3rd Feburary 2016 by Nigerian Tribune

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,428

WEDNESDAY, 3 FEBRUARY, 2016

Ajimobi, Okowa, Geidam win at Supreme Court —P8

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Presidency defends N3.8bn allocation for State House clinic —P12

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Fashola to Senate: Zika virus not new You can't stop NERC from to Nigeria increasing electricity tariff —NIMR DG —P12

—P8

NIMASA paid me N905m for contracts I didn't bid for —Witness

•How Dariye shared N1.2bn Ecological Fund —Witness •$620,000 bribe: ICPC drops charges against Emenalo, makes him —P6 witness against Farouk Lawan

President Muhammadu Buhari assisted by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Governor Abiola Ajimobi and others to cut the Ogun at 40 anniversary cake, in Abeokuta, on Tuesday.

Ogun at 40: Buhari commissions projects, Amosun celebrates prominent indigenes —P36

President Muhammadu Buhari exchanging pleasantries with the Chairman, Globacom Limited, Dr Mike Adenuga, Jr (left). With them is the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, during the president’s visit to the palace, on Monday.

—P?? 2 injured, 4 houses damaged in —P34 Benin twin bomb blasts

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

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Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

NIMASA paid me N905m for contract I did not bid for —Witness Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin - Lagos

witness in the ongoing trial of a former Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi and six others, has told a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos that his three companies were paid N905, 800,000 for a contract he did not execute. The witness, Uche Obilor, who is the Managing Director of the three companies, Ace Prosthesis Limited, Seabulk Offshore Limited and Southern Offshore Limited, told the court that the money was paid into the companies’ two bank accounts even though he did not tender any proposal or carry out any contract for NIMASA. Akpobolokemi was arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba along with three others – Captain Ezekiel

Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan – and three companies, namely Blockz and Stonz Limited, Kenzo Logistics Limited and AlKenzo Logistic Limited. In a 22-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), they were accused of converting a total of N2,658,957,666 between December 23, 2013 and May 28, 2015. They had pleaded not guilty to all the counts. Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, Obilor disclosed that the sum of N437million was paid to Ace Prosthesis Limited, while N402 million was paid to Seabulk Offshore Limited and N66.8 million paid to Southern Offshore Limited respectively. On how his companies got the contract, Obilor told the court that he was approached by Captain Ezekiel Agaba (2nd defendants) that his companies had been awarded a contract to assist NIMASA

meet the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code for 2014. He also told the court that shortly after the money was paid, he was told by the second defendant to stay execution on the contract. He also disclosed that the second defendant later directed him to transfer the money into different accounts until N54 million was left in the accounts. Under cross examination, by Dr Joseph Nwobike, lawyer to Akpobolokemi (first defendant), Obilor told the court that he held several meetings with the second defendants adding that the remaining N54 million left in the account had been transferred to the coffers of the Federal Government. He also admitted that he did not have any discussions with the Akpobolokemi neither did he receive any instruction from him.When asked by lawyer to the second defendant, Mr E G Onyeka, whether he (Obi-

lor) was aware that two of his staff issued and signed several invoices to NIMASA, he said “I am on top of the whole exercise and I am unaware that they signed

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has dropped charges against Boniface Emenalo and made him testify against the former chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, Farouk Lawan. Emenalo, Secretary of the Ad-hoc Committee, whose charges were dropped in an amended charge by the ICPC, alleged before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory that Farouk Lawan collected bribe from the oil magnate, Femi Otedola. A former accused person in the ongoing subsidy scam, Emenalo stood in the witness box when the matter came up yesterday and testified against Lawan. Emenalo and Lawan were formerly facing a sevencount charge of bribery, an offence which violates Section 10 (a) (ii) of ICPC Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 10 of the same Act. They were alleged to have conspired in April 2012 to demand $3 million gratification from Otedola to delete his firm from the list of oil companies indicted in the fuel subsidy scam. During yesterday’s proceedings, the charges, which have been amended to three counts, excluded Emenalo with only Lawan now facing trial. In the amended charge,

Lawan is now standing trial for receiving $500,000 after demanding $3 million from the oil magnate. Emenalo’s $120,000 has been dropped by the ICPC. One of the charges against Lawan read: “That you Honourable Farouk Lawan (M) being member of the House of Representatives and Chairman, House Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy regime sometime in April 2012 or thereabout, at Abuja, within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did, while acting in the course of your official duty, corruptly asked for the sum of $3,000,000 from Mr Femi Otedola, Chairman, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd on account of intention to afterwards show favour to the said Mr Femi Otedola by removing the name of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited from the report of the House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime and you thereby committee an offence contrary to Section 8 (1) (a) of The Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 8 (1) of the same Act.” Count three reads: “That you Honourable Farouk Lawan (M), while being a member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime,

sometimes in April 2012 or thereabout, at Abuja, within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did, while acting in the course of your official duty, corruptly obtained the sum of $500,000 for yourself from Mr Femi Otedola, Chairman, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, as an inducement to remove the name of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited from the report of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section (17)(1) of the same Act.” Emenalo was jointly charged along with Lawan as the second accused person until an amendment to the charges by the ICPC saw his name removed as a defendant, leaving only Lawan as the sole accused person in the matter. Lawan and Emenalo were initially arraigned on sixcount charges of corruptly accepting sums of money up to $620,000 from business mogul and Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, Mr Femi Otedola, in the course of performing the committee’s duty in 2012. Both men were accused of collecting the money in April 2012 from Otedola in order to remove Otedola’s

some of which his company lacked capacity to carry out. Justice Buba has adjourned further hearing in the matter till February 5, 16 and 19 respectively.

How Dariye shared N1.2bn Ecological Fund —Witness THE trial of a former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on a 23-count charge bordering on money laundering and diversion of funds, continued on Tuesday with the statement he made in 2007 forming the thrust of the day’s proceedings. His trial before Justice Adebukola Banjoko of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Gudu, Abuja, had commenced on January 25, 2016 with the EFCC presenting exhibits, including the statement, as

$620, 000 bribe: ICPC drops charges against Emenalo, makes him witness against Farouk Lawan Sunday Ejike - Abuja

any document.” Obilor also admitted that during the meetings he had with the second defendant, a list of job schedule was brought to his attention

companies’ names from the list of firms indicted by the committee for allegedly abusing the fuel subsidy regime. The amended charges now comprised three counts instead of the previous seven. It now indicates that Lawan corruptly asked for $3million from Otedola and did corruptly collected $500,000 from the business man. At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, Emenalo appeared in court as a prosecution witness following summon served on the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

part of documents to prosecute him for allegedly diverting N1.162 billion ecological fund meant for the state, to private companies and individuals. In the statement, according to PRNigeria, Dariye had acknowledged giving instruction to All States Trust Bank (now defunct), on the disbursement of the said N1.162 billion fund, which had been released by the Office of the Ecological Fund and credited to the bank. A document from the bank confirming the disbursement of the fund as instructed by Dariye was also presented in court. In the document, the then state governor instructed that N250 million be paid to Pinnacle Communications Limited (PCL); N80 million to Union Savings & Loans; N550 million to the Plateau State government; N100 million to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) SouthWest; and N176,862,900 to Ebenezer Retnan Ventures (ERV). Prosecution witness, Musa Sunday, who was cross-examined by G. S. Pwul, counsel to Dariye, told the court that the documents, including Dariye’s statement, were obtained in the course of investigations into the alleged diversion of the N1.162 billion fund. According to him, though during investigation, the owner of PCL – a contractor with the state government, confirmed the receipt

for work done for the state, ERV was a company owned by the former governor, and actually got paid the sum of N160 million (instead of N176,862,900 as earlier instructed by Dariye) for no services rendered to the state government. He told the court that during interrogation of Dariye, he admitted that the balance of about N16 million was shared between the then Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Nasir Mantu, who got N10 million, and the remaining N6 million given to the PDP in the state. He said, “We invited the owner of Pinnacle Communications Limited who confirmed that he was a contractor for the Plateau State government. “The N80 million credited to Union Savings was traced to Kingsley Nkomah, the Permanent Secretary in the Ecological Fund office, which investigations later showed was the share of Nkomah to facilitate the release of the fund. “During interrogation, the defendant volunteered his statement and made it clear that the N100 million paid PDP South-West was different from the N100 million we traced to Marine Float Nigeria Limited.” Sunday told the court that the N80 million was, however, recovered from Nkomah. Justice Banjoko, thereafter adjourned till today February 3, for continuation of trial.

Court adjourns Bianca Ojukwu’s case till Feb 29 Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin - Lagos

JUSTICE Abdulfattah Lawal of Igbosere High Court has adjourned till February 29, trial in a suit involving

children to the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, and children to his wife, Bianca Ojukwu. It will be recalled that Bi-

Delta signs MoU for 10,000 housing units Alphonsus Agborh – Asaba

DELTA State government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with an indigenous company, Green Field Assets Limited, for the building of 10,000 housing units in Asaba, the state capital. The company, which has Lafarge, leading cement producers as its technical partners, is expected to deliver 1,000 houses in its first phase this year. Signing the MoU in his office on behalf of the state, Secretary to the State

Government, Honourable Festus Ovie Agas, said the project site was along Asaba-Illah road, where about 200 hectares of land had been acquired. According to him, the developers would build the houses in different categories of 1-3 bedroom flats and the state would purchase them for sale to civil servants. Agas said urban renewal, which is part of the state governor’s five-point agenda (SMART), is a deliberate policy of government to create new cities in the state.

anca had on Monday told the court that she was the only one that was legally married to her late husband, as she engaged in court, church and traditional marriage, unlike the other wives who only had the traditional marriage. Bianca, who was speaking under cross examination, also told the court that the suit that was filed before the court is only for the right of her children and not other children of Ojukwu. The witness further informed the court that some of the Ojukwu Transport Limited (OTL) properties in question had been in the possession of her late husband before his demise, adding that the rent of those properties were being collected by her husband.

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

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Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Zika virus not new to Nigeria —NIMR DG By Sade Oguntola

IRECTOR-General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Professor Innocent Ujah, has assured that the institution has commenced work to find out if the Zika virus, blamed for birth defects in babies, was already in Nigeria. On Monday, the World Health Organisation warned that the Zika virus could spread to Africa and Asia and launched a global response unit against the new emergency. By the end of January, 24 countries had already documented cases of Zika virus. Ujah, declaring that the institute’s malaria research group would be looking at the prevalence of Aedes Egypti, the mosquito that transmits the Zika virus in Nigeria, added that they would also unravel if the virus was already in Nigeria. The NIMR boss, remarking that Aedes Egypti also transmitted yellow fever and dengue fever virus, however, said Zika virus was not totally new to Nigeria. According to him, “Zika virus has been isolated in Ibadan before in two children and published in a scientific journal far back as 1971. “It is now left for us to look at the Aedes Egypti, if this mosquito carries the virus

in Nigeria in details.” However, Ujah stressed the need for Nigerians to maintain high level of personal and environmental hygiene, as well as awareness creation on Zika virus, saying that “lassa fever,, Ebola fever and Zika virus, all have

to do with environmental and personal hygiene.” In ensuring pregnant women are protected from the zirus, he urged that they slept under insecticidal treated mosquito nets, as well as maintained a clean environment.

According to him, “anything that will keep the mosquitoes away will be helpful.” Zika, the mosquito-borne virus had been linked with brain abnormalities in infants, called microcephaly (ME), which causes a baby

to be born with an extremely small head for his age. It has many potential causes— infections, viruses, toxins or unknown genetic factors. People infected with the virus usually have no symptoms. A pregnant woman can thus be infected without

Hope rising for FG’s $25bn infrastructural fund —Osinbajo Says China-EXIM bank to fund Lagos-Kano, Lagos-Calabar railway projects Leon Usigbe - Abuja THE Federal Government is confident that it can put together the planned $25 billion infrastructural fund and establish longterm bankable projects, following interest shown in it by the global community. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made the declaration while receiving a delegation of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which paid him a courtesy call in his office, on Tuesday. “We have seen considerable, favourable interests from some sovereign wealth funds and other nations,” he said. He informed the delegation that the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), which manages the country’s sovereign wealth fund, was leading the project, adding that the infrastructural fund would create opportunity for commercial partners to participate in the

building of the nation’s infrastructures, alongside the Federal Government. He said this would be done through the establishment of bankable projects that involved such commercial partners. Osinbajo disclosed that the China-EXIM Bank had agreed to finance the railway projects linking LagosKano and Lagos-Calabar, expressing confidence that

the projects would generate economic activities and create jobs. He reiterated the Federal Government’s determination to raise revenue internally to fund the budget, including through an expansion of Value Added Tax (VAT) coverage, which he said was currently at 20 per cent coverage. He told the delegation that the Federal Govern-

ment was focussed on finding solutions to the economic situation, including through a focus on building infrastructure and also diversifying the economy, especially through agriculture. The delegation of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry was led by Chief Nike Akande, who declared the support of the chamber for the Federal

THE Supreme Court of Nigeria, on Tuesday, said Senator Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was duly elected governor of Oyo State in the April 11, 2015 governorship election held in the state. The apex court, in a unanimous judgment of a sevenmember panel of justices, headed by Justice Walter Onnoghen, dismissed the appeal by Alhaji Rahidi Ladoja of the Accord Party, challenging Ajimobi’s victory in the election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Justice Clara Binta Ogunbiyi, who delivered the judgment, held that Ladoja’s appeal before the court lacked merit and constituted gross abuse of court process. She held that reasons for the decision of the court would be given on Monday,

February 15. It will be recalled that the Court of Appeal in Ibadan had dismissed the appeal filed by Ladoja against the victory of the incumbent governor, Senator Ajimobi in the April poll and upheld a unanimous judgment delivered by the three-man election petition tribunal, which had earlier confirmed the declaration of the governor winner of the election. Ladoja, who contested on the platform of Accord Party had alleged that the election of Governor Ajimobi was in contravention of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended noting that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress was not validly elected by lawful votes cast in the election. Dissatisfied with the judgments of the Oyo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and that of the Appeal Court, Ladoja approached the Supreme Court to set aside the judg-

Government’s fight against corruption, while acknowledging that the current economic situation left the present administration with tough choices. Mrs Akande, a former Minister for Industry, called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to find a foreign exchange regime that would boost the confidence of investors and remove uncertainty.

How DESOPADEC was used to execute phony projects —Group We will react soon —DESOPADEC official Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri THE Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILT) has opened a can of worms on how the Delta State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) was used in the last eight years as a conduit pipe to siphon public funds

through none or half execution of projects awarded to add values to communities for which the body was established. The group said in a statement made available to Nigerian Tribune in Warri, on Tuesday, that it was inundated with complaints by the various communities in the three Warri

local government areas of Delta State about contracts of projects awarded by the interventionist body which “were abandoned, poorly done, or do not even exist, yet payments were made.” Leaders of the ILT, including Sir (Chief) I.O. Jemide, Pa J.O.S. Ayomike and Edward Ekpoko Esq., in the release, disclosed that in-

S’Court affirms Ajimobi, Okowa, Geidam’s elections Ladoja, Oyo Speaker congratulate Ajimobi From Sunday Ejike and Nurudeen Alimi

knowing it, but the only test available is difficult to interpret, and not widely available, so they’re being reserved for pregnant women who have symptoms of Zika. The problem is, 80 per cent of people infected with the virus don’t have symptoms.

ments of the lower courts and annul Ajimobi’s election. In the same vein, the apex court also upheld the election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Justice John Inyang Okoro, who read the judgment held that the appeal filed by Chief Great Ogboru of Labour Party and the APC governorship candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor lacked merit and were accordingly dismissed. The court also held, in a judgment also delivered on Tuesday that Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam of the APC was validly elected governor of Yobe State. The judgment delivered by Justice Mary Peter Odili held that the appeal challenging Geidam’s election brought before the court by Adamu Maina Waziri of the PDP lacked merit and was accordingly dismissed.

The court reserved reasons for all the judgments delivered till Monday February 15. Meanwhile, Senator Rashidi Ladoja has congratulated Senator Abiola Ajimobi on his victory at the apex court. He stated that with the judgment of the supreme Court, the electoral process had come to an end and as such, enjoined all to support his government. This was contained in a press statement signed by Alhaji Lanre Latinwo, a media aide to the former governor. The Accord Party governorship candidate thanked his supporters, party faithful and everyone who supported him during the course of the election and judicial process. He stressed that this was the time to join hands with the governor to move the state forward, as the ruling of the Supreme Court put

finality to the election process. Also, Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Michael Adeyemo, has congratulated the state governor, Senator Ajimobi, on his victory at the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Adeyemo, in a statement made available to newsmen said as a legal practitioner, he was not surprised at the verdict of the apex court as nothing can be done against the truth and wish of the majority. The Speaker, on behalf of other members of the House of Assembly prayed that God will give the governor the wisdom and sound health as he continues to steer the ship of the state to greatness. He, however, urged the people of the state most especially members of the opposition parties to join hands with the governor in his bid to make Oyo State a model for others.

vestigations carried out revealed “DESOPADEC has been a cesspool of fraud, corruption, maladministration and favour-dishing government agency.” They said the body, for over eight years, had been “run like a vehicle with a drunken driver loaded with reckless passengers, urging the driver on; the end, needless to say, is the sorrow state we now find ourselves.” According to the leaders after carrying out an inspection of over 60 projects picked out of over 400 projects, it was sad that the projects, worth over N6.8 billion, were perfunctorily or not executed. Citing 10 projects as examples to buttress their claims, leaders of the group said the Acquisition/Construction of Model Secondary Schools, Koko in Warri North Local Government Area was awarded at N3.8 billion to a contractor with no name. It added that although only N286.6 million had been paid so far for the project which land was given free, what was met on ground during investigation, did not commensurate with what had been paid, besides the project being a misplaced priority. The group also cited the project for the Development of Ugborodo New Town in Warri South West Local Government Area, which was awarded to an continues pg34

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Lagosmetro Robbery suspect regains freedom after 7 years in prison without trial AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin

40-year-old man, Dona Jamari, accused of robbery, has been set free after spending seven years in prison custody without trial. Jamari had been accused by the police for being armed with a sharp dagger knife, razor blade and charms and robbed one Habib Saidu of a Samsung handset valued at N16,000 on March 25, 2009. He was accused of committing robbery, contrary to Section 402(2)(a) of the Criminal Code Law Cap C17 Vol. 2 Laws of Lagos State, 2003. However, at the resumed hearing of the matter at a Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, counsel from the Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Jamiu Alapo and K.O Adebayo, told the court that the prosecution had

not been forthcoming with witnesses to give evidence in the matter, in spite of several adjournments over the last seven years. The defence counsel pleaded with the court to

release their client from prison custody for lack of diligent prosecution in the interest of justice and fairness. They submitted that there was no need to continue to

hold the defendant in Ikoyi prison custody since prosecution had, since 2009, stopped coming to court. The trial judge, Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya, upheld their submission and

granted their prayer while he also ordered immediate release of the custody from prison custody. The defendant, Jamarin, walked out of the court a free man at 11.30 a.m.

CMS Boat jetty littered with waste. Photo: Sylvester Okoruwa.

sanitation exercise in Lagos State, injured with iron rod by a commercial Volkswagen bus driver, Mr Idris Shittu, at Ketu, is still lying critically ill at an emergency

Man in court for defiling minor A 34-year-old man, Idoreyin Christopher, has been accused of defiling a 14-yearold girl, (names withheld). It was gathered that the incident happened at Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state. Christopher was accused of unlawfully having carnal knowledge of the victim without her consent. He was, on Tuesday, arraigned before an Igbosere magistrates’ court over a count charge bordering on unlawful Sexual intercourse. His offence is punishable under Section 137 of the criminal law of Lagos State 2011. The culprit, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge against him. The presiding magistrate, O. A. Ogunbowale, granted the him bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in

like sum. She said one of the sureties must be a blood relation and show evidence of three years’ tax payment to Lagos state. The magistrate also stated that the sureties must own property in the state and their addresses verified, while she later adjourned the case till March 29.

ward at LASUTH, Ikeja. Chairman of the State Task Force, Olubukola Abe, made this known on Tuesday, shortly after paying a visit to the victim, with other management staff of the agency. Abe said Oluwasogo was among security team on patrol during the last Saturday’s environmental sanitation exercise around Ketu area. He disclosed that a commercial Volkswagen bus driver with registration no (XX643.GX), Mr Shittu, who was caught to have violated the sanitation laws, drove the police officer to an undisclosed location around Alapere, Ketu area, where

he was thoroughly beaten up and injured with iron rod on his left eye and his right shoulder. According to Abe, the police sergeant, who was later rescued from his abductor by other task force patrol team, is receiving treatment at LASUTH on his left eye and his right dislocated shoulder. He said the Volkswagen bus driver, Shittu, in his statement at the task force headquarters in Ikeja said it was the work of the devil and that he never intended to hit Oluwasogo with the iron rod that injured his left eye and broke his right shoulder.

A 65-year-old legal practitioner, Olu Johnson, has been arrested by the police for his alleged involvement in the demolition of a building. Johnson was arrested with four other suspects. The police alleged Johnson conspired with Samuel

Ayantuga, 68; Sunday Akinbode, 70; Olumuyiwa Akinbode, 30 and a female, Mrs Abimola Adeolu, 51. The suspects allegedly went to Block 328 Flat 2, Jakande Estate in Ejigbo and demolished a building belonging to Sunday Ayodeji. Apart from that, they reportedly assaulted one Paul Akindolie in the pro-

cess of demolishing the building. When they were arraigned before an Ejigbo magistrates’ court, counsel for the defendants, Anthony Essien, informed the court that Johnson was a senior lawyer who had spent 30 years at the bar. He pleaded with the court to grant him bail in the

Lanre Adewole

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Trader kills colleague with screw driver A man, Kingsley Adams, has been remanded in prison custody over allegations of murder. The Lagos State prosecutor, Rotimi Oduntola, had told an Igbosere magistrates’ court thatKingsley committed the alleged offence on April 20, 2014, at about 12 noon. She said the incident took place at Versper market at Ijanikin. Oduntola alleged that the defendant murdered one Ifeanyi Ezeagwu by stabbing him with a screw driver on the neck. According to the prosecutor, the offence is punishable under Section 221 of the criminal law of Lagos State 2011. However, in view of the defendant’s plea, the prosecutor urged the court for an adjournment to commence the trial. Consequently, Justice Adebiyi adjourned the case till April 18 and 19 for trial, while Kingsley was to be remanded in prison custody.

AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin

Idris

Lawyer accused of leading demolition squad AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin

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Man faces life jail for inserting fingers in 3-month-old vagina

Bus driver hits police officer with iron rod A police officer attached to the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Task Force), Adepoju Oluwasogo, who was, during the last environmental

Nigerian Tribune

most liberal terms. The presiding magistrate, Mrs J. O. E. Adeyemi, granted the suspects bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum. They were remanded in prison custody pending when they would perfect their bail condition, while the matter was adjourned till February 8.

A 35-year-old man, Oladele Oladunmoni, has been accused of poking his finger into the private part of a three-month-old baby. He faces life imprisonment if convicted. Oladele, who lives in the same building with the mother of the baby, was alleged to have viciously forced his finger into the baby’s private part. According to the police, a medical doctor, who examined the baby, confirmed that she was defiled. He was, on Tuesday, arraigned in a Yaba chief magistrates’ court on a charge of child abuse. Oladele’s offence contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, and the said law prescribes life imprisonment for offenders of child rape. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The magistrate, Mrs F. A. Adeeyo, granted the accused N500,000 bail, with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till March 14 for mention.

businessnews

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Free trade zone: Foreign investors guaranteed unconditional capital transfer Chima Nwokoji-lagos

oreign investors willing to invest at the free trade zone have been assured of unconditional transfer of their capital, profits and dividends attributable to their investments in any convertible currency through the Authorised Dealers. Also, any person whether resident in or outside the Free Zone (FZ) may invest in any enterprise in the sone. This is even as the required minimum paid-up capital to operate in a FZ of Nigeria by banks has been put at $10 million or such other amount as the CBN may from time to time prescribe. The above is contained in the guidelines for operating a bank in Nigeria’s Free Trade Zone as issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on Tuesday. The apex bank said that issuance of the guideline is in exercise of the powers

conferred on it by sections 2(d) and 47 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, No. 7, 2007 (“the Act”) and all other powers enabling it in that behalf, the Central Bank of Nigeria (“CBN”). The guideline indicated that issuance of Certificate of Capital Importation (CCI) to the investor shall be within 24 hours of the receipt of the capital. “The Authorised Dealer shall issue the CCI where the Investment is in form

of Inflow of Funds: Authenticated SWIFT message advising payment; Board resolution of the local beneficiary authorising the investment in the Free Zone; Purpose of capital importation (e.g. equity, portfolio, loan); Evidence of incorporation where applicable,” it stated. The guideline further required that non-resident investors in the Free Zone shall register their Investments for records and statistical pur-

poses with the Free Zone Authority. Also, the central bank stated that the banks currently operating in the FZ before the issuance of these Guidelines shall, from the commencement of these Guidelines, regularize and comply with the provisions for establishing presence in the FZ. This should be done within six months of the issuance of the Guidelines. Also, the guideline indicated that certain banking

and related activities are prohibited in the FZs. They include: sourcing foreign exchange from the official foreign exchange market of the Nigeria Customs Territory; opening an account for a customer in contravention of the KnowYour-Customer (KYC) principles; insurance underwriting; Loss adjusting, Re-insurance, Asset Management, Issuing House and Capital Market underwriting services among others.

GlaxoSmithKline, SBF commence negotiation over new acquisition deal Following the inability of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc and Suntory Beverage & Food (SBF) Limited to conclude the initial $2.1 billion deal initiated in 2013, the two firms have renewed negotiations over a new deal. According to GSK Nigeria, it has received a non-binding offer from SBF for its drinks business comprising the bottling and distribution of Ribena and Lucozade and part of the Agbara manufacturing plant. GSk noted that while its board is considering the offer and expects to make a decision after the appointment of its professional advisers and negotiation with SBF, any potential sale would be subject to shareholders and regulatory approvals, noting that until the sale is completed, the drinks business would belong to GSK Nigeria and “business as usual” would be maintained. Under the initial agreement which was expected to have been finalized in 2013, GSK wants to increase its holding in the Nigerian subsidiary to 80 per cent from the current 46.4 per cent, in a bid to improve the company.

From left: Managing Director, NASCON Industries Plc, Paul Farrer; Chairperson of the company, Yemisi Ayeni; the Executive Director, Commercial, Halima Dangote and a Director, Dr Chris Ogbeche, during a visit by the board members of NASCON Industries Plc to Dangote Group, recently.

Multiple charges: Nigerian airlines take case to FG Shola Adekola--Lagos

Sensing the danger that may befall them in view of myriad of challenges confronting their capacity, Airline Operators of Nigeria ( AON) has decided to take their destiny in their hand by deciding to meet the federal government to grant their requests in areas affecting their operations. Among other things, the airline operators are expected to demand from government at the meeting is the request to scrap some airport charges to urgently reduce operating costs. Speaking on behalf of the domestic airline operators, the chairman of the operators, Captain Nogie Meggison said the request becomes imperative to enable airlines sustain their operations in the face of harsh economic realities . According to Megisson, if some of the existing multiple charges are retained by government, many domestic airlines may soon collapse.. The AON chairman who raised the alarm that do-

mestic airline operation may soon wind down unless the operators are given lifeline through review and elimination of charges, declared that the Naira value has gone down by 70 percent and 80 per cent with huge negative impact on the cost of airline operations which is done with foreign exchange. He listed such operations to include importation of aircraft parts, pilot simulator training, aircraft maintenance and others.

Megisson said the economic downturn has reduced the number of people that travel by air and this is made worse by the fact that some airports in the country do not have landing aids which means flights cannot operate to such airports as he said some of the airports were closed recently because of low visibility due to lack of landing aids. His words: “We want to meet with government to demand for the waiver of

some of these charges because the high exchange rate is affecting the airlines as 80 per cent of airline operation is directly affected by foreign exchange from aviation fuel which is imported to spare parts, simulator training. Cost of parts of these services are high. We have to meet the government to see how it can come to our help.” Meggison said aviation is the catalyst of any economy so AON is looking at how governemnt can part-

Chevron reports Q4 loss of $588m Chevron Corporation has reported a loss of $588 million for fourth quarter of 2015, compared with earnings of $3.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2014. According to statement from the oil giant, foreign currency effects increased earnings in the 2015 quarter by $46 million compared with an increase of $432 million a year earlier. Full-year 2015 earnings were $4.6 billion com-

pared with $19.2 billion in 2014. Sales and other operating revenues in fourth quarter 2015 were $28 billion, compared to $42 billion in the year-ago period. “Our 2015 earnings were down significantly from the previous year, reflecting a nearly 50 per cent yearon-year decline in crude oil prices,” said Chairman and CEO John Watson. “We’re taking significant action to improve earnings and cash flow in this low

price environment. Operating expenses and capital spending were reduced $9 billion in 2015 from 2014, and I expect similarly large reductions again in 2016. In addition, asset sales proceeds were $6 billion in 2015, with additional sales planned for 2016 and 2017. “Improved refinery reliability allowed us to capture the benefits of a favourable margin environment and post excellent downstream results for the year.”

Nigerian Tribune

Acorn Petroleum to raise share capital by 200% TundeDodondawawithAgency Reports The Shareholders of Acorn Petroleum Plc have approved the increase in share capital of the company by 200 per cent at an Extra-ordinary General Meeting (EGM), from N1.5billion to N4.5billionn. The event which took place on January 28, 2016 at Oakwood Park Hotel, Lekki Peninsular attracted large number of shareholders. According to resolution of the EGM, the shareholders approved for an increase in share capital of Acorn Plc by 200 per cent by the creation and addition thereto of 6bn (six billion) ordinary shares of 50kobo each to the company’s existing share capital, which they claimed will help to reposition the company for strong competition in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry. The Acting Company Secretary of Acorn Plc, Mr Deoye Ajidahun said “The new shares will rank parri passu with the company’s existing ordinary shares.

Stakeholders strategise to improve local content implementation in Africa OlatundeDodondawa-Lagos Stakeholders in the West African oil and gas industry have suggested strategies for local, regional and international collaboration for effective local content policy implementation within the region and the continent at large. These strategies were outlined at the just concluded 20th edition of Offshore West Africa (OWA) conference in Lagos. They suggested that? manufacturing of equipment should be given priority rather than to rely heavily on importation of industry goods into Africa. The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr Denzil Kentebe, stated that by building capacity initiatives within Nigeria and other Africa oil producing countries will limit importation of equipment.

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016 11 businessnews Efficiency unit: FG to save N12bn yearly —Minister Gbola Subair-Abuja

he Federal Government is expected to save N12 billion on a yearly basis as a result of prudent management of resources that will be supervised by the Efficiency Unit put in place last year November. Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun said this on Tuesday, in Abuja, during a round table interaction with the media. She said the unit was put in place with a view to achieving a better structure for the government and to derive maximum value for money in procurement related activities. According to the min-

ister, who spoke through the head of the unit, Patience Oniha, said it would eliminate waste and duplications in government’s work processes and activities and generate savings for government from the procurement process. She added that for the short to medium term plan, there is a potential opportunity to save up to N12 billion annually if goods and services were standardised and demands of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) could be aggregated to negotiate fair discounts from

suppliers. The minister added that the the unit had been mandated to generate savings for the government from procurement, elimination of wastages, excess capacity and duplications. “Such savings can be channelled into priority projects which will improve infrastructure, encourage domestic production (GDP) and attract investors; create employment opportunities and overall, increase the quality of life; improvement in work processes and practices leading to a more ef-

ficient and result-oriented service delivery,” she said. Nothing that there had been concerns over the years about overhead expenditure, the minister said the concerns have become “real” in the face of dwindling government revenue and the disproportionate share of overheads in the annual budget. “Nigeria is not alone in this regard. Over the years, advanced and developed countries have been faced with the challenge of managing recurrent expenditure. Thus, over the years,

countries, including Nigeria have introduced reforms to reduce public sector costs. The reforms have been varied and multidimensional including: privatisation, commercialisation, and outsourcing. Downsizing, introduction of anti - corruption measures (and agencies), rationalising the number of government institutions and positions. In select countries, establishment of dedicated units or offices to promote efficiency in government spending and achieve savings,” she said.

Regency appoints new board members

Regency Alliance Insurance Plc has announced the appointment of Clem Baiye, Aikhionbare Osayaba Matt (OON) and Colonel (rtd) Aminu Isa Kontagoraas Non-Executive Directors on its board. The new directors bring to bear several years of experience spanning the banking, public affairs and corporate services industry and their appointments are in tandem with Regency’s strategic focus to become the foremost Insurance and Risk Advisory services company in Africa, the company said. The appointments are however, subject to regulatory approval of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM). Baiye, a media entrepreneur and human resource expert with significant banking and corporate experience, has built a solid reputation for integrity and a superior grasp of public affairs and is on the board of several companies, the company added, while Aikhionbare Osayaba is a seasoned statesman with many years of service. Kontagora is a retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army and served in several capacities. According to the comapnies Group Managing Director, Regency Alliance PLC, Biyi Otegbeye, the insurance company was established to generate sustainable value for its shareholders through a relentless focus on meeting customers’ protection needs and a disciplined approach to investing in the most profitable growth opportunities.

From left: Head of Treasury Operations Access Bank Plc, Abdulkareem Salami; Director, Special Duties, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), H. I Adaramosun; Head, Corporate Operations, Access Bank Plc, Banjo Adegbohungbe and the Principal Keke Nursery and Primary School, Victoria Olu Bamidele during the handover ceremony of the renovated Keke Nursery and Primary School by the Corporate Operations Group Access Bank to the Lagos State government recently.

Market indices up by 0.03% KehibdeAkinseinde-JayeobaLagos

Trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Tuesday closed on positive note with the benchmark indices improving marginally. Specifically, the AllShare Index appreciated by 8.11 points to close at 23,824.87 as against 23,826.76 points posted on Monday. The Market Capitalisation also increased by N3 billion to close at N8.197 trillion in contrast to N8.194 trillion recorded a day before. Market breadth also closed positive as 22 gainers were recorded against 17 losers, though an improved performance when compared with previous day outlook. Seplat Plc led the gainers table as it’s share price appreciated by 4.98 percent or N10.19 or five percent to close at N214.15 per share.

Dangote Cement Plc followed closely with 95 kobo or 75 percent to close at N128.01 per share. Stanbic IBTC Plc added 40 kobo or 2.94 percent to close at N14.00 per share. Ecobank Transnational Incorporated was up 24 kobo or 1.63 percent to close at N15.00 per share, while Ashaka Cement Company Plc appreciated

by 20 kobo or 0.81 percent to close at N25.00 per share. On the flip side, 7Up Plc led the losers table with N9.20 or 4.94 percent to close at N177.00 per share. Glaxosmithkline Plc followed with N1.28 or 4.99 percent to close at N24.37 per share. Nigerian Breweries Plc lost 50 kobo or 0.50 per-

cent to close at N99.50 per share, while Guaranty Trust Bank Plc dipped 40 kobo or 2.38 percent to close at N16.38 per share. Mansard Insurance Plc share price declined by 11 kobo or 4.91 percent to close at N2.13 per share. In all, investors traded 313.67 million shares worth N2.41 billion in 3,451 deals.

Glo delights customers with 6GB, 9GB bumper data offers Next generation network, Globacom has unveiled new data bundle plans for millions of its subscribers. Speaking on the new plans, Ashok Israni, Globacom’s Chief Regional Marketing Officer, said a N3,000 data plan would give subscribers 6GB data valid for one month; while a N4000 data plan would give 9GB data plan, also valid for a month. Globacom said that the N3,000 subscription previously offered just 4.5GB

data, while the N4,000 data plan is a just being introduced. Globacom said the offer was being given at this time to encourage subscribers to keep browsing after the yuletide and festive seasons. “We know that our subscribers must have spent a lot of money during the yuletide season. As the New Year begins, we are giving more for less to our valued subscribers to keep them

connected on the internet,” Globacom explained. According to Israni, the attraction in the new package is not just the huge extra 1.5GB data, but also the super fast Data capacity. “The Bumper Data Offer rides on Globacom’s huge data infrastructure backed by the high capacity Glo 1 submarine cable, which brings direct connectivity between West Africa, the UK and the rest of the world.”

Nigerian Tribune

Intel unveils online learning platform to empower women, girls By Bode Adewumi

Intel Corporation has launched an online learning platform, “My Digital Journey”, aimed at providing an opportunity for women to learn, connect and share online. My Digital Journey is a web-based application with gaming mechanics where women are empowered to learn individually or in a facilitated environment, and with the support of a peer network. My Digital Journey uses case scenarios relevant to women in the form of challenges, which gives them the opportunity to practice solutions before moving on to the next level. The platform is a new addition to the Intel She Will Connect programme, which aims to bridge the technology-gender gap, to teach young women how to leverage the internet and technology to pursue their goals. Intel She Will Connect was introduced as a direct response to findings of the Women and the Web Report, which examined women’s access to and use of the Internet in low and middle income countries.

EchoVC targets $50m funding for Nigeia ICT start-ups By Bode Adewumi

EchoVC Partner, an experienced seed and early stage technology venture capital firm focused on financing and cross-pollinating leading technologies, teams and business models in Nigeria and select markets in sub-Saharan Africa said it is targeting to raise its funding base to $50 million. EchoVC, the sole manager of the Federal Government’s pioneering ICT Innovation Fund, a $10 million commitment from the government to make seed and early-stage investments in high-growth technology start-ups which made four investments in Nigeria in 2015 said it anticipates making up to 10 seed-stage investments in 2016. Mr. Eghosa Omoigui, managing partner, EchoVC, said it is talking to existing investors including a mix of domestic and foreign institutional investors and asset managers. It makes investments of $25,00-$1.5 million per startup with a goal of making 40–50 investments throughout the life of the fund.

12 news

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Presidency defends N3.8bn allocation for State House clinic Leon Usigbe - Abuja

HE Presidency, on Tuesday, defended the N3.8 billion budget allocation to the State House clinic, saying it was not meant to serve President Muhammadu Buhari, but government employees and other patients. In a reaction to an online newspaper’s claim that the provision in the 2016 budget now before the National Assembly was more than that of all Federal Government-owned teaching hospitals put together, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the allegation was insensitive to government’s effort to improve health facilities in the country. “This report is not simply off the mark but one that is insensitive to the government’s effort to improve medical facilities at home in Nigeria. “According to the draft 2016 budget presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari, the budget for the State House Clinic is N3.8 billion. “Contrary to the published newspaper report, the total for health institutions as given by the Director-General, Budget Office is more than N200 billion. The 17 teaching hospitals have more than 50 per cent of that allocation,” he said. The Premium Times had earlier reported that Nigerian government was proposing to spend more on capital projects at the State House Medical Centre this year than it would provide for the 16 teaching hospitals belonging to it. According to the report, if the proposed budget is approved as presented to federal lawmakers, the State House Clinic would get N787 million more in capital allocation than all the 16 teaching hospitals combined. The State House Medical Centre is a facility that provides healthcare for President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, their families and other employees of the Presidency, all possibly less than a thousand. Federal teaching hospitals, the report stated, cater for the health needs of millions of Nigerians, train medical doctors and other health professionals for the nation while also serving as top medical research centres. A breakdown of the 2016 Appropriation Bill shows that a total of N3.87 billion had been allocated for capital projects at the State House Clinic.

In contrast, the country’s 16 federal governmentowned teaching hospitals individually only got a fraction of the allocation made for the presidential clinic. According to the proposed budget, N212,539,245 was allocated for capital projects at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital in Lagos, one of the country’s most

populous states, while the capital allocation for the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, is N230,904,795. Similarly, the capital allocation for the University College Hospital, Ibadan, is N230,904,795; University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu (N218,335,908); University

of Benin Teaching Hospital (N212,886,502); Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital, Ile Ife (N162,622,221); University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (N166,802,164); University of Jos Teaching Hospital (N228,717,880); and University of Port Harcourt (N169,498,392). The capital allocation for other hospitals are: Universi-

ty of Calabar Teaching Hospital (N201,082,446); University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (N215,151,873); Usman Dan Fodio University Teaching hospital, Sokoto (N279,000,000); Animu Kano University Teaching Hospital (N210,380,376); Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi (N166,188,931); University

of Abuja Teaching Hospital (N198,715,702); and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (N229,005,992). The Premium Times concluded that health industry experts considered the annual huge capital allocation to the State House Medical Centre as “outrageous and baffling.”

NASS can’t stop NERC from increasing electricity tarrif —Fashola T aiwo Adisa, Ayodele Adesanmi and Adetola Bademosi - Abuja MINISTER of Works, Housing and Power, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on Tuesday, said the National Assembly lacked the power to stop the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) from reviewing electricity tariffs. Fashola, who stated this while speaking with National Assembly correspondents, said the law setting up the commission empowers it to review tariffs upwards or downwards. He said relevant laws backing NERC were passed by the National Assembly, adding that “the law passed by the National Assembly clearly gives NERC the responsibility and power to give a tariff that enables them to recover their investment and returns on investment. “So nothing unlawful or illegal has happened. I think it was the way it was managed before we came and the review every two years,” he said. The House of Representatives had, in December, ordered the NERC to stop the implementation of its new tariff, pending some investigations. Speaking with newsmen, Fashola, however, said “people have been hearing for the past 20 years that power projects are over 990 per cent complete. It is absolute nonsense. As far as I am concerned, the ultimate thing is to get into work. “One per cent or 99 per cent, we need to get it to work and the best way to get it to work in the interest of Nigerians is to enter into any form of partnership and we will look into that. “It is not about what I think and I said this much before. Elecricity is a product. It is made from raw materials. Some of the raw materials are gas, some of the raw materials are power plants and they are also related. “So, the issue of tarrif is the single issue of price.

When the raw materials go up, the price cannot stay the same. You may ask why can’t we have more power before the price goes up? “I am also a consumer, but we see that investments in power are not where they should be and part of the reason why government opted for privatisation was to get more private capital. “There are a lot of investors who want to pay a little

more than the open market tariff. If we want them to come into the industry, we have to allow the new tariff order, which allows for embedded order.” Fashola said what was on the ground now was a 10year tariff, adding that it was not going to be changing every two years. Fashola also said given the various plans undertaken by the present administration

in the sector, power generation would increase with additional 2,000 megawatts by the last quarter of the year. He disclosed this at the ministry’s budget defence before the Senate Committee on Power and Mines, even as he noted changes in the management of power in the country in recent times. In a statement issued in

Abuja by the Assistant Director of Press Unit, Etore Thomas, the minister said the 2016 budget focused more on the transmission, completion of ongoing projects, refurbishing power plants and tackling gas supply issues. He explained that if all these were addressed, the expected projection would boost electricity generation in the country.

Arms deal: Ex-CDS, Badeh, to appear before EFCC today James Bwala - Maiduguri FORMER Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has put arrangements in place to honour the invitation extended to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian

Tribune gathered in Maiduguri, Borno State. The invitation was in furtherance of ongoing investigations into arms procurement in the Armed Forces in the last administration. Sources revealed on Tuesday that Badeh received the EFCC invitation on Monday

and had promptly directed his personal aides to make arrangements for his visit to the commission’s office today, as requested by the anti-graft agency. The former CDS will be visiting the EFCC from his house, where he had been since he left office, to ex-

plain certain activities that were alleged to have taken place in the Armed Forces under his watch as the coordinating officer for all the arms of the armed forces. According to a reliable source, Badeh had maintained a low profile in the face of recent allegation.

FG orders EFCC to arrest ex-Customs boss, Inde Dikko Saliu Gbadamosi - Abuja THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been directed by the Federal Government to arrest a former Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Inde Dikko. Following the directive, Nigerian Tribune learnt on Tuesday that the anti-graft agency had ordered its operatives to promptly arrest the former Customs boss anywhere he was found. Dikko presided over the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) from 2009 to August 17, 2015, when he voluntarily resigned as the Comptroller-General of Customs. Following his resignation, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed a one-time military administrator of Kaduna State, Colonel Hameed Ibrahim Ali (retd), to succeed him. EFCC operatives, on January 8, raided the house of the former Customs boss located at 6, Ahmed Musa Crescent,

Jabi, Abuja, though he was not at home as of the time of the raid by EFCC operatives. A source told the Nigerian Tribune that Dikko had left the shores of the

country after he voluntarily resigned as Comptroller-General of Customs in August last year, adding that he was yet to come back to the country. Attempts made to con-

firm the report from EFCC’s head, media and publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, as of the time of filing this report failed, as his mobile telephone number was switched off.

INEC releases timetable for reruns in 16 states Jacob Segun Olatunji - Abuja THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday, released the timetable for the conduct of reruns in federal and state constituencies and senatorial districts in 16 states of the federation. In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by its secretary, Mrs Augusta Ogakwu, the commission said the reruns would be conducted between February 13 and March 19. It stated that the elections would be conducted in constituencies and senatorial districts across 16 states.

The commission made it clear that only constituencies with the same political parties and their respective candidates who participated in the annulled elections would be allowed to take part in the reruns. In addition, it said there would be no fresh primaries in constituencies where the court disqualified a candidate based on improper conduct of party primaries. Following the position of INEC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had been excluded from participating in the Anambra Central senatorial district and Lantanga South federal constituency of Plateau State, while the All Progressives Congress

(APC) was barred from fielding candidates in Kogi Central and Kogi East senatorial districts, as well as Okene/ Ogorimagogo federal constituency of Kogi State. APC had already conducted fresh primaries to replace its candidate for Anambra Central, Senator Chris Ngige, who is now a serving minister. The commission was, however, silent on last week’s Supreme Court judgment on the PDP leadership tussle in Anambra State. The Court of Appeal had nullified 69 out of the state and federal elections conducted by INEC in 2015 and ordered rerun.

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

tribune cartoons

Adeeko Olusegun adeeko.olusegun@yahoo.com 0811 695 4638

GIANT IN THE TROPIC OF AFRICA

Chief (Dr) Harry Akande • Born on March 3, 1943 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

FUNOLOGY

• He attended Sacred Heart Nursery School, Idikan; St James Primary School, Oke Bola; Abadina School and the University of Ibadan. From there he went to Hampton University, Virginia, United States of America.

CHURCH BOY

• He is a highly committed philanthropist, engineer, politician and businessman, with business activities cutting across Information Technology, aviation, telecommunications, properties, infrastructure, management and petrochemical industries. • His company, AIC, in conjunction with Costain International, was involved in the Osogbo-Ede Water Scheme. It was at that time the largest water project in Africa.

SEGELUULU

• Chief Akande is well renowned for turning ideas into reality within and around Africa, Europe and the United States of America. This has enhanced his reputation among the global business and world leaders. His ability to lead and execute projects timely is extraordinary.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

THERE ARE 10 DIFFERENCES IN THE CARTOONS BELOW. THE DIFFERENCES SHOULD BE MARKED IN B

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

LETTERS TO THE

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@tribune.com.ng or by sms to 08078891826. It MUST be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer.

Economy: Nigerians need to know what’s happening

EEKS after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lifted its policy on foreign

currencies deposits into domiciliary accounts, customers still don’t trust their banks with their foreign currencies.

Some customers prefer to keep their foreign currencies at home instead of depositing them in the bank. The reason for this is

FG, rehabilitate Lagos/Badagry Expressway COMMUTERS and motorists plying the LagosBadagry Expressway are really suffering considering the number of potholes on the road. These death traps are having negative impact on the economy of the area. The Federal

Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) is responsible for rehabilitating Federal roads, but I wonder why officials of this agency folded their arms till this important road got to the state it is now. As a result of this, I want to urge

President Muhammadu Buhari to help us rehabilitate this expressway so that those who ply it can heave a sigh of relief. •Damisa Sunday T., Lagos.

Re: ICPC pays N314m pension arrears to ITF retirees WE, the concerned Industrial Training Fund (ITF) pensioners will like to draw the attention of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to a new story published in the Nigerian Tribune of December 25, 2015, with the headline: “ICPC pays N314m pension arrears to ITF retirees.” The article was talking about the payment of pension arrears to ITF retirees as a result of ICPC investigation and intervention subsequent upon a petition received from a retiree. At this juncture, we will like to state categorically that we, retirees of the ITF, are not aware of the claims of the report. The news story might have been written by a ghost or somebody from the ICPC or the ITF to deceive unsuspecting members of the public in order to achieve a selfish ambition. Of particular notice is that no byline (name) was attached as the writer of the said story. The ICPC could not have paid ITF retirees because we never worked for the Commission. We are sure that the diverted sums meant for the payment of the retirees in 2012, in connection with the arrears since 2002, has nothing to do with the Federal Government circular on 33 per cent. Again, we are not aware of any ICPC investigation

as far as our pension arrears is concerned, but if truly the ICPC made some investigations on the Director-General of the ITF, then it should make its findings public. It is our candid opinion that the ICPC, which has a mandate of fighting corruption, will not get itself involved in such a frivo-

lous issue. However, since the Commission is capable of investigating and intervening in the non-payment of pension arrears, it should do same for ITF retirees. •Kola Ogunjimi, Ibadan. 08033007215

because they fear the apex bank can come up with another policy that will make it difficult for them to withdraw their money. The economic crisis we are experiencing in the country is the reason we are facing all these, but it is important for the CBN to build the trust of Nigerians in the banking system. Policies such as the N50 Stamp Duty, or the N1 per N1,000 charges will only make a substantial number of Nigerians to dump the banks and start keeping their monies at home. Although the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, had explained what is happening in the country to members of the National Assembly recently, there is need for him to address the Nigerian people as well. Today, inflation is creeping in on us, and when one asks market women why the price of their foodstuff is on the high side, they just reply: “Dollars don go up.”

This shows many people don’t even know what is happening in the country and they need to be sensis-

tised. • Esther Anyanwu, Wuse11, Abuja.

As The Gambia becomes an Islamic state ON December 12, 2015, The Gambia was declared an Islamic state. The president of the country, Yahya Jammeh, said that the reason for declaring The Gambia as an Islamic country was because most of the citizens are Muslims and that the state wanted to shake-off from the relics of colonialism. President Jammeh also said in his speech that there would not be a mandate on dress code. The declaration is meant to respect both citizens and non-citizens’ rights. Many people, both citizens and foreigners, have berated this declaration saying The Gambia is a secular state and no sitting president has the right to make certain changes without

going through a referendum. There was no notice brought to the masses about the change from parliamentary democracy to an Islamic state. Members of the national parliament also didn’t have an idea about the new decision. They only got to know about the declaration through the television and national radio. By making this decision, the president has altered The Gambia’s relations with other states. Before now, The Gambia is under suspension by the United States as far as the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) is concerned. Also, the European Union recently withheld developmental aid as a result of human rights abuses. Now that the country is an Islamic state, the implication of this is that the U.S, UK and France will not have any relations with it again. The highest donors to the country’s economy are the Western nations. The Gambia will have to align with countries like Russia, Iraq, Iran and others to survive. Another implication of the decision taken by President Jammeh is that the country might lose its trading partners. The Gambia may also soon be seen by some countries as a potential terrorist state and supporter of terrorist attacks. The Gambia’s foreign policy has also been altered. It now has different goals which it wants to achieve in the international community, and this will defintely affect its foreign policies. Turning the country into an Islamic state should not be Jammeh’s priority, when the economy is not that buoyant. •Adetunji Ayomide Thelma, Dept of International Relations, Lead City University, Ibadan.

editorial

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

The masses and the price of kerosene

N an apparent response to oil price decline and the consequent economic predicament, the Federal Government, on Sunday, January 24, 2016, removed subsidy on kerosene. Along with that decision was the announcement that the new pump price of the product would be N83 per litre at the retail outlets of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Paradoxically, there was no word whatsoever on what it would cost to buy the common people’s fuel from either the major or independent marketers. To be sure, the pricing of the three petroleum products that are commonly used in Nigeria defies comprehension. Kerosene used to attract a lower price than both petrol and diesel because it is generally viewed as the fuel of the less privileged. The deregulation of diesel in 2009 led to a sharp price hike which aggravated Nigeria’s economic woes. Many small and large-scale industries either collapsed or relocated to countries that had the basic necessities that Nigeria lacked. They could no longer afford the cost of diesel to generate power for their operations. The price of diesel has since hovered around N145 per litre, while the price of petrol has varied between N65 and N97. That the management of subsidy on petroleum products was ridden with corruption was all along a well-known fact. The investigation conducted by the Ad Hoc Committee of the House of Representatives in 2012 laid bare the fraud and sickening rot in the entire process of fuel importation and distribution. The disparity unearthed between the quantity of fuel being imported and the quantity on which subsidy was being paid was mind-boggling. The price at which Nigerians have been buying kerosene provides the most glaring evidence of the deep-rooted corruption in the payment of subsidy on petroleum products. From the year 2005 till the recent announcement of a new pricing template by the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), the official price of kerosene was N50 per litre. While the government consistently maintained that it was subsidizing the product, what Nigerians were paying for it was between N120 and N150, which was 140 to 200 per cent higher than the regulated price. Sadly, however, the persistent hue and cry from the public about the bare-faced thievery did not elicit any purposeful response from the government. What Nigerians saw at a time was a charade in which a band of independent marketers

sold kerosene for N50 per litre at certain locations for only a few days. Whenever the media event was taking place at predetermined filling stations, the same product was being sold at the usual exploitative prices in other parts of the country. For more than eleven years, the subsidy that was being provided by the government to make life easier for less-privileged Nigerians was ending up in the pockets of a tiny and vicious clique in the business of fuel importation. We have had cause to call on the government to subject to critical examination the subsidy figures the PPPRA was posting on its website. The agency, on Friday, July 10 2015, claimed that daily subsidy on petrol and kerosene had risen to N54.21 and N70.96 per litre respectively. At the time those questionable figures were being displayed by the agency, petrol was being sold for an average of N110 and kerosene for between N120 and N150 per litre. Thus, while Nigerians, particularly the under class, were paying through the nose for these products, members of the vicious clique in the oil business were smiling to the bank. Nigerians have now been told that kerosene would sell for N83 at NNPC outlets but nothing has been said about what the price will be at other filling stations. It will be no surprise to hear the specious and convenient argument that the different players in the business will decide whatever price or prices they may choose to sell because the market has been deregulated. When subsidy was in place, it was being diverted to private pockets. What should the people expect now that it is no longer there? It is obvious that the NNPC alone cannot import kerosene in sufficient quantity to meet the needs of Nigerians. What are the measures being put in place to check exploitation by the entrenched interests? While the nation’s experience with the deregulation of diesel should be sufficiently instructive, not even the sharp drop in the price of crude oil has had the expected effect on the price of the product. The price has remained inexplicably high because the entrenched interests have constituted themselves into an oligopoly and nothing has been done about it. Is this what to expect with the price of kerosene and even petrol as time goes on? The government should be particularly interested in the pricing of kerosene because it is being mostly used by the less privileged. It should see it as a bounden duty to smash the vicious clique in the oil business.

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opinion

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Ogun at 40: Reminiscences of an indigene By Yusuph Olaniyonu

HE publicity created around the 40th anniversary of the creation of Ogun State by the State Government has set me thinking. It created a rush of memories. I was about 10 years old actually, a primary four pupil, when the announcement of Ogun State as one of the three created from the old Western State was made. In my part of Abeokuta, which had then become the state capital, I doubt if anybody could talk of seeing on television General Murtala Ramat Muhammed as he announced the creation of new states. This is because I can’t remember any household with a television set, even the black and white one. Oh, maybe there was one in the house of late Chief Akin Majekodunmi and I think the set was more of a status symbol. It was rarely on. Yet, it was celebration galore. People were generally in a gay mood. The ancient city was going to become a state capital, the seat of a new government, with the implication for attracting development projects, galvanizing the local economy and creating new opportunities for individuals. People were gathered around the redifusion which was the wireless radio set attached to walls in most houses. For the opinion leaders who had assumed the responsibility of agents of diffusion of new information, discussions were built around the new status of Abeokuta. In school, during civic studies classes, the states and their capital cities as well as names of the military governors also changed. There were now 19 states. No longer 12 states. New states like Ondo, Ogun, Niger, Imo, Cross River, Gongola and Benue States joined the older 12 states whose names also changed. Myself and my colleagues began to adapt and memorise the changes in the Nigerian federation. As young as I was, I had my own group in which we frequently discussed national events and issues. I remember in that group, there was Foluso Feyisitan. There was Kehinde Kafidipe who is now a military officer, Akeem Ogunsiji, myself and Kehinde Ladipo. Foluso could speak

English very well and knew a lot about the military. He had come to join us from a private school in Lagos. That was the era when public schools were better run than private schools. At that time the military guys had become the ruling elite. We would gather together and share stories about the military. Those stories became juicier with the death of General Muhammed and the trial of the coup plotters that followed. From a brochure from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) that Foluso brought to school, I knew all military ranks in the order they followed. We had picture clips of all military men who were members of the then Supreme Military Council, the Federal Commissioners and the military governors. The creation of Ogun State and the emergence of my town as the new state capital rekindled new interest in public affairs in some young lads like me. Like some of the older men around us, this new status of our town raised a lot of hope. It inspired aspirations. It opened new vistas and possibilities. Many families welcomed their kinsmen who had hitherto lived and worked in Ibadan and other provinces. They returned to Abeokuta by transferring their services to the newly created state. Some came to join the civil service. Those were perfect examples of creation of states bringing governance closer to the people. I am sure that many Nigerians believe that shortly after

the creation of Ogun State it would become the number one state in terms of holistic development. This is because of the history and antecedents of her forebears. The saying that when you take Ogun State out of Nigeria, then what is left is not worth much is perhaps arguable, but not without some merit. The state is the home of the longest serving Nigerian leader, former President Olusegun Obasanjo who served Nigeria as both military head of state and elected President. He was then Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters and became Head of State less than two weeks after the creation of the state. That is also the home of Chief Ernest Shonekan who was the only non-elected civilian head of the Nigerian government. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whose government introduced free education and initiated many pioneer development projects in Nigeria, was from the state, among many important people. These men have done their bit to contribute to the development of the state. From Osoba’s efforts in rural development to Daniel’s urban development projects and Amosun’s Mission to Rebuild the state, there has been consistent attempts to lift the state up so that it does not continue to be the weaker one when compared to her close neighbour, Lagos. There is no doubt that the last four years have however been momentous ones for the state. The Amosun government has embarked on ambitious but landmark projects, some of which President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned on Monday. The efforts to rebuild the state’s infrastructure, reawaken the pride of its people and create a modern economy that can absorb the thousands of youths who yearly graduate from the numerous private and public higher institutions in the state are commendable. There is still so much that can be done. In fact, development is still a work in progress. •Olaniyonu, the immediate past Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Ogun State, is Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President.

Olagunsoye Oyinlola: An officer and statesman at 65 By Sina Ogunbambo

APART from his scholarly activities at Odo-Otin Grammar School, Okuku, in the 60s, the young Prince Olagunsoye Adedapo Oyinlola was more of a hunter. Usually in the midst of friends on a hunting expedition, he will aim at a bird on a tree and hit the target with just a single shot from his catapult. The confidence in his shooting prowess and his love for military uniform gingered him to join the Nigerian Army in 1969, rather than accept his admission to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria as an undergraduate after successfully completing his West African School Certificate examination in 1968. His eagerness and admiration for this disciplined profession further propeled him to join as a Private, rather than as an Officer, as he posess the requisite qualification. Once pencilled down as a Batman for Brigadier-General Raji Rasaki (retd) due to his usual appearance in well-starched and properly-ironed khaki uniform, this legal practitioner, who became an orphan at the age of nine, through a dint of hardwork, determination, brilliance and good luck, rose to become a Brigadier-General in the military and the military administrator of Lagos State, as well as the governor of Osun State. His last political office was National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before he decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Born on February 3, 1951 to Oba Moses Oyewole Oyinlola (the famous Olokuku of Okuku and a menber of defunct Western Region House of Chiefs in the Parliament) and Olori Comfort Ololade Oyinlola, the charming Prince had his elementary and secondary education at Okuku, before he proceeded to Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna; Command and Staff College, Jaji; University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife) for a Diploma in International Relations in 1979; University of Madras, India for M.Sc degree in 1988; Buckingham University in United Kingdom in 2003 for LL.B degree in 2003 and Nigerian Law School, Abuja for BL 2012 post degree qualification and call to the Bar. Oyinlola’s professionalism in the military was brought to the fore between December 1992 and September 1993 as the

Contigent Commander and the Commanding Officer of the 245 Reconnaissance (RECCE) batallion made up of 39 officers and 621 soldiers. This was a United Nations Operation Restore Hope (UNiSOM) in Somalia, when the nation broke out in a destructive flame of an ethnic war. The Mogadishu airport was then a smouldering asphaltic wasteland of decomposing bodies strewn, unspent cartridges, bombed - out vehicles and a thousand shards of innumerable items. Colonel Oyinlola (as he then was) had a dangerous mission of cleansing the airport and salvaging it from wandering tribes of outlaws. In the face of guerilla warfare, anonymous enemy and cannonades being hurled from everywhere, he accomplished the mission with almost negligble casualty. In the words of Colonel Tony Nyiam (retd): “The Oyinlola-led Nigerian troops achieved what the Americans troops could not.” As the military administrator of Lagos State from December 10, 1993 to August 22, 1996, he did a lot of trouble-shooting to bring peace to the state, as this was the peak of antagonism by the civilians towards General Sani Abacha’s regime after the annulment of June 12, 1992 Presidential election that Basorun

Moshood Abiola won. Despite this tense atmosphere, Oyinlola built several schools, general hospitals and housing estate in Lagos State. The Opebi link bridge and Lagos House Governor’s Lodge at Abuja were some of the legacies he left behind. He also introduced the security outfit “Operation Sweep” to combat armed robbery. As democraticaly-elected governor, he was in charge of Osun State from 29th May, 2003 to 26th November 2010. His accomplishments this time round deserves a tome for publication. However, the highlights are building of Osun State University, establishing government-owned mining company — Livingspring Mining Corporation (with 11 mining sites in Nigeria) — commencement of Livingspring Free Trade Zone (FTZ) to diversify the economy, commencement of Ido to Osun airport project and building of Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding. There was also industrial harmony and prompt payment of workers’ salaries throughout his tenure. Blessed with a very good wife, Omolola and four lovely children and grandchildren, Oyinlola is a study in human relations. He is ever humble and well-cultured. His sense of humour is superb and a former Nigerian Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd) once told this writer at an interview session that it was the humour and brilliance of Oyinlola that brought them close. Oyinlola’s compassion and accommodation, especially for the masses, was what brought him into politics and the study of law. He is determined to render more of free services to the underpriviledged and oppressed through the rule of law. His life is that of meritorious service to God and humanity. As this refined officer, gentleman and accomplished statesman, who also has passion for golf, clocks 65 today, Wednesday, March 3, 2016, I wish him a happy birthday; many happy returns. •Ogunbambo, a journalist and public affairs analyst, was Oyinlola’s Chief Press Secretary in Lagos State.

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

by Wale Ojo-Lanre 0803 349 0986 waleojolanre@gmail.com

We cleaned toilets to accommodate

How did you get to that level? First of all, Cuba understand that investment has to go through the basic funding and recover later. The first is the scientific research and the second is tourism.The most important investment in the area of tourism is our companies, we build and then we give to foreign companies to administrate, they get 15 per cent of the profit and 85 per cent remains ours. Last year, they increased to 17.4 and in 2015 the visitors increased from three million to 3.5 million. Cubans now see that we have to invest more and that is why I’ve invited investors from Nigeria to come and invest in Cuba tourism, when tourists come, they have to get accommodated where it is available, it doesn’t matter if it is Africa or China, they come and get accommodated. Last year, we had to clean our toilets to accommodate them because we did not have places where they could be conveniently accommodated.

tourists in Cuba —Ambassador

Cuba Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Carlos E Trejos in company of his wife, Melva Pereze De Trejo and another official of the embassy Mrs Miriam Morales Palmero, last week, visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Eniitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II. They embarked on a tour of the historical town, including the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile ife. In this interview, Ambassador Trejos said he felt more at home in Nigeria and suggested ways through which Nigeria can develop its tourism potentialities for income generation.

hat are the significant things you will remember this visit for? First of all, the meetings I have with the Ooni and other people in Ile-Ife. My coming here is fruitful for I visited many interesting places which we can now develop for stronger and better cooperation in the future. The people here are very culturally friendly. I felt more at home , I enjoy the music, dance and other thrilling entertainment and hospitality at the palace and other places we toured. Is there any area where Cuba can work with Nigeria? There are many areas where Cuba can work with Nigeria and there are many areas where Cuba is working with Nigerians. Nigeria and Cuba are in several mute-lateral projects and collaborations .So we are working with the government. But getting visa to Cuba for cultural exchange and others is tasking? No. It is not tasking. We issue a day visa. Getting Cuba visa is on the spot, when you come to our embassy and you provide the documentation that we need, the next day, you get your visa once you meet with the condition without consulting even for some people, it’s just stamping, we don’t put the visa . What’s the formation of people in Cuba? In Cuba, we don’t have white black or yellow. We have Cubans. Colour doesn’t exist in Cuba not for sexual orientation not because of religion, women collect the same salary with men, they do the same job and get the same payment. Cuba is a women’s country where respect and consideration go to women. We take care of women than men. Apart from the fact that they receive the same salary, now in Cuba, when a woman delivers for the first few months, she receives compensation from the government for complete one year her salaries. There is a law that a man can stay at home catering for the baby while

the wife goes to work and he will be paid too. How has the system of communism helped the advancement of Cuba as a nation? We called that Tropical Socialism, it is ours. It is founded upon the idea of our founding fathers, most of them came from Africa and Nigeria especially and with the knowledge we have from them, a black man was the Major General of the Cuban army fighting colonialism in those days, he died with more than 250 bullet wounds. A complete family of black people born in Cuba from African descent from Nigeria died in combat, with the rank of Major General. They won the war. They are Jose Marcel and Anthony Marcel, our heroes, our founding fathers. They laid the basis upon ideology which goes far beyond any idea of just socialism, first of all, it is humanism. We have the idea of Karl Marx who was the most important thinker in the world in the 19th century, he is even being studies now more than before by capitalists because he developed the law of crisis and development under capitalism so all of these comprise the ideology which we have in Cuba. What is the position of tourism in Cuba? Tourism in Cuba is the second largest industry.

Last year, we have to clean our toilets to accommodate them because we don’t have places where they could be conveniently accommodated

Countries in Africa are facing a lot of economic crisis, as an experienced diplomat and administrator, can countries like Nigeria develop tourism to generate revenue? I will not pretend to teach my ancestors how to do things, my great grandfather came from Nigeria and I cannot come to Nigeria and be telling them to do this and that. They have wise people and beautiful country which will overcome its challenges sooner, I mean in a very near future, the problem with their crisis is managing the oil resources and now the prices are very low, which is not good for the economy. Nigeira’s government has to improve tourism and in doing this, it has to provide energy, improve infrastructure, create infrastructures such as roads, railway lines, airports and others. Though there will consume a lot of money, but they will help in stabilising and sustaining the economy, you begin step by step. In Cuba for instance, in old Havana, we have architectural designs from the 15th to 16th century, they were almost in ruins because of the crisis that hit the country, but when the government decided to put a little money to start restoration, the little amount was one million dollars, it is nothing, but the first thing was to renovate them and convert some into hotels that began to yield money and we began to repair others until Havana is beautiful now. You spend what you have, we have been working on places that were destroyed during the war, people still live there and we established a museum, so that we’ll make people to learn about their own history and know what they have in the past. How do you go in the area of cultural exchange with Nigeria? We are doing that already, we’ve signed a special MOU with the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) which put forward the collaboration with the two countries and I am very sure it is going to work out fine. Now you are at your great grandfather’s home how do you feel? At home, I feel completely at home in Nigeria. Apart from being a diplomat in Nigeria, I understand even more than any other diplomat in Nigeria the mentality, the psychology of Nigerians that I am never affected because I am used to that in my own country, same people, same culture I understand, people know me I have so many friends here, they know me and my wife very well, we do go to Garki market on our own to buy things, I feel free, I relate with Nigerians as brothers and sisters. How is the practice of African Traditional Religion over there? I told the kabiyesi, Ooni about a documentary produced by the Yoruba Association in Cuba about culture and tradition. We have the same Orisa, Obaluaye, Obatala, Yemoja, Osun, Sango and all the same saints. I have a lot of people who worship them in Yoruba Language, how they learn it, I don’t know.

tourism

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Oodua Festival 2016 in Ife

•OAU don tasks traditional rulers on cultural –tourism •We should turn Ife to tourism haven —Gani Adams •Yoruba cultural tourism revolution has started —Ooni Ojaja 11 By wale Ojo Lanre

HE 2016 Oodua Festival held in Ile–ife, on Thursday January 21, 2016, was not just for celebrating and showcasing the cultural heritage and values of the Yoruba race as being done every year by the Olokun Festival Foundation, but one specially packaged in synchronisation with the template chord of unity and songs of brotherhood being waxed by the new Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi. Ojaja 11. And in line with the vision of Ooni Ojaja 11, which sees cultural – tourism as a potent instrument of lubricating the chord of Yoruba unity , peace and harmony the Oodua Festival 2016 was laced with programmes which accentuate the Yoruba culture , traditional rulers and heritage as the corner stone for economic emancipation and cultural longevity of the race. Apart from the spectacular cultural performances by many groups, dramatic exhibition of the origin of the race , the Obesere Fuji special show , the mammoth crowd was exposed to intellectual insight of why the Yoruba are who they are and why traditional rulers are the engine of unity and togetherness. The Oodua Festival also served as the venue of clarion call on the Yoruba race on the need for embarking on cultural–tourism revolution not for entertainment sake, but for economic growth and advancement. A Professor of Legal History, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife, Professor Akinkunmi Alao kicked the ball rolling when he called on traditional rulers in Yoruba land to commence a rigorous resuscitation of the cultural heritage, traditional value system and tourism assets in their domains for empowerment, employment, wealth stimulation, peace building and development. Professor Alao who was the guest lecturer at the Oodua Festival 2016 organised by Olokun Festival Foundation being promoted by Otunba Gani Adams on Thursday, 21 January, 2016 at Enuwa, Ile–Ife said that God has propelled nature in depositing both tangible and intangible wonderful cultural tourism assets in Yoruba land only waiting to be harnessed by the people. “As the custodian of our cultural heritage, as the protectors and preservers of the value, culture, mores, norms and ethics, the onus of harnessing the values, the culture, the heritage, historical monuments and artefacts for the benefits of the people and growth of the race falls squarely on you our traditional rulers.” Professor Alao whose paper “Cultural and Socio Political Imperatives of Yoruba unity: The Pivotal role of Yoruba Monarchs “where he extensively traced the role and exposed the import of the monarchical system of the Yoruba race from the primordial time to the present day stimulated several applauses and public commendation from the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11. In spite of the external and internal pressures and institutional dynamism, Obaship as an endured and remained eternally relevant and sought after as a necessary machinery of government among the Yoruba . The modernisation and sophistication of government especially in the period since 1960 could not displace the role traditional i n stitution play in the ordering of society,

Ooni of Ife, Ojaja II, Otunba Gani Adams and OPU members.

Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi. Ojaja 11 and Otunba Gani Adams.

Professor Akinkunmi Alao, guest lecturer.

Winners of beauty pageants.

Nollywood team with Ooni Ojaja. definition of cultural values and in power relations.” The OAU Don, who spoke extensively on culture, Monarch and State in Nigeria, colonial manipulations, decolonisation and the chieftaincy institution, party politics and Chieftaincy institution, the Traditional rulers at the event. military and the Chieftaincy Institution, Obaship in representative democracy, Obaship and the future called on the Yoruba monarchs to “be the champion of their people’s rights and privileges, in the management of relations within the Nigerian state, in resource allocation and in power relations, injury to one in Yoruba land must be considered and taken as injury to all.” Professor Alao lauded the Ooni of Ife, for establishing and planting a major milestone in fostering unity in Yoruba land by his singular historical visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 11 in Oyo on Sunday 17 January 2016. Where “the two potentates and imperial Majesties made speeches that ordinarily signposted the dawn of a new era of love, peace, and unity in Yoruba land.”

Prof Alao charged all products of Yoruba race to “Let us all Yoruba open our hands, to change which is an inevitable companion of culture, but we should not let go of our values as a people and a race. Herein lies our survival and hope for a better tomorrow for ours and generation after.” The 2016 Oodua Festival was specially organised and packaged being the first of the new Ooni of Ife Oba Ogunwusi who hosted the mammoth crowd and over 50 traditional rulers from Yoruba land and distinguished Nigerians. Otunba Adams, the major promoter of Olokun Festival Foundation, commended Professor Alao for a “thoroughly researched and rich history of the import, importance and essence of our monarchs in cultural stability of the Yoruba race. I am delighted that cultural consciousness of the race is being re awakened in all the sector of the society and once again thank the erudite scholar for this wonderful, highly illuminating and educative paper.” He described the emergence of Ooni Ojaja as a dawn of new era in Yoruba race “We are happy that our God raises nations to be. Our Lord who destroys nations and prospers races has raised for us an Oba who will take Nigeria to the promised land.” Oba Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, Ooni of Ife, has done what is unimaginable by visiting the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, 111, the Iku baba yeye in Oyo . This is a sign of good thing for the race.” Otunba Adams called on Ooni Ojaja to as a matter of urgency “commence efforts at turning Ile–Ife into tourism haven.” The Ooni Ojaja, Oba Ogunwusi who expressed delight at the packaging of the First Oodua Festival in the first year of his tenure commended Olokun Festival Foundation and Otunba Adams for rising to the challenge of preventing the colossal demise and death of Yoruba cultural festivals.

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Environment Ministry resuscitates sanitation day in Abuja Stories By Doyin Adeoye With the theme, ‘Clean Environment: Our Collective Responsibility for a Healthy Living,’ the Ministry of Environment on Saturday, 30 January, launched the monthly sanitation day programme in the Federal Capital

Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, and the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jubril during the cleaning exercise.

Territory (FCT), Abuja. Speaking at the event, the Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed, stated that the national environmental sanitation day was introduced in 1984 by the Buhari-led administration, and 32 years later, the idea of designated sanitation days at states, local governments, as well as markets across the country has remained a legacy. “Sanitation is vital for human health, as healthy people are more productive at workplace and healthy communities offer a more lucrative market for our goods and services. That is why the Ministries of Environment, Health and the FCT are collaborating to ensure providing clean environment for healthy living

in the FCT and there is a strong commitment to make the collaboration sustainable. “The theme was carefully selected to highlight the fact that most of the common illnesses our people suffer from such as malaria, cholera, typhoid fever, scabies and even Lassa fever etc, occur as a result of poor environmental sanitation and hygiene practises,” she said. The minister at the event also reiterated her commitment towards giving Nigerians the desirable change in the environment sector, adding that it is her “strong desire to consult with states, local governments and other relevant stakeholders to create a strong interface to bring back the national environmental sanitation day.”

Landmark Paris Agreement opens for signing April 22 Although the world rightly celebrated when 195 countries adopted the new international climate agreement at the COP21 in Paris in December last year, what is important to ensure that the Agreement quickly comes into effect and is fully implemented, is that each country must now sign and indicate their consent to be bound by the Agreement. To this end, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has invited all world leaders to a signing ceremony on 22 April, for the climate

agreement. Coinciding with the observance of the International Mother Earth Day, the UN executive is also using the occasion to further engage business leaders to put the new agreement into action. “Leaders’ participation could also facilitate the early entry into force of the Paris Agreement and provide for the smooth finalisation of the operational details needed to give effect to the provisions of the new Agreement,” Ban Ki-moon said in his invitation letter. For many stakeholders, it is

until the agreement is signed that nations can then begin to celebrate, because at least 55 countries, representing at least 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, are needed to ratify the agreement before it can take legal effect. The Agreement which is aimed at keeping a global temperature rise at no more than 2 degrees Celsius, and to strive for a limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius if possible, for the period 2020-2030, is a critical turning point towards a climate-resilient world. “The adoption of the Paris

Agreement caps a remarkable year of multilateral achievements for people and the planet. It provides a solid foundation for the low-carbon, climate-resilient transformation of the global economy. And this transformation will help secure a future that is safer, healthier and more prosperous for all,” Ban Ki-moon said in his invitation. The signing event will take place at the UN Headquarters in New York on 22 April, after which it will then be opened for signature for one year, that is until 21 April, 2017.

Ever heard of the Sick Building Syndrome? For many, once they enter a building, they begin to feel dizzy; develop eye, nose, or throat irritation; dry or itchy skin; or even have difficulty in concentrating, such, among others are the symptoms of the Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). The SBS is believed to occur when occupants of a building experience discomfort that appears to emanate from the building. Although it has no known cause, there are many risk factors responsible for this condition. A 1984 World Health Organisation (WHO) report, suggested that up to 30 per cent of new and renovated buildings world-

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

wide may be subject of complaints related to poor indoor air quality. Basically, the SBS occurs in modern buildings with closed mechanically ventilated systems, as its causes are often related to poor ventilation and air conditioning systems. On many occasions, lack of fresh air is the major factor responsible for SBS, which in turn causes discomfort for many individuals. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (2006), inadequate ventilation, chemical contaminants from outdoor sources, chemical contaminants from indoor sources and biological contami-

nants, are the four major causes of SBS. While chemical contaminants from indoor sources within the building may include pollution from adhesives for carpeting, upholstery, chemicals from copy machines, pesticides and so on, sources of air pollution from outdoor pollutants may include fumes from car exhaust, plumbing vents, etc. Biological contaminants on the other hand, are as a result of bacteria and viruses in the building. They may breed in stagnant water or on wastes that are not properly disposed. Individual negligence and attitude towards caring for the environment, is a major con-

tributory factor to this. To some others, especially those in an office space, poor lighting could also have adverse effect on the eyes. And in areas where they rely solely on power plants for electricity supply, the loud noise could cause headache for many residents in such areas. To maintain good and healthy conditions in buildings, as well as resolving the problem of SBS, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (2006) recommended increase in ventilation rates and air distribution; purification of air; removal or modification of the pollutant sources, as well as education and communication.

The launch which took place at the Kuje Area Council saw to the cleaning of Kuje Modern Market and environs, and a visit to the Bwari Area Council of the FCT. In his address, the FCT Minister, Honourable Mohammed Musa Bello, also urged the members of the communities to cultivate the habits of cleanliness, while the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jubril, noted that the essence of the communal environmental sanitation exercise cannot be overemphasised. Traditional rulers in the FCT including the Bomo of Kuje and Ona of Abaji, who were at the event, pledged their support to the success of the campaign.

ecoscope

with Doyin Adeoye

m:08058130577 e:doyinadeoye@tribuneonlineng.com t:@kreatif_ink

Waste is a resource;

Bilikiss Adebiyi Abiola is the CEO and co-founder of Wecyclers, a company that offers waste collection and recycling services to Lagosians. She speaks with Doyin Adeoye on what it takes to run a recycling business among other issues.

it is a currency —Bilikiss W

hat exactly influenced Wecyclers? Wecyclers is a social enterprise, and the idea came from a class I took in business school, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where I was exposed to the issues people face in countries like Nigeria. According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, about 70 per cent of Nigerians live in poverty. We face a lot of issues such as lack of access to finance, poor environmental sanitation and waste management systems. So we wanted to turn waste management from being a problem, because many people live in very dirty environments where drainages are blocked; they are exposed to mosquitoes and sorts. All of these are because waste is not managed properly. Waste is a resource; it is a currency. It is valuable, so we wanted to teach people that instead of living in such environment, they could actually take control of the situation by making money from the waste. So how does it work? We designed cargo-bicycles that we deployed in communities around Lagos to pick up waste. So we tell people to separate their waste; they separate their plastics, bottles, pure water sachet and cans, so when we go and pick up the waste from them, we weigh it and for every kilogramme of waste they give to us, they get points. As the points accumulate, they can then exchange the points for something, choosing from one of the different items we have which ranges from plastic bowls, toasting machines, pressing irons, and even things that can empower them like generators, sewing machines and even cash. So people are using it as a way of empowering themselves and we have several people that engage with us within the communities; those who don’t have any job see it as an opportunity to earn something. Was it easy convincing people to partner with you as regards their waste? It wasn’t. We actually targeted the grassroots because we felt that the people in the rich areas already have adequate waste collection system. So it is the people in the poor areas that need it. Many of them were very sceptical initially when we approached them and that really shocked me, because they actually throw this waste away. But when we told them we needed them to keep the waste for us, they felt we wanted to scam them. So we had to spend a lot of time building their trust, talking to them and we even get members of their community that believe in us to talk them. Whatever we say we would give them, we ensure that we do so. And having done that consistently for some time,

there is a lot of trust now.

How does the recycling process actually work? We collect different kinds of waste ranging from plastic, metals, glass and papers; it varies widely. Recycling is a process of converting waste and reusing it to make a new finished product. So a recycled bottle could be converted to shoes, t-shirts, jeans and even into another bottle. It is a rich business and Nigeria being a country that imports, if we can just harness this, it is a sector that can turn into wealth for the country.

Absolutely. I was in Antiope, Belgium in September 2015 and they were doing a 70 per cent waste reduction, focusing on recycling and all. Their goal now is zero waste. This same goes for many European countries. So I believe it is also possible for Nigeria. We are at 10 per cent, I believe that if a target is set and increased over the years, people will work together and we will achieve it. How do you think

I believe that the waste recycling can Nigeria’s dwinwaste recycling sector help dling economy? It will really help to in Nigeria can solve boost our economy. I unemployment issues remember in the last research I did, America because it is a big in its waste and recycling employs about employer of youths sector, three million people. America is a country of and women

Despite the increased awareness, people’s attitude towards waste disposal is still not encouraging. What do you think still needs to be done? Nigerians need to be reoriented because many people are not well exposed to proper waste disposal practices. People don’t really know about it and even when they know, because the culture is not there, they are not used to it. So as pioneers in the field, we need to continue to sensitise people and I believe that many people will change. For instance, since we started partnering with people on waste management, many don’t even care about the incentives anymore, they have come to realise that a healthy environment makes for a healthy living. A lot of people have had different perspectives to the environment through the programme. So with enough sensitisation, people will do better. Also government needs to enforce these environmental laws. Even though the laws are on the book, many people don’t know about it. So government needs to do more advocacies and let people know. Did you start Wecyclers to solve environmental issues or were you just interested in the business side of it? We didn’t look at it from the environment angle, but rather as a means of empowerment. We wanted to help people manage their waste, so it was a combination of making the environment clean and also empowering people. And then the business comes in. So there is the environment, empowerment and business all fused into one. Do you think it is actually possible for any society to achieve a zero waste?

about 300 million population, so that makes one per cent of the population. So, I believe that the waste recycling sector in Nigeria can solve unemployment issues because it is a big employer of youths and women. More people need to be engaged in waste management across the country and I also think government needs to open up the entrepreneurship opportunities for people.

On the average, how many households partner with Wecyclers? At the moment, we are working with 9,000 households in Lagos State in the three years we’ve been doing this. And our goal is that by 2017, we should be able to get to at least 300,000 households. How do you think Nigerian youths can be encouraged to engage more in eco-friendly businesses? They need to be encouraged by seeing examples. So people like us that are excelling in such businesses need to make them aware of the opportunities involved. What actually encouraged me was seeing people that have been there and engaging with them, it has helped me a lot. I also think that providing them with support to start such businesses is essential. For instance, a young person that has graduated from school with no job needs funding to start up any business. I am on the board of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and this is one thing that I am actually excited about, as the Lagos State government is going to tackle the problem of youth unemployment squarely and promote entrepreneurship. And I think other states should follow this lead.

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

politics&policy

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com

Unending issues in Ekiti 2014 governorship election 19 months after, the June 21, 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State is still making news and has forever remained a kind of puzzle to many people. Deputy Editor, SAM NWAOKO, unmasks the dramatis personae in the new wave of issues in the election.

HE June 21, 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State has refused to go away from public discussion. The election might have long been forgotten if the All Progressives Congress (APC) had allowed its candidate in the election, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who is now the Minister for Solid Minerals Development, to follow his conscience and let the election go. Fayemi had announced in the aftermath of the election that if it was the will of the people, he had accepted their verdict and would live by it. Fayemi and Fayose had even met on Monday, June 23, 2014, at the governor’s office, the day after the announcement of the result of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on the invitation of the then Governor Fayemi. At the meeting, they agreed that Ekiti was more important than the election and announced that they would work together to ensure a smooth transition. They agreed to form a joint transition committee to work out a transition plan and present records to the incoming administration of Fayose. However, the leadership of the APC overruled Governor Fayemi and announced that it was not satisfied with the outcome of the election. The party, through its national publicity secretary then, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said it would challenge the outcome of the election in court and adduced several reasons, including the conduct of INEC as among the reasons for their party’s move. Among others, a former governor of Lagos State, who is also now a minister, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), and several other stakeholders in the APC could not understand why their party lost the election, and so woefully too. They felt that with the performance of Dr Fayemi in the state in terms of physical development, the people should not have had problems in reelecting him for another term. The election and its outcome remained a hot debate for months. Not a few peolple outside the state found Fayemis’s electoral loss intriguing. But while the debate of the election lasted, the months between June 21 of the election and October 16, 2014 when the new administration of Governor Fayose was sworn in, was one in which the state perched on a cliffhanger. Numerous citizens of the state still recall that the transition months were among the most tumultuous in the life of Ekiti as a state. There were also a myriad of court cases

Fayose

Fayemi

There didn’t seem to be any problem between Fayose and Aluko until months after all the battles to ensure that Fayose was sworn in as the governor. both against the election and the person of its winner, Mr Fayose. The APC was in court; a group of Ekiti indigenes who described themselves as “non-political, not partisan” and known as E-11, was also in court. Of a fact, in the Ekiti of the transition months, many watchers of political events in the state strongly believed that the case instituted by the E-11, in which they were challenging the eligibility of Fayose to contest the election, was the cause of the palpable anxiety. The E-11’s matter was premised on a claim that Governor Fayose was impeached in October 2006 and therefore was ineligible to stand for election. But while all these were on, the state and its people also looked forward to a new administration. There were no doubts among the people that they voted for Fayose and

they wanted him to be their governor. Thus, the various plots to ensure that Fayose did not become the governor did not really go down well with the people. Many politicians were actually in the state to sensitise the people and worked hard to explain to them the real reasons the state was in turmoil after an election that they saw as having gone well without an incident. The election was seen by local and international observers as free and fair and a kind of benchmark, and they published these opinions. However, the people were confused with various news items emanating from different sources regarding alleged rigging and untoward actions in the election. Among the people, who worked hard to educate the people on the need to stand firm and against any plot to cheat them and

take away the mandate they said they had given to Fayose, “through the back door,” was Dr Tope Aluko. TKO, as Aluko is popularly known, was a key component of Fayose’s team beginning from the pre-election period and was always seen around the then governor-elect. To many people in the state, Aluko was already playing the role of Fayose’s “Chief of Staff”, which had been the rumoured position reserved for him in the incoming administration. What is more, The embattled PDP secretary, who has now fallen out with Governor Fayose, was the chairman of Security and Intelligence Committee of the Fayose Campaign Organisation. Aluko was the secretary of the PDP in the state and was always among the executive members of the Ekiti PDP who received tens of the aspirants who wanted to get the party’s ticket, whenever they called at the party’s secretariat in Ado Ekiti. Among the people of the state however, there were speculations that the PDP in the state might go South in search of a candidate to slug it out with Fayemi. This speculation was strong among the people of the six local government areas that made up the district. And given the fact that the claim that the state had never had a governor from that district gained currency, the aspirants from the Ekiti South district greatly outnumbered all the continues pg32

politics&policy

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

What led to the present crisis continued from pg31

others from other districts put together. However, it took a lot of politicking and intrigues from leaders of the party in the state, including the state executive members to arrive at the choice of Fayose among no fewer than 20 aspirants who had entered the race. Part of the problems faced by Ekiti PDP in the build up to the election was the division in the party’s executive on how to arrive at the choice of a candidate. For instance, the chairman of the party at the time, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, was said to have favoured the selection of a candidate through a consensus. But Tope Aluko, Femi Bamisile, it was claimed, as well as some other members of the Ekiti PDP executive, reportedly worked against that arrangement, although they were extremely discreet about their actions. Thus, Ogundipe ended up alone in the quest for a consensus candidate. He was so alone in the matter that he was even taunted by some senior members of the party in the state as “Consensus Chairman” in their private discussions and even at some ‘soft’ formal occasions. Another component of the Fayose team in the months preceding the election is Mr Bamisile, a former deputy chairman of PDP in the state. Bamisile, who had also served as a Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, was, interestingly, also a governorship aspirant in the PDP while also in office as the deputy chairman of the party. He was almost always part of the PDP executive that received the other aspirants whenever they called at the party’s secretariat and while he sometimes stood in for the chairman (Ogundipe), it was always a puzzle what would become of his governorship aspiration. But the emergence of Fayose as the candidate of the party, after a primary, laid the consensus issue to rest and created new issues for the PDP. Some of the PDP aspirants, including Senator Gbenga Aluko, couldn’t stomach the emergence of Fayose as the party’s standardbearer. After a television programme in which he expressed his anger against on the party and the person of Fayose, he became a pariah in the party. Soon after, he left the party and only recently, formally announced his defection to the APC. But some of the other aspirants, including Chief Abiodun Aluko and Mr Bisi Omoyeni didn’t seem to see the matter beyond politics. Stakeholders only observed that they went quiet and didn’t join in the running down of their party and from all indications, they are still members of the PDP. However, Bamisile on his part, never spoke about his governorship aspiration again. But he raised issues of “betrayal of trust” on the part of Fayose soon after. This issue which seemed serious and was believed to have driven a big wedge between the two politicians. Sources, while explaining Bamisile’s anger and his falling out with Fayose, claimed that there was an “agreement among some senior stakeholders to make Baimisile Fayose’s running mate.” The sources added that soon after Fayose got the ticket, he looked elsewhere for a running mate, insisting that he didn’t want a politician as the deputy governor, citing his experiences of the past. The sources in the party had also contended that Fayose was wary of the kind of team he would form with a strong personality like Bamisile, considering the strength of his own personality. The sources said: “it just didn’t add up and would not have been a smooth ride for Ekiti with Governor Ayò Fayose and deputy governor Femi Bamis-

Aluko

Bamisile

The ding dong remained in the state chapter of PDP until an announcement by the national leadership of the party that Dr Aluko and others had been expelled.

ile.” Thus Fayose jettisoned the idea and went for another running mate. Bamisile couldn’t contain the anger and he decided to pitch tent with the APC. He defected formally from the PDP on the last campaign date of the APC. He was presented to the crowd at the state’s pavilion on the Thursday preceding the election. The media made a feast of the defection of Bamisile then. But there didn’t seem to be any problem between Fayose and Aluko until months after all the battles to ensure that Fayose was sworn in as the governor. In the early days of Governor Fayose in October 2014, Aluko was a prominent part of his close aides. Everything pointed to the appointment of Dr Tope Aluko as the Chief of Staff until the announcement of appointments began to be aired. Chief Dipo Anisulowo, was announced as the Chief of Staff, while Dr Modupe Alade was announced as the Secretary to the State Government. Then, tongues began to wag among politicians in the state. Many of the politicians expressed the belief that “Aluko would, somehow, be part of the government” but it didn’t seem to be looking like that for a number of months. Soon, the discussions changed to “Tope Aluko is the secretary of the party and he is still in the government through that.” And this seemed to have lingered for a period until things took the current shape as espoused by Aluko. Before what many people have come to see as “the Aluko revelation of Sunday,” he had been at loggerheads with both the leadership of the PDP in the state and Governor Fayose. He had, on several occasions told newsmen in Ekiti that he had been schemed out of government by “my Oga,” referring to Governor Fayose. Aluko had always contended that the governor had caused some of them to be relegated in the scheme of things and that they were not happy with the situation of things

in the party. For Aluko, the number one issue he said he had with Governor Fayose, apart from the fact that he wasn’t brought into the government, was that the governor had made people he said were outsiders in the party the leaders. He was referring to the current acting chairman of the party, Chief Idowu Faleye, whom he alleged was not eligible to serve in that position. Following his falling out with Faleye, of the vice chairmen of PDP in the state, Mr Olatunde Olatunde, assumed the leadership of the party, with Aluko remaining as the secretary. They had some other executive members of the party with them, including the Women Leader and the Youth Leader. Following the squabbles, Aluko and his faction of the party announced the suspension of Chief Faleye from the party and declared that he was not eligible to hold the position. In a counter-move, the Faleye faction also announced the suspension of Olatunde, Aluko and others. The ding dong remained in the state chapter of PDP until an announcement by the national leadership of the party that Dr Aluko and others had been expelled. Following this announcement, the matter went in the cooler and had literally been off the news in the state until Sunday. Thus, the new angle to the Aluko story is that former President Goodluck Jonathan assisted the governor of Ekiti, Mr Fayose with $2 million to prosecute the primaries and $35 million for the June 21, 2015 election. Aluko had also claimed that the military equally assisted during the election and made victory possible, adding that “we went into the election with 1,040 recognised soldiers and another batch of 400 unrecognised ones brought in from Enugu.” Some observers had seen the Aluko revelation “as nothing new because we have heard

all sorts about the Ekiti election.” A member of the PDP in the state claimed that “with this, there’s nothing more we won’t hear about the election. All they are trying to prove is that the election was rigged but we all know that this is not true.” The party stalwart alleged “if he had been given the settlement he wanted, would he have been saying all this? All he wants is settlement. Recall that he once accused Faleye of not paying them honorarium from the money in the party’s account and said Faleye had to kowtow to the governor before taking decisions.” But the state government had reacted through Speacial Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka. It is the belief of the government that “Aluko was already beclouded by his desperation to seek revenge against Governor Fayose because of the governor’s refusal to make him his Chief of Staff.” Olayinka refreshed the issue of aluko’s expulsion and that of APC not letting go 19 months after losing an election, saying it was “shameful that the APC has refused to accept a scandalous electoral defeat it suffered 19 months ago.” He said a question that needed an answer was “if it was also soldiers that rigged the 2015 presidential, Senatorial, House of Representatives and state House of Assembly elections that the party lost woefully in Ekiti.” On the money to prosecute the election, the government said: “As per his claim that $37 million was given to the governor for the election, the governor got financial support from various sources, as it is usual of anyone contesting election and it is not for him to begin to advertise in the media the level of support the governor received from individuals, corporate organisations or groups. “However, if money belonging to the APC is missing and they suspect that the money was stolen by Dr Goodluck Jonathan to fund Ekiti State governorship election, they can approach the Economic nad Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).” The Ekiti State chapter of APC has also reacted to the development and said the “Justice Minister must prosecute Ekiti election riggers.” Spokesperson of Ekiti APC, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, said in a statement that the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, should “prosecute all indicted people in the election rigging scandal,” and explained that “the party said it had on two occasions petitioned the Office of the Attorney General,” and Minister of Justice on the same matter, stressing that “the latest revelations by PDP scribe had made it imperative that the nation’s chief law officer must act now.” Olatunbosun admitted that “even though there was nothing new in the PDP’s secretary’s revelations, it has become pertinent to prosecute the suspects as the revelations were again emanating from the insider who participated fully in what is now known as Ekitigate. “By Aluko’s revelations, we are justified in our claim that our candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi, never lost that election, but was criminally toppled by a coup d’etat orchestrated by Fayose in cahoots with President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration that illegally deployed money and the military to ensure victory for Fayose.” It was once reported that Aluko and other embattled PDP members were set to join the APC but they vehemently denied the speculation and said they would stay in the PDP and fight it out because, according tp them, PDP was “a house we built.” With the current state of affairs for both Aluko and the PDP in Ekiti, observers are wondering where he would pitch his tent in the coming months.

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

34 news Twin blasts recorded in Benin Banji Aluko - Benin City

WIN blasts, on Tuesday, occurred at a building located at Oka Primary School area, located at off Upper Sakponba Road Area of Benin. Four residential buildings were reportedly affected when the strange explosion occurred at about 2.00 p.m. No life was lost to the inci-

dent, but an occupant of one of the affected buildings and a passerby sustained serious injuries from the explosion. Operatives of Edo State anti-bomb squad and antiriot policemen from the state police command, led by a Deputy commissioner of Police, Musa Uba, cordoned off the area. The second explosion was said to have occurred at about 6:16 p.m.

The situation created panic, as residents of the area fled to various directions. According to Elue Chindu, the explosion occurred from a waste basket that was burning outside a compound. Police later took the victim to the state command for interogation. Efforts to get the comment of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Chris Ezike, were not successful.

How DESOPADEC was used to execute phony projects â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Group continued from pg8

known contractor at N1 billion and had been certified 100 per cent completed, but in actual fact, only 10 per cent work of 15 faulty bungalows had been done. Another project cited in the statement included the Construction/Establishment of Recreation Beach at Koko Beach in Warri North Local Government Area awarded to Trisac Nigeria Limited at N1. 2 billion of which only 18.78 per cent work has been done after a cumulative payment of over N237 million. Among other projects cited in the statement which

ILT also x-rayed included the Drainage, Sandfilling and Landscaping project at Ogidigben Grammar School Hostel & Dining Hall in Warri South Local Government Area which was awarded to A & J Construction Company Ltd for N150 million, but which completion level DESOPADEC placed at 87.41 per cent, but in reality, nothing was on ground after a cummulative payment of over N128.1 million. Leaders of ILT, while describing as a tip of the iceberg the above revelations, charged oil-bearing communities to rise and take their destiny in their own

hands, by demanding accountability from their leaders at the board. They also called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the new board of DESOPADEC not to yield to pressures from contractors for the payment of outstanding monies. Meanwhile, directors of DESOPADEC could not be reached as of the time of filing this report, but an official of the body, who declined being named, told Nigerian Tribune that the body would later react to the allegations levelled against the predecessors of the present members of the board.

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

news

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Ajimobi will not get blanket approval of 2016 budget —Oyo assembly By Wale Akinselure

XACTLY six weeks after Governor Abiola Ajimobi presented the 2016 budget proposal on the floor of the Oyo State House of Assembly, the state lawmakers, on Tuesday, commenced debate on the proposal pointing out that the budget would not be given a blanket approval, as thought in some quarters. Ajimobi, on December 22, 2015, had presented an estimated sum of N165,097,845,486 which covers an expected income of about N48 billion from the Federation Account, N76.6 billion as Internally Generated Revenue and N40.42 billion from Capital Receipts. Debating on the proposal, as part of the second reading stage of the budget, lawmakers avowed their resolve to align with the state government’s intention to increase the Internally Generated Revenue by about 400% from N1.2 billion to N5billion by blocking leakages through proper monitoring of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). On the commitment of

the Assembly to perform this oversight functions, Speaker, Honourable Micheal Adeyemo, decried that the state continued to be ripped off of its wealth by some unpatriotic citizens. Adeyemo maintained that the Assembly would scru-

tinize the budgets of the MDAs to ensure that every addition or subtraction of figures is justified. Making reference to the budget’s focus on agriculture as one of its four cardinal programmes, member representing Ona-Ara constituency, Honourable

Buliamin Adesina, observed that the allocation to agriculture was inadequate. Chairman, Committee on Public Accounts, Finance and Appropriation, Honourable Bolanle Agbaje, assured that the budget would be scrutinised to ensure accountability and transparency in MDAs.

It will be recalled that the 2015 budget was passed on June 2, 2015, six months after Ajimobi had presented it to the House on December 23, 2014. The Assembly also decried the continued litter of the state owing to indiscriminate waste disposal along median stripes and water-

ways, calling for attitudinal change by residents. Honourable Segun Ajanaku and Oyatokun Oyaleke representing Ibadan South West II and Afijio constituencies respectively had prayed for increased surveillance to arrest persons involved in indiscriminate and illegal waste disposal.

Mega parties will disintegrate soon —Falae Hakeem Gbadamosi – Akure

FORMER Secretary to the Government of the Federal (SGF) and the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Olu Falae, on Tuesday, predicted the fall of all the major mega parties in the country, saying they will

soon disintegrate. Falae, who stated this in Akure, Ondo State capital, during the formal declaration of the former Minister of Defence, Dr Olu Agunloye, to the SDP, said the mega parties were built on no philosophy and ideology. He described the coming together of the politicians as

coming together of opportunists with the sole aim of sharing government money. He, however, said the SDP will be ready to accommodate them after the disintegration, but only if they can comply with the principles and philosophy of the party. Falae welcomed progressives into the party with an

assurance that the party will continue to work towards leading the country to the path of greatness. Speaking during the declaration, Agunloye said he decided to team up with SDP to establish a credible government in Ondo State and to commence reconstruction and restoration

Delta CPS commends Tribune Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri

AFRICAN Newspapers of Nigeria Plc (ANN Plc), publishers of the Tribune titles, has been commended for blazing the trail in the reportage of activities in oil-rich Delta State. This is just as journalists plying their professional trade in the state have been charged to maintain high ethical standards in

the discharge of their duties. The commendation and admonition were given by the Chief Press Secretary to the Delta State governor, Mr Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu, during a visit to members of the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) at the NUJ Press Centre, Gbiaye Street, Warri.

The governor’s aide specifically singled out the Tribune titles for commendation for leading its counterparts in showcasing the activities of the Senator Ifeanyi Okowaled government as well as the rich cultural world views and conditions of the people of the state. Aniagwu enjoined practicing journalists in the state to engage in devel-

opmental journalism and use their profession and media to improve the status of Deltans, build trust and help showcase government’s policies. He decried the use of sensational reports to attack public officeholders rather than showcasing policies of government and setting agenda for discourse as inimical to the growth of the state.

programmes for the people. He lamented the infrastructural decay in the state, in spite of huge allocation from the Federal Government. Agunloye said “In spite of income of over N800 billion in seven years, only a few mothers and their children have been catered for. In fact, the percentage of these relative to the population which earned that income is indeed infinitesimally small. “In spite of what you may term as mega income, we still have roads and fancy government projects that were to be ready in “six to 10 months” not yet completed in seven years; we have an industry which was nearly completed in two years by a previous administration, but still not made functional by two administrations 13 years after.

news

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Ogun @ 40: Buhari commends Amosun over infrastructural development •As traditional rulers back anti-corruption crusade •I will support creation of Ijebu State if ... —OBJ Olayinka Olukoya-Abeokuta

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, commended Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State for the massive infrastructural development constructed by his administration across the length and breadth of the state. He acknowledged the courage and the resoluteness of the governor in changing the face of the state, with emphasis on the face-lifting witnessed in Abeokuta, the state capital,within a period of four and half years. Buhari, who was on a two-day working visit to the Gateway State, inaugurated some projects as part of activities lined up for the 40th anniversary of the creation of the state. President Buhari said these at a state luncheon, which had in attendance the wife of the vice-president, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo; the governors of Oyo and Osun states, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Mr Rauf Aregbesola and the deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs Oluranti Adebule. The ceremony also had in attendance former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Head of Interim Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; business moguls, Chief Subomi Balogun and Sir Adebukola Kessington-Adebutu. Other personalities were the chairman and co-chairman of African Newspapers of Nigeria (ann) Plc, Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran and Ambassador Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu respectively; the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun; the deputy national chairman, South-West, Mr Segun Oni, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and his finance counterpart, Mrs Kemi Adeosun. The president lamented the present state of the nation’s economy, while he recalled that the government, in which he served as petroleum minister, made more infrastructural investment in the petroleum industry. He equally appreciated Obasanjo for “tolerating his slow motion style of doing things,” based on the spirit he (OBJ) worked then. Buhari said the military government, under Obasanjo, built refineries

in Kaduna and Warri and depots as well. The president said: ‘‘I thank the governor of Ogun State for inviting me, to identify me with his success, but in succeeding, his project confuse me, disorientate me. “On my commissioning in January, 1963, my first posting was to Abeokuta where the second Infantary Battalion used to be, we were using in wooden blocks, be that as it were, in the last war, I was here for a couple of weeks before I was posted to Lagos. “I said he deorientate me because, if you drop me in any part of Abeokuta and ask me to find out where

the barracks is, I assure you, I will get missing. I will not be able to locate Lisabi Club, where we use to drink Fanta, while those who do other things also do and we listened to music. I am firstly pleased with your success and I envy you, because whatever I think I know about Abeokuta, I have lost it. President Buhari had, earlier in the day, paid a courtesy visit to the Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo,at his Ake Palace. Alake, while welcoming the president, declared his support for his anti-corruption fight in the country,while charging

him to make the process an enduring one. The traditional ruler recalled that the president’s vision and mission while in office between 1983 and 1985, was meant to “give Nigerians a corrupt-free nation where greed, gluttony and avarice would have no place.” Also, the Akarigbo and Paramount ruler of Remoland, Oba Adeniyi Sonariwo, appealed to the president to consider the Yoruba nation in the scheme of things in the country. Oba Sonariwo, who is the Chairman of Ogun State Council of Obas, said the Yoruba had been marginalised in terms of ap-

poinments at the centre. While the Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of Yewaland urged the Federal Government to develop infrastructural facilities in the country’s border towns. Meanwhile, former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Tuesday, said he would support the creation of Ijebu State only if Ikenne,the home of the Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, will be made the capital. Obasanjo, made this known at the state luncheon organised by the Ogun State government in honour of President Muhammadu Buhari,who concluded his two-day official visit to the state on

Senate President. Dr Bukola Saraki, flanked by Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (left) and Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other financial institutions, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim (right), during the commissioning of the upgraded Senate Press Centre, in Abuja, on Tuesday.

the 40th anniversary of its existence. The former president, who responded to a statement by the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Kayode Adetona, on the agitation for the creation of Ijebu State, said the people of the senatorial district would agree and reach a consensus that the capital of the proposed state must be in Ikenne. Obasanjo said: “I will support the creation of Ijebu State, if and only if the capital will be in Ikenne.” The traditional ruler had, in his goodwill message, during the ceremony, sought the support of the proposed state, noting that Obasanjo’s support was very crucial. He urged the Ppresident to grant the request and wishes of the people of Ijebuland in actualising their aspirations. DEBASCO hails Amosun over projects The founder, Debasco Group and mobilisation committee chairman (SIACO), Chief Babatunde Onakoya, has applauded Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State for fulfiling his promise of constructing an overhead bridge at Mobalufon, Ijebu-Ode, noting that the project has brought a new lease of life to residents of the town. Chief Onakoya, while speaking on the 40th anniversary of the creation of Ogun State, spoke to journalists at his country home of Atiba, Ijebu Ode.

We are all guilty of past mistakes –Saraki

•Says success of 2016 budget depends on revenue generation Taiwo Adisa And Ayodele Adesanmi-Abuja

SENATE President, Bukola Saraki, said on Tuesday, that Nigerians should not be fixated on placing the blame for the nation’s woes on particular leaders, declaring that many of the leaders had, in one way or the other, contributed to the errors of the past. Saraki, who spoke in Abuja, on Tuesday, said that it was wrong for anybody to hold an individual or group of people solely responsible for the mess of the past. The Senate President insisted that rather than trading blames on the problems confronting the country presently, what was needed from all stakeholders now was collective participation for the good of all Nigerians.

He assured Nigerians that details of the N115billion National Assembly budget for 2016 would be transparently put into the public domain this year, as against the practice of one item of the past. According to him, “ We’ve all been here since 1999 up to the recent past when things were not done right, we are all part of it. I was there, you were there, every other political office holder in different capacities were there as well. “My own view from the eighth National Assembly is that the time for collective participation for the good of all Nigerians is here with us, in line with the change mantra of the present administration . We are all on the same page for things to be done differently.

“I think what we need now from all stakeholders is more of cooperation, encouragement and participation, as opposed to trying to hold one person responsible for the mistakes of the past that we are all part of .It is clearly not the right thing needed now. “I appeal to you, I appeal to all Nigerians, that we should work together, just as I assure you all that we will do well here in NASS to practically complement the change agenda.” Saraki stated that the National Assembly would soon come up with an amendment bill on the procurement process towards ensuring strict and transparent implementation of the N6.08trillion 2016 budget. According to him, the implementability of the 2016 budget proposal as presented by the executive,

would be decided at the stage of budget defence by the various ministries, departments and agencies. “Before we put our signatories to it, we need to be sure of its implementability,” he said. He, however, stated that rather than the falling oil price bench mark, the two critical issues to be monitored and managed for successful implementation of the budget were issues of expected revenues from non oil and independent sources aside that of funding the huge deficits. Also, Senate President Saraki, has said if the 2016 budget is going to be realistic and successful, emphasis should be on the non-oil and independent revenue generating sources. Saraki, while answering questions from Sen-

ate correspondents after commissioning the newlyupgraded and refurbished Senate Press Centre, at the National Assembly, in Abuja, said the eighth Senate would focus attention on the revenue generating areas and ensure that all leakages were blocked. The Senate President stated that though the 2016 budget proposal was ambitious, it could be achieved if all that was necessary to make it work was put in place. When asked if the 2016 budget was implementable in view of the dwindling price of crude oil at the international market, Saraki said: “I think this is one of the reasons we are having the MDAs defend their proposals before the committees to be able to test some of the scenarios and some of the assumptions, particularly on the revenue side.

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Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Arms deal: ICC acknowledges receipt of petition against Dasuki, Okonjo-Iweala, others

HE International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague has confirmed that it is considering petition submitted to it by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, over alleged crimes against humanity committed in the context of the arms procurement scandal. The ICC revealed this in a letter dated February 1, with reference: OTP-CR-32/16 and signed by Mark P. Dillon, Head of Information and Evidence Unit of the ICC. The letter read in part: “The office of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court acknowledges receipt of your documents/ letter. This communication has been duly entered in the Communications Register of the office. We will give consideration to this communication as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.” It will be recalled that Falana had, in a petition dated January 19, requested the ICC to “investigate allegations of crimes against humanity committed against the Nigerian people by some former and serving military, as well as public officials and private persons who engaged in the criminal diversion of $8 billion earmarked to procure equipment for the armed forces to fight insurgency.” The petition read in part: “On account of the deliberate refusal of the former military authorities to equip and motivate the members of the Armed Forces involved in combat operations, the insurgents had killed about 25,000 soldiers and civilians, including children and displaced over 2,000,000 people. Having compromised the security of the people of Nigeria by collaborating with the ter-

rorists, the former military authorities deliberately encouraged the brutal killing of innocent people, including ill-equipped officers and soldiers. “As if that was not enough, the sum of $322 million and £5.5 million from the Abacha loot which was illegally transferred to Colonel Dasuki by a former Finance

Minister, Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala, for prosecuting the war on terror, had also been criminally diverted. Part of the stolen fund was used to fund the campaign for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general election.” “Apart from diverting the fund for acquiring military equipment, some corrupt

public officers also stole money set aside for acquiring the necessary gadgets and equipment for securing the Nigerian people. For instance, the $470 million contract awarded in 2009 for the installation of CCTV cameras in Abuja, the seat of the Federal Government, was poorly executed due to corrupt practices. Thus, the

THE Minister of State for Petroleum/Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Ibe Kachikwu, on Tuesday, disclosed that the Federal Government paid about N1.1 trillion for fuel subsidy in 2015. He, however, stated that no payment had been made on subsidy on petroleum products in January 2016,

perpetrated against Nigerians. The failure of a former Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to prevent widespread and systematic corruption including the re-looting of the Abacha loot amounts to complicity under the Rome Statute, and therefore fits the legal requirements of a crime against humanity.”

Federal Government in the refusal to bail which he had perfected. Further hearing of the motion had been fixed for February 26. Meanwhile, the Ovie of Umiaghwa, Abraka kingdom, Delta State, His Royal Highness, Air Vice Marshal Lucky Ochuko Ararile (retd), on Tuesday, insisted that the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) should be made to face military trial, as he is still subject to military discipline. He said the embattled NSA committed what he described as a treasonable felony and should be treated

as such. Speaking in an interview with journalists in Abuja, he said the sole act of Dasuki had not only destroyed the country’s reputation, but also ridiculed the integrity of the Nigerian military. Ararile, who was also the first coordinator of Amnesty programme in Niger Delta and the Commander, ‘Operation Restore Hope in Niger Delta’, said if Dasuki’s offence was to be handled as treason, the option of bail should not be considered. The monarch stressed the need for him to be handed over to the Nigerian military after being tried by the EFCC.

Dasuki’s trial stalled

He must face military trial —Monarch Sunday Ejike, Chris Agbambu and Adetola Bademosi - Abuja THE refusal of the Federal Government to produce the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) in court, has again, stalled his trial before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Dasuki is facing trial alongside a former Director of Finance at the office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu, a former General Manager at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Babakusa and a firm, Acacia Holdings on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering, illegal diversion of public funds and criminal breach of trust. They all pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC). The former NSA, who was granted bail by Justice Peter Affem, was said to be rearrested by the operatives of the Department of the State Service (DSS) when he met the bail conditions set out by the court. He was taken to an unknown destination. When the matter came up on Tuesday, counsel for the Federal Government,

Rotimi Jacobs, informed the trial judge, Justice Affem that Dasuki had been in the custody of the DSS since he was rearrested last year. He told the court that he informed the EFCC to liase with the DSS, so as to facilitate the production of the defendant in court, but was surprised that the defendant was not in court. Upon inquiry, the prosecution counsel said the DSS claimed that the notice to produce the former NSA in court came too late, hence, the defendant was not in court. Operatives of the DSS, however, brought Dasuki to court after the trial judge adjourned the matter till February 26. Meanwhile, the embattled former NSA has filed a motion, challenging his continued trial before the High Court of the FCT. In the motion filed by his counsel, Joseph Daudu, Dasuki and his co-accused sought for order of the court prohibiting the Federal Government from further prosecuting him or seeking any indulgence of the court until the bail granted them by the court was obeyed. Dasuki also asked for an order of the court to discharge him of all the offences brought against him, which he said cannot be

lawfully prosecuted by the complaint that was in contempt of the court. In the alternative, Dasuki applied for a mandatory order to compel the Federal Government or its agents in the EFCC, DSS and other enforcement agencies to always produce him in court, so that the court may give appropriate directives in compliance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015. Besides, the defendant sought order to stay further trial in the charge against him until he had exhausted remedies available to him to enforce his right to liberty being trampled upon by the

Kogi workers suspend strike, as gov promises salary payment on 25th Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja PUBLIC workers in Kogi State, on Tuesday, suspended their six-week strike, following the intervention of the new state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. The governor also pledged to ensure that workers in the employ of the state government were paid latest by 25 of every month. Nigerian Tribune gathered that the Labour unions

We paid N1.1trn on fuel subsidy in 2015 —NNPC GMD Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel - Abuja

identification of terrorists who launched bomb attacks in public places in Abuja had been frustrated by the government officials who stole the contract sum. “We therefore submit that this is sufficient to hold Col Dasuki and others that have been indicted in the arms theft scandal responsible for crimes against humanity

noting that the development was a step towards revamping the oil sector. The minister dropped the hint when he appeared before the House of Representatives’ Committee investigating the Refined Product Exchange Agreement/ Crude Oil Swap between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation/Petroleum Pipelines Marketing Companies (NNPC/PPMC) and some oil firms, headed by Honourable Zakari Mohammed.

The committee, however, chided the minister for not giving specific responses to several questions posed to him in relation to the execution of the swap arrangement the committee was investigating. The minister had told the committee that he was not on seat at the time the swap deal was carried out, saying he preferred to focus on the future and not the past. Chairman of the committee, who was visibly angry, told the minister that “the

lawyer in you keeps coming to the surface in answering these questions, but we are talking to you in your capacity as Minister and GMD, you have to help this committee.” Another member, Honourable Saheed Fijabi, equally told the minister that “you need to take more responsibility, it is your job, you are GMD and also a minister. You must have met and studied some files, these things did not happen in 1970, it was just 2014.”

in the state, led by the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Onuh Edoka, had met with the governor on Sunday to resolve the impasse between government and the workers. Following the resolutions at the meeting in which Bello promised to pay one month salary, the workers, on Tuesday, held a meeting of the leaders of the leadership of the Labour unions, where it was agreed that the workers should resume work today. The NLC chairman, however, said at the end of the meeting with Bello, that workers and government had signed agreement on the resolution of the crisis and the workers were expected back at their duty posts on today. He said: “It has not been too easy for the workers of the state, we had series of meetings with the outgone government, but we were unable to reach a compromise, because most of the demands of workers were not yielded to, until the new governor came in and had a discussion with us. “At our meeting on January 27, we were able to ar-

rive at a far-reaching decision and he appealed and pleaded with us to see reasons we should suspend the strike on the immediate things he would provide for the workers on the terms of agreement for which we entered into and had a resolution with him, and those that cannot be done immediately, committees would be put in place to look into them. “We had meeting with the leadership of the NLC, TUC and Joint Negotiating Council and at the end of the day, we have been able to agree to the request of the governor on the ground that one month salary will be paid to workers.” Addressing the workers, Bello expressed regret that government was unable to pay its workers that had diligently performed their duties. He, however, pledged to vigorously pursue the bailout funds that were due to the state, to enable government clear the entire arrears of salaries of state and local government workers and primary school teachers across the state.

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N1trn failed rail contracts: Reps order NRC MD to account for money appropriated since 2007

•Threaten warrant of arrest on fleeing contractors Jacob Segun Olatunji And Kolawole Daniel -Abuja

HE House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on over N1trillion failed rail contracts, on Tuesday, ordered the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), headed by Mr Seyi Sijuade, to account for all budgetary allocations appropriated to the corporation by the National Assembly since 2007 till date. The committee, chaired by Honourable Ehoizuwa Agbonayinma, gave the directive on Tuesday, while grilling the Managing Director of the NRC alongside the Transport Minister, Honourable Rotimi Amaechi, the Chairman of the Board of Ttustee (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was a former Chairman of the Governing Board of the NRC, Dr Bello Haliru, on allegation of improper award of various contracts without following due process The committee also threatened to arrest some contractors and the operators of the defunct SURE-P

programme who participated in the failed railway rehabilitation projects initiated by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. It lamented that letters of invitation were duly written to them to appear before it, but deliberately refused to show up, saying it would not hesitate to issue bench warrant of arrest on them in ensuring that they appeared. Also, the chairman of the BOT of the PDP, Dr Bello, denied signing a contract worth over $8.3billion for one of the rehabilitation contracts awarded during his tenure as chairman of the NRC Board, saying only the management of the corporation could explain how the contracts were awarded. The NRC MD was also queried over the alleged N19 billion contract awarded to his relative. The report obtained from the Department of Security Services (DSS) by the ad-hoc committee showed that Sijuade’s relative was a Director of Eser Contracting and Industry of Ankara, Turkey, which secured one of the rehabilita-

tion contracts. The lawmakers also questioned the NRC helmsman over the alleged unilateral award of N3.206 billion contract for the rehabilitation of Zaria-Kaura Namdas railway line, as well as the £7 million contract subhead. They also quizzed Haliru Bello, former chairman of NRC Board, over the signing of various railway contracts, including the $8.3 billion for rehabilitation of the Lagos-Kano rail line in 2010, as well as $849 million contract signed in 2009. The lawmakers also expressed concerns over the award of various contracts for which no Minister and Board chairmen appended their signatures, but had the signatures of NRC Managing Director and Secretary as witnesses. The committee, in addition, grilled Sijuade on how the alleged N3billion proceeds from the sales of metal scraps approved auction developed wings into the thin air without being remitted into the accounts of the corporation or the Federation account.

Buhari’s CoS to staff: Don’t leak mails or sit on files Leon Usigbe-Abuja

APPARENTLY keen to avoid the Presidency being unduly exposed, Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, has warned workers in the

State House against leaking official letters or sitting on files otherwise, they face stiff sanctions. Speaking during a sendoff ceremony for retiring and redeployed staff in

6 arrested Britons to be deported —NIS CG Jacob Segun Olatunji And Kolawole Daniel-Abuja

THE Comptroller- General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Martins Kure Abeshi, on Tuesday, said the six Britons arrested last Saturday by the Service for violating Nigeria”s Immigration Laws would be deported immediately. The NIS boss disclosed this in Abuja, before the House of Representatives Committee on Interior, headed by Honourable Jagaba Adams Jagaba. He pointed out that the action became necessary as the expatriates breached Nigeria’s immigration laws and would, therefore, be deported. According to him, ‘‘the company that employed those expatriates, after my discussion with them, they

agreed to be responsible for their air ticket. As I’m talking now, I’m sure they have been flown out. “One company employed them. They were in the services of that company, but they travelled out, when they were coming back, another employer gave them visa to come, which is against immigration law, it is against the law of the land. So their first employer complained about these expatiates, so it is an offence they have committed and we have ordered their deportation.’’ “When we conduct our operation and discover that someone who is not a Nigerian is living in this country illegally, he will be repatriated. That is on our own part, they have to go.”

Abuja, on Monday night, he said exposing government documents prematurely would not be tolerated. He said: “But just one thing we cannot tolerate is letters and information going out of this office. I have seen one with my signature shown to me. “I do not know who that is. I do not know why anyone should do that. But please, make sure that that does not happen. “Anything that is written will come out anyway. It is not a secret, but the bad thing is for it to come out before it is publicly made by the relevant authorities. “So, please don’t fall into this trap of somebody asking you to bring a letter, because if by accident, you are found or the letter traced to you, it would not be something that we would tolerate.” Kyari stressed the need for the staff to be disciplined, be dedicated to their duty, while shunning gossips in the office. According to him, “Those of us who are remaining here, should remain and rededicate ourselves, not make rooms for small talks or gossip; concentrate and do your job.”

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I, formerly Adesokan Akeem now ADEWALE ILELABO AKEEM. All former documents remain valid. GTBank and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akabuo Catherine now MRS OLAMIJULO CATHERINE CHIOMA. All former documents remain valid. Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, NYSC, GTBank Plc, Eco Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Amola Omobola Juliet now MRS AMOLA OMOBOLA ABUBAKAR. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

I, Mr Bamidele Gbadamosi am the same person bearing MR GBADAMOSI LAMIDI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, Muhammed Peace Olakunle am the same person bearing Salam Abu Salam. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as SALAM ABU SALAM. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oluwadamilola Cecilia Oke now MRS O L U WA D A M I L O L A CECILIA AMUSAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Alufa Ibroeem Adewole now ALUFA IBRAHIM ATERE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adeola Adijat Oguntusin now MRS ADEOLA ADIJAT DUROJAIYE. All former documents remain valid. British High Commission Lagos/Abuja and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr. Oluranti Opeyemi now MR. OLURANTI AKEEM OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Charity Boyoma Fatima Eradjeh now MRS. ISA CHARITY BOYOMA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adigwe Ifeoma Katherine now MRS. AMEDARI IFEOMA KATHERINE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, KAZEEM OYEBADE am the same person as SALAUDEEN KOZEEM OYEBADE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oduoye Funmilayo Funmilola now MRS. OLANIYAN FUNMILAYO FUNMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Yaya Ayoade Adeyemi now ADEYEMI YAYA OLORUNGBEBE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Sanusi Oluwapelumi Dorcas now MRS BADMUS OLUWAPELUMI DORCAS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adesanya Yetunde Tilewa now MRS. MICHAEL YETUNDE TILEWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Elizabeth Victoria Abosede Adewale now MRS ELIZABETH VICTORIA ABOSEDE BELLO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Momodu Isiaka now MUHAMMED ISIAKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Kayode Moruff Adeyemi now OLADIMEJI KOLAWOLE MOJEED. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Olubode Saubatu am the same person bearing Alhaja Saobat Ajoke Ismahila. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as ALHAJA SAOBAT AJOKE ISMAHILA. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Maria Anthonia Okonkwo now OGOCHUKWU ANTHONIA ANAJEMBA. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Omoyele Bashirat Temitope now MRS. ADELEKE BASHIRAT TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adekanbi Omoyemi Funmilayo now MRS. OMIDIORA OMOYEMI FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and general public take note.

I, formerly Folarin Akin Adeolu now FOLARIN AKINLOLU FESTUS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ayodele Olushayo Atinuke now ODEYALE ENIOLA IDOWU. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mohammed Rukayat Abike now ABIMBOLA PRISCILLA All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adeleke Abibat Yetunde now MRS. ADEBIYI ABIBAT YETUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olasoji Titilayo Bukola now MRS. TIODUNMO TITILAYO BUKOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Araromi Opeyemi Omotola now AJIBOLA OPEYEMI OMOTOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oringunleye Mojisola Kemi now AKINKUGBE MOJISOLA KEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. I, formerly Mrs Runsewe Winners Ebinum now MISS EBINUM WINNERS GEORGE. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Immigration and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Lemuel Andrew Zuya now LEMUEL ANDREW HARUNA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akinnifesi Felicia Modupe now MRS. ADEOYE FELICIA MODUPE. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Miss Oyeyemi Ifeoluwa Ibilola am the same person bearing Miss Oyeyemi Ibilola Oyenike. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as MRS. KAYODE IFEOLUWA IBILOLA. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mr. Michael Ogundipe now MR. OGUNDIPE MOSHOOD OGUNLEKE. All former documents remain valid. Eco Bank of Nig. Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Abioye Mutiat Bimpe now MRS YUSUF MUTIAT BIMPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Olaniyan Olabode Alaba am the same person as Olaniyan Olabode A. and Olaniyan Alaba Olabode. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as OLANIYAN OLABODE ALABA. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adeyanju Airat Wumi now MRS SULAYMAN AIRAT WUMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Marvellous Chukwuemeka Campbell now CAMPBELL MARVELLOUS AYOMIDE. All former documents remain valid. U.B.A. Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adebanjo Elizabeth Bolanle now MRS. ADERIBIGBE ELIZABETH BOLANLE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Alase Shukurat Opeyemi now MRS. DURODOLA SHUKURAT ALASE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Samuel Augustine now IGHOHWO STANLEY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Mrs. Olagunju Benson Monsurat am the same person as MONSURAT OLUWAKEMI BENSON and ADEBAYO MONSURAT OLUWAKEMI. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Pelemo Janet Oluranti now MRS. OLATUNJI JANET OLURANTI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Omotola Adijat Amao now OMOTOLA ARIKE AMAO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olatunji Taiwo Serifat now MRS. LAWAL TAIWO SERIFAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Adedayo Lola Gbayisomore now MRS. TINA ADERONKE BLAISE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Olayiwola Rasaq Gbolahan now AJIBISE RASAQ OLUWASESAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Kareem Florence Malomo am the same person bearing Aratanye Florence Malomo. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as MRS. KAREEM FLORENCE MALOMO. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ibiwoye Oluwatobiloba Odunola now MRS. ADEPONLE O L U WAT O B I L O B A ODUNOLA ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Orunsolu Mariam Oluwatoyin now MRS. ADEKUNLE MARIAM TOYIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ifeanyi Edith Ikebafe now IFEANYI EDITH CHUKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016 CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Rafiu Siata Opeyemi now OGINNI SIATA OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mr. Hamed Bashiru Ajani now MR. BASIRU AJANI AMODU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Omotoso Abiola Morolake now MRS. ARIYIBI ABIOLA MOROLAKE. All former documents remain valid. PCN, FETHI and general public take note.

I, Olagoke Jumoke Olorunwa am the same person as Olagoke Jumoke O. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as OLAGOKE JUMOKE OLORUNWA. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Babalola Mary Adewumi now MRS. CHROMY MARY ADEWUMI. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, Awe Ayomide Aderonke am the same person as Awe Ayomide Ann. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as AWE AYOMIDE ADERONKE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and general public take note.

I, Adedeji Aminat Jumoke am the same person as Adedeji Aminat. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as ADEDEJI AMINAT JUMOKE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Aluko Fatimah Titilope now MRS. BAKARE FATIMAH TITILOPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Adewumi Temitope Mefoworade now ABASSALESINLOYE TEMITOPE MEFOWORADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Alimi Raimot Dasola now MRS. AZEEZ RAIMOT DASOLA. All former documents remain valid. Oyo SUBEB and general public take note.

I, formerly Kemes Tufine Prince now KEMES EBIMOWIE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Olaobaju Bakare Adeniyi now OLAOBA ABUBAKAR ADENIYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

RECONCILIATION OF NAME The names Egweonu Emmanuel Chima and Isaac Ikechukwu Emmanuel refer to one person. All documents bearing these names remain valid. UBA Plc., Fidelity Bank Plc., Access Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Omolewa Tawakalitu Temitope now MRS. ODEWOLE TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. I, formerly Longe Beeko Oluwabunmi now AKINOLA OLUWABUNMI ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Amuda Islamia Adekemi now MRS. AMOO ISLAMIA ADEKEMI. All former documents remain valid. Authorities of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), State of Osun, Osogbo and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Justina Pollyn Omolabake now MRS. KUKOYI OMOLABAKE ADETORERA. All former documents remain valid. UCH Ibadan and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Osundahunsi Rosemary Opeyemi now MRS. ADESANMI ROSEMARY OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. BST Partnership and general public take note.

My name is Azeez Ajibola Lawal and not Lawal Azeez Ajibola as it was wrongly writen in my WAEC result. All former documents remain valid. Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ogundipe Yetunde Deborah now MRS. AJIBOLA YETUNDE DEBORAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Obatayo Bunmi Elizabeth now MRS. ABIODUN BUNMI ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ajibade Victoria Oyewumi now MRS. OLADOTUN VICTORIA OYEWUMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Quadri Amudat Adeyemi now MRS. QUADRI TAWAKALITU OLANIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ahmed E. Zainab now MRS. ZAINAB SULEIMAN. All former documents remain valid. Adavi LGA, First Bank Plc., UBA Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ojediran Abisola Racheal now MRS. ODEKUNLE ABISOLA RACHEAL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Arumela Omokukpo Olorunda now MRS. ARUMELA OMOKUKPO ERUMIWOYOWE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ogechi Ursulla Ukachukwu now MRS. OGECHI URSULLA UZOMA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ibrahim Wada now IBRAHIM OMEDE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., UBA Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ileyemi Olabisi Mujidat now MRS. SHOLAGBADE OLABISI KATE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Aluta Juliet Oreva now MRS. OREVA ALUTA MELBURY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Mopelola Abeni Odekunle am the same person as MRS. ODEKUNLE ABOSEDE ABENI. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Lamidi Latifat Bolanle now MRS. AZEEZ LATIFAT BOLANLE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ojediji Folasade Abosede now MRS. ALABI FELICIA FOLASADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Edah Pet Amuji now MRS. EGODO PET AMUJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Odunayo Rebecca Oyeyemi now MRS. ODUNAYO OYEYEMI ALIOGENE. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Aminat Temitope Oketoye now MRS. AMINAT TEMITOPE OLADAPO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oladele Temitope Jumoke now MRS. MICHAEL O. TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Tijani Basirat Adeola now MRS. RASHIDI BASIRAT ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ayeni Oluwatoyin Esther now MRS. AKINLABI OLUWATOYIN ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Jokanola Latifat Oyinloye now MRS. OLANIYAN LATIFAT OYINLOYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Francis Ene Charity now FRANCIS UMOH CHARITY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Toritse Miller Martins Enerun am the same person as Toritse Martins Enerun and Miller Martins. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as TORITSE MILLER MARTINS ENERUN. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mrs. Oladimeji Oluwakemi Elizabeth now MRS. OLADIMEJI OMOLADE ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Amusa Oluwafunmilola Deborah now MRS. OJAJUNI O L U WA F U N M I L O L A DEBORAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Elutilo Rashidat Dupe now MRS. OLUWAGBEMI OLUSOLA VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. OAUTHC, Ile-Ife, Zenith Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Badmus Aina Funmilayo now MRS. AKINYEMI AINA FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Sakirat Ololade Kareem now MRS. SOWUNMI SAKIRAT OLOLADE. All former documents remain valid. TASUED and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akinlafe Grace Olaide now MRS. FAMOSE GRACE OLAIDE AKINLAFE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mrs. Adebukola Samson now MRS. AKINNUSI BUKOLA COMFORT. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc., First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Otti Ben Joshua now OTTI BRUME JOSHUA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olajide Daramola now MRS. OLAGBENJO DAMILOLA DEBORAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Taofeek Alimot Ajoke am the same person bearing Taofeek Sadiat Ayomide. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as TAOFEEK ALIMOT AJOKE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. UBA Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ige Kemi now MRS. OLONIYO LOVETH KEMI. All former documents remain valid. Kabba/Bunu LGEA, Dept of Physical and Health Education, University of Ibadan, Okene Study Centre and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, ADEYANJU AHMED ISMAILA am the same person bearing ADEYEMI AHMED USMAN and ADEYEMI USMAN. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

I, Oyelami Bosede Funmilayo am the same person as Oyelami Abosede. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as OYELAMI BOSEDE FUNMILAYO. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adebimpe Olufemi Olawumi now MRS. OYEDEMI OLUFEMI OLAWUMI. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State SUBEB and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ogunrinu Helen Ajoke now MRS. ADEDEJI HELEN AJOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Faseesin Opeyemi Bolanle now MRS. DAIRO OPEYEMI BOLANLE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ugonna Ngbechikwere now CHINAKA OJI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Akinyemi Tolulope Grace now MRS. MEROYI TOLULOPE GRACE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Nmanlama Ubi Omenka now CHARITY OMENKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oguduba Princess Amara now MRS. MADUKWE PRINCESS AMARA. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Iletogun Christianah Modupe now MRS. ADEREMI CHRISTIANAH MODUPE. All former documents remain valid. Stanbic Bank Plc., Diamond Bank Plc., Mr Biggâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and general public take note.

I, formerly Benson Miracle Love now BENSON MIRACLE IFUNANYA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Umar Hamid now UMAR HARUNA DAMJUMA. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ariyo Ayanfe Marvelous now MRS. RUFUS AYANFE MARVELOUS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Abogun Abimbola Adeola now MRS. ADEYEMI ABIMBOLA ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olatunbosun Tope Olanike now MRS. ABUDIORE TOPE OLANIKE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (Oyo SUBEB) and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Hassan Oluwafunke Mary now BILESANMI OLUFUNKE MARIAM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr. Jubril Gafaru Bolade now MR. JUBRIL GAFARU AMAO. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adesokan Taiwo Racheal now MRS. OLAJIDE TAIWO RACHEAL. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Gbose Aina Ilemobayo now MRS. OMOKAN AINA ILEMOBAYO. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Oduntan Sikirat Bisola now MRS. ODUNTAN SIKIRAT AZIZAT BISOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Ajoke Olatunde now MRS. FLORENCE AGBOOLA OYELEKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Omole Oyediran Azeez now OMOLE OYEDIRAN AZEEZ AYODEJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ibrahim Idowu Atinuke now MRS. AWOLUSI IDOWU ATINUKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr. Adefemi Sam Olaolu now MR. ADEGOKE ISMAEL ADETUNJI. All former documents remain valid. Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc., Challenge Branch, Ibadan and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Bukola Rachael Jonah now MRS. BUKOLA RACHAEL ADEKUNLE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr. Akintorinwa Paul now MR. AKINTORINWA OLUWATIMILEYIN PAUL. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Odegbile Adepoju Ibrahim Abiodun now ADEPOJU IBRAHIM ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid. EcoBank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Oduntan Fatimo Mosunmola now MRS. ODUNTAN FATIMO FAUSAT MOSUNMOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Rufus Olaniyi Ajao now MOSES OJO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Abdulrauf Mariam Jubril now MRS. JUBRIL MARIAM ABDULRAUF. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

THIS BOX IS FOR SALE

news

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

I suffered a lot in the hands of EFCC — Amaechi Isaac Shobayo-Jos

inister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has stated that he suffered a lot in the hands of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) as the Rivers State governor, saying “I suffered a lot about corruption without any proof against me.” The former Rivers State governor stated this on Tuesday, while delivering a lecture entitled: “Legislature and Executive Partnership for Effective Performance” at retreat for the executive arms of the Plateau State government, held at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, in collaboration with Jos Business School and German International Corporation (GIZ). “I was harassed, though I fought my way through. They accused me of corruption, I suffered a lot, I suffered a lot about corruption. I don’t like money, I believe once you can feed, you don’t need money again, all those who accumulate wealth are doing so to their detriment,” he said. On the relationship between the executive and legislature, the Minister of Transport said the success of any administration depended on the relationship between the two arms, adding that commissioners are the drivers of the synergy and cordiality. According to him, to have a smooth sail in terms of administration, the executive arms, especially the commissioners, must see the lawmakers as partner in progress, adding that they should have a high sense of regard for the legislature. In his opening remark, the Plateau State governor, Mr Simon Lalong as-

sured that his government would create enabling environment that would grow the economy of the state, through public and private

sector participation. He said the reforms and structural adjustments at the federal and state levels, are aimed at cutting

Son of the late Premier of Western region and the Aare Ona Kakanfo, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Honourable Justice Oladiran Akintola, has disclosed that he owe his success in life and testimony to his late mother, Rosannah Mobolanle Tokunbo Adedeji. Justice Akintola stated this at the weekend, during the 50th memorial lecture of Chief Samuel Akintola, held at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan. The lecture delivered by the Provost, Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Re-

government would work tirelessly to transform the state, and to deliver on the promises he made to the people.

Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola (second left); his deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori (left) and the site engineer, Sami Angel (third left), during an unscheduled inspection of the ongoing construction of Ilesa Government High School, Ilesa, Osun State, recently.

Ondo begins 40th anniversary today Activities marking the 7th anniversary of the Governor Olusegun Mimiko-led administration in Ondo State and the 40th anniversary of the state creation, will begin today in Akure, the state capital with a special broadcast to the people by the governor. Giving details of the programme of events to newsmen in his office, on Tuesday, Chairman of the anniversary Committee, Mr Akin Adaramola said the scheduled broadcast is to reconnect and bond the people of the state. Also billed for today is a display of photo exhibition, aimed at rekindling the nostalgic experience of the past.

According to the chairman, the photo exhibition will also tell the story of the strides, leadership successions, trajectory of development, political emancipation and socio- economic transformation of the state, among others. Giving further breakdown of the events, the chairman said about 26

lated Offences Commission (ICPC) Abuja, was entitled: “Corruption, Anti-Corruption and Our Nation’s Search for Purpose”, was preceded by an anectodal presentation by a former member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Femu Kehinde. Justice Akintola said he conceived the idea in memory of his late father some months ago while on national assignment in Kogi State. He said his mother ensured he attended schools far from his known base in her “bid to hide me from those people who were hounding me, who didn’t think today will come, but

special projects would be inaugurated, which he said, would take the governor and his team round the three Senatorial districts in the state till Monday, February 22 when wife of the governor, Mrs Olukemi Mimiko is billed to visit people with special needs. “On Tuesday, February 23, there will be Special

— Prophet Abiara

By Tunde Ogunesan

THE General Evangelist, Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Worldwide, Prophet S.K. Abiara has urged

God preserved and protected me. “God has helped me in particular because if not for God, the opposition and adversity that I had to survive would have swallowed me. But I thank God. “When I was a younger student in the secondary school, I suffered a lot because of my seniors, the atmosphere was very hostile then, they would call me unprinted names (omo ese ole, Baba E ole) and all of that. Justice Akintola, however, stated that the honour on his father, would not stop on the 50th memorial lecture, and disclosed that he is planning to establish a foundation on his behalf.

ministers of God and other well-meaning Nigerians to continue to pray for Nigeria as a nation. Prophet Abiara made this known on Tuesday, in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, during the church’s special programme tagged: “New Year Blessing With Signs and Wonders” coming up between February 3 and 7, at the church auditorium, CAC Agbala-Itura, City of Peace, New Ife road, Olode, Ibadan. The programme, according to the clergyman, themed: “Why God? Why You? Why Now? Why Jesus?”, will feature several ministers of God like the General Superintendent of the CAC Worldwide, Pastor S.O. Oladele, Prophet Abiara, Pastor Abraham Oluniyi Akinpelu and Bishop Dapo Ojo, among others. Though Prophet Abiara affirmed that God had promised that there will be peace in the land, he said “Nigeria needs seri-

Dr Ogidi dies at 60 Dr Hudson Jagun Arusunware Ogidi is dead. He was aged 60. He died on Thursday, January 21, 2016 during a brief illness. Burial arrangements begin today with Christian wake/service of songs on the premises of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Oke Ado, Ibadan by 5.00 p.m. Lying-in-state will take place at Kings Hospital, Sodeinde Street, Anfani Road, Ibadan, tomorrow (Thursday), at 7.00 a.m to 8.00 a.m. This will be followed by another lying-instate at Rev Father Dolan Hall, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Oke Ado, by 8.00 a.m to 9.00 a.m. Requiem Mass will take place in the church by 10.00 a.m; while interment follows at Oke-Are Catholic Cemetery, immediately after the Requiem Mass. He is survived by his wife, Mrs Abiola Olawumi Ogidi and children.

Gbebiro programme for our women in Ondo State, while Wednesday, February 24, has been reserved for a public lecture to be held at the International and Cultural Event Centre, The Dome, with former United States of America Envoy to Nigeria, Ambassador Walter Carrington as the guest lecturer, among others.’’

We must not stop praying for Nigeria

I owe my success, testimonies to my late mum — Justice Akintola By Tunde Ogunesan

the cost of governance and exploring alternative sources of funding, being the change ideology. He noted further that his

ous prayers. Everybody in this country must move closer to God and seek His face for the success of this country. Though we thank God for what He has been doing in this country, we must not stop praying for Nigeria.” Prophet Abiara urged the people to attend the programme, listen to the word of God on why certain things happen to a particular individual or society at any point in time. He further called on the people of God to continue to pray for the Federal Government for guidance of governance, as well as wisdom. On the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the man of God advised Nigerians not to expect the former military ruler to perform magic. “As a human being, President Buhari is not relenting in his efforts at seeing that things come to normal in this country. ‘‘He has exposed a high-tech corruption in this country,’’ he said.

Abandoned baby A boy of about six months was rescued at Idi Agba Area, Oyo township, Oyo State, on December 23,2015. Anybody with useful information that could lead to contact with the baby’s parents or realatives, should please, contact the principal social Welfare Office, Oyo Zonal Social Welfare Office, Akinlamu, Oyo, or the nearest police station.

news

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Buhari’s unnecessary foreign trips bleeding nation’s economy —Fayose Sam Nwaoko - Ado-Ekiti

overnor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has counselled President Muhammadu Buhari, to stay at home and govern the country instead of moving from one country to the other, saying; “foreign countries won’t solve our problems for us and the president’s incessant foreign trips are already bleeding the economy with about $1 million being spent per trip.” The governor, who said most of the trips embarked on by the president were unnecessary, added that ministers or at best, the vice president could have been made to attend most of the functions being attended abroad by the president. According to a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said that “the president should rather listen more to those of us who criticise him instead of those hailing every of his wrong steps either because of what they intend to gain or for fear of persecution.” The statement read;

“Conservatively, about $1 million goes into every of the foreign trips and the way the president is going, foreign trips alone might gulp 20 per cent of the Federal Government’s budget and that will be disastrous for the dwindling resources of the country. “It is even more worrisome that while the econ-

omy is already in shambles and insecurity pervades the land with Boko Haram burning Nigerians, including children alive in the North East, our president is busy globe trotting. “From available records, in June 2015 alone, the President travelled to Niger Republic, Chad, Germany and South Africa. Also in 2015, the president

travelled to United States of America in July, Benin Republic in August, Ghana and France, in September, India in October, Iran, France and United States of America in November and in December, he travelled to South Africa and Benin Republic. “This year alone, President Buhari, has travelled to the United Arab Emir-

ate, Kenya, Ethiopia and he is leaving for France and United Kingdom today to spend four days abroad. “In most of these trips, about $500,000 is spent on estacode, transportation, accommodation, honorarium, media coverage, contingency and other expenses on accompanying presidency officials.

From left, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; national leader, All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu and the Elegushi of Ikateland, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi, during a visit to Senator Tinubu at his residence, in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Speakership: I didn’t offer monetary inducement to lawmakers —Kogi gov Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Tuesday, denied the allegation that he offered monetary inducement to members of the state House of Assembly to elect a speaker of his choice. This is coming as members of the assembly failed to reconvene as expected

because of the strike action embarked upon by the workers in the state. The lawmakers, had last year, before the emergency sitting to receive the 2016 budget from former Governor Idris Wada, fixed Tuesday, February 2, as the date of resumption after the crisis that engulfed it last December. Some members of the

House had announced the impeachment of the speaker, Honourable Jimoh Momoh, following which the faction loyal to Momoh, described the move as null and void and adjourned sitting till Tuesday (yesterday). The lawmakers were, however, expected to reconvene and elect a new speaker to replace Momoh following the purported

resignation of the speaker, who also hails from the same local government as the new governor. But the much expected sitting could not hold as the civil servants that would have prepared the assembly have been on strike since December, 2015, protesting against the non-payment of their salary.

Jubilation as abducted traditional ruler regains freedom in Delta Ebenezer Adurokiya-Warri

Six days after his abduction in the wee hours of January 29, the traditional ruler of Olomoro Kingdom, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, Josaih Umukoro, Aghaza 1, has been left off the hook by his abductors. Official report from the Delta State Police Command, on Monday, had said the Odionlogbo was kidnapped by unknown gunmen from his pool’s office, a few kilometers from his palace and not in front of his palace as widely reported, before he was whisked to an unknown destination. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Celestina Kalu, who informed the Nigerian Tribune, on whatsapp message on Tuesday morning of his release, said that the traditional ruler was released by his abductors at about 8.30 p.m.

on Monday. The report the Nigerian Tribune gathered from associates of the traditional ruler revealed that some ransom was paid before the release but this could not be confirmed as the police had earlier told the Nigerian Tribune that the force do not frolic with criminals on the issue of ransom. The hoodlums, had, shortly after the traditional ruler’s abduction last Friday, used his mobile phone to request a ransom of N50 million from his relatives. Speaking further on the release of the Odinlogbo, Kalu added that he “was recovered by the combined efforts of the police and vigilance group, while conducting a guided search in a bush around Sapele area.” Kalu disclosed that after his discovery from the bush along Sapele, the victim was escorted to his palace ,where

he has since been re-united with his family members. “Do you know that the king was kidnapped in his pool office, five kilometers away from the palace! He drove alone and was alone in the office,” DSP Kalu said.”

Meanwhile, there was jubilation at Olomoro Kingdom when reports got to the subjects that their traditional ruler had been freed from captivity as women and children took to the streets singing and dancing.

However, the governor, who said he had been inundated with news of his involvement in the leadership tussle in the assembly, said there was no time he dabbled into the affairs of the assembly A statement by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Kingsley Fanwo, said the allegation of financial inducements was baseless and uncalled for. He said: “As a responsible governor, who understands the tenets of separation of powers, Alhaji Bello understands his role as executive governor does not include managing the internal affairs of the House of Assembly.

Edo hospital’ll be better equipped than many in Europe —Oshiomhole Banji Aluko - Benin City

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has said the state’s 200-bed Central Hospital still under construction is more beautiful and will be better equipped than many hospitals in Europe and Asia. Speaking during an inspection of the hospital on Monday, the governor assured that the 200-bed hospital will be adequately maintained when completed so as to ensure its dura-

bility and effective service delivery to the people. The governor said many people doubted him when he said that he wanted to build what he called a fivestar hospital, adding that with the level of work done at the hospital , he did not know of any hospital in Nigeria, in terms of aesthetics, that has a better appeal. He said: “this is the sort of thing you find in Europe and some other advanced economies. If you are in the

21st century, begin to think as if you are in the 22nd century because the world has changed and it will keep changing. The pace of change will keep accelerating.” “The whole idea is that when a typical Edo person comes from a village like mine, if he gets in here and realises that even the environment psychologically impacts on him and he begins to appreciate that he is important; he is in the hands of professional healthcare providers.”

British Commission laments increase in violence against women By Vera Onana

C o mmu n i cat i o n s manager and political adviser of the British High Commission, Lagos, Wale Adebajo, has lamented the upsurge of violence against women in Nigeria. He said this while delivering a key note address at a media training programme organised by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), in Ado Ekiti. Noting the peculiarity of the South West, Adebajo decried that institutions were very weak in tackling the issue of sexual violence while reiterating the fact that violence against women and girls was prevalent in Nigeria. He urged journalists to ensure that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, was effectively implemented in the South West. Similarly, the acting South West regional coordinator of the Department of International Development (DFID), Margaret Fagboyo, noted the tortuous journey the VAPP bill had had to pass through at the National Assembly. and stressed that it was a clear indication of the complexity of the problem of violence and the difficulty involved in finding solutions to the problem.

Kano govt commences preparation for hajj operations Kola Oyelere - Kano

Kano State deputy governor, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, has said that despite the economic hardships being faced by the state government,the state has already started preparation for the 2016 Hajj operations. Professor Hafiz Abubakar disclosed this while addressing journalists at the Aminu Kano International Airport, after his arrival from the Saudi Arabia, where he inspected houses to be secured for the state intending pilgrims. According to him, Kano State is the first in Nigeria to start logistic arrangement in Saudi Arabia with regards to the 2016 hajj operations and assured the intending pilgrims of improved services

fortherecord Nigeria: In urgent need of a truer Federalism 43

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Being the text of Chief Emeka Anyaoku at the inauguration conference of Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy, held at UI Conference Centre, Ibadan, on Monday.

HE central question before us as put in the first paragraph of the concept paper is: “What are the fundamental structures, institutional deficits, issues, processes and dynamics of government that have made attainment of all-inclusive development in governance, economy and democracy difficult in a manner conducive to peace and social justice in Nigeria?”. In my view, there are many aspects of the present state of the Nigerian project that require fixing: the structure of governance system, the pervasive corruption sometimes involving mind-boggling figures that undermines national efforts, the conduct of our politicians including especially in the Executive and legislatures of the Federal and State governments, the management of our national resources particularly their allocation to recurrent and capital development expenditures, the role of our media with their inadequate investigative journalism and frequent mistakes in reporting facts, and the lethargic indifference of the citizens to the performance of their elected representatives and public officials. But I shall in my presentation focus on the structure of governance because from my over 30 years experience of governance in over 50 Commonwealth countries, I believe that given its history and pluralistic character, a truer federalism is a sine qua non for Nigeria’s achievement of its development potential and enduring political stability. I would like to begin with an assertion. Contrary to the doom sayers who predict eventual break-up of the country, I hold strongly to the view that there are inherent advantages for all its citizens and component parts in belonging to a country of Nigeria’s size and resources, and secondly, that having survived for the last hundred years, the country will continue as one political entity albeit hobbling along to cope with its myriad political and socio-economic challenges. Therefore the burden of my remarks is that if the country is to tackle more effectively the challenges confronting it, it would need to restructure its present governance architecture. The structure and governance system in the United States of America with which our constitution is frequently compared, attest to the efficacy of federalism when properly organized. The strength of the United States federalism lies in its unity in diversity, the vitality and strength of the constituent states which yield some powers to the federal government while still retaining their cherished autonomy. This arrangement is nourished by the country’s equally powerful institutions and generations of its committed leadership. In his speech on June 17, 1788 in New York at the convention to ratify the constitution of the United States of America, Alexander Hamilton spoke about the invaluable balance that American federalism created and the immense benefit this balance offered to the American people. According to Hamilton: This balance between the national and state governments ought to be dwelt on with peculiar attention, as it is of the utmost importance. It forms a double security to the people. If one encroaches on their rights, they will find a powerful protection in the other. Indeed, they will both be prevented from overpassing their constitutional limits by a certain rivalship, which will ever subsist between them. It is the absence of such balance that is lacking in Nigeria’s federal structure and which has continued to be a cog in the wheel of the country’s progress especially since after the First Republic. The inherent deformities in Nigeria’s constitutional arrangements began with the military coup d’etat of January 1966. The military government that arose from that coup introduced a unitary arrangement, abolishing the autonomy of the regions in a misconceived attempt to forge a greater national unity. This created increased the disaffections that led to the revanchist coup of July 1966 which was followed by the internecine civil war. It was in a bid to weaken the secessionist forces in the then Eastern Region that the General Gowon administration created more states by splitting the existing four regions into twelve states. By the time the civil war ended, Nigeria, having been bitten by the bug of state creation, has not recovered from it till today. Several constitutional conferences have been held since the end of the civil war, from the Murtala/ Obasanjo’s Constitutional Drafting Committee that was headed by the late Chief FRA Williams, through the era of states creation by General Babangida, the General Sani Abacha Constituent Assembly, the General Abdulsalami Abubakar 1999 Constitution, the President Obasanjo’s

Chief Anyaoku National Political Reform conference of 2005, to President Jonathan’s Constitutional Conference of 2014. In all these attempts at constitution making, the trend has always been for Nigerians to demand for the creation of more federating units. The common reason for this persistent agitation for more states is agitation against marginalization by ethnic or sectional groups within some of the existing states. This is a clear indication that we have not yet got it right in terms of having an enduring governance structure that will ensure political stability and co-prosperity for all. From the 12 states created in the heat of the political crisis that led to the civil war, the number has increased to the present 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory, with 36 governmental institutions including 36 Legislative Assemblies, 36 civil services and 36 judiciaries; all adding to the cost of governance with recurrent expenditure spiralling to the detriment of capital development budgets. It is an incontrovertible fact that Nigeria was making more progress in national development in the early years of its independence when it practiced a truer federalism with four regions as federating units that had substantial powers devolved to them from the centre. Those were the days of significant exports of groundnuts, tin ore, and very high quality leather (marketed abroad as Moroccan leather) from the Northern region; of cocoa from the Western region; of rubber and timber from the Mid-West region; and of palm produce and coal from the Eastern region of Nigeria. They were also the days of healthy competition between the regions with the regional Premiers—Sir Ahmadu Bello in the North, Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the West, Dr Michael Okpara in the East, and Chief Dennis Osadebey in the Mid-west embarking on, and delivering manifest socio-economic projects. Today, the relatively non-viable 36 states have become so economically handicapped that most of them now find it difficult even to pay the salaries of their civil servants and the minimum wage of N18,000 agreed with the Federal Government. Many of the states can be said to be hovering on the brink of bankruptcy. The current 8th National Assembly has decided to resume the attempt to review and amend the country’s extant constitution. There is a universal recognition within the country that the existing constitution is neither a constitution that derived its legitimacy from “we the people of Nigeria” nor a constitution that provides adequate basis for tackling effectively our country’s two major challenges: socio-economic development and enduring political stability. I urge the 8th National Assembly to take this opportunity to effect a more fundamental change in the country’s governance architecture rather than stop at tinkering with the edges of the constitution. In this age of rising global move away from the use of fossil fuel, and particularly in this period of continuing fall in the price of crude oil, the constitution must enable the country to plan and pursue a non-crude-oil-based economic development. It must also address the issue of concentration of power at the centre which fuels the destabilizing competition for the control of the centre between the country’s diverse ethnic and religious groups. Instead of the present structure of 36 economically unviable states with concentrated political power at the centre, the National Assembly should convert the existing six geopolitical zones, which have been recognized and are being used for a number of political decisions and actions, into the more viable federating units of a truly Federal Republic

of Nigeria. The 36 states can be retained as development zones within the regions but without full administrative paraphernalia. And it would be up to the six federating regions to consider and meet any demands for the creation of new development zones within them. It is indeed inexcusable that in a country that is endowed with so many untapped solid minerals, and such vast arable land for significant agricultural production, these resources have remained inadequately exploited for the benefit of its citizens of whom no less than 70% still live in massive poverty. As more viable units for planning and attracting investments in larger development projects, the six regions will facilitate the necessary shift from the present philosophy and reliance by the 36 states on “sharing the national cake”, to focusing on production and internally generated revenue within the regions. In addition, internal security and crime control can be more effectively managed by the people in the regions who know and are more familiar with the local environment. I am of course realistic enough to acknowledge that the present structure of 36-state unitarist federalism has acquired groups of people with deeply entrenched vested interests, especially in the Executives and Legislatures at the federal and state levels, and therefore that the change will not come easily. However, if the call for restructuring is widely made and sustained by the media, by the opinion makers, and by the general citizenry acting through their political parties and their civil societies, I believe that aided by the fact that there is widespread recognition that the country is not performing optimally under the present governance arrangements, those with vested interest in the existing structure will eventually be persuaded to cooperate. And now an indication, by no means exhaustive, of how, in my view, responsibilities and the nationally generated revenue can be shared between the centre and the federating regions in the restructured Nigeria. The Federal Government should retain exclusive powers over federal matters and related institutions including Finance and Monetary policy, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Immigration, Customs, Aviation, Maritime, Minerals (Liquid & Solid), Internal Security (but liaising with regional security agencies), Judiciary ( but only the Supreme Court), Education ( but only Federal Universities and supervision of standards for all tertiary institutions), Health (only Federal Universities’ Teaching Hospitals including at least one state-of-the-art specialist hospital per region), and Federal highways and railways. The six federating regions should have responsibility over their fiscal matters, law and order (including the police), education, health, power (to be shared with the Centre), transportation (roads & inland waterways), and economic development (investments, agriculture, etc.). The federally-generated revenue should be allocated on the following basis: 40% to be retained by the Federal Government for its substantially reduced responsibilities with up to 15% of revenue derived from minerals(solid & liquid) going to the mineral-producing areas for addressing the resultant environmental damage; 60% to be shared equally among the six federating regions; Finally, I must stress the point that the recommended restructuring will not by itself be a panacea for correcting all the impediments to Nigeria’s political and economic progress. While it would be necessary to have the right governance structure, it would also be important that the people operating the structure are no longer imbued with the characteristics of today’s Nigeria’s political class. For instance, our politicians should become more manifestly driven by a zeal to render public service rather than a desire for self-aggrandizement; the role of money in our politics should be checked including by more effective control of the cost of elections which is among the factors that fuel corruption; the laws governing the crossing of political party carpets by both electoral candidates and elected officials should be more effectively enforced; and the citizens, with unrelenting help from the media, should become more outspoken and more assertive in holding both their elected representatives and public servants accountable. To conclude, I believe that if the country can recapture the zeal with which the then regional Premiers and their electorate embarked on the development of their various regions during the First Republic; if we can arrest the present destabilizing competition between our various ethnic and religious groups for the control of power at the centre by making it less attractive; and if we can successfully repair our collapsed societal value system which is at the root of the pervasive corruption and degradation of our public space, we will be better able to attain the level of political and socio-economic development which our nation with its endowed resources deserves.

news

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

IGP directs posting out of senior officers from EFCC Chris Agbambu – Abuja

LL police officers serving at the Economic and Financial Crimes

Commission (EFCC) who are senior to the current acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, are to be posted out of the commission with

Boko Haram: Troops kill 58 terrorists,

rescue 520 hostage in Borno James Bwala-Maiduguri

Troops of the 7 division of the Nigerian Army on Tuesday, intercepted two suicide bombers trying to infiltrate Maiduguri through Muna Dalti ward about 100 metres to a checkpoint. The suicide bombers, were alleged to have blew themselves in the process, could not achieve their aims. Speaking to newsmen this evening, the Media Coordinator, Operations, Lafiya Dole, Colonel Mustapha Anka said the whole area had been cordoned to prevent further attack. He equally said last night troops of the 112 Battallion and Army Headquarter Special Group conducted fighting patrol on Gardawaji, Adashe, Mijigine, Manawci, Sigafariya Bula Goma, MAFA, Dikwa and

Amnesty Office can’t admit additional beneficiaries Soji-Eze Fagbemi - Abuja

THE Presidential Amnesty Office on Tuesday declared that it cannot admit additional or new beneficiaries under the programme; because its mandate was to cater for only 30,000 beneficiaries documented during the disarmament exercise. The clarification became necessary as some youths were protesting in Calabar, Cross River State for being excluded in the programme. A statement issued by the Presidential Amnesty Office and signed by its Media and Communication Consultant, Owei Lakemfa, said the attention of the Amnesty Office has been drawn to some youths protesting in Calabar, Cross River State, claiming to have been excluded from the Presidential Amnesty Programme. He added that a similar demand has been made by some other youths in the past fortnight. Lakemfa said: “The Presidential Amnesty Office states categorically, that its mandate is to cater for the 30,000 amnesty beneficiaries documented during the disarmament exercise. It has no power to bring in new beneficiaries. Only the Presidency has the prerogative to grant amnesty or make any addition.”

Kala Balge areas. According to him, during the operation, troops had contact with Boko Haram terrorists on Boboshe and Mowa where 56 Boko Haram terrorists were killed.

immediate effect. The chairman of the EFCC is an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) while some Deputy Commissioners of police (DCP) who are his senior in rank, are working under him. Nigerian Tribune gathered that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has already given directive to that effect and is to be implemented without delay. The Nigerian Tribune

also gathered that all police officers who are also of the same rank with the acting chairman are equally to be posted back to the Nigeria police. According to the source, this is also to instil discipline in the commission staff; hence, the decision was taken to give a new impetus to the commission. The Nigeria Police three years ago started to withdraw its personnel from the commission, so as to

give it free hand to employ and train its personnel. Consequently, the number of senior police officers working in the commission has reduced drastically as the commission tries to train its personnel right from the onset. It was also gathered that the EFCC in order to meet its current war against corruption is building its own capacity by trying to post out all police officers serving in the commission.

Police security personnel demonstrating during a training on counter-terrorism and crisis response, in Abuja, on Tuesday. PHOTO:Nan.

Why we reinstated officer accused of human rights violation —Army Chris Agbambu - Abuja

THE Nigerian Army, on Tuesday, said it carried out reinstatement of the former General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Major General Ahmadu Mohammed, accused of human rights violations into military service as his compulsory and premature retirement did not follow due process and was rather arbitrary. It said that the senior officer was never charged, tried, let alone found guilty of any offence that justified his premature retirement. According to the army, the action was therefore a clear violation of extant rules, regulations, as well as Terms and Conditions of Service of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, who is acting Director, Army Public Relations in a statement noted that the obvious violation prompted the senior officer to seek redress us-

ing the appropriate legal means. “Consequently, the reali-

sation of these omissions called for a review of the case by the Army Council

and his subsequent reinstatement into the Service,” he said.

NSCDC trains private security guards on intelligence gathering By Paul Omorogbe

THE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oyo State Command, has organised a oneday training on Intelligence Gathering and Reporting for private guard companies in the state.

Held at the state headquarters of the NSCDC in Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Tuesday, the state commandant, John Adewoye, noted that intelligence gathering and reporting was one of the key elements that determines the success of any security organisation and helps in

Nigerian Air Force unmanned combat vehicle destroys Boko Haram logistics base Chris Agbambu – Abuja

The Nigerian Air force unmanned combat Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has destroyed a logistics base used by members of the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) group. The UAV was on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mission when it came across the gathering of Boko Haram Terrorists at Garin Moloma, about one kilometre north of the Sambisa Forest.

Air force Director of public Relations and Information Group, Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, said that at the time of the UAV attack, the location, though under surveillance for quite a while, had a large gathering of Boko Haram Terrorists and vehicles. According to him the multiple explosions and huge fire ball from the location, strongly suggests that it may be either an ammunition/ fuel storage or weapons/ technical workshop.

stemming the tide of crime in the nation.” He called private security companies “partners in progress” with the NSCDC, noting that “to achieve this synergy, the private security companies are expected to also feed the NSCDC with useful intelligence gathering and report same to help in the fight against crime.” Adewoye delivered a paper on “Securing lives and properties in Nigeria” wherein he touched on issues of modesty in appearance and approach, maintenance of standards plus other tips on improving security operations, after which a series of lectures on topics such as ‘Intelligence Gathering and Reporting,’ ‘Gathering and Dissemination of Intelligence on Vandalism,’ ‘Telltale signs of Terrorism and Insurgency Activities’ followed.

Nigerian Tribune

Boko Haram: Saraki, Dogara condemn Dalori attack JacobSegunOlatunji,Kolawole Daniel and Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja

The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, condemned in strong terms, the recent Boko Haram attacks in Dalori, Borno State, where scores of people were reportedly killed and others injured. Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, described the Boko Haram attacks against women and children on the outskirts of Maiduguri as unacceptable, coming at a time the nation has recorded so much gain in the fight against corruption and when the governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, has commenced the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction. He urged the security agencies to ensure that such barbaric attacks do not detract from the success they have recorded in the war against insurgency so far, by immediately extending their security cover and intelligence gathering mechanism to remote and isolated villages in the Northeast region. Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, has said that he is deeply touched by the killing of scores of people in Borno and Adamawa by Boko Haram insurgents.

4 in the race for Eruwa Chief Imam ALL four persons shortlisted to become the next Chief Imam of Eruwa community are still in the race, the Muslim community in the town has said. A leader of the Muslim community in Eruwa, Alhaji S. B. Abimbola, in a statement, said Alhaji Jelik Belah Shittu, Alhaji Mudashiru Adedeji, Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulkareem Olore and Alhaji Dauda Ajegbe remained the shortlisted candidates. Abimbola said no screening had been done and none of the contestants had been screened out. Abimbola called for due process in the selection of the next Chief Imam, while urging all stakeholders to allow the rule of law to prevail.

45 Ogun@40

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

From left, former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; President Muhammadu Buhari and the host governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, at a reception for President Buhari, in Abeokuta, on Monday.

President Muhammadu Buhari, exchanging pleasantries with former Ogun State governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba. With them is the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona (middle), Governor Amosun and Chief Deji Osibogun (left), at the palace of the Awujale in Ijebu-Ode, on Monday.

From left, Chief Obasanjo; Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Governor Amosun and President Buhari at the luncheon to celebrate Ogun State at 40, in Abeokuta, on Tuesday.

From left, co-chairman, African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Dr (Mrs) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu; the chairman, Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran, Mrs Kemi Aderemi and Mrs Ayotola Iranola, at the luncheon. PHOTO: OLAYINKA OLUKOYA.

President Buhari commissioning the Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti flyover on Tuesday. With him are Governor Amosun; his wife, Olufunso; deputy governor, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga; Speaker, State House of Assembly, Honourable Suraj Adekunbi; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and others.

President Buhari assisted by Governor Amosun and others cutting the tape to commission one of the projects.

President Buhari commissioning the ultra modern Sapon Market, Abeokuta.

President Buhari commissioning Omida Market, on Tuesday.

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Neymar

IfeanyiUbah, Kotoko friendly called off The tune-up game between Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side, FC Ifeanyiubah and Ghanaian giants, Asante Kotoko, has been cancelled. The Ghanaian Premier League club were due to play hosts to their Nigerian counterparts at the Baba

Ivory Coast, Mali renew old rivalry

Yara Sports Stadium on Wednesday before the game was cancelled following “a rough patch at the last minute,” according to a statement on Kotoko’s official website. FC Ifeanyiubah, who are on a preseason tour to Ghana as preparation for the Nigerian top-flight league which kicks off on February 21, suffered a 0-2 defeat to Accra Hearts of Oak in their first of the two friendly matches on their tour. Hearts of Oak mastered the Nigerian club with Samudeen Ibrahim and Thomas Abbey scoring the goals. FC IfeanyiUbah begin their 2015/16 season in the Nigerian Premier League on the road when they face Giwa FC.

African champions, Ivory Coast will attempt to keep their momentum going when they face arch-rivals Mali in the African Nations Championship semifinal in Rwanda tomorrow. The Elephants, who have twice failed to go beyond the group stage in the biennial championship, confirmed their place with a stunning 3-0 extra-time win over another West African side Cameroon in the quarterfinals. The victory, which came hot on the heels of their 4-1 demolition of Gabon in the group phase, proved the Ivorian dominant form under new coach Michel Dussuyer, who has been full of praise for the team’s performance. “The Ivory Coast are gaining momentum,” the Frenchman said after the match against Cameroon. “We still need to fight to push back our limits.” Mali also showed they were no pushovers in their 2-1 comeback win over pre-tournament favourites and former title holders, Tunisia, to reach their first-ever Chan semifinals. The Eagles are expected to rely on their forwards Mamadou Sissoko and Aly Malle, who was a member of the youth team that finished runner-up to Nigeria at the Fifa U-17 World Cup Chile 2015. The match at Kigali’s Stade Regional Nyamirambo will mark the 33rd meeting in international football between the two countries. Cameroon drew 1-1 with Mali in the group phase of the 2015 African Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea. Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo, who face off in the first semi-final at the Amahoro national stadium on Wednesday, prevailed on penalties and extra-time respectively to qualify to the last four. The Syli Nationale, making their debut in the competition, dominated former African Cup of Nations champions Zambia, before winning 5-4 in the penalty shoot-out after regulation and extra time.

Neymar to appear in court for fraud charges

Pato

Chelsea move, a dream come true —Pato Chelsea’s latest signing, Alexandre Pato has spoken for the first time since sealing a loan move to the Premier League champions, labelling the switch “a dream”. The Brazilian had returned to his home country to recapture his best form after this development grounded to a halt at AC Milan. Four years later, the 26-year-old has returned to Europe to prove his credentials at Stamford Bridge. “When I go to my social media, the fans of Chelsea welcome me to the club,” the attacker told the club’s official TV channel. “This, for me, is special. “I thought before, the dream has come true. I am here just to realise my dream, just to play. “To put the shirt of Chelsea on is the best thing.”

CHAN 2016:

razilian footballer Neymar is due to give evidence in a Spanish court over allegations of corruption and fraud surrounding his transfer to Barcelona. The current and former president of the club denied wrongdoing at the court in Madrid on Monday. Barcelona said it paid €57m (£43m) for Neymar in 2013, his parents receiving €40m and Brazilian club Santos €17m. But investigators say the fee was closer to €83m and Barcelona concealed part of the deal. The case was brought by Brazilian third-party investment fund DIS, which owned 40% of the Brazilian player’s sports rights. DIS alleges it was financially harmed by the transfer when it received €6.8m of Santos’s €17m fee and argues it was deprived of its full share. Barcelona Football Club President Josep Maria Bartomeu and his predecessor Sandro Rosell appeared at the court in Madrid on Monday, insisting they had acted correctly. In a statement on Monday, the club said they had repeated in court what they had said last year: “They are not worried and said they have confidence in justice,” it added.

Ike Uche joins Malaga

Ik Uche

Spanish La Liga side, Malaga has announced via official channels the signing of Nigerian striker, Ikechukwu Uche who was recently released by Mexican side Tigres. His time in Mexico was dogged by injuries as he failed to establish himself in the Mexican Liga MX Clausura. Uche is making a return to the

Spanish top division just months after quitting Villareal where he spent three seasons. The 32-year-old, who has played for Racing de Ferrol, Recreativo de Huelva, Getafe CF, Real Zaragoza, Granada CF and Villareal, will be making a return to the country where he made a name for himself.

He claimed the second division ‘Pichichi’ title with Recreativo Huelva in 2005 and scored 36 goals in 98 games for Villareal before his move to Mexico. Uche joins Chory Castro, Christian Atsu, Cifu and Ricca as players who have been signed by Malaga during the recent transfer window.

Wednesday, 3 February, 2016

corporatesport

With Niyi Alebiosu adeniyi70@yahoo.com 08116954642

GOtv unveiled as Ikorodu United shirt sponsor VIDEO entertainment company, GOtv, has been unveiled as the shirt sponsor of Glo Premier League newcomers, Ikorodu United Football Club. The shirt sponsorship package was unveiled during the formal launch of the club, which won promotion after just one season in the lower cadre of the Nigerian League. In attendance at the ceremony were members of the board and management of the team, led by Mr. Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Chairman of Ikorodu United and MultiChoice Nigeria, promoters of GOtv; Chairman, Lagos State Football Association, Mr. Seyi Akinwunmi; ex internationals, Peter Rufai, Waidi Akanni, Victor Aghali and Ifeanyi Udeze, players and coaches of the club among many other dignitaries. Speaking at the event, Ogunsanya said GOtv, which already is synonymous with professional boxing in Nigeria through the GOtv, chose to be Lil Kesh at the Lagos Marathon Office with The Senior Special Assistant on Sports to Lagos State Governor, the club’s shirt sponsors because the company Adeyinka Adeboye. sees sport as a major way of offering an outlet for the energy of the youth population of the country. He explained that the club’s rapid rise to the toptier of the domestic league deserves to be rewarded with adequate financial and organisational support, entertainment and now like Olamide , Patoranking which GOtv will provide. sports and that is cool,” he , Sound Sultan and a host of Ogunsanya, however, causaid. others have all signed on for tioned that promotion is The YBNL hit maker who the Access Bank Lagos City just the beginning, advising boasted that he is already Marathon. that the management and counting down to the day to The inaugural edition of show he can do more than the Access Bank Lagos City players of the club need to just singing also advised all Marathon is looking good meet the challenge that, inand sundry especially the as close to one hundred evitably, will be provided by youth to seize the opportu- and fifty local and interna- the higher standard of the nity that has been given to tional elite runners have Glo Premier League. The chairman also called them with both hands. signed on for the race. on supporters of the club “I will advise the youth to Already, over twenty make the best use of opportu- thousand runners have to remain steadfast in givnities like this, I understand submitted their entry ing their support so that the a lot of international athletes forms, while half of that club’s profile would rise. He are coming in so they can number has collected their expressed hope that the club learn one or two things from running numbers, race day will participate in the CAF them” Lil Kesh stated. information and other ma- Champions League within a Before now, top artistes terials. very short time.

Access Bank Lagos Marathon:

Lil Kesh hails organisers

ARELY 72 hours to the close of registration for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, popular Nigerian artiste Keshinro Ololade a.k.a Lil Kesh has joined the long list of celebrities to sign on for the February 6 race. Lil Kesh was at the Lagos

Marathon Office on Monday morning where he was received by the Senior Special Assistant on Sports to Lagos State Governor, Adeyinka Adeboye. The Efe Joku’ crooner while completing his registration formalities said he was quite excited with the

Lagos State government and all their partners for giving the youth platforms to exhibit their talents and be of good use to themselves. “I think it’s is a very good concept, the Lagos state government have really been doing much more in recent times in the area of

Mai Bade win Kaduna Speaker Veteran’s Badminton Championship MAI Bade Badminton club have emerged winners of the maiden edition of the Kaduna State Speaker’s Veterans Badminton Championship, which final was decided o Sunday at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Indoor Sports Complex, Murtala Square, Kaduna. Mai Bade team featuring the Emir of Bade, Alhaji Umaru Ibn Suleiman and his teammate, Daniel, beat NDA Club 2-0 to win the 51 years and above category. The tied third position went to Exclusive Badminton Club Kaduna (EBCK) and City Gate Badminton Club. In the 40-50 years category, Adamawa Club clinched the

top spot after beating Noble Veterans Zaria 2-1, leaving EBCK and Bayero University Kano (BUK) to tie at the third spot in that cat-

egory. The most interesting category, Mixed Doubles Category saw Zuma finish top after thrashing City Gate in two straight sets.

Gold Cup: Phreestyle set to plan players’ future IN order to strike balance between football and reality, the organisers of Gold Cup pre-season tournament have expressed their readiness to go beyond football this time and enlighten participating players on how to plan their present for better future. One of the leading sports firms in the country, Phreestyle Sport has been given the mandate to talk to players of all the participating teams during the upcoming tournament in Ijebu-Ode, on how to imbibe the policy of saving, venturing into meaningful businesses and us-

ing football terms to structure their financial lives’. While describing the model of the seminar, the General Coordinator of the tournament, Tunde Shamsudeen said; “We want to change from the conventional ways of doing things, our footballers need to be aware of the risks and opportunities in football. “We realised that injury is practically guaranteed in the game and nobody knows what tomorrow holds and that’s why we are bringing in Phreestyle Sport to help enlighten the players on how to save token out of

their monthly income for better life during and after the game.” “It’s our responsibility as an organisation to help Nigerian players understand reasons to be prudent in spending because there is neither pension nor gratuity in football,” said the seasoned sports journalist. Shamsudeen urged clubs and teams to organise seminars regularly for their players reminding them that football is not yet a professional career in Nigeria. The third edition of the fiesta gets underway tomorrow, and ends on Saturday February 13, Ikhana 2016.

SIDELINES

no 16,428

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WEDNESday, 3 FEBRUARY, 2016

A vulture which flew across the border between Israel and Lebanon was arrested on suspicion of being a spy, before it was later released to the nature. Perhaps, how will the vulture answer charges in court and in what language if its captives institute a legal action in the first instance?

Mayweather resists comeback temptations Floyd Mayweather says he has had “crazy numbers” thrown at him to fight again. But despite offers of “nine-figure” sums of money, Mayweather, who retired after his 49th successive victory last September, is not planning a comeback. “As of right now, I am out completely,” said the 38-year-old multiple world champion. “If I do get the itch to come back, it really won’t be for the money but I have to get paid. That’s why the nickname is Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather.” American Mayweather won world titles at five weights and retired with an unblemished record. He is about to embark on a speaking tour of the UK and spoke to BBC World Service Sport about his current activities. Mayweather beat Manny Pacquiao in the most lucrative fight in history in his penultimate bout last May and has ruled out the possibility of a rematch. That’s despite Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s business adviser, claiming contact had been made with Mayweather Promotions about the possibility of another fight. “Everything that you guys are hearing that Michael Koncz has said and what [promoter] Bob Arum has said is totally false. Totally false. I haven’t spoken to Bob Arum, I haven’t spoken to Michael Koncz. “And as far as people keep talking about Mayweather Promotions, I dictate and control what goes on with it. Leonard Ellerbe is the CEO but everything has to go through me and I have to put the green light on any and everything.” Mayweather promotes WBC super-middleweight champion Badou Jack and wants him to have a unification fight with Britain’s IBF champion James DeGale. “James DeGale is a very, very

Mayweather

good fighter and he is solid. I like him. A lot of personality. The ultimate goal is for him and Badou to fight in a unification bout. Do I think that can happen? Absolutely. “He talked to me the other day when I was in Los Angeles at the fights. He said he would like to fight Badou Jack. But everything takes time. Eventually it will happen. “If he continues to win and Badou continues to win, which I truly believe both will, the ultimate goal is to match those two in a super bout, down the line.” On being the world’s best boxer “I really wouldn’t want to say the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. You know, I am no longer active. I would like to say the best ever (TBE).

Yaya Toure hints at Man City exit

Iheanacho

Tribunal set to quiz Iheanacho’s agents T

he England FA Rule K Tribunal will sit soon to hear out a case brought by Kelechi Iheanacho’s former agents against his new representatives. US-based First Eleven are asking the FA to cancel a new management deal the Nigeria starlet has signed with UK-based Stellar Group. They argue Iheanacho signed a contract with them just before the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand and as such he cannot sign another management agreement.

“The FA Rule K tribunal will be sitting any time from now to hear the case,” a top source revealed. “This is a major development in this matter.” Some believe the face-off between the agents has put on hold talks for a new contract for Iheanacho, who has continued to justify his stay at the star-studded Manchester City with goals after coming through the academy. His contract at City is till the summer of 2018.

Yaya Toure’s agent believes the midfielder will leave Manchester City this summer following the arrival of Pep Guardiola. City confirmed on Monday that the Bayern Munich boss will be replacing Manuel Pellegrini as manager after the end of the season. Guardiola sanctioned Toure’s £24 million move from Barcelona to City in 2010, and now, the 32-year-old’s agent expects this to be the midfielder’s final campaign at the Etihad Stadium. “I think Yaya will leave the club,” Dimitri Seluk told The Sun. “But before leaving I hope he will win again the League and all the cups. “It’s not a question of whether Pep likes him or not. It’s life, you know. “Pep can call Yaya and speak to him to let him know ‘I’m with you’ or ‘I am not with you’.” Seluk also criticised Guardiola for leaving Barcelona after his failure to win La Liga in 2012. “In my opinion, everyone who has balls must stay in a team not only when they are successful but when things are difficult,” he said. “Barcelona win because it’s like a big family and their structure is an example for everybody. “So it’s not a question of persons. Luis Enrique has done the same as Guardiola. It’s not possible to say forever it’s the team of Guardiola.” Seluk has also hit out at City’s technical director, Txiki Begiristain and chief executive Ferran Soriano, suggesting that they would not be at the club if Toure hadn’t joined from Barcelona. “Yaya opened the door for the people who worked for Barcelona. Yaya went to a place where many changes were necessary,” he said. “He was not afraid. But now everybody from Barca comes to City.”

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