Wednesday, february 4, 2015 binder1

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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

/newtelegraph

Vol. 2 No. 350

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

N150

Nigeria in safe hand with Jonathan, says Babangida }16

Slok Air: How I lost N20bn, by Kalu lPlans to sue Obasanjo for revocation of licence

Tunde Oyesina

S

lok Air Nigeria Limited, promoted by for-

mer Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has launched a legal bid to regain its operating licence, withdrawn about 12 years

ago by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The company, in a suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, asked the

court, in addition to ordering the restoration of its licence, to award it N20 billion as damages for the withdrawal.

In the suit filed by its legal team, led by Chief Chris Uche (SAN), a copy of which New Telegraph CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

10 days to go...

Nigeria votes

2015

ria Nige

s vote

2015

}14 & 15

Plot to stop Feb 14 elections thickens

l16 parties, five presidential candidates seek suspension }5

Quick Read Editorial

Fire outbreak and need for safety education }19 Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone II, Mr. Joseph Mbu (left) and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, during Mbu's visit to the governor in Lagos...yesterday.

Chadian troops storm Nigeria over Boko Haram

lFrench planes on surveillance missions on border }5 lUN seeks more regional military to fight insurgents

CONTINUED ON PAGE 1

Presidential race: Contenders and pretenders }13 Travel Advisory

Your guide to local and international flights }4

2

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

3

4

Travel Advisory

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 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 -

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Lagos-London London-Lagos

VS 652 VS 651

11:00hrs 22:40hrs

17:00hrs 4:40hrs

Lagos- Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi-Lagos

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

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

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

Lagos-Cairo Cairo-Lagos

MS 876 MS 875

14:25hrs 08:30hrs

22:20hrs 13:30hrs

ETIHAD AIRWAYS

EGYPT AIR

KENYA AIRWAYS

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

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

Lagos-Nairobi Nairobi-Lagos

KQ 533 KQ 534

12:30hrs 18:00hrs

19:35hrs 23:45hrs

12:30hrs

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

BA075 BA074 BA 082 BA 083

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

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

Lebanon-Lagos Lagos-Lebanon

MEA 571 MEA 572

3:00hrs 14:00hrs

8:00hrs 19:00hrs

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

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

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

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

EMIRATES AIRLINES

QATAR AIRWAYS DELTA AIRLINES

UNITED AIRLINES

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

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

IBERIA

air maroc

RwandAir

Kigali-Lagos

Turkish Airlines

Lagos-Istanbul Nairobi-Lagos

332 333

Air Côte d'Ivoire Lagos to Abidjan Abidjan to Lagos

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

ASKY AIRLINES

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

10:10hrs

10:50hrs

19:20hrs

21.50hrs

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

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

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

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

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

Local FLIGHT SCHEDULE ARIK AIR LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 11:00 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00; 20:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 09:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI)07:00; 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 (SAT) 07:00; 11:00; 15:00 (SUN) 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 09:00; 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 (SAT) 07:30; 11:30; 09:00; 13:00; 17:00 (SUN) 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 ABUJA-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30; 16:50 (SAT/SUN) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30 PORT-HARCOURT-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10; 18:30 (SAT/SUN) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10 AZMAN FLIGHT SCHEDULE WEEKLY SCHEDULE Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Abuja 10:30am Abuja-Lagos 12:40pm Lagos-Abuja/Kano 4:00pm Abuja-Kano 5:45pm Kaduna-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kan 10:10am Kano-Abuja/Lagos 12:40pm Abuja-Lagos 1:00pm Abuja-Lagos 2:40pm Lagos-Kaduna 5:00pm WEEKEND SCHEDULE SATURDAY Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Abuja 10:30am Abuja-Lagos 1:00pm Lagos-Kano 4:00pm Kaduna-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kano 4:00pm Sunday Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kano 10:30am Kano-Abuja/Lagos 1:20pm Abuja-Lagos 2:40pm Lagos-Kaduna 5:00pm FIRST NATION AIRWAYS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06.50; 09:30; 11:45; 16:00 (SAT) 06:50; 11:45 (SUN) 11:45; 16:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 11:30; 13:40;18:30 (SAT) 09:00; 13:40 (SUN) 13:40; 18:30 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 14:45

(SAT) 16:15 (SUN) 14:45 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:50 (SAT) 18:20 (SUN) 16:50 AEROCONTRACTORS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06:50; 13:30; 16:30; 19:45 (SAT/SUN) 12:30; 16:45 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 13:00; 19:00 (SAT) 12:30 (SUN) 15:30

MEDVIEW AIRLINES LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:50; 12:00; 15:30 (SAT) 10:00; 15:00 (SUN) 17:30; 18:30 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 14:00, 15:00; 18:30 OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS-ILORIN (MON-FRI) 07:15 LAGOS-IBADAN (MON-FRI) 7:00

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

News

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

5

Plot to stop Feb 14 elections thickens Johnchuks Onuanyim and Emmanuel Onani Abuja

W

ith 16 out of the 28 registered political parties and five presidential candidates joining the campaign for the postponement of the general elections, whose first stanza holds on February 14, the plot for the suspension of the elections entered another phase yesterday.

The parties and the presidential candidates, at a press conference in Abuja, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to seriously consider shifting the date of elections to March or April, which will still not be against the provisions of sections 25 and 26 of the Electoral Act. The parties were: United Democratic Party (UDP), Citizen Peoples Party (CPP), Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), Action Alliance (AA), Peoples Democratic Congress (PDC), Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Labour Party (LP), Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP), United Party of Nigeria (UPN), Alliance for Democracy (AD), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Advanced Congress Of Democrats (ACD), Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) and Independent Democrat (ID).

The five presidential candidates who were present at a press conference in Abuja where the demand was made were Godson Okoye (UDP), Chief Sam Okoye (CPP), Prince C.O Allagoe (PPN), Tunde Anifowose (AA) and Ganiu Galadima (ACPN).

The position of the parties was against an earlier decision by all the registered parties under the aegis of Inter-party Advisory Council, which at a recent meeting with INEC, had canvassed against suspending the election.

The campaign for the suspension of the election had assumed a different tenor since National Security Adviser (NSA) Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) had called for a poll shift in view of the poor distribution of Permanent Voters' Cards (PVCs).

Since then, at least four suits have been filed in courts to stop the election while some groups have embarked on protests to force INEC to reconsider its decision to keep to its electoral timeline.

The anti-February 14 group threatened to boy-

cott the election should their demands be ignored.

The political parties and the candidates hinged their call for the postponement of the elections on insecurity, poor distribution of Permanent Voters' Cards (PVCs) and people deserting their residence for their villages out of fear of possible outbreak of violence during or after the elections.

They, however, called on the Federal Government to take necessary steps to provide adequate security for Nigerians to go out and collect their PVCs in order to exercise their civic and

constitutional duty.

"We are not urging INEC to do anything that is unlawful, illegal or unconstitutional. It is unfortunately becoming clear by the day that most Nigerians appear not to be ready for election but are ready for violence," Okoye who addressed reporters on behalf of the group said.

He said the shift in date would afford INEC enough time to distribute the remaining PVCs so that at least more than 98 per cent of registered voters would have collected theirs.

The parties offered to assist INEC to ensure that

the PVCs are collected in time for the rescheduled elections.

They said they disagreed with IPAC Chairman, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, who overruled them at the last meeting with INEC he has an alliance with All Progressives Congress (APC).

They also expressed disappointment over the visit the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, to only two presidential candidates, President Goodluck Jonathan and Major General Muhammadu Buhari and the presidential debate centred on the APC

presidential and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidates.

But at a different press briefing, the presidential candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, condemned the call for the postponement of the elections.

Okorie said the reason being given by the proponents of the postponement that many Nigerians would be disenfranchised having not been given their PVCs was contrived and pedestrian.

"As we speak, over 80 per cent of registered vot-

ers have received their PVCs according to latest figures released by INEC and this may increase to 90 per cent or above after the close of distribution of PVCs on February8, 2015, as planned by INEC," he stated.

The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) also kicked against the call for the postponement of the general elections.

The conference in a statement after its emergency meeting in Abuja, by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

L-R: Chairman, Zinox Group and Conference Chairman, Chief Leo Stan Eke; Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya and Head of Europe Middle East & Africa, Nokia Networks, Mr. Bernard Najim, at a forum in Lagos‌.yesterday

Chadian troops storm Nigeria over Boko Haram C hadian troops have entered Nigeria to join the battle against Boko Haram.

Armoured vehicles and infantry crossed a bridge from Cameroon following air strikes and mortar attacks on Boko Haram positions, according to a report yesterday by Agence France Presse (AFP).

The Chadian contingent of about 2,000 troops crossed the frontier without a shot being fired after warplanes from the country had earlier carried out air strikes for about an hour.

Chad's deepening involvement shows how the conflict with Boko Haram is taking a regional dimension.

Last week, Chadian troops reportedly moved into Malumfatori, a Nigerian town which lies near the borders of Chad

and Niger, after a ground and air assault against the militants.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has threatened to create a caliphate, incorporating parts of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

The African Union has responded by backing plans to establish a 7,500-strong regional force to fight Boko Haram.

On Monday, Nigeria's army said it had recaptured Gamboru, a small town separated from Cameroon by a river.

Meanwhile, French military aircraft are carrying out surveillance missions to help countries bordering Nigeria tackle Boko Haram militants, officials said yesterday.

"Our air force is carrying out reconnaissance missions, but not over Nigeria," said a French

defence ministry source.

"Our support is limited to neighbouring countries such as Chad and Niger."

The source added intelligence was being given to Chadian forces currently fighting Boko Haram on the Cameroon and Nigeria border region.

Speaking at a ceremony yesterday marking the accidental death of nine French airmen in Spain last month, French President Francois Hollande had earlier said aircraft were currently operating over Nigeria.

Clarifying Hollande's comments, the presidential palace said French planes were not flying over Nigeria, but that France was "cooperating in the fight against Boko Haram".

Hollande said in May that Rafale fighter jets would be used for recon-

naissance missions to help find some 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram.

Since then there has been no official comment on any French operations in the country.

France has headquartered its 3,200-strong Sahel counter-insurgency force, Barkhane, in the Chadian capital N'Djamena, some 50 kilometres from the Nigerian border.

It has fighter jets based there and in Niger, where it also has surveillance drones.

Paris has ruled out direct military involvement for now, but said it could play a role in easing tensions and instigating dialogue between its three former colonies - Chad, Niger and Cameroon - and Nigeria.

"France is in N'djamena.

We have the capacity to do surveillance and provide

intelligence. Our job is to put some oil in the cogs between Nigeria and its neighbours," a French diplomatic source said.

Also yesterday, the United Nations Security Council urged West African countries to enhance regional military operations and coordination to effectively combat the activities of Boko Haram in the region.

The Security Council, in a statement in Lagos by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), however, restated its determination to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with its responsibilities under the Charter of the UN. It said; “The Security Council reiterated its deep concern that the activity of Boko Haram is presently undermining the CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

News

6

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Court okays fresh eligibility suit against Jonathan Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

T

he Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday ordered the service of court processes on President Goodluck Jonathan in a fresh suit filed by four senior citizens seeking his disqualifications from the February 14 presidential election.

Plaintiffs in the fresh suit, Prof. Tunde Samuel, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, Mr. Razak Adeosun and Yahaya Ezeemoo Ndu are praying the court to restrain President Jonathan from contesting the office of the President of Nigeria in the general elections.

The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Yusuf Ali who led other five SANs, are contending that by the provisions of Sections 135 and 145 of the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan is not eligible to contest for the election having taking oath of office as president more than twice.

The court, however, fixed February 11 for accelerated hearing.

Relying on Sections 135 to 146 of the 1999 Constitution, the plaintiffs

contended that Jonathan cannot take the oath of office more than twice as president.

They also submitted that under the constitution, any President of Nigeria cannot be in office beyond eight years of two terms.

They argued that if Jonathan is allowed to contest and is sworn in as President, he would be spending 10 years in office contrary to the spirit and intention of the 1999 Constitution.

The plaintiffs ask the court whether having regards to the intention and general scheme of the Constitution, especially the provisions of sections 1 (1) &(2), 135 (1)& (2), 137(1)

(b), 140 (1) &(2),142 (1)&(2) and 146(1)(3)(b)(c) thereof, it is constitutional, lawful, legal and permissible for a person to occupy the office of the president for a cumulative and or aggregate period of more than eight years.

They also want the court to determine whether having regards to the intention and the general scheme of the Constitution, especially the provisions of Sections 1(1) & (2) and 135(1) thereof, the defendant is eligible to seek re-election or contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for another term of four years, which will bring his cumulative and or aggregate period in of-

fice as president beyond the eight years maximum period allowable by the Constitution.

They among others want the court to decide whether having regards to the intention and the general scheme of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) especially section 1(1) & (2), 135 (1)&(2), 137 (1)(b), 140 (1) & (2), 142(1)& (2) and 146(1) (3) (b)& (c) thereof, the period the defendant served as President from May 6, 2010 to May 28, 2011, ought not to be reckoned with and taken into cognisance in computing the total period he has spent and could spend in office as President of Federal

Republic of Nigeria.

The plaintiffs, however, want a declaration that having regards to the provisions of the constitution, it is unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal and not permissible for any person to occupy the office of the president for more than a cumulative and or aggregate period of eight years when the country is not at war and it is practicable to hold election into the Office of the President.

They also want the court to declare that having regards to the provisions of the constitution, the defendant is not eligible to seek re-election into the Office of the President for another term of four years from 2015, as that

would have permitted him to occupy the Office of the President for more than the eight years maximum period allowable by the constitution for anyone to occupy the Office of the President.

The plaintiffs are also praying the court for a declaration that in computing the period already spent in office as president by the defendant, the period from May 6, 2010 to May 28, 2011 should/ought to be reckoned with.

They want an order of injunction restraining the defendant from contesting, putting himself forward and or accepting to contest for the Office of the President at the February 14 presidential election.

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST LAGOS

32o C 26oC Isolated Storms

ABUJA

38oC

23oC

Partially Cloudy

PORT HARCOURT

27oC

18oC

Storm

All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (left), with the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu-Abubakar, during a visit to the emir in Gombe‌yesterday.

Elections: AIG Mbu holds talks with Fashola Muritala Ayinla

KANO

36oC

15oC

Partially Cloudy

ENUGU

38oC

25oC

Partially Cloudy

IBADAN

35o C 24oC Very Cloudy

CALABAR

31oC

23oC

Storm

MAIDUGURI

ONITSHA

38oC 15oC Partially Cloudy

37oC

25oC

Partially Cloudy

A

head of the general elections, the newly deployed Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, yesterday held a private meeting with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

The deployment of the AIG to Zone 2 had generated reactions from the residents of Lagos and Ogun states, suspecting that the former Rivers State Commissioner of Police might have been redeployed to the zone controlled by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to act the script of the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government.

Fashola had also decried the redeployment of the Rapid Respond Squad (RRS) Commander in the

state, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu to Nasarawa State.

Even the Oba of Lagos, Alhaji Rilwan Akiolu, had warned Mbu and other police officers against any sinister motive during the February elections, saying such move will be resisted.

Akiolu had said: "I want to sound it as a note of warning to all the security officials in the state; if anyone come into Lagos with any sinister motive, by the grace of God, he will have himself to blame. Some people have done it before even to the person who was the IG when I left the job at that time."

To build confidence among stakeholders in the state, Mbu met with Governor Fashola.

Journalists were barred from covering the meeting on the request of Mbu. Sources in the State House told New Telegraph that the AIG met the gover-

nor to correct the negative impression people have about him.

The source said that Mbu gave an assurance that what transpired in Rivers State would not happen in the zone.

Slok Airline was sus-

pended over what aviation authorities described as safety oversight.

Former Minister of Aviation at that time, Mallam Isa Yuguda, had said the Federal Government was withholding the licence because the airline

had violated safety and security standards and not for any political reason, as was being insinuated.

The carrier was finally de-registered by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in September 2004.

16 parties, five presidential candidates seek poll shift CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Okechukwu, stated that the postponement might lead to unintended consequences.

Notwithstanding the campaign for the postponement of the election, preparations for February 14 have continued with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Suleiman Abba, ordering the deploy-

ment of men of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) and Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), around INEC officials and to guard election materials.

The police said in a statement yesterday by Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, an Acting Commissioner of Police, that the development was

part of measures to guarantee maximum security for all participants and actors during and after the exercise.

The statement said Abba gave the directive at the end of a strategy meeting with senior police officers in Abuja, on Monday.

The meeting was held to appraise preparations towards the polls.

7

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD NIGERIA The general public is hereby notified that the incorporated trustees of Assemblies of God Church Nigeria except Reverend “Professor” Paul Emeka and Reverend Habila Pam Kim (deceased) upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee of the Church has removed Reverend “Professor” Paul Emeka from being a Trustee of Assemblies of God Church Nigeria on the grounds of forgery of professorial certificate and use of the forged/fake purporting professorial certificate/document as genuine.

The list below shows the present constitution of the trustees of the Church as they stand in accordance with the constitution of the church filed with Corporate Affairs Commission head quarters Abuja VIZ:

- REV. PASTOR EJIKEME EJIM - NEWLY APPOINTED

- REV. GODWIN AKPAN AMAOWOH, PHD. - NEWLY APPOINTED

- REV. (DR) JOHN OGBALE IKONI - RETAINED

- REV. DR CHIDI AGODI OKOROAFOR - RETAINED

- REV. VINCENT AKIN ALAJE - RETAINED

- REV. GODWIN MEKEDO IDOGO - RETAINED

- REV. (DR) JOHNSON OKORIE ODII - RETAINED

- REV. HABILA PAM KIM - DECEASED

- REV PROF PAUL EMEKA - REMOVED The said fake/forged purporting professorial certificate and the letter written in that regard by the University of Derby from where he claims he got the certificate are published hereunder: - Assemblies of God Nigeria urges the Nigerian Police Force to accordingly prosecute the said Reverend “Professor” Paul Emeka for forgery and use of forged document as genuine.

- The Church also urges the Corporate Affairs Commission to disqualify the said Reverend “Professor” Paul Emeka from being a trustee of any organization registerable / registered under part C of Companies and Allied Matters Act in accordance to law.

Any objection to the said removal and appointments should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent Maitama, Abuja within 28days of this publication.

Sign BARR. IFEANYICHUKWU OBASI-NWEZE 0808-799-9361

8

News

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

SWF suit: States accuse FG of frustrating out-of-court settlement Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

T

he 36 states of the Federation yesterday told the Supreme Court that the Federal Government has been frustrating every move to settle the disputes on the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) out of court.

The court, however, fixed March 19 for the hearing of the suit after all attempts to make the parties settle out of court has failed.

The panel of Supreme Court justices, headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, had earlier insisted that the parties

should go and settle out of court as there is nothing to adjudicate over by the court.

"If lawyers and parties are sincere, then go back and settle this matter out of court. The matter is straight forward, there is nothing this court will adjudicate upon," CJN held.

Reacting, counsel to

Slok Air: How I lost N20bn, by Kalu CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

obtained yesterday, the company asked the court to declare as "unlawful, illegal and a gross violation of due process required in matters of this nature."

Defendants in the suit are the Federal Ministry of Aviation, Minister of Aviation and the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation.

In the writ of summons filed by the company, Slok Air is seeking a declaration that the revocation of its operating licence, issued on April 22, 2003 and which was withdrawn on March 12, 2004, was unjustified.

It argued that its licence cannot be revoked except "in strict compliance with due process and laid down procedure."

The company also sought a declaration that its licence is still valid and subsisting.

It, therefore, urged the court to order the restoration of its licence and granted an injunction stopping the defendants or their agents from interfering with its operating licence.

In addition, the company asked for N20 billion for special and general damages for the revocation of Slok Air licence and N100 million being the cost of prosecuting the suit.

Obasanjo had withdrawn Slok Air's licence in persecution of Kalu with whom he had political differences.

Kalu, during his tenure in Abia, had consistently criticised the way the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to which he and Obasanjo belong, was being run.

Besides the revocation of Slok Air and taking ac-

tions to hurt Kalu's business interest, Obasanjo had masterminded the pushing out of the former governor from PDP. It was learnt that the airline lost 14 Boeing 737- 400 series, which were parked at the airport for one year, as a result of the revocation of Slok Air licence.

Kalu is planning to sue Obasanjo for the revocation of the airline's licence.

the Federal Government, Ahmed Abdulmalik submitted that there was need for the court to adjudicate over the matter as the states have been deceiving themselves that there is a fund called SWF. He further stated that at the hearing stage, the states will be able to come and show the court where such account is.

The 36 states of the Federation had through their counsel, Yusuf Ali (SAN) approached the apex court over alleged retention of the Excess Crude Account (ECA) and the transfer of $1 billion to the SWF. The Supreme Court had earlier granted a request by the parties to settle the matter out of court and to explore an amicable resolution of the disagreement.

Governors of the 36 states had gone to court to among others, seek an or-

der compelling the Government of the Federation to pay into the Federation Account N5.51 trillion being the balance of the money that accrued to the central purse between 2004 and 2007 from the proceeds of crude oil sales, petroleum profits tax and oil royalties.

The Federal Government had classified such earnings as “excess crude proceeds” and “excess PPT and royalties” which were paid into an account termed the “Excess Crude Account.”

The governors also asked the court to order the Federal Government to transfer to the Federation Account all sums standing to the credit of the ECA. The Federal Government, however, accused the states of mischief because they took part in the deliberation of the National Economic Council (NEC)

where the decision to transfer the $1 billion from the ECA to the SWF was taken.

It added that the states had also been receiving their shares from the money and accused them of insincerity.

In response, the states insisted that they had shared only the legitimate funds deposited in the Federation Account and not from the funds illegally deposited in the ECA. While asking the Supreme Court to refuse the application by the states to stop the Federal Government from transferring $1 billion from the ECA to the SWF, the Federal Government’s counsel said his client would run into problem if the application was granted. He said the day-to-day running of the nation’s economy would be put in danger if the application is granted.

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema; Chairman, Diamond Bank Plc. Mr. Chris Ogbeche; Managing Director, Mr. Uzoma Dozie and Executive Director, NSE, Haruna Waziri-Jalo, at the closing of market at the NSE by the bank in Lagos…yesterday.

French planes on surveillance Jonathan: Why Ajaokuta Steel Company has not taken off (SAN), recently had to to address the party faithNational Chairman of missions on border Anule Emmanuel travel abroad many times. ful on the current state of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

peace and stability of the West and Central African region.

“Members of the Security Council, therefore, urge the region to enhance regional military operations and coordination to more effectively and immediately combat Boko Haram insurgency."

The Security Council also condemned Boko Haram’s recent attacks on Maiduguri and in Lake Chad Basin region, saying that the insurgents now constituted threat to local and international peace.

It also said that it was imperative for perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terrorism to be sanctioned.

“The members of the

Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the actions of Boko Haram, constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

“And that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whosoever committed it,’’ the statement said.

Several efforts to get official comments from the Defence Headquarters, were unsuccessful, as its spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade, neither picked calls to his phone line, nor did he reply text messages sent to him.

Abuja

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan has said that his administration's desire to pursue the take-off of the Ajaokuta Steel Company of Nigeria in Kogi State was being hindered by legal issues.

The president, who stated this yesterday at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential rally held at the Lokoja Confluence Stadium, noted that those issues have, however, been resolved to pave the way for foreign investors in the project.

He said because of his administration's commitment to resolving the legal issues, the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Mr. Muhammed Adoke

He said: "The Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Complex is dear to us. This is a government that promises and fulfils its promises.

"During my inaugural speech in 2011, we made promises in that speech and we have addressed all. We are addressing the issue on the Iron and Steel Company. We are not playing politics with it. The Attorney-General has been handling the legal issues.

"We have been slowed down because of legal issues. The Attorney-General has travelled to London more than 20 times and now we have got to the end, we will move ahead."

The president at the event then asked the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Musa Sada,

the firm.

Sada said having resolved the legal issues, the firm was now open for foreign investors.

He added that five foreign investors had already indicated interests in the firm.

Jonathan said if reelected, his administration would complete all federal roads that it had started.

He described himself and Vice-President Namadi Sambo as a different brand of politicians who will only promise what they can do.

He said it was necessary for the young ones to do a background check on the 14 presidential candidates with a view to knowing them well.

Mu’azu, said the present administration had given Nigerians total freedom.

This, he said, could be proved by virtue of the fact that there are no politicians and journalists in prison or exile.

"Jonathan gave us freedom, there are no politicians in exile. There are no politicians in any prison. There are also no journalists or social commentators in prison.

We should not take this freedom for granted and throw it away because we may not get it again," Mu’azu warned.

Earlier, President of the Senate, David Mark, had said that Jonathan had fulfilled all the promises he made to all geopolitical zones in 2011.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

News

NATIONAL

9

FG issues fresh guidelines to airlines, others Wole Shadare

T

he Federal Government has undertaken some reforms to reposition the beleaguered aviation industry in Nigeria.

Consequently, Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, has directed all registered private airlines in Nigeria that engage in commercial operations different from

their core businesses in the country to regularise their operations on or before February 5, failing which they will be grounded by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Chidoka mandated foreign airlines operating in Nigeria to ensure that they have at least one pilot as part of their crew, maintaining that the carriers must help to develop avia-

tion manpower.

Chidoka also took a swipe at foreign carriers whom he said charge Nigerians arbitrary airfares compared to those charged other nationals for the same distance of travel.

The minister spoke while launching a project, “Aviation Commits” yesterday in Lagos.

He also disclosed that there are about 90 private

aircraft in the country engaged in General Aviation (GA).

According to Chidoka, these aircraft that were registered for private use are now engaged in chartered operations in the country, adding that Nigeria as a sovereign state cannot continue tolerate this.

He said that private registered aircraft must learn to play by the rules and

that they should either operate in accordance with the operation which they registered for or regularise their operations with NCAA. The minister stated that any of these aircraft which fails to regularise will not be allowed to fly in the Nigerian airspace.

Chidoka added that he has directed NCAA to ground any of the private

registered aircraft, who uses their aircraft to do chartered operations and who fails to regularise their operations on or before February 5.

He also stated that henceforth, renewal of Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) will be based on the ability of airlines to produce plans on how they hope to train their personnel yearly.

US issues travel restriction on Nigeria Court orders alternative service in Adeola Yusuf

W

ashington on Tuesday warned United States (U.S.) citizens of the risks of travel to Nigeria, encouraging them “to exercise caution during the election process, particularly in and around polling locations in the weeks before and after the elections.”

The U.S. Department of State, which issued this warning in a statement, recommends that U.S. “citizens avoid all travel to Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states because the security situation in northeast Nigeria remains fluid and unpredictable.”

The Department of State, statement read,

“strongly urges U.S. citizens in Nigeria to consider their own personal security and to keep personal safety in the forefront of their travel planning. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning for Nigeria dated August 11, 2014.”

Stating that the ability of the Mission “to provide assistance to U.S. citizens in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states remains severely limited,” the Department said that it “continues to recommend against all but essential travel to the following states due to the risk of kidnappings, robberies, and other armed attacks: Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Pla-

teau, Rivers, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara.”

The statement read: “The U.S. Mission advises all U.S. citizens to be particularly vigilant around government security facilities; churches, mosques, and other places of worship; locations where large crowds may gather, such as hotels, clubs, bars, restaurants, markets, shopping malls; and other areas frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

“Security measures in Nigeria remain heightened due to threats posed by extremist groups, and U.S. citizens may encounter police and military checkpoints, additional security, and possible road blocks throughout the country.”

Buhari’s disqualification suit A

Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday ordered alternative service of processes in a suit filed by an Abuja-based lawyer, Chike Okafor, seeking disqualification of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, over controversy trailing his certificate.

The plaintiff had alleged that Buhari and other defendants, had been evading service of the processes in the suit, and urged the court to grant alternative means of service.

Trial judge, Justice

P. M. B. 1041, ZARIA, KADUNA STATE

INVITATION FOR PREQUALIFICATION AND FOR THE YEAR 2011-2013 (MERGED) TETFUND INTERVENTION IN LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT The Federal College of Education, Yola is by this advertorial inviting interested companies/contractors to tender for the underlisted project in the institution.

Lot 1: Procurement of 2,973 Volumes of assorted Books for Various Departments Lot 2: Procurement of 357 Volumes of Assorted Journals Lot 3: E-Library Equipment and Database Lot 4: Procurement of 143 Nos of Furniture Lot 5: Procurement of 47 Nos of Library Equipment, Printing and Binding Equipment Pre-qualification documents to be submitted should contain, among other things the following; i. Certificate of incorporation in Nigeria as a limited liability company, ii. Tax clearance Certificate for the past three years issued by the FIRS iii. Evidence of registration as an engineering/equipment contractor with the Federal Ministry of works iv. List of similar projects executed in the last three years v. Evidence of financial capability to execute the job tendered for, vi. List of key personnel to be assigned to the project with professional qualifications vii. Evidence of compliance with PENCOM Act and Remittances. viii. Evidence of compliance with ITF and NSITF ix. Evidence of VAT registration NON-REFUNDABLE PRE-QUALIFICATION AND TENDER DOCUMENTS Interested companies/contractors are to pay to the Bursary department the sum of N40,000.00 as tender fees COLLECTION OF TENDER DOCUMENTS Tender documents containing detail of procurements can be obtained from the College Library.

SUBMISSION OF PRE-QUALIFICATION DOCUMENTS All pre-qualification and tender documents shall be placed and sealed in SEPARATE ENVELOPES and clearly marked “Per-qualification to Tender for the Desired job” the two documents shall then be placed in a single outer envelope for submission. The envelope containing the prequalification and tender documents is to be dropped in a Tender Box at the Directorate of Works & Services not later than 10:00am on 23rd February, 2014 and shall be opened on the same date. Late submission shall not be accepted.

Pre-qualification documents shall be screened to determine those qualified to tender before opening of the bids. Only those qualified shall be invited for the tender opening. Those not qualified shall have their bids returned unopened.

Signed REGISTRAR

tiff listed Buhari, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the three respondents respectively.

The suit is principally hinged on Section 131 of the Constitution, which prescribes a minimum qualification for nomination to participate in presidential elections and Section 31 of the Electoral Act that stipulates all presidential candidates to depose anaffidavit in proof of compliance with constitutional requirement to be President of Nigeria.

FG mulls $600m pipeline surveillance contracts’ review Adeola Yusuf

FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, YOLA

Adeniyi Ademola, after entertaining the submission, ordered that Buhari and his party should be served by publication in a national Newspaper.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to February 9, 2015 for report of service.

In an originating summon before court, the plaintiff (Okafor) is asking the court to disqualify Buhari from contesting the 2015 presidential elections.

According to the suit numbered FHC/ABJ/ CS/01/2015, the plain-

T

he review of $600 million contracts for surveillance of over 11, 000 kilometres of pipelines across the country is being considered by the Federal Government, New Telegraph has learnt.

The government, which signed contracts with private security agencies, some ex-militants and the host communities, is not satisfied with the high level of attacks on the facilities,

a source at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) told this newspaper yesterday.

“Already, we are talking with a consultancy firm on the review of the pipeline security contracts,” the NNPC source said.

Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, NNPC, Dr. David Ige, said in a Television programme monitored in Lagos yesterday that the 210, 000 barrels per day Trans-Forcados and 180, 000 barrels per day

Trans-Niger Pipeline have suffered 50 attacks in the last six months.

Noting that attacks on pipeline are “consistent as we approach the political peak period,” and that “it is consistent as we increase our power generation capacity,” Ige said that there “is a need for a rethink of the strategies.”

He said: “Since the beginning of this year, the Trans-Forcados has been breached four times. It is a pure criminality by a few criminalminded people.”

Kalu, Mark mourn Okoya-Thomas

E

minent businessman and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, has described Chief Omolade OkoyaThomas as a consummate philanthropist, whose demise is a great loss to the country.

He noted that the deceased was an astute entrepreneur, who contributed to social, economic and political development of Nigeria.

In a condolence message signed by his Special Adviser, Oyekunle Oyewumi, Kalu said: “I was devastated when I heard the news of the passing away of a gentleman, Chief

Okoya- Thomas. He will be remembered for his contributions to sports development, with his annual Asoju Oba Table Tennis Championship.

He left behind a good legacy for us all to emulate.

Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with the Okoya family at this sorrowful time”.

The former governor added that the late businessman will be remembered for his humility.

Also, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark described Okoya-Thomas’ death as a loss of one of Nigeria’s foremost philanthropists and nationalists.

Mark, in a condolence message to the immediate family of late OkoyaThomas, government and people of Lagos State, said the deceased lived the entirety of his life for the good of all Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic or religious background.

According to Mark, “Chief Okoya-Thomas was a big brother who showed tremendous interests in my personal well-being and always encouraged me in the pursuit of my endeavour.

He was a sports enthusiast and philanthropist, who lived an eventful life worthy of emulation.”

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

10

Metro

‘Why our plan to rob FCMB of N24m failed’ GONE AWRY The hope of a cleaner to become an overnight millionaire is dashed when a conscript reports plan to rob a bank to the police

Shola Adefuwa

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20-year-old robbery suspect has disclosed how his gang’s plan to raid the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and steal N24 million meant for the bank’s end of the year party failed.

The suspect, Mr Saturday Akpan, a cleaner with FCMB branch on Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos, said the plan would have sailed through but for the stubbornness of one of the security guards attached to the bank. The guard, according to him, refused to join in the robbery.

Apparently sure that they would not be able to get the guard to work with them, they threatened to kill him.

The scared guard agreed to the plan. But immediately he was allowed to go, he dashed to the nearest police station.

Soon, Akpan and his cronies became guests of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos.

The suspect explained that he started making plans to rob the bank after he heard it had earmarked N24 million for the end of the year party. He claimed that one Mohammed, a security guard at the bank, told him about the money and the party.

He said: “We had been planning to rob the bank for a month. I, however, know that only one security guard would be a threat to our plan.”

Unsure of how to handle the guard, Akpan said that he took his snapshot and tailed him to his girlfriend’s house at Ajegunle. There they accosted him and threatened to him if he refused to play ball.

He added: “I worked in the bank till the end of December last year. I was paid N15,000 monthly as a cleaner. I only worked with the bank for four months.

“I told the guard that we were planning to rob the bank and that if he did not cooperate when we attack, we would trace and kill him. He promised to cooperate with us. But police later came to our house to arrest us. We heard that the secu-

rity guard went to the police.”

Akpan explained that before he started toying with the idea of robbing FCMB, he was already using toy gun to dispossess victims of their phones and valuables.

The suspect, who confessed to only two operations, insisted that he and his partner, Ugochukwu Samuel, 24, were trying to map out ways to carry out the FCMB operation when police surprised them.

The arrest of Akpan and his accomplice was led by the Officer in Charge of SARS, Abba Kyari.

He said: “Ugochukwu was not aware and did not partake in the first operation. He did not know I was using fake gun to rob people. It was after the second operation that he became aware that I had started using his toy gun for operations.

“The second operation was at Wilmer. I normally go for operations around 7pm.

Once I point the toy gun at a victim, the person will surrender. After the second operation, I gave Ugochukwu a touch screen Nokia phone.

It was part of the items I collected from victims. I knew Ugochukwu two years ago through his younger brother.”

The suspects with the toy gun

Cult members kill teenager at birthday party Babatope Okeowo Akure

A The late Bolaji

16-year-old boy, identified simply as Bolaji, has been killed during a clash between suspected cult groups in Ondo town, Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The residents said the clash occurred about 8pm on Monday on Ijoka Street, Ondo town.

The victim, according to the residents, was a secondary school drop-out.

Although the details of the incident were sketchy at press

time, it was gathered that Bolaji, described as a strong member of ‘Eiye Confraternity,’ had gone to attend a birthday party organised by a young lady in the area, when he was killed.

It was also learnt that it was when the victim was coming out of the venue of the party that he was shot by the assailants who had laid an ambush for him.

But another source said that an argument ensued between the victim and members of another cult group at the venue of the party.

The source said that the cult members chased Bolaji out of

the venue and shot him dead.

But Bolaji’s death has continued to elicit reactions in the town.

When our correspondent visited the relaxation centre, which hosted the birthday party, there were blood stains everywhere while broken bottles littered the place.

Similarly, the residents of the area, including Bolaji’s family members, gathered in groups to discuss the incident.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Enuowa Divisional Police Station in Ondo town, Superintendent of Police Kunle Omisakin,

confirmed the story.

He said his division was working round the clock to rid the community of crime, especially the activities of cult members.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Wole Ogodo, said he was aware of the matter.

Ogodo, however, said that he had not been properly briefed by the DPO in charge of the area.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in strategic locations in the town to forestall possible reprisal attacks from those said to be planning to avenge Bolaji’s death.

Policeman kills bus conductor in Edo Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

T ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

here was pandemonium yesterday at the New Benin Market, Benin, Edo State, when a policeman reportedly shot dead a middle-aged man.

The victim, whose name could not be ascertained at press time, was killed near the traffic light on the busy Upper Mission Road.

It was gathered that the incident occurred following an

argument between the triggerhappy policeman and a commercial bus conductor.

A witness said the policeman had shot the bus conductor at close range over an unknown reason.

The development forced shop owners and other business outlets within the area to flee. Ticketing agents of the state government also deserted the area as miscreants took advantage of the situation to

unleash terror on traders.

Angry bus drivers and others went on the rampage. They attempted to set ablaze the divisional police station close to the New Benin Market.

Soldiers attached to the state anti-crime outfit, Operation Thunder Storm, were drafted to the area to restore law and order.

Hoodlums reportedly attacked policemen on sight to avenge the man’s death.

Some policemen and offi-

IG, Suleiman Abba

cers were said to have pulled off their uniform to prevent being attacked.

Metro 11

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

Three NSCDC officials still missing after vandals’ attack John Edu

T

en days after suspected oil thieves struck at Ikorodu in Lagos, the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said yesterday that three of its men were still missing.

When the suspected pipeline vandals attacked Owutu Police Station at Ikorodu, 10 days ago, they killed two policemen, a commercial motorcyclist and injured two NSCDC officials.

The vandals also abducted other NSCDC officials.

The state NSCDC Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Chibuzo Mefor, said that intense search was still on for the missing men.

The state NSCDC Commandant, Mr. Gabriel Abafi, expressed worry about the safety of his men.

He said: “The action of these vandals will not stop NSCDC from carrying out its primary assignment, which is to ensure such persons are brought to book. I implore members of the public not to look at the corps as being too strict. Rather, they should help

NSCDC in fishing out persons involved in any criminal act.”

Gabriel said that whoever was found culpable, would be made to face the wrath of the law.

In the attack, the vandals also raided Owutu Police Station’s armoury and stole four AK47 rifles. They also freed detainees.

Trouble started after the NSCDC officials got information that oil thieves were operating at a village in Ikorodu and attempted to arrest them.

Speaking for the first time on the issue, Mefor said: “The clash started around 6pm on January 26, when the corps members went for a routine check at Ishawo area in Ikorodu. We were informed by intelligent sources that some vandals would be off-loading Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) on that day, to a suspect who was expecting the consignment.

“But on getting to their hideout, the vandals had absconded. We did not know that they went to lay ambush for our men. They attacked our men. They opened fire on our unsuspecting men. They also

The burnt NSCDC patrol van

burnt down our patrol van.”

Mefor said that when some NSCDC men radioed for reenforcement, the command quickly alerted other security agencies to combine forces to rout the enemies.

He said: “The fighting and shooting lasted for hours. Eight of our men got injured. Two sustained gunshot wounds and three were taken hostage by the vandals.

“We do not know whether

they are dead or alive. We killed some of the vandals and others took to their heels. We are seriously searching for our men.”

The PRO said those who were shot had been discharged from the hospital.

We’ll unmask abductors of newspaper distributor, say police

19 students hospitalised after Ebonyi school fire

Kunle Olayeni

Charles Onyekwere

Abeokuta

T

he police in Ogun State yesterday said they had swung into action to rescue a major newspaper distributor, Mrs Funlayo Ajayi, who was abducted in Ijebu-Ode on Monday.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, who spoke in a telephone interview with our correspondent, said the command also embarked on measures to curb the resurgence of kidnapping in the state.

Four gunmen had on Monday abducted Ajayi on Imepe Road, Ijebu-Ode, while she

was on her way to collect the day’s consignment of newspapers at the distribution point.

The suspected kidnappers were said to have demanded N40 million from the victim’s family before they could free her.

The matter was thereafter reported at the Ijebu-Ode Area Command, Igbeba.

But speaking on the incident yesterday, the police spokesman said measures had been taken by the command to rescue the victim unhurt.

Adejobi said: “The DC (Deputy Commissioner) has directed that enough men be deployed to comb the Ijebu axis with a view to rescuing the victim. We have just held

a meeting on the development and we are hopeful that our search operation would be fruitful.

“One thing we are also doing is to ensure that the incidence of kidnapping is nipped in the bud. You know it has been a while kidnapping was recorded in the Ijebu axis. But with this incident, maybe kidnapping wants to rear its ugly head again.

“But I want to assure you that the command is on top of the situation and would do everything possible to unmask the masterminds of the incident.”

On the N40 million ransom, the PPRO said that the command had not been able to establish such demand.

ABAKALIKI

A

t least 19 students were wounded and hospitalised following a fire outbreak at Model Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School, Ugwuachara, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

It was gathered that the students, were about to sleep around 11pm on Monday, when the fire broke out.

Some of the students jumped from their rooms to escape.

The 19 students were rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA) II for urgent

medical treatment.

The principal of the school thanked God that no life was lost in the incident.

She expressed the hope that the state government would assist the school.

Reacting after visiting the wounded students, the former state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Prince Ugorji Amaoti, noted that the students were responding to treatment.

He said: “The incident is indeed pathetic. We went round and accessed their conditions. They are now stable and would soon be discharged. The deputy governor made a donation of N200,000 to take care of their medical bills.”

Adebutu donates transformers to Remo communities T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for House of Representatives in Remo Federal Constituency, Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu, has donated two 500 KVA transformers to Emuren and Ode Lemo communities in Sagamu Local Government.

Adebutu made the donation during his campaign tour to Emuren and Ode Lemo Ward 9.

In his address, the PDP candidate described politics as a calling which he had invested in since 1991 without any motive of financial profit.

He said: “In emulating my grandfather, the late Kareem Folarin Adebutu and my father, Sir Kesington

Adebutu on their various philanthropic acts, I have also executed several people-oriented programmes and projects among which are construction of roads and drainages, building of classrooms, provision of bursaries, and scholarships to students, free health programme and provision of brand new transformers, among others.

“Having done all these, I believe much more can still be done from the angle of government. That is the reason I have come before you to submit myself as your child and seek your support, as I promise not to disappoint you like the previous representatives have done.”

Adebutu, according to a statement issued by the Director, Media and Publicity, Ladi Adebutu Democratic Organisation, Sesan Akinsanya, urged the people to vote for all the PDP candidates ranging from the President, Senate, House of Representatives, Governorship and House of Assembly in this month’s elections.

Responding, the Elemuren of Emuren, Oba Abdulwaheed Adetayo Adeloye, described Adebutu’s visit as home-coming considering the bond between Idena-Iperu and Emuren communities.

He commended him for his effort at rescuing the people from the total black-

out that has pervaded the town for almost two years, while wishing him success in the election.

In the same vein, the Lisa of Ode Lemo, who spoke on behalf of the chiefs, thanked Adebutu for his gesture which also included N1 million donation towards the construction of a new palace for the Lemo of Ode Lemo.

The Lisa pledged the support of his people to Adebutu.

Also on the same day, viewing centres equipped with plasma televisions, DSTV systems and generators courtesy of the Ladi Adebutu Democratic Organisation were inaugurated in both towns.

One of the transformers

12

News

SOUTH-WEST

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

No justifiable reason to shift polls, says SAN Babatope Okeowo Akure

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L-R: Osun State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Mofolake Adegboyega; Special Adviser to the Lagos State Deputy Governor on Women Affairs, Mrs. Risikat Akiyode; Female Presidential candidate, Prof. Remi Comfort Sonaya; Ekiti State Immediate Past Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Special Adviser to Osun State Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Eso-Williams and Regional Coordinator, South West, Department for International Development (DFID), Dr. Adesina Fagbenro-Byron, during a Women in Governance Conference in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

UCH medical staff suspend three months strike Sola Adeyemo IBADAN

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ollowing the recent call-off the three months nation -wide strike embarked upon by the non-medical staff of Federal hospitals across the country, normalcy yesterday returned to

the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan following its suspension of the workers strike.

Investigation revealed that many non-medical staff at the hospital reported for work as early as 8 in the morning while others resumed later in the day.

Some staff however had to return home again

when they learnt that a special congress would be held this morning, Wednesday), to formally ratify the suspension of the strike.

A visit to the hospital also showed that many offices that were hitherto under lock and key especially in the general out -patient ward, in the accident and emergency department

and the x -ray department, were open to patients.

However, few patients, were seen in the hospital as many were still unaware of the suspension of the strike by the nonmedical staff.

A commercial motorcyclist operating within the premises of the hospital, Banji Adio, said that business had begun in the hos-

At last, Ekiti confirms receipt of N2bn ecological fund lExplains 2015 budget scale down Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

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he Ekiti State Government has confirmed the receipt of N2 billion ecological funds from the Federal Government, just as ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in the state may witness some difficult times in the year, as Governor Ayo Fayose, is said to have approved the downward review of their monthly running grants by 60 per cent.

The receipt or otherwise of the fund had few months ago generated

controversy between the state government and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

The APC had claimed the state government got the money late last year and challenged it to show how it was spent.

Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Chief Toyin Ojo, while giving an analysis of the 2015 Budget in Ado-Ekiti, said the downward review of the running grants was due to dwindling revenue accruing to the state from the Federation account.

Ojo, explained that the reduction of running

grants to the MDAs was “part of the fiscal discipline embarked on by the state, to reduce spending and to save funds for capital projects.”

He added that government had reduced MDAs from 36 to 14 in a bid to reduce spending and save more money to carry out projects.

Also at the briefing, Special Assistant to the Governor on Information, Youth and Sports, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, confirmed the receipt of N2 billion Ecological Fund from the Federal Government.

Also, Ojo said the Fayose-led administration

would revive the Integrated Poultry Scheme at four designated centres in the state.

Governor Fayose, had during his first term carried out a poultry project which became controversial as the governor was dragged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday gave the reasons why this year’s budget is nearly N21 billion lower than last year’s, saying dwindling federal allocations and the huge debt left behind by the former administration were responsible.

Fashola: Lagos’ registered voters now 5.9 million Muritala Ayinla

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agos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has registered 5, 905, 000 eligible voters in the state.

The governor also said the electoral umpire would commence distribution of

Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in polling units across the state today.

Briefing journalists at the Lagos State House, Alausa, Ikeja, Fashola said the development was the outcome of the private meeting he had with the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Akin Orebiyi. He said the fresh measure was to ensure

that all registered Lagos residents get their PVCs and that no one is disenfranchised.

According to him, the collection of PVCs opens today, February 4 till Sunday, from 8.30am to 5.00pm daily.

He appealed to residents, who are yet to get their PVCs, to go to their polling units for their

cards, saying they can now obtain the cards at their polling units where they will vote.

He said: “This is a change from the collection of PVCs at the Ward Collation Offices of INEC, to polling units, which are closer to the people. From today the cards should appear at the polling units from 8.30am.”

pital with patients being conveyed there as was the practice.

Confirming the development, the Public Relations Officer of the hospital Mr. Femi Bonawe, told New Telegraph, “It is true the strike has been suspended, but we are having a Congress tomorrow where it will be formally announced”.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr Dayo Akinlaja, yesterday faulted the call for the postponement of the Presidential election based on the allegation that half of the electorate are yet to collect their voter’s cards and insurgency in some parts of the country.

Also, Akinlaja who is a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Ekiti State,askedtheJudicialStaff Union (JUSUN) in the country to call off their strike in the interest of the populace.

The constitutional Lawyer in an interview with New Telegraph in his office in Akure, the Ondo State capital said it would take amendment of the 1999 constitution before the demands for the financial autonomy being canvassed for by the judicial staff could be met.

Change of Name OLOWE-ROWAYE: I formerly known as OLUFUNKE OLAITAN OLOWE, now wish to be known and addressed as OLUFUNKE OLAITAN OLOWE-ROWAYE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ESAN: I formerly known as Adejumo Yetunde Victoria, now wish to be known and addressed as Esan Yetunde Victoria. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

HOLY GHOST MOUNTAIN MINISTRY PRAYER ANSWER LAND This is to inform the general public that the above named Ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES: 1. Olorunisola Deborah Falilat - General Overseer 6. Lawal Mujidat Bolatito 7. Adegoroye Deborah Aderotimi 2. Adelere Afusat Adebusayo - Secretary 8. Oluponmile Titilayo Bose 3. Alfred Adedimeji Odunayo 9. Adelabu James Sayo 4. Olarinde Victoria Oredola 10. Edowmonyi Sunday Imutiey 5. Shotunde Motunrayo Mufuliat AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To preach the word of Jesus Christ. Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: TRUSTEE

PUBLIC NOTICE GOD’S PRAISE POWER PACK CHURCH This is to inform the general public that the above named CHURCH has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES: 1. Pastor (Mrs.) Onyeka Ugoma Catherine 2. Pastor Onyeka Clifford Onwualu 3. Mr. Onyeka Chukwuma Chidozie 4. Mr. Nwerri Ikechukwu Chukwuelu AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. Propagation of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, teaching all men the essence of true Gospel both home and overseas.

2. To engage in the healing and counseling of people by the power of God 3. Fostering love, unity, understanding and cooperation amongst members both home and overseas.

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

Signed: SECRETARY

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, February 4, 2015

Imo guber

Presidency

Parliament

PVCs 41

Court hears suit against Ihedioha Thursday

We’ll punish Jonathan with Rivers’ votes – Amaechi

Senators dissect 2015 Appropriation Bill

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Reps’ fruitless search for voters’ relief

Politics At last, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the list of presidential candidates for the February 14, 2015 presidential election. In the list are notable names and “new breeds”. Fourteen names were listed to fly the flag of 14 of the 24 registered political parties that fielded candidates for the presidential election.

Dr. Comfort Oluremi Sonaiya of the KOWA Party is the only female presidential candidate in the male-dominated contest. Apart from President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Major General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), almost all the other presidential candidates are running for the presidency for the first time. In this piece, ONYEKACHI EZE and JOHNCHUKS ONUANYIM profile some of the candidates and their chances

Goodluck Jonathan (PDP) Born on November 20, 1957 in Otueke in the present Bayelsa State, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan studied Zoology at the University of Port Harcourt up to PhD level.

He joined the Rivers State civil service as an education inspector.

Jonathan joined partisan politics in

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY EDITOR, PoLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Presidential race: Contenders and pretenders cal zones.

Jonathan

Buhari

Okorie

Sonaiya

1998 when he ran as running mate to the Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. He was later to succeed him in 2005 following Alamieyeseigha’s impeachment.

The PDP presidential candidate is a child of circumstance. Like the proverbial child in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” whose palm carnal is cracked by benevolent spirit, Jonathan became Nigeria’s vice president in 2007. Again, he succeeded his boss, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, first as acting president and later as substantive president following the prolong hospitalisation of Yar’Adua and subsequent death.

He contested the 2011 presidential election and won.

By all calculation, PDP has the capacity to win the election. It has been in power since the return of democratic rule in the country in 1999.

This is the second competitive election Jonathan is contesting. The first

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

was in 2011. In the previous positions he assumed, the PDP presidential candidate simply completed the tenure of the incumbent.

He has the experience to win the election and his antecedents proves that he is “electable”.

His chances are bright. The only snags are the nation’s present precarious economy and its security situation.

So far, his campaign train is moving round the country. The campaign train has completed tour of several geopoliti-

Muhammadu Buhari The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari, was born in 1942 in Daura, Katsina State. He attended Daura Primary School, Daura and the Provincial College, Katsina, Katsina State. Buhari joined the Nigeria Army in 1962 and served in different capacities at different times. He was the Head of State and leader of a military junta that toppled the democratically elected civilian administration of President Shehu Shagari in 1983. His regime was however overthrown in 1985 by another military junta led by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

Before his brief stay in power, he served as governor of the North-Eastern State during the regime of the late General Murtala Mohammed, and later became the Federal Commissioner (minister) for Petroleum and Natural Resources under the regime of the then Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1976.

He has contested the presidential election a record three times. He was the presidential candidate of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) in 2003 and 2007. In 2011, Buhari contested the presidential election on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and in each of these attempts, he lost to the ruling PDP. He is currently in the race for the February 14 presidential poll, but his candidature has suffered some setbacks due to controversies surrounding his academic qualification. His non-submission of his West Africa School Certificate (WASC) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has led to a lot of criticisms and series of litigations.

In addition, Buhari has come under attack on allegations of insincerity and lack of integrity. After he lost the 2011 presidential election, Buhari had told the world that he would not contest the presidential election again, but has returned to the same race.

In defence, he said he came back to the race because the Nigerian situation has refused to change, and that he owed the country a duty to bring the needed change.

Buhari is admired by many for his uprightness and stand against corruption during his days as military ruler.

His then government was roundly applauded for reducing inflation and refusing to devalue the nation’s currency, the Nigerian naira.

Buhari, who says he symbolises CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

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Politics

WEDNESDAY, February 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Court hears suit against Ihedioha Thursday Tunde Oyesina Abuja

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he Federal High Court sitting in Abuja will tomorrow hear the suit brought by Senator Ifeanyi Araraume challenging the candidacy of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha as the Imo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard bearer in the February 28 governorship election.

The plaintiff listed PDP, Ihedioha and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as first to third defendants in the suit.

The court fixed Thursday for hearing, following

protracted arguments that ensued by counsel to both parties on Tuesday over preliminary procedures regarding the multiplicity of pending applications before it.

The trial judge, Justice A.R Mohammed, had fixed the hearing of all pending applications pertaining to the suit and the substantive suit for Thursday.

In the substantive suit, Araraume through his counsel, Damien Dodo (SAN) is asking the court to restrain the PDP from forwarding the name of Ihedioha as its governorship candidate for the governorship election for Imo State.

Rather, the court is further urged to declare the plaintiff as the candidate

of the PDP for the governorship election.

In his originating summons, Araraume who claimed to have scored the highest number of votes cast at the special congress of the party held at Grasshoppers International Stadium, Owerri Imo State, asked the court: “Whether from the total number of valid votes cast at the Special State Congress of the PDP held at the Grasshoppers Stadium, Owerri, Imo State on December 8, 2014 for the nomination of its governorship candidate for the 2015 Imo State governorship election as announced by its

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

Electoral Committee, the plaintiff scored the highest number of valid votes cast and is entitled to be declared winner and have his name forwarded to the 3rddefendant [INEC] as governorship candidate of the first [PDP] defendant for Imo State,

having regard to the provisions of section 87 [4] [b] [ii] of the Electoral Act 2010 [as amended] and paragraph 19[n] of the Electoral guidelines, 2014, of the Peoples Democratic Party.

He, however, wants the court to make an order declaring him as the governorship candidate of the 1st defendant for the 2015 Imo State governorship election.

He also wants an order of court restraining the 1st defendant from forwarding or submitting the name of the 2nd defendant as its governorship candidate for the governorship election for

Imo State.

The plaintiff also wants an order of court restraining the 2nd defendant from parading himself as the governorship candidate of the 1st defendant for the 2015 governorship election for Imo State.

Furthermore, the plaintiff is praying for an order of court restraining the 3rd defendant [INEC] from recognising, accepting, treating the 2nd defendant and/or publishing the name of the 2nd defendant as the governorship candidate of the 1st defendant for the 2015 governorship election for Imo State.

Fayose mobilises ethnic groups for Jonathan Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

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kiti State governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has embarked on mobilisation and sensitisation of various ethnic groups in the state for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.

In continuation of the effort, Fayose yesterday met with leaders of the Hausa community in the state.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, in AdoEkiti, quoted the governor as urging the people to vote for the president.

Fayose said: “We want peace and stability in this country. The problem of insurgency is a creation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) so as to destabilise Jonathan and discredit his administration.

“How would Buhari, who on many occasions

turned down offer to lead the committee on dialogue with Boko Haram now say he has the solution to Boko Haram activities in the country?

“Is that not a clear indication of APC being in the know of Boko Haram and other gunmen attacks in the North. It is very logical for the North to wait till 2019 to present a candidate belonging to its first eleven who is credible, young, healthy and sound,” he said.

The leaders of the group, Alhaji Musa Kanga and Mrs Hadisa Garba, said the people are ready to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate.

“We will vote for Jonathan because of you. You are always with us, you have not discriminated against us. As we voted for you in the June 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State, we will vote for Jonathan,” Kanga said.

Nkire backs Buhari over boycott of debates member of the All Nigerian, adding that he Progressives Con- believed that the presidenA gress (APC) Board of tial election could go on Trustees (BOT), Chief Sam Nkire, has thrown his weight behind the party’s presidential candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, over his decision to boycott the presidential debate.

He said: “There was no need to debate President Goodluck Jonathan’s poor performance.”

Nkire, who spoke in Abuja yesterday, said there was no need to bore Nigerians with Buhari’s credentials as a competent, honest and patriotic

without debates that are “remote-controlled” by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He deplored the indecent advertisements being sponsored by the President Jonathan Campaign Organisation aimed at damaging the reputation of Buhari, saying that no amount of propaganda and campaign of calumny could divert the attention of the suffering masses of Nigeria from the realities of corruption, insecurity and poverty.

Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang (right), with the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Senator Gyang Pwajok, during a campaign in Jos North Local Government Area of the state…yesterday.

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Ondo: INEC begins distribution of non-sensitive materials Onyekachi Eze Abuja

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has commenced the distribution of non-sensitive election materials to all the local government areas of Ondo State.

The commission also disclosed that it has distributed a total of 977,727 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to eligible voters out of 1,494169 PVCs received by the commission.

The state Resident Electoral Commission-

er (REC), Mr. Segun Agbaje, who disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja yesterday, said preparation was on course for a hitch-free elections in the state.

“We are preparing very well for the elections as we ought to do it in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). All non-sensitive materials would be deployed to the LGAs before the end of the week as security arrangements for their movement is almost concluded with the state Commissioner of Police and other security

agencies.

“We received a total of 1,494,169 PVCs in the state out of which we have distributed 977,727 representing 65.4 per cent, remaining 516,442 representing 34.6 per cent. This is as of Monday, February 2. As we speak now, the figures must have changed because the distribution is still ongoing,” he added.

The REC further disclosed that training of electoral officers had been completed while that of supervisory presiding officers (SPOs) started on Monday and will end on

February 4, adding that the training of Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) will be between February 6 and 8.

He stated that on assumption of office as REC, he met the InterAgency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES); State Inter-Agency Committee on Voter Education and Publicity (SICVEP); traditional rulers, women groups; youths, People Leaving With Disability (PLWD) among others to ensure smooth conduct of the elections.

APC to Okonjo-Iweala: Speak up on ‘missing’ N30trn allegations Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

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he All Progressives Congress Presidential Organisation (APCPCO) has challenged Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to speak up on the allegation of former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Charles Soludo, for

the missing N30 trillion under her watch.

In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the campaign organisation condemned the blanket of secrecy surrounding the transactions that led to waste of the resources under the Jonathan administration.

Shehu said: “OkonjoIweala should speak up on this allegation of epic

proportion. She has the responsibility to give an account of the management of the nation’s resources under her watch.

“It is not enough for Okonjo-Iweala to boast of rebasing the economy and declaring it the largest in Africa, without a concurrent reduction in poverty and unemployment or infrastructure development in the country.

“It is ironic that rather than tackle the accusa-

tion from Soludo, the Finance Minister has been canvassing a stance in the media that Nigerians should brace up for a hard time to come as the economy is nose-diving.

“N30 trillion will fund the generation of 22,000 megawatts of electricity, which is well in excess of the current national power demand of 15,000 megawatts, among other pressing needs,” Shehu said.

Politics

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, February 4, 2015

DFID urges women’s participation in governance Wale Elegbede

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s the general elections inches closer, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) said Nigeria’s democracy can only be deepened if women are able to participate on equal terms with men both on formal and informal decisionmaking structures.

Speaking yesterday in Lagos at a two-day SouthWest Region Conference on Women in Governance, Regional Coordinator (South-West), Mr. Sina Fagbenro-Byron, said the DFID and the British Government remain neutral in matters of the internal politics of its partner nations.

According to FagbenroByron, there is the need to

start new initiatives, projects and programmes that will practically correct the under-representation of women, stressing that high poverty level, uneven economic growth, high inequality, and weak governance are some of the multiple constrains on the full engagement of women.

He said: “Increasing women’s political participation requires a long term strategy for changing long standing situation of keeping women out of politics. Such initiatives should involve establishing data bases for potential female candidates and supporting women candidates to carry out public campaigns and debates.”

In her keynote address on the theme: “Women, the Critical Partner for Success in Governance,”

the presidential candidate of the KOWA party, Prof. (Mrs) Remi Sonaiya, noted that myriad of issues are confronting the participation of women in politics especially at elective office cadre, adding that there is the need to build the leadership and managerial skills of women in politics.

While noting that President Goodluck Jonathan’s disposal to women through appointment of over 33 per cent of women in his cabinet is commendable, she lamented, however, that only seven per cent of women are in elective offices, adding that Nigeria is not fully benefitting from the potentiality women possess.

Earlier in her opening address, the deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who was represented

by Mrs. Risikat Akinyode, averred that women participation in politics is an integral part of inclusive governance, adding that women play a critical role in nation building.

In her remarks, the erstwhile deputy governor of Ekiti State, Prof.

Modupe Adelabu, canvassed for equal access for men and women, urging women to seize the growing opportunities available through development.

Rivers State governor, Rt.Hon. Rotimi Amaechi and some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) addressing party’s supporters at the flag off of the party governorship campaign in Emohua Local Government Area of the state, yesterday.

FG plotting to scuttle elections for interim govt – APC Felix Nwaneri

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday reiterated its claim that the Goodluck Jonathan administration and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) do not want this month’s elections to hold as scheduled despite declarations of their readiness for the polls.

APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who made the claim yesterday in Lagos, while briefing journalists said the Presidency and the ruling party in their bid to have the election postponed, are working on a constitutional crisis that will lead to an interim government through the various suits they have filed in courts through fronts.

According to Moham-

med, having failed to scuttle the polls through claims of poor distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the no-election campaigners are plotting to procure a court order capable of destabilising the polity and paving way for an Interim Government.

He further alleged that part of the plot is to lobby some members of the Council of State, which is due to meet this week to support the clamour for elections postponement.

He said: “Their hope is that such outrageous and unpopular judgement will help trigger massive violence across the country, which they will then leverage as an excuse to scuttle the elections and form an

Interim Government.

“At the last count, six cases have been filed by the agents of those working to scuttle the elections, and we expect more. In one of the cases, Justice Ademola of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday gave the order for a substituted service in the case instituted by Max Uzoaka against our candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.

“Make no mistake about it, the Jonathan administration and the PDP do not want elections, despite their deceitful statements that they are ready for the polls, and they will stop at nothing to ensure that the polls do not hold as scheduled, if at all.”

Urging Nigerians to continue with the PVCs collection, the APC spokes-

Yobo leads rally for Jonathan in Lagos Wale Elegbede

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INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

man also charged them to remain vigilant, especially in the days ahead, and to continue to reject all attempts by anti-democratic forces to cling to or get power through means that are not democratic.

Mohammed also admonished APC members and supporters to shun violence, even in the face of provocations.

He also appealed to the judiciary to resist any attempt to truncate the nation’s democracy by refusing to be used to scuttle the elections, while challenging the Federal Government to heed to APC’s call for a two-day public holiday for working class Nigerians who are yet to collect their PVCs can do so if it is committed to the February 14 and 28 dates for the elections.

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ormer skipper of the Super Eagles, Joseph Yobo, yesterday led other members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on a roadshow across Lagos to drum support for President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the February 14 election.

The rally which was organised by the Lagos Chapter of the PDP Wardto-Ward Campaign, took off from the Freedom Square, Ojota, stretching to other parts of the state.

Addressing the rally, Yobo said there was need for continuity of the laudable programmes of the Jonathan administration.

He said: “I urge you not to be hoodwinked by propaganda. President Jonathan has done so much for this country and would do more if reelected. The youths can easily find their voice under Jonathan and we must ensure we support his second term bid.”

Yobo also canvassed votes for the PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, adding that, “if there is any place we need change, it is Lagos State.”In his address, the state coordinator of the initiative, Mr. Ayo Fasheke, stressed the need for Lagosians to obtain their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), adding that the country will be better off under Jonathan.

LASU students endorse Ambode Temitope Ogunbanke

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he Students Union Government (SUG) of the Lagos State University (LASU) has endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, as the next governor of Lagos State.

Speaking at a mega rally in Ojo, LASU Students’ Union President, Mr. Nurudeen Yusuf, said that they have weighed the two major contenders in the governorship race, Ambode, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, before lending

support to the APC candidate.

Nurudeen said that their decision is based on Ambode’s experience, competence, integrity and vision.

He said the 27-year experience of Ambode in public service will give him the edge to govern Lagos.

The students also eulogised the academic achievements of Ambode as exemplary and look forward to his mentorship as a scholar and governor.

They believe that his programme for the educational development of Lagos will give them a better deal.

Agbaje slams APC, vows to pay N18,000 minimum wage Wale Elegbede

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overnorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, yesterday accused Governor Babatunde Fashola of ruling with impunity and short-changing Lagos civil servants by paying N12,000 instead of the N18,000 stipulated minimum wage.

Speaking at the party’s rally in Ikeja, Agbaje said he is predicting a change in government from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to PDP in Lagos, saying that Lagosians were sick of the party in power and its anti-people tendencies.

“Civil servants of Lagos State, the government in place that has refused to pay the minimum

wage is laying claim to the Centre of Excellence.

Lagos State pays N12,000 instead of N18,000. Be assured we shall pay you the N18,000 minimum wage,” he said.

According to him, the forces of the ruling APC were incapable of stopping the people’s determination to produce a change in the governance of Lagos.

While noting that there is a gang-up to malign his personality, he averred that a PDP government would stop the controversial policy of deporting non-indigenes from Lagos State.

Earlier, Lagos PDP Chairman, Hon. Tunji Shelle said the impunity on the part of the APC in the state was impacting on the resources of the state, stressing that funds were not well applied.

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WEDNESDAY, February 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Nigeria safe in Jonathan’s hands, says IBB Dan Atori Minna

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ormer Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, yesterday told Nigerians that the country is in safe hands with President Goodluck Jonathan.

He spoke in his Minna residence when he played host to President Jonathan who was in Niger State in continuation of his nationwide campaign.

Babangida said he shared same passion with Jonathan in making sure Nigeria becomes a peaceful, stable and developed nation.

According to him, “whenever I discuss with him (Jonathan), I see a young man who has passion for Nigeria.

Under Jonathan, Nigeria is in safe hands.

“All presidents that this country has produced have come to Minna for blessing and today that you (Jonathan) have come, I will offer you that blessing.”

He also commended the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for going on the right path as the party is devoid of religion and ethnicity.

Earlier, President Jonathan described his host as a dependable pillar that has continued to ensure the stability of

lRoyal fathers support president the country.

“As a deputy governor, you took me as a son and since I came on board as Vice President till date you have been a pillar and a charismatic leader. You have been a stabilising factor in this country in many ways.

“You are not like some other past leaders. We pray for long life for you so that you can continue to mentor the country and give rightful direction to us.”

The president later went into a closed-door meeting with his host and some chieftains of the party on his entourage.

Among those present at IBB’s house with President Jonathan were his vice, Namadi Sambo; Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mohammed Sada; Minister for Special Duties, Aminu Turaki; Minister of State for Agriculture, Hajia Asmau Asabe Ahmed; the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Ahmadu Alli; former Minister of Information and Orientation, Prof.

Jerry Gana, and PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu.

Also, the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Farouk Bahago, assured President Jonathan that

Nigeria will not break, says Buhari Muhammad Kabir Kano

T

he presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari, said regardless of moves by some politicians to break the country owing to their selfish interests, Nigeria will continue to be one.

Addressing members of the Business Community yesterday in Kano during his town hall meetings, Buhari said those who are bent on breaking the country are trying to create divisions because of their unpatriotic belief.

“Today some disgruntled elements, who because of their selfish interest, are bent on dividing the nation along ethnic and religious lines, but I want to tell them that Nigeria will not break,” he said.

While condemning the activities of the Boko Haram sect, Buhari described the group as a ‘fraud’ who don’t believe in any decent means of living, adding that ‘‘because these are people who go to mosques, churches, markets and schools to kill innocent citizens. How can you call them believers?

They are not believers, they are nothing but a fraud.”

Buhari noted that an integral part of APC manifesto is security, adding that the present administration is handling the Boko Haram menace with kid gloves.

While promising to build a producing country that does not rely on finished foreign products, he stated that, “If China could have made in China, why not Nigeria? We should also have made in Nigeria product that we can export to other countries.”

royal fathers in the state will support and pray for him, adding that he has done a lot to better the lives of Nigerians.

“By the special grace of God, you are our number one citizen and leader, we appreciate your enormous works.

We will lend our necessary support and pray for your success.

“You have tried to make Nigeria excel with your transformation programmes. We therefore owe you a duty to support you. But know this, power belongs to God, He gives it to whoever He pleases and takes it from whoever He pleases.

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

Earlier, President Jonathan had told the Emir that in the last four years, his administration has done well in the area of agriculture and transportation. “If given the opportunity, I promise to take the country to a greater height by making it a

country of taking in and not taking out,” he added.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan has said that the PDP is the only party that is paving the right path for Nigeria, adding that it encourages and believes in the youth and women of the country.

The president, who spoke at the PDP presidential rally in Minna, the Niger State capital, said that it is the young people who will lead Nigeria to greater heights.

He said: “PDP through my administration pledges to empower the youth and give them more opportunities be-

cause we are paving the right path for the country.

“My administration will create opportunities for the youth and give them leadership positions to prepare them for the future.

“We need youths who will lead the country to where it should go.

Young people will bring glory to the country. We are going to create opportunities for them, especially leadership opportunities.”

He commended the state governor for his developmental strides in the state, adding that Niger State is known for producing great Nigerians.

The rally was held at the Trade Fair Complex in Minna.

L-R: Governorship candidates in Oyo State: Senator Teslim Folarin (PDP), Rashidi Ladoja (Accord), Seyi Makinde (SDP) and Governor Abiola Ajimobi (APC) at the state’s governorship debate in Ibadan …yesterday

We’ll punish President with Rivers’ votes – Amaechi

R

ivers State Governor and DirectorGeneral of Buhari Campaign Organisation, Chibuike Amaechi, has said that the people of Rivers State will punish President Goodluck Jonathan with their votes in the February 14 presidential election.

“We shall punish President Jonathan with our votes,” Amaechi said.

Amaechi stated this yesterday during the state All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign tour to Emohua Local Government Area of the state.

He noted that with the level of sensitization and commitment of Rivers people to the APC political agenda, he was sure of victory for Major General Muhammadu Buhari and Dakuku Peterside in the presidential and governorship polls respectively.

“I have seen victory and for the first time in the history of this coun-

try, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is asking for the postponement of the February general elections. That is why we should vote for the APC,” Amaechi said.

He also dispelled rumours by critics that Buhari will Islamise Nigeria.

He also said the issue was unnecessary as the nation’s constitution had already guaranteed freedom of worship and association to all citizens in the country.

He warned Christian leaders commercialising the name of Jesus Christ in the church to desist forthwith as further perpetration could incite public disturbances.

According to him, “Nobody can Islamise Nigeria. I also want to warn church leaders to stop commercializing the church of Jesus Christ. Especially, those men of God who collect money from the PDP to give false prophesy.

“Ikwerre people and

Emohua people need to stand by me because I have performed in Rivers State. You are expected to vote APC from the presidential ticket to the governorship ticket. We shall all vote for General Buhari and Dr. Dakuku Peterside because of the existing poverty level in the country and unemployment. We shall punish President Jonathan with our votes,” Amaechi said.

He also lambasted the PDP guber candidate, Chief Nyesom Wike, on lack of leadership ideology, adding that as former Supervising Minister of Education he could not attract any developmental project in the education sector to the state.

He equally called on the PDP flag bearer of Rivers East Senatorial District, Senator George Thompson Sekibo not to go against the zoning arrangement, stating that Andrew Uchendu of the APC has already been zoned to take the slot in

the upcoming February elections.

On his part, Peterside said he has mapped out three strategic policies to build a social contract with Rivers people if voted into power in the February general elections.

“I have three strategic policies to build a social contract with Rivers people. Firstly, all projects commenced by Governor Amaechi that were not completed will be completed in my administration. We shall also go ahead to lift the people of Emohua out of poverty, improve mechanized farming, support Agric extension services and build cottage industries.

Internal security will be guaranteed to ensure that insecurity in Rumuekpe and Ibaa are controlled.

APC supporters should be vigilant and execute their social contract by voting and monitoring the election results so that the future of our state will be secured,” Dakuku said.

Politics 17

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, February 4, 2015

Senators across political divides return a damning verdict on the 2015 Budget as presented to the National Assembly

by President Goodluck Jonathan. CHUKWU DAVID reports on the submission of the lawmakers

Senators dissect 2015 Appropriation Bill

T

he Senate, a fortnight ago, passed the 2015 budget proposal for second reading. However, before it scaled this stage, the senators did a very hard critique of the document. In fact, one could even say that the lawmakers’ decision to pass the Bill for second reading was a direct contradiction of their true position, because apart from the Senate Leader in whose name the Bill was sponsored, there was no other senator who did not kick against the estimates on the basis that the projections were unrealistic.

Some analysts have already insinuated that they reluctantly passed it to escape any blames from Nigerians, who would accuse them of working against the interest of the people, who elected them to represent them in the affairs of governance at the national level.

Unlike previous budgets, which usually created two factions amongst the legislators, with one group supporting the budget hook line and sinker and the other group, finding fault with the document, the 2015 Appropriation Bill is unique, in the sense that it attracted unanimous and overwhelming criticisms of the senators who spoke on it.

The Senate actually rejected the proposal in principle but endorsed it for second reading out of sentiment. A school of thought posited that the Senate did not throw out the budget proposal just to please the Presidency and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of the impending general elections. It is, therefore, expected that the legislative chamber may return the document to the executive for proper adjustments when it resumes plenary on February 17.

The senators, while making contributions, described the budget estimates as unrealistic, and called on the Executive arm to go back and thoroughly study the document and come up with workable projections in line with the realities of the current global economic situation with attendant adverse implications for the country. The senators had analytically examined the parameters adopted by the Federal Government in articulating the N4.357 trillion 2015 budget estimates, describing the projections as unrealisable and called for a review of the document before its passage into law.

Some of the parameters such as the $65 oil benchmark, projected oil production of 2.2782 million barrels per day and average exchange rate of N165 to a US dollar proposed in the budget, were all faulted by the senators, who maintained that these indices were miles away from the true position of things, particularly with the falling crude price.

Mark

According to some of the lawmakers, the projections were faulty because the price of crude had crashed to about $45-$46 per barrel while the exchange rate is about N182 to a dollar in the prevailing market.

The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba (PDP Cross River Central), had in his lead debate on the budget pointed out that, out of the N4.3 trillion budget, N2.616 trillion is earmarked for recurrent expenditure, N627 billion for capital expenditure, N943 billion for debt servicing and N411.8 million for statutory transfer.

He explained that the 2015 budget as designed by the Federal Government was to build on the success of the 2014 budget, with emphasis on fiscal consolidation, inclusive growth and job creation.

However, virtually all the senators who contributed to the general debate argued that the proposal could not be seen as a budget of consolidation in anyway as claimed by the Executive but a deficit budget that could only be implemented with stringent austerity measures by the government.

Ironically, in spite of the heavy criticisms by the lawmakers, the Senate, in keeping with the earlier promise by Senate President David Mark, that the budget would be given accelerated passage, approved the Appropriation Bill for second reading.

The Senate also referred the Bill to its Committees on Finance and Appropriations for thorough legislative scrutiny and to report back to the Chamber within four weeks.

Mark had assured Nigerians that though the Senate would be meticulous in the consideration of the Bill, the chamber would quicken the process to facilitate early passage and effective implementation.

The Senate also referred the revised 2015-2017 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to its Committee on Finance for

Okonjo-Iweala

Ekweremadu

more legislative input. The committee is to lay its report on the floor in two weeks.

We are shooting ourselves in the foot with a double barrel gun; an exaggerated benchmark price and an unrealistic volume of production

Makarfi: 2015 budget not feasible The Federal G o ve r n m e n t had returned the revised 2015-2017 MTEF to the Senate on December 16, 2014 to ratify the adjustments made on the document as a result of the crashes in the price of crude oil in the international market.

Contributing to the debate, Senate Committee Chairman on Finance, Senator Ahmed Makarfi (PDP-Kaduna), said that the 2015 budget was not feasible for implementation going by the persistent global drop in oil prices. He, therefore, advised that monies generated from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government must be considered as part of the nation’s revenue that must be accounted for in the Federation Account.

Makarfi also observed that the cost of running government in Nigeria was too expensive and advised that the cost of governance be cut down drastically, to be able to save enough money to execute developmental projects, suggesting that this should, however, not be achieved by laying off staff but rather in the area of reducing wastes.

His words: “Even though it is based on a benchmark of $65 per barrel, which surely is not realistic at the moment, it only provides N627 billion for capital development which is over a trillion off what was budgeted for last year.

So, this is not a budget you can look at as an expansionist budget. This definitely is an austerity budget; a belt tightening budget, but equally it should be a wake-up call that we must not continue to rely on financing public expendi-

ture based on oil revenue, which is highly volatile. We have to look out to other areas of getting revenues to the coffers of government and that is a long and tedious work on itself.

“We have to equally, holistically look at what we have been saying times without number that MDAs that achieve their revenue are paying as much as they like and declare what they like that would be coming to the public consolidated revenue. It is high time we had a comprehensive review of the legislations creating these MDAs so that we can have a lot non-oil revenue into coffers of government to fund the activities of government.

“What I am saying is that it is a very trying moment, I support that we take it at the second reading stage and pass it to relevant committees but the caution is that it is more likely going to shrink than expand. Therefore, it is not a budget to see where we can add these or that; it is a budget for further belt tightening. The onus is on us to actually save the public finance by passing appropriate MTEF and a budget that we can finance, Markafi advised.

Ningi’s cautious note Also, the Deputy Leader of the Senate and chairman, Senate Committee on SURE-P, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi) expressed concerns that the budget where capital expenditure was less than 10 per cent of the total estimates needed serious rethink and caution on the part of government. He further said the level of implementation of budgets in previous years should first be analysed before considering the CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

MORE STORIES ON pageS 40-43

18

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion Please, election must not be postponed Jide Ayobolu

D

emocracy in this part of the world is always an endangered species, the reason for this is not far-fetched, political office holders find it extremely difficult to voluntarily relinquish power even when it is obvious that they have overstayed their welcome and the electorates no longer want them to continue to preside over their affairs, most often than not, due to woeful performance in office but which they are blinded to, by the perks and perquisites of office, the professional sycophants they surround themselves with as well as the vaunting ambition of the dramatis personae involved in the whole shebang.

In recent times, there have been repeated calls for the postponement of the 2015 election and the latest of such curious promptings came from no less a personality that the Chief Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Retired Col. Sambo Dasuki, who veered off security matters to become a meddlesome interloper in purely electoral matters which is not his core area of competence, and the thrust of his argument like others before him is that, the PVC’s have not been well distributed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), hence, the electoral body needed ample time to effectively and properly distribute the PVC’s before the commencement of the election, so that, many electorates would not be disenfranchised. This in spite of the explanation by INEC that the distribution would not be a problem, as it would work round the clock to distribute the 68 million PVC’s throughout the nooks and crannies of the country before the 2015 election. As at today, more than 40 million PVC’s have been given out already. And, more importantly is the fact that, the election time table has been fixed for more than a year ago, so why the sudden call by a few people desperately advocating for a postponement. Definitely, there is more to the call than the arguments put forward, there are some deep-seated ulterior, clandestine and subterranean motives behind the unpatriotic call.

And, if history is anything to go by, then, it is

all about the attempt to hold on to power at all cost beyond the four years stipulated by law.

It would also be recalled that, there has also been the self-seeking clamour for an Interim National Government (ING) or a Government of National Unity in some quarters, while some have come out to say that if the outcome of the election is not favourable to them, the military will be invited to take over government or hell will be let loose. These are very desperate and undemocratic tendencies that are totally unacceptable and illconceived. Every government is in power at the behest of the electorate and if they so desire to oust a government, so be it. In any democratic setting, ultimate political power resides with the electorate. To now resort to anti-democratic measures to thwart the collective will of the people, can have far-reaching adverse consequences for the future of the country in the short term and long run.

The fact is that periodic election is an integral part and fundamental ingredient of modern democracy and the question is, should a student be afraid or unwilling to take examinations at the end of the session? Of course not! Periodic election in a democracy is a test or examination on the performance of a government in power. This is what obtains in all civilised democracies in the world, except in backward social formations, where self-interest has been deified above national interest; self-aggrandisement of various sorts and dimensions have become the modus operandi and hallmark of government. It is pathetic to note that, those in government in Nigeria especially at the centre have a warped view and understanding of what democracy is all about. To them, the people of Nigeria are at their mercy, they think they are all-knowing, therefore, nobody has the right to question them on any subject-matter, no matter how infinitesimal. They also presume they can hold on to power ad infinitum and the people should not raise an eyebrow, they think Nigeria is their property, hence, they are the Lords of manor.

They also think that the way they are running the affairs of the country is the best and there are no better options, therefore, nobody should fault them or call to question their actions, inactions and misdemeanours as it affects the destiny

of the collectivity of the people and the country.

But in reality it is a ruse, and indeed delusion of grandeur.

From Britain to the United States of America to neighbouring Ghana and even the Republic of Benin just to mention but a few, incumbent governments have lost political power through elections only to regain it through the same process.

This is what Nigeria must learn from, as we can ill-afford to be an exception to the rule in modern democratic practice, after all, tenure elongation, sit-tight regime and military rule are all aberrations that must be outrightly jettisoned. Nobody or group of people, no matter how highly placed is greater than Nigeria, therefore, the overriding interest of Nigeria must be paramount in the hearts of our rulers and the political gladiators at all times.

To this end, the 2015 general elections must go on as scheduled, we must not only encourage INEC to always deliver on its promises to conduct free, fair, acceptable and credible elections, we must also help INEC out, where necessary, so that, it would be able to discharge its responsibilities unencumbered and with relative ease. But rent a motley crowd to cause confusion and demand for the postponement of the 2015 election or hire willing and pliable lawyers to use the courts to scuttle the democratic process is most uncharitable and must be roundly condemned in very strong terms.

As things are now, the various political parties and political players are campaigning vigorously across the length and breadth of the country. It is therefore incumbent on our politicians to wholeheartedly accept the process, conduct and outcome of the elections, once it’s credible, transparent and without any anomalies. In fact, it is for this reason that local and international observers are usually deployed to monitor elections and write reports based on their respective observations and evaluation of the electoral process. This is therefore, the way to go, as any form of postponement can have dangerous and horrendous consequences on and for the future of the country’s political economy and democracy as well as its corporate existence. Hence, postponement is an ill-wind that will blow no one any good.

Politicising taxation in Lagos elections Gbohunmi Adaranijo

I

t was not on the usual campaign trail but at a very formal stakeholders meeting on taxation that no less a person than Lagos State governor Babatunde Raji Fashola made the unforgivable gaffe that PDP governorship candidate Jimi Agbaje is a serial tax defaulter and should not be electable as governor of the state. That should be the most potent example in contemporary Nigerian politics of the misuse of taxation as a political weapon to intimidate and disgrace a political opponent, by any sitting power holder or incumbent state governor in recent times. It was a blow below the belt undeserved by the target . Just as it was quite unworthy of the assailant, a distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria from whom much is expected in terms of political restraint and circumspection, who had literally thrown caution to the winds in not being able to distinguish between a serious meeting of taxation stakeholders and a political campaign as well as the message to deliver to either audience.

Definitely the outgoing governor of Lagos State is unaware that taxation is an apolitical topic in any civilised society. It is a personal, confidential civic responsibility of citizens. It is a duty they are expected to perform and the revenue collecting institution or authority has a similar duty to impose sanctions if they fail to discharge such duties and responsibilities as and at when due. That is not the duty of any governor to discharge not to talk of divulging information on a political opponent at a stakeholders forum on taxation. That is a breach of confidentiality inherent in the imposition and payment of taxes. Did our SAN governor not know this before his outburst?

That is misusing the privileged position of a governor to cut an opponent down to size. It is an avoidable abuse of office and a misuse of power at the same time for political gain in this Lagos governorship elections.

It is note worthy that the Jimi Agbaje’s campaign team has reacted and shown evidence that their man has paid his taxes as and when due.

That however is not the point which is the derailment of a normally cool

governor over a mere taxation issue.

The governor should be reminded that some politicians have gone to prison on such frivolous , trumped up charges by their opponents like him in power, only for such oppressed victims coming back to claim power triumphantly.

Kwame Nkrumah was elected from prison where he was facing political charges. The same applied to Jomo Kenyatta in Kenya .Even though Jimi Agbaje has paid his taxes and the governor’s charges are quite false, he has placed Agbaje on a higher pedestal in this campaign in the way he, the governor has vilified an innocent opponent. The governor’s desperation however is a great sign of the fear of a man like Agbaje succeeding him.

To Lagosians however the fear is well founded because this attempt to tarnish Agbaje’s integrity and quality of citizenship has exalted and boosted his image amongst the majority who want a change at Alausa; a fact that is giving the outgoing governor goose pimples all over his body .

Again the governor ‘s fear or confusion can be excused on the grounds of campaign fatigue or functional con-

fusion. The governor is the man in charge of fund raising for APC Presidential Campaign. Perhaps the venue of the Taxation Shareholders Forum misled him into thinking it was a fund raising matter and he mistook Agbaje for one of those yet to contribute to the coffers of the APC , an aberration.

Or the governor who is having an uphill task raising funds as expected while shooting the party in the foot with his utterances has really run out of ideas to counter the bandwagon effect of the fast moving Agbaje Change Train which is picking up thousands of Lagosians at each campaign stop of the PDP candidate in Lagos State.

It is a fast moving PDP train gathering momentum very fast in terms of the expectations of Lagosians that change will replace Fashola for real with Agbaje . Not the facade of change that Ambode offers.

That is a change process that has gone too far for even a false charge of taxation to counter or stop. It is Agbaje for governor in this Lagos State.

• Adaranijo, a public affairs commentator, wrote in from Lagos.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

19

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Fire outbreak and need for safety education

T

he current disturbing spate of rampaging fire incidents in many parts of the country is one sorry tale on the lips of many Nigerians this season. From Lagos to Ibadan, Makurdi and remotest parts of the country, many shops, markets and houses have been incinerated, leading to loss of lives, property and means of livelihood.

In Lagos a couple of weeks ago, a sawmill at Ebute Meta, the popular Balogun Market and about four houses were consumed by a conflagration. In Makurdi the Benue State capital, a mini rice industry was razed by a questionable fire, just as several fire incidents recorded at Aleshiloye International Market and other smaller ones in Ibadan allegedly consumed over 1,000 shops.

Quantifying the loss sometime last year, Minister of Interior, Abba Moro said over N50 billion is lost to fire annually, whereas report released from the Federal Fire Service painted a grimmer picture. It revealed that about 185 people lost their lives in 470 fire incidents which occurred in the country in 2012.

Besides the cost of the direct loss in the form of cost of replacing items consumed by the fire, or repairing and/or rebuilding structures so affected, the vic-

tims often contend with indirect losses which include down time for companies. This is especially imperative since insurance companies depend on outcome of such investigation before indemnifying the victims. Of equal importance is need to ascertain the causes to avert re-occurrence, all the while the victims must come to terms with the psychological effect of such destruction of their stock, especially those whose business activities were financed through bank credits.

One fact which cannot be discountenanced is the prevalence of fire outbreaks during dry or harmattan season. At such period, solid combustible materials like wood, paper, cloth and liquid or gaseous fuels and metals, representing three categories of fires occur with high degree of destructiveness.

Safety officer are not ignorant of why sawmills and markets are flashpoints for fire incidents.

History has it that closely situated wooden shops and buildings easily catch fire during dry or harmattan session, being accentuated easily like the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 which destroyed the whole Chicago City in the United States, a processor of the institution of October 9 every year as Fire Prevention Week in the state.

Regrettably, in Nigeria, many

national monuments like Cocoa House, Ibadan in Oyo State, NET in Lagos and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ikoyi, accounts department of Nigerian Football Federation office in Abuja have been lost in various fire incidents in the country.

Hence, boiling and cooking areas, electrical equipment, stores, tanks and pipelines for inflammable liquids often tensed by seasonal heat, react quickly to any human or mechanical errors, culminating in serious conflagrations. Research has also identified carelessness and sabotage as some major causes of fire incident in companies and markets.

In a season where public power supply is close to zero and fire safety awareness is nil, we are not surprised that many of the fire incidents have been attributed to power surge.

Fire prevention, early detection and quick response have been identified as a major step to tackling such incidents. Of great importance too is installation of fire extinguishers, fire alarm systems connected to government-owned fire stations as well as regular safety education for company staff, markets and individual homes.

Beyond the routine sympathy visits to fire scene by government agents is the need for the establishment of more well-equipped

fire service stations manned by professionals who are committed to public service, with rapid response capability.

While the nation’s buildings must be regulated for compliance with Building Code, our town planners should also ensure the creation of fire hydrants at appropriate streets and roads for fire officers to rehydrate, and houses are accessible, as part of fire prevention through environmental designs.

Officers must inspect public offices to ensure compliance with the Building Code, carry out regular inspection of offices and market to ensure the existence of emergency exits and installation of fire extinguishers at strategic places.

It has been observed that several multimillion naira offices and installations exists in the country today without a single fire extinguisher, even as many homes built with several millions, utilize gas cookers, but occupants have ignored the importance of the cheapest fire extinguisher to handle emergency cases.

Insurance under-writers should also been employed in assets protection, as a risk sharing measure while special attention is paid to safety education. After all, an ounce of prevention is better that pounds of cure.

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Arts

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Book Review

From Nwankwo, invaluable techniques on job interviews Book title: How to Succeed at Job Interviews Author: Allwell Nwankwo Publishers: University of Lagos Press & Bookshop Ltd, Akoka, Lagos Number of pages: 124 Year of publication: 2014 Reviewer: Tony Okuyeme

A

llwell Nwankwo has no doubt established himself as consummate marketing professional, who, over the years has interviewed hundreds of candidates and hired quite a number.

He understands why some candidates get hired while others get dropped. He has also been on the other side of the divide as an interviewee and employee. He has used and seen others deploy brilliant personal marketing techniques that have helped him and many others land exciting jobs.

In his latest book How to Succeed at Job Interviews, Nwankwo enumerates and explains these personal marketing techniques.

The 124-page book, written in simple, lucid language, contains, as he puts it, “tested and trusted techniques to help you get the job you desire”. It is divided into 10 parts, of unequal lengths, namely: “Introduction”, “Preparing for the Interview”, “At the Venue”, “First Impression”, “Know Yourself”, “Make your Experience Count”, “Presentation Skills”, “Taking Responsibility”, “How do you fit in?”, and “Keep Moving”. There is also a bonus chapter.

In the Introduction, which focuses on How to Succeed at Job Interview, the author gives an overview of what this book is about, and opines, in as-a-matterof-fact tone, that the job interview is the last step before a job offer is made. Stressing also that this is a very critical step, the author emphasizes that the job seeker needs to be proactive in terms of preparation for a job interview. This is at the heart of this book.

Nwankwo notes, “a lot of jobseekers drop the ball when it matters most. They simply fail to make the cut which means another opportunity gone. The best time to prepare for an interview is before you get invited to one.”

He also emphasized on the need to prepare well, to be outstanding beyond all reasonable doubt. He thereafter, underscored the significance of the book.

Part two, titled “Preparing for The Interview”, is divided into three chapters. In the first chapter, “Idleness won’t help your cause”,

TONY OKUYEME tony.okuyeme@ newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

he gave emphasis to the need for job-seekers to find something to engage themselves with such as selling phone cards, supplying books to private schools, doing network marketing, among others, while searching for work, as this will not only show the individual’s entrepreneurial skill but might also be a plus at their next job interviews.

How should you dress to a job interview? Should be formal or informal? Should you even bother about this at all? Are your certificates neat and crisp? Also, are your documents in a neat folder? The answers to these questions form the kernel of discourse in chapters two and three titled “Dressing for the job”, and “Dirty credentials, missing documents”. According to Nwankwo, the focus should be on making the right impression. He also provided a checklist of documents that should be taken along.

This first impression echoes in parts two and three. Sometimes interviews don’t go the way they were planned; or the company may deliberately keep candidates waiting to see how they respond to pressure.

In Part two, titled ‘At the venue’, the author, cautions that getting worked up over the long wait may actually mar your chances if you end up in a sour mood even before the interview commences. As he puts it, “Rather than complain and ruin your chances, you’d better go home if you can’t wait any longer.

After all, the outcome will be the same – a missed opportunity.”

First Impression is the title of part three; it comprises chapters eight to 14. The attention here is on basic etiquettes before and during the job interview. This part covers areas such as handshake, remembering names, language, introducing yourself, as well as eye contact.

But key to all of these is Know Yourself, which is the focus of part five. This part consist of two chapters, Know your strengths and weaknesses and talking about them. While part six is on Making your Experience Count, part seven is on presentation skills.

Ample space is also given to “Taking Responsibility” which is the title of part eight. In this part, the author takes the reader through areas such as Spilling the beans (the problem with revealing all you know to competition, especially the turnover, net profit, market share and other proprietary information), criticizing their current or former employer in order to win the favour of interviewers, among others.

Part nine – the longest part in the book – answers the question How do you fit in? It is divided into 11 chapters, exploring such

The book is not just about how to succeed at job interviews. Apart from the 50 tested job interview success techniques and 40 common interview questions, there also 25 business ideas you can do while jobhunting

areas in the interview process, as the need to understand the job you apply for, Justify your pay expectation, discussing your career goals, your knowledge of the company, need for a firm grip on current affairs as well as keeping dumb questions at bay among others.

“Keep Moving”, Nwankwo urges in part 10 - the last part of the book. Interviewing for a job, he writes, is definitely a serious business, very important, but it is not a do-or-die affair. “You

should not take it so seriously that you arrive at the interview looking glum, as if you were carrying the weight of the entire world on your shoulders. Smiling makes you appear friendly, easy-going and approachable. At an interview, your smile can also help you win. If you have it, use it; if not, learn it.”

The book is not just about how to succeed at job interviews.

Apart from the 50 tested job interview success techniques and 40 common interview questions,

there also 25 business ideas you can do while job-hunting.

Applying the techniques in this book will help job-seekers to excel at job interviews. Also, final-year students in tertiary institutions and those in national service will benefit immensely from reading this book as they prepare for their job search. It is also a must-read for anyone interest in self-development.

Other books by Allwell are How to Serve & Keep Your Customers and 20 Universal Laws of Service Excellence.

Delta State University honours Ukala, Yeibo, hosts symposium Tony Okuyeme

T

he Department of English and Literary Studies of the Delta State University, Abraka, will tomorrow, Thursday, February 5, 2015, host a symposium in honour of the dramatist, Professor Sam Ukala and the poet, Ebi Yeibo. The symposium, which will hold at the new 1000LT at the university’s permanent site, is woven around the creative endeavours of both writers.

The event is to celebrate the two writers who were last year honoured for their distinctive literary works. Sam Ukala won The Nigeria Prize for Literature sponsored by LNG with Iredi War, a play, while Ebi Yeibo won the Association of Nigerian

Authors (ANA) Prize for poetry with The Fourth Masquerade.

Ukala took his first degree in English from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka before veering off into Theatre Arts. He presently teaches Theatre at Abraka.

Yeibo also took his first degree in English at Abraka and later proceeded for postgraduate studies at Ibadan. He now teaches in the Department of English at the Niger Delta University, Amassoma in Bayelsa State.

According to a statement released by Dr. Sunny Awhefeada on behalf of the department, the symposium is aimed at opening up the two works to literary criticism and public engagement.

Dr. Godfrey Enita will lead the discussion on Iredi War with the theme “Sam Ukala’s Iredi War: Celebrating a History of

Resistance and a Nation at Crossroads” while Steve Kekeghe will do the same for Yeibo’s The Fourth Masquerade by addressing the topic “The Fourth Masquerade: Allegiance to Homeland or Nation? A Writer’s Dilemma”.

Both lead speakers will be joined by a panel of discussants made up of Karo Ilolo, Kennedy Edegbe, P.K. Igugu, Peter Omoko, Henry Unuajohwofia and Emmanuel Esemedafe.

The symposium which will be chaired by Professor G.G. Darah, has the University’s Dean of Arts, Professor Austin Anigala as guest of honour, Vice Chancellor, Professor Victor Peretomode will be guest of honour, while Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education Professor Hope Eghaha is special guest of honour. The event begins at 9am.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

FCT Watch

Pipeline vandalism wouldn’t have impact on gas master plan – Ige

The Investor

Maritime

Need to boost local investment capacity

Shippers’ Council hires firm to sanitise seaports

33

34

35

Oil price rout: Non-oil export as alternative revenue earner

24

21

Money

Business What's news

Lagos mulls plank traders’ relocation to N3bn Agbowa Timbervile Saw millers and plank traders operating in Oko-Baba, Ebute Metta, Lagos, may be relocated to the newly-completed Agbowa Timbervile, a modern sawmill in Agbowa/ Ikosi Local Government Area, before the end of next month, New Telegraph has leant.

Oil and gas stocks: Shareholders lose N45bn in Jan SHORTFALLS Challenging economic outlook fuels negative sentiment on the capital market

Crude oil accounts for over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange receipts.

The reality of possible crippling budget shortfalls also stares many oil exporting

countries, including Nigeria, in the face as the priced commodity has hit its lowest price level in four years.

The Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives

Companies (FDC) Limited, Mr. Bismark Rewane, had said it was likely that the current downturn in the nation’s CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Chris Ugwu

S

p.22

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Godson Ikoro

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dele Alao

Industry & Agric Editor

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa

hareholders of oil and gas companies quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) lost N45.443 billion last month, following market depression that has pervaded the local bourse.

Checks by New Telegraph showed that the oil and gas sub-sector recorded a loss of N45.443 billion or 6.43 per cent to close at N706.581 billion in market capitalisation on January 30 (the last working day of the month), as against opening figure of N752.024 billion at the beginning of the New Year.

Foreign investors sold Nigerian stocks as the price of crude dropped into a bear market and on concern that measures the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) put in place to stem capital outflows would hinder their ability to sell holdings in Africa’s top oil producer.

For instance, foreign investors sold off Nigerian stocks valued at 846.5 billion ($4.5 billion) last year, some 65 per cent more than in 2013 as falls in oil prices and the naira depressed sentiment.

The fall in the price of crude oil in the international market is sending economic and political shocks around the world.

The hardest hit has been countries whose economies depend largely on oil for appreciable percentage of their foreign exchange earnings.

Finance Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

L-R: Brand Building Director, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Mr. David Okeme; Head, Dentistry Division/Chief Dental Officer, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Bimpe Adebiyi; School Health Programme Coordinator, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Mrs. Olubunmi Okunnu and Regional Brand Development Director, Unilever Africa, Mr. Kosala Hewemodduasa, during Nigeria Dental Association Oral Health Expert Forum in collaboration with Unilever Nigeria Plc in Lagos. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Telcos frustrate 136.6m subscribers, says report Kunle Azeez

U

sers of the over 136.6 million telephone lines in Nigeria are facing a gamut of frustrations arising from ‘poor and unsatisfactory’ quality of service (QoS) provided by telecoms services providers.

This was the verdict of a January 2015 survey released

by MyServiceRatings (MSR), a copy of which was obtained

by New Telegraph.

MSR provides information to help consumers make informed product and service buying decisions, thereby ensuring retention and patronage for responsive businesses.

MSR, in January, collected information from service user experiences after calling the

customer service centres of the four major Global Systems for Mobile communication (GSM) operators including MTN, Airtel, Globacom and Etisalat, so as to review their responses to customer enquiries and evaluate how their services were perceived by the subscribers.

According to the survey, the CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE December 2014.........................8% November 2014........................7.9% October 2014............................8.1%

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

EXCHANGE RATE (Parallel as at Jan. 30)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N205 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N298 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N229

l Foreign Reserves – $34.337bn as at 29/01/2015

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Official as at Jan. 30)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N169 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N254.46 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N195.57

22

Business | News

NEW CITY

The facility is designed to accommodate 250 offices and 250 housing units Dayo Ayeyemi

S

aw millers and plank traders operating in Oko-Baba, Ebute Metta, Lagos, may be relocated to the newly-completed Agbowa Timbervile, a modern sawmill in Agbowa/ Ikosi Local Government Area, before the end of next month, New Telegraph has leant.

Director of Urban Development Department, Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Rufai Durojaiye, told News Telegraph exclusively that the new timber market, which encompasses offices, 200 workshops and saw sheds, are now ready for allocation.

Built on 214 hectares of land and designed to accommodate 250 offices and 250 housing units for saw millers, the new

Lagos mulls plank traders’ relocation to N3bn Agbowa Timbervile timber market comprises saw sheds, trailer parks, modern restaurants, meeting halls and recreation centre, among other facilities.

The Lagos physical planning director said that the state government was holding talks with the saw millers on the terms and conditions of the modern facility.

He disclosed that the housing units for the saw millers have also been completed.

Durojaiye said: “The sale offices are now ready.

Two hundred workshops and sheds, which can accommodate the first 200 saw millers that were actually captured at the time of commencement of the project are ready.

“Government has extra 50 units, but 200 workshops are ready and steps are now being taken with series of meeting being held with the saw millers and auxiliary service providers on steps to relocate them by this first

Shareholders lose N45bn in Jan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

capital market would be sustained in the coming month.

Rewane who stated this at the FDC Bi-monthly Economic and Business Update last week, said this became necessary following challenging economic outlook, which has continued to fuel negative sentiments on the capital market, given the huge drop in oil prices.

He noted that investors remain cautious as the election draw closer and oil prices continue to dwindle, adding that the buildup to the February 14 election has been fierce, thus spurring high levels of uncertainties about its eventual outcome.

“The outcome will be a major determinant of the direction for the country‘s economy and the stock market, as this may lead to key policy adjustments. The challenging economic outlook continues to fuel negative sentiments on the capital market given the huge drop in oil prices. Oil prices recorded over 50 per cent drop in prices and for a country like Nigeria, which earns up to 80

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

per cent of its revenue from the commodity, this trend has translated to a weaker currency, increased inflationary pressures and debt burden,” Rewane said.

He noted that most investors have opted for fixed income assets, cash or forex over equities, highlighting the extent of risk averseness of investors as a result of this trend.

“The market continues to maintain a downward trend in the first weeks of 2015. The Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index so far has plunged by 16.87 per cent to 28,811.39 between the 5th – 15th of January, its lowest level since December 2012,” FDC boss said.

He explained that the downward trend has been attributed to the combination of a sustained drop in global oil prices, profit taking and uncertainty ahead of the election, the weakening naira and increase violence in the north-east driven by Boko Haram.

According to him, these factors continue to dampen investors appetite for the country’s security, given the gloomy economic and political outlook.

quarter of 2015.”

During the last visit of the Lagos State governor, the town planner stated that the saw millers were interviewed and told that the housing

units have been provided for them.

To make the accommodation affordable, he disclosed that mortgage had been arranged for the saw

millers but that discussions are still ongoing to facilitate access to the units.

“The saw millers are very much positive and they are aware that the

housing is not going to be free. So, the terms and conditions are been discussed with them such that it would be affordable for them,” Durojaiye said.

L-R: Former Executive Secretary, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN)/Chairman, Cooperate Skills Bridge, Dr. Uju Ogunbunka and President/Vice Chancellor, Babcock University, Prof James Kayode Makinde, at the Nigerian News Direct roundtable, in Lagos.

Telcos frustrate 136.6m subscribers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

reviews were based on a number of QoS parameters such as quality, responsiveness, punctuality, convenience, professionalism and courtesy.

Going by the report, the operators have not performed well in most of the parameters, resulting in increasing customer dissatisfaction.

In 2012 alone, the telecoms industry, which is controlled by four major companies, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, Airtel Networks Limited, Emerging Market Telecommunications Services Limited (Etisalat) and Globacom Limited, generated N1.5 trillion ($9.3 billion) in revenue out of the total N6.7 trillion ($41 billion) they generated in subSaharan Africa, according to Analysis Mason.

“But as the market continues to expand and the companies’ profits climb in Nigeria, there are growing concerns about the quality of service they offer, as well as about their marketing campaigns, which have left consumers frustrated,” the report said.

It noted that with a population of about 167 million, Nigeria’s demand for telecoms services is the largest in Africa. Nigeria is also in the top 10 fastest-growing telecoms markets in the world.

However, as the revenues of telecoms companies continue

to grow due to the growing numbers of subscribers, the frustrations of mobile phone users in Nigeria also continue to rise, according to the report.

“The problems, experienced by users are multiple and include dropped and failed calls, network interruption, network congestion, failed attempts to load recharge payments, inability to change tariff plans, inability to activate the service offered, inability to send or receive Short Messaging Service (SMS), unsolicited messages without an option to opt out and calls misdirected to unintended numbers, among others.”

Commenting on the survey, Chief Executive Officer, Backup Networks Limited, managers of MSR platform, Mr. Monday Ogbe, said: “In spite of these challenges, GSM operators continue to attract more subscribers to their networks through all manner of promotions, without simultaneously expanding their network capacity.”

He said: “Many unsatisfied subscribers who have tried to report the problems to their service providers, report that it is nearly impossible to get through on the busy telephone line provided, and that they are constantly put on hold. Some say their inquiries go unanswered for days. Consequently, most Nigerians are compelled to own more than one mobile

phone.”

Ogbe said that with MSR, Backup Networks is taking customers service to a whole new level by acting as advocacy and channel of engagement and resolutions.

Listing the benefits of the MSR platform, Ogbe said it provides visibility, in terms of information, for consumers in making informed product and service buying decision; helps product and service providers see their score card as perceived by the consumers, how they can engage to resolve pending issues and how they can improve; and provides industry regulators with information they need in carrying out their regulatory functions across diverse product and service industry segments.

“The platform also helps resolve poor quality of experience issues, as consumers and service providers engage. Industry regulators are given the tools to work with; helps product and service providers sustain current acceptable results of quality of experience as reported by consumers; helps product and service providers improve current unacceptable quality of experience level as reported by consumers with the aim of outperforming historical results, which will help consumers derive value for money and essentially improve bottom-line,” he said.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

23

FCT Business Watch Amadi Nnamdi Abuja

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lans by Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ABUCCIMA) to strengthen intra-Africa trade have been commended by stakeholders in the commerce sector.

They contend that such intra-Africa trade idea, as being mooted, will go a long way in boosting economic relations between African countries.

An Abuja-based industrialist, Joel Okeke, while lauding the ABUCCIMA initiative, stated that the move will go a long way in boosting economic relations between African countries as well as deepening recognition for Abuja as an emerging industrial hub.

The Chamber’s President, Tony Ejimkeonye, at its inauguration and award ceremony in Abuja recently, said that ABUCCIMA would, among other programmes, boost eco-

Stakeholders laud ABUCCIMA’s plan to deepen intra-Africa trade nomic activities in Nigeria to strengthen intra-Africa trade.

Towards this, he said that ABUCCIMA had put up plans on how to organise trade missions to other countries as well as new modalities to further develop the Chamber’s annual international trade fair.

Speaking recently at the 2014 ABUCCIMA Industrialist Award, President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who bagged the 2014 ABUCCIMA Industrialist award, praised ABUCCIMA for its initiatives, saying that as an African who believes in the economic liberation of its peoples from the yoke of poverty and unemployment, he will strive to create more jobs.

Meanwhile, ABUCCIMA, in

a communiqué at the end of its roundtable, has implored the Federal Government to involve the private sector in articulating conditions for accessing the N220 billion Micro, Small, Medium and Enterprises Intervention Fund.

According to the Chamber, given the private sector’s role in the economy, its involvement in working out modalities to access the MSME fund had become imperative.

It noted that government’s support for SMEs in the past had not yielded desired results because stakeholders were not involved in their formulation and implementation.

Other Nigerians honoured

by ABUCCIMA included Sir Emeka Offor and Mr. Oscar

Onyema, the Director General

of Nigeria Stock Exchange.

BPP boss tasks MDAs on procurement principles Amadi Nnamdi

Abuja

D

irector-General of Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr. Emeka Ezeh, has enjoined ministries, departments and agencies of government (MDAs) to embrace and respect the principles of public procurement anchored on transparency, fairness and open competitiveness in their procurement activities.

He noted that this is the only means of achieving value for money in the delivery of public goods, works and services.

Ezeh stated this in his keynote address titled: ‘Public procurement in a period of dwindling economic resources: 2015 federal budget in Focus,’ at a forum organised recently in Abuja by Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) in collaboration with the Ford Foundation.

Represented by a director of the agency, Yahaya Ishaq, Eze said that the duo of Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 and the BPP are what Nigeria needed for a prudent and efficient public expenditure in times of

dwindling economic resources like the one we are currently in.

He advocated that as provided by Section 18 of the PPA 2007, all procuring entities are expected to plan their procurements annually, which should be the basis of their budget.

Ezeh also advocated the strengthening of Public Procurement Oversight, adding that it is important in view of the fact that a strong monitoring mechanism will go a long way in preventing possibilities of malpractices in procurement processes of the procuring entities, thereby curbing mismanagement of public funds.

He stressed the need for effective engagement of professional organisation and non-governmental organisations working in transparency, accountability and anti-corruption areas.

While urging NGOs, civil society and professional organisations to wake up to their responsibilities, Ezeh cautioned that “it is better to focus more on preventing mismanagement of public funds than to spend the scarce resources on chasing after its recovery since prevention is better than cure.

NAC trains 1,002 auto technicians L-R: Managing Director, TPT International, Mr. Charles Igbinidu; Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr Olivier Thiry; Head, Legal/Public Relations, Promasidor, Mr. Andrew Enahoro and Head, Marketing, Mr. Festus Tettey, at the media briefing on this year’s Promasidor Quill awards in Lagos.

Transcorp Hilton to open Lagos, P/Harcourt branches, wins 2014 travel award Abdulwahab isa Abuja

A

fter three decades of operating in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Managing Director, Transcorp Hotels, Valentine Izogbo, has said that works on the Lagos branch of the hotel will kick off in April 2015.

Aside Lagos, the management of Transcorp, he said, has concluded plans to establish another branch in Port Harcourt.

Ozigbo gave the update while fielding questions from journalists in Abuja,

adding that while foundation work was expected to commence in Lagos, the Port Harcourt branch could take a longer time as Trancorp had yet to get approval from the Rivers State Government to enable work commence.

He, however, disclosed that the Lagos branch would be smaller but quality of services would be the same as other branches worldwide.

Earlier, its General Manager, Etienne Gailliez, who recently won the Hilton Worldwide Middle East & Africa President’s Award, was honoured at a ceremo-

ny in the hotel by staff.

Speaking at the ceremony, Gailliez said that the award, though an individual award, was also a team award as he could not have achieved anything without the cooperation of the staff, stressing that “it is a very special team.”

He described the award as recognition of formidable teamwork in the hotel.

The General Manager noted that with 1,492 dedicated staff, some of who had worked for about 20 years, the management had been able to communicate its vision properly to the team members.

Amadi Nnamdi Abuja

T

he Federal Government, through the National Automotive Council (NAC), has concluded the training of 1002 auto technicians drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the training, which took place recently at Government Technical College, Orozo, Abuja, the Director General, NAC, Aminu Jalal, said that the training was borne out of the need to close the skills gap between the knowledge of Nigerian mechanics and the basic needs for modern vehicle repairs.

Jalal while thanking SURE-P and Small and Medium Scales Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) for financing and the provision of entrepreneurship training for the project, noted that the training “has equipped our auto technicians with the necessary skills to repair modern genera-

tion vehicles.”

He also hinted that about 1004 technicians were trained last year in line with the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP), adding that NAC, in collaboration with National Universities Commission (NUC), have developed a curriculum for teaching Automobile Engineering in Nigerian universities which is only offered presently in three universities.

“National Automotive Council has procured six sets of modern diagnostic tools and equipment for teaching of automotive mechatronics which were given as grants to selected polytechnics offering automotive engineering.

“Most cars on our roads today are built with a lot of electronically controlled systems; the only way to meet up with this advancement is training and retraining,” he said.

NAC DG also disclosed that about N1.0 billion has been set aside for mechanics’ equipment loan scheme, adding that over 500 mechanics were funded to re-equip their workshops.

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Business | Interview

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Pipeline vandalism wouldn’t have impact on gas master plan – Ige Dr. David Ige is the Group Executive Director, Gas and Power at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). He bares his mind on the incessant vandalisation of pipelines and sundry issues in this interview with Johnchuks Onuanyim. Excerpts The Trans-Forcados pipeline was shut down as a result of pipeline vandalism. What actually happened sir?

Actually we had the vandalisation of Trans-Forcados pipeline almost every week for the last couple of weeks. So, it is not just a recent outage. From the first of January this year, the pipeline was being vandalised and we kept fixing after each incident and this would be the fourth or fifth within the space of three weeks and that is not just the beginning. It has been like this consistently for months.

Usually, what happens is that the guys go in there and drill holes in the pipe and in some cases, they kill some security operatives that come to intervene. Now, the implication for the Trans-Forcados is clear - TransForcados pipeline is a major outlet. It evacuates most of the crude oil from our production facilities at Oben, Sapele, Utorogo and so on through Forcados, which are the main export terminals.

The implication of that is whenever these pipelines are out, we lose gas production from Oben, gas production from Sapele, gas production from Oredo and gas production from Utorogo. Now, that immediately amounts to almost 40-50 per cent of our gas production in this country and it takes us quite some time to repair.

Typical repair takes about four to five days and this depends on how many holes we find. Sometimes, after repairing, you realise that additional holes have been drilled down because what happens is that when you want to repair the pipeline, you have to depressurise the line. As you depressurise the line, that gives them sufficient time to go and drill more holes downstream where the original attack was.

So, this has been consistent and it has been a major frustration for us, but lately, we have done significantly well in bringing on more new gas production that would make a visible impact on power. But off and on pipeline is a challenge, an additional challenge is that when the pipeline is out, to fix it takes several days.

Here, we lose time, money and sometimes, before we get back up to capacity, the pipeline is blown again.

The problem with vandalisation is not limited to Trans-For-

cados; we have exactly the same problem on the Trans-Niger pipeline on the Eastern part of Nigeria that, itself, got vandalised at similar level of frequency.

The implications of Trans-Niger vandalisation is that Afam Power Plant goes off, the Opia Power Plant goes off and our supply of gas to many of our customers is affected and that is the challenge we face.

Do you think that the vandalisation of the pipelines is politically motivated?

I do not know what drives it, but l know that in the last couple of months and particularly in the last few weeks, the intensity has been unprecedented. Since January 1, Trans-Forcados pipeline has not been on for two or three days consistently without being hit. We fix it and it goes off again. You can only link that to outright criminality and possibly whatever you can adduce. But we don’t know actually what should be responsible, but we just know that the increase in the last few weeks has been unusual.

Ige

Do you think there is need to redefine the security needs along the pipelines?

Certainly, we need to do as much as we can. But bear in mind that we have hundreds of kilometres of pipeline in that axis and across the nation, thousands of kilometres and, in total, our pipeline network is over five thousand kilometres. Our pipelines are actually located in terrains that you cannot access easily. The pipelines are mostly in very, very swampy terrain that you almost cannot patrol 24 hours. Like you said, it requires new strategy, but I want to say that no amount of strategy can mitigate a social irresponsible behaviour. I think there has to be a real social re-engineering and would be complimented by security, but it is impossible to patrol every kilometre of pipeline and what we found out is that when we put security here, they go to another kilometre. It is really difficult.

Specifically, how much of product has the nation lost in these few weeks?

That is very difficult to answer.

I don’t have the exact amount of money to gas production, but we have varying production effects on crude oil and it runs into tens of thousands barrel and, of course, when you shut down production of gas, from that western axis we produce close to 500 to 600 or close to 1,000 cubic of gas per day. So, every day you shut that down, it is not only the cost of shutting down, but the effect on our power that is sitting idle and many other issues. So, the cost is huge.

With the frequency in the vandalisation of pipelines, do you think that the gas master project can still be carried on?

The master plan basically

The West African Gas pipeline is no longer a project; we have started supply of gas to Ghana over a year, if there is no problem in Nigeria with vandalisation, gas will flow to Ghana freely

is a policy document that outlines government aspirations for gas in Nigeria. It talks about commercial framework for gas, which has been implemented hundred per cent; so the price of gas has been corrected. It talks about contractual and bankable framework for gas in Nigeria to allow a market that works, that has been completed and it’s being implemented and today we are operating gas based on gas agreement. It talks about gas opted for power and today we have grown gas supply in the market from 300 million cubic per day to about two billion cubic of gas per day. It talks about gas infrastructure and in no time in the history of this country have we implemented gas pipeline as much as we have now. It talks about gas industrialisation, which we have started. Basically today, we have an outlay of many fertilizer companies already positioning Nigeria as largest producer of fertilizer by 2018; it talks about regional export and we have started producing in West Africa.

Those are the aspirations of the gas master plan. Everything that is outlined in that government policy is being implemented to the letter and it is beginning to deliver the results as planned.

So, the issue of vandalisation has nothing to do with policy implementation.

The major problem is that attacks on the condensate and crude pipeline affect our major production. I was told that the flow will return. The production is all down because you cannot continue production when repair is on.

That buys us time in one or two days and in no time we run out of our capacity.

Ghana said that Nigeria will pay $10 million for not supplying gas to it through West African gas

pipeline I am not aware of that report, but basically, Nigeria has a contractual agreement with Ghana on the supply of gas, but what I can tell you is that our gas supply to Ghana is on the increase; it is increasing steadily. We have increased significantly our supply to Ghana and that is what I can say about the supply to Ghana, but what happens is that whenever there is a shortfall in Nigeria due to this problem, everybody is affected because it is the same pipeline that supplies all and this affects Ghana as well and because Ghana is at the end of our infrastructure, whenever there is problem with our supply, pressure drops immediately and that pressure gets away to e-turkey and we cannot run the compressors, and so we have suffered significantly as a result of this vandalisation.

Unfortunately, Ghana is at the final end of the hose, so they feel the pain the most as soon as there is problem and the pressure drop immediately. By the time all our power plants are taking gas, the pressure at e-turkey is so low and gas can only flow to Ghana on free flow at about 40 million cubic per day as oppose to 90 or 100 we could if they could draw the compressor.

Surely, I have not heard about the penalty. It is a contractual issue, it is not the government of Ghana. It is nothing unique to this contractual agreement that arrangement has to be corrected based on what is responsible for the shortfall in the supply.

The West African Gas pipeline is no longer a project; we have started supply of gas to Ghana over a year, if there is no problem in Nigeria with vandalisation, gas will flow to Ghana freely.

Whenever the pressure is down, supply to Ghana is about 40 or 50 million cubic per day.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

The Mega City

25

...EXCLUSIVE LAGOS MAGAZINE

The thriving clubbing culture It used to be a way of life in those good old days. But the economic downturn and insecurity slowed down the activities of night crawlers, who used to patronise clubs every night. Today though, the culture is back in full swing. Thus, club houses are springing up at almost every corner in the mega city. ELIJAH SAMUEL reports

Clubbers having fun in the club

LIFE IN THE CITY How Lagos pedestrians have been endangered MY CITY MY WORLD ‘Lagos is getting choked up’

OLUWATOSIN OMONIYI CO-ORDINATOR

tosin.omoniyi@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

A

lmost everywhere we turn, we are confronted with a once residential building, converted into club house. In the past, the issue of clubbing was a major issue in Lagos. What then is the fuelling force, the gain and the implication of the resurgence and preponderance of clubbing and club houses?

Alexgreat Ikenna Ezuruke is the Administration Manager and the Public Relations Officer of Dynasty Bar and Club in Surulere. He disclosed that the knowledge of the absence of an exquisite bar and restaurant where people can be given first-class treatment motivated their provision of a facility where comprehensive activities are unleashed.

“We fathomed that there is a very important need for a quality bar around Itire-Ikate and Ijesha axis. When you

Married people come here to hang out; even some pastors come here to relax and probably take bottle of malt or soft drink

move around this place, you’ll discover that the kind of bars that are available are places where people sit outside: they are not conducive places. So, we decided to bring heaven to this place as a unique and safe place for relaxation like you can find in places like the Island, FESTAC and Ikeja. I call this place heaven because of the treatment we give our customers.

“We understand that we have a lot of hotels everywhere. But the purpose of getting this place is just to create a conducive atmosphere where people can relax and enjoy themselves and not because of making money,” Ezuruke stated.

It would seem that the resurgence and preponderance of club houses will have some effect on the moral garb of the society. “We checkmate

the people that come around and ensure that no customer is below 18 years old here. So, anyone who is coming in here has chosen to live his or her life in a way that we cannot regulate,” Ezuruke rationalized. He said the clubbers; “are responsible for whatever they do. Even if we don’t have it here, they will still go elsewhere and have the fun they want to have.”

With the preponderance of club houses in the metropolis, one wonders if this is a conscious effort to revive nightlife which was prevalent in the 70s and 80s.

“I will say yes. But I can tell you that it is a very good business,” Ezuruke said and further showed how lucrative the business can be. He revealed: “We have been in business CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

26

Life | In The City

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

How Lagos pedestrians are endangered Pedestrians walkingh on a curb

Would there be a time in Lagos when pedestrians would heave a sigh of relief? When they would make use of the walkways without fear of possible knock-down by encroaching and rampaging Okada riders, keke operators, truck pushers and even motorists? Ezurike Ugochukwu reports

M

r. Uduak Gabriel is not in a hurry to forget the incident that almost took the life of his only living sibling in this world (his sister) by a reckless motorcyclist popularly known as (Okada) sometime in 2005.

Gabriel had lost his parents ten years ago at his adolescent age of seventeen as well as his siblings, remaining only one - Rose.

Rose, Mr. Gabriel’s sister had joyfully finished her one year national youth service and headed for Lagos with the intention to start a new life with her brother. In fact, that was her first time in the city.

While in Lagos she boarded a bus with her brother Gabriel to Lawanson bus stop but before they got to the bus stop, the usual traffic snarl halted the movement. They subsequently alighted just like every other passenger due to the traffic standstill which had helped to still the little air they had got and exposed their skulls to the heat of

the scorching sun aggravated by the bare-steel roof of the rickety bus they boarded.

The entire scenerio was choatic and crazy - a long stretch of vehicles of all sizes, a number of tricycles, a colony of ubiquitous okada riders and a litany of wheel barrow pushers, all squeezing and dragging with pedestrians on the uneven tarred Ojuolegba- Lawanson road in Surulere local government area of Lagos state.

Few minutes after they alighted, an okada suddenly emerged, brushed her from the right side of her leg. As she tried to leap to her left side and examined what had happened, another messenger of pain (okada) came and rammed its front tyre on her left leg, forcing her to fall on the curb, wailing and groaning in severe anguish.

Their joy immediately evaporated as she ended up in Igbobi orthopaedic hospital. If there were pedestrian walkway (paved walk-

way) as it is on that road today, Rose would not have been maimed as it is with her today, as a result of that incident. The rest is now history.

Today, in Lagos State, virtually every new road being constructed is adorned with pedestrian walkway (paved way) so as to reduce accidents involving pedestrians.

In so many parts of Lagos today, Okada men, mostly law enforcement agents, hawkers, truck pushers, tricycle operators and other automobile users hound pedestrians on the walkway. Even vehicles trying to beat traffic gridlocks are all now making it more difficult for pedestrians on the pedestrian walkways.

Mrs. Grace Alabi lives in Iba area of Lagos and works at the trade fair Complex. She lamented that to use walkway at Iyanoba in the morning and evening hour to and from work is never easy. “My brother, I thought this walk way is built to alleviate our risk of dragging the main road with motorists, but today,

the story is different. Hawkers have taken over the walkways. Instead of government and their agencies to tackle them and clear them off the walkways, they are busy collecting levies from them. And you see various uniformed men hovering the road corners,” she said.

Majority of Lagosians see uniformed men as the major culprits in this unlawful act of riding okada on the pedestrian walk ways. Traders especially in the morning hours show no regard for the law and the citizens. Mr. Paschal Ambor lives in Onipani area of Lagos state. He complained about the development.

“It’s like they want us to live in the air. Ordinarily, pedestrians are supposed to walk on the walkways without any form of hinderance.

If you fail to be watchful, you may be knocked down by a motorcycle or a vehicle that does not even have horn to alert you of their presence CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Life | In The City

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 25

for five years now and we are planning to extend by having a good spot on the Island.”

The notion that either the preponderance of club houses could attract doom on the security of the metropolis; or that their proliferation alongside churches’ effort of gospel propagation could engender a negation, was promptly discarded.

“We are very conscious of that and we have put everything in place forestall breakdown of law and peace of the community where we operate.

“It doesn’t have any negative effect on Christianity. Married people come here to hang out; even some pastors come here to relax and probably take bottle of malt or soft drink,” Ezuruke said.

However, Dr. Tony Okeregbe, who teaches philosophy at the University of Lagos is of the view that the reasons of economic benefit and the need for conducive atmosphere for relaxation engendered the resurgence of club houses in the metropolis.

“The preponderance of clubs makes economic sense because there is a social need for it, and this a good business for those who are proprietors in the kind of business. Also, the people need an avenue where they can relax; and that kind of comfort and relaxation they desire can’t be found within their vicinity.

So, they need to dissipate a lot of energy at club house. It is a transformational aspect in the development of a person when energy will have to be dissipated. So, club becomes a place where certain kinds of need of the youths are met, and those who are in the entertainment or engaged in night economy thrive on it as a form of business.”

Commenting on the implication that such untamed preponderance may have on the society, Okeregbe said “because of the permissiveness that the preponderance is trying to encourage, certain quarters of the society will now frown at the effects on their youths.

That’s the moral implication.”

But he added that some other aspects of the society like the churches are equally waging alternative measure to arrest any untoward effect of clubbing by “organizing things that will engage a quantum of their youths about the same time that people are clubbing.

By this, you see people going for vigils, which are as exciting as clubbing. Of course, there is a dissipation of energy when they engage the people in things like revival, vigil and so on. That is the religious equivalence of guiding against clubbing that some people frown at.”

According to Okeregbe, the proliferation of club houses, and clubbing which spreads across strata are linked with the dwindling moral consciousness within the religious and family circles.

“That different people, young and older men go to

27

The thriving clubbing culture

A club house in Surulere

club has always been there.

Now, there is a proliferation because moral regeneration is no longer preached or talked about in the society by the people; it has been confined to the personal sphere of a person’s life. Unlike before, churches and mosques are now afraid to preach against immorality. Because of the failure to preach against immorality, the moral consciousness gradually dies in the people; the sense of right or wrong dissipate in the people. That’s why you see that the things people use to do in the hiding are now expressly flaunted in the open. Because they flaunt immorality, it becomes big business especially for the fact that there is no more fear of detection or criticism, or being reprimanded by the religious organizations or your family.”

He added that the depreciated value system is to blame for this permeating social trend as “it permeates right from the top to the bottom. The bottom has been couched from criticizing those at the top; and because they have been couched from criticizing those at the top, those at the top now unleash terror: they do what they want to do. By this, which results in the emasculation of the people, the value consciousness gradually dies out. This has sifted into schools and other institutions and goes on and on in the society, and it becomes a social malaise.

Believing however that clubbing is not in itself bad, Okeregbea averred that its negative influence can be curbed; and “curbing it means that people must speak on what is wrong in the society. But the club is a place that one can go to relax and socialize. Fundamentally, it is not a moral issue; but for those who are religious, it might be wrong.

Dr Godswill Moses, an information technology expert and a clergyman, believes in the original purpose bars and clubs are meant to serve.

He nonetheless declared that

Inside a club house

We are very conscious of that and we have put everything in place to forestall breakdown of law and peace of the community where we operate

“they have assumed some strange and fast growing evil dimension in our modern time.

Club houses now parade young girls, who ply their trade in nude dressings and naked dancing in order to earn a living.” He added further that “poverty, ignorance, cultural breakdown and gross negligence on the part of the government to meet the needs of our growing youth population are some of the major causes of this unhealthy trend.”

Moses corroborated Okeregbe and blamed that the “religious bodies are also not doing so much to spell out the spiritual implications of the evil inherent in such dastardly practices as was done in the past. What we now have prevalent in our time is young ladies who dance nude to the delight of their teeming patrons and sometimes engage in sex trade in order to make some money.”

Citing scriptural references to buttress the fact that club houses are not peculiar to the modern times that we are, Moses revealed: “the operations of these social strip club houses did not originate in our modern times. Way back in the Old Testament, Joshua 2:1, we find a similar building wherein lived a woman the Bible referred to as a

Prostitute, who operated a club house. The bible also refers to certain kind of dressing styles as belonging to harlots or prostitute (Proverbs 7:10) and God detests any act of prostitution or immorality for that matter. Man may excuse such acts as a means of easing out stress and promoting relaxation, it still remains that this trend if not checked has future negative consequences.

Isa.5:20 says“20Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

What is bad is bad and what is evil is evil. Prostitution is evil and the promoting of such act in the name of clubbing is very destructive.”

He, however, warned that “although clubs owners at the moment are paying taxes to the Lagos State government, meaning that they are doing a genuine business, the harmful effects to the future of our youths and our society in general far outweighs any seeming benefits to the government.”

Whichever way the pendulum swings, it behoves every individual to decide the acceptable lifestyle to adopt and be ready to accept responsibility for the outcome of decision.

28

Life | Mega City

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

2015 elections: Artisans’ unfulfilled economic dreams In Lagos, small scale printers always pray for elections to come. But in 2015, such prayers appear to be answered in trickles for not just the printers, but also other artisans. Thus, many are praying fervently for some miracles in their jobs, as ELIJAH SAMUEL found out

O

rdinarily, it is a season that is usually rife with great economic opportunities and rewarding prospects which the electioneering activities offer to the populace. Expectedly, hopes are high as many had thought that it is yet another era of fortune-making as the schedules for the general elections were released, and being followed by all the stakeholders with the ultimate hope of a successful ending.

But as it seems, the expectations are far from being met in an atmosphere of economic despair and political tension.

Apart from other business spheres of Lagos, the printing vocation and printing presses are perhaps the most visible players in the realm of political publicity and campaign ventures. Practitioners and other stakeholders lament the low patronage which has characterized this season, blaming the lull on the seeming possibility of politicians’ incursion into their line of trade and the ferocious bite of the exchange rate on the general economy of the country.

“We are really affected especially in this period. Apart from the fact that the economic situation in the country has affected so many things, it is particularly worrisome for us in the printing business that during this time, we are not having much work to do. In the previous elections, we would have started long ago to do jobs brought by politicians. This would take us into the month of March before we round up with the jobs. It’s not so now: what we suspect is that the politicians are diverting their works to their private printing presses,” Kunle Omotoyinbo, a printer bemoaned.

Sulaimon Iredele, another printer in the Ladipo area of Mushin where there are a high concentration of printing presses in the state cited discriminatory

An APC campaign rally

policy of the government as responsible for the downturn that has become their lot during this season.

He said: “Although I don’t have a press of my own but I regularly take contracts from people. During election period as this, we normally print exercise books for printers but it is not so now as they have taken the jobs to their private presses, thereby leaving small-scale printers like us with nothing to do.

“Again, the discriminatory policy of the state government in the bid to control posting of posters in the state has affected our printing business. Some of us have been denied our income with the introduction of the poster policy and establishment of agency like Lagos Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA).

As a result of this, posters printing by many of the churches which used to patronize us has dropped significantly.”

Yet, David Uzoma, a dealer in printing and graphics materials bemoaned the low patronage in this season when he had nursed a prospect of high turnover in sales due to the ongoing electioneering process.

He said: “This season has not been good for business as our expectations are not being met. It’s really not favourable perhaps because of the escalating exchange rate. Many things are being affected. For us in this kind of business, it has not been easy because we are driven by the market indices and forces of the exchange rate. It’s really tough, and it’s a chain thing: the printers are not coming forth to purchase materials which they would have needed for their jobs.”

Uzoma posited that the high exchange rate was responsible was for the low patronage. His view was

A PDP campaign rally

shared by Akinrinola Omobola, a worker in another printing press in Mushin.

According to her, “There has not been any positive impact of the election felt in our business; the usual jobs like school accessories that we normally did for some schools at the opening of the year are not forthcoming because the people are complaining about the high cost of materials due to the unfavourable exchange rate.”

She added: “Again, I think the poster-pasting restriction by the state government has in a way contributed to the abysmal patronage that we have during this election. In the previous elections, the posters were pasted in

all available spaces that we could find around. During that period, our patronage for posters printing usually used to be high. Although, I printed some exercise books for a party, it was nothing compared to the volume of different jobs that we had in the previous elections. It was also great gain then because the exchange was not as high as we now have. Printing materials are imported and their prices are determined by the prevailing exchange rate.

“Nonetheless, I appeal that the government can help us in the printing profession so that we can easily access loans to purchase and import CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

Life | In The City

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

29

We feel no positive effect of being a border town – Pengbon community leader Pengbon Seme border community is located in Badagry West LGA of Lagos State. The sleepy riverine community is currently getting boisterous due to the activities of illegal immigrants.

In this interview with EZURIKE UGOCHUKWU, the Baale of the community, Chief Ayeleso Timothy Ganjo explains that the immigrants have started terrorising his community.

Many of our readers would like to know more about the the Pengbon community?

Pengbon community is a community of people living by the border side. As the name implies, Pengbon means a border community. The story has it that our forefathers migrated from Daume kingdom in Benin Republic and came to this present location to settle. They used it as farm land. Their predominant job was farming and majorly fishing. Over the years, many people have migrated. But the original people are from Benin.

As a boundary community, how do you relate with the huge human traffic that goes on in this area as well as security agencies such as the Customs, the Immigration, the National Drug Law enforcement Agency and the police?

Sometime ago, the Custom came up with an initiative to bring about what they called ‘Custom Community Relations.’ because in the cause of their job, they fight with indigenes and indigenes fight back. This led to mistrust. Because of the porous nature of the border, people move into Benin Republic to buy some foodstuffs and household items they feel are cheaper there.

In coming back, they usually encounter some challenges from men of the Customs, who are in their own trying to enforce the prohibition policy on some goods imported into the country. As a result, they came up with what they called the custom Community Relations where both the elders and the youths of this area interface from time to time and build some understanding.

Through this initiative, other security agencies relate also with them. We know that at least, once in a week, the Customs, the Immigration and other law enforcement agencies meet to discuss the security of this place and work out the best way to relate with the people. Sometimes also, they meet with the Baales and the youths to strengthen the relationships. Security is a mutual thing. It is not left for one person or agency alone to tackle. This synergy has given some degree of power to the community to assist where possible, arrest and

bring to the appropriate law enforcement agency or invite them to come and affect the arrest of suspected hoodlums. Have it at the back of your mind that we have multi-tribal and multi-religious groups residing in this community. The various ethnic groups in the community have their heads such as Hausa Community, Igbo Community. The Yoruba also have theirs. The chain of relationship and administration here is made easier through this means. They relate with the Baale-in-Council through their leaders. When we sense any danger likely to emanate from any person of these unions’ extraction, we summon their head. By so doing, we interact and relate cordially with people within us.

What is your assessment of the law enforcement agencies here in carrying out their primary assignments of patrolling and securing our borders both land and water ways?

In the first place, our border is so porous. We have too many entry and exit points into this place.

The border is open. However, based on synergy built through the formation of the community relations mechanism with these agencies, there has been some level of cordiality. I score the customs above average in their performance. Immigration is where we have issues. Maybe, since the advent of insurgency (Boko Haram) in the country, it is like the government came up with a policy of arresting people at random on the way. Before now, there has not been anything like that. The disturbing aspect is that some of the men on patrol use it now to extort Nigerians. I feel the Immigration is supposed to infuse itself into the prevailing security mechanism in place. But as a matter of fact, they felt they can do it all. An incident happened last week where the Immigration had to fire at themselves. The atmosphere was tensed. Some people have moved into the country with their fishing boats through the sea unperturbed. They came and settled right here at the sea shore, besides the Immigration Office here in Seme border. It appears there is no law guiding such movements. Invariably,

where there is no law, it is difficult to achieve anything and crime becomes inevitable. The people that are supposed to checkmate all these are the officers and men of the Nigerian Immigration services.

It has been alleged that there are illegal immigrants Ganjo from Ghana, Togo and others residing by the sea side. Could it be that the Immigration approved their stay or they have godfathers?

For now, I can’t conclude or say whether they have immigration-backers. But because of the environment, everybody wants to get something. The foreigners, apart from crimes traced to them, such as death and disappearing of persons, we don’t live there with them, and people come here to complain about them. Because of complaints that have been coming from there, we have decided to be wary. We have carried out some preliminary investigations over the high spate of crime at the sea side. We inquired to know whether those people are Yoruba, Igbo, or Hausa or Nigerians at all? The answer is no. Rather, they are influx of people, most of whom are hoodlums from Togo, Ghana and Benin Republic, who came into that place in the pretence that they are fishermen.

They are the ones committing atrocities. We invited the police and the police said it was outside their operational jurisdiction, that it’s an issue that concerns foreigners. They advised us to meet the immigration. We did that. The immigration went there actually but till now, nothing has happened and the people are still there. They continued to pose threat to our people, harassing our people with weapons. Now, elections are around

the corner. Is it not like this that Boko Haram started? They are unruly and uncontrollable set of people. We think if they are not checkmated, it could lead to another thing.

The Police, the Customs and others are trying to help us bring sanity to the area, but as for the Immigration, we are not happy over their activities here at all

Can we rule out connivance from some quarters which has emboldened them?

Yes, you might be correct to some extent. However, the situation is usually that one of them comes, rents a place, and discovers nobody is challenging him.

From there, he goes and brings another person. Like that, their number keeps increasing and before you know it, the place is filled up with human activities.

The Pengbon Community is a border town. We may not notice easily or hastily complain about movements. Moreover, we are highly accommodating; we are highly gifted in tolerance. We don’t discriminate. We love non indigenes. It’s only when it becomes like the situation we are in with the illegal immigrants at the sea side now; that is when we get worried. They know we don’t worry them so long as they go about their normal businesses. Hoodlums among them have adulterated the good ones. No doubt, they may have an insider, but of what benefit?

Will it be right then to assume that some immigration officials are the CONT INU E D ON PAGE 31

30

Life |

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

2,800 days after: Fashola begins winding-down trip Muritala Ayinla

W

hen Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State introduced the idea of rendering account of stewardship at every 100 days, little did anyone know that the initiative would fast track service delivery and enhance delivery of dividends of democracy to the people.

Last week, the governor, again, for the 28th consecutive time, rendered an account of the achievements of his administration since he assumed office in 2007.

At the ceremony were distinguished audience comprising former Governors, retired and serving public servants, members of the Organized Private Sector, Traditional Rulers, Party Chieftains, traders and other eminent Lagosians.

Prominent among those who attended the event were the first civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and his wife, Alhaja Abimbola Jakande; the Deputy Governor, Hon (Mrs.) Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire,the APC Gubernatorial candidate in the state, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; his running mate, Dr (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule, members of the State Executive Council; the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu 1, Pro- democracy activists like General Alani

Akinrinade (rtd) and Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye as well as other top government functionaries.

Beginning from the state’s 2014 budget, which he described as an Article of Faith, the governor expressed satisfaction with the budget performance, saying that the budget implementation impacted all sectors of the economy, including public power and electricity supply, which are even outside the responsibility of the state government.

Giving an overview of the activities of his administration in the last 100 Days beginning with street lighting projects, the governor said his administration completed the public lighting on 11 kilometres of road network between Ikorodu Road, Jibowu and Murtala Mohammed Way up to Oyingbo on October 24,2014, adding that the project would improve night driving, security and night economy and commerce.

He said: “This will benefit motorists who drive at night, improve security in the area, and afford traders an opportunity to trade late into the night and earn extra income as we have seen in other areas like Obalende, Oshodi, Alimosho, Bariga and Somolu, where we have intervened, with street lighting”.

On provision of stable power supply some institutions in the state, Fashola said on October 29,

Fashola

2014, his administration also commissioned the Mainland Independent Power Plant, which according to him, is dedicated to serving the Ikeja High Court, the Ikeja Magistrate Court, Ikeja Water Works, the State Police Command and Lagos State Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, adding that project has impacted healthcare, access to justice, water supply and security.

Harping on other achievements in the power sector in the last 100 days, the governor said the projects executed include the coming on stream of dedicated solar power

to the first set of 172 schools and seven Primary Healthcare Centres.

He also said the handed over of the Solar Power System in Epe Primary Healthcare Centre on January 6, 2015 and two solar power systems for the Model College in Meiran Alimosho.

Fashola said:“Gradually, one by one, by God, and by the dedication of our workers and the faith of taxpayers, we will put the shame of darkness that a failed government and umbrella party has imposed on our children in schools, and on patients in hospitals behind us. These solar power systems will shed light on their failure, and illuminate our pathway to change.”

In the area of Health Care, the governor said apart from the Epe Primary Healthcare centre “which is now a 24-Hour service centre because of the Solar Power”, government has achieved a major milestone in local capacity building adding that state doctors performed the first cochlear implant surgery in Lagos successfully.

“What this means is that the patient, who was deaf, can now hear again. It opens a new window of opportunities and possibilities to people who cannot hear or who have hearing defects because I have directed that the programme be expanded. With your taxes we can extend it to those who cannot afford it”, he said.

How Lagos pedestrians have been endangered CONTINUED FROM PAG E 3 0

around you. Some canteen owners along the road use the pedestrian walkway to set up their cooking fire. They even do their washings there too”, he narrated.

Adekunle Agoro lives around Isheri area of Lagos. He claimed that armed policeman nearly killed him some time in December, 2014, when he challenged him for riding motorcycle on the pedestrian way and endangering the lives of helpless pedestrians.

His words: “A police man bearing his rifle on his neck was riding his okada on the pedestrian walkway because there was much traffic along Idimu-Egbeda road that day with his colleague at the back seat. They were scaring away people both those seeing them in the opposite direction and those at reverse direction.

Out of fear, people were running out of the road. I had to confront them when a woman nearly fails into the gutter because of their yelling.

“When I stood my ground and wanted to drag him and his motorcycle out of the road, he raised his rifle and threatened to shoot me if I dare challenged him further.

If not for timely intervention of people around the area, he could have shot me.

Because they have the gun, that is why they perpetuate all forms of illegality and go free.”

No doubt, if our walkways are made safe, people especially the aged will walk on recreational purposes knowing that

Trading activities on the pedestrian walk paths in Lagos

physical exercise such as walking and jogging contribute to both mental and physical well being.

From the perception of Alhali Adeolu Moroof, Lagos Government should go extra mile in giving the poor masses hope to live. “Though as the elections are now around the corner, no government would like to take drastic measure against miscreants. We believe the government should constitute a body, or overhaul the existing one, dismiss the bad eggs and inject patriotic hands into the system.

They should have the responsibility to apprehend people that rides or drives on walkways as well as those that park their vehicles on walk ways thereby forcing

the people to walk on the main road”, he said.

Alhaji Adeolu continued: “Trading on the walk ways should be stopped and the law against it enforced, not the type we see the men of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) and other agencies that collect bribe from the people and close eyes over such illegality. “Pedestrians are human beings that deserve to live, not only the poor people use walkways. The rich use it also, however, many of the rich avoid it because of the presumed insecurity.”

When contacted for response, the Honourable Commissioner for the Environment, never picked his calls nor reply to text message sent to him by our reporter.

Life | In The City

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

‘No positive effect of being border community’ fished by one person. So, if you are here as a fisherman, the sea is there.

Go and fish but when you leave the fishing and engage in things that will hamper the development and unity of this community, then, the community leaders will object.

CONTINUED FROM PAG E 29

ones shielding them from being sent to their various countries?

It may not be that they are shielding them but I could see it as negligence of duty. Duties and obligations are usually shelved for personal gains. For instance, going to the road gives them more money.

Everybody wants to go to the road; everybody wants to go to patrol; everybody wants to stay at the check point. Nobody wants to stay where they will fight and there will be no money at the end of the day. This border is peculiar. It is one of the most populous borders in Africa and one of the most populous in the world - Seme border. If the head is weak, what it normally results to is what we see now, where everybody wants to go on patrol because if you don’t go on patrol, you wouldn’t see money. They went there once and they discovered that the place will not yield them money. I cannot say they are shielding them because if they do, I don’t see what they stand to gain. What they will gain is avoiding that place for the roads. There is so much negligence of duty here. So many times, I have written letters to the police.

What issue did you write about and what was the outcome of the petitions?

I wrote petitions to the police and even to the Immigration. I wrote to the police Investigation Unit Panti, last time over the activities of some fraudulent persons (419ers) that use here as hideout. The Panti people came. I went with them to the 419ers’ base. They brought out their guns and pursued us - the Police ran and I also ran away. I went to the military barracks at Topo and invited Soldiers. It was the soldiers that came and chased them away. And now these illegal immigrants. The way they fight here, make use of clubs

on people, frightens me. Last time, they nearly kill one Hausa man.

When I got the report, I cried. This is how Boko Haram started. When it became too late, we will start crying and the government will start asking Baale what he knows about the situation. If these hoodlums had conducted themselves orderly, we wouldn’t worry. This is elections period. We may not be far from the truth that they all have voters card and ready to cause trouble.

At what point did your relationship get soured, since you said your people are accommodating and tolerating of all manner of people?

All over the world, once you go to an area and conduct yourself normally, people and the law may not notice you. But immediately you begin to break rules and begin to indulge in crimes, you will be noticed easily. What informed this action now is because the people have started abusing the law. This sea has been here for many years since creation.

The fishes in this sea cannot be

Is the sea and water ways without boundaries?

They have boundaries. Those boundaries are accessed by our security operatives. A mast is being built now for the Navy. They are the sea soldiers. They know the boundaries in the waterways better. Benin Republic marine soldiers also know.

Sometimes, Benin people chase their people away because of some of these heinous activities. They run down to this place. That is the porous nature of the border. The Navy is supposed to work hand-in-hand with the Immigration. We have marine immigration; we have marine custom and even marine police, yet, we still have all these problems.

How have all these government agencies and activities benefited your community?

In the area of the security agencies, the Police, the Custom and others, are trying to help us bring sanity to the area but as for the Immigration, we are not happy over their activities here at all. We cry and nothing comes out of it. There was a time Customs were burning seized frozen foods within our community; we cried out because of its health implication and they stopped. On the social and economic life, over seven years now, we don’t have electricity supply here.

Some of the wires hung on poles have been vandalized. Sometime ago, the Community gave out about N500, 000 to a PHCN official with the hope he will help us restore our light. Till today, no light. The billions of naira that the government rakes in here as revenue do not rub off on us.

Artisans’ unfulfilled economic dreams CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

directly most of the materials that we use to prosecute our jobs.”

Re-enacting the possibility that politicians themselves have taken dive into the printing business, thereby denying them a chunk of what should have come to them in terms of political largesse, Akeem Mukaiz, a manager of a commercial press in Ladipo Area of Mushin said “we discovered that quite a number of the politicians now run their own presses, whether commercial presses or ordinary. I cannot say. Those of them that don’t have press would give preferences to their party members, who have printing presses. In the past, during this period of the year, we would be busy with election jobs till like early March. It’s no longer so now, as most of them print the posters and some other souvenirs in their own printing presses, or give the jobs to their members who run presses. The few jobs that come out these days are probably from party members

who benefited from the awards of the contracts but do not have printing presses where they can run the printing contracts.” He added further that “since their campaign commenced, the only job that we’ve had so far is the printing of these exercise books for the state government which we even got indirectly from the direct beneficiary.”

The tales of non-effect of the electioneering activities was also echoed in the transport circle by one of the chairmen of the Road Transport Employers Association (RTEAN) at Ojuelegba. While lamenting the deplorable economic condition confronting the citizens, he revealed that for as far he knows, the ongoing electioneering has brought nothing spectacular to the RTEAN members.

His words: “We can’t see any difference from what it uses to be.

The only thing is that this election has unleashed great tension everywhere; all the politicians are at daggers-drawn. They are all mostly after their interest and not sensitive to the plight of common Nigerians.

Whether at the state or federal level, self-centeredness and misappropriation of public funds are their hallmark.

“Affecting the citizens doesn’t have to be restricted to the electioneering period alone. They (politicians) are only fooling themselves: is it now that the elections are here that they are rushing to do a few things so that the people may have impression of their generousity in service. For instance, the Federal Government should have reduced the fuel price long before now. It can even be further reduced. Again, many of the abandoned projects ought to have been completed or nearing completion by now. For the state, Fashola, although has tried in his own way but some of the policies implemented by his administration did not factor alternatives when they adversely affected the means of peoples’ livelihood. However, as we pray to God to help us in these elections, I’m sure the people cannot be fooled anymore and they know what to do.”

31

My City, My World Lagos is strategic to Nigeria, says Ashafa Muritala Ayinla lawmaker representing TtrictheLagos East Senatorial Disat the upper chamber,

Senator Gbenga Ashafa has described Lagos as home to every law-abiding citizen in the country.

According to him, Lagos Ashafa is not only a home to most Nigerians, it is a place where everyone loves to come including the wealthy and the not-so-rich Nigerians. “Lagos is a place everybody wants to be. It is state of aquatic splendour. It is a home for everyone I don’t see a place that is as accommodating as Lagos,” he said.

Speaking on opportunities that are abound for many residents in the state, Ashafa added that the state is a state with unlimited opportunities for everyone desirous of reaching the pinnacle of his career.

This is, he said is evident in the increasing population of the state on daily basis. “It is a state where every law abiding citizen is welcome. The state is blessed with quality leaders right from the colonial era till date. Hence the state is growing and developing. Lagos State is strategic to Nigeria, african sub-region and indeed to the world as the commercial centre of the African most populous nation.

He explaind that the State, from the era of Alhaji Lateef Jakande to Asiwaju and Babatunde Fashola, SAN, the state has recorded improvement in the area of infrastructural development and any other sector one can think of.

“Lagosians mustn’t make mistake of voting for the visionless politicians as their leaders. Despite the influx of people into Lagos and its security implication, we continue to enjoy peace and harmony in Lagos. This is because we have proactive and visionary elected leaders at both executive and legislative arms.

In Lagos, we don’t joke with security or lives and properties of our citizens. That is why Lagos continues to attract investors and other citizens from within and outside the country,” Ashafa added.

‘Lagos is getting choked up’ Elijah Samuel Demola Adedigba was born Shisirandformative raised in Lagos. He had years on the Island

where, recalling with fond memories, he saw the serenity, friendliness and peace which characterized relations among residents. He none- Adedigba theless bemoans the brazen quest for wealth among the leaders which has deprived the people effective service which they deserve.

Everything was working well in the Lagos of old. It was a place to be because there was constant light and this added boost to the economy. There were also people who exhibited great benevolent disposition to the needy and the less privilege in the society. But things have gone different these days where everybody seems to be concerned about personal interests; even those at the helm of affairs are being driven by brazen quest for wealth-amassing to the detriment of the public good.

I miss the serenity of those old good days of Lagos.

But these days, the city is getting choked up by the passing of each day perhaps for the reason of economic opportunities that abound in the city. You had so much time and space to enjoy yourself in midst of peace and security that pervaded the landscape then. One of the things that made Lagos very safe in those days can be attributed to the responsiveness and patriotism displayed by the police in the old Lagos metropolis. There was great vigilance and rapid response to quell threat to the peaceful coexistence among the residents.

The ongoing effort to restore the lost glory of the state is commendable, but the government will have to brace up to the present enormous challenges of the state because of its unique nature. The government should ensure a comprehensive and even development of all parts of the state.

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The Mega City

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Wedding Industry Conference and Exhibition #TWICE2015

Organiser: TWICE 2015 Date: February 4, 2015 From 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Venue: The Haven Event Center, Ikeja GRA Police College Road, Beside Arch Bishop Vining Memorial Church, Ikeja GRA, Lagos

Un-Speak Exhibition and Talk event Organiser: British Council Arts Date: February 4, 2015 From 16:00PM - 17:30PM Venue: British Council Office 20 Thompson Avenue, Ikoyi Lagos, Nigeria

Gathering of Salt (H.O.P.E Foundation Volunteer’s Meeting)

Organiser: Eagle’s H.O.P.E Foundation Date: February 7, 2015 From 10:00 to 13:00 Venue: Sweet Sensation Isaac John Street Ikeja

Extraordinary Ordinary People

Organiser: Reach For the Stars Date: February 6, 2015 From 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Venue: Centre for Entrepreneurial Development Studies Covenant University Km 10 Idiroko Road, Canaan Land Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria

NMSP TRAINING

Organiser: Nigerian Mystery Shoppers Provider Date: February 4, 2015 From 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Venue: 20 Alhaja Kofoworo Crescent ,Off Awolowo Way Balogun Bus Stop Ikeja, Lagos

Start-Up Entrepreneurship Training Organiser: School of Business without Boundaries Date: February 4, 2015 From: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Venue: Ocean Suite & Hotel 1/3 Safuratu Sekoni Street Behind R-Jolad Hospital Phase II,Gbagada, Lagos.

MEGA CITY EVENTS GOV. FASHOLA RENDERS 2,800 DAYS ACCOUNT OF STEWARDSHIP IN OFFICE

L-R: All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Lagos state, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Lagos state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, Lagos State Deputy- Governor, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu and Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule during the commemoration of the 2800 days in office of the administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola, held at the LTV8 complex, Ikeja

Cross section of invited guests, participants, traditional rulers, captains of industry and other stakeholders at the event

80th Birthday of Chief Adebayo Makinde was held in Lagos

Chief Richard Ahonaruogbho, HRM Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu, Prince Tunde Ponle and Chief Adebayo Makinde at the 80th birthday of Chief Adebayo Makinde in Lagos

Princess Dolapo Oluokun and Chief Mrs. Funke Olowe-Rowaye

Director-General of the National Agency for food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii was recently honoured by Vice President, Global Public Health, US Pharmacopeia, Mr. Patrick Lukulay

Pix 1…Director-General, National Agency for food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii (left) and Vice-President, Global Public Health, US Pharmacopeia, Mr. Patrick Lukulay.

PIX 2. L-R: Managing Director/ CEO, JAWA Group, Mr. Varkey Verghese; Managing Director/CEO, EMZOR Pharmaceutical Plc, Mrs. Stella Okoli and Managing Director, SKG Pharma Limited. Mr. Okey Akpa, at the event.

PHOTOS: GODWIN IREKHE

Business | Money

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

33

Oil price rout: Non-oil export as alternative revenue earner

cent, Egypt’s 25 per cent and Algeria 33.8 per cent, Angola 41 per cent, Morocco is 24.47 per cent, indicating that Nigeria’s revenue generation is weak.

He also argued that even in the Value Added Tax (VAT), Nigeria had the lowest compared to other African nations.

Teriba cited different statistics, and insisted that Nigeria should raise the non-oil revenue required for economic stability and growth, thereby deemphasising revenue from oil.

Dangote’s declaration and Teriba’s assertion provided a basis for the re-examination of prospects in non-oil export of solid minerals and chemical elements.

Godson Ikoro

E

ven at the peak of the country savouring the gains of rising oil prices at the international market, successive administrations in Nigeria have often made reference to the need to boost the country’s revenue by exploiting other mineral resources outside crude oil.

Either out of political pronouncement or the need to brag about the availability of untapped resources in the country, each leader had bandied unconfirmed figures running into billions of dollars that could be derived from non-oil exploitation and export.

However, as usual with the traits devoid of seriousness, the zeal to follow up the process has always ended at the level of either making the statement of setting up committees under, which such projects never see the light of the day.

While the issue of developing the non-oil sector had been taken lightly in the past, the time has actually come for the Federal Government to take the issue more seriously especially now that the price of crude oil, which has been laying the proverbial golden egg, is crashing fast in the international market.

As events unfold on a daily basis, economic experts are of the opinion that the time has come for the government to get cracking on how best to take advantage of what had been neglected over the last 50 years.

Mineral resources From available information, Nigeria can be self-sufficient in iron ore, excellent quality tin, columbite, gold kaolin, soda ash, silica sand, gemstones, lead zinc and bitumen and a whole lot of mineral resources.

While some of the solid minerals have not been reasonably exploited, Nigeria’s nonoil export sector also has deep agro-allied linkages made up of semi-processed and processed agricultural products such as cocoa, cashew, sesame seed, ginger, gum Arabic, shrimps, cotton and rubber, fried snail and gari.

Others are gallstones, dried vegetable, cassava chips/leaves/roots, bones, pepper, honey, charcoal and spices, among others.

Experts’ opinions According to the administrator of Export Brokers, Mr. Ishmail Abdulazeez, during the global financial crisis, Nigeria’s non-oil sector not only soared high but also helped absorbed the shock caused by sharp fall in oil revenues.

This was corroborated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Economic report for the third quarter of 2007. The report said the sector was estimated to grow at 6.05 per cent compared with

Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

5.73 per cent in the second quarter. Major agricultural products such as yam, Irish and sweet potatoes, groundnuts and maize, which was estimated at 9.47 per cent, drove the growth.

Similarly, Dr. Gbadebo Odudaru, in his book, titled, “NigeriaUS Trade Relations in the non-Oil Sector,” said the country had received respectable earnings from non-oil sector, a fact made manifest in the rising Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

Accordingly, growth in nonoil exports in the last few years has been enormous, rising from $1 billion in 2006 to $2.3 billion in 2010, a development attributed to the favourable policy matrix of government.

The consensus is that the 12.5 per cent leap in the total value of non-oil export recorded in the month of February raised the prospect of bumper revenue earnings and foreign exchange accumulation by the Federal Government this year.

This is because provisional data released by the CBN to cover the nation’s economic performance for the month of February last year indicated that total non-oil export, which was put at $426.46 million, represented a 12.5 per cent increase above the level in the preceding month.

The development is said to have reflected largely, the 32.2 and 5.6 per cent increase in manufacturing and industrial sectors, respectively. The report showed proceeds of manufactured as $246.12 million; industrial $121.82 million; agriculture $33.79 million; minerals $17.32 million; and food products sub-sectors stood at $7.5 million.

Prospects The recent declaration by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, that Nigeria will be the largest exporter of urea and uranium in Africa by 2017 is a welcome thought as the nation anxiously seeks for ways

Minister for Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga

Nigeria should correct the discordant fiscal contraction in the face of the ongoing economic expansion

to earn more foreign exchange following oil price plummet at the international market and its drastic effect on the naira and external reserves.

Dangote also declared that in the next four years, the banking watchdog may not need to give foreign exchange for the importation of sugar, because the group would produce enough for the country and for export.

He made these declarations at a stakeholders’ breakfast meeting convened by the CBN on recent developments in crude oil prices and foreign exchange markets with captains of industry.

The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had called on the citizens to engage in more productive ventures that will not only boost export but also reduce the demand for foreign exchange for goods that are manufactured in the country.

Reviewing tax administration, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Economic Associates, Dr. Ayo Teriba, said for Nigeria to reduce the impact of volatility of the oil prices, she needs to raise over N70trillion revenue from the ongoing boom of non-oil activities to augment the shortfall of inflows from oil.

He made this assertion last week.

Speaking on the impact of the falling oil prices and the way forward at the annual economic outlook for 2015 organised by the First Central Securities Clearing System in Lagos last weekend, Teriba argued that Nigeria should correct the discordant fiscal contraction in the face of the ongoing economic expansion.

He observed that Nigeria’s non-oil GDP was bigger than those of South Africa and Egypt, yet each of them has more tax revenue than Nigeria, indicating that the authorities should revisit tax administration and collection.

While comparing government revenue as a percentage of GDP, he noted that Nigeria’s 12.2 per

Government’s role The Federal Government has been trying to boost the non-oil export through it policies and funding/ subsidisation. Its determination to drive growth in the non-oil sector has churned out policy frameworks such as the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) scheme, which operates under the legal context provided under the Export (Incentives and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1986.

The policy, which is a fiscal policy instrument, is implemented under the guidelines issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance and enforced by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the apex agency responsible for the administration of the policy in conjunction with other key implementation agencies such as the CBN and Nigeria Customs Service.

The export grant is given to exporters to cushion the impact of infrastructural disadvantages faced by Nigerian exporters and make exports competitive in the international market.

Breakthrough According to analysts, 10 years after AGOA (African Growth & Opportunity Act) was passed by USA to allow duty free access to products from sub-Saharan Africa, Nigerian exports seem to have achieved a breakthrough.

Available information from the NEPC indicates that EU accounts for 56 per cent market share of Nigeria’s non-oil exports, followed by the regional ECOWAS with 11 per cent share, boosting foreign exchange earnings.

New Telegraph also learnt that the past export trends have been “a positive feature of the EEG scheme and a tendency on the part of exporters to operate through official channels that complements CBN’s efforts to discourage the unofficial forex market in Nigeria.”

Conclusion There is a positive correlation between growth in non-oil sector of the Nigerian economy and inclusive growth, as it generates employment and government internally generated revenue via taxation.

34

Business | The Investor

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Need to boost local investment capacity Chris Ugwu

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gainst the backdrop of current situation where foreign investors still hold sway at the nation’s local bourse, market watchers are worried that if local investors are not expanded, the local bourse might face similar situation it witnessed during the global financial meltdown of 2007 and 2008.

The aftermath of the meltdown saw the nation’s capital market losing huge funds, as the Nigerian Stock Exchange’s (NSE’s) All-Share Index fell from a height of 66,000 basis points in March 2008 to less than 22,000 points

by January 2009.

Also, over N8 trillion or 70 per cent of the total market capitalisation of the Exchange was wiped out during this period, which analysts attributed to the massive exodus of foreign investors from the equities market.

Market watchers believe that the dominance by foreign investors accounted for why the latter dictate the tune at the market, neccessitating the fluctuating grip of the bulls and bears, whenever they buy or offload stocks.

The status quo In a report obtained from the NSE’s website, total foreign portfolio investments (FPI) transactions of N616 billion, which accounted for 14.8 per cent of total transactions in 2007, increased over the years to N1,539 billion, representing 57.5 per cent of the total in 2014 (an increase of 42.7 per cent over the seven- year period). Domestic transactions on the other hand, started at N3,556 billion, indicating 85.2 per cent in 2007, but decreased significantly to N1,137 billion, representing 42.5 per cent of total transactions in 2014 (a sharp decline of 42.7 per cent in the seven- year period).

Need for local players Worried by the dominance of foreign investors, market operators have stressed the need for the expansion of local institutional investment capacity to attract more retail participation and spur activities in the primary market segment.

They linked the current state of depression to sell down by foreign investors who account for about 58 per cent of market transactions in 2014 from 14.8 per cent in 2007.

This formed one of the resolutions at a one-day dialogue on ‘The Capital Market and 2015 Federal Budget,” organised by the leaders of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) and Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria (AIHN) in Lagos.

The Chairman, NASD OTC Plc, Mr. Tola Mobolurin, said that if local institutions were expanded, they would generate savings within the country, thereby substituting foreign capacity.

Specifically, he said it is desirable for government to seek how to moderate the destabilising influence of foreign portfolio investors in the Nigerian capital market by boosting increased domestic participation in the market.

“We must generate savings within the country to supplement the foreign investment. We cannot depend on foreign investment if we want to salvage this country. We need to expand local institutional investment capacity and to achieve this, Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) must play a larger role.

Okumagba

“They must participate actively in the formation of the capital market.

They should buy mature bonds and tested companies. Twenty per cent of all pension funds must be invested in equities. If we want PENCOM to serve for long-term, they must put more money in the stock market because when you put money in the bank, the value does not increase,” he said.

He pointed out that local private equities and venture capital should be promoted through tax incentives, as well as creating globally competitive tax code that would give special considerations to tax laws in order to attract more listings in the market.

“We must remove discriminatory tax against insurance industries. We must end some discriminatory tax regime. We should have tax code that is neutral and encourage everybody in the same way.”

Way forward The Capital Market Committee (CMC) had called on domestic investors to participate more in the Nigerian capital market and not allow foreign investors dominate the market.

The call came as the Nigerian stock market continues to decline following the exit of foreign investors from the market triggered by the continued fall in global oil price.

Chairperson of the Organising Committee of CMC, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sanni, said recently at a conference, that the Nigerian capital market played an integral role in the financial market, which comprised debt capital market valued in excess of $37.5 billion as well as the equity market with capitalisation in excess of $85 billion.

She said: “One of the ways we can extract values for stakeholders is by reminding them that this economy is our economy and we are the ones that have a long-term stake. Our economy, like most global market, is sensitive to global development, but if we have a

AG DG, SEC, Mounir Gwarzo

Market operators have stressed the need for the expansion of local institutional investment capacity to attract more retail participation and spur activities in the primary market segment

strong participation by domestic investors in our economy, it actually helps to make our economy much more stable.

“One of the things we hope to develop further is domestic investor confidence, which is very critical for the long-term health and stability of our market. It is one of the things we want to continue to explore.

“We are glad all the relevant parties will be participating and we will be able to give that assurance to what is on ground. With all the operators coming together, we can send a clear message of safety to the Nigerian investors

and encourage them to invest more as the foreign investors are pulling out.”

The President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr. Albert Okumagba, also stressed the need for the Federal Government to promote the culture of national savings through appropriate incentives.

He said: “For instance, we suggest a policy where the interest on the first N1 million of savings is tax free. Through that, investors are incentivised to put their funds in savings account. Another approach to national savings is the review of the privatisation programme of the Federal Government and the divestment of its holdings in the privatised companies in order to mobilise funds and encourage the private sector operators to develop the economy while government provides an enabling environment.”

He called on the Federal Government to consider the divestment of at least 20 per cent holdings in the power companies to the Nigerian investing public, preparatory for listing the shares on a stock exchange.

“In addition, in order to solve the perennial housing problem, more Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) should be created as a matter of urgency to boost investment in the real estate sector,” he said.

Conclusion It should be noted that foreigners are businessmen, be they investors in stocks, bonds, commodities or pharmaceuticals, among others. Their motivation is profit, with purely capitalist tendencies; hence, they tend to gravitate towards markets where their profit motive will be actualised. It is, however, high time the various processes that have been put in place both by the regulators and other decision makers in the capital market are implemented to encourage and ginger the expansion of local investment base in the nation’s capital market.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

NIMASA detains three ships p.36

35

Maritime

‘Shipping accounts for 80% of foreign exchange’ p.37

Shippers’ Council hires firm to sanitise seaports POOR The monitoring team is idle at the seaports Stories by Bayo Akomolafe

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foreign firm, Nafith, has been hired by the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) to sanitise the nation’s seaports.

The move by the council to engage the firm was as a result of the illegal activities flourishing at the seaports despite the presence of the Presidential Port Reform Monitoring Committee set up in November, 2011.

Already, the firm has helped

Jordan to sanitise its ports and is currently working with the World Bank.

Nafith’s major assignment is to examine and recommend the type of infrastructure that will make the nation’s ports competitive with other ports in Africa.

The council had realised that poor work ethics by most agencies, as well as the multiplicity of agencies at the ports, were among the factors distorting port operations and making business at the port unfriendly.

According Mr. Bolaji Akinola, Chief Executive Officer, Ships and Ports Company, the poor work ethics had resulted in loss of business for the country as a whole.

He said: “Most of the revenue that should have come into

the country are often diverted to other countries. Some importers are usually left with little choice other than using ports belonging to neighbouring countries in the West African region.

He explained that the committee, which was chaired by Professor Sylvester Monye, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Monitoring and Evaluation, had lost its steam, traction and relevance and should, therefore, be scrapped.

The committee was set up to ensure that all ports and border stations function “according to international standards.

He recalled that the major mandate of the presidential committee was to ensure that

the eight government agencies sacked from the ports in 2011 should remain outside in order to streamline hurdles in the clearing processes because multiple agencies at the port had been found to be responsible for the delay encountered during and before clearing of goods.

The agencies affected by the sack include the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Directorate of Naval Intelligence (DNI), and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Quarantine Service (NQS), and National Environmental Standards Regulatory and Enforcement Agency, amongst others.

Akinola said: “The presidential committee has, without doubt, failed in enforcing the withdrawal of these agencies as most of them have made a clandestine come-back. The agencies now fully participate in cargo examination and have devised others means of inhibiting the smooth clearance and delivery of cargoes while Professor Monye’s team watches helplessly.’’

He noted that when the agencies were sacked, they were directed to close down their offices in the ports, with clear-cut instructions to appear at the invitation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), to participate in examination of regulated cargoes that may require their presence during the inspection exercises.

...Slams Customs over poor trade facilitation

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L-R: Chief Financial Officer, APM Terminal, Bansal Sunil; former Head of State and the company’s Board Chairman, Chief Ernest Shonekan and APM’s Managing Director, Mr. Andrews Dawes, during the cutting of tape to commission the new staff building, in Lagos.

‘NIMASA has become inefficient, needs to be unbundled’

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maritime lawyer, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, (SAN), has called for the unbundling of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

He alleged that the nation’s apex maritime regulatory body had performed woefully in the execution of the numerous briefs it is saddled with, Also, Agbakoba, the principal partner of Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL), who made the call in Lagos, stressed the need to reposition the maritime sector, which he said could become Nigeria’s major revenue generator.

He noted that the agency had become inefficient because it had taken on too many responsibilities in

maritime administration.

Agbakoba said: “I still hold the view that NIMASA should be unbundled. NIMASA was first the National Maritime Authority (NMA), and then, it swallowed the Government Inspector of Shipping (GIS).

He also alleged that NIMASA took over the permanent representation of Nigeria at the International Seabed Authority, which was created by the United Nations (UN) for the common exploitation of the natural resources of the high seas.

“NIMASA has become inefficient and needs to be unbundled,” he emphasised.

The lawyer stressed that the nation’s maritime safety and security issues were better handled by the Gov-

ernment Inspector Shipping until NIMASA took over.

Agbakoba explained that the matter of cabotage enforcement was a huge job which should be an agency on its own.

He suggested that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) should be appointed the regulator of shipping in Nigeria.

He recalled: “In the old days, maritime safety and security issues were handled at 88 Marine Road, Apapa.

Agbakoba noted that those in the organisation had the skills to protect Nigerian waters. “The second step was to assist them by creating a Coast Guard to patrol the waters. Somehow, NIMASA felt they were the ones entitled to do maritime safety and security,” he said.

igerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has chided the Nigerian Customs Service for placing too much emphasis on revenue generation as against trade facilitation.

Executive Secretary of the council, Hassan Bello, said that the essence of Customs was revenue and trade facilitation.

He emphasised that Customs should not concentrate too much on revenue generation.

Bello said: “Emphasis should not be on revenue, it should be on trade facilitation and I think we are discussing with Customs on that.”

He solicited the support of stakeholders to enable the NSC discharge its duties. He said that the mandate of the council was to provide level playing field for everyone including terminal operators who he said would also be protected.

Bello explained: “In our capacity as the port economic regulator, our role is to consult, coordinate, moderate and harmonise the various processes and procedures with a view to achieving operational efficiency at our ports.

“On terminal operators, the protection of their investment from undue interference leading to guarantee of investment and return of investment is part of our jobs.

“When appointed regulator, people were saying we should close down the port, but we cannot close down the terminals or shut the ports, but have to solve the problems at the ports.

“At times we have to ensure that we increase profitability of the terminal operators corresponding with the investment they have agreed to make, there must be openness and good atmosphere for investment.”

He called for synergy be-

tween the stakeholders and government agencies to enable the government actualise the mandate of making Nigerian ports the sub-regional hub and international logistics centres.

The executive secretary said that he would ensure that the role of NSC as a regulatory agency would protect the investments of the seaport terminal operators from undue interference, improve government revenue generation, improve infrastructural development and reduce the cost of doing business.

Bello noted that regulation would improve delivery of marine and terminal handling services leading to reduced Turn Around Time of vessels and reduction in the costs of vessels’ operations.

Bello urged the stakeholders and other regulatory agencies to support the council in making Nigerian ports the sub-regional hub.

The executive secretary said that the Federal Government had mandated the council to monitor and correct any disorder in the workings of a free market to address anti-competition behaviour.

Bello stressed that the council’s economic regulation focused on market rules, tariffs, quality of service, access and incentives regulation.

The council boss explained that he was mandated by government to close the existing gaps in the port sector and create a level-playing field for all maritime stakeholders to operate.

He said: “Our role is to consult, co-ordinate, moderate and harmonise the various procedures, with a view to achieving operational efficiency at our ports.

36

Business | Maritime

SAFETY Government agencies battle sea robbery, piracy and ship theft Stories by Bayo Akomolafe

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hree vessels were detained by the apex maritime regulator, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), at the weekend.

It was learnt that the vessels, UACC Eagle, Margane and Lilac Victoria, entered the country’s waters with private

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

NIMASA detains three ships security guards contrary to international convention.

The agency’s Director of Shipping Development, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, said that the agency was uncomfortable that vessels with high probability of entering Nigeria with disposable arms or ammunitions sailed in, shortly after the agency and other sisterly agencies had cleansed the Nigerian waters of scourges such as sea robbery, piracy and ship theft.

He warned ship operators, cargo owners and ship agents, that illegal activities by ship

owners may lead to possible forfeiture of their ships and cargoes to the Federal Government.

Enisuoh said: “Private registered security firms in collusion with unscrupulous officials have embarked on unconstitutional MOUs and partnerships that threaten our national security.

“NIMASA has embarked on tackling this problem as it seem to be gaining tacit support underground, as they even know local lawyers that will get them off the hook. There is no doubt

that they come with arms hidden within the ship or throw them overboard when threatened with a search.

“The weapons they come with may possibly be sold or handed over to others at night while in Nigerian waters. This could well threaten the peace and calm we enjoy in our waters with a possible spill over into land, with a far more devastating effect.

“The agency is therefore sounding a note of warning that any vessel that comes in to Nigeria with a foreign guard wheth-

er caught armed or unarmed will be detained and no cargo operation of any kind will be allowed, while NIMASA works with other sister agencies on the next step of actions to take.”

The agency’s director-general noted that those already detained were likely to be British nationals linked to private security firms overseas, specialised in giving trainings in the use of weapons, among others, having boarded the ships in Ghana or Cote D’Ivoire via flights from Europe, claiming to be unarmed.

Firm takes delivery of subsea support vessel

A

subsea support services firm, Marine Platforms, based in Nigeria and Aberdeen, has taken delivery of a new subsea support vessel, African Inspiration, from Norwegian shipbuilder, Havyard.

According to a statement, firm, which is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, with an operations base at Port Harcourt, also has a technical support base in Westhill, Aberdeenshire, and the vessel will service deepwater market locations offshore Nigeria.

African Inspiration is currently berthed in Aberdeen to install two 200hp work-class ROV systems and other project equipment before it leaves for Nigeria.

The 113metres Havyard Type 857 subsea IMR vessel is fitted with a 250 tons deepwater crane and has accommodation for 120.

Marine Platforms offers a wide range of services to the offshore oil industry in Nigeria and West Africa ranging from

completions and sub-sea services to vessel chartering services.

The company’s Aberdeenshire technical support base allows it to remain close to clients, suppliers and skilled staff to maintain a growing list of projects and client demands.

Its Chief Technical Officer, Angus Kerr said: “The delivery of African Inspiration will allow us to fulfill clients current and future project requirements by providing turnkey solutions and long-term employment for a greater number of both Nigerian and expatriate workers.

“We employ locally based personnel for both on and offshore operations as well as requiring the services of many local vendors. Nigeria, like many other countries, now requires a higher level of in-country workers and using the expertise of the team here, we assist with the development of Nigerian personnel ensuring a sustainable future for both our Nigerian and UK workforces.”

WISTA to facilitate girls’ sponsorship for seafaring W

omen’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, has said that it would facilitate sponsorship of girls that showed interest in the seafaring profession.

In a satement, its president, Mrs. Jean Chiazor-Anishere, explained that the association had issued scholarships to some female cadets of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom State, who excelled in their disciplines.

She noted that the association had embraced what the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) was doing in seafaring.

Chiazor-Anishere added that the association had mobilised some young girls, who were interested in the industry to come.

She said: “We can forward their names to NIMASA for the seafarers’ programme.

One of our ‘diamonds’, Mrs.

Irene Macfoy, is in charge of the seafarers’ programme in NIMASA. “Last year, we were able to continue with what we met set up by regime past. That means, issuing scholarships to Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron’s female cadet officers who have excelled in their various disciplines.

“We did it for six female cadet officers. We gave them money to finish through.

N100,000 each because what they do spend is more than N100,000 so we gave N100,000 each.

“And then, we took their applications, so that we could get them jobs because the big handicap is when they finish, they don’t have where to work.”

Chiazor-Anishere said the association had engaged the services of its past executive officers at WISTA Diamond Forum in order to be more active and support the association to achieve its goals.

Some idle cranes acquired by Ecomarine for its terminal at the Calabar port

Shonekan commissions AP Moller staff building

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ormer Head of State and Board Chairman of APM Terminals Apapa, Chief Ernest Shonekan, has commissioned a new ultra-modern staff building at the terminal.

He commended the management and staff of APM Terminals Apapa for maintaining high standards and efficient service delivery.

In a statement, Shonekan said: “I am quite impressed with what I have seen here today. I believe this will enhance service delivery at the terminal.

“I must commend all of you for making the dream of building a modern, world class container terminal in Nigeria, come true. It is not only about money. You may have all the money, but if you do not have the right people in place, it would be difficult to achieve any meaningful progress.”

The former head of state said that the operation of APM Terminals Apapa was important to the wellbeing of the Nigerian economy.

Managing Director of the company, Mr Andrew Dawes,

who conducted Shonekan and other guests round the new building, explained that the facility had some noteworthy features, which include energy saving dimmable lighting brought about by movement detection; lighting fixtures near windows designed as daylight controlled lighting fixtures, which respond to daylight sensors (photovoltaic cells) for power saving and energy efficient air conditioning and ventilation system.

Dawes said that the building was constructed over three floors with canteen, locker rooms, break rooms and clinic for APM Terminals staff.

He added that the facility contains a new customer service office on the ground floor and a 200 square-metre office for Nigeria Customs Service.

Dawes noted: “We have also installed here the most advanced and reliable single piece packaged water treatment system with NuDisc nutrient removing technology to provide quality of treated effluent suitable to discharge into a watercourse.

“There are also public address and information system at certain strategic points for broadcasting and displaying in–company messages on flat screen monitors.”

Dawes said that APM Terminals had invested USD350million to modify and upgrade the Apapa terminal over the past nine years.

APM Terminals Apapa started operation in 2006 with a lease of 25 years.

With 55 hectares of land, the terminal is the largest container terminal in West Africa. It employs 989 full time employees and another 1,211 contractors and sub-contractors.

In 2014, the company handled 650,000 TEUs, which represents 53 per cent of containerised cargo imports through Lagos.

The terminal currently services 10 shipping lines and thousands of importers.

It also operates with 22 Rubber Tyre Gantry cranes (RTGs), 11 Mobile Harbor Cranes, 10 Reach Stackers, 10 Empty Handlers and 75 Terminal Trucks.

Business | Maritime

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

‘Shipping accounts for 80% of foreign exchange’ IMPORTATION Sellers in Nigeria bear the cost of moving cargo on board a ship Stories by Bayo Akomolafe

R

ector of the Certified Institute of Shipping (CIS), Prof. Alex Okwuashi, has said that shipping business ac-

counted for 80 per cent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings.

Okwuashi, a professor of maritime administration and international shipping, explained that transportation and the sale of crude oil, which fetched large amount of foreign exchange, were done through shipping.

However, he noted that the cost of transporting crude oil out of the country was enormous, adding that it accounted for almost half of the total

cost of the commodity.

According to him, this was because Nigerian crude oil was being sold on Free on Board (FOB) basis.

Okwuashi added that there was a lacuna in the National Shipping Policy Act, 1987, which the Certified Institute of Shipping of Nigeria (CISN) Bill,would have resolved, if it had been signed into law.

He noted that the CISN Bill, which was submitted to the National Assembly some years ago, had sailed

through the House of Representatives and was presently in the Senate.

The rector stressed that the CISN Bill would also assist in building human capacity in various areas of the shipping industry, including ship building.

He said: “The CISN Bill seeks to fill that gap that the nation’s crude oil should not be sold on an FOB basis.”

The rector noted that if the terms of delivery of a transaction were on FOB basis, the cost of

movement of the goods on board a ship was borne by the seller.

Already, the Nigerian Ship owners Association (NISA), had called for a change in the mode of transaction of crude oil from FOB to Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF).

He urged the National Assembly, maritime institutions and all practitioners in the industry, to rally round and ensure that the CISN Bill, eventually passed to sanitise the industry.

37

FG to tap maritime potentials –Minister

T

he Minister of National Planning Commission, Dr. Abubakar Olanrewaju, has said that the Federal Government had resolved to diversify the economy by tapping the enormous potentials in the maritime industry as an alternative source of revenue.

He noted that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) had performed ‘effectively and efficiently’ in the discharge of its statutory responsibility within the present concession regime.

The minister, who spoke after the familiarisation tour of the ports in the Western Zone, said that with the challenges facing the oil sector, Nigeria must look for alternative means of increasing its revenue and the best sector that need, government encouragement is the maritime sector.

In a statement by the authority’s Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs, Mallam Musa Iliya, the minister stated that the maritime sector must be efficient while both the Federal Government and the operators would synergise to harness various opportunities within the sector.

Olanrewaju said that the Federal Government would not fail in its responsibility of expanding the port access road as well as modifying mechanism to boast maritime operation.

He added that the Federal Government would do everything possible to strengthen the NPA to perform her statuary roles for the sector to witness maximum growth.

Olanrewaju assured the management of NPA and other stakeholders that the National Planning Commission and National Council on Privatisation would do everything possible to make its finding especially on the various challenges facing the industry known to the Federal Government for consideration.

Olanrewaju

38

Photo | News

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

L-R: Secretary-General, Zawiyyatu Ridwanullahi Islamic Society of Nigeria, Mr. Salis Ajila; President, Alhaji Bashir Tiamiyu; Chief Missioner, Ustaz Abdulrasak Abdulmalik; Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Ismail Akorede and Financial Secretary, Mr. Yusuf Oduwole, during the Society’s Maolud Nobiyy and prayer for the nation in Lagos.

L-R: Wife of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s governorship candidate for Lagos State, Mrs. Bola Ambode; governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; his running mate, Dr. Oluranti Adebule and her husband, Alhaji Saheed Adegbule, during a campaign tour at Ojo LGA in Lagos.

L-R: Chief Samuel Adedoyin; Alhaji Razak Okoya, Governor Babatunde Fashola and Hon Justice George Oguntade, during their condolence visit to the late Chief Thomas-Okoya residence in Lagos.

PHOTOS; TONY EGUAYE

Ogun State governorship candidate, All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Ibikunle Amosun (right), decorating the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Gboyega Nasir Isiaka during the Ogun Political Debate organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), Ogun State Council, in Abeokuta.

L-R: Group Managing Director, Taver Aluminium, Dr. Jinesh Dusad; Executive Director, Brian Munro Limited, Lagos, Demola Kolade; President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Olumide Akintayo and Director General/Chief Executive, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu, during SON’s Director-General’s thanksgiving in Lagos.

L-R: All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)’s House of Representatives candidate for Ogbaru, Princess Chinwe Nwaebili; Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano; senatorial candidate for Ogbaru, Dubem Obaze and House of Assembly candidate, Ben Nwawulu, during the party’s rally in Ogbaru.

National Coordinator Agricultural/Agro-Allied Cooperative Matters in Nigeria, Prof. Victoria Aladejobi [middle], presenting a copy of an agreement to the Business Manager, First Bank Limited, Mr. Solomon Aremu and Assistant Business Manager, First Bank, Mr. Osaze Uwaifo, during a meeting between First Bank and Agro-Allied Commodities Cooperative Entrepreneurship in Abuja.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

L-R: Director, Drug Evaluation and Research, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Titilope Owolabi; Director, Port Inspection Directorate, Mrs. Maureen Ebigbeyi and Director -General, Dr. Paul Orhii, displaying the fake Alomo Bitters confiscated from a counterfeiter at a media briefing on the activities of the agency in Lagos.

3

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40 Politics C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 7

budget of the current fiscal year.

“The present economic realities call for caution in the preparation of the budget but I did not see the caution in the letters of this budget. First, if you look at the capital expenditure vis-a-vis the overhead, the capital expenditure as presented in the budget is about 9.9% of the budget but which does in my opinion call for caution, whereby the capital expenditure of the national budget is less than 10%. I think we are still deluded with the issue of oil in this country. I have not seen in this document whereby this country intends to diversify,” Ningi maintained.

Eze: We need to expand our economy Also contributing, Senator Ayogu Eze (PDP- Enugu) cautioned that the 2015 budget should be predicated on other revenue indices rather than relying solely on oil, which was already crashing in the international market.

He said: “If there is any time we need to expand our economy and put it on the path of sustainable growth, it is now. If you look at the indices or the assumptions in the budget, what you see is benchmark oil price, projected production etc. In a properly organised detailed economy, we should be talking about revenue indices and not just oil. We have to talk about where the money is coming from, but right now the only thing you can see in this paper is what to get from oil and what we did not get from oil.

“I think that this is an opportunity for us to return to the development plans that we have had in this country. We have to go back to our rolling plans so that we can have some level of certainty and every year’s budget will now collocate into the budgets of the rolling plans.”

Adetumbi: Passing unrealistic budget Moreover, Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi (APC-Ekiti) said the budget might have to be prepared afresh in view of the current oil price of less than $46 per barrel and a benchmark deficit of about $28 per barrel.

He said that passing a budget based on the exaggerated benchmark price and other parameters would amount to shooting oneself in the leg. The opposition legislator comprehensively articulated reasons why the budget should not be passed as presented, to avoid subjecting the economy to serious crisis in the 2015 fiscal year.

He said: “I agree that as a parliament we have a duty to carry out the process of looking at the budget but it is rather unfortunate that what we are passing to the committees is a piece of document that cannot be implemented because the assumptions on the revenue side of the budget are totally exaggerated and the implication is that expenditure we are asking committees to look at are expenditures for which there will be no money to finance and the reason there will be no money to finance those expenditures is that right now they are grossly exaggerated assumption that the price of oil is $65 per barrel.

“Mr. President, you and I and everybody and the members of these committees and the media and all Nigerians, we know that the price for oil as we speak, is in the threshold of $45 to $46 per barrel.

Therefore, the budget we are sending to committees, is in deficit of $28 per barrel of monies that will not come and the expenditure the committees are to review.

It is a pity that our committees may end up doing these work two times - to review the existing projections, which are based on unrealistic oil pricing, “Mr. President, it is also on record that Nigeria has not done 2.7 million barrels per day - not in 2014, not in 2013 and I don’t know the empirical basis for which this volume of production is being projected. So, we are shooting ourselves

WEDNESDAY, February 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Lawmakers return damning verdict on 2015 Budget

Ningi

Ndoma-Egba

Makarfi

Enang

in the foot with a double barrel gun; an exaggerated benchmark price and an unrealistic volume of production and on the basis of which expenditure has been planned. This is clearly a deficit budget and let us call it by its name and let us know where the deficit is going to come from.

“What is the basis of financing the deficit? I think that is what we should be talking about.

I am not even sure Mr. President, given the current oil prices, the entire projection for our capital budget is not already eroded. The real price of oil and the volume that we are going to be able to push in 2015, given the current situation of things whether we are going to even have enough to fund anything under capital budget outside borrowing.

“Our duty here is to vote for what is right over what is good because what is right is superior to what is good. It is good for this budget to be passed so that the Senate can be seen to have done it but it is not right to send projections that are not in synchronism with the reality all in the name of fulfilling processes and procedures,” he urged.

much amounts to 20 per cent which they spent when what they remitted to government was usually not commensurate with their revenue.

“The revenue from the 51 MDAs can fund Nigeria without oil; how do countries without oil survive? Where is the money in the excess crude account? Where is the share of the Federal Government in the excess crude account,” he queried.

“There is no point allowing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Maritime Agency and Communication Commission to generate money and keep without putting it in the revenue account. I am celebrating the fall of oil so that we can go back to see the amount of money generated by these agencies and determine the 20 per cent they should spend and the 80 per cent they should transmit to the federation account.

“The benchmark was $77 per barrel but oil sold over $100 per barrel. We are guilty because I raised alarm that no money from the excess crude should not be expended without the consent of the National Assembly.

“My submission is that since we signed the 2014 Appropriation Act, there has not been application for supplementary budget. The president should, therefore, fund the 2015 budget with the reserve from the excess crude amount.

“I want to say with respect that there is as required by the Fiscal Responsibil-

Celebrating fall of oil price In his submission, Senator Ita Enang (PDP-Akwa Ibom) expressed worries that the MDAs were not disclosing how much they actually generated and how

ity Act, the budget of Federal Government owned corporations which I have for the past three years, drawn the attention of the Senate that we have always received it, but we have never considered it. So, it is time now for us to go back and look at what the law mandates us to do.

“I am celebrating the fall in oil prices because it is sending Nigerians back to the era where we will have to earn and consume what we generate. I am celebrating the fall in the price of oil, because it is time that we will have to go back to these instruments and then look at the amount of the monies that is generated by each of these agencies and then determine what is the 20 per cent, which is what they are supposed to keep and the 80 per cent, they are supposed to pay into the Federation Account.” Enang stated.

He also demanded that prices of petroleum products be reviewed downward without waiting for Labour unions to go on strike. This, he said, will force down the cost of living so that Nigerians would not be ripped off.

Ekweremadu’s homily The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, charged the Committees on Finance and Appropriations to ensure that they captured all other sources of revenue in the face of the dwindling oil prices, which had gone below the $65 benchmark currently proposed by the Federal Government.

He supported other lawmakers, who expressed misgivings on the implementability of the 2015 budget proposal as presented to the National Assembly since it could not be funded by revenue from oil, urging that other sources of revenue must be duly harnessed and utilized to rescue the country from the impending economic doom.

“This is the time for us as a parliament to ensure that while considering this, all existing revenue items are captured in the budget to have a pool of resources that will help us implement the budget when passed.

“Government must also put on their thinking cap to develop new areas of revenue generation to help drive our economy. We have gone through this before and eventually the oil price improved.

“Within those periods, we did not learn any lesson but I hope this time we will learn the lesson that will help us to be disciplined in our fiscal management; this is a time for us to also think seriously about our fiscal alliance. Everybody must be ready, including politicians to make sacrifices,” he canvassed.

Ekweremadu also urged Nigeria to draw example from Norway, which is also an oil-producing nation but does not predicate its budget on oil, neither does it depend on oil for annual expenditure.

He charged politicians seeking electoral positions to spend their funds wisely during their political campaigns, stressing that they might not recover their funds after the elections in view of the precarious economic situation in the country.

With this critical position of the Senate on the 2015 fiscal estimates, it is expected that when the lawmakers return to duty from the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 17, they will know what to do with the contentious document; whether to go ahead and tinker with it or return it to the executive and call for fresh and more realistic budget proposal for the country in the current year.

Politics 41

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, February 4, 2015

PHILIP NYAM writes that less than two weeks to the presidential and National Assembly elections, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, is yet to brief the House of Representatives on the controversy trailing the distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs)

Reps’ fruitless search for voters’ relief

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efore the House of Representatives adjourned for electioneering on January 14, it summoned the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, to appear before it within 48 hours to brief it on the controversy surrounding the issuance of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).

Speaker of the House, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, had given the order summoning the INEC chairman to appear before the House Committee on Electoral Matters, after a motion was passed unanimously by majority of members present.

Another resolution reached by the House was the directive to INEC to extend the period for the PVC distribution. But for almost a month, the INEC chairman has not appeared before the committee. The day he was summoned to appear, Jega could not honour the invitation, which the clerk of the committee attributed to ill health.

It seems this summon will end up unattended to because this committee may not get any response from Jega given that the elections are around the corner, and the House will not reconvene until after the first round of elections.

This has in a way defeated the intendment of the summon.

The House oversight on INEC may not be efficient in this wise because a lot of potential voters are crying foul of being disenfranchised. Up till today, a large chunk of registered voters have have not collected their PVCs. This is disturbing.

Meanwhile, INEC has insisted that it will not yield to the calls for the use of the temporary voter’s cards for the February 14 and 28 elections as was canvassed by the House and a cross section of Nigerians. According to INEC, there are currently 68,833,476 million eligible voters in INEC’s register for the general elections. But how many have secured the mandatory PVC to exercise their civic right is yet unknown?

The summon The order followed a motion of urgent national importance

by Hon. Balogun Yakubu Abiodun (Lagos, APC) on the need for INEC to brief the House on the progress made so far on the issuance of PVCs. INEC started the first phase of distribution of the cards on Friday May 23, 2014 to Sunday, May 25, 2014 in 10 states.

The last phase is ongoing but it has been characterised by complaints.

Jega displaying list of registered voters Apparently not satisfied with the way and manner the review of voters’ cards was conducted in the federation, the House also called on INEC to extend by one week the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, due to complaints from various quarters. INEC has complied with this by extending the period for the distribution of the PVCs and has extended the collection of PVC by one week. INEC had on its own extended by two days the Continuous Voter Registration in Taraba, Gombe, Zamfara, Kebbi, Benue, Kogi, Abia, Enugu, AkwaIbom and Bayelsa, but the House sought for a longer extension in every part of the country. This, INEC has somehow complied with by allowing the process to continue throughout the country.

This resolution followed a motion by Hon. Hassan Saleh (PDP, Benue) which was unanimously adopted. Saleh said that 650 polling units in Benue recorded zero voter registration with about 700,000 potential voters disenfranchised.

He said that eligible voters who registered in 2010 could not find their names in the new register and could not get the temporary or permanent card.

“Over half of the polling units in my constituency were affected as my constituents could not find their names. They were asked to come for re-registration from May 28 to June 1,” he said, adding that the two days was insufficient for such an important exercise.

Specifically, he said that aside the insufficient time for the exercise, the machines deployed were not functioning as expected, as the staff could not operate them.

The case for TVC In view of the seeming inability of INEC to distribute the PVCs to all registered voters ahead of the February polls, the House had directed the electoral umpire to

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

If the current position of the commission – that only those voters with the PVCs are qualified to vote – is not addressed, many registered and eligible voters will be disenfranchised in the general elections

Tambuwal allow eligible voters to vote with their Temporary Voters’ Cards (TVC). The House took the decision after adopting a motion by the House Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to that effect. In his lead debate, Gbajabiamila (Lagos/ APC) stated that it was “very unlikely” that INEC will be able to distribute the PVCs to all registered voters before the elections.

According to him, “The general elections being just four weeks or 31 days from now, it is very unlikely that the commission will be able to distribute the PVCs to all registered and eligible voters before the elections.

“If the current position of the commission – that only those voters with the PVCs are qualified to vote – is not addressed, many registered and eligible voters will be disenfranchised in the general elections, to the detriment of the growth of democracy in Nigeria,” he said.

Unfortunately, INEC insisted that only voters with PVCs will be allowed to vote in the elections, saying it has not received

the Houses’ directive to the contrary. Does it mean that INEC can reverse its stance should it receive a communication from the House?

Now that the House could not get INEC to adhere to its directive to allow all registered voters to cast their votes, who should be held responsible for the injustice that will be meted out to those who cannot vote even with their names in the register?

Incidentally, the registered voters are desirous to exercise their constitutional right to vote and choose leaders of their choice but official limitations are threatening to stop them. The National Assembly and particularly the House is hamstrung in bringing relief to the unlucky registered voters who cannot get their cards. The House Committee on Electoral Matters should step up its game; it is never too late, it can still engage INEC and impress on it to change its position and allow all electorate with the Temporary Voters’ Cards exercise their franchise come February 14 and 28 respectively.

42 Politics C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

change is contesting the February 14 presidential election on a strong political platform, which enjoys great followership in the North and South-West. His success will however depend on how well he and his party are able to break the stigma against him in the Southern region where he is largely regarded as a religious bigot, a semi-literate and a brute dictator who cares little about the diversities in Nigeria.

Kevin Chinedu Allagoa (PPN) The Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) presidential candidate is one of the new entrants into the presidential race.

Not much is known about him politically before he joined the presidential race.

Allagoa, a native of Aba in Abia State, was born in 1968. A businessman, he spent all his youthful age in Port Harcourt, Rivers State where he obtained his primary, post primary and university qualifications before moving to Tombi, Nembe in Bayelsa State to establish his business.

Allagoa and his party are relatively new in Nigerian politics. He is not known to have contested any political office before now, neither has he held any political office, appointive or elective. The chance of him winning the presidency is therefore slim.

Apart from being listed as a presidential candidate by INEC, nothing has been heard of the PPN presidential campaign.

Godson Okoye (UDP) Okoye is the presidential candidate of the United Democratic Party (UDP).

Born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in 1963, Okoye, a legal practitioner, schooled in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State and in Port Harcourt. He was also at University of Lagos where he obtained his LLB (Hon) in 1987, and the Nigeria Law School in Victoria Island also in Lagos.

He practised law for a while before he secured a political appointment in 2002 in the office of the President of the Senate between 2002 and 2004 before returning to legal practice again.

His present political sojourn is the only known political contest he has undertaken. And his experience in politics is limited to the two years he spent in the office of the president of the Senate as an appointee.

On the other hand, the UDP on which platform he is seeking to be president of Nigeria is relatively an unknown party.

UDP has not produced any candidate since its formation. To make matter worse, neither the candidate nor the party has embarked on any political campaign to woo the electorate.

Chekwas Okorie (UPP) Chief Chekwas Okorie is the national chairman and presidential candidate of the United Progressives Party (UPP). He is not new in the Nigerian politics but is new in the presidential contest.

A PhD holder and a philanthropist, Okorie came to political limelight when he registered the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2002. From nothing, the UPP presidential candidate funded APGA and made it a national party.

APGA contested the presidential elections in 2003 and 2007.

Following the problem he had with some chieftains in APGA, Okorie left the party and attempted to register the United Peoples Grand Alliance (UPGA) with his associates. This was rejected

by INEC. Undaunted, Chekwas re-applied to INEC with the name of another party, the United Progressives Party, which was registered on October 2, 2012.

Before the ban on political activities was lifted, Okorie was aggressive in his public enlightenment about the party. He was targeting electorate from the South East.

WEDNESDAY, February 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari, 12 others battle for

Onovo

Eke

Salau

Anifowose-Kelani

Ayeni

Okoye

paid his dues in Nigerian politics. Also the platform is not popular.

election of Ekiti State on the platform of United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP) and lost. Ayeni, who started his lecturing job in 1986 at the Obafemi Awolowo University (University of Ife), Osun State, started his University academic pursuit in 1976. He did his first degree, Master’s and PhD in the same university.

He bagged his PhD in 1988.

Ayeni, a Muslim cleric is the chairman/chief executive officer of MidLatitude Group.

Nothing much has been heard from him. He has refused to campaign yet he is seeking to be the president.

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

Not much has been heard of UPP since the ban of political activities was lifted. Okorie may be doing subtle campaign, but people only got to know about his presidential ambition on INEC website and pages of newspapers. He is yet to publicly launch his presidential campaign to convince Nigerians why he wants to be their president.

Tunde Anifowose-Kelani (AA) Little is known about Anifowose except that he served as Senator of the Federal Republic.

A rotarian, the Action Alliance presidential candidate in 2011 protested the omission of his party’s logo by INEC during the Oyo gubernatorial election.

Though the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) won the Oyo governorship, members of AA were appointed into executive and board positions.

Anifowose has been consistence since he joined AA, he is not one of the politicians who jump from one party to the other in search for greener pasture.

He has already launched his presidential campaign on the website where he is promising youth employment and development. But how far this could help him to win the presidency remains a puzzle. The AA candidate is looking for a miracle that will take him there.

He has nominated Ishaka Paul as his running mate but like him, he has not

Remi Sonaiya (KOWA) Prof. Remi Sonaiya is a retired lecturer of French Language and Applied Linguistics of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun State.

Born in 1955, she started her education in 1961 at the St. Luke’s Demonstration School, Ibadan, Oyo State. She proceeded to the OAU in 1973 where she obtained Bachelor of Arts in French Language in 1977. In 1988, she obtained her Doctorate Degree from the Cornell University, USA. She started her lecturing career in 1982 and became a professor in 2001.

Remi as fondly called by friends and associates is also active in church and para-church organisations. She is a member of the Nigerian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (NIFES), the Nigeria Bible Translation Trust, Calvary Ministry, Great Commission Movement of Nigeria, etc. She has been a Bible study teacher in her church for many years and is on the international faculty of Haggai Institute, Hawaii, USA, where she lectures on Stewardship.

She is married to Babafunso Sonaiya, a professor of Animal Science.

Politically, nothing is heard of her except the mention of her name by INEC as presidential candidate. She has not been seen campaigning for the seat.

Adebayo Musa Ayeni (APA) Dr. Ayeni is the presidential candidate of the African Peoples Alliance (APA).

He was born in 1953 in Emure-Ekiti, Ekiti state. A Biochemist by study, he was the Commissioner for Agriculture and later that of Commerce and Industry between 1988 and 1990 in the old Ondo State. Between 1990 and 1992, he was a deputy governor in Ondo State.

In 2007, he contested the governorship

Ambrose Albert Owuru (HDP) High Chief Ambrose Albert Owuru, a lawyer, has been in the presidential race since 2007. He is the presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP).

Born in Port Harcourt some 53 years ago, Owuru attended Orogbum Primary School in Port Harcourt before proceeding to Country Grammar School, Ikwerre/Ekhe. For his university education, the HDP presidential candidate went to University of Buckingham, England and the University of London.

Upon his return to Nigeria, Owuru attended the Nigeria Law School and was called to the Bar. He worked with Soton Denton between 1986 and 1987 before joining A A Owuru and company.

Given his past experience, Owuru is not new in presidential contest. He has gone through the same path since 2007 but unfortunately, HDP is not well rooted in Nigerian politics.

Again, he is yet to embark on nationwide presidential campaign probably because of lack of money. His chances in becoming the next Nigerian president is slim.

Martin Onovo (NCP) The National Conscience Party (NCP)

Politics 43

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, February 4, 2015

Jonathan’s seat presidential candidate, Chief Martin Onovo is an engineer by profession.

He was the presidential candidate of Action Alliance (AA) in 2011.

Onovo was born in Owerri, Imo State in 1969 and studied in the University of Ibadan and the University of Houston in the United States of America, where he read Petroleum Engineering. Before then, he was in Ekulu Primary School and National Grammar School both in Enugu, the Enugu State capital, for his primary

and secondary education.

The NCP presidential candidate worked with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) for one year, between 1992 and 1993 before he left for his second degree in USA. He was a member of various organisations including the Institute of Transport Administration and the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) Despite his past experience as AA presidential candidate in 2011, Onovo and his party are not front runners in the

presidential race.

Before he joined the presidential contest in 2011, Onovo had no previous political experience.

Mani Ibrahim Ahmad (ADC) Dr. Mani Ibrahim Ahmad is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The 46-year-old graduate of Ahmadu Bello University is a Director, Academic Planning at Baze University, Although, his campaign theme is, “Think about your situation”, Ahmed

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

is not considered a serious candidate.

Ganiyu Galadima (ACPN) Galadima, born in 1964 started his political carrier in 1991 when he was elected councillor, Ilorin-West Local Government Area of Kwara State. In 1992, he was appointed deputy speaker of

the council and after this position, he has gone on to hold other appointive positions. As a member of All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP), he was elected Kwara State Legal Adviser of the party from 2001-2006 and later became the national assistant treasurer of the party. In 2007, he picked the ANPP senatorial ticket of the party in 2007 and lost the election. He was however appointed in 2010 as Director, Constituency Affairs of Senator Gbemisola Saraki.

The ACPN presidential candidate in 2011 left ANPP and joined ACPN as national secretary. He served in this capacity

until 2014 before he was elected national chairman of the party and later the presidential candidate. Galadima is also the national treasurer of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).

He is not canvassing for votes. He has not embarked on campaign a few days to the election.

Rafiu Salau (AD) Salau is the presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

He was born on July 25, 1966. He is not new in Nigerian politics having served as national publicity secretary of the AD over 10 years.

Salau is an experienced politician, he has never taken part in any election as a candidate, therefore his intention to run for the presidency took many people by surprise.

Considering his political antecedent, Salau is not seen as a serious contender in the presidential race. He also lacks viable platform to actualise his dream.

Sam Eke (CPP) Despite being the national chairman of Citizen Popular Party (CPP), Dr. Sam Eke had to battle on many fronts to get the party’s presidential ticket for the February 14 election. He is no greenhorn in politics and his dossier speaks volumes of his various forays in politics.

But whether that would translate to votes for him during the election is a different kettle of fish.

Eke, who is an accountant by profession, hails from Ikwuana Iga in Abia State but had his primary and post-primary education in Lagos. He then advanced to the Federal Polytechnic, Akanu Ibiam and then the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro for his tertiary education. In the quest for further knowledge in his field of study, he went abroad to the Pacific Western University, Janus University and the State University of New York, all in the United States of America, to acquire a post graduate certificate and then his PhD. He was the CPP governorship candidate in Abia State in 2007 and 2011 and was the national publicity secretary, Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC).

With his party, CPP, escaping INEC hammer. Eke, as the chairman of the party, moved dispassionately to put the party in the political mainstream of the nation before emerging as the presidential candidate.

The CPP presidential candidate was in the news lately when he lost his cool at the 2015 election sensitisation workshop on nonviolence, widely known as the Abuja Accord following the omission of his name from the programme.

44

Business | Money Line

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

BEDC uncovers plot to foment trouble today LOAD SHEDDING

Under supply responsible for load shedding Adeola Yusuf

T

he Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) yesterday said it had uncovered plots by some “faceless group” to use President Jonathan’s campaign rally holding in Benin today (Wednesday) to foment trouble, claiming demonstration against BEDC and privatisation.

The Chief Security Officer of BEDC, Lt.Col. Isaac Edoka (Rtd) disclosed this in a statement yesterday.

He said this information has been reported to the law enforcement agencies for adequate monitoring.

In a related development, BEDC also said that it received 240Mega Watt (MW) from the national grid instead of about 900MW required by the company to serve Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states.

The electricity firm,

which said this in a statement, explained that this under-supply was responsible for the load shedding among customers in the four states.

The statement signed

by Chief Corporate Service Officer, Kunbi Labiyi, added that some demonstrators, who besieged the company, understood the challenge when these facts were

presented to them “and realised there was no basis for their demonstration.”

The statement entitled: “Report on Demonstration to Benin Disco Office,” read: “At around 9.30am this morning (Monday), there was demonstration from persons who claimed to be residents from areas behind Ogbe stadium

(Benin City) under Etete environs. Their complaint was hinged on the 12 hourly load shedding arrangement currently being enjoyed by their area. This implies that they are not happy that they are getting 12 hours power supply daily.

“The Load shedding arrangement is a result of inadequate power supply and was further occa-

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said it planned to sell $30,000 to each of more than 2,500 bureau de change operators (BDCs) on Friday, in a move to increase dollar liquidity.

The apex bank has been trying to narrow the gap at which the naira, hard hit by the drop in oil prices, trades on the interbank market through its regular interventions and is also trying to curb speculation.

Over the last year, the bank has burned through 20 percent of its reserves, spending $28 million a day to defend the currency, which has been under unrelenting pressure from a

lack of petro-dollars.

By end-January, reserves stood at $34.28 billion.

The one-off intervention last Friday is in addition to its regularly auction every week. The bank doubled the amount it auctions to BDC agents to $30,000 last month.

The naira was selling at N209 to the dollar in the parallel market operated

by BDC agents on Tuesday, while the interbank market rate hit N190.08 on thin trades.

At the BDC, documentation to buy dollars is less rigorous but the market usually sells in small lots, compared with the interbank, which can

As at N14,737,618.7m N16,509,472.5m 8 0.0000 12 10.899 7.96 17.01 US$109.9 US$42,604,781,796.6

Description

TTM

4.00% 23-Apr-2015 13.05% 16-Aug-2016 15.10% 27-Apr-2017 16.00% 29-Jun-2019 16.39% 27-Jan-2022 10.00% 23-Jul-2030

1.21 2.53 3.22 5.39 7.98 16.47

Tenor (Days) Call 7 30 60 90 180 365

Rate (%) 11.9167 12.3333 12.6667 12.9167 13.2167 13.5000 13.7500

NIBOR

Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 2/5/2014 1/20/2014 11/6/2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 1/20/2014 2/5/2014 Source:CBN

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

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

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

FX

vided. Edo state enjoys the 44% of the amount received presently, while the Ekiti, Ondo and Delta States share 56%.

“In Edo State, several locations receive between 10hours and 23hours power supply, with the least availability being 6 hours. This is far higher than the average in most States in the country.

CBN to step up dollar sales to boost naira

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

sioned by the reduction in generation leading to a drop in the allocation from TCN to BEDC.” She explained: “Presently, BEDC receives 240MW from the national grid to cover Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states, which is far lower than what the four states need.

“BEDC currently has capacity to take three times the power pro-

Bid Spot ($/N) 163.28 THE FIXINGS –NIBOR,NITTY and NIFEX of February 6,2014

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80 Offer 163.38

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

Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

naira closed at N189.25 last Monday.

Dealers said the local units of Mobil and Chevron sold a combined $82.5 million to some lenders to buy naira for their local operation.

FirstBank promotes trade financing Chris Ugwu

F

irst Bank of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc, has thrown its weight behind the development of trade financing in Nigeria and beyond.

This according to a statement, informed the collaborative effort with FBNBank (UK) Limited, to sponsor the 6th Annual West Africa Trade Commodity Conference scheduled for today (February 4) and tomorrow (February 5, 2014), in Lagos.

The event, which is organised by GTR/Exporta Publishing & Events Limited, would convene international and national delegates to include chief financial officers, company treasurers, financial controllers, financial directors, exporters, importers, manufacturers, distributors and traders from various sectors and business concerns.

In a statement by the bank’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Bisi Onasanya, the lender, said it would continue to create and support initiatives that will create business opportunities and investments in Nigeria and the African continent.

“We will continue to grow our mileages in developing trade and commodity finance across the continent”, he said.

The First Bank boss noted that the progress FirstBank had made in trade finance is further buttressed by its consistent win of the ‘Best Trade Finance Bank in Nigeria’ by Global Finance Awards for seven years including 2015.

“FBN Bank (UK) Limited has also been named Best Trade Finance Bank in West Africa for five consecutive years by Global Trade Review Awards,” he said.

FG to raise N90bn in bonds on Feb 11

T

he Federal Government plans to raise N90 billion ($475 million) in sovereign bonds with maturities ranging between five and 20 years at its next regular auction on Feb. 11, the Debt Management Office (DMO) said yesterday.

The debt office said it would auction N35 billion worth of the 5-year bond, N30 billion of the 10-year

paper and N25 billion of the 20-year debt note, using the Dutch Auction System.

The 5-year debt note according to Reuters News, is a fresh issue, while the 10year and 20-year bonds are re-openings of previously issued paper. Results of the auction are expected to be announced the following day, the DMO said in a notice.

Court awards ex-Ecobank CEO $11.6m

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX

transact over $100 million a day.

The currency firmed marginally to close at N189.15 on the interbank market yesterday after the apex bank intervened and two oil companies sold dollars. The

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

A

court in Togo awarded the former chief executive of Pan-African Ecobank Thierry Tanoh $11.6 million yesterday in his wrongful dismissal suit.

The bank said it would appeal the ruling.

Ecobank’s board fired

Tanoh last March after months of turmoil over allegations that he allowed breaches of corporate governance. Last month a court in Ivory Coast awarded him $15 million for defamation over a row in the run-up to his dismissal.

Business | Financial Market News

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

45

3-Feb-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

NA

NA

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

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

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

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

535.00 581.39 476.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 434.68 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 206.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,855.63

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,386.38

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

0.22 1.53 2.23 2.48 2.57 3.32 4.40 4.72 6.98 9.11 13.82 14.30 14.79 15.47 19.45

11.85 15.07 15.34 15.34 15.34 15.33 15.31 15.32 15.34 15.20 15.91 16.01 16.12 15.63 15.53

11.14 14.96 15.25 15.26 15.26 15.20 15.22 15.21 15.27 15.14 15.85 15.94 16.04 15.55 15.47

98.31 97.30 99.50 89.00 87.64 88.24 102.10 72.73 104.40 95.10 94.92 80.39 57.46 67.50 79.40

98.46 97.45 99.65 89.15 87.79 88.54 102.40 73.03 104.70 95.40 95.22 80.69 57.76 67.80 79.70

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

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

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

24-May-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 2.70 112.22 116.70 66.49

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

0.30 1.16 1.84 2.21 2.42

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

15.07 17.78 17.20 16.29 16.33

95.60 99.51 98.10 97.16 93.84

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

322.68

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

312.05

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.57

4.44

19.45

96.36

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

4.18

30-Sep-15

0.41

3.23

16.99

98.46

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

4.86

30-Jun-16

0.93

4.46

20.05

15.50

5.73

30-Jun-16

0.93

3.48

19.07

97.07

19-Apr-17

2.21

1.00

16.29

88.68

95.12

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR

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

25.73

30-Jun-17

1.47

1.00

16.12

97.02

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.91

1.79

17.13

93.02

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

34.14

30-Sep-18

2.08

1.80

17.06

94.99

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

2.09

1.00

16.27

96.24

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

13.73

09-Dec-18

2.28

1.00

16.30

96.75

‡ /Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

10.20

12-Dec-18

2.28

4.78

20.08

89.69

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.47

1.00

16.34

98.38

BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR

*GOMBE LAGOS

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

BBB-/Agusto; A-/GCR

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

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

15.50 14.50 14.75

16.23 80.00 26.62

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

2.71 4.80 2.78

1.00 1.00 2.74

16.34 16.32 18.08

98.25 94.03 93.20

‡ /Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020

10-Oct-13

14.75

11.10

10-Oct-20

3.33

1.00

16.33

96.19

‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.50

27-Nov-20

5.81

1.00

16.33

89.55

A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro

KOGI

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

5.91

1.94

17.28

91.73

‡ /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

3.57

1.44

16.77

94.34

06-Jan-14

15.00

4.56

06-Jan-21

3.60

1.95

17.28

94.34

98.11

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

460.61 429.52

Corporate Bonds ‡ /Agusto BBB-/Agusto

*UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

5.00

17-Aug-15

0.29

4.88

17.06

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

18.75

09-Dec-15

0.60

1.00

16.04

97.75

BB/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.42

06-Jan-16

0.68

2.63

17.81

97.70

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

1.65

1.00

16.14

95.55

A-/Agusto

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.72

1.34

16.50

96.67

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

2.66

1.00

16.34

92.97

BBB-/GCR

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.64

30-Nov-17

1.68

1.88

17.03

102.04

Nil

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

6.30

09-Apr-18

1.68

3.48

18.63

96.48

A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.90

09-Sep-18

1.84

5.20

20.40

96.66

#

1.84

5.06

20.26

94.07

AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR

*TOWER

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.80

09-Sep-18

A/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

3.63

1.35

16.68

92.87

Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.40

18-Oct-18

1.95

2.29

17.52

97.25

BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

18.00

0.41

17-Feb-19

2.04

6.11

21.36

94.98

Nil

*DANA#{r}

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

2.91

2.16

17.50

96.68

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.78

2.76

18.09

89.98

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

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

30-Sep-14

11.93

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.66

1.00

16.18

79.50

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.66

1.00

16.18

85.85

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

135.24

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

126.96

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

3.02

1.00

16.34

85.80

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

16.32

84.51

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

24.95 21.24

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

6.98

6.76

98.87

99.94

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

5.77

5.38

98.00

99.20

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

7.25

7.06

94.57

95.69

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

1,457.17

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

175.42

175.42

33.50

33.50

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

6.97

6.97

100.63

100.63

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

11.28

11.28

91.50

91.50

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

13.71

12.76

82.49

84.67

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

10.67

9.55

85.83

89.00

B/Fitch

AFREN PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

41.21

41.21

40.50

40.50

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

11.48

11.48

82.88

82.88

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

14.84

14.35

81.12

82.46

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

12.71

12.71

82.00

82.00

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

28.42 13.30 12.66

28.42 13.00 12.66

39.50 82.75 79.06

39.50 83.88 79.06

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

10.75

10.52

89.92

90.91

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,760.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

3,562.82

**Treasury Bills DTM 9 16 23 30 37 44 51 58

FIXINGS Maturity 12-Feb-15 19-Feb-15 26-Feb-15 5-Mar-15 12-Mar-15 19-Mar-15 26-Mar-15 2-Apr-15

Bid Discount (%) 11.00 10.80 11.45 12.15 12.39 12.15 12.40 13.20

Offer Discount (%) 10.75 10.55 11.20 11.90 12.14 11.90 12.15 12.95

Bid Yield (%) 11.03 10.85 11.53 12.27 12.55 12.33 12.62 13.48

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 9.9517 13.3513 14.3215 15.4347

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

9.00

O/N Tenor Call 1M

9.67

REPO

Rate (%) 9.00 13.00

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

190.00 189.29 189.59 190.28 191.57 192.85

190.10 189.40 189.73 190.75 192.58 194.36

***LCRM

0.00/16.50 LCRM II 19-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

116.70 66.49

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

322.68

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

312.05

19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

2.21 2.42

1.00 1.00

16.29 16.33

97.16 93.84

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.57

4.44

19.45

96.36

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

4.18

30-Sep-15

0.41

3.23

16.99

98.46

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

4.86

30-Jun-16

0.93

4.46

20.05

95.12

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

5.73

30-Jun-16

0.93

3.48

19.07

97.07

‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

‡ /Agusto

46

Business | Financial Market News

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 2.21 1.00 16.29 NEW TELEGRAPH 88.68

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

25.73

30-Jun-17

1.47

1.00

16.12

97.02

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.91

1.79

17.13

93.02

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

34.14

30-Sep-18

2.08

1.80

17.06

94.99

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

2.09

1.00

16.27

96.24

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

13.73

09-Dec-18

2.28

1.00

16.30

96.75

‡ /Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

10.20

12-Dec-18

2.28

4.78

20.08

89.69

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.47

1.00

16.34

98.38

BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR ‡ /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 26.62

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

2.71 4.80 2.78

1.00 1.00 2.74

16.34 16.32 18.08

98.25 94.03 93.20

89.92

90.91

Market cap rises by N45bn gained BBB-/Agusto; A-/GCR *OSUN capitalisation 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 trading.

POSITIVE TRAJECTORY ‡ /Agusto *OSUN 14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020

10-Oct-13 0.45 per cent. In the same Banking sub-sector 27-Nov-13 ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR LAGOS vein, the NSE 13.50 Banking LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 of the financial servicNSE gains on 31-Dec-13 A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro KOGI 31-DEC-2020 Index firmed15.00 byKOGI 328bps, es sector was the 31-Dec-13 most ‡ /Agusto 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 banking, industrial *EKITI while the NSE active during the06-Jan-14 day Industrial A-/GCR *NASARAWA 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021 stocks Index rose by 77bps. (measured by turnover TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Consequently, the All- volume); with 179.7 milTOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Share Index gained 136.07 lion shares worth N1.3 Corporate Bonds by basis points to close billion exchanged Chris Ugwu 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 17-Aug-10 ‡ /Agusto *UPDC at 30,018.35 12.00 as FLOURMILLS against9-DEC-2015 investors in 1,779 deals.

BBB-/Agusto 09-Dec-10 *FLOURMILLS 29,882.28 recorded the06-JAN-2016 Nigerian Volume in the sub-sec14.00 CHELLARAMS BB/GCR he 06-Jan-11 *CHELLARAMS 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 A+/Agusto; A-/GCR Exchange 29-Sep-11 NAHCO previous day , while the tor was largely driven Stock by 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 A-/Agusto(NSE) remained 25-Oct-13 FSDH market capitalisation of activities in the shares 13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017 A/GCR 30-Sep-10 UBA upbeat yesterday , equities appreciated by of Access Bank Plc and 18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 BBB-/GCR 30-Nov-12 *C & I LEASING N45 billion as market Diamond Bank Plc. producing 27 gainers as MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018 09-Apr-11 Nil *DANA against 10B+/GCR losers amid MPR+7.00 TOWERin 9-SEP-2018 Also, other financial 09-Sep-11 A-/DataPro†; *TOWER sentiment remained MPR+5.25 TOWER 09-Sep-11 AAA/DataPro†; *TOWER the positive territory increase inA/GCR transaction sub-sector, boosted by . 9-SEP-2018 14.00 UBA 22-SEP-2018 activities in the shares A/Agusto; A/GCR 22-Sep-11 volumes and values UBA by Meanwhile, a IIturnof 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR 18-Oct-13 *LA CASERA 55.71 per cent and 17.40 over of 396.8 million FBNH Plc, followed with MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 17-Feb-12 BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR *CHELLARAMS N3.8 bil- a turnover of 71.2 million perNilcent respectively. *DANA shares worth 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 01-Apr-14 At the close was re- shares valued at N431.2 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 A+/Agusto; A-/GCR of trading, 14-Nov-13 NAHCO lion in 4,885 deals 182Dthe T.bills+1.20 STANBICmillion IA 30-SEP-2024 30-Sep-14 theA/GCR NSE ASI and market during day’s in 1,008 deals.

STANBIC corded IBTC

T

#{r}

#

#

#

#{r}

A/GCR

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

STANBIC IBTC

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

N

Supranational Bond

30-Sep-14

13.25

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

B-/S&P

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

14-Aug-14

126.96 12.00 12.95

24.95 21.24 Outstanding Value ($mm)

500.00 500.00 500.00

1,500.00 1,457.17

450.00 500.00 350.00 300.00 400.00 300.00 500.00 200.00 300.00 360.00 400.00 450.00

8.75

1.00

T

15.44

250.00

14-Aug-21

10.75

10.52

4,760.00

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

Chris Ugwu and 10-Oct-20 3.33 Abdulwahab Isa 27-Nov-20 5.81

135.24

igerian companies are 10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018 IFC 11-Feb-13 10.20 turning into foreign 11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021 AfDB 10-Jul-14 11.25 acquisition targets TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE as TOTAL valuations with the MARKET slide CAPITALISATION price of oil, according to a on First Bank of Nigeria’s Plc is second with a 34 per Guinness law firmRating/Agency that advised on oneIssuer$450 million Eurobond issu- cent slide, Description Issuewhile Date Coupon (%) of the country’s biggest Euro- ance last year and mobile- Nigeria Plc, a unit of LonFGNsales Eurobonds phone company MTN Nige- don-based drinks company, bond last year. has declined Investors ria’s $3 billion financing in Diageo Plc, 6.75 JAN 28, 2021 BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P from China to 07-Oct-11 6.75 23 South Africa are interested in 2013, according to Hogan. per cent.

BB-/Fitch; FGN 5.13 JUL 12, 2018 Nigerian According to Bloomberg Baker 12-Jul-13 & McKenzie5.13has BB-/S&P industries including BB-/Fitch; held talks with Chinese agriculture and mining be- News, Nigerian company val6.38 JUL 12, 2023 12-Jul-13 6.38 inBB-/S&P cause prices are favorable in uations are falling as Africa’s vestors about equity-partnerTOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Africa’s largest crude producer biggest economy struggles to ship opportunities with NigeMARKET CAPITALISATION andTOTAL the government will proba- cope with a more than 50 per rian companies operating in blyCorporate seek to diversify away from cent drop in the price of oil power, ports and transport, Eurobonds oil,B/Fitch; Baker & McKenzie analysts since June, reducing income. analyst, Frances Okosi,11.50 said 11.50 FEB 01, 2016 B-/S&P AFREN PLC I 01-Feb-11 interview, withledB+/Fitch;

by Chris Hogan said in an The Nigerian 7.50 Stock Ex- in the same MAY 19, 2016 B+/S&P GTBANK PLC I 19-May-11 7.50 out giving25-Jul-12 details. interview in Lagos. ACCESS BANK PLCchange All Share 7.25Index JUL 25, 2017is B+/S&P 7.25 “As of compadown 13 per cent this year, the The firm has also received 6.88 MAY 09, 2018 B/Fitch;valuations B/S&P FIDELITY BANK PLC 09-May-13 6.88 nies fall,B+/S&P they become GTBANK targets second most among interest from South African 6.0093 NOVprima08, 2018 B+/Fitch; PLC 08-Nov-13 6.00 APR 08, 2019 AFREN PLC II 08-Apr-12 10.25exforB/Fitch investments, acquisition ry global indexes10.25 tracked by companies looking to 6.25 APR 22, 2019 B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P BANK PLCBloomberg.

22-Apr-14 6.25 or takeover by foreign ZENITH players pand in manufacturing, fastMay 21, 2019 B/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMOND BANK PLC 21-May-14 goods8.75and and large local companies,” Diamond Bank8.75Plc is the moving consumer AUG 07, 2020 B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANK PLC 8.25 said Hogan, who is a partner country’s biggest8.25 loser this real estate07-Aug-13 when the Nigerian 6.63 DEC 09, 2020 B-/Fitch; B/S&P AFREN PLC III 09-Dec-13 6.63 at the London-based firm. year, retreating 35 per cent. economy begins to stabilise, 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 B-/Fitch; B/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC II 24-Jun-14 9.25 Baker & McKenzie advised Mills Nigeria according23-Jul-14 to Hogan.

8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021 B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANK LTD Dangote Flour 8.00 AAA/S&P

enlightenment and we 16.33 96.19 will be in the market in 1.00 16.33 89.55 the next few weeks to 31-Dec-20 5.91 1.94 17.28 91.73 tell people to open their 31-Dec-20 3.57 1.44 16.77 94.34 he Securities and 06-Jan-21 3.60 1.95 accounts, 17.28 sort out 94.34 the isExchange Commis- sues with e-dividend and sion (SEC) has re- get ready for demateriinstated its commitment alisation. We will make to17-Aug-15 dematerialisation of4.88 use of17.06 jingles in the ra0.29 98.11 share certificates in the adverts 09-Dec-15 0.60 1.00 dio, newspaper 16.04 97.75 capital other enlighten06-Jan-16 market.

0.68 2.63 among 17.81 97.70 29-Sep-16 1.65 1.00 ment 16.14 Acting Director Gentools,” he 95.55 said.

25-Oct-16 1.72 Mounir 1.34 16.50 96.67 eral of SEC, Mr. Gwarzo re-empha30-Sep-17 2.66 1.00 16.34 92.97 Gwarzo, stated this yessised that public enlight30-Nov-17 1.68 1.88 17.03 102.04 terday in Abuja when enment was critical after 09-Apr-18 1.68 3.48 18.63 96.48 he09-Sep-18 received the all stakeholders 1.84manage5.20 which 20.40 96.66 09-Sep-18of Central 1.84 5.06 can then 20.26 work 94.07 ment Secuon other 22-Sep-18Clearing 3.63 System 1.35 parts16.68 rities of the 92.87 issue to 18-Oct-18 2.29 97.25 (CSCS) Plc at1.95 the Combring17.52 it to a conclusion.

17-Feb-19 2.04 6.11 21.36 94.98 mission’s head office in Speaking earlier, the 01-Apr-19 2.91 2.16 17.50 96.68 Director/ Abuja.

14-Nov-20 5.78 2.76 Managing 18.09 89.98 30-Sep-24 9.66 became 1.00 CEO 16.18 79.50 Kyari of CSCS, He said this 30-Sep-24 9.66 1.00 Buka, 16.18 85.85 gave assurance necessary to help boost investor confidence. of the Commission’s full Dematerialisation re- co-operation and support fers to the conversion of to the initiatives by the share certificates (physiSEC as the survival and 11-Feb-18 3.02 1.00 16.34 85.80 cal paper‐form/certifiof the industry is 01-Feb-21 4.75 1.00 growth 16.32 84.51 cates or documents of hinged on proper regulatitle representing owner- tion. ship of securities) to an He said: “Sustainabilielectronic form, ty of Bid the regulatory Maturity Date Bid Yieldwhich (%) Offeris Yield (%) Price Offer Priceagendomiciled directly with cy is one of the things Prices & Yields the CSCS. dear to us. Our hope and is that even Gwarzo, who admitted 28-Jan-21 6.98 6.76 belief98.87 99.94 in actthat CSCS plays a very ing capacity things will 12-Jul-18 5.38 98.00 99.20 critical role in5.77the capicontinue and there will tal12-Jul-23 market, also7.25disclosed be sustainability 7.06 94.57 95.69of the that SEC was now ready entity. The regulatory to conclude the demate- framework that has been rialisation process in the started will continue. market.

“Dematerialisation is “We have already comone of the things very 01-Feb-16 175.42 175.42 33.50 33.50 menced the dematerialiimportant to us.

We be19-May-16 6.97 6.97 100.63 100.63 sation process, if not for lieve strongly that many 25-Jul-17 11.28 11.28 91.50 91.50 certain it would things 84.67 that had 02-May-18 things 13.71 12.76 of the 82.49 have have 08-Nov-18been concluded 10.67 9.55 happened 85.83 89.00 some41.21ready to 41.21 thing 40.50 by08-Apr-19 now. We are to do with40.50 demate22-Apr-19 11.48 11.48 rialisation.

82.88 82.88 If share cerwork with stakeholders 14.84 14.35 81.12 82.46 to21-May-19 ensure that we contificates are in electronic 07-Aug-20 12.71 12.71 82.00 clude the process.

One form,82.00 many of the issues 09-Dec-20 28.42 28.42 39.50 39.50 of24-Jun-21 the critical parts of relating to the paper cer13.30 13.00 82.75 83.88 this exercise12.66 is public arise.

23-Jul-21 12.66 tificates 79.06 will not 79.06

Nascon Plc led the 14.75 table with 11.109.85 gainers’ 13.50 per cent to close at87.50 N7.14 15.00 5.00 per share, while GSK Plc 14.50 4.55 and UAC 15.00 Property Plc 4.56 followed with a gain460.61 of 9.42 per cent to close at N9.79 429.52 per share. Zenith Bank Plc trailed with five per 10.00 5.00 cent to close at N16.80 12.00 18.75 per share.14.00 0.42 On13.00 the flip side,15.00 Union Dicon14.25 Plc led the5.53 price 13.00 20.00 losers’ table, dropping 18.00 0.64 five per cent to close at 16.00 6.30 N13.11 per share, while 18.00 2.90 16.00 0.80 NiVitafoam Plc and 14.00 Breweries 35.00 Plc gerian 15.75 2.40 trailed with a loss of 18.00 0.41 2.01 per cent to close at 16.00 4.50 N3.4215.25 and N146 per2.05 share 11.93 0.10 respectively .

‘Nigerian firms turning into foreign acquisition targets’

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Chris Ugwu

SEC restates commitment to dematerialisation

3-Feb-15

3,562.82

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 **Treasury Bills FIXINGS Money Market Foreign & 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 accurate or upExchange to date. (Spot We do not guarantee DTM Maturity Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount (%) Bid Yield (%) Tenor Rate (%) NIBORfor the results of any action taken on the basis of the Information. the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, performance or fitness for a particular purpose of any of the Information, neither do we accept liability 9 12-Feb-15 11.00 10.75 11.03 16 23 FGN Bonds 30 37 44 Rating/Agency 51 58 65 72 79 86 93 100 107 121 NA 128 142 149 163 170 177 184 212 303 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 317 338 TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 352

19-Feb-15 26-Feb-15 5-Mar-15 12-Mar-15 19-Mar-15 Issuer 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 4-Jun-15 NA 11-Jun-15 25-Jun-15 2-Jul-15 16-Jul-15 23-Jul-15 30-Jul-15 6-Aug-15 3-Sep-15 3-Dec-15 17-Dec-15 7-Jan-16 21-Jan-16

10.80 11.45 12.15 12.39 12.15 Description 12.40 13.20 4.00 23-APR-2015 13.15 12.97 13.05 16-AUG-2016 13.20 15.10 27-APR-2017 13.20 9.85 27-JUL-2017 11.15 9.35 31-AUG-2017 13.10 10.70 30-MAY-2018 13.60 16.00 29-JUN-2019 14.05 7.00 23-OCT-2019 14.05 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14.20 14-MAR-2024 14.30 15.00 28-NOV-2028 13.36 12.49 22-MAY-2029 13.28 14.20 8.50 20-NOV-2029 13.95 10.00 23-JUL-2030 13.75 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 13.75 13.75 13.80 14.10

*for the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration

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

10.55 11.20 11.90 12.14 11.90 Issue Date 12.15 12.95 23-Apr-10 12.90 12.72 16-Aug-13 12.95 27-Apr-12 12.95 27-Jul-07 10.90 31-Aug-07 12.85 30-May-08 13.35 29-Jun-12 13.80 23-Oct-09 13.80 27-Jan-12 13.95 14-Mar-14 14.05 28-Nov-08 13.11 22-May-09 13.03 13.95 20-Nov-09 13.70 23-Jul-10 13.50 18-Jul-14 13.50 13.50 13.55 13.85

Description

Bonds

10.85 11.53 12.27 12.55 12.33 Coupon 12.62 (%) 13.48 4.00 13.47 13.31 13.05 13.59 15.10 13.62 9.85 11.48 9.35 13.59 10.70 14.16 16.00 14.74 7.00 14.78 16.39 15.03 14.20 15.19 15.00 14.21 12.49 14.16 15.25 8.50 15.01 10.00 14.94 12.1493 15.52 15.61 15.82 16.32

Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M Outstanding

(N'bn)

Value

Rate (%) 9.9517 13.3513 14.3215 15.4347

OBB

9.00

O/N

9.67

REPO

Tenor TTM Call (Yrs) 1M 3M0.22 6M1.53

Maturity Date

535.00 23-Apr-15 NITTY 581.39 16-Aug-16 Tenor Rate (%) 476.80 27-Apr-17 1M 12.2300 20.00 27-Jul-17 2M 13.6803 100.00 31-Aug-17 3M 13.7677 300.00 30-May-18 6M 14.4273 351.30 29-Jun-19 9M 15.3106 233.90 23-Oct-19 12M 16.6811 600.00 27-Jan-22 434.68 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 NIFEX 150.00 22-May-29 Current Price ($/N)20-Nov-29 200.00 BID($/N) 591.57 189.4525 23-Jul-30 OFFER ($/N) 189.5525 206.00 18-Jul-34

4,855.63

Rate (%) Bid Yield 9.00 13.00 11.85 13.50 14.00 15.07

Tenor

(%)

Bid ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M Yield Offer 2M (%) 3M 6M11.14 1Y14.96

2.23 15.34 15.25 2.48 15.34 15.26 2.57 15.34 15.26 :Benchmarks 3.32 15.33 15.20 * :Amortising Bond 4.40 15.31 15.22 µ :Convertible Bond 4.72Management Corporation 15.32 15.21 AMCON: Asset of Nigeria 6.98 15.34 15.27 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria 9.11 15.20 15.14 FMBN: Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria 13.82 Finance Corporation 15.91 15.85 IFC: International 14.30 16.01 Management 15.94 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables NAHCO: Nigerian 14.79 Aviation Handling 16.12Company 16.04 O/N: Overnight 15.47 15.63 15.55 UPDC: UAC19.45 Property Development Company 15.53 15.47 NOTE:

WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company

Offer ($/N)

190.00 190.10 189.29 189.40 Price 189.59 189.73 190.28 190.75 Bid Price Offer Price 191.57 192.58 192.85 194.36 98.31 98.46 197.24 200.23 206.62 212.24 97.30 97.45

99.50 99.65 89.00 89.15 87.64 87.79 NA :Not Applicable 88.24 88.54 # :Floating Rate Bond 102.10 102.40 ***: Deferred coupon bonds 72.73 73.03 104.40under review104.70 ‡ : Bond rating 95.10 95.40 †: Bond rating expired 94.92 95.22 N/A :Not Available {r} :Issuer 80.39 in receivership 80.69 57.46 57.76 NGC: Nigeria-German Company 67.50 67.80 UBA: United Bank for Africa 79.70 79.40

4,386.38

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

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

0.30 1.16 1.84 2.21 2.42

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

15.07 17.78 17.20 16.29 16.33

95.60 99.51 98.10 97.16 93.84

Agency Bonds

FMBN ***LCRM

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUEModified Duration Buckets TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

‡ /Agusto

EDO

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

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 Porfolio Market Value(Bn)

Total Outstanding Volume(Bn)

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

Weighting by Outstanding Vol

0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 FGN BOND 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

Weighting by Mkt Value

24.56 2.70 INDEX 112.22 116.70 66.49 Bucket322.68 Weighting

% Exposure_ Mod_Duration

Implied Yield

Implied Portfolio Price

INDEX

YTD Return (%)

<3

1,040.10

1,058.18

32.64

34.65

312.050.33

13.06

15.21

118.2644

1,123.27

1.3920

3<5

1,398.46

1,385.98

42.75

46.59

0.43

45.97

15.29

120.8365

1,023.20

1.0495

797.57

24.60 31-Aug-10 100.00 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11

18.75 12.50 100.00 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50

0.25

40.97 31-Aug-15 100.00 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18

15.60 0.57 15.40 0.41 0.93 0.93 2.21 1.47 2.91 2.08 2.09 2.28

84.1786 4.44 110.9779 3.23 4.46 3.48 1.00 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00

984.20 19.45 1,059.74 16.99 20.05 19.07 16.29 16.12 17.13 17.06 16.27 16.30

2.2660 96.36 0.4320 98.46 95.12 97.07 88.68 97.02 93.02 94.99 96.24 96.75

>5 Market

562.87 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 3,001.43 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

3,241.73

8.50 4.18 4.86 5.73 57.00 25.73 25.00 34.14 9.00 13.73

1.00

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

Ilomuanya floors Okorocha APPEAL

Supreme Court dismisses Okorocha’s appeal, affirms Ilomuanya Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

T

he Supreme Court yesterday dismissed the appeal filed by the Imo State government against the judgement of the Owerri Division of the Court of Appeal on July 5, 2013, which affirmed

Eze Cletus Ilomuanya as the chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Ilomuanya, Mr. Kennedy Eweama, the five-man panel of justices of the apex court, on Monday, February 2, 2015, threw away the appeal of the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, against the earlier judgement of the appeal court.

The Supreme Court, after listening to arguments from the counsel, upheld the position of Il-

News 47

SOUTH-EAST

omuanya’s lawyer, Obiora Obianwu, SAN, and consequently dismissed the governor’s appeal.

The apex court also noted that the appeal by Okorocha was fraught with irregularities and therefore concluded that ‘the appeal was incompetent.’

This latest victory is about the seventh time Okorocha would lose to Ilomuanya since he was sworn in as governor on May 29, 2011.

The Court of Appeal had in its earlier judgement ruled that the governor acted unlawfully, when on June 6, 2011 vide a state

Monarch: advises electorate wide broadcast, he dissolved the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers headed by Ilomuanya.

The court cited section 17 (a) of the Imo State of Nigeria Traditional Rulers and Autonomous Communities Law No. 6 of 2006 (as amended), which stipulated that “it is only through death or resignation that a member can lose his membership of the council.”

Ilomuanya neither resigned nor died, prompting the court to query where Okorocha derived the power to dissolve the council.

Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

A

s the February general election draws nearer, voters in Imo State have been urged not to vote for any political party that is in sympathy with the Boko Haram sect in the country.

A traditional ruler in the state, Eze Brendan Nwauwa, made the call in his palace when he played host to the governorship candidate of the United Progressives Party (UPP), Dr. Osmond Imo Ukanacho and top leaders of the party, who were in Oguta on a campaign rally.

Nwauwa, who is also the Chairman, Traditional Rulers of Oil Producing Communities (TROMCOM) in Imo State, said the tradition and culture of Ndigbo forbid violence and suicide bombings, adding that Boko Haram and its

supporters have so much threatened the unity of Nigeria in the past.

He advised Imo people to vote against any political platform that has direct or indirect link to any terror group, he described Ukanacho as a renowned humanist, whose genuine love for the poor and the needy is second to none.

He tasked the UPP to ensure that the welfare of Ndi Imo is prioritised.

At Central School, Izombe, Ukanacho told the rally that his government, if elected, would do everything within its powers to transform the oil bearing communities in the state. He described Oguta as one of the local government areas that produces oil, adding that ISOPADEC laws must be reviewed to make the commission more people-oriented to actually cater for the needs of the communities.

CNPP calls for debate between Soludo Okonjo-Iweala Uwawe Abugu Enugu

F

L-R: Former Anambra State Deputy Governor, Chief Stella Odife; senatorial candidate, Anambra North Senatorial District, PDP, Princess Stella Oduah and Mrs. Chineze Onukwuba, during Oduah’s campaign at Oyi, Anambra State.

Elechi faces impeachment over anti-party activities Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

T

here were strong indications yesterday that members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly have commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Martin Elechi.

A highly placed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) source told New Telegraph in Abakaliki that members of the assembly since the beginning of the year have been gathering

signatures of other lawmakers who defected to the Labour Party (LP).

The source added that the assembly accused Elechi of anti-party activities and of using the state’s resources to fund LP campaigns while his political appointees are vying for various elective positions through other parties.

Further investigation by New Telegraph in Abakaliki, also revealed that the assembly, through the Speaker, Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku, had written to the Federal

Ministry Finance and the Accountant- General of the Federation to henceforth stop the allocation to the state in the interest of the masses.

The assembly had on January 6, 2015, sent letters to all the banks to stop further transaction with the Elechi-led government except only for payments of workers’ salaries.

Reacting to the development, a chieftain of the Labour Party, who did not want his name in print, alleged that the Peoples Democratic

Group seeks peaceful elections in Ebonyi

UNICEF, Enugu govt fight cholera Uwakwe Abugu Enugu

F

ollowing the outbreak of cholera in Nsukka, Enugu State, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry of Health and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA) has deployed drugs and other logistics worth about N5 million

to contain the scourge.

At the heat of the outbreak penultimate week, no fewer than 400 persons, mainly children, came down with the disease and were hospitalised in three health facilities in the university town of Nsukka.

The Public Relations Officer of the Enugu State Ministry of Health, Emeka Nebo, who reviewed the measures applied in bringing down the epidemic yesterday, named

Party (PDP) governorship candidate was responsible for the plot.

The Deputy Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, had during a media chat with journalists, said there was no plan to impeach the governor, but that he would not allow any corrupt practice in the state, if elected.

Umahi said he would not condone any corrupt practice, which leaders of the state have agreed to eradicate, as failure to do so would amount to invitation of poverty in the state.

ollowing the war of words between the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, over the state of the nation’s economy, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) yesterday called on the Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) to organise a debate on the matter between the two gladiators.

CNPP in a statement issued in Enugu by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Osita Okechukwu, urged the election debate group “to consider as a matter of urgent national importance to host a debate between Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Prof.

Charles Soludo.”

Okechukwu, who

is also the spokesman for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South East said: “We are making this request without being immodest, because we rate election as a process, this being the case, the debate of both major actors in the management of our economy in the past decade, will no doubt assist the electorate in making informed decision.

“Such informed decision is more than the promises of all manner of candidates, some contenders, and some pretenders, put together.

“Since the main challenger, General Muhammadu Buhari, has declined to attend the debate organised by NEDG, the Okonjo-Iweala and Soludo debate will conveniently fill the void and make the money and energy spent on the issue worth the while,” he said in the statement yesterday.

the hospitals as Bishop Shanahan Hospital, run by the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, the State Health Centre, Nsukka and Chidubem Specialist Hospital, Nsukka.

Nebo said the Commissioner for Health, Dr. George Eze, led the team of health experts from the three agencies to visit the hospitals, to see the patients, assess their situation and then, donate drugs appropriately.

Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

A

socio-political group, Unwuekumaenyi Welfare Association (UWA) from Abakaliki and the Old Afikpo Union (OAU) in the southern senatorial district of Ebonyi State yesterday said no elective position in next month’s election was worth the blood of any

Ebonyi person.

They called on candidates of all the political parties participating in the election to avoid politics of bitterness and rancour so that the polls would be free, fair and credible.

In a communique issued at the end of their meeting and signed by the presidents and secretaries of the groups, Michael Oduma, Dr. O. O Nnachi, Prince Stephen

Onuenyim and Prof. O. Ogbu respectively, the group insisted that power shift to the south would engender equity, justice and fair play in state’s political arena.

The statement reads in part: “That the two unions stand on the wise decision and pronouncement of Governor Martin Elechi that power must shift to the south in next month’s election.”

News

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

SOUTH-SOUTH

PDP, APC trade words over Rivers’ court bombings Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

T

he Rivers State chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday traded words over last Monday’s bombings of high court premises in Degema, Isiokpo and Port Harcourt parts of the state.

While the PDP Chair-

man, Felix Obuah, accused the APC of carrying out the bombings and urged the party to state its reasons for the continued closure of the courts, the APC, which distanced itself from such dastardly act, blamed the PDP for it.

Obuah, in a statement while condemning the bomb blasts, blamed the state’s judiciary crisis and the incessant attacks on the courts on the APC. The party said the issue

at stake is the work resumption order, which he said should be respected, so that sanity will reign in the judiciary.

“The PDP is blaming the APC for the ugly incident, demanding that it explains to Rivers people why it delights in the continued closure of courts in the state,” Obuah said.

He continued: “The PDP finds it irrational that Governor Chibuike Amaechi is not bothered

about the continued closure of the courts, neither is he moved by the suffering of litigants, lawyers and solicitors, and especially those languishing in detention and prisons, because of the striking judiciary workers.

“Yet he gleefully and dutifully pays the salaries and allowances of the judiciary workers for staying at home,” he added.

But the APC, through its Chairman, Dr. Davies

Ibiamu Ikanya, while equally condemning the attacks, described the PDP as “the promoters of violence in the state.”

Ikanya said: “The trends and threads of bombing in Rivers State as spearheaded by the PDP and its promoters in Rivers State are well known to all and sundry and for them to extend their bombings antecedent to government institutions should be a source of concern for all.

“We thought it was only APC secretariats, billboards and supporters that are targets, but to start bombing courts show how barbaric these people can be.

“To turn Rivers State into a war zone and scare away investors is not acceptable to us and is condemnable. We expect the police and security agents to fish out these criminals and deal with them accordingly.”

Uduaghan appoints Obuh, Emetulu commissioners Dominic Adewole, ASABA

D

elta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday nominated a former governorship aspirant in the state, Sir Tony Obuh, as a commissioner-designate.

Besides, Obuh, Mr. Charles Emetulu, who resigned as the Commissioner for Power to contest the governorship race, was also re-nominated.

Obuh, who resigned as Permanent Secretary (Government House), having put in 32 years in service, was a gamechanger in the contest with the governor’s backing.

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, addressing supporters at a campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Oluku, Ovia North East Local Governnment Area of Edo State…yesterday

Gas flaring penalties: Communities lament nonrelease of N1, 242.83trn Joe Obende Warri

H

ost communities in the Niger Delta region have lamented the non-release to them of gas flare penalties amounting to N1, 242.83 trillion, collected from oil companies flaring gas in the region.

Leaders of the communities spoke yesterday in Warri, through their umbrella body, the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCON), Niger Delta Region, which described itself as “the mouthpiece of the people agitating for the deliberate transformation of the oil communities of the Nigeria Delta,

which produces the golden eggs that feed the nation.”

HOSTCON said: “As major stakeholders in this country, while taking our stand on the above issue, we wish also to remind the Federal Government/ National Assembly of the top three burning issues of the oil and gas communities that has been pending with them, which must be addressed as a matter of urgency.”

One of the issues, they pointed out, was that they wish to reiterate that under the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government, “the oil and gas industry has experienced a tremendous progress,” which no other government has achieved in the past.”

Security beefed up in Asaba ahead of Jonathan’s visit Dominic Adewole ASABA

S

tern-looking security agents yesterday took over Asaba, the Delta State capital, ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election campaign rally billed for today.

As early as 7.00am, they have warded off all adjoining roads and streets, leading to the Cenotaph, the

venue of the rally.

Their presence depicts ‘no time for frivolities’ but on the home-stretch in the race for political office.

Prior to their arrival, the state Commissioner of Police, Baba Usman Alkali, had summoned politicians in the state and read the riot act to them, urging them to caution their supporters against contravening the rules of the game or risk facing the

wrath of the law.

Also, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who met with traditional rulers on Monday, warned trouble-makers to steer clear of the venue, maintaining that ‘no position is worth dying for.’

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, at the command headquarters, in Asaba yesterday, said while the command was

not envisaging any crisis, ‘any troublemaker will be kept behind the bar.’

According to her, the command has requested additional men from neighbouring towns and states, especially from Bayelsa, to beef up the men on ground.

She appealed to supporters of all the political parties to conduct their affairs with honour.

Navy: We’ll protect election materials in riverine areas Clement James Calabar

T

he Nigerian Navy yesterday said it would assist the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in conveying sensitive and electoral materials to riverine areas by boat during the election.

The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Henry Babalola, made this disclosure yesterday in Calabar while on a familiarisation tour of naval facilities in the command.

The FOC, who inspected the Navy Primary and Secondary Schools, the Navy

Hospital and the barracks, as well as the Navy Ship Yard, among others, said naval personnel would also be drafted to assist INEC during the elections.

According to him, the command will provide ships that will help escort sensitive materials to riverine areas to forestall any attempt to hijack such ma-

terials.

Addressing officers and ratings after the tour, the FOC said the Nigerian Navy operates in the maritime environment.

“The Navy will stand by to assist INEC in areas where we will be needed to move electoral and sensitive materials to riverine areas within the state.

Group slams Edo speaker for shunning political debate Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

A

socio-political and cultural group, the

Concerned People of Oredo, yesterday berated the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Uyi Igbe, for failing to participate in the politi-

cal debate organised by a private television station in the state.

Igbe is the Oredo House of Representatives’ candidate of the

ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and is expected to lock horns with the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

Ogbeide Ihama, in the election.

Members of the group at a press conference held in Benin, the Edo State capital,

described the action

by Igbe as an “insult on Oredo Federal Constituency that he seeks to represent at the National Assembly.”

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

News 49

NORTH

APC blames Yero for violence in Kaduna Ibraheem Musa Kaduna

T

he All Prog r e s s iv e s Congress(APC) in Kaduna State has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government of igniting the violence which led to the death of some of their supporters on Monday as tension mounts following the incident.

Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna on yestersday, Senator Sani Sale who represents Ka-

duna Central, alleged that Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero had supervised hoodlums and thugs on a rampage against APC supporters and their properties.

According to him, the responsibility for the mayhem, injuries and the loss of lives and property rests squarely with Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and his PDP government. ‘’ It is bad enough that his entourage attacked and destroyed billboards of General Muhammadu Buhari and Malam Nasir El-Rufai in the Bakin

Ruwa and Kabala West areas of Kaduna, the state capital. It is worse that residents who challenged this act of wanton vandalisation were attacked and beaten by the thugs.

It is worst that Yero was in the motorcade as his henchmen attacked persons and property with a ferocity that claimed lives.

Yero’s security detail got in the unfortunate action, shooting at citizens who happened to be in the area,’’ the senator alleged.

Senator Sale recalled that at the launch of Yero’s campaign last month,

the governor had ‘’incited his supporters to violence, apart from threatening the property, liberty and freedom of movement of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, our candidate for the governorship of this state.’’ ‘’ Our response to this threat was to ask our supporters not to respond to provocations. We also wrote to alert the National Human Rights Commission and representatives of the international community to this blatant instance of hate speech,’’ Sale added.

The senator pointed out that APC Kaduna

State Campaign has taken several steps to preserve peace in Kaduna State so that campaigns and the elections can take place in a competitive but calm atmosphere. ‘’Despite the fact that our campaign itinerary had long been concluded, with a zonal rally for Kaduna Central fixed for Kaduna last Saturday, 31 January 2015, we delayed the conclusion of our Zone 2 tour last week once we learnt that the PDP had scheduled a presidential rally for the same day,’’ he recalled.

L-R: Senior Special Adviser on Commerce, Katsina State, Alhaji Abdulahi Mohamed; Katsina State Head of Service, Muhammad Lawal Aliyu Daura, and Head, Public Sector Department of Globacom, Mr. Tunde Amunikoro, during the presentation of free Globacom SIM packs to Katsina State government.

PDP has nothing new to offer, says Ahmed Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

K

wara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said yesterday that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government has nothing new to offer Nigerians Speaking at different communities including Oke Ero Local Government Area of the state, as part of his ongoing campaign asked Nigerians

not to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan, in the February 14 election.

He said, Jonathan would not effect any change in the polity if given another four years, whereas the APC Presidential candidate, General Mohammadu Buhari , would take Nigeria out of the woods.

He said, “They have started deceiving us to give them another four years. If we give PDP an-

other four years, nothing will change.

“We need a brave and courageous man to address the worsening insecurity; a man who would effectively manage our economy and stop the corruption being perpetrated at the centre.

“This coming election is going to be different.

They have been asking for another four years.

Let us open our eyes widely so that nobody

would deceive us. Let us vote wisely”.

The governor alleged that the Federal Government is starving states and local governments of funds adding that local governments are the hardest hit by the reduction in federal allocation.

According to him that has been the reason most states and local govrnments can’t embark on projects after paying salaries.

Shinkafi challenges Yari on N600m monthly security vote Idris Salisu Gusau

F

ormer Zamfara State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi, has decried the ruling All Progressives Congress government for its inability to tackle the insecurity challenges in the state, despite claim of monthly spending of

N600 million on security.

Shinkafi, at a press conference in Gusau, the State capital, alleged that should the said amount prudently be utilized, innocent people across the 14 local government areas of the state, as well as their property would be protected against the incessant attacks by the cattle rustlers as security operatives would have

been well mobilized.

According to him, during his administration he had only N40 million security vote being spent monthly from 2007 up till 2011, when he lost his election to Governor Abdul’azeez Yari, stating calls were severally made to security agencies in the state, to make the state crime-low society . ‘’During my adminis-

tration I used to release local government’s allocation by hundred percent to each local council Chairmen and through this allocation received they spent adequately on security and nobody cried out over insecurity challenges in their domain up till 2011, when we lost election to the present administration of the state’’, Shinkafi said.

PDM youths endorse Buhari Muhammad Kabir Kano

T

he Chairman of the progressives youth wing of the Peoples Democratic Movement PDM Alhaji Gali El Abdallah, has said the party has endorsed the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Genera Muhammadu Buhari, as its candidate for the February 14 election, even as he described the PDM as the most focused political party in Nigeria, with a a blue-print on the actual Nigerian problems confronting the nation and solutions to them.

Speaking to news men at the NUJ Press Centre in Kano, Abdullah, said going by the manifestoes of the party it had portrayed itself as a beacon of hope, STAING THAT and that the party was out to clear the rots permeating the nation.

He said, despite the party not fielding a Presidential candidate, its governorship candidates in all the 36 States of the Federation would show their concern for the people of Nigeria.

According to him, the progressive youths wing of the party has extended its support to General Buhari, because of his capacity and ability to deliver, stressing that supporting him to win the presidential election would be a good riddance to the many misfortunes of the country.

Yari assures indigenes on rural transformation Idris Salisu Gusau

A

s politicians intensify their campaign rallies across the country towards the February general election, Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara State, has promised the people of the state to embark on a massive rural transformation within the year, if re-elected in the February 28 polls.

Yari, who promised that, rural communities across the state would continue to benefit from more construction of the township roads, streetlightings and other additional projects including portable water, also maintained that his government was committed to making life better for the teeming people in the state.

The governor gave the assurance in Keta Village of Tsafe local

government area, where he stressed his government is determination to give rural dwellers a better life conditions as contained in his rapid transformation agenda for the rural areas across the state.

He expressed the belief, that such projects would reduce ruralurban drift, observing that, Danjibga, Keta, Bilbis and many other villages would soon be urbanized hence they will soon acquire basic infrastructures in the aspects of electricity, good roads and portable drinking water.

“We will generously compensate every house hold affected in the cause of this road projects”, he said, adding that no family would grumble for poor or non-compensation. He called on the affected residents to put up a concrete structure after receiving the compensation.

50

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WORLD | News

Alleged N80m fraud: ‘AG Moeller defrauded Cross Country’

A

Lagos Federal High Court presided over by Justice Okon Abang, was yesterday told that A. G. Moeller Limited and its Managing Director, Adeloye Richard Olukemi, allegedly defrauded Lagos popular transport company, Cross Country Limited, to the tune of N80 million.

At Monday’s sitting on the matter, prosecution witness, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ben Okoro, informed the judge that the accused person and his company were investigated for allegedly running an illegal

finance house that was neither licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) nor registered by the Finance Houses Association of Nigeria (FHAN).

The witness equally notified the court that the managing director and his company allegedly fraudulently obtained under false pretense the said sum from the transport company between March 2007 and January 2010.

It will be recalled that Cross Country Limited had sometime in March 2007, written a Finance Lease request letters to the defunct Oceanic Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, EBN Finance Limited (a subsidiary of

the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc) and A. G. Moeller for finance lease facilities for various acquisitions of motor vehicles.

The transport company also said A. G. Moeller Limited offered N140 million to finance the acquisition of 40 units of Volkswagen transport buses for commercial use.

According to Cross Country, A. G. Moeller, like the banks and finance houses, replied via an “Offer of Finance Lease Facility” letter dated March 29 2007, approving the request sum of N140 million for a tenor of 24 months at 60 per cent interest rate per annum.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

IS video shows Jordanian pilot burnt alive

I

slamic State militants released a video yesterday purporting to show a captive Jordanian pilot being burnt alive, and Jordanian state television said he was murdered a month ago.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the video, which showed a man resembling the captive pilot standing in a black cage before being set ablaze. The pilot, Mouath al-Kasaesbeh, was captured by Islamic

State insurgents after his plane crashed over Syria while on a bombing mission against the group in December. Jordanian state TV said Kasaesbeh had been killed on Jan. 3.

There was no further comment from the Jordanian government. The head of the Jordanian armed forces broke the news of the pilot’s killing to his family, a member of the family told Reuters. The pilot’s fate has gripped Jordan and

provoked rare protests against King Abdullah over the government’s handling of the case.

US President Barack Obama said the video, if real, would redouble the determination of a US-led alliance to degrade and destroy Islamic State. He said it would be another sign of the “viciousness and barbarity” of the militants. Whatever ideology they’re operating off of, it’s bankrupt,” Obama told reporters.

N717m fraud: Court remands Italian in prison custody Akeem Nafiu

J

ustice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday ordered a 56 year-old Italian, Piero Allan Franchillo, to be remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons over alleged N717 million fraud.

The accused, a businessman, was arraigned by the Special Fraud Unit of the Police, on a five-count charge bordering on an advanced fee fraud, forgery and altering of documents.

He however, pleaded not guilty to the offence when the charges were read to

him.

Following his arraignment, the judge ordered him to be remanded in prison custody and adjourned further hearing in the matter to February 7 for the determination of his bail.

The prosecution lawyer, Mrs Susan Ezea, had earlier told the court that the accused conspired with others, who are now are now at large to obtain about N717 million from Zenith Bank, for the construction of Delta Mall at Effurun, Delta.

The police said that the accused fraudulently con-

verted the money to his own use rather than executing the project for which the sum was obtained.

The offence was allegedly committed between August 2013 and April 2014, at Zenith Bank’s headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos According to the prosecutor, the accused also forged an extract of minutes of meeting of the Board of Directors of New Technic Construction Nig. Ltd, purportedly held on Aug. 26, 2013, where he accepted APG/Bid Bond Line for construction of the Mall.

CSOs raise the alarm over threats to stop elections Tunde Oyesina Abuja

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he Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room) yesterday in Abuja raised concerns about the multiplicity of court cases on multiple issues filed by parties seeking to stop the elections already scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC for

February 14 and 28.

Speaking through its Programme Officer , Agianpe Ashang, the CSOs said though, it welcomes the right of all persons to seek judicial intervention to protect their rights, it, however, places on record that any attempt to use the courts to disrupt the elections might lead to unimaginable negative consequences such as upheaval that could result in violence across the country.

It, however, called on the Judiciary to defend its integrity at this time and ensure that any ruling or orders coming from it is rooted in impeccable constitutional grounds and must be for the greater good.

It added that the Judiciary should not allow itself to play again in Nigeria history the ignoble role it played in 1993, that led to that year’s election impasse.

APC behind Jonathan’s eligibility suits, says Ex-AGF Tunde Oyesina Abuja

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former AttorneyGeneral of the Federation and Director of Legal Affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, yesterday said the All Progressives Congress (APC) are behind the various suits challenging the

eligibility of President Goodluck Jonathan to recontest in the February 14 poll.

Kayode, however, affirmed the organisation’s readiness to defend the president’s eligibility in a court of law.

He spoke yesterday when a fresh suit was filed before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, challenging the eligibility of Jonathan to re-contest

in next week’s election.

In the new suit, the plaintiffs, Prof. Tunde Samuel, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, Mr. Razak Adeosun and Yahaya Ezemoo, are asking the court to restrain Jonathan from re-contesting, putting himself forward and or accepting to contest for the Office of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria at the 2015 presidential election.

Egyptians inspecting damages after the explosion in downtown Cairo, Egypt...yesterday

Bomb kills one in Egypt, two others defused at airport

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roadside bomb near Egypt’s second largest city Alexandria killed a bystander and injured two others yesterday, while authorities defused two more explosives at Cairo International Airport, officials said. The latest reports are part of recent spike in small bombs being planted around Egypt.

Many of the devices have been so-called flash-bang grenades, designed to sow panic but cause minimal damage

or casualties. The larger and deadlier bombs have been targeted almost exclusively at members of the Egyptian police and army.

There are rarely individual claims of responsibility, but Islamic militant groups have vowed to target police and military troops to avenge their crackdown on Islamists in the wake of the ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in 2013. Reflecting the increased public fear and awareness,

a popular smartphone application designed to provide information on traffic jams started a new service last week titled “Where is the bomb” to alert commuters of reports of roadside explosives.

Yesterday’s roadside bombing was a rare incident of a civilian killed by these rudimentary explosives. The officials said the bomb was targeting a police patrol driving in the beachfront town of Agamy, on the western outskirts of Alexandria.

Canadian foreign minister quits, says it’s time for change

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anadian Foreign Minister John Baird announced his immediate resignation yesterday, a move that leaves the Conservative government short of a senior figure in the runup to an election set for this October.

Baird, 45, said that after 20 years working in politics it was time to start the next chapter in his life. He has served as foreign minister since May 2011 and has been a member of the Conservative government from

the day it took power in early 2006.

Political sources though told Reuters that Baird’s relations with the office of Prime Minister Stephen Harper had deteriorated in recent months. “Last night I spoke to the prime minister and informed him that I was standing down from cabinet,” Baird told legislators in the House of Commons. “I expressed my intention not to run in the next election in the new riding

of Nepean, and I also expressed my intention to stand down as a member of Parliament for Ottawa West-Nepean in the weeks ahead.”

Harper listened to his remarks intently in the chamber, quickly went over to embrace him afterwards, and issued this statement: “It is with great regret and affection that I today accepted the resignation of one of the finest ministers that I have had the privilege of working with, John Baird.”

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51

Sports News

International Sport Redknapp leaves QPR

Cote d’Ivoire, DRC in grudge showdown Time : 8pm

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Golden State Warriors recall fit again Ezeli

AFCON 2015

Sport

Did you know?

That the most consecutive wins was 10 by Arsenal (10 Feb 2002 to 24 Aug 2002)

crisis rocks Shooting Stars

l Board, management team on war part Charles Ogundiya

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ewly promoted Nigeria Professional Football League side, Shooting Stars of Ibadan, may suffer a quick return to the lower division if the Oyo State Government fails to intervene in the severe crisis currently rocking the club.

The board members of the club in a petition to the Secretary to the State Government accused the General Manager, Rasheed Balogun, and the management staff of the club of marginalisation.

According to the petition made available to New Telegraph, the GM and the management staff of the team are at variance with due process of the running of the team.

It was further revealed that the GM and the management team had not given last season’s report to the board to enable them to do appraisal and plan for the new season.

The eight board members who signed the petition also accused the GM of effecting changes in technical crew without recourse to the board mem-

The Sport Team Adekunle Salami

bers. This contravenes the NPFL Statutes in setting up a board to run the affairs of a premier league club in the country.

Chairman of the board, Samson Lakondoro, who is above 85 years of age, is the ninth member but he did not sign the petition because he is said to be working with the GM The board members are calling on the SSG to impress on the GM and the management staff to see the board members as the policy makers and should be allowed to formulate policies for the management team to function well.

Meanwhile, Balogun in a quick reaction to the petition has said the board members are actually after their own interest at the detriment of the club.

The GM said: “When I came on board there was nothing like board members but when we were approaching the mid-sea-

son, four board members joined us from which we had a chairman. After a week another five board members joined too.

“How can you work effectively when they just hold board meetings without the consent of those in charge? It’s the job of the chairman to call for meetings which has not been the case in recent time.”

He also accused the board members of imposing players on the team, making it difficult for the coaches to get the best

hands for the club.

He however said he was ready to resign from his position if the board members were not ready to allow him perform his duty to the best of his ability.

The former Sunshine Stars of Akure GM said: “The chairman has been trying his best, he has been givin his support to our programmes and plans, but the other board members have been trying to bring me down instead of given me the accolade for the success recorded so far.”

A dependable source close to the Jerico camp of the Oluyole Warriors noted that the ongoing crisis was capable of affecting the fortunes of the team.

“The board members and the management team should ordinarily work together to move the team forward. What we have now is a sad tale of people trying to exhibit their influence and power. In the end, the club will suffer.

“I pray the state government intervenes early enough,” the source said.

Golf: Lydia Ko, 17, becomes youngest world No.1

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Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Editor, Sport

Ifeanyi Ibeh Sport Correspondent

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

3SC player in action

Ko

outh Korea-born New Zealander Lydia Ko became the youngest world number one in golf history by reaching the top of the women’s rankings aged 17.

Ko secured the number one ranking by finishing in a tie for second at the LPGA Coates Championship in Florida.

She eclipses Tiger Woods, who was 21 when he became men’s world number one in 1997.

“It’s amazing,” said Ko. “It’s a huge honour to be

in that ranking. All I was focused on was trying to play my best.”

South Korean Jiyai Shin had been the youngest player to top the women’s rankings, doing so aged 22 in 2010.

Ko took her record despite surrendering a fourstroke overnight lead in the opening LPGA event of the season, which was won by South Korean NaYeon Choi.

But she still gained enough ranking points to move past South Korea’s

Inbee Park in the rankings.

Ko became the youngest winner of an LPGA Tour event with victory in the Canadian Women’s Open in August 2012 at the age of 15.

She turned professional in October 2013 and has won five times on the LPGA Tour and once on the European Tour.

“I’m going to just focus on my golf, not think about the rankings,” she said.

“The rankings always come after the results.”

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Golden State Warriors recall fit-again Ezeli FA Elections: NFF Ifeanyi Ibeh

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igerian basketball star, Festus Ezeli, has been recalled to the National Basketball Association by the Golden State Warriors after proving his fitness in the NBA Development League.

The 6 feet 11 Ezeli has been out of action since Christmas Day due to a left ankle sprain, missing 16 of the high flying Golden State Warriors’ games.

States battle to meet Federation Cup deadline

The Warriors’ coaching crew, led by former Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs championship winning guard, Steve Kerr, in a bid to speed up the recovery process of their Nigerian-born centre, moved him to their Development League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, on January 28 where Ezeli averaged 10 points, five rebounds and three blocks in two games.

He apparently did enough to impress Kerr, who was on Tuesday named NBA Western Conference coach of the

month, as he has been recalled from his rehabilitation assignment with the Santa Cruz Warriors and will now look to play a part as the Golden State Warriors, who sit atop the Western Conference table, seek to win their first NBA championship since 1975.

Heading into Tuesday night’s encounter against the Sacramento Kings (early hours of Wednesday in Nigeria), the Warriors had won 37 of their 45 games and Ezeli appeared in 21 of those games, starting seven of them.

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ost States of the Federation are in danger of missing the deadline for registration for this year’s Men and Women Federation Cup competitions.

Head of Federation Cup Unit, Miss Ruth David, said in Abuja on Tuesday that despite several phone calls and text messages to the Football Associations in the different states, only 10 States had registered for this year’s competitions, 10 days to the deadline for registration.

“It is important to remind all the states that the deadline for registration for the 2015 Men and Women Federation Cup competitions is 13th February. Late registration, between 16th and 20th February, will attract a fine of N50,000 for the men competition and N40,000 for the women competition.

“Submission of completed players’ licenses will be between 23rd and 27th February. Late submission, between 9th and 16th March, will attract a fine of N300,000 to the defaulting club(s).”

The Grand Finale of this year’s Men and Women Federation Cup competitions has already been fixed for Sunday, 16th August.

Ezeli

Promasidor donates 1,000 hockey sticks to Lagos P

romasidor Nigeria Plc has donated one thousand hockey sticks to the Lagos State Hockey Association, with the aim of helping to develop the sport in Nigeria.

The donation was made to the association at the Union Bank Sports Club, Suru-lere, Lagos, the venue of the hockey event at the ongoing IBILE Games for All Secondary Schools in Lagos state.

The 24 schools competing for honours at the competition collected the sticks in a ceremony supervised by the Chairman, Lagos State Hockey Association, Tunde Popoola, who was supported by the Director of Sportss, Lagos State Sports Council, Dr. Kweku Tandoh.

While presenting the hockey equipment to the 24 schools, the Head Legal and Legal Communications of Promasidor, Mr. Andrew Enahoro , said, the company decided to support hockey because it is like football where you have teams playing and showing some skills.

“The association would still have some more but

for now we have 24 schools that benefitted from this donation. There is a punch line, this is not just a gesture done by Promasidor.

It is in alliance with BME Concern Ripples. This is a charity organisation registered in the United Kingdom. There will be more to come, that I can assure you.

“The essence of this donation is Promasidor’s way of giving back to the society in the corporate social responsibility and to try to keep the kids off the streets. What you are seeing today is the first in the series of donations we are going to make; we are still going to the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Popoola

warns against external influence

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he Nigeria Football Federation has reiterated its warning that, in line with the NFF Statutes, there must be no external influence in the conduct of elections into the boards of the Football Associations of the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, NFF Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi made it clear that the Federation would not treat any state that runs foul of this important proviso as a sacred cow.

“We are sending this important message to all the Football Associations of the 36 States and the FCT. Any State where it is found that external influence has played some role will be visited with the full sanctions applicable.

“The Nigeria Football Federation is serious about this. All the Football Associations of the states and the FCT have a duty to observe the guidelines and the stipulations to the letter, in the true spirit of association football,” Akinwunmi said.

Elections into the boards of the Football Associations of the 36 States and the FCT have been scheduled for February, 2015, with a number of the states having fixed dates for their elections already.

The Elections Monitoring Committee, headed by a member of the NFF Executive Committee and Chairman of Chairmen, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau,is currently going through documents submitted by the states for the conduct of the elections, including guidelines and delegates’ lists.

Swimming boss wants training hubs at education districts Charles Ogundiya

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he President of Nigeria Aquatics Federation, Babatunde Fatayi-Williams, has called for the establishment of training hubs in all the education districts across Lagos to act as a platfor ms to groom discovered athletes at the ongoing Lagos State Secondary Schools Festival tagged Ibile Games 2015, Fatayi-Williams who is

also the chair man of the technical subcommittee of the Main Organising Committee, said his committee would advise Lagos Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development and the management of the Sports Council on the urgent need to identify training hubs for different sports in the five education divisions in the state.

He also applauded the synergy that exists between the Ministry of Youth, Sports

and Social Developments and the Ministry of Education in Lagos state which he described as an excellent platfor m for success.

“Some of the staff of the Ministry of Education are in the technical subcommittee of Ibile Games. I think this synergy would aid schools sports development in Lagos State and I wish other states of the federation could take a cue from what Lagos State Gover nment is doing,” he said.

Mfon Udoh joins Egyptian club, Ismaily

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igeria Professional Football League record top scorer and League Bloggers Awards Player of the Season, Mfon Udoh, has joined top Egyptian side, Ismaily Sporting Club, on a four-and-a-half year deal.

Udoh scored a record 23 goals during the 2013/14 Glo Premier League season to emerge top scorer and erased the previous 20-goal mark set

by Jude Aneke.

“Udoh and his representatives have agreed a deal with Ismaily. Top officials of his club, Enyimba, have approved the deal,” a reliable source, who was part of the negotiating process, told supersport. com, on Monday.

It was reliably gathered

Mfon

that Enyimba will receive $500,000 from “The Yellow Dragons” for the services of the Nigerian international.

Udoh has three international caps against Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire as well as Yemen and scored his first goal for the Eagles in the friendly against

Yemen.

After starting his career at lower division outfit, Unicem Rovers, he moved to top flight campaigners, Akwa United, where he became the second player after Akarandut Orok to hit double digits.

A barren spell in his first season at Akwa United almost led to the cancellation of his contract, but Udoh mastered the trick in his second season with 15 goals before joining Enyimba, where he scored a record 23 goals and made history as the first player to scored 38 goals in two seasons, in Nigeria.

Belarusian side, Dynamo Minsk, Tunisian outfit, Club Africain and a Belgian side also approached representatives of the Nigerian international.

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NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

Transfer news

Promise pens Turkey deal

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saac Promise has joined Turkish top flight club Balikesirspor on loan until the end of the season.

Promise, a former Nigeria Under-20 and Under-23 captain, makes the switch from Saudi Arabia side Al-Ahli.

He has considerable experience in Turkey, having previously turned out for Genclerbirligi, Trabzonspor, Manisaspor and Antalyaspor.

Balikesirspor President Tuna Akturk has confirmed the transaction:

Akpom set to sign new contract

Wenger appears to be putting his Athersene faith in young striker Chuba Akpom, and 19-year-old is reportedly set to repay

that vote of confidence by signing a new deal at the club, as reported by the Mirror.

Our talented English forward seems to have been on the cusp of first team action for a while now, but hasn’t quite been able to break through the barriers. Wenger finally seems to think he is ready with recent first team action being handed to the teenager.

Akpom’s current deal is set to expire at the end of the season, and we are hoping to tie him down to a new four and a half year deal.

Without assurances of first team football however, he is likely to look for a move away from the Emirates.

Hull City complete deal for N’Doye

ull City have confirmed the deadline-day H signingoftheSenegalstrikerDameN’Doye fromLokomotivMoscow.

SteveBrucemadesigningastrikerhispriority after watching his side slip to third from bottominthePremierLeague.Theyhavethe second-worstscoringrecordinthedivision.

The club announced the deal,which involves an undisclosed fee,via Twitter,saying:“The 29-yearoldhaspennedatwo-and-a-half-yeardeal,withtheclubholdingtheoption ofextendingthatbyafurtheryear.”

Coutinho signs longterm contract

star Philippe Coutinho has signed Lclubiverpool a new ‘long-term’ contract at Anfield, the has confirmed.

Redknapp quits QPR

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arry Redknapp has tendered his resignation and left his position as QPR manager.

Redknapp took over at Loftus Road in November 2012 and helped the club back into the Premier League but leaves the club second bottom of the top flight.

The 67-year-old will undergo knee replacement surgery in the coming weeks with Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey placed in temporary charge of the team until further notice.

Redknapp said in a QPR statement: “I have had such a fantastic time at QPR. I would like to thank the board, the players and all my staff, and especially the supporters who have been absolutely fantastic to me since I arrived at the club for their tremendous support.

“Sadly I need immediate surgery on my knee which is going to stop me from doing my job in the coming weeks. It means I won’t be able to be out on the training pitch every day, and if I can’t give 100 per-cent I feel it’s better for someone else to take over the reins.

“My relationship with [chairman] Tony Fernandes has been one of the highlights of my footballing career and I wish the club every success. I am confident they will survive in the Premier League this year.””

Chairman Fernandes added: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Harry for everything he has done for QPR during his time in charge.

“We part on good terms and I would personally like to wish him all the best for the future.” Redknapp

Inter seek cup turnaround I nter will hope to stem growing pressure on coach Roberto Mancini when they travel to Napoli in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals.

Sunday’s 3-1 loss at Sassuolo a team they beat 7-0 earlier in the campaign and by the same scoreline last season - left Inter a lowly 13th in the Serie A standings.

Mancini returned for a second spell at San Siro in November, having won three Scudetti and two Coppa Italia crowns first time

Nadal stays positive

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The 22-year old has been in good form in recent weeks, terrorising defences with his dribbling, creativity and long-range efforts.

Philippe Coutinho set up both goals in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over West Ham at the weekend to lift them up to seventh in the Premier League table, four points off fourth place and UEFA Champions League football again next season.

The Brazilian joined from Internazionale two years ago in a bargain £8.5 million deal and was an instant hit at Liverpool.

Adebayor’s move ‘blocked’ by Levy

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mmanuel Adebayor’s proposed switch to West Ham fell through due to a grudge held by Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, according to reports.

The Togo striker looked set to exit Tottenham on deadline day with a host of clubs keen to sign the out-of-favour player.

QPR and Crystal Palace were among them and Spurs were willing to contribute towards Adebayor’s wages. However the striker wanted to join West Ham but according to reports Levy was unwilling to contribute to his wages if he went to Upton Park.

Cahill joins Shanghai Shenhua

ustralia’s leading goalscorer Tim Cahill ALeague joined Shanghai Shenhua in China’s Super onTuesday,shortlyaftertheNewYork

Red Bulls announced he had left the club by mutual consent.

The 35-year-old Socceroos star, who hit three goals during Australia’s triumphant run t o the Asian Cup title, said he was attracted by the scale of the potential football market in China.

“I’ve done the Premier League, I’ve done America. New York was amazingforme...[but]Chinaisagrowingmarketinfootball,”Cahillsaid.

“You see in the [Asian Cup quarter-final] game that we played against China, millions of people watched it and I’m someone who is embracing culture and a different aspect of life.

around, with the team 12 points off the pace.

Inter are now a huge 24 points behind leaders Juventus following Sunday’s setback, leaving the Coppa Italia and the return to Europa League action later this month as the remaining opportunities to salvage a dismal season so far.

By contrast, Coppa holders Napoli moved to

Nadal

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afael Nadal admits he was happy with his display in Australia and will keep working hard as he prepares for the clay-court season.

The Spaniard reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open before his long winning streak against Tomas Berdych came to an end.

It was his first Grand Slam since Wimbledon as appendix surgery and a wrist injury kept him off court towards the end of the 2014 season and ruled him out of the US Open.

ith a slender one-point lead at La Liga’s summit, Real Madrid can put some daylight between themselves and the chasing pack when Sevilla visit the Santiago Bernabeu.

This fixture had to be postponed earlier in the season, due to Madrid’s involvement in the Club World Cup, but Wednesday’s meeting gives Carlo Ancelotti’s men the opportunity to cement their place at the top of the table.

within four points of second-placed Roma courtesy of a 2-1 win at Chievo last time out in Serie A- Manolo Gabbiadini opening his account for Rafael Benitez’s men by grabbing the winning goal.

“He can play in four different positions in attack,” Benitez told Sky Sport Italia when discussing his January buy from Sampdoria.

“He doesn’t give defenders a point of reference, so it’s very difficult to control him.

But, after getting five matches under his belt, the 28-year-old preferred to look at the positives from his time at Melbourne Park.

“It is not a bad start of season,” he said. “I have reached the quarter-finals, and this is a good result now. I have accumulated a lot of matches and this is a positive thing for me, after all these months out of the circuit.”

“I scraped together a lot of important points, whereas I will have a lot of them to defend in the next months,” he added.

“The recovery process is not finished yet. I will continue to work with the right patience and desire, trying to lose less points as possible in the rankings.”

Real look to extend lead The Champions League holders come into the game in high spirits, having beaten Real Sociedad 4-1 at home at the weekend to record a fourth consecutive league success.

Ancelotti hailed the performance of Karim Benzema after the Frenchman netted twice on Saturday and the coach will hope for a repeat performance as his

team continue to manage without star man Cristiano Ronaldo, who serves the second game of his two-match suspension.

Following the win over Sociedad, Ancelotti suggested that he could make alterations to his team as he looks to manage the players’ levels of fatigue.

“We have to assess the exertion we’ve put in in this game,” he said.

Eto’o conflict nothing serious – Sampdoria boss

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ampdoria president Massimo Ferrero has played down rumours that Samuel Eto’o will tear up his contract less than a week after joining the club from Everton.

The former Cameroun international joined the Serie A outfit in the January transfer window, but the veteran striker, 33, was ready to walk away from Sampdoria after an argument with head coach Sinisa

Mihajlovic over his intention to hold a double training session on Monday.

However, Ferrero has now stressed the situation is not as grave as it seemed and is confident Eto’o will not leave the club.

“Nothing has happened,” he told reporters. “It was just a small argument. An exchange of views if you want. We are all calm, the club is Eto’o united.”

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Equatorial Guinea 2015 AFCON

Cote d’Ivoire, DRC in grudge showdown C

Time : 8pm

ote d’Ivoire and DR Congo meet to settle a score today, Wednesday in Bata with a place in Sunday’s final up for grab.

The two sides meet for the third time in five months after clashing in Group D of the 2015 Nations Cup qualifiers.

Cote d’Ivoire beat DR Congo 2-1 in the first leg meeting on October 11 in Kinshasa but the Leopards turned the tables four days later albeit in dramatic fashion with a last minute winner.

DR Congo took a 3-1 halftime lead to eventually win 4-3 away in Abidjan on October 15 when Jeremy Bokila scored the winner in the 88th minute.

Cote d’Ivoire striker Max Gradel, who scored against DR Congo in Kinshasa, has not hidden his desire for some payback in Wednesday night’s clash.

“It is going to be a good game. DR Congo defeated us in Abidjan during the qualifiers, but this time it will be different,” Gradel said.

“We are going to prepare well to get through.”

Cote d’Ivoire are seeking their first final appearance since losing to Zambia in 2012.

They have no major injury worries and coach Herve Renard will be happy with what he saw last Sunday especially from talismanic striker Gervinho in that 3-1 demolition of Algeria.

Gabon ref for Ghana,E.Guinea tie

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head of the 2015 CAF African Cup of Nations semi-final clash between Ghana and hosts Equatorial Guinea on Thursday night, the football governing body has made its decision on who the referees will be.

The Gabonese official, Eric Arnaud Otogo-Castane, has been named as the man to officiate the semi-final amidst the controversial decisions that saw the host edging Tunisia via a dubious penalty in the quarter final.

The move by CAF has raised suspicions that the referees favour the home side Equatorial Guinea and with the referee coming from

T

he leadership of the National Sports Commission has described the death of Sports Philanthropist and business mogul, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, at the age of 79 as a great loss to Nigerian sports.

The Director General of the National Sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye, who was shocked to hear the news of the death of the late sports philanthropist said that Okoya-Thomas has left an indelible mark in sports’ promotion and sponsorship most especially in the game of table tennis which he would be forever remembered for.

Elegbeleye said: “The NSC commiserates with the family of late Chief Okoya-Thomas on the death of their beloved one whose death is a great loss to the country and Nigerian sports in par-

their neighbouring country Gabon, the suspicion has heightened.

Otogo-Castane will be assisted

by Abdelhak Etchiali of Algeria as the assistant first referee, while Jerson Emiliano dos Santos of Angola will be the second assistant referee. Nigerian Yahaya Mahamadou will be the assistant third referee while Mehdi Abid Charef of Algeria will be the reserve referee.

Marcel Njipendi Kuotu from Cameroon is the referee assessor with Mauritanian Massa Diarra as general coordinator and Khaled Lemkecher from Tunisia as the assistant general coordinator.

Marvin Baudry of Congo (left) and Yannick Bolasie of DR Congo during their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations match

We are ready for Cote d’Ivoire -Ibenge

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lorent Ibenge, the Democtratic Republic of Congo Coach has said they are going to keep the same mentality against Cote d’Ivoire that saw them come from two goals down to eject Congo Brazzaville in the quarters.

DR Congo who have won the AFCON trophy twice (1968, 1974) beat Congo Brazzaville 4-2 and face the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire on Wednesday at the Bata Stadium

in the first semi-final of the on-going Africa Cup of Nations.

The 52-year coach who also led AS Vita to the CAF Champions League final told AfricanFootball.com that they were not worried about any team and their mentality was to be positive and take every game as it comes.

“We know Cote d’Ivoire beat a strong Algeria side 3-1, but we are not bothered because

we are only concerned about how we execute our game plan,” added Ibenge.

He said the great determination which helped his team ride over Congo Brazzaville will be at work when they take on the Elephants.

Ibenge added: “Cote d’Ivoire should not expect a soft game from us. This is a big game because any team that gets to this level deserves respect.”

TRIBUTE TO MOLADE OKOYA-THOMAS

NSC mourns ticular. We loved him but God loved him most and he will be sorely missed by all of us.

“The late Chief OkoyaThomas for over four decades now has sponsored the popular tennis competition tagged Asoju Oba Table Tennis Championship and by that has helped in producing many notable stars in the game and his commitment to the promotion and development of sports in the country has been incomparable.

“We pray that God Almighty in His infinite mercies will give the family the fortitude to bear Late Okoya–Thomas the irreparable loss.”

A big loss to sports – NOC

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S Nigerians mourn the demise of business mogul, Chief Molade Okoya- Thomas, President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Habu Gumel, has described his death as a big loss to sports.

Chief Okoya Thomas died at the age of 79. Gumel who was devastated on hearing about the death of the sponsor of the longest running table tennis championship in Nigeria, the Asoju Oba Table Tennis Championship, said that the Olympic family would miss him dearly.

Recalling his immense contribution to the social, economic and political development of the country, Gumel said that he had an unquenchable passion for sports in Nigeria. “’He was a philanthropist per excellence. Not only did he give to sports, he inspired and encouraged young athletes and was present to watch Nigerians do battle against other countries in and out of

the country. He was a cheerful giver who turned the lives of many youths around for the better,’’ he said .

Secretary General of the NOC, Hon. Tunde Popoola was equally hard-hit. He, however, recalled how the late Asoju Oba Table Tennis Championship had gone uninterrupted since its first edition in 1968.

“Tunde Obisanya, one of the greatest Table Tennis stars this country ever produced won the inaugural edition and ruled Africa over and over again. I remember that Egyptians could not come to terms with the flurry of strokes of Obisanya. Many others like Atanda Musa, Majekodumi, Kubirat Owolabi, Funke Oshonaike and other tennis greats benefitted from the sponsorship of Chief Okoya Thomas. Tell me, where else can we get a man so generous like Chief Okoya Thomas in Nigerian sports?’’Popoola asked.

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NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

Our electoral choices

I

n some countries, there are voters whose choices are constant. It is immaterial who the candidate is. It is immaterial whether their Party is in power or in opposition. To them, their commitment is to the Party.

Some of them are born into families with a history and tradition of a political tendency. Almost from birth they identify with the family or community tendency and that becomes their commitment and it remains more or less unchangeable.

In places like the United State, there are some people that belong to the Democratic Party and others belong to the Republican Party. No matter the situation, no matter the circumstances, no matter the challenges, no matter the tribulations and no matter the propaganda, their votes and preferences are constant and that is the way they are and that is the way they vote. For them, the ideology of the party and what the Party represents is the cornerstone of their preference.

There are others who belong to the two dominant parties but may vote against the candidate chosen or presented by the Party if they believe that the Party has not made a good choice.

They still remain strong members of their Party but are worried about what the candidate presented by their Party represents.

The Parties are therefore careful in the choice of candidates and the choice of platforms. So, these categories of people remain with the Party. They identify with the Party but do not take any nonsense from their Party.

There are those who are independent. They don’t belong to any of the Political Parties. They study the programmes and policies of the existing political parties. They follow the utterances, actions and programmes of the Political Parties. These independents want to know the stand of the Political Parties and the candidates on issues relating to abortion, women’s rights, gun control, disability issues, employment, immigration, foreign policy and a host of other issues. These groups have strong lobby groups and are difficult to handle.

Because of these classes of voters, some Parties avoid extremism and moderate their platforms to attract them.

These classes of voters are very dangerous. They are the issue-based voters. They study issues. They analyze issues. They dig into the background of candidates. They follow their personal lives. To them, character and issues are symbiotically linked and they are crucial in the choices they make.

In Nigeria, our peculiar historical circumstance has made it difficult for genuine political parties to be formed and nurtured. Spates of military rule, sometimes occasioned by the irresponsibility of the political elite, aborted the growth of democracy and stunted the development of genuine political parties. This is why the Nigerian people are using toothcomb to decipher the difference between the existing political parties in terms of their programmes and policies. This is understandable because, if the difference between the two big parties in Nigeria is based on ideology, it won’t be that easy for people to migrate from one party to the other with so much ease. The parties are therefore more of electoral platforms than political parties.

But both of them tend to approach issues somehow differently. One of the parties has been in power since Nigeria returned to civil democratic rule

Hard Choices FESTUS OKOYE

festokoye2003@yahoo.com 08054480565 (sms only)

INDEP END TIONA ENT NAL

in 1999. Its candidate is running on his record in office while the candidate of the main opposition party is running on the platform of change. If these are the issues, why are Nigerians agitated and panicky? Why should people be moving from one geopolitical zone to the other just because a Party and its candidate is seeking a second term based on its record in office and the other is promising change based on the non performance of the incumbent?

These things are happening because other considerations than performance and change may be the major determinants of the winner of the February 2015 elections. The Parties and their candidates are hardly addressing the challenges of the Nigerian nation.

Rather they are activating ethnic and regional cleavages. Some of them are calling their ethnic groups to arms.

Some of them are threatening fire and brimstone hiding under the banner of faceless, emergency and unregistered organizations.

But the reality of the situation is that appeals to religion and ethnicity will not resolve the challenges of the Nigerian nation. Why must a Governor that has not paid salaries for 6 months be given a platform in any religious organization to seek for a higher or lesser office. It is the poverty of our

Why must a Governor that has not paid salaries for 6 months be given a platform in any religious organization to seek for a higher or lesser office

Jega

electoral process and the fact that the political elite is still trying to come to terms with the reality of credible elections. While the Nigerian people have resolved to live in and with democracy and its tenets, culture and values, the political elite nurtured in the culture of impunity, are still hesitant to commit to constitutional democracy.

Pertinent issues around democracy, the rule of law, separation of powers and the sovereign power of the Nigerian people have not been given adequate attention in the campaigns and manifestoes of the various political parties.

Rather, fleeting references and generalizations are made to issues of poverty, unemployment, decayed and decaying infrastructure and rising insecurity in the land. As a people and a nation, we should pose questions to the political parties and the candidates and demand answers.

1. How will the Parties and the candidates finance the promises they are making in the face of the economic challenges facing the nation as a result of turbulence in the international oil market?

2. How will the Parties and their candidates restore the confidence of the people of the North East Zone who are refugees in neighbouring countries and or internally displaced in various parts of Nigeria? What are the Parties going to do differently to energize the military, flush out the insurgents, return the people to their homes and begin the process of rebuilding states that are now geographical expressions?

3. How will the parties deal with rising unemployment in the face of the rubbish that some of the States are generating as internal revenue?

Are the jobs the Parties want to create from the informal sector or from the public sector where salaries are not being paid?

4. Are the Political Parties and their candidates committed to allowing the

judiciary and other adjudicatory agencies adjudicate disputes without fear or favour. In other words, will they cease to interfere with the appointment of Judges, and, on the whole, grant and guarantee the financial autonomy and independence of the Judiciary? In other words, do the Parties and their candidates subscribe to the position that the process leading to and concerning the appointment of Judicial Officers should be advertised; done openly, transparently and essentially on merit?

5. Are the parties ready to commit to the integrity of judicial decisions?

When the Parties say that they believe in the rule of law and due process, does that translate to making the State and government subject to law and that they will give vent to all judicial decisions no matter the level of its objection to it? Are they committed to the fact that the Inspector General of Police will not be the enforcer and at the same time the interpreter of the law?

6. Do the Parties and their candidates agree that Political Parties must have “clear cut policies and programmes based on shared values and principles, such that the basis of membership, identification and voting should be clear?

7. If sovereignty belongs to the people, are the Political Parties and candidates agreed to the unbundling of the Independent National Electoral Commission and the creation of a Political Parties Registration and Regulatory Commission and Electoral Offences Commission?

8. What do the Parties and their candidates intend to do with the report of the Electoral Reform Committee especially on the issue of carpet crossing, regulation of contributions to political parties, the use of government resources and facilities for campaigns, proportional representation and the inclusion of persons with disability in the electoral process.

9. What do the Political Parties and their candidates intend to do with the Report of the 2014 National Conference? Will they submit the document to a referendum or propose amendments to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999(as amended) or will they dump the report?

10. Nigerians want to know the “how” of what the Political Parties and the candidates are promising. So, when a Political Party or its candidates says it will do something we should ask “how” and where the funds will come from considering the state of the Nigerian economy.

The Political Parties and their candidates should therefore restrict themselves to issues affecting the welfare and the well-being of the Nigerian people and abandon the uncharitable path of character attack, leaving the most important issues of security, unemployment, dwindling economy, electricity, lackadaisical infrastructures to speculation.

The Political Parties and their candidates should also abandon the worn out issues of religion and ethnicity and address the main development issues rather than preying on the fears and anxieties of the Nigerian people.

The Nigerian people should make rational choices. Choices based on ethnicity and religion are old fashioned and will not put food on the table. Choices based on emotion and other base considerations are useless choices. Sitting on the fence is also a choice and the proponents know it has consequences.

On Marble Death never takes a wise man by surprise; he is always ready to go.

– Jean de la Fontaine

Sanctity of Truth

Festus Okoye Our electoral choices

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Giant strides in Commerce, Industry

S

ome of the unique features of President Goodluck Jonathan’s management style are the structural components of his Transformation Agenda and the quality of his core teams. Across the various sectors of the economy, polity and society, he has streamlined his programme of action and painstakingly selected professionals of proven records and integrity who would appreciate his focus and work with him. The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment [FMITI] is a case in point.

For several years, Nigerians identified the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as one of the avenues to create jobs for the boys [and of course, girls]. Beyond the payment of salaries and emoluments, that establishment simply made up the numbers; with practically no sustainable impact on development. Today, the visibility of the Ministry is evidence-based.

When the Jonathan administration assumed office some four years ago, Nigeria had no articulate plan on economic development, particularly in commerce and industry, which are universally acknowledged as major platforms for job creation. More specifically, there was no clear direction on the growth of the non-oil sector [whether micro-, small, medium or large-scale enterprises] even as the decision makers seemed content with exporting raw materials and inducing a brain-drain. Increasingly, the nation’s automobile, textile, agro-processing and other manufacturing capacities and facilities reduced and decayed from poor competitiveness and lack of support from government – with the attendant lay-off of millions of Nigerian workers.

In the meantime, the oil sector itself -- the so-called ‘Cash-Cow‘ -- suffered gross neglect as there was no credible investment plan to build working refineries in the country; in spite of public expenditure of billions of Dollars over 12 years and the granting of several refinery licences.

Having generated an unambiguous vision for commerce & industry, President Jonathan chose Dr. Olusegun Aganga -a past Managing Director of the famed Goldman Sachs to head the new Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment [FMITI].

Essentially, the vision has been steadily focused on: diversifying the economy away from oil; creating jobs in Nigeria through supporting local production; boosting non-oil exports; thus expanding avenues for foreign exchange earnings; and broadening the sources of government revenue.

Indeed, in its first term, the Jonathan administration has attained verifiable giant strides in the fulfilment of this vision.

The nation now has a coherent Industrial Policy. The Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan [NIRP] is progressively reducing our import-dependence. The Plan also incorporates a Strategic Import Substitution programme [funded by the Central Bank of Nigeria], which provides a range of incentives and financing facilities for relevant investors.

The Nigeria Strategic Export Programme identified 13 products for which it is attracting investments and finding markets. They are Palm Oil and Kernel,

PETER OBI CON Guest Columnist

Aganga

Cocoa, Sugar, Rice, Auto & Parts, Rubber, Metals, Petro-chemicals, Methanol, Fertilizer, Leather, Textiles & Garments, and Cashew Nuts.

From an unprecedented collaboration between the FMITI and its Finance and Agriculture counterparts, the Jonathan administration introduced a bold programme to develop the entire rice valuechain; and in the process eliminate the 1.5-2 billion Dollars spent annually on rice imports into Nigeria, by 2017.

Paddy rice production is expanding, even as 14 private large rice processing mills have been established in the relevant production zones. With current trends, Nigeria is well on the way to not only attain self-sufficiency in rice, but progressively enter the export market.

Over the next five years, the Federal Government is committing N70 billion annually to support private operations in the rice value-chain.

Preliminary work has been concluded on the sustainable development of the Cocoa Value Chain, Palm Oil Value Chain, Rubber-Tyres, Leather and Leather products, Iron Ore-Metals, Packaged Foods and Beverages, Aluminum, industrialscale housing supply, among others.

The Nigeria Sugar Master Plan has been developed and is being implemented; with investments expanding from US$100 million in 2011 to US$3.2 billion in 2013. Meanwhile, the Cotton and Textile Development Policy and the N200 billion SME [low interest] financing scheme, are creating several jobs and growing the economy.

Nigeria’s [first-ever] National Pol-

icy on Textiles and Garments is onstream; offering an initial N18 billion annually to small textile enterprises in the country. The annual revenue target for textiles and garments exports is over half a billion Naira even as there are firm commitments of foreign direct investments to the tune of US$3 billion.

In the building and construction sector, domestic capacity for cement production has more than doubled under the present dispensation – from 16.9 million metric tones per annum [mtpa] in 2011 to some 39.5 million mtpa as at end-2014.

Investments in the area come to about US$6.8 billion, with 1.6 million persons in full employment. For the first time ever [in 2013], Nigeria became a net exporter of cement. As a matter of fact, no import permit has been issued for cement since 2012; saving the country over N200 billion of foreign exchange.

The National Automotive Policy has facilitated the resuscitation of longabandoned motor assembly companies, including Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria [PAN] and Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company [ANAMCO] as well as the smooth take-off and operation of such others as INNOSON and NISSAN. As a matter fact, in the first year, four international auto-manufacturers partnered with local companies and commenced local production. Meanwhile, 18 other foreign companies have indicated interest to start operations in Nigeria; one of which proviso is to steadily boost local content.

With its well-thought-out programme of action, the Jonathan administration has a definite and realistic target date [2018] to cease the importation of refined petroleum products. And, as at end-2014, private sector investors had packaged some US$14 billion for integrated Petrochemical and Refining Plants in Nigeria.

Similarly, there is a further US$8 billion for Fertilizer projects to support the nation’s gas-based industrialization, and boost food security.

Related initiatives of the Jonathan administration in investments, commerce and industry include: In spite of the security and associated challenges, Nigeria hosted the World Economic Forum in 2014 – an eloquent testimony to the confidence of investors in the management of the nation by President Goodluck Jonathan. The country is now the most-preferred destination for foreign investment in Africa.

The re-basing of the economy has moved Nigeria from its rankings – 3rd to 1st in Africa and 46th to 26th in the world.

The nation’s GDP is some US$510 billion.

The on-going construction of the Centenary City in the FCT is the largest

green-field urban development for global commerce, with potentials for billions of Dollars/Naira in investments and millions of jobs. Similarly, the establishment of an African International Finance Centre in the commercial nerve-centre of Lagos will elevate the country to the status of the continent’s financial hub for Africa, with the attendant benefits in global business, employment opportunities and economic growth.

Nigeria now has a cohesive agenda for International Trade, which offers protection to Nigerian jobs and local businesses. Its first-ever National Competition Policy is helping to check monopolies, while promoting competition and protecting consumers. In the same vein, the administration’s National Corporate Governance Framework caters for investors and ensures responsible corporate practices. Business registration costs have been reduced by 60 per cent for small businesses and 25 per cent for large businesses, even as on-line registration enables full company incorporation in 24 hours.

Following the conduct of a National Skills Gap Survey, Nigerians are being trained to meet the real needs of the economy. The Industrial Training Fund [ITF] has since been re-organized in line with best practices.

More than any other government, the Jonathan administration has invested heavily in the development of Micro-, Small and Medium Enterprises [MSMEs] across the country. The Nigeria Enterprise Development Programme is a robust national agenda to promote the establishment and growth of small businesses. Among the varied platforms, the CBN has commenced disbursement of its N220 billion MSME Fund, while the Bank of Industry [BoI] has supported several small businesses with over N115 billion between 2011 and 2014. This is the fastest credit growth in its history. So far also, the BoI has partnered with 17 states with a matching concessionary fund of N14 billion. The You-Win and SURE-P Graduate Internship Schemes are part of the range of initiatives that are also providing concrete support to young entrepreneurs and businesses across the country.

Meanwhile, the erstwhile [but sadly idle] Industrial Development Centres have been converted to MSME Industrial Clusters.

Even as quite a number of these initiatives are generating several employment opportunities at various skill levels, more openings are expected when the new projects come on-stream.

There are also the value-added benefits of economic buoyancy, stability of the political economy, integrated rural development, and general wellbeing, among others.

Against the backdrop of the foregoing, it goes without saying that given a second term, the Jonathan administration will not only consolidate on the gains of commerce and industry, but grow the economy to a pride of place in the comity of nations.

• Mr. Obi is the immediate past Gov. of Anambra State and the Deputy National Director General of the PDP National Campaign Council.

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