Chime insists Dep Gov must go

Vol. 1 No. 41, August 7, 2014

N150

Nigeria can explode anytime, warns Ikedife, ex-Ohanaeze leader Pg 12

Pg 14

ENUGU IMPEACHMENT SAGA

Chime insists Dep Gov must go T , es 2 Pag & 9 3, 5

I am innocent, says Dep Gov Will COS, Ifeoma Nwobodo, replace Deputy?

Enugu PDP Caucus fails to save Onyebuchi Attempt to remove Chief of staff, his greatest sin Senator Ken Nnamani's role APC, CLO fault impeachment on “flimsy reasons�

By Ted Peters & Rex Arum

HE battle to remove the Enugu State Deputy Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi from office through impeachment by members of the State House of Assembly, may be concluded in the next few days as Governor Sullivan Chime has insisted that he does not need him (Onyebuchi) anymore.

Chime reportedly told the Enugu state Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stakeholders at a meeting at the Governor's Lodge on Saturday that he had lost confidence in the embattled deputy governor against whom he presented a two-page document containing what he itemized as the sins of his deputy.

One of the participants at the meeting confided in The Advocate that apart from the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, former Governor, Dr. Okwy Nwodo, Chief Jim Nwobodo and the embattled Deputy Governor, Onyebuchi, who were absent, virtually all those regarded as stakeholders of the party in the state were presented at the meeting.

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Jonathan abhors Smartphone app could use of young women simplify diagnosis of as suicide bombers hereditary diseasesPg 28 Pg 7

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ENUGU IMPEACHMENT SAGA

Chime insists Dep Gov must go Continued from front page of all the charges preferred against it is merely a few months to the But Senator Ken Nnamani quickly stage yet,” Nnamani reportedly The governor was said to have laid bare before the participants his reasons for getting the everwilling House of Assembly to commence impeachment proceeding against the deputy governor. He reportedly told the stakeholders that he had endured enough of Onyebuchi's disloyalty which was taken to a dangerous level when he was away on medical vacation overseas for over four months last year.

Said the stakeholder, who pleaded anonymity: “The governor said so many things, and we were shocked that he could go to that length to show the long animosity nursed against the Deputy Governor.

He started by telling us that the removal of Onyebuchi became imperative because of several wrongdoings during his ill-health especially his request to remove the most powerful member of the cabinet, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, the Chief of Staff to the Governor from office but that he succeeded in stopping him.

“He made us to believe that Onyebuchi's plan to remove Nwobodo then was to enable him have a firm grip on the government for reasons best known to him but his plan failed and Nwobodo remained in her office until he returned.”

The party chieftain further revealed that the governor informed the meeting of how Onyebuchi received the Mexican Ambassador to Nigeria who had visited Enugu to sympathise with the state over the governor's illhealth and the deputy governor allegedly told him that the sympathy was not necessary as the governor's bad lifestyle was responsible for his ailment.

The stakeholder also quoted the governor as having said that the Deputy Governor among other acts of disloyalty, refused to defend the state government when the Labaran Maku-led National Good Governance Team visited the state and was castigating the government for demolishing historic monuments/structures in the state capital and building new ones on top especially the N13 Billion State Secretariat Complex.

The fresh allegations might have been compiled following public outcry that the three impeachable offences brought against the Deputy Governor by the State Assembly were not enough grounds to remove him from office ten months to the end of his second tenure.

I am not guilty Gov

Dep

But in his official response to the various allegations contained in the Impeachment Notice, the embattled Deputy Governor, Mr. Onyebuchi, said he was innocent

him. end of our second tenure that I rose up from his seat and told the He told the state lawmakers that he have had these allegation leveled stakeholders that the Deputy was not guilty of the alleged acts against me. I make bold to say that Governor came to his Abuja of gross misconduct in the I have always considered the residence and prostrated “crying performance of his official Governor a brother and a friend,” profusely as he admitted all the allegations leveled against him functions brought against him and he told the lawmakers. t h e r e f o r e c o m m i t t e d n o Onyebuchi said that Nigeria “is a and pleaded that I should impeachable offence whatsoever. budding democracy with a very intervene.”

Onyebuchi, who presented an bright future. His Excellency, He described Onyebuchi as an eight-page defence with several Barrister Sullivan Chime has honest man, adding that he soberly annexures to the House of indeed been a blessing to Enugu admitted his wrongdoings and Assembly on Wednesday, made a State and there is a lot to be urged the stakeholders to see his point by point explanation to the thankful to him for. There is no impeachment as a “forgone three charges preferred against doubt that when two persons work conclusion if he fails to resign as him including the operation of together in the constitutional was directed by the governor”. commercial poultry in his official marriage termed Governor and The former Senate President's role residence and for habitually D e p u t y G o v e r n o r , in the Enugu impeachment saga refusing, failing or neglecting to misunderstandings will arise from has, however, put a question mark carry out and or perform the time to time. The duty of the on his claim that he is a strong functions of his office as directed Deputy Governor is clear. It is to defender of democracy in Nigeria. by the Governor pursuant to take instructions from and carry O b s e r v e r s o f t h e c u r r e n t section 193(1). o u t t h e d i r e c t i v e s o f t h e impeachment move against the Deputy Governor were shocked to According to him, he was not Governor.” read Nnamani's comment at the aware of any resolution of the PDP caucus meeting State Assembly that last Saturday. Critics banned the operation of the former senate of commercial president, who always poultry in residential claim to have shut premises in the state, down Olusegun pointing out that the Obasanjo's third term poultry in his official ambition during his residence was built by stint as Senate the regime of Michael President, quickly Okpara in the defunct went down memory Eastern regional lane to recall government and had Nnamani's strong been operated by his criticism of the House several predecessors of Representatives in like the one operated 2005 for threatening by the governor in his to impeach Obasanjo own residence. for unilaterally He described as t a m p e r i n g untrue the allegation with/doctoring the that he refused to 2005 Appropriation represent Governor Act. This was Sullivan Chime at the reported by Vanguard flag off of the second Newspapers on May Niger Bridge in 23, 2005.

Onitsha by President In the report entitled Goodluck Jonathan, “Nnamani Slams saying he was present R e p s O n at the event from its inception to the end as Ekweremadu, did not attend the stakeholders meeting Impeachment Move”, the former senate shown in the live However, less than 12 hours after president who appears to be television coverage of the event.

On the third allegation that he the Deputy Governor submitted s p e a r h e a d i n g t h e c u r r e n t turned down the directive to his defence, the State Assembly impeachment move against the represent Governor Chime at the reconvened Thursday where they Enugu Deputy Governor, was last meeting of the South East directed the State Chief Judge, quoted as saying that the frequent Governor's meeting held at the Justice Innocent Umezuliike to set invocation of impeachment clause Lion Building, Enugu, the deputy up a panel of seven judges to in the constitution against the governor explained that the immediately probe the allegations President was wrong as according to him, the process ought to be the governor did not mandate him to against the number two citizen. act on his behalf while he was The panel was yet to be set up by last resort in resolving executiveaway on vacation, adding that no press time on Thursday even as legislature feud. "You see, the manifest of the event was made tension has gripped the state on word impeachment is a very account of the impeachment saga. serious one. It's like saying that available to him.

Onyebuchi, who noted that he had The Advocate was further somebody is going to die, death worked closely with Governor informed that during the last State sentence. We are careful how we Chime, who at one time described PDP caucus, Senator Gilbert Nnaji use the word impeachment. We him as “reliable and loyal deputy representing Nkanu East, the don't want to use it randomly, so who understands the working of Deputy Governor's constituency the matter hasn't arisen, that very government” said it was a shame as well Mrs. Peace Nnaji issue of impeachment. that allegation of disobedience representing Nkanu East and West "We have not discussed it at all; it should be leveled against him few Federal Constituency pleaded hasn't come across our vision yet. months to the end of their second with the governor to forget We don't think people should use whatever transpired and drop the the word impeachment randomly tenure. impeachment plot against his because it's the final alternative. I “I have over the years remained a deputy since their tenure would don't think we have got to that loyal deputy, and it is a shame that soon elapse.

said at the time.

Now, the question being asked by observers of Nnamani's role in the current development in Enugu is, between a President who unilaterally tampered with an Act of the National Assembly and a Deputy Governor who allegedly failed to represent his "boss" at an event or who operated poultry, who has committed an impeachable offence? How come impeachment is no longer a "death sentence?" Now, it is politically expedient, and many are asking if Ken Nnamani is the one spearheading the impeachment of Sunday Onyebuchi a fellow Nkanu son?

Nnamani was said to have further told the PDP caucus meeting that the major issue to be discussed by the stakeholders was the controversy trailing the governor's insistence that all members of the National Assembly from the state that had served two terms should not seek re-election. He recalled that many senators from the state including himself and Senator Ben-Collins Ndu, had served only one term and wondered why the current representatives would want to continue.

Supporting Nnamani's submission, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Dubem Onyia said that a formal motion should be moved to ban the second term National Assembly members from seeking re-election but the State PDP Chairman reportedly called for caution advising members of the caucus that they should rather appeal to the conscience of the National Assembly members to see reasons to give other people chance in the coming election.

Apparently furious that the stakeholder's meeting called to discuss the impeachment saga had derailed, Senator Ayogu Eze (Enugu North) reportedly told the participants that the matter of tenure for National Assembly, which had generated much tension in the party, had been laid to rest and wondered why it should be reopened.

According to our source, sensing that the matter could discourage the National Assembly members present from supporting the impeachment of the Deputy Governor, Governor Chime arrested it saying that they would continue to appeal to the Abuja representatives to see reasons to give chance to others interested in their positions.

Meanwhile, as a Senate President, Senator Nnamani was noted for his lamentations in national and international forums of the high turnover of lawmakers in Nigeria, insisting then that it was very hurtful to democracy and

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ENUGU IMPEACHMENT SAGA Continued from page 2 experience. He usually enumerated US Senators and Members of the US House of Representatives who had spent over thirty years in the US Congress. Many now wonder why Senator Ken Nnamani is now singing a new song.

PDP NWC wades in The Enugu PDP caucus, The Advocate learnt, was mandated by the National Working Committee of the PDP to mediate in the impeachment saga and report back to the party's national leadership, a directive that necessitated the meeting held on Saturday. The outcome of the meeting, however, did not favour the deputy governor as the governor received the support of the majority to go ahead with his plan to oust the number two citizen in the state.

Sources said that the stakeholders had mandated a group led by Senator Ken Nnamani, who is a strong backer of Mrs. Nwobodo's senatorial ambition and the new pillar behind Governor Chime, to convey the decision of the stakeholders to the National Working Committee. The NWC had last week warned against the wave of impeachments spreading across some PDP-controlled State Assemblies and warned those behind it to retrace their steps.

But it was gathered that some members of the National Assembly and top politicians from the state, who were not happy with the alleged gang up against the Deputy Governor have resolved to take the matter up with President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP national leadership with a view to persuading Governor Chime and the legislature to drop the impeachment plot, which they viewed as unnecessary.

How impeachment plot started On Wednesday, July 16, 2014 the Deputy Governor went to the Governor's office to see his boss to inform him of his desire to embark on a six-day trip overseas but unknown to him there seemed to be a bottled anger against him.

The governor he had worked with peacefully since the past seven years showed him a different side of his face that fateful day. He reportedly told his deputy to his face that he had lost confidence in him and had no reason why he (Chime) should approve the overseas trip for him.

The sign that things have fallen apart between them starred on Onyebuchi's face on that day but he could not understand why the governor suddenly changed his countenance against him. It must have quickly come to his mind that the Governor's unfriendly disposition could be because of his decision to contest the Enugu East Senatorial seat which the Governor is believed to have reserved for his Chief of Staff,

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Mrs. Nwobodo whose campaign signboards have already been mounted along major roads within the senatorial zone ahead of the INEC's guidelines for the 2015 elections. The signboards, however, have no logo of any political party on them. But her campaign team, Ifeoma diniru 2015 (Good things are ahead) had since embarked on an aggressive u n d e rg r o u n d c a m p a i g n t o mobilize support for her.

The Advocate gathered that though Chime had tolerated Onyebuchi since 2007 when they assumed office, there appeared to be a love-lost for deputy governor following the governor's fourmonth absence on account of illhealth. This came to light when both of them met in the evening of Wednesday, July 16, 2014. Their disagreement, according to insider sources, dates back to February last year when the governor returned from the medical leave.

The source said: “There was an encounter between the governor and the deputy last Wednesday where they reportedly disagreed over the contest for the Enugu East senatorial election and other contentious issues between them. This incident was said to have been witnessed by the governor's Special Adviser on Intergovernmental Affair, Rita Mba. “As we gathered the deputy governor reportedly told the governor that he was determined to exercise his right to contest election into the senate in the coming elections but the governor was said to have voiced out his opposition to the move and went ahead to list of what is regarded as Onyebuchi sins. He accused him of refusing to represent him at the last meeting of South East Governors' Forum held at the Government House, Enugu when he (Chime) embarked on his annual leave last month in spite of the invitation sent to him by the Chief of Protocol. To this the deputy governor was said to have told him that he declined to show up at the meeting because the governor did not give him any directive to act in his absence and couldn't have taken instruction from a junior officer to represent the governor.

“The governor also frowned at the deputy governor's suggestion to remove from office the Chief of Staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo during his long absence last year, a development that forced him to return to the country even when the doctors did not give him clearance to return to Nigeria at the time. He also frowned at the

deputy's refusal to heed his earlier advice not to venture into the Enugu East senatorial race, accusing him of associating with the opponents of his government to undermine his interest.”

The source said that the deputy governor was taken aback by the governor's vituperations against him though he was not totally surprised because “since he informed the governor about his senatorial ambition in April this year, their relationship appeared to have been strained.”

But the deputy governor was said to have denied the allegations and told the governor pointblank that it was because of his senatorial ambition that he was being vilified for no just cause in spite of his loyalty to him and the government since the past seven years.

Apparently angered by the deputy governor's response, it was gathered that Governor Chime asked him (Onyebuchi) to leave his office and he left without getting the approval which he

Ken Nnamani came to seek. The deputy governor has remained mute since the incident and has resisted all attempts by our reporters to speak on the matter.

E n u g u P D P Chairman, Abba reinforced Chime's directive Barely 12 hours after the encounter between the governor and his deputy, the State Chairman of PDP, Engr. Vita Abba, visited the deputy governor at his private residence where he reinforced the governor's directive to him to resign.

“The PDP Chairman told the deputy governor that the governor informed him of his directive to him (Onyebuchi) to resign and that he was very serious about it.

He encouraged the deputy governor to resign as that will be better than being impeached but

he rejected the advice,” said the source.

The signs that there was danger ahead came that same Thursday when the four policemen officially deployed from Zone 9 Police Command, Umuahia to be on the deputy governor's entourage since the past two years, were suddenly withdrawn that afternoon without the knowledge of the deputy governor and no one has given him any information regarding their withdrawal, one of his aides said.

Chime reacts to report on impeachment However, Governor Chime, who reacted to the impeachment notice served on his deputy in a telephone interview with a national daily on Tuesday, July 17, said he had given the deputy governor the option of resigning from his position before the commencement of the impeachment proceedings against him by the House of Assembly.

Chime said before the problem between him and his deputy blew open, he had tolerated a whole lot from him all in a bid to protect “our common family, called the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”.

He said rather than possibly accepts the option of resigning and show remorse over his activities, the deputy governor remained defiant.

He said his deputy had severally engaged in acts aimed at undermining him as a governor, but he decided to turn a blind eye to his activities in the overall interest of the state.

“By the time I open my mouth, everybody will be shocked to know what has been happening between my deputy and I in the past years. It has actually come to a point where we need to know who is actually the boss because we can no longer work together.

“Let the House of Assembly do their job and see if indeed he is fit to remain as the deputy governor of the state. How can I ask my deputy to represent me in a meeting of the South-east Governors' Forum where the deputy governors of Anambra represented his governor; I think the deputy governor of Imo State also represented his governor and my own said that he was not informed,” Chime said.

The governor dismissed insinuations that the impeachment proceedings had anything to do with the deputy governor's rumoured senatorial ambition for Enugu East senatorial seat.

“What's the link? We are saying he has refused to do his work and even had to tell me to my face that what is happening to him is because of his ambition. My

brother, let me tell you clearly that it has no link. He has been going round Abuja telling people all manners of things, but by the time I open up, Nigerians will know that nobody else could take what I've taken from him,” he said.

The governor, however, opened up at the PDP caucus meeting where he laid bare before the party members what was regarded as the long list of the deputy governor's offences against him and the state and made them to believe that the impeachment proceeding would continue if Onyebuchi refused to comply with his directive to resign.

Assembly serves impeachment notice The State House of Assembly having met with the governor at the Governor's lodge on July 21 behind closed doors, commenced impeachment proceeding against the Deputy Governor accusing him of gross misconduct and disobedience to the lawful directives of the governor. The impeachment notice was signed by 22 out of the 24 members of the House. Only the Speaker of the House, Mr. Eugene Odoh and the member representing Aninri Constituency and younger brother to the Deputy Senate President, Mr. Matthias Ekweremadu did not sign the six-page impeachment notice.

The Assembly, however, directed its Clerk, Mr. Christopher Chukwurah to serve the Deputy Governor the Impeachment notice within seven days.

The Speaker, Mr. Eugene Odoh, from Enugu North senatorial zone, who is working hard to get the governor's endorsement as his successor come 2015, presided over the brief session of the House convened primarily to deliberate on the impeachment notice. The motion was presented by leader of the House, Mr. SKE Udeokoye, who also sponsored it. The allegations leveled against the Deputy Governor included running of poultry farm inside his official residence , which had been undergoing reconstruction since mid 2012 but had long been abandoned as well as his alleged refusal to represent the governor at two official functions in Enugu and Onitsha.

The Impeachment Notice presented by Udeokoye reads: “In the exercise of the powers vested in the Enugu State House of Assembly by section 188(1) (9) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) (hereinafter referred to as “the Constitution”) and all other powers enabling the Enugu State House of Assembly in that behalf, we the undersigned members of the Enugu State House of Assembly append our names and signatures to this Notice of Allegation of Gross Misconduct in the Performance of the Functions of the Office of Deputy Governor against the Deputy Governor of

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NLC decries increasing wave of impeachment

C h ic N

…says it portends dangers to 2015 general elections

IGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, has decried the rising cases of impeachment of elected officers in the nation's political life.

According to the NLC, impeachments on the eve of elections are ill-advised, diversionary and portend dangers to 2015 general elections.

It called on all political actors to return to the era of vibrant political and democratic culture of tolerance, respect for the choices of the electorate and avoid acts capable of undermining the nation's democracy In a statement by its President, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, the NLC said it was “worried about the increasing intolerance among politicians, irrespective of political parties.

“As a pan-Nigerian organisation that fought for democracy in Nigeria, we cannot stay and watch democracy we fought for and which we have constructively nurtured for about 15 years to be undermined.

“It is against this background that Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, is worried about depleting tolerance level manifesting in serial impeachments of elected political office holders as recently witnessed in Adawawa, threats of impeachment in

Nasarawa and Enugu states.

“The challenge at the moment is to ensure free and fair elections in some states and at the federal level in 2015.

“Feverish impeachments on the eve of election are ill-advised, diversionary and open to all sorts of political interpretations.

“No matter the efforts of democratic institutions as INEC, the police and Department of State Service to ensure free and fair election, a lot depends on the activities and attitudes of the political actors.

“We, therefore, call on all political actors to return to the era of vibrant political and democratic culture of tolerance, respect for the choices of the electorate and avoid acts capable of undermining the nation's democracy.

“There should be sanctity of mandates for the president, governors and legislators.

Where there is misconduct, the process to recall through impeachment must be seen to be transparent and sincere and should not be a continuation of party politics through the back doors.

“The Congress remains committed to the sustenance and promotion of democracy and good governance in Nigeria.”

2 arrested with corpse of 2-yr-old girl in Aba

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he Abia State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Wednesday, arrested two men with the corpse of a twoyear-old girl.

The suspects were apprehended when they were trying to bury the corpse in an abandoned pit in Osisioma, near Aba. The middle-aged suspects are Jonathan Nwogu from Mgboko Umuola in Obingwa Local Government Area of the state and Chibuike Anubuife from Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

They were caught at Enyimba filling station near Ariaria International, Aba while trying to take the girl's corpse in a sack for burial.

Parading the suspects in Umuahia, the state commandant of the NSCDC, Andy Dateer, said: “It was a very sad day for the command.”

According to him, his men on a routine patrol caught two men in possession of a

corpse of a girl of about two years old in a sack. He said his men were attracted to the scene following a quarrel between them and a man who would have conveyed them to the scene in his car.

“As people started gathering, the owner of the car zoomed off and my men arrested the two suspects,” he said.

Dateer said they will be handed over to the Police for proper investigation.

“If they had not been saved by his men the public would have lynched them and the society would not be able to know the mystery behind their act,” he said.

In an interview, Chibuike Anubuife said he saw the other man for the first time and he asked him to help him bury the dead girl.

Anubuife said that he was still discussing the logistics for the burial of the girl before the men of the NSCDC arrested them.

In his response, the other suspect, Jonathan Nwogu said a man approached him to help him bury the girl.

Impeachment:

3 killed in Pro-Almakura Protest in Lafia

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…As Assembly Announces Grounds for Sack

T

he Nasarawa State House of Assembly on Thursday further justified its impeachment plan as it announced charges of financial gross misconduct, awards of bloated contracts and violation of constitution against the embattled Governor Umaru Tanko AlMakura, in Lafia, the state capital.

The house resolve however elicited another anti- impeachment protest in the state capital, leading to death of three people.

Our Correspondent observed that the

entire Lafia city was under siege by the protesters who took over and blocked the major roads as early as possible in the state capital.

The protesters took off from the business district area, marching along Doma road and proceeded to the Emir's palace where they expressed their opposition to the planned sack move against Al-Makura by the state Assembly. The Monarchy promised the protesters to mediate between the legislative house and the Governor.

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ENUGU IMPEACHMENT SAGA Continued from page 3 E n u g u S t a t e , M r. S u n d a y Onyebuchi (hereinafter referred to as “the Deputy Governor”).

“The Deputy Governor is guilty of various acts of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office as the Deputy Governor of Enugu State.

The particulars of gross misconduct are as follows: “Between February 2013 and February 2014 the Deputy Governor wrongfully deployed the resources of his office and exercised the powers thereof to resist and ridicule the implementation of a public health policy of the Government of Enugu State of Nigeria (hereinafter referred to as the “Government “) and thereby abused his office as follows: “By a resolution of the Enugu State House of Assembly at its plenary on Tuesday, 12th February, 2013, the Enugu State House of Assembly prohibited the maintenance and operation of commercial livestock and poultry farms within residential neighbourhoods in Enugu metropolis in promotion of public health standards; which resolution was further accepted by the Government for implementation.

“Notwithstanding the said resolution, the Deputy Governor continued to maintain and operate a commercial poultry farm within the premises of his official residential quarters; and further refused to carry out the directives of the relevant officials of the Government, who visited his official premises to monitor compliance with the said resolution.

“Consequent upon the intimidation of the relevant officials of the Government by the Deputy Governor in respect of the matter aforesaid, the Governor of Enugu State via letters with reference numbers: GHE/CAO/31/239 and GHE/CAO/31/240 dated 24/12/2013 and 27/12/2013 respectively, directed the Deputy Governor to relocate the commercial poultry farm out of the premises of his official residential quarters, which is also within the general premises of the Government House, Enugu, and adjacent to the Governor's office.

“The Deputy Governor further defied the directive herein, and in a most discourteous manner and in utter disregard of the office of the Governor, responded via his letter dated 8/1/2014, insisting that he would not relocate his commercial poultry farm from the premises of his official residential quarters.

“When the Government through the appropriate Ministries and Departments relocated the birds and cleared the premises of the noxious stench emanating therefrom, the Deputy Governor wrongfully deployed the resources and powers of his office

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submit, whether Governor Sullivan Chime is behind the impeachment or the utilization of desperate tactics to suffocate Chief Sunday Onyebuchi, the Deputy Governor, he cannot pretend not to know, since it is happening under his watch.

“Consequently, we call on the Governor to call the House to order, in order to maintain the harmonious and peaceful atmosphere that subsists in Enugu, which we praise him; for we can see the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob.”

Also speaking on the impeachment saga, former Governorship aspirant and chieftain of the APC in the state, Chief Okey Ezea, said the ugly development “goes to show what I have always said that Enugu is badly governed, under the worst dictatorship."

He pointed out that it is only in Enugu state that “somebody can award contract to build roads, demolish secretariat, re-award another and get kickbacks. We are worse than we were under the military and that is why the PDP in the state has no gubernatorial aspirant. We have one man that would install everyone including deciding for Nkanu people who must be their senator. But they should know that there is God.”

as Deputy Governor to invite the Enugu Deputy Governor press and openly castigated the Reacting to the impeachment Government and her officials, m o v e a g a i n s t t h e D e p u t y t h e r e b y i m p u g n i n g a n d Governor, the All Progressives denigrating the authority and Congress , APC, South East zone, office of the Governor, and said it was outraged by the embarrassing the Government.” disturbing news that the State The lawmakers further alleged Assembly had served notice of that the Deputy Governor i m p e a c h m e n t o n C h i e f “habitually refuses, fails and or Onyebuchi, describing the neglects to carry out and or alleged impeachable offences perform the functions of his office brought against him as “flimsy”. It as directed by the Governor therefore appealed to the House to pursuant to section 193(1) of the withdraw the “flimsy petitions” Constitution without any excuse.” forthwith. The party in a statement They cited such manifest breaches signed by its chieftain in the zone, of the constitution to include his Chief Osita Okechukwu, said: alleged refusal to carry out the “We have made a closer study of directive of the Governor to the allegations listed like represent him at the flag off disobedience of the directive ceremony of the construction of prohibiting the maintenance of the 2nd Niger Bridge in Onitsha c o m m e r c i a l l i v e s t o c k i n

by President Goodluck Jonathan r e s i d e n t i a l q u a r t e r s a n d on March 11, 2014 as well as the disobedience of lawful directive South East Governors Forum held to represent His Excellency, at The Lion Building, Enugu on Sullivan Chime in the South East Sunday, July 8, 2014 “despite the Governors Forum and the flag-off express directive of the Governor 2nd Niger Bridge. to represent him at the Forum.”

“Whereas, we are not holding “The Deputy Governor persists in his defiance of lawful directives issued to him by the Governor, which defiance has adversely affected and will continue to affect the smooth running of the Government; and he will continue to do so if not removed from office,” CLO faults the lawmaker further impeachment as stated.

Three days after the 'mockery of impeachment notice was democracy' endorsed by the On its part, the Civil lawmakers, the House Liberties Organization resumed its plenary on (CLO) South East Zone Thursday, July 24, 2014 criticized the action of and asked the Clerk, Mr. the lawmakers, Christopher Chukwura to d escribing it as a serve the notice of “mockery of democracy impeachment on the which activists fought Deputy Governor by hard to enthrone”. substituted services. The CLO in a statement by resolution was sequel to a the Zonal Director, Olu Eugene Odoh, speaker ESHA motion by the leader of Omotayo, a lawyer, the House, Ude Okoye criticized the action of representing Awgu north, asking brief for Chief Onyebuchi, the the law makers as unknown to law, APC South East is of the candid the House to mandate the Clerk to stressing that keeping poultry in view that the items listed are serve the notice through his residence does not amount to flimsy allegations; therefore we substituted means. He was appeal to the House to withdraw gross misconduct. “We had earlier seconded by John stated that when the incident the flimsy petitions forthwith.

Ukuta representing Uzo-Uwani h appened that the proper “We are making this appeal not constituency.

Chukwura had procedure in accordance with the only for the sustenance of our narrated his difficulty and efforts law as provided under the Enugu fledgling democracy, but in the in serving the notice of S t a t e Wa s t e Management impeachment on the Deputy collective interest of the good Authority Law, is for the Enugu people of Enugu State, a peaceful Governor which he supported S t a t e Wa s t e M anagement citizenry that may not wish to with a sworn affidavit of court.

Authority to serve the operator or return to the dark insecure days of The House, however, directed that occupier of a premises which the notice be served through his e- the Peoples Democratic Party activities constitute nuisance with (PDP) leadership in the state. mail, pasted at the gate of his a notice to abate the nuisance “We challenge the House to stop private residence at the Savage crescent or at the gate of his the impeachment, otherwise it is failure of which the authority can official quarters which he left over only a rubber stamp House of then make a complaint against the two years ago. The notice was Assembly that will base the o c c u p i e r , b e f o r e t h e pasted on the gate of Onyebuchi's impeachment of a Deputy Environmental Protection Court.

Governor on a poultry which had “This was not done, and as such GRA residence the same day. any letter written by any agent, been demolished months ago.

But The Advocate gathered that he servants or privies of the governor has neither replied the notice nor “And further taking a cue from the who is a complainant in this case letter of one of the leaders of APC, spoken on the development by was irregular and unlawful. r e t i r e d M a j o r G e n e r a l press time.

Muhammadu Buhari to President Section 12(2), of the Enugu State Stop the Impeachment of Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, we

Waste Management Authority Law, Cap. 75, Laws of Enugu State 2004, provide punishment for breach of environmental law while Sub section 3, of same law provides: “Where tenement is a residential government building, the court shall recommend to the Head of Service or the Secretary to the State government for ejection of the occupier, who has been convicted of any offence under this section on three occasions”.

It continued: “So in the Deputy Governors case the invasion of his residence and the subsequent demolition of his poultry are illegal and unlawful. Any action of the state however beneficial it may be to the public if not done in accordance with the laws of the land portends danger in a d e m o c r a t i c s o c i e t y. T h e Provisions of Section (3) of the Enugu State Waste Management Authority Law, Cap. 75, Laws of Enugu State 2004, were not complied with. So we don't understand what the House of Assembly is saying.

“It is important that we consider the process in the United States of America because of the political and constitutional nexus that exists between Nigeria and America. In the United States, impeachment is not only limited to the president and his vice, governors and their deputies but to all civil officers they could be senators and judges as experience have shown. Since 1787 when the United States Constitution became operative, only thirteen officers have so far been impeached. This underscores how Americans guard this provision jealously to avoid political instability. It is only resorted to when other avenues have become practically impossible.

The opposite is what we are seeing in this country and if this trend is not checked it will be perilous for this country.

Both the 1979 Constitution and 1999 Constitution do not provide grounds for impeachment. This is in contrast to the American constitution which highlights the grounds for impeaching a public officer. The 1999 Constitution only provides that above mentioned elected officers shall be removed from office if they are found guilty of “gross misconduct”. The definition of “gross misconduct” in section 188(11) is not explicit enough.

Therefore, reckless legislatures have harped on this inadequacy to impeach on frivolous grounds.

The case of Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra State is an evidence of this rascality.

Therefore, the constitution has put the executive at the mercy of the legislature because the latter can in its own opinion manufacture what amounts to

Continues on page 9

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August 7, 2014

ADVOCATE

Impeachment

I am innocent, says Dep Gov Enugu state Deputy Governor Mr Sunday Onyebuchi responded to allegations of gross misconduct against him which led to the impeachment proceedings against him by the Enugu State House of Assembly.

REPLY TO ALLEGATION OF GROSS MISCONDUCT IN THE PEFORMANCE OF MY FUNCTIONS OF MY OFFICE AS THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6. (a)

On Thursday 24 July 2014, a document headed “Notice of Allegation of Gross Misconduct in the Performance of the Functions of the Office of the Deputy Governor of Enugu State: Re: Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi” was posted at the gate of my private residence at 46 Savage Crescent, GRA, Enugu, signed by 22 Honourable members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, alleging that I am “guilty of various acts of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of {my} office as the Deputy Governor of Enugu State.”

I thank you for giving me an opportunity to respond to the allegations set out in the said notice and will ask that you grant me time to give a brief background before I respond to the allegations.

I am a native of Isiogbo Nara in Nkanu East Local Government Area. Prior to my election as the Deputy Governor of Enugu State in 2007 I had put in 27 years of service in the Civil Service of Anambra/Enugu States where I rose through the ranks to the position of Permanent Secretary.

I had served as a Social Mobilization Officer in the defunct Directorate of Social Mobilization. I also served as the Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, and finally, as the Commissioner for Works and Transport in the immediate past administration in Enugu State. During my time as a member of the State Executive Council, the present Governor of Enugu State, Barrister Sullivan Chime, was also a member of the State Executive Council in his capacity as the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. I had a very cordial relationship with Governor Chime.

In 2007, I was nominated by our party, the Peoples Democratic Party, as the running mate for Governor Chime, who was the party's candidate for the post of Governor. We won the election and we were sworn in on 29 May 2007.

I had an excellent working relationship with His Excellency, and during the campaigns of 2011 His Excellency acknowledged this and described me in a speech to the party's supporters as a “reliable and loyal deputy who understands the working of government”. The Governor chose me as his running mate in the 2011 election. This election we also won.

With this background in mind I will now respond to the allegations of gross misconduct contained in the notice.

ALLEGATION NO. 1 ABUSE OF OFFICE The allegation here as I understand it is that contrary to a resolution of the Enugu State House of Assembly passed on 12 February 2013 prohibiting the maintenance and operation of commercial livestock and poultry farms within residential neighborhoods in Enugu metropolis, I continued to maintain and operate a

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

commercial poultry farm within the premises of my official residence. It is also alleged that I refused to carry out the directives of officials of Government who came to monitor compliance with the said resolution.

Permit me to start my response by saying that I was never served with any such resolution of the Enugu State House of Assembly nor was any such resolution ever brought to my notice by any official of the Enugu State Government.

On assumption of office in May 2007, there was an existing official residence for the Deputy Governor of Enugu State. On inspection of the premises I observed that it had on its grounds an area designated and fenced as an Agricultural Unit, with facilities for amongst other things, a poultry farm. I commenced operation of a poultry on the premises in 2008 with technical support from ENADEP and the Commercial Agricultural Programme of the State Ministry of Agriculture. The said poultry farm was declared in my Asset Declaration and inspected by the Code of Conduct Bureau.

It is important to state that the structure for the said poultry farm was built by Dizengorf WA Limited during the regime of late Chief M. I. Okpara. The first occupant of the premises was late Chief Nwodo and he operated a poultry farm there. Subsequent occupants of the premises, up to my immediate predecessor in office, operated poultry farms in the premises.

Similar structures were built by Chief Okpara in most of what was then known as “Ministers' Quarters”. Indeed, till date, the Government House, Enugu, also has an Agricultural Unit, larger than the one in my official quarters, where a large poultry farm continues to be maintained.

The policy under the Okpara regime was to encourage public office holders to engage in farming especially poultry.

No complaint of any environmental or health hazard from the said poultry was made to me or brought to my attention between 2008 and November 2013.

On 27 December 2013, two letters were th delivered to my office. The first letter dated 24 December 2013 with reference No. GHE/CAO/31/239 from the Chief of Staff to the Governor, was headed “Operation of a Commercial Poultry Farm in the Residence of His Excellency, the Deputy Governor”. It stated that the attention of Government had been drawn to the fact that I had “erected or built or permitted to be erected or built commercial poultry farm” within my official quarters “contrary to the Statutory Certificate of Occupancy purpose clause” which according to the letter required that the land be used for residential purposes only. The letter demanded that I take urgent and necessary action to stop forthwith the operation of the poultry in my

official residence.

I attach and mark as Annexure 1 a copy of the said letter (g) The second letter from the Chief of Staff was dated 27 December 2013 with reference No. GHE/CAO/31/240 and headed “Final Notice/Request to Stop or relocate the Commercial Poultry Farm in Official Residence”. This time, I was given 14 days to comply with the directive to relocate the poultry. I attach and mark Annexure 2 a copy of the said letter. (h) My feelings about the two letters were made known in my response to the letters wherein I pointed out that (i) both letter were delivered the same day, i.e., 27 December 2013; (ii) the statement in both letters that my official residence was covered b y a Certificate of Occupancy, containing a purpose clause to use the premises for residential purposes only, was untrue; (iii) my official quarters had within it a section designated as an Agricultural Unit, including a portion used as a poultry farm which I had inherited from my predecessors in office.

For ease, I attach and mark Annexure 3 a copy of my said letter. (i) I did not refuse to carry out the directives of the relevant officials of the Government. The main reason stated in the letters issued to me for requiring the relocation of the poultry farm was the fact that I was in breach of the purpose clause of the certificate of occupancy covering my official residence. I still say that there is no such certificate of occupancy in existence in respect of the Deputy Governor's official residence.

I also wish to point out that in all the correspondence, no mention was made of any resolution of the Enugu State House of Assembly prohibiting the maintenance and operation of a poultry farm within residential neighborhoods in Enugu metropolis.

I did not also intimidate any official of the Government. (j) Permit me to point out that on Monday 27 January 2014 officials from the Enugu State Capital Development Authority and the Ministry of Environment went to my official residence and carted away all the birds in my poultry farm in the presence of pressmen and journalists. My wife, my aides and I watched helplessly while the operation took place.

Since then, I have not been told what happened to the over 3000 birds nor has anyone volunteered information on the subject. (k) The pressmen and journalists (who were not invited by me), interviewed me and other officials of Government and in accordance with my right to freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I told them my own side of the story.

Besides answering questions from the journalists, I did not deploy the resources or powers of my office to castigate the Government or its officials, nor did I impugn or denigrate the authority or office of the Governor or embarrass the Government.

Continues on page 9

THE

ADVOCATE A'Ibom government reiterates commitment to security

By Christopher Okon, Uyo

T

he Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Chief Godswill Akpabio said that his administration would continue to tackle security issues inorder to ensure that there are no lapses in the state by providing equipment and facilities to security agents for the purpose of protecting lives and properties of her citizens.

Governor Akpabio who was represented by the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Don Etim, said stated this during the commissioning of the modern standard police station held at APICO Shelter Afrique Estate in Uyo. He said that government cannot relent in her primary responsibility of securing her people and that is why inspite of all challenges have worked assiduously to provide a modern standard Police Station for effective policing in the society.

“What we are witnessing signified the contribution made by government as part of its commitment towards the provision of unassailable security for her citizens”.

He commended APICO for a job well done by providing quality materials for the modern standard police station built for others to emulate, while he called on the police to show the culture of maintenance to the building for their own benefits.

The MD / CEO APICO, Barr. Aniedi M. Akpabio said the commissioning and formal handing over of a standard and brand new, unique police station with all necessary amenities and facilities would offer the much needed protection against crime and criminal elements in the state.

The MD believed that the police would join APICO in showing gratitude to the state government for providing them with this beautiful police station and the best way for the police to do so, is for the police men using these facilities to play their role by maintaining it and provide quality service to the public in a professional manner in line with existing code of best practices.

He appealed for APICO to manage the entire estate for and on behalf of the state government as they would undertake to pay ground rent and other necessary fees to government while all allottees of plots in this estate will deal directly with APICO as they stand for effective service delivery.

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August 7, 2014

NUC accredits 10 programmes at Tansian University candidate must not score less than

By Uche Chukwu, Awka 180 cut off mark to get admission.

A

bout 7 years after its foundation, ten programmes run by the Tansian University, Umunya, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State have been accredited by the National University Commission (NUC).

Disclosing this to newsmen during the occasion to declare open the University's admission, the Chancellor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University, Professor Monsignor John Bosco Akam pointed out that the University took off with two approved Faculties and got all its submitted programmes accredited

by NUC. Professor Monsignor Akam Akam said that the school authorities ensure that JAMB regulations are followed and each prospective

He noted that the institution would next week launch its portal of the ICT centre of the institution which provides a 24 hour service and powered by solar.

The Chancellor said the institution is following a very rigorous academic pursuit and has a worldclass system of access to admission from all parts of the country and beyond, stressing that the institution is already making giant strides.

He revealed that by next week, the institution will unveil the University's portal, noting that the institution was named after an Aguleri-born-Rev. Fr. Cyprian Iwene Tansi and took off the ground at Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of the State where Pope John Paul II consecrated years back.

According to him, the vision is to

make the institution a Havard or Oxford of Africa, adding that the Permanent Site of the University is at Umunya where he said infrastructural facilities and security network are springing up in about 200 hectares of land and hopes to meet the future needs of the institution maintaining that the institution will become a worldclass University in furture.

Professor Monsignor Akam who credited the building of the Podium to Canadian Dan W. Hill as well as some other structures to the late F. HeckBerger said Tansian University is an allinclusive institution that does not discriminate on any ground of nationality, sex, religion or tribe as long as the candidate is lawabiding.

He also said that the Tansian University is the cheapest institution as well as the least in the country.

Jonathan abhors use of young women as suicide bombers

P

resident Goodluck Ebele Jonathan wholeheartedly condemns the recent terrorist attacks in Kano and Adamawa States as well as the kidnap of the Lamido of Kolofata in Northern Cameroon, Lamido Seini Lamine and the wife of the Vice Prime Minister of Cameroon.

The president in a statement also abhors the use of young women as suicide bombers saying that it represents a new low in the inhuman campaign by these terrorists and an expression of utter disregard for the dignity of the female gender as well as a wicked exploitation of the girl-child.

The statement signed by Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) reads thus: The President describes as shocking, callous and reprehensible the multiple bomb blasts that occurred in Kano within 24 hours, and the unrelenting attacks by the Boko Haram at a time the Muslim faithful are observing the holy

Jonathan festival of Eid el Fitri.

He commiserates with the families of all those who lost their loved ones in the Kano and Adamawa attacks and wishes the injured speedy recovery.

President Jonathan further notes that the deployment of young women as suicide bombers represents a new low in the inhuman campaign by these

terrorists and an expression of utter disregard for the dignity of the female gender as well as a wicked exploitation of the girl-child.

The President states that the abduction of the Lamido of Kolofata and the wife of the Vice premier of Cameroon clearly underscores the regional security threat that Boko Haram has become.

He welcomes the recent resolve by the Defence Ministers of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Benin and Niger to further strengthen existing partnerships in order to forestall the desperate attempt by misguided elements to turn the sub-region into a battleground for terrorism and radical extremism.

President Jonathan urges the security forces to remain resolute, and not be discouraged by the desperation of the agents of evil.

He believes that with the continued cooperation between Nigeria's security forces and their counterparts in neighbouring countries, the war against terror will surely be won.

Gov Obiano moves to rescue Onitsha Bridge Head from collapse

A

s part of efforts of his administration to justify the inclusion of Commerce and Industry as one of the Four Pillars of Development of his administration, Anambra State governor has left no one in doubt in his bid to return Onitsha and environs to their lost glory as the centre of commercial and industrial activities in the West

Africa sub-region.

This mission by the administration was aptly pushed when governor Obiano paid a surprise visit to the Bridge Head flyover across Niger River at Onitsha end and found out that the illegal activities of sand dredgers and miners at the foot of the Bridge were threatening the infrastructure and ordered an immediate stop work.

Governor Obiano who was accompanied by the Commissioner for Works, Sir Callistus Ilozumba, his counterpart in the Ministry of Local Government and Commerce and Industry, Mrs Azuka Enemuo and Hon. Onejeme as well as the Chief Executive Officer of Awka Capital Development Authority, Architect Michael Okonkwo directed the police in the State to

effect the order and arrest as well as prosecute any such illegal activities under the Bridge.

He said: “the illegal mining is going on at the foot of the Bridge and if it continues, it will affect the building. They should pack their luggage and working equipment and go. I will instruct the police to effect arrest and prosecution of these illegal miners and dredgers who come here to push sand out of the foundation of the Bridge.”

Ogwuche, Nyanya bombing suspect extradited to Nigeria

O

NE of the alleged masterminds of the April 14 Nyanya Bus terminal twin bomb blasts by the Boko Haram sect, which killed over 75 persons and injured others, Aminu Ogwuche, was Tuesday extradited from Sudan to Nigeria.

Ogwuche was brought back to the country, apparently without the knowledge of the Sudanese Embassy in Nigeria, according to sources.

However, the fugitive who fled to Sudan immediately after the incident, was brought to the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, aboard a chartered flight by Interpol officials with the assistance of Nigerian security men and diplomats.

At the airport to take custody of the suspected bomber were a team led by the Coordinator of the National Information Centre and Director General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mike Omeri; Director of Defence Information, DDI, Major General Chris Olukolade; Police Force Public Relations Officer, FPPRO, Assistant Commissioner, Frank Mba, and the Deputy Director, Department of State Services, DSS, Marilyn Ogar.

Ogwuche, son of a retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army, who was educated in Sudan, was declared wanted by the Federal Government on May 15, shortly after the DSS paraded some suspects in connection with the Nyanya bombing incident.

Also declared wanted was Abubakar Tsiga, the alleged chief mastermind of the bombing.

Shortly after declaring him wanted, Ogwuche was arrested by the International Police Organisation, INTERPOL, in Sudan, where he fled to.

Earlier reports on the arrest of Ogwuche, indicated that the Sudanese authorities were reluctant to extradite him to Nigeria as a result of interference by a top Northern Emir among other interests.

It was gathered that it was in a bid to circumvent these 'interests' that the process of extradition of the suspect to the country was made top secret by security operatives until his arrival in the country Tuesday afternoon.

In line with the security ploy to keep Oguche's extradition secret, the Police headquarters had sent an SMS inviting newsmen to cover the unveiling of a “Special Counter Terrorism equipment” at the airport, only for Ogwuche to be introduced as the “equipment.”

Commenting on Ogwuche's extradition earlier in the day, the Sudanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Tagelsir Mahgoub, who was apparently not aware that the suspect was already in the country, said: “All the papers (for his extradition) were signed by the two parties (Nigeria and Sudan).

“What we are waiting for now is for the Nigerian government to send a delegation that will come to our embassy to get their visas because everything has been concluded.

“And I must say that there should not be any delay, because it will delay the whole process.”

THE

8

ADVOCATE

August 7, 2014

Anambra Govt CCTV security gadget records successes at Onitsha market

A

s part of overall security arrangements to ensure sustenance of reign of peace and adequate security in the State, Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano was elated that the Close Circuit Television (CCTV), a security gadget mounted to monitor movements and unwholesome activities in the market has recorded successes within a short time of its introduction, compelling him to promise to replicate the exercise in other markets in the State.

The CCTV gadget which is being tested for the time being at Onitsha was installed within the centre of the market by the Metro Digital Limited and has capacity to receive and transmit signals to and fro far distances is linked to the nearby police post in the market for easy protection of lives

and property and apprehension of miscreants. Speaking after monitoring gadget work, the governor, expressed happiness that the CCTV recorded a huge success two days to his visit, following the discovery of two children who lost contact with their mother in a crowd of traders and passers-by milling around the market, but were tracked by the monitoring gadget and reunited with their mother, Said the governor: “Two days ago, two little kids that came to visit their mum lost in the crowd but were rescued some 30 minutes later through the monitoring gadget…

The picture imagery is continuously being monitored by the police to ensure every criminal is caught promptly.

The CCTV concept will be replicated in all the markets in the State” Before hitting the ever-

growing industrial nerve-centre of Nnewi, the governor had made a stop over at Onitsha Main market to inspects projects, feel their pulse and find out any other arising challenges facing the traders as well as residents in the commercial city.

The governor who was received by thunderous ovations that intermittently drowned his voice and broke his speech flow, was excited by their appreciation of his works and four pillars of development as well as their supporting enablers and assured them that he was not unmindful of tendency of miscreants to relocate from Upper Iweka and other hideouts and command structures to the Onitsha markets and local communities.

At the fire Station located at the Market, governor Obiano who was still trailed by cheers from the

traders and residents as he marched about 200 metres on foot sizing up the state of infrastructure and environmental conditions expressed dismay that the fire service lack adequate tools to meet the challenge of fire fighting, declaring that it was unacceptable to him.

He also decried lack of electricity supply, and assured the traders that he would put the authorities of Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria on their toes to guarantee provision of regular, uninterrupted power supply to the market and environs, and to boost efforts of the fire service and equip its personnel in fire fighting. Governor Obiano who spoke to the audience after mounting the boot of a Hilux jeep, urged them to cooperate with his government in their civic obligations including paying

taxes to accredited government agents and charged them to cooperate with members of Joint Ta s k F o r c e ( O p e r a t i o n Nkpochapu) to route out the bad elements from the State, stressing that he would come back fighting if he got reports that the miscreants had relocated to the markets from Upper Iweka, In their separate remarks, Mr. Emmanuel Okoli, a fashion designer and Mrs Eunice Okonkwo, a plastic products seller, expressed happiness with the increasing tempo of work by the governor, saying he had not only provided adequate security, and sanitized the hitherto filthy environment of Onitsha but orientated traders and residents on the need to sell inside their shops instead of displaying their wares along the road or on top of water channels.

Oshiomhole will be impeached, Tinubu betrayed, Jonathan re-elected – Nigerian Witches predict

Declare war on Boko Haram Warn Emir of Kano, Sanusi of

impending trouble

N

igerian witches and wizards have bad news for Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and newly elected Emir of Kano, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Mohammed Sanusi II. On the other hand, they have cheering news for President Goodluck Jonathan regarding his re-election chances.

Speaking on the outcome of an emergency meeting they recently held at Afuze, Edo State, the leader and spokesman, Witches and Wizards Association of Nigeria, (WITZAN), Dr. Okhue Iboi, hinted that the alleged moves by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to impeach Oshiomhole might succeed.

He stated this in an in an interview published by Saturday Sun: “It appears as if Oshiomhole is a master political strategist but the crisis currently happening in Edo State will snowball into a bigger crisis that may see Oshiomhole being swept away from office.

You can call it a political tornado or Tsunami. Comrade Governor should be vigilant.”

For APC National Leader Tinubu, the witch leader said: “Tinubu will be betrayed. He will be sold out by those he trusted. This betrayal will affect his political empire. Tinubu's political dynasty is under threat of crumbling.

Tinubu is a good man, but the bitter truth he must swallow today is that APC is going nowhere.

Many topnotchers of PDP that are in APC now will go back to PDP. Witches said so in November last

Leader and spokesman of Nigerian witches and wizards, Dr. Okhue Iboi year and it happened. I'm telling the whole world again today that many former PDP leaders that are now in APC will betray Tinubu and other APC leaders, they will go back to PDP this year, and before 2015 general elections.”

On other national issues which they discussed, Iboi said Sanusi, the newly installed Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido should not rejoice yet. According to him, “What we see before Sanusi is myriad of woes. His road will be rough.

Turbulent days lie ahead of him, he should not rejoice yet. He will experience trouble within and outside the emirate. His enemies are many, and to make matters worse for him, he had stepped on powerful toes. He needs all the prayers in this world to survive the turmoil looming before him.”

On the anxiety over 2015, Iboi urged Nigerians to remain calm, saying: “Nigerians should rejoice.

This nation will not break up.

Witches and wizards carried out some intercessory spiritual work in Arusa, Tanzania, and New Delhi, in India over this issue, and luckily our brethren, that is fellow witches there, joined hands with us, and it was resolved that Nigeria should not break up.

Forget about any American prediction, Nigeria will not break up. There may be pockets of crisis here and there, but they will be election related violence.”

On 2015 general elections, the WITZAN leader said President Goodluck Jonathan will win. His words: “Jonathan will win reelection. Although there will be pockets of violence, Jonathan will win. I will also have to appeal to Buhari and Tinubu, they should not waste their money, time and energy on the poll. They should go home and rest. They should forget about becoming President

or Vice President of Nigeria. APC will still lose more governors to PDP before this year runs out.”

Asked why other witches and

wizards don't come out or hold their meeting in the open, Iboi laughed, cleared his throat before blunting out: “You speak like a small pikin. Witches are like spirits. We are invisible. It is only those that operate in the spiritual realm that can see us either when we are meeting or going for assignment. I was born a witch. I inherited witchcraft from my mother when I was in her womb, from the age of 7 I started seeing unborn babies in their mothers' womb, and I could predict with precision of sex of an unborn child whether it is a boy or girl.

When I was born, I was born with a leaf in my hand, and starting from the age of 5, I started healing people like a grown-up herbalist.”

On the issues of witches being blood-thirsty, and suckling blood, Iboi said: “Those are bad witches, in our own association; we are white witches, and white wizards.

We are here to save people. We don't kill, we counter bad witches and neutralise them whenever they are on their evil mission.”

While saying that another meeting of witches and wizards is slated for Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State in October, Iboi said the meeting will review the outcome of the one held at Afuze, so as to enable witches to know what action and steps to be taken next.

“To add to that, we are also converging on Damaturu as a sign of solidarity with our members, and also people and government of Yobe State that we are with them in the hour of crisis,” he said.

“The Boko Haram insurgency has become an open sore, and we are a l s o j o i n i n g e ff o r t s w i t h government and other stakeholders to contain Shekau and his fellow blood-thirsty followers.”

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ADVOCATE

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August 7, 2014

Onyebuchi’s response Continued from page 6 (l)

Permit me to point out, that the operation of the said poultry had nothing to do whatsoever with the performance of the functions of my office as the Deputy Governor of Enugu State.

(M) I also wish to point out that in September 2012, I was instructed to vacate my official residence so that renovation work could be carried out on the premises. I duly complied with this directive and moved into my private residence.

Till date, the renovation of the premises has been abandoned. I have not been provided alternative accommodation nor an allowance in lieu of accommodation. I have not complained or made a fuss about this in the belief that I should take such in my stride. (n) I also wish to point out that resolutions passed by the Enugu State House of Assembly are not served on my office as the Deputy Governor or in any other manner brought to my attention. This is why I was not aware of the said resolution passed on 12 February 2013.

I therefore believe that based on my explanations set out above, I have not abused my office by maintaining a poultry farm in the portion of my official residence designated as a agricultural unit, nor did my reply to the letters from the Chief of Staff constitute intimidation of a government official. I did not also refuse to comply with a law or other lawful demand requiring me to relocate the poultry. I was not aware of the resolution of the House of Assembly referred to in the Notice. I was only waiting for a response on the submissions I made in my said reply, when officials of the Government came and carried out an operation in which the birds were carted away to a place which I have not been informed till today.

7.

ALLEGATION NO. 2 DISOBEDIENCE TO THE LAWFUL DIRECTIVE OF THE GOVERNOR (a) The allegation here is that I habitually refuse, fail or neglect to carry out and or perform the functions of my office as directed by the Governor pursuant to section 193(1). I am said here to have breached the Constitution because on two named occasions I allegedly refused to represent the Governor at occasions I had been instructed to represent him. (b)

Since I was elected the Deputy Governor of Enugu State in 2007 and following my re-election in 2011, I have represented His Excellency, the Governor at numerous events. The practice has always been that I am informed that I am to represent the Governor at an event in any of three ways:

(i)

a manifest is circulated showing my activities and the events I am to attend to represent the Governor. (ii) I receive direct instructions from the Governor to represent him at events personally and the directives include, what I am to say and do; (iii) When the Governor is on vacation, the Governor would usually ask/instruct me on the actions I can take on his behalf in his absence. (c) With due respect, it is not correct that on 11 March 2014 I refused the directive of the Governor to represent him at the flag off ceremony of the construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge in Onitsha by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan. The directive was duly conveyed to me and I complied with it. I was present throughout the ceremony and sat in a very prominent place where my presence was captured by television cameras and pressmen. Sitting beside me on the said date, was the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Dr. Nkem Okeke. I have a video showing my attendance at the event. (See attached). (d)

(e)

Let me start by saying that on June 9, 2014, HE the Governor commenced his 2014 annual vacation. This was made public through various news media. He did not tell me to take any action on his behalf pending his return, and I am not aware that he sent a formal letter to the Enugu State House of Assembly informing the House that he was proceeding on vacation. The Governor did not tell me to take any action on his behalf pending his return, neither did he tell me that he would pass instructions to me through a third party. I did not receive instructions from him personally, by phone or in writing asking me to represent him at the meeting of the South East Governors Forum that took place in Enugu on July 6, 2014. I did not have any reason not to represent him if he had so instructed me to do so. I do not think it is appropriate for a Deputy Governor to act in the absence of the Governor deriving authority from a subordinate or based on press release to the effect that the Governor handed over to his Deputy. (See attached) When the Governor resumed duty after his vacation, I represented him at various occasions even after he had asked me to resign. On Friday 18, July 2014 I represented the Governor at the commissioning of the Power Training

Institute at Oji River with the Hon. Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu. On Monday 21 July, 2014, while my impeachment notice was being signed by the Honourable members of the Enugu State House of Assembly at Government House Enugu, I was at Udi representing the Governor at the commissioning of the FRSC Academy at Udi with the then Corp Marshall, Osita Chidoka.

(f)

I wish to place on record the fact that when the Governor spent a prolonged period abroad in 2013, I held forte for him and represented him at various events. It is not correct to say that I have defied the Governor's directives, or persisted in defying his directives.

(g)

I have over the years remained a loyal deputy, and it is a shame that it is merely a few months to the end of our second tenure that I have had these allegation leveled against me. I make bold to say that I have always considered the Governor a brother and a friend.

8.

CONCLUSION Our country is a budding democracy with a very bright future. His Excellency, Barrister Sullivan Chime has indeed been a blessing to Enugu State and there is a lot to be thankful to him for. There is no doubt that when two persons work together in the constitutional marriage termed Governor and Deputy Governor, misunderstandings will arise from time to time.

The duty of the Deputy Governor is clear. It is to take instructions from and carry out the directives of the Governor.

I believe that in the past 7 years I have carried out the directives of my Governor to the best of my ability and faithfully avoiding rancor and quarrelling and complaining.

I am glad that none of the allegations against me border on corruption or fraud. I do believe in conclusion that I am not guilty of any act of gross misconduct to warrant the setting up of an impeachment panel.

Once again, I thank you for the opportunity given to me to reply to the allegations against me.

Sunday Chidi Onyebuchi Deputy Governor Enugu State 30 July 2014.

ENUGU IMPEACHMENT SAGA Continued from page 5 “gross misconduct”.

“The Supreme Court, being the apex court in the country, has tried to give this term a judicial definition and sometimes highlighted the grounds that would constitute “gross misconduct”. The court in Inakoju V Adeleke (2007) 4NWLR (pt1025) mentioned gross misconduct to include,but not limited to: grave violation or breach of the provisions of the Constitution; breach of Oath of Allegiance; corruption; false declaration of assets; breach of Oath of

Office; and so on.

“It is submitted that situations cited as gross misconduct in the Enugu State Deputy governor matter is not only ridiculous but does not come within the contemplation of the constitution. We should avoid making mockery of our democracy because the situation in Enugu now is a mockery of Democracy activists fought hard to enthrone”.

While Nigerians are eager to know how the current drama in Enugu State would end, indigenes of the state said they are worried over the turn of

event between Chime and Onyebuchi who had worked closely since the inception of the administration in 2007.

Chime had in 2011, at the Michael Okpara Square, told a crowd of Enugu people that he was happy with Sunday Onyebuchi, his deputy. He described him as a “reliable and loyal deputy who understands the working of government”, attributing the laudable achievements of his administration to the cordial relationship between him and his deputy.

At the event, held as part of preparations for the 2011

election, Chime recalled how he and his deputy had emerged in the 2007 election. Both of them he said had come from the now defunct Ebeano political family. Picking him again as his running mate in the 2011 election, he said both of them were “a perfect match.” Many people are therefore surprised over the current development which has confirmed that things have really fallen apart between the two leaders who were nominated by former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani to steer the ship of the state to another level after

his eight years tenure.

Already, speculations are rife over the actual intention of the governor to unseat his deputy.

While some said Chime wants Onyebuchi out to pave the way for his close confidant and Chief of Staff, Mrs. Nwobodo to occupy the number two seat in order to confer immunity on her as she aspires to get to the senate in 2015 without resigning her current position, the government has continued to deny the move saying the impeachment plot was based on the fact that Onyebuchi could no longer work with the administration. But time will tell where the current imbroglio will lead Enugu state.

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Jonathan's ambition 'll destroy Nigeria's democracy – Tinubu

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resident Goodluck Jonathan has come under attack from a national leader of Nigeria's main opposition party, All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who declared that unless the country is urgently rescued, the president will truncate the present democratic dispensation.

Tinubu, a pro-democracy activist and former governor of Lagos State gave the warning in a statement he personally signed and released Friday against the backdrop of alleged PDP and presidency sponsored impeachment wind that had already swept off Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa and also threatening to unseat Nassarawa State governor, Manko Al-Makura.

“The presidency and the ruling PDP forcefully had their way in Adamawa. Governor Nyako has been impeached. Nigeria's constitution suffers violence.

Democracy has been set back”, Tinubu noted, adding that “under the constitution, a governor can only be impeached for 'gross misconduct', but for the PDP, Nyako's crime was not the false allegations contained in the articles of impeachment. To them, his gross misconduct was leaving the reactionary PDP to join the progressive APC. His misdeed was to exercise his constitutional right of freedom of association and political expression by leaving their corrupt assemblage and joining the party that may represent the best hope of rescuing Nigeria from its present descent into authoritarian darkness.”

The former governor called for serious actions from stakeholders to prevent President Jonathan and the PDP from plunging the nation into perdition.

“Before our eyes and under Jonathan's watch, Nigeria gradually descends into fascism.

We must all act now before it consumes us all”, he warned.

While arguing that Nyako's outburst against Jonathan was one of the reasons for marking him for removal, Tinubu dismissed the allegations presented against the sacked governor as deceitful.

According to him “Perhaps, Governor Nyako's greatest sin is his temerity to speak truth to power albeit in a courageous way.

On two different occasions, he gave an unvarnished insight into the Boko Haram menace and the insecurity engulfing Northern Nigeria. At the Institute of Peace in Washington DC this year when he visited with other Northern governors, he placed the blame for the Boko Haran insurgency on the Jonathan presidency. He then followed this up with a detailed

Jonathan letter to the forum of the Northern governors in which he accused the Jonathan led government of genocide against the North.

“This rattled and unsettled the government. Repeated attempts to have Gov. Nyako withdraw his letter and apologise to the President failed. From the moment he wrote that letter, he became a marked man. The government savaged the governor through the media.

This kangaroo impeachment is government's way of punishing Nyako. The plan is to use the contents of the letter he wrote to the Northern Governors as a basis to try him for treasonable felony and eventually sentence him to life jail. Nyako's frank, if roughedged, letter concerning the security situation apparently infuriated the monarch of Aso Villa who has become so arrogant as to believe no opposition against him is justified, thus he has the liberty to impose his brand of injustice to crush those who oppose him.”

The APC leader accused the PDP-

Tinubu led federal government of turning the nation's constitution upside down in order to suppress democracy. “The PDP used the constitution to abuse the constitution and the democracy it is supposed to enshrine. Governor Nyako's impeachment must be seen completely as political move to punish him and deter others from leaving the PDP. It was a sanction imposed against political freedom and freedom of expression. It had little to do with alleged financial or other wrongdoing. A view of the alleged charges against him reveals that his purported wrongdoings revert to when he was still in the PDP, some dating back three years.

“His actions were known to the House of Assembly then. While he still adhered to the PDP, there was no talk of misconduct. Upon leaving the PDP, his actions suddenly became the meat for impeachment. There is only one thing new, which was not then present. The governor's political party affiliation changed. In the PDP mind, his party change

transmitted him from the list of those to be praised to the list of those to be persecuted”, he stated.

While accusing the president of hiding behind a finger to goad his agents on, Tinubu noted that Jonathan “gave green light to this move and winked approvingly as his minions poured cash into the pockets of the pliable Adamawa State Assembly members who would do their bidding.”

To him, it is more than a mere coincidence “that the impeachment came on the same day that PDP governors and National Assembly members scurried to Aso Villa to endorse another term for their king”, adding that “this was orchestrated to appear that all the wind is at the PDP sails and that the APC has been stalled by PDP strong-arm tactics. They want to create the impression that all is well and that the president rides high on popular acclaim. But there is a large crack in their wall.”

The APC leader asked the president to provide a level playing ground at the 2015 polls if he's convinced that he's as popular as his supporters would want him believe and see if he will not be shunned by Nigerians same way the abducted Chibok girls' parents snubbed his invitation for ignoring them in their time of distress.

His words “Because they profit from and love the wreckage they have done to us, the president and his subordinates delude themselves into believing the average Nigerian also loves them for the damage they have caused.

After over three months of avoiding the parents of the Chibok

PDP Governors caution Jonathan against second term bid

A

head of the 2015 presidential election, Governors under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have urged President Goodluck Jonathan not to declare his second term ambition yet.

The Governors gave this advice at a meeting they had with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday night.

Reports said that though the Governors were in support of Jonathan's bid for re-election, they said it was not yet time for him to declare for second term, considering the present situation in the country.

Insiders claimed that the President

was advised to either visit Chibok or in the alternative, allow the parents of the kidnapped schoolgirls visit him at the Presidential Villa.

One of them was quoted as saying, “The meeting was a painstaking one. We considered so many things. We talked about so many issues. While it was true we spoke about how to reposition the party and the gains we are making across the country ahead of the 2015 general elections, we also considered the probability of when the President could make his open declaration.

“Some of my colleagues argued that the time was ripe, but others felt that the mood of the country and even the international

community are not favourable.

“We argued that if the President declares now, it will be seen as being politically bad and not in the best interest of the nation and that it could be termed as being against the spirit of fatherhood.”

He said based on this, the President was “advised to meet with the parents of the Chibok girls, even if some are going to see it as coming a bit late. It is better done now instead of allowing it go into history that the President did not visit or invite them for a meeting.”

Another Governor said that the meeting also noticed that the Independent National Electoral Commission was yet to release the guidelines for the election.

victims, Jonathan was shamed by the visit of a heroic teenager from another land, Pakistan's Malala, into agreeing to meet them.

However, after being shunned for months by the President's cold indifference to their plight, the aggrieved parents refused to be party to the President's slick public relations game.

The parents shunned the man who would not meet with them when they wanted to meet him. He only decided to meet them to gain publicity. The parents saw through his uncaring charade.

They decided not to add themselves to the farce.

“In the universe of his political hacks and courtiers, President Jonathan can do no wrong because his pockets are deep and seem never to run dry. For him, this is popularity and legitimacy.

But if he truly wants to gauge how the people of Nigeria truly feel about him, he would seriously consider why the parents boycotted his meeting. These parents more accurately represent the mood of the nation than do all the processions of politicians who come to the Villa to lay themselves at the feet of their monarch.

“He and the PDP contrived the removal of Governor Nyako from office. This is a temporary and costly victory for it reveals more and more the undemocratic heart of the man who rules over the nation. He now justifies his illegal and immoral acts by claiming that any show of dissent or opposition to him is the product of partisanship and thus not to be seriously considered. This is what all dictators tell themselves and he has become one. As such, he believes he can turn his back on the will and welfare of the people in order to attain his personal ambitions.

“Yet, while he may ignore the people, even he cannot make them disappear nor can he keep them for seeing him for what he is. If he truly believes the false acclaim of his coterie and party dregs are genuine, let him stop these contrived attacks against opposition politicians. If he believes so much in himself, let the people decide things at the polls. He will not do this because he rightly fears Nigerians will do unto him what he has done unto them. When he calls unto the people, they will turn their backs to him in just reward for his sad and indifference misrule of this precious nation.”

Tinubu concluded his statement with a warning that impeaching duly elected opposition politicians will not increase Jonathan's popularity”, stressing that such “acts only undermine our democracy.” He added that “the one party state and quasimonarchy the PDP seeks are relics of the past and will not again stand in Nigeria.”

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August 7, 2014

ENUGU CHICKEN IMPEACHMENT:

Continuation of Political Genocide against Umuode Clan of Nkanu Land

By Osita Aninjoku

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hether we admit it or not, it is widely believed and acknowledged that there exists two families in Nkanu land and beyond. The families are the Amadus (Amadi or free borns) and the Umuodes or Ohus (slaves) - so called.

The Amadus have always claimed to be the masters of the Umuodes from time and many unrepentant persecutors among them still maintain it till date, even with the prevailing globalization.

Meanwhile, Christians around the world have vehemently condemned the caste practice through revivals, conferences, retreats and symposiums etc.

There are also so many international treaties and local laws aimed against such discrimination. In fact, the 1999 constitution states that no Nigerian should be discriminated against on the grounds of sex, religion, origin, etc.

Thus, many parts of the world have embraced the unification of the two separate families in marriage, leadership and governance, yet in Nkanu land, it is the same old story. The Amadus have refused to tow the path of other civilized world.

Instead, they have continued to subject the Umuodes to perpetual social, political and economic slavery.

The Umuodes in Enugu State have never had it so nice until the administration of Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani between 1999 and 2007 when political offices were distributed evenly among the two families in Nkanu land without prejudice.

The economic and political empowerment then engendered relative peace in Nkanu land.

The Amadus and Umuodes lived in harmony within the said period and we took the advantage of this peaceful atmosphere to inter-marry. I could have wished that those past good days will come back again.

Let us start with the political activities in Nkanu West local government area between 1999 and 2008 when people of kind heart had their say on who becomes what in the politics of Nkanu land. It was Amadus at the head and the Umuodes as t h e d e p u t y.

The last opportunity we had was the

regime of Hon. Nnaemeka Nnamani as the Chairman and Chief Augustine Nwodo as the Deputy. At the expiration of their tenure, the table turned against us, the Umuodes.

Barrister Ekene Okenwa was (allegedly) imposed on Nkanu West local government by Chief Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo.

The administration managed to give the Umuodes one Supervisor in the name of Hon Ifeanyi Nneji out of so many political offices that existed in t h e c o u n c i l .

The Supervisor who was assigned to Works Department was never allowed to supervise or execute any job until their tenure expired. The worst of it all was that he was denied his severance allowance at the expiration of his tenure while the Amadus collected theirs.

His crime was that he is of Umuode extraction.

This crude marginalization is still applicable in all the appointments of Administrators of Development Centre in Enugu East Senatorial zone (Nkanu clan/land). All the Administrators are the Amadus, courtesy of the “Madam on Top”. As it is now, Hon. Afam Okereke who took over power from Barrister Ekene Okenwa as Chairman of Nkanu West LG seems to have been directed not to have anything to do with the Umuodes in terms of appointment of Supervisors, Special Assistants and Executive Assistants etc. We are regrettably forced to believe that old things are yet to pass

away in Nkanu land.

Is it not surprising that Nkanu people instead of rejoicing with Professor Barth Nnaji on his appointment as a Federal Minister decided to criticize the said appointment because he is of Umuode extraction. The “Madam on Top” never rested until Prof Nnaji was removed from office. Even then, she vowed that if an Amadu man from Nkanu is not qualified to replace the ousted Minister, the slot must go to her motherland.

Behold , it worked as she planned it as Professor Chinedu Nebo from her Udi local government emerged as Nnaji's replacement. The question is how long will this “Madam on Top” continue to remind us of what they said we are?

This brings me to the current unfortunate impeachment plot against the Enugu State Deputy G o v e r n o r , M r. S u n d a y Onyebuchi, also of Umuode extraction. To the knowledge of everybody, Mr. Onyebuchi is an elected Deputy Governor with the peoples' mandate. He is also generally believed to be very loyal and obedient to his master. Even Governor Chime had acknowledged this publicly on several occasions. But, unfortunately, Mr. Onyebuchi is the only Deputy Governor in the entire country who has operated from his personal residence for years now simply because his official residence had been under endless renovation and completely taken over by weeds simply

because the “Oga At The Top” ordered the contractor handling the project to stop the renovation work to keep the Deputy Governor far away from the Government House.

It is also on record that Mr. Onyebuchi is the only Deputy Governor in Nigeria that is not accorded recognition as the leader of his political party (PDP) in his senatorial zone.

Rather, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, an appointee and not elected public officer, is the leader of the party in Enugu East senatorial zone. Yet Mr. Onyebuchi remained calm and loyal to the government he is part of.

It is also very disturbing that Mr. Onyebuchi was not allowed to nominate even the Councillor of his Ward as the present occupant of the seat was nominated by the “Madam on Top” without any consideration to the number two citizen in the state.

The bottom line of Mr. Onyebuchi's impeachment travails is also simply because as Umuode born, he dares not aspire to any elective office, worst of all when the “Madam on Top” is interested in it.

All the constitutional rights and privileges due to the Deputy Governor were denied because he is of Umuode extraction, who must be suppressed like his other kinsmen that have continued to suffer in their own fatherland simply because they are regarded as slaves and outcasts.

Given the flimsy reasons for the

Politics should not be a do or die affair, Archbishop Mboho warns

By Christopher Okon, Uyo

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s 2015 general election is fast approaching, the founder / general overseer of Goodnews community international, Gospel village, Abak, Archbishop Elijah Mboho has advised politicians not to see the 2015 election as a do or die affair. Archbishop Mboho gave the advice while speaking to journalists at his Gospel Village during the celebration of his 70 years birthday at Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

The man of God who is not against zoning system said desperate politicians should be mindful and not perceive politics as a do or die affair but should rather respect the rules and regulation guiding it in order to always maintain true sportmanship at all time.

He said despite the zoning arrangement being made, politicians should let God's will be done in Akwa Ibom State, so that peace, justice and fair play shall reign among the three senatorial districts. He commended Governor Akpabio's Uncommon Transformation which he noted has brought about change in the entire state, urging whoever God would choose as his successor to emulate him and uphold his vision, focus, and initiative towards developing and bringing the state to international limelight especially the free and compulsory education.

His word: “Governor Akpabio has performed creditably and as such the state needs someone with humility who will carefully follow his development legacy as government is a continuity process even after a change of baton. The

clergy men said they have not relented in their responsibility to pray fervently for the state and nation especially as 2015general election is approaching adding that the church has done a lot in this direction.

He prayed God to give him the ability and strength to continue performing his responsibility even at 70 in the ministry without serious challenges so that he will continue to win more souls and train ministers of the gospel for them to take it to the four corners of the world which is their mandate.

Our correspondent gathered that Archbishop Elijah Mboho is a renowned Man of God who has served in the Lord's Vineyard for so many years where he has raised various men of God through his evangelism and missionary work as well as trained many less privileged in the society.

current impeachment move against the Deputy Governor, it is now clear to everybody that it is purely intended to ensure that an Umuode man does not occupy Nkanu land's senatorial seat. Instead, it should go to an Agbaja (Udi woman) married to Nkanu land. That way, Chime and his sister will be in the Senate if he succeeds in snatching the Enugu West seat from the Deputy Senate President.

The current onslaught against Onyebuchi may also be to clear the way for the "Madam on Top" to take over his Office in order to enjoy the constitutional immunity that will give her protection against the onslaught of anti-graft agencies before whom several petitions were said to have been lodged against (alleged) sleaze in Enugu State.

But the "Madam at the Top" should remember the story of Moses and the Promised Land in the Bible.

Conversely, the impeachment move against Mr. Onyebuchi is therefore a welcome development as it has opened the eyes of the common Nkanu man, both the Amadus and the Umuodes to the agenda of the "Madam at the Top" who is aspiring to represent all of us in the Senate. We must stand up and say no to this evil machination against us in this age of global political and economic equality.

The ordeals of denied opportunities suffered by our great grand fathers in the hands of the Amadus should not be allowed to befall us again. God forbid! Not when the overwhelming majority of Amadus frown at this man's inhumanity to man, and only some power mongers and diehard apartheid supporters are manipulating the people with the base sentiments to their own advantage.

If the aim of a leader is to facilitate development, interact with and impact on the lives of the people they claim to lead, what has Nkanu people benefited from the "Madam on Top" since she assumed political leadership of our zone against the Deputy Governor whom God elevated to lead his people? What has Nkanu land benefited from this perpetual subjugation of Sunday O n y e b u c h i b y a n o v e rambitious "Madam at the Top" whose only desire is to continually feathering her own nest. There is God o!!!!!

Aninjoku writes from Enugu

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Enugu: Of Political Terrorism and Chicken Impeachment

By Okwudili Edeh

I

gave him the option to resign. It has actually come to a point where we need to know who actually is boss because we can no longer work together. Let the House of Assembly do their job and see if, indeed, he is fit to remain as Deputy Governor. Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime on the Deputy's impeachment Writing in the History of the Peloponnesian War, capturing the nearly three-decade struggle (431-404 BC) between the mighty Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta, Thucydides dramatizes the preluding dialogue (416-415 BC) to the notorious routing of Melos by Athens.

Whereas the Athenians offered the Melians to surrender and pay tributes to them or be utterly destroyed, the people of Melos on the other hand, stuck to their gods-given right to remain neutral in the power tussle between Athens and Sparta. They appealed to the Athenians' sense of honour, decency, justice, and even mercy towards a tiny peaceloving, but powerless colony of Sparta.

To t h e s e t h e A t h e n i a n s ' responded: "Of the gods we believe, and of men we know, that by a necessary law of their nature they rule wherever they can. And it is not as if we were the first to make this law, or to act upon it when made: we found it existing before us, and shall leave it to exist forever after us; all we do is to make use of it, knowing that you and everybody else, having the same power as we have, would do the same as we do…. The strong do as they

can and the weak suffer what they must."

Melos was eventually besieged and starved to surrender. They mercilessly slaughtered all male of military age they could find.

The rest, women and children were sold into slavery, while it was repopulated with people from their other colonies.

Historian, Alan Ryan, described it as “the worst atrocity committed by a usually decent society, but even more as one of the most famous assertions in history of the rights of unbridled power".

The widely reported brazen acceptance by Governor Sullivan Chime of the responsibility of the ongoing theater of the absurd, aka Chicken Impeachment, in Enugu comes as another demonstration of impunity in modern times.

The motion adopted by the State Assembly partly read: “The Deputy Governor is guilty of various acts of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office…. The particulars of gross misconduct are as follows: “By a resolution of the Enugu State House of Assembly at its plenary on Tuesday, February 12, 2013, the Enugu State House of Assembly prohibited the maintenance and operation of commercial livestock and poultry farms within residential neighbourhoods in Enugu metropolis in promotion of public health standards; which resolution was further accepted by the Government for implementation.

“Notwithstanding the said resolution, the Deputy Governor continued to maintain and operate a commercial poultry

farm within the premises of his official residential quarters.

“The Deputy Governor persists in defiance of lawful directives issued to him by the Governor, which defiance has adversely affected and will continue to affect the smooth running of the Government; and he will continue to do so if not removed from office.”

The Assembly listed such manifest breaches of the constitution to include his alleged refusal to carry out the directive of the Governor to represent him at the flag-off ceremony of the construction of the second Niger Bridge in Onitsha by President Goodluck Jonathan on March 11, and at the South-East Governors Forum held in Enugu on Sunday, July 8.

However, they forgot to include the major sin, which is that the Deputy Governor has declared his intention to run for the Enugu East Senatorial seat that Chime has reserved for his Chief of Staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo.

Although Sunday Onyebuchi has not told his own side of the story, it is obvious Chime does not know the limit of his powers.

While he has the capacity to induce and coerce, he lacks the constitutional right to direct his Deputy to resign. Whereas the choice of deputy is that of a governorship/president candidate and the party, both are always elected on a joint mandate. Impeachment of one cannot be at the pleasure of the other, but of the freewill of the people acting on cogent grounds through their elected representatives in the Assembly.

Right now, the Assembly members are acting on the orders of Governor Chime.

Two, available media reports (video and print) on the 2nd Niger Bridge event, show that the Deputy Governor was actually there from the beginning to the end. He sat beside Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Again, why impeach the Deputy Governor more than six months after forcefully evacuating his 3,000 birds to God-knowswhere, whereas the Governor himself runs large farms in the same Enugu State Government House? Even the usually quite Deputy Governor had upon the destruction of his poultry farm in January 2014 challenged the Governor's Office to “deny that there is no bigger poultry, piggery and cattle ranch in the Governor's (Chime's) lodge.”

In fact, there is even an aggressive brownish monkey stationed at the entrance of the Governor's Lodge, which keeps harassing unsuspecting ladies (although it is restrained with a long chain). Also, whereas the Deputy Governor's defunct poultry was located in the designated Farm Unit of the Government House, the Governor's ostriches and cows prowl the length and breadth of the Government House, defecating all over the place. The ostriches still chase visitors about as I write.

Indeed the alacrity with which a notoriously docile Enugu State House of Assembly, that only passed its first Private Member Bill since 1999 (Enugu State Investment Promotion Commission Bill) this in June 2014, swung into the impeachment action is very dismaying. The same Assembly looked the other way while the estranged First Lady of Enugu,

Mrs. Clara Chime claimed she was illegally detained and dehumnaised in the Enugu State Government House for over six months. It also lied to the world that Chime was on accumulated leave whereas it turned out (as was widely published) that he was battling for his dear life overseas for about four months.

Yes, Chime can easily have his Deputy impeached (no thanks to our brand of democracy). But I doubt that he understands the great loss in reputation and political capital this unpopular move is already causing him.

Wo r s t s t i l l , t h i s c h i c k e n impeachment comes less than a year after his second consecutive wife left him. It is a global knowledge that he is in a running battle with members of the National Assembly for unilaterally decreeing that second term lawmakers would be retired in 2015- just to enable him snatch Ekweremadu's seat and give the rest to his cronies; the current s candal has als o reopened the scandalous carting away of his Deputy's 3,000 birds last January; and his camp is already throwing verbal punches at the Anglican Archbishop of the Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, M o s t R e v. E m m a n u e l Chukwuma.

But I know that although the rule of raw power as taught by the Athenians insists that “The strong do as they can and the weak suffer what they must”, it is both crazy and foolhardy to apply 415 BC rule to 21st century democracy. It is pure political terrorism and Chime should know that it ultimately backfires, for no man, however great or powerful could be greater than his people. Governor Chime should apply the brakes now to avoid burning his fingers - like some others before him.

Okwudili Edeh lives in Enugu

NEWS

Nigeria can explode anytime, warns Ikedife, ex-Ohanaeze leader

F

ORMER President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, has described Nigeria as an inflammable commodity that could explode anytime.

Ikedife, a delegate at the ongoing National Conference, warned that the country could explode, if the confab failed to handle the issue of derivation formula with honesty, seriousness and without unnecessary sentiment.

According to him, it is unfortunate that some delegates at the confab are trying to scuttle efforts to amicably settle the issue of derivation formula to the s a t i s f a c t i o n o f e v e r y b o d y, particularly Niger Delta people.

Dr. Ikedife He noted that people of the Niger Delta had been suffering because

of oil exploration and long years of neglect.

“With the stalemate on the issue of derivation formula Nigeria can be seen as an inflammable commodity and nobody should carry naked fire to where there is an inflammable commodity.

“This issue of derivation, if we push it to the bitter end it may end up in a way that an explosion will be in the face of all of us.

“Many realised that the quantum of unhappiness, quantum of anger is very high and we must not push the issue to the brinks of explosion,” Ikedife cautioned.

He said while some people like him were working assiduously to tidy up issues at stake, especially

the contentious derivation formula, some others at the conference were busy drawing the issue back with personal goals they set out to achieve before arrival at the conference.

He said: “Some people from a particular section of the country are bent on ensuring that no meaningful decision was taken on the issue of derivation.

“They are not aware of what the people in whose community the mineral recourses are tapped or explored suffer or they know but deliberately want them to continue suffering, and are at the conference working to put stumbling blocks to the way forward to settle the issue.

He appealed to all the delegates

currently on recess to “adjust their minds towards achieving meaningful decision on the issue when the conference reconvenes on August 11, 2014.”

Ikedife insisted that the Federal Government had given Nigerians an opportunity, through the confab, to resolve the contentious issue of derivation for the country to have peace.

Assessing the performance of the confab, Ikedife gave it a pass mark, but noted that the only reservation he had was on the issue of no-go areas as directed by the Presidency.

“Much as we obey the President's directive, suppose the solutions to Nigerian's problems are to be found in the no-go areas, should we not chase the solution into those areas?

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August 7, 2014

KADUNA BOMB ATTACK:

I don't know how I came out alive – Buhari

F

ormer Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), Thursday, said it remained a mystery how he survived the bomb attack on his convoy in Kaduna on Wednesday.

This came as former military president, General Ibrahim B a b a n g i d a ; f o r m e r Vi c e President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Thursday, joined several other Nigerians and organizations in condemning the suicide attack on Buhari.

They described it as a dangerous development. Meanwhile, Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State has lifted the 24hour curfew imposed on the city following the bomb attacks.

82 persons died in the twin bomb explosions targeted at General Buhari and an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi. They both escaped unhurt.

Nigeria can deal with Boko Haram Buhari

country. For 30 months we fought and we kept Nigeria one and, God willing, we are going to keep Nigeria one.

“I commiserate with the families of those that died, because this thing was ignited at exactly when my car was almost side by side with that of the bomber. I came out of the car after the bomb went off. There was blood on my dress. I did not know how it came about because I did not have a scratch myself, but there were dead bodies all over the place.

The security tried to move me to the other side and we just got one of the vehicles passing and they brought me home. I hope the law enforcement agencies and the chief executives of the states will succeed in securing the country.

May God help us”, he said.

This bloodletting must stop IBB Condemning the bomb attacks, General Babangida, in a statement yesterday said: “The latest attack in Kaduna on Wednesday by yet unknown persons has once again thrown up new dimensions in the

retard our growth and democratic journey, forcing the system to improvise all manners of mechanisms to arrest this descent to anarchy. It is callous and inhuman for anyone to goad this country on the path of perfidy, a path that is laid with landmines and bombs. This is totally unacceptable.

“Even as I sympathise with my colleague former President, General Muhammadu Buhari for escaping the bomber's scalpel, I also wish to condole with the families of those who lost their lives in this attack. It is frightening and calls for condemnation by all well meaning people of Nigeria. We all must rise above partisanship in our condemnation of this state of insecurity, as we all must be united in our clear-cut resolve to find solutions to this hydraheaded situation we find ourselves. We must see this state of insecurity as a Nigerian problem and not one that is pigeon-holed in any particular region, religion or tribe.

Nigerians, by virtue of their

Atiku Abubakar in his reaction called on the Federal Government to urgently take steps to halt the escalating security challenges in the country, which he said has reached an embarrassing proportion.

He said a situation where a former Head of State and key opposition figure could be targeted by terrorists or hatchet killers is a dangerous development, which should not be taken lightly by any responsible Nigerian.

According to Atiku: “The targeting of Buhari, whatever might be the motive or whoever could be behind it, has added a dangerous dimension to a bad security situation in the country”. He added that the attack on Buhari has only deepened the anxiety of ordinary citizens that nobody is safe if a former Head of State could be so targeted and almost killed but for providence”.

It's barbaric Tukur Also, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party,

Bomb attack on General Muhammadu Buhari convoy in Kaduna.

Recounting his experience when Governor Yero visited him at his Sultan Close residence in Kaduna, Buhari said: “When this question of Boko Haram started, and I am sure it is on record, in the first statement I made about 18 months ago, I said no religion advocates what is happening in the North East. So the case of this kind of killings is not religion; it is also not ethnic. When they kill children in schools in the North East, they kill teachers, they burn churches, they burn mosques, they burn motor parks, they burn markets where is religion there?

Where is ethnicity there? This is terrorism and I hope the government will come to grips with it. Nigeria is capable of dealing with this. Some of us died in the civil war for this

political life of our dear country.

This and several other attacks have tended to portray our dear country as a terrorist nation that is grappling with insecurity. To state the least, this bloodletting must stop. This bloodletting has to stop.

“I have sat back in my quiet retirement home in Minna to ponder what could be the motivation for these several attacks, but I am yet to find any explanation why Nigerians would be killing fellow Nigerians. For those of us who fought the civil war, our painful sense of nostalgia still remains deep, as much as our patriotic attitude towards this great country, Nigeria. These wanton killings and needless bloodletting have continued to

nationality, should be free to live anywhere in the country without molestation, harassment and intimidation.

“Let me also condole with Mr. President on this unfortunate incident and the recurring decimal of insecurity and crime against humanity that is fast polluting public morality. We all must join hands with Mr. President at this critical time of our national history and democratic journey to proffer solutions to this antidevelopment scenario that is fast enveloping us.”

Halt security challenges, Atiku tells FG Former vice-president, Alhaji

PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur yesterday described the bomb attacks as most barbaric and unholy.

According to Tukur, who is Nigeria's Ambassador-at-Large, it was unfortunate that innocent Nigerians going on their legitimate duties were killed in the blasts, adding that for the perpetrators to commit such heinous crime against humanity at this holy period of the Ramadan fasting was most unholy and barbaric.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Prince Oliver Okpala, Tukur, who noted that no right thinking person would like to take the lives of innocent people away against the preaching and doctrines of Christianity and Islamic

injunctions, however called on those behind the dangerous acts to have a re-think and return to the path of religious and social rectitude.

CAN condemns attack On its part, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), described the twin explosions in Kaduna and Kano at the peak of Ramadan as a clear indication of disregard to the only true God by a sect that claimed to be fighting God's cause, condemning the attacks in strong terms.

Reacting to the blast, the President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor in a statement said it was unfortunate that people that could be used as the moral compass for society's transformation were now being targeted by terrorists.

“The attack, coming almost at the climax of the holy month of Ramadan is a clear indication of the perpetrators' inclination to evil and disregard for the true God and all that are linked to him.”

PDP sympathises with Buhari, Sheikh Bauchi The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress also condemned the bomb attacks on the former Head of State.

The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh described the attacks as dastardly and unfortunate. The party also sympathised with the cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, who was also lucky to have escaped unhurt. Metuh said: “The party, while mourning the dead, “joins all well-meaning Nigerians in thanking God for saving the lives of General Muhammadu Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi whose convoys were affected in the incident.

“We sincerely sympathize with General Buhari. Our hearts go out to him and all those affected in these wicked attacks.”

It's no-win situation for FG APC The APC in a statement issued in Lagos by its National Publicity S e c r e t a r y, A l h a j i L a i Mohammed said the attempted assassination of Gen. Buhari has changed the narrative about the insurgent group and knocked the b o t t o m o f f t h e s i n i s t e r, irresponsible and partisan colouration given to the insurgency by the Federal Government.

APC said while no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, the mere fact that it occurred at all is a lose-lose situation for the Jonathan Administration.

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From The

COURT

Enugu State AG, others sued over registration of Northerners

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civil right activist Alhaji Mohamed Lawan Ayavga has in conjunction with Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, dragged Enugu state Attorney General and five others to court over the registration of Northerners in the state.

I n a s u i t N o .

FHC/EN/M/106/2014 filed in the Federal High court in Enugu and signed by Olu Omotayo, Director Civil liberties Organisation, the applicants applied for an order for the enforcement of fundamental human right of the Northern community residents in Enugu.

The plaintiff's application centers on the registration through coercion of the northern people who ply their trade in various parts of Enugu state by a few persons of northern extraction in alleged collusion with state government.

The respondents in the suit are: Attorney General of Enugu State, Alhaji Hammed Garba, (SSA to the Governor of Enugu State on Inter-community matters) Alhaji Haruna Sule (Sarki Hausawa), Alhaji Yussuf Sambo, Alhaji Baba Ali, and A l h a j i Ti j a n i ( C h a i r m a n st th Tomatoes dealers Akwata) 1 6 respondents respectively.

A 19 paragraph affidavit deposed to by Alhaji Ayavga, 1st nd applicant, stated that the 2 to th the 6 respondents acting in concert with the state government and security agencies allegedly using threats, asked the northern people to register for an identity card which is not recognised by the 1999 constitution as amended.

Alhaji Ayavga's application which was for himself and on behalf of other northern people resident in Enugu state urged the court to give an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from taking further steps in connection with the matter or maintaining status quo or staying all actions pending the determination of the application.

Sources from the Hausa community in Enugu said that the 2-6th respondents told the northern community that government had directed them to carry out the registration but the bubble burst when some of the people viewed that registration with skepticism and raised doubts over its authenticity which resulted in the opposition to it.

Some people who identified with Alhaji Ayavga's action expressed dismay that only the northern traders were singled out for this registration; a situation that precipitated their stiff opposition.

They said the same group had some time ago asked them to contribute N20,000 for the purpose of getting shops at a market in Egede, Udi local government area and till this time the shops have neither been given nor did the applicants get their monies back.

One Mallam Garba who spoke to our correspondent said they no longer have confidence in some of the defendants arguing that the same people had earlier gotten the sum of N6 million naira for the purpose of leasing a land for a cemetery by Moslem community in Enugu but could not give account of the money to the people after Chime's government in her usual magnanimity allocated a land to them for free.

“How can we believe them when they have over time ripped us off the state government Sallah largesse meant for the Moslem community in the state''. The Hajj slots to us by the state government have always been hijacked and given to their cronies without recourse to the majority of the people'', he said.

Ayavga had contended in his affidavit that the so called Id cards were being signed by the Sarki Hausawa, Haruna Sule who he said was not the leader of the Northern community in the state as all other ethnic groups like the Fulanis, Tivs, Idomas etc have their own leaders just like Sarki Huasawa.

The petition stated that after a meeting with 2-6th respondent, they were informed by the applicant that the policy was unacceptable and that the national Id card was enough to serve the identification needs of the northern people in Enugu.

The petitioners averred that due to the threat that anybody who fails to purchase the form and obtain the Id card will be termed a Boko haram member.

“Our people were intimidated into believing that anyone who refuses to pay for the identity card will be tagged a member of Boko haram and will be handed over to the police,” he continued. nd The 2 respondent Alhaji Hammed Garba popularly known as Garba Turaki, when

contacted denied the alleged involvement of Enugu state government in the registration matter saying that the directive to register the northern people was made by the police and Dss inorder to curb the seemingly hostility accorded the northerners who are in the state doing legitimate businesses.

He said that the head of the northerners trading at various markets in Enugu state were part of the agreement to register the people denying the allegation that he was part of the process because proponents of the project felt that as the SSA to the Governor on inter community affairs and being one of them, he should be part of the project.

Those in support of the two camps have been trading accusations on each other. Some Ayavg group accused Hammed Garba, SSA to the Governor on inter community affairs and his co-respondents as shortchanging the other ethnic non-indigenes in Enugu state adding that sometimes during Sallah, the gifts from the state government to them were diverted by the SSA and co. to satisfy his kinsmen and cronies, while the greater number of people who are not Hausas end up not getting a fair share or anything at all in some cases.

Irked by this problem, the SouthSouth and Southeast Arewa coalition led by it's Coordinator Mallam Awal Yusuf carried the matter to the Arewa Consultative Forum where the Apex Northern cultural organisation made statement that attracted the attention of the Federal government to the matter.

Mallam Yusuf, a human right activist, journalist and social commentator told our correspondent that, “we are fighting intimidation, victimization and extortion of the talakawas”.

These so called northern leaders have been marginalizing our people through various treacherous means, that's why we went complain to the Arewa consultative Forum, as our own brothers are now the ones that ganged up to collect illegal monies for the purpose of registering them. Mallam Yusuf who was quoted by a national daily as saying that Governor Sullivan Chime is ready to help by sending his lawyer to defend them in court promptly denied that statement adding that the

state Attorney General has already sent a state counsel to defend the state on the matter.

However the matter has been mentioned but not yet heard Consequently the Federal Government has directed state governments, who have been registering and deporting some Nigerians from their states in effort to stop Boko Haram attack to stop the illegal action.

Government noted that all Nigerians by provision of 1999 constitution were free to settle down in any part of the country that they so desire.

This decision was reached at the National Security Council meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in Abuja.

While briefing journalists after the meeting, the Director General of the Department of State Security, Ita Ekpeyong said security agents has been directed not to be involved in such unlawful activities, as severe punishment await defaulters.

Ekpeyong said, “The council discussed in details the issue of registration of Nigerians in any

part of the country, being subjected to registration, being subjected to deportation, being taken away from one part of the country to the other. The council discussed the reaction of some groups in Kano State and other parts of the country and observed that this threat was more potent than Boko Haram and could disintegrate the country.

“And we take this very seriously, for people to deport people, for people to take people from one p l a c e t o t h e o t h e r, f o r registration of indigenes no matter where they are. No matter where they are, they are free to settle anywhere they like.

“The council resolved that the issue of registration of Nigerians anywhere in the country and deportation should stop forthwith. To re-emphasis the importance the President has attached to this, he asked the IG and I to address the press. This must stop forthwith.

“Security operatives should not be involved in anybody trying to register people and anybody trying to deport people. Security operatives must henceforth not be involved. If the policemen, SSS officials are found to be involved, they will be severely dealt it.”

CLO Director petitions police over threat to life

D

irector Civil Liberties Organisation, Southeast zone Barr.

Olu Omotayo has petitioned the Enugu state Commissioner of police over allegation of threat to his life by a group known as “Igbo Elders of Thought” In a petition with titled “Re: THREAT TO MY LIFE BY SOME MEMBERS OF IGBO ELDERS OF THOUGHT” dated July 21, Mr. Omotayo stated that he made a press statement condemning a call by the group for the removal of all the five commissioners of police in the Southeast states.

It will be recalled that the CLO had issued a statement on July 17 describing the call by an Igbo group known as Igbo Elders of Thought for the removal of all the commissioners of police in the Southeastern states as unconstitutional citing relevant laws to support the Organisation’s position.

According to the CLO zonal Director, “Since then I've been receiving threats for insulting Igbo leaders, adding, that the secretary of the group one Eliot Uko had called him on phone on Thursday July 17 threatening that it “was because the people are tolerating me that was why I can come from the west and be insulting them.

“It should be re-stated that our position in respect of their call still remained the same and I cannot be intimidated to change the position; their call is unhealthy for the unity of the nation”, Omotayo posited.

The statement further stated, “I just want this complaint to be on record so that if anything happens to me and my family they should be held responsible. Though they are my host, but as a Nigerian I still have the right to go about my lawful duty without intimidation or harassment from any quarters.”

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15

The Nigerian Nationalist Dr. K. O. Mbadiwe

Dr. K. O. Mbadiwe

K

ingsley Ozuomba Mbadiwe (1915/1990) was a Nigerian

nationalist, politician, statesman and former government minister.

He was born in the Orlu division of present day Imo State and attended the Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar for primary education.

He then attended Aggrey Memorial College, Arochukwu, of present day Abia State Igbobi College, Lagos and the Baptist Academy Lagos for further studies.

He left Nigeria to study at Columbia and the New York University for collegiate education. There, he helped to

establish an African student's association, where he gained the attention of then-First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt,who received him and his organization in the White House.

After returning from the U.S., he started his own business and established a research institute on African Arts. He soon entered the Nigerian political scene and joined the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC).

In 1951, he was elected into the Eastern Region House of Assembly, he was re-elected in 1954, and made minister for Lands and National Resources.

In 1957, he was made the Minister for Commerce.

However, his political success

was to undergo a great challenge when in mid-1958 he and Kola Balogun attempted to remove Nnamdi Azikiwe as the leader of N.C.N.C. Mbadiwe set up his own newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, as an organ of protest.

He later re-joined the party and was appointed Minister for Trade and Communications and also served as a special adviser to the Prime Minister, advising on African affairs.

He had six children namely Betty, Greg, Paul, Chris, George, and Francis.

He built and inhabited the landmark, The Palace of The People, at Ndianiche Uno commissioned by late Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in 1965.

The exit of Rilwanu Lukman, ex petroleum Minister

A

former Minister of Petroleum Resources and erstwhile Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, Rilwanu Lukman, is dead.

Born on August 26, 1938, he died about a month to his 76th birthday.

Sources close to the family told our reporter in Kaduna that he died early Monday in Vienna, Austria.

Also, a source at the OPEC h e a d q u a r t e r s i n Vi e n n a , Austria, confirmed the demise of the elder statesman on telephone saying that Lukman died at about 1 a.m. on Monday in an undisclosed hospital in Austria. “Yes, it's true that Dr. Lukman passed on last night in a hospital in Vienna,� the source said.

The source preferred not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media on the matter.

Mr. Lukman was said to have, for a long time, suffered from a yet to be disclosed illness.

Details of his burial plans are yet to be announced.

However, the source at OPEC said Mr. Lukman remains would have to undergo a formal documentation

Former Minister of Petroleum, Rilwanu Lukman by the hospital in line with the Austrian law before being released for the journey back to Nigeria.

Mr. Lukman, was also the Chairman of the defunct Petroleum Industry Law Reform Committee, which later metamorphosed into the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, currently before the National Assembly.

He was a petroleum engineer who held several ministerial positions in both civilian and military

administrations in the country.

He was Secretary General of OPEC between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2000.

In his last tour of duty as minister, Mr. Lukman was, on December 18, 2008, appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources by the late President Umaru Yar'Adua, a position he held until March 2010.

He was born in Zaria, Kaduna State on August 26, 1938. He trained as a mining engineer at the College of

Arts, Science, and Technology, Zaria (now Ahmadu Bello University), and then at Imperial College, London.

He earned a higher degree in mining engineering from the University of Mining and Metallurgy in Leoben, Austria (19671968); a degree in Mineral Economics from McGill University, Montreal in 1978, and an honorary doctorate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bologna in Italy.

Mr. Lukman was appointed Minister of Mines, Power and Steel (1984-1985) by the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

In 1986, he was appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources and Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation till February 1990.

He was Minister of Foreign Affairs between January and September 1990 and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Electric Power Authority (19931994).

From 1986, he served eight consecutive terms as OPEC president and was elected OPEC secretary general on November 22, 1994.

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The Publisher, Management and Staff of THE ADVOCATE NEWSPAPERS LIMITED wish to convey our felicitations to the National Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Sir Victor Umeh on his 52nd Birthday celebration.

Ohamadike, you have been a source of inspiration to humanity and may the good Lord continue to strengthen you.

National Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA

Signed

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NSCDC nab two with the corpse of a three-year-old baby girl in Aba

I

t was not quite long when Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Abia state command burst a baby factory in Aba and rescued about 19 pregnant teenagers, the command Thursday nabbed two suspects in connection with the operations of the illegal baby home.

The suspects,Jonathan Nwogu and Chibuike Anibuife were caught with the corpse of a threeyear-old baby girl.

The state Commandant of the Corps, Mr. Andy Dateer, who paraded the suspects before newsmen in Umuahia, the state capital, disclosed that they were apprehended by his men on patrol at Ariaria Junction, Osisioma near the commercial city of Aba. Dateer, stated that the suspects were initially intercepted by

some residents who wanted to lynch them after the discovery of the corpse of the little girl with them if it were not for the timely intervention of his men, who whisked them away.

According to him, people's attentions were drawn to the

suspects as a result of serious arguments that ensued between them and another man.

But the man, he stated, narrowly escaped when he sensed that residents of the area had become suspicious of them.

The Commandant disclosed:

“The mob was infuriated by the strange content of the sack and demanded explanations from the suspects, but their failure to provide satisfactory answer made the mob to descend on them after which they opened up.

Commandant Dateer informed

Two Nigerians arrested for human trafficking in Rustenburg

T

wo Nigerian men have been arrested in Rustenburg for human trafficking, North West police said on Friday.

Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said the men, aged 29 and 30, were arrested on Thursday after a 24-year-old Cape Town woman told the police she had been forced into prostitution.

"According to the information received, the woman was offered a lift by one of the suspects on Friday, July 11 2014 after visiting her boyfriend in Springs, Gauteng," he said. “The suspect allegedly failed to stop and allow the woman to alight from the vehicle at the agreed destination, and instead drove to Rustenburg."

She was allegedly locked inside a

house and was later taken to a street in Rustenburg to do business as a prostitute, guarded by one of the men.

The woman managed to tell patrolling police what was going on and identified the 30-year-old man guarding her.

"The other suspect arrived with a car a while later and both were arrested," said Mokgwabone.

that the suspects would soon be handed over to the Police for proper investigation, explaining that his men only rescued the suspects from the angry mob so that the “truth of their mission could be unearth.”

One of the suspects, Anibuife, who spoke to our correspondent, denied involvement in the death of the baby, saying he never knew the other suspect, but had only intervened when the mob wanted to lynch him.

His co-suspect, Nwogu, on his part, explained that a man had approached and begged him to help bury his deceased child in a site where he was working, adding that he was paid N2, 000 and later drove him to the hospital where they took the corpse for burial.

He however, denied being a ritualist or kidnapper, but maintained he only accepted to bury the corpse because he was

EFCC arraigned two for Nigerian, 115 others killed in Algeria plane crash N20M fraud Third major air crash in one week Malaysia Airlines plane was Officials in Lebanon, however,

T

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Thursday arraigned the duo of Orum Chinedu and Onyinye Chima before Justice S.M Shaibu of the Federal High Court, Owerri on a 5count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.

The accused persons allegedly obtained the sum of N20, 000,000:00 from one Ekwe Augustine Mark under the pretext that they would help him secure an oil pipeline laying contract in Awa Community in Imo State from oil major, Addax Petroleum.

The duo had allegedly pretended to be staff of the oil company and as such have the powers to influence the contract award.

During the plea the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

One of the counts reads; 'that you Orum Chinedu, Ifeanyi Jude Owum, Onyiye Chima, between the 16th day of August, 2013 and 19th day of December, 2013 at Owerri, Imo State, within the Jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of Four Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira from Ekwe Augustine Mark through an Ecobank account number 2351110574 belonging to Nwakama Henson Chinedu under the false pretence that there is an Addax Petroleum contract for laying of '4' inches steel oil pipe with Addax Petroleum for which you will recommend Ekwe Augustine Mark to Addax Petroleum, a pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.' The bail application for the accused persons was heard on July 11, 2014.

A

Nigerian was among 116 people feared dead in a passenger plane that crashed on a flight from Burkina Faso to the Algerian capital, Algiers, Thursday .

The pilot had contacted Niger's control tower in Niamey to change course because of a storm, according to reports. But contact with Flight AH 5017, chartered from Spanish airline Swiftair, was lost about 50 minutes after take-off from Ouagadougou over the Sahara as it crossed Mali in bad weather, Air Algerie said.

B u r k i n a F a s o Tr a n s p o r t Minister Jean Bertin Ouedrago said it asked to change route at 0138 GMT because of a storm in the area. “I can confirm that it has crashed,” the Algerian official told Reuters, declining to be identified or give any details about what had happened to the aircraft on its way north.

Reports quoted a diplomat in the Malian capital Bamako as saying that the north of the country which lies on the plane's likely flight path was struck by a powerful sandstorm overnight.

E a r l i e r, F r e n c h F o r e i g n Minister Laurent Fabius had said the plane, which has 50 French citizens aboard, “probably crashed”. Speaking in Paris, Mr Fabius said: “Despite intensive search efforts no trace of the aircraft has yet been found. The plane probably crashed.” He said French Mirage fighter planes were scouting the area.

F r e n c h m e d i a h o w e v e r, reported that soldiers had found

wreckage in Tilemsi, central Mali, but this was not confirmed. Swiftair, the private Spanish company that owns the plane, confirmed it had lost contact with the MD-83 operated by Air Algerie, which it said was carrying 110 passengers and six crew. A diplomat in the Malian capital Bamako said that the north of the country which lies on the plane's likely flight path was struck by a powerful sandstorm overnight.

Whatever the cause, another plane crash is likely to add to nerves in the industry after a

downed over Ukraine last week, a TransAsia Airways crashed off Taiwan during a thunderstorm on Wednesday and airlines canceled flights into Tel Aviv due to the conflict in Gaza.

An Air Algerie spokesman quoted by Reuters said the provisional passenger list included 50 French citizens, 24 people from Burkina Faso, eight Lebanese, four Algerians, two from Luxembourg, one Belgian, one Swiss, one Nigerian, one Cameroonian, one Ukrainian and one Romanian.

said there were at least 10 Lebanese citizens on the flight.

The six crew members are Spanish, according to the Spanish pilots' union. Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal reportedly told Algerian radio: “The plane disappeared at Gao (in Mali), 500km (300 miles) from the Algerian border.”

In February a military plane in Algeria crashed, killing 77 people on board. The Hercules C-130 crashed into a mountain in Oum al-Bouaghi province, en route to Constantine, in bad weather conditions.

Soldiers destroy kidnappers' camp in Aba

S

OLDIERS from 144 Battalion Army base, Ngwa High School in Aba, Abia State, have destroyed a kidnappers' camp located at Amuzu Ibeku in Osisioma Local Government Area.

It was gathered that the bungalow had been used by the gang to harbour some of their victims until a ransom is paid.

Though the owner of the house identified as Mr. Ejike Uzodinma and his gang were said to have fled the camp after one of their victims (a businessman) escaped from their custody, the team of army personnel who conducted a search operation in the camp and neighbouring compounds

recovered a registered tricycle the group used to ferry him to the camp.

An unconfirmed report has it that the kidnappers also abducted a female victim whose whereabouts is still unknown.

A victim, who was held in their camp and later escaped, attributed his escape to God's intervention and described the inhumane torture he passed through in the hands of the kidnappers as not what he would wish even his enemies to go through.

The victim, a businessman based in Aba who preferred to speak on the condition of anonymity, said: “I was driving to my house at about 10pm on Saturday after sitting out with my friends

when a Toyota Corolla ash colour suddenly doublecrossed me and at gunpoint ordered me out of my car and moved me into their vehicle.

“They blindfolded me inside their vehicle and later took me to a location at about 11am. They initially asked me to sit in a plastic chair from where I was taken to another location in a bush around 1am Sunday morning.

“Around 5am, they took off from the bush into a house where I slept till the following morning. Initially, they demanded N20 million ransom, but I told them that I can only guarantee N200,000, a plea that didn't go down well with them. One of them slapped me and threatened to kill me but I kept begging them.”

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Ogun Police arrest two fleeing kidnappers in Ebonyi

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he Ogun State Police Command Thursday, said it had arrested two fleeing kidnappers in Ebonyi State after they allegedly kidnapped their victims at Molipa, Ijebu Ode on July 8.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this in a statement, said one Kingson Sunday and August Johnson were nabbed by detectives attached to the Criminal Investigations Department of the command.

According to Adejobi, the prime suspect, Mr. Kingson Sunday, had kidnapped Tolulope Kosoko and Omodolapo Kosoko, who are children of same parents.

“The parents of the victims had relied on a person called Sunday, who is a friend to a family friend, to help them drop and pick up the children after school. Tolulope and Omodolapo, who are nine and seven years respectively, are pupils of Imperial International School, Molipa, Ijebu Ode. “On the fateful day, Sunday decided to kidnap the two children and fled with them to Ebonyi State.

“Sunday, a teacher, later contacted the parents of the victims and demanded a ransom of N500,000.

“Later, he sent the account details of the second suspect, Mr. August Johnson, a teacher residing at Ohaozara in Ebonyi. A sum of N150,000 was deposited in the said account by the Police.

“The suspects were arrested while trying to withdraw the money from the account with the help of the police informants on surveillance in Ebonyi State.

“Sunday had changed the names of the victims. He changed the name of Tolulope Kosoko to Bishop, while that of Omodolapo was changed to Turey.

“The suspects were arrested in Ohaukwu Ebonyi on July 15 by the detectives from Ogun State after a rigorous investigation.

On his part, the Ebonyi Police Command spokesman, ASP Chris Anyanwu, said: “The suspects have been transferred to the Ogun State Police command for further investigation and prosecution.

According to Anyanwu, the two victims have been re-united with their family and have also gone back to Ogun State where they reside.

“We have concluded our own investigation on the kidnap of the two children by their teacher and on Thursday morning, a team of p o l i c e o ff i c e r s f r o m o u r command had to escort the suspects to Ogun State for them to continue the investigation and prosecution of the suspect. The victims have been re-united with

their parents and have also gone back to Ogun State where they reside.

“With the success recorded by our command and the confessional statement of the suspects, we are optimistic that the Ogun state Police Command would also do a further investigation into the

Boko Haram :

matter and prosecute the suspects”.

ASP Chris Anyanwu said that the teacher who is a staff of Imperial International School Ijebu-Ode in Ogun state was arrested in his home town, Obieze, in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi state following a tip off.

Some soldiers of battle – Gen

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hief of A r m y Staff, LtG e n . K T J Minimah, Friday, confirmed the long held secret hat desertion, acts of cowardice and indiscipline within the army in the ongoing fight against terrorism was one of the greatest setbacks in checkmating Boko Haram insurgency in the country.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the third quarterly conference of the COAS, via the D e f e n c e Headquarters twitter handle @DefenceInfoNG , being a highlight of the COAS admonition, Minimah said “the rising acts of indiscipline and unprofessional conduct by troops was u n b e c o m i n g a n d c h a rg e d Commanders at all levels to put a stop to it as the Nigerian Army was a professional organization.”

He recalled the attempted mutiny by troops in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, against the then GOC 7 Division, Maj.Gen Ahmadu Mohammed saying, “A few issues need to be urgently addressed that have caught my attention in recent weeks.

“Principal among these is the rising acts of indiscipline and unprofessional conduct by troops. In this regard, the recent mutinous act in Maiduguri and reported destruction of public property in Lagos readily comes to mind. As a professional army, the conduct of our troops must be above board at all times” Blaming it on the fact that most people, who joined the military in recent times, do so out of the need for employment and not passion for military service, Minimah said, “Desertion is part of

He added that the suspect took advantage of his relationship with the family and took the victims to his village only to turn around and started demanding for ransom from the parents before releasing the children.

He stated further that the suspect demanded for N250, 000 ransom

for each child making a total of N500,000 in which the parents of the victims paid N150, 000 and urged him to give them time to complete the money.

Anyanwu also stated that another teacher who hailed from Ugwulangwu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state who he (suspect) had arranged with for the ransom to be paid into his account was also arrested.

FG begins chicken out rehabilitation of NNPC Minimah depot the Courtin Enugu Martial”.

Gen Minimah warfare. We must accept that since the era of the Cartagena wars, soldiers had deserted from battle field. In our own case, we are doing recruitment now and we are also receiving presentations from across the country, from people who want their wards to be enlisted in the army”.

“But we need to have a thorough recruitment because mind you, there is high level of unemployment on ground; most people want jobs and if that job means joining the army fine. It is a source of employment.

However, when the reality of the military service comes, he drops his riffles. So desertion will continue to be there. We had desertion in ECOMOG; in the Nigerian Civil war and now it will continue to be there”.

“Also, acts of indiscipline will continue to be there but when they are caught, they are investigated and when they are found questionable they will face

“Like I said, in a few months time, the war will be over. But I cannot give you a clear calendar date because this is war on terrorism. It c a n n o t b e determined in terms of concrete date”.

On allegations that the army was underperforming in the war on terror, he said, “The Nigerian Army is performing. I k n o w t h e expectations of the Nigerian citizens but the expectation is rather too much in haste.

“We need some time; we need patience and you must know we are fighting terrorism.

We are not fighting a conventional war. Nigerian Army is a conventional and regular army”.

“The terrorist is someone you don't know. It may be someone who sold food or fruit to you in the morning and by the afternoon he is the terrorist. We are having all that inter-play in the battle front in the North-East. We have to be conscious to separate the terrorist from the law abiding citizens and we also have human rights to protect”.

“We are fighting Nigerian citizens we are not fighting foreigners; so caution must be exercised. I appeal and assure that we will certainly surmount it but we also need support from the nation, from all segments of society and from the people including the media. And we need patience and time for us to do it.

“We also have the equipment and the FG is introducing fresh and newer equipment to us which in a short while hopefully be there for use”.

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he Federal Government has c o m m e n c e d t h e rehabilitation of pipelines from the NNPC refinery in Port Harcourt to its depot in Enugu, an official has said.

Mr Linus Mgbakogu, the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Pipeline Matters (South East), made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu, Enugu State capital on Friday.

Mbakogu said that the move to rehabilitate the depot followed government's commitment to make petroleum products available to Nigerians at the official price.

According to him, work was in progress at the pipeline locations in host communities, adding that measures were in place to check incessant vandalism.

“That is why we have involved the state government in the onslaught against vandals.

“We have also made it clear that traditional rulers in host communities have a major role to play in containing their subjects.”

Mgbakogu, who was the former Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Enugu branch, decried the continued closure of the depot due to pipeline vandalism.

He said that the independent marketers bore extra cost in lifting petroleum products to the state.

“The continued closure of the depot is affecting our business as we go the extra mile to bring these products, yet sell at the official price.

“This has always been at a great loss to our members as we most often lift products at higher rates from other depots.”

The presidential aide stated that the condition of marketers in the state was made worse as most of the products they bought were meant for other states.

“Most of the products are meant for other states, but diverted to Enugu State and this comes at higher prices,” he said.

“The reason we still sell at the official price is because there are products everywhere at the moment,” he said.

Mgbakogu commended the commitmentsof NNPC/PPMC in ensuring that the depot was reactivated to serve residents of the state.

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CAN hails Jonathan for establishing insurgency victim fund

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he President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has commended the constitution of a special fund for victims of insurgency in parts of the north.

The commendation is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday.

Also Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said that the “Victim Support Fund'' recently announced by President Goodluck Jonathan would complement “Safe School Initiative Programme'' to ensure safety of students in schools The CAN president described the decision to set up a fund for the insurgency victims as “courageous and bold.

He said “CAN received the news of the institution of a special fund to carter for the needs of victims of insurgency in parts of the country with gratitude.''

H e s aid th e mo v e w as a demonstration of the present administration's commitment to the welfare of all Nigerians, irrespective of their socio-political background.

“On behalf of the association and the entire Christian community in Nigeria, I want to specially thank Mr President for taking such a bold and courageous step to care for the victims of insurgency in the northern part of the country.

“The action is a further demonstration that President Goodluck Jonathan is indeed the father of the nation and a father to all Nigerians, irrespective of the background of the victims of the crisis.

“The decision is also a demonstration of the present administration's response to the plight of the people.''

Oritsejafor said the association had been on the forefront for palliatives to ameliorate the hardships caused by the insurgency in parts of the north.

He expressed optimism that the fund would address issues associated with the welfare of victims of the crisis.

“For long, it has been the conviction of CAN that victims of the senseless killings and wanton destruction of property should be given some `life line' in whatever name it could be called and we are glad that the President heard our cry and responded appropriately.

“I believe that the fund will address a wide range of issues facing persons displaced by the crisis, as well as provide the basis for a more comprehensive programme of rehabilitation and reintegration of the victims at the end of the insurgency.''

He also expressed the hope that funds realised from the various donations and contributions would be judiciously used for the good of

those affected in the crisis.

The CAN president hailed the quality of persons nominated to serve on the special fund and wished the members well in their task of raising and disbursing the fund to victims of the insurgency.

He appealed to persons who would be directly and indirectly involved in the programme to have the fear of God in all that they would be doing.

He added that “I honestly believe that this initiative will give hope to our people and instill in them a sense of belonging while reducing the psychological and physical impact of the burden created as a result of the losses incurred in the crisis.

“I am also optimistic that the creation of this fund will ameliorate the sufferings of the victims of the insurgency,'' he added.

He assured members of the fund of CAN's support in prayers and otherwise, for the success of its assignment.

Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said that the

President Jonathan “Victim Support Fund'' recently announced by President Goodluck Jonathan would complement “Safe School Initiative Programme'' to ensure safety of students in schools.

The minister made the disclosure at the inaugural meeting of the Safe Initiative programme Committee on Thursday in Abuja.

She said that the Initiative, which

was announced by the business community at the World Economic Forum on Africa, had 20 million dollars set aside for its takeoff.

She added that the business community in Nigeria and the Federal Government had given 10 million dollars each to support the programme.

She noted that the international community had also shown strong interest to support the project.

“There are other components for a comprehensive approach to the programme and the President has made some other effort, the first one was that yesterday the Victim Support Fund was launched.

“The Fund will complement the Safe Schools Initiative because parents, victims and other people who suffered will now have a place to go in terms of support for them.

“There is also the Presidential Initiative on the North East which will ensure that emergency relief and other emergency support to

people who are affected are also implemented.''

The minister explained that a component of reconstruction of damaged infrastructure under the Presidential Initiative on the North East would also work with the Safe School Initiative.

According to her, the whole package is planned to complement each other to ensure that success is achieved.

“This is the comprehensive picture that the President wanted to paint for these attempts to handle the difficult situation we have in the north eastern part of the country,'' she added.

She said all the initiatives were being carried out with the consent of the states involved.

She added that in implementing the Initiative, the states and local governmentcommunities, as well as international partners and the Federal Government would work together.

Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno, representing the governors of Adamawa and Yobe and the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, were present at the meeting Others include business mogul Aliko Dangote, the Publisher of Thisday newspapers Nduka Obaigbena, NEMA DirectorGeneral, Muhammed Sani-Sidi.

N45 trn investments by Ndigbo in North in danger – ACF

By Our Reporter

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he Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has cautioned the Igbos in South eastern Nigeria against maltreating northerners, warning that such could endanger the multi-billion Naira investment of the Igbo in the North.

ACF said the ongoing controversy in the East on issuance of identity cards to persons of northern extraction was uncalled for and estimated that the Igbos' investments in Kaduna, Kano, and Jos alone amounted to about N45 trillion.

The Deputy Secretary-General of ACF, Abubakar Umar said this while addressing members of the South-South/South-East Arewa Coalition, who paid a courtesy call on ACF on Thursday.

According to him, statistics available to them indicated that the Igbos' investments in Kaduna, Kano, and Jos alone amounted to N45 trillion and with such huge investments in just three States of the north, the Easterners have no reason to maltreat northerners doing businesses in the East, stressing that, “If the table turns, it could be disastrous to their investments.

“They may suffer for it, but we are

General Abubakar Umar praying for understanding among the entire Nigerians to accept themselves wherever they live to earn legitimate means of livelihood. We express our fear that if the north should embark on similar development by screening the Igbos in the northern region, it could lead to a crisis that may lead to undeserved division of Nigerians along ethnic or religious lines.

“Yoruba and Igbo people in Jos, capital of Plateau State lost N480

billion and N410 billion investments respectively to the 2011 post election violence. The South-South also lost N970 billion in the same crisis.

'We have these statistics, so we expect the Igbos to treat our kinsmen, our brothers and sisters in the East as kings and Queens in view of the fact that they (Igbos) have more investments in the north than in the East.

“Take Abuja, the Federal capital territory, for example, the Igbos

occupy over 73 percent of the land, so these are some of the reasons why they should be everybody's keepers in their place,” Umar said.

The leader of the Coalition, Mallam Awwal Yusuf had earlier said that northerners were doing business amidst fear in the East and called on the ACF to intervene.

“This is because every trader or Muslim from the north is considered Boko Haram”.

Yusuf said the Arewa Coalition has taken to court the issue of identity card in order to seek justice and be freed from undue molestation in the hands of the people in the area.

“We are embarrassed with this issue of identity cards. Why should it be only traders or Muslims from the north that should be identified?.

'We have taken the case to a court in Enugu, and we are hopeful that the State Governor, Sullivan Chime is ready to help us by sending his lawyer to stand for us”,he said.

The Secretary-General of the ACF, Col. John Ubah (rtd) also told the visiting northerners from the East that ACF was established to protect the whole north and its people.

He said whatever happened to any northerner anywhere was always considered a serious issue.

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Insecurity:

Chime urges more cooperation, vigilance among security agents

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he Governor of Enugu State Mr. Sullivan Chime has said that the nature of the security challenges facing the country today calls for increased alertness, diligence, efficiency and cooperation of the people and all security operatives.

Speaking while declaring open the 2014 security summit organized by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Enugu state command, Governor Chime described security consciousness and acquisition of reliable intelligence as key to effective security in any society.

The governor who was represented by the special adviser on Security Mr. Richard Chime

Gov. Chime stressed the need for effective and timely sharing of intelligence among the security agencies to

achieve a better result.

The State Chief Executive described the summit whose theme is “Need for Security consciousness and intelligence sharing” as very apt and re-stated the commitment of his administration to continue to support security agencies in the state to enhance their operational efficiency.

He commended the state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) for its laudable efforts towards improving the knowledge and awareness of its personnel and other security agencies in Security consciousness and intelligence sharing.

In his welcome address, the state commandant of (NSCDC) Mr. Nathanel Ubong said that the summit organized to help arouse

security consciousness of the general public and also highlight the need for timely synergy in intelligence gathering and cooperation among security agencies in the state.

Mr. Ubong therefore called on the people of the state to cooperate with the command in the fight against terrorism and other crimes by providing them with credible and timely information.

He advised the people to always be vigilant even when it seemed there is no threat in their locality and to report any strange object or suspicious movements around them to security agencies.

In their goodwill messages, the representatives of the GOC 82 Division of the Nigerian Army Enugu, the representative of the commander Nigerian Air Force Base Enugu, the Police, NDLEA, Custom, Prisons, Immigration and FRSC condemned the increasing wave of terrorist attacks in parts of the country.

2015: Umeh moves to unseat Ngige at Senate

Chief Victor Umeh

By Beatrice Onuchukwu

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ational Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, at the weekend succumbed to pressures by his party members, especially stakeholders of Anambra Central Senatorial District, for him to represent the zone at the Senate in 2015.

This declaration will pitch the APGA national chairman against former governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, the incumbent senator representing the senatorial district.

Bowing to the pressures last Saturday in Awka during a birthday party organised by the

APGA Solidarity Movement (APGA-SM) to mark his 52nd birthday anniversary, where his people of Anaocha Local Government Area moved a motion mandating him to run for the election, Umeh said he was accepting the invitation because of his conviction that there was still much work to be done and for the love his people extended to him.

Umeh said: “Stakeholders in Awka South and Awka North Federal Constituency were the first. They brought me to Finotel Hotel and threatened to kill me if I don't run. Anambra Central Senatorial Zone, the seven local government chairmen and their

Senator Ngige councillors met and said if I don't accept, they will kill me and today, the leader of council in Anaocha local government moved a motion here, supported by youth leaders, all youth leaders in the state and all stakeholders and said I must represent you.

“My brothers and sisters, before I say something in that regard, let me tell you, in Igbo nation, we need a very strong sense of purpose and mission. Our leaders must do everything to rescue our people. I served Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who lit the light very ebulliently, for five years as chairman and I know his visions for Igbos and that vision has not

been accomplished. He is today waiting for us to continue the journey; that vision must be accomplished. We must get to the Promised Land.

“I went to the national conference two and half weeks ago, I saw what other Nigerians think about Igbo people and we did not wait to tell them we must be counted. Our people must be given their rights.

I was there for two weeks but you saw what I did. When they demanded five per cent for the reconstruction of North-East, I told them 'Point of Order'. Igbo property was destroyed during the w ar, there w as no reconstruction. That reconstruction must start from Eastern Region. They thought it would stop there and adjourned.

We came back on Monday and they amended it, and said the reconstruction must take place everywhere in the country where insurgency caused destruction.

“Because of the need to provide effective representation for our people, I want to stand here with all humility before the deputy governor representing the governor and before all of you to say that because of the support I have seen given to me and the show of love extended to me, I, Chief Sir Victor C. Umeh, Ohamadike Ndigbo, relying on the support from all of you; and having carefully examined the motion and the support and solidarity extended to me, and in recognition of the needs of our zone, declare that I will vie for Senate and that APGA must win Anambra Central Senatorial Zone in 2015.”

Environmentalists urge Agip to cleanup spill site at Kalaba, Bayelsa

By Arodiegwu Eziukwu, Yenagoa

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nvironmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) on Tuesday called on Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to halt ongoing spill at Kalaba community in Yenagoa.

ERA/FoEN, an environment focused Non Government Organisation (NGO) further urged Agip to immediately cleanup the site to forestall further damage to the environment.

The call was contained in a field report on the oil spill incident released by the NGO in Yenagoa.

According to the report signed

by Mr Alagoa Morris, Head of Field Operations in ERA/FoEN's Bayelsa Office, the oil spill incident occurred on July 2, but regretted that the spill was yet to be clamped while clean up was yet to commence.

The NGO regretted that the spill had continued unabated and wreaked havoc on the fragile ecosystem.

The report quoted Samuel Oburo, Youth President of Kalaba Community as saying that the community had informed officials of Agip of the development.

“This spill occurred on the 2nd of July, 2014; although we are yet to see Agip .

“I informed some known environmental groups like ERA working with us, that there is a fresh oil spill. I later reached out to one Clinton of Agip who used to come for JIV; to also let the company know about the spill.

“I urged him to formally pass the information to Agip so as to ensure prompt and immediate action for JIV and clamping of the spill point.

“The crude oil is spewing and spreading in the environment and; it is sad that such should continue to occur in this environment,” Oburo stated.

The report also quoted the Paramount Ruler of Kalaba community Chief Roman Orukali pointing out the need to have mercy on the environment by maintaining and engaging in environmentally friendly and sustainable standards.

ERA/FoEN advised oil communities to effectively engage themselves and explore ways of ensuring that they do not encourage self-inflicted environmental damages by discouraging vandalism.

The NGO also urged Agip and National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency to convene a Joint Investigation Visit to unravel the cause of the spill.

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Navy, vigilante nab 80 drug peddlers in Anambra, Abia Abia vigilante parades 60

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he Nigerian Navy at the Onitsha Naval Out-post in Anambra State, Tuesday, arrested 20 suspected drug peddlers at Nsugbe, near Onitsha, following an intelligence report against the activities of hard drug users in the community.

This came as the Abia State Vigilante Service has paraded over 60 persons suspected to be hard drug users and peddlers arrested in Aba, the commercial city of Abia State.

Briefing newsmen after the operation, the Commanding Officer of Naval Out-post, Onitsha, Navy Capt. Mike Oamen, said it was only by fighting hard drugs that the war against criminals and their syndicates could be won.

Oamen noted that those arrested were selling and smuggling bags of hard drugs such as cannabis sativa and other stimulants in the community.

He said the navy had assured the governor that Onitsha and its environs would never again be a haven and breeding ground for criminals and people with evil intentions.

His words: “So, what we have done is to make sure that we begin to deal with the root cause.

“After exhaustive discussion, especially at the security council meeting, we decided to look at how to reduce to the barest minimum, the availability of illegal drugs in Onitsha and Obosi so that it would also have an impact on the level of crime within the state.

“We are working. We try to get intelligence reports so that we swoop on them and that method is beginning to yield dividends

because the crime rate has reduced and we will continue to sustain the effort.

“So the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, will now do its work by sorting

those arrested out to know those that would be prosecuted. We've intensified patrol on waterways too, because it is part of the route through which they bring in the drugs in the name of vegetables.

“Traditional rulers had given their unflinching support to the restoration of security in Onitsha and its environs by volunteering information that led to arrest of

criminal elements in their communities.”

The commander added that the collaboration of the naval outpost and the NDLEA would be a continuous exercise, adding that the navy would not give them (criminals) a breathing space in Onitsha and its environs.

He said: “Very soon, those shops, kiosk, shanties and even parlours

OIL WAR: 4 killed, 7 injured in renewed area.

Anambra/Kogi clash Anambra Police Public

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OUR persons from Aguleri, Anambra East local government area were reportedly killed on Monday, while seven others were seriously injured in a renewed clash between the people of Aguleri and Echeno/Odeke in Ibaji local government area of Kogi State.

The two border communities have been laying claims to the oil deposits on the Omambala River basin.

The clashes became more pronounced shortly after the commissioning of Orient Petroleum Refinery at Aguleri Otu in Anambra State by President Goodluck Jonathan last year.

Casualty figures on the Kogi side could not be ascertained at press time, although it was gathered that the people of Aguleri were taken unawares by the Kogi fighters.

It was gathered that the latest clash, which occurred at about 3.00pm on Monday, involved the use of sophisticated weapons, even in the presence of security operatives guarding the buffer zone created by the National Boundary Commission in the area to forestall clashes between the warring communities.

It was also gathered that one of the

IGP MD Abubakar mobile policemen guarding the buffer zone had allegedly informed Kogi people that Aguleri people were at the disputed area, adding that shortly after, Kogi people came in large numbers, armed with dangerous weapons, including automatic rifles usually handled by security operatives.

Monday's attack came on the heels of a peace committee meeting held between the communities last week at Idah in Kogi State. The people of Aguleri expressed surprise Tuesday that some people at Odeke were not prepared to see peace return to the

Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed the incident, but declined to give the casualty figures.

According to him, the matter is being investigated at the highest level of security and will be premature for him to make statement on the clash.

Following the frequent clashes in the area, the National Boundary Commission had met with the deputy governors of the two states on many occasions for the purpose of finding a lasting solution to the border problem.

At the last meeting chaired by the Director General of the National Boundary Commission, Dr. M.B. Ahmad, with the deputy governors of the two states and a representative of the surveyor general of the federation in attendance, it was noted that the Anambra/Kogi interstate boundary was the boundary of the former Northern and Eastern regions described in the legal notice No 126 of 1954.

However, the people of Kogi were said to be insisting that despite the demarcated boundary between the old Kabba and old Onitsha provinces, the oil deposits in Omambala River belong to them.

and hotels where hard drugs are sold would be closed down while their operators will have to look for better things to do.”

In Abia State, the commander of the vigilante group, Mr. Idika Martins said the suspects were arrested in their hideout at Nkwa Road by Iheoji in the city, which he said was notorious for drug peddling and other crimes.

Among the suspects was a dismissed soldier from Eda in Ebonyi State who gave his name as Private Amakalu.

The hideout, a well fortified but unkempt big compound, according to him, belongs to a man described as a drug baron whose nickname was simply given as Paraboy. He is said to be on the run.

Idika said hard drug users and other criminal elements gather at the place to smoke and attack innocent people.

Nigeria Air Force Helicopter-Mi-35 crash in Barma, Borno State

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igeria Air Force Helicopter-Mi-35 has crashed in Barma, Borno State, North Eastern Nigeria.

Spokesperson of National Defence Headquarters, Major General Chris Olukolade in a statement said the chopper came down on Monday afternoon sequel to technical problems at Southern part of the community.

He said the causality of the crash is not yet known, adding that investigation into the incident has commenced.

The Advocate correspondent gathered that the scene of the accident is one of the mostly affected areas in the raging insurgent attack in the North Eastern part of the country.

Pirates Attack:

Boat operators, passengers lament insecurity in Bayelsa creeks

By Arodiegwu Eziukwu, Yenagoa

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ommercial transport boat operators and passengers have decried rising cases of armed attacks by pirates following Friday's incident that killed three people.

Bayelsa Police Command had confirmed the death of three passengers in a boat along Nembe-Brass waterways in Bayelsa on Friday.

A boat sailor, Johnson Kenebai said on Tuesday the Maritime workers Union had convened an emergency meeting to review the situation.

“The menace by sea pirates has threatened the marine transport sector and most times the boat drivers are the prime targets before the passengers, the last time in May this year it was three Dutch Nationals and there were three more kidnap incidents in June.

“The frequency is just too much and we cannot continue this way, we are considering all options including withdrawing from the waters for the time being.

“The patronage has dropped because people no longer travel frequently to the coastal areas for fear of pirates, this is a threat

to our business,” Kenebai said.

The Bayelsa government had earlier established a marine component of the state's special security outfit christened 'Doo Akpor' and deployed to the waterways and creeks to ward off the pirates.

The marine security team currently escorts passenger and market boats from Twon Brass to Yenagoa.

It was gathered that due to the shortage of logistics and personnel, the state security outfit is unable to provide such escorts to other coastal settlements in Bayelsa.

Mr Morris Alagoa, an

Environmentalist who frequently navigates the creeks in Bayelsa described the situation as sad and disturbing and capable of scaring away potential investors.

“The activities of these pirates pose dangers to travelers and transporters especially in Southern Ijaw, Nembe and Brass Local Government Areas of the state.

“As an environmental activist working for a grassroots organization which involves frequent sailing in the creeks I often get restricted to travel as I should.

“During one of my trips last

Friday, I saw that 'Doo Akpor' was escorting market boats at some locations, the JTF also escorts passenger boats leaving Twon Brass to safe zones before returning.

“These efforts are highly commendable and should be extended to other communities in Bayelsa, funds, equipment and men should be mobilized to smoke out the pirates from their unholy dens.

“The negative impact of these pirates attacks takes a toll on the growing tourism sectors in Bayelsa and the foreign investment drive of the government so it is imperative for government to make every part of the state safe,” Alagoa said

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August 7, 2014

Guard kills Babcock varsity female student in hotel

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security guard, Azeez Ibrahim, has shot dead a female undergraduate of Babcock University, Busayo Ogunkoya, during a birthday party in a hotel in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

Sources said that 22-year-old Ogunkoya was celebrating with her friends on Saturday evening, July 5, 2014, at Mambillah Hotel, when the guard fired a shot that killed her.

It was learnt that immediately the incident happened, there was confusion as the people fled the hotel.

A source said Ibrahim was drunk.

He said, “The incident happened on Saturday night when Busayo

and her friends were having a party.

“She did not know the person celebrating, but she was invited to the party by her boyfriend.

“The party was going on fine until the security man, who was holding a gun which he claimed he had seized from some robbers, mishandled the gun and fired a bullet which hit Busayo. The guard was said to be drunk.”

Our correspondent gathered that the bullet lodged in the neck region of the victim.

She was said to have been rushed to a private hospital in the area where she was confirmed dead.

Policemen from the Owutu Police Division were said to have

arrived at the scene and arrested the guard, the assistant manager of the hotel and the victim's boyfriend.

When our correspondent visited the area, there was tension as residents were afraid to talk about the incident.

Mambillah, which is one of the popular hotels in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, also bore a gloomy look.

A resident confided that since the tragedy, the hotel had been shut to guests and no music had been played during the daytime as was the practice.

A large number of security officials was also said to have been deployed in the hotel to prevent attack from aggrieved youths.

A young boy, who did not identify

7,318 Nigerian students studying its consulate in Lagos organised in U.S. – Official free orientation sessions in their

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he United States Embassy in Abuja says 7,318 Nigerian students are studying in more than 700 universities and colleges in that country.

Mrs Jennifer Onyeukwu, Head, EducationUSA Advising Centre (EAC), said this in Abuja on Friday during the pre-departure ceremony for those leaving for studies in the U.S. Onyeukwu said no fewer than 150 students were preparing to leave for studies in the U.S by August.

She added that 80 per cent of them were given full or partial scholarships by the schools.

“The total, right now, of Nigerian students studying in the U.S is 7,318 at undergraduate and graduate programmes.

“This fall, which is Aug. 2014, we are sending more than a hundred students to study in the U.S., over 80 per cent had some form of scholarship or financial aid from schools in the U.S.” The official also said there were 22 scholarships under U.S Achievers' Programme, “which recognises academically stellar students who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

“We give them the opportunity to compete for the few slots available.

“With the USAP programme, we help the students identify U.S colleges and universities that would offer them admission with full funding.

“Fifteen of them have got admission with full funding”, she said.

Onyeukwu added that six students out of those given full scholarship funds had scholarships from the MasterCard Foundation.

“MasterCard Scholarship is a separate kind of scholarship that is given by the MasterCard Foundation in partnership with

U.S colleges and some of the universities around the world.

“The six students under the MasterCard Scholarship received 311,140 dollars annually for four years.”

She said the foundation had earmarked 500 million dollars for “economically disadvantaged young people” in sub-Sahara Africa desiring to further their studies.

She said the scholarship was for a 10-year period and targeted students with academic talent, commitment to giving back and leadership potentials.

Onyeukwu also said the EAC, the education advisory arm of the embassy, sought to use its platforms to appropriately advice Nigerian students who desired to study in the U.S. She added that the embassy and

communities and outreaches in schools and universities in the country to sensitise students on available study opportunities.

A few students who were granted full scholarships to the U.S spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Hannatu Sadiq, who participated in the USAP, was one of the beneficiaries of the MasterCard Scholarship.

“The ECA officials came to our school n 2010 and I picked the courage from there to work hard and give them what they required and I got into USAP in 2013.

“I'm on MasterCard Scholarship to Michigan State University to study Chemical Engineering and I'm grateful for this opportunity because now my parents don't have to pay anything for my tertiary education.”(NAN)

himself for security reason, said the incident left a bloody trail.

He said, “On Sunday morning when I wanted to do something in the hotel, I noticed blood on the ground. I cannot say exactly how the incident happened, but I learnt a lady was killed the previous night.”

It was further learnt that the guard, who fired the killer shot, owned a house in Ikorodu.

One of his tenants, who pleaded anonymity for security reasons, described Ibrahim as a caring landlord who was only a victim of some “forces.”

She said, “He is such a nice and caring landlord. I have been living in his house for a long time and he has never made any trouble with me.

“I know he is just a victim of some forces beyond his control.

He could not have deliberately killed the girl and I hope the police authorities would have mercy on him.”

When our correspondent met the manager of the hotel for comment, he said he had nothing to say.

The Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Lelma Kolle, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, however, confirmed the incident.

He said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, for investigation.

Kolle said, “Yes the incident happened. The girl was in the hotel and the security man opened fire on her. Nobody knows his reason for doing that.

The police have arrested the assistant manager of the hotel, the deceased's boyfriend and the security man. The case has been transferred to the SCID.”

A'Ibom Schools directed to establish Home Economics departments as an entrepreneurial subject

By Christopher Okon

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kwa Ibom Government has called on Principals and Head Teachers in the state school system to establish Home Economic Departments in their various schools for effective teaching and also get their learners involve in the practical aspect of the subjects.

The Commissioner for Education, Prof. (Mrs.) Atim B. Antai stated this while addressing Home E c o n o m i c s Te a c h e r s a n d stakeholders in the educational sector during the 2014 World Home Economics Day Celebration in Uyo. Prof. Antai said that the state government has equipped Home Economics Laboratories in some post primary institutions in the state to enhance effective teaching and learning of Home Economics as an entrepreneurial subject in the curriculum.

She commended the role played by executives of Home Economics Teachers Association of Nigeria for helping the ministry

of education to streamline the practice in schools advising that the subjects should not be limited to girls alone as is almost the case now but that boys should also take advantage on it for future purpose.

The Coordinator Home Economics Teachers Association, Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Esther Essien said the generosity of government by providing home economics equipments has gingered the various schools to improve in the teaching of home economics in the school system.

Mrs. Esther Essien commended the commissioner for acknowledging that Home Economics Teachers Association is committed to actively raising the quality of individuals, communities and reduce poverty through the subject while urging children, regardless of race, creed or circumstances to achieve entrepreneurial education through home economics.

She said “given the United Nations Universal Declaration in 1948 agreement in Article 26 that

education for children should be free and compulsory, Governor Akpabio's Administration dug out the declaration and agreement for our children and floated a free and compulsory education irrespective of their religious background for benefit of the society.”

A university Don, Mrs. Comfort Usoroh said the celebration is a welcome development as home economics is a global discipline with local relevance to individuals, families and communities, and is capable of taking them to the next level in life.

She commended the Home Economics Teachers Association of Akwa Ibom State for the commitment and responsibility shown in home economics in various schools while encouraging the students to use the opportunity to achieve their future desires adding that embracing the entrepreneurial skill will reduce poverty and social exclusion.

A'Ibom state to delist teachers without requisite qualification

By Christopher Okon, Uyo

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kwa Ibom state has called on teachers in the state to ensure that they are registered with the teacher's registration council as it would soon start a clamp down on erring or defaulting teachers.

Akwa Ibom commissioner for education, Hon. Mrs. ATIM ANTAI who stated this during the public presentation of professional teachers registered in Uyo said the Federal Ministry of Education and Teachers Registration Council successfully put the registration in place for the purpose of having accurate statistical data of professional teachers in the country among others.

She said the registration window affords professional registered teachers to obtain teachers license to practice as a professionals in the school system, noting that any teacher who is not licensed is not a professional and would not be allowed to practice as a teacher in any school in the state.

While advising those concerned to follow the directives before blaming themselves, the commissioner appealled to owners of private schools to encourage their non-professionals teachers to heed to this directives and regularized their status for their own benefits and that of the school system.

The registrar teacher's registration council, Akwa Ibom State, MRS ESTHER ESSIEN commended the ministry's strong commitment for effective and timely response to the needs of each unit in the ministry and for the efforts towards ensuring the timely production of the teachers register for the state as they also are seriously working tirelessly to achieve their dream in the profession.

She said that since its formation, one of the functions of teacher's registration council of Nigeria is to secure in accordance with the provision of its Act the establishment and maintenance of a register of teachers and publication from time to time of the lists of those persons who are qualified to practice.

One of the teachers, Mrs GRACE AKPAN told our correspondents that the initiative of the Government was a welcome development to checkmate lapses in teaching profession and to make sure “our children have qualitative education that can make the state and nation proud.”

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Residents groan as Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi agog as Obiano (NAGG) extols government seal 350 the leadership commissions mega projects communication that 1,600 stalls proposed of Dr Ikeakor masts in Enugu …As projects get completion deadline assured for the market would be

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nugu mobile phone users are groaning over difficulties in having a free flow of mobile network following the state government resolve to seal -off some telecom masts in the state.

Government said yesterday that there was no going back in her bid to seal off over the 350 mast stations belonging to major telecommunication network providers in the state.

The state government said the action was necessitated by the inability of the telecommunication providers to settle over N700 million debts they incurred in the last three years of operating in the state, and their reluctance to dialogue with the government.

The state government had last week begun the sealing of the mast stations belonging to MTN, Airtel and Etisalat describing the installation as "illegal" as they were mounted without necessary approvals.

Our correspondent gathered that the masts scattered all over the state had been a source of exchange of correspondences between the state government through the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Chukwuemeka Ujam and the affected companies, adding that since February last year in which the matter commenced, nothing meaningful had come out of it.

Government said it would not rest until it completes the sealing and decommissioning of all the 350 masts scattered across the state. Already sealed are Cell site masts T4682 , T4649, EN 0360 and 0068 among others located at Independence layout, Emene, Trans-Ekulu and other parts of the state.

However the affected companies insists that the cell site masts were part of the three years waiver granted to them by the state government to encourage their operations in the state, adding that government's action will "lead to poor network quality and possible loss of network coverage".

But Commissioner Ujam, said that the action of the state government is protected under the provision of Section 29, clause (1)-(4) of Nigerian Town and Country Planning Law 1964 and sections 3,4,28 and 30 of the Nigerian Urban Regional Planning Act, Cap. 88 of 1992.

Speaking through his Secretary, Obiora Nwankwo, he noted that the affected telecommunication companies had violated the relevant sections of the law by not securing the necessary approvals before constructing the masts and by so doing, disregarded the town planning and urban development policies of the state.

The commissioner noted that the act was a clear indication that there was no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before the sites were erected adding that "they've shown total disregard to their host communities and accordingly, all the sites that did not follow the due process of registration will be sealed, decommissioned and their networks shut down until their owners come and do the needful.

"They should apply formally and pay the necessary fees. Because of the security implication of embarking on full sealing, we have decided to embark on gradual sealing, picking two sites from each of the companies weekly until all of them are sealed.

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owards achieving the major policy planks o f C o n t i n u i t y, C o m p l e t i o n , Commissioning, and Commencement of projects in the State, Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano has again embarked on inspection tour of projects in parts of Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi to turn the State into an Elderado of some sorts. In this direction, these three strategic parts of the State were agog as governor Obiano inspected ongoing projects and commenced new ones, giving the contractors handling the projects including the three Shopping Malls in Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi a maximum of 10 months' deadline to complete the jobs.

The full meaning of 'Willie is Working' was underscored when he inspected the Onitsha shopping Mall, which houses mega projects like International Hotel, Shopping Mall and Convention Centre and has a capacity to accommodate 5,000 persons at a stretch. In addition, the premises located at the former Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) houses Radison Blue, an adjoining hotel project which is planned to be one of the best in the world.

Speaking soon after inspecting the projects, governor Obiano pointed out that he had exacted commitment from the contractor handling the projects that it would complete the projects in 10 months' time at maximum, adding that a wide expanse of roads link the three the projects.

He revealed that the projects would have been ready in three months' time but could not due to shoddy performance of the former contractor, leading to the revocation of the contract and generation of certificates and full mobilization of the new contractor, Akiota Works Limited to take over and deliver the projects on time.

The governor who described the aesthetics look of the projects as very good, pointed out that, when completed, the edifice would compare to Shoprite in Enugu and Shopping Mall in Lagos, stressing that “we are going to bring to the State a new shopping experience quite different to the business environment they are used to. The event centre will attract functions from neighbouring States in particular.”

Speaking to newsmen, the contractor, Engr. Emejulu, CEO, Akiota Works Limited pointed out that the original plan of the contract was to have about 90 rooms, but following adjustment made by authorities of Radison

Blue, the number of rooms increased to 150 rooms. He said the project was at the 7th floor stage, assuring that the job would be ready in January, 2015, as according to him, government had shown enough zeal to carry out the projects and fully mobilized his firm for the contract delivery as agreed. Said the governor, “the entire place will be very important in South-East zone. We have 40 apartment buildings coming up. I thank my predecessor, for having the vision to start the project and we are definitely going to complete it in a record time.”

Similarly, governor Obiano in keeping with his Vision “for Anambra State to become the 1st Choice Investment Destination and a hub for industrialization and commercial activities and his Mission “to create a socially stable, business friendly environment that will attract both indigenes & foreigners to seek wealth creating opportunities in Anambra State, stormed the Anambra International Market Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area of the State to inspect extent of work at the site.

Received by the Group Executive Chairman of Bulkham Group, Bukar M. Hassan, the governor appreciated the foresight of the initiators and the provision of dual carriageway of about two kilometres within the market, and explained that the premises could contain about 1000 vehicles Governor Obiano who assured that his administration would do everything possible turn the site into a hub of commercial activity, added that the recent energization of the market would help improve business activities at the market.

Said he: “This is clearly an international market; it will be interlocked and provided with infrastructures like light. When completed, this market will go a long way in helping to decongest the ever-busy Onitsha Market.”

Responding, the contractor handling the project, Mr. Hassan

ready by December this year, extolling the foresightedness of the governor which he said was a motivational factor for the group to excel in the execution of the project.

The governor who left the Oba International Market for Nnewi and received by equally enthusiastic residents and traders as he stormed the Shoprite Centre located at the former Nkwo-Nnewi Triangle where he appreciated the pioneering business wizardly of the indigenes of the area led by the late Sir Louis Philip Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who he recalled was so successful in business that when the Queen of England visited Nigeria many decades ago, he offered the colonial government his personal Rolls Royce Car to chauffer her.

Speaking further after he was received by the Nnewi North Local Government Chairman, Chief Emeka Ojukwu junior, and the contractor handling the Shoprite Mall at Nnewi in addition to Agulu Lake Hotel projects, governor Obiano told the contracting firm, traders, residents and natives that he came on an inspection visit to assess the ongoing work, noting that “what we are constructing here is unprecedented. We don't have this type of Mall anywhere. The car park is on top of the Mall, It is a befitting edifice to support the business acumen of Nnewi people” Continued the governor: “Nnewi people are enterprising. We are giving them a Mall so that they can have a befitting business experience. The building will be completed by December this year while business will commence in April 2015. Governor Obiano noted that the road around the site would be dualized in anticipation of an increase in traffic, expressing confidence that the premises would take any number of vehicle given the fact that vehicles would be parked on top of the project while cultural activities of the people would also take place on top of the project.

Calling for support for the All Progressives Grand Alliance and his government, the governor assured that he would continue with the projects started by his predecessor in the spirit of continuity, stressing that “we are trying to introduce some other ways of doing business in a comfortable atmosphere,” adding that his administration was highlighting security as one of its enablers for which the ‘Operation Nkpochapu’ had been moved to Nnewi and fully mobilized for operations.

He emphasized, “we are still mopping up after some of the hoodlums relocated from Onitsha and we will not tolerate this kind of miscreants in Anambra State,” and urged the people in the area to do their business without hitches.

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en and women of integrity, pedigree and strong character are assets to the organisations they are appointed to serve in.

This is the consensus of delegates on a two-day meeting in Enugu to ascertain the criteria for the choice of political appointees by State Chief Executives in the Country.

The delegates under the aegis of the National Association of Good Governance (NAGG) noted with satisfaction that governments at all levels are now realising the importance of merit and competence as the fundamental factors for consideration when appointing people to positions of authority.

They commended the Chief Medical Director (CMD) Anambra State U n i v e r s i t y Te a c h i n g H o s p i t a l Amaku,Awka Dr.Lawrence Ikeakor for the able manner he has been piloting the affairs of the medical institution, and the health sector generally in Anambra State. The Association recalled the service of Dr. Lawrence Ikeakor to Anambra State, and the nation when he was the Chief Executive of the general hospital Amaku Awka, and the CEO of the State Teaching Hospital, and, when he also served as the Anambra State Commissioner for Health and described him as a man of integrity and pedigree and one who possesses these core attributes of resillience, ebullience and selflessness.

It pointed out that the State Ministry of Health witnessed uncommon transformation during his tenure as the ministry's helmsman with hospitals well equipped with state of the arts facilities and the out of stock syndrome abolished in most of the health institutions.

While describing Dr.Ikeakor as a man of unwavering dedication and outstanding accomplishment, it is stated that his efforts in the health sector development will remain a reference point just as the association c o m m e n d e d h i s c r e a t i v i t y, p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m a n d enterpreneurialship.

The association noted with delight his firm committment to integrity, equity and fairness even as it recalled his encounter with the Health Committee of a particular Anambra State Legislature which wanted immediate recall to the Awka headquarters of a transferred female nurse when he, Dr. Ikeakor was the medical director of the General Hospital Amaku, and remarked that he succeeded in keeping the civil service rules by not effecting the transfer and without injuring the feelings of the legislators.

Members of the National Association of Good Governance expressed optimism that with him as the helmsman, the Anambra State Teaching Hospital Amaku, Awka will get the much desired lift.

They called on Ndi Anambra to give him the necessary support in his onerous task of lifting the health institution to loftier heights.

While describing him as a man of Spartan courage and a copiable example in the humane disposition, the Association remarked that his numerous achievements in the Teaching hospital and the State Health Sector generally attest to his competence.

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Senate not Gov. Chime's retirement benefit – Group …faults Hon. Igwesi's support for the Governor's senatorial ambition

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group under the aegis of Enugu West People's F o r u m E W P F, o n Monday faulted the suggestion made by a one time member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. USA Igwesi, that incumbent Governor Sullivan Chime should be compensated with the Enugu West Senatorial seat at the end of his eight years tenure in office come 2015.

The group in a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Ugulu O. Ugulu, made available to newsmen in Enugu, was reacting to an interview granted to a national daily last Monday by Igwesi, calling on the people to support the Chime's senatorial aspiration.

However, the group, in the statement, declared that while it had no problem with deserving former governors going to the Senate through free and fair democratic contest, it is opposed to seeing legislative seats as a compensation or retirement benefit for ex- governors.

According to the body, such is tantamount to assassination attempt on the nation's democracy.

It said that Hon. USA Igwesi, did not speak as a former legislator when he claimed that Governor Sullivan Chime would outperform the incumbent Senator and the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu if compensated with the senatorial position.

The group also wondered why a former Member of both the Enugu State House of Assembly and National Assembly feigned ignorance of the global parliamentary tradition called ranking rule, where experienced lawmakers take preeminence over newcomers.

“In Nigeria for instance, Section 3(2) of the Senate Standing Rule clearly states that the 'nomination of senators to serve as presiding officers and appointments of principal officers and other officers of the senate or on any parliamentary delegations shall be in accordance with the ranking of senators.

The statement reads in parts: “It further states that 'In determining ranking, the following order shall apply: (i) senators returning based on number of times re-elected (ii) senators who had been members of the House of Representatives (iii) senators who have been members of a State House of

Assembly or any other Legislative House (iv) Senators elected as senators for the first time.'

“Therefore, it beats our imagination how it is in the best interest of the people of Enugu West, the South East, and Nigeria in general to replace a legislative wiz kid, the driver of the first amendment to the 1999 constitution, Speaker of E C O W A S Parliament, and i n d e e d a n egalitarian lawmaker who has no rival in constituency representation and attraction of d e m o c r a c y dividends with someone else who would waste four years learning the fundamentals of parliamentary practice and waiting for his turn.”

Describing Igwesi, as a “disloyal party man in desperate search of visibility, attention, and job,” the

Gov. Chime group further emphasised that “the real motives behind Hon. Igwesi’s unguarded utterances and meddlesomeness in Enugu West politics was laid bay when he claimed that members of the PDP are wicked people because for all the things I have done for

the party, I have not been given an appointment.”

T h e E W P F therefore, advised t h e f o r m e r lawmaker to “face his Enugu East Senatorial District and devise other ways of currying favours and appointment from Governor Sullivan Chime rather than interloping in the politics and choice of the Senator for the Enugu West District come 2015 since the people of the District are more than capable to do that”.

I t e q u a l l y challenged Igwesi's claim that former G o v e r n o r C h i m a r o k e Nnamani denied him re-election into the House of Representatives in 2007 and instigated a murder case against him instead.

“On the contrary, Igwesi should face his murder case in the court of law and also be grateful to

Chimaroke Nnamani for rehabilitating him after serial failures to win elective positions under various political platforms, by imposing him on his people first as a State Assembly Member and later as a Member of the House of Representatives.”

The statement declared that while Hon. Igwesi's four years in the State Assembly was devoted to trouble making, his four years in the House of Representatives was a waste of mandate, as he had nothing to show for it, hence he never deserved re-election.

The group also accused Hon. USA Igwesi of being directly responsible for most of the controversies and confrontations between the Nnamani administration and various persons and political interests through his rumour mill, gossips, propaganda and political clairvoyance built on lies, deception, greed, and selfpreservation.

The group, also vowed to resist all forms of electoral manipulation in the next general election in the state Our correspondent reports that Governor Chime, and senator Ekweremadu, are major contenders for the Enugu west senatorial seat, currently being occupied by Ekweremadu who is serving his 4th term in the upper chamber of the nation's National Assembly.

Pillar of Development Award recipient tasks govt on funding of education

By Rex Arum & Uche Chukwu, Awka

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pillar of Development Award recipient Chief Timothy Onwuka has enjoined governments at all levels in Nigeria to pay more attention to funding of education, saying that the industry is underfunded.

Speaking after he was conferred with the award by the Leadership and Role Model Foundation of Nigeria, at Awka, Anambra State, Southeast Nigeria, Chief Onwuka lamented a situation where an average pupil or students cannot have quality education, blaming the trend on inadequate funding and misplacement of priorities.

Chief Onwuka who described education as his bedrock recalled how he grew up with educationists around him, stressing that his parents 'positive disposition to education helped to chart the direction for him, and asserted that parents have a role to play in eliciting and sustaining the interest of their children and wards in education.

He lamented the quest for materialism and quick money,

which he said accounted for low male drop in education, and urged the government to check the ugly trend through encouraging early education for the youths before they go into business or setting up part time school programme near the markets.

While appreciating the award bestowed on him by the Foundation, he stated that he has to structure himself in everything concerning education, pointing out that he has contributed immensely towards the propagation of quality education in various ways.

According to him, it is painful and a thing of regret that education has not been programmed to meet the needs of majority of people at the grassroots level, vowing to pursue the course of ensuring access to education to all especially the less privileged and indigent ones.

He said he would use the platform afforded him by the Pillar of Development tag to advance educational opportunities insisting that there is nothing that can compare good education.

Chief Timothy Onwuka “Education is my bedrock. … I grew up with educationists around me…There is nothing that can compare with good education.

Education is one of the most neglected industries in the country. Government should do more in funding education.” He said.

In his opening remark the

Executive secretary Leadership and role model foundation of Nigeria, Mr. Godfrey Chidozie said that the organization came into being consequent on the need to solve the downward trend in the education sector in the country.

Mr. Chidozie noted that lack of mass literacy and erosion of morals has resulted in leadership crisis as well as security problems in the country adding that education is the panacea to these problems.

“We are therefore carrying the campaign for the education of the masses through this endowment in partnership with other o rg a n i z a t i o n a n d w e l l meaning individuals who are committed to philanthropism, which in turn will help to eradicate poverty and create a better society that will be devoid of insurgencies” He said.

Highlight of the occasion was the delivery of a lecture with theme, “Education as the Bedrock of development” by an erudite scholar, Mr. Emeka Okafor.

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August 7, 2014

The Advocate Gospel This Week

Healing Miracles Flood Bishop Okonkwo's Prayer conference

TRUSTING JESUS WITH EVERYTHING TEXT: Matthew 15:21-28 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.' Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, 'Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.' He answered, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.' The woman came and knelt before him. 'Lord, help me!' she said. He replied, 'It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs.' 'Yes it is, Lord,' she said. 'Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.' Then Jesus said to her, 'Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.' And her daughter was healed at that moment. (NIVUK)

NARRATION The disciples had seen, done and learned much with Jesus. He took them away from Israel to the coast; perhaps they thought they were going to have a holiday, a break from ministry. However their tranquillity was interrupted by a pagan woman who pestered them; calling out loudly to ask Jesus to deliver her daughter from demonically inspired mental anguish.

Jesus did not respond. He wanted to see how the disciples would handle the situation. Not well. They asked Jesus to command her to go away (and leave the demons in control of the girl). Then Jesus said that He was sent to Jews and not Gentiles ... how did that make them feel - justified in wanting to get rid of her? Jesus was teaching His men that they should not choose to minister according to where people had come from but, where they wanted to go to.

The woman persisted. She had already truly identified Jesus as the Lord and the Messiah (anointed Son of David). She insisted on meeting Him personally, and knelt down in respect and reverence.

Her plea was now reduced to, "Lord, help me!" When Jesus said that it was not right to stop feeding God's people the Jews, the woman claimed the right of dogs to eat what was left over. Jesus saw that she knew who He was, believed in His power to deal with evil in her family and trusted that He would have mercy on her, even though she knew she had no right to demand His help. Permission was given, Satan was defeated and the girl was healed. It was an important missionary lesson for the disciples.

Following Jesus is an adventure (for those who trust Him) or a nightmare (for those who want to stay in control). The disciples had to learn that God loves everybody and that Jesus died so that 'whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life' (the apostle John had certainly got the message when He wrote John 3:16). Bit by bit, Jesus will also move us away from our religious comfort zones so that we can serve Him in weakness and see Him work in power. Do not reject a ministry opportunity if the Lord has given it to you. Do not select who receives your compassion and the gospel explanation, based on your prejudices. Be aware that the Holy Spirit is already preparing people to trust in Jesus. Lead them to Him and do not get in their way.

Prayer: Loving and most merciful Lord. Thank You that You will hear anybody when they cry out to You for mercy. Forgive me for being hard-hearted when ministry was not convenient to me, or when the prospect of serving somebody I did not like was repugnant. Please h e l p m e t o b e compassionate to all and not get in the way of any seeker finding Jesus. In His Name. Amen.

ADVOCATE

Bishop Peace Okonkwo

By Mary Chinda

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omen have again been charged to step up their love and commitment for God above personal convenience.

This admonishment was given by Bishop Peace Okonwo, wife of the General Superintendent of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, at the 2014 convention of the International Women

Prayer Conference (IWPC) held in Enugu last weekend.

Expounding on the theme Ellyon: The God Most High the vibrant minister and convener of the conference thoroughly told women to constantly fix their gaze on Jesus as they go through the rough and smooth sides of life.

The prayer meeting which was well attended by both single and married ladies in hundreds, took a more cheerful tempo when testimonies of instantaneous healing broke forth from the congregation. Testifying Of God's healing power 27 year old Miss AMAKA Nnebedum announced to the congregation that her 8-year-old ordeal with severe pain in the breast had vanished during the prayer of faith made by the preacher.

Similarly, other women attested to healings of heart pain, stroke attacks, financial breakthroughs and receiving of twin babies at last year's prayer conference.

Going down memory lane, the agelesslooking preacher told The Advocate that 20 years ago she received the mandate from God to put up the conference. According to her: “God told me to bring women together to pray about the matters that bother them, that is why IWPC is held in various cities in Nigeria.”

Prominent among women in attendance were Enugu-based preacher Prophetess Sabina Akachukwu and scores of working-class ladies including Nollywood actress Jennifer Alu.

Christians urged to fight Boko Haram

Apostle Kellywealth

By Mary Chinda

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earless pastor of the Whispering Word Prophetic Assembly, Apostle Mac Kellywealth, has called on Christians to fight against Boko Haram through prayers.

Lambasting believers in the country, the apostle traced the prevalence of the menace to the general laxity of believers to pray.

Speaking to The Advocate Newspaper yesterday at a 3-day programme tagged

“Breaking News” the man of God stressed that Christian must go on their knees now or never on Boko Haram.

Expressing anger the over weakness of the top clerics, he alleged 'perhaps our church leaders have been bribed, that's why they can't speak out for the body of Christ. Since the beginning of these bombings, the church has lost over 500 members and it has remained silent.”

God is using Boko Haram to wake us to remember that he alone can fight our battles.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) must quit its politics and begin real prayers now” He added.

The General overseer explained that his denomination organized the crusade to remind Christians that they must use prayers to rewrite the awful breaking news awash in the foreign and local news media such as CNN, BBC, Al-Jaezera, AIT and Channels TV of various maladies across the country.

He said that it is time for the news media to be agog with headlines of the total disappearance of Boko Haram from Nigeria.

He also appealed to Christians in the country to carry the presence of God into the streets expelling evil and performing unprecedented miracle like Jesus would have done if he were a Nigerian.

The multi-anointed young minister also decried the recent fear by Christians towards coming to church services. He further condemned the practice of using bomb detectors in churches as fearful, emphasizing that such was not obtained in the days of Elisha as God is largely willing to showcase his power to protect.

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Local Content:

NCDMB commends Shell for deploying Nigerian made components

By Arodiegwu Eziukwum, Nigerian made clamps in the operations of the International Oil Yenagoa

M

r Ernest Nwapa, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Monday commended Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) for deploying local made components in its operations.

Nwapa made the commendation at a presentation by a Warri based indigenous firm Egba Split Clamps Limited to the NCDMB at the board's headquarters in Yenagoa.

Egba Split Clamps exhibited clamps used to fix ruptured or vandalized crude oil pipelines using locally sourced materials.

SPDC is the first oil firm to deploy the clamps in its operations to demonstrate its support for the development of the capacity of local firms to provide services in the oil and gas sector.

The Executive Secretary noted that SPDC had shown leadership in its compliance to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Content Development Act 2010.

Nwapa reiterated the commitment of the board to developing indigenous technical capacity to promote active participation of Nigerians in the oil and gas sector.

He pledged to support the indigenous firm by recommending the use of the

Companies operating in Nigeria.

In the presentation, Mr Joseph Okpro, Managing Director, Egba Split Clamps said that the firm was discovered by SPDC at an exhibition in 2009 and assisted the local firm to attain international certification for the clamps.

He noted that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Content Development Act 2010 emboldened the firm to

aspire to achieve international quality standard for its products from 4 to 48 inches pipelines.

He solicited the support of the NCDMB to assist the firm to access the Nigerian Content Fund to expand operations to meet 35 per cent of the oil industry demand for clamps.

Mr Osikhena Ojio, Head of Nigerian Content Department of SPDC in his remarks said that the oil firm remained committed to supporting the development of

FG unveils $500m projects for local content development in oil and gas

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he federal government has unveiled new projects that would gulp $500 million for the development of Nigerian Content in the oil and gas sector of the economy.

Speaking while fielding questions from journalists after a recent visit the headquarters of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke commended the achievements of NCDMB within its four years of existence.

She described the agency as a major contributor to the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“We are all extremely pleased at the Federal level with the various

achievements this board has recorded within this period of time. It is quite clear from our various movements particularly when we go to international fora and see the number of Nigerians, who are now exhibiting the services they deliver to the industry. It is progressing robustly every year and going from strength to strength. Within Nigeria, the success of Nigerian Content is incredible,” she said.

She also underscored the adoption of the Nigerian Content philosophy by other sectors of the economy like the Ministry of Communications Technology and the Ministry of Power as further proof that that the implementation of the Act

SEC moves to generate interest in market activities

S

ecurities and Exchange Commission has said pursuant to its market development mandate under ISA 2007, its enabling law, it plans to send five journalists for intensive training on capital markets at the International Law Institute in the United States.

The commission explained in a statement that the goal was to strengthen interest in reading and

technical expertise of indigenous businesses in its operational area.

He said that SPDC supported the initiative locally produced clamps by ensuring that the stringent international standards were met before approving it for use in its operations.

“We actually commenced the concept of this Nigerian made clamps in 2009 when we discovered this company in our exhibition and the support has been ongoing.

writing about the capital markets on the part of professional journalists and “to engender a spillover consequence of such enhanced interest in the wider society.

According to the statement, the journalists are being sponsored by SEC in redemption of their prize winnings in the 2012 and 2013 editions of the SEC Capital Market Essay Competition for Journalists,

which was instituted by the commission in 2012.

It said, “Of the five journalists, two were first and second prize winners in the 2012 edition of the competition. They are Iheanyi Nwachukwu of Businessday newspaper and Taofeek Salako of The Nation newspaper, the runner up.

“They are to undergo two weeks and one week of intensive training on the foundations and development of capital markets at ILI respectively.”

Jonathan has been effective.

“The fact that Nigerian Content policies are about to be deployed in various parts of the economy and ministries as well want to copy and learn from the Ministry of Petroleum is one of the things we can be actually proud of. It is one of the strengths of the oil and gas sector in the President Jonathan's administration and we are very pleased with it,” she said.

On her expectation for the future, the minister expressed confidence that Nigerian Content implementation will “lend itself in a critical way to the growth of the nation's economy and

CHANGE OF NAME JAMES – I formerly known as Miss James Chioma Cordelia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Akuma Chioma Cordelia.

All former documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

“We facilitated the certification process to ensure that the clamps meet world class standards and in the certification tests, the clamps came out in flying colours.

“We sent the clamps to our global testing facility, Shell Global Solutions in Netherlands, we are satisfied with the clamps and have certified it fit to be used in our operations.

“We solicit the support of the NCDMB to recommend these clamps to other industry operators to use these locally made clamps to sustain the growth of this success story,” Ojio said.

ORJI – I formerly known and addressed as Orji Lilian Chinelo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ikemefuna Lilian Chinelo.

All former documents r e m a i n v a l i d . I M T, NYSC, First Bank Plc and the general public should please take note.

ONU – I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adaku Marcillin Onu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adaku Marcillin Ejimadu.

All documents bearing my former name remain valid. The general public please take note.

EMENIKE – I formerly known and addressed as Miss E m en ik e A n t h o n ia Ada, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ihedimbu Anthonia Ada. All former documents remain valid.

The general public please take note.

development of the citizenry in terms of knowledge, capacity building and employment generation.”

Speaking earlier at the Bayelsa State Investment and Economic Forum (BSIEF), the Minister charged Nigerians, particularly indigenes of the state to take advantage of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act and the fact that NCDMB is located in Yenagoa to play key roles in the oil and gas industry.

She also unveiled projects that would gulp $500 million, which also include key initiatives of NCDMB that would benefit Nigerians and Bayelsa indigenes directly.

These projects include the pilot pipe mill being developed at Polaku, Bayelsa State, the NCDMB Headquarters building project in Yenagoa, the Oil and Gas Industrial Park development in Utuoke, also in Bayelsa State, artisanal training programme being organised by the NCDMB in conjunction with the Federal University Utuoke, and a host of other activities.

She explained that over $200 million will be invested in the pilot pipe mill project, which is expected to be completed before the end of 2015.

The minister noted that the civil works and the development of jetty have started, with over 500 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs to be created by the project, while some community youths will be trained abroad to work in the plant.

She also confirmed that the NCDMB's headquarters building project will cost over $200 million and is planned to be completed in 36 months.

To ensure adequate participation of young Nigerians in the project, the NCDMB has commenced the training of 100 artisans, who will eventually work in the project.

Alison-Madueke said the project would employ over 1,000 workers while 10,000 indirect jobs in sub contracts and supply opportunities would also be created.

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SFH and NAFDAC charged to check incidence of fake malaria drugs

By Christopher Okon, Uyo to prevent malaria growth,

S

ociety for Family Health has been tasked to liaise with National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC) in checking incidence of fake malaria drugs that can induce other health problems among the users.

Governor Godswill Akpabio, who made the call Friday when Dr. Jennifer Anyanti, Head of Society for Family Health/Roll Back Malaria programme, Abuja and her team called on him at Governor's Office, Uyo, cited instances of some persons who after taking an unnamed malaria drug were later diagnosed with cardiac and kidney problems.

Akpabio remarked, "You must sensitize the people more on how

such as letting them know that keeping pools of water around their environment and pouring of dirty water in the gutters could lead to malaria, among others".

He recalled, "The health sector is really important in my administration. Already, about 1.5 million nets were distributed by the state Ministry of Health to more than 20,000 households in the state by 2013. And I believe by now the nets would have been worn out, so there is need for replacement. We have made sure that we have eradicated polio in the state and for six years now, no case of polio has been recorded".

the state government's support to SFH through the state Ministry of Health in the distribution of insecticidal nets to Akwa Ibom people.

The Head of Society for Family Health (SFH), Dr. Anyanti said their visit was to inform the Governor Akpabio and the people of the state of their on-coming campaign to distribute over 2.7 million mosquito nets in the state.

Anyanti appealed to the state government for support to ensure the success of the campaign, and stressed that the commitment at every level of the society is imperative as actions are put in place to prevent vectorborne diseases especially Gov. Akpabio malaria.

She hinted that SFH is operating The Governor, therefore, pledged at other levels in the state

Honey and diabetes

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he diabetic diet is strictly controlled in terms of sugar and mineral compounds intake. Hence it's not surprising that "whether honey is allowed for diabetic patients" is a frequently asked question for Benefits of Honey.

Diabetes is a deficiency of the pancreas, whereby insulin is not produced sufficiently or utilised properly. It's basically a disorder of metabolism, primarily that o f carbohydrates.

The ingested sugars and starches cannot be deployed, and hence are eliminated in the urine.

Symptoms of diabetes i n c l u d e frequent urination, extreme thirst or hunger, weight loss, fatigue, numbness, and infections. There are 2 types of diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body doesn't produce any insulin, whereas, people with type 2 diabetes either don't produce enough insulin or their cells resist the insulin, and they tend to be overweight, because the high insulin levels, unable to channel glucose into muscle cells, convert glucose into fat and cholesterol instead. This results not only in obesity, but also very often heart disease, poor blood circulation in the legs and eye diseases. While type 1 diabetes is treated with insulin injections, which help glucose get into the body cells and maintain

blood glucose control, type 2 diabetics commonly use glucoselowering drugs. Most diabetics are type 2 and are usually in their 40s.

With appropriate control, many diabetics and pre-diabetes (people with blood glucose levels higher than normal person but not high enough to be considered diabetic) are still able to safely e n j o y natural h o n e y.

B e f o r e incorporati ng honey into their m e a l planning, find out how much of the sweet liquid can b e consumed on a daily basis. Each diabetic is different and should learn how his or her body reacts to different foods containing carbohydrates. Bear in mind that the total amount of starches or carbohydrates in a food is the key consideration, not the amount of sugar. Honey is a carb food as well, just like rice, potatoes, thus just keep in mind that 1 tablespoon of honey has approximately 17 grams of carbohydrate, and taking that into account when counting your total daily intake of carbohydrates, diabetics can work it out just like any other sweetener or carbohydrates. To monitor response to honey, blood sugar levels could be noted before consumption and again two hours

later. Also, when purchasing commercial honey for diabetic patients, be sure that it is pure and not adulterated by glucose, starch, cane sugar, and even malt, which is to better to be avoided in a diabetic diet.

You get (99 per cent of the time) a "no-no" answer when you ask doctors if honey is allowed for diabetics. This is not surprising as the idea of eating honey to regulate blood glucose seems rather counter intuitive. But did they ever tell you that clinical studies have shown that pure honey is a healthier choice in diabetic diet than table sugar and any other non-nutritive sweeteners such as Splenda, saccharin, aspartame? Honey requires lower levels of insulin compared to regular white sugar and does not raise blood sugar levels as rapidly as table sugar, that is, it has a lower Glycemic Index than sugar. Though honey contains a significant amount of sugar, it consists largely of two simple individual units of sugar glucose and fructose, which are absorbed at different rates into the body. In fact, Dr Ron Fessenden reveals in his book, The Honey Revolution that "the more glucose intolerant one is, the lower the blood sugar response after honey ingestion versus the higher the blood sugar response after consuming sucrose or glucose".

The book further explains why honey is able to perform this remarkable regulatory role. The perfect one-to-one ratio of fructose and glucose found in honey facilitates glucose intake to the liver, hence preventing an overload of glucose entering the blood circulation. And nature's honey is the only sugar that possesses this special ability.

supported by the Ministry of Health, state media organizations, among others and is currently implementing a statewide HIV prevention house-to-house campaign from July 7 to August 7 to target individuals in over 500,000 households in every local government in the state as part of the Enhancing Nigeria's Response to HIV and AIDs programme funded by the British Department for International development.

The Director, Global Fund Malaria Programme, Dr. Ernest Nwokolo disclosed that SFH is in partnership with Roll Back Malaria and National Malaria Elimination Programme funded by the Global Fund to fight HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which he said is conducting nationwide distribution of free lasting insecticidal nets.

Smartphone app could simplify diagnosis of hereditary diseases

C

ertain hereditary diseases such as cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease present an array of symptoms similar to that of other illnesses, making the conditions tricky to diagnose. Now, researchers have created a computer program that they say can simplify diagnosis of such diseases.

The research team, led by Marcel Schulz of the Max Planck Institute for Informatics in Germany, first reported their creation in the American Journal of Human Genetics in 2009.

Now, the program - called "Phenomizer" - is available as a free Android app on Google Play for smartphones and tablets, making it available to doctors all over the world.

To use the program, the doctor inputs a patient's symptoms. The system then scans a large online database called the Human Phenotype Ontology, which stores over 10,000 disease characteristics and links them to 7,500 diseases.

Within seconds of entering the data, the doctor is presented with a list of the most likely illnesses the patient has.

Phenomizer app 'reduces research time and increases time with patients' The Phenomizer, the team says, helps to overcome the difficulties doctors face in diagnosing some hereditary diseases.

"Diseases like diabetes, epilepsy, a heart defect or deafness can themselves be symptoms of a range of hereditary diseases," says Schulz. "That makes it so difficult for medical specialists to diagnose someone with the correct disease

from the beginning."

He adds that each disease can also have different characteristics in each patient. For example, they explain that in the case of a heart defect, a patient may also have Miller-Dieker syndrome (a pattern of abnormal brain development) or Cat eye syndrome (a rare eye disease), dependent on their other symptoms.

Schulz says this new diagnostic system provides numerous benefits for clinicians: "The doctors no longer have to research in databases or books for several hours. The list supports them in detecting the disease more quickly. Moreover, doctors can ask patients about their symptoms in greater detail. This makes it easier to assess which aspects they need to pay attention to."

The Phenomizer app was created in collaboration with six computer scientists from Saarland University in Saarbr端cken, Germany. It seems smartphone apps are the way of the future when it comes to assisting disease diagnosis. Last year, Medical News Today reported on a study detailing the creation of a smartphone app that detects skin cancer, while more recent research - presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, in April this year - revealed two smartphone apps that can detect epilepsy and improve stroke care.

We also reported on a study last month that detailed a smartphone app called SmartGait, which can measure a person's walking speed and gait (the pattern of walking) in an attempt to prevent falls among older adults.

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August 7, 2014

Entertainment plus

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“Harry Potter” actor David Legeno found dead in desert

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avid Legeno, the British MMA star and movie actor best known as Harry Potter's lycanthrope nemesis Fenrir Greyback, is dead following a desert hiking outing.

He was 50.

His remains were found by two unrelated hikers early Sunday morning “in a remote wash” near Death Valley's famed Zabriskie Point, according to a statement Friday from the Inyo County Sheriff's Department.

Officials say Legeno apparently died of “heat-related issues” and there were no signs of foul play.

The Inyo County coroner is performing an autopsy to determine the official cause of death.

A f o r m e r b o u n c e r, w i t h experience in wrestling and boxing, Legeno took up professional mixed-martial arts at age 42 and adopted the ring name of The Enforcer.

He parlayed his fighting skills and imposing body into a movie career, landing bit parts as tough guys in such films as Guy Ritchie's Snatch (2000) and Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins (2005) before scoring the Potter role, which stretched over the franchise's final three films.

Greyback, the vicious Voldemortfollowing werewolf, first terrorized Hogwarts in 2009's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince before being defeated by Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom in the climactic battle of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

Legeno, whose credits also included Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Snow White and the Huntsman, is survived by a daughter.

in the UK later in the year.

Miss Edo, Queen Celestine (22) was First Runner-Up and Miss Kwara, Chinyere Adogu (21) was the Second Runner-Up. The First Runner-Up also won the 'Miss Amity' prize and will represent Nigeria at the 'Miss Universe' beauty pageant.

The Second Runner-Up, who also won the 'Miss Charismatic' prize, will also represent Nigeria at the 'Miss Tourism' beauty pageant later this year.

Iheoma Nnadi, Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria for the year 2014. Other winners of the night were Miss Kogi, Erica Nlewedim (20), who won 'Miss s. Nnadi will represent Ms. Nnadi came out tops amongst Photogenic; Miss Delta, Fortune Nigeria at the Miss the 30 girls who represented 30 Woko (23) winner of 'Best World beauty pageant Nigerian states at the event, which Traditional Costume' and Miss held at the Gabriel Okara Cultural holding in the UK later.

Gombe, Precious John (22), Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

South Africa-based Miss Akwa adjudged the 'MBGN Model 2014'.

Ms. Nnadi, who also won the N3 Ibom, Iheoma Nnadi, on Friday The event that was organised by the million prize money, and a saloon night, in Yenagoa got crowned as Silverbird Group was themed “The car, will represent Nigeria at the the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Art of Beauty”.

Miss World beauty pageant holding for the year 2014.

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Tribute to Obi Egbuna - A Nigerian writer

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bi Benue Egbuna (born 18 July 1938 18 January 2014) was a Nigerian-born novelist, playwright and political activist, most famous for leading the United Coloured People's Association (UCPA) and being a member of the British Black Panther Movement (196/872). Egbuna also published several texts on MarxistBlack Power, including Destroy This Temple: The Voice of Black Power in Britain (1971) and The ABC of Black Power Thought (1973).

Egbuna was born in Ozubulu, Anambra State, Nigeria. He studied at the University of Iowa and Howard University, Washington, DC, moving to England in 1961 where he lived until 1973. Here he participated in the Antiuniversity of London and became a pioneer of the Black Power movement in Britain.

Being heavily influenced by Marxism, Egbuna stressed the importance of an international struggle against capitalism, as a part of the global struggle against racial oppression. In a speech from 1967 at Trafalgar Square, London, Egbuna stated: “Black Power means simply that the black of this world are to liquidate capitalist oppression of black people wherever it exists by any means necessary”. On 10 November 1967 Egbuna launched the Black Power Manifesto, published by the Universal Coloured People's Association. As spokesperson for the group, he claimed they had recruited 778 members in London during the previous seven weeks. In 1968 Egbuna published Black Power or Death.

Egbuna also saw the socialist and communist student movements of the 1960s as problematic to the Black

Power Cause. Although ideologically rooted in a similar Marxist intellectual tradition, he saw the student organisations as “socialist snobs” who decree from “the premise that only they have read and can understand Marx”. This intellectual snobbery was, according to Egbuna, “doing a great harm to the cause they claim to be upholding” by ignoring race as a key reason for oppression of black workers: "Nobody in his right mind disputes that the fact that the White worker is a prey to capitalist exploitation, as well as the Black Worker. But equally indisputable is the fact that the White worker is exploited only because he is a worker, not because he is white, while in contrast, the Black Worker is oppressed, not only because he is a worker, but also because he is Black."

During the 1960s, many sympathisers of Black Power left their socialist and communist student organisations and subsequently started their own Marxist orientated Black Power organisations such as Black Socialist Alliance.

As a consequence of the Race Relations Act 1965, incitement of racial violence had become explicitly illegal in the United Kingdom.

Several members of Egbuna's UCPA were fined under this act. Perhaps most noticeable was Roy Sawah, who in a speech 1968 at Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park urged "coloured nurses to give wrong injections to patients, coloured bus crews not to take the fare of black people and Indian restaurant owners to 'put something in the curry'." Egbuna himself was later that year sentenced to prison accused of threatening to kill police and certain politicians. (These charges were dismissed when brought before a court - Obi Egbuna, Gideon dolo

and Peter Martin were released without charge. This was a test case and served to restrict the time for imprisonment on remand with no evidence, up until the recent terror law changes. This technique was used many times by the government to try and squash dissent from mainly civil rights and union activists.

From Lisala Dolo, Gideon Dolo's son).

This provocative language must however be seen in context of the political climate of 1968. On 20 April 1968, the then shadow cabinet Defence Secretary, Enoch Powell, made his "Rivers of Blood speech" in Birmingham, essentially laying out a highly prejudiced account of black immigration. The assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. on 4 April that same year is also likely to have influenced and radicalised several Black Power thinkers.

works Drama:  The Anthill - play (London: Three Crowns/Oxford University Press, 1965) Novels:  Wind versus Polygamy, (1964) (republished in 1978 as Elina)  The Minister's Daughter (1975)  The Madness of Didi (1980 Short stories:

Obi Egbuna  Daughters of the Sun and Other Stories (1970)  Emperor of the Sea and Other Stories (1974)  The Rape of Lysistrata and Black Candles for Christmas (1980) Non-fiction:  Black Power or Death (1968)  The Murder of Nigeria: An Indictment (1968)  Destroy this Temple: The Voice of Black Power in Britain (MacGibbon & Kee, 1971)  The ABC of Black Power Thought A Nigro Book (1973)  The Diary of a Homeless Prodigal (1978)

The contestants first appeared on stage in their Traditional Outfits at the invitation of the hosts of the event, IK Osakioduwa and Yvonne Ekwere.

The hosts also revealed that in a bid to foster unity and encourage more interaction among states, contestants would all be representing states other than theirs.

Their next appearance on stage was in short red skirts and bodyhugging shirts and performed a choreographed routine to the tune of Davido's 'Aye'.

Their next appearance was in their swim wears before finally putting on their evening wears for the results.

First they were reduced by half and the contestants who made it into the Top 15 were those representing Bayelsa, Kogi, Ondo, Adamawa, Delta, Abuja, Kano, Edo, Imo, Anambra, Lagos, Kwara, Osun, and Akwa Ibom.

The contestant representing Plateau State, Josephine Oghonoghor (22) was voted in the To p 1 5 b y v i e w e r s w h o participated through the social media.

The top five were then selected, and they were: Miss Osun, Endurance Akpoyibo (23); Miss Abuja, Princess Dennar (20), Miss Kwara, Miss Edo and Miss Akwa Ibom before the winners were announced.

Speaking after winning the crown, amass. Nnadi said that she was overwhelmed and that she never expected she was going to become the queen even though she was confident of herself.

She promised to be a good queen and represent Nigeria honourably and responsibly, at international events throughout her reign.

The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, who spoke through his deputy, Jonah John, welcomed everyone to the 'Open arms' of Bayelsa.

“We are trying to unlock the potentials of Bayelsa. Our state is organised in a purposeful manner and this is just the beginning.

“Bayelsa has much more to offer than what you have seen so far and as we try to move away from oil, tourism is the next stop.

“We are creating an enabling environment for tourism to flourish,'' he said.

He also disclosed that the state would organise its own beauty pageant, in order to select an indigenous finalist to the 2015 MBGN finals.

There were musical performances

by Patoranking, Seyi Shay, Yeka Onka, Timi Dakolo and DJ Humility was the official disc jockey for the night.

The MBGN beauty pageant was founded in 1986 by Ben MurrayBruce of the Silverbird Group; and the immediate past queen was Anna Banner who represented Bayelsa in 2013. (NAN)

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By Okey Anyichie

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igerian team to the o n g o i n g commonwealth games in Scotland have taken the bull by the horns. Since this regional games among former British colonies started last Thursday (24th July 2014) over seventy one countries involved in the games have dived into the waves of struggle for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Two days after the opening ceremony of the games, a 16year-old Chika Amalaha won the games first gold medal.

She lifted 107 kilograms of weight in clean and jerk event to bag a gold medal.

Nigerian female weight lifter, Olawatoyin, won another gold medal by lifting 63 kilogram, while another Nigerian female weight lifter, Obioma Okoli bagged a silver medal in the same event.

In the team table tennis competition, the Nigerian male team beat India by 3-1 to win the bronze medal of the event. Nigeria is expected to win a medal in the table-tennis event especially in singles or doubles events.

However the climax of Nigerian performance at the games in Scot-land is the record in the female 100 meters race set by the fleetfooted Blessing Okagare. This Nigerian track gazelle beat other competitors in the final of 100 meters race to become the fastest Lady of 2014 Commonwealth games with a new record of 10.85 seconds.

She beat both the Jamaican Sprinters Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart in 11-03 seconds and 11-07 seconds. It is both in the track and field events where Nigeria performes highly in Commonwealth games since the first outing in 1950 in New Zealand.

As at Tuesday (29th July, 2014) Nigera has bagged 3 gold, 3 Silver and 2 bronze medals to show for the fifth day of the competition.

In another development, the Nigerian first gold medalist at the on0going Commonwealth games in Glasgow-Scotland Chika Amalaha failed dope test. The Nigerian weight lifter last Friday was found to have

team.

Meanwhile Blessing Okagbare the 2014 Commonwealth games 100 meters Champion and record breaker in the event is set to take another stride in 200 meters race and long-jump event.

In football played last Saturday in Congo republic in under-17 African championship between Nigeria and Congo Republic, Nigeria ran away with a lone goal victory.

The return leg would be played in Calabar next week to decide the team that will engage the winners between Gabon and Ethiopia. The Blessing Okabare winners would then qualify for tested positive after her event. stated that if Chika Amalaha's forfeiting the gold medal she t h e 2 0 1 5 A f r i c a n According to reports from the B sample turns out positive, won last Friday. And this is a Championship in Niger venue of the games, it was she stands the danger of disgrace for the Nigerian republic.

Federation cup semi finals kick off at Abuja

Enyimba football club of Aba

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he federation CupSoccer Competition, otherwise the Nigerian Challenge cup soccer competition semi-finals between four clubs that had qualified last week will take place in Abuja.

The four qualifying clubs, Enyimba football club of Aba will trade tackles with Giwa football club of Jos, while Dolphins football club of PortHarcourt engages prime football club of Oshogbo.

To get to the semi-final stage of the competition, Enyimba football club of Aba eliminated Sharks of Port-Harcourt by 20, while Dolphins of portHarcourt in a one-sided encounter at Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium Enugu walloped Lobi Stars football club of Makurdi.

Giwa football club also qualified for the semi-final encounter, prime of Osogbo in their encounter with Gate-way football club of Abeokuta won by penalty-shout-out.

The two semi-final encounters

would produce two likely football clubs of Enyimba of Aba and Dolphin of PortHarcourt. Enyimba football club of Aba won the competition last year and thus the defending champions. it would be recalled that Rangers football club of Enugu lost out in the round of 16 to Giwa football club of Jos and this loss has put the club out of this first football competition in the country since 1983, when the Enugu based club side won the competition last.

Meanwhile the women's Federation cup semi-final will take place at the same venue of Abuja, the Rivers Angels will Square up to Delta Queens, while the Nasarawa Amazons will meet the Sunshine Queens of Ondo on Friday The winners of the 2014 Men's federation cup soccer competition will represent Nigeria in 2014/2015 Africa Confederation cup soccer competition, when it kicks off in February next year.

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Nigerian gold medallist fails drug test at Commonwealth Games

Chika Amalaha

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16-year-old Nigerian weightlifter failed a doping test after becoming the youngest ever female to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal in the sport, organizers said Tuesday.

Chika Amalaha has been provisionally suspended from the Glasgow Games after testing positive for diuretics and masking agents after winning the 53-kilogram division last Friday.

Amalaha's "A" sample contained amiloride and hydrochlorothiazide, which are both banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Amalaha asked for the backup "B" sample to be tested, which will happen in London on Wednesday.

Amalaha would be stripped of the gold medal if the second sample also comes back positive.

WADA is set to investigate how someone so young had access to banned substances.

"I am rather saddened and disappointed this has happened to a 16-year-old," WADA President Craig Reedie told The Associated Press. "We will need to see if the 'B' sample

matches the 'A.' Then if it does the girl will be removed from the games and it will be up to the international weightlifting federation to apply a sanction and then she would lose her medal.

"WADA will look at the circumstances surrounding this case once we know the full facts."

The test was part of an anti-doping program at the games targeting specific sports based largely on intelligence, rather than testing every medal winner.

"It shows we have a very robust anti-doping program in place," Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper said. "It sends a strong message to anybody in any sport that if you go down the path of doping, any substance to enhance performance, they will be caught ... it's an ongoing battle."

Amalaha set Commonwealth Games records in her weight category with a total of 196 kilograms (432 pounds), breaking the previous mark of 188 kilograms. Dika Toua of Papua New Guinea won silver and

Santoshi Matsa of India earned the bronze.

Amalaha said last week that she took up weightlifting despite opposition at home.

"I started at the age of 12, but my family were strongly against me doing the sport at first," she said. "They kept telling me to stop doing it, but I persuaded them by getting a female coach.

"From then on, it was hard work, training, a lot of pain and dedication that got me here today. And now my family were in the audience and they are so excited and so proud."

The positive test is the latest setback for weightlifting, which has been marred by doping cases. Nigeria's weightlifting team didn't compete at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester because of a doping ban imposed in 2001 after four members of the squad failed drug tests.

Four years ago in New Delhi, three Nigerian runners failed doping tests. Folashade Abugan was stripped of silver medals in the women's 400 metres and 4x400-meter relay after testing positive for a steroid. Osayomi Oludamola had her gold medal in the 100 metres taken away after testing positive for a banned stimulant and hurdler Samuel Okon, who did not win a medal, also tested positive.

Hooper told The Associated Press on Sunday that about 1,500 random doping tests would be conducted in total in Glasgow. About twothirds will be carried out during the competition, with the rest completed before the games began on July 23.

Two Welsh athletes had to withdraw over doping offences committed ahead of the Glasgow Games.

European 400-meter hurdles champion Rhys Williams was ruled out on Friday after being charged with an anti-doping violation at the Glasgow Grand Prix on July 11.

His Welsh teammate, Gareth Warburton, who had been due to compete in the 800 metres at the Commonwealth Games, is going through a U.K. Anti-Doping disciplinary procedure after being charged with earlier anti-doping offences.

Griezmann completes £24million move to the Spanish champions Atletico Madrid Griezmann moves to Atletico after completing a medical on Monday Griezmann has nine caps for France and has netted on three occasions The 23-year-old had scored an impressive 52 goals in 201 Sociedad games

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August 7, 2014

tletico Madrid have signed Antoine Griezmann in a £24million move from Real Sociedad.

The 23-year-old French World Cup star finalised his move to the Spanish champions on Tuesday after completing a medical and agreeing terms on a six-year deal.

The Spanish champions announced on their official website and Griezmann will now link up with Athletico on their pre season tour in South America.

Atletico director of football Jose Luis Perez Caminero said: 'Antoine was a priority for us and fortunately we have signed him.

'He is one of the most important players in our league and he showed that at Real Sociedad.

'His arrival is great news for our club.'

And Atletico boss Diego Simeone is excited at the prospect of the Frenchman joining the club.

'He's a brilliant player,' said Simeone, speaking to reporters on Atletico's US pre

season tour. 'He is very quick and can give us a lot of options in attack.'

Tottenham and Chelsea had been linked with the Frenchman, who starred for his nation during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but the La Liga champions have won the race for his signature.

And the Sociedad later issued a statement thanking the pacey wideman for his contribution during his nine years in San Sebastian.

'Real Sociedad would like to thank Antoine Griezmann for the professionalism and dedication shown during his years at the club, while wishing you the best for your personal and professional future.'

Griezmann has been capped nine times for Les Bleus and has netted on three occasions.

The winger will link up with Arda Turan and fellow new signing Mario Manduzkic in an impressive front three as Atleti look to defend their La Liga title from big-spending Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann

Go for better pay, Chukwu tells Keshi

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ormer Nigeria's coach and a member of the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, Christian Chukwu has said that he was in support of the decision by Coach Stephen Keshi to take up new challenges after leading the Super Eagles to the second round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Speaking in a chat with journalist, Chukwu said, “the job of coaching is all about movement and it goes with the highest bidder.

He said, “in addition to that, a coach, like any other worker looks out for better condition of service. So if Keshi is going for the highest bidder and better condition, I will advice him to go but if the new offer is not better than what he is getting here, then I will advice that he stays.”

The former captain of the national team said Keshi has done well with the national team, observing that the Eagles did well at the World Cup. “They were able to maintain our record of reaching the second round.

The team had very young players who still have a very bright future ahead of them.”

Sturridge says Liverpool will not miss Suarez

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aniel Sturridge has admitted it is a shame to have lost Luis Suarez but he feels he is more than capable of playing the lead role up front this coming season.

Sturridge told The Guardian today: “It was a unique partnership, and I wish Luis all the best. We shared some good times together. We created history with our goals and became the most successful Liverpool partnership in one season.

“But in terms of next season for the goals, I'll step up myself and everyone has to. It's everyone's job to do that, the new boys who have come in as well as the players who have been there all season. We will move forward as a team.”

Sturridge, who may line up alongside new arrival Rickie Lambert after his arrival from Southampton but definitely not with Loic Remy, who apparently failed a medical and will not be the subject of another bid according to Brendan Rodgers will be focusing on breaking more records after his amazing season playing with the erratic but sublimely talented Uruguayan.

The English striker bagged an impressive 21 goals last season before grabbing another for his national team before they crashed and burned at the World Cup and he believes Liverpool will be title contenders again after some great additions during the transfer window, mostly from Southampton.

Sturridge, 27, added: “We will still have the mentality to move forward, be an exciting squad, playing attacking football and that's the Liverpool way. Whether we are underdogs or favourites, it will not change our mentality. We are a young, hungry squad looking to put our stamp down, not just in the Premier League but Europe as well.”

Vol. 1 No. 41, August 7, 2014

Mary Omagbemi Back page comment

States GDP estimation in Nigeria: Challenges and opportunities

By Ogbonna Onyeisi, mni

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he need to estimate the GDP of states in Nigeria has remained constant topics whenever the discussion for sustainable economic development in Nigeria arises. Since the rebasing of Nigeria's GDP this year which positioned Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa, the need to capture the real challenges and opportunities in the individual state economy in Nigeria becomes imperative.

Some federations, such as India, the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany have effective policies that encourage the federating units to pursue sustainable economic goals that contribute to national economic g o als . Why is N ig er ia Government not taken the issue of estimation of State GDP seriously? What does government need to do to capture every state GDP for effective planning? How can the government harness the benefits of GDP Rebasing in Nigeria? In reality, for effective policies and proper implementation of Okonjo Iweala, Minister of Finance measures towards capturing the GDP of these processes are based on key economic States in Nigeria, there is need to analyze the data. NBS has worked in partnership with evolution among the sectors of the economy the National Planning Commission, the after GDP Rebasing and the current Governors' Forum, and development government policies on the states’ GDP in partners in its efforts to compiling estimates Nigeria. Then, there is need to outline the of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of challenges to States GDP estimation in states in Nigeria. A major exercise by NBS Nigeria, and to proffer practical approach on was the initially, six pilot states: Anambra, how to estimate accurately every states GDP Gombe, Rivers, Lagos, Kano and Niger in Nigeria and how to make states States, which it plans to expand to all thirty economies viable in Nigeria. six states and the FCT. The GDP Rebasing in Nigeria has brought Evidently, the pilot states did not yield the out an outlook of strong economy and desired results. The process faced many economic diversification .The results of the challenges as most of the state somewhat rebasing indicate that the failed to co-operate with NBS and donor structure of the Nigerian economy has agencies which wanted the state to accept changed significantly, leading to a decline in the project as their babies. There are serious the share of agricultural sector and a rise in criticisms from experts about the viability of the share of services in nominal GDP. The state economy in Nigeria. Some cited the 1999 nominal series of National Bureau of disparity among states where states like Statistics (NBS) depicts that, agriculture Lagos and Rivers outputs combined are contributed 30.3% to the GDP, while more than output of about 20 states. There is industry contributed 46.1% and services also the issue of Diaspora Remittance which contributed 23.6%. According to the 2012 figure is more the GDPs of 14 states in rebased 2010 series, in nominal terms, the Nigeria. share of agriculture has declined to 24%. The major challenges about states The share of industry to the country's GDP economies in Nigeria are the parasite-nature has also declined to 25.8%, while the share of Nigerian states which made them to rely of services to the country's GDP has on federal allocations for their major increased to 50.2%. The number of economic activities. The disparity among economic activities accounting for 70% of states in Nigeria is visible on the available nominal GDP has risen from three to six data on States GDP estimates and per capita after incomes, such as recent data published by rebasing. The concept of economic Sun newspaper on states contributions to the diversification as a result of rebasing makes national GDP, most probably based on the states GDP estimates as an imperative as petroleum output. The publication depicts Nigerian economy transforms towards the percentage of contribution to Federation Vision 2020.

Account by each of state. The states in NBS restates the importance of states GDP South-South contributes about 72%, the in its policy statement and asserts that, as South-East, 8 %, the South-West 20%. with the GDP on the national level, the state While the southern states contribute 100%, GDP is needed to measure aggregate state the North Central, North East, and North economic activity. More so, NBS states that West contribute Zero. Although, some states the objectives of states GDP is to enhance in South-East and South-West contributes the decision making process of state zero also. agencies responsible for projecting Over reliance of states on federation account revenues and planning expenditure as part of for allocation is not economically budgetary or long term planning process as sustainable, given the latest development in international oil markets where United

Godwin Emefiele, CBN Gov States, the major oil importer in few years to come will become major oil exporter. In Nigeria, every state ought to have an area of comparative advantage. It is evident that the economical potentials of most states in the Northern Nigeria is enormous with huge landmark that is good for a large scale agriculture and large deposit of many natural resources, such as gold and other precious stone. In essence, every state in Nigeria has culture and tourism industry that can be developed and untapped human resources.

Having extensively looked at the current government policies and implementation strategies towards estimating accurate states GDP in Nigeria and major challenges facing the states economies in Nigeria, the next step is to make recommendations and look at the practical approach towards diversifying Nigerian economy and making state economies to become major contributors to national economy. Since every state in Nigeria has a certain economic potential, there is need for a trade off. However, few things the federal and state governments must do to derive positive outcome are:(a) Federal Government must decentralize major economic activities, such as agriculture and basic education to state governments;(b)there is need for relatively economic autonomy for states to reduce the current parasite nature of states governments; (c)there must be zero tolerance for zero contribution to federation account as every state must contribute something;(d)in the modern global economy, it is the private sector that drive economic prosperity, so every state should work with local Chambers of Commerce and be encouraged to develop its economy based on economic concept of selfsufficient; (e) state GDP calculation must be imperative for state economic planning; and (f) Federal government should come up with policies that will make it mandatory for every state to have a liaison office in every other states to promote intra-state trades and as economic data centers.

Mary Onyali-Omagbemi (nĂŠe Onyali, born 3 February 1968) is a Nigerian sprinter, who won the bronze medal in the 4 x 100 m relay at the 1992 Olympic Games and in the 200 m at the 1996 Olympic Games. She also won the 1994 Commonwealth Games 100 metres title.

Onyali-Omagbemi performed especially well in the All-Africa Games, winning a total of 7 individual medals in the short sprints. She won 100 m in 1991, 1995 and 2003 and took a bronze medal in 1987. Gold medals in 200 m were taken in 1987, 1995 and 2003. Furthermore, the Nigerian 4 x 100 m relay team won all races between 1987 and 2003, at the African Games.

Born Mary Onyali, by the time of the 2000 Olympics she was known as Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, having married fellow Nigerian sprinter Victor Omagbemi.

Her consecutive Olympic appearances from 1988 to 2004 made her the first Nigerian to compete at five Olympics. This feat was equalled by table tennis players Bose Kaffo and Segun Toriola four years later in Beijing, PR China.

Mary Onyali-Omagbemi currently serves as the Special Adviser (Technical) to the Director General of the National Sports Commission in Nigeria.