Thursday, april 16, 2015 by Newtelegraphonline

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Thursday, April 16, 2015

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Vol. 2 No. 420

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MDAs get April 20 deadline to submit handover notes

N150

Why I rejected Constitution Amendment Bill, by Jonathan Chukwu David and Philip Nyam ABUJA

resident Goodluck Jonathan has returned to the

National Assembly the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Fourth Alteration Act, 2015, aimed at amending the 1999 Constitution. The president, in a letters addressed to Senate

President David Mark and Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, read at the respective sessions of the two chambers yesterday in Abuja, said he decided to veto the bill

because the process of its passage negated the prescribed constitutional procedure. Jonathan said he would not assent to the amendments because they did not satisfy the

strict requirements of Section 9(3) of the 1999 Constitution. The president also queried the resolution of the National Assembly to whittle down some executive powers of the

president and that of the Attorney-General of the Federation. He further kicked against some amendments to the Alteration Act which will give execuCONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Buhari to fight oil cabal Buhari

lWide-ranging reforms on the card lCBN gov proposes sale of oil assets }2

Quick Read

Editorial

Tamuno: Great historian and }19 author

Firefighters battling to put out fire at Mamman Kontagora House, Lagosâ&#x20AC;Śyesterday.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

North-Central demands Senate presidency }5

News

THURSday, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari to fight cabal in oil sector Ayodele Aminu and Adeola Yusuf

resident-elect, Major General Muhammadu Buhari is set to tackle errant marketers and companies in the oil and gas industry in his bid to clean up the sector that has become the nation's cesspool of corruption. It was learnt that the Buhari administration, which takes off from May 29, would focus on reforming the oil sector as part of

his agenda of repositioning the economy. Besides, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has suggested that the incoming administration should consider selling the nation’s majority stakes in joint ventures with multinational oil companies to shore up state finances and raise funding for infrastructure development. A report yesterday by Reuters, which gave an insight into the incoming administration's plan

for the oil and gas sector, said it would focus on the reform of the sector first before sorting issues of taxes. The reform could lead to drastic change in policy that has bred corruption in the sector and made it easy for oil marketers and companies to engage in shady deals. For example, a report of a probe panel set up by the House of Representatives showed that the subsidy regime between 2009 and 2011, the period the

report covers, was fraught with "endemic corruption and entrenched inefficiency". It found out that fuel importers were being paid for 59 million litres a day, while the country only consumes 35 million litres. Besides, Nigeria spent N2.587 trillion on fuel subsidy in 2011 as against N245 billion provided for it in the budget. Four party sources from the All Progressives Congress (APC) told Reuters that the issue of fis-

cal terms, seen as crucial by the industry, would have to wait on current thinking about oil and gas policies for Nigeria. Crude output has stagnated close to two million barrels per day over the past few years, owing partly to under-investment. "We need to address the structural issues and leave the fiscal for now. A more transparent NNPC is needed with reasonable accounting," Senator Bukola Saraki said. Oil firms keen to know

L-R: Executive Director, Transcorp Hotels, Mrs. Okaima Ohizua; Managing Director/CEO, Transcop Hotels, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo; Chairman, Board of Directors, Chief O'tega Emerhor and acting Company Secretary, Mr. Chris Ezeafulukwe, during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company in Abuja…yesterday.

PDP to challenge governorship results, says Metuh Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is seriously considering challenging the results of the governorship elections in some states where the party's candidates lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The leadership of the party will, however, meet with state chairmen and other stakeholders next week before taking a decision on this. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, who briefed journalists after the party's National Working Committee (NWC) meeting yesterday, also alleged that some members of the party were recruited by the APC to cause disharmony within the party and to call for the resignation of the PDP national leadership. Some members of the

party had called for the resignation of the party leadership, including the NWC and members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) over the defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan. Metuh stated that PDP will resist any plan to undermine the will of the electorate in states where governorship elections were declared inconclusive, including Abia, Imo and Taraba. He said the party is in the process of finding out areas of "irregularities so as to enable the party have a holistic view over the conduct of April 11 election." The party’s spokesman further called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure free and fair elections and not be swayed by what he described as "the intimidation, manipulations and blackmails of a clearly obsessed APC." "The NWC is determined to firmly resist

any attempt whatsoever to subvert the will of the people or tamper with the process with the aim of denying our candidates their well-deserved victory at the polls. "We, therefore, in the strongest possible terms call on INEC and security forces to ensure that the elections in the affected areas are free, fair and credible and that every effort must be made to resist the intimidations and blackmails of clearly obsessed APC with the aim of manipulating the process in their favour. "On this note, we charge our members, particularly those in states where elections have been rescheduled or declared inconclusive not to despair, but remain focused as the NWC will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them until our deserved victory is achieved. "Already, we have received reports from Nasarawa State where results

from a ward collation centre in Karu Local Government where our senatorial candidate was leading with about 8,000 votes was outrightly cancelled by INEC on the ground that the collation officer was unable to reconcile the figures from the ward. "Instead of ordering the collation officer to properly reconcile and represent the figures, INEC reversed the 8,000 votes lead by our candidate by hurriedly declaring the APC candidate winner with about 2,000 votes. "This is in clear violation of the Electoral Act, which does not provide for cancellation of results based on unreconciled figures at the collation level." He recalled of similar cases at the national collation centre where the INEC Chairman had ordered the returning officers to properly reconcile and represent figures before the announcement of final results and called for the immediate cancellation of

the results as declared by INEC. "The NWC has noted some divisive comments and statements by certain elements within the party who are being enticed by extraneous factors and other parties to cause disharmony in our ranks. "While cautioning against such comments, we urge our members with genuine grievances to direct them through the appropriate channels within our party in line with the provisions of the PDP constitution. "We reassure all our members that the NWC has put a machinery in place to reengineer and refocus our great party in keeping with our collective determination to consolidate our support base in all states of the federation with a view to regaining power at the centre in the next four years since it is obvious that the APC lacks what it takes to effectively lead our dear nation."

how Buhari plans to tax them could be waiting a long time as he makes ending corruption and reforming the opaque national oil company his most urgent sector priorities. Buhari owes his March 28 victory against Jonathan partly to a perception that the president allowed corruption to get out of control, especially in the oil sector. A string of multibillion dollar oil corruption scandals tainted the NNPC and other bodies that handle energy. "The worry is that there's going to be a lot of time wasted in witchhunting...That could take a year in which nothing else will happen," said a Nigerian investment banker focused on upstream oil and gas projects, who declined to be named. APC leader, Senator Bola Tinubu said a transitional committee would be set up. "No way will we discuss that now," he said. Jonathan's administration re-drafted a Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in 2012 that had been in the works for a decade. The PIB was meant to change everything from fiscal terms to overhauling the NNPC, environmental rules and revenue sharing, but its comprehensive nature caused disputes between lawmakers. Yet the main thing the oil companies were worried about was tax. The bill proposes 20 per cent tax on offshore projects and 50 per cent for onshore. Shell, Exxon and other majors had all complained publicly that the terms are unfair, given the risk associated with operating in Nigeria. Uncertainty over the fiscal terms of the bill have been holding back billions of dollars of investment, especially into capital-intensive deepwater offshore, leading some to propose the bill be broken up into several pieces debated separately. "It doesn't need to be an omnibus, you can take things piecemeal," one APC source said. Sources said the new administration would first sack and replace NNPC top management before reviewing its accounts to restore credibility. A bill will be drafted to break the NNPC into four entities, as already prescribed in the latest PIB draft. But it will also, crucially, remove the oil minister from the NNPC's board of directors to curb CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSday, APRIL 16, 2015

Travel Advisory

THURSday, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

International Flight Schedule Air France

Destination Abuja- Paris Paris-Lagos Paris-PHC PHC-Paris Paris –Abuja Lagos –Paris

Flight No. AF 513 AF 3822 AF514 AF513 AF514 AF3849

Departure 23.55hrs 10.55hrs 11:00hrs 21:20hrs 11:00hrs 23:55hrs

Arrival 6:05hrs 17:15hrs 19:15hrs 6:05hrs 17:00hrs 6:20hrs

Amsterdam-Lagos Lagos-Amsterdam

KL587 KL588

13:15hrs 23:05hrs

20:00hrs 05:50hrs

KLM

ARIK AIRLINES

Lagos-London London-Lagos Lagos-New York

W3 101 W3 102 W3 107 (Mon, Wed , Fri) New York-Lagos W3 108 (Tues,Thurs, Fri) Lagos-Johannesburg W3 103 Johannesburg-Lagos W3 104 Lagos-Douala - (Tues, Wed ,Thur) Douala-Lagos - (Tues, Wed, Thur) Lagos-Accra Accra-Lagos

Abuja-Accra Accra-Abuja Lagos-Freetown Freetown-Lagos Lagos-Banjul Banjul-Lagos Lagos-Dakar Dakar-Lagos

-(Tue, Thur, Sat, Sun) -(Mon, Wed, Fri) -(Daily) - (Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri,Sat) -(Tue,Wed, Fri,Sat,Sun)

BRITISH AIRWAYS

London-Lagos Lagos-London Abuja-London Abuja-London

07:00hrs 20:05hrs 20:10hrs 11:45hrs

Lagos-Cairo Cairo-Lagos

MS 876 MS 875

14:25hrs 08:30hrs

22:20hrs 13:30hrs

EGYPT AIR

KENYA AIRWAYS

16:00hrs

Lagos-Kigali

11:15hrs

16:45hrs

10:45hrs 09:35hrs 11:10hrs 13:25hrs 07:20hrs 17:00hrs 08:05hrs 13:35hrs 18:00hrs

hrs 14:44hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs

AWB 201 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) AWB 202 (Tue, Thur, Sat, Sun)

14:00hrs

17:30hrs

22:35hrs 15:10hrs

06:00hrs 21:20hrs

17:00hrs 06:00hrs 08:00hrs 17:00hrs 08:00hrs 15:20hrs 21:00hrs

hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs

01:00hrs

hrs

3:00hrs 14:00hrs

8:00hrs 19:00hrs

EK 7821 (Sun-Sat) EK 7822 EK 7831 EK 7811 EK 761

21:30hrs 14:40hrs 07:35hrs 14:20hrs 23:55hrs

07:40hrs 01:05hrs 12:50hrs 19:45hrs 10:30hrs

Lagos-Doha Flight Doha-Lagos Flight

QR 1414 (daily) QR 1415

14:55hrs 07:20hrs

23:45hrs 13:35hrs

Lagos-Atlanta Atlanta-Lagos

DL053 DL 054

22:15hrs 5:15hrs

05:32hrs 16:15hrs

Lagos-Houston Houston-Lagos

UA 143 UA 142

10:10hrs 19:10hrs

6:05hrs 15.15hrs

Lagos - Addis Ababa ET900 Addis Ababa - Lagos ET901 Abuja - Addis Ababa ET910 Addis Ababa - Abuja ET911 Enugu - Addis Ababa ET930 Addis Ababa - Enugu ET931 Kano - Addis Ababa ET930 Addis Ababa - Kano ET931

13:15hrs 09:00hrs 13:40hrs 09:40hrs 12:00hrs 09:20hrs 14:05hrs 09:20hrs

20:25hrs 12:15hr 20:10hrs 12:20hrs 20:50hrs 11:15hrs 20:50hrs 13:20hrs

Lagos-Madrid Madrid-Lagos

IB 3337 IB 3336

22:55hrs 16:00hrs

5:25+1hrs 20:20hrs

Lagos-Casablanca Casablanca-Lagos

AT738 AT 737

06:25hrs 02:15hrs

09:55hrs 6:00hrs

air maroc

20.45hrs 09:50hrs 09.20 hrs 06:30hrs

12:30hrs

Lagos-Dubai Lagos-Dubai Dubai-Lagos Dubai-Lagos Abuja-Dubai

IBERIA

Abu Dhabi-Lagos

EY 0672 (Sunday) (Monday) (Saturday) EY 955

19:35hrs 23:45hrs

MEA 571 MEA 572

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

Lagos- Abu Dhabi

ETIHAD AIRWAYS

12:30hrs 18:00hrs

to Lagos)

UNITED AIRLINES

17:00hrs 4:40hrs

KQ 533 KQ 534

11:55hrs 5:50hrs 14:35hrs 06:00hrs

DELTA AIRLINES

11:00hrs 22:40hrs

Lagos-Nairobi Nairobi-Lagos

17:55hrs 00:00hrs 09:00hrs 22:40hrs

QATAR AIRWAYS

VS 652 VS 651

18:30hrs 05:15hrs 05:30hrs

BA075 BA074 BA 082 BA 083

EMIRATES AIRLINES

Lagos-London London-Lagos

12:00hrs 21:30hrs 23:50hrs

Middle East Airlines (Two flights weekly (Tues & Friday)

Lebanon-Lagos Lagos-Lebanon

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

RwandAir

Kigali-Lagos

Turkish Airlines

Lagos-Istanbul Nairobi-Lagos

332 333

Air Côte d'Ivoire Lagos to Abidjan Abidjan to Lagos

HF 851 (Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun) HF 852 (Mon,Wed, Thurs, Sat)

ASKY AIRLINES

Destination Lome to Abuja Abuja-Lome- Kinshasa Kinshasa-Abuja Abuja-Lome Lome-Lagos Lagos-Libreville Libreville-Kinshasa Kinshasa-Libreville Libreville-Lagos Lagos-Lome Lome-Lagos Lagos-Libreville Libreville-Brazaville Brazaville-Libreville Brazzaville-Lagos Lagos-Lome

10:10hrs

10:50hrs

19:20hrs

21.50hrs

Flight No. KP 032 (Tue-Fri) KP 032 ( Tue-Fri)

Departure Arrival 14:00hrs 15:55hrs 16:30hrs 18:15hrs

KP 033 (Wed-Sat) KP O33 (Wed-Sat) KP O40 (Sun-Sat) KP 040 (Sun-Sat) KP 040 (Sun-Sat) KP041 (Tue-Sat) KP 041 (Tue-Sat) KP 041 (Tue-Sat) KP O44 (Tue-Fri) KP 044 (Tue-Fri) KP 044 (Tue-Fri) KP O45 (Wed-Sat) KP 045 (Wed-Sat) KP 045 (Wed-Sat)

8:20hrs 10:35hrs 13:00hr 14:40hrs 17:00hrs 7:15hrs 9:35hrs 11:55hrs 13:10hrs 14:50hrs 17:10hrs 07:00hrs 09:20hrs 11:40hrs

10:00hrs 12:20hrs 14:00hrs 16:30hrs 18:45hrs 08:55hrs 11:25hrs 12:45hrs 14:10hrs 16:40hrs 18:50hrs 08:40hrs 11:10hrs 12:30hrs

Local FLIGHT SCHEDULE 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

AZMAN FLIGHT SCHEDULE

WEEKLY SCHEDULE Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Abuja 10:30am Abuja-Lagos 12:40pm

Lagos-Abuja/Kano 4:00pm Abuja-Kano 5:45pm Kaduna-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kan 10:10am Kano-Abuja/Lagos 12:40pm Abuja-Lagos 1:00pm Abuja-Lagos 2:40pm Lagos-Kaduna 5:00pm WEEKEND SCHEDULE SATURDAY Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Abuja 10:30am Abuja-Lagos 1:00pm Lagos-Kano 4:00pm Kaduna-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kano 4:00pm Sunday Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kano 10:30am Kano-Abuja/Lagos 1:20pm Abuja-Lagos 2:40pm Lagos-Kaduna 5:00pm

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

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

News

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSday, APRIL 16, 2015

North-Central demands Senate presidency Chukwu David Abuja

s the All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to take over the leadership of the National Assembly in June, intense lobby has begun among senators for the top position of the upper chamber. The APC, which won about 60 seats to occupy the majority status in the Eighth Senate, is expected to zone the Senate Presidency to either the NorthCentral or the North-East, in the absence of any ranking party senator from the South-East and South-South zones. Already, the APC North Central Caucus has demanded the Senate Presidency while some ranking senators from the NorthWest geopolitical zone have begun jockeying to be the next majority leader. The North Central Caucus, rising from a meeting yesterday in Abuja, urged the national leadership of the party to zone the Senate Presidency to the zone. The group, in a communiqué signed by the Zonal Chairman of the party, Mr. Zakari Ede and the six state chairmen in the zone, said it was obvious that APC would form the majority in the forthcoming Eighth National Assembly based on the results of the general elections. Consequently, the caucus expressed optimism that the exalted office would be allotted to the zone, saying, "in due course, the Senate president will be chosen from one of our distinguished senators." They argued that since the region performed excellently well in the justconcluded general elections, the president of the Senate should come from the zone. The caucus said its call became necessary as a reward for the performance of the zone in the 2015 elections, which contributed immensely to the APC's overall victory. It said the North-Central, being a vulnerable zone; its success and victory at the last polls should not be taken for granted. "At a meeting of chairmen of the North-Central Zone held on April 15, we deliberated at length on the issue of Senate Presidency and after series of analysis, consultation and exhaustive deliberations, we made the following observations: "Record shows that the North-Central, historically being a PDP zone, generally tends to vote for

PDP at the national level. "We further observed the followings facts among others, that the block vote of the North-Central, which is over 2.4 million, is same as South-West. The North-Central delivered 13 senators, same as North-East. "The North-Central also delivered 100 per cent state governors as North-West compared to the North-East with only four governors. "It is our strong belief that these efforts and performances need to be rewarded since our role was pivotal to our party’s success at the national level. "We also like to put on the record that North-Central states delivered five governors as we won all our governorship election, delivered 13 senators and other National Assembly members, including the members of state Houses of Assembly to APC as against the norm. It will be unfair to be treated otherwise after these performances. "The argument that North-Central is always in third position has to do with PDP to be precise. Therefore, if the zone had performed and delivered under the APC, we believe we should be adequately rewarded as it was being done under the PDP. "We need to emphasise here that North-Central is a vulnerable zone and our success and victory should not be taken for granted. "On the basis of the above reasoning, we therefore came to the conclusion and we humbly wish to state that, it would only be just and equitable for the position of the Senate president to be allotted to the North-Central Zone and we hereby demand for same. "Our resolution is borne out of the fact that by every consideration, the North-Central zone deserves to present the next Senate President on behalf of our great party." Apart from the Senate Presidency, some of the party's senators have begun lobbying to be the next Senate Leader. New Telegraph learnt that two former governors, Senators Sani Ahmad (APC, Zamfara West) and Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano South) have joined the race. In the current Senate, the leader is from the South-South, which is the political zone of President Goodluck Jonathan; and if the same zoning arrangement is adopted in the power sharing formula of the incoming government, then the North-West will take the position since

the President-elect, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, comes from the zone. It was learnt that the North-West Senate caucus had decided to settle for the Senate Leader position, having produced the highest number of senators in the coming Assembly. The North-West geopolitical zone produced 20 senators in the March 28 senatorial election, out of which, eight are ranking as some have been elected to the chamber at least twice and others are coming from the House of Representatives, where

they are also considered ranking members of the lower chamber. With a new set of senators from Jigawa, Kaduna and the emergence of new members from Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano and Zamfara states, ranking members from the zone are now divided over which state should produce the Senate leader. Five states of the NorthWest; Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara returned only six ranking senators. They are: Senators Kabiru Gaya (Kano) Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Abu Ibrahim (Katsina),

Ahmed Ru'fai Sani (Zamfara), Kabir Marafa (Zamfara) and Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto). Senators-elect Bala Ibn Na'Allah (Kebbi) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano State Governor) also have the ranking advantage, having been elected into the House of Representatives at different times. But the ranking rule, which gives preference to senators who have been elected more than once into the chamber, means that top contenders for the Senate Leader position are: Sani, Marafa, Gaya and Aliero.

It was further gathered that in addition to the ranking rule, having been elected into the Senate three times consecutively, Senator Sani Ahmad, who is also a former Governor of Zamfara State, has the most legislative experience from the zone. Sani has been a principal officer since 2007. In his first term, he was elected Minority Whip and in 2011, he became the Deputy Minority Leader. The closest contender to Sani is Gaya, who was a principal officer in 2007 as the then Deputy Minority Whip.

President-elect, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (right) with Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu, in Daura, Katsina State... recently.

Lagos IGR hits N23bn monthly Muritala Ayinla

he Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Lagos State has risen to N23billion while the number of taxpayers in the state has increased from 3.8 million to 4.5 million. However, the state government lamented that about 3.9 million taxable residents still evade tax in the state. No fewer than 686 tax cases of non-compliance were filed at the courts by the state government out of which 376 cases got distrain orders at the beginning of the year with a total liability of about N11.6 billion. Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation, Mr Abimbola Shodipo, made the disclosures yesterday

at the 2015 Ministerial Press Briefing. Shodipo appealed to all taxable residents to comply with the voluntary payment to enable it run the state effectively without having to rely on the dwindling federal allocations. She commended those who voluntarily pay taxes, saying doing so make Lagos pay workers and contractors regularly without depending on the oil revenue allocations. The governor’s aide, who also faulted the idea of luxury tax introduced by the Federal Government, said citizens shouldn't bear the brunt of the failure of the government to diversify the economy. He debunked insinuation that the state was recording dwindling IGR

in spite of the economic downturn. He said: "IGR drop? I'm not aware of that. What I know dropped was our allocation from the Federal Government as a result of the drop in the oil revenue and monotonous economy. About 80/90 per cent of our revenue come from the sale of oil and immediately we had problem with the price of oil coupled with the drop in the demand for our oil, we were hit from the two sides." Speaking on the increase in the state’s revenue, the Chairman of the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Mr. Babatunde Fowler, said the state's IGR soared during the months of April, May and June, when companies declared dividends.

According to him, "In terms of our actual collection, we didn’t increase in IGR. In 2013, we had approximately N236 billion while in 2014 it was N276 billion. So, we went from an average of N20 billion in 2013 to an average of N23 billion. And that was one of the things that have kept the state working." He added that a total 376 cases got distrain order from the High Court out of 686 cases filed in the court over non-compliance. He said: "We filed 686 cases at the state high courts at the beginning of the year with a total liability of about N11.6 billion. Out of which 376 cases we received restrain orders on. And this amount to liability of about N8.1 billion. Of this, they have paid N771 million."

News

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Court lifts ban on Obasanjo's My Watch Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

n Abuja High Court yesterday granted an order permitting former President Olusegun Obasanjo to go ahead with the publication of his book titled “MY WATCH.” The trial judge, Justice Valentine Ashie in a ruling held that the existing order dated December 10, 2014 restraining the publication of the book was obtained by the plaintiff with the intention of concealing and suppressing vital facts. Justice Ashie also ordered that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) should not charge demurrage on the seized books currently in its custody. The court later adjourned till May 26 for the hearing of the substantive suit. Reacting to the ruling of the court shortly after the adjournment, counsel to Obasanjo, Mahmud Magaji (SAN) commended the judge for the ruling. New Telegraph recalls that the same court had on December 8, 2014

granted an order restraining Obasanjo from going on with plans to publish or have someone publish on his behalf, his new autobiography titled, ‘My Watch.’ A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Prince Buruji Kashamu had then through a motion exparte requested the court to stop the former President from the publication. The court, however, granted the order, having agreed with the submission of Kashamu through his counsel, Alex Iziyon (SAN) that part of the content of the book related to the subject matter of the N20 billion libel suit earlier instituted by the

plaintiff against former President Obasanjo. The court then restrained the former President from publishing the book, pending the determination of the libel suit instituted against him. The content of the book was said to be related to a letter dated December 2, 2013, written by Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan, claiming that Kashamu was wanted for drug-related crime in the United States of America. Iziyon had argued that since part of the content of the autobiography related to the December 2, 2013 letter, which is the subject matter of the libel suit, it was wrong for Obasanjo to be allowed

to proceed to comment on, write books about or make publications on the issue yet to be decided by the court. In his ruling then, Justice Ashi, thereby restrained Obasanjo from either publishing the book or have it published on his behalf by anybody, pending the determination of the main suit. The court order reads in part: “The defendant, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, whether by himself, his agents, servants, privies or any other person by whatever name called and howsoever described, is hereby restrained from publishing or caused to be published in the yet to be published book, ‘My

Watch’ or any autobiography or biography and any extracts of same, by whatever name called or howsoever titled, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice hereof.” The judge further restrained Obasanjo and his agents “from further writing, printing, publishing or causing to be published or printed or circulated, or otherwise, publishing of and concerning the plaintiff, the statement contained in newspapers of December 12, 2013, and which statements are alleged to have reproduced the letter written by the defendant to the President of the Federal Republic

of Nigeria, titled: ‘Before it is too late’ or similar statements pending the determination of the motion on notice.” But the judge also directed Kashamu to enter into a bond with the Chief Registrar of the court for damages he would pay should the order restraining Obasanjo from publishing the book turned out to be something the court ought not to have been granted. The judge asked the applicant to “execute a bond with the Registrar of the court to pay such damages as shall be assessed should it turn out that the order ought not to have been granted in the first place.”

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST LAGOS

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PORT HARCOURT

28o C 18oC Thunder Storms

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ENUGU

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IBADAN

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CALABAR

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MAIDUGURI

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37oC 20oC Sunny

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L-R: Managing Director, Forte Oil Plc, Mr. Akin-Akinfenwa; Director, Finance, Mr. Julius Omodayo Owotuka and acting Chairman, Mr. Christopher Adeyemi, at the 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: ADEYANJU OLOWOJOBA.

CBN governor proposes sale of oil assets CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

political interference, another source said. Others said more generally that the minister's current powers would be heavily trimmed. However, the CBN governor is to advise the Buhari administration to sell the nation’s majority stakes in joint ventures with multinational oil companies to shore up state finances and raise funding for infrastructure development. Already, Emefiele has asked CBN officials to evaluate how much could be raised if the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) substantially reduced its 55 per cent equity in the joint ventures with Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron, ExxonMo-

bil, Total and ENI, which pump about half of Nigeria’s two million barrels a day of oil production. The Buhari administration is, however, to focus more on the reform of the oil sector before sorting out the issue of taxes, it was learnt. Emefiele told the Financial Times of London (FT) in a report published yesterday that he believed that the Federal Government could raise $75 billion if it accepted the recommendation. Besides, private equity groups could be encouraged to compete with the oil companies for acquisitions to ensure the price is competitive. Some of the proceeds could be used to rebuild macroeconomic buffers,

damaged by the collapse in world oil prices and failure of the outgoing government of President Goodluck Jonathan to save more when prices were high. But Emefiele said a greater portion should be invested in transport and energy developments that would “grow the economy and create jobs”. “If you sell down a 30 per cent stake you could raise something substantial. It is an option they need to consider as a way of raising further funding,” he said. The CBN governor added that he had commissioned the research and would present the idea to president-elect when he assumes office on May 29. “It is an option now be-

cause our revenues have dropped and we don’t need to pile on more debt. The alternative is to look for ways of releasing value from some of the government’s assets,” he said, adding that petroleum profit taxes could be adjusted upwards to compensate for the state’s reduced stake in crude oil sales. Buhari, who first governed Nigeria as a military ruler in the 1980s, was petroleum minister when the NNPC was created in 1977. Now 72, he became the first opposition candidate in Nigeria’s history to unseat an incumbent president at the polls, sweeping to victory last month on the back of campaign pledges to stamp out corruption, defeat Islamist

insurgents and create jobs, But the choices confronting him are stark. Africa’s biggest economy is reeling from the collapse in the world price of oil, which contributes around 70 per cent of state earnings. Federal revenues are roughly half what they were a year ago; many of the 36 states in the federation are struggling to pay salaries and foreign reserves this month dipped below $30 billion, or around five months of import cover. Emefiele’s suggested remedy could prompt opposition from those ideologically opposed to selling off state assets, and resistance from politicians dependent on oil resources for patronage.

News

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSday, APRIL 16, 2015

Boko Haram: Army frees 57 soldiers, convicts 15 over loss of weapons, AWOL Our Correspondent

Special CourtMartial that sat at the Army Headquarters (AHQ) Garrison, Abuja, has discharged and acquitted 57 soldiers on charges of loss of weapons as well as Absence Without Official Leave (AWOL). The court martial, however, convicted 15 other accused soldiers, and consequently sentenced them to one year imprisonment. This is as the Federal Government has said that the present military operation in Sambisa Forest, Borno State, is focused on the location where abducted students of the Government Girls' Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, are being held. The Special Court Martial was established solely for the trial of soldiers whose offences were related to failure to account for weapons assigned to them, in the course of their involvement in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. A highly-placed source, who spoke with New Telegraph on condition of anonymity, said the fate of the soldiers was decided on Tuesday night hours after the prosecution and defence counsel adopted their written addresses. He added that a new court martial was inaugurated yesterday, to try accused officers from the rank of Lieutenant Colonel down. "A Special CourtMartial, which was constituted a few weeks ago handed down its verdict on Tuesday night, after listening to the final submissions, by way of written addresses of both prosecuting and defence counsel. "Out of the 72 accused soldiers, 57 were discharged and acquitted, whereas 15 others were found guilty of offences relating to loss of weapons and AWOL. "A fresh court has been inaugurated; it will try officers from the Lieutenant Colonel rank and below," he noted. Asked what the status of Brigadier General E. Ransome-Kuti's case is, the source said: "Because he is a very senior Army officer, I think what the Army wants to do, is to clear other pending cases involving junior officers and soldiers, so that a

GCM can be inaugurated to try him and his Commanding Officers (CO)." The Army is holding Gen. Ransome-Kuti and his lieutenants over Boko Haram's attack on the Headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in Baga, Borno State, which the one-star general had commanded. Meanwhile, hope for the release of over 200 Chibok schoolgirls may not have been lost after all, as the Federal Government has disclosed that the latest military operation was concentrated on the location where the girls are being held. This came a day after

the National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), assured that the dreaded Sambisa Forest – the last stronghold of the Boko Haram sect – will be cleared of Boko Haram fighters before May 29, the handover date. Addressing journalists at the regular security briefing of the National Information Centre (NIC), the Coordinator and Director General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, said military operations geared towards the safe rescue of the girls, were being intensified. Omeri said the decision to battle the fighters

in Sambisa Forest came after the recovery of all other territories, which he said were over 40. He further noted that it was the Federal Government's determination to resettle and re-integrate the displaced persons. He said: "On April 14, 2014, the nation woke up to the tragic incident of the first Nyanya bombing and the abduction of over 200 students of the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok by the Boko Haram terrorists. "The Federal Government remains resolute in finding and returning them to their homes where they rightly belong. Consequently, we

will continue to exert all efforts in ensuring their safe return. "In recent months, our security agencies have made significant gains in their counterinsurgency efforts, with the arrest and prosecution of the suspects of the Nyanya bombings as well as the liberation of 40 communities from the control of Boko Haram. "Presently, the military is moving into the Sambisa forest after taking Alagarno, Gwoza, Bama, Malam Fatori, Abadam, among others. The fortification of the border routes by other members of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) has

also played a key role in these successes. "Our intelligence indicates that the present military operation is focused on the area where the girls are believed to be held." Also at the briefing, the Deputy Director, Public Relations, Department of State Services (DSS), Mrs Marilyn Ogar, said one of the masterminds of the April 14, 2014, bomb explosion that rocked Nyanya (Abuja) Motor Park, Abubakar Tsiga, remained a wanted person, even as she added that the case of his co-mastermind, Aminu Ogwuche and other accomplices, was still pending before a competent court.

L-R: Chairman, National Steering Committee of the Second Peer Review of Nigeria, Senator Ken Nnamani (left) and Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, during the former Senate president's visit to the speaker in Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Why I rejected Constitution Amendment Bill, by Jonathan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

tive powers and duties to the legislature and the judiciary. Jonathan listed errors in the amendment to include: alteration to constitution cannot be valid with mere voice votes unless supported by the votes of not less than four-fifths majority all members of National Assembly and two-thirds of all the 36 State Houses of Assembly; right to free basic education and primary and maternal care services imposed on private institutions; flagrant violation of the

doctrine of separation of powers and unjustified whittling down of the executive powers vested in the president by virtue of Section 5(1) of the 1999 constitution. Other grouses of the president against the Act include the 30 days allowed for him to assent to the bill; limiting expenditure in default of appropriation from six months to three months; creation of the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation distinct from the Accountant General of the Federal Government; empowering

the National Economic Council to appoint the Accountant-General of the Federation instead of the president and allowing the National Judicial Council to now appoint the Attorney-General of the Federation instead of the president. Many senators were shocked when Mark read out the letter and it was learnt that the president's veto might have set him on a collision course with the lawmakers, in the twilight of his administration. It was gathered that the Senate might override his

veto in line with the provisions of the constitution. Before reading the letter from Jonathan, the President of the Senate had announced that the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, was calling for a two-day retreat for the members of the Committee, to hold between Wednesday (yesterday) and Thursday (today). Shortly after reading the president's letter, which raised a lot of constitutional and legal questions on the content

of the 2015 Alteration Act, Senator Sadiq Yar'Adua, an APC member, representing Katsina Central, moved a point of order, asking the Senate to set aside its relevant rules and consider the letter. Mark rejected the request and directed that the document should be photocopied and circulated to members to enable them to study for debate today. The president also made the same observations on the Act in the letter sent to the House, which Tambuwal read at plenary yesterday.

News

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

NATIONAL

MDAs get April 20 deadline to submit handover notes lJonathan hands over to Buhari May 28 Anule Emmanuel ABUJA

resident Goodluck Jonathan has given all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) an April 20 deadline to submit transitional briefs to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). The directive is to ensure that all arrangements are concluded for a smooth handover to the incoming government of Major General Muham-

madu Buhari. But the president intends to formally hand over to Buhari on May 28, a day before his inauguration as president. Minister of Information, Mrs. Patricia Akwashiki, who briefed State House correspondents at the end of Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided, said the council was already in transition period. She added that all the MDAs have also been directed to submit all pending government transactions requiring approval

by the president before May 13. According to her, Jonathan will continue to meet council members until the f May 20 when FEC would hold its valedictory session. She said on the May 28, there would be dinner at the State House shortly before the handover date. “You know we are already in transition so there is very little to report. What we discussed with the president in council, he emphasised on the need for all MDAs to

submit their handing over notes to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation by 20th of this month, that is next Monday,” she stated It was learnt that a format had been developed and handed over to all the MDAs to follow in preparing the handover notes. “So we are going to be very busy this weekend putting our handing over notes together. The president also emphasised that he would require another little briefing from all MDAs to indicate inherited projects, how far it

has been executed and initiated projects by his administration and the level of completion, whether completed, ongoing or abandoned. “If they do that it will be easier for the president to compile everything. The format is to ensure you submit everything before they pass it to the incoming government.” “We discussed other issues but we are particularly paying attention to the transition and how to make it effective. As you are all aware, we have a transitional committee already set up by the president, headed by the vice-president. Other than that we have an inaugural committee that is headed by the SGF. “So everything we are doing we are doing to achieve smooth transition, getting all our notes together. “By May 28, the presi-

dent intends to have the formal handing over done at a dinner so that we can reserve the 29th for the incoming president. By May 28, we expect to have concluded our governance and we are welcoming incoming government. “Also you know May 29 is our Democracy Day so we have activities lined up all through that week, showcasing all what we have achieved and all other things we do normally on our democracy day except that this year is special with the inauguration of our new president that is coming up on the May 29. “It is for the MDAs to submit their notes to the SGF who will handle the total package of the handing over to the incoming administration. It doesn’t mean that is the exact notes that will be passed on.”

Benue tribunal orders APC, Onjeh to inspect electoral materials Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

L-R: Special Adviser to Ogun State Governor on MDGs, Mrs. Hafsat Abiola-Costello; Wife of the State House of assembly Speaker, Mrs. Oluwaseun Adekunbi; Wife of the State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun; Wife of former President, Mrs. Bola Obasanjo; State’s Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle and State Commissioner for Women’s Affairs, Mrs. Elizabeth Sonubi, during the one Year Anniversary Solidarity Walk for the Chibok schoolgirls in Abeokuta …yesterday

ACF calls on Jonathan to rescue Chibok girls as parting gift Ibraheem Musa Kaduna

he Arewa Consultative Forum(ACF) has called on the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to intensify efforts in the search for the abducted Chibok girls in order to rescue and return them to their parents as a parting gift to Nigerians. The forum which gave this advice in a press statement issued yesterday, further said that the government should forward intelligence reports on the matter to the incoming President Muhamadu Buhari to deal with, if it cannot rescue the girls. ACF, which issued this statement to mark the one year anniversary of the abduction, urged Nigerians to be prayerful and seek divine intervention for peace to be restored in the North East of Nigeria and the re-uniting of the girls with their parents.

“The assurances given by the Federal Government that it had brokered a truce with Boko Haram militants that the girls would be released never yielded any positive result; in fact, the so called ceasefire agreement between Boko Haram insurgents and Federal Government was later denied by the National Security Adviser, “ACF noted.

According to the forum, “the inability of the government to locate the whereabouts of the abducted Chibok girls did not only erode the confidence Nigerians have in the government but have also put the girls’ parents into more pains and trauma in the last one year.’’ The statement commended the campaign initiated and sustained by

the BringBackOurGirls and other organizations in the same crusade, for putting pressure on the government to act. ACF equally appreciated the determination of the incoming government of Buhari to end the Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges in the country, adding that ‘’this is part of the change Nigerians expect.’’

he Benue South senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Hon. Daniel Onjeh, has dragged the senator representing the zone, Senator David Mark to the National and State House of Assembly Elections petition Tribunal in the state to seek redress following the outcome of the March 28 National Assembly election. The tribunal directed Daniel Onjeh and his party to inspect the electoral materials of last senatorial election in the area for which Mark was declared winner of the said election. Onjeh had contested the senate seat of the Benue south senatorial district against Mark, who was pronounced the winner of the poll, but Onjeh faulted the re-

sult, alleging that it was rigged and prayed the tribunal to grant him leave to inspect the electoral materials. Chairman of the tribunal in the state, Mr. M.A Dipeolu, accordingly granted Onjeh’s application to take copies of the materials and directed the INEC to move to the tribunal with all the electoral forms and other materials used for the election held on 28th March, 2015. The tribunal ordered the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof. Istifanus Dafwang to furnish the petitioner, with certified true copies of the forms and other electoral materials for inspection. New Telegraph gathered that, the electoral materials for inspection include forms EC8A(1), EC8B(1), EC8C(1), EC8D(1), EC25 series and EC40.

What Buhari’s government must do, by Okonjo-Iweala Ayodele Aminu

Washington D.c.

or the in-coming administration to succeed and have enough revenue to executive its manifestoes, it has to diversify the Nigeria’s sources of revenue, build enough buffers and continue to strengthen and build institutions, Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi-OkonjoIweala, has said. She disclosed this yesterday at the on-going 2015 Spring meetings of the World Bank and the Inter-

national Monetary Fund (IMF), where she spoke on “Nigeria Beyond Oil.” The minister, who was accompanied by the economic think-thank of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Mr Wale Edun, a former commissioner under Bola Tinubu Ahmed administration, said Nigeria urgently needs a consensus to move the country away from oil. The minister said: “The falling oil prices should be seen as an opportunity to diversify Nigerian economy away from oil. We need

an economic and political consensus to build buffers. Currently, our expert earnings are 30 per cent non-oil and 70 per cent oil but we need to increase our nonoil exports like countries like Mexico and Indonesia, so as to guide against oil shocks. “ I advice the in-coming government to build political will so that if oil prices rise they can save and have enough buffers to cushion the effect of falling oil prices. “The in-coming administration also has to look

into the issue of gas, which reduced the power generation.” Besides, she noted that Nigeria is the only country whose Value Added Tax (VAT) is so low and advised the in-coming administration could raise VAT in the 2016 budget. The minster however, acknowledged that Nigeria’s economic growth has not been all-inclusive and that the country has been losing half percent of her Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the last two years to Boko Haram.

“Inequality has increased from 42 percent to 48.9 percent, our growth has not been creating jobs with unemployment rising as high as 24 percent,” she admitted. Consequently, she said that was why the current government embarked on building institutions and infrastructure. Reiterating that 2015 would be pretty tough for Nigeria, she said data from the World Bank showed that the country was losing 3 percent of her growth yearly to inability to halt oil volatility.

NEW TELEGRAPH thursday, april 16, 2015

News

national

Trial of Nyanya bomb blast suspects stalled Tunde Oyesina Abuja

year after the bomb blast that killed about 75 and injured several people in Nyanya area of the Federal Capital Territory, the trial of the alleged master mind, Sadiq Aminu Ogwuche and six others which was to commence yesterday before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has been stalled. This was at the in-

stance of the Prosecution Counsel, who brought an application to modify the partial secret trial of the suspects to completely shield prosecution witnesses. Ogwuche, Ahmed Abubakar, Mohammed Ishaq, Ya’u Saidu (alias Kofar Rama); Anas Isa, Adamu Yusuf and Nasir Abubakar are facing terrorism charges and the prosecution team was to call their witnesses yesterday. But at the resumed trial, a representative of the

prosecution counsel, M. Ogunsina, told the court that he had a motion dated and filed on April 9, seeking to modify the order of the court made on March 18, 2015. Specifically, the Federal Government wants the court to direct the use of screens to shield the prosecution witnesses to protect them from public view but to allow only the lead counsel to the accused person access to view the facial identities of the prosecution witnesses.

The prosecution also wants the court to allow prosecution witnesses protected access to the court room through a non public route. In a five paragraphs affidavit in support of the motion, the deponent stated that failure to grant it will affect the witnesses’ willingness to sacrifice and give evidence for fear of their lives. However, the defence counsel, Ahmed Raji SAN, and five other counsels, said they were served with the motion in court

yesterday and it was not ripe for hearing. Raji, however, said that prosecution counsel deliberately served the motion on the defence counsel in court in order to abort proceedings. The defence counsel also said that the application was in bad faith, considering that it was filed since April 9, but served on the defence counsel on the date of hearing. The trial judge, Justice A.R Mohammed adjourned till May 11 for hearing.

L-R: Director, Legal Services, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Mrs. Abosede Olukolu; Director, Tax Audit, LIRS, Mr. Lanre Adeniyi; Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Taxation and Revenue, Mr. Bola Shodipo and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, during a ministerial press briefing by the Office of the Special Adviser, Taxation and Revenue in commemoration of Governor Babatunde Fashola’s eight years in office in Lagos…yesterday

Atiku wants implicated INEC, security officials replaced Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

ormer Vice President of Nigeria and All Progressives Congress Chieftain, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called for the replacement of the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and security officials implicated in the conduct of last weekend's governorship election in Taraba State. The former Vice President made the suggestion while welcoming INEC's decision to cancel the gubernatorial election results in some local government areas of Taraba State and declare the outcome of last Saturday's polls in the state inconclusive. In a statement released yesterday by his Media Office, Atiku expressed agreement with the widespread reports of irregularities in some local governments of the state.

APC youths set agenda for Buhari Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

he All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Forum yesterday set agenda for the PresidentElect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, stating that unemployment, youth restiveness and insecurity should be given priority. At a media conference addressed in Abuja by the Forum chairman, Ismaeel Ahmed, while congratulating the president elect on his resounding victory at the just concluded poll, the group urged him to capture the youths in his new administration. According to him, the youths who toiled to vote for change should be remembered and honoured. He said: "Young Nigerians, the foot soldiers of the respective campaigns of which many lost their lives went from door to door to spread and preach the benefits of our party roadmaps and today, we must remember and honour them. Today, we must begin to look at the sustainability of our party and begin to empower young people for the sake of the future that knocks so steadily on our door"

Fayemi denies discussing Buhari’s economic policy at LBS

WHO: Ebola survives in semen, DPR probes Universal Energy Governor of six months after recovery for diversion of crude oil Former Ekiti State, Dr kayode Appolonia Adeyemi

ix months after surviving the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), traces of the virus has been found in a man, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has alerted. To this end, the UN agency has recommended that Ebola survivors should abstain from having sex or practice safe sex using a condom beyond the three-month period earlier recommended. This development followed the new finding which revealed that the virus could survive in semen six months after recovery. The man had been declared free of the deadly virus in Liberia last September, WHO spokesman, Tarik Jasarevic, said. Jasarevic said the man has provided a semen sample which has tested positive for Ebola, 175 days after his negative blood test." The UN health agency had previously said the virus had been detected

in semen around three months after a patient had been declared Ebola free. The new finding has led WHO to recommend that survivors abstain from having sex or that they practice safe sex using a condom beyond the threemonth period previously prescribed. "Ebola survivors should consider correct and consistent use of condoms for all sexual acts beyond three months until more information is available," it said on its website. Jasarevic said more research was needed before WHO could provide more detailed advice. "We need to understand better if this particular case is an anomaly or if there really are groups of people who might (carry) parts of the Ebola virus longer," he said. Until more is known, Ebola survivors should abstain from sex or practice safe sex "until further notice," Bruce Aylward, who heads WHO's Ebola response, told reporters last week.

Philip Nyam Abuja

he Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) yesterday confirmed the illegal lifting and diversion of crude oil deposit at Stubo Creek Marginal Field in OML 14 by Universal Energy Resources Limited. The Director of DPR, Mr. George Osahon, made the disclosure at the investigative public hearing organized by the House of Representatives Ad hoc committee on the diversion of the crude. The host community, Mbo Youth Development Association, via separate petitions to the House of Representatives, DPR and National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) alleged that the company loaded and trucked three trucks of crude oil on 8th February 2015; three trucks on 22nd March 2015; five trucks of crude oil on the 31st March 2015 and seven trucks load of crude oil on the 8th April

2015 totalling 18 trucks within the period under review. Osahon, in the eightpage report presented to the Ad-hoc Committee stated that “there is no record in DPR to show that the company was given authorisation to truck out its crude by road,” as alleged. He further stated that the DPR, NOSDRA, youths and chiefs of the community during the site visit “observed that there were five tanks at the site; three were empty, one was discharging to the facility while one was still filled with crude oil awaiting discharge.” Osahon, who confirmed the receipt of the protest letter from Mbo Youth Development Association, noted that the Stubb Creek Marginal Field with an area of about 42.3sq.km located in OML 14 was previously operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) before it was awarded to Universal Energy Resources Limited in 2003.

Fayemi, has described as false, reports linking him to discussing the economic programmes of President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at the Lagos Business School. In a statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, Fayemi described such reports as misguided and fabricated. The statement said: “While it is true that Dr Fayemi was Guest Speaker at the Lagos Business School (LBS) Breakfast meeting, he was not there as a representative of the President-elect, General Muhammad Buhari and neither was he introduced as such. Aside this, the various “policies” of the incoming administration purported to have been disclosed by Dr Fayemi by the misleading reports, were mere fabrication as the thrust of discussion at the event was essentially on the campaign manifesto of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and how it was successfully marketed to the electorate.

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Metro LUCRATIVE CRIME

A female suspect says she made N10 million in six months after joining criminal gang Camillus Nnaji

t was a joyous mood at the residence of Mr and Mrs Leke Orekoya on Lawanson Road, Surulere, yesterday as their three kidnapped children were found at an uncompleted building at Akowonjo, Egbeda, Lagos. It still remains a mystery how the kids were rescued. While the police said that the kids were abandoned in the building when the kidnappers knew they were closing in on them, a family source said that the couple paid a ransom before the kids were allowed to go. But Leke said his family was informed through a phone call. He said: “Immediately we got a call yesterday (Tuesday) evening, we went straight to Akowonjo only to discover that our children had been traumatised, badly treated and unfed. “The three of them were all naked. They had no clothes or sandals on them. There were mosquitoes’ bites all over their bodies. Their bodies were also covered with rashes. We took them to the Police College Hospital for treatment. They will be there until the doctors discharge them.” The children’s grandfather, Mr Adekunle Adeloko, said the abductors called the family to go and pick the children at Egbeda after paying a sum of money to a particular bank in Shagamu. Asked how much was involved, Adeloko said that the family would prefer to be silent on that. But another family source

My children were found naked, says Orekoya lKidnappers use Sagamu bank to receive ransom

The Orekoyas

said the kidnappers warned the parents not to invite the police to monitor the withdrawal of the money paid into an undisclosed bank account at Sagamu in Ogun State. It is believed that the kidnappers had already withdrawn the

money before they called the parents to pick their children at Egbeda. Adeloko advised parents against going to internet to recruit housemaids. He said: “I want to advise parents, young mothers and would

be parents not to recruit from all these online advertisers. They are corrupt, not reliable, criminals and kidnappers have over flooded the internets. Before you bring any housemaid to your house, you must know her background very well, you

must meet his parents or relatives one on one.” Yesterday, extended family members, neighbours, wellwishers, among others, were trouping to the Orekoyas’ house to rejoice with the family.

The 14-storey building houses the National Deposit Insurance Company (NDIC), Federal Mortgage Bank and Diamond Bank. Commercial activities in the companies were halted because of the sudden outbreak of the fire. The fire was said to have been caused by an oil spillage from one of the generators installed on the fourth floor of the building. Workers in the companies were seen bringing out some of their burnt documents from the building.

The staff noticed smoke coming out of the generator room around 10am. One of the workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “When I noticed the smoke in the morning, I quickly drew the attention of the chief security officer to the smoke. He said it was a minor something, which would be fixed. Within a few hours, the whole building had become engulfed in a thick smoke. The smoke made every occupant of the building to be running outside.”

The Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank, Mr. Gimba Kumoh, said: “The fire took us by surprise. We were all in our various offices when suddenly we heard the shout of fire. Immediately everybody rushed out for safety. Some workers were trapped, but later rescued by firefighters.” The Head of Operations, Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), Mr Femi Giwa, said they received a distressed call that a seven-

storey building was burning on the Island. He said: “We ran down to the scene of the incident.” With the assistance of firefighters from the Union Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) fire service and the Lagos State Fire Service, we were able to put out the fire.” Giwa said that the fire was caused by oil spill from the generator’s room which spread to other parts of the building, adding that no casualty was recorded.

Fire guts Mamman Kontagora House Taiwo Jimoh

he popular Mamman Kontagora House on Marina Street, Lagos Island was gutted by fire yesterday.

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

Metro 11

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Why we disguised as EFCC officials, by suspects Juliana Francis and John Edu

Adeolu Adeyemo

odies of two students sitting for the on-going West African Examination Council (WAEC)-conducted examinations in Osun State, Farinde Boluwatife and Adeyemi Tope, were yesterday discovered in River Osun. The Senior Secondary School III students of Ataoja High School were reportedly seen shortly before being drowned by their schoolmates on Monday. However, their bodies floated on the river two days after the got missing. It was gathered that family members of the students and the school authorities had been searching for them before a farmer near the river saw bodies floating. “We all went in search of them on Monday. Some of us know students usually go to the river located along East by-pass to swim. Since Monday, we have been searching for them, but two days after, a farmer saw their bodies and alerted the school,” a source said.

Some of the suspects with the money recovered from them

months and made about N10 million. Right now, I have no money in my account. Police have collected all.” The Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Aderanti, who paraded the suspects, said the gang used EFCC uniforms, handcuffs and guns to rob bureau de change operators in Abuja and Lagos State of foreign currencies. Recovered from the suspects are Bryco 59 pistol with serial no. 930945 with six rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition, single-barrelled pistol cut-to-size with four live cartridges, and three Toyota Highlander jeeps. The first, an ash colour, is marked LSR11DB. The second is maroon colour marked LSR 671DK, another maroon colour marked KTU 380DK. The police also recovered a Toyota Sienna 2012 model, marked JJJ424CQ, Toyota 4

Runner, marked KRD 449DG, one unregistered Toyota Camry saloon car, N4 million cash and $13,000. According to Aderanti, all the suspects have houses spread throughout the country, adding that they also have different exotic cars. He said: “Princewell built a hotel in Edo State, while other members built houses in Delta, Ogun and Lagos states. Effort is on to arrest the only gang member at large.” Recalling how they were arrested, Aderanti said that he acted promptly on credible information received from a source on February 25. According to him, he immediately ordered the officer in charge of SARS, SP Abba Kyari, to launch a massive manhunt and round up the criminals. He said: “Kyari swiftly

deployed cutting edge technological tools on ground and eventually tracked and arrested the kingpin, Princewell alias Senator Nwobodo, who lives at VGC, Ajah on February 27, 2015. “His confessions led to the arrest of a female Lebanese national and gang member, Amira, and others. We also discovered Irior is a dismissed police corporal, while Ekpenyong had once been charged by SARS for kidnapping in 2012. They all confessed to several robberies within Lagos and Abuja.” Eze confessed that he had been in the crime for a long time, adding that he got his police radio and walkie-talkie because he was once involved in politics, while partnering with a politician, who was vying for governorship post back then in in Anambra State.

How my wife and I survived accident –Activist Eche Nwaobasi Nnewi

human rights activist, Mr Emejulu Okpalaukwu, has explained how he and his wife survived a road accident on OtuochaNteje Road while returning from state House of Assembly election monitoring duty in Anambra State. The accident, which occurred at Ifite-Aguleri community on the ever-busy Otuocha-Nteje Road on Sunday night, left his Nissan car badly damaged. Giving an account of the accident at the Awka Medical Centre where he was rushed to, Okpalaukwu said that no life was lost in the accident. He, however, said that his wife was the most affected in

Students drown in Osun River Osogbo

ome suspected armed robbers, now in police net, yesterday explained why they used to wear reflective vest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to rob, steal and dupe unsuspecting Nigerians. The suspects are Princewill Eze, 55, Amira Abdallahi 32, Daniel Okpara, 30, Paul Irior, 37, Bassey Williams Ekpenyoung, 39, and Royal Nwabuike, 32. They were arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos State. Eze is said to be the ring leader and goes by the alias, Senator Nwobodo. The suspect, a father of five, was said to have houses spread across the country, including a hostel in the Ambrose Alli University, Edo State. According to the police, he has been arrested several times for robbery, but always escapes conviction whenever he gets to court. The suspect goes about in a tinted car, fitted with a radio base, where police radio messages are intercepted. The car also has siren which blares whenever Eze is moving. The only female in the gang, Abdallahi, born of a Lebanese father and an Edo State mother, said she had five children, with the youngest, just six months old. The suspect said she was an interior decorator, adding that she was deceived into joining the gang. According to her, she later embraced it because of her love for money. She said: “I’ve only been with the gang for just six

City Briefs

Okpalaukwu and his wife at the Awka Medical Centre in Awka, Anambra State on Monday.

the incident. The activist, who is the founder of New Nigeria Mandate Groups (NNMG), said

the accident took place while he was going from Otuocha to Oyi to stop electoral malpractice being perpetrated alleg-

edly by some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members. Okpalaukwu, who is also a founding member of PDP, said: “We had earlier agreed that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) will support PDP during the presidential election, while during the National Assembly and state House of Assembly polls that PDP will support APGA, which is the ruling party in Anambra State. “But to our greatest surprise, the agreement which President Goodluck Jonathan also affirmed, was scuttled by some PDP members in Anambra State, hence our intervention to make sure that the agreement was maintained in the state House of Assembly election.”

Soldiers, policemen drafted to Kwara community after deadly clash Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

rmed soldiers and policemen were yesterday drafted to Oro-Ago in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State to restore law and order. A clash between indigenes of the town and some Fulani settlers had earlier led to the death of two persons as well as the destruction of property worth millions of naira. The soldiers and policemen, according to findings, were being supported by men of the local vigilance group to restore normalcy and prevent a reprisal attack. Sources within the community claimed that the crisis was caused by the Fulani settlers who allegedly flouted an existing local order that bars them from taking arms, ammunition or fighting sticks from their settlements to the weekly Oro Ago market. It was gathered, however, that the Fulani traders came to the market on Monday with arms and were accosted by men of the local vigilance group and hunters who seized the weapons and kept them at a place in the town. However, to the consternation of men of the local vigilance team, the seized weapons were allegedly retrieved and returned to their owners by the leader of the Fulani community, popularly called Serikin Fulani. It was in the process of retaking the arms that led to the initial clash during which several people were severely wounded. The clash eventually led to the death of one of the youths, identified as Sogo Babarinde, who repaired phones in the market, while there were claims that the youth also killed one of the Fulani people, before chasing them away from the community. About 10 motorcycles and five vehicles belonging to some of the settlers were reportedly burnt by the irate youth. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed the incident.

12 News Ahmed Miringa Maiduguri

he senator representing Borno South in the National Assembly, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, yesterday said the Federal Government is not serious about rescuing the abducted Chibok schoolgirls. Ndume, who has been re-elected into the Senate, spoke on the one-year anniversary of the abduction of the 230 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok. He said it is unfortunate that one year after the girls’ abduction, nobody knows their whereabouts, their health condition and how they are feeling. The senator, who is also the senator representing Chibok at the National Assembly, said 219

national

thursday, april 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ndume: FG not serious about rescuing Chibok girls of the girls are still in the hands of the insurgents, pointing out that the world is more concerned about the girls than the Federal Government. Ndume said in the first place, the Federal Government did not even believe in the abduction of the girls, talk less of making efforts to rescue them, adding that it was

when the international community showed interest in the issue that the government started acting. He also faulted the Federal Government for politicising the issue by trying to shift the blame on the Borno State government rather than putting more efforts toward rescuing the girls.

The senator said: “Sources said the Chibok girls were still in the area, but rather than act quickly, the Federal Government went ahead to announce that on a particular date, they will be going to recapture Gwoza and probably before they recapture the town, the girls have been moved out.

“The way the Federal Government is handling the fight against insurgency is wrong, as government is not supposed to announce their planned attack, the fight against insurgency all over the world is full of surprise,” the senator said. The senator added that rather than the Federal Government pay more

attention to the rescue of the missing schoolgirls; the Minister of Finance and military officer went to Chibok to lay the foundation for the rebuilding of the schools belonging to the state government. Ndume said the rescue of the girls is more important to people of Chibok than the rebuilding of the schools, stressing that if at all the Federal Government wants to construct schools in Chibok, they should build a new school for the community as that school was the only secondary school in Chibok Local Government area.

Obasanjo to Buhari: Nigerians expect much from you

or mer President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday told the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari that the expectation of him from Nigerians were huge. According to online medium, Premium Times, Obsanjo said there was the need for Buhari to realize that Nigerians are expecting a lot from him when he eventually takes over power May 29. Obasanjo is currently in Sudan as an AU observer in the country’s presidential election. Obasanjo said he was not ready to “say too much” about the election but noted that Nigerians have passed a message to the retired general by asking for change. He said: “Nigerians have done what needed to be done.” He also called “what has happened” Phase 1. He said Phase 2 would be how the new government establishes itself. “Everybody needs to know that expectations are high,” he said. Obasanjo had written a letter to Buhari after he was declared winner of the election and asked the president-elect to pay more attention to institutional reforms in Nigeria. Obasanjo said Nigeria had been unnecessarily over-heated before and during the campaigns and divisive tendencies were openly displayed. He urged Buhari to “heal” the wounds following the intense electioneering campaigns.

L-R: Brand Manager, Dufil Prima Food Plc, Mr. Amber Yadav; Public Relations and Events Manager, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju and Managing Director, BD Consult Limited, Mr. Tola Bademosi, at a press conference to jump start the 2015 edition of Indomie Independent Day Heroes Award in Lagos. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

APC’s NWC meet on formation of government Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

he All Progressives Congress’ National Working Committee members yesterday met for hours to deliberate on how the party would form government, come May 29. The meeting, which is the first after the governorship and State Houses

of Assembly elections, lasted for hours, with a break to receive a British High Commissioner at the National Chairman's House in Asokoro. According to source at the party's national secretariat, the meeting was to discuss power sharing at the National Assembly, Composition of Transition Committee, process for ministerial nomination and a review of the

governorship election in Rivers , Akwa Ibom and Taraba states. Also, the governorship election in Taraba State was discussed as the party's governorship candidate briefed the NWC members on the inconclusive election in the state. The source stated that the interest shown by elected national assembly members on the plat-

form of the party to lead the Senate and the House of Representatives was a concern to the national leadership of the party. According to him, the leadership of the party was looking for a way to minimise the number of elected members aspiring for the leadership of the 8th National Assembly. Also, the source stated that the NWC members based on the President-

Elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari's opinion on those that would be members of the Transition Committee, considered setting out criteria for membership of the Committee. It could be recalled that Buhari had last weekend in his country home while at a press conference with newsmen said technocrats will form the bulk of the transition committee.

NNPC deploys team to check 140, 000 APC votes voided in Edo, says Oshiomhole thank the people of the sition. Cajetan Mmuta product diversion state for voting the All “Consequently, it Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

eter mined to end fuel queues around Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Tuesday resolved to deploy its monitoring team to the area to ensure that fuel scarcity is a thing of the past in the area. The corporation said it has increased fuel

truck-out from the Suleja depot to Abuja, to ease distribution challenges and has also taken measures to check product diversion. In a statement from the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ohi Alegbe, the corporation said the artificially induced distribution challenge in the FCT was as a result of the few days lull in the loading gantries caused by the recently concluded general elections across the country.

BENIN

do State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday said a total of 140, 000 APC votes were voided in the last Presidential election in the state. He said in spite of that the state was the only one in the South-South and South East geopolitical zones to give the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, over 45 per cent of the votes cast. Oshiomhole, in a statewide broadcast to

Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general elections, expressed appreciation to the people for their support and votes during the polls. According to him, “I want to formally thank you for standing by me and the government of Edo State during the just concluded Presidential, National Assembly and House of Assembly elections. During the presidential election, you refused to be swayed by the campaign of hate, religious and ethnic bigotry dished by the oppo-

is on record that Edo State is the only state within the South-East and South-South geo-political zones, where the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, secured the highest number of votes cast in the election. The governor said: “It is now clear that the about 140, 000 votes of the 150,000 voided votes were actually APC votes. If we add 140, 000 votes to the 208,000 votes declared by INEC, it is clear that General Buhari won the election in Edo State.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, april 16, 2015

Governance

Buhari: We’ll prosecute those who subvert constitution

Electoral promise

Ayade: I’ll run Cross River as a business model

National Assembly

14, 15

Senate Presidency: The odds favour Saraki

Politics Chief Ebenezer Babatope, a former Minister of Transportation and Aviation, is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT). In this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, he speaks on the March 28 presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan’s concession of defeat and the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the elections, among other issues. Excerpts:

No regrets supporting Jonathan – Babatope normality or whatever. So, the time of APC will come. So you believe disunity contributed to PDP loss during the March 28 elections? Nobody is disputing that. Everybody must have learnt their lessons. Even despite return of Nigeria to Northern oligarchy in a manner that is so saddening, it does not mean that we are not going to have a situation whereby people are going to allow their ambition to run riot and overtake what should be the supremacy of the party. Now, it has happened and everybody must learn lessons. So, the PDP must sit down and we are going to sit down to learn our lessons.

The presidential election has come and gone. How would you assess the election? We had the election and the results have been announced. So, we have to move forward. Are you really satisfied with the outcome of the election? It is not for me to feel satisfied or dissatisfied; it is an issue for Nigerians. If Nigerians are satisfied, good and if Nigerians are dissatisfied, good. Do you think the process was free and fair? What process is free and fair? I leave the judgement to God and everyone. How can we say the election is free and fair when millions of figures were rolled out from the North; getting us back to the 1960, when Fulani oligarchy has now been confirmed. Is that a free and fair process? But whatever it is; elections have been held; our country must move forward. Therefore, we would always pray for our country

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY EDITOR, PoLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

Babatope

that whatever is best for Nigeria, God should uphold it for our country. How do you see the situation where PDP governors lost senatorial elections in their states? Forget about a governor contesting election or not. If the process is free, anybody can lose an election. So, there is no big deal about a governor contesting and losing election. That is democracy. But it is quite unfortunate that they have painted the picture of taking Nigeria back to 1960 situation whereby Nigerians were fighting on Northern oligarchy, which has now been confirmed. I believe nobody can be the best judge of the situation; it is the Nigerian people and the Supreme God that guide all of us. So, we leave everything and move forward. South-West was regarded as the battleground for the presidential election and the PDP put up a fight to get bulk votes from the zone, but APC swept five of the six states. What went wrong? That was the belief of many people who believed that because APC was dominating the South-West, APC was going to win. But what

I am 72 years old and I have no regret supporting Jonathan. I must be a compound fool if at the age of 72, I start having regrets

is the result in South-West? It was a marginal defeat for PDP. Lagos State was about 700,000 to 600,000. In Ogun State, PDP had convenient and comfortable percentage, which doesn’t mean disgrace. The same thing happened in Oyo State. In Osun State, we had 39.9 per cent and we won Ekiti State. In Ondo State, we had almost 44 to 56 per cent. I am not going to be the judge, God is the supreme judge and eventually when the issues of Nigerian politics are squarely judged, all those who are wishing PDP ill-luck will eventually get their result and judgement. What do you mean by that? They said PDP has stayed in office for 16 years. They want change and they have gotten change; so we wish Nigeria the best of luck. Some critics say the PDP lost the presidential election because of division within the party. It is always in all the political party; it is also in the APC. That their own has not blown now does not mean that they are free of that. Of course, PDP had disunity; we are a political party and political parties are meant to embrace unity, disunity,

Do you think the defection of the G-5 governors and other PDP founding members to APC really had effect on the party’s performance in the last presidential election? What could PDP have done to prevent people from moving from one party to the other? What can we do to stop adults from defecting from one party to another? They are adults and they have independent minds, so they can decide for themselves. So, apparently, we cannot say we were defeated because people moved from PDP to APC. Are you saying APC may witness some shake-up very soon? I am not praying that for them. It is a natural cause of events that things must happen. Those who are jumping up today will jump down tomorrow; that is natural cause of things. They said they have won and people who have control over elections say APC has won, so that is it. How would you assess the Attahiru Jega–led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)? I don’t want to comment on Jega anymore. Jega is a letdown and at the appropriate time, I will write my views on Jega. Jega was a master planner of returning Nigeria back to 1960 because of tribalism and terrible commitment to religion. I am still going to express my view in detail on Jega at the appropriate time. At 72, I must not rush to judge. What do you mean by Jega returning Nigeria back to 1960? What results did you get from the CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Politics

THURSDAY, april 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari:

We’ll prosecute those who subvert constitution lSays Nigeria has been humiliated by PDP

The President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, spoke with some journalists at his residence in Daura, Katsina State after casting his votes in the governorship and State House of Assembly elections. He spoke on the general elections, prosecution of electoral offenders, and his plans for Nigeria. JOHNCHUKS ONUANYIM reports Since your victory at the polls two weeks ago, a lot of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members across the country have been defecting to the APC. How do you intend to manage this? I think that this is mainly a question meant for the party. I wish John Odigie-Oyegun was here to answer you because we have a system. Just because I am the presidential candidate and the President-elect, I don’t think that the system has allowed me to usurp the power of the party executive. But certainly, in a multi-party democratic system, fundamentally, it is the number that matters for the people. But for the party, what matters is the ability to manage the number so that the majority will have its way and there will be justice. No matter what the remnants from the PDP by May 29, I assure them that there will be justice in APC. In composing your cabinet, what are those criteria you will be using in selecting those who will work with you? It is a difficult time for Nigerians as you all know. I have said it in the past that in the last 16 years, Nigeria has never realised the amount of revenue it received. A barrel of crude oil rose to about $140 and has crashed to about $50 now. During these 16 years, we know some big companies that employ a lot of Nigerians and give them training facilities like the Nigeria Airways, Nigeria Shipping Line, even the Nigeria Railways is managing to be on paper with some refurbished engines moving from Lagos to Ibadan and a few other places. If you go to their stations all over the country, you will realise that they are in a terrible shape. The important thing in a country with a huge youth population with more than 60 per cent of them under the age of 30 who are unemployed is that you need these institutions to give jobs and

training. It is very disappointing that the PDP government virtually failed to use those resources to make sure that the economy continue to grow in a sustainable way. I think the worst thing is the lack of accountability and the terrible budgetary system. Imagine that over 90 per cent of Nigerian budget is on recurrent. How can you sustain development in a developing country like Nigeria with only about 10 per cent of your income? Things just have to change. There must be more money available for infrastructure, for investment in getting the factories back, employment and getting goods and services for the population. I think the sins of PDP will be coming out for several years to come. Two weeks ago, Nigerians came out to vote for you in a peaceful election. During the governorship poll on Saturday, there were pockets of violence across the country. How do you feel about this? I think there are less disruption during the governorship poll than it was during the presidential election. I hope that it was as a result of the bandwagon effect because APC had the upper hand during the last election. But what happened in the South-South and the South-East cannot be compared to what happened today. What I saw was that there was a few ballot snatching in some local government areas in Bayelsa State and a few disruptions in Adamawa State, but that is nothing near to what happened two weeks ago. I don’t think it is up to 25 per cent of what happened two weeks ago? I think that after the elections, both parties, APC and PDP will perhaps make their presentations to INEC or the courts and then more details will emerge. Do we expect to see you put in place a Government of National Unity? Again, you want me to encroach into the party’s main power. Even

Buhari

if I, as President-elect wants to form a broad-based government, I think that the executive of the party will have some influence on that decision. So, for me to maintain a good rapport with the leadership of my party, I want to keep your question in abeyance until further notice.

You can’t... subvert the constitution and continue to enjoy the privileges offered by the constitution

Reports across the South-South and South-East gave indications of violence especially in Rivers and Lagos State in the South-West. How do you feel about this? I think we should allow INEC to give its comprehensive report. Meanwhile, as you mentioned in some of the states, especially in Rivers and Lagos, the two parties are slugging it out. I think we have to take our time and let us get as much report as possible in accordance with the Electoral Act. I personally want to be legal about this so that people will appreciate that we believe in a system. What we need to do is to modify the system according to the law if we don’t like it. For what is happening in Lagos, I think that for whatever political reason, the PDP wants to have Lagos by all means. I have a lot of respect for the governor of Rivers State for his courage. It has been a long time as you all know where at a

certain time, the Commissioner of Police virtually hijacked the state and the governor was virtually sentenced to the streets fighting thugs without law enforcement agents to survive as a governor while the constitution made it very clear to all of us that the governor is the Chief Security Officer of the state. So, a lot of unconstitutional and lawless acts of the PDP are on record and we intend to make the PDP understand it and make sure that according to law, those who are responsible for that are taken to the court and properly charged. We are in this system because we believe in it and we want it to be stabilised because it is better for our country. If Nigerians have the confidence that their votes count, then they will mind their own business and I assure you that there will be much security in the country. But when people feel that they are abandoned, then they will resist. I think that by nature, human beings are rebels especially in Nigeria. You either try and placate them, convince them and show them that their rights are respected or you will not have peace. For what we hear about money that changed hands in this country, it would have been impossible for APC to win anything in this country be-

Politics

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, april 16, 2015

al elections from 2011 to date with attachment showing the personnel trained, acquisition of election materials, the distributions, security among others and I don’t think that such report can be faulted. In fact, INEC was forced to accept the six weeks extension by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA). Luckily, those six weeks were accommodated within the constitutional time limit within which election must hold. The law says election must hold 30 days before May 29. So, INEC did not have much trouble to agreeing to the six weeks extension. As people say, it has come to pass. Will your government set up a special court to try electoral offenders? No matter how you the media try, you will not catch me undermining the authority of the party. I will look for understanding and cooperation from the National Assembly when a change of the Constitution or Electoral Act is necessary. So for me to make up my mind here and later try to lobby is out of it because some of them, if they are very hard, they will give me a tough time The running battle from Rivers, South-East and South-South, especially by Governors Rotimi Amaechi, Rochas Okorocha and Adams Oshiomhole with INEC officials and law enforcement agencies including the Army is remarkable and I think it has to be totally exposed so that Nigerians will know which of the law enforcement agencies and at what levels are undermining the Constitution of Nigeria because the Electoral Act is derived from the constitution of the country so that in future, those who are in position will know that they are not beyond the law. I think that is what will bring more stability into the system. In view of that, I will try and work with the National Assembly to make sure that we do something about it.

cause we are not in change of the treasury. There was no amount of money that could convince Nigerians this time around. A lot of them took the money and did exactly what their conscience wanted them to do, while some even returned the money. Somehow, Rivers and Lagos were somehow seen as strategic to the PDP. Otherwise, how can APC have a marginal 100,000 votes over PDP in Lagos which is virtually the capital of the APC in the South-West. A lot of things will come out, but we want to do it basically on facts which can be verified and quantified. The INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega has said he will not accept renewal of his tenure. Talking about building institutions, what do you intend to do to ensure that the successes so far recorded are sustained and improved upon? I think that Prof. Jega knows exactly what to do. He has already said that he is not going to accept a renewal of his tenure in June. I believe that he has learnt enough and will submit a comprehensive handover notes some of which he seems to have written. At the last National Council of State meeting, he submitted a document of INEC activities right from the last gener-

To fail to secure 14 out of 774 local governments, I still can’t reconcile myself with that disgrace...

There is speculations going on that widespread looting is going on at moment after the fall of the PDP. What do you intend to do to check this problem? I will like to work within the system because we believe in it. I have just told you about three governors and the battle they had with the law enforcement agents in their states. We discussed and advised them to try and document these things legally so that it can be taken before the court and we will make sure that we register the cooperation of the court so that people who work against the law are prosecuted, especially those who have lost their immunity and those who think they have immunity because this is the best way to stabilise the system. People must not benefit from being lawless. You can’t be in a position by virtue of the constitution, subvert the constitution and continue to enjoy the privileges offered by the constitution. I don’t think that will be acceptable by the APC. So, whether you are in the opposition or the government, you have to behave yourself. I think that is the way we can make progress. You introduced the War Against Indiscipline as a military leader. Several years later, one of the biggest problem in Nigeria today is indiscipline. How do you intend to handle this? I will mention how it came about. When we had our first Su-

preme Council meeting and governors were appointed, in my office, it was only me and late Tunde Idiagbon. We discussed and agreed that the main problem of Nigeria was indiscipline. If we can get majority of Nigerians to accept which ever level they are, we will make a lot of progress. I could recall that I advised that we should go to the Ministry of Information because there are a lot of people with first degree, masters and PhD who are sociologists and criminologists who are just warming their seats. They should get together and come up with a programme that will last for years and not just for six months and fizzle out. That was how we came about War Against Indiscipline. It was very well-thought-out. It was a military system. In democracy, people want a lot of freedom, but if they see the restraint in advanced democracies in Europe and America, they will realise that discipline is forced on people. There are things that no matter how much you want to do them, you can’t do them. I think that we have suffered enough as a people and I think that people are more prepared to behave themselves now. About two years ago, I made some remarks in Hausa and people felt because now, some senior civil servants who are directors either at the state or federal can’t educate four children because the level of education has gone down so much. Those who can afford will rather send their children to Ghana or Sudan and those who can afford it more send theirs to America and Europe because the educational system in Nigeria has virtually collapsed. Therefore, we feel that by voting APC into power, Nigerians are placing confidence in us. On security, economy especially unemployment and corruption, I believe that Nigerians will give us the understanding to make sure that we get our priorities correct. Education is going to be very important because when you educate the people, you solve half of your problems because there is a level that an educated person will not accept. But when people are sentenced to illiteracy, when they are exposed to all manner of social vices such as ethnicity and religion so that people don’t move forward, they are used to fight themselves. During your campaigns, you promised to declare your asset if elected. Will you still go ahead with that? I made a statement which has not been correctly captured by the media. I said that our generation, from late Murtala Muhammed made sure that those who had appointments must declare their assets and this was later articulated in the constitution. It is up to government to make sure that those who borrow money to build a house and end up with another house somewhere else with 50 bedroom and 20 living rooms should explain to Nigerians how they got the money. I could recall that I declared my assets three times. First was when I got my first political appointment as Governor of Borno State; secondly, when I was leaving government to go to the United States War College. I declared my assets then because I was closing my political chapter then technically. I could recall that Gen. Jemibewon was the Adjutant General of the Nigerian army then. I had to declare my asset, deposit it there

to be taken to court before I was allowed to proceed to the United States for my course. The third one was when I became Head of State. From General Obasanjo down till now, those of us that were in the Supreme Military Council, Council of State, Executive Council and even those who were Permanent Secretaries, at the time we got our appointment, the courts should be made to produce our declarations. So, all these noise about people being rich and nobody is saying anything about it, why can’t you prick the conscience of the existing government or are some of you part of the cover up? There have been reports that you promised to end Boko Haram within two months, but your media team reacted saying you never said so. We want you to use this opportunity to clarify that. I think I am too experienced in internal security to give two months deadline on Boko Haram. I don’t think I would have made that mistake because I tried to look at some of my experiences even when I was in uniform with the rebels from Chad when I was GOC in Jos and with Maitesine. So, for me to say that when I come into office, I will get rid of Boko Haram in two months; I don’t think I would have made that mistake. I didn’t. As I had mentioned in several occasions, we that have at one time or the other wore Nigeria military uniform felt terribly embarrassed that for six years, the Nigeria Military couldn’t bring order to 14 local government out of 774 local governments in the country after Burma, Zaire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Dafur where the Nigerian military earned respect internationally for its performances. To fail to secure 14 out of 774 local government, I still can’t reconcile myself with that disgrace. We will try and work with our neighbours which is the first time we should have done such as Chad, Cameroon and Niger who are fighting Boko Haram for us. Look at Chad helping Nigeria or Niger, or Cameroon itself. This nation has been humiliated by PDP. Nigeria has been humiliated by PDP. God willing, with our experiences, we will quickly marshal support and we are asking Boko Haram to pack and go. When will the Transition Committee be put in place? We have started discussing about it. Personally, I will make sure that it is not too big because if it is big, they will start thinking of how to influence the choice of ministers either for themselves or those they want to be ministers. But my hope and my idea is to get knowledgeable and experienced technocrats that are really patriotic to study the handing over notes by ministries and make recommendations. I want them to be completely detached people who are patriotic Nigerians and who are knowledgeable and experienced. If we get majority of politicians involved it will lead to a lot of row and we may end up with inconclusive recommendations which are not very helpful in our condition. When I get it ready and before it is published, I will show it to the leadership of my party and the terms of reference as well as the time limit and the result of their work, we will quickly study before the inauguration, so that before we are sworn in, we get into action.

16 Politics Cross River State is known to be highly indebted and you are going to shoulder the responsibility of managing the economy. How will you go about this? First, let me say that I am inheriting a very robust economy. That we owe as a state does not make it bankrupt. You can actually covert a loan to an asset. It all depends on the management style you bring in. Cross River State is indeed a very vibrant economy with very huge natural resources. Even though most of them will still fall under the Exclusive List of the Federal Government, I do believe that we are going to have a healthy relationship with the centre. So, I do believe that it is possible for us to actually give the economy a robust change that is expected. So, in spite of the looming climate that one may be looking at, the truth is, for every single challenge, there is always a root. My conviction is that I am going to bring in all my business acumen and the exposure and contact to bear on Cross River State to reconstruct and re-fabricate a new economy so that we can shift away from dependence on federation account, isolate the state and run it as a business model. I do believe we can convert the debt to a huge asset. During your campaign, you promised to bring more investors into the state. Can you throw more light on this? As we speak, I have a team from the United States, Canada and United Kingdom. They have been having series of meeting with me. The cardinal issue is that as a state, we owe a lot. But of course, we can always point at what the money was used for. Cross River today boasts of perhaps the most outstanding conference centre in the whole of Africa which will drive a lot of traffic into the state and make it a robust economy. It is going to re-jig the economy profile of the state and of course create an opportunity for investors to come into the state. But essentially, I do believe that the core focus of my administration is taking advantage of all the natural resources we’ve got. It is not true, never ever true, that you have to inherit plenty to succeed. So, my own take is that all the core investors that have been talking with me, the whole essence is how we can package our debt and turn it into an asset. Being in the opposition party, how do you intend to relate with the centre, led by General Muhammadu Buhari? That brings me to a very critical issue, that at this point in time, politics is over, what we are going into is governance. APC or PDP is over; we must keep away from party lines and realise that parties are simply containers. If you are seeking office through the power of the people’s votes and God has given you the office, you must therefore go there and work for the people. It is not about APC and PDP. When people talk about opposition party, I don’t understand. I am not in an opposition party, I am simply in PDP and PDP is gone, I am now the governor of Cross River State. I need the federal to succeed. I must therefore, tie up to the federal structure. To do so is to present to them my models and I do believe that the way and manner the President-elect will handle things will show to the whole world that he is a man of history. The way and manner he deals with the opposition

THURSDAY, april 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ayade: I’ll run Cross River as a business model

Prof. Ben Ayade is the Governor-elect of Cross River State and a serving senator representing the Northern Senatorial District of the state. In this interview with CLEMENT JAMES in Calabar, he explains the focus of his administration, as well as his expectations from the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari. Excerpts: party will be a critical issue. If I have a challenge that I need to dredge Calabar River for vessels to come in, and if it is four meters and I need 12 meters and I seek approval because it’s been difficult for the Federal Government to do that dredging and I have that approval waiting for too long, it will send a signal. I do believe that with somebody that has a military background, he will act fast and rapid. He will be on top of issues. While we celebrate the fact that Nigeria has come out of politics, united and strong, I believe we should take this election and politics as a watershed in Nigeria’s history. Let me say this, President Goodluck Jonathan has made history for himself. The first President from the Niger Delta, and the first President to hand over to an opposition. That is not expected. People think the black man is far too behind to achieve this level of civility. He has demonstrated to the entire world that Africans have come of age. That celebration, he himself may not realise it. So, I also expect that President Buhari will realise his humility, maturity and civility and treat this nation as an indivisible entity. We cannot therefore afford to divide this nation on party lines. If we do that, then what will happen is that every party starts re-strategizing and preparing for 2019 and governance will take the backstage. Let us put aside party politics. And face the issue of governance. How do you intend to re-jig the bureaucracy in such a way that both the public and civil servants will key into this your business-type administration? The challenge we have is that we are running a very patronising government in Nigeria. But all that will change. In the first three to six months, what we are going to experience is not massive employment but massive deployment. So, what we are going to do will be to improve upon the current structure. To do this, every ministry should be able to generate funds. So, while we will not sack any worker, all those who are in the ministries doing nothing will have to be sent to the agricultural sector to work. Talking about agriculture, how do you intend to make the sector work in the state? The truth is, in the present circumstance, the way to go is agriculture but that will take some time, especially with the social re-orientation of our people. You see, people understand hard work to mean award of contract. But, agriculture provides opportunity for wealth creation. Now, I take a typical example, if we decide to grow maize as our core business, all our feed mills will benefit from it. Another thing is the high tax regime

Ayade

I expect that President Buhari will realise his humility, maturity and civility and treat this nation as an indivisible entity

in the state. How do you intend to handle this when you come on board? It is as complex as it is simple. I do not believe that you need to tax your people to prosperity, but I also believe that as responsible people, you owe government the duty of paying your tax. You must therefore, put it in such a way that it has a very good balance. I have also noticed that the duty of government to tax creates a burden to be responsible because when you tax somebody, you owe that person some responsibilities. When you tax people, you owe them the duty to make their businesses work. But we must create that balance because you need that balance for government to continue to sustain infrastructure and at the same time, allow you make money and live a good life. So, we will create a balance and review some where we need to review. We will also look at the issue of petty traders and make sure that we create the environment for their business to thrive. We are expecting more investors to come into the state so we will revisit the tax and ensure that they thrive. How will you handle the issue of unemployment which has become common place in the state? We are a state with over one million hectares of forest; that forest is an asset, an asset that has remained unexploited. We have conserved this forest in the course of time without exploitation, but that’s not the way we are going to go forward. We are going to move from forest conservation to forest

management. We are going to be in need of two to three thousand young men who will be responsible for the regeneration of the forest. So, that regeneration regime alone is going to create more than 3,000 jobs for the youth. We are also going to have a new green city, so we need huge level of canopy trees. We are going to create a special reserve centre for young men to start horticultural activities. That means we are going to have a dedicated day for a green carnival. So, every visitor who is coming to Calabar will go there and buy a tree and plant so that every year you return back to Calabar, you will remember that you have a tree that you have to nurse. That way, you are creating economy for young men who are running their horticultural centres and at the same time, green-capping the city, thus reducing the toxins that are being emitted into the atmosphere. So, that is the new scientific generational statement we will make when we come into administration. We will create a robust profile that will excite any investor to come into Cross River State so that gradually, we will be moving from a civil service state to a business state. That is the model we’re going to be driving. For instance, we think that as a state, we must own a shipping line. The National Shipping Line is long gone moribund. What is wrong with a state government having a shipping line? If we can ship in our petroleum products either internally or from foreign sources, we can run our own profile. All we need is a federal license.

Politics 17

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, april 16, 2015

Kunle Akogun

arring the interplay of unforeseen political intrigues and last minute review of intra-party zonal arrangement, the representative of Kwara Central Senatorial District in the upper legislative chamber, Senator Abubakar Bukoka Saraki, is most favoured to grab the coveted position of President of the incoming 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Although I am not aware that the Distinguished Kwara Central Senator is eyeing the coveted post yet, a combination of factors – such as his impressive political antecedent as former Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) for eight years, his robust membership of the 7th Senate, his pioneering efforts in the formation of the largest and most vibrant opposition party in the country’s political history about a year ago – will almost certainly ensure his emergence as the nation’s Number Three Citizen when the new National Assembly is inaugurated on June 4 this year, or thereabout. Political analysts had projected that the Senate President would have automatically emerged from the South-East if the APC had won a senatorial seat in that region. However, it is now clear that extant political expediency does not favour such arrangement, as other regions that voted massively for the majority party would likely feel short-changed if the party fails to reckon with their numerical strength to bypass them in sharing top political appointments. It is in view of this that political pundits believe that the best any APC senator (if eventually there is any) from the South-East could get is the position of Deputy Senate President. In this case, the coast appears very clear for the North Central Zone to produce the next Senate President since South-East failed to produce any APC senator in the March 28 National Assembly election. And Senator Saraki will most likely get the plum job. Another touted candidate for the Senate Presidency from the North Central Zone is the current Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume. Like Saraki, Akume is also a ranking senator, being a second term member of the Red Chamber too. He also has impressive political credentials like Saraki, having also been a former two-term state governor too. But again, political expediency may not favour Akume for the post of Senate President since he is from the same Benue State as the outgoing occupant of the position, Senator David Mark. Although not very compulsory, it has become an established convention in the National Assembly that an aspirant to the position of presiding officer in any of the two chambers should be what is called a “ranking member” in legislative parlance. In other words, the position is not for a legislative green horn. And Saraki is definitely a ranking Senator, as he is going for his second term in the Senate, a reality that makes him eminently qualified to aspire to the position of Senate President. Another factor that would fa-

Senate Presidency: The odds favour Saraki

Saraki

vour a Saraki Senate Presidency is his visible contributions/sacrifice towards the resounding victory of the APC in the last Presidential and National Assembly elections. It is on record that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology literally took the entire Kwara PDP machinery, which include all but one state legislators; all members of the House of Representatives from the state; two of the three senators representing the state; all state commissioners; all special advisers to the governor, all local government chairmen and other political appointees in the state, to the APC at the risk of dire consequences including persecution, denial of personal comforts and federal patronage. Although some people may not want to agree with this assertion, no other political personage than a Saraki could have achieved such feat in Kwara State’s political milieu. It would, therefore, not be entirely out of place for the APC to show a token of appreciation to this astute political enigma by conceding the position of the President of the 8th Senate to him. But beyond political patronage, Saraki is eminently qualified for the position in all ramifications. His legislative antecedents at the 7th Senate give practical credence to this. Not only is he a very audible voice on the floor of the Senate, his robust contributions to Senate proceedings, sponsorship of impactful bills and scooping of people-oriented and public-spirited motions are factors that would eventually stand him in good stead when

Beyond political patronage, Saraki is eminently qualified for the position in all ramifications. His legislative antecedents at the 7th Senate give practical credence to this

it is time to elect a new Senate President. From my personal experience while covering the Senate, I can attest to the fact that Senator Saraki is one of the few among the 109 members of the upper legislative chamber whose contributions to the making of positive legislations cannot be easily wished away. One particular motion that is generally acknowledged as a truly people-oriented legislative intervention sponsored by the Kwara Central Senator is the one seeking to probe the management of the fuel subsidy scheme of the Federal Government. The 2011 motion was generally acknowledged to be one of the best propositions ever brought before the Senate in terms of the quality of research that went into its formulation and the quantity of reactions it elicited from both the floor and the gallery. To the lawmakers, the motion was a veritable wake-up call to their statutory duty of acting as checks on the executive arm of government. And for the members of the public, the motion had invariably renewed the hope that the legislature could yet be awake to its responsibility, given a little nudge. And with the passage of the motion, the nation’s fuel subsidy regime was not to remain the same. I was also a witness to the historic anti-gas flaring bill sponsored by Senator Saraki in 2012. The bill, cited as the Gas Flaring (Prohibition and Punishment) Act 2012, was the first comprehensive and sanction-specific legislation in the country, which environmental activists believe

would end the impunity and barefaced wastages associated with indiscriminate flaring of gas by multinational oil companies in the country. And so, in defiance of the typical Nigerian officials’ connivance with multinationals to fleece the country and its citizens of huge sums of money and wreak unimaginable environmental hazards on Nigerians, Saraki sought to be different by sponsoring the anti-gas flaring bill not minding whose ox is gored. If such a personage could be encouraged to take up the position of Senate President, the nation would be the better in terms of quality and people-centred legislations. Another factor that could ensure the emergence of the former Governor of Kwara State as the next Senate President is his dynamic leadership of the NGF between 2003 and 2011. The Forum, which came into being after a seminar organised for the first set of 36 governors in the Fourth Republic on April 26, 1999 in Abuja, was largely a mere convocation of state chief executives – a mere assemblage of “gubernatorial senior boys” - without much group relevance on the national political space. But the status of the Forum changed substantially positively with the emergence of Saraki as its chairman in 2003. Not only did Saraki set up some administrative structures, he also gave the organisation a more authoritative voice in the polity. Probably as a result of his insightfulness in lifting the NGF from near obscurity to an organisation to reckon with, Saraki became so powerful and influential among his peers who also deferred to him on many issues. This is indeed another plus for him in his bid to become the next Senate President, especially now that at least 10 members of his NGF will be sitting in the 109-member Senate. To be sure, most of these former governors who cut across the two major political parties (APC and PDP) will not forget the good old times when Saraki fought tirelessly to make the Governors’ Forum a vibrant political force to reckon with in the nation’s political matrix. Above all, Saraki’s administrative acumen, garnered over the years both in public and private sectors, is a veritable testament to his capability to successfully conduct the affairs of the upper legislative chamber. Since his first inauguration into the Senate in June 2011, Saraki has been a veritable shining star in the Red Chamber, having built a robust relationship with his colleagues across party lines. He will indeed be our ideal Senate President. I think he should not encounter much problem clinching the plum job! •Akogun, a former National Assembly Editor of THISDAY Newspaper, wrote from Ilorin.

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion Now that APC is set to become the ruling party Leaders et al BIODUN DUROJAIYE biodundurojaiye@gmail.com, Twitter: @itweekonline

he 2015 elections are over. Nigerians have given their verdict. The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has won more governorship and national assembly seats than the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), just as it has produced the President-elect, in the person of General Muhammadu Buhari. From May 29, the table will turn. APC will become the majority or ruling party, while the PDP will become the minority or opposition party. From then on, for the next four years, General Buhari and the leaders of his party will have the burden of ensuring peace and stability in the country, and bringing about economic prosperity. The signals from their camp so far are quite encouraging. Between the time my column was published last week and now, Buhari has made some statements that resonated quite well with Nigerians. These include: not allowing anyone to steal under his watch; not allowing anyone to be above the law; not appointing to cabinet post any of the shameless PDP bigwigs who defected to the APC within days of his becoming president-elect; ensuring that anyone who violates the Constitution is punished; and insisting on public declaration of assets by all those to be appointed ministers. This last bit was in line with the advice I gave in my article of last week, and it gladdened my heart that the president-elect confirmed he will

be doing this just days after the column was published. The other advices I gave were that he should push a law through the national assembly that the children of all civil servants and political office holders must attend public primary and secondary schools in Nigeria; he should find a way to slash the insanely high emolument of National Assembly members; he should also find a way to cancel the whole idea of constituency projects; and he should not refund a kobo, in whatever guise – including appointment of their nominees to ‘juicy’ public offices – to those who bankrolled his electioneering campaign, as those were stolen government funds. I hope that these too will be adopted by him. Additionally, Buhari would do well to push for a law that makes it mandatory for anyone elected on the platform of one political party and then defects to another, for whatever reason, to lose his or her seat. This is important for sanity in the nation’s political space, to curb political prostitution, and to reduce the tendency towards a one-party state. And in line with his anti-corruption posture, Buhari should also require of federal civil servants from the level of Assistant Director, who to my mind have become the biggest thieves in our system, to publicly declare their assets every year. Outside of all these, from May 29, Buhari, the governors elected on the platform of the APC and leaders of the party will have to work on delivering on their campaign promises. Their ability to make the right calls at critical moments will also be put to test over and over again. They will have to manage their hungers, and those of their party members, so as not to self-destruct. They will have to prove to Nigerians that they have the temperament to govern at the national

level and be the ruling party in a widely diverse society like ours. That they can tolerate dissent and criticism, as much as the PDP did while governing. And this is where some of us feel the APC might fail. Some of us doubt that an APC government, with the police and other law enforcement agencies under its control, would allow public protest against unpopular policies or acts as much as the PDP did. This doubt is based on what we have seen happening in Lagos, the birthplace of the APC and the state where the de facto leader of the party has been in control in the last 16 years. We have seen how intolerant the state government has been to protests against its actions or policies. This intolerance is best exemplified by the ruthless crackdown in December 2011 on those protesting the imposition of toll by the Lagos State Government on the Lekki expressway, in which the de facto APC leader is believed to have interest. The police and thugs were unleashed by the state government on the protesters who were residents of the Lekki axis of the state, and mostly persons who were of means and/or advanced in age. These classes of the populace rarely engage in public protests, and governments all over the globe hesitate in deploying maximum force to crush them, as the Lagos State gover nment did, in the rare occasions they do. Buhari would do well to ensure that the intolerant tendencies of some leaders of his party are curtailed, and that Nigerians are able to engage in peaceful protests without crushing forces deployed against them, as was the case during the reign of the PDP. And that activists and critics are not hounded.

Waiting for a new Buhari Mike Arayuwa Wilkie

he Presidential and parliamentary elections were finally conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday, March 28, 2015 after an unavoidable postponement from February 14, 2015. Result of the Presidential election has clearly shown that there was a winner and thirteen losers. The election was fiercely and actually contested between candidates General Buhari, the All Progressives’ Party (APC) and the incumbent President of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan (GCFR). As a regular contributor to this opinion column, I must confess that I was very critical about the President-elect, General Buhari in view of his draconian and maximum rule with effect from December 31, 1983 – August 27, 1985. Second, the General’s inability to produce his school certificate in accordance with the provision of the electoral law was of grave concern to me. However, with the way and manner the APC up-rooted the PDP from the Presidential villa, Abuja, I do hope that those who are in court on the certificate issue will ponder positively and withdraw the cases to enable the President-elect settle down and commence duty as from May 29, 2015. It is to be noted that if the cases are withdrawn by the litigants, it will portray a great danger to the electoral law and democracy. The essential implication is that those who are interested in contesting elective positions in 2019 may not bother

to present their West African School Certificates any longer. The Buhari’s instance would easily be cited as a ready-made raw material on why the presentation of the said credential to the INEC may not be relevant any more. Even the ordained illiterate in Western education may then wish to contest the presidential, Governorship and other positions such as the National and States Assembly. This is my candid fear and apprehension. Jonathan’s resolve to congratulate General Buhari (rtd) at a time the final election results were being collated and yet to be announced was a great stride and a robust achievement in the history of all elections ever conducted in third world countries and beyond. This great sportsmanship and ability to surrender to the popular will of the people of Nigeria is a significant footnote and a practical lesson to the President of Zimbabwe, Pa. Robert Mugabe. He was born on February 21, 1924 in Kutama, Southern Rhodesia now Zimbabwe. He has been President since December 1987 which is approximately 30 years. This scenario cannot take place in Nigeria, be it a totalitarian or democratic regime. The old man is about 91 years of age as at his last birthday, 2015. Perhaps, it is Mugabe’s wish that his obituary announcement should take place as an incumbent President. With the acceptance of this electoral defeat by Jonathan, it is now glaring that losers of any election in Nigeria should endeavour to concede. When General Buhari and his APC may have become a spent-force in the future and voted-out by the people, it is expected that whoever will

win the Presidential race should from all intents and purposes be congratulated. The Jonathan example has now been established as a special case study in Nigeria’s political adventure. My deep reasoning is that if Buhari is probably defeated in 2019 or later, he, too, should summon enough courage to accept it and congratulate his winner-opponent. On the face of this development, it is my honour and desire to congratulate the retired General for performing this wonderful goal which Nigerians and the world did not expect. It was simply a marvelous achievement having contested and lost in the three previous elections. Patience is therefore the magic-wand with which the President-elect triumphed, against all odds. The resilient aspect of the victory of General Buhari should be anchored on why Nigerians voted for him and his political party, the APC. It would appear to me that the most endemic and pandemic problem of the Nigerian sovereign state is the provision of regular electricity for domestic use and the adequate functioning of industries including developmental purposes. It is absolutely annoying that for the six years of Jonathan’s Government, he failed, like his predecessors in office, to give us regular light. From my inner-most mind, Mr. President-elect should promptly address this vexing issue on assumption of office. If in some years, the light situation cannot be improved in accordance with expectation of Nigerians, it will be one of the factors for the future failure of the APC as a political party. It is also the wish of Nigerians that the

CONFAB reports should be accepted and implemented by the Buhari’s government and his APC. Let it be noted that the CONFAB recommendations are very dear to the hearts of Nigerians especially the section and sub-sections which deals with the creation of additional states in the Federation. The amount involved in constituting it coupled with the huge sum of money spent on the delegates may have summed into billions of Naira and that cannot be regarded as a mere child’s play. Nigerians are therefore waiting anxiously. Other areas which should ordinarily draw the attention of the President-elect is never and never again to tamper with the freedom of the press so as not to replicate the Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor episode. Buhari should also appreciate that the out-going President is the most abused and insulted when viewed from global perspective. The roles played by the insulting Lai Mohammed, APC National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of Rivers State, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State and Adams Oshomohole of Edo State were negative enough to stop a functional heart. Of course, Jonathan did not arrest or harass any of them. He respected the rule of law to the core and I do expect that Mr. President-elect will do same. Mr. President-elect should equally note with all seriousness the quintessential need of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ), Ogidigben –Delta State to continue because it will provide massive employment for the Nigerian youths and empowerment of the people. • Wilkie can be reached at pmikky1950@yahoo.com

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

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Tamuno: Great historian and author

n these days of debate whether to revive History as a subject in our schools, some of the great historians who decolonized our past will be disappointed that the system that threw them up and even helped in the struggle for independence, has been overshadowed by those who were probably babies in the historic academic battles that gave birth to a new dawn of post colonial Africa. Tekena Nitonye Tamuno belongs that generation of scholars who recoloured Nigerian History from the blurred perspective of jaundiced explorers. In that class, one could find great minds like Kenneth Onwuka Dike, Saburi Biobaku, Jacob Ade-Ajayi, Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa, Peter Ayandele, , Adiele Afigbo, Obaro Ikime, Philip Igbafe and Fred Omu, among so many others. Tamuno devoted most of his time, to the study of the subject which gave him fame and authored so many books, all positioned to throw more light on the truth about our past and cultural development. With over 173 works in various journals and titles , he rose from to the top of the Ivory Tower where he also spent most of his life. Born in Okrika, Rivers state on January 28, 1932, Prof Tamuno attended St. Peter’s

Primary School, Okrika before proceeding to Okrika Grammar School. His journey to stardom began in 1953, when the young man gained admission to the University of Ibadan. In 1958, Tamuno travelled to Great Britain where he continued with his studies at Birbeck, University of London. The don was also at the University of Columbia. Tamuno returned to Nigeria in 1962 and a job was waiting for him at the University of Ibadan. After four years as a Lecturer, promotion took him to the position of Senior Lecturer. There was no looking back from there. Movement up the ladder was rapid. The title of Professor of History came in 1971. Between 1972 and 1975, he was Head, Department of History, from where higher responsibility emerged in 1973, as Dean ,Faculty of Arts. The height of the progression was when Tamuno became Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, in 1975. He served in that capacity until 1979. Prof. Tamuno would be remembered for his numerous books which are found across Libraries in the world. These include Herbert Macaulay: Nigerian Patriot, The Niger Delta Question, The Evolution of the Nigerian State, Nigeria Since Independence, The Police In

Modern Nigeria, 1861-1965, Nigeria: Its People and Its Problems, Nigeria and Elective Representation,1923-1947 and Abebe: Portrait of a Nigerian Leader. His death on April 14, 2015 came as a shock to many who knew him. At 83, he was old but he did not show any signs of leaving , not after returning from the United States ,looking better, after undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. He was full of life, according to some of his friends. And they sang their colleague’s praise. One of them, Prof Ayo Bamgbose did forget to add that they were like twin brothers, only separated by the River Niger. “He was a historian of higher order, in that he kept records. When he wrote about a thing, he put the date. We were like brothers because there was just a day between us and we used to joke about it that since he was born in the East and I in the West, we were probably born the same day,” Bamgbose said. Prof. Ayo Banjo, who like Tamuno, also became Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, added, “ he was a very pleasant character. Inspite of his achievements, he was a very good mixer. With him, there was no looking down on people inferior to him.” President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and other notable

Nigerians have also sent their condolences. Tamuno kept himself busy as an Emeritus Professor. He was at various times, president Nigeria Academy of Letters[NALS], Chairman Presidential Panel on National Security, Chancellor Redeemers University and President Board of Trustees, Bells University of Technology. It is instructive that Professor Tamuno lived and died in Ibadan where he was accepted by the academic community. That is a lesson for politicians who always play up the ethnic card. In that same community lives another erudite scholar, of Kalabari-Ijaw background, Prof. Tam David-West. The same university, once had a Registrar, Ekanem Ita from the South-South geo political zone. That speaks volumes on national integration. As Nigerians mourn the demise of this great son of the Niger Delta Region, who found home in Yorubaland, the best government could do to immortalize him is to bring back the study of History in schools and colleges. Should history disappear from the syllabus, possibly, all his works could mean nothing to the future generation. And people who do not know their past, may continue to wander in ignorance.

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20 Politics

THURSDAY, april 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari can’t force me on exile, says Babatope CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

North? The PDP has never scored such votes that were announced for them in the March 28 presidential election since 1999. INEC read out millions from the North. These are matters that are clear to the eyes. But no matter what we say, a winner has been declared, so be it. What is your take on the use of card readers? Jega believes that card reader was a success. So, what do you say about that? The man who organ-

ised election believes that card reader was a success. It is his judgement that the world would assess and accept. So, I wish Jega the best of luck. I was one of those who warn Nigerians against the use of card reader but Jega believe that the card reader worked. And where it didn’t work, he asked people to use manual. So, I wish Jega and Nigerians best of luck. President Jonathan proved many critics wrong by congratulating General Buhari even before the final result of the presidential election was

announced. What is your take on this? It is good statesmanship for President Jonathan to have done what he did and honestly, I really praise him for what he did. But put the shoe on the other side, would Buhari have congratulated President Jonathan. All the elections that Buhari had contested, he never congratulated anybody; he was heading to court. But President Jonathan thought that it is best for him not to allow Nigeria thrown into political chaos and confusion, so he gave his nod and congratu-

lated him. But Buhari and APC would not have done that because we have empirical data that Buhari on the three occasions he contested for presidency never congratulated anybody; he headed for the court. If he had lost the election, there would have been cutting of many heads and so many things. So, let them sit down and put on their thinking cap and come to basic conclusions and judge that what President Jonathan has done should tell them that the president is not the evil that they think he is.

Do you have any regrets supporting President Jonathan’s re-election? I am committed to my party and I will remain a fanatical member of the PDP until God takes me to the world beyond. I am one of those who supported President Jonathan’s reelection and up till now, I still support him. I am 72-year-old and I have no regret supporting Jonathan. I must be a compound fool if at the age of 72, I start having regrets. I supported my party, the PDP and I believe what is happening is merely a temporary setback. The

eyes of Nigerians would be open and we are going to go to reality. Jonathan has done his best and he has tried so much. And that is what he showed to Nigerians by congratulating Buhari on the election and that to me is the greatest mark of not only sportsmanship but statesmanship. So, we have no regret and we are backing him and even when he is out of office, we are backing him. I am older than him many years but I am going to visit him by the grace of God wherever he is to tell him that he has done his best. You once said that if Buhari wins presidential election, you will go into exile. Would you still do it? I am still thinking hard and consulting with my friends and relations. But apparently, I may not go to exile because exile is for those who have misgivings about political situation. There is nothing Buhari will do to me that will make me to go on exile. I am not a Buhari man and I will never be a Buhari man. He tormented me, tortured the Nigerian system and definitely, I can never be part of him. Why? A man wants to kill me and you want me to be with him. How can I dine with a man that wanted to kill me? No, I won’t do that. Buhari is just one month and nine days older than me; we are both 72. So, he is not capable of driving me out of Nigeria; Nigeria is my country. But I want a situation where I can sit down to write my memoirs under conditions that are suitable for such. But your friend, Chief Bode George, has already said he will go on exile. Why going to the exile? Who will employ me if I get to exile? I am an employment risk; who will employ a 72-year-old man? Is it for me to be a gasman or a night guard? If I leave Nigeria, it is not that I am leaving Nigeria to go to exile; it would be a temporary affair to enable me write my memoirs and to enable me perfect whatever I want to do and when I finish, I will return home. I am not an APC member, so my support is not needed and Buhari is neither my friend nor enemy but I cannot certainly subject myself to whims and caprices of Buhari and his gang. I am still consulting my relatives and friends. My relations have told me not to take any hasty decision. I am going to abide by what they have said because in the final analysis when I drop dead, they are the one who will put me into coffin and bury me.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, april 16, 2015

Interview

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Ndukwe: Jonathan’s inordinate ambition ruined PDP

Osinbajo’s value to Buhari’s presidency

24&25

Law Akintola, Quakers, others task Buhari, Osinbajo on assets declaration FOLUSO OGUNMODEDE writes that notwithstanding his determination to fight corruption, lawyers asked the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari to demonstrate his readiness by making declaration of his assets public.

lthough the much anticipated 2015 general elections had come and gone, lawyers were unanimous that it was time the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) candidate and President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari made his campaign promises real and achieveable. Besides, they said the President-elect must lead by example and make his assets public if indeed he must stamp out corruption which had formed the root of the nation’s woes. Buhari and his deputy, Vice president-elect and Professor of Law, Yemi Osinbajo were elected on March 28, having defeated President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by more than 2.5 million votes. At his campaigns, Buhari promised to rid the nation of corrupt practices if voted into power. Two weeks after he was voted to lead Nigeria as the fifth executive President, law-

FOLUSO OGUNMODEDE JUDICIARY Editor

foluso.ogunmodede@ newtelegraphonline.com

Akintola

Buhari

yers tasked him not to renege on his electoral promises especially corruption which had become endemic in the annals of the nation’s history. The lawyers, mostly Senior Advocates of Nigeria believe that the nation was safer in Buhari’s hands with Osinbajo in the saddle as the duo who were famous for their integrity would take the nation to greater heights. They asked the President-elect to lead by example. Declare your assets, they said. For instance, a University of Lagos law teacher, Mr. Wahab Kunle Shittu said there was the need for Buhari and Osinbajo to give meaning to corruption with a view to capturing the breakdown of institutional values, societal traditions, ethics and moral behaviours if corrupt practices bedeviling the nation must be rooted out. Also Shittu tasked the incoming government to employ prosecutorial and preventive approaches to stem institutional corruption in the country. Above all, the law teacher specifically asked Buhari to show the nation that he would rid it of cor-

ruption by declaring his assets. This, Shittu said would at least demonstrate his genuine desire and commitment to lead by example if he must be taken serious. He said: “Buhari must show commitment by declaring his assets if he must convince Nigerians of his readiness to fight corruption. Also, the Vice President-elect is not only a professor of law but a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who has a record of judicial reforms and is widely respected for that. And I am talking about his commitment to judicial reforms whether at the level of civil procedures or criminal procedures or any other aspect of justice administration. So, I will advise that when they assume office, the General should take his Vice President into confidence in sustaining such reforms”. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Adeniyi Akintola said the incoming administration would no doubt live to expectation especially in the fight against corruption as the Buhari and Osinbajo were a good combina-

Buhari must show commitment by declaring his assets if he must convince Nigerians of his readiness to fight corruption

tion that would lead Nigeria out of the woods considering their pedigree. Although he allayed the fear that Buhari’s antecedents may lead to rights abuse, Akintola insisted that there would be no record of abuse in the Buhari’s new anti-graft campaign as Osinbajo whose record of adherent to the rule of law was second to none, was a testimony that the war against corruption would be fought within the ambit of the rule of law. He said: “There are enough provisions in our statutes and the anti-corruption Act that will be a guide. Professor Yemi Osinbajo is an epitome when it comes to the rule of law and I have no doubt in my mind that it would be smooth sailing for them. I believe they will succeed to the admiration of Nigerians. The Osinbajo I know will not encourage anything that would be a direct opposite of the rule of law. There is no doubt that Gen Muhammedu Buhari has come CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

22 Law | News

THURSDAY, april 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Family threatens to sue college over child’s expulsion

Akpedeye

ollowing allegations of expulsion, defamation and acts of negligence over exposure to pornography, family of some school children in Abuja have threatened a court action against the International Community School (ICS). The children were allegedly expelled from the school for uncovering a pornographic site allegedly owed by the school. While the parents were contesting the alleged expulsion of their children unlawfully over the

Igbo lawyers chide Akiolu over comment, seek retraction

Akiolu

gbo lawyers, under the aegis of Otu Oka Iwu, have asked the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu to immediately retract his threat to Ndigbo resident in Lagos issued on them when some Eze Ndigbo chiefs paid him a courtesy visit. Besides, the lawyers insisted that Oba Akiolu should personally issue an unreserved apology to Ndigbo for the alleged threat. In a statement signed by the lawyers’ President and Secretary, Mr. Zik Obi and Mr. Chikezie Kaduru, they expressed “shock and disbelief ” that a highly respected traditional ruler of Oba Akiolu’s standing should issue such a threat to Ndigbo “who have contributed and are still contributing so much towards the growth and development of Lagos State.” According to them, Ndigbo in Lagos had immensely contributed to the success of former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administrations, “and will also give full support to whoever becomes the next governor of Lagos State.” They however urged their kinsmen “who must have been traumatized” by Oba Akiolu’s threats not be intimidated by

such threats, tasking them to always exercise their franchise guided only by their conscience and the public good. They said: “Ndigbo should always be law-abiding and should go about their day-to-day activities without fear. “However, we encourage them to take all lawful measures to protect their lives, property and businesses if the need ever arises. The association calls on the security agencies to ensure that Ndigbo and all other residents especially in Lagos and its environs are adequately protected.” Also, the the lawyers from the Igbo extraction, had congratulated the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari for his victory in the keenly contested presidential election held on March 28. Besides, the lawyers applauded President Goodluck Jonathan “for sacrificing personal ambition on the altar of national unity, peace and development,” saying that Jonathan would go down in history “as having kept faith with his commitment to deepen Nigeria’s electoral process and nascent democracy.” In a statement by Mr. Zik Obi II and Mr. Emeka Nwadioke, President and Publicity Secretary respectively, the lawyers congratulated the Vice President-elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) whom they described as “one of our own.” While lauding Buhari’s steadfastness in continuously seeking a presidential mandate to lead Nigerians, they said such tenacity “could only have been driven by sheer commitment to make a difference in the lives of fellow Nigerians. “It is especially gratifying that the President-elect has committed himself and his administration to the promotion of democracy and the rule of law as his pledge towards a just and principled governance where no-one is oppressed due to favouritism based on ethnicity, religion, region, gender or social status is eminently refreshing.”

alleged pornographic exposure, the school’s management insisted that the alleged porn was false. Already, the Federal Ministry of Education, Embassy of the United States of America, Nigerian Human Rights Commission, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the Council of International Schools are investigating a petition of alleged wrongful expulsion, defamation and acts of negligent wired by the children’s parents against the schools man-

agement. The alleged expulsion, according to the parents was as a result of a formal report by the children of their discovery of the porn site in a teacher’s computer. But the school insisted that the parents allegedly removed their wards from the school for the purpose of continuing their education abroad and not the other way. Meanwhile, a lawyer to the petitioner, Dafe Akpedeye, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria had queried the standards and

proper investigations into the reasons why pornography was negligently being watched in the school. Also, he posited two questions of ‘morality as to why three innocent children, two of which had entirely nothing to do with the incident, should be expelled for speaking up against a moral wrong while the teacher remains untouched’ as no child deserved to suffer retribution leading to public ridicule and physiological trauma simply for exposing a school’s error.

Auto technician risks jail for stealing Toyota car Akeem Nafiu

middle aged utomobile Electrician, Joel Joseph, has been arraigned at an Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos by the men of the Criminal Investigation Department, Panti-Yaba, for allegedly stealing a Toyota Corolla saloon car. Joseph was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing. He allegedly committed the offence on January 5, at 9, Baale Street, Shagari Estate, Mosan, Ipaja, Lagos. The stolen car with registration number Lagos KTU 941 CL, valued at N1.9m, was owned by one Alhaja Adegoke Olayinka Mutia. The charge reads: “That you Joel Joseph and one other now at large on or

Atilade

about January 5, 2015, at 9, Baale str. Shagari Estate, Mosan, Ipaja, Lagos, did conspire together to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 409, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011. “That you Joel Joseph and one other now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district did steal one Toyota Corolla car marked Lagos KTU 941 CL, valued at N1.9m, property of one Alhaja Adegoke Olayinka Mutiat, and thereby committed an offence punishable under 285(10) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.” The offence, according to the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Cusim Adams, who stood in for Woman Corporal Iyobosa Owumi, are punishable under Sec-

tions 409 and 285 (10) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011. The accused however pleaded not guilty to the charges. Following Joseph’s plea of not guilty, his lawyer, Viola Amosun, urged the court to admit him to bail in a most liberal term. Consequently, the presiding Magistrate, Mrs. M.O. Tanimola, who held the brief of Magistrate F. I. Adefioye, allowed him home on bail in the sum of N500,000,00 with two sureties in like sum. The Magistrate also directed that the sureties must show evidence of tax payments to the Lagos State Government while their addresses and means of livelihood must be verified by the prosecutor. The matter has been adjourned to May 13 for mention.

Law

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, april 16, 2015

Lawyers want Buhari to declare assets C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 1

a long way and has a good pedigree and history of corruption fighting; and his combination with an icon of the rule of law, Prof Yemi Osinbajo is testimony to the fact that he will fight corruption within the ambit of the law”. He was echoed by another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Norrison Quakers, who simply said Buhari would not fail Nigerians. To him, Buhari would undoubtedly embark on a comprehensive overhaul of the two anti-graft bodies- the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with a view to tackling corrupt elements within the constitutionally recognized provisions. According to him, Buhari who would lead Nigeria as a civilian President would not thread the path of illegality while fighting corruption. He said: “Buhari cannot continue with his anti-human rights posture that he is always being accused of and I don’t see that happening. He is more of a democrat now. The beauty of all of this is that you have a Vice President who has been an AttorneyGeneral, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Professor of Law who is also a pastor and is also in the mode of anti-corruption and discipline; at the end of the day it is a good fortune for the country. “As for me, I also want to see a situation where they don’t dissipate all their energy fighting corruption and at the end of the day unable to deliver on their campaign promises. Before you say Jack now four years is gone. While you are fighting corruption, the Nigerian society also wants to see some level of development.” To an activist lawyer, Mr. EbunOlu Adegboruwa said the best thing to happen to Buhari’s presidency which will hopefully get underway from May 29 was the Vice Presidentelect, Osinbajo. With Osinbajo as the nation’s number two man, Adegboruwa said he was confident that Nigeria would witness an unprecedented development as the President-elect would not toy with the rule of law because he had Osinbajo, an acclaimed reformist. He said: the best thing to happen to the presidency of Gen Buhari is Prof Osinbajo. My advice to the General is to leave the administration of justice, prosecution of corruption cases in the hands of Prof Osinbajo; he should let him use the same method that God gave him

Agbaje

Quakers

while he was the Attorney-General of Lagos state for eight years and he transformed the judiciary in Lagos state, which is responsible for about 70 per cent of the reforms in Lagos state in the Nigerian judiciary today. Osinbajo has a blueprint. I believe the fight against corruption cannot

make any meaningful impact as long as the welfare of civil servants, who are the people in the bureaucratic line, is poor. Now that the General is going to block all the routes for leakages, let him return this money to the ordinary Nigerians by increasing the minimum wage; so that when the government has taken care of them

well, it can now have all justification to try and send anyone who is corrupt to jail”. Mr. Yusuf Ali, a Senior Advocate said the President-elect must empower the anti-corrupt agencies if he must justify the confidence reposed in him by Nigerians. To him, the incoming government must empower the police and other agencies if the battle against corruption must be fought and won. He said: “What he would have to address are the agencies that are responsible for investigation and apprehension of those against whom there are complaints. “The judiciary can only deal with cases that are brought before it and cases are decided based on facts and the law. “So, those investigating and those who are prosecuting the cases are the ones to be worked upon. The judiciary is the last bus stop in this issue of corruption. “We should also encourage ourselves to be whistleblowers; people who will voluntarily come forward to say I know so, so and so, who has acquire XYZ unlawfully”. To Mr. Fred Agbaje, Section 36 of the Constitution would play a perfect role in the fight against corruption if it was amended. This, according to him would remove the burden of ‘presumption of innocence’ and make persons accused of corrupt practices to forfeit proceeds of corruption until such was proved beyond reasonable doubt. He said: “As I have always said if the fight against corruption would be meaningful, we need to make corruption an offence of strict liability and to do that , Section 36 of the Constitution will have to be amended so that instead of presuming that an accused person is innocent, the onus would now be on him to prove his own innocence. “Once we amend that part of the Constitution, for instance, if a person accused of corruption is found to have three houses in Lagos and seven in Abuja and we know that with his salary he could have afforded the property, then the onus would be on him to prove how he got the money. “But until such an amendment is done, we have to comply with what Section 36 says for now. The world has accepted the fundamental human rights of an accused person as part of civilization and the fight against corruption cannot be a blind fight. In order words, we cannot in our quest to put an end to the menace of corruption, subvert the clear provisions of Chapter 4 of the Constitution dealing with fundamental human rights.”

Magistrate fingers accused in alleged threat to life Akeem Nafiu

hief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo of an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos has raised the alarm over an alleged threat to her life and that of her family by two brothers who were dragged before her for alleged illegal possession of fire arms. The Magistrate, while

speaking during a scheduled arraignment of the two brothers, Sulaiman Sanusi and Kehinde Sanusi, alleged that the duo had in written different three petitions gave graphic details of her residents and the people who visit her. She said: “I feel very threatened. Let the world know about it so that if anything happens to me

and any member of my family the whole world will know who to hold responsible. “I don’t know why a defendant should know my house, my life is at risk, somebody is alleged to be in possession of fire arms and he wrote petitions to threaten my life, analyzing my marital status, my family background and where I live,

who I live with and how I move in and move out everyday”. She maintained that she had to speak out so that she would not be killed like others that had been killed in the past without clues. At Monday’s proceedings, the Magistrate also threatened to charge the defendants’ lawyer, Gbolu Agbaje-Akadiri, with

contempt owing to his disposition to the court. The arraignment of the two accused persons was however stalled because of an error in the legal advice of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with regards to the second defendant. Earlier, the prosecuting lawyer, S. Dawudu, had urged the court to grant a short adjournment to

enable the prosecution correct a minor mistake on the legal advice. She stated that a legal advice issued on February 19 on the second defendant contained some errors that needed to be corrected. The matter was consequently adjourned to May 11, so as to allow the DPP regularise the defects.

Law | Interview

THURSDAY, april 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ndukwe: Jonathan’s inordinate ambition ruined PDP What is your appraisal of the March 28 elections? I give kudos to INEC for conducting an election which to a large extent has been accepted by many as credible, free and fair despite the hitches here and there posed by the use of card readers. I also commend the growing political consciousness which attended the election on the part of the electorate. Despite all the hitches, they remained undaunted in their desire and tenacity to vote for the candidates of their choice - and above all, make their votes to count.

What in your own viewpoint is the reason for President Jonathan’s failure to win the March 28 presidential election? For me, President Jonathan lost the election as a result of a myriad of factors - first, he inherited a crisis-ridden PDP which was destined to collapse under the weight of its internal crisis. His insistence on running for the 2nd term isolated him from the northern bloc in PDP who, rightly or wrongly, felt that it was the turn of the North to finish the unfinished term of the late President Umar Musa Yar’ Adua - Not many amongst them were ready to forgive him for reneging on the zoning formula. Third, President Jonathan was running with a lot of corrupt politicians who had no electoral value for him - he had ministers whose corrupt quotient turned them into electoral burdens – Again, his administration is seen as largely corrupt and did not do much to destroy this perception. On the leadership front, he did not fare well - it was difficult for many to determine who calls the shot in his government - himself, his wife or other interest blocs to feather their nest. He could not handle so many things with the precision and dispatch and resoluteness which ought to be the hallmark of a strong leader. His handling of the Boko Haram issue was poor particularly the kidnapping of the Chibok girls. How would you describe President Jonathan- a weak president or being surrounded by mediocres? Not having sterling leadership qualities robbed him the opportunity to build very deft political alliances that could have solidified his political base, coming from the minority South-South - leaving the core North in PDP to break away without building strong bridges with other powerful blocs was a political blunder. Under rating the APC alliance when it came and not having a strategic plan to contain APC’s threat beyond the TAN’s adverts was his undoing. Above all, he was his own problem - over estimating his rating as a leader and not connecting to the grass roots in a meaningful and positive manner that will ensure

Charles Ndukwe plies his law trade in Abuja. Ndukwe, who is the Principal Partner, Charles I. Ndukwe and Co., in this interview with CHIJIOKE IREMEKA, speaks on the just concluded elections, ‘change’ syndrome, President Goodluck Jonathan’s defeat, challenges facing the presidentelect and sundry issues.

Ndukwe

mass support and a near cult followership. There are series of missing funds here and there, what is suggestion? I mean, should they be swept them under the carpet or do we probe to get them back? Missing funds and corruption, listening to Chibuike Amaechi, the Governor of Rivers State and Director-General, APC Presidential Campaign, on Straight Talk With Kadira (STWK) on Channels TV, last week, answering the same question, told Nigerians that going after missing funds and corruption in the past will distract the Buhari administration. Amaechi, apparently re-stating the President-elect’s position, said his government will draw a line from the time he is sworn in and punish any new cases of

Buhari must dig into cases of corruption and the missing funds which characterised Jonathan’s administration

corruption while the past will be consigned to the past. According to Amaechi, Buhari will not tolerate any corruption in his government but will not go into the past. My reaction to this position is that, first, it runs counter to APC’s campaign promises to fight corruption. Second, such a stand is a clear evidence to me that Buhari and his APC, like President Goodluck Jonathan do not understand the dynamics of corruption and do not have all that it takes to take down this humongous giant that has kept our in a perennialstate of haemorrhage. Very soon they will like President Jonathan paint a picture if a government that is out to protect a nest of corrupt politicians, in APC that funded his campaign

and others who will join the party from other parties to escape being investigated. For me, not digging into the six years of Jonathan’s administration to deal with obvious cases of corruption and missing funds - oil subsidies scam, the employment debacle involving Abba Moro, the Minister of Internal Affairs, thorough scrutiny of NNPC - to mention a few will alienate him from many Nigerians who voted for him because they see in him, a man with enormous courage to fight corruption and give Nigerians the change they voted for. In Brazil, this 2015, Dima Rousseff, the President of Brazil and very senior politicians - serving Ministers and senators- are being investigated for a bribery scam that took place in 2004 when Dima Rousseff was the CEO of Petrobras, (Petrobas is the Brazilian equivalent NNPC). By my count, about four ministers have resigned with the present CEO of Petrobras and several others. In the last one month, Brazilians have organised a millionmatch on two different occasions demanding the resignation of the President. Even as I am writing, the protest is growing in intensity and power. Buhari and his APC should be careful not to renege on their campaign promises lest the fall even before they take off. Setting agenda for the presidentelect, what would you want him to tackle first as matter of urgency? Agenda and Economic challenges - in the course of his campaign, they have set an agenda for themselves: security, corruption, economic wellbeing of the nation. As a nation, we seem to have reduced our view of security to Boko Haram and terrorism because of the imminent danger both evils pose to the existence of the nation. There is an incipient danger that threatens the existence of this nation more than terrorism - how did we get to a situation where people of other ethnic groups have to move back to their states of origin because of election? How did we get to a situation where some ethnic groups were marked out for destruction should the election go in a certain way? How did we get to a situation where there was almost a complete halt in the economy and the exchange rate of dollar to a Naira went hey wire because we were in a general election? How did we get to a situation where there was a real threat of violence of such an intense magnitude that put the existence of the Nigerian notation at risk? For me, a serious and very sincere attempt to provide answers - working answers- to these questions will no doubt present a developmental agenda that will see CONTINUED ON PAGE25

Law | Interview

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, april 16, 2015

‘Buhari’s anti-graft war’ll shock Nigerians’ C O N T I N UED F R O M PA G E 2 4

the emergence of true Pan Nigerian nation where lives are secured, the future, equality and security of all ethnic groups are assured. One of the evils that hunted President Jonathan’s admin is because he came from a minority group and needed badly the support of the major blocs to fly. We all revel today in the achievement that the election is free, fair and peaceful because PDP lost the election. I want you to flip the other side of the electoral coin - what if APC had lost this election? Do you think we would have been here doing this interview? I leave that for all true Nigerians who look forward for the evolution of a true nation to answer. Past civilian administrations in Nigeria did not do much to address the issues thrown up by these questions. For me, that is the core issues which I desire the change mantra of APC to address. And should they fail here, they will be the next victims of the wind of change that has been ignited by the inability of past administrations to address these questions begging for answers. Get these questions right by putting in place lasting structures, you will have institutions with capacity and a nation that us cohesive, united and consumed by the fire of nationalism to the place of progress, not drive by primordial ethnic drives that can only land us to the place of irreversible precipice. Today, Buhari and his APC have the mantle to mar or make this nation - I pray that he realises the

verdict

Supreme Court validates Governor Akpabio’s governorship election Tunde Oyesina Abuja

arely four years after the gubernatorial election in Akwa Ibom State, the Supreme Court, has said that it was wrong for an individual challenge the outcome of an election he did not participate in as allowed by law. Specifically, it said that it was unlawful for an appellant to initiate proceedings in an election or challenge such election knowing full well that he did not participate in. The apex court gave the order while delivering judgement in an appeal which arose from the Akwa Ibom gubernatorial elections in 2011. Gubernatorial Elections in Nigeria were held on April 26, 2011. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had held its primaries on January

Ndukwe

challenge and mission ahead. May God be with him. Do you see a new Nigeria in place, going by the manner the opposition has won election? The March 28 general election no doubt has a lot of positive impact on our nascent democracy. INEC

appears to be getting it right by giving us an election that is widely acknowledged by many and even the gladiators themselves as free and fair. If we can improve on this, we will certainly have a Nigeria of our dream. What impact does it have on Nigeria’s democracy?

I commend Nigerians for igniting this flame of change, which Buhari’s APC fanned into a consuming inferno that unseated an incumbent President for the first time in Nigeria. I therefore implore Nigerians to be watchful and vigilant so that no one will snuff out this change flame that is burning until it accomplishes its full cycle. I encourage Nigerians to cooperate with the president-elect maximumly in order to bring to birth the change they believe in and voted for under the very trying and challenging times. Nigerians shall therefore be willing to push the incoming administration too hard so that it will deliver its best. Above all, Nigerians must not only demand for accountability, they must hold the government accountable. The Buhari administration must come out of this euphoria of victory and work hard to ensure that Nigerians see on a daily basis the change they voted for. The incoming government must realise that it will never be “business as usual” and that the fire change will not only stop at sweeping away President Jonathan’s administration and the PDP’s badly-leaking umbrella which could no longer give succour and cover to Nigerians, it will not waste time in reducing APC’s brooms to ashes and consuming. The fire neither recognises the umbrella nor broom sticks - both will be befitting meals for consumption should they get in its way - the only thing the fire recognises is positive change. God bless Nigeria.

Four years after, Supreme Court upholds Akpabio’s guber election 9, 2011 to elect its governorship candidate for Akwa Ibom State. Engr. Frank Okon Daniel (Appellant), Governor Godwill Akpabio (3rd Respondent) and some other members of the PDP participated in the primaries. The primary election was marred by irregularities. Eventually the results were cancelled on January 14, 2011 and fresh primary elections were fixed for January 15, 2011. The primary election fixed for January 15, 2011 went ahead as planned. However, Governor Godwill Akpabio (3rd Respondent) emerged the winner of the primary election. Dissatisfied, Okon (Appellant) headed for the court on March 15, 2011 when he filed an Originating Summons at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, which was subsequently amended. The appellants Amend-

Akpabio

ed Originating Summons presented some questions for determination of the Court. On being served the Amended Originating Summons the Respondents particularly the 2nd

and 3rd Respondents filed counter-affidavits. The 2nd and 3rd Respondents then filed similar Preliminary Objections for an order of the Court dismissing and/ or striking out the suit

on the grounds that the Plaintiff by his evidence, was ‘not clothed however with the requisite locus standi to institute and maintain this suit, not having participated in the governorship elections primaries the subject matter of the suit - that was concluded and held by the 2nd defendant in Uyo Akwa Ibom State in 15th January, 2011 for the purposes of electing the governorship candidate of the 2nd defendant for the 2011 governorship elections in Akwa Ibom State’. In his judgment, the trial Judge found that the grievance of the Plaintiff was purely political matter within the discretion of the 2nd defendant (i.e. the PDP). The court held that it had no jurisdiction to entertain and adjudicate upon the case as accordingly dismissed the Plaintiff ’s case for lacking in merit.

The reasoning of the learned trial judge was that the appellant did not have a locus standi to sue. This finding did not go down well with the appellant, who immediately filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division. However, the Court decided the issue of the locus standi of the appellant to maintain the suit and invoked its powers under Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act to decide the substantive claims or main appeal. The judgment of the trial Court on locus standi was upheld by the Court of Appeal. Adumain, JCA and Akomolafe-Wilson, JCA read the majority judgment while Tur, JCA read the minority judgment. As regards the main appeal, there was unanimity in dismissing it. Both sides were dissatisfied with the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

26 Law | File

THURSDAY, april 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Osinbajo’s value to Buhari’s presidency Wahab Shittu

T Osinbajo

his is the second time I will be breaking my silence and writing on the phenomenon called Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) the newly elected VicePresident of Nigeria. In my first intervention I addressed the issue of his emergence as the running mate to Gen. Mohammadu Buhari now the President elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At the time,

I had alluded to Osinbajo’s power of ideas and power of action and how those traits will influence the quality of the campaigns. I have since been proved right given the fresh insights and ideas the eminent professor of Public Law introduced to the campaign process to the admiration of all Nigerians. I must say I have not been disappointed at all given the fact that I had written from my perspective as a former student

of this extraordinary Nigerian who benefited from his wealth of knowledge, jurisprudence and scholarship. I had thought at the time that if I could not hit the streets to solicit for votes for my teacher, the least I could do is to alert Nigerians that an incredible asset has emerged on the political space. Having done that, I sat back and watched how events will play out and see whether the Osinbajo I have always known as an exemplar of learning

and character will live up to his billing. The rest is history. I am forced to intervene again in the aftermath of the recent victory of the ticket of Buhari/Osinbajo (faces of integrity) in the recently concluded Presidential election results declared by INEC after a keenly contested elections with the incumbent who has also demonstrated uncommon statesmanship. The reason for this second intervention centred mainly on Professor Yemi Osinbajo is to highlight the possible assets and contributions that he could bring to the table in addressing the fundamental issues of governance including corruption, insecurity and the challenges of the economy. Given my deep knowledge of the huge talents and capabilities of the Vice president elect, I am anxious to advise our incoming president to make full use of this uncommon and highly cerebral Nigerian in enhancing the quality of governance in our country. There is urgent need for president elect to make effective use of the talents, experience and exposure of the VicePresident Elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. In making this proposition, I write from the perspective of someone who has a firsthand knowledge of the antecedents including the experience, knowledge and exposure of the vice president elect. Fundamentally, one is impressed by the commitment of the president elect to found his practice of democracy on the rule of law. This is where Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) will be particularly useful to the administration in view of his record of accomplishments as an advocate of the rule of law. The respected Prof is coming on board, first as a Professor of Law with renowned expertise in Civil and Criminal Proceedings with particular emphasis on the Law of Evidence. Apart from teaching and raising several lawyers for close to four decades, the renowned Professor of Law is acknowledged as a teacher of teachers. The respected Prof. is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Now that is a lot of resource capacity whose utility value must be utilized to the fullest.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

27 Health Living

Multiple sex partners, risk factor for vaginal inflammation

Health

Health News

Eating green vegetables sharpens mental abilities

Nature Power

Getting used to colours

Eat out, get hypertension Appolonia Adeyemi

recent study on university-going young adults is the first ever to show an association between meals eaten away from home and high blood pressure (HBP) These findings, according to the study highlight lifestyle factors that can affect hypertension and emphasise the importance of being aware of the salt and calorie content in food, to facilitate better meal choices when eating out. Blood pressure” is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. When blood pressure is high, which is a serious health condition called hypertension, it can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other health problems. The study on university-going young adults, by researchers from the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore (Duke-NUS), is the first ever to show an association between meals eaten away from home and HBP. These findings highlight lifestyle factors that can affect hypertension and emphasise the importance of being aware of the salt and calorie content in food, to facilitate better meal choices when eating out. Globally, HBP, or hypertension, is the leading risk factor for death associated with cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that young adults with pre-hypertension, or slightly elevated blood pressure, are at very high risk of hypertension. Eating meals away from home have been shown to be associated with higher caloric intake, higher saturated fat intake and higher salt intake.

Appolonia Adeyemi appolonia.adeyemi@newtelegraphonline.com

Check your blood pressure regularly

These eating patterns are thought to cause high blood pressure. Duke-NUS Professor Tazeen Jafar designed and supervised a study to find behaviours associated with hypertension in a young adult population in Southeast Asia. Her team, including Duke-NUS medical student Dominique Seow, surveyed 501 university-going young adults aged 18 to 40 years in Singapore. Data on blood pressure, body mass index and lifestyle, including meals eaten away from home and physical activity levels, were collected. Their association with hypertension was then determined. Using statistical analysis, the team found that pre-hypertension was found in 27.4 percent of the total population, and 38 percent ate more than 12 meals away from home per week; while the gender breakdown showed that prehypertension was more prevalent in men (49 percent) than in women (nine percent). Those who had pre-hypertension or hypertension were more likely to eat more meals away from home per week, have a higher mean body mass index, have lower mean physical activity levels, and be current smokers.

PHOTO: www.toogezer.com

Hypertension is the leading risk factor for death

The novel finding in this study is the link that Dr. Jafar’s team was able to show between pre-hypertension and hypertension with meals eaten away from home. What is also significant is that even eating one extra meal out, raised the odds of prehypertension by six percent. “While there have been studies conducted in the United States and Japan to find behaviours associated with hypertension, very few have surveyed a Southeast Asian population,” said Dr. Jafar, who is from the Health Services and Systems Programme at Duke-NUS. “Our research plugs that gap and highlights lifestyle factors associated with pre-hypertension and hypertension that are potentially modifiable, and would be applicable to young adults globally, especially those of Asian descent.” The findings in this study can be used to modify behaviour through changes in clinical and policy recommendations. Clinicians can intervene to advise young adults to modify their lifestyle behaviours while food policy changes can be made to regulate salt and fat in eateries. Clinicians can also advise younger male patients that they are at higher risk for pre-hypertension in order to make them more aware of their predisposition to the condition. Future studies should examine the effect of lifestyle modification programmes on blood pressure levels on the at-risk population found in this study. Dr. Jafar’s team plans to lead a related intervention study on prevention of hypertension among young adults in Singapore.

Minister of Health, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan

Tips to reduce hypertension • Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline • Exercise regularly • Engage in regular physical activity — at least 30 to 60 minutes most days of the week. • Eat a healthy diet. Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower blood pressure. • Reduce sodium diet. Track how much salt is in your diet. Keep a food diary to estimate how much sodium is in what you eat and drink each day. In addition, read food labels. If possible, choose lowsodium alternatives of the foods and beverages you normally buy. • Eat fewer processed foods. Potato chips, frozen dinners, bacon and processed lunch meats are high in sodium. • Don’t add salt. Just one level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs or spices, rather than salt, to add more flavour to your foods. • Limit alcohol

Health News

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Healthy Living Dr. Ihuoma Uko-Ndukwe ada.ndukwe@yahoo.com

‘Ugu’ vegetables

PHOTO: clarascornerng.com

Eating green vegetables sharpens mental abilities Esther Albert

omething as easy as adding more spinach, kale, collards and mustard greens to your diet could help slow cognitive decline, according to new research. The study also examined the nutrients responsible for the effect, linking vitamin K consumption to slower cognitive decline for the first time. “Losing one’s memory or cognitive abilities is one of the biggest fears for people as they get older,” said Martha Clare Morris, Sc.D., assistant provost for community research at Rush University Medical Center and leader of the research team. “Since declining cognitive ability is central to Alzheimer’s disease and dementias, increasing consumption of green leafy vegetables could offer a very simple, affordable and non-invasive way of potentially protecting your brain from The researchers tracked the diets and cognitive abilities of more than 950 older adults for an average of five years and saw a significant decrease in the rate of cognitive decline for study participants who consumed greater amounts of green leafy vegetables. People who ate one to two servings per day had the cognitive ability of a person 11 years younger than those who consumed none. When the researchers examined individual nutrients linked with slowing cognitive decline, they found that vitamin K, lutein, folate and beta-carotene were most likely helping to keep the brain healthy. “Our study identified some very

novel associations,” said Morris, who will present the research at the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) Annual Meeting during Experimental Biology 2015. “No other studies have looked at vitamin K in relation to change in cognitive abilities over time, and only a limited number of studies have found some association with lutein.” Other studies have linked folate and beta-carotene intake with slower cognitive decline. To conduct the study, Morris’ research team gathered data from 954 participants from the Memory and Ageing Project, which aims to identify factors associated with the maintenance of cognitive health. The participants, whose age averaged 81, reported their daily food and beverage intake by answering a detailed 144-item questionnaire at the beginning of the study. The researchers computed the total daily nutrients by combining the nutrient content for each food consumed with the number of servings eaten each day. They followed participants for two to 10 years, assessing cognition annually with a comprehensive battery of 19 tests and adjusted for age, sex, education, smoking, genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease and participation in physical activities when estimating the effects of diet on cognitive decline. “With baby boomers approaching old age, there is huge public demand for lifestyle behaviors that can ward off loss of memory and other cognitive abilities with age,” said Morris. “Our study provides evidence that eating green leafy vegetables and other foods rich in vitamin K, lutein and beta-carotene can help to keep the brain healthy to preserve functioning.

Paxherbals boss speaks on potential of natural remedy

n Nigeria, “natural resources” usually mean oil and gas. Not so at Paxherbals, the nation’s leading home-grown manufacturer of herbal medicine. Since its establishment in 1996, Pax Herbal Clinic and Research Laboratories has combined scientific rigour with indigenous knowledge to establish a modern and innovative African business. Rev Fr. Anselm Adodo, director of the outfit, which now operates herbal/ natural medicine hospitals across the nation, is expanding on his practical philosophy for community development. To this end, Adodo, the Benedictine founder of Pax, would be discussing ‘Transformative and Curative Potential of Herbal Medicine’ at London’s Africa Research Institute.

A statement issued from Pax Herbal Clinic and Research Laboratories in Esan, Edo State, stated that the lecture is scheduled to hold from 6pm to 8pm on Thursday April 23. “Registration is essential as space is limited,” the statement added. Interested persons are advised to join the conversation online at #AfricaHerbals. Over the past two decades, Pax has created jobs and a vibrant economy in Edo State. It sells affordable treatments for common ailments and diseases. With more than thirty governmentcertified products, Pax has built trust and challenged negative or outdated perceptions of natural remedies with a professional and transparent approach. It has successfully preserved indigenous knowledge and harnessed it for the benefit of the local community and all Nigerians.

Multiple sex partners, risk factor for vaginal inflammation

Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for vaginitis

aginitis is an inflammation of the vagina which could result in discharge, itching and pain. It is often associated with an irritation or infection of the vulva. A woman with this condition may have vaginal itching or burning and may notice a discharge. The following symptoms may indicate the presence of infection, which should be followed up with a professional health care practitioner assessing it for diagnosis and treatment The most common causes (most times infectious) are bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis, trichomonas, among others, each of which will be discussed. There are two types of vagintis— infectious and non-infectious. Non-infectious vaginitis Causes: Irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis are two non-infectious causes and both may be associated with feminine hygiene products. In both conditions, there are minimal discharge and cause pain by burning on contact and soreness. Irritant contact is mostly caused by soaps, tampons, contraceptive devices, sex toys, pessary, topical products, douching, medications and clothing. Whole allergic contact may be caused by sperm, douching, latex condoms or diaphragms and topical products. With these, vaginal area is red and painful to touch Atrophic vagintis manifests by vaginal dryness, itching, discharge, irritation and painful sex. It affects 10 to 40 percent of women and due to estrogen deficiency, other conditions associated with atrophic vaginitis are ovary removal, radiation/chemotherapy as a result of cancer. One may have YELLOW/ GREENISH discharge with no odour. Similarly, vagina might be a little red but easily bruised. Infectious vaginitis: The most common infectious causes of vaginitis are bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis and trichomonas, bacterial vaginos is the most common of the three. Bacterial vaginosis: This is the

PHOTO: www.dailymail.co.uk

most common cause of vaginitis and it occurs in 30 percent of women. It occurs when the normal vaginal bacteria (lactobacillus) in the vagina bare replaced by other forms of bacteria, resulting in reduced level of hydrogen peroxide and organic acids normally present in the vagina. It can be asymptomatic or with mild symptom, smells musty or fishy odour to genitalia and can have profuse thin graywhite, non-clumping vaginal discharge. Even when asymptomatic, it is associated with a high incidence of endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease. Bacterial vaginosis is associated with late miscarriages, premature rupture of membranes and preterm delivery. Both symptomatic and non-symptomatic bacterial vaginosis have been associated with an increased risk of HIV transmission. The discharge has a bad odour, clear white or gray. Some of the risk factors include low socioeconomic status, new/mulitple sex partners, unprotected sexual intercourse, homosexual relationships, and frequent use of higher doses of spermicide. Treatment in non-pregnant require antibacterial therapy to relieve vaginal symptoms, the best recommended treatment is five days of 2x/day of flagyl. Recurrent vaginosis occur within the first year of treatment and related strongly of new sex partners. Trichomoniasis: Symptoms are not specific but suggestive symptoms may be green yellow frothy discharge, pain with sex, vaginal soreness and painful urination. Signs of inflammation are a red strawberry looking vagina. It is caused by parasites, sexually transmitted and both partners need to be treated. Risk factors are multiple sex partners, life time frequency of sexual activity, lack of contraceptive use, illicit drug use and smoking. Vulvogacinal Candidiasis (Yeast}: Changes in the host vaginal environment increase and induce the effects of candida. Although, some of the causes are vaginal and systemic antibiotic use, diet high in refined sugars, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, and symptoms such as severe itching, vaginal soreness, painful sex, swollen vagina and white thick.

Health Interview 29

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Self-medication fuels infertility Prof. Brian Adinma is the President, Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON). In this interview with APPOLONIA ADEYEMI, he discusses rising infertility among Nigerians, lifestyle fuelling the trend, challenges facing available interventions, among others Presently the rate of infertility in the society is very high. One of the interventions recommended to tackle infertility is Invitro Fertilisation (IVF) but the procedure is very expensive. What is the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) doing to reduce the cost? Invitro Fertilisation (IVF) is only one of the interventions that can be carried out to treat infertility and it is done in extreme situations where the fallopian tubes are not too good. It is only a minor proportion of women with infertility that will require IVF. Yes, IVF is expensive because we do not have enough technical expertise yet to provide it on a wide scale basis. When we are able to train enough sub specialists on that to be able to provide it on a wide scale and we have enough centres that provide this IVF services, the price will go down. In fact, it is done at the National Hospital, Abuja at less than 50 percent of what other centres demand to do it. By the time our government becomes interested and is able to fund centres especially in the general hospitals and other health facilities, the price will come down. Just like any other thing, price is contingent on the number of resources available. When there are lots of people that can offer the treatment and the equipment is there, the price will come down. So, it is a question of time. What is the prevalence of infertility in the country? Infertility is a big problem in the sense that there is no couple that come together especially among the blacks that will not want to have children. The prevalence of infertility in the country varies. Available data is mostly institution based but varies depending on what work had been done in specific places. For instance, today we could say from 25 percent to 40 percent of couples in the country have infertility problem. I can also tell you that based on work done in some places; rate of infertility is about 15 percent. There are areas that it is as high as 40 percent. Also, the infertility is also dependent on whether it is primary infertility or secondary infertility. Furthermore, based on work that we have done on consultations in gynaecological clinics in eastern Nigeria, we can tell you that about 45 percent to 60 percent of couples suffer infertility challenges. Is infertility preventable? Well infertility is preventable. If for instance, you do everything to prevent pelvic infection which can block the fallopian tubes and cause infer-

tility, then you have prevented it in to that extent. Sometimes, infertility happens and one may not be able to prevent it. Something, there hormonal causes which one may not be able to prevent but could be discovered, treated and the patient will get pregnant. There are causes from endocrine problems like a woman that is diabetic. If medical personnel are able to discover it and control the diabetes, she will become pregnant. There are all sorts of causes. Why is the rate of infertility high in the country? It is high on account of high rate of pelvic infections. Unsafe abortions result in pelvic infections that are not properly treated. This has to do with our health-seeking behaviour where people pick up drugs from over-the-counter. For instance, people who have unprotected sex just pick up two capsules of antibiotics and swallow them. That will even make the organisms to become more resistant and by so doing, damage the fallopian tube/tubes. So, on the long run, it leaves the woman with damaged fallopian tubes. It is very difficult to treat because when the tubes are damaged, it is very difficult to restore. Sometimes, it can lead to tubal pregnancy which can cause death. What is the cause of primary infertility? There are a number of things that can cause that. The most common thing is when there is imbalance in the hormones. Hormonal imbalance may lead to lack of ovulation. That is to say the woman is not ovulating and without ovulation, one cannot achieve a pregnancy. There are three levels of infertility and infertility is attributable to these three levels. The first is the level of the reproduction of eggs; that is the level of ovulation. The second one is the level of passage of eggs. You know that it is at the tube that fertilisation occurs; and the third is the level of the sperm. Now, if the sperm is weak or not available in sufficient quantity, how does it move up to go to the fallopian tubes for pregnancy to occur? Basically, there are three investigations that we must do initially. It is when we do not find answer to those three investigations that we now move into a higher aspect of investigations. What are these three levels? Is the woman ovulating? This investigation is the ovulatory function test. If she is ovulating, are the fallopian tubes open to transmit the ovulated eggs? This second level will determine if the fallopian tubes are open or blocked. Then the

third is to determine if the husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s semen is good enough. The semen contains the sperm. In assessing infertility, both the woman and the man must be evaluated. Otherwise, the fellow may be missing out something that is very important. At what point is infertility attributed to environmental factors? Environment is an unwieldy term. It is a very big terminology which encompasses a lot of things. This is because if you talk of environment, are you talking about a workplace or are you talking about the occupation of a man or woman. There can be many aspect of this that can be a factor. For instance if you talk about a long distant driver that sits down and produces a lot of heat because he drives for a long time, his sperm production will be impaired; it will be lowered. In effect, that infertility is caused by environmental factor. Similarly, some people get married. While the wife lives elsewhere, the husband also lives apart. For this reason they do not meet often and by the time they meet it will not be ovulation time. So, pregnancy will not occur. Before conception will occur, a couple must be living together and having unprotected regular sexual intercourse at least three times a week and not using any contraception. This situation must exist for at least within one year. What it means is that within one year up to 80 percent of people that are married and living together and having regular unprotected sexual intercourse have better chances of conception. So you do not start investigating a couple until they have stayed together for one year without the woman getting pregnant. Sir what are the challenges health facilities face in tackling infertility? This secondary infertility is usually very hard to treat because usually when the fallopian tubes are damaged they are very difficult to restore. So, one of the challenges that we have is habit of people going over the counter to pick drugs. So, there is a very high incidence of infections resulting mostly from self-medications. It is these low grade infections that damage fallopian tubes. People have sex and take antibiotics on the believe that they are protecting themselves from infection. On the contrary, that is not protection because the person is causing more harm. This is because that dose will not cure an infection that has occurred but the body will build resistance to those drugs.

Adima

In assessing infertility, both the woman and the man must be evaluated

So, one of the major challenge is the type of infertility that we have to grapple with. To what extent do we have the wherewithal to grapple with this infertility in terms of having the technical knowhow? One of the ways we handle tubal blockage is with surgeryperform operation, remove the bad portion of the fallopian tube and then join the portion that is good. The success rate which is about 10 percent, is very low. Now the primary infertility is easier to manage if we are able to identify the level of hormones that are deficient or that are low and try to joggle with drugs. You can help the woman that is not ovulating to ovulate once more. Once the tubes are open and the husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s semen is good, she will conceive. Among the whites they have very little infection that will damage their fallopian tubes. So, the type of infertility that is seen there is the type with hormonal problem. One of the main answers to tubal blockage is what is called assisted reproduction which includes the IVF procedure, among others. The major problem is that the cost of IVF is usually very prohibitive. This high cost makes assisted reproduction usually inaccessible to the average Nigerian. Also, the technical expertise is also very expensive to acquire. Only a few have acquired it. In fact, in the acquisition of assisted reproductive services, many other components that constitute the team must be included to complement it. CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Health News

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ogun set to kick off administration of new polio vaccine

he Ogun State Government is set to kick off the administration of the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) recently introduced by the Federal Government. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, who disclosed this, said that the state has concluded arrangements with stake holders involved in the immunisation process towards the take-off/implementation of the new Polio Vaccine into the existing immunisation schedule. Speaking in Abeokuta, the commissioner emphasised the need to complement efforts of the international organisations and the Federal Government to halt transmission of polio virus, particularly in the three endemic countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. According to him, IPV is an injectable vaccine that provides additional and rapid immunity that covers the three types of polio in existence, adding that the vaccine would invariably help the body of children to resist the virus against life-long paralysis and death. “The newly introduced Inactivated Polio Vaccine is a progress development in the health

NUAHP hints of new JOHESU strike over welfare, others Appolonia Adeyemi

Polio vaccine being administered on a child

care system and Nigeria with the commitment of states need to interrupt the transmission of poliomyelitis,” he said. The commissioner remarked that it required the collective efforts of all and sundry to embrace the new development and ensure that children within the age of zero and 11 months should complete their Routine Immunisation (RI) schedule, noting that at one week, children are expected to be given the inactivated polio vaccine at health facility.

PHOTO: www.telegraph.co.uk

“But children less than one year of age, who are behind on their immunisation schedule should receive one doze of IPV at the first immunisation contact after 14 weeks,” the commissioner clarified. Soyinka pointed out that the state had conducted training programmes for relevant medical/health workers in the public and private facilities across the 20 local government areas, as well as sensitising paediatricians at the secondary and tertiary hospitals.

he strike over remuneration and other demands, that was suspended by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) on March 2, will be kick-started again soon. This is contained in a communiqué issued by the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) at the at the end of the meeting held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State from March 23 to 25. According to the communiqué signed by the National President of NUAHP, Felix Faniran and the association’s General Secretary, Obinna Ogbonna, it was therefore agreed that “NUAHP should liaise with other JOHESU leaders to mount pressure on the government to meet our demands immediately after the general elections by releasing all the relevant circulars by the government.” Simirlay, they stated that The NEC empowered the NAC to put the government on notice (that is, give an ultimatum of 15 to 21 days) that will expire shortly at the end of the presidential elections. Although, they commended the elevation of the erstwhile

Minister of State, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan as new Minister of Health, they lamented the appointment an engineer as a new minister of state. While the Union welcomes the new Minister of State, an Engineer by profession, it disagreed with President Goodluck Jonathan’s action in ignoring the incessant call to balance the appointment of members of the Nigherian Medical Association (NMA) with members of the Allied Health professional. To this end, NUAHP therefore called for a revisit of these issues after the presidential election. Meanwhile, JOHESU had written a letter of reminder to Jonathan over the pending issues for over two weeks now, the duo added. Concerning the National Delegates Conference (NDC) of the union scheduled to hold between May 5 and 8, 2015 at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Akinkuade Fredrick, the 1st National General Secretary of the Union, Alhaji Salawu (former executive member of the Union), Col. Emechete (retired) and the two Administrative Secretaries of the Union would serve as the electoral committee members for the elections.

50% of couples face infertility problems CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 29

You have to have a molecular biologist; you have to have a laparoscopic surgeon; you have to have a reproductive endocrinologist. All these professionals have to put their heads together to make a success of assisted

reproduction. So, it is usually cost intensive and therefore usually unaffordable to majority of Nigerians. What advice would you give Nigerians considering their penchant for indiscriminate use of drugs?

Even if we have to purchase drugs, we should not take drugs like antibiotics except in doses and type that has been prescribed by a doctor. If we use drugs indiscriminately, the body will build resistance against those drugs, apart from infections which may

arise. What we mean is that in any type of medical treatment, we should see a doctor who will do investigation and treat according to the sensitivity of the drug. We should stop our people from going to treat themselves. Let them get the right doctor.

Then for people who are infertile they should not jump from place to place. Go and see a doctor. Any doctor that’s in his right senses should refer such people to a gynaecologist because if they see the gynaecologist, the treatment will be cost effective.

Getting used to colours CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

ave you ever wondered why animals and even human beings love to sit under trees? They are subconsciously drawn to it because the leaves of trees are able to absorb infrared light from the sun and radiate it to nearby creatures. Sitting or standing under a tree is a good way of receiving these powerful rays. If you stay under a tree for some time, you would notice a re-awakening of the weakened cells of the body. You become strong and energetic. This explains why animals, such as goats, sheep, dogs, snakes, monkeys love to sleep on or under the tree. In those days in Africa, most activities took place under big trees growing in the family courtyard. Meetings could last for hours and hours on end and you would still find the participants as lively and fresh as ever. Hunters often sat under trees when tired and soon they would regain their strength and continue their journey. They were probably not aware of this radiation, but

Nature Power Fr. Anselm Adodo, OSB

naturepower@paxherbals.net; twitter: @anselmadodo their intuition must have told them that there was something valuable there. In cases of impotence or menstrual disorders, buy red underpants and wear. You will soon notice a difference. This is not superstition or fetish. This is a scientifically verifiable fact. Eat red food such as red beans, red pawpaw, red banana, red cashew, and other red coloured fruits. Let red energise your life. YELLOW Yellow is an energising and invigorating colour. It is related to the digestive system. Our digestive system breaks down the food we eat into constituents that our bodies identify and absorb for our health and growth. The digestive system needs to keep working at optimal condition if we are to remain healthy. Yellow

energy is essential for the preservation and health of our digestive system. The immune system protects the digestive system by identifying and destroying harmful cells. For the immune system to work effectively, yellow energy is needed. Yellow creates emotional and mental balance. In our stressed and restless society, a lot of yellow energy is needed to preserve mental alertness and creative thinking. Yellow is the colour of the intellect. Students, teachers, researchers, will find yellow helpful. Yellow helps to sharpen mental alertness. It helps to sharpen the power of visualisations, thinking and imagination. In schools and places of learning, yellow should be a dominant colour. You can take in yellow energy by rubbing olive oil on your body. Before you begin your studies, place a yellow nap-

Lemon

Yellow creates emotional and mental balance

kin or towel on your head for 10 to 20 minutes. In the treatment of mental illness and psychic invasion, yellow is vital. Mentally disturbed persons should be made to wear yellow cloths. In cases of insomnia, hypertension and anxiety, avoid yellow. Yellow helps to relieve mental congestion, confusion and lack of direction. For typhoid fever, liver cirrhosis, hepatitis, indigestion, ear/eye problems, stone in the gall bladder, yellow will help. Apply yellow oils. Drink orange, Lime, Lemon and grape fruits. Trees of the citrus family are the favourite tree for yellow energy.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Industry

ICT

Printing: Battling to save over N500bn

Re-awakening calls for digital dividend frequencies allocation

Business What's news

Firm adopts technology to deliver 10,000 houses Exploring the advantage of a new building technology, one of the top real estate firms in Nigeria is planning to build one house every week over the next five years with the help of formwork panels - a modular building system made up of aluminum panels.

p.32

Pakistani envoy woos investors to Nigeria The Ambassador-designate of Pakistan to Nigeria, Agha M. Umer Farooq, has called on Pakistani businessmen to take advantage of the immense resources in Nigeria by investing in the country.

L-R: Presenter/Producer, Global Banking and Finance Review, London, Mr. Phillip Fothergill; Executive Director, Corporate Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Ms Foluke Aboderin and Production Coordinator, Global Banking and Finance Review, London, Mr. Noel O’Leary, at the presentation of Best Corporate Bank Nigeria 2015 Award to Ecobank Nigeria in London.

NEW ERA Stakeholders list expectations from new government

Chris Ugwu

p.32

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dele Alao

Industry & Agric Editor

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa

ollowing the persistent depression in the nation’s equity market, some operators have agreed that for the market to regain its pride of place as a centre for capital formation, the incoming government of General Muhammadu Buhari must redirect the market to shore up investors’ confidence. They argue that reactivating the market to regain investors’ confidence is urgently needed to save the stock market from total collapse. The Managing Director, Crane Securities Limited, Mr. Mike Eze, in a chat with New Telegraph, said that for the new administration to bring succor to the comatose economic situa-

tion in the market, Buhari must ensure he comes up with initiatives that would bring investors back to the stock market. “It is a direct intervention that the market needs now and I think that should be one of the priorities that will be upper most in his mind because the market has been down for a time longer than normal. Market does not lie low up to this long time and we know that we are in an emerging market and emerging markets are known for their pragmatic reaction to market situation, but our own has defied all odd, so the only thing that he can do as the person at the helm of affairs of the economy is for government to directly intervene in the market,” Eze said. He noted that the capital mar-

INFLATION RATE February 2015.........................8.4% January 2015...........................8.2% December 2014.........................8%

LENDING RATE InterBank Rate....................12.57% Prime Lending Rate...........17.93% Maximum Lending Rate...26.83%

Finance Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

Market operators outline leeway for Buhari ket was the engine room of any economy, which, if neglected, would bring down the economy. In his view, the Chief Executive Officer, Lambeth Trust & Investment Co Limited, Mr. David Adonri, who noted that the economy is presently structured towards short term trading activities that fuel short term finance provided by the banking industry, said that for the capital market to blossom without suffering another bubble, the economy, under the new government, needs to be re-

N50 billion Being the amount lost by investors at the capital market on Tuesday

structured towards long term productive activities where the capital market is most relevant. For the President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, Albert Okumagba, the core capital market operators should work with the regulators to come with pragmatic timetable which will be endorsed by the Federal Government for the commencement of viable commodity exchanges which are either privately owned or government owned. He said: “The commodity market should be developed in such a way to provide underlying instruments on which other structured products in the financial market can be developed to increase the number CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Rates Dashboard EXCHANGE RATE (BDC as at Apr. 10)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N207 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N300 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N230

l Foreign Reserves – $29.589bn as at 4/04/2015

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Interbank as at Apr. 10)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N200 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N301 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N214

Business | News

FORMWORK PANELS

Tested building systems to increase housing stock Dayo Ayeyemi

xploring the advantage of a new building technology, one of the top real estate firms in Nigeria is planning to build one house every week over the next five years with the help of formwork panels - a modular building system made up of aluminum panels. Manufactured by a recognised world leader in the formwork industry, the real estate firm, Messrs Alpha Mead Development Company (AMDC), has entered into partnership to support the fast-paced delivery of housing scheme in Nigeria. Through the arrangement, the developer has already mapped out strategy to deliver 10, 000 housing units in five years. Currently, the housing deficit in Nigeria is 17 million and the country needs to construct one million houses every year to bridge the gap in 20 years. To do this successfully, the Federal Government said that it would require N59 trillion to finance the project. AMDC is a real estate development and advisory firm that focuses on providing luxury housing to middle-income groups, giving them the opportunity to own their dream homes.

Firm adopts technology to deliver 10,000 houses Explaining the rationale behind the project, the General Manager of AMDC, Damola Akindolire, pointed out that if the nation intends to halt the increasing deficit in the Nigerian housing market, it must break away from conventional systems of housing construction through brick and cement by adopting tested building systems to increase the housing stock. He stated: “These forms called wall-ties allow us to make quick de-

of tradable instruments in the capital market. For instance, futures, options and other derivative instrument on the underlying assets available in the commodity market.” He noted that promotion of national savings is better achieved through comprehensive review of the rules and regulations guiding the Collective Investment Scheme, CIS. “In the same vein, there is a need to amend all clauses that are affecting the operations of the Pension Commission, to ensure its developmental impact on activities in the capital market,” he added. The Chairman, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Mr. Emeka Madubuike, noted that incentives should be given to listed companies and prospective companies to be

livery of housing projects as well as ensure strict quality control in the delivery of all the company’s projects. They can be used over 2000 times and they help us manage the delivery costs to the benefit of our customers in terms of affordability.” He stated that the housing scheme, which has become the company’s flagship project, was to ensure that Nigerians in need of accommodation have access to quality and affordable houses.

“We are providing complete end-to-end homeownership solutions which are customer focused. We are also breaking new boundaries by dropping home ownership entry levels from a market average of N6 million to about N250,000 a month without any down payment. This for us is a remarkable feat and we are willing to sustain it as we plan to deliver 10,000 houses over the next five years,” he said. The managing direc-

tor explained that the company was inspired to intervene with the project owing to the wide gap in the middle income tier housing market, which is a major problem in the Nigerian housing industry. According to him, middle tier housing shortage is at least four million units. He said that this had grave consequences if not managed properly due to the increasing urbanisation rate in Nigeria, which is ahead of other similar markets

such as India. “This means more Nigerians will live in city areas and will need an affordable and conducive living environment to support the growing economy. That is why AMDC has invested millions of dollars investing in technology and building strong partnerships with key stakeholders to create the necessary financial products to support homeownership. “So our sole purpose as a business is to be the biggest provider of quality and affordable housing to middle income level professionals in the Nigerian real estate market by the year 2020, and thereby contributing to reducing the housing deficit,” he said.

L-R: Adaorie Udechukwu of Access Bank handing over a Certificate of Participation to Managing Director, Travant Capital, Sanyade Okoli at the Empowering Women with Technology Capacity Building series organised by Women Banking Division of Access Bank Plc in partnership with Wild Fusion Digital Center in Lagos.

Market operators outline leeway for Buhari CONTINUED FROM PAG E 3 1

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

listed so as to have some advantage over unlisted companies. He recommended some tax incentives for listed companies and those that are in the process of getting listed. “Policies that would promote marketability of agricultural products should be enunciated and implemented to boost operations of the commodities exchanges. Also governments at the highest level must continue to make positive statements and assurances that will engender investor’ confidence,” he added. Also, the Chairman, Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria (AIHN), Victor Ogiemwonyi, said: “Government borrowing rate in the capital market should drop to avoid crowding out of funds in the capital market so as to make the market attractive for private sector to raise funds.

PARTNERSHIP

Volume of trade between both countries currently stands at less than N20bn Sunday Ojeme

he Ambassador-designate of Pakistan to Nigeria, Agha M. Umer Farooq, has called on Pakistani businessmen to take advantage of the immense resources in Nigeria by investing in the country. Farooq, who stated this in Islamabad, said that despite being a high risk country, Nigeria possessed vast scope for Pakistani entrepreneurs to make investment, especially in agriculture, fertilizer, beverages, tractors, motorcycles, rickshaw manufacturing iron ore and other sectors and export their products to huge market of African region He also stressed that the business community in Pakistan should focus on Africa as

Pakistani envoy woos investors to Nigeria it offered immense potential for promoting trade and exports. He was interacting with businessmen at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, He said that Africa was emerging as a future food basket of the world and it was right time that Pakistani investors should explore investment opportunities in agriculture sector of Nigeria. He noted that Pakistani teachers and doctors had earned great goodwill in Nigeria that should be en-cashed for promoting trade and economic relations. He added that Pakistan should establish warehouses in Nigeria and private sector should consider financing such facilities, adding that Pakistani banks should explore the possibilities of purchasing banks in Nigeria that would help in improving

bilateral trade as well. He assured that he would try to extend all possible facilitation to Pakistani entrepreneurs during their exploration visits to Nigeria. Last year, President Goodluck Jonathan promised that Nigeria and Pakistan would work together to increase the bilateral trade volume between them from the current $70 million to $1 billion within the next five years. Jonathan spoke during the Nigeria-Pakistan Trade and Investment Forum, organised by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, in Abuja. The President noted that the current trade volume between Nigeria and Pakistan did not reflect the strong political and economic ties that existed between the two countries, adding that both countries would work together to address the anomaly.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

BoI to partner body of engineers for growth p.34

Industry

Printing: Battling to save over N500bn Stakeholders in the printing sector met recently to discuss challenges confronting the sector with on appeal to the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to ensure revival of the sector. DELE ALAO writes

espite its potential to generate huge employment opportunity and meaningful contributions to the country’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP), the Nigeria printing industry has remained in comatose compared to other countries. The sector, which, according to experts, is worth over N500 billion, is in a state of neglect. Stakeholders are lamenting how the sector with huge potential has become moribund. “Nigerian printing industry is a very big industry. It has a lot of opportunities in terms of commerce and employment. Despite its size and the number of people working in that industry, its very tough challenges include lack of raw materials. Printing in Nigeria is 100 per cent import dependent. Everything is imported. Even the commonest material which is paper, we don’t have, because Oku Iboku Paper Mill, Akwa Ibom, is not working, Iwopin, Ogun State, is not working. Jebba, Kwara State has been resuscitated and working below the capacity of 50 per cent. It is about 35 per cent capacity and that is far from the requirement of paper demand of Nigeria,” the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Megavons (West Africa) Limited, a leading printing firm in the country, Dr. Rotimi Oladele, said in an interview earlier granted New Telegraph. Also, Former Director-General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Azikiwe Onwualu, said that by 2010, the pulp, paper products, printing and publishing sectors of Nigeria’s printing industry employed over 300,000 people with an investment worth over N100 billion. Challenge Stakeholders as at today noted that the country’s experience in the printing sector in recent years has been a drastic drop, which they added was a far cry from some countries. They noted that most of the ink companies that supported the industry before have virtually gone into extinction. For instance, current annual

President Goodluck Jonathan

turnover of India’s printing sector is said to be over $11 billion. The sector in India, it is argued, has witnessed high level of growth due to liberalised regimes, globalisation and progress in automation. A study conducted by Nikkei Veritas in 2014 ranked Nigeria and Malaysia among 20 emerging companies in the world. But while Nigeria has no functioning paper mill, Malaysia has over 20 paper mills producing a total of about 1.3 million tons of paper annually. The Malaysian government’s recent doubling of the country’s paper production capacity now puts the country in a comfortable 90 per cent self-sufficiency in local supply of paper and paper products. Doing a comparative analysis of the sector in Nigeria and Malaysia, the stakeholders alleged that the Nigerian government abandoned printers in their efforts to acquire the latest technology in printing while the Malaysian government plays a strong role in ensuring printers in that country own modern, state-ofthe-art printing machines and technology. “The Malaysian government also gives tax holidays and investment tax allowance. In China, there is an estimated 102,000 printing enterprises, employing over 3.5 million workers,” the stakeholders argued. The body charged with the regulation of printing activities in Nigeria, to set standards for Nigerian printers and introduce a monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance by printers, the Chartered Institute of Professional

Minister for Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga

Printers of Nigeria (CIPPON), has also expressed dissatisfaction with capital flight from Nigeria through printing jobs. The body, which noted that the sector had what it takes to compete favourably with foreign printers given the right environment and well assisted by the Federal Government, said that the N9 billion that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voted for printing jobs to be done by foreign printers for the 2015 elections should have been given to indigenous printers. The CIPPON President, Alhaji Wahab Muhammed Lawal, who urged the Federal Government to enforce the law guiding the operations of the printing sector in Nigeria, alleged that the Federal Government and other tiers of government were patronising unlicensed printers, contrary to the provisions of the Printers Act.

In China, there is an estimated 102,000 printing enterprises employing over 3.5 million workers

Way forward The CIPPON president tasked the Federal Government to beam light on the provisions of the law to ensure correct payment of duties/tariff on printing materials as approved by government, as well as maintain strict payment of duties/tariff on importation of printed books as stipulated by laws. “The Federal Government should consider enforcing the Local Content Act and the provisions of the Printers Act, No 24 of 2007. If government is strictly complying with the law it assented to, there should be no capital flight through printing jobs to foreign countries without the professional advice of a regula-

tory body established by an Act of Parliament, that is, the Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria,” he said. He added: “If the established printing presses in Nigeria are adequately patronised by print buyers, including the various governments, as stipulated by the provisions of the Act, employers of labour both in the industry and outside of it would be empowered to promote the establishment of companies manufacturing consumables.” Lawal, who noted that the Federal Government ought to be giving CIPPON annual subvention to run the operation of the Institute, under the provision of the Act but which the Federal Government has failed to do, added that development had starved CIPPON of the needed funds to carry out value-added services to its members nationwide. Lawal appealed to the President-elect, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, to factor printing into one of his economic blueprints when he settles down for governance, saying that the sector could oil the wheel of the economic progress of the country. “We congratulate the president-elect on his well-deserved victory. We believe he is meticulous and he will sure use this attribute to factor printing into his economic programmes by the time he settles down. The sector is a buoyant one and can offer job opportunities to millions of Nigerians if the right environment is there and government demonstrates the requisite political will to spur its growth,” he said.

Business | Industry

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

BoI to partner body of engineers for growth COLLABORATION Emphasis on balance of theory with practice Stories by Dele Alao

he Bank of Industry (BoI) has expressed its readiness to work with the Nigerian Academy of Engineering in using science and technology for economic growth and development. The Managing Director, BoI, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, said this when officials of the academy paid a courtesy visit to the corporate head office of the bank in Lagos recently. The BoI boss, who noted that it was clear that there was a correlation between

technology and development, said that the more technology a nation has, the more rapid its its development would be as a country. He said: “As a nation, we need to rethink our strategy for development. We have been pursuing technology transfer for too long, it doesn’t give us sufficient amount of results. No country will willingly give you their technology, you need to build your own scientists and engineers who will be well supported and funded to come up with their own bright ideas.” He added: “The only short cut is what is called reversed engineering where you take technology that have been developed from elsewhere and take a particular devise and get very bright young mind, to disassemble those items and see if they can understand the

nitty gritty of the composition of the items and try to put it back independently, these are what Asians has done independently, revise engineering happens every day in China and Korea, we should also do something like that.” Olaoluwa said that the country must take its technology seriously if it must sustain its economic growth in the future. On his part, the President of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Engr. Prof. Raifu Salawu, said that economic growth could no longer be attained by taking resources away from technology or innovation, adding that science depends on the investment of individuals. “That is why we are partnering with BoI, as the bank had a good record of close relationship with the industry

L-R: Member, Legend Club, Ibadan, Mrs. Adenike Adiji, handing over a new LED TV to Moshood Abiola. With them is ace comedian, De Don, at the Legend Taste and Tell Activation held at the Gentlemen’s Quarters, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Chamber expresses hope in ECOWAS’ sea link project to ease transportation

he Federation of West African Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Sea link project, when operational, will minimise the challenges of movement of goods and services in the region. According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Mr. Cherno Jallow, the operation of the maritime shipping project, which was an initiative of the Chamber, is aimed at linking the ECOWAS states and Central Africa countries. Jallow said that the project was in line with the prior-

ity given to free movement of people and goods by the leadership of ECOWAS. According to him, the project will also contribute immensely in ECOWAS dream of enhancing economic growth through the strong participation of the private sector. He added that when fully operational, the project would ensure that vessels, agricultural produce, manufactured goods and passengers could be transported from one country to another within the sub-region and beyond. “It will boost trade within the sub-region as well as help erase the difficulties faced by traders when crossing land bor-

ders of the ECOWAS countries. This would enable us grow economically and become competitive globally,’’ he said. The chamber boss, who noted that the sea link project was a major step in deepening trade within ECOWAS sub-region, said it was a significant step in enhancing the current trade flow among ECOWAS member states. The institutions promoting the project are the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FEWACCI), NEXIM Bank of Nigeria, and Transimex of Cameroun with support from ECOWAS Commission.

sector and has helped a lot of companies to grow, in promoting technology growth in the country,” he said. In a related development, BoI has secured a domestic credit rating of A- from Agusto & Co, a leading Nigerian credit rating agency. By the rating, the BoI has been adjudged to be a financial institution with good financial condition and a strong capacity to repay obligations on a timely basis. This is the first Nigerian development bank to be so rated. According to a statement from the bank, Agusto & Co, was engaged to carry out an

assessment of the Bank’s performance and to issue a credit rating for the bank, based on a multitude of qualitative and quantitative factors. The objective was to provide useful benchmarks for BoI against global best practices. The engagement was successfully completed and a rating of A- with a Stable Outlook was issued in December 2014. The bank had in 2014 commenced the implementation of a corporate transformation project leading to the development of a Five-Year Strategic Plan which is currently being implemented.

Chinese firm to establish auto assembly plant A Chinese automobile fir m, Guangzhou Automobile Company, is poised to open an assembly plant in Lagos, a statement from the company has said. According to the statement, a preliminary inspection was carried out on March 19, 2015 at the proposed assembly plant in Victoria Island, Lagos. The Director of Policy and Planning, National Automotive Council, Mr. Luqman Mamudu, who was said to have led a team from the NAC for the inspection exercise, commended the efforts of CIG Motors (representative of GAC in Nigeria) towards establishing an assembly plant. The team also had Joke Oniteri of NAC and an official of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). The GAC team that received the NAC/NCS was led by the Administration Director of CIG, Mr. Felix Lee. The statement noted that CIG had recently set up an ultra-modern auto facility on Victoria Island, Lagos, to offer GAC

models to its numerous customers as well as aftersales services and auto assembling. “CIG Motors is the sole authorised distributor of the GAC brand of vehicles in Nigeria, and won the Nigeria Transport Award as the Best New Chinese Auto Brand 2013/2014, the statement said. It added: “CIG Motors, whose parent company (Choice International) is based in Guangzhou city, had operated in Nigeria for about 17 years, marketing the Lontor brand of products. GAC is one of the top five biggest Chinese automobile manufacturers with their headquarters in Guangzhou, China. Its factory was completed in September 2010, manufacturing 100,000 vehicles and accessories annually. The features available in the GAC brand of vehicles represent world-leading power and energy-saving technology. The front double wishbone and rear seven link chassis technology, for instance, is comparable with high-end luxury models.

WTO cuts world trade growth forecasts for 2015/16

lobal goods trade will grow by 3.3 per cent this year and by four percent in 2016, less than previously forecast, mainly due to sluggish economic growth, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has said. According to the Director General, World Trade Organisation (WTO), Roberto Azevedo, the body expects trade to continue its slow recovery but with economic growth still fragile. He said: “We expect trade to continue its

slow recovery but with economic growth still fragile and continued geopolitical tensions, this trend could easily be undermined.” The WTO figures are based on economic growth estimates from organisations including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which will update its forecasts later. WTO chief economist, Robert Koopman, said that the new IMF figures would be “in the same ballpark” and would not affect the WTO’s forecast.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

ICT

Oil rout: FG urged to focus on technology p.36 With the current upbeat in various efforts aimed at deepening provision of broadband Internet services in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is awaiting the release of digital spectrum licence to add to the list of spectrum resources already penciled down for auctioning to boost broadband provision, writes KUNLE AZEEZ

Re-awakening calls for digital dividend frequencies allocation tion will have LTE coverage by that same year. Also, as of March 2014, a GSMA report indicated that there were 279 commerciallylaunched LTE networks in 101 countries and 482 LTE network commitments in 147 countries.

he digital dividend Spectrum is the frequency band located within 700 megahertz, which has been internationally adjudged to be very useful in deploying high-speed Internet services in the country. It was approved by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), global telecoms regulation arm of the United Nations (UN), for mobile broadband deployment about three years ago. In Nigeria, and just as it is the case in other countries around the world, these spectrum bands, which have been held by the broadcast industry, are supposed to be taken from broadcast media, which are due to migrate from analogue to digital transmission, using a lower frequency band. But currently, a dominant cloud of uncertainty still pervades the air on the ability of most broadcasting stations in Nigeria to migrate as at the June 2015 deadline set by ITU for all broadcasting stations across the globe to have migrated from their analogue broadcasting frequency to digital platforms. “As at today, none of these frequencies has been released despite the fact that we are on the eve of migration to digital broadcasting. Besides, we are not sure yet whether any of these broadcast media is ready for digital transmission,” said an official source at Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). However, the source explained that with the current efforts by the country to increase broadband penetration from its current eight per cent to 30 per cent by 2018, in line with the Federal Government’s target as contained in the National Broadband Plan (NBP), it would require that telecoms gets adequate spectrum to deploy broadband services including the Long Term Evolution (LTE). Calls for release Already, stakeholders are waiting patiently for the digital

Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah

Director-General, NBC, Emeka Mba

dividend to be released by the necessary authority since frequency allocation in Nigeria has processes. For instance, if the 700 Mhz frequencies are taken over from the broadcast media by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), they are handed over to the National Frequency Management Commission (NFMC), which is the custodian of all frequencies in Nigeria under the Ministry of Communications Technology. The NFMC then decides what slots it gives out to the NCC for allocation accordingly with appropriate guidelines according to global best practices, especially as stipulated by the ITU. As such, the 700 Mhz band, indeed, will allow for Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile broadband services to be provided by the telecoms players. According to the President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Lanre Ajayi, “It will be an advantage for the country if these spectrum bands are released by the appropriate authority for NCC to allocate to would-be applicants.” Consultations In other words, the digital dividends are not yet available, and so NCC cannot assign what it does not have, though, in its usually proactive manner, NCC had started consulting with the stakeholders on the best way to allocate the spectrum bands ahead of the expected release of the spectrum from broadcast industry to the National Frequency Management Commission (NFMC). Meanwhile, the Federal Government of Nigeria has declared year 2015 as the broadband year and for mobile operators, the most

technically-advanced technology for broadband offering is the Long Term Evolution, a development which, it was learnt, has necessitated the current race by the NCC to acquire the necessary but scarce spectrum such as the 700Mhz to enable operators roll out LTE services and offer mobile broadband.

LTE service is only available in limited geographic areas

Exploring LTE Technically, LTE is a wireless broadband technology designed to support roaming Internet access via cell phones and handheld devices. Because LTE offers significant improvements over older cellular communication standards, some refer to it as a 4G (fourth generation) technology along with WiMax. LTE can theoretically support downloads at 300 megabits per second (Mbps) or more based on experimental trials. However, the actual network bandwidth available to an individual LTE subscriber sharing the service provider’s network with other customers is significantly less. LTE service is only available in limited geographic areas, but telecommunications providers have been actively expanding their LTE services and the release of the digital dividend spectrum would go a long way in putting Nigeria on the map of countries where LTE services are currently being deployed. LTE is the global standard for the fourth generation of mobile networks (4G) supported by all major players in the industry. It offers the capacity and the speed to handle a rapid increase in data traffic. According to latest Ericsson Mobility Report, there will be 9.3 billion mobile subscriptions in 2019 while also predicting that 65 per cent of the world’s popula-

Advantages Generally, LTE offers superior performance and capacity, simplicity in deployment, appreciable latency, as well as compatible with a wide range of terminal devices. For telecoms end-users, LTE services will give them a superior user experience when it comes to stability, throughput and latency. The increased capacity will bring new and better services to users. Also, for telecoms operators, LTE offers existing and Greenfield operators the advantage of a future proof network delivering capacity, throughput and user experience creating new business opportunities and revenues. LTE offers low long-term capital and operational costs. Networks deployed today can be used for all generations of communication - 2G, 3G and 4G. “The introduction of LTE is an evolutionary step, rather than revolutionary, as large parts of existing infrastructure is re-used providing a future-proof technology path for flexible migration of services between 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technologies. But in order to meet customer expectations and demands for capacity and speed tomorrow, all major players need to put an LTE strategy in place today,” said a telecoms analyst, Mr. Akin Akinbo. Indeed, deploying telecoms services through wireless means requires the provision of adequate spectrum to telecoms operators for service deployment and this has informed the effort by the regulator to ensure it sources for adequate spectrum to be licensed to telecoms players. Other spectrum resources Meanwhile, in addition to the efforts being made to ensure the availability of 700Mhz, the NCC, on March 12, 2015, convened a stakeholders consultative forum on the 70/80 Mhz band, in Lagos. For now, the Commission is already putting things in place in line with the inputs of stakeholders and industry players while working to fine-tune the document and release the rules for the bidding process “very soon.” Earlier, in February 2014, the regulator auctioned the 2.3 Ghz spectrum band to a national player, which will commence commercial service any moment from now, as part of the regulator’s move to make adequate spectrum available for broadband C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3 6

Business | ICT

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Oil rout: FG urged to focus on technology DIGITAL EDGE Government’s focus on digital sector could boost economic development Stories by Kunle Azeez

ollowing the lingering decline in oil revenue, an Information Technology expert, Mr. Adebayo Sanni, has asked the Fed-

eral Government to focus on other aspects of the economy, especially technology, to boost development. Sanni, who is the Country Managing Director of Oracle Nigeria, said that the decline in oil revenue at the international market had underscored the need for Nigeria to diversify the economy by leveraging other sectors such as the Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Sanni noted that Nigeria had

benefitted from the high oil prices and had become accustomed to high revenues, which have boosted the economy. He said that while many may watch the tumbling oil price with dismay, in some ways, it could be viewed in a positive light. “The loss of oil revenues has compelled the country to give more attention to other areas of the economy, including technology, where revenues can grow, and help break the reliance on a single non-renewable resource.

L-R: Strategic Account Manager, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Steve Nwabuani; Managing Director, MBA Microfinance Bank, Mr. Bode Ajayi; Senior Manager, Corporate Segment, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Olutayo Egunjobi; Head of IT, Chanelle Microfinance Bank, Mr. Samuel Inyang, and Group Business Development Manager, Micro Finance Institutions and Channels, Computer Warehouse Group Plc, Mr. David Olatilo, at the MTN Xaas Forum in Lagos.

NCC seeks research into tech innovation

s part of measures to tackle capital flight in the nation’s telecoms sector and encourage local technological innovation, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for telecoms-based research from academics in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. The NCC said through such research, it supports, amongst other things, telecommunications based innovations, inventions and research from tertiary institutions in the country that are practical, locally realisable and have clear potential of developing the telecommunications industry. “Pursuant to this objective, the Commission invites proposals from academics in tertiary institutions that have feasible research ideas, capable of replacing or enhancing foreign technologies in use in the telecommunications industry in Nigeria,” the Commission said in a statement signed by its Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Eugene Juwah. According to Juwah, it is envisaged that the initiative will help build capacity in the tertiary institutions and promote Nigeria’s contribution to the pool of technologies in use in the communications industry. On the requirements, Juwah said interested research-

ers were invited to submit their proposals which must come from teaching academics in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions; and have a one page executive summary of the research proposal to include relevance of the research to the telecommunications industry. He also explained that the criteria for the evaluation of the research submissions include adherence of proposal to stated requirements above; clear statement and explanation of the problem; proposed solution to the problem; novelty of the research proposal; proposed approach and methodology; and proof of concept. “Other evaluation criteria include clear relevance to the telecommunications industry; evidence of local realisation up to prototype; cost details and reasonableness; schedule of project organisation; coherent presentation/packaging of concept; integration of research with education and evidence of competence of team in executing the project,” he added. Juwah explained that submissions will undergo preliminary assessment. “The proposals that are adjudged promising and capable of developing the telecommunications industry will be further evaluated by another level of assessors.”

“Technology access and innovations are playing a pivotal role in helping Nigeria grow and diversify. “Technologies such as cloud, mobile, social and integrated hardware and software are catalysts for business, and enable companies to have more immediate access to computing solutions that can help them drive their business,” he said. The Oracle boss explained that as the new technologies and computing models emerge, so does the need for new IT skills. “Technology leaders in collaboration with the government should commit to mentoring and educating young people. “This can set them on a course to embrace basic skills and technology fundamentals that can help them become more productive members of the national workforce, both in the public and private sector,” he said. According to him, “given the pervasive and pivotal nature of technology in today’s world, the IT industry has a crucial role to play and in a fast-changing country like Nigeria, the need for IT skills is more important than ever.” Speaking on the presence on of the company in Nigeria, Sanni said currently, Oracle has a large and committed presence in Nigeria ready to contribute to the development of Nigerian economy through ICT. He said: “Oracle, through Oracle Partner Network, works

with the government to create skills development, training and mentorship programmes. “Oracle is currently involved in various advancement programmes in the country, aimed at developing technology-skilled members of the Nigerian workforce,” he said. Citing an example of such Oracle-government initiative, Sanni said that Oracle and Lagos State had just completed Phase 2 of the Lagos State Workforce Development Programme, an initiative designed to assist in training graduates on Oracle Database or Oracle e-Business Suite. He said: “This programme provides graduates with opportunities to acquire industryrelevant skills and internships within the private sector and in some of the State’s ministries.” Sanni quoted one of the programme’s participants, Monjolaoluwa Abidakun, as having said: “Educative, exciting and inspiring are the words that describe the Lagos State Workforce Development Programme.” According to Abidakun, “engaging in hands-on practice and instructor-led training was truly insightful and I am grateful to have been able to participate in the training. I have since been offered an internship in the private sector, which is an opportunity I don’t think I would have received if I had not been part of the programme.”

TT’s audience engagement spikes in Q1 2015

echnology Times (TT), a technology-focused online media, has recorded an impressive growth in audience engagements on the Nigerian technology news website in Q1 2015, according to statistics by leading independent website benchmarking service, Alexa. Technology Times attracted engagements by visitors across the world seeking Nigerian technology news, according to statistics by Alexa, the global pioneer provider of analytical insights to benchmark and compare

websites on the Internet. Based on three key performance indicators of Daily Time on Site, Daily Page views per Visitor and Bounce Rate, Technology Times posted excellent Q1 2015 records according to Alexa information. At the end of Q1 2015, Technology Times’ Daily Time on Site recorded 405 per cent growth to peak at 30:18 minutes while the Daily Page views per Visitor grew by 480 per cent to reach 18.00 minutes. On the other hand, Technology Times bounce

rate dropped by 46 per cent to a record 25.70 per cent within the period under review. The impressive performance also reveals that the Technology Times online asset recorded relatively higher audience engagements compared to several Nigerian news websites. Commenting on the report, Founder and Group CEO, Technology Times Media Limited, owners of Technology Times website, Mr. Shina Badaru, expressed appreciation to loyal and devoted readers in Nigeria, others.

Re-awakening calls for digital dividend C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 5

services, in a country where more than 90 per cent of telecoms services are deployed through wireless means. While it is also true that the proposed 2.6 gigahertz spectrum auction band had experienced two postponements, a top official at the Ministry of Communication Technology, who craved anonymity, explained the reason for the postponements. According to the ministry source, “NCC wants to get it right. Recall that in 2001 after the Digital Mobile Licence (DML) auction, Communication Investment Limited (CIL), one of

the winners, did not pay for the licence because the frequency allocated to CIL was believed to be encumbered and it lost the licence and the deposit for same. “So, the NCC wants to clear any foreseeable cobwebs before such a major licence round like the 2.6Ghz. Indeed, this licensing round is work in progress.” In addition, the 5.4 gigahertz across the 36 states of the federation has already been advertised and applications are already being received at the Commission. InfraCos Also, the Infrastructure Companies (Infracos) licenc-

es have begun, as Lagos and North Central including Abuja licensing was already done. The other five zones, according to the NCC, are works in progress, saying that government, through the NCC, is dangling incentives to attract bidders to zones, which are believed to be less attractive commercially. This is to ensure broadband services are rolled out across all geopolitical zones in the country. Besides, the Ministry of Communications Technology had said that tax holidays of between five and seven years, about 30 per cent for capital expenditure (CAPEX) is also in the offing.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSday, APRIL 16, 2015

Photo | News

L-R: Federal Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Lawrence Nwuruku; Senator Barnabas Gemade; Senator Andy Uba and Senator-elect, Benue South Senatorial District, David Mark, at the presentation of Certificate of Return to Mark in Abuja.

L-R: Secretary to Sokoto State Government, Sahabi Isa Gada; Governor Aliyu Wamakko and Commissioner of Information, Mallam Danladi Bako, celebrating Aminu Tambuwal’s gubernatorial election victory in Sokoto.

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi (on a vehicle), during a road show in Ibadan metropolis in appreciation of his re-election.

L-R: Visual Art Teacher, St. Bernadette School, Mr. Shonubi Sunday; Class Teacher, Mrs. Temitope Opeyemi; Programme Supervisor, Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), Mr. Damilola Adenusi and Head School, Amville School, Mrs. Ajiri Kono-Ugen, at the ‘Intel Easy Steps Train the Trainee’ workshop by Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), in Lagos. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Exco members, House of Representatives Press Corps, presenting a congratulatory card to the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, on his victory as Sokoto State Governor-elect in Abuja. PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Senator, representing Lagos East, Senator Gbenga Ashafa (middle), celebrating the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Lagos State governorship election at his constituency office among his constituency staff, in Magodo, Lagos.

Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri (right), commiserating with the Proprietress, Mother Theresa Children’s Home, Yeye Bolanle Dare, on the death of her mother, in Abuja.

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Perfection Nominees, Samuel Olayemi; President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr. Albert Okumagba and Registrar/Chief Executive, Mr. Adedeji Ajadi, at the signing of MoU between CIS and Perfection Nominees on CIS Professional Diploma in Securities and Investment in Lagos.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Mom&Parenting

Signs you’re over parenting Naturally, a mother would want to be there for her kids, taking them to parks and interesting places every weekend, reading to them, working in their classrooms and every school event, supervising homework every night, and on and on.” A recent research revealed that children whose parents were not as involved, have grown into more confident and self-sufficient persons. For parents to know if they are turning into an overbearing parent, the circle of moms, an online organisation (www.circle of moms) posts the following signs:

Could they be over-parenting?

You Praise Profusely hile children need encouragement, parents can go overboard, for instance, when they have an “unconscious, incessant need to praise and reward their kids,” says a reader who simply calls herself “Chatty.” She explains: “I think the only time extra praise is warranted is when children are very young; babies and young toddlers have to learn what is appropriate and what isn’t, and praising them in an excitable manner when they master a new skill or act in an appropriate or desirable manner helps them to learn. But, if you’re over the top and praise them every single time they do something, especially when it’s repeatedly for the same thing they’ve already mastered and done 1,000 times, it’s doing them a huge disservice.”

You offer too many material rewards Similar to offering an abundance of praise, some parents spoil their children with too many material things. Stephanie Y. came to this realization when one year, her nine year old son

Mom&Parenting Team

Oluwatosin Omoniyi Coordinator

PHOTO: hmcurrentevents.com

clearly expressed his utter disappointment in his Christmas gifts. He explained that he didn’t get what he really wanted and scorn what he got. After unsuccessfully trying to impart a lesson about the spirit of Christmas, Stephanie realized she had been giving her children way too much. “I am the mom that would carry my kids’ backpack for them, or buy the toy to bribe them to be good in the store! I needed to change, be more of a parent.” Vowing that her children would never be ungrateful at Christmas again, she reduced the gifts her children were receiving all year round, and also reduced her children’s candy consumption, so that they would learn to appreciate Halloween, too. Charlotte R. is another mom who believes “kids these days have way too many things. When I was growing up we had one phone for the whole house and we had to limit our time to share with everyone. We never got to just sit on the phone and call our friends all the time, because we had household chores to do and our homework and getting ready for school,” she says. You have low expectations With the rigours of school and extracurricular activities, sometimes parents are hesitant to give their children too many responsibilities. But an ill-fated result of not expecting a lot from your children is that parents “do too much for their kids,” says Tracy S. Setting low expectations while assuming there will be big rewards is especially a common occurrence in school. “According to our local teachers, a helicopter parent is one who browbeats teachers into giving their kid good grades, even though they didn’t earn them. That’s what makes kids feel ‘entitled,’” says mom Jane S. Tracy S. says her 15-year-old son sometimes would want her help spelling

Over-parenting stunts resiliency

PHOTO:WWW.SPINEDU.COM

things and would whine if she wouldn’t help him without him first making an attempt. “I would tell him that if he can’t try it himself, then I don’t know how close he is to begin with.” Expectations can be set low even before the school-age years, Tracy S. warns. Too many parents think that kids aren’t capable and don’t expect things from them. I expect a lot from my children. I expect that they learn to be productive and contributing people who can care for themselves when they are 18. The only way to get from here to there is to teach them along the way.” You Dole Out Few Responsibilities Setting expectations for your children includes holding them accountable for age-appropriate responsibilities, members add. From a very young age, Ellen B. says, “many kitchen tasks are fair game,” and that kids are capable and often willing to bring their dishes to the sink when done, set the table, take the garbage out, and help cook. “And, yes,” she adds, “teach them to clean up their messes.” Once parents “get over the perception the only you can get things done on time, you will find training them is a time-saver.” Increasing responsibilities and “doing less for them can give them the best possible chance” at becoming self-sufficient, independent adults, mom Ellen explains. “The more children learn to do tasks and make good decisions on their own, the better odds they have of living a productive life,” she says. When you educate your children about their responsibilities, just be sure they understand that they’re not being asked to do things because “’mommy is task master,’ but rather [because] ‘we live together, and share both the work and the pleasure of having our own home,’” Lisa R. notes. You Repeat Yourself Frequently Once they assign responsibilities, over-

bearing parents often make the mistake of repeatedly telling children what to do. But parents are not raising robots that should follow every order, mom Angelique A. says. She admits she is sometimes guilty of this with her 14- and 15-year-old children and finds herself constantly telling them “to do this and that.” She adds: “I mean when will it register that if you see something that needs to be done, just do it?” Still, Angelique knows she needs to lay off if she wants to raise responsible adults. “I was taught independence at a very young age. When I had to, I knew what to do when my parents were away.” You Try to Prevent All Mistakes Of course, when making their own decisions, children will make some mistakes, but Lisa B. says it’s healthy to let mistakes happen in a safe environment. “Both my kids are extremely careful about touching hot objects and getting their little fingers caught in doors/drawers. That’s because I’ve let them try it when they were 6 months old. As soon as they were able to open and close a drawer, I’ve allowed them to close it (not too strongly, though), on their own fingers,” she says. “Rather than preventing them from doing something dangerous, I let them experience the consequences (provided it isn’t health/life-threatening). They know what it’s like to touch a hot drink. When they fall, they know they have to get up and dust themselves off, all on their own.” “Being over-protective is an easy and common mistake most parents make,” admits mom Riana F., noting she sometimes closes her eyes and says, “World please be gentle with this child of mine.” But, she realizes, “The world will never be gentle, it will only ever be real, and if I try to protect my children from its challenges I will also be protecting them from its rewards.” According to Circle of Moms members, balance really is the key component of all facets of humanity.

40 Mom&Parenting

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

MOM’S ALERT with

Grace Essen

grace.essen@gmail.com

Housemaids from Hell

T Don’t be a spoilt child

PHOTO:WWW.HALTONPARENTSBLOG.CA

Ways to avoid spoiling your child

e live in an age where it’s common for kids to get whatever they want. It’s also common for many kids to be doted on when they misbehave. As a result, we’re raising a lot of spoiled kids who might not be prepared for the realities of adulthood. According to AMY MORIN, discipline expert, appropriate discipline prevents children from growing up spoiled. These strategies can prevent your child from becoming overindulged, bratty, and just plain. She however gives insight into how to guide kids against getting spoilt.

Spoilt brat

1. Don’t give in to temper tantrums Each time you give your child what he wants in the midst of a temper tantrum, you teach him that yelling, stomping his feet and crying are not productive ways to get his needs met. Temper tantrums are developmentally appropriate for toddlers but if children don’t receive appropriate discipline at this age, they’re likely to continue throwing tantrums as they grow up.

6. Mean what you say If you frequently say things you don’t mean, your child will recognise that you’re not a person of your word. Avoid saying, “If you don’t start behaving you’re not going to the beach this weekend,” unless you’re willing to actually take away that trip to the beach. Empty threats will cause your child to disregard your warnings and he won’t respect you.

2. Differentiate between needs and wants Sometimes kids have difficulty understanding that there’s a big difference between needs and wants. Although they may claim they can’t live without a Smartphone, or that they need to have a particular brand of sneakers, they’ll survive without them. Hold frequent conversations about the fact that not everyone gets everything they want and that’s okay.

7. Follow through with consequences If your child breaks the rules, there needs to be a negative consequence. Allowing children to do whatever they want without any type of repercussions will teach them that they’re in charge. It’s essential that you follow through with consequences that teach better behavior, even if your child promises he won’t do it again.

3. Make celebrations about the people, not the gifts It can be easy to go overboard with the presents on birthdays and holidays. But overindulging your child in material possessions can cause your child to think he’s deserving of lavish gifts. Make celebrations about spending time with friends and family and keep the gifts to a minimum. While preparing for a special celebration, talk more about what you’ll be doing together, not what your child expects to receive. 4. Make sure money is earned, not handed out Avoid handing over money each time your child wants a new toy or the latest video game. Instead, if there is something your child really wants to have, offer for him to earn the money to pay for it. Provide an opportunity to do extra chores (or teach him to save his own allowance money) and he can decide whether or not he wants to spend his own money on an item. 5. Be willing to tolerate the backlash of saying, “No” Expect to meet some resistance when you say, “No.” It’s normal for kids to say, “You’re the meanest person ever!” or, “I wish I could live with Grandma!” Be willing to tolerate that type of response and stick to your limits. Don’t allow your child to boss you around or cause you to give in just because you feel guilty. It’s healthy for kids to be told, “no” sometimes.

PHOTO:WWW.HALTONPARENTSBLOG.CA

8. Make praise genuine Don’t hand out praise unless it’s genuine and constructive. Avoid telling your child he’s, “the best chess player you’ve ever seen,” or, “the world’s fastest runner.” If you do, you’ll reinforce to your child that he’s the center of the universe or that he’s best at everything he does. Instead, make sure any praise you give to your child is accurate and helpful. 9. Give back to the community Volunteering and giving back to the community help kids focus on how much they have to be grateful for, rather than complaining that they need more. Visit residents at a nursing home, make small crafts for people undergoing cancer treatment at a hospital, or donate toys to children in need. These types of activities can open your child’s eyes to some of the world’s problems. 10. Allow your child to experience natural consequences Rescuing your child every time he starts to experience some discomfort isn’t helpful and he won’t learn. If he forgets his lunch three days in a row, and you deliver it to him each time, you won’t teach him to be responsible. Allow your child to experience the natural consequences of some of his behavior so he learns to take responsibility without expecting other people to meet his needs all the time.

rending right after news of election results from all over the country is the story of the missing Orekoya boys which has since gone viral and still unfolding. It sounds to me like part three of a movie: “Housemaids from Hell!” Months ago we watched in awe a nanny practicing kickboxing on a toddler for throwing up her food. People rained abuses on her and called her ‘heartless.’ Luckily it was caught on camera and the law took its course. Then another, a 24-year-old housemaid employed from OLX online sales platform in response to an advert titled: “Humble housemaid available for hire”, fled the home of her boss with their 2 kids (3years, and 15-months). The couple had gone on an outing that fateful evening only to come home to discover the housemaid had sneaked out with the children. Thankfully the children were found four days after. Though reports have it that the couple parted with some money. Last week another nanny employed from OLX disappeared with her employer’s three kids (11-months, 4 years and 6 years), on her first day at work after the family had put up an advert seeking urgent need for a nanny. She called later asking for N15m ransom which was later slashed to N13m after pleadings from the children’s mother, Mrs Adebisi Orekoya, and threatening them to pay up the N13 Million ransom within 48 hours or forget about their children. The family has appealed to the government, politicians, Nigerians of goodwill to come to their aid before it is too late. Meanwhile, the ultimatum has since expired and nothing has been heard of the kids yet. In a desperate move to get help, Mrs. Orekoya on her Facebook page posted a bank account number asking well meaning Nigerians to donate money to help rescue her boys. But instead of sympathy, the general response form users seem to say they smell a rat, many questioning why she would seek donations. Now tell me, doesn’t that sound like a story from a Nollywood movie? After the story went viral people have not stopped talking about it, many blaming the mother for her carelessness, others praying for prompt release of the boys and for a safe return back home; the major cause for concern being the 11 month old baby who needs extra care and attention. Any woman in Mrs. Orekoya’s shoes would do anything to get her children back, no matter how ‘unreasonable’. Whether it is a true case of kidnap or a scam as people are be-

ginning to insinuate (though we can’t blame anyone, in the world of today, anything is possible), I think we mothers have got some lessons here. According to the story, the mother left for work later than was expected, and before she left she went back and forth three times to make sure the children were okay. One would say that was her motherly instinct at work. But of course, the pull towards her job was stronger and she had to go. One would ask why employ someone and in less than 24 hours you leave your entire household, including your kids in her care? Mmmmh! (I sigh). Good question. But how many working moms do that everyday? Is that not part of the risks we take to keep our jobs? Look around, most of us have strangers in our homes. It may have taken one week or one month, a person with an evil intention will strike anyway. Another question is why OLX? And OLX a second time? In as much as we want to make life a little easier, and as they say, “Everything you need is just a click away”, some things cannot just be bought online. You can buy your pair of heels, your lipstick or your next smart phone, but a nanny? No way. Nannies are best gotten through referrals. Well organized nanny agencies are beginning to spring up, they take the time to do all the checks and documentations you and I may not have the time to do. That will save us a whole lot of stress. When we fail to take precautions and something terrible happens, we end up being at the mercy of people, all kinds of people. Many, in order not to make a fool of themselves choose to bear their burdens alone. But how much can one mother bear on her frail shoulders - the loss of three children? I can’t help but wonder where ‘community’ has gone. Years back, nothing unusual happened in a neighbour’s house without you peeping to be sure ‘all is well’. These days we all mind our businesses, and evil people are taking good advantage of that. With the communal lifestyle lost, moms are the worst hit because we now depend on total strangers to look after our children. And these are the kind of results we will get. While some moms now prefer to use the day-care system, others choose to work from home. Whatever your choice, keeps in mind that the days are evil, and housemaids from hell are on the prowl. Grace Essen is the author of Successful Working Mom, president and founder Mum To Mum Support Initiative.

Business | Money Line 41

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

RenCap forecasts slump in Nigeria’s 2015 growth rate

Decline

Oil price slump, elections to hurt economy Tony Chukwunyem

enaissance Capital Limited (RenCap) has predicted that Nigeria’s

Ayodele Aminu

Washington D.C.

he World Bank and international donors must find $1.7 billion to improve inadequate health systems in Ebola-affected countries and help prevent such a deadly epidemic ever happening again, Oxfam has said. Yesterday was the eve of Ebola talks at the International Monetary Fund/World Bank’s annual spring meetings in Washington DC. In a statement, Oxfam - an international aid agency, said the money is the minimum needed to make health care freely available to all in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and neighbouring Guinea-Bissau. It said the money would go towards paying for well-equipped facilities, sufficient trained staff and medical supplies and

growth this year could fall to 3.4 per cent from 4.5 per cent as it initially projected. In a note issued yesterday, the Lagos-based

financial advisory and research firm attributed the decline to the oil price slump and the impact of the general elections. The firm stated, “When

we consider the impact of low oil prices and paralyzing polls on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by expenditure (consumption, fixed investment, net

Oxfam to World Bank: Raise $1.7bn for Ebola-hit countries’ health care robust health information systems that build upon the stronger community networks now in place. Guinea-Bissau has not yet had any Ebola cases but is particularly at risk from porous borders and poor resources. Besides, the international agency said governments and donors must reverse years of neglect with a 10-year investment plan in free universal health care to ensure the countries are able to cope with future outbreaks. A long-term view is essential to do the job. Oxfam estimates it would cost $420 million to train the 9,020 doctors and 37,059 nurses and midwives required to meet the World Health Organisation’s minimum standards of care and $297million annually

to pay their salaries. Oxfam International’s Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said: “Communities pulling together has been vital to cutting Ebola infection rates. After a slow start, Oxfam recognised that and targeted its approach accordingly. But in order to be effective these networks need to work within a strong national healthcare service that is freely available to all people. “This is where the major donors must now step in,” she said. “Solid commitments are desperately needed now to address public health failures that have contributed to more than 10,000 deaths and to prevent another deadly epidemic.” “One positive outcome of Ebola has been the rise of stronger new com-

munity networks that offer greater space for local people to be involved in decision-making,” Byanyima added. “But so far they have been excluded from the recovery planning. This must change. Donors should insist that community engagement is put at the heart of recovery plans. Community networks are also vital in helping to hold governments to account that the money is being well-spent.” The aid agency called for the international community to support the countries to rebuild stronger public services, particularly in health and sanitation, and to help people in Ebolaaffected countries to recover from immediate psychological, social and economic impacts.

Economic Indicators As at M2* CPS* INF IBR MPR 91-day NTB DPR PLR Bonny Light Ext Res**

N16,833,244.57 N16,509,472.5m 8.2 0.0000 13 10.899 7.96 17.01 US$61.39 US$29,503,456,77

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, 2014 Dec, 2013 Feb, 2015 2/5/2014 24/2/2015 11/6/2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 24/2/2015 4/14/2015 Source:CBN

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

Treasury Bills Maturity Date 08-May-14 07-Aug-14 22-Jan-15

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

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

Open-Buy-Back (OBB) Overnight (O/N)

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

exports) in 2015, we see greater potential downside to Nigeria’s growth than our GDP-by-production derived forecast suggests. We think 2015 growth could fall to 3.4% (vs 4.5% previously).” It pointed out that although a high share of businesses in Nigeria are in the informal sector and so was not covered in the rebased GDP, the impact of falling oil prices and the elections was so serious that it hurt activities in the sector. As the firm put it, “Nigeria’s rebased GDP, measured via expenditure, is only available over a short period (1Q13-1Q14), imply-

ing limited history to forecast from. However, when we consider the impact of lower oil and activitystalling elections on expenditure, we think there is significant downside risk to our 2015 growth projection of 4.5 per cent (vs 6.2% in 2014). In particular, we see household consumption – which accounts for 70 per cent of GDP – slowing sharply in 2015, mainly due to negative real wage growth.” Continuing, RenCap stated, “The proposed cut in the FY15 budget oil price to NGN53/bl, vs NGN77.5/bl in FY14, means government consumption, which accounts for 8% of GDP, could be slashed by onethird (assuming oil output and non-oil revenue remain flat). We believe this implies a wage-freeze (at best) for government workers.

Fire destroyed no sensitive document, says NDIC Tony Chukwunyem

he Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has assured the public that no sensitive document was destroyed in the fire incident which occurred at the Mamman Kontagora House, 23 Marina, yesterday morning. The NDIC Lagos offices are located within the complex. In a statement, the NDIC stated that, “No life was lost and no sensitive document was destroyed because the fire mostly affected the Marina side of the building.” According to the statement, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation

(NDIC), Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim and Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Alhaji GimbaYau Kumo had visited the building. It further stated that, “Although the fire had since been put out, it had become necessary to temporarily relocate all the NDIC staff from the Mamman Kontagora House to NECOM House, No 15 Marina, Lagos to ensure continuity of service and to enable the fire service and other experts to assess the extent of damage.” The statement said that normal activities are expected to resume at the Mamman Kontagora House on Monday 20th April, 2015.

Customs generate N74.67bn amidst low ship traffic Bayo akomolafe

igeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa 1Command said it has generated N74.67 billion at the Lagos Port Complex in the last three months despite the low ship traffic. The command explained that trade in the seaports had gone down in the country. Its Area Controller, Mr. Charles Edike, attributed the down in the volume of vessels visiting Apapa Port to the just concluded elections and change in the exchange rate. He maintained that there would not be room for shady deals in the

import business saying that the command had officers on the system 24 hours monitoring every transaction in the port and would deal decisively with any agent caught in any shady deal. Edike noted: “I have officers at the Customs Processing Centre (CPC) monitoring transaction, track containers and arrest people who are caught. Agents have to be transparent in their dealings.” The area controller urged the customs agents to follow the trend of change that the in-coming Federal Government administration is bringing into the government as the attention of the government had been shifted to maritime.

Business | Financial Market News

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

15-Apr-15

The DQL contains data relating to, amongst other things, market and model prices, rates of foreign exchange products, fixed income securities and instruments in the financial market (the “Information”). The Information does not constitute professional, financial or investment advice. We attempt to ensure the Information is accurate; however, the Information is provided “AS IS” and on an “AS AVAILABLE” basis and may not be accurate or up to date. We do not guarantee the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, performance or fitness for a particular purpose of any of the Information, neither do we accept liability for the results of any action taken on the basis of the Information.

Bonds

FGN Bonds Issuer

Rating/Agency

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Description 4.00 23-APR-2015 ^13.05 16-AUG-2016 ^15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 ^16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 15.54 13-FEB-2020 ^16.39 27-JAN-2022 ^14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 ^10.00 23-JUL-2030 ^12.1493 18-JUL-2034

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

23-Apr-10 16-Aug-13 27-Apr-12 27-Jul-07 31-Aug-07 30-May-08 29-Jun-12 23-Oct-09 13-Feb-15 27-Jan-12 14-Mar-14 28-Nov-08 22-May-09 20-Nov-09 23-Jul-10 18-Jul-14

4.00 13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 15.54 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.1493

535.00 581.39 476.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 54.00 600.00 499.68 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 254.50

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

Bid Price

Offer Price

23-Apr-15 16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 13-Feb-20 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34

0.02 1.34 2.03 2.28 2.38 3.12 4.21 4.52 4.83 6.79 8.91 13.62 14.10 14.60 15.27 19.26

12.59 14.55 14.52 14.51 14.51 14.50 14.50 14.48 14.47 14.43 14.41 18.08 18.69 19.42 16.26 15.08

5.87 14.42 14.43 14.43 14.43 14.37 14.41 14.37 14.39 14.37 14.35 18.01 18.61 19.31 16.18 15.02

99.81 98.18 100.98 91.16 89.91 90.67 104.53 75.78 103.55 108.22 98.93 84.51 69.44 47.49 65.00 81.71

99.96 98.33 101.13 91.31 90.06 90.97 104.83 76.08 103.85 108.52 99.23 84.81 69.74 47.79 65.30 82.01

Bid Yield (%) Offer Yield (%)

5,023.13

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Price

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

4,577.90 Issuer

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 08-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 19-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

24-May-12 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

24.56 2.40 112.22 116.70 66.49

24-May-15 03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.11 1.09 1.65 2.01 2.23

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 2.85

15.88 16.89 16.53 15.51 17.36

98.27 100.41 99.19 101.48 94.95

31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18 14-Feb-19 02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19 10-Oct-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.38 0.46 0.73 0.73 2.01 1.28 2.71 2.09 2.11 2.08 2.09 2.28 2.71 4.61 2.68 3.22 5.62 5.71 3.37 3.40

4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 1.00 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 4.78 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.44 1.00

18.85 17.68 19.01 18.03 15.51 15.58 16.30 16.31 15.51 15.51 19.29 15.51 15.51 15.48 15.51 15.50 15.45 15.44 15.94 15.50

97.68 97.98 96.71 98.28 90.77 97.94 95.06 96.14 97.41 98.27 91.60 99.92 99.95 96.81 98.42 98.20 92.82 98.29 96.47 98.71

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 01-Apr-19 14-Nov-20 30-Dec-21 30-Sep-24 30-Sep-24

0.34 0.40 0.48 1.46 1.53 2.46 1.48 1.73 1.90 1.90 3.44 1.76 2.09 2.71 5.58 6.71 9.46 9.46

1.00 1.00 2.63 1.00 1.34 1.00 1.88 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 2.29 6.11 2.16 2.76 1.13 1.00 1.00

15.39 15.42 17.09 15.55 15.88 15.51 16.42 15.53 15.52 15.52 15.50 16.82 20.62 16.67 17.21 15.54 15.69 15.69

98.22 98.68 98.62 96.77 97.85 95.01 102.69 100.69 103.77 100.70 96.08 98.53 95.91 98.59 93.11 103.64 81.76 88.17

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

322.38

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

319.42

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto A-/Agusto BBB+/Agusto ‡ /Agusto A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR† ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR BBB-/Agusto; A-/GCR BBB-/Agusto Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro ‡ /Agusto A-/GCR

KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN *OSUN LAGOS KOGI *EKITI *NASARAWA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020 13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11 12-Dec-13 14-Feb-12 02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12 10-Oct-13 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14

12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50 14.00 15.50 15.50 14.50 14.75 14.75 13.50 15.00 14.50 15.00

8.50 2.16 4.86 5.73 57.00 25.73 25.00 30.81 9.00 13.73 10.20 27.00 15.09 80.00 25.70 10.78 87.50 5.00 4.55 4.56

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

452.88 433.07

Corporate Bonds ‡ /Agusto BBB-/Agusto BB/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR A-/Agusto A/GCR BBB-/GCR Nil A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR A/Agusto; A/GCR Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR Nil A+/Agusto; A-/GCR A/GCR A/GCR A/GCR

*UPDC *FLOURMILLS *CHELLARAMS NAHCO FSDH UBA *C & I LEASING *DANA#{r} *TOWER# *TOWER# UBA *LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS# *DANA#{r} NAHCO UBA STANBIC IBTC STANBIC IBTC

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 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 16.45 UBA I 30-DEC-2021 182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024 13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

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 01-Apr-14 14-Nov-13 30-Dec-14 30-Sep-14 30-Sep-14

10.00 12.00 14.00 13.00 14.25 13.00 18.00 16.00 18.00 16.00 14.00 15.75 18.00 16.00 15.25 16.45 11.93 13.25

2.50 18.75 0.42 15.00 5.53 20.00 0.64 5.40 2.54 0.70 35.00 2.40 0.36 4.50 2.05 30.50 0.10 15.44

161.83

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

157.73

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

AfDB

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

2.83

1.00

15.51

88.17

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

4.75

1.00

15.48

84.72

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

24.95 21.55 Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value ($mm)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

5.63

5.45

105.44

106.38

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

5.03

4.71

100.28

101.22

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.95

5.80

102.72

103.71

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

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,542.19

Corporate Eurobonds B/Fitch; B-/S&P

AFREN PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

135.65

47.13

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

6.51

4.27

101.00

103.38

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

B/Fitch

AFREN PLC II

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC

B-/Fitch; B/S&P B-/Fitch; B/S&P B-/Fitch; B/S&P

AFREN PLC III ACCESS BANK PLC II FIRST BANK LTD

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

11.33

92.00

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

11.32

10.34

88.79

91.11

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

10.25 APR 08, 2019

7.53

6.97

95.29

96.98

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

6.25 APR 22, 2019

39.83

43.63

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

8.75 May 21, 2019

7.12

97.00

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

13.27

12.88

86.04

87.14

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

6.63 DEC 09, 2020 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

13.45

80.00

09-Dec-13 24-Jun-14 23-Jul-14

6.63 9.25 8.00

360.00 400.00 450.00

09-Dec-20 24-Jun-21 23-Jul-21

26.14 12.03 9.92

26.14 11.46 9.92

44.00 88.00 90.30

44.00 90.25 90.30

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

11.23

10.77

88.13

90.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,760.00 3,851.65

**Treasury Bills^ DTM 8 15 22 29 36 50 57 71 78

FIXINGS Maturity 23-Apr-15 30-Apr-15 7-May-15 14-May-15 21-May-15 4-Jun-15 11-Jun-15 25-Jun-15 2-Jul-15

Bid Discount (%) 13.77 13.27 10.39 12.57 13.14 13.60 13.66 13.48 13.54

Offer Discount (%) 13.52 13.02 10.14 12.32 12.89 13.35 13.41 13.23 13.29

Bid Yield (%) 13.81 13.34 10.45 12.69 13.32 13.86 13.96 13.84 13.94

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 71.7917 16.2595 17.2266 18.1629

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

29.17

Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

O/N

30.08

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M 6M

199.06 201.81 202.13 202.87 204.24 205.60 206.28

199.16 201.93 202.28 203.37 205.31 207.21 213.47

Tenor Call 1M 3M

REPO

Rate (%) 32.00 33.00 34.00

FMBN ***LCRM