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Thursday, March 19, 2015

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Ex-Akwa Ibom deputy speaker slumps, dies during campaign }48

Nigerian Airlines get stimulus plan Wole Shadare

he Federal Government is considering ways of assisting Nigerian airlines get out of the woods by proposing

what it termed the stimulus plan. According to the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka, the stimulus will "involve a package of financial incentives

that will provide support across the aviation value chain.” He said in a paper given to New Telegraph yesterday that the approach would involve economic

stimulus plan and a strategic framework for the growth of the industry. The Federal Government had, in 2008, given over N200 billion to airlines under what is gen-

erally known as aviation intervention fund. Aero, the defunct Air Nigeria, IRS, Arik and others got substantial amount to help them resuscitate CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

9 days to go... Nigeria Nigeria votes votes

2015

5 201}14-15

March 28 stays lINEC chair Jega says no going back on general elections }5 lVoters’ cards still being printed -Sambo

Quick Read Editorial

More links from Lagos to Abuja }19

APC to drag Jonathan }8 to ICC

L-R: Governance Adviser, Clara Barnett; Executive Director, PLAC, Clement Nwankwo and Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, during the Nigeria Civil Society (NSC) dialogue on INEC’s preparedness for elections in Abuja… yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

FG approves 2014 confab report lDirects agencies, states on implementation

Anule Emmanuel Abuja

he Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved the final report of the 2014

National Conference as a first step towards its implementation. Minister of Culture

and Tourism, Chief Edem Duke, who briefed newsmen on the outcome of CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Travel Advisory

Your guide to local and international flights }44

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NEW TELEGRAPH THURSday, March 19, 2015

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NEW TELEGRAPH THURSday, March 19, 2015

Jega: No going back on general elections Onyekachi Eze, Tunde Oyesina and Babatope Okeowo

ndependent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday allayed fears of further postponement of the general elections. Jega, at an interactive

session with the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, a coalition of over 60 civil society organisations in Abuja, said the commission had received assurances from security agencies that they were striving to provide security during the elections. INEC's preparations for the elections were also boosted yesterday as the Federal High Court sitting

in Abuja struck out a suit to stop it from using the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for the March 28 and April 11 general elections. However, Vice-President Namadi Sambo believed INEC was not fully ready for the polls because it has not received delivery of all the PVCs it ordered for. "We are now adequately

prepared for the elections which have been rescheduled to March 28 and April 11. And I want to say that I have not seen any indication from anywhere that there is a desire for another postponement of this election. So, we are all focused on March 28 and April 11," Jega stated. He said the six weeks postponement had afforded the commission the

L-R: Minister of State (II) Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Joel Damlami; Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Mr. Kenneth Kobani and Minister of State for Niger Delta Development Affairs, Mrs. Hauwa Lawal, at their swearing-in in Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Nigerians in Italy endorse Jonathan

lTAN empowers widows, children in Sokoto

he candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 28 election received a boost recently when Nigerians residing in Italian cities converged on Milan in collaboration with the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) to endorse the incumbent as their sole candidate . Speaking at the occasion, the Coordinator of TAN Diaspora, Mr. George Chukwu, said that the open identification and endorsement of Jonathan was an indication of the appreciation of all Nigerians home and overseas to the president for giving the country quality leadership. He noted that this leadership quality is second to none in the political his-

tory of the nation. Chukwu said that Nigerians in Diaspora can now walk with their heads high in the countries of their abode because President Jonathan has put an end to a situation where they have to carry the moral burden of some of the past leaders, especially those that brought the nation to a great disrepute through poor management. The TAN boss, who claimed that the nation has never had it so good, highlighted the landmark achievements of the Jonathan administration which, according to him, cut across every sector. A leader of Nigerian community in Italy and a TAN volunteer, Alhaji Aminu Ahmed, said that the group decided to endorse Jonathan as their candidate in the presiden-

tial election because of the outstanding successes he recorded in the first tenure. Aminu stated that victory for the PDP candidate should be a common goal of every Nigerian home and abroad no matter their tribal, religious, political leanings and other considerations. He maintained that Nigerians should learn to avoid primordial sentiments when important decision of who pilots the affairs of the nation is being considered. Aminu pointed out that the only thing all Nigerians desire from their leader is performance and that since this is guaranteed with President Jonathan's continuity in Aso Rock Villa, there is no need to start gambling with such exalted office as the presidency because failure to

get it right will spell doom for all and sundry. Also at the Brigade Headquarters, Gingiya Barracks of the Nigerian Army in Sokoto, the TAN team, led by its Director of Operations, Mr BenChuks Nwosu met the widows of the fallen soldiers who lost their lives while defending their fatherland in the war against Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East. TAN donated assorted materials, including clothing and foodstuff to women and their children to help alleviate the hardship and challenges they are facing. They expressed appreciation to TAN for coming to their assistance in their hour of need. They prayed other Nigerians and corporate bodies to emulate the TAN gesture.

opportunity to adequately prepare for the elections. "Soon after we announced the rescheduling of the elections, the commission met and decided on how best to utilise this period of extension for six weeks. We decided that the first thing to do was to do a field assessment," Jega added. According to him, INEC has, so far, achieved 90 per cent distribution of PVCs in 11 states. Jega, who also spoke on the possibility of elections holding in the recaptured towns from Boko Haram insurgents, said the commission was pleased with the reports that there has been remarkable improvement of security in the area. "We understand that there are only three local governments in Borno State that have not been totally cleared of the insurgency. "But we also know that the insurgents are very desperate and a lot of bombings and using incendiary devices have been happening even though in isolated places. And we are working very closely with security agencies to ensure that measures are in place to check this and ensure that they do not disrupt the electoral process," he added. Jega said any polling unit where a card reader was stolen, the results from that unit would be voided. "If people snatch card readers, it is sufficient grounds to cancel elections in those places," he stated. Jega said the commission would do all it could for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to vote during the elections. "We have plans to arrange voting for IDPs; the plans are still on the ground. We have said that in areas where people have moved back and it is confirmed that it is safe, then it is better for us to go back to the polling units there and organise the elections. "And we have tasked our Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to make that assessment now. But we know that in many cases, IDPs are not going back. So, if there is still people in IDP camps and are not going back, we will do the elections as we have planned in the designated places for the IDPs," he said. He allayed the fears expressed in some quarters that those whose fingerprints are not captured will be disenfranchised despite having PVC, saying: "Anyone who has registered and has PVC will

be allowed to vote." The Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, expressed the support of civil societies to the commission in conducting credible polls. However, a group, Society for Advancement and Protection of Public Rights, yesterday lost a bid to stop the use of PVCs for the elections. The group had filed a suit at the Federal High Court seeking an order to stop the use of PVCs for the elections. The suit is among three others seeking to stop the usage of PVCs for the elections. But Justice Abdul Kafarati threw out the suit following an application by the plaintiff to discontinue it. The plaintiff has, however filed another suit before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court challenging the use of card readers for the polls. The court had, on February 22, granted the separate applications brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC), its presidential candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Fiscal and Civil Rights Enlightenment Foundation, to be joined as defendants in the suit. The suit has INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation as the defendants. The plaintiff ’s counsel, Olatunji Salawu, said the suit was withdrawn because it had been overtaken by events because of the latest developments of wider distribution of PVCs. Meanwhile, Sambo has stated that the Federal Government and the PDP were ready to conduct free and fair elections contrary to the claim by the opposition. The Vice-President, who was in Akure, the Ondo State capital, to meet with Muslim clerics under the auspices of League of Imams and Alfas in the South-West, said the Federal Government would conduct free, fair and credible elections in order to ensure stability in the polity and to guarantee stable administration. On the use of card reader for the election, the vice-president said neither the PDP nor the Federal Government was afraid of the technology as all they bothered about were credible elections. “There has been a test in two states per zone. The results have shown CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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Voters’ cards still being printed, says Sambo

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

that at least there have been 40 per cent failure on the sample that have been done. The ultimate thing is to ensure there is a proper and fair election in terms of authenticating registered voters. “Any effort towards that direction will be supported. But one important thing is that no Nigerian should be short-changed with any system because as I speak with you now, there are cards that are being printed. “We must support INEC to make sure we have free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. That is the beginning to addressing issues that have to do with stability, corruption, good governance and good administration in the country.” The Muslim clerics in the geo-political zone during the interaction with Sambo gave tacit endorsement to the second term ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan. The meeting was attended by Chief Imams of Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Edo, Delta, Lagos and Ekiti states.

At last, police reinstate Tambuwal's security aides Philip Nyam Abuja

arely a week after the Department of State Security (DSS) restored its officials attached to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the police have also reinstated his security details. Tambuwal’s Media Adviser, Mallam Imam Imam, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday. The statement read: "Following various inquiries from the media and other well-meaning Nigerians, we wish to confirm that all security details (Police and SSS) earlier withdrawn from the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives,

have been restored. "The Policemen attached to the Speaker resumed duties few days after men of the Department of State Security (DSS) returned to their duty posts. "As we have always maintained, it is the duty of the state to provide special security for certain public office holders, of which the Speaker of the House of Representatives is one. "We thank all Nigerians who voiced their opinion on the withdrawal, and the subsequent reinstatement of the security personnel. No further comment will be made on this issue." Only last week, Imam confirmed that the DSS had reinstated the security men attached to the

speaker. Although, no reason was given for the decision. It will be recalled that following the defection of Tambuwal from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on October 28 last year, the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, approved the redeployment of the police personnel attached to the Speaker. The Police said it acted based on constitutional provision following the defection of the Speaker to the APC from the PDP. The IG also told a committee of the House investigating the invasion of the House that he would not recognise Tambuwal as Speaker of the House. Abba simply addressed the Speaker as Mr. Tam-

buwal. The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, had, in a statement, quoted Section 68(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. After the withdrawal of the security personnel, the APC and Tambuwal took the Federal Government, the Police and the PDP, among others, to court to challenge the decision to remove his security aides, insisting that it was an attempt to harm him. But the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had, in November last year, ruled that the status quo in the House of Representatives should be maintained, with Tambuwal as speaker. The court, presided by

Justice Ahmed Mohammed, had also ruled that the Speaker could not be removed and that the House could not reconvene until the said December 3 date. Tambuwal had filed another suit praying the court for an interim injunction to restrain the PDP and the House from discussing his removal from office as Speaker pending the hearing and determination of his motion for interlocutory injunction. In the suit, Tambuwal listed the PDP, its chairman, Adamu Muazu, the House, the Deputy Speaker, the IG, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation as the 1st-7th Defendants.

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST LAGOS

23oC

14oC

Partially Cloudy

ABUJA

40oC

25oC

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PORT HARCOURT

28oC

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Storms

KANO

39 C

22 C

Mostly Sunny

ENUGU

37oC

25oC

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IBADAN

23oC

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CALABAR

32oC

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MAIDUGURI

ONITSHA

41oC 23oC Mostly Sunny

37o C 24oC Isolated Storms

L-R: Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and the party’s presidential candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, during a town hall meeting in Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI.

Government set to implement confab report CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the FEC meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, said a presidential committee constituted shortly after the end of the conference worked on the document before submitting it to the council for approval. Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), chaired the Presidential Review Committee on the conference report. According to Duke, who was joined by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Minister of Works, Chief Mike Onolemenmen and newly sworn in ministers, FEC's approval of the report is in line with Jonathan's promise to Nigerians that

the conference report will be fully implemented. Anyim, who also spoke on the issue, said the president was committed to keeping his campaign promise to implement the report of the National Conference. He said: "The AGF and the committee have looked at the report in its entirety. They have looked at the recommendations and they have advised Mr. President that they were implementable. “You would have heard the president promising severally that he was going to implement the recommendations of the conference.” He said the report coming to the council was the first step in taking concrete steps towards imple-

menting the recommendations and resolutions of the conference. "What was agreed today (yesterday) in council are one, that the resolutions and recommendations that have implications on constitutional amendment or enactment of new laws be implemented." He added that the AGF, by the approval, would compile the recommendations, vet them for onward transmission to the National Assembly for enactment into law. Anyim said the second aspect of the conference report approval have to do with policy matters, adding that agencies of government will have to go ahead and commence aspects of the report that relate to them.

"There are recommendations that have to do with policy matters and those recommendations are necessarily for implementation by either federal agencies or state agencies or local government areas. So, it was approved in council that all policy matters that require action by federal agencies would be referred to the agencies for immediate implementation. "All that require action by state governments or state agencies should be referred to the states for their immediate implementations and ditto for those affecting local governments. "On other matters that require legal issues, for instance, where it concerns constitutional amend-

ment, it is not really the responsibility of the National Assembly alone. The state governments are expected to work closely with their states assemblies in bringing effect to aspects of the report that relate to their domains. "So, today, we are taking steps towards implementing the resolutions of the National Conference and we believe that the vision of Mr. President in setting up the conference and the wonderful work done by eminent Nigerians who attended the conference in producing the report, the resolutions and recommendations, would be giving consideration and we believe our country will benefit immensely from the work of this conference," Anyim added.

News

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSday, March 19, 2015

Obi to Buhari: Aso Rock not old people’s home Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

mmediate past governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has described the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari, as

incapable of handling the challenges of the office of the President in a 21st century Nigeria. Obi, who was speaking at the South-East Town Hall Meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youths held in Owerri, the Imo State capital, maintained that the Aso Rock Presidential Villa is

not an old people’s home. He said: “What is the retirement age in Nigeria? Is it not 65 years? But the APC wants to cajole Nigerians into voting a man who has exceeded the age of retirement by nearly a decade. We need to remind them that Aso Rock Villa is not old people’s home; it is a place people go to

work, not where people go to retire. “How would Nigerians in this era vote and relate with a man who knows little or nothing about the Facebook or the internet? We are not even talking about his credentials and certificates they want to gloss over. It’s a tragedy waiting to happen.”

On Governor Rochas Okorocha, he said Imo State faces bankruptcy and possible extinction if Okorocha lasts another four years in office. According to Obi, in the entire South-East, Imo is the state with the highest debt burden to the tune of N30 billion. “Enugu is not owing;

IG warns parties, threatens to arrest party agents Emmanuel Onani Abuja

he Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, has warned political parties planning to deploy more than one agent to polling units in the March 28 and April 11 general elections, to perish the idea or risk arrest and prosecution. Abba, who gave the warning yesterday at a meeting with Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs) of Police and Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), also pledged that officers and personnel deployed for the forthcoming elections, will be impartial and non-partisan. He warned of dire consequences for those who may attempt to disrupt the

smooth conduct of the national and state elections. The IG said the purpose of the meeting was to perfect strategies at preventing any form of disruption of the elections. Answering question on reports that some political parties said they will send up to 30 agents to each polling booth, the IG said: "Let us even look at it from what can work and what cannot work. If any party decides to send 30 agents to each polling unit, as far as I'm concerned, it has failed the election, because you have disenfranchised your members. "I want you to take it to be statements of people who want to cause confusion, who, perhaps, do not want the election to take place, who also want to use extra-judicial ways in challenging what has been arranged, or what may be the

outcome of the election. "And, to those we cannot do otherwise than to send: anyone who tries or attempts to disrupt the election, will be arrested and will be prosecuted. And, these attempts can be outside the polling units, can be around the polling units, can be around the collation centres, can even be after the declaration of the results. "Whoever wants to take the law into his own hands should have a rethink. The law enforcement and the security agencies are together in this regard. If the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) makes the decision, that there will be one agent for each political party at each polling unit, any other person, who acts as agent, is committing an offence, and we will arrest him. It is very clear under section

and material support. He listed such airlines to include three United States airlines– Delta Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines – which received over $40 billion in US government subsidies in the past decade. Chidoka explained that the country’s aviation industry was underperforming in terms of its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). To him, at a current GDP of N80.3 trillion or $509.9 billion, Nigeria’s aviation industry contributes a paltry $0.7 billion, which in percentage terms, is less than one per cent of the GDP. “Comparatively, the aviation industry contributes 27 per cent to Dubai (UAE)’s GDP and 2.1 per cent to the South African economy,” he added. The minister attributed this dismal performance to current “gaps” in the system, which, he said, had hampered growth in the sector. These gaps, he said, included “underfinanced domestic airlines, underutilised Bilateral Air Services Agreements, poor incentives for private sector participation and weak

corporate governance in the industry." He said the Jonathan administration remained irrevocably committed to completing the physical and structural transformation of the country’s airports by carrying through with the airport remodelling /rehabilitation programme and the building of five new international airport terminals. Chidoka said the focus on security and safety was to ensure that the country retained its Category One air safety certification, adding that the recertification by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was achieved last year. Also, to check the "low level corruption" in the aviation industry, especially the airports, the minister signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), to partner the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to check malpractices and enhance the delivery of efficient services.

129. "If you cannot behave yourself well at a polling unit, which is a radius of 30 metres, then you should better leave. If you try to intimidate anyone, it is an offence; if you solicit for votes, it is an offence. If you carry any weapon, it's an offence. The offences are so many. I will even advise my enemy to steer clear. "But, if you stay there, keep your cool; but, there are many temptations. So, I don't see any problem about it; one agent for each political party that can afford it, so that when there are problems, they can easily be resolved. When you have 30 agents in a polling unit, making a decision will be difficult. And many situations will arise, where the agents will

need to come together and agree, such as when the card reader failed to recognise the fingerprint of a voter, you need to agree, and many other situations like that. "So, I want to believe that is, perhaps, one of the efforts to cause disruption, and, like I said from the beginning, we will not allow it. We will make sure that there are personnel at the polling units. We will also have intervention teams around because of people who would want to make trouble. So, steer clear, if you are not going to any polling unit to add value." Abba also promised to make judicious use of logistics provided for the force, to prosecute its constitutional duties during the election.

Abia is not owing; Anambra is not owing, as you all know, I left behind about N60 billion; Ebonyi which receives the least allocation in the entire region justifiably owes just a little while Imo owes a whopping sum of N30 billion. We can all guess where the fund is because before Okorocha came into power three years ago, he had no estate, but just within three years, he owns the largest private estate in Nigeria.” Responding to an Obi swipe at the governor, Okorocha’s media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo, dismissed Obi’s assertion, regretting that the former governor had made himself a willing tool for executing a failed project in Imo. He stressed that Obi cannot make Chief Emeka Ihedioha governor in Imo regardless of how much he maligns Okorocha. He regretted that the only contribution Obi has made to national politics for the South-East people was to mortgage both the body and soul of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the PDP. “Having stifled APGA, he has now become the chief campaigner for the PDP and its candidates,” Onwuemeodo said.

Nigerian airlines get stimulus plan are you the one we are looking for? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

their operations. Air Nigeria, owned by business mogul, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, got N35 billion and Aero over N25 billion. It was not known how much Arik Air got. The fund was to help the carriers offset their debts rather than buy equipment. Years after the monies were assessed; virtually all the airlines are in a serious financial crisis threatening their continued existence. But Chidoka said the only way for Nigeria’s aviation industry to get out of the woods was the formulation and implementation of an ‘economic stimulus’. He noted that the idea would help to grow the budding, but fast-paced sector. He added that the government had considered the idea to save the nation's floundering airlines. The minister stated that there was the need to introduce some initiatives to rescue the industry. Taking a comparative approach to justify the need for his plan, Chidoka said several thriving airlines around the world had enjoyed or continue to enjoy government's financial

A fast-growing newspaper needs the services of the following: 1. Online Editor 2. Production Editors 3. Head, Supplement 4. Business Development Executives – South East, South South and North West ONliNE EDitOr: Candidate for this post must have at least a first degree in Mass Communication, Social Sciences or Arts and 10 years’ post-qualification experience, four of which must be in the online department of a reputable newspaper. The candidate must have good writing and editing skills, news judgment and be Internet savvy. He must be able to generate content for the web edition of the newspaper. PrODuctiON EDitOrS: Candidates for the post must have at least first degree in Mass Communication, Social Sciences or Arts and 10 years’ post-qualification experience, four of which must be in a similar position. In addition, the candidates should have strong computer skill and an eye for details. They should be able to drive the production process in such an efficient manner to ensure that the production deadline is timely met. HEaD, SuPPlEmENt: Candidate for the post must have at least first degree in Mass Communication, Social Sciences or Arts and seven years’ post-qualification experience. He/she must have strong editorial background with good writing skills. He must have proven track record in supplements and event execution and must be able to conceive and execute revenue-generating ideas. Business Development Executives in: i. South East ii. South South iii. North West Candidates for the post must possess a minimum of HND/BSC in Mass Communication, Marketing or Social Sciences with at least 3 years’ post qualification experience in similar position. He/She must have very strong communication skill and must be able to meet required sales target. Such candidates are also expected to reside in zones applied for. interested candidates should direct their applications to tHE HEaD, aDmiNiStratiON, DailY tElEGraPH PuBliSHiNG cOmPaNY limitED, 1, aJimOBi StrEEt, OFF acmE rOaD, aGiDiNGBi, iKEJa, laGOS or newjobstoday2015@gmail.com. The applications should reach the company within one-week of the publication of these vacancies.

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THURSday, March 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

PDP calls for Buhari, Tinubu’s arrest over radio station Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) is planning to destabilise the country through an illegal radio station. Director, Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, also accused the party of planning to air a documentary to run down the Federal Government. "Our attention had been drawn to the existence of an illegal radio station called “APC RADIO” or “RADIO CHANJI.” This radio station has been broadcasting falsehood, propaganda and inciting comments periodically over the last few days and since inception," Fani-Kayode alleged. He said Ambassador Yusuf Mamman, former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain was heading the operation of the radio station and was allegedly given millions of dollars by APC to start the radio station. Fani-Kayode also disclosed that the brain behind the operation is the former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, who he said "equally founded Radio Kudirat during the days of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) when the government of General Sani Abacha was being fought

by a number of people in Nigeria." He said the objective of the radio station is to serve as a propaganda tool to fight the government after APC might have lost the presidential election on March 28. "The opposition knows that they would lose the election and after this happens it is their intention to begin to use this illegal radio station to incite Nigerians against the government. They seek to create mayhem and cause panic and create a toxic and bellicose atmosphere in which their supporters will be en-

couraged to slaughter and kill innocent Nigerians whilst the country burns. "They also intend to use the radio station to incite the armed forces to mutiny. They intend to create a major division and utter chaos within the Nigerian state, using religion and ethnicity and they will take that opportunity to either call for full blown military intervention or the establishment of an Interim National Government. "It is through the auspices of this illegal radio station that they intend to announce members of their planned shadow and

parallel government, to nominate their ministers and to then create major crisis in our country," FaniKayode alleged. While calling on the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) to use all means available to stop this illegal radio station from operating and if necessary to block its illegal transmissions, the PDPPCO media director, also called on "the security agencies to arrest Yusuf Mamman and question Kayode Fayemi, Bola Tinubu, Rotimi Amaechi and the APC presidential candidate, General Mu-

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN.

lRivers APC petitions NHRC, INEC over polls Abuja

arely two weeks after the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organization (APCPCO) petitioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the hate speeches of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, the organisation has threatened to send a petition against President Goodluck Jonathan to the same Court at the Hague. Director, Media and Publicity of the campaign organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, said the petition follows the massive terror unleashed on the residents of Lagos by armed proJonathan groups under the cover of a faction of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) on the pretext of demanding the sack of Prof. Attahiru Jega, Na-

He said, in the documentary, the opposition has listed some areas which they claim reflect the corrupt nature of the Nigerian people, the nature of President Goodluck Jonathan and the nature of the government that he is heading. "All manner of lies, deceit, fabrication, slander, falsehood and misrepresentation of the basic facts are in the documentary. The whole thing is simply an attempt to denigrate the Nigerian people and bring us into disrepute and opprobrium before the International community."

L-R: Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Alhaji Ahmadu Ali; National President, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Abdullah Bello Bodejo; President Goodluck Jonathan and Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Isa Yuguda, during a courtesy visit by the association to the president in Abuja…yesterday.

APC vows to drag Jonathan to ICC Johnchuks Onuanyim

hammadu Buhari himself on the operation and illicit and dangerous agenda of this illegal radio station." He said Nigerians would not sit back and watch them achieve their objectives. On the planned documentary against the Federal Government, FaniKayode disclosed that the APC intends to spend $2 million and has engaged the services of three specialists and well known international spin doctors from two western countries to air the documentary titled, "What Is Going On".

tional Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Shehu noted that the machete-wielding and gun-bearing armed proJonathan groups marched round the major streets of Lagos, harassing and intimidating motorists, chanting anti-Jega songs in a manner that gave them away as acting the carefully-prepared script for the truncation of the general elections. "There was such disruption to the tranquillity of the city that warranted the citizens scampering for safety in all directions, a foretaste of the violence they plan to unleash on Election Day. "Our investigations have confirmed that Monday's show was a dressrehearsal for the main disruption planned for the general elections. Lagos, and the entire South-West,

being a stronghold of the APC, has been marked for massive dishevelling commotion that would involve killings, maiming and kidnapping. "Our findings have further shown that the recent N9 billion pipeline surveillance contract to OPC and some militant groups in Southern Nigeria was the elixir for the latest crude impudence of the proJonathan armed groups. Indeed, the contract award was, indeed, a subterfuge for the mobilisation of these murderous militant groups for the destruction of lives and property to force the desire of the reelection of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan on the Nigerian people. "As an opposition APC, we are using this medium to serve Jonathan the notice of our formal protest of this extreme show of impunity to the Interna-

tional Criminal Court (ICC). We are aware that Mrs Patience Jonathan is already on the watch list of ICC. The activities of this president and his wife as regards the elections are not patriotic and very unhelpful for entrenching democratic values in the nation." Also, the APC Okrika Local Government chapter has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inspector General of Police over an alleged threat to peaceful elections in the local government. In the petition, they maintained that there were clear violation of their fundamental human rights as well attempted assassination of APC governorship candidate in Rivers state, Hon. Dakuku Peterside.

PDP has under developed Nigeria – Buhari Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

he All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of under-developing Nigeria. Buhari, who spoke when 13 political parties which have pledged to work with him for the March 13 poll paid him a visit in Abuja, lamented that the country has made more money between 1999 and this year, than she made between 1914 (when amalgamation took place) and now. He challenged the ruling party to tell Nigerian people how they utilised the resources it made in the last 16 years it has been in power. "We challenge the PDP, let them account for their stay in power for 16 years of rulership, in terms of the fundamental objec-

tives we have been talking about, in the three most important aspects we have been talking about – security, economy and corruption. The political parties that came to pay allegiance are: Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), African Peoples Alliance (APA), KOWA party, Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), HOPE democratic party, Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), United Peoples Party (UPP), Accord party, Independent Democratic (ID), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), and Action Alliance (AC), among others. Chairman of Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Alhaji Bashir Yusuf, said leaders of the coalition parties after series of meetings considered and accepted to support the candidature of Muhammadu Buhari and cast their votes on the side of the truth.

NEW TELEGRAPH thursday, march 19, 2015

News

national

Obasanjo’s confab was for third term agenda, says Clark Sola Adeyemo and Onyekachi Eze

eader of the Ijaw people, Chief Edwin Clark, has berated former President Olusegun Obasanjo for using the Sovereign National Conference (SNC), sponsored during his administration, to promote his third term agenda instead of national unity. Also yesterday, Clark refuted allegation that he called Governor of

Gombe state, Ibrahim Dankwambo. It would be recalled that Clark was alleged to have accused Dankwambo of not campaigning for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan. He was reported to have made the comments last week when he received a delegation of the Goodluck/Sambo support from Gombe State. The coordinator of the group Ibrahim Dikko had informed Mr. Clark

that the PDP no longer respect the wishes of the members and impose candidates at will, saying as a result many PDP members have decamped to the opposition APC. While responding to the statement of the group, the former Minister of Information Clark expressed the view that Gombe remains a PDP state but said some of the President’s aides and party officials were afraid of campaigning for the president.

He however denied calling the governor a coward, adding that he has confidence that the governor is working earnestly for the success of President Jonathan. “I even wrote a letter to the governor after the reports came out. What was credited to me was not what I said,” he said. Clark also said his remarks eulogizing Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State for his courage to openly campaign for Jonahan in his

state was misconstrued to mean he does not feel the same way about Governor Dankwambo. “I spoke to the governor and he assured me that the PDP is solidly on the ground in Gombe and that he remains committed to the success of all PDP candidates in the state,” he said. But speaking in Ibadan on Tuesday evening, during the first national public service lecture organized by the University of Ibadan

Alumni Association, asserting that Jonathan's national confab was altruistic and intended for national unity and true federalism. Of Obasanjo's SNC, Clark, who was guest lecturer at the event, said that, "The conference failed to achieve its objectives when Obasanjo, who convoked it decided to use it for his third term ambition. The situation remained the same until the agitation for the national conference began again.

Jonathan appoints new FIRS chairman Anule Emmanuel

resident Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Mr. Samuel Ogungbesan as the Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the appointment is with immediate effect. Ogungbesan, a Coordinating Director at FIRS, replaces Alhaji Kabiru Mashi, who has been serving in the same capacity at

the agency since 2012. There has been controversy over the appointment of an executive chairman of the FIRS since the exit of the former occupant, Ifueko-Omoigui Okauru. The presidency, since April 2012, declared the position vacant. Mashi was appointed acting chairman while the process of appointing a substantive chairman started in September, 2012, with the Ministry of Finance publishing advertorials in national newspapers calling on interested persons to apply.

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Abimbola Umar; Director, Office of the Chief Executive/Incentives, Mr. Olajide Ibrahim and Executive Director/CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Olusegun Awolowo; at the integrated workshop on techniques of Non-Oil Export Project Formulation and Implementation for State Export Promotion Committee and City Chambers in Lagos…yesterday

FG approves N87.3bn for roads Jonathan swears in Obanikoro, Elections: We’ve not told our projects, NDIC head office Anule Emmanuel

he Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday, approved contracts worth N87.3billion for the construction of roads in three states of Benue, Nassarawa and Niger. The amount is also for the construction of the new corporate offices of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) in Abuja and Lagos. Minister of Culture and Tourism, Edem Duke, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the FEC meeting chaired by

President Jonathan. Duke explained that the corporate head office annex of NDIC in Abuja will cost N14.7b, while that of Lagos will gulp N24.7b. NDIC is to spend a total of N9.3billion for the construction of its training centre in Lekki. A breakdown of the roads projects shows that N23.6 billion is for the dualisation of Suleja- Minna road in Niger State, while another contract for rehabilitation of Oshogbolu -Oweto in Benue State at a cost of N7.9b was also approved.

Factional Chibok leaders endorse FG’s plan on burnt school Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

delegation from Kiabaku Area Development Association of Chibok( KADA) has approved the Federal Government's decision to rehabilitate burnt Government Girls Government Secondary School, Chibok . The endorsement came few days after a group

from Chibok described government's action of laying foundation stone for the rebuilding of the burnt GGS as a misplacement of priority. The delegation led by the Chairman, Parents' Teachers Association (PTA) of GGSS Chibok, Borno State, Mr. Dunoma Mpur, also dissociated his group from stance by a fringe group that said rehabilitation of school was not their priority.

seven other ministers

Anule Emmanuel

resident Goodluck Jonathan has sworn-in eight new ministers into his cabinet with a charge for them to offer exceptional services to the nation during this winding up period of his administration. The President, while performing the brief ceremony at council chambers of the presidential villa, said they were coming in at an injury time and would need to perform exceptionally. "This is an injury time; it is like bringing a player when the match is about to end. You are coming at an injury time; your dancing steps will be watched by everyone."he added. The Senate had last week concluded the screening and confirmation of the eight ministers. Senator Patricia Akwashiki (Nasarawa) is to serve as Minister of Information. She will take over from Edem Duke, who is currently supervising the ministry. Professor Nicholas Akise Ada (Benue) has

been deployed as Minister of State I, Foreign Affairs while Colonel Augustine Akobundu (rtd.) is to serve as Minister of State for Defence. Fidelis Nwankwo has been appointed as Minister of State for Health, while Hauwa Lawan (Jigawa) is to serve as Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs. Kenneth Kobani (Rivers) is to serve as Minister of State for Industry Trade and Investment with Joel IKenya, (Taraba) was appointed as minister of Labour. Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, representing Lagos was appointed as Minister of State II Foreign Affairs. Obanikoro's appointment did not come without resistance from some members of the Senate at the National Assembly. Senators from the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, kicked against his re-nomination by President Jonathan. Despite the controversy, the upper chambers last week cleared him alongside the other seven ministers.

staff to go home, says Ericsson Kunle Azeez

telecoms equipment company, Ericsson, has said it did not tell its staff, either local employees or expatriates, to go home because of the fears of uncertainty purportedly surrounding the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria. The company stated this in a statement signed by the Country Manager, Ericsson Nigeria, Mr. Kamar Abass, a copy of which was made available to New Telegraph. While noting that an earlier publication which said it had sent its staff home was not true, the company, however ,said the ‘safety and security’ of all its employees was paramount to the organisation. The statement said: “As a global leader in communications technology and service, our long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and society to fulfil their potential and create a more sustainable future.

“Ericsson is present in 180 countries and has been active in Nigeria for over 50 years and with contracts with all the major operators employing over 400 employees. “We celebrate the Networked Society and are fully committed to providing excellent services to our customers here in Nigeria and intend to continue playing an impactful role in helping our customers meet their commitments to the subscribers at all times. “In our organisation, the safety and security of all employees is paramount, hence it is a global practice to distribute localised security alerts when necessary to inform staff of possible trouble areas to enable them ensure their own safety while commuting. This is no different in Nigeria. “We have not communicated to staff in Nigeria that they are not to come to work during the elections.” The company, however, stated that it would comply with any government directive restricting movements for the purpose of the elections.

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Metro DSS nabs six kidnappers, impersonator

Cajetan Mmuta

‘I didn’t know drug was hidden inside sausage’

BENIN

peratives of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Edo State have apprehended six men in connection with the abduction of a former local government chairman, Mr Anselm Adima. The suspects were also said to be involved in the abduction of a woman who was raped in the presence of her daughter, with the pictures of the act taken. The daughter, who was kidnapped, was, however, not raped. Another suspect, who defrauded his unsuspecting victims using the name of the Chief of Air Staff to carry out the illegal deals, was also arrested by the operatives. The state Director of the State Security, Mr Bello Bakori, paraded the suspects before Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday. He said: “These criminals here paraded are those involved in fraud, kidnapping, car snatching and robbery. “The group was involved in the kidnapping of the former Transitional Committee Chairman of Esan North East Local Government Area, Mr Anselm Adima, where N3 million was paid as ransom. “One of these boys is a notorious fraudster who goes about swindling members of the public and even impersonating the Chief of Air Staff. We have this one, Isaac Ogun, collecting money from the public using the name of one Mr Balogun and just recently, many cases have been established against him in Jos and other places and luckily he was arrested based on a complaint from the Air Force that someone is going about impersonating the Chief of Air Staff.”

Adebisi

INNOCENT CRIMINAL A suspected drug trafficker says he was not aware his luggage contained cannabis Juliana Francis

suspected drug trafficker said he did not know that the bag filled with sausage which his friend asked him take to China was filled with illicit drugs. The suspect, Ogbonna Friday Ogbu, 33, a trader in Onitsha Main Market, told narcotic investigators that he was given N100,000 to smuggle the drugs. He said: “My friend in China gave me one N100,000 to take a bag to China. The last time I travelled to China, he assisted me. When he gave me the money to take the

Omas

bag containing ‘gala’ to China, I thought he was doing me a favour. I never knew he was digging my grave. After my arrest, I felt bad and regretted my action.” Three suspects were arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Others are Famolu David Adebisi, 34, and Osamunyi Joy Omas, 26. They were held at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. Ogbu was caught smuggling 35.115kg of cannabis to China, Adebisi was in possession of 4kg of cannabis, which he was taking to Dubai, while Omas, a lady, was held for attempting to smuggle 19.640kg of cannabis to Dubai. The NDLEA Commander at the Lagos airport, Mr Hamza Umar, said that investigation into the matter was already on. Omas, who sells shoes and female handbags, said that she had learnt a bitter lesson.

Ogbu

She said: “I lost my parents and I sell shoes and female clothes and bags to earn a living. My friend in Dubai told me that somebody will give me foodstuff to bring to him. That was how I collected the bags from the person she sent to me. I still find it difficult that this happened to me but I have learnt a bitter and painful lesson in my life.” Adebisi, who sells laptops in Lagos, said that he bought drugs himself. He said: “I bought the cannabis myself for N44,000. I was introduced into drug trafficking by a friend who assisted me with my travel documents. He told me that if I can bring 4kg of cannabis to Dubai that he would pay me N500,000. That was what encouraged me to take the risk. I blame myself because I should have listened to my conscience.” The NDLEA Chairman, Ahmadu Giade, has called on members of the public to be

cautious of plot by drug barons to recruit drug mules in smuggling locally-grown cannabis to countries with capital punishment for drugs like United Arab Emirates and China. Giade disclosed that the NDLEA had foiled several attempts by drug barons to smuggle cannabis in foodstuff outside the country. He said: “Based on intelligence report and intense covert operations undertaken by the agency, we have recorded arrests of drug suspects and seizures of cannabis concealed in foodstuff. “It is pertinent to alert members of the public of fresh plot by drug barons to smuggle cannabis to countries with capital punishment for drug trafficking because of the high profit involved. “Drug barons are wicked and callous. They are only interested in making money even at the risk of others sacrificing their precious lives.”

Suspected cult member dies in gun duel Babatope Okeowo

Akure

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

suspected cult member, identified simply as Seun, was killed while two others were arrested during a shootout with men of the Ondo State Police Command yesterday. The incident occurred at Ig-

bokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of the day. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Wole Ogodo, who confirmed this, said the suspect died when he and others opened fire on officers of the Special Anti-Cultism Squad (SAS). He said: “What transpired today (yesterday) was that one

of them was arrested and taken to Akure for investigation and he led them to Seun’s house at Igbokoda. “When the operatives led by ASP Raimi Seidu knocked on his door, his wife came out and policemen said they came for investigation. Seun ran through the back door and took his AK47 rifle with double magazines and started shooting at the police. In

self-defence, they shot him dead. “We have been saying this that Ondo State is not where criminals can operate. It is better for them to have a rethink or continue to meet their waterloo.” Ogodo, therefore, warned parents to take care of their children so as not be used as political thugs to cause crisis in the state.

Metro 11

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Mother of two strangles landlady to death MURDER A female tenant allegedly kills her benefactor with bare hands Taiwo Jimoh

he residents of Mowe in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State were shocked to discover that an angry mother of two has strangled her landlady to death. The suspect, simply identified as Shakirat, 33, was alleged to have pounced on her landlady, Saidat Ishola, held her by the throat and snuffed life out of her while the latter was sleeping in her apartment. Saidat and Shakirat had a little disagreement on Saturday morning over electricity

bill and disconnection, with the tenant complaining that her apartment had been cut off from the power supply, while other tenants were enjoying light. Samson Ishola, the landlady’s son recounted: “The woman fought with my mum and torn her clothes. She complained that the power supply to her apartment was disconnected. Some elders in the area settled the matter for them. My mother and Shakirat went back to their different apartments. “Unfortunately, we were told later in the evening that Shakirat went back to my mother’s apartment, where she was sleeping and strangled her to death. “I had left home very early in the morning to my workshop. It was in my workshop that someone told me to go back home that my mother and one of our tenants were

Abeokuta

here was pandemonium yesterday in Abeokuta as some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State engaged in a free-for-all over the alleged non-release of campaign funds meant for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan. In the ensuing melee, the party’s National Auditor, Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju, and South-West Zonal Secretary, Chief Pegba Otemolu, were manhandled and held hostage for hours. The incident occurred at a hotel on Quarry Road, Abeokuta where a sensitisation meeting was held for 708 party coordinators drawn from the 236 wards of the state. The meeting, which started about 10am, lasted for about five hours before it ended abruptly. It was gathered that trouble started when Adeyanju told the coordinators that the fund meant for them was not available at the moment. Adeyanju was said to have

informed the restive coordinators that the money had not been deposited in the designated account. The atmosphere later became charged when the PDP coordinators discovered that N1 million hotel bill had been issued for food and drinks that were not served them. They consequently held Adeyanju and Otemolu hostage and insisted that the two

Birnin Kebbi

IGP, Suleiman Abba

fighting her. “When the suspect was strangling my mum, my uncle’s pregnant wife who was in the bedroom relaxing heard the scream of my mother. She ran into the apartment and tried to assist my mother, but the suspect overpowered

party officials would not be allowed to go until the money meant for them was released. In the ensuing drama, some suspected political thugs rescued Otemolu and bundled him into his waiting Honda Pilot SUV. However, while attempting to speed off, his vehicle rammed into a parked car, which left one of the coordinators from Sagamu Local

her. Immediately the suspect killed my mum, she ran away without taking anything from her room.” Policemen from Mowe Police Station deposited the victim’s body at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital.

yet to be identified young man has been shot dead on the campus of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Lagos. The killing on Tuesday night was said to have been carried out by a cult group on the university campus. The attack, which took place around 10pm, was said to have occurred in front of the university’s

Government Area seriously injured. Miffed by the mishap, other coordinators forced Otemolu out of his vehicle and further manhandled him. Sensing danger over the harassment of his colleague, the PDP national auditor took to his heels. None of the party officials was willing to comment on the incident at press time.

n independent oil marketer in Kebbi State, Alhaji Isa Gaijere, who was abducted by gunmen in Zuru Local Government Area of the state, regained his freedom yesterday. Gaijere was kidnapped about 9pm while on his way to his home town, Sabon Garin Dabai, was freed in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State after his abductors allegedly collected N10.7 million from the victim’s family. Family sources and one of the local government chairmen under Zuru Emirate told our correspondent yesterday in Birnin Kebbi that Gaijere was released about 1am in a bush in Mokwa. The sources said the kidnappers asked the family to drop the money in a bush near Kontagora in Niger State while the victim was freed in Mokwa about 400 kilometres from Kontagora.

Gunmen kidnap College of Education rector Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

bout 20 gunmen have kidnapped the Rector of the College of Education, Katsina-Ala, Mr Hans Senwua, in KatsinaAla Local Government Area of Benue State. It was gathered that the kidnappers stormed the rector’s residence about 10pm on Tuesday while resting with his family. The abductors took him to an unknown destination. Senwua’s abduction, however, ignited protest from angry students of the college who trooped to the major streets and made bonfire. The students protested to the Takum Junction before the police fired canisters of tear gas to disperse them. It was also learnt that hoodlums took advantage of the students’ protest and started shooting sporadically to cause mayhem in the area.

Ex-councillor abducted in Cross River Clement James Calabar

A PDP members during the fight

Cult group kills one in UNILAG Mojeed Alabi

Kidnappers get N10m, free oil marketer Abubakari Abdul

Campaign fund: PDP coordinators in free-for-all Kunle Olayeni

Metro Briefs

Amphitheatre, where the victim was trailed to by his assailants. Some of the students, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, explained that the sound of gunshots had enveloped the area, leaving students and non-students alike to run helter-skelter. Investigations also revealed that the development might not be unconnected with the ongoing students’ union election.

But the authorities of the university said the victim was not a student of the institution. In a telephone interview, the Head of the university’s Public Relations Office, Mr Oke Olagoke, who confirmed the incident, said no evidence had shown that the victim was a UNILAG student. According to him, no one has come up so far to claim the victim’s body. Olagoke said assailants

had trailed the deceased to the campus from outside the campus. He also denied that the incident was connected with students’ union election. According to him, unlike before, the procedure for the election only involves selected students due to the introduction of ‘electoral college’. Olagoke, however, said that nobody had been arrested in connection with the incident so far, but that efforts were on to get those involved in the killing.

former councillor in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, Ete Ete, has been kidnapped by gunmen. This came days after the former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly and Labour Party candidate for the House of Representatives, Hon. Dominic Akwa Edem, was abducted. Details of the kidnap of the former councillor could not be ascertained at press time but sources said he was kidnapped on Essien Street where Edem was abducted. The councillor, according to a source, was supporting the candidature of Edem before his abduction. Meanwhile, it was gathered that the abductors of the former deputy speaker have contacted his family and demanded a N30 million ransom for his freedom. Edem, who is vying for the Lower Chamber’s seat to represent Calabar South/Akpabuyo and Bakassi Federal Constituency, was a former commissioner in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), representing Cross River State.

12 News

challenge

Former Governor Tinubu dares his critics to go to court Temitope Ogunbanke

he National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has told anybody who has criminal case against him to go court to prosecute him. He said it was better than sponsoring hate campaigns and attacking his personality. Tinubu said the various attacks against his person, despite not contesting for any political office in the forthcoming elections, were evidence that he is still relevant in Nigerian politics, despite leaving office eight years ago.

Take me to court on any offence, Tinubu tells critics Speaking yesterday at his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s 14th town hall meeting with constituents of Lagos Central Senatorial District at MUSON Centre in Lagos, Tinubu said the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is afraid of the forthcoming elections and that that was why they don’t want the elections to hold. His words: “If they are not feeling being terrorised; if they are not feeling the pains of Bola Tinubu; if they are not being afraid of Bola Tinubu, they would not attack me. This is the eighth year since I left Alausa. If you have any criminal case against me, why not go to court and prosecute me. You catch

a thief and all you do is to keep shouting thief, thief, and not take him to court. “They said I have embezzled the funds in the Lagos but here is my flat stomach. I have been living in Ikoyi even before I contested for the Senate but there is someone who never had shoes but now uses golden buttons. The naira was less than N100 before they started and now, it is N230. Our graduates now have to suffer before they get a job. Enough is enough. It is time for them to go” Tinubu also took a swipe at those kicking against the use of card reader for the general election, saying that it will be unfair not to use the card reader having

spent so much money to acquire the electronic device for the forthcoming elections. Speaking on her wife re-election, Tinubu said that he never, at first, supported Senator Remi Tinubu for a second term but for the insistence of the leader of the party in Lagos Central Senatorial District, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, who nominated her for re-election. “I never supported her for a second term before but it was Prince Tajudeen Olusi that insisted she must run the second term, having performed well in the district. I thank my wife for her performance and I will continue to give her the much needed support,” he said.

L-R: Wife of the Lagos State governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola; Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; wife of the APC presidential candidate, Mrs. Aisha Buhari and wife of APC vice-presidential candidate, Mrs. Oludolapo Osinbajo, at the 14th Edition of Lagos Central Senatorial District Town Hall Meeting and Unveiling of the Book entitled: Stewardship Report: a collection of Town Hall Speeches (2011-2014), in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO:TONYEGUAYE

Why my husband deserves re-election, by First Lady Ibraheem Musa and Emmanuel Masha

he First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has said that her husband, who is seeking re-election has performed creditably well to guarantee him victory in the Presidential polls. Jonathan, who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo, stated this yesterday in Kaduna, during a presidential women rally. According to her, Jonathan has given women priority in all sectors of the society, including in federal appointments. The first lady also reiterated that President Jonathan's administration has provided various empowerment to the women across the country, stressing that it was

THURSDAY, march 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

national

l Tells Rivers to reject APC time for the women to reciprocate such gesture by voting him and all the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming elections. "Women, as the mother of the nation, please come out en-mass and vote for President Jonathan for continuity and consolidation. I urge you to also vote for Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and all the other PDP candidates. "He has placed us in our rightful positions and has promised to do more. So, I appeal to you to collect your Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) and vote for the PDP all through the elections." Mrs Jonathan had also at a rally in Port Harcourt yesterday urged the people of Rivers State to turn

out in large numbers on March 28, 2015 and vote for Jonathan, who she noted, has affected millions of lives across the country through his transformation agenda since he became President four years ago. She also urged the thousands of supporters, mostly women, who trooped to the stadium to vote massive against Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, rtd, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, because he has nothing to offer Nigerians. Mrs. Jonathan, who spoke at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, during a women rally organized by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, listed the achievements of Jonathan, pointing out that most of the projects

done by the Federal Government in the state had been claimed by the administration of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. She said that Jonathan had eliminated corruption in the agricultural sector, and that farmers across the country were being empowered with loans, thereby increasing the country’s food production. She said that the government has made it possible for farmers to farm in the rainy and dry season through laudable agricultural initiatives. “The Federal Government has eliminated corruption in agriculture. If you are in the farm, fertilizer will reach you. The Federal Government gives you loan to farm, and I want to let you know that women in agriculture have increased through the efforts of the Federal Government,” she said.

Sacking Jega will be totally destabilising — Dele Martins Ebere Ameh

lthough Nigerians have a right to express their opinions, calling for the sack of the INEC Chairman, Prof. Atahiru Jega at this eleventh hour will totally destabilize both the electoral process and the polity. This is the view of the National President of the Old Boys Association of the prestigious Methodist Boys High School (MBHS), Lagos, Bar. Dele Martins. Speaking to New Tele-

graph during the 137th Founder’s Day anniversary and thanksgiving service of the MBHS recently, Martins said; “It is the right of citizens, if they feel that somebody who has been given a particular responsibility has not lived up to expectation to ask questions. I don’t think you can deny the right of the people to ask why it appears that we are not prepared or ready for the elections as we ought to be given the amount of money that has been spent on the exercise.

NCC fixes May for auctioning 2.6GHz Spectrum Broadband Clem Khena-OGBENA

he Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has fixed May this year as the resumption period for the licensing round for the 2.6 GHz Spectrum Broadband. Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, made this known yesterday in Abuja, while briefing journalists on the licence billed to cost $USD 16million per lot. Juwah said that the commission had followed the process specified in the Information Memorandum(IM) in the licensing round. The NCC boss, who was represented at the briefing by the Commission's Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Tony Ojobo, said the proposed exercise has been influenced by the need to own up the space for the delivery of present and future generations of broadband services to subscribers in consonance with the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2013-2018. Director of Spectrum Administration at

the Commission, Engr. Augustine Nwaulune, noted that the spectrum band was necessary for both new entrants and incumbent operators, saying that the Commission made wide consultations with relevant sector stakeholders to ascertain the best way forward, before arriving at the decision to embark on the exercise. “Based on these and observations of developments in the international licensing trends, the Commission has decided to license the available 2 by 70 MHz slot in slots of 5MHz to be aggregated by applicants through the spectrum auction process. “On completion of Auction Process, the Commission will issue each winner a 10 year National Spectrum licence on a state by state basis and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Each winner who does not currently hold a Unified Access Service Licence (UASL) which is the operational licence will be issued one at an additional fee of N374. 6 million " Nwaulune said.

Group seeks recall of 200 sacked NCAA workers Wole Shadare

he Centre for Aviation Safety and Research (CAS-R) yesterday charged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to carry out the directive of the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka by recalling over 200 staff of the regulatory agency whose jobs were terminated shortly after its Director General Capt. Usman Muhtar resumed office in 2014. The body cautioned that the allowing the controversies surrounding the staff linger, could

derail the focus of the industry’s oversight regulatory authority, especially when it is expected to play host to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit committee in June. CASR President and former engineer with the defunct Nigeria Always, Mr. Sheri Kyari, told journalists that the sack which was premised on the fact that their recruitment was allegedly laced with irregularities, has since been dismissed by the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, march 19, 2015

Governorship poll

General elections

Defection

Interview 16

Court disqualifies Borno PDP guber candidate

Why PVCs can’t guarantee voting – INEC chief

5000 PDP members defect to APC in Taraba

My problem with Obasanjo, by Kalu

Politics Former President of South Africa, Mr. Thabo Mbeki was in Nigeria last week during which he met with President Goodluck Jonathan and other political leaders. Mbeki and his hosts kept sealed lips on the issues discussed at these meetings, but he bore his silence few minutes before he left Nigeria. In this interview with ONWUKA NZESHI, one of the living legends of the anti-apartheid struggle says that beyond defeating Boko Haram on the battlefield, Nigeria must brace up to address the fundamental issues of the insurrection. Excerpts:

You’ve been here for the past few days; you’ve visited President Goodluck Jonathan and some of the nation’s past leaders including General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the main opposition party in Nigeria. What exactly is your mission in the country? First of all, you know, the reason I came was because the Chief Obafemi Awolowo Foundation was giving me a leadership prize. So that’s why I came to Nigeria. It was to receive that prize on March 6. But since I was in Nigeria, you know Nigeria is a second home to me, so I thought it was necessary to see as many people as possible. Because you know we are very interested in the success of Nigeria and now you’ve got the presidential and

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY EDITOR, PoLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

Nigerians’ll decide Jonathan’s fate – Mbeki

Mbeki other elections coming at the end of this month and in April. So, I thought that I should talk to the leadership just to get an idea as to what the Nigerian leadership thought about the elections. That is why it was possible, fortunately, to meet President Jonathan and also able to see Gen. Buhari, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and of course my younger brother here, Dr. Orji Uzo Kalu. It is really to get a sense of what is happening, and to wish everybody success and communicate the message that all of us in the rest of Africa wish Nigeria well and we really hope that the elections would go very well and that whatever the outcome that will be announced, everybody will accept it. It should be a peaceful election. Elections are not war, so there is no need for anybody to resort to violence in the process of conducting a democratic election. Indeed, all of us in Nigeria

should go about it peacefully so that whenever the results are announced, whoever wins, people must accept that peacefully and not respond in any violent manner.

Nigerian people will decide if Jonathan is their best leader. It is not for the rest of us in other African countries to decide

There is one past leader whom you didn’t visit but whom everybody thinks is your friend. What’s your current relationship with our former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo? Yes we still relate but I haven’t seen him recently. I had wanted to see him now but unfortunately he is not in the country. Since you left office as President of South Africa, you have maintained a dignified silence about the activities of your successor in office but that is not the case in Nigeria. Obasanjo has become the greatest critic of his successors who were also elected on the same party platform. Is this healthy? Well, I have not discussed this with President Obasanjo at all.

Maybe next time I see him, I will discuss it with him. Before the general elections were postponed, former UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Anan, visited Nigeria and just as we are approaching the elections again you are here meeting with our leaders. Are you and other African leaders apprehensive about Nigeria? No! No!! Like I said earlier, since I was in Nigeria, I thought it was important not just to read from your newspapers but to talk to the actual leaders to hear from them. Everybody I met has really reassured me that the leadership, political parties, state institutions like the Police and others want peaceful elections, want free and fair elections and want peace after the results have been announced. So, I have no apprehension at all. I am quite sure that this leadership, the political parties, state institutions and so CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Politics

THURSDAY, march 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Court disqualifies Borno PDP guber candidate Tunde Oyesina Abuja

he Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday disqualified Mohammed Imam as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State. The court, however, ordered the PDP to replace Imam with one Alhaji Gambo Lawan as its candidate in the April 11 gov-

ernorship election. The decision of the court was premised on a suit filed by Lawan challenging the submission of Imam’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Lawan had argued that he contested the primaries and won after which he was given a certificate of return, only to discover that Imam’s name was forwarded to INEC instead of his. Delivering judgement,

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

the trial judge, Justice A.R. Mohammed ordered INEC to recognise Lawan as the genuine candidate of the PDP for the gover-

norship election in Borno. In his suit, Lawan had asked the court for an order prohibiting Imam from parading or further parading himself as the governorship candidate of the party. Cited as defendants in the suit aside Imam were the PDP and INEC. The plaintiff also prayed the court to restrain PDP and INEC from recognising and dealing with Imam as the party’s governorship can-

didate in the state. Lawan also prayed for an order directing PDP and INEC to list his name as the governorship candidate and forward same to INEC for the purpose of the governorship election. In a 31-paragraph affidavit in support of the originating summons, the plaintiff claimed that he had purchased the gubernatorial form from PDP at

N11million, stood for primary election along with eight others and won the majority notes. In granting all the plaintiff ’s prayers, the court held that Lawan actually won the governorship primaries that was conducted by the party, adding that the PDP was wrong in law to have forwarded another person’s name to INEC.

5000 PDP members defect to APC in Taraba lNiger guber campaign coordinator dumps PDP Dan Atori and Sabiu Mustapha

President-General, Supreme Council for Islamic Preachers in Nigeria, Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Ahmad (left) and President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, at an interactive session on religion, political organisations and security agencies in Abuja… yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Why PVCs can’t guarantee voting – INEC chief Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

he National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in charge of Oyo, Ogun and Ekiti states, Prof. Lai Olurode, has said that the possession of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) would not guarantee voting on election day. Olurode also declared that despite the efforts put in place by the electoral commission, 100 per cent

distribution of PVCs for the March 28 and April 11 general elections may not be feasible. He disclosed this on Tuesday at the INEC office in Magbon, Abeokuta while briefing reporters on the preparations of the commission for the elections. The INEC chief, who stated that having PVC does not guarantee voting on election day, said anybody whose name was not found on voters’ register would not be allowed to vote. He further said any-

body whose PVC had been cloned, under-aged and those in possession of another person’s voters’ cards would be excluded from participating in the voting exercise. Olurode, who said INEC had put in place technologies to eliminate electoral fraud, assured that the commission would continue to evolve measures that would enhance the general elections. While speaking against the backdrop of low PVC distribution and collection in Ogun State, the

national commissioner said the development was not intended to disenfranchise the people of the state. He identified transfer, multiple registration and death as factors that could have led to the high number of uncollected PVCs in the state. According to the INEC chief, a total of 1,642,607 PVCs had been received from the INEC headquarters in Abuja out of the 1,795,794 registered voters in the state while 1,053,377 cards had been distributed so far.

OUK Support Group plans 1 million-man match for Jonathan Wale Elegbede

he Orji Kalu Support Group is planning a One Million Youth March for President Goodluck Jonathan in Abia State. The group stated that youths comprising artisans, teachers, traders and students in Abia State under the auspices of Orji Kalu Support Group have reaffirmed their commitment to the re-election bid of the president.

Addressing journalists on its action plan in Umuahia, the president of the organisation, Mazi Stanley Okoro, noted that the collective decision to support President Jonathan and Dr. Orji Kalu for president and senator, Abia North respectively, is a testament to the goodwill of both personalities. Okoro said: “We have scheduled Monday, March 23 for one million youth march in support of Mr. President. The

Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government is feasible in all sectors of the Nigerian economy. Our trains are working, power supply has stabilised, inter-state roads are reconstructed, making life meaningful for the people. Nigerian youths have made up their minds,” he said. Speaking on behalf of the artisans, Onyekachi Dimgba, said: “We are not going back on our decision to mobilise votes for Mr. President

because of his love for the younger generation, of which, he is a member of. His projects and programmes are youth friendly such as YouWin, Agricultural Programmes and Sure P. We are solidly behind President Jonathan and victory is sure for him.” The group had earlier commenced a house-tohouse campaign in collaboration with civil society group on the need for violence-free and credible polls.

ver 5,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State have defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). A former chairman of Jalingo Local Government Area, Alhaji Uba Mairiga, were among the PDP bigwigs and stalwarts who dumped the ruling party for the APC. The 5,000 defected members were officially received to the APC by the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Hassan Jika Ardo on Tuesday, at a rally held in Jalingo, the state capital. Mairiga, who spoke on behalf of the defectors said APC should prepare for the reception of another batch of PDP members who are set to follow their footsteps. Meanwhile, one of the

campaign coordinators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Niger State, Alhaji Umar Nasko, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside 1,500 of his supporters. The coordinator, Alhaji Akilu Ishaku Kuta, who is in charge of Shiroro Local Government of the state, yesterday, said he left the PDP with 1,500 of his supporters to the opposition party. Kuta, who is also a former vice chairman of the local government on the platform of PDP, announced his defection from the party during the APC governorship rally in Kuta town. Receiving the decampees, the state leader of APC and Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Ahmed Musa Ibeto, urged the people to vote for all APC candidates in the election.

Arewa community dissociates self from Agbaje, Ambode’s endorsement Wale Elegbede

s the 2015 general elections inch closer, the Arewa community in Lagos State said it has not endorsed any candidate for any position in the state, advising the public to be wary of impostors defrauding politicians and endorsing candidates on behalf of Hausa community in the state. Addressing a media briefing yesterday, the Sarkin Hausawan Lagos, Alhaji Aminu Idris Yaro, said an impersonator have been going about in Lagos using the Arewa platform for selfish purposes. Yaro said endorsing any politician or political party negates Arewa’s pride and cultural heritage, adding that it is dishourable for a bonafide Sarki to show partisanship in politics to the full glare of the public. He said: We the custodi-

ans of Arewa traditional institutions in Lagos want to use this forum to denounce in totality the activities of these impostors and usurpers. “A Sarki is not meant to partake actively in partisan politics but act as a father to all politicians irrespective of their political class or affiliation. The act of endorsing a politician running for political office negates the core values of traditional Arewa chieftaincy institutions. It is not part of our pride and cultural heritage.” Making reference to one of its chief ’s, the Sarkin Hausawan Lagos said, “We want to warn politicians to be wary of such impostors and usurpers particularly in the person of Mallam Sani Kabiru and co. They have no shame, no honour and their sole aim is to defraud unsuspecting politicians and to collect money in exchange for a support base that does not exist.”

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSday, March 19, 2015

16 Politics | Interview

THURSDAY, march 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

My problem with Obasanjo, by Kalu C O N T I N U E D F R O M y e s terd ay

How about the hate campaign among the political class? On the hate campaign, what they are doing is not good. I don’t support anyone abusing General Buhari or President Jonathan. After March 28, we will have another day to live. You can see in my support for President Jonathan, I never mention Buhari’s name. I am not saying whether he will govern well or he will not govern well, I am only saying, vote for this man because he is capable of doing the job. Even where he failed, he will repeat. People repeat exam and with people like us around, we will dust him to do well. We will tell him to do well because I don’t need anything from the president. What I need from him is for majority of Nigerians to be happy. I don’t need to build any house; I am the neighbour of the president in Abuja. So, I don’t need anything from him. So, my duty is to ensure that Jonathan succeeds as president. I was not involved in the last four years because of the midget that lives in Abia called TA Orji. But I am involved now and we will resurface leadership. What is your opinion on the card reader? Card reader is a very excellent idea. I appeal to some of the PDP people, not the president, the president is very happy with card reader, after all he signed the budget and if he didn’t believe in it, he would not have signed the budget. Card reader is a perfect thing, it gives us semblance of fulfilling our mission. That I have voted and my vote counts. Nigeria is our country and we don’t need to politicise issues like this. You see, the beauty of constitutional democracy is term limit, that a term must come to an end and four years in the life of a country means nothing. So, Nigerians should allow President Jonathan another four years. Which of the major governorship candidates do you think is in the best position to succeed Governor Orji in Abia State? We have not reached that stage. The elders, professors, industrialists and market women who came from this area and many people from Ukwa/Ngwa who came to appeal to me to go the Senate since my name was already there, we were supposed to have had a meeting on January 20th but we postponed that meeting and we have decided that after the presidential election, we will sit down on March 30, as genuine elders of this state and decide among the three leading candidates and they are those of the PPA, APGA and PDP. Is it in that order? No, not in any order. We should be able to decide among the three who will work, and we will do a wider consultation. We don’t want to see this shame we are seeing in our state any longer. It is an aberration to have given somebody governance and he put it on the floor. It is not right because governance is a collective

Kalu

decision to make. Our state is now like a laughing stock among people, so we don’t want to make that mistake again. We have decided to come together because two weeks is a long time to decide who we want. Of the three candidates, how many of them have approached you? All of them. I am in touch with all the three of them but one of them will be governor and we will not elect any governor out of sentiment here again. The Federal Government has spent $20 billion on power but Nigerians are still living in darkness. What is your take on this? This is what I told President Obasanjo, we could have finished this issue in 1999 when we are just coming. There was a consortium from Japan then that wanted to fix power for us with N104 billion. I was called a commissioned agent because I was the one asking some of them to give power and one of these consortiums guaranteed stable light four years from 1999. It was two weeks when I was elected governor that I discussed this issue with President Obasanjo. I said if we don’t do anything let us give these people light. One of the consortiums promised that they can give 75 per cent of major towns uninterrupted electricity in four years. They turned it down and spent $16 billion which nobody has accounted for and you people are talking about anti-corruption. If you see people who did not do anything, you will say they are corrupt and you know where corruption is. Like I told Obasanjo before that corruption is under his table when he was accusing me of being corrupt.

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

Is Obasanjo a stupid man to have called me action governor? He is not stupid. Forget about the fact that I opposed his third term and temporarily opposed his re-election in 2003

I am an international businessman and I am not corrupt. I can never be corrupt or short-change the masses. Even Governor Orji can tell people my stance. I never touched money throughout the time I was governor. He knows because it is not right. I didn’t take any money from any contractor, I never did any business deal with any commissioner, so how can I steal money? Orji was my Chief of Staff and we did not take any money from any contractor or anybody. What I spent was the security vote and if I have the opportunity again, I will spend the security vote again. Was that why you were taken to court? Yes, that I spent security votes, the money that didn’t even belong to them. I cannot talk about that issue because the matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction. Early this year, you met with the president and PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu. What was your discussion with the president? I can’t divulge my discussion with Mr. President. What we discussed is in our heart and we are both keeping to it. As far as I am concerned, whenever you are going to fly a plane, if you don’t get KLM ticket, you will buy British Airways ticket, the destination is London. KLM will only carry you via Amsterdam while British Airways will go direct. How do you feel about betrayal in politics? Betrayal in Nigerian politics is so much and I feel disturbed. I feel that there is no more honour. I see people shouting what did not

come from their mind. If not for greed, why should a governor quarrel with a governor who put him there? Why should someone want to control a president and a governor, I will never accept that. You guys are journalists, you know the SUN Newspaper and other businesses I own, you can go and ask the managing directors if I interfere. I don’t interfere in anything and I don’t even go there because I know we have set up a strong system. What is killing Nigeria is absence of a strong system. If you have an accountable, strong system, the society will be efficient and will work. This is what Nigeria needs. The State Houses of Assembly missed the point when they rejected the autonomy of local governments. The local governments should be autonomous from other arms of government and we are going to fight for the amendment of that section of the constitution. The stakeholders in Abia State will meet after the presidential election and will be deciding who will be the governor. Going by your experience, are you going to throw up one of the candidates? No. Let me tell you the truth; Orji Kalu has the capacity to install a governor here but I will not do it. I want the decision to be collective because I don’t want anyone to blame me again. They blamed me on TA Orji because I singlehandedly put Orji there. I can do it again because I have the means, connection, goodwill and finance but I won’t do it because I want it to be collective. If the elders endorse the governor’s candidate what will you do?

Politics | Interview 17

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, march 19, 2015

I will support him; it is the opinion of our people. I was surprised seeing the portrait of the governor in your house given the bad relations between the two of you? He is the governor of Abia State, there is nothing petty about it. You people should advice the governor to stop being petty. This is why our state is like this. If you have political disagreement with people, call them and discuss it. When I was governor, there were people I disagreed with, but I still called them and we discussed. I went to their houses and we ate. It brings down tension and it makes things to move. When Ojo Maduekwe’s daughter wedded, it was at the height of my disagreement with President Obasanjo. He didn’t even invite me, one or two of my colleagues came and I provided logistics for them and when they all left, I left Umuahia for Ohafia. First, Maduekwe is my brother, secondly, we were not quarrelling. If I had a disagreement with his boss, he should not quarrel with me. So, I strolled to the place and the mood changed. I told him, ‘I am not quarrelling with your daughter, I didn’t come for you.’ People say because I quarrelled with Obasanjo, he didn’t do Ohafia-Arochuckwu road. What has happened since the last eight years that we have been friendly with them? It is not true. It is just that things cannot be done around this area. They said that Obasanjo cancelled the Ohafia road project, but I can tell you that Obasanjo didn’t cancel any project because he never awarded the project. Obasanjo is not petty in most things he does, I can tell you that. He loves this country only that he is vindictive, he can’t forgive anybody! Which I don’t do. Like Orji now, I have forgiven him, it is him and his God that are fighting. I don’t plan to know anything about him or his children. If I see his children I will do good things for them because it behoves on me to help them and they to help me too. I am not quarrelling with his children or wife. Like I told him, govern with your conscience. The beauty of constitutional democracy is term limit and in the next two months he would not be a governor again just like me, and then he would see the value of what he has done, whether he has performed very well or not. He will give account of his himself. But this man [TA Orji] has said you never made him governor and he said he couldn’t perform because you held him hostage. I quarrelled with him two weeks after he became governor, I was the one managing the relationship. If he wasn’t as greedy and untruthful, he could have managed the situation. I ignored him and went to Abuja, nobody sees me in any state function. Nobody sees me where he is doing anything. So, he could have maintained that thing and nobody will know anything. We will just be in PDP and be laughing. You see, my problem with him is what is happening today, that he did not work. I gave free education here, I was the first governor in Eastern Nigeria who implemented that fully from 1999-2007. I never owed teachers, go and interview them. I paid

them on the 25th of every month. I never owed civil servants or contractors. During my tenure, Abia paid $650 million back to the Federal Government and we were still able to do all the things we did. All the roads in Abia today are the ones I built but they can’t even maintain them. Abia people know the truth and the truth will resurface on March 28 and April 11; you can’t bury the truth. And if anybody thinks he will rig, we will fight. The only election that is collective is President Jonathan’s election, after that you have to give account of yourself in any other election. What do you make of President Obasanjo tearing his PDP card? President Obasanjo has a record of criticizing every president. President Jonathan as a student of history should ignore Obasanjo. That is Obasanjo’s style; he doesn’t see anything good in any other person except himself. So, I am not surprised. But he could have managed because he is a statesman; the country has been kind to him. In a country of 180 million people, one man became president twice, he should be grateful to the Nigerian people and the PDP. If I was in his position, I wouldn’t have torn that card. I will leave the PDP and wish them well, and continue without anger. I think the former president was very angry but as a father he should apologise to Nigerians because the action diminished him a lot. I was at State Department in Washington and Commonwealth office in London last week and I know what they said about it. He should have suspended his membership temporarily. There are ways and manner he could have handled that issue. But despite that, I have advised Jonathan not to lose contact with him as a former president and an elder in this society. Even me, I consider myself as an elder of the nation having being governor twice and a member of the House of Representatives in 1992 and that is why you don’t see me in some places. I believe Obasanjo should be grateful to the system.

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

Orji Kalu has the capacity to install a governor here, but I will not do it. I want the decision to be collective

There are reports that PDP national chairman is at loggerheads with President Jonathan and that he is contemplating resignation. Do you believe this story? It is not true; it is a naked lie. I was with both the president and Mu’azu few days ago before I left Abuja. It was only a social media imagination. Sometimes ago, they said Buhari was almost dead. You know I am the President’s chief mai-guard because of the location of my house in Abuja. You know I joke with the president, I say, “Sir, you know I am your chief mai-guard.” So, as a chief mai-guard I have a lot of information of people going in and out because a mai-guard sees everything in the house. There is no atom of truth in it. Take my words, the president has 100 per cent commitment to Mu’azu and vice-versa. You were on the Forbes’ list last year, what happened this year that you have dropped from the list of world billionaires? They are bringing in new people, I have not gone out of Forbes’ list; I am still in Forbes’ list. They

Kalu

did it because the list is a continuous thing. They will reassess me gain in November. They are not reassessing me globally; those who were published in March were assess globally. My companies are not quoted. In March they do the quoted companies and in November they do for others. I am not quoted. In any case, what do I do with Forbes list, it won’t pay my bills. What is important is the commitment I have with the Nigerian people. I will soon invite the Minister of Agriculture; we have over 7,000 hectares of land in Ugwueke, the next village. Many tractors are there, we want to start cultivating cassava, okro and others for export. I wanted to do the ground-breaking but I don’t want to bring the President for a groundbreaking when he is preparing for election. God willing, he will win and I will invite him and the minister after the election. How do you see the war against graft by the government? I am not in the government and I never support corruption. I have always in my life condemned corruption because you cannot take the commonwealth of the people. A man with vision is not supposed to do that. Corruption in Nigeria is even about competition. People should be contented with what they have. Nigerians should leave within their means. The Nigerian currency has been weakened against the dollar. As a businessman, how do you see the development? The managers of the economy are working on it and don’t forget it’s something that came suddenly. It is politicians that are putting pressure on the dollar. Politicians are no longer giving their supporters naira but dollars. The pressure of the dollar over naira is too much and the earlier we have this election, the better for us. Our problem is not politics but lack of economic structure. If we build a system, politics will follow. Some people in United States don’t even know

who Obama is. Where we lost it is absence of a functioning database and lack of power. Nigeria’s problem is more economical than political, but because most of our leaders do not understand what governance means, you have to be a total administrator. Do you know in Abia State, we collected the first N1 billion in 2004 November, nobody believes that. But go and match what we did with what we collected, you will see that we performed excellently well. Is Obasanjo a stupid man to have called me Action Governor? He is not stupid. Forget about the fact that I opposed his third term and temporarily opposed his re-election in 2003. In 2003, when he wanted to contest, we told him ‘no, you didn’t do well’. I was the one who told him at a meeting that he didn’t do well and I was supported by some of our colleagues, but some shouted us down. We told him ‘allow it go to the north that you are not sellable.’ That was our problem with him till today. He is a statesman, he should learn how to forgive those who have offended him or people who tell him the truth so that the country can move forward. I like what he is doing now, at least he is not with Jonathan but Tinubu. I know things he had said about Tinubu but now eating and dancing with Tinubu, which is right. That is how politics should be; we cannot be enemies for life. There should not be permanent friend or enemy. Till death, Tinubu remains my friend and I cannot change that. Till death, Buhari remains my friend whether he wins or not, so if tomorrow he becomes president and you see me going to see him, don’t say haaa….Till death, Jonathan is my friend whether he is president or not. I visit President Shehu Shagari in Sokoto, I visit Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar. The only one I don’t see is President Obasanjo, but I have forgiven him, only that he is very vindictive but one day, I will go to his house.

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion

The leaders we need

Leaders et al BIODUN DUROJAIYE biodundurojaiye@gmail.com, Twitter: @itweekonline

elcome to my column. On Thursdays, from today, I’ll be sharing my perspectives and convictions on leadership, our leaders – individually and as a collective – and the rest of us. Leadership is a topic of interest to peoples across the world, given that it is key to the success or otherwise of every team, department, organisation, council, government agency, state and country. It is being taught as a course in several institutions, while countless books have been written on it. It is also the subject of many workshops and training sessions across the globe. Yet, the evidences of leadership failure stare people in the face in countries and organisations across the world. In Nigeria today, the issue of leadership is germane, given that we are going for two rounds of national elections within the next one month. The Presidential and National Assembly elections on March 28, and then Governorship and State Assemblies election on April 11. This means that Nigerians will, during this period, have the opportunity to decide which of our current set of political leaders to retain and which to change. Arguably, this election will be the most keenly contested in the 16 years history of our current democracy. For the first time, the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) looks formidable enough to upstage the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which prides itself as the biggest party in Africa. The campaigns, at the national and states levels,

have been on for months now. But sadly, the information being passed to the voting public by the candidates and their parties, bother more on dragging their opponents in the mud, rather than projecting individual leadership capacities and visions of the candidates. Many people have argued that our political leadership recruitment process is faulty, and does not allow those with the capabilities and vision to transform the country and enhance the lives of the people to emerge. I cannot but agree with them. However, in my opinion, this problem is not peculiar to Nigeria and is also adversely affecting the well-being of nationals of other democratic countries with large percentages of the populace being poor. The tragedy of our situation is that our governance by incompetent and corrupt leaders has led to economic adversity, instead of prosperity, and an uncertain future, instead of a secured one. This leadership incompetence at national and states levels, as well as our long history of military rule before the advent of our current democracy, are also negatively affecting the way many of our private enterprises are being run. Leaders in many of these organisations see themselves as micro versions of our political and past military leaders, and were not adequately prepared for the positions, just like those they model themselves after. I have been a student of leadership for several years now, and I have learnt that a good leader must have some key qualities. The most important of these is Integrity. The others include Competence, Courage, Vision and Ability to inspire the followers. A leader should also put his needs behind those of his troops. Now that we are going for elections, Nigerians can use these qualities to assess the candidates for the various posts – from the Presidency to the members of States Assemblies – as a kind of SWOT analysis and then deciding who to vote for. As an example, between President Goodluck Jonathan and his party, and General Muhammadu Buhari

and the APC, who has the most Integrity? Whose word can we trust the most? Who is less likely to betray our trust? Who is likely to fulfil his promises? All these can be easily ascertained from the past conducts of the candidates and their parties. Then we assess on the basis of Competence. Who amongst the two can deliver on the job specifications of a President? Who of the two can (a) ensure peace and stability (b) foster economic prosperity (get the private sector to be alive and prosperous; and create employment), and (c) secure the future of the present and future generations? The two candidates should also be assessed on the basis of Courage. Who is more courageous? Mind you, courage is not the absence of fear. Rather, it is actually the presence of fear, yet the ability to move ahead, to take the step forward, because it is the right thing to do. Vision is very important. It is the leader’s sense of the future. His/her imagined possibility. One that will help secure the future of the people. And we can glean a candidate’s vision from his/her manifesto, and promises made during electioneering campaign. The vision must however be grounded in reality. Lastly, ability to inspire. This is one area that I think our President Goodluck Jonathan has not done too well. This is the reason the opposition party succeeded in spreading so much hate against him, and this election is not a walk over for him. But I doubt if his challenger, General Muhammadu Buhari would be able to do better. Look at President Barack Obama of the United States, and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, and you will understand what I mean. In my opinion, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State is perceived to have done well, more because he has been able to project confidence, than for any significant transformation. I read somewhere that ‘Every successful leader tries to create a persona that inspires followers’. Whoever emerges as the next President between Jonathan and Buhari will do well to learn and acquire this ability.

Uduaghan: A legacy of transformation Mike Arayuwa Wilkie

r. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan, Governor of Delta State, shall hand-over to a Governor-elect on May 29, 2015 in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Against all odds, he has been able to survive the turbulent political situation of the state when purely viewed from the perspective of court litigations from his political opponent and rival, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and at a time, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) on two different occasions excluding a re-run election against the incumbent Governor of the State. Initially, the Chief also contested against Chief James Onanafe Ibori, only once. He is now the Governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Delta State. Oh the face of these threatening litigations, it became obvious that Uduaghan had serial sleepless nights and days without real official concentration. To think otherwise is to suggest that Ogboru himself did not constitute any threat whatsoever to Uduaghan. Till date, Great has consistently confirmed the fact that he actually won all his Governorship elections but was criminally rigged-out by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). This strong impression of Great is however debatable by stakeholders, political and public analysts, afterall, the courts have pronounced on different occasions

that Ogboru did not win any of the gubernatorial elections in the past. Inspite of these dogged and negative circumstances, Uduaghan still braced the challenges to achieve and leave his foot-prints on the sands of time. At the initial stages, it was a general impression amongst Deltans that Uduaghan was not fully conscious of his status as Governor, how a state should be governed and developed. However, he showcased his programmes of action rather too late. In the educational sector, Uduaghan has upgraded and updated the infrastructural facilities of the various schools right from primary to the Tertiary Institution in the state. Actually all the buildings and premises of the schools’ reflect the standard of the European model. The beauty of the schools has made many parents to withdraw their children and wards from the private to public schools owned by the Government of Delta State. Any doubting Thomas may wish to visit the state for the purpose of authenticity and the verification of this statement of fact. As a Medical Doctor, he took-up the challenges of the Health unit and developed its structures which were either demolished and rebuilt or renovated to high tastes even to the admiration of his sworn critics. Uduaghan also decided to do away with ancient and archaic hospital equipment and replaced them with the modern ones. Such modernity in State Hospitals is easily visible in General Hospitals to

the smaller health departments. Of note are the pregnant women who are already due for labour, and take advantage of the lifts to the delivery wards for further actions leading to the biological processes of child birth. This aspect, no doubt, has tended to eradicate all forms of bureaucratic delays in the Health Institutions. Apart from the fact that government is always involved in the maintenance of the major and feeder roads, it has also constructed other roads linking the rural and urban areas of the state. This has made transportation much easier to move foodstuffs and other commercial activities to the cities for sales and marketing. Ditto, the state’s transportation system. The Governor introduced a massive transportation agenda in the state. It has obviously reduced the cost of transportation for commuters and for persons who intend to hire such buses for social events such as marriages, obituaries, church activities and during festive period. It is also evident that the governor has performed creditably well in his deliberate attempt to empower Deltans through the co-operative societies. Some citizens of the state are beneficiaries. The negative side of the empowerment is that the co-operators may not be able to repay or pay back the amount which they collected from the State Government. The beneficiaries have simply concluded that the money from the Government so loaned is their share of the National cake and therefore not refundable. Their

opinion is certainly the height of gross irresponsibility and contempt for gratitude. Other achievements of the Governor are Legion. Let me state without any iota of contradiction that the acidic critic of Uduaghan refuses to give any credit to his achievements and legacies. The fallacy of such impression can be seen from his conclusion that the Governor did not perform at all. To some others, Uduaghan seems to be the most hated politician in the state even as a sitting governor. The major reason as adduced by the haters of the governor stems from his inability to spread the “State’s cake” around his PDP followers. They further stressed that he did not behave like Ibori who opened the state treasury for the benefit of his supporters and party’s faithful. In conclusion, the political class is actually annoyed because he is alleged to have locked-up the state’s treasury and that he threw away the key into the deep Escravos River. However, the question is: will his followers want the governor to go to jail just like his cousin, Ibori, erstwhile Governor of Delta State? The fact that Ibori is confined to a London prison through the required due process is not an indication that he did nothing to develop the state. Consequently, I must stress with all the emphasis at my disposal that he was the famed architect of the development of the state. The neocolonial masters who jailed him may have had some other reasons to do so. • Wilkie can be reached at pmikky1950@yahoo.com (08023097251)

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More links from Lagos to Abuja

ne salient issue that should bother Nigerians is the absence of direct links to Abuja by rail or road in a season full of expectations as we go to the poll in the next couple of days. As expected, there are lots of activities going on in the country’s two major towns, that efforts must be geared towards bringing them closer beyond the air routes. Before Abuja emerged as a Federal Capital Terrritory, Lagos played the dual role of Business and Political headquarters. The corporate world, bureaucracy and trade mingled, giving citizens and the international community less stress and strain. A trip to coastal Lagos was as good as killing four birds with one stone. It is a different story today. The move to a central location has not really connected the two important cities, in more ways than one. Beyond travelling by air, connecting Abuja from Lagos is more of a nightmare than a jolly ride. On a good day, it takes about 55 minutes to land in Abuja from Lagos. For frequent fliers, It is possible to make as many round trips in a day as they wish. The only obstacle might just be normal turbulent clouds and occasional flight delays.

A road trip is more than a nightmare. There is no direct road link from Lagos to Abuja. What it means is that a distance of 732 Kilometres could actually take two days to achieve A road trip is more than a nightmare. There is no direct road link from Lagos to Abuja. What it means is that a distance of 732 Kilometres could actually take two days to achieve. The delay comes for obvious reasons. A traveler has to endure the exasperating experience of a merry-go- round adopted by drivers in the absence of a clear cut straight connection. There are several disjointed routes that will eventually end the trip in Abuja. Maybe, LagosBenin-Auchi-Okene-Lokoja –Abuja Route, or Lagos- AkureOwo-Ibilo-Okene-Lokoja-Abuja alternative. Again, there is Lagos-Ilorin- Jebba-Bida- Minna –Abuja. There is no guarantee that these trips would end as planned. Another Route takes the trav-

eler from Lagos to Ibadan in Oyo state. Then the vehicle passes through Osun before snaking all over the long stretch of Ekiti hamlets, villages and towns, bursting out in Kabba. The journey veers into other parts of Kogi state before a direct trip to Abuja. If these roads were in the best of shapes, there would be little to complain about. Some of the roads are so bad that commuters have been forced to spend more time on the vehicles than they should. Many have also been forced to part with higher fares because vehicles break down, leaving them stranded, at times, in the middle of nowhere. There is no rail link at all, so that option is ruled out. And because of Abuja’s location, it would be shorter than say, a trip to other parts of the far North. Until recently, the rail lines in the country were abandoned by previous governments. In some old stations and tracks, artisans and traders turned them to ware houses and markets. It may be safe to say, the air route is working, faster and possibly safer. But there are people who do not feel comfortable in the air. It does not have to do with the pocket. It is just their nature. And they never bargained for a road trip that will last all day long.

There is also this category of people who do not have enough cash to fly but also abhor spending all their time on the road, for no fault of theirs. It is a sorry situation that calls for attention. In 2009, former governor of Abia state ,Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu could not hide his frustration when he made an assessment trip to Abuja from Lagos. He said,”travelling by road from Lagos to Abuja takes as much time as flying from Lagos to Sydney Australia. It is sad there is no direct road or rail link from the commercial nerve of our nation to the political hub.” With a population of about 21 million inhabitants, it is expected that Lagos would always have need for Abuja’s attention and vice versa. Not connecting these two cities in different ways will surely have its effect on government and the people. Now that campaigns are petering to an end, we do hope that the Presidential candidates will put this in their working plan, yes ,their action plan because it really calls for emergency attention. Lagos to Atafu, Tokelau is a distance of about 19,518 kilometres. It could take two days through direct flight. And that is what it takes most Nigerians to get to Lagos from Abuja. Government must keep the two mega cities closer.

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20 Politics CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

on are perfectly capable of ensuring that the election goes well. You and General Abdulsalami were envoys to South Sudan. What is the current situation of the conflict in South Sudan? Well, we remain as envoys of the African Union to deal with the challenges of the Republic of Sudan; to deal with the relationship between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan. With regards to the conflict in South Sudan, we agreed with the region of East Africa through

THURSDAY, march 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Mbeki: Nigerians’ll decide Jonathan’s fate their own organisation, they call EGAT, that they must deal with the matter of ending the war in South Sudan. So, they are dealing with that issue. Our own mandate, once they can sort out that problem, we also have a mandate on South Sudan which has got to do with democratisation, reconciliation and so on. So, we will continue to deal with the relationship between

Sudan and South Sudan while we leave the regional body to deal with the other issues. Terrorism is becoming a huge problem in Africa. We have Al Shabab in Somalia and Kenya while we have Boko Haram in Nigeria. How do you think Africa can tackle this challenge effectively? Well, I think it’s important to understand

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

that this is not a problem where you say that one size fits all. We must deal

with the specifics of each issue. We got to deal with the specifics of Boko Haram and we’ve got to deal with the specifics of Al Shabab. So, there would not be one answer to the question that you are asking me. But it is clear that the response here in Nigeria has been commendable. The countries of the Lake Chad Basin have realised that Boko Haram poses a common

security threat and so they have responded by deploying a joint multinational force. That is correct. But it is also correct to say that there is a longer term challenge. It is a challenge of development so you can’t just say: “we’ve defeated them and so that’s the end of the story.” Yes, you got to defeat them, then you got to go further to address the fundamental issues of socio- economic development. The issue of Al Shabab is different from what is happening here. President Jonathan has done so much for Nigeria in his first tenure but it seems the opposition wants to muzzle him out of office at all costs. Is this the way it should be? Is this the best way to reward a hardworking leader in Africa? (Laughs) You are asking me to do something which I’m not going to do. You are asking me to comment about Nigerian politics. I’m not going to do that. Our task is really to support the Nigerian people as a whole; to make sure that the democratic elections that are coming are successful. The Nigerian people will decide if Jonathan is their best leader. It is not for the rest of us in other African countries to decide. Your tenure as President of South Africa saw the transformation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to African Union (AU) and the coming of the New Partnership for Africa Development ( NEPAD). Now several years down the line, would say that these institutions have lived up to expectation? We’ve got many challenges with regards to both but fortunately the continent remains very firmly committed to both of them. I think that there is always work going on to implement the programmes in NEPAD. There is also work that is going on to strengthen the African Union. For instance, at the last summit of the AU, the Heads of State and Government were discussing additional ways of generating finds to finance the activities of the Union because this has been part of the problem. We have not had enough resources to fund the programmes which the African Union wants to carry out. So, they are looking at alternative ways of raising money. I am saying that the good thing is that the continent remains committed both to the success of the African Union and the implementation of the NEPAD programmes.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, march 19, 2015

Interview

Jurist

Sofola: Use of soldiers for elections desirable

Hon: Why we must resist FG’s under-funding of judiciary

25&26

Law Days after Section 138 and the 5th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) came into the front burner on whether a public office holder could go into farming or acquire land for farming, lawyers were yesterday unanimous that no law prohibits any Nigerian or public office holders from farming. TUNDE OYESINA and AKEEM NAFIU report

Oyetibo, Ahamba, Kalu: President, public officers fit to acquire land

awyers were unanimous that Section 138 and the 5th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) do not prohibit any public office holders or Nigerians from farming or acquiring land for the purpose of agriculture. Some weeks ago, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was accused of incorporating a company, Ebele Integrated Farms Limited in which he remains a major shareholder. Specifically, the President under Ebele Integrated Farms Limited allegedly applied for and was granted 94.04 hectare plot of land, 1689 in Cadastral Zone EOS Aviation Village, Abuja on January 13, 2014. This, however sparked of on unending controvercy over President Jonathan’s power to acquire land while still in office. While some argue that it was an abuse of power, others believe it is still within the confine of the President’s power. Can Mr. President or any public office holder acquire land for the purpose of farming under the Fifth Schedule Part 1(Code of Conduct for Public Officers) of the 1999 Constitu-

FOLUSO OGUNMODEDE JUDICIARY Editor

foluso.ogunmodede@ newtelegraphonline.com

Oyetibo

tion? Lawyers say yes, insisting that no laws prohibit the President or any public office holders from acquiring land for the purpose of farming except of such proceeds were from corrupt practices. Fifth Schedule, Part 1, 1 and 2 (b) of the 1999 Constitution says: A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing paragraph, a public officer shall not; except where he is not employed on full time basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession or trade but nothing in this sub-paragraph shall prevent a public officer from engaging in farming The Schedule, according to lawyers empowers Mr. President or any other public office holders to acquire land for personal use especially to engage in farming as long as he was not engaging in any economic activity. A public officeholder will only contradict the provisions of the Constitution only if the acquisition of the land was not used for farming, one of them said. For instance, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria said

Ahamba

The law allows public officers to engage in farming

there was no known law which barred any public office holders from acquiring land for farming. Oyetibo said: “The law allows public officers to engage in farming; it is one of the exceptions as long as he is not engaging in economic activity. So, if a public officer acquires land with a view to engaging in farming that will probably come within the purview of a constitutional provision. But the real issue is that if the land is not used for farming, then it will be contrary to the provisions of the Constitution. It does not violate the Constitution as long as it is being used for such activities as farming”. Oyetibo was echoed by another Senior Advocate, Chief Mike Ahamba, who said there was no constitutional provision barring any public officeholders from acquiring land for farming especially when the Land Use Act empowers any citizens from acquiring property in any part of the country of their choice. Accordingly, Ahamba said since such purpose was for farming, acquiring land while in office could be considered as a breach of the Constitution. He said:” Nothing in the Constitution stops anybody including the President from acquiring property while in office as long

as such is not proceeds of corruption”. To Chief Awa Kalu, a Senior Advocate said although the Constitution prohibits Public Office holder from carrying out private business while in office, farming was an exception. Kalu: “No public office holder is expected while in office to engage in any private business except for agriculture. This is only an engagement outside the public or official duty which the Constitution permits a public office holder to practice. “If the President acquires land for agriculture, then he is covered by the Constitution. There is no type of agriculture one cannot go into in the African context that land will not be needed. “The implication is that, even public office holders can go into farming. Suffice to say that if the President has acquired a landed property for the sole purpose of farming, he has not run contrary to the provisions of the Constitution”. Chairman of Public Procurement Practitioners, Wahab Olatoye said, “as the chief executive of the Federal Government, if the purpose of acquiring the CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

22 Law CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

land is for farming, it is not out of place. But of course, the farming will not be on a full time basis as that will conflict with national interest. “Land Use decree provides that all Nigerians are entitled to acquire property in any part of the country and the President is not an exception. He is also a Nigerian and entitled to own a property anywhere. It is a personal emolument. “Do we now say that the President should not collect salary? Acquisition of land by the President for farming is not out place. There is no contravention of law. It is not contrary to moral principle as long as proper process is followed”. Norrison Ibinabo Quakers, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria believes a public officer could be barred from abusing his office or acquiring land only if such land was not acquired for farming purposes. He said: “I think that is where the President appears to be covered. But, if you take it a step further, the provisions of the Code of Conduct provides that a situation where the President performance of his duties is in conflict with his personal interests, he is discouraged from taking such steps. In order words, any step that would confer benefits on him in furthering the use of his office is prohibited. “So, for me, to acquire a parcel of land for agricultural or farming purpose while still sitting in government, will create some sort of conflicts. This is because there is a conflict of personal interest as against the performance of official duties, in the sense that you have an agrarian policy to grow agriculture and if you acquire a parcel of land for agricultural purpose, is it not possible that you divert government machinery to advancing your cause while you are still sitting as a public officer? So, I say categorically that it is wrong and even though there seems to be some justifications that it was acquired for public purpose. “If you have a holistic overview of the Constitution, what the President has also done can be seen to be unconstitutional because it confers personal benefit on him as against the provisions of the Code of Conduct which says where any acquisition of any property while in office will conflict with your personal interest, you are prohibited or barred from going ahead. “On insinuations that the President might have purchased the land with his personal money, the questions are; will there be fair competition? How much is his income? Can he get a fair price for it? Will he buy it at the prevailing market rate knowing that he is the incumbent President? Is it not possible that certain things will be brought low or compromised because he is the incumbent? These are some of the questions that beg for answers. In fact, if you take it a step further as far as I am concerned, what you then now find is, can you as a sitting President incorporate a company while you are still sitting as President to acquire a parcel of land? Is that not an infraction of the Constitution?’’. Mr. Wahab Shittu, a University of Lagos law teacher said “a pub-

THURSDAY, march 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Lawyers defend Jonathan’s right to acquire land

Kalu

Wahab Shittu

Toye

Quakers

lic officer is entitled to engage in farming but not in any other activity outside farming”. He went on: “It then depends on whether or not the land acquired is indeed being utilised for farming. However, this is the era of politics and politicisation and so anything goes. But, what is important is the source of the funding. If it can be established that the funds applied for the project was derived from illegal acquisition arising from a public office, then, the origin of the fund or the funding will now be a subject of criminality and not the activity’’. Also a senior lawyer, Jelili Adeleke said “in the scenario at hand, two issues are to be dissected. The first one is the issue of acquiring landed property, while the second one is the issue of going to farming. “To start with the first issue

A public officer is entitled to engage in farming

which is the acquisition of the landed property, to my mind, as a Nigerian, Mr. President has the legal right to acquire property in any part of the country as provided for by the Land Use Act. “You can remember that at the state level, the Governors are the custodians of every land in the state. The same is replicated at the Federal level. “All that needed to be done before anyone including the President will acquire land is that the laid principles must be followed. So, to my mind, it is not illegal for a President to acquire a landed property for any use he chooses provided he follows the laid down rules. “On the second issue of going into farming, the Constitution does not forbid a public office holder from going into it. “Though the Constitution for-

bids public office holders from going into any private business when in office but farming is not inclusive. “For me, I don’t know any legal backing to arrive at the conclusion that the President cannot acquire land for farming”. In her view, Mrs Evelyn Anyasodo said the President had not in anyway committed a crime by acquiring a land for farming. Anyasodo said: “Farming is the only work outside the official administrative work any public office holder can do. “So, if the President has acquired a land for farming, such cannot be regarded as illegal. The only time it becomes a crime is if the entire procedure is linked with corruption. “But if it has no corrupt link, then the President cannot be said to violate the laws of the land”.

Law | Interview

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, march 19, 2015

Sofola: Use of soldiers for elections desirable Olusina Sofola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, in this interview with AKEEM NAFIU, speaks on next week’s general elections, the planned removal of the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, soldiers’ deployment for the 2015 general elections, PDP’s planned prosecution of General Mohammadu Buhari on the 2011 post-election violence and junior police officers’ threat to go on strike over nonpayment of promotional allowances

Sir, what is your take on the controversy trailing Professor Attahiru Jega’s chairmanship of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)? I mean, does the President have the constitutional powers to remove him? I as a person I do not like to react on speculations. As it is, there have been a lot of speculations as to whether he is going to or he is not going to. The President has said he is not going to remove Jega but I guess the question is, does he has the constitutional right to remove him? To the best of my ability, he does not have the constitutional right to remove him. He is not a civil servant. He is a political office holder that was appointed for a fixed term. At the expiration of his term, his tenure can be renewed or in the alternative it may be decided that he should go. But, be that as it may, it does not mean that if he was found out to be guilty of improper acts, he cannot be removed. When he was going to be appointed, it was done subject to the approval of the National Assembly. So, if the President wants to remove him, he has to send a recommendation to the house for its approval. Obviously, he will then give reasons why he wants to remove him for the house to consider it. So, we wait and see However, I will like to clarify one thing. Though I am not a politician and I do not believe in speculations but in facts. If you look at the facts in relation to the postponement of the elections, it was not the government that postponed the elections. It was INEC that postponed it and the electoral body also gave the reasons why the elections were postponed. It seems to me that INEC felt they were ready to go ahead with the elections but to be fair on the Chairman of INEC and based on the stories we read in papers, it seems the security operatives said they were not in a position to provide security for even the INEC staff and it was for that reason that INEC decided to shift the dates of the elections. Whether that is a direct acts of the government is unclear. I will like to believe that security agencies are matured enough to do their jobs. They are professionals and they should be in a better position to determine what should or should not be done or what they can or cannot do. The President has made it clear from the beginning and I want to agree with him on the statement that

Sofola

no person’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. I hope all other politicians will follow this statement and have it at the back of their minds. Sir, there has been lots of arguments for and against the deployment of the military for the general elections. What is your take on this issue? The court has made a pronouncement on the use of military during elections to the extent that the military has no business in elections. I have always felt that in recent years, we have seen too much of the military and that they should remain in the barracks. They should be seen only in very exceptional circumstances. Of course, these soldiers are human beings like you and I. They will live like everybody else. But, despite all these, they should not be seen too often outside carrying guns around. Be that as it may, Nigeria is in a peculiar situation. I guess the biggest problem we have is getting that balance right. If it was purely just to maintain peace and order when the police felt that it is too much of them, then, I might say it is understandable. But, when the military are being used a times to create fear and apprehension among voters and supporters of certain political party, then, that should be strongly discouraged. I think that is what the court considered in its judgement to say that the military should ordinarily play no role in elections. I do not know the exact number of policemen that we have in Nigeria. So, it will be difficult for me to be able to say at this position

There are so much suspicion around now and it is worrisome

whether or not we have enough policemen to police the elections. This is not the first election that we are having in Nigeria. I was listening to the President the other day saying that the truth of the matter is that Boko Haram started in 2009. This means that as at 2011, there was Boko Haram but not as rampant as they are now. I think the most important thing is for the security operatives to play a balancing role with all honesty and fear of God during the elections. I remember for example, when there was going to be an election in Edo State, there were a lot of talk about the use of military. Many people were saying they didn’t want military. Some military men, I believe were sent there and the elections to a large extent were supposedly free and fair. Some of the people who had earlier raised apprehension as to the deployment of the military for the election at the end of the day were saying it was not bad after all. So, it’s all about playing a balancing act. The problem we have is that there are so much suspicion around now and it is worrisome. So, I will only support the deployment of military for elections to the extent that they were only there to provide security. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened to prosecute the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari over the 2011 post-election violence. What is your take on this sir? To start with, I guess in law, we have to start by saying it the way it is. The last election was four

years ago and to a large extent, there is nothing that stops the prosecution of a person now, if for example, it is only now that they manage to get the evidence and facts that they need. There is no limitation of time to prosecute somebody for a criminal offence. But, be that as it may, it doesn’t smell nice of the timing considering that the general elections are very close and that the person involved is the main opposition candidate to the government of the day. So, to that extent, I don’t think that this will be an ideal time to say you want to prosecute him. The other issue will be, what is the evidence they actually have? Part of the problems that I have seen several times is that these agencies bring an accused person to court to create funfare and at the end of the day, they don’t really have solid evidence in prosecuting people. This is wrong. I don’t think a person should be arraigned with funfare just for the sake of arraignment when there are no evidence to prosecute him. So, the question is, what is the evidence that they have against this man? Are they just finding the evidence now? And of course, we have to juxtapose this with the fact that the fellow is the candidate of a major opposition party and what his prosecution now will suggest to the common man? I as a lawyer may be able to think legally but it may not be so with the common man on the street that an election took place four years ago and you now want to prosecute the major opposition candidate for it. To that extent, I think the government needs to be careful.

Law | News

THURSDAY, march 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Court hears N58bn suit against CBN, AMCON, others March 31 rift

BankPHB shareholders battle CBN over transfer of shares to Keystone Bank Akeem Nafiu

ustice Mohammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court in Lagos will on March 31, commence hearing in a N58 billion suit slammed on the nation’s apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and three others by some shareholders

of the defunct Bank PHB Plc. over alleged illegal transfer of their shares to Keystone Bank without compensation. The judge fixed the date after dismissing the preliminary objections filed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and other defendants against the suit. Apart from CBN and AMCON, other defendants in the suit are; Keystone Bank, Attorney-General of the Federation and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC). The defendants had filed a notice of preliminary objections to the suit, urging the court to strike it out for lack of

jurisdiction. Arguing the objection, CBN’s lawyer, Kola Awodein (SAN), described the plaintiffs’ action as incompetent and improperly initiated. However, in his ruling on the objection, Justice Yunusa held that as shareholders, the plaintiffs had a say in the bank as no arm of government could take away a citizen’s right to acquire or hold property. The court while holding that there could be no compulsory acquisition of the shares said that the plaintiffs were right to exercise their right to sue. “Section 114 of the Companies and allied Matters Act provides for

the rights and liabilities attached to the shares of a company. In essence, a shareholder has a legal right to approach the court and Section 610 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act gives the Federal High Court jurisdiction to hear such matters,” the judge said. Besides, Justice Yunusa said that the plaintiffs had the locus standi to institute the action and seek redress pursuant to Section 46 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, and that the court had the exclusive jurisdiction relating to the agencies who are the defendants. He said: “The mode of commencement is not material and by vir-

APC seeks court’s nod to join UPN, INEC’s suit Akeem Nafiu

he All Progressives Congress (APC) has sought the court’s permission to join as a co-defendant in a suit filed by the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Lagos. UPN had filed the suit seeking an order of the court to compel INEC to list its presidential candidate and other candidates for the March 28 and April 11 general elections. Hearing of the motion on notice filed by the UPN against INEC was stalled on Tuesday following the appearance of the APC’s team of lawyers including Mr. Kola Awodein (SAN), Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) and Mrs Funke Aboyade (SAN) in the court with a motion for joinder. APC in the motion expressed its fears that as a major political party in Nigeria, any decision in the matter may affect its interest in the matter should it stand aloof. During Tuesday’s proceedings, INEC through its lawyer, Jesinta Kelechukwu, disclosed that the commission had nothing against APC’s motion to join the suit as it

Clement James Calabar

onths after several delays, a Federal High Court sitting in Calabar has fixed March 24 for definite hearing in a N20bn suit initiated against the Federal Government over the dredging of Calabar. The court fixed the date to enable the plaintiff to

was within the liberty of the party to do so. However, UPN’s lawyer, Akinwale Ekunusi, opposed the motion saying the issue was strictly between his client and the INEC. Justice Abang, in a short ruling, held that the APC’s application would be determined first before the main suit was heard. He said: “It is my view that time is of essence and the matter is hereby adjourned to March 20, 2015 for hearing of the APC’s application.” UPN’s presidential candidate, Helen Godswill, had filed the suit alongside other candidates of the party over the non-publication of their names as candidates for the forthcoming general elections. Godswill accused INEC of failing to publish her name and those of others as required by Section 34 of the Electoral Act. The UPN Presidential candidate personally deposed to an affidavit in support of the suit wherein she recalled that despite the fact that INEC monitored the primary elections conducted by the party to select candidates for various elective positions, the Commission nonetheless failed to publish their names

tue of Order 3 Rule 1 of the Fundamental Human Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules, 2009 there is no limitation on the time to bring a fundamental human rights matter. Also, there is no requirement of compliance with the statutory pre-action notices when it involves fundamental human rights issues”. The plaintiffs are demanding N38.6billion from the defendants being “fair compensation” to them for the value of their investment in Bank PHB Plc. They are also asking for an order setting aside the alleged unlawful nationalisation, compulsory acquisition and expropriation of their in-

Man remanded in prison for importing marijuana Akeem Nafiu

Auta

for the election, thereby disqualifying UPN candidates from participating in the forthcoming general elections. The other applicants in the suit, who emerged as UPN candidates for elections into Federal House of Representatives and States House of Assembly are: Adewale Arogundade, Ganiyat Durowoju Folawewo, Taofeek Adedoyin Adeniyi, Augustine Olatunde Omilabu, Henry Ayoola Abimbola, Olufemi Ajayi Gregory, Towobola Adeola Adebowale, Eberechukwu Orehewere and Ekeata Lydia Onwordi. Others are Chukwuma Chrithopher Egbukichi, Samuel Ayodeji Ajaka, Ganiyat Olabisi Agboola, Ramota Afolashade Raji, Ramon Oreoluwa Ajanosi and Hakeem Kehinde Olaribigbe.

or a physically-challenged middle-aged man, Ukpabi Favour, life of crime may keep him perpetually behind bars. Reason: His admission for importing contraband substance from the neighbouring Ghana has landed him in court just as Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered that he should be remanded in prison custody. Favour was allegedly arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for importing Indian hemp. His arraignment however followed as the agency slammed him with a onecount charge of importing 6.9 kilogrammes of the contraband substance into the country from Ghana. The accused person was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a onecount charge of importing 6.9 kilogrammes of the contraband substance into the country from Ghana. According to the agency, Favour was arrested on September 28, 2014 at the agency’s checkpoint at Seme Border. The NDLEA lawyer, Aliyu

Hearing begins in Meje, FG’s N20bn suit March 24 serve all the defendants without any hitch with a view to commencing hearing in the matter. Sued alongside the Federal Government are the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and the Minister of Transport. Others are the Nigerian Port Authority, Bureau of Public Procurement and

vestments in Bank PHB. Specifically, they are asking the court to award N20billion in damages for the loss of value of their investments in Bank PHB. The plaintiffs said NDIC on August 5, 2011, wrote Bank PHB’s managing director, informing him that the bank’s assets and liabilities had been transferred to Keystone Bank without any form of adequate compensation to the shareholders. They are therefore praying the court to declare that the action amounted to unlawful compulsory acquisition of their investment and is therefore unconstitutional, arbitrary, null and void.

Calabar Channels Management Ltd. The suit initiated by Reginald Osere of Greenfield on behalf Mr. Sam Meje, is before Justice Obilo Emmanuel. However, when the case came up about a forthnight ago, Meje’s lawyers, Monjok Agom and O. Nwachukwu pleaded with

the court to grant them an order empowering the plaintiff to serve copies of originating process on parties in the matter. Besides, the plaintiff sought for the following reliefs; *an order to grant the plaintiff leave to serve the originating processes in the suit on the 1st to 5th

defendants outside the jurisdiction of the court, and *an order directing that the 6th defendant to be served by substituted means by publishing same on one national newspaper on the grounds that the bailiff of the court could not effect service after multiple trials. While granting the

Abubakar, said, “my Lord, the accused was arrested on or about September 28, 2014 at the NDLEA search ramp checkpoint at the Seme Border, Badagry, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court.” He added that the offence contravenes Section 11 (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. When the one count was read to him, the accused, who had no legal representation, admitted committing the offence. “I am guilty sir; I am guilty; I am guilty sir,” Favour cried, rubbing his palms together in an apparent display of fear before the judge. Consequent upon his guilty plea, Abubakar urged the court to grant him a short adjournment to allow him bring his witness to court for a review of the facts of the case. He also urged the court to order the accused person’s remand in prison custody. Justice Abang while adjourning the matter till May 6, for a review of the case facts ordered the prison remand of the accused person. first prayer, Justice Obilo Emmanuel ordered the lawyers to the plaintiff to serve the 1st to 5th defendants as request but declined to grant the second prayer, saying the court would not grant his request until the court bailiff, John Okon was allowed to exhaust all the avenues to serve the 6th defendant. He however adjourned further hearing in the matter to March 24.

Law | Jurist

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, march 19, 2015

Hon: Why we must resist FG’s under-funding of judiciary He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration. Sebastine Hon speaks on the financial independence of the judiciary, JUSUN strike in some states, role of the Nigerian Bar Association and sundry issues. TUNDE OYESINA met him.

ebastine Hon, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria believes that only a financial independent judiciary can strengthen the nation’s democracy and institute a culture of strict adherence to the rule of law and good governance. This, he said would not only stem bribery and corruption in the third-arm of government but also boost justice administration in the country. Hon gave this verdict while reviewing the non-compliance by some governors on the decision of a Federal High Court which granted financial autonomy to the judiciary. Particularly, the Senior Advocate bemoaned the reluctance by the governors to comply with the judgement, blaming their refusal for the ongoing strike by the Junior Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in some states. Apart from the Federal High Courts, no fewer than 25 of the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are yet to call off the almost three month old industrial action embarked upon by JUSUN members. Hon told New Telegraph this way: “No doubt, financial independence will aid administration of justice. Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court must first of all be commended for being courageous in making those pronouncements, given the weighty constitutional implications it is likely to have on Nigeria and Nigerians. I will quickly extend this commendation to Justice A.R Mohammed, who later made similar pronouncements in the Olisa Agbakoba, SAN suit. “The framers of the Nigerian Constitution did intend to fashion our Constitution after the U.S.A. presidential system, where separation of powers amongst the three arms of government is guaranteed. Under our constitutional framework, therefore, Sections 4, 5 and 6, read together with Chapters V, VI and VII thereof, have solidly established the doctrine of separation of powers and mutual independence of the said three arms of government. “One inherent implication of this constitutional separation is that all such arms are equal and that one should not be made to be inferior to the other. This practice is age-long and has never changed since the theory was promulgated by the French Philosopher, Montesquieu. I will add that the Hon. Justice J.D. Richard, the Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada once identified three components or characteristics, which he considered “fundamental to judicial independence,” namely: security of tenure, financial security or independence and administrative

Hon

independence. He was speaking at the 5th Worldwide Common Law Judiciary Conference in Sydney, Australia. This position remains the best bet for judicial independence; for without financial independence, no one would claim true independence. It is just like Nigeria still permitting Great Britain to control its resources and finances. And let me also state that the imperatives of separation of powers cannot be over-emphasised, as was held by the Supreme Court, in Inakoju vs. Adeleke (2007). In this case, Musdapher, J.S.C., as he then was, held emphatically that the doctrine of separation of powers was enacted by the framers of the Constitution “to guarantee good governance and development.” And I dare say that there cannot be good governance of, and development in, the judicial service sector, if there is no true separation of powers, in this case, by ensuring financial independence of the Judiciary. If the two other arms of government, namely, the Executive and the Legislature, are financially independent, I do not see how the case of the Judiciary would be different. Any attempt to muzzle the Judiciary by subterfuge, aimed at financial emasculation must be resisted by all Nigerians. So, to answer your question, I say with all the strength in me, spiritual and physical, that financial independence of the judiciary

Embarking on a strike action is not one of the ways of enforcing any judgement

will greatly aid the administration of justice in Nigeria. Besides, Hon is backing the judiciary junior staff, saying since they had a constitutional right to protest any injustice done to them, their use of strike to press home their demands is guaranteed under the common law. He said: “The right of an association or a pressure group to embark on a strike action in order to compel response from the government is accepted both under common law jurisprudence as lawful civil disobedience and under our own laws. “For instance, Section 34(1)(c) of the Constitution which guarantees freedom from compulsory or forced labour, is in constitutional jurisprudence equated with the right not to be compelled to work. Also,Section 40 of the Constitution protects associational rights aimed at protecting the interests of members of any given private organisation like the JUSUN. Since they are judiciary staff, they are the ones directly feeling the impact of improper administration of justice, occasioned mainly by refusal of the other arms of government to allow judicial financial independence. Agreed, embarking on a strike action is not one of the ways of enforcing any judgment; but since such action is protected even by the Constitution itself; since the JUSUN has acquired a vested right on this issue; and since they are staff of the

Judiciary, there is nothing wrong in law and in fact if they utilise the instrumentality of non-violent civil disobedience to compel concerned authorities to comply with the judgment of Justice Ademola, which judgment itself has not been overthrown on appeal. On why it has become extremely difficult for the states to comply with the court judgement on financial autonomy, Hon said “it is difficult for the various States to enforce this judgment with respect to Federal Courts and other courts established for the Federation but which exercise State-based jurisdictions. This is because of the long history of wrong interpretation of the relevant constitutional provisions on funding of the Judiciary. He went on: “Section 6 of the Constitution in its subsections (1) and (5) has “established for the Federation” superior courts of record, including State High Courts, Customary Courts of Appeal and Sharia Courts of Appeal. This means that such courts are indeed ‘Federal Courts’ and not State Courts, even though the Constitution has imbued them with jurisdiction over State matters. Consequently, their funding is not supposed to be State Governments’ affair but is exclusively a Federal Government affair. This agrees with the provisions in Section 162(9) of the Constitution, CONTINUED ON PAGE26

26 Law | Jurist

THURSDAY, march 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

‘Lawyer pushes for scrapping of Budget Office’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

which mandatorily requires that any amount of money standing to the credit of the Judiciary in the Federation Account shall be paid directly to the National Judicial Council “for disbursement to the heads of courts established for the Federation and the States under Section 6 of this Constitution.” What clarification on the issue do we need again, when the Constitution, in inter-connecting Section 6 with Section 162(9), has spoken in

such crystal clear and unequivocal terms? In addition, Section 318(1) of the Constitution, in defining “public service of the Federation,” has included therein the heads and other Judges of these courts, which have long been erroneously deemed State officials, when in truth they are, by Section 84 of the Constitution, under the payroll of the Federal Government. I repeat that it lies only with the Federal authorities, like the NJC, the Federal Attorney-General, the Minister of Finance, etc, to have

this judgment enforced, in terms of Section 162(9) of the Constitution as it affects Federal Courts or courts established for the Federation, which have been named in Section 6(5) of the Constitution. However, since the judgment is, in my humble opinion, in rem, that is, since it binds all other authorities and persons in Nigeria, it must be enforced, with regards to State Courts, by the various State Judicial Service Commissions, the State Attorneys-General and their Commissioners for

Finance, etc. On whose responsibility it is to enforce judgements, he said although there are two categories of judgements, the Constitution empowers the National Judicial Council (NJC), the tenor of the Abuja High Court judgement on judicial autonomy indicated that it was a judgement solely in ‘rem’. Hon said: “In constitutional jurisprudence, we have two types of judgments, a judgment in personam and a judgment in rem. From the tenor of

the judgment of Justice Ademola, the JUSUN judgment on independence of the Judiciary is a judgment

Hon

in rem, as far as Nigeria is concerned. It is, in other words, a

judgment that binds all concerned persons and authorities in Nigeria, for the following reasons: First, the National Judicial Commission, NJC, which under the Constitution is vested with the managing and administering the affairs of the entire Nigerian Judiciary, especially from the superior courts of record established for the States up to the Supreme Court, was a party to that suit. Secondly, constitutional provisions dealing with funding of the Judiciary, especially at such levels, is a federal issue, with a co-opting effect on the states. For instance, Section 6(1) and (5) of the Constitution has established certain courts named “courts established for the Federation;” while, as shown above, Section 162(9) by peremptory injunction requires the NJC to disburse moneys meant for such courts directly to the heads of those courts. If these provisions are read with Sections 84(4) and the Third Schedule to the Constitution, it will be seen clearly that they give the NJC powers over the administrative and financial well-being of courts which ordinarily look like State courts but which have been established ‘for the Federation of Nigeria.’ “These include State High Courts, Customary Courts of Appeal and Sharia Courts of Appeal. In particular, paragraph 21(e) of the said Third Schedule mandates the NJC to “collect, control and disburse all moneys, capital and recurrent, for the judiciary. So, it is the Federal authorities, led by the NJC qua the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation that should champion the cause of enforcing this judgment. I did say in that 2009 paper that the NJC should annually originate budgetary proposals and send them, as the head of the Judiciary arm of government to the President for onward relay to the National Assembly pursuant to Sections 58 and 59 of the Constitution.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

27 Health Living

Artificial nails, risk factor for fungal infection

Health

Health News

Study: Diet soda increases cardiovascular diseases risk

Nature Power

Healing with colours

Cardiac relief for patients Appolonia Adeyemi

on communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, are not passed from person to person but are of long duration and generally of slow progression. Cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic kidney diseases and diabetes are among NCDs that are afflicting global populations including Nigerians. IN 2012, the World Health Organisation (WHO, reported that NCDs, notably cardiovascular diseases have attained epidemic proportions particularly in developing countries including Nigeria. The same thing is applicable to chronic kidney diseases. Recently, during the 2015 World Kidney Day celebration, last Thursday, President of the Nigerian Association of Nephrology (NAS), Dr. Ebun Bamgboye said over 50,000 Nigerians die annually of kidney failure, attributing the preventable deaths to lack of financial resources to access care, dearth of treatment facilities across the nation and shortage of skilled personnel. According to Bamgboye who is also a clinical director at the St. Nicholas Hospital in Lagos, out of the 50,000 patients who require life-saving dialysis annually only 2,000 are dialysed. Seventy-five dialysis centres only which are limited, are operational in the whole country. It is shortage of facilities to tackle kidney failure and cardiovascular diseases and availability of limited skilled personnel that make the establishment of Lagos Cardiac and Renal Centre, an annex of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Gbagada relevant.

Appolonia Adeyemi appolonia.adeyemi@newtelegraphonline.com

A woman undergoing dialysis

L-R: Permanent Secretary in Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Modele Osunkiyesi; Idris; Awosika; and Director, Clinical Services, LASUTH, Dr. Ayodele Adedokun during an interactive session in Lagos recently.

According to the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, the idea behind the over N50 billion 67-bed facility stem from the need to stop the spate of medical trips abroad as well as build local capacity especially for ailments that should be treated locally but where expertise and facilities are not available to manage them. Furthermore, Idris disclosed that 10 percent of the services at the centre which became fully operational yesterday, will be free of charge especially for indigent patients. “As at

Ten percent of the services at the centre will be free of charge especially for indigent patients

this point in time, LASUTH has about 60 patients who need open heart surgery but cannot afford it. These children may be the initial beneficiaries of the 10 percent services. Speaking further he said government embarked on this course to create capability to handle cardiac and renal cases including their detection, investigations, treatment and management. “The facility is designed to handle heart and kidney related diseases and also offers out-patient services, diag-

nostic services, ultrasound, CT scan, echo cardiography, stress electrocardiography, laboratory services, fluoroscopy, ocular investigation for complications from hypertension, diabetes and renal conditions.” Other services are haemodialysis for acute and chronic kidney diseases with 24 dialysis machine, admission for all cardiac conditions that requires hospital stay, critical care in intensive care unit (ICU) and high dependency wards, cardiac catherisation, non invasive cardiology, open heart surgery, renal surgery, nursing and diabetic services, rehabilitation services and corporate wellness program.” He said, “Ministry of Health considers it appropriate and timely to have a befitting cardiac and renal centre due to the increasing number of patients presenting with end- stage renal failure and coronary heart diseases. “The lack of a purpose built renal specialist centre, the periodic nature of the cardiac and renal missions which has limited the number of beneficiaries and the need to conserve the financial resources currently being expended in the management of patients with renal and cardiac diseases in foreign countries are key reasons for building the facility.” Idris noted that cardiac and renal disease constitute a growing health burden globally and stressed that the total number of cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease deaths had increased globally to a worrisome state in the health sector especially in Lagos and Nigeria which require efforts of stakeholders in State health system to address. The Commissioner explained that the cardiac and renal centre building project started in 2008 when the award was made to Messr Deaux Project Limited and stressed that the facility which was also equipped by the company will be managed privately through a five year operation and management concession by a suitably qualified competent consortium of medical professionals. The concession is renewable for another five years term subject to satisfactory perforCONTINUED ON PAGE 29

Health News

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

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

Artificial nails, risk factor for fungal infection

Regular drinking of soda impacts waist size

Study: Diet soda increases cardiovascular diseases risk

new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that increasing diet soda intake is directly linked to greater abdominal obesity in adults 65 years of age and older. The findings raise concerns about the safety of chronic diet soda consumption, which may increase belly fat and contribute to greater risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. Metabolic syndrome--a combination of risk factors that may lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke--is one of the results of the obesity epidemic. In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 1.9 billion adults were overweight (body mass index [BMI] of 25 or more) in 2014. Of this group, 600 million people fell into the obese range (BMI of 30 or more)--a figure that has more than doubled since 1980. In an effort to combat obesity, many adults try to reduce sugar intake by turning to nonnutritive or artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, saccharin, or sucralose. Previous research shows that in the past 30 years, artificial sweeteners and diet soda intake have increased, yet the prevalence of obesity has also seen a dramatic increase in the same time period. Many of the studies exploring diet soda consumption and cardiometabolic diseases have focused on middleaged and younger adults. “Our study seeks to fill the age gap by exploring the adverse health effects of diet soda intake in individuals 65 years of age and older,” explains lead author Sharon Fowler, MPH, from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. “The burden

of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, along with healthcare costs, is great in the ever-increasing senior population.” The San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging (SALSA) enrolled 749 Mexican- and European-Americans who were aged 65 and older at the start of the study (1992-96). Diet soda intake, waist circumference, height, and weight were measured at study onset, and at three follow-ups. In 2000-01, 2001-03, and 2003-04, for a total of 9.4 follow-up years. At the first follow-up there were 474 (79.1 percent) surviving participants; there were 413 (73.4 percent) at the second follow-up and 375 (71.0 percent) at the third follow-up. Findings indicate that the increase in waist circumference among diet soda drinkers, per follow-up interval, was almost triple that among non-users: 2.11 cm versus 0.77 cm, respectively. After adjustment for multiple potential confounders, interval waist circumference increases were 0.77 cm for non-users, 1.76 cm for occasional users, and 3.04 cm for daily users. This translates to waist circumference increases of 0.80 inches for nonusers, 1.83 inches for occasional users, and 3.16 inches for daily users over the total 9.4-year SALSA follow-up period. “The SALSA study shows that increasing diet soda intake was associated with escalating abdominal obesity, which may increase cardiometabolic risk in older adults,” Fowler concludes. The authors recommend that older individuals who drink diet soda daily, particularly those at high cardiometabolic risk, should try to curb their consumption of artificially sweetened drinks.

nychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nails that causes discolouration of the nails, thickening and separation from the nail bed. This health condition occurs in 10 percent of the general population but more in the elderly. Its increased incidence in the elderly is related to decreased blood circulation and more chronic diseases found in the elderly. Onychomycosis also develops more in people with diabetes. It affects toenails more than finger nails primarily because of the reduced blood supply to the toe nails, slower growth, frequent confinement in shoes (dark moist environment , with minimal air). It may also happen in persons with distorted nails, history of nail trauma, genetic disposition, smokers and people that share bathing facilities (through person to person transmission—swimming pools, locker rooms, those that play competitive sports, and recently it is becoming more frequent in ladies with artificial nails and immunodeficiency patients such as HIV infected persons. TYPES: There are five to six different types and their severity of infection differs and affects duration of treatment. The most common are the Distal type which affects the distal/tip) of the nails and spreads into the nail beds/ plate, giving a yellowish or brown discoloration. It can be acquired through a break in the skin; Superficial type; appears as white but sometimes in black powdery patches forming a straight line across the nail. Others are the proximal type and the total dystrophic that affects the total nail plate, associated with long term infection that thickens the nail and ultimately destroys the nail structure Onychomycosis is caused by many organisms, but most commonly fungai. Of all the types of fungi, candidia type affects the fingernails more and the trichophyton affects the toe nails more. Signs Symptoms of onychomycosis are nail plate changes including discolouration (white or yellow) and opaque looking nails (white cloud). Diagnosis Only 50 percent of nail problems are caused by fungus but accurate diagnosis is crucial for a successful treatment. Apart from clinical changes in the nails, samples of nail clipping after proper washing with isopro-

Nails afflicted with fungal infection

pyl alcohol are necessary. They are also tested with KOH and viewed under a microscope. This is very important because different medications treat the many different types of fungal infection and if the right type of fungus is not detected, treatment might be in futility and for those that wear artificial nails, an absence of minimum of two years of no artificial nails to allow for a new nail plate to grow may be difficult for most fashion conscious ladies. Management Keep feet dry. Also, wear cotton socks and change two to three times daily. In addition, wear shoes that are breathable. Wear foot protection for shared showers and treat simple foot infection. Furthermore, when getting a pedicure, make sure fresh water is used each time and look out for reused water in the basin. Medications Onchomycosis is very difficult to treat because it is systemic (in the blood stream). So, it will require a long term oral antifungal medication. Cure rate depends on the type and the medications involved. Most antifungal medications affects the liver. So, after three months of treatment, lever enyzmes level needs to be checked. The minimal duration for fingernail infections is daily medication for six weeks while that of toenails are for 12 weeks. Lamisil by mouth is considered the most effective medication.

Health Interview 29

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Appolonia Adeyemi

eading global oral care expert, Colgate Palmolive has announced plans to eradicate tooth decay especially in children by 2026. Marketing Director of Colgate Palmolive Nigeria, Mrs. Hannah Oyebanjo who unveiled this plan also said even before Colgate started selling products in Nigeria, it has partnered with the global initiative called Alliance for Cavity Free Future (ACFF) with a view to eradicate tooth decay. She spoke at the launch of Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection Plus Sugar Acid Neutraliser toothpaste in Lagos recently. Tooth decay also known as caries or dental cavities is the breakdown of teeth due to the activities of bacteria. Worldwide, approximately 2.43 billion people (36 percent of the population) have dental caries in their permanent teeth. The World Health Organisations (WHO) estimates that nearly all adults have dental caries at some point in time. To address tooth decaly, Colgate Palmolive apart from introducing Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection Plus Sugar Acid Neutraliser toothpaste to address the challenge also initiated a public education on oral care programme in the country. Oyebanjo said, “The ACFF is a global imitative supported by Colgate. This body focuses on initiatives that ensure cavities are done away with. “They have a vision that children that will be born as from 2016 will not even know what cavity is. We would have been able to overcome caries then,” she stressed. According to her, Colgate is in this initiative to add its voice to educate Nigerians on the basis of oral care and how to achieve as well as sustain it. Describing this as a very big social cause, Oyebanjo said Nigeria is one of the countries where Colgate has launched an ACFF chapter and the president of the Nigerian Dental Association is the president of ACFF in Nigeria. The latest addition to Colgate Nigeria’s product line is specially formulated to offer a new standard of care in preventing cavities and is intended for consumers who are primarily or exclusively interested in deriving the best protection against cavities from their toothpaste. Speaking on the rationale behind Sugar Acid Neutraliser technology, Oyebanjo explained that “Sugar Acid Neutraliser technology actually works biologically by targeting the primary cause of caries, the plaque biofilm, to reduce the effects of acids produced from sugars before they can harm the teeth. Specifically, it promotes the beneficial activity of arginolytic bacteria that convert arginine into ammonia to directly neutralise the “sugar acids” in plaque, creating a healthier environment for the teeth.”

Colgate battles tooth decay with new toothpaste According to Colgate Marketing Director EWA, Mr. Chris Hall at the media unveiling of the technology driven product in Lagos; “Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection plus Sugar Acid Neutraliser toothpaste is a breakthrough in the treatment and prevention of cavities. Hall said the Sugar Acid Neutraliser technology works to create a healthy environment for the teeth by increasing the plaque pH and further preventing demineralisation and promoting remineralisation of the teeth. According to Colgate Professional Manager East and West Africa, Mr Cheslin Twigg, the Sugar Acid Neutraliser technology and Fluoride was designed to help arrest and reverse the caries process by decreasing demineralisation and increasing remineralisation much more effectively than fluoride alone and this results in less cavitation than fluoride alone. While explaining further how the new product works, he said ‘It tackles the cause of caries by targeting acid produced from sugars by bacteria in plaque, in addition to providing the conventional benefits of fluoride.” In contrast, traditional cavity treatments based upon fluoride alone focus solely on treating the symptoms of caries by strengthening the teeth.”

L-R: Oral Care Consultant, Mrs. Oge Mac Johnson; Profession Manager, East/West Africa, Mr. Chestin Twigg; Marketing Director, Mrs. Hannah Oyebanjo and Brand Manager, Mr. Gbadesola Adenrele, all of Colgate Palm Olive Nigeria, during the Media Launch of Maximum Cavity Protection Sugar Acid Neutralizer MCP+SAN Toothpaste by Colgate Palm Olive Nigeria in Lagos

Gbagada Rotaract donates sick bay, first aids to school Shola Adefuwa

he Rotaract Club Gbagada has inaugurated Oke-Ifako Primary School sick bay and first aids at Ifako-Gbagada, Lagos State. President of Rotaract Club, Rachael Akerele, said that the renovation of the sick bay, with donation of first aid materials to the pupils, were part of projects the club is doing. Akerele said the foundation to sound education is to make education affordable and learning easy, especially for pupils. This, she said, informed the decision of Rotaract Club of Gbagada to donate first aid materials. She said: “The aim of the project is to help the pupils promote good health. The Rotary Club has done a lot of

Akerele (backing the library door) commissioning Oke-Ifako Primary School Sick Bay in Lagos recently

projects. “We have distributed clinic materials at the Gbagada General Hospital, mosquito nets and other valuable things to them. We were in Osun State recently and we donated crutches and foodstuffs to the physically-challenged

people.” The head of the school, Mrs Fatimo Mapariwola, who thanked Rotaract Club for the initiative, said that over the years, the club has distinguished itself in philanthropic works.

Lagos cardiac centre and hope for patients CO NTINUED FRO M PAG E 27

mance and mutual agreement of the parties wherein the proponent will provide all the health care services; clinical and non-clinical and total facilities management required for the value-engineering Renal and Cardiac Centre. Over time and in the course of operating this centre, Idris said foreign experts that are part of the management team would transfer skills to local personnel that would be drawn from LASUTH and other secondary care facilities in the state. The managing organisation which will partner with General Electric and

other international agencies will ensure that standards at the centre are up scaled. Explaining why the centre is concessioned , he said government cannot do it alone but noted that all patients going to the centre must be referred to prevent mundane cases getting there to slow down operations On how high cost of drugs for the treatment of chronic kidney diseases would be made affordable at the centre, he said, “we need to design a policy on how to get cheap drugs either by producing them or through other means. Idris also opined that setting up of the facility will help bring back home Nigerian medical specialists referring

to it as a way of ‘brain gain’ to defeat the ‘brain drain’ phenomenon stressing that over the years; quite a number of indigenous medical personnel have left the country for greener pastures outside of the country due to lack of infrastructure and facilities they could exhibit their skills with. He noted that the need to get a suitably qualified competent consortium that has the needed requirement to run the facility prompted the state to opt for a public-private partnership agreement through the office of public-private partnership (PPP), adding that this resulted in the appointment of Renescor Health Limited Liability

Partnership to run and manage the facility. Speaking, the Chief Executive of Renescor Health, the Concessionaire, Dr. Ladi Awosika said the centre is a good beginning to solve cardiac and renal problems in the country. He however regretted that about 10 more facilities are required to finally address cardiac and renal problems. According to him, Renescor Health will partner with producers of relevant drugs required at the centre to reduce cost. On how to sustain quality of care, he said, “without quality we are out of business. That is why we are working with specialists in this area.”

Health News

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Lagos Water Corporation partners private sector to improve services

Water scarcity will be a thing of the past by 2020

‘Sickle cell patients are stigmatised’ Camillus Nnaji

C L-R: Executive Director, Lagos Water Corporation, Engr. Deji Johnson; Managing Director, Lagos Water Corporation, Engr. Shayo Hollowway; and Executive Director, Finance and Adminstration, Diran Akingba at a press conference on the corporation’s public private partnership project, held in Lagos recently PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Appolonia Adeyemi

agos Water Corporation (LWC) has said its partnership with the private sector is geared towards making portable water available for the Lagos population. Managing Director of LWC, Engr. Shayo Holloway said the corporation is partnering with the private sector through Public Private Partnership (PPP) to build more water infrastructure to address current water demand in the state. While debunking rumours making the rounds to the effect that the LWC is privatising its assets, he said, “the Corpora-

tion and Lagos State Government have no plan to divest or sell off the State’s water assets.” On the contrary, he noted that the PPP law of 2004 only seeks to ‘partner’ with the private sector to accelerate development of water infrastructure in the state.” Holloway added that this is not privatisation where assets are sold off to the private sector. According to him, PPP is a veritable strategy for accelerated infrastructure development, using private capital. To address the current water demand and meet the projection of the near future, LWC developed a Water Master Plan to construct additional large

water schemes by 2020. Presently, Holloway said that the total available water assets, even if run at 100 per cent efficiency stood at 210 million gallons per day, leaving a shortfall or deficit of 330 million gallons per day. Holloway said that this Plan would take the state from its current 210 million gallon per day to 745 million gallon per day. He said the plan would involve taking raw water from Rivers and Lagoons for treatment into potable water. The managing director said that it was projected that by 2020 the population of Lagos State would be about 29 million with a water demand of 733 million gallons per day.

oncerned with the plight and the suffering of people living with sickle cell disorder(SCD), the Chairman Dabma Sickle Cell Foundation and National Cocoordinator Health and Longevity, Emmanuel Ibekwe has taken a swipe at employers, teachers and students in schools, family members, as well as politicians who are involved in stigmatisation of sickle cell patients. Ibekwe who spoke in Lagos regretted that politicians have not recognised those in that category, assist and support them while also seeking their votes. “We want to appeal to politicians and the government to incorporate SCD patients during their campaign. We have about five million of them who are eligible voters, but no one is talking about them. What about SCD patients who are living at internally displaced centers? What happens to them when they encounter crisis? We also appeal to employers of labour, teachers, students and family members to please

treat SCD patients with milk of kindness. For instance, if they are qualified for jobs, offer the jobs to them, because they too have a right to live”. The Chairman noted that the disorder requires a National Emergency Intervention like how Ebola was tackled because of the increasing number of people who are transferring the SS gene to others ignorantly. Ibekwe believes a lot would be achieved through mass public enlightenment on genotype compatibility before marriage, adding that his foundation Dabma Sickle Cell Foundation is at the forefront of reaching out to young people to make informed choices before marriage. “We have public enlightenment and awareness programmes in schools, churches and communities. We have written books on ‘Sickle Cell Disorder Early Warning Signals’. “We are presently distributing free video CDs on sickle cell disorder. All these are campaign and advocacy aimed at educating more people on dangers of genotype incompatibility in marriage.”

Healing with colours W

e are all deeply affected by colours more than we realise. Colours can evoke in us memories of events buried in the mind. Seeing a colour can evoke feelings of joy, pain, love, sorrow, belonging and acceptance. Colour is the window to the hidden depths of our complex soul. We all know that there are many aspects of ourselves that are hidden from us. Sometimes we are afraid to look into our soul, for we may not like what we see. olour creatively links us with our inner selves. It re-binds, re-unites and re-creates. Colour is very much with us as our guide and motivator. Colour is the forgotten healer within us, the voiceless voice, and the healing ray within. Colour refreshes, reenergises and reactivates. It softens the hard heart, consoles the sad, soothes the weary, enlivens the depressed, calms the excited and reorients the confused. Do you often experience failure in your business? Do you

Nature Power Fr. Anselm Adodo, OSB

naturepower@paxherbals.net; twitter: @anselmadodo have problem keeping friends? Do you have problem passing your examinations? Are you jobless and need a job? Do you suffer from constant headache, perennial stress, persistent fever, recurring nightmares, irregular heartbeat, problematic blood pressure, painful menstruation or difficulty in conception? Do you know the cause of all these ailments? Well, colour knows. You know too, only that you don’t know that you know. Get attuned to colour and it will teach you many things. From sunrise to sunset, light changes in brightness and intensity. As the morning sun rises, hues of red, gold or orange envelops the earth. Have you ever gone off to garden or a hill and

gazed at the morning sun as it rises? The animals respond creatively as the red/ gold rays of the sun energises their cells and they feel a new lease of life. The Lions roar. The birds sing. The cocks crow. The leopards leap. The plants radiate aliveness and health as they bask in the rays of the sun. Each plant and animal respond in thankfulness to God for the sheer gift of life. Human beings, on the other hand, are often too busy to notice the resplendent beauty of light. Those who live in the cities do not even have the luxury of being able to relax and gaze into the sky to notice the beauty of the rising sun, no thanks to our sky scrappers and luxurious metallic confinements

A display of colours in sunrise

Colour refreshes, reenergises and reactivates. It softens the hard heart, consoles the sad, soothes the weary

PHOTO: 7-themes.com

we call cars. Colour affects us at the different layers of our being, whether we see it or not. Every cell in the body is very sensitive to light and absorbs colour rays easily. Attraction to a particular colour is attraction to a very specific sort of energy. Colour, like food, supplies needed nutrients to the body. A person’s favourite colour reflects the energy that he needs to maintain balance. If you are attracted to a particular colour, it is to reinforce you by supplying what you need. CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Industry

ICT

Solid minerals: Multi-billion dollar revenue idle

Cashless: Nigerians face rising phishing threats

Business What's news

InfraCos’ licensing won’t create cartel, says expert Contrary to fears being expressed in some quarters in the nation’s telecoms sector, an Information and Communication Technology expert, Mr Sunday Omoniyi, has said that the licensing of seven Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) would not create any monopoly in the sector.

COMPLIANCE

Regulator gazettes porting rules to ensure stricter enforcement

Kunle Azeez

ome Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks in Nigeria may have been frustrating some of the over 141 million active telecoms subscribers in the country willing to port from their existing network to a new

Telcos frustrate MNP’s uptake – Investigation

Ported lines fall from 19,682 to 12,494 monthly network from doing so, New Telegraph has learnt. The development is coming as the number of ported telephone lines waned significantly from 19,682, which was the highest porting figure recorded in September 2014 to 12,494 at the

end of January, this year. The January data, the latest released by the telecom industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), highlighted the trend in MNP uptake between 2013 and January 2015.

p.32

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

R-L: Group Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe; Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane; President, Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC), Chief Olabintan Famutimi and United States Commercial Counselor, Lagos, Mr. Brian McCleary, during the March 2015 Breakfast Meeting of the Chamber, sponsored by Access Bank in Lagos.

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Dayo Ayeyemi

Homebuilders rue non-execution of new Lagos land charges

Adeola Yusuf

Dayo Ayeyemi

Wole Shadare

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dele Alao

Industry & Agric Editor Property Editor Energy Editor

Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa

takeholders in the built environment have accused the Lagos State government of not implementing

its new land charges. Lagos had announced a major reduction in cost of land transactions through an executive order signed on January 5, 2015, by Governor Babatunde Fashola, which was hailed by

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

home builders, estate developers and other practitioners. But instead of applying the new land charge, government has stuck to the old rates. CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

According to the data, in 2013, the total number of ported phone lines were 7,164 in May; 5,759 in June; 6,870 in July; 14,440 in August; 16,185 in September and 8,112 in October, while in November and December, the figure stood at 8,242 and 6,962 lines respectively. In January 2014, the number of ported lines on the four GSM networks was 6,888 but increased to 7,265 in February and 13,757 in March. By April, May and June, the figures of phone lines ported by telecoms subscribers were 14,603; 9,424 and 10,815 lines respectively, while the total number of ported lines increased further to 11,320 in July and in August and September, the figures moved up to 13,560 and 19,682 in that order. In the last quarter of 2014, the total number of ported lines nose-dived as the figure fell from 16,076; 14,094 and 11,168 in the months of October, November and December respectively. Also, in January 2015, the subscriber figure grew slightly to 12,494, which is still far below the highest figure recorded earlier in September, last year. However, New Telegraph learnt that anti-competitive practices and ‘silent’ wanton breach of mobile MNP Rules have continued to characterise the activities of GSM operators regarding porting services. It would be recalled that in December 2013, the NCC had raised the alarm that it had gathered an avalanche of evidences, indicating apparent breach of porting rules. The Commission also expressed strong reservation to CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

Rates Dashboard EXCHANGE RATE (BDC as at Mar.13)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N225.50 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N334 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N240

l Foreign Reserves – $30.414bn as at 12/03/2015

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Interbank as at Mar.13)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N198.10 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N303 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N225

Business | News

OPEN ACCESS

Open access operational model of the licensees would boost access to telecoms services

Kunle Azeez

ontrary to fears being expressed in some quarters in the nation’s telecoms sector, an Information and Communication Technology expert, Mr Sunday Omoniyi, has said that the licensing of seven Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) would not create any monopoly in the sector. Rather, Omoniyi said that InfraCos would help in adding the fillip needed to support the growth of broadband in the country by complementing the efforts of existing infrastructure companies on an open access model. The InfraCo idea was conceived by the NCC to be licensed in a way that would be encouraging to deploy services in less commercially viable areas in order to bridge the gap existing in infrastructure deployment in the country. Omoniyi, who is also the Chief Executive Offi-

InfraCos’ licensing won’t create cartel, says expert

cer of VDT Communications, stated this during an exclusive chat with New Telegraph in Lagos. VDT is the promoter of the 2.3-gigahertz licence won by Bitflux Consortium in an auction conducted by the regulator in February last year and also a member of the consortium. Other members of the consortium are BitCom and Superflex. NCC recently licensed MainOne and IHS as the first two InfraCos to provide broadband services for Lagos and North-Central with a plan to license other five InfraCos before the end of the year. Asked whether the coming on board of InfraCos would promote unfair competition and market monopoly, Omoniyi argued that it would not dampen fair competition with the existing infrastructure companies in the country. He said: “I don’t think so because what I see is that InfraCos would not create monopoly. In the actual sense, it will boost availability of broadband infrastructure, since they were licensed under the open access model that has been considered by many, as a strategic

Telcos frustrate MNP’s uptake CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 3 1

the ugly trend, saying that it would soon come down heavily on erring operators. NCC flagged off the MNP service nationwide on April 22, 2013, with a view to deepening competition in the industry. According to the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, “with the MNP, telecom consumers would no longer need to acquire new numbers to move from one network to another, as subscribers will simply take their existing numbers along with them to any network of their choice. He also stated: “The scheme is meant to create freedom of choice and reinforce the ‘Consumer is the King’ mantra, while at the same time keeping telecoms operators on their toes as each of them strives to improve its service quality with a view to making its network the preferred one to port to by subscribers while retaining its existing subscribers.” The scheme, the NCC

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

boss said, was designed to spur further investment by the operators, as it encourages investment in network expansion and operators to be more customer-centric while meeting the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on quality of service set for them by the regulator. Meanwhile, following the gazette of the MNP Rules in July last year, New Telegraph gathered that the Commission has been keeping eagle eyes on operators found to be violating the MNP Rules. For instance, a report of NCC enforcement in the last quarter of last year showed that “Globacom was found to have rejected porting requests due to debit balances on the subscribers’ account, especially with respect to Close–User Group (CUG) lines contrary to the provisions of the Business Rules of the Mobile Number Portability regime. Consequently, the Commission issued a final warning letter to Globacom to desist from these practices or risk regulatory sanctions.”

means for the deployment of fibre optic backbone transmission infrastructure network in Nigeria. “Their coming on board is also expected to bridge the current broadband gap in the country, facilitate the development of local content and deliver cost effective services to households and businesses. “Any efforts made by government to further deepen the country’s broadband infra-

structure, is a welcome development any day, anytime. The licensing of InfraCos is far from creating a monopoly in the telecoms sector. “The idea of licensing InfraCos has been on for a long time and it attracted debate from the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector and stakeholders welcomed the idea, with a few who thought otherwise. For me, I see it as a means to

further deepen competition among operators and also protect smaller operators from unfair competition.” It would be recalled that as part of the country’s drive for more investors in it’s blossoming telecoms market on an Open Access Model, the regulator had said that beneficiaries of the licences shall get adequate incentives to operate in Nigeria. According to the Ex-

ecutive Vice Chairman of NCC, the incentive shall, among others, include tax holidays of up to seven years to encourage the InfraCos to invest and guarantee adequate returns on investments. He said that the investors would be encouraged to veer into areas many consider less commercially-rewarding through subsidy, saying that grants might also be given to further their interest in such areas. Juwah said that the licensees will also be granted pioneer status as part of the incentives to boost their interest to invest in such areas or zones that may look unattractive.

L-R: Director General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mallam Bature Umar Masari; World Bank Country Programme Director for Nigeria, Mrs. Indira Konjhodzic; Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Investment, Ambassador Abdulkadir Musa, during the launch of the Nigerian Business Development Services Network in Abuja. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

CO N TI N U ED F RO M PAGE 31

Fashola had said that he took the decisive step, “in order to ensure that land transactions are carried out with minimal difficulty, especially with difficulties relating to payment of taxes, rates and legitimate levies charged under the enabling law.” The Executive Order, (No. EO/BRF/001 of 2015), provides, among others: “Unless otherwise indicated, the valuation of landed property for the determination of tax and other charges payable shall be by reference to the statement of fair market value produced by relevant professionals, adopted by the state government and published from time to time in the Official Government Gazette.” The Order, which takes immediate effect, reduces consent fees from six per cent to 1.5 percent while Capital Gains tax, which was previously two per cent, was reduced to 0.5 per cent. Also, cost of stamp duty was reduced from two per cent to 0.5 per cent, while registration fees was slashed from three per cent to 0.5 per cent. However, estate surveyors and valuers said that nothing has changed since the announcement of the new land transaction charges, adding

Non-execution of new Lagos land charges flayed that the agency in charge is still collecting the old land rates. This, they said, was giving them a lot of concerns and casting doubts on the sincerity of government. Chairman of Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON), Mr. Williams Odudu, told New Telegraph in an interview that nobody has enjoyed the implementation of the land charges’ reduction since it was announced by the state government. But a reliable source from government quarters told this newspaper that the allegation was not true, insisting that the implementation of the reduction in land charges in the state had commenced. He explained further that cut in land charges would not apply to applications submitted by members of the public before the announcement of the new rates, alleging that people that are complaining now must have submitted their documents before the announcement of the new land fees. The source also noted that the land charges only applied

to consent fee and a few others, explaining that people might have the impression that it covers all applications. Odudu, the ESVARBON boss, noted that if major increase in land charges has been announced, the state authority would have implemented such immediately. He said: “I do not know if it is a political gimmick because we have not felt the implementation of the announcement yet. The figures have been given and reduction has been published, but the implementation has yet to take place. “If you talk about land use charges, the authority is still bent on collecting the old rates. On stamp duty, it is still collecting the old rate. Until there is a firm pronouncement that the reduction will take effect, we won’t start feeling it. “I just pray it is not a political gimmick that after this election, the status quo would remain. If an increase had been announced, they would have implemented it immediately, but because it is a reduction, they refuse to implement it two months after,” he said.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Products’ quality: Accreditation body begins in June p.34 Nigeria is richly endowed with diferent solid minerals including precious metals and stones. However, many of these are yet to be exploited; making the country to lose billions of dollars in revenue. DELE ALAO writes

Industry

Solid minerals: Multi-billion dollar revenue idle

efore the discovery of oil, Nigeria’s solid minerals sector was harnessed properly. The sector was then majorly in the hands of foreigners. The Jos tin ore, Enugu coal mine, among others readily come to mind. However, the discovery of oil in commercial quantities put a death knell on the progress already recorded in the solid minerals sector. Relying on statistics from the Mining Cadastre Office and the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency factsheets, the country is endowed with more than 33 commercially viable solid minerals, which could be exploited. These include gold, lead-zinc ore (Galena), iron ore, columbite, ilmenite, cassiterite, uranium, copper, molybdenite, manganese, wolframite, rutile and diorite, bauxite, gypsum, talc, bentonite and barite, rock salt, gem stones, kaolin among others. Concerned stakeholders are of the opinion that as the revenue from oil drops, the solid minerals sector should be another area to focus on. For instance, the President, Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN), Mr. Dele Odunowo, besides agriculture and transportation, urged the Federal Government to invest more in solid minerals. He said that the country was blessed with enormous solid minerals that could create wealth and jobs, but that the sub-sector had not been well utilised. He said: “Diversification is something that should have been happening before now, but attention was taken by oil, because of its ready value. Before then, we had commodities and solid minerals, in which we were so rich. Solid minerals need to be opened up, with liberal policies that can encourage Nigerians to go into it. “Over 40 million tonnes of talc deposits have been identified in Niger, Osun, Kogi, and Kaduna states. There are huge deposits of coal ranging from bituminous to ignite in the Anambra Basin of South-East. “We have lead-zinc ores within Asaba, while we have tin, niobium, lead, around Oyo and Igbeti, with as much over a billion tonnes of gypsum spread around Niger, Ondo, to mention a few.” Potential Minister of Mines & Steel De-

President Goodluck Jonathan

Sada

velopment, Musa Mohammed Sada, who noted the need to develop solid minerals in Nigeria, said that it has become necessary as it was the only future of the country. The minister described the sector as the future that would save the country from economic woes and take the country to the promised land. The minister said Nigeria used to be a major producer and exporter of Columbite and Tin, in additional to coal that was mostly used locally. Nigeria has identified talc deposits exceeding 40 million tonnes in locations such as Niger, Osun, Kogi, Ogun and Kaduna states; over three billion metric tonnes of iron ore deposits in Kogi, Enugu and Niger states as well as the Federal Capital Territory; an estimated 10 million tonnes of lead/ zinc veins are spread over eight states of Nigeria bitumen deposits indicated at about 42 billion tonnes, almost twice the amount of existing reserves of crude petroleum: Nigerian coal is one of the most bituminous in the world owing to its low sulphur and ash content and therefore the most environment-friendly. Disappointing Some experts in the sector lamented that nationalisation policy of government in the 70s and the discovery of crude oil also caused the decline in the productivity of the sector. The experts added that that led to the departure of the major mining companies and neglect of the sector by successive governments. The sector became dominated by illegal miners with little or no payment of tax. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), solid

minerals sector contributes less than one per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as against its erstwhile 10 per cent contribution prior to crude oil exploration. Also, the president, Miners’ Association of Nigeria, Mr. Sani Shehu, who noted that the slow development of the solid minerals sector was attributable to a number of man-made and natural factors, lamented that India, which is less endowed with solid minerals than Nigeria, currently earns $75 billion annually from solid minerals. “It took South Africa more than 15 years of steady investment to get there and the country now earns over $30 billion annually from the sub-sector,” he said.

Over 40 million tonnes of talc deposits have been identified in Niger, others

Way forward Meanwhile, Sada said that in order to reverse the sector, the government had created a ministry for it and embarked on reform programmes such as change in policy, to make the private sector owners and government regulators. Others are enactment of internationally acclaimed legal and regulatory framework that created conductive investment, generation of airborne geophysical survey, establishment of institutions and technical departments. Sada said government had facilitated active operations in 34 small and major scale mining operations, exploiting targeted strategic minerals resources in the country. He said the ministry had secured the support of about $2 million from donor partners, to key institutions to develop educational curriculum and meet

the challenges of the industry. Also, the Managing Director, Nigeria Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank, Roberts Orya, whose bank has been at the forefront of funding the sector, also noted that for the anticipated development in the solid minerals sector to be feasible, certain measures must be put in place. He said, “there is need to have an intervention fund. This is essential as foreign investors will surely understudy the operational status of local players before such investors bring in their resources. Some of them will also prefer to partner with local investors instead of starting all over again. And for the local operators to move forward, there must be some specialised funding to help them acquire basic equipment and operate mechanically. Funds are also required to construct roads to mining sites and provide other basic infrastructure such as power and water.” Orya, however, said that the Bank had so far provided N2 billion in early funding to help some commercial miners to develop their sites in order to start operations and invite further funding from other sources apart from the long-term commitment of Nexim Bank to the nascent industry. Furthermore, Odunowo said that government needed to invest in research on the availability, fund the research work and place value on them. A legal practitioner, Clement Udegbe, in one of his write ups on the issue, noted that the commercial value of Nigeria’s solid minerals has been estimated to run into hundreds of trillions of dollars, with 70 per cent of these buried in the bowels of Northern Nigeria. Udegbe, therefore, called on the Federal Government to set up a commission on solid minerals. “The present scattered individual efforts to draw investment into the solid minerals sector would be greatly enhanced by the use of a commission to handle solid minerals. The use of a commission will not only assist in harmonising mining rules and practice in Nigeria, it will provide a good platform to draw increased development in that sector, much more than we have today. We need a Commission for Solid Minerals now,” he said. As it were, the country is yet to exploit fully her solid minerals deposits. The efforts of the Federal Government, stakeholders said, have not been felt in the sector. The stakeholders alleged that the Federal Government was focusing more on agriculture than solid minerals in its diversification drive to cushion the effects of drop in global oil prices when revenues from the latter far outweighed the former.

Business | Industry

Products’ quality: Accreditation body begins in June

BENEFIT Institution will be driven by international best practices Stories by Dele Alao

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

s part of measures to ensure quality of products meant for exports, a functional and internationally recognised National Accreditation Body (NAB) will begin operation in June.

NAB is part of the National Quality Infrastructure Project (NQIP), under the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and meant to assist Nigeria diversify its economy to non-oil sector. The Project Coordinator, Mr. Charles Malata, who noted that the project would be useful to

Nigeria as it had several commodities across the country, said that the body would be driven by international best practices. Other components of the NQIP include National Metrological Institute (NMI), National Quality Policy (NQP), consumer protection and creating linkages for private

sector. He added that If Nigerian products must be found in European Union (EU) market, it had to meet the quality and safety requirement to compete with the oil sector. Malata said NAB would enable certificates issued on quality control products in Nigeria to be recognised internationally. The coordinator also said that the project would assist in implementing strategic framework for vision 20:2020. Malata said that Nigeria lacked an internationally recognised quality infrastructure bodies with the capacity to ensure safety, integrity, marketability of goods and services. He, therefore, said that NQIP would support the im-

provement and establishment of missing quality standards control bodies needed to improve the quality of products and services for exchange locally and internationally. He said NQIP was an institutional framework required to establish and implement standardisation, metrology, accreditation and conformity assessment services. The coordinator said that the idea of the project was to facilitate the commodities to find market at the international level. “We are still progressing in all these areas to establish the missing infrastructure and the policies. So far, we are making positive progress in all the areas,” Malata said.

N220bn loan: FG assures cooperative societies of access

T L-R: Country Sales Manager, Wiko Nigeria, Mr. John Peters; Business Manager, Jumia Nigeria, Diana Owusu-Kyereko; Managing Director, Jumia Nigeria, Fatoumata Ba and Channel Marketing Manager, Wiko Nigeria, Mr. Adebayo Adams during the launch of Wiko’s new Anddroid device in Lagos.

Diamond Bank offers panacea to MSMEs growth

trategic planning, corporate discipline and focus have been described by Diamond Bank as the necessary impetus to the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). According to the bank at its 47th edition of BusinessXpress Seminar, the only way to maintain stable and sustainable growth under harsh economic environment was to embrace the old-fashioned method of corporate planning and financial discipline. The seminar was to train and broaden the management skills of operators of

MSMEs in Anambra State. The Business Manager, Diamond Bank, Bridge Head, Onitsha, Raymond Mbonu, stated that the bank’s commitment, drive and passion to fund the MSME sector was as a result of its conviction that MSMEs hold the economic key for growing the national economy and reducing unemployment. He said: “Diamond Bank’s commitment to the MSMEs sector is motivated by the fact that a nation with a thriving MSMEs sector will grow to become self-sufficient with sufficient employment op-

portunities for the citizenry. There will also be a significant decline in social vices. This is why we are investing in the sector and we will continually support them and help them grow into viable multinational ventures.” The guest speaker, and chairman, Prollo Pipes & Profile Industries Limited, Chief Emmanuel Eziokwu, harped on the need for proper business planning. Eziokwu said that many small businesses did not plan and that was why they were adversely affected in times of economic crunch.

Dominance of foreign experts in project structuring worries ICRC he Infrastructure Con- of the Public Private Part- alising the Federal GovernT cession and Regulatory nership Units Consultative ment’s PPP programme. Commission (ICRC) has Forum (3PUCF), said that efPrincipal private sector expressed concerns over the dominance of foreign experts in project transaction structuring in Nigeria. This, ICRC said, was responsible for the low local capacity. According to a statement signed by the Acting Head of Communications, ICRC, Mrs. Deborah Okafor, the Director General, ICRC, Aminu Dikko, during the first quarter 2015 meeting

fort be must geared towards encouraging local experts. He was represented by Director of PPP, Dr. Chidi Izuwah. The 3PUCF is a brain child of the ICRC and it provides a platform for Heads of PPP Units in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to share knowledge and experience. It also ensures synergy in efforts towards institution-

specialist, African Development Nigeria Field Office, Mr. Emmanuael Akinwunmi, said that the idea of regional PPP hub was to stimulate more private sector-led intervention in the region. According to him, the challenge in accessing project finance in the country is usually due to shortage of integrity and ideas rather than lack of money.

he Federal Government has assured cooperative societies of access to the N220b loan earmarked for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values, Dr. Mrs. Sarah Jubril, gave the assurance at a financial summit organised by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Foundation for the Advancement of Ethics and Values (FAEV), in Owerri, Imo State. The summit has the theme: “Promoting the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan by economic empowerment.” The National Technical Director, Ethics and Values Multipurpose Cooperatives Unions, who is also the facilitator of the seminar, Adefemi Adeyemi, said that banks as financial institutions, were

ready to promote and provide financial relief to any organised cooperative society. The Imo State Coordinator, FAEV, Dr. Mike Opara, expressed his satisfaction with the success of the financial summit. It would be recalled that the CBN in 2013 launched the fund to provide the much needed capital for that sub-sector of the economy. The fund, launched under the former CBN governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, was designed to further enhance access to finance by MSMEs, provide wholesale financing windows for Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs), improve the capacity of the PFIs to meet credit needs of MSMEs, provide funds at reduced cost to PFIs and enhance access of women entrepreneurs to finance by allocating 60 per cent of the fund to them.

Firm’s boss urges support for local firms

he Managing Director, Tokyo Boeki Nigeria Limited, a food-processing company, Mr. Abel Akhigbe, has called on the Federal Government to encourage indigenous food processing and manufacturing companies in Nigeria by creating conducive business environment. The managing director, who noted this during the presentation of Samurai Curry to investors, business owners and stakeholders in the Nigerian food and beverage sector, said that although his company currently has a staff strength of 150 persons, certain conditions have been limiting further expansion. “With the devaluation of the naira, we the importers have been faced with a lot of issues when importing raw materials and finished prod-

ucts into the country. I have plans to commence production of some of the products here in Nigeria but I have to put that on hold until the business climate becomes a lot friendlier for entrepreneurs. The government has to make foreign exchange available and also cut down on import duties and taxes,” he said. He added: “We currently specialise in cash crop, industrial raw materials and strengthening exports of Nigerian products to the Middle-East and South East Asia. Leveraging on our global procurement capabilities as a pioneer in imports from Asia, we plan to establish several food processing plants all around the country to facilitate the production of quality foodstuff and create employment opportunities for Nigerians.”

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

ICT

2.6Ghz spectrum auction holds May 5 p.36

Nigerians face rising phishing threats The increase in the volume of scam mails targeted at bank customers by cyber criminals with intent to defraud unsuspecting account holders is putting Nigerians, especially those using online platforms for banking transactions, at great risks, writes KUNLE AZEEZ

he rate at which Nigerian banks are encouraging their customers to leverage online platforms provided for engaging in ‘efficient and less-stressful’ financial transactions has been on the increase in recent times. The push by the banks in the adoption of electronic platforms for sending and receiving money is in line with the ongoing cashless economy policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2012. According to a recent report by the Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA), an organisation committed to deepening financial inclusion in Nigeria, there are currently 33.9 million adults Nigerians that are banked. The report titled ‘EFInA Access to Financial Services in Nigeria 2014 Survey,’ showed that 36.9 million adults, representing 39.5 per cent of adult population, are financially excluded. The report said: “Only 33.9 million adults are banked, representing 36.3 per cent of adult population.” However, it is instructive that with the introduction and nationwide rollout of cashless economy scheme, online transactions have continued to gain traction in the country. For instance, a 2014 fourth report obtained by New Telegraph from the Nigerian Interbank Settlement Systems (NIBSS) revealed that the value of electronic funds monthly transactions carried out on the Nigerian Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Instant Payment transactions (NIP) had reached N2.9 trillion. Both NEFT and NIP can be carried out by the account holders on the websites of their respective banks or by simply downloading mobile apps that allows them to carry out such transactions seamlessly on their mobile devices, as long as they have access to the Internet. This is in addition to other

Minister of Communications Technology, Omobola Johnson

transactions being carried out on the over 150,000 Point of Sales terminals and 12,000 Automated Teller Machines (ATM) in the country. However, the upsurge in the number of bank customers, who log on to online platforms to carry out financial transactions, has been fuelled by the increase in Internet penetration and access to mobile devices. Latest data obtained from the country’s telecoms industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), indicates that as at January this year, there were over 140 million active mobile lines being used in the country with over 35 per cent of the population having access to the Internet. High-speed Internet broadband, which currently stands at around eight per cent, is expected to reach 30 per cent by 2018. “Indeed, the increased access to the Internet and the convenience associated with its being used to send and receive funds without necessarily visiting bank branches is increasing the use of online platforms by bank customers to carry out transactions,” says Chief Executive Officer, Rack Centre, Mr. Tunde Coker. Phishing threats However, while the there has been increase in online transactions volume, cases of cyber threats, especially phishing, seem to have assumed an alarming dimension in recent times as bank customers frequently receive scam mails that prompt them to upgrade their online information, under the guise that such information is needed by their banks. According to experts, phishing, otherwise known as scam mail, is “the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele

Cases of cyber threats, especially phishing, seem to have assumed an alarming dimension

be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers, online.” Bank customers, who relayed their experiences to New Telegraph with regard to phishing, described it as a great threat to both the banks and their over 30 million customers. Giving his account, Shola Badejo, a trader, said: “On several occasions, I have received emails purportedly sent by my bank, asking me to upgrade my online payment information and in some cases, asking me to change Personal Identification Number (PIN), which I have declined.” In the same vein, Chucks Okon, a car dealer at Ikeja, said he was a victim of ‘scam mails’, which cost him thousands of naira while his bank declined taking responsibility. He said: “I was neatly hoodwinked into opening a link, upgrading my online information, including changing password and before you know it, I was debited about N50, 000. Though, we tried to trace where the money was sent to, but everything ended in vain.” To a banker, Mr. Mutiu Salaudeen, “Phishing is a serious threat. Even those of us that are bankers get such scam emails everyday, but we are fully aware of the intent to defraud their targets. So, I think what is needed is more enlightenment for bank customers on the parts of the banks. I believe they have been doing this public awareness but more still need to be done.” First Bank’s case Though, customers of all the banks in Nigeria are potentially susceptible to falling victims of phishers’ antics, a recent report by a security research firm, Batblue.com, prominently raised

alarm over phishing threats against First Bank of Nigeria Plc’s customers. According to Batblue.com’s report, cited by SPAMfighter, in the First Bank-targeted phishing, the scam email says that the recipient must complete a validation with the bank to upgrade security because some irregular activities have been detected. The victims are told that if they do not validate their account then, it will be deactivated. Experts say that the email has been designed to steal usernames, passwords, personal and financial information of recipient’s FirstBank account. On clicking the link attached in the fake email message, the recipient is taken to a fake or phishing website of FirstBank. The report noted that there were two financial institutions with the same name FirstBank, one of which operates in United States, in Arizona, Colorado and California and the other operates in Africa (First Bank of Nigeria) and it is one of the largest banks of the continent. “Experts retrieved a sample email and they found that the phishers targeted the latter (First Bank of Nigeria Plc.) since this is revealed by the maligned link given in the context along with the graphics included to make the alert look genuine,” the report stated. Need for increased awareness Information Security Society of Africa, Nigeria (ISSAN), Mr. David Isiavwe, observed that the proliferation of e-channels, which has brought banking services closer to customers has further increased the risk of cyber crime, tasking banks customers to increase awareness among their customers to shield them from possible online fraud. In his reaction, an Information Technology expert, Mr. Tim Akano, also warned about a substantial increase in the number of global financial phishing in spam and other online security breaches. “Phishing would continue to be among the seven biggest and most dangerous IT security threats in any digital economy, not only in Nigeria but also globally,” he said. In the same vein, Executive Secretary, Electronic Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN), Mrs. Regha Onajite, urged bank customers to be conscious of spam mails, which typically ask them to upgrade and change their password by logging on a website link. “Banks also need to increase awareness campaign against all forms of cyber fraud baits so as to protect their customers. Doing this will boost the confidence of the member of public in the nascent cashless scheme,” she added.

Business | ICT

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

2.6Ghz spectrum auction holds May 5 BROADBAND Spectrum licensing will boost broadband penetration Stories by Kunle Azeez

arring any last-minute change of timetable, the much awaited auction of the 2.6 gigahertz spectrum band by

the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will now hold from May 5-8 this year. This was contained in the new 2.6Ghz Spectrum Auction Information Memorandum (IM) released by the Commission this week. According to the Information Memorandum, the assignment process will comprise an auction to be held in Abuja. It is planned that the auction will take place during the week commencing May 4,

2015 while the auction will be an Ascending Clock Auction. Media briefings would also be provided at various stages during the process, leading to the public announcement of the final auction result. The IM defines the process that the Commission has decided to adopt for the licensing of 2 X 70 MHz paired Spectrum available in the 2.6 GHz band. It provides information on the Nigerian telecommunications market, details of the

L-R: Data Centre Manager, Galaxy Backbone, Mr. Michael Ayeni; Chief Client Solutions Director, VCE, Mr. Eyad Badder; Regional Manager, North, Resourcery, Mr. Abiodun Yusuf and Executive Director, Kitskoo Cloud Services, Mr. Monu Ogbe, at a Data Centre Management event organised for public sector in Abuja.

Micro Station opens new retail outlet in Ikeja

foremost phones and telecommunication trading company in Nigeria, Micro Station Limited, has opened a new state-of-theart retail outlet to its growing customers. The company said the move was part of its continuous commitment to bringing cutting-edge Information Technology devices closer to users. The new outlet, strategically located on Kodesho Road at the popular Ikeja Computer Village market, is the eighth of such investment and followed the commissioning of the company’s Sango-Ota outlet in November last year. Over the years, Micro Station’s outlets in Lagos, Osun and Ogun states, have been serving its growing customers with quality products that meet their various needs. Speaking on the new sales outlet in a statement, the Managing Director of Micro Station, Mrs. Tinuola Coutroupis, said the latest addition to the company’s list of sales outlets, was borne out of its expansion roadmap to increase its footprint across Nigeria in order to serve its customers better. “The new retail outlet provides easier access to our customers to get all the devices that they need in a conducive

environment for those customers who do not want to storm into the hurly-burly inside the Computer Village market before making their purchase,” she said. Coutroupis noted that Micro Station had embarked on an aggressive branch network expansion, which will take it to as close as possible to every doorstep of every discerning individual that desires quality mobile devices at a time Nigeria’s mobile telecoms industry is awash with fake and substandard products. “So, our Kodesho outlet is on a major road and gives customers the convenience needed to make their purchase and it is our belief that accessibility is key and therefore, we chose an area that is easily accessible, no matter where our customers are coming from.” While promising the company’s commitment to open more of modern sales outlets this year and beyond, Coutroupis said with the opening of the Kodesho Road sales outlet, Micro Station’s customers would have access to different kinds of devices that will be on sale, both highend and mid-end phones, tablets and other computing devices.

spectrum to be made available, the prequalification process, the auction process and indicative timetable. The IM, however, stated that the previous comments and questions from stakeholders as well as the responses provided by the Commission to the IM published on the Commission’s website before the suspension of the 2.6 GHz auction process in November 2014 are included as part of the current IM. A spectrum is a licensable electromagnetic resource consisting of a number of bands of closely spaced lines that are associated with emission or absorption of radiation by molecules, required by telecoms companies to provide wireless telecoms services– voice and data- to telecoms users. The 2.6Ghz spectrum auction ought to have taken place in early December, last year but was postponed indefinitely by the regulator due to what it called some “administrative constraints.” The postponement of the spectrum auction consequently rendered the first timetable invalid. Consequently, the new timetable has set May 5-8 for the auction while the publication of the final winner will be announced on June 2. Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah, noted that since year 2000, the Nigerian telecommunications

market has witnessed major increase in competition driven by the government’s liberalisation policies. He said that the development of competition has, in turn, led to increased growth in the number of connections and improved services for subscribers as anticipated. Juwah, thus, explained that the proposed licensing of 2.6 GHz Spectrum has been influenced by the need to open up the space for the delivery of present and future generations of broadband services to subscribers in consonance with the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NBP) of 2013. The NCC boss noted that the Commission had consulted with the relevant industry stakeholders to determine the demand and the best way to issue the Spectrum. “Based on these and observations of developments in international licensing trends, the Commission has decided to license the available 2 X 70 MHz slot in slots of 5 MHz to be aggregated by applicants through the Spectrum auction process,” he said. Technically, the Commission offers 14 Lots of 2 X 5 megahertz Frequency Division (FDD) paired Spectrum in the 2.6 gigahertz band ranging from 2500 – 2570 megahertz and 2620 to 2690 megahertz (totalling 2 X 70 megahertz) for auction.

IHS extends social investment to South East n independent mobile “We are passionate about such critical infrastructure telecommunications improving the quality of to the community.” A infrastructure company, IHS education in Nigeria and On his part, CommisTowers, has extended its social investment initiative to the South-Eastern part of the country with the inauguration of bespoke complex to house the Nekede/Ihiagwa Divisional Police Command in Owerri, Imo State. The company also renovated the Ohuhu Ekwuru Community Primary School, Ohuhu, Abia State. Speaking during the commissioning, General Manager, IHS, Mr. Jimoh Umoru, said that the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility stemmed from the belief that IHS is part of the communities in which it operates.

are pleased to partner with government and communities toward providing a more conducive learning environment to breed future leaders,” he said. Following the company’s intervention, Ohuhu Ekwuru Community Primary School now has blocks of renovated classrooms, a borehole and toilets. In her remarks, Headmistress, Ohuhu Ekwuru Community Primary School, Mrs. Flora Otunoye, commended IHS for the gesture, saying that “this is the first time in the history of the community that a private organisation has donated

sioner of Police, Imo State, Mr. Abdulmajid Ali, who commissioned the station, also applauded IHS for building an exquisite edifice that will encourage members of the Nigerian police force to serve and perform their duties in securing the lives and properties of the indigenes. In his response, Umoru said security of life and property was critical to the growth and development of any state. “We are thrilled to be part of efforts geared towards enhancing the security of Nekede and the surrounding communities,” he added.

Wiko partners Jumia on new device

arely six months after its entry into Nigeria’s mobile phone market, the Wiko ‘Getaway’ has been unveiled as the latest addition to the Android smartphone line-up in the market by Europe’s mobile phone brand, Wiko. The company has also collaborated with Jumia, a top-tier online shopping platform, to further build the Wiko brand and deepen its penetration. The partnership, which officially kicked off on

Monday, will complement the launch of the new device which will be a key feature on the online store’s website alongside earlier models. Country Sales Manager for Wiko, Mr. John Peters, stated that Wiko was committed to consistently offering varieties, freedom and quality to everyone in Nigeria. “The Getaway is stylishly crafted to feel amazing in the hand – the combination of the stylish aluminum bezel with the soft touch back. It

is a smart device that offers you freedom to enjoy communication and exciting interaction on various social media platforms. “Wiko is positioning the Getaway as a device which is the best of both worlds. The Getaway is the latest Wiko smartphone that fulfils our promise of delivering the best of stylish design, combined with the latest technology and fantastic quality at amazing prices,” he said.

NEW TELEGRAPH Thursday, March 19, 2015

Photo | News

L-R: Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Jonathan Ango and Command Admin Officer, Commodore Suraj Bello, during the governor’s courtesy visit to the Naval chief in Akure.

L-R: Guest Speaker and Senior Pastor, Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare; Chairman, Island Club, Prince Ademola Dada; Guests of Honour, Prof. Pat Utomi; Prof. Olubode Abisogun–Leigh and Sir Steve Omojafor, at the annual Lent Talk/Choral Rendition and Breaking of Fast organised by the Club in Lagos. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

L-R: Convener, Ndigbo Equity and Justice Initiative, Chief Cosmas Okoil; Woman Leader, Lady Ada Ofoegbu; Dr. Solomon Ogbonna and Chairman, Ndigbo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council in Lagos, Emilia Ezeude, at a press conference by Ndigbo Equity and Justice Initiative to endorse Olujimi Agbaje, in Lagos.

Chairman, CWC Group, Dr. Alirio Parra (left) and Group Managing Director, Arco Petrochemical & Engineering Company Group, Mr. Alfred Okoigun, at the 15th edition of Nigeria Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition in Abuja.

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

L-R: Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Kenneth Minimah and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, speaking to journalists after National Security Council meeting, in Abuja.

L-R: Chairman, Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, Alhaji Ahmed Abdulkadir; National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Mr. Chibuzor Asomugha; Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu; Rector, Federal Polytecnic, Bauchi, Dr. Shuaibu Musa and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Prof. Isiaka Mohammed, during ASUP’s 80th National Executive Council meeting in Bauchi. PHOTO-NAN

A cross-section of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, during a pro-Buhari road show. PHOTO-NAN

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Unity Dolls, Paul Orajiaka; Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Grace Ebunola Oladimeji and Mrs. Ifeyinwa Prisca Orajiaka, at a forum in Lagos.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Mom&Parenting Everyday, Mothers’ Day

Mothers’ Day, according to history, is a modern celebration of honouring one’s mother, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the months of March or May. But the question is; should there be a specific day for celebrating mothers, judging from their priceless roles in their children’s lives and the society as a whole? Oluwatosin Omoniyi finds out

o those who truly understand what it takes to be mother, everyday should be a mother’s day; considering all the sacrifices of a mother to her child (ren), suffering, tears and joy. They just can’t be appreciated enough. According to Abraham Lincoln, a former American President, “all that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” While Barbara Kingsolver, an American novelist, said that “sometimes the strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.” Therefore mothers can be adjudged to be inestimable jewels in their children’s lives. To Kafilat Jolaoso, a civil servant, motherhood is a great honor and privilege that is synonymous with servant hood. Every day women are called upon to selflessly meet the needs of their families. Whether they are awake at night nursing a baby, spending their time and money on less-than-grateful teenagers, or preparing meals, moms continuously put others before themselves. Really, the natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children. However, I am glad that before my mother’s demise, I appreciated her each day till she died. I believe I just can’t thank her enough. Never! Just show her love and respect her. Theresa Ajewole, a Guardian counselor in a private school described motherhood as the greatest thing and the hardest task of being a woman. .There’s no doubt that motherhood is the best thing in my life. It’s all that really matters. As it stands, motherhood is a sort of wilderness through which each woman hacks her way, become a sufferer for a cause, break new grounds. I will say it is an exile from the world we knew. I beat my chest to say I am a heroine. The best

Mom&Parenting Team

Oluwatosin Omoniyi Coordinator

Fun march by Nigerian women on Mothers’ Day

Happy mom and children

PHOTO: anambrariansnews.com.ng

PHOTO: talizo.blogspot.com A true African mother PHOTO:ynaija.com

way my kids can appreciate me is to love themselves and bond tightly so that when I’m no more, the love flows. Their respect for me is the best gifts they can ever give me. For Fadeke Uguru, an Educationist Consultant and mother of three; motherhood is the most challenging as well as the utmost satisfying vocation in this world. Mother’s Day is just a ceremonial day set aside to honour mothers; it is not as if we don’t appreciate them daily. Getting her gift a day can’t pay enough for being my mother. No child can ever thank his mother enough. But the only thing that come close to appreciating her is being kind and cherishing her always. Uguru went on to share a little memory of

her mother. My mom likes good food, so we used to sample new restaurants, like Chinese, American, Indian, Italian and Mediterranean food together, When I think of how open-minded I am to new experiences today, I know it’s because of her influences on me. I love my mother. Chido Nwakanma, Public Relation practitioner, said even though, he consider mother’s day a blackmail to fathers, “why do you mothers keep blackmailing the world to thank you? What about the father, can a child thank the father enough?” He however admitted that mothers are incomparable diamond. “No child can ever thank the mother enough. He should not even try it, rather,

Love your mother, the most beautiful person on this earth. Our best critic, yet out strongest supporter

he should just love the mother,” he said. Janet Bibiresanmi, a lecturer and mother of two said; motherhood was the great equaliser for me; I started to identify with everybody as a mother. You have that impulse to wish that no child should ever be hurt, abused, go hungry, or not have opportunities in life. Honestly, the only way my children can show their appreciation to me is by being successful in life and loving me, that is all. For Biodun Olusekun, an auditor and father of two, the only way to appreciate a mother is to take very good care of them as a way of thanking and appreciating them for all they have done for us. We can never do enough to appreciate them for their contributions to our lives. Each time I talk about my mom, I weep because she did so much for me, she sacrificed and laboured so much to bring me and my siblings up. She was a disciplinarian who never spared the rod to punish any offence. No mother like my mother. Eritomiwa Adeyemo, teacher and mother of one, believes she is the sweetest mother on earth because, “for my child, I have bored pains, disgrace, lack and self denial. But I feel none of it, so long my child is healthy, disciplined and doing well in life, that is the only appreciation I want from him. It shows my efforts over him are not wasted,” she said. To Adepero Shofola a mother and grandmother, she believes that her children can’t thank her enough. She is truly a happy mother. I thank God that I am a mother. When I clocked fifty years, one of my daughters sent me a message with a N100 airtime attached to it, she told me she loved me and that she was happy to have a mother like me. Considering the amount of the recharge card, it seem small but the show of affection from my daughter was what I cherished, in fact, I still have that message in my phone as I always read the message whenever I’m moody. My children have given me lots of gift but this appreciation is not all about money but involves lots of care. The way my children can show me appreciation is to take care of me at this my old age and not neglect me. This will make me happy. For Faith omogeafen a business woman, all I want from my children is to take care of me now that am old and feeble; they should buy me gifts and send me sweet messages. Though I can tell you that one day is never enough to thank a mother for all she went through for her child. Is it for the nine months or for the years of training and nurturing? I will say it takes a life time to say thank you which is still never enough. The best way to appreciate our mother as children is to be there for her all the days of her life and to be successful in life. All these will make her feel fulfilled. Additional report by Ruth Okocha.

40 Mom&Parenting

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Discipline mistakes parents make

MOM’S ALERT with

Grace Essen

grace.essen@gmail.com

What ‘mother’ means

A Necessary spanking CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

The most common child discipline blunders parents make, and how to fix them

Katherine Lee The Fix:

ive your child clear and simple directions, and a realistic list of expectations. For instance, if you want him to clean his room every week, mark it on a calendar and make that “room clean-up day.” Set him up for good behavior, and if he does not follow through, give him a consistent set of consequences (by, say, taking away privileges or a favorite toy for a set amount of time). Don’t give different degrees of punishments for the same misbehavior and be constant and consistent in enforcing the rules. Talking/explaining too much While it’s a good idea to talk to your child about why something she did was not appropriate so that she can have a clear sense of what she did wrong and how she can behave differently the next time, going into lengthy and detailed explanations about her behavior is not a good idea. Children, even gradeschoolers who are getting better at paying attention, can easily lose track of discussions that go too much into detail. The Fix: Be as direct as possible and break it down into basics for your child. With older children, talk about what went wrong and discuss possible scenarios that could have been better choices. With younger children, simply state what the behavior was and why it was wrong . Going negative Hearing a string of “don’ts” and “no’s” isn’t any fun for anyone, especially a child. Focusing on what a child did wrong or what he should not do instead of emphasizing what a child should do can put a negative spin on things and set the tone for your interaction. The Fix: Approach things from a more positive perspective by talking about what can be done better. If your child is whining or talking back to you, show her some examples of how to speak in a nice and in friendlier manner. After tempers have cooled on both sides, try a lighthearted game of speaking nicely to each other to express yourselves better. If your child is fighting with a sibling, suggest some ways they can build a good sibling relationship, such as by having them work together on a project. Thinking disciplining means punishing Often, parents forget that the point of disciplining children is to give them firm guidelines and limits so that they do not need to be punished. Disciplining means setting up

PHOTO: mybrownbaby.com

boundaries and expectations so that kids know what is expected of them. The primary goal is to have kids learn to eventually regulate themselves so that they do not need to be punished. The Fix: Re-think the way you view discipline. When you discipline a child, you are showing her how to make good choices and choose behaviors that are positive and ultimately good for her. And by showing her how you handle her misbehavior -- in a loving and constructive manner that emphasizes learning rather than punishment -- you are teaching her how to one day interact with her own children when they demonstrate bad behavior. Not practicing what you preach You tell your child not to tell lies but routinely fib to get out of things you don’t want to do like join that school volunteer committee or attend an unimportant meeting at work. Or you yell at your children and angrily tell them to speak nicely to each other. The problem is that we often do not see our own behavior, and forget that our children are watching our every move and learning how to behave by using our example. The Fix: As much as possible, try to live up to the example that you are setting up for your child. And if you do occasionally break one of your own rules, explain to your child the particular circumstances and why you behaved the way you did. Admit to how you could have handled it better, and talk about how you may do things differently the next time. Not fitting the discipline technique to your child When it comes to child discipline, one size does not fit all. What worked on a child’s sibling or the kids of friends may be the wrong approach for that particular child. Instead of repeatedly trying to fit a certain approach to correct or guide a child’s behavior, try different techniques to see what might work best on an individual child. The Fix: Remember that children, like adults, have their own personalities, temperaments, and quirks. One kid may be more stubborn than others or be more likely to have a meltdown when things don’t go his way. Try different approaches to tailor discipline techniques to each individual child. For instance, while one child may be able to focus and stop dawdling after a few general reminders, another child may need charts and schedules and closer supervision to keep him on track. Another example: While one child may stop misbehaving after a warning that he will lose privileges (a toy or an activity), another child may actually need to have those things taken away and experience the consequences of bad behavior before he learns to follow the rules. culled from www.popsugar.com

young woman was recounting her experience with a much older woman and all she could say to express her disappointment was: “That woman is not a mother!” She was actually referring to grand mother, a ‘multiple grandma’ if there is anything like that considering that her five children all have children. One would then ask what does it means to be a mother. Let’s take a look at the dictionary meaning of ‘mother’: A (human) female who parents a child, gives birth and nurtures a baby, and figuratively, mother means any elderly woman especially within a particular community. When a woman gives birth to a child a lot changes about her, she automatically assumes a unique responsibility given her by the Creator. She finds herself looking out for children even those other than her own. She does everything within her power to provide a safe and secure environment for her young ones to thrive, to keep them from abuse and harm as well as help boost their mental and emotional development, reducing any possible risk and stress. Being a mother means being there to teach children important rules and roles of life, from being empathetic individuals to learning how to be responsible for their actions. As children grow, they are confronted with differing ideas, opinions and values from friends, TV, internet, magazines and all what not. A mother teaches them what is right in a healthy way. She helps guide them to figure out their goals and values in life, she teaches them the importance of education, good manners and all. A mother disciplines her children, and arms them with skills that will benefit them throughout their life - at school, work and life at home. Her children will always respect and look up to her for guidance. A mother is a friend to her children; she knows and understands them better than any one else. They trust her and are willing to share their secrets as well as life challenges with her; because she is a good listener and will always be willing to lend her help and give good counsel. No mother on earth wants her child to suffer. None. A mother puts her children before herself; she is willing to sacrifice many of her needs and wants for those of her children. No matter what her children do or say, being a mother means she will love them unconditionally and stand by them. A mother works hard

to make sure her children are equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to make it in life. And when she has done the best she can, she turns to God for help in areas beyond her. Being a mother is perhaps the hardest, yet most rewarding job a woman will ever have. And because the ‘work’ (years of hard work and sleepless nights), comes long before the ‘reward’, many babies end up in a dustbin. How sad. Recently I read the story of a young mother in Ifo in Ogun State who was delivered of a baby without arms. Her husband on hearing the news fled, her landlord asked her not to bring the baby home, and the hospital asked her to take her baby and leave. Confused and dejected the woman - a mother, called her own baby a ‘calamity’, imagine that coming from a woman who had waited for almost two years to have that baby, a case of joy turned into sorrow. What can she do having no where to go, and most likely no money to take care of herself and her baby. My heart bled when I read her words: “…I don’t need this baby…” Those where the words of a woman who carried this same baby for nine months, a woman who had taken the pains to attend antenatal clinics, buy baby things and looked forward to receiving her bundle of joy in her arms. If she (the mother) does not ‘want’ that child who would? This shows that no woman can be a ‘mother’ without support from others. If she had a roof over head, some money to meet the baby’s needs and hers, and a husband or someone else around her, I don’t think she would have made such a statement. It takes a lot of courage to be a mother, to nurture a baby no body wants, to carry a sick baby around in search of healing even there seems to be no hope, to make food out of nothing, to go ahead and raise leaders having just few naira notes tied at one the end of your wrapper. No wonder she is called super mom. There are no words, in any language that can fully express the meaning of ‘mother’, neither is it limited to the ability to carry a baby for nine months and suckle the baby. It takes much more; it takes the willingness and devotion to be anything and everything to her children. That is a mother. Grace Essen is the author of ‘Successful Working Mom’, president & founder of Mum To Mum Support Initiative.

Business | Money Line 41

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

External reserves drop further by $184m DEFICIENT

CBN has continued to struggle to meet forex demand Tony Chukwunyem

igeria’s external reserves continue to suffer a steady decline as latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) website show that the reserves have fallen by $184million in the last five days to $30.155billion compared with $30.340billion recorded on March 13th. The sharp drop in international oil prices and a shortfall in domestic crude production have fueled the decline in the reserves. The development has impacted the nation’s finances as the country derives 70 per cent of its revenue and over 90 per cent of its foreign exchange from crude oil exports. The apex bank has also been using the reserves to support the naira, which has come under increased pressure since the presidential election was postponed from February 14th

to March 28th. To meet surging demand for foreign exchange, the CBN has in recent times increased foreign exchange sales per auction session to $500 million from $300 million. But as it continued to struggle to meet forex demand, the regulator last month closed the Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) forex window and channeled all demands to the interbank market. The move led to a depreciation of the naira at the official market from N168/$ to N198. Analysts at BGL Plc had in January predicted that the country’s external reserves might fall below $30billion by the end of the second quarter of this year if oil prices fall below $65 per barrel. In the firm’s economic report detailing the outlook for 2015, the analysts, stated that oil price volatility and the devaluation of the naira would further put pressure on the external reserves over the next few months. Also commenting recently on the state of the reserves, respected Economist and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Limited (FDC), Mr. Bismarck Rewane, said,

“The reserves are just a cushion. The cushion only increases when you have surpluses. We don’t have those surpluses right now. We are dealing with

just making do with what we have. So, we shouldn’t be talking about reserves now. We should be talking about how to reduce that which we are spending.”

Tony Chukwunyem

he number of Africans with 30 million US dollars in assets will more than double over the next decade, “The Wealth Report 2015”, has predicted. The report compiled by Knight Frank with support from Standard Bank Wealth and Investment, said the number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals is set to increase by 59 per cent over the next 10 years, stronger than the 34 per cent projected global growth. According to the report, the increase is expected to mainly come from countries such as Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey (MINT) compared to Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS). The research, which includes the global cities and global attitudes annual surveys stated that the average expected uplift for MINT countries is 76 per cent over

As at N16,833,244.57 N16,509,472.5m 8.2 0.0000 13 10.899 7.96 17.01 US$61.39 US$30,155,350,527

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 17/3/2015 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

Offer 163.38

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

Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

“Africa is one of the regions of the world with huge potential to grow its wealth, driven by a rising middle class and the increased success of many businesses. “Importantly, reforms in many countries are being expedited, infrastructure is happening at a startling pace and foreign investors are noticing,” added Nienaber. “The countries mentioned in this report have certainly built credibility among foreign investors and it is little surprise economic activity in the region is growing at a faster pace than anywhere else in the world.

CBN ends Global Money Week activities

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has rounded off activities it lined up to mark this year’s Global Money Week with the Financial Literacy Day/ School Mentoring and Reachout Programme held at two public schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Delivering a lecture entitled: “Growing Your Money”, at the Junior Secondary School, Wuse, the Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, a statement from CBN stated, encouraged the students to imbibe the culture of saving in order to be able to grow their money and guarantee a secure financial future. Mr. Adelabu, who represented the Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, stressed

the importance of saving, investments and insurance, noting that these were key instruments to attaining selfsufficiency as individuals and a country. He therefore charged the students to cultivate the habit of saving and investment in order to entrench robust personal financial independence in future. Similarly, the Deputy Governor in charge of the Financial System Stability Directorate, Dr. Okwu Joseph Nnanna, who represented the Governor at Government Secondary School, Garki, Abuja, urged the students to keep their money in banks to reduce the risks of theft and unnecessary spending and also allow the money to grow.

E-PPAN partners FSS 2020 on e-govt summit

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX

the next decade, which narrowly defeats the 72 per cent for BRICS nations. The global average is just 34 per cent and the average increase expected across the G8 developed nations is 28 per cent, it further noted. Global chief executive of Standard Bank Wealth and Investment, Margaret Nienaber, said the market was evolving, adding that the firm was foreseeing positive future growth in key African countries like Nigeria, which has one of the strongest forecast growth rates in high-net-worth individuals over the coming decade.

Kunle Azeez

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80

had fallen by $2.68billion in less than two months. This was an eight per cent drop from the balance of $34.47billion recorded on December 31, 2014.

Africans with $30m in assets to double by 2025 – Report

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

Since the beginning of the year, the reserves have dropped from $34.4billion on January 23 to $31.5billion on February 25. By February 23, the reserves

N) has entered into partnership with the Financial System Security 2020 (FSS 2020) to host Africa’s biggest e-Government Summit in Nigeria. The summit, scheduled to hold in Abuja on July 7-8, 2015, would bring together top government functionaries from Nigeria, government representatives from other countries in Africa and beyond as well as stakeholders from the private sector to discuss e-government as an a critical element to electronic payment systems sector. The FSS 2020 is an initiative of the Federal Government of

Nigeria aimed at developing a coherent and internally consistent blueprint to develop Nigeria’s financial system to help achieve its vision to become a major international financial centre and one of the top 20 largest economies in the world by the year 2020. Speaking on the partnership in a statement yesterday, E-PPAN’s Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Onajite Regha, said the partnership was necessitated to foster collaboration amongst stakeholders and join efforts to further push the implementation of e-payment and e-services to the public sector.

Business | Financial Market News

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

18-Mar-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

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description 4.00 23-APR-2015 13.05 16-AUG-2016 15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 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 (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

23-Apr-10 16-Aug-13 27-Apr-12 27-Jul-07 31-Aug-07 30-May-08 29-Jun-12 23-Oct-09 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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

5,023.13

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,424.70

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

0.10 1.41 2.11 2.36 2.46 3.20 4.28 4.60 4.91 6.86 8.99 13.70 14.18 14.68 15.35 19.33

15.74 16.24 16.32 16.28 16.28 16.22 16.16 16.10 16.09 16.07 16.58 16.34 16.27 16.19 16.31 16.77

14.20 16.11 16.23 16.20 16.19 16.08 16.06 15.99 16.00 16.00 16.51 16.28 16.20 16.11 16.24 16.70

98.83 96.07 97.84 87.75 86.42 86.58 99.45 71.17 98.13 101.23 89.07 92.70 79.26 57.29 64.75 73.63

98.98 96.22 97.99 87.90 86.57 86.88 99.75 71.47 98.43 101.53 89.37 93.00 79.56 57.59 65.05 73.93

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

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

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

24-May-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

0.18 0.92 1.73 2.09 2.30

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 2.85

18.35 19.05 18.25 17.29 19.13

96.67 98.67 96.70 97.28 90.61

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

322.38

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

308.41

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.45

4.44

20.34

96.71

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

4.18

30-Sep-15

0.29

3.23

18.98

98.39

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

4.86

30-Jun-16

0.81

4.46

21.02

95.02

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

5.73

30-Jun-16

0.81

3.48

20.05

96.71

A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.09

1.00

17.29

87.63

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

25.73

30-Jun-17

1.35

1.00

17.43

95.77

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.79

1.79

18.04

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

34.14

30-Sep-18

1.96

1.80

18.09

93.80

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

1.97

1.00

17.29

94.93

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

13.73

09-Dec-18

2.16

1.00

17.29

95.27

‡ /Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

10.20

12-Dec-18

2.16

4.78

21.07

88.69

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.36

1.00

17.28

96.75

BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

*GOMBE LAGOS

15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019

02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12

15.50 14.50 14.75

16.23 80.00 25.70

02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19

2.60 4.68 2.75

1.00 1.00 1.00

17.27 17.10 17.26

96.61 91.78 94.84

BBB-/Agusto; A-/GCR

91.36

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

BBB-/Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020

10-Oct-13

14.75

11.10

10-Oct-20

3.21

1.00

17.22

94.33

Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.50

27-Nov-20

5.70

1.00

17.06

87.29

A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro

KOGI

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

5.79

1.00

17.05

92.55

‡ /Agusto A-/GCR

*EKITI *NASARAWA

14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

31-Dec-13

14.50

4.55

31-Dec-20

3.45

1.44

17.63

92.50

06-Jan-14

15.00

4.56

06-Jan-21

3.48

1.00

17.19

94.65

97.30

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

459.68 422.19

Corporate Bonds ‡ /Agusto BBB-/Agusto

*UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

2.50

17-Aug-15

0.42

1.00

16.87

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

18.75

09-Dec-15

0.48

1.00

16.92

97.79

BB/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.42

06-Jan-16

0.56

2.63

18.69

97.61

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

1.53

1.00

17.22

94.50

A-/Agusto

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.61

1.34

17.58

95.47

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

2.54

1.00

17.27

91.49

BBB-/GCR

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.64

30-Nov-17

1.56

1.88

18.11

100.56

Nil

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

6.30

09-Apr-18

1.56

1.00

17.23

98.45

A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.54

09-Sep-18

1.98

1.00

17.29

101.10

97.97

AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR

*TOWER

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.70

09-Sep-18

1.98

1.00

17.29

A/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

3.52

1.00

17.19

91.84

Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.40

18-Oct-18

1.83

2.29

18.56

95.99

BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

18.00

0.36

17-Feb-19

2.17

6.11

22.40

93.13

Nil

*DANA#{r}

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

2.79

2.16

18.41

94.98

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.66

2.76

18.82

87.81

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

11.93

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.54

1.00

17.92

73.06

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.54

1.00

17.92

79.01

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

132.23

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

122.16

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

2.90

1.00

17.24

84.39

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

AfDB

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

4.75

1.00

17.10

81.01

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

24.95 20.62

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value ($mm)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

6.93

6.72

99.14

100.13

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

6.36

6.04

96.35

97.27

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

7.19

7.02

94.96

95.96

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

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

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,452.27

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

113.53

49.00

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

7.71

6.25

99.75

101.36

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

13.36

88.00

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

14.27

13.06

81.83

84.50

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

9.04

8.46

90.74

92.42

B/Fitch

AFREN PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

39.08

43.63

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

9.05

90.60

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

15.88

15.05

78.80

80.97

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

14.10

77.95

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

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

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

24.22 14.51 13.63

24.22 13.94 13.63

47.00 78.92 76.00

47.00 80.92 76.00

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

11.47

10.95

87.25

89.38

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,760.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

3,656.04

**Treasury Bills DTM 8 15 22 29 36 43 50 57 64

Money Market

FIXINGS Maturity 26-Mar-15 2-Apr-15 9-Apr-15 16-Apr-15 23-Apr-15 30-Apr-15 7-May-15 14-May-15 21-May-15

Bid Discount (%) 13.94 14.65 14.35 15.06 14.95 14.80 13.86 14.59 14.54

Offer Discount (%) 13.69 14.40 14.10 14.81 14.70 14.55 13.61 14.34 14.29

Bid Yield (%) 13.98 14.74 14.47 15.24 15.17 15.07 14.13 14.92 14.92

Tenor

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 23.4167 16.8807 17.7287 18.9087

Rate (%)

OBB

15.58

O/N

16.42

Tenor Call 1M 3M

REPO

Rate (%) 16.00 17.00 18.00

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

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

199.10 201.81 202.13 202.87 204.24 205.60 206.28

199.20 201.93 202.28 203.37 205.31 207.21 213.47

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

308.41

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.45

4.44

20.34

96.71

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

4.18

30-Sep-15

0.29

3.23

18.98

98.39

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

4.86

30-Jun-16

0.81

4.46

21.02

95.02

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

5.73

30-Jun-16

0.81

3.48

20.05

96.71

A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.09

1.00

17.29

87.63

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

25.73

30-Jun-17

1.35

1.00

17.43

95.77

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.79

1.79

18.04

91.36

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

34.14

30-Sep-18

1.96

1.80

18.09

93.80

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

1.97

1.00

17.29

94.93

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

13.73

09-Dec-18

2.16

1.00

17.29

95.27

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

10.20

12-Dec-18

2.16

4.78

21.07

88.69

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.36

1.00

17.28

96.75

15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019

02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12

15.50 14.50 14.75

16.23 80.00 25.70

02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19

2.60 4.68 2.75

1.00 1.00 1.00

17.27 17.10 17.26

96.61 91.78 94.84

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, ‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR *DELTAMARCH 19, 2015 ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

‡ /Agusto

*NIGER

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

*GOMBE LAGOS

DESCENT

Sustained sell *OSUN BBB-/Agusto *OSUN pressure takes toll Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR LAGOS A-/Agusto; KOGI on theBBB+/DataPro bourse BBB-/Agusto; A-/GCR

Business | Financial Market News

Stock market extends losing streak 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

10-Oct-13 14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020 ment depletion as low Trading activities on 27-Nov-13 13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020 sentiments 15.00 persisted folthe floor of Exchange had 31-Dec-13 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 lowing the 14.50 upset the also closed in the in red 31-Dec-13 ‡ /Agusto *EKITI EKITI in II 31-DEC-2020 06-Jan-14 A-/GCR *NASARAWAfinancial market 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021 the previous day followarising TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE from the steep drop of the ing negative sentiments TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION price of oil at the interof investors. Stories by Chris Ugwu national market and the Consequently, the AllCorporate Bonds uncertainty in the forthShare Index dipped 17-Aug-10 119.23 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 ‡ /Agusto *UPDC he Nigerian *FLOURMILLS eq- coming elections. basis points or 0.40 per 12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 BBB-/Agusto 09-Dec-10 14.00 CHELLARAMS BB/GCR uity market yes06-Jan-11 *CHELLARAMS With only 11 gain-06-JAN-2016 cent to close at 29,434.46 as NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 A+/Agusto; terday A-/GCR 29-Sep-11 NAHCO plunged ers and 2713.00 losers, the against 29,553.69 recorded 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 A-/Agusto 25-Oct-13 FSDH key benchmark indices the previous day, while further following 13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017 A/GCR 30-Sep-10 UBA massive sell off that has maintained negative trathe market capitalisation 18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 BBB-/GCR 30-Nov-12 *C & I LEASING persisted on the bourse in#{r} jectory to close in the MPR+7.00 DANAred, 9-APR-2018of equities depreciated 09-Apr-11 Nil *DANA in theTOWER shares recent times. by N39 billion or 0.40 per 9-SEP-2018 09-Sep-11 A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR *TOWER# as activitiesMPR+7.00 MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 09-Sep-11 AAA/DataPro†; MarketA/GCR watchers *TOWER be- # of blue chip companies cent from N9.861 trillion 14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 A/Agusto; A/GCR 22-Sep-11 UBA the equi- the previous day to N9.822 lieve investors are yet to dragged down 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR 18-Oct-13 *LA CASERA get respite from investties market. trillion. # MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 17-Feb-12 BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR *CHELLARAMS

14.75 11.10 Meanwhile, a turnover 13.50 87.50 of 188.3 million shares 15.00 5.00 worth14.50 N1.6 billion in4.55 3,043 15.00 recorded 4.56 deals was in the 459.68 day’s trading. Just as in the422.19 previous day, the banking subsector10.00 of the financial 2.50 services 12.00 sector was 18.75the 14.00 0.42 by most active (measured 13.00 volume);15.00 turnover with 14.25 85.08 million shares 5.53 worth 13.00 20.00 N893.418.00 million exchanged 0.64 by investors in 1,1326.30 deals. 16.00 Volume 18.00 in the banking 2.54 16.00 0.70 sub-sector was largely driven14.00 by activities35.00 in the 15.75

*DANA#{r}

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

11.93

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

13.25

Analyst lists African bourse with lowest influence of largest stocks

that any influence on a Exchange, British Amer10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018 11-Feb-13 market capitsalisation ican Tobacco dominate 11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021 10-Jul-14 index beyond 15 per cent with 11.3 per cent; ItisTOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE financial analyst is excessive and takes that salat-Al-Maghrib (TeleTOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION has disclosed that Exchange backward and com) controls 22.2 per of only two stock not forward. The find-Description total market capitalisaRating/Agency Issuer Issue Date markets classified as ings further strengthen tion of Casablanca Stock Exchange, while in Egypemerging in Africa (Egypt my stand”. FGN Eurobonds He noted that 10 promand South Africa) have tian Exchange, Orascom 6.75 JAN 28, 2021 BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P 07-Oct-11 the lowest influence of inent African stock ex- Construction leads by 11.2 BB-/Fitch; FGN 5.13 JUL per 12, 2018 12-Jul-13 the largest stock on their changes were reviewed cent. BB-/S&P exchanges on the over- to determine, which comOthers includes, ZimBB-/Fitch; 6.38 JUL 12, 2023 12-Jul-13 BB-/S&P panies and to what extent babwe Stock Exchange all daily performance of TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE their respective indices. have the most influence with Delta Corporation A Senior Eq- on their respective stock leading with 32.2 per cent TOTAL MARKET Africa CAPITALISATION uity Analyst at Thaddeus indices and found out that of total market capitaliCorporate Eurobonds Investment Advisors & in Ghana Stock Exchange sation; BRVM (Abidjan) 11.50 FEB 01, 2016 B/Fitch; B-/S&P I Research Limited, AFREN Mr. PLCTullow Oil controls apwith BICICI Group01-Feb-11 BNP 7.50 MAY 19, 2016 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P I 19-May-11 Jude Fejokwu, said GTBANK the PLC proximately 50 per cent Paribas controlling 26.4 7.25 JUL 25, 2017 B+/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC 25-Jul-12 of total market capitaliper cent; Mauritius duo also had much iden6.88 MAY 09, 2018 B/Fitch; B/S&P FIDELITY BANK PLC 09-May-13 Stock Exchange 08-Nov-13 with tical weightings at 11.2GTBANK per PLC sation. 6.00 NOV 08, 2018 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P Dangote Cement leads cent and 11.3 per cent for MCB Group leading with 10.25 APR 08, 2019 B/Fitch AFREN PLC II 08-Apr-12 Egypt and South Africa with 26 per cent of total 22.4 per cent and Dar Es 6.25 APR 22, 2019 B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P ZENITH BANK PLC 22-Apr-14 respectively market capitalisation 8.75 in May Salaam Stock Exchange 21, 2019 B/Fitch; B/S&P . DIAMOND BANK PLC 21-May-14 Fejokwu said before Stock Exchange; Tan8.25 AUG being 07, 2020 controlled by07-Aug-13 B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANKNigerian PLC 09, 2020 Breweries with B-/Fitch; B/S&P III 09-Dec-13 the five-day findingsAFREN by PLCSafaricom, 26.1 per cent6.63 in DEC zania 18.8 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 B-/Fitch; B/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC II 24-Jun-14 the research organisaNairobi Stock Exchange; per cent of total market 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021 B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANK LTD 23-Jul-14 tion, “I have always felt in Johannesburg Stock capitalisation.

10.20

AfDB

11.25

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

22.40

95.99

93.13

4.50

01-Apr-19

2.79

2.16

18.41

94.98

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.66

2.76

18.82

87.81

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.54

1.00

17.92

73.06

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.54

1.00

17.92

79.01

scorecard will ensure compliance of these companies with the tenets of corporate governance, 12.00 11-Feb-18 2.90 1.00 17.24 84.39 he Securities and Exwhich will in turn translate into 12.95 01-Feb-21 4.75 1.00 17.10 81.01 better returns and better service change Commission (SEC) 24.95 delivery among others. has advised the board of 20.62 governors of the Performance, “One issue that is very critiOutstanding Value Earnings and Returns Leadercal in this market is theOffer issue of Maturity Date Bid Yield (%) Offer Yield (%) Bid Price Price ship ($mm) (Pearl) Awards Nigeria to Corporate Governance. I appeal include Good Corporate Gover- that in your selection process, Prices & Yields nance in its criteria to reward emphasis be given to companies 500.00 28-Jan-21 6.93 6.72 99.14 100.13 quoted companies in Nigeria. that are complying. SEC is the 500.00 12-Jul-18 6.36 96.35 has developed 97.27 The Commission also gave an only6.04 regulator that assurance of its readiness to col- its Corporate Governance score500.00 12-Jul-23 7.19 7.02 94.96 95.96 laborate with the Pearl Awards in card, which has been approved 1,500.00 encouraging companies for high by the board and we will launch performance. it very soon” Gwarzo declared. 1,452.27 A statement from the comHe also enjoined the Pearl mission, said the acting Direc- Awards team to look at issues 450.00 01-Feb-16 113.53 113.53 49.00 49.00 tor General of SEC, Mr. Mounir of Corporate Social Responsibil500.00 19-May-16 7.71 6.25 99.75 101.36 Gwarzo stated this when he reity (CSR) by quoted companies, 350.00 25-Jul-17 13.36 13.36 88.00 ceived members of the governing which he said 88.00 is very important 300.00 02-May-18 14.27 13.06 81.83 84.50 board of Pearl Awards, Nigeria in so that communities will see com400.00 08-Nov-18 9.04 8.46 90.74 92.42 his office in Abuja. panies giving back to them. 300.00 08-Apr-19 39.08 39.08 43.63 43.63 Speaking earlier, President of He500.00 said it was22-Apr-19 in a bid to en9.05 9.05 90.60 90.60 sure 200.00 that companies operating15.88 in Pearl awards, Tayo 21-May-19 15.05 78.80 Orekoya 80.97comNigeria’s market do well, mended of the 300.00 capital 07-Aug-20 14.10 14.10 the management 77.95 77.95 360.00 is set to launch 09-Dec-20 its corpo24.22 47.00 to return 47.00 the that SEC SEC24.22 on its efforts 400.00 24-Jun-21 14.51 13.94 to the path 78.92 of sustainable 80.92 rate governance scorecard. market 450.00 23-Jul-21 13.63 13.63 76.00 76.00 Gwarzo explained that the growth and development.

Coupon (%)

6.75 5.13 6.38

11.50 7.50 7.25 6.88 6.00 10.25 6.25 8.75 8.25 6.63 9.25 8.00

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

11.47

10.95

4,760.00

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

18.56

6.11

Abuja

IFC

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

2.29

2.17

122.16 Isa Abdulwahab

Supranational Bond

B-/S&P

1.83

17-Feb-19

132.23

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

18-Oct-18

0.36

SEC to partner Pearl Awards on corporate governance

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

AAA/S&P Chris Ugwu

10-Oct-20 94.33 3.85 per17.22 cent to close at shares of GTB 3.21 and UBA 1.00 27-Nov-20 5.70 1.00 17.06 87.29 Plc. N13.50 per share. Airser31-Dec-20 5.79 1.00 17.05 92.55 Also, other3.45 finan- 1.44 vice Plc17.63 recorded92.50 a gain 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21 3.48 sector, 1.00 of 3.61 per 17.19 cent to 94.65 cial services sub close at boosted by activities in N1.72 per share. the shares of UBA Capital On the flip side, AfriPlc, followed with a turn- can Prudential Plc led the over of 58.7 million of 12.59 17-Aug-15 0.42 shares 1.00 losers with 16.87 a drop 97.30 valued at N184.02 to close at N2.57 09-Dec-15 0.48million 1.00 per cent 16.92 97.79 0.56 2.63 per share, 18.69 while ETI 97.61 Plc in 06-Jan-16 698 deals. 29-Sep-16 1.53 of the 1.00 and Presco 17.22 Plc shed 94.50 4.99 Further analysis 25-Oct-16 1.61 17.58 95.47 day’s trading showed that 1.34 per cent each to close at 30-Sep-17 2.54 1.00 17.27 91.49 and N27.78 per Costain West Africa Plc 1.88 N17.15 18.11 30-Nov-17 1.56 100.56 topped the day’s1.56gainers’ 1.00 share respectively . Julius 09-Apr-18 17.23 98.45 table with 4.48 1.98 per cent 1.00 Berger 17.29 Plc trailed 09-Sep-18 101.10with 1.98 while 1.00 4.98 per 17.29 97.97 cent to close at to 09-Sep-18 close at 70 kobo, 22-Sep-18 3.52 17.19 Oando Plc trailed with 1.00 N41.81 per share. 91.84

2.40

18.00

Nil

87.25

89.38

18-Mar-15

3,656.04

The DQL contains and instruments in the financial market (the “Information”). The Information does not constitute Money Market **Treasury Bills data relating to, amongst other things, market and model prices, rates of foreign exchange products, fixed income securities FIXINGS Exchange (Spot & Forwards) 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 accurateForeign or up to date. We do not guarantee DTM Maturity Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount (%) Bid Yield (%) Tenor Rate (%) NIBOR the accuracy,8timeliness, completeness, performance or fitness for a particular purpose of any of the Information, 26-Mar-15 13.94 13.69 13.98neither do we accept liability for the results of any action taken on the basis of the Information.

15 2-Apr-15 14.65 22 9-Apr-15 14.35 16-Apr-15 15.06 FGN Bonds 29 36 23-Apr-15 14.95 43 30-Apr-15 14.80 Rating/Agency Issuer Description 50 7-May-15 13.86 57 14-May-15 14.59 4.00 23-APR-2015 64 21-May-15 14.54 78 4-Jun-15 14.99 13.05 16-AUG-2016 85 11-Jun-15 14.85 15.10 27-APR-2017 99 25-Jun-15 14.40 9.85 27-JUL-2017 106 2-Jul-15 14.86 9.35 31-AUG-2017 120 16-Jul-15 15.01 10.70 30-MAY-2018 127 23-Jul-15 14.94 16.00 29-JUN-2019 134 30-Jul-15 14.93 7.00 23-OCT-2019 NA NA 141 6-Aug-15 15.10 15.54 13-FEB-2020 148 13-Aug-15 15.00 16.39 27-JAN-2022 162 27-Aug-15 11.80 14.20 14-MAR-2024 169 3-Sep-15 14.80 15.00 28-NOV-2028 176 10-Sep-15 14.74 12.49 22-MAY-2029 190 24-Sep-15 14.96 8.50 20-NOV-2029 260 3-Dec-15 13.99 274 17-Dec-15 14.09 10.00 23-JUL-2030 295 7-Jan-16 14.68 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 309 21-Jan-16 14.71 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 323 4-Feb-16 14.77 337 18-Feb-16 14.82 TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 351 3-Mar-16 15.11 *for the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration #

Risk Premium is a combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums Rating/Agency Issuer **Exclusive of non-trading t.bills

14.40 14.10 14.81 14.70 14.55 Issue 13.61Date 14.34 23-Apr-10 14.29 14.74 16-Aug-13 14.60 27-Apr-12 14.15 27-Jul-07 14.61 31-Aug-07 14.76 30-May-08 14.69 29-Jun-12 14.68 23-Oct-09 14.85 13-Feb-15 14.75 27-Jan-12 11.55 14-Mar-14 14.55 28-Nov-08 14.49 22-May-09 14.71 20-Nov-09 13.74 13.84 23-Jul-10 14.43 18-Jul-14 14.46 14.52 14.57 14.86

Description

14.74 14.47 15.24 15.17 15.07 Coupon 14.13 (%) 14.92 4.00 14.92 15.48 13.05 15.38 15.10 14.99 9.85 15.53 9.35 15.78 10.70 15.76 16.00 15.80 7.00 16.03 15.54 15.97 16.39 12.45 14.20 15.89 15.00 15.87 12.49 16.23 8.50 15.54 15.75 10.00 16.65 12.1493 16.80 16.98 17.17 17.68

Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M Outstanding Value

Bonds

Issue Date

(N'bn)

OBB

Rate (%) 23.4167 16.8807 17.7287 18.9087

15.58

O/N Tenor

Maturity Date

535.00 23-Apr-15 NITTY 581.39 16-Aug-16 Tenor Rate (%) 476.80 27-Apr-17 1M 15.1140 20.00 27-Jul-17 2M 15.1801 100.00 31-Aug-17 3M 15.2267 300.00 30-May-18 6M 15.3175 351.30 29-Jun-19 9M 15.6621 233.90 23-Oct-19 12M 16.9643 54.00 13-Feb-20 600.00 27-Jan-22 499.68 14-Mar-24 NIFEX 75.00 28-Nov-28 150.00 22-May-29 Current Price ($/N) 20-Nov-29 BID($/N) 200.00 199.0750 OFFER ($/N) 199.1750 591.57 23-Jul-30 254.50 18-Jul-34

16.42

REPO

TTM Call(Yrs) 1M 0.10 3M 6M 1.41

Rate (%)

Bid16.00 Yield (%) 17.00 15.74 18.00 19.00 16.24

Tenor

Spot 7D 14D 1M Offer Yield 2M (%) 3M 14.20 6M 1Y 16.11

2.11 16.32 16.23 2.36 16.28 16.20 2.46 16.28 16.19 :Benchmarks 3.20 16.22 16.08 * :Amortising Bond 4.28 16.16 16.06 µ :Convertible Bond 4.60 16.10 15.99 AMCON: Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria 4.91 16.09 16.00 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria 6.86 16.07 16.00 FMBN: Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria 8.99 Finance Corporation 16.58 16.51 IFC: International 13.70 16.34 16.28 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables Management 14.18 Aviation Handling 16.27 Company 16.20 NAHCO: Nigerian 14.68 16.19 16.11 O/N: Overnight UPDC: UAC Property Development 15.35 16.31 Company 16.24 WAPCO:West Cement Company 19.33Africa Portland 16.77 16.70 NOTE:

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

199.10 199.20 201.81 Price 201.93 202.13 202.28 202.87 203.37 Bid Price Offer Price 204.24 205.31 205.60 207.21 98.83 98.98 206.28 213.47 220.29 226.27 96.07 96.22

97.84 97.99 87.75 87.90 86.42 86.57 NA :Not86.58 Applicable 86.88 # :Floating Rate Bond 99.45 99.75 ***: Deferred coupon bonds 71.17 71.47 98.13 98.43 ‡ : Bond rating under review †: Bond101.23 rating expired 101.53 89.37 N/A :Not89.07 Available 92.70 {r} :Issuer in receivership 93.00 79.26 79.56 57.29 57.59 NGC: Nigeria-German Company UBA: United 64.75Bank for Africa 65.05 73.63 73.93

5,023.13 4,424.70 Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM Modified Duration Buckets

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Sub-National Bonds

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 Total Outstanding

Porfolio Market Value(Bn)

Volume(Bn)

24-May-12 0.00 03-Apr-12 17.25 FMDQ FGN BOND 09-Dec-11 0.00/16.00 20-Apr-12 0.00/16.50 06-Jul-12 0.00/16.50 Weighting by Weighting by Mkt

Outstanding Vol

Value

24.56 2.40

INDEX112.22

116.70 66.49

Bucket Weighting

322.38

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

Mod_Duration

0.18 0.92 1.73 2.09 2.30

Implied Yield

Portfolio Price

1,374.38

1,409.48

42.92

46.77

308.410.43

21.39

16.23

100.7060

3<5

1,016.84

1,059.68

32.27

34.60

0.32

38.24

16.30

97.1003

547.59

815.07

24.82

18.63

0.25

40.36

16.45

72.0702

30-Sep-10

12.50100.00

13.00

8.50 1.00 4.18

31-Aug-15 100.00

0.45 16.34

30-Jun-11

14.00

4.86

30-Jun-16

0.81

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

5.73

30-Jun-16

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

A/Agusto

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 2.85 Implied

A-/Agusto

KADUNA Market *EBONYI

12.50 KADUNA2,938.81 31-AUG-2015

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

3,284.23

31-Aug-10 100.00

INDEX

1,128.30 968.88 1,012.95

96.67 98.67 96.70 97.28 90.61 YTD Return (%)

1.8465 4.3153 0.5896

20.34 1,044.52 -

96.71 1.0108

4.46

21.02

95.02

0.81

3.48

20.05

96.71

19-Apr-17

2.09

1.00

17.29

87.63

25.73

30-Jun-17

1.35

1.00

17.43

95.77

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.79

1.79

18.04

91.36

14.00

34.14

30-Sep-18

1.96

1.80

18.09

93.80

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

1.97

1.00

17.29

94.93

09-Dec-11

14.50

13.73

09-Dec-18

2.16

1.00

17.29

95.27

30-Sep-15

0.29

4.44 92.4359

18.35 19.05 18.25 17.29 19.13

3.23

18.98

98.39

44 Travel Advisory

THURSday, March 19, 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-LomeKinshasa 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

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Features High rent: Containers to the rescue In Lagos, container shops are becoming a fad. This is more evident as many traders are embracing this innovation that comes relatively cheap, report JOHN EDU and VIVIAN SHILE

s multi-diverse businesses continue to surface, thousands of Nigerians have found new outlets to showcase their trades. The way business is done, especially in the informal sector of the nation’s economy, has over the years taken different dimensions. While those who are financially buoyant rent shops at exorbitant prices, others prefer to display their wares at roadsides, on open table tops or nylon spread on the ground. But recently, containers converted to shops have become the choice of many traders in major cities across the country. It is, however, more prevalent in the Lagos metropolis and tributary communities. Indeed, some people now prefer to demolish their shanties or brick shops and replace them with containers. Containers are used to bring imported goods into the country. Others are, however, made locally by welders. Traders now embrace ‘container shops’ like ducks take to water. But the traders have varying reasons for choosing containers as shops. Mrs Atinuke Aderemi, a businesswoman who sells ice block inside a mini-container in Ikeja Central Business District, said she had actually wanted to rent a shop, but was stopped by the local government officials. She said: “The use of container for business depends mostly on the location where the business is being done and also the nature of the business - that is the kind of trade you want to do. “I have been using containers for over a year now. I actually wanted a brick shop for my trade but I was told by local government tenement officials that I could not erect such since all the shops around are containers so I decided to follow suit.” According to Aderemi, aside from the fact that she was forced to use the container, the advantage is that it is mobile and that means she can remove it when

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun. bello@newtelegraphonline.com

Wares on display in a container shop

A container shop

A bookshop in a container

she no longer wants it. She added: “I can even decide to sell it. It is also cheaper, compared to shop.” The woman said that shops were charged according to their sizes, structures and locations. But the rent for containers depends on sizes. She said that depending on how much one could afford, most traders would go for large, extra-large or medium size containers. She said: “The price range differs because of the sizes of the containers. Some are sold for N250,000; others are sold for N80,000.” According to Aderemi, prices also differ depending on whether a trader wants to buy already constructed one, or buy from Apapa Wharf. She urged people who want to start using containers for shops to buy already constructed one, noting that money spent in going to Apapa Wharf to transport the container, is enough to buy the ones constructed by welders. “Before you get the container to your destination from Wharf, police would have collected a lot of money from you,” Aderemi warned. According to her, the major problem associated with containers is that it is usually hot when the sun is at its peak. She said: “Whenever the weather is hot, it becomes so inconvenient to use. The body is made of metal, thus it generates heat a lot. This is why I had to put asbestos roof to reduce the heat.” Mr Okechukwu Augustine, who has a boutique on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, said he would have preferred

the use of brick shop to container because of security reasons, but he had to make do with container. While noting that the government had not provided enough shops for traders, he said that the available ones were not affordable. He said: “Robbers can easily break into the container shop and cart away goods. But they cannot do that in the case of a brick shop. But since the container is cheaper, I had to use my meagre resources to get the type of shop I am using now. “If the government can help poor traders, then I think Lagos State would be a better place to live and carry out business.” Mrs. Elizabeth Opara, a container owner, selling school bags opposite Ikeja Shopping Malls, said she preferred the use of container to the brick shop. According to her, she does not have to pay rent as well as regular maintenance and other government levies that brick shop owners pay. She added: “I got my container for N90,000. I paid N35,000 for space to the owner of the land and paid N2,000 for local government permit. I don’t have to pay any other fee except for space fee which is between me and the land owner.” Another container user, Mr Hassan Adebayo, a key cutter, also said that the cost of getting and maintaining a container was cheaper compared to brick shop. According to him, the government usually breathes down on the necks of

brick shop owners. He said: “But with container, you do not face such issues. Once a trader meets with the land owner of the space to put the container, pays the bills which is for a specific period, gets permit from the local government, the trader is good to go.” Another petty trader, Mrs Bose Akanbi, who sells baby items, said she embraced container because of the problems with brick shops. She said: “Aside from the low cost of acquiring the container, which I did for just N50,000, I also paid N1,500 for the space where it was mounted.” Akanbi explained that another major reason she chose container was because her business was still growing, yet local government officials used to demand shop permit from those using brick shops. But, according to her, with container shops, traders only pay just N1,500 monthly to local government officials. She said: “Traders who have brick shops, not only pay for shop permits, but also pay the N1,500 local government fee every month. “How much do I make daily that I would have to pay for shop permit and rent? But with the container shop, I do not bother about rent, since the container is mine.” Mrs Adejoke Amosu, whose shop is located at Arinfanla, Akute, Ogun State, has a different view. Amosu said she accepted to use container as a last resort,. She said: “I have been using a brick shop for the past 11 years before the Ogun State Government demolished my shop and those of several others. “Governor Ibikunle Amosun said his administration wanted to reconstruct the road. We were then permitted to mount container shops on the little open space that was remaining until they finish the road. “They promised that our shops would be rebuilt. We are still hoping they will fulfil their promises. I do not like container shop, but I do not have any choice for now. “The container shop used to cause electric shock and there is no space in the container compared to the normal shop. I bought my container for N50,000 and I paid N1,500 every month for the space on which it is built. The container is not comfortable for use during dry season. I just hope the governor will respond to us as soon as possible.”

News

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

SOUTH-WEST

Fashola applies ‘no work, no pay’ rule to Lagos doctors strike Appolonia Adeyemi

our days into the strike declared by Lagos doctors under the umbrella of the Medical Guild, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola has threatened to apply the ‘no work no pay’ policy on any doctor that abandons his duty in the guise of industrial action. Speaking during the official unveiling of the Cardiac and Renal Centre (CRC) Gbagada, La-

gos yesterday, Fashola, appealed to the doctors to return to work, stating that his government would not pay doctors who have abandoned their work. It would be recalled that the doctors declared the strike after the Lagos government withheld their salaries. The withheld salaries include three days salary in April, 2012 and May 2012, as well as two months salaries, which are that of August and September 2014, totaling three months and three

days. Fashola, however, hinged his decision for refusing to pay the earlier withheld salaries of the doctors on a Federal Law, under the Trade Dispute Act, which stipulates that “if people go on strike, they would not be entitled to payment for the period of the strike.” Justifying the refusal of the state to yield to pressure from the doctors to pay the withheld salaries, Fashola, said the ‘no work no pay’

rule was applied when the doctors embarked on strike during the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Nigeria. ‘’Doctors must also understand that the period they went on strike was when we had Ebola. That was when we needed them most. That was the period when doctors who have no stake in this country, foreigners came to serve,” he said The governor explained that the ‘no work no pay’ policy is a

Federal Law, adding, “I will appeal to them to go back to work. Otherwise, the government would be compelled again to apply the law.” Meanwhile, a source at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, told New Telegraph that a female patient lost her life last night. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the son of the deceased said his late mother was hospitalised in LASUTH for two weeks. ‘’Al-

though, she was already getting better when the doctors strike which is applies to all Lagos public hospitals began and since then she was abandoned, leading to the severity of her condition and eventual death, ’’ the deceased son said A visit to the LASUTH reveals that few of the patients on admission in the wards have been ordered to leave while relations of some of the patients were seen moving out of the hospital.

Jonathan, not Buhari, is Yoruba’s choice –Okurounmu Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

ormer SecretaryGeneral of Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Senator Femi Okurounmu, yesterday said the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan on March 28 remains the logical choice of the South West geopolitical zone. He said in a statement issued in Abeokuta that Jonathan, who had promised to implement the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference, would secure the votes the of the Yoruba in the presidential election. Okurounmu, who was Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference, urged the people of the South West to reject any attempt by the former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to lead them into political enslavement. The Afenifere chieftain contended that the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, would not serve the collective interests of the

Yoruba if elected because he and his party opposed the recommendations of the national dialogue. He said, “The recommendations of the 2014 National Conference, if implemented, would constitute a crowning glory on our collective efforts over the last several dates. If dumped, it would mean several decades of labour lost. The choice is ours to make by voting the right candidate in the coming presidential election. “We have on the one hand, a Fulani irredentist, an unrepentant Yoruba hater who has neither apologised nor shown remorse for the indignation he heaped on Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the callous way he persecuted our iconic UPN governors; a man whose political party, the APC and whose ethnic nationality, the Fulani are sworn opponents of the conference and its progressive recommendations. “We have, on the other hand, a sitting president who defied all opposition to convene the conference and who has repeatedly vowed to implement its recommendations, if re-elected.”

Documentary on Badagry for Lagos show Mojeed Alabi

documentary film by an award-winning travel journalist, Pelu Awofeso and titled; Badagry: A Journey Back in Time, has been shortlisted for screening at the 5th Represent International Documentary Film Festival, scheduled to hold between March 19-22, in Lagos. According to the festival’s organising committee, the documentary film festival, which is scheduled to hold at the Freedom Park on

Broad Street, Lagos Island, would feature the screening of over 50 documentary films, panel discussions, workshops and networking, with filmmakers attending from countries including USA, Germany, South Africa, Egypt, Mali, Ghana, Cameroun and Gabon. Shot and directed by photographer and broadcaster, Wome Uyeye, the film follows a busload of Nigerian tourists on a daylong excursion to Badagry, the historic town situated on the western tip of Lagos.

L-R: Chairman, Tamda Renescor, Concessionaire of the Cardiac and Renal Centre, Dr. Ladi Awosika; Senior Nursing Supervisor, Yemi Ogunyemi; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris; Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; Governor Babatunde Fashola; Apex Matron, Cardiac and Renal Centre, Mrs. Oluwa Boyide and Special Adviser on Public Health to Governor of Lagos, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, at the official inauguration of the centre by Fashola in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

APC are bad managers of resources –PDP Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

kiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has decried the inability of some states in the South-West region to pay the salaries of public servants regularly, a trend described as testimony of the anti-people’s posture of the All Progressives

Congress (APC). In a statement by the acting state Publicity Secretary of the party, Joseph Adaraniwon, in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the PDP accused the APC of being poor managers of resources. The party lamented that the APC-controlled states of Osun, Ogun, Lagos, Oyo and others were finding it difficult to promptly pay workers’ salaries, in spite

of the huge resources accruing to them from various sources. The PDP, however, commended the people of Ekiti State, for being saved the agony of the APC misrule with the emergence of Governor Ayo Fayose, in the governorship election held last June. “Only few days ago, workers in Ogun State embarked on warning

strike to protest the nonpayment of their dues. This is despite the huge resources that accrue to the state from internallygenerated revenue. “The same is the case in Osun State, where workers are protesting the non-payment of five-month salary, while in Oyo State, some pensioners died while protesting the non-payment of their pensions.

PDP’s victory will shock APC Daniel’s ex-aide hails Amosun over Imeko-Afon bridges in South West –Omotosho Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South/ West Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dare Omotosho, has said that the party would shock the All Progressives Congress (APC) with its victory in the region when the results of the general elections were announced. He noted that the APC leaders were only deluding themselves that their party was in control of the politics of the Zone. Speaking in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, during an interview, Omotosho said that the APC would be shocked when the polls results were announced, stating that the APC leaders were

only deceiving themselves that PDP would not win the polls as it has only two states in the region currently under its control. “The position of the few APC people that they are in control of the SouthWest because they are in government in the region except Ondo and Ekiti states, is false. But as a matter of fact, they are not because the people are with the PDP. “Their heart is with the PDP, so let them deceive themselves. They claim they are popular with their propaganda in the South-West, where the people know their rights and have their gaze fixed on what they would do and where they are going. Our people know that the APC has no plan for them,” he

Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

former Chairman of Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, Wole Elegbede, has commended the government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun over the construction of two bridges in the local government. He said the construction of the bridges has added value to the lives of people of the area and eased movement of goods and services from various locations in the state to their destinations within the state. Elegbede, a former special assistant to exGovernor Gbenga Daniel

and former Chief Press Secretary to erstwhile governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, said this in a statement made available in Abeokuta. He noted that the bridges, which are still under construction, would reduce the spate of accidents in the area. He said, “Before now, the two bridges were narrow and dangerous. Often times, accidents occur on them and many lives were lost. But with the duplication of the bridges, vehicles approaching the bridges from opposite direction can now go their separate ways and the possibility of collision has been reduced.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

3,000 Labour Party supporters plan return to PDP Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

s the N100 million largesse donated by Ebonyi State governor, Chief Martin Elechi, to the Labour Party (LP) in the state continued to raise dusts, about 3,000 party members have perfected a plan to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A reliable Labour Party source, who did not want his name mentioned, told New Telegraph yesterday in Abakaliki that the reason behind their earlier defection from PDP to LP was the result of the December 2014 primaries, which some of them are still not comfortable with.

Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

he Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have filed a suit at a federal high court asking the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, from further campaigning for the governorship election in the state until the court determines who is the real candidate of their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Also joined in the suit against Araraume and Ihedioha are the PDP and INEC. The governor and his party, the APC, are asking the court to stop Araraume and Ihedioha, both of them

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Okorocha to court: Stop Araraume, Ihedioha from electioneering campaigning now for the April 11, 2015 governorship election in the state on the platform of the PDP, until the court determines their pending suit on who is the authentic candidate of the PDP. In the Suit No FHC/ OW/CS/68/2015, the plaintiffs are contending that allowing the two people to be campaigning for the governorship election would place the APC and its candidate at a disadvantage since

what would be on the ballot papers are the symbols of political parties and not the candidates. Governor Okorocha and his party, APC cited the case of Chief Achike Udenwa, who lost the senatorial election for Orlu district in 2011, because two people, Chief Hope Uzodinma and Senator Osita Izunaso, contending for the PDP ticket, were allowed to be campaigning until the election was conducted and the votes for

those who voted for Izunaso and those who voted for Uzodinma were counted for PDP at the end of the day and the ACN candidate, Chief Udenwa lost. Reacting, Media Aide to Araraume, Dr. James Okorocha, said the court action would be of little consequence to the outcome of the April 11 governorship election in the state. He said: “Okorocha has a right to go to court, but we will meet

him in court. Nobody can use the court to advance or achieve his political interest. And under the circumstance, what is sacrosanct is that Imo people will ultimately determine who governs them.” Media aide to Chief Emeka Ihedioha, Mr. Chibuike Onyeukwu, said the action represents the state of mind of the incumbent, adding that the governor is ‘frantic and desperate to cling to power at all cost.’

NUT threatens to sanction teachers over indefinite strike Uchenna Inya Abakaliki

he Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Ebonyi State chapter yesterday threatened to deregister any teacher that fails to participate in the on-going indefinite strike embarked upon by organised labour in the state. The Chairman of the union, Comrade Joseph Nweke, said this in Abakaliki while reacting to reports in some quarters that the teachers have pulled out of the industri-

al action. He said teachers have reasons to participate in the strike going by the amount they collect as monthly salaries, which he described as meager. “The speculation that teachers have pulled out of the strike is false. Teachers in the state receive the lowest salaries and they have no reason not to participate in the strike. “We have set up a taskforce that will tour schools and fish out teachers who refused to participate in the strike.

Power shift: Ndigbo to wait till 2023, says Obi Okegwo Kenechukwu Onitsha

chieftain of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Importers Association of Nigeria, Chief Gilbert Bravo Obi, yesterday said Ndigbo is ready to wait till 2013 before taking a shot at the presidency. He called on the various nationalities in the country to see Nigeria beyond 2015 even as he added that the country is bigger than any political, ethnic or personal interests of groups and individuals. Obi, who addressed journalists in Onitsha, Anambra State, on the state of the nation appealed to all not to allow themselves to be used as an instruments of war or violence during the elections, as such is an ill wind that will blow no one any good.

He said the Igbo nation is ready to wait till 2023 for peace to reign and appeal led to politicians not to heat up the polity to avoid the spilling of innocent blood. “It is also understandable that under this arrangement, President Goodluck Jonathan should be allowed to complete his second term and handover to the north in the interest of peace and stability,” Obi said. On Onitsha seaport, he said what is existing in Onitsha is the office building, adding that the possibility of a vessel coming down to the commercial city as being claimed by the Federal Government is not visible, saying that no businessman takes such risks, alleging also that all the claims of the Federal Government has been deceitful as no well loaded vessel can come to Onitsha without being grounded.

L-R: Former Anambra State governor and Deputy Director General, President Goodluck Jonathan’s Campaign Organisation, Mr. Peter Obi and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and National Youth Leader, Mr. Abdulahi Mabaisira, at the SouthEast Youths Town Hall meeting in Owerri…yesterday.

Ebonyi govt, Labour in talks to end strike Uchenna Inya and Charles Onyekwere

bonyi State government and the organised labour yesterday entered into negotiation to end the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by labour in the state. The labour leaders have been shunning government meetings since the commencement of the strike till yesterday when the leaders entered into negotiation with the government. The first phase of the

meeting, which started about 12.30pm, lasted for over one hour. Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor, told journalists after the meeting that government presented a prepared salary chart to the labour leaders, which, he said, they wanted to study before arriving at any decision. “We are going to study the document, to know if it is in tandem with what we agreed. When we study it, we will get back to the government. If it is acceptable

to us, we will let the whole world know.” On the speculation in some quarters that the frontline governorship candidate for the April 11 governorship election was sponsoring the industrial action, Nwafor said labour will not hesitate to run to anyone that will help workers get their rights or entitlements. He said workers in the state have suffered a lot as a result of poor salaries. On his part, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Boniface Chima, said the economy of the

state could not carry the 60 per cent salary increment as demanded by labour. Meanwhile, the strike by labour in the state took an ugly turn yesterday when labour leaders were attacked by gunmen suspected to be working for the Commissioner for Education, Prince Chibueze Agbo. A source told New Telegraph that following the alleged attack, the striking workers have vowed not to continue their negotiation with the government pending an apology from the commissioner.

FG urged to revoke power licence nationwide Okegwo Kenechukwu Onitsha

rked by the epileptic power supply in the country, a former governorship candidate of the National Solidarity Democratic Party (NSDP), Chief Victor Ikechukwu Agbata, yesterday called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency,

revoke the privatisation of energy generation and consumption nationwide. He said the Federal Government should empower states to generate electricity and sell to the public as such gesture would enhance grassroot development, generate employment and encourage healthy competition among states. Agbata was reacting

to the prospects and challenges facing the administration of Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State as he marked his one year in office. He, however, scored the governor high, but said the four pillars of development initiated by the Obiano administration are greatly dependent on effective power supply. “One thing I know that may affect his industrial

and trade development ambition is power; and its generation is not within his powers while the private companies that has taken over power sector are doing nothing to improve the situation. The Federal Government should revoke the licence and give the states authority to generate power and sell to the public to alleviate the sufferings of the people,” Agbata said.

News

Ex-Akwa Ibom deputy speaker slumps, dies during campaign

or mer Deputy Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Okon Uwah, yesterday slumped and died during a campaign at Nkek, in Ukanafun. Uwah, who is run-

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

SOUTH-SOUTH

ning for the Ukanafun State Constituency on the platfor m of the All Progressives Congress (APC) slumped at the residence of his in-law, one Godwin Udoko while holding a political consultation.

An eyewitness at the event disclosed that tragedy struck when disagreement began over how to share the consultation money dropped by the aspirant. As youths became unruly and surged to the venue, Obong

Uwah, in panic tried t o m ove aw ay f ro m the ensuing stampede but slumped and was trampled by the surging crowd. Details of the casualty at the events remain scanty as at the time of filing this report.

Constituents drag candidate to court Dominic Adewole ASABA

or quoting five different dates of birth in his electoral form, the House of Assembly flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Isoko South constituency I in Delta State, Hon. Okemute Essien, has been dragged to court.

Essien, a sitting member of the assembly was accused of age falsification by two registered voters in the constituency, namely, Amagada Onoriode and Osibi Ufuoma. Joined in the suit as 1st defendant is the All Progressives Congress (APC), the platform, the plaintiffs claimed was an accessory to the fact.

APC accuses PDP of plot to bribe Rivers REC Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

he Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said it has discovered a plot by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to use the Niger Delta Development Coommission (NDDC) to bribe the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) to rig the forthcoming general elections in the state. The party alleged that Jonathan was working with Henry Ogiriin, NDDC Executive Director, Finance and Administration, to ensure that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP wins the forthcoming general elections in the state by bribing Rivers REC, Mrs. Gesila Khan. The party, in a statement signed by APC chairman in the state, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, also alleged that, has bought a brand new Prado Jeep for Khan. He said, “Acting according to the script, Dr Ogiri has purchased a brand new Prado Jeep for Mrs. Gesila Khan and the Jeep is currently parked at the village of Mrs. Khan in Ogbia, Bayelsa State. In addition, Dr Ogiri has set aside a whopping sum of $100 million to be deposited into the account of Mrs. Khan before the

week runs off,” “To perfect the plans of winning Rivers State at all cost, Mrs. Khan, who is from President Jonathan’s village and his very close relation, was deliberately posted to Rivers recently to ensure that PDP wins the state despite having been overwhelmingly rejected by our people. “For INEC to post President Jonathan’s kinswoman to supervise the elections in Rivers State, which he has personally confessed neglecting deliberately in his six years in office, simply betrays the Presidency’s desperation to rig the elections as PDP can never win any free and fair polls in Rivers State.” “We will like the security organs to investigate this woman and retrieve this car and expose Ogiri for what he is. This is a man who has failed to pay NDDC staff for months and has also failed to pay contractors for services rendered to the commission, while funds are reserved for use in rigging the 2015 elections for PDP,” Ikanya said. Ikanya appealed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega to “closely monitor the activities of the Rivers REC before she rubbishes all that the electoral umpire has perfected to conduct a free and fair election in the country.”

PUBLIC NOTICE Akure Division Development Association The above named non-profit and non-governmental association is applying to the corporate affairs commission for incorporation under the incorporated trustees of the company and applied matters act, 1990 (PART C) Cap C20, LFR, 2014 TRUSTEES ARE: 1. High Chief S. A Akistan 2. Professor C. Olu Aboluwoye 3. Chief Mayo Alasoadura 4. High Chief Ayo Oluyide 5. Chief J. A Adegbenro 6. Chief (Mrs)Bola Sesay 7. High Chief Rotimimi Olusanya

-Chairman -Secretary -Treasurer -Member -Member

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To foster unity among the people of the Division. 2. To procide leadership and strategic vision in the Division. 3. To stimulate the interest of our people in politics social and economic activities. 4. To promote the economic growth the Division through the establishment of Akure Division Economic Council. 5. To promote and encourage ethical values among our people. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Agugi Ironsi street, Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. SIGNED: Chief Ijabadeniyi Olasupo Solicitor.

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole (left) and mother of Mr Chibuike Ede, whose death while allegedly in Police custody is being contested by the family, Mrs Christiana Ede, during a protest march by family and friends of the deceased at the Government House, in Benin City …yesterday.

Oshiomhole tasks CP to unravel cause of hotel staff death Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

do State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole yesterday charged the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Adegbuyi to ensure that he unravels the circumstances that led to death of 27 year old Mr. Chibuike Ede, a staff of Protea Hotel in the state.

Edeh was alleged to have died while in the custody of the Nigerian Police in the state over theft of N42, 000 belonging to a guest. Oshiomhole, who spoke when the family and friends of the deceased staged a protest to the Government House, to seek the governor’s intervention, said there was the need for the law to take its full course in the entire case.

“Let me thank you for coming to Government House to lay your complaint in a very peaceful manner in spite of the pains in your heart and the gruesome murder of your son, your brother and our comrade. I read about this yesterday and the impression I was given was that he was handed over to the Police.” Oshiomhole said

“Whether or not the young man was a thief, whether or not the money was found on him or he threw it across the wall is not the issue. There is law; there is procedure to be followed to investigate alleged stealing, even alleged murder. The police can listen to complaint from anyone who has cause to complain or report theft or any crime or suspected crime to the police.

APC to Kumuyi: Clerics’ involvement politics is no crime Dominic Adewole ASABA

he All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, has rejected the position of the founder of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Williams Kumuyi, that clerics engaging in politics were those serving God and mammon at the same time. The party said the people would not be lib-

change of nameS

UGONNA

I formerly known as Miss Ugonna Nne Oriala now wish to be known and addressed. Barr (Mrs) Ugonna. Nnanna Uzor Kalu All the former Documents remain valid. The general public please take note

erated from the shackles of oppression if anointed men of God did not play their parts in shaping peoples vision about the right things in the political evolution of any society. Pastor Kumuyi, through the Delta State overseer of the church, Senior Pastor Obinna Nkemjika, at a media briefing in Asaba on Tuesday had posited that clerics involved in political activities had engaged in mundane things and lack the vision of pastoral his calling. But the state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Isaac Adaka Adakpo, in an interview in Isoko, yesterday, stated that clerics like every

members of the society were free to express their positions on political situation as it affects the wellbeing of the people. According to him, Christians have no reason to complain if the ungodly ones find their ways into the helms of affairs because they were afforded the same opportunity. He said, “Christians should become politicians, take chieftaincy titles and become kings because if you reject politics as a Christian and say that it is ungodly, then, the ungodly people will take over and you do not have to complain. We need to Christianize

politics.” Adakpo in a veiled reply, said the country is currently sinking low amidst the fallen oil price and depreciating currency because the affairs of the nation lie in the hand of clueless leaders, who he said “have not fear of God.” He urged Christians, especially clerics, who are already politicking to get their acts together if Nigeria must be liberated. He said the combination of the presidential candidates of the APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) and Pastor Yemi Osinbajo serves Nigeria right for the forth-coming general elections.

NEW TELEGRAPH thursday, march 19, 2015

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APC women protest attacks on members protest

APC women take to the streets, shutting Ilorin down over hoodlums attack Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

undreds of female members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took to the streets in Ilorin, Kwara State yesterday protesting the continuous attacks on members of the party allegedly by hoodlums from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). One female student, they claimed, was shot on Tuesday by the PDP during a rally at Agbamu, Irepodun Local Government area of the state. The lady, identified as Tope Fadele, was still in hospital as at the time of filing this report. Some students joined the protesters on hearing that their colleague was a victim of the Agbamu incident while one Chief Issa Alabi, who claimed to be a relation of the victim, confirmed the attack. The protest came two days after the convoy of Mrs. Aisha Buhari, wife of the APC presidential

candidate was attacked when she went to visit the Emir of Ilorin during her two-day town hall meeting in the state. The women carried placards with various inscriptions, condemning attacks on APC members and asking security agencies to live up to their responsibilities. The protest, which started from the APC secretariat on Agba Street, GRA, took the women to the police command headquarters, where they were received by Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations,

Mr. Polycarp Kpai, who promised to launch a fullscale investigation into the issue. The protesters, led by the party’s Women Leader, Hajia Sarat Adebayo, also visited the Government House, to lodge their complaint. But the PDP denied having anything to do with the attacks. Chairman of its Publicity Committee, Chief Rex Olawoye, told newsmen that the APC was only doing a dress rehearsal against the opposition in its alleged plans to use non-Kwarans to par-

ticipate in the elections in some areas, which the PDP had openly kicked against. Addressing newsmen, Adebayo said: “Kwara is known for peace, but the violence we are expressing now is very saddening and barbaric and we want to put an end to it. The Kwara All Progressives Congress (APC) women are saying no against violence. We have been practicing politics for decades and we have not experienced the kind of violence we are now experiencing. “One of our ladies,

L-R: Former Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Sam Ode; Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam and his deputy, Chief Steven Lawani, during a press conference on the security situation in the state ...yesterday.

One killed, others injured in Jigawa clash Dahiru Suleiman Dutse

final year student of Government Day Secondary School, Birnin-Kudu, the headquarters of BirninKudu Local Government in Jigawa State, Garzalli Sule, was over the weekend, allegedly killed by a Peoples Democratic

Party (PDP) thug named Abubakar Ilu Chani, while injuring several others. The father of the deceased told journalists that the incident occurred 15 minutes after the Magrib prayer that day. He said: “That fateful evening of March 15, shortly after Magrib prayer, one Gazalli came

Esso, NNPC inaugurates Eruku Maternity Centre

sso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL), an affiliate of Exxon Corporation and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Tuesday commissioned the Maternity Referral Centre at Eruku, Kwara State, while also formally handing over the facility to the community. Estimated at about N160 million, the state of the art, ready-to-use health centre is fully loaded with modern equipment and furnishings as well as guaran-

whose father is a chieftain of APC in Agbamu, Ajase Ward 2 in Irepodun local Government, was allegedly hit by a stray bullet from the gun fired sporadically by suspected thugs of the PDP. “The incident happened when PDP governorship candidate took his campaign tour to the council. The name of the victim is Tope Fadile, a National Diploma (ND) Two students of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa. She is currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital, Agbamu, right now."

teed 24-hour power supply with the installation of a solar power system. It also has a brand new ambulance vehicle for use in case of emergencies. The companies in partnership with an international NGO, Development Africa, also launched a week-long comprehensive free medical service that includes consultation and health/ nutritional education, drugs and medication, dental procedures as well as surgical procedures and operations.

with his friend that they are going to a barbing salon. Having seen the small gathering of children dancing from music supplied by APC campaign vehicle in front of the barbing salon near our house, I directed them to go to the salon using the other side of the road. “So, they went and came back to inform me

that the queue at the salon was much, he went inside and ate his meal. After his meal, he decided to check the salon again. He was standing outside waiting for his turn when Abubakar Chani rushed out with cutlass and started hitting the APC vehicle playing the party campaign song.” According to him, be-

el-Rufai: I will complete Zaria water project Ibraheem Musa Kaduna

he gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, yesterday promised to break the jinx of lack of water in Zaria by completing the Zaria Water Project that has been on for more than 16 years. A statement by the spokesperson of Kaduna State APC Campaign Council, Mr. Samuel Aru-

wan, yesterday said el-Rufai made this promise in Zaria during a town hall meeting with youth leaders from Kaduna North senatorial district. The statement quoted el-Rufai as saying that; “I stand here to tell you nothing but the truth and I will say it for all to know. By the special grace of God, we will complete Zaria Water Project that has been going on endlessly. We keep on hearing billions upon billions being spent without an end.”

fore his son could take to his heels, Chani hit him with cutlass on the head and he fell into the gutter, the cut was so deep that his skull was broken and died before he could get to the hospital. The Council Chairman of Birnin-Kudu, Hon. Khalid S. Ibrahim, has confirmed the incident and condemned the killing, saying he has been preaching against violence during his campaign rallies.

Mass burial for victims of Agatu killings Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

t least 83 victims of the attack on Egba village in Agatu Local Government area of Benue State have been given mass burial, a member representing Agatu constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Sule Audu, told journalists yesterday. He appealed to the Federal Government to deploy a joint security patrol team to the area to help bring lasting peace; he also solicited the assistance of international organisations for the supply of relief materials to the victims. The lawmaker said many of those rendered homeless are taking refuge in congested environments that are prone to outbreak of diseases. Audu said the assailants crossed into the area from neighbouring Nassarawa State through River Benue in military uniforms and used dangerous weapons like machetes, guns and axes to kill their victims. The Chairman, House Committee on Works and Transport also raised the alarm over a plot by insurgents to attack his house at Keffi in neighbouring Nassarawa State, where his wife and children are living, noting that the matter has already been reported to the Commissioner of Police in that state for necessary action. He commended the Senate President, David Mark and Governor Gabriel Suswam, as well as the Commandant, 72 Army Battalion in North Bank area of Makurdi, for their swift responses towards ensuring the safety of lives of the people in the area.

68 candidates for National Assembly election in Adamawa Ibrahim Abdul Yola

o fewer than 68 candiN dates from 11 political parties in Adamawa State are jostling for National Assembly seats on March 28 in a poll that would see some women contesting. The list of candidates for the election made available by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Yola indicates that 22 candidates, including an Igbo man, Mr. Aja Nwabueze, of the PPA will be contesting for the three senatorial seats while 46 candidates

will slug it out for the eight House of Representatives’ seats in the state. Out of the 68 candidates for the National Assembly election, only nine are women. Five of the women - Binta Garba of APC, Philomina Saleh of LP, Pagiel Godsdeligth of PPN, Maryam Sani of LP and Aishatu Ahmed of PDM, are contesting for Senate while the remaining four Kwetishe Danladi of PPN, Esther Hassan of LP, Wilbina Jackson of PDP and Talatu Yohanna APC, are going for House of Representatives.

News

WORLD | News

APC has no better solution to power problem –FG    Johnchuks Onuanyim

Abuja

he Federal Government yesterday stated that the leading opposition political party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no solution to the problems in the power sector.   The Minister of State for Power, Muhammad Wakil, made the assertion  at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry and two Consortiums - Huawei Technologies of China and Bravos/Power China in his Office in Abuja, as he stated that the opposition has no credible alternative to the on-going successful reform in the

power sector. He stated that Nigeria is now a model to copy on privatization of the power sector as the Ghanaian Minister of Power, Mr. Kwabena Donkor, was in Nigeria last week to tap from the success achieved in Nigerian power privatization exercise.  He described the opposition plan on power sector as just a mere repetition of several policies of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government, which has already been implemented, while others are on-going.  According to the Special Assistant, Media to the Minister, Olawale Rasheed, the Minister said he read the opposition’s plan for the sector and has no hesitation to affirm that PDP government has

successfully privatized the power sector with much focus on renewable energy like solar, wind, coal, small and medium hydro-power plants, stressing that emphasis would be placed on renewable energy to avoid incidences of gas pipeline vandalism which had over the years disrupted delivery of gas to thermal plants. The minister also noted that the Ministry is presently training over 7,400 young entrepreneurs through the National Power Sector Apprenticeship Scheme (NAPSAS) on joint volters, fitters, sub-station operators and young engineers, to provide able and sufficient workmen for the sector’s power plants, promised to assist the consortium in acquiring the necessary licences.

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Netanyahu surges to victory in Israeli vote

etanyahu surged ahead after a last minute lurch to the right in which he opposed Palestinian statehood and vowed continued settlement construction, setting the stage for fresh confrontations with the White House just weeks after criticizing US talks with Iran in a divisive address to Congress. With nearly all votes counted, Likud appeared to have earned 30 out of parliament’s 120 seats and was in a position to build with relative ease a coalition

government with its nationalist, religious and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies. Yesterday, Netanyahu visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, a remnant of the biblical Jewish Temple and the holiest site where Jews can pray. “I’m touched by the weight of the responsibility that the people of Israel have put on my shoulders. I wish to say that I will do anything in my power to ensure the well-being and security of all the citizens of Israel,” he said. The election was widely seen as a referen-

dum on Netanyahu, who has governed for the past six years. Recent opinion polls indicated he was in trouble, giving chief rival Isaac Herzog’s center-left Zionist Union a slight lead. Exit polls Tuesday showed the two sides deadlocked but once the actual results came pouring in early Wednesday, the Zionist Union dropped to just 24 seats. Given the final results, it is all but assured that Israel’s largely ceremonial President Reuven Rivlin will task Netanyahu with forming a new government.

IPAC backs card readers for elections   Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

he Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) Dr. Yunusa Tanko, has defended the use of card readers in the forthcoming elections as efforts towards conducting credible polls by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Tanko, who spoke in Abuja, yesterday, said the Electoral Commission has explained to IPAC that the card readers has four functions to perform during the voting pro-

cess, noting that a voter who met with three of the four functions would be allowed to vote. He also disclosed that INEC has partnered with some agencies with whom those who are yet to collect their permanent voters card (PVC) can send the digits on their temporary voter card through text message and know where to pick their cards.   “INEC has partnered with other agencies who have given them an index number that you can easily text the digits on your temporary voters card, then they could locate where those PVC are and

where you can collect them. It is not perfect but it is a step in right direction to encourage the Commission so that they can locate a particular PVC. Definitely, if you can locate where those PVC are a lot of people would not be able to cast their vote and that will not be too good for us. It is our responsibility as political parties and all of us to work on that. “We have also encouraged INEC as regard the issue of card readers. Card readers itself as we were told by INEC has four functions to perform. ”

2015 polls may end in serious conflict, says London-based think-tank Biodun Oyeleye

London-based security consulting outfit, Think Security Africa (TSA) yesterday warned that the outcome of the 2015 presidential polls may result in “serious conflict or constitutional interruption” unless major camps in the electoral race decide to take “courageous decisions”. According to its 2015

Report titled “All Eyes on Nigeria’s 2015 presidential Election” which was released yesterday, the coalition said that the alliance between the north west, the largest geopolitical zone and a party political infrastructure rooted in the south-west, the second largest geopolitical zone in the country, has created an ‘electable opposition’. In terms of electoral weights, TSA record the

north-west as highest with 25.6 per cent, followed by the South-West (19.95%), South-South (14.61%), north-central (14.19%), north-east (13.23%) and South-east (11.14 %). In essence, TSA noted that nearly 45.2 percent of the registered electorates live in states controlled by the APC, following the defection of seven former PDP governors to the APC last year.

Author donates book against terror to youths

he distribution of a million copies of “End of Terror”, a book written by Chris Femi Opara, will soon kick off nationwide. The book targets youths whom it tries to persuade to abandon the culture of violence, cybercrime, bullying, pipeline vandalisation, kidnapping and other social crimes.

According to Gifted Global International Ltd, the company powering the book, “End of Terror” will be given out to youths free of charge after filling a questionnaire. The book is the company’s contribution in ending terrorism in Nigeria, according to it. A release signed by Opara, stated: “The distribution of the book na-

tionwide without cost or charge to recipients will run on the goodwill and support garnered from the general public.” “An African proverb says stop the stone from being hulled into a market if you can; you never know on whose head it may land. This book is a precious gift and must read for the youths,” the release said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waving to supporters at the party’s headquarters in Tel Aviv yesterday.

Sierra Leone’s president fires VP

ierra Leone’s president yesterday fired his vice president, who was kicked out of their political party earlier this month on accusations of fomenting violence and trying to form a new party. Early yesterday, President Ernest Bai Koroma announced that he had removed Vice President Samuel Sam Sumana from office, citing a constitutional requirement that anyone running for vice president be a member of a political party. Sam Sumana was expelled

from the ruling All People’s Congress political party on March 6. The party statement made several accusations against him, including that he was instigating unrest. Sam Sumana has rejected those accusations. On March 14, soldiers disarmed the security team at Sam Sumana’s residence. He then fled, saying he didn’t feel safe, and asked the U.S. embassy for asylum. The US instead urged all sides to resolve the problem through the rule of law,

and Sam-Sumana returned to his home earlier this week. In dismissing the vice president yesterday, Koroma said that by seeking asylum, Sam Sumana showed “a willingness to abandon his duties and office as vice president of our beloved republic.” Sam Sumana has long been a colorful and sometimes problematic figure for the ruling party, including accusations he was involved in corrupt deals and bought votes, said Kieran Mitton, an expert on Sierra Leone at King’s College London.

Taiwan youth mark anniversary of occupy parliament movement

outh groups in Taiwan are marking the anniversary of a movement that occupied the island’s parliament and scuttled the ratification of a trade pact with China, Taiwan’s biggest trading partner and erstwhile political foe. A rally outside parliament yesterday evening followed by events planned over the weekend will draw new attention to what has become known as the Sunflower

Movement, which handed Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou his toughest crisis since taking office in 2008. Stung by the occupy movement and tens of thousands of sympathy protesters, Ma’s Nationalist Party lost nine local elections in November, prompting him to resign as party head. Protests last year also dealt a blow to Taiwan’s relations with China, which have improved during Ma’s term but

remain tense because of Beijing’s desire to have the island unify with the mainland. Beijing has claimed Taiwan since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, but Taiwanese prize their democratic self-rule. Relations between Taipei and Beijing have changed little since last year’s protests, with no new deals reached between the two sides, chilling Taiwan’s economic expansion.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY MARCH 19, 2015

News

T’Tennis

International Sport

Athletics

F’Eagles beat Ghana, qualify for AYC final

Assar ahead of Quadri in World Tour rankings

Allardyce in contention for Eagles job

Nigerian athlete targets gold in Rio

Sport

Did you know? That FIFA has more member countries than the United Nations. The UN has 192 members, whereas FIFA has 208 members.

Ighalo ready for Eagles challenge

Emmanuel Tobi

atford of England striker, Odion Ighalo, has expressed his readiness to battle for a starting role after receiving his first Nigeria call-up on Tuesday for a friendly match with South Africa. Ighalo represented Nigeria at Under-20 level but his 14

Ighalo

Charles Ogundiya

ormer Super Eagles midfielder, Moses Kpakor, has blamed the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, for the continuous delay in naming a coach for the Super Eagles. Kpakor says the issue has dragged for too long and it is important to do something immediately so that football in the country will not suffer. Speaking with New Telegraph on the telephone, the former BBC Lions of Gboko star, said with the qualifiers coming up soon, urgent action should be taken. “The issue has been dragging for too long, if you don’t want to give the job to Stephen Keshi, then give it to someone else and let us move ahead,” he said. “With the way things are now, a new coach will not have enough time to meet with the players, talk to them, plan his strategy with them before we

goals in 10 league games for Watford have been recognised by the Super Eagles’ caretaker manager, Daniel Amokachi. Speaking in an exclusive interview with New Telegraph, the former Flying Eagles captain while praising the coaching crew for his invitation, said he was ready for the challenge. “I’m grateful to God for the privilege and to the coaching

crew for the invitation. Having played for the U-20 Flying Eagles and the U-23 Eagles, I’m ready for the challenge of playing for the Super Eagles. He added that, “I’m ready to give my best for my country and make the fans happy. It is an opportunity I have waited patiently for and I hope to make good use of it.” Similarly, Kano Pillars goal-

keeper, Theophilus Afelokhai, said his invitation to the Super Eagles was an indication of success in his football career. “I feel delighted to be considered for the Super Eagles because I have been in and out of the team but this invitation is a sign of many good things to come, “added the goalie who led Pillars to three consecutive Nigeria Premier League trophies.

Eagles job: Kpakor faults Pinnick have a major game. “The qualifiers for the 2017 AFCON and 2018 World Cup is just around the corner and if we are not careful, we might find ourselves in same situation like the last one when the Super Eagles failed to qualify

for the AFCON.” He says Nigeria should stop believing that they are above other countries when it comes to football, declaring that there were no small teams in football anymore. He advised Pinnick to be

brave and take action before it was too late. Kpapor said: “We always have the belief that we can just start anytime and still perform, thinking that football is made in Nigeria, but what happened the last time should be a

big lesson that other countries are catching up too. “Pinnick should do his job as the president and let us see who will ask him why he took the decision. If the presidency wants to intervene, then we face FIFA.

The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Editor, Sport

Ifeanyi Ibeh Sport Correspondent

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

Eagles captain, Vincent Enyeama in action against France

Sharapova crashes out of Indian Wells

Page 53

Sport

THURSDAY MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

et’s get something straight. There are two things in the life of coaches in all sports. Those that have been fired and those that are waiting to be fired. Sometimes, coaches are pushed upstairs to the Directors’ box like the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United after close to three decades in the dug-out. Take a look at the Nigerian scenario. Jorge Pena, Joseph Ember, “Father” Jelivalic Tiko, Otto Gloria, Manfred Hoerner, Clemens Westerhof, Gotlieb Goeller, Johanness Bonfrere, Bora Milutinovic, Thijs Libregts and Betty Vogts. This is the list of the foreign managers who had once stood in the Red Devils/Green Eagles/Super Eagles dug-out since the preindependence days. Nigerians who had either been their assistants or successors had the pride of place. Dan Anyiam, Carl O’Dwyer, Achebe, Adegboye Onigbinde, Ganiyu Salami, Paul Hamilton, Shaibu Amodu, Willy Bazuaye, Musa Abdullahi, Ile Garba, Samson Siasia, Sebastian Brodericks-Imasuen, Christian Chukwu, Henry Nwosu, Patrick Ekeji, Joe Erico and Austin Eguavoen. In their time, they had enjoyed times of national prominence and celebrations with either the national awards or various gifts in cash, kind and lots more. While they failed to maintain the success, they were simply fired. Heavens didn’t fall. In recent times, Brazil’s former captain and one of the most successful players

Keshi go, just go! Muyiwa Daniel on Thursday

md_muyiwa@yahoo.com 08023525087 (sms only) for the national team, Dunga, was fired ahead of the 2014 World Cup and replaced by former Mundial winner, Phillippe Scolari, who in turn raised the hopes of a striking nation whose people protested against the hosting of the world in a sport they virtually worship. From the Airports to the trams through villages and cities, Brazilians wanted President Dilma Rousseff-the pretty lady who won a re-election despite the World Cup scandalous loss in semifinal but the people still marched early this week on corruption charges. Scolari got the boot and Dunga has returned to the dug-out. The much touted English Premier League which our “Asonto” modern day reporters and analysts ape and swear by, leaving the “old School” to continue to grapple with the Glo Nigerian Premier League and its empty stands, is not being administered on sentiments and the spanners may be in the works pretty soon for Chelsea’s Jose Monrinho, and Manchester

City’s Manuel Pellegrini going by the comments of Roman Abramovic and Crown Prince Mohammed. However, on the domestic scene, I am waiting to read in any of our sport pages and beyond the players recruited by Enyimba, returning 3SC and Akwa United to determine their wages, sign-on fees and those who had left and for what club. What we have been fed with and scandalously so is the refusal of Dolphins players to get on the connecting flight from Lagos Murtala Mohammed Airport enroute Tunis for the Confederations Cup encounter with the result being a walkover for the Nigerian side. In those heady days of competition, Nigerians would have bought a full compliment of sport pages as the movement from Stationery Stores to NEPA(or then ECN), National Bank, Mandilas (handled by Femi Siwoku) and NICON Insurance(led by Alex Lasisi) would have been displayed with earn-

ings, insurance and other tips on their training ground schedule. I don’t begrudge my brothers who have found their way back into the Executive of the Lagos State Football Association but I still remain dissatisfied that they have failed to crystallize those theories we all expounded at the seminar hosted in cosy comfort of Victoria Island four years ago. Now that they are back at Onikan, I don’t know how their theories and Internet sarvy will return the fans to Onikan, Campos, Agege ministadia for State League matches to be provided by clubs from the five Divisional FAs whose Boards were also returned to office unopposed. Methink a Seyi Akinwunmi whose father, Sylvanus, was a member of the country’s most successful NFA administration led by Sunday Dankaro and which had the likes of Lekan Salami, Nathaniel Idowu, Victor Odofin-Belo, Femi Oyebanjo, Austin Akosa, Kodjo Alakija and Prince Isidore Oduah amongst others, would have capitalised on one programme – The Lagos Junior League. I believe, we have a duplicity and overlapping of functions in Lagos sport administration. But that will

come later. I believe, Akinwunmi could have secured a “guinea pig” status in the J-League by hosting the Executive Secretaries of the 57 LGs and LCDAs to keep to their side of the bargain by funding the J-League just as it began with fanfare when Prince Ademola AdenijiAdele was Sports Commissioner. With the support of his local government counterpart, the funds were deducted from source at the Joint Account meeting every month. The unfortunate scenario is that since the Executive Secretaries are a “stop gap” the Council Managers-who hold the alternate “green pen” have resolved to “kill” that project and return more than 6,000 youths and adults to the poverty scenario. That our “asonto” reporters can’t smell for the front pages. Well, Akinwunmi is vice-president to Amaju Pinnick and they have been oscillating on whether to hand over a contract to a coach who could have been told to kiss the dugout “goodbye”. Yes! I had once written. Stephen Keshi has now grown from that young “kid” I had reported at Saint Finbarr’s College and as one of the boys through Gothia and Dana Cup at late evening Times reporter-Joe Audu’sjoint at Elders Club close to Stadium Hotel in Surulere all through professional career and the dug-out. But now, the party is OVER. He should just GO!

Assar ahead of Quadri in World Tour rankings F’Eagles beat Ghana, Ajibade Olusesan

gypt’s Omar Assar’s success at the last International Table Tennis Federation ITTF World Tour, Lagos Open, has earned him number 11th place in the ITTF World Tour Men’s Standings released by the world table tennis ruling body yesterday (Wednesday). The 23-year old who clinched his third title in the Lagos Open last weekend has amassed 125 points from the two World Tours he has attended this year to become the highest ranked African player in the World Tour ahead of arch rival Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri, who is

17th with 75 points. To be listed among the elite names in the world, Assar has made two appearances in this year’s World Tours; the previous one being Kuwait Open where he was beaten in the first round by China’s Fan Zhendong. Quadri, however, has attended three World Tours but crashed out in the first round of both Qatar and Kuwait Opens. He is still in the on-going German Open and he occupies number 17th on the standing alongside five other players. They are Korea’s Cho Eonrae, Jeong Samgeun, Kim Minseok, Poland’s Daniel Gorak and Hong Kong’s Tang Peng.

qualify for AYC final

Ifeanyi Ibeh

T Assar

However, Quadri’s partnership with Kazeem Makanjuola made it to the top 10 of the

men’s doubles in the standing following their triumph at the Lagos Open over the weekend.

Onyedinma leads Super Falcons to Bamako

hairman of the Nigeria Women League and member of the NFF Executive Committee, Dilichukwu Onyedinma will be at the head of a 29-man delegation of the Senior Women National Football Team, Super Falcons, to Mali

for an 11th All-Africa Games qualifying match on Saturday. The African champions will take on the Senior Women National Team of Mali in the first leg of the only round of qualifiers for the Women’s Football Tournament of the All-Africa

Games, at the Stade Modibbo Keita in Bamako on Saturday, with kick-off set at 5pm Mali time (6pm Nigeria time). Officials confirmed on Wednesday that the Falcons delegation will include 18 players and nine technical/administrative officials, as

well as Assistant Director (Technical), Siji Lagunju. The team will fly out from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, aboard an Ethiopian Airline flight on Thursday, to arrive in Bamako Friday afternoon.

he Flying Eagles, on Wednesday, booked their place in the final of the CAF African U-20 Championship in Senegal, courtesy of a 2-0 win over Ghana’s Black Satellites. Manu Garba’s side will now await the winner of Thursday’s semifinal match between Mali and Senegal. Wednesday’s fiercely contested match saw both sides creating a number of goal scoring opportunities but it was the Nigerians who proved more clinical in front of goal. They however had to wait until the 23rd minute before getting their first goal. Flying Eagles captain, Musa Muhammed, from a corner kick, floated the ball into the area and Obinna Nwobodo rose higher than any other person in the penalty area to nod the ball into the back of the net. The Enugu Rangers midfielder celebrated what he thought was his first goal of the tourna-

ment, but television replays showed that the ball was helped into the back of the net by the Ghanaian goalkeeper, Michael Sai, who had inadvertently knocked the ball, which appeared to be bouncing back into play, into the back of his net. But in the 71st minute there was no doubting the scorer of Nigeria’s second goal as Muhammed, after being hacked down in the penalty area, rose up to send the Ghanaian goalkeeper the wrong way from the resultant penalty kick for his fourth goal of the tournament. And with their qualification for the final, the Flying Eagles will either compete out of Group E, if they win Sunday’s final, or Group D, if they finish the championship in second place, when the U-20 World Cup gets underway in New Zealand on May 30. Group E already has Brazil, Hungary and North Korea, while Group D already consists of Mexico, Serbia and Uruguay.

Intertional Sport 53

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY MARCH 19, 2015

Allardyce in contention for Eagles job Stoichkov tells Real to sell Ronaldo N Ajibade Olusesan

arcelona legend Hristo Stoichkov believes that Real Madrid should sell Cristiano Ronaldo this summer if the price is right. The three-time Ballon d’Or winner appears to be growing unsettled at the Bernabeu following jeers from home supporters during the weekend victory over Levante on the back of a turbulent few weeks for the club. Manchester United have been strongly linked with their former forward in the past, and Stoichkov has tipped Madrid to

offload Ronaldo at the end of the campaign should a high enough bid be made. “You would have to ask Florentino [Perez] about Ronaldo’s future,” he is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. “Sooner or later he will be sold by the president. “Football is like that but it depends on the president. I don’t know if he needs the money; if he does then it is a good moment to sell him.” Ronaldo has scored 41 goals in 39 appearances for Los Blancos in all competitions this season.

igeria Football Federation has been linked with a sensational move for West Ham manager, Sam Allardyce, for the vacant position of the Super Eagles coach. The national team has been without a substantive coach since the last FIFA World Cup in Brazil as negotiations between the soccer body and the erstwhile handler, Stephen Keshi, are yet to produce positive results. Reports emerged in Eng-

land yesterday that the Nigerian football authority had approached the former Bolton Wanderers manager with a view to engaging him as the coach of the senior national team. However, the 60-year-old is not expected to leave his position at the Upton Park until May when his current contract with the Hammers expires. He has not been offered a new deal and the reports on BBC stated that another Premier League outfit, Sunderland, are jostling with Nigeria to secure the services

Sharapova crashes out of Indian Wells

M Ronaldo (right)

of the Englishman. Allardyce is popular with Nigerian football fans after former Super Eagles captain, Austin Okocha, had a successful spell at Bolton under him. Big Sam had been linked with the Eagles job in the past. The NFF has received knocks over the way it has handled the appointment of a new coach. The soccer body is apparently unwilling to hire Keshi but surprisingly it has consistently insisted that Keshi is the only candidate for the job.

aria Sharapova suffered a shock defeat at the BNP Paribas Open in California, losing in three sets to defending champion Flavia Pennetta. The world No 2 from Russia was beaten 3-6 6-3 6-2 in two hours and eight minutes, losing nine of the last 12 games against the No 15 seed. The 33-year-old Italian took advantage of some sloppy mistakes by Sharapo-

va who served up 11 double faults during the contest. Sharapova, who made 42 unforced errors, said: “Maybe I wasn’t playing my best tennis but I was competitive enough. I just wasn’t able to step up in the key moments.” Pennetta clinched a deserved victory on her second match point to set up a quarter-final with No 24 seed Sabine Lisicki.

Sharapova

Arsenal better off in Europa League –Wenger Kane set for England call-up

rsenal manager Arsene Wenger has conceded that his side may have been better off finishing third in their group to contest the latter stages of the Europa League rather than the Champions League. The Gunners crashed out in the last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition for the fifth consecutive season on Tuesday night, losing to Monaco on away goals despite a 2-0 victory in the second leg. Arsenal have not featured in the secondary UEFA tourna-

ngland manager Roy Hodgson is expected to name Tottenham striker Harry Kane when he announces his squad for this month’s European qualifier against Lithuania. The 21-year-old has netted 16 Premier League goals this season - more than any other English striker - and seems set for

ment since the 1999-2000 season, but Wenger admitted that his side would stand more chance of lifting silverware should they fail to reach the Champions League knockout stages. When asked whether he was unhappy at Arsenal’s repeated exits in the first knockout round, Wenger told reporters: “Yes, but sometimes we have been beaten by opponents who were in the final. “Perhaps it would be better not to go out like this and make the Europa League, we would be more likely to win.”

Wenger

Dolphins escape terror attack in Tunis Charles Ogundiya

igeria’s representative in CAF Confederation Cup, Dolphins, on Wednesday escaped a terror attack in Tunisia after some tourists were killed close to the team’s hotel. The media officer of the Port Harcourt side, China Acheru, posted on his official twitter handle @ Ikwerreman: “Terrorist attack in Tunis, not

too far from our hotel. 17 tourists killed.DolphinsFC.” Speaking with New Telegraph, one of the club’s players, Victor Ezuruike, said, “I was in my room watching the television when it happened and I thank God for saving us,” Ezuruike said. “The hotel management has beefed up security around the vicinity, so we have no problem now. We are looking forward

to a favourable response from CAF and hopefully we can play the game this weekend.” According to reports, gunmen in military uniforms stormed Tunisia’s national museum, killing 17 foreign tourists and two Tunisians on Wednesday in one of the worst militant attacks in a country that has largely escaped the region’s “Arab Spring” turmoil.

his first international call-up on Thursday ahead of the clash with Group E minnows Lithuania at Wembley on March 27. Hodgson, whose side also travels to Turin to take on Italy in a friendly on March 31, had words of praise for Kane last month. He said: “Is he worth a place in the squad now? Of course he is.”

Mayweather goes old school for Pacquiao

loyd Mayweather is leaving nothing to chance by reverting to “old school” drills in his preparation for the showdown with Manny Pacquiao, according to former WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson. The eagerly-awaited May 2, fight in Las Vegas sees Mayweather match his 47-0 and 26 knockouts record against his Filipino rival’s mark of 57-5-2, which includes 38 KOs. With the press briefings and media commitments over, focus now turns to the build-up

proper and Nelson insists neither fighter can afford to leave anything to chance in their respective training camps. “Because this is so big, you can’t measure it to anything, you can’t prepare for it any way, shape or form,” Nelson told Sky Sports News HQ. Nelson said Mayweather’s back-to-basics training, including a stint of wood chopping that was filmed and posted on the American’s Instagram account, is a sign of how intensely the American is preparing.

Double injury blow for Atletico

Mandzukic

tletico Madrid have confirmed that both Mario Mandzukic and Raul Garcia picked up injuries in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen. Diego Simeone’s men beat Leverkusen 1-0 in the second leg to level the last16 tie at 1-1 on aggregate before progressing to the quarterfinals on penalties.

Garcia came on in the 46th minute for Cani, but the club revealed the midfielder suffered a cracked elbow bone, sustained when Omer Toprak fell on him. Meanwhile, striker Mandzukic - who came off in the 83rd minute at the Vicente Calderon - has been diagnosed with a Grade I sprain in his right ankle following scans.

Mayweather

54 Sport

THURSDAY MARCH 19, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Echiejile relishes victory over Arsenal Emmanuel Tobi

uper Eagles defender, Elderson Echiejile, has expressed delight over his team, Monaco’s, progress to the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time since 2004 despite a 2-0 loss at home to Arsenal on Tuesday night the club qualified on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate tie in the home-and-home series. After a 3-1 loss at home

in the first leg, the Gunners needed at least three goals to become the first team in the history of the Champions League to progress after losing an opening leg by two goals in their own stadium. Olivier Giroud scored in the 36th minute and substitute Aaron Ramsey in the 79th, but Arsenal fell short on the away goals rule. Echiejile who was an 86th minute replacement for Tunisia’s Nabil Di-

rar while writing on his twitter handle @EldersonEch, said: “For us it was important to make it through to the next round. It’s now time to get focused on other tasks ahead. It was a great qualification against Arsenal as we look ahead to the next round.” The defender, who was not invited for the friendly match against South Africa on March 29, is the last Nigerian participating in the Champions League.

Elderson Echiejile (left) battling for the ball Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez

Eko Boys, Ilusec win Okanlomo football tourney Deborah Olayode and John Edu

ko Boys Junior High School, Mushin, has emerged as champions of the maiden edition of the Okanlomo Junior School Sports competition defeating Igbo Owu 5-3 on penalties after playing goalless draw in full duration. The 16-school competition played at the Eko Boys mini stadium was sponsored by Mrs. Ahmeedat Anifowshe who also is the Principal of Ransome Kuti Memorial School, Mushin. Ilupeju Junior Secondary School defeated Euba Junior

Secondary School to win the trophy in the girls’ category. The match ended 0-0 in regulation time but IluSec as the school is fondly called won 4-3 on penalties. Mrs. Anifowshe while presenting the winners trophies and medals to the students, praised them for their brilliance performances both on and off the pitch, stressing that the initiative is a platform for students to showcase their football skills. In the same vein, Chief Wasiu Anifowoshe, the Okanlomo of Epe kingdom, who was the guest of honour stressed that the gesture would also improve the lives of the people. He further stated that the

TRACK & FIELD WITH CHARLES OGUNDIYA

Olumudi (3rd from left)

Nigerian athlete targets gold in Rio

igerian sprinter, Aderonke Olumudi, is eying a gold medal in the marathon event of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil. The Kogi-born athlete who won the women’s bronze at the fifth Longview half-marathon and 5K race organised by the Longview chapter of AMBUCS in Texas, at the weekend, believes her best is yet to come. She had to put up some of her belongings for sale to raise funds to compete in the race, while appreciating the East Texans for finding her

a place to stay. “I was so happy, seriously so happy. Because I didn’t really believe I could do it. I am so happy, and thanks to everyone here. I want to be at the next Olympics and am optimistic of winning the gold,” Olumudi said. It would be recalled that the marathoner took part twice at the All Nigeria Athletics Championship (National Trials) Calabar, coming third in time of 39mins: 02 secs in a 10,000m in 2012 and finished fifth in 21 km marathon race in time of 1hr: 29mins: 10secs in 2013.

initiative will help to foster good relationship among schools in the area and the state as a whole.

Mrs. Anifowshe with Eko Boys captain

Eagles’ appointment delights Pascal Charles Ogundiya

ormer Nigeria international, Patrick Pascal, has expressed delight over his new appointment as the Super Eagles Team Coordinator. The former Wikki Tourists of Bauchi player, who is also the Vice Chairman of Bauchi State FA replaces Emmanuel Attah who has been in charge of the team for more than six years. Speaking with New Telegraph, Pascal said the appointment was a platform for him to serve the country. “I was part of the team in the past and hopefully I can bring my experience to bear on the

team,” Pascal said. “I want to appreciate the Nigeria Football Federation for giving me the opportunity to serve my country again in this capacity as the team coordinator.” The NFF on Tuesday confirmed the appointments of Pascal and Toyin Ibitoye as part of the backroom crew of the Super Eagles. Ibitoye, a frontline broadcast journalist, was named the team’s Media Officer to replace Benjamin Alaiya, who has held the position since December 2011. Godfirst Chike was also appointed the Equipment Manager, replacing Chidi Ngoka.

Okpekpe Race Monarch solicits investment in tourism H is Royal Highness (HRH) Apa Peter Osigbemeh, Onwueweko of Okpekpe kingdom on Wednesday called on investors to take advantage of the thriving 10 kilometres road race in the community to invest in guesthouse accommodations and tourism in the clan. Since the maiden edition of the Okpekpe 10 kilometres Road Race brought the community into the limelight in 2013, it has not ceased to be in the news. In a telephone conversation with our correspondent, Osigbemeh noted that the first

investor to invest in hotel accommodations in Okpekpe, would make a fortune from the retinue of visitors. “I am very grateful to the Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Mr. Mike Itemuagbor, who have lifted Okpekpe to prominence with this annual road race,” the Monarch said. “However, from the previous tournaments, it is obvious that travellers that come during and after the event, who would have loved to spend longer time in my kingdom leave in a hurry

due to lack of hotel accommodations. “I want to assure investors that if they invest in hotel accommodations and tourism in Okpekpe they will make appreciable profit. “Expectedly it is boosting tourism in the community. However the race is yet to give my community the much awaited commercial advantage owing to the absence of hotels in Okpekpe. “By and large, hoteliers in Auchi are taking advantage to enrich its environs.”

Ogan journey home begins Thursday

he late former President of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, Dr. George Ogan, will begin his last journey home today (Thursday) with a service of songs at Christ Church N0 1, Force Avenue old GRA Port - Harcourt at 6pm. Dr. Ogan who was AFN’s president from 1983 to 1984 was a renowned jumper in the 1960s. Ogan won a Commonwealth Games silver medal

in the jumps at the August 1966 games held in Kingston, Jamaica. There will be a commendation service Friday March 20, 2015, at the same church at 10:00, while the interment is slated for Saturday March 21. The day’s activities will begin with a lying in state at his country home, OganAma, Okrika, at 9 am, a Reference Mass will hold at 10am, and the funeral

service/interment at 12 noon at St Agnes Anglican church Ogan-Ama. AFN President, Solomon Ogba, on behalf of athletics family in Nigeria sympathised with the family of the late administrator and also urged them to thank God for the good name he left behind. He also urged the family members not to distance themselves from the athletics family.

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Tinubu and the challenge of March 28

he continued political dominance of Nigeria by the South West zone peopled by ethnic Yoruba over the years, is certainly not by happenstance. It is rather through a deliberate and well calculated political engineering. Apparently sustaining a solid political foundation laid by the great late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the aphorism of putting your mouth where the purse is has continued to pay off for the South West. Hardly had any political dispensation, military or democracy emerged in Nigeria without the South West geo political zone as a critical player. You as an outsider may not be an admirer of their method but it often works for them, so why not. The June 12 phenomenon which the majority of Nigerians regard as a watershed was some how, the height of the political bricksmanship for the zone. Late Chief Moshood Abiola who was not at the time enjoying the political sympathy of the main stream political leaders of the zone shot his way to national limelight using his wealth and contact outside his area to win the controversial Presidential election. When the election result was nullified by the same people who facilitated it, the zone rose in his defence and fought it until another citizen of theirs in the person of former military Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo was brought out from prison and made President of the country. The choice of Obasanjo by the northern and then military oligarchy was made possible for reasons. Obasanjo as it were, belonged to the military family who had the proverbial knife and the yam, though a clear outsider in the politics of his geo political zone. In Nigerian politics , determinant outside political forces hardly endorse popular and strong candidates in a zone of choice. They always prefer the weak and the unpopular. In 1999, of all the six zones in the country, Obasanjo got the least votes from his South West. Notwithstanding, the Yoruba as in the case of late Chief Abiola , joined the Obasanjo eightyear Presidency forgetting that he was actually part of the June 12 struggle that facilitated the way for a Nigerian President of South West extraction. In 2011 after creating a new political platform, the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN and bringing in Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to be the Presidential flag bearer, the same ACN leadership on realizing the herculean task of selling Ribadu, dumped him and negotiated with President Goodluck Jonathan, leaving Ribadu to lose to the PDP in all the states in the South West except Osun. So in reality, Tinubu is right in saying that he helped make Jonathan President but he was economical with words as he failed to say other matters therein. Today ahead of the 2015 general elections, Tinubu has brought in yet another northerner as Presidential flag bearer in the person of former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari but this time in a larger po-

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Tinubu

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litical platform, the All Progressive Congress APC, with a measurable presence in all geo political zones especially in the north. Strangely however, Tinubu an ardent NADECO activist, who was at the forefront of June 12 struggle is now pitching tent with a diametrically opposite General Obasanjo who in fact lost no sleep over the June 12 annulment. Strangely too, Tinubu and Obasanjo are now in league as sworn enemy of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, ironically the same platform upon which Obasanjo ruled Nigeria for eight years straight from prison. In all his political successes, Obasanjo is yet to gain any appreciable recognition from the South West. The race for Yoruba leadership remains open since the glorious demise of Abraham Adesanya with Obasanjo not in anyway in contention. Not even his romance with the APC could shoot him to the top you may say. But the man who has the political grip to occupy the seat and has indeed been scheming for it is Ashwaju Bola Tnubu although with stiff opposition from other credible Yoruba leaders led by former Secretary to Government of the federation Chief Olu Falae. They claim that Tinubu has not got the qualities of previous Yoruba leaders like Awolowo, Michael Ajasin and Adesanya. But Tinubu’s men continue to roll out verifiable political feats that make him eminently suitable. From all indications, this matter would be settled once and for all next week, March 28, 2015, when Nigerians

file out to vote. Although the election would be to elect the President and parliament for the country for the next four years, its also going to determine if Tinubu would emerge as Yoruba leader. Who carries the day would depend on who dishes out more savoury food that pleases the people. Greek literary giant Aristophaness captured it well when he said that “To win the people, always cook them some savoury that pleases them.” Even though no Yourba son or daughter is directly involved in the Presidential race, the out come would define a lot. If Tinubu’s candidate sweeps the zone on March 28, his ascension to Yoruba leadership would no longer be in doubt but if President Jonathan wins the zone, the search for Yoruba political leaders would continue. A number of factors have been thrown up and are likely to influence how the pendulum will swing on March 28 when the voters file out in the South West, but clearly the strongest point is the issue surrounding the report of the Constitutional Conference. The South West zone has been at the forefront of the restructuring of Nigeria to guarantee equity and justice but somehow because of political exigencies, Bola Tinubu and his men refused to have anything to do with the conference. They termed it a waste of public fund. In fact, the APC Presidential flag bearer, General Buhari said that the resource wasted in convening the conference would have been better used to provide basic amenities to

Nigerians. Tinubu and his men think that genuine restructuring should not come from President Jonathan whom they claim lacks the wherewithal to carry it out judiciously. But this school of thought is not enjoying mass follower-ship from the zone. President Jonathan whose baby the confab is, discovering this lacuna, has latched in on it and assured the people of the South West that full implementation of the report remains his priority if elected. This has since changed the political equation in the zone and helpless Tinubu and APC have resorted to accusing traditional rulers and Oduah Peoples Congress OPC of succumbing to monetary inducements from President Jonathan and his party the PDP. Underscoring the importance of the confab report to the Zone, the National Coordinator of the Odua Peoples Congress, Otunba Gani Adams said the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari would not perform any miracle or magic regarding the myriad of challenges currently confronting the Nigerian nation, if voted into power unless and until a fundamental restructuring as contained in the confab report is implemented. According to Adams the “change” now being harped upon by the APC was a mere slogan, which would not bring about any positive development for Nigeria, without an amendment of the country’s constitution. “With the type of constitution given to us in 1999, no millions of Buhari can move this country forward without a constitutional change; no millions of Jonathan can move it forward, if you don’t change the constitution. If you don’t practise true Federalism according to the way it should be practised like in the United States, Nigeria cannot move forward. “You can imagine, the individual state cannot control their own security, the order must come from Abuja, the OPC stressed. Adam’s position appears to reflect that of majority of voters in the area and APC and Tinubu appear to have no immediate antidote even as March 28 is racing down. Whatever answer the APC would provide to counter this, it must stand the test of reality. Would a highly conservative General Buhari from a zone that is visibly reluctant for any restructuring be convinced to buy the idea? This is the result you get when because of selfish political considerations, we put square pegs in round holes and expect a magic to happen. The truth really is that the Ashawaju is facing one of the biggest political challenges ever in this election. Aside the Jonathan threat, Jim Agbaje’s heat in Lagos is also like the fire that has kept the kitchen warm. The die is cast really, if you are therefore among those disappointed at the behaviour of politicians and you are considering not voting, just remember Napoleon Bonaparte’s reminder that “In politics, stupidity is not a handicap.”

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