50 elders who we call

“wise men” in the conference, who came up with a position that was acceptable to all parties. That was how we arrived at 70 per cent. In situations of this nature, one has to give something in order to take something and I think that was what happened.

In spite of its landmass and population, the North has fewer delegates than the South. Do you think that the North’s position will be adequately reflected given this lopsidedness?

The way we are going now, we are confident that all sections of this country will be taken along. But definitely, like you rightly said, some people felt margin-

This country has gone a long way and every delegate at the conference is matured and knows what is right and wrong

alised because population should have been a factor, an important factor for that matter, in deciding this kind of representation. But in his wisdom, the president decided to do something else that he felt that may be the country will accept. But right from the word go, he has seen that this decision has not been well taken by people. You are aware that the President General of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA), Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar led a powerful delegation to plead with the president to look into the imbalance. Mr. President said that he will look into it but up till this moment, he is still looking at it; I’m not sure whether he is going to do something about it or not.

Whether he does something or not, this country has gone a long way and every delegate at the conference is matured and knows what is right and wrong.

And I think we are doing the right thing by giving everybody fair hearing. More so, we have agreed to arrive at decisions by consensus. It is only when we fail to agree, that we will go into division as a last resort. There will be very few issues that will take us that far.

The Lamido of Adamawa threatened to stage a walk out if northern delegates are pushed to the wall over contentious issues like mode of voting. Are northern delegates contemplating that?

Well, these were issues that were generated out of certain feelings that were also created by some people. Like I told you, on the first and second day of the conference, there was a lot of heat.

People were talking from their cocoons and some much centrifugal tendencies.

Everyone went back to his cocoon and started talking about his own problems, forgetting that we are there as Nigerians to fashion out a way forward for this country. At times, emotions do take people to certain positions and he tried to portray the feelings of certain people at that particular point in time. Like the Lamido rightly observed, if care is not taken and if people do not do things the right way, this country may likely break.

But God so kind, people have seen wisdom and they tried to ensure that we take everybody along. So far so good, we are beginning to understand ourselves. And as time progresses, we will understand ourselves more and we will be talking more as Nigerians than we were doing before.

Was Lamido speaking for the North?

No, I think it is his personal opinion and we never discussed this issue of going to Cameroon in any northern caucus meeting or in any forum. Like I said, it was just an emotional outburst out of certain attacks from some other quarters.

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POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Good governance not about ethnicity –Okowa Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa is the senator representing Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly. He spoke with ETAGHENE EDIRIN on his life and experience so far in politics, why he wants to govern Delta State, and on some recent developments in the nation.

Okowa

You trained as a medical doctor but ended up a politician. What informed your change of choice?

We do realise that politics is not meant for any particular class of people. However, after medical school, I went into government practice for some years before delving into private medical practice.

While there, some group of youths from my locality came in a delegation to me, and put lot of pressure on me that I needed to go into politics, because they perceived at that time that they needed people to bring about change in my locality.

Initially I did not want to yield to their pressure, but the pressure continued, and by the time they came in a second delegation, I knew that they were quite serious, and they convinced me that I needed to give it a thought; after all, it was supposed to be a forum for also providing services for people. And that was how I found myself going into politics. When my dad was in it, I tended to convince him to stay out of it, but I found myself in 1990 on the political trail.

You’ve served at the local government level, state, and now at the federal level, how has the experience been?

It’s been very enriching and exciting, though we have ups and downs in politics and pressure comes from all angles. At the initial stage, I was counselling the youths not to allow themselves to be used as thugs, but to consider themselves as participatory partners in the political development in our locality. And I found that I was able to change their perception. Most of them now

started thinking of contesting elections, and insisted that I should contest for the chairmanship of the council.

I served as the secretary of the council for seven months, before the local government was split into two, and I contested election, and became the first elected chairman of Ika North East.

In November 1993, when the military truncated the democratic process, I went back to private medical practice. Then we went through the processes of trying to start again when you had the UNCP, GDM, NCP and DPN. But that was a short phase before we came into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other parties as at then in 1998.

By the time we won the election in the PDP, I was appointed commissioner, and found myself from 1999 to 2006, first as Commissioner for Agriculture, which was a new aspect to my life. And by God’s grace I had acquired a lot of administrative experience as council secretary and chairman, and I was able to move along, and make some impact. I was there for just two years.

In the second tenure, I was in the Ministry of Health. I was also Secretary to the State Government from 2007 till 2010, and my function was more of assisting the governor to coordinate the activities of the various ministries, departments and agencies. And because I had been exposed as commissioner in various ministries, it was easier for me to handle the job. And by July 2010, I put in my papers of resignation to enable me run for Senate and campaign effectively.

All signs show me that Deltans will love me to contest that election, and I think I’m going to offer myself for the PDP primaries which will likely come up around October But between being a commissioner and the SSG, at some point you expressed interest in contesting the governorship position in the state. What happened?

Yes, when I was Commissioner for Health in 2006, I actually did resign in October to run for the governorship primaries in December of that year. A lot of us were in the primaries, the current governor was also in the same primaries, he came out first, and I was second. But it was something good, because at least it enabled me to express my interest and see how much I was loved in the state. We thank God for that process, we saw it as a family process, and I accepted the results.

We went further, and I eventually became the director general of the PDP campaign organisation for both the governorship and presidential elections in the state.

It was a near solo effort; I did it all alone, and was still relatively young in the system. But with the number of persons that contested, and given the challenges, and manoeuvrings, to have come out second was quite interesting. It was

a good experience. And because I also believed in Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, we’re friends, so it did not take me time to accept to run the campaign office.

So, are you still interested in contesting for the governorship position in 2015?

Naturally, you’ll know that I should still be interested. But first, being in the Senate, I needed to consult widely across the state. As SSG, it was a statewide thing; but as senator, I had restricted myself more to Delta North, although reaching out to my friends. So, I needed to take time out to do my consultations. I’ve been doing that in the past two months, from communications across the state, and I’m still continuing, and all signs show me that Deltans will love me to contest that election, and I think I’m going to offer myself for the PDP primaries which will likely come up around October.

Obviously, I am in that election. By God’s grace, I had very rear experiences across the local government council level, the state government in various ministries, helping to coordinate all the ministries as SSG and today, I’m having the experience of a legislator at the Senate. But beyond that I’ve been a foundation member of the PDP, so I know what the challenges and prospects are. I know our people and the politicians, I know the communities in Delta, I’m not new to the people, and I think that I’m best placed to have that partnership with the communities, party, youths and the old; and in that partnership to effectively coordinate them for the process of development and enhancing peace and a proper environment for the development of our state.

You’re from Delta North, how do you hope to convince Delta Central that want to take advantage of their population to reclaim the governorship seat?

In politics, people always have different opinions, views and you cannot take it away from them. There are also many persons in Delta Central who feel the governor has done well, though from a minority. There are also many persons who feel that another senatorial district, particularly Delta North should have the governorship shot, while some feel they want it because they are more populated.

On all sides, every feeling is right, depending on the perception of the person. So, it is my duty as a politician to convince the people on why the perception that it must be an Urhobo or a Delta northerner, should not be the perception we should be talking about now.

We should have a larger perception and larger picture of the state, because we are one people. Any governor who is going to preside over the affairs of Delta State, must see Delta first, before looking at his ethnic nationality.

If you come with that total ethnic background, you’re likely going to miss the point in governance. I believe that it is possible for me, though a senator from Delta North, to run governance in such a manner that I would bring happiness and hope to all ethnic groups. It should be about looking at the character of the person that is coming in, and his capacity to run governance. What has been his CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW 17

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Calls for my resignation unnecessary –Moro CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

going to take place on the 15th of March.

I had also appeared before the Senate and House of Representative Committees where I had also pronounced to them that the steering committee had proposed and I had approved that 15th of March was going to be the day for the exercise. So, this issue of not knowing when the exercise was going to take place certainly is coming from where I don’t understand.

But the truth of the matter is that it is on record that every facet, every stakeholder in the organisation of this exercise were in the know of the date, time and the venues of this exercise and the secretariat of the Board issued a statement, made publications in the newspapers as to the date and time for exercise. I want to say that as Minister, I am aware that March 15 was the date for the exercise and people were dully notified and so it is not question of 48hrs or 24hrs as it is coming from some quarters.

So, what do you think is responsible for this denial?

I am afraid the person who is denying what he knows is in a better position to say why he is denying what he knows.

But between you and I, I am aware that the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service addressed the press on Thursday March 6 to the effect that this exercise was going to take place on March 15. I am not the Comptroller General, it is on record. Again, I still want to maintain that I don’t want to join issues with anybody because the truth about it is that there are records to show that all of us were pursuing this exercise until the bubble burst, tragedy struck and people died and so on. May be because people died and they were afraid of the anger of Nigerians, they started speaking from both sides of the mouth. But I am the Minister and I insist I cannot equivocate on this matter; I cannot deny that I was involved in and I can say here again that I took due cognizance of the provisions of the legal frame work of this country. We did as much as we could possibly do to follow all due process in the procurement of the mechanism for this exercise and so if for any reason, something went wrong at some centres on the last lap of the exercise, I think we should be able to own up to it that fault occurred on the last lap in certain centres and that led to the death of young Nigerians for which we have taken responsibility and over which we have expressed regret and of course, asked Nigerians particularly the families of those that have lost their loved ones for some understanding because definitely it was not deliberately intended for people to go and die, rather it was intended to provide an opportunity for those unemployed to get employed transparently in an open manner.

Was there any time during the meetings with the Board and the rest, you did not listen to suggestion or advice given?

No. Certainly no. For instance, l am not a member of the steering commit-

Moro

I took the best decision I could take in the circumstances in which we found ourselves... until circumstances at certain centres led to the tragic death of some young Nigerians tee that took over the implementation of the exercise. So the question of disagreements at that level does not arise and the minutes of the meetings of the steering committee and the recommendations that were made to me which I approved was attached to my presentation to the Senate. I am not a member of the steering committee and so I could not have disagreed with the suggestion of the steering committee when I am not a member, when I didn’t attend the meeting and from the records that are available in the ministry and transmitted to me which I approved, there is no indication of giving me an option that I would say I don’t like this or that option. If you look at the presentation that I made to the Senate Committee on Interior, I did not subtract from the recommendation that was made to me and I did not add. I simply approved the request that was made.

Sir, there have been several calls for you to resign your position by some Nigerians; if the demand is intensified, will you take such step?

I have said it before that we were trying to organise an exercise and in the process it went awed and we are trying to find solutions to the problem that led

us to this situation and how we can come out of it. I still believe that I can be part of the solution and so it is not in my character as I said before to run away from the problem that has arisen as a result of action or inaction of ourselves whether in public office or in private life. So, I still believe that my presence will certainly assist to unravel the circumstances that has led to the death of these Nigerians and to proffer solutions to it, so that it will not happen again.

You were recently summoned by the President, is your job at stake?

Laughs. You can as well ask if my life is at stake. In any case I think that I will answer the last question because part of the risk of life is that life is at risk at any moment let alone job, but if you ask me whether I have any fears about my job because of the action that we have taken to enthrone transparency in the process of recruitment into Nigeria Immigration Service under the superintendent of the Minister of Interior, I will say no because as far as I am concern I took the best decision I could take in the circumstances in which we found ourselves and we had started executing those decisions to the best of our ability until circumstances at certain centres led to the tragic death of some young Nigerians. Coming to the question of fund, it is very easy for people to point accusing fingers to people when it comes to issue of money. One, I did not have any personal relationship with the organisation that was picked as consultant to conduct the exercise. Until late 2012, I never knew any of the officers of the company in question, I got to know them because the parent company had a subsisting contact with the Ministry of Interior and when that subsisting

contact was expiring, they applied for a renewal. That was when I knew who the officials of that company were. I never knew them and I want to place it on record that for fear of people dabbling into collection and appropriation of recharge card fee. The Board at its 26th meeting took a decision that neither the ministry nor the Nigerian Immigration Service or the Board should involve in the collection and management of the fund. And I want you to get it very clear here that the Board that I chair in the Ministry of Interior, superintending over the services and their employment took a decision that neither the ministry nor the Board nor the Immigration Services should be involved. So, entirely the collection and use of the fund for the online recruitment was the sole responsibility of the consulting firm. And I want to say this again that even when other organizations that applied like Drusel Tech Nigeria Limited quoted N1, 500 –N2,000 and proposed a sharing formula or percentage to government, Immigration and the ministry, we rejected those proposals because I believe then and till now that recruiting online was not a business venture. It was not intended to make money, neither the government, Immigration service nor the Ministry of Interior. So, we rejected all those ones because we didn’t want this insinuations that we are trading the poverty of the people to make money for government, and that is the truth about it, and so personally I had nothing to do with the collection and the use of the fund arising from the processing fee.

Were you privileged to be one of those that approved the award of this contract? Also we gathered that there was a particular meeting held in February, which the consultant was not to be part of but its staff were there with the Board members as against the rule, did you have any premonition that was going to happen?

The Board never had any meeting with Drusel Tech Nigeria Limited in attendance, never. Perhaps the meeting you are referring to was the meeting of the steering committee. If it were the meeting of the steering committee the committee was responsible for the execution of the e-recruitment platform. It is not the Board and I can say without any fear that the Board that I chair never had in attendance in any meeting at all officials of the company.

What about the award of the contract?

The award of the contract for consultancy was done by the Tenders Board. I am not a member of the Tenders Board. I am the Minister of Interior who is chairman of the Board, superintending over the appointment, promotion and discipline of staff of the ministry and also the parastatals, but if you look through the two meetings of the Tenders Board that approved the award of the contract to Drusel Tech, it is made up purely by the statutory members of Tenders Board approved by law.

The Minister or the chairman of the Board is not a member of that board.

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POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW

Thursday, April 10, 2014

I’m best placed to govern Delta –Okowa CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 6

curb this as quickly as possible.

Mr. President is empowering the security agencies, he’s taking it very seriously. All we need to do is continue to encourage our security agencies to continue to do their work.

antecedent, is this person able to bring all together at the table, is the person able to be fair to all in such a manner that we can trust, and if he would be able to deliver the dividends of democracy.

There have been a number of criticisms that the level of development in Delta State is not commensurate with the huge resources it receives monthly. How do you see this?

That’s the same thing I was saying.

People have their perception on issues. I may not be able to tell the totality of the story, but I know that the governor has a focus, and it’s something he has spoken about severally; let us see how we can lift our Delta State beyond oil.

The building of Asaba airport is helping to develop both commerce and industry, because people can easily get in and out of the state. Begin to develop the second wing, and improve on the facilities for the airport in Warri with the same intent that it will help to ease movement across the plain. The dualisation of the UghelliAsaba road will lead straight to Onitsha.

The intent is to ensure flow of movement from Warri Port to Onitsha, so that it can attract vessels to Warri, rather than Lagos. And the entire hub from Warri to Asaba to Onitsha will become a whole centre of activities. That’s a good intent and it’s working.

There are other forms of development that are coming in; the health sector; I believe he’s doing quite well, and people don’t talk much about that. And in the last three years, the governor has started to do a lot in terms of school development. The transport sector is going into perfection.

Then you know that there is a constant factor, the recurrent expenditure, they must pay salaries. So, when you have shortages, the capital expenditure suffers. So until we have the totality of this information, it becomes more difficult to judge. I’ll have to urge the people to be a little patient.

Everyone seems to agree that corruption is the bane of our development as a nation, do you think the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is doing enough to curb corruption in Nigeria?

What the president should do, he has done. He came in and met the structures that are supposed to ensure that there is integrity in the system by ensuring that we minimise, as much as possible the level of corruption. The ICPC, EFCC and the fraud unit of the Nigeria Police are all there, they have been strengthened, and people have been appointed to do their jobs, and for them to do their jobs, there must be whistle blowers. But Nigerians tend to talk without having a role. What roles are we playing?

So, what we need to do is for Nigerians to play their role of being whistle blowers in this process. And we also hope that persons who have been appointed in these offices do their work, carry out their investigations properly, and not be grandstanding about it. And eventually, those who are found culpable should be taken to court. Obviously, it’s not Mr.

Okowa

President that has to do that work.

So, Nigerians must begin to put pressure on these offices to also perfect their work for those cases that have been reported. But, of course, we need to give them time to carry out their investigations. I don’t think the president has in any manner tended to suppress things from being done.

We also hope that the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation will be strengthened. That is another arm that can curb corruption.

You mentioned the issue of whistle blowers, and many Nigerians feel the immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido was relieved of his post because he blew the whistle on certain shady deals.

Well, people tend to read meaning into anything government does. Sanusi came up with some allegations, which are still being investigated by the National Assembly. There’s nothing wrong in that.

The only thing I find wrong is that when a CBN governor, highly placed, with all the information available to him comes out with information; with all the paraphernalia of office available to him, when he speaks, it should be with near certainty, if not with certainty.

So, by the time you say one thing today, and then probably a week later you now find that probably the values are far different; from $49 billion to $10 billion, and later to $20 billion. There were doubts.

But those investigations are on, and I don’t think I need to comment on that.

But Mr. President made it clear; he was suspended following the report of the Financial Reporting Council which indicted him on certain issues. But because of the sentiments all around, you find that people tend to ignore the report of the FRC. Those allegations are weighty enough for him to be suspended

from office to enable an investigation to be carried out.

So, his exposing corruption, we’re in agreement with it. But if you are also found to be corrupt, the fact that you exposed corruption does not mean you should not be investigated. So, it will be wrong to assume that. If I were him, I will submit myself to the council. He should not work on the court case to stop the process, it’s not right. The right thing must be done. The president is not stopping the investigations on the issues he raised, but the issues raised against him by a competent team also need to be looked at.

The issue of Boko Haram and killings in some parts of the country seems to have become a regular occurrence in our national life.

What do you make of this?

It’s something strange within us, a guerrilla kind of warfare, something that has not been part of our national life. I believe that the security agencies are doing the best they can within the circumstances. And from the reports we get now from the security agencies, the countries around us are now cooperating a little bit and that is more likely to enable them to do a better job, and ensure we’re able to

On fiscal federalism, the views of all of us from the South-South and some other states is that, it’s only right that when the natural resources of a nation come from a particular place, the people should have some level of rights to such natural resource

As a member of the legislative arm of government, what do you make of the ongoing national conference?

There is nothing wrong with Nigerians aggregating together, it was made clear by the Senate President, we are not opposed to it. Nigerians want to talk; there is the need to give them room, for the various nationalities, and groups in Nigeria to talk. President Goodluck Jonathan found it necessary that we needed to inaugurate a national conference for us to be able to talk as ethnic nationalities and various structured groups that are in this country, I think it’s a welcome idea.

In the next few weeks, we’re looking forth to the outcome of the national conference. We hope that issues will be raised and agreed on that would help to unite us better, that will make Nigerians think deep into the future, and we hope that ideas will be brought that will help to speed up development in this nation. And I believe that the government will collate the views and see how it can use that to improve the level of governance and unity.

What are you views on state police and fiscal federalism?

On state police, I’m actually one of the advocates. I believe that there is a need for us to have state policing, but they will have the extent of their powers. That does not stop the Federal Government from having its police that will also have its power structure. In that case, you’ll find that their services are complementary, because sometimes there’s a lot of burden at the Federal Government level.

We’re not able to get the required number of policemen to police the whole country.

On fiscal federalism, the views of all of us from the South-South and some other states is that it’s only right that when the natural resources of a nation come from a particular place, the people should have some level of rights to such natural resource. We are not saying it’s for them alone, so we need to work it out in various ways, and look at different models.

There are many resources in this nation lying in the soil of various states, but because there is no direct incentives, people are just sitting back and staying lazy. Is it not possible for the states to take charge of certain resources? If the states were to have a higher derivation, will it not engender greater development and greater prospecting of the various resources within our soils and waters?

These are issues that we have to look at.

It will definitely create greater competition among the states. No state will just rely on waiting for Abuja at the end of the month to get fund. It’s good for our nation and economy. So, I think these are issues we have to visit, but these are things that require a lot of talking process and sitting down at the table to arrive at a consensus.

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EDITORIAL

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

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Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha

THURSday, APRIL 10, 2014

Local content non-compliance is worrisome

T

he Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Ernest Nwapa, recently revealed that Nigeria lost N61 trillion about $380b in capital flight as a result of the failure of oil companies to develop local capacity. The NCDMB was established by President Jonathan following the signing into law of the National Content Act on April 22, 2010. The idea is to increase indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry, build local capacity and competencies, create linkages to other sectors of the economy and boost industry contributions to the growth of the Gross Domestic Product.

It is important to note that the Nigerian oil industry was originally the exclusive domain of the international oil companies ranging from exploration to production, refining and trading. Even the downstream operations were initially controlled by expatriate companies. The trend began to change in 1991, with the Federal Government awarding onshore and offshore oil blocs to Nigerian entrepreneurs through competitive bidding. However, in a research carried out in 2008, it was discovered that although oil and gas account for about 92 per cent of the total revenue, they contribute less than 38 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

In real terms the upstream industry has for decades functioned as an

enclave economy with minimal impact on the wider economy. Furthermore, it is significant to observe that the country’s oil and gas industry has exported approximately two million jobs to other countries outside Nigeria since 1956 when oil was first discovered here. In addition, $214 billion worth of procurement and $9 billion worth of research and development were done in North America, while $78 billion worth of technical services and $39 billion worth of engineering work were done in Europe, while Asia dominated the fabrication aspect to the tune of $39 billion.

Hence, there is the urgent need for firm application of the national content law to check needless capital flight. It will also engage real growth and development, and help the country to get out of the doldrums. One important aspect of the law is that in the bidding for any licence, permit or interest and before carrying out any project in the oil and gas sector, “an operator shall submit a Nigerian content plan demonstrating compliance with the Nigerian Content requirements of this bill”.

There is no doubt that the law is a welcome development, but the challenge is in methodical implementation including public awareness and enlightenment, to enable Nigerians key into the numerous advantages. In addition to the entrepreneurial benefits, section 41 provides that the minister may make regulations setting

out targets to ensure full utilization and growth of indigenous companies in the areas of exploration, seismic data processing, engineering design, reservoir studies, manufacturing and fabrication of equipment; and other facilities as well as the provisions of other support services for the Nigerian oil and gas industry. To this end, the minister must always be proactive and forward looking.

However, the oil and gas sector must be thoroughly sanitised and rid of the underlying graft. Government must set out in very clear terms standards in all sectors of the economy based on international best practices.

Sectors that will enhance domestic capacities and ensure that local skills providers in the country are not just meant for the immediate needs of the country, but can also compete favorably with available skills internationally. There must be a futuristic date as to where Nigeria wants to be, and a pragmatic plan of action as to how the country will get to the set goal.

To make the application of the law effective and efficient, there must be a synergy amongst the various tiers of government as well as a deliberate policy to develop local capacity and manpower. Anything short of the aforementioned, the law would be rendered impotent. Government with the assistance of the organised private sector must really invest in education especially technical education and specialised vocational skills.

Challenges such as dearth of research and development, fallen educational standards, capacity and capability gaps in keys areas, Petroleum Industry Bill uncertainties as well as the content act waiver and moratorium must be swiftly overcome.

The sector now dominated by foreign owned and crew vessels and rig operators, resulting in about three billion dollars capital flight will be a thing of the past. The local content development is to ensure that the percentage of locally produced materials, personnel, goods and services rendered to the industry are increased thereby generating more employment and economic empowerment. Technological development does not occur just by chance, rather it is a product of a nation’s sound economic management, policy reengineering, good governance and a social value system that rewards hardwork and creativity. Having a few companies committed to Nigerian content and pursuing local content programmes is not enough. Support for local content policies must be nationwide, must be accepted by all and should become embedded in every operator’s business philosophy.

Implementation and workability of the national content law is always a work in progress; it is a marathon and not a sprint andrequires well planned and mapped out stratagems that must be systematically adhered to, without wavering.

GABRIEL AKINADEWO Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief IKE ABONYI Deputy Managing Director/DEIC FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU Managing Editor, South SULEIMAN BISALLA Managing Editor, North AYODELE OJO Acting Editor, Daily LAURENCE ANI Editor, Saturday EMEKA MADUNAGU Editor, Sunday LEO CENDROWICZ Bureau Chief, Brussels MARSHALL COMINS Bureau Chief, Washington DC SAM AMSTERDAM Editorial Coordinator, Europe EMMAN SHEHU (PhD) Chairman, Editorial Board GEOFFREY EKENNA News Editor PADE OLAPOJU Production Editor TIMOTHY AKINLEYE Head, Graphics ROBINSON EZEH Head, Admin.

20

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

OPINION

Odemwingingie, baby factory and Mbanefo’s domestic tourism (2) Continued from yesterday

Babs Ajayi

E

ssentially, that is the story of Nigeria. Nearly one billion naira was reaped by those who collected one thousand naira from each job applicant at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) while a Catholic priest, Reverend Okono Joseph of St. Peter’s Parish of Owerri was alleged to have paid N900, 000 to buy two boys (ages 3 and 4 years) from a “baby trader.”

The Department of State Security in Akwa Ibom State said over 60 children have been sold in 8 months in the state though the alleged baby trader said he could not remember the number of babies he had sold. More than 20 children were rescued in the special operation by security men.

There was the self-described doctor, James Ezuma, who was arrested in Owerri, Imo State with 16 pregnant girls in his compound. Ezuma’s baby factory was so prosperous his net-worth was put at over one billion naira with several choice cars and SUVs in his fleet. Also, eight pregnant girls were set free in Ogun State when another baby factory was discovered in Akute near Ifo. 24 suspects were arrested in Ilu-Titun in Okitipupa, Ondo State for running a baby factory in the town while 19 pregnant women were found inside a compound controlled by a baby merchant waiting for them to give birth and getting

ready to sell their babies as soon as they are delivered. This is surely a pervert generation.

Child trafficking has become an industry where, in some cases, girls are held against their will and kept in some isolated, remote location to produce babies the very way hens produce eggs and chicks.

There is also the scouting for girls with unwanted pregnancies who are then delivered of their unwanted bundles and the babies sold to merchants from all across the globe. Making money anyhow and every how is now the practice in a society where money has become the god worshiped by all and sundry. The thieves in Abuja are looting the treasury with impunity while some members of the society have chosen to capture their own loot through baby making, Yahoo! Yahoo!, kidnapping, or by reaping off the unemployed. The love of money has eased many of their conscience and dignity in our society. Is anyone surprised that money was taken from the employed by an agency of the federal government so as to get them employment? I am not surprised at all. The minister in charge blamed it on the victims but later offered a lame apology but no resignation!

It is all about survival, all about money, all about the individual attitude that has gained ground in Nigeria today, which is why Jonathan had eh audacity to buy a new plane and add it to an already huge presidential fleet and also voted one billion naira for food for Aso Rock. The men and women behind the various baby factories

recently discovered are family men and women; they have their own children, they have nephews and nieces, and they do not wish to see any of their children sold for a fee, which is why we can easily conclude that the problem with Nigeria is the lack of conscience and hearts that do not fear God. Sally Mbanefo and the mirage of domestic tourism I wonder what can stimulate domestic tourism in Nigeria as things are today. Is there even anything like tourism in Nigeria today? Could there be any semblance of tourism in a nation that is at war with itself, facing (and losing) a war declared against it by Boko Haram, and with more than 80 percent of the population living in abject poverty? What is tourism to a hungry man or woman? How on earth will Sally Mbanefo want members of the diplomatic community living in Nigeria to embark on domestic tourism within Nigeria?

Does she think these diplomats are stupid?

It is only an unserious, disorganized and dystopian nation like Nigeria that will put the cart before the horse and enjoin people to go visit places where there are no access roads, no safe airspace, no security of lives, goods and services, and with a dysfunctional government that cannot ensure regular supply of electricity, fuel, gas, and kerosene that will encourage what Sally Mbanefo is doing. Has Sally ever taken the time to read the United States, United Kingdom and Canada’s travel advisory to their citizens wishing to travel to Nigeria? I very much doubt if Sally is aware of these travel

advisories that is nothing but a warning to American, British and Canadian citizens to avoid visiting Nigeria altogether.

The advisory has all the information about abduction, insecurity, daylight robbery, armed attacks, car-jackings, police indiscretions, the lack of roads and road safety, an airspace where planes fall from the skies like apples from trees, and a myriad of other reasons why their citizens should not travel to Nigeria and plenty of reasons to avoid Nigeria. The death traps that are considered and referred to as expressways in Nigeria, such as the LagosOre-Benin Expressway, are not for the weak at heart. Anything and everything is possible on that not-so-express road.

There are other death traps that are gifted the name expressway in Nigeria, which are not even good enough to move cattle, and these are the roads that Mbanefo expect people to use when they embark on domestic tours to places like Kaduna, Ibadan, Sokoto, Kano, Oloibiri, Benin, Jos, Maiduguri, Port-Harcourt, Akure, Katsina, Yola, Enugu, Onitsha, Warri, Asaba, Sapele, Zaria, Uyo, Ikom, Obubra, Calabar, Oron, Eket, etc. Will Sally encourage local tourists to visit Maiduguri or Gombe? Is Sally Mbanefo aware of the obstacles that confront anyone travelling from Onitsha to Calabar and how many hours it will take to reach Calabar from the ancient city of Enugu? It is like playing with death.

Concluded.

• Babs Ajayi, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

Still on the notorious Apapa gridlock Tayo Ogunbiyi

O

nce again, pandemonium has returned to the roads in Apapa. Currently, gaining access to Apapa is fasting turning into a horrendous experience. The recent return of fuel scarcity in various parts of the country, is of course, not helping maters as major roads leading to Apapa have become inaccessible largely due to queues of petroleum tankers and articulated trucks making their way to Apapa to lift petroleum products. The situation has been further aggravated by current construction work by Julius Berger Plc as well as the early rain being witnessed across the metropolis this year.

It will be recalled that the Lagos State government sometimes ago made a bold move to sanitize traffic situation at Apapa by removing over 120 trucks that were indiscriminately parked along Oshodi -Apapa Expressway, following the expiration of ultimatum issued by the state government to remove them. The evacuation exercise, which lasted over 13 hours, commenced around 1am from Tincan Island to Creek Road, Liverpool and Marine Beach before it was suspended at about 2 p.m. Consequently, the usual traffic gridlock disappeared with motorists driving excitedly to their destinations. Expectedly, security and business situation along the area improved considerably as a result of this intervention.

This bold efforts by the state government could, however, not be sustained partly as a result of the inability of the Federal Government at complementing the efforts of the state, towards finding a lasting solution to the indiscriminate parking of trailers and tankers on Apapa/

Oshodi Expressway. Ironically, Apapa is a very strategic gateway to the country’s sea ports. The major share of government’s revenues comes from both the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports. More than 75 per cent of the goods that are imported into the country come through the ports in Lagos and the major ports in the country are based in Apapa. Consequently, that Apapa is key to the economic growth of Nigeria is incontrovertible. Neglecting Apapa, despite the trillions of naira accruing to the Federal Government from its ports, further reinforces the sad culture of neglect and rot in the country.

The issues involved with regards to the current situation in Apapa are many-sided. First and foremost, the whole axis, being a busy industrial outlay with constant economic activities , is in need of pressing infrastructure development. Also, the haphazard parking of trailers and articulated tankers on the road constitute a major nuisance on the axis. Although the Lagos State Government built a tanker terminal with a capacity to take between 500 and 2000 trucks along the axis, tanker drivers don’t patronize the park. Furthermore, the continuous importation of locally consumed fuel in the country, arising from the inability of the federal government to fix local refineries, places serious burden on the Apapa axis. With more than 50 depots in Lagos, at least over 3,000 trucks travel to Apapa on a daily basis with the intention of lifting petroleum products.

The chaotic situation at Apapa, undoubtedly, has grave implication for the country’s economy. The traumatic experience in accessing the ports leads to avoidable delay in the clearance of goods from the ports. It is exactly this situation that makes the Apapa port one of the most costly in the

world. It takes about two to five days for empty containers to be returned to the port and yet the importers and their agents are made to pay demurrage and levies for a fault that is not theirs. The Apapa gridlock has equally resulted in loss of business and enormous man-hours.

Also, the traffic gridlock has seriously affected the productivity of freight forwarders, customs officers and other government agencies at the ports as well as other business interests along the axis. Similarly, auto sellers at the popular Berger auto market and Sunrise auto mart have also been experiencing shortfalls in business as a result of the traffic crisis in the axis. Naturally, the cost of goods in the market is on the upward swing as the importers and customs agents build the hours lost on the roads into the cost of their goods and services.

As previously stated, the major refineries in the country could no longer function at optimal capacity. This has made importation of locally consumed petroleum products a necessity, a situation that complicates the Apapa gridlock.

To redress the current trend, therefore, the Federal Government would need to urgently resolve the issues of the failed refineries. Continuous importation of fuel, no doubt, will undoubtedly exacerbate the pressure on Lagos and its infrastructure. Patently, what is happening at Apapa mirrors the systemic failure in the country. Various stakeholders in the oil sector need to ingeniously look into the petroleum distributive arrangement to evolve a more scientific and less cumbersome order of distribution.

• Ogunbiyi, Features Unit, Ministry of Information & Strategy ,The Secretariat, Alausa-Ikeja, Lagos

LAW

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/law

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014

FOLUSO OGUNMODEDE JUDICIARY Editor

foluso.ogunmodede@newtelegraphonline.com bunfolchester@yahoo.com

Why corruption in judiciary is exaggerated,

by Ologunorisa

21

}p-24 & 25

Falana , Ahamba, Kalu to INEC: You can’t bar deregistered political parties from 2015 elections The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has threatened that no deregistered political party would be allowed to field candidates for the 2015 general elections unless they re-register.

Does the electoral umpire have the power to so do? TUNDE OYESINA examines the issue.

Falana, SAN

A

lthough an Abuja Federal High Court had ruled in their favour that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had no powers to deregister them, the political parties that were axed by the electoral body two years ago may not have candidates for the 2015 general elections if INEC's threat is anything to go by.

Reason: INEC has again thrown another bombshell that none of the axed political parties will be allowed to field candidates for the 2015 general elections.

It specifically said last week, through its national commissioner in charge of South-West, that none of the deregistered political parties would be allowed to field candidates for the general elections.

Although the electoral umpire agreed that no laws precluded the parties from reapplying, provided they fulfilled the enabling requirements, it insisted that there would not be any room to accommodate them in the elections as they remain deregistered regardless of any court verdict over the matter.

INEC had in 2012, in a directive, deregistered about 28 political parties. Its chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega had consistently maintained that the deregistered parties should fizzle out as the commission had the backing of the law to de-register them for non-performance.

The commission had submitted that its power to wipe the poor parties out of existence had its root in Section 75, SubSection 2 of the Electoral Act just as it fumed at the parties continually drawing

Jega, INEC Chairman

Ahamba, SAN

funds periodically from its coffers without any result to show for it after fiercely contested elections.

But a Federal High Court had since declared invalid the law under which INEC derived its power to shut the door against the affected political parties. Besides , the court declared as null and void Section 78 of the Electoral Act upon which INEC had predicated its action, describing it as offensive to Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution.

The court, in a suit initiated by Fresh Democratic Party, held that INEC had no powers to de-register any political party without recourse to the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The presiding judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole specifically nullified the directive issued on December 6, 2012, by the electoral commission wherein it de-registered 28 political parties including the plaintiff.

Besides, the court declared Section 78(7) (ii) of the Electoral Act as unconstitutional, invalid, null and void, saying it was offensive to the provisions of Section 40 and Sections 221-229 of the constitution.

The court stressed that though Section 228 of the Constitution vested the National Assembly with the powers to enact the

Electoral Act, said the legislature had no power to direct INEC to de-register any political party that failed to win a seat in either the state or the National Assembly elections.

Justice Kolawole said: “The concept of de-registering a political party is strange and alien to the Constitution.

“I am worried that Section 78(7) (ii) of the Electoral Act, 2011, does not appear from my understanding to have any constitutional precedence. It was a product of legislative despotism which will only encourage political parties to become desperate to win election at all cost.

Apparently angered by the INEC’s latest threats, lawyers yesterday carpeted the electoral body, saying it had no such powers to deregister political parties not to talk of barring them from fielding candidates for the 2015 elections.

Mike Ahamba, Awa Kalu, Femi Falana, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria, a senior lawyer, Chief Nkereuwem Udofia Akpan and activist lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, were unanimous that INEC had no power to disallow the deregistered political parties from fielding candidates for the 2015 general elections.

In his view, Falana, who reminded INEC of a subsisting judgement in a suit

As long as a party has a certificate, it can field candidates in any election. I have not seen any law that empowers INEC to deregister a party or stop a party from participating in an election

by the late legal icon, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, against INEC and Federal Government, said the Supreme Court had laid the matter to rest as it ruled that no political parties could be deregistered by neither INEC nor the Federal Government because it would imply a gross violation of the freedom of association.

Falana was echoed by Ahamba, who said that the electoral body was not empowered by law to de-register any party from participating in an election.

He said: "As long as a party has a certificate, it can field candidates in any election. I have not seen any law that empowers INEC to deregister a party or stop a party from participating in an election.

"That was even the court's decision in Fresh Democratic Party against INEC, where the court ordered INEC to give due recognition to the party.

"The court had also held that INEC had no powers to de-register any political party in the country without recourse to the 1999 Constitution as amended. It was in the suit that the court nullified a directive issued by INEC on December 6, 2012, wherein it de-registered 28 political parties, including Fresh".

To Awa Kalu, since there was a pending court judgement indicating that INEC had no power to deregister a party, its threat was an empty one.

Kalu , however stated that if on the other hand, the judgement was upturned by a superior court, then the rest will depend on what INEC as a statutory body would do.

"Not a matter of threat, there is an INEC time table, the constitution says you cannot canvass for vote until you are registered as political party, which then means, when a body is on the register of an electoral body, then the threat cannot hold water", Kalu said.

Udofia Akpan believes whoever registers should have power to deregister.

He said : "If you look at the Interpretation Act, the man who registers will appear to have the power to deregister, the man who appoints will appear to have the power to disappoint or remove as it were.

"When it comes to the issue of registration of political parties, you will agree with me that freedom of association is a constitutional issue and parties who have come together and register with INEC have merely exercised their rights to association without prejudice.

"Now remember that there are certain basic requirements that parties will have to meet before they are registered with INEC. Now, those conditions are condition precedents and condition inherent."

22 LAW

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Akintola recalls fond memories of ‘disciplinarian’ mum at burial In the evening of Wednesday, 2nd April, 2014, Chief Adeniyi Michael Akintola (SAN),thrilled a mammoth audience at Omi Adio in the Iddo Local Government Area of Ibadan in Oyo State. The occasion was the Service of Songs in honour of his late mother, Chief Odunola Morawo Abeje Akintola (Nee Oyelakin), who died on January 14, 2014 at the age of 79. SOLA ADEYEMO, who was also at the event reports that the venue was First Baptist Church Ground, Omi Adio, Ibadan, where many members of Akintola, Okubiyi, Oyelakin and other families were in attendance.

M

any lawyers, Judges including Akintola's wife, Justice Boyede, professional mentor, Justice L.O. Arasi , Justice Obande (JCA), Chief Emmanuel Abodun, Aare J.B. Lawson, Otunba Kunle Kalejaye (SAN), Justice Akinbi, Alhaji Nureni Oyekanmi, Chief R.A. Abolade, Chief Amuludun Professor Niyi Olowofela (Charman, Iddo Local Government), and the Olomi of Omi, Chief Adeyanju Ekunola (a lawyer), as well as men of God, including Pastor Idowu and Deacon Adegoke, were also in attendance.

Everybody spoke glowingly of the enviable and exemplary lifestyle of the Otun Iyalode of Omi, the famous 'Iya Alakara kengbe', who they said most times dashed out balls of akara she baked to people of her area by the day .

When it was the turn of her son, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, to give remarks about the late mother, everybody was delighted. He said that unfortunately, he did not enjoy parental and mother/child relationship. "Errorneously, I thought Mama Adepate was my mum. And my paternal grandmother, who happens to be a very strong member of First Baptist Church, Idikan, I hated so much because I felt that she was oppressing my real mother.

I never knew who my mother was until my grandmother died.

It was then I came to know who my real mother was.

"My mother was a disciplinarian; she was very tough. There was a very salient point in my mother's life, and that issue was brought about recently again by my Lord Hon. Justice Uwais, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, who came to commission my Law Chambers in Ibadan.

Three days to the commissioning, I took my mother to the place and that the CJN would be com-

ing to commission it. My mother looked at it and said that she had been passing through the place and seeing the building but never knew it belongs to me. It was a stone throw to the family compound: just about 300 metres. She asked whether it really belonged to me and I answered in the affirmative. She then said we should go into the building. We climbed the staircase to the topmost floor and she said: "Look at my face very well; I am the one that gave birth to you. Confess to me where you got the money to build this".

She added that: "It was just about two and a half years that we commissioned your house at Agodi.

Now, you have built this again.

Confess to me where you got the money. If you don't tell me, I will not come for the commissioning.

"I had to go and bring out files of cases I had handled, particularly those I did in the Niger Delta. I opened the files and had to be reading them to her. My juniors assisted me also. I made sure she was eventually convinced. On the day of the commissioning, my Oga who taught me the ABC of Law, Hon. Justice Arasi had to ask my mother to stand up and they prayed for her. The question that Justice Salami asked was "how many mothers would ask their children how they make their money?".

Another part of her is that just like my sister had said, my mother gave her all. Not just giving part of it. The day my mother died, when her ward robe was checked, there was virtually nothing in it because she gave out all her clothes every year. I made it a rule every year that I must buy her a set of clothes, and my wife would also do same.

We would also send her money.

It was a yearly ritual. But if you opened my mum's ward robe before the end of January, you CO NT I N U E D O N PAG E 2 8

L-R: Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, Justice Kayode Ariwoola, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), his wife, Justice Boyede Akintola, wife of Oyo State Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Oyo State Governor Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi at the Final Burial Service of late Chief Mrs. Odunola Morawo Abeje Akintola held at Orita-Mefa Baptist Church, Total Garden, Ibadan

Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi; his wife, Chief (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi and Chief Omowale Kuye.

Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) and Mallam Yusuf Alli (SAN)

Mr. Gani Adeniran and Chief Bamidele Aiku (SAN)

LAW | REPORT 23

Thursday, April 10, 2014

No state has power to appoint, dismiss judge without recourse to NJC - Supreme Court SC. 281/2010 Hon.Justice Raliat Elelu-Habeeb (Chief Judge Kwara state ,Planitiff).v.

NJC, Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation, Hon. Attorney-General of Kwara state and House of Assembly Kwara state (Defendants).

Before their Lordships; Justices Mahmmud Mohammed (JSC), Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen (JSC),Christopher Mit chell Chukwuma-Eneh (JSC),Muhammad Saifullah MuntakaCoomassie(JSC), Olufunlola Oyelola Adekeye(JSC),Mary Ukaego PeterOdili (JSC) and Olukayode Ariwoola (JSC).

F

ACTS: The action that gave rise to the present appeal number SC.281/2010 was brought by originating summons filed on May 6, 2009 at the Federal High Court, Ilorin by Honourable Justice Raliat Elelu-Habeeb as plaintiff against the National Judicial Council, the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation, the Honourable Attorney-General of Kwara State and the House of Assembly of Kwara State as defendants. The originating summons submitted two questions for determination followed by a request of five distinct reliefs from the trial court.

The questions for determination are: l Whether by the combined interpretation of Section 153( 1 )(I) Paragraph 21 (a) of the 3rd Schedule and Section 271 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1 999, the 3rd defendant had the power to initiate or carry out any exercise of disciplinary control and or proceedings on the plaintiff in the exercise of powers, duties and obligation as occupier of the office of the Chief Judge of Kwara State. l Whether the letter of 3rd defendant dated May 4, 2009 inviting the plaintiff to disciplinary proceeding in matters relating to, connected with, and arising from the exercise of her functions as the Chief Judge of Kwara State does not amount to exercising the powers of the 1st defendant under Section 153, 3rd Schedule, Part 1 ,Paragraph 21 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999.

While the reliefs sought are as follows: l Declaration that by a combined interpretation of Sections 4, 1, 53, 292 and paragraphs 20- 2 1 or the 3rd Schedule, Part 1 of the Constitution, it is only the 1st defendant that has the exclusive power and authority to query, command, order or inquire into any complaint against the plaintiff arising from or connected with the performance of her functions as a judicial officer and in her office as the Chief Judge of Kwara State or recommend to the Governor her removal as Chief Judge of Kwara State. l A declaration that the letter of the Kwara State House of Assembly dated May 4,2009 is in breach and violation of

Justice Aloma Mukhtar, CJN

Adoke, SAN

the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, in so far as it relates to, connected with the plaintiff in exercise of her functions in the office of the Chief Judge of Kwara State and therefore null and void. l putting away the decision of the 3rd and 4th defendants (Kwara State House of Assembly contained in the 3rd defendant's letter dated May 4, 2009 and any other steps taken thereon in so far as it relates to the office of the plaintiff, as the Chief Judge of Kwara State, the same being inconsistent with Sections 153,197,271(2) of the 3rd Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. l An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants particularly the 2nd defendant and the Government of Kwara State by themselves, through their officers, privies or any other persons deriving power, command, authority, instruction or directives from any of the defendants from acting or relying on or continuing to rely on etc, implement, give effect to or do anything to the prejudice of the plaintiff based on the decision contained in the letter dated May 4,2009 in so far as the decision is related to the office of the plaintiff as the Chief Judge of Kwara State. l An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from acting on the decision arising from and connected with the 3rd defendant's letter dated May 4, 2009 and from taking any action, act, decision, conclusion, directive, command and such other deeds geared towards the office of the plaintiff or doing anything which may have the effect of enforcing, continuing to give effect to, implement, or finally putting into effect, the conclusions and decision of the Kwara State House of Assembly.

Although there were preliminary objections raised by the 2nd and 3rd respondents to the competence of the plaintiff's action on various grounds touching on the jurisdiction of the trial court to entertain and determine the action, the learned trial judge decided to hear the preliminary objections together with the substantive action. It is observed that all

the defendants/respondents to the plaintiff ’s originating summons except the 1st defendant/respondent raised objections to the competence of the trial Federal High Court to adjudicate on the matter having regard to the fact that the complaint of the plaintiff was against the executive and legislative decisions of the Kwara State Government with no allegation against the Federal Government or any of its agencies. After hearing the parties on the preliminary objections and the plaintiff's claims on the merit on the various affidavits, further Affidavits, counter-affidavits filed by the parties in support of their respective stand on the issues raised in the preliminary objections and the originating summons, the learned trial judge in the judgment of the that court delivered on July 23, 2009, overruled the preliminary objections by dismissing them in holding that taking into consideration that the case of the plaintiff involves the interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the court was conferred with jurisdiction to hear and determine the action.

In this respect, the learned trial judge, after considering the claims of the plaintiff against the provisions of the Constitution in support of the claims and the defendants’ opposition of the same, came to the conclusion that the plaintiff was entitled to all the reliefs claimed and proceeded to grant them. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants/respondents, who were aggrieved with the judgment of the trial Federal High Court, immediately lodged their respective appeals against the judgment to the Court of Appeal, Ilorin division.

The notices of appeal, however excluded the 1st defendant/respondent at the trial court from the list of parties in the appeals at the Court of Appeal.

However, on the application by the 1st defendant/respondent, it was later joined in the appeals on the side of the respondents. The appeals were heard by a panel of full court of five justices of the Court of Appeal having regard to the constitutional importance of the issues that arose for determination.

In a split judgment of 4 to 1, delivered on July 2, 2010, the court came to the conclusion that the trial Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to adjudicate upon the case of the plaintiff and held that the matter ought to have been taken to the High Court of Justice of Kwara State for hearing and determination having regard to the parties and the subject matter of the case. In the same judgment however, the Court of Appeal proceeded to hear the matter on the merit and came to the decision that the trial Federal High Court was right in its decision on the merit, of the claims of the plaintiff and consequently affirmed the decision of the trial court.

It is glaringly clear from the record of this appeal that all the parties at the Court of Appeal, except the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation, were not happy with the judgment of the court and therefore decided to appeal and cross-appeal to this court against the party, of the judgment that the parties were not satisfied with. While the plaintiff at the trial court and the defendant/ respondent in that court, the National Judicial Council who were the respondents at the Court of Appeal were not pleased with the decision of the Court of Appeal on the issue of jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to entertain and determine the case of the plaintiff, the 3rd and 4th defendants/respondents at the trial court, who were appellants at the Court of Appeal decided to challenge the decision of the Court of Appeal in deciding to hear and determine the matter on the merit in spite of its decision that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to deal with the matter and therefore filed their respective cross-appeals against that the decision of the Court of Appeal.

The Attorney-General of the Federation who was on the side of the appellants at the Court of Appeal has neither filed an appeal nor a cross-appeal, as the cross-appeal earlier filed on his behalf was later withdrawn and struck out before the appeals and the cross-appeals proceeded to hearing in this court.

Taking into consideration, the position of the parties at the trial court, the Court of Appeal and in this court where both appellants/cross-respondents and the respondent/cross-appellants chose to pursue their respective cases separately, I have decided to list the parties in this single appeal number SC. 281/201 as follows: "1. Hon. Justice Raliat Elelu-Habeeb 1st appellant/cross-respondent 2. National Judicial Council - 2nd appellant/cross-respondent and 1. The Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation -1 st respondent 2. The Hon. Attorney-General of Kwara State - 2nd respondent/crossappellant 3. The House of Assembly of Kwara State - 3rd respondent/ cross-appellant."

TO B E CO N T I N U E D

24 JURIST

H

e is an alumnus of the prestigious University of Lagos where he obtained his LL.B about 28 years ago.

In 1987, Ologunorisa was called to the Nigerian Bar. 24 years later, he was elevated to the Inner Bar. He donned the silk wig alongside the Dean , Faculty of Law , University of Lagos, Professor Imran Oluwole Smith, a former Ogun state Justice Commissioner and Attorney-General, Mr. Oluwemimo Ogunde, Dr. Peter Terkaa Akper and the scion of the Justice Ajibola law dynasty, Adesegun Muhammed Ajibola and 22 other lawyers on August 26, 2011.

However, Ologunorisa admitted that he was mentored by chiefs Karina Tuyan, through whom he cut his legal teeth, the late Gani Fawehinmi(SAN), Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), L.O Fagbemi (SAN) and R.O Olagunju.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who studied law out of ‘an innate desire and love for the legal professions, told the New Telegraph his foray into the profession which had spanned over two decades this way: "I graduated from the University of Lagos in 1986, after attending the Ondo state college of Arts and Science in Ikare-Akoko in Ondo state. And of course we were privileged to have the best of professors and scholars in the legal profession and the University of Lagos and of course, they did their best to give us the very foundation that we all need to become somebody in life. And we thank God for that privilege. “I was called to the Bar in 1987, and after the youth service, I have been in private practice. Before I started on my own, I was privileged to learn under Chief Karina Tuyan, who incidentally was one of the first practicing lawyer in the Federal Capital Territory and most of the early settlers here in Abuja who are lawyers, one way or the other passed through him. And I am privileged to be one of those who passed through him. He is a very humble man, ready to allow the young ones to learn, he is always a father figure to all of us. He taught me the rudiments of law which assisted me till today. I am a family man, married with lovely children.

Choice of career Well, the idea of reading law was borne out of an innate desire and the love for that profession. In my local community in Akoko, we had some lawyers then, who are old men now in their 80s. You will see them well dressed, with their white bib very starchy and neat. I remember Chief R.O Olagunju in particular, very neat and looking very impeccable. And of course at the national level, I was encouraged by the exploits of people like Chief Gani Fawehinmi, that name was very popular while we were growing up. It was like when I grow up, I want to be like such people. So, there was that innate desire to be a lawyer and I remember at the Secondary School, my friends called me lawyer..., I won't tell you the rest because it was my nick name then. So, that prefix lawyer has always been there and of course at the time of preparing to go to the university, it was a course of choice that I all wanted to read. May be, if I have not been privileged to study law, I can tell you, I would have read Mass Communication or History, particularly European History. I enjoyed my History class. May be if I have not read law, I would have been an historian and of course, the Mass Communication, I love broadcast. So, it could have been either of the two.

Role model The legal profession is one that parades the best, particularly in this country. You have an array of men that you can choose from to look up to. You have the likes of Chief F.R.A Williams. One cannot but admire his depth of law. Do you also talk of Chief Gani Fawehinmi with his dynamics on human rights, litigations, public rights.

So, there were arrays of them. Even in modern day, we have the likes of Chief Wole Olanipekun, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, L.O Fagbemi SAN. You have men that you can look up to as role model. And I look up to these men because they practice law with integrity and seriousness it entails. And of course, they are always willing to bring the little ones up.

First day in court That was during my youth service, when I was intro-

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Why corruption in exaggerated, by He plies his law trade in Abuja. Sam Tomi Ologunorisa, a renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, speaks on his background, choice of career, practice, challenges, reforms in the judiciary, corruption, national conference, 2015 elections and sundry issues.

TUNDE OYESINA met him.

When political leaders know that they can be made accountable, they will think twice before taking the people for granted

Ologunorisa, SAN

duced to Chief Tuyan by a senior colleague of mine, Mr. Ola Olanipekun. He is a lawyer, he is practicing law in Abuja now. When I got to Chief Tuyan, he just gave me a file to appear before the court. It was an Area court and in area court, there is no rule of practice or proceeding.

My first day was a mixture of "I have appeared in court and that is the way it is done. But at the end of the day it was fun.

Practice When I was called to the Bar, I practiced in the North, Abuja and its environs. We never had the privilege of having the kind of facilities that we are exposed to now.

Everything was analogue, there was nothing like ICT, unlike what we have now. If you want the judgement of the Supreme Court, you have it at your finger tip now and of course every lawyer has his iPad and laptop. Then, it was not like that. Of course, within the FCT, where I started, the legal profession was still at a very low ebb because it was a very little place and everything was there like that.Though that was the attraction because the main thing that brought me here was that I wanted a growing place that I can grow with. The environment was just emerging and some of us decided to tap into the virginity and grow with that place. So at that time, Abuja was just growing, we had only three High Courts - Justice Saleh, Justice Kuti and Justice Onejeme. Today we have over 36 courts in the FCT. The level of practice then was within a very narrow compass, all we were do-

ing was breach of contract, essentially contract relating to FCT and some of the people around here that were into contract. But today, it has gone beyond that, there is virtually no aspects of law that we don't do now. No politics then. So, there were no election petitions, it is wider now that you can compare it to those days. The challenges of today are quite broader and much more complex than it was then.

Technology, quality of lawyers and practice Technology did not negatively affect the quality of lawyers.I will say the technology has positively impacted on the quality of lawyers and the quality of practice.

Then,we were not many, you could easily know those who will naturally fall by the way side because rarely, the remuneration was not encouraging. It is either you are looking for money or knowledge. So, if you want knowledge and you want to learn, there is room to learn.

If you are looking for money, then, you will not be in private practice, you will be at the Corporate Affairs Commission incorporating companies and of course, you will make cheap money. But then you don't need to be a lawyer before you can incorporate a company and so for those that were specialists in incorporating companies and specialists in selling land, they had a good day making money. But of course, such enterprise does not last because like I said, you cannot grow with it and you don't need to be a lawyer before you can incorporate a company or sell land. Even people who don't go

JURIST 25

Thursday, April 10, 2014

judiciary is Ologunorisa OLOGUNORISA AT A GLANCE • Attended Ondo State College of Arts and Science • Obtained LL.B in 1986 from the University of Lagos • He was called to Nigerian Bar in 1987 • Had pupillage under Chief Karina Tunyan • He became Senior Advocate in 2011 to school sell land so at the end of the day, they all fell by the way side. The terms of qualities of lawyers have always been there, it depends on the individual and what we intend to achieve in life. If you don't want to learn and all you are looking for is quick money, of course private practice is not the way because the period of learning which I called the gestation period is quite long. It takes time before you can begin to reap. In other words, you must develop your reputation, you must develop your knowledge and by the time people begin to notice you, it takes time but once people start noticing you and knowing that you are quite serious and you know what you are doing, people will come. But it takes time and that is why I said it depends on what you are looking for, is it quick money or knowledge.

When we started, we’re not on salary because even the office could not afford it. How many cases were available in the chambers? Rather what we were given was like an allowance at the end of the month. I was privileged to be offered a job by the government which I turned down because I was looking at the bigger picture ahead of me and I thank God, I took that option.

Challenges It depends on what you mean by the word challenging. Is it challenging in terms of complexity of the law or in terms of intricacies that I found myself in the course of handling the matter?

Let's put it this way, every case a lawyer is exposed to has its own complexity. So, it now depends on how you approach it and the depth of materials and case laws at your disposal. But one particular one readily comes to mind, there was a matter I had at the Court of Appeal as a junior counsel and the lawyer on the other side was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, very brilliant man of blessed memory and that was my first time at the appellate court. Three old men sitting and behold a small boy who didn’t not know how to even address them but I was lucky before they called my case, a young lady appeared, did so well, I watched her, she announced herself. Everything she did, I noticed it and recorded it. So, when it was my turn, I said to myself that if she could do it, then I should be able to do it better. And I followed her footsteps. And one funny thing was that in an attempt

Ologunorisa, SAN

to argue the case, it was a trial on appeal, I never knew I could talk to the judges and I just said 'my lord, I will like to draw your attention to page so,so of the record of appeal' behold the old men opened at the record. Immediately they looked at the page and I drew their attention to the particular portion relevant to my argument, the late Justice Okachike was so excited saying,' yes, Mr. Ologunorisa, you mean...', he took the argument from me. It was such a beautiful day for me and when I came out, the learned Senior Advocate on the other side called me and gave me money that 'young man you did so well'.

That was the encouragement I can never forget and that has actually spurred me on the course of this profession.

White paper reports Well, let me put it this way: These days, the public perception of governance is at the lowest ebb. In most cases, people see some of these policies as steps taken by government to remedy certain situation as very diversionary. The perception is that sincerity of purpose is lacking. Now, the Oronsaye panel is not the only one, there are several of other panels which were set up by government at one time or the other, such as restructuring of the Nigerian Police, name it, they are there but the political will to implement is not always there and many of these reports are there in archives. In fact, they are gathering dust at the various offices.

The truth of the matter is that, in terms of compelling government to release the white paper, you may not be able to do much in court because there will be problem of locus standi. In other words, what is so personal to you about this issue that your own interest supersede every other interest of the general public. If what you share is the same public right with every other person without anything so special and personal to you, then, you may not be able to go far. That limits the option of litigation. But of course, politically, people can be sensitized in terms of perception,

I hate people talking about corruption in the judiciary as if corruption starts and ends in the judiciary in terms of sincerity of the government, making government accountable. When political leaders know that they can be made accountable, they will think twice before taking the people for granted. Secondly, the National Assembly, if properly guided and having the will to do their job the way it should be done, they can equally make the government accountable. So, the legal options may not be the best of options but of course there are institutional approaches to some of these problems. And if our leaders, politicians and public officers are serious, even labour leaders, several other options are there that are effective than court option. Sometimes, the court don't want to be dragged into political issues, the court don't want to be dragged into what is not in dispute.

There must be a dispute for adjudication.

So, setting up a committee, submitting a report and waiting for white paper which never comes may not be justiceable cause of action. But of course it could be justiceable political question which a political solution or option could be applied.

NJC, Rivers state faceoff on Chief Judge’s appointment I will not want to dabble into all of this because I don't have the full facts. All I have is what I have gathered from the newspaper reports and sometimes when you don't have the facts, it is very difficult and dangerous to jump into conclusion.

The truth of the matter is that every appointment of judges, NJC is the body responsible for appointment, promotion and discipline. Of course, the NJC recommends the appointment to the state. The

governor appoints on the recommendation of the NJC. So, without the input of the NJC, it is not possible. The NJC is the organ of government responsible for the appointment, promotion and discipline.

So, once the NJC appoints, of course it will now be taken to the state, then the state will do the needful and will become a judge but it cannot come from the state and end at the state. So, that is why I said I don't have the full fact in terms of what individuals have done and have not done.

Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa’s appointment as PCA Again, every headship of the court is a political appointment. So, it is a political appointment and not a statutory one. What I mean by statutory, there is no law which says it must go to the most senior. Then it is susceptible to human consideration. Again, I don’t have the fact and I don't know the consideration. But speaking as a lawyer, it is a political appointment.

Corruption in judiciary I hate people talking about corruption in the judiciary as if corruption starts and ends in the judiciary. Our judiciary is one of the best in the world. We have men of impeccable character, men of knowledge, men of pedigree, men and women that can be trusted and they have been doing their very best within the limit of available resources. How many lawyers want to be judges? The judiciary as I understand it today is under-funded, our judges work under very deteriorating condition. They still write in long hand.

How many judiciary of the world, in advanced countries still have their judges write in long hands? Our judges don't even have good accommodation, in most jurisdictions, the court are dilapidated.

I am not talking of Abuja, Lagos or Port Harcourt. Go to the state but these men still work under such horrible condition and dispense justice. The system has its own reforms through which the bad ones can be edged out. So, the system itself reforms itself though the laid down rules for discipline through the NJC. The truth of the matter is that it is easy for our people to accuse the judiciary but the truth of the matter is that the judiciary is just the weeping child. This is the judiciary that has stabilized our polity, it has stabilized our democracy.

When we first started this democracy, governors were being impeached in hotel rooms, our judiciary stopped it irrespective of the power that be at that time. We did not say they were corrupt. They rose to the occasion and brought sanity to the system. In the past, ballot boxes were being hijacked and snatched through deep and well researched judgements, most of those results were not allowed to see the light of the day. The judiciary stabilized the polity and brought credibility to the electoral process. Nigerians did not see that. But because, maybe there are a few individuals here and there which is not peculiar to the judicial arm of government alone. Each time anybody talks about corruption in the judiciary, I think we have taken that slogan too far and we should be fair to the judiciary having regard to the available resources at their disposal and some institutional problems within that system.

26 LAW | DYNASTY

Thursday, April 10, 2014

‘Poor remuneration, bane of law practice’ Theirs is a law dynasty.

His father, the revered jurist, Justice Pius Olayiwola Aderemi retired as Justice of the Supreme Court. Three of his siblings also read Law. Tolu, who is the last of Justice Aderemi’s children is not only a lawyer, but also a chartered arbitrator.

Tolu an LL.M holder with specialisation in gas law from the University Of Aberdeen, Scotland, told TUNDE OYESINA why he read Law.

A

lthough his desire was to be different from his other siblings when he studied Mass Communication as a course of first instance, Aderemi, however, toed his father’s path to read law when he was almost ostracized.

He told New Telegraph that he eventually read law to please his father, who having carved a niche for himself in the profession, desired to have his children study the only ‘noble’ profession in the world.

Aderemi said: “I studied Mass Communication as a first degree to make a point. The point being that it was the norm at the time that once your parent is a judge or lawyer, it follows that you must also study law. I wanted to be different, so I proceeded to study something other than law. It was tough as my father initially frustrated my admission process.

“Thereafter, he refused to pay my school fees for the early parts.

But all that is history now as I finished my OND in Mass Communication and thereafter went to study law at the University of Ibadan. As regards what prompted me, I have had a weakness for ensuring the rights of the less privilidged. This, amongst other things, influenced my decision to study law.

Aderemi, an indigene of Ibadan, attended Marhill Convent School for his elementary education and Government College, Ibadan with a stint at the Ibadan Polytechnic before headed for his law programme at the University of Ibadan.

He told New Telegraph his background this way: “My name is Pius Tolulope Aderemi. I am from Ibadan North East LGA, Oyo State. I was born into the family of Honourable Justice

Aderemi

Pius Olayiwola Aderemi JSC CON and the late (Mrs) Modupe Folashade Aderemi.

“I attended Marhill Convent School (primary school) in the early 80’s, Government College Ibadan (1996), The Polytechnic Ibadan, 1997, University of Ibadan ,where I graduated in 2005 and the prestigious University of Aberdeen, Scotland for my LL.M. I come from a family of seven children, three of whom are in the legal profession. Others are qualified as Chartered Accountants, Journalists etc. My father is a member of the legal Profession ,the Bench. He retired in 2010 as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

The young Aderemi, however confessed that his passion for the wig and gown profession was ignited by his father’s dexterity and expertise, an attribute he had imbibe into his practice.

To him, his father who is an alumnus of the University of Lagos, remains a perfect example of a lawyer and judge, who despite all odds rose to the peak of his career without a dent. He is a judge of judges, Tolu enthused.

He said: “My dad studied law in Nigeria. He was a student in the first set of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos before proceeding to the Nigerian Law School, situated in Lagos at the time.

“I will say what I cherish most in my father as a practising lawyer was his dexterity. This is something I have imbibed also as a lawyer and I will encourage all younger practitioners to endeavour to remain focused, dogged

I think it is bad to poorly remunerate lawyers. This is why you find most of us ending up in banks or other non-career driven jobs and zealous with the practice of law. I say it all the time, it is a jealous bride.

Apparently reminiscing about his practice of law especially his first appearance in court , Tolu said “a lawyer may not remember his first day in court. However, every lawyer will remember his ‘first baptismal day’ in court.

A baptismal day is the day a ‘new wig’ appears in court to take up otherwise contentious matters. This is other than to just attend court to ‘take date’ or to ‘mention’ a case.

“My baptismal day was before His Lorship, Olateru Olagbegi of the High Court of Lagos State.

“I was asked to go and ‘adopt a final address’. As is characteristically of the practice, I got up to announce my appearance and mentioned to His Lordship that the matter for the day was the ‘adoption of addresses’. He charged back at me “Mr. Aderemi, have you ever appeared before me? I answered in the negative. No wonder! He exclaimed.

“No lawyer ever ‘adopts’ before me!. You must convince me and expound on the evidential burden in proof of your case’.

“At that point, I was not only lost, I was completely disorganised. His Lordship noticed my

uneasy state and kindly ‘stood the matter down’ and asked me to consult my principal for further instruction. But ‘Mr. Aderemi, you must address me today’. His Lordship reiterated. I did speak to my boss who guided me appropriately and when I returned to the courtroom, the environment wasn’t as hot as it was before I left.

On his embarrassing moment in court, Tolu said “My most embarrassing moment as a lawyer was when I appeared against an old lawyer on the other side. I filed a preliminary objection against his application and pointed out a number of flaws also in his counter affidavit. The flaws were so basic that a one-day old lawyer must be chastised if found in that web. His Lordship, Hon Justice Taiwo of the Lagos High Court intervened and saved the lawyer. I found this embarrassing as there were non-litigants, litigants and junior lawyers in court who witnessed the scenario.

Although I was not the one to be embarrassed, I however felt embarrassed as a lawyer to witness what just happened to a very senior lawyer notwithstanding that I caused it.

On his love for oil and gas as his preferred area of specialization, Tolu said his experience at the Bar had thought him that there was need for him to diversify especially as he had had stint in litigation and maritime law.

He said: “As a lawyer, you must always be dynamic. I had done litigation for a number of years and I thought to diversify. I needed something more challenging. I had tasted a bit of Maritime law whilst working for Chief Mike Igbokwe SAN, so I already had an ‘eye’ for that sector. I must thank my father who went all out to places like Ghana, South Africa to get me books which helped me with my studies in the Granite City of Aberdeen, Scotland.

On whether he is savouring the moment being the son of a prominent jurist, Tolu said yes.

He went on. “Of course there are benefits especially when you are the last born. You have an established library already, so you can ‘pick and choose’. The reason why most lawyers are not knowledgeable is because we don’t read.

We don’t read partly because we are lazy or we cannot access the books. The disadvantage of coming from a family of lawyers is that you will become legalistic in otherwise simple matters. Needless and annoying arguments on rights will form the basis of most of your discussions.

He, however said that today’s lawyers are quitting practice

because they were being poorly remunerated by their principals.

Aderemi said : “I think it is bad to poorly remunerate lawyers.

This is why you find most of us ending up in banks or other noncareer driven jobs. However, let me quickly also add that for you to earn a higher pay, you must ensure that you demonstrate excellent competence and capacity such that your boss will undoubtedly agree that this young lawyer deserves a pay increase. Let me also state that it is completely unacceptable for a junior lawyer to just pack his bag and leave an office without, at least, discussing your issues of concern with your immediate boss. If such a lawyer has explored all these options and nothing is said to be done, then a resignation therefore becomes inevitable.

He applauded the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar on the ongoing reforms in the judiciary, describing it as unprecedented.

His words: “I think the NJC under the leadership of His Lordship, Hon Justice Aloma Mukthar CJN is doing a fantastic job. Most judges have sat up now as they all now see there is no hiding place. However, let me also state that monies allocated to Judiciary in 2014 is also a reason why the Judges may end up taking bribes quite apart from greed and where a Judge is not able to meet his daily needs, send his/her children to proper school, then he may be constrained to ‘look elsewhere’ other than the government.

On judiciary’s readiness to handle a deluge of litigation that may arise from 2015 elections, he said “as you can see, the Court of Appeal has increased its Justice by a number of 25 more Judges.

It has also appointed more Judges to the State judiciaries. These appointments are to fill the vacuum when certain Judges are appointed to entertain election petitions.

On the ongoing national conference, Aderemi insisted that he was pessimistic that its outcome would redefine the nation’s destiny as it is unnecessary at this period.

He said: “I don’t believe in the national conference for many reasons. First, it is an election year.

A national conference at this time is a distraction. Secondly, I have not seen proper representation across ethnic board. It is critical that we are all speaking to issues we understand. The result of the conference, in my own view, should be subjected to a referendum and that will rest the matter on the next step.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Adekoya mourns GOK, slain lawyers

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Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mrs. Funke Adekoya has advocated the setting up of a Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Hall of Fame to immortalize eminent lawyers widely acknowledged to have especially impacted the development of the profession in Nigeria.

Speaking at the weekend against the backdrop of the death of foremost lawyers, Chief Godwin Olusegun Kolawole Ajayi (SAN) and Chief Theodore Ezeobi (SAN), Adekoya said that such edifice would serve as an inspiration to young and upcoming lawyers to tow the path of honour by emulating these role models and pioneers.

Besides, Adekoya, a chartered

arbitrator said that the Hall of Fame would boost efforts at restoring professional ethics and values among Nigerian lawyers, adding that this has become urgent in view of rising cases of professional misconduct among some legal practitioners.

On the murder of two lawyers in Delta State by unknown gunmen, the chartered arbitrator condemned in strong terms the killings, describing the incident as "dastardly and highly worrisome."

Aligning herself with the call by the Nigerian Bar Association for a full-scale investigation into the killings, the leading lawyer said the incident had raised questions as to the security of lawyers in the discharge of their

TRIBUTE

The late GOK

Wahab Kunle Shittu

I

t is hard to believe that our G.O.K – the uncommon, cerebral, intelligent, principled, hardworking, visionary, skillful, professional, dogged and one of the greatest lawyers this country has ever produced is no more.

Expectedly, since this enigma and uncommon lawyer passed on, tributes have been pouring in, in torrents. When a journalist called in to break the news of his death and requested for my immediate reaction. I wrote in response as follows: “G.O.K. as he was fondly called was Jurisprudence personified. An extraordinary advocate with great talent, G.O.K. was on the same pedestal and rating with the likes of Chief FRA Williams, Chief Afe Babalola and Chief Gani Fawehinmi in terms of professionalism, efficiency and effectiveness. A principled and disciplined advocate, G.O.K. easily qualifies as one of the greatest and most colourful lawyers this country has produced. I had the privilege of being led by him in a few cases and I can attest to the fact that he was a man of uncommon intellect, rare integrity, discipline and compassion. He came, saw and conquered! Adieu, G.O.K. – cerebral Nigerian and the real human being.”

This brief summary may not have reflected the depth of the pain and grief I share on this monumental loss especially given my personal experiences with this extraordinary legal luminary of uncommon stature.

Indeed, long before I met G.O.K., his towering reputation preceded him. I was his silent admirer who had watched from the side-lines, several of his legal encounters

Adekoya, SAN

lawful duties to their clients.

However, she urged the Inspector-General of Police not to leave any stone unturned in speedily bringing to justice the perpetrators of the heinous act.

Adekoya noted that in view

of the peculiar dangers lawyers face in highly volatile environments prone to terrorism and kidnapping, additional measures must be taken to protect Nigerian lawyers to ensure that they practice their profession without any hinderance.

Two lawyers - Dafiogho Egwuono and Samuel Ekwaghanju - were murdered on March 27 on their way to Court at Ozoro in Isoko North local council of Delta State.

The lawyers had filed a Writ of Habeas Corpus praying for an order of the court , compelling the police to produce two suspects, Ogaga Enueme and Efe Edhike, arrested since February in connection with various cases of kidnapping and armed

NEWS 27

robberies.

One of those allegedly kidnapped by the suspects is the son of the Secretary to the State Government. The court had directed the Nigeria Police to arraign the suspects on or before April 2, 2014.

However, the Delta State Police Commissioner Ikechukwu Aduba stated that on March 27, while the police were taking the suspects to court for arraignment, the escort team ran into an ambush wherein the suspects "suffered fatal gunshots" while the police later received information that the corpses of the two lawyers pursuing the case were seen on the same day at Oil Well 4 near Onwhe flow station, Ozoro.

Quintessential G.O.K –A lawyer’s delight with equally formidable lawyers in the courtroom. I recall his legal exchanges and fiery arguments founded on sound logic and high jurisprudence with the likes of Chief FRA Williams, SAN (of blessed memory) and of course our own Chief Afe Babalola (SAN). Naturally, at the end of such legal exchanges, one could not but marvel at the sheer wizardry and advocacy skills of G.O.K. and so my admiration for him continued and remains with me till date. I had looked forward to a personal encounter with this enigma and prayed earnestly for an opportunity to meet this legal colossus.

My prayers of a personal encounter with him was answered when at the incarceration of Chief Fredrick Fasheun, founder of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), the lot fell on G.O.K to defend him and someone smuggled my name into the defence team and I came face-to-face with the legendary G.O.K. It was one opportunity I grabbed with both hands. The encounter may have exposed me and the legal team which included Chief Ayo Opadokun and many others to the practice world of G.O.K. Characterized by such traits as follows: early to come to the office, disciplined disposition, the professional work rate of the lawyers in his chambers, calm disposition to clients, excellent organisation of his law firm, civil and genial nature, reputation as a team player, deep and vast knowledge of the law, willingness to help and support his subordinates, deep sense of humor and patriotism, the story of his legal exploits and many more as G.O.K. was always willing to share his experiences and knowledge to those of us who looked up to him for guidance in the murky terrain of legal practice.

I recall that in the proceedings that later followed before His Lordship Hon. Justice Rhodes Vivour (now of the Supreme Court), the judge had come in earlier than expected while the defence team was awaiting the arrival of G.O.K who was on his way. The matter was called and I was forced by circumstances to announce appearance for the defence with the intention of yielding the floor to G.O.K. upon his arrival in order to

tap from his wealth of experience. Not long thereafter, G.O.K. walked in and to my surprise, he requested I should carry on with the proceedings. This to me was humility at its best and an indication that G.O.K. was interested in the theory of allowing the young to grow. This was the hallmark of greatness and G.O.K. was definitely a great man.

In subsequent proceedings, I had the honour of watching G.O.K. as he marshaled forensic arguments in defence of the liberty of the accused person, which arguments ultimately resulted in the freedom of Dr. Fredrick Fasheun from captivity. As those present at the proceedings would attest, G.O.K. was in his elements and his advocacy skills was brought to bear to the admiration of all present in the courtroom.

G.O.K saw the courtroom as a theatre and his baritone voice and rich delivery of legal arguments in a professional and methodical manner were his assets. Indeed, his cautious manners and orderly presentation of materials were attributes that every lawyer must aspire to emulate as G.O.K. was certainly a pride to the legal profession.

It was perhaps in reference to these advocacy skills that Professor Akin Oyebode, eminent professor of international law and jurisprudence wrote of him: “…late Ajayi exuded a methodical advocacy, superb intellect and dogged commitment to excellence, “the like of which is uncommon in our environment”.

The former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, also alluded to this trait when he wrote: “G.O.K, as he was fondly called by his admirers and those who knew him, was an advocate indeed. He was debonair, unobtrusive, resilient, principled, courageous and decent. He was a man in whose presence one felt a sense of overwhelming and outstanding knowledge of law...”

What of G.O.K.’s famed generosity? I had the opportunity of witnessing his generosity and hospitality when in the course of other proceedings in which I was also privileged to appear with him and tap from

his wealth of experience, he had graciously extended invitation to me and Barrister Kayode Ajulo for dinner at his Surulere residence. The invitation afforded me the opportunity to marvel at G.O.K’s table manners, (a characteristic that every decent lawyer ought to possess). However, the surprising element of that encounter was G.O.K.’s readiness to play the role of the perfect host as he moved round to ensure everyone at the private dinner was comfortable. It turned out that the chemistry between him and his wife was highly infectious. It was clear that G.O.K. had a home that was peaceful, loving, caring and full of accommodation and compassion. Again, G.O.K. was a great man and a family man who was respected and adored at home.

I also recall G.O.K. mastery of English Language and the excellent manner he organized his works and materials to the delight of everyone. Indeed, G.O.K. was a delight to watch within and outside the courtroom.

G.O.K. was also a humanist and very generous to a fault. I will illustrate this attribute of generosity with two examples.

I recall many cases that he handled probono for worthy causes including funding the trips in pursuit of such cases from his personal pocket. My good friend, Adesina Ogunlana, publisher of the Squib Magazine would recall how G.O.K. stood resolutely in his defence when attempts were made to sanction him because of his principled publications. G.O.K. would have none of that as he stood solidly behind Ogunlana and went as far as defending him before the relevant authorities until justice was done. That was vintage G.O.K. No wonder the legal community and the rest of the society have been paying tributes at his sudden exit.

I mourn the exit of this great jurist called G.O.K. G.O.K.! A lawyer’s lawyer, a gentleman and a fine advocate.

Good night. l Shittu teaches international law and jurisprudence at UNILAG

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Thursday, April 10, 2014

Building bridges of opportunity: 2015 elections and beyond The electoral system in Nigeria has been a source of concern to many legal minds and other informed Nigerians. This, however, informed agitation for a transparent electoral system that would accommodate genuine electoral aspirations, irrespective of gender, sex, party affiliation and financial strength. In this piece, Wole Olanipekun situates electoral justice within the ambits of laws.

Olanipekun, SAN

Preamble et me start by appreciating the organizers of this Conference under the leadership of Honourable Mulikat Akande Adeola, OFR, the House Leader for the peculiar and novel initiative of her group at organizing the Conference which, to my mind, is aimed at strategically placing and situating Nigerian women within the ambits of power and governance in our country, particularly considering the fact that every politician and stakeholder in our democratic governance is now inching towards the starting block in preparation for the 2015 elections. Although the theme of the Conference is “Building Bridges of Opportunity: 2015 Elections and Beyond”, I have been advised by the organizers to create a space within the short time allocated to me to educate female politicians on the provisions and technicalities of the Electoral Act and the overall Electoral Justice System.

Before delving into the nitty-gritty of the topic, the time has come whereby Nigeria and Nigerians have to appreciate that our women can no longer be compartmentalized, restricted or pigeonholed under the present democratic experiment. The entire world is moving and in so doing, women, like men are unhindered in developed countries of the world to aspire to any political height available, without suffering prejudices on the basis of religion, tradition, primordial cultures and environmental nuances.

Chancellor Angela Merkel is the Head of Government in Germany today and there is no gainsaying the fact that Germany is not just a leading world power, but also a foremost world economy. President Dalia Grybauskaite presides over the affairs of Lithuania, while President Atifete Jahjaga is the Head of Government in Kosovo; Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt presides over the affairs of Denmark, while Ema Solberg is the Prime Minister of Norway. Despite its large population and diverse cultures, Argentina has as her Head of Government President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner; Costa Rica is proud to have

L

as her leader President Laura Chinchilla; Trinidad and Tobago has a woman leader in the person of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The Brazilian Government is headed by President Dilma Roussef, while Porha Simpson Miller presides in Jamaica.

The Governor General of Saint Lucia is Governor General Louisy Dame Pearlette, while Antigua and Barbuda has Dame Louis Lake-Tack as her Governor.

That train of women leadership is stopping in some ports and points in Africa.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf made history by becoming the first female President of Liberia. President Joyce Barda is doing very well in Malawi. Her moving speech at Mandela’s burial was the best amongst the funeral eulogies deservedly poured on the late African qua world leader. In nearby Senegal, Prime Minister Aminata Toure is doing the African women proud. In Thailand, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is holding her country together, while South Korea which undoubtedly is among the Asian Tigers is headed by President Park Geunhye. The key to the Central Bank of the world’s strongest economy today is in the hands of Janet Yellen, who is the Head of the United States Federal Reserve.

Senator Hillary Clinton gave President Obama a good and hard run at the Democratic Party primaries in 2008.

She eventually became the American Secretary of State. Margaret Thatcher held sway in Great Britain for 11 years as her First Female Prime Minister. She turned a lot of things around positively in the ancient empire. Despite the religious background of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto successfully contested the Prime Ministership election of that country with men, some of whom can be likened to ‘powers’ and ‘principalities’, and she won. Indira Gandhi of India restored the stability and dignity of the world’s

The time has come whereby Nigeria and Nigerians have to appreciate that our women can no longer be compartmentalized, restricted or pigeon-holed under the present democratic experiment

largest democracy during her days as the Prime Minister of India.

The point being made is that if we are to talk of electoral justice in Nigeria, then there has to be an even-playing ground for all stakeholders, irrespective of sex. I want to believe that some of the problems and challenges facing Nigeria as an emerging democracy might be substantially reduced the day and time we start having women leaders in executive positions, both at the State and Federal levels.

What is electoral Justice?

Justice has been defined as “proper administration of laws. In jurisprudence, the constant and perpetual disposition of legal matters or disputes to render every man his due."

Electoral Justice cannot be different from justice in its core definition. Therefore, electoral justice, as used within the context of this paper and Conference is rooted in justice as universally known and defined.

Be that as it may, my mandate is also to situate electoral justice within the ambits of the laws, and the laws that readily come to mind within this context are the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) (Constitution) and the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) (Electoral Act). Within the large and diverse provisions of both the grundnorm and the enabling Act, I have also been restricted to some specific provisions touching on the technicalities, the legal landmines and, even mischief of the Act itself, its practice and interpretation.

Apart from pre-election proceedings which can originate either from the Federal High Court or the High Court of a State, electoral justice is substantially pursued and attained through an Election Petition. A petition itself is defined as “a formal written request to a court or other official body.” By this definition, an election petition could be defined as a formal complaint of a candidate or his political party (who has lost in an election) against the undue return of another candidate who has been returned as the winner but which return the Petitioner is challenging before an Election Tribunal. Thus, what constitutes an Election Petition is a complaint by the Petitioner against an undue election or return of a successful candidate at the election.

TO BE CONTINUED

Friends, associates honour Akintola at mum's burial CONTINUED F R OM PAGE22

would not find anything. She would have given out everything. She used to say 'oponu ni ika', meaning, the wicked is a foolish one. If he or she knows who would favour him or her, he or she would not act in wicked way. To her, if they call for a mad person or an idiot, it is the wicked one that should answer.

My mum was not materialistic at all.

I got to know that when I built a house for her at Iyaganku in Ibadan, thinking I had put her on top of the world.

I named the house 'Abeje House'. I put in all the facilities, thinking I wanted to impress her. She then started to give me some IMF conditionalities that were practically impossible to meet. She said she needed a shop and I said the area is a GRA and that people don't operate such there. She insisted and eventually I erected a shop for her there. Later, she asked who and how many people would be living in the house with her. I said I had hired a cook, a gardner, a steward and a gateman who would be taking care of her. She then responded, saying, "Se o fee pami ni?" meaning: Do you want to kill me? All these do not impress me. If you want to build a house for me, go and do so among my people in Omi Adio, our country home. That was how we came about 'Iyaniwura House'. My mother's friends are here: they are the Olomi of Omi, my brother, Sule, Chief Amuludun, and so on.

"One day, my mother saw some women going to a party, but she said she couldn't go with them. But she went in and brought out a set of cloth and handed it to a woman. That was how the woman went away with it. It was in my presence. There was a day I came to Omi to kidnap my mum. I used the word 'kidnap' because I came with 12 mobile policemen and three body guards to pick my mother. It was because as at the time I came to pick her, she had eleven children living with her.

Children, who I never knew where they came from. Every week, she would call to say that the month had ended and that I should send money and food to her. Certain month, I said, 'but today is 5th of the month, but she said her own month had ended. I said my people should be delivering two crates of soft drinks to her every two weeks, but three days after, the two crates would have been exhausted. She would have used it to entertain people.

That is my mum for you. I can go on and on and write a book on my mum. I thank God for her life”.

The legal icon then concluded by singing a Christian song which he said was his mother's favourite. It went thus: "Yoo dara fun mi lola Olorun, yoo dara fun mi; Jesu mi lo so bee; Olorun mi lo so bee; Oga Ogo lo wi fun mi bee, wipe yoo dara fun mi".

It will be well with me by God's grace, it will be well with me; It is my Jesus that said so; It is my God who said so; It is the Most High that promised me so that it will be well with me.

BUSINESS THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014

WHAT'S NEWS AfDB, Nigeria in talks over $200m investment The African Development Bank is in talks with Nigerian officials to boost the value of its partial-risk guarantee for power industry investments by $200 million this year.

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‘On-line shopping sites, plus for retailers’ On-line shopping sites are giving retailers an opportunity to outsource the challenges of operating in Nigeria to local companies, Oxford Business Group (OGB) has said.

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SMEs as solution to unemployment in Nigeria NOIPolls has been evaluating opinions of Nigerians on the most important issues that need to be addressed. In the last eight polls over the seven-year period, the results have revealed the top issue for policy focus to be “job creation.”

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e-Commerce as focal point of ICT business growth Nigeria’s telecommunications industry has been performing impressively since government handed off direct investment in the sector in 2001 with the auction of digital mobile licences that brought the likes of MTN, Econet Wireless and Glo into the industry.

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BUSINESS CREW

AYODELE AMINU, Deputy Editor (Business) SIMEON OGOEGBULEM, Dep. Business Editor BAYO AKOMOLAFE, Asst. Editor (Maritime) SUNDAY OJEME, Asst. Editor (Insurance) SIAKA MOMOH, Asst. Editor (Industry/Agric) JONAH IBOMA, ICT Editor DAYO ADEYEMI, Property Editor ADEOLA YUSUF, Energy Editor

CHUKS ONUANYIN, Energy NNAMDI AMADI, Reporter

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AYODELE AMINU, DEPUTY EDITOR, BUSINESS

ayodele.aminu@newtelegraphonline.com ayodeleaminu@yahoo.com

PRESSURE Nigerian crude differentials under pressue as Indian buyers snub market.

Adeola Yusuf

A

round 20 cargoes of Nigerian crude available for May loading are still floating due to a drop in demand for commodity from Nigeria by Indian tenders, May loading schedule has shown.

Nigeria, Africa’s biggest crude exporter, increased crude transaction with India after the United States (US), its hitherto biggest crude importer, cut demand for the country’s crude grade.

The country depends largely on proceeds from crude to service over 85 per cent of its budget.

The May crude loading schedule, however, showed that Nigerian crude differentials have come under pressure as there are not many Indian buying tenders.

This came as Shell declared

L-R: Senior Head of Sales, Doyin Instant Noodles, Mr. Duru Nnamdi; Head of Sales, Mr. Godfrey Ogbitebu; Finance Controller, Mr. Stephen Daramola and Group Audit Manager, Mr. Frank Oludare, at the launch of Doyin Instant Noodles in Lagos.

PHOTO:SULEIMAN HUSAINI

that it was yet to lift the Force Majeure it declared on its Forcados grade.

Around 20 cargoes of Nigerian crude are available for May loading, traders said.

A drop in planned output of North Sea benchmark crude grades in May and disruption to Libyan flows has helped put a floor under the Nigerian market.

There is also lacklustre de-

mand and progress in resolving some of the supply disruptions in Libya.

A contango market structure after next week suggests sluggish demand and potentially adding to supplies, Libya’s Zueitina port prepared on Monday to load crude on tankers after government reached a deal with rebels to reopen four terminals.

“I am surprised it has been

Sales of German equipment to Nigeria, others hit $6bn

S

ales of German-made equipment to Nigeria and other African countries rose to $6 billion in the last one year.

According to a group, VDMA, demand for food and packaging machines as well as construction equipment rose by

11 per cent .

The group added that German engineering firms should be more aggressive in selling equipment to fast-growing markets in Africa rather than leaving the field to Chinese, US, Italian and French rivals.

“There are enormous raw

material and energy discoveries there that allow the Africans to invest in infrastructure, in economic growth,” VDMA President, Reinhold Festge, at the Hannover Messe industrial trade show.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

as strong as it has and I expect differentials to come off,” said a West African crude trader, referring to Nigerian crudes.

Still, Nigerian supply disruptions have also been supporting the market and Shell said on Monday that a force majeure on exports of Forcados crude remained in place.

The Qua Iboe Offered at dated Brent plus $3.00 on Monday and valued at around dated Brent plus $2.70-$2.90. At least five cargoes and as many as seven of the grade are available.

“Differentials might come under pressure as there are not many Indian buying tenders, which often scoop up many Qua cargoes, currently outstanding, a trader told Reuters.

On Forcados, Shell, Reuters reported, said the force majeure on exports was still in place.

On Angola, around six or seven cargoes are still available for May loading, including Cabinda and Girassol, traders said.

Rates Dashboard

DELE ALAO, Brands/Marketing Editor ABDULWAHAB ISA, Finance Editor

www.newtelegraphonline.com/business

Indian buyers' demand for Nigeria's crude drops

WOLE SHADARE, Aviation Editor CHRIS UGWU, Capital Market Editor

NEW TELEGRAPH

STILL ON BLOOMING BIG RETAIL SHOPS

INFLATION RATE February 2014......................7.70% January 2014 .......................8.00% December 2013....................8.00%

LENDING RATE InterBank Rate . . . . . . . . . 10.50% Prime Lending Rate. . . . . 16.93% Maximum Lending Rate..25.83%

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parellel As at April 4)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N172 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N286 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N236

EXCHANGE RATE

(Official As at April 4)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N156.74 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N259.01 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N214.32 Source: CBN

30 BUSINESS | NEWS AGREEMENT African Development Bank has agreed to support Nigeria on eligible projects.

Siaka Momoh

WITH AGENCY REPORT

T

he African Development Bank is in talks with Nigerian officials to boost the value of its partialrisk guarantee for power industry investments by $200 million this year.

An agreement would see the amount from which eligible projects can benefit rise to $380 million from $180 million, Bocar Toure, senior energy economist at the African Development Bank, said in Lagos.

“The partial-risk guarantee is there to enhance the creditworthiness of the bulk trader,” said Toure. “Usually a lot of investors that are hesitant will feel more comfortable with the guarantee.”

Nigeria is building an electricity market after handing over 15 state-owned power utilities to private companies in November. In 2010, it created the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc to act as a clearing house for power generating and distribution companies, which will guarantee all purchases in the market’s transitional phase expected to last five to 10 years, Chief Executive Officer Rumundara Wonodi, said.

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

AfDB, Nigeria in talks over $200m investment

Some of the funds from the AFDB would be used to support the bulk trader and keep the power market afloat, according to Toure.

Power supply shortage is a worrisome problem for manufacturers in Nigeria.

They are forced to generate their own power. For instance, manufacturers who gathered recently at Ikeja, Lagos, cried out against the burden of high cost of manufacturing, saying that 40 per cent of their pro-

duction cost goes into the provision of electricity supply for manufacturing.

They argued: “When you now integrate this into deficiencies in the other infrastructural components, cost of manufacturing in Nigeria gets out of control.”

According to the Chairman, Infrastructure Committee of manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Chairman Electrical/Electronics Sectoral Group of MAN, Reginald

Odiah, in a paper he presented at the 5th Edition of MAN Consultative Forum in Ikeja, electricity power supply is key to the manufacturing sector. He listed four basic components needed to drive productivity in this sector as including funds, labour, electricity power supply and raw materials.

He said that inadequate access to any of these will constrain production in a manufacturing process.

Odiah explained: “However,

Sales of German equipment to Nigeria, others hit $6bn CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

L-R: Representative of the Lagos first Lady, Abisola Oshodi; Chairman of Board of Trustees, Courage Education Foundation (CEF), Pastor Ituah Ighodalo; Project Director, Mrs. Modupe Ajagunna and Vice Chairman, Seyi Akinwumi , at the fund raising ceremony of the foundation in Lagos.

Citigroup to pay $1.13bn for securities claims ABUSE Citigroup and other banks have been accused of abuses in sales of securities.

Bayo Akomolafe

C

itigroup has agreed to pay $1.13 billion to settle claims by investors who demanded that it buy back billions in residential mortgage-backed securities.

The settlement offer, which is subject to approval by the trustees and the court, would release Citi from having to buy back mortgages sold to the trusts.

It was learnt that many big banks, including Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, have been accused of abuses in sales of securities linked to mortgages in the years leading to the 2008 financial crisis.

Already, they have paid hundreds of millions in penalties to settle civil charges brought

by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The bank said that the pact it reached with 18 institutional investors called for Citigroup to make a binding offer to the trustees of 68 Citi-sponsored trusts that bundled some $59.4 billion in home loans into securities from 2005 to 2008.

But it would remain vulnerable to other types of investor claims, including misrepresentations in the offering documents associated with the securities. It

could also face potential actions by regulators.

The agreement does not cover home loans sold through privatelabel securitisation trusts via Citi’s consumer mortgage business.

As part of the settlement, Citigroup has taken a charge of about $100 million for the first quarter.

Shares of Citigroup ended regular trading on Monday down 56 cents, or 1.2 per cent, at $46.55. The stock regained 5 cents in extended trading.

Fish traders fault Agric Ministry over import licence

S

takeholders in the Nigerian fish trading industry have decried the decision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to allocate fish import rights without recourse to the due process.

The traders, under the aegis of Nigeria Fish Traders Association (NFTA) in a Save –our-Soul

poor electricity power supply is the greatest constraint. In 2006, some 850 members of MAN randomly selected were asked to rank the severity of the four basic manufacturing components on their businesses on a scale on 1 to 3 viz No Obstacle, Moderate Obstacle and Major Obstacle.

All of them ranked electricity power supply as their number one problem and a major constraint.”

He noted that over 75 per cent of the electricity power needs of manufacturers are generated in-house. “Only perhaps 25 per cent or so can be said to come from the utility power supply.”

message, noted that the Federal Department of Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture was contravening the laws guiding the operation of their business by allocating import license which is against extant laws.

The statement reads: “Under the current democratic dispensation in Nigeria, no new law

can come into operation without the passing of the Bill by the National Assembly.

“If this is the norm, why then should the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina and the Director of Fisheries, Mrs. Folake Areola, without any laid down and distinct formula, allocate fish import quota

or rights to any company in the country through the Federal Department of Fisheries issuance of letter of clearance for foreign exchange purposes?

“The fisheries letter of clearance for foreign exchange purposes to fish importers registered with it is not an import license for fish."

Festge said that he saw potential for growth in other countries on the continent including Algeria, Nigeria and Kenya as demand for agricultural equipment and machines used for energy production and water treatment grows.

But that was still less than the amount the Netherlands alone spent on German machines and the Netherlands is only the eighth-biggest market for German machinery.

Some German companies shy away from doing business with Africa because trade credit insurers are often not willing to provide cover, Festge said.

“Eighty percent of all VDMA member companies have fewer than 200 employees. We cannot expect that they will go to Africa at their own expense and risk,” Festge said.

The VDMA represents over 3,000 mainly small and medium-sized companies but also large companies such as Siemens, MAN SE and ThyssenKrupp.

According to Reuters, Festge said the trade group was working with the German government to find ways to support companies wanting to invest in Africa.

South Africa is the biggest market in Africa for German engineering companies.

BUSINESS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

31

Consumer retail shop

Still on blooming big retail shops SIAKA MOMOH takes another look at the evergrowing presence of mega retail outlets on Nigeria’s business turf, revealing that three trading platforms - the traditional open markets or street traders, semi-formal modernised markets and Western-style shopping centres or formal retail outlets will co-exist side by side in Nigeria.

F

or those old enough to remember, Nigeria had the likes of Kingsway, Leventis and UTC. These were Nigerian supermarkets of old.

These big consumer retail outlets served the elites - the middle class, the upper rich and a few who wanted to act like them.

Siaka Momoh remembers taking his family to UTC and Kingsway on Marina, Lagos, on weekends, to have a taste of their delicious cuisines and pick up some domestic needs. It was a treat the family still talk about with nostalgia.

A few years down the line, the super shops in question went down, one after the other. They were victims of the economic problems of the 1980s. The Babangida administration’s Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) and the recession that accompanied it combined to kill the middle class then, leaving the country with only the upper rich and the lower poor.

The trend thus led to the growth of the informal retail sector at the expense of big retail stores.

But the trend has since been re-

versed with a growing economy.

The middle class population has increased in size, so has the big retail stores.

This phenomenon at play in the retail sector in Nigeria is not one that is exclusive to our shores. Like any business, retail business has its low and high times. In the US for instance, a large number of local stores and store chains that started between the 1920s and 1950s have become defunct since the late 1960s, when many chains were either consolidated or liquidated. Some have been lost due to mergers. The following is a list of some defunct retailers of the United States: A&N Stores – Army-Navy surplus store that later sold sportswear and footwear, with 48 stores in Virginia, ceased operations in 2008; Anderson-Little – men’s specialty retailer originally associated with a large Massachusetts-based men’s clothing manufacturer; also known as Anderson Little-Richman Brothers, owned for many years

by F. W. Woolworth Company sold to Cliftex Corporation and

incorporated into its Gentlemen’s Wearhouse subsidiary in 1993 - ceased operations in 1997, but was restarted in 2008 by the grandson and great-grandson of the original founder; Harold’s/ Harold Powell – Norman, Oklahoma - declared bankruptcy in 2008.

Nigeria’s super shops are here again, this time as mega consumer shops. They are here big time. It is a global trend that is playing out in tune with the economics on ground. Their movers are taking their strides on the Nigerian attractive business turf with confidence.

Bismark Rewane, CEO of Financial Derivatives Company, revealed at the recent Lagos Business School’s Monthly Breakfast Meeting in Lagos that Nigeria’s retail business has, no doubt, come of age with the country now standing as the second-most attractive destination, the toughest market though.

According to him, there is an increased use of electronic payment systems as cashless policy

In the Lagos metropolis, there is a gradual shift to neighborhood shopping, spurring the opening of a rash of medium size shopping centres

Consumer retail shop

is extended nationwide by May; expected increase in inventory for Easter celebration and the retail sector will benefit from increased election spending.

He said that retail activities grew by 4 per cent, gradually returning to their pre-festive level, saying that fast moving consumer goods sales accounted for 2 per cent whilst white goods had 5 per cent. “Prices of goods also declined as reflected in the lower inflation rate of 7.7 per cent in February from 8 per cent in January 2014. Financial Derivatives Company forecast 7.64 per cent in March,” he said.

Rewane added: “In the Lagos metropolis, there is a gradual shift to neighborhood shopping, spurring the opening of a rash of medium size shopping centres. The weekday/weekend customer traffic is unchanged with Thursday-Sunday having over 80 per cent of the flow. Inventory levels at supermarkets are constant at four weeks stock and cash-to-card ratio in Lagos now at 75:25.

“And e-commerce attracted significant foreign interests.

Jumia and Konga are the main beneficiaries with approximately $50 million invested in 2013. Data from NIBSS show an increase in online payments - from $314 million in 2010 to $630 in 2013. According to A.T. Kearney, Rwanda is the most attractive retail destination with business-friendly policies; Nigeria is the second-most attractive destination but was the toughest

market.”

This, he said, is predicated on opaque regulations and congestion at ports, supporting organised private sectors lamentations on these challenges.

Shoprite, Mega Plaza, Spar CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Fact File For many developing countries, accelerating the transformation of their productive structures is increasingly an integral part of their strategies for achieving inclusive and sustainable development.

This is supported by the fact that almost one-third of manufacturing value added is now created in developing countries, up from under 20% about 15 years ago.

In fact, the real question about industrial policy in the years beyond 2015 is not whether but how it should be practiced to best strengthen the global approach to development.

The African Development Bank is in talks with Nigerian officials to boost the value of its partial-risk guarantee for power industry investments by $200 million this year.

An agreement would see the amount from which eligible projects can benefit rise to $380 million from $180 mil-

32

BUSINESS | INDUSTRY

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Still on booming big retail shops CONTINUED from PAGE 31

‘On-line shopping sites, plus for retailers’ RETAILING What is playing out in Nigeria is not unique to the country; it's a global phenomenon.

Siaka Momoh

O

n-line shopping sites are giving retailers an opportunity to outsource the challenges of operating in Nigeria to local companies, Oxford Business Group (OGB) has said.

The report explained that with the number of internet users in the country, at 43 million in 2012, surpassing South Africa’s total, shopping websites are attracting international investment.

Said the report: “Jumia, the nation’s top e-commerce firm, and JP Morgan, Summit Patners and Millicon, all bought stakes. Jumia is the fourthmost visited local site in Nigeria and continues to post strong month-on-month increases in viewership, according to Tunde Kehinde, managing director of Jumia Nigeria.

“Swedish investment firm, Kinnevik and South Africa Media Company, Naspers own pieces of Konga, the number two site. Founded by Sim Shagaya in July 2012, the company grew from a staff of 20 to 150 in less than a year.”

The payoff in Nigeria, according to the report, has the potential to be huge. “We offer retailers the opportunity to be nationwide from day one,” said Kehinde.

Jumia sells everything from refrigerators to beauty products. In some cases, it is the

sole Nigerian distributor for international companies including English Laundry and Penguin.

Sim Shagaya is founder of Konga.com and DealDey. Konga.com and DealDey.com are two major e-commerce businesses in Nigeria. Sim, former head of Google Africa, as well as vice president, West Africa, Rand Merchant Bank, has 11 years of management and entrepreneurial experience.

E-Commerce, according to Sim, is 20 years old; Konga. com is one and a half year old.

He argued that unlike Amazon.com, the largest books seller in world who does not have books of its own but use suppliers, outsource every job, Konga.com is a retailer and logistics company because of trust problem.

Said he: “We build a technology business, retail business, logistics network - deliver and collect cash.” Nigerians, for him, have commerce running in their blood, citing the example of Jaja of Opobo who was a robust palm oil exporter during the colonial era. He advised we must resurrect Jaja.

He cited the example of Alibaba to illustrate how successful e-commerce can be.

Alibaba Singles Day pulled U.S. $5 billion in merchandise sales in China. And in one year, Alibaba moved U.S. $180

billion merchandise. Sim said that there is so much pent-up demand for selling through the platform.

For Sim, creativity is the most important thing you can do; creativity and innovation are linked. What SMEs should do is to dare to do what nobody has done before. He said 94 per cent of Africans do not know the international brands; that the bestselling brands are cheap brands (that is targeting the bottom of the pyramid group - Bottom of the Pyramid strategy).

In India, every major business has changed its business model to this and volumes have gone up. Bangladesh adopted this model and has emerged a successful economy whilst Pakistan which is doing otherwise has problems, Subhomoy Bhattacharjee, executive editor, Financial Express of India, told some business chieftains and diplomats at an event at the Lagos Business School a few years back.

The Bottom of the Pyramid concept champions new thinking and new ways of doing business in the world’s poor markets.

Sim’s Konga faced fierce competition from Europe whilst trying to build capacity. How did it overcome this?

“We did by investing in people and paying them their wages.”

and Massmart, among others, have come in and have set up shops. Shoprite, the South African giant, plan to set up 700 shops in Nigeria. The leading retailer across Africa and brand of choice for many consumers across the continent first entered Nigeria in December 2005 when it opened a store in The Palms, a shopping mall in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Theirs marked the advent of shopping mall tradition in Nigeria. This mega retailer has since opened a store in Lagos, Abuja, Kwara, Enugu, Kano and another store in Oyo. Apapa and Festac Town, both in Lagos State, will soon have their own mega retailing shops. Ibadan is to have one too soon. The Apapa and Ibadan shops are being sponsored by the Odua Group, while the Festac’s is by UAC. Artee Group, owners of SPAR and Park ‘n’ Shop is planning to open 100 shopping outlets in Nigeria in the next five years.

The proposed outlets will come as hyper format units comprising of between 400-500 shops located within the outlets. In order to actualise this plan, the Artee Group will be investing heavily in real estate through the development of shops and malls for itself and others, said the group’s managing director, Haresh Keswani.

“We are setting up base in Nigeria to work with real estate developers to establish various formats of SPAR outlets and encourage our employees to grow within.”

The Artee Group, according to Haresh, “is also setting up infrastructure to coordinate various smallholder farmers to add value to their products by packaging and supplying their products to our stores. This alone has benefitted the farmers by reducing drastically their losses which occur as a result of poor transportation and lack of suitable packaging. It also benefits the consumers through better pricing. This is a continuous

Artee Group, owners of SPAR and Park ‘n’ Shop is planning to open 100 shopping outlets in Nigeria in the next five years

programme focused on processors, not only our employees, but SMEs who aspire to adopt global standards. We also assist SMEs with loans from banks,” he said.

According to a Euromonitorreport, the Nigerian retail environment achieved considerable growth over a review period.

This, according to the report, can mainly be attributed to the growing Nigerian population, which is generating increasing demand for retailers in the country. It lists other factors as including the growing sophistication of Nigerian consumers, improving economic conditions leading to increasing purchasing power and the activities of both state and the Federal Government to encourage the entry of international retailers.

For Euromonitor, “the retail industry is expected to experience strong and steady growth over the forecast period. The large and growing Nigerian population will provide steady and ever-growing demand for retail products. In addition, the expected expansion and entry of international retailers will continue to drive growth. The increasing rate of urbanisation and the positive economic outlook for the country as a whole are also factors expected to boost the retailing industry in Nigeria.

Euromonitor forecast Euromonitor is right with its prediction that over the forecast period, three trading platforms are expected to co-exist side by side in Nigeria - the traditional open markets or street traders, semi-formal modernised markets and Western-style shopping centres or formal retail outlets. We can see this playing out across the country. In cosmopolitan Lagos for instance, you find the likes of Shoprite, Spars, Park ‘n’ Ride playing side by side with semi-formal modernised neighbourhood shops in duplexes and a host of traditional open markets and street hawkers’ ostensibly in agreement with the hackneyed saying that ‘fingers are not equal.’

There is a unique phenomenon in Festac where very small players – neighbourhood locked up shops, which fetch local governments considerable revenue, killed Federal Housing Authority’s modern supermarkets, most of which have been rescued by churches for worship.

BUSINESS | INDUSTRY

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

SMEs as solution to unemployment in Nigeria (1)

Enterprise Strokes

33

with

Siaka Momoh

siakamomoh@yahoo.com

New technique of doing business (1)

T

here is a new culture of doing business, a culture that has come with the IT economy. Any business that does not key into it will be living in the fool’s paradise. Godfree Parkin of Bizcommunity has a robust treat of this subject. I am moved to share this with you in the next two weeks. He calls it ‘The rise of the responsive enterprise’. I feel like calling it the ‘New technique of doing businesses.

Have a good read: How efficiently does your organisation think? Whether you are a 40,000 employee corporate or a five-person startup, if you cannot sense what is going on in your competitive environment, cannot analyse and interpret that input and cannot make the right decisions or act appropriately in real-time, your enterprise is poorly equipped to thrive in socially networked markets.

Most companies still plan in increments of a whole year, even though competitive environments change exponentially faster. They still organise in hierarchically defined linear silos, even though communication now takes place intuitively in cross-discipline spheres of interest. They still insist on having face-to-face meetings, even though most personal communication is virtual.

Outside the window of the corporate ivory tower, today’s world works in a very different way. 21st century people are quite comfortable with ambiguity, collaborate generously at a distance and multitask efficiently. Customers today are vastly more informed and discerning than customers of last century - and all of them are now connected, sharing experiences and forming collective opinions in real time.

SMEs and their wares

NEED Solution to creating jobs and forging inclusive growth is robust growing and scaling of SMEs. Olanrewaju Oniyitan

Sentient market

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OIPolls has been evaluating opinions of Nigerians on the most important issues that need to be addressed. In the last eight polls over the seven-year period, the results have revealed the top issue for policy focus to be “job creation.” This cannot be overemphasised especially with the unfortunate deaths of about 7-18 youths nationwide (actual number yet to be confirmed) in search of a decent job at the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on Saturday March15, 2014. It was estimated that at least 520,000 youths registered with N1,000 application fees with the hope of getting a position out of the about 5,000 job openings declared by NIS. In all of this, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is predicting Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to grow at 7.3 per cent this year while inflation will continue its downward path to 7 per cent?

Why is job creation still an issue?

The answer: Headline economic growth is not enough. Inclusive growth that meets the expectations of citizens (at all levels)

is needed more than ever before.

From experience, the only way to achieve job creation and inclusive growth is by tapping into the many innovations of the private sector, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). An army of about 50 million SMEs creating about 500 million jobs between 1980 and 2012 led the Chinese economic miracle. However, against international best practices, Nigeria is rated poorly. For Nigeria to sustainably create jobs and forge inclusive growth, the solution is the robust growth and scaling of

From experience, the only way to achieve job creation and inclusive growth is by tapping into the many innovations of the private sector

SMEs. I am burdened when we I read or hear quotes about SMEs from both public and private authorities – “We have about 17 million registered SMEs, and they employ over 32 million Nigerians.”

This is a myth and the following data proves this.

The 182-page Nigerian Bureau of Statistics/Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (NBS/ SMEDAN) 2010 National MSME Collaborative Survey reveals the following: • 17,284,671 MSMEs in Nigeria.

The breakdown shows that micro businesses constitutes about 17,261,753 or 99.87 per cent, the small enterprises accounted for about 21, 264 or 0.12 per cent, while the medium scale enterprises is about 1, 654 or 0.01 per cent. Hence, SMEs are only 22,918 representing 0.13 per cent.

• 32,414,884 employment created

by MSMEs. SMEs created 39,478 jobs representing 0.12 per cent.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

The individual members of your market are now so intimately connected they are, effectively, a single, very intelligent, very powerful thinking entity - a sentient market.

What hope do you have when faced with a market which is all-seeing and all-knowing, which can out-think and out-voice you, in real-time?

If your business strategy and operating processes made sense in the 1990s, and have not evolved much since, chances are they no longer fit your commercial reality. You are particularly at risk if your business mission is still defined in terms of a specific-enabling technology, because the life expectancy of every technology is becoming shorter.

Technologies are not necessarily things that come with ones and zeroes and electricity coursing through them.

The retail store is a technology, as is the mall. The book and the newspaper and the advertisement are technologies. So are hotels, office buildings, supply chains, accounting principles, planning processes and organisational structures.

Every technology-based business is endangered Every technology-based business is endangered. Even Facebook, after making 1,000 young millionaires in its IPO, may implode, if it fails to adapt its revenue-creation processes to the stunning growth of mobile devices.

We all know that mobile will be huge this year, that bandwidth will get faster, access will get cheaper, devices will get smaller, virtual currencies will bloom, the cloud will get bigger, the crowd will get rowdier and every market-dominant business will have to deal with its permutation of the Arab Spring. Reacting to these digital developments piecemeal without a strategy for context is simply inadequate.

The digital imperative is no longer restricted to marketing. If you’re a corporate, you’re staring the socialisation of your enterprise in the face.

34 BUSINESS | INDUSTRY

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Industry in the new global development agenda GROWTH Almost one-third of manufacturing value added is now created in developing countries.

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he Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have been the global benchmark for development progress since their adoption in 2000, but are scheduled to expire in 2015.

Right now, the international development community is considering what happens next.

So far, preparations have included an array of thematic, national and regional consultations, bringing the UN system together with a broad range of development partners; the report of a high-level panel of eminent persons appointed by the UN Secretary-General; intergovernmental discussions on sustainable development arising out of the Rio+20 conference; and countless initiatives from the grassroots up. All of these are aimed at informing the multilateral negotiations kicking off at the UN General Assembly in the fall 2014.

It is no secret that the MDGs, despite their undoubted successes, suffered from shortcomings. In particular, they had little to say about the means by which they should be achieved.

As an organisation dedicated to achieving prosperity through inclusive and sustainable industrial development, it was especially apparent to the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) that this aspect was sadly lacking.

It is ironic that, while in the

1990s industrial development fell out of fashion in the socalled “North” due to the hike in the services sector and the prevailing gospel of Washington Consensus policies, at the very same time industrialisation was slashing poverty rates in East and South Asia. In fact, it is largely through industry that MDG Goal 1 – to halve extreme poverty and hunger – will be met at the global level.

However, things have changed immensely since the turn of the millennium. Preparations for the post-2015 agenda have given the sense that the new goals should be rooted in the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental.

Meanwhile, industrial policy is firmly back on the agenda in countries around the world and at all stages of development.

This stems from the realisation that manufacturing and entrepreneurship are the key drivers to create the growth rates, jobs

and economic structures needed to eradicate poverty and provide sustainable livelihoods for all.

For many developing countries, accelerating the transformation of their productive structures is increasingly an integral part of their strategies for achieving inclusive and sustainable development. This is supported by the fact that almost one-third of manufacturing value added is now created in developing countries, up from under 20 per cent about 15 years ago. In fact, the real question about industrial policy in the years beyond 2015 is not whether but how it should be practiced to best strengthen the global approach to development.

While concrete measures depend very much on countryspecific challenges, endowments and levels of integration in the global economic system, we can see three broad streams of action for countries at different stages of development.

For least-developed countries,

industrial development offers the most promising opportunity for adding value to their natural resource endowments or agricultural produce, hence bringing about the structural transformation that lies at the heart of inclusive and sustainable development.

For middle-income countries, faced with the prospect of being caught in the “middle-income trap” as their cost structures rise but their capacity to produce higher-value products remains constrained, appropriate policy options need to support the upgrading of their manufacturing sectors to maintain their international competitiveness.

Meanwhile, where “developed” countries are concerned, the lasting legacy of the financial crisis highlights the structural problems hindering their recovery, including the dangers of de-industrialisation, which accentuates the relevance and pertinence of industrial policymaking today.

Footwear factory

Innovation: Chinese climate-friendly air-conditioner debuts Siaka Momoh

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lobal use of air-conditioning is rocketing. Many of the world’s fastest growing economies are located in the hottest parts of the world and the need to keep cool has become a priority for people in many countries. In India, for example, sales of air-conditioning units are growing by 20 per cent each year.

With last year’s report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stating that the number, frequency and intensi-

ty of hot days and heat waves are increasing and with entities such as the World Bank warning of a global temperature increase of four degrees Celsius by the end of the century, demand for air-conditioning is only likely to increase.

In this context, a UNIDO demonstration project that has helped convert a production line for residential air conditioners to ozone- and climate-friendly technology has clear relevance and importance.

The production line conversion took place at Midea, a manu-

facturing company that has one of the largest air-conditioner production set-ups in China.

Midea’s main products include residential air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines and compressors. The air conditioner production line converted

by UNIDO has a production output of 200,000 units per year.

Previously, Midea’s airconditioners used HCFC-22, an ozone-depleting substance and greenhouse gas, as refrigerant gas. The production line was converted from HCFC-22 to propane (R-290), a hydrocar-

bon which does not deplete the ozone layer and has a very low global warming potential. Moreover, the new optimised system at Midea has improved energy efficiency by 10-15 per cent, indirectly contributing to the mitigation of climate change.

The conversion at Midea serves as example for many developing countries, opening a new door for further developing South-South cooperation. This experience is proving useful for other UNIDO projects in West Asia (Middle East and Near East), as well as in Africa.

SMEs as solution to unemployment in Nigeria (1) C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2013 has the following statistics: • ILO noted that with 53 per cent of new employment, Nigeria’s informal sector (i.e. micro businesses), constituted by over 17 million businesses, and led the growth in total jobs creation.

• ILO also noted that despite the positive developments in the jobs market, unemployment rate is 24 per cent with youth unemployment accounting for 38 per cent of total unemployment.

The truth about SMEs in Nigeria is that the sector does not currently account for job creation and inclusive growth.

I would like to bring forward another fact worth considering. “Do the over 32 million job opportunities created largely by micro enterprises help to raise incomes, increase living standards and improve lives?”

Wearing my HR practitioner hat and my years of experience recruiting for SMEs, I have consistently surveyed jobseekers about their definition of a job that will improve their lives. From the responses, this is the summary of the definition they provided: • A salary at least three times the National minimum wage • Benefits such as: Health Insurance, Group Life Assurance, Pension and National Housing Scheme • Access to annual leave and leave allowance • Access to training and development • Access to welfare programs • A monthly PAYSLIP that can help them access consumer credit from banks If we review the 32 million jobs created, how many can actually be categorised as a “job” based on this definition? This is the reason over 100,000 youths in Lagos alone will be looking to NIS for a decent job. This is also the reason that ILO launched the global “Decent Work for Youth” campaign. Hence, I have decided to contribute my quota in providing solutions to this situation we have found ourselves in Nigeria.

business

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Nigeria’s ICT sector has been growing impressively in the last decade. However, while telecommunications and the computer hardware sectors have been the main areas of growth, electronic commerce is now making waves. JONAH IBOMA examines the new trend.

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igeria’s telecommunications industry has been performing impressively since government handed off direct investment in the sector in 2001 with the auction of digital mobile licences that brought the likes of MTN, Econet Wireless and Glo into the industry.

The industry has been responsible for the employment of thousands of Nigerians and also helped to facilitate growth of other sectors of the economy. Many companies providing what has become known as valueadded services have also emerged in the landscape and helped to deepen service offerings to Nigerians and people beyond the shores of the country.

However, a major area that telecommunications sector has helped developed is electronic commerce.

Although the e-commerce market in Nigeria is relatively new, it is however growing in fast pace to attract interests of different sectors of the economy. With an estimated growth rate of 25 per cent annually, the sector is said to be worth more than N255 billion yearly.

However, this figure is expected to change rapidly and positively as more customers look towards the internet to find the best deals on products and services.

New developments including investments in telecommunications industry such as the undersea cables bringing excess bandwidth are driving cheaper data prices and increased internet penetration. Also, massive mobile phone penetration with significant growth in the acquisition of smartphones is bound to ensure that the figure remains high.

In fact, online researchers, emarketer.com states that while e-commerce across the rest of the world is growing at 16.8 per cent, Africa’s e-

TECHTalk

W it h

e-Commerce as focal point of ICT business growth

EVC, NCC, Eugene Juwah

Commerce space is growing at a rate of 25.8 per cent – making it the fastest growing in the world. This growth has also been seen as fuelling a massive consumer behavioural change in favour of electronic commerce.

Meanwhile, there are noticeable reasons why this growth has remained constant and may so remain for sometime: Online travel agent, Wakanow says that 15 per cent of its transactions are online using a mobile phone and it is projecting a turnover of US$100 million this year.

Aside, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s cashless economy push which has seen people carry less cash means that electronic commerce has to be embraced. The presence of point of sale terminals (PoS), Web and mobile transaction volumes are on the rise in Nigeria.

There are also partnerships across sectors there were hitherto difficult in the past that are being formed. For instance, it could have been difficult in the past for First Bank of Nigeria to see prospects in partnership with an e-commerce firm, but last year, First Bank linked Medessy Enterprises Limited, owners of online platform, Gidimall.com, to deliver xmas promo proposal to its customers. The initiative tagged buy now, pay later, becomes one of the innovative partnerships between an on-line retail

store and a bank in Nigeria.It allows customers who have salary accounts with FirstBank an opportunity to shop and pay over a period up to 18 months.

The Minister of Communications Mrs. Omobola Johnson, in recognition of the possibilities in the ICT sector, has facilitated the formation of co-creation hubs where social entrepreneurs are co-working for the development of the country.

Other firms such as Rocket has an incubator with a stable of fledgling companies and iROKO has its Spark incubator, where young people are exchanging ideas for economic growth Experts said that with the current development, e-commerce is set to be the next big thing.

According to Russell Southwood, Chief Executive Officer of Balancing Act, a leading Africa technology research firm, Nigeria is on the path of achieving what other countries could not do in the ICT world in the near future, with the rate of current developments.

In fact, following the success of e-commerce, the sector is already attracting significant foreign investments as two of the leading players in the sector, Jumia and Konga received $50 million (N8.25 billion) investments in the last one year.

Data from the official Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlements System (NIBSS) showed an increase in on-line payments from $314 million equivalent in 2010 to $488 million in 2012, and a projected rise to $630 million in 2013.

In March Summit Brothers, a growth equity firm has invested over N6 billion in the Jumia brand across Nigeria, Egypt and Morocco, with

Experts said that with the current development, e-commerce is set to be the next big thing

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

Jonah Iboma 08050498516

ICT and Nigeria’s GDP rebasing

N

Johnson

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igeria’s overtaking of South Africa to become the largest economy on the African continent and 26th largest economy in the world with a gross domestic product (GDP) of almost $509 billion for 2013 is the biggest news in the land in recent days.

Much of this growth is due to the booming telecoms sector, as just over 12 years ago, the country had a paltry 400,000 active phone lines to serve a population of about 120million people. Today, however, there are over 120million lines, majority of which are mobile and this gives the country over 70% mobile penetration rate with further room for growth. In fact, the growth in the telecommunications sector has touched on every other sector in the country.

Nigeria’s telecoms sector is valued at $19 billion and that makes it a significant contributor to the economy.

The IT sector has also seen significant growth with the coming of companies such as Omatek, Zinox and Beta Computers that have played very important roles of providing products that meet local needs and including Nigeria in the global technology revolution.

However, challenges such as infrastructure for the telecoms sector and the huge presence of foreigners in the IT and telecoms sector have the potential to limit Nigerians from getting the full benefits of the growth that is taking place in the sector.

This is a very important issue that the country must consider. A situation whereby positions such as marketing communications and low-level engineering vacancies are taken over by foreigners must be addressed. One of the contradictions of the current economic realities is that there is a huge level of unemployment in Nigeria, especially among youths despite the huge economic growth that has been recorded.

The technology industry has the potential to help address this problem to an extent and government must help in this direction.

Indeed, some experts believe that there is space for further growth in Nigeria’s telecoms sector especially within the data and managed services space.

An industry analyst recently said he “I foresee growth within the small-medium enterprises (SME) market. SME’s will look to expand their use of ICT services, shifting from voice to data and managed services in the next five to ten years or so.”

For this to happen, it means that many young people must be encouraged to acquire technology tools. Even the United Nations special communications agency, ITU, said recently that ICT skills have been identified as an indispensable tool for people to work in the future. So, Nigeria must begin to prepare for this very well.

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business | ICT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Dormant lines: Subscribers complain about regulator's indifference CUSTOMER SERVICE Phone users expect regulator to look into their plight Jonah Iboma

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omplaints by telecommunications subscribers have been mounting about the sudden cessation of services by fixed wireless operators which has left in its trail an increase in the number of dormant business and home lines.

With the inability of the

Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and other national operators like MTN and Glo to provide fixed lines in sufficient quantity in the country, CDMA operators such as Multi-Links, Starcomms, RelTel Wireless, MTS first Wireless, Intercellular and other firms have been filling the void with fixed wireless lines.

However, with increasing operational difficulties, these operators are now almost out of business and the implication is that many subscribers who have been using their services are now faced with the grim reality of having to

replace their phones with other ones for a fault that is not theirs. Today, it is commonplace to find desktop phones of these beleaguered operators lying dormant at homes and offices being used for nothing.

According to Mr. Olufemi Olufowora, a building engineer in Lagos, the suspension of services by CDMA operators have come as a surprise to him, as he did not get any notice from the service provider o regulator that service will be suspended.

“The Starcomms phone that you see in my office is doing nothing and there was no prior information from anybody to

that effect. We just came to the office one day only to find out that our office line is not working any longer and nobody said anything to us about it."

According to him, it is now not possible to reach his office except through the mobile phones of his staff.

Olufowora is not the only one to have laid down such complaints. In some cases, internet dongles of some of these operators also do not function again.

Details by NCC showed CDMA lines have been reducing in numbers consistently in the past few years and despite recent efforts to address the situation, only little has been achieved.

Some industry stakeholders blame NCC for the situation, claiming that a sudden increase in tariff embarked upon by the industry regulator left many CDMA operators dead.

President of National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, blames NCC’s decision on hike tariff of the fixed wireless operators for the current situation that has left many operators out of service.

According to him, in 2006, when NCC increased their tariff of CDMA operators by almost 100 per cent, that sounded the death knell on CDMA. He said that generally, tariff of CDMA is 50 per cent less than GSM worldwide.

The President of the Association of Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, said that the challenges that subscribers are facing with CDMA operators is one of the unfortunate risks of businesses. He however said that there is the need for the industry regulator to work on developing a policy to address such issues henceforth.

Nigerian team reaches Ericsson awards semi-finals

T L-R: Trade Partner, Globacom, Mr. James Bewaji ; Globacom Ambassador, Flavour; National Sales Coordinator, Globacom, Mr. David Maji and Trade Partner, Peter Ojemen at the Glo Partners’ Awards in Lagos.

e-Commerce now focal point of ICT business growth CONTINUED from PAGE 35

new funds tailored for setting up more ventures across the African sub-region.

The move will see the German-based e-commerce startup incubator, Rocket Internet ramp up its operations in some of its emerging markets across Africa including Jumia in Nigeria.

“We seek to invest in companies that build long-term value around the world, and Jumia has established itself as a fast-growing company.

We are pleased to partner its management team,” the Managing Director and Head of the Summit Partners London office, Mr. Scott Collins said in

a statement.

“We are excited to be joined

by Summit Partners, a new investor that shares our aspirations for Africa’s e-commerce, this investment allows us to offer new categories of products, strengthen our operations, deliver to our customers even faster, and recruit the best talent,” a co-founder of Jumia Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Kehinde, said.

While it has been difficult for the companies in the sector to access funds from the local bourse, a report by FBN Capital Limited revealed that Jumia and Konga, its principal competitor, have secured funding from Swedish and South

African sources.

Analysts at FBN Capital noted that the development of e-commerce is an extension of the emerging middle class story, which the portfolio community has embraced.

According to the analysts, “In the public equity space, consumer goods and finance sector stocks have been the main beneficiaries. This is the story of Nigeria joining the somewhat tarnished group of BRICS. We feel that it will ultimately make the grade but not before the elections due in February 2015 and the resulting opportunity to address shortcomings in governance and other areas.

he semi-finalists for the annual Ericsson Application Awards have been announced with Team SOP from Nigeria and Team WorkMode from South Africa emerging in the company category and the student category respectively.

Team SOP developed an application that allows users to receive push notifications on availability and analytics on electricity in their area. This is a first for Africa and will harness the power of big data to make people's lives easier.

Team WorkMode developed an application that empowers workers of tomorrow to manage their time effectively while in and out of the office.

The idea behind WorkMode is to allow employees to see, at aquick glance, the real-time work context of other employees, their tasks and in which context these tasks can be completed.

The two teams from Africa are competing for the first place spot with teams from Germany, India, Bangladesh, Finland, Poland, United States, Macedonia and United Kingdom ShiletsiMakhofane, Head of

Marketing and Strategy Ericsson Sub-Saharan Africa, said, "New behaviours and emerging technologies are changing how the workplace is organised. Young professionals have high expectations to stay connected at work and have different expectations on communication tools and work life in general. These teams have developed applications that have the potential to define our next generation of working life we wish them all the best" The Ericsson Application Awards is an annual competition for application developers organized by Ericsson. The purpose of this year's theme "Working Life" is to promote innovations that will change how businesses are organized, as well as how we organize work, collaborate and share.

The semi-finalist apps will be reviewed by representatives from three to four countries globally and resulting in the selection of the top two finalist teams in each category.

The winning teams will be selected by an international external jury, winning teams; in each category will receive EURO 25,000 in prize money in each category.

business | ICT 37

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

INNOVATION Firms seek additional ways of income from subscribers Stories by Jonah Iboma

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n what shows a gradual change in business strategy, Nigeria’s telecommunications are increasing their focus on providing value added services and this informs the recent decisions to change the staff base, investigations by our correspondent has revealed.

It will be recalled that on Monday, MTN disengaged 252 of its engineers who were responsible for the operation and maintenance of its base stations nationwide.

Prior to the disengagement, the operators had announced plans to outsource the management of their core network operations to other service providers such as Ericsson and Huawei.

They also said that the decision informed the move by two leading telecommunications operators, MTN and Etisalat, to downsize, asking some of their staff to join their contractors.

In November 2013 MTN,

Outsourcing: Telecoms Operators to concentrate on VAS signed managed services contract with global telecommunications solutions providers, Ericsson and Huawei. Under the terms of the contracts, Ericsson and Huawei will take over the management, optimisation and field maintenance of MTN’s network infrastructure in all its operational regions in the country thus allowing MTN to focus on providing a superior customer experience across all its network offerings.

MTN will retain ownership and full control of its network assets and continue to have responsibility for strategic design and planning, as well as equipment purchasing decisions.

Mr. Michael Ikpoki, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria, stated that "this engagement with Ericsson and Huawei is a logical step forward in the course of the steady evolution of the telecommunications industry.”

In February MTN and Ericsson signed a five-year managed services agreement that covers 21 countries in Africa and the

Vodacom taps Intelsat for managed broadband across Africa

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ntelsat and Vodacom have formed a partnership to bring a managed broadband service to sub-Saharan Africa aimed at the small office/home office (SOHO) and small and medium enterprise (SME) users.

Under the agreement, Intelsat will provide Ku-band satellite broadband capacity to Vodacom on Intelsat 28 at 32.8ºE and deliver a fully integrated and managed solution which will enable Vodacom to manage its service platform and determine the service levels while maintaining direct engagement with their SOHO and SME customer base. In addition, the scalability of the platform supports Vodacom’s plan to offer broadband service to millions of potential customers across Africa.

The growth of SMEs in Africa is viewed as a critical component in driving the continent’s further economic development, job creation and increase in GDP. In order to support that growth, SMEs will need consistent broadband connectivity to help ensure that their businesses thrive in an already complex and competitive landscape.

“Our agreement with Intelsat will enable Vodacom to pro-

vide our SME and enterprise customers with high quality, reliable, secure and cost-effective connectivity,” stated Vuyani Jarana, Chief Officer of Vodacom Business.

When the Intelsat 33e satellite enters service, scheduled for 2016, Vodacom will be able to seamlessly access a high performance overlay that will provide additional throughput for its busiest regions. The Intelsat EpicNG open architecture and flexible broadband platform will enable Vodacom to leverage its existing infrastructure and enhance Vodacom’s Satellite Connect (VSC) product line.

This will result in the delivery of more reliable, secure and cost efficient broadband connectivity to the SOHO/SME market across sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania and the DRC. Grant Marais, Intelsat’s Regional Vice President, Africa, stated, “We worked closely with Vodacom to address their future business demands, providing capacity through traditional wide and high-throughput satellite spot beams to locations where our customers need it most.”

Middle East.

Under the contract, Ericsson will assume full responsibility of the management, optimisation and field maintenance of MTN's network infrastructure in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Asaba, which represents 75 percent of the network. With Ericsson taking over the day-to-day operations of the network, MTN is able

to focus even more on its core business; providing a superior customer experience across all its network offerings.

However, as operators have reduced staff strength in network management, they have also come out with new products focused on adding value to subscribers. Last week, Globacom launched 10 new value added services that touched

medicare, road traffic and directory services.

Similarly, MTN has introduced services that touch on personal insurance, health check, and education into the marketplace. This represents a major change in business direction. According to industry watchers, the development, but a gradual plan of providing excellent product offerings for customers.

L–R: Group Head, Strategy & Communications, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Shina Atilola; Guest, Mr. Femi Olubanjo; Managing Director, DGV Academy, Ibadan, Mrs. Ronke Olubanjo and Chief Operating Officer, Bluebird Communications, Mr. Kayode Ebatimehin, at the 2014 ‘Get Ready for Work’ concert organised by Sterling Bank Plc in Ibadan.

Airtel, MTN partner on money transfer

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harti Airtel on Tuesday unveiled a cross-border remittance partnership with MTN Group to facilitate mobile money transfer between the two West African countries of Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.

"The landmark partnership will enable Mobile Money customers of MTN Ivory Coast and Airtel in Burkina Faso to easily transfer money between the neighbouring countries," Bharti Airtel said in a statement.

"Until now, moving money

between the two countries was mired by high fees, high usage of informal channels and a lack of proximity to withdraw money," it added.

Pointing to this first crossborder mobile to mobile remittance service in West Africa, Airtel Money Director, Chidi Okpala, said it was "the first time that two leading providers of mobile money services are cooperating to offer a service.

"With a sizeable community of Burkinabe working in Ivory Coast and sending money back

to their home country, the partnership will greatly enhance the Mobile Money service for customers in both countries," said Pieter Verkade, chief commercial officer, MTN Group.

MTN's mobile money service has nearly 15 million registered users spread over 14 countries, the statement said.

The Central Bank of West African States has supported in enabling the service, especially as it is line with its drive to develop easy financial transactions in the region.

Dell introduces computer for tough jobs

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ell has launched the Latitude 14 Rugged Extreme notebook and the Latitude 12 Rugged Extreme convertible notebook for customers who require powerful solutions that can survive difficult conditions.

The Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme solutions are purposebuilt to withstand hazards such as dust, moisture, drops, vibration, extreme temperatures and other punishing conditions faced by users in fields such as military service, public safety, manufacturing and first re-

sponse.

Kirk Schell, Vice-President, Commercial PCs, client solutions group, Dell said, “With new ground-up design and industryfirst innovations, the Latitude 12 and 14 Rugged Extreme mark the beginning of a renewed and expanded commitment by Dell to the rugged space.

“The Rugged Extreme line is backed by the Latitude promise of reliable, secure and manageable commercial PCs and can move easily from the boardroom to the battlefield or wherever the

job takes you — an assurance unmatched by the competition.”

Latitude Rugged Extreme notebooks are independentlytested to military standards including drops up to six feet, as well as ingress protection, emissions and hazardous materials certifications by a third-party testing facility.1 No single field test accounts for every possible scenario so the Dell Rugged Extreme portfolio is tested above and beyond every existing standard to verify survivability in real world situations.

38 38

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Thursday, April 10, 2014 Monday, February 3, 2014

FEATURES

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ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES EDITOR

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014

One of the burnt houses

Boko Haram: Survivors’ tale of woes As residents of Adamawa State communities, freed from the clutches of terrorists rejoice, the soldiers gallantly fighting the war complain of fatigue and long stay in the heart of the war, reports IBRAHIM ABDUL

T

hey were dozens, mostly dressed in full military fatigue and armed with anti-aircraft guns, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and a fleet of armoured tanks that they probably stole from Nigerian soldiers.

They were Boko Haram members who staged bolder attacks and even overrun federal troops in the NorthEast. But that was before the on-going raids and bombardment by the Nigerian Army.

A Nigerian soldier in the heart of the war against the terrorists, who craved anonymity, said they could not stand the superior fire power of Boko

Haram members.

He said: “They were using anti-aircraft guns while we were using AK47 rifles and some RPGs. “They came in droves, driving about 20 pickup trucks, accompanied by two light armoured tanks, all wearing our military colours, desert-camo (camouflage).

“We had to retreat to our base to reinforce after running out of arms.

But they followed us down there, surrounded our base and began to shell our building.

“We couldn’t stand the heat of their superior fire power. We had to retreat into the village after they killed two of our soldiers and three policemen.

They left with an armoured tank and four military patrol trucks.”

Though peace is now gradually returning courtesy of the special raid operation launched by the Nigerian troops, it will take many years for the communities living around Sambisa, which include Chakawa, Izghe, Fita and Lalakwaya (one of the routes used by the insurgents) to forget the heinous and barbaric acts perpetrated by the terrorists.

In the past month, Boko Haram has carried out several gory attacks on both civilians and soldiers on the major routes and communities.

“We thought they were soldiers because their uniforms, vehicles and guns suggested so,” recalled Mr Bello Dauda, a survivor of the Boko Haram carnage on the road.

He said: “But when they ordered us to come down from the vehicle and began to ask if we are residents of Maiduguri, it immediately dawned on us that we had fallen into the hands of Boko Haram.

“After separating the women and

Our wives thought we were dead when they did not see us return home after nine months and decided to go back to their family houses or to our relations

girls from the group, they ordered the men to run into the bush for our lives.

No sooner had we started running than they opened fire on us. I saw many of my passengers fall after being hit by flying bullets. I kept running until I was out of their range of fire.”

Dauda, who looked dishevelled with tell-tale bruises on his skin and blistered feet, was among a few of the very lucky travellers who escaped the carnage.

A young woman, Na’omi Hyeladi, also recalled her bitter experience.

She was returning to Adamawa from Gwoza, where she and her elder brother, Kwageh, had gone to attend a wedding ceremony, when they encountered gunmen. Hyeladi was lucky but her brother was not.

She said: “When our vehicle was stopped about 6pm and we saw how those ahead were being shot at, Kwageh and I had to run into the bush, but suddenly some uniformed gunmen appeared from the bush and ordered us to go back.

“We had to comply because one CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

40 40 FEATURES

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

A mixed bag of fortune for Adamawa communities CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39

man was pointing a big gun at us. As we were going towards where people were being killed, one of the gunmen dragged Kwageh and put a knife on his neck. Before I could beg them to spare him, my brother was writhing on the floor in a pool of his own blood.”

“Many people died from bullet wounds but several others were killed by something that looked like an electric saw; the moment they put it on a person’s neck, the head will go off,” said a middle aged woman who was spared.

“They asked us to get out of the vehicle and ordered the men to start running into the bush, then they shot at them.

“They were heartless and wicked in the way they took people’s lives. Most of them speak Hausa, some Kanuri but others who don’t look like Nigerians speak some foreign language,” she added.

At the Izghe village, where some soldiers were killed, a victim simply identified as Isa, told journalists how the gunmen attacked and beheaded people in the village.

“The Boko Haram gunmen invaded the town, after attacking the military base on the outskirts of the town. Soldiers ran to us and warned us to run for our dear lives. They said they had run out of ammunition and the terrorists were carrying sophisticated arms.

“No sooner had the soldiers warned us than the Boko Haram gunmen arrived in droves; all dressed in military uniforms and carrying guns. They came in about 30 vehicles. We had to run for our lives. I took refuge inside the dump near the mosque. The gunmen spread out and began to shoot and set houses ablaze. They spent hours.

“We all spent the night inside the bush. In the morning, we found that they had beheaded many people and left with at least many vehicles and a truck filled with food items looted from the shops they also set ablaze.”

Villagers’ jubilation However, as the Special Forces, comprising ground troops and the Air Force fighters, continued to demobilise Sambisa, one of the strongest fortresses of the Boko Haram sect, communities leaving near the forest are beginning to heave a sigh of relief, with many villagers celebrating.

“With this breakthrough by soldiers we are beginning to celebrate. Many of our people were killed by these undesirable elements.

“Those of us who are lucky to escape, have to flee to the neighbouring towns and states, but we thank God for the success being recorded,’’ said Mr Yakubu Dogo, a resident of Lalakwaya, one of the routes used by the insurgents.

Another villager who returned from Sambisa area said that many of the insurgents’ camps were destroyed with their operational tools.

He said: “I am confident that in no

Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako,sympathising with victims in Shuwa

Some of the captured terrorists being interrogated

I saw many of my passengers fall after being hit by flying bullets. I kept running until I was out of their range of fire distance future peace will return to our villages, though it will take time to redeem the lost glory.

“We thank God for the breakthrough achieved by the Nigerian troops.”

A member of the Civilian JTF, who is assisting security operatives in the operation, confirmed the capture of many Boko Haram camps.

The Civilian JTF member, who craved anonymity, said that several terrorists who were wounded in the military raids were arrested and had made useful confessional statements.

The source said that some of the wounded terrorists, who were captured near Lake Chad, were pleading for mercy and were cooperating with interrogators from the Multi-National Joint Task Force.

He said that some of the insurgents were captured by troops around Dikwa,

Cross Kauwa, Kukawa and Alargarmo.

The source added that the captives revealed during interrogation that some of the camps were disbanded as the sect could no longer sustain the operation.

He said: “In their confessions, it was revealed that some of the camps have been disbanded following the directive of their clerics who declared that the operation of the sect had come to an end as the mission could no longer be sustained.

“The captured terrorists, who are giving useful information as to the locations of their remnant forces, are full of apologies and pleas for their lives to be spared, promising to cooperate.”

Another source also disclosed that the captured insurgents complained of starvation and the frequency of bombardments as some of the major problems which affected them.

It was learnt that the soldiers, who carried out the operation, were shocked by the volume of arms and ammunition and hundreds of operational vehicles that they captured at the camp.

A source put the number of vehicles captured from the insurgents at 700 while several members of the sect were arrested.

Soldiers’ disenchantment While communities are celebrating, some of the soldiers battling insurgents are kicking against the military authorities’ decision to keep them in the war front beyond the officially stated time.

The soldiers, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, said that they had stayed beyond their regular period of deployment and implored their superiors to adhere to the routine troop rotation.

Many of the disenchanted soldiers in the operations in Borno and Adamawa states, who said they had spent over two years instead of the approved six months, called on the concerned authority to come to their aid.

“We have been in this operation for almost two years, since our return from Liberia, and we were supposed to be here for six months. You journalists are supposed to beam this to the world that troops are made to suffer unnecessarily even though funds are being released for their welfare.

“Unlike before, our allowances are being short-changed, instead of the complete N30,000 monthly allowance that we used to get, they have reduced it to N15,000. We have not seen our wives for nearly two years,” said one disgruntled soldier manning a checkpoint in one of the border towns.

Investigation revealed that in Yobe and Borno states, many of the soldiers had been there in the last two years, several months before the state of emergency declaration in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

“It is commonplace for the military, both in Nigeria and globally, to rotate troops based on approved schedule for specific missions,’’ said a top retired military brass.

Another soldier, at a different checkpoint, said due to the prolonged stay in the state, some of their wives had relocated to join their relations and families.

He said: “Our wives thought we were dead when they did not see us return home after nine months and decided to go back to their family houses or to our relations.

“You, the media, are our hope. When you speak through your medium the world would know how we are faring.

But, I tell you it is not palatable at all.”

Efforts to get the Defence Headquarters spokesman, Chris Olukolade, to respond to the soldiers’ complaints were futile as he did not pick his calls.

But Olukolade was once quoted as saying that the military authorities could keep the soldiers there for as long as they deemed fit.

“What determines whether they have overstayed? Posting of a soldier is tenure bound.

“Yes, there ought to be rotation of troops but that is determined by the exigency of the operation,” he said.

F

HEALTH THURSday, April 10, 2014

keep dengue at bay

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www.newtelegraphonline.com/health

appolonia adeyemi appolonia.adeyemi@newtelegraphonline.com appoloniaadeyemi@gmail.com

Preventing cancer with foods A new global cancer report compiled by the United Nations Agency, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) shows that there were an estimated 8.2 million deaths from cancer in 2012. This figure is forecast to rise by 75 percent and reach close to 25 million over the next two decades. Considering the huge cost of cancer treatment and management, using healthy diet to check cancer is key to prevent unnecessary deaths, reports APPOLONIA ADEYEMI

T

he admission of experts said healthy foods can prevent cancer. It is Uche Aladinma however important to (not real name) know what is in foods to the University of Lagos last that can prevent cancers a year, to study law as these aid cooking patGreen te was a welcome detern, preservation patvelopment for his tern, consumption pattern aged parents whose and other factors so that desire is to send their the maximum benefits of the foods can be obtained. only son to a higher educational institution. Sadly, their joy According to a Public Health Rewas short-lived. Shortly after resuming searcher and Biochemist, Funmilola studies, 19-year-old Uche persistently James, Tomatoes help prevent prostate showed signs of illness and was even- cancer. "The agent in Tomato that has tually diagnosed with nose cancer. His this preventive property is lycopene and vitamin c and parents could not afford the high cost of radiotherapy treatment which oncolo- they are easily degists at the Lagos stroyed by heat.

University "Also, if a Teaching Hos- man eats tomapital (LUTH) toes that have prescribed to mould, that save him. Six is aflatoxin, a Beans months later, risk factor for he died from cancer of the Garlic complications stomach and liver, is introduced into the body. from cancer.

Every year, mil- Hence, James who is programme officer lions of preventable premature deaths of Breast Without Spot ( BWS), recomcaused by cancer are recorded in the mended that people should be educated country. On February 4, 2014, World about specific details of what, how, Cancer Day, the Chief Executive where and when of these Officer, Union for International foods."

Cancer Control (UICC), Cary According to medical Adams called on governments Groundnuts experts, although, there worldwide to stop these needis no known cause of less deaths. cancer, free radicals in According to him, practical the body increase one's solutions to reduce premature chance to get cancer. It has been said that if we deaths from cancer must have prevention as their cornerstone. have no free radicals, we One of these measures is using have no cancer mostly. healthy diet to prevent cancer.

However, an important antioxiThis strategy is in line with the nine dant produced naturally Cabbages World Cancer Declaration targets issued in the body, gluthain 2013 by the World Health Assembly. thione helps fight Target three of the declarations states: free radicals.

"Global tobacco consumption, overAntioxidants weight and obesity, unhealthy diet, al- are chemicohol intake, and levels of physical activ- cal that interity, as well as exposure to other known act with and cancer risk factors will have fallen sig- neutralise free nificantly” by 2025.. radicals, thus preKeying into Target three, medical venting them from

causing damage.

James said this awesome antioxidant is made by amino acids, Yams including 'cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine, it is helpful to take foods rich in cysteine, which is a sulphur-rich amino acid.

What are these foods that are rich in sulphur? Examples are eggs, onions and garlic.

"There are however some plant version of gluthathione that help to replenish the body supply. They are found in foods like cabbage, green tea, broccoli, cauliflower and cruciferous vegetables that have leaves like the crucifix. Also, there is said to be gluthathione in avocado, water melon, grapefruit and spinach.

There are other antioxidants- selenium, vitamin C, vitamin A (beta-carotone), vitamin E (this is actually a fat and is found in oil) and lycopene.

What are the foods that have these antioxidants? Fruits and vegetables mostly have them.

Vitamin C is par ticularly said to be higher in pepper than in orange.

Onions However, vitamin C is easily destroyed by heat;

Stop taking sugar-laden drinks and alcohol. Go for water, reduce unhealthy fat and salt intake. Use palm oil and boil your food rather than fry it

hence foods containing it should be eaten raw to get the maximum dose of the vitamin C. Also, vitamin C is not stored in the body, hence, a daily intake of vegetables and fruits will be very necessary.

Similarly, James said vitamin E is in nuts and seeds. Groundnuts, peanut, butter and margarine (low cholesterol and fat would be a better option here though)..

“Beta-carotene is what gives most fruits and vegetables their red/orange bright colours. So, fruits with such colours are high in beta-carotene. They include watermelon, cantaloupe melon, chili pepper, mangoes, carrots, potatoes, spinach, though is not orange Avocados in colour because green chlorophyll masks the orange colour”.

Similarly, selenium is a mineral and is needed in minute quantity in the body. (it is a trace element).

Furthermore, garlic, nuts, meat, eggs, seafoods and wholegrains have selenium. Although, the soil these foods are planted on determines how much selenium they will have. But since selenium is needed in small quantity, James said one can get enough from eating any combination of these.

According to the public health researcher, soursop helps prevent or curb cancer. “This is still back to the amount of anti oxidant it has. It is said to have a very high amount of antioxidant-Vitamin C (or Ascorbic acid).”

In his contribution, a Professor of Radiology at University of Nigera, Enugu and University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ifeoma Okoye condemned eating of western-styled junk food, saying they contribute to rising cancer burden.

C O N T I N U E D on PA G E 4 4

42 HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Dengue haemorrhagic fever: Important tips with Dr. Ihuoma Uko-Ndukwe

ada.ndukwe@yahoo.com

Do you experience a dysfunction?

E

Mosquito

PREVENTION Ensure environmental sanitation, reduce mosquito-human contact and eliminate mosquito vectors Obinna Odoh Abuja

D

engue haemorrhagic fever is a deadly sickness which can easily kill and it is caused by a virus named dengue fever virus.

Dengue virus can be transmitted through mosquitoes known as Aedes albopictus and these mosquitoes are mostly found in urban and semi urban areas.

Last week there was a great deal of fear throughout Nigeria over a sudden death of a student from Nassawa State, which many attributed the cause to Ebola fever which is currently prevalent in Central and East Africa countries of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Mali but a report from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) quickly confirmed it was dengue fever and not ebola fever.

According to the Special Assistant to the Minister of Health, Mr. Dan Nwomeh “Dengue fever outbreak has claimed only one life in Nassawa State and the FMOH has responded promptly, putting the situation under control. ”

Dengue fever is an acute illness with symptoms such as headache, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen nodes and rashes.

At the onset of the disease, it mimics malaria and often diagnosed as malaria.

Other signs of dengue fever include bleeding gums, bloody diarrhea, bleeding from the nose and severe pain behind the eyes, red palms and soles.

Dengue haemorrhagic fever is prevalent only in the northern Nigeria according to a report issued by FMOH. Professor Abdulsalami Nasidi, managing director of Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, identified dirty environment and mosquito bite as the risk factors. He said that the prevention of dengue haemorrhagic fever is similar to the prevention of malaria.

“It is therefore very important to give environmental sanitation and mosquito bite control a high priority to reduce mosquito-human contact and also eliminate mosquitoes that are the vectors of the dengue fever virus” stated Prof.

Nasidi.

Laboratory test should be conducted immediately any of these symptoms is seen in a patient and such person should report to the nearest health facility including general hospital, a teaching hospital, etc, where non-specific and symptomatic drugs against this disease have been supplied.

Fear over polio outbreak in Jigawa Dahiru Suleiman Dutse

T

here are concerns over possible outbreak of polio in Ringim in Jigawa State.

Four children from the family of Malam Hamidan Yahya were reportedly affected.

Yahya told NT Health that it started with symptoms of high fever.

He added that the children were rushed to Ringim General Hospital where medical personnel took samples of their faeces for examination.

Investigation in the area showed that the outbreak might not be unconnected with

poor attitude of some parents to immunisation. When contacted, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tafida Abubakar, denied any outbreak of polio in Ringim, saying that the children only had high fever.

He said: “The situation in Ringim could not be directly linked with polio until stool of the affected children is thoroughly investigated under certain medical examinations.”

The commissioner, however, said medical experts had been deployed in the area.

About 1.5 million children were covered by polio vaccination across state, going by statistics released by the Ministry of Health.

rectile dysfunction (ED) which is one of the most common sexual problems in men can be described as inability to achieve or maintain an erection enough for sexual satisfaction. Occurrence of this condition increases with age and high incidence of this condition is recorded more in men over 60 years old. However, erectile dysfunction is being increasingly seen in men between the ages of 35 to 60 years due to various reasons.

It often causes significant negative impact on quality of life, self esteem and intimate relationships, resulting in men seeking medical advice they will otherwise not seek and most will rather deal with it than seek help. A normal sexual erectile arousal response is a combination activities of the nerves, body chemicals and muscles responses, all integrating into physiologic stimuli of the penis with sexual perception and desire. In some of the signs, problems with erection can be seen in the form of frequency and duration of erection, partial or complete lack of rigidity (and absence of morning or nocturnal erection), libido difficulties, no orgasm or decreased quality of orgasm, decreased ejaculate volume and painful sexual intercourse.

Some of the risk factors that might lead to or affect sexual function are advancing age, high blood pressure effect of blood vessels, some medications including high blood pressure medications, anti depression medications, obesity and lack of exercise (sedentary) lifestyle.

Others are smoking, illicit drug use like cocaine, methamphamine, alcohol abuse, diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, heart disease, some pelvic surgery and some neurological or psychological conditions such as anxiety, history of sexual abuse and marital conflicts.

If the answers to at least two of the following questions are yes, then one might be

First line therapy is life style modifications with diet changes and regular exercise (150mins/week) of moderate intensity, removal of negative psychosocial factors with behavioural changes and stress management

looking at having some sexual dysfunctions.

1. How do you rate your ability to have and keep an erection?

2. When you have erections with stimulation, how often were your erections hard enough for penetration?

3. How difficult was it for you to maintain that erection after penetration?

4. How difficult do you maintain the erection to the completion of the sexual activity?

5. How satisfied were you after the activity?

There are about five different types of ED, mostly from organic causes 80 percent of the time.

Vascular erectile dysfunction is when there are problems with adequate blood supply to the vessels of the muscles that respond to stimulation/arousal.

Neurogenic ED is when the nerves that help initiate and keep erection is not functioning well, which can affect people with a long history of uncontrolled diabetes.

Anatomic dysfunction is due to improper formation of the penile structure before birth. Hormonal and psychogenic dysfunction can start suddenly in some men and affects men under age 40.

Sometimes, one cannot have or maintain an erection with steady partner, especially in strained relationships but will have an erection with another person he is lusting for. In psychogenic dysfunctions, morning and nocturnal erections are still very possible. Treatments can vary but the most important approach is proper management of chronic illnesses like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity, among others.

First line therapy for ED is life style modifications with diet changes and regular exercise (150mins/week) of moderate intensity, removal of negative psychosocial factors with behavioural changes and stress management.

Medications under the care of a doctor can also be used to help widen the blood vessels to the penis to increase blood supply to the area to help initiate and maintain erection. Similarly, hormonal replacement can be used in hypogonodal cases.

In more serious cases, there might some surgical intervention requiring the implantation of a device or pump by a certified doctor to help in both penile size as well as initiating and maintaining erection.

Do you have questions on health issues?

You may ask Dr. Uko –Ndukwe. e-mail your concerns to: okondo11@gmail.com

HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

43

Vector-borne diseases kill Nigerians REJECTION Stop risky traditional practices and adopt simple hygienic measures, govt advises Obinna Odoh Abuja

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he Federal Government, on Tuesday in Abuja, flagged off the distribution of drugs aimed at fighting vector-borne diseases to federal and state government-owned hospitals and their collaborating partners across the country.

The drugs are targeted at combating the ravages of vector-borne diseases like lassa fever, rabies and snake bites. While flagging off the ceremony as part of activities to mark the 2014 World Health Day (WHD), commemorated on April 7, the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu described the distribution of the drugs “as a practical demonstration of government’s commitment in the fight against vector-borne diseases and other public health challenges”.

Chukwu regretted that though, vector-borne diseases are preventable, “these diseases exert the biggest impact on our population, impoverishing, disabling and even killing people.”

The minister noted that apart from public health interventions initiated by relevant institutions, individuals and the community have a role to play in the fight against these diseases.

Chukwu therefore canvassed for the abandonment of “some traditional practices that promote the spread of these vector-borne diseases”, stressing the need for individuals to assume re-

Bisola Tiamiyu

N

ational Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) has rejected the appointment of the two medical and dental practitioners as the minister of health and minister of state for health, calling the appointments lopsided.

National President of NUAHP, Felix Olukayode Faniran who rejected the ap-

lAs FG begins distribution of drugs sponsibility for their personal hygiene and the management of the environment in such a manner that would reduce man-vector contact.

According to the minister, some of the traditional practices that should be done away with include staying late in the open or sleeping outside without clothes or insecticide treated nets, poor handling of dogs to clean-up faeces from children’s bodies, and consumption of unwholesome food and water, wading through water.

Others are infested with water snails, blockage of drainage channels with refuse and co-habiting with animals and livestock. He noted that currently, the bad news is there are no effective vaccines against most of these diseases. The good news, however, is that “we can protect ourselves by taking simple measures that in-

clude sleeping inside insecticidal treated nets, wearing a long-

sleeved shirts and trousers where possible and using insect repellents to avoid exposure to some of these vectors such as flies and bugs, and maintaining best sanitation and hygiene practices”.

In his remarks, the World Health

The natal multimammate mouse) is the natural reservoir of the Lassa fever virus

Organisation Representative to Nigeria, Dr. Rui Gama Vaz regretted the high impact of vector-borne diseases in Africa.

Nestle advocates water conservation

C

hief Executive Officer and Chairman, Nestlé Waters, Mr. Marcos Settembri has advocated the need for everyone to actively engage in the conservation and preservation of fresh water resources.

Settembri spoke during the World Water Day, marked by Nestlé Waters in furtherance of her commitment towards promoting healthy hydration and water conservation in Nigeria.

Celebrated every year on March 22, World Water Day is an occasion for many Nestlé Waters markets across the world to

mobilise and help raise awareness about water conservation and healthy hydration.

The event which took place at the Nestlé Waters Factory in Agbara brought together 100 pupils from schools in Mushin and Oshodi-Isolo Local Government areas. The schools chosen have also been adopted for the implementation of Water Education for Teachers which was launched in October 2012. Currently, a total of 25 schools, 87 teachers and 3,124 students have been benefitting from this project. The project will further expand to two more local gov-

ernments in Lagos and will be launched in Osun State later in the year.

The high point of the programme was a tour of Agbara Nestle Factory by the school pupils and their teachers, during which they observed production processes at the plant. Speaking at the occasion, Adewale Ojo, Country Business Manager, Nestlé Waters said, “2014 is the fifth consecutive year that our company is celebrating World Water Day on a global scale: 30 countries, over 15,000 children and around 500 employees are involved behind this common motto: Together for Water!”

NUAHP kicks as doctors lead Health Ministry lLaunches new name to promote unity pointment said both ministers from the same constituency will not represent the interest of other health workers.

Faniran spoke in Lagos at the weekend at the launch of the new name of the union, NUAHP which was formerly

L-R: National Auditor, Tajudeen Oyetunji; National General Secretary, Obinna Ogbonna; National President, Felix Olukayode Faniran; and National Vice President, Isaac Utenoh, all executives of NAUHP at the press conference announcing the launch of the new name in Lagos

called the Nigerian Union of Pharmacists, Medical laboratory Technologists and Professionals Allied to Medicine (NUPMTPAM).

Even though the medical and dental practitioners represent only 10 percent of the health workforce, he noted that other health workers under the umbrella of the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) represent 90 percent of the health sector. NUAHP is an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and member of JOHESU. Similarly, Faniran called for a speedy review of the Consolidated Health Salary Scale (CONHESS) with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), saying the ‘process continues to be enmeshed in delay tactics and other avoidable bottlenecks’ In addition, in line with earlier calls

by JOHESU and AHPA, Fanira urged

President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure an equitable representation of the health sector in the ongoing National Conference.

Ceremonies to launch the NUAHP include a road walk by members of the union to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja on Thursday and a Conference with the theme, “Allied Health Professionals As Agent of Change in Health & Social Care” held at the Adeyemi Bero Hall, Alausa, Ikeja Lagos last Friday.

According to Faniran, the name change became necessary following protracted disagreements over the old chosen name among the various separate unions that constituted NUPMTPAM and the series of crises they generated.

In his remark, Lagos State Chairman of NUAHP, C.I.S. Ugboajah said “this name relaunch to us is rebranding our product ‘the union.'

44 HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Devcoms tasks policy makers on maternal health

E

xperts have lamented the negative attitudes of Nigerian leaders, saying their commitment towards improvement of maternal health does not guarantee the much anticipated reduction in maternal deaths.

With 630 maternal deaths currently recorded in every 100,000 live births, the World Bank ranks Nigeria 9th worst country in the world to carry pregnancy. This is drawn from a World Bank data gathered for 10 years from 1990 to 2010.

These are contained in a statement issued by Development Communications (DevComs) Network to mark the 2014 International Women Day with the theme, “Inspiring Change”.

According the release, the Advocacy Advisor, Nigerian

Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI), Mrs. Charity Ibeawuchi called on the public, especially women, media and civil society groups to speak up on reduction of maternal deaths.

According to her more women will be saved if more actions are taken by the policy makers to increase health budget and infrastructure to create women friendly policies and make maternal health services absolutely free for all women in Nigeria.

She also blamed maternal deaths on illiteracy and poverty both of which Ibeawuchi described as chief among the social factors responsible for low access to maternal health care and facilities.

Furthermore, Ibeawuchi said family planning (FP) can

reduce maternal mortality by 30 percent if utilised appropriately. “There is a need for women to take positive steps to limit and space child births, as a way of reducing maternal mortality and advancing women’s and family health.”

Nigeria’s budget in 2013 was 9.4 percent less than the recommended rate agreed upon during the Abuja declaration hosted on Nigeria’s soil. The country’s health budget during the period was 5.6 percent as against the recommended 15 percent suggested by the African Leaders.

The result is a slow progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals 4, 5 and 6.

While MDG 4 is aimed to reduce child mortality by 2015, 5 would improve maternal health. On its part, MDG 6 is

aimed to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

In September 2000, Nigeria along with over 188 other countries vowed to reduce by half its maternal mortality rate by the year 2015.

Similarly, in April 2001, hAccording to the Devcoms statement, this year’s international women’s day presented an op-

Nigerian becomes first African member of the International Academy of Astronautics Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

A

n Owerri-based physician and scientist, Prince Philip Njemanze MD has become the first Nigerian and first African member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) in the field of medicine.

According to a statement made available to New Telegraph NT Health, Njemanze who is the Chairman, International Institutes of Advanced Research and Training, Chidicon Medical Center in Owerri, Imo state, was honoured as the IAA newly elected Academician recently in Paris, in an elaborate event attended by leading scientists and politicians from around the world.

Njemanze was the first neuroscientist in the world to L-R: Chairman, International Institute of Advanced Research & Training, Dr. Philip Njemanze; Secretary General IAA, Dr. postulate the ‘Light Theory of Jean-Michel Contant; and Director General, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Nigeria, Dr. Saidu Brain Asymmetry’, that has Mohammed at the induction ceremony in Paris, France been described as the ‘Theory

‘Health insurance industry poorly understood’ Obinna Odoh Abuja

F

ormer Acting Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Abdurrahman Sambo has said the health insurance industry is poorly understood around the country.

To this end, Sambo who along with five general managers of the Scheme, recently disengaged from the organisation on the successful completion of their assignment, advised the new management of the NHIS to step up awareness so as to broaden public understanding and generate patronage.

He made this call at the send forth dinner organised in his

honour and five other general managers of the NHIS. Also, speaking at the occasion, the new Executive Secretary, NHIS, Dr. Femi Thomas said the NHIS is realigning for greater impact through a reform agenda which includes the present restructuring of the Scheme from its original seven departments to twelve.

The newly created Marketing Department is another strategic plan aimed to reposition the organisation for the benefit of Nigerians, he said.

Thomas commended the outgoings officers for using their opportunity at NHIS to build a solid foundation upon which all other industry players have continued to build, to stabilise and

strengthen the Scheme for the effective discharge of its statutory role in the society.

He urged the retiring general managers to continue to defend their own labour, by supporting the Scheme always, noting that the knowledge they have acquired over the years will be required by the organisation from time to time, as it presses forward to meet the expectations of Nigerians.

In his remark, the Chairman of the NHIS Governing Council, Dr. Shem Nuhu Zagbayi urged the outgoing officers to continue to exploit their Godgiven talents and knowledge for the improvement of millions of Nigerians who cannot afford qualitative healthcare.

portunity for women to inspire change within their purview.

“There can be no supply without a demand. Health workers, government officials, policy makers and other stakeholders need to be held accountable and responsible for the maternal health services rendered in any cadre of health facilities."

of Everything about Brain Function’ that includes the discovery that human general intelligence, facial processing and colour processing are located in the right brain in men but in the left brain in women. He also postulated the theory of language localisation in the human brain as well as the function of human consciousness on earth and in space microgravity.

In 1995, Njemanze was part of the Mission to Space project called Neurolab, a mission to study the brain in space mandated by the United States Congress. In 2006, he hosted in Owerri, the International Conference on Mission to Mars, drawing scientists from across the world to study how the human brain will adapt to the Mission to Mars.

The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) is the UNESCO body of all Space Agencies, with only about 60 inducted members worldwide.

Facts on cancer-preventing foods C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4 1

"There are a lot of foods that are laden with preservatives, additives and over processed food that we load in our bodies.

"Our animal husbandry and our food processing practices - the pre-production practices, the fertilisers es Tomato used, the insecticides a n d chemicals that are being used

in our foods, in our poultry, among others, are contributing to global cancer burden."

According to Okoye one of the actions taken to check unhealthy diet among Africans is the World Health Organisation (WHO) intervention which called on developing nations including Nigeria to go back to their local foods.

The professor of radiology advised Nigerians to stop taking sugar laden drinks and alcohol. "Go for water, reduce unhealthy fat and salt intake. Use palm oil and boil your food rather than fry it."

METRO 45

April 10­, 2014

uts illegal orphanage, rescues five children Robbers finger soldier

ffice of Developos State onment Enforceued five egal or-

f Mercy y Centre, ge, Alagwas also approval ment beme. ed were of one to aregiver

Some of the rescued children

lory Ebnd when the or-

nd on the ly taken hat they stody of

en were wner. hat the ister orears ago r which he home. at she apernment ecember ed down t the retion. ad been s before n, an act

The shut orphanage

the government declared illegal as one could not operate an orphanage without being registered.

Meanwhile, he caregiver was later released after the owner’s husband, Mr Ebenezer, showed

Man remanded for murder

Muhammad Bashir Lokoja

A

up at the task force headquarters at Alausa.

The husband was also released on bail as the offence is said to be bailable.

Confirming the arrest, the Special Adviser to the Gover-

Magistrates’ Court in Lokoja yesterday remanded a 30-yearold man, Ezikiel Okpe, in prison custody, for alleged culpable homicide contrary to Section 221 of the Penal Code Law.

The Chief Magistrate, Levi Nda Animoku, said the accused should be remanded in the Ankpa Prison.

Okpe of Onole-Ugo village in Olamaboro Local Government was said to have murdered one Ochenemi Alfa

Tunde Arowobusoye for burial

T

he rites of passage will begin today for Mr. Tunde Komolafe Arowobusoye, who died on Sunday March 30, as he was preparing for church service.

Christian wake will hold at 5.30pm today at the hall of the First African Church Mission, Christ Church Cathedral, Oyingbo (opposite Oyingbo main market).

Tomorrow, the lying-

nor on Youth and Social Development, Dr Dolapo Badru, vowed to prosecute the operators of illegal orphanages in the state.

Badru added that government had carried out surveillance on most of the unregistered orphanage homes.

He said: “We got there and rescued the children and locked up the place and we are going to prosecute them in the court. We want to know how they came about the children and their history. It is illegal to keep children when they are not yours without informing the government.”

According to Badru, it is not impossible that some illegal orphanages sell babies as they are not being monitored by government.

“Some of them think that because they are registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), they don’t need to register with us when they operate orphanage homes. Some of them even say they have a calling from God to operate orphanages. They should desist from such act when not registered.

“If they have calling from God to operate an orphanage, they should come to the government and we will give them the requirement to operate. There must be regulation in this sense as intended operators must have the infrastructure in place. It is like when you want to operate a school, you must register.”

in-state will hold at 9am at the same church. It will be followed by a funeral service by 11am at the auditorium of the cathedral.

Interment will also take place the same day at the Atan Cemetery.

The deceased, born on June 25, 1959 to the Komolafe Arowobusoye of Ijebu-Ijesa in Osun State, is survived by his wife, Keji, son,

Oladimeji, and daughters, Aramide and Oluwatosin.

The late Arowobusoye

on March 26, at a stream in the village.

The prosecutor, Corporal Ganagawa Tuesday, told the court that one Eleojo Abel reported at the police station that on March 23, her younger brother, Ochenemi Alfa, went to the stream to wash clothes but later saw people running back home from the stream.

The prosecutor said when Abel got there to see what was happening, she saw the accused attacking her brother, twisting and pressing his head inside the stream until he died.

He added that investigation into the matter led to the arrest of the accused.

According to the prosecutor, the offence is not bailable and it is punishable by death.

He urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody and applied for a date for further mention.

After remanding the accused, Animoku transferred the case to the Ankpa Chief Magistrates’ Court.

as gang’s driver Juliana Francis

A

soldier is fighting hard to convince the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos, that he was not one of robbery gang members who fingered him as their driver.

The suspect, Lance Corporal Zakaria Saleh, was nailed after some of the suspects arrested

by SARS operatives, mentioned his name as their member.

Saleh, who is attached to 135 Artillery Battalion, Abeokuta, 73 NA, was handed over to military police yesterday for orderly room trial, after which he would be returned to SARS for further investigation.

The suspects alleged that Saleh has been operating with them for over a year now.

But the soldier has denied being a member of the gang, but could not convince SARS men, who arrested him at a filling station in Mowe-Ibafo, Ogun State, after he responded to phone call from one of the robbers, that there was going to be an operation.

“One of the gang members, Adejino Isiaka, called him on phone and told him that there would be operation that day. He told Saleh to meet him at a filling station in Ibafo. In less than

two hours, Saleh was there. He said he had never set eyes on any of the robbers, but he could not explain how the gang members knew his name and phone number and why he rushed to the venue Isiaka suggested,” a police source said.

Isiaka told the police that Saleh was the one who used to make their robbery operations successful. He said that once they were going for operation, Saleh would wear his military uniform, making it easy for the gang to sail through security check points.

According to him, most times, Saleh would drive or sit in front, where he would be sighted by security agents.

Investigators have also discovered that the soldier was reduced from the rank of a sergeant to lance corporal over a crime he committed three years ago. Saleh has refused to open up on the alleged crime.

Building his own defence, Saleh said that although he was not a member of the gang, he used to sell stolen cars for the robbers.

He claimed that when he asked them where they got the cars from, they told him that they had brothers residing in Benin Republic.

Court refuses four robbery suspects bail Camillus Nnaji

A

n Ikeja Magistrates’ Court yesterday ordered that Michael Joseph (22), Peter Musa (26), Samuel Anongo (25) and Ndubisi Levi (27) to be remanded in prison without option of bail.

The prosecutor, Inspector Edet Okoi, told the court presided over by Mrs M. I. Dan Oni, that the accused had on March 28, armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, invaded House 13, Zina Estate, Aja, being premises of Edem Hotel in Lagos.

The charge sheet reads: “You did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit armed robbery thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 5(b) and punishable under Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery And Fire Arms Special Provision Act, Caption 398 Vol XXVI of

Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Okoi explained that the suspects robbed four people in their hotel rooms during the operation.

He said the suspects robbed one Mercy Michael of her blackberry worth N85,000, robbed one Timi Imelekedi of his blackberry phone Bold 2, valued at N75,000, four laptops valued at N500,000 and cash of N20,000.

According to him, the suspects also robbed one Nimi Peregba of a Nokia phone valued at N16,000 and cash of N20,000, while they took from Sunday Peter lodging in the same hotel two Ipad phones valued at N210,000 and two laptops valued N200,000.

Throwing out their bail application, the magistrate ordered the accused to be remanded in prison till next adjourned date of May 16.

46 BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

9-Apr-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.

Bonds

FGN Bonds Issuer

Rating/Agency

NA

NA

Description 9.20 29-JUN-2014 9.25 28-SEP-2014 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

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

29-Jun-07 28-Sep-07 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

9.20 9.25 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

45.00 100.00 535.00 327.47 452.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 50.00 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Rating/Agency

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

0.22 0.47 1.04 2.35 3.05 3.30 3.39 4.14 5.22 5.54 7.80 9.93 14.64 15.12 15.62 16.29

12.66 13.37 13.85 13.49 13.51 13.40 13.40 13.41 13.51 13.42 13.46 13.62 13.49 13.48 13.48 13.52

11.98 13.03 13.68 13.41 13.39 13.27 13.28 13.31 13.43 13.33 13.40 13.56 13.45 13.43 13.41 13.47

99.18 98.17 90.76 99.10 103.85 90.74 89.22 91.55 109.05 75.44 113.85 103.10 109.48 93.62 67.87 77.00

99.33 98.32 90.91 99.25 104.15 91.04 89.52 91.85 109.35 75.74 114.15 103.40 109.78 93.92 68.17 77.30

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

29-Jun-14 28-Sep-14 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

4,132.04 Issuer

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

Price

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

***LCRM

Description

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Issue Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00 0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

978.35 24.56 6.00 112.22 116.70 66.49

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.56 1.12 1.61 2.67 3.03 3.24

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 1.00

14.51 16.45 15.93 15.44 14.88 14.40

92.48 83.71 101.82 91.40 88.60 87.12

05-Aug-14 15-Oct-14 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 30-Sep-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.32 0.52 1.39 1.00 1.29 1.30 3.03 1.86 3.73 2.70 4.49 2.70 2.70 3.28 3.35 5.62 3.32 4.03 6.64 4.04 4.07

4.88 5.99 4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 7.60 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 1.21 1.00 2.46 1.94 2.74 2.74 1.00 1.44 1.95

17.86 19.47 18.17 17.09 18.23 17.24 18.98 21.18 15.19 15.23 14.42 14.43 14.64 14.40 15.86 15.36 16.14 16.15 14.41 14.85 15.36

98.68 97.42 93.25 96.51 95.47 98.37 80.00 89.23 96.63 97.48 98.64 100.32 108.23 100.31 99.16 96.78 96.68 96.09 96.14 105.43 105.09

07-Oct-14 18-Dec-14 31-Dec-14 17-Aug-15 09-Dec-15 06-Jan-16 29-Sep-16 25-Oct-16 30-Sep-17 30-Nov-17 09-Apr-18 09-Sep-18 09-Sep-18 22-Sep-18 18-Oct-18 17-Feb-19 14-Nov-20

0.50 0.69 0.73 0.88 0.95 1.04 2.47 2.55 3.48 2.09 2.50 2.42 2.42 4.46 2.27 2.61 6.60

1.00 5.21 8.71 4.88 1.00 2.63 1.00 1.34 4.52 1.88 3.48 5.20 5.06 3.06 2.29 6.11 2.76

14.45 18.83 22.36 18.64 14.83 16.48 14.46 14.79 17.92 15.40 16.94 18.67 18.53 16.48 15.78 19.55 16.17

98.63 96.61 96.47 93.42 97.67 98.05 97.04 98.86 87.65 105.66 98.23 98.97 101.88 92.37 100.00 95.38 96.29

11-Feb-18

3.84

1.00

14.41

87.87

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

1,304.32

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil 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 A-/GCR

KWARA NIGER KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN *OSUN LAGOS *EKITI *NASARAWA

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 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 30-SEP-2020 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

05-Aug-09 15-Oct-09 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 30-Sep-13 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14

14.00 14.00 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 14.50 15.00

17.00 6.00 8.50 16.50 13.00 18.50 57.00 50.00 25.00 50.00 9.00 20.00 12.00 27.00 20.00 80.00 30.00 11.40 87.00 5.00 5.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

567.90

Corporate Bonds A+/Agusto; AA/GCR Aa/Agusto Nil Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto BB+/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR A-/Agusto A/GCR BBB-/GCR BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR A/Agusto; A/GCR Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

UBA *LA CASERA # *CHELLARAMS NAHCO

11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017 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 14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

IFC

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

LAFARGE WAPCO GTB µ NGC *UPDC *FLOURMILLS *CHELLARAMS NAHCO FSDH UBA *C & I LEASING *DANA# *TOWER# *TOWER#

07-Oct-11 18-Dec-09 01-Apr-10 17-Aug-10 09-Dec-10 06-Jan-11 29-Sep-11 25-Oct-13 30-Sep-10 30-Nov-12 09-Apr-11 09-Sep-11 09-Sep-11 22-Sep-11 18-Oct-13 17-Feb-12 14-Nov-13

11.50 13.50 17.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 13.00 14.25 13.00 18.00 16.00 18.00 16.00 14.00 15.75 17.00 15.25

11.80 13.17 2.00 15.00 37.50 1.50 15.00 5.53 20.00 0.94 8.01 3.63 1.00 35.00 3.00 0.54 2.05

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

175.67

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Rating/Agency

12.00 Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Issue Value ($'mm)

Maturity Date

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

5.34

5.19

107.94

108.83

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

18-Dec-09

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.41

4.21

102.73

103.51

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

01-Apr-10

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.77

5.64

104.27

105.20

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

FGN

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

Corporate Eurobonds Afren PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

3.75

3.25

113.34

114.27

GTBank PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

5.33

4.51

104.24

105.92

GTBank PLC II

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.14

5.84

99.46

100.61

B+/S&P

Access Bank PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

7.02

6.46

100.66

102.29

B/S&P; B/Fitch

Fidelity Bank PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

8.42

7.94

94.75

96.36

B/Fitch

Afren PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

5.10

4.71

114.23

115.05

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

First Bank PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.15

6.71

103.99

105.67

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

Afren PLC III

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

6.25

5.98

101.47

102.56

B-/S&P; B/Fitch B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

2,960.00

**Treasury Bills DTM 8 15 29 36 43 50 57 71

FIXINGS Maturity 17-Apr-14 24-Apr-14 8-May-14 15-May-14 22-May-14 29-May-14 5-Jun-14 19-Jun-14

Bid Discount (%) 11.50 11.70 11.90 11.75 12.00 12.00 12.10 12.05

Offer Discount (%) 11.25 11.45 11.65 11.50 11.75 11.75 11.85 11.80

Bid Yield (%) 11.53 11.76 12.01 11.89 12.17 12.20 12.33 12.34

Tenor CALL 7 DAYS 30 DAYS 60 DAYS 90 DAYS 180 DAYS 365 DAYS

NIBOR

Money Market Rate (%) 15.5417 15.7500 16.1250 16.3750 16.6250 16.9167 17.2917

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

14.83

Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

O/N

15.33

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

162.83 163.53 163.79 164.37 165.58 166.82

162.93 163.80 164.16 165.09 166.95 168.80

Tenor Call 1M

REPO

Rate (%) 10.33 11.08

FMBN

NA

***LCRM

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

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 6.00 112.22 116.70 66.49

24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

1.12 1.61 2.67 3.03 3.24

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 1.00

16.45 15.93 15.44 14.88 14.40

83.71 101.82 91.40 88.60 87.12

1,304.32

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto KWARA A-/GCR NIGER A+/Agusto KADUNA Thursday, April 10, 2014*EBONYI A/Agusto Nil *BENUE A+/Agusto *IMO A+/Agusto; A+/GCR LAGOS A-/Agusto *BAYELSA A/Agusto EDO A+/Agusto; A+/GCR *DELTA A-/Agusto; A-/GCR NIGER A/Agusto; A-/GCR† *EKITI A-/Agusto *NIGER A/Agusto; A-/GCR *ONDO A/Agusto; A-/GCR *GOMBE Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS A/Agusto; A-/GCR *OSUN A/Agusto *OSUN Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS A/Agusto *EKITI A-/GCR *NASARAWA Sanctity of Truth

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 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 NSE-ASI grew by 135.90 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGERto III 12-DEC-2018 points, close at 39,017.66 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 points from the 38,881.76 points 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOSon 22-NOV-2019 recorded Tuesday.

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 The market capitalisation 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020 appreciated

by N82.12 billion to 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 close at N12.53 trillion as against 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

05-Aug-09 14.00 15-Oct-09 14.00 31-Aug-10 12.50 30-Sep-10 13.00 30-Jun-11 14.00 30-Jun-09 15.50 19-Apr-10 10.00 30-Jun-10 13.75 30-Dec-10 14.00 30-Sep-11 14.00 04-Oct-11 14.00 09-Dec-11 to close at N1,182.1014.50 per share.

12-Dec-13 14.00 Forte Oil followed with N5.10 to 14-Feb-12 15.50 close02-Oct-12 at N111.30 per 15.50 share while 22-Nov-12 14.50 Cadbury gained N3.55 to close at 12-Dec-12 14.75 N74.75 per share.

30-Sep-13 14.75 UACN 27-Nov-13rose by N2.17 13.50 to close 31-Dec-13 14.50 at N57.08, while Presco gained 06-Jan-14 15.00

17.00 05-Aug-14 0.32 6.00 15-Oct-14 0.52 8.50 31-Aug-15 1.39 16.50 30-Sep-15 1.00 13.00 30-Jun-16 1.29 18.50 30-Jun-16 1.30 57.00 19-Apr-17 3.03 50.00 30-Jun-17 1.86 25.00 31-Dec-17 3.73 50.00 30-Sep-18 2.70 9.00 04-Oct-18 4.49 20.00 09-Dec-18 N4.31 billion 2.70 lion shares worth 12.00 12-Dec-18 2.70 were traded by investors in 27.00 14-Feb-19 3.28 4,248 deals compared to 354.03 20.00 02-Oct-19 3.35 80.00 22-Nov-19 5.62 million shares valued at N4.88 30.00 12-Dec-19 3.32 billion achieved in 4,533 deals 11.40 30-Sep-20 4.03 on Tuesday .

87.00 27-Nov-20 6.64 5.00 31-Dec-20 4.04 FBN Holdings emerged as 5.00 06-Jan-21 4.07

4.88 17.86 98.68 5.99 19.47 97.42 4.44 18.17 93.25 3.23 17.09 96.51 4.46 18.23 95.47 3.48 17.24 98.37 5.59 18.98 80.00 7.60 21.18 89.23 1.79 15.19 96.63 1.80 15.23 97.48 1.00 14.42 98.64 1.00 chart 14.43 100.32 tivity with an exchange 14.64 of1.21 47.77 million shares108.23 valued 1.00 14.40 100.31 N353.52 million, while Zenith 2.46 15.86 99.16 1.94 sold 46.79 15.36 million 96.78 Bank shares 2.74 16.14 96.68 worth N1.03 billion.

2.74 16.15 96.09 Transnational Corporation 1.00 14.41 96.14 105.43 of1.44 Nigeria 14.85 (TCN) recorded a 1.95 15.36 105.09

BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

47

Stock market sustains positive trajectory BULLISH

Stock market sustains upward trends

Chris Ugwu

T

he Nigerian equities market continued its general Corporate Bonds northwards price moveA+/Agusto; AA/GCR LAFARGE WAPCO ment as investors sentiAa/Agusto GTB Nil ment on equitiesµNGC remained Bbb-/Agusto *UPDC green following a 0.35 per cent A-/Agusto *FLOURMILLS gains recorded by the twin marBB+/GCR *CHELLARAMS A+/Agusto; A-/GCRNSE All NAHCO ket indices, Share InA-/Agusto FSDH dex and Market Capitalisation.

A/GCR UBA TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

BBB-/GCR

*C & I LEASING *DANA#

the N12.49 trillion achieved on Tuesday.

The appreciation was on the 11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014 back of price gains by some 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 blue chip companies. A break10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 down of the 9-DEC-2015 price movement 12.00 FLOURMILLS 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 chart indicated that Nestle 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 has continued to led the gain14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 ers’ as it gained N22.10 13.00chart UBA 30-SEP-2017 18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018 MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

N0.90 to close at N41 per share. the most traded equity, account567.90 On the other side, Total Ni- ing for 61.32 million shares geria led the losers11.50 chart with 11.80 worth N760.03 million. Access 07-Oct-11 07-Oct-14 0.50 N9.07 to close at N172.38 per Bank came second on the 18-Dec-09 13.50 13.17 18-Dec-14 0.69ac01-Apr-10 17.00 31-Dec-14 0.73 share.

Guinness Nigeria lost 2.00 17-Aug-10 10.00 15.00 17-Aug-15 0.88 N6.99 to close at N188, while Ju09-Dec-10 12.00 37.50 09-Dec-15 0.95 lius 06-Jan-11 Berger dipped 14.00

by N2.35 to 1.50 06-Jan-16 1.04 13.00 15.00 29-Sep-16 2.47 close29-Sep-11 at N68.50 per share.

25-Oct-13 14.25 5.53 25-Oct-16 2.55 In30-Sep-10 all, a total of 13.00 290.97 mil- 20.00 30-Sep-17 3.48

BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR A/Agusto; A/GCR

#

*TOWER *TOWER#

18.00

0.94

30-Nov-17

2.09

09-Apr-11 09-Sep-11 09-Sep-11 22-Sep-11

16.00 18.00 16.00 14.00

8.01 3.63 1.00 35.00

09-Apr-18

2.50 2.42 2.42 4.46 recorded

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

Chris Ugwu09-Sep-18

Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

*LA CASERA # *CHELLARAMS NAHCO

Chris Ugwu TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Supranational Bond

T

he London Stock AAA/S&P IFCExchange

hasOUTSTANDING lauded theVALUE successful TOTAL

dual listing of Seplant PeRating/Agency Issuer troleum Development Company in both London Stock ExFGN Eurobonds change and the Nigeria Stock BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P Exhange.

BB-/Fitch; FGN Head of Primary Markets BB-/S&P BB-/Fitch; for Africa, London Stock ExBB-/S&P change, Mr. Ibukun Adebayo TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE said that the successful comCorporate of Eurobonds pletion its simultaneous B-/S&P; B/Fitch Afren PLC I IPO in London and Lagos GTBank PLC I B+/S&P; was a B+/Fitch demonstration of how GTBank PLC II London Stock Exchange B+/S&P Access Bankand PLC B/S&P; B/Fitch Bank PLC the Nigerian StockFidelity Exchange

could complement 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 each other in financing Nigerian industry and infrastructure.

“AIFC London 10.20 11-FEB-2018listing ensures that Nigerian companies have access to the world’s largest Description pool of international equity capital and to the world’s marquee investors while a Nige6.75 JAN 28, 2021 rian listing ensures that all 5.13 JUL 12, 2018 available domestic funds are tapped and 6.38 Nigerian JUL 12, 2023citizens are provided the opportunity to participate in the wealth that is created by the develop11.50 FEB 01, 2016 ment of their country’s natu7.50 MAY 19, 2016 ral resources,” Adebayo said.

6.00 NOV 08, 2018 Seplat’s global offer 7.25 JUL 25, 2017 raised $ 09, 2018 capital500m giving6.88 it aMAY market

09-Sep-18

S

22-Sep-18 kye Bank Plc has 18-Oct-13 15.75 3.00 a 27 per18-Oct-18 cent growth 2.27 in its 17-Feb-12 17.00 0.54 17-Feb-19 2.61 isation of $1.91b.

Conditional profit after tax (PAT) for 14-Nov-13 15.25 2.05 14-Nov-20 6.60the trading of its shares begins 175.67 financial year ended December in London yesterday. Formal 31, 2013. admission audited year end 11-Feb-13 and unconditional 10.20 12.00In its 2013 11-Feb-18 3.84 trading is expected on April 14 . 12.00 released to the Nigerian Stock Seplat is the sixth oil & gas Exchange (NSE), PAT went up Issue Date Coupon (%) operIssue Value ($'mm) Maturity Date Yield (%) explorer with significant from N12.644 billion inBid2012 to ations in Nigeria on London’s N16.023 billion in the review markets. It will be the first period of 2013.

07-Oct-11 6.75 500.00 28-Jan-21 5.34 Nigeria registered company However, profit before tax 18-Dec-09 4.41per to list its shares on5.13London’s 500.00 (PBT) grew 12-Jul-18 slightly by 3.8 Main Market. cent as the Nigerian bank 01-Apr-10 6.38 500.00 12-Jul-23 5.77 Overall, there are nine Ni- 1,500.00 posted N17.136 billion in 2013 geria-focused companies on audited year end compared to London’s markets. Three of N16.510 billion recorded in 2012.

01-Feb-11 11.50 450.00 01-Feb-16 3.75 them are banks that have listGross earnings dropped to 19-May-11 7.50 500.00 19-May-16 5.33 ed Global Depository Receipts 0.3 per cent as Skye Bank de08-Nov-13 6.00 400.00 08-Nov-18 6.14 (GDRs) in London 7.25 (GT Bank, 350.00 clared N127.340 billion in7.02 2013 25-Jul-12 25-Jul-17 09-May-13 Bank, Zenith).

6.88 300.00 8.42 in Diamond compared to02-May-18 N127.730 billion

.....as conditional trading on the shares begins UBA

8.71 4.88 1.00 2.63 1.00 1.34

22.36 18.64 14.83 16.48 14.46 14.79

96.47 93.42 97.67 98.05 97.04 98.86

4.52 1.88

17.92 15.40

87.65 105.66

Skye Bank grows profit by 27 per cent in 2013

30-Nov-12

LSE lauds dual listing of Seplant

turnover of 17.40 million, valued at N63.24 million, while UBA accounts for 11.1498.63 million 1.00 14.45 shares worth N78.87 million.

5.21 18.83 96.61

3.48 98.23 the previous16.94 year.

5.20 18.67 98.97 Commenting on the compa5.06 18.53 101.88 3.06 performance, 16.48 92.37Manny’s Group 2.29 15.78 100.00 aging Director/Chief Execu6.11 19.55 95.38 tive Officer (GMD/CEO) of the 2.76 16.17 96.29 bank, Mr. Kehinde DurosinmiEtti, said in a year beset with various regulatory headwinds 1.00 14.41 87.87 on the backdrop of monetary policy tightening and its attenOffer Yield (%) Bid Price Offer Price dant impact on liquidity , cost, fees and overall earnings, the Prices & Yields bank’s results showed positive 5.19 107.94 108.83 growth on all performance in4.21 102.73 103.51 dices.

“Having recorded gross 104.27 5.64 105.20earnings of N127.340 billion, we grew our interest income by four per cent year-on-year, from N101 bil3.25 113.34 114.27 lion to N105.3 billion, while our 4.51 104.24 105.92 interest expense reduced by 23 5.84 99.46 100.61 per billion 6.46cent to close 100.66 at N43.6 102.29 7.94 N56.5 billion."

94.75 96.36 from

B/Fitch

Afren PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

5.10

4.71

114.23

115.05

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

First Bank PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.15

6.71

103.99

105.67

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

Afren PLC III

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

6.25

5.98

101.47

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

2,960.00

102.56 9-Apr-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 **Treasury FIXINGS Money Market the FMDQ Bills OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement.

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) DTM 8 FGN Bonds15 29 36 Rating/Agency 43 50 57 71 78 85 92 99 106 113 NA 120 127 134 148 239 274 288 302 316 330

Maturity 17-Apr-14 24-Apr-14 8-May-14 15-May-14 Issuer 22-May-14 29-May-14 5-Jun-14 19-Jun-14 26-Jun-14 3-Jul-14 10-Jul-14 17-Jul-14 24-Jul-14 31-Jul-14 NA 7-Aug-14 14-Aug-14 21-Aug-14 4-Sep-14 4-Dec-14 8-Jan-15 22-Jan-15 5-Feb-15 19-Feb-15 5-Mar-15

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Bid Discount (%) 11.50 11.70 11.90 11.75 Description 12.00 12.00 9.20 29-JUN-2014 12.10 12.05 9.25 28-SEP-2014 12.15 4.00 23-APR-2015 12.35 13.05 16-AUG-2016 12.15 15.10 27-APR-2017 12.80 9.85 27-JUL-2017 12.60 9.35 31-AUG-2017 12.80 10.70 30-MAY-2018 12.20 16.00 29-JUN-2019 12.60 7.00 23-OCT-2019 12.20 16.39 27-JAN-2022 12.60 14.20 14-MAR-2024 12.55 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.75 12.49 22-MAY-2029 12.70 8.50 20-NOV-2029 12.65 12.65 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.65

Offer Discount (%) 11.25 11.45 11.65 11.50 Issue Date 11.75 11.75 29-Jun-07 11.85 11.80 28-Sep-07 11.90 23-Apr-10 12.10 16-Aug-13 11.90 27-Apr-12 12.55 27-Jul-07 12.35 31-Aug-07 12.55 30-May-08 11.95 29-Jun-12 12.35 23-Oct-09 11.95 27-Jan-12 12.35 14-Mar-14 12.30 28-Nov-08 12.50 22-May-09 12.45 20-Nov-09 12.40 12.40 23-Jul-10 12.40

*from the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration Description #

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Risk Premium is a combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums **Exclusive of non-trading t.bills

Agency Bonds

AMCON NA

FMBN ***LCRM

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Modified Duration Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil 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

Buckets

KWARA <3 NIGER 3<5 KADUNA >5 *EBONYI Market *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017 Porfolio Market Value(Bn)

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 794.76 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 1,066.19 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 455.51 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 2,316.46 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

Total Outstanding Volume(Bn)

780.27 951.30 591.57 2,323.14

Bid Yield (%) 11.53 11.76 12.01 11.89 Coupon 12.17 (%) 12.20 9.20 12.33 12.34 9.25 12.47 4.00 12.72 13.05 12.53 15.10 13.26 9.85 13.08 9.35 13.33 10.70 12.71 16.00 13.18 7.00 12.77 16.39 13.28 14.20 13.67 15.00 14.10 12.49 14.11 8.50 14.13 14.21 10.00 14.28

Bonds Tenor

NIBOR

Rate (%) CALL 15.5417 7 DAYS 15.7500 30 DAYS 16.1250 Outstanding Value Maturity 60 DAYS 16.3750Date (N'bn) 90 DAYS 16.6250 29-Jun-14 18045.00 DAYS 16.9167 365100.00 DAYS 17.2917 28-Sep-14 535.00 23-Apr-15 327.47 16-Aug-16 NITTY 452.80 27-Apr-17 Tenor Rate (%) 20.00 27-Jul-17 1M 11.9121 100.00 31-Aug-17 2M 12.3555 300.00 30-May-18 3M 12.6425 351.30 29-Jun-19 6M 13.6226 233.90 23-Oct-19 9M 14.0711 600.00 27-Jan-22 12M 14.6913 50.00 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 150.00 22-May-29 NIFEX 200.00 20-Nov-29 Current Price ($/N) 591.57 23-Jul-30 BID($/N) 163.3500 4,132.04 OFFER ($/N) 163.4500

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00 0.00 17.25 FMDQ0.00/16.00 FGN BOND 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

Weighting by Outstanding Vol

05-Aug-09 33.59 15-Oct-09 40.95 31-Aug-10 25.46 30-Sep-10 100.00 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 30-Sep-13

Weighting by Mkt Value

14.0034.31 14.00 46.03 12.50 19.66 13.00 100.00 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

Issue Value (N'bn)

978.35 24.56 6.00 INDEX 112.22 116.70 66.49

1,304.32

Bucket Weighting

17.00 6.00 8.50 16.50 13.00 18.50 57.00 50.00 25.00 50.00 9.00 20.00 12.00 27.00 20.00 80.00 30.00 11.40

0.34 0.41 0.25 1.00

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

14.83

Tenor

Spot 7D Offer Yield REPO Bid Yield (%) TTM (Yrs) 14D (%) Tenor Rate (%) 1M 0.22 12.66 11.98 Call 10.33 2M 1M 11.08 3M 0.47 13.37 13.03 3M 12.08 6M 1.04 13.85 13.68 6M 12.42 1Y 2.35 13.49 13.41 3.05 13.51 13.39 3.30 13.40 13.27 NOTE: 3.39 13.40 13.28 :Benchmarks 4.14 13.41 13.31 * :Amortising Bond 5.22 13.51 13.43 µ :Convertible Bond 5.54 13.42 13.33 AMCON: Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria 7.80 13.46 13.40 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria 9.93 13.62 13.56 FMBN: Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria 14.64 Finance Corporation 13.49 13.45 IFC: International 15.12 13.48 13.43 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables Management 15.62 Aviation Handling 13.48 Company 13.41 NAHCO: Nigerian NGC: Nigeria-German Company 16.29 13.52 13.47 UBA: United Bank for Africa UPDC: UAC Property Development Company WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company O/N

15.33

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Price

162.83 162.93 163.53 163.80 Offer Price Bid Price 163.79 164.16 164.37 165.09 99.18 99.33 165.58 166.95 166.82 168.80 98.17 98.32 170.49 174.74 90.76 90.91 177.54 186.71 99.10 99.25 103.85 104.15 90.74 91.04 89.22 89.52 NA :Not Applicable 91.55 91.85 # :Floating Rate Bond 109.05 109.35 ***: Deferred coupon bonds 75.44 75.74 †: Bond113.85 rating expired 114.15 103.10 103.40 109.48 109.78 93.62 93.92 67.87 68.17 77.00 77.30

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.56 1.12 1.61 2.67 3.03 3.24

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 1.00

14.51 16.45 15.93 15.44 14.88 14.40

92.48 83.71 101.82 91.40 88.60 87.12

% Exposure_ Mod_Duration

05-Aug-14 17.46 15-Oct-14 40.84 31-Aug-15 41.70 30-Sep-15 100.00 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 30-Sep-20

Implied Yield

0.32 13.50 0.52 13.47 1.39 13.52 1.00 13.50 1.29 1.30 3.03 1.86 3.73 2.70 4.49 2.70 2.70 3.28 3.35 5.62 3.32 4.03

Implied Portfolio Price

4.88 109.3639 5.99 121.0299 4.44 84.1877 3.23 107.7301 4.46 3.48 5.59 7.60 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 1.21 1.00 2.46 1.94 2.74 2.74

INDEX

17.86 1,038.73 19.47 1,024.83 18.17 1,019.16 17.09 1,022.22 18.23 17.24 18.98 21.18 15.19 15.23 14.42 14.43 14.64 14.40 15.86 15.36 16.14 16.15

YTD Return (%)

98.68 3.8734 97.42 2.4835 93.25 1.9160 96.51 2.2218 95.47 98.37 80.00 89.23 96.63 97.48 98.64 100.32 108.23 100.31 99.16 96.78 96.68 96.09

48 BUSINESS | MONEY LINE

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Naira firms 0.61%, as Access Bank boss speaks at MIT investors eye bonds Africa Innovate Conference

T

he naira firmed 0.61 per cent against the United States currency on Wednesday, supported by large dollar sales by stateowned energy company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and flows from offshore investors for debt purchases.

The local unit closed at 162.90 to the dollar, the level last seen on February 18 when it closed at 162.50 to the dollar.

The naira closed at 163.90 to the dollar on Tuesday.

Traders said NNPC sold around $450 million to some lenders, while flows from offshore investors participating

in Treasury bill auction on Wednesday further boosted support for the naira.

“We have large volume of dollar flows into the market today both from NNPC and some offshore investors buying local debt, which provided support for the naira,” one dealer said.

“This is a good level for some customers (importers) who may want to take advantage of the cheaper dollar to buy,” another dealer said.

Traders expect the naira to gradually inch back to the 164 level by Friday due to expected increase in demand from importers.

Interbank rates up 3.75% on CRR debit

T

he interbank lending rates rose Wednesday by 3.75 percentage points on overnight placement to 14 per cent, after central bank recalled about N230 billion ($1.40 billion) from the banking system to meet a new cash reserves requirement (CRR ) on private sector deposits.

Traders said that the open buy back (OBB) and overnight rate climbed from

10.25 per cent the previous day, owing to a scramble for funds by banks to cover their positions after the debt.

Nigeria central bank hiked CRR on private sector deposits with banks to 15 per cent, from 12 per cent, at the end of its monetary policy committee meeting last month in a bid to tighten liquidity and support the local currency.

DISCOURSE Eminent personalities gather to proffer solutions to major challenges.

T

he Group Managing Director of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, is scheduled to speak at the 4th annual MIT: Africa Innovate Conference in Boston, United States of America, on April 11 and 12, 2014.

The conference, organised

by Africa Business Club, is an initiative designed to facilitate the application of world class innovation to Africa’s biggest challenges through idea sharing, relationship development and promotion of African innovation.

Specifically, this year’s edition of the annual conference will focus on issues in the areas of finance, healthcare, technology, energy and venture incubation that have been adjudged critical to the development of Africa and enhancing the quality of lives on the continent.

Herbert will participate in the plenary session on innova-

As at 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

A Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

Treasury Bills Maturity Date 08-May-14 07-Aug-14 22-Jan-15

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

FX

Bid Spot ($/N) 163.28 THE FIXINGS –NIBOR,NITTY and NIFEX of February 6,2014

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80 Offer 163.38

EXPANSION

Sunday Ojeme

Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Open-Buy-Back (OBB) Overnight (O/N)

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

Also, a former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Administrative Officer, The Coca-cola Company, Alex Cummings, Founder and CEO, Mara Group, Ashisk Thakkar, and Alakija, will be keynote speakers at the conference.

A globally sought-after speaker, Herbert who is presently leading Access Bank on a journey to becoming the world’s most respected African bank will swell the list of distinguished individuals who have spoken at the MIT Africa Business Club events.

Past speakers at the events include Mr. Makhtar Diop (VP of Africa Region, World Bank Group, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, Minister of Finance, Nigeria, Ms. Genevieve Sangudi, MD Africa Fund, Carlyle Group, Mr. Ben Murray Bruce, CEO of Silverbird Group and former UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan.

GTBank plans 25 more branches, to partner petrol stations More banking outlets necessary for business growth

Economic Indicators M2* CPS* INF IBR MPR 91-day NTB DPR PLR Bonny Light Ext Res**

tion and financing in Africa.

His participation in this session is an acknowledgment of the contributions of Access Bank to the development of the Nigerian economy and its banking sector. Also, Access Bank’s determination to create economic prosperity for Africans through its numerous empowerment initiatives and programmes impelled relating its activities at the global conference.

The panel on Innovation in Financing in Africa, which will have Wigwe, Folorunsho Alakija, founder Famfa Oil, Tim Noonan, Director, Private Equity, Black River Asset Management and Dominic Kiarie, Group Managing Director, UAP Holdings as panellists will highlight innovations within the space that has made organisations they represent successful in Africa while also sharing personal insights and opinions on happenings within this field on the continent.

s part of its expansion drive and the need to deepen penetration, the management of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) has finalised plans to open 25 more branches.

Disclosing this in Lagos on Wednesday, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said that GTBank was also going into partnership with petrol stations as part of the expansion drive.

Speaking on the bank’s financials, he said that it had continued to grow in its drive to becoming one of the largest banks in Africa.

The bank recently released full year 2013 results, reporting nine per cent gross earnings and four per cent EPS growth. The board of directors proposed a N1.45 final dividend per share (cumulative, N1.70 for the full year), a 10 per cent growth over N1.50 paid on 2012 earnings.

A review of the results

shows a strong and considerable performance across all financial indices and also affirms the bank’s position as one of the most profitable financial services provider in Nigeria.

In terms of value creation, GTBank maintained its top position in the industry with pre-tax Return of Equity (ROE) of 34.9 per cent and pretax Return on Asset (ROA) of 5.6 per cent.

Its earnings grew moderately amidst regulatory challenges that defined 2013 for Nigerian banks; EPS rose four per cent for the period to N3.06. Gross Earnings grew nine per cent YoY to N243 billion, a three per cent positive surprise to analysts at Vetiva Capital estimate of N236 billion; driven by a nine per cent QoQ growth in Q4’13 following successive declines in Gross Earnings in the previous quarters. Q4’13 Gross Earnings (at N61 billion), outperformed Q2’13 and Q3’13 numbers albeit lower than Q1’13.

Whilst Interest Income grew 9 per cent YoY, Interest Expense ticked up by 22 per cent with deposit growth (amidst tighter monetary environment), leading to a five per cent rise in Net Interest Income to N137 billion for FY’13.

Sanctity of Truth

Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004

Thursday, April 10, 2014 Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004

BUSINESS | CAPITAL MARKET 49

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at April 9, 2014 Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary (Bonds)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

No Debt Trading Activity

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals

No. of Deals 11 34 45

Current Price 42.00 41.00

Quantity Traded 30,165 348,591 378,756

Value Traded 1,203,583.50 14,297,190.91 15,500,774.41

Fishing/Hunting/Trapping ELLAH LAKES PLC. Fishing/Hunting/Trapping Totals

Symbol ELLAHLAKES

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 4.26

Quantity Traded 50 50

Value Traded 202.50 202.50

Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 8 8

Current Price 3.23

Quantity Traded 103,900 103,900

Value Traded 333,679.00 333,679.00

482,706

15,834,655.91

Quantity Traded 92,543 17,402,108 819,693 18,314,344

Value Traded 137,261.61 63,244,708.03 46,461,443.68 109,843,413.32

Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 Processing Systems Totals Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004 Activity Summary on Board EQTY ICT Totals

1 of 13 109,843,413.32

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © BERGER PAINTS PLC EQTY Activity Summary on Board CAP PLC

AGRICULTURE Totals

Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals Activity Summary on Board EQTY

54 Symbol No. of Deals AGLEVENT 9 TRANSCORP 183 Daily Summary (Equities) UACN 45 237

CONGLOMERATES

Published

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Current Price 1.43 3.67 57.08

Page 18,314,344

237 Symbol COSTAIN

No. of Deals 6 6

Current Price 1.34

Quantity Traded 204,462 204,462

Value Traded 274,040.20 274,040.20

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 68.50

Quantity Traded 259,843 259,843

Value Traded 17,795,598.18 17,795,598.18

Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 44 44

Current Price 25.12

Quantity Traded 429,026 429,026

Value Traded 10,786,088.43 10,786,088.43

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Symbol UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST (REIT) UHOMREIT Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 47.59

Quantity Traded 50 50

Value Traded 2,261.00 2,261.00

893,381

28,857,987.81

Current Price 188.00 26.41 151.40

Quantity Traded 103,590 17,180 4,622,102

Value Traded 19,462,646.69 443,737.80 699,967,684.28

Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC.

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol GUINNESS INTBREW NB

61

No. of Deals 45 15 114

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ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC Computer Based Systems Totals Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC

Computers and Peripherals Totals Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004 IT Services

COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC IT Services Totals

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC DN MEYER PLC. FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. Building Materials Totals Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals

13

Symbol

No. of Deals 174

Current Price

Quantity Traded 4,742,872

Value Traded 719,874,068.77

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 27 27

Current Price 90.00

Quantity Traded 22,986 22,986

Value Traded 1,972,066.40 1,972,066.40

Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC UNION DICON SALT PLC. U T C NIG. PLC. Food Products Totals

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR MULTITREX NASCON UNIONDICON UTC

No. of Deals 42 72 51 25 2 28 1 4 225

Current Price 8.18 9.89 69.80 3.76 0.50 11.50 14.14 0.53

Quantity Traded 715,361 1,317,010 263,370 481,949 2,462,071 375,546 10 85,441 5,700,758

Value Traded 5,883,263.95 12,643,675.08 18,247,769.31 1,807,726.85 1,231,035.50 4,260,548.62 134.40 46,991.73 44,121,145.44

Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 50 69 119

Current Price 74.75 1,182.10

Quantity Traded 205,264 51,951 257,215

Value Traded 14,994,392.25 61,203,084.57 76,197,476.82

Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Household Durables Totals

Symbol VITAFOAM

No. of Deals 21 21

Current Price 4.24

Quantity Traded 503,307 503,307

Value Traded 2,058,847.20 2,058,847.20

Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004

Daily Summary (Equities)

Page

Published

by TheSummary Nigerian Stock Exchange © Activity on Board EQTY CONSUMER GOODS Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 70 50 120

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

FINANCIAL SERVICES Insurance Carriers, and Published by The Nigerian StockBrokers Exchange © Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. OASIS INSURANCE PLC PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004 INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Current Price 32.00 46.00

686 Symbol ACCESS DIAMONDBNK ETI FIDELITYBK GUARANTY SKYEBANK STERLNBANK UBA UBN UNITYBNK WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

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NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY Chemicals Totals

NATURAL RESOURCES Metals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © PLC. ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Metals Totals

OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors

13

Quantity Traded 916,332 235,785 1,152,117

Value Traded 30,292,951.66 11,039,107.98 41,332,059.64

12,379,255

885,555,664.27

SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T Nigerian BRISCOE PLC.Exchange © Published by The Stock Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

Value Traded 353,523,171.29 40,533,838.04 2,109,139.76 22,129,568.66 251,044,847.62 19,254,836.89 9,428,527.96 78,869,815.19 6,344,311.92 49,350.00 3,056,584.42 1,029,501,300.76 1,815,845,292.51

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded

Value Traded

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST HMARKINS INTENEGINS MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM NIGERINS OASISINS PRESTIGE REGALINS STACO UNITYKAP WAPIC

No. of Deals 26 10 2 1 7 9 1 14 1 12 3 1 1 4 24 116

Current Price 0.78 0.95 0.50 0.50 0.63 2.21 0.50 0.74 0.50 0.59 0.60 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.72

Page Quantity Traded 819,983 402,800 45,667 50 1,960,518 321,850 12 1,033,939 10,000 997,704 264,000 50 1,000 200 1,504,273 7,362,046

4Value Traded of 13

Symbol NPFMCRFBK

No. of Deals 23 23

Current Price 1.02

Quantity Traded 2,726,513 2,726,513

Value Traded 2,715,416.87 2,715,416.87

Symbol INFINITY RESORTSAL UNHOMES

No. of Deals 2 1 1

Current Price 1.64 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded 250 11,000,000 1,000

Value Traded 390.00 5,500,000.00 500.00

643,137.54 385,897.08 22,833.50 25.00 1,227,156.11 718,699.50 6.00 771,023.00 5,000.00 569,214.24 158,400.00 25.00 500.00 100.00 1,083,106.56 5,585,123.53

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FINANCIAL SERVICES Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FBN HOLDINGS PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL SERVICES PLC Healthcare Providers Totals

Current Price

Quantity Traded 11,001,250

Value Traded 5,500,890.00

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals 50 32 425 68 2 45 119 741

Current Price 2.96 2.15 12.38 3.58 0.62 20.45 2.62

Quantity Traded 1,798,283 3,679,366 61,319,742 2,728,098 17,822 876,963 4,798,002 75,218,276

Value Traded 5,289,194.31 7,862,774.58 760,034,606.28 9,606,694.84 10,693.20 17,665,897.72 12,431,196.54 812,901,057.47

241,016,040

2,642,547,780.38

Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

2,392 Symbol UNIONDAC

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 600 600

Value Traded 300.00 300.00

Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH

No. of Deals 19 17 22 18 2

Current Price 2.12 2.92 70.00 1.81 1.45

Quantity Traded 153,180 992,800 949,031 83,287 3,200

Value Traded 329,750.40 2,828,263.00 66,392,025.32 143,308.90 4,416.00

Page

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Quantity Traded 614,760 614,760

Value Traded 362,438.32 362,438.32

Symbol OMATEK

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 50 50

Value Traded 25.00 25.00

Symbol CWG

No. of Deals 6 6

Current Price 5.56

Quantity Traded 135,725 135,725

Value Traded 754,631.00 754,631.00

Symbol

No. of Deals 7 7

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 3,519,012 3,519,012

Value Traded 1,759,506.00 1,759,506.00

4,269,547

2,876,600.32

Daily Summary (Equities) CHAMS

23

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price Daily Summary (Equities) ASHAKACEM 35 16.55 BERGER 9 8.76 CAP 20 35.96

Quantity Traded 176,948 Page 158,873 38,038

Value Traded 2,947,910.88 of 13 1,413,996.50 1,416,950.46

7

Symbol CCNN DANGCEM DNMEYER FIRSTALUM PORTPAINT WAPCO

No. of Deals 31 44 5 8 3 86 241

Current Price 9.03 235.00 1.16 0.50 4.10 108.50

Quantity Traded 344,122 108,763 23,117 389,075 23,400 3,823,417 5,085,753

Value Traded 3,110,860.78 25,530,898.41 27,858.22 194,537.50 99,280.00 415,137,797.92 449,880,090.67

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 13 13

Current Price 1.87

Quantity Traded 741,996 741,996

Value Traded 1,387,296.79 1,387,296.79

Symbol AVONCROWN BETAGLAS

No. of Deals 2 6 8

Current Price 1.41 19.95

Quantity Traded 114,321 300,000 414,321

Value Traded 161,192.61 5,985,000.00 6,146,192.61

6,242,070

457,413,580.07 Value Traded 1,096,036.92 1,096,036.92

262

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol BOCGAS

No. of Deals 11 11

Current Price 6.47

Quantity Traded 172,796 172,796

Symbol ALEX

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 10.50

Quantity Traded Page 10 Page 10

12

Value Traded of99.80 13 of 13 99.80

8

9

172,806

1,096,136.72

Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 8 8

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 6,550 6,550

Value Traded 3,275.00 3,275.00

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 152 152

Current Price 16.88

Quantity Traded 1,234,891 1,234,891

Value Traded 20,852,996.71 20,852,996.71

No. of Deals 1 3 9 83 26 22 (Equities) 144

Current Price 0.50 51.90 3.80 111.30 125.00 172.38

Quantity Traded 1,000 3,608 130,450 493,529 56,611 30,351 715,549

Value Traded 500.00 177,910.48 470,924.50 53,958,401.20 7,013,407.29 5,232,564.58 66,853,708.05

1,956,990

87,709,979.76

Symbol BECOPETRO CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL TOTAL Daily Summary

304

Current Price 1.15

Quantity Traded Page 148,706

Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Symbol REDSTAREX

No. of Deals 4 4

Current Price 4.25

Quantity Traded 25,600 25,600

Value Traded 111,634.00 111,634.00

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 161,000 161,000

Value Traded 80,500.00 80,500.00

Hotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL PLC IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol CAPHOTEL IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals 1 10 11

Current Price 4.55 0.57

Quantity Traded 50 581,359 581,409

Value Traded 238.50 336,724.63 336,963.13

Media/Entertainment Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004 Media/Entertainment Totals

Symbol DAARCOMM

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 50 50

Value Traded 25.00 25.00

Symbol ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA UPL

No. of Deals 4 15 22 41

Current Price 1.80 1.78 3.97

Quantity Traded 200 408,669 999,132 1,408,001

Value Traded 342.00 727,430.82 4,045,933.86 4,773,706.68

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals 18 18

Current Price 0.93

Quantity Traded Page 251,172 251,172

Specialty SECURE ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY PLC Specialty Totals

Symbol NSLTECH

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 500.00 500.00

Transport-Related Services NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

Symbol NAHCO

No. of Deals 45 45

Current Price 5.00

Quantity Traded 477,334 477,334

Value Traded 2,384,309.44 2,384,309.44

129

3,054,272

8,092,990.11

4,243

290,963,709

4,309,527,166.29

Quantity Traded 4,300 4,300

Value Traded 5,633.00 5,633.00

Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Activity Summary on Totals Board EQTY Printing/Publishing

EQTY Board Totals

No. of Deals 4

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals

Current Price 0.57

Daily Summary (Equities)

SERVICES Totals

Symbol

69,698,377.62

No. of Deals 5 5

SERVICES

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

2,182,298

Symbol RTBRISCOE

Transportation Published byRoad The Nigerian Stock Exchange © ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Road Transportation Totals

13

Value Traded 314.00 69,698,077.62

No. of Deals 9 9

Activity on Board EQTY OIL ANDSummary GAS Totals

Quantity Traded 47,768,858 6,381,984 163,980 10,414,116 9,267,430 5,388,793 3,610,299 11,138,795 626,565 98,700 3,058,922 46,789,513 144,707,955

Page

BECO PETROLEUM Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 PRODUCT PLC CONOIL PLC Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004 ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

Quantity Traded 200 2,181,698

Symbol COURTVILLE

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals

Current Price 7.41 6.34 12.85 2.12 27.05 3.60 2.61 7.15 10.15 0.50 1.00 22.10

Daily Summary (Equities)

Packaging/Containers AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS Daily Summary as GLASS of 09/04/2014 BETA CO PLC. Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004 Totals Packaging/Containers

Current Price 1.57

83

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

No. of Deals 164 75 41 121 337 111 74 187 70 3 36 289 (Equities) 1,508

Daily Summary

No. of Deals 4 82

HEALTHCARE Totals

Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO

Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 CONGLOMERATES Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004

Symbol PHARMDEKO

Daily Summary (Equities)

148,706

Value Traded 10 171,161.90 of 13 171,161.90

Traded 13 11Value of 234,189.96 234,189.96

Daily Summary as of 09/04/2014 Activity Summary on Board ASeM Printed 09/04/2014 14:40:04.004

CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC Food Products Totals

Symbol

No. of Deals 4 4

Activity Summary on Board CONSUMER GOODS Totals ASeM OIL AND GAS and Petroleum Products Published Petroleum

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Distributors CAPITAL OIL PLC Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

Current Price 1.37

DailyMCNICHOLS Summary (Equities)

4 Symbol CAPOIL

No. of Deals 1 1

4,300 Current Price 0.50

5,633.00

Quantity TradedPage 50 50

Value Traded 12 of 13 25.00 25.00

OIL AND GAS Totals

1

50

25.00

ASeM Board Totals

5

4,350

5,658.00

Equity Activity Totals

4,248

290,968,059

4,309,532,824.29

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund

Name NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals

Symbol NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 2 3 5

Current Price 2,063.00 17.59

Quantity Traded 68 3,009 3,077

Value Traded 140,144.00 52,909.21 193,053.21

ETF Board Totals

5

3,077

193,053.21

ETP Activity Totals

5

3,077

193,053.21

13

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

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50 NEWS | WORLD

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Maria Miller's exit: Cameron defends 'honest' Parliament

D

avid Cameron has defended the reputation of Parliament after Maria Miller's resignation, saying it is full of "good and honest" MPs. The Prime Minister said expenses rules had been improved since 2010, although more could be done to put Parliament's integrity "beyond doubt".

But Labour leader, Ed Miliband, said the PM did not "get" public anger over the former Culture Secretary's conduct.

He accused the PM of being "an apologist for unacceptable behaviour".

Mrs Miller quit the government after a week of negative headlines about her expenses claims between 2005 and 2009, her lack of co-operation with an independent inquiry and her brief apology to Parliament last week.

She has been replaced as Culture Secretary by Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Sajid

Javid.

In a mini-reshuffle triggered

by Mrs Miller's resignation, Junior Treasury Minister, Nicky Morgan has been promoted to Mr Javid's role and also takes on the job of Minister for Women, while Andrea Leadsom joins the government as Economic Secretary to the Treasury.

Labour said the number of women in the cabinet had fallen from four to three while gay rights campaigners questioned

Mrs Morgan's appointment given her opposition to the legalisation of same-sex marriage.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron said it had been right for him to stand

by Mrs Miller, as she had been cleared of the main charge against her and had apologised for her behaviour to MPs. The large North Hampshire town of Basingstoke is famed for its many roundabouts among other things and, despite being

Ukraine unrest will be resolved by force or talks in 48 hours, official says

16-year-old stabs 20 at Pennsylvania school

U

krainian acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said yesterday that the separatist protests in Ukraine's eastern region would be resolved within 48 hours - either through negotiations or the use of force.

At the same time, Russia insisted that the presence of its troops just over the border was no reason to worry.

The United States and others have accused Russia of fomenting the separatist unrest as a pretext for military intervention.

Using classified and commercial satellite imagery, the United States estimates there are up to 40,000 Russian troops on the border with eastern Ukraine. NATO has also warned of a major troop build up.

But Russia's Foreign Ministry said yesterday that Ukraine and the United States have "no reason for concern" about the presence of Russian forces, which it says are on military exercises.

"Russia has repeatedly stated that it does not conduct unusual or unplanned activities which are militarily significant on its territory near the border with Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry said in a prepared statement.

It added that accusations that Russia was building up its armed forces were "groundless."

The separatist protests in eastern Ukraine have now entered their fourth day.

Pro-Russian protesters seized government buildings in the cities of Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv on Sunday.

Rebels who occupied Donetsk's regional government building Monday declared a "people's republic" and called for a referendum on secession from Ukraine to be held by May 11.

a Conservative stronghold, for most constituents Maria Miller's resignation from cabinet is the right outcome, even if it materialised in a roundabout way.

A common theme that came back time and time again, is that the claiming of these expenses was wrong and she should have resigned earlier, or indeed been sacked.

This constituency of just over 75,000 people is not used to being in the glare of national media and the "drama" is perceived to be unwelcome attention.

Having served as their MP for nine years, people on the High Street were quick to point out the good work Miller had done locally, serving with commitment and enthusiasm.

A Emergency responders converge on Franklin Regional High School following reports of a mass stabbing yesterday.

Oscar Pistorius trial: Anguish at Reeva Steenkamp photo

O

scar Pistorius became distraught as he was shown a graphic photo of his dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by the prosecution at his murder trial.

"It's time that you look at it," chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel said, presenting the photo at the start of the first day of cross-examination.

The South African athlete, who denies murdering Ms Steenkamp, insisted he had made a "mistake".

He says he accidentally killed her after mistaking her for an intruder.

Prosecutors say Mr Pistorius intentionally killed Ms Steenkamp on February 14 last year by firing a gun through a bathroom door at her after a row at his Pretoria home.

The 27-year-old Olympic and Paralympic sprinter, who is a double amputee, faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering the 29-year-old model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate.

Following legal arguments yesterday morning, Mr Nel showed video footage of the athlete at a gun range shoot-

ing a watermelon.

Mr Nel then said the watermelon had exploded in the same way as Ms Steenkamp's head - and showed the graphic photo. He asked Mr Pistorius to look at it and take responsibility for his actions.

An emotional Pistorius turned away from the image on a monitor screen and said: "I've taken responsibilityâ&#x20AC;Ś but I will not look at a picture where I am tormented by what I saw and felt that night... I remember. I don't have to look at a picture, I was there.''

He added: "I made a mistake. My mistake was that I took Reeva's life."

After an adjournment to allow Mr Pistorius to compose himself, Mr Nel sought to highlight what he said were inconsistencies in the athlete's statements, questioning his claims that police had tampered with items in his home after the shooting.

"I am not pleading not guilty because the scene was contaminated," Mr Pistorius countered. "I am pleading not guilty because what I'm accused of didn't happen."

The BBC's Andrew Harding, who was in court in Pretoria, says in the opening moments of cross examination, Mr Nel showed the highly combative style Mr Pistorius can now expect from him in the coming days.

Gerrie Nel is known for his no-nonsense attitude inside the courtroom and is one of South Africa's most respected legal minds.

With more than 30 years' experience he has a string of successful prosecutions under his belt and is no stranger to high-profile cases. He prosecuted former police boss and Interpol's ex-head Jackie Selebi on corruption charges, once calling him an "arrogant liar" during cross examination.

Those who know him praise his meticulous attention to detail and his "fearlessness". He was junior prosecutor in the murder case of anti-apartheid activist Chris Hani in 1993.

He was also the founding head in 1999 of the Gauteng province division of South Africa's elite police and prosecution unit the Hawks, then known as the Scorpions.

s many as 20 students have been injured in a mass stabbing at a high school in the US state of Pennsylvania, authorities have said.

A 16-year-old student was taken into custody at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, a suburb of Pittsburgh, police said.

The wounded, many with significant injuries, were as young as 14. Several were in surgery in hospital.

As many as seven students were stabbed in the torso, a doctor told reporters.

Eight patients were transported to nearby Forbes Regional Hospital, three of whom had suffered severe injuries.

Two of those patients were in critical condition, while up to four were expected to recover from superficial wounds, Dr Mark Rubino told reporters.

Emergency responders converged on Franklin Regional High School following reports of a mass stabbing yesterday.

"A critical incident has occurred at the high school," school officials wrote in a bulletin.

"All elementary schools are cancelled, the middle school and high school students are secure."

The panicked students poured out of the school building, some suffering injuries in the chaos, as police descended in search of the suspected attacker.

Among the injured was a security guard, Murrysville Police Chief Thomas Seefeld said.

NSC delays weightlifting’s Commonwealth Games preparations Mercy Jacob

T

he Nigeria weightlifting federation’s Commonwealth Games preparation is under threat as the National Sports Commission, is yet to release funds for camping

of the athletes.

The Federation had earlier proposed first week of April for camping but lack of funds or substantial information on when they would get the money had made the situation very difficult.

According to a top official of the federa-

SPORT

AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN GLOBAL SPORT

53

tion, the hope of medal sweep by Nigerian weightlifters at Glasgow 2014 is fast fading with this development.

“The frustration is growing by the day, especially with the withdrawal of Bayelsa State government, in whom we had sort refCONTINUED ON PAGE 54

NEW TELEGRAPH

Did you know?

newtelegraphonline.com/sports

ADEKUNLE SALAMI, DepUTY Editor, SPORTS kunle.salami@newtelegraphonline.com adekunles@yahoo.com

That Rotherham United goalkeeper, Arthur Wharton, born in Ghana, emerged the first black professional player, in 1889

thursday, aPRIL 10, 2014

Mikel

Falcao

Chelsea S includeMikel inFalcaodeal

Ajibade Olusesan uper Eagles midfielder, Mikel Obi, is nearing exit from his English Premier League side, Chelsea, as the Blues are planning to use him to get another player from French side, Monaco.

The midfielder has survived several attempts to force him out of the club in the past but it remains to be seen if the former Lyn Oslo player will escape the axe this time as Chelsea have reportedly included him in the deal to bring Radamel Falcao CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

Bring on Real, Barca -Mourinho

Keshi’ll select right players for World Cup –Ezeogu

Door not closed on foreign players -Okon

}p.53

}p.54

}p.54

52 SPORT

Nigerian League Rendezvous

Countdown to Fifa World Cup

with charles Ogundiya

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

charlesog2001@yahoo.com,

08098042287

Ballack: Brazil, not Germany favourite to win trophy Michael Ballack is unquestionably one of the most successful German footballers of modern times. A three-time German Footballer of the Year Ballack spoke to FIFA.com about his sparkling career, future plans, the current crop of German talent and Brazil 2014.

vate you, what you think you will enjoy. I don’t feel under any pressure to make a decision. I’m very happy right now doing other things. Football is and always will be a big part of my life, though.

Can you see Brazil winning the tournament?

Yes! They’ve had a few difficult years with the national team recently, there’s no doubt of that: so much is always expected of Brazil teams. But at the Confederations Cup, they proved what they can produce at home. That’s why they’re one of the favourites for the trophy.

In 2006 you were a leading player in the German team.

What does it mean to a player to appear in a World Cup on home soil?

That depends slightly on you as an individual.

Trying to prepare in detail for it as a team is difficult because once it starts there isn’t really a situation you can compare it with. Lots of players are used to playing at a high level, and the Brazilian team this year will have lots of top players. However, none of them will have played in a World Cup at home, and the expectation levels on them will be enormous. They have to face that. They will manage it, but the closer that the tournament gets, the more they as players come into focus, and it isn’t always easy to concentrate on football and maintain your level of performance. I think the guys in charge of the team will protect them

Germany are also considered one of the favourites to go all the way. What do you think they can do?

It’s tough for anyone to be successful in South America. No European country has won a World Cup there and it’s not going to be any easier for the European teams these days either. Along with Spain, though, Germany are a team on another level from most others. We’ll have to wait and see if they can prove that again, but the talent is most definitely there.

Germany have a team that, in terms of the football they play, have made tremendous progress, and given their squad, they deserve to be among the favourites to win the tournament. However, this time they also have to prove that in the games that really matter like semi-finals or finals - if they can make it that far - that they also have that little bit of luck that makes you a winner.

Ballack

Michael, you called time on your career in October 2012 and had your testimonial six months later, in which some of football’s biggest names participated. How much do you miss the game?

I was lucky enough to manage the mental transition pretty well. That’s the most important thing after a long, intense period of being a professional footballer. As a young player, you make a lot of sacrifices to play football and you always enjoy it, but it’s still a tough life that takes its toll on you, and when you suddenly wake up one day and aren’t playing football anymore, you don’t really know what to expect. “What comes next?

How do I deal with this?’ I was able to do that without any problems, mentally at least. I made sure to take some time off, which I had planned to do. Then you have to wait until you feel like you’re ready to maybe get back into football in some capacity or another.

Do you have an idea about the path you wish to pursue?

No, I don’t like to put myself under any pressure like that. It needs to happen organically. You need to get a feeling for what you think will moti-

so that they can concentrate on their jobs on the pitch as fully as possible.

But it depends on the player himself and how the Brazilian team can go about dealing with that this year. If you look at the situation with a positive attitude, then a World Cup like that can carry you through. There’s a sense of euphoria in the country, or at least that’s how it was for us. Whenever we walked along the street, we always got a feel for the atmosphere that was being created. That gives you such a big boost and encourages you to eke out that extra one or two per cent.

Warri Wolves defender, ThankGod Ike, shielding the ball from an Enyimba player

Akwa United: From relegation battlers to league pace setters

“G

od is the one helping us this season. He is the foundation that the team is built on.”

Those were the words of Akwa United coach, Patrick Udoh, after overseeing the resurgence of a team battling relegation last season to a team leading the league table after five matches.

The team has won

T

three, drawing two matches so far this season to remain unbeaten.

Speaking with New Telegraph, Coach Udoh said; “At the beginning of the season, we looked at what went wrong last season when the team was fighting for survival and make correction where necessary. We addressed the case of infighting within the club,

now the technical crew can speak in one voice, which has been helping the team so far.

“We have a target this season and hopefully, we can exceed the target.

Playing well this season which we are doing now and also to play in the continent. We hope to maintain the momentum and see where we finish at the end of the season.”

According to the club chairman, Musa Auwalu, they had to make the journey by air due to the distance.

“We have to look at the distance and the implication of travelling by road to such a long distance on the players. It is easy to connect a flight to Lagos directly from Gombe,” he said.

He however assured that it would be a continuous process for the club to travel by air this season especially when the distance is far.

Sunshine Stars set the pace this season before Warri Wolves joined the train. Hopefully, the trend will continue till the end of the season with other clubs joining the train.

Air Gombe

he number of clubs traveling by air for premier league matches swelled over the weekend when Northern team Gombe United travelled by air for their league match against Crown FC of Ibadan.

The team connected Lagos by air from Gombe before travelling the short distance to Ibadan by road.

Edo, Udoh are LBA winners for March

A

kwa United defender, Nnamso Edo and his coach, Patrick Udoh, have been named the League Bloggers Awards Player and Manager respectively for the month of March.

Both men were outstanding in the month under review in the Glo Premier League and ensured The Promise Keepers, as Akwa United are also known, finished top of the standings at the end of March.

Captain of Akwa United, Edo, claimed the LBA Player for March on the strength of appearing in all four matches for his club last month and scoring three goals including a stunning free kick at Nasarawa United that secured a point for his team.

Edo staved off the challenge of Sunshine Stars goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Ifeanyi Inyam of Sharks, Ifeanyi Egwim of Dolphins and Cletus Itodo

of Abia Warriors.

Udoh bagged the LBA Manager for March for guiding Akwa United to an unbeaten finish in five league games last month and ensured they ended the month under review on eight points, one more than Sharks ahead of Gbenga Ogunbote of Sharks, Ladan Bosso of Abia Warriors, Ndubuisi Nduka of FC Taraba and Richard Bubagha of Bayelsa United.

53

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Madrid not afraid of Chelsea –Ramos

S

ergio Ramos is utterly indifferent to the prospect of facing former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho in the Champions League semi-finals.

With Mourinho having left the Santiago Bernabeu in acrimonious circumstances last summer to return to Stamford Bridge, the Portuguese’s return to the Spanish capital would be huge news, but Ramos insists that it would make no difference to the players.

“Getting Chelsea would neither work for or against us,” the defender told reporters. “To

win the Champions League, you have to beat the best teams and Chelsea deserve to be there.”

Ramos’ Madrid side was somewhat fortunate to avoid an embarrassing collapse at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday, with Marco Reus’ first-half double having left Blancos fans fearing the worst, but Madrid managed to prevent Dortmund from forcing extra-time - albeit with the aid of the woodwork.

Sergio

Juve eye Europa semi final spot

J

uventus will be looking to take another step towards a Europa League final in their own stadium when they entertain French club Lyon in the second leg of their quarter-final on Thursday.

The Serie A champions hold a 1-0 lead from the first leg at the Stade de Gerland last Thursday thanks to a late Leonardo Bonucci goal and home advantage means Antonio Conte’s side are in a very strong position to progress.

Indeed, they have not lost at their own Juventus Stadium in exactly a year since going down 2-0 to

Bayern Munich in the Champions League last season.

Given that they are eight points clear at the top of Serie A and determined to make it to a Europa League final which they will host, Juve should have enough to see off a Lyon side struggling with injuries at this crucial stage of the season.

“I am hoping for a full house on Thursday. We need our fans to get behind us like they do on the big occasions and to help us as we enter the final straight this season,” said Conte after Monday’s 2-0 win against Livorno in Serie A.

Bosnia star unsure of future

M

iralem Pjanic claims he is in demand and has refused to rule out leaving Roma at the end of the season.

The Bosnia-Herzegovina international has reportedly caught the eye of clubslike Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and Liverpool follow-

ing some impressive displays for the Serie A club this season.

Pjanic, 24, has just over a year left on his contract and the Eternal City outfit is said to be in talks over a new deal.

He told Sport.ba: “I am used to these rumours, and I have to admit that there is some truth to some of these.”

Bring on Real, Barca -Mourinho

C

helsea manager Jose Mourinho has insisted that it “doesn’t matter” who his team will have to go up against in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

The Blues secured their place in the final four following a 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-final second leg at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

Chelsea qualified for the next round on Mourinho (right) away goals following to a 3-3 aggregate scoreline, while Mourinho’s former club Real Ma“We are in the semi-finals. If the quarterdrid also made it through at the expense of finals had eight fantastic teams, imagine the four that will reach the semi-finals. Anything Borussia Dortmund.

When asked in a post-match press con- can happen. ference about the prospect of facing Real, “A big opponent is waiting for us in the semiMourinho told reporters: “It doesn’t matter. final but it doesn’t matter who. They know we Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico, Bayern, and are a team with a special spirit even if we are not in the maximum of our potential.”

Manchester - it doesn’t matter.

We are going to Brazil with confidence -Amadu Jude Opara

Amadu

Abuja

A

Cazorla: Arsenal lack ´winning mentality´

head of the forthcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the Nigeria Football Federation has assured Nigerians that the national team, the Super Eagles will be going to the global soccer fiesta with full confidence, despite being paired in the same group with former world champions, Argentina.

General Secretary of the NFF, Musa Amadu, told journalists in Abuja that the federation was poised to do everything to ensure that the national team does well at the championship.

He spoke on the anticipated logistics in Brazil.

Amadu said; “The team base camp-hotel of the Super Eagles in Brazil is in the outskirts of Sao Paulo and that is also where most of the national teams are going to

stay and of course you know that is where the team will stay and from there moving to Queeba, Quetiba and Port Alegri to play their three group matches and in all of those three hotels, they will move a day before the game, play and then return to base and that is also the same with other countries Brazil is a big country that is more than four times the size of Nigeria.”

Amadu further said that Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi approved of the hotel.

He said, issues like accommodation and other things that will make the team excel, are being put in place by the NFF and even the bonus of the players have been enhanced to $10,000 dollars for the group Amadu added that the bonus will be graduated tod $15,000 if the team progresses.

Other sports Ultimate Warrior dies at 54

T

hree days after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, James Hellwig, who wrestled professionally as “The Ultimate Warrior,” diedTuesdayat54,WWEofficials said in a statement.

WWE, however, did not give a cause of death for Hellwig.

HellwigappearedonWWERawonMondayin NewOrleansonUSANetworktoarousingovation from fans, only a day after WrestleMania.

Known for his extremely muscular physique, long, shaggy hair and colorful face paint.

No excuse for failure -Mcllory

R

ory McIlroy admits there will be no excuses if he does not give himself a chance to complete the third leg of a career grand slam in the US Masters this week.

Mind, body, equipment, it’s all there.

There’s no excuses if I don’t play well this week. Everything’s in the right place to allow me to play well so it’s just a matter of managing my expectations, not getting ahead of myself, not thinking about Sunday when it’s Friday afternoon. Just really keeping myself in the present and in the moment and trying to take it one shot at a time and hopefully those shots add up to about 270 and I walk away with a green jacket.

‘

S

anti Cazorla feels Arsenal lack a “winning mentality” after their Premier League title challenge fell apart.

Arsenal have won just two of their last nine league games, a situation that has seen them slip to fourth in the table after topping it for much of the campaign.

The Emirates Stadium outfit has not won a trophy since 2005 and is now relying on the FA Cup to break that drought, with a semifinal against champions Wigan Athletic at Wembley to come on Saturday.

Arsene Wenger’s men

Mancini dismisses talk of Inter return

G Hewitt progresses in Houston

F

ormer world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt beat Canada’s Peter Polansky 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in gusty conditions Tuesday to advance to the second round of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Cham-

pionship.

Also advancing were Americans Donald Young and Michael Russell. Young routed countryman Ryan Harrison 6-0, 6-1, and Houston-based Russell eliminated Spain’s Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-3, 7-6 (2). Harrison was plagued by a back injury that later forced him to pull out of the doubles.

alatasaray coach Roberto Mancini has played down reports linking him with a return to Inter.

Various newspapers in Italy have tipped Mancini to move back to the San Siro after reports suggested the club had expressed an interest in the Italian.

But Mancini, who guided Inter to three consecutive Serie A titles between 2005 and 2008, intends to see out his contract with Galatasaray, having only replaced Fatih Terim on a three-year deal in September.

54

Sanctity of Truth

Sport Trending Keshi’llselectrightplayers forWorldCup–Ezeogu TWITTER |@NTelegraphSport

Peter Okoye Just went skinny dipping in da pool... all because my team won. lOne-half of P-Square, Peter Okoye, takes to Twitter after Chelsea scaled past PSG in the UEFA Champions League. @PeterPsquare

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Flying Eagles held

by Morocco

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Peter Schmeichel I love this photo. Wish Tottenham had the courage to give Sherwood another year, he is good for Premier League. lMan United legend, Peter Schmeichel, after posting a photo of Emmanuel Adebayor and Tottenham manager, Tim Sherwood, celebrating the former’s goal against Sunderland with a salute. @Pschmeichel1

orocco’s U-20 national team, on Wednesday, came from behind twice to force Nigeria’s Flying Eagles to a 2-2 draw in a friendly match decided at the National Sports Centre in Rabat. Alhassan Ibrahim scored both goals for the Nigerian side.

Ibrahim opened scoring for Manu Garba’s side on 64 minutes with a gentle tap in from close range, only for the Moroccans to draw level minutes later after skipper Wilfred Ndidi deflected a low cross into his own net. Ibrahim then restored Nigeria’s lead in the 81st minute, before skipper of the Moroccan side, Arjoune Omar, grabbed a draw for the hosts in stoppage time.

Hulk Hogan We talked, both forgave each other, we hugged , we shook hands as we told each other I love you, I am so sad, God bless his beautiful family. RIP WARRIOR. lFormer WWE superstar, Hulk Hogan, paying tribute to the late Ultimate Warrior. @HulkHogan

Glo commends Giwa, Nembe Premier League return

Peter Odemwingie Justin Timberlake my guy. Was a good show. He is a cool guy. Obviously girls enjoyed him more at the arena. Sang MJ’s Human Nature that made my day. lSuper Eagles forward, Osaze Odemwingie, after going to Justin Timberlake’s show in London. @OdemwingieP John Bennett Great to see Kenneth Omeruo of Nigeria & Chelsea is putting in some excellent performances for Boro. They’ve only conceded 5 goals in his 10 games. lBBC journalist, John Bennett, tweets glowingly about Kenneth Omeruo’s form for Middlesbrough prior to Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Birmingham. @JohnBennettBBC Michael Essien When we have Peace, we will have joy and the world will be a better place for us and our children. @MichaelEssien

Rowdy Roddy Piper Tomorrow is promised to know one!! Enjoy every second, with a tool called love!! My love to The Warrior and family.

RIP. @R_Roddy_Piper Samuel Eto’o Bravo to Chelsea and an Enormous Bravo my brother Demba Ba and to the brave strikers. @setoo9 Franco Baresi Happy for Honda for his first goal in Serie A, a victory for those who continue to believe. lFormer Italy and AC Milan captain, Franco Baresi, congratulating Keisuke Honda after the Japanese scored in Milan’s win over Genoa. @FBaresi

Ambrose Efe (Right) in action of Nigeria

Chimaobi Uchendu

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former Super Eagles player, Emeka Ezeogu, has said he has Keshi’s confidence to select Nigeria’s best players for the 2014 World Cup and also do well at the mundial.

Ezeogu said Keshi knew what was right for the team should be allowed to do his job the way he wants, because if anything goes wrong he takes the blame. ”Keshi, has done it before as a player and I believe he will do better as a coach. He knows

Chelsea include Mikel in Falcao deal CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

to the Stamford bridge.

Though Mikel’s agent, John Shittu, has severally denied reports of his client’s exit from the London club, a source close to him said things have changed recently and the player may leave the Stamford Bridge after all.

The source said Chelsea are keen to bring in Falcao in the summer and are also aware of the French club’s interest in Mikel and convinced that deal that includes the Nigerian going in the other direction might tempt Monaco to sell their prized Columbia striker at a knockdown price.

“There is a recent development regarding Mikel’s transfer.

Chelsea have been talking with their agency on the intention to send him to Monaco as part of

the deal for Falcao. Chelsea are looking for a world–class striker and see Falcao as an ideal candidate, they know that but he will not come a cheap and they are proposing a player-plus-cash deal which will see Mikel move to France while Falcao will come to England.

“They have spoken to Shittu about it and negotiation is still ongoing between but no decision has been taken yet,” he said.

Mikel joined Chelsea in 2006 and has played more than 300 games for the Blues winning everything in club football including the UEFA Champions League and Europa Cup. He has been reduced to a bitpart player at the Bridge with the arrival of Nemanja Matic forcing him down the pecking order of holding midfielder at the club.

he has to go to the World Cup with the best legs in order to perform well, there’s nothing much I can say,” he said.

The former Abia Warriors Coach, advised Keshi to inject six new fresh players into the team, saying he should not just go with the same team that won the Nations Cup in South Africa. ”There’s about five or six new players to join the team that won in south Africa because Nigeria have a lot of players that can fit into the team so he needs to go to Brazil with the best legs so that we can conquer the world,” Ezeogu added.

NSC delays preparation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

uge initially.

We are even devastated with the long silence of the Delta State government on our request for a camping site for training. We have decided to

secure camp site for our athletes in Abuja, but the problem we shall face is still the lack of fund issue. it is painful because our aspirations and dreams to conquer the Commonwealth Games weightlifting is fast becoming a mirage.

T

itle sponsor of the Nigeria Premier League, Globacom, has commended the return of Nembe City of Bayelsa and Giwa FC of Jos to the Glo Premier League.

Both clubs after beingbanned by the League Management Company got a reprieve a fortnight ago after the LMC stamped their re-entry upon meeting the conditions set for their managements.

But they “With the formal re-absorption of the two clubs in the league, the NPL will now have the full complement of the 20 clubs to guarantee a stiffer competition among the clubs this season,” Globacom said on Tuesday in a statement in Lagos.

Adewale leads Team Nigeria to Gaborone

Charles Ogundiya

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frica 100m youth champion, Deborah Adewale, will lead other Nigerian youths to the second edition of the African Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana, from May 22 to 31, 2014.

Adewale won the gold medal in 100m at the first edition of the championship hosted by Nigeria last year in Warri, Delta State.

In a list released on Tuesday by the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, other athletes who are to report in Sapele, Delta State,

are Amusan Ayomide (100mH), Etim Alphonsus (100m), Imogu Joy (triple Jump) and Junaid Afolake who won silver in the AYAC women’s 400m.

Others are Ntia-Obong Mercy (100m), AYAC 400m champion Odiong Edidiong, Okolosi Ogenekome (long jump) and Omizi Tolani (hammer).

Their male colleagues are Abdullahi Bashiru (110m H), Adeyemi Adewale (400m), Akinkuowo Oluwatokimi (400m), Edoki Fabian (triple jump), Ejumeta Oke (long jump), Iloakagbune

Kenneth (100m) and Nathaniel Oghenewegba (400m).

Nwokocha Emmanuel (100m, long jump), Olisakwe Chukwudi (100m) and Yusuf Muhammed Kabir (400m H), complete the team.

Some of the officials are Abadoni Abraham (jumps), Bamidele Anthony (400m), Nnakwe Tommie (hurdles) and Omizi Dauda (throws). Both Ogogo Inenemo and Vincent Chukwudi will supervise the sprints while Usifo Maria will be in charge of the hurdles.

NEWS 55

Thursday, April 10, 2014

FG okays bill to outlaw tobacco adverts NANS rallies support BAN

Govt moves to forestall hazards associated with tobacco consumption Anule Emmanuel

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he Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a new draft National Tobacco Control Bill 2014 that will toughen regulation on tobacco production, distribution and smoking in the country.

Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, who briefed state house correspondents after yesterday’s FEC meet-

ing presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, said the executive bill which would soon be sent to the National Assembly for passage into law bans all forms of advertisement on tobacco products.

The Health Minister, accompanied by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, at the briefing explained that considering the several health hazards associated with tobacco consumption, government needs to take actions that would deliberately protect the citizens.

He said, as provided in the new bill, government has put in place measures to increase taxes on tobacco products as a way

of discouraging producers and consumers as well.

"The bill is to protect Nigerians against the harmful effects of tobacco. We know that tobacco is dangerous, tobacco is the cause of many deaths, causes so many illnesses.

There are four main noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory disorder and diabetics. Tobacco alone causes three out of these four illnesses - tobacco causes cardiovascular diseases, it is been known to cause heart attacks, hypertension and stroke, tobacco indeed causes cancer, cancer of various organs especially cancer of the lungs, tobacco is the

cause for chronic respiratory disease."

According to the health minister, there are stiff penalties for individuals who fall foul of what will eventually become the National Tobacco Control Act 2014.

"Another area is advertisement. Advertisement is totally banned under this law so you cannot just go and advertise.

Some states have already taken the lead like Cross River State, which passed its own law on advertisement of tobacco last year.

Now we want to make it national. Any form of advertisement is not permitted, either in broadcast, print, outdoor." The minister said.

for Diezani James Nwabueze Abuja

M

inister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani AllisonMadueke, yesterday received the backing of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who called for a stop to all propaganda and blackmail against the minister.

This is coming on the heels of the Emmanuel Paulker-led Senate Committee on Petroleum Upstream to

Lawyers, police trade accusations over collusion with criminals Dominic Adewole Asaba

M

L-R: Guest Speaker, Prof. Alaba Ogunsanwo; President, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Dr. Nelson Uwaga and Deputy President, Prof, Munzari Jibrin, during the Institute’s centenary lecture with the theme:”Defining Nigeria’s Nationhood at 100 Years: The Viewpoint of Management” held in Lagos… yesterday.

PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

WAITING IN VAIN

Party faithful turned out in large numbers for ward congress which did not hold Dan Atori MINNA

A

fter two failed attempts, confusion again trailed the rescheduled All Progressive Congress (APC) ward congresses in Minna yesterday. As at 1pm there was no sign of the congress holding in Minna and its environs.

The APC ward congress had been postponed from Saturday to Monday and then to yesterday.

New Telegraph gathered that though the members of the party turned out in

Again, confusion trails Niger APC ward congress their numbers, there were no materials or party officials to conduct the congress.

Efforts to speak to the members of the interim leadership of the APC in the state proved abortive.

People who had been waiting for the commencement of the congress for hours complained bitterly with some alleging "foul play".

One of them, Daniel Shubu, told our correspondent, "We have been waiting for the electoral officers to come but since morning. We don't know what is keeping them. We have asked our people to

hang around hoping that they will eventually come."

He said the reasons for the officials’ absence was not known yet because nobody had communicated anything to them.

According to him, "the ward exercise was supposed to start by 8 am but this is 1pm, we have not seen them not to talk of doing anything."

Our correspondent further gathered that the officials were yet to sort out the electoral materials, which arrived Minna since Tuesday.

"We don't know if they are planning any form of

manipulation, all we know is that there are no materials in our ward," a female electorate said.

Hajia Lami Aliyu, a woman leader in the Chanchaga Ward, said "Whether they like it or not, we are going to wait and we are ready, our people will queue behind our choice candidates when the time comes."

Also, Mallam Mohammed Shaba, a follower of Hon. Umar Bago who is seeking a second term at the House of Representatives, said the electorate had been waiting since 8 am.

probe allegations that Allison-Madueke illegally transferred four oil blocs, which amount to N58.9 trillion, to the Jide Omokore-owned Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited.

Similarly, the House of Representatives had mandated its Committee on Public Accounts to investigate the alleged squandering of N10 billion public funds on the charter and maintenance of a Challenger 850 aircraft for unofficial use by the minister.

en of the Delta State Police Command and the state chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) are now at loggerheads, no thanks to the gruesome murder of two lawyers two weeks ago while on their way to court at Ozoro, Isoko South Local Government Area of the state.

Efforts by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to wade into the crisis has not yielded fruits.

While some lawyers have accused the police of aiding and abetting

criminals and not doing enough to nab the perpetrators, saying a mobile policemen from the command killed their colleagues, the state Commissioner of Police, Ayo Ikechukwu Aduba, yesterday accused them of conspiring and colluding with hoodlums in kidnappings.

The CP, flanked by his PPRO, Celestina Kalu, said, instead for members of the association to key into the intelligence network of the command, they were busy collecting exorbitant money from criminals to white-wash criminal cases.

Oshiomhole’s aides, party leaders protest ward congress results in Edo Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

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ll Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers, Special Advisers to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, leaders and members of the party drawn from the seven councils in the South Senatorial districts yesterday protested the outcome of the just-concluded ward congress held on Tuesday.

The party members, at a press conference held at the State council secretariat complex of the Nige-

ria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Benin, demanded an outright and immediate cancellation of results of the congress scheduled to elect ward leaders in the 192 wards in the three senatorial districts.

The APC South Senatorial leader, Chief Amos Osunbor, who led the protesters described the congress as a charade and one designed to fail ab initio despite an earlier meeting with key party leaders presided over by the state governor, Oshiomhole.

World Record

On Marble

To speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves

Sanctity of Truth

– Will Durant

w w w. new tel eg rap ho nl i ne. co m

Michael Johnson (US) holds the men’s 400 metres record with a time of 43.18 secs in Seville, Spain, August 26, 1999

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha THURSday, APRIL 10, 2014

N150

Is this democracy really working?

T TALKING TOUGH GABRIEL AKINADEWO he message in the advertisement was direct, unambiguous and patronising. It is the sort of message you tell a kid to deliver when you have just given him or her a candy. The kid will be so excited that he or she will ‘over-deliver’ and it will be obvious that the action was motivated.

In Nigeria’s political landscape, adults are leading the way in this delivery of candy-wrapped messages. Obviously, Nigerians are not fools. The moment they see a message like this, they know ‘something’ is behind it.

In one of the national dailies last week, the resolution of a group of lawmakers in Enugu State caught my attention.

The full page advert, signed by six lawmakers from Enugu West Senatorial Zone, reads: “Arising from our meeting chaired by the Leader of the House, Honourable UdeOkoye S.K.E. and following due consideration of the numerous achievements of His Excellency, the Governor of Enugu State, Barrister Sullivan Chime, we, the representatives of the people of Enugu West Senatorial Zone, reaffirmed our support for his quest to represent Enugu West Senatorial Zone in the Senate come 2015.

“As elected representatives of our people and having worked closely with His Excellency, the Governor of Enugu State, we are not only convinced of the enormous goodwill of Barr. Sullivan I. Chime to transform Enugu State into a haven for all; but also completely assured of our total commitment to change the face of our Zone as is already evidenced in the various monumental human and infrastructural developments now dotting the entire Senatorial Zone. The list is endless.

“His Excellency, you are a Daniel come to judgement.

“His Excellency, YOU HAVE WIPED AWAY THE TEARS OF OUR PEOPLE (emphasis mine) “His Excellency, you CAME, you SAW, and you have CONQUERED. “Carry go, our TRUE son”.

If the above is not sycophancy, what in God’s name is it?

I know it has become the norm in the country to denigrate democracy in the name of promoting it but must these lawmakers embarrass themselves this way?

Of course, people already know the undercurrent between Chime and the current occupier of the post, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is determined to return to the Upper Chamber. When federal and state forces are deployed in 2015 to support Ekweremadu and Chime, there will be war and casualties will be recorded but what could have forced

gabyfola@hotmail.com - 08023010222 (sms only)

Chime

these six lawmakers to sign this patronising advertisement?

Only six lawmakers are talking and people of the area have been sidelined in this critical decision-making process.

As usual, they are ‘forcing’ Chime to contest. That is the practice and very soon, the governor will say something like “since my people are forcing me to contest, I have no choice than to obey them”.

Is it possible to force somebody to do what he doesn’t have the intention of doing? Can any group force an aspiring public office holder to drink Gamallin 20?

It is only in this part of the world that politicians fall on themselves to convince the electorate that they were forced by their people to contest. Nobody will ever tell you that ‘I am coming out on my own to contribute my quota to national development’.

The malaise is so widespread that there is no zone that is not affected.

A day after the Enugu advert, some characters under the aegis of Transformational Democratic Leadership organised a rally in Abuja.

Moving from one street to the other, the mammoth crowd shut down parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). One of their banners caught my attention: ‘Join us to convince President Goodluck Jonathan to run in 2015’ .

Even if the body language is there, Jonathan has not told anybody he is seeking re-election. So, why dissipate energy to

Ekweremadu

convince someone who has not told you he is interest in the office for another term?

The survival of a nation depends on the good its leadership can bring to bear on the people. No country will survive for long if her citizens wallow in abject poverty and they are continuously manipulated.

It is even worse if such a nation is identified as having human and material resources that guarantee greatness.

The general belief is that democracy, being the best form of government, is capable of positively changing the fortune of a country as all citizens will be involved in the process. It is either you vote or you are voted for, so everybody is involved.

In the Bible, John 8:32 says: ‘And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’.

In a democracy, it is the truth you do, not the one you know, that will make you free.

If democracy is going to set Nigeria free, all its tenets must be strictly followed. The type of democracy we practise borders on deception and this will not take this country anywhere.

When you practise a brand of democracy in which for you to be elected a councillor, you must spend millions of naira, that is not democracy but ‘wealthocracy’.

When you manipulate people to publicly force you to seek an elective position, that is ‘wayocracy’. When you are selected rather than being elected, that is ‘selectocracy’.

Rather than being liberated, elected

public officials prefer to subjugate the electorate. The only credible voices are silenced forcefully so that the rest of the citizenry can live in perpetual poverty.

Nigerians lack good governance because voters don’t know the beginning and the end of the process that produces credible leaders. When elected public officials manipulate their way into office, the oppressed will not have the mandate to demand good governance. Even when the heat is being felt due to lack of basic amenities as we have in Nigeria and the populace ask questions from public officials, it will be as if you are talking to the deaf.

With the way democracy is practised in this country, it will be difficult to have credible leaders.

The emergence of some candidates in primaries conducted by parties a few weeks ago is a clear pointer in this direction.

While receiving former Bayelsa Governor, Timipre Sylva, at the Government House, Port Harcourt last week, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State said: “I pray quite a lot because I think that is the only way I can survive in this country where everybody is a potential prey and a potential predator.

If we run a democratic system in which ‘everybody is a potential prey and a potential predator’, then it has failed ab initio and obviously, a return to the jungle is imminent.

Is this democracy really working?

The popular saying, ‘Everybody for himself and God for us all’, is apt in the current circumstances.

God is permanently on His throne.

OmoBaba

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