22nd February 2016 by Nigerian Tribune

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,441

MONDAY, 22 FEBRUARY, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

Confusion as INEC declares Kogi senatorial rerun inconclusive •Jubilation as Mark wins Benue senatorial rerun —P4,37

Nigerian Tribune

Adetunji for coronation as Olubadan March 4

Modu Sheriff

—P14

@nigeriantribune

Nigerian Tribune

N150

Fayose to Buhari: Devalue Again, NCC declares naira now, forex policy Glo largest network in short-changing Nigeria new data subscription —P3

—P11

Ex-ministers regroup to save PDP •OBJ, Yar'Adua, Jonathan's men meet tomorrow •How ex-Nigerian leader, Jonathan intervened •He must resign —Juta, Wabara, Shagari, others

—P2 Oil price stability high on agenda as Buhari leaves for Saudi Arabia, Qatar —P4

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Arewa meet in Enugu •Form alliance to advance regional interest —P12

From left, Executive Assistant to the Project Director, Miss Oluwatosin Adedotun; Project Director, Ile Ife Easter Fiesta, Mr Ayo George; Assistant Project Director, Mr Dayo Taiwo; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi and the Branch Manager, Fidelity Bank, Ile Ife, Mr Kayode Makinde, during the endorsement of Ile Ife Easter Fiesta/Coronation concert by the Ooni, in Ile-Ife, at the weekend.

Rickey Tarfa sues EFCC, MTN, Falana —P12

Senate crisis: Marafa removed as committee chairman

—P3

2 news

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Modu Sheriff: Ex-ministers regroup to save PDP

•OBJ, Yar'Adua, Jonathan's men meet tomorrow T aiwo Adisa - Abuja

INISTERS who served in the administrations of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan and are still members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are billed to hold a strategic meeting in Abuja, tomorrow. Sources close to the party confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday that the meeting would be used to review the fate of the PDP, in the wake of the emergence of former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, as the party’s national chairman. There had been rumbling within the ranks of the PDP

since Senator Modu Sheriff emerged national chairman last week. A number of the former ministers had objected to his appointment, just like some serving senators and members of the House of Representatives, who had also threatened to quit the party. Sources in Abuja, however, confirmed that the former ministers, under the Former Ministers’ Forum, had resolved to hold a strategic meeting during which they would make available “a strong position” on the way forward. The forum, being led by former Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, is expected to hold the meeting to dissect the way forward tomorrow. A statement from the fo-

rum, signed by former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who heads its committee on strategy, indicated that the meeting was open to all former ministers who are still members of the PDP. “The PDP Ministers Forum, under the able leadership of Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, former Minister of Special Duties, will meet at 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday at Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, to deliberate on how to move our great party forward, in view of recent developments. “Contrary to some media reports, membership of the PDP Ministers Forum is not restricted to only ministers that served between 2011 and 2015 and the meeting that will hold on Tuesday

is not just for the ministers that served under President Goodluck Jonathan alone. “The meeting is for all PDP ministers that are still in the party and served between 1999 and 2015. If you are in that category of people, then you are more than welcome to attend the meeting and we would be delighted to see you. “This is especially so because crucial decisions which will undoubtedly affect and shape the future of our great party will be taken at the said meeting,” the statement read. Sources in the PDP also confirmed that the party would have immediately gone under on the announcement of Senator Modu Sheriff as national chairman but for the efforts of former

president, Dr Jonathan and the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, who were said to have embarked on what a source called “shuttle diplomacy.” It was gathered that whereas Jonathan did not endorse the candidature of Modu Sheriff, he had to embark on the series of consultations with different segments of the party in order to save it from destruction. A source said contrary to claims in some quarters, former President Jonathan only got a call from Senator Modu Sheriff, who was said to have called him severally and when Jonathan eventually picked the call, Sheriff was said to have told him he had just emerged the national chairman of the PDP, to which a source said Jona-

...He must resign —Juta, Wabara, Shagari, others Leon Usigbe andJacob Segun Olatunji - Abuja SOME Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elders, under the aegis of PDP Rescue Group, led by former Gongola State governor, Ambassador Wilberforce Juta, has called on the new national chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, to resign. Addressing a news conference in Abuja, on Sunday, the group argued that his resignation would spare the opposition party further embarrassment. Reading from a prepared text, Juta, who spoke on behalf of other aggrieved aspirants, said Sheriff was an imposition on the party and was never nominated from his North-East zone.

Saying the his home state, Borno, had already rejected the former state governor, he called on the party organs to commence the search for “persons with high, strategic insight and fear of God almighty” to lead the party. Juta said the group was not happy by the decision of National Executive Committee (NEC) to appoint Sheriff, adding that they “are convinced that this decision by NEC is against the will and wish of the generality of faithful members. “We know that North-East zonal wing, having been directed by national caucus of the party to forward nominees from the zone, did not nominate Senator Sheriff for the position of national chairman.

“That it is in the interest of PDP and the country, Senator Sheriff should do the needful by stepping down honourably as it is evident that party members nationwide overwhelmingly reject his imposition.” Juta said they have resolved for an early congress and national convention to be called to elect new leaders, as “the term of the current leadership is due to end in March 2016.” He added that “under no guise should the tenure of current leadership of the party be extended, if we must make the needed fresh beginning.” Juta noted that that “most party faithful do not see in Senator Sheriff a model of impeccable integrity that

the PDP badly needs to lead it at this critical moment,” stressing that to raise a leader lacking in integrity and skills is to throw the party and nation into inefficiency, indiscipline, disorderliness and even chaos. On the expectations that Sheriff would leave in March as he was meant to serve the tenure of the North-East, Juta said “it is not the question of time but precedence. If we allow it, we would have laid a bad precedence. What is wrong is wrong. It is inappropriate.” Former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, is the deputy deputy chairman of the group, while former deputy governor of Sokoto State, Mukhtar Shagari, is the secretary.

Govs, NASS members battle for party’s soul By Kunle Oderemi A cold war is raging between governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and members of the National Assembly for the control of the soul of the party. The two camps are reportedly flexing muscle over who should call the shot in the party, as the major stakeholders intensify effort at repositioning the party, preparatory to subsequent elections in the country. Nigerian Tribune learnt that the legislators were not comfortable with the seeming domineering posture of the governors in the process that led to the choice of a former governor of Borno State and two-time senator, Alhaji

Ali Modu Sheriff, as national chairman. A top level party source claimed that the mutual distrust between the caucuses largely bordered on narrow interests, with each caucus claiming it should dictate the pace of events in the PDP. Describing the power tussle as shameful and unnecessary, the source said though some mistakes might have been in the process that threw up the new national chairman, while he asked all stakeholders ought to jettison their narrow interest towards making PDP regain its glory. “Ali Modu Sheriff has a few months to spend in office before our party elects a substantive national chairman. Yes, we may have made

some mistakes in the process that culminated in his choice, however, the current power struggle between our governors and PDP National Assembly caucus is uncalled for. “The governors want to call the shots; members of the National Assembly want to cease power. This is the kind of situation you will have when there is no true leadership in a party. All of them should have a rethink now,” the PDP elder stated. The power struggle for the soul of the party, according to the source, is among the issues that have necessitated another meeting of PDP leaders scheduled for Abuja today. Meanwhile, an elder of the party, Senator Olu Alabi, has

described the emergence of Sheriff as “a fantastic choice,” saying the scathing remarks by the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the matter meant the party was scared. Recalling he and Sheriff were colleagues in the Senate in the aborted Third Republic, the PDP stalwart said contrary to the misgivings about the choice in certain quarters, Sheriff was an asset as he had built bridges across party and ethnic lines in the six zones of the country. He said it was not true that the PDP chairman had a lot of baggage, which could impact negatively on the party, alleging that many of those behind such wide allegations were known to armed youths deployed during elections to foment trouble.

Former ministers, Mohammed Wakil, who along with Juta were national chairmanship candidates and John Odeh are also members of the group. Wabara, on his part, said “we are here to rescue the party from imposition and impunity,” stressing that Sheriff’s emergence was “embarrassing,” as he was smuggled into the contest. He disagreed with Sheriff’s statement that PDP would return to power in 2019, stressing that “we are not talking about 2019, we must impress Nigerians first.” The agenda is that the person who made that statement might be there to carry out that mission.” He recalled that the boast by some PDP members that the party would rule for 60 years never came to pass. Also speaking, Shagari noted that the group is not out to “fight anybody, but put things in perspective,” lamenting, however, that “key members have started leaving. We can’t sit back and allow the party to die.” He stressed that “no state from the North-East submitted his (Sheriff) name. We don’t know how he came into the picture. It is not right for him to impose himself the way he was imposed. It is honourable for him to step down.” He noted that while he would not call Sheriff’s emergence illegal, since he was approved by NEC, “what we all know is that it was not properly done. The entire PDP family is not happy with what has happened. He has to resign.”

than only replied: “Congratulations.” “It is not true that Jonathan backed the emergence of Sheriff. In fact, former Minister of State for Power, Mohammed Wakil, was dropped from the race because of his perceived closeness to the former president. The governors just simply pushed the candidature of Sheriff,” a source in the know said. Another source said some PDP governors from the North strongly canvassed the candidature of Sheriff, adding that voices in support of the former Borno State governor dwarfed the voices of dissent at the meeting of the governors. It was further gathered that despite his initial objections, Governor Mimiko had to back the candidature in order to ensure the party remains intact. Sources confirmed that Mimiko’s shuttle diplomacy since Sheriff’s emergence had been hinged on the need to maintain cohesion in the party. “The Ondo State governor actually objected to the choice of Sheriff. But his brother governors canvassed the man strongly and at the end of the day, those who were in support of his candidature were more in number. “As the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, he is bound by majority decision. From that point, he has started canvassing unity and preaching to members in the National Assembly to rescind their decision to quit the PDP,” another source said. Sources also told the Nigerian Tribune that a former Nigerian leader, who was shocked at the emergence of Sheriff as national chairman of the PDP, also made frantic calls to strategic stakeholders of the party and asked them to act fast. The former leader was quoted as saying that though he had quit partisan politics, he was of the view that democracy could not survive without a strong opposition. He was also said to have charged PDP stakeholders to quickly organise themselves into a strong opposition. Sources confirmed that apart from the chairman of the PDP Ministers’ Forum, others expected to speak at the inaugural meeting of the body included Mr John Odey, Professor Jerry Gana; Mr Keneth Gbagi and Chief Ojo Maduekwe, among others.

3 news

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Fayose to Buhari: Devalue naira now Says forex policy shortchanging Nigerians

KITI State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has called for the devaluation of the nation’s currency, the naira. This was as he said: “With the gap between the official rate of N199 and open market rate of over N400 to one dollar, naira has already been devalued. Therefore, President Muhammadu Buhari must stop deceiving himself and shortchanging Nigerians, especially states and local councils in the country with his Forex Policy.” Governor Fayose, who said there was no time in the history of Nigeria that the gap between dollar official rate and open market rate was more than N200, pointed out that it made no economic sense for the Federal Government to be calculating the country’s revenue on the basis of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) official rate of N199 to a dollar, while states and local councils which are sharing the revenue with the Federal Government run their businesses at open market rate of over N400 to one

dollar, thereby causing businesses to be folding up by the day and prices of goods skyrocketing everyday. Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the governor, Lere Olayinka, in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on Sunday,

quoted the governor as saying that apart from breeding corruption through round tripping or foreign exchange arbitrage, Nigerians were also being duped and middle-class Nigerians, the main people that grew the country’s economy were being decimated.

The governor said President Buhari was applying his 1984 failed economic policy, in which prices of goods were fixed, not minding the cost of supply, such that essential commodities like milk and sugar became scarce and Nigerians were made to line up under the

sun to buy rationed commodities. He urged the president to pay more attention to the ailing economy of the country, instead of junketing round the world, wasting $1 million per foreign trip, saying: “President Buhari had travelled to 24

Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi (left); deputy governor of Kaduna State, Barnabas Bala (right) and others, test-riding a coach from Kaduna to Abuja, during inspection of the Abuja-Kaduna rail project by the minister. PHOTO: NAN

Senate crisis: Marafa removed as committee chairman

Saraki stage-managed controversies on 2016 budget over CCT trial —Marafa •He’s simply seeking relevance —Ibrahim Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja SENATOR Kabiru Marafa, spokesman of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF), the group opposed to the emergence of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, was, on Thursday, stripped of his position as chairman, Senate Committee on National Population and National Identity. Marafa had earlier rejected the committees set up by Senator Saraki, insisting that they were illegal, but Saraki still went ahead to name him a committee chairman. It was gathered that the Zamfara Senator had not convened a meeting of the standing committee since their inauguration in October last year. Last week, the Senate leadership decided to relieve Marafa of the chairmanship of the committee as a result of what sources described as threat to the 2016 budget of the parastatals being supervised by the committee. The National Population Commission (NPC) and the

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) are yet to defend their 2016 budgets. It was confirmed that the vice chairman of the committee, Senator Abubakar Sani Danladi, had been named the acting chairman and he is expected to supervise the budget defence sessions of the NPC and NIMC. Meanwhile, Marafa, on Sunday, accused the Senate President, Saraki, of stagemanaging the controversies surrounding the 2016 budget because of his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Marafa, who represents the APC from Zamfara Central Senatorial District, spoke to Senate correspondents in Abuja. In a swift response, however, senator representing Kwara South, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, defended the Senate President, insisting that Marafa was merely seeking attention. According to Marafa, the controversies rocking the 2016 budget were in “very logical ways” linked to the

travails of the Senate President at the CCT, adding that some fifth columnists were responsible for the different stories around the budget. He said: “Honestly speaking, if I am to comment on the controversy that has been trailing the 2016 budget in the Senate, I will say it is all the work of the fifth columnists there. You remember we woke up after 15 days of the receipt of the budget in the National Assembly. We woke up one day and the Senate President just came and said there is no budget, that the budget is stolen, embarrassing everybody, but the following day, the Speaker said it was not stolen, ‘our own is here.’ “Next, they said the budget was doctored, next they said the budget was padded, next they said there were discrepancies all over the place, we knew how they came into the leadership of the National Assembly or the Senate. Was it a coincidence that the issue of padding and everything just came up after the Supreme

Court said ‘go and face your trial’? “Suddenly, we started hearing that we cannot pass the budget as we promised because there were discrepancies and so on and so forth. In a nutshell, all the noise about the budget was all about this issue of corruption trial or CCT trial; that is all, no more no less.” The Zamfara senator also said he would appear before the Senate Ethics Committee when invited for probe over a previous interview, in which he asked the Senate President to resign over the CCT trial, but insisted that nobody can suspend him from the Senate. The Senate had, last week Tuesday, referred Marafa to its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, headed by Senator Sam Anyanwu, over an interview he granted, which asked Saraki to resign from office. He was accused of bringing the Senate to disrepute and infringing on the privileges of the lawmakers. The committee, which was also asked to recom-

mend appropriate sanction against Marafa if found guilty, has until today to complete its assignment. But the senator told newsmen on Sunday that: “Nobody, I repeat, nobody in that Senate can suspend me over those remarks I made in the said interview, rather, it is the Senate President, Saraki , that should be suspended by the Senate for turning things upside down within the last eight months from forgery of Standing Orders, to illegally increasing the number of Standing committees in the Senate from 57 to 65, with attendant violation of ranking rules in their compositions and above all, refusing to resign as Senate President, in the face of trial on corruption charges at the Code of Conduct Tribunal ( CCT) and invariably battering the image of the Senate.” In his response to Marafa, the Senator representing Kwara South, Rafiu Ibrahim, who spoke on behalf of the Senate President accused the Zamfara lawmaker of seeking attention. continues pg4

countries in eight months and will be spending 16 out of the 29 days in February outside the country, with over $500,000 being spent on estacode, while the Presidential Air Fleet, which includes fuelling of the planes and allowances for crew members is said to be in the range of $500,000. “The president’s entourage obviously collect their travel allowances in dollars at official rate of N199 and come back to Nigeria to change it at the open market rate of N400. That must be the reason they encourage the president to be junketing abroad when life is becoming unbearable for Nigerians.” “The situation is such that Nigeria gets say $2 billion revenue in a month, calculates the $2 billion revenue on the basis of the official CBN rate of N199 and share the revenue among the three tiers of government. “In elementary Economics, the implication is that when revenue is calculated based on N199 to one dollar and the Federal Government will be declaring like revenue of N400 billion to be shared by the three tiers of government, the value of revenue that should have been shared will be over N800 billion at the open market rate of N400 to one dollar. “Meanwhile, the three tiers of government pay salaries to workers on the basis of N199 per dollar, while the workers pay for goods and services which prices are determined by the open market rate of N400 to one dollar. “Also, Nigeria is now faced with a situation, where funds are obtained from the official forex market (at lower rates) and diverted to other markets and sold at a higher rate by forex dealing banks and users, who make billions of naira profit just for doing almost nothing. “Therefore, the reality that we must all accept is that we must allow the forces of demand and supply to determine the value of our currency, not administrative fiat. Most importantly, the government does not have the reserves to keep the naira-dollar rate at its official level. “The naira must, therefore, be devalued. Anything other than this will mean that we are deceiving ourselves with forced foreign exchange rates and it is my position that this regime of deceit must stop.”

4 news

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Confusion as INEC declares Kogi senatorial rerun inconclusive PDP wins 3 assembly seats, APC, 2 Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

HERE was confusion in the political circle of Kogi State on Sunday, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the two senatorial rerun in the state inconclusive. The commission had, on Saturday, conducted the elections in Kogi East and Kogi West senatorial districts. However, as the people eagerly waited for the results to be declared, the commission again said no result could be declared, as the elections were inconclusive. Declaring the result of the Central Senatorial District, the Returning Officer, Mr Salihu James, said Ahmed Salau Ogembe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 45, 468, Senator Nurudeen Abatemi of the Progressive People Aliance (PPA) 31, 163, while Dr Moses Wakili of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had 9, 962 votes. He, however, declared the election inconclusive, following the cancellation of over 20,000 votes, which affected the entire Otutu ward, two polling units at Upogoro, in Okene Local Government Area and Karaworo Eresuha and Inozomi wards, in Adavi Local Government Area of the state as a result of election malpractices. In Okene/Ogorimagogo Federal Constituency, Honourable Tijani Damisa of PDP was, however, elected unopposed, because he was the sole candidate for the rerun. In Kogi East Senatorial rerun, the returning officer declared the election inconclusive, following electoral controversies. One Abduwahab Yinusa, who claimed to be the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), was said to have complained about the margin between the LP and the PDP in the election. In Kogi East state assembly rerun result, Honourable Hassan Baiwa Abdullai, Okura state constituency, of All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 8,515 to emerge winner, while in Dekina/ Biraidu Constituency, Honourable Idoko Moses Ododo, also of APC was elected

into the state assembly. In Ankpa I state constituency, Honourable

Ahmed Mohammed of the PDP also picked the ticket for state assembly, while

in Idah state constituency, Honourable Ekubule Ochejenu of PDP was also

elected. In Ofu state assembly constituency, Honourable

From left, former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; Secretary-General-designate of Commonwealth, Honourable Baroness Patricia Scotland; President Muhammadu Buhari and the Assistant to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Mrs Helen Prest Ajayi, during President Buhari’s recent visit to Egypt.

Friday Ali of PDP was also elected. Meanwhile, the Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has commended the people of the state for the peaceful conduct of the rerun in some parts of the state. The governor, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Alhaji Abdulkarim Abdulmalik, also praised the INEC for the manner in which the elections were conducted, especially the innovation that ensured that votersno longer waited for hours after accreditation before casting their votes. He added that this was partly responsible for the relatively large turnout witnessed in some parts of the state. The governor congratulated those who won and urged them to be magnanimous in victory and called for gallantry among candidates whose party may have lost the election.

Senate crisis: Marafa removed as committee chairman continued from pg3

He said: “There is something wrong about the fact that out of 109 senators, Senator Marafa is standing alone, abusing everybody, perhaps to continue to get relevance. Like he is always advising others to do, he should go and defend himself before the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges and stop creating distractions. He should abide by the rules of the Senate which he swore to uphold upon his inauguration as a Senator.” Senator Ibrahim said as much as possible, the Senate President would not like to join issues with Senator Marafa, adding that the senator was already “billed to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on issues bordering on ethics, decorum and uttering of unguarded statements unbecoming of a distinguished senator…” He further defended Saraki thus: “How can anybody reduce the issue of the controversies bordering on budget to the creation of just one person, the Senate President? The questions that arise from this claim are: Were there versions of the budget? Yes, there were.

“The president (Muhammadu Buhari) himself, on January 15, wrote to admit that there were versions of the budget. Also, after the various irregularities pointed out and openly admitted by the ministers during budget defence sessions, the chairmen of the Committees on Appropriation in both chambers on February 10 jointly addressed the press that the February 25

date set for the passage of the 2016 budget would not be feasible.” “In fact, it was the House chairman, who first gave the indication to that effect. How is Dr Saraki now being dragged into it? I think the press should be wary of people, who play politics with almost any issue because they want to be in the news. “He (Marafa) also spoke

about the Senate President doctoring Senate Standing Order and unilaterally creating committees. These are allegations that are subjects of a litigation that he himself initiated. Is he no longer going to wait for the court verdict? “However, it should be noted that the Standing Order was in place before Dr Saraki was elected Senate President. It had been there

from the seventh Senate. “It should be noted that the Senate President did not initiate the discussion on the floor of the Senate about the statements Senator Marafa made which are alleged to have brought the institution to disrepute. Other senators did. And the Senate President will not singlehandedly determine the matter now before the Ethics Committee.”

Oil price stability high on agenda as Buhari visits Saudi Arabia, Qatar PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari will begin a week-long official visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar on February 22, a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said on Sunday, in Abuja. President Buhari who arrived Nigeria from Egypt Saturday morning, will today leave for Saudi Arabia. The statement also said that the president would first fly to Riyadyh for talks on Tuesday, with King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and senior officials of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It stated that the president would be accompanied by a high-powered

Federal Government delegation, including Dr Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister of State (Petroleum) and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC). It noted that the ongoing efforts by the Federal Government and other members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to achieve greater stability in the price of crude oil exports were expected to be high on the agenda of discussions between the president and the Saudi monarch. “Crude oil prices and market stability will also be on the frontburner when

President Buhari goes on to Doha on Saturday, for talks on Sunday with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. “The president is also scheduled to meet with leading Saudi and Qatari businessmen in Riyadh and Doha, and invite them to support his administration’s efforts to revamp the Nigerian economy, by taking advantage of the great investment opportunities currently available in Nigeria’s mining, agriculture, power supply, infrastructure, transportation, communications and other sectors.” The statement said Buhari’s other engagements in Saudi Arabia included

meetings with heads of international financial organisations and multilateral associations. It stated that before going to Doha, the president would visit Medina and Makkah, to pray for greater peace, prosperity and progress in the country.

Monday, 22 February, 2016

PDP FORMER MINISTERS FORUM

otice is hereby given that there will be a meeting of all Former PDP Ministers that served from 1999 to 2015 (who are still members of the Party) to deliberate on the concerns arising from recent developments in the PDP and to chart a way forward. Date:

Tuesday, 23rd February, 2016

Time: 11:am prompt Venue: Nicon Luxury Hotel, Area 11, Abuja Signed: OLOYE JUMOKE AKINJIDE Secretary

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

news

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Tompolo appeals arrest warrant, asks for case transfer By Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare

OVERNMENT Ekpemupolo a.k.a.Tompolo, has filed an appeal against the order of Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, issuing a warrant for his arrest after he had on January 27, 2016, filed an application before the court, to set aside the said warrant of arrest, but it was dismissed. In the Notice of Appeal filed on his behalf by the law firms of Tayo Oyetibo and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, part of the grounds on which Tompolo based his appeal is that the learned trial court erred in law, in refusing to set aside the warrant of arrest issued against him, when there was no evidence to show that he had been notified of the summons and the criminal charge pending against him, before the Court. He also complained that the learned trail court should have ascertained that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), duly complied with the order of the court for substituted service, by posting the charge at the correct address as contained in the order of the court. Tompolo stated further that the application, leading to the issuance of the warrant of arrest, was not competently placed before the court, as the counsel that signed and filed it on behalf of the EFCC failed to affix his seal thereto, as required by law. He is asking the Court of Appeal to set aside the warrant for his arrest and vacate all subsequent proceedings emanating from the flawed process of the criminal charge. He is further seeking that the charge against him should be transferred from the current judge to another judge of the Federal High Court. The appeal, which was filed pursuant to Order 17, Rule 3, Court of Appeal Rules was filed on 10 grounds; the learned trial Judge erred in law and violated the Appellant’s right to a fair hearing as guaranteed by Section 36(6)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, when he refused to set aside the Warrant for the arrest of the appellant which was issued on January 14,2016, pursuant to Section 131 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 when Summons to appear in court and the criminal charge were never served on the appellant. Other grounds are that the learned trial judge erred in law and violated the appellant’s right to personal liber-

ty as guaranteed by Section 35(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, when he refused to set aside the warrant for the arrest of the appellant which was issued, pursuant to Section 131 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, when there was unchallenged evidence before the court that the appellant was never served with a summons to appear in court and in refusing to set aside the warrant for the arrest of the appellant which was issued, pursuant to the allegations of the prosecution that the appellant had been served, by substituted means, with the summons to compel the appearance of the appellant and the Criminal Charge No FHC/ L/553C/15: Federal Republic of Nigeria V Government Ekpemupolo and others, but that he failed to obey the summons by appearing in court. Further, he stated that the trial judge erred in law and thereby occasioned miscarriage of justice when he renewed on February 8, 2016 the warrant for the arrest of the appellant in spite of the fact that there was uncontradicted evidence before him that its earlier order of January 12, 2016 had not been carried out by the prosecution and in refusing to set aside the order made by it on 12 January, 2016 for

the issuance of summons to compel the appearance of the appellant and for substituted service of the summons and the criminal charge on the appellant. Tompolo concluded that the learned trial judge erred in law in holding that it was not wrong for the prosecution to have unilaterally altered the capacity in which this charge was instituted from that of “Plaintiff” to that of “Complainant” without an order of court and that the ruling of the lower court is unreasonable, unwarranted and can not be supported having regard to the evidence before the court. He further asked for some orders; allowing this appeal, setting aside the Ruling of the court dated February 8, 2016, setting aside the order made by the trial court on January 12, 2016 for the issuance of summons to compel the appearance of the appellant and for substituted service of the processes on him, setting aside the purported service on the appellant of the summons to compel his appearance and the criminal charge, setting aside the warrant for the arrest of the appellant which issued on January 14, 2016 and renewed on February 8, 2016 and an order transferring the criminal charge to another judge of the Federal High Court for hearing.

OYSCATECH unveils new logo, vision, mission, motto THE Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, formerly Oyo State College of Agriculture, Igboora, has unveiled its new logo. This change was in line with the new nomenclature of the college, from a monotechnic to a polytechnic that has the inclusion of technology to the name of the college aside agriculture which it was known for. The approval was given by the Provost of the College, Professor Gbemiga Adewale, at the Academic Board meeting, which he presided over. The approval became necessary, following the submission of a report of an ad-hoc committee set up by the Academic Board to review and amend symbols, logo, vision, mission and motto of the College, in conformity with the new nomenclature. Upon the submission of the report by the ad-hoc committee chairman and the College Librarian, Dr Olatunji Olaojo, the ap-

proval was given. Elements of the new logo include; gear wheel, tractor, book and conical flask with test-tube. Other features are the white, green, and light green colour. The interpretation, as given by the designer and the committee, revealed that white colour signified purity and zero tolerance for indiscipline, the green colour meant plant fertility, while the light green colour symbolised the plant growth. Also, the conical flask with test tube inside represents science, the book stands for knowledge and the wheel indicates technology while tractor represents mechanised farming. Departments and units in the college are, hereby, implored to visit the Public and Alumni Relations unit to collect the coreldraw format of the logo for their various use. Meanwhile, the college has also reviewed its vision, mission, and motto, in conformity with its new status as a polytechnic.

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Lagos

5,000 LASU Jambites for anti-rape training Bola Badmus COORDINATOR, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the Agency embarked on training for state counsel in the Directorate of Public Prosecutions on best practices for child interviewing and examination of a child in court in order to avoid re-traumatisation of the victims while increasing conviction rates. Vivour-Adeniyi said this at the weekend in a statement made available to Lagos Metro while explaining the essence of the one-day training organised by the Agency, pointing out that the training was in partnership with Justice 4 All (J4A). The DSVRT Coordinator, who noted that majority of the sexual assault cases currently prosecuted at the High Court involves child victims, said, “The essence of the training was to assist in ensuring that best practices are implemented for the purpose of avoiding re-traumatisation of the victims and increasing conviction rates.”

A canal littered with waste at Toyota Bus-Stop opposite Ladipo Market. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

I duplicated keys to smuggle my madam’s car for Valentine —Suspect

Olalekan Olabulo

MMANUEL John, 26-year-old, who was arrested by the police in Lagos State for stealing his boss’ car, has blamed his desire to impress at a Valentine party for the act. The suspect was arrested few days ago by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), after the boss raised the alarm, following the disappearance of her vehicle. The suspect was driving the Toyota Corolla car with the Registration No Epe 642 DX, when the RRS operatives intercepted

him. John, a week before carrying out his plans on February 14, 2016, duplicated a spare key to the Toyota Corolla without the knowledge of his boss, Mrs Flora Ighalo. According to John, “I and my friend, Oscar, wanted to take the Toyota Corolla to Splash Hotel’s Valentine Show on Sunday night. I persuaded Madam to give the go ahead to cut a spare key but she declined. A week before February 14, I duplicated the key without her knowledge in Obalende. “Even though, she usually excused me from work on Sundays, I sneaked into her

residence and took the car away, after church service. I took the car to my residence in Ajuwe Area, Ajah, Lagos. “I thought that it was going to be stressful for me to leave the show around 3:00 a.m, and set out for Abraham Adesanya Estate residence of my boss around 4:00 a.m. to start work for the day. So I thought that,

with the car, it will be easier to make it to work,” he explained. John further narrated that, “I was on my way home at about around 8:00 p.m. when Madam started calling my mobile phone. She asked me where I was and that I should come to her house to take her somewhere. I turned the car

LAGOS State Police Command said it has begun investigation into the death of one Afape Fatai, who allegedly committed suicide in

his kitchen. The command’s spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Oladapo Badmos, in a statement on Sunday, said the incident happened on Saturday at about 6:00 a.m. at 28, Orioji Olarenwaju Close, Ijaiye, Lagos. It stated that the deceased, whose age, marital status and occupation were not mentioned, allegedly hung himself with a rope in his kitchen. “Police detectives from Meiran Division visited the scene, photographed and examined the corpse. The police later visited the scene of the crime removed and deposited the body at Ijaiye General Hospital morgue. “Investigation has commenced to know the root cause of the action,” the statement said.

Police investigate alleged suicide case

An abandoned truck on Obafemi Awolowo Way opposite Police Barrack, Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

around and headed towards Abraham Adesanya Estate.” “I was about to enter the Estate, when a man double crossed me and Rapid Response Squad (RRS) officials arrested me. They asked me where I took the car to since morning and I explained everything to them,” the suspect claimed He confessed that “Madam has been very nice to me. She pays N35, 000 monthly salary. I am almost like her family member.” John’s boss, Mrs Ighalo explained that, “I was seeing off my in-law at about 8:20 p.m., and to my surprise, I discovered that my car had been removed from the park. “I immediately called few friends and one of them, got in touch with the operatives of RRS but it never occurred to me that my driver could take a vehicle I just brought from the church, with its key in my hand without my notice. Besides, he was not supposed to come to work on Sunday. “The car has only one key. Where could he have gotten another key? She queried. “So, I called him to ask him where he was and he told me that he was at home. I told him to come and pick me to somewhere, he said okay. He came and we saw the car with him,”

Monday, 22 February, 2016

metro

Nigerian Tribune

Edited by

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Gunmen kill suspected cultist near police station Olalekan Olabulo GUNMEN, suspected to be members of the Eiye Confraternity group, over the weekend dared the police in Sango Ota area of Ogun State, when they killed a member of a rival faction near the police station. The deceased, simply identified as Jide, was alleged to be a member of the Aiye Confraternity group and he was said to be working with a lotto company, near the police station. The image maker in charge of the state police command, Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed the incident to Lagos Metro and added that “many suspected cultists had been arrested in connection with the killing. Lagos Metro gathered that the killing of Jide was one of the reprisal attacks from members of Eiye and Aiye Confraternities in Sango area of Ogun State. It was further gathered that the latest war between the two cult groups started last weekend, when one of the leaders of the Aiye Conftratetmity was attacked by

Eiye members. A resident of Sango, who pleaded anonymity, while speaking with Lagos Metro narrated that “what actually happened was a clear case of rivalry between the two groups. “There is hardly a fortnight that you won’t hear of attack and reprisal attacks from members of the gangs around Araromi, Idi Orogbo and the back of Sango garage. The build up to the latest clash was recorded about two weeks ago at the candle night programme of the Marindoti Carnival. “One of the leaders of the Aiye Confraternity, who is also close to the organizers of the carnival was attacked and almost killed. His gang reinforced and went after the rival group around Idi Orogbo, where one person was shot and a vehicle vandalised by members of the Aiye group,” the resident explained. Lagos Metro however gathered that the deceased, Jide, had earlier made merry with members of his group, nears the scene of his death, before he was attacked and shot.

THE Area Controller Seme Customs Command, Dimka V.D has handed over two stolen vehicles, a Black BMW X6 Series with VIN No VIN-SUX-

court that he was a first time offender, adding that life had been difficult for him since the death of his parents. Reacting to the development, Joseph Otteh the Executive Secretary of Access to Justice decried the sentencing, describing it as

a miscarriage of justice. “I think the sentence is excessive and not commensurate with the crime. I also think that it is a wrong sentencing. The judiciary disproportionately makes poor people more victims of crime than people of means,” Otteh said.

Suspected stolen car dealers arrested by Interpol.

INTERPOL arrests dealers for possession of cars stolen in Germany, Italy Tola Adenubi

Human Rights group kicks against life jail for hemp seller Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin ACCESS to Justice, a Judiciary watchdog has decried the life imprisonment sentencing of 32-year-old man, who was sentenced for dealing in 200 grams of Cannibis Sativa popularly called Indian hemp. Lawrence Aluagu had been sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of a Federal High Court in Ikoyi. Lawrence was arraigned on March 8 and had pleaded guilty to the charge and also begged the court to be lenient in judgment. He was arrested under Ojota Bridge, where he was reported to be in the business of selling Indian hemp. Lawrence told the court that he was duped by an unknown soldier, after he paid him some money to help facilitate his recruitment into the Nigerian Army. Lawrence also told the

Bank accuses managers of stealing N179m Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin AN old generation bank has accused three of its employees of stealing N179 million. The trio however denied being complicit. The accused are: Jegede Olamide, 34: Dada Babatunde, 34 and Michael Olayanju, 41. The Police from the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Alagbon, Ikoyi, had been called in when the alleged fraud was discovered. SFU alleged that the trio had sometimes in Octo-

ber 2014, conspired with each other and defrauded the bank of the alleged amount. SFU through its prosecutor, Idowu Odugbure, informed an Igbosere Magistrate court where the accused were arraigned that Olamide and Dada who were Corporate Managers and Olaniyan who was a Business Development Manager, had acted contrary to sections 409 and 285 of criminal laws of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2011. They however pleaded not guilty to the crime.

FG43569L225084, and an Italian Masarati GHIBLI, with VIN No ZAMWS57B001112000 alongside two suspects, Mr Appah George Gobatran and Mr Umeh Onyekachi to the Head of INTERPOL in Lagos, Emmanuel Fadere. According to a statement signed by the Commands Spokesman on Saturday, S.K. Taupyen, the Command had earlier, on February 2, 2016, ordered the detention and investigation of the two suspects over involvement in trans-border crime of stolen vehicles. According to the statement, the comptroller disclosed that the key of the stolen vehicles and the two suspects have been handed over for further investigation, repatriation and onward delivery.

“The stolen vehicles from Canada and Italy were detected and recovered by the INTERPOL personnel, Mr Mathias Marth and Mr Eric Sturm from the Germany INTERPOL unit. “The recovery of the stolen vehicles in Nigeria was made possible through the use of the INTERPOL information apparatus. The BMW X6 series was said to be heading to Ghana from Nigeria, while the Italian Masarati GHIIBLI with Italian plate No EV 413 YZ that was reported stolen in Italy on January 20, 2016 was discovered among the vehicles that were escorted into Nigeria on transit from the Republic of Benin.” The vehicles were recovered through the use of an INTERPOL cross border security

platform called ADWENPA. Operation ADWENPA is an operational plan where information is shared through a dedicated platform provided by INTERPOL and World Customs Organisation (WCO) in collaboration with other countries. ADWENPA is aimed at building the border management capacity of five West African countries namely Nigeria, Benin Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, all located on the Lagos coastal corridor. The operation was executed in Seme/Krake as one of the designated borders of the participating countries using the multiple border management agencies like the Police, Immigration, Customs, INTERPOL and NDLEA.

Why we arrested LASU students over colleague’s death — Police Olalekan Olabulo THREE students of the Lagos State University (LASU) have been arrested in connection with the death of a female student of the institution, who died, during an annual award celebration. The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos confirmed the arrest of the students names witheld to

Lagos Metro. She, however, pointed out that it was not really an arrest but that the students are helping the police in their investigations. The Lagos Metro gathered that the arrest of the students was sequel to the preliminary investigations into the incident. Lara Gbadeyan died, while Arofeso Oladipupo was hospitalised, after taking what was said to be a

mixture of different alcoholic product. A source at the state police command, who pleaded anonymity, while speaking with Lagos Metro stated that the police in the state were determined to know the exact cause of the students’ death. Badmous told Lagos Metro that, “yes three students were arrested and they are helping the police in our investigations.”

businessnews

Nigerian Tribune

Monday, 22 February, 2016

N5.3trn pension fund not idle —PenCom DG Olatunde Dodondawa- Lagos

ONTRARY to claims by some stakeholders that the N5.3trillion Pension Fund is sitting idle with some commercial banks in Nigeria, the Director General of Pension Commission of Nigeria (PenCom), Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, has affirmed that no such fund is with any bank but rather, the funds have been invested in some securities in accordance with the law. Mrs. Anohu-Amazu, disclosed this in Lagos during a media chat with journalists. Anohu-Amazu, attributed the growth in the funds to the security fence built to protect it from being diverted into personal use by managers of the funds. The DG, however, dismissed the insinuation that the funds was lying idle, noting that, the funds is in-

vested in Federal Government bonds, among others lucrative investment windows, while such investments could be redeemed upon retirement of the beneficiaries. She affirmed that the commission has never and will never prevent investing of pension assets into infra-

structural development and other sectors, but that such investments must abide by the investment guidelines in the Pension Reform Act 2014. “Nobody denies anybody from accessing pension funds for investment, but the guideline must be strictly followed, and ma-

jority of those complaining of such denial have not complied with investment guidelines,” she said. Noting that the pension assets is a contribution of workers who have decided to save parts of their salaries as pension in a bid to enjoy these savings after retirement, the PenCom DG

said such persons should not be denied their pension benefits when they demand for it, hence, the need to protect the growing pension assets. While advising the subscribers to the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) to remain calm, she said the pension funds is well

Bristow incident: NCAA issues safety directives on all Sikorsky Helicopters Shola Adekola, Lagos

THE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has ordered all airlines operating the SIKORSKY S76C series in Nigeria to carry out a safety inspection on the

helicopter type with immediate effect. The directives came after one of the Sikorsky helicopters in the fleet of Bristow airlines ditched in the Atlantic Ocean February 3, 2016 in Lagos with nine passen-

gers and two crew. The incident came six months after an aircraft of the same family crashed into Oworonshoki axis of Lagos killing six people on board including the pilot and co-pilot.

In the NCAA latest directive reeled out by its General Manager, Public Affairs, Sam Adurogboye, the regulatory body declared: “As an interim safety measure, the underlisted safety inspections affects all Sikorsky

FCMB rewards 640 customers with N18m, other prizes A total of N18 million cash has been won in the First City Monument Bank’s (FCMB) Millionaire promotion, tagged FCMB Millionaire Promo Season 2.’’ Also, 640 other account holders smiled home with LED television sets, generating sets, decoders, tablets, smart phones and other consolation prizes. The promo which came to a colourful and exciting end on February 17, 2016, had winners, customers and the regulatory bodies commending the bank for sustaining its empowerment support to the populace and the society. The promotion ran for six months between August 2015 and the end of January 2016. According to the bank, it was designed to give extra value to customers of the bank, while encouraging financial inclusion and savings culture. At the end of the electronic selection exercise held in three regions and 25 zones of the bank nationwide and witnessed by thousands of customers, three lucky customers were each rewarded with the star prize of N5 million, while three others won N1million each. Okafor Innocent won the star prize of N5 million at the Lagos/South-West Regional draw which took place at Matori in Lagos, while Odulawa Tolulope received N1million.

secured, adding that since inception, the funds is yet to record any form of embezzlement or financial mismanagement from the managers of the assets. Meanwhile, the PenCom DG said the Commission has established a special function unit to drive the micro pension plan.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive of Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Yemi Adeola; his wife Banke and Publisher of Ovation International Magazine, Dele Momodu at the presentation of ‘The Sun Banker of The Year Award’ to Yemi Adeola, on Saturday in Lagos.

FG appoints PwC as Growth and Employment Project Administrator PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS (PwC), a professional services firm has been engaged by the Federal Government as the Grant Administrator for the Growth and Employment (GEM) Project. The GEM project is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) and funded by the World Bank. Dr Bert Odiaka, the Project Manager and a partner with PwC who disclosed this said “PwC is excited about this opportunity to be part of such an important project, which will create numerous opportunities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) in Nigeria, as well as impact overall economic growth and non oil revenue for Nigeria.” The project aims to provide technical assistance and grants in support of bright ideas from firms across Nigeria operating in any of the following

sectors: Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Hospitality, Entertainment, Light manufacturing, and Construction. Access to GEM support is designed to be routed through the Business Innovation and Growth (BIG) platform. The Business Innovation and Growth platform (BIG)

is an online platform which will be the main channel through which the Growth and Employment (GEM) Project assistance is made available to Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs), building the capacity of firms and helping them to organise, in order to facilitate better access to finance.

On the qualifications requirement for the grant, Odiaka said that a firm must be operating in the GEM sectors in Nigeria and must be a for-profit private sector company, partnership or sole trader adding that unregistered firms or entrepreneurs can be admitted to the BIG Platform.

S76C series helicopters operating in Nigeria. According to NCAA, “all the affected airlines should at once carry out vsual Inspection on all Sikorsky aircraft type in their fleet in accordance with relevant S76C AMM 20-32-00. “A detailed inspection be carried out in accordance with relevant S76C AMM 66-00-00, while a detailed inspection be done in accordance with relevant S76C AMM 66-10-00,66-2000,66-30-00,66-40-00.” The directive was contained in a letter earlier dispatched to all operators of the affected helicopters types. The order clearly sated that safety inspection directive must be complied with within 72 hours on receipt of the letter and repeated after every 300 flight hours until further notice. “The Authority must immediately be provided with evidence of accomplishment of this directive. This action is in addition to the suspension of Bristow Helicopters operations of S-76 C ++ series and the ongoing audit. “It is pertinent to point out that this directive is without prejudice to the ongoing investigation by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) which the authority is fully supporting. “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) wants to reiterate that it will not leave any stone unturned to ensure that air transport is safe and secure in Nigeria.”

ICAN declares support for public finance reforms Gbola Subair-Abuja THE ongoing reforms in the nation’s public finance sector received a boost as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) endorsed the measures being undertaken and passed a vote of confidence in the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Finance in Abuja. The leader of the delegation, and President of the institute, Otunba Olufemi Deru, who commended the efforts of the minister and

her team thus far, said ICAN is solidly behind the Federal Government in its efforts to rid the civil service of grafts and other fraudulent activities. He lauded the effort of the minister to achieve cost savings and eliminate ghost workers, saying money recovered from these exercises could be invested for the benefit of the Nigerian people. He disclosed that in a bid to key into the government’s programme, ICAN is training its members on forensic investigation so as to assist

the Federal Government to trace illicit funds in Nigeria and abroad. Earlier, in her welcome address, the Minister restated the commitment of the present administration to plug all loopholes and ensure judicious use of the nation’s resources. She explained that the Federal Government is committed to reforming the public finance of the country as one of the levers to unlock the nation’s economic prosperity. She stated that the government plans to introduce a risk-based internal

audit system and implement adequate controls. She disclosed that efforts are being made to present a bill to the National Assembly so as to pass the proposed internal audit into law. Adeosun also spoke about efforts being made to strengthen the capacity of small and medium enterprises, explaining that the Federal Government is introducing a programme that will mandate big accounting firms to partner with small firms as a condition to be eligible for government business.

businessnews

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Standard Bank set to attract global investors to Nigeria NIGERIA’S burgeoning population, rapid urbanisation, abundance of talents and natural resources, vast consumer market and a vibrant labour force are key pillars to drive the country’s economic renaissance. This is the message for expected to resonate at the 7th Standard Bank West Africa Investors’ conference, themed Unlocking Nigeria’s Potential growth through diversification, with discerning investors expected to get hints of growth opportunities in the economy At a press briefing in Lagos, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mrs Sola David-Borha, stated that major domestic and global investors as well as fund managers will have access to information on the key economic issues which would enable them make well-informed investment decisions about the country. The focus of the event, on February 23 to 25 in Lagos, according to David-Borha, who was represented by Yinka Sanni, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank, was to highlight growth opportunities in critical areas such as power, agriculture, SME, manufacturing and energy, among others.

Ndidi Ukonu, Assistant General Manager, GTB; Dr Bert Odiaka, Partner, PwC Nigeria; Mr Rachid Benmessaoud, World Bank Country Director; Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; Mr Ajiya Mamman, Director, Policy Planning, Research and Statistics; Alh Y. S. Labaran, GEM Project Coordinator; Alh Bature Umar Masari, Director General, SMEDAN; Mr Lanre Ishola, Zenith Bank and Bank of Industry Representative at the launch of the Business Innovation and Growth (BIG) platform in Abuja recently.

Naira on a free fall, exchanges N375/$ Chima Nwokoji - Lagos

HE Naira on Sunday hit a record low of N375 to a dollar, while it exchanged for N510 to a British Pound exchanged at the parallel market. Traders attributed the pressure on the local currency on the continued scarcity of the greenback as well as speculation occasioned by the forex policy of the Federal Government. Nigerian Tribune findings revealed that the local unit fell to N375 per dollar in Lagos, the commercial capital. Aminu Gwadabe, president of Lagos-based Association of Bureau de Change Operators of Nigeria, said by phone that the naira might fall to something above

ActionAid demands increased budgetary allocation to agriculture Collins Nnabuife - Abuja

ACTIONAID has urged the National Assembly in its review of the federal budget, to demand amendments be made to increase allocation of resources to the sector to support youths and women. The Deputy Country Director, Ifeoma CharlesMonwuba made the call at the `C?itizens Dialogue on the Proposed 2016 Agriculture Budget’ on Thursday, in Abuja. According to her, national budget is critical to the realisation of nation’s aspirations and the achievement of the new government’s electoral promises. She said Nigeria had consistently failed to meet the 2003 Maputo Declaration which states that 10 per cent of the total budget at all levels of government be allocated to agriculture. Charles-Monwuba said with the dwindling price of oil, government at all levels should priorities agriculture describing the N77 billion which is 1.26 per cent of the total budget allocated to the sector as

gross inadequate. According to the deputy country director, there are a vital number of areas required to improve agricultural productivity for the pro-poor growth which include women and youth in agriculture. She listed the areas as access to affordable finance, farm input, extension services, research and development saying that the meager allocation to the above areas are a source of concern.

N400 per dollar this week. “As the currency drops in value, more people engage in panic buying,” Gwadabe said. “There are importers looking for dollars at all costs to keep their businesses going.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stopped selling foreign exchange to money changers last month, the latest in a series of controls aimed at supporting the naira at a fixed peg of N197N199 per dollar on the offi-

cial interbank market since March last year amid plunging oil prices. Nigeria has restricted foreign currency trading at banks, causing a shortage of dollars in an economy that imports most of its manu-

Again, NCC declares Glo largest network in new data subscription NIGERIA’S next generation network, Globacom, has continued to rule the internet market as latest figures released by the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission revealed that the network has widened the gap between it and the other operators in the country in the area of new data subscriber acquisition. A scrutiny of the latest figures released by NCC showed that it was only Globacom that recorded an increase in its internet subscriber base in the last quarter of 2015. The network had 23,285,454 internet users in October, 24,952,559 in November and 25,082,066 in December, which is an addition of 3.2 million new internet subscribers in the quarter. Conversely, MTN, Airtel and Etisalat all lost data subscribers within the period. MTN which had a total of 41,835,294 internet subscribers at the beginning of October 2015 had 39,924,737 data subscrib-

ers at the end of December, a loss of almost two million customers. In the same vein, Airtel which began the quarter with 17,730,955 internet customers ended with 16,835,952, a loss of nearly 900,000 subscribers. Etisalat on its part lost 408,282 internet customers, having begun the quarter with 15,598,070 data and ended it with 15,189,788. This is coming a few weeks after the company emerged the leader in Internet subscriber acquisition in the third quarter of last year. In that previous report on the website of the NCC, the regulator indicated that Globacom gained the highest number of internet users in September of 2015 with over a million new internet users on its network, up from 20,765,379 data users in August to 21,896,229 data users the following month. According to the NCC data, Globacom added 1,130,850 new internet subscribers which were

much more than the total number of new internet users who joined the three other major telecom operators, MTN, Airtel and Etisalat. The three recorded a combined total of 716,450 new internet subscribers in September. In the latest report just published by NCC which showed the internet subscriptions of the four major service providers for the last quarter of 2015, Globacom has consolidated its position as the leader in new data subscriber acquisition. The consistent growth in new internet subscriber acquisition by Globacom in the last few months is an indication of its preference by subscribers as a result of its improved internet service delivery. The company last year invested massively to significantly upgrade its data network. The upgrade was complemented by its extensive nationwide optic fibre infrastructure linked to its Glo 1 submarine cable which connects Nigeria to

Equities market lost N88.5bn in 7 days By Kehinde AkinseindeJayeoba

TRADING on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), last week, ended with a slight decline of 1.04 per cent on the market indicators amidst optimism by investors during the week. The NSE All-Share Index and Market Capitalisation depreciated by 1.04 per cent to close the week at 24,432.51 and N8.403 trillion respectively.

factured goods, sending the unofficial rate soaring. Crude sales accounted for about two-thirds of government revenue in 2014 and about 90 per cent of the nation’s foreign currency earnings.

Market capitalisation shed N88.45 billion against N8.49 trillion it started the week session with on Monday. Similarly, all other Indices finished lower during the week, with the exception of the NSE Main Board Index, NSE Banking Index, NSE Consumer Goods Index and NSE Oil and Gas and the that appreciated by 0.95 per cent, 0.04 per cent, 0.21 per cent and 3.30 per cent respectively, while the NSE

ASeM index closed flat. A turnover of 1.202 billion shares worth N9.641 billion in 13,712 deals were traded this week by investors on the floor of the Exchange in contrast to the outcome of trading in the preceeding week where a total of 1.407 billion shares valued at N17.277 billion that exchanged hands in 14,914 deals. The Financial Services Industry led the activity chart with 1.005 billion shares

valued at N6.471 billion traded in 8,313 deals; thus contributing 83.66 per cent and 67.12 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The Consumer Goods Industry followed with 54.333 million shares worth N2.114 billion in 2,365 deals. The third place was occupied by the Conglomerates Industry with a turnover of 45.977 million shares worth N184.205 million in 518 deals.

Europe, America and the rest of the world. Globacom also has several attractive and affordable internet packages which have a lot of appeal to data users. These includeFree Tomorrow, Bumper Data, Campus Booster, Twin Bash and Weekend and Night packages. Free Tomorrow calculates all the value of airtime a subscriber uses in a day for internet services, phone calls and SMS, doubles the value and credits the subscriber’s phone by 12 midnight with the value, while Campus Booster is a special data plan that allows students and others on campus to get up to eight times more data value whenever they use their Glo lines on campuses. In the Bumper Data Offer, subscribers get 1.5GB of data for just N1000 and 4.5GB of data for N2500. Similarly, a N3,000 data plan gives subscribers 6GB data valid for one month, while a N4000 data plan gives 9GB data plan valid for a month. Also, Twin Bash offers subscribers the facility of recharging data directly from recharge cards in denominations ranging from N200 to N5000. A customer who recharges with N200 gets 200 MB of data worth N800 and N200 worth of airtime free for voice calls. The Twin Bash recharge, which is regarded as the best deal for voice and data in Nigeria, can be subscribed to by dialing *223*pin#. The Twin Bash offer is also available on the N500, N1000 and N5000 data recharge plans.

news

Monday, 22 February, 2016

UTME 2016: Candidates protest over closure of online portal

Protest unjustifiable —JAMB From Banji Aluko and Moses Alao

UNDREDS of prospective applicants for the 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have staged peaceful protests in Benin City, Edo State, demanding extension of the online sale of UTME forms that closed recently. The protesters, who stormed the Benin secretariat of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), said they were unable to purchase the scratch card for the online registration due to the scarcity of the access cards. The protesters consisted

mainly of young school leavers and brandished placards with inscriptions such as, “JAMB Don’t Deny us Our Right to Education,” “Extend Registration,” and “We Want Tertiary Education”. They said the decision to embark on a street protest was to draw the attention of relevant institutions and individuals to their plight and to implore JAMB to extend the registration date as well as make the registration access cards available for interested candidates. They noted that three weeks to the closure of the online forms, the access cards became unavailable in Edo State due to the small number of accredited cen-

tres, which they put at 20. Spokesperson for the protesters, who carried out their protests under the aegis of Concerned and Affected JAMB UTME 2016 candidates in Edo State, Samuel Ekanem, appealed to JAMB to extend the registration exercise so as to enable more interested candidates participate in the annual examination. He said, “JAMB conducts this examination once a year and when students are denied access to registration, it implies that they are equally denied access to admission. Many of these students waited till January to buy their forms because they

were still hoping on gaining admission into previous institutions they had applied for last year.” Meanwhile, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has described as unjustifiable, the protests by some candidates in Lagos and Benin over the closure of the JAMB registration portal ahead of the 2016 Unified Matriculation Examination billed to start in a few days. It stated that the protests might be antics to force JAMB into establishing special centres where late candidates would be able to perpetrate examination malpractices, saying that the “board is at the moment

working tirelessly to conduct one of the best examinations globally.” According to a statement signed by the Head of Media, Dr Fabian Benjamin and made available to newsmen, the board had given candidates ample time to register, thus beginning the sale of application forms since August 2015, because “it is JAMB’s wish that Nigerian youths desirous of tertiary education are given ample opportunity to register for its examination.” The statement noted that the board had made it clear in the advertisement for the sale of the forms that it would close by January but had to shift the closure to February due to public appeal that it should be extended. According to JAMB, the closure of the portal was necessary to allow it prepare adequately for the examination, as it cannot allow candidates to register perpetually, because “there is a timetable and JAMB adheres strictly to it to allow the tertiary institutions begin the process of admission early.

Ricky Tarfa sues Falana, MTN, others Prospective UTME applicants in Benin, Edo State, demanding extension of the online sale of UTME forms that closed recently. PHOTO: BANJI ALUKO.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Arewa meet in Enugu, form alliance Jude Ossai -Enugu A one-day meeting of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has ended in Enugu with a fresh deal to form an alliance that would see the two groups working together. The alliance is expected to help both socio-cultural bodies deliberate on national issues affecting their people as well as advice government on areas that could engender development in the country. Rising from their meeting in Enugu on Sunday, the pressure groups also agreed that the war against corruption was yielding positive results. They, therefore, commended President Muhammadu Buhari on the fight against insurgency in the North-East. The National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Muhammadu B. Ibrahim, who read the communiqué signed by the two groups, said the cooperation would further extend to other areas of interest for the two

organisations “We have resolved to work together for the good of the country and welfare of the people of the two organisations. We extend our condolences to the Federal Government and families of the bereaved and equally sympathise with families of those who lost their loved ones in the various IDP

camps. We support the Federal Government’s war on corruption and call on the government to sustain this effort and for all Nigerians to cooperate with the government.” Ibrahim stated that the two groups agreed to meet regularly, stressing that decisions reached at such meetings would be trans-

mitted to the Federal Government to aid good governance in the country. “We will also continue to meet with our other brothers, the Afenifere, the SouthSouth Peoples Assembly, the Ishekiri, the Uhorbo and many other socio-cultural groups to promote peaceful co-existence and unity of Nigeria,” he added.

Edo 2016: Peace committee reads the riot act to politicians Banji Aluko -Benin City AHEAD of governorship election in Edo State this year, the utterances of politicians and some individuals in the state, have attracted the condemnation of the Edo State Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, which has described words attributed to the politicians as reckless and irresponsible. The Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, henceforth, warned politicians in the state to desist from making remarks that are capable of causing breach of public peace, warning that it has the in-

struments of making politicians making such statements pay for them. Chairman of the committee, Chief Eduwu Ekhator Obasogie, who stated this at a media briefing in Benin at the weekend, said that apart from overheating the polity, such unguided statements were capable of creating tensions and disaffection in the state. He said: “We of the Edo State Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee cannot fold our hands and watch individuals take laws into their hands by conducting themselves in manners capable of creating an atmosphere of tensions in the state.

“While we appreciate the essence of the right to freedom of speech as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is not also in doubt that when views are expressed deliberately to cause disaffection or to incite public uprising, refuge cannot be found under the umbrella of the right to freedom of speech. “Elections will come and go but Edo State, or collective heritage and home will subsist. Those who want to be leaders or want to produce leaders must concentrate their efforts on what they think they can do better than those they want to succeed.”

Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin Lagos A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Rickey Tarfa, has filed a suit against one of the telecommunications company, MTN, over what he described as an act of violation of his rights to privacy. Those joined alongside MTN as co-defendants in the suit are; the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Mustafa Magu, Mrs Rashidatou Abdou and another senior advocate, Femi Falana. In the originating Motion on Notice filed pursuant to Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and filed before a Federal High court sitting in Lagos, the applicant is seeking for an order of the court, declaring that the unauthorised act of using his iPhone 6 with mobile number 08034600000 in calling a man identified as Alhaji Ado in Kaduna on mobile number 08061272929 on February 9, 2016 while the said phone was with Magu and the agency without any reasonable cause or any court order is unlawful, wrongful, illegal and a gross violation of his rights.

Nigerian Tribune

Rosicrucian advocates creation of Centre for National Integration Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri THE Ancient and Mystical Order Rosa Crucis (AMORC), otherwise known as the Rosicrucian Order, has called on the Federal Government to create a centre for national integration that will define and determine common goals that integrate all interest groups in the country. The Order has also proposed the reversal of the six geopolitical zones to one with 12 geo-economic zones that should be manned by successful entrepreneurs who will drive and play up the economic comparative advantage of each zone. Speaking on the occasion of the Delta-Edo Rotational Conclave at a press conference over the weekend at Effurun-Warri, Grand Commander and Secretary/Treasurer, National Board of AMORC in Nigera, Johnson Ikube, said global peace was attainable if attention is carefully paid to national integration. Ikube, who represented the Grand Administrator and Director of the Supreme Board of AMORC worldwide, Dr Kenneth Idiodi, said the proposed centre should be domiciled in its first 10 years in the office of the president. He said the centre should be staffed with Nigerians with proven character, good track record, detribalised, and depoliticised to engender what he called “Transformational Change.” On the proposed 12 economic zones, Ikube said the zones should replace the present 36 states structure and each should be headed by a vice president so that with the president, “we will have a 13-member executive council, ministers, special assistants and presidential advisers.” Ikube also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to find out the fundamental grievances of Biafra agitators instead of hounding them. He described the Biafran agitators as being driven by ignorance of being owners of earth place, adding that what holds Nigerians together is more superior than what “we fight for.” He urged all Nigerians to rally round President Buhari.

13 news

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Rivers govt will support investors to create employment opportunities —Wike

IVERS State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has declared that his administration will always support investors to create employment opportunities for the people of the state. Speaking after a facility tour of Onne Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone operated by INTELS Group on Sunday, Governor Wike said the state government had developed an enabling environment to attract major investors to the state. The governor said in view of the dwindling economy of the nation, it was in the interest of the state to build partnerships with investors to develop the state’s internally generated revenue to fund other areas of development .He said : “We will always support investors to help in the development of the state. Their investments will help in creating employment opportunities for indigenes of the state. “It is in our interest that investors are not discouraged to come to the state. That is why we are always creating the right platforms for them to invest.” The governor said the state government was working out a partnership framework with INTELS Group that would generate employment opportunities for the people. He commended INTELS

Group for its massive investments in Rivers State, which had impacted positively on the economy of the state.

In his remarks, President of INTELS Group, Mr Gabrella Volpi, said the company was ready to increase its investment

TRAGEDY struck at the weekend, in Jatau community of Maitumbi Bosso Local Government of Niger State, following the electrocution of an Inspector of Police, Mallam Abu Gani, who was also the village head of Jatau, alongside two others. Nigerian Tribune gathered that the incident occurred at about 3:48 a.m last Saturday, as the mysterious fire burnt down two houses after a spark from high tension cables that passed through their residence, which was near an FM Radio Station. According to an eyewitness, the deceased police officer was said to have been at the scene to save lives shortly after he allegedly received a distress call. He went straight to see what was going on there, according to a source, but was

state, adding that INTELS Group would cooperate with the Rivers State government to advance the state’s economy.

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike (right) and the President, INTELS Group, Mr Gabrella Volpi, after the governor’s facility tour of Onne Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone, on Sunday.

We can’t confirm arrest of Shekau now —Military Arrests 2 suspects for breaking into IDPs From Chris Agbambu - Abuja

THE Nigerian military has said it is yet to confirm the speculation over an arrest of Boko Haram kingpin popularly known as Bashir Sarkin Yanka, which, in Hausa, means Bashir the King of Slaughter and who had been acting as Abuba-

kar Shekau in some videos on the social media. Local security volunteer group known as Civilian JTF in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State claimed that it had arrested the notorious Boko Haram kingpin. The arrested suspect was reported to have con-

Police Inspector, 2 others, electrocuted in Niger Adelowo Oladipo - Minna

portfolio in the state. He expressed happiness that the company had enjoyed favourable working environment in the

trapped in the inferno. The source, who craved anonymity, in a brief chat with the Nigerian Tribune, said the deceased Inspector of Police was, until the time of his untimely death, the Inspector in charge of crimes, attached to Maitumbi police station. According to the source, the village head (MaiAngwa) and one of his sons were the first victims after which a friend to his son who raced to the scene, with intent to save his friend, was also caught in the inferno before the arrival of policemen. Meanwhile, when contacted over the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State police command, ASP Bala Elkana, said three persons were killed on the spot in the inferno, including an Inspector of Police, while two houses got burnt from the spark from a high tension electricity cable.

Elkana, in a brief interview with the Nigerian Tribune, said the corpses had been deposited at the mortuary section of the General Hospital, Minna, on Saturday evening, while investigation into the immediate and remote cause of the incident was still ongoing.

fessed to the Civilian JTF that he had acted as Boko Haram leader, Shekau, in some videos and was responsible for the death of his (Bashir’s) mother, two sisters and brother apart from engaging in mass slaughter. However, spokesperson of Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, said the military could not confirm the arrest of the Shekau’s actor yet. He said the military had sustained its counter-insurgency operations where some terrorists had been eliminated and others apprehended in the NorthEast. Alonge said: “As you are aware, the Nigerian military has succeeded in routing out terrorists from

some of their hideouts in the North-East, and, in the process, some were eliminated and others had been arrested. “We cannot at the moment provide the identities of those in our custody or in other places until after we have conducted thorough investigations,” he said. Speaking further, he said the military arrested two suspects, Audu Umar and Hassan Umar for smuggling themselves among the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) brought from Pulka to Gwoza IDPs Camp in Borno State. He said the male suspects who gave their names as Audu Umar and Hassan Umar were undergoing interrogation by the military and intelligence operatives.

Man arrested for punching 60-year-old man to death THE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Sunday, said it arrested a 27-year-old man, Musa Inuwa, for allegedly punching a 60-year-old man to death. The Commandant of the corps in the state, Mr Abdullahi Ibrahim, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri, Borno. He said the suspect was arrested at Jidari Polo bus stop area in the state capital. “The suspect was apprehended by the youth

vigilance team known as civilian CTF who brought the accused to the NSCDC command on February 5 at about 9.00 p.m. “The victim, who suffered grievous bodily harm leading to his death, was said to have asked the suspect where he could locate a chemist to buy drugs. “Unknowingly to the victim, the suspect was already intoxicated on illicit substance and told the old man that he was disturbing him. “Before he knew what was

going on, the suspect gave him a punch that made him fall and hit his head on the concrete pavement that rendered him unconscious. “The victim, who remained in a critical condition, was quickly rushed to Umaru Shehu Specialist Hospital night, but unfortunately passed away on February 6 as a result of massive brain trauma,” Ibrahim said. According to him, the case has been transferred to the Borno police command for further investigation and prosecution.

Nigerian Tribune

Why NURHI launched new campaign on family planning —Project director Bola Badmus- Lagos

PROJECT Director, Nigeria Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI), Dr Mojisola Odeku, has said the recently launched Family Planning Campaign 2016 with the theme: “Get it Together,” is aimed at raising awareness about family planning, while emphasising its benefits to men and women of reproductive age. Odeku made this known at a press briefing she addressed in Lagos, saying that the campaign, with a video that featured two of Africa’s top musicians; Tiwa Savage and Paul ‘P Square’ Okoye, was also aimed at raising awareness about increasing contraceptive use among women, as well as increasing access to family planning services across the country. According to the NURHI project director, the new campaign, which had as its ambassadors other popular artistes, including Odunlade Adekola, Mike ezuruonye, Godwin Komone popularly known as Gordons and Ali Nuhu, was expected to better the previous family planning campaign in the country themed: “Waite for Me.” She recalled that the campaign, which was launched in 1989, kicked off with renowned artistes, namely Onyeka Onwenu and King Sunny Ade, releasing two songs entitled: “Choices” and “Wait for Me.”

NNPC disclaims purported recruitment exercise Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has called on members of the public to be wary of fraudsters sending letters to unsuspecting individuals inviting them for “the second process of recruitment” billed to hold on February 29, 2016, as it is currently not recruiting. In a statement by Ohi Alegbe, the Group Manager, Public Affairs, and made available to journalists, the corporation explained that the scam invitation letters, which directed recipients to pay the sum of N21,500.00 into a certain account number with Zenith Bank purportedly for “onshore & offshore/training kits/materials” should be discountenanced as they were not sent by the corporation, warning that “anyone who entertains such invitations or deals with peddlers of such invitations does so at his or her own risk.”

south-westnews March 4 is my coronation —Olubadan-designate 14

HE Olubadan-designate, High Chief Saliu Adetunji, has confirmed Friday, March 4 as the date of his coronation as the new Olubadan of Ibadanland. Receiving Juju music maestro, Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi, in his Popoyemoja, Ibadan residence, on Saturday, High Chief Adetunji noted that the date was arrived at after extensive consultations with stakeholders. According to him, some of the reasons the coronation had not been held were because the late Olubadan, Samuel Odulana deserved to be given a befitting burial, which was successfully completed last week. “Sincerely, the Olubadanin-Council must not only make, but submit their endorsement of the new Olubadan to the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi. Then, the governor must ratify the decision. “Once you cross the barrier, you get the date. So, the date is Friday, March 4 at Oja’ba, Ibadan, where

Monday, 22 February, 2016

the previous Olubadans received their staffs of of-

fice. But, Saturday, March 5 is for a big reception at a

venue that is yet to be decided,” he said.

The Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, at the weekend, said he had been praying to God for a successor that would have a good heart with passion to serve the people of the state. Mimiko, who broke his silence over his successor during the 84th edition of the monthly praise thanksgiving programme, tagged “Divine Agenda,” held at the International Events Centre in Akure, the state capital, called on the people of the state not to be carried away by the propaganda gimmick of the opposition party in the state. He assured the people of the state that God would choose the man after His heart to lead the state at the end of his tenure on February 24, 2017 and said, “I also pray specially that after our tenure, when we bow out, a man after the heart of God will take over in the state, a man that will have the heart for the people, because if you are brilliant and you don’t have the heart for the people you cannot succeed. “The man must be sensitive to your needs. When election comes in October, you must lay your bed very well. Don’t be carried away with the propaganda, stay with the real stuff and the good Lord will help all of you.” Mimiko said his government had been able to turn the state to a centre of at-

ica where the national summit of all Ibadan indigenes would be taking place in September. Earlier, the Juju music maestro, Chief Ebenezer Obey, had described the Olubadan-elect as a dependable and reliable pillar in music recording, composition, promotion, advertisement and marketing. He said nothing could be too much for any musician to do to ensure the success of Olubadan’s coronation. He prayed for continued peace, progress and development in Ibadanland under the new leadership.

Sacking of Osun doctors, wrong step by govt —PDP

The Olubadan-designate, High Chief Saliu Adetunji (right), with the ace musician, Chief Ebenezer Obey, when the latter visited High Chief Adetunji’s Popoyemoja residence, on Saturday.

Ondo 2016: Mimiko breaks silence on successor Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

The Olubadan-inwaiting spoke in the same vein in a message he sent through his media aide, Mr Adeola Oloko, to the President of Ibadan Descendants Union, Mr Laja Akintayo, saying Friday and Saturday, March 4 and 5 remain sacrosanct. The Ibadan Descendants Union in the United States had asked to know the date of the coronation and to determine the extent of their involvement. They also seized the opportunity to inform the Olubadan-designate to join them in Orlando, Florida, the United States of Amer-

Nigerian Tribune

traction in terms of development in the last seven years, saying developmental projects executed by his administration have become the reference point for good governance across the country. Speaking on the achievements of his administration in the last seven years, the governor said his government had performed excellently well in the health sector, Agriculture, Urban renewal programme and particularly the ‘Abiye’ initiative, which had helped in reducing maternal mortality by 70 per cent. According to the governor, “We got information that one of us went to Togo for an International conference and delivered a paper on our safe motherhood programme and they said we will receive visitors from the whole of Africa very soon. “At that conference, everybody said from across the continent, they should come to Ondo State to learn the trick of maternal death reduction. “It is just amazing, when you look back seven years up, we’ve reduced maternal death more than 70 per cent, this is a verifiable data. “We started save motherhood programme to have the best facilities in term of quality services and also offer complete free services. There must be a clear dis-

tinction between quality and affordability. “We have proved that we can remove financial barriers completely and still offer qualitative services to our people.” “God has blessed the state with this uncommon grace, the people has been there for us through thick and

thin. It has not been bird of roses but we are happy because God is our strength. “We are always overcoming all our challenges. God has turned our reproach to blessing, most especially on this event centre. The opposition thought that this will be an abandoned project.”

OSUN State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday described the tactical sacking of doctors working with the state government as another “outstanding misstep from the slumbering administration of Mr Rauf Aregbesola.” The PDP, in a statement issued in Osogbo by its spokesperson, Prince Diran Odeyemi, said Governor Aregbesola was obviously not smart enough to believe mere threat and cheap blackmail could work at all times to suppress people’s demands for their rights. “Governor Aregbesola has a rich history of odd actions all in a bid to be “unique.” If a governor could unilaterally change the education

...as PRP threatens to stop Ondo LG election Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

THE Peoples’ Redemption Party (PRP) in Ondo State has raised the alarm over plans by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) to disenfranchise the party from participating in the forthcoming local government election in the state. Speaking on the development, the state Secretary of the party, Honourable Ibukun Arijeloye, while speaking with journalists in Akure, Ondo State capital, explained that the state electoral umpire last Friday announced the disqualification of the PRP from the election. According to him, ODSIEC hinged the disqualification of the party in the said election to a letter purportedly written by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) signifying its intention to appeal the judgement of the Abuja High Court which ordered INEC to reinstate PRP as a

political party in the country. Arijeloye said the High Court in Abuja has ruled in December that INEC had unlawfully de registered PRP as a political party and called for its reinstatement but said the ODSIEC was acting on a letter, while INEC had signified its intention to appeal the court judgement. He explained that INEC ought to have appealed the judgement within a speculated period, saying that the period at which an appeal could be filed had expired. He said, “We have signified to ODSIEC our intention to participate in the local government election before our attention was drawn to a letter purportedly written by INEC indicating their intention to appeal the Abuja High Court judgement. “The court has ordered INEC to reinstate the party as political party in its judgement of 17th December, 2015 while the INEC has about 25 days to file its

appeal and by our record, no appeal has been filed which means we are eligible as a political party to contest the election.” He noted that the period stipulated for the appeal had lapsed and wondered why the state electoral body decided to make issue out of no issue. “In fact, to our surprise, our party has not received any formal or official notification from ODSIEC concerning this disenfranchisement. We are surprised by the action of the ODSIEC to disenfranchise the party from participating in the forthcoming local government election,” he said. Arijeloye however, said the party would explore all legal means to stop the state local government election slated for April 23, 2016 if the ODSIEC failed to recognise the PRP as a political party. “In view of the foregoing; our party, PRP, shall approach the court for legal action against this unconstitutional act being carried out by INEC and ODSIEC.”

system in Osun from the 6-3-3-4 operating across the country to 4-6-3 by recategorising primary and secondary schools in the state to Elementary, Middle and High Schools.” The opposition party also accused many stakeholders in the state of not doing enough to caution Governor Aregbesola against act that had earned the state negative publicity, charging them not to give up on the state. “It is truly depressing that once shining light among states of the federation could be reduced to the least in every aspect that is noble in the space of five years. Osun in the last WAEC rating was 29th and least in entire South West of Nigeria. In 2010, this same state was ninth in the entire country according to WAEC rating.”

Fuel sells for N96 in Ado Ekiti Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

DESPITE Federal Government’s directive that fuel should sell for N86.50, petrol still sells for as much as N96 in parts of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. Unconfirmed sources said the commodity sells for as much as N100 in some remote communities, while its availability is also suspect in the state. It was found that most petrol stations at the Polytechnic Road in the state sell petrol at an average of N90. The stations only said they were selling what they bought. “We are selling based on the supply we got and at the rate we got it. We cannot pretend that things are easy for us,” a petrol station manager volunteered on Sunday.

15 south-west news

Monday,22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Why we continue to use caretaker chairmen —Oyo govt By Wale Akinselure

YO State government has said that the continued use of caretaker chairmen to run local governments is due to a pending court case instituted by members of the then Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) against the state government about nine years ago. The state government, through the Special Adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Communications and Strategy, Mr Yomi Layinka, noted that the then members of OYSIEC had filed a case challenging the dissolution of the electoral commission by the Senator Rashidi Ladoja-led administration. The prayers of the petitioners were that the state government erred by dissolving them before the expiration of their tenure while also calling for the payment of all emoluments accrued. Layinka however, noted that the legal battle had been calmed by the Ajimobi-led administration following an out-of-court settlement with the members of the commission as well as an agreement to settle all outstanding emoluments, last year. He added that Ajimobi continued to use caretaker chairmen so as to prevent a hiatus in the third tier of government. While noting that other minor cases remained, Layinka said the major limiting case

had been addressed hence, Ajimobi’s recent commitment to conducting the election in June. “About nine years ago, under the Ladoja administration, there was dissolution of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission. The members of that commission approached the court to challenge the dissolution of the OYSIEC on the account

that they were yet to see out their tenure.” “This administration met this legal battle. The members of that commission also requested the full payment of their emoluments. This led to the introduction of an interim government in the past few years so as to prevent a hiatus in the local government system.” “There has been some kind

of agreement between the government and the members of that commission that sued the state government, so there is a willingness to settle out of court. Last year, the state government agreed to pay these emoluments and the people, in turn, decided to withdraw the case in the court. That was the major case though there were other minor cases in court.

THE Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Ojaja 11), over the weekend charged Nigerian youths to pursue their dreams of attaining a sustainable future with vigour and making the country a better place. He gave the charge during the 45th convocation of the University of Nigeria , Nsukka and his investiture as the chancellor of the institution. Oba Ogunwusi, who dedicated his appointment as the chancellor of the university to the youths, said there was need for them to strive and work assiduously to realise their dreams, thereby making Nigeria great as a nation. According to him, “It is now a reality by virtue of what happened here today, I want to challenge all my fellow youths to pursue their dreams vigorously and with God on your side, you will all attain all your goals. If you do things in a forthright

“Section 7 (1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria allows the House of Assembly, under what we can call the doctrine of necessity, the power to make laws for the governing, administration and management of the finances of local governments within the period there is no local government. The House of Assembly has utilised this section to make laws over the years. These extant laws guide the operations of the House of Assembly. Therefore, the government is not acting unconstitutionally,” he said.

Ekiti still leads in open defecation in Nigeria, stakeholders lament Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

Sinmiloluwa and Omobolanle Osiefa, during their wedding at the Gaso Event Centre, Ibadan, at the weekend. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE.

Pursue your dreams with vigour, Ooni charges Nigerian youths Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

The major limiting case has been addressed. Moreover, the governor has given his word about conducting election in June.” Furthermore, Layinka maintained that the action of the state government did not give in to unconstitutionality. He referred to Section 7 (1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as granting the Oyo State House of Assembly powers to make certain laws for the management and administration of local governments where there were none.

manner, your efforts will not go in vain for God Himself will continually bless you.” While promising to represent youths across the country and assured them of his unflinching support needed to enhance their formidable force so that they can adequately make contributions to the greatness of Nigeria, Oba Ogunwusi asserted that “we must be good example of our household, community and our country Nigeria.” He stated, “Let us come together in peace, I promise to support the youths beginning from Nsukka here in achieving their dream as well as to improve them to become a formidable force towards making Nigeria a great nation and I will not fail in the discharge of my duties as the chancellor.” President Mohammadu Buhari, at the occasion, congratulated the new chancellor and expressed his confidence in the revered monarch’s ability to bring his

wealth of experience in human and resource management to bear on UNN. Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Gozie Anuka, wished Ooni a successful tenure as Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Other eminent Nigerians awarded honourary doctorate degrees alongside Ooni Ogunwusi included the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe; former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie; business guru, Prince Arthur Eze; Justice Eze Ozobu and Ambassador Godwin Alaoma, while a Professor of Fine and Applied Arts, Professor Ola Oloidi and 18 other professors were also honoured as Professor Emeritus. On the entourage of Ooni were HRM, Alayemore of Ido-Osun; HRM, Alaagba of Aagba; HRM, Onigbaye of Igbaye; HRH, Elejesi of Ejesi; HRH, Obaloran of

Ife; HRH, Jaaran of Ife, HRH, Arode of Ife; Professor Jeleel Ojuade; Chief Funmilola Olorunnisola; Mr Akin Daodu; Mr Jide Fadairo; Mr Yinka Olojede; Mr Muyiwa Afolabi; Dr Ayoade Adewopo; National Publicity Secretary of CDHR, Comrade Raji Ropo Rasheed (Triple R) and many others.

STAKEHOLDERS in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) have lamented that Ekiti State is still on top of the ladder among states where open defecation are practised in Nigeria. The stakeholders, including United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the European Union (EU), said at a recent training workshop in Ijero-Ekiti that estimated 1.8 million out of the 2.7 million population of Ekiti State still engage in open defecation and called for an urgent action on the part of the people and government to bring an end to the act. According to the latest statistics made available at the workshop, Ekiti alone contributes about 60.8 per cent to the aggregate of this. At the workshop, facilitated by European Union and UNICEF, focussed on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and Open Defecation Free (ODF) campaign in rural communities in the state, Mohsena Islam, a WASH specialist from UNICEF office in Lagos, said UNICEF was working in Gbonyin and Ekiti West Local Government Areas of the state.

The communities, she pointed out, were being triggered following sensitisation campaigns and trainings on Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS). The facilitators and Ekiti WASH Media Group also visited Asasa and Temidire Elejofi communities in Ekiti West Local Government Area of the state, which are open defecation-free, to assess compliance with the campaign against open defecation. In a presentation, a Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) facilitator and a staff of Rural Water Sanitation Agency in Ekiti, Mrs Lanre Ayeni, said 748 million of the global population lacked access to hygienic water supply. She said it was regrettable that 1.8 billion people in the world still used contaminated sources of water, which she said had caused a lot of damage to their health and body systems. “When you take water that has been contaminated by faeces, the person will have 10 million viruses, one million bacteria and one hundred thousand parasite eggs in her body system.

Awujale becomes Hallmark University’s Chancellor THE Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, has accepted to become the Chancellor of Hallmark University, Ijebu Itele, Ogun State. The University’s founder, Dr Leila Fowler, had in a letter to Oba Adetona dated February 16, 2016, conveyed his appointment as the Chancellor of Hallmark University. The letter of appointment read: “The Founder, Board of Trustees and the Govern-

ing Council of the Hallmark University, Ijebu Itele, would be most honoured if Your Royal Majesty, the highly distinguished Royal Father, the developer, the leader of leaders, and the liver of the people in the service of mankind, would very kindly accept to dignify the University as her Chancellor.” Responding, Oba Awujale, in a letter dated February 17, 2016, which he personally signed, “gladly” accepted the appointment

and assured the University of “support and best wishes.” The Paramount Ruler of Ijebu land remarked that: “Looking through the profile of your University, one cannot but be optimistic about the future of this young citadel of learning. “I pray therefore, that The Most High and history would appreciate your contribution to human capacity development through education,” he added.

Monday, 22 February, 2016 With Tommy Adegbite 0811 695 4631 tommyabijo@yahoo.com

From left, representative of the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Godwin Ayankpele; Kwara State governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed and his deputy, Elder Peter Kisra, during the official kick-off of helicopter training at Ilorin Aviation College.

From left, Managing Director, Deekay Group, Mr Kavine Vaswani; Chief Executive Officer, Mediatek Ltd, Mr Dotun Solanke; Head of Sales, Deekay Group, Mr Augustine Christy and the Head of Planning and Strategy, Mediatek, Ms Ifeoma Obi, during the opening of Nexus branch office, in Ibadan, Oyo State, recently.

From left, Secretary, Civil Society Partnership for Democracy and Governance in Oyo State (CSPDG), Comrade Isreal Ajayi; chairman, Dr Wumi Akin Onigbinde, treasurer, Mrs Bisi Yomi-Layinka and the FOMWAN representative, Vice Admiral (Dr) Bisi Oloso, at the maiden launch and press conference held at the Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Wednesday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU.

Provost, College of Medicine, Professor B.L. Salako (left), presenting a plaque to the guest speaker, Mr Yomi Layinka, during the induction into physiotherapy profesion for the 2014/2015 graduates, held at Paul Hendrickse Lecture Theatre, College of Medicine, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. PHOTO: YEMI FUNSO-OKE.

Former military governor of Osun and Bauchi states, Colonel Theophilus Bamgboye (retd), presenting the 73rd birthday card to Chief Emmanuel Ade Ojo, Chairman/CEO, Phoenix Group of Hotels, Ilorin, Kwara State, while his wife, Abiodun (right) and other members of Rotary Club watch.

Baale Ekotedo, Elder Taiye Ayorinde (left), with the Olubadan-designate, High Chief Saliu Adetunji, during his visit to the Popoyemoja residence of High Chief Adetunji, recently.

From left, Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT), Dr Ighodalo Folorunso Ijagbone, who is also the father of the bride; former Miss Ibhade Omonigho Ijagbone, the bride; Adekunle Jeremiah Odubiyi-Felix, groom and Mrs Florence I. Ijagbone, bride’s mother, during the wedding held at the Chapel of Ressurection, University of Ibadan, recently.

Professor Babatunde L. Saako, Provost College of Medicine, UCH (right), Dr Modupe Olusola Oyetunde; Ag Head Department of Nursing (left) and the guest lecturer, Professor E. Olasunkanmi Ajao, during the admission into the nursing profession for the B.N.Sc 2014/2015 graduates, held at Paul Hendrickse Lecture Theatre Hall, UCH, Ibadan, on Wednesday. PHOTO: D’TOYIN.

Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade (left), with the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Odua Investment Company Limited, Mr Adewale Raji, during the visit of CP to the Odua headquarters, Cocoa House, Ibadan, on Friday. PHOTO TOMMY ADEGBITE

For bookings, contact ’Laolu Afolabi on 08054681741 or Tommy Adegbite on 08116954631

INSIDE LAGOS

Monday, 22 February, 2016

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From left: Executive Secretary, the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philantropy in Nigeria, Dr Abia Nzelu, Dr Nosike Agokei, Chairman, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Nike Akande, Honourary Life Vice President, LCCI, Mrs Adetutu Adeleke, Dr Kin Egwuonwu and Director General LCCI, Muda Yusuf, during the group’s visit to LCCI, held at Commerce House, Lagos, on Friday.

ALABA IGBAROOLA: 08155975474

SYLVESTER OKORUWA: 08115708541

Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari (right), with Wife of Lagos State Governor, Bolanle Ambode (left), during the inauguration of a Tomato Processing Factory by Erisco Foods Limited in Alausa, on Thursday.

From left: First Vice President NEPAD BIZ Group, Chief Victor C.N Oyolu; Second Vice President, NEPAD BIZ Group NIG LTD, Chief Eniola Fadayomi; Chairman, NEPAD Business Group-Nigeria, Dr Nike Akande; Group Managing Director First Bank Plc, Dr Adesola Kazeem Adeduntan; Group Executive International Banking, Group First Bank of Nigeria LTD, Mrs Bashirat Odunewu and Group Treasurer, First Bank of Nigeria, Mr Ini Ebong, during NEPAD visit to First Bank Executives, at First Bank Headquarters, Marina, Lagos, on Wednesday.

From left: Senior Public Relations Officer, Consumer Protection Council; Nicholas Utsalo, Head Lagos Office, Consumer Protection Council; Nggada Joshua Yakubu, Managing Director, Kasapreko Company Limited; Kojo Nunoo, and Director Sales and Marketing Kasapreko Company Limited, Sam Osaso, during Kasapreko’s visit to CPC on Thursday, in Lagos.

From left: Publicity Secretary, Eme Ugwuegbu; National President, Hajia Zainab Jaji; Deputy National President, Angela Ajala; Vice-President, South West, Ora Ataguba all of African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) and Skye Pearl Product Manager, Skye Bank, Wunmi Akingbohungbe, at the South West Inaugural Meeting of AWEP, held on Saturday, in Lagos.

From left: Marketing Manager Durex, West Africa, Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi Omotola; General Manager RB West Africa, Rahul Murgai and Marketing Director RB West Africa, Oguzhan Silivrili, unveiling the new Durex single condom, in Lagos, recently.

18 LETTERS TO THE

Monday, 22 February, 2016

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letterstribune@yahoo.com or by sms to 08055001747 or 08054005323. It MUST be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer.

Capitalising on Nigeria’s economic crisis

T is now evident that the only solution to the current economic crisis in the country is for the Federal Government to devalue our currency. Today, the official exchange rate to the dollar is N197, while that of the parallel market, which is the black market, is about N390, but how many people have assess to dollars at the official rate? The difference between the official and the parallel markets is just so huge; the parallel market can be described as the sector which best explains the economic situation of the country. However, in this situation, the Federal Govern-

Buhari should probe past govts I am really happy with the way the Federal Government is going about its anti-corruption war. Corruption is the biggest problem we are facing as a country, and we will never develop if we don’t tackle it now. However, I don’t want President Muhammadu Buhari to limit the anticorruption war to the Goodluck Jonathan administration alone. A lot has happened since 1999, when we returned to civil rule, and I hope the president will extend the probe to that period. We have heard about the Halliburton bribery scandal; we have heard about the CCTV security camera scandal; we have also heard about the $15billion power scandal, so we need to bring to book those who have stolen our Commonwealth since 1999. If we don’t defeat corruption during this Buhari administration, then I doubt it if we will ever be free from this evil ‘cancer.’ I am calling on President Buhari not to leave successive administrations unprobed. •Aishat Yakub, ABU, Zaria, Kaduna State.

ment can still capitalise on the crisis to develop our economy. At the moment, it makes no financial sense to import, as the stress of obtaining forex is a challenge on its own. The fall in the value of the naira will also mean that there will be less profit on imported products. The solution, therefore, will be for investors to establish their manufacturing firms in the country. Today, imported products are becoming more expensive, and it is having an impact in the love Nigerians have for foreign products. The average Nigerian can no longer afford those luxury products they used to buy a couple of years ago because of how expensive they are now, which came about as a result of the depreciation in the value of the naira. The only thing left for Nigerians is to make do with our local products, which

are affordable. This, therefore, means that more jobs will be created to meet the needs of Nigerians for certain products. It is really a wrong time for President Muhammadu

Buhari to have ascended the presidency; this means he has a lot to do to stabilise the economy. He should, therefore, bring together political economy and finance experts to proffer solutions to our

economic problems. However, what we must understand is that we are in this mess because we did not diversify our economy when the going was good. Our love for foreign made goods, which are inferior

to ours in most cases, is another reason we are suffering economically now. The government can, therefore, turn the whole situation around for our benefit. •Dr Tajudeen Alalade, Ilorin, Kwara State.

On Abia’s inland container depot THE sharp and continuous fall of oil prices globally has forced governments to deploy the resources and potentials that abound within their territories to achieve economic growth. Abia State is keying into this trend and this informed the recent inauguration of the Inland Dry Port Project Implementation Committee. The depot is sited at Avor Ntigha in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of the state. This project is aimed at opening access to trade and commerce in the

state. It was also informed by the state’s desire to develop avenues that would support inflow of businesses. It is, indeed, cheering news for the people of the state and their South East neighbours because of the depot’s economic implication. In 2007, the then Minister of Transportation, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, during the ground breaking ceremony of the project, said that the depot, when completed would create 100,000 jobs. The ground breaking ceremony of the Abia In-

land Cargo Depot followed that of Kano and Jos ICDs. The project, a 50,000 containers port facility, would serve Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Delta and Benue states. One of the features of the port was that it would receive containerised cargo by rail from Port Harcourt and the Federal Government had, by that time, commenced the modernisation of the railway into standard gauge from Lagos to Kano line, while that of Port Harcourt to Jos and to Maiduguri line was expected to take- off.

Unarguably, Aba is the commercial hub of the South East and the idea behind the establishment of the dry port was to save importers the trouble of traveling to the coast for their business transactions, thereby bring goods closer to the owners. This will, therefore, go a long way in boosting the economy of the five South East states. •Okechukwu Ukegbu, Abia State.

Economy: Nigeria needs patience PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has already started receiving ‘blows’ from several critics who believe that he should have miraculously changed the situation of things in just nine months. Although President Buhari’s campaign may have been too ‘sugary’ with many positive words, it should also be noted that the president kept emphasising on the need for Nigerians to give him time to turn things around. It is advisable that we should always exercise patience before we can achieve our dreams. It is apparent that all these countries we cite as examples are also going through different challenges; as Boko Haram is a blight in Nigeria, ISIS has also been a challenge in Syria and Iraq. In other parts of the world, their challenge is coping with natural disasters, so it is evident that everyone is facing one challenge or the other. •Shittu Sodeeq, Ibadan.

19 editorial

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

The scandalous 2016 national budget

HE expectations were high given Nigeria’s new government’s insistence that it should be judged and assessed appropriately only when its own programmes got underway through a budget prepared by it rather than on the basis of an inherited budget. President Muhammadu Buhari was also to personally present the budget by addressing the joint sitting of the National Assembly, which address would not only give the policy, economic and political direction of the budget, but also clarify the overall goal and objective of the new government. Against the backdrop that the new government had won a national election on the basis of a campaign for change in the country, not a few Nigerians were anxiously waiting for what the president would say during the budget address, especially given that former President Goodluck Jonathan elected to send the last two budget proposals of his government to the National Assembly through the Minister of Finance. There was obviously something to be gained from the president speaking to the budget and conveying the key elements to Nigerians. And President Buhari did not disappoint, as he used the platform to proclaim a budget of change, detailing a new way of doing things that would privilege service over personal aggrandizement and signal the return of real development in the country. Sadly, that was where and when everything started to change. Rather than the new hope remarked by President Buhari, Nigerians started pointing out a continuation of the old ways of asking Nigerians for sacrifice while the leaders themselves revel in opulence, when the details of the budget proposals became public knowledge. From increase in the provision for feeding at Aso Rock Villa to outrageous provisions for maintenance of the seat of government, Nigerians were near unanimous that the so-called Budget of Change did not reflect the present reality of economic challenges in the country. Unfortunately, the government did not offer any concrete reason for the insensitive provisions, but persisted in calling for the understanding of Nigerians. The narrative became more irritating when it was discovered that the budget had been changed or substituted somewhat without due process in a saga that came to be known as the missing budget controversy. In the end, the government did not offer any explanation for the missing budget, beyond the president having to thereafter write officially to the National Assembly withdrawing the earlier version and presenting a reworked one. Nigerians had thought that with the controversy over the substitution of the budget now laid to rest, the process would turn to a more substantive engagement with the budget in order to dissect its provisions and debate whether they were justified. This was especially important given the almost fifty percent deficit envisaged in the budget with experts proffering different and differing positions on the propriety of the huge deficit. But details of other ridiculous provisions started coming out, such as the capital allocation to the State House Clinic of N3.89 billion when only N2.67 billion was allocated for the construction of hospitals nationwide. Worse still, when the different ministries and agencies started appearing before the relevant committees of the National Assembly to defend

their proposals, it became very clear that the current budget was not just suffering from misplaced priorities, as the ministers and heads of parastatals began disowning the various allocations for their agencies. The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, stated emphatically that what was before the National Assembly was different from what his ministry prepared and suggested that perhaps rats had infested the budget. In the same vein, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani Uguru, disowned the allocation for his ministry while Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, clearly stated that he was not aware of the N398 million provision for the purchase of computers for some of the agencies under his ministry. All the officials of the Ministry of Education could not explain how a bogus N10 billion overhead crept into the Ministry’s proposal. Thus, officials started speaking of a budget mafia that must have been at work in padding the budget with unnecessary and indefensible items. The Federal Government and the Presidency have not officially responded to the absurdity and ridicule coming out of the budget proposals and their defence before the National Assembly beyond the replacement of the Director-General of the Budget Office. But the irregularities characterizing the budget proposals are of such magnitude that speaks to a collapse of structure across the whole edifice of governance under the present administration. It is expected that any document that would receive the imprimatur of the president must have undergone a rigorous process of vetting before being submitted to the National Assembly and becoming a public document. It was bad enough that the president had to retrieve the first submission with the assurance that necessary corrections had been effected. It would seem that even at the point of the retrieval, there was nothing concrete done as to checking and vetting the document. This does not convey the right impression about the workings of the Presidency. Given that the reworked budget still contained the scandalous provision of daily routine maintenance of Aso Rock Villa to the tune of N10.72 milion, a daily allocation of N1.6 million for electrical fittings, the bewildering provision of 18 different prices for the same item, and the disowning of many of the items by relevant ministries and agencies, it is high time the government accepted that there is no credible budget document yet. There is no way it could do business with this highly flawed document. It is therefore fit and proper to withdraw the document and apologize to Nigerians as a signal that it has learnt the right lessons and is ready to put in place the necessary structure for the effective delivery of a new, worthwhile budget document. The government has badly damaged its own standing by the way its budget document has turned out, but it would inflict further damage on itself if it pretends that all is well. The path of honour is to accept the depth of the mistake by withdrawing the present budget document and working to present another one that would hopefully meet Nigerians’ expectation of integrity and functionality and thus help to restore the credibility of the government.

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opinion

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Lasisi Olagunju

Lasgunju@yahoo.com (08111813053)

T is a most unusual scene; one you would not expect to see in an arena of death. Two boys sitting under a tree in a war zone taking a lesson from a soldier. Another soldier sitting at ease, like a co-pilot waiting to step in or chip in suggestions. Around them, apart from that stubborn tree, is a vast waste land, an eerie metaphor for what life has become for all in that part of Nigeria. “Abubakar Goni and his little brother, Mustapha, come here daily in search of food; they get lessons as well. Interestingly, they both can now identify all twenty six (26) letters of the English language. I am thrilled at the pace of their improvement and can bet with the trigger of my weapon, if I am still here and the bullet does not take me, they ’ll be reading newspapers in no distant time,” the soldier, Cheer Agba, wrote on top of that photo on his Facebook wall. And on that wall is quite an impressive array of positive comments from ordinary Nigerians, quick, as always, to react to good and bad conducts. One of them noted quite very correctly that this soldier has quietly shown us the way to defeat Boko Haram. It was good news coming at a time no one is sure of anything anymore. The naira continues its free fall; prices spiral out of control; blackout and heat take over nights; fuel queues resurface; jobs threatened as employers weep for forex to import raw materials. This is indeed great news from the very unlikely corner of a country of war and want. That soldier’s story is about one of the very few cheery narratives coming from the war-scorched landscape of North Eastern Nigeria. A soldier teaching boys how to discover the road to a future free of all fears, including that of Boko Haram. It is also a rare positive story you read about our army. Real soldiers combine courage with compassion, vision with humility. I do not believe great soldiers are rare to come by in the Nigerian Army. I believe there are many Agbas hidden in that conservative enclave. Why are they not to be seen when doing good like Agba has done here? We read about individual sol-

Soldier Agba and the Boko Halal brothers

diers’ conducts only when they are to be sanctioned for one infraction or the other. How many of us are aware of this Agba story? How many are not aware of stories of soldiers who beat motorists on Lagos streets? Like that cadet slapping and kicking a young man for complimenting her beauty. Should it be just like that? Nigerians are great, good people. When they are faced with adversity, Nigerians, especially the poor, know how they look out for one another. Adversity brings out the best and the worst in people. Even as you daily take cover from deadly enemy fire, great soldiers look out for what good to do and who to save among the vulnerable. The soldier sees himself in the victim of war begging for water, for food, for life. Between Agba and the Goni brothers, there is that unbroken cord of commonality of fate. They are even commoners which explains why what the soldier writes on is a makeshift board nailed to a tree trunk; that link also shows in the unseen concrete blocks which those boys used as seats under the comforting shade of a desert-resistant tree. Agba, from his Facebook profile, is from one corner of the North Central, hundreds of kilometers to that swath of Bokoland soaked in blood of haram. But because there is no breaking the Nigerian cord, that soldier, with his colleague on standby, is teaching and feeding boys who are far down the steps of hope,

giving them believable reasons to want to live far away from the world of suicide fighters. The opposite of good is bad. The opposite of Haram is Halal. And one is stronger than the other. You use love to conquer hate. But doing good, in war and in peace, is a risk. You never really know who to trust. You could get hit trying to drag a wounded colleague off the reach of enemy bullets. You could die while the person you are trying to help could live. This soldier and his colleague could get sold to the enemy if those Goni brothers are not genuine. They could even be the enemy, wired to strike and kill. But doing good is a risk. It is also an investment. The soldier says the Goni boys come for food and lessons. The first time they showed up, he had options. He could kill them that first time they strolled in. He could simply send them away. He could give them just the food and stop. But he chose to sow in their future, giving them what the state hasn’t been able to offer. How many of us remember the food we ate this time last year? Who among us is so absent-minded as to forget those poor, great teachers who moulded us into whatever we are today? In real war situations and in war movies, you see great deeds, you see despicable acts of wickedness. You see soldiers who know why they are fighting and are convinced of the genuineness of their cause. You see engaging courage just as you see disgraceful cowardice. Where courage and sound judgement are seen, they should be recognised and commended. The narrative shouldn’t just be about who ran away from Boko Haram and is being court martialled. It should include commendable chapters on who stayed, fought and vanquished the enemy using all weapons, including the weapons of love and knowledge this Agba is deploying. In this perilous time that war has become a continuum with peace as mere interludes, what this soldier’s gesture has taught us is that we can make the world safer if we give knowledge to the needy and in right measure.

Looking past the value of the naira By Chuba Ezekwesili THE lack of adequate understanding of exchange rates in developing countries explains a major portion of the ambiguity that envelopes the argument on whether to devalue or not. Some believe devaluation is a panacea, while others believe it to be a terrible move that significantly worsens economies. In the context of Nigeria’s current situation, neither of those arguments apply. Devaluation is simply one step in many, towards fixing this nation’s economy. Nigeria is focused on the wrong metric. Every day, we hear more about the price of dollar to naira than we do about the nation’s economic growth rate, which has fallen from an average of 5% two years ago to 3% presently. The value of the naira is hardly the end game – economic productivity is. The nation’s economic growth is key to resolving the issue of exchange rates or any potential inflationary spikes. If we are to focus on growth, here are a few things we must begin to do. Devalue the naira As unpopular as this has sounded for months now, Nigeria needs to devalue the naira. We should start with closing the gap between the official and parallel market rates. Rather than this pegged currency regime, a managed currency regime will suffice for now. No, this will not mean “murdering the naira”. The naira has already fallen in true value and because we wish the naira was still N197 to a dollar does not mean that it is. If the majority of people are trading at N305, it means they’re willing to trade a higher amount of naira for the same amount of dollar than before. If the banks already charge you at N305, then the naira’s already depreciated i.e. lost some value. Same effect when a retailer adjusts his price because he’s taken his dollar to naira cost at N305. So any advantage to keeping it at N197 is tenuous at best. Devaluation reduces the pressure on the naira, provides the government with a degree of policy flexibility, reduces the arbitrage in the forex market and actually supplies more naira for the government to fund necessary infrastructural upgrades. Here’s what happens when we decide to stick to our current strategy – the nation bleeds slowly and painfully. According to the latest Capital Importation

report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s foreign inflow fell to $9.64 billion, down 53.5 percent from $20.75 billion in 2014. With our current policies in place and a general sense of policy uncertainty, investors are clearly avoiding Nigeria. Theoretically, capital import loss should abate once such capital restrictions are eliminated as foreign investors find confidence in a country’s economic policies and reassurance in a country’s ability to move their investments without interference. The immediate reality might be different, as devaluation does not guarantee that fickle portfolio investors return to Nigeria. However, it prepares the right environment for growth as Nigeria is forced to look into policies that indeed spur growth and make the country attractive to both direct and portfolio investment. Relax import restrictions The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) must reconsider the 41 items made invalid for purchase of foreign exchange from the interbank foreign exchange market, from Bureaux de Change and even export proceeds. The CBN claims its policies have saved us precious dollars, spurred local content creation, encouraged consumption of domestic products and created jobs. However, empirical evidence in the reality and the numbers appear a tad different from these intentions. As observed by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the restricted items include those that are critical elements of the manufacturing process of many firms across sectors in Nigeria. Consequently, a number of manufacturing companies in Nigeria cannot source critical items and have had to scale down operations or shut down. The numbers from the NBS’s GDP Growth Report in 2015 Q3 corroborates this downturn – Nigeria’s manufacturing sector has now seen two consecutive quarters of contraction, making it an official recession. If the present administration is truly focused on job creation, it must see that such polices only have a negative net effect. They must then develop more direct methods of encouraging the production of local content. Provide incentives, not platitudes A government adamant on the private sector switching from foreign to local inputs must provide the right incen-

tives. Most of such inputs require a chain of processes that are costly or impossible to replicate in Nigeria, given existing infrastructural deficiencies. A determined government must look into policy and legislative changes that can be enacted in the short run to ameliorate the difficulties of finding substitutes and doing business in Nigeria. The government can incentivise non-oil commodities exporters by facilitating the ease of exports at the port and giving tariff/tax cuts. Devaluation already provides the advantage of cheaper products for exporters; the government simply has to provide the enabling environment. The medium to short term solution to economic growth requires the Nigerian government to prioritise capital expenditure as detailed in the 2016 budget and work towards raising the level of capital implementation from the yearly average of 40% to 80%. Long-term finance through government spending, public-private partnerships, broadening of the tax base and judicious investment of a portion of pension funds are necessary to close the infrastructure gap. None of these will be a walk in the park, but the government needs to place its priorities in enablers of growth. The private sector also has its role to play and will need to work with the government to bridge the nation’s infrastructure deficit. Government clearly does not have enough to fix this deficit, so private sector investment is crucial. However, the government will have to give the private sector good reasons to invest by reducing risk through stronger legislative guarantees. Also important, investment from the private sector will need to come from – predictably – foreign investors. However, if we’re closing off the economy to ‘save’ the naira, the chances of such investment remains tenuous. The economic realities that surround us demand that we make painful, but economically sound decisions. The hard work begins with the realisation that the naira is, indeed, weak and misaligned in value. Our current path might keep the naira at N197 for a minority of the population, but it certainly won’t provide the right environment needed for inclusive growth. The nation certainly stands a better chance if it tries to help the naira by focusing on growth strategies rather than artificially propping it up. •Ezekwesili is a research analyst with a focus on the science and technology sector.

Monday, 22 February, 2016

tribune

business

Nigerian Tribune

Group Business Editor Sulaimon Olanrewaju

m:08055001708 e:lanresulaimon@yahoo.com t:@lanresulaimon

Despite mass protests, Senate’s intervention, electricity tariff still hiked

The Senate’s directive to the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the electricity distribution companies (discos) to suspend the implementation of the new electricity tariff has not elicited much joy in Nigerians because of the insistence of NERC that the Senate lacks the power to enforce a reversal of the hike. DOYIN ADEOYE reports.

HEN the power sector was privatised, many Nigerians thought things would get better. But the much touted privatisation has brought little or no improvement to the sector. However, in spite of the worsening electricity supply situation, Nigerians are now to pay more as the NERC, in cahoots with the electricity distribution companies, has sanctioned a hike in tariffs, a development that has been greeted by a lot of criticisms. Although Nigeria was able to hit a 5, 074 megawatts (MW) mark for the first time in decades recently, as against the 4883.9MW peak generation achieved on 23 November, 2015, this has not resulted in an improvement in electricity supply in the country. In a statement released on Tuesday, 2 February by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the company announced the attainment of a record peak generation of 5074.7MW as well as the highest maximum daily energy of 109,372 megawatts hour (MWH) which was transmitted to the 11 electricity distribution companies in the country. The TCN’s Deputy General Manager, Public Affairs, Clement Ezeolisah, noted that “the new peak generation of 5,074.7MW was attained at 9.30p.m. on 2 February, 2016. While the previous peak generation

was 4883.9MW achieved on 23 November, 2015, the previous highest maximum daily energy wheeled nationwide was 107,142.32MWH recorded on 26 January, 2016.” So when will electricity distribution witness an upgrade? Why do the consumers have to pay more? Can Nigeria ever have uninterrupted power supply? When will the irregularities in the power sector be addressed? These, among many other ques-

When the power sector was privatised, many considered the step as the best decision ever to be taken in the sector. But the nonimprovement in electricity supply has created a doubt in the minds of many over the propriety of the privatisation exercise.

tions, have been raised by many Nigerians, especially since the new tariff took effect on 2 February, because there is no guarantee that the increased tariff would bring about any improvement in the supply. Privatisation and the desired improvement When the power sector was privatised, many considered the step as the best decision ever to be taken in the sector. But the non-improvement in electricity supply has created a doubt in the minds of many over the propriety of the privatisation exercise. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) as an independent regulatory body with authority for the regulation of the electric power industry in Nigeria was formed in 2005. The Power Sector Reform Act, 2005, therefore, empowers NERC to regulate tariff for transmission, generation, distribution and system operation. In so doing, NERC is to “ensure that the prices charged by licensees are fair to consumers and are sufficient to allow the licensees to finance their activities and to allow for reasonable earnings for efficient operation.” With that in mind, one may then ask who NERC is fair to? Those who need money to sufficiently run their companies, or the millions of Nigerians who have no choice but to patronise these electricity distribution com-

panies? Many believe that the privatisation has given these private owners a platform to exploit Nigerians. Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Mr John Folorunso, a banker, said “It is sad that these companies just stress Nigerians unnecessarily. One time, it was the issue of fixed charges and now we have to battle with that of increased tariff. Personally, I believe that they are taking us for granted. They come up with one policy or the other and give a reason to justify it, and we have no choice but to play along with it. “And I do not blame them, they are private companies; they want to maximise their profit and Nigerians, unfortunately are at the receiving end of their business tactics. I cannot even guarantee that they have fared better than the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA),” Folorunso opined. For businessman, Mr Deyomi Adegoke, the privatisation was a step in the right direction. “The privatisation really paid off, especially with the introduction of the prepaid metres, where you only pay for what you use. It has also been able to address the issue of officials tampering with metres and other forms of exploitation. But despite that, there is still a lot of room for improvement,” he opined. Continues on pg22

tribunebusiness

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Electricity tariff: Paying more for darkness? Continued from pg21

Masses, labour react to 45% tariff increase Considering the current economic situation, for many Nigerians, the increase is untimely. Speaking with Nigerian Tribune, National Coordinator, Electricity Consumer Right Enlightenment Organisation of Nigeria (ECRON), Comrade Sikiru Arowolo Adesanya, said that the high tariff had come at a very wrong time. “This is a time when the service is not regular; a time when the metering system is still not proper, so we don’t expect increase in electricity tariff for now. What we expect for now is increase in electricity supply and proper metering. If every consumer is properly metered, the issue of overestimation every now and then will be stopped. If after that, the distribution companies now come up with increased tariff, that will be reasonable and justifiable,” he said. A teacher, Mrs Toriola Obalobi, said that perhaps if electricity supply had been stable, people wouldn’t have any reason to complain. “How can you ask me to pay more for something I don’t even have to start with? Sometimes, there will be no light for days and you expect me to pay more. For what? I believe people won’t have any reason to complain if the electricity supply is constant. But with the situation on ground, asking people to pay for a service you are not providing is fraud,” she said. Another consumer, who simply identified himself as Onoriode JJ, said that the situation in his area is as good as having the cables cut off the poles. “How can they talk about increment when consumers are not satisfied with their services? Of what use is the three hours electricity supply brought in the middle of the night. And they expect that to be what we are entitled to in 24 hours? Let them come and remove the wires, in fact, they can come and remove the poles and increase their tariff,” he lamented. Even with the Senate’s intervention, this may not have any effect as the National Assembly has empowered NERC to control tariff with a binding Act to that effect. In a recent interview with the Nigerian Tribune, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, noted that the union will not relent in ensuring that the masses’ voice is heard as regards this issue. And this was proved in a recent organised nationwide protest by the NLC and its affiliate members, to show their grievances on the increment. “Why must they do the bidding of very few capitalists that have invested in the power sector privatisation exercise, than looking at the larger interest of the Nigerian society who are being impoverished on daily basis? The fact is very clear, there is no light and you want people to pay for darkness. About 60 per cent of Nigerians are still being billed on estimated billing system which is unfair and unjust,” Wabba said. In a statement signed by the president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and its Secretary-General, Mr Musa Lawal, the union also made it known that the last was yet to be heard on the fight for the reversal of the increment. “Any Act that preys on the masses that it is supposed to protect negates public policy. Any Act that compels the citizens to pay for services not delivered is flawed. Any Act that further impoverishes the downtrodden and lowly is evil and should be discountenanced. We lend our voice again to advo-

cate the need for the minister and NERC to stop trying to enforce the obnoxious Act,” TUC said. Justifying the increment The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, prior to the time the increment was effected, had appealed to Nigerians to bear the pains, adding that it was a bitter pill Nigerians should try to swallow for the country’s interest and growth. “By far the most complex challenge is the problem of tariff. It is complex because it is more in the hands of citizens than in the hands of government. The tariff is the price of producing power. It covers cost of generation, gas purchase, transportation, transformers, staff costs and so on, disaggregated and charged per kilowatt/hour to make the business of power profitable. “What government did was to spread it over a number of years so that the impact is not felt at once but over a periodic incremental process. I know that it has been a contentious matter, but I make this fervent appeal to consumers to give us the benefit of doubt, to forbear and accept it,” he said. In an interview with Nigerian Tribune, Head, Customer Service, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Plc, Mrs Temi Dawodu, noted that the increment was necessary, especially with the state of the distribution companies. “The increase in tariff was influenced by the fact that a lot of Discos were not making any money to maintain their infrastructure or even improve on the current infrastructure. What was inherited form the defunct PHCN was not enough to sustain us in the long run. So we must put in more to get better and provide for our customers the kind of supply that they need. So in order for that to happen, the increase in tariff came so that the Discos can have enough money to put into the service,” she said. Reacting to the decline in electricity supply, she said, “We all know that generation has dropped in the last few weeks. And hence, the reason majority of our customers are not getting as much supply as they used to get in the past. But we are doing all we can to ensure that the little bit of energy that we are getting is evenly distributed to our customers.”

The Executive Director, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Mr Sunday Oduntan, in a newspaper interview, argued that reverting to the old tariff regime was capable of shutting down the power industry completely in the future. “There is a value chain in this business and the tariff is not just for the Discos. This increment in tariff is for the generation companies and the gas suppliers. The gas suppliers are not part of the power sector, but they will not supply gas to our power stations if we don’t pay them. So, we’ve been talking about appropriate pricing of this product, and now somebody is playing politics with electricity. “It is unacceptable and this has a lot of consequences. The first major consequence is darkness. If there’s no way we can sustain the industry, it will collapse. As it is now, I don’t know who the Senate is working for. If they are working for the Nigerian people, they will not be coming up with things that will have adverse consequences on Nigerians. We are not rich; we are not making profits; we are not smiling to the banks. We view their position with a very strong sense of pity for Nigerians who will bear the consequence,” he said. Senate and its suspension A source at the Ibadan NERC told the Nigerian Tribune that it is yet to receive any

It is not wise for the Senate to instruct NERC to stop the tariff. It will create serious regulatory risks across the market value chain. People will begin to look at it and say there is no independence of the industry regulator.

official communication from the National Assembly to stop the implementation of the revised tariffs. However, a post by the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki on his Facebook wall on Tuesday, 16 February, stated that “Today, the 8th Senate directed the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to immediately suspend the February 1st, 2016 tariff hikes, which are estimated to be upwards of 40 per cent. “This move is necessary because any increase in cost, without the necessary improvement in service delivery by the power companies is unacceptable. “Furthermore, the power distribution companies must work to ensure that every establishment in Nigeria is provided with capabilities for metered billing. Doing this would end the sharp practice of arbitrary billing, which estimates the power consumption of Nigerians in the generation of their monthly bills,” he said. In another reaction, the immediate past chairman of NERC, Mr Sam Amadi, in an interview, described the directive by Senate as illegal, unconstitutional and a direct encroachment on executive independence. Mr Amadi, noted that the Senate lacked the constitutional right to give such a directive. “It is not wise for the Senate to instruct NERC to stop the tariff. It will create serious regulatory risks across the market value chain. People will begin to look at it and say there is no independence of the industry regulator. “The National Assembly knows how tariffs are arrived at. They follow a process. If the National Assembly is truly objective, they could have invited NERC to come and give evidence that they followed the law and process they made. If they think the laws were not followed or good enough they have a right to streamline the law or make new regulations. “The order by the Senate for NERC to rescind the tariff is a direct infringement on the independence of the executive to initiate policies, in this case through NERC. It is a subtle derogation of the powers of the executive. It offends the concept of separation of power. The legislature should not interfere and direct executive action. That is clearly against the law. It is unconstitutional,” he said.

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Skye Bank supports African women entrepreneurship programme Chima Nwokoji - Lagos SKYE Bank Plc has lent its support to the African Women Entrepreneurship Programme (AWEP) in its bid to assist female entrepreneurs succeed in business through access to business opportunities and funding.

The bank provided mentoring and educational support to female entrepreneurs during the recent inaugural meeting of the south west African Women Entrepreneurship Program which attracted women entrepreneurs from Lagos, Abuja, Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti states.

According to a statement issued by the bank, the meeting which took place in Lagos, focused on disseminating valuable information on the opportunities that women can leverage on to grow their business throughout the entrepreneurial journey, from start-up to established organizations with exportable

products. The statement said that the bank enlightened the women on the Skye Pearl Initiative which they could leverage to develop their financial expertise and access credit. The Skye Pearl Initiative introduced by Skye Bank is an empowerment programme for women in business.

INSIDE

Why mortality rate of startups is high â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Fasuyi

entrepreneurship with Ruth Olurounbi

m:0811 695 4637 e:ruth.olurounbi@tribuneonlineng.com t:@Olurounbi

Learning from

Stanley Ekeh, billionaire IT entrepreneur By Ruth Olurounbi

s the Chairman, Zinox Technologies, who with Task Systems Limited, his first company, computerised 95 per cent of the Print Media, Publishing Houses and Advertising Agencies in Nigeria, Leonard Stanley Ekeh celebrates his 60th birthday today, Entrepreneurship+ puts together a few things young entrepreneurs can learn from the man who pioneered IT solutions and distribution in West Africa through ITEC Solutions Limited and Technology Distributions Limited and TD, respectively, thus placing the country on ICT global map. Continues on pg24

I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Thomas A. Edison

Monday, 22 February, 2016

+ entrepreneurship

Ekeh: Achieving success against all odds

By Ruth Olurounbi

Continues from pg23

The self-made billionaire, who was, in his own admission, stated in an interview that he has “never inherited wealth”, has not only acquired so much wealth, but has impacted the country, as well as individuals with his wealth and riches. Some of these principles helped him. Self motivation Editi Effiong, founder Anakle once said: every entrepreneur or business person must have a motivation for starting a business. For Effiong, his motivation was acquiring a pair of sneakers/canvass. As silly as this may sound to some people, the key point here is motivation, self motivation, at that. Self motivation often time arises from a place of desire for something one does not have, followed by carefully crafted goals towards attaining that desire. From a man who never inherited wealth to becoming one of most celebrated Nigerian billionaires, it shows a great deal of self-motivation to pursue a dream, whatever it was he started with. Today, he is internationally acclaimed for his role in Nigeria’s ICT revolution. Big dreams Successful businessmen are not only highly self-motivated, they dream big also. Despite the fact that Ekeh has been in the fore front of Digital emancipation of Africans, he currently nurses the ambition to build the first and largest 360 degrees ICT conglomerate in Africa. Creating and taking opportunities Winston Churchill once said: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” While many people born in the same circumstance as Ekeh could have stayed stuck, lamenting their hardships and difficulties, he chose to rise above them, taking every opportunity he had to write his success story. Taking opportunities, which could be or mean being at the right place at the right time with the right set of talent and skills, is one of the hallmarks of success and so is creating and exploiting the prevailing opportunities around one. For instance, in the advent if technology, while may could have said it was difficult, if not impossible to computerise a percentage, not to mention 95 per cent of print media in Nigeria, Ekeh saw an opportunity, exploited and took it to serve his purpose — to revolutionise the print media industry in Nigeria, despite the fact that his parents and his university did not see a future in IT in Africa. Successful entrepreneurs/billionaires use their optimistic trait in conjunction with optimism to help them find business opportunity in every tough situation identify every unrecognised need, and they exploit such advantages. Dedication and perseverance In the words of Vince Lombardi, “the price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” Dedication and perseverance go hand in hand and they are the secret behind success. Many successful entrepreneurs are known for something, their dedication to shaping their own destiny. They do not wait for anyone’s permission to succeed, they are bent on making make their business success, with have clear, timebound goals. They do not only take a long and hard look at their environment in anticipation for their future success, they are in relentless pursuit of education - be it academic or otherwise. Perseverance on the other hand, is the reason for the perceived “overnight” success. It is the key component that prevents them from giving up on their dreams. Learning from mistakes “My biggest mistake in life was Assurance Bank and it was an emotional investment. I didn’t insist on structures, it was just out of pity,” Ekeh said in an interview. He has since learnt from that mistake, insisting on structures that have served him well since starting his business, moving foward.

Stanley Ekeh,

the self-made billionaire

ELF-MADE Men, Frederick Douglass’ famous 1895 lecture captures the whole essence of a person, be it male or female who, despite being poor, deprived of social position by birth or other favourable circumstance, yet achieves everything without or at the very least, little assistance. Self-made men (and women) according to Douglas, are those who “owe little or nothing to birth, relationship, friendly surroundings; to wealth inherited or to early approved means of education; who are what they are, without the aid of any of the favouring conditions by which other men usually rise in the world and achieve great results.” They are, according to him, “men of work. Whether or not such men have acquired material, moral or intellectual excellence, honest labour faithfully, steadily and persistently pursued, is the best, if not the only, explanation of their success.” Douglass was an American Negro who, against difficult and harshest conditions, rose to become a world known figure who played a critical role in the liberation of his people and ultimately, an end to slavery around the world. Like one of America’s Founding Fathers, Benjami Franklin, who creates the archetype of someone coming from low origins, who, against all odds, breaks out of his inherited social position, climbs up the social ladder and creates a new identity for himself (as Wikipedia puts it), Nigeria’s Leonard Stanley Nnamdi Ekeh, has not only successfully transform himself from a poor man who has “never inherited wealth” to one of the world’s celebrated billionaires. Across Africa, and the world in general, Ekeh is being celebrated for his numerous achievements, some of which include: pioneering Desktop Publishing and Computer Graphics in Nigeria in 1987 with his first company, Task Systems Ltd (we will come to the story of how the company started later); pioneering the deployment of digital dispensing pumps in Nigeria in partnership with Elf Petroleum and Schlumberger, France through his company Stanoil, launching the first ICT support Company in Nigeria, the ITEC Solutions Ltd and launching the First ICT Distribution Company in West Africa – Technology Distributions Ltd –Nigeria, Liberia and Ghana, etc. His accomplishments also include, but not limited to launching the first local and internationally certified computer brand in Sub-Saharan Africa – Zinox Technologies Group – Manufacturers of Zinox brand of Computers and mobile devices, etc; causing the biometric digital revolution in Nigeria with INEC voter’s registration in 2006 when foreign contractors could not deliver after months of promises. He again supervised the largest single ICT digital rollout in Africa with INEC in 2010 through his company Zinox Technologies that won the over N27b contract and deploying the largest single e-Library and Wireless cloud rollout in Africa, through his company Zinox Technologies. Ekeh, insisting on the digital emancipation of the African people, persuaded big tech companies like Apple Computers, Hewlett Packard, Compaq, Microsoft and Lenovo, among others, to come do business in Nigeria. He also served the Federal government in several strategic Presidential Committees including the most strategic seven-man Committee under President Obasanjo administration – “The Nigeria Thinkers.” This was the strategy and tact committee headed by the President that visualized the Nigeria global road map and possible dominance in select sectors in Africa and the world. Armed with B.Sc. Economics (Hons) Punjab University, PGD Risk Management – Nottingham City University, London, Ekeh abandoned his Masters’ Degree in Business Law after eight months at what is known today as London Metropolitan University to use his school fees to launch his first Company Task Systems Ltd. with which he caused digital revolution in Nigeria.

Why mortality rate of startups is high — Fasuyi Fara Fasuyi, a certified management consultant, holds a masters degree in International Business and Corporate Governance from the University of Dundee and another masters in Applied Management from the University of Bradford School of Management. The Covenant University Economics graduate is currently Head, School of Enterprise, Ibadan Business School. In this interview with SULAIMON OLANREWAJU, she speaks on challenges of startups and why graduate unemployment is on the rise. WHAT do you do at the School of Enterprise? Our overall focus in the School of Enterprise is to help organisations and entrepreneurs start, grow and thrive. We help entrepreneurs articulate their ideas and develop a feasibility plan and we provide entrepreneurial support services to them. We also provide them the required entrepreneurial education. Then there are practising entrepreneurs who want to expand their skills, who want to do better, who are wondering why person B is performing better than they are, so we have programmes that help support and grow them in that area and we provide necessary training for them as well. There is another category of entrepreneurs, the high impact entrepreneurs; those who have gone past innovation and job creation phases but are at the wealth creation stage. This category of entrepreneurs needs high networth individuals that can invest in their businesses; they need access to finance. We also help in this regard. That is why we say we help entrepreneurs to start, grow and thrive. How do you see the various youth empowerment programmes in the country? What we tell people during our employment basic skills training programme is; there are jobs out there, either through creation or through being an entrepreneur. Let’s start with the issue of youth empowerment which is what the government is trying to do. As of October last year, NBS (Nigeria Bureau of Statistics) said that we had about 76.5million unemployed individuals and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) says 13 per cent of these people are between age 13 and 20. That means we have a large population of unemployed youths who are supposed to be contributing their early years towards productivity and growth of the country. So, as I stated earlier, there are jobs but the issue is individuals are unemployed. The government, the individuals, our universities and even our successful entrepreneurs have a role to play in this situation. Let’s start with the definition of entrepreneurship. What is entrepreneurship? In layman’s term, it’s starting a business. That is the problem, we believe we are training individuals to start businesses but what type of businesses are they starting? According to the NBS, 97 per cent of the businesses in Nigeria are micro which means that they employ a maximum of five individuals. Our challenge is that we have been looking at raising macro and micro entrepreneurs with limited capacity for employment creation. I think

might be outrageous, especially for fresh graduates but the question is what do you do in your summers? Do you sit down at home or do you look for a startup to join so as to be able to learn and to contribute required skills to the organisation? Though you are not being paid, you are gaining a lot of things; you are adding value which will in turn make you employable after school. You can even decide to go to established organisations to learn more.

we should focus more on high impact entrepreneurs. High impact entrepreneurs, according to the World Economic Forum, can be defined in certain perspectives; they are innovative, they create employment opportunities and make societal impacts. Their influence is not just within the confines of their streets or their families. So, when our government says they are focusing on entrepreneurial development, they are focusing on the minimal, not those who can make maximum impact. For instance, if the government provides N500,000 to someone to start a business, what machinery could N500,000 buy? For you to setup a high impact business which we can say is contributing successfully to job creation, it is not going to be the N500,000 that you are giving out. For instance in the US, they have Social Business Innovators Group whereby what they do is they have $500b allocated yearly just to the development of high impact entrepreneurs. So, these people are the ones that contribute to job creation. For example, Apple’s income is more than US GDP but do we have such instances in Nigeria and are we working towards developing such in Nigeria? In my own opinion, I will say no. We are told that 1.8 million graduates are produced every year and if the sole focus is raising micro and small enterprises, micro enterprises majorly, I do not know how graduates will get work to do. Instead of trying to play to the gallery by giving out pittance to people in the name of youth empowerment, what the government should do is give substantial amounts, say N10 million, to individuals and let them know that they have to pay it back within a stipulated

time. For instance, the government can say “we are giving you this N10 million to achieve A, B and C within six months, if you don’t, we’ll collect our money from you. Government has to make those who collect money for entrepreneurial purposes accountable for the money collected. In our universities when was the last time that they reviewed academic programmes? It is the same Economics programme that my father went through at the University of Ibadan as an undergraduate over 30 years ago that is still being taught to students now. Are we saying the world is stagnant or there is no newness? Are we saying the knowledge of 30 years is still the same knowledge that is relevant now? We talk about innovation and we tend to leave our education system out of it which is one of the reasons our youths are unemployable. The truth is we are not giving them the right skills required for them to get in tune with the current reality of the job market. As the owner of an enterprise, you engage individuals who are able to help you compete favourably in the market place and your competitors are not just in Nigeria because the world is a global village. On the part of the individual, the attitude is very important. There is only a little the universities can do, if they revise the syllabus, if they provide required knowledge and all of that, your attitude to the job is also very important. Some people are just clock watchers, no entrepreneur wants these. Employers want those that are accountable and are adding value to the organisation. When an organisation advertises and says they need people with five years experience, five years

Why is the mortality rate of startups high? You will be surprised to know that the major issue here is not finance but infrastructure, especially electricity. Something as simple as electricity affects the performance of an organisation. For instance, there’s no internet service provider that can survive without electricity. There are enterprises that need electricity to operate but since there is no electricity, they have to buy generator and employ somebody to man the generator, that is apart from the cost of buying diesel. By the time all of these are factored into their cost of production, sometimes the cost is doubled. When the cost of production is too high, chances of survival become very slim. Another issue is the type of individuals that are employed. We do not have value-creating individuals in many startups. The cost of attracting value-creating individuals is very high because they want huge salaries and bonuses which small enterprises cannot afford which is why I said; if we take internship seriously, it will help our startups. I know of an organization, TOMS, it’s a shoe brand, which started by just recycling interns until it was buoyant enough to start employing full staff. You don’t have such in Nigeria. What’s your counsel for youths? To youths and graduates out there, no one else has the responsibility for developing you; you should take it as your priority to develop yourself. When you make it a priority to develop yourself, you defy the odds. Even if our government does not provide the enabling environment, the world is a global village now, we have the best schools of the world online now, instead of spending so much time on social media, convert that internet access into a business platform. MIT and Harvard have come together to offer free programmes on an online platform, so what is your excuse? The world being a global village does not mean going to see what a celebrity in the US is doing via social media; it means you have the capability to catch up with opportunities anywhere in the world; you have the ability to connect with people anywhere in the world.

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

corporatefocus

Members of the P&G Nigeria and the University of Ibadan (UI) during the spares donation to the insitution by the company

Peter Orji, Ibadan Plant Manager for P&G Nigeria

Some of the 500 Ibadan motorists who P&G Nigeria donated reflective jackets to, along with members of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)

Non-energy sector: Spotlighting P&G’s impacts on Nigeria’s economy By Ruth Olurounbi

OR more than 20 years, Procter & Gamble Nigeria has immensely contributed to the economic, as well as social development and growth of the country, so much so that it has invested billions of naira in capital including, including manufacturing plants in Ibadan, Oyo State and Agbara, Ogun state. For instance, the state-of-the-art investment in Agbara is the biggest US non -oil investment in Nigeria currently; with the company’s operations generating over 5,000 direct and indirect jobs. Nigerian Tribune’s investigations shows that P&G Nigeria’s consolidated investments in the country places it as a major production and export hub for the region, contributing to the diversification of the Nigerian economy in the non-energy sector, as the company creates thousands of new direct and indirect jobs serving hundreds of SME’s with its suppliers and distributors, almost every day. Globally, the brand prides itself as organisation dedicated to “providing everyday basics that help create the experience of home and improve everyday health and confidence for people in need,” while making the “biggest positive impact” on the communities it has operations in, in an attempt to impact the world. On the company’s global website, it was stated that it has, for more than 175 years, it has been in the business of “doing the right thing has been at the core of our purpose, values and principles. That includes

investing in the communities in which we live, work and serve.” This, therefore, may not come as a surprise to industry watchers, especially the sustainability experts that P&G Nigeria, “as a good corporate citizen,” has a long history of giving back, through programs that “help to make everyday life better for people in Nigeria.” The Always School Program, for instance, has, since the 2009 inception, accompanied and empowered young girls through better understanding of their bodies and the complex, transformative time of puberty. The programme reaches up to one million girls annually and has also provided education grants for over 300 Nigerian girls. The company’s representative, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune in the course of writing this article, said: “Our Always/ UNESCO program is empowering over 70,000 Nigerian girls and women with ba-

P&G is committed to providing every day basics that help create the experience of home and improve health and confidence for the people. We continue to drive this through our numerous social investments.

sic literacy and skills development through the use of ICTs.” It will be recalled that in 2014, the company entered into a strategic partnership with the University of Ibadan (UI) with the aim to enhance the technological skills of students of the institution. The partnership, it was said, would go a long way in helping the institution build the next generation of engineers who are wellequipped with quality academic training as well as hands-on industrial experience which are essential requisites for professional excellence in the engineering field. Some Nigerian mothers, who have been touched by the company’s Pampers hospital programme, said they could not quantify the company’s “generous support” in their various journeys to motherhood. The programme, since it launched in 2009, has reach over 1.5 million Nigerian mothers and their babies annually with baby care, hygiene education and basic health checks across the country; provided by our registered doctors and health personnel. In 2014, the Ibadan Plant donated more than one million pampers to hospitals and orphanage homes in the city. Speaking on the company’s CSR initiatives, the Ibadan Plant Manager for Procter &Gamble Nigeria, Peter Orji, said: “P&G is committed to providing everyday basics that help create the experience of home and improve everyday health and confidence for people in need. We continue to drive this through our numerous social investments.”

One of these social investments is the P&G/STC School Health and Hygiene Program which, in partnership with Save the Children International, is improving the health and hygiene status of over 30,000 school children and community members directly and indirectly through the provision of water, sanitary and hygiene systems; low cost hand washing facilities and the construction and distribution of safe drinking water stations in 10 project schools in Lagos State. The company boasted that “in light of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa and its entry and short-lived stay in Nigeria, P&G’s donation of Safeguard soap and the distribution of hand washing stations were very timely and relevant. Training for teachers on how to take preventive measures against Ebola by ensuring basic hygiene practices in their schools was reassuring to teachers and highlighted P&Gs support to the schools.” Some of the company’s activities, which include Safe Water for Nigerian Children and Mobile Dental Clinic, have all served to impact the country’s economy in one way or the other. In light of the United Nations’ projection that two-thirds of the world’s population living in water-stressed countries by 2025 would experience water shortages, as a total of 748 million people still do not have access to an improved drinking water source, P&G Nigeria has, in partnership with a non-profit organisation, Society for Family Health, provided over 30 million litres of safe drinking water, investigations revealed. “P&G is also supporting the efforts of the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) in providing improved water, sanitation and hygiene education to 30 schools in Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers States. The program is expected to reach over 30,000 students and teachers directly and 120,000 community members indirectly,” the company said. According to the plant manager, P&G aims to provide hundreds of millions of litres of safe drinking water in Nigeria by 2020. Through its mobile dental clinic, the company says it reaches over 1.2 million Nigerians are reached annually, while its detailing programme has reached and educated over 2000 dentists since its introduction in 2011. P&G has also clocked some social footprints in Ibadan and they include: donation to orphanages, an employee engagement programme aimed at donating to the Total Parental Guidance Orphanage; donation of reflective jacket to over 500 motorcyclists in Ibadan; donation of spares made to University of Ibadan worth millions of naira and donation of furniture items to Oluyole Community Grammar School. The company, which has received several awards such as African Brand Leadership Awards, Social Enterprise Report and Awards (SERA) Awards, Employer of Choice Awards, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), CSR IN Action Corporate Citizenship Award, CSR Nigeria Awards and BusinessDay Awards – ranked among the top 10 most respected companies in Nigeria in 2015, among others, for its innovative work in the area of CSR and corporate citizenship, said it will continue to impact on Nigeria’s economy through future investments.

tribunebusiness

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Why we declared March 1 as a no banking day — Sola Salako

Nigerian Tribune

Sola Salako is the Chief Executive Officer of the consumer rights advocacy group, Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON). In this interview with AKIN ADEWAKUN, the consumer rights activist shares her feelings on the low level of consumerism in the country and why her organisation, in collaboration with others, has decided to call Nigerians out of the banking halls on March 1, this year.

HY this interest in consumer advocacy in a society that seems ‘averse’ to consumerism? By my nature, I’m somebody who does not like injustice. I don’t like people cheating others just because they can cheat them, just because they are vulnerable. And you can see that very much around here. People are very selfcentred and self-focused. They think of what they get, without minding how that affects the other man. One of the challenges we have in the country is that we don’t think of the impact of our own action on somebody else. But I wouldn’t condone that. My right ends where yours begins. So we have to learn how to respect each other’s rights, how to live in a just society. I don’t like to be cheated and I don’t like to be there when somebody cheats somebody else. So being a media person I will speak up and enlighten you on your rights to enable you defend yourself. Few days ago, you declared a ‘bank fast’, a no banking day. A lot of people are still confused about this campaign, can you throw more light on this? No banking day is a consumer protest against excessive bank charges which a lot of people are experiencing and they are complaining about. The idea of a no banking day came from another consumer. I was trying to educate Nigerians on the new account maintenance fee that CBN just introduced, that was supposed to be negotiable, but the banks were not telling them that it was negotiable. So I put out a post on social media to say this money is negotiable. You can go to your bank and say I don’t want to pay, then the bank will negotiate with you. It’s not by fiat, it’s not by force. It’s not mandatory. So consumers were complaining and one of them said, look, we need to have a no banking day. Just to show them that we are angry. And I saw it as a fantastic idea, and that’s how we picked it. So it actually came from a consumer, but we have the platform to galvanise all the consumers to achieve such a goal, that’s why we picked it up and we have been pushing it. The essence of a no banking day is to passively protest by avoiding that service provider for one day. All of us have reasons to go and do banking everyday. But what we are saying is that let’s just pick one day to say we are not coming to your doors because we are not happy with the

way you have been charging us. It is a platform to give consumers the opportunity to express their displeasure with these service providers by avoiding them for one day. Now you don’t go to bank everyday, you don’t do banking transaction everyday. You go only when you need it. So what we are saying is: ‘let’s all pick one day, consciously, because if I don’t go today and somebody else goes, the banks will not feel it. But if all of us decide to boycott the services for one day, the banks feel the impact of that loss of income. We want to jolt them to say these people are not happy, how do we make them happy. That is how we can achieve that change we intend to achieve. Grumbling on the social media, calling in on radio and complaining to your friends is good, but it doesn’t achieve any change and the service providers have noticed that Nigerians have a habit of just grumbling and not doing anything about it. We need to get to a point where when things are not the way we want it, we need to put the pressure enough to change it.

Every time I do an online transaction, you charge me N105, and at the end of the year, you charge me another N100 as Card maintenance fee, now tell me how did you maintain that card for that one year. When did you explain it to me? The consumer doesn’t have an input, they just charge. This monthly account maintenance that they just introduced, one this introduction was without any notice. Just about the time that COT was going to ex-

While everybody is struggling to make ends meet, we want the economy also to be fair.

pire, CBN by itself had said COT was no longer sustainable as a means of income for the banking industry, so they phased it out. It would have ended January 31, this year. Just as it was about to end CBN came up with a directive and said that to stabilise the banking industry, you may charge a negotiable monthly account maintenance fee, not more to exceed N1 per N1,000. The flaw in that is that we were all waiting to get into a COT-free year, you truncated that less than a week to that happening. You don’t run a banking policy like that. You just scattered people’s plans. CBN gave the directive and the banks started charging. Whose interest is CBN protecting? The banks making money or the customers trying to make a living? Besides, CBN says the charges are negotiable, but the banks did not give the consumers any opportunity to negotiate. They just slammed us. Every one of them just went for the maximum allowed without it being agreeable to the consumers. Nobody checked with the consum-

ers. They just deduct money from our accounts just because they have access to it. If you don’t have access to my money, and I’m the one that is supposed to pay it to you, you will tell me what I’m paying you for. But they don’t need to, but they have access to it. It may look small, but when you put these charges together, you will know that they are much. So they sit down there and declare huge profits at the end of the year, while the rest of the economy is not going anywhere. In 2015, their profit after tax was N878 billion. Their asset base as at 2015 was N47 trillion. What productivity are the banks putting in this economy that they are generating such income? They are leeches, they suck up from me and you and say they are giving a service. The only service they provide for me and you is keeping our money save. Everything else we pay for. You request for a copy of your statement, they charge you per page. Don’t they owe me access to my statement if I want? If I put money in your care, you must be transparent to let me know what is happening to my money. You want to transfer money from your savings to your current, some banks will ask you to pay N210 for the form. So how am I supposed to access the money, if you are charging me for everything? You charge me for the card with which I access my money, you charge me for the cheque book with which I access my money, you charge me now for the form to do even a transfer and I will go to the ATM to go and withdraw, then you charge me again. Those charges don’t make sense. It doesn’t encourage financial inclusion. The charges are becoming excessive and the Nigerian consumers are saying no. Is this responsibility that your organisation is taking up now not an indictment on the regulatory bodies, statutorily mandated to protect the interests of the consumers? One thing you have to understand is that when it comes to consumer protection, government agencies alone can not do it. They have their responsibilities, yes, but they can’t do it alone. Globally, you find out that the people that actually make consumer protection effective, are usually non-governmental organisations, because government is caught in the web of this. They depend on people like us to raise awareness about consumer infractions or violations of consumer rights. GovContinues on pg28

tribunebusiness

Monday, 22 February, 2016

No banking day: ‘People are angry’ Continued from pg27

ernment can not know what is going on in practically every sector. But it is when we raise this kind of noise, for instance, that CBN will realise ‘oh, banks are doing this,’ because most of the time consumer does not even have the opportunity to get to the apex bank. Millions of people don’t have access, and when they have access, they don’t understand what they are supposed to do. Besides a lot of Nigerians don’t even know they have a right to go and report. So it may not be so much as an indictment. We are like a watchdog. We are doing what we should be doing in the market place. When we see things like this, we galvanise consumer action in that direction, we send the signals to the statutory agencies that there is a problem in this area, and so we need to act. But a lot of people have queried that decision of yours to start with the banks when it is obvious that there is no market segment in the country that the average Nigerian consumer is being fairly treated? This is because the product that the banks deal with is money. Money is the means by which we solve every other problem. If I put my money in your care, and you don’t give me the way I gave you, I would not be able to meet my obligations to everybody else. So the money thing comes home really fast. It is the fastest that touches you. So if you have taken my money away, you have robbed me of my capacity to meet these other demands. So there are others consumer activators who are working on the power sector, but we are taking this banking one because it’s an immediate one. Once we get that action sorted out and we get response, and we get the banks and CBN to explain all these charges and we are able together review all these charges and explain, they don’t bother to explain because they don’t want you to know. When we get them to get to that point, and we are able to together, consumers, service providers review each one of them and agree on which makes sense and which does not and agree on a cleaner environment where consumers can transact business with banks without fear of their money going away, then we move to other sectors. So banking industry is like an artery of the nation’s economy and if consumers lose confidence in the industry, the Nigerian economy is in trouble, and that is happening fast. We already have a terrible economy we are trying to build back, but we can’t achieve that if consumers don’t trust the banking industry, because it is that industry that would oil the engine, that will get the economy to run. But the banks have stopped playing that role, instead they are waiting for you to go and struggle,

make the money and bring it to them, then they start saying, they charge you for this and that. Is this action not capable of worsening an already terrible economy, if consumers begin to go on bank fast as you’ve agitated? We are hoping it won’t get there. That is why we say it’s going to be for one day, though some are asking for one week, arguing that one day is too small. But we know the effect a one week bank fast can have on the economy. This is not an attempt at to destabilise the economy. While everybody is struggling to make ends meet, we want the economy also to be fair. We don’t want a situation where a sector will be making money for doing nothing. I don’t make money for doing nothing, so why should the banks be making money for doing nothing. That’s not fair. So that’s what this is about. One -day income is not enough to destabilise the banking industry. What we are saying is let us reduce their income for one day as a warning. If we don’t patronise you, you won’t be in business. So respect us when we say this is not acceptable to us. A lot of people avoid the banks as much as possible now in protest, but individually. So what we are doing now is a collective thing. If the totality of the Nigerian banking consumers, about 30 million of us, refuse to do business with you for one day, that means you lose the income for one day, that is a signal that there is something you are not doing well. So we want to jolt you into recognising the fact that we are not happy with the way this contractual relationship is going on. So we need to review it.

Between now and March 1, if your prayers are acceded to, would you change your mind about the date? The banks will have to respond, because these charges are collective charges. We want a response. If they all have a meeting before the date and decide to review the charges, we will look at it, if it is agreeable to the consumers, we call it off. There is nothing to benefit from a no banking day. We just want to galvanise consumers to push the service providers to respond to what we say we don’t like. Once you respond, we’ve

There is nothing that says we cannot continue to declare a no banking day every first day of the month... By the time they sustain that loss three months, four months in a row somebody will start asking ‘what is going on?’

achieved the goal. But I won’t call off a no banking day protest because one bank calls me and say ‘I’ve dropped my own charges’. Since they bond together to determine what these charges should be, then let them bond together to review it so that it affects all of us. I’m not fighting for myself because they dare not try that with me, but there are millions of Nigerians who don’t have the voice that I have. So this is a platform for all of those millions to enable them leverage on people like us that can talk and get action. But if it is still business as usual after the March 1 date, what would you do? Don’t worry, we have our different strategies. We will be unveiling them as we go. They will see that we are serious about. I know what we want will not happen, based on one action. If it does, that will be a miracle. It may not happen by just one action. Consumers are interested in getting their rights should know that consumer rights don’t happen by just me shouting and they taking cover. It is always a sustained pressure. And we have already put structures in place to put sustained pressure. There is nothing that says we cannot continue to declare a no banking day every first day of the month, until they respond. By the time they sustain that loss three months, four months in a row somebody will start asking ‘what is going on?’ I’m not thinking that once we do it once, everything will be okay. Since you began the countdown to the no banking date, what has the response been like? Even I am shocked at the response. A whole lot of people are

Nigerian Tribune

in support. When I go out on the street to distribute the flyers, you would see the way people throw their hands up in support. People are angry. I’ve spoken to people you will think N50 shouldn’t mean anything to. Everybody has something to complain about. It’s just that people don’t have the time, to go pursuing it individually, and even when they do have the time, the process is so tedious and so slow, deliberately. Those are parts of the things we will be hoping to correct by the time we get them to sit down at the table. All these things need to change. So in terms of response, you don’t need to go far. Once you give them the flyer, it starts a conversation. You can not continue to be making profit in an environment that is hostile to you. I got a call from a micro-finance bank, thanking me for the initiative because they themselves are burdened by these charges. This is affecting their market. One customer on the radio said he had N2,000 in his salary account, and he wasn’t using it for sometime. When he eventually went there to close the account, he met N300 there, which means that over N1,000 had been deducted. This campaign looks and sounds elitist, how do you intend to ensure that it gets down to the common man on the street? I was on Naija FM, Wazobia FM has interviewed me. Those are not talking to the elites. I’m planning to go to Radio Lagos to go and say it in Yoruba. We are doing all we can to reach these people. As from next week, we have a team of young people, going from market to distribute flyers. We need other people to also own the campaign. We’ve been talking to Radio personalities and others because they have the airwaves where they can raise the awareness for Nigerians to hear. How do you pull through all these campaigns in a society where consumerism is abysmally low? It starts from somewhere. When I started advocating consumer rights, there was probably no voice. I had a platform, a media platform. That is why the role of the media in all these is key. Now a lot of people are speaking, and I like that. We want to have more voices in different sectors, talking on behalf of the Nigerian consumers because the Nigerian consumers is under so much pressure, everywhere he turns. Consumerism is low because there is nobody supporting those who are speaking. All of the people I work with are those also struggling to make a living for themselves. But they go ahead and still take out of their little money to prosecute these things. But if Nigeria is going to a point where consumerism will grow, we have to start like now. Everybody in America was not born into being aware of their rights. It grew. But I know we are going to get there.

Monday, 22 February, 2016

moneymarket

anchor Chima Nwokoji

m:08032637535 e:chimatitus@yahoo.com

Naira: Cowry Assets Managers sues for flexible exchange rate regime Chima Nwokoji -Lagos

S pressure on the local currency continue to mount, dragging it to N400 to a dollar, the Managing Director of Cowry Assets Managers, Johnson Chukwu, has called on the monetary authorities to adopt a flexible exchange rate policy to save the naira. According to him, such exchange rate regime was like a silver bullet that can be effective for both demand management and supply expansion. Traders said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) only allocated between $150$200 million weekly to importers, but this is considered a drop in the ocean compared with requests pilling up by commercial lenders seeking dollars for their customers. “The way out of the present situation is for the central bank to relax some of its rule of forex, otherwise the naira will trade above N400 soon,” one trader said. Delivering a speech at the monthly meeting of the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria(FICAN) Chukwu explained that when the price of a currency is adjusted to reflect the earnings capacity, the citizens capacity to consume imported goods is automatically reset at a lower level as they can no longer afford many of the non essential imported items.

NITTY as @ Feb. 19, 2016 Tenor 1M 2M 3M 6M 9M 12M

Rate (%) 3.5963 3.6391 3.7365 6.3337 8.0741 9.6218

Change (%) 0.35 ▲ 0.32 ▲ 0.28 ▲ -0.78 ▼ -0.43 ▼ -0.90 ▼

Government Securities Auction Date

1/22/2026

Security Type

FGN Bonds

Tenor

10 Year

Auction No

20-01-2016-10 Year

Auction

Primary Market

Maturity Date

Chairman, EPAD Business Group-Nigeria, Nike Akande, being welcomed by Group Managing Director, First Bank PLC, Dr Adesola Kazeem Adeduntan, during NEPAD’s courtesy visit to First Bank executives, at the bank’s headquarters in Marina, Lagos. PHOTO: ALABA IGBAROOLA. According to him, irrespective of the so called inelastic demand of Nigerians for imported goods, once the currency is devalued and their Naira income is not adjusted in the same ratio, citizens will reorder their priorities and eliminate items that they can no longer afford. In many instances he added, citizens will look for local alternatives to the imported items and shift their patronage to such local substitutes. His words: “The increase in demand for the local substitute will spur increase in production and possible improvement in quality. With improved quality and lower export cost, Traders may consider exporting such improved local products to neighboring Afri-

as transport infrastructure - Rail lines, Highways, Seaports, Airports, and invite private sector capital to build these infrastructure under Build Operate and Transfer (BOT). “This will create a veritable channel for inflow of long-term capital into the country. A good example is the 1,342 KM standard gauge rail line from Lagos to Kano which was awarded to a Chinese company by the Obasanjo government in 2006 at a cost of $8.3billion but canceled by the Yar’ Adua government in 2007. At present, the Federal government obviously does not have money to fund such ambitious project, which is critical to the economic development of the country,” he told correspondents.

can countries and may be from there to Europe, Asia, America and other parts of the World. “For emphasis, we have a proof of concept of this model in the 1980s during the Structural Adjustment Program when made in Aba shoes, bags and other leather wears became export commodities to Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Gabon, Cameron Congo Democratic Republic among others.” Chukwu further expressed concern that without efficient infrastructure, the country would never become a competitive market for manufacturing. “We therefore believe that the way to go is to concession some of the critical infrastructure that are commercially viable such

Nigerian Tribune

CBN Exchange Rates as at 2/19/2016 Currency US DOLLAR POUNDS STERLING EURO SWISS FRANC YEN CFA WAUA YUAN/RENMINBI

Buying(NGN) 196 279.79 217.7756 197.5209 1.7359 0.312 272.769 30.0512

Central(NGN) 196.5 280.5038 218.3312 198.0248 1.7403 0.322 273.4649 30.1283

Selling(NGN) 197 281.2175 218.8867 198.5287 1.7448 0.332 274.1607 30.2055

RIYAL DANISH KRONA

52.2458 29.1801

52.379 29.2546

52.5123 29.329

SDR

273.518

274.2158

274.9135

CBN Bills Date of Auction Security Type

5/15/2003 CBN Certificate

2/25/2002 CBN Certificate

11/26/2001 CBN Certificate

9/24/2001 CBN Certificate

1/22/2016

Tenor Maturing On

91 91

180 180

Total Subscription

74.99

Amount Offered (N mn)

11/13/2003 82227

2/20/2003 15000

11/21/2002 5000

9/19/2002 1155

Total Successful

4161

2740

1155

5.7856 - 15.0000

Subscriptions (N mn) Tot. Successful (N mn)

37767

Range Bid

Successful Bid Rates 5.7856 - 12.5000

Net Sales (N mn)

17019

4161

2740

Description

Maginal

Range of Bid Rates

Rate

12.5

Successful Bid Rates

True Yield

Marginal Rate

20.5

Amount Offered (mn)

True Yield

19.5

weeklyreview Money Market Review On the back of the CBN foreign exchange (FX) intervention auction refund for unfulfilled bids last Friday to Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), liquidity in the financial system remained surfeit on Monday, rising to over N1.1trillion. However, money market rates were barely changed from their low levels as the OBB (Open Buy Back) rate closed flat from the previous trading session at 0.5 per cent and O/N (Overnight) rate rose marginally by 2 basis points (bps) to 0.9 per cent. Dealers at Afrinvest West Africa Limited said rates trended higher on Tuesday and Wednesday as DMBs provisioned for the weekly CBN FX intervention auction (on Thursday) which largely accounted for the N711. 9billion contraction in aggregate banks Naira liquidity. Consequently, OBB rate closed at 3.5 per cent and 4.0per cent whilst ON rate closed at 3.8 per cent and 4.4per cent on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. Following a T-bills maturity of N142.4billion on Thursday and a rollover of the same amount, system liquidity levels were maintained on Thursday but money market rates dropped on Friday after the CBN FX intervention auction refund of unfulfilled bids to DMBs raised liquidity levels. OBB and ON rates settled at 0.6per cent and 1.0 perr cent respectively, rising 10bps a piece week on week (W-O-W) respectively. Performance in the T-bills market was mixed penultimate week as rates reacted to liquidity dynamics. On Monday, rates dropped 10bps from Friday to close at an average of 5.9 per cent driven by bullish sentiment at the short end of the curve. However, the trend was reversed on Tuesday as liquidity declined and investors traded cautiously ahead of the T-bills auction, pushing average rates up 20bps to 6.1per cent . There was a T-bills maturity of N142.4billion and a rollover of the same amount, the T-bills auctioned were the 91days, 182days and 364days at stop rates of 4.9per cent, 7.3per cent and 9.0per cent respectively. As the Bills were issued at relatively lower stop rates (to February 3rd auction), sentiment swung bullish in the T-bills market with average yields settling at 6.0per cent on Thursday. Higher liquidity in the interbank market drove further bullish sentiment on Friday as average yields closed at 5.8 per cent rising 1bp W-o-W. Foreign Exchange market Review The volatility in the foreign exchange market at the Bureau De Change (BDC) and Parallel market segments were at unparalleled levels last week as the US$/Naira exchange rate depreciated to unprecedented record lows. This was triggered by both fundamental supply gap of foreign exchange (FX) in the economy and speculations of further tightening of exchange rate rules. The official (CBN) and interbank rates were stable all week at N197.00/US$1.00 and N199.10/US$1.00 respectively. However, FX rose astronomically all week at the BDC and parallel segments of the market, with rates trading at N337/1US$ at the start of the week, rising to N365/1US$ by Thursday at the BDC and record high of N400/1$US at the parallel market. Owing to the stance of the CBN and Fiscal authorities on foreign exchange adjustments, the increase in speculative activities at the less-regulated segments of the market and widening spread between the official and parallel market rates may not likely generate any reaction from regulators in the short term. However, the mounting demand for FX – as shown in the huge decline in money market liquidity when Deposit Money Bank (DMBs) made provisions for Thursday FX auction – suggests an adjustment may be unavoidable in the medium term. Dealers at Afrinvest said speculative activities may not likely reduce until more certainty and transparency are brought to bear in FX management.

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

labour Sheathe your sword for now, JOHESU president tells striking health workers The National Chairman of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Comrade Biobelemoye Joy Josiah, who is also the president of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), speaks with SOJI-EZE FAGBEMI, on the crisis in the health sector, the 15-day ultimatum issued by JOHESU, as well as government’s intervention and why the union decided to give an additional 21 days.

OU gave an ultimatum and threatened to go on strike if the government failed to meet your demands at its expiration. What is the reason for the sudden change of position? That ultimatum actually expired midnight yesterday so by today Nigerian people must have seen us out of our work places, but sometimes people in government mistake ultimatum for a love letter. They do not see it as a window for sitting and settling, discussing to arrive at the resolution of the issues raised. Unfortunately the people in government saw our 15-day ultimatum as a love letter and they allowed the window to narrow down to a pigeon hole before it dawned on them to invite us for a meeting. As a people who have concern for the impact of strike on the people, as a people who know that when a life is lost, it cannot be returned, we are not strike mongers. Even though it was at the narrow hours that we were called to discuss the issues, we again considered that being a new government, even though we had given the government enough time to settle down, we felt being the first major meeting on these issues with this government, we should give them the benefit of the doubt to go into discussion. So, we discussed late into the night and we got a reasonable commitment from the government, where it was decided that we should give them enough time to see how the could meet the demands. How did you handle, especially the time being requested by the government? The government asked for 30 days and we know that the issues are not even there for negotiation. We have reached the point of implementation on most of the issues, so 30 days will be too long a period. We also know that there are key issues there; some issues that need inclusion in the budget. So, all sides recognise the need to include these things in the budget, we shifted ground and requested that it should be 21 days. The government also recognising our reasonability accepted the 21-day ultimatum with a view to meet the demands. Giving that commitment, we felt we should then extend the ultimatum by 21 days so as to give enough time to the government

to find a way of solving the issues, that is, meeting the demands. That is the reason we extended and we have reached our members through our internal communication mechanism to say that they should sheath their sword for now. Why then did you direct the health workers to be on red alert? We want to give the first test to this government, believing that it has given us a listening ear, and that it will keep its words. But if it fails, since we have exhibited much restrain, the public and the people of Nigeria will understand that we were forced to do what we would have avoided if the government had kept its promise. So we would go on strike then. What is the solution to the perennial crisis in the health sector, especially industrial crisis? We have identified these problems long before now, that the major problem in the system is unfair management, chauvinism, unnecessary ego. This is because one small percentage of the medical industry, that is medical doctors who make up less than five per cent of the medical industry workers, are always inappropriately given the share of managing the ministry. Most times, a doctor will be made a minister, minister of state and permanent secretary, when they have never delivered the peace that is needed. When this government came in, before the appointment of ministers, we wrote, highlighting this issue stating that, that error of the previous administration be corrected At least we have three key managerial positions, but we were surprised, the government appointed a minister, who is a medical doctor; minister of state, medical doctor and permanent secretary, medical doctor instead of appointing the minister from one sector, minister of state from another sector and preferably the permanent secretary to be a seasoned administrator who will now sit in as a neutral umpire to balance presentations so when they are packaging any policy proposal to the presidency, it will take recognition of the concerns of all sides, both of over 95 per cent of service deliverers and less than 5 per cent of service deliverers. But here, all three appoint-

ments have been given to medical doctors. We are most surprised because apart from Minister of Justice and Attorney General, no other ministerial position is tied to a specific profession. We also reminded the government that when Professor Eyitayo Lambo, who was not a medical doctor was appointed, it was less turbulent because concerns of all were taken into consideration, but the advice was not taken and we are where we are today. We also reminded the government in our communication then that 2015 appears to be peaceful but it was not

because the issues were resolved or the expertise of the past management, but because JOHESU in our usual character, knows the impact of strike and then with the intervention of the former president, we suspended our actions, having shifted our strike action 11 times in 2014 before we embarked on the November strike. With the direct intervention of the then president, we suspended the action on 4 February, 2015. We waited this long not because of weakness, but because we are reasonable again to give the new government ample time to settle

down. We also waited because the ministerial appointments had not been done. Perhaps if it was done properly as we advised, it might correct most of the anomalies that are creating the turbulence. But even with that, we are a responsible organisation. We could have said that since we were not regarded, we would start a war, but we felt we should give the new appointees a fair chance to prove that they are there for everybody, because the minister in his opening address showed that he was coming to unify the system and bring harmony.

Health workers protesting

RATTAWU condemns sack of DGs of NTA, FRCN, NAN others THE Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria, (RATTAWU), has condemned the sack of 26 Directors-General of Federal Government’s media parastatals and declared that over-censorship and political interference were the bane of the Nigerian media. Besides, RATTAWU said that government’s undue censorship and interference in the professional judgment of the media organisations will not enhance professional competence. Reacting to the sack of the director generals of NTA, FRCN, NAN, VON, the National President of the RATTAWU, Comrade Yemisi Bamgbose, said “government’s undue censorship and unnecessary interference in the professional judgment of its media-controlled organizations, had always had a negative effect on the expected

professional competence and development of such organisations.” He explained that such undue interference in the professional competence by political leaders, would not enhance goals but introduce god-fatherism by non-professionals whose stake was to serve their masters’ voice. He expressed regrets that media practitioners, being stakeholders in the industry, always appreciate the prerequisite of government in the appointment and removal of its political heads appointees but argued that such appointments and removals at the pleasure of any government in power, would not enhance professional competence and goal-setting, especially in the 21st century era of media development. Bamgbose noted that the problem in the Nigerian media today was not about professional com-

petence on the job but what obtained in the political system, and called for the constitution of a media stakeholder forum, aimed at determining the expected high performance of media in Nigeria. However, the RATTAWU president stressed that while it was essential that government should always undertake a thorough over-hauling in the system, the constitution review committee of the National Assembly should create good laws including television and radio sets tax laws to allow the professionals in their workplace operate well to enhance optimum performance. He stressed the need for government to always look inwards at getting competent hands from the system to enhance the credibility, stability and competence which shall support the media heads in performance and have a rest of mind.

Monday, 22 February, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor tai_adis@yahoo.com

How Buhari rescued states in 1984 —Latinwo, ex-military gov Chief Salaudeen Adebola Latinwo was among the first set of personnel of the Nigerian Air Force established in 1963. He served as the military governor of Kwara State under General Muhammadu Buhari as head of state in 1984. In this interview with KUNLE ODEREMI, the retired Group Captain speaks on the makeup of the Nigerian president and draws some comparison between today’s Nigeria and when he took over 32 years. Excerpts:

OU were part of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari during his first coming as a military Head of State 32 years ago. What are the few things you still recall about him and the policies of his administration, especially against the raging controversy over the federal budget and the economy generally? Let me begin with a statement of fact. The problems we are facing today as a country are similar to the ones we had when the military government of Buhari/Idiagbon took over in 1984. Salaries of workers were being owed for a period of six months at the federal and state levels. Most of the nation’s roads were dilapidated; public hospitals were dysfunctional, while most public schools were closed down. The so-called friends of the country had deserted Nigeria and there was nothing to fall back on. Notwithstanding the terrible state of the economy then, we started by first overhauling the entire structures of governance. For instance, the Federal Government reduced the number of ministries and subsequently the number of ministers, permanent secretaries and directors. The same thing happened in the states. The ministries were reduced considerable and that affected the number and categories of staff appointments. We went further at the state level to reduce the local government to between nine and 12, depending on how large and viable a particular state was. We did not stop there. The entire staff strength at the federal and state levels had to be reduced, in line with the level of funds being generated at each level. In addition, we resorted to trade by barter with some countries. So, today, the point is that we cannot continue to spend money that we do not have. We may have to restructure or re-arrange the existing structures until such a time that we have sufficient funds to meet our needs. The whole idea about the budget is to spend money on viable projects in order to get the economy moving. Therefore, I am worried by the amount of money we may have to borrow, particularly as the benchmark for the sale of crude oil appears to me as unrealistic owing to the price of crude oil in the international market is falling almost on a daily basis. What is responsible is not the issue here. The price is falling and we have to adjust. Iran will soon start producing crude oil. Undoubtedly, this will lead to further fall in oil price. While accepting that holding back government in a contracting economy like ours is like turning off the engine of an air plane, I believe we have to pay greater attention to the expenditure: review the recurrent expenditure, remove waste and pay special attention to capital and viable projects that will bring money spent on them for further re-investment. In our attitude and posture, we must try as much as possible to reflect the state of our economy. Let our lifestyle and consumption pattern reflect the state and mood of the economy. General Buhari has definitely come to this battle barehanded, relying on God, his brain and his impeccable

Latinwo character and pedigree to succeed in repositioning the country. All honourable men and women must give him the maximum support to enable him to succeed. Those who keep silent in the face of socioeconomic subjugation cannot but suffer from historical guilt. We must collectively work to move the country forward in all ramifications. Yes, the prevailing economic situation might appear challenging. However, with adequate fiscal discipline, hard work, and commitment, we will overcome and the difficult situation will soon be a thing of the past. The most important thing is to mobilize the people towards change and once the principle of truth is engaged, it is easier for government to get the necessary result because they know you are altruistic and not for self interest. Of course, you would have made them to share your thoughts and they have accepted you. It is easier for you tell them this is the way. That is what governance is all about. One of the legacies of the that military era was WAI, but the new thinking is encapsulated in the word, change towards heralding a new dawn. How best can we attain the desire? We need to evolve new policies that will bring about discipline and ethics in government and private practices in line with the War Against Indiscipline (WAI) of 1984/85. The new WAI will be directed at changing the general attitude in the social, economic and political realm towards ensuring that our people become changed citizens. In the face of accelerating changes desired in our everyday lives, the conventional thinking that guided us in the past decades is outdated. It is clear

that the conventional wisdom that worked in the ‘calm seas’ of the past will not work in today’s turbulent environment, where survival depends on the ability and willingness to do something adults hate to do ‘change.’ The pressure can be very intense because in life, as you start to take risk and grow, you are going to get resistance from certain categories of people. If it is not from your mates, it will be your friends. When you rock the boat, someone will tell you to sit down. What is important is that you know what is happening and why. Notwithstanding their position, you must carry on, do not feel betrayed or intimidated. Similarly, in the life of a nation, there are hard and difficult times, and men and women of good intentions do ask for real change to emerge but there are others on the sideline waiting to frustrate and humiliate them. The men of goodwill must never give up. The changes we need are straight forward. We need a change in the way we do things; we need order, organisation and discipline. We need a change to quickly reverse the reign of corruption, insecurity, ignorance, poverty and greed. We need the change mantra to cover infrastructure deficiency, youth apathy, unemployment, stagnation and hopelessness. We must therefore begin to act as if the changes we desire had already been in place. The choice is ours, as the things of fundamental importance to a people are not secured by reasoning alone, but will have to be attained through suffering and sacrifice. There are no gains anywhere without corresponding pains. Continues on pg32

politics&policy

Monday, 22 February, 2016

‘Why we are in crisis’

projects.

Continued from pg31

How did labour react then to those belt-tightening measures? We were able to mobilize them. We explained to them what was on ground. We opened up the system and led by the principle of truth and transparency and I think they appreciated our predicament thereby gaining their confidence. We were blunt and realistically so because of the stark realities on ground. I have heard people tell me that President Buhari should speak more like a diplomat when he is talking about the reality facing the country. My take is that it is not about the president speaking like a diplomat; it is about speaking on the realities we have found ourselves for people to understanding and to support him because if he doesn’t do that, it will mean he is trying covering up certain things.

We must from now be seen to be promoting the norms and culture that support the truth, transparency, integrity, respect and discipline at all times in our body polity. Let us not be frightened by problems. If there are no problems, it means the society has come to a halt and may perish. As one of those who fought on the part of federal troops during the Nigerian civil war, how do you see the renewed agitation for secession by some groups in the South-East? You recall that both the Presidency and Obasanjo have cautioned those agitating for the state of Biafra, with the latter saying it belonged to history? I can understand the position of General Obasanjo when he said so because he was the leader on the Nigerian side towards the tail end of the war. He knows what he is saying. And when such an individual is making such a clear statement, I think we should look at it objectively. For the purpose of clarity and history, let me take you back and relate some facts about the Nigerian civil war, which is also known as the Nigerian Biafran war. It was a three-year bloody conflict with a death toll of more than a million lives. The war began with the secession of the Southeastern region of the nation on May 30, 1967, when it declared itself the Independent Republic of Biafra. The war lasted for about three years, and actually ended on January 15, 1970 when Biafra fell and its military Commander General Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, fled to Cote d’Ivoire. During the civil war, an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people died daily on the side of Biafra. There were untold hardship, misery, pain, frustration, isolation, deprivation, loneliness, hunger, disease, total extermination and deaths. Those of us who were around during the war should not ever wish to have anything near that type of situation for the rest of our lives. When the war ended, the arrangement officially was that there was no victor, no vanquished, then followed the process for the implementation of the three Rs: rehabilitation, reconciliation and reorganization. So, re-settlement, realignment and adjustment all started immediately and with time, everything had normalized and the spirit of one nation, one people revitalised and promoted. Unfortunately, today most of the young ones clamouring for the actualisation of Biafra were not around then. It is difficult for them to imagine the type and magnitude of suffering and calamity that was the order of the day then. In any case history has since been stopped being taught in our schools. So, most of the young ones have no way of knowing the enormity of that tragedy, except for the occasional stories they were told by their parents. War is total destruction and complete non- existence, or if you like extermination. Therefore, we must do everything possible within our means to prevent another war. If anyone feels aggrieved, deprived or marginalised, such person or group should seek redress from the appropriate quarters. They should not take laws into their hands. The government of President Muhammdu Buhari, is to my mind a listening one and they have shown examples of their willingness to address justice where it existed. A key example is the re-

Latinwo cent board of inquiry instituted to identify officers who allegedly played partisan roles in the governorship elections in Ekiti State. I appeal to our brothers and states in the eastern states, who feel uncomfortable with the present political arrangements to exercise restraint and seek orderly democratic process to find a solution to their grievances. No; never again should Nigeria be thrown into another civil war. Let peace reign! With the benefit of hindsight, what do you think is responsible for the culture of impunity among top public officials in Nigeria? I think it is what I will call the loose system within the economy of our country. People are just interested in making money at the expense of the overall essence of service and governance. It got to a head because of the way we did things and ran the country in the last 20

We must do everything possible within our means to prevent another war. If anyone feels aggrieved, deprived or marginalised, such a person or group should seek redress from the appropriate quarters.

years. Nobody was in charge; nobody was cautioning those who suddenly found themselves in the position of power and authority. Nobody was saying what they were doing was wrong and so they got wrapped up in the incorrigible behaviours. That is the price you pay when there is a vacuum of good leadership. For example, if as a leader, the NSA comes to me and says he is going to buy an aircraft, I will tell him, “That is not your responsibility. You are just to advise me on this or that; you are not in the Procurement Office. You have the Ministry of Defence. You have the Service Chiefs there to do these things. So, why you?” The whole thing doesn’t make sense to me and I can’t imagine it happened. I find it very difficult. The procurement of major equipment in the Army, Navy and the Air Force is entirely the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence. Supplementary equipment like spare parts or whatever it is could be that of the services, but even then they still have to tell the Ministry of Defence because the vote of that ministry is directed by the Minister of Defence, not even the Service Chiefs. That is the way things work. I don’t see how the NSA will come in. As a military governor, how did you tackle the crisis in the old Kwara State then? The Federal Government us asked to carry out staff audit. I do not know where the money came from, but like in this case, the money came. When we did the staff audit, the Federal Government gave us money to pay those people, and told us frankly that we needed to trim down the system and live within our means as states. That was how we arrived at restructuring by reducing the number of ministries, local governments, permanent secretaries, as well as not embarking on unnecessary and capital-intensive

The seeming free fall of the local currency is a major source of worry in many quarters despite assurances from official quarters that there was no cause for alarm... No, the economy will not collapse. What is important is that Nigerians must face the reality that what obtained in the past can no longer subsist; that we should move the era of impunity to a season of sanity and decorum. If Mr President is standing on his feet and said “Look, we are not going to devalue our local currency,” he has a reason for saying so. He has had the experience and what we need is to give him our support and do away with all profligacy, ostentation and other frivolities of life. Let’s look inward, whereas when you go our markets, all the things there are imported items, most of which can be sourced locally. One, we begin to change our consumption pattern by looking inward, the value of naira will appreciate substantially. The man has said that the reality is that there is no money. There is nothing you can if there is no money but you can adjust your priorities. Somebody has to show examples. Let our manufacturing industries come alive again. There are scathing criticisms of the methodology the authorities have adopted in the current war on corruption. While claimed it is selective, others saw nothing wrong in the approach…. Let’s say that from day one, the identity President Buhari had from 1984 when he the Head of State was about corruption. Immediately we got into government, some individuals were picked up, but the advantage then was that once they pick you up, the onus was on you to prove your innocence over allegations of corrupt enrichment. That was under the military rule, but this time, the process is different in a civilian dispensation. The point I am making is that Buhari has consistently emphasized three major points, corruption, security and unemployment among challenges his administration would tackle squarely. He didn’t mince words anywhere he went campaigning to be elected president. So, once he is able to squarely tackle corruption, other challenges will automatically find their level. It is just a matter of principle. You can’t have a situation, where a minute number of 170 million people will continue to hold the rest to ransom .That is the message Mr President is trying to pass across to Nigerians. So, he is not partisan or selective in the war against corruption.

politics&policy

Monday, 22 February, 2016

2016: Those eyeing Mimiko’s job in Ondo PDP

Ahead of the Ondo State governorship election later in the year, aspirants for the top job in the state within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been perfecting moves to realise their ambition, HAKEEM GBADAMOSI writes.

N about a year, a new governor will emerge in Ondo State, bringing to an end the eight-year administration of the incumbent governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko. On February 24, 2017, a new governor who will steer the affairs of the Sunshine State for another four years will be inaugurated. While Mimiko and his ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are determined to retain power in the state, the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and its members are also working round the clock to present a credible candidate that will be acceptable to all out of its myriads of aspirants. Though no fewer than 28 aspirants from APC have shown interest in the number one seat in the state, only the erstwhile Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Kingsley Kuku and a ormer Director General of National Sports Commission, Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye, have publicly declared their interest in the race to Alagbaka House from the PDP. However, about three serving commissioners under the present administration of Mimiko were also said to be interested in ruling the state but none of them has come out openly to declare their ambition, except on social media, with various groups calling for support for them. The three cabinet members are the state Commissioner for Environment, Barrister Sola Ebiseni; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bamiduro Dada and the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Eyitayo Jegede. Interestingly, the three commissioners, who have been an integral part of Mimiko’s administration from 2009 till date, are from the three senatorial districts of the state. While Ebiseni (a lawyer) hails from the Southern Senatorial district, Jegede is from the Central and Dada is from the Northern Senatorial districts. Political observers however opined that the silence from the camps of the three commissioners ‘eyeing’ the job was to study the body language of their boss who seems to have been completely indifferent to who succeeds him after the expiration of his tenure. The cabinet is said to be seemingly divided over the ambitions of these three men, as some of the commissioners were said to have pitched their tents with certain aspirants. However, party sources revealed that the three have been consulting and moving round the homes of prominent politicians in the state in recent times, while arrangements have also been concluded to officially declare their ambition. Though many have been making series of political insinuations that Governor Mimiko is planning to anoint a successor among the three men, who have been with him since the advent of his administration.

Elegbeleye

Mimiko

Dada

Kuku

Jegede

he was said to be yet undecided on who to “trust.” One factor that might play out in the choice of these aspirants is the zoning arrangement within the state. The incumbent governor, Mimiko, is from the Central senatorial district, while most politicians in the state believe that either the South or North senatorial districts should produce the next governor. This singular act of zoning is one of the factors that will undoubtedly tear apart the political class in the state, particularly within the PDP, if the party picks his successor from the Central district. However, the general consensus among politicians in the state was that the next governor should come either from the North or the South. The zoning consciousness appears to permeate the lesser political parties too. It is being rumoured in political circles that business mogul, Jimoh Ibrahim, might pre-

fer to fly the flag of the Accord Party, while Dr Olu Agunloye from the North might be the preferred choice of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which has the Akureborn Chief Olu Falae as its national chairman. The traditional institution is not left out in the agitation for gubernatorial power. The first salvo for this agitation was fired last year during the conference of Ilaje citizens where the Olugbo of Ugbo kingdom, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, said the next governor should come from oil-rich Ilaje , which according to him, is the goose that lays the golden egg for the economy of the state. Following suit was the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, who also endorsed the agitation of the Akure indigenes and youths who insisted that Akure, though in the same senatorial district with the incumbent governor, must produce the next governor The Akoko leaders and traditional

The unusual silence from the PDP camp has been a serious concern to both PDP and the opposition APC who are anxiously waiting for the last joker from the master of the art of politics. rulers are not left out in this agitation. An open meeting/ prayer was recently organised by leaders of thought from the area, calling on sons and daughters of Akoko to come together to produce a single candidate in the forthcoming governorship election. Continued from pg34

politics&policy

Monday, 22 February, 2016

The role of zoning in Ondo 2016 Continued from pg33

This might be one of the factors that geared the state Commissioner for Local government and chieftains affairs, Dada, towards contesting for the exalted position in the state. Dada, a pharmacist and a product of Obafemi Awolowo University, hails from Ikun Akoko in Akoko Southwest local government area of the state and was first appointed as the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Political Matters before he was later appointed commissioner. However, the division between the two blocs of Akoko and Owo/ Ose bloc, with Akoko having four local government areas and Owo/ Ose two, might militate against his choice. However, the voting strength of the two blocs notwithstanding the number of local government areas in each bloc seems to be equal. The contention of Owo/ Ose is that the last time the area produced governor was in 1983 through the late Adekunle Ajasin. The argument of the Owo / Ose bloc therefore is that the zone should be preferred than Akoko in northern consideration. Another argument against Dada’s candidature is that he hails from the same local government area with the late governor of the state, Adebayo Adefarati, who was of the Akoko extraction too. They argued that the pendulum should swing from Akoko Southwest to other areas, arguing that others too should be given the chance based on the principles of equity and fairness. Also in the race, is the Commissioner for Environment,

Chief Ebiseni, from the Southern senatorial district. He is from the oil-producing Ilaje local government area of the state and is highly regarded as one of the serious contenders in the race to Alagbaka House. Ebiseni was said to understand the politics of the state, as his strength lies with the grass roots. He seems to be the only aspirant among the three to have contested for elective post previously. He was elected as the chairman of Ilaje / Ese Odo local government area in 1991 under the the platform of SDP. Many observers believe that Ebiseni may be picked as the party’s candidate if PDP decides to look southwards in producing Mimiko’s successor, noting that the strength of the party lies in the zone, considering the result of the last election in the state. He enjoys the support of the people from the Southern district, which might be an advantage for the party if he eventually emerges as its candidate. The two leading political parties in the state, PDP and APC seem to be targeting their areas of their strength. While the APC has about 70 per cent dominance in the North, judging from the last election, PDP has absolute control of the South, where it won all the seats available from senatorial to House of Assembly seats. The Central district is almost evenly shared among the two parties. This might pose a challenge for the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, Jegede. Apart from the fact that the governor hails from the same district with him, the Central Senatorial district remains the only district in the history of the state which has spent eight years

back to back at the helm of administration. There are agitations from the people of Akure where Jegede hails from, with his supporters saying they have been sidelined since the creation of the state and the present political dispensation. The voting strength of Akure is higher than the voting strength of the four local government areas in Akokoland. A source within the party said Mimiko might equate the possible choice of Jegede to mean another third term agenda in the state, unless he wants to adopt the model of APC national leader, Ahmed Tinubu, who installed a technocrat who focused on governance while he (Tinubu) holds on to political structures of the state. But the source said it could be suicidal to ignore aspirants from the other zones. According to him, no other zone has benefitted more than Akure and the Central senatorial districts in the eight years of Mimiko’s administration. Some observers compare the situation with how PDP lost Plateau State as a result of former Governor Jonah Jang’s insistence on picking his successor from his own senatorial district, saying the same scenario might play out if the leadership of PDP decides to field Jegede as the party’s candidate Pundits however believe that the choice of who rules the state lies with the incumbent governor, Mimiko, who may score another political laurel in the state if he succeeds in installing his successor. But the unusual silence from the PDP camp has been a serious concern to both PDP and the opposition APC who are anxiously waiting for the last joker from the ‘master of the art of politics.’

APC must be wary of recycled politicians —Ondo gov aspirant Honourable Judge Dele Alade is the All Progressives Congress (APC-USA) National Leader, and former Alliance for Democracy (AD) governorship candidate in Ondo State in the 2007 poll. He bares his mind, in this interview with KUNLE ODEREMI, on the forthcoming governorship poll in Ondo State, the choice before APC, and other issues; Excerpts:

people are agitating that it is their turn to produce the next governor of the state. That Akure has not produced the governor of the state since we started this democratic regime. As an Akure man myself, I have no problem in supporting the agitation of my people. I believe the agitation is a legitimate one, especially in a democratic setting like ours. However, because of my background, I believe in a free and fair process where all qualified and interested candidates are allowed and given equal chance and opportunity to run. As a party man, if the party decides to zone it, then I have to respect the party’s decision. It will be good if the party decides to zone it to Akure as there are qualified Akure sons and daughters for the job but, I will not fault the party if it decides otherwise. There are other very qualified non-Akure indigenes from Ondo North and Ondo South senatorial districts, who have also expressed interests in the job, including Senator Ajayi Boroffice and Dr Tunji Abayomi. My priority at this time is to do everything humanly possible and within the confines of the law to help APC defeat the PDP at the poll. Whoever emerges as the APC candidate will have my full support.

With the factor of incumbency, coupled with army of APC governorship contestants, is your party not deluding itself about creating an upset in the coming election in the state? The incumbency will not work, but we cannot underestimate those in power now. APC won the presidential and the National Assembly elections on March 28 but Governor Olusegun Mimiko, came back in April 11 to win the state assembly elections. We all know what happened during the assembly election, and I can on our people to vigilant this and vote for people that are genuinely working for their interest. I can see that APC has so many candidates. Some of them are people who have been part of the loot in the corrupt and inept PDP. Some have been part of the present administration. I believe the party members and leaders will take the election of our

As the APC leader in US, to what extent has the APC administration impacted you and your compatriots through its promise of change? First, we thank the Nigerian people for rejecting the last administration at the poll. We APC-USA worked hard to carry the flag of our party in USA and internationalize the struggle to get Jonathan out of our lives. Jonathan had almost succeeded in turning Nigeria to a failed state and we’re embarrassed and ashamed of the events in Nigeria. We took our fight to the White House, the US Congress, the United Nations in New York and to the streets of many major cities in USA. Thank God that we now have President Muhammdu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The APC and Buhari-Osinbajo agenda is very clear. What we wanted is what we are getting now precisely and with steady hands. These include the current aggressive war on corruption by significantly reducing it, prosecution of corrupt individuals, recovery of looted money and assets, war against Boko Haram and other terrorist and tribal militant groups, equipping our military with modern weapons to fight the terrorists and any external aggression. Others are massive infrastructure development and rebuilding, stopping our dependence on oil as an economic mainstay and development of other natural resources that are abound in the country, restructuring the civil service, eliminating waste by spending less on public officials and instituting sound and enforceable ethical standards in our public sector, and many others that time will not permit me to state. The president needs the support of all to succeed and this is in our interest. The president should look at us in the Diaspora, especially in US as we have the work ethics that the President needs to succeed.

HAT do you think are the chances of APC in the Ondo governorship poll coming up later in the year? I believe our chances are very bright; if we do the right thing we going to win the election. Successive administrations in the state after Governor Adefarati have been disasters for the state There is little or nothing on the ground to show for all the federal allocations to the state, as well the internally generated revenues. You need to see our roads, you need to visit our schools including the tertiary institutions, you need to visit our hospitals and you need to visit the cemetery and see where our industries are buried. So, APC will win if we don’t recycle failed and corrupt politicians that have contributed to the mess we have in the country and in the state now. APC needs a longstanding and a consistent progressive candidate who has not been part of the country’s or the state’s corruption to lead and implement its change agenda and transform the state. That is why I’m offering myself to lead the state at this time to bring development to the state and to empower our people. I believe I have the honesty, integrity, knowledge and experience to deliver the APC agenda and my vision for the state.

Alade

gubernatorial standard bearer very seriously and do not allow the fair weather politicians to hijack the party. The true progressives, who have been in the trenches for long, should be voted for and allowed to implement the party’s change agenda. What factors should determine the choice of APC candidate? Unfortunately, our electoral process makes it very difficult, if not somehow impossible, for a credible and progressive candidate to emerge. We have a flawed and corrupt system that only allows corrupt, selfish and criminals to strive and blossom in our political system. The APC must be ready to change this in the country. The election of President Buhari is a step in the right direction and must be built upon to get people of honor and integrity to public service. If we failed, Africa and especially black Africans will continue to be disrespected around the world. APC must ensure that the candidates are given a levelplaying field and submit to primary election. However, we should not allow the process to be abused or hijacked by people of questionable characters. The party should discourage outrageous nomination fee which I believe sets the ground for corruption. There are other many ways a political party can raise funds. The party should not allow the fair weather politicians to get the nomination. The people of Ondo State have suffered enough from a fair weather politician. There are agitations by many groups that the governorship be zoned to them. I know of the Akure agenda. Akure

Monday, 22 February, 2016 Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featuresdesk@yahoo.com 0811 184 5048

features

Passengers at Ikorodu boarding one of the boats to Lagos Island.

Lagos water transport

The thrill, the fear As more Lagos residents turn to the waterways as a viable alternative for avoiding the ever-present Lagos traffic, KEHINDE OYETIMI, who took a boat trip to Ikorodu, reports the passengersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experiences and survival methods as they sail, as well as the efforts by the operators and government to keep the waterways safe.

HILE the morning was still misty, the Lagos traffic along the Ebute Ero Market was gradually building up. It was a

little past 6:30 am. For a first caller at that axis, the sea announced its presence with a chilly embrace. At an angle just down the road sits the landing pier of the Ebute Ero

A passenger disembarking from one of the boats after a trip from Ebute Ero to Ikorodu.

end of the waterway. Few minutes into waiting, this reporter joined a boat heading for Ikorodu. After paying the fee, a life jacket was issued. There was just one point on the

boat which served a dual purpose of entry and exit. Each face on the trip was wrapped in solitude. The seats, built with strong wooden carvings, were firmly attached to the body of the boat, not leaving much room for the passengerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legs. Slightly cramped up, this reporter was repeatedly jolted as the boat bounced its way through the watercourse. It was as scary as it was thrilling. While the two-man crew tried to calm frayed nerves, the boat sped off, travelling at such swiftness that combined with the deftness of the captain. Made up of 24 passengers including this reporter, the boat lacked the trappings of a modern vessel. One of the crew members who manned one end of the boat where the engine is located had a water-collecting device which he utilized to take out water that had found its way into the boat in the course of the journey. Continues on pg36

Boat passengers usually park their vehicles here at the Ikorodu jetty before embarking on the boat trip.

36 features

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

We ferry over 1,000 people every day —Operators

Akeem Amusa

Inside one of the boats

Clever Akinfosi Continued from pg35

As the boat made its way into the heart of the sea, the scenic ambiance presented a watery spread. It was all water, nothing else. The chit-chats that earlier existed at the beginning of the trip fizzled out giving way to a silence that only the roaring of the engine and the turbulence of the sea penetrated. After an 18-minute ride, one of the jetties in Ikorodu came into sight. After alighting, passengers quickly made their way through the crowd as others boarded other boats on their way from Ikorodu to Lagos Island. At the Ikorodu jetty was a parking lot just a few metres away. Boat mishaps With the gradual increase in patronage of water transportation, especially by workers in Lagos, the rising cases of boat mishaps calls for concern. On February 7, 2016, three people were killed in a boat disaster in Lagos. This happened at the Badagry area of the state. A week before this, tragedy struck at Ijede area of Ikorodu, when a passenger boat reportedly capsized, drowning and killing seven of the passengers. The 20-passenger boat was conveying 17 people from Ijede en route Badore when the disaster occurred. Sadly again, the media reported on January 21, 2016, that one person died and two others were critically injured when a Victoria Island-bound boat from Ikorodu collided with another one deep inside the Lagos lagoon. According to the report, the impact of the collision caused one of the boats to split open. However, in spite of the various boat accidents that occur via water transport, many of those who patronise the means of transportation seem unrelenting in their use of the medium, for various reasons, major of which hinge on avoiding the popular Lagos gridlock. In an interaction with Nathaniel Ilesanmi, one of the operators, Nigerian Tribune gathered that individuals who work on the Island and live in Ikorodu usually parked their vehicles at the jetty, board the boats so as to resume work early. According to him, “We have been here for a while now. We provide parking services for those who work on the Island and live in Ikorodu. They park their cars here in the morning, travel by boat and when they return to Ikorodu through the same water route, they pick up their vehicles and head home. “Because of the limited parking space, we accommodate about 150 cars every day.

We collect a small fixed token from them – N100. But there are other parking spaces scattered all around.” Ikorodu boasts of more terminals in Lagos than any other part of the state because of the large body of water there and its closeness to Lagos Island and Ibeju Lekki. Badagry and Festac equally have jetties. The Ikorodu jetties include Majidun, Ijede, Igbogbo Bayeku and Ipakodo. While it is costlier and apparently more dangerous to travel by the waterways considering the incessant boat mishaps, Lagos residents who ply the waterways every day stated that they would rather go through the waterways since it is faster. “Water transport is a huge relief for us” Mr Dotun Ajala, who works at Marina and lives in Ikorodu, told Nigerian Tribune that “When I got my employment at the Island, the major challenge was how to get to work before 7:30 am. I would leave home by 4:30 am by bus and yet would get to work by 9 am or in some cases past that time. But since I started using the boat facilities, it has been a huge relief. Now all I do is to leave home by 6:15 am and I get to the office on the Island by 7:00am. “We know there have been accidents on the waterways but we try to follow all the

Water transport is a big relief for us who use it every day. But the accidents that daily occur are avoidable if the government will show more commitment to the safety of its citizens. Travelling by water is faster. There are no gridlocks.

safety measures available to us and we try to monitor the activities of the operators.” Another passenger, Ronke Muyideen, was quick to commend the services of the boat operators. “Life would have a continuous hell for us if we had not been provided with this alternative. I and many others work at Lagos Island. Do you know the frustrations we face on a daily basis as a result of transiting from Ikorodu to our places of work every day? The traffic on the express is terrible. We would leave early and yet get to work late. “Even though it is expensive to travel by boat, we still prefer it. We also know that it is dangerous but what do we do? We daily pray for God’s protection. Don’t we record accidents on the road and air? So why should we then say that because accidents occur on the sea therefore we shouldn’t travel by it? It is faster and preferable,” she said. Mr John Kolade, another water transport passenger, while interacting with Nigerian Tribune, called on the government to show commitment and improve safety on the waterways. According to him, “Water transport is a big relief for us who use it every day. But the accidents that daily occur are avoidable if the government will show more commitment to the safety of its citizens. Travelling by water is faster. There are no gridlocks. Today we all know that Lagos is very populated and people who move by road are very many. The gridlocks build up from morning till night. In fact, I must say that so much is lost as a result of the time wasted in traffic jam.” Madam Taye Tajudeen who sells at Ebute Ero but lives in Ikorodu told Nigerian Tribune that “In Lagos, we waste so much time in traffic. And time wasted is the equivalent of money wasted. I am a trader and I know the worth of time if I am going to make profits in business. I know that people have died as a result of boat mishaps but it is faster. We only pray that God continues to guide us as we travel.” Akeem Amusa, spokesperson of Metro Ferry Marine Services Ltd, at one of the Ikorodu jetties, told Nigerian Tribune some of the challenges of providing water transport services. “We ferry over 1,000 people every day. We have been running this business for the last seven years. We have our challenges. There are water hyacinths that come out from November to January. The water hyacinths are water plants with blue flowers. They get all over the place on the high sea and to navigate becomes a huge task. In fact, the

Nathaniel Ilesanmi leaves get into the boat engines and cause accidents. To drive over the leaves is usually problematic. The propellers of the engines are affected. We are forced to stop operation for a while or use other routes temporally. “We also have issues with those who transport woods from other states across the sea. They leave the woods on the sea for days and even months. These woods are brought from the South South through the waterways. The woods, usually heavy, collide with oncoming boats. We also have issues with dredgers. They leave their pipes in the water indiscriminately. If one is not very cautious, one could drive over them,” he said. However, he reported the unsatisfactory interaction with the government. According to him, “the government is aware of all the challenges that we have. We have held meetings with the government agencies but we are not very satisfied with the interaction.” Clever Akinfosi, another operator, stated that “people appreciate water transport because it is faster. With my boat alone, I embark on about four trips each day. I am not the only boat operator at this jetty. We are very many. It is compulsory that each person puts on a life jacket. In fact, many regular passengers have their personal jackets. They park their cars, put on their jackets and board the boats. The accidents that we experience are caused by various reasons but we are doing our best to keep the waterways safe.” We are committed to safety on waterways—Govt The Lagos State government, worried by repeated boat mishaps, has warned boat operators against the use of rickety boats. This was made known during a one-day training programme organised for water-guards on safety and rescue techniques. The Managing Director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mrs Abisola Kamson, noted that it was necessary to tackle boat mishaps in the state. “We are going to come out with the standard that the vessel operators must comply with. It is no longer business as usual as an aggressive enforcement of guidelines for operators of commercial boat, coupled with a media campaign will be launched by the Authority as part of efforts to reassure citizens that the state government is committed to their safety. The Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration would ensure safety of lives and property always through improved quality of water transportation in the state,” she said.

news

Monday, 22 February, 2016

My victory is to serve people —Mark

Sheriff, Wike, Mimiko, others laud victory By Johnson Babajide Makurdi, Leon Usigbe , Jacob Segun Olatunji - Abuja and Moses Alao

ORMER senate president, Senator David Mark, on Sunday, described his victory at the re run, as an opportunity to serve the people of the senatorial district. Mark, who spoke to newsmen at his residence ,in Otukpo, on Sunday, said that the victory was for every person living in the senatorial district, hence, a renewed mandate to further put the nation on the right path. The erstwhile senate president won the re run, last Saturday in the Benue South senatorial district by polling 84,192 to defeat his opponent from All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 71,621. Mark further said that the election had gone a long way to foster unity of Idoma nation just as he called on his people to see the victory as 'collective victory' and enjoined them to continue with their support for him. While appreciating the people, Mark promised that he would not betray the confidence reposed in him. According to the result released by the returning officer, Dr Ishaibu Enaji, indicates that PDP won five local governments while Onjeh ,his opponents, won in four local governments. Meanwhile, the national chairman of PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has congratulated Senator Mark, who won the Benue South senatorial rerun last Saturday with the party boss saying that Mark leadership quality was required in the senate. A statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, in Abuja, on Sunday, the party chairman on behalf of its national leadership, noted that this development leaves no one in doubt of the popularity of Senator Mark and that of PDP not only in Benue State, but also in the North Central geopolitical zone and other states of the federation. The statement described Senator Mark as a valuable statesman and national leader intensely needed in the Senate, while thanking Nigerians for their renewed support for PDP and its candidates as demonstrated in recent elections across the country. It added: “It is instructive to note that PDP had won 70 per cent of all the polls conducted since May 29, a development that underlines the fact of its deep roots and popularity as a brand, irrespective of the transitory setback of the 2015 general election.”

“We, therefore, call on all members of our great party to respond to the gesture by Nigerians by uniting behind the ideals of PDP and visions of its founding fathers and reposition the party for the challenges ahead. Also, in a congratulatory message to the former senate president on his victory, at the rerun , Governor Wike said that the people of the senatorial district with their choice, have appreciated Senator Mark for his contributions to their development, democracy and national growth. He noted that by casting their votes for the former senate president, the

Benue South senatorial district constituents, extended a worthy gift to the outstanding lawmaker. In the same manner, Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has congratulated Senator Mark, who on Sunday, emerged winner of the re-run conducted in Benue South senatorial district by the Independent National Electoral Commission. Describing the PDP’s senator as “a dogged fighter, astute and all-round politician, who can hold his head high at any point in time” the governor said Mark’s victory at the weekend rerun, has demonstrated that PDP is still the party to beat.

Commending the senator for remaining undaunted in the face of constant intimidation, Mimiko said Mark’s victory has shown clearly that he is loved by his people, adding that it was only natural that the people would reciprocate the gesture by re-affirming their confidence in him by voting him back to office as their representative at the upper chamber. Also, the immediate past deputy senate whip, Senator Hosea Agboola, has congratulated Senator Mark, on his victory during the Benue South senatorial rerun held on Saturday.

Senator Agboola, in a statement he signed in Ibadan, described Mark’s victory as well-deserved, noting that the massive development and transformation that Mark has provided in the constituency were enough to speak for him at the polls. “Senator Mark has become a national institution in legislative matters and his experience and technical know-how as a senator since 1999 are too important to be missed in the senate. It is commendable that the people of the constituency made this sacrifice for Nigeria by returning him to the senate,” he said.

PDP wins House of Assembly rerun in Niger Adelowo Oladipo - Minna THE candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Honourable Shuaibu Liman Iya, has won the Niger State House of Assembly rerun for Suleja Local Government Area. Shuaidu Iya polled 9, 036 votes to beat his closest challenger, Mr Salihu Kalanah of the All Progressive Grand Allaince (APGA), who polled 6,230 votes. A A candidate scored 27 votes in the election while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) recorded 41 votes. However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not take part in the election, having been disqualified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following court judgment. There was wild jubilation in Suleja town after the announcement of the result as PDP supporters chanted party slogans and sang victory songs around the town.

Mark's victory a testament of service, democratic credentials —PDP govs Leon Usigbe - Abuja

From left, Chief Executive Officer, MALE Consultancy, Mr Michael Ale; Minister of Water Resources, Mr Adamu Suleiman and the Director, Water Reform, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Benson Ajisegiri, during a workshop on performance assessment of state water agencies, in Abuja, recently.

Plateau supplementary election: APC wins more seats Isaac Shobayo - Jos THE All Progressives Congress (APC), over the weekend, won the two supplementary elections conducted in Plateau State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to fill the vacant seats in the State House of Assembly. The Election Appeal Tribunal, in Jos, in December last year, nullified election

of three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of the Plateau State House of Assembly and ordered INEC to conduct another election to fill the vacant seats. The Saturday’s elections were conducted in Pankshin North in Nyelleng unit, Pankshin South while INEC could not go ahead with Langtang South election due to the suit instituted by PDP against INEC

PDP clears rerun in Taraba Sylvanus Viashima - Jalingo THE Peoples Democratic Party( PDP), Taraba State, has won the three legislative seats contested at the Saturday’s rerun in the state. The state Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), for the state, Honourable Habu Zarma Hinna, announced the result of the rerun , at a press brief-

ing in Jalingo, on Sunday. Hinna stated that the candidate of PDP, DanAsabe Hosea, won the Sardauna/Kurmi/Gashaka federal constituency with 37,645 votes as against his closest rival ,Ibrahim Elsudi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who came close with 37,609 votes. The former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Honorable Abel Peter Diah of PDP, defeated Emmanuel Bongo of APC for the Mbamnga state

on the exclusion of its candidate from the election. In Pankshin North where the election held, only in Nyelleng polling unit, the APC candidate, Mrs Alice Dimlong, was defeated with 292 votes against PDP’s Diket Plang, who scored 683 votes. But the returning officer for Pankshin North constituency, Dr Jeff Godwin, while declaring the results at the council chamber,

constituency with 7,825 as against 5,642 respectively, while Emmanuel Dame of PDP, got the victory for Ardo Kola state constituency ,with 12,138, over Sanusi Wale of APC ,who got 11,047. The INEC chief further noted with gratitude that all the stakeholders played their roles well during the election As at the time of this report, efforts to get the candidates of APC for their reactions failed.

however, said that Dimlong polled the highest number votes with 17, 3329 against Diket’s 16, 817 when the aggregate scores of the two candidates during the previous election were computed. Similarly, the returning officer for Pankshin South, Dr Chris Vande, declared the result at Longkat in Chip electoral ward. According to him, Mr Gideon Dashe of APC garnered 9, 985 votes to defeat PDP candidate, Mr Istifanus Mwansat, who previously was declared the winner during the April 11 2015 election. He scored 9, 875 votes. With the outcome of the two elections, the APC now has 14 members in the State Assembly while PDP has nine members. APC with this, has formed majority. In a swift reaction to the outcome of the election, the state acting chairman of PDP, Mr Raymond Dabo, described the exercise as a “sham” and “unacceptable to PDP.”

LAST Saturday’s victory of Senator David Mark, in the Benue South senatorial rerun is a testament of his service and democratic credentials to not only the people of the Idoma nation but Nigeria in general, Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have observed. They have also hailed the election of Senator Attai Aidoko, in the Kogi East senatorial rerun and all PDP lawmakers that emerged in Taraba State. In a statement by the chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, signed by Mr Osaro Onaiwu, coordinator of the forum, the governors said the elections were a confirmation of the faith of Nigerians in the party. They added that PDP remains committed to the maturing of democracy and its dividends in the country. The statement said: “We congratulate a leader and gallant soldier of democracy as the people of Benue South senatorial district demonstrated that the past elections of Senate Mark have never been a fluke.

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

LEGAL NOTICE

WHEREAS the persons whose names are set out in the first column of the Schedule hereto died intestate on the dates and at the places mentioned therein. AND WHEREAS the persons whose names and addresses are set out in the second column of the said Schedule along with particulars of their relationship to the said deceased (where-ever found necessary or expedient) have applied to the High Court of Justice, Oyo State of Nigeria for the grant unto them of Letters of Administration in respect of the real and personal properties of the deceased. NOTICE is hereby given that the said Letters of Administration will be granted to the said applicants unless a notice to prohibit such grant is filed in the Registry of the High Court of Justice, Ibadan, Oyo State of Nigeria within Twenty-One (21) days from today.

DECEASED:

SCHEDULE

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT:

POY/649/2014: MADU FRANCIS CAJETAN A. BUBA A.K.A. FRANKCHUKA ENTERPRISES Late of No. 5, Adetokun street, Ologuneru/ Eruwa Road, Eleyele, Ibadan, who died on 10th April, 2014 at Anambra State.

Heritta C. Madu and Jennifer C. Madu c/o Law Ark, Legal Consults, 34, Craig street, off Elizabeth Road, Mokola, Ibadan Applicants are Widow and Daughter of deceased.

POY/039/2001: DORCAS ROTIMI B. Late of 7, Osinibi Crescent, Orita Challenge, Ibadan, who died on 27th August, 2000 at U.C.H. Ibadan.

Olufemi Rotimi of 7, Osinibi Crescent, Orita Challenge, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widower of deceased.

C. 1.

POY/273/2001: ISMAILA LAOYE LANLOKUN C. Late of 17, Farayola Layout, Bodija, Ibadan, who died on 12th May, 2000 at Home. POY/671/2015: MAJOR MOSHOOD 1. OLASUPO KEHINDE (RTD) – Late of E7/522c, Adeyemo Road, Oke’badan, Ibadan, who died on 10th October, 2015 at Home.

POY/673/2015: IRETIOLUWA AINA 2. OLAGBEMIDE – Late of 432, circular road, U.C.H, Ibadan, who died on 24th April, 2015 at U.C.H. Ibadan. 3. POY/674/2015: OLATOKUNBO 3. OLANREWAJU OGUNDIRAN – Late of Aromolaran Street, off old Ife road, Ibadan, who died on 30th July, 2015 at St. Anne’s Hospital, Molete, Ibadan. 4 POY/675/2015: RASAKI AKANMU 4. Late of E5A/70, Ile-Olodi, Isale Afa, Ibadan, who died on 4th December, 2015 at Home. Applicants are Children of deceased. 2.

5. 6.

POY/676/2015: OYELAKIN OGUNLADE 5. JOSEPH ADEOYE – Late of No. 10, Road A5, Alarere, New Ife Road, Ibadan, who died on 22nd July, 2015 at Ibadan. POY/677/2015: REVD SAMUEL IGE TAIWO 6. Late of Ile Eleshin Meta, 26, Akinwale Street, Takie, Ilorin/Oyo Road, Ogbomoso, who died on 28th December, 1968 at Home.

Olanlokun Kudirat Ololade and Toyin Lanlokun of Plot 3, Sanusi Olusanya village, off Adeojo estate, Old Ife Road, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Eniola Oluwaseun Sherifat Kehinde and Mrs. Risikat Arinlade Adebimpe Kehinde of 19, Oyeniyi street, Ikolaba, Ibadan and E7/522C, Adeyemo Road, Oke’badan,Ibadan, respectively. Applicants are Widow and Daughter of deceased. Mrs. Hannah Olayinka Fafeyiwa Guardian to Praise Ayomide Olagbemide of 5/7 Bishop Avenue, Diocesan Headquarters, Arowomole, Ogbomoso. Applicant is the Senior Sister of deceased. Prince Bowofade Aderemi and Mrs. Omowumi Ojo of Are Avenue, New Bodija Estate, Ibadan and No. 2, Odunola Street, Idi-Ishin, Jericho, Ibadan respectively. Applicants are Friend and Sister of deceased. Murphy Oyetunji Razaq and Mrs. Lateef Oyenike (Nee Rasaki) of No. 10, Araba Bankole Street, Mosan Ipaja, Lagos. Mr. Femi Abayomi Adeoye of No. 10, Road A5, Alarere, New Ife Road, Ibadan. Applicant is the Son of deceased. Dorcas Oyinlola Laoye (Nee Taiwo) and Oladipupo Bolanle Taiwo of 7, Safori Street, Orogun, Ojo Road, Ibadan and 26, Akinwale Street, Takie, Ilorin/Oyo Road, Ogbomoso. Applicants are Daughter and Grandson.

7. 8. 9.

POY/678/2015: ALHAJI LAMIDI LADOKUN 7. Alhaji Kamoru Ladokun and Mrs. A.K.A. ALHAJI LADOKUN LAMIDI AKANNI Simbiat Ladokun and Oladokun Late of Iba-Araye street, Alagbon, Owode, Oyo, Mumuni Kolapo of Ibaraye street, Oyo State, who died on 2nd May, 2015 at the Alagbon, Owode, Oyo State. Applicants State Hospital, Oyo. are Children of deceased. POY/679/2015: MRS. RAMOTA ADUKE 8. Mrs. Elizabeth Matthew and Mrs. Tawa LAWAL – Late of Sw2/177, Isale Asaka, Foko, usuf of Sw4/498, Isale Asaka, Foko, Ibadan, who died on 2nd December, 2014 at Ibadan. Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. POY/680/2015: MURITALA YUSUFF 9. Adikatu Muritala and Rukayat Muritala of No. 7, Orisunmibare, Amuloko, Late of E4/910, Idibepe Olorunsogo, Ibadan, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Daughter of deceased. who died on 11th February, 2015 at Ibadan.

10.

POY/682/2015: CHIEF (MRS) JUSTINA 10. ADEBOLA ADEKOYA – Late of Sw8/838, Oyinade Avenue, Molete, Ibadan, who died on 18th December, 2010 at Hillstar Hospital, Palm Avenue, Papa-Ajao, Lagos State. POY/683/2015: JULIANAH BOLANLE 11. FAKANLU – Late of Z124, Bolorunduro Street, Ilesa, Osun state, who died on 19th July, 2013 at Wesley Guild Hospital. POY/684/2015: LIASU KABIR OLAPOJU 12. Late of No 3D, Ilupeju estate, off Kumapayi, Olodo garage, Olodo, Iwo road, Ibadan, who died on 18th November, 2015 at Home. POY/685/2015: OLUJIDE AMOS ADEGOKE 13. Late of No. 5, Highway Camp, Idi-Ayunre Area, Ibadan, who died on 23rd November, 2014 at Ibadan.

11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

17. 18. 19.

20. 21.

22.

23. 24. 25.

26. 27. 28. 29.

30.

31.

32. 33. 34.

35. 35. 36. 37. 38.

Mrs. Oyebola Elomobor and Mr. Abiodun Adekoya of No. 5, Olusegun Olusemo street, Ikoyi, Lagos. Applicants are Children of deceased. Mrs. Oluyemisi Omowumi Aofolaju and and Oluwabusuyi Adonis Fakanlu of No. 9, Golden Gate, Ilupeju Estate, Academy, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Liasu Akindele Ridwan and Liasu Mojisola Aduke of No. 3D, Ilupeju estate, off Kumapayi, Olodo garage, Olodo, Iwo Road, Ibadan. Applicants are Son and Widow of deceased. Aderemi Sesan Adegoke and Adewale Olubayo Adegoke of No. 5, Highway Camp, Idi-Ayunre Area, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased.

POY/686/2015: RICHARD CHIEDOZIE 14. Charity Ijeoma Nwobodo and Esther NWOBODO – Late of No. 9, Fadairo Nwobodo c/o Barr. Peters Ike Adonu of Peters Ike Adonu & Co 69, Elewure, Street, Inu Koko, Ashi, Bodija, Ibadan, who Beside Wema Bank. Applicants are Widow and Daughter of deceased. died on 30th June, 2015 at Ibadan. POY/687/2015: OLUSOLA OLUSOJI 15. Mrs Bunmi Olaleye and Mrs Yinka Tolu Bolaji of Alade Adua, Oluwo Area, OLALEYE – Late of Alade Adua, Oluwo Area, Ibadan, who died on 30th December, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Sister of deceased. 2012 at Osasa River Town, Ogun State. POY/688/2015: WRIGHT DAVID AJIBOLA 16. Wright Odunola Ruth, Wright Esther Oluwakemi and Wright Samuel Babawale Late of Zone A, House 20, Jagun Alekuso, of Zone A, House 20, Jagun Alakuso, Oyeniyan Bus stop, Oki, Olodo, Ibadan, who died on 26th July, 2015 at U.C.H. Ibadan. Oyeniyan Bus stop, Oki, Olodo, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Children of deceased. POY/689/2015: SAMUEL BABAFEMI 17. Mr. Olufemi O. Bello, Mrs Janet Bolanle BELLO – Late of No. 2, Esuruoso Layout, Bello and Mr. Olumide V. Bello c/o their solicitor, Donald Nwankwo Esq of J.B. Oluyole Extension, Ibadan, who died on 15th Lawson & Co, No. 9, Ajigbe street, opp. December, 2015 at U.C.H. Ibadan. Dikat House, Ibadan. Applicants are Son, Brother and Widow of deceased. POY/690/2015: OLAOLUWA OLUWASEYI 18. Akinyemi Oluseyi Roseline and Pastor Akinyemi Isaac Olusola of AlasiaAKINYEMI – Late of No 121, Ifelodun estate Akomeji, Amuloko, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Father of deceased. Oluawo, Amuloko, Ibadan, who died on 4th November, 2015 at Hospital. POY/001/2016: ESTHER MOJISOLA 19. Prof. James Olabisi Oluwadiya, Olabisi Olatunbosun Oluwadiya and Oladapo OLUWADIYA – Late of opp. St. Silas Anglican Church, Old Ibadan Road, Olusola Oluwadiya of opp. St. Silas Anglican Church, Old Ibadan Road, Ajebandele, Ile-Ife, who died on 20th December, Ajebandele, Ile-Ife, Oshun State. 2014 at Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, Applicants are Widower and Children of deceased. Lagere, Ile-Ife. POY/002/2016: SULAIMAN AIKI 20. Olalekan Aliyu Alawode and Mrs Idayat ALAWODE – Late of No 10, Omilabu Area, Alawode of No. 22, Alaga Zone, Idi-Iroko, Ojoo, Ibadan, who died on 11th April, 2015 Ibadan. Applicants are Son and Widow of deceased. at U.C.H Ibadan. POY/003/2016: OLUYEMISI OLURONKE 21. Mrs. Oluyinka Ajayi and Mr. Olufemi Ajayi of House 5, Majerita Hotel 5, off Adeoyo AJAYI – Late of CPU Section, Ministry of Road, Ring Road, Ibadan. Applicants are Defence, HQ 2 Division NIG Army, Ibadan, Children of deceased. who died on 26th March, 2014 at Ibadan. POY/004/2016: LCPL OLUBUNMI 22. Mrs. Hanna Akingbade and Miss AKINGBADE – Late of 4 BDE GAR Funmilayo Akingbade of No. 9, Aladun Avenue, Ojoo, along Igboloyin, Ojoo, Nigerian Army, Benin city, Edo State, who Ibadan. Applicants are Mother and Sister of deceased. died on 11th July, 2015 at Maiduguri, Bornu State. POY/005/2016: MR. OSUNNIYI TITUS 23. Osunniyi O. Gbenga and Awe Yetunde of No 29, Araromi street, Ipetu-Ijesia and OLASEHINDE – Late of No. 29, Araromi Km 8, Ajoda Estate, New Ife Road, Ibadan Street, Ipetu-Ijesa, who died on 18th Applicants are Children of deceased. November, 2015 at Home. 24. Mrs. Hammed Ramota of Sw4/817D, POY/006/2016: HAMMED AKEEM Olorunsogo Street, Oke Ado, Ibadan. AYANTAYO – Late of Sw4/817D, Applicant is the Widow of deceased. Olorunsogo Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, who died on 2nd June, 2015 at St Mary’s Catholic General Hospital, Eleta. POY/007/2016: MRS HELEN OMOWUMI 25. Pa Enahoro Peter Edehonmon .U. and ENAHORO – Late Enahoro’s Compound, Miss Atanda Omolegho Ajevbunu of Dorcas Olatunji (Mrs), Alhaja Rafat J.K. Area, Ogbomoso, who died on 6th June, Shopping complex, Beside Uncle B, 2015 at Baptist Medical Centre, Ogbomoso. Applicants are Widower and Daughter of deceased. Bookshop Building, Idi-Oro, Ogbomoso. POY/008/2016: DAVID ADEBAYO 26. Makinde Solomon Akinyemi and Makinde MAKINDE – Late of Makinde’s House, Hannah Taiwo of Makinde’s House, Rest House Area, Okeho. Applicants are Rest House Area, Okeho, who died on 27th Children of deceased. of February, 2015 at General Hospital,Okeho. POY/009/2016: MUDASIRU ELUFIDIPE 27. Mrs. Mary Elufidipe of No. 4, Alapata Late of No. 4, Alapata Road, Apete, Ibadan, Road, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widow of deceased. who died on 2nd March, 2015 at Ring Road State Hospital, Ibadan. POY/013/2016: EUNICE OMOTOYOSI 28. Joseph Gbemisoye Akanbi of Plot 7, Omoluabi Layout, Orogun, Ibadan. AKANBI – Late of Plot 7, Omoluabi Layout, Orogun, Applicant is the Widower of deceased. Ibadan, who died on 17th June 2012 at Hospital. POY/014/2016: TIMOTHY OYEBANJI 29. Mrs. Funmilayo Adeola Adegoke and Mr. Raphael Dolapo Akinfolarin c/o their AKINFOLARIN – Late of No. 36, Agbajopo, Alexandar Area, Ibadan, who solicitor,Oluwole Adeosun & Co, No. 1, died on 27th Deeember, 2012 at Teju Adeleke close, off Liberty Road, Ibadan. Specialist Hospital Limited. Applicants are Niece and Son of deceased. POY/015/2016: PA SAMUEL ATIOLA 30. Mr. Adebowale Oladosu, Mr. Ajibola OLADOSU – Late of No. 18, Alhaja Oladosu, Mr. Olatunji Oladosu and Mrs. Hassana street, Orile Iganmu, Surulere, Adefunke Onakoya c/o their solicitor, Agbaje, Agbaje & Co, No. 3, Obafemi Lagos, who died on 23rd February, 2014 at Orile Iganmu, Lagos. Awolowo way, beside Baptist Building, Oke Bola, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. POY/016/2016: OLANREWAJU GABRIEL 31. Olalekan Samuel Olanipekun and Oladipupo Amos Olanipekun of Iyana OLANIPEKUN – Late of Iyana Agbala New Agbala New Ife Road, Ibadan Aba Otun Ife Road, Ibadan Aba Otun Amuloko Area, Ibadan, who died on 22nd January, 2015 at Ibadan. Amuloko Area, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. POY/017/2016: MICHAEL OLANIYAN 32. Mrs. Folake O. Adeloye and Kolawole Late of Adanla Area, Ijokodo, Ibadan, who Olaniyan c/o Adenle Adeloye & Co, 9, died on 15th September, 2015 at Jericho Ifedapo Street, Oketunu, Ibadan. Specialist Hospital, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. POY/018/2016: LASUNKANMI AKINOLA 33. AKANBI – Late of No. 3, Mojirade Lawal Street, Oke Baale, Osogbo, who died on 2nd November, 2014 at Ibadan. POY/019/2016: OGUNDEJI AJANI 34. OGUNKUNLE – Late of Olafimihan Quarters, Okeho, Kajola Local Govt, who died on 17th July, 2011 at Home. POY/020/2016: ORISANYIMIKA ADE- 35. GBOYEGA RICHARD – Late of E6/385, Oke Ofa, who died on 26th June, 2015 at Alafia Medical Hospital, Adamasingba, Ibadan. POY/021/2016: GBENGA SAMSON 35. AYODELE – Late of Popoola Area, Gbekuba, Apata, Ibadan, who died on 30th July, 2014 at Home. POY/022/2016: CAPT. RUFUS OLANIYI 36. OLOYEDE – Late of No. 28, Segun Oriola Street, Eleyele, Ibadan, who died on 16th February, 2012 at Hospital. POY/023/2016: PROFESSOR JOSEPH 37. AKINTOLA OGUNROMBI – Late of No. 1, Ile Amobikan, Oke-Ado, Ogbomoso, who died on 10th September, 2013 at O.A.U.T.H.C, Ile-Ife. POY/024/2016: PA. JOHN OLUKUNLE OKE 38. Late of No. 21, Zone 1, Tai village, Amuloko

Dr. Olatunde Babatunde Akanbi and Mr. Olatunji Olufemi Akanbi of AA4, Nyango Gyel Bukuru Jos and No. 7, Ore-Ofe Estate, Elewi Odo, Ibadan, Respectively. Applicants are Children of deceased. Mrs. Ariori Adewumi Abiodun (Nee Ogundeji) and Mr. Peter Onaolapo Adelodun c/o their solicitor, Akeem A. Okelola Esq, Niyi Ogunjimi & Co, 9, Queen Elizabeth Road, Mokola, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Richard Abiola Dasola and Richard Tobiloba Abiodun of No.6, Yemetu Idi-Odo, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Ayodele Sehinde Christianah Guardian to Ayodele Israel and Ige Bosede Oluwa-Funmise c/o Ige Oluwatosin (Mrs) of Gemgold solicitors, 142, Adekunle Fajuyi Road, Adamasingba, Ibadan. Applicants are Mother and Sister of deceased. Kolawole Francis Oloyede and Bamidele Sunday Oloyede of No. 28, Segun Oriola Street, Eleyele, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Dr. Akinwumi Babatunde Ogunrombi and Dr (Mrs) Adeola Abosede Orogade (Nee Ogunrombi) of No. 1, Ile Amobikan, Oke Ado, Ogbomoso. Applicants are Children of deceased. Mr. Oluremi Alaba Oke and Mrs. Akinbola Olubunmi Temitayo (Nee Oke) of Alhaji

DECEASED:

SCHEDULE

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT:

Ibadan, who died on 22nd December, 2015 at Jimoh Street Close, Opelope Olorun Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital. Estate, Elewuro Akobo, Ibadan and No. 27, Road 1, Ogo-oluwa Estate, off Olorunda Abba Road, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. POY/025/2016: REV. CANNON EMMANUEL 39. Ahmed Folorunso Akinade of 2nd floor, 39. FOLORUNSO AHMED – Late of Adeyemo Layout, 2nd Suite, Lister Building, Ring Road, Ibadan, who died on 11th May, 2015 at Home. Ibadan. Applicant is the Son of deceased. POY/026/2016: ABU IBRAHIM 40. Abu Opeyemi Adebukola and Abubakar 40. Late of 148, Omitowoju, Mokola Area, Aminat Akanke c/o their solicitor, Ibadan, who died on 13th November, 2015 at Folorunso Ahmed Esq, city solicitors, Home. 2nd floor, 2nd suite, Lister Building, Ring Applicants are Children of deceased. Road, Ibadan. POY/027/2016: ARASI RUFAI 41. Olalekan Sanni and Musbau Segun Sanni 41. Late of Akinbile, Moniya, Ibadan, who died of 14, Okeremi Layout, Oke Itunu, on 23rd April, 2015 at Home. Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. POY/028/2016: AWOYEMI GANIYU 42. Kafayatu Sherif andAyinla Olaide of Avian 1, Oleyo road, 42. Late of No. 24, Iyaloja compound, Ayegun Ayegun Ibadan and Lodi street, Academy, Ibadan respectively. Olomi, Ibadan, who died on 3rd October, 2015 at Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 43. POY/029/2016: MRS BOLANLE TOYIN 43. Abayomi Oladosu Olatunji opposite Owode Estate, 2nd Gate, Apata, Ibadan. OLATUNJI – Late of opposite Owode Estate, Gate, Apata, Ibadan, who died on 25th Applicant is the Son of deceased. November, 2011 at U.C.H. Ibadan. POY/030/2016: OGUNRINDE FESTUS 44. Ogunrinde Kayode .A. and Ogunrinde 44. AKINGUNSOLA (A.K.A OGUNRINDE FESTUS Abimbola .A. of No. 9, Road 3, Agara AKIN) – Late of No. 5, Alafia Street, Ajue, Estate, New Garage, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Ondo State, who died on 18th January, 2015 at Home. 45. POY/031/2016: MERCY DUPE IGHAEDE 45. Mrs. Grace Ighaede and Sunday Anakhe Ighaede of Plot 5, Block D, College of Late of Plot 5, Block D, College of Medicine Housing Estate, Ajobo Arulogun Road, via Medicine Housing Estate, Ajobo Ojoo, Ibadan, who died on 12th March, 2012 Arulogun Road, via Ojoo, Ibadan. at No. 7, ekeke Quarter, Ozalla, Edo State. Applicants are Mother and Younger Brother of deceased. 46. POY/032/2016: AKPAN FRANCIS IKPE 46. John Akpan and Alice Itoro Akpan c/o their solicitor, Oladipo Olaosebikan & Late of 1A, Olorombo Avenue, Basorun, associates, 63, Fajuyi Road, Adamasingba Ibadan, who died on 5th March, 2015 at Adeoyo Hospital, Ibadan. Ibadan. Applicants are Son and Widow of deceased. 47. 48.

49.

POY/033/2016: ISIAKA ADEKANBI 47. HAMMED – Late of No. 26, Akomeji, Road B, Zone F Akanran, Ibadan, who died on 6th September, 2015 at Home. POY/034/2016: DR. SAKA ADELEKE 48. KAREEM – Late of N5/95D, Ajani Street, Total Garden, Ibadan, who died on 11th July, 2012 at U.C.H. Ibadan.

Isiaka Sheriff Babatunde and Sadia Moriyike Afisu (Nee Isiaka) of No. 26, Akomeji Road B, Zone F Akanran, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Mrs. Mary Adeleke Kareem c/o Olumide Aliu & Co of No 38B, Beside Dominos Pizza, Awolowo Avenue, Bodija, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widow of deceased.

POY/035/2016: MR. JOSEPH AGBA 49. OGHENKEVBE – Late of No. 8, Adekunle Street, Agbowo, U.I. Ibadan, who died on 27th January, 2014 at Home. Leventis Area, Mokola, Ibadan.

Mr.John Akpabaro Agbah and Miss. Christiana Edore Agba c/o O.S. Ephraim Oluwanuga & Co, No. 55, Oyo Road, Applicants are Children of deceased.

50.

POY/036/2016: MRS. AKANMU GRACE 50. Mrs. Olayade Julianah Atinuke and Mr. FUNSO – Late of Sw4/196, Oke-Ofa, Layade Tajudeen Tosin of No 21, Molipa Street, Ijebu-Ode and No 2, Oya street, Ijebu Ode respectively. Babasale, Ibadan, who died on 7th November, Applicants are Younger Brother and Younger Sister of deceased. 2013 at Ogun State Hospital, Ijebu Ode. 51. POY/037/2016: ADEKEMI ADENIKE 51. Olalekan Ademola Olutunde and Olalekan ADESOKAN (OLUTUNDE) MRS – Late of Francis Famade of No. 5, Chief Olajire No. 5, Chief Olajire Obisesan Avenue, Obisesan Avenue, Ologuneru, Ibadan and Ologuneru, Ibadan, who died on 13th 5, Alhaji Ganiv street, off Ososami Road, November, 2011 at Ibadan. Ibadan respectively. Applicants are Widower and niece of deceased. 52. POY/038/2016: SAMUEL BAMIDELE 52. Cecilia Mosun Aborishade and Oluyinka Isaac Aborisade of 40, Lawoyin Street, ABORISHADE – Late of 40, Lawoyin Street, Anfani Layout, Ibadan, who died on 18th Anfani Layout, Ibadan. Applicants are September, 2005 at Ibadan. Widow and Son of deceased. POY/039/2016: AYOADE ASIMIYU 53. Mr. Babatunde Moruf Adeoba and Mrs. 53. ADEOBA – Late of No. 1, Bamidele Ojo, off Olubukola Rofiat Olayiwola (Nee Adeoba) Alexander Road, Apata, Ibadan, who died of No. 1, Bamidele Ojo, off AlexanderRoad, Apata, Ibadan 28th July, 2015 at Ibadan. and No. 1, Aih. Mohammed Ibrahim Street, off Wire & Cable, Apata, Ibadan, respectively. Applicants are Children of respectively. 54. POY/040/2016: OGUNREMI KOLAPO 54. Olalekan Ogunremi of No. 20, New Late of No. 20, New Felele Oloola, Soka, Felele Oloola, Soka, Ibadan. Applicant is the Son of deceased. Ibadan, who died on 21st August, 2015 at Home. 55. POY/041/2016: MRS BERNICE OLUKOREDE 55. Olawale Abdulrasheed Yusuff and Hamed OLAGUNJU - Late of No. 4, Oloko Area, Apata, Adeyemi Olagunju of 1A, Adekoyejo Majekodunmi Avenue, G.R.A, Iyaganku, Ibadan, who died on 10th Sept., 2014 at the Hospital. Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased 56. POY/042/2016: RICHARD ADERINKOYE 56. HRM. Kayode Olusa, Mrs. Abiola Bosede OLUSA – Late of N/115L, Ilepa Street, Ikare Kareem and Mr. Akinwande Olusa c/o Akoko, who died on 11th April, 1991 at Home. their solicitor, Taiwo P. Iyanda Esq of Taiwo Iyanda & Co, 4th floor ANCE Building, Magazine Road, Jericho, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. POY/043/2016: AKANDE JOSEPH 57. Akande Bolanle Oluremi of No. 43, off 57. KOLAWOLE – Late of No. 43, off Elewi Elewi Road, Araromi, Oyo. Applicant is the Daughter of deceased. Road, Araromi, Oyo, who died on 12th August, 2005 at Oyo. 58. Bioku Musa Dolapo and Ogunremi 58. POY/044/2016: BIOKU SAKA (ZAKARIYAU) OLANREWAJU) – Late of No. 14A, Samson Olusola c/o their solicitor, Agbaje Animasaun Street, Ifelodun Area, Muslim, Odinjo, Agbaje & Co. No. 3, Obafemi Awolowo Ibadan, who died on 31st December, 2015 at U.C.H. Ibadan. way, beside Baptist Building, Oke Bola, Ibadan. Applicants are Son and Friend of deceased. POY/045/2016: CLARA FOLASADE 59. Olubunmi Owolabi Sofowora c/o Olujimi 59. Falaye Esq, Fadele & Fadele, 1st floor OLOYEDE – Late of Ijadu Olugbode, Ayegoro, Akobo, Ibadan, who died on 8th Al-Barka Plaza, Bodija, Ibadan. Applicant is the Son of deceased. October, 2015 at Ibadan. 60. POY/047/2016: ADEWOYIN BETTY 60. Adewoyin Oluseyi Ademola of 11, Ilaro Street, Old Bodija, Ibadan. Applicant is the Son of deceased. OLABISI – Late of opp. S.D.H. Camp, Erunmu, Ibadan, who died on 26th August, 2014 at Ibadan. 61.

POY/048/2016: OLANREWAJU FAKOREDE 61. EMMANUEL – Late of No. 6, Wisdom Road Alabidun, off New Airport, Alakia, Ibadan, who died on 9th December, 2014 at U.C.H. Ibadan. Widow and Daughter of deceased.

62.

POY/049/2016: AJAYI JOSEPH 62. FOLORUNSO – Late of Phase 2, Kasumu Estate, Ojo Ekun, Odo-Ona Elewe, Ibadan, who died on 9th August, 2013 at Hospital. POY/050/2016: ALHAJI MUSA ABUBAKAR 63. Late of No. 3030, Iso Pako, Bodija Market, Area, Ibadan, who died on 29th September, 2015 at General Hospital of Medinah, Saudi Arabia. POY/051/2016: MOMOH LAWAL SHAKA 64. Late of No. 4, Unity Close, Molade, Ibadan, who died on 19th July, 2013 at Shagamu Express way, Ogun State. POY/052/2016: MR. MUILI KOLAWOLE 65. QUADRI – Late of No. 12, Salawu Street, Old Ife Road, Alakia, Ibadan, who died on 19th September, 2009 in Road Traffic Accident. POY/053/2016: MRS. SABAINAH BOYEDE 66. BOLAJI – Late of E8/328, Irefin, Ibadan, who died on 30th November, 2014 at St. Dominic Catholic Hospital, Ogungbade, New Ife Road, Ibadan. POY/054/2016: ADEBISI JOSIAH 67. OKUNLADE – Late of No. 10, Moyosore Street, off Peller Road, Iseyin, who died on 15th October, 2014 at Hospital.

63.

64. 65. 66. 67.

68. 69. 70.

71. 72. 73. 74.

POY/055/2016: SUNDAY ADEKUNLE 68. OGUNGBENJO – Late of Oluyole Area, Abanla, Ibadan, who died on 27th June, 2013 at Igbeti General Hospital. POY/056/2016: MRS ILORI RACHAEL 69. Late of No. 55, Ayetoro Igbara-Oke, Ondo State, who died on 23rd November, 2015 at Home. Estate, Akure, Ondo State. POY/057/2016: AISHAT OLANREWAJU 70. MUSTAFA – Late of Plot 2, Road 14, Bashorun Housing Estate, Akobo, Ibadan, who died on 15th December, 2015 at Hospital. POY/058/2016: OLAYINKA AJAO 71. BABALOLA – Late of E9/704, Caterpillar, Monatan, Ibadan, who died on 21st September, 2015 at Ibadan. POY/059/2016: ADEBAYO LADIPO 72. ODUSOTE – Late of No. 1, Odusote Close, Off Oleyo Road, Odo-Ona Elewe, Ibadan, who died on 25th August, 2011 at U.C.H. Ibadan. POY/060/2016: ITEGBOJIE SUNDAY 73. EMOKHIFO – Late of No. 4, opp North Gate Hotel, Sasa, Ibadan, who died on 21st August, 2013 at U.C.H. Ibadan. POY/061/2016: MR. OPATOKI RUFUS 74. OLUDELE – Late of No. 2, Oke Ayo, Amuloko Lane 2, Oke Ayo Area, Ibadan, who died on 1st April, 2014 at U.C.H. Ibadan.

POY/062/2016: MRS. MARIAN ADEBIMPE 75. LONGE – Late of 12, Oluokun Street, off Awolowo Avenue, Bodija Estate, Ibadan, who died on 23rd October, 2011 at U.C.H. Ibadan. 76. POY/063/2016: LYDIA EKUNSOLA OLATOYE 76. Late of No. 4, Lani Sogbetun Street, Ibadan, who died on 1st July, 2015 at Ibadan. 77. POY/064/2016: AMOS ADEBIMPE ADEYI 77. Late of E4/975, Olorunsogo, Akanran Road, Ibadan, who died on 21st June, 2015 at Catholic Hospital, Oluyoro, Oke Offa, Ibadan. 75.

78. 79.

80.

POY/066/2016: EKUNDAYO ELIZABETH 78. OLUFUNMILAYO – Late of No. 8, Fasina Cottage Street, Orogun, Ibadan, who died on 29th August, 2013 at Ibadan. POY/067/2016: ALALADE OLUGBENGA 79. ABAYOMI – Late of No. 7, Ajetumobi Street, Oluyole Extension, Ibadan, who died on 16th September, 2015 at Hospital. 80. POY/068/2016: MR. KEHINDE MORUF LAWAL – Late of Block 3, flat 5, Benue Road, University of Ibadan, who died on 21st August, 2015 at U.C.H. Ibadan. Leventis Area, Mokola, Ibadan.

Mrs. Fakorede Janet Kemisola and Miss Oluwatoyin Monisola Fakorede c/o His solicitor, Attah Olu Paul, No. 1, Winners way, Basorun, Ibadan. Applicants are Ajayi Felicia, Ajayi Olu Funmilayo and Ajayi Oluwafemi c/o Jide Makinde & Co 24, Onireke Layout, Ibadan. Applicantsare Widow and Children of deceased. Alhaji Musa Aminu and Alhaji Muhammed Ibrahim of No. 3030, Iso Pako, Bodija Market Area, Ibadan and Nw8/1014, Bodija, Alamuyo, Ibadan respectively. Applicants are Son and Friend of deceased. Adewusi Adeola Shaka of No. 4, Unity Close, Molade, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widow of deceased. Aminat Abiodun Quadri of No. 12, Salawu Street. Old Ife Road, Alakia, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widow of deceased. Mrs. Elizabeth Ikeola Koleoso and Mr Olaribigbe Bolaji of E8/328, Irefin, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Adebisi Esther Gbadunola and Adebisi Oluseye Ademola of No. 10, Moyosore Street,off Peller Road, Iseyin. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. Grace Ronke Ogungbenjo and Julius Babatunde Ogungbenjo of Oluyole Area Abanla, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. Rev. Dr. Ilori Micheal Kolawole and Mrs. Omolara Ogundile (Nee Ilori) of Road B5, House 4, Awule Housing Applicantsare Children of deceased. Rasheed Olanrewaju Adelere of Plot 2 Road 14, Bashorun Housing Estate, Akobo, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widower of the deceased. Bolanle Babalola (Miss) and Omolola Babalola (Miss) of E9/704, Caterpillar, Monatan, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Mrs. Ayoni Ayanboye Odusote and Mr. Mayokun .S. Odusote of No. 1, Odusote close, off Oleyo Road, Odo-Ona Elewe, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. Mrs. Itegbojie Josephine and Itegbojie Samuel Oghenekhojie c/o Akindelano Legal Practitioner, Ile Oridetu, 1, Shell Close, Onireke, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. Mrs. Opatoki Sarah Adejoke and Mr. Opatoki Temitope Emmanuel of No. 2, Oke Ayo, Amuloko Lane 2, Oke Ayo Area, Amuloko Area, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. Mrs Abiola Kolawole and Mr. Akinola Akinbolaji Longe of Plot 62, off Debo Olaoya Street, Alakia, Isebo, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Mrs. Omolola Aduroja (Nee Olatoye), Mr. Tolulope Olatoye and Mrs. Ayobami Abimbola Oluwa (Nee Olatoye) of No.3, Adaba close, Akobo, Ibadan, No.6, Obidayo Akomolede Street, New Bodija, Ibadan and No 14, Faith Drive, Aigoro, Akobo, Ibadan, respectively. Applicants are Children of deceased. Elizabeth Mojisola Adeyi and Comfort Oluyomi Osungunna (Nee Adeyi) of E4/ 975, Olorunsogo, Akanran, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Daughter of deceased. Kehinde Omolade Motunrayo of St. David’s Cathedral College, Kudeti, Ibadan. Applicant is the Daughter of the deceased. Olujumoke Omolade Alalade and Olufemi Gbolahan Alalade of No. 7, Ajetumobi Street, Oluyole Extension, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Mrs. Lilian Ndolough-Lawal and Miss. Ololade Lawal c/o O.S. Ephraim Oluwanuga & Co, No. 55, Oyo Road, Applicants are Widow and Daughter of deceased.

Monday, 22 February, 2016 DECEASED:

81. 82. 83. 84.

SCHEDULE

POY/069/2016: ALABI IKEOLA KHADIJAT 81. Late of 4, Opeoluwa Quarters, behind Ibadan Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan, who died on 23rd September, 2015 at U.C.H. Ibadan. POY/070/2016: MRS. OLUWAFUNMILAYO 82. ADEJOKE AJILEYE – Late of A55, Oloruntumo Street, Apata, Ibadan, who died on 10th November, 2015 at State Hospital, Adeoyo, Ibadan. POY/071/2016: ADEBIYI WULEMAT 83. ADETAYO – Late of No. 2, Crescent Road, Bode Thomas Estate, Offa Meta, Oyo, who died on 28th January, 2015 at Oyo State Hospital, Oyo. POY/072/2016: ADEBAYO SOLOMON 84. EMMANUEL – Late of 9, Ojokondo Street, Agbowo, Ibadan, who died on 22nd March, 2015 at U.C.H. Ibadan.

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT:

Alabi Taiwo and Alabi Kehinde c/o Jide Makinde & Co, 24, Onireke Layout, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Ayomide Bamidele Ajileye and Olufisayomi Ifeoluwa Ajileye of No. A55 Oloruntumo Street, Apata, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Adebiyi Aderemi Abayomi and Adebiyi Adedolapo Damilare of No. 2, Crescent Road. Bode Thomas Estate, Offa Meta, Oyo. Applicants are Children of deceased. Adebayo Olutoyin Adenike of No. 9, Ojokondo Street, Agbowo, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widow of deceased.

85.

POY/074/2016: GEORGE ADETOMI 85. George Rotimi Omotayo of Area 2, Road 2, Providence Estate, Aafin Iyanu, VICTORIA – Late of Area 2, Road 2, Eleyele, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widower of deceased. Providence Estate, Aafin Iyanu, Eleyele, Ibadan, who died on 26th April, 2015 at U.C.H. Ibadan. 86. POY/075/2016: OJO OSATOHANWEN 86. Mrs. Favour Imuwahen Ojo of 21, Abimbola Street. Odo-Ona, Apata, BRIAN – Late of 21, Abimbola Street, Odo- Ibadan. Applicant is the Widow of deceased. Ona, Apata, Ibadan, who died on 17th March, 2013 at Home. 87. Olowe Abiodun Joseph,Barry-Roberts 87. POY/076/2016: OLOWE PAUL OLADIPUPO Funke and Olowe Jinmi Simeon c/o Late of Abese Compound, Oke Aje Area, Bayo Adeyi & Co, Lade Iwa House Ogbomoso, who died on 21st January, 2014 at opp Sabo Trailer Park, Sabo Area, Lautech Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso. Ogbomoso. Applicants are Children of deceased. 88. Victor Obitope and Olawale Obitope 88. POY/077/2016: OLATUNDE DAVID OBITOPE c/o Segun Ajayi Esq, 1st floor Alhaji Late of N2/268, Asaju Compound, Isale Alfa, Amole House beside Old Police Station, Ibadan, who died on 23rd August, 2014 at Ibadan, Applicants are Children of deceased. Ojoo, Ibadan. 89. 90.

91. 92.

POY/078/2016: MR. ROBERT SUNDAY OJO 89. (A.K.A. ROBERT SUNDAY OJO-ASAALU) Late of No. 64, Alakia Olosan, Ore-Ofe Quarters Ibadan, who died on 31st August, 2013 at Ile-Ife. POY/079/2016: MR. ALABI JOACHIM 90. AWOYALE – Late of E9/966A, Iwo-Road, Aba, Idi-Osan, Ibadan, who died on 30th January, 2015 at Kola Adekola Clinic and Maternity Centre, Ibadan. POY/080/2016: AUDU ORILOYE JUBRIL 91. Late of Owode Apata, Second Gate, Egbodi Street, Apata, Ibadan, who died on 23rd of October, 2014 at Home. POY/081/2016: SAMUEL AKINOLA BAYO 92. COLE – Late of No. 2, Awolowo Avenue, Bodija Estate. Ibadan, who died on 5th August, 1982 at Ibadan.

Mrs. Oluwakemi Roseline Asaalu and Opeyemi Olawale Asaalu of No. 64, Alakia Olosan, Ore-Ofe Quarters, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. Titus Kayode Awoyale and Mr. Sunday Awoyale of No. 3, U.T.B. Area, Olodo, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased Oriloye Akinsola Ismaila and Oriloye Hammed Ayobami of Owode Apata, second Gate, Egbodi Street, Apata, Ibadan Applicants are Children of deceased. Earnest Oluremi Olukayode Cole and Steve Adegboyega Benedict Cole of No. 3, Adenrele Street, Maidan, Mile 12 Ketu, Lagos. Applicants are Children of deceased.

POY/082/2016: ISAAC ADEYEMO BOLA- 93. Taye Boladuro (Mrs), Olajide Boladuro (Mr) and Olasumbo Odunjo (Mrs) Nee DURO – Late of 57, Olubadan Avenue 7up Boladuro of 57, Olubadan Avenue, 7up Road, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan, who died on 6th August, 2015 at Lagos State University Road, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan. Teaching Hospital, Lagos. Applicants are Widow and Children of deceased. 94. Pastor (Dr) Samuel Ayodele Onawumi, 94. POY/083/2016: ELIZABETH OLABISI Dr. Stephen Olusola Onawumi, Pastor ONAWUMI – Late of E9/827B, Orisunbare, Samson Olanrewaju Onawumi c/o their Sawmill, Old-Ife Road, Ibadan, who died on solicitors, Funmi Adesigbin & Co, No 7th January, 2015 at Ibadan. 43, Liberty Road, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 95. Mrs. Remilekun Popoola (Nee Oyerogba) 95. POY/084/2016: ALHAJA MUSILIAT AYINKE Mrs. Oyebanke Adeyele (Nee Oyerogba), JADESOLA OYEROGBA – Late of MN5/323A Famoroyo Lane, Omitowoju, Ibadan, who died Dr. Abiodun Layonu and Mr. Akintunde 26th March, 2014 at Ibadan. Layonu of NN5/323A, Famoroyo Lane, Omitowoju, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 96. Christiana Ugochi Enuma and Victoria 96. POY/085/2016: JOHN SUNDAY ENUMA Late of No. 5B/776, Ashi Corner, Bodija, Ibadan, Enuma of No. 5B/776, Ashi Corner, Bodija, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Daughter of deceased. who died on 23rd September, 2015 at U.C.H emergency unit. 97. Oyekunle Kehinde Oyetunde and Oyekunle 97. POY/086/2016: MR. AMOS OLADITI Taiwo Oyetunji c/o their solicitor, Akeem OYEKUNLE – Late of No. 5, Opopolaye Street, A. Okelola Esq, Wale Okelola & Co., 19, I.I.T.A, Moniya, Ibadan, who died on 8th Queen Elizabeth Road, Mokola, Ibadan. February, 2015 at Home. Applicants are Children of deceased. 98. POY/087/2016: ANTHONY ABODUNDE 98. Mrs. Rachel Olufunke Opaleye and Mr. Gbolahan Agbonjimi c/o Segun Ajayi Esq AGBONJINMI – Late of N6/758, Olabo street, first floor, Alh. Amole House beside Old Oke Itunu, Mokola, Ibadan, who died on 20th Police Station, Ojoo, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. November, 2013 at Ibadan. 99. Folashade Adeyemi and Mrs. Adejumoke 99. POY/088/2016; PA MICHEAL OLUTOLA BECKLEY – Late of No. 1, Alawode Street, Beckley of 2A, H&I close, Oluyole Estate Ring Road, Ibadan and 7, Jatau Ade Oke Itunu, Ibadan, who died on 20th Street, Fola Agoro, Lagos, respectively. December, 2013 at Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 100. POY/089/2016: MR. RAFIU SULEMAN 100. Miss Suleman Zainab of No.4, Ajetunmobi Street, Agbowo, Ibadan. Late of No. 4, Ajetunmobi Street, Agbowo, Applicant is the Daughter of deceased. Ibadan, who died on 13th October, 2014 at Ibadan. 93.

101. 101. POY/090/2016: OLABODE SAMUEL ADEGBOYEGA – Late of No. 5, Adegbite Crescent, Gospel Town, Ojoo, Ibadan, who died on 28th December, 2015 at Home. 102. 102. POY/091/2016: EBULU MOSES IDEMUDIA Late of Block 99, Room 12, Ilese Army Barracks, Ilese, who died on 18th October, 2015 at Home. 103. 103. POY/093/2016: KEHINDE ABDULRAZAK SANUSI – Late of 18, Ibitoye Avenue, Joyce’B’, Ring Road, Ibadan, who died on 29th January, 2015 at Sammon Specialist Hospital, Joyce ‘B’, Ibadan.

Mrs. Blessing Olabode Adegboyega c/o Bar. O.S. Togun Esq, O.S. Ephraim Oluwanuga & Co, No. 55, Oyo Road, Beside Oando Filling Station, Coca- Cola, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widow of deceased. Mr. Ebulu Sunday Arebamhen Guardian to Ebulu Raymond Oyakilome of 16, Oremeji Street, Odo-Ona Elewe, Orita, Ibadan. Applicant is the Senior Brother of deceased. Mrs. Labake Esther Sanusi, Atinuke Onasile (Mrs), Olusola Idowu Sanusi (Mr) c/o Sunday .O. Akinpelu, 118, Adekunle Fajuyi Road, Adamasingba, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Children of deceased.

104.

Olayiwola Asunmoba and Adewale Asunmoba c/o their solicitor, Biodun Azeez Esq, Law office, Fola Oil station Applicants are Children of deceased. Catherine Shomefun and Alhaji Boonyamin Adesina Dawodu c/o their solicitors, Ayo Faleti Esq, Ayo Faleti & co (solicitors), No. 11A, Are Avenue, new Bodija Estate, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Nephew of deceased. Bature Naza Margaret of Nigerian Bottling company limited, Asejire plant Ibadan. Applicant is the Sister of deceased. Abdulazeez Adebowale and Habeeb O. Oluyemi Adebowale of Ile Titun, Alafara Elenusonso Road, Ido Local Government Azrea, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased.

POY/094/2016: MR. ASUNMOBA OLUFEMI 104. JACOBS – Late of E8/266, Oje Area, Ibadan, who died on 5th September, 2015 at Home. complex, Ring Road, Ibadan. POY/095/2016: OLAONIPEKUN OLUTUNDE 105. SHOMEFUN – Late of No. 10, Efunwole Layout off Agboola street, Academy, Iwo Road, Ibadan, who died on 23rd April, 2015 at London Hackney Hospital in the United Kingdom. 106. 106. POY/096/2016: AFINIKI BATURE Late of Nigerian Bottling company limited, Kaduna Plant, who died on 21st May, 2012 at Kaduna. 107. 107. POY/097/2016: MRS. AMINAT ABIODUN ADEBOWALE – Late of Ile Titun Alafara Elenusonso Road, Ido Local Government Area, Ibadan, who died on 19th December, 2014 at Home.

105.

108. Mr.Adedokun Yinka Tunde and Mr. 108. POY/099/2016: ADEMOLA ADEDOKUN Timothy Oluwatobi Adedokun (c/o their Late of No. 29, Jesu Seun Street, Jegede, lawyer, lawyer Ajibade) 29, Jesu Seun Olunloyo, Ibadan, who died on 23rd June, street, Jegede, Olunloyo, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 2015 at Home. 109. Akande Adewale Alfred and Owolabi 109. POY/100/2016: AJANI ADEOLA ESTHER Temitope Aderonke of No. 49, Late of Ajani’s House, Yemetu Area, Ibadan, Omigbade Street, Ogo-Oluwa Area, Osogbo. who died on 26th December, 2015 at Home. Applicants are Grand-Son and Grand-Daughter of deceased. 110. Mrs Elizabeth Olufunmilayo Fasanya 110. POY/101/2016: FASANYA MICHAEL and Mr. Olusegun Fasanya of No. 8, OLALEKAN – Late of No. 8, Oniyere Oniyere Quarters, Ibadan. Applicants Quarters, Ibadan, who died on 23rd December, are Widow and Son of deceased. 2014 at Hospital. 111. Mrs. Olusola Ayodele Onibokun and Mrs. 111. POY/102/2016: CHIEF EMMANUEL Olufunmilola Oluwaseun Olaniyi c/o O. ONAOLAPO OGUNLOLA – Late of S4/12A A. Adegoroye Esq, Sw8/1039, Odukale Labo, Ibadan, who died on 24th March, 2014 street, off Ososami Road, Oke Ade, Ibadan. at Ilesa. Applicants are Children of deceased. 112. Mrs. Abiodun Oladejo Arapaja c/o Barr. 112. POY/103/2016: MRS. GLADYS ARAMIDE Fagunwa Oluwatosin of No. 176, DALMEIDA – Late of 5, Dunmow Walk Obafemi Awolowo way, Oke-Ado, Ibadan Popham Street, Islington, London, who died on 20th October, 2014 at 5, Dunmow Walk, Applicant is the Daughter of deceased. Popham Street, Islington, London. 113. POY/104/2016: ASHIRU ASIA AMOPE 113. Ashiru Olarotimi Musibau and Mudashiru Olaniyi Ashiru c/o their solicitor, Uthman Late of 13/15, Adeoluyoye street, Imalefalafia, Oke Ado, Ibadan, who died on Muhammed, 2nd floor, cooperative building Dugbe, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 30th July, 2014 at Hospital. 114. Ojuolape John and Ojuolape Dipo of Plot 114. POY/105/2016: OJUOLAPE KAYODE (A.K.A KREES GRAND NIGERIA LIMITED) 7, Block xix, Ibadan-Lagos Expressway, Felele, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. Late of Plot 7, block xix, Ibadan Lagos ExpressWay, Ibadan, who died on 20th June, 2010 at U.C.H. Ibadan. 115. POY/106/2016: FAUSAT OMOBOLA 115. Oyeleye Oluwafemi Oderemi and Nathaniel Oyedokun Oderemi of Plot 2, Block 2, ODEREMI – Late of Plot 2, Block 2, Dokun Dokun Babalola layout, jeje, Apete, Ibadan Babalola layout, Apete, Ibadan, who died on Applicants are Widower and Son of deceased. 14th May, 2013 at Hospital. 116. POY/107/2016: OGUNLEYE RASHEEDAT 116. Mr. Adekola Solomon Aderemi and Late of Ile-Iya Oyo, Isale Taba, Saki, who Olubori Saidat Aderonke c/o Olakunle Afolabi Esq of Grace Chambers, White House, died on 8th September, 2013 at Home. Ajegunle, Saki. Applicants are Children of deceased. 117. Christiana Bolaji Akinyemi and Adetutu 117. POY/108/2016: CHIEF STEPHEN Akinyemi c/o P. A. Fakoya Esq, 57, OLANREWAJU AKINYEMI – Late of No. 2, Awolowo Ave, Bodija Est. Ibadan. Ibikunle Street, Bodija, Ibadan, who died 15th March, 1998 at Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Daughter of deceased. 118. Fadeyi Olubukola Oyindamola and 118. POY/109/2016: KANMODI ABIODUN Late of Nw5/327A, Agbeogun Magbe Street, Kanmodi Olayiwola Abiodun of No. 1, Ogunwole Street, Iwo Road, Best way, Ib Omitowoju, Nalende, Ibadan, who died on and No. 10, Sanusi Street, Ajibade, coca2nd October, 2015 at Home. Applicants are Children of deceased. Cola, Ibadan respectively. 119. POY/110/2016: MR. ABIODUN OLUBANJO 119. Joshua Olugbemi Olutade and Mrs. Olubanwo Adeola Olutade of Zone B1, No OLUTADE – Late of Zone B1, No 15, Atagba Road, Shagari, Boluwaji, Ibadan, who died on 15, Atagba Road, Shagari, Boluwaji, Ibadan. Applicants are Son and Widow of 2nd June, 2015 at Hospital. deceased. 120. POY/111/2016: CECILIA NNENNA 120. AMAEFUELA – Late of Bode Joseph, Ifako, Lagos, who died on 12th September, 2015 at Lagos State. 121. POY/112/2016: MRS. ABIBAT AJOKE 121. BALOGUN – Late of Balogun compound, Salam-Salam, Sango, who died on 2nd February, 2016 at U.C.H. Ibadan.

Mr. Uchegbu Chinedu Jackson c/o Olujimi Falaye Esq, Fadele & Fadele, 1st Floor, Al-Barka Plaza, Bodija, Ibadan. Applicant is the Son of the deceased. Alhaji Rasheed Balogun Folaranmi, Mr. Olubodun Wasiu Alade and Mr. Adesina Sodiq Ajani of Balogun compound, SalamSalam, Sango, Saki. Applicants are Widower and Children of deceased.

Nigerian Tribune

Monday, 22 February, 2016 news INEC chairman faces contempt proceedings over Anambra PDP crisis

Sunday Ejike - Abuja

notice of Consequence of Disobedience to Court Order, (Form 48), has been issued against the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmoud Yakubu. Also served with the notice are the commission's secretary, Mrs Augusta Ogakwu and its Director of Legal Services, Ibrahim Bawa (SAN) In a suit between the Ejike Oguebego-led state executive of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anambra State and (INEC),

Justice Evoh Chukwu of a Federal High Court, in Abuja, held that, "An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st defendant (PDP), it's agents, servants, privies, assign, officials whatsoever name they may be called from forwarding or submitting to the 2nd defendants (INEC) any delegate list or nominated candidate that may emerge from the congress or primaries conducted by the purported caretaker committee set up by PDP, Anambra State , except those that emanate from the plaintiffs'congress. Despite the order of the court, INEC went ahead to accept nomination from the caretaker committee, which

MUSWEN establishes foundation for Ibadan quintuplets By Saheed Salawu THE Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) will establish a foundation for the care of the quintuplets delivered at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, last Monday. The president of the body, Dr Sakariyau Babalola, disclosed this to the parents of the quintuplets, on Sunday, when he led a delegation to UCH to visit the babies. Babalola said the foundation would take care of the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education from primary to university level. The Islamic leader said apart from the donation of a token to the family, MUSWEN, which is the umbrella body of all Muslim organisations in the South West, would, in collaboration with Ibadan and Oyo State Muslim communities, set up a foundation to take care of their long-term needs.

Babalola, who appreciated the gift of the children from Allah, called on corporate organisations and public-spirited individuals to assist the young parents. The Muslim leader, who was allowed to visit the children at the Oyo State Special-Care Baby Unit of the hospital, said they were in good condition. He later visited the mother in company with other members of the organisation and prayed for the family. The father of the babies, Alfa Rasak Yusuf, who noted the big expenses on the babies since they were delivered, thanked those who have come to not celebrate with his family but also assist them. He disclosed that the naming ceremony of the babies would be performed today at his Ijokodo, Ibadan residence, in line with Islamic tradition of naming a child after seven days of delivery.

Support war against corruption, Nigerians told By Tunde Busari A former commissioner in Lagos State, Kaoli Olusanya ,has urged Nigerians to identify with the ongoing war against corruption being championed by President Muhmmadu Buhari. Olusanya made the call recently in Lagos, at the anniversary of LightHouse Pathfinder Nigeria, a nongovernmental organisation. (NGO) The Chief Learning Officer of Kith and Kin Educational Schools, Ibeshe, Ikorodu ,said President Buhari cannot fight the battle alone and effect the desired change in the polity, unless public offers give the needed assistance, adding that it is high time

the government blocked avenues of corruption to raise fund for the development of infrastructural facilities. In his lecture tagged, "To promote good governance through accountable leadership for social justice," he noted that the electorate voted for Buhari on the strength of his clean slate as a former military head of state and thus, the most trusted and acceptable among other candidates. He explained that the ruling party was rejected due to what he called broken promises, financial recklessness of the leaders in government, impunity, crass corruption and criminal insensitivity of the leaders to the plight of the ordinary Nigerian.

produce Senator Andy Uba and Stella Oduah, as senators from Anambra State. Oguebego and Chuks Okoye, the legal adviser of the party in the state went back to the court to file Form 48, dated February 18, 2016 and signed by the registrar of the court, the court warned the electoral body on the consequence of disobedience to order of court. The acknowledgement copy of the form 48 from INEC reads, "Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in the order of the Honourable Court attached to this Form ( in particular, the 5th Order

restraining you from acting on list of nominated candidate except those that emanate from the plaintiff), you will be guilty of Contempt of Court, and you will be liable to be committed to prison". The Supreme Court recently affirmed the authen-

ticity of Ejike Oguebego leadership of PDP in Anambra and directed INEC to deal with it in all cases. Justice Chukwu, had also in the case, marked: FHC/ ABJ/CS/854/2015 restrained INEC from accepting list of nominated can-

didates from other source except from the Oguebegoled executive. Form 48 is a, "Notice of consequences of disobedience to court orders," issued on a party, who is reluctant or unwilling to obey a subsisting order of a court.

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I, formerly Miss Suleman Abiola Ganiyat now MRS ADARAMOLA ABIOLA GANIYAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Ayodele Serifat Adelola now MRS ASAOLU ESTHER ADELOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Marshal Ugo now MARSHAL UGO AGBUDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adebiyi Adenike Omolola now MRS AJAYI ESTHER ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Erusiafe Florence now Afolabi Agnes Gbubemi. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Busayo Simiat Busoye now BUSAYO SEFIU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mrs Aina Omofele now MISS ADEOKAN OMOFELE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ajiboye Sikiru Ola now AJIBOYE OLAOLUWA AL-AMINU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

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I, formerly Ajibike Oluwatoyin Olufelo-Ologan now AJIBIKE OLUWATOYIN OLUFELO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

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I, formerly Miss Yusuf Mulikat Temidayo now MRS ALAO MULIKAT TEMIDAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, Ayodeji Olamigoke John am the same person bearing Ayodeji Olamigoke Folayemi. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AYODEJI OLAMIGOKE JOHN. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, Eperetun Omoboye whose name was wrongly written on National Identity card as Eperetun Ijoukoperegha. That my correct name is EPERETUN OMOBOYE. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ali Muibat O. now MRS BAMIGBOYE MUIBAT. All former documents remain valid. All authority concern and general public take note.

I, formerly Nathaniel Egburhe now NATHANIEL EREYITOMI ANNOMUOGHARAN EGBURHE. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

I, formerly Atilola Felicia Omobolaji now OMOYAJOWO OMOBOLAJI FELICIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Bepo Adejoke Comfort now MRS BIOBAKU ADEJOKE COMFORT. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Bello Lateefat Omowumi now MRS AGORO LATEEFAT OMOWUMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ogundijo Ismaila Adewale now OGUNDIJO ISMAIL ADEWALE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Esther Bolanle Idowu now ESTHER BOLANLE YUSIFU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Tijani Lateefat Bukola now IDOWU LATEEFAT BUKOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Glory Ijeokwu now ODEH GODFREY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Dora Taiwo now MRS DORA OGHENE-SMITH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Azeez Omowunmi now AZEEZ OMOWUNMI NAIMOT. All former documents remain valid.General public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Ubigho Ejiro Love now MRS. OLAYANJU EJIRO LOVE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, Aransi Owolabi Mojeed am the same person bearing Owolabi Mojeed Yusuff. Now I wish to be known and addressed as ARANSI OWOLABI MOJEED. My correct date of birth is 24/4/1965. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Abimbola Temitope Olatunbosun now MORDECHAI TEMITOPE TOLUWALASE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Aderibigbe Bilikisu Ashani now MRS BUSARI BILIKIS ASHANI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, Shonola Ajani Joseph am the same person as Olayiwola Ajani Joseph. Henceforth. I wish to be known and addressed as SHONOLA AJANI JOSEPH. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. FCMB and general public take note.

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I, Mr. Olayode Popoola mistakenly written and called Oloyede Popoola now wish to be called MR OLAYODE POPOOLA. All former documents remain valid. Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Rural Development, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State and general public take note.

I, formerly Abdurasheed Mistura Tunrayo now RASHEED MISITURA MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid. GTBank, First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akande Adejoke. now MRS. OLADOKE ADEJOKE. All former documents remain valid. Ministry of Education, Oyo State and General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

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CORRECTION OF NAME

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I, formerly Miss Faith Oluranti Adebayo am the same person as Faith Ochenia Zekeri now MRS. OPADE OCHENIA FAITH. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso and general public take note.

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I, Tokikeme Mazeze am the same person as Tokekeme Egenebobai Abar, Tokekeme Egenibobai Mazeze and Tokekeme Egenibobai. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid.UBA Plc., First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

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I, formerly Olabosipo Mukadamu Alli Alebiosu now MUKADAMU OLABOSIPO ALEBIOSU. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Cadinal Nwaeze now OBINNA SOLOMON IKPO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Towolawi Oluwafeola Aderonke now MRS. OTESANYA OLUWAFEOLA ADERONKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Eboda Folashade now MRS. ANAZA FOLASHADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, ADENIRAN TAIWO AKINKUNMI not ADENIRAN TAJUDEEN AKINKU which was mistakenly written on my voterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s card which I used for BVN. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

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I, Miftahudeen Waliyyullah Alao am the same person bearing Mufutau Babatunde Waliy, Miftahudeen Waliylahi and Miftahudeen Waliyyullah Alao. Henceforth. I wish to be known and addressed as MIFTAHUDEEN WALIYYULLAH ALAO. All documents bearing Mufutau Babatunde Waliy and Miftahudeen Waliylahi remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Kujero Adesewa Toluwalase now MRS. AYOOLA ADESEWA TOLUWALASE. All former documents remain valid. TAI Solarin University of Education, NYSC and general public take note.

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Monday, 22 February, 2016 42 news Borno PDP Kuku denies alleged disbursement of N1trn through chieftains Amnesty office drum up Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

ORMER special adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger-Delta Affairs, Dr Kingsley Kuku, at the weekend, denied media reports linking him with an alleged disbursement of over N1trillion, believed to have been spent by the Presidency in the last two weeks of the March 28, 2015 presidential election. The report said wife of the former president, Patience Jonathan, might soon be invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to explain her role in the sourcing and disbursement of the funds spent by the Presidency. The funds, estimated at over a trillion naira, was reportedly disbursed through the Amnesty Office, headed by Kuku to some notable politicians

in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Kuku, however, described the alleged investigation by the anti-graft agency into the funds as another calculated attempt to deliberately smear his name and forcefully hang on his neck corruption charges Speaking through his media aide, Yemi Akintomide, the former special adviser noted that the EFCC was too in a hurry to nail him on corruption charges, through media trials, even when he had not appeared before it .

“I continue to wonder why the anti-graft agency would resort to unholy media campaigns and trials to nail me on corruption charges purportedly brought against me through yet-to-be investigated petitions said to be written against my person and former office. “The EFCC, in its new trade, has threw up another huge figure of one trillion naira election funds just to play on the sensibility of Nigerians; which in reality, it’s just a figment of imagination of the anti-

graft agency and its paid writers. “Or how would you explain the statement credited to operatives of EFCC that my failure to return to the country has slowed down investigations of how the funds was sourced and disbursed because I allegedly disbursed the bulk of the money, which was not part of the funds allocated to Amnesty office. So where did the said fund come from?”, Kuku expressed surprise. Kuku disclosed his readiness to return home as soon as his doctors gave

him clean bill of health, after a major knee surgery, carried out on his legs at an American Sports Hospital in the United States of America last year. He promised to honour the invitation of the EFCC as soon as he touched down on Nigeria soil, urging the anti-graft agency to respect court injunctions and follow due process in investigating the alleged fraud levelled against him, thereby not forcing suspects in its custody to implicate him on the petitions before the agency.

Adebutu promises equitable distribution of projects CHAIRMAN of the House Committee on Rural Development, Honourable Oladipupo Adebutu has pledged to ensure equitable distribution of projects to rural communities in Nigeria. He made this statement during the 2016 Budget Defence of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, at the National Assembly, Abuja, on Monday. Although he expressed concern that the percentage of the total budget allocated to rural development was small, he said the committee in the true spirit of social justice and equity, would still ensure the rural areas received the dividends of democracy. Adebutu appealed to the Minister to improve on its allocation to rural development in the next budget, saying: “We ask you for the sake of the country, to please, increase the allocation of resources towards rural development because rural dwellers form a vital part of our society as the producers of our food, and this is where majority of the farming and agribusinessactivities take place. Responding, Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said his agency had taken note of the concerns expressed by the House Committee on Rural Development.

From left, the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran; President , Old Boys Association, Methodist High School, Ilesa, Mr Dideolu Falobe and Chief Olagoke Alege, at the 60th anniversary of the school, in Ilesa, Osun State.

Nigeria can’t remain a consuming nation —Minister Ademola AdegbiteAbuja MINISTER of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has said Nigeria could not continue to be a consuming nation, hence, reasons the mandates given to all the agencies under the ministry were responding to the current needs of the nation. He made this assertion in his office in Abuja, while receiving members of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), led by their national president, Mr Otis Anyaeji, who paid him a courtesy visit. He emphasised that the ministry also focused the attention of the agencies on major needs of the country, so that each agency would have one or two areas of concentration in 2016, thereby proffering immediate solutions to the nation‘s economic challenges. Dr Onu stressed that the research findings of the ministry were industrydriven that considered importance of the needs of the nation, which would be

commercialised, promising that the ministry was hopeful to contribute effectively to the growth of the nation. According to him, “we must be a producer nation. We cannot continue to be only a consuming nation. No nation can become great by so doing, so if we do so, we expose ourselves

to many conditions that we cannot control, and we will become unnecessarily vulnerable. “So, we don’t want that. We want to build a strong nation. We want to have a strong economy, and we believe that the only thing that can guarantee this is that if our engineers work together and then we have

support from all Nigerians, we will be able to achieve that in no distant time,” he pleaded. Earlier, the NSE national president, Mr Anyaeji, told the minister that they were in his office to lend their hands of support and cooperation to the set goals of the ministry.

Lasun assures Nigerians of workable constitution DEPUTY Speaker of the House of Representatives and the chairman of the ad hoc committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution, Honourable Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff has assured that the National Assembly would give Nigerians a workable constitution this time round. The chairman of the committee stated that the committee commenced work almost immediately, after the inauguration of the committee by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yukubu Dogara.

Honourable Lasun assured Nigerians that the review committee would explore all necessary avenues to ensure that the desired result was achieved. He also promised that no opinion presented to the committee would be discarded as irrelevant, adding that the committee was ready to receive all necessary information that would help in bringing about a workable constitution for the country. The deputy speaker said it has become imperative to give the executive good laws that would help them

to carry out the duties of good governance, through the amendment of all obsolete laws in the constitution. Lasun disclosed that seasoned legal luminaries that would give the committee the needed technical assistance had been engaged. The deputy speaker believed that there are laws and enactments of the National Assembly which had not been tested, adding that the review had provided an opportunity to ensure all laws that needed to be reviewed were amended by the committee.

support for Sheriff James Bwala- Maiduguri

Executive members and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen in 27 local government councils of Borno State, have supported the appointment of former Borno State governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman of the party, stressing that it is a right move in the right direction for PDP. According to them, Sheriff has the wealth of experience, and capability in turning around the political fortunes of the party. Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the state secretary of the party, Usman Mahdi Badari said the recent noise from the opposition, following the appointment of Senator Sheriff, showed that they were afraid of him (Sheriff), knowing his political capabilities.

Adibi lauds Ajimobi’s choice of LG caretaker chairmen By Nurudeen Alimi

A former member, House of Representatives and immediate past caretaker chairman,Ogbomoso North Local Government Area, Honourable Temilola Adibi, has commended governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, over the appointment of caretaker chairmen in the state. Adibi, in a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune, on Thursday, noted that Governor Ajimobi made the right choice with the calibre of people on the list he sent to the state House of Assembly, on Tuesday. “The governor must be commended for the crop of people he chose to run the affairs of the local governments. As far as I am concerned, they are round pegs in round hole. “I also congratulate those appointed, most especially from my zone in Ogbomoso. I want to urge them to please, try as much as possible, to live up to expectations of the governor and that of the people of their constituency. This, I think, can be achieved by embarking on programmes that will improve the well being of the people,” he said.

communitynews

Monday, 22 February, 2016

NGO donates items to school, clinic, orphanage By Tunde Adegbola

A non-governmental organisation with focus on educational development, Jeremiah and Felicia Aderoju Foundation, founded by Mrs Elizabeth Olagunju, last week donated textbooks and instructional materials to pupils of L A Primary School 1, Oke-Oba, Eruwa in Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State. Speaking at the event, the founder of the foundation, said: “Children are the future of any generation; we must take care of our children so that they can take care of us in future. Any country that fails to take care of the young ones would fail to progress. “Supporting people is something I inherited from my parents and when I decided to continue with their legacy, I named the foundation after them. Basically, the foundation was established to respond to the needs of the underprivileged because it is better to give than to receive.” Olagunju, who is a licensed tutor, based in the United States of America, however, urged other wellto-do in the society to cultivate habits that wouid make life meaningful for the underprivileged. Also speaking, the headmaster of the school, Mr Tunde Ojelabi, commended the founder for her gesture, adding that the school authorities would ensure the books are maintained and kept for future generations of pupils. One of the pupils, Rache-

al Babarinde, who spoke on behalf of the other pupils, expressed gratitude to the foundation for considering the school worthy of the gesture. The founders’s team also visited Mercyland Orphanage and Vulnerable Children’s Home in Eruwa and donated foodstuffs to the home. A mother, Mrs Bola Oleghe, who received the gifts on behalf of the proprietor, expressed gratitude to the founder and prayed for God’s blessings on her. In the same vein, the founder also visited Awojobi Clinic, Eruwa where she donated baby food and detergent. In her reaction, the wife of the founder and Chief Medical Director of the clinic, Mrs Atinuke Awojobi, commended the founder for her assistance to the people. A community development worker at the event, Dr Ebunlomo Walker, also lauded the gesture of the founder towards the development of the community. She, however, urged eminent Nigerians, churches and institutions to form the habit of supporting the underprivileged in communities, so as to eliminate poverty among the people. The founder also inaugurated a new office complex and commissioned a borehole for public use.

From right: Pastor Dare Oyeyemi, Mr Olusegun Adeyemo, the founder of Jeremiah and Felicia Aderoju Foundation, Mrs Elizabeth Olagunju and Principal of the school, Mr Tunde Ojelabi, during the presentation of textbooks to pupils of L.A. Primary School, Oke-Oba, Eruwa. PHOTO: TUNDE ADEGBOLA

Campaign against gas flaring in Niger Delta communities begins Alphonsus Agborh-Asaba

AMPAIGN to ginger communities in the Niger Delta region not to accept flaring of gases by oil companies, which has existed for almost 50 years, has kicked off. At the centre of the campaign is a non-governmental organisation, Koyenum Imalah Foundation (KIF), which condemned the decision of oil companies

FOLLOWING the recent shake-up in the hierarchy of the Yoruba sociocultural group, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), in some states, the newly appointed acting coordinator of Oyo State chapter of the association, Comrade Rotimi Olumo, has restated the commitment of his members to the national leader and coordinator of the group, Otunba Gani Adams. Olumo, in a statement issued after the meeting of the group in lbadan, stated that all members of the group across the 33

edei communities in Ndokwa, recently informed that oil operators in the region were not sincere and had no justification to continue gas flaring. According to her, participants at an international conference were astonished to hear that gas flaring has continued unabated in Nigeria whereas oil companies painted a picture that flaring was no more in the region. Reverend (Dr) Edward

Traditional ruler wants Ajimobi to substitute caretaker chairman nominee THE Onikoyi of Ikoyi-Ile in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Oba Abdulyekeen Ayinla Ola-

dipupo IV, has called on the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to, as a matter of urgency, substitute the

Oyo OPC boss restates commitment to Gani Adams By Tunde Ogunesan

to continue with the act despite worldwide acceptance to enhance the gas rather than flaring. This is coming as two communities in Ndokwa area of Delta State recounted their sad experience in the hands of oil company operators in their localities as a result of gas flaring. Facilitator of the campaign, Faith Nwadishi, who led experts on gas flaring to Obodougwa and Eb-

local government councils of the state remained loyal to the Gani Adams faction. He said the state chapter of the body would always work in consonance with the dictates of the national leader of the group as against what was obtainable in the recent past under the former leader. While lamenting the acts of betrayal of some former leaders of the group, Oluomo said the leader of the other faction of the body in the state is a loner and shadow chaser. “We, members of Oyo

OPC, remain united. We strongly believe in the ideologies and outlined programmes of our national leader and coordinator, Otunba Gani Adams, especially the global prominence he is giving the Yoruba nation through the Oodua People’s Union (OPU), that had now been embraced in many European nations,” he noted. Olumo, however, pledged a new reinvigorated OPC in Oyo State with better collaboration with government security agencies in the state and improved understanding between the group and the general public.

name of the caretaker chairman nominee for Orire Local Government Area, which he has forwarded to Oyo State House of Assembly. According to Oba Ayinla Oladipupo, Honourable Jacob Bamgboye had earlier been appointed for a period of three and a half years and later re-appointed after the regime of Bankole as chairman. “This current appointment will be the third if he eventually scales through. I want to suggest that instead of appointing and re-appointing him, since he is not the only one that is qualified to occupy the office, the governor should try another person, particularly an indigene of IkoyiIle. After all, no indigene of Ikoyi-Ile has been appointed or elected to rule in Orire Local Government Area. Secondly, most of the chairmen are indigenes of Og-

bomoso. For example, the current caretaker chairman nominee is from Ogbomoso North Local Government Area whereas Orire Local Government Area was not carved out of Ogbomoso but rather, our area was carved out of Oyo division. Jacob Bamgboye is an indigene of Ogbomoso North and his party leader there is Remi Odetomi,”Onikoyi stated. Oba Ayinla Oladipupo further said that he once forwarded a letter to the governor on the issue. “Orire Local Government Area, especially Ikoyi- Ile, has not been witnessing any development due to the fact that all our previous caretaker chairmen are not indigenes of the local government area. So, if Governor Abiola Ajimobi can accede to my request by giving us an Ikoyi indigene as chairman, it will help us a lot,” he said.

Obi of the National Coalition on Gas Flaring and Oil Spills in Niger Delta (NACGON), while addressing leaders and people of the two communities, said they deserved a fair deal from the natural resources on their land which, he said, had impoverished them the more. He noted that excessive heat from gas flaring had done great harm to the people, adding that children born in gas flaring communities, who have not travelled out of their immediate environment, could hardly differentiate between day and night. Obi, however, assured that the group would not relent in discussing with relevant authorities, including oil companies to stop the flaring. Also speaking, Dr Michael Uzoigwe, Chief Executive Officer of Facility for Oil Sector Transparency in Nigeria disclosed that a system, “gas flare trackers, had been developed to identify flares so that government can penalize companies still carrying out the act. According to him, rather than flaring, gas could be harnessed to create job opportunities for youths. Community leaders, who spoke at the sensitisation meetings, said their farmlands had been destroyed, water polluted and intense heat occasioned by gas flaring as well as damage to roofs as a result of emission of hydro carbon among others continue unabated.

Monday, 22 February, 2016

foreig naffairs

08116954632 foreignnewseditor@gmail.com

with seyi gesinde

Bush drops out of Republican race as Trump wins

Germany migrant shelter fire ‘cheered by onlookers’

ONALD Trump commandingly won the South Carolina primary on Saturday night, solidifying his position as the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination while Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida narrowly edged Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas for second, bolstering both candidates’ status as the two leading alternatives. The voters also delivered a devastating verdict to former Florida governor Jeb Bush, scion of a political dynasty who announced he was suspending his campaign after dismal results here. Bush came in a distant fourth — not even eclipsing 10 percent — af-

Ted Cruz

Donald Trump

ter he and his family made an impassioned last stand in South Carolina and his allied super PAC spent millions of dollars on advertising. “The people of Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina have spoken, and I really respect their decision,” Bush told a Columbia ballroom of teary-eyed and stunned supporters Meanwhile, in Nevada, Hillary Clinton held off a powerful challenge from Sen. Bernie Sanders in the

state’s Democratic caucus vote, securing a narrow victory that helps the former secretary of state regain momentum after a crushing defeat in New Hampshire. “Some may have doubted us, but we never doubted each other,” Clinton told supporters gathered at a Las Vegas hotel ballroom. Clinton congratulated Sanders on a close election. Bunched together about 10 points behind Trump in the South Carolina pri-

mary were Cruz and Rubio, both Cuban American firstterm senators jockeying to emerge as the top rival to the billionaire mogul. Cruz, a Texas maverick who has pitched his faith-infused candidacy as the most ideologically pure conservative, lost evangelical voters to Trump and failed overall to finish even a decisive second, revealing a potential vulnerability as the contest hurtles toward big March primaries across the South.

A fire which broke out at a building planned to house migrants in eastern Germany was greeted with cheers from some onlookers, police say. The fire in the town of Bautzen in the early hours of Sunday morning destroyed the roof of a former hotel, which was being converted into a migrant shelter. Police said some of the crowd tried to prevent firefighters from extinguishing the blaze, which destroyed the roof. The premier of Saxony, Stanislaw Tillich, described them as “criminals”. Police suspect arson. The investigation includes detectives who normally deal with extremist crimes. Noone was hurt. Only a few days ago, pro-

testers in another Saxon town, Clausnitz, blocked the arrival of a bus taking migrants to accommodation. They shouted, “We are the people”, the slogan of the 1989 peaceful uprising which led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany. The director of the Clausnitz migrant shelter is a member of the anti-immigrant Alternativ fuer Deutschland (AfD) party. Police in Bautzen said many in the crowd watched the fire and commented with “unashamed delight”. Two drunken men were arrested after they refused to leave the scene. The converted hotel was supposed to house 300 migrants.

The migrant shelter gutted by fire.

Cameron urges London Mayor to support EU membership

David Cameron

BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron, in an interview Sunday with the BBC, urged London Mayor Boris Johnson to support Britain remaining in the European Union. The popular Johnson, seen as a possible successor to

Cameron, is set to make his stance known on EU membership later in the day. Some British media are speculating Johnson will join the campaign to leave the EU. Cameron has set a referendum on Britain’s continued

otherNEWS

membership in the European Union for June 23. Cameron said Saturday his Cabinet approved a recommendation that Britain stay in a reformed 28-nation European Union. However, six Cabinet members are supporting

an EU exit. Britain will be safer, stronger and better off by remaining a member of the EU, now that its European partners have approved several changes ensuring the country’s governmental rights, Cameron said.

6 dead in Michigan mass shooting AUTHORITIES said they detained a suspect in a deadly shooting spree that left six people dead, and two others wounded, in the northern United States state of Michigan. The shootings took place late Saturday around the city of Ka-

lamazoo. Police arrested 45-yearold Jason Dalton early Sunday in connection with the shootings. Police said he has no known criminal history. Authorities said the shooting spree began at an apartment complex

where a woman was seriously wounded, hours later the gunman killed a father and son looking at vehicles at a car dealership. Minutes after that five people were shot dead at a restaurant in the city. Authorities say a 14-year-

old girl shot at the restaurant was not killed, as originally reported, but is hospitalised with serious injuries. No motive has been given for the shootings. Some material for this report came from AP and Reuters.

Jason Dalton

Explosions kill dozens near Damascus

People crowding round scene of the explosion in Damascus

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday a “provisional agreement” has been made with Russia for a ceasefire in Syria’s five-year civil war, but violence continued unabated throughout the country, with scores of people killed in two separate attacks. Early estimates indicate a

deadly double bombing in Homs early Sunday killed up to 60 people before another series of attacks later in the day hit Sayeda Zeinab, south of Damascus. Few details were immediately available on the most recent blasts, with the Syrian Observatory reporting four explo-

sions. Hezbollah’s Al Manar TV says at least 22 people were killed. In late January, explosions near a Shi’ite shrine in the same area killed at least 60 people. The latest explosions come after John Kerry said Sunday that fighting between the Syr-

ian military and opposition groups could end within hours. A more reserved statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry indicated Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by phone with Kerry to discuss what it called “the modalities for the cessation of hostilities in Syria.”

foreig naffairs

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Lebanon minister quits over ‘Hezbollah domination’ LEBANON’S justice minister says he is resigning over what he calls Hezbollah’s “domination” of the country’s government. Ashraf Rifi’s announcement on Sunday came two days after Saudi Arabia announced it was suspending $3bn in aid to Lebanon’s army in protest against “hostile” positions it said were inspired by Hezbollah. “There is an armed party that is dominating the government’s decision,” Rifi, a fierce opponent of Hezbollah, said in a statement, referring to the Shia group, which is represented in Lebanon’s parliament but also maintains a powerful military wing. “Hezbollah has used this government to consolidate its project of a mini-state. It wanted to use it as a tool to

extend its control over the state and its decisions,” AFP news agency reported Rifi as saying. “I will not accept becoming false witness and covering for those trying to dominate the state and its institutions ... that is why I am presenting my resignation.” Hezbollah’s media channel Al Manar reported that Judge Alisse Shebtini was assigned the post of acting justice minister. Rifi accused Hezbollah of being responsible for the political crisis in Lebanon that has left the country without a president for the last 21 months. He also said the Iranianbacked Hezbollah was “destroying Lebanon’s relations with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Water crisis fears in India over unrest THE Indian capital Delhi is on the brink of a severe water crisis after a key supply was cut during protests over jobs in a neighbouring state. Demonstrators from the Jat community damaged equipment in the Munak canal, a major source of water to Delhi. The city has introduced strict water rationing. Some areas could run dry on Sunday, officials warned, and schools will not open on Monday. Protesters want guaranteed jobs under India’s caste quota system.

Supporters of imprisoned presidential candidate Hama Amadou attend a campaign rally in Niamey. PHOTO: REUTERS.

The protesting Indians. The Jats are currently listed as upper caste. They argue this puts them at a disadvantage in government jobs and at state-run educational institutes and are demanding job quotas similar to those granted to lower castes. At least nine people were killed as violence continued on Saturday. Protesters went on the rampage despite a curfew and the deployment of the army, which is reported to have opened fire on them in the districts of Rohtak and Jhajjar.

Pope calls for worldwide abolition of death penalty

OPE Francis on Sunday called for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty, saying the commandment “You shall not kill” was absolute and equally valid for the guilty as for the innocent. Using some of his strongest words ever against capital punishment, he also called on Catholic politicians worldwide to make “a courageous and exemplary gesture” by seeking a moratorium on executions during the Church’s current Holy Year, which ends in November. “I appeal to the consciences of those who govern to reach an international consensus to abolish the death penalty,” he told tens of thousands of

people in St. Peter’s Square. “The commandment “You shall not kill,” has absolute value and applies to both the innocent and the guilty,” he told the crowd. The 1.2 billion-member Catholic Church allowed the death penalty in extreme

cases for centuries, but the position began to change under the late Pope John Paul, who died in 2005. The pope added that there was now “a growing opposition to the death penalty even for the legitimate defense of society” because

modern means existed to “efficiently repress crime without definitively denying the person who committed it the possibility of rehabilitating themselves.” Francis made the comments to throw his weight behind an international conference against the death penalty starting Monday in Rome and organized by the Sant’Egidio Community, a worldwide Catholic peace and justice group. Francis, who has visited a number of jails since his election as pope nearly three years ago - the latest in Mexico last week - also called for better prison conditions. “All Christians and men of good will are called on to work not only for the abolition of the death penalty, but also to improve prison conditions so that they respect the human dignity of people who have been deprived of their freedom,” he said.

Uganda elections marred by democratic shortcomings, Observers say OBSERVER missions in Uganda released their findings of the 2016 electoral process Saturday, finding overall that the elections suffered from democratic shortcomings, while still remaining largely peaceful. Election observers from the African Union, European Union, the Commonwealth, and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), among others, released their preliminary findings Saturday in Kampala before the final Ugandan election announcement was made. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo led the Commonwealth observer mission to Uganda, and said that “while the presidential elections were competitive with regard to the number of candidates,” freedom of movement and assembly affected the fairness of the campaign for opposition candidates. “These elections fell short of meeting some key democratic benchmarks … namely, the increased prevalence of money in politics, the misuse of state re-

sources, which led to significant advantages for the incumbent, and the confidence, credibility, and ability of the electoral commission to manage the process effectively and impartially,” Obasanjo said. Sophia Akuffo, Ghanian Supreme Court justice and head of the African Union observer mission, said the delays in ballot papers arriving at poll-

ing stations were quite “inexcusable.” But Akuffo also said she was impressed by Ugandan voters. “I commend them for their patience and their fortitude and their determination to exercise their votes, because it was hot, humid, and very, very confusing at some of the polling stations that we went to and of course, the materials were late,” she said.

Former Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo (right), greets former Zambian President Rupiah Banda after a news conference held by Commonwealth Observers team in Kampala, on Saturday. Obasanjo heads Commonwealth Observers and Banda heads the Electoral Institute. PHOTO: VOA).

otherNEWS Niger election begins with top candidate behind bars A jailed candidate facing babytrafficking charges was among the top contenders to challenge Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou for the country’s top job, as voters started turning out for presidential and parliamentary elections. Niger is electing a head of state on Sunday, as well as a

new parliament, with President Issoufou hoping to secure a second five-year term. A total of 7.5 million people are eligible to vote, with results due within five days. Known as the “Zaki” or “lion” in Hausa, the majority language in Niger, Issoufou, a 63-yearold mathematician and mining

engineer turned politician, faces a total of 14 rivals including a particularly tough challenge from two former prime ministers and an ex-president. Should he fail to snatch a first-round victory, his main rivals have struck a deal to back whoever scores highest among them in the hope of ditching

the president. One of the contenders heading the opposition pack is 66-year-old Hama Amadou, who is campaigning from behind bars after being arrested in November on his return from exile in France over his alleged role in a baby-trafficking scandal.

Godmother ‘beats three-year-old girl to death for not eating A woman has allegedly beaten her three-year-old goddaughter to death while the toddler’s mother was in hospital giving birth. Latrice Walden was found with serious injuries on Monday morning and died after she was taken to hospital in Richmond, Virginia. The little girl’s family say she

was beaten to death by her godmother Danielle Turner, 24, because she would not eat her food, ABC 8 reported. Latrice had been left in the care of Turner after the girl’s mother, Nikki Brown, went into labor. Turner, who is a medical professional and has been friends with Ms Brown for 10 years, is

believed to have called 911 at 4.38am on Monday. Police were told the child had fallen and had a black eye after hitting her head on a bathtub faucet. When paramedics arrived, they found the girl unconscious but breathing. They took her to hospital where she later died.

An autopsy found Latrice died from blunt force trauma to the head and that she had suffered bruises all over body, CBS 6 reported. Ms Brown, who has given birth to her son, Michael, told NBC 12: ‘She loved my baby. I just, I just can’t. I don’t know where it came from. I have no words for her, none.’

Latrice pictured with her mother PHOTO: Facebook

46 tribunesport

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Osimhen must be professional on and off the pitch —Akpoborie

From left MD/CEO Dangote Groups Aliko Dangote, Segun Agbaje MD GTBank and Bimbo Ashiru former Commissioner commerce and Industry Ogun State at the final of NPA Lagos Polo International Championship held at the Lagos Polo ground on Sunday.

Falcons coaches are immature —James Peters

ORMER Super Falcons head coach, James Peters has said the recently appointed coaches for the team are immature to handle the affairs of the seven-time African champions. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) last wek approved the appointment of former Super Falcons trio, Florence Omagbemi, Perpetua Nkwocha and Ann Agumanu-Chiejine as assistant coaches to yet to be named expatriate coach. Peters said the football house should have considered an experienced hand in the land to hold the reign for a while to allow the ex-internationals room to learn the ropes prior to full takeover of the side’s leadership. “The NFF did not seek expert advice or wider consultation if they had done that we would have told them differently on how to go about handing the reign of the side to the former players. “Those picked for the onerous job are not experienced and knowledgeable I think there is absolute need for experience. “Even the proposed expatriate coach will fare no better in the circumstance as the best approach would have been to elect an old hand in the land to hold the reign for at least one or two competitive years to midwife and tutor the ex-internationals who then take over the side’s fortune thereafter. “Women envy and jealous each other and now you pick one of them to head the coaching crew there is bound to be problem. “Well since they have decided on the path we will just watch and pray that things do not get worse than it is at the moment,” said the former assistant general

secretary, technical department of the Nigeria Football Federation to supersport.com. However, former Super Falcons assistant coach, Dan Evemena said coach Bala Mohammed has no business in the coaching crew with the presence of the side’s former goalkeeper, Ann Agumanu-Chiejine. “I do not have anything against the appointment the exception is the goalkeeper trainer, Bala Mohammed. “It’s proper to make the goalkeeper trainer a woman since that appears to be the mindset of the federation. “Ann Agumanu-Chiejine is a

member of the crew and former goalkeeper she should rightly takeover the position. “However, I think the federation should have looked deep for experience before constituting the coaching crew. “Well, I will not want to go against what the federation has done we just have to give the exinternationals the chance and wish them well in their new assignment. “However, the coaches must strive to watch league matches not to sit elsewhere to select players for national assignment,” said the former Delta Queens coach to supersport.com.

EX-SUPER Eagles and VfL Wolfsburg top striker, Jonathan Akpoborie has predicted a bright future for the German’s club latest Nigerian recruit, Victor Osimhen, but warned he must be a professional both on and off the pitch. Last month, the Bundesliga side announced an exchange programme of co-operation between Osimhen’s Ultimate Strikers Academy where players will have the opportunity to train with the club’s various youth and senior sides pending a formal contract in 2017. And Akpoborie, who scored 20 goals in 39 appearances for the Die Wölfe (The Wolves) between 1999 and 2001, has now said the

2015 FIFA U17 World Cup hotshot will only be great if he is dedicated and disciplined. “I don’t know how his (Osimhen) behaviour outside the field but If he can dedicate himself and imbibe the German mentality, he is going to be a great star,” said Akpoborie, who spent over a decade playing at various levels of German league. “In Germany, what you do outside the field is as important as what you do on the field. “ He continued: “As a Nigerian, he must be able to give at least five right answers if he’s asked one question on the field; he has to be mentally strong and be very disciplined to be able to cope with the demands of the game in Germany.”

Osimhen

Nadal fails to qualify for 100th ATP final RAFAEl Nadal failed to reach his 100th ATP final after losing in three sets to unseeded Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas in the Rio Open semi-finals. The 14-time Grand Slam champion and top seed won a

first-set tiebreak and saved two set points in the second, but was beaten 6-7 (6) 7-6 (3) 6-4. “I lost an opportunity,” Nadal said. “I have to accept it and keep working to try to change the dynamic.” World number 45 Cuevas will meet the unseeded Guido Pella

in the final. The Argentine won 6-1 6-4 against Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem, who beat world number five Nadal in the last four of the Argentina Open last week. The consecutive semi-final defeats for Nadal continue a

disappointing season, which began with a first-round loss to Fernando Verdasco in the Australian Open. “I didn’t win a title, so it wasn’t a positive two tournaments,” the 29-year-old Spaniard said. “I had my chances in both but I just have to look forward.”

Catholic Seminaries Games begin By Oluwabunmi Ajayi

Nadal

THE 20th edition of Catholic Major Seminaries Games kicked-off on Sunday at SS Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija Ibadan. The games tagged: Catholic Games will be rounded-off next Sunday. The event to be held in three different sports arena- Lekan Salami Adamasinga stadium; the University of Ibadan sport fields and the SS Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija will

features Football, Lawn Tennis, Volley Ball, Basketball, Table tennis among others. Speaking with Tribunesport the sports Director Rev. Fr. Anthony Ewherido and the Games perfect, Mr Anthony Onyegasi, noted that all venues are in proper shape for the hosting of the Games today by 10.am. It will be recalled that the seminary games which started in Ibadan at SS Peter and Paul Seminary in 1979 through the initiatives of Fr. John Olorunfemi Onayeekan

now cardinal the Rector then Rev. Fr. John Aniagwu his vice now Monsignor has been hosted thrice while this year’s edition makes it four. The participating Seminaries are; St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary Markurdi Benue State; All Saints Seminary Uhiele, Ekpoma; Edo State; Shepherd Seminary, Abuja; Missionaries of St Paul (MSP) Gwagwalada Abuja; the host SS Peter and Paul Major Seminary Bodija, Ibadan and others.

47 tribunesport

Monday, 22 February, 2016

Babangida applauds El-Amin for organising inter-house sports Adelowo Oladipo -Minna A former Nigerian international, Tijani Babangida, has commended the management of El-Amin International School, Minna for organising inter-house sports competition. He noted that such competition serves as a platform to discover hidden talents at the grassroots. The Atlanta ‘96 Olympics gold medallist stated that lack of regular grassroots competitions re-

mains the major challenge facing sports development in Nigeria in recent times. Babangida, who was the special guest at the ‘ElAmin Sports 2016’ interhouse competition made the remarks after the event held at the school premises last Saturday. The former Ajax Amsterdam star charged other schools including public schools in the state to emulate El-Amin by creating an enabling environment for students to combine sporting activities with

academics. Babangida, a former Niger Tornadoes player said he was a product of interhouse sports. He stated that it is an avenue that would go a long way in encouraging youths to participate in sports and an avenue to discover grassroots stars for future national and international competitions. “You can see the enthusiasm exhibited by the students hence, this encourages a healthy competition amongst the students who

are participating in the competition. I am very impressed with this kind of competition,” Babangida, who featured at France ‘98 World Cup said. Also in his remarks, the Niger State Commissioner for Sports Development and Youth Empowerment, Alhaji Mamman Musa Bosso who represented the state government on the ocassion, disclosed that contract has been awarded for the renovation of the late Bako Kontagora Stadium, Minna at

the cost of N30million. Bosso, further said that this measure was put in place to ensure that Niger Tornadoes could play some of their Nigeria Premier League home matches this season at the stadium. He assured that construction work will begin in the next few days at the stadium. Bosso stated that the state government has planned to revive and improve schools competitions in parts of the state

towards enhancing the desired objectives of ‘catchthem young.’ Meanwhile, Red House won the competition as Yellow House finished second, while Green House placed third. The Principal of the school in her remarks applauded the team spirit, encouragement and commitment shown by the students in the competition, just as she noted that school sport is capable of promoting social and physical environments.

Nigeria Premier League:

3SC in poor start, loses in Ibadan to Lobi •No money to buy players —Ikhana

By Olawale Olaniyan

HOOTING Stars Sports Club (3SC) on Sunday, began the 2016 Nigeria Premier League season with a 0-1 loss to Lobi Stars of Makurdi, right before their teeming fans at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan. It was the first official match of coach Kadiri Ikhana since he took charge early this month. The man who coached Enyimba to win the league title last year, was however, a pitiable sight to behold as he could not prevent the home defeat of the Oluyole Warriors. Lobi Stars stunned home fans in the 10th minute of the game when Kingsley Eduwo, a former 3SC striker cashed in on a rebound to score what turned out to be the only goal of the match. Eduwo had earlier failed to beat goalkeeper Fabiyi Emmanuel on a oneon-one situation, but poor defending gave him to connect the rebound into the yawning net. Ikhana in a bid to strenghten his team brought in Daddy Bazuaye in the 26th minute in place of Omololu Waheed, while Sylvanus Ebiaku 18 minutes later came on to replace Yinka Adedeji. Before half time, Ebiaku’s pullout was wasted by his team-mates upfront in what would have given the homers an equaliser. Substitute Bazuaye was later removed 24 minutes into the second half as Sunday Adetunji was brought in. The substitutions however, did not make any difference as Lobi Stars coached by Godwin Uwua, held ont the lead till the final whistle. Speaking after the match, the former Nigeria U-23 coach, Ikhana blamed the defeat on his wards. “We lost this match because we did not take our chances. We wasted up to eight scoring chances in this match which should not be. Our opponents had one and utilised it. “Two of our midfielders were sidelined by injuries and we missed them in the match. I brought in Bazuaye but I had to remove him because he was not giving his best in

the game. “Right now, we all know the financial situation in 3SC, we need to beef up this team but we can’t go to the market empty-handed. Of course, I have no option but to play the players I met on the ground. The truth of the matter is that my team lacks good attackers and midfielders. “You can see that we practically lost the midfield to our opponents and if we must shop for new players, we must have money to do that,” said Ikhana, the first coach to win the CAF Champions League for Nigeria in 2003. His counterpart from Lobi Stars, Uwua said his team’s victory was well deserved. “We deserve this victory as you can all see, when it comes to coaching, Ikhana is my senior but in a game it is 50-50. I am happy the officiating was so good and I hope it will continue. “Yes I was away from football for sometime but that should not be taken for granted. The season has just begun and we hope to consolidate this good start,” Uwua, who last coached Niger Tornadoes stated.

Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) striker, Najeem Olukokun fighting for the ball against Lobi Stars defender, Agbaji Anthony, during the Nigeria Premier League Week 1 match at Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: OLAWALE OLANIYAN

Messi, Neymar going nowhere —Bartomeu

Messi

Neymar

BARCELONA president Josep Maria Bartomeu has no concerns that star players could be tempted away from Camp Nou by the riches of Manchester City - or neighbours Manchester United . With Pep Guardiola set to take charge of the Premier League club at the end of the season, speculation has mounted that he could look to raid his former club as part of a squad overhaul. Lionel Messi has been linked with a sensational move to the Etihad Stadium, as has team-

mate Neymar, who is also a rumoured target for neighbours Manchester United Yet Bartomeu is adamant Barca will keep their best players and insists the lure of money alone will not be enough to see them move. “We know Messi could earn more money in other teams, or Neymar, Busquets, Gerard Pique or Luis Suarez,” he told The Daily Mail. “Neymar, for example, when he came to Barcelona, had better offers from other teams. Suarez

also had better offers. “But they decided to come to Barcelona because I think this club attracts players, because we are more than a club. “We take care of a lot of other things, being closer to children in the world, through UNICEF, through the Melinda Gates Foundation or through the International Olympic Committee in Africa, through projects with children. All of this creates an atmosphere that we are not only a football club. We are more than a club.

SIDELINES

NO 16,441

MONDAY, 22 FEBRUARY, 2016

HE judicial hubble-bubble the recent apex court’s gubernatorial elections’ verdicts are causing in the land cannot but give us the kind of concern that will trouble us for a pretty long time. Let’s say it factually and truthfully: the verdicts, no matter which side we may belong to, have revealed the under-belly of the Nigerian judiciary. To say it in the simplest way and manner of grandeur, the verdicts have discredited and blemished severely the Nigerian judiciary. And the consequence of this? Only time will tell. Those who are excited about the verdicts can go on relishing them in their prolonged and over-prolonged states and centuries of excitements and euphoriant sensations, but many intellectuals in this our great and grand land must loosen their tongues. The time is more than ripe for them to reveal their inner life and thoughts with especial reference to current happenings in our country. Those who always have been inarticulate must cease to be inarticulate now. They must loosen their tongues. They must stir their sharp minds and imaginations and memories and invoke and evoke for us to see and behold the magic touch and action of their intellectual rigour and vigour. And when they speak, they must do so as true intellectuals; when they act, they must do so as intellectuals in the beautiful gathering of intellectuals; indeed, when they let loose whatever they let loose, they must do so not as political men and women, not as party men and women or party leaders, but as intellectuals of aesthetic candour. Through them psychologists must not strike what they may call the contagion of deception. It is no longer strange, the news that we all have awoken to a new economic reality – that has compelled us to witness a breathless confrontation with a dying or living wish. Suddenly our currency, the almighty naira, is breathless. It is gasping and turning lifeless – if not truly dead. Where are our intellectual and practical economists? Where are our

N150

Now that the United Nations has warned that 830,000 Nigerians might starve to death in Boko Haram-held areas, is it not time the government abandoned talk of “technical victory” over the murderous sect and get down to the real business of getting food to a tormented populace?

in&out with Tony Afejuku

08055213059

Letter to Nigerian intellectuals tactical and strategic economists? What has happened to their economic and monetary tactics and strategies? Are they deliberately shunning or shaming President Buhari, or, is the president deliberately shunning or shaming them because his presidency lacks a workable ideology to rescue our country from the hubbub of the remote and recent pasts? Our intellectuals must speak loudly and clearly. They must tell us why the almighty naira cannot crush the Devil Dollar. We don’t want complicated answers to the simple posers above. Our dying now or living till tomorrow depends on how we can save and shuffle our currency out of the door of peril. Now, one dollar exchanges for three hundred and forty-five naira and vice-versa. Hell! And it may be worse tomorrow. Hell! The six months or so of our new central regime have been ruthless six months or so of acrimonious acrimony in all facets of our lives – from state to state and from local government to local government. And the blame is heaped solely in many quarters on the central government. Even egg-heads partake in the sharing of the big blame heap on the presidency. They disastrously leave out their local governments’ heads

They must tell us why the almighty naira cannot crush the Devil Dollar. and councillors, and governors of their states, all of whom have ruthlessly sunk the lives of the people under their political and administrative power, authority, influence, care and rule. In the states and local governments the tragic, grim reality is that every-where about the poverty-stricken masses and people the fire of ruthless exploitation, suppression and oppression in all queer and un-queer ways is ignited – yet muteness is the word that illumines the darkest pains in the memories and minds and hearts of the sufferers, I mean the hideously mistreated and ill-treated folks. The matter is a complex one. But Nigerian intellectuals who should simplify it seem to be too nonchalant to do anything in this and other meaningful directions. Perhaps in some uncountable way, they have joined the bandwagon of those who

expect butter and bread from the tormentors to lose all bitterness and resentment against them yet they are intellectuals – theoretical and practical intellectuals in and outside our universities. What really do they expect from life and from so-called political gladiators, hypocrites in power that has perforce cast them dumb? Perhaps – after all said and done – we may not be wrong to call Nigerian intellectuals dumb pianos. The dungeon that our country is today we must, in the final analysis, and in a cute way of putting it, blame on our intellectuals who wait for their tongues to be dulcified. And who will do the dulcification of intellectual tongues? You know the answer: dukes in power or in the corridors of power who can open any door - from the hallowed temple of justice to the venerated temple of learning – by means of gold. Of course, the “golden key opens any door.” Auro quaeque ianua panditur. This is one of my favourite Latin quotes – which you may love henceforth to quote. Or don’t you recognise the “marvelous persuasiveness of cash on the barrel-head”? If you don’t, you are my intellectual brother and sister in the real brotherhood-andsisterhood of Nigerian intellectuals. We shall not die twice.

AFCON Qualifier: NFF summons Oliseh over players’ list THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has ordered the country’s senior national football team’s coach Sunday Oliseh to appear before its technical committee on Friday in Abuja to defend his call-ups for next month’s crucial AFCON qualifiers against Egypt. A top official informed Africanfootball.com that Oliseh will on Friday, February 26, also be expected to discuss his game plan for the double

header against the seven-time African champions. Nigeria will welcome group leaders, Egypt to Kaduna on Friday, March 25, before a reverse fixture in Egypt two days later. Oliseh had planned to travel around Europe to monitor the country’s top stars ahead of the showdown against Egypt, but this has been truncated as he has yet to receive any approvals for his spying

...As ailing Eagles coach begs for a month’s pay AILING Super Eagles coach, Jean Francois Lusciuto has begged to be paid at least part of what the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) owe him in salaries for him to proceed to Belgium for further treatment after his surgery in South Africa last month. It was gathered that the Belgian coach is owed five months’ pay, which totals 10 million Naira at two million Naira a month.

“The whiteman is really down - his stomach problem, which needed surgery in South Africa, has been persistence and he now wants to fly to Belgium for better treatment,” a top official disclosed. “He has said he only needs his salary for a month to do that and he has written several mails to the NFF, but sadly he has not received any reply,” The official noted.

mission. The Eagles training camp for the AFCON qualifiers is expected to open with players from the domestic league two weeks to the home game in Kaduna.

RESULTS 3SC 0 El-Kanemi 0 Heartland 0 Pillars 2 Ikorodu 1 Sunshine 1 Rivers Utd 1 Giwa FC 0 Nasarawa 1 Blackburn 1 Tottenham 0 Chelsea 5

NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE Lobi Stars Wikki Wolves Rangers Abia Warriors Akwa Utd Enyimba IfeanyiUbah MFM

FA CUP West Ham Crystal Palace Man City

1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 2 5 1 1

Oliseh

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. Telephone: 08165728976; 08073598322. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribune.com.ng MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: DEBO ABDULAI. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 22/02/2016.